Outraged Biden team vows consequences for Saudis over OPEC+ cut
WASHINGTON — Top aides to President Joe Biden voiced their fury with Saudi Arabia over OPEC+ oil production cuts Tuesday, saying the administration was undertaking a sweeping reevaluation of its relationship and planned to engage with lawmakers clamoring to punish the kingdom.
But officials also conceded that a legislative plan to retaliate was unlikely to materialize until after November’s midterm elections, underscoring the complex calculations the U.S. faces as it weighs a longtime partnership that has quickly soured.
“The decision last week on the part of OPEC to align itself and to align its energy policy with Russia’s war aims went against the interests of the American people,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called the OPEC+ decision to slash oil production by 2 million barrels per day “short-sighted” and said “it benefited Russia at a time when nobody in any capacity should be trying to benefit Vladimir Putin.” And the administration warned that the move risked undermining the Group of Seven’s diplomatic efforts to support developing countries with infrastructure investment, since those nations were least equipped to bear the burden of higher gas prices.
—Bloomberg News
Tulsi Gabbard leaves Democratic Party, calling it an 'elitist cabal'
Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii announced Tuesday she is leaving the Democratic Party, saying it is under “complete control of an elitist cabal” and urging “fellow common sense independent-minded Democrats” to leave the party with her.
“I can no longer remain in today’s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue & stoke anti-white racism,” Gabbard said in a video posted on Twitter.
She alleged the Democratic Party is “actively undermining our God-given freedoms,” and is dragging the country “closer to nuclear war.” She also said the party is hostile toward religious and spiritual people and police, and criticized its immigration and national security policies.
“I believe in a government that is of, by, and for the people,” Gabbard said. “Unfortunately, today’s Democratic Party does not. Instead, it stands for a government of, by, and for the powerful elite.”
—Los Angeles Times
Philadelphia is expected to make its 10 pm curfew for teenagers permanent
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia appears poised to make a 10 p.m. curfew for people under age 18 permanent, and there’s some talk of again fining the parents of children who violate it.
The city enforced the 10 p.m. rule — which had previously been at midnight — through much of the summer, but legislation green-lighting the earlier curfew expired at the end of September.
Supporters of the curfew say it’s aimed at keeping young people safe from historic rates of gunfire in the city.
But experts who have studied curfews say they have little to no impact on crime or victimization rates. And while the curfew was in place this summer, more children were shot than during any other summer on record, according to police statistics.
—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Israel and Lebanon agree on maritime deal for gas-rich area
Israel said it reached “an historical agreement” with Lebanon after both sides approved the latest draft of a U.S.-brokered deal that settles a maritime border dispute in a gas-rich part of the Mediterranean Sea.
The accord could pave the way for both countries to ramp up offshore gas production, including Israeli exports to Europe, which is desperate for more supplies after Russia cut flows after invading Ukraine. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement that the agreement will “inject billions into Israel’s economy,” while a tweet from the Lebanese president’s office said that it “preserves its rights to its natural wealth.”
Under the deal, Israel should be able to begin extracting natural gas from the offshore Karish field, without threats of attacks by Hezbollah, the Iranian-sponsored Lebanese militant group. It would also ensure that Lebanon, through a TotalEnergies SE-led consortium, can start exploring the Kana field, and pay royalties to drill in the sections in Israel’s territory.
Lebanon’s energy minister said he would meet representatives of TotalEnergies on Tuesday. The Israeli security cabinet of select ministers will convene to discuss the agreement on Wednesday, followed by a special meeting of the government, the Israeli prime minister’s office said.
—Bloomberg News
