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Wednesday April 23, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

Trump Dumb Moves

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 extent of the feud, which has been previously unreported, helps explain the chaos that has eclipsed the Defense Department in recent weeks. And it affirms skeptics' concerns that Hegseth lacked the management experience to run a large organization.

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

Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 23, 2025 | 04/23/25 | 14:33
"America, America": Greg Grandin on Latin American History, from Colonization to CECOT to Pope | DN | 04/23/25 | 39:48
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, April 23 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. "America, America": Greg Grandin on Latin American History, from Colonization to CECOT to Pope Francis
Trump's Tax Cuts Were Worse than We Thought | Robert Reich | 04/15/25 | 3:12
Trump is So Dangerous Lifelong Conservatives are Calling for Revolution?!? | Thom Hartmann | 04/22/25 | 5:42
The1a.org
Not 'America First' but 'America last': Governor slams Trump over hospital, university cuts | Morning Joe | 04/23/25 | 11:14
My friend Steve's Instagram picks

Tuesday April 22, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

Dumb Moves

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

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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


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The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is a forum and knowledge hub for data, analysis and best practices in public policy. We work with over 100 countries across the world to build stronger, fairer and cleaner societies - helping to shape better policies for better lives.
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Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 22, 2025 | 04/22/25 | 14:33
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, April 22 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Remembering Pope Francis on Earth Day: How He Linked Capitalism, Climate & Catholicism
  3. "The Doxxing-to-Deportation Pipeline": Update on Abduction & Jailing of Tufts Student Rumeysa Özturk
  4. Vijay Prashad: Historic 1955 Anti-Colonial Bandung Conference Inspired New Era in Global South
Pete Hegseth gets BOMBSHELL bad news | btc | 04/21/25 | 8:37
The1a.org
Lawrence: Trump plunging stock market to its 'Make America 1932 Again' moment | MSNBC | 04/22/25 | 14:16
'Powell talk rattled the markets': Stocks tank after Trump goes after Fed chair | Morning Joe/MSNBC | 04/22/25 | 11:14
Busted: Report paints vivid picture of Trump corruption | Rachel Maddow | 04/20/25 | 6:14
Ex-Hegseth aide: 'Full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon' | CNN | 04/22/25 | 23:52

Monday April 21, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

Dumb Moves

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

Why can't we all be on the Signal Chat??
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Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 21, 2025 | 04/21/25 | 8:47
Pope Francis's Book Editor Robert Ellsberg on the Pontiff's Life, Legacy & Care for Refugees | DN | 04/21/25 | 11:14
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, April 21 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Sen. Van Hollen on Meeting Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador & Escalating Constitutional Crisis
  3. Pope Dies at 88: Pax Christi's Marie Dennis on How He Championed the Marginalized, Changed the Church
  4. "Heart of Compassion" for Palestine: Pope Francis Called for Gaza Ceasefire Until His Final Days
  5. Pope Francis's Book Editor Robert Ellsberg on the Pontiff’s Life, Legacy & Care for Refugees
  6. "Peacemakers Are Not Welcome": Israeli Columbia Student Josh Drill on Arrest of Mohsen Mahdawi
Trump barrels ahead with NIGHTMARE scheme | btc | 04/21/25 | 18:08
If Trump Fires Him America's Democracy is Over FOREVER | Thom Hartmann | 04/20/25 | 3:12
Trump is So Dangerous Lifelong Conservatives are Calling for Revolution?!? | Thom Hartmann | 04/20/25 | 5:42
The1a.org

Friday April 18, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

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

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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

Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 18, 2025 | 04/18/25 | 14:19
"Absolute Nonsense": As Measles Cases Soar & Kids Die, Expert Slams RFK Jr. on Vaccine-Autism Link | DN | 04/18/25 | 23:16
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, April 18 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. "Absolute Nonsense": As Measles Cases Soar & Kids Die, Expert Slams RFK Jr. on Vaccine-Autism Link
  3. Cannes Selects Film on Gaza Photographer Fatma Hassona; A Day Later, She's Killed in Israeli Strike
This SHOCKING Report Should Have Saved America From Russia w/ Heidi Siegmund Cuda | Thom Hartmann | 04/01/25 | 11:17
How Trump Saved Russia by Killing NATO w/ Phil Ittner | Thom Hartmann | 04/18/25 | 12:09
The1a.org
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Chinese exports to the United States are expected to fall by 77 percent in 2025, according to World Trade Organization forecasts. Meanwhile, Chinese imports are expected to increase to every other market, with the rest of North America predicted to see growth of 25 percent. South America is expected to see a nine percent increase in Chinese imports this year, while all other markets are projected to see import increases of between four to six percent.
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Thursday April 17, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

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

NATO Vs US
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

Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 17, 2025 | 04/17/25 | 12:23
"One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This": Omar El Akkad on Gaza & Western Complicity | DN | 04/17/25 | 11:39
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, April 17 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Constitutional Crisis: As Trump Ignores Judges' Orders, Will the Courts Capitulate?
  3. "Need the World to Pay Attention": Sudan Faces World's Worst Displacement Crisis After 2 Years of War
  4. Trump Eyes Congo's "Incredible Mineral Riches" as Armed Conflict Devastates Region
  5. "One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This": Omar El Akkad on Gaza & Western Complicity Watch
The Department of Government Efficiency Is a Lie | Thom Hartmann | 04/17/25 | 6:58
New Supreme Court Case Will Decide YOUR Rights in Trump Dictatorship | Thom Hartmann | 04/17/25 | 4:19
The1a.org
Trump exposed in hot mic moment planning further abuse of power | MSNBC/Rachel Maddow | 04/15/25 | 10:15

Wednesday April 16, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

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

Newsom announced earlier this month that he was seeking agreements with other countries to try to insulate his state from the effects of Trump's trade war.

California is the largest importer among the states, Newsom noted in a press release, emphasizing the importance of trade with Mexico, Canada and China.
Threat to Head Start
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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

Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 16, 2025 | 04/16/25 | 13:14
"Encouraging & Important": Harvard Rejected Trump Takeover. Will Other Institutions Join the Fight? | DN | 04/16/25 | 16:24
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, April 16 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Mohsen Mahdawi's Abduction "Should Terrify" Us, Says VT Rep. Balint, Whose Grandfather Was Killed in Holocaust
  3. Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen: Breaking Up Meta's Monopoly Would Improve Service, Safety
  4. "Unquestionably Unconstitutional": Harvard Law Prof Slams Cuts as School Rejects Trump Demands
Majorie Taylor Greene caught in potential FELONY SCANDAL | btc | 04/16/25 | 9:29
Trump's Trade War Tariffs Aren't just STUPID! They're a Prelude To WAR | Thom Hartmann | 04/16/25 | 12:01
The1a.org

Tuesday April 15, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

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

"Trump's stupid comment(s)... it makes my skin crawl"

"You have millions of people dead. Millions of people dead because of three people. ... Let's say Putin number one, but let's say Biden, who had no idea what the hell he was doing, number two, and Zelensky. And all I can do is try and stop it," he said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sits down with 60 Minutes
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 with John Oliver
Trump & Tariffs: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 04/13/25 | 27:05
The World's Highest Security Prison: CECOT
The World's Highest Security Prison: CECOT (The most evil are kept here) | Ruhi Cenet | 02/14/25 | 20:51
Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 15, 2025 | 04/15/25 | 13:21
The Oval Office Party
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"The Dark Money Game": Director Alex Gibney on How Citizens United Ushered in "Legalized Corruption" | DN | 04/15/25 | 5:19
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, April 15 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Liberation Seder: Hundreds of Jewish Protesters Demand Release of Foreign Students Abducted by ICE
  3. Trump Weighs Expelling U.S. Citizens as Salvadoran Pres. Says He Won't Return Wrongfully Removed Man
  4. Cover-Up in Ecuador? Disputed Presidential Election Rocked by New Allegation from 2023 Assassination
  5. "The Dark Money Game": Director Alex Gibney on How Citizens United Ushered in "Legalized Corruption"
Trump makes BOMBSHELL news in Oval Office, grabs GLOBAL headlines | btc | 04/15/25 | 9:14
Was Economic Collapse a Day Away? Real Reason Trump Tariffs Paused! | Thom Hartmann | 04/15/25 | 4:10
The1a.org

Monday April 14, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

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

Administration officials privately acknowledge the rollout of Trump's tariff policy has been subpar. But they hope the trial-and-error phase is behind them as the U.S. settles in for what could be a brutal trade war with China.
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

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Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 14, 2025 | 04/14/25 | 15:12
El Salvador's "Dictator" Key to Disappearing Migrants Like Kilmar Abrego Garcia | DN | 04/14/25 | 13:03
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, April 14 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Mahmoud Khalil's Lawyer: Trump Admin Is Delaying in Federal Court While Racing to Deport Activist
  3. Maria Hinojosa: El Salvador's "Dictator" Key to Disappearing Migrants Like Kilmar Abrego Garcia
  4. "I'm Not Really Free": Pulitzer Winners "Suave" & Maria Hinojosa Examine Life After Prison in Season 2
Top Trump adviser issues CHILLING news on Trump live on air | btc | 04/13/25 | 11:38
Martial Law Rumors Are Convincing Americans Something Awful is Coming | Thom Hartmann | 04/14/25 | 3:39
The1a.org

Friday April 11, 2025
The United States has a President that; 1) doesn't mind telling his voters he likes to fondle women in public, 2) has basically been convicted of raping a woman (s), 3) has been convicted by a jury of his own piers of 34 Felonies, 4) has been shown MANY, MANY, MANY times to lie to the public, even in the same sentence, 5) Has just released hundreds of convicted criminal back into the community at large, 6) would rather see the World burn down, than acknowledge the power of science (Climate Change), 7) yada, yada, yada.

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. ...

  1. Hit consumers in the wallet
    Xi doesn't even need to lift a finger to ensure Americans are hurt by the trade war - Trump's own tariffs may take care of that. China's factories produce the vast majority of the toys, cell phones and many other products Americans buy. From fast fashion to gaming consoles, things will get more expensive.
  2. Punish the farmers (and more)
    Any American whose livelihood depends on selling into the Chinese market is likely panicking right now - whether the product in question is oil, airplanes or soybeans (three of the top U.S. exports).
  3. Target individual U.S. companies
    China added twelve U.S. firms to an export control list this week - restricting what they can ship out of China - and added six defense tech and aviation firms to an "unreliable entity list" that bans them from doing business in China.
  4. Cut off supplies of rare earth minerals
    China last week further restricted exports of rare earths - a sector it dominates - in response to Trump's tariffs.
  5. Selling U.S. debt
    On the topic of things that would hurt the U.S. but also ricochet back onto China, there's the "nuclear option" of dumping the $761 billion in U.S. bonds held by Beijing.
  6. Devaluing the yuan
    Another potential economic lever is a sharp devaluation of China's currency, which would help boost China's exports and further diminish the ability of U.S. firms to compete in the Chinese market.
  7. Freezing out Hollywood
    China is a key market for U.S. films, sports leagues, and other entertainment products, and Beijing hasn't been shy about using that leverage to influence what public figures say or what appears on screen.
Read more

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
Top U.S. & World Headlines - April 11, 2025 | 04/11/25 | 11:24
Elon Musk Stands to Get Even Richer as Trump Backs $1 Trillion Budget for Pentagon | DN | 04/11/25 | 12:39
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, April 11 (FULL) | 59:02
Note: on the full 59:02 video look for small white (or black) circles on the Progressbar they denote the different news stories. You can move the pointer on the Progressbar to jump to each story, and around the video.
  1. Headlines
  2. Supreme Court Orders U.S. to "Facilitate" Return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador
  3. Michigan Lawyer Detained at Detroit Airport, Phone Seized; He Represents Pro-Palestine Protester
  4. Microsoft Worker Fired for Israel Protest: "Cloud & AI Are the Bombs & Bullets of the 21st Century"
  5. "The Teacher": Director Farah Nabulsi and Actor Saleh Bakri on New Film Based in Occupied West Bank
Click to enlarge
BOMBSHELL: Trump insider trading scandal sparks INSTANT scrutiny | btc | 04/11/25 | 9:02
Trump's Latest Executive Order Could Finally Break American Democracy! | Thom Hartmann | 04/11/25 | 8:18
The1a.org




02.10.2011. 07:16



Special Interest Important stuff
GOOD Shorts Videos

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Newer Documentaries You Might Not Have Seen

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Lindsey Graham Mashups
Lindsey Graham

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said the quiet part aloud on why he’s still so close to former President Donald Trump: because we can use him for our goals. "President Trump has gotten people who wouldn't give me or Romney or anybody else the time of day. They believe he is on their side," the senator told the America First Agenda Summit crowd on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

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Environment & Climate Change
Environment

The term "climate change" is often used to refer specifically to anthropogenic climate change (also known as global warming). Anthropogenic climate change is caused by human activity, as opposed to changes in climate that may have resulted as part of Earth's natural processes.

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AI - Artificial Intelligence | Machine Learning | Deep Learning
AI - Artificial Intelligence

AIArtificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence demonstrated by machines, as opposed to the natural intelligence displayed by animals including humans. AI research has been defined as the field of study of intelligent agents, which refers to any system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of achieving its goals.

The term "artificial intelligence" had previously been used to describe machines that mimic and display "human" cognitive skills that are associated with the human mind, such as "learning" and "problem-solving". This definition has since been rejected by major AI researchers who now describe AI in terms of rationality and acting rationally, which does not limit how intelligence can be articulated.
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Quantum mechanics | AI - Artificial Intelligence
Quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles.  It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, quantum field theory, quantum technology, and quantum information science.
Classical physics, the collection of theories that existed before the advent of quantum mechanics, describes many aspects of nature at an ordinary (macroscopic) scale, but is not sufficient for describing them at small (atomic and subatomic) scales. Most theories in classical physics can be derived from quantum mechanics as an approximation valid at large (macroscopic) scale.
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Economy, Wall Street and Banksters

Wall Street and Banksters

Wall Street is an eight-block-long street running roughly northwest to southeast from Broadway to South Street, at the East River, in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, the American financial services industry (even if financial firms are not physically located there), or New York-based financial interests.

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Intelligence Agencies/Deep State?

Intelligence Agencies/Deep State?

An intelligence agency is a government agency responsible for the collection, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, and foreign policy objectives. Means of information gathering are both overt and covert and may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis,.

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Daniel Ellsberg | Pentagon Papers
Daniel Ellsberg

Daniel Ellsberg and Paul Jay explore Ellsberg's latest book, The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner. In the introduction to the book, Ellsberg writes: "No policies in human history have more deserved to be recognized as immoral or insane. The story of how this calamitous predicament came about and how and why it has persisted over a half a century is a chronicle of human madness".

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Nukes
Nukes

Nuclear weapons have come a long way and come in all types of different sizes. Some are relatively small while others are enormous, so big they boggle the mind at what they can be capable of, i.e. the Soviet 'Tsar Bomba' is/was 3,000 times greater than the Hiroshima bomb.

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Rana Foroohar and Fall of American Business
Rana Foroohar

Ms. Foroohar says financialization delivers stagnant wages, inequality and economic crisis; the Financial Times columnist and author of "Makers and Takers" says the financial sector represents only 7 percent of the U.S. economy, but takes around 25 percent of all corporate profit while creating only 4 percent of all jobs.

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The Untold History of the United States by Oliver Stone & Petere Kuznick

The Untold History of the United States by Oliver Stone & Petere Kuznick | 2014 | 10 Episodes

Oliver Stone and American University historian Peter J. Kuznick began working on the project in 2008. Stone, Kuznick and British screenwriter Matt Graham cowrote the script. It covers "the reasons behind the Cold War with the Soviet Union, U.S. President Harry Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan, and changes in America's global role since the fall of Communism." Stone is the director and narrator of all ten episodes.

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Kuznick Interviews

Kuznick Interviews

Historian Peter Kuznick says Eisenhower called for decreased militarization, then Dulles reversed the policy; the Soviets tried to end the cold war after the death of Stalin; crazy schemes involving nuclear weapons and the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba put the world of the eve of destruction - with host Paul Jay

The Untold History of the United States by Kuznick, Peter.mobi | Book | 6.99 MB

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China Valley of Tunnels

China Valley of Tunnels

A report written by a Georgetown University team led by Phillip Karber conducted a three-year study to map out China’s complex tunnel system, which stretches 5,000 km (3,000 miles). The report determined that the stated Chinese nuclear arsenal is understated and as many as 3,000 nuclear warheads may be stored in the underground tunnel network.

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911
911

On September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists attacked the Unites States. They hijacked four airplanes in mid-flight. The terrorists flew two of the planes into two skyscrapers at the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact caused the buildings to catch fire and collapse. Another plane destroyed part of the Pentagon (the U.S. military headquarters) in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Officials believe that the terrorists on that plane intended to destroy either the White House or the U.S. Capitol. Passengers on the plane fought the terrorists and prevented them from reaching their goal. In all, nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks.

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The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's ten-part, 18-hour documentary series, THE VIETNAM WAR, tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. Visceral and immersive, the series explores the human dimensions of the war through revelatory testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides--Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as combatants and civilians from North and South Vietnam. Ten years in the making, the series includes rarely seen and digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th Century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and secret audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations.

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Trump's Mashups
Trump's Mashups

Donald Trump talks a lot, but what is he actually saying? VICE News' "Trump Talk" mashup series tries to answer that. And, we're happy to say, it was just nominated for two Webby Awards. Now you can watch all the nominated videos.

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Trump's Sexcapades
Trump's Sexcapades.

Jessica Leeds (1980s)
Kristin Anderson (1990s)
E. Jean Carroll (1995 or 1996)
Lisa Boyne (1996)
Cathy Heller (1997)
Temple Taggart McDowell (1997)
Karena Virginia (1998)
Mindy McGillivray (2003)
Jennifer Murphy (2005)
Rachel Crooks (2005)
Natasha Stoynoff (2005)
Juliet Huddy (2005 or 2006)
Jessica Drake (2006)
Ninni Laaksonen (2006)
Cassandra Searles (2013)
Allegations of pageant dressing room visits(1997)
Mariah Billado,
Victoria Hughes,
and three other Miss Teen USA contestants
Bridget Sullivan (2000)
Tasha Dixon (2001)
Unnamed contestants (2001)
Samantha Holvey (2006)

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Trump's Speeches | Rallys |Interviews
Trump's Speeches | Rallys

Donald Trump talks a lot, but what is he actually saying? Watch Trump at some of his rallys and see what you think.

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I am one of those "once" middle class, over 60, over educated, under-employed, semi retired, soon to be poor workers, that everyone is talking about. 
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