Originally published at: Israel Politics for More Strikes on Iran, CA Policies Lead to Refinery Closures and Increase Fuel Costs – Peak Prosperity
Geopolitics
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago from December 28 to January 4, aiming to gain backing for possible strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program and reported attempts to rebuild nuclear capabilities. Israeli officials have raised alarms about Iran’s reconstruction of sites damaged in June 2024 U.S. and Israeli operations, despite U.S. assessments—supported by the IAEA and Iran—that nuclear facilities were destroyed. The White House has indicated no urgent steps are required but reaffirmed Trump’s opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. The visit aligns with U.S. military priorities in the Caribbean and Syria, against a backdrop of internal resistance to new wars. U.S. intelligence assesses no immediate Iranian strike risk, while Israel prioritizes threats from Tehran’s missile production surge.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces carried out drone strikes on a car and motorcycle in the southern Lebanese town of Yater, as well as machine gun fire and artillery in Kfar Shuba and Bastra Farm, with initial reports indicating casualties. These incidents happened shortly after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the initial stage of disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River was nearly complete, consistent with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire from November 2024. The Lebanese army reported 90% completion in removing Hezbollah infrastructure from the region, though the government has adopted a phased timeline extending to 2026 due to U.S. influence. Israel has intensified strikes since the ceasefire, resulting in more than 300 deaths including civilians, while asserting that Hezbollah is rearming. Hezbollah has denied agreeing to complete disarmament and promised retaliation for ceasefire breaches. Lebanese officials describe the strikes as violations, while Israel frames them as responses to ongoing threats from Hezbollah operatives.
In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed talks with the U.S. about conducting national elections, dependent on security assurances and a ceasefire during the vote, possibly within 60 days. He specified that people in Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, would not participate. Zelensky’s term expired last year under martial law, which bars wartime elections; this has prompted criticism from Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, who have questioned Ukraine’s democratic standing. Plans are in place for Ukrainians overseas to vote, as the U.S. continues to urge Zelensky to resolve concerns about electoral validity. Zelensky has rejected Russian interference in the process, insisting elections remain a sovereign matter for Ukrainian citizens in controlled areas.
Also speaking on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, has described a recent Reuters article—based on U.S. intelligence sources alleging that Russia intends to revive the Soviet Union by taking Ukraine and other former Soviet areas—as propaganda intended to sabotage Trump’s peace initiatives in the Ukraine conflict. Gabbard said U.S. intelligence evaluations show Russia wants to steer clear of wider conflict with NATO and lacks the resources to control all of Ukraine, challenging the article’s portrayal. The report drew from six anonymous sources and a Democratic lawmaker, appearing as Trump stated that peace was nearer than before; Putin rejected the allegations as fabricated to heighten European anxiety. European leaders, including from Poland and the Baltics, have expressed concerns over Russian ambitions, citing consistent intelligence on potential threats to neighboring states.
Lastly, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that large-scale migration and the weakening of fundamental values in Europe endanger the common cultural roots that support Western partnerships, such as NATO and U.S. relations. In a State Department briefing, Rubio differentiated managed immigration from sudden large arrivals that societies may struggle to integrate, citing effects in Europe, the U.S., and the Indo-Pacific. He noted that Western principles like liberty and self-rule, which trace back to Europe, underpin U.S. origins and alliances, and expressed apprehension about enduring threats in certain Western European areas. His comments responded to European criticism of the U.S. National Security Strategy’s assessment of globalist approaches to migration and free speech; figures including Germany’s Friedrich Merz and EU’s Ursula von der Leyen have dismissed U.S. involvement in these matters. Critics have labeled Rubio’s views as overlooking humanitarian aspects of migration and diverse societal contributions.
Energy
California’s recent laws, including ABX2-1 and SB X1-2, have led to refinery shutdowns such as Valero’s Benicia plant and Phillips 66’s Los Angeles facility, cutting in-state refining capacity by almost 20% and sparking worries about fuel shortages and prices climbing to $10-$12 per gallon. The regulations allow the California Energy Commission to require specific storage amounts and monitor maintenance to prevent price manipulation; a report from the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight blamed elevated gas prices on taxes and rules rather than corporate practices. Senate Bill 445 mandates upgrades to underground storage tanks by December 2025, causing hundreds of rural gas stations to close over costs and insufficient aid. Officials anticipate greater dependence on imported oil, affecting nearby states and military installations that rely on local jet fuel and diesel, as Governor Gavin Newsom advances energy shift goals. State officials maintain that increased imports and planning will mitigate shortages, projecting more moderate price impacts around $5 per gallon in 2026.
Economy
The Delaware Supreme Court has reinstated Elon Musk’s 2018 Tesla compensation package, originally valued at about $56 billion when vested and now estimated at around $139 billion based on current share prices. The court determined that canceling the entire plan would be unfair, as it would leave Musk without compensation for six years of work, and instead imposed nominal damages of $1. The package, which shareholders approved, consisted of options for 303 million split-adjusted shares linked to market and operational goals. Although the ruling restores the award, it upholds earlier conclusions regarding governance problems, such as Musk’s influence over Tesla and issues in the approval process. Tesla shareholders also approved a new compensation package for Musk in 2025, which could be larger. The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with supporters viewing it as affirming shareholder intent, while critics maintain concerns over ongoing board oversight and executive influence.
Steve Quayle, a longtime analyst of gold and silver markets, has stated that a shortage of physical silver may occur due to increasing industrial demand, especially from technology sectors. He claimed that companies including Samsung are obtaining direct supplies from mines, avoiding exchanges such as COMEX and LBMA, which some have accused of manipulation and delivery issues. Quayle asserted that China influences global silver supplies, with behind-the-scenes pricing reaching $86 per ounce amid reduced production. He suggested that futures markets could lose reliability for pricing precious metals because of challenges in delivering physical products, and recommended that investors obtain silver while possible, viewing it as a potential barter item during instability.
Health
Excessive joint flexibility, known as hypermobility or ligamentous laxity, has been linked to chronic muscle and joint pain, instability, and related issues like mast cell activation syndrome and heightened sensitivities to environmental triggers. Cases appear to be rising, possibly due to modern dietary deficiencies and exposures. Research suggests the mineral manganese helps strengthen ligaments, and low levels—potentially from depleted soils, pesticide use, infections like Lyme disease, or digestive problems—may worsen laxity, with supplements sometimes providing relief. In certain people, COVID-19 vaccines have reportedly aggravated these conditions by damaging blood vessel linings via the spike protein, leading to problems like vein compression (similar to May-Thurner syndrome), micro-clots, reduced circulation, fatigue, and autoimmune responses. Some analyses tie this to disruptions in the blood’s natural electrical charge, which normally keeps cells separated and supports healthy flow; vaccine elements or toxins may interfere, causing clumping and broader effects. Proposed approaches include restoring this charge and supporting ligaments with key minerals to mitigate risks, particularly in susceptible individuals less suited to one-size-fits-all treatments. Mainstream research views rare vaccine-related clotting mainly as an immune reaction, not tied to ligament issues, and stresses the vaccines’ proven overall benefits in large populations.
Privacy & Surveillance
Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of the non-custodial Bitcoin wallet Samourai, received a five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money service business. The case arose from a 2024 FBI raid on his home, during which agents arrested him on claims that the wallet’s privacy tools—such as collaborative transactions to hide blockchain activity and Tor routing—enabled illegal actions. Rodriguez argued that Samourai aimed to improve user privacy on Bitcoin’s public ledger without controlling funds, and referenced legal precedents that shield creators of tools from responsibility for misuse. Prosecutors cited Rodriguez’s tweets and user information, including from sanctioned groups, while reportedly not disclosing FinCEN guidance that classifies non-custodial wallets as non-financial institutions. Rodriguez entered the plea to avert a possible 25-year term and forfeit $6.4 million in fees; he voiced worries about the impact on developing privacy tools, given government pushes toward centralized digital monitoring. Privacy advocates have called for a presidential pardon, framing the case as overreach against innovation, while authorities emphasize its role in addressing over $100 million in alleged illicit transactions.
US Politics
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has linked a rise in vehicle thefts to vulnerabilities in anti-theft systems from Kia and Hyundai, resulting in a multi-state settlement that provides up to $4.5 million in restitution for consumers and another $4.5 million to the investigating states. His office connected these thefts—spread through social media videos by groups like the “Kia Boys”—to at least five homicides, 13 shootings, and 36 robberies. Ellison pointed out that the automakers had added improved security measures to vehicles sold in Mexico and Canada but not in the U.S. Some critics, including Republican lawmakers and commentators, have contended that emphasizing manufacturers overlooks criminal behavior and aligns with lenient crime policies; several Republican attorneys general, from states including Florida and Georgia, participated in the lawsuit. Supporters of the settlement, including Ellison’s office, argue it enhances public safety through required anti-theft upgrades, potentially preventing further theft-related violence.
Sources
From War on Silver to War for Silver: Quayle Warns of Imminent Shortage
The war on silver has passed. Now, we are looking at the war for silver that is underway.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
Minnesota AG Blames Carmakers for Theft Surge, Draws Fire for Ignoring Criminals
“My favorite anti-theft device is jail.”
Source | Submitted by PhilH
The War on Privacy: How Building Bitcoin Tools Led to Keonne Rodriguez’s Imprisonment
The truth is, privacy is about human dignity.
Source | Submitted by Shplad
Israeli Strikes South Lebanon as Beirut Claims Hezbollah Disarmament Days Away
The Israeli army carried out several attacks on south Lebanon on Sunday, hours after Beirut said that the disarmament of Hezbollah in the southern Litani River area is “days away” from completion.
Rubio Warns Europe: Mass Migration Threatens the West’s Shared Heritage
“Well, if you erase your shared history, your shared culture, your shared ideology, your shared priorities, your shared principles, then what – then you just have a straight-up defense agreement. That’s all you have,”
California’s Regulatory Assault Ignites Fuel Crisis: Refineries and Stations Shutter
California Faces Fuel Disaster As Refineries And Gas Stations Shut Down
Zelensky Excludes Eastern Ukraine from Potential Elections Amid US Pressure
Any election in Ukraine can not be held in Russia-occupied parts of the country,
Delaware Supreme Court Revives Elon Musk’s Record $56 Billion Tesla Pay Package
The Delaware Supreme Court has reinstated Elon Musk’s 2018 CEO compensation package from Tesla
Gabbard Torches Reuters’ ‘Lie and Propaganda’ on Russia’s Soviet Dreams
No, this is a lie and propaganda Reuters is willingly pushing on behalf of warmongers
DNA Debunks ‘First Black Briton’: Ancient Remains Belong to White Woman with Blonde Hair and Blue Eyes
Recently confirmed DNA evidence shows she was white with blonde hair and blue eyes.
The Hidden Link: Hypermobility, Vaccine Injuries, and Circulatory Stagnation
There has been a longstanding observation in the integrative field that ligamentous laxity correlates with a predisposition to vaccine injuries.
Netanyahu to Lobby Trump for Renewed Iran Strikes During Mar-a-Lago Visit
Netanyahu will reportedly lobby the president to take more military action against Tehran.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Trading Economics, CNBC, Investing News Network, Reuters, The New York Times, FOX 9, Cointelegraph, The Cradle, ZeroHedge, Axios, Breitbart News, CNN Business, and Stanford Medicine.
