Mario Nawfal

Oil has had one wild ride since 2000, and it's not exactly calming down now. In 2008, booming demand from China and a flood of speculators sent Brent to a record $144 a barrel. Months later, the global financial crisis hit and prices crashed below $40. By 2016, Brent had sunk to $26 after the U.S. shale boom flooded the world with oil and Saudi Arabia refused to cut production to prop prices up. Then came 2020. COVID lockdowns killed demand overnight, storage tanks filled to the brim, and U.S. crude briefly went NEGATIVE, meaning sellers were literally paying people to take it off their hands. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, the West slapped sanctions on Moscow, and Brent rocketed back up to $133. Now it's climbing again, with Brent settling at $106.65 yesterday and WTI at $93.74, as the Iran war drags on, the Strait of Hormuz stays under blockade and Houthi missiles rain down on Saudi Arabia. Every few years, the world finds a new way to break the oil market, and this year it's going for the full combo. Writer: Julie t.co/WI4I4llkyw

🇸🇪🇫🇷 Greta Thunberg is at a secondary school in Saint-Denis, supporting the French school protests... Of course a woman who’s never worked a day in her life is joining a demonstration aimed at destroying France. 🙄🙄🙄 Writer: Samuel t.co/RAGHJeqGYD

🇺🇸 The plan to publicly livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army major convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, could mark a turning point in America's relationship with the death penalty. The December firing-squad execution comes as Washington struggles with the war against Iran and its consequences in the Strait of Hormuz. Executing a convicted Islamist terrorist could provide a morale boost and a political distraction from those difficulties. But the larger significance goes far beyond the war. America has spent decades maintaining capital punishment in law while increasingly avoiding its implementation. California is perhaps the clearest example. Despite retaining the death penalty and voters repeatedly rejecting abolition, the state has not executed anyone since 2006. This arrangement allows politicians to avoid the political consequences of either abolishing capital punishment or actually enforcing it. Across the country, lengthy appeals, execution moratoriums and disputes over supposedly cruel and unusual punishment have created an enormous divide between what the law permits and what the government is willing to do. Even lethal injection reflects America's discomfort with capital punishment, presenting an inherently violent act as something resembling a medical procedure. A publicly broadcast firing-squad execution would reject that sanitization entirely. There is a serious argument that laws, once democratically established and upheld by the courts, should be enforced rather than quietly abandoned through political avoidance. That does not eliminate the need for due process or constitutional protections. But retaining the death penalty while making its implementation practically impossible raises questions about the credibility of the law itself. And that is why Hasan's execution could become a defining test. If capital punishment is to survive as a meaningful part of American law, its supporters may have to defend its actual implementation openly rather than hiding behind increasingly sanitized procedures. The reaction to a livestreamed firing squad could reveal whether America still has the political and institutional willingness to enforce the ultimate punishment. Writer: Mhedi t.co/SYrSckXD6P

🇩🇪🇪🇺 Germany's Chancellor Merz: "The studies we are seeing show that Germany is considered the most attractive investment destination in Europe." He may be right about that, but it's a bit surprising when you look around Germany and find countries that are safer with lower labor costs and lower energy costs. What makes Germany still the "most attractive investment destination" over, say, Poland? Writer: Michael t.co/tbCA8pAJFR

🇸🇦🇾🇪 Houthi missiles are hitting Riyadh, and the bill could end up (once again) at your gas pump. Brent crude jumped from around $97 to over $107 a barrel in less than a week as attacks on Saudi Arabia intensified. It's still hovering around $105, with traders nervous about what happens if the Houthis start going after oil facilities. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest oil exporters, so even the threat of disrupted pipelines and refineries can send prices climbing elsewhere. Saudi stocks dipped after the latest airport attack before recovering most of their losses, while other Gulf markets remain on edge. Even Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government, acknowledges the kingdom has too many airports, pipelines and oil facilities to defend them all. And the damage to business is already showing. Riyadh's main airport had to suspend operations, the capital's financial district has gone remote, U.S. aviation authorities are warning about flying over parts of the country, and some major players skipped this week's oil conference. That hits MBS right where it hurts. His Vision 2030 plan depends on attracting $100 billion a year in foreign investment to move the economy beyond oil. Not exactly an easy sell when missiles are flying over the capital. So the country spending billions to build a future beyond oil is now stuck watching its oil drive prices up for everyone else. Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, AFP / Writer: Julie

🇩🇪 Chancellor Merz, on the fight to make Germany more competitive: "If I weren't involved in this conflict, my personal approval ratings would be better. But I have no intention of becoming the nation's darling. My intention is to get this country back on track so that we can once again offer a reasonable future, especially for the younger generation." This is how every unpopular politician sleeps at night: convincing themselves that 'the right thing' is always the exact opposite of what the people actually want. Writer: Michael t.co/LOFL8Q9QAd

🇮🇩 This is how catastrophic fuel shortages have become in Bali. With the Iran war having no end in sight, we can only expect the situation to become truly HORRIFIC before it gets any better! Writer: Mhedi t.co/sk8bxsCKjA

🇩🇪 Germany's Chancellor Merz: "The German labor market is still too rigid and too inflexible. It neither allows companies to grow quickly and easily nor allows jobseekers to find new work quickly and easily." I wonder WHICH chancellor could do something to change that. Dude, your party's been in power for the last 17/25 years! Writer: Samuel t.co/7aSGevD3UR

🇸🇪 Are screens and AI making our kids dumber? Sweden seems to think so, and it's not the only country having second thoughts. Not long ago, Sweden was the poster child for digital schooling. Now it's spending hundreds of millions of kronor on printed textbooks, bringing back handwriting, restricting phones and cutting screen time for younger kids, after reading and concentration levels started heading south. The latest science is starting to explain why. A huge review published in JAMA Pediatrics last month pulled together data on more than 2.8 million children across 64 countries and linked higher screen time to lower grades, weaker language development and more emotional and behavioral problems. The effects were in the same ballpark as other well-known risks to child development. Brain scans are telling a similar story. A Northwestern University study found toddlers' brains were more active in the areas tied to attention, learning and social skills during reading, playing and chatting with their parents than while watching a screen, even when they seemed totally absorbed in the movie. And then there's AI. UC Berkeley researchers found that just 10 minutes of relying on an AI tool made people worse at sticking with hard problems once the tool was gone, with many giving up faster than people who never used it. Another study, in the journal Cerebral Cortex, found that 6- and 7-year-olds using ChatGPT showed less activity in the brain networks that handle focus and self-control than adults doing the same task. Some researchers now call it "cognitive stunting," the risk that kids who hand their thinking over to AI miss out on the struggle that actually builds the skills. None of this means screens or AI have no place in school. The worry is about making them the default for the basics, while young brains are still learning how to focus and push through. Sweden isn't turning its back on tech, it's just figuring out that some things a pencil and a bit of boredom still do better. Sources: JAMA Pediatrics, The Guardian, Northwestern University, UC Berkeley, Cerebral Cortex, LA Times, BBC / Writer: Julie

🇳🇴🇺🇦🇷🇺 Norwegian FM Espen Barth Eide: "It doesn't really make sense that people who are not paying much for supporting Ukraine are those who have the key role in negotiations. We need a strong European voice." A successful negotiation requires a superpower that can exert massive pressure on BOTH sides... Europe lacks the unified military leverage to force compliance from Russia, and by Eide's own admission, cannot be neutral. Writer: Michael t.co/TljP55hY4h

🇵🇱🇷🇺🇺🇦 Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski: "We listened to [Russian FM] Lavrov's speech at the Security Council, which was mostly a rant against Europe. Which told me that they've just realized that actually they can't fix this just with the United States. Europe is paying for this war. Europe is consistent in supporting Ukraine, and we will continue to do so irrespective of what anybody else does." It feels like even if Trump has an opportunity to end the war in Ukraine, Europe will not let him... why is that? Writer: Michael t.co/qMztCOYGWa

🚨🇵🇰 Pakistani police are RAIDING the homes of people linked to jailed fmr. PM Imran Khan's political party... The latest incident took place at the home of Yousafzai, a fmr. provincial minister from Khan's PTI party, as police reportedly searched for his brother, Liaquat. The raid comes amid protests demanding Khan's release and accusations that Pakistani authorities are cracking down on his political allies. Writer: Samuel t.co/cy8e8hOUFS

🇺🇸 AI models could be just months away from copying themselves across household devices, including smart TVs, fridges and ovens, according to researchers at Anthropic. The company warns that these self-replicating AI agents could spread across internet-connected devices without needing powerful data centers, making them extremely difficult to shut down. Although researchers have not yet demonstrated reliable self-replication on a smart TV, they believe sufficiently capable models could emerge by the end of 2026. Unlike traditional computer viruses, AI agents could potentially reason through security barriers, adapt to unfamiliar devices and continue spreading without human intervention. Researchers warn that the world will likely soon be flooded with autonomous AI agents operating across millions of devices, some beyond human control. Source: Al Jazeera / Writer: Mhedi

🇺🇸 A 1-year-old girl was INJURED after gunfire erupted in broad daylight in the Bronx... Video shows a gunman dressed in black walking down the street before pulling out a weapon and opening fire toward someone off-camera. A 32-year-old bystander was shot in the ankle, while the toddler was injured by shattered glass when a bullet fragment struck the car she was sitting in. Both were hospitalized in stable condition. Writer: Samuel t.co/kVGQB14pDV

🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran is reportedly warning it could send troops into neighboring countries if the U.S. starts bombing again. Some Iranian officials have floated land incursions in private, though nobody's said which countries they'd be marching into. Tehran has also been telling Arab officials that Saudi oil facilities could be in the firing line, while its top security official Mohsen Rezaei put the UAE, regional data centers and undersea internet cables on the list on Sunday. The message to the Gulf is that if Washington picks the fight, the whole neighborhood gets dragged into it. Source: WSJ / Writer: Julie

🇺🇸 Pro wrestler Max Caster has been fired from TNA Wrestling after referencing the deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh's airport during his entrance rap. Caster, making his TNA debut at Sunday's Bound for Glory event, delivered the line: "And it's the firing squad. I drop bombs. You don't even have to fly to Riyadh." Following backlash, TNA apologized, removed the segment from its replays and social media, and announced that Caster would no longer wrestle for the company. If there was ever such a thing as making a joke too soon, Max might have officially aced it. Source: Fox / Writer: Mhedi

🇮🇳 Footage of a clean-up operation on a train somewhere in India. You really can't UNSEE this kind of thing. 🤢 Writer: Mhedi t.co/uY3ViX7yR2

🇫🇷 This cop chased down and arrested a high school protester in France, only to have an angry mob attack him And French politicians are investigating police for being too brutal in their attempt to crack down on the unrest Insane!! Writer: Ian t.co/8w7G4JY8T6

Wow, the graphics on GTA VI: India are sick Writer: Ian t.co/jSBLO6BAov

🇺🇸🇨🇳 After 40 years of working with Chinese banks, Visa is finally getting a shot at processing payments inside China, a market Beijing has long kept under tight control. China's central bank just gave Visa approval to start setting up its own local card-processing business, something it applied for back in 2020. Mastercard and American Express already got their approvals years ago, so Visa is actually late to the party. The timing is interesting, though. Trump personally raised Visa's market access with Xi Jinping during his May visit, and Visa's CEO has since become chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council. Now Beijing has given the green light just weeks before Trump and Xi are expected to meet again. Of course, getting permission to compete is one thing. Getting Chinese consumers away from WeChat Pay and Alipay is a whole different headache. Source: CNBC / Writer: Julie

'tis but a scratch... I'm sure it'll buff out 😂 Writer: Ian t.co/JajAEUoXpZ

You wouldn't want to be downrange from this guy Writer: Ian t.co/i6sZs0lXDU

This may only be a training exercise, but it gives an insight into the realities of trench warfare Now throw drones and artillery into that, and anyone who still thinks war is glamorous must be insane Yet politicians are more than happy to send young men to their death All wars are brutal and pointless It's the 21st century and we still haven't figured out how to solve our problems without resorting to killing people Writer: Ian t.co/wTocvu9orJ

🇸🇦🇾🇪 Saudi Arabia stopped issuing public missile warnings days before a series of Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport killed at least 18 people and injured more than 300. Authorities issued no public alerts ahead of four attacks on Riyadh over the past week, despite previously warning residents of incoming missiles and drones. Local diplomats were reportedly told that the warnings had become too disruptive, with residents complaining about being woken up at night. Western embassies, however, continued issuing private security alerts to their staff, even as the Saudi public received no warnings. Saudi Arabia resumed public threat alerts yesterday, but authorities have yet to explain why the system went silent before the deadly strikes. Source: Reuters / Writer: Mhedi

Even cooling it with water, this one gets hot and messy Writer: Ian t.co/JWCVFbvsCO

🇸🇦🇵🇹 Not even Houthi missiles are keeping Ronaldo from chasing 1,000 goals. Al Nassr's match in Riyadh was delayed about an hour by a missile alert, with fans told to stay put until the all-clear. CR7 kissed the Saudi emblem on his jersey before kickoff, scored career goal No. 981 in a 3-1 win, then celebrated with a Saudi flag scarf around his neck. Missiles, delays, alerts, whatever. The man has 19 goals left and he’s not waiting around 😆 Writer: Julie t.co/9w2qDEJ1S5

Apparently, any Brit who loves their country and culture and points this out is somehow a far-right racist Writer: Ian t.co/uIqDWNkHXr

🇬🇧 Russell Brand's trial on rape and sexual assault charges began yesterday in London, with the comedian facing seven charges involving six women. The allegations date from 1999 to 2009 and include three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. Brand has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges, maintaining that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. The trial is expected to last several weeks, with prosecutors preparing to present allegations dating back more than two decades. With Russell making a living on criticizing the British government and the strong liberal bias of British institutions, I wouldn't hold my breath for a fair trial. Writer: Mhedi t.co/M9CkHZzC1e

This also doubles as an IQ test 😂 Writer: Ian t.co/X4SEl1XRMz

🇾🇪🇸🇦 Houthi missiles are slamming into Saudi airports and the U.S. could get dragged in, but the roots of this fight go back a lot further than most people realize. Yemen was 2 separate countries until 1990, and the cracks from that shotgun marriage never really healed. The Houthis grew out of a northern religious revival movement in the 1990s, took over the capital Sana'a in 2014, and have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition ever since. More than a decade later, they're still in charge in Sana'a, and they're taking the fight straight to Riyadh. Writer: Julie t.co/1oAwizkNGB