CIA analyst who leaked Israeli military plans gets three years in prison

A former CIA analyst who leaked highly classified records about Israeli plans for a military strike on Iran, which spread quickly through social media last year, was sentenced Wednesday to three years and one month in prison.
Asif W. Rahman pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Espionage Act, admitting that he leaked more than a dozen classified documents while working as a CIA analyst. He was arrested last year after FBI investigators traced the download of two records detailing Israeli military preparations to Rahman's workstation at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

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Yahoo

31 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Fed officials are starting to break rank and join Trump

Some Federal Reserve officials are joining President Donald Trump in calling for lower interest rates as soon as July. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman on Monday downplayed the potential impacts of Trump's tariffs on prices and said the US central bank should swiftly lower rates to preserve the labor market's health. 'It is time to consider adjusting the policy rate,' Bowman said. 'Should inflation pressures remain contained, I would support lowering the policy rate as soon as our next meeting in order to bring it closer to its neutral setting and to sustain a healthy labor market.' Bowman is the second Fed official to join Trump in calling for lower borrowing costs. On Friday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said tariffs will likely only result in a 'one-off' increase in inflation. Both Bowman and Waller are Trump appointees. For months, Fed officials have said they prefer to wait to see how Trump's major policy shifts affect the US economy first before considering further rate cuts. At its policy meeting earlier this month, the Fed kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged for the fourth consecutive time. But that strategy hasn't sat well with Trump, who has relentlessly lashed out at the central bank and its leader, Fed Chair Jerome Powell, for not lowering rates. Trump has hurled various insults at Powell, describing him as a 'fool' and a 'numbskull.' Now, the Fed's wait-and-see posture is slowly crumbling, even as tensions in the Middle East heat up, which raises the risk of higher global energy prices. And the jury is still out on the ultimate impact of Trump's tariffs. Bowman said it's possible the Israel-Iran conflict — which escalated over the weekend with the US striking at three Iranian nuclear sites — results in higher commodity prices. And there's still the lingering possibility of Trump's trade war also pushing up prices, she said. Still, that may not even result in higher consumer prices because businesses don't have much leverage to hike prices this time around, Bowman said. 'I am certainly attentive to these inflation risks, but I am not yet seeing a major concern, as some retailers seem unwilling to raise prices for essentials due to high price sensitivity among low-income consumers and as supply chains appear to be largely unaffected so far,' Bowman said. Bowman isn't the only Fed official seemingly not worried about the potential economic impact of the Israel-Iran conflict. Powell has said higher energy prices spurred by the conflict will likely be short lived. 'When there's turmoil in the Middle East, you may see a spike in energy prices, but it tends to come down. Those things don't generally tend to have lasting effects on inflation, although of course in the 1970s, they famously did,' Powell said in a news conference following the Fed's June 17-18 policy meeting. 'But, we haven't seen anything like that now. The U.S. economy is far less dependent on foreign oil than it was back in the 1970s,' he added. Economists have said the economic impact of the current conflict largely depends on how out of hand it gets. A forecast from analysts at EY-Parthenon shows that the US economy could contract by a massive 1.9% annualized rate if the Middle East plunges into an all-out regional war. But in a 'contained' scenario, the US economy could contract only slightly. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Forbes

an hour ago

• Forbes

Bitcoin Fell Below $100,000 This Weekend Amid ‘Escalating Geopolitical Uncertainty'

Bitcoin prices declined below the $100,000 this weekend. Bitcoin prices dropped below $100,000 this weekend, briefly trading below that crucial level as global markets responded to the latest developments in the conflict between Iran and Israel. The world's most valuable digital currency by total market value approached $98,400 on Sunday, June 22, according to Coinbase data from TradingView. As recently as Friday, June 20, the cryptocurrency had been trading above $105,000. Jacob Joseph, Senior Research Analyst at CoinDesk Data, commented on this decline, stating via email that 'This movement has coincided with escalating geopolitical tensions involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.' 'Investor sentiment appears to have become more cautious amid uncertainty over potential U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, which has likely contributed to the broader retreat seen in risk assets,' he continued. Marc P. Bernegger, cofounder of crypto fund of funds AltAlpha Digital, offered a similar take, indicating that 'Escalating geopolitical issues, particularly in the Middle East, were cited as a trigger for market uncertainty.' 'Tensions between Israel and Iran may have prompted capital flight from risk assets like Bitcoin, pushing prices below the $100,000 psychological support level,' he clarified through emailed commentary. James Maxfield, head of trading for Gemini EU, also chimed in, emphasizing the losses bitcoin (and ether) suffered over the weekend. 'This followed U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which triggered a sharp selloff across crypto markets,' he said through email. 'The downturn came after President Trump confirmed the strikes and warned that further military action was possible, fueling fears of broader conflict.' Potential Impact On Energy Markets Some analysts have voiced concerns about how the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could affect global energy markets. Dom Kwok, cofounder and COO of educational platform EasyA, spoke to this matter, specifying via email that 'Fears around Iran potentially closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil flows, have sparked concern.' Last year, 20 million bpd moved through this straight on average, which amounted to approximately 20% of petroleum liquids consumed by the global market, according to an analysis conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Should this straight close, industry participants will have some very limited options for moving oil out of this area. As a result of these factors, the EIA has described the Strait of Hormuz as 'one of the world's most important oil chokepoints.' 'If disrupted, oil prices could spike, driving inflation higher,' Kwok noted. 'Historically, inflationary pressure prompts investors to exit perceived high-risk assets and shift towards cash and gold." The analyst shed further light on the subject, offering greater detail on the market's response to the latest geopolitical developments. 'Importantly, this isn't a crypto-specific reaction. It's a classic flight-to-safety move,' he stated. 'In times of conflict, forecasting future risk becomes nearly impossible, so capital flows to traditionally safer assets. While many believe Bitcoin should serve as a hedge, institutions still classify it as a high-risk asset.' 'Fortunately, these shocks are often short-lived,' he added. 'Temporary supply disruptions rarely result in lasting inflation unless prolonged.' 'Past events, like COVID's initial crash, show that such dips can offer compelling long-term buying opportunities. The fact BTC has bounced back above $100,000 shows this.'

an hour ago

Trump wants oil producers to pump more crude amid jitters that Iran may close critical shipping lane

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Monday called for the U.S. and other oil-producing economies to pump more oil as crude prices remain volatile following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump urged stepped-up production as the White House sharpened its warnings to Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas shipping lane, in retaliation for the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program. 'To the Department of Energy: DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!' Trump posted on social media. He added, 'EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I'M WATCHING! YOU'RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON'T DO IT!' Trump made his call hours before Iran launched attacks on U.S. forces at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base, the country's first act of direct retaliation against the U.S. after Trump ordered strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran also targeted the Ain al-Assad base housing U.S. troops in western Iraq, an Iraqi security official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. Al-Udeid Air Base, a sprawling facility that hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command, was a major staging ground during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The base houses some 8,000 U.S. troops, down from about 10,000 at the height of those wars. The White House and Pentagon were closely monitoring the threats to the base in Qatar, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly. Qatar said there were no casualties at Al Udeid. U.S. officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes on the Iraqi base. Israel-Iran's war appeared headed toward a new uncertain moment with the attacks and as U.S. embassies and military installations throughout the Middle East were placed on high alert. Global markets are also trying to ascertain what lays ahead after the U.S. struck key Iranian nuclear facilities with a barrage of 30,000-pound bunker busting bombs and Tomahawk missiles. Iran's parliament has approved cutting off the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane in the Persian Gulf that about 20% of global oil and gas passes through. It's now up to Iran's national security council to decide whether to move forward with the idea, which could lead to a spike in the cost of goods and services worldwide. The price of oil jumped 4% shortly after trading began on Sunday night, but it quickly pared back as the focus shifted from what the U.S. military did to how Iran would react. Oil futures were flip-flopping in Monday morning trading between gains and losses. They still remain higher than they were before the fighting began a little more than a week ago. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Tehran anew against closing the strait, saying, 'the Iranian regime would be foolish to make that decision.' The State Department has doubled the number of emergency evacuation flights it is providing for American citizens wishing to leave Israel, ordered the departure of nonessential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon. It also is stepping up travel warnings around the Middle East because of concerns Iran will retaliate against U.S. interests in the region. In an alert sent to all Americans worldwide and posted to its website on Sunday, the State Department warned all U.S. citizens abroad to exercise caution. Hours before Iran launched its attack on Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued an alert on its website Monday urging American citizens in the energy-rich nation to 'shelter in place until further notice.' The Qatari government issued an extraordinary order to shut its busy airspace. Many energy industry analysts are skeptical that Iran would go forward with a full closure of the strait, something that it has threatened to do in the past. Iran would face the possibility of retaliation against its own shipments and the possibility that the move would upset China, the biggest purchaser of Iranian crude. The U.S. and allies pressed Russia in the leadup to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine with threats to its oil industry, and then followed through as many Western oil companies pulled out of the country and the U.S. and Europe imposed sanctions on Russian industry. But Iran is far less integrated into the global economy than Russia, which was reliant on European markets for its oil and gas exports and still went forward with the invasion despite U.S. warnings. 'There's been a lot of suggestion as well that this isn't something that is incredibly likely, and that's generally attributed to economic interdependence, which I don't want to suggest doesn't matter. It absolutely does,' said Colby Connelly, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Connelly added, "if the 2020s have taught us anything so far, it's that economic ties don't always prevent conflict." In another development Monday, Leavitt appeared to play down Trump calling into question the future of Iran's ruling theocracy, seemingly contradicting his administration's earlier calls on Tehran to resume negotiations and avoid an escalation in fighting. 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' Trump posted on social media. 'MIGA!!!' Leavitt said Trump's 'posture and our military posture has not changed.' 'The president was just simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking,' Leavitt said.