Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Hurricane Idalia is yet another test of America's aging power infrastructure
Axios | Alex Fitzpatrick & Kavya Beheraj | 08/31/23

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, getting the power back on as quickly as possible will be one of the most pressing challenges — and any major delays will once again call into question the resilience of the country's aging electrical infrastructure.

Why it matters: Power outages can be one of the longest-lasting and dangerous results of major hurricanes, sometimes persisting well after any storm surge and high winds subside.

The latest: Hundreds of thousands of people in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were without power as of late Wednesday evening, per one estimate. ... Read more

Fed's preferred inflation gauge ticks up in July
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 08/31/23

The Federal Reserve's go-to measure of inflation accelerated last month, the Commerce Department said on Thursday.

Why it matters: The Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, a gauge tracked by the Fed, rose 3.3% from a year ago - an uptick from the 3% in June as the U.S. lapped a period last year in which energy prices plunged.

The core measure, which excludes energy and food prices, increased 4.2% from a year ago - 0.1% higher than June due to quicker price increases across the services sector.

Among the areas that led the service sector higher in July: portfolio management and investment advice services on the back of a stronger stock market. ... Read more

Top 5 reasons Idalia stands apart from other storms
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/30/23

Hurricane Idalia's forecast track, rate of intensification and the environment it will encounter as it approaches land sets it apart from other recent damaging storms in several ways, hurricane experts told Axios.

The big picture: First, there is the storm setup. It is no accident that the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico have hit record highs recently, amid astonishing streaks of record-setting warmth in nearby land areas.

Between the lines: Second, the storm is likely to stand apart from many recent landfalling hurricanes - including some that intensified until they crossed the coast - in that it will it will encounter unusually hot ocean temperatures all along the way.

Context: Third, the high ocean temperatures are a clear connection between the storm's rapid intensification and human-caused climate change, according to Jim Kossin, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the nonprofit First Street Foundation. ... Read more

China's post-reform era has arrived — and its future is unclear
Axios | Bethany Allen | 08/30/23

The period of economic and political opening that transformed China over the past 50 years is now over, a growing number of experts say. What the next 50 years will look like isn't yet clear.

Why it matters: Instead of reforming China to fit Western-led global institutions, Chinese leaders now aim to reshape the world in Beijing's image, forcing the U.S. and other countries to scramble to reassert influence.

China's slowing economic growth may complicate Beijing's goal in the next few years.

But it's far too early to say for certain that China's economy will enter a period of long-term stagnation - or that Beijing's political hardening will inevitably result in a weakening of the country's comprehensive power. ... Read more

"Negligent manslaughter": Study finds climate change could kill 1 billion mostly poor people
Salon | Maatthew Rozsa | 08/30/23

By the end of the century, nearly 1 billion mostly poor people could die due to climate change, a new study suggests. If climate change reaches 2 degrees C higher than pre-industrial levels, the level of death it will unleash would be catastrophic, according to research published in the scientific journal Energies. If true, this means that even staying within the confines of the Paris climate accord - which pledges 2 degrees C as the upper limit of global warming - will still lead to a humanitarian disaster.

The authors, Joshua Pearce of Western University in Ontario, Canada and Richard Parncutt of University of Graz, in Austria, performed a meta-analysis on studies that examine fatalities caused by climate change impacts. They found that "a future person is killed every time 1000 tons of fossil carbon are burned." The researchers concluded that "if warming reaches or exceeds 2 degrees C this century, mainly richer humans will be responsible for killing roughly 1 billion mainly poorer humans through anthropogenic global warming, which is comparable with involuntary or negligent manslaughter." ... Read more

Simultaneous record heat hits multiple continents
Axios | author | 08/25/23

A simultaneous spate of extreme heat events have broken longstanding, all-time records on multiple continents this week.

Why it matters: Extreme heat events are the clearest manifestation of climate change in weather that people and the ecosystem experience on a daily basis.

Extreme heat can be deadly, causing the most deaths of any weather-related phenomenon in the U.S. during a typical year, according to the National Weather Service.

Zoom in: The records from the past week are particularly unusual considering these events are occurring in late August, which is past the typically hottest time of year. ... Read more

Powell warns of more interest rate hikes as inflation remains high
Axion | Neil Irwin | 08/25/23

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on Friday warned that inflation was still far too high, and suggested the central bank may need to raise interest rates further in coming months.

Why it matters: Despite recent data that shows inflation receding, the Fed is not declaring victory with signs that price pressures could re-emerge.

What they're saying: "Although inflation has moved down from its peak-a welcome development-it remains too high," Powell will tell the Jackson Hole Symposium in a highly-anticipated speech. The annual gathering of central bankers and economists is hosted by the Kansas City Fed.

"We are prepared to raise rates further if appropriate, and intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down toward our objective." ... Read more

"Brutal" heat wave brings triple-digit temperatures from Chicago to New Orleans
magazine | author | date

In a summer featuring countless heat domes and record-high temperatures and heat indices, the season appears to have saved the worst for last.

The big picture: A sweltering, stagnant air mass is draped across the Central U.S., resulting in "dangerous," "searing" and "brutal" heat. Meanwhile, southern Europe is also seeing another bout of extreme heat.

Globally, August is headed for another monthly heat record.

In some areas, the heat dome smothering the region is yielding heat indices of 120°F to 130°F, setting records dating back to 1950 and beyond. ... Read more

Cameras and codefendants: Why Trump's Georgia arraignment will be most dramatic
Axios | Sareen Habeshian | 08/24/23

Former President Trump's upcoming arraignment in the Georgia election case could be the biggest public spectacle yet in his web of legal challenges.

The big picture: The 2024 GOP frontrunner is facing his fourth indictment in four months, but this time around he's expected to have a mugshot taken, and it could be the only trial in which court proceedings are televised.

Where it stands: Trump and the 18 others charged alongside him in the case have until noon Friday, Aug. 25, to surrender. Several have already done so, and Trump said he intends to appear at the Fulton County jail on Thursday.

The Georgia case is full of firsts for Trump. It could be the first time Trump gets his mugshot taken, after avoiding it in his three other cases. ... Read more

In Trump's absence, Ramaswamy drives the GOP debate
Axios | Alex Thompson | 08/24/23

MILWAUKEE - Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has been rising in GOP presidential polls - and judging by the target on his back here Wednesday night, his rivals have noticed.

Why it matters: The first Republican debate was a raucous affair in which several candidates - namely Mike Pence, Nikki Haley and Chris Christie — scrapped with Ramaswamy, casting the fast-talking political novice as naive.

Pence, the former vice president, called him a "rookie" and said the country can't take "on-the-job training." ... Read more

"Brutal" heat wave brings triple-digit temperatures from Chicago to New Orleans
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/23/23

In a summer featuring countless heat domes and record high temperatures, the season appears to have saved the worst for last.

The big picture: A sweltering, stagnant air mass is now draped across the Central U.S., resulting in "dangerous," "searing" and "brutal" heat; meanwhile, southern Europe is seeing another bout of extreme heat as well.

Globally, August is headed for another monthly heat record, likely sealing the deal for a hottest Northern Hemisphere summer.

In some areas, the heat dome smothering the region with record heat and humidity is yielding heat indices between 120 F and 130 F. By itself, it's setting records dating back to 1950 and beyond. ... Read more

5 Facts About Trump's Indictments | Robert Reich | 08/18/23 | 3:30

Trump's historic dominance
Axios | Erin Doherty | 08/23/23

No candidate has lost a party's nomination with a polling margin like former President Trump's - and it's been more than 20 years since a Republican has had this big of a lead, this consistently, in an open primary.

Why it matters: The eight Republicans on stage Wednesday night are historic underdogs and unlikely to claim the nomination unless the shape of the race changes, either through their efforts or outside forces.

Trump averages more than 50% support in national primary polls, and that number has remained relatively steady across his four criminal indictments.

During the 2000 cycle, Al Gore averaged about 58% in national polls before the primary, while George W. Bush averaged about 59% on the Republican side, per MSNBC's Steve Kornacki. ... Read more

The Rise of the BRICS

Record-setting U.S. heat dome places 143 million under alerts
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 08/22/23

About 143 million people in the U.S. were under heat alerts Tuesday as a dangerous heat dome lingers over a major swath of the Midwest, South and Southwest.

The big picture: The heat dome's intensity is setting records dating back to at least 1950.

The strength of this heat dome appears to be beating one that occurred during August 1936, which was in the midst of the notorious "Dust Bowl." (That's despite producing somewhat lower temperatures at the surface this year.)

State of play: The "brutal" heat is expected to persist in at least 22 states until the end of the week, and "numerous" temperature records are likely to be set, per a National Weather Service (NWS) forecast discussion Monday.

Multiple major cities with populations above 500,000 people were under extreme heat alerts - including Chicago, Dallas, Twin Cities, Kansas City, Louisville, Nashville and Oklahoma City. ... Read more

Trump says he'll surrender at Georgia jail on Thursday
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 08/22/23

Former President Trump indicated he'll surrender to Fulton County authorities in the alleged Georgia election interference case on Thursday.

Driving the news: "Can you believe it? I'll be going to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday to be ARRESTED," said Trump in a Truth Social post Monday after his bail was set at $200,000 in the Fulton County case.

Trump then went on to attack Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who signed a court filing on the former president's bond that includes strict conditions on witness intimidation.

The big picture: An Atlanta grand jury indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants last week over alleged efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results - marking the former president's fourth indictment in four months. ... Read more

Hurricane Hilary intensifying, to deluge California, Nevada and Arizona
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/17/23

Tropical Storm Hilary intensified into a hurricane off the coast of southwestern Mexico Thursday morning and is forecast to rapidly strengthen into a major hurricane through Friday.

Threat level: The storm is forecast to approach the Baja Peninsula of California on Saturday, and direct a plume of flooding rains into southern California, Nevada and Arizona from this weekend into early next week.

A high-impact, dangerous flooding scenario is likely to play out across the Southwest, with debris flows possible in burn scar areas.

Computer models and National Weather Service forecasts are showing the potential for 2 to 10 inches of rain to fall in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, including in desert areas and places where there are currently drought conditions. ... Read more

Nasdaq set for worst month of 2023 as interest rates rise
magazine | author | date

Rising interest rates have hammered tech-heavy growth stocks in the last few months.

Why it matters: Tech stocks have been the key driver of this year's rally, so if they falter, the market could be set for a hiccup, or worse.

The big picture: Certain kinds of stocks are especially sensitive to changes in long-term interest rates.

Generally speaking, these stocks tend to be companies poised to capitalize on tech trends that, while they aren't actually profitable at the moment, could potentially generate a bottom-line bonanza at some hazy point in the distant future. ... Read more

Fears rise over Japan's upcoming release of Fukushima nuclear wastewater | PBS | 08/10/23 | 6:59

Trump cancels release of 'irrefutable report' claiming election fraud in Georgia | MSNBC-Joe | 08/18/23 | 8:59

Barr says federal cases 'legitimate', predicts conviction by next summer | MSNBC-Joe | 08/18/23 | 4:04

"Another disastrous Trump indictment": GOP candidates react to Georgia charges
Axios | Ivana Saric | 08/16/23

Some of former President Trump's Republican rivals in the 2024 presidential primaries offered mixed reactions to his fourth indictment, with a handful criticizing the GOP frontrunner.

Driving the news: An Atlanta grand jury unveiled sweeping charges Monday against Trump and 18 allies over alleged efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results - a case that many close to Trump have feared most imperils him.

How GOP rivals are responding ... Read more

The indictment Trump feared most
Axios | Mike Allen | 08/15/23

"Most indicted president." That was our Axios AM headline on Aug. 2 - 13 days ago.

Driving the news: After Monday night's indictment in Fulton County, Ga., it's even more true - now 91 felonies instead of 78.

Any one of them could send former President Trump to prison for years.

Details: In charges announced at 10:54pm ET, a grand jury in Atlanta indicted Trump and 18 allies after a two-year probe of efforts to flip Georgia's 2020 election results. ... Read more

THIS Is What Culture War Brain Rot Looks Like | TYT | 08/15/23 | 4:50

Top REPUBLICAN publicly calls out Trump, signals DISASTER for his defense | btc | 08/15/23 | 8:14

'Written out of the history books': the British spy who planned Iranian coup

Volcanic eruption may be boosting global heat wave
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/14/23

A climate science debate is simmering over how much of 2023's record warmth is due to human-caused factors, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels, and the role of other influences.

Why it matters: It's critical to gaining a better understanding of what is driving the sudden spike in global average surface temperatures, accompanied by scorching and deadly heat waves, wildfires and flooding.

The big picture: July was Earth's warmest month on record, the oceans are historically warm; some of the summer's heat would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused global warming, studies show.

The combination of the burning of fossil fuels and an intensifying El Nino event in the tropical Pacific Ocean is viewed as the primary driver of 2023's extremes. ... Read more

Once-rare scorching heat wave builds across the Pacific Northwest
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/14/23

It's the Pacific Northwest's turn to see scorchingly high temperatures as a heat dome builds across the region over the next several days. At the same time, extreme heat will continue to languish across the Gulf Coastal states.

Threat level: The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories from California's Central Valley to all of Oregon and Washington State through this week.

High temperatures are forecast to soar into the low 90sF in and around Puget Sound, including Seattle, and as high as the 110sF in parts of Oregon, per the NWS. ... Read more

Fourth criminal indictment against Donald Trump potentially coming this week | MSNBC | 08/14/23 | 9:01

What to know about Hawaii's catastrophic wildfires
Axios | Ivana Saric & Shauneen Miranda | 08/11/23

Authorities in Hawaii are still searching for survivors of this week's destructive wildfires, which killed at least 55 and injured dozens of others on Maui Island.

The big picture: Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said at a news conference Thursday that the wildfires were "likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii's state history." The fires are the deadliest in the U.S. since California's 2018 Camp Fire.

The blaze displaced thousands of people and razed at least 1,700 structures in the historic town of Lahaina. ... Read more

Plea deal "impasse" exposes Hunter Biden to federal trial
Axios | Erin Doherty | 08/11/23

After nearly wrapping up his legal problems without prison, Hunter Biden now faces the threat of a trial during the heat of his father's reelection campaign.

Driving the news: The surprise appointment of U.S. Attorney David Weiss as a special counsel in the Hunter Biden inquiry was followed by the news that Hunter's plea agreement had reached an impasse.

"The Government now believes that the case will not resolve short of a trial," Weiss wrote in a Friday filing.

Between the lines: The plea deal fell apart in a surprisingly contentious court hearing last month because the two sides couldn't agree on whether it guaranteed the end of the investigation. ... Read more

Encounters with UFOs; Search for ancient life on Mars; James Webb Space Telescope | 60 Minutes | 08/03/23 | 53:04

Utah's Suicide Pact With the Fossil Fuel Industry
MotherJones | STEPHANIE MENCIMER | MAY 4, 2023

Photographer Russel Albert Daniels and I had set off that morning from Vernal (population 10,241), in search of a 15-square-mile plot of undeveloped land purchased in 2011 by the Estonian-government-owned energy company Enefit.

On that land, the Estonians had hoped to create the first commercial-scale oil shale mining and processing facility in the United States, with a 320-acre industrial plant that would process 28 million tons of strip-mined shale and turn it into 50,000 barrels of oil every day for 30 years. Rich with traditional oil and gas reserves, the Uinta Basin also sits atop the largest oil shale reserve in the world, a 6 million-year-old geologic formation where Utah officials estimate a tantalizing 77 billion barrels of potentially recoverable oil lie just waiting to be exploited. ... Read more

Before and after: Satellite images show Hawaii wildfire devastation
Axios | Ivana Saric | 08/10/23

New satellite images capture the widespread destruction left in the wake of the deadly wildfires that ravaged Hawaii this week.

The big picture: At least 36 people have been killed and dozens of others injured, while thousands of people have been displaced as a result of the blazes, according tot Maui County officials.

The flames destroyed at least 271 structures in Maui's historic town of Lahaina. ... Read more

More than 1,100 people have now faced Jan. 6 criminal charges
Axios | Erin Doherty | 08/10/23

Former President Trump last week joined more than 1,100 people who have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

By the numbers: 110 people have been found guilty at trial and about 366 have been sentenced to incarceration in connection to the attack, according to figures from the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. through Aug. 4.

About 632 people have pleaded guilty to federal charges, including many who could face incarceration at sentencing.

Of the nearly 1,000 individuals charged with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds, 104 have been charged with "entering a restricted area with a dangerous or deadly weapon," per the U.S. Attorney's office for D.C. ... Read more

'Co-Conspirator 5': Ken Chesebro and the evolution of Donald Trump's Jan. 6 strategy
Politico | Kyle Cheney | 08/09/23

Read the documents that formed the rough draft of Trump's scheme to stay in power.

The memos and emails reveal the underpinnings of a desperate strategy to assemble slates of fraudulent electors, first to preserve legal options and later to foment a conflict on Jan. 6, 2021, that might lead to Trump retaining the presidency. Along the way, Chesebro concocted methods for avoiding unfavorable court rulings, enlisting friendly allies in Congress to grease the skids and ultimately counting on Mike Pence to take "bold" steps to derail the impending Biden presidency.

Here's a chronology of Chesebro's key documents and proposals, which show how his thinking evolved from philosophical discussions to operational plans - and at times veered into outright fantasy. ... Read more

Pathogen X | 60 Minutes | MSNBC | 08/07/23 | 43:15 (first 15 minutes)

The largest offshore wind farm in the world | 60 Minutes | 08/07/23 | 13:32

Is Donald Trump a Fascist? | Robert Reich | 08/08/23 | 6:56

Bill Barr: Trump Knew He Lost & is Grifting | MSNBC | 08/04/23 | 2:14

The HORRIFYING Reality Of Glacial Melting | TYT | 08/08/23 | 9:58

Severe storms sweeping eastern and southern U.S. cause travel chaos
Axios | Jacob Knutson & Rebecca Falconer | 08/08/23

Severe storms were threatening much of the eastern and southern U.S. overnight with heavy rain, damaging winds, large hail and even tornadoes in some places, per the National Weather Service (NWS).

By the numbers: The worst-hit areas for customers affected by storm-related outages on Tuesday morning were North Carolina (more than 210,000), Pennsylvania (nearly 134,000), Georgia (almost 85,000), Maryland (over 87,000) and Tennessee (more than 45,000), according to the utility tracker poweroutage.us.

Over 2,600 U.S. flights were canceled and almost 7,900 others delayed by late Monday, per flight tracking site FlightAware.

More than one million people were under flood watches or warnings, nearly 186,000 others were under tornado watches and an additional 197,000 were under severe thunderstorm watches late Monday. ... Read more

America's deepest partisan divides are getting deeper
Axios | Caitlin Owens | 08/08/23

The role of government power is one of the biggest issues where Democrats and Republicans are drifting further and further apart, according to new Gallup polling. Others are immigration, climate and guns - all topics where any kind of consensus looks ever more elusive. ... Read more

DeSantis replaces campaign manager in staffing shakeup
Axios | Erin Doherty | 08/08/23

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has replaced campaign manager Generra Peck with James Uthmeier, a campaign spokesperson confirmed to Axios on Tuesday.

Why it matters: It's the latest campaign shakeup from DeSantis, who has purged staff and shaken up his media strategy in recent weeks to try to gain ground on former President Trump.

Driving the news: "James Uthmeier has been one of Governor DeSantis' top advisors for years and he is needed where it matters most: working hand in hand with Generra Peck and the rest of the team to put the governor in the best possible position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden," communications director Andrew Romeo said in a statement. ... Read more

DeSantis says Republicans will lose if election is about Jan. 6 and Trump
Axios | Mike Allen | 08/07/23

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warns in a new interview that Republicans will lose the upcoming election if the race becomes a "referendum" on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and former President Trump's legal woes.

Why it matters: DeSantis, battling growing gloom and donor skepticism as Trump surges ahead of him in the polls, tells NBC News that the 2024 campaign should focus on President Biden - not Trump.

What they're saying: "If the election is a referendum on Joe Biden's policies and the failures that we've seen, and we are presenting a positive vision for the future, we will win the presidency," DeSantis said in his first formal broadcast network interview since launching his presidential campaign.

"If, on the other hand, the election is not about January 20th, 2025, but January 6th, 2021, or what document was left by the toilet at Mar-a-Lago, if it's a referendum on that, we are going to lose," he said. ... ... Read more

Meta (Facebook) releases latest AI model for commercial use
Axios | Ina Fried | 08/07/23

Facebook on Tuesday said it is making Llama 2, its large language model for generative AI, available freely for commercial use.

Why it matters: Making the code easily available under a customized partial open source license could help Meta woo developers and offer a ready alternative to OpenAI and others — but Facebook, like the rest of the world, will have to deal with all the content these programs churn out.

Details: Meta won't charge directly for using Llama 2, but it will also sell the program as a paid hosted service by various cloud computing companies. ... Read more

Last Hours | Green World Rising | 2016 | 11:18

Ocean surface hits highest ever recorded temperature and set to rise further
TheGuardian | Helena Horton | 08/04/23

The surface temperature of the world’s oceans has hit its highest ever level as climate breakdown from burning fossil fuels causes the oceans to heat.

Global average daily sea surface temperatures (SST) hit 20.96C this week, breaking the record of 20.95C reached in 2016, according to the Copernicus climate modelling service.

Scientists say it is likely the record will continue to be broken, as usually oceans are at their hottest globally in March, not August.

Dr Samantha Burgess, from Copernicus, said: “The fact that we’ve seen the record now makes me nervous about how much warmer the ocean may get between now and next March.” ... Read more

The symbolism of Trump’s rainy arraignment day in D.C.
Axios | Stef W. Kight | 08/04/23

Former President Trump's choreography was familiar — angry posts on social media and a much-watched trip to a courthouse. But it was clear Thursday that his felony case in Washington is much different from his legal battles in New York and Florida.

Why it matters: For Trump - who's made a habit of turning arraignments into free campaign programming - his appearance in drizzly D.C. on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election seemed to symbolize why this case is widely viewed as the most serious threat he faces.

Zoom in: After a short flight to Washington from his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., Trump rode in a caravan to D.C.'s federal courthouse.

There were no big, supportive crowds along the former president's route to court - like there had been in sunny Miami in June, when he was arraigned on charges of mishandling classified documents.

Instead, many anti-Trump protestors gathered around the courthouse where hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants who'd been inspired by Trump's call to protest the election were tried and sentenced. ... Read more

Indictment describes a cast of six Trump helpers
Axios | Hans Nichols | 08/02/23

Former President Trump's indictment alleges that six unidentified co-conspirators helped him carry out his plot to overturn the 2020 election - and multiple media outlets quickly zeroed in on five of Trump's close advisers and lawyers whose roles matched prosecutors' very detailed descriptions.

Why it matters: None of the six has been indicted by special counsel Jack Smith, but they are all on notice that they face potential criminal liability.

By not identifying or charging them, Smith left open the possibility that they could decide to testify against Trump in exchange for lenient treatment for any legal jeopardy they could face. Trump has long expressed his disdain for "flippers"; now he has reason to fear them.

There could be another reason for Smith only indicting Trump: Speed. Separate indictments would complicate and likely slow down Trump's trial, as the Wall Street Journal notes, ... Read more

Howard Zinn, a people's history of the United States | The Documentary Collection | | 1:30:28

Trump's "delusion" defense
Axios | Zachary Basu | 08/03/23

Former President Trump's legal team is teasing a risky defense to his historic third indictment: that Trump genuinely believed his own lies about election fraud - despite being told by dozens of his closest advisers, allies and agencies that they were baseless.

Why it matters: If they proceed to trial, Trump's lawyers effectively could be asking a jury to believe that the former president was delusional - undermining special counsel Jack Smith's core thesis that Trump "knowingly" sought to defraud the country.

The gambit could prove successful in court, where an already unfurling debate over the First Amendment is expected to play a starring role. ... Read more

U.S. averaging 2 mass shootings per day so far this year
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 08/01/23

The U.S. is currently on pace to meet or surpass the previous record for the most mass shootings in a year, which was set in 2021 with a total of 690, according to Gun Violence Archive (GVA) data.

Why it matters: So far this year, the U.S. has seen an average of two mass shootings every day, for a running total of 419.

At this point in 2021, 401 mass shootings had occurred, and that year over all had a daily average of 1.9 mass shootings.

Already, over 25,000 people have died from gun violence this year, and there are still 153 days left in 2023.

That's an average of 118 deaths per day, and among those daily deaths were nearly one child between the ages of zero and 11 and over four teens between 12 to 17 years old.

More than 22,000 people have also been injured by gunshots this year, including over 400 children and 2,400 teens. ... Read more

Existential threats to humanity are soaring this year
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 08/01/23

This isn't meant to start your day with doom and gloom. But focus your mind on how the threats of nuclear catastrophe, rising temperatures and all-powerful AI capabilities are spiking worldwide.

It underscores the urgent need for smart people running government - and big companies - to solve increasingly complex problems at faster rates.

Climate: The danger is becoming impossible to ignore, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes.

You just lived through the hottest month ever recorded on Earth. The world's oceans are absurdly warm, with temperatures in the 90s around the Florida Keys, bleaching and even killing coral reefs in just one week. ... ... Read more

2 more Trump indictments loom. Here are all the names to know.
Politico | Kyle Cheney | 08/01/23/span>

As Jack Smith and Fani Willis finalize their investigations into election interference, a sprawling cast of characters may be swept up in the cases.

The investigations of Donald Trump's effort to subvert the 2020 election introduced America to an extensive cast of allies, enablers, detractors and victims who may soon figure into federal charges against the former president.

Some were involved in multiple aspects of Trump's disparate, increasingly desperate attempts to cling to power: assembling false slates of presidential electors; pressuring state legislators and Congress to upend the results; browbeating Mike Pence to single-handedly overturn Joe Biden's victory; and even weighing a plan to seize voting machines.

Now, prosecutors in Washington and Georgia are about to determine whether, in their view, any of those efforts turned criminal. Special counsel Jack Smith has already told Trump he's considering charging him with efforts to obstruct the transfer of power, and Atlanta-area District Attorney Fani Willis has similarly indicated that charges are imminent in her long-running election probe, with Trump at the center. ... Read more