Omani and Pakistani FMs Meet in Manila Ahead of Trump's Thursday Address

🕊️ MANILA — Two back-channel states meet hours before Trump's Thursday address. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: Oman is Iran's only functioning Western back-channel; Pakistan was the last named mediator before talks collapsed. A Manila meeting hours before Trump's Thursday address suggests both are probing whether a diplomatic signal can interrupt escalation. No agenda leaked. That silence is the data: pre-positioning, not announcement.

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Lebanon's President Condemns Israeli Strikes as Dangerous Escalation

🏛️ BEIRUT — The IDF strikes were published yesterday; now a head of state made them his. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: Salam's formal condemnation forces France beyond the NGO casualty file. A Lebanese president requesting UNSC emergency session is qualitatively different — Paris can't abstain quietly. With hospital strikes, Mansouri, and

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Iran Energy Minister Warns of Unavoidable Blackouts After Grid Attacks

⚡ TEHRAN — Iran's grid is cracking while its navy fights in Hormuz. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: Tehran's own minister admitting unavoidable blackouts means military strikes have found the domestic pressure point. IRGC cannot simultaneously defend every transformer and every tanker. Power cuts historically destabilize Iranian governments faster than sanctions.

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OPEC+ to Hold Output Policy Unchanged as Oil War Reshapes Markets

🛢️ OPEC+ — Holding output steady when three Iranian tankers just sank is a choice. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: With Brent at $96 and US SPR at 1983 lows, OPEC+ freezing output means the cartel is letting the war do the price work for them. Saudi Arabia — simultaneously receiving US JDAMs and mediating for

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IRGC Warns US Blockade Would Backfire Economically

📢 IRGC — Washington's blockade threat may cost more than Tehran's. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: IRGC's backfire warning targets Beijing and New Delhi, not Washington — both absorb Iranian crude and fear losing access more than the US fears $100 oil. With SPR at 1983 lows and Brent up

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Lebanon's President Condemns Israeli Strikes as Dangerous Escalation

Iran Energy Minister Warns of Unavoidable Blackouts After Grid Attacks

OPEC+ to Hold Output Policy Unchanged as Oil War Reshapes Markets

IRGC Warns US Blockade Would Backfire Economically