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Friday March 15, 2024

Georgia case against Trump can continue if DA or special prosecutor leave: judge
Axios | April Rubin,Jacob Knutson | 03/15/24

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office can remain on Georgia's 2020 election interference case against former President Trump if the special prosecutor Willis hired steps aside, a judge ruled on Friday.

Why it matters: The ruling allows the case to conditionally go forward and is a win for Willis, who defense lawyers accused of improperly benefiting from her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor, Nathan Wade.

Judge Scott McAfee said he found the "appearance of impropriety" but ruled that the relationship brought no actual conflict on interest and denied the defendants' claims and requests. ... Read more

The GOP presidential frontrunner faces 91 criminal counts in four different jurisdictions.
Five Biggest Border Lies Debunked
Five Biggest Border Lies Debunked | Robert Reich | 02/18/24 | 3:05
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins | Book Summary | Bestbookbits | 11/18/21 | 29:21
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (3rd Edition) by John Perkins

How do we stop the unrelenting evolution of the economic hit man strategy and China's takeover?

The riveting third edition of this New York Times bestseller blows the whistle on China's economic hit man (EHM) strategy, exposes corruption on an international scale, and offers much-needed solutions for curing the degenerative Death Economy. In this shocking expose, former EHM John Perkins gives an insider view into the corrupt system that cheats and strong-arms countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars and ultimately causes staggering income inequality and ecological devastation.

EHMs are highly paid professionals who use development loans to saddle countries with huge debts and force them to serve US interests. Now, a new EHM wave is infecting the world, and at the peak of the devastation sits China, a newly dominant economic power, with its own insidious version of the US EHM blueprint. Twelve explosive new chapters detail the allure, exploitation, and wreckage of China's EHM strategy in Latin America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

If allowed to continue its rampage, the EHM strategy-whether executed by the United States or China-will destroy life as we know it. However, all is not lost. Perkins offers a plan for transforming this system that places profits above all into a Life Economy that restores the earth. He inspires listeners to take actions toward a new era of global cooperation that will end the United States's and China's EHM strategies for good.
Is lab-grown meat a good source of protein?
It's still too early to say, both in terms of its impact on the planet and on consumers. The USDA has approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, but the product is currently not available for purchase. (Lab-grown beef, pork, or any other animal product will have to go through their own regulatory processes.)

"There have been hundreds of analyses of the environmental impacts of different livestock, poultry and seafood systems," says Blackstone. "There have been six about cell-cultivated meat."
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 15, 2024 | 03/15/24 | 9:52
"Anti-Zionism Is Not Antisemitism": Palestinian Prof on Her Suspension from Hebrew University | DM | 03/15/24 | 17:16
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, March 15 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Island of Access": VP Harris Visits MN Abortion Clinic in Historic First Amid Growing Restrictions
  3. "Anti-Zionism Is Not Antisemitism": Palestinian Prof. Shalhoub-Kevorkian on Hebrew Univ. Suspension
  4. "Towers of Ivory and Steel": Jewish Scholar Says Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom
Bombshell update in Trump's criminal trial in Georgia | btc | 03/15/24 | 13:21
The1a.org

Thursday March 14, 2024

SpaceX's Starship set for third and most ambitious test flight
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 03/14/24

SpaceX is scheduled to test fly its massive Starship spacecraft for a third time on Thursday, hoping to demonstrate technologies critical for any future manned missions to the moon or beyond.

Why it matters: The rocket, which is essential for NASA's Artemis program, is the largest ever built but has yet to complete a full test flight and has reached space only once.

The Starship's second test flight last year ended abruptly without meeting the stated goals for the test.

The vehicle's huge lower-stage booster exploded after a successful separation from the upper-stage spacecraft portion. The upper stage then exploded after reaching an altitude of about 90 miles.

The first test flight earlier in 2023 ended with another explosion, though that was after the rocket punched a crater through the launchpad and spread debris for miles around the launch site.

Such spectacular blunders have been a part of the company's hardware engineering philosophy: move fast, embrace failures and learn from them. ... Read more

The third test flight of SpaceX Starship
The third flight test of Starship is targeted to launch Thursday, March 14. The 110-minute test window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT. | SpaceX | 03/14/24 | 1:43:59/video

Trump arrives for high-stakes court hearing in classified documents case
Axios | Erin Doherty | 03/14/24

Former President Trump arrived Thursday at a Fort Pierce, Fla. courthouse, where his legal team will argue for the dismissal of his classified documents case, multiple outlets reported.

Why it matters: The hearing has huge stakes for the former president and likely GOP presidential nominee. A dismissal of some or all of his charges would be a win for Trump in one of his four criminal trials.

Trump faces 40 counts in the federal case, including charges of willful retention of national defense information and making false statements and representations.

“Trump's team in a filing last month argued that he had "virtually unreviewable" executive authority to designate presidential documents as personal under the law. ... Read more

NASA's pricey mission to send U.S. back to moon
NASA's pricey mission to send U.S. back to moon faces technical challenges | 60 Minutes | 03/05/24 | 13:22
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 14, 2024 | 03/14/24 | 12:46
Mehdi Hasan on Genocide in Gaza, the Silencing of Palestinian Voices in U.S. Media & Trump's Fascism | DM | 03/14/24 | 33:26
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, March 14 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Mehdi Hasan on Genocide in Gaza, the Silencing of Palestinian Voices in U.S. Media & Why He Left MSNBC
  3. Mehdi Hasan on the Risk of the Media Normalizing Trump's Fascism & Dangers of TikTok Ban
  4. Ramesh Srinivasan: TikTok Crackdown, Fueled by Anti-China Sentiment, Misses Real Threat of Big Tech
The1a.org

Wednesday March 13, 2024

Democrats' big vulnerability: Why they're losing Black, Hispanic voters
Axios | Russell Contreras | 03/13/24

New data shows that Democrats' longtime advantage with Black, Latino and Asian American voters has shrunk to its lowest point in more than 60 years - creating a massive vulnerability for President Biden and congressional Democrats.

Why it matters: One of the most loyal parts of the Democratic coalition is suddenly in danger. Black and Hispanic men could vote Republican in numbers not seen since President Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected in the 1950s.

The big picture: Latinos, the nation's largest non-white group, still lean Democratic. But they've been shifting Republican over the last two decades, and are no longer the slam-dunk Democrats they were in 1960 when JFK ran for president.

By the numbers: Democrats' advantage among Black, Latino and Asian voters is at its lowest since 1960, Financial Times columnist and chief data reporter John Burn-Murdoch found by analyzing a massive set of polling data. ... Read more

ISRAEL'S USE OF MASS STARVATION AS A WEAPON OF WAR
TheIntercept | staff | 03/13/24

AFTER SIX MONTHS of a sustained U.S.-backed Israeli war of annihilation against the Palestinians of Gaza, President Joe Biden says he now has a "red line." Asked about Israel's threatened full-scale invasion of Rafah, Biden said, "You can't have another 30,000 Palestinians dead as a consequence of going after [Hamas]," Biden told MSNBC. "There are other ways to deal with Hamas."

The White House has taken no action to halt the transfer of arms and other support to Israel's war and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly said that he, not Biden, will decide whether to occupy Gaza. As the Ramadan holiday begins, the humanitarian reality of the people in Gaza has descended into horror. Israel's deliberate starvation campaign is intensifying the already indescribable suffering wrought by constant bombing and ground operations. The decimation of the health infrastructure and the attacks against hospitals have resulted in the collapse of basic health services. ... Read more

Warning to America: Hungarian Green on Authoritarianism as Trump Hosts PM Viktor Orbán at Mar-a-Lago | DM | 03/13/24 | article
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, March 13 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. What Is Israel's Goal in Lebanon? Increasing Cross-Border Attacks Risk Expanding the Gaza War
  3. Rami Khouri: U.S. Airdrops & Floating Pier Plan Are "Not Serious Responses" to Gaza Suffering
  4. "Revolutionary Love": Michelle Alexander on Gaza, Solidarity, MLK & What Gives Her Hope
  5. Warning to America: Hungarian Green on Authoritarianism as Trump Hosts PM Viktor Orbán at Mar-a-Lago
BOMBSHELL: Longtime Trump ally cooperates AGAINST Trump ahead of criminal trial | btc | 03/12/24 | 17:32
The1a.org

Tuesday March 12, 2024

RNC's new Trump-backed team orders mass layoffs
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 03/12/24

Trump allies welcomed reports that the Republican National Committee's new leadership team began firing dozens of staff on Monday.

Why it matters: Reports of plans to purge some 60 staffers come days after likely Republican 2024 presidential nominee former President Trump's allies were installed in key committee leadership roles.

The RNC voted for the Trump-backed Michael Whatley to become chair and the former president's daughter-in-law Lara Trump to be co-chair on Friday, some eight months before the 2024 election. ... Read more

What they're saying: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on X: "MAGA is now in control of the Republican Party!! We will continue to need everyone's help all the way across the finish line!"

Trump pledges to free Jan. 6 rioters in early act as president if elected
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 03/12/24

Former President Trump vowed Monday to "free" Jan. 6 rioters as one of his first acts if he's elected for a second term in November.

Why it matters: Trump's comments on his Truth Social platform appear to mark the first time the likely Republican presidential nominee has indicated that releasing those imprisoned over the U.S. Capitol riot would be an early priority of his presidency.

What he's saying: "My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" Trump wrote on Monday evening, in reference to the prisoners.

By the numbers: "In the 38 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,358 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol," per the latest Justice Department statement. ... Read more

Donald Trump won't give 'a penny' to Ukraine if elected, Orbán says
Klepper Presses Haley Supporters
Klepper Presses Haley Supporters: Biden or Trump in 2024? | The Daily Show | 03/05/24 | 5:37
Jon Stewart Calls BS on Trump & the GOP
Jon Stewart Calls BS on Trump & the GOP's Performative Patriotism | The Daily Show | 03/11/24 | 14:45
Mocking Biden's Stutter | Trump Loves Hitler, Admires Dictators
Mocking Biden's Stutter | Trump Loves Hitler, Admires Dictators | The Late Show | 03/11/24 | 12:45
In September 2023, the European Commission designated six gatekeepers - Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft - that are providing 22 core platform services which meet the criteria to be regulated under the The Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The Digital Markets Act - the European Union’s most wide-ranging effort to rein in the power of big tech companies - went into effect this week. On March 7, the six-month grace period for the six companies designated as "gatekeepers" ended, meaning they now have to comply with the rules set out in the DMA and outline the measures they've taken in compliance reports to the European Commission.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 12, 2024 | 03/12/24 | 12:14
Aid Workers Say Israel Must End Attack on Gaza, Open Aid Routes | DN | 03/12/24 | 18:00
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, March 12 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Haiti Needs Peace": PM Ariel Henry Announces He Will Resign, Transitional Council to Take Charge
  3. Aid Worker in Gaza: The Only Barrier to Delivering Supplies Is Israel. The U.S. Must Pressure Its Ally
  4. U.N. Rapporteur Francesca Albanese Urges Arms Embargo & Sanctions on Israel over War Crimes in Gaza
  5. Immigrants Held in Private Northwest Detention Center Report Death, Suicide Attempts Amid Crackdown
The1a.org

Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán: The American right's most disturbing global alliance grows desperate
Salon | HEATHER DIGBY PARTON | 03/12/24

I've been following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's increasing influence on the American far right for some time as he hosted the likes of former Fox News celebrity Tucker Carlson and held a CPAC meeting in Budapest. (They're doing it again in April with Orbán once again doing the hosting duties.) He was the darling of a certain faction of the conservative coalition even before Donald Trump won and whose election in 2016 super-charged the "illiberal democracy" ideology here in the U.S. which we now know as MAGA. He likewise hopes to consolidate the European far-right into a MAGA-style movement throughout the continent.

Orbán's CPAC appearance got a thunderous ovation last year and just last week he came to meet with members of the Heritage Foundation which is busily putting together "Project 2025" for the second Trump term. One imagines he had quite a few tips for them. He wrote the book on how to turn a modern country into a repressive autocracy without becoming a full-fledged police state.

Trump himself doesn't seem completely sold on that idea since he's pushing for mass round-ups and deportations of non-citizens by National Guard troops and a total lockdown of the country to keep foreigners who "don't like our religion" (or Israel) out of the country. And he's promised to "root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical-left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections" which leans more in the direction of Putin's Russia or Pinochet's Chile. But Orbán's ideas about how to make the government bureaucracy into a patronage operation, gerrymander the legislature in ways that pretty much strangle real democracy while turning the independent media and academia into impotent irrelevancies are being observed very carefully by the Trump 2.0 planners and they will be implemented if they gain power. (It's also the case that Orbán demonized migrants as a political strategy and even built a fence to keep them out, so they do have that in common as well.)

After the Heritage meeting, Orban made the pilgrimage down to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump. (Notably, he wasn't invited, nor did he ask, to meet with the actual president of the United States.) Trump was very impressed with his guest. He apparently feted him at the usual party that takes place every night at this social club and introduced him to the crowd of paying guests saying, "He's a non-controversial figure because he says this is the way it's going to be, and that's the end of it. Right? He's the boss." ... Read more


Monday March 11, 2024

Health care providers losing up to $1B a day from cyberattack
Axios | Tina Reed | 03/11/24

Disruptions from the Change Healthcare cyberattack are costing health providers as much as $1 billion a day and creating enough of a drag to depress first-quarter earnings, analysts and industry officials say.

Why it matters: Even though Change's parent, UnitedHealth Group, has a timeline for restoring the third-party payment systems that roughly half of U.S. health care relies on, it's not as simple as throwing a switch.

What they're saying: "I know some systems that bill $40 or $50 million a day. They're up to about $800 million so far," Chip Kahn, CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, told Axios about lost cash flow.

The big picture: Providers that use Change systems have seen portions — and in some cases nearly all — of their revenue vanish since systems for filing claims or having them paid went offline Feb. 21. ... Read more

Biden sends his $7.3 trillion budget to Congress
Axios | Hans Nichols | 03/11/24

President Biden is proposing a $7.3 trillion FY 2025 budget that would offset spending on his key domestic priorities - including tax credits for families and new money for housing - by increasing taxes on corporations and the rich.

Why it matters: Biden is using his budget to fill out the fine print of the campaign promises he has been making for months, and to press Congress to provide funding for Ukraine, Israel and border security.

"My Budget also makes key investments in childcare and education, so every child in America can have the strong start they need to thrive," Biden said in a statement. ... Read more

Biden vs. Trump: Whose Economic Plan Is Better
Biden vs. Trump: Whose Economic Plan Is Better for You? | Robert Reich | 02/11/24 | 4:09
According to SIPRI data, China has increased its military expenditure by almost 900 percent since 1992. At around $300 billion in 2022, the Chinese spent significantly more than the Russians (around $72 billion), but their spending was still well below that of the U.S. (around $812 billion). China is the second-biggest spender in total military budget after the United States.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 11, 2024 | 03/11/24 | 12:42
"The Trauma Is Immeasurable": Palestinian Writer Susan Abulhawa on Israeli Violence in Gaza | DN | 03/11/24 | 8:38
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, March 11 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Empire's Laboratory": How 2004 U.S.-Backed Coup Destabilized Haiti & Led to Current Crisis
  3. Guilty: U.S.-Backed Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández Convicted of Drug Trafficking
  4. "The Trauma Is Immeasurable": Palestinian Writer Susan Abulhawa on Israeli Violence in Gaza
Trump hit with SURPRISE, unexpected court loss | btc | 03/09/24 | 8:02
Jimmy Kimmel HUMILIATES Trump ON STAGE at the Oscars | btc | 03/11/24 | 8:56
We're On The Road To Fascism & They Cut The Breaks? w/ Peter Montgomery | Thom Hartmann | 03/09/24 | 11:08
The1a.org

Friday March 08, 2024

Uvalde shooting: New report clears officers of blame to dismay of families
Axios | Sareen Habeshian | 03/08/24

An independent report released Thursday did not assign blame to local law enforcement officers and defended their actions in response to the May 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The big picture: The findings are somewhat contrary to other reports, including one from the Department of Justice earlier this year that heavily criticized law enforcement's response, explicitly calling it a "failure." ... Read more

7 highlights from Biden's 2024 State of the Union address
7 highlights from Biden's 2024 State of the Union address | CBS News | 03/08/24 | 25:20
State of the Union address 2024
State of the Union address 2024: Full Biden speech | AP | 03/07/24 | 1:56:37
Fiery, Heated State Of The Union Speech
Biden Delivers A Feisty, Fiery, Heated State Of The Union Speech | Stephen Colbert | 03/07/28 | 11:29
Ultimate History Crash Course | Robert Reich
My Ultimate History Crash Course | Robert Reich | 02/27/24 | 32:59
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 08, 2024 | 03/08/24 | 16:10
State of the Union: Biden's Domestic Agenda Undermined by Foreign Policy, Says Katrina vanden Heuvel | DN | 03/08/24 | 23:19
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, March 08 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Katrina vanden Heuvel: Biden’s Domestic Agenda - Taxes, Reproductive Rights - Undermined by Foreign Policy
  3. Biden’s SOTU on Gaza: Israeli Daughter of Freed Hostage & Palestinian American Professor Respond
Biden takes down Supreme Court Justices TO THEIR FACES in homerun moment | btc | 03/08/24 | 5:51
This Foreign Dictator is Training Trump To Be the Perfect Fascist | Thom Hartmann | 03/08/24 | 7:19
The1a.org

Thursday March 07, 2024

Biden plans feisty economic reset
Axios | Mike Allen,Zachary Basu | 03/07/24

President Biden will use tonight's State of the Union address to admit that prices are still too high in some areas - but argue things were worse under former President Trump, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients tells Axios.

Why it matters: Biden, in what could well be the most important speech of his presidency, aims to project fighting optimism to an audience with plenty of doubts about the nation's vigor - and that of the 81-year-old president.

Biden needs a cure for what some advisers call "Trump amnesia" - the notion that the chaos and unpopularity of Trump's presidency has receded from some voters' memories nearly four years on. ... Read more

HOW HOMELAND SECURITY IS UNDERMINING FAITH IN U.S. ELECTIONS
TheIntercept | Daniel Boguslaw | 03/06/24

NOW THAT THE party nominees for president have all but been decided, America's entire election infrastructure is under assault, from foreign governments, hackers, and extremists. Or at least that's the frenzied message being conveyed from on high these days. Russian warning lights are flashing. Think tanks are working overtime to grind out panicked reports about cybersecurity and disinformation. Fearmongering proliferates on both sides of the political aisle.

But it is the federal government that is most active in this effort, and in its zeal to "protect" the elections, Washington is building a narrative that achieves exactly what it blames foreign adversaries for. By arguing that the elections can and will be manipulated, federal agencies are delegitimizing the highly effective and secure electoral system, and affirming the view of too many Americans that the vote can’t be trusted. ... Read more

Trump a worse appeaser than Neville Chamberlain, leading Democrat says
TheGuardian | Martin Pengelly | 03/07/24

Donald Trump is a worse appeaser in his attitude to Vladimir Putin and Russia than the 1930s British prime minister Neville Chamberlain was towards Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, a senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee said.

Jim Himes of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the committee, also said Trump acted like a “single-cell organism” in obstructing aid to Ukraine.

"They both may be undertaking an act of appeasement," Himes added, “but Neville Chamberlain, love him or hate him, I think probably thought this through.

"Donald Trump is a little bit of a single-celled organism: he responds to one stimulus and one stimulus only, which is, 'Does this make me feel good or does it make me feel bad?' And Ukraine makes him feel bad because he got impeached over Ukraine." ... Read more

Maddow, MSNBC panel instantly fact-check Trump's Super Tuesday speech
Maddow, MSNBC panel instantly fact-check Trump's Super Tuesday speech | 03/06/24 | 8:36
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 07, 2024 | 03/07/24 | 14:32
How U.S. Military Support Is Undercutting Ceasefire Talks, Prolonging War | DN | 03/07/24 | 18:17
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, March 07 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Israel's "Killing Machine": How U.S. Military Support Is Undercutting Ceasefire Talks, Prolonging War
  3. Biden Admin Quietly Approves 100+ Arms Sales to Israel While Claiming Concern for Civilians in Gaza
  4. New Pakistan Gov’t Marks Return of “Bourgeois Old Guard” as Jailed Imran Khan Looms Large
Trump lawyer Alina Habba SCRAMBLES in humiliating live TV segment | btc | 03/07/24 | 13:19
The1a.org
George Conway: What Biden needs to say is 'Let's Be Normal, America' | 03/07/24 | 8:04

Wednesday March 06, 2024

Nikki Haley suspending presidential campaign
Axion | Erin Doherty,Mike Allen | 03/06/24

Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley will announce Wednesday that she is suspending her presidential bid, a top Haley source told Axios.

Why it matters: Haley became the first woman to win a GOP presidential primary earlier this month, but her rise in the polls and 11th-hour endorsements were not enough to break former President Trump's commanding lead.

She's expected to announce the news in remarks on Wednesday morning, the Wall Street Journal first reported. ... Read more

I code the body electric: We're putting AI brains in robot bodies now. What could go wrong?
Salon | Rae Hodge | 03/05/24

If we open a humanoid robot's metal skull right now and replaced the regular old computer in there with one that has access to a large language model (LLM) - so that the robot is controlled by artificial intelligence the same way we humans are controlled by the electrified hamburger meat between our ears - I don't think we would actually be able to tell if that robot eventually reached human-level, living consciousness. And while it's fair to say I change my opinion on this about once a week, I've recently wondered whether this sort of consciousness might be already occurring to some extent, even if only in the most primitive way.

The problem is that science doesn't yet fully know what the terms "artificial intelligence" and "consciousness" even mean. There are a hundred theories reasoned out across the two interwoven fields, but we humans are still new to the ambitious (and possibly self-contradicting) goal of quantifying sentience. ... Read more

Jon Stewart Unpacks the GOP's "Migrant Crime" Narrative
Jon Stewart Unpacks the GOP's "Migrant Crime" Narrative | The Daily Show | 03/05/24 | 10:01
Confirmed 2024 presidential candidates
Super Tuesday: Trump and Biden
Why it matters: On the biggest voting day before November, the frontrunners won the two states with the most delegates: Texas and California.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 06, 2024 | 03/06/24 | 13:13
Super Tuesday: Biden, Trump Head to Rematch; Schiff Helps Garvey in CA; AIPAC Suffers Setback | DN | 03/06/24 | 19:56
"The Zone of Interest": Producer James Wilson on the Holocaust, Gaza & "Walls That Separate Us" | DN | 03/05/24 | 10:27
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, March 06 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Super Tuesday: Biden, Trump Head to Rematch; Schiff Helps Garvey Place in CA; AIPAC Suffers Setback
  3. Unanimous? Supreme Court Ruling Leaving Trump on Ballot Reveals Split Among Justices
  4. What I Witnessed in Gaza Is a Holocaust: Palestinian Writer Susan Abulhawa
The1a.org

Tuesday March 05, 2024

AI jobs charge ahead in the face of public skepticism
Axios | Ivana Saric | 03/05/24

New AI jobs postings continue to grow in the U.S. despite the fact that public trust in AI technology and the companies behind it is sinking.

Why it matters: The trend highlights the disconnected feelings between the public and the tech industry when it comes to the advancement of AI.

State of play: There were 10,404 new AI job postings in January, a 42% rise from Dec. 2022, according to the University of Maryland and LinkUp's AI job tracker.

By comparison, there were more than 90,000 total new IT job postings in January - a 31% drop from from Dec. 2022, per the Wall Street Journal. ... Read more

In the U.S., trust in AI companies has dropped to 35% from 50% five years ago

Public trust in AI is sinking across the board
Axios | Ina Fried | 03/05/24

Trust in AI technology and the companies that develop it is dropping, in both the U.S. and around the world, according to new data from Edelman shared first with Axios.

By the numbers: Globally, trust in AI companies has dropped to 53%, down from 61% five years ago. In the U.S., trust has dropped 15 percentage points (from 50% to 35%) over the same period.

Trust in AI is low across political lines. Democrats trust in AI companies is 38%, independents are at 25% and Republicans at 24%.

Tech is losing its lead as the most trusted sector. Eight years ago, technology was the leading industry in trust in 90% of the countries Edelman studies. Today, it is the most trusted in only half of countries. ... Read more

"When it comes to AI regulation, the public's response is pretty clear: 'What regulation?'," Westcott said. "There's a clear and urgent call for regulators to meet the public's expectations head on."
Stories about Iran | 60 Minutes | 11/26/23 | 54:12
State of the U.S.-China relationship as countries compete economically | 60 Minutes | 02/28/24 | 26:53
Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 05, 2024 | 03/05/24 | 9:00
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, March 05 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Haiti: Ariel Henry's U.S.-Backed "Criminal Regime" Faces Gang Uprising; U.N. Set to Deploy Kenyan Police
  3. Narco-State: U.S.-Backed Fmr. Honduran Pres. Juan Orlando Hernández on Trial in NY for Drug Trafficking
  4. "The Zone of Interest": Oscar-Nominated Film Producer on the Holocaust, Gaza & "Walls That Separate Us"
BREAKING: Trump suffers SURPRISE, STUNNING loss | btc | 03/04/24 | 9:26
You Don't Want To Know What the GOP Has In Store For America | Thom Hartmann | 02/15/24 | 5:54
Since Dobbs, Democrats Keep Overperforming, Winning and Republicans Keep Struggling_sm.pdf
The1a.org

Monday March 04, 2024

Sierra Nevada hit with ferocious blizzard
Axios | Shauneen Miranda,Andrew Freedman | 03/04/24

A blizzard warning was in effect until midnight Sunday for parts of the Sierra, as the massive winter storm disrupts travel in portions of California and Nevada.

The big picture: The "potentially life-threatening" blizzard which began slamming parts of the Sierra Nevada on Thursday was gradually waning on Sunday evening ahead of another storm expected on Monday night.

State of play: This storm has brought relentless hurricane-force winds to the Sierra, knocking out power, creating whiteout conditions and shutting down Interstate 80 for well over 24 hours. ... Read more

Supreme Court rules Trump can appear on Colorado ballot. States can’t kick Trump off ballot, Supreme Court says.

Nikki Haley makes history with D.C. Republican primary win
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 03/04/24

Presidential candidate Nikki Haley won her first GOP presidential nominating contest on Sunday, the D.C. Republican Party announced.

Why it matters: "This makes Nikki Haley the first woman to win a Republican primary in U.S. history," noted Haley campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas in a post to X.

The big picture: While Haley's win in Washington, D.C., doesn't affect the trajectory of the race that former President Trump has dominated, it's a welcome boost for the ex-UN ambassador ahead of this week's Super Tuesday contests. ... Read more

If One Megabank Collapses, the U.S. Economy Goes With It. Should We Have More?
Politico | Vistoria Guida | 03/01/24

In a speech at the University of Michigan last month, one of the nation’s top banking regulators posed a deceptively simple question. Michael Hsu, the acting comptroller of currency, wondered aloud: "What should the banking system look like?"

Hsu, an understated lawyer who spent his career overseeing large financial institutions at agencies like the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission, wasn't just asking an idle question. His meaning was more specific: How big should American banks be, and how much financial power should be concentrated in the largest ones?

It's an important question - perhaps even more so now than when Wall Street crashed the economy 15 years ago. Since then, the four universal megabanks that now dominate the economy - JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo - have grown significantly. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 04, 2024 | 03/04/24 | 13:07
Report from Rafah: U.S. Airdrops Food to Gaza While Arming Israel to Drop Bombs | DN | 03/04/24 | 18:40
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, March 04 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Report from Rafah: U.S. Airdrops Food to Gaza While Arming Israel to Drop Bombs
  3. "Alexei Navalny Taught Russia’s Opposition How to Mobilize": Historian on Putin's "Dictatorship"
  4. "Enraging": Meet Abbey Crain, IVF Patient in Midst of Treatment Derailed by Alabama High Court
Trump suddenly confronted by disaster scenario in DC trial | btc | 03/04/24 | 14:05
Did Corporations Kill Democracy? | Thom Hartmann | 03/01/24 | 7:24
The1a.org

Friday March 01, 2024

Key takeaways from transcript of Hunter Biden's testimony
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 03/01/24

A transcript of Hunter Biden's closed-door deposition before two Republican-led committees was publicly released on Thursday.

The big picture: He struck a defiant tone as he appeared before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees as part of their impeachment inquiry into his father, President Biden.

Hunter Biden maintained throughout his testimony that lasted over six hours that his father was never involved in his business dealings. ... Read more

Hunter Biden's testimony transcript


Hunter Biden skewers "baseless" GOP impeachment inquiry ahead of testimony

Trump's one loss this week: His 2024 courtroom strategy
Axios | Erin Doherty | 03/01/24

Former President Trump's delay tactics are paying off in court, but he may be losing one of his most potent venues for his grievance-centered campaign: courthouses.

Why it matters: It now appears likely that just one of Trump's four criminal cases - the one in New York involving hush money paid to an adult film actress - will conclude before the 2024 election.

That means Trump - who's used court appearances for rants against against Democrats and fundraising pleas - may need new backdrops in casting himself as a victim of politically motivated prosecutors. ... ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 01, 2024 | 03/01/24 | 11:32
The Intercept: New York Times Exposé Lacks Evidence to Claim Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence Oct. 7 | DN | 03/01/24 | 29:08
Israel Kills 104 Palestinians Waiting for Food Aid as U.N. Expert Accuses Israel of Starving Gaza | DN | 02/29/24 | 18:40
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, March 01 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Just Being Racist": Biden & Trump Push Anti-Immigrant Policies in Dueling Border Visits
  3. The Intercept: New York Times Expose Lacks Evidence to Claim Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence Oct. 7
The1a.org

Thursday Febuary 29, 2024

Humanoid robots draw millions from Bezos, OpenAI and more
Axios | Jennifer A. Kingson | 02/29/24

Humanoid robot startup Figure has drawn a $675 million investment from Jeff Bezos, AI chipmaker Nvidia, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and others.

Why it matters: Bipedal robots with dexterous hands are joining the labor force this year, a trend that's expected to gain steam.

Driving the news: The infusion of capital for Figure, a Silicon Valley startup founded by "flying taxi" pioneer Brett Adcock, gives it a valuation of $2.6 billion.

Investors include Microsoft, the OpenAI Startup Fund, Nvidia, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and Jeff Bezos (through Bezos Expeditions). ... Read more

Humanoid robots are coming
Axios | Jennifer A. Kingson | 03/17/23

Human-shaped robots with dexterous hands will be staffing warehouses and retail stores, tending to the elderly and performing household chores within a decade or so, according to a Silicon Valley startup working toward that vision.

Why it matters: Demographic trends — such as a persistent labor shortage and the growing elder care crisis - make fully-functioning, AI-driven humanoid robots look tantalizingly appealing.

Companies such as Amazon are reportedly worried about running out of warehouse workers, whose jobs are physically and mentally demanding with high attrition.

Driving the news: A heavy-hitting startup called Figure, which just emerged from stealth mode, is building a prototype of a humanoid robot that the company says will eventually be able to walk, climb stairs, open doors, use tools and lift boxes — perhaps even make dinner. ... Read more

Texas farmers claim company sold them PFAS-contaminated sludge that killed livestock
TheGuardian | Tom Perkins | 02/29/24

A Texas county has launched a first-of-its-kind criminal investigation into waste management giant Synagro over PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge it is selling to Texas farmers as a cheap alternative to fertilizer.

The PFAS levels independent testing found on the farm were "shockingly high", said Kyla Bennett, policy director for the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility nonprofit, which is assisting in the analyses. ... Read more

Democratic watchdog organization Freedom House has released its annual ranking of the world's most free and most suppressed nations. The report is considered a key barometer for global democracy and this year's edition found that global freedom has declined for the 18th year straight. While 2022 had been heralded as a "possible turning point" as about as many countries showed improvements as marked declines, 2023 saw a new low of nations bettering their freedom prospects - only 21. This number stands opposite 52 countries where political freedoms and civil liberties declined.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 29, 2024 | 01/29/24 | 13:00
Sen. Merkley: McConnell Paralyzed the Senate & Turned Supreme Court into "Far-Right Legislature" | DN | 02/29/24 | 10:49
Senator Jeff Merkley: U.S. "Complicit in Starvation and Humanitarian Catastrophe" in Gaza | DN | 02/29/24 | 12:59
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, Febuary 29 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Senator Jeff Merkley: U.S. "Complicit in Starvation and Humanitarian Catastrophe" in Gaza
  3. Sen. Merkley: McConnell Paralyzed the Senate & Turned Supreme Court into "Far-Right Legislature"
  4. Israel Kills 104 Palestinians Waiting for Food Aid as U.N. Expert Accuses Israel of Starving Gaza
The1a.org
'This is B.S.': Maddow shreds 'cravenness' of Supreme Court delaying Trump trial | MSNBC | 02/29/24 | 10:37

Wednesday Febuary 28, 2024

Wild weather threatens much of U.S. with snow, tornadoes, heat and fires
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 02/28/24

Millions of Americans are facing extreme weather whiplash this week - notably in cities including Chicago and Dallas, which were forecast to swing from record highs to wintry lows.

The big picture: Ground stops were temporarily declared at Chicago Midway and O'Hare airports into early Wednesday amid multiple reports of tornadoes, powerful winds and "golf ball-size hail" in the area, as a supercell swept across parts of Illinois and into Ohio Valley.

A strong winter storm was continuing to impact much of the U.S. West, with heavy snow, gusty winds and rain, the NWS noted in its Tuesday night forecast discussion. ... Read more

Four big takeaways from Michigan's Democratic and GOP primaries
Axios | David Lindsey | 02/28/24

There wasn't much doubt that President Biden and former President Trump would romp to victories in the Michigan primaries Tuesday. But Biden's win in particular revealed his vulnerability in a crucial swing state that could decide the presidency in November.

Why it matters: Arab American and young voters - key to Biden winning Michigan in 2020 - turned out by the tens of thousands on Tuesday to vote ... not for Biden, but for "uncommitted" in the Democratic primary.

The protest vote, driven by anger over Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war, had drawn more than 100,000 supporters with 98.5% of the ballots counted - several times more than organizers expected.

That took some of the glow from a victory in which Biden got more than 80% of the vote, and confirmed that Biden has some serious persuading to do between now and November. ... Read more

How a $1 billion gift could transform a Bronx medical school
Axios | Felix Salmon | 02/28/24

Ruth Gottesman has donated $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. The money will be placed in an endowment, the income from which will fund free tuition for all students in perpetuity.

Why it matters: No one but Gottesman, a pediatrician who spent her whole career at Einstein, would have made this particular donation. But philanthropy by its nature is idiosyncratic, and this gift in particular has the potential to have some very welcome second- and even third-order effects.

The big picture: Gottesman was bequeathed her fortune by her husband, Sandy, an early investor in Berkshire Hathaway, who died in 2022 at the age of 96. ... Read more

After the process of Sweden joining NATO had stalled since 2022 due to Turkey's and Hungary's objections, the latter country's parliament on Monday was the last to clear the way for the Northern European country's accession to the military alliance. Hungarian prime Minister Viktor Orban finally let the motion come to a vote and it passed with an overwhelming majority. He and his party had previously taken issue with Swedish criticism of their governance in Hungary, according to Deutsche Welle.

In April, Sweden's neighbor Finland became a member of NATO, also after initial push-back.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 28, 2024 | 01/28/24 | 11:45
"Uncommitted": Over 100,000 Cast Protest Vote Against Biden's Gaza Policy in Michigan Primary | DN | 02/28/24 | 24:03
Ralph Nader at 90 on the "Genocidal War" in Gaza & Why Congress Is a Weapon of Mass Destruction | DN | 02/27/24 | 17:19
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, Febuary 28 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Uncommitted": Over 100,000 Cast Protest Vote Against Biden's Gaza Policy in Michigan Primary
  3. The Life & Death of Aaron Bushnell: U.S. Airman Self-Immolates Protesting U.S. Support for Israel in Gaza
Trump attorneys panic, pull despirate move in court | btc | 02/28/24 | 10:37
The1a.org
Devastation in Gaza unlike any other war zone American doctor has been to | 60 Minutes | 02/26/24 | 13:47

Tuesday Febuary 27, 2024

Behind the Curtain: AI's doom or boom
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 02/27/24

Not since the atomic bomb has so much money been spent in so little time on a technology its own creators admit could ... wipe out our entire species.

Why it matters: Most people ignore or dismiss the sentence above because it seems too ludicrous to be true. But as technological savants crank out new large-language-model wonders, it's worth pausing to hear their own warnings.

The big picture: Sometimes our world changes so fast, in so many head-spinning ways, that it's impossible to fully capture the wildness - and weirdness - of it all.

Dario Amodei, who has raised $7.3 billion for his AI start-up Anthropic after leaving OpenAI over concerns over ethics, says there's a 10% to 25% chance that AI technology could destroy humanity.

Geoffrey Hinton - known as "The Godfather of AI," and for 10 years one of Google's AI leaders - warns anyone who'll listen that we're creating a technology that in our lifetimes could control and obliterate us. ... Read more

"Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war."

Generative AI's next act: Autonomous agents
Axios | Ina Fried,Scott Rosenberg | 02/27/24

AI's key brain trusts are already looking beyond today's popular chatbots to a world in which AI agents act on your behalf.

Why it matters: As AI races from just saying things to doing things for us, its potential benefits and harms will multiply fast.

Driving the news: ChatGPT maker OpenAI is deep into development of AI agent systems, as the Information recently reported. ... Read more

War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict by Medea Benjamin

Yes, Russia's aggression was reckless and, ultimately, indefensible. But the West's reneging on promises to halt eastward expansion of NATO in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union played a major part in prompting Putin to act. So did the U.S. involvement in the 2014 Ukraine coup and Ukraine's failure to implement the Minsk peace agreements. The result is a conflict that is increasingly difficult to resolve, one that could conceivably escalate into all-out war between the United States and Russia?the world's two leading nuclear powers.

Skillfully bringing together the historical record and current analysis, War In Ukraine looks at the events leading up to the conflict, surveys the different parties involved, and weighs the risks of escalation and opportunities for peace. For anyone who wants to get beneath the heavily propagandized media coverage to an understanding of a war with consequences that could prove cataclysmic, reading this timely book will be an urgent necessity.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 27, 2024 | 01/27/24 | 14:21
Should the U.S. Send More Weapons to Ukraine? A Debate on Funding & Ways to End Two-Year-Old War | DN | 02/27/24 | 23:27
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, Febuary 27 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Should U.S. Send More Weapons to Ukraine? A Debate on Funding & Ways to End Two-Year-Old War
  3. Ralph Nader at 90 on the "Genocidal War" in Gaza & Why Congress Is a Weapon of Mass Destruction
Lifelong Republican drops bomb on Trump LIVE ON FOX | btc | 02/27/24 | 5:56
The1a.org
Watch Rachel Maddow Highlights: Feb. 26 | 02/26/24 | 20:06
Jon Stewart on Israel - Palestine | The Daily Show | 02/26/24 | 13:14

Monday Febuary 26, 2024

Economists see much stronger 2024 growth: NABE survey
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 02/26/24

An influential group of economists has "sharply revised upwards" America's 2024 growth expectations, in what could be another year that stuns forecasters.

Driving the news: As the U.S. economy continues to outperform, the National Association for Business Economics — which has conducted semi-regular survey of professional forecasters since 1965 - is the latest to say the economy won't see a sluggish year.

The median forecast for GDP is nearly a full percentage point higher than that expected just two months ago. It's now 2.2%, compared to the 1.3% expected in December.

That includes much stronger growth for the current quarter — an annualized 2%, not the 0.7% previously forecast. ... Read more

Palestinian prime minister resigns amid calls to reform Palestinian Authority
Axios | Barak Ravid | 02/26/24

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh resigned on Monday amid growing pressure by the U.S. and Arab countries on President Mahmoud Abbas to conduct wide-ranging reforms, including injecting "new blood" into the Palestinian Authority's leadership.

Why it matters: Shtayyeh's resignation had been expected for weeks. U.S. and Arab countries want to see a "revitalized" Palestinian Authority that can stabilize itself in the occupied West Bank and play a role in the management of post-war Gaza.

Abbas and his aides are working with the U.S. and Arab countries on forming a new technocratic government.

Abbas is expected to nominate his confidant and chair of the Palestinian Investment Fund, Mahammad Mustafa, to head the new government, according to two U.S. and Palestinian officials. ... Read more

State of the U.S.-China relationship
State of the U.S.-China relationship as countries compete economically | 60 Minutes | 02/26/24 | 26:53
How Western media chooses who they champion and vilify
How Western media chooses who they champion and vilify | The Listening Post | 02/24/24 | 25:22
Ever since Nvidia first revealed to the world how much it expects to profit from the rise of artificial intelligence in May 2023, the chipmaker has been the poster child of the AI-fueled stock market rally that has propelled the S&P 500 to historic highs. So much so, in fact, that each of the company's earnings releases since then has been considered a make-or-break moment for market momentum, with investors around the world biting their nails, hoping for more positive news from the company that quite literally powers the AI revolution. And so far, Nvidia has always delivered. On Wednesday, the company reported fourth-quarter results that not only met its bullish outlook from three months ago, but blew past it.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 26, 2024 | 01/26/24 | 14:22
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 26, 2024 | 01/26/24 | 18:19
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, Febuary 26 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. As 2-Month-Old Starves to Death in Gaza, Mosab Abu Toha Says His Own Family Is Eating Animal Feed
  3. Gaza Ceasefire Could Save 75,000 from Death: Report from London School of Hygiene & Johns Hopkins
  4. U.S. Anti-Terrorism Laws Are "Anti-Palestinian at the Core," Chill First Amendment
Republicans ruling backfires in spectacular fashion |btc | 02/26/24 | 9:16
The1a.org
Is Donald Trump a Fascist? | Robert Reich | 08/08/23 | 6:56
- Rejecting democracy for a strongman
- Stoking rage against cultural elites
- Nationalism based on "superior" race
- Glorifying strength and warriors
- Disdain of women and LGBTQ+ people

Thursday Febuary 22, 2024

Erik Prince Calls for U.S. to Colonize Africa and Latin America
Axios | Jon Schwarz | 02/10/24

ERIK PRINCE HAS been many things in his 54 years on Earth: the wealthy heir to an auto supply company; a Navy SEAL; the founder of the mercenary firm Blackwater, which conducted a notorious 2007 massacre in the middle of Baghdad; the brother of Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump's secretary of education; a shadow adviser to Trump; and the plaintiff in a lawsuit against The Intercept.

Last November, Prince started a podcast called "Off Leash," which in its promotional copy says he "brings a unique and invaluable perspective to today's increasingly volatile world." On an episode last Tuesday, his unique and invaluable perspective turned out to be that the U.S. should "put the imperial hat back on" and take over and directly run huge swaths of the globe. ... Read more

Jon Stewart on Tucker Carlson’s Putin Interview
Jon Stewart on Tucker Carlson’s Putin Interview & Trip to Russia | The Daily Show | 02/20/24 | 15:11
Supreme Court Ethics
Supreme Court Ethics: Last Week Tonight | John Oliver | 02/22/24 | 30:20
Klepper Calls for Gun Control After KC Parade Shooting
Klepper Calls for Gun Control After KC Parade Shooting & Trump Might Get Off In GA | The Daily Show | 02/16/24 | 9:07
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 22, 2024 | 01/22/24 | 11:18
"Moral Failure": Democrats Urge Biden to Change Gaza Policy | DN | 02/21/24 | 15:07
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, Febuary 22 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Frozen Embryos Are Children? Reproductive Care in Peril After Alabama Supreme Court Ruling
  3. Malcolm X Assassination: Former Security Guards Reveal New Details Pointing to FBI, NYPD Conspiracy
Trump-friendly judge's scheme suddenly set to BACKFIRE on Trump | btc | 02/22/24 | 10:23
The1a.org
Watch The Beat with Ari Melber Highlights: Feb. 21 | MSNBC | 02/21/24 | 16:13

Wednesday Febuary 21, 2024

CNN's Dana Bash has book coming on America's "most violent election"
Axios | Mike Allen | 02/21/24

Dana Bash, CNN anchor and chief political correspondent, will be out Sept. 3 with "America's Deadliest Election," a book about the little-known 1872 Louisiana gubernatorial election.

Why it matters: The book, being published two months before our own contentious election, "is an eye-opening warning of what's at stake and what it takes to protect our democracy," the forthcoming announcement says.

Details: The election "led to hundreds of murders, warfare in the streets of New Orleans, [dueling] governors of Louisiana," the publisher, Hanover Square Press/HarperCollins, says.

"The entire country watched in grim fascination as the wounds of the Civil War were ripped open and the promise of President Grant's Reconstruction faltered in the face of violent resistance and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan." ... Read more

America's Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History Hardcover | Sept 3, 2024 | by Dana Bash & David Fisher

The Election of 1872 was the most contentious in American history. After both parties complained of corruption, neither candidate would concede, two governors claimed office and chaos erupted. Rival newspapers engaged in a bitter war of words, politicians plotted to overthrow the government, and their supporters fought in the streets and attempted assassinations. The entire country watched in grim fascination as the wounds of the Civil War were ripped open and the promise of President Grant’s Reconstruction faltered in the face of violent resistance and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan.

In this riveting book, Dana Bash and David Fisher tell the incredible, little-known story of the election that pushed democracy to the breaking point, and sparked historic events including:

  1. The Colfax Massacre, in which at least 150 Black men were killed by white supremacists
  2. The extraordinary train race from New York to New Orleans for control of the state government
  3. The election of the first black Congressman from Louisiana in the face of violent resistance
  4. The Supreme Court ruling that ended Reconstruction and became the foundation of Southern segregation, changing the American legal system for the next century

Readers will find eerie parallels to today's divided political landscape and leaders willing to seize power no matter the cost. An eye-opening warning of what's at stake and what it takes to protect our democracy, this is a must-read tale of America's deadliest election.
Inside a Chinese Ghost Town of Abandoned Mansions | WSJ | 02/20/24 | 5:13
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 21, 2024 | 01/21/24 | 10:46
Julian Assange: WikiLeaks Founder Faces Final U.K. Appeal to Avoid U.S. Extradition | DN | 02/21/24 | 16:14
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, Febuary 21 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Political Prosecution": WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Faces Final U.K. Appeal to Avoid U.S. Extradition
  3. "Moral Failure": Democrats Rep. Khanna & Michigan State Rep. Aiyash Urge Biden to Change Gaza Policy
  4. Colonialism, Occupation & Apartheid: African Countries See "Shared Experiences" with Palestinians
Bombshell court ruling signals disaster for Trump in November | btc | 02/20/24 | 15:00
The1a.org
Low demand for commercial office space fuels economic fears | PBS News | 02/20/24 | 8:10

Tuesday Febuary 20, 2024

How Wall Street banks fought to keep control of a profitable but secretive trading business
Axios | Matt Phillips | 02/20/24

Court documents reviewed by Axios show just how alarmed Wall Street banks were by efforts to regulate their derivatives trading desks after the 2008 financial crisis.

Why it matters: These emails, presentations and internal memos illuminate the financial sector's attempts to shape the rules and shield key profit centers - a technique alive and well today. They were produced during discovery in an ongoing litigation and later seen by Axios.

Flashback: When the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul became law in 2010, a major part of it directed agencies to write rules for the previously unregulated Wall Street derivatives trading business.

Depending on how they were written, these rules threatened to transform the banks' highly profitable interest rate swap business into a low-margin business akin to stock market-style exchange trading. ... ... Read more

The $160 trillion market for U.S.-dollar interest rate swaps — contractual bets on the direction of interest rates - is one of the largest markets in the world.
Alexei Navalny, born 1976, was a lawyer by training who first started to gain prominence in 2009 for publishing investigations of corruption by state-owned firms such as Gazprom and oil giant Rosneft. As detailed by UK news channel ITV, the past decade of his life has been marked by political activism, with multiple stints in prison under various charges, from embezzlement and fraud to extremism. Navalny was Putin’s most prominent opposition figure domestically and led major anti-government protests across Russia.
Watch Rachel Maddow Highlights: Feb. 19
Watch Rachel Maddow Highlights: Feb. 19 | MSNBC | 02/20/24 | 20:23
Stephen's Public Service Announcement: "This Is F***ed Up" | The Late Show | 02/16/24 | 11:02
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 20, 2024 | 01/20/24 | 12:44
"No Doubt" That Alexei Navalny Was Killed, Says Masha Gessen | DN | 02/19/24 | 17:14
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, Febuary 24 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Borders on Pathological": Trump Must Pay $450 Million for Lying to Lenders in Fraud Case
  3. More Than 50 Countries Argue Before World Court Against Israeli Occupation of Palestine
  4. "What I Saw Wasn't War - It Was Annihilation," Says U.S. Doctor Who Volunteered in Gaza Hospital
Bombshell court ruling signals disaster for Trump in November | btc | 02/20/24 | 15:00
The1a.org
'So grotesque': Joe slams Trump for comparing himself to Navalny | Joe MSNBC | 02/20/24 | 10:29
Joe: Trump, Johnson are what stands between Congress passing or not passing Ukraine aid | Joe MSNBC | 02/20/24 | 10:48

Monday Febuary 19, 2024

Storm-hit California faces fresh atmospheric river flood threat
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 02/19/24

The U.S. West Coast faces a fresh round of heavy rainfall and snow this week, as another atmospheric river began slamming California on Sunday - bringing with it the threat of flooding, mudslides and possibly tornadoes.

The big picture: Flood watches stretched across much of California's coast, as rainfall began to hit northern coastal area Sunday afternoon and began spreading south by the evening. ... Read more

Tlaib calls to vote against Biden in Michigan primary
Axios | Andrew Solender | 02/19/24

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) on Saturday urged Michigan Democrats to vote "uncommitted" in the state's Feb. 27 primary rather than for President Biden.

Why it matters: It marks an escalation in the rupture between Biden and his party's most left-wing members over his administration's support of Israel.

Driving the news: In a video posted to social media by Listen to Michigan, a campaign to get Michigan Democrats to vote "uncommitted," Tlaib said "it is important, as you all know, to not only march ... [but] to create a voting bloc."

"We don't want a country that supports war and bombs and destruction," the Palestinian-American congresswoman said. "This is the way you can raise our voices. Don't make us even more invisible." ... Read more

Why no one is winning the war in Ukraine
Why no one is winning the war in Ukraine | TheGuardian | 02/19/24 | 3:51
What the fall of Avdiivka means for Ukraine
What the fall of Avdiivka means for Ukraine, Russia and the war | DW News | 02/19/24 | 5:30
Alexey Navalny and Putin's history of suspected poisonings and crackdowns
Alexey Navalny and Putin's history of suspected poisonings and crackdowns | 60 Minutes | 02/18/24 | 54:00
According to mortality trends collected among 719,147 veterans and lifestyle factors assessed among 276,132, being physically active lowered the risk of death among the sample population the most - by 46 percent

The recommendation here is to stick to healthy plant-based foods instead of just any.

The study also shows how combining different lifestyle factors can add up.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 19, 2024 | 01/19/24 | 13:43
Israel Raids Nasser Hospital, Arrests Staff in Latest Assault on Gaza Medical System | DN | 02/19/24 | 13:48
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, Febuary 19 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Like Horror Movies": Forced to Evacuate Nasser Hospital, Surgeon Describes Israeli Raid & Arrests
  3. "3 Days of Hell": Israel Raids Nasser Hospital, Arrests Staff in Latest Assault on Gaza Medical System
  4. Russian Dissident Alexei Navalny Dies in Arctic Prison; "No Doubt" He Was Killed, Says Masha Gessen
Tucker Carlson suffers Stunning humiliation | btc | 02/19/24 | 14:28
Prosecutor who BEAT Trump gives him BAD NEWS as trial looms | btc | 02/19/24 | 19:40
If Democracy Falls - How Long Before We Can Get It Back? | Thom Hartmann | 01/19/24 | 3:53
The1a.org
PBS News Weekend full episode, Feb. 17, 2024 | PBS | 02/18/24 | 26:45
Trump fake elector in Wisconsin describes how he says he was tricked | 60 Minutes | 02/19/24 | 13:22

Friday Febuary 16, 2024

Putin critic Alexei Navalny has died, Russia's prison service says
Axios | Dave Lawler | 02/16/24

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died, according to a statement from Russia's prison service.

The big picture: Navalny, 47, was imprisoned after exposing rampant corruption in Vladimir Putin's inner circle and forming the most effective political movement opposing the Russian leader. His death, if confirmed, has happened in the custody of the Russian state that persecuted him relentlessly.

Driving the news: Vice President Harris said Friday ahead of a speech at the Munich Security Conference that the U.S. was working to confirm the "terrible news" that Navalny had died.

Navalny's wife Yulia told the conference in Munich that if it was true her husband was dead, "I want Putin, his entourage, Putin's friends and his government to know they will be held responsible for what they have done to our country, my family, and my husband." ... Read more

Kansas City Shooting
Kansas City Shooting Highlights Missouri's Pro-Gun Laws in "Pro-Life" State | DN | 02/16/24 | 12:16

How Gaza's 'safe' city Rafah came to be on the precipice of catastrophe - visualised
TheGUardian | Ashley Kirk, Harvey Symons, Paul Scruton and Elena Morresi | 02/16/24

Last October, following the Hamas attacks, Israel's military delivered evacuation orders for many of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, telling them to head south for their own safety.

Multiple evacuation orders ensued, and it is now estimated that more than 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge in and around the southern city of Rafah, vastly swelling its pre-war population of 280,000.

Many of those now in Rafah, which sits on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, are living in temporary accommodation. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs, dated from 13 October and 14 January, shows a significant increase in tents around the city. ... Read more

Russia's Gazprom - Corrupt politicians and the greed of the west
Russia's Gazprom - Corrupt politicians and the greed of the west | DW Documentary | 02/10/24 | 50:35
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 16, 2024 | 01/16/24 | 12:00
"I Died That Day in Parkland": Campaign Uses AI-Generated Voices of Gun Victims to Call Congress | DN | 02/16/24 | 7:53
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, Febuary 16 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "It is Absolutely the Guns": Brittney Packnett Cunningham on U.S. Gun Violence & Kansas City Mass Shooting
  3. "Shotline": New Campaign Uses AI to Voice Calls to Lawmakers from Victims of Gun Violence
  4. Australia Ramps Up Pressure on U.S. to Free Julian Assange Ahead of Critical Court Hearing
  5. Hind Rajab's Death Highlights Israel's Targeting of Civilians, Medical Personnel
Trump gets the news he's dreaded in criminal trial | btc | 02/16/24 | 13:02
Trump PANICS, gets lost in CONFUSED rant at his OWN rally | btc | 02/16/24 | 8:36
The1a.org
Ex-Trump advisor gives stark warning: Donald Trump is unfit to be President again | MSNBC | 02/11/24 | 10:21

Wed,Thu Febuary 14,15 2024

Why John Bolton Is Certain Trump Really Wants to Blow Up NATO
Axios | Kelly Garrity | 02/14/24

John Bolton doesn't really buy Donald Trump's story about telling an unnamed head of state he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to countries that didn't meet NATO's defense spending standards.

But he does think the former president's threats - and his desire to abandon the alliance - are chillingly real.

"Look, I was there when he almost withdrew, and he's not negotiating," said Bolton, who served as Trump's national security adviser. "His goal here is not to strengthen NATO, it's to lay the groundwork to get out."

Bolton, one of the loudest critics to emerge from the Trump White House, has long expressed dismay at Trump’s tenure. In his post-mortem book, "The Room Where it Happened," he portrayed Trump as unfamiliar with basic facts and driven, above all, by a desire to win another term. In Bolton's telling, it's no different with Trump's recent comments about NATO. ... Read more

Trump says he purposefully mixes up politicians' names... Yah, right!!!!!!!

Trump's billion-dollar man: Chris LaCivita will steer spending by campaign, RNC
Axios | Sophia Cai,Alex Thompson | 02/15/24

Chris LaCivita, a Trump campaign senior adviser, is in line to take over a GOP operation expected to spend $1 billion on the '24 race - effectively merging Donald Trump's campaign with the Republican National Committee, and enhancing his already tight grip on the party.

Why it matters: Trump's move to have LaCivita, one of his campaign's top two officials, also serve as the RNC's chief operating officer will make the two entities "a distinction without a difference," one senior Trump adviser told Axios. ... Read more

Another mass shooting
Another mass shooting, this time in Kansas City Missouri. At least one person died and 22 were wounded during a shooting at the parade celebrating Sunday Super Bowl victory by the Kansas City Chiefs.
To make these sums more relatable, we have broken down their profits to a shorter time scale: net income per second. Based on Apple's net profits from October 2022 to September 2023, the company earned $3,074 per second during this period. Next up are Microsoft and Alphabet, with $2,443 and $2,115 in profits generated every second, respectively, followed by Meta ($942) and Amazon ($636).
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 15, 2024 | 01/15/24 | 10:23
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 14, 2024 | 01/14/24 | 14:13
Biden Pushes House to Approve Bill with $14B in Military Aid to Israel, Cuts UNRWA Funding | DN | 02/15/24 | 6:38
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thu Febuary 15 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Doctor Reports on Bombing of Nasser Hospital Just Before Israeli Troops Storm Complex
  3. "I Always Imagine Myself Being Blown Up": Journalist in Rafah on Dire Situation as Invasion Looms
  4. Kenneth Roth: Only Joe Biden Has Power to Stop "Massive Bloodshed" of a Rafah Invasion
  5. "Obscene": Biden Pushes House to Approve Bill with $14B in Military Aid to Israel, Cuts UNRWA Funding
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wed Febuary 14 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Dead-End Strategy": GOP Impeaches Mayorkas as Democrats Push Hard-Line Border & Immigration Policy
  3. “A War Against Palestinian Americans”: Jailed, Attacked, Killed in West Bank and U.S.
Republicans advance dangerous scheme we've been dreading | btc | 02/15/24 | 11:32
The1a.org

Mon&Tues Febuary 12,13 2024

Trump crosses NATO's red line with threat to "encourage" Russian attack
Axios | Zachary Basu | 02/13/24

Former President Trump's incendiary comments about NATO this weekend represent the most belligerent public posture he's taken against the Western alliance in his eight years as a politician.

Why it matters: In Europe, where the war in Ukraine is approaching its second anniversary, Trump's remarks supercharged the existing angst among NATO leaders who fear his potential return to the White House.

At a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump claimed he told the president of an unidentified NATO member that he would "encourage" Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to that NATO nation if it were behind on its defense obligations. ... Read more

How the push to limit Chinese biotech could threaten U.S. edge
Axios | Alison Snyder | 02/12/23

Efforts in Congress to restrict U.S. market access for Chinese biotech companies and investors face a central dilemma: They could disrupt key relationships and supply chains U.S. life sciences companies rely on.

Why it matters: Bipartisan consensus for action is growing amid deteriorated U.S.-China relations, but it's running into the reality that they'll have to balance moves to address U.S. national security concerns with the risk of setting back companies that underpin the country's competitive edge.

The "geopolitics and trade and investment parts of the U.S.-China relationship are on totally different planes," says Scott Michael Moore, director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. ... Read more

Chris Wallace DESTROYS former colleague Tucker Carlson | btc | 02/11/24 | 8:22
Vladimir Putin-Tucker Carlson's Most Scandalous Interview | Shocking Confessions Rock the World |TOI | 02/10/24 | 2:05:51
Trump faces potentially crippling week of legal penalties | MSNBC | 02/10/24 | 8:38
Supreme Court hears Trump ballot eligibility case | Special Report | CBS | 02/09/24 | 2:49:36

Trump to attend N.Y. criminal trial hearing on Thursday
Axios | Erin Doherty | 02/13/24

Former President Trump is expected to be in New York on Thursday for a hearing in his criminal trial over a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, his attorney Steve Sadow said.

Why it matters: The plan means that Trump will not attend a hearing on the same day in Fulton County over misconduct allegations against the prosecutors overseeing his Georgia 2020 election case. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 13, 2024 | 01/13/24 | 9:32
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 12, 2024 | 01/12/24 | 13:20
Climate Scientist Defeats Deniers, Hopes to Empower Others to Speak Out on Global Crisis in Media | DN | 02/13/24 | 12:21
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, Febuary 13 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Could Indonesia Return to Military Rule? Allan Nairn on the "Massacre General" Running for President
  3. Bombs, Disease, Starvation: Canadian Doctor Describes the Desperate Situation Inside Gaza
  4. Climate Scientist Michael Mann Wins $1 Million Defamation Case Against Right-Wing Climate Deniers
  5. The Climate Election: Mark Hertsgaard on Why 2024 Must Focus More on Climate Crisis
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, Febuary 12 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Our Children Deserve to Live": Mother in Rafah Desperate to Escape as Israel Prepares Ground Invasion
  3. "Worst-Case Scenario": Noura Erakat on Israel's Looming Invasion of Rafah
  4. Race, Gender, Class: Bishop Barber, Economist Michael Zweig on Poor & Low-Wage Voters in 2024 Election
  5. Bishop William Barber on the "Moral Case for a Ceasefire" in Gaza
Trump reaches CRUCIAL deadline in court | btc | 02/13/24 | 14:12
The1a.org
Watch Rachel Maddow Highlights: Feb. 12 | MSNBC | 02/12/24 | 20:28

Friday Febuary 09, 2024

Biden: "I am an elderly man ... I know what the hell I'm doing"
Axios | Alex Thompson,Hans Nichols | 02/09/24

For years now, President Biden's advisers have carefully choreographed his every move to avoid what exploded into view over six hours Thursday: a vivid display of an elderly, irritable man struggling on a public stage.

Why it matters: Days after repeatedly referencing talks with dead world leaders, Biden, 81, went before cameras to bash a just-released special counsel's report that portrayed him as feeble and forgetful - and then confused Egypt's president with Mexico's.

Biden's hastily arranged nighttime remarks came after the special counsel's report said he wouldn't be charged for having classified documents, but blistered him as "an elderly man with a poor memory" - a political indictment sure to resonate through the 2024 campaign. ... Read more

Netanyahu's War on the Truth
The Intercept | Jeremy Scahill | 02/07/24

Israel's Ruthless Propaganda Campaign to Dehumanize Palestinians

TWO WEEKS BEFORE Hamas commandos led a series of raids into Israel on October 7, Benjamin Netanyahu stood before an empty chamberOpens in a new tab at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The Israeli prime minister brandished a map of what he promised could be the "New Middle East." It depicted a state of Israel that stretched continuously from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. On this map, Gaza and the West Bank were erased. Palestinians did not exist.

"What a historic change for my country! You see, the land of Israel is situated on the crossroads between Africa, Asia, and Europe," Netanyahu bellowedOpens in a new tab at a handful of spectators in the large hall, nearly all of whom were his loyalists or underlings. "For centuries, my country was repeatedly invaded by empires passing through it in their campaigns of plunder and conquest elsewhere. But today, as we tear down walls of enmity, Israel can become a bridge of peace and prosperity between these continents." ... Read more

The Anti-Trump Republicans
The Anti-Trump Republicans: A Data Breakdown | WSJ | 02/03/24 | 5:01
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 09, 2024 | 01/09/24 | 10:46
Michigan Arab & Muslim Leaders Press White House for Ceasefire in Gaza | DN | 02/09/24 | 11:28
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, Febuary 09 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Ex-UNRWA Official: Funding Cuts Make Donor Countries Complicit in Starvation of Gaza
  3. Senegal's "Unraveling": President's Delay of Election Is Latest in String of Anti-Democratic Actions
  4. "Io Capitano": Oscar-Nominated Film Dramatizes Perilous Migrant Journey from West Africa to Europe
Trump SCREWS himself with DAMNING public confession | btc | 02/08/24 | 8:01
The1a.org
Guess Which SCOTUS Justices Believe Trump Is Still President...? | Thom Hartmann | 01/08/24 | 9:14 Insurrection Debate! Was Trump's January 6th Riot Really an Attempt To Overthrow America? | Thom Hartmann | 01/08/24 | 6:36 Is Trump An Officer of the United States & the Three Questions That Will Decide 2024 Election | Thom Hartmann | 01/08/24 | 2:34 Why Justice Thomas' Yacht Might Be Repossessed! & How It Proves SCOTUS is Corrupt... | Thom Hartmann | 01/08/24 | 3:17

Thurs,Fri February 08,09 2024

Special counsel report questions Biden's memory
Axios | Erin Doherty, Alex Thompson | 02/08/24

Special counsel Robert Hur is not bringing charges following his investigation into President Biden's handling of classified documents, but wrote in a report released Thursday that Biden's actions presented "serious risks to national security."

Why it matters: The report ends a year-long and sprawling investigation but also concluded that Biden "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen."

The Trump team will likely try to use the report's findings to try to minimize the felony charges he faces over his post-presidency handling of classified documents. ... Read more

Does Justice Brett Kavanaugh Think Trump Can Be Prosecuted?
MotherJones | Stephanie Mencimer | 02/08/24

The Supreme Court on Thursday heard oral arguments in a case brought by voters in Colorado seeking to bounce former President Donald Trump from the state ballot on the grounds that he engaged in insurrection. The justices—including most of the court’s liberals—seemed generally hostile to Colorado voters’ arguments and largely unwilling to permit the Colorado Supreme Court to deprive Americans the chance to elect the candidate of their choosing.

... Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested that there was another, less complicated way to keep someone with Trump's record off the ballot. "If the concern you have is that insurrectionists should not be able to hold federal office," Kavanaugh said, "there is a tool to ensure that that does not happen, namely, federal prosecution of insurrectionists. And if convicted, Congress made clear you are automatically barred from holding a federal office."

In August, in a case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, a federal grand jury indicted Trump on four charges related to the events of January 6. In response, Trump has claimed that, because he was president at the time, he is immune to criminal prosecution. On Tuesday, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Trump is absolutely not immune from criminal prosecution for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump has until February 12 to ask the Supreme Court to hear the case if he wants to try to halt his criminal trial from moving forward. ... Read more

Donald Trump and His Boomer Base
The Intercept | James Risen | 02/05/24

WHEN THE OBITUARY of the baby-boom generation is finally written, they'll have to mention Donald Trump in the very first paragraph to explain how a cohort that began with such idealism and promise turned so toxic.

The generation that took to the streets in anti-war protests and civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s and championed the environmental and women's movements in the 1970s has now retreated to right-wing retirement enclaves in Florida, where Fox News is always on in the background. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 08, 2024 | 01/08/24 | 9:36
Ex-UNRWA Official: Funding Cuts Make Donor Countries Complicit in Starvation of Gaza | DN | 02/08/24 | 18:23
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, Febuary 08 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Ex-UNRWA Official: Funding Cuts Make Donor Countries Complicit in Starvation of Gaza
  3. Senegal's "Unraveling": President's Delay of Election Is Latest in String of Anti-Democratic Actions
  4. "Io Capitano": Oscar-Nominated Film Dramatizes Perilous Migrant Journey from West Africa to Europe
MAGA: If This Happens We'll Have Civil War | TYT | 02/08/24 | 5:10
The1a.org
PBS NewsHour full episode, Feb. 7, 2024 | PBS Newshour | 02/08/24 | 56:45

Wednesday Febuary 07, 2024

"Maddening": Epic double debacle stings House GOP
Axios | Andrew Solender & Juliegrace Brufke | 02/07/24

It's 10 minutes of humiliation that will live in House lore. Even in an era of ousted speakers and wild, daily internal disarray, Tuesday night's back-to-back defeats for House Republicans were epic.

  1. Speaker Mike Johnson lost by one vote - a Republican vote! - the first impeachment of a Cabinet official in 148 years.
  2. The Israel vote was an important House GOP counter-measure as the Senate struggles to pass a bill to fund Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and border security. The final Israel vote was 250 for and 180 against, which fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. 14 Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill. 46 Democrats voted for the bill.
... Read more

65,000 Pregnancies a Result of Rape Since End of Roe in States That Now Ban Abortion |DN | 01/26/24 | article |

Middle East crisis live: Hamas peace proposal is 135-day ceasefire, return of all hostages and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, reports say
TheGuardian | | 02/07/24

Hamas has proposed a ceasefire of four-and-a-half months, during which all hostages would go free, Israel would withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip and an agreement would be reached on an end to the war, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The group's proposal is a response to an offer sent last week by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

The Hamas offer, in a document seen by Reuters and confirmed by sources, appears to include Hamas's longstanding demand for a full end to the war as a pre-condition before releasing hostages it seized on 7 October.

A second source said Hamas still wanted guarantees from Qatar, Egypt and other states that the ceasefire would be upheld and not collapse as soon as hostages go free. ... Read more

Under an agreement between HHS and Pfizer, Medicare and Medicaid enrollees can receive Paxlovid for free through 2024, and uninsured individuals can receive Paxlovid for free through 2028.

Biden admin officials push pharmacy execs on Paxlovid costs
Axios | Tina Reed | 02/07/24

Biden administration officials this week pushed executives from leading pharmacy chains to make sure frontline staff are providing patients with accurate information about costs of the COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, officials told Axios first.

Why it matters: Uptake of the Pfizer antiviral has remained stubbornly low since it transitioned to the commercial market in the fall, in part because of patients sometimes being charged up to the full list price of $1,400. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 07, 2024 | 01/07/24 | 13:29
Jeremy Scahill on Israel's "Deliberate Propaganda Campaign" | DN | 02/07/24 | 17:00
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednes, Febuary 07 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Former Israeli Negotiator Daniel Levy: Only U.S. Pressure on Israel Can End Gaza Assault, Lead to Truce
  3. Jeremy Scahill: Israel Has Waged a “Deliberate Propaganda Campaign” to Justify Brutal Gaza Assault
The return of wars, explained | Yuval Noah Harari | Yuval Noah Harari | 11/17/23 | 9:09
The1a.org

Mon, Tues Febuary 05,06 2024

Appeals court rejects Trump's presidential immunity claim in Jan. 6 case
Axios | Erin Doherty | 02/06/24

A federal appeals court said Tuesday that former President Trump is not immune from prosecution in his federal 2020 election trial.

Why it matters: The decision is a setback for the former president, who has argued that he is immune from prosecution over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election results.

Driving the news: "For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant," the three-judge panel wrote in a Tuesday filing.

"But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as president no longer protects him against this prosecution." ... Read more

What to know about Trump's immunity claims in the 2020 election cases
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 02/06/24

A federal appeals court has rejected former President Trump's claims of "absolute immunity" from charges that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election.

Why it matters: The precedent set by his case will have bearing on executive power and how presidents may be held accountable for abusing it.

He is the first former president to have been denied immunity from criminal charges, though that's primarily because no other sitting or former president has been charged with a crime.

The Supreme Court previously rejected special counsel Jack Smith's request to quickly rule on Trump's immunity claims, forcing the immunity question to go through normal federal judicial proceedings. ... Read more

A second atmospheric river rainstorm in a week is moving across California and has been causing landslides, downpours and high winds of hurricane strengths that toppled trees in some locations. Conditions could persist until mid-week as the storm is now projected to move across the state slower than originally expected.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 06, 2024 | 01/06/24 | 13:15
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 05, 2024 | 01/05/24 | 12:46
After Losing Nearly 100 Relatives in Gaza, Palestinian American Doctor Refuses to Meet with Blinken | DN | 02/05/24 | 10:20
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, Febuary 06 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Dissent Grows Inside Biden Administration over Gaza Policy as Blinken Holds Talks in Middle East
  3. "Unconscionable": American Pediatrician Who Worked in Gaza Hospital Recalls Horrors of Israel’s War
Appeals court hits Trump with ruling he's been dreading | btc | 02/06/24 | 9:03
The1a.org

Tues, Wed, thu, fri Jan 30, 31
Thur, Fri Feb 1, 2 2024

"Dangerous" atmospheric river threatens Southern California
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 02/02/24

As California begins to dry out from its latest atmospheric river event, residents are preparing for a much stronger storm beginning late Saturday, lasting into Wednesday.

Threat level: Confidence is growing in for a high-impact, extremely dangerous storm that could hit Southern California the hardest. The National Weather Service's Los Angeles office warned Thursday night the storm could have "life-threatening impacts."

Depending on the storm's track and intensity, it may bring a swath of at least 4-to-8-inch rainfall totals, with locally heavier amounts, to areas from Monterey, California southward to San Diego. ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: Trump's conviction scenario
Axios | Mike Allen & Jim VandeHei | 02/02/24

Former President Trump is breezing to the GOP nomination - but, in private, is bracing for the genuine possibility that he'll be the first convicted felon in U.S. history to represent a major party.

Why it matters: Sources tell us Trump believes he'd likely be convicted if the Jan. 6 case comes to trial later this spring in Washington. If that's delayed, he could face a guilty verdict in the Manhattan hush-money case.

State of play: U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the Jan. 6 case, has been tough on Capitol rioters tried in her court, and has signaled she'll cut Trump no breaks. Jurors will be drawn from D.C., which is overwhelmingly Democratic.

  1. In seven swing states that will make up the most consequential fall battlegrounds, a Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll out this week found more than half of registered voters would be unwilling to vote for Trump if he were convicted of a crime (53%) or sentenced to prison (55%).
  2. A poll of six swing states by The New York Times and Siena College in October found 6% of voters would switch their votes to Biden if Trump were convicted and sentenced - "enough, potentially, to decide the election," The Times reported.
  3. But Trump's hold on the GOP could prove impregnable even to conviction. A national Yahoo News/YouGov poll out Thursday found that 72% of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters think any conviction would be "an unfair outcome meant to damage [Trump] politically."
Read more

nation's cartoonists on the week in politics on Politico
Politico | 02/02/24

See more cartoons

Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 02, 2024 | 01/02/24 | 9:56
Top U.S. & World Headlines - February 01, 2024 | 01/01/24 | 13:09
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 31, 2024 | 01/31/24 | 14:41
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 30, 2024 | 01/30/24 | 11:44
Biden's Middle East Policy "Leading Us into a War Whose Aims We Have Not Defined" | DN | 02/01/24 | 10:12
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, Febuary 02 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Dearborn Mayor to Biden: "Lives of Palestinians Should Not Be Measured Simply in Poll Numbers"
  3. "Origin": Ava DuVernay's New Film Dramatizes "Caste," from U.S. Racism to India's Dalits to Nazi Germany
Trump now poised for FATAL blow in new ruling | btc | 02/01/24 | 11:54
Trump dealt WORST blow possible ahead of next trial | btc | 01/30/24 | 9:09
The1a.org

Monday January 29, 2024

Biden tells Bibi he's not in it for a year of war in Gaza
Axios | Barak Ravid | 01/29/24

President Biden last week pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale down the Israeli military operation in Gaza, stressing he is not in it for a year of war, two U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Biden's comments during the two leaders' call last Friday reflect the growing U.S. concern about the continuation of the war and the president's desire to see it end long before the November elections.

A Biden adviser told Axios the White House is very concerned about losing young voters, many of whom are opposed to the president's policy on the Gaza war.

The Jan. 19 call was the first between the two leaders in nearly a month. During their previous call on Dec. 23, a frustrated Biden ended the call by saying the "conversation is over" and hanging up the phone.

In the first two months of the war that began Oct. 7, the two leaders had talked almost every other day. ... Read more

Israeli defense chief tells U.S. he won't allow rebuilding of settlements in Gaza
Axios | Barak Ravid | 01/29/24

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told U.S. officials last week that he and the Israeli military will not allow the rebuilding of illegal outposts or settlements by Israeli settlers inside the Gaza Strip, four U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The Biden administration is concerned that a one-kilometer buffer zone Israel is planning to establish inside Gaza will be used for the rebuilding of the settlements that were dismantled during the 2005 Israeli pullout from the enclave.

This concern has been growing in recent weeks after the settler lobby in Israel and members of the governing coalition started to increase pressure and call for full occupation of Gaza and the rebuilding of settlements. ... Read more

Evergrande collapse: Hong Kong court orders liquidation of China property giant
TheGuardian | Helen Davidson in Taipei | 01/28/24

Judge says 'enough is enough' after developer, which has $300bn in debt, fails to provide convincing restructuring plan

Embattled Chinese development company, Evergrande, has been ordered to liquidate by a Hong Kong court after an 18-month long hearing.

Evergrande, which holds the ignominious title of the world’s most indebted property developer with about $300bn in liabilities, failed to convince the court that it had a viable restructuring plan, after having been given seven extensions since court proceedings were first brought in June 2022.

Evergrande had been working on a $23bn debt revamp plan but this fell apart in September when the company announced its founder, billionaire Hui Ka Yan, was under investigation for "suspected illegal crimes". ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 29, 2024 | 01/29/24 | 9:44
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 26, 2024 | 01/26/24 | 10:44
Palestinians Charge Genocide in U.S. Court; Biden & Blinken Sued for Backing Israel's War on Gaza | DN | 01/29/24 | 15:15
Can Israel Ignore World Court's Order? Experts Weigh in on ICJ Genocide Case | DN | 01/26/24 | 19:47
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, January 29 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Drone Strike Kills 3 U.S. Troops in Jordan; Risk Grows of Regional War over Israeli Assault on Gaza
  3. Palestinians Charge Genocide in U.S. Court; Biden, Blinken Sued for Backing Israel’s War on Gaza
  4. Chicago ER Doctor Just Back from Gaza Says Patients, Medical Staff Face Catastrophic Conditions
  5. Despite Looming Gaza Famine, U.S. Halts UNRWA Funding After Israel Claims 12 U.N. Staff Aided 10/7 Attack
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, January 26 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. International Court of Justice Orders Israel to Prevent Genocide in Gaza But Fails to Order Ceasefire
Trump gets bad news amid effort to appeal $83 million verdict | btc | 01/28/24 | 9:39
The1a.org

Thursday January 25, 2024
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who appeared on stage with Trump for his New Hampshire victory speech, said the GOP is "completely eradicating" any Republican who doesn't adapt to Trump's policies.

Behind the Curtain: Trump's exponential power surge
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 01/25/24

Something shocking - and telling - has unfolded beyond Donald Trump's onstage, online and courtroom theatrics: He's running a professional, well-managed, disciplined presidential campaign.

His 2024 operation is more sophisticated - dare we say traditional - than the slapdash improvisation of his White House and two previous runs.

Why it matters: Trump likely will wrap up the nomination in record time, with almost universal GOP establishment backing.

If he were to win — and run the White House like he has his campaign - he could reshape America and its government more quickly, and in more lasting ways, than he did during his first term. ... Read more

-- BUT --

New Hampshire primary exposes Trump's shrinking tent
Axios | Zachary Basu | 01/25/24

Former President Trump's 11-point victory in New Hampshire has been upstaged not just by Nikki Haley's refusal to drop out, but by a set of flashing red alarms about his weaknesses with independents and moderate voters.

Why it matters: Trump, like any candidate, will need a broad coalition to win in November - one that casts a far wider net than the core MAGA base responsible for his dominant victories in Iowa and New Hampshire.

As the primary gives way to the longest general election campaign in modern history, there's no indication that Trump will moderate or change to the degree necessary to bring back swing voters he lost in 2020.

MSNBC's Steve Kornacki pointed out, New Hampshire's GOP primary has never seen a wider gap between the preferences of independents and Republican voters than last night's results:

Trump won Republican voters 74% to 25%, while Haley won independents 58% to 39%, according to CNN's exit polls.

83% of Haley voters - and 42% of voters overall - said they would not consider Trump to be fit for office if he were convicted of a crime. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 25, 2024 | 01/25/24 | 10:56
Palestinian Economist on Israel's Economic Warfare in Gaza and the West Bank | DN | 01/25/24 | 17:03
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, January 25 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Report from Gaza: Palestinian Journalist Akram al-Satarri on "The Struggle to Survive, Stay Sane"
  3. Palestinian Economist Raja Khalidi on Israel's "Economic Warfare" on Gaza and the West Bank
  4. Professors Slam Columbia’s Response to Chemical Skunk Attack on Students at Pro-Palestine Protest
Feud ERUPTS on air between Trump and longtime ally Kayleigh McEnany | btc | 01/25/24 | 10:48
Trump-appointed judges TURN ON TRUMP in court | btc | 01/25/24 | 9:18
The1a.org

Wednesday January 24, 2024

Atmospheric rivers to threaten California, raising flood concerns
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/24/24

San Diego's dangerous flash flood on Monday may not be the state's last such event of the next couple of weeks, as a weather pattern favorable to atmospheric rivers takes shape across the Pacific Ocean.

Why it matters: Atmospheric rivers are responsible for the majority of the Golden State's precipitation, and are associated with some of its worst floods on record.

Zoom in: On Monday, a relatively weak atmospheric river, along with favorable winds in the mid-to-upper atmosphere, combined to deliver a deluge to San Diego, with the city seeing 2.73 inches of rainfall. ... Read more

An atmospheric river is a long, narrow highway of moisture in the sky, typically at about 10,000 to 15,000 feet above the surface.

These can stretch for thousands of miles and strong ones can even transport an amount of water vapor "roughly equivalent to 7.5 to 15 times the average flow of liquid water at the mouth of the Mississippi River," according to NOAA.

DOJ tells SCOTUS curbing abortion pill access "threatens profound harms"
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 01/24/24

The Biden administration told the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday that a lower court's decision to curtail the widely used abortion pill mifepristone would have "disruptive consequences" for women and the FDA if it's allowed to stand.

The big picture: The Supreme Court has agreed to review the New Orleans-based federal appeals court's ruling - setting the stage for another significant abortion case following its June 2022 decision to end federal abortion protections and overturn Roe v. Wade. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 24, 2024 | 01/24/24 | 12:05
"Trump Is the Nominee. Fascism Is on the Ballot." Author Jeff Sharlet on New Hampshire & Beyond | DN | 01/24/24 | 14:32
"MAGA vs. MAGA Polite": Trump Beats Haley in New Hampshire, Haley Vows to Fight On | DN | 01/24/24 | 14:37
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, January 24 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "MAGA vs. MAGA Polite": Trump Beats Haley in New Hampshire, Haley Vows to Fight On
  3. "Trump Is the Nominee. Fascism Is on the Ballot." Author Jeff Sharlet on New Hampshire & Beyond
  4. Should Trump Be Barred from the Ballot? A Debate over the Insurrection Clause
The1a.org
Maddow shred Trump with live fact-check of victory speech | MSNBC | 01/24/24 | 11:20

Tuesday January 23, 2024

Why replacing fossil fuels is "a whale of an issue"
Axios | Ben Geman | 01/23/24

It will take far more than renewables growth to sustain communities facing local revenue loss if strong climate policies curtail fossil fuel production and use.

Driving the news: New research from Resources For the Future and the University of Michigan explores how different forms of energy provide revenues in 79 counties across 10 states.

Why it matters: Limiting climate change will require moving away from fossil fuels. Yet they provide vital tax revenue and other money streams for services like schools, roads, and safety. ... Read more

Israelism Documentary
Israelism Documentary
New Film Examines American Jews' Growing Rejection of Israel's Occupation | DN | 01/22/24 | 19:30
The new documentary Israelism examines the growing generational divide among Jewish Americans on the question of Palestine, with many younger Jews increasingly critical of Israel and less supportive of Zionism. Simone Zimmerman, one of the protagonists of the film and a co-founder of the group IfNotNow, says she grew up being told that supporting Israel was central to her Jewish identity, but that collapsed once she visited the Occupied Palestinian Territories and saw the system of apartheid under which millions live. "It's so deeply contrary to our values as Jewish people to support this disgusting oppression and denial of freedom," she says.
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 23, 2024 | 01/23/24 | 9:41
From Freezing Cold to Housing Insecurity, Migrants Face Crisis in NYC, Chicago & Beyond | DN | 01/23/24 | 23:17
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, January 23 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. From Freezing Cold to Housing Insecurity, Migrants Face Crisis in NYC, Chicago & Beyond
  3. "Many of My Shows Have Been Canceled": Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei on Israel, Gaza & Censorship
  4. Marianne Williamson on Running for President, Challenging Biden & Calling for a Gaza Ceasefire
Republicans' secret weapon goes down IN FLAMES | btc | 01/23/24 | 8:19
The1a.org

Monday January 22, 2024

U.S. debt hits record high as rich economies pile on IOUs
Axios | Deena Zaidi | 01/22/24

The world's richest economy is piling on more debt, with no end in sight as the stakes get higher.

Why it matters: The U.S. public debt surged during the pandemic and recently passed $34 trillion — a record even when accounting for inflation, according to recent data.

Public borrowing is expected to set records this year in many of the world's major economies.

Between the lines: As Washington bickers, the long-term solvency of entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security remains an open question.

Another fight over the debt ceiling looms early next year. An agreement reached to raise it last May expires in January 2025.

By the numbers: In the last century, the U.S. federal debt has risen from an inflation-adjusted $403 billion in 1923 to $33.17 trillion in 2023.

The U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio surpassed 100% in 2013 and currently stands at 123%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 22, 2024 | 01/22/24 | 12:20
New Film Examines American Jews' Growing Rejection of Israel's Occupation | DN | 01/22/24 | 19:30
The new documentary Israelism examines the growing generational divide among Jewish Americans on the question of Palestine, with many younger Jews increasingly critical of Israel and less supportive of Zionism. Simone Zimmerman, one of the protagonists of the film and a co-founder of the group IfNotNow, says she grew up being told that supporting Israel was central to her Jewish identity, but that collapsed once she visited the Occupied Palestinian Territories and saw the system of apartheid under which millions live. "It's so deeply contrary to our values as Jewish people to support this disgusting oppression and denial of freedom," she says.
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, January 22 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Palestinian Poet Mosab Abu Toha Decries Israel's "Inhumane" Assault as Gaza Death Toll Tops 25,000 "Israelism" on Tour: New Film Examines American Jews' Growing Rejection of Israel's Occupation "American Fascism": Historian Rick Perlstein on Trump's Grip on the GOP & Chances of a Second Jan. 6
The1a.org

Friday January 19, 2024

War warnings everywhere: Global risks are heating up
Axios | Dave Lawler | 01/19/24

While the U.S. has been focused on Gaza and Ukraine, several other long-simmering global threats are getting hotter.

Why it matters: The last 72 hours have seen menacing Chinese patrols near Taiwan, an exchange of fire between Iran and Pakistan, and further escalation between the U.S. military and Houthi rebels.

Then there's North Korea, which has been largely off Washington's radar - but where the risks appear to be growing.

China conducted joint air and sea patrols around Taiwan on Wednesday in the first significant military activity in the Taiwan Strait since Taiwanese voters elected Democratic Progress Party presidential candidate William Lai - whom Beijing has condemned as a "separatist through and through."

Pakistan conducted airstrikes inside Iran on Thursday in response to strikes inside Pakistan by Iran. Both sides said the rare cross-border attacks targeted militants.

The latest: The U.S. conducted a fifth round of strikes on weapons and other assets belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday.

Fears continue to grow that the war in Gaza will spread to Lebanon. Hezbollah militants there have far greater capabilities than Hamas. ... Read more

Who Donald Trump Should - and Shouldn't - Pick for Vice President
Politic | Opinion by RICH LOWRY | 01/19/24

The usual rules apply to any vice presidential selection: First, do no harm, and then try to find someone who can help either in the campaign or during an administration, or ideally both.

The Establishmentarians
Nikki Haley
Mike Pompeo
Tim Scott

The True Believers
Kari Lake
Tucker Carlson
J.D. Vance

The Other Contenders
Kristi Noem
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Elise Stefanik
Kim Reynolds ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 19, 2024 | 01/19/24 | 10:00
British Doctor on Witnessing Israel's Destruction of Gaza Hospitals, Horrific Injuries to Children | DN | 01/19/24 | 11:33
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, January 19 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Uvalde Failure: DOJ Report Finds 377 Officers Waited 77 Mins as 19 Kids, 2 Teachers Killed by 1 AR-15
  3. Texas Sen. Gutierrez Slams Gov. Abbott Immigration Crackdown After Mom & 2 Children Drown in Rio Grande
  4. Meet Tal Mitnick, 18, the First Israeli Jailed for Refusing Military Service in "Revenge War" on Gaza
  5. Horrific Traumatic Injuries of Children: British Dr. Witnesses Israel's Destruction of Gaza Hospitals
Trump SNAPS, makes most unhinged claim yet in public | btc | 01/19/24 | 9:01
The1a.org

Wed,Thur Jan 17,18 2024

Greenland Ice Sheet lost 20% more ice mass than thought, study says
Axion | Andrew Freedman | 01/18/24

Scientists may have underestimated the amount of Greenland Ice Sheet melting since 1985 by as much as 20%, a new study found.

Why it matters: Such an underestimate of Greenland ice mass loss indicates a heightened risk of shifts in ocean currents and global weather patterns, the study notes.

According to the new research, published in the journal Nature, since 1985, the Greenland Ice Sheet has lost about 5,091 square kilometers (1,965 square miles) of area due to its retreating calving front, which amounts to about 1,034 gigatons of ice that has slid into the sea.

The study combines 236,328 manual and AI-generated observations of glacier terminus, or end, positions with a model to capture ice flow. The researchers used this to provide insights into the monthly aerial extents of the entire ice sheet between 1985 and 2022. ... Read more

House Republican hardliners plot revenge on Mike Johnson
Axios | Andrew Solender, Juliegrace Brufke | 01/18/24

The House Freedom Caucus may begin to routinely hijack Republican messaging bills as an act of retaliation against House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), according to multiple members of the right-wing group.

Why it matters: It would mark a significant escalation in hardliners’ rebellion against Johnson after he pursued bipartisan deals to pass critical government funding bills.

What they're saying: "If they don't want or need our votes for the material legislation that impacts the country or the large spending packages ... you shouldn't presume that you have our votes for the messaging bills that will go nowhere in the Senate," said Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.). ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 18, 2024 | 01/18/24 | 12:48
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 17, 2024 | 01/17/24 | 11:48
From Red Sea to Iran, Will Israel's Gaza Assault Spark Wider War? | DN | 01/18/24 | 8:41
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thur January 18 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Palestinian Artist Samia Halaby Slams Indiana University for Canceling Exhibit over Her Support for Gaza
  3. Artist Emily Jacir: Rampant Censorship Is Part of the Genocidal Campaign to Erase Palestinians
  4. Holocaust Survivor Marione Ingram Decries Climate of Censorship After Her Hamburg Talks Are Canceled
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wed January 17 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Israel’s War on Journalists: More Reporters Killed in Gaza in 3 Months Than Any Country Over Entire Year
  3. How Israel Bombed Al Jazeera Journalists & Blocked Rescue of Cameraman Samer Abudaqa Until He Died
  4. "They Don’t Show Gaza": Gideon Levy on How Israel's Press Is Failing to Cover the War's True Toll
  5. What Happened on October 7? Gideon Levy on Haaretz's Call to Investigate Kibbutz Killings & More
  6. "The Logic of Escalation": From Red Sea to Iran & Beyond, Will Israel's Gaza Assault Spark Wider War?
Trump LOSES IT in court, issued threat by judge | btc | 01/18/24 | 13:44
The1a.org

Tuesday January 16, 2024

The huge open question for business leaders on AI economics
Axios | Neil Irwin | 01/16/24

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND — When it comes to the economic impact of artificial intelligence, is 2024 going to be more like 1987 or more like 1995?

Driving the news: That, in a nutshell, is the question beneath much of the (abundant) AI discussions taking place among global leaders and top thinkers at the World Economic Forum this year.

Why it matters: In the 1990s and early 2000s, a revolution in information technology helped fuel a productivity boom - and with it, an environment of rapid growth, rising wages and low inflation.

Many in the Davos crowd envision something similar - or more significant - emerging from AI advances. Less clear is when. ... Read more

What is Happening in AI??

In 2021 the artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepMind stunned many scientists with the release of predicted structures for some 350,000 proteins, part of the work recognized as Science's 2021 Breakthrough of the Year.

Yesterday (07/29/2022), DeepMind and its partners went much, much further. The company unveiled the likely structures of nearly all known proteins, more than 200 million from bacteria to humans, a striking achievement for AI and a potential treasure trove for drug development and evolutionary studies. Thus determing the 3D stuctures of a protien used to take many months or years... now it takes seconds!

The New York Times sues OpenAI, Microsoft over use of its stories used to train chatbots
Politico | Associated Press | 12/xx/23

NEW YORK — The New York Times has filed a federal lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking to end the practice of using its stories to train chatbots.

In the suit filed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, the Times said OpenAI and Microsoft are advancing their technology through the "unlawful use of The Times’s work to create artificial intelligence products that compete with it" and "threatens The Times's ability to provide that service."

OpenAI and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Media organizations have been pummeled by a migration of readers to online platforms and while many publications have carved out a digital space online as well, artificial intelligence technology has threatened to upend numerous industries, including media. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 16, 2024 | 01/16/24 | 9:45
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 15, 2024 | 01/15/24 | 54:38
Despite Trump's Triumph in Iowa, Many GOP Voters Say Legal Troubles Could Make Him Unfit for Office | DN | 01/16/24 | 8:30
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, January 16 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "The People Won": Guatemala Inaugurates Anti-Corruption President Bernardo Arévalo Despite Sabotage
  3. 100+ Days into Israel's War on Gaza, Doctors Demand Ceasefire to Address "Apocalyptic" Health Crisis
  4. Despite Trump's Triumph in Iowa, Many GOP Voters Say Legal Troubles Could Make Him Unfit for Reelection
Trump sets himself up for DISASTER with insane court claim | btc | 01/15/24 | 8:42
Trump gets what he DESERVES in major court loss | btc | 01/15/24 | 3:54
The1a.org

Friday January 12, 2024

Extreme weather alerts cover every state as bomb cyclone intensifies
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/12/24

A rapidly intensifying storm that could be one of the most intense on record for the Midwest in January is helping to prompt watches and warnings for the entire Lower 48 states on Friday.

Threat level: The storm's hazards are multifaceted, from "life-threatening" blizzard conditions in Iowa to powerful winds that may cause damage in at least a dozen states.

Conditions in Iowa have disrupted campaigning as all eyes are on turnout ahead of Monday's caucuses.

In addition, more rounds of severe thunderstorms with possible tornadoes are likely Friday and Saturday across the Southeast, with flooding rains along the East Coast.

Details: The storm, which will reach its maximum intensity over Michigan this weekend - causing waves on the Great Lakes to reach or exceed 20 feet - will help accelerate a push of Arctic air south and southeastward from Montana to the Gulf Coast. ... Read more

"Tectonic shift in power": How MAGA pastors boost Trump's campaign
Axios | Sophia Cai | 01/12/24

DAVENPORT, Iowa - Donald Trump doesn't have the support of Iowa's most prominent evangelical leader in Monday's caucuses. But in Iowa and across the country, MAGA pastors are among Trump's most loyal backers.

Why it matters: It's not just that they like the former president for appointing three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn abortion rights.

Some of Trump's most enthusiastic believers are pastors who share his dark view of U.S. politics - or who've touted him as they've risen to prominence on social media.

Zoom in: Faith leaders who've endorsed Trump include hundreds of traditional conservatives a lot like Bob Vander Plaats - the influential Iowa evangelical leader who's backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

They also include MAGA pastors who, in speeches and podcasts, offer an apocalyptic view of U.S. politics — casting Democrats as demonic, promoting Christian nationalism and touting Trump as chosen by God to save Christianity. ... Read more

Buckle Up, The 2024 Election Is Here
Buckle Up, The 2024 Election Is Here | Robert Reich | 01/12/24 | 2:31
Pseudo-Ad | Electric bike
Swytch eBikeKit | swythhbike.com | 2:00
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 12, 2024 | 01/12/24 | 9:39
"Gaslighting & Cherry-Picking": How Israel Is Defending Itself at World Court on Charges of Genocide | DN | 01/12/24 | 18:48
South Africa Lays Out Genocide Case vs. Israel at World Court in The Hague | DN | 01/11/24 | 11:19
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, January 12 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "A Breach of Yemeni Sovereignty": Biden Becomes Fourth U.S. President to Bomb Yemen
  3. "Gaslighting and Cherry-Picking": How Israel Is Defending Itself at World Court on Charges of Genocide
  4. "They Want to Silence Us": Knesset Member Ofer Cassif Faces Expulsion for Backing South Africa Genocide Case
Major development in Trump's New York trial | btc | 01/12/24 | 10:41
How To Beat Propaganda - Before It Beats You | Thom Hartmann | 01/12/24 | 3:42
The1a.org

Wed/Thurs January 10/11 2024

Winter whiplash: Why a parade of storms is suddenly slamming the U.S.
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/11/24

The winter of 2023-24 has suddenly shifted from being delayed, with snow-starved ski areas and balmy northern cities, to highly active.

Driving the news: After a mild and tranquil start, a parade of storms are bringing cold and snow for millions, and rain and wind for others, all within a matter of days.

The big picture: The multiple winter storms crossing the country can be partially traced to weather patterns high above the Arctic, specifically the contortions of the polar vortex and a strong area of high pressure meandering near Greenland.

Yes, but: A new study published Wednesday found that over the long term, there is a detectable trend toward less spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere, including in many places where the liquid contained in the snowpack is crucial to water supplies. ... Read more

Microsoft overtakes Apple as largest U.S. company on AI boost
Axios | Matt Phillips | 01/11/24

Microsoft has overtaken Apple as the largest U.S. company by market value.

Why it matters: It's a potential changing of the guard among tech titans.

The big picture: Microsoft has briefly overtaken Apple as the most valuable U.S. company on a couple of occasions since COVID hit.

Microsoft's recent romp higher - it's up more than 60% over the last 12 months, compared to Apple's 38% - reflects the fact that it's seen as well positioned for the AI boom that many investors view as a near certainty.

State of play: Microsoft was roughly flat on Thursday while Apple had slipped by about 0.8% shortly before noon. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 11, 2024 | 01/11/24 | 12:45
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 10, 2024 | 01/10/24 | 12:45
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wed/thurs January 10/11 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. "Nowhere Is Safe in Gaza": South Africa Lays Out Genocide Case vs. Israel at World Court in The Hague
  3. Palestinian Genocide Scholar & South African Lawyer on "Extreme Urgency" of World Court Case
  4. Gaza War Fuels Climate Crisis: "Massive" Carbon Emissions from Israeli Bombing
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wed/thurs January 10/11 (FULL) | 59:02
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  1. Headlines
  2. Why I Resigned: Meet Tariq Habash, First Biden Appointee to Quit over U.S.-Backed Israeli War on Gaza
  3. "Israel Is Starving Gaza": Israeli Rights Group B'Tselem Says IDF Is Using Hunger as a Weapon of War
Trump SCREWS himself, makes crushing admission on stage | btc | 01/11/24 | 8:41
Trump SNAPS, goes on UNHINGED rant amid disaster court appearance | btc | 01/11/24 | 10:25
The1a.org

Tuesday January 09, 2024

"A sorry record:" World Bank warns of miserable decade
Axios | Neil Irwin & Courtenay Brown | 01/09/24

The global economy of the 2020s will be more bleak - with sluggish economic activity, less trade growth and crushing borrowing costs - than the decade that preceded it.

Driving the news: This is the new warning from the World Bank Tuesday morning that says the global economy so far had its weakest performance in more than 30 years.

Why it matters: Economic prospects appear much brighter than a year ago as the global inflation shock recedes without tipping the world into a recession. But growth is slowing, with further threats from geopolitics and tightening credit conditions.

"As the world nears the midpoint of what was intended to be a transformative decade for development, the global economy is set to rack up a sorry record by the end of 2024," the World Bank says in its release.

Global growth will slow for the third consecutive year to 2.4%, down 0.2 percentage point from 2023, the "Global Economic Prospects" report projects. ... Read more

Yes, but: Some of the gloomiest of warnings about the economy last year have not played out - especially in the U.S.

Intense winter storm causes power outages, snares travel across U.S.
Axios | Rebecca Falconer & Andrew Freedman | 01/09/24

One in a fusillade of winter storms is bringing blizzard conditions, damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding and the threat of additional tornadoes across large parts of the U.S. Tuesday into Wednesday.

The big picture: A whopping 196 million people are under wind advisories, warnings and watches, including entire states from Florida to Maine, as a powerhouse cold front associated with an intensifying storm pushes east. ... Read more

Boeing 737 near-catastrophe lands company back in hot water
Axios | author | 01/09/24

Last week's near-catastrophe involving a Boeing 737 is drawing fresh scrutiny of the company and its manufacturing, quality control and safety practices.

The big picture: Boeing had been trying to revive its once-sterling reputation ever since a combined 346 people were killed in crashes involving its 737 MAX 8 in 2018 and 2019.

But then Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 - a Boeing 737 MAX 9 - returned to Portland International Airport shortly after takeoff last Friday after a "plugged" emergency exit door flew off, exposing passengers to the open air.

The aircraft landed safely with no fatalities. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 09, 2024 | 01/09/24 | 11:04
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 08, 2024 | 01/08/24 | 12:40
Biden's Refusal of Gaza Ceasefire Could Drag U.S. into Middle East War | DN | 01/08/24 | 15:21
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, January 09 (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. Profit Over Safety: Boeing Supplier Ignored Safety Warnings Before Jet Door Blowout, The Lever Reports
  3. "Complete Hypocrisy": Activist Bree Newsome Bass on Biden Fighting Racism While Funding Gaza Genocide
  4. "The Cost of Inheritance": Meet the Descendants of Enslavers and Enslaved Fighting for Reparations
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, January 08 (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. "Huge Miscalculation": Biden’s Refusal to Push for Gaza Ceasefire Could Drag U.S. into Middle East War
  3. Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate: Israel Is Targeting Media in Gaza to Hide Its Atrocities from the World
  4. "Wake-Up Call": Mother of Boeing Crash Victim & Boeing Whistleblower on Latest MAX Jet Disaster
Court decisions signal disaster for Republicans | btc | 01/08/24 | 12:44
The1a.org
Singing on Trump? Stunning report reveals top WH aide spilling secrets to Jack Smith | MSNBC | 01/09/24 | 10:32

Friday January 05, 2024

How the Republican Party memory-holed Jan. 6
Axios | Zachary Basu | 01/05/24

Three years on from Jan. 6, the GOP establishment's shock, shame and fury at the Trump-inspired mob that ransacked the Capitol has melted away in favor of realpolitik and revisionist history.

Why it matters: President Biden is preparing a full-court press - starting with two anniversary speeches and his first campaign ad of 2024 - to remind Americans of former President Trump's actions after the 2020 election.

Biden's bet is that when a binary choice is presented in November, voter fears about the threat Trump poses to democracy will outweigh their concerns about the economy and the border.

How we got here: The GOP's journey of reconciliation with Trump and Jan. 6 - to the point where 34% of Republicans recently polled falsely believe the FBI organized the Capitol attack - can be broken down into five key inflection points. ... Read more

The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You to See (2023)
The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You to See (2023) | Brian Dunning | 2023 | 1:33:19
Sirius by Dr. Greer
Sirius | Dr. Steven Greer | | 1:58:26
Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind by Dr. Greer
Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind: Contact Has Begun - Dr. Steven Greer | unidentifiedtv.com | | 1:58:43
Unacknowledged by Dr. Greer
Unacknowledged | Dr. Steven Greer | 2021 | 1:43:41
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 05, 2024 | 01/05/24 | 10:04
Meet Meital Yaniv, Former Israeli Soldier Turned Anti-Zionist Organizer | DN | 01/05/24 | 12:05
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, January 05 (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. "My Heart Is Still in Gaza": Palestinian Scientist Flees Israeli Bombs, Begs World to Stop Genocide
  3. "The IDF Should Not Exist": Meet Meital Yaniv, Former Israeli Soldier Turned Anti-Zionist Organizer
  4. Ralph Nader on Stopping Gaza War & Why Suppression of Palestine Advocacy Is the Real Problem on Campus
Trump and Republicans slammed with nightmare news | btc | 01/05/24 | 6:38
The1a.org
Hayes: There’s only one anti-Epstein candidate—and it’s not Trump or RFK Jr. | MSNBC | 01/05/24 | 13:56

Thursday January 04, 2024

From the Sierra Nevada to the Great Lakes, winter is running late
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/04/24

Ski areas across the U.S. and Canada are in increasingly desperate need of natural snow for a ski season that typically would already be in full swing.

The big picture: From the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada on eastward, milder and drier than average conditions have prevailed, preventing resorts from building up a wintry base for would-be skiers.

This season offers a preview of future winters, as the season warms faster than any other, partly in response to human-caused climate change. ... Read more

Winter storm to bring long-awaited snow to mid-Atlantic, Northeast this weekend
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/04/24

The long-running snow drought from Washington to Boston could end, or at least ease, as a winter storm develops and moves across the region this weekend.

Threat level: The event does not look like a major snowstorm for D.C., Baltimore or Philadelphia, but the New York to Boston corridor stands a much higher chance of receiving a more significant, plowable snowfall.

The big picture: The storm system likely to affect the heavily populated Amtrak Acela corridor is projected to spin up from a combination of atmospheric disturbances moving across the country. Into the weekend, these will tap into moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. ... Read more

Epstein-linked John Does are about to be named publicly. YEAH RIGHT.

BYD's Rapid Pivot to Electric Cars
Statista | Felix | 01/04/24

There is perhaps no better example of China's rapid transformation towards electric mobility than BYD. The carmaker successfully pivoted from international combustion vehicles to what's known as "new energy vehicles" in China, i.e. battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. As our chart shows, the company did so at breakneck speed, ramping up production of its electric passenger vehicles at a pace European or American legacy carmakers can only dream of. ... Read more

Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 04, 2024 | 01/04/24 | 9:42
Can Russia Be Defeated? Nina Khrushcheva on Why "the West Must Face Reality in Ukraine" | DN | 01/04/24 | 12:50
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, January 04 (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. Deadly Bombing in Iran Could Exacerbate "Shadow War" with U.S. & Israel: Historian Arash Azizi
  3. Can Russia Be Defeated? Nina Khrushcheva on Why "the West Must Face Reality in Ukraine"
  4. AMC Theater Tosses Bishop William Barber for Bringing Disability Chair to See "The Color Purple"
Trump makes CONSEQUENTIAL move to US Supreme Court | btc | 01/04/24 | 10:16
The1a.org
Murder at the State of the Union? Nightmare Trump scenarios outlined in DOJ coup case | MSNBC | 01/03/24 | 12:22

Wednesday January 03, 2024

Epstein-linked John Does are about to be named publicly.
CNN | Allison Morrow, Michelle Watson, Kara Scannell, Emma Tucker and Samantha Delouya | 01/03/24

New York (CNN) The identities of dozens of people linked to Jeffrey Epstein are expected to be revealed as soon as this week, potentially removing a cloak of anonymity that had shielded much of the accused sex trafficker's prominent network of friends and business partners from public scrutiny.

The expected revelations in a trove of court documents come more than four years after Epstein, a convicted sex offender who nevertheless kept elite company, died in jail while awaiting federal sex-trafficking charges.

For years, the names of many of Epstein's accusers and associates had been redacted in court documents, referred to only as a John Doe or Jane Doe.

But last month, a federal judge in New York ordered the documents to be released with nearly 200 names unredacted. Some names, including those of accusers who were under 18, will remain anonymous. ... Read more

Iran: Scores killed in blasts near ceremony honoring slain commander Soleimani
Axios | Barak Ravid | 01/03/24

More than 100 people were killed on Wednesday in two explosions near a ceremony honoring a top Iranian commander killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020, Iranian state media reported, citing an emergency services official.

The big picture: It was unclear what - or who - was behind the explosions, but state media quoted an official in Kerman, the province where the blasts took place, as saying they were caused by "terrorist attacks." More than 100 others were injured. ... Read more

Who Funds Canary Mission? by James Bamford
Who Funds Canary Mission? James Bamford on Group That Doxes Students & Profs for Palestine Activism | DN | 12/27/23 | 11:47
Longtime investigative journalist James Bamford's latest piece for The Nation looks at Canary Mission, a shadowy pro-Israel group that publishes the photos and personal details of students who take part in Palestinian advocacy on U.S. colleges, branding them antisemites and often damaging their career prospects. Bamford explains how this operation has direct links to the Israeli government, and that wealthy Americans who fund this effort could be breaking the law by acting as agents of a foreign power. "The purpose is to blacklist and dox students, professors, and largely anybody who disagrees with Israel or is pro-Palestinian," Bamford tells Democracy Now!
"When exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, you are being ruled by criminals." - Edward Snowden
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 03, 2024 | 01/03/24 | 13:49
Israel's Push to Expel Residents of Gaza | DN | 01/03/24 | 8:49
Is Assassination of Hamas Official in Lebanon a Warning Sign of Wider War? | DN | 01/03/24 | 9:34
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, January 03 (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. From Plagiarism to Gaza: Khalil Gibran Muhammad on How a GOP Campaign Ousted Harvard's Claudine Gay
  3. "This Is the Republican Party": Khalil Gibran Muhammad Says Nikki Haley’s Slavery Flub Was No Accident
  4. Assassination of Hamas Official in Lebanon Raises Risk of Israel's War on Gaza Expanding Across Region
  5. "Voluntary Migration" or Ethnic Cleansing? Mouin Rabbani on Israel's Push to Expel Residents of Gaza
The1a.org

Tuesday January 02, 2024

The world's hottest year may soon be an average one
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/02/24

Humanity's hottest year in at least 125,000 is now over. But with further warming ahead, we may soon look back on it as an average year, rather than an aberration.

Why it matters: Climate change dominated the headlines at several points during 2023, despite armed conflicts around the world, the unprecedented criminal indictments of a former U.S. president, and other major stories.

The big picture: Last year's warming surprised many climate scientists and policymakers alike, and contributed to the sense of urgency diplomats addressed during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. ... Read more

The New York Times sues OpenAI, Microsoft over use of its stories used to train chatbots
Displaced woman gives birth to quadruplets in central Gaza

I Calculated How Much of My Money the U.S. Sent to Kill Palestinians. You Can Too.
The Intercept | Jon Schwarz | 12/28/23

AS 2023 ENDS, I've been asking myself: How much money am I, personally, contributing to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and its attack on Gaza?

The Israeli assault on Gaza launched after the October 7 attacks by Hamas has so far killed more than 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including thousands of children and over 100 journalists. Nearly 90 percent of the territory's residents have been displaced, and it has been calledOpens in a new tab "one of this century's most destructive wars."

So how much have I chipped in to create this hell on earth? The best answer I've come up with is $150. There are two ways of looking at this number. ... Read more

Kim Jong Un tells North Korea to Prepare for War
Kim Jong Un tells North Korea to Prepare for War | Firstpost | 12/27/23 | 5:45
Kim Jong Un has once again told the country to "Accelerate War Preparations." Kim cites American provocations as the reason behind the latest build up. North Korea recently test-fired a nuclear-capable missile that can supposedly reach any part of the US. Is Kim's latest diktat a sign that he intends to go to war? Or is Kim just playing for the galley?
Top U.S. & World Headlines - January 02, 2024 | 01/02/24 | 14:57
South Africa Files Case Against Israel at International Court of Justice over "Genocidal" Gaza War | DN | 01/02/24 | 22:43
Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Tuesday, January 02 (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. South Africa Files Case Against Israel at International Court of Justice over "Genocidal" War on Gaza
  3. AIPAC vs. AOC & The Squad: Pro-Israel Lobby Group to Spend $100M to Target Progressive Lawmakers
Fox News faces EXISTENTIAL threat | btc | 01/02/24 | 10:44
The1a.org




02.10.2011. 07:16



Special Interest Important stuff
GOOD Shorts Videos

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GOOD Short Videos
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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