Japan Today: Modern Asian Nations After Iran Invasion.
US News.
Former US VP Pence States Current US Administration is Moving Away From Conservative Values.
Trump Attempting to Have Images of...himself...Printed in new Limited Issue, Trump-signed USA 250 USD Bill and US passports.
Trump Plans to Cast... himself...with Star Billing at DC Political Rally for "America 250 Presentation" After Scheduled Performing Artists Bow Out.
US Fires on, Disables Non-Iranian Merchant Ship Trying to Reach Iran Port.
AP News. May, 2026.
US DHS Agency Attempting to Sell-Off Newly Acquired ICE "Detention Warehouses" and "Deportation Planes".
US Kills 3 in Continuing Attacks on Alleged Narco-terrorists ' Vessels.
2 Virginia Deputies Shot, 1 Killed. Incident Under Investigation as Manhunt Continues.
5 Killed in Virginia Bus Crash.
12-y.o. NY Boy Killed While on School Rafting Field Trip in Pennsylvania.
NBC News. May, 2026.
NYC Mayor Mamdani Creates "Efficiency Board".
US Building Up Military Forces Around Cuba.
US Congress Members Say that Trump Must Receive Congressional Approval Before Continuing Work on WH East Wing.
US Federal Judge Orders Trump to Remove Trump's Name from Kennedy Center Arts Building.
US Treasury Department Threatens Oman Over Possible Straight of Hormuz Tolls.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
AP News. May, 2026.
Apartment Building Explosion in Texas Injures 4 People.
Husband-Wife Domestic Violence Blamed for House Explosion in Michigan. 1 Dead, 1 Survivor.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
CDC Website News. May, 2026.
US Secretary of State Rubio Confirms Reducions of US Forces in Europe.
AP News. May, 2026.
2 Killed in Latest US Attack on Alleged Narco-Terrorist Boats.
NBC News. May, 2026.
Ex-CIA Agent Caught With 40 mil. USD in Gold Bars.
AP News. May, 2026.
US and Iran Exchange Military Strikes.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
Protests at Delaney ICE Detention Facilities in New Jersey Result in Pepper Spraying of US Senator.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
Paper Chemical Plant Implodes in Washington State.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
Clarence B. Jones, Co-Writer of Dr. MLK "I have a dream" Speech, Dies Age 95.
NBC News.May, 2026.
US Celebrates Memorial Day, May 25, 2026.
AP News. May, 2026.
5 Chicago Police Officers Hit While Dispersing Crowds by Teenager Driving Car.
NBC News. May, 2016.
1 Teenager Killed, Another Injured While "Subway Surfing" on J Train in New York's Manhattan District.
Greenlanders Protest as US Envoy Promotes New US Embassy.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
US Economic Questions Surge as Groceries Become Notably More Expensive.
NBC News. 2026.
Hawaii Records 6.0 Earthquake Off Coast. No Tsunami Warnings Issued.
2 People Reportedly Shot at White House. White House on Lockdown.
AP News. May, 2026.
Southern California Area Evacuated After Large Chemical Leak. Governor Declares State of Emergency.
Yahoo, AP News. May, 2026.
Explosion at New York Shipyard Injures Over 16 People.
AP News. May, 2026.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard Resigns.
AP News. May, 2026.
TLO Commentary.
The resignation of Tulsi Gabbard comes at a strikingly inopportune time in the US as the Administration deals with the Iran conflict and war powers resolutions. Information concerning specifics involving international events and relationships with US allies in the Middle East such as Israel and Saudi Arabia in regards to Iran's latest and previous actions are undoubtedly affecting any new planned actions from the US involving sanctions and the Iran security embargo involving the US and potentially European forces as events unfold in the Straight of Hormuz.
Suffice to say, Iran has begun taking administrative control of the Straight by demanding that ships crossing there register with Iran in order to receive safe passage corridor maps and accessibility through the area due to mines Iran states that it has placed in the area. Here is where US and Iranian accounts of that situation conflict, as sea mines aren't statically positionable and the US previously stated that its forces destroyed both Iranian navy ships and mines within the area during the US-Israeli "Epic Fury" bombing campaign in February. Iran is requiring in some cases that fees be paid to cross the Straight. This is a violation of UN Maritime Law which Iran is signatory to.
Currently, Iran has not attacked US forces despite the US boarding and searching of Iranian ships globally. The US is conducting the searches to verify whether or not foreign missile parts or nuclear weapons materials are being shipped to Iran clandestinely.
US forces cannot legally attack Iran if not threatened by Iranian military forces, so a "pressure campaign", including the US blockade of Iranian ships and ongoing threats from Europe and Asia to collectively take action against Iran using punitive economic measures unless Iran resumes normal freedom of passage shipping operations in the Straight are presently occurring. Iran has pushed against these collective international actions, threatening global warfare. Iran's threats however, seem somehow toothless, despite Russian support for Iran, because of the disabling aspects of Epic Fury. Even if Iran still has significant military capabilities, it seems unlikely that their remaining forces can generate enough defensive or offensive firepower to sustain any new world war, and the same can be said for Russia, China, North Korea or even Western nations.
There are currently around 2000 ships stuck in transit within the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Straight of Hormuz.
US Republicans Delay War Powers Vote in House by Taking Recess.
High Heat and Wet Thunderstorms Affect US East Coast Before Memorial Day Weekend.
US House Votes to Forward New War Powers Resolution Involving Iran War.
Acting Director of US National Institute of Health; Infectious Diseases Institute (NIH) Resigns.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
Facebook News. May, 2026.
CA Gov. Newsom website News. May, 2026.
NYC Mayor Mamdani's First-Government Operated Grocery Store in NY Initiated.
Yahoo News. May, 2026.
Unknown Substance Blamed for Deaths, Sickening of First Responders in New Mexico.
AP news. May, 2026.
American Icon Brewing Company Schlitz Closes Doors for Good.
NBC news. May, 2026.
Barney Frank, First Openly Gay US Congressman Dies Age 86.
Simi Valley, California Wildfire Spreading Rapidly. Evacuations Ordered.
US Congress Attempting Another War Powers Resolution Vote Concerning Iran.
US Treasury General Counsel Brian Morrissey’s Resignation Raises Serious Questions.
Yahoo News. May, 2026.
Pope Leo Thanks Catholic Extension Society for Charity Help in Americas.
Trump Calls Off Planned Attack Against Iran After Gulf Regional Allies Ask US Not to Attack.
2 Teenage Suspects in San Diego, CA Mosque Attack Killed. 3 Adults Killed. Incident Under Investigation.
Female College Student is First US Entrant into WorldSkills Welding Competition.
AP news. May, 2026.
Long Island Railway Workers' Strike Disables New York Commuters.
Trump Uses Official WH Message System to Portray himself as "James Bond, 007".
Self-Appointed Trump "Envoy" Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry Goes to Greenland Economic Forum.
Prayer Rally in National Mall, Washington DC Attended by Thousands of People.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
6 US Navy Pilots Who Recently Crashed in 2025-26 Were Flying Same Aircraft Type: EA-18 G Growler.
Investigation Concludes After 2025 Rescue of 2 Navy Pilots Whose Plane Crashed in San Diego Bay.
(NBC March, 2026 News).
4 US Navy Pilots Eject Before their Planes Crash at Airshow in Idaho.
Facebook News. May, 2026.
AP News. May, 2026.
US FAA Reduces Staff Hiring Goals in Favor of Technology.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
4 People Killed in New Mexico Medical Plane Crash.
2nd Missing US Soldier's Remains Recovered from Morocco.
US Federal Reserve Board Member Stephan Miran Resigns as Board Chairman Jerome Powell's Term Ends.
US gov. News. May, 2026.
Despite US States' Anti-Abortion Laws, SCOTUS permits Mifepristone abortion tablets to be made available and mailed by USPS.
US and China Both Agree, Ironically, that Straight of Hormuz Should Not Be Militarized. (Ahem, cough cough).
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
US Border Patrol Chief Resigns.
US Senators Vote to Not be paid during Government Closures.
AP News, April 2026 -May 2026.
California to Provide Free Diapers to New Parents in Statewide Program.
Body of Missing Arizona State University Grad Student Found at Grand Canyon National Park.
AOL news. May, 2026.
"Alligator Alcatraz" ICE Detention Center in Florida Scheduled for Closure.
"Massive" AI Data Center Proposed and Approved for Utah Encounters Widespread Public Protests.
HSA Freezing Hospice and Home Health Care Agency Medicare Enrollment Applications for 6 Months in order to "Fight Fraud".
Trump Scheduled to Meet With Chinese Leaders in May, 2026.
FDA Chief Planning to Resign Position.
AP News. May, 2026.
Mayor of Arcadia, CA Resigns After Being Discovered to be a Chinese Agent.
Trump Considers Pausing US Collections of Gas and Fuel Taxes as Iranian-US Conflicts Result in Higher Gas Prices Globally.
National Weather Service News. May, 2026.
You Tube News, Massachusetts. May, 2026.
Trump Signs EO to Help Reduce Beef Prices in US.
2 People Killed in Ohio Plane Crash.
California Six Flags Magic Mountain Amusement Park Receives Bomb Threat.
Yahoo AOL News. May, 2026.
1 US Soldier's Remains from Morocco Recovered. Search Continues for 2nd Missing US Soldier.
AP News. May, 2026.
US State of Arizona SNAP Benefits Recipients Going Hungry After Cutoffs.
NBC News. May 2026.
AOL News. May, 2026.
NBC News. May, 2026.
More AP News About Trump EO's and US Federal Court Responses.
AP News. May 2026.
6 People Found Dead in Union Pacific Boxcar in Texas.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
US Federal Judge Rules Trump EO Cancelling Federal Humanities Grants Was Illegal.
PBS News. May, 2026.
15 Injured as Tourist Boat Explodes at Florida Pier Resort Area.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
Jet Strike Kills Pedestrian on Runway at Denver, Colorado Airport. Incident Under Investigation.
Current FDA Chief Under Firing Threats from Trump.
NBC news. May, 2026.
Powerful El Nino Predicted for 2026 North American Hurricane Season.
US State of Alabama Proceeds With Redistricting Efforts.
US State of Virginia Supreme Court Blocks Voter-approved Dem Redistricting Map.
ACLU Challenges, Independent Lawsuits Take Place After US State of Tennessee Voter Redistricting.
AOL News. May 2026.
US Hantavirus Evacuees Being Quarantined in US State of Nebraska.
NEHHS Nebraska News. May, 2026.
FBI UFO files. May, 2026.
US National UFO Archives Reference.
US Secretary of State Rubio Concludes Visit With Roman Catholic Pope Leo. Exchanges Gifts and Receives Warm Welcome from Pope Leo and Papal Officials Who Share Rubio Family History Documents with Secretary.
Presumptuous SCOTUS Vote Leads US State of Tennessee Republicans to Gerrymander Black, Democrat Majority Memphis and Nashville Districts into Separate 3 GOP and 5 GOP Republican White Majority Voting Districts. Legal Challenges Expected.
AP news. May, 2026.
US Southern States Attempt Redistricting Methods as Remaining US States Consider Constitutional Legalities of Gerrymandering Without Voter Approval.
Gas Prices Fall Amidst Reports of Possible Ending of US-Iran Conflict.
US State of California Governor Candidates' Debates Draw Mixed Reactions from Home Viewers.
Congratulations from TLO to Karolyn Leavitt, Her Husband and the birth of their New Baby! 🥳🎉🙏🕊️✌️!
You Tube AP news. May, 2026.
US Secretary of State Rubio Meets with Roman Catholic Pope Leo.
US ICE Agents Storm Disney Cruise Ship, Arrest 10 Crew.
Yahoo ATT news. May, 2026.
Ted Turner, Founder of CNN, Dies Age 87.
Houston Restauranteur Kills Children, Wife, Himself in US State of Texas. Investigation Underway.
Iran Denies Second Wave of Attacks Against UAE as UAE Reports New Strikes. Investigation Underway.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
May Snowstorm Predicted in US State of Colorado Mountains.
AP news. May, 2026.
18-y.o. Woman Dies After US State of Oklahoma Lakeside Shooting.
AP news. May, 2026.
Mexico Celebrates Cinco de Mayo Holiday.
"Operation Freedom" Paused. Peace Deals in Progress with Iran.
You Tube ABC news. May, 2026.
Trump Hints at Forthcoming UFO Files Disclosure.
PBS News. May, 2026.
US Pentagon Reports 2 More Killings After Alleged Narco-Terrorist Boat Strike in Caribbean Waters.
Facebook News. May, 2026.
International Energy Agency (IEA) Releases Report for Governments, Households, Consumers for Dealing With Increased Oil and Fuel Costs.
IEA News. ( From March, 2026).
PBS News. May 2026.
Commercial Airplane Clips Lightpost Along US State of New Jersey State Highway Before Landing at Airport.
Missing US State of Oklahoma Senate Candidate Found Dead in Truck.
You Tube News Local 5. May 2026.
No Survivors After Plane Carrying Pickleball Players Crashes in US State of Texas.
AP news. May, 2026.
Unusual 5.2 Earthquake Hits Near Silver Springs, US State of Nevada.
Driver Runs Car into Crowd in Oakland, US State of California. 7 People Injured.
AP news. May, 2026.
Spirit© Airlines Shuts Doors After Recent Bankruptcy Filing.
AP news. May, 2026.
AOL news. May, 2026.
After SCOTUS Decision, Voters and Dem. Candidate for Office Sue Louisiana for Suspended LA Primary Voting Dates.
Trump Cuts NASA Budget by 23%, Undermining Orbital Docking and Lunar Landing Missions.
You Tube, NBC news. May 2026.
SCOTUS Decision Results in Suspended Louisiana State Primary Elections.
AP news. May, 2026.
US President Trump Declares Iran War "Terminated".
Stabbing at High School in US State of Washington, Injures 6 People.
AP News May 2026.
International News.
Rumors Circulate Among Online News Media that Iranian President Has Resigned.
UAE Fires Missiles at Iran.
NATO Condemns Russia Drone Strike in Romania.
Russian Drone Strike Hits Romanian Apartment Building.
You Tube APT News Int'l. May, 2026.
US Accuses Iran of Violating Ceasefire as Kuwait Reports Being Hit by Iranian Missile Attacks.
PBS News. May, 2026.
Israeli PM Netanyahu Orders IDF to Takeover 70% of Gaza Strip.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
AP News. May, 2026.
Israeli Airstrikes Kill 31 Including Children in Lebanon.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
US and Iran Exchange Military Strikes.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
Israeli Forces Evacuate Whole City of Tyre in Lebanon Before Striking It With Over 50 Missiles.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
AP News. May, 2026.
Fire at Hotel in Patayya, Thailand Injures 4 People.
AP news. May, 2026.
At Least 1 Killed, Over 20 injured in 9 Story Under Construction Building Collapse in Philippines.
AP news. May, 2026.
US President Trump Issues Statement Regarding Iran Conflict Negotiations Near Complete.
EU Proposing Economic Sanctions Against Israel.
European Gaza Flotilla Participants Hospitalized in Several European Countries Including Germany, Spain and Italy After Reports of Israeli Detentions, Sexual Harassment, Psychological and Physical Abuse and Rape by Israeli Guards.
Chinese Coal Mine Workers Trapped, 4 Killed in Mainland Province Coal Mine.
Lebanese Bystander Films Video of Lebanese Medics and Ambulance Being Killed While Attending to Wounded Girl by Israeli Airstrikes.
(See NBC News shorts. May 2026.)
Alberta Voting on Referendum to Separate from Canada.
You Tube News. May, 2016.
US Indicts Raul Castro for 1996 Plane Incident.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Ebola Virus Outbreak in Africa Causes National and Travel Lockdowns, Quarantines.
NBC News. May, 2026.
Pope Leo Appreciates Armenian Apostolic Leader in Lebanon for Ecumenical Work.
Catholic Culture News. May, 2026.
Remains of 4 Missing Italian Cave Divers Found in Maldives.
AP news. May, 2026.
Pakistan Mediators Bring New Iranian Peace Plans to US.
US President Trump Suspends Planned Attack Against Iran.
Arab Allies of US ask Trump Not to Attack Iran.
UAE Doesn't Know Who Attacked Their Nuclear Power Plant.
"Massive Beit Shemesh Explosion Near Tel-Aviv was Caused by Planned Late-Night Detonation" say Israeli Leaders.
Self-Appointed Trump "Envoy" Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry Goes to Greenland Economic Forum.
Iran Preparing its Citizens for Invasive War from US.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Hantavirus Case Reported on Canadian Cruise Ship.
US FAA Reduces Staff Hiring Goals in Favor of Technology.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
8 Dead, 25 Injured in Thailand Bus Crash.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
After Returning to US, Trump Plans to Block Weapons Deliveries to Taiwan.
Yahoo News. May 2026.
You Tube news. May, 2026.
China Agrees with US Not to Send Weapons and Munitions to Iran.
Chinese President Xi Jinping Warns US President Donald Trump About Negative Consequences of US Interference With PRC China-Taiwan Relationship.
Israeli Officials Demolish Palestinians' Shops in West Bank to Create New Highway.
AP news. May, 2026.
Gunfire Reported in Philippines Senate Building as Arrest of Senator is Taking Place.
AP news. May, 2026.
21 Police Officers Killed in Pakistan in Terrorist Suicide Car Bombing Attack.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
China Selling Chinese-Made J 35-A Jets to Pakistan.
You Tube, News Now, military news. May, 2026.
AP News. May, 2026.
You Tube DW news. May, 2026.
Europeans Suggesting Using US Jet Fuel for Offsetting European Shortages.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
Philippines Vice-President Sara Duterte Impeached by Philippines' Congress.
AP News. May, 2026.
Illegal Israeli Settler Raids Against West Bank Palestinians Increasing.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Begins.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
German Hostage-Taking Bank Robbery Suspect Still at Large.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
Mt. Dukono in Indonesia Erupts.
"Hantavirus Ship" Receives Permission to Dock in Spain After 2 Sick Brittons are Evacuated.
The Guardian news. May, 2026.
UK Sends Naval Ship to Monitor Middle East Developments.
Israeli Airstrikes Kill Civilians, Destroy Buildings in Beirut, Lebanon.
You Tube. Forbes news. May, 2026.
Christians in Tabiyeh Threatened by Israeli Settlers in Occupied West Bank.
The Guardian News. (April, 2026).
Protests in UK After 2 Jewish Men Stabbed in Targeted Attack.
Despite Middle East Ceasefire, Israel Continues Airstrikes Against Gaza and Lebanon Targets.
UN News. May, 2026.
EU countries experience flight cancellations through Middle East as Germany Removes Travel Warnings.
Reuters news. May 2026.
Trump Threatens to Pull US Troops from Italy, Spain.
The Guardian news. May, 2026.
Mayon Volcano Erupts in Southern Luzon, Philippines, as Evacuations Take Place.
You Tube news. May 2026.
US President Trump Posits US-led Independent Multinational Task Force to Manage Clearing Straight of Hormuz for Free Shipping Passages. Plans to Visit China for Assistance.
Trump Initiates 25% Import Tariff on Vehicles from EU.
Trump Denies Necessity for US Congressional War Powers involving Iran, Stating US-Iran War is "Terminated" and Hostilities Between Both are "Ceased".
Trump Removes Thousands of US Soldiers from Service in Germany.
AP news May, 2026.
Israeli Police Arrest Man Who Assaulted a French Nun in Occupied East Jerusalem.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Tehran Asking for Dialogue With US as Peace Proposal is Reviewed.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Gaza Board of Peace's Hamas Peace Negotiator's Son Killed in Israeli Airstrike.
NBC news. May 2026.
Trump Signs Bipartisan Bill Funding DHS Including TSA and ICE for 3 Years.
US Senate Oversight Committee Grills War Secretary Hegseth at Cost of Iran War, Estimated at 25 bil. USD US Expenditure.
US Carrier Expected to Leave Middle East Operations.
Iran Declares Straight of Hormuz "Open" But US Blockade of Iranian Ships Remains in Place.
Iran Issues Defiant Public Statement from New Shiite Spiritual Leadership Regarding Straight Tolls and National Defense.
The Guardian News. May 2026.
Iran Threatens US Naval Ships Entering Straight of Hormuz.
France Moving Aircraft Carrier Towards the Middle East.
AP news. May 2026.
US Deciding on Whether to Guide Stuck Ships Through Straight of Hormuz.
Two US Soldiers Missing in Morocco Training Mission.
AP News. May, 2026.
UAE Threatens National Pullout From OPEC.
Russian Oil Delivered to Japan After US Reductions of Sanctions Against Russia.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
Russia and Ukraine Each Declare Unilateral Ceasefires Starting May 9 and May 5, Respectively.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Cruise Ship Carrying 3 Dead Hantavirus Victims Refused for Docking at Port in Cape Verde, Africa. Sick British Passenger Evacuated to Johannesburg, South Africa for Treatment. Ship Advised by South Africa to Disembark Passengers Near Spain at Tenerife, Canary Islands or Las Palmas, for Safety.
World Health Organization news. May 2026.
Effects of Israel -US Iran War on Japanese International Relations.
Anonymous TLO Commentary.
Japan has traditionally enjoyed normal international relations with Iran. The recent bombing of Tehran and over 1000 Iranian targets in a Israeli -US first strike attack endangered normal oil cargo shipments all throughout the Straight of Hormuz, and more than several nations expressed dismay and condemnation of Israeli PM Netanyahu and US President Trump for that attack. The surprise attack took place as peace negotiations between the US and Iran were taking place in Switzerland.
Israel has a long history of airstriking Iran and has been doing so within the last two decades in regards to stopping Iranian nuclear energy development and progress, because of fears that Iran would build a nuclear weapon. The recent attack against Iran involved both Israeli and US forces. No actual explanations were given to the general public by US President Trump for the attacks, except for his feeling that Iran would "strike first". Israeli PM Netanyahu was even suspected to have died in Iranian retaliation attacks against Tel Aviv immediately after the coalition bombings against Iran. In later reports, US Secretary of State Rubio defined American interests of the "Epic Fury" US military mission as "elimination of the threats being caused by the Iranian Navy (against US Navy vessels in the Straight), denying Iran development of a nuclear weapon, securing the Straight of Hormuz for international shipping and degrading Iranian terrorists' proxy networks".
The initial "America First" bombings of Iran, ostensibly ordered by Trump and directed under the War Secretary, killed most of the religious heads of State in Tehran, destroyed significant Iranian naval and missile launch targets, and tragically killed over 150 students at a girls' primary school in Southern Iran. Iranian forces immediately retaliated, bombing US military bases all throughout the Middle East and also hitting Israeli targets, most notably in and around Tel Aviv using multi-bomb "cluster bombs" which successfully evaded Israel's "Iron Dome" anti-missile defenses. In total, thousands of people died in the Middle East during the first wave of attacks from both the coalition and Iran. US Security of War Hegseth was even blocked from more severe actions taken by US forces by American public opinion and Congressional threats of removing the President from office after Hegseth prayed for overwhelming violence to be taken by US forces against their enemies. Currently, Hegseth is under investigation by Congressional US Democrats for military actions taken by the US under his leadership directions. 5 Articles of Impeachment against him for the war have been introduced into the US House by Iranian-American House Representative from Arizona, Yassamin Ansari.
Many Asian nations including Japan rely upon oil shipments that pass through the Straight of Hormuz. Because of the war that was started by Israel and the US, fuel and gas prices have risen by over 1 USD within a week of the conflict, forcing the release of national emergency reserves in many countries, including Japan. US President Trump's attempts at securing the release of previously sanctioned Russian oil as well as oil from Venezuela have not yet overcome the hardships and overall costs of the unavailable oil due to the Iran crisis being experienced all over Asia, as well as the US and Europe and Latin America.
Attempts by Pakistan to negotiate for a ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel resulted in an Iranian 10-point plan to enable Iran to recover monetary and economic reparations for damage caused by the war, a withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, and the ending of the war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. The Israelis are still battling Hezbollah in Lebanon and have agreed to an Iranian ceasefire involving Lebanon and Hezbollah, but attacks against both Israel and Hezbollah by each other have continued despite the ceasefire agreement which even the US President and Iranian leadership agreed to, before the US blockade and the Iranian military renewed interference and attacks on ships transiting the Straight of Hormuz.
USVP Vance met with Pakistani leaders in April regarding Iran. The Straight of Hormuz was open, but is presently closed with Iran openly communicating with international oil vessels traveling through the Straight in order to avoid any war-related attacks from hitting the ships, and conducting attacks on and seizures of certain shipping vessels in the Straight, coincidentally with US military blockading the Straight and firing upon and boarding and seizing an Iranian-flagged vessel which was reportedly found to have been transferring Chinese-made missile parts to Iran.
Negotiations have apparently been either cancelled or postponed by the US as the US trip planned by US VP Vance, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff was aborted by US President Trump as a waste of time. Iranian negotiators failed to set a date for any meeting, despite already being present in Islamabad, Pakistan, and are creating anti-Trump "Lego memes" caustically illustrating Trump's Epstein Files disclosures and parodying the US attempts at managing Straight of Hormuz situations in the Gulf region.
The US and Iran are involved in a see-saw situation of apparently reflecting military movements and social actions that indicate that a "children's argument" is at present taking place between both leaderships involving the Straight of Hormuz. Regardless of the UK being the only nation actually in partial alignment with the US against Iran- partially due to the Iranian attack on a UK vessel in the Straight and the current overall situations affecting shipping there- no UK-led negotiations seem to be taking place over that situation yet. Europe is hovering into a jet fuel supply crisis because of this ongoing conflict and the Internet is buzzing about cancelled flights and limited or unavailable travel options over the summer.
Asian fuel supplies from the Middle East and elsewhere are also threatened.
At the present time, Iran is attempting new negotiations with the US in order to end the US blockade and clear the Straight of Hormuz of styck ships within. But Iranian gunboats have attacked and also boarded a maritime vessel operating under the UK flag and seized an Indian ship during the ceasefire. It is not known whether Iranian leadership is still charging tolls and attacking transiting ships in the Straight. The US is engaged in a ceasefire with Iran and is blocking only Iranian ships for economic reasons in order to compel Iran to comply with US and Middle East region requests to not pursue a nuclear weapons development agenda. The US also attacked, boarded and seized 2 Iranian bound vessels outside of the Straight of Hormuz region and have forced turnarounds of at least 31 Iranian-flagged vessels from either entering or leaving the Straight of Hormuz.
This month, as the US considers war powers resolutions in Congress in regards to Iran, Iran's main spiritual Shiite leader Khamanei has publicly issued a defiant statement indicating their intent to control and ship-toll the whole Straight of Hormuz as a type of national possession for the sake of all Muslim nations against the covetousness of the West who they believe belong at the "bottom of the waters." They also have no intentions of giving up their pursuit of self-defense weapons, nuclear energy progress and uranium enrichment. Unfortunately, in no uncertain terms, Iran is displaying exactly the same social behavior as what created the previous environment of fear driving complex ideological warfare by Israel and the US against Iran and fulfilling their predictions for what Iran would have done anyway regardless of whether or not they were attacked. The US Secretary of State has also predicted the same type of social and international situation should Iran develop a nuclear weapon. The whole series of connective situations involving Iran and the West has been happening repeatedly since the late 1970's, and partly has its roots in Iranian spiritual fundamentalism, which is quite a study in social dominance and anti-Israel messianic beliefs that can ultimately have serious and deadly consequences in the Middle East no matter what one believes, or what religion one belongs to, or whatever actions happen in the immediate future in the Persian Gulf region.
Since February 2026, an immediate limit of 60-90 days was established under US laws pertaining to Trump and his Executive-led warfare attacks against Iran. Because it is Congress's duty to either declare war or end war under Constitutional laws, US President Trump alone can only authorize US military actions independently for a set time period of 60-90 days before Congress must decide to either withdraw troops or continue military actions. Only Congress can do this. If no Congressional actions are taken, US troops must be withdrawn. In the present Iran situation quagmire, Congress must decide by early July, 2026 at the latest, whether to continue with US military actions involving Iran, including the present-day blockade against Iranian ships and any guidance of civilian vessels currently threatened by Iranian attacks operating within the Straight of Hormuz.
At present, Iran is threatening US blockade ships operating just outside the Straight of Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf. The US has reduced operational ships involved in the blockade and has stated that the US is willing to escort or make more safe the passage of ships through the Straight in order to more rapidly clear out the passageways throughout the Gulf areas and without paying Iran toll money (extortion money?).
Iran presumably would be suffering the same high costs of living today as the Straight blockage is causing everyone else. And even if Iran is planning to attack US ships, morally the Straight of Hormuz passageway is in international waters and doesn't belong strictly to any one nationality.
What the US is doing is the right thing for everyone before the cost of oil becomes impossible to accommodate internationally. And even though the US and Israel were the initial aggressors, this time it's Iranian aggression if they claim the Straight and Gulf waters exclusively as their own and interfere with international shipping vessels within, and impoverish the world and stall transportation and food distribution all over the planet. The US has stated from the start of this conflict that Trump wants a new Iranian document from Iran stating that they will not pursue development of a nuclear weapon, which Iran cannot accept BECAUSE what Iranian national defense is consists of their own choices and not those of other nations. Unfortunately, for Iran's arguments, anyway, NO OTHER MIDDLE EAST NATION HAS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. There is speculation that Israel could have some, but no proof exists and IAEA hasn't confirmed any. That simple fact, and also that Iran is building and acquiring ICBM ballistic missiles and missile parts from Chinese and other national producers as well as Iran's strategic location within the Mideast, and their most recent retaliation bombings of 7 Middle Eastern countries after the coalition strikes in Iran, place extreme doubts upon whether or not Iran would use enriched uranium capabilities to create new nuclear weapons and bring the Middle East into a dangerous nuclear weapons race, one which the existing multipolar world, which is still in fact trying to de- proliferate nuclear weapons production in favor of more "conventional" war munitions, neither wants or needs.
May 4, 2026.
In the early evening of May 4, 2026, Iran shot missiles and sent drones against the UAE, destroying a petroleum storage site in Fujairah, UAE, a coastal city of the Gulf of Oman. All missiles were intercepted except for one that fell into the Gulf but no reports of drone interceptions were forthcoming from local news sources. A large explosion in Fujairah was reported as well as casualties, after what is assumed to be a drone attack that evaded the UAE defenses. Concurrently, the US reduced sanctions against Russia, in order to provide opportunities for Russian oil to again be delivered and potentially outsourced because of the current Iran conflict. Russia successfully delivered a cargo ship full of crude oil to a Japanese oil refinery on May 5, 2026. The UAE has threatened to leave OPEC in order to sell their oil independent of OPEC restrictions early this month.
May 25, 2026.
As Iran-US peace talks continue, US forces struck Iranian missile launch sites in Southern Iran and also Iranian mine-laying boats. Concurrently, the UK is considering helping to clear mines in the Straight once hostilities have ended.
This is an ongoing news commentary. Look for new developments here at TLO News at Climbing Vine Stuff!
Trump-Hegseth Reassign Pacific USM to Middle East.
In March 2026, Trump assigned over 2000 US Marines and 3 US warships stationed in Japan to the Middle East.
Traditionally, this large mobilization of US warships away from Japan is unusual, and hoped-for US military presence and assistance in coordinated rescue operations with Japan officials after Japan experienced a number of fatalities and local tragedies from two strong earthquakes and two massive and destructive typhoons while the Straight of Hormuz events were taking place, was missing.
US and foreign assistance was also missed in the Philippines during the Mayon volcanic eruption, also in May, 2026. Thousands were evacuated as the large, mountain volcano, located near popular local vacation destination Bicol in the Southern Luzon island chain slowly spewed forth huge particles of smoke, ashes, and lava flows, which descended throughout the Philippines, endangering health, travel and flight patterns in the country.
US Administration Catastrophes. Attempts at Making Economic Sense of Israeli-US First Strike Wars.
FACT: The Japanese PM has made it clear that Japan won't be assisting Trump's Western military "excursions" in the Middle East.
FACT: The US has asked for European help in keeping the Straight of Hormuz open.
FACT: The only European nation attempting to alleviate the pain the US is experiencing after Trump followed Israel into a first strike against Iran, is the UK.
FACT: Both US President Trump and NATO leaders have questioned the possibility of the breakup of NATO due to Trump's anti-NATO criticisms and inexplicable trade tariff increases between US and European nations.
FACT: China has refreshed PRC military forces around Taiwan since March 2026.
FACT: North Korea test-fired 8 ballistic missiles in March, 2026.
FACT: The Philippines has joined South Korea in a mutual defense pact apart from ASEAN.
FACT: At least 5 US Middle East embassies and the US State Department have encouraged US Americans living and working in Middle Eastern nations to evacuate or consider moving out of those countries because of events surrounding the Iran War, which Israel and the US initiated in February 2026.
Fact: Japanese leadership is increasingly open to the idea of, and opting for, increased national military expenditures and new defensive weapons acquisitions.
Complex Middle East International Leadership Catastrophes Since 1972.
Anonymous TLO Commentary.
An introduction to US and Middle East oil industry relationships since 1972. (Under edit).
Leadership quandries involving the US and Middle East partners since 1972. Israel, the Palestinians, the US, and Iran.
Middle East Oil harvesting, Israeli Defense Wars, oil availability and price controls, OPEC, multinational management participation changes and wars throughout the Middle East based upon oil production and harvesting capacities. (Under edit).
The Iran-Iraq War during the 1970's.
The 1970's Iranian oil embargo.
The collapse of Iran's Pahlavi monarchy in January 1979.
Iranian Revolution Hostage Taking of US Embassy Workers in November 1979. (Under edit).
Subsequent East vs. West Iran vs. US leadership dealings challenges and difficulties. (Under edit).
Muslim spiritual beliefs, nationalisms and contradictions pertaining to modern Islam in the 21st century in Iran and throughout the Middle East. (Under edit).
The Iran war today. (Under edit).
Japan in the 2020's.
By TLO research.
The 2020's marked a profound shift in Japanese politics and increasing climate change awareness during the Covid pandemic years. The 2022 assassination of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe by a disgruntled Japanese former maritime self-defense force member upset with Abe's ties with the Unification Church followed soon after the Japanese Parliamentary Cabinet disapproved of Abe's management of schools during their closures in 2020-21 due to Covid and other national issues affecting the Japanese economy. The immediate results of these horrible events were the end of the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and later, the attempted assassination of newly appointed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a bombing attack. Several strong earthquakes and increased flooding all throughout Japan also marked this time period. According to Japanese population reports, between 450-500,000 people either left Japan or died in Japan during the years 2020-2023. And new, foreign immigrants to Japan became more prevalent during those years.
On a more positive note, Japan has benefited economically from increasing foreign tourism and trade, and domestic efforts at new and sustainable indoor farming and agriculture are producing successful results. New research and effective throughput in biomedicines, caregiver robots and space exploration opportunities are advancing Japanese health and medicine practices. And production of advanced hybrid and electric vehicles and new high-speed maglev trains connecting major cities are helping the nation deal with maintaining job and housing demands and also increasingly expensive oil imports.
Most recently, newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi -and the first female PM of Japan- met with US President Trump to discuss the newest bilateral Japan-US trade and technology agreements that are possibly and partially an extension outcome of the G7 meeting results in Tokyo in 2023. Japan was the President of the G7 in that year.
Japan has decided not to back the US-Israel attack against Iran, and current reports indicate that Iran is only interested in attacking and blocking oil shipments in the Straight of Hormuz against nations who participated in the attacks. Presently, there are no active or armed conflicts between Japan and neighboring countries. In a side note, Japan has recently accepted the delivery of US-made Tomahawk mid-range missiles for their national defense arsenal.
In May of 2026, North Korea revised their national constitution to stop seeking reunification with South Korea. NK policies now include aiming artillery guns toward South Korea and building a new North Korean naval destroyer. North Korea has intentionally fired nuclear-capable ballistic missiles toward Japan, crash-landing them at sea, in violation of Geneva accords, for over a decade starting in the early 2000's.
Forward Japan? Possibilities for Japan's Technologies in US Trade.
News bytes:
Honda Inc. stops production and sales of new Electric cars and SUVs in US after Trump EO's eliminate federal EV purchase incentives and US national priorities for budgeting and encouraging private and public EV use in the United States.
Humanoid robots and advanced AI tech are making headlines in Japan and the rest of Asia, as China and Japan increasingly produce human-like realistic robots and engage them in public use and intramural competitive events showcasing their abilities.
Surprising, late developments in Japanese "EVTOL" (Electric takeoff and landing) flying car testings, have made critical local news as the latest national projections for actual release, permission and uses of such vehicles in Japan isn't slated until 2027-28. China and the US have been testing said vehicles for several years in their own countries and are in many cases involved in flight operations in their own test cities. Planned use in the US during the next Los Angeles, California Olympics are creating new public and investment interest in the public and privately-funded companies and industry, and to date, small flying vehicles have been selling to private citizens in much the same ways, percentages of public acceptance and product numbers as humanoid robots have since the start of 2026.
Humanoid robots are being introduced into various components of research industry logistics moves and airport baggage handling operations in Japan as of February -May 2026.
(Under edit).
Health and Technology News.
111.1 Bil. USD (12.5% compared to 2026) to be cut from HHS Department in 2027 US Budget Plan.
WTH??!! News.
US Fires on, Disables Non-Iranian Merchant Ship Trying to Reach Iran Port.
AP News. May, 2026.
Tech Engineer Charged With Insider Trading by US DOJ.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
The Guardian News. May, 2026.
Israeli Forces Evacuate Whole City of Tyre in Lebanon Before Striking It With Over 50 Missiles.
Al Jazeera News. May, 2026.
Is President Trump Crazy?
Yahoo news. May, 2026.
US FAA Reduces Staff Hiring Goals in Favor of Technology.
Reuters News. May, 2026.
ICE Agents Board and Arrest Crew of Disney Cruise Ship in front of Passengers.
Yahoo ATT news. May, 2026.
12.5% US HHS Department Budget Cuts are Planned for 2027.
A Disorganized California Billionaire Tax Ripoff.
Why the California "Billionaire Tax" is an Offensive, Illegal Non-Starter.
Op-ed by John E. Staff Editor.
We don't steal from the rich and give to the poor. We steal from the poor because they can't fight back --most of them-- and the rich take from us because they could wipe us out in a day. -Robin Hood. (From the book "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" by Howard Pyle).
The California public-at-large is being largely mislead by their State leaders who are attempting to create a new "Billionaire Tax" in California that plans to implement, if passed, a 5% overall tax in addition to normal taxes paid by billionaires on ALL billionaires living in California by assessing all owned properties, estates, personal items and possessions and investments, etc. and charging them 5% of ALL of it to be paid to the State of California. This is a sad and evil plan concocted by legislators within the State to provide the State with money from the so-called "wealthy" in California and then having them pay for the expenses of the State they live in, to sacrifice private earnings and inheritances and property and retirement plans and funds, and even business income to State institutions and functions that their already high amount paid State taxes already pay for. The authors of this plan are essentially thieves, much like Robin Hood, the infamous Anglo-Saxon bandit from English Sherwood Forest literary history, who raided incoming Norman English aristocrats to distribute wealth among the friends and peasants of that time period. The difference is that now the State legislators elected to high office in California, some of whom are coincidentally billionaires themselves, have perversely decided to throw a decision to the State public citizens for a new tax on otherwise wealthy individuals and corporations for a mandatory 5% of everything they own, without taking into account just how much that amounts to and the legal quandaries that effort would create and entail.
Demanding access to private money by enabling a public vote by people who don't qualify to have to pay any additional taxes in any State is in fact a legal question for leaders of the State who believe somehow that they can authorize breaking into private property and files of "wealthy people" under the guise of State authority, mandated by the people (who pay nothing) and then take large amounts of "other people's money" by political force under threat of penalty and then "give that money to taxpayers". That belief is a naive and juvenile delinquency sort of one, similar to a teenager who already receives money from their employer or parents and then decides to rob more money from them at gunpoint, without telling them why they need it! This action doesn't teach aspiring workers to build back better or even make America great again. It is highway robbery of people who own a lot, conduct a lot of business or manage estate(s) and pay more taxes per capita per year to both US State and US Federal tax collectors than most lower-income Americans make in their whole lives! The money paid is then sent into the hands of the same legislators who supported that de facto theft, and distributed among.....the State legislators.
Is this the fault of either the wealthy or the impoverished? It is in fact a circumstance of life and choices and decisions, instead, and is a harbinger of doom for even middle-class Americans in California who are planning on retirement and have net worths of close to or over a billion USD in toto, which admittedly consist of more people in 2026 than many people would probably believe. 5% of a billion USD is 50 million USD! How's that for a personal bill to be paid to the State of California if this new bill passes? Proportionately, if any "millionaire" were to be required by law to pay the same type of "tax", that person would then owe the State 50,000 USD, on top of any taxes already paid to the State and Federal tax collectors! Again proportionally, if you only make 35,000 USD/year and have a net worth of 5 mil. USD in toto, the amount you would be expected to pay to the State would be assessed at the rate of your whole net worth, 35,000 + 5 million USD. Which is 285,000 USD, 7-8 times more money lump sum due than you earn in one year! Can you, the reader, imagine what that type of lazy leadership decision could lead to in terms of massive job layoffs, personal and corporate bankruptcy filings and new and future methods and amounts due for and of State-based tax collecting, for any and all taxpayers in California or elsewhere? It's criminal negligence and highway robbery at worst, and stupid, economically dangerous legislation at best!
This move is among many that American socialists have planned for the US. They even admit in public that assuming control over others' private property and then redistributing that into the public is part of their plan! We here at TLO see betrayal of the US Constitutional right to private ownership and privacy of property as part of the socialists' agenda and actively oppose any such plans! Simplistically, if modern radical American socialists haven't yet learned the lessons of the Russian and Chinese experiences with communism and socialism and the deaths and wars they led to in the mid-20th century, they could still self-educate at any public library and study their "Eastern" national histories and obtain legitimate answers as to why those Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist systems failed 95% of the time, and how China has integrated previous Marxist socialist ideologies within their own country over the past 90 years while still printing and using their own national currency both within their own boundaries and throughout the world for commercial enterprise. Altogether it's quite a learning experience to be had!
To the reader: Godspeed and good luck!