Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

20 states sue Trump admin over immigration enforcement funding threats
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 05/14/25

A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general is suing President Trump's administration over threats to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding if they don't follow his immigration enforcement polices.

The big picture: California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who's leading the two lawsuits, said at a Tuesday briefing that threats to cut funds for emergency services and infrastructure maintenance represented "a blatantly illegal attempt to bully states" into enacting Trump's agenda.

Driving the news: Trump signed executive orders last month directing federal agencies to document "sanctuary cities" that are not complying with his immigration agenda, and the White House said those that failed to do so "may lose federal funding."

The conditions would affect state projects including disaster relief, flood mitigation, and railroad, bridge and airport construction, the states argue in the lawsuits that were filed Tuesday. ... Read more

Trump Gets A Free Plane | China Tariffs Paused | Judge Jeanine Heads To D.C. | Stephen Colbert | 05/13/25 | 11:24

Murphy On Trump's Middle East Trip: This Is A National Security Disaster And A Moral Abomination. | Senator Chris Murphy | 05/13/25 | 20:34

Murphy On Trump's Middle East Trip (shorter version) | Senator Chris Murphy | 05/13/25 | 2:58

The mysterious new industry cranking out billionaires | Good Work | 05/10/25 | 14:59

Yes, This is Project 2025 | LegalEagle | 05/10/25 | 30:44

Why Donald Trump's medical records say more than he realizes | Rachel Maddow/MSNBC | 05/13/25 | 11:19

Rule of law is 'endangered,' chief justice says
Politico | Josh Gerstein | 05/12/25

Chief Justice John Roberts described the rule of law as "endangered" and warned against "trashing the justices," but speaking in Washington Monday he didn’t point fingers directly at President Donald Trump or his allies for publicly excoriating judges who've ruled against aspects of Trump’s agenda.

"The notion that rule of law governs is the basic proposition," Roberts said during an appearance at Georgetown Law. "Certainly as a matter of theory, but also as a matter of practice, we need to stop and reflect every now and then how rare that is, certainly rare throughout history, and rare in the world today."

As many legal experts express grave concern about Trump's attacks on law firms and with several federal judges advancing inquiries into whether the administration is refusing to comply with court orders, Roberts took a longer-term view Monday. He blamed schools for shortchanging civics education and leaving students with little understanding of the structure of U.S. government or the role of the courts. ... Read more

D.C.'s DOGE recession is fast approaching
Axios | Cuneyt Dil | 05/13/25

Signs of a DOGE recession are flashing in D.C. - rising unemployment, less credit card spending and jitters about more federal cuts.

Why it matters: A local "mild recession" is expected as the Trump administration downsizes the capital city's big factory - the federal government, employer to 17% of the region's workforce.

State of play: Even before most of the federal job cuts, the number of unemployed residents in D.C. increased 12.2% in February over last year, city stats show.

"Negative" is the city's credit outlook, Moody's Ratings declared last month. The agency yanked D.C.'s perfect triple-A bond rating, making it potentially pricier to finance projects.

Spending at big retailers in the region dropped 2% in April, the Washington Post reported after crunching credit card data from Earnest Analytics. Everyday locals are skipping pricey gym memberships and dining out less, business owners tell the Post.

D.C. home listings are soaring. ... Read more

Pharma is facing its nightmare scenario
Axios | Caitlin Owens | 05/13/25

President Trump's bombshell executive order aimed at lowering U.S. drug prices is a step toward a worst-case scenario for the pharmaceutical industry. Some critics say the industry could have done more to avoid it, even though Trump's policies are causing turmoil in almost every sector of the economy.

Why it matters: Trump's announcement could be the start of enormous global disruption for the pharmaceutical industry - or it's the least-bad version of what was on the table, depending on who you ask.

But the continued risk of a "most favored nation" policy that pegs U.S. drug prices to those paid in other developed nations is a massive threat to drugmakers' bottom lines, especially coming on top of the pharmaceutical tariffs Trump has said he wants to impose.

The big questions are whether it ever comes to fruition, and whether drugmakers could have done more to avoid getting to this place at all, especially given Trump's laser focus on drug prices and the populist leanings within the GOP. ... ... ... Read more

MAHA's messy marriage
Axios | Zachary Basu,Caitlin Owens | 05/12/25

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s short time leading America's health agencies has already destabilized the uneasy alliance that vaulted him into President Trump's Cabinet.

Why it matters: The "Make America Healthy Again" movement - a loose umbrella of vaccine skeptics, wellness influencers, and anti-pharma crusaders - was envisioned as a revolution against the medical establishment.

But its attempt to integrate with the federal health apparatus — and the MAGA purists who comprise the backbone of Trump's base - has so far proven deeply dysfunctional.

The big picture: The anti-establishment takeover of Health and Human Services - a sprawling agency that accounts for the largest share of domestic federal spending - has become one of the most chaotic experiments of Trump's second term. ... Read more

Trump says European Union is "nastier than China"
Axios | April Rubin | 05/12/25

President Trump said the "European Union is, in many ways, nastier than China," during a news conference on Monday.

Why it matters: The stakes of a prolonged U.S.-EU standoff over Trump's tariffs are high. With nearly a trillion dollars worth of trade last year, U.S. companies exported more than twice to the EU what they sent to China.

Driving the news: During the news conference, Trump announced an executive order aimed at cutting prescription drugs and pharmaceutical prices.

He said that Europeans should have to pay more for health care and take on financial burdens.

Trump said the U.S. has "all the cards" in trade deals with the EU. ... Read more

Who benefits from tax legislation so far
Axios | Emily Peck | 05/12/25

... ... ...

the draft released would add $5 trillion to the primary deficit through 2034, according to a weekend analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, close to $2 trillion more than current policy.

"So far this costly bill appears to double down on trickle down, with huge tax cuts that will further enrich the rich and not much for the rest of us," Amy Hanauer, the executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said in a statement over the weekend.

"The top 0.1% of Americans get more from this tax bill than the bottom half of America combined," Kogan, a former Office of Management and Budget staffer, told Axios over the weekend. ... Read more

The U.S.-U.K. deal shows the trade war is here to stay
Axios | Neil Irwin,Courtenay Brown | 05/09/25

The first significant trade accord of this Trump term affirms that the president is in dealmaking mode and wants to steer around the kinds of economic risks generated by his original announcement of large-scale reciprocal tariffs.

But U.K. imports will continue to carry a 10% tariff, up from a pre-Trump average of 1.3%. The president referred to that as the "lowest end" import tax.

The British were perhaps the best positioned among major economies to reach a quick deal with the Trump administration.

Things get harder from here, with bigger trading partners - China, Canada, and the European Union - facing deeper mutual hostility, bigger trade imbalances, and more complex disputes. ... Read more

Hegseth orders 20% cut to top military ranks
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 05/05/25

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a reduction in the number of military generals and admirals by at least 20%, per a memorandum published Monday.

The big picture: Hegseth wants a minimum 20% cut to the number of four-star positions across the military's active component and the same for general officers in the National Guard to cut "redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership," per the memo.

An additional minimum 10% reduction in general and flag officers would be required in the second phase.

The announcement comes after President Trump fired Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, Jr. and other top military leaders in February. ... Read more

Hegseth moves to oust trans people from military after Supreme Court ruling
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 05/09/25

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is moving rapidly to ban transgender troops from the U.S. military, giving active-duty service members on Thursday 30 days and reservists 60 days to voluntarily leave or be forced out.

The big picture: The order that follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday enabling the Trump administration's ban to take effect impacts about 1,000 service members, per a Pentagon statement.

Driving the news: President Trump signed an executive order targeting transgender troops in January that recognizes only two sexes, male and female, in line with other policies attacking trans people. ... Read more

Exclusive: Democrats target Trump family's crypto empire
Axios | Stephen Neukam | 05/06/25

Senate Democrats are unveiling a sweeping new proposal to ban presidents, lawmakers and their families from issuing, endorsing or sponsoring crypto assets, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Concerns over the Trump family's crypto ventures is threatening the passage of the bipartisan GENIUS Act, the Senate's first-ever stablecoin regulation.

Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said in a private meeting last week, first reported by Axios, that the GENIUS Act lacks basic guardrails against corruption.

Driving the news: Merkley will introduce the End Crypto Corruption Act on Tuesday, which would ban the president, vice president, members of Congress and their immediate families from issuing digital assets, such as meme coins and stablecoins. ... Read more

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | 05/02/25 | 1:23

Congress erupts over Trump's billion-dollar crypto deal
Axios | Zachary Basu | 05/07/25

A $2 billion crypto deal involving President Trump's family and a foreign government is threatening to derail bipartisan stablecoin legislation that Congress has been working on for months.

Why it matters: Democrats see the potential for gob-smacking corruption in Trump's lucrative crypto projects, which they consider to be the clearest conflicts of interest in a sea of new business ventures launched by the president and his inner circle.

The Trump family's crypto dealings could now jeopardize legislation that the crypto industry has aggressively lobbied for as a way to gain legitimacy and legal clarity in the U.S.

What's happening: Senate Democrats unveiled a sweeping new proposal Tuesday to ban presidents, lawmakers and their families from issuing, endorsing or sponsoring crypto assets, Axios' Stephen Neukam scooped. ... Read more

Richard Wolff: Trump Just Made A BIG MISTAKE And No One Is Ready | Richard Wolff | 05/05/25 | 33:10

Two-thirds of global heating caused by richest 10%, study suggests
TheGuardian | Damien Gayle | 05/07/25

The world's wealthiest 10% are responsible for two-thirds of global heating since 1990, driving droughts and heatwaves in the poorest parts of the world, according to a study.

While researchers have previously shown that higher income groups emit disproportionately large amounts of greenhouse gases, the latest survey is the first to try to pin down how that inequality translates into responsibility for climate breakdown. It offers a powerful argument for climate finance and wealth taxes by attempting to give an evidential basis for how many people in the developed world - including more than 50% of full-time employees in the UK - bear a heightened responsibility for the climate disasters affecting people who can least afford it.

"Our study shows that extreme climate impacts are not just the result of abstract global emissions; instead we can directly link them to our lifestyle and investment choices, which in turn are linked to wealth," said Sarah Scho?ngart, a climate modelling analyst and the study's lead author. ... Read more

Trump plays the economic blame game
Axios | Neil Irwin,Courtenay Brown | 05/05/25

Last week, President Trump disowned the U.S. economy as one still shaped by his predecessor's policies.

Less than 48 hours later, he touted strong employment and said the administration was "just getting started!!!"

Why it matters: The economy did not change, but the data did. The tricky presidential balance of owning the economy - in the good and bad - is not new. But it has perhaps never been more on display than with Trump.

"I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because he's done a terrible job," the president said plainly in an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press" Sunday.

State of play: Economic conditions are being shaped almost entirely by Trump, who quickly ripped up the longstanding global trade playbook, leaving businesses and consumers scrambling. ... ... ... Read more

UN and aid groups denounce Israeli-U.S. plan for Gaza aid delivery
Axios | Barak Ravid | 05/05/25

The UN and all aid organizations operating in Gaza jointly announced they would not cooperate with an Israeli-U.S. plan to establish a new mechanism for aid delivery to Palestinians in the enclave because it "contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles."

Why it matters: Israel has been blocking the delivery of all food, water, and medicine to Gaza since the ceasefire broke down two months ago. Now that the UN has rejected the new plan, it's very unlikely donor countries will fund it, putting the resumption of aid further into doubt.

UN aid agencies say food supplies in Gaza will run out within days. Israeli officials claim they will completely run out in three to four weeks. ... ... ... Read more

Vance defends Trump's post depicting AI-generated image of himself as pope
Politico | Katherine Long | 05/03/25

Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump after he posted an AI image of himself as pope on Truth Social, dismissing the post as a joke.

"As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen," Vance wrote in a post on X on Saturday responding to a question from Bill Kristol, editor-at-large at The Bulwark, on whether or not Vance was "fine with this disrespect and mocking of the holy father." Read more

Trump proposes slashing non-defense spending by 22.6%
Axios | Hans Nichols | 05/02/25

President Trump on Friday outlined his 2026 budget request, which would slash domestic spending by almost one-fourth while boosting defense spending by 13%.

The big picture: Trump's "skinny" budget for the upcoming fiscal year comes as fears grow that the White House's trade policies are fueling a U.S. economic downturn.

Read the White House's letter to Congress here

The fiscal blueprint aims to reduce discretionary non-defense spending - which doesn't include programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid - by $163 billion from this year, a 22.6% cut.

DEI and "race theory" programs are among those targeted for elimination

By the numbers: For national security spending, Trump will ask for a record $1.01 trillion, for a whopping 13% increase. ... Read more

Behind the scenes: How National security adviser Waltz got the boot
magazine | author | date

President Trump soured on Mike Waltz as his national security adviser for multiple reasons. But ultimately it came down to vibes when he replaced Waltz with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who'll temporarily do both jobs.

Why it matters: The boot for Waltz - two days after the media circus on Day 100 - was this term's first big shakeup. It showed how responsive Trump remains to optics, even while feeling as empowered as ever.

How it happened: In Trump's mind, Signalgate was the first time he was unable to control the narrative or win the day, top advisers tell Axios. ... Read more

China's not backing down in Trump's game of chicken
Axiios | Dave Lawler,Christine Wang | 05/01/25

President Trump is putting China's economy through a trillion-dollar stress test, and he may not like the result.

Why it matters: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insists China is far more reliant on the U.S. than vice-versa, and thus has no choice but to blink first.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping's disinclination to rush to the table suggests he thinks time is on China's side.

We're about to get some indications of who is right.

The big picture: China says it sent around 15% of its exports, worth $525 billion, to the U.S. last year - about 3x what flowed in the opposite direction. (U.S. data differs on the total value by nearly $100 billion, but the ratios are about the same.) ... Read more

Interview: Musk says DOGE may be here to stay
Axios | Alex Isenstadt | 05/01/25

Elon Musk acknowledges his budget-cutting exercise known as DOGE hasn't been as successful as he hoped. But he says it may go on for President Trump's entire four years in office - more than twice as long as originally planned.

Why it matters: DOGE was set up to terminate on July 4, 2026. But Musk now says his controversial group could help oversee the slashing of federal spending through the end of 2028.

"I think so," Musk said of DOGE being extended. "It's up to the president."

Zoom in: Musk held an hour-long Q&A session with Axios and about a dozen other news outlets in the White House's Roosevelt Room, just outside the Oval Office. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 4/25/25 | PBS | 04/25/25 | 26:46

TAX REVOLT, Part Two: Supply Side Santa Claus
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levernews.com | Natalie Bettendorf | 04/25/25

How a small group of economists shaped Reagan's tax policy and the future of the Republican party.

When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, no one knew how much the Republican Party - and the country - was about to change. His historic tax bills in 1981 and 1986 forged a new path of American economic policy, setting the stage for today's antitax frenzy.

Behind the president's tax cuts was a small group of powerful economists who took a chance on a brand-new school of thought and sought to convert an entire generation of policymakers.

Part Two of Lever Time's special miniseries Tax Revolt tells the story of the people who pushed Ronald Reagan toward the supply-side economics he'd one day be famous for - and convinced him to launch his national war on taxes. ... Read more

Exclusive: Most Americans see Trump as "dangerous dictator," poll says
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Axios | Russell Contreras | 04/29/25

A majority of Americans say President Trump is a "dangerous dictator" who poses a threat to democracy and believe he's overstepped his authority by actions such as the mass firing of federal employees, a new survey says.

Why it matters: The wide-ranging poll released Tuesday, on Trump's 100th day in office, is the latest sign of him losing support for his immigration and economic policies - the two issues that largely fueled his election.

Zoom in: Only four in 10 Americans expressed favorable views of Trump after his first 100 days in office, according to the survey by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).

And 52% agreed with the provocative statement that Trump "is a dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy," the survey said. ... ... ... Read more

Oops!: Trump's first 100 days marked by incompetent screw-ups and frantic walk backs | Rachel Maddow | 04/24/25 | 15:42

Trump to showcase U.S. investment at White House event with top CEOs
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 04/29/25

President Trump will host on Wednesday top executives from companies including Nvidia, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, GE Aerospace and SoftBank, as promotes investment in the U.S., per the White House.

Why it matters: The White House regards investment policy as "critical" to U.S. national and economic security, but Axios' Courtenay Brown and Neil Irwin report Trump's tariffs threats have left the country's status as the top global investment magnet in doubt as businesses hit pause.

Driving the news: Trump will host CEOs and industry leaders who've committed to investing at the U.S. at the "Invest in America" event, Bloomberg first reported. ... Read more

MAGA's coming clubhouse: Executive Branch
Axios | Mike Allen | 04/28/25

Aspiring members of a new MAGA moguls club, Executive Branch, are offering to pay double the listed membership fee of $500,000 to get off the waiting list, a source close to the club tells Axios.

Finishing touches are being put on the clubhouse, which is to open in Georgetown next month with a bar, lounge, restaurant and boardroom, the source tells us.

At an announcement party on White House Correspondents' Dinner weekend, guests were offered caviar as they walked into The Occidental restaurant, near the White House.

Why it matters: The club - with Donald Trump Jr. as a lead investor, and membership tightly screened for loyalty to President Trump - will be a sumptuous retreat for rubbing shoulders with cabinet members and West Wing officials, with no danger of running into reporters or Democrats. ... Read more

Five key quotes from Trump's interview with The Atlantic
Axios | Avery Lotz | 04/28/25

President Trump mused on his political comeback and the first 100 days of his second term in a newly published interview with The Atlantic out Monday.

The big picture: The Atlantic's June cover story, "Donald Trump Is Enjoying This," lays out Trump's thinking in the lead up to his return to the White House. The magazine asked him about his embattled Pentagon chief, unpopular immigration crackdown and if he'll really seek a third term.

The president met with representatives of the publication that dropped the biggest bombshell of his second term so far: Signalgate.

"I am doing this interview out of curiosity, and as a competition with myself, just to see if it's possible for The Atlantic to be 'truthful,'" Trump said in a Truth Social post last week ahead of the sitdown.

RFK Jr. & HHS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | LastWeekTonight | 04/28/25 | 36:14

The CFPB's life is on the line (again)
Axios | Emily Peck | 04/28/25

A hearing Tuesday in federal court in Washington could determine the fate of the embattled 'Consumer Financial Protection Bureau'.

The big picture: Dismantling the agency puts the stability of the financial system at stake, former officials and consumer advocates say.

The CFPB is responsible for key pieces of the mortgage lending process, which ensure the smooth functioning of the housing market.

Without the agency, Americans will have less protection from financial fraud. ... Read more

Elon Musk leaves legacy of self-destruction at DOGE
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/25/25

Elon Musk arrived in Washington as the most powerful political outsider ever, brimming with Silicon Valley swagger and bipartisan buy-in for his goal of streamlining the federal government.

He's leaving with his reputation wounded, relationships severed, companies in crisis, fortune diminished - and little to show for DOGE but chaos and contested savings.

Why it matters: Musk may not have achieved his audacious goal of cutting $2 trillion from America's debt, but the disruption he unleashed inside the federal government - for better or for worse - will reverberate for decades.

Zoom in: Musk has publicly acknowledged the enormous toll that DOGE - which he's characterized as a patriotic, existential project - has taken on his private life. ... Read more

Project 2025 Is Real. And It's Happening Now. | Katie Couric | 04/24/25 | 45:38

Trump insists China called, and trade deals are weeks away: Time interview
Axios | Ben Berkowitz | 04/25/25

A defiant President Trump insisted in a new interview that the U.S. is less than a month away from potentially hundreds of trade deals, and that even Chinese President Xi Jinping has called him to talk business.

Why it matters: China denies it, other countries aren't saying it either, Trump won't say who the deals are with or share details, and the global economy is cracking as the saga plays out.

Driving the news: Time magazine released a sweeping interview with Trump Friday to review the first 100 days of his second presidency.

Time's reporters asked Trump if he'd call Xi to talk trade ("Nope.") and if Xi had called him ("Yep.") ... Read more

David Frum: The crooks, crackpots and cowards of the Trump administration | The Hub Canada | 04/23/25 | 27:37

Voters warn Trump: MAGA, but not like this
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/24/25

In less than 100 days, President Trump has squandered his polling strength on the two issues most fundamental to his re-election: the economy and immigration.

Why it matters: Trump's approval rating is cratering not because voters reject his goals - but because they're increasingly alarmed by his methods. That disconnect threatens to collapse the two most durable pillars of his political brand.

1. On the economy, the single most decisive issue of the 2024 election, Trump's polling has never been worse.

A Pew Research Center survey found Trump's overall approval rating has fallen to 40%, while confidence in his economic leadership has dropped to 45% - the lowest since tracking began in 2019.
...

2. On immigration, Trump is in a relatively stronger position - but cracks are starting to emerge.

A new YouGov/Economist poll found Trump's immigration approval rating has dropped 10 points since April 16 - down to 45% - amid an escalating standoff with the courts over his deportation tactics.
...

Trump crashes the home stretch of Canada’s election
Politico | Mickey Djuric | 04/24/25

Days before Canada votes in a national election, President Donald Trump is talking again about its status as a 51st state - an Oval Office aside almost certain to boost the three-term Liberals in their quest for a fourth mandate.

Trump told reporters Wednesday that Canada would "cease to exist" without the U.S. He also suggested he could further raise the 25 percent tariffs he's imposed on Canadian autos.

"They took a large percentage of the car making, and I want to bring it back to this country. I really don't want cars from Canada, so when I put tariffs on Canada - they’re paying 25 percent - but that could go up in terms of cars," the president told reporters. "I'd rather see them made in Michigan and made in South Carolina and made in other states, Tennessee."

Trump has been front and center in Canada's 37-day campaign that overlaps with the opening days of a trade war that could decimate the Canadian economy. ... Read more

Trump's "final offer" for peace requires Ukraine to accept Russian occupation
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/23/25

The U.S. expects Ukraine's response Wednesday to a peace framework that includes U.S. recognition of Crimea as part of Russia and unofficial recognition of Russian control of nearly all areas occupied since the 2022 invasion, sources with direct knowledge of the proposal tell Axios.

Why it matters: The one-page document the U.S. presented Ukrainian officials in Paris last week describes this as President Trump's "final offer." The White House insists it's ready to walk away if the parties don't make a deal soon.

Trump's proposal would require major concessions from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who previously ruled out accepting Russia's occupation of Crimea and parts of four regions in eastern Ukraine. ... Read more

Why governments are 'addicted' to debt | Financial Times | 04/01/25 | 29:59

The vicious rivalries tearing apart Pete Hegseth's Pentagon
Politico | Rachael Bade, Daniel Lippan, etc. | 04/22/25

When President Donald Trump chose Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, incoming officials knew they'd need to surround the inexperienced Fox News host with accomplished staff who could handle the nation's largest bureaucracy. Hegseth would be the show horse, they figured, and others at the top would keep the Pentagon on track.

What happened was the opposite. Hegseth surrounded himself with advisers who quickly turned into vicious rivals for power - whose bitter brawl has now unraveled into revenge power plays, surprise firings, accusations of leaking and embarrassing headlines that are blowing up the Pentagon, distracting from Trump's agenda and possibly jeopardizing Hegseth's job. ... Read more

More than 80% of the world's reefs hit by bleaching after worst global event on record
The Guardian | Graham Readfearn | 04/23/25

The world's coral reefs have been pushed into "uncharted territory" by the worst global bleaching event on record that has now hit more than 80% of the planet's reefs, scientists have warned.

Reefs in at least 82 countries and territories have been exposed to enough heat to turn corals white since the global event started in January 2023, the latest data from the US government's Coral Reef Watch shows.

Coral reefs are known as the rainforests of the sea because of their high concentration of biodiversity that supports about a third of all marine species and a billion people.

But record high ocean temperatures have spread like an underwater wildfire over corals across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, damaging and killing countless corals.

The 84% of reefs exposed to bleaching-level heat in this ongoing fourth event compares with 68% during the third event, which lasted from 2014 to 2017, 37% in 2010 and 21% in the first event in 1998. ... Read more

Here's how the Catholic Church will choose a new pope
Axios | Avery Lotz | 04/21/25

White smoke will soon rise again from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling a new era of leadership in the Catholic Church - but first, there must be prayers, meetings and a highly secretive conclave.

The big picture: Pope Francis' death puts into motion a meticulous process that brings faith leaders from across the globe to the Vatican for a historic vote on who will lead the Roman Catholic Church.

The conclave, a storied vote that has been chronicled in film and fiction, typically draws the attention of those in and out of the faith community and marks a new era for the Church. ... Read more

Head of '60 Minutes' exits after saying he is losing independence
Politico | Ali Bianco | 04/22/25

The top producer of CBS News' iconic Sunday broadcast "60 Minutes" announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving the network.

In a memo to the program's staff, Bill Owens - who had been at CBS News for 37 years - said that he had lost the ability to exercise independence over the direction of the show, appearing to criticize the impact that the second Trump administration has had on the long-running news program.

"Over the past months, it has also become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it," Owens wrote in the memo, shared with POLITICO. ... Read more

Pope Francis dies on Easter Monday at 88
Axios | areen Habeshian,Avery Lotz | 04/21/25

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at age 88, the Vatican announced.

The big picture: Pope Francis pushed the Catholic Church to the left, which satisfied Catholics seeking modernization but dismayed traditionalists.

Francis, who had part of his lung removed in 1957, was released from hospital on March 23 after being treated for double pneumonia after being admitted with bronchitis symptoms five weeks earlier.

Details: The Vatican said in a statement that Francis died on Monday morning at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. ... ... ... Read more

How judges can hold Trump admin accountable for defying court orders
Axios | Avery Lotz | 04/21/25

Some legal scholars are warning that Trump administration's reluctance - or outright refusal - to comply with court orders is setting the stage for a full-blown constitutional crisis.

Why it matters: In several instances, federal judges have said that the Trump administration is not taking sufficient steps to adhere to rulings. Courts aren't powerless. They can punish the executive branch in an effort to force compliance, experts say.

Case in point: The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man erroneously deported to El Salvador. Officials have contended that doesn't mean they have to return him, even after losing several appeals.

"The argument that they're in compliance with the Supreme Court's order and the district court's subsequent orders is ridiculous," said, David Noll, a law professor at Rutgers Law School. ... ... ... Read more

Trump's End-Times Fascism | Naomi Klein | TMR | 04/20/25 | 30:55

'Full-blown meltdown' at Pentagon after Hegseth's second Signal chat revealed
TheGurdian | Edward Helmore | 04/21/25

A former top Pentagon spokesperson has slammed Pete Hegseth's leadership of the department of defense, as pressure mounts on the US's top military official following reports of a second Signal chatroom used to discuss sensitive military operations.

John Ullyot, who resigned last week after initially serving as Pentagon spokesperson, said in a opinion essay published by Politico on Sunday that the Pentagon has been overwhelmed by staff drama and turnover in the initial months of the second Trump administration.

Ullyot called the situation a "full-blown meltdown" that could cost Hegseth, a 44-year-old former Fox News host and national guard officer, his job as defense secretary. ... Read more

Trump's United States of Emergency
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/18/25

In his first 100 days, President Trump has declared more national emergencies - more creatively and more aggressively - than any president in modern American history.

Why it matters: Powers originally crafted to give the president flexibility in rare moments of crisis now form the backbone of Trump's agenda, enabling him to steamroll Congress and govern by unilateral decree through his first three months in office.

So far, Trump has invoked national emergencies to impose the largest tariffs in a century, accelerate energy and mineral production, and militarize federal lands at the southern border.

Paired with his assault on the judiciary, legal scholars fear Trump is exploiting loosely written statutes to try to upend the constitutional balance of power. ... Read more

The Dow's Thursday tumble, explained
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Axios | Felix Salmon,Jacque Schrag | 04/18/25

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 527 points on Thursday, despite the fact that 20 of its 30 components actually rose in price. The culprit: UnitedHealth Group, whose $131 fall was singlehandedly responsible for an 805-point decline.

Why it matters: A single highly-priced stock, if it falls far enough, can now create a greater point drop in the Dow than the 508-point plunge that triggered panicked headlines around the world in 1987. ... Read more

Climate change is not just a problem of physics but a crisis of justice
A swimming pool surrounded by flood waters in Essen, western Germany on 26 December 2023.
TheGuardian | Friederike Otto | 04/18/25

My research as a climate scientist is in attribution science. Together with my team, I analyse extreme weather events and answer the questions of whether, and to what extent, human-induced climate change has altered their frequency, intensity and duration.

When I first began my research, most scientists claimed that these questions couldn’t be answered. There were technical reasons for this: for a long time, researchers had no weather models capable of mapping all climate-related processes in sufficient detail. But there were other reasons that had less to do with the research itself.

Let's imagine extreme flooding in Munich, Rome or London and heavy rainfall in the slums of Durban on the South African coast. How the people in these various places experience this extreme weather depends on the local economic and social conditions and, fundamentally, on their political situation. ... Read more

NO-BID ICE CONTRACT WENT TO FORMER ICE AGENTS BEING SUED FOR FABRICATING CRIMINAL EVIDENCE ON THE JOB
TheIntercept | Sam Biddle | 04/17/25

U.S. IMMIGRATION AND Customs Enforcement just signed a contract worth $73 million with a firm whose executives are accused of taking part in a scheme to manufacture evidence against a co-worker during their time working at the Department of Homeland Security.

According to a contract document reviewed by The Intercept, federal contractor Universal Strategic Advisors will provide services pertaining to ICE's "non-detained docket," a master list of millions of noncitizens believed to be removable from the United States but not yet in the agency's custody. ... Read more

Full Speech: Not Russia, Not China? Lavrov Names NATO's Biggest Foe, and It's Not Putin | NATO Vs US | Hindudtan Times | 04/15/25 | 6:18

Trump tariffs sink global economy outlook
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Axios | Felix Salmon | 04/14/25

Global fund managers have turned startlingly pessimistic when it comes to the chances that the world will be able to withstand the effect of across-the-board U.S. tariffs - and they're particularly bearish when it comes to the U.S. itself.

Why it matters: The most recent Fund Manager Survey from Bank of America underscores the thesis that global investors are selling America.

By the numbers: The most recent survey, which was conducted between April 4 and April 10, included 164 global fund managers who collectively have $386 billion of assets under management.

49% of them said that a hard landing is now the most likely outcome for the global economy, up from 6% in February and 11% in March. ... Read more

Trump says Powell's "termination cannot come fast enough"
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 04/17/25

President Trump blasted Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on Thursday with the strongest suggestion yet of his intention to try to fire the nation's most powerful economic policymaker.

Why it matters: Trump's attack comes after Powell said that tariffs were likely to stoke inflation and slow economic growth.

What they're saying: "Powell's termination cannot come fast enough!," Trump posted on Truth Social.

Reality check: The Fed is an apolitical institution. It makes monetary policy decisions without political considerations, with protection from political retribution.

Much of what makes the U.S. the safest place to invest is the trust that the Fed acts in the best interest of the American economy - not the president. ... Read more

Trump wants to make a deal with China. Here’s how he’s trying to make that happen.
Politico | Megan Messerly | 04/16/25

President Donald Trump wants Chinese leader Xi Jinping to call. Making trade deals with China's neighbors is part of a broader White House strategy to get him to the negotiating table.

As the two countries face off in a bitter trade war, the administration's current theory of the case, which has been circulating among Trump allies and was confirmed by a White House official, is that tariff deals with Asian countries, as well as the dozens of others across the globe seeking to negotiate with the U.S., will isolate China, disrupt the Chinese supply chain and threaten to cut the country off from the rest of the world.

"Once you see a lot of countries - not just in southeast Asia or Asia, but all over - you'll see that they're willing to make deals with America, and that exerts pressure on China to hopefully come to the table," the official said. "Because China's economy is reliant on a lot of these other countries around the world, I think once people see, hopefully, deals being struck with these countries, that exerts pressure on China." ... Read more

Newsom says California to sue over Trump tariffs
Axios | Avery Lotz | 04/16/25

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that his state plans to sue in an attempt to block President Trump's sweeping tariff regime.

Why it matters: California, the fifth-largest economy in the world, could lose billions in Trump's trade war with China. The lawsuit marks the first time a state has sued Trump over his massive, market-rattling levies that sent ripples through the global economy.

Driving the news: The lawsuit will be filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It argues that Trump's use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to impose his levies without congressional approval was unlawful. ... Read more

Trump dashed Musk's secret Pentagon briefing on China
Axios | Marc Caputo | 04/16/25

Beyond tariffs and court battles over Trump policies, two pieces of White House palace intrigue emerged Tuesday: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suspended two top Pentagon officials, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, as part of an investigation into who leaked word of a planned top-secret briefing on China for Elon Musk. Axios learned that Musk or Hegseth didn't just decide to call off that briefing after the leak. President Trump himself ordered staffers to kill it. "What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn't go," Trump said, a top official recalled to Axios. ... Read more

Trump blames Zelensky again: "Millions dead because of 3 people"
Axios | Dave Lawler,Barak Ravid | 04/15/24

President Trump once again accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of starting the war with Russia on Monday, saying "you don't start a war with someone 20 times your size and then hope people give you some missiles."

Why it matters: Trump's comments come a day after a "60 Minutes" interview in which Zelensky suggested the Trump administration was operating in an "altered reality" in terms of the origins of the war. ... Read more

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sits down with Scott Pelley to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine, the war, the Oval Office meeting | 60 Minutes | 04/12/25 | 13:41

Gold bars and an FBI probe: Inside Trump's effort to pry back $20B from Biden's climate spending
Politico | Jean Chemnick | 04/15/25

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin (left) looks on as President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order in the White House on Tuesday. | Evan Vucci/AP

Former President Joe Biden's appointees crafted an unusual strategy for funneling hundreds of billions in government and private dollars to climate projects in lower-income communities - and for doing it fast enough that an incoming Trump administration would be unable to stop it.

Now, the program is fighting for its life.

A federal judge has given herself until Tuesday to rule on whether EPA can continue freezing the $20 billion in federal dollars at the heart of the climate effort, while the courts sort out whether the administration can cancel the grants entirely.

The nonprofits have already committed over $2.6 billion of the money to projects across the U.S., according to a POLITICO analysis of investments by five of the eight groups. But most of that is now halted. ... Read more

Trump & Tariffs: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 04/13/25 | 27:05

The World's Highest Security Prison: CECOT (The most evil are kept here) | Ruhi Cenet | 02/14/25 | 20:51

Trump's hardline stance
Axios | Marc Caputo | 04/14/25

Business leaders are calling and back-channeling President Trump to dump on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, trade adviser Peter Navarro and their pro-tariff views, hoping to end the trade war.

Why it matters: Make no mistake: Trump is wholly unmoved, top White House officials tell Axios. This is his disruptive policy, done his disruptive way. "This is the team," one said.

The Trump administration is trying to present a unified front as it implements its controversial tariff policies that have rocked financial markets. Officials loathe palace-intrigue stories that make the team look divided.

CEOs want the Treasury-Secretary-Scott-Bessent-on-truth-serum approach. But they keep running into the reality that Trump is more Navarro. ... Read more

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sits down with Scott Pelley to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine, the war, the Oval Office meeting | 60 Minutes | 04/12/25 | 13:41

Whiplash: Trump adds fresh chaos and uncertainty to his flailing tariffs agenda
MSNBC | Steve Benen | 04/14/25

"I know what the hell I'm doing," the president said last week, referring to trade tariffs. There's fresh evidence to the contrary.

As the world struggled to keep up with the White House's erratic approach to trade tariffs, Rep. Jim McGovern told his congressional colleagues last week, "How is any company supposed to forecast for their future, build a plant, hire workers, if they have no idea what the hell this president is gonna do in his next tweet?"

The Massachusetts Democrat added, "I need a neck brace to be able to get through all this."

Alas, that was before the administration added even more uncertainty to its own flailing plan. ... Read more

Xi's counterpunch: How China will ensure the trade war hurts the U.S.
Axios | Dave Lawler | 04/11/25

Chinese President Xi Jinping has no shortage of pressure points to ensure Americans feel the pain from President Trump's superpower trade war.

The big picture: China on Friday increased its tariffs to an eye-watering 125% in response to Trump's 145% levies. And ever since trade war 1.0, Beijing has also been developing a wider array of tools that it's now putting to use.

Here are seven ways China can punch back as Trump continues to dial up the pressure. ...

The world's hot new trade is "sell America"
Axios | Ben Berkowitz | 04/11/25

President Trump's whiplash tariffs may have inadvertently achieved his goal of reordering the global economy by inspiring investors to sell U.S. assets and move their money elsewhere.

Why it matters: For decades, the world has invested in America. Now, a global moment of clarity threatens to redirect trillions of dollars of capital inflows and diminish the U.S. in the international economic order.

The big picture: The U.S. receives nearly $2 trillion each year in foreign capital inflows, according to government data - things like investments in businesses and bank lending, but also foreign investors buying U.S. stocks and bonds. ... Read more

Murphy: Trump Is Dismantling Our Democracy. We Must Come Together And Act Before It's Too Late. | Senator Chris Murphy | 04/11/25 | 19:22