“Earlier this year, Amazon threatened to cut US Postal Service deliveries by as much as two thirds. Now, the parties have reached tentative a deal that will see USPS deliveries reduced by 20 percent, The Wall Street Journal reported. While not as drastic as first menaced, the reduced volume will still deal a financial blow to the USPS. … Amazon is the USPS’s largest customer, accounting for 15 percent of its volume and $6 billion in revenue.” (04/06/26)
“Wandering down the unlit corridors of a six-storey building behind the Royal Hill casino, each door opens onto a different world. In one there is a perfect replica of a Vietnamese bank. In another, you’re in an Australian police station. A Chinese police officer’s shirt hangs in one corner. Motivational messages have been painted on the walls. ‘Money Coming From Everywhere,’ read the Chinese characters on one sign. Discarded fake hundred dollar bills are lying all over the floor. This was a massive scam compound, just inside Cambodia in a border town called O Smach. Thousands of people from different countries worked here, under a harsh regime which strictly regimented their lives, defrauding thousands of others across the world of their savings.” (04/07/26)
“United States-Israeli strikes have ‘completely destroyed’ a synagogue in Tehran, according to Iranian media, as the attacks across Iran killed more than a dozen people overnight. ‘According to preliminary information, the Rafi-Nia Synagogue … was completely destroyed in this morning’s attacks,’ the Shargh newspaper reported on Tuesday. … In a video published on Telegram by Iran’s official IRIB News outlet, Homayoun Sameh, a Jewish representative in the country’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, said ‘the Zionist regime showed no mercy to this community during the Jewish holidays and targeted one of our ancient and holy synagogues. Unfortunately, during this attack, the synagogue building was completely destroyed and our Torah scrolls were left under the rubble,’ he said.” (04/07/26)
“The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement on Tuesday that it will release American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week. The group said its decision came ‘in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing Prime Minister’ Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that ‘this initiative will not be repeated in future.’ Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it was the one responsible for Kittleson’s abduction, although both U.S. and Iraqi officials had pointed fingers at the group. U.S. officials had previously alleged the group was responsible for abducting freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson from a Baghdad street corner on March 31. The Iraqi government has not publicly named the group responsible, and the militia has not claimed the kidnapping.” (04/07/26)
“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure that gave him and other state officials the power to designate groups as ‘terrorist organizations’ and expel students who support them, with rights groups saying the law will chill free speech. The law empowers the state’s chief of domestic security, governor and cabinet to designate any organization they determine engages in extremist acts as a ‘terrorist organization.'” (04/06/26)
“Iran on Monday delivered a 10-point proposal to end the war with the United States and Israel, according to Iranian state media. … Two senior Iranian officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations, said the proposal included a guarantee that Iran would not be attacked again, an end to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the lifting of all sanctions. In return, Iran would lift its de facto blockade of the key shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran would also impose a fee of roughly $2 million per ship that it would split with Oman, which sits across the strait. Iran would use its share of the proceeds to reconstruct infrastructure destroyed by American and Israeli attacks, rather than demand direct compensation, according to the plan.” (04/07/26)
“The Artemis II astronauts wrapped up their lunar flyby as they continue their journey back to Earth on Tuesday, bringing with them rich celestial observations including little-known lunar craters, a solar eclipse and meteor strikes that scientists hope will open doors. … The Orion capsule will now travel back to Earth in a so-called ‘free-return trajectory,’ a trip that will take about four days.” (04/07/26)
“Resident doctors have commenced a six-day walkout, marking their 15th round of industrial action, following the collapse of pay negotiations with the government. Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged that patients will be left ‘waiting in pain or anxiety longer than is necessary’ due to delayed appointments, though urgent and emergency care will continue. The British Medical Association (BMA) rejected a government offer that included a 4.9 per cent average basic pay increase from 2026-2027, while an offer for 1,000 extra training places was taken off the table last week.” (04/07/26)
“Bitcoin slid toward $68,000 on Tuesday, with traditional markets closed in Hong Kong for a long weekend, as repeated failures near $70,000 left the bitcoin market vulnerable to a break lower. The drop came after another failed push above $70,000, with prices slipping quickly once they approached the lower end of the $65,000 to $73,000 range that has defined trading since late March. Intraday losses accelerated near that boundary, highlighting how little support exists when momentum turns. That calm is not being driven by strong demand. Recent Glassnode data shows softer trading volumes and subdued onchain activity even as prices recover, indicating limited participation behind the move.” (04/07/26)
“Ukraine is continuing its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure despite calls from the West seeking to end such strikes. Russian officials on Sunday said Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery operated by Lukoil and a Baltic pipeline near St Petersburg. The governor of Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region said air defence units had repelled a 30-drone barrage. Last week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that some allies have signalled for Ukraine to reduce long-range strikes on Russia’s oil sector due to rising global energy prices. Zelensky said he would be happy to do so – but only if Russia reciprocates by stopping its own attacks on the Ukrainian grid.” (04/06/26)
