Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/48-hours-until-major-escalation-in-middle-east-fbi-restarts-warrantless-purchases-of-data-on-americans/
Geopolitics
President Trump threatened strikes on Iran’s power grid if Iran did not fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Iranian officials warned of retaliation against Gulf desalination plants and energy and IT infrastructure. Gulf states including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE rely on desalination for 42 to 99 percent of drinking water from 400 facilities, many located near Iranian positions. Prior incidents damaged plants on Iran’s Qeshm Island and in Bahrain.
Iran stated it would facilitate safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for Japanese vessels, after prior allowances for Chinese and Indian ships, amid restrictions on nations involved in attacks against it. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strait remains open with coordination for security. Japanese officials noted that over 90 percent of their Middle East oil imports transit the strait. Indian naval escorts aided LPG tankers, and vessels followed pre-approved routes near Iranian waters, often with AIS off and GPS disrupted. Reports describe ongoing disruptions including GPS jamming and demands for passage fees.
Meanwhile, Iran confirmed a third strike on its Natanz nuclear enrichment facility on Saturday, the same day it launched a missile attack on Israel’s Dimona nuclear research site that reportedly injured 39 people. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported no increased radiation levels and called for restraint. The IAEA also confirmed no abnormal radiation at Dimona.
Lastly, the Palestinian Authority condemned Iran’s attacks on Saudi Arabia and Gulf states. Interior Minister Ziyad Hab al-Reeh expressed solidarity to Saudi officials for measures preserving security and sovereignty, according to statements from official Palestinian and Saudi agencies. This contrasts with the PA’s relative silence on Israeli actions amid the broader conflict.
Energy
National average diesel prices rose nearly 40 percent this month to $5.20 per gallon, exceeding 2022 peaks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The increase affects trucking, rail, shipping, farming, construction, and logistics. Firewood seller Roger Conner reported monthly diesel costs rising from $6,800 to $11,000, resulting in customer losses despite a 5 percent surcharge. Trucking fuel costs rank second after driver pay. In response to supply disruptions from the Iran conflict, the US eased sanctions on 140 million barrels of Iranian oil on tankers, issuing a general license through April 19 for sales including into the US. Democrats criticized the waiver as providing a financial lifeline to Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described it as a short-term measure to counter the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
Privacy & Surveillance
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency has resumed purchasing Americans’ location data from commercial brokers without warrants. The data comes from phone apps and games, often passing through advertising middlemen. When asked by Sen. Ron Wyden if the FBI would commit to warrants, Patel declined, saying the agency uses all legal tools for its mission. Wyden called the practice an end-run around the Fourth Amendment. Sen. Tom Cotton defended the purchases as lawful for commercially available data. Lawmakers introduced the bipartisan Government Surveillance Reform Act last week to require court warrants for such purchases by federal agencies.
Health
A provision in the 2026 Farm Bill offers farmers up to 90% reimbursement for adopting AI-driven precision agriculture technologies, such as GPS systems, yield monitors, data management software, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, with technical standards set by the private sector rather than the USDA. According to reports, this could accelerate the integration of bioengineered foods and alternatives to traditional meat and dairy. Some sources express concern that shifts toward non-traditional food production methods may result in reduced natural nutrient content in diets, potentially contributing to health issues from nutritional deficiencies, though no specific studies or data are cited in support of widespread disease risks from these changes.
In other news, Li-Fi technology transmits internet data through visible light from rapidly modulating LED bulbs, with lab speeds up to hundreds of gigabits per second. It uses the visible-light spectrum, which offers more bandwidth than radio waves in Wi-Fi. Light signals remain within illuminated areas and do not penetrate walls. Li-Fi operates in environments with radio interference, such as hospitals, aircraft, and underwater settings. It could complement Wi-Fi in layered networks, using existing LED lighting in buildings, streetlights, and vehicles. Some sources express concern that the rapid flickering of LED bulbs used in Li-Fi may negatively affect mitochondrial function and human biology, though these claims relate more broadly to LED lighting than to Li-Fi’s data transmission specifically.
Epstein Files
In 2007, federal prosecutor Marie Villafaña urged her superiors to urgently arrest Jeffrey Epstein, warning he endangered children after interviewing teen victims recruited and paid for sex acts at his Palm Beach mansion. She proposed a 60-count federal indictment for sex trafficking and related crimes, and pushed again for arrest when he was flying from the Virgin Islands to New Jersey. US Attorney Alex Acosta and criminal chief Matthew Menchel did not act. Menchel questioned the urgency in an email, and Acosta wanted more time to proceed, per newly released Justice Department documents. Instead, Acosta approved a state guilty plea, under which Epstein served just 13 months in county jail, mostly on work release. Acosta reportedly recalled being told Epstein “belonged to intelligence” and to leave it alone, though he denied such pressure under oath.
Separately, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna stated that documents show former President Bill Clinton used a complete alias in Epstein’s files, beyond his known flights on Epstein’s jet. Luna made the comments during an appearance on Bill Maher’s show, citing bipartisan interest in Clinton Foundation ties to Epstein. The House Oversight Committee is investigating following the Justice Department’s release of millions of pages under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with 2.5 million more documents reportedly hidden or redacted.
Sources
Beyond Wi-Fi: Is Light the Future of the Internet?
It is called Li-Fi (short for “Light Fidelity”), and it works by transmitting information through light itself.
Prosecutor Urged Epstein Arrest 60 Times—Bosses Asked, “What’s the Rush?”
“I’m having trouble understanding — given how long this case has been pending — what the rush is,”
Source (Paywalled) | Submitted by Shplad
FBI Resumes Warrantless Purchases of Americans’ Location Data
The law stops the government from taking your location data, it says nothing about buying it.
“Going to Cripple Our Economy”: Small Businesses Sound Alarm Over Record Diesel Spike
This is going to cripple our economy.
Iran Opens Hormuz to Japanese Ships, Following China and India
Iran Ready To Let Japanese Ships Use Hormuz As Chinese, Indian Tankers Already Allowed Passage
Rep. Luna Bombshell: Bill Clinton Hid Behind Epstein Alias
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna says documents show Bill Clinton had a “complete other alias” tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
US Eases Sanctions on 140M Barrels of Stranded Iranian Oil to Ease Supply Crunch
“Narrowly tailored, short-term authorization permitting the sale of Iranian oil currently stranded at sea”
Iran Confirms Third Strike on Natanz as It Targets Israel’s Dimona Nuclear Site
The facility at Natanz, which was attacked during Operation Midnight Hammer last year, has been hit for a third time, Iranian state media confirmed.
Trump’s Blackout Threat Meets Iran’s Water Cutoff: Gulf Civilians in the Crosshairs
President Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s power grid. Iran retaliated & responded by threatening to destroy the Gulf’s water supply.
Palestine Rejects Iran’s Shield: PA Condemns Attacks on Saudi Arabia and Gulf Allies
The moral legitimacy of Iran’s regional posture rests on the premise that Tehran fights for a people whose own government just condemned Tehran’s war.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: ICYMI, 4thEstate, Headlines Briefing Substack, @gvnzng, @hateGOP, briefing_block_, RostX, Intelligencer41, Sputnik, Times of Israel, WIONews, and Algemeiner.
