Russia is betting big on Cuba as it courts alternative economic partners
Russia is expanding economic and trade ties with Cuba as over 100 companies start operations in sectors like heavy industry, energy, and agriculture. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a wreath-laying ceremony at Jose Marti Monument in Havana, Cuba, February 19, 2024.ACN/Handout/ReutersRussia is expanding its economic and trade ties with Cuba, per TASS.Russia has been pivoting to alternative markets in the face of Western sanctions.Cuba — which has been sanctioned by the US for decades — has been in an economic crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.Russia has set its sights on broader economic and trade ties with Cuba.Over 100 Russian companies have started operations in Cuba over the past year, Dmitry Chernyshenko, a Russian deputy prime minister, said on Friday, according to TASS state news agency.The companies are involved in various sectors including heavy industry, energy, banking, agriculture, IT, and tourism, Chernyshenko said at an intergovernmental meeting between Russia and Cuba. He did not name any companies.Some Russian banks are also considering opening representative offices in Cuba, Chernyshenko added. He did not name any banks but said the rollout of Russia's Mir card in Cuba last year was a milestone.The developments will boost bilateral trade, he said."Cuba is a reliable Russia's ally," said Chernyshenko, according to an online post by the Russian government. "Today's meeting confirms the policy of strengthening Russian-Cuban relations."Russia has pivoted to alternative marketsChernyshenko's trumpeting of Russia's economic ties with Cuba comes two years after President Vladimir Putin's regime invaded Ukraine, triggering sweeping Western sanctions against Moscow.The trade restrictions hit Russia's trade with Europe, traditionally its single largest market.But Russia has managed to keep its economy humming by pivoting its trade to alternative markets including India, China, and Iran. It's even building rail lines to create what one analyst called "a trade route for the pariahs" with heavily sanctioned Iran.Moscow is also aligning itself closer to Cuba, which was already an ally.In November, Russia and Cuba inked an agreement for a trade and economic cooperation program that aims to strengthen ties between the two countries.Despite the close relationship, Moscow-Havana ties appeared to show cracks in September when the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it was working to "neutralize and dismantle" a "human trafficking network" in Russia that was recruiting Cubans to fight the war in Ukraine.A Reuters investigation published in the same month found that some poor Cubans who signed up to fight had been lured by Russian offers for signing bonuses and fast-track citizenships.Cuba has been sanctioned by the US for decades. The country has been in an economic crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting many citizens to flee to the US. Cuba's inflation rate hit 30% in 2023 while food and medicine shortages are frequent, per media reports.On Sunday, hundreds of people in Santiago — Cuba's second-largest city — staged a rare public protest against blackouts that stretched for 18 hours or more a day, Reuters reported.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
An ex-Biden aide said Obama staffers thought Biden would "suck" in the White House
"They didn't think he'd be organized enough to execute," a former Biden aide told Axios of the sentiment about the former No. 2 among Obama staffers. President Joe Biden.Saul Loeb via AFP/Getty ImagesSome among Obama's team were skeptical that Biden would be an effective leader in the White House."The Obama people thought Biden would suck as president," an ex-Biden aide recently told Axios.The Axios report detailed a relationship between Obama and Biden that is respectful but complicated.President Joe Biden's administration is filled with aides who also served under President Barack Obama, with many staffers who've worked with both Democratic leaders having maintained tight bonds over the years.But according to Axios, some of Obama's former staffers were also highly skeptical that Biden would be an effective president."The Obama people thought Biden would suck as president," an ex-Biden aide told the outlet. "They didn't think he'd be organized enough to execute."Axios also reported that some Biden aides have been dismayed that a significant number of ex-Obama staffers were able to secure higher-level positions in the Biden administration over many aides who'd been with the president for a longer period of time.However, the relationship between Biden and Obama has remained "respectful," according to Axios.During Obama's presidency, much was written about Biden's more freewheeling style on the campaign trail as well as the former Delaware senator's ability to cut legislative deals with lawmakers across ideological stripes.Obama, who walked into the Oval Office after serving less than four years in the Senate, leaned on Biden's expertise in Washington as he worked to advance some of the administration's biggest legislative accomplishments — which included the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Affordable Care Act.And Obama will return the favor in the coming months, as he'll stump for Biden across the country ahead of what is likely to be a tight reelection contest against former President Donald Trump.In response to the Axios report, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates pointed to the longtime relationship between the two men."As President Biden has said, President Obama is family to him," he told the outlet, adding that the president "talks to both former President Obama and President [Bill] Clinton often."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Trial shocker: Jurors can hear about a 2015 Trump Tower meeting that prosecutors say was a hush-money huddle hosted by Trump
The judge for Trump's Manhattan felony trial is also allowing Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, and Michael Cohen to testify. Former President Donald Trump mingles with supporters in Clinton, Iowa.AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallTrump's first of four felony criminal trials is on track to start in mid-April.In a loss for Trump, the judge ruled Monday that jurors can hear about a 2015 Trump Tower meeting.At the meeting, Trump huddled about hush money with Michael Cohen and a National Enquirer executive.In a blow to former President Donald Trump's prospects in his upcoming Manhattan felony trial, the judge ruled Monday that jurors can hear about a Trump Tower meeting where prosecutors say Trump was physically present as hush money was discussed.News of the August 2015 meeting and Trump's involvement was first revealed in November 2018 by The Wall Street Journal.Federal prosecutors in Manhattan alleged the meeting was evidence of a criminal end-run around campaign finance regulations, CNN reported.Trump's side had fought to exclude any mention of the hush-money huddle from the trial, which is on track to start in mid-April.In still more bad news for Trump, the judge also ruled Monday that two women who alleged they had sexual encounters with Trump — adult film actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal — can testify at the trial.So can Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, who in 2018 pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations for making the Daniels hush-money payment — on Trump's behalf, he alleged.Trump's lawyers had fought to exclude all three from the trial.Trump has denied having a sexual relationship with either Daniels or McDougal.The Trump Tower meeting was attended by Trump, Cohen, and David Pecker, then chairman of American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, according to Monday's ruling by state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the judge who will preside over the trial.State prosecutors allege Trump falsified business records to hide an illegal $130,000 payment that silenced Daniels just 11 days before he won the presidency. The Trump Tower meeting is key to understanding that allegation, Merchan wrote.The meeting is "inextricably woven with the narrative of events, that is, the steps that eventually led to the purchasing of information from, among others, Daniels," the judge wrote.Merchan's decision is significant. Testimony and evidence linking the former president directly to strategy sessions over hush money payments to Daniels and other Trump accusers will make it harder for the defense to minimize his involvement in the payments.Trump's lawyers have said he relied on legal advice and had no intention of violating campaign finance laws, as prosecutors allege.The ruling is also significant in that it expands the boundaries of testimony for Cohen and Pecker, two former Trump confidantes who are now poised to do serious damage as prosecution witnesses.Under Monday's ruling, both may now debut on the witness stand their firsthand accounts of how the National Enquirer attempted to place its thumb on the scales to help Trump in the 2016 election.Prosecutors allege the 2015 Trump Tower meeting involved discussions of how the supermarket tabloid could publish flattering stories about Trump and negative stories about his opponents, the judge wrote."The Court grants the People's motion with respect to the introduction of evidence surrounding the Trump Tower Meeting," he wrote."The highly probative value of this evidence is not outweighed by any potential undue prejudice to the Defendant," the judge continued."As such, the evidence the People seek to introduce regarding this meeting is admissible provided a proper foundation is laid and it meets evidentiary standards."The judge wrote that he was reserving a decision on "the aspect of the Trump Tower meeting that involves the allegations that AMI sought to publish flattering stories about the Defendant while seeking to publish denigrating stories about his opponents."Prosecutors will have to show that such "flattering stories" evidence has a probative value that outweighs its prejudicial effect, the judge wrote.Also, in Monday's ruling, the judge rejected Trump's request that prosecutors make no mention of Trump's role in influencing the 2016 election or of the National Enquirer's "catch and kill" practices.Jurors will not see the "Access Hollywood" tape, but prosecutors can make reference to the tape and its alleged role in motivating Trump to purchase Daniels' silence, the judge also ruled.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Biden Blames Trump For Derailing The Border Deal... But Are Voters Buying It?
Biden Blames Trump For Derailing The Border Deal... But Are Voters Buying It? Authored by Emel Akan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The border crisis is putting President Joe Biden in a tough spot. His approval ratings have suffered due to the ongoing problem, but he’s now trying to leverage the failure of the Senate border bill to blame former President Donald Trump for the crisis. “Every day between now and November, the American people are going to know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” President Biden said in early February after Republicans in Congress tanked a bipartisan border bill he was prepared to sign into law. (Illustration by The Epoch Times, Getty Images) However, recent polls show that the president’s message doesn’t appear to be resonating with independent voters and many of his supporters, who are concerned about his failure to address the border issue. In his recent State of the Union address, President Biden continued to shift the blame to his predecessor and Republicans in Congress, saying “politics have derailed” his recent border deal. “We can fight about the border, or we can fix it. I’m ready to fix it. Send me the border bill now,” he said in a fiery address. However, Democrats are divided on the issue. Progressives are against any potential limitation on asylum. They want to safeguard the ability of illegal immigrants to seek asylum at the border. In the early days of the Biden administration, they played a significant role in shaping the immigration policy of the president and reversing the Trump administration’s border measures. Meanwhile, Democrats in red or swing states and districts express concern about the surge in illegal crossings. They call on President Biden to take executive action to address the problem. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a rare red state Democrat in the Senate, sent a letter to President Biden on Feb. 29 urging him to to secure the border. “What’s happening at the southern border is unacceptable, plain and simple,” he wrote in the letter. “I respectfully urge you to use all of the remaining tools at your disposal to strengthen border security where executive action is possible.” President Joe Biden speaks with Border Patrol agents near the U.S.–Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas, on Feb. 29, 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) The Majority Wants Trump’s Border Wall More than 6 in 10 Americans describe illegal immigration as a very serious problem, a new Monmouth University poll found. The same poll showed 53 percent of Americans support building a border wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. This marks the first time a majority of respondents have backed the measure since the polling institute began asking the question in 2015. During the Trump administration, support for building a wall didn’t rise above 44 percent. Republicans and independents showed strong support for a border wall in the most recent survey, with 86 percent and 58 percent in favor, respectively. In contrast, only 17 percent of Democrats supported the idea. “Illegal immigration has taken center stage as a defining issue this presidential election year. Other Monmouth polling found this to be Biden’s weakest policy area, including among his fellow Democrats,” Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement. Meanwhile, 61 percent of respondents support President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” program, according to the same poll. The Trump administration implemented the program, which requires would-be asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico while their claims are processed. On his first day in office, President Biden stopped adding illegal immigrants to the “Remain in Mexico” program and began releasing more illegal immigrants into the United States. In October 2021, Secretary Mayorkas issued a memo repealing the program in its entirety. Mr. Mayorkas claimed that asylum seekers had been “exposed to harm while waiting in Mexico” under the scheme. However, the program has been touted by border security advocates for its effectiveness in curbing illegal immigration because it ended “catch-and-release,” the practice in which illegal immigrants are released into the United States with a court date far in the future. The U.S. border wall in Jacumba, Calif., on Feb 22, 2024. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) ‘Too Little, Too Late’ Just a week before his State of the Union address, President Biden made a trip to the southern border to amplify his message that Republicans thwarted his border deal. His visit to Brownsville, Texas, coincided with former President Trump’s trip to Eagle Pass, Texas. The National Border Patrol Council, which supported the border agreement, slammed the president’s planned trip to Brownsville as a tactic to rescue his presidency, calling it “too little, too late.” Brownsville was once a hot spot for illegal immigration on the southern border. The city declared a state of emergency in May 2023. John Cowen, mayor of Brownsville, stated that his city, with fewer than 200,000 residents, has helped more than 240,000 illegal immigrants since 2021. The illegal crossings have decreased notably in recent months, thanks partly to the Texas governor’s initiatives to prevent illegal immigration, including building anti-climb barriers and turning illegal immigrants back to Mexico. It had been the busiest region for illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border for about a decade. Pedro Cardenas, a commissioner for the city of Brownsville, believes that the influx is not over. He says there are thousands of migrants in Matamoros, Mexico, on the other side of the border waiting for their appointment under the new U.S. government’s phone app program. As part of President Biden’s expanded parole program, asylum seekers can schedule an appointment using the Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) phone app, known as CBP One, while waiting outside the country. Migrants who obtain an appointment can enter the United States via a port of entry and apply for a work permit after being released from U.S. custody. Conservatives have slammed the president’s decision to expand the program, accusing him of misusing the administration’s immigration authority. Illegal immigrants gather after crossing the U.S. border wall in Jacumba, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2024. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Mr. Cardenas, who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, told the Epoch Times that the president’s visit was overdue. “I think he should have been here a little earlier,” he said. “When we had thousands of people crossing daily, he was not here.” Mr. Cardenas said that he would wait to see how things unfold in the coming months before deciding on whether to vote for President Biden in November. He said he wants to see a shift in policy and concrete steps from the president to address the border problem. Martin Aguilera, 50, is the son of migrants from Mexico. He was born and raised in Brownsville. He blames both President Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for the border crisis. “I voted for President Biden. I thought he was going to be a good president. But I don’t see that,” he told The Epoch Times. “I’m a Democrat, but I’m going to vote for Trump.” Mr. Aguilera said that the 2024 election will be his first time voting for a Republican president. “My mother and father came from Mexico, and they came to work legally,” Mr. Aguilera said. He’s upset about how his and other taxpayers’ money is being spent on illegal immigrants. He criticized, for example, the Southwest Key program in his county, which receives funding from the federal government to offer shelter for unaccompanied minors through the Department of Health and Human Services. “Those kids misbehave. They do whatever they want. They fight with other people. Nobody can do anything about it because the government is protecting those kids. They get the best food. They get the best clothes. Who pays? We’re paying for them,” he said. “They receive special treatment, including psychologists, doctors, and eye doctors. They get everything for free. If I want to see a doctor, I have to pay a lot of money.” Read more here... Tyler Durden Mon, 03/18/2024 - 13:25.....»»
Escobar: Will BRICS Launch A New World Order In 2024?
Escobar: Will BRICS Launch A New World Order In 2024? Authored by Pepe Escobar via The Cradle, BRICS doubled its membership at the start of 2024, and faces huge tasks ahead: integrating its newest members, developing future admission criteria, deepening the institution's groundings, and most importantly, launching the mechanisms for bypassing the US dollar in international finance. Across the Global South, countries are lining up to join the multipolar BRICS and the Hegemon-free future it promises. The onslaught of interest has become an unavoidable theme of discussion during this crucial year of the Russian presidency of what, for the moment, is BRICS-10. Indonesia and Nigeria are among the top tiers of candidates likely to join. The same applies to Pakistan and Vietnam. Mexico is in a very complex bind: how to join without summoning the ire of the Hegemon. And then there's the new candidacy on a roll: Yemen, which enjoys plenty of support from Russia, China, and Iran. It's been up to Russia's top BRICS sherpa, the immensely capable Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, to clarify what's ahead. He tells TASS: We must provide a platform for the countries interested in rapprochement with the BRICS, where they will be able to work practically without feeling left behind and joining this cooperation rhythm. And as to how the further expansion will be decided upon – this should be postponed at least until the leaders convene in Kazan to decide. The key decision on BRICS+ expansion will only come out of the Kazan summit next October. Ryabkov stresses that the order of the day is first "to integrate those who have just joined." This means that "as a 'ten,' we work at least as efficiently, or, rather, more efficiently than we did within the initial 'five.'" Only then will the BRICS-10 "develop the category of partner states," which, in fact, means creating a consensus-based list out of the dozens of nations that are literally itching to join the club. Ryabkov always makes a point to note, in public and in private, that the twofold increase of BRICS members starting on 1 January 2024 is "an unprecedented event for any international structure." It isn't an easy task, Ryabkov says: Last year, it took an entire year to develop the admission, expansion criteria at the level of top officials. Many reasonable things were developed. And many of the things that were formulated back then got reflected in the list of countries that joined. But it would probably be improper to formalize the requirements. At the end of the day, an admission to the association is a subject of political decision. What happens after Russia's presidential elections In a private meeting with a few select individuals on the sidelines of the recent multipolar conference in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke effusively of BRICS, with particular emphasis on his counterparts Wang Yi of China and S. Jaishankar of India. Lavrov holds great expectations for BRICS-10 this year – at the same time, reminding everyone that this is still a club; it must eventually go deeper in institutional terms, for instance, by appointing a secretariat-general, just like its cousin-style organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The Russian presidency will have its hands full for the next few months, not only navigating the geopolitical spectrum of current crises but, most of all, geoeconomics. A crucial ministerial meeting in June – only three months away – will have to define a detailed road map all the way to the Kazan summit four months later. What happens after this week's Russian presidential elections will also condition BRICS policy. A new Russian government will be sworn in only by early May. It is widely expected that there will be no substantial changes within the Russian Finance Ministry, Central Bank, Foreign Ministry, and among top Kremlin advisers. Continuity will be the norm. And that brings us to the key geoeconomics dossier: the BRICS at the forefront of bypassing the US dollar in international finance. Last week, top Kremlin adviser Yury Ushakov announced that BRICS will work towards setting up an independent payment system based on digital currencies and blockchain. Ushakov specifically emphasized "state-of-the-art tools such as digital technologies and blockchain. The main thing is to make sure it is convenient for governments, common people, and businesses, as well as cost-effective and free of politics." Ushakov did not mention it explicitly, but a new alternative system already exists. For the moment, it is a closely, carefully guarded project in the form of a detailed white paper that has already been validated academically and also incorporates answers to possible frequently asked questions. The Cradle was briefed on the system via several meetings since last year with a small group of world-class fintech experts. The system has already been presented to Ushakov himself. As it stands, it is on the verge of receiving a final green light from the Russian government. After clearing a series of tests, the system in thesis would be ready to be presented to all BRICS-10 members before the Kazan summit. This all ties in with Ushakov publicly declaring that a specific task for 2024 is to increase the role of BRICS in the international monetary/ financial system. Ushakov recalls how, in the 2023 Johannesburg Declaration, the BRICS heads of state focused on increasing settlements in national currencies and strengthening correspondent banking networks. The target was to "continue to develop the Contingent Reserve Arrangement, primarily regarding the use of currencies different from the US dollar." No single currency for the foreseeable future All of the above frames the absolute key issue being currently discussed in Moscow, within the Russia–China partnership, and soon, deeper among the BRICS-10: alternative settlement payments to the US dollar, increased trade among "friendly nations," and controls on capital flight. Ryabkov added more crucial elements to the debate, saying this week that the BRICS are not debating the implementation of a single currency: As for a single currency, similar to what was created by the European Union, this is hardly possible in the foreseeable future. If we are talking about clearing forms of mutual settlements such as the ECU [European Currency Unit] at an early stage of development of the European Union, in the absence of a real means of payment, but the opportunity to more effectively use the available resources of the countries in mutual settlements to avoid losses due to differences in exchange rates, and so on, then this is precisely the path along which, in my opinion, BRICS should move. This is under consideration. The key takeaway, per Ryabkov, is that the BRICS should not create a financial and monetary alliance; they should create payment and settlement systems that do not depend upon the shifty "rules-based international order." That's exactly the emphasis of the ideas and experiments already developed by Minister of Integration and Macroeconomy at the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU) Sergei Glazyev, as he explained in an exclusive interview, as well as the new groundbreaking project on the verge of being greenlighted by the Russian government. Ryabkov confirmed that "a group of experts, led by the Ministries of Finance and representatives of the Central Banks of the respective [BRICS] countries," is working nonstop on the dossier. Moreover, there are "consultations in other formats, including with the participation of representatives of the 'historical west.'" Ryabkov's own takeaway mirrors what the BRICS as a whole are aiming at: Collectively, we must come up with a product that would be, on the one hand, quite ambitious (because it is impossible to continue to tolerate the dictates of the west in this area), but at the same time realistic, not out of touch with the ground. That is, a product that would be efficient. And all this should be presented in Kazan for consideration by the leaders. In a nutshell: the big breakthrough may be literally knocking at the BRICS door. It just depends on a simple green light by the Russian government. Now compare the BRICS devising the contours of a new geoeconomics paradigm with the collective west mulling the actual theft of Russia's seized assets to the benefit of the black hole that is Ukraine. Apart from being a de facto declaration by the US and EU against Russia, this is something that carries the potential, in itself, of totally smashing the current global financial system. A theft of Russian assets, would it ever happen, will render livid, to put it mildly, at least two key BRICS members, China and Saudi Arabia, who bring to the table considerable economic heft. Such a move by the west would completely destroy the concept of the rule of law, which theoretically underpins the global financial system. The Russian response will be fierce. The Russian Central Bank could, in a flash, sue and confiscate the assets of Belgian Euroclear, one of the world's largest settlement and clearing systems, on whose accounts Russian reserves were frozen. And that on top of seizing Euroclear's assets in Russia – which amount to roughly 33 billion euros. With Euroclear running out of capital, the Belgian Central Bank will have to revoke its license, causing a massive financial crisis. Talk about a clash of paradigms: western robbery versus a Global South-based equitable trade and finance settlement system. Tyler Durden Sun, 03/17/2024 - 23:20.....»»
Putin Wins Fifth Term As Russian President With 87% Of The Vote
Putin Wins Fifth Term As Russian President With 87% Of The Vote Update: It will surprise no one that Vladimir Putin secured another six years as Russia’s president - effectively ensuring that he will surpass Joseph Stalin as Russia's longest-serving ruler should he successfully complete his latest term when he will be 77-year-old - in a bid to step up his war in Ukraine and challenge the West, with the Kremlin claiming record public support for him in a vote whose outcome was largely pre-determined even without mystery sacks of mail-in ballots arriving at 3am. Congratulstions to all Russia's enemies on Vladimir Putin's brilliant victory in the election of the President of the Russian Federation! And a thank you to friends for the support — Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) March 17, 2024 Putin won 87%, according to an exit poll broadcast on state television late Sunday, shortly after the end of three days of voting. That exceeded the previous high of 77% support that the incumbent president received in 2018 elections, according to Bloomberg. Russian State Media is showing Exit Polls from the ongoing Presidential Election, with current President Vladimir Putin receiving upwards of 87% of the Vote likely Securing his Presidency until at least 2030. pic.twitter.com/IrVSwj8HqO — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 17, 2024 Three other candidates, all from parties loyal to the Kremlin, received no more than 5% support. Nearly 4.5 million people voted online in a system used in 29 of Russia’s regions for the first time in a presidential election, the Interfax news service reported, citing government data. Preliminary turnout was 74.22% - the largest in over 3 decades - according to Central Election Commission data shown on state TV. That turnout was the highest since Boris Yeltsin became president in 1991 after the Soviet Union’s collapse, and well above the 67.5% turnout recorded in 2018. At least six Russian regions claimed turnout was above 90%. Of note, according to the CEC, Putin received 94.12% of the votes after processing 100% of the protocols in the presidential elections of the Russian Federation in the Lugansk People's Republic, which is located in the contest Donetsk region. Putin is extending his nearly quarter-century rule into a fifth term at a time when his troops are on the offensive in Ukraine. Russia’s pressing its advantage in the third year of the invasion that’s become Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, as Ukraine struggles to supply its forces with munitions amid delays in military aid from its US and European allies. The election outcome “gives Putin every chance to implement any, even the toughest, scenarios in Ukraine,” said Pavel Danilin, head of the Moscow-based Center for Political Analysis, which advises the Kremlin. The “historically high result is a guarantee that the majority of the population supports Putin,” he said. Putin's victory comes as Russia’s economy has fully weathered the shock of international sanctions since it began the February 2022 invasion, thanks to a continuing flow of energy revenue - which the west has been terrified to halt as it would mean a surge in global energy prices and a rout for Biden in the November 2024 elections - and a massive injection of government spending to support the defense industry and shield domestic businesses. Meanwhile, trade with China is booming as Russia reorients its economy away from markets in Europe. As noted above, Russia organized voting in occupied areas of Ukraine and that claimed turnout far exceeded 80%, even as millions of people have fled the regions since the invasion. The foreign ministry in Kyiv said the “pseudo-elections” were illegal, by which they probably mean they were not predetermined by neocon demi-god Victoria Nuland, or whoever it is that will replace her in the Deep State. * * * Earlier: The first round of the presidential election in Russia is taking place from Friday to Sunday this weekend. It will be the country's eighth presidential election and more than 112 million voters will be called to the polls. While four candidates are in the running, Statista's Katharina Buchholz reports that there is almost no doubt among observers that Vladimir Putin will be re-elected for a fifth term in the first round. The only real unknown is the share of votes he will receive. During the last presidential election in 2018, this number stood at around 77 percent. You will find more infographics at Statista In power for around a quarter of a century - spanning four presidential terms and two terms as prime minister between 1999 and 2000 and between 2008 and 2012 - Putin has spent a total of almost 9,000 days at the helm of the country. If he is re-elected this weekend, the ensuing six-year term of approximately 2,190 days will likely make him Russia's longest serving leader since the start of the twentieth century. This record is currently held by Joseph Stalin, who led the country between 1924 and 1953 for a total of 10,636 days. Putin became Russia's second longest-serving leader overtaking Brezhnev in 2017 late into his third term as president. During Dmitry Medvedev's presidency from 2008 to 2012, Russian law was amended to extend presidential terms from two terms of four years to two terms of six years. This change was also designed to reset terms served and therefore enabled Putin to win another two terms. A decade later, in 2021, Putin signed another law setting the limit at two presidential mandates per person in a lifetime, again paradoxically resetting terms already served and thereby exempting him for a second time. Tyler Durden Sun, 03/17/2024 - 15:05.....»»
RFK Jr To Name Sergey Brin"s Ex-Wife As Running Mate: Report
RFK Jr To Name Sergey Brin's Ex-Wife As Running Mate: Report After previously thinking NY Jets quarterback Aaron Rogers might be the right person to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr is now planning to select 38-year-old Nicole Shanahan, the wealthy ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, as his running mate. This according to a Saturday Mediaite report that cited "a source close to the campaign." Shanahan is a Bay Area lawyer and tech entrepreneur who's been a Democratic Party benefactor and donated to Biden's 2020 campaign. In a February Times profile, she described herself as a "progressive through and through." Aside from opening her wallet, she has no political profile whatsoever, seemingly not even having spoken out or written about issues of the day. Nicole Shanahan and her then-husband Sergey Brin (Ian Tuttle/Getty via Vanity Fair) Last week, the New York Times reported that, in addition to the NFL's Rogers, Kennedy was considering former Minnesota Gov and Predator co-star Jesse Ventura, among others. Mediaite's source said RFK Jr and Shanahan "align on numerous issues," including wariness about vaccines. The source also candidly spotlighted what is likely the principal attraction: "The campaign is also looking for a candidate who can help finance the ballot access initiative.” The campaign says that effort comes with a $15 million price tag. With under eight months to the election, he's only on four ballots: Hawaii, Nevada, New Hampshire and Utah. Multiple states require the naming of a running mate before giving approval, which is why his decision is coming soon. This leak doesn't exactly sound like a coordinated trial balloon, as a source close to the campaign proceeded to throw Shanahan under the bus: “She might be infusing millions of dollars into the campaign to help fund the ballot initiative, which makes her attractive financially; however, she lacks the qualifications to actually do the job." Shanahan helped bankroll Kennedy's Super Bowl ad, giving $4 million to the American Values 2024 PAC that's supporting him. That represented a major change of heart: When Kennedy announced last fall that he was bailing on the rigged Democratic nomination process, Shanahan was "incredibly disappointed" and, at the time, decided not to back him, despite having given him a $6,000 maximum contribution in May, while he was trying to dislodge Biden. RFK Jr. says he has an “extraordinary” VP pick, “but it’s not any of the people they’ve been talking about.” “It’s somebody that is going to surprise people and I think the country is really gonna fall in love with.” @RobertKennedyJr pic.twitter.com/jhZaoCLvNb — Holden Culotta (@Holden_Culotta) March 16, 2024 Mediaite was also first to report Kennedy's decision to go independent. On Wednesday, the outlet found that Kennedy advisor Link Lipsitz registered the kennedyshanahan.com web domain, and observed that the page was ready to facilitate donations. When ZeroHedge tried accessing it, however, we received a "connection not private" warning for the site. A Kennedy campaign spokesperson declined to confirm the report, merely telling the New York Post, "There has been a lot of speculation in the media about Mr. Kennedy’s pick of vice presidential running mate. The official announcement will be on March 26 in Oakland." Last summer, the Wall Street Journal reported that Shanahan's 2023 divorce from Brin was sparked by a brief affair she had with Elon Musk. In addition to ending the five-year marriage, the Journal said the episode also terminated a long friendship between Musk and Brin. Musk called the report "total bs": This is total bs. Sergey and I are friends and were at a party together last night! I’ve only seen Nicole twice in three years, both times with many other people around. Nothing romantic. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2022 Tyler Durden Sun, 03/17/2024 - 15:45.....»»
VDH: Elite Heaven Or Real Hell On Earth?
VDH: Elite Heaven Or Real Hell On Earth? Authored by Victor Davis Hanson, The horrific murder of Laken Riley by a repeated felony offender and illegal alien Jose Ibarra, 26, a Venezuelan citizen, was preventable — had federal immigration laws simply been enforced by the Biden administration. When called out in his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden referenced the deceased Riley. But Biden misidentified her as “Lincoln Riley” — the USC football coach! Biden only accurately noted that she “was killed by an ‘illegal.'” True — but almost immediately the left was infuriated over Biden’s accurate use of the supposedly insensitive “illegal” for the murderer Ibarra. Biden soon apologized for correctly identifying her killer as an illegal alien — but not for misidentifying the victim. He left the callous impression that he was more upset about offending his open-borders base than about the savage beating of a young 22-year-old American nursing student. Biden’s woke open-borders agenda supersedes any worry over the subsequent mounting number of Americans who have fallen victim to foreign gangs and criminals. He seems oblivious to the nearly 100,000 Americans who die from fentanyl imported across open borders. The same idea of abstract humanity juxtaposed with concrete callousness towards humans characterizes much of the current leftist agenda. The Biden administration envisions mandating the use of electric vehicles and banning natural gas appliances. These measures will supposedly help “save” the planet — even as they make life far more expensive and dangerous for the middle class and poor in the here and now. We are told that biologically born males who transition to females have a civil right to compete in female sports. Such transgender activism may sound compassionate in the abstract. Yet in the concrete, thousands of women are put in danger by competing against the much larger musculoskeletal frames and natural strength of transitioning males. Moreover, tens of thousands of young female athletes are losing opportunities to excel and set records — thus destroying over a half-century of women’s efforts to reach parity with men’s sports. In 2021, United Airlines president Scott Kirby bragged that his company was now devoted to ensuring that 50 percent of all trained pilots would be either people of color or women. The Federal Aviation Administration had similar diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates for hiring air traffic controllers. In 2023, Boeing bragged that it was using “inclusion” as a criterion for executive compensation. Pay from now on would be calibrated in large part on the success of hiring new employees on the basis of their race, gender, and sexual orientation. In the abstract, ensuring that air travel “looks like America” is no doubt a noble goal. But if such subordination of meritocracy is canonized without proper attention to the only criterion that really matters — the safety of the nearly 3 million American airline passengers who take 45,000 flights per day — lives will be needlessly lost. Some data and recent anecdotal evidence suggest that something has now gone dangerously wrong with the entire airline industry. In January 2023, thousands of domestic flights were canceled or delayed because of a series of Federal Aviation Administration computer failures. Over the last 10 years, near-crashes and collisions of commercial places have more than doubled. Even scarier, in the last two weeks alone, United Airlines suffered numerous near-catastrophic events that may have involved crew lapses, air traffic controller errors, or problems with Boeing jet construction or maintenance — or all three. Specific details have mysteriously been kept from the public. A United flight from San Francisco to Mexico had to make an emergency landing due to failing hydraulics. Another United flight bound for San Francisco from Sydney, Australia, had to return around due to a “maintenance issue.” Yet another flight out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport likewise suffered undisclosed “maintenance issues” and returned home. At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, a United plane simply taxied off the runway and got stuck in the grass. Another United flight from San Francisco lost a wheel while taking off! Yet another United flight from Houston to Florida was forced to make an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire. At about the same time, a United flight bound for San Francisco from Hawaii experienced an engine failure in mid-flight. Dozens were injured on a Boeing jet during a Chilean airline flight from Australia to New Zealand due to what officials called “a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement.” Anytime ideology and dogma trump merit, logic, and safety, the result is predictably scary and dangerous. America needs to recalibrate its priorities to protect the lives and aspirations of all its citizens, regardless of their race and gender. If our elites do not stop playing god and mandating their visions of heaven on earth, then they will surely ensure hell for us all. Tyler Durden Sun, 03/17/2024 - 10:30.....»»
Mike Pence said it should be "no surprise" that he won"t be endorsing Donald Trump for president
Mike Pence said that he "cannot in good conscience" endorse Donald Trump, whose agenda he says is at odds with conservative values. Former President Donald Trump; former Vice President Mike Pence.Getty ImagesMike Pence said he will not endorse Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election.He said that Trump's agenda is at odds with the conservative values that they governed on.Trump and Pence's relationship soured after the then-vice president certified the 2020 election results.Former Vice President Mike Pence said he would not endorse his old boss, Donald Trump, for president in the 2024 election."It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year," Pence told Fox News on Friday."During my presidential campaign I made a clear that there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues, and not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercise on January 6," he said.Pence went on to say he disagreed with Trump's positions on a range of policy issues."As I have watched his candidacy unfold, I've seen him walking away from our commitment to confronting the national debt. I've seen him starting to shy away from a commitment to the sanctity of human life," Pence said.Pence also criticized Trump for flip-flopping on TikTok, which he considered banning in the last year of his presidency.Trump has now expressed support for the app as the House of Representatives passed a bill that could force Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban."Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years, and that's why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign," Pence said.Pence refused to say who he would vote for in November but said he would "never" vote for President Joe Biden.Trump and Pence's relationship soured after the then-vice president refused to obey Trump and not certify the results of the 2020 election.During the January 6 attacks on the Capitol, some rioters chanted "Hang Mike Pence," and Trump later defended them.After Pence's short-lived presidential campaign, Trump called on Pence to endorse him.Trump officially clinched the GOP nomination on Tuesday, hours after Biden won his party's nomination, confirming that the election will be a re-match between the two.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Putin Forever?
Putin Forever? The first round of the presidential election in Russia is taking place from Friday to Sunday this weekend. It will be the country's eighth presidential election and more than 112 million voters will be called to the polls. While four candidates are in the running, Statista's Katharina Buchholz reports that there is almost no doubt among observers that Vladimir Putin will be re-elected for a fifth term in the first round. The only real unknown is the share of votes he will receive. During the last presidential election in 2018, this number stood at around 77 percent. You will find more infographics at Statista In power for around a quarter of a century - spanning four presidential terms and two terms as prime minister between 1999 and 2000 and between 2008 and 2012 - Putin has spent a total of almost 9,000 days at the helm of the country. If he is re-elected this weekend, the ensuing six-year term of approximately 2,190 days will likely make him Russia's longest serving leader since the start of the twentieth century. This record is currently held by Joseph Stalin, who led the country between 1924 and 1953 for a total of 10,636 days. Putin became Russia's second longest-serving leader overtaking Brezhnev in 2017 late into his third term as president. During Dmitry Medvedev's presidency from 2008 to 2012, Russian law was amended to extend presidential terms from two terms of four years to two terms of six years. This change was also designed to reset terms served and therefore enabled Putin to win another two terms. A decade later, in 2021, Putin signed another law setting the limit at two presidential mandates per person in a lifetime, again paradoxically resetting terms already served and thereby exempting him for a second time. Tyler Durden Sun, 03/17/2024 - 09:55.....»»
China"s economic plans make a trade war likely whether Biden or Trump wins the presidency
"Structural changes in China's economy mean that Washington and Beijing are on a collision course over trade regardless of who wins." With both Biden and Trump expected to keep pushing against China, one rising theory is that Beijing can at least hope Trump's unpredictability gives it opportunities on the world stage.Win McNamee/Getty Images, Lintao Zhang/Getty Images, and Nathan Howard/Getty Images China's surge in exports means a trade conflict is likely under either presidential candidate, Capital Economics said. The nation now makes up 15% of global manufacturing exports, which it will have to unload onto US consumers. China is looking to achieve healthier growth through its manufacturing. No matter who takes over the White House, an overlooked boom in China's exporting power is setting the stage for another trade clash with Washington, Capital Economics warned this week."Investors may be nervous about the potential return of Mr Trump and the threat of a renewed trade war, but that conflict looks ever more likely whether the next administration is Democrat or Republican," group chief economist Neil Shearing said in a new note.At face value, it's hard to see that Chinese exports have picked up in any meaningful way. Officially, China's current account surplus remains below peak levels in its share of global GDP. But Shearing notes that customs data reveal a much more significant shift.In fact, he points out that the surplus-to-GDP actually stands near record highs. He sees it as a consequence of the pandemic, when outsized lockdown demand ignited China's manufacturing sector, and output has jumped over 25% since 2019.But while demand has now slowed, Chinese production hasn't. According to China Beige Book CEO Leland Miller, that's happening as Beijing sees manufacturing as an alternative source of growth to the property market. Though the sector has long led China's prosperity, it's become riddled with debt and defaults."They're worried about the reckless credit expansion, they're worried about the property sector," Miller told CNBC this month. "They want to just batten down the hatches and focus on national security priorities, build a domestic chip ecosystem, you know, solidify the core of the economy, concentrate on advanced manufacturing."But both Miller and Shearing agree that this strategy could erupt in global disputes.To unload its additional supply, Shearing says China will have to look beyond its own markets, as domestic consumption has slumped excessively in the country. That puts more pressure on foreign buyers, but especially the US and Europe.He says that given that China now makes up 15% of global manufacturing exports, it cannot rely on smaller nations to absorb all of its output, putting pressure on the West."China's exporters are probably more reliant now on US consumers than they were when the trade war began during Donald Trump's first term," Shearing wrote.This will deepen the US's trade deficit with China for years to come, something any president will likely want to avoid. Miller estimated that a trade war could start as soon as next year.So far, Trump has laid out plans to introduce seismic-level tariffs, including a 60% tax on Chinese goods. During his tenure in the White House, he led a tit-for-tat trade war with Beijing, with many of its policies still in place under President Joe Biden.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Europe Panics As Trump Rises From The Political Grave
Europe Panics As Trump Rises From The Political Grave Authored by Tom Luongo via Gold, Goats, 'n Guns blog, So last week was fun. It started with the US Supreme Court’s 9-0 beatdown of using the 14th Amendment to punish political opponents. Then the Wicked Witch of Kiev, Vic(Toria) “Cookies” Nuland was forced out at the State Department after decades of torturing the world with her psychopathy. Then Donald Trump pretty much sent Nikki Haley back to her Waffle House outside of Greenville. It ended with French President Emmanuel Macron making “believe me” eyes at the world that NATO was ready and willing to send troops to Ukraine. Whose troops? Clearly not French troops, which are only good at this point for “going on safari in northern Africa,” according to Col. Doug MacGregor. Also, clearly not British ships, which can’t seem to get out of port. I think I’m noting a kind of tit for tat going on between Boeing airline failures and British naval ones… but I could just be conspiratorial like that. *bong* No, the answer has always been that it would be US troops in Europe fighting Europe’s war that everyone — The UK, Davos and their EU apparatchiks, and the US Neocons — thought would be a slam dunk to bleed Russia out. And I’m sure that’s exactly the way they plotted it out in their Microsoft Project file over at Globalist Central. That has obviously not taken place and it is Ukraine that is now in serious trouble. Truth be told, which has been in very short supply since the war started two years ago, Ukraine has always been in serious trouble. And that has led, predictably, to the situation we see now. US support for Project Ukraine is coming to an end, if it hasn’t ended already. And the panic in Europe is palpable. This was all very predictable if you accepted the framework that there was a split at the top of the US hierarchy. One faction committed to the Davos vision of the future which implied a compliant, even beaten, US and another that looked up from their quote screens and said, “Uh… no.” The handwriting was on the wall about eight months ago when the big NATO Summit in Vilnius ended with the whimper by then UK Defense Minister Ben Wallace. Wallace was supposed to replace Jens Stoltenberg as NATO General Secretary and was shot down by no less than Joe Biden (JOAH Bii-Den!). After that, there was no more real talk of Ukraine joining NATO. Zelenskyy went back to Kiev with the big sads after Biden gave him nothing as well. Then, in October, US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy was ousted in a coup by Matt Gaetz and a handful of GOP fiscal hardliners. They immediately got new Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to tie all further foreign aid funding to as many spending cuts and dollars for border security as a slim majority in Congress would allow. And since then Biden has been forced to look under the couches at the Pentagon for a few spare millions to send to Ukraine. He found 300 of them the other day As bad as things are, that the number starts with an ‘m’ rather than a ‘b’ has to be considered a victory. The Senate tried to blackmail Johnson with their ridiculous $95 billion aid bill and Johnson just ‘boss moved’ Chuck Schumer by calling a two-week recess. Now, the best they can hope for a smaller bill with a lend/lease contingent with no money going to ‘humanitarian aid’ — a euphemism for pocket lining. And despite his movement towards the Senate warhawks, Johnson is still using Ukraine aid as a means to push domestic funding reforms first. Every day these things are haggled over is another day which runs out the clock on Project Ukraine as Russian forces take towns and villages daily in the Western Donbass. Again, not an ideal solution by any stretch of the imagination, but a Pyrrhic victory nonetheless. But this is the state of play after last week and it’s far better than it was at the beginning of the year, since this money was already expected six months ago. It’s put Europe in the position of finally removing the mask completely. Because as the US keeps slowly pulling away from Ukraine the calls from the EU for America to stay the course grow louder and more strident. Remember, that in 2022-23 when it looked like the US was hellbent on going forward in Ukraine, European leaders like Macron and others were more circumspect. They wanted to virtue signal about the dangers of Ukraine escalating. They got to look like the moderates in the war room, while still sending billions in aid and weapons, arm-twisting everyone into compliance. The real mask-off event for Europe’s real position on this war was their threatening Hungary’s Viktor Orban with complete economic devastation if he didn’t allow their $50 billion aid package to go through the European Council. Now that all of Nuland’s military plans have failed, Ukraine’s army has been destroyed for the third time, and all of their attempts to undermine the US legally and economically (Powell must Pivot!) have fizzled, Europe finds itself in the blind panic. Because as poll after poll suggests, Trump will return to the White House in January and has plans to end the killing and the other shenanigans in Ukraine quickly. Orban is acting as Trump’s voice of reason to both Eastern Europe as well as Russia itself.: Orban, who spoke with Trump at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Friday, did not explain how exactly the American would do that, but said that cutting the flow of US aid was a crucial part of the plan. ”If the US will not provide the money, Europeans on their own will not be able to finance this war, and then the war will end,” Orban said in an interview with M1 broadcaster on Sunday. During his presidency, Trump had shown himself to be “a man of peace,” the Hungarian leader claimed. That stance puts him in alignment with Hungary, unlike the administration of US President Joe Biden and many members of the EU, he added. ”The American Democratic government and the leadership of the EU, as well as the leadership of the largest EU member states are pro-war governments. Donald Trump is pro-peace, Hungary is pro-peace. At the bottom of everything lies this difference,” Orban declared. Trump’s many things, but he is no dummy when it comes to money. Cut the flow of funds and you end the war. The wildcard is the seizure of Russia’s foreign exchange assets which would be the dumbest thing all these people could do. This is why they won’t shut up about it. For his part, Putin is as done with the current regime in the EU as he is with the Biden junta in the US. He’s tried to reason with them, and all we hear is the most over-the-top vitriol from the usual suspects, like Macron. Putin understands now that the only diplomacy will occur is at the point of his gun or not at all. And if Ukraine is going to escalate on behalf of Europe to attack critical infrastructure inside Russia he will take the gloves completely off, rather than just carpet bomb the line of contact. I told you last year that no matter what the West thinks there will be “No Truce With the Heartland.” And the way for Russia to beat the west in Ukraine was to continue letting them think they had a chance to win by leaving just enough hope to have the West keep funneling billions into a slaughterhouse. But, regardless of any of that, there will be no truce in the Heartland. Russia will not back down. China will back them to the end, as will OPEC+ and the rest of Central Asia. But they will not escalate one inch further than they need to. Allowing the West to keep thinking they can win is the ultimate form of grinding out a superior opponent. And even if Ukraine winds up being a decade-long meat grinder with no clear victor, it will serve everyday as a warning to the rest of Asia that there is no going back and their future is better served with their neighbors than accepting bribes to remain viceroys on the West’s payroll. Soulless ghouls like David Cameron and Lindsey Graham think this is the best money ever spent, killing Russians without any real European or American lives being spent. I guess Slavs aren’t people too. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s exactly what has happened, Russia has led Europe into the ultimate cauldron, which now looks more like a political and economic black hole. And we’re far beyond the event horizon. What it has done has left the world with no doubt what the real agenda behind this war, which really has very little to do with Russia itself. The real agenda is preserving the colonialist business model of old Europe and Great Britain which the US was seduced into believing we were equal partners in. Clearly we aren’t in their minds. If I’ve come to understand anything over the past few years of covering geopolitics it is that every time you think you understand the imperatives behind current events, another layer is peeled back to reveal an even deeper truth. And today that deeper truth is that this is Europe’s war with Russia because with a Russian victory in Ukraine they are at the mercy of all the world’s major energy producers — the US, Russia, the Middle East. This isn’t about Russia’s aggression, or the redrawing of borders through military means. So, with their true face revealed and their quislings in the US Capitol calling in every marker, we’re going to watch this tragedy drawn out for another year or two in the hope that the US commits suicide on their behalf. For whatever reason actually motivates them, people like Mitch McConnell, Graham and John Cornyn will happily sell what’s left of the country out to salvage their own pathetic skins. The fact that they’d do this for a bunch of equally pathetic Eurocrats is the most tragic part of this entire affair. But this is how change ultimately has to occur, by pushing the real motivators to the front of the stage, shining the klieg lights on them and watching them squirm before unleashing another round of rotten food at them. And what better humiliation for them than for Donald Trump to be the guy passing out tomatoes… * * * Join my Patreon if you like throwing fruit. Tyler Durden Sat, 03/16/2024 - 10:30.....»»
Meet Lara Trump, Donald Trump"s daughter-in-law whom he handpicked to lead the RNC
Lara Trump, who is married to Donald Trump's son Eric, is the new cochair of the Republican National Committee. Lara Trump speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2023.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesLara Trump, a former TV news producer married to Eric Trump, is the new cochair of the RNC.She's been heavily involved in Donald Trump's presidential campaigns through the years.She supports dog rescue charities, hosts a podcast, and is a regular on Fox News.Lara Trump, who is married to Donald Trump's son Eric, has been a loyal supporter of her father-in-law's political career since his first campaign in 2016.Leveraging her background in TV news, she has produced promotional videos, represented the campaign at events, and become a regular face on Fox News.Now, with Donald Trump's support, Lara Trump is gaining even more power in the GOP as the new cochair of the Republican National Committee.She runs the RNC alongside its chair, Michael Whatley, a close Trump ally who served as North Carolina's GOP chair. The move puts Trump loyalists in control of the GOP's platform and funds.Here's a look at Trump's background, relationship with the Trump family, and rise to power.Lara Trump (née Yunaska) grew up in North Carolina.Eric and Lara Trump.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesShe graduated from North Carolina State University in 2005 with a degree in communications.After college, she went to culinary school and also spent time as a personal trainer.Lara Trump competes in a triathlon in 2018.Adam Glanzman/Getty Images for Columbia Threadneedle InvestmentsLara Trump earned a degree in pastry arts from the French Culinary Institute, according to her bio on the nonprofit organization Concordia's official website.A formal personal trainer, Trump said in an interview with The Trump Organization's official website that she competes in triathlons "on a regular basis.""Fitness has always been an important part of my life, be it competing in triathlons and marathons or using it to cope with stress," she said.She met Eric Trump in 2008, and they wed in 2014.Eric and Lara Trump in 2008.Davidoff Studios/Getty ImagesTrump told "Fox & Friends" that she was "immediately intrigued" when she first met Eric Trump while out with friends in New York City.He proposed after five years of dating, and they wed at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.Their dog, a beagle named Charlie, was the ring bearer at their wedding, and Ivanka Trump's husband, Jared Kushner, officiated the ceremony.The couple lives in a $3.2 million estate in Jupiter, Florida.She's a former TV news producer.Lara Trump pre-records her address to the Republican National Convention in 2020.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesTrump worked as an associate producer at Inside Edition until 2016, when she left to campaign for Donald Trump, Star News Online reported.She has two children with Eric Trump.Eric and Lara Trump with their son Luke and daughter Carolina in 2022.James Devaney/GC ImagesTheir son, Eric "Luke" Trump, was born in 2017. Their daughter, Carolina Dorothy Trump, followed in 2019.During Donald Trump's presidency, she worked as a campaign consultant and hosted a "Real News" show on Facebook.Eric and Lara Trump speak at a rally for Donald Trump.Loren Elliott / GettyIn 2017, Trump began hosting a weekly "Real News" show streamed through Donald Trump's official Facebook page highlighting accomplishments and activities from the president's week.The show garnered criticism for exaggerated descriptions of even mundane presidential activities as "historic" and false claims about policies such as Republican tax-cut proposals, Salon reported. The Hollywood Reporter compared the show to "state-run" media.Lara Trump responded to critics in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, saying, "It's not propaganda because it's true."Trump is passionate about dog rescue charities and owns two beagles.Lara Trump attends a benefit for Rescue Dogs Rock NYC in 2018.Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesTrump and Eric Trump adopted their first dog, Charlie, after two years of dating. They added a second beagle, Ben, in 2016.Trump also serves on the board of directors of The Big Dog Ranch Rescue, according to the charity's official website. Her involvement raised questions in 2021 when HuffPost reported that the organization had spent nearly $1.9 million holding events at Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Golf Club since 2014.In a statement to the publication, The Big Dog Ranch Rescue's president Lauree Simmons said that events at the Trump properties have netted over $12 million for the organization."The sole objective of our fundraisers is to raise as much money as possible to save as many lives as possible," the charity's spokesperson told the outlet. "Politics play zero role within our organization and to infer they do does a disservice to the many who work and volunteer with a passion to heal and home our beloved dogs."She worked as a contributor for Fox News until leaving in 2022 due to her involvement in Donald Trump's reelection campaign.Laura Trump speaks at an event with Donald Trump in 2021.Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty ImagesFox News ended Trump's employment in 2022 due to the network's policy of not employing those working on active political campaigns, but she still makes unpaid appearances. Eric Trump is also a regular guest on Fox News programs.She hosts a podcast called "The Right View."Lara Trump speaks at CPAC.GettyOn "The Right View," which premiered in July, Trump answers questions from listeners and discusses current events with Trump-world personalities like My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell and Libs of TikTok founder Chaya Raichik.In February, she was elected cochair of the Republican National Committee.Lara Trump speaks at the Republican National Committee spring meeting in 2024.CECILE CLOCHERET/AFP via Getty ImagesDonald Trump endorsed his daughter-in-law as she ran for the RNC leadership role, calling her "an extremely talented communicator" who is "dedicated to all that MAGA stands for." He also threw his support behind Michael Whatley, a close ally who served as North Carolina's GOP chair.Both handpicked candidates were elected as cochairs of the RNC, putting Trump loyalists in control of the GOP's platform and funds.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Eric Trump"s wife, Lara Trump, now co-chairs the RNC. Here"s a timeline of their relationship.
With Eric Trump as a campaign advisor and Lara Trump as cochair of the Republican National Committee, there's a new GOP power couple in town. Eric and Lara Trump.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Eric and Lara Trump got married in 2014, have two children, and live in Jupiter, Florida. Lara left her TV producer job at Inside Edition to work for President Donald Trump's campaign. She is now co-chair of the Republican National Committee. With Eric Trump as a trusted advisor to his father's campaign and Lara Trump's ascent as the new cochair of the Republican National Committee, there's a new GOP power couple in town.Here's a timeline of Eric and Lara Trump's relationship.2008: Eric Trump and Lara Yunaska met while out with friends and began dating three months later.Eric and Lara Trump in 2008.Davidoff Studios/Getty ImagesWhen they met, Eric was working for the Trump Organization and Lara was a producer at Inside Edition.Lara spotted Eric from across the room and was "immediately intrigued," she told Ainsley Earhardt in an interview on "Fox & Friends" in 2016.2010: They adopted a beagle named Charlie.Eric and Lara Trump with their dog Charlie in 2013.Mike Coppola/Getty Images"After about two years together, I finally convinced Eric, and it took a lot of convincing, and still to this day I think he'll tell you it was one of the best things that we've ever done," Lara said on "Fox & Friends."2013: Eric proposed to Lara five years and two days after their first date.Lara and Eric Trump in 2013.Robin Marchant/Getty ImagesEric proposed at the Trump Seven Springs estate in Bedford, New York, with a diamond platinum ring from the now-defunct Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry collection.2014: The couple wed at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.Eric and Lara Trump in 2014.Dave Kotinsky/Getty ImagesDonald Trump Jr. was the best man for his brother while Ivanka's husband, Jared Kushner, officiated the wedding, the New York Daily News reported. Their dog, Charlie, also served as the ring bearer.Lara broke both of her wrists in a horseback riding accident a few weeks before the wedding, forcing her to wear casts on both arms."I had to get creative with a way to make casts look bridal," she told People magazine. "Fortunately, my wedding planner, Jennifer Zabinski, and my designer, Preston Bailey, came up with some fabulously bedazzled gloves to try and blend these casts."June 2015: Eric and Lara joined the rest of the Trump family as Donald Trump announced his presidential run.Donald Trump announces his candidacy for president in 2015.Christopher Gregory/Getty ImagesEric became an active member of his father's campaign, making regular appearances at events and talk shows while serving as an advisor and fundraiser.August 2016: The couple adopted another beagle named Ben from a shelter in San Antonio, Texas.Lara and Eric Trump with their dogs, Charlie and Ben.Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesThe Trumps fostered the dog before deciding to adopt, an outcome affectionately known as a "foster failure.""It's official: we are foster failures!!!" Lara wrote on Instagram. "Ben & Charlie are now brothers forever. Welcome to your furever family, Ben! We love you so much!!! Thank you @rescuedogsrocknyc #AdoptDontShop."July 2016: Eric mentioned Lara in his speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention.Eric Trump speaks at the 2016 Republican National Convention.Win McNamee/Getty Images"I'm incredibly honored to be part of this journey on which he's invited me, Don, Ivanka, Tiffany, Melania, my beautiful wife Lara, our entire family, to play such an integral part," he said in his RNC speech. "Dad, you have once again taught us by example, you are my hero, you are my best friend, you are the next president of the United States."October 2016: Lara took a two-month hiatus from her job at Inside Edition to join her husband in supporting Trump's campaign.Lara and Eric Trump at a campaign rally in 2016.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesLara made campaign stops speaking to women voters, traveling with Trump spokesperson Katrina Pierson and "The Apprentice" alum Omarosa Manigault Newman in order to focus on "minority communities and people who might not traditionally think Donald Trump is their candidate," Lara told Star News Online."I wasn't going to have the time to adequately dedicate to this," Lara told the North Carolina newspaper Port City Daily in 2016 of her decision to take time off work. "When they're reporting on your family on the show you work for, it's a little challenging. We managed to keep everything pretty even-keeled for the duration of this whole thing, but certainly it's nice to not have to worry about that from day-to-day."January 2017: Eric and Lara attended Trump's inauguration and danced together at the Freedom Ball.Eric and Lara Trump (left) dance along with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesThey were joined onstage by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.March 2017: Lara was officially hired as a senior consultant for the Trump reelection campaign.Lara Trump speaks at a campaign rally.Scott Olson/Getty ImagesThe Trump campaign's digital vendor, Giles-Parscale, hired Lara as a liaison to the campaign.Giles-Parscale president Brad Parscale told AP that Lara is an "incredibly talented person with the right experience for us."In 2017, she also started producing and hosting the weekly "Real News Update," which gave updates on the Trump presidency on Facebook.March 2017: That same month, Eric and Lara announced they were expecting their first child, a boy.Eric and Lara Trump in 2017.Win McNamee/Getty Images"Eric's going to be an amazing dad," Lara told People magazine. "The nieces and nephews love hanging with him. He's the cool uncle. He's watched 'Frozen' many times."September 2017: Eric and Lara welcomed their son, Eric "Luke" Trump.Lara Trump holds her son, Luke, in 2018.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesEric announced the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a photo of the new baby.August 2019: Lara gave birth to the couple's second child, Carolina Dorothy Trump.Lara Trump in 2019.Matt Rourke/AP".@LaraLeaTrump and I are excited to welcome Carolina Dorothy Trump into the world," Eric wrote on X. "We love you already!"August 2020: Lara spoke about her husband's family in an address at the Republican National Convention, calling them "warm and caring."Lara Trump in 2020.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images"Never in a million years did I think that I would be on this stage tonight, and I certainly never thought that I'd end up with the last name Trump," she said in her RNC speech.She continued: "My seventh-grade English teacher, Mrs. Bee, used to tell us, 'Believe none of what you hear, half of what you read, and only what you're there to witness firsthand.' The meaning of those words never fully weighed on me until I met my husband and the Trump family. Any preconceived notion I had of this family disappeared immediately. They were warm and caring. They were hard workers and they were down to earth. They reminded me of my own family. They made me feel like I was home."January 2021: They skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration, flying with Trump to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, instead.Lara and Eric Trump in 2021.ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty ImagesDonald Trump did not attend Biden's inauguration, breaking a long-standing norm in US democracy.March 2021: Eric and Lara bought a $3.2 million estate in Jupiter, Florida, inside the Trump National Golf Club gated community.Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty ImagesDonald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, have also purchased properties in Florida since Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago after the 2020 election.Eric and Lara's five-bedroom, seven-bathroom property features two primary bedrooms, a safe room, and a backyard with a pool, kitchen, and a full cabana bath.April 2021: They returned to New York City to visit Trump Tower and the offices of Fox News, where Lara began working as a contributor.Lara and Eric Trump at Trump Tower in 2017.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesOn a March 2021 episode of "Fox & Friends" announcing her new position, Lara said she's long felt like part of the Fox team because she's appeared on the network so frequently over the last several years. "I'm so excited, first of all, to be joining the Fox family," she said. "I sort of feel like I've been an unofficial member of the team for so long. You guys know, it was kind of a joke over the past five years, I would come there so often that the security guards were like, 'Maybe we should just give you a key.'" Eric accompanied Lara to the Fox News offices during their New York visit. He remains a frequent contributor to the network himself.November 2021: They wished each other a happy seven-year anniversary on Instagram.Lara and Eric Trump in Maine.Brianna Soukup/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images"Not only was this day the beginning of an amazing life together, two years later (and tens of thousands of hours worked and miles traveled on the campaign trail for both of us), November 8th, 2016 would come to represent one of the greatest political victories in US history," Eric captioned a carousel of photos on Instagram. "I am incredibly proud of the family we have created, the way we have both developed and all that we have accomplished and stood for in these incredible 7 years. Thank you for being an incredible Wife, Mother and Friend."Lara paid tribute to Eric with an Instagram post of her own."Seven years, 2 kids, 2 Presidential campaigns, 1 additional dog, 2 broken wrists, 1 broken collarbone, 1 major move and we're just getting started..." she wrote. "Happy Anniversary to my partner in it all, @erictrump."November 2022: Eric and Lara attended Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign launch at Mar-a-Lago.From left to right: Kimberly Guilfoyle, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, and Lara Trump attend Donald Trump's 2024 campaign announcement in 2022.Jonathan Ernst/ReutersIvanka Trump did not attend the campaign event, saying in a statement that she did not plan to be involved in politics moving forward. Tiffany Trump also skipped the launch.December 2022: Fox News ended Lara's employment due to her involvement in her father-in-law's campaign.Lara Trump attends a Fox News event in 2022.Omar Vega/Getty ImagesCompany policy does not allow those running for office or working for active political campaigns to be employed by Fox News. However, she can still make unpaid appearances on the network."We appreciate Lara's valuable contributions across FOX News Media programming," a Fox News representative told Business Insider's Joshua Zitser in a statement.February 2024: Lara was voted cochair of the Republican National Committee after receiving Donald Trump's endorsement.Lara Trump speaks at the Republican National Committee spring meeting in 2024.CECILE CLOCHERET/AFP via Getty ImagesIn a statement, Donald Trump endorsed Lara's bid for RNC cochair, calling her "an extremely talented communicator" who is "dedicated to all that MAGA stands for." He also endorsed North Carolina GOP chair Michael Whatley.Both Lara and Whatley were formally elected as cochairs of the RNC in February, cementing the former president's hold over the party."Truly humbled and honored to serve our party alongside @WhatleyNCGOP - now it's time to work, time to fight and time to win BIG LEAGUE this November!" Lara wrote on X.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Banning TikTok could haunt Biden"s reelection campaign
Biden's already said he'd sign the bill into law if it passes through the Senate. Alienating TikTok's massive base could come back to haunt him. Participants hold signs in support of TikTok outside the US Capitol Building on March 13, 2024, in Washington, DC.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesOn Wednesday, the House passed a bill that could ban TikTok from US app stores.Biden's already said he'd sign it into law if it passes through the Senate.If the bill succeeds, it could be disastrous to Biden's shot at winning reelection against Trump.The House of Representatives passed a bill in a bipartisan landslide vote on Wednesday that could lead to TikTok being banned from US app stores if it passes the Senate and President Joe Biden signs it into law.While Biden seems set to do just that — he said earlier in March that he'd sign the legislation — the move could easily backfire on his already-struggling 2024 reelection campaign.Referred to by most as a "ban," the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act gives any company owned by a "foreign adversary'" 180 days to either divest or sell to a US-based company before facing legal action and a potential ban from US app stores.While support for the bill seems to be growing in Congress, pro-TikTok Americans and creators have protested against it for weeks, with some worrying their careers built on the app will be "deleted forever."The app even took an usual step to rally its users to speak out against the legislation:"Stop a TikTok shutdown," the app said in a message to its users, linking them to their member of Congress' contact information. "Speak up now—before your government strips 170 million Americans of their Constitutional rights and free expression."Lindsay DodgsonMembers of Congress reportedly said before the vote that TikTok's push backfired, making them more likely to vote in favor of it.While Biden's been on board with the proposed TikTok bill for weeks, it's increasingly seeming like a political miscalculation with the November presidential election approaching.A severe political misstepFor months, national polls have indicated that a rematch between Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump could be as close as the 2020 election, where five states won by Biden were decided by less than 85,000 votes. Many of those polls have shown that Trump appears to possess a slight advantage this go around.With Biden already struggling to win over younger voters, openly backing the demise of one of the most popular social media apps in the world doesn't seem like the wisest move campaign-wise.Trump, who tried and failed during his own presidency to ban the app, recently spoke out against the bill, noting that restricting it would likely benefit Facebook.Trump's change of heart occurred soon after he met with Jeff Yass, a billionaire Republican donor and a prominent investor in TikTok's parent company.While The New York Times recently reported that a "person close to the campaign" now expects Yass to make a pro-Trump donation, the former president's motives may be more than a way for his campaign to earn a quick buck. The closer the anti-TikTok bill gets to passing, the more easily he'll be able to convince young voters that Biden's behind the app shuttering, not him.In an election that could be extremely close, endorsing bills as decisive as the anti-TikTok one or gunning for Taylor Swift's endorsement — or lack thereof — could determine who wins control of the White House.Just as Biden's slogan goes, that's "no malarkey."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Trump"s proposed tariffs would be "recessionary" and could spark a resurgence in inflation, Harvard economist says
Trump's policies would also likely worsen the national debt problem, Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff said in a recent interview. Susan Walsh/AP Trump's trade policies would be "recessionary" and could make inflation worse, according to Kenneth Rogoff. The Harvard economist pointed to Trump's proposed tariffs on imports, including a 60% tariff on Chinese goods. That could be very "dislocating" to the economy, he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on imports would have "recessionary" effects on the US economy and could end up sending inflation higher again, according to top economist Kenneth Rogoff.The Harvard professor and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund pointed to Trump's proposed economic policies ahead of the November election, which include implementing a base tariff of 10% on all US imports, and tariffs of more than 60% on Chinese goods.Rogoff said that Trump's proposed policies and Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act make them both the "most protectionist" presidential candidates the US has seen in a while, Rogoff said to Bloomberg on Wednesday."10% tariffs I think would push up inflation. They'd push up interest rates," Rogoff said. "If you do it out of the blue, it's very dislocating to the economy. I think it would tend to be very recessionary, inflationary," he said.Raising tariffs on foreign goods also raises the risk that other countries could retaliate, potentially sparking a trade war with partners like China, other economists have warned. That could hamper economic growth and stoke inflation, making Trump one of the biggest threats to the global economy, "Dr. Doom" economist Nouriel Roubini recently argued. Either a Trump or a Biden presidency would also likely further stoke the national debt, as neither candidate looks poised to dial back the pace of spending anytime soon, according to Rogoff."Washington in general has a very relaxed attitude toward debt that I think they're going to be sorry about. Biden's speech suggested blowing up the debt. And of course, we have really no idea what Donald Trump will do, but that's what he did last time he was president," he said.The government's rapid pace of spending is an issue that has worried economists for a long time, with concerns ramping up most recently during the bond-market turmoil at the end of 2023. At its current pace, policymakers are racking up $1 trillion of extra debt every 100 days, Bank of America analysts said.Rogoff has warned of another rocky year headed for the US economy. That's due to a handful of factors that could stoke volatility, including higher-for-longer interest rates, Congress overspending, and economic shifts in countries like China and Japan, he said in a previous op-ed for Project Syndicate.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
What"s happening in Haiti? Prime minister resigns amid gang violence
The Caribbean island nation of Haiti is on the brink of catastrophe amid weeks of ongoing gang violence and political unrest. Gang violence has erupted throughout Haiti.Photo by Guerinault Louis/Anadolu via Getty ImagesHaiti is experiencing widespread gang violence and political unrest in recent weeks.The country's prime minister resigned this week amid mounting international and national pressure.Here's what you need to know about the conflict. The Caribbean island nation of Haiti is on the brink of catastrophe after weeks of ongoing gang violence and political unrest.A cadre of criminal gangs have overrun Port-au-Prince, undermining state security forces and sending thousands of people fleeing the capital city.Meanwhile, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry — who is stuck in Puerto Rico after Haiti closed its international airports due to the violence — announced his impending resignation on Monday.Here's what you need to know.What's happening in Haiti?The most recent bout of violence erupted on February 29 after Henry left the country on a trip to Kenya to ask for UN-backed support in combating Haiti's long-standing gang problem.With Henry out of the country, armed gangs organized a massive prison break. Notorious cop-turned-gang-leader Jimmy Chérizier, known by the moniker "Barbecue," became the movement's public face, announcing that his federation, G9 Family and Allies, was working with other gangs to force Henry's resignation.The criminals subsequently set fire to a police station and gained access to the capital city's main shipping port, where looting now runs rampant.Finance Minister Patrick Boisvert, who was acting as the country's prime minister with Henry out of the country, ordered a state of emergency on March 3. Two days later, Chérizier doubled down on his demand for Henry's resignation, threatening eventual civil war if the leader failed to step down.Gunfire and attacks have forced citizens to flee the city or hunker down in their homes. Some hospitals have closed and food, water, and medical supplies are dwindling, per reports. United Nations officials estimate the gangs now have control of about 80% of Port-au-Prince — up from 60% in recent years — and have driven an estimated 15,000 people from their homes, according to CBS News.Why did Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign?Henry, 74, has been the unelected prime minister of Haiti since the 2021 assassination of then-President Jovenel Moïse. Last month, a judge in Haiti indicted Moïse's widow, a former prime minister, and the former chief of Haiti's national police in the case, which is still being investigated. Moïse appointed Henry, a former neurosurgeon, to the position in 2021.Henry tried to reenter Haiti via the Dominican Republic last week, but Dominican authorities barred his flight from landing and closed their airspace for flights to and from Haiti. Instead, Henry flew to Puerto Rico, a US territory.Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned in a Monday address.Photo by Guerinault Louis/Anadolu via Getty ImagesAmid mounting international and national pressure, Henry announced in a Monday video address that he would resign his position as soon as a transitional presidential council was in place.Henry said his administration would continue to govern until a new prime minister is appointed. Various representatives of Haiti's political and private sectors will make up the council that chooses the next leader, he said. What led up to the violence?Political unrest and economic instability have plagued Haiti for two decades. The country is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and government corruption has become commonplace. Politicians in power have long maintained a front of legitimacy while paying gangs to do their dirty work, The Associated Press reported. Haiti hasn't held elections in nearly ten years and the country's presidency still remains vacant after Moïse's assassination.Two devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2021 made life even more difficult for Haitians, destroying much of the country's infrastructure and devastating the economy, which has more or less been controlled by gangs since.The recent conflict has only exacerbated Haiti's economic problems. Four million people now face "acute food insecurity," the UN said earlier this week, adding that at least a million people in the country are close to famine. What comes nextA group of Caribbean nations met with the US in diplomatic meetings this week, throwing support behind a council of prominent Haitian figures who will elect an interim leader and push for democratic elections.The council would have seven voting members and two nonvoting members from Haitian political parties, the private business sector, and a civil society group, The AP reported.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed support for a UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission, which would see several member countries come together to support Haiti with economic and logistical assistance. But Chérizier balked at the international community's involvement, saying Haitian people must choose their next leader during an impromptu news conference. Why you should careNinety percent of Haitians are experiencing poverty and nearly half the country's population requires humanitarian assistance, according to the International Rescue Committee.The nonprofit predicts the political turmoil will exacerbate already-unaddressed humanitarian needs, while economic and climate shocks will lead to food insecurity. Even the promise of incoming humanitarian aid is threatened by gangs, which often set up checkpoints and demand payment in exchange for access to assistance, according to the IRC. Meanwhile, Haiti's neighbors are making preparations to deal with the uptick in violence. The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, is shoring up a border fence while The Bahamas called back its embassy staff in Haiti, according to Reuters.Other countries, such as the US and Mexico are urging citizens to stay out of Haiti. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Why the last attempt to ban TikTok failed
Trump's failed attempt to ban TikTok at the end of his presidency shows that ousting the popular app is not as easy as it seems. Donald Trump tried to ban TikTok during his presidency, but court rulings shut down his executive order.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesFour years ago, Trump wanted to ban TikTok at the end of his presidency.TikTok sued the government, and his efforts were foiled when Biden took office. Now, a TikTok ban is back on the table — with Biden's support and Trump opposed.A TikTok ban inched closer to reality Wednesday after Congress overwhelmingly passed a bill that would force the app to divest its US business or shut down.But we've had this conversation before — and it shows that banning a popular app with rich owners is not as easy as it seems.The year is 2020 and President Donald Trump is threatening to ban TikTok, saying he's worried about security and the Chinese ownership of TikTok's parent company, ByteDance.At the time, TikTok denied sharing data with China, and said it never would if asked.Trump had tussled with TikTok before. At one point, he suggested a ban could punish China for the COVID-19 pandemic. And some speculated the app had earned his ire after a viral campaign claimed to tank one of his rallies in Tulsa.In August 2020, he issued an executive order demanding the app be sold to an American owner or shut down, sparking negotiations with both Microsoft and Oracle.Following the executive order, the US Commerce Department threatened to ban TikTok (and WeChat) downloads from the Apple and Google app stores.TikTok delayed the ban until Trump left officeTikTok fired back by suing the US government, arguing it had been denied due process and citing a lack of evidence in the claims. In September 2020, it requested a preliminary injunction to delay the app store ban just before it was supposed to take effect.A federal judge granted the injunction, saying the ban likely exceeded Trump's authority.After Trump left office in January 2021, President Joe Biden rescinded Trump's executive order, effectively killing the momentum for a ban — though Biden did direct his commerce secretary to investigate the company.In 2022, TikTok launched Project Texas, a $1.5 billion investment to quell concerns about Chinese interference and data security.Fast forward to today, and the tables have abruptly turned. Despite recently campaigning on TikTok, Biden has indicated he would sign the latest ban bill into law (if it passes in the Senate.)Trump, meanwhile, has flipped-flopped on TikTok, saying a ban would bolster Facebook, which he called the "true enemy of the people." Trump's defense of the app came after he met with billionaire GOP donor and ByteDance investor Jeff Yass — though the former President insisted the two didn't discuss TikTok.TikTok, meanwhile, has vowed to fight the ban once again, mobilizing its users to call Congress (though it seems the pressure campaign backfired). Bloomberg reported that the social media giant is prepping its lawyers to stop a forced sale.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Trump undoubtedly controls the GOP, but the TikTok vote shows Republicans won"t always follow him in lockstep
The former president's administration started the efforts to ban the popular social media app. But now, Trump is having second thoughts. Former President Donald TrumpRyan Collerd/AFP/Getty ImagesHouse Republicans and Democrats overwhelming voted in favor of a bill that could ban TikTok.Trump has reversed his position on banning the popular social media app.The former president has cited how TikTok's competitors could benefit if the app is banned.Former President Donald Trump has an iron grip on the Republican Party.On Tuesday evening, Trump won the necessary number of delegates to become the GOP's presumptive nominee; his third straight nomination. His latest victory came during a virtually unprecedented time for a party that technically lacked an incumbent. If the speed of his win wasn't a clear enough sign of his dominance, Trump and his allies recently installed his daughter-in-law Lara Trump in a top Republican National Committee post.Despite all of his power, Trump's hold isn't absolute. Wednesday's House vote on a bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok illustrates that dynamic. The final vote was 352 to 65, easily surpassing the two-thirds threshold that allowed the legislation to be considered on an accelerated timeline. Even Republican House lawmakers, the group that is arguably the most pro-Trump in Congress, defied their de facto leader, who now opposes the bill.Trump also shoulders most of the blame for the TikTok outcome. His administration began the push to force the popular social media app to distance itself from ByteDance, its Beijing-based parent company. TikTok fought off their efforts in federal courts. Both Trump and now Biden administration officials cited national security concerns about ByteDance's ties to the Chinese Communist Party.The bipartisan tension over the app never fully subsided. It was only within the last week that Trump backed away from his record, a decision that came shortly after the former president met with Jeff Yass, a billionaire donor, who holds a major stake in ByteDance. The whole thing appears to be very, well, swampy. (Trump told CNBC that he and Yass did not discuss TikTok.)Trump has expressed fear that a ban could benefit TikTok's competitors."Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it," Trump told CNBC on Monday. "There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it. There are a lot of users. There's a lot of good and there's a lot of bad with TikTok. But the thing I don't like is that without TikTok, you can make Facebook bigger and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people along with a lot of the media."Congressional Republicans have defied Trump before.Earlier this year, Trump was able to nuke House Majority Whip Tom Emmer's speakership bid, but he could not install House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan atop the conference. Trump has repeatedly pushed for Republicans to impeach President Joe Biden. Still, even though some conservatives admit there may never be enough support to force the issue on the House floor. It remains to be seen what, if any, role the former president will try to flex in replacing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the GOP leader who has defied Trump the most even if there's little contest for such a title.Even Republican voters have at times defied Trump. The former president's endorsement can still effectively end most Republican primaries, but the 2022 midterm cycle left him with more losses too.Next week's Ohio GOP Senate primary will test this thesis once again as Trump is aligned against Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former US Senator Rob Portman in the race to determine who will take on Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, in one of the most closely watched races this November.These moments of defiance should not be taken as a broader trend. Trump has largely purged the GOP of the more establishment-minded voices that questioned his rise and undermined parts of his presidency. The former president has been especially effective in his targeted campaign against the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him for inciting the insurrection.Trumpism is very much the dominant thread in the GOP's immediate future. But Trump's power is not as total as he might wish it would be.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
See how badly your home could be hit by heat, wind, and bad air over the next 30 years
Your home's climate risk, including chances of extreme heat days, winds over 50mph, and poor air quality, could lead to higher home insurance costs. Homes are surrounded by floodwaters from 2017's Tropical Storm Harvey, in Spring, Texas.AP Photo/David J. PhillipNew tools from Realtor.com allow users to view a home's vulnerability to heat, wind, and air quality.The tools let homeowners and buyers view risks today and projected impacts over the next 30 years. Climate risk leads to higher insurance costs in disaster-prone states like California and Florida.The impact of the climate crisis looks different for every homeowner.Realtor.com has unveiled a set of climate risk tools that homeowners and homebuyers alike can use to learn the specific climate risks of a property. The tools, called Heat Factor, Wind Factor, and Air Factor, are available starting Wednesday and can map out a neighborhood's risks of above-normal days on the heat index, chances of experiencing wind gusts over 50 mph, and days of poor air quality.The tools also show the projected increase in these events over the next 30 years. More than 40% of US homes, valued at a combined $20 trillion, are vulnerable to extreme heat, wind, and poor air quality, according to a Realtor.com analysis.The new tools come as climate-fueled disasters intensify and more people move into disaster-prone parts of the country including Florida, California, and Texas. Homeowners in Miami hold the highest value of homes at risk for severe or extreme heat ($1.26 trillion), while San Francisco homeowners hold the highest value of homes at risk for severe air quality ($1.28 trillion), according to Realtor.com.The trends are scrambling insurance companies, which one executive told Business Insider can no longer rely on the old models they once used to predict the chances and severity of extreme weather events."Everything has been a surprise. They're in panic mode," insurance executive Oscar Seikaly said last year.Some insurance companies have pulled out of California and Florida over concerns about increasingly volatile wildfires and hurricanes, respectively. In some California towns, homeowners can no longer find property insurance, while the Florida condo market has ground to a halt over rising insurance costs. Some homeowners have given up searching for insurance entirely."It's like being on the Titanic," Bob Stephens, who couldn't find insurance for his $3 million Florida home, said last year. "You know you're going down. How are you going to stop it?"Understanding your home's climate riskPrior to releasing the heat, wind, and air quality tools, Realtor.com already provided fire and flood risks for properties based on data from First Street. First Street, a climate-risk firm, is also behind the data on extreme heat, wind, and air quality now added to listings. The firm's air-quality data includes two common pollutants: particulate matter, often caused by wildfire smoke, and ozone, which is the result of reactions between other pollutants from chemical plants, tailpipes, and power plants.The new risk scores will help homebuyers make an informed decision about whether to go through with a purchase, Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale told BI.Hale added that the company has studied whether property-level climate risk data shifts homebuying decisions. The answer is complicated because people consider many different factors before buying a home. How recently a flood or fire happened in the area tends to have an impact. But affordability often trumps climate-risk calculations, she said."It is often the case that homes in areas with the greatest risk of fire also tend to be the cheapest on a per-square-foot basis," Hale said, pointing to parts of California where catastrophic wildfires are increasing.Surveys show that affordability remains the top priority even as homebuyers increasingly consider climate and environmental hazards. Zillow found that 36% of millennials and 19% of Gen Z homebuyers they surveyed were considering moving to areas with climate risks.Meanwhile, an analysis by Redfin found that about 1.2 million more homeowners and renters moved out of than into cities with high risk of poor air quality between 2021 and 2022. But more space, proximity to family, and getting a better deal on a home were the most common reasons home sellers cited for moving — not air quality. Many of the movers headed to Sun Belt states where heat, flooding, and hurricanes are more likely."I do think it's important for people to realize just how much property is at risk, especially when we've been building a lot of homes in the South and in the West that are most likely to face extreme heat risk," Hale said.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»