> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://dark-bulls.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The two biggest powers on earth meet today and oil fell for the sixth day - URL: https://dark-bulls.ghost.io/the-two-biggest-powers-on-earth-meet-today-and-oil-fell-for-the-sixth-day/ - Published: 2026-09-24T13:10:52.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-24T13:10:52.000Z - Author: David Yorke The Daily Digest Dark Bulls Thursday · September 24, 2026 The U.S. and China are meeting at the White House today — AI, trade, and tech on the agenda. Pezeshkian told the UN that Iran has been a victim of American terrorism. ShinyHunters stole FBI agents' data including their work against Chinese spies. A judge restored CNN and Politico's White House access. And the Epstein clock is now measured in dollars. Thursday. The most consequential bilateral meeting of the year happens today at the White House — two summits in one calendar year between Washington and Beijing, with AI at the center of the agenda and the Iran war in the background. Pezeshkian completed Iran's UNGA appearance with a speech that called America a terrorist state. A hacking group stole detailed FBI data including sensitive counterintelligence operations. A court restored press access. And Judge Sullivan's patience with AG Blanche has officially run out. Let's get into it. Advertisement The White House is [going to war with China.](https://db.clkrova.com/698f0522fefacb0a786a251f?email=%%{uuid}%%&domain=636DBG&type=BLOG&product=PCPO61&ref=dark-bulls.ghost.io) Not a hot war with bombers, drones, and boots on the ground, but a new type of economic war that's going to have massive consequences both here in the U.S. and abroad. The administration is drafting a ban on Chinese components inside American data centers. The ban isn't on chips or software — it's targeting a tiny, unglamorous part almost nobody pays attention to. But it's this component that [moves data through every AI facility.](https://db.clkrova.com/698f0522fefacb0a786a251f?email=%%{uuid}%%&domain=636DBG&type=BLOG&product=PCPO61&ref=dark-bulls.ghost.io) Officials want the ban published this year because they know the AI war is a zero sum game and whoever is first to AGI will take *all* the spoils. And it's all downstream of a [shocking new economic doctrine](https://db.clkrova.com/698f0522fefacb0a786a251f?email=%%{uuid}%%&domain=636DBG&type=BLOG&product=PCPO61&ref=dark-bulls.ghost.io) — written by a highly controversial Silicon Valley CEO, adopted at the highest level of this government, and never once explained to the American public. It changes what a "safe" stock is. It changes which companies get protected and which get sacrificed. And it is already rewriting the rules of investing while most people argue about politics. [In this new interview,](https://db.clkrova.com/698f0522fefacb0a786a251f?email=%%{uuid}%%&domain=636DBG&type=BLOG&product=PCPO61&ref=dark-bulls.ghost.io) legendary financial analysts Porter Stansberry and Luke Lango laid out the full story — including the money moves you need to make ahead of this radical economic shift. Don't be left behind. [Watch it now while you can.](https://db.clkrova.com/698f0522fefacb0a786a251f?email=%%{uuid}%%&domain=636DBG&type=BLOG&product=PCPO61&ref=dark-bulls.ghost.io) 📈 Money & Markets ![Money Markets](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a1/dd/a1ddf2b8-9bac-44ec-a0a7-0db9675b35bd/content/images/2026/09/im1-6.png) Pezeshkian told the UN that Iran has been "a victim of terrorism" by the United States — but oil held its gains as Iraq's prime minister pledged to disarm all Iran-backed militias by June 2027. Market Pulse · Sept 24, 2026 \~$97 ▼ Brent Crude 6th day of decline $4.19 ▼ Avg. Gas Down from $4.36 Jun 2027 ◆ Iraq deadline Disarm Iran proxies Today ◆ US-China summit White House Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the UN General Assembly Wednesday in a speech that called the United States a state sponsor of terrorism and described his country as its victim. "Iran must be powerful so as to avoid being threatened," Pezeshkian said, adding that Iran would not seek nuclear weapons but insisted on its right to peaceful nuclear technologies. The speech was delivered in defiance of Supreme Leader Khamenei's statement the previous day that diplomacy with the United States amounted to "dictation" rather than negotiation — and Pezeshkian walked a careful line, sounding more moderate than Khamenei without explicitly contradicting him. Oil held its six-session decline despite the confrontational rhetoric, as markets focused instead on a separate diplomatic development: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi pledged at UNGA to disarm and disband all Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq by June 2027\. The pledge, if fulfilled, would represent the most significant reduction in Iranian proxy influence in the region since the war began — removing a key instrument Tehran uses to threaten Gulf shipping routes and U.S. bases. Markets read it as structural progress toward a post-war regional order, regardless of what Pezeshkian said from the podium. " Iran must be powerful so as to avoid being threatened. Iran would not seek nuclear weapons but has a right to peaceful nuclear technologies. — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, UN General Assembly, September 23, 2026 For American households, the sixth straight day of oil decline translates directly to pump prices. Gas nationally averaged $4.19 Wednesday — down from last week's $4.36 high. The direction is the story. If diplomatic momentum holds through the US-China summit today and Brent stays below $100, analysts project gas prices could fall below $4.00 in the first week of October for the first time since early summer. That would be the most meaningful inflation relief American consumers have seen since the Iran war began in February. 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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington late Wednesday evening for a one-day summit at the White House — skipping the UN General Assembly entirely, as is his practice. Xi has attended UNGA exactly once since taking power in 2012\. His decision to come to Washington instead signals that Beijing's diplomatic priority right now is the bilateral relationship with the United States, not the multilateral stage in New York. This is the second in-person meeting between the two leaders in 2026, following the American president's state visit to Beijing in May — a pace of summitry that reflects how much both governments believe is at stake in the relationship right now. The agenda centers on artificial intelligence, trade, and technology — the three areas where the two countries are most directly in competition and where the rules are least settled. The White House is drafting a ban on Chinese components in American AI data centers. Export controls on advanced semiconductors remain in place. Tariffs on Chinese goods remain elevated. And the AI race — which both governments have framed as a national security competition — has no established rules of engagement. Xi arrives knowing that the person across the table from him has said, in public, that whoever wins AI wins everything. 2nd summit 2026 in-person May: DC went to Beijing Agenda AI · Trade · Tech Xi skipped UNGA Xi's visit 1 day only Departs Sept 25 " Two in-person summits in a single calendar year is notable. There have been stretches in the U.S.-China relationship where leaders went years without face-to-face engagement, particularly during the more contentious phases. — CryptoBriefing analysis, September 2026 For investors and anyone with a retirement account tied to technology stocks, today's summit matters. The last major U.S.-China summit — in May in Beijing — produced enough momentum to extend a partial tariff truce and open discussions on a framework for AI safety. A similar outcome today could ease pressure on tech supply chains and reduce the risk of the next escalation in export controls. A breakdown would accelerate the decoupling that both governments have been pursuing — but which markets have been hoping to avoid. 🌍 Science & World ![Science World](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a1/dd/a1ddf2b8-9bac-44ec-a0a7-0db9675b35bd/content/images/2026/09/im3-6.png) Hackers stole FBI agents' personnel files containing details of their work against Chinese spies, Russian intelligence, drug cartels, and more — a breach Reuters described as carrying granular national security detail. A Reuters investigation published Wednesday found that FBI data allegedly stolen by the hacking group ShinyHunters contains detailed information about FBI officials' job assignments — including sensitive counterintelligence work against Chinese spies, Russian intelligence services, drug cartels, and other targets. ShinyHunters, which has been responsible for several of the largest data breaches of the past two years, appears to have accessed personnel files that go beyond names and contact information to include operational assignments. The FBI has not confirmed the scope of the breach but has acknowledged "suspicious activity" on its networks. The timing of the revelation — on the day the U.S. president meets Xi Jinping at the White House — is particularly sensitive. If the stolen data includes details of FBI operations against Chinese intelligence, it means Beijing may already know the scope of American counterintelligence efforts directed at China before today's summit begins. The Pentagon has a separate problem disclosed Wednesday: a legislative backlog has left the top civilian leadership positions in the Army and Navy unfilled, with the Army's top general position also vacant. Senior defense officials described the leadership void as creating uncertainty at a moment of elevated global tension. " FBI data allegedly stolen by the hacking group ShinyHunters carries granular detail about scores of bureau officials' job assignments, including sensitive work against Chinese spies, Russian intelligence, drug cartels, and more. — Reuters, September 23, 2026 ShinyHunters has been one of the most active and destructive criminal hacking groups of the past several years. Earlier this year the group compromised Instructure Canvas — the most widely used learning management system in U.S. universities — stealing data from more than 30 million students and faculty. Their methods typically involve compromising third-party vendors rather than attacking targets directly. 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Kelly's order is temporary — he has not yet ruled on the underlying First Amendment claim — but it means the networks can attend White House events while the case proceeds. The White House said it will comply with the court order but has not abandoned its broader effort to reshape the press pool by excluding critical outlets. The press access fight is unfolding against a backdrop of record-high public distrust. A new Pew Research Center survey found that 89% of Americans now perceive corruption in government — the highest share recorded in the survey's history. That number crosses party lines: majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independents all report high levels of perceived corruption. For Americans over 50 who lived through Watergate, the savings and loan crisis, and the 2008 financial crash, 89% is a number that puts the current moment in a class of its own. The percentage of Americans who trust the federal government to do what is right "just about always" or "most of the time" has not been measured above 30% since 2007. " Perceived corruption in the U.S. government has hit a record 89%, according to a new Pew survey. The number crosses party lines: majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independents all report high levels of perceived corruption. — Pew Research Center, September 2026 The White House press pool restoration matters practically for anyone who watches television news. The evening broadcasts on NBC, CBS, and ABC — the most watched news programs in America, with audiences skewed heavily toward viewers over 55 — rely on pool footage for White House coverage. When major networks are excluded from the pool, the images that appear on the evening news come from a smaller set of outlets with friendlier editorial postures toward the administration. 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A line of people who all made up their minds while the market was shut, emptying out at the opening bell. Which raises an uncomfortable question. If the line forms over the weekend, it can be seen before it empties. One trader has spent 20 years learning to read it on Friday afternoon — while there's still time to get in front of it. [See how he reads the line →](https://db.clkrova.com/6a75c709db7dcbce18b93b81?email=%%{uuid}%%&domain=636DBG&type=BLOG&product=MPQP607BS1&ref=dark-bulls.ghost.io) ⚖️ Crime & Law ![Crime Law](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a1/dd/a1ddf2b8-9bac-44ec-a0a7-0db9675b35bd/content/images/2026/09/im5-6.png) Judge Sullivan ruled AG Blanche failed to comply with court orders — and his 11am deadline to produce FBI Epstein interview notes passed today with the Justice Department claiming it had produced everything and Blanche's critics calling that claim false. Today was the deadline. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan had ordered AG Todd Blanche to produce FBI agents' handwritten notes from Epstein-related interviews by 11am ET Thursday — including an interview with a woman who told federal agents that both the president and Jeffrey Epstein abused her when she was a teenager. The Justice Department told Politico that it "produced all responsive documents" before the deadline. Attorney Katie Phang's legal team — the journalist who sued to enforce the Epstein Files Transparency Act — called that characterization "just straight up false," saying the handwritten notes remain unproduced and that the department's response did not constitute compliance with Sullivan's order. Judge Sullivan had already issued a ruling finding Blanche "failed to comply" with a court rule in the litigation, and had referred Blanche to a bar grievance committee — a pattern now mirrored by a Florida judge who issued a similar referral. Phang's legal team has asked Sullivan to impose a $1,000-per-day fine until Blanche fully complies. If Sullivan grants that motion, it would be the first time a sitting U.S. attorney general has been subject to a contempt-based financial penalty from a federal court. Sullivan has not yet ruled on the fine motion. " The DOJ told Politico it "produced all responsive documents" and will appeal. Phang's team called that characterization "just straight up false." — Dark Bulls, September 24, 2026 The Epstein files case is now in its third month of active non-compliance. Blanche — who served as the president's personal defense attorney before becoming attorney general — has missed deadlines, failed to file required responses, and declined to review foreign-language documents he deemed "impracticable" to process. Each step has been documented by Phang's legal team and each has produced a harsher judicial response. The next move belongs to Sullivan: whether to grant the fine motion, escalate to formal contempt proceedings, or find another mechanism to force compliance. The handwritten notes remain unproduced. 📋 In Brief US-China summit: what to watch. AI framework, semiconductor export controls, tariff truce extension. Xi departs tomorrow. Any joint statement will move markets — particularly tech and semiconductor stocks. A breakdown would accelerate decoupling. Watch for language on Taiwan and the Iran war. Iraq militia deadline: June 2027. Iraqi PM al-Zaidi pledged at UNGA to disarm and disband all Iran-backed militias by June 2027\. If fulfilled, this removes a key Iranian instrument for threatening Gulf shipping and U.S. bases. Markets read it as structural progress. Fulfillment is not guaranteed. Sullivan and the $1,000 clock. The 11am deadline passed. DOJ says it complied. Phang's team says it didn't. Sullivan has not yet ruled on the fine motion. The handwritten FBI Epstein interview notes remain the central dispute. — David Dark Bulls Published Monday–Friday