Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

The new AI trade emerging after DeepSeek shock
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Axios | Felix Salmon | 01/31/25

The AI bubble didn't burst on Monday.

Why it matters: What initially looked that morning like a broad selloff in AI stocks turns out in hindsight to have been a more measured recalibration of where the market thinks AI profits are going to flow in the future.

The big picture: The consequences of AI becoming the dominant driver of the global economy are impossible even for a super-intelligence to model, but are certainly more complex than the naive yet highly profitable belief that "Nvidia will be able to retain 90% gross margins more or less indefinitely."

Nvidia was the defining meme stock of 2024, powered by an army of retail investors working hand-in-glove with their momentum-trade brethren.

Profitable trades don't last forever, however. The traders always move on eventually, often after having made enormous sums of money. ... Read more

Trump's blame game returns after deadly plane crash
Axios | Zachary Basu | 01/31/25

In his first national tragedy, President Trump posted like a pundit, speculated needlessly, and blamed Democrats and DEI without any evidence to suggest either were involved.

Why it matters: The traditional presidential playbook is boring by design - pray for the lost and their families, reassure the public, promise a swift investigation. That has never been Trump's style.

The big picture: Trump has responded to the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation with a similar approach that he took to COVID - which produced arguably the lowest moments of his first term. ... Read more

Meta settles Trump lawsuit over Facebook ban for $25 million
Politico | Josh Gerstein | 01/29/25

Social media giant Meta has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump and others who claimed their Facebook accounts were unlawfully shut down or blocked at the urging of the U.S. government.

The deal followed direct negotiations between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the president, Trump lawyer John Coale said Wednesday.

"There were talks between the two of them, Zuckerberg and Trump, with me and other lawyers in the room, of course," Coale said.

Asked what prompted the settlement at this particular juncture, Coale said: "I've been working to get people to the table for two years now. Of course, the election helped."

Under the deal, Meta will pay $22 million to a fund to support the construction of Trump’s presidential library, while another $3 million is going to four people who joined Trump in the lawsuit filed in 2021. ... Read more

Scoop: Sam Altman to unveil new tech to D.C. power players
Axios | Maria Curi | 01/30/25

OpenAI's Sam Altman is making the rounds in D.C. on Thursday in an attempt to show unity with President Trump and announce a new initiative to make sure the government has the most capable AI.

Why it matters: Tech companies see an opportunity in the new Trump administration to shape AI policy.

Driving the news: Altman is in D.C. to give lawmakers, their staff, White House personnel and federal agency officials a first look at new technology, a source familiar told Axios.

Infrastructure investors and advocates will also see the tech before it's released publicly. ... Read more

The Elon-ification of the federal government
Axios | Dave Lawler | 01/30/25

A workforce discombobulated by chaotic recent events receives an email with the subject line "Fork in the Road." Inside, a deadline to quit or commit to the new mission.

That's the scenario Twitter employees faced in November 2022 - and the one now confronting some 2.3 million government workers.

Why it matters: If Musk's takeover of Washington is anything like his takeover of Twitter, federal workers - and Americans more generally - had better buckle up. His "slash first, ask questions later" management style has already been reflected in some of President Trump's biggest moves. ...

If you elect a clown... | | 01/30/25 | 1:20

Trump's funding freeze awakens the "Resistance"
Axios | Zachary Basu,Erin Doherty | 01/29/25

... The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent shockwaves through Washington on Monday night with a memo directing agencies to "temporarily pause" grants, loans and federal financial assistance programs to ensure they align with Trump's priorities.

"This is not a blanket pause," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed as she was bombarded with questions about the freeze in her first press briefing Tuesday.

"Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause," she said.

Leavitt then told reporters she would check into whether Medicaid - the nation's largest health insurance program, covering 72 million mostly low-income Americans - would be affected. ... Read more

Charted: Trump's unprecedented executive order blitz
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Axios | Erin Davis | 01/29/25

Trump's reshaping the federal government with a shock-and-awe campaign of unilateral actions that push the limits of presidential power.

By the numbers: Only President Biden and President Truman have issued more than 40 executive orders in their first 100 days in office.

So far, Trump has signed 38 after less than two weeks. He has issued more than any predecessor this early in their presidency. ... Read more

DeepSeek's great news for the corporate world
Axios | Felix Salmon | 01/28/25

The markets have started pricing in an AI future that's going to be cheaper and more accessible than they had previously assumed.

Why it matters: The less money that companies need to spend on the AI equivalent of picks and shovels - Nvidia chips and the electricity needed to power them - the more profitable they will be.

Follow the money: What looked like a broad-based rout early on Monday turned out to be much more selective by market close.

Each index generally fell in direct proportion to the weighting of Nvidia. The Dow, which Nvidia joined in November with a relatively small weight, went up.

While Nvidia lost $600 billion of market value in a single day, for instance, Apple gained more than $100 billion. ... Read more

Mass-school-shootings-in-America | | 01/28/25 | 1:20

The Theory of STUPIDITY | Dietrich Bonhoeffer | MindMoneyFusion | 01/25/25 | 9:56

The Roots of The Stupidity Pandemic | MR. BRAIN | 2024 | 9:10

Stunning breakthroughs from China's DeepSeek AI alarm U.S. rivals
Axios | Scott Rosenberg | 01/27/25

Breakthroughs from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek have stunned Silicon Valley and could bring turbulence to Wall Street, as they were accomplished at a fraction of what the U.S. giants are spending and despite export bans on top-of-the-line chips.

Why it matters: China's rapid advances suggest America's strategy of withholding technology from China might just be speeding up the evolution of its rival's AI knowhow.

DeepSeek's rise is alarming the likes of Meta, which announced Friday that it plans $60 billion-$65 billion in capital investment this year as it scales up its own AI projects.

But it could potentially also be bad news for Nvidia, which designs the world's most advanced AI chips, because DeepSeek is proving that rapid advances are possible even with fewer and less sophisticated chips. ... Read more

Magnificent 7 stocks set for $1 trillion rout on DeepSeek panic
Axios | Ben Berkowitz | 01/27/25

Investors worldwide stand to lose more than $1 trillion on Monday because of the sudden fear that the market-sustaining AI spending boom might have been for nothing.

Why it matters: The so-called Magnificent 7 stocks are heavily leveraged to hundreds of billions of dollars in planned AI investment - and the entire market, in turn, hangs on their performance.

Catch up quick: There's a global rout in tech stocks Monday, caused by a panic linked to the new Chinese AI platform DeepSeek.

Last week the company released its R1 model, which competes with the world's very best from the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic - but it's free, open-source, and was developed at a tiny fraction of rivals' costs. ... Read more

Making sense of January's wild weather
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Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/24/25

January's icy weather demonstrates the differences between regional weather and climate conditions.

Why it matters: The former is governed by disturbances in the jet stream and other factors, while the latter is more driven by influences such as human emissions of greenhouse gases.

Driving the news: January has been cold, if not downright frigid, across much of the Lower 48 states.

A polar vortex-linked Arctic blast has engulfed much of the country, while a series of deadly extreme weather events have struck.

Zoom in: The most unusually cold air on the planet has been parked over the Lower 48 states this week, leading to a deadly, record snowstorm along the Gulf Coast.

1. Ten to 12 inches of snow fell in southern Louisiana, while all-time record snowfall also occurred in Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla.
2. The cold spilled so far south that the snow that fell in New Orleans' French Quarter was light and fluffy, and prone to drifting. In short, an alien phenomenon for that location.
3. Typically during Arctic outbreaks, the Gulf Coast stays dry or receives a wintry mix. But this time, a storm formed along a frontal zone and tapped into unusually warm Gulf of Mexico waters.
4. The comparatively warm and humid air was vaulted northward, where it overran the cold, dry and dense air, producing snow. ...

Key planks of US government grind to halt under hail of Trump orders
The Guardian | Robert Tait | 01/24/25

The wheels of the US government have ground to a halt in parts under a hail of new orders from Donald Trump that have left vital services paralysed and raised alarm about damaging disruption to key sectors such as health, roads and tax collection.

Meetings on cancer research to discuss federal funding and reports on how to fight bird flu were cancelled after the incoming administration placed a halt on all external communication at the health department. ... Read more

Trump vs. the Fed 2.0
Axios | Neil Irwin | 01/24/25

Catch up quick: Speaking virtually to the World Economic Forum, Trump said he'll "demand that interest rates drop immediately."

Later, taking questions in the Oval Office, he added that "when oil prices come down, everything's going to be cheaper for the American people," and that lower energy prices are "going to knock out a lot of the inflation. That's going to automatically bring the interest rates down."

He said he will speak to Fed chair Jerome Powell about rates policy "at the right time." Compared to the Fed, he said, "I think I know interest rates much better than they do, and I think I know it certainly much better than the one who's primarily in charge of making that decision."

"If I disagree, I will let it be known," he added, a statement nobody who has paid any attention would doubt. ... Read more

Thousands evacuate Hughes Fire near LA as California faces fresh threats
Axios | Rebecca Falconer,Andrew Freedman | 01/24/25

A fresh California wildfire ignited north of Los Angeles Wednesday during critical fire weather and triggered evacuations as it quickly exploded in size across two counties on Wednesday - and forecasters warned conditions would worsen overnight.

The big picture: The Hughes Fire ignited north of Santa Clarita, just before 11am Wednesday local time and grew across 5,000 acres in LA and Ventura Counties in just over two hours - making it the biggest and fastest-spreading wildfire since the still-burning Eaton and Palisades Fires erupted on Jan. 7.

The fire that's near the popular water reservoir Castaic Lake some 40 miles from those blazes had grown to an estimated 10,176 acres at 14% containment just before 10pm, as Southern California faced more Santa Ana winds and red flag warnings were in effect. ... Read more

Presidential Payola: The Evolution of Political Bribery
HartmannReport.com | Thom Hartmann | 01/22/25

Both Spiro Agnew and Richard Nixon took cash bribes while in the White House and before. Agnew’s dated back to shakedowns he did as Maryland governor, while Nixon helped Jimmy Hoffa get out of a prosecution and allegedly ran interference for a group of milk producers.

Since then, bribing politicians has gotten a lot easier thanks to five Republicans on the US Supreme Court. Their Citizens United decision, decided 15 years ago this week, legalized political bribery so long as it is done through campaign, PAC, or SuperPAC funds.

But for some people there’s just never enough money.

Donald Trump had been running small-time hustles to make money for decades, selling sneakers, bibles, steaks, vodka, water, etc., and he expanded these schemes when he became president in 2016 to let his followers give him money in exchange for what they thought were collectable assets. ... Read more

Trump says China is 'operating' the Panama Canal - here are the facts
The Guardian | Helen Davidson | 01/23/25

The 82km (51-mile) canal, which links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, was built and owned by the US in the early 1900s before being ultimately given to Panama in 1977 under a treaty that guaranteed its neutrality. In 2021 the agreement allowing Panama Ports Company to continue as operator was extended by 25 years.article

What influence or presence does China have?

There is a port at either end of the canal that is operated by a Hong Kong-based company. This is presumably what Trump was referring to when he said: “China is based at both ends of the Panama Canal”. A total of five ports are adjacent to the canal, with others owned by foreign companies, including US ones.

In 1996, Panama granted a Hong Kong company, then called Hutchison-Whampoa, a concession to operate the Balboa port, on the Pacific side, and Cristobal port, on the Atlantic side. The contract did not give Hutchison-Whampoa ownership of the ports but allowed it to operate them on behalf of the government of Panama.

The port operator is today known as Hutchison Ports, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings, owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing. ... ... ... Read more

Trump's Week 1 revenge tour rips through Washington
Axios | Zachary Basu | 01/23/25

President Trump's threats of retribution are rapidly materializing in policies across the U.S. government, an early warning to Trump critics that bygones will not be bygones.

Why it matters: Trump is flexing his vast new powers to target what he's described as "the enemies from within" - enforcing loyalty tests, purging career officials and attempting to rewrite the history of the last eight years.

Trump has at times downplayed his thirst for revenge - but his first moves back in office suggest resentment against Democrats, former allies, prosecutors and the media will be a driving force in his second term.

"For those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution," the president promised supporters on the campaign trail. ... Read more

Deaths reported as rare winter storm sweeps southern U.S.
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 01/22/25

A rare winter storm that's slamming the southern U.S. with "dangerously cold temperatures," historic snow and icy conditions has been linked to at least 10 deaths as it disrupts travel across the region.

The big picture: Schools, government offices and roads across the region closed and thousands of flights were delayed or canceled due to the cold weather that's brought record snowfall to places including New Orleans, Louisiana; Mobile, Alabama; and Pensacola, Florida.

Lake Charles, La., saw its first-ever blizzard warning on Tuesday due to heavy snow and high winds from the extreme weather that's tied to the polar vortex event across the Lower 48 states, as it left some 300 million people under cold weather alerts. ... Read more

'Catastrophic': Great Barrier Reef hit by its most widespread coral bleaching, study finds
The Guardian | Graham Readfearn | 01/21/25

More than 40% of individual corals monitored around a Great Barrier Reef island were killed last year in the most widespread coral bleaching outbreak to hit the reef system, a study has found.

Scientists tracked 462 colonies of corals at One Tree Island in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef after heat stress began to turn the corals white in early 2024. Researchers said they encountered "catastrophic" scenes at the reef.

Only 92 coral colonies escaped bleaching entirely and by July, when the analysis for the study ended, 193 were dead and a further 113 were still showing signs of bleaching. ... Read more

The new judge and jury
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 01/22/25

Over just eight hours on Inauguration Day, Presidents Trump and Biden forever stretched the immense public and private power of the presidency to once-unimaginable dimensions:

1. Presidents can preemptively pardon family and friends in case of any accusation of grift or crimes.
2. Presidents can pardon violent criminals convicted of sedition and violence in defense of their politics.
3. Presidents and their families can start businesses - or even currencies - and profit without restriction or outcry.
4. Oh, and they can do this with the presumption of presidential immunity.
5. America doesn't have a king. But we're dancing close to king-like power. ... Read more

Historic winter storm hits Gulf Coast as Calif. fire risk continues
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/21/25

A once-in-a-generation snowstorm, tied to the polar vortex event across the Lower 48 states, is plastering the Gulf Coast with record-setting snow and ice on Tuesday.

Why it matters: This region isn't equipped to cope with heavy snow, particularly when it is accompanied by continued cold following the storm.

Threat level: Up to 4 to 6 inches of snow is falling in the Houston metropolitan area, and both the city's major airports are shut down, as are city schools.

On Monday night, the NWS forecast office in Houston-Galveston described the storm as a "generational event" that is likely to eclipse the city's second-largest snowstorm on record.

The NWS forecast office in Lake Charles, La. issued its first-ever blizzard warning on Tuesday, for the combination of heavy snow and high winds. ... Read more

Trump pardons most Jan. 6 defendants
Axios | Ivana Saric,Erin Doherty | 01/21/25

President Trump signed an executive order on Monday granting a "full, complete and unconditional pardon" to the vast majority of Jan. 6 defendants charged with participating in the Capitol riot four years ago.

Why it matters: Among the roughly 1,500 pardoned and 14 others whose sentences were commuted were leaders of the extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who were convicted of the seditious conspiracy for their roles in the attack.

Trump made pardoning Jan. 6 rioters a key campaign pledge, repeatedly extolling them as "patriots" and "hostages" of the justice system and claiming they'd been treated unfairly. ... Read more

Trump signs slew of sweeping energy executive orders
Axios | Andrew Freedman, ... | 01/21/25

President Trump signed a blitz of first-day energy-related executive orders on Monday, establishing a national "energy emergency" and setting in motion actions that heavily favor expanding fossil fuel production and generation.

Why it matters: The moves amount to policy whiplash for the energy industry, segments of which had chafed under former President Biden's policies aimed at igniting the renewable sector.

Zoom in: The executive orders include a declaration of a "national energy emergency" aimed at increasing domestic energy production and lowering costs to the consumer. ... ... ... ... Read more

Trump the wrecking ball brings chaos to order, executing a parade of grievances
The Guardian | David Smith | 01/21/25

When the obituary of planet Earth is written, there may be a prominent slot for what took place in a basketball and ice hockey arena in downtown Washington on 20 January, 2025.

It was here that, with a wry head shake and gleeful twirl of the pen, Donald Trump again withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement, to the joy and jubilation of 20,000 spectators apparently indifferent to fate of the pale blue dot they live on.

"We're going to save over a trillion dollars by withdrawing from that treaty," gushed an aide at Trump's prompting, implying that watching the world burn is a small price to pay.

This was the moment it really hit home. Trump is back. The human wrecking ball who left a trail of chaos and division in his first four years has returned with a vengeance. America voted for this. People will get hurt. ... Read more

Stories About Wildfires | 60 Minutes | 01/18/25 | 1:07:42

Yes, Trump is back. Yet I remain hopeful about America
The Guardian | Robert Reich | 01/20/25

Even before Trump, we were on the way to losing our democracy - but we did not pay attention. Now, we have no choice but to attend to it

If you're feeling despair over Trump's second regime, which begins today, I understand.

Yet I remain hopeful about America. Let me explain why.

Trump hoodwinked average working Americans into believing he's on their side, and convinced enough voters that Kamala Harris and Democrats were on the side of cultural elites (as exemplified by Trump bogeymen the "deep state", "wokeism", and "coastal elites").

But his hoax will not work for long, given the oligarchy's conspicuous takeover of America under Trump's second regime.

That regime has barely begun but it's already exposing a reality that has been hidden from most Americans for decades: the raw, stinking power of the American oligarchy, and its use of obscene wealth to gain and increase this power. ... Read more

Trump's return to D.C. gets official
Axios | Avery Lotz | 01/20/25

President-elect Trump will be sworn in as the 47th U.S. president later Monday - culminating a stunning political comeback and putting the MAGA movement at the heart of power in Washington.

The big picture: Trump and the Republican party have the wind in their sails with full control of Congress, a MAGA-friendly media ecosystem and big inaugural donations from the most valuable U.S. companies.

Trump is expected to take executive action shortly after retaking office on key issues including immigration and tariffs. ... Read more

Day 1: Trump to revoke security clearances of 51 former intelligence officials
Axios | Mike Allen | 01/20/25

We're told Day 1 will bring about 200 executive actions of various sorts, including executive orders. Day 1 actions are expected to include declaring an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, Jan. 6 pardons, a TikTok reprieve, and executive orders to increase fossil fuel development and reduce civil service protections for federal workers. Why it matters: The action on security clearances is a Day 1 sign that Trump plans to use his formidable tools of office in his war with what he calls the "intelligence apparatus," which he blames for the "Russia collusion hoax." ... Read more

A Year of Empty Threats and a "Smokescreen" Policy: How the State Department Let Israel Get Away With Horrors in Gaza
ProPublica | Brett Murphy | 01/15/25

In early November, a small group of senior U.S. human rights diplomats met with a top official in President Joe Biden's State Department to make one final, emphatic plea: We must keep our word.

Weeks before, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the administration delivered their most explicit ultimatum yet to Israel, demanding the Israel Defense Forces allow hundreds more trucksloads of food and medicine into Gaza every day - or else. American law and Biden's own policies prohibit arms sales to countries that restrict humanitarian aid. Israel had 30 days to comply.

In the month that followed, the IDF was accused of roundly defying the U.S., its most important ally. The Israeli military tightened its grip, continued to restrict desperately needed aid trucks and displaced 100,000 Palestinians from North Gaza, humanitarian groups found, exacerbating what was already a dire crisis "to its worst point since the war began." ... Read more

Israeli security cabinet approves Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal
Axios | Barak Ravid | 01/17/25

The Israeli cabinet will convene on Friday to approve the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, which the smaller security cabinet has already approved.

Why it matters: Approval by the full cabinet is the final hurdle before the deal can be implemented. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said the ceasefire and the process of freeing hostages are expected to start on Sunday at 4pm local time (9am ET).

State of play: The cabinet meeting was moved up from Saturday night at the urging of the director of Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency, Ronen Bar, according to an Israeli official.

That timeline would have meant the deal couldn't be implemented until Monday, and Bar urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move more quickly to avoid unexpected complications. ... Read more

Trump's "drill, baby, drill" problem
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Axios | Ben Geman | 01/16/25

This chart helps explain why President-elect Trump won't have an easy time delivering on pledges to surge U.S. oil production - at least anytime soon.

State of play: The latest analysis from the Energy Department's independent stats arm sees just modest output growth this year and next (albeit from already record levels).

It sees production rising less than 1% in 2026 "as operators slow activity due to price pressures."

Why it matters: Market fundamentals hold the cards on producers' decisions - and for now, they probably work against a U.S. surge. ... Read more

The new risks under Trump that preoccupy CEOs
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Axios | Felix Salmon | 01/15 25

The world's CEOs are much more worried about global trade wars now that Donald Trump has been elected president than they were a year ago, according to a new survey from the Conference Board.

Why it matters: While no one knows exactly what tariffs the upcoming Trump administration is going to impose on which countries, the one certainty is that substantially all such tariffs will be met with retaliatory counter-tariffs. Or more simply: a trade war.

As Axios noted on Monday, rapidly introduced tariffs could trigger speedy retaliation from major allies, including a broad-based 25% Canadian tariff on all U.S. imports. ... Read more

I’m a climate scientist and my house in LA burned down. My work has never been more real
The Guardian | Benjamin Hamlington | 01/15/25

My house in Altadena burned down in the wildfires on Wednesday. It all happened quickly. On Tuesday around 7pm, my wife and daughters went to a hotel as a precaution. I left the house with the dogs when the mandatory evacuation order came in around 3am. As best as I can put the timeline together, our home burned down around the same time that the sun came up, and I was able to drive in and see the damage around 2pm.

Neighbors that went in after said it looked like a “war zone”. I have never been in a war zone thankfully, but I didn’t think so. There was nothing violent or chaotic about it. No one stopped me from driving in. There were no sirens. I stood alone - no one else around - in front of my house that was at that point just a fireplace and chimney. The house across the street was about halfway done with burning down, and the house behind ours had just started to burn. ... Read more

Maps and images reveal scale of LA wildfire devastation
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BBC | Visual Journalism Team | 01/15/25

Firefighters are battling to control huge wildfires in Los Angeles that have killed at least 25 people, devoured thousands of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

It's a rapidly changing situation - these maps and pictures show the scale of the challenge, where the fires are and the damage they have caused.

The largest blaze, in the Pacific Palisades area is the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history. More than 23,000 acres have now burnt. ... Read more

New, rare fire warning issued in Southern California
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Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/13/25

Weather forecasters have only more bad news for firefighters battling the Los Angeles area fires.

Threat level: The National Weather Service's LA forecast office Sunday evening issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warning lasting until Wednesday at noon for parts of LA and Ventura counties, warning that high winds could cause "explosive fire growth."

The weather service advises residents "to have multiple ways to receive evacuation information" and to "not do anything that could spark a fire."

Areas under this warning don't include the Eaton Fire but cover western Santa Monica, Simi Valley, Porter Ranch, Ventura and other parts of the hard-hit region. ... Read more

Top 5 takeaways from Jack Smith's final report on Trump's Jan. 6 case
Axios | Ivana Saric | 01/14/25

President-elect Trump engaged in an "unprecedented criminal effort" to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Special Counsel Jack Smith alleged in the final report of his investigation into Trump's election subversion case.

Why it matters: The report's release early Tuesday came despite Trump's legal efforts to block it, making the Justice Department's findings public less than a week before Trump's inauguration.

What they're saying: Trump lambasted the report in a Truth Social post Tuesday, claiming he was "totally innocent" and calling Smith a "lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the Election."

State of play: Trump was indicted and charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and other counts for his purported role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the events leading up to it.

However, the case was dismissed in November following Trump's 2024 victory, in light of longstanding DOJ policy that a sitting president can't be prosecuted.

Here are the top takeaways from the 174-page report: ... Read more

FINAL REPORT, Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol | 12/22/22 | pdf

American workers' enthusiasm for their jobs falls to a 10-year low
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Axios | Emily Peck | 01/14/24

Gallup measures engagement by surveying full-time and part-time workers across 12 measures, including whether they're satisfied with their workplace, know what's expected of them, and feel like they have the opportunity to "do what I do best every day."

Fewer employees said they clearly know what is expected of them at work, down 10 points from a high of 56%.

Only 39% of workers feel strongly that someone cares about them as a person at work, down from 47%.

Only 30% said that someone encourages their development, down from 36%. ... Read more

Trump sentencing live updates: Judge sentences Trump to 'unconditional discharge' in hush money case
NBC News | By NBC News | 01/10/25

The sentence means the conviction stands without any further penalties, making the president-elect a convicted felon just days ahead of his inauguration.

What to know as Trump is sentenced:

1. President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced to an "unconditional discharge" in the New York hush money case, making him the first president to have been sentenced for a criminal conviction once he's sworn into office Jan. 20.
2. The unconditional discharge, which state Judge Juan Merchan said he was likely to impose, allows the conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to stand with no further penalties, such as jail time.
3. The sentencing was allowed to go forward after the Supreme Court decided 5-4 yesterday to reject Trump's request to drop the proceeding. Trump said he thought it was a "fair decision" and referred to possible further appeals, such as of the verdict.
4. Trump was convicted in May of falsifying records related to hush money that his then-attorney Michael Cohen paid adult film star Stormy Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential election. Daniels testified that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which he has denied.
...

President Trump's Guilty Verdict Is a U.S. First. Globally, He Joins a List of Convicted Ex-Leaders
Time | Koh Ewe | 05/31/24

Donald Trump made U.S. history Thursday as the first former President to be criminally convicted after he was found guilty by a Manhattan jury of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to a porn star. But compared to his counterparts around the world, Trump’s not alone, joining a long list of heads of states who have been found guilty of crimes, ranging from corruption to abuse of power.

Here are some other countries that have convicted their former leaders, and what happened to them:

Argentina

Former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who led the country from 2007 to 2015, was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from holding public office in 2022, after being convicted in a billion-dollar fraud case. Fernandez de Kirchner, who said that she would appeal the verdict, continued to serve as Vice President until her term ended last December. ... Read more

L.A. area braces for more devastation as wildfires remain uncontained
Axios | Rebecca Falconer,Andrew Freedman,Ivana Saric | 01/09/25

Rapidly spreading wildfires tearing through Los Angeles County into Thursday have left at least five people dead, destroyed at least 2,000 structures and forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes.

The latest: Two of the biggest blazes remained zero percent contained as of Thursday morning. The National Weather Service's L.A. office expects the strong winds that have driven the fires to pick back up Thursday afternoon and into Friday.

The Sunset Fire ignited just before 6pm local time Wednesday and grew to an estimated 43 acres by Thursday morning.

At least five people died in the Eaton Fire, in northeast L.A. County, officials said at a Wednesday evening briefing.

L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a Wednesday briefing that there were a "high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate" from the Palisades Fire.

Fire officials estimated the blaze had grown to 17,234 acres between Malibu and Santa Monica as of Thursday morning, and remained 0% contained. ... ... ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: Trump's ever-expansive power
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 01/09/25

President-elect Trump - whose power was immense after his comeback win, enhanced by the coming full Republican control of Congress - has expanded that power substantially in the nine weeks since his victory.

Why it matters: It's rare, if not unprecedented, for a newly elected leader to have so many world leaders and CEOs shift their policies or posture so blatantly during the transition to curry favor with a new president.

Trump will start his presidency with a very loyal GOP Senate and House, a vastly empowered MAGA-friendly media and information ecosystem, businesses scrambling to make amends or further improve cozy relationships, and money flowing fast into his family's business endeavors.

His Democratic opposition is weak and largely powerless - although Republicans' tiny margin in the House will be a constant threat. ... ... ... Read more

New York court declines to block sentencing in Trump's hush-money case
TheGuardian | Joan E Greve | 01/09/25

New York's highest court declined to block Donald Trump's upcoming sentencing in his hush-money case on Thursday, leaving the US supreme court as the president-elect's likely last option to prevent the hearing from taking place on Friday. One judge on the New York court of appeals issued a brief order declining to grant a hearing to Trump's legal team. "Your proposed order to show cause was reviewed by Judge Rivera, who declined to sign the order," the court's chief clerk wrote to Todd Blanche, one of Trump's lawyers. "As a result of the Judge's determination, no motion is pending in the above title at the Court of Appeals." The news comes less than a week after the judge who presided over Trump's trial, Juan Merchan, denied the president-elect's motion to dismiss the case. Trump's legal team had argued that the presidential transition process should be allowed to continue without the disruption of a criminal sentencing hearing, but Merchan disputed that logic. ... Read more

LA's wildfire onslaught driven by confluence of climate-related factors
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/08/25

At least three destructive, fast-moving wildfires were burning in the Los Angeles metro area early Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of people evacuated, some having run on foot to flee oncoming flames.

The big picture: The wildfires are the result of an unheard-of combination of factors at this time of year - the worst high wind event in Southern California since 2011, plus some of the driest conditions on record for early January.

Downtown LA has received just 0.16 inches of rain since May 6 of last year, making it the second-driest period on record for May 6 to Dec 31, according to the National Weather Service.

Bone-dry conditions in Southern California contrast with the northern parts of the state, where atmospheric rivers have squelched fire risks.

Even worse, the region had an unusually hot summer that dried out vegetation even further. ... Read more

GOP roadblocks start to emerge on big Trump agenda bill
Axios | Andrew Solender | 01/08/24

House Republicans are already laying down potential dealbreakers for the massive fiscal legislation President-elect Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) are planning.

Why it matters: The chamber is set to have a roughly two-vote majority when the package is voted on, meaning just a handful of GOP defections could sink the entire initiative.

Republican factions - both in the House and Senate - are already at each others' throats on whether the package should consist of one bill or two, with Trump wavering on the topic.

State of play: Republican leadership could run into an issue with its fiscally conservative wing if it tries to advance one sprawling bill that includes a measure to raise the debt ceiling.

The bill is set to include an extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts that could cost as much as $5 trillion over 10 years, in addition to funding for border security and an immigration crackdown. ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: The new gatekeepers
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 01/07/25

Never has it been easier to spread misinformation at scale - with less concern about media meaningfully policing it, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column.

Why it matters: Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are of one mind. The most powerful global information platforms should be governed by free speech - and the people - not by the platforms themselves.

Both concluded it's too hard, too inherently biased, and too restrictive to put limits on speech. It's also cheaper to stop trying - and convenient to switch as Washington goes all-in on MAGA.

A decade ago, the mainstream media played the role of spotting and exposing misinformation spread under the guise of legitimate free speech. But faith in the traditional media is in the dumpster. ... Read more

How top Fed bank cop's resignation limits Trump's options
Axios | Neil Irwin | 01/07/25

Monday's decision by the Federal Reserve's top bank regulator to step down from his job — but not from the Fed entirely - is simultaneously less and more than meets the eye.

Why it matters: Michael Barr's self-demotion clears the way for President-elect Trump to appoint a vice chair for supervision. It is no radical departure from past precedent: Fed governors have, in the past, stepped aside on the principle that a new president should get to appoint their own chief financial regulator.

Historically, the Fed's regulatory side pays greater deference to the wishes of the president and Congress, in contrast to monetary policy, in which political independence is fiercely guarded. ... Read more

Major winter storm to usher in Arctic blast for 230 million people
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Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/03/25

The much-advertised, long-lasting Arctic outbreak with ties to the polar vortex will be accompanied by a significant winter storm over the weekend.

Threat level: The storm is set to deliver upwards of a foot of snow in parts of the Plains, Midwest and Appalachians, with somewhat lower amounts for Washington, D.C., Baltimore and potentially Philadelphia as well.

Multiple states are forecast to see a destructive ice storm that could lead to widespread, enduring power outages. The ice zone will stretch from parts of Nebraska eastward to Kentucky and West Virginia.

"Treacherous travel conditions are expected with power outages likely in areas that receive over a quarter-inch of ice accumulation," the National Weather Service said via X on Thursday evening. ... Read more

Biden blocks Nippon's takeover of U.S. Steel
Axios | Dan Primack | 01/03/25

Why it matters: U.S. Steel's shares were down as much as 9% in pre-market trading Friday on the news. The company has warned that a deal failure would cause it to close some operations in Pennsylvania, where it employs around 4,000 people.

What he's saying: "Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure," Biden said in a statement Friday.

But...

Most threatened if the company does downsize is believed to be Mon Valley Works, which has more than 3,000 workers.

U.S. Steel also said it might relocate its Pittsburgh headquarters.

Nippon had pledged to invest $2.7 billion into U.S. Steel facilities, including Mon Valley Works. ... Read more

"BE CAREFUL! This Is Serious..." - Richard Wolff's WARNING | 12/24/24 | 28:50

U.S. on edge after New Orleans attack, Las Vegas Cybertruck bomb
Axios | Mike Allen | 01/02/25

Seven hours and two time zones apart, the New Year's Day pickup-truck attack in New Orleans and Tesla Cybertruck bomb in Las Vegas meant a violent, frightening start to 2025.

The big picture: President Biden said in televised remarks last evening that law enforcement officers were investigating whether there was "any possible connection": "Thus far, there's nothing to report on that."

Driving the news: In what could be either a coincidence or a systemic vulnerability, both vehicles were rented through Turo, a "peer-to-peer" vehicle-sharing app where renters connect directly with owners.

Turo said it's working with law enforcement: "We do not believe that either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat, and we are not currently aware of any information that indicates the two incidents are related." ... Read more

DemocracyNow U.S. and World Headlines
DemocracyNow(.com) | Amy Goodman | 01/02/25

President elect Trump responded on social media writing when I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country that statement was constantly refuted by democrats and the fake news media, but it turned out to be true Trump wrote.

However President Biden revealed the suspect is a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas named shamsu dinin Jabar who was born in Texas he served in the United States Army on active duty for many years. He also served in the Army Reserve until a few years ago.

Now who is CONSTANTLY spreading LIES??? ... Click to enlarge

Arctic blast tied to polar vortex puts U.S., Europe in deep freeze
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Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/02/25

An Arctic outbreak featuring punishing cold weather is beginning across much of the U.S. at the same time that Europe prepares for plunging temperatures.

Why it matters: About three weeks of cold east of the Rocky Mountains — potentially accompanied by major winter storms - will boost natural gas prices, pose a risk of power outages and disrupt travel.

Threat level: The cold will hit the U.S. in waves, with the first moving in this week, a second early next week on the heels of a significant Plains to Mid-Atlantic winter storm, and additional ones after that.

Each push is likely to be colder than the one preceding it.

By early next week, daily high temperatures may be stuck in the single digits across parts of the Midwest, with the possibility of temperatures dropping to 32°F all the way to the Gulf Coast. ... Read more

The biggest S&P 500 winners and losers of 2024
Axios | Ben Berkowitz | 01/01/25

It was a good year for AI-linked companies in 2024, as they led the stock market with eye-watering returns.

Execution problems plagued some well-known businesses, though, causing their shares to sink.

Why it matters: Those AI names helped the S&P 500 to its best two-year gain since the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s.

By the numbers: Nine S&P 500 stocks doubled in value (or more) this year, while four lost at least half their value.

Three AI-linked stocks topped the list: Software company Palantir gained more than 340%; Vistra, a power producer that serves data centers, rose almost 260%; and chipmaker Nvidia gained more than 170%. ... Read more

'Trump is a little guy, Musk is a big guy': historian predicts trouble for president-elect
TheGuardian | Martin Pengelly | 01/01/25

Allies and aides to Donald Trump should be increasingly concerned by Elon Musk’s proximity to and influence on the US president-elect, the Yale historian and bestselling author Timothy Snyder said.

"Trump is a little guy, and Musk is a big guy when it actually comes to having money," Snyder said. "And I think if you were a friend of Trump, you would be worried."

The author of bestsellers including On Tyranny (2017) and On Freedom (2024) was speaking to the Guardian about issues including his work in Ukraine, where he has teamed up with the Star Wars actor Mark Hamill to raise funds to buy robots to clear landmines laid by Russian invaders. ... Read more