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Policy & Geopolitics

Politics and geopolitics news covering U.S. governance, global conflict, public services and business regulation, with analysis of legal and economic impacts.

A coin with a digital euro symbol resting beside a stack of documents titled MiCA draft, against a muted blue background.

Tether's 60% Problem: MiCA's deposit rule spurs ECB to rewrite stablecoin rules

60% of a $10B stablecoin means $6B parked in banks — but only $600M stays liquid. 💶 That's the arithmetic that made Tether walk away from the EU's MiCA rules on September 22. Now the ECB is rewriting the deposit mandate itself. Tether says no to the 60%

Corporate boardroom table with legal documents, a gavel, and the Reserve Bank of India emblem on a screen in the background.

Tata board-vs-trust fight heads to court with RBI's listing mandate looming

Tata Sons' board voted 5–1 to keep Chandrasekaran as chairman for five more years. The Trusts, its 66% controller, call the vote "void ab initio."⚖️ The RBI just made it thornier: it refused to drop Tata Sons' CIC registration, reaffirming the listing mandate on ~Rs

Commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz against a coastline view, illustrating reduced oil tanker traffic.

Iran's crude hits zero as 17 ships cross Hormuz

Just 17 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz last weekend—down from 37 and far below the ~130 a global economy needs. Iran's oil exports: zero. 🛢️ CENTCOM touts 1 billion barrels moved; Iran keeps 127.5% inflation and $4.48 U.S. gas as its counter-story. Trump&

The White House exterior on a clear day as President Trump signs H.R. 5334, the secondary sanctions law on Russian energy buyers.

Trump signs secondary sanctions law hitting top Russian energy buyers

Russia's top oil and gas buyers now face up to 100% tariffs — covering roughly the entire value of Moscow's energy trade with China and India. 🛢️ Signed into law Sept 18, H.R. 5334 lets Washington target the 5 largest importers and LNG shadow-fleet vessels. India,

White House press corps members standing behind a press briefing podium with microphones and cameras in Washington, D.C.

🏛️ White House Press Ban Sparks First Amendment Suit and Network Boycott

CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred from the White House Friday; now they're suing, and key networks have suspended presidential coverage. 🏛️ The dispute follows an $8M "FAKE NEWS" claim and leaves the UN address and Trump's NYC meetings without a scheduled broadcast feed.

Gavel and legal documents on a desk in a federal courthouse

⚖️ Court Rewires Google's Ad Tech: Six-Year Conduct Remedy Instead of a Breakup

Six years of conduct rules, not a breakup: a US court declined to force Google to sell its ad-tech business, instead requiring interoperability, data-sharing and non-discriminatory bidding. ⚖️ The remedies take effect September 16 and open publisher ad-server and ad-exchange markets to rivals like Prebid, Magnite

Hollywood sign overlooking Los Angeles with skyscrapers in the city skyline

🏛️ State antitrust suit blocks $111B Paramount–WBD merger

A $111B Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger is held hostage by a 12-state antitrust suit — and LA feels it. 🏛️ Starting Oct 1, Paramount faces a ~$7M-per-day ticking fee while court delays stack up. Ellison threatens to relocate LA headquarters, putting up to 57,980 local jobs at