Iran and the United States concluded a round of indirect talks on Wednesday with no sign they had made headway toward a lasting peace ... read more
President Donald Trump's plan to "fill the digital potholes" and use AI to quickly redesign every government website isn't going very well. read more
American workers' share of the economic pie has fallen to its lowest level since at least 1947 ... read more
A majority of Americans say President Donald Trump has not paid attention to the issues that matter most to them, according to a new poll from The Economist/YouGov released Tuesday ... read more
Two people wearing black climbed to the top of the Empire State Building's transmitter, and by the time they climbed back down, they were seemingly engaged. read more
White House says there'd be 'no better addition' to Mount Rushmore than Trump ahead of 250 celebration
abcnews.com
Belgian diamond group that won tariff relief gifted Trump a lavishly encrusted ring
www.newsnationnow.com
... Dozens of diamonds spell out two giant letter T's next to the Stars and Stripes and "1776" and "2026." Dozens more frame the numbers 45 and 47 in the shape of Superman's logo. A diamond-winged eagle carries a ruby shield and clutches an olive branch of emeralds, below a radiant "250" and atop the phrase "250 YEARS USA" etched in 18-karat gold.
All told, 321 diamonds, 56 sapphires, 13 emeralds and six rubies encrust the watch-sized gold ring presented this week to Bill White, the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, to give to U.S. President Donald Trump ...
In September, AWDC said it had "succeeded in securing a zero percent import tariff" on Antwerp's annual export of more than $2 billion of polished diamonds to the U.S. A spokesperson for the group said on Thursday that the AWDC provided "input" to the European Commission as it negotiated with Trump on a broad deal on tariffs in 2025, but did not itself lobby the administration. ...
Bessent on Trump's crypto earnings: "I don't think there's an appearance problem"
www.cbsnews.com
... In an exclusive interview with CBS News on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he doesn't believe the recent disclosure of President Trump's billions in crypto earnings is problematic for the president.
"I don't think there's an appearance problem," Bessent told CBS News anchor and MoneyWatch correspondent Kelly O'Grady regarding Mr. Trump's earnings. ...
How Trump took over America's 250th
www.politico.com
... America turns 250 on Saturday. But the celebration Americans will see isn't quite the one organizers spent the last decade planning.
For nearly 10 years, the bipartisan, congressionally chartered America250 envisioned a once-in-a-generation civic commemoration built around history, service and local communities.
One America250 planning document imagined transforming the tiny Badlands town of Medora, North Dakota -- population roughly 150 -- into a living museum recreating Theodore Roosevelt's frontier experience.
It hoped to draw 250,000 visitors for a nationally televised celebration on July 1 featuring A-list performers, immersive historical programming, a drone spectacular and, ultimately, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library's grand opening.
Instead, the opening went on this week with President Donald Trump -- but without America250.
"The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library was one of America250's first signed partners and we have been supportive since before its groundbreaking," an America250 spokesperson told Playbook. "However, America250 is not participating in the opening ceremonies."
The spokesperson said America250 had hoped to support the opening if it received an additional $25 million in federal funding. That money never came. ...
Of the $150 million Congress appropriated for America's 250th festivities, organizers expected to receive roughly $100 million but have received just $25 million to date.
Into the void stepped Freedom250, the organization aligned with Trump's White House Task Force 250, which became a principal partner for the library opening. A similar story unfolded 1,600 miles away in Washington.
The Smithsonian Institution had spent years planning a monthlong Folklife Festival on the National Mall " an ambitious gathering that would have brought together traditions like Burning Man and Farm Aid alongside local and regional festivals from across the U.S. and its territories.
Instead, that space on the National Mall this month was used for Freedom250's Great American State Fair, forcing Smithsonian to take the festival nationwide, partnering with more than 40 existing festivals across the country. ...
@#13 ... Communism, the state owns the means of production. I shall repeat, ThE STATE OWNS EVERYTHING. Who's been trying to have THE STATE own businesses lately, eh? ...
You mean like this?
OpenAI proposes 5% stake to Trump administration to ease Washington pressure
www.cnbc.com
or this...
The US takes a 10% stake in Intel as part of Trump's big tech push
www.cnn.com
etc...
Scars on 45 - Take You Home
www.youtube.com
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home
www.youtube.com
Phillip Phillips - Home
www.youtube.com
So there's a reason why Pres Trump has been lashing out at NATO.
Trump Says It's 'Ridiculous' for U.S. to Maintain Current NATO Support as Rift Widens Ahead of Summit
time.com
Related ...
Trump plans record fireworks show, internal docs warn of smoky skies
www.politico.com
... The National Park Service will launch a dazzling 850,000 fireworks in the nation's capital this year. Officials acknowledge the potential health risks.
The National Park Service on Saturday will launch over 850,000 fireworks into the skies of Washington, bathing the capital in patriotic blasts of light for the nation's 250th birthday.
Then comes the fallout.
Scientists have well documented the soot and heavy metal pollution that can spike severely in the wake of pyrotechnic displays, and the world-record-setting number of fireworks lined up for July 4 will mean an equally large jump in pollution, according to experts and internal NPS documents reviewed by POLITICO.
There are no indications that the administration plans to suggest masking or other personal protection for revelers viewing the fireworks from the nation's front lawn. And the Environmental Protection Agency said tracking the air quality impacts of the fireworks isn't their jurisdiction.
"First off, fireworks are awesome and we hope everyone enjoys the incredible shows in and around our nation's capital as we celebrate 250 years of America," EPA spokesperson Mike Bastasch said in an email. "The EPA is not issuing permits for the fireworks for this event."
But NPS officials have warned internally that the fireworks could cause hazardous levels of pollution around the National Mall. The draft air-quality analysis from May says people should "avoid prolonged exposure" to the fine particulate matter pollution, including by wearing N95 masks "when outdoors." ...
@#1 ... Seems like the Turks at least know a little about the limits of human depravity. ...
Maybe, maybe not ...
Stand-up comic held for jokes about Erdogan and Islam in Turkey crackdown
www.bbc.com
... Stand-up comedian Deniz Gkta has been placed under arrest by a court in Istanbul after he was held at the city's main airport over a performance that has attracted 9.4m views on YouTube.
Gkta is accused of "inciting hatred and hostility" in his stage routine, as well as insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoan.
He is the latest performer to be hit by a crackdown on dissent in Turkey that has also targeted campaigners, journalists and other public figures. ...
@#4 ... Any money available to make it better than it is was stolen by Donald Trump. ...
Trump-tied Freedom 250 sent ticket seekers to GOP fundraising site
www.usatoday.com
... Americans seeking free tickets to the kickoff celebration for the nation's 250th birthday on the National Mall were asked to consent to receiving requests for donations to an organization affiliated with President Donald Trump, according to online registration portals reviewed by USA TODAY.
The June 24 event was billed as "America is Back," the official opening of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, an event sponsored by Freedom 250, the Trump-aligned organization running a series of public-private events revolving around America's 250th birthday.
"This is the opening moment you will not want to miss," the website said. "Admission is free; RSVP is encouraged."
The RSVP page for the event directed attendees to sign up through a Trump-branded registration site, 45.donaldjtrump.com. And it required them to provide their email addresses and asked for their cellphone numbers, according to screenshots of the registration forms taken by USA TODAY. ...
Related ...
The Race to Rescue 8,000 Sailors Still Stranded Behind Hormuz
www.insurancejournal.com
... At anchor in the Persian Gulf, Abhijit Chopra found out about the US-Iran peace deal when his phone lit up with messages from family and friends. The captain of a crude oil tanker, he had to temper his excitement. There were no signs of celebration from nearby vessels, and no ships making haste towards the Strait of Hormuz.
Chopra and his 21-strong crew have been trapped since the war began in late February. At the beginning, they struggled with fear and uncertainty, which ebbed into boredom and a constant battle not to let negative thoughts set in. For more than 120 days they have waited, dining together and bonding by singing old Hindi songs at karaoke. In early March, Chopra and his crew -- all of whom were Indian, aside from one Ukrainian -- celebrated Holi, a major Hindu festival, onboard the tanker. They painted each other's foreheads with turmeric powder taken from their kitchen.
Signs that the strait might reopen came and went. That's why this time, Chopra didn't overreact. "When they said the Strait of Hormuz was open, we were a bit optimistic that the vessel might transit," he said.
But when there was fresh news of attacks on tankers, they realized they were going to be stuck a bit longer. "There was a little bit of disappointment," he said. ...
Trump and Republicans return to communist attacks against Democrats ahead of the midterm elections
courthousenews.com