The Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has suspended the use of a chemical used to kill mosquitoes that transmit the Zika virus, after doctors voiced concerns that it may be the actual cause of brain defects in newborns. The state government’s move followed reports from the Argentine group Physicians in the Crop-Sprayed Towns (PCST) and Brazilian Collective Health Association (Abrasco)  which both suggested that the larvicide, not the Zika virus, was responsible for the alarming spike in microcephaly.

Earlier we reported that in a sign of "defiance", Tim Cook said he would oppose the "chilling" government demand to help the FBI hack its own phones, and that it vehemently opposes the government's intention to implement a back door in iPhones. Just hours later Donald Trump has decided to join the fray in the biggest topic of the day, by insisting that Apple should unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Yesterday the GOP strategist Patrick Ruffini sent out 19 successive tweets sharing his assessment of the Republican race so far. I hope someone will Storify them so you can all easily read them, but until then, follow the link above. His basic argument is that the GOP race is settling into a pattern. Trump has a hard core of supporters nationally, but he can’t seem to grow beyond it. They are, however, unshakable in their support of him:

Oil prices limped higher overnight in their ubiquitous carry-driven way, only to tumble quickly this morning as the reality that, as Goldman says "at record levels, this production freeze doesn't help at all") and clear indications from the meetings in Tehran that Iran will do 'whatever it takes' to increase its production to pre-sanctions levels. WTI is back below $30.

As Bloomberg notes,

Any output-freeze agreement among key oil producers is being dismissed out of hand by oil bears.

 

In 17 of the 19 times in the last 100 years that Industrial Production has contracted for 3 consecutive months, the US economy has entered recession. Today 0.7% drop YoY is the 3rd month of declines.

The only times in the last 100 years that 3 months of US Industrial Production contraction has not coincided with a recession was in 1934 and 1952... (and the current decline is larger than 1952's in aggregate)