Good afternoon, friends, and happy hump day. Despite tomorrow’s meteorological respite, the news cycle seems to be heating up.

THE BIG STORY TODAY

Will the trusty anbooba be exempt from the upcoming fuel price hikes? The government is currently studying the impact of exempting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders — most commonly used for cooking — from the upcoming fuel price hikes to help contain inflation, three government sources told EnterpriseAM. The sources stressed that the 1.2 mn LPG distributed daily by the government are sold at less than 30% of their actual cost, excluding distribution and transportation.

It looks like diesel will also be spared the planned price hikes next month — again in the interests of keeping inflation at bay. A government source told us late last week that diesel may also be excluded from the coming hike, with other petroleum products shouldering a larger portion of the increase.

The government is also thinking about converting its vehicles to run on natural gas in the interests of slimming expenses. Authorities are now surveying all vehicles owned by government entities to convert them fully to natural gas, which is cheaper than gasoline or diesel, to reduce fuel expenses across the state apparatus, another source told us. The Finance Ministry’s General Authority For Government Services will oversee the conversion process to keep costs low.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

Trump dominates today’s headlines — as yesterday’s meeting with Netanyahu shares the spotlight with ramped up deportation efforts and a likely government shutdown.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly secured Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for a US-sponsored agreement to end the war on Gaza. Speaking at a joint White House press conference yesterday, Trump said they were “beyond very close” to an elusive peace accord for the Palestinian enclave, adding, however, that Israel would have full US support to “take whatever action they deemed necessary” if Hamas turns down the proposal. (Reuters | CNN)

The White House released a 20-point document calling for an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament, and a transitional government led by an international body. (Bloomberg)

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has deported approximately 100 Iranians in one of its most controversial deportation efforts to date. A US-chartered flight took off from Louisiana in the early hours of the morning in coordination with the Iranian government. The deportees had all sought asylum in the US, and had either been denied or had not yet appeared before a judge. (New York Times)

ALSO- A looming federal government shutdown appears increasingly likely after a White House meeting between Trump and congressional leaders from both parties failed to bridge deep partisan divides. A shutdown would furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers, halt various government services, and potentially impact economic activity. The impasse reflects broader partisan gridlock in Washington. (CNBC)

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- The mercury is dipping ever so slightly in the capital tomorrow, with the temperature set to cap at 32°C in the morning and cool to 22°C in the evening, according to our favorite weather app.

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