On May 1, 2026, the United Arab Emirates’ exit from OPEC took effect. The exit is significant because OPEC produces approximately 35–40% of the world’s oil supply. As a cartel, it dictates production levels and therefore influences prices. The UAE was the third-largest producer in OPEC, behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with Abu Dhabi’s membership dating to 1967. By exiting, the UAE breaks from a cartel that has kept oil prices elevated and stands to unlock roughly one million extra barrels per day. It also controls the Fujairah pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz entirely, giving it an export route independent of the waterway Iran has used as a chokepoint. The UAE had been the target of Iranian missile and drone attacks for weeks. The UAE deepened ties with the United States and Israel through the 2020 Abraham Accords and views those relationships as its primary lever of regional influence. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/05/uae-leaving-opec-win-u-s-control-global/ The U.S. national debt has now passed a major milestone, rising above the size of the entire economy. As of March 31, federal debt held by the public reached about $31.3 trillion, slightly exceeding the annual GDP of roughly $31.2 trillion, putting the debt-to-GDP ratio just over 100%. This is the first time the U.S. has sustained that level since the years following World War II. Unlike temporary spikes seen during crises such as the pandemic, current debt levels are being driven by long-term factors. These include rising costs for programs like Social Security and Medicare, along with lower tax revenues following recent tax cuts. Forecasts suggest the trend will continue. Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said the borrowing was the result of a “total bipartisan abdication of making hard choices.” https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/05/u-s-national-debt-surpasses-100-percent-gdp/ Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who also previously served as President Trump’s lawyer, has been hospitalized in critical condition. A spokesman for Giuliani shared that he had been hospitalized for unspecified reasons, adding that he is in critical but stable condition. “Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he’s fighting with that same level of strength as we speak. We do ask that you join us in prayer for America’s Mayor — Rudy Giuliani,” the statement added. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that the Western NATO military alliance is in jeopardy of “disintegration” in the wake of the announced U.S. troop drawdown in Germany. On Friday, the Pentagon said that around 5,000 soldiers would be relocated from bases in Germany over the next year amid a broader shift in the forward deployment of U.S. forces. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the drawdown in Germany would likely be much larger, though he did not specify how many more of the approximately 36,000 U.S. troops would be relocated from the country. President Trump has also suggested moving American forces out of countries such as Italy and Spain, all of whom he has accused of disloyalty over their response to the conflict against the Islamist regime in Iran. US forces destroyed six Iranian boats and shot down missiles and drones fired at US Navy and commercial vessels by Tehran’s military, a top US admiral said. US Apache and Seahawk helicopters hit “six Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping,” Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, told journalists. The United Arab Emirates said it was targeted by Iranian strikes, including one on its vital Fujairah energy hub that wounded three Indians. “These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression,” the UAE’s foreign ministry said, adding that the country reserves the “right to respond”. Two people were injured in Oman, on its coast along the Strait of Hormuz, when a residential building was targeted, state media reported. An Israeli military official said the army remained on high alert and was monitoring the situation after the US admiral announced the destroyed Iranian boats and shot-down missiles. Hezbollah said its forces clashed with Israeli soldiers in south Lebanon near the border where the troops are still operating, despite a ceasefire since April 17. https://www.breitbart.com/news/war-in-the-middle-east-latest-developments-57/ 
UAE Leaving OPEC:
U.S. National Debt Surpasses Over 100 Percent of GDP — With No Reduction in Sight:
Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition:
Polish Prime Minister Tusk Says NATO Alliance Faces ‘Disintegration’ Amid U.S. Troop Reductions from Europe:
War in the Middle East: latest developments