week ending Feb 1

U.S. Treasury yields fall as investors await Fed’s interest rate decision - U.S. Treasury yields were lower on Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's first interest rate decision of 2025.At 5:49 a.m. ET, the 10-year Treasury yield declined by 2.5 basis points to 4.524%, while the 2-year Treasury yield was down by 1 basis point to 4.191%.One basis point is equal to 0.01%, and yields and prices move in opposite directions.Expectations for an interest rate cut remain low, with traders pricing in a nearly 100% chance that the Fed will keep rates steady at a target range of 4.25% to 4.5%, according to theCME Group FedWatch Tool."When it comes to the Fed, they're widely not expected to do anything tomorrow and that's a good thing. The less the Fed has to do, the better it is for the market, in our view," Bespoke Investment Group co-founder Paul Hickey said Tuesday on CNBC's "Closing Bell: Overtime."

FOMC Statement: No Change to Fed Funds Rate - Fed Chair Powell press conference video here or on YouTube here, starting at 2:30 PM ET. FOMC Statement: Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. The unemployment rate has stabilized at a low level in recent months, and labor market conditions remain solid. Inflation remains somewhat elevated.The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. The Committee judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals are roughly in balance. The economic outlook is uncertain, and the Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate.In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 percent. In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. The Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage‑backed securities. The Committee is strongly committed to supporting maximum employment and returning inflation to its 2 percent objective.In assessing the appropriate stance of monetary policy, the Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook. The Committee would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that could impede the attainment of the Committee's goals. The Committee's assessments will take into account a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and financial and international developments.

Fed leaves rates unchanged, sees no hurry to cut again (Reuters) - The U.S. central bank held interest rates steady on Wednesday and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said there would be no rush to cut them again until inflation and jobs data made it appropriate. The decision and Powell's comments put Fed policy in a holding pattern at a time when the U.S. economic landscape seems both stable and wildly uncertain - with a healthy set of macroeconomic fundamentals that have changed little in recent months, but coming decisions from the Trump administration on immigration, tariffs, taxes and other areas that could prove disruptive. Emerging from their first policy meeting during President Donald Trump's second term in the White House, Powell said Fed officials are "waiting to see what policies are enacted" before judging the effects on inflation, employment and overall economic activity, with no reason to adjust rates further until data either show a renewed decline in inflation or rising risks to the jobs market. "I think our policy stance is very well-calibrated," Powell said in a press conference after the end of the Fed's latest two-day policy meeting. "The unemployment rate has been broadly stable for six months ... The last couple of inflation readings ... have suggested more positive readings." In comments on his Truth Social media platform, Trump did not directly call for rate cuts, as he said he would do, but attributed the inflation that spiked in 2021 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to the Fed spending too much time "on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), gender ideology, 'green' energy, and fake climate change." Trump returned to power last week with promises of import tariffs, an immigration crackdown, tax cuts and looser regulation. Powell declined to respond to the Republican president's previous statements, but said, as he often has, that the central bank reacts to economic developments to try to maintain the lowest unemployment rate consistent with 2% annual inflation. A line chart titled "US federal funds target rate" that tracks the metric over time. The interest rate was left unchanged in January. After the Fed lowered rates three times in the latter part of last year, inflation has largely moved sideways in recent months, but "remains elevated," the central bank's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee, opens new tabsaid in a statement after a unanimous decision to keep the benchmark overnight interest rate in the current 4.25%-4.50% range. Recent key inflation readings remain about half a percentage point or more above the Fed's target, far lower than the 40-year highs seen in the aftermath of the pandemic. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a press conference in Washington Fed officials say they largely believe the progress in lowering inflation will resume this year, but have now put rates on hold as they await data to confirm it. "Economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. The unemployment rate has stabilized at a low level in recent months, and labor market conditions remain solid," the Fed's statement said. "In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks," it added. Powell told reporters "we do not need to be in a hurry to adjust our policy stance" and monetary policy is "well-positioned" for the challenges at hand. He noted there are risks to cutting rates too aggressively, saying "we know that reducing policy restraint too fast or too much could hinder progress on inflation." Short-term interest rate futures showed that investors expect the central bank to hold off on cutting rates again until June. U.S. stocks closed down on the day but off their lows, while U.S. bond yields were little changed. The dollar (.DXY), opens new tab was steady against a basket of currencies. A line chart comparing inflation metrics over the past five years. 'MILDLY HAWKISH' The Fed's rate decision on Wednesday was widely anticipated following its rate cuts in 2024, which reduced the benchmark rate by a full percentage point. There is debate at the central bank about how much further rates may need to fall, with policymakers anticipating perhaps two quarter-percentage-point rate cuts over the course of the year. "The Fed seems to think the economy is stuck with a low unemployment rate and elevated inflation," said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. "The statement could be read to be mildly hawkish, suggesting that a little jolt to rates could kick the economy out of this equilibrium." Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector fixed-income investing at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said, "while we continue to think the Fed's easing cycle has not yet run its course, the FOMC will want to see further progress in the inflation data to deliver the next rate cut, highlighted by the fact they removed the reference on inflation making progress."

Trump denounces Fed decision not to cut interest rate -- In what was a near-certain decision, the US Federal Reserve kept its base interest rate on hold at its meeting yesterday and essentially signalled a halt to the rate cuts which began last September. Having cut its rate by a full percentage point over its three previous meetings, the Fed indicated that it had now paused. Fed chair Jerome Powell told the press conference following the two-day meeting that policymakers “do not need to be in a hurry to adjust our policy stance.” He said the Fed would need to see some “real progress on inflation or some weakness in the labour market before we consider making adjustments.” The meeting was held in the immediate aftermath of the coming to power of Trump and his slew of executive orders. The press conference saw numerous attempts by journalists to elicit some comment from Powell on the effect of the administration’s policies, but his response was always the same—no comment. Asked about the impact of the proposed tariff measures, which by their very nature raise prices and thereby are a factor in determining Fed interest rate policy, Powell replied: “We need to let those policies be implemented before we can even begin to make a plausible assessment of what their implications for the economy will be.” In answer to another question on the effect of the new administration on Fed policy, he said: “I’m not going to have any response or comment whatsoever on what the president said.” Powell may be trying to retain a stony silence on the policies of the new administration and their impact, saying it was not the job of the Fed to criticise or praise government policy. But Trump has not. Last week in the lead up to the meeting, Trump declared: “I think I know interest rates much better than they do, and I think I know them certainly much better than the one [Powell] who’s primarily in charge of making that decision.” Trump has said interest rates should fall “a lot” and he would “let it be known” if he disagreed with a Fed decision. Trump rapidly made good on this commitment. In a post on his Truth Social messaging platform yesterday, he said: “If the Fed had spent less time on DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion], gender ideology, ‘green energy,’ and fake climate change, inflation would never have been a problem.” The outburst was in line with his fascistic assertions that the problems of American society and its economy are the result of the activities of “leftists,” “Marxists,” so-called “woke” politics and above all immigrants and refugees. Having placed in cabinet positions people who have pledged their adherence to him and his MAGA agenda, it irks Trump to no end that he does not, as yet, exercise direct executive power over the central bank.

Trump Slams Hawkish Fed For 'Failing To Stop The Problem They Created' -- The Fed removed a portion of the statement that said inflation has made progress toward the central bank’s 2% goal. That aligns with the more cautious tone officials have been taking on the inflation outlook. Rate-cut expectations for 2025 are sliding lower (hawkish)... "The Fed’s statement was somewhat hawkish relative to last month, so it isn’t surprising that the knee-jerk reaction was for some modest bear flattening,” Bloomberg Intelligence US interest rate strategists Ira Jersey and Will Hoffman say. “As we also noted, the press conference may cause even more volatility than these modest shifts in the statement.” * * * Since the last FOMC meeting, on December 18th, The White House has changed hands with oil & gold outperforming as bond yields soar (prices drop)... Source: Bloomberg US macro surprise data is basically unchanged - soft and hard - since the last FOMC, but not before dropping before and recovering after Trump's inauguration... Source: Bloomberg But, digging into the details, we see a rather notable rise in growth data surprises and downside inflation surprises... Source: Bloomberg The market has fully priced-in ZERO rate cuts today so there should be little to no surprise at all, and the market has recently shifted (dovishly) up to match The Fed's dot-plot expectations of 2 x 25bp cuts this year...... Update (1620ET): Quite frankly we are surprised it took this long for President Trump to respond to The Fed's inaction today. In a statement on his Truth Social account, Trump wrote: "Because Jay Powell and the Fed failed to stop the problem they created with Inflation, I will do it by unleashing American Energy production, slashing Regulation, rebalancing International Trade, and reigniting American Manufacturing... ...but I will do much more than stopping Inflation, I will make our Country financially, and otherwise, powerful again! The Fed has done a terrible job on Bank Regulation. Treasury is going to lead the effort to cut unnecessary Regulation, and will unleash lending for all American people and businesses. If the Fed had spent less time on DEI, gender ideology, "green" energy, and fake climate change. Inflation would never have been a problem. Instead, we suffered from the worst Inflation in the History of our Country!" And cue the outrage at Trump daring to question the oracles in The Eccles Building.

Wall Street still sees two rate cuts this year, but conviction is getting weaker, CNBC survey finds -- Amid the uncertainty of fiscal policy and the persistence of inflation, respondents to the CNBC Fed Survey dialed back their expectations for interest rate cuts but still believe the central bank will ease this year. Among the 25 respondents, 65% see two rate cuts in 2025, equal to the number penciled in by Federal Reserve officials in their recent forecasts and roughly equal to futures markets expectations. But that's down from 78% in the prior survey, while 61% forecast at least one cut in 2026, down from 70% in December."I just don't see (the Fed) having any confidence right now on how to proceed with rate cuts from here, especially as we await Trump's tariff and tax policy," said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Financial Group.The fed funds rate is seen ending the year at 3.96%, 12 basis points higher than in the December survey, and 3.6% in 2026, up 16 basis points. A basis point equals 0.01%. The terminal rate, or the long-run nominal rate, edged up again, now standing at 3.4%, one-tenth of a percentage point higher than December, and three-tenths higher than March 2024. The reduced outlook for rate cuts comes amid a decline in the probability of recession, an increase in inflation forecasts, and a mix of views on the inflationary and growth effects of the new administration's anticipated policies. Highlighting the promise and uncertainty in the months to come, survey respondents gave sharply mixed reviews toPresident Donald Trump's signature economic policies. Two of his campaign promises — tariffs and immigration — are seen boosting inflation and reducing growth. Two other policies — deregulation and tax cuts — are viewed as positive for growth and either neutral or positive for reducing inflation.For example, 77% see tariffs as negative for inflation and 73% believe they are negative for growth. But 55% believe deregulation will reduce inflation and 68% believe it will boost growth."Reasonable economists can disagree just how inflationary tariffs or reductions in immigration might be, but they are inflationary,'' said Guy LeBas, chief fixed income strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott.Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Analytics, added, "While the U.S. economy is on strong fundamental ground, much higher tariffs and significant immigrant deportations will diminish it, and taken too far, could undermine it."But Drew T. Matus, chief market strategist at MetLife Investment Management, countered, "Regulatory relief is a core feature of the incoming administration's plans and will be a key driver of increasing economic activity." Richard I. Sichel, senior investment strategist at The Philadelphia Trust Co., sees broadly positive effects. "The new administration has energized everything, including the stock market," he said. "Optimism and risk taking have increased. Lower taxes and less redundant regulations along with the ongoing success of technology innovation promote more efficiency and profits." Asked to assess the total effects of Trump policies expected to be enacted, 64% say they will be somewhat or very inflationary, 23% believe they will have no effect on inflation either way and 14% say they will be somewhat deflationary. Yet 60% believe they will be somewhat or very positive for growth, 9% see them as neutral and 32% believe they will be somewhat negative. That outlook is reflected in actual forecasts where the 12-month outlook for the consumer price index nudged up to 2.7% for this year, from 2.6% in December, and to 2.6% for next year from 2.5%. Forecasts for GDP edged higher to 2.4% for 2025, up 3 basis points, but remained unchanged at 2.1% for 2026.The probability of a recession in the next 12 months dropped to 23%, from 29%, equal to the level in February 2022. When it comes to tariffs on Mexico and Canada, majorities believe their enactment will depend on negotiations but that additional tariffs will be placed on China irrespective of negotiations.Trump's recent comments where he demanded that the Fed lower rates has respondents once again doubting he will respect the Fed's independence. Just 36% believe he will do so, down from 56% in December. "We could see a real test of Fed independence during 2025 as nominal growth might surprise on the upside, potentially putting the Fed officially on hold or even forcing them to raise rates," said Richard Bernstein, CEO of Richard Bernstein Advisors. "The president won't like stable to higher fed funds. A fight could ensue."But Kathy Bostjancic, chief U.S. economist at Nationwide, said, "We look for the Fed to stand steadfast to political influence and pause its easing cycle, at least through the first half of this year."Meanwhile, 64% say they don't believe Trump will be successful in his plan to drive down inflation by increasing energy production and reducing energy prices."You can lead an oil company to leases, but you can't make it drill," said Robert Fry, chief economist at Robert Fry Economics. "Capital discipline means that instead of, 'Drill, baby, drill,' we'll get, 'Drill? Maybe not.'"

BEA: Real GDP increased at 2.3% Annualized Rate in Q4 --From the BEA: Gross Domestic Product, 4th Quarter and Year 2024 (Advance Estimate) Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 (October, November, and December), according to the advance estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 3.1 percent. The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected increases in consumer spending and government spending that were partly offset by a decrease in investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, decreased. Compared to the third quarter, the deceleration in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected downturns in investment and exports. Imports turned down. The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter, compared with an increase of 1.9 percent in the third quarter. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index increased 2.3 percent, compared with an increase of 1.5 percent. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 2.5 percent, compared with an increase of 2.2 percent. ... Real GDP increased 2.8 percent in 2024 (from the 2023 annual level to the 2024 annual level), compared with an increase of 2.9 percent in 2023. The increase in real GDP in 2024 reflected increases in consumer spending, investment, government spending, and exports. Imports increased. The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 2.3 percent in 2024, compared with an increase of 3.3 percent in 2023. The PCE price index increased 2.5 percent, compared with an increase of 3.8 percent. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 2.8 percent, compared with an increase of 4.1 percent. PCE increased at a 4.2% annual rate, and residential investment increased at a 5.3% rate. The advance Q4 GDP report, with 2.3% annualized increase, was below expectations. ...

House Republicans divided over how to pay for Trump's tax cuts -- Republicans who control the U.S. House of Representatives are trying to overcome internal differences on how to pay for President Donald Trump's sweeping tax cuts, with hardline conservatives determined to reduce an annual federal deficit approaching $2 trillion. With a narrow 218-215 House majority, they need near-total unity as they prepare to vote within weeks on a fiscal 2025 budget resolution that will be a critical step toward passing Trump's sprawling agenda of tax cuts, border and immigration reform, energy deregulation and increased military spending. Ahead of a three-day policy retreat that kicks off in Miami on Monday, some worried openly that House Speaker Mike Johnson's leadership team might balk at the spending cuts needed to offset the cost of Trump's $6 trillion tax-cut agenda while also addressing the nation's more than $36 trillion in debt. Republicans have vowed to extend Trump's tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA, which are set to expire at the end of this year. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that doing so would cost more than $4 trillion over ten years, while Trump campaign pledges to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits could cost another $1.8 trillion. Failure to reach agreement could trip up Republican lawmakers' plan to pass Trump's agenda by the end of May, using a maneuver to bypass Senate Democrats that will require almost all of the fractious majority to agree. "Most of us support the TCJA. I don't think that's the issue. We all want to support what President Trump is doing. But we also recognize the need to get our fiscal house in order," said Representative Michael Cloud, R-Texas, a member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus. "We've got to have a course correction, and it's got to be dramatic," he told Reuters. Johnson said he hopes to finalize components of a single sprawling legislative package to fund Trump priorities. Republicans must also decide whether to include an increase in the federal government's debt ceiling -- which Congress must do later this year to avoid a devastating default -- and disaster relief for Los Angeles communities devastated by wildfires. "There are a number of ideas on the table," Johnson told reporters before lawmakers left Washington last week, saying his caucus aimed to reach an agreement in Miami. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York blasted Republican plans as "a contract against America." He warned: "It will hurt working families, hurt the middle class, hurt our children, hurt our seniors and hurt our veterans." Jeffries also said the Republican agenda would undermine the Medicaid health-care program for the poor, as well as government-subsidized healthcare for uninsured workers under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say they face a major challenge finding enough spending cuts to cover the cost of the Trump agenda and worry privately that hardliners' insistence on significant deficit reduction could harm their constituents by reducing Medicaid funding for hospitals and outlays for other community services. "This thing cannot be deficit neutral," said Republican Representative Ralph Norman, R-S.C., adding that the package would need to reduce the deficit "to the tune of a big number." Another potential roadblock: The rising U.S. deficit is weighing on the bond market, pushing the nation's borrowing costs higher. A significant deepening of the deficit could add to those worries. The debate will test which is more powerful -- Trump's demands or hardliners' will to hold to a traditional Republican goal of cutting the deficit. "The president said very clearly what he wants. Now the question is, what do we want? This is an equal body ... We're supposed to have different opinions. If we don't, we're in trouble, because we're no longer a constitutional republic, said Representative Richard McCormick, R-Ga. The House Budget Committee has circulated a 50-page menu of proposals that includes trillions of dollars ranging from ideas widely supported within the party, such as repealing green energy tax credits, to the controversial, including the federal home mortgage interest deduction. A plan to raise $1.9 trillion from a 10% tariff on imported goods, which Trump has proposed, also faces opposition from House and Senate conservatives. "I'm not in favor of raising taxes. Tariffs are simply a tax," said Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a leading fiscal hawk. Even as Republicans try to edge toward agreement, Representative Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said he worries that up to $200 billion in proposed additional funding for the Pentagon could absorb savings that he would rather use to address the deficit. But he stopped short of saying that such an outcome would lead him to oppose the package. "If I see us trending in the right direction, that might be enough," Burchett said. "But again, we're lying to ourselves, and we're lying to the public. We go home and say, we're going to do these things. And then we come up here and wink and nod and sell the people down the river. And we go home and get reelected. It's a crazy system."

Trump administration directs widespread pause of federal loans and grants - The Trump administration late Monday directed federal agencies to pause the disbursement of loans and grants while the government conducts a review to ensure spending aligns with President Trump’s agenda. A memo issued by Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), directs federal agencies to temporarily pause “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance.” “This temporary pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities,” the memo states. The memo indicates Social Security or Medicare benefits should not be impacted, nor should assistance provided directly to individuals, such as those who benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The pause goes into effect at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the memo, which was reviewed by The Hill. OMB may grant exceptions for certain awards on a case-by-case basis, the memo states. Federal agencies are instructed to conduct a review to determine whether federal loan and grant programs are impacted by Trump’s wave of executive orders signed during his first week in office. Those orders were related to border security, the federal workforce, ending the “weaponization” of government, the military and other aspects of government. A senior Trump administration official asserted the memo did not amount to a funding freeze. They argued that if an agency found its funding was not in conflict with Trump’s agenda, it would be disbursed without issue. The senior Trump official disputed that the pause amounted to an impoundment of federal funds. Instead, they argued temporary pauses are necessary for new administrations to ensure spending aligns with priorities and executive orders. While the senior administration official suggested pauses could in some cases be lifted in as little as one day, the lack of clarity has led to panic among nonprofit groups that benefit from federal funding. “This order is a potential five-alarm fire for nonprofit organizations and the people and communities they serve,” Diane Yentel, president of the National Council of Nonprofits, said in a statement. “From pausing research on cures for childhood cancer to halting food assistance, safety from domestic violence, and closing suicide hotlines, the impact of even a short pause in funding could be devastating and cost lives.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) lambasted the move in a statement late Monday, saying the pause on federal disbursements “blatantly disobeys the law” and expressing skepticism that it is just a temporary hold. “Congress approved these investments and they are not optional; they are the law. These grants help people in red states and blue states, support families, help parents raise kids, and lead to stronger communities,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump’s Administration is jeopardizing billions upon billions of community grants and financial support that help millions of people across the country,” he added. “It will mean missed payrolls and rent payments and everything in between: chaos for everything from universities to non-profit charities.” Trump and his nominee to lead OMB, Russell Vought, have signaled they may seek to expand presidential authority over the agency. Trump has also talked about challenging the Impoundment Control Act by using presidential authority to hold back certain funding appropriated by Congress.

Trump funding freeze challenged in lawsuit by nonprofits, small business group - Nonprofit groups and a small business organization filed alawsuit on Tuesday asking a judge to temporarily block a funding freeze ordered by the Trump administration of federal grants and loans.The lawsuit says the freeze by the Office of Management and Budget set to take effect at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday is illegal.The suit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., blasts the OMB's action, which became known Monday night through a two-page memo. CNBC has requested comment from OMB on the suit.The memo issued from acting OMB Director Matthew Vaeth, details a "Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs," according to its subject line.The memo requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with President Donald Trump's policies.It also says those agencies "must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation and disbursement" of all federal financial assistance that may be implicated by Trump's executive orders, including foreign aid, assistance to nongovernmental organizations, "woke gender ideology, and the green new deal."Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, at a news conference Tuesday morning called the memo "a dagger at the heart of the average American family — in red states, in blue states, in cities, in suburbs, in rural areas.""It is just outrageous," Schumer added.The lawsuit filed Tuesday says, "This Memo — made public only through journalists' reporting, with barely twenty four hours' notice, devoid of any legal basis or the barest rationale — will have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of grant recipients who depend on the inflow of grant money (money already obligated and already awarded) to fulfill their missions, pay their employees, pay their rent — and, indeed, improve the day-to-day lives of the many people they work so hard to serve." "Although the Trump Administration is at liberty to 'advanc[e] [its] priorities,' it must do so within the confines of the law. It has not," the suit says."The Memo fails to explain the source of OMB's purported legal authority to gut every grant program in the federal government; it fails to consider the reliance interest of the many grant recipients, including those to whom money had already been promised; and it announces a policy of targeting grant recipients based in part on those recipients' First Amendment rights and with no bearing on the recipients' eligibility to receive federal funds."The suit was filed by the National Council of Nonprofits, the American Public Health Association, the Main Street Alliance and the New York-based group SAGE.The New York state attorney general's office is planning its own lawsuit challenging the OMB's freeze.New York AG Letitia James, in a tweet, wrote, "My office will be taking imminent legal action against this administration's unconstitutional pause on federal funding.""We won't sit idly by while this administration harms our families," James wrote

Judge pauses Trump funding freeze order until Feb. 3 --A federal judge paused until next week a Trump administrationorder that would have frozen the issuance of existing federal grants and loans until agencies vetted them. Judge Loren AliKhan's ruling Tuesday during a hearing conducted on Zoom came just minutes before the freezing order was set to take effect at 5 p.m. ET. At stake are funds potentially worth trillions of dollars.AliKhan said her administrative stay would expire at 5 p.m. ET Monday unless she decides to grant a temporary restraining order as requested by plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit earlier in the day challenging the Trump administration's action.The judge scheduled a hearing for Monday morning for arguments on the requested restraining order in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.Minutes after AliKhan issued the stay, a group of 22 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration inRhode Island federal court challenging the order's legality.The U.S. Department of Justice had objected to AliKhan's administrative stay against the Office of Management and Budget's order, which is part of an effort by President Donald Trump to cut spending that does not comply with his efforts to purge "woke ideology" from government programs.AliKhan's stay only affects the disbursement of government funds that already have been authorized, not money that was being sought.The judge ordered Tuesday's hearing within hours of the filing of the suit challenging the order, and as the Medicaid reimbursement portal system went offline in what several senators believed was a reaction to the Trump administration's order.The OMB order, which was revealed only by news outlets Monday night, has generated widespread confusion about what programs stand to lose funding.The memo details a "Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs," according to its subject line.It requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with Trump's policies, saying the agencies "must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation and disbursement" of all federal financial assistance that may be implicated by Trump's executive orders, including foreign aid, assistance to nongovernmental organizations, "woke gender ideology, and the green new deal."Nonprofit groups and a small business organization sued OMB in federal court in Washington on Tuesday seeking to block the order from taking effect later in the day.Jessica Morton, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told AliKhan during Tuesday afternoon's hearing that if the order went into effect, it would cause "unequivocal harm" to at least some of the grant programs operated by her clients.Morton said the "chaos caused by the complexity" of the order warranted a delay in its implementation.She also said OMB was to blame for the situation because the order only came to light less than 24 hours before it was set to take effect.Diane Yental, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, after the judge's issued the stay said, "Many of these organizations that run programs with federal funding in our communities are very small nonprofits, and they don't have savings to be able to fall back on.""So if they're missing one payment or two payments, suddenly they're not able to make payroll, and they're having to look at staff layoffs, and it's not that far into the future when they may even have to shut down programs or shut down organizations," Yental said."We are ... feeling relief from this temporary injunction," she said.Skye Perryman, CEO of the advocacy Democracy Forward, which is representing the plaintiffs, said, "We are not going to stop until the courts put an end to what is it unlawful and harmful action on the part of the federal government."

Trump funding freeze: Medicaid portal back soon, White House says --Medicaid reimbursement portals went down Tuesday in every U.S. state after the Trump administration ordered a freeze on federal grants and loans, a senator said.But the White House later said it expected the systems to "be back online shortly" without any effect on payments."My staff has confirmed reports that Medicaid portals are down in all 50 states following last night's federal funding freeze," Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote in a post on the social media site X."This is a blatant attempt to rip away health insurance from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed," he wrote.Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said, "Connecticut's Medicaid payment system has been turned off.""Doctors and hospitals cannot get paid," Murphy wrote in a tweet. "Discussions ongoing about whether services can continue." Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, tweeted, "This is a Trump shutdown, except this time it's unlawful."White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt later wrote in a tweet, "The White House is aware of the Medicaid website portal outage.""We have confirmed no payments have been affected — they are still being processed and sent," Leavitt said. "We expect the portal will be back online shortly."Several states, among them Arizona and Connecticut, regained access to their portals later Tuesday.As of October, there were 72,058,701 Americans enrolled in Medicaid, which provides health coverage to primarily low-income people, in addition to pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and states.Medicaid, along with other programs including food stamps, small business assistance, Head Start, rental assistance and federal Pell Grants for college students, is supposed to be excluded from the Trump administration funding freeze, according to a memo issued Tuesday afternoon by the Office of Management and Budget.The shutdown in access to the Medicaid system came a day after acting OMB Director Matthew Vaeth issued a memo ordering a "Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs."The memo requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with President Donald Trump's policies.Earlier Tuesday, Leavitt told reporters at the White House, "I'll check back on that and get back to you," when asked if Medicaid payments were affected by the OMB order.Murphy fired back at Leavitt in a tweet, writing, "72 MILLION people rely on this health insurance and you have to get back to us?!? Are you f****** kidding me?"

White House rescinded funding memo after GOP senators ‘hit the ceiling’ - The White House budget office rescinded a memo ordering a broad freeze on federal grants and loans after Republican senators “hit the ceiling” over the order, which caught them completely by surprise and created confusion in their home states. Republican senators were careful not to criticize President Trump publicly after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a broadly worded memo Monday that appeared to freeze broad swaths of federal funding but privately they were livid, according to Senate sources. “Republicans were starting to hit the ceiling, because the state governments, people in our states were coming to us saying, ‘Wait, wait, wait, wait. What does this mean? Does it mean we’re going to lose funding for X, Y, Z?’” said one Republican senator who requested anonymity to discuss the uproar behind closed doors caused by the memo. “As drafted the initial memo sounded so broad, and it sounded like a new order. It sounded like it was a new freeze, which was super confusing,” the senator added. A second Republican senator who requested anonymity said the memo the White House budget office dropped Monday was “shocking” and caused a lot of confusion throughout the Senate Republican Conference. “We were all hyperventilating because of the pause on federal funds and programs,” the lawmaker said. Republican senators led by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) told the White House directly that the OMB directive was written far too broadly. They pressed White House staff for answers about how the funding freeze would impact the delivery of federal services. “I made clear that I thought it was too sweeping, that it was causing a lot of confusion and consternation in my state, particularly for nonprofit organizations, and I’m glad that it’s apparently been rescinded,” Collins said Wednesday afternoon. Collins and Murkowski are both critical votes for getting Trump’s Cabinet nominees through the Senate. The memo issued Monday by acting OMB Director Matthew Vaeth instructed that “federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by executive orders” issued by Trump. Those orders included a 90-day pause on most foreign development assistance, the termination all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and a pause on climate programs funded by former President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. A Senate source said Collins and Murkowski communicated their concerns directly to White House officials. Murkowski said constituents in her state were “shut out” of the federal Payment Management Services web portal, which is run by the Department of Health and Human Services. Murkowski told The Hill she heard a lot of feedback from people in Alaska after the OMB issued its order later Monday. “I met first thing this morning with the Head Start folks from Alaska and of course Head Start was to be one of those not touched [by the funding freeze] but yesterday no one was able to access the portal,” she said Wednesday. “It’s what everybody was talking about yesterday,” she said. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said the “lack of information” about how exactly the OMB directive would impact local funding caused constituents to “pick up the phone.” “I think the lack of information is what captures people, that they would pick up the phone and call or email us. They don’t know what it means. Once they get the chance to ask the questions, the level of anxiety is significantly diminished,” he said.

Spending freeze not being rescinded, White House press secretary says - =The White House is claiming the Wednesday move by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rescinding a controversial order that froze a wide swath of federal financial assistance is not actually an end to curbing government spending.“This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. Why? To end any confusion created by the court’s injunction. The President’s EO’s on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media platform X.Leavitt referred to the OMB memo issued Monday night that directed federal agencies to temporarily pause “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance” while the government conducts a review to ensure spending aligns with President Trump’s agenda. Trump on Wednesday afternoon blamed the media for the confusion over the Monday night memo and said his administration has already been able to identify government waste, including for training on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and for “authorized payments to foreign organizations.”“To correct any confusion that the media has purposely and somehow, for whatever reason created — Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have not been affected by any action we’re taking in any way, shape or form. We are merely looking at parts of the big bureaucracy where there has been tremendous waste and fraud and abuse,” Trump said.“I could stand here all day and tell you many things we have found. … These were the payments and types of payments affected by the temporary freeze,” he added.In a longer statement, Leavitt outlined that Trump has targeted through executive orders in the past week certain types of spending and that Wednesday’s memo rescission means the White House still plans to block those funds. That includes for programs like DEI initiatives in the federal government and the World Health Organization, from which Trump withdrew. “In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage. The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments,” Leavitt said in a statement. She also called for an end to legal action against the first memo after U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan temporarily blocked Trump’s freeze on federal aid minutes before it went into effect on Tuesday afternoon. “This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending. In the coming weeks and months, more executive action will continue to end the egregious waste of federal funding,” Leavitt said.

Democrats leave ’emergency’ meeting vowing ‘street fight’ in response to Trump actions - House Democrats launched a multilateral effort Wednesday to combat the flood of executive actions from President Trump, vowing to punch back through legislation, lawsuits and a blitz of counter-messaging. In a virtual meeting of the House Democratic Caucus — conducted on Zoom because the House is in recess — party leaders and Democratic committee heads laid out the contours of their strategy, which will lean heavily on efforts to inform voters of the real-world effects of Trump’s actions. It was an “emergency” discussion sparked by the Trump administration’s move — since rescinded — to freeze trillions of dollars for federal grants and loans. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told his troops to pursue all avenues of opposition — and take that fight to the streets, according to several Democrats who participated in the meeting. “I don’t want to speak for the leader,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said afterward, “but it was a broad call for action — and a vigorous one.” “House Democrats are now fully engaged. The bell has rung. I think we see this for the constitutional test that it is, and we’re going to be aggressively pushing back,” echoed Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). “Leader Jeffries described it as a legal fight, a legislative fight and a street fight. And I couldn’t put it better.” The Democrats have a challenging road ahead as they seek to block Trump’s aggressive agenda, which features a broad dismantling of the federal government and how it operates. On the legislative front, Republicans control both chambers of Congress, leaving Democrats virtually powerless to bring bills to the floor. And as a legal matter, the courts have already ruled that congressional lawmakers lack the standing to challenge presidents when they refuse to spend federal dollars as Congress directed. That’s the controversy at the center of the White House’s move this week to freeze federal spending on hundreds of programs while agency officials weed out diversity initiatives and other efforts that don’t align with Trump’s priorities. Still, Democrats are hardly powerless in the debate, even from the minority. That’s because House Republicans have a historically slim majority, and GOP leaders are already struggling to unify their feuding conference for the sake of passing Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda. That will lend Democrats plenty of voice in the coming fights over must-pass legislation like funding the government and raising the debt ceiling, and they say they intend to use it.

What the House GOP retreat revealed about Trump, Johnson, and the fragile majority -- Speaking to the three top House Republican leaders over the past three days at the House GOP retreat here in Doral, Fla., revealed how President Trump is both the glue holding the fragile majority together and an earthquake that threatens to fracture it. I sat down with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) for a fireside chat at the House Republican retreat this week — which took place at the Trump National Doral resort — and got some rare insights on how he sees his relationship with the president. Once news of the interview was public, I got plenty of suggestions from Democrats and outsiders on what to ask him about — mostly having to do with how he could accept Trump’s demands and actions. But Johnson told me he “fully” supports Trump’s move to freeze federal grants — a response that surprised approximately zero reporters in the audience. Remember, Johnson said last week he would not “second-guess” Trump’s pardoning of violent Jan. 6 rioters, despite saying the day before inauguration that he expected the pardons to be on a case-by-case basis. Johnson, who has become part of Trump’s inner circle, acknowledged that he doesn’t criticize the president. His guiding principle is Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican. But he also insisted he is not a “yes man” when I asked how he handles his disagreements with Trump behind closed doors when they have differences of opinion on legislation and strategy. “I don’t agree with my wife 100 percent of the time,” Johnson said. He noted that he was on Trump’s impeachment defense team. “One of the reasons I think he respects this relationship that he and I have is that I give him counsel.” Johnson went on: → “The job of a counselor, or somebody who is ostensibly one of an adviser, or somebody who brings a different perspective is, you’re not supposed to be a yes man. I’m not. And I think that’s healthy. I think he respects it.” JOHNSON’S REACTION TO TRUMP FLOATING seeking a third term made me think of the adage coined by the conservative writer Salena Zito in 2016: Take Trump seriously, but not literally. In a speech to Republicans on Monday, Trump said he did not think he could seek a third term but then turned to Johnson and asked: “Am I allowed to run again, Mike?” “That was tongue in cheek,” Johnson, a constitutional lawyer, told me of Trump’s quip. “Of course, I can’t change the Constitution, but you know, there are means to do that. I don’t think he’s suggesting a constitutional amendment. So I think he’s having sport with the media.” This is the second time Trump has joked to House Republicans about seeking a third term, and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) last week proposed a constitutional amendment, which has virtually zero chance of passing, that would allow Trump to seek a third term. You can watch my full 25-minute fireside chat with Johnson here.

Trump Releases Hold on Shipment of 2,000-Pound Bombs for Israel - President Trump has released a hold on a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel that was paused by the Biden administration, Axios reported on Saturday. The report said the shipment of 1,800 MK-84 bombs, which are in storage in the US, will be shipped to Israel in the coming days. President Trump alluded to the shipment in a statement on Saturday, saying weapons Israel had “paid for” are on the way, although many, if not all, of recent US weapons shipments to Israel have likely been financed by US military aid.“A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. On Sunday, Netanyahu released a statement thanking the president. “Thank you, President Trump, for keeping your promise to give Israel the tools it needs to defend itself, to confront our common enemies and to secure a future of peace and prosperity,” he said.Also on Sunday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was sworn in on Saturday, spoke with Netanyahu in his first call with a foreign official and vowed the US would continue supporting Israel. According to a Pentagon readout of the call, the two discussed the “unbreakable bond that exists between the United States and Israel,” and Hegseth said the US would “ensure that Israel has the capabilities it needs to defend itself.”Israel has frequently used 2,000-pound bombs on densely populated areas of Gaza, including tent camps, slaughtering many Palestinian women and children. The Israeli military also dropped the huge bombs on residential buildings in Lebanon.Biden put a hold on a 2,000-pound bomb shipment and a 500-pound bomb shipment back in April as part of a public relations stunt to make it seem like he was putting pressure on Israel over its plans to invade the southern city of Rafah.Israel ended up invading Rafah, capturing its border crossing with Egypt, and now the city lies in ruin. Other US weapons continued to flow to Israel, and the pause on the 500-pound bombs was lifted in July, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the pause on the 2,000-pound bombs to claim that Biden was restricting military aid.

Netanyahu To Meet With Trump at the White House Next Week - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House next week, making him the first foreign leader invited to visit Washington by the new Trump administration.Trump told reporters on Monday that he would be hosting Netanyahu “very soon,” and the office of the Israeli prime minister confirmed on Tuesday that the meeting would take place on February 4.Ahead of Netanyahu’s trip to the US, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to hold talks with the Israeli leader in Israel. According to The Jerusalem Post, they’re expected to discuss phase two of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas. Netanyahu has claimed that he received a guarantee from Trump that Israel could restart its genocidal war in Gaza if it chooses to do so. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has also said he’s received assurances from Netanyahu that Israeli military operations would restart after the first phase, which involves a 42-day ceasefire to allow for hostage exchanges.Witkoff, a real estate investor from New York, has said he wants to ensure that the full ceasefire deal is implemented, but he has warned it will be difficult. Pressure Witkoff put on Netanyahu was seen as the key factor in getting Israel to agree to the deal in the first place. Israeli officials have said they received assurances from the US in exchange for signing the ceasefire deal, including a promise to increase US military aid. Over the weekend, President Trump released a 2,000-pound bomb shipment for Israel that was paused by President Biden.

Senate Democrats Block Bill To Sanction the ICC for Targeting Israeli Officials - On Tuesday, Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for their role in the genocidal war in Gaza.The bill, which had already passed through the House, needed 60 votes to advance through the Republican-controlled Senate, but it failed in a vote of 54-45. Every Republican voted in favor, but the bill only received support from one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman (PA), who has been extremely supportive of Israel’s campaign in Gaza.“Deeply disappointed by the outcome of the ICC sanctions bill,”Fetterman wrote on X after the vote. “My vote follows Israel—not the ICC that equivocated the democratically elected leader of our special ally to the terrorists and rapists of Hamas.”The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s military wing. The court sought warrants for two other Hamas leaders — Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh — but they were both killed by Israel before the warrants were actually issued.Congress is still expected to pass some sort of legislation to sanction the ICC since Democratic leadership wants to punish the court for investigating Israeli war crimes but thought the bill brought to the floor on Tuesday was too broad and could lead to sanctions against US allies that are ICC member states. “The ICC bill is one I largely support and would like to see become law,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote. “However, as much as I oppose the ICC bias against Israel, as much as I want to see that institution drastically reformed and reshaped, the bill before us is poorly drafted and deeply problematic..

Trump Floats Plan To 'Clean Out' Palestinians From Gaza, Raising Fears of Ethnic Cleansing - On Saturday, President Trump suggested the idea of “cleaning out” Palestinians from Gaza and sending them to Egypt and Jordan, raising fears that the US may support the ethnic cleansing of the territory. The president told reporters on Air Force One that moving Palestinians to the two Arab states could be either “temporary” or “long-term.” He said he discussed the idea with Jordan’s King Abdullah in a call they held on Saturday.“I said to him, ‘I’d love you take on more,’ because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess,” Trump said, adding that he planned to discuss the idea with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday.“You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said. “It’s literally a demolition site. Almost everything is demolished, and people are dying there, so I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change.” Jordan, which has a large population of Palestinian refugees, most of whom have citizenship, rejected Trump’s idea in comments on Sunday. “Our principles are clear, and Jordan’s steadfast position to uphold the Palestinians’ presence on their land remains unchanged and will never change,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters.Egypt and the Arab League later put out statements rejecting Trump’s idea. “The forced displacement and eviction of people from their land can only be called ethnic cleansing,” the Arab League said.Hamas also responded to Trump’s comments, calling on the administration to “abandon these proposals, which align with Israeli plans and clash with the rights and free will of our people” and “work to enable the Palestinian people to achieve their freedom and establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.” Media reports have said the Trump administration has discussed the idea of “temporarily” locating Palestinians in Gaza during reconstruction. According to NBC News, the administration has discussed sending them to Indonesia, although Jakarta said it was unaware of such plans. Many elements of the Israeli government want ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the establishment of Jewish settlements in the territory. Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power party, who just resigned from the government over the ceasefire deal, welcomed Trump’s comments. Ben Gvir frames his desire for ethnic cleansing as “voluntary migration.” Ben Gvir wrote on X: “Congratulations to US President Trump on the initiative to transfer residents from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt. One of our demands from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to encourage voluntary immigration, and when the president of the world’s largest power, Trump, himself raises the idea, it would be wise for the Israeli government to implement it – encourage immigration now!”Some members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party are also openly in favor of ethnic cleansing in Gaza. May Golan, a Likud member who serves as the minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of the Status of Women, recently called for a second “Nakba” in Gaza, referring to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948 during the establishment of the modern state of Israel.

Trump wants to 'clean out' Gaza and send Palestinians to settle in Egypt and Jordan. Here's why they are likely to refuse -- President Donald Trump's suggestion that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip is likely to be met with a hard "no" from the two U.S. allies and the Palestinians themselves who fear Israel would never allow them to return. Trump floated the idea on Saturday, saying he would urge the leaders of the two Arab countries to take in Gaza's now largely homeless population, so that "we just clean out that whole thing." He added that resettling Gaza's population "could be temporary or long term." "It's literally a demolition site right now," Trump said, referring to the vast destruction caused by Israel's 15-month military campaign against Hamas, now paused by a fragile ceasefire. "I'd rather get involved with some of the Arab nations, and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change," Trump said. There was no immediate comment from Egypt, Jordan, Israel or Palestinian officials. The idea is likely to be welcomed by Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right governing partners have long advocated what they describe as the voluntary migration of large numbers of Palestinians and the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Human rights groups have already accused Israel of ethnic cleansing, which United Nations experts have defined as a policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove the civilian population of another group from certain areas "by violent and terror-inspiring means." Before and during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, some 700,000 Palestinians — a majority of the prewar population — fled or were driven from their homes in what is now Israel, an event they commemorate as the Nakba — Arabic for catastrophe. Israel refused to allow them to return because it would have resulted in a Palestinian majority within its borders. The refugees and their descendants now number around 6 million, with large communities in Gaza, where they make up the majority of the population, as well as the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. In the 1967 Mideast war, when Israel seized the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 300,000 more Palestinians fled, mostly into Jordan. The decades-old refugee crisis has been a major driver of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and was one of the thorniest issues in peace talks that last broke down in 2009. The Palestinians claim a right of return, while Israel says they should be absorbed by surrounding Arab countries. Many Palestinians view the latest war in Gaza, in which entire neighborhoods have been shelled to oblivion and 90% of the population of 2.3 million have been forced from their homes, as a new Nakba. They fear that if large numbers of Palestinians leave Gaza, then they too may never return. Steadfastly remaining on one's land is central to Palestinian culture, and was on vivid display in Gaza on Sunday, when thousands of people tried to return to the most heavily destroyed part of the territory. Egypt and Jordan fiercely rejected the idea of accepting Gaza refugees early in the war, when it was floated by some Israeli officials. Both countries have made peace with Israel but support the creation of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. They fear that the permanent displacement of Gaza's population could make that impossible. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has also warned of the security implications of transferring large numbers of Palestinians to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, bordering Gaza. Hamas and other militant groups are deeply rooted in Palestinian society and are likely to move with the refugees, which would mean that future wars would be fought on Egyptian soil, something that could unravel the historic Camp David peace treaty, a cornerstone of regional stability.

Trump adopts ethnic cleansing as US policy in Gaza - On Saturday, US President Donald Trump called for Israel to “clean” Gaza of its Arab inhabitants, in an open call for ethnic cleansing. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “Over the centuries, that’s many, many conflicts, that site,” Trump said, implying that peace in the Middle East would be achieved by the removal or destruction of the Palestinian population. Trump’s statement is an open and public embrace on the part of the American state of the actual policy of the Netanyahu government, which is the systematic extermination and removal of the Palestinian population from Gaza, as part of the effort to annex all of the Palestinian territories and construct a “greater Israel” to dominate the Middle East. While the Biden administration funded, armed and politically defended Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which has killed at least 70,000 people, his administration upheld the fiction that it was seeking a “two-state solution” and a homeland for the Palestinian people. In a sense, Trump has only openly stated the essential content of the Biden administration’s genocidal policy in Gaza. But words have meaning. An American president has publicly adopted ethnic cleansing as state policy. The forcible transfer of a population is a war crime and a crime against humanity, and Trump’s active and conscious facilitation of the ethnic cleansing of Gaza makes him a war criminal. His call for Israel to “clean” Gaza of its Arab population was not an offhand phrase. In fact, it was only the latest, and most explicit, of multiple calls by White House officials for the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. In congressional testimony last week, Elise Stefanik, President Trump’s nominee to be the US ambassador to the United Nations, declared that Israel has a “biblical right” to the entire West Bank. This followed a statement by a Trump administration official to NBC News last weekend that the White House is discussing the relocation of the Palestinian people from Gaza. Trump’s open embrace of ethnic cleansing in Gaza followed the announcement by the Pentagon that it would send more 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, which the IDF has used to demolish entire city blocks. Despite a nominal “ceasefire” in Gaza and Lebanon, Israel is continuing its rampage throughout the Middle East, killing 22 people in South Lebanon on Sunday and launching an ongoing raid in the West Bank’s Jenin that has killed at least 16 people. Trump’s use of the word “clean” to refer to a population of human beings is a deliberate adoption of the phraseology of German dictator Adolf Hitler and his Nazi movement, which perpetrated the Holocaust of 6 million European Jews between 1941 and 1945. Donald Trump is, as General Mark Milley explained to journalist Bob Woodward, a “fascist to the core.” Trump’s ex-wife, Ivana Trump, told her lawyer, according to Vanity Fair, that the current president “reads a book of Hitler’s collected speeches, My New Order, which he keeps in a cabinet by his bed.” Trump’s proposal to “clean” an entire ethnic group comes straight from Hitler’s lips. In a 1938 speech from the collection Trump allegedly keeps by his bedside, Hitler said that the “eternal values of blood and soil” required him to “cleanse the German nation, our race and our culture” of the Jewish people. During the Holocaust, areas from which the Jewish population had been expelled were declared Judenrein, or “cleansed of Jews.” Within this context, Trump’s words imply that “cleaning” the Arabs from Palestine would be the “final solution” of the Palestinian problem.

Trump Reveals Plan For The Ethnic Cleansing Of Gaza - Caitlin Johnstone --Well that didn’t take long. President Trump has said he wants to “clean out” Gaza and relocate its population to US client states Egypt and Jordan, which would of course be a textbook case of ethnic cleansing. It would also align perfectly with longstanding Israeli agendas to remove Palestinians from their homeland so that their territory can be seized and settled by Jews.Speaking with the press on board Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said he talked to Jordan’s King Abdullah II about taking in large numbers of Palestinians from Gaza, and said he plans to speak with Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about doing the same.“I’d like Egypt to take people and I’d like Jordan to take people,” Trump told reporters, saying the Gaza Strip is “a real mess” and “literally a demolition site”. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said. The president said that this new arrangement could be either temporary or long-term, but one would have to be extremely naive to believe that either Israel or Washington plan on emptying out Gaza of its inconvenient population, rebuilding it, and then bringing them all back to shiny new homes. Israel has a very extensive history of grabbing land from Palestinians and then refusing to give it back, which is why there are so-called “refugee camps” for displaced Palestinians that are as old as the state of Israel itself. “Just five days into his second term as president, Trump left no doubt about what his intentions are for Gaza,” Joe Lauria wrote for Consortium News on Trump’s comments, adding, “He tried to present what he was saying as humanitarian concern, but only the most ill-informed person about Gaza would not see that he is talking about committing the crime of forcibly relocating a population.” Trump supporters will no doubt defend his stated plans as a compassionate effort to rescue Palestinians from unfortunate circumstances, because Trump supporters are chowder-brained bootlickers who would defend literally anything their president did. But make no mistake: this is the advancement of an agenda to end the existence of the Palestinian people in their historic homeland, and would fulfill the darkest desires of the most depraved political factions in Israel. Mere days after the Hamas attack on October 7 2023, Israel’s Intelligence Ministry produced a document proposing the removal of Gaza’s population to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. At around the same time, an Israeli think tank called the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy published a paperarguing that “There is at the moment a unique and rare opportunity to evacuate the whole Gaza Strip in coordination with the Egyptian government.” Since that time both the Israeli government and the Israeli media have gotten much less shy about saying that ethnic cleansing is the plan for Gaza. A few weeks ago multiple far-right Knesset members wrote a letter to Israeli defense minister Israel Katz demanding the “complete cleansing” of northern Gaza using siege warfare and attacks on civilians to drive the population out of the area. In November of last year, former Israeli defense minister Moshe Yaalonstated unequivocally that Israel was indeed in the process of ethnically cleansing Gaza. In October, the Israeli outlet Haaretz published an editorial titled “If It Looks Like Ethnic Cleansing, It Probably Is”.

Jordan And Egypt Snub Trump's Ethnic Cleansing Plan - Caitlin Johnstone --Both Jordan and Egypt have put out statements rejecting President Trump’sproposal to “clean out” Gaza and move its population to those nations.“Our principles are clear, and Jordan’s steadfast position to uphold the Palestinians’ presence on their land remains unchanged and will never change,” Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi told the press on Sunday.Similarly, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry affirmed “Egypt’s continued support for the resilience of the Palestinian people on their land and their commitment to their legitimate rights in their homeland, in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.”It still remains to be seen if the Trump administration will find a way to bribe or coerce either or both nations to comply with Trump’s ethnic cleansing agenda, but the fact that they aren’t already on board means the empire still needs to jump through some significant hoops before this could happen. … In response to my write-up about Trump’s plans to purge Gaza of Palestinians I’ve been getting a nice eclectic mix of American rightists telling me “Stop calling it ethnic cleansing, Trump’s just trying to rescue those people from a destroyed Gaza!” and Israeli rightists going “Haha yes, Trump will help us ethnically cleanse the terrorists and their spawn.”Trump supporters are such shitbrained, knuckle-dragging bootlickers. They’re all up in my social media replies going “Well what do you expect Trump to do? What other possible solution is there but to empty out the population of Gaza to neighboring Arab countries?” And of course the obvious humanitarian solution is a heroic multinational push to rush massive amounts of aid to Gaza while rebuilding it at the expense of the states who destroyed it — but nope, they can’t even entertain that possibility. Only possible solution is to bend over backwards to give Israel the exact thing it’s desired from Gaza for many years, which will just coincidentally happen to delight Trump’s Zionist megadonors.Worthless human livestock. Trump supporters claim to oppose wars and despise the neocons, but are always consistently paced into supporting all the worst agendas of the nastiest swamp monsters in Washington. Trump supporters are George W Bush supporters LARPing as Ron Paul supporters.

Smotrich Says He's Working To Enact Trump's Idea To 'Clean Out' Palestinians From Gaza - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he’s working to make President Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians could be “cleaned out” of Gaza and moved to Egypt and Jordan a reality.Trump’s idea sparked a backlash from Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, who said they strongly opposed the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. Smotrich downplayed their response, calling it “weak opposition.”Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of his Religious Zionism party, Smotrich told reporters that he’s working with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on an “operational plan” to implement Trump’s proposal.“I am working with the prime minister and the cabinet to prepare an operational plan and ensure the realization of President Trump’s vision,” Smotrich said, according to The Times of Israel.“There is nothing to be excited about the weak opposition of Egypt and Jordan to the plan. We saw yesterday how Trump [imposed his will on] Colombia to deport immigrants despite its opposition. When he wants it, it happens,” Smotrich added, referring to a spat between Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro over deportation flights.The finance minister claimed there is “no doubt that in the long term, encouraging emigration is the only solution that will bring peace and security to the residents of Israel and also ease the suffering of the Arab residents of Gaza.”Smotrich has been threatening that his Religious Zionism party will quit Netanyahu’s government if military operations in Gaza are not restarted after the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire deal. He has claimed that he’s received a guarantee that the genocidal war would not only continue but escalate and that the goal would be the “gradual takeover of the entire Gaza Strip.”Smotrich’s goal of ethnic cleansing became less likely on Monday as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began returning to northern Gaza despite the massive destruction in the area.

Israel's Smotrich Praises Trump Administration After Meeting With Witkoff - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised the Trump administration on Thursday after he held a meeting with Steve Witkoff, the US envoy for the Middle East. Witkoff has been pushing for full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal, an idea strongly opposed by Smotrich, who not only wants the genocidal war to be restarted but wants an escalation with the goal of the “gradual takeover of the entire Gaza Strip.” Despite the two having seemingly opposing ideas, Smotrich appeared to be happy with how the meeting went.“We discussed the issues at hand, the courageous relationship and close cooperation between Israel and the United States, a relationship that is now strengthening dramatically with President Trump,” Smotrich wrote on X after the meeting. “We discussed the great importance of the return of the hostages and the complete victory for the sake of strengthening the security of the State of Israel.”Smotrich said they also discussed the “new, ‘outside the box’ thinking that the United States is promoting to enable the elimination of the forces of evil and the promotion of peace through strength in the Middle East and in general.”Smotrich could be referring to President Trump’s calls to “clean out” Gaza of its Palestinian population and send them to Jordan and Egypt, an idea Trump has doubled down on despite strong opposition from the Arab countries. When Trump first made the comments, Smotrich said he would work to make the ethnic cleansing of Gaza a reality and claimed it was the only “solution that will bring peace and security to the residents of Israel.”Concluding his post about meeting with Witkoff on Thursday, Smotrich said, “President Trump’s USA is leading a moral and just line, and we look forward to continued cooperation to advance our common goals, and we will work on them together.”

Trump Insists Egypt and Jordan Will Take Palestinians From Gaza - President Trump on Thursday insisted Jordan and Egypt will take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza despite fierce objections from the two Arab nations. Trump’s recent suggestion to “clean out” Gaza of its Palestinian population and send them to Jordan and Egypt raised fears that the US may support the ethnic cleansing of the territory, but his idea was met with quick rejection from Amman and Cairo and the wider Arab world. When asked on Thursday about the Egyptian and Jordanian response to his proposal, Trump said, “They will do it. They will do it. They’re gonna do it, okay? We do a lot for them, and they’re gonna do it.” Trump’s calls to remove Palestinians from Gaza were welcomed by the more hardline elements of the Israeli government who are openly in favor of ethnic cleansing and the establishment of Jewish settlements, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said he’s working to make Trump’s vision a reality. Smotrich and others frame their desire for ethnic cleansing as “voluntary migration,” but the Israeli military campaign has left most of Gaza uninhabitable. Some media reports have said the Trump administration is discussing the idea of “temporarily” relocating Gaza residents during reconstruction, but many would likely be hesitant to leave over fears Israel wouldn’t let them back.Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Thursday that there’s “almost nothing left” of Gaza, comments he made after visiting the Israeli-controlled Netzarim Corridor and observing the destruction from a helicopter.“People are moving north to get back to their homes and see what happened and turn around and leave … there is no water and no electricity. It is stunning just how much damage occurred there,” Witkoff told Axios.Witkoff, a real estate investor from New York, said he thinks the reconstruction of Gaza will take 10 to 15 years. “There has been this perception we can get to a solid plan for Gaza in five years. But its impossible. This is a 10 to 15-year rebuilding plan,” he said. Witkoff added that the demolition and removal of the rubble alone would take five years. “There is nothing left standing. Many unexploded ordnances. It is not safe to walk there. It is very dangerous. I wouldn’t have known this without going there and inspecting,” he said.

There Is No Evidence the US Planned to Send $50 Million for “Condoms in Gaza” – At her first White House press briefing on Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the Trump administration had paused $50 million in funding for “condoms in Gaza.” Leavitt called the money a “preposterous waste” and the pause an example of how the new administration is safeguarding “tax dollars.” The next day, President Donald Trump repeated the point. But there is no evidence to support the claim that the United States was going to send $50 million in aid for “condoms in Gaza.” In response to a request for comment, a State Department official told Mother Jones on condition of anonymity that the “Trump administration stopped two $50 million buckets of ‘aid’ for Gaza via the International Medical Corp [sic].” The official said that some of this money would have gone to family planning “including emergency contraception; Sexual healthcare including prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs); and Adolescent sexual and reproductive health.” The official added that “Condoms have traditionally always been used for family planning in developing countries by USAID.” To summarize: Funding was set to go to Gaza to assist International Medical Corps; some unspecified portion of it was for family planning and contraceptives; condoms are “traditionally always” part of that. That is radically different from what Leavitt said on Tuesday. And it does not appear to be true, either. International Medical Corps said in a press release, “No US government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms, nor to provide family-planning services.”It also is not correct that condoms are “traditionally always” distributed to support US government reproductive health programs, particularly in the Middle East. A report from USAID covering the 2023 fiscal year stated that the agency has not provided any funding for condoms in the Middle East in recent years. (As CNN and the Guardian have made clear, the only contraceptive funding for the region was the less than $50,000 that went to Jordan for oral and injectable birth control.)Leavitt’s claim also leads to preposterous conclusions. Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post showed that the United States has spent 3.3 cents per condom on average in recent years. For Leavitt to be right, USAID would have been planning to send more than 1.5 billion condoms to Gaza. That works out to more than 700 condoms per person there.While there is no evidence the United States was about to pay for condoms in Gaza, there would be good reasons for doing so. “Notwithstanding the absurdity of this particular claim, contraceptive access *is* an important health issue in crisis settings like Gaza,” Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International, wrote on X. “Unplanned pregnancies in a context of starvation and displacement can be hugely challenging and carry health risks.”More importantly, the funding pause Leavitt touted at the press conference could have devastating consequences for Gazans in desperate need of medical attention.Among other things, International Medical Corps said that the money helps maintain one of only three neonatal intensive care units operational in Gaza and supports the delivery of 20 babies per day. The group added about its work in Gaza:

Trump Signs Executive Order To Target Pro-Palestine Activists in the Name of 'Combatting Antisemitism' - On Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order designed to crack down on pro-Palestinian activism in the US in the name of “combatting antisemitism” that could lead to the deportation of foreign students involved in protests.Pro-Israel politicians have labeled protests against Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza that have taken place at college campuses as “antisemitic,” even though many Jewish students have participated in the demonstrations.Trump’s order directs US government agencies to identify “all civil and criminal authorities or actions” that could be used to “curb or combat antisemitism” and refers to incidents on college campuses.The order says the Attorney General shall submit a report analyzing court cases “against or involving institutions of higher education alleging civil-rights violations related to or arising from post-October 7, 2023 campus antisemitism” and indicate whether or not the AG will take action over any of the cases.The section of the order that could result in deportations directs US agencies to come up with recommendations to familiarize colleges with grounds for foreigners with vias to be deemed inadmissible, which means they would not be permitted by law to remain in the US.The order says colleges should “monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds and for ensuring that such reports about aliens lead, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to investigations and if warranted, actions to remove such aliens.”On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to deport pro-Palestinian protesters. “If you come here from another country and try to bring jihadism or anti-Americanism or antisemitism to our campuses, we will immediately deport you, you’ll be out of that school,” he said in May 2024.

Report: Trump Plans To Withdraw Thousands of Troops From Syria - President Trump is planning to withdraw thousands of US troops from Syria, Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday, citing the Israeli broadcaster Kan.The Kan report said that “senior White House officials conveyed a message to their Israeli counterparts indicating that President Trump intends to pull thousands of US troops from Syria.”The report added that a US troop withdrawal from Syria would “raise significant concerns in Tel Aviv.”Before Trump was inaugurated, the Pentagon under the Biden administration admitted that it had been lying about the number of troops it had in Syria. For years, the Pentagon said there were 900 US troops occupying eastern Syria, but it revealed in December that 2,000 troops are stationed there.During his first term in office, Trump said he would withdraw from Syria but ended up reversing his decision after coming under immense pressure from Congress and elements of his administration.In 2019, Trump agreed to keep only several hundred US troops in Syria to “secure” oil fields, but his envoy for Syria at the time, James Jeffrey, later admitted he was lying about the real number of US troops in the country.“We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there,” Jeffrey told Defense One when he was on his way out of the Trump administration in 2020. He said the real number of US troops in Syria was “a lot more than” the roughly 200 troops Trump agreed to leave in 2019. Jeffrey also discussed how he worked to convince Trump not to withdraw from Syria. “When the situation in northeast Syria had been fairly stable after we defeated ISIS, [Trump] was inclined to pull out. In each case, we then decided to come up with five better arguments for why we needed to stay. And we succeeded both times. That’s the story,” he said.In a sign that a withdrawal could happen under the second Trump administration, the president appointed a critic of the US presence in Syria and Iraq as the Pentagon’s Middle East policy chief. Mike Dimino, a former CIA analyst, has called for US troops to be pulled out of the two countries, citing their vulnerability to attacks. While Trump’s main justification for staying in Syria in 2019 was to “keep the oil,” he also said Israel and Jordan didn’t want to see a US withdrawal. “The other region where we’ve been asked by Israel and Jordan to leave a small number of troops is a totally different section of Syria, near Jordan, and close to Israel,” Trump said in October 2019. “So we have a small group there, and we secured the oil. Other than that, there’s no reason for it, in our opinion.”

US Launches Drone Strike in Syria's Idlib Province - The US-led coalition in Syria launched a drone strike in the Idlib province, targeting a car, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR)reported on Thursday. US Central Command later confirmed that its forces launched a strike targeting a “senior operative” of Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate. Hurras al-Din just announced on Tuesday that it was dissolving, saying its goals were completed by the regime change that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad. The attack marks the first known US airstrike under the new Trump administration. It comes about a month and a half after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an offshoot of al-Qaeda, took power in Damascus with support from the US. Hurras al-Din was formed by former HTS members in 2018, and the groups share a similar ideology. The damage to the vehicle suggested it was hit by a US-made AGM-114R9X Hellfire missile, nicknamed the “Flying Ginsu,” which shreds its target with razor-sharp blades instead of using an explosive warhead. The SOHR said the strike marked the second in Idlib launched by the US-led coalition this month. On January 15, a few days before Trump was inaugurated, a coalition drone reportedly fired three rockets at a motorcycle, killing the rider and a boy who was walking nearby.

Reuters: US Meddling in Lebanese Government Formation Talks - Forming a government in a multi-party parliamentary system is often a complex matter, particularly when very few parties of any substantial size are available to include. That’s the case in Lebanon, with the Trump Administration adding some difficulties by meddling in those government formation talks. Lebanon has 128 MPs, so PM-designate Nawaf Salam will need at least 64 of them to form a working government. Though support for Salam’s designation was broadly accepted by most parties, the distinction between that and actually joining the government can be quite substantial. Salam is a Sunni Muslim, as is tradition for a Lebanese premier. But the largest party with any Sunni MPs, Forces of Change, only has 9 MPs. The four bigger parties are two Christian parties and two Shi’ite parties, with the Shi’ites aligned with Hezbollah and Amal Movement, respectively. Normally a Lebanese government would include substantial representation from all religious lines, but the US is reportedly keen to exclude the major Shi’ite blocs, and wants the new government to deny them any cabinet positions. Since each of Hezbollah and Amal’s parties has 15 seats, giving them no cabinet posts would be a non-starter. The talks were centering on the idea of giving one of those Shi’ite blocs the finance ministry. The US, however, is warning them against doing that. President Trump’s advisor Massaad Boulos has been sending the messages to Lebanon, and they say that giving the ministry to either of the Shi’ite majors would hurt their chances of getting any foreign aid for reconstruction after the Israeli invasion and ongoing occupation. The US seems to be leveraging planned Saudi aid to Lebanon for this meddling in cabinet selections. It is not clear, however, if the Saudis actually object to the idea of a Shi’ite finance minister in Lebanon, or if that is just a pet issue of the US.

US Attacks Northwestern Somalia, Trump Reports 'Many' Killed - On Saturday, the United States launched multiple airstrikes against northwestern Somalia’s Golis Mountain range. Details are still coming in, but President Trump, in announcing the attack on Truth Social, said that “many” were killed. Trump and other officials are reporting the attacks targeted a yet-unnamed “senior ISIS planner.” Trump bragged that former President Biden wouldn’t act quickly enough to kill him “but I did!” There is no report on who this was, or whether he was actually among the slain, details likely to emerge later in the weekend. Despite criticizing Biden for not acting against Somalia, the former president actually launched at least two sets of attacks in Somalia in just his last month in office. On December 24 they reportedly killed two al-Shabaab fighters in Middle Juba region, and AFRICOM reported in early January that another strike in southern Somalia has killed at least 10. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the new attacks were carried out in coordination of the Somali government, and that there were “no reported civilian casualties.” Reports of civilian bystanders killed in foreign airstrikes in remote parts of Somalia often take several days to emerge, however.

Philippines To Train With Controversial US Typhon Missile System - A Philippine platoon will be trained on how to use a controversial US missile system, known as the Typhon, that’s been deployed in the Philippines since April 2024, The Defense Post reported on Tuesday.The deployment of the Typhon to the Philippines has ratcheted up tensions with China, which has said the presence of the US missile system in Southeast Asia is fueling “geopolitical confrontation” and an “arms race.”Philippine Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said a Philippine platoon will receive “orientation and familiarization” training on the Typhon system. “As long as MRC (mid-range missile capability) is here, we maximize its utilization to train our personnel in new technology,” he said.The Philippine military announced last month that it planned to acquire its own Typhon, and the US recently re-deployed the missile system to a different location inside the Philippines.The Typhon missile launcher is a ground-based system concealed in a 40-foot shipping container that can fire nuclear-capable Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of more than 1,000 miles, and SM-6 missiles, which can hit targets up to 290 miles away.The US began developing the Typhon after it withdrew from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019. The INF was a Cold War-era treaty between the US and Russia that prohibited the development of ground-based missiles with a range between 310 and 3,400 miles.

Trump Orders the Development of a New Missile Defense System for the US -On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order to build a major new missile defense system for the United States, a project that would have a huge price tag and likely fuel a new arms race. Trump has dubbed the plan “the Iron Dome for America,” likening it to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. But Israel’s Iron Dome is designed to intercept crude, short-range rockets, and Trump envisions a system that can down the most advanced missiles in the world.The order directs Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to submit a plan for a “next-generation missile defense shield” that can defend the US “against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks from peer, near-peer, and rogue adversaries.” The order also specifies that the system must include “space-based interceptors.” A fact sheet released by the White House said the missile shield would guarantee the US’s “second strike capability,” referring to the ability to respond to a nuclear attack with another nuclear attack. The White House said that President Trump was fulfilling a campaign promise by signing the order. While on the campaign trail, Trump vowedto “build a great Iron Dome over our country, a dome like has never seen before, a state-of-the-art missile defense shield that will be entirely built in America.” Antiwar.com contributor Daniel Larison said in an article on his siteEunomia that the missile defense project could fuel an arms race by “pushing other states to expand their missile forces so that they could overwhelm whatever defenses the US might create.” “The only things that the US would get from massively expanding its missile defense systems is a lot more debt and arms races with other nuclear weapons states,” Larison added. In 2002, the George W. Bush administration withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, a Cold War-era treaty between the US and Russia that reduced the need for nuclear proliferation by limiting each side’s ability to intercept a nuclear attack. President Trump has said he’sinterested in discussing “denuclearization” with Russia and China, but so far, there’s no sign arms control talks are happening.

Russia May Lift Restrictions on Nuclear Weapons If US Goes Through With Trump Missile Defense Order - Russia may expand its arsenal of nuclear weapons if the US goes ahead with a major missile defense program that’s been ordered by President Trump, Russia’s TASS news agency reported on Thursday.Trump signed an executive order on Monday to develop an “Iron Dome for America” that can intercept ballistic, hypersonic, and other types of advanced missiles, unlike Israel’s Iron Dome, which is designed to intercept short-range crude rockets. The order also calls for an improvement in missile defense to protect US troops deployed in other countries and the territory of US allies.Writing in the Russian journal International Affairs, Grigory Mashkov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special ambassador, said the US’s global missile defense posture was already a threat to Russia and said expanding it further “puts an end to the prospects of strategic offensive arms reduction and preservation of strategic stability on the previous terms.”Mashkov said that it is “not ruled out that in the current conditions of confrontation with the West, with its policy of inflicting strategic damage on Russia, we may face the need for moving away from restrictions on nuclear and missile arsenals in favor of their quantitative and qualitative increase.”He said one possible retaliatory measure Russia could take is adjusting its position on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other commitments Moscow has made related to the transparency of its nuclear stockpile.“We will have to take a fresh look at all our commitments in the area of strengthening transparency and confidence-building measures, and suspend discussions on nuclear risks and threats, which are becoming empty talk in the context of growing efforts by the West to undermine strategic and non-strategic nuclear deterrent forces,” Mashkov said.Trump’s executive order clashes with his recent comments about seeking “denuclearization” with Russia and China since it’s clear the development of a major new missile defense system would spark a new arms race.Mashkov warned that an arms race was already underway. “A missile arms race is already in full swing. So is the large-scale modernization of nuclear arsenals and WMD delivery vehicles. The militarization of space is gaining momentum, which, in the near future, is likely to become another scene of military confrontation,” he said.

Report: Trump Wants To Pull 20,000 US Troops Out of Europe - President Trump wants to withdraw about 20,000 US troops from Europe, the Italian news agency ANSA reported last week.The US currently has about 100,000 troops deployed across Europe, a result of the Biden administration beefing up the US presence on the continent, which began around the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden brought the number of troops in Europe to its highest level since 2005. The report, which cited a European diplomat, said that Trump wants to reduce the military presence in Europe by 20% and would like European countries hosting US troops to pay more for the US presence. “Furthermore, for those who remain, he would like a financial contribution from European countries because these soldiers are a deterrent, and the costs cannot be borne only by American taxpayers,” the diplomat said, according to Newsweek.During his previous term in office, Trump planned to pull 9,500 troops out of Germany as part of his efforts to pressure the US’s European allies to pay more for their militaries, but the withdrawal was never carried out, and the plan was reversed by the Biden administration.Before his inauguration, Trump suggested NATO countries should increase military spending to 5% of their Gross Domestic Products (GDP), which is significantly higher than the alliance’s current 2% GDP goal.

Ukrainian Media Outlet Leaks Alleged Trump Plan To End Ukraine War - The Ukrainian news outlet Strana has published leaked details of President Trump’s alleged plan to end the war in Ukraine in 100 days.According to Newsweek, which said it couldn’t verify if the details were accurate, the plan starts with holding a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in late January or early February, followed by meetings with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February or March.The leaked plan calls for a ceasefire to be declared by Easter, which falls on April 20. The truce would involve Ukraine withdrawing troops from Russia’s Kursk Oblast.Once the ceasefire comes into effect, a peace conference will begin hammering out the details of a lasting agreement. The plan calls for a deal to be reached by May 9.Once the details of the agreement are released, Ukraine will be instructed to end martial law and mobilization. That would mean Zelensky could lose power since his presidential term expired in May 2024, and he used martial law as the justification for not holding new elections. The plan would require allowing parties who oppose continuing the war with Russia to run for office. Some of the proposed ideas under the plan for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal include barring Ukraine from joining NATO, an agreement for Ukraine to join the EU by 2030, and the EU facilitating Ukraine’s construction. Ukraine would also be able to keep its military and continue receiving military aid from the US, which could be a non-starter for Moscow. The proposal would also require Ukraine to cede the territory Russia has captured. Ukraine would have to “refuse military and diplomatic attempts to return the occupied territories” and “officially recognize the sovereignty of the Russian Federation over them.”Zelensky’s office has denied that the peace plan is authentic, although other media reports have said that Trump tasked his envoy to the conflict, Keith Kellog, with ending the war within the first 100 days of the Trump administration. If the plan is legitimate, leaking it could have been an attempt to sabotage it from moving forward.

Ukrainian Media Outlets Start Asking for Donations After US Funding Is Paused - Major Ukrainian media outlets are asking for donations following the Trump administration’s 90-day foreign aid pause since many of them are funded by the US government. Ukrainian-Canadian professor and researcher Ivan Katchanovski noted on X that the Ukrainian online newspaper Strana.ua reported that two outlets — Hromadske and BIHUS.Info — acknowledged in their fundraising pitches that they lost US funding. BIHUS.Info said in a Facebook post that a “large portion” of its work had been funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). “Therefore, now the role of donations from viewers is changing from an alternative source to one of the key ones. What will happen in 90 days, we do not know, but we know one thing: now is the time to find out whether our work is really needed by Ukrainian society,” the post said. Hromadske said that some of the “projects that we implement thanks to grants are temporarily stopped. That is why we especially need the support of each and every one of you.” Other major Ukrainian outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda and Detector Media, also began asking for donations following the pause in US foreign aid but did not explicitly name that as the reason they’re fundraising. Katchanovski, author of the book “The Maidan Massacre in Ukraine,”said many of the US-funded media outlets whitewashed the Ukrainian far-right and smeared opponents as pro-Russia. “Major Ukrainian media outlets financed by the US and other Western governments, such as Ukrainska Pravda & Detector Media, propagated the war to the last Ukrainian, glorified & whitewashed neo-Nazi-led Azov, the OUN, and the UPA, & smeared anyone who opposed this as Russian agents paid by Kremlin,” Katchanovski wrote on X. The New York Times reported that several humanitarian organizations in Ukraine have had to shut down due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause. US officials at the US Embassy in Ukraine are asking for exemptions for humanitarian operations in the country, but so far, the only known exemptions are for military aid to Israel and Egypt under the State Department’s Foreign Military Financing program. The vast majority of US military aid to Ukraine is provided by the Pentagon, and that does not appear to be affected by the State Department’s pause. “I am focused on military aid; it has not been stopped, thank God,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.Before leaving office, President Biden approved a huge amount of military aid for Ukraine, and there’s no sign those shipments have been frozen.

Zelensky Says US Military Aid To Ukraine Has Not Been Paused - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that US military aid to Ukraine had not been stopped, comments that came a day after a leaked memo revealed Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a 90-day pause on most foreign aid. “I am focused on military aid; it has not been stopped, thank God,” Zelensky said at a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, according to AP. Rubio’s foreign aid pause, which had exemptions for Israel and Egypt, appears to only apply to programs under the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).While Ukraine receives some military aid through the State Department’s Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, the vast majority of the weapons it has received from the US have gone through the Pentagon under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).The PDA allows the president to ship weapons directly to Ukraine, and the USAI allows the Pentagon to purchase arms for Ukraine. Before leaving office, President Biden approved a huge amount of both types of military aid to Ukraine, and there’s no sign that those shipments have been frozen.A day before Rubio ordered the foreign aid freeze, the Pentagon said it wouldn’t impact military aid to Ukraine. “Security assistance to Ukraine is not subject to the restrictions of the recent foreign assistance order, as it only applies to development programs, not military support,” a Pentagon spokesman said, according to Voice of America.Some non-military aid has gone through USAID, known as “budgetary aid,” which funds the Ukrainian government and pays for government services, salaries, and pensions. However, the last tranche of budgetary aid was released by the Biden administration at the end of December, and it’s unclear if that can be paused.

Trump & Ukraine: The Coming Battle Over Conscription - There may be a battle looming, not just between the Trump administration and Ukraine over the conscription of men between the ages of 18 and 25, but also within the Trump administration.The call for Ukraine to cast a wider conscription net predates the Trump administration. Facing imminent loss on the battlefield, after NATO had bankrupted its supply of weapons, demanding that Ukraine throw more men into battle emerged as the last grasp solution during the Biden administration.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “In fact, we believe manpower is the most vital need they have. So, we’re also ready to ramp up our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to fill out their ranks.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained that “getting younger people into the fight, we think, many of us think, is necessary. Right now, 18 to 25-year olds are not in the fight.”That call was picked up by Trump’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, who said “one of the things we’ll be asking of the Ukrainians is, they have real manpower issues. Their draft age right now is 26 years old, not 18. I don’t think a lot of people realise that they could generate hundreds of thousands of new soldiers… [I]f the Ukrainians have asked the entire world to be all in for democracy, we need them to be all in for democracy.” But Trump’s secretary of state, Marco Rubio, seemed to take the opposing view to Waltz, recognizing that throwing more Ukrainians into the battle compounds Ukraine’s problems rather than solving them. “The problem with Ukraine is not that they’re running out of money,” Rubio said at his January 22 confirmation hearing, “but that they’re running out of Ukrainians.”And they are running out of Ukrainians. According to Florence Bauer, the Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia for the UN Population Fund, Ukraine’s population has declined by over 10 million since the conflict began in 2014, with 8 million of those occurring since Russia’s invasion in 2022. Even before the war, Ukraine ranked sixth in the world for losing citizens to emigration. According to a report by the CIA, Ukraine has the lowest birth rate and the highest death rate in the world. By 2023, the birth rate had dropped by nearly half compared to the year before the war. The Ukrainian armed forces has suffered hundreds of thousands of deaths or injuries and at least 100,000 desertions.Though the battle may exist within the Trump administration, it will be much more heated if they wage it with the Zelensky administration. Zelensky has consistently resisted lowering the draft age below the current cut off of 25. In April, 2024, Ukraine lowered the age of people who were eligible to be drafted from 27 to 25 and tightened laws around exemptions. But it wasn’t enough. The changes fell far short of making up for battlefield losses. But Zelensky has resisted U.S. pressure to go further. There are several reasons, including military, political and sociological, why Zelensky has been unyielding.Asking Ukrainians to throw more soldiers into a lost war is asking a lot of Ukrainians. But asking them to send their 18-25 year olds is especially asking a lot. There is a special demographic difficulty with asking Ukrainians to offer up their 18-25 year olds.Ukraine is in a precarious position that it does not have enough of that generation. When the Soviet Union collapsed, economic hardship led to plummeting birth rates in the newly independent Ukraine. Birth rates dropped from 1.9 per woman to 1.1 in the first year. The small number of children born then are the 18-25 year old cohort now. And many of them are either serving already, have been killed or injured, have left Ukraine or are exempt, making the small pool even smaller.The small cohort leads to three problems. The first is economic. Losing large numbers of the already anemic upcoming generation will leave a void in the workplace. The second is demographic. It will create a challenge to the future population of the already shrinking nation. As The New York Times put it, “Ukraine must balance the need to counter a relentless Russian offensive by adding more troops against the risk of hollowing out an entire generation.”The third is military. The pool of 18-25 year olds is not sufficient to make a difference in the war. A poll conducted in the summer of 2024, cited by Peter Korotaev and Volodymyr Ishchenko found that only 32% of Ukrainians disagree with the statement “mobilization will have no effect other than increased deaths.” Ukraine is being pressed to throw more of its young people into the teeth of the Russian advance to win a war that they have come to know cannot be won.But in addition to the economic, demographic and military reasons why mobilization is failing and lowering the draft age would be unpopular, there is a fourth, more endemic and, potentially, more corrosive reason identified by Korotaev and Ishchenko. Polling suggests that Ukrainians are increasingly unwilling to fight for Ukraine because they increasingly feel abandoned and betrayed by Ukraine.

Russia Says It Hasn't Received a Request for Putin-Trump Talks - The Kremlin said Monday that Russia is ready for contact between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Trump but hasn’t received any requests for such talks from the new administration.“We haven’t received any signals from the Americans yet,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. “This is why we continue working according to schedule, maintaining readiness [for dialogue].”Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov made similar comments, saying the only contacts between the US and Russia are being carried out at the embassy level. “As the Russian President has repeatedly said, we are open to dialogue and contacts, conversations and meetings,” Ryabkov said.On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, but fighting continues to rage across the frontlines. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Trump has given his envoy to the conflict, Keith Kellog, 100 days to reach a deal.Trump recently criticized Zelensky, saying that he “decided to fight” Russia instead of making a deal. The comments signaled that the Trump administration might be willing to put pressure on Zelensky to get him to negotiate with Russia, but it’s unclear what sort of deal Washington will be willing to offer Moscow. Trump’s State Department has paused foreign aid for 90 days, with exemptions for Israel and Egypt, but the freeze does not appear to impact US weapons shipments to Ukraine that go through the Pentagon.

Putin Says He’s Ready to Discuss Oil, Energy Issues With Trump-- Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s ready to discuss crude oil prices and other energy issues at a face-to-face meeting with US leader Donald Trump. Both Russia and the US are top global oil producers and consumers, Putin said in an interview with state-owned Rossiya 24 TV. Price movements in the commodity impacts both economies, he said. “We have a lot to discuss here, and there are other energy issues that might be mutually interesting,” Putin said. “I doubt that Mr. Trump — even if we are hearing about the possibility of additional sanction on Russia — would make decisions that could hurt the US economy.” Putin’s comments follow Trump’s Thursday address to world leaders in Davos, when he urged Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to “bring down the cost of oil.” “If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” Trump added. Earlier this week, Trump also stepped up pressure on Russia to make a peace deal with Ukraine “soon,” or else he would “have no other choice” but to impose additional taxes, tariffs and sanctions on Russian imports to the US, along with “other participating countries.” Earlier this month, the US imposed its harshest sanctions so far on Russia’s energy industry, the key source of the Kremlin’s revenue that funds the war in Ukraine. The restrictions could disrupt Russia’s exports of petroleum and reduce the global supply surplus.

Bill Gates on growing Elon Musk influence on global politics: 'Insane s---' -- Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates discussed tech mogul Elon Musk’s growing influence on global politics during an interview. “You want to promote the right wing but say Nigel Farage is not right wing enough … I mean, this is insane s‑‑‑. You are for the AfD [in Germany],” he told British newspaper The Times, referencing the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a right-wing political party. Gates also said Musk shaking up “political situations in countries” is “really insane,” in the interview highlighted by Mediaite.Musk, the Tesla CEO who heavily backed President Trump in his 2024 bid for the White House, recently told Germans at a rally for the far-right political party AfD that they should be proud when it comes to their heritage, as well as “move beyond” the “past guilt” of generations before.“Something I think that is just very important is that people take pride in Germany and being German. This is very important,” Musk said Saturday. “It’s, you know, it’s OK to be proud to be German. This is a very important principle.”Earlier this month, Musk went after British politician Nigel Farage, saying that he should not be the far-right Reform U.K. party’s leader. Musk’s commentary on Farage also came after he had been posting on social media about U.K. politics, calling for the release of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.“We can all overreach … If someone is super-smart, and he is, they should think how they can help out. But this is populist stirring,” Gates said in The Times interview.The Hill has reached out to Tesla for comment.

EU official: Europe ‘not negotiating’ on Greenland -European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday that Europe is “not negotiating” with the United States over control of Greenland, as President Trump continues to insist that acquiring the self-governing territory of Denmark is necessary for American national security. “We are not negotiating on Greenland,” Kallas said at a press conference following an EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. “Of course we are supporting our member state, Denmark, and its autonomous region, Greenland,” Kallas continued, “but we shouldn’t also go into speculation about what-ifs, because this is not the situation right now.” Kallas would not say whether the ministers discussed Trump’s interest in Greenland specifically, but she said the ministers discussed the relationship between the EU and the U.S. as the Trump administration takes the helm in Washington. “The new administration policies have major implications on the European Union,” Kallas said. “As the United States shifts to a more transactional approach, Europe needs to close ranks. We are stronger when we are united. That was the view that everybody shared.” She added: “We discussed European and United States relations, and how we should really either change our policy or not change our policy towards the transatlantic relations, and also we discussed what the new administration and the cooperation with the new administration, how it would look like.” Kallas noted the U.S. is “our closest ally” but said it’s “clear” the new administration “speaks the language of transaction,” and that it’s important the EU learn to speak that language as well. “I think what is clear for everybody is that the new administration really speaks the language of transaction and that means negotiating always on different issues. So we need to speak that language as well. In negotiations, it’s always a question whether you reveal your hand, and the positions where you go to negotiations or you don’t because that weakens your hand.” She said it’s important not to “underestimate” the power of the EU, noting it is also in America’s interest to maintain a close relationship with the EU. “It is not so that America does not have interests in Europe. We are very much interlinked, and this means that we also have something in our hands. It’s not like somebody’s telling us what to do and we are following. But we are also strong, and we shouldn’t underestimate our own power when it comes to whatever — talking to partners but also acting towards our adversaries.” She urged cooperation, saying, “Our adversaries are cooperating very closely, so should we. Europe and North America are stronger and safer together.” Kallas said she has extended an invitation to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the council and would also be happy to travel to the U.S. “as soon as possible.”

Trade war could erupt between US and EU over Trump’s threat to seize Greenland - Tensions remain high between the Trump administration and Denmark following the new US president’s repeated threats to seize control of Greenland. The geopolitical and economic significance of who enjoys control over the self-governing Danish territory makes the eruption of a trade war between Europe and the United States a real possibility. Although Trump did not explicitly refer to Greenland in his inauguration speech on 20 January, Danish commentators took note of the fact that he declared, “The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation — one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons.” In an exchange with reporters later at the White House, Trump stated, “Greenland is a wonderful place. We need it for international security. And I’m sure that Denmark will come along… Greenland is necessary not for us, it’s necessary for international security. You have Russian boats all over the place, you have China’s boats all over the place – warships – and they [Denmark] can’t maintain it.” US imperialism has long viewed Greenland as critical for geopolitical and security reasons. It has enjoyed a military presence there for over 80 years, and its Thule air base (now rebranded the Pituffik Space Base) was a key operational centre for its ballistic missiles and served as a store for nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Its position between North America and Russia in the Arctic means that Greenland’s military significance is growing under conditions of a rapidly escalating third world war pursued by US imperialism to retain its global hegemony. Greenland’s importance is also bound up with the abundance of natural resources it possesses that are critical for building modern weaponry to wage war and dominating key economic sectors, and its proximity to Arctic sea lanes that are rapidly opening up for freight transportation due to climate change. The last thing on the minds of the political establishments on both sides of the Atlantic is the fate of Greenland’s tiny population of about 57,000. While Trump expresses most aggressively American imperialism’s demand for territorial expansion as it seeks to offset its precipitous economic decline through the use of military force around the world, the European imperialists are responding by ruthlessly enforcing their own class interests in the deepening capitalist crisis. Governments in Germany and France, and the European Union, can hardly pose as upholders of democratic rights and the “rule of law” after they have backed Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza to the hilt, and provided tens of billions of dollars of military and financial assistance to the dictatorial Zelensky regime in Ukraine as it sends hundreds of thousands of young men to their deaths and imprisons opponents of the US-NATO war on Russia. What outrages Berlin, Paris, and Copenhagen about Trump’s menacing threats is that America’s seizure of Greenland could cut the European imperialists out of exploiting the rich natural resources and emerging trade routes of the Arctic. Senior EU officials have indicated that if Trump imposes tariffs on Denmark, Brussels could invoke the Anti-Coercion Instrument, a trade rule adopted initially against China that would allow the EU to respond as a bloc to hostile trade measures adopted by a third country against an EU member state. The ACI “gives the EU a wide range of possible countermeasures when a country refuses to remove the coercion,” including “the imposition of tariffs, restrictions on trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, and restrictions on access to foreign direct investment and public procurement.”

Rubio on buying Greenland: ‘This is not a joke’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during an interview that President Trump’s wish to acquire the Arctic island Greenland is serious and rooted in national security concerns for both the rest of the world and the U.S. amid China’s interest in the region. “But this is not a joke, like what he’s saying is pretty accurate. People have been talking about it for years. This is not about acquiring land for the purpose of acquiring land. This is in our national interest, and it needs to be solved,” Rubio said during his Thursday interview with SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly. “President Trump’s put out there what he intends to do, which is to purchase it.” Rubio asserted while China does not have a heavy Arctic presence, it is “realistic” to believe that Beijing would “install facilities that give them access to the Arctic with the cover of a Chinese company, but that in reality, to serve a dual purpose, that in a moment of conflict, they could send naval vessels to that facility and operate from there.” In recent months, Trump has expressed interest privately and publicly in acquiring Greenland. He said previously that Denmark would eventually “come along” with the potential sale of the planet’s largest island, which is rich in rare minerals. “We don’t want to be Danes,” Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede previously said on Fox News. “We don’t even want to be Americans. We want to be Greenlanders.”Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had a “fiery” call with Trump on Jan. 15 that devolved into a confrontation as the two discussed the president’s desire to buy the island. “I wasn’t privy to that phone call, but I imagine the phone call went the way a lot of these phone calls go, and that is, he just speaks bluntly and frankly with people,” Rubio said on Thursday. “And ultimately, I think diplomacy, in many cases, works better when you’re straightforward, as opposed to using platitudes and language that translates to nothing.” Rubio also said that if Greenland would come under assault by China, Denmark would not be able to deter the East Asian country. “Denmark can’t stop them. They would rely on the United States to do so,” Rubio said. “And so his point is, if the United States is on the hook to provide as we are now, we have a defense agreement with them to protect Greenland, if it comes under assault, if we’re already on the hook for having to do that, then we might as well have more control over what happens there.” This week, Denmark announced that it would bolster defense spending for the Arctic island with a $2 billion security package that contains long-range drones and new Arctic ships.

Trump's pursuit of Greenland is really about the control over the Arctic -President Donald Trump has reiterated his desire to buy Greenland, and refused to rule out using military or economic coercion to achieve his goal of controlling the autonomous territory of Denmark. .However, the United States isn't the only country with an eye on the region. In 2018, a Chinese state-owned company bid roughly $550 million to expand two airports in Greenland, but the bid was ultimately withdrawn.Meanwhile, Russia has been reopening old Soviet military bases across the Arctic since 2015, including Nagurskoye, located just 600 miles off the northern coast of Greenland."Greenland is almost a kind of ground zero for how the Arctic has become more and more geopolitically and strategically significant," according to Kalus Dodds, a professor of geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London.As China and Russia expand their influence in the Arctic, Greenland's location has become vital to America's ballistic missile warning system."With China's rise and its tripling the size of its ICBM ballistic missile arsenal, Greenland plays a national defense role because of its geography," said Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.Greenland's location also presents a unique economic opportunity, thanks to its proximity to Arctic shipping routes. Shipping over Arctic routes saw a 37% increase between 2013 and 2023, according to the Arctic Council.In 2018, China also announced its intent to construct a "Polar Silk Road" linking China and Europe through the Arctic Ocean."As the Arctic ice flow has changed in the recent past, and is projected to continue changing, opening up Arctic shipping routes, you have several lucrative potentials there," said Sadler.

Google Maps to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' - Google said on Monday that it will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” in Google Maps once it is updated in the U.S. Geographic Names System.Google Maps will also change the name of Denali in Alaska to “Mount McKinley.”“We’ve received a few questions about naming within Google Maps. We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,” the company said in an X post. But users in other countries will see both names displayed on the map in line with a long standing practice, the company said. President Donald Trump ordered the name changes the day of his inauguration last week, making good on his campaign promise. The federal government has since formally implemented the directive to rename both. The Gulf of Mexico change is new, but naming the nation’s highest peak has been a matter of debate for years.The Obama administration decided to formally name it Denali in 2015, the name that local Natives once used. Former President McKinley, for whom the mountain is once again named, never visited Alaska. His name was first used for the summit in an article written by a gold prospector in 1897 and was popularized after his 1901 assassination.

Google reclassifies U.S. as ‘sensitive country’ like China, Russia - Google's maps division on Monday reclassified the U.S. as a "sensitive country," a designation it reserves for states with strict governments and border disputes, CNBC has learned. The new classification for the U.S. came after President Donald Trump said his administration would make name changes on official maps and federal communications. Those changes include renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" and renaming Mount Denali as Mount McKinley. Google's order to stop designating the U.S. as a "non-sensitive" country came on Monday, according to internal correspondence viewed by CNBC. That's when the company announced it would change the name of the body of water between the Yucatan and Florida peninsulas to the "Gulf of America" in Google Maps after the Trump administration updates its "official government sources." The decision to elevate the U.S. to its list of sensitive countries illustrates the challenges that tech companies face as they try to navigate the early days of a second Trump presidency. Since the start of the year, Meta , TikTok, Amazon and others have adjusted their products and policies to reflect Trump's political views, policies and executive orders. Trump had a rocky relationship with Silicon Valley throughout his first presidency and didn't shy away from criticizing the sector throughout his 2024 campaign. More recently, tech executives, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, have pursued closer ties with Trump, with several standing behind the president during his inauguration. Google's list of sensitive countries includes China, Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, among others. The label is also used for countries that have "unique geometry or unique labeling," according to internal correspondence reviewed by CNBC.

US Senate launches Panama Canal Treaty investigation after Trump vows to “take it back” - Following President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to “take back” the Panama Canal, the US Senate has launched a bipartisan investigation into whether Panama has violated agreements reached when the United States handed control of the canal to Panama. While repeating most of Trump’s false claims against Panama, Senate leaders of both parties seek to provide fraudulent justifications for a military intervention against the impoverished Central American country. During his inaugural speech on January 20, Trump accused Panama of treating America “very badly,” breaking its promises, and violating the “spirit of our treaty” handing it control of the canal after the US spent “more money than ever spent on a project before” and lost 38,000 lives” building it. Harping on the overarching, Hitlerian theme of his administration about avenging the alleged stabs in the back suffered by America, Trump alleged that Panama is severely overcharging US commercial and military ships. “And above all,” he stressed, “China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.” On Tuesday, the US Senate Commerce, Science and Technology Committee held a hearing dedicated to investigating these claims. As Committee Chairman, Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) began by repeating Trump’s claims and adding new ones. He said America lost 35,000 lives and spent the equivalent of $15 billion in today’s currency constructing the canal. He added that China is building a bridge across the canal, and that Chinese-owned companies control ports at both ends. “The partially completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning, and the ports give China a ready observation post to time that action,” he said. “This situation poses acute risks for US national security.” He added that Washington deserves special treatment since US cargo accounts for nearly three-quarters of canal transits and US Navy vessels must pay fees for warships. He argued that US consumers pay higher prices because of canal fees. “We cannot turn a blind eye as Panama exploits an asset of vital military and commercial importance and we cannot stay idle while China is on the march in our hemisphere,” he concluded. The hearing presented a united front between the two corporate-controlled parties in advancing this neo-colonial agenda. Maria Cantwell, a Democratic Senator from the state of Washington, followed Cruz, using an even more bellicose tone. Directing her words to a fascist president who has already threatened to invade countries across the region, she said: “I hope we can have a more aggressive strategy in Latin America.” Cantwell stressed the strategic importance of the canal for US trade but called for a broader focus, including on cybersecurity threats from “the presence of Huawei and Chinese companies near the Canal” as well as “a comprehensive strategy to rebuild America’s supply-chain supremacy, sealift capacity [to transport military supplies]” more globally. Cantwell took the initiative to request a Department of Defense “classified briefing to all members of our Committee about foreign adversary threats to the Panama Canal, including these adjacent areas” and said she would visit the Panama Canal herself this spring. “I also believe that the larger issue here, as you mentioned in your statement about Belt and Road initiatives by the Chinese and their expansion, needs to be met with an aggressive response by the United States,” she said. If only to confirm that, under Trump, the historical, bipartisan backing for an imperialist policy toward Latin America will continue, Cantwell endorsed the bipartisan Americas Act calling for a Free Trade Agreement of the Americas similar to that between the US, Canada and Mexico, which would signify the expansion of Fortress North America to the whole of the hemisphere.

Trump warns Canada, Mexico 25% tariffs are coming on Saturday - President Trump on Thursday said he plans to follow through on Saturday on his threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada. “We’ll be announcing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a number of reasons,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He cited the influx of migrants at the southern border, the flow of fentanyl into the United States and the trade deficit the U.S. has with its neighbors. “I’ll be putting the tariff of 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, and we will really have to do that because we have very big deficits with those countries,” he said. “Those tariffs may or may not rise with time.” Trump added that he would decide Thursday night whether to include oil among the items subject to tariffs. “We may or may not. We’re going to make that determination, probably tonight, on oil. Because they send us oil, we’ll see. It depends on what the price is. If the oil is properly priced, if they treat us properly, which they don’t,” Trump said. “Look, Mexico and Canada have never been good to us on trade,” he continued. “They’ve treated us very unfairly on trade, and we will be able to make that up very quickly because we don’t need the products that they have.” The action would make good on a threat Trump first made in the final days of the 2024 campaign, when he threatened to impose a tariff of 25 percent on all imports from Mexico, which is the top trade partner with the U.S., unless the Mexican government curbed the flow of migrants at the southern border.He later expanded that threat to include Canada and China.Mexico and Canada are two of the top trading partners with the United States, and experts have warned that tariffs could lead to increased prices for American consumers for certain goods.But experts have also said that the economies of Mexico and Canada would likely suffer more in the long-term from an extended trade war.

Donald Trump executive order will ban transgender troops - President Trump is expected to sign an executive order Monday barring transgender people from serving openly in the military, part of a broader effort to crack down on what his administration has described as “gender insanity” in the federal government. Trump on Jan. 20, during his first hours in office, revoked an executive order signed by former President Biden in 2021 that allowed transgender people to serve and prevented the military from discharging soldiers because of their gender identity. Trump also signed a sweeping executive order recognizing only two genders, male and female. Monday’s executive order builds on those efforts, directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who previously criticized allowing transgender people to serve, to outline new military readiness requirements that declare transgender troops are not physically or mentally capable of doing so. It tasks Hegseth with acting against “the use of invented and identification-based pronouns” within the department. “Unit cohesion requires high levels of integrity and stability among service members,” states a fact sheet for Monday’s order. “It can take a minimum of 12 months for an individual to complete treatments after transition surgery, which often involves the use of heavy narcotics.” Most transgender people who undergo gender-affirming surgery are off painkillers within a month, similar to other surgeries, one transgender health expert told The Hill, and most fully recover within two weeks. Hormones like estrogen and testosterone are not narcotics. The order also prohibits transgender women from “using or sharing sleeping, changing, or bathing in facilities designated for females.” The fact sheet for Monday’s executive order refers to transgender Americans as “trans-identifying,” a term used by some to delegitimize transgender identities. It marks a rightward shift in language around transgender issues from Trump’s first term, when, in most cases, executive actions referred to trans people simply as transgender. His 2017 executive order that first barred transgender troops uses the word “transgender” more than half a dozen times. In his Jan. 20 order recognizing only two genders, Trump declared the Biden administration permitted “the false claim that males can identify as and thus become women and vice versa.” Monday’s executive order, according to the fact sheet, argues that allowing transgender people to serve openly in the military has undermined military readiness and “unit cohesion,” an argument that has long been used to prevent marginalized communities, including Black and gay Americans and women, from serving. The order, first reported by the New York Post, is one of several that would reshape the military under Trump. He is also expected to sign orders Monday to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from the armed forces and reinstate service members discharged for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Donald Trump to reinstate service members dismissed for COVID-19 vaccine refusal - Service members dismissed from the military for failing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 will be reinstated with full back pay and benefits under an executive order President Trump is expected to sign Monday. The move makes good on a Trump campaign promise and is something he previewed during his inaugural address. It’s part of a series of actions and orders the new administration has taken to undo many Biden policies he considered “woke.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also vowed to reinstate military members dismissed over the COVID-19 shot, saying during his confirmation hearing that those service members “will be apologized to. They will be reinstated, reinstituted with pay and rank.” From August 2021 to January 2023, the Biden administration and former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discharged more than 8,000 troops over their refusal to get a mandated COVID-19 shot, with limited exceptions for medical issues or religious objections. That number represented less than 1 percent of the total military strength, but the dismissals became a rallying cry for Republicans who accused Biden officials of hampering military readiness and of religious discrimination. The Pentagon allowed dismissed soldiers to reapply once the mandate was rescinded in 2023, but only 43 chose to do so, according to federal statistics. Military members are required to receive more than a dozen vaccines as part of their normal onboarding process, but the COVID-19 vaccine became a flash point of controversy, and the dismissals became a political headache for the Biden White House. The first Trump administration laid the groundwork for the vaccine to be developed and brought to market in record time through its Operation Warp Speed. The vaccine was only mandated by the military once it received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Trump military executive orders on DEI, vaccines, transgender troops --President Donald Trump on Monday signed executive orders aimed at reversing Biden-era military policies on Covid-19 vaccination, transgender service members and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.Trump also ordered that the U.S. build its own version of Israel's "Iron Dome" missile defense system, directing the secretary of Defense to send him plans within 60 days.The orders are the latest in a flurry of executive actions by Trump, who has pushed major changes across the federal government in his first week back in the White House. Monday's actions include an order to reinstate people who were discharged from the military during the Covid-19 pandemic for refusing to be vaccinated against the deadly virus. Discharged service members who seek reinstatement also will receive full back pay and benefits, the order says.Another order seeks to "ensure the readiness and effectiveness of our Armed Forces" by undoing Biden-era gender inclusivity efforts.That order revokes former President Joe Biden's prohibition on military discharges based on gender identity and aims to bar "invented and identification-based pronoun usage" in the Defense Department.Trump's order also prohibits males from using or sharing "sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for females."The order drew fierce condemnation from transgender rights advocates."The Trump administration's unconscionable attack on trans servicemembers is an insult to the dignity, honor, and integrity of thousands of patriotic Americans who have committed to serving this country simply because of who they are," said Olivia Hunt, director of federal policy at Advocates for Trans Equality, in a statement."The new policies it directs the Department of Defense to adopt are discriminatory, undermine core military values, and disrespect the sacrifices made by trans servicemembers and their families," Hunt said.

Pentagon intelligence agency pauses observances for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth -The Pentagon’s intelligence agency has put on hold observances of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, Holocaust Days of Remembrance and other annual historical or cultural events due to President Trump’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government, according to a new internal memo.The instructions, sent in a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) memo dated Jan. 28, affect 11 annual events.“DIA will pause all activities and events related to Agency Special Emphasis Programs effective immediately and until further notice,” the memo said. “Additionally, Special Observances hosted throughout the year … are also paused.”’Among the “special observances” halted are Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, though the memo said the pause would not affect those federal holidays.Also included in the pause are Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Women’s Equality Day, Holocaust Days of Remembrance, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The document was first reported by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein and posted to social platform X.Asked about the pause, the DIA said in a statement to The Hill that it is working with the Defense Department “to fully implement all Executive Orders and Administration guidance in a timely manner. As we receive additional guidance, we will continue to update our internal guidance.”When asked, Pentagon officials said they are not aware of a DOD-wide policy concerning the issue.

Pentagon To Investigate Milley And Possibly Demote Him - Security Clearance Pulled -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is about to drop the hammer on retired Gen. Mark Milley, Trump's former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and one of the president's favorite rhetorical punching bags. In addition to pulling Milley's security clearance and yanking his personal security detail, Hegseth will also ask the Pentagon's inspector general to investigate his conduct, and the probe could end in Milley receiving a demotion, Fox News reported Tuesday. The IG investigation will center on allegations that Milley worked to "undermine the chain of command" during the first Trump administration. The probe is certain to scrutinize two calls Milley made to senior Chinese officials in the last days of Trump's first term. First reported by Bob Woodward in his book, "War," the calls were apparently made with the goal of diffusing military tensions between the two powers, and were said to have had the blessing of other Trump officials. In 2023, Trump used a social media post to say that, by giving China "a heads up on the thinking of the president of the United States," Milley had committed "an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!" Woodward also reported that, at a March 2023 reception in Washington, Milley told him that Trump was "fascist to the core!" Milley was still on active duty at the time, and Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice makes it a crime for commissioned officers to use "contemptuous words against the president." Milley doesn't have to worry about criminal prosecution: President Biden gave him a pre-emptive pardon that covers "any offenses against the United States" that were committed between January 1, 2014 and January 20, 2025.

Trump's canceling of 50 security clearances is unprecedented and partisan, experts say - President Donald Trump’s decision this week to revoke the security clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials is an unprecedented move, underscoring his willingness to break decades-old norms to please his supporters and punish his perceived opponents, legal experts say. “This is the most politically saturated security action since the Oppenheimer case in the 1950s,” said Dan Meyer, a Washington-based lawyer who specializes in security clearance cases. Meyer was referring to Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who oversaw the secret program to build the atomic bomb during World War II, whose security clearance was removed at the height of the McCarthy era over his prewar associations with the Communist Party. Previous administrations have been accused of rescinding security clearances based on prejudice or political bias. Until 1995, for example, gay people often had their security clearances removed as officials claimed they could be subject to blackmail. During the Vietnam War, officials or contractors perceived to be opponents of the war had their clearances canceled, said Meyer, a partner at the law firm Tully Rinckey. But no president has ever waded directly into the clearance process so publicly and on such a large scale as Trump did when he rescinded security clearances for 50 people in one step, Meyer and other legal experts said. Nor has a commander in chief chosen to publicly rescind security clearances for former CIA directors, deputy directors and other former top-ranking intelligence officials, many of whom worked for administrations from both parties. In an executive order issued hours after his inauguration on Monday, Trump stripped 49 former senior officials of their security clearances for signing a letter more than four years ago that Trump said showed “misleading and inappropriate political coordination” with Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. The former senior officials have repeatedly denied Trump's claim. The 2020 open letter, endorsed by former senior intelligence and national security officials, suggested Russia might have played a role in spreading allegations about Biden’s son Hunter as part of a wider effort to influence the outcome of the election. Trump also removed the security clearance for John Bolton, his former national security adviser, accusing him of revealing sensitive information in a memoir. Bolton has denied revealing any information that jeopardized national security. The former intelligence officials say that Trump’s mass scrapping of clearances is an attempt to punish, intimidate and silence those who challenge his claims. Trump is “trying to censor the public statements of former government officials,” said a former senior intelligence official who signed the letter and spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fears of retaliation. “None of us were working in government at the time. We were private citizens.” “By abusing their previous positions in government, these individuals helped sell a public relations fraud to the American people,” Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said in an email. “They greatly damaged the credibility of the Intelligence Community by using their privileges to interfere in a presidential election. President Trump’s action is restoring the credibility of our nation’s institutions.” Trump’s order also raised the possibility of additional punitive action related to the 2020 letter. The executive order requires the director of national intelligence to examine whether anyone else who held a security clearance engaged in “inappropriate activity” related to the letter and to submit a report on their findings within 90 days.

Trump Asks Elon Musk To Retrieve NASA Astronauts From International Space Station - President Donald Trump said on Jan. 28 that he has asked billionaire businessman and SpaceX founder Elon Musk to help return two NASA astronauts who have been on board the International Space Station (ISS) for months.NASA tapped Musk’s SpaceX in August 2024, to return the pair on a Crew Dragon spacecraft.That craft is already docked with the space station, having flown there for NASA’s Crew-9 astronaut rotation mission in September 2024 with empty seats for the two astronauts. After delays, the mission to return them had been slated for late March.Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday:“I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to ‘go get’ the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.”“They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”In a statement on social media platform X, Musk confirmed Trump has asked his space technology firm to bring the two astronauts home as soon as possible.“We will do so,” Musk wrote.Trump was referring to astronauts Sunita Williams, 59, and Butch Wilmore, 61, who were launched into space on June 5, 2024, to conduct station research, maintenance, system testing, and data analysis. The mission was initially expected to last just over a week or two but was later extended after the Boeing Starliner capsule they arrived on was deemed unfit to return them to Earth. NASA decided to return the Starliner spacecraft empty after the discovery of helium leaks and issues with the craft’s control thrusters. Williams and Wilmore were set to return to Earth in February during a handover alongside astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, both of whom arrived at the ISS in September 2024.That mission was delayed until late March after SpaceX and NASA said they needed more time to complete the processing of a new Crew Dragon capsule that was set to arrive at the company’s processing facility in Florida in early January.“The agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission with NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will return to Earth following the arrival of Crew-10 to the orbital laboratory,” NASA said in a December statement.Despite the unplanned extension to their mission, NASA has insisted that Williams and Wilmore are in good health and that their time in orbit falls within acceptable limits.“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health,” the agency said in a statement provided to media outlets in November last year.

Trump Threatens Colombia With Tariffs, Visa Restrictions Over Deportation Flights - President Trump has ordered an increase in tariffs on Colombian goods and visa restrictions on Colombian officials after Colombia turned away two US military planes carrying migrants being deported from the US. Trump announced a 25% tariff increase on all Colombian goods coming into the US and said they would be raised to 50% in one week. He also ordered visa restrictions on Colombian government officials and their “allies and supporters,” enhanced inspections on shipments coming from Colombia, and other unspecified sanctions. “These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!” the president wrote on Truth Social.Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded to Trump in a series of posts on X and said he rejected the plane because the Colombian migrants were treated as criminals. “In civilian planes, without being treated like criminals, we will receive our fellow citizens,” he said. Petro also said he would send his presidential plane to pick up the migrants in a more “dignified” manner but also announced a retaliatory tariff increase of 25% on all US goods being imported to Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio quickly followed up on Trump’s order by imposing the visa restrictions. “Measures will continue until Colombia meets its obligations to accept the return of its own citizens. America will not back down when it comes to defending its national security interests,” the State Department said in a statement on the restrictions.Colombia has long been a partner of the US and is designated a major non-NATO ally. The aggressive deportation policy could clash with one of the Trump administration’s other goals in Latin America: pushing back on Chinese influence in the region. Honduras has threatened that if the Trump administration follows through on a mass deportation plan to the country, US troops based in Honduras could be kicked out. Update on January 26, 2025, at 11:56 pm EST: On Sunday night, the White House said Colombia had agreed to the “unrestricted acceptance” of migrants from Colombia and would allow them to be returned to the country “including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay.” The White House said it would not impose tariffs or sanctions unless the agreement was violated but visa restrictions will stay in place until “the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”

Trump launches economic war after Colombian government denies entry to deportation flights - President Donald Trump announced Sunday a series of trade, financial and diplomatic reprisals just short of a declaration of all-out war after Colombian President Gustavo Petro blocked two US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants on military planes. On Sunday morning, Petro announced on X the rejection of deportation flights, declaring, “The U.S. must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.” The measure triggered a wave of vile commentary in US fascist circles led by former Republican representative Matt Gaetz, who was briefly Trump’s nominee for Attorney General. “Don’t fuck with us on this, dude,” wrote Gaetz on X. “You will be taking your criminals back the easy way or the hard way,” he added, calling migrants “shit.” In the afternoon, Trump announced on his Truth social media platform a series of “decisive retaliatory measures,” claiming Petro had jeopardized National Security and Public Safety of the United States. These include 25 percent emergency tariffs on Colombian imports, increasing to 50 percent in a week, a travel ban and visa revocations on Colombian officials and their relatives, allies and supporters, and International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) financial sanctions. “These measures are just the beginning,” Trump added. With the US being far and away the main recipient of Colombian exports, over 25 percent of the total, the measures constitute a threat to devastate South America’s third largest economy. At the same time, naming Colombia a national security threat, which is also implied by the IEEPA, constitutes a warning of a military character. Moreover, Trump’s declaration that “Colombia’s Socialist President” is “very unpopular amongst his people” takes place after Petro has warned for months of a coup plot to oust him by the far-right opposition and within the state. For the oligarchic regime headed by Trump, even Petro’s limited social policies and verbal criticisms of US foreign policy, most notably denouncing US responsibility for the genocide in Gaza and Trump’s climate change denialism, are intolerable. Petro replied with a mix of counter-reprisals and adaptation: a 25 percent tariff on US imports, which will increase prices or fully deprive Colombia of countless necessary imports, and a proposal to use “civilian planes,” including his own presidential jet, to repatriate Colombian migrants deported by the Trump administration. The Colombian president also called on the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and its chair, Honduran President Xiomara Castro, to convene an emergency meeting to address migration and drug trafficking. Castro has been among the Latin American heads of state most critical of Trump’s agenda, threatening to expel the US military from its Soto Cano air base and turn closer to China if Trump carries out mass deportations of Hondurans. Petro wrote on X, “You can, with your economic strength and your arrogance, try to stage a coup d’état as you did with Allende. But I will die under my right; I resisted torture and I resist you.” Petro, a member of the M-19 urban guerrilla movement in his youth, was tortured during two years of imprisonment. Chilean President Salvador Allende died during a military overthrow orchestrated by the CIA in 1973. But Trump’s retaliation is aimed not solely or even chiefly at Petro. By targeting Latin America’s main US military ally and NATO “global partner,” the message is that no exceptions will be made. Trump is also sending a message to America’s neighbor and main trade partner, Mexico, amid US media reports that President Claudia Sheinbaum denied permission to land to one US military plane carrying deportees on Thursday. The White House said Mexico agreed to receive a record four deportation flights on Thursday, and a State Department official said one was denied access to land due to “miscommunication.” The Mexican government has not confirmed these flights or the denial of any of them. The following day, the Mexican government vowed to continue cooperating, even as the White House said Mexico had agreed to mobilize 30,000 National Guard troops to the border to oversee the “Remain in Mexico” policy.

Trump flexes muscle with tariffs and sanctions on Colombia -- President Trump is flexing his muscle just a week into his presidency, using tariffs and sanctions as a leverage tool to enact his agenda, even when it involves U.S. allies.Trump caused a stir Sunday when he announced tariffs and visa restrictions on Colombia after the country refused to accept planes of individuals being deported back to their home country. Colombia ultimately accepted the repatriation flights, with Trump putting the tariffs on the back burner.While the White House and Republican lawmakers took a victory lap, the episode reflected how Trump may seek to bully other countries into submission to get what he wants in his second term.“This time he’s got a very clear understanding of how government works. People know how to work the system to his benefit to implement his policies,” said one former Trump White House official.Trump’s tendency to publicly pressure his foreign counterparts is high-risk, high-reward. On Sunday, Trump’s threat of tariffs and visa sanctions on Colombia initially sparked a threat of retaliatory tariffs from Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The move could have sparked a trade war, leading to increased prices of goods like coffee and flowers for U.S. consumers. Instead, it amounted to a show of force for Trump.The situation appeared to be resolved late Sunday after Petro agreed Colombia would accept the flights of U.S. deportees. The White House said it would hold off on imposing tariffs, and that visa sanctions would be lifted once the planes landed in Colombia.White House officials and Republican lawmakers quickly cited it as examples of Trump projecting strength from the Oval Office and how his brash approach to foreign policy would be more effective than the Biden administration.“Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States.”Trump has already made clear he may try similar tactics to achieve other goals. He has threatened to use “economic force” against Canada, suggested tariffs could be wielded against European allies to address what he views as trade imbalances, and has spoken about claiming territory that belongs to allies.A call between Trump and Denmark’s prime minister reportedly spiraled into confrontation over the president’s insistence on buying the territory of Greenland.And Panama’s president has lodged complaints with the United Nations over the president’s vow to retake the Panama Canal — and his refusal to rule out military or economic coercion. Trump has said holding control of Greenland is necessary to combat China and Russia in the Arctic and gain access to critical minerals. With the Panama Canal, his team has raised concern over China’s influence at the waterway, with a Hong Kong-based company operating two ports on opposite sides of the waterway. But Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, raised whether it is easier to find solutions with Denmark and Panama, given their strong ties with the U.S., to get what America wants rather than bullying toward an uncertain outcome. “Given that Denmark and Panama are such pro-American countries, is it necessary for the U.S. to physically control these territories or can we just work with allies and partners to make sure our interests are secured?” he asked. “For example, with Denmark, can’t we work with them to get more basing access, to find a way to utilize the critical minerals? Similarly with Panama, can we persuade them to simply cancel the contracts with the Chinese companies, and have new contracts with American companies or with trusted companies based in the West?”Trump is set to confront a standoff on tariffs with Mexico and Canada, where America’s neighbors are preparing countermeasures in the face of the president’s threats to impose 25 percent tariffs by Feb. 1. And he raised another foreign policy area where he may try to exert pressure when he told reporters on Saturday that he would ask Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinians from war-torn Gaza.“You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said.Egypt and Jordan rejected Trump’s remarks, part of long-standing policy supporting the creation of a Palestinian state in the territories of Gaza and the West Bank. As fragile states, Egypt and Jordan would face enormous challenges in accepting, or forcing Palestinians to relocate — from pushback on Arab streets to strains on their economy and security services. “I was surprised because President Trump has already served in the White House for a full term, and he knows the views of the leaders of the region. He knows these issues,” Dana Stroul, who served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for the Middle East in the Biden administration, told CNN. “In his first administration he put out the ‘deal of the century’ in order for Israel to live side by side with a Palestinian state, so he has a record of supporting steps toward a Palestinian state.”

U.S. and Colombia reach deal on deportations; tariffs and sanctions put on hold - The U.S. and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war on Sunday after the White House said the South American nation had agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia to punish it for earlier refusing to accept military flights carrying deportees as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown. But in a statement late on Sunday, the White House said Colombia had agreed to accept the migrants after all and Washington would not impose its threatened penalties. "The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay," it said. Draft orders imposing tariffs and sanctions on Colombia would be "held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement", it added. "Today's events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump ... expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States," the White House statement said. In a statement late on Sunday, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said: "We have overcome the impasse with the U.S. government". "The government of Colombia ... has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were going to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights." The statement did not specifically say that the agreement included military flights, but it did not contradict the White House announcement. Murillo and Colombia's ambassador to the United States will travel to Washington in coming days to follow up on agreements that led to the exchange of diplomatic notes between the two governments, the Colombian statement added. Washington's draft measures, now on hold, include imposing 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods coming into the U.S., which would go up to 50% in one week; a travel ban and visa revocations on Colombian government officials; and emergency treasury, banking and financial sanctions. Trump also threatened to direct enhanced border inspections of Colombian nationals and cargo. Ahead of the announcement of an agreement on the flights, a State Department spokesperson said the United States had suspended visa processing at the U.S. embassy in Bogota. Colombia is the third-largest U.S. trading partner in Latin America. The U.S. is Colombia's largest trading partner, largely due to a 2006 free trade agreement that generated $33.8 billion in two-way trade in 2023 and a $1.6 billion U.S. trade surplus, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Alejo Czerwonko, chief investment officer for emerging markets Americas at UBS Global Wealth Management, said Colombia relied on access to the U.S. market for about a third of its exports, or about 4% of its GDP. Colombian President Gustavo Petro earlier condemned the military deportation flights and said he would never carry out a raid to return handcuffed Americans to the U.S. "We are the opposite of the Nazis," he wrote in a post on social media platform X. He also said however that Colombia would welcome home deported migrants on civilian planes, and offered his presidential plane to facilitate their "dignified return".

Trump Envoy To Meet with Venezuelan President Maduro - President Donald Trump’s crisis Envoy, Richard Grenell, traveled to Venezuela on Friday to meet with President Nicolas Maduro and discuss Caracas accepting migrants deported from the US. Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US State Department special envoy for Latin America, said the discussions would not change Washington’s overall Venezuela policy. “President Trump expects Nicolás Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to [the] US, and to do so unequivocally and without condition.” Trump recently revoked the special immigration status for Venezuelans that allowed them to remain in the US legally. Now that that has been removed, as many as 600,000 Venezuelans no longer have legal standing in the US, and they can be deported. He continued, Grenell is in Venezuela on a “very specific mission” that in no way deviates from Trump’s goal of restoring democracy in the South American nation. Under the first Trump administration and during the Joe Biden presidency, Washington declared Maduro to have rigged elections and recognized opposition figures as the true Venezuelan presidents. Claver-Carone said if Maduro does not comply with the demands that Grenell makes, Venezuela will face “consequences.” Trump recently threatened massive economic penalties on Colombia to force Bogota to accept deportation flights from the US. However, Caracas is already under extensive sanctions from Washington. The Financial Times speculated that “a deal could involve an easing of US sanctions on Venezuela and dropping a US reward offered for Maduro’s capture in return for Caracas taking back thousands of [Venezuelan] migrants from the US, shipping more oil to American Gulf Coast refineries and releasing US nationals held in Caracas.” While Claver-Carone said the talks with Maduro do not mean that the US is giving up on its goal of regime change in Venezuela, opening up trade with Caracas could help Trump as he seeks to exert economic leverage over Canada with tariffs. Tariffs on Ottoawa’s energy exports could lead to an increase in gas prices in the US. Venezuela’s heavy crude is one of the few sources of oil that can replace what Canada’s supplies to the US. Many American refineries are built for heavy crude oil. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly told the Financial Times, “We ship oil at a discount which is, ultimately, refined in Texas. If it’s not us, it is Venezuela. There’s no other option on the table, and this administration doesn’t want to work with Venezuela.”

Trump deportation blitz intensifies — as does the criticism --President Trump’s deportation blitz is picking up steam — along with criticism from Democrats that the administration’s actions will harm communities and hurt the economy without solving the border crisis. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a small handful of other federal agencies have conducted raids over the past few days, which led to the arrest of more than 2,000 people, including almost 1,000 on Sunday alone, ICE said. Democrats accuse Trump of seeking petty political revenge by launching the deportation raids in deep-blue cities like Chicago, where he frequently clashes with Democratic officials. “These unwarranted raids have not only targeted hardworking individuals but, alarmingly, have also wrongfully targeted U.S. citizens and veterans,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.“Such actions sow fear, disrupt families, destabilize local economies, and undermine public trust,” he added.Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” who was in Chicago on Sunday to oversee the deportation operations, is pushing back on those criticisms. He said the administration is merely upholding the law — one he said has been ignored in Washington for too long.“President Trump’s gonna secure the border as promised to the American people and we’re gonna enforce immigration laws. That’s what we’re gonna do — without apology,” Homan told reporters in Washington on Monday. “We’re on board, we’re gonna go forward [and] you’re gonna see it get a hell of a lot bigger in the near future.”The clash presents an early test for both parties in the high-stakes messaging battle over inflation, public safety and how immigration affects both — a debate that’s sure to carry into the 2026 midterm elections and beyond.Trump had placed many of the nation’s ills at the feet of immigrants, saying those living in America illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country.” He accused them of driving up crime rates and stealing American jobs. Trump last week defended the strategy, saying his administration is targeting only those with serious criminal backgrounds. “These are murderers,” he said Friday during a stop in North Carolina. “These are people that have been as bad as you get.” Yet the effort has sparked an outcry from Democrats, who are warning of the residual effects on communities of all sizes that will result if immigrants — even those in the country legally — are living in fear of raids at work, at school or elsewhere. “Children and families should be able to go to school, seek healthcare, and worship their God without fear of an ICE raid,” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) posted on the social platform X. “This policy does nothing to curtail the root causes of illegal immigration, but it will harm families, hurt local economies, and create mass chaos.” There are no signs that Trump’s efforts will slow down. According to reports this week, the president has been disappointed with the pace of arrests so far. And the White House is pressing federal law enforcers to get more aggressive in their raids and apprehensions, setting a new, higher daily quota for ICE field offices around the country. The aggressive nature of the operations marks a stark contrast to the policies of the Biden administration, which in most cases had avoided deporting large numbers of immigrants living in the country without legal status. Former President Biden also allowed hundreds of thousands more migrants to seek asylum and refuge in the U.S. while their claims were adjudicated, efforts the Trump administration is seeking to unwind. Democrats and immigrant rights advocates worry that the shift toward tougher enforcement under Trump will inevitably result in the arrest of people who have committed no crimes, or those living in the country with legal status. They’re accusing Trump of playing politics by targeting the raids in cities — most of them controlled by Democrats — which have shown legal leniency toward immigrants, even those in the country without legal status. “There’s no question that the Trump administration is intentionally targeting immigration enforcement actions … in cities and states that have taken proactive steps to protect immigrants from the federal government,” Nayna Gupta, policy director at the American Immigration Council, said Monday.

Tom Homan responds to immigration raids: 'No apologies' --Tom Homan, President Trump’s “border czar,” defended the immigration raids this weekend and pledged to continue working toward carrying out the administration’s enforcement goals in a Monday interview.In an interview on Fox News’s “America Reports,” Homan pushed back on criticism that “these are everyday people, these are families that are being attacked and dragged out of their homes.”“I don’t think we arrested any families,” Homan said when asked to respond to that criticism. “We’ve arrested public safety threats and national security threats. Bottom line.”“Look, President Trump won the election on this one issue: securing our border and saving lives. This, what happened on the southern border the last four years, is the biggest national security threat this country’s seen, at least in my lifetime,” Homan continued, citing border statistics from under the Biden administration.Homan committed to carrying out deportation operations “without apology,” saying it would benefit the country.“We’re going to do this job. And we’re going to enforce the laws of this country. If they don’t like it, then go to Congress and change the law. We’re going to do this operation without apology. We’re going to make our communities safer,” he said.Homan said he expects the continued operations will see “fentanyl deaths decrease, illegal alien crime decrease, sex trafficking decrease.”“It’s all for the good of this nation, and we’re going to keep going. No apologies. We’re moving forward,” he added.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a small handful of other federal agencies have conducted raids over the past few days, which led to the arrest of more than 2,000 people, including almost 1,000 on Sunday alone, ICE said. The raids have given rise to sharp criticism from Democrats, who accuse Trump of seeking petty political revenge by launching the deportation raids in deep-blue cities like Chicago, where he frequently clashes with Democratic officials. “These unwarranted raids have not only targeted hardworking individuals but, alarmingly, have also wrongfully targeted U.S. citizens and veterans,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.Hollywood star Selena Gomez also garnered attention for a video she posted to social media, saying, while wiping away tears, “All my people are getting attacked,” with an image of the Mexican flag.“I just want to say that I’m so sorry. All my people are getting attacked. The children. I don’t understand,” the 32-year-old Emmy Award-nominated actor said in the video, which has since apparently been deleted. “I’m so sorry, I wish I could do something, but I can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise,” Gomez added.

ICE escalates raids across the US after Trump demands 1,500 immigrant arrests per day - US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers dramatically increased daily arrests of immigrants in cities across the US beginning on Sunday under orders from the Trump White House. In a meeting on Saturday, Trump administration officials demanded quotas for ICE arrests be raised from a few hundred to between 1,200 and 1,500 people per day. A report in the Washington Post said the increase was demanded “because the president has been disappointed with the results of his mass deportation campaign so far, according to four people with knowledge of the briefings.” The Post report also said, “The quotas were outlined Saturday in a call with senior ICE officials, who were told that each of the agency’s field offices should make 75 arrests per day and managers would be held accountable for missing those targets.” Prior to the new quotas, the daily number of immigrants being arrested by the Biden administration was 311 people on average. ICE reported 956 people had been arrested on Sunday by multiple federal police agencies in cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver, Miami, Atlanta and major cities in northern Texas. While the president and his fascist border czar Tom Homan are claiming that the raids are “enhanced targeted operations” aimed at “keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities,” it is clear the arrests are being carried out indiscriminately and the up to five-fold increase will intensify this fact. In an example of the blatantly racist tactics being utilized by immigration authorities—which exposes the fundamentally undemocratic character of the entire operation—Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley reported that at least 15 Indigenous people in Arizona and New Mexico have reported being stopped and asked to produce proof of citizenship. Some of these US citizens in tribal communities have also been detained. A press release issued by the Office of Navajo President Buu Nygren on Friday said, “My office has received multiple reports from Navajo citizens that they have had negative, and sometimes traumatizing, experiences with federal agents targeting undocumented immigrants in the Southwest.” Other reports have shown that the raids are above all aimed at intimidating and terrorizing immigrant families and communities as part of the Trump administration’s campaign to scapegoat immigrants for the crisis of American and world capitalism. In the Chicago area, ABC Eyewitness News said a woman reported that her father, who had been in the US for 30 years, was arrested at his home in Waukegan. Yelitza Marquina explained that the seizure of her father happened under apparently false pretenses. “They (family members) opened the door because they thought maybe one of us was in trouble or something happened to us. Never did they think it was ICE.” In another example of the despicable role of media personalities in the ICE offensive, “Dr. Phil” McGraw has been permitted to “embed” with ICE officers during raids in Chicago. The purpose of the ride-along by the former psychologist, who rose to television fame alongside Oprah Winfrey, is to bolster the Trump administration’s claims that only “known criminals and terrorists” are being targeted by ICE. In Miami, CBS News interviewed an unidentified man who said ICE had taken his wife during a raid in the neighborhood of Brownsville. The man said his wife of 11 years was from Venezuela and had a court date scheduled to complete a three-year process of getting her US citizenship. He said, “everything was good” until ICE showed up. “They just came, and they snatched her,” he said.

ICE spearheads attack on immigrants in Chicago -At noon on Sunday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced it was carrying out deportations, so-called “targeted operations,” in the city of Chicago. Reports indicate 270 people are being targeted for immediate arrest, after a week of heightened anxiety over threats made by incoming Trump administration officials for a widespread sweep of immigrants in Chicago. The metro area is home to more than 400,000 immigrant households. The ICE agency statement indicated it is partnering with the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Marshals Service after a directive was issued by Department of Homeland Security acting head Benjamine Huffman to bring in additional federal agencies. The Trump administration’s plans for deportations also include deputizing local police officers and members of the National Guard, “voluntarily contributed by Republican-run states,” according to the New York Times. Chicago, like the other large US urban centers, is a sanctuary city, with a Welcoming City Ordinance, part of which prevents Chicago police from sharing information with federal immigration authorities or assisting them. In the week since taking office, the Trump administration has issued expansive executive orders that restrict immigration to the US, expand immigration agency powers and attempt to ban birthright citizenship. Trump has also threatened sanctuary jurisdictions. ICE has reportedly set a quota of 75 arrests per day for each of its 25 field offices, which would come to nearly 2,000 arrests daily nationwide and nearly 700,000 this year. It is carrying out the initial phase of its operations under the guise of arresting criminals and “potential” threats to public safety and national security. After threatening last month to make Chicago the first target of the Trump administration’s sweeping deportation policy, Trump “border czar” Homan was in Chicago to oversee the operations on Sunday, along with acting Attorney General Emil Bove. The number of arrests made Sunday has not been made public, but reports indicate that arrests were made in neighborhoods on the north side of the city. Absurdly, talk show host Phil McGraw, known on television as “Dr. Phil,” is reporting as “embedded media” with the ICE raid teams and interviewed Homan in Chicago for his media channel. His sycophantic attempts to present the deportations as modest and reasonable law-and-order measures only add to the nightmarish scene unfolding across the city and the country. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire Democrat, expressed his support for the ICE’s Chicago operations Sunday but said he had concerns about the means used. He told CNN Sunday, “When we’re talking about violent criminals who have been convicted and are undocumented, we don’t want them in our state. We want them out of the country. We hope they get deported, and if that’s who they’re picking up, we’re all for it.” Speaking like a militarist who supports an aggressive war but tut-tuts over the “collateral damage” among innocent civilians, Pritzker complained,“They’re also going after people who are law-abiding, who are holding down jobs, who have families here, who may have been here for a decade or two decades. Why are we going after them? These are not people who are causing problems in our country. ... We need to secure our border.” Pritzker continued, referring to the Trump administration, “We’re gonna follow the law. We expect them to do the same. I’m very afraid they are not going to follow the law.”

Quaker groups file suit over end of policy restricting ICE arrests in houses of worship - A group of Quaker congregations are suing the Department of Homeland Security for changing a policy that used to forbid Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from conducting immigration enforcement activities in so-called "sensitive locations" like houses of worship, playgrounds, schools and hospitals without approval from supervisors. The policy, which had been in place under multiple administrations — including during President Donald Trump's first term — was rescinded last week by the new Trump administration. The lawsuit, which was filed in federal district court in Maryland on Monday, alleges, "The very threat of that [immigration] enforcement deters congregants from attending services, especially members of immigrant communities," and argues that attending religious services is at the heart of the "guarantee of religious liberty." Faith leaders, local officials and educators have objected to the policy reversal, and have been vocal about their opposition, but the suit appears to be the first from a faith-based organization challenging the change in court. "A week ago today, President Trump swore an oath to defend the Constitution and yet today religious institutions that have existed since the 1600s in our country are having to go to court to challenge what is a violation of every individual's Constitutional right to worship and associate freely," said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is providing the lawyers representing the Quaker groups. Perryman said the lawsuit is to address more than churches that act as sanctuaries. "The troubling nature of the policy goes beyond just houses of worship with sanctuary programs — it is that ICE could enter religious and sacred spaces whenever it wants," Perryman said. Noah Merrill, secretary of one of the plaintiffs in the suit, the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends, told NBC News in an email that "Quaker meetings for worship seek to be a sanctuary and a refuge for all, and this new and invasive practice tangibly erodes that possibility by creating unnecessary anxiety, confusion, and chilling of our members' and neighbors' willingness to share with us in the worship which sustains our lives. This undermines our communities and, we believe, violates our religious freedom." According to the lawsuit the policy that protected "sensitive locations" from immigration enforcement without prior approval dates back to the early 1990's. It was meant to allow undocumented people to operate freely in certain public areas with the idea that doing so would ultimately benefit not just them, but also the larger community — for example, by allowing kids to be in school during the day, and letting sick people visit hospitals without fear of deportation. The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are several regional umbrella groups representing Quaker congregations in the mid-Atlantic and New England.

Singer-actress Selena Gomez faces far right attacks after video in solidarity with immigrants goes viral -- On Monday, popular singer and actress Selena Gomez posted a brief video clip in which she said she would “try everything” to protect immigrants facing the brunt of President Donald Trump’s vicious anti-immigrant raids. Gomez posted the video on the same day that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 956 people in multiple raids across the country. The day before, ICE swept up nearly 1,200 individuals following an order from the Trump administration to arrest at least 1,500 people a day. The figure represents a nearly 300-500 percent increase over the number of daily ICE arrests during the Biden administration. In the video, a visibly distraught and sobbing Gomez says “I’m so sorry. All my people are getting attacked. The children, I don’t understand. I wish I could do something, but I can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.” She has a Mexican flag emoji in the caption beneath the video. The mass interest in Gomez’s comments reflects some of the anger and genuine disgust that millions of people feel watching Trump and his cabinet of billionaire parasites flaunt their ignorance and indifference to the lives of working class people of all backgrounds. The video was viewed tens of millions of times after she posted it to her 422 million followers on Instagram. A repost of the video on X has been liked nearly 125,000 times, with many posts showing support to the singer for her bravery in speaking out. Gomez, 32, is a US citizen of Mexican descent whose paternal grandparents settled in Texas in the 1970s. Her father was born in the United States, making him a legal citizen and also a potential target of the Trump administration’s criminal attack on the 14th Amendment to the Constitution: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Gomez regularly refers to herself as a proud, third-generation Mexican-American. Gomez has played a part in several film productions depicting the plight of youth, immigrants and working people. In 2019, she produced the HBO documentary “Living Undocumented,” about the plight of undocumented immigrant families living in the US. In a Time opinion piece published in 2019, Gomez explained that she had agreed to produce the film because it captured “the shame, uncertainty, and fear I saw my own family struggle with” as working class people in Texas. The anti-Trump video was removed from the singer’s account within hours of her posting on Monday, replaced by text proclaiming “Apparently it’s not ok to show empathy for people.” A number of far-right figures, fearing that sympathy for the plight of the undocumented might be contagious, have taken to denouncing the celebrity in abusive and hysterical tones. Far-right Fox News blowhard and Trump supporter Sean Hannity on Monday asked the president’s “border czar” Thomas Homan to reply to Gomez’s post. Before letting him reply, Hannity launched into his own illiterate and dishonest attack on the actress. I gotta ask your reaction to Selena Gomez. I didn’t see any postings of tears for all the women and American citizens murdered, all the people that were raped including children, all the other victims of violent crime. ... I didn’t see any tears on any of those issues. What was that all about?

Inside Selena Gomez's decision to delete crying video about migrants after it sparked deportation calls | Daily Mail Online -- Selena Gomez deleted her tearful video about Donald Trump's mass deportation of undocumented immigrants because she was worried it showed 'weakness' - and feared it could 'alienate' Republican fans of her beauty brand,' a source has claimed.The singer and actress, 32, sobbed as the spoke about Trump's immigration policy in an emotional clip shared to her Instagram Stories on Monday morning.Predictably, the video sparked a fierce backlash from Republicans and MAGA supporters, including US Senate candidate Sam Parker who called for the Bad Liar singer to be deported in the wake of her meltdown.Now, an insider has told DailyMail.com why Gomez, who is engaged to Benny Blanco, swiftly deleted the post and is vowing to 'stay out of politics'.She realizes that she cannot go up against a Republican backed nation - many of whom are loyal customers of her Rare Beauty brand,' they said. 'She does not wish to alienate.'She is going to stay out of politics and in her own lane after that drama.'

Trump floats deporting US citizens with criminal backgrounds - On Monday, US President Donald Trump announced that he intends to assert the power to deport any person from the country, including US citizens. This announcement confirms that the attack on birthright citizenship—or the constitutional guarantee of irrevocable and equal rights to every person born within the country’s borders—is an attack on the rights of the entire population, immigrant and native-born alike. It is a measure consciously aimed at paving the way for the police-state repression of all opposition to Trump’s regime and the interests of the financial oligarchy it represents. Trump made the announcement during a dinner for House Republicans hosted at his luxury golf resort in Doral, Florida. In his remarks, he introduced this new policy as the immediate next step in the massive military-style raids targeting immigrants that are already underway. He claimed that his new administration was already “tracking down the illegal alien criminals,” and he boasted about “throwing them the hell out of our country” with “no apologies.” Trump indicated that the next phase of this campaign of repression would target “violent repeat offenders” who are US citizens. “I don’t want these violent repeat offenders in our country any more than I want illegal aliens from other countries who misbehave,” he said. “They’re repeat offenders by many numbers. I want them out of our country. I also will be seeking permission to do so,” he said. “We’re going to get approval ... to get them the hell out of our country,” he declared. “Let’s see how they like it.” Trump’s assertion of the power to deport US citizens was cloaked in the form of a measure targeting those citizens, who allegedly commit “murder and other heinous charges such as pushing people into subways” or “punching old ladies in the face, knocking them unconscious and stealing their purse.” His detailed comments on the subject made clear that these plans represent something more than his trademark fascistic rambling. “Let them be brought to a foreign land and maintained by others for a very small fee, as opposed to [being] maintained in our jails for massive amounts of money, including the private prison companies that charge us a fortune. Let them be brought out of our country, and let them live there for a while. Let’s see how they like it,” he said. There is no precedent in US history—or procedure in the American legal system—for the deportation of citizens who were born in the US to natural-born parents. It recalls the feudal era punishment of “abjuring the realm,” as well as the practice in the British Empire of sentencing people to “transportation” to the colonies. If the president has the power to deport people who have the full rights of US citizens, then there would be nothing in principle preventing the president from imposing that punishment on more than just those he claims are “violent repeat offenders.” Indeed, Trump’s comments made clear that this is precisely what he and his fascistic gang of advisers have in mind. “We’re going to get approval, hopefully, to get them the hell out of our country, along with others,” Trump said. He did not clarify who the “others” were who would be deported “along with” the supposed repeat offenders under this policy. Trump is already in the process of establishing internment camps by presidential decree. The series of executive orders he issued during the first week of his presidency were modeled in part on the racist 1942 executive order by President Franklin Roosevelt that established internment camps for approximately 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry. Roosevelt’s Order 9066, like Trump’s orders, authorized the mass detention of “aliens” within the country on the grounds of “national security.”

Homeland Security secretary Noem leads immigration raids in New York City -Early Tuesday morning, federal immigration officials conducted raids on several working class neighborhoods throughout New York City. The federal departments which were reported to have been involved in the attacks included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the US Marshals Service. The New York Police Department (NYPD) also provided support for the raids. Trump’s recently appointed Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, made a coordinated appearance on the scene, posting a video on Twitter/X in which she stated “7 AM in NYC. Getting the dirt bags off the streets.”So far, over 20 arrests have been reported from raids which have been carried out in southeast Bronx, northern Manhattan and in Queens. The most heavily publicized of the detentions was that of 26-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, who is alleged to be a leader of the Tren de Aragua gang. The latter is a Venezuelan organization which was recently named as terrorist in a January 20 executive order, “Designating Cartels and Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists.”Among the others arrested, 12 were designated as “targets” of the federal authorities, while eight of those detained were deemed “collateral” arrests by a local news source. Tuesday’s raid is a component of the Trump administration’s effort to completely restructure the political landscape of America and establish a presidential dictatorship. One of its major rationales in this shift is the claim of an immigrant “invasion” equivalent to that of a foreign army landing on American soil. In a Saturday meeting between Trump and ICE officials, undocumented immigrant arrest quotas were ramped up to 1,200-1,500 per day. This represented an increase from the original targets outlined in the executive orders written by Trump within the first several days of his second presidency.Trump and Noem’s assault on New York City is a deeply provocative move, the intended target of which is the entire working class. New York’s workforce is one of the most diverse in the world. The current immigrant-born population of New York City is the largest, in real terms, in the country. Roughly 38 percent of the city’s 8 million inhabitants are foreign-born, while 44 percent of the city’s labor force are immigrants, contributing hundreds of billions of dollars to the city’s economy every year. New York State’s population of immigrants is similarly high, with 23 percent of its 19 million residents having been born in a country outside of the US. DHS Secretary Noem is a former South Dakota US House of Representatives member (2007-2019) and governor (2019-2025). Throughout her career, she has endorsed anti-immigrant legislation, including Trump’s 2017 Muslim travel ban, advocated for an end to asylum laws, deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the US’ southern border, and referred to the US-Mexico border as a “warzone.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, both Democrats, were complicit in Tuesday’s raids. In a statement Tuesday, Adams admitted that his administration had allowed the NYPD to coordinate with the DHS in carrying out Tuesday’s attack, emphasizing its legality despite New York’s “Sanctuary City” laws which restrict cooperation with federal immigration agencies. “People who commit violent crimes must be held accountable. We should be sending a strong message about consequences for those who break the law,” Adams stated. “[W]e will not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice—just as we have done for years. ... Our commitment to protecting our city’s law-abiding residents, both citizens and immigrants, remains unwavering.”Adams has recently made a significant effort of cozying up to Trump after having been indicted in September of last year on federal charges of bribery, wire fraud and solicitation of foreign campaign contributions. On January 17, Adams attended a meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate and was a guest at Trump’s January 20 inauguration ceremony. While Adams has pleaded innocent, it is widely speculated that he is seeking a presidential pardon, should he be convicted.

Trump orders preparation of Guantánamo Bay facility to house migrants -- President Trump signed a memo on Wednesday to prepare a massive facility at Guantánamo Bay to be used to house deported migrants. Trump had earlier teased he intended to do so during a signing ceremony for an immigration-related bill. The memo will direct the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to prepare a 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantánamo Bay, a facility in Cuba that has been used to house military prisoners, including several involved in the 9/11 attacks. “We have 30,000 beds in Guantánamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people,” Trump said during an event to sign the Laken Riley Act into law, stiffening the nation’s immigration laws. “Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back, so we’re going to send them out to Guantánamo,” Trump added. “This will double our capacity immediately. And tough, it’s a tough place to get out of.” The order is the latest step in a government-wide effort enacted by the Trump administration to remove certain immigrants from the United States. Guantánamo Bay is best known as a military base where terror suspects are held. It became infamous for accusations of torture and abuse as the U.S. carried out the war on terrorism. The Biden administration sought to wind down operations at the facility. There are 15 detainees still there.The New York Times last September reported that the base also housed a separate facility to house migrants.Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has signed a slew of executive orders specifically intended to crack down on immigration. He has declared a national emergency at the southern border, deployed military assets to the border, reinstated policies that limit pathways to asylum and paused the refugee program.His administration has also ramped up deportations, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement posting regular updates about how many arrests it carries out on a day-to-basis.But the rapid deportations have in some cases led to issues about where to send individuals being removed from the U.S., particularly if certain countries refuse to accept migrants. The Trump White House on Sunday sparred with the president of Colombia after he initially refused to accept planes of deported immigrants. Colombia later relented after Trump threatened to impose tariffs and sanctions.

Trump orders construction of massive Guantánamo Bay concentration camp- Prior to signing the fascistic Laken Riley Act into law on Wednesday at a ceremony at the White House, President Donald Trump revealed that he had instructed the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand the detention facilities at the Guantánamo Bay Migrant Operations Center (GMOC). Trump said he was signing an “executive order to instruct the Department of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantánamo Bay.” He added, “Most people don’t even know about it. We have 30,000 beds in Guantánamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back.” The announcement is part of Trump and the ruling class’s efforts to carry out the “largest deportation operation” in US history. Currently, some 40,000 people are imprisoned across the sprawling US immigrant detention apparatus, mostly at private prison facilities located in remote regions on the US-Mexico border. “So we are going to send them out to Guantánamo,” Trump said, adding ominously, “This will double our capacity immediately. That’s a ... that’s a tough place to get out of.” Speaking on Fox News, fascist Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a veteran of the torture facility, said that Guantánamo was “meant and built for migrants ... away from the American people.” He said that the “golf course” at the naval station “could be expanded to provide an additional 6,000 places where migrants or illegals could go.” He added, “This is a plan in movement ... because we are ramping up for the possibility to expand mass deportations.” Hegseth concluded that the Department of Defense was “not only willing, but proud to partner with DHS” to wage war on immigrants. For decades, Democratic and Republican administrations have used the US Navy base in Cuba to imprison anywhere from hundreds to thousands of immigrants, including whole families, primarily from Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Throughout its existence as a migrant detention facility, workers and their families have reported horrendous conditions and mistreatment. In 1991, under the George H.W. Bush administration, a section of the naval base at Guantánamo Bay was converted to house Haitian migrants fleeing the country after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was deposed in a military coup. Within a year, some 10,500 Haitians were detained at the facility, described by lawyers and immigration advocates as a “legal black hole.” While he campaigned on reversing Bush’s policies in Guantánamo, by 1994 President Bill Clinton not only resumed but expanded immigrant detention at the facility, housing some 30,000 Cubans and 20,000 Haitians at the facility throughout the year. In 2002, the George W. Bush administration began using a portion of the naval base as a blacksite torture facility and prison camp to illegally imprison people as part of the “Global War on Terror.” In August 2024, the Biden administration, on its way out the door, awarded a $163.4 million contract to Akima to expand the Guantánamo Migrant Operations Center (“GMOC”). The deal had been under negotiations since September 2021, when it was revealed that Biden’s DHS was seeking to expand the number of beds at the facility by at least 400. The New York Times, citing internal government reports and interviews with migrants, reported on the horrendous conditions at GMOC last September. Migrants, none of whom are eligible to resettle in the United States, recalled being forced to wear “blackout googles during transport through the base; that their calls with lawyers are monitored; and that some areas are unfit for habitation, with rats and overflowing toilets.”

Senate confirms Scott Bessent as Donald Trump's Treasury secretary -- Scott Bessent on Monday secured confirmation to lead the Department of the Treasury, putting President Trump’s top economic nominee in place ahead of a daunting GOP push to enact Trump’s ambitious economic agenda. Senators voted 68-29 on Bessent’s nomination. Sixteen lawmakers who caucus with Democrats voted in favor of confirmation. Three Democrats did not vote. The chamber had teed up the final vote during a rare Saturday session that top Republicans held as part of their weeks-long process of confirming Trump’s Cabinet choices. “He brings a wealth of private sector experience in the economy and markets to his new role, as well as the concern for the needs of working Americans,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said in his floor remarks on Monday, calling Bessent an “example of the American dream in action.” Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund manager and investor, faces a number of policy challenges as the new administration tries to move quickly on implementing its economic agenda. Perhaps the biggest will be coordinating with Congress on the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, significant portions of which expire at the end of this year. Bessent supports extending the cuts. The extension will likely be done as part of a package Republicans aim to pass through a process known as reconciliation. Doing so would bypass the Senate filibuster and require only GOP votes — but would require near unanimity within the fractious House GOP conference. Republicans favor the cuts but are divided on a number of individual provisions, including the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap. There are also disagreements about which parts of Democrats’ 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to get rid of and which to keep. Many Republicans are also concerned about the level of the national debt, which the Trump tax cuts would expand by $4.6 trillion. Current national debt stock is $36 trillion, though about 20 percent of that is money the government effectively owes itself. In addition to extending the 2017 tax cuts, President Trump proposed several additional cuts while on the campaign trail, including canceling taxes on tips and overtime, doing away with double taxation for Americans living abroad, and creating a tax deduction for people who take care of their families. Bessent will need to shepherd these proposals through Congress to see which ones will get traction with lawmakers. Bessent noted to the Senate Finance Committee earlier in January that Trump’s pledge to cancel taxes on tips and overtime would affect people in the “lower two quintiles of the income distribution.” “That would go a long way toward addressing the affordability crisis,” he said. The pressure on Republicans to get in sync on taxes is mounting. House Republicans are at a retreat in Florida this week with President Trump to see if they can hash out their differences. “At the top of the Republican agenda is extending that tax relief to help our economy and the American people thrive,” Thune said. “I deeply appreciate the fact that Mr. Bessent shares that commitment.” Bessent takes control of the Treasury with a humming U.S. economy. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 3.1 percent in the fourth quarter and 3 percent in the third. Corporate profits were nearly tied with record highs in the third quarter after ratcheting up to 9 percent of domestic income following the pandemic. However, inflation is showing some signs of life, having ticked up three months in a row to an annual increase of 2.9 percent in December, causing the Federal Reserve to pump the brakes on its rate-cutting schedule. Prices, not counting food and energy, in the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge are up to a 2.8 percent annual increase. Bessent on Monday became the first openly gay Cabinet official in a Republican administration to win full Senate confirmation.

Man arrested with Molotov cocktails aimed to kill Treasury secretary at Capitol, police say ppA Massachusetts man arrested at the U.S. Capitol with Molotov cocktails and a knife told police he was there to "kill" Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Ryan Michael "Reily" English, who turned himself in to U.S. Capitol Police at 3:12 p.m. ET on Monday, said he traveled to Washington, D.C., initially planning to kill Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and/or House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a police affidavit said.But English shifted his target to Bessent after stopping at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and reading that the Senate was voting Monday on Bessent's nomination as PresidentDonald Trump's Treasury chief, the document said. English contemplated throwing the Molotov cocktails at Bessent's feet, according to the affidavit, which was filed in Washington, D.C., federal court. English also told police that if he were able to get close enough, he would have stabbed Bessent with a knife, the affidavit said.Bessent's nomination was confirmed about three hours after English's arrest. English has been charged with unlawful receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm, and carrying a firearm, explosive or incendiary device on Capitol grounds.The affidavit said English approached an officer at the south door of the Capitol and said, "I'd like to turn myself in." English told the officer that he was carrying weapons, including two Molotov cocktails, the affidavit said. Two officers detained and searched English, finding two devices constructed of 50-milliliter vodka bottles with gray cloth affixed to their tops, the court documents said, as well as a folding knife and a lighter. He said he was at the Capitol to "kill Scott Bessent," the affidavit said. Police said they searched the vehicle and found a 750-milliliter bottle of 100-proof vodka and a gray sweatshirt with cloth cut off the sleeves.Police said they also found a receipt in his pocket with a note written on the back."Judith dear god I am so sorry. You must understand I can feel myself dying slowly b/c of my heart. This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters," the note read, according to the affidavit."I love you. This is awful. Im so sorry. I love u. Please stay alive and heal. you can. you are strong enough. [F---] them for pushing us so far. you dont deserve this. Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying. Please survive [7 hearts]," it read, according to the affidavit. In addition to his initial intention of killing Hegseth and/or Johnson, the affidavit said, English told police he considered burning down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. English said he left his phone at home in order to evade surveillance and that he had bought an atlas with cash a month earlier in order to find his way to D.C., the affidavit said. He also said he wore clothes that would conceal his appearance when purchasing the atlas, it said.The affidavit said English told police that he surveilled the Capitol grounds and figured he would have to kill at least three police officers in order to get to Bessent. English "expressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop," the affidavit said.

China dismisses CIA's lab leak assessment for COVID-19 origin - China on Monday dismissed the possibility that the virus that caused COVID-19 leaked from a lab, after the CIA said it now favors the so-called lab leak theory over natural transmission. “It is extremely unlikely the pandemic was caused by a lab leak,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. “This has been widely recognized by the international community, including the scientific community,” she said. Mao added that the conclusion was reached by the joint China-WHO expert team from field visits. Mao did not say where the virus originated, only that any judgment should be made by scientists The CIA on Saturday said it believes the virus came from a Chinese lab. The new assessment, though it was made with low confidence, dumped new fuel on the debate over the origins of COVID-19. “CIA assesses with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting. CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible,” an agency spokesperson told The Hill. “We have low confidence in this judgement and will continue to evaluate any available credible new intelligence reporting or open-source information that could change CIA’s assessment.” The swift release of the conclusion came just days after new CIA Director John Ratcliffe was sworn in. It also comes after the Biden administration ordered further review of the origins of COVID-19, contributing to the divide in the U.S. government over whether the virus was introduced naturally or from a lab accident. Federal agencies, including the Intelligence Community, have not come to a definitive conclusion. In 2023, a classified report from the Department of Energy reportedly concluded with low confidence the virus originated from a lab. That same year, the FBI also said a lab leak was more plausible than natural exposure.In 2021, the intelligence community indicated that they were split over the origins of the disease. An unclassified summary report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said both the lab leak theory and naturally occurring theory were plausible. Four agencies had assessed with low confidence that the virus jumped from animals to humans in the wild, while one agency assessed with moderate confidence that the pandemic was the result of a laboratory accident. The decision to release the latest CIA assessment was made by Ratcliffe, who was sworn in Thursday. Intelligence agencies typically share their conclusions with a low, moderate or high degree of confidence. It’s unusual for intelligence agencies to publicize assessments with a low degree of confidence. Ratcliffe has long favored the lab leak idea, and in the past has questioned whether the CIA under President Biden had downplayed the theory for political reasons. In an interview with Breitbart News that was his first after being sworn in, Ratcliffe indicated he did not want the CIA to be “sitting on the sidelines” on the debate about the origins of COVID-19. “One of the things that I’ve talked about a lot is addressing the threat from China on a number of fronts, and that goes back to why a million Americans died and why the Central Intelligence Agency has been sitting on the sidelines for five years in not making an assessment about the origins of COVID. That’s a day-one thing for me,” Ratcliffe told the right-leaning outlet. But in a later interview with Fox News, he said the decision to release a report was not political. Instead, it was an effort to renew trust and promote transparency in intelligence agencies. “I had the opportunity on my first day to make public an assessment that actually took place in the Biden administration, so it can’t be accused of being political, and the CIA has assessed that the most likely cause of this pandemic that has wrought so much devastation around the world was because of a lab-related incident in Wuhan, so we’ll continue to investigate that moving forward,” he told “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo. “I think it was important for the American people to see an institution like the CIA get off the sidelines and be truthful about what our intelligence shows and, at the same time, protect us from adversaries like China if they caused or contributed to this,” he added. Ratcliffe didn’t say there was any new evidence that contributed to the CIA analysis, and it’s unclear what the latest assessment will mean for U.S.-China relations. Some health experts continue to believe the origin doesn’t matter, and China’s lack of transparency makes it almost impossible to find out for sure.Republicans in Congress have long said the virus escaped from a lab. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), the new chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, praised the CIA’s new assessment.“I’ve said from the beginning that Covid likely originated in the Wuhan labs,” Cotton said in a post on the social platform X. “I’m pleased the CIA concluded in the final days of the Biden administration that the lab-leak theory is the most plausible explanation of Covid’s origins and I commend Director Ratcliffe for fulfilling his promise to release this conclusion. Now, the most important thing is to make China pay for unleashing a plague on the world.”Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky)., the new chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has pinned the blame on former top federal infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci for participating in what he says has been a massive cover-up. Even after Biden preemptively pardoned Fauci, Paul has insisted he will continue to investigate. A 520-page report released in December from the House select subcommittee on the pandemic concluded the virus “most likely” escaped from a Wuhan lab. It also accused Fauci of pushing a false narrative about the virus’s origins. Wall Street Journal labels RFK Jr. ‘dangerous to public health’ ahead of hearings -The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal is coming out in opposition to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).“Senate Republicans have an obligation to scrutinize his giant closet of business conflicts and dubious ideas,” the Journal wrote in an editorial published Sunday ahead of Kennedy’s hearingswith the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Thursday.The newspaper’s op-ed board said it expects Kennedy to “obfuscate about his ties to trial lawyers, anti-vaccine views, and support for sundry progressive causes,” while also “presenting himself as a truth-teller and slayer of government corruption, [even though] he’s as slippery as Anthony Fauci.” “Most troubling is his long record of anti-vaccine advocacy,” the Journal wrote, noting the former presidential candidate has “tried to soften his vaccine skepticism since being nominated, and he now says he won’t take away anyone’s vaccines.” The Rupert Murdoch-owned outlet mentioned that Kennedy’s financial disclosures show he has “received millions of dollars from referring clients to Wisner Baum and Morgan & Morgan, law firms that have sued vaccine and drug makers.” “The risk is high that Mr. Kennedy will use his power and pulpit at HHS to enrich his trial-lawyer friends at the expense of public health and medical innovation,” the editorial board wrote. “Senators would be wise to believe RFK Jr.’s career of spreading falsehoods rather than his confirmation conversions.” The Journal has shown a willingness to criticize Trump and his officials in recent years, most recently knocking the president for pulling the security details of former top aides who have faced threats from foreign powers.

Trump orders CDC to immediately stop all work and communications with the World Health Organization - Less than one week after Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), his administration issued a cease-and-desist o - rder to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff and other public health employees, demanding they stop all communications and work with the WHO. This marks a deepening of the unprecedented gag order imposed on all federal health agencies, requiring them to pause external communications, including health advisories, weekly scientific reports and any updates that communicate on the epidemiological data on any communicable infections through websites and social media. These actions by Trump and his office constitute a declaration of war on public health. Indeed, a clause of the executive order withdrawing from the WHO stipulates that Trump’s fascist National Security Advisor Michael Waltz “shall establish directorates and coordinating mechanisms within the National Security Council apparatus as he deems necessary and appropriate to safeguard public health and fortify biosecurity.” Going forward, public health will be under the purview of the military-intelligence apparatus.In essence, public health as a social service to the population is seen as a threat to the state and must be brought to heel. According to Trump, it is the public health institutions that represent a danger to the unimpeded function of commerce, not COVID-19, H5N1 bird flu and all the potential pathogens that can infect and harm populations.Section 2, Subsection (d) of Trump’s executive order provides the basis for the communications restrictions now imposed on the CDC, noting:The Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall take appropriate measures, with all practicable speed, to (i) pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO; (ii) recall and reassign United States Government personnel or contractors working in any capacity with the WHO; and (iii) identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO. The task of delivering the news to the CDC and public health offices fell on Deputy Director for Global Health at the CDC, John Nkengasong, who sent an email Sunday night telling all staff that they had to immediately stop all collaborations with the WHO until “further guidance” is issued. The stop-work policy applied to “all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means—in persona or virtual.” They were also instructed that they could not visit WHO offices.In fact, the actions taken by the Trump administration not only constitute a serious breach of national security but elevate the danger of another pandemic for the entire world’s population. James LeDuc, an adjunct professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, correctly noted, “As has been repeated many times, infectious diseases know no boundaries and in today’s world of rapid travel, an outbreak anywhere is a threat everywhere.”When open channels of communications and real-time situation reports between health agencies globally are paramount in containing outbreaks, the real hazards posed by such blatantly malign restrictions are incalculable. LeDuc, speaking with CBS News, explained, “The fact is that there is no alternative to WHO. WHO has the global mandate that allows health issues to be addressed on a global scale in a coordinated manner.”That the gag order has been issued ahead of the influenza committee meeting next month, when CDC officials and WHO representatives would have selected the strains for next winter’s influenza vaccine, could very well mean that there will not be a flu vaccine for the coming year. One must place this in the current context that this year’s seasonal influenza outbreak has already sickened millions, hospitalized hundreds of thousands and killed thousands. Considering the rise in cases of H5N1 bird flu affecting poultry and dairy farms throughout the country, as well as mice, deer, cats and other species, the evolution of this highly lethal virus and its potential to develop the capacity for human-to-human transmission are becoming ever more ominous. Seema Lakdawala, an influenza virologist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, told Nature, “The risk has increased as we’ve gone on—especially in the last couple of months, with the report of severe infections.” Presently there are two main bird flu strains circulating. The B3.13 strain is spreading among dairy cattle, while the D1.1 strain, which recently killed an elderly man in Louisiana and gravely sickened a teenager in British Columbia, is found mostly among wild birds and domesticated animals such as chickens. In Georgia, state officials placed a temporary ban on live-bird sales and exhibitions due to large-scale outbreaks on commercial farms. Recently, Maryland’s Caroline County and Virginia’s Accomack County have identified bird flu among large broiler farms. Meanwhile, California has discovered the H5N9 bird flu on a poultry farm alongside the detection of the H5N1 strain on the same farm in Merced County. According to the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH), “This is the first confirmed case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N9 in poultry in the United States.” Virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen warned on her social media: This is bad news. It suggests reassortment of circulating H5N1 viruses with viruses containing N9 NA. Although this indicates reassortment with avian viruses, it’s still bad. Reassortment makes pandemics. The last three of four flu pandemics (and maybe 1918 too) were reassortment viruses. Under these highly dangerous conditions, the sharing of such information and collaboration with the WHO has come to a grinding halt. The US serves as one of the world’s top laboratories for testing and studying the virus. Samples are sent to the CDC through the collaborative networks established over 70 years of cooperation with the WHO to evaluate viruses that could pose a pandemic threat.

A week of chaos in public health – by Katelyn Jetelina, Your Local Epidemiologist - It’s been a week—a week of confusion, chaos, and concern. The new U.S. administration wasted no time hitting the pause button on almost everything in public health: communications, data, hiring, traveling. Positions are being removed, chairs rearranged, and there have been some… aggressive… emails. A federal senior advisor told me, “Welcome to the away game.” In other words, the landscape has shifted—we are on a different playing field, with different refs. Shock, aggression, and swiftness appear to be strategic tactics only hyper-driven by a record of questioning the role of science and public health. But, as unsettling as this feels, now is the time to stay steady. Public health world: Do not destabilize. The health of 330 million Americans depends on it. When an administration changes, it’s not unusual to reassess programs and shift priorities. It’s also not unusual to pause communications while leaders find their footing. The Health and Human Services is enormous; a pause happened during the Biden and Obama transitions, for example. However, the scope of a pause ordered this week is unusual. For example, CDC’s scientific publication, MMWR, wasn’t published yesterday. It was the first time in 70 years this has happened, and it included three discoveries on the H5N1 (bird flu) outbreak—an active biosecurity threat to Americans. Also, every Friday, CDC updates its respiratory virus data on external dashboards. Today, only a small subset of data is being released. Here’s what’s unfolded so far:

• All communications from HHS have been paused until Feb. 1, including all data updates on the website, CDC’s MMWR, HANs (emergency alerts), an meetings with partners. (Since the original announcement, some data has been released, so there is progress on this front and it’s changing by the minute.)
• NIH study sections—which determine which research projects at academic institutions get funded—have been canceled, and travel has been paused. An NIH email suggests that all scientific presentations may now require review by a presidential appointee. (This is highly unusual. And this poor person reviewing presentations is going to get so bored.)
• Key gatherings like the National Vaccine Advisory Committee and the Presidential Advisory Council for Combating Antibiotic Resistance have been called off.
• HHS is searching for DEIA programs and threatening anyone who disguises them. They are asking for people to report colleagues.

• 160 colleagues from the National Security Council were sent home, leaving gaps in areas like emerging biological threats and medical preparedness.

The big question is… why? Some measures could be a sign of a transition or just a general lack of knowledge of what these agencies actually do. We’re also seeing a leadership gap in critical agencies, like CDC, where an interim director was just announced yesterday, but still no Chief of Staff has been named. But other moves could certainly be deliberate, signaling a value shift. It’s more than unsettling when scientists receive emails asking them to report colleagues or have their work micromanaged. And it’s easy to assume, especially given the first Trump administration, that these are signs of something bigger to come around control of information flow.The truth is it’s likely a combination, but we don’t know yet. These changes are deeply personal for those on the front lines. Entire teams are on administrative leave, and researchers face uncertainty about the future of their work. Epidemiologists ready to release critical public data have been paused. The uncertainty surrounding future research grants is unnerving for researchers, given that universities rely on those grants to support students, faculty, and innovation. This doesn’t just affect careers; it impacts the systems that keep our communities healthy and safe.

1. Emerging threats don’t wait: Pausing public health communications and research means delays in responding to emerging threats, like H5N1.
2. Economic impact: Public health protects more than health—it safeguards our economy. Disruptions in systems can ripple across industries, as we’ve already seen with avian flu and egg prices.

I’m already overwhelmed. And it’s only been 5 days.

Democrats call on White House to restore NIH operations - A trio of Democrats on Monday called on the Trump administration to restore full operations at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) warning that the halt in the agency’s grant process could cause “disastrous” consequences domestically and abroad.Democratic Maryland Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) wrote to acting Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Dorothy Fink about their concerns regarding disrupted NIH research.Last week, the NIH canceled meetings essential to the fellowship and grant-approval process. This came soon after the Trump administration froze many federal health agency communications, though it remains unclear if these two actions are connected.The Trump administration has also ordered all divisions of HHS to stop external communications until Feb. 1. “Without quick corrective action, the consequences of further disruption could be disastrous for both medical progress in America and our nation’s overall standing and competitiveness on the world stage,” the lawmakers wrote.“We therefore urge you to restore full operations at NIH, including by promptly ending the external communications freeze across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and resuming federal advisory committees, study sections, patient engagement, and travel for staff at NIH.”The letter was first reported by The Washington Post.The pause in the grant-making process has alarmed researchers in the U.S. who’ve warned that the meeting process for NIH grants is not easily rescheduled and could threaten future studies. “The HHS-wide communications freeze is currently in place through February 1, 2025, and we are deeply troubled by the consequences of any further delays in the NIH research award process, trainings, patient outreach and engagement, and other external communications beyond that date,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote Fink. They asked that the NIH quickly resume normal operations in order to end the “administrative chaos.”

CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal -- U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately.A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all agency staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and "await further guidance." Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks ofMarburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing threats from around the world. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock.The Associated Press viewed a copy of Nkengasong's memo, which said the stop-work policy applied to "all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means — in person or virtual." It also says CDC staff are not allowed to visit WHO offices.President Trump last week issued an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from WHO, but that did not take immediate effect. Leaving WHO requires the approval of Congress and that the U.S. meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. The U.S. also must provide a one-year notice.His administration also told federal health agencies to stop most communications with the public through at least the end of the month."Stopping communications and meetings with WHO is a big problem," said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a University of Southern California public health expert who collaborates with WHO on work against sexually transmitted infections."People thought there would be a slow withdrawal. This has really caught everyone with their pants down," said Klausner, who said he learned of it from someone at CDC."Talking to WHO is a two-way street," he added, noting that WHO and U.S. health officials benefit from each other's expertise. The collaboration allows the U.S. to learn about new tests and treatments as well as about emerging outbreaks — information "which can help us protect Americans abroad and at home."The CDC order isn't the only global health effect of Trump's executive orders. Last week, he froze spending on another critical program, PEPFAR or the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The anti-HIV program is credited with saving 25 million lives, including those of 5.5 million children, since it was started by Republican President George W. Bush but was included in a freeze on foreign aid spending slated to last at least three months.PEPFAR provides HIV medication to more than 20 million people "and stopping its funding essential stops their HIV treatment. If that happens, people are going to die and HIV will resurge," International AIDS Society President Beatriz Grinsztejn said in a statement.A U.S. health official confirmed that the CDC was stopping its work with WHO. The person was not authorized to talk about the memo and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump halts foreign aid, including AIDS relief, TB funding Amid the flurry of executive orders signed on Inauguration Day by President Donald Trump was a 90-day freeze on foreign aid spending. But late last week, the State Department, led now by former Florida Senator Marco Rubio, issued a memo clarifying that the freeze includes current foreign assistance programs as well, including the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Also affected is USAID, which will hamper global efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB). Each year the State Department distributes $6.5 billion US dollars through PEPFAR to fight HIV in 50 countries around the world. PEPFAR pulls together multiple public health agencies and programs, and has been credited with saving upwards of 26 million lives since its launch in 2003 by then-President George W. Bush. With a total of $100 billion spent, PEPFAR is the largest public health commitment in history by any country to address a single disease. For more than 20 years, the program has seen strong bipartisan support across four presidential administrations, but Trump's freeze marks a new era in US public health foreign policy. The Foundation for AIDS Research, amFAR, said the decision to halt PEPFAR funding will be deadly. "The immediate stop work orders to the more than 190,000 clinicians and other health care workers will massively disrupt the global HIV response," amFAR wrote. "Even short cessations of these programs cause unnecessary suffering, loss to follow-up, and risk onward transmission that cannot simply be 'turned back on' when the suspension is lifted." Currently amFAR estimates PEPFAR pays for antiretroviral treatments for 222,000 people, and the tests of more than 224,000 people annually. PEPFAR also funds more than 7,000 cervical cancer screening each year and provides care for more than 3,500 women each year experiencing gender-based violence. Though PEPFAR is one of the marquee US foreign policy programs, USAID is one of the largest investorsin the global fight against TB, investing $4.7 billion since 2000. USAID is also under the federal pause. Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD, a professor at McGill University in Montreal, told CIDRAP News that the moves of the new administration could do the most harm to global programs fighting TB and HIV. He is a Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology & Global Health at McGill and the associate director of the McGill International TB Centre. "This is a crisis moment for global health and development," Pai said. "I hope everyone in global health will advocate for the US government to continue supporting these critical organizations and programs." As of last week, all US foreign assistance is frozen for at least 90 days pending a review of all programs, but that could be extended.

Trump's aid freeze sparks 'chaos' in HIV/AIDS efforts - A legacy bipartisan initiative to combat HIV and AIDS in Africa is collateral damage from President Trump’s directive to halt all U.S. foreign assistance, despite efforts to exempt humanitarian assistance and lifesaving medication from being caught up in the three-month funding freeze. The State Department issued a memo implementing the pause for new and obligated State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding following Trump’s executive order calling for a 90-day pause on new foreign aid to allow the government to determine if programming aligns with Trump’s foreign policy. The pause in global health funding has frozen activities at health clinics across Africa that rely on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), raising immediate fears of a rapid spread of HIV around the continent. It’s not unusual for a new administration to order a review of existing programs or even to pause new spending, and PEPFAR shouldn’t be immune from that, said Jirair Ratevosian, a fellow at Duke University’s Global Health Institute who formerly worked as a chief of staff for the PEPFAR program. “But, you know, there’s a distinction between reviewing a program, asking questions about a program, and completely freezing its lifesaving mission,” Ratevosian said. “What’s transpired over the last [few days] is something completely different, which is chaos, confusion and potential reversal of one of America’s greatest accomplishments.” The $6.5 billion PEPFAR is considered to be one of America’s most consequential programs in Africa. It is credited with saving 25 million lives and with scaling back the AIDS epidemic. Experts and aid organizations are sounding the alarm over the sudden halt. The stop-work orders came without warning, sowing immediate chaos and confusion. PEPFAR employs more than 270,000 health workers. They have been told to stop serving patients and not go to work. Clinics shut their doors and turned patients away. The administration even told them to stop dispensing antiretroviral HIV medication that they had in stock because it was supplied with PEPFAR funds. Some entities have private funding and other stopgap measures to fall back on, but for others the situation is more difficult. “There are programs all over the continent providing treatment and prevention that are now not delivering what they normally do,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, an international nonprofit focused on HIV prevention. “There will be people, beginning this week, who come back into the clinic, or thought they had an appointment to come back to clinic to get more medication, and won’t be able to get it.” Just as suddenly as the stop-work memo was released, the State Department appeared to somewhat reverse course, announcing Tuesday that lifesaving treatments and medications were not subject to the freeze. But the waiver provided no specific guidance on what services qualified for exemption, deepening the confusion on the ground. Warren said the waiver appears to allow clinics to resume dispensing HIV medication, but it’s not entirely clear. Without clarification, he said clinics are continuing to withhold medication.

Donald Trump packs EPA with chemical, oil industry alumni - A significant number of political appointees who have joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Trump used to work for or have lobbied on behalf of the chemical and fossil fuel industries. The appointments come as the administration has made apparently competing promises about aggressively cutting regulations while also “Making America Healthy Again.”Among the figures appointed to the agency is Nancy Beck, who used to work at the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry trade and lobbying group, before serving in the EPA during Trump’s first term. Beck has faced controversy over her handling of chemical safety during her first EPA tenure.Also joining the administration is Lynn Dekleva, who spent more than 30 years at chemical giant DuPont, according to her LinkedIn page. DuPont is well known for, among other things, its relationship to “forever chemicals,” a toxic family of chemicals also known as PFAS that have been linked to several cancers and other health concerns and are the subject of EPA regulations, like many toxic substances.DuPont’s legacy parent — E.I. du Pont de Nemours — and its spinoff Chemours have manufactured many types of PFAS. The companies settled a lawsuit from water utilities affected by the chemicals last year. Other legal proceedings remain ongoing.Additional appointments include Chad McIntosh, a former Ford executive, and Alexander Dominguez, who worked for the American Petroleum Institute, a major oil and gas lobbying group. Dominguez has also lobbied on behalf of companies and groups in the biofuels, plastic and oil industries. Steven Cook, who was a lawyer for chemical and oil refining company LyondellBasell, will also be rejoining the EPA. Like Beck, Dekleva, McIntosh, Dominguez and Cook also held EPA positions in Trump’s first administration.The EPA did not directly respond to The Hill’s questions about the appointments or whether officials with industry ties would work on issues that impact their former employers or clients. Instead, spokesperson Molly Vaseliou provided a written statement saying the “EPA is putting together a leadership team composed of some of the brightest experts and legal minds of their fields, all of whom will uphold EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.” “During President Trump’s first term, the combined emissions of criteria pollutants and their precursors dropped by 7 percent and the American people saw significant improvement in air quality. Additionally, the Trump EPA cleaned up more toxic sites than its predecessor by fully or partially deleting 82 sites from the Superfund National Priorities List,” she said.Criteria pollutants refers to a set of six commonly found types of air pollution: smog, soot, carbon monoxide, lead, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Beck is among the most controversial picks to rejoin the administration. She previously served as deputy and then principal deputy assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention in Trump’s first term. She later served in the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. The Associated Press reported at that time that she was involved in sidelining guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The president nominated her in 2020 to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but that push was derailed when even some Republican senators raised concerns about her record on chemical safety.Maria Doa, a former EPA official who worked on chemical issues at the agency for several decades, including during the first Trump administration, told The Hill that Beck tried to weaken the science surrounding toxic chemicals. “When I was at EPA dealing with Nancy Beck, I regularly pushed back against her efforts to … undermine the science, to change scientific determinations so that chemicals would not be regulated,” said Doa, who is now senior director for chemicals policy at the Environmental Defense Fund. She particularly noted that Beck pushed back on efforts to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. “She would downplay the risk from trichloroethylene, which causes three types of cancer, multiple effects on the body, developmental toxicity,” Doa said. Doa also recounted a meeting in which she said Beck did not appear to care that deaths related to paint remover methylene chloride were likely being undercounted. “She said, ‘Well, what is that, like 1 percent? What’s the issue?’ … which is just shocking, because parents lost children, and children lost a father or mother, so there were a number of deaths,” Doa recalled. The EPA did not provide a comment on the specifics of Doa’s statements. Instead, a spokesperson reiterated the same statement provided by Vaseliou.Other Trump appointees to the agency also held lobbying positions.Official Aaron Szabo lobbied on behalf of the sterilization industry on issues related to its use of the toxic chemical ethylene oxide, and for DuPont successor Chemours on issues related to forever chemicals.Szabo additionally lobbied for the American Chemistry Council, a number of oil and pipeline companies and electric utilities Duke, Exelon and NextEra. Jessica Kramer lobbied on behalf of various water utility trade organizations, as well as Duke Energy, Talos Energy and LG Chem. Justin Schwab has provided legal services to utility Southern Co.Kramer and Schwab also served at the EPA during Trump’s first term, while Szabo worked in the White House. E&E News first reported that these officials would be rejoining the administration. The Hill has verified using the agency’s employee database that they are working at the EPA. Matthew Tejada, a former career official who worked in the EPA’s Office for Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, noted that the involvement of officials with ties to industry is not unique to Trump’s administrations. “It’s kind of the rhythm of our government that many of us have become used to — that when a conservative administration comes in, they bring in a coterie of polluting industry representation,” He noted that it’s not clear whether any given individual will necessarily feel beholden to their prior employers. “Are these folks who maybe have differences of philosophy with us, but we can try to find areas of common ground where we can positively advance environmental health protections … or are these folks who are just hell-bent on eliminating any resistance from the executive branch of the government to the whims of our president?” he said. “That is what we have to assess right now.” Trump has pledged to roll back environmental regulations and bolster the oil and gas industry while in office, and made some moves to do so in his initial slate of executive actions last week. But while Trump and his team have supported such rollbacks and appointed officials who worked in the chemical and fossil fuel industries to the EPA, he has also repeatedly said that he supports clean air and clean water. Trump has also adopted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Nevertheless, Doa sees a “hypocrisy” in the administration claiming to want a healthier America while putting industry-affiliated people in top EPA positions. “There’s a hypocrisy there if you put people in place who are going to approve chemicals to go on the market that are risky … or who are going to, when they assess chemicals that have long been on the market, downplay their harms, their risks, not regulate them,” she said.

Oil Executives Fume as Trump Shakes Up Climate Rules Again --President Donald Trump has been busy reversing the Biden administration’s so-called climate policies from the moment he was sworn in. He declared a national energy emergency, revoked the Biden ban on new LNG export capacity, and suspended some $300 billion in funding for transition projects in the country. With that, he has made one unlikely group angry: Big Oil executives.The 47th president’s political agenda is nothing if not oil and gas friendly. In fact, oil and gas are among Trump’s top priorities, and he has wasted no time in making life easier for the industry players after four years of extra regulatory and political pressure under Biden. Yet oil executives' apparent frustration with Trump’s reversal of Biden policies is unlikely and perhaps surprising on the surface.Below this surface sits all the money that Big Oil invested in its own transition, under pressure, indeed, but quite a lot of money. The projects this money has been invested in may well become stranded assets now, in an ironic twist of environmentalists’ warnings that oil and gas fields are about to become stranded assets in a transitional world.Reuters reported this week that some in the oil industry were unhappy about Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement. This is the second time Trump has done it and, again according to Reuters, it would jeopardize global efforts to reverse global climatic trends. Not only that, but the withdrawal would reduce the availability of cash for transition investment and confuse investors as the paths of the U.S. and Europe diverge.According to the report, some executives in the energy industry believe that they could have a greater say over the energy transition if the United States is in the Paris Agreement. Yet industry players have more immediate priorities, and these have nothing to do with any climate pacts.“While we prefer that the U.S. government remain engaged in the UN climate process, the private sector is committed to developing the solutions necessary to meet the energy needs of a growing global economy while addressing the climate challenge,” Marty Durbin, president of the Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told Reuters.There is a rather practical reason energy executives would prefer the U.S. government to remain engaged in the UN climate process: those transition investments. Every large oil company has been forced to devise a transition strategy in the recent past, and every large oil company has done so. They have been pushed to invest in low-carbon alternatives to their core products and they have invested, often heavily—and they have received subsidies to pursue these alternatives further.Occidental Petroleum’s direct air capture plans are a case in point. The oil major back in 2023bought a company developing technology that can suck carbon dioxide straight from the air. Oxy spent $1.1 billion on that purchase, eyeing a market that BloombergNEF said could grow into a segment worth $150 billion annually. And the Biden administration was shouldering part of the costs with subsidies. Now, these are gone, threatening the very survival of direct air capture—and more conventional carbon capture investments. No wonder Occidental’s chief executive approached Trump directly during a campaign event to argue the case for leaving IRA funding for carbon capture untouched. Oxy is far from the only one spending big on the transition and carbon capture. Exxon has also spent heftily on developing a carbon capture business.“It's critical that any conversation about addressing climate change must be global in nature, and also recognize that America is the world leader in both energy production and emissions reductions,” the president of the American Exploration and Production Council, Anne Bradbury, told Reuters.Indeed, after so much money spent on transitioning, even partially, it must be frustrating for oil executives to be thrown back into an industry-friendly environment, positive as it is for their business. This is, in fact, the uncertainty that analysts—and industry executives—have been talking about for years. All industries like certainty, even if this is the kind of certainty that would affect their industry negatively, like Biden’s climate policies. They were harmful to oil and gas, but they were certain, so companies could take steps to mitigate the impact.Now, with Trump, it’s back to normal, but companies could never know what would happen in four years, so they will be wary of reversing their current priorities too suddenly. The good news is that most of them are already walking back their transition targets after those targets proved quite unrealistic. Even European Big Oil is going back on transition promises after discovering these promises could not be fulfilled—not at a profit, at least.So, what many hoped would happen during Trump’s presidency may indeed happen: Big Oil protecting its transition investments and pressuring Trump into not completely doing away with Biden’s climate laws, at least until there’s hard proof carbon capture does not make money, but loses money.

Trump's firing of independent watchdog officials draws criticism - U.S. President Donald Trump's late-night firing of inspectors general at multiple government agencies was criticized as illegal on Saturday by Democrats and others and drew concern from at least one fellow Republican. In what critics called a late-night purge, Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs on Friday, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, a move that clears the way to replace independent watchdogs with loyalists. U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, a longtime Democratic antagonist of Trump, said the action was a clear violation of the law. "Trump wants no accountability for malfeasance in office," Schiff said in a post on platform X. "He is refilling the swamp." Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump defended the move saying "it's a very common thing to do." He did not say who would be installed in the vacant posts. The inspectors general at agencies including the departments of State, Defense and Transportation were notified by emails from the White House personnel director that they had been terminated immediately, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The dismissals, handed out less than a week after Trump took office for his second term, appeared to violate federal law, the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency said in a letter to the White House on Friday. The law requires a president to give Congress "substantive rationale, including detailed and case specific reasons" for the dismissals 30 days in advance, the council said in the letter to Sergio Gor, White House personnel director. Gor's Friday email to the fired inspectors cited "changing priorities" as a reason for the firings, according to the letter, reported by Politico. "At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General," said Council Chair Hannibal Ware, suggesting Gor consult with the White House counsel. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Michael Bromwich, a former Justice Department inspector general, said the firings were "plainly illegal." An inspector general is an independent position that conducts audits and investigations into allegations of waste, fraud and abuse of power. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, a longtime supporter of inspectors general, said he wanted to know why Trump fired the watchdogs. "There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so. I'd like further explanation from President Trump," Grassley said in a statement, adding that a detailed 30-day notice of removal was not provided to Congress. Fellow Republican Senator John Barrasso said he believes Trump will make wise decisions on the inspectors general. "Some of them deserve to be fired," he told Fox News. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the firings "a chilling purge" and a preview of a "lawless approach" by the Trump administration. Agencies are pressing ahead with orders from Trump, who returned to the presidency on Jan. 20, to reshape the federal bureaucracy by scrapping diversity programs, rescinding job offers and sidelining more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials. Friday's dismissals spared the Department of Justice inspector general, Michael Horowitz, according to the New York Times. The Washington Post, which was first to report the dismissals, said most were appointees from Trump's 2017-2021 first term. A source familiar with the issue who spoke on condition of anonymity said among the inspectors general whom Trump has fired is John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction. He was terminated on Friday evening even though his operation is due to close in September, said the source. Many politically appointed leaders of agencies and departments come and go with each administration, but an inspector general can serve under multiple presidents. During his first term, Trump fired five inspectors general in a two-month period in 2020. This included the State Department inspector general, who had played a role in the president's impeachment proceedings.

Ousted IG: Trump firings ‘a potentially existential threat’ to government oversight -- One of 17 government watchdogs ousted by President Trump said that the move was “a potentially existential threat” to a crucial government oversight tool. “I view it as a potentially existential threat, with respect to the main oversight mechanism that we have in our federal government system,” Mark Greenblatt, the former top watchdog at the Interior Department, told The Hill on Tuesday.Ultimately, Greenblatt said, what the impact of the firings of the watchdogs comes down to is “who President Trump nominates and appoints in these inspector general positions.”“It all boils down to their independence: are they going to be independent of mind and spirit,” he added. He also warned that Trump’s move could set a precedent that creates a tit-for-tat, with future Democratic presidents having the ability to make similar moves. “We run the risk of having a vicious cycle of politicization of the inspector general positions, which, to me, will ultimately … eviscerate the value that the entire construct provides us now,” he said. Greenblatt was appointed to the role by Trump during his prior administration and was confirmed in a bipartisan vote. During his tenure, the inspector general’s office produced reports that both implicated and cleared Trump officials at various points. Notably in 2021, the office found that protesters were not cleared from Lafayette Park because Trump wanted a photo-op. However, it also dinged Trump officials on ethics in other reports. “I would be confident that if there were an individual review of my work as Inspector General at the Department of the Interior, that it would be held up as fair, objective and independent throughout,” he said, noting that at one point, Trump thanked him for “Completely and Totally exonerating me in the clearing of Lafayette Park!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the firings during a briefing on Tuesday, saying that Trump “was within his executive authority” to ax the watchdogs.“He is the executive of the executive branch and therefore he has the power to fire anyone within the executive branch that he wishes to,” Leavitt said.

Trump administration offering buyouts to nearly all federal workers -- The Trump administration is offering millions of federal workers the option to accept buyouts through a government-wide "deferred resignation" program if they resign by Feb. 6. Those who accept the offer will receive pay and benefits through Sept. 30, according to a draft email obtained Tuesday by NBC News. The sweeping buyouts are being offered to "make sure that all federal workers are on board with the new administration's plan to have federal employees in office and adhering to higher standards," a senior administration official told NBC on condition of anonymity."We're five years past COVID and just 6 percent of federal employees work full-time in office. That is unacceptable," the official said, citing a report from Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who co-chairs the congressional DOGE caucus.The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to take the buyout, the official said.Buyouts are being offered to all full-time federal employees except military personnel, U.S. Postal Service workers, roles related to immigration enforcement and national security, and "any other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency," the emails will say, according to NBC.The offers come as President Donald Trump's administration pushes federal employees to return to the office five days per week, scrapping work-from-home allowances implemented during the coronavirus pandemic.Trump signed an order on his first day in office directing all executive-branch agencies to end remote-work rules.The administration, which has promised massive cuts to purported government waste, is also signaling that most federal agencies will likely be downsized through restructurings and headcount reductions.

Donald Trump's federal employee buyout plan faces legal, logistical roadblocks - The Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government by offering what amounts to a buyout to federal employees is raising questions about its implementation and legality.The offer purports to give federal employees who choose to resign about eight months of pay and benefits, while making them exempt from President Trump’s new return-to-office mandate.Elon Musk, a top Trump ally who had a hand in the effort, said the offer would give employees time to “take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill.” But the offer’s vague language is igniting skepticism and calls for workers to reject the deal, while raising questions about whether the government has the legal authority to do it. “It looked like another rushed Trump scam to me,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who represents a state with numerous federal employees, calling the move the “brainchild of Elon Musk.” “We know that Donald Trump has a history of not following through on commitments.” Jacqueline Simon, policy director at the American Federation of Government Employees, one of the main federal employee unions, said workers should treat the offer with plenty of skepticism. “It’s a great illustration of the old adage that if a thing seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t true,” said Simon, who questioned the plan’s legality and noted a stopgap measure is keeping the government funded for the time being. “We’re under a [continuing resolution] that expires in mid-March, and so the whole idea of promising full pay and benefits for no work for seven months or eight months … We can’t find the legal authority that OPM has to do this, rather than the agencies themselves,” she continued, using an abbreviation for the Office of Personnel Management. Legal experts who spoke to The Hill said the move likely violates the Antideficiency Act, which bars the government from spending beyond what is dictated in its budget and requires it to use federal funding as intended. “It is quite clear that the appropriations laws [are] directing the agencies to spend that money to hire people to carry out the functions of the agency, not to sit at home,” Simon said. “The whole thing is, of course, based on a completely false premise that just randomly getting rid of however many federal employees sign up for this cockamamie scheme — that no one will notice — that the American people won’t notice the decline in the services that the federal government provides.” Lawmakers representing federal workers in the Washington, D.C., area railed against the deal. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said the plan was in line with comments from Russell Vought, Trump’s pick to again lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). “Are there ways to make our bureaucracy more effective? Amen. But I’ve run businesses. You don’t randomly go through and say to your whole workforce, ‘Oh, we want you all to quit.’ If our best scientists quit, if our folks who are protecting our food safety quit, what is that going to mean?”

Social Security recipients may wait for benefits boost -Social Security beneficiaries who stood to see a boost in payouts as the result of a law approved earlier this month may have to wait a little longer than expected for higher payments. Under the new law, dubbed the Social Security Fairness Act, lawmakers agreed to repeal two tax rules that reduced benefits for many Americans who also receive government pensions, including police officers, teachers and firefighters.Former President Biden, who signed off on the legislation, said at the time that more than 2 million Americans were slated to “receive a lump sum payment of thousands of dollars to make up for the shortfall in the benefits they should have gotten in 2024.” “They’re going to begin receiving these payments this year,” Biden also said. But the Social Security Administration (SSA) has since sought to temper expectations on the timing of potential payouts in a recent update.The agency cited its funding when laying out challenges it faces to implement the law in a “timely manner and without negatively affecting day-to-day customer service.”The agency noted the recent law “did not provide money” for implementation and added the measure requires the agency “to adjust benefits for over 3 million people.”“Since the law’s effective date is retroactive, SSA must adjust people’s past benefits as well as future benefits,” the agency said in the update. “Though SSA is helping some affected beneficiaries now, under SSA’s current budget, SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits.”The office also noted its national phone number plays a message regarding the act that has “helped tens of thousands of people avoid holding for a representative,” but it added that “more than 7,000 people each day still choose to wait to speak to a representative about the act.” “These calls, as well as visitors and appointments in local offices, will continue to increase over the coming weeks and months,” the SSA said. “Helping people with this new and unfunded workload is made more difficult by SSA’s ongoing staffing shortages, including operating under a hiring freeze since November 2024.” The SSA said the “hiring freeze is likely to continue” and added that all customers “will face delays and increased wait times as SSA prioritizes this new workload.”

Federal workers question legality of OPM 'buyout' FAQ memo - Federal workers are raising legal and ethical questions about a follow-up memo of frequently asked questions on the Trump administration's offer for civil servants to resign by Feb. 6. The Trump administration's Office of Personnel Management sent a memo of frequently asked questions encouraging civil servants to go on vacation and even take a second job, which in some instances is contrary to longstanding agency conflict-of-interest.

Treasury union urges staffers to ignore Trump buyouts -- The National Treasury Employees Union urged employees not to respond to the Trump administration's mass email offering federal employees the opportunity to resign. The chief of staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said it is evaluating the impact of President Trump's directive on its employees. The National Treasury Employees Union told employees not to respond to the mass email asking federal workers to resign. The chief of staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said it is reviewing the directive.

Are Sh*tposting Fed Workers With 'TDS' On Reddit In Violation Of Hatch Act? -- The Trump administration has just offered millions of unproductive federal workers buyouts through a government-wide "deferred resignation" program to push efficiency and trim costs in a major restructuring effort to paralyze the 'Deep State'. One pathway the Trump team could take to cut federal workers is this... X user Reddit Lies posted what appears to be user data from Reddit's r/fednews, the largest subreddit for federal workers, showing that thousands—if not more—are spending much of the standard working day shitposting, sharing, and liking one-sided political rhetoric, potentially in violation of the Hatch Act.Here are the major findings:

• r/fednews is the largest subreddit for federal workers
• Weekends and Government holidays have been excluded from this dataset
• 74% of activity on r/fednews occurs on workdays.
• 2 out of every 3 posts on workdays fall between standard Govt workday hours.

Regional jet, helicopter collide near Reagan National Airport -A regional jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military helicopter on Wednesday night as it approached Washington Reagan National Airport. The flight was en route from Wichita, Kan., to Washington, D.C., American Airlines said in a statement. “Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts,” the airline said. The regional jet collided in midair with the helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at the airport around 9 p.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement to The Hill. The agency said it will investigate the incident alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). An Army UH-60 helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Va., was the helicopter involved in the crash, the Army confirmed in a statement to The Hill. The helicopter was on a “routine training flight,” Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media chief Heather Chairez said in a statement. It belonged to Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir. In a post on the social platform X, the Washington, D.C., police department said a multiagency response is underway. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, along with police and fire officials, said in an early Thursday morning press conference that both aircraft were in the Potomac River. The helicopter was carrying three people, they said. Approximately 300 emergency responders were conducting a multiagency search-and-rescue operation on a windy night in cold waters, making rescue efforts difficult. Bowser said they could not comment on the number of survivors and fatalities at the time. However, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) said in a post Wednesday there were fatalities, but he did not know how many. He added that he would receive a briefing from the FAA on Thursday. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a video that the airline was “cooperating fully” with authorities and the NTSB’s investigation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News on Wednesday night that President Trump had been made aware of the situation, joining Fox for a previously scheduled interview just minutes after news reports of the crash.

Air traffic control staffing ‘not normal’ during plane collision: Report -The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the air traffic control staffing was “not normal” during the Wednesday night plane collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and an Army Black Hawk training flight in a Thursday report.“The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the FAA wrote in their report, according to the Associated Press. The agency noted one air traffic controller was working in two different positions at the time of the crash, handling local and helicopter traffic.Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said it’s not “unusual or uncommon” for air traffic controllers to work more than one position at a time, according to CNN.The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has called for changes in their shift rotations in recent months, requesting 10 hours off between work periods, 12 hours off before and after a midnight shift, and a limit on consecutive overtime assignments.The FAA agreed to their terms and hired an additional 1,800 controllers, but near-miss crashes have persisted, according to the AP. Officials are waiting for a full investigation to determine the main cause of the crash.“We will wait for the National Transportation Safety Board to complete its work and use that information to help guide decisions and changes to enhance and improve aviation safety,” Daniels shared in a statement to the outlet. Law enforcement immediately began recovery efforts from the Potomac River after the crash but does not expect to rescue any survivors.The National Transportation Safety Board said flight data from the aircrafts’ black boxes have been recovered and will provide further information for their investigation, according to CNN.

Trump blames DEI, helicopter for crash --- More details are coming to light since the Wednesday evening collision that killed 67 people. The New York Times reviewed an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report, showing that staffing at the air traffic control tower at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.”One air traffic controller was responsible for two jobs that night: “The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one.” (The New York Times) Other factors: DCA has one of the busiest runways in the U.S. That’s because it’s a relatively small space with huge demand and traffic. Axios notes that the main runway has roughly 800 takeoffs and landings *per day*. Now, add the helicopters in the airspace.Wednesday’s fatal collision has reinvigorated concerns over air traffic controller shortages.The Wall Street Journal explains how for years, these factors have led to danger signs. “Lawmakers have lobbied to add flights, while pilots have complained about the presence of military and other aircraft.” CNN obtained new footage of the crash — warning, it’s graphic. Officials are expected to release the entire flight manifest. Officials said they have recovered the flight data recorders from the plane. The recovered black boxes. Since the deadly plane crash, President Trump has fluctuated between blaming the helicopter for the collision and blaming diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in hiring air traffic controllers. This morning, Trump asserted the helicopter was “flying too high.” “The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200-foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” And Thursday evening, he told reporters that “The people in the helicopter should have seen where they were going.” Trump has repeatedly suggested (without evidence) that efforts to hire diverse individuals, including those with disabilities, had weakened federal aviation safety. This DEI blame caught some Republican senators off guard.

Pete Buttigieg fires back at Trump after remarks on midair collision - Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hit back after President Trump criticized the Biden administration and diversity initiatives in the aftermath of a deadly midair collision outside Washington, D.C. “Despicable. As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch,” Buttigieg said in a post on social platform X. “President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA. One of his first acts was to fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe. Time for the President to show actual leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again.” Buttigieg’s comments came minutes after Trump concluded a press conference on the Wednesday night crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. About 60 people were believed to be on the jet, and authorities have said there are no survivors. Appearing before reporters in the White House briefing room, Trump knocked his Democratic predecessors over aviation standards, suggesting that the Democrats didn’t put safety first — and he suggested that diversity initiatives have weakened the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first. And they put politics at a level that nobody’s ever seen, because this was the lowest level. Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse,” Trump told reporters from the White House briefing room. The president also blasted Buttigieg as a “disaster.” “He’s a disaster now. He’s just got a good line of bulls‑‑‑,” Trump said. “Well, he runs it, 45,000 people, and he’s run it right into the ground with his diversity.” Other Trump administration officials at the press conference echoed Trump’s claims that diversity initiatives had a weakening effect on systems. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the “era of DEI is gone” at the Pentagon. Vice President Vance claimed that recent years have seen “many hundreds of people suing the government because they would like to be air traffic controllers but they were turned away because of the color of their skin.” Asked how he could know diversity played a role in the crash when he acknowledged that air traffic controllers may not have done anything wrong, Trump told reporters it was because he has “common sense.” Earlier in the briefing, Trump had emphasized a cause of the crash hadn’t been pinned down. The suggestions drew pushback from Buttigieg and others who critiqued the president’s remarks as politicization of the tragedy.

Trump doubles down on blaming DEI for mid-air crash - President Trump on Friday doubled down on claims that the fatal midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport was caused by diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices carried out under previous administrations.“This is just one reason why our Country WAS going to hell!!!” Trump wrote in Friday post. His statement was accompanied by screenshots outlining claims that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) encouraged the hiring of individuals with “psychiatric disabilities” under the Biden administration, echoing comments he made during a Thursday press briefing. “You have to go by psychological quality, and psychological quality is a very important element of it. These are various, very powerful tests that we put to use. And they were terminated by Biden. And Biden went by a standard that seeks the exact opposite. So we don’t know,” Trump said during the briefing. “But we do know that you had two planes at the same level. You had a helicopter and a plane. That shouldn’t have happened. And, we’ll see. We’re going to look into that, and we’re going to see,” he added. “But certainly for an air traffic controller, we want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest. We want somebody that’s psychologically superior. And that’s what we’re going to have.”Trump said Friday the helicopter was flying too high when the crash occurred, as other reports indicated there may have been reduced staff or abnormal circumstances in the air traffic control tower as well.Trump has been criticized for apparently jumping to assumptions about the cause of the crash, which killed all 67 people on board both aircraft, while investigations are underway.Democratic and Republican lawmakers have warned against premature assessments about one of the deadliest aviation accidents in the nation’s history. “Lives have been lost. Families have been devastated. People are suffering, and the leader of this country decides to go out and peddle lies, conspiracy theories and attack people of color and women without any basis whatsoever,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said after Trump’s comments on Thursday.“Have you no decency? Have you no respect for the families whose lives have been turned upside down?”Other elected officials, including Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), echoed his sentiments. “This is not leadership. We need to investigate how this plane crash happened to give a sense of closure to grieving families and prevent future crashes,” she told reporters. “Trump would rather point fingers than look in the mirror and face the fact that he just cut a committee responsible for aviation security.”The president’s comments come days after he urged the FAA to terminate DEI hiring efforts, a practice he is looking to enforce throughout all federal agencies and departments.Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to appoint a new head of the FAA, a position that was unfilled after the FAA chief under former President Biden resigned as Trump was sworn back into office.Trump named Chris Rocheleau, a longtime former FAA official, as acting FAA administrator until a permanent choice is confirmed by the Senate.

Texas Rep. blasts Trump's hiring freeze, FAA staffing shortages Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who represents Austin, issued the scathing statement the day after the deadly plane crash in Washington, D.C. and three months after a near mid-air collision at one of the state's busiest airports. “At a time when we very much need to strengthen our margin of air safety in Austin and many other parts of the country, President Trump’s attempt to exploit last night’s tragedy by injecting his perennial attacks on diversity equity and inclusion is truly outrageous," Doggett said in the statement on Thursday, January 30. In a news conference after the tragic incident, Trump blamed the Biden administration for pushing the FAA to hire employees "who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative." He said that air traffic controllers "have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses" and that "you can’t have regular people doing their job." He said that Pete Buttigieg, who served as transportation secretary under Biden, was "a disaster" and that he had "run [the FAA] right into the ground with his diversity." Doggett called out the Federal Aviation Administration in December over staffing shortages and near-catastrophic collisions, citing the "number of air traffic controllers at the AUS control tower has decreased, not increased, as the tower struggles to keep staffing at even half the level recommended by the FAA."He said that an FAA administrator "sat in my Washington office [in 2023] and stated that Austin’s understaffing of air traffic controllers was, 'as bad as it gets.'"The staffing shortage resulted in major delays and six almost-collisions between aircraft between November 2022 and December 2023, according to a previous MySA report.

CISA employees told they are exempt from federal worker resignation program -Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) employees were told Thursday that they are not eligible for the federal government-wide deferred resignation program, according to an email seen by Recorded Future News. On Tuesday evening, the Office of Personnel Management sent two million government workers an email offering anyone who resigns by February 6 to retain their pay and benefits until the end of September. The buyout offer is “available to all full-time federal employees except for military personnel of the armed forces, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security, and those in any other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency,” according to the email. A source familiar with the matter said CISA employees are exempt from the offer because they are considered national security staff. The prohibition on CISA workers accepting the deferred resignation offer follows “guidance from DHS [Department of Homeland Security] management,” according to the email from CISA Executive Director Bridget Bean. Spokespersons for DHS and CISA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CISA is housed inside DHS. The decision to not include CISA employees in the deferred resignation offer comes on the heels of comments from newly-installed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem who said at her confirmation hearing that CISA needs to be “much more effective, smaller, more nimble, to really fulfill their mission.” In November, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told Politico he would like to “eliminate” CISA. Paul recently took over as chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over the agency. Paul is unlikely to successfully cut CISA because many Congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle value its mission. However, in recent years some have expressed concerns about how CISA functions and demanded reforms, particularly around how the agency handles misinformation.

GAO: Public-health workforce shortage undermines ability to respond to outbreaks, other emergencies - A new US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report identifies a shortage of public health workers across multiple occupations and locations that restricts the ability to perform essential functions such as disease investigation and mitigation, hazard detection, and emergency response. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other organizations have taken actions (eg, job training and placement, better pay) to alleviate the shortages, which began with the 2008-2009 recession and worsened during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors said. Tracking outbreaks, communicating with public The GAO reviewed 69 public-health workforce research studies and reports and interviewed officials from HHS and 11 stakeholder organizations such as those representing jurisdictions, public health professionals, or education; public health policy and research; and public health practice and population health. FAO officials also interviewed officials in 11 jurisdictions (4 states, 1 territory, 2 tribes, and 4 local governments) with different structures, funding, and proportion of population living in rural areas. Public health workers perform key functions such as tracking disease outbreaks, monitoring water quality, and communicating with the public about health threats, the report noted. "Nonfederal jurisdictions within the U.S. (states, territories, Tribes, and localities, such as counties and cities) have primary responsibility for public health in their geographic areas, and these jurisdictions employ most of the public health workforce—more than 200,000 workers," the authors wrote. "The federal government, particularly the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), supports these jurisdictions' workforces and also employs its own public health workforce." The GAO identified shortages in occupations such as nursing, epidemiology, and operations; skills such as leadership and informatics; locations such as rural areas; and times such as public health emergencies. Contributing factors include worker recruitment and retention challenges, which the authors said are difficult to solve and likely to be long-term. "For example, public health funding can be restricted to limited time frames or specific activities, which makes it difficult to use the funding for hiring," they wrote. Employers also face stiff market competition for workers from other entities that can offer higher pay and better job security and flexibility, a more manageable workload, and less stress. Jurisdictions may also have cumbersome hiring processes due to difficult-to-change state or local civil-service requirements, the GAO said. In response to these challenges, HHS has offered employers more flexibility in using some grant funds for hiring and support, and some organizations have provided financial incentives and made hiring processes more efficient. Maine, for instance, increased pay for public health nurses and expedited hiring processes, which helped the state fully meet its workforce needs. "The public health workforce encompasses numerous jurisdictions within the U.S., many of which face various persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining public health workers," the authors concluded. "However, the HHS and jurisdictional actions we have described, among others, have helped enable jurisdictions to deal with the challenges, and helped begin to address gaps in the public health workforce."

Fetterman on ‘The View’ says Trump was ‘kind,’ ‘cordial’ during Mar-a-Lago meeting -- Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said on Monday that President Trump was “kind” and “cordial” at a Mar-a-Lago meeting that sparked scrutiny about the Democratic senator’s approach to the new administration. “Overall, it was a positive experience. I mean, he was kind, he was cordial. It wasn’t in any kind of theater. It wasn’t trying to get your picture taken to kind of put something out on social media. It was just, really, a conversation. We actually spoke for over an hour,” Fetterman told “The View.” Fetterman met with Trump at his Palm Beach resort earlier this month, ahead of the inauguration, and Trump left with praise for the Pennsylvania senator. “He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful,” Trump said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. Fetterman’s open-minded approach to Trump and Capitol Hill Republicans has stirred speculation about the first-term senator’s motives, including questions about whether he waspreparing to change parties.But he told Semafor last week that talk about a potential party flip is “amateur-hour s‑‑‑.” “If they think, ‘Oh, it’s going to be like a Manchin or a Sinema play,’ that’s just not true, and that’s not going to happen,” Fetterman said, referring to two former lawmakers — ex-Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) — who entered office as Democrats but became independents before retiring from the chamber. Asked about the optics of the trip, Fetterman told “The View” that “I think it’s pretty reasonable to have a conversation” and stressed that it’s part of his job to try to work with the president.“There’s things I’m going to agree with, I’m going to disagree with, but I’m in the business of finding wins for Pennsylvania and for the nation and engaging the president,” Fetterman said.

Carville knocks Trump, chides Biden for listening to ‘idiot left’ - Democratic political strategist James Carville says that while criminality of all kinds should be dealt with, including criminals in the U.S. illegally, the Trump administration should focus on economic issues. “If there’s anybody in this country illegally, there’s a criminal, they got to be sent back wherever they came from, pronto,” Carville told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo on Monday. “Just like anybody that’s legally in this country is a criminal, you need to be tried and convicted and set to jail, pronto,” he said.Carville added, “But, Chris, remember the number one promise that Trump made? He was going to do something about high grocery prices, specifically eggs.”The veteran strategist told NewsNation he understands why there has been such an emphasis on border security, calling it a situation that grew dire because former President Biden“listened to the idiot left and didn’t enforce the border.” Carville told NewsNation’s “CUOMO” that Trump’s ability to deliver on campaign promises — and Democrats ability to capitalize on what people need, including higher wages and cheaper schooling — will greatly impact the 2026 midterm elections. “I think if we execute on these kind of fundamental things … the voters will reward us,” Carville, who served as a senior adviser to former President Clinton, said. “I really do, but we’ve got to focus on that.”

Tulsi Gabbard path through Intelligence Committee narrows ahead of key hearing --Republicans are cautioning that Tulsi Gabbard’s path to confirmation to lead the U.S. intelligence apparatus is narrowing as she seemingly has trouble winning over key GOP senators. Gabbard, along with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kash Patel, are set for their high-stakes confirmation hearings this week as senators face some of President Trump’s most controversial nominees. But it’s Gabbard who appears to have the most tenuous path to confirmation as she struggles to assuage Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which will determine her fate, ahead of Thursday’s hearing. “I think it remains to be seen,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an Intelligence Committee member, when asked if Gabbard can win support of the panel. “I think the jury’s still out.” A second Senate Republican agreed, telling The Hill that Gabbard “has a path [that] continues to narrow.” Gabbard can’t afford to lose a single vote on the Intelligence Committee, which has a 9-8 party split and features two GOP members who are considered swing votes: Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), who last week voted against another Trump nominee on the floor, and Todd Young (Ind.). Collins told The Hill in an interview that she wants to press Gabbard on her stance on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows for the warrantless surveillance of foreign targets. Gabbard has sought to walk back her past criticism of the program, but Collins told The Hill she doesn’t necessarily believe Gabbard’s change of heart. “There are several questions I want to follow up on in the hearing,” Collins said, adding that she didn’t want to preview them all “because I want to hear her unpracticed responses” even though she expects Gabbard will be well prepared. “But there are a lot of obvious issues,” Collins said. “Her answers to the written questions were very hedged on it. I know there’s been a lot of reporting that she’s changed her position. That’s not how I read her answers. I read them as, ‘I’ll take a look at the reforms and see if they meet my concerns.’” Gabbard, as a Democratic member of the House, proposed legislation in 2020 to repeal Section 702 and has voted against reauthorizing the program. But she recently told Punchbowl News that the 702 program is “crucial” and “must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans” in an attempted turnabout. “If confirmed as [intelligence director], I will uphold Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people,” Gabbard said. Her latest statement leaves unclear whether she would back a warrant requirement to review information swept up on Americans — a key issue for privacy-minded lawmakers but one 702-backers feel would gut the program. Collins also brought up concerns about Gabbard’s views on Syria and her 2017 meeting with ex-President Bashar Assad. She said will not make a decision on the nomination until after the hearing. Collins voted against Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, twice last week. As for Young, two Senate GOP aides described the ex-Marine as being a “problem” for Gabbard. “Those members are going to have a really hard time getting to ‘yes,’” one of the GOP aides said. The panel-based problems come after reports emerged that Gabbard was struggling in meetings with Senate Republicans in an attempt to win them over. Complicating the situation for Gabbard is that her problems are different from those that plagued Hegseth, one of Trump’s more controversial nominees. Hegseth’s issues were largely centered on personal matters, including allegations of sexual improprieties and drunkenness. Gabbard’s are almost all policy-focused, which have been harder for some members to overcome. She also doesn’t have the communications chops of Hegseth, or the backup from conservative media, which rushed to his side when his nomination was flatlining in early December. “[He] has conservative credentials and Fox friends to rely on to buoy support,” the Senate GOP aide said. “She’s a Democrat. … She is not one of us, still. There’s not like this built up goodwill of, like, ‘Oh, we’ve got to dig her out of a hole.’” Even if she were to get through the committee, there are other members signaling they will oppose Gabbard. The Senate GOP aide noted Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is making it clear to members of the GOP conference that he is “adamantly” opposed to her.

Senate Democrat: Republicans ‘really uncomfortable’ with Gabbard nomination - Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) says he’s unsure about the fate of former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be director of national intelligence, casting doubt on her ability to garner enough support for confirmation. “I think some of them are still really, really uncomfortable with her running 18 intelligence agencies,” Kelly said of his colleagues during an appearance Thursday evening on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut.” “So, I don’t think her confirmation to this job is certain,” he added. Earlier in the interview, the Arizona Democrat pointed out that even after Thursday’s confirmation hearing, many senators still have concerns about past controversial remarks Gabbard has made on foreign affairs issues. “I think there’s a lot of questions still that my Republican colleagues have,” he told host Joy Reid. “I think some of them have been answered, and probably in a way that she was hoping would have gone the other way.” Many of his observations were echoed by both Republicans and Democrats alike. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) said Gabbard’s comments on Russian informant Edward Snowden were “notable,” while flagging that she didn’t acknowledge how the former National Security Agency contractor hurt national intelligence by leaking sensitive information in 2013. Josh Hawley says Gabbard nomination ‘may be in jeopardy’ “When we find Americans, whether private citizens or contractors or uniformed personnel, have shared sensitive designs about military technology or plans to a foreign government … we rightfully throw the book at them. Snowden did just that. Yet you have argued many times that he should be pardoned,” Young said, visibly disheartened by Gabbard’s answer. However, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) offered the former Democratic lawmaker support. “I was happy with her responses to my questions, including the question of whether she would recommend a pardon of Edward Snowden, where she clearly said no,” she told reporters after the hearing. Still, Collins said she remains undecided on whether to vote for or against Gabbard.

Gabbard in danger after views on Snowden rankle GOP senators -- Director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard’s views on former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and his theft of more than a million classified documents mushroomed into a major point of contention with Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. Republican senators pressed Gabbard to declare Snowden a “traitor” and to acknowledge that he “harmed” U.S. national security, but Gabbard refused to do so, raising alarm among Republicans who will be voting on her nomination in the weeks ahead. “People are holding their cards pretty close to the vest but that nomination is in trouble,” said one Republican senator, who requested anonymity to comment candidly on Gabbard’s chances of getting through the Senate. A second Republican senator said there’s been “a lot of discussion” among GOP lawmakers over Gabbard’s fitness to lead the nation’s intelligence community. “There’s been a lot of conversation on that,” the senator said. Gabbard, if confirmed, would serve as the nation’s leading intelligence official, and would be in charge of preparing President Trump’s daily intelligence brief. A key moment during Thursday’s hearing came when Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) asked whether Gabbard views Snowden as a “traitor,” advising her that members of the Intelligence panel would feel a lot better about her nomination if she would do so. Instead, Gabbard sidestepped two questions about whether Snowden betrayed the nation, telling lawmakers she is “focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” referring to Snowden’s theft of secret documents. Lankford, who earlier this month said he would support Gabbard, said after the hearing that he was “surprised” by her response. “I was surprised because that doesn’t seem like a hard question on that. It wasn’t intended to be a trick question by any means,” Lankford said. The Oklahoma senator said it should have been an “easy question” to say it’s “universally accepted when you steal a million pages of top-secret documents and you hand it to the Russians, that’s a traitorous act.” Gabbard appeared to rankle Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), a key vote on the Intelligence panel who remains publicly undecided, when she refused to say that Snowden’s actions harmed national security. “Do you have any response to the bipartisan findings of the House Intel Committee which stated that Snowden caused tremendous damage to national security, including to military, defense and intelligence programs of great interest to America’s adversaries?” Young asked. Gabbard said Snowden “broke the law,” a phrase she repeated throughout Thursday’s hearing, but then quickly pivoted to talk about “my focus on the future.” “I think we can all agree another Snowden-type leak, and I’ve laid out specific actions if confirmed as DNI to do that,” she said. Young said it was “notable” that Gabbard didn’t acknowledge that Snowden hurt national intelligence. And the Indiana senator pressed Gabbard about her past support for pardoning Snowden, including the introduction of legislation with former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) calling for charges against Snowden to be dropped. “When we find Americans, whether private citizens or contractors or uniformed personnel, have shared sensitive designs about military technology or plans to a foreign government … we rightfully throw the book at them. Snowden did just that. Yet you have argued many times that he should be pardoned,” Young said, showing frustration with Gabbard’s answer. “He likely endangered American lives through his action. As the leader of the intelligence community, how do you think you would be received on some of these past actions to support or even to pardon Snowden?” Young asked, wondering how rank-and-file intelligence analysts and professionals would react to her becoming the next director of national intelligence. Young demanded to know if Snowden betrayed the trust of the American people, pointing out that’s the Miriam Webster dictionary’s definition of a traitor. The Indiana senator declined to speak to the press after participating in a round of questions of Gabbard during the part of the confirmation hearing that was closed to the public. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who was later briefed on the hearing, said he thought that Gabbard did pretty well, but he didn’t say whether he is confident about getting her through the Intelligence Committee or confirmed on the floor. “I think most people were pleased with how it went,” he said. But he acknowledged that Lankford and Young didn’t appeared happy with her answers on Snowden. “Everybody is going to come to their own conclusions. There were issues she had to deal with and address. We’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Mark Warner: 'I will definitely be voting against' Tulsi Gabbard -- Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said late Thursday he would not support Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence after she refused to condemn National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.Speaking with MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, Warner expressed concern that Gabbard during her Thursday hearing repeatedly refused to label Snowden a traitor after he leaked thousands of classified documents and fled to Russia.“We get about half our intelligence from our allies around the world. There’s no requirement that they share that with us. They share that on trust. If this individual can’t say Edward Snowden, who shared our secrets and other secrets, is a traitor, will these other countries, our Five Eye partners, partners around the world — will Israel’s Mossad share that information with us on an ongoing basis? That will make us weaker if they don’t share that,” Warner said, referencing the Israeli intelligence unit and the intelligence alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S.“If you’re not willing to stand up for them, if you’re not willing to send out a signal — this role of director of national intelligence, you’ve got 18 agencies, $100 billion. If you’re not willing to call out Edward Snowden as a traitor, you shouldn’t have that job.”Warner said he was “happy to tell you and your audience tonight that I will definitely be voting against Ms. Gabbard.” Her refusal was also viewed as a fumble by those in the GOP, casting doubt on whether her nomination will advance.Privately, Gabbard had sought to assuage senators about her views on Snowden.But a key moment during Gabbard’s hearing came when Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) asked whether she views Snowden as a “traitor,” advising her that members of the Intelligence panel would feel a lot better about her nomination if she would do so.Instead, Gabbard sidestepped two questions about whether Snowden betrayed the nation, telling lawmakers she is “focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” referring to Snowden’s theft of secret documents.

Edward Snowden defends Tulsi Gabbard after Senate hearing Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden defended former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), President Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, following a fiery confirmation hearing in the Senate on Thursday. “Her sin is that she told the truth about the government spying on Americans, and for that she is getting absolutely persecuted,” Snowden wrote in a post on the social platform X, paraphrasing comments made by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) during a Fox News appearance on Thursday, which he shared video of with his followers. During her confirmation hearing, lawmakers grilled Gabbard over her views on Snowden and his theft of more than a million classified documents. Gabbard responded by saying she is “focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” in reference to Snowden’s leaking of classified documents. Several GOP senators told The Hill after the hearing Gabbard’s confirmation could be on shaky ground, with one saying “people are holding their cards pretty close to the vest” on her nomination. Snowden, who has been a vocal critic of the national intelligence community since fleeing the country, wrote in another social media post earlier this week that Gabbard will be “required to disown all prior support for whistleblowers as a condition of confirmation today.” “I encourage her to do so,” he said. “Tell them I harmed national security and the sweet, soft feelings of staff. In D.C., that’s what passes for the pledge of allegiance.”

RFK Jr. confirmation hearing: Food as medicine startups could benefit - As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces two days of Senate confirmation hearings this week in his quest to become secretary of Health and Human Services, a niche group of startups will be watching closely. Kennedy, a divisive pick to join President Donald Trump's Cabinet, will first go before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday. As HHS secretary, he would oversee a budget of more than $2 trillion, covering everything from drug research and approvals to the Medicare and Medicaid health programs. Kennedy's skepticism of vaccines, and filings that show he benefited from anti-vaccine lawsuits, will likely be a central area of questioning; both sides of the political aisle have criticized the nominee for his stance. Kennedy has pledged to make nutritious food, rather than drugs, central to combating chronic disease in the U.S. As Republicans target the federal-state Medicaid program for funding cuts, some investors and startups in nutrition-based services covered by Medicaid are hoping Kennedy's vow to "Make America Healthy Again" will boost the food-as-medicine sector and keep the growing programs off the Trump administration's chopping block. "I actually think all signs are pointing to — with this administration — we are going to take a look finally at the reasons ... why individuals are as sick as they are," said Ashley Tyrner-Dolce, CEO of FarmBoxRx, a start-up that works with Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans to provide nutritious food shipments to engage patients to improve their health conditions. As obesity and Type 2 diabetes rates climb in the U.S., state Medicaid programs have looked to provide active nutritional counseling to help members combat chronic conditions, much as large employers and commercial insurance plans have been doing for the last decade. During the first Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services spurred states to address social needs such as food insecurity and health disparities. A handful of states received what's known as an 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver to provide nutritional programs as a form of preventive care — sparking major investment in the space along the way. Over the last four years, more than four dozen food-as-medicine companies have raised over $2 billion from venture capital firms, including Khosla Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz, along with health-care players such as CVS Health , according to data tracking by Rock Health Advisory. Funding for food-as-medicine deals topped $483 million in 2024, a 175% increase from the prior year, according to Rock Health Advisory data. In one of the biggest deals of the year, telenutrition startup FoodSmart secured $200 million in venture funding led by TPG's Rise Fund. Food-as-medicine companies now see Kennedy as a potential ally. In an interview with NPR, Kennedy said Trump has given him "three instructions" on his role as HHS secretary: end corruption and conflicts in regulatory agencies, return health agencies to the "gold standard" of evidence-based science, and tackle chronic conditions. "He wants to end the chronic disease epidemic with measurable impacts on a diminishment of chronic disease within two years," Kennedy said.

John Fetterman: RFK Jr.’s nomination to lead HHS in trouble after rocky hearing -- Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who was thought to be open to voting for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’snomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, now says the nominee is in serious trouble after his rocky confirmation hearing.. “I don’t think it went well for him today. I don’t think that was a good one,” he said after Kennedy sparred with Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee over his past statements and stance on vaccines. Fetterman said after the bruising hearing that he thinks Kennedy’s nomination may be “moot.” “It’s moot,” he said when asked if he’s still open to voting for Kennedy. “I’m not really sure how much support’s going to emerge after that.” The Pennsylvania Democrat noted he’s met with Kennedy twice already. “I think we can all agree that was really a difficult performance,” he said. “I’m not sure he’ll even make it out of the committee.” Sen. Michael Bennet (Colo.), one of the Democrats who grilled Kennedy at his hearing Wednesday, asked him pointedly about his comments on a podcast that exposure to pesticides could be causing more children to identify as transgender. Kennedy also acknowledged under Bennet’s cross-examination that he “probably did say” that Lyme disease was a militarily-engineered bioweapon. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), meanwhile, tried to pin down Kennedy on his past views and statements on vaccines in a combative back-and-forth. “You have a history of trying to take vaccines away from people,” Wyden told him. RFJ, Jr.’s nomination will be voted on by the Senate Finance Committee, but before that, he will appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for a second round of questioning Thursday. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of the HELP Committee and a key Senate swing vote, said it’s “premature” for her to say how she will vote. “I do not make decisions on nominees prior to the public hearings,” she said. “It’s totally premature to make a decision prior to the [public hearing],” she added..

5 key takeaways from Robert F Kennedy's combative second hearing - Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, sat through his second Senate confirmation hearing in as many days on Thursday, with his chances of being confirmed appearing less certain by the end. Democrats on the the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee once again hammered Kennedy for promoting misinformation about vaccines, and his refusal to back down from those positions seemed to bother even some Republicans on the panel. Kennedy was also asked about his stance on GLP-1 drugs and emergency abortion access, while again conveying a shaky grasp on the agencies he would oversee. Here are 5 key takeaways:

• Cassidy homes in on vaccines and autism. Health Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician, made it clear he had “reservations” about Kennedy’s beliefs on vaccines causing autism and his long-documented skepticism on their efficacy. The Louisiana senator was looking for some reassurance from Kennedy on this issue, but the HHS nominee offered little to quell Cassidy’s concerns. In both his opening and closing remarks, Cassidy recalled a former patient, an 18-year-old woman, who was suffering from hepatitis B-induced liver failure that could have been prevented by a vaccine. “Since then, I try to do everything I can to make sure I never have to speak to another parent about their child dying due to a vaccine preventable disease,” Cassidy said. “As a physician who’s been involved in immunization programs, I’ve seen the benefits of vaccinations. I know they save lives,” he added. “I know they’re a crucial part of keeping our nation healthy.” Kennedy said he would change his beliefs if presented with data proving him wrong, saying he would go as far as to “apologize for any statements that misled people.” Toward the end of the hearing, Cassidy presented Kennedy with a 2014 meta-analysis that concluded vaccines are not associated with autism. Kennedy pushed back, saying he could point to studies that suggested there was a link.
• RFK Jr. tangled with Sanders. The most heated part of the hearing occurred when Health Committee ranking member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pressed Kennedy on lowering prescription drug costs, an issue he championed as chair of the committee. “If we want to make America healthy, will you assure the American people that you will fight to do what every other major country on Earth does, guarantee health care to every single American?” Sanders asked Kennedy. Kennedy said corruption leading to high drug costs existed in Congress as well as the pharmaceutical industry, accusing Sanders of being the single largest campaign beneficiary of pharmaceutical dollars. Sanders furiously shot back at this accusation saying, “I got millions and millions of contributions. They did not come from the executives, not one nickel of PAC money for the pharmaceutical industry. They came from workers.” ”
• Hassan got choked up talking about son. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) confronted Kennedy’s support for linking vaccines to autism through her own personal experience. Visibly emotional, she blasted Kennedy’s rhetoric as being harmful to making progress on better understanding autism. “Some of you are new to this committee and new to the Senate, so you may not know that I am the proud mother of a 36-year-old young man with severe cerebral palsy,” Hassan said. “And a day does not go by when I think about what did I do when I was pregnant with him that might have caused the hydrocephalus that has so impacted his life?” “So, please do not suggest that anybody in this body of either political party doesn’t want to know what the cause of autism is,” Hassan continued. “The problem with this witness’s response on the autism cause and the relationship to vaccines is because he’s relitigating and churning settled science. So, we can’t go forward and find out what the cause of autism is and treat these kids and help these families.”
• Kennedy says emergency care includes abortions. Despite speaking in favor of abortion access in the past, Kennedy has since aligned his views with Trump, repeatedly saying he believes “every abortion is a tragedy.” When asked about policies regarding abortion, Kennedy said numerous times on Thursday that he would follow what Trump’s policies end up being. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), however, sought answers on how Kennedy personally believed some abortion measures should be handled. Blunt Rochester asked whether Kennedy would support the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law that requires hospitals offer an abortion if deemed necessary to stabilize patients with a condition that threatens their life or health. “Do you agree that a person who is experiencing severe pregnancy complications should be able to receive emergency care to save their life, if that care is an abortion?” Blunt Rochester asked Kennedy. Kennedy initially attempted to point to Trump’s policy on the issue, but Blunt Rochester pressed the HHS nominee on whether he himself believes pregnant women should have access to abortions if necessary to save their lives. “If it’s required to save their life,” Kennedy said.
• Apparent lack of knowledge about Medicare. One prevailing observation from Democrats was that Kennedy had an apparent lack of knowledge of how federal health policies work. When asked by Cassidy on Wednesday how he’d oversee Medicare and Medicaid, Kennedy seemed to confuse the two. Kennedy described Medicaid as “fully paid for by the federal government,” when in reality it is financed by a mix of state and federal funding. “Yesterday during your finance hearing, and today, you confused details about Medicare and Medicaid. You didn’t know what authorities you have under [EMTALA],” Blunt Rochester noted. Hassan quizzed Kennedy on what Medicare Part A, B and C cover. Kennedy said Medicare Part A covers primary care when it in fact covers inpatient care during hospital stays. He described Medicare Part B as covering “physicians and doctors.” Part B covers medically necessary services and supplies as well as preventive services. Kennedy described Medicare Part C as “a program where it gets the full menu of all the services; A, B, C and D for Medicare.” Medicare Part C is perhaps better known as Medicare Advantage, a program in which approved private insurance plans are offered as an alternative to original Medicare.

Ex-New Jersey Dem Senator Menendez Gets 11 Years In PMITA Prison Following Bribery Conviction Former New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob 'Gold Bar' Menendez - who sat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while working for the Egyptian government (which was notably exempt from Trump's recent halt to foreign aid) has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison following his conviction on corruption charges. The sentence comes after a jury convicted Menendez on 16 counts in a sweeping pay-for-play scheme to sell his office to foreign powers and shady businessmen in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, solid gold bars, and a Mercedes Benz. Charges against Menendez included wire fraud, bribery and extortion - making Menendez the seventh sitting US senator to be convicted of a federal crime. Menendez and his wife Nadine were accused by prosecutors of orchestrating a bribery scheme while he was head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he acted as an agent of Egypt, and intervened to quash a separate criminal prosecution in New Jersey in exchange for payoffs - and then tried to cover it up. In a superseding indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, Menendez was accused of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires anyone acting as "an agent of a foreign principal" to register with the US government. Menendez was prohibited from doing so either way as a member of Congress. According to the indictment, Menendez and his wife, along with business associate Wael Hana, met with an Egyptian intelligence official in Menendez's Senate office in Washington DC, during which they discussed a US citizen who was injured in a 2015 airstrike by the Egyptian military - an incident which some members of Congress cited as a reason to withhold certain military aid to Egypt.

Supreme Court will review FBI’s immunity in lawsuit over mistaken house raid -- The Supreme Court said Monday it will review whether the FBI should have immunity in a lawsuit brought by a family whose Atlanta home was mistakenly raided by a SWAT team. In 2017, agents executed a search warrant at the wrong address, believing it was the home of an alleged violent gang member. The warrant had instead listed an address three houses away. Armed and dressed in full tactical gear, the agents breached the family’s home before sunrise and deployed a flash-bang at the entrance. Hilliard Cliatt was handcuffed, his partner, Curtrina Martin, was held at gunpoint, and Martin’s 7-year-old son was also home, court documents show. Agents realized they had the wrong address within about five minutes. They immediately left and proceeded to arrest the alleged gang member down the street. FBI Special Agent Lawrence Guerra, who led the team, returned later in the day to apologize. He also promised to pay for damages and left a business card. The family sued the FBI under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which allows private citizens to sue for damages when federal employees commit wrongful acts. The Supreme Court in a brief order Monday agreed to take up the family’s appeal after lower judges found the FBI had immunity from the lawsuit. The high court normally only takes up cases for the current term through mid-January. But the justices set a slightly faster-than-usual briefing schedule that enables the latest case to still be heard this term, which would culminate in a decision by early summer. It follows a batch of cases on Friday the high court similarly squeezed in for this term, including a push to create the first public religious charter school. The late, new cases come asseveral disputes already on the court’s docket could be shelved, as President Trump’s Justice Department considers policy shifts that would render them moot. The Supreme Court’s order agrees to review a ruling from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that many of the Atlanta family’s claims fell under an exception to the FTCA, and the remaining claims were barred under the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. “It’s undisputed that Agent Guerra and his team committed an avoidable and dangerous mistake by raiding the wrong house. So there are no messy fact disputes. And the Eleventh Circuit’s holdings on the questions presented leave Petitioners — and the many similarly situated plaintiffs who will come after them — entirely remediless,” the family’s attorneys argued. The Justice Department urged the high court to stay out of the case, insisting the lower decision was correct and posed no split with other federal appeals courts.

Trump issues pardons for Washington, D.C. police officers convicted for murder of unarmed motorist -- On Wednesday, the newly-installed Trump administration issued pardons for Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky, convicted of charges of conspiracy and second-degree murder for conduct surrounding their reckless vehicle pursuit of 20-year old father Karon Hylton-Brown in 2020, which resulted in the latter’s death. Sutton and Zabavsky were serving 5.5 and 4.5 year sentences, respectively, for their conduct on the night of October 23, 2020, in which their pursuit of Hylton-Brown on his moped resulted in his death in a traffic collision. The officers claim to have initiated the chase after Sutton spotted Hylton-Brown driving without a helmet, a minor traffic violation. Police procedure in the District of Columbia forbids officers from initiating a chase over such violations, unless “[T]he fleeing suspect has committed or attempted to commit a crime of violence or poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to another person.” Hylton-Brown did not pose a threat or threaten violence. According to the Washington Post, following the crash the two officers “turned off their body cameras and conferred with each other” at the scene of the accident, deciding to sweep the matter under the rug by allowing the driver who struck Hylton-Brown to leave the scene without getting a statement. Likewise, “the officers did not notify the department’s major crash unit, as was required, or secure the crash site for evidence collection.” They also minimized the incident when reporting it to their shift captain, implying Hylton-Brown had been drunk and only been in a minor traffic injury. He died several days later. Major news publications’ efforts to reach Hylton-Brown’s family following the pardons have been unsuccessful. David L. Shurtz, a lawyer representing Amaala Jones-Bey, the mother of Hylton-Brown’s child, stated the pardons were “outrageous, especially with Sutton,” because of the latter’s additional conviction of second-degree murder. “By their actions afterward, the coverup, it’s implicit that [Sutton and Zabavsky] knew they were guilty.”

Trump fires all three Democrats on privacy oversight board - President Trump on Monday fired all three Democrats on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), bringing much of its work to a standstill. The move guts a board designed to ensure the government’s work to fight terrorism is balanced with protections for civil liberties. The White House informed the three Democrats on the board on Thursday it was seeking their resignation, but the members were officially terminated Monday. It’s an action that removes some voices on the panel critical of some foreign surveillance actions — a detail that often had them aligned with right-wing Republicans who wish to curtail such programs. It also stands to diminish oversight of the intelligence community. PCLOB confirmed the dismissals and indicated it would need new members to continue its work. “The White House terminated Chair Sharon Bradford Franklin, and Members Ed Felten and Travis LeBlanc from their positions as of 5 p.m. last Thursday. The agency, however, has significant ability to continue functioning with its full staff and remaining Member Beth Williams to continue the Board’s important mission, including its advice and oversight functions, and its current projects,” PCLOB spokesperson Alan Silverleib said in a statement. “The Board looks forward to moving ahead on additional projects formally following the nomination, confirmation, and appointment of new Members.” While the control of the board shifts to reflect the party of the president, PCLOB should still have two Democratic members. The board’s Democratic members in 2023 released a report critical of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows for warrantless spying on foreigners located abroad. While that reflected a partisan divide on the board, the move left the panel’s Democrats aligned with right-leaning congressional Republicans and other privacy-minded lawmakers who have advocated for adding a warrant provision before reviewing any information incidentally collected on Americans. LeBlanc on Monday said the trio of firings spelled bad news for those invested in privacy concerns and oversight of the intelligence community. “The Board’s independence is crucial to ensuring that the President, Congress, and the public receive honest, expert, and complete information about the nation’s most highly classified programs and activities,” he said in a statement. “Today, I regret that the Board’s partisan shift will ultimately undermine not only the mission of the agency, but public trust and confidence in the ability of the government to honor privacy rights, respect civil liberties, honestly inform the public, and follow the law. Oversight is tough work, but it is absolutely essential to accountability in a democracy.”

DOJ fires prosecutors who worked on Trump criminal cases -Justice Department (DOJ) officials fired several prosecutors who worked on President Trump’s criminal cases, saying they could not “trust” them. The move impacted at least a dozen prosecutors who worked both on Trump’s election interference case as well as another for improperly retaining records at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. “Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” a DOJ official said in a statement. “In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda. This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government.” CNN first reported the terminations. Special counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss without prejudice both cases against Trump shortly after the election, citing Justice Department policy prohibiting prosecuting a sitting president. He resigned from his post at the tail end of the Biden presidency. But the second-week move signals how the Justice Department plans to contend with the numerous career prosecutors who worked on the cases, some of whom predated Smith’s arrival. According to a photo of the termination letters posted by CNN, they specifically reference Trump’s grievances with the prosecutions against him. They quote remarks from Trump on his first day in office, blaming the Biden administration for a “systemic campaign against its perceived political opponents.” “Nowhere was that effort more salient than in the unprecedented prosecutions the Department of Justice pursued against President Trump himself,” McHenry wrote. The Monday terminations were effective immediately.

DOJ fires officials involved in Trump prosecutions by special counsel Jack Smith --The Department of Justice on Monday fired officials involved in the now-terminated federal criminal prosecutions of PresidentDonald Trump by former special counsel Jack Smith.The firings come a week after Trump was sworn in for a second, non-consecutive term in the White House. "Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump," a DOJ official told NBC News.. "In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President's agenda," that official said. "This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government." The number and names of the fired officials were not disclosed by the department. But NBC reported that an official familiar with the matter said career prosecutors Molly Gaston, J.P. Cooney, Anne McNamara and Mary Dohrmann were among those terminated. "Firing prosecutors because of cases they were assigned to work on is just unacceptable," former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance told NBC News. "It's anti-rule of law, it's anti-democracy," said Vance, who is an NBC News legal contributor. Fox News reported earlier Monday that McHenry had fired more than a dozen officials who worked on Smith's prosecutions of Trump. Smith, who resigned from the DOJ on Jan. 10, had filed criminal charges against Trump in two separate cases: one in federal district court in Washington, D.C., the second federal district court in South Florida. In the D.C. case, Trump was accused of crimes related to his attempt to reverse his loss to former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The election interference case was dismissed by the DOJ after Trump was elected president in November due to a department policy that bars federal prosecutions of sitting presidents. Trump was charged in the Florida case with crimes connected to his retention of classified government documents after he left the White House in January 2021, and his efforts to prevent government officials from recovering those records from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. The classified documents case was dismissed in July by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon after she ruled that Smith's appointment as special counsel violated the U.S. Constitution. The DOJ appealed Cannon's dismissal but dropped that effort after Trump was elected in November because of the department's policy against prosecuting presidents.

FCC investigates NPR and PBS for commercial airtime - The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching an investigation into NPR and PBS over their alleged “airing of commercials.” “I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr wrote to the news outlets in a letter first obtained by The New York Times. “In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.” In a statement to The Hill on Thursday, NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher said the outlet’s programming and underwriting messaging “complies with federal regulations, including the FCC guidelines on underwriting messages for noncommercial educational broadcasters, and Member stations are expected to be in compliance as well.” “We are confident any review of our programming and underwriting practices will confirm NPR’s adherence to these rules,” Maher said. “We have worked for decades with the FCC in support of noncommercial educational broadcasters who provide essential information, educational programming, and emergency alerts to local communities across the United States.” A representative for PBS told The Hill the broadcaster “is proud of the noncommercial educational programming we provide to all Americans through our member stations.” “We work diligently to comply with the FCC’s underwriting regulations and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate that to the Commission,” a spokesperson for the outlet said. Carr’s letter comes as President Trump and other conservatives have railed against public broadcasters in recent years, alleging bias and suggesting taxpayer dollars should not go to fund the outlets. “This appears to be yet another Administration effort to weaponize the power of the FCC,” agency Commissioner Anna M. Gomez said in a post on the social platform X linking to the Times’ report. “The FCC has no business intimidating and silencing broadcast media.” Most of NPR’s funding comes from private sponsorships and personal contributions from audience members, though it does receive a smaller portion of its money from the federal government and member stations. Carr last week announced he would reopen a number of complaints against major broadcast outlets that were dismissed by former President Biden’s administration and has vowed to combat what he calls “censorship” in the mainstream media.

Meta Settles 'Facebook Ban' Suit With Trump, Offers Weak Guidance As Earnings Hit Late - While most of the other Mega-Cap tech giants were hit hard this week, META stock was largely unaffected by DeepSeek’s announcement, in part because it offered some validation for the company’s open-source AI strategy. In fact the shares reached an all-time high intraday yesterday ahead of tonight's earnings and right before the earnings were released (later than expected), The Wall Street Journal reports that Meta has settled its lawsuit with President Trump for $25 million. President Trump has signed settlement papers that are expected to require Meta Platforms to pay roughly $25 million to resolve a 2021 lawsuit Trump brought after the company suspended his accounts following the attacks on the U.S. Capitol that year, according to people familiar with the agreement. Of that, $22 million will go toward a fund for Trump’s presidential library, with the rest going to legal fees and the other plaintiffs who signed onto the case. Meta won’t admit wrongdoing, the people said. Trump signed the settlement agreement Wednesday in the Oval Office.

Elizabeth Warren: Meta settlement with Trump ‘looks like a bribe’ - Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) described Meta’s $25 million settlement with President Trumpfor deleting his accounts in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection as a “bribe.”“It looks like a bribe and a signal to every company that corruption is the name of the game,” Warren wrote in a Thursday statement on X.“After Meta pays to play, what does Mark Zuckerberg expect as a return on this investment,” she asked.Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has recently remained close to President Trump, holding meetings at his Mar-a-Lago Florida estate and attending his inauguration. The tech giant also hosted a black tie reception for the president in honor of his November electoral win. “This is also going to be a big year for redefining our relationship with governments,” Zuckerberg said on a Meta earnings call on Wednesday.“We now have a U.S. administration that is proud of our leading companies, prioritizes American technology winning and that will defend our values and interests abroad,” Zuckerberg continued.

Pulitzer board asks court to pause Trump’s lawsuit against them -- Lawyers for the board that awards Pulitzer Prizes asked a Florida state court to pause a defamation lawsuit, which President Trump filed against board members in 2022, until Trump is no longer president. In asking the court to put the case on hold, the defense lawyers leaned heavily on arguments that Trump’s own lawyers have made in two separate cases — arguing a state court cannot constitutionally exercise jurisdiction over the sitting president. The defense lawyers pointed to an example from Trump’s first term, when he was sued by a former contestant on “The Apprentice,” accusing him of unwanted sexual advances. Trump’s team argued at the time that, without a stay, the suit, which has since been settled, would “disrupt and impair” Trump’s “ability to discharge his Article II responsibilities.” The Monday filing also points to an example from just last week, when Trump’s legal team requested a stay in a case against him and his social media company brought by former investors. “Likewise, just days ago, Plaintiff reiterated these points in a case against him in Delaware state court, arguing that, because litigation would unconstitutionally interfere with his presidential duties, ‘[c]ommonsense favors a stay of this case until the end of the President’s term,’ so that ‘President Trump can devote his time and energies to America’s problems,’” Pulitzer board lawyers wrote in the filing. Using Trump’s own defense against him, the defense lawyers added: “According to Plaintiff, ‘[t]he appropriate answer’ to these constitutional concerns ‘is to postpone’ such a state court case ‘until [the President] is no longer in office.’” “Defendants agree,” they continued. “To avoid such constitutional conflicts, the Court should stay this case until Plaintiff’s term in office has concluded.” Trump filed the defamation lawsuit in question in 2022 over a statement that Pulitzer board members filed, after conducting two independent reviews that Trump and others requested over Pulitzers that had been awarded for stories about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The board ultimately rejected Trump’s request to revoke the 2018 national reporting awards, which were given to the staffs of The New York Times and The Washington Post, saying the reviews concluded: “no passages or headlines, contentions or assertions in any of the winning submissions were discredited by facts that emerged subsequent to the conferral of the prizes.” Trump’s suit, which was filed in an Okeechobee County, Fla., court, alleges the board acted with actual malice in issuing the statement with the aim of damaging Trump’s reputation, asking for an unspecified amount of damages.

DeepSeek shock wave hits Wall Street - US tech companies, Wall Street and the political and military establishment have been delivered a major blow with the announcement by a small Chinese startup company, DeepSeek, that it is able to develop an advanced AI system without the most advanced chips produced in the US and at much less cost. On January 20, DeepSeek introduced R1, a model for solving complex problems. It explained that it had developed a so-called large language model (LLM) which could learn and improve itself without human supervision using lower-level technology and at lower cost. The model was open source, meaning that the process by which it was developed can be followed. According to the Wall Street Journal: “Specialists said DeepSeek’s technology still trails that of OpenAI and Google. But it is a close rival using fewer and less-advanced chips, and in some cases skipping steps that US developers consider essential.” Marc Andreessen, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who has been advising Trump, said on X on Friday: “DeepSeek R1 is one of the most amazing and impressive breakthroughs I’ve ever seen.” He called its development “AI’s Sputnik moment,” likening it to the Soviet Union’s launch of the first satellite to circle the earth in 1957, an event which shocked the US. A week after its model was released and assessed, a shock wave hit Wall Street in trading on Monday. Shares in Nvidia, the leading US manufacturer of advanced AI chips, which has been at the centre of Wall Street’s high-tech boom, plunged by almost 17 percent. The company lost around $600 billion in market value, more than double the previous record it held for a single-day fall and the biggest for any company in history. Broadcom, another AI-based stock dropped by 17 percent. The S&P 500 closed 1.5 percent lower and the tech-heavy NASDAQ dropped 3 percent. Other companies, not directly involved in AI but connected to its development, were also hit. Siemens Energy, which supplies electrical hardware for AI infrastructure, dropped 20 percent and Schneider Electrical which supplies power products used in data centres fell 9.5 percent. The DeepSeek breakthrough, if it is sustained and some are calling it into question, threatens to upend the major investment plans of the leading US AI firms. Nvidia has said that it expects what the Financial Times (FT) calls the “data centre building frenzy” to continue to at least the end of the decade. Luca Paolini, chief strategist at Picet Asset Management, told the FT the DeepSeek development showed “how vulnerable the AI trade still is, like every trade that is consensus and based on the assumption of an unassailable lead.” The AI boom on the stock market began after the release of ChatGPT at the end of 2022. From the start of 2023 the NASDAQ index has risen by 92 percent, an increase in market capitalisation of $14 trillion which has shovelled tens, if not hundreds, of billions into the portfolios of tech company founders and chef executives. In Monday’s trading the index lost market capitalisation of $1 trillion. The arrival of DeepSeek has raised major concerns. As an article on Bloomberg noted: “Suddenly, a rally predicated on US AI dominance turned into a question of whether the hundreds of billions in AI investments would ever lead to profits large enough to justify the rich valuations afforded to Megacap stocks. The group makes up 30 percent of the S&P 500 by weighting, more than at any time in history.” Comments from a number of analysts and executives cited by Bloomberg, pointed to the development of a sea change in AI and the market boom it has promoted.

What is DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company upending the stock market? -A frenzy over an artificial intelligence chatbot made by Chinese tech startup DeepSeek was upending stock markets Monday and fueling debates over the economic and geopolitical competition between the U.S. and China in developing AI technology. DeepSeek’s AI assistant became the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store Monday, propelled by curiosity about the ChatGPT competitor. Part of what’s worrying some U.S. tech industry observers is the idea that the Chinese startup has caught up with the American companies at the forefront of generative AI at a fraction of the cost. That, if true, calls into question the huge amounts of money U.S. tech companies say they plan to spend on the data centers and computer chips needed to power further AI advancements. But hype and misconceptions about DeepSeek’s technological advancements also sowed confusion. “The models they built are fantastic, but they aren’t miracles either,” said Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon, who follows the semiconductor industry and was one of several stock analysts describing Wall Street’s reaction as overblown. “They’re not using any innovations that are unknown or secret or anything like that,” Rasgon said. “These are things that everybody’s experimenting with.” The startup DeepSeek was founded in 2023 in Hangzhou, China and released its first AI large language model later that year. Its CEO Liang Wenfeng previously co-founded one of China’s top hedge funds, High-Flyer, which focuses on AI-driven quantitative trading. The fund, by 2022, had amassed a cluster of 10,000 of California-based Nvidia’s high-performance A100 graphics processor chips that are used to build and run AI systems, according to a post that summer on Chinese social media platform WeChat. The U.S. soon after restricted sales of those chips to China. DeepSeek has said its recent models were built with Nvidia’s lower-performing H800 chips, which are not banned in China, sending a message that the fanciest hardware might not be needed for cutting-edge AI research. DeepSeek began attracting more attention in the AI industry last month when it released a new AI model that it boasted was on par with similar models from U.S. companies such as ChatGPT maker OpenAI, and was more cost-effective in its use of expensive Nvidia chips to train the system on troves of data. The chatbot became more widely accessible when it appeared on Apple and Google app stores early this year. But it was a follow-up research paper published last week — on the same day as President Donald Trump’s inauguration — that set in motion the panic that followed. That paper was about another DeepSeek AI model called R1 that showed advanced “reasoning” skills — such as the ability to rethink its approach to a math problem — and was significantly cheaper than a similar model sold by OpenAI called o1. “What their economics look like, I have no idea,” Rasgon said. “But I think the price points freaked people out.” “Deepseek R1 is AI’s Sputnik moment,” said venture capitalist Marc Andreessen in a Sunday post on social platform X, referencing the 1957 satellite launch that set off a Cold War space exploration race between the Soviet Union and the U.S. Andreessen, who has advised Trump on tech policy, has warned that overregulation of the AI industry by the U.S. government will hinder American companies and enable China to get ahead. But the attention on DeepSeek also threatens to undermine a key strategy of U.S. foreign policy in recent years to restrict the sale of American-designed AI semiconductors to China. Some experts on U.S.-China relations don’t think that is an accident. “The technology innovation is real, but the timing of the release is political in nature,” said Gregory Allen, director of the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Allen compared DeepSeek’s announcement last week to U.S.-sanctioned Chinese company Huawei’s release of a new phone during diplomatic discussions over Biden administration export controls in 2023. “Trying to show that the export controls are futile or counterproductive is a really important goal of Chinese foreign policy right now,” Allen said.

How DeepSeek R1, the Chinese AI model, is upending US tech - The rise in popularity of a high-performing and cheaply built Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) model has shaken the confidence of investors, while raising larger questions about the future of American-made AI and upping the stakes of Washington’s tech rivalry with Beijing. DeepSeek’s new AI model has taken the internet by storm, sparking a significant sell-off in the tech sector as investors fear the billions of dollars U.S. firms have invested into AI infrastructure may be unnecessary. “It upends the way that investors have thought about how AI needed to be developed and implemented,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, who suggested the industry might be at an “inflection point.” After launching its latest AI model, R1, last week, DeepSeek surged to the top of Apple’s App Store over the weekend. The application was the No. 1 free app on the store on Monday, while ChatGPT-maker OpenAI sat at the No. 2 spot. DeepSeek claims its R1 open-source reasoning model has a “performance on par with” OpenAI, which is regarded as one of the U.S.’s leading AI reasoning models. The company, founded in May 2023, claims to have spent just $5.6 million to train its latest models, The Wall Street Journal first reported. The price tag pales compared to that incurred by leading U.S. AI firms like OpenAI, Meta and Google, all of which have spent billions of dollars in recent years on AI infrastructure and development of large language models. A significant chunk of AI developers’ expenses in the U.S. goes to infrastructure, including the data centers and chips used to power the AI training process. Now, DeepSeek is disrupting the market and showing how AI can be developed at a fraction of the price, while allegedly not relying on the vast data sets, chips and infrastructure thought to be the holy grail of AI development. “Let’s say the convention wisdom as of yesterday, when you look at the AI market, is that essentially the best models come directly from those who have the deepest and broadest data sets and those that have the most brute force processing power behind them,” said Kenneth Lamont, a senior researcher at Morningstar, a financial services company. “There was assumed to be a natural monopoly where if you’re the biggest player, that’s why we saw this massive concentration of these companies and they were just seen to be the clear winners in this space,” Lamont said. “China found a way to not rely on the chips.” Nvidia, a leading producer of the chips behind the AI boom, saw its stock price plummet nearly 17 percent by market close Monday, shedding almost $600 billion in value. The semiconductor firm Broadcom similarly dipped 17.4 percent. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s stock sank 13.3 percent over the course of the day, while Arm was down 10.2 percent and ASML Holding’s share price dipped 5.8 percent. Tech firms that have heavily invested in AI also took a hit in Monday’s sell-off. Shares in Oracle, one of three companies leading a new Trump administration project to invest in AI infrastructure, tumbled 13.8 percent. Microsoft also dipped 2.1 percent, while Alphabet, Google’s parent company, was down 4.2 percent. Callie Cox, chief market strategist at Ritholtz Wealth Management, noted that Monday’s market reaction was likely in part driven by the fact that the industry was “ripe for a sell-off.” “Tech has done incredibly well and that means that the bar for excellence is incredibly high, and any one skeptical headline can really knock the sector off its axis,” Cox told The Hill. With a disrupted narrative, Lamont warned that U.S. AI companies will now be facing increased pressure to justify their high expenditures. “It really puts a huge pressure on them to justify their fees, whether that be they make better products — I’m sure that’s what they’re trying to do anyway — but also almost certainly to lower their fees to compete with this,” Lamont said. OpenAI offers models at different price points, including a free version and “plus” and “pro” plans, which cost $20 to $200 a month, respectively. Google’s Gemini AI model can cost $0 a month with a Google account, but its premium plan costs $20 a month. The surge in the China-based app comes nearly a week after President Trump was sworn back into office. On his second day, the president announced a joint investment of up to $500 billion to build the infrastructure needed to power AI over the next four years. OpenAI is an initial investor in the venture, along with Oracle and SoftBank. However, DeepSeek’s development could indicate that AI does not require this level of hardware investment, Sosnick noted. “All of a sudden, there’s this upstart that threatens to do it more cheaply and more efficiently than what we thought,” he said. DeepSeek reportedly claimed last year it had limited access to chips and used just 2,000 second-tier Nvidia chips to train its models v3 and R1. Some AI business leaders have cast doubt about the company’s claims. Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang on Monday claimed DeepSeek has about 50,000 H100 graphic processing units (GPU), which can be used for AI development, but cannot discuss them because of the U.S. chip export controls in place. When asked about DeepSeek, an Nvidia spokesperson told The Hill the Chinese company is “an excellent AI advancement and a perfect example of Test time scaling.” “DeepSeek’s work illustrates how new models can be created using that technique, leveraging widely-available models and compute that is fully export control compliant,” the spokesperson said. “Inference requires significant numbers of NVIDIA GPUs and high-performance networking. We now have three scaling laws: pre-training and post-training, which continue, and new test-time scaling.” Up until its final days, the Biden administration aggressively tried to curtail China’s advancements in chipmaking and AI through export controls on some semiconductor chips and equipment. When asked about DeepSeek’s surge Monday, the Trump White House emphasized President Trump’s commitment to leading on AI and laid the recent advancements by China at the feet of the previous administration. “By stifling innovation at home and failing to cut off China’s access to American technology, President Biden created an opportunity for our foreign adversaries to make gains in AI development,” a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy spokesperson said in a statement. Trump repealed former President Biden’s AI executive order last week, stating it “established unnecessarily burdensome requirements” for AI developers. He later signed a new order to ensure AI development is “free from ideological bias,” and called for an AI development action plan within 180 days.

DeepSeek marks ‘turning point’ for global AI race: Former Google CEO - Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Wednesday that the rise of DeepSeek, the Chinese startup behind a new artificial intelligence (AI) model taking the internet by storm, marks a “turning point” for the global AI race. In a Washington Post op-ed with MakerMaker.AI CEO Dhaval Adjodah, Schmidt argued that DeepSeek’s AI shows the need for American companies to develop open-source models. “The United States already has the best closed models in the world. To remain competitive, we must also support the development of a vibrant open-source ecosystem,” Schmidt and Adjodah wrote. “The race between open- and closed-source AI, as well as between the United States and China, does not yet have a clear winner,” they continued. “But there is clearly mounting pressure on America’s Big Tech players if DeepSeek can compete with them using far fewer resources.” DeepSeek unveiled its R1 open-source reasoning model last week and quickly shot to the top of Apple’s App Store, overtaking OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Notably, the Chinese startup claims it spent just $5.6 million and relied on a couple thousand reduced-capacity chips to train its latest models. This threatens to upend the current AI calculus, which assumes AI development required mass investment in chips and data centers. DeepSeek’s emergence spooked investors, sending U.S. tech stocks tumbling Monday. Schmidt and Adjodah suggest that this is also a moment to reconsider the value of open-source AI models. Most leading American-made AI models, such as those developed by OpenAI and Anthropic, are closed-source. Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, stands alone as one of the few major tech firms developing open-source AI. Open-source AI makes its underlying components publicly available, which allows others to build on top of it. “It is unlikely that American frontier model companies will change their business models anytime soon, nor is it immediately clear that they should,” Schmidt and Adjodah wrote. “Open and closed competition will most likely find a natural equilibrium, with a range of different offerings and price points for different users.” “But DeepSeek’s release marks a turning point,” they continued. “The path forward for American innovation involves not just ramping up open-source development but also encouraging the sharing of training methodologies and increasing investment in AI research and development.”

Ray Dalio Warns Of Brutal AI War Between U.S. And China: 'No Country Can Lose' --Billionaire investor and Bridgewater hedge fund founder Ray Dalio warned in an interview with All-In podcast co-host David Friedberg that neither the United States nor China can afford to lose the race for AI supremacy, stressing that this technological "war" is far more critical than "profits."

• DAVID FRIEDBERG: I'm a productive asset guy. I like owning businesses that make stuff. In this environment, where do I own a productive asset—a business that can still see its revenue and its income grow as this inflationary effect and this devaluation occurs as we get through a debt crisis like this? What would be the best kind of productive asset? Is it a mining business? Is it a commodity trading business?
• RAY DALIO: I’m with you. So, you know, that chart that we showed in the beginning has this line where productivity is going up. And it tends to compound on itself. And I think that’s where AI, and that is fantastic, but it depends where you’re referring to AI. I think the super scalers in this world have risk issues. You know, you think about the super scalers like Nvidia or others. I think that the tech war, certainly productivity, I’m with you man, but you want to invest in productivity. But there’s great disruption that’s going to take place, and there are going to be the disruptors and the disrupted. It’s not necessarily those who are producing the vehicles, but those who are implementing and changing as a result of having their big impact.
• I think that the tech war, the AI war is more important. It is actually more important. It’s a war that no country can lose because it’s more important than profits. If you lose, if China or the U.S. really lose this war, it’s more important than profits. You have to play that war that way. It could be something like electric vehicles, or more in terms of Chinese electric vehicles, where they can produce them. But I think there are such high expectations. I think we are going to see applications. I think the Chinese are a bit behind in the chips, but they’re ahead in the applications.
• DAVID FRIEDBERG: Did you see the DeepSeek announcement this weekend?
• RAY DALIO: Yes, and that was known for a little while now. The Chinese play is going to be chips—very inexpensive chips embedded into manufactured goods. You’ll see robotics. The Chinese are unbelievably [good] at making things inexpensively. They own 33% of all world-manufactured goods, which is more than the combined US, German, and Japanese manufactured goods. The Chinese produce more.You’re going to see that type of competition, and it may be like solar panels or something. Profit doesn’t matter. I think that where there’s productivity and innovation and disruptors to be. Essentially, being long those who are benefiting themselves through usage or creating the applications that are having the big effect is certainly one thing.

Only Pathetic Bootlickers Spend Their Energy Criticizing China Caitlin Johnstone --The buzz around Xiaohongshu and then DeepSeek has had an unusually high volume of westerners speaking positively about China for the last couple of weeks, which of course means we’re also seeing many westerners falling all over themselves to say “Well actually China is actually quite bad actually” in response. Western liberals who fancy themselves enlightened and critical of power tend to get very squirmy and uncomfortable in their skin when they hear people saying positive things about the PRC, and love nothing more than to tell you that China is just as evil and tyrannical as the western power alliance, if not worse.This is objectively, measurably false. China hasn’t spent the 21st century killing people by the millions in wars of aggression. China isn’t circling the planet with hundreds of military bases while working to destroy any nation or group anywhere in the world who disobeys it. China isn’t strangling nations around the globe with starvation sanctions for refusing to bow to its dictates. China didn’t just spend 15 months lighting the middle east on fire and backing a live-streamed genocide. China hasn’t spent the last three years endangering the world in frequently terrifying acts of nuclear brinkmanship with a rival nuclear superpower. Only the US-centralized empire has done this.Whenever I point this out I get empire apologists going “Well yeah, SO FAR! We haven’t seen China doing all that evil foreign policy shit YET because they’re still not powerful enough!” Which is just silly. China absolutely is powerful enough to be a whole lot more abusive and murderous abroad, and it simply isn’t. Westerners love to claim that China has secret agendas to conquer the world someday (hilariously implying that these hypothetical future abuses make China morally comparable to the US empire’s current known abuses), but if you actually dig into the evidence for these claims what you’ll find every time is that all they provide evidence for is China’s openly stated goal of a multi-polar world that isn’t ruled by Washington.Our ancestors set sail to conquer the world; their ancestors built a wall. This notion that China has an interest in ruling over a bunch of white foreigners has as much rational basis as old racist superstitions that black and brown people wanted equal rights so that they could come and steal white men’s wives and have sex with their daughters.They’re just a better civilization than ours — not because theirs is miraculous or perfect, but because ours is just that murderous and dystopian. They simply do the normal thing while we do the freakish thing: they make the lives of their citizens better and better and avoid unnecessary wars, while western governments make the lives of their citizens worse and worse while plunging into new acts of mass military slaughter every few years.Any criticisms you could level at China — that their domestic policy is more authoritarian than ours, that their culture is more conservative, etc — are eclipsed in moral terms by the depravity of our own western governments by orders of magnitude. And why would you even level such criticisms while living under the single most bloodthirsty and tyrannical power structure on earth? That would be like a German living under the Third Reich looking overseas and bitching about Brazil.I find nothing more pathetic than a westerner who lives under the shadow of the US empire spending their time and energy criticizing the abuses of nations who lie outside that power structure. It’s an embarrassing, bootlicking way to live. Focus on criticizing the far greater abuses of the far greater evil that you actually live under, loser.

Alibaba releases AI model it says surpasses DeepSeek (Reuters) - Chinese tech company Alibaba on Wednesday released a new version of its Qwen 2.5 artificial intelligence model that it claimed surpassed the highly-acclaimed DeepSeek-V3.The unusual timing of the Qwen 2.5-Max's release, on the first day of the Lunar New Year when most Chinese people are off work and with their families, points to the pressure Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's meteoric rise in the past three weeks has placed on not just overseas rivals, but also its domestic competition."Qwen 2.5-Max outperforms ... almost across the board GPT-4o, DeepSeek-V3 and Llama-3.1-405B," Alibaba's cloud unit said in an announcement posted on its official WeChat account, referring to OpenAI and Meta's most advanced open-source AI models.The Jan. 10 release of DeepSeek's AI assistant, powered by the DeepSeek-V3 model, as well as the Jan. 20 release of its R1 model, has shocked Silicon Valley and caused tech shares to plunge, with the Chinese startup's purportedly low development and usage costs prompting investors to question huge spending plans by leading AI firms in the United States.But DeepSeek's success has also led to a scramble among its domestic competitors to upgrade their own AI models.Two days after the release of DeepSeek-R1, TikTok owner ByteDance released an update to its flagship AI model, which it claimed outperformed Microsoft-backed OpenAI's o1 in AIME, a benchmark test that measures how well AI models understand and respond to complex instructions.This echoed DeepSeek's claim that its R1 model rivalled OpenAI's o1 on several performance benchmarks. The predecessor of DeepSeek's V3 model, DeepSeek-V2, triggered an AI model price war in China after it was released last May.The fact that DeepSeek-V2 was open-source and unprecedentedly cheap, only 1 yuan ($0.14) per 1 million tokens - or units of data processed by the AI model - led to Alibaba's cloud unit announcing price cuts of up to 97% on a range of models.Other Chinese tech companies followed suit, including Baidu (9888.HK), opens new tab, which released China's first equivalent to ChatGPT in March 2023, and the country's most valuable internet company Tencent (0700.HK), opens new tab.Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek's enigmatic founder, said in a rare interview with Chinese media outlet Waves in July that the startup "did not care" about price wars and that achieving AGI (artificial general intelligence) was its main goal.OpenAI defines AGI as autonomous systems that surpass humans in most economically valuable tasks.While large Chinese tech companies like Alibaba have hundreds of thousands of employees, DeepSeek operates like a research lab, staffed mainly by young graduates and doctorate students from top Chinese universities.Liang said in his July interview that he believed China's largest tech companies might not be well suited to the future of the AI industry, contrasting their high costs and top-down structures with DeepSeek's lean operation and loose management style. "Large foundational models require continued innovation, tech giants' capabilities have their limits," he said.

Italy blocks Chinese AI tool DeepSeek over privacy concerns -Italy’s data protection authority on Thursday announced it has banned DeepSeek from operating in the country after the Chinese artificial intelligence company told regulators it does not fall under the purview of European data privacy laws.Garante, the Italian regulator, said DeepSeek’s statements are contrary to its understanding of the company’s operations. The agency has launched an investigation into the AI firm, it said in a press release.On Tuesday, Garante announced it had asked DeepSeek to disclose what personal data it collects and for what purpose. It also asked where the data is sourced from, whether it is stored on Chinese servers and what legal basis it has for gathering the data.DeepSeek’s privacy policy says the company stores user data on servers located in China.Garante also asked DeepSeek if it scrapes personal data from the web and how it alerts users about its processing of their data. Italy called the information provided by the companies backing DeepSeek — Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence — “completely insufficient.”In 2023, Garante blocked its citizens from using ChatGPT over data privacy problems. That ban is no longer in place. Scrutiny of DeepSeek appears to be spreading across Europe.Ireland’s Data Protection Commission on Thursday said it queried DeepSeek for answers on its processing of Irish citizens’ data.On Friday, the Belgian consumer protection advocacy organization Testachats announced the country’s data protection regulator has opened an investigation into DeepSeek following a complaint it filed over the company’s “illegal transfer of data.” DeepSeek did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Deep-See On DeepSeek: How Italy’s Ban Might Shape AI Oversight --In the latest move to regulate fast-rising artificial intelligence platforms, yesterday, on January 30th, Italy’s Data Protection Authority (the Garante) has banned the Chinese AI platform DeepSeek, ordering "as a matter of urgency and with immediate effect, the limitation on processing of Italian users' data". DeepSeek, which soared to the top of Apple’s and Google’s app stores in several markets, must now cease processing the personal data of Italian users while it is also under investigation, after responding to the Garante’s inquiries about data sharing, data storage, and GDPR compliance with content that "was deemed entirely unsatisfactory".Ireland and Belgium have launched their own investigations, signaling that Europe’s scrutiny may broaden.This is not the first time a popular AI has run into trouble in Italy. Inearly 2023, the Garante temporarily banned ChatGPT over privacy issues, eventually allowing it back, and publicizing in December 2024 that OpenAI would carry out a six-month information campaign and pay a fine of 15 million euro. DeepSeek’s ban reveals both the increasing willingness of regulators to clamp down on AI tools that may mishandle data and the legal gray areas that surround new technologies. Some Italians, however, have arguably already circumvented the ban through virtual private networks—highlighting how easily a “block” can be bypassed online.DeepSeek’s rapid downfall in Italy suggests a growing appetite among governments to act first and ask questions later. While consumer data protection is crucial, these swift bans can also trigger a chilling effect on AI innovation. Smaller startups may be hesitant to bring their models to market for fear of abrupt, business-ending prohibitions. That said, the Garante’s move also underscores Europe’s heightened focus on data sovereignty and user rights. If DeepSeek can clarify its data practices and conform to GDPR standards, it may—like ChatGPT—return to the Italian market. But if it cannot, it risks being functionally shut out of one of the world’s largest economies, and could trigger a broader ripple effect. For now, DeepSeek’s future in Italy—and possibly elsewhere in Europe—hangs in the balance. The outcome could shape how regulators approach cutting-edge AI developments. If DeepSeek successfully reemerges, it may serve as a blueprint for balancing innovation with robust data governance. If it cannot, it will join the ranks of foreign tech casualties in a fast-shifting privacy landscape. Either way, DeepSeek’s story underscores that while regulation has traditionally lagged behind AI’s breakneck pace, regulators, in the U.S. and all over the world, are catching up faster than ever. Emerging players must decide whether they can meet evolving data protection mandates—because bans, once largely theoretical, are quickly becoming reality.

Insurance firm Globe Life to warn 850,000 of potential data theft following extortion attempt ---About 850,000 customers of insurance firm Globe Life are being warned of a data breach after the company told regulators about an extortion attempt by hackers. In an updated filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company said an investigation into the October 2024 incident revealed that hackers breached databases “maintained by a small number of independent agency owners.” “The Company was not able to confirm if the threat actor acquired information from these databases at the targeted agencies beyond that relating to the approximately 5,000 individuals” originally affected by the incident, the Texas-based company said. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Company has also initiated the process to provide voluntary notifications to, and credit monitoring services for, approximately 850,000 additional individuals whose information was also stored in the relevant databases, even though the Company has not been able to confirm if the threat actor acquired these additional individuals’ data.” In October, Globe Life said hackers attempted to extort the company after stealing information on 5,000 customers of a subsidiary named American Income Life Insurance Company. The hackers obtained Social Security numbers, names, addresses, health-related data and more. The company said the incident did not involve ransomware and reiterated that finding in the updated filing on Thursday. The filing this week confirmed that names, email addresses, phone numbers, postal addresses, Social Security numbers, health data and insurance policy information were accessed by the hackers. Globe Life said it did not pay the extortion demand and instead notified federal law enforcement. Company officials are still in communication with regulatory authorities and law enforcement about the attack. The company plans to cover the costs associated with the cyberattack through insurance but did not say how much has been spent. Much of this data was “distributed to short sellers and plaintiffs’ attorneys,” according to the filing.

FDA, CISA warn of backdoor in popular patient monitor used by US hospitals --Federal agencies are warning hospitals of a backdoor discovered in a popular line of patient monitors sold by Chinese company Contec. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released warnings on Thursday about an embedded function they found in the firmware of the Contec CMS8000 — hardware used to display information like vital signs, temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure. Contec Medical is a medical device company based in Hebei, China. The affected patient monitors are “used in medical settings in the U.S. and European Union,” CISA said. The backdoor “may allow remote code execution and device modification with the ability to alter its configuration, introducing risk to patient safety as a malfunctioning patient monitor could lead to an improper response to patient vital signs.” CISA noted that the Contec CMS8000 may be re-labeled and sold by resellers, with the FDA explaining that Epsimed MN-120 patient monitors are also Contec CMS8000 devices inside. The FDA said in a statement that the monitors “may be remotely controlled by an unauthorized user or not work as intended.” CISA tagged the vulnerabilities as CVE-2024-12248, CVE-2025-0626 and CVE-2025-0683. The FDA said it has not seen any cybersecurity incidents, injuries or deaths that related to the vulnerabilities but warned that the bugs would allow hackers to bypass security controls and manipulate devices. Contec did not respond to requests for comment. There is no software patch to address the issues discovered by the two agencies. “The FDA and CISA continue to work with Contec to correct these vulnerabilities as soon as possible.” The software on the monitors “includes a backdoor, which may mean that the device or the network to which the device has been connected may have been or could be compromised,” the FDA said. “Once the patient monitor is connected to the internet, it begins gathering patient data, including personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), and exfiltrating (withdrawing) the data outside of the health care delivery environment.” CISA said the IP address connected to the backdoor is “not associated with a medical device manufacturer or medical facility but a third-party university.” The agency did not name the university or its location. CISA and the FDA did not respond to requests for comment about the university. Patients and healthcare providers should ask healthcare facilities if their devices have remote monitoring features, which allow hospital officials to look at patient vital signals from another location, the agencies said. If it is confirmed that a device allows remote monitoring, “unplug the device and stop using it,” the FDA warned. Patients should ask for an alternative patient monitor. The agency urged hospital staff to use only local monitoring features, which would allow them to unplug the device’s ethernet cable and disable wireless capabilities. “The FDA has authorized these patient monitors only for wired functionality (that is, ethernet connectivity). However, the FDA is aware that some patient monitors may be available with wireless (that is, WiFi or cellular) capabilities without FDA authorization,” the agency noted.

Crypto.com to delist Tether, PayPal stablecoins due to EU regs -- The Crypto.com exchange has suspended purchases of several cryptocurrencies in the European Union as it works to follow stricter regulations for digital assets. The cryptocurrency exchange made the move to follow the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, which tightens rules for digital assets in the European Union.

What bankers need to know about the Trump coin -- President Donald Trump ventured into the crypto-sphere with a new coin released shortly before his inauguration. Like all alt coins, it is subject to volatility and uncertainty. Here’s what bankers need to know, to aid their own decision-making and to advise their customers. President Donald Trump and the first lady released their own cryptocurrencies. Experts compare them to Beanie Babies and dogecoin.

BankThink: What the critics of a strategic bitcoin reserve don't understand Last July, at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced her plan for the U.S. government to accumulate a strategic bitcoin reserve, or SBR. Critics have lobbed objections, but many of the complaints misunderstand the purpose of a currency reserve. For the same reasons that central banks currently hold reserves in the form of foreign exchange and gold, it also makes sense for them to add bitcoin to their portfolios. There are reasons to be cautious about how a strategic reserve of the cryptocurrency is established, but the economic arguments for including it in the federal government's portfolio are strong.

Trump's crypto shadow reaches Europe --The governor of Czech Republic's central bank is pushing his government to invest the country's reserves into bitcoin, saying Donald Trump and "Trump guys" are focusing on cryptocurrency in a manner that could cause it to rise in value. The Czech Republic's central bank plans to shift billions of reserves to bitcoin. Plus Australia and the Netherlands crack down on BNPL, and other news from the world of payments.

"I Like Profitability" - Czech Central Bank Boss Wants To Buy Billions In Bitcoin For Reserves | The Czech National Bank (CNB) may become the first European central bank to invest in Bitcoin as part of its diversification strategy for the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Governor Aleš Michl told the Financial Times that he would present a plan to the board to invest in bitcoin as a way of diversifying the CNB’s reserves at a meeting on Thursday. “For the diversification of our assets, bitcoin seems good,” Michl said in an interview.“Those [Trump] guys can now kind of create some bubble for bitcoin, but I think the trend would be an increase without those guys as well, because it’s an alternative [investment] for more people.” Should the board approve this, then the CNB could eventually hold as much as 5 per cent of its €140bn of reserves in bitcoin, he said.

Emerging cryptocurrency stuns market with game-changing acquisition: 'Represents a significant milestone' -An emerging cryptocurrency that has been gaining popularity globally made itself even more attractive with a recent acquisition. As relayed by PR Newswire last month, a complementary cryptocurrency called Letscoin secured a whopping three billion metric tonnes of approved carbon credits for use on the voluntary offset market."This transaction represents a significant milestone in sales and purchase placement involving the digitalisation mechanism of a complementary crypto stable coin," Thana Balan P Jagnathan, the co-founder of Letscoin, said in a statement. "We achieved this groundbreaking transaction through a secure carbon credit preservation and exchange program using tokenization which was launched in June 2024 in Indonesia and November 2024 in Malaysia respectively."Jean Bilala, the executive chairman of Letscoin, added: "This is a significant step forward for Letscoin and the validation of the system as a complimentary cryptocurrency in favour of USDT. … The success of this transaction proves the quality and stability of Letscoin (LTSC) and the importance of a complementary market exchange backed with physical fiat, with the addition of a verified voluntary carbon credit offset, is a game changer."

Powell: Law-abiding crypto customers shouldn't lose accounts -- Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said examiners should not be encouraging banks to drop law-abiding customers simply because they own or deal in cryptocurrencies. The Federal Reserve chair said banks are well situated to handle risks related to crypto customers, but added that regulatory scrutiny of banks' direct engagement with the assets will be greater than for simple custody arrangements.

Whom will Trump pick to run his banking agenda at the Fed? - President Donald Trump's financial policy team has begun to take shape with the confirmation of Scott Bessent as treasury secretary, but many of the positions that proved most troublesome to banks during the Biden administration remain open. Federal Reserve Gov. Michelle Bowman is widely seen as the president's most likely choice for vice chair for supervision, a position soon to be vacated by Michael Barr. But while Bowman is the administration's most straightforward option, it's not the only one being considered.

Bank groups urge Bessent to tap Bowman for Fed vice chair - Bank groups in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico, asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to choose Federal Reserve Gov. Michelle Bowman as the central bank's vice chair for supervision in a letter sent Thursday. State banking associations across the country said that Michelle Bowman should be the Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision, not least because she already sits on the Fed board and could start immediately.

Banks say preventing fraud is top spending priority: Research --In 2025, banks plan to make significant increases to their tech spending, and enhanced security and fraud mitigation are the top priority according to research released this month by American Banker. A survey by American Banker indicates that check fraud is the top fraud concern for banks, especially smaller ones. This is driving spending to prevent it.

Europe seen delaying bank trading rules on Trump uncertainty -- Bankers and regulators expect the European Union to further delay stricter capital standards for lenders' trading businesses over uncertainty related to whether the U.S. will implement the rules. Industry representatives such as the European Banking Federation are lobbying the European Commission to push back stricter capital standards rules until the beginning of 2027.

The Capital One Outage and Third-Party Risks -When it comes to a financial institution’s reputation, few things are more critical than the customers’ confidence that their accounts are readily available. Many institutions rely on third-party providers to perform critical processes, including hosting and maintaining the financial systems used to manage customer accounts.Although financial institutions frequently attempt to shift operational risks to third parties, customers who encounter account access issues often hold the financial institution responsible. The ownership of risk ultimately rests with the institution. In this situation, the average customer sees the logo of the financial institution, and from the customers’ perspective, the financial institution is withholding their money.On January 15, 2025, thousands of Capital One customers reported outages in the institution’s online banking platform. The outage lasted five days, and users were unable to complete transactions or view accurate account balances. The disruption in Capital One’s online services was caused by a power outage with a critical third-party vendor partially responsible for hosting Capital One’s online banking platforms. During the outage, customers were not able to access their accounts until the vendor restored operations. Although the timeline of service restoration was not within Capital One’s control, the institution experienced the largest share of reputation loss due to the incident. While financial institutions cannot ensure round-the-clock availability of third-party services, outsourcing critical processes remains a key strategy for staying competitive in the digital era. Implementing comprehensive risk assessment, disaster recovery, business continuity and due diligence measures enables institutions to minimize the effects of service disruptions and address customer dissatisfaction effectively.

Wells Fargo's co-CEO of corporate and investment banking steps down -- Jon Weiss, Wells Fargo's co-CEO of corporate and investment banking resigned from his position with plans to retire; A new CFPB report says military service members paid more for auto loans and add-on products; City National Bank's Kelly Coffee is leaving the bank after her 2023 demotion; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

BankThink: Trump's DEI order collides with the FDIC workplace scandal - President Donald Trump issued a sweeping order last week to crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at federal agencies and in doing so may have made it harder for the new leadership at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to dig out from the workplace-harassment scandal that has dogged the agency for the last year. President Trump's executive order is meant to roll back his predecessor's emphasis on diversity and inclusion, but it could also complicate the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s efforts to correct its own workplace-harassment problems.

Fed's Bowman warns against policies that lead to debanking -- Federal Reserve Gov. Michelle Bowman is the latest official to speak out against policies that encourage banks to drop law-abiding customers. In a Friday speech, Federal Reserve Board member Michelle Bowman said regulation and supervision should be aimed at expanding banking access, not limiting it.

Trump eyes Biden's green bank, EV tax credits amid freeze - A $400 billion green bank for clean energy project and a popular consumer tax credit for electric vehicles are among federal programs being scrutinized amid a broader order from the Trump administration for a government-wide spending freeze.The Office of Management and Budget issued a sweeping directive Monday to overhaul the federal government to align with the Trump administration's priorities.

CFPB orders Wise to pay $2.5M for illegal remittance practices -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered digital remittance provider Wise U.S. Inc. to pay $2.5 million for advertising inaccurate fees and failing to properly disclose exchange rates, a characterization that the company said it disagreed with. Money remittance provider Wise said it "strongly disagrees" with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's characterization that it advertised inaccurate fees and did not properly disclose exchange rates.

Chopra out at the CFPB -- Former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra in a Feb. 1 letter to President Donald Trump confirmed that his "term as CFPB Director has concluded."

Senate Budget advances Russell Vought over Democrats' protest — The Senate Budget Committee sent Russell Vought's nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, to the full Senate in an 11-0 vote. Russell Vought, should he be confirmed by the full Senate, would join a short list of those able to lead the CFPB, as his predecessor Mick Mulvaney did, per the requirements of the Vacancies Act.

Elon Musk's X begins its push into financial services with Visa deal -Elon Musk's social media platform X on Tuesday announced the launch of a digital wallet and peer-to-peer payments services provided by Visa . X struck a deal with Visa, the largest U.S. credit card network, to be the first partner for what it is calling the X Money Account, CEO Linda Yaccarino announced in a post on the platform. Visa will enable X users to move funds between traditional bank accounts and their digital wallet and make instant peer-to-peer payments, Yaccarino said, like with Zelle or Venmo. It's the first concrete move from X to create a financial ecosystem for the social media site, which was called Twitter before Musk purchased it in 2022. At the time, Musk, who's also CEO of Tesla , said the $44 billion acquisition was a way to create an "everything app." He later said the platform would enable users to conduct their "entire financial world" on it. In 2021 while Jack Dorsey was at the helm of Twitter, the company launched a bitcoin tipping feature that allowed users to add their crypto wallet addresses and receive payments in the world's largest digital token. But attaining status as a money service business in the U.S. required navigating a far more complex regulatory landscape. For over a year, Musk has been applying for these licenses for X. According to its website, X Payments LLC is licensed in 41 states and registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN. The X Money service is expected to launch in the first quarter, and deals with more financial partners are likely, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. One of the first use cases for X Money is to allow creators on the site to accept payments and store funds without external institutions, said this person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. In November 2022, Musk suggested to the platform's advertisers in a meeting publicly broadcast on Spaces that its coming payments product might ultimately offer certain banking features, such as a high-yield money market account. Representatives of Visa declined to comment on the matter.

A record number of consumers are making minimum credit cards payments as delinquencies also rise Consumer stress has intensified, with an escalating share of credit card holders making only minimum payments on their bills, according to a Philadelphia Federal Reserve report.In fact, the share of active holders just making baseline payments on their cards jumped to a 12-year high, data through the third quarter of 2024 shows.The level rose to 10.75% for the period, part of a continuing trend that began in 2021 and has accelerated as average interest rates have soared and delinquencies also have accelerated. The increase also marked a series high for a data set that began in 2012.Along with the trend in minimum payments came a move higher in delinquency rates.The share of balances more than 30 days past due rose to 3.52%, an increase from 3.21%, for a year-over-year gain of more than 10%. It also is more than double the delinquency level of the pandemic-era low of 1.57% hit in the second quarter of 2021.The news counters a general narrative of a healthy consumer who has kept on spending despite inflation hitting a more than 40-year high in mid-2022 and holding above the Fed's 2% target for nearly four years. To be sure, there remain plentiful positive signs. Even with the rising delinquency rate, the pace is still well below the 6.8% peak during the 2008-09 financial crisis and not yet indicative of serious strains."A lot remains unknown. We've seen in the past few days how quickly things might be changing," said Elizabeth Renter, senior economist at personal finance company NerdWallet. "The baseline expectation is consumers in aggregate economywide will remain strong."Adjusted for inflation, consumer spending rose 2.9% on an annual basis in November, according to Goldman Sachs, which noted Tuesday that it sees consumers as "a source of strength" in the economy. The firm estimates that consumer spending will slow some in 2025, but still grow at a healthy 2.3% real rate this year, and Goldman sees delinquency rates showing signs of leveling.However, if the trend of solid consumer spending holds, it will come against some daunting headwinds. Average credit card rates have climbed to 21.5%, or about 50% higher than three years ago, according to Fed data. Investopediaputs the average rate even higher, at 24.4%, noting that so-called low-cost cards that are given to borrowers with poor or no credit history have topped 30%. Consumers haven't gotten any help from the Fed: Even as the central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by a full percentage point last year, credit card costs remained elevated.Those rates are hitting much higher balances, with money owed on revolving credit swelling to $645 billion, up 52.5% since hitting a decade low of $423 billion in the second quarter of 2021, according to the Philadelphia Fed.Renter noted that an increasing number of respondents — now at 48% — to the firm's own consumer survey reported using credit cards for essentials. Moreover, the NerdWallet survey also found an even higher level, more like 22%, saying they are only making minimum payments.With average credit card balances at $10,563, it would take 22 years and cost $18,000 in interest when just paying the minimum, according to NerdWallet."With higher prices, people are going to turn to credit cards more to use for necessities. You tack on higher interest rates and then you have more difficulty getting by," Renter said. "If they're only making the minimum payment, you can go very quickly from getting by to drowning."The trend in that direction is not encouraging. A recently released New York Fed survey for December found that the average perceived probability for missing a minimum debt payment over the next three months stood at 14.2%, tied with September for the highest since April 2020.Mortgage originations hit a more than 12-year low in the third quarter as well, according to the Philadelphia Fed report. After peaking at $219 billion in third quarter of 2021, originations are just $63 billion three years later. "With high mortgage rates, consumers who have locked in low fixed-rate mortgages have little motivation to refinance, reducing mortgage demand," the central bank branch said in the report.Moreover, debt-to-income ratios on home loans also are on the rise, hitting 26% most recently, or 4 percentage points higher over the past five years. The typical 30-year mortgage rate recently has swelled above 7%, posing another obstacle for housing and homeownership.

MBA: Delinquency Rates for Commercial Properties Increased in Fourth-Quarter 2024 = From the MBA: Delinquency Rates for Commercial Properties Increased in Fourth-Quarter 2024 - Delinquency rates for mortgages backed by commercial properties increased during the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) latest commercial real estate finance (CREF) Loan Performance Survey. "The delinquency rate for commercial mortgages increased during the final three months of 2024, with increases across most capital sources and property types,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist. “The challenges facing different sectors vary – with office properties perhaps facing the most challenging combination of weaker fundamentals and stubbornly high interest rates. However, despite the current conditions, other property types continue to benefit from a relatively strong economy.” The balance of commercial mortgages that are not current increased slightly in the fourth quarter of 2024.
• The share of loans that were delinquent increased for some property types, particularly office, lodging, retail, and multifamily. Delinquencies decreased for industrial properties.
• Among capital sources, CMBS loan delinquency rates saw the highest levels but were flat during the quarter.
• 5.3% of CMBS loan balances were 30 days or more delinquent, up from 4.8% at the end of last quarter.
• Non-current rates for other capital sources remained more moderate.
• 1.0% of FHA multifamily and health care loan balances were 30 days or more delinquent, up from 0.87% at the end of last quarter.
• 0.86% of life company loan balances were delinquent, down from 0.94%.
• 0.6% of GSE loan balances were delinquent, up from 0.5% the previous quarter.

Congress to mull long-term fix for federal flood insurance -- Congress will formally mull a long-term solution for the embattled National Flood Insurance Program. The FEMA-operated program has over 4.7 million policies in force, and lawmakers have kept it intact via dozens of short-term extensions since 2017.

Why the home insurance model is broken --A rash of fast-moving wildfires have wreaked havoc across Los Angeles in recent weeks. Following the outbreak of the Hughes fire, the structural toll of the January wildfires now exceeds 16,000. Early estimates place the economic toll of the fires between $250 billion and $275 billion. Now, property insurers in the state are facing a historic payout, an estimated $40 billion."Preliminary loss estimates are running in the range of $30 to $50 billion", says David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. "That will be the largest fire related catastrophe globally in history."For many California homeowners the situation is dire. Several major property insurance companies, including the state's largest insurer, State Farm, announced pullbacks in coverage in recent years. Some have restricted underwriting in high-risk ZIP codes, others have pulled out of the state all together. Homeowners who have lost their home insurance are largely turning to what is called the 'insurer of last resort', the California FAIR Plan.Malibu homeowner Joan Zoloth is one of more than 449,000 Californians covered under the FAIR Plan."I had to scramble for as many people do in California, had to scramble for insurance," says Zoloth. "I called agents and said, 'What do I do?' And they said, 'You know, it's going to be very hard for you to get insurance'". Along with private insurers, the FAIR Plan also faces a massive payout, an estimated $8 billion in losses. An amount the FAIR Plan simply can't cover. As of Jan. 10, 2025, it had only $377 million to pay claims, as well as an additional $5.78 billion in reinsurance. It's not just Californians who are grappling with losing insurance due to severe climate risks and worsening disasters. According to Realtor.com, 44.8% of all U.S. homes are in areas that face at least one severe or extreme climate risk. That includes flooding, wildfires, heat, wind and air quality risks. Insurers have also been limiting underwriting in parts of Florida, Louisiana and Texas as natural disasters grow in intensity and cost.

How Climate Change and Widespread Unaffordable Home Insurance Will Wreck Property Values by Yves Smith -- As with the odds of success of the West against Russia in Ukraine or America in a military contest with China, there’s rampant denial of the impact of climate change on property values (commercial as well as residential) in at-risk areas. Along with that is undue fixation of trying to tinker with property insurance as if that could somehow combat the fact that losses are sure to swamp the ability of anyone but perhaps governments to pick up the tab. And that’s not a viable solution. Socialization of risk on this level, particularly given the lack of precedents, is already intensely political and will become only more so. And there’s no consensus on what to do. There are still quite a few who regard talk of global warming as a World Economic Forum “eat your bugs” plot.¹ Climate cognoscenti argue for relocating people and communities to more “sustainable” places. But many are unwilling to move. So as things get more dire, what draconian measure will be imposed to dislodge them? Condemning entire communities with the required eminent domain payoffs?² Or resorting to cheaper forms of coercion, like cutting off power or water or garbage services? Or consider what is happening in Los Angeles. We’ve pointed out that allowing rebuilding with wooden homes is asking for more of the same. But wood-framed houses are likely the cheapest option. But new construction is going to be beyond the means of most, even in the wealthiest neighborhoods. From Daily Mail:A Los Angeles realtor believes a staggering 70 percent of Pacific Palisades residents may never return to rebuild their homes… ‘They’re not staying away because they don’t want to return,’ [Josh] Altman told Fox Business. ‘Of course they want to go back there. They’re not going to return because it’s simple math. I don’t believe they’re going to be able to afford to rebuild.’ Altman is known for brokering high-end real estate deals across Los Angeles, outlined a daunting economic landscape. ‘We’re talking about $1,000 per square foot to build in places like the Palisades and Malibu. With most people heavily underinsured and construction costs skyrocketing – lumber, steel, everything – it’s just not feasible for many,’ he said. And there’s been resistance by burnt-out residents to the idea of rebuilding the less affluent Altadena area as apartments. But there’s no other realistic option given the typical financial situation. And this points to a second general problem as to what to do next. No one seems willing to lower the hammer and change zoning requirements in climate-whacked neighborhoods so as to greatly reduce their vulnerability (even assuming such a thing were possible). Instead, the policy focus is on tinkering with insurance, which is a rearranging-the-deck-chairs-on-the-Titanic level reaction. But the fixation on the presently-less-contentious topic of insurance defers dealing with the excruciatingly hard problem about what to do about buildings and communities. In other words, there’s widespread rejection of a new normal: that a downward reset in living standards and/or wealth that many (most?) Katrina victims suffered is in store for all but the wealthiest climate change housing casualties. And as climate damage to real property accumulates, those values will similarly reset in a big way. But due to the way the US property and casualty insurance industry operates, and the problem we flagged above, that the kick-the-can approach is to try to forestall the inevitable with insurance, it will happen on a state-by-state level as opposed to community level. In other words, as we’ll describe, the inertial path is that in states with large climate change exposed regions, the entire states will have unaffordable or barely affordable home insurance. That means property values will fall. Even cash only buyers face high insurance costs or bearing the risks themselves. For buyers that can’t stump up a purchase price, their ability to borrow will be greatly constrained because they have to be able to afford the insurance premiums, and that will eat up so much from a monthly housing budget that very little would be left for mortgage payments. Much lower mortgage borrowings means much lower housing prices.³

MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey -From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications decreased 2.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 24, 2025. This week’s results include an adjustment for the Martin Luther King holiday.The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 2.0 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 9 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 7 percent from the previous week and was 5 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 0.4 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 4 percent compared with the previous week and was 7 percent lower than the same week one year ago.“Mortgage rates were mixed last week, and the 30-year fixed rate remained unchanged at 7.02 percent. Application activity was slightly weaker, primarily because of a 7 percent decline in refinancing across both conventional and government loans,” . “Purchase activity decreased slightly, but applications for FHA purchase loans were a bright spot, increasing by 2 percent. New and existing-home sales ended 2024 on a strong note, and if mortgage rates continue to stabilize and for-sale inventory loosens, we expect a gradual pick up in purchase activity in the coming months.” .The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) remained unchanged at 7.02 percent, with points increasing to 0.63 from 0.62 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans.The first graph shows the MBA mortgage purchase index. According to the MBA, purchase activity is down 7% year-over-year unadjusted. ). Purchase application activity is up about 30% from the lows in late October 2023 and is now 8% above the lowest levels during the housing bust. The second graph shows the refinance index since 1990.

Mortgage demand drops further, even as interest rates settle -- Mortgage rates didn't move last week, but demand for new home loans continued to weaken. Both homebuyers and current homeowners are hampered by today's higher interest rates. Total mortgage application volume decreased 2% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) remained unchanged at 7.02%, with points increasing to 0.63 from 0.62 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment. Applications to refinance a home loan dropped 7% for the week and were 5% higher than the same week one year ago. Interest rates are now 24 basis points higher than they were a year ago, so there are precious few who can benefit. The vast majority of homeowners have mortgages with rates well below what is being offered today. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home fell 0.4% from one week earlier and were 7% lower than the same week one year ago. "Purchase activity decreased slightly, but applications for FHA purchase loans were a bright spot, increasing by 2 percent," said Joel Kan, vice president and deputy chief economist at the MBA. "New and existing-home sales ended 2024 on a strong note, and if mortgage rates continue to stabilize and for-sale inventory loosens, we expect a gradual pick up in purchase activity in the coming months." Mortgage rates have not moved much to start this week either, and Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting is not expected to bring any surprises or tradeable news. "Even Powell would be hard pressed to shake things up too much considering the mildly positive cue from inflation data and the ongoing policy uncertainty as a counterbalance," wrote Matthew Graham, chief operating officer at Mortgage News Daily. "That said, one can never truly rule out a volatile reaction to a Powell presser, but the odds are certainly lower this time around."

Housing Jan 27th Weekly Update: Inventory Up 0.7% Week-over-week, Up 26.5% Year-over-year --Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 1.2% week-over-week. Inventory always declines seasonally in the Winter and usually bottoms in late January or February. If two weeks ago was the seasonal bottom, that would be very early in the year, but that has happened before.The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015.The red line is for 2024. The black line is for 2019. Inventory was up 26.5% compared to the same week in 2024 (last week it was up 24.8%), and down 23.0% compared to the same week in 2019 (last week it was down 23.4%). Back in June 2023, inventory was down almost 54% compared to 2019, so the gap to more normal inventory levels has closed significantly his second inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of Jan 24th, inventory was at 637 thousand (7-day average), compared to 632 thousand the prior week. Mike Simonsen discusses this data regularly on Youtube

Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 3.8% year-over-year in November -S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for November ("November" is a 3-month average of September, October and November closing prices). This release includes prices for 20 individual cities, two composite indices (for 10 cities and 20 cities) and the monthly National index. From S&P S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index Records 3.8% Annual Gain in November 2024The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a 3.8% annual return for November, up from a 3.6% annual gain in the previous month. The 10-City Composite saw an annual increase of 4.9%, recording the same annual increase in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a year-over-year increase of 4.3%, up from a 4.2% increase in the previous month. New York again reported the highest annual gain among the 20 cities with a 7.3% increase in November, followed by Chicago and Washington with annual increases of 6.2% and 5.9%, respectively. Tampa posted the lowest return, falling 0.4%. ... The pre-seasonally adjusted U.S. National, 20-City, and 10-City Composite Indices’ upward trends continued to reverse in November, with a -0.1% drop for the national index, while the 20-City Composite saw a -0.1% decline and the 10-City Composite was unchanged. After seasonal adjustment, the U.S. National, 20-City, and 10-City Composite Indices all posted a month-over-month increase of 0.4%. “With the exception of pockets of above-trend performance, national home prices are trending below historical averages,”. “Markets in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago are well above norms, with New York leading the way. Unsurprisingly, the Northeast was the fastest growing region, averaging a 6.1% annual gain. However, markets out west and in once red-hot Florida are trending well below average growth. Tampa’s decline is the first annual drop for any market in over a year. Returns for the Tampa market and entire Southern region rank in the bottom quartile of historical annual gains, with data going back to 1988. “Despite below-trend growth, our National Index hit its 18th consecutive all-time high on a seasonally adjusted basis,” Luke continued. “Again, with the exception of Tampa, all markets rose monthly with seasonal adjustment. With New York leading the nation for the seventh consecutive month and U.S. banks reporting strong Q4 earnings, this could set the Big Apple up as we close out the year.” The first graph shows the nominal seasonally adjusted Composite 10, Composite 20 and National indices (the Composite 20 was started in January 2000). The Composite 10 index was up 0.4% in November (SA). The Composite 20 index was up 0.4% (SA) in November. The National index was up 0.4% (SA) in November. The second graph shows the year-over-year change in all three indices. The Composite 10 SA was up 4.9% year-over-year. The Composite 20 SA was up 4.3% year-over-year. The National index SA was up 3.8% year-over-year. Annual price changes were close to expectations. I'll have more later.

Newsletter: Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 3.8% year-over-year in November --Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 3.8% year-over-year in November Excerpt: S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for November ("November" is a 3-month average of September, October and November closing prices). November closing prices include some contracts signed in July, so there is a significant lag to this data. Here is a graph of the month-over-month (MoM) change in the Case-Shiller National Index Seasonally Adjusted (SA). The MoM increase in the seasonally adjusted (SA) Case-Shiller National Index was at 0.44% (a 5.3% annual rate), This was the 22nd consecutive MoM increase in the seasonally adjusted index. On a seasonally adjusted basis, prices increased month-to-month in 18 of the 20 Case-Shiller cities (prices declined in Seattle and Tampa seasonally adjusted). San Francisco has fallen 6.42% from the recent peak, Phoenix is down 2.1% from the peak, and Denver down 1.7%.

Inflation Adjusted House Prices 1.1% Below 2022 Peak; Price-to-rent index is 7.8% below 2022 peak -Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Inflation Adjusted House Prices 1.1% Below 2022 Peak Excerpt: It has been over 18 years since the housing bubble peak. In the November Case-Shiller house price index released yesterday, the seasonally adjusted National Index (SA), was reported as being 77% above the bubble peak in 2006. However, in real terms, the National index (SA) is about 12% above the bubble peak (and historically there has been an upward slope to real house prices). The composite 20, in real terms, is 3% above the bubble peak. People usually graph nominal house prices, but it is also important to look at prices in real terms. As an example, if a house price was $300,000 in January 2010, the price would be $436,000 today adjusted for inflation (45% increase). That is why the second graph below is important - this shows "real" prices. The third graph shows the price-to-rent ratio, and the fourth graph is the affordability index. The last graph shows the 5-year real return based on the Case-Shiller National Index. ... The second graph shows the same two indexes in real terms (adjusted for inflation using CPI). In real terms (using CPI), the National index is 1.1% below the recent peak, and the Composite 20 index is 1.3% below the recent peak in 2022. The real National index and the Composite 20 index increased slightly in real terms in November. It has now been 30 months since the real peak in house prices. Typically, after a sharp increase in prices, it takes a number of years for real prices to reach new highs (see House Prices: 7 Years in Purgatory)

NAR: Pending Home Sales Decrease 5.5% in December; Down 5.0% Year-over-year -From the NAR: Pending Home Sales Fell 5.5% in December Pending home sales retracted 5.5% in December – following four consecutive months of increases – according to the National Association of REALTORS®. All four U.S. regions experienced month-over-month losses in transactions, with the most significant fall in the West. Year-over-year, contract signings reduced in all four U.S. regions, with the Midwest seeing the largest decrease. The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)* – a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings – slid 5.5% to 74.2 in December. Year-over-year, pending transactions declined 5.0%. Last year’s cyclical low point occurred in July 2024 at 70.2. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001. “After four straight months of gains in contract signings, one step back is not welcome news, but it is not entirely surprising,” “Economic data never moves in a straight line. High mortgage rates have not significantly dented housing demand due to greater numbers of cash transactions.” ... The Northeast PHSI fell 8.1% from last month to 62.3, down 1.3% from December 2023. The Midwest index shrunk 4.9% to 74.3 in December, down 6.9% from the previous year. The South PHSI slipped 2.7% to 90.6 in December, down 5.1% from a year ago. The West index tumbled by 10.3% from the prior month to 57.7, down 5.1% from December 2023. Note: Contract signings usually lead sales by about 45 to 60 days, so this would usually be for closed sales in January and February.

New Home Sales Increase to 698,000 Annual Rate in December The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 698 thousand. The previous three months were revised down slightly, combined.Sales of new single-family houses in December 2024 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 698,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 3.6 percent above the revised November rate of 674,000 and is 6.7 percent above the December 2023 estimate of 654,000. An estimated 683,000 new homes were sold in 2024. This is 2.5 percent above the 2023 figure of 666,000. The first graph shows New Home Sales vs. recessions since 1963. The dashed line is the current sales rate. New home sales were at pre-pandemic levels. The second graph shows New Home Months of Supply.The months of supply decreased in December to 8.5 months from 8.7 months in November. The all-time record high was 12.2 months of supply in January 2009. The all-time record low was 3.3 months in August 2020. This is well above the top of the normal range (about 4 to 6 months of supply is normal)."The seasonally-adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of December was 494,000. This represents a supply of 8.5 months at the current sales rate. "Sales were above expectations of 670 thousand SAAR, however sales for the three previous months were revised down, combined. I'll have more later today.

Newsletter: New Home Sales Increase to 698,000 Annual Rate in December --Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: New Home Sales Increase to 698,000 Annual Rate in December Brief excerpt: The Census Bureau reported New Home Sales in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 698 thousand. The previous three months were revised down slightly, combined. ... The next graph shows new home sales for 2023 and 2024 by month (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate). Sales in December 2024 were up 6.7% from December 2023. New home sales, seasonally adjusted, have increased year-over-year in 19 of the last 21 months. This is essentially the opposite of what happened with existing home sales that had been down year-over-year every month for 3+ years (existing home sales have been up year-over-year for the last 3 months).

Hotels: Occupancy Rate Increased 6.7% Year-over-year -From STR: U.S. hotel results for week ending 18 January --On the positive side of the MLK Day calendar shift, the U.S. hotel industry reported positive year-over-year comparisons, according to CoStar’s latest data through 18 January. ... 12-18 January 2025 (percentage change from comparable week in 2024):
• Occupancy: 55.8% (+6.7%)
• Average daily rate (ADR): US$155.81 (+10.0%)
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$86.93 (+17.4%)
The following graph shows the seasonal pattern for the hotel occupancy rate using the four-week average. The red line is for 2025, blue is the median, and dashed light blue is for 2024. Dashed purple is for 2018, the record year for hotel occupancy. The 4-week average of the occupancy rate is tracking both last year and the median rate for the period 2000 through 2024 (Blue).This is the weakest period of the year for hotel occupancy and the 4-week average will increase seasonally for the next several months.

Las Vegas in 2024: Visitor Traffic Up 2.1% YoY; Convention Traffic Unchanged YoY -From the Las Vegas Visitor Authority: December 2024 Las Vegas Visitor Statistics Closing out the year with Dec visitation of 3.4M visitors (+0.2% YoY), Las Vegas hosted approx. 41.7M visitors for the year, up 2.1% from last year’s 40.8M visitors. With a strong December to end the year, Las Vegas convention attendance reached roughly 6.0M for the year, matching last year's tally. December occupancy reached 81.9%, up 2.0 pts with ADR and RevPAR seeing YoY increases of +3.7% and +6.3% respectively. For the year, Hotel occupancy landed at 83.6%, just ahead of last year (up 0.1 pts) with annual Weekend occupancy of 90.8% (up 0.1 pts) and annual Midweek occupancy of 80.4%, also up 0.1 pts. Annual ADR reached $193 (+1.0% YoY) with annual RevPAR of $161 (+1.1% YoY). The first graph shows visitor traffic for 2019 (Black), 2020 (dark blue), 2021 (light blue), 2022 (light orange), 2023 (dark orange) and 2024 (red). Visitor traffic was up 0.2% compared to last December. Visitor traffic was down 3.2% compared to December 2019. Annual visitor traffic was down 2.0% compared to 2019.The second graph shows convention traffic. Convention traffic was up 42.7% compared to December 2023, and down 9.1% compared to December 2019. Annual convention traffic was down 9.8% compared to 2019.

Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Decrease to 207,000 --The DOL reported: In the week ending January 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 207,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 223,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,500, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 213,500. The following graph shows the 4-week moving average of weekly claims since 1971. The dashed line on the graph is the current 4-week average. The four-week average of weekly unemployment claims decreased to 212,500. The previous week was unrevised. Weekly claims were below the consensus forecast.

Spirit Airlines' updates rules on clothing and tattoos - Spirit Airlines said its passengers may not be allowed to board the aircraft or can be forced to leave if they are sporting “lewd” clothing and/or have not covered “offensive” tattoos, according to updated rules. The low-budget airline outlined in its contract of carriage that travelers could be kicked off the flight if they were “inadequately clothed” or “whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature.” Spirit said “inadequately clothed” will include “see-through clothing; not adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts.” In recent years, some passengers have been denied boarding over their clothing choices, including wearing short-shorts, leggings or going without a bra. In the contract, updated Wednesday, Spirit stated that a passenger could be denied boarding their plane if they have “an offensive odor unless caused by a qualified disability.”

Fox Super Bowl ads beckon up to $8 million apiece - Fox Corp. is scoring big this Super Bowl. The broadcaster has sold out of ad spots for Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9, and more than 10 of those commercials sold for $8 million apiece, according to a person familiar with the matter. Fox reported during its November earnings call with investors that it sold out of ad spots for the Super Bowl in the fall of 2024. At the time, media reports pegged average prices at more than $7 million per ad. "We're sold out for the Super Bowl at record — what we believe [is] a record pricing," Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said on November's call. Much of the ad inventory for the Super Bowl was sold during Fox's Upfront presentation to investors last spring, and when it became clear that open spots were dwindling, the price of each unit stepped up, said the person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic matters. Typically, pricing for Super Bowl ads can escalate by about $100,000 as remaining inventory lessens and game day approaches. This year, the jump in price was closer to $500,000 per spot, the person said. The voracious appetite for commercial time during the country's biggest live sports event is no surprise, even if the pricing is eye-popping. Live sports continue to beckon the biggest audiences as the cable TV bundle shrinks, making the matches some of the most coveted programming on live TV for advertisers. Last year, an estimated 123.7 million people watched the Super Bowl, which was aired on Paramount's CBS broadcast network, streaming service Paramount+ and Spanish-language telecaster Univision, among other platforms, according to Nielsen. In 2023, the last time the Super Bowl aired on Fox, more than 115 million viewers tuned in. These audience sizes are a key reason why media giants have shelled out hefty sums for the rights to NFL games.

Murdered JonBenet Ramsey's father reveals latest development in hunt to find her killer after meeting Colorado cops -- The father of murdered JonBenét Ramsey has revealed the latest development after meeting with local police to solve the decades-long cold case. John Ramsey sat down Monday with Boulder, Colorado police to discuss new crime scene evidence in his daughter's murder case. Speaking to CNN in an interview which is set to air Tuesday, Ramsey said he had asked Boulder police to carry out more DNA testing to help solve the 28-year-old murder case using genetic genealogy. The grieving father said that he was 'very satisfied' with the leadership now in place at the Boulder Police Department and believes that they are 'committed to do all that can be done using the latest technology and available resources to identify the killer'. He added that Boulder cops are 'continuing to move the investigation forward using all available tools and certainly DNA is a significant tool'. Ramsey also told the broadcaster that he hoped continued media attention on his daughter's murder might encourage someone with information on his daughter's murder to come forward.

Backing Trump’s funding cuts, Georgia Republican says children should work instead of getting free school meals - In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Georgia Republican Congressman Rich McCormick suggested that instead of getting free meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), school-aged children should be forced to work to feed themselves. News anchor Pamela Brown had asked the US House of Representatives member how Trump’s federal funding freeze would affect programs like NSLP, which provides meals to low-income students. McCormick responded by saying child labor laws should be repealed, and that child hunger and poverty are a result of laziness on the part of children themselves. In the interview McCormick stated, “Before I was even 13 years old, I was picking berries in the field, before child labor laws precluded that. I was a paper boy, and when I was in high school, I worked my entire way through. You’re telling me that kids who stay at home instead of going to work at Burger King, McDonald’s during the summer, should stay at home and get their free lunch instead of going to work? I think we need to have a top-down review.” When asked to clarify, he continued, “I mean, how many people got their start in fast-food restaurants when they were kids, versus just giving a blanket rule that gives all kids lunches in high school who are capable of going out and actually getting a job and doing something that makes them have value, thinking about their future instead of thinking about how they’re going to sponge off the government when they don’t need to.” McCormick’s attitude is emblematic of the ruling class as a whole and its efforts to plunder all social programs that mitigate the effects of poverty to provide themselves with more tax cuts and government subsidies. Trump’s return to power has immediately intensified these plans as he attempts to impose a “Milei model” in America, based on the extreme right president of Argentina, that would cut off all public spending except for that of the police, immigrant catchers and the military. The message of McCormick and Trump to working class school children is: “Work or starve.” No one, no matter how old or how young, is to be exempt from wage slavery. To the capitalist class, if you are not generating profits, you are not worth a ham sandwich.

4 additional students arrested at Case Western Reserve University for protesting genocide in Gaza -On January 9 arrest warrants were issued for four students who were accused of vandalism on the property of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio while protesting the genocide in Gaza. This was preceded by the arrests of four other student protesters who were charged with third-degree felonious vandalism only two months earlier. Six of the eight individuals that were arrested in both November and January were held in the Cuyahoga County Detention Center for several days before being released. All eight individuals have been banned from campus, thus interrupting their studies and housing. The arrests were made in relation to a demonstration that took place on November 8, 2024, when students engaged in an act of protest on campus by painting messages and posting flyers about CWRU’s financial ties to the Israeli regime, which has been actively committing genocide with the backing of US imperialism since October of 2023.In response to various protests since the start of the genocide, CWRU’s administration has continuously attacked the democratic rights of students by enforcing restrictions on speech and protest activity. These actions have intensified, especially after the encampments that were organized on campus in the spring of last year. The encampments were part of an international student protest movement demanding an end to the Gaza genocide, which were subject to a vicious police crackdowns across the US and in Europe on the bogus grounds of combating antisemitism.In an official notice after the incident on November 8, CWRU stated, “Overnight, a group of individuals vandalized multiple buildings, structures and artwork on our campus with paint and glued posters, some of which included what the university considers antisemitic language and symbols.” This claim was used to justify the arrests and charges of third-degree felonies. Students were transferred to the Cuyahoga County Detention Facility located in Cleveland, which is notorious for its overcrowded and inhumane living conditions. Millions of dollars have been spent by the county to settle lawsuits relating to extreme misconduct in the prison, including physical assault by employees. The student arrests at CWRU coincided with a federal investigation opened up by the US Department of Education in the waning days of the Biden administration for alleged discrimination against Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students.

Trump Signs Executive Order To Target Pro-Palestine Activists in the Name of 'Combatting Antisemitism' - On Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order designed to crack down on pro-Palestinian activism in the US in the name of “combatting antisemitism” that could lead to the deportation of foreign students involved in protests.Pro-Israel politicians have labeled protests against Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza that have taken place at college campuses as “antisemitic,” even though many Jewish students have participated in the demonstrations.Trump’s order directs US government agencies to identify “all civil and criminal authorities or actions” that could be used to “curb or combat antisemitism” and refers to incidents on college campuses.The order says the Attorney General shall submit a report analyzing court cases “against or involving institutions of higher education alleging civil-rights violations related to or arising from post-October 7, 2023 campus antisemitism” and indicate whether or not the AG will take action over any of the cases.The section of the order that could result in deportations directs US agencies to come up with recommendations to familiarize colleges with grounds for foreigners with vias to be deemed inadmissible, which means they would not be permitted by law to remain in the US.The order says colleges should “monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds and for ensuring that such reports about aliens lead, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to investigations and if warranted, actions to remove such aliens.”On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to deport pro-Palestinian protesters. “If you come here from another country and try to bring jihadism or anti-Americanism or antisemitism to our campuses, we will immediately deport you, you’ll be out of that school,” he said in May 2024.

New Trump executive order tightens noose on free speech at American universities - Late Wednesday, the Trump administration announced an executive order aimed at transforming American universities into a surveillance and enforcement arm of the military-intelligence-immigration enforcement apparatus. Titled “Additional measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,” the order declares the administration’s goal of “using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence.” Trump and his fascist advisers have falsely equated all criticism of Israel as antisemitic and “terroristic.” The latest order contains a section aimed at chilling all speech critical of Israel among students and faculty. Section 3(e) reads: In addition to identifying relevant authorities to curb or combat anti-Semitism generally required by this section, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with each other, shall include in their reports recommendations for familiarizing institutions of higher education with the grounds for inadmissibility under 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3) [security and terrorist grounds] so that such institutions may monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds and for ensuring that such reports about aliens lead, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to investigations and, if warranted, actions to remove such aliens. There is hardly a clause of this paragraph that does not bristle with hostility to free speech and democratic rights. Employing threatening language, it notes that universities must be “familiarized” with the most draconian part of the Immigration and Nationality Act pertaining to terrorism and “unlawful activity.” Section 1182(a)(3) renders a non-citizen inadmissible to enter the US if they engage in “terrorist activity,” “any other unlawful activity” or “any activity a purpose of which is the opposition to, or the control or overthrow of, the Government of the United States by force, violence, or other unlawful means.” In a fact sheet published Thursday accompanying the latest executive order, Trump made clear that the order is aimed at chilling speech across all campuses: “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathisers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.” The fact sheet continues: “Immediate action will be taken by the Department of Justice to protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.” By pressuring universities to “monitor” and “report” students and staff to the Department of Homeland Security for deportation, the Trump administration’s order is directed not only against the speech of non-citizens (including green card holders), it also targets citizens by eviscerating the First Amendment right to listen to and discuss the left-wing views of non-citizens—a right recognized by the 1972 Supreme Court case Kleindienst v. Ernest Mandel. Moreover, section 2 of the latest order calls for criminally prosecuting “perpetrators” without language limiting its application to non-citizens. Its reference to “otherwise holding to account” pro-Palestinian and left-wing students and staff has concerning and extra-legal undertones. The order was praised by war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu, who posted on X: “On behalf of Israel and the Jewish people, I thank President Trump for his executive order to fight antisemitism and support for terrorism on American campuses.”

Department of Education undoes Biden’s Title IX rules on gender - The Department of Education announced Friday it is scrapping former President Biden’s 2024 Title IX changes, getting rid of discrimination protection based on gender identity and sexual orientation and changing how sexual assault cases are handled on campus. In a “Dear Colleague” note to K-12 and higher education institutions, the department made clear the changes to Title IX the Biden administration finalized last year would no longer be used, reverting back to the 2020 Title IX rules under President Trump’s first administration. “The Biden Administration’s failed attempt to rewrite Title IX was an unlawful abuse of regulatory power and an egregious slight to women and girls. Under the Trump Administration, the Education Department will champion equal opportunity for all Americans, including women and girls, by protecting their right to safe and separate facilities and activities in schools, colleges, and universities,” acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said. The reverted rules will define “’sex’ to mean the objective, immutable characteristic of being born male or female,” whereas Biden’s Title IX regulations said discrimination would extend to students’ gender identity or sexual orientation. The changes will also affect how sexual assaults are investigated on campuses, with supporters saying the 2020 Title IX rules provided stronger due process protections for those involved in allegations, while opponents argue those standards make it more difficult for perpetrators to face punishment. “The 2020 Title IX rule fails students, who are now at greater risk of harassment and discrimination. This is an incredibly disappointing decision that will leave many survivors of sexual violence, LGBTQ+ students, and pregnant and parenting students without the accommodations critical to their ability to learn and attend class safely,” said Emma Levine, manager of Know Your IX. “Schools must step up to protect students in the absence of adequate federal guidance,” Levine added. Biden’s rules were set to take effect last August, but numerous lawsuits were filed against the new Title IX definition, which has been held up in court in more than 25 states. At the beginning of this year, a federal judge in Kentucky struck down Biden’s regulations, saying they violated the Constitution. The change is not unexpected as Republicans have decried the new Title IX regulations since the Biden administration announced them. Trump in his first weeks in office has made multiple moves against LGBTQ Americans, including signing an order cracking down on gender-affirming care. The Friday announcement comes on the heels of the Department of Education launching an investigation against Denver Public Schools for alleged discrimination over an all-gender bathroom.

7 in 10 US adults favor school vaccination mandates, but support for opt-outs rising - Seven in 10 US adults support requiring schoolchildren to be vaccinated against infectious diseases such as measles, and over half also say states should ban students unvaccinated students from attending public or private schools, although support for this prohibition has been eroding since before the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey reveals.Results of the survey, completed by 538 adults earlier this month for the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania, were compared with those from a survey of 2,344 participants in spring 2019, roughly a year before the pandemic began."We find a significant drop in support for states prohibiting unvaccinated children (for non-medical reasons) from attending public or private schools," the authors wrote. "Further, the new survey finds increased support for state policies allowing parents to opt out of vaccinating their children for medical, religious, and personal or philosophical reasons."All US states and Washington, DC, require certain vaccinations for students to attend school, a mandate that 52% of respondents said they support for both public and private schools to protect children who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons, down from 71% in 2019, across all political groups. The APPC cited the National Council of State Legislatures in saying that all states have exemptions from school vaccination for medical reasons, while 30 states and Washington, DC, allow exemptions for religious reasons, and 13 states allow them for personal or philosophical reasons. A total of 73% of respondents said they back mandatory childhood vaccinations, compared with 77% in 2019. An analysis showed partisan differences, with 86% of Democrats agreeing with such a mandate, while only 62% of Republicans and 72% of independents concurred. From 2019 to 2025, support for states allowing medical opt-outs for childhood vaccinations rose from 36% to 63%. At the same time, backing of medical opt-outs grew from 38% to 69% among Republicans, 38% to 66% among independents, and 31% to 53% among Democrats. The proportion of those who opposed these opt-outs declined from 47% to 20% of Republicans, 51% to 32% of Democrats, and 41% to 17% of independents. Support for states allowing religious opt-outs for childhood vaccinations nearly doubled from 2019 to 2025, from 20% to 39%. Republicans' favor for religious opt-outs grew from 24% to 52%, while independent support rose from 22% to 42% and Democrat support didn't change. Over the same period, opposition to these opt-outs dropped from 62% to 29% among Republicans and from 58% to 34% among independents, while the change among Democrats was not statistically significant.From 2019 to 2025, support for states offering personal or philosophical opt-outs for childhood vaccines spiked to 35% from 17%. Republican support grew from 16% to 44%, while Democrat support climbed from 12% to 22%, and independent backing rose from 22% to 38%. During the same period, Republican opposition dropped to 41% from 71%, and independent opposition fell to 42% from 61%; Democrat opposition was unchanged. "The growing support for parental opt-outs is universal across political party for medical exemptions, while religious and personal exemptions are seen to lesser degrees among self-described Democrats or political independents," the APPC wrote.Also, the proportion of those who "strongly support" school-related vaccination mandates has dropped from 47% of adults in 2019 to 24% in the new survey. But 66% say they are closer to the view that healthy children should be required to be vaccinated because of the potential risks. Another 21% say they are closer to the belief that parents should decide whether to vaccinate their children who attend public schools, even if their decision creates health risks for other children and adults. Yet more than 8 in 10 respondents (84%) said they would back their state using public funds to provide free or discounted measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, up from 81% in 2019.

Poll: Public trust in government health advice drops further, as partisan divide widens --An erosion in public trust in government health agencies that began during the COVID-19 pandemic has continued over the past 18 months, according to new poll findings today from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).When asked about the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the portion who said they had a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of trust in the agency making the right recommendations dropped slightly, from 66% in June 2023 to 61%, in the latest survey.The poll revealed a greater drop in trust in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as for state and local health officials, which dropped from 65% to 53% and from 64% to 54%, respectively. Individual doctors have remained the most trusted source of information, but even that level declined a bit, with the share reporting "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of trust to make the right health decisions, down from 93% to 85%. Partisan differences revealed during the pandemic remain, with Democrats 30 percentage points more likely to say they trust the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with its difference agencies and scientists—which include the CDC and FDA—to make the right health recommendations. Meanwhile, officials found a similar partisan divide in trust in President Donal Trump's picks to run some of the agencies. Overall, about 4 in 10 people trust Trump, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, and Mehmet Oz, MD, to make the right health recommendations. But by political affiliation few Democrats (7%, 7%, and 14%, respectively) are on board with that assessment, compared with more than 8 in 10 Republicans responding favorably. Similar shares of Republicans said they trust Trump and the two health nominees as much as their own doctors. Among the polls other findings, support for childhood vaccinations remains strong, but the share of Republican or Republican-leaning parents who report skipping or delaying some vaccines for children rose from 13% in 2023 to 26% in the new poll. On the other hand, KFF found that support for public school requirements for some vaccines remains strong, at 83%.On other health topics, KFF found that myths about COVID vaccination persist and might be becoming entrenched among some Republicans. The percentage who thought more people died from the vaccine than the virus itself rose from 1 in 10 in 2023 to 4 in 10 in the new poll. In fact, COVID vaccines are estimated to have saved more than 3 million lives in the United States alone. Regarding H5N1 avian flu, most said they aren't concerned that they or a family member would sick, though 44% said they are somewhat or very concerned about a widespread outbreak in the United States. When asked if the US government is more prepared to respond to another pandemic or health crisis, 4 in 10 said the nation is more prepared than in 2020, with 1 in 4 (26%) saying less prepared, and one-third (34%) saying just as prepared. KFF researchers conducted the poll from January 4 to January 14, 2025. The online and telephone survey included a nationally representative group of 1,310 US adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

FDA, CISA warn of backdoor in popular patient monitor used by US hospitals --Federal agencies are warning hospitals of a backdoor discovered in a popular line of patient monitors sold by Chinese company Contec. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released warnings on Thursday about an embedded function they found in the firmware of the Contec CMS8000 — hardware used to display information like vital signs, temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure. Contec Medical is a medical device company based in Hebei, China. The affected patient monitors are “used in medical settings in the U.S. and European Union,” CISA said. The backdoor “may allow remote code execution and device modification with the ability to alter its configuration, introducing risk to patient safety as a malfunctioning patient monitor could lead to an improper response to patient vital signs.” CISA noted that the Contec CMS8000 may be re-labeled and sold by resellers, with the FDA explaining that Epsimed MN-120 patient monitors are also Contec CMS8000 devices inside. The FDA said in a statement that the monitors “may be remotely controlled by an unauthorized user or not work as intended.” CISA tagged the vulnerabilities as CVE-2024-12248, CVE-2025-0626 and CVE-2025-0683. The FDA said it has not seen any cybersecurity incidents, injuries or deaths that related to the vulnerabilities but warned that the bugs would allow hackers to bypass security controls and manipulate devices. Contec did not respond to requests for comment. There is no software patch to address the issues discovered by the two agencies. “The FDA and CISA continue to work with Contec to correct these vulnerabilities as soon as possible.” The software on the monitors “includes a backdoor, which may mean that the device or the network to which the device has been connected may have been or could be compromised,” the FDA said. “Once the patient monitor is connected to the internet, it begins gathering patient data, including personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), and exfiltrating (withdrawing) the data outside of the health care delivery environment.” CISA said the IP address connected to the backdoor is “not associated with a medical device manufacturer or medical facility but a third-party university.” The agency did not name the university or its location. CISA and the FDA did not respond to requests for comment about the university. Patients and healthcare providers should ask healthcare facilities if their devices have remote monitoring features, which allow hospital officials to look at patient vital signals from another location, the agencies said. If it is confirmed that a device allows remote monitoring, “unplug the device and stop using it,” the FDA warned. Patients should ask for an alternative patient monitor. The agency urged hospital staff to use only local monitoring features, which would allow them to unplug the device’s ethernet cable and disable wireless capabilities. “The FDA has authorized these patient monitors only for wired functionality (that is, ethernet connectivity). However, the FDA is aware that some patient monitors may be available with wireless (that is, WiFi or cellular) capabilities without FDA authorization,” the agency noted.

CDC distinguishes 3 post-COVID MIS-C clusters based on symptoms, complications, severity - A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-ledstudy identifies three clusters of post-COVID multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) based on the frequency of respiratory symptoms, frequency of shock and cardiac complications, and clinical severity.The researchers used US surveillance data from 2020 to 2022 to conduct a latent class analysis on 8,944 MIS-C patients from 55 public-health jurisdictions to classify different presentations and severity by clinical sign and symptoms, percentage of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), length of hospital and ICU stay, death rate, and relative frequency over time. The median patient age was 8.7 years, and 60.5% were boys.The findings were published today in JAMA Network Open.MIS-C is a rare but serious hyperinflammatory disease that occurs in children 2 to 6 weeks after COVID-19 infection. Common symptoms are fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cardiac dysfunction, rash, and conjunctivitis."MIS-C case finding potentially captures a range of conditions because presentation shares clinical features with other conditions, including acute COVID-19, Kawasaki disease, and toxic shock syndrome, which may complicate timely diagnosis and treatment," the authors wrote. "Clinical severity (including the occurrence of shock, intensive care unit [ICU] admission, and death) can also vary substantially, and understanding of risk factors for severe disease remains incomplete."The team distinguished three MIS-C clusters characterized by: (1) frequent respiratory findings primarily affecting older children (respiratory cluster, 713 cases [8.0%]; median age, 12.7 years); (2) frequent shock and/or cardiac complications (shock and cardiac cluster, 3,359 cases [37.6%]; median age, 10.8 years); and (3) remaining cases (undifferentiated cluster, 4,872 cases [54.5%]; median age, 6.8 years). Patients in cluster 1 had the highest rate of cough, shortness of breath, pneumonia, chest pain or tightness, and acute respiratory distress syndrome and a lower rate of rash and conjunctivitis. The proportion of patients with at least one underlying illness was 41.1%, compared with 31.2% in cluster 2 and 17.8% in cluster 3. Common comorbidities in this cluster were obesity (31.8% of children older than 2 years), noncardiac congenital malformations (9.7%), and chronic lung disease (9.4%). The shock and cardiac group (cluster 2) had the highest rate of shock (69.0%) and cardiac involvement (94.4%) and other cardiac complications, such as myocarditis or pericarditis and cardiac dysfunction on echocardiography. These patients also had the highest median number of involved organ systems (5 systems); the highest rate of hematologic, gastrointestinal, kidney, and neurologic involvement; and slightly younger median age (10.8 years) than respiratory cluster patients.Cluster 3 patients were younger (median age, 6.8 years) and had fewer underlying illnesses (82.2% reported no comorbidities). Organ-system involvement in this cluster overlapped with those in the first 2 clusters. Cluster 3 patients had a slightly higher rate of rash and conjunctivitis (65.5%) than those in cluster 2, and 3.4% met the clinical criteria for Kawasaki disease, compared with 0 in cluster 1 and 2.0% in cluster 2.The proportion of MIS-C patients admitted to an ICU was highest for the shock and cardiac cluster (82.3%), followed by the respiratory cluster (49.5%) and undifferentiated cluster (33.0%). The crude case-fatality ratios were higher in the respiratory cluster (4.6%) and shock and cardiac cluster (1.0%) than in the undifferentiated cluster (0.1%), with nearly all deaths (67 of 70 [95.7%]) occurring in the first 2 clusters.Among patients with data on length of stay, 129 of 632 hospitalizations (20.4%) and 54 of 281 ICU stays (19.2%) in the respiratory cluster were 10 or more days, compared with 708 of 3,085 (22.9%) and 157 of 2,052 (7.7%), respectively, in the shock and cardiac cluster and 293 of 4,467 (6.6%) and 19 of 1,220 (1.6%), respectively, in the undifferentiated cluster. The percentage of cases in both the respiratory cluster and the shock and cardiac cluster declined after the 2022 emergence of the Omicron variant in the United States."MIS-C remains a public health concern that is likely to accompany surges in SARS-CoV-2 activity, as highlighted by relative increases in case counts during late 2023 compared with prior months," the authors wrote. "With additional validation, use of MIS-C phenotypic clusters in public health and clinical settings may be helpful in refining surveillance case definitions, contributing to our understanding of MIS-C pathophysiology, and assisting with recognizing the varied clinical presentations of MIS-C," they concluded.

Amid COVID, long nursing home stays, deaths rose after hospital stays for sepsis for all races --A study using Medicare data finds that long-term nursing home stays and deaths after hospitalization for sepsis climbed during the COVID-19 pandemic but that patients of all races and ethnicities experienced these outcomes at similar rates.A team led by researchers at the University of Rochester and Columbia University analyzed rates of long-term nursing home residence and death among 1,468,754 US community-dwelling patients aged 65 years and older after 2,964,517 hospitalizations for sepsis from January 2016 to June 2021. The results were published late last week in JAMA Network Open.The researchers said they chose sepsis because it is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, leads to high levels of postacute care, is linked to permanent worsening of cognitive function, and disproportionately affects people of minority races. The average patient age was 76 years, 49.5% were women, 71.2% were White, 9.5% were Black, 9.4% were Hispanic, 3.2% were Asian or Pacific Islander, and 0.7% were American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN).The researchers noted that the number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to rise 40% by 2050, and the number aged 85 and older will likely balloon 170%, with older minority adults making up larger proportions, leading to questions of whether the country's long-term care infrastructure can adapt."Issues related to inconsistent and sometimes substandard care, insufficient staffing, high staff turnover, and the lack of patient-directed care all contribute to concerns about reliance on this sector for a growing elderly population," they wrote. "Furthermore, long-term care services are provided within the framework of a racially and socioeconomically segregated care system." Black patients were more likely than their White peers to have long-term nursing home stays or die (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.33), while Asian or Pacific Islander (aOR, 0.79), Hispanic (aOR, 0.72), and AI/AN (aOR, 0.79) patients were less likely. Long-term nursing home stays or deaths fell from 13.5% in the first quarter of 2016 to 6.9% in the same period of 2020. After adjustment, long-term nursing home stays or deaths declined each quarter (aOR, 0.958) before the COVID-19 pandemic. Risks of long-term nursing home stays or deaths increased during the pandemic over time (aOR each quarter, 1.03) compared with pre-pandemic for White patients. The pandemic was not tied to differential changes in long-term nursing home stays or deaths for minoritized patients compared with their White counterparts."In this cross-sectional study, older adults hospitalized with sepsis experienced an approximately 50% reduction in long-term NH [nursing home] stay or death over a 5-year period before the pandemic," the study authors wrote. "These results suggest that during the pandemic, all individuals, regardless of race and ethnicity, experienced increased long-term NH stay or death compared with before the pandemic."

Among older women, elevated white blood cell count linked to severe long COVID -- A new study comparing blood samples from menopausal women pre- and post-COVID shows that those with elevated leukocyte (white blood cell) counts may be at greater risk of experiencing more severe symptoms of long COVID. The study was published yesterday in the journal Menopause. The study was a secondary analysis of data collected through the Women's Health Initiative and used leukocyte count as a proxy for systemic inflammation. In total, 1,237 women with blood samples available from enrollment (taken in 1993 to 1998, 25 years prior to the pandemic) were surveyed from June 2021 to February 2022 about COVID-19 illnesses and symptoms.The authors found that white blood cell count was positively associated with severity of post-COVID symptoms, but not associated with overall long-COVID occurrence or long-COVID–related cognitive outcomes.High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations, another marker of inflammation, was available for less than 27% of participants and was not associated with any long-COVID symptoms.Though the mechanism is unknown, the authors said heightened inflammation before contracting COVID-19 may contribute to the development of significant post-COVID symptoms.Several studies have shown that older adults, and in particular women, are at greater risk of developing long COVID. "As the authors highlight, post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 infection significantly affects quality of life, often leading to severe disability. This effect is particularly pronounced in women, who already experience higher rates of cognitive impairment after menopause," said Monica Christmas, MD, associate medical director for the Menopause Society in a society press release.

COVID led to more hospital stays, deaths than flu from 2022 to 2024, study suggests An observational study comparing the severity of COVID-19 and influenza among nearly 6 million Denmark residents finds a higher rate of hospitalizations and deaths in those infected with SARS-CoV-2—mainly among unvaccinated people, those with chronic conditions, and males—from 2022 to 2024. Researchers from the Statens Serum Institut and the University of Copenhagen analyzed national registry data on COVID-19 and flu hospitalizations and deaths, vaccination status, and sociodemographic factors from May 2022 to June 2024. The results, published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, align with those of a large Veterans Affairs (VA) study published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine. Among 5.9 million people in the new study, COVID-19 hospitalization was twice as likely than flu hospitalization (24,400 vs 8,385; adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR], 2.04), especially in the first year of the study, in the summer, and among those aged 65 years or older. The death rate was three times higher for COVID-19 (2,361 vs 489; aIRR, 3.19).Of 19,286 patients hospitalized in winter, the risk of death was higher from COVID-19 than flu (adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 1.23), especially among the unvaccinated (aRR, 1.36), those with chronic conditions (aRR, 1.27), and males (aRR, 1.36).In a related commentary, Yan Xie, PhD, of the VA St. Louis Health Care System, said the findings highlight a disconnect between empirical evidence and public health policy, especially in vaccine prioritization strategies. "Although evidence continues to show that COVID-19 is a much more serious threat to human health than influenza, vaccine policies in much of the world plainly ignore or substantially restrict COVID-19 vaccines—all while promoting vaccination for influenza," he wrote. "Even in countries where COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone older than 6 months, COVID-19 vaccination uptake has been dismal."

US flu activity climbs, with more deaths in kids - The nation's flu activity continued a steady rise last week, with 44 states at the high or very high level and that national test positivity just shy of 30%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly update. Outpatient visits for flulike illness have been above the national baseline for 9 weeks in a row. Of samples that tested positive for flu at public health labs, nearly all were influenza A, and subtyped influenza A samples were about evenly split between the H3N2 and 2009 H1N1 strains. On the CDC's flu activity map, most of the country is awash in shades of red that reflect high or very high activity. However, some states are shaded purple, the highest level on the activity scale. They include Southeastern states such as Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee, but also several in the Northeast, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and New Hampshire. The CDC reported 16 more pediatric flu deaths, which push the season's total to 47. The deaths occurred between the middle of December and the week ending January 25. All involved influenza A, and, of 13 subtyped samples, 7 were H1N1 and 6 were H3N2. For deaths overall, the level remained steady, with flu making up 1.6% of all deaths last week. Emergency department (ED) visits for flu are at the very high level and are increasing in all age-groups, making up 7% of all ED visits, the CDC said in its weekly respiratory virus snapshot. Meanwhile, hospitalizations for flu remain elevated and are likewise on the rise for all age-groups. Though COVID-19 wastewater detections moved from the medium back into the high category last week, ED visits are still low, highest in young children and elevated in older people. Meanwhile, hospitalizations for the virus remain elevated and are highest in seniors. Deaths from COVID trended downward but still make up 1.6% of all deaths in the United States. Wastewater levels were up a bit in all regions and are still highest in the Midwest. The CDC said activity is likely growing or growing in the Southeast and West, along with parts of the northeast.For respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which has been a notable contributor to respiratory virus activity this season, showed downward trends, with ED visits—highest in children-- and wastewater detections at the moderate level. Hospitalizations are also highest for children, though levels are elevated among older people in some parts of the country.

Flu map: These states are now at CDC’s highest activity level – The map of flu activity across the United States continues to darken, both figuratively and literally, as case numbers spike upward in most states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The flu positivity rate from lab tests across the country has jumped week-to-week from 18% to 25%, with documented flu activity especially high some states.The following 14 states, along with New York City, are now at the CDC’s highest tier of influenza activity: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee.There were four pediatric deaths during the third week of January, pushing the total number of pediatric deaths for this flu season up to 31. According to the CDC, Influenza A is responsible for the vast majority of cases.With the winter cold driving many of us indoors where virus transmission is easier, the increase in respiratory illnesses isn’t a surprise.However, Dr. Mattew Kippenhan from Northwestern Medicine says there may be another reason that so many people seem to be falling ill.“Unfortunately, I think a lot of people have become complacent after COVID and didn’t get their vaccines, so there’s just a higher risk of those people actually becoming ill,” Kippenhan told Nexstar’s WGN Radio.In a Dec. 20 update, the CDC said that vaccination coverage “is lower across most groups of people compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic.”Unlike other illnesses, there are medications that can make a case of the flu shorter and less severe.The only catches are that you’ll need a prescription and you’ll want to act quickly.The CDC advises that antiviral drugs work best against the flu when the patients take them within one to two days after they start feeling symptoms.If taken within that timeframe, drugs like Tamiflu or Relenza can reduce symptoms and shorten the illness by about a day, the CDC says. If you’re lucky enough to have avoided the flu so far, experts recommend most people get the flu vaccine, which can still help even if you do end up catching the virus.“You have symptoms less, they’re not as severe, you don’t get hospitalized as much and you don’t spread it as much to family members,” Dr. Andrew Jameson, the regional division head for specialty medicine and an infectious disease doctor with Trinity Health in Michigan, told Nexstar’s WOOD.

Corticosteroids cut risk of pneumonia death by 28%, researchers estimate -The use of corticosteroids in patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) lowers the risk of death by 30 days by 28%, concludes a meta-analysis of eight randomized clinical trials published yesterday in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. University Medical Center Rotterdam researchers in the Netherlands led the analysis of eight trials published before July 1, 2024, that used risk and effect modeling and the intent-to-treat principle to compare adjuvant corticosteroid treatment with a placebo in 3,224 hospitalized CAP patients. A total of 246 patients (7.6%) died within 30 days of diagnosis (6.6% of 1,618 in the corticosteroid group vs 140 [8.7%] of 1,606 in the placebo group; odds ratio [OR], 0.72, or a 28% reduction). The corticosteroid-effect model, which selected C-reactive protein (CRP, a marker of inflammation), showed significant heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) during external validation in the two most recent trials. In these trials, 154 of 1,355 patients (11.4%) patients died by 30 days (88 of 671 [13.1%] in the placebo group vs 66 of 684 [9.6%] in the corticosteroid group; OR, 0.71). Among 725 patients predicted to derive no benefit from corticosteroids (CRP, up to 204 milligrams per liter [mg/L]), no significant effect was seen (OR, 0.98), while for the 630 predicted to derive benefit (CRP, more than 204 mg/L), 39 of 301 placebo recipients (13.0%) died, compared with 20 of 329 (6.1%) in the corticosteroid group (OR, 0.43). No significant HTE was seen between less-severe and severe CAP. Corticosteroids significantly increased the risk of hyperglycemia (44 of 344 [12.8%] in the placebo group vs 84 of 339 [24.8%] corticosteroid recipients; OR, 2.50) and hospital readmission (30 of 814 [3.7%] in the placebo group vs 57 of 819 [7.0%] in the corticosteroid group; OR, 1.95).

CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal -- U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately.A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all agency staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and "await further guidance." Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks ofMarburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing threats from around the world. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock.The Associated Press viewed a copy of Nkengasong's memo, which said the stop-work policy applied to "all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means — in person or virtual." It also says CDC staff are not allowed to visit WHO offices.President Trump last week issued an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from WHO, but that did not take immediate effect. Leaving WHO requires the approval of Congress and that the U.S. meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. The U.S. also must provide a one-year notice.His administration also told federal health agencies to stop most communications with the public through at least the end of the month."Stopping communications and meetings with WHO is a big problem," said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a University of Southern California public health expert who collaborates with WHO on work against sexually transmitted infections."People thought there would be a slow withdrawal. This has really caught everyone with their pants down," said Klausner, who said he learned of it from someone at CDC."Talking to WHO is a two-way street," he added, noting that WHO and U.S. health officials benefit from each other's expertise. The collaboration allows the U.S. to learn about new tests and treatments as well as about emerging outbreaks — information "which can help us protect Americans abroad and at home."The CDC order isn't the only global health effect of Trump's executive orders. Last week, he froze spending on another critical program, PEPFAR or the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The anti-HIV program is credited with saving 25 million lives, including those of 5.5 million children, since it was started by Republican President George W. Bush but was included in a freeze on foreign aid spending slated to last at least three months.PEPFAR provides HIV medication to more than 20 million people "and stopping its funding essential stops their HIV treatment. If that happens, people are going to die and HIV will resurge," International AIDS Society President Beatriz Grinsztejn said in a statement.A U.S. health official confirmed that the CDC was stopping its work with WHO. The person was not authorized to talk about the memo and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump orders CDC to immediately stop all work and communications with the World Health Organization - Less than one week after Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), his administration issued a cease-and-desist order to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff and other public health employees, demanding they stop all communications and work with the WHO. This marks a deepening of the unprecedented gag order imposed on all federal health agencies, requiring them to pause external communications, including health advisories, weekly scientific reports and any updates that communicate on the epidemiological data on any communicable infections through websites and social media. These actions by Trump and his office constitute a declaration of war on public health. Indeed, a clause of the executive order withdrawing from the WHO stipulates that Trump’s fascist National Security Advisor Michael Waltz “shall establish directorates and coordinating mechanisms within the National Security Council apparatus as he deems necessary and appropriate to safeguard public health and fortify biosecurity.” Going forward, public health will be under the purview of the military-intelligence apparatus.In essence, public health as a social service to the population is seen as a threat to the state and must be brought to heel. According to Trump, it is the public health institutions that represent a danger to the unimpeded function of commerce, not COVID-19, H5N1 bird flu and all the potential pathogens that can infect and harm populations.Section 2, Subsection (d) of Trump’s executive order provides the basis for the communications restrictions now imposed on the CDC, noting:The Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall take appropriate measures, with all practicable speed, to (i) pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO; (ii) recall and reassign United States Government personnel or contractors working in any capacity with the WHO; and (iii) identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO. The task of delivering the news to the CDC and public health offices fell on Deputy Director for Global Health at the CDC, John Nkengasong, who sent an email Sunday night telling all staff that they had to immediately stop all collaborations with the WHO until “further guidance” is issued. The stop-work policy applied to “all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means—in persona or virtual.” They were also instructed that they could not visit WHO offices.In fact, the actions taken by the Trump administration not only constitute a serious breach of national security but elevate the danger of another pandemic for the entire world’s population. James LeDuc, an adjunct professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, correctly noted, “As has been repeated many times, infectious diseases know no boundaries and in today’s world of rapid travel, an outbreak anywhere is a threat everywhere.”When open channels of communications and real-time situation reports between health agencies globally are paramount in containing outbreaks, the real hazards posed by such blatantly malign restrictions are incalculable. LeDuc, speaking with CBS News, explained, “The fact is that there is no alternative to WHO. WHO has the global mandate that allows health issues to be addressed on a global scale in a coordinated manner.”That the gag order has been issued ahead of the influenza committee meeting next month, when CDC officials and WHO representatives would have selected the strains for next winter’s influenza vaccine, could very well mean that there will not be a flu vaccine for the coming year. One must place this in the current context that this year’s seasonal influenza outbreak has already sickened millions, hospitalized hundreds of thousands and killed thousands. Considering the rise in cases of H5N1 bird flu affecting poultry and dairy farms throughout the country, as well as mice, deer, cats and other species, the evolution of this highly lethal virus and its potential to develop the capacity for human-to-human transmission are becoming ever more ominous. Seema Lakdawala, an influenza virologist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, told Nature, “The risk has increased as we’ve gone on—especially in the last couple of months, with the report of severe infections.” Presently there are two main bird flu strains circulating. The B3.13 strain is spreading among dairy cattle, while the D1.1 strain, which recently killed an elderly man in Louisiana and gravely sickened a teenager in British Columbia, is found mostly among wild birds and domesticated animals such as chickens. In Georgia, state officials placed a temporary ban on live-bird sales and exhibitions due to large-scale outbreaks on commercial farms. Recently, Maryland’s Caroline County and Virginia’s Accomack County have identified bird flu among large broiler farms. Meanwhile, California has discovered the H5N9 bird flu on a poultry farm alongside the detection of the H5N1 strain on the same farm in Merced County. According to the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH), “This is the first confirmed case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N9 in poultry in the United States.” Virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen warned on her social media: This is bad news. It suggests reassortment of circulating H5N1 viruses with viruses containing N9 NA. Although this indicates reassortment with avian viruses, it’s still bad. Reassortment makes pandemics. The last three of four flu pandemics (and maybe 1918 too) were reassortment viruses. Under these highly dangerous conditions, the sharing of such information and collaboration with the WHO has come to a grinding halt. The US serves as one of the world’s top laboratories for testing and studying the virus. Samples are sent to the CDC through the collaborative networks established over 70 years of cooperation with the WHO to evaluate viruses that could pose a pandemic threat.

Quick takes: Zika in India, Georgia measles case, UK antibiotic classification update | CIDRAP

• The World Health Organization (WHO) today said India in 2024 reported 151 Zika virus cases, mostly from Maharashtra, with other from Gujarat and Karnataka states. No related cases of microcephaly or Guillain-Barre syndrome were reported. The numbers from Maharashtra were the highest since 2021. The number in pregnant women isn’t known. The WHO said though Zika virus isn’t unexpected in Maharashtra state, due to the presence of mosquito vectors, the spike in cases compared to previous years is unusual. India reported its first Zika case in 2016.
• The Georgia Department of Public Health yesterday reported the state’s first measles case of 2025, which involves an unvaccinated Atlanta resident who had traveled within the United States. Health officials said they are tracking people who were exposed to the patient while he or she was infectious between January 19 and January 24.
• The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (HSA) today updated its antibiotic classification tool, called UK-AWaRe, which helps support antimicrobial stewardship actions. The update was based on a recent review following a similar update from the WHO. In a press release, the HSA said the most significant change was classifying all first-generation cephalosporins as Access, compared to Watch in 2019. It added that the change is designed to give patients with certain allergies wider access to a range of antibiotics that have a lower resistance profile. Unlike the WHO’s update, the HSA tool keeps amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in the Watch category.

Quick takes: Measles in Texas, Marburg death, more polio cases | CIDRAP

• Texas reported two measles cases in unvaccinated school-age children in Gaines County. Two other cases were reported earlier this month in Harris County. The Texas Department of State Health Services said the children were hospitalized in Lubbock and have since been discharged. The four cases announced this month are the first Texas measles cases since 2023.
• One more death has been recorded in Tanzania's Marburg outbreak, raising the death toll to 10 according to a weekly update made by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The total number of confirmed cases is 2, with 8 suspected, meaning the case-fatality rate of the outbreak is likely 100%.
• Three countries have new polio cases this week, including Pakistan which confirmed another wild poliovirus type 1 case, the first patient with symptom onset in 2025. Ethiopia and Niger have new vaccine-derived cases, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Ethiopia has 10 new cases, and Niger has a single case. In those countries, the cases occurred in late 2024, raising the annual total in Ethiopia to 37 cases and in Niger to 16 cases. In another polio development, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) yesterday posted a risk assessment on recent wastewater polio detections in five European countries. Though no human cases have occurred, the ECDC said public health authorities should reinforce routine childhood vaccination programs to achieve and maintain at least 90% coverage.

UK reports another imported clade 1b mpox case - The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency (HSA) yesterday reported the country’s seventh clade 1b mpox case, which involves a patient who had recently traveled to Uganda. The country’s last clade 1b mpox case, announced on January 20, also involved an individual who recently returned from Uganda, one of Africa’s current hot spots. Susan Hopkins, MB BCh, the HSA's chief medical adviser, said in the statement, “The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.” WHO notes concerning situation in the DR Congo, first mpox case in Azerbaijan In its monthly mpox update today, the World Health Organization (WHO) said clade 1b mpox activity continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Uganda, with new travel-related cases continuing to be reported outside the region. Though the situation has stabilized in many DRC provinces, sustained circulation continues with escalating violence in the eastern part of the country adding challenges to the country’s mpox response.

Africa CDC says mpox outbreak could grow in DR Congo conflict zone --Yesterday during a briefing, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Jean Kaseya, MD, MPH provided a situation update on the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries, noting that 12 African countries are in an active phase of the outbreak, with the DRC still the epicenter of viral activity. In the past week, almost 10,000 suspected mpox cases and 85 related deaths have been reported across Africa. The 12 countries with active outbreaks are the DRC, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone."Out of these countries, we mostly have DRC, Uganda, and Burundi, where we have a huge number of reported cases," said Kaseya. Kaseya said the situation in the DRC is made worse by an ongoing conflict around the eastern city of Goma, which has left more than 1 million displaced. The M23 rebel offensive in Goma has led to widespread destruction, Kaseya said, with overwhelmed hospitals, power outages, and medical shortages.Kaseya said healthcare workers are also reporting outbreaks of measles and cholera in Goma in addition to mpox. So far, the conflict has killed 300 people in military violence, but Kaseya warned that number will climb if active outbreaks in the region are not contained. So far this year, DRC has seen cases mount, with almost 9,000 cases suspected and 85 deaths in that country since the start of 2025. Among confirmed cases in the DRC, children 15 years and younger account for 49.3% of cases. Kaseya said the DRC is having more success with a new vaccination strategy used in the past 10 days that distributes vaccines to hot spots, but millions still need to be vaccinated, including displaced people in Goma. "We have a broad strategy today to vaccinate around 3.5 million people," Kaseya said. "But people fleeing from the armed conflict in Goma increases the risk of spread [of mpox]." Today the United Kingdom reported its eighth clade 1b mpox case, following a detection just days ago. The case has no link to previous cases and was reported in London in a traveler who had just arrived back from Uganda. "In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK," the UK Health Security Agency said. Overall the risk to the general population remains low.This is the second detection of imported clade 1b in the United Kingdom this week.

Mpox outbreak in DR Congo, neighboring countries underscores threat of clade 1b -Yesterday the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and The Lancet published new studies on the epidemiologic and clinical features of the ongoing mpox outbreak of clade 1b cases in central Africa, with the NEJM study also analyzing cases before the September 2023 onset of clade 1b cases.The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the epicenter of the outbreak. From January 1, 2022, to August 18, 2024, a total of 45,652 mpox cases were clinically diagnosed and laboratory-confirmed in 12 African countries, according to the NEJM study. But the Lancet report estimates that total counts of suspected cases in the DRC alone are likely nearing 60,000, with 1,300 deaths linked to the outbreak."Because of the ongoing war in the highly affected region of the DRC, only a fraction of cases had laboratory confirmation," the authors of the NEJM study, led by scientists with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), wrote.The outbreak in the DRC triggered sustained transmission in neighboring Burundi, and Uganda. So far, 12 African nations have reported sizable outbreaks, and at least 9 countries outside the continent haveconfirmed clade 1b cases. The authors said the case-fatality rate (CFR) of the outbreak in Africa, including pre–clade 1b cases, is 3.3%, significantly higher than the 2022-23 global mpox clade 2 outbreak that was mostly sexually transmitted through men who have sex with men, and had a CFR of less than 0.1%.More than 100,000 cases were estimated in the 2022-23 outbreak, which saw the use of Jynneos, a two-dose vaccine targeting mpox.Though the current African outbreak also features sexual transmission, household transmission is also taking place at a high rate.The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024, a day after the Africa CDC declared a public health emergency of continental security for the clade 1b outbreak in the DRC, where the clade was first detected.Notably, clade 1b has become entrenched in areas of the DRC, including South Kivu province, where mpox had not been endemic. And, unlike the 2022-23 outbreak, African nations are seeing cases soar."The 15,213 cases reported from seven African countries in 2023 was a near doubling of the 8367 cases reported from 13 countries in 2022," the authors noted. The authors of the NEJM study said the outbreak may be taking hold in the DRC because of the young population, none of whom have cross-protective antibodies against mpox from smallpox vaccination. Smallpox vaccinations ended 40 years ago in most part of Africa. "Immunity to orthopoxviruses has waned since the discontinuation of smallpox vaccination, which created a susceptible population for mpox, particularly in Africa. In the DRC, 85% of the residents (86.5 million) are younger than 40 years of age and are unvaccinated," the authors write. In a related NEJM commentary, WHO General-Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, wrote, "A key challenge in the control of mpox is the serious underreporting of cases, owing in part to disparities in access to health services, mild clinical courses in some patients, and limitations in access to testing. Although most suspected cases in Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda have been confirmed or ruled out by testing, in the DRC, less than half the suspected cases have been tested, and of these cases only approximately half have been positive." In The Lancet, the authors describe the clinical features of the clade 1b outbreak in the DRC by detailing 510 suspected cases seen at Kamituga General Hospital in South Kivu from May to October 2024. Fourteen percent of patients seen in that timeframe were younger than 5 years, and 66% were ages 15 to 34. "Most cases (237 [58%] of 406) reported contact with a suspected or confirmed mpox case; primarily colleagues, spouses or sexual partners in adults, and parents or siblings in children," the authors wrote. Unlike the 2022-23 outbreak, co-morbidity with HIV was rare, with only 2% of people infected with HIV. Two deaths occurred, in infants, for a CFR of 0.4%.Active skin lesions were seen in 97% of people. Genital rash was seen in 89% of adults and 42% of children. Rashes suggested children contracted the virus through non-sexual contact with a caregiver."These findings highlight the need for updated case definitions and targeted public health interventions to address evolving transmission dynamics and mitigate risks for vulnerable groups, including pregnant women and young children," the authors said.In a Lancet commentary, Boghuma Titanji, MD, PhD, of Emory University, and Jason Zucker, MD, from Columbia University, wrote, "The unique vulnerabilities of children as a group at higher risk for severe disease, complications, and poor outcomes from mpox infections in DR Congo have been linked to a high prevalence of malnutrition (up to 30%). “This is likely compounded by the immature immune systems of young children and possible co-infections with other childhood illnesses not formally assessed in this cohort."They add, "To contain the outbreak in DR Congo and neighbouring countries, interventions must prioritise vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant individuals, and sex workers, through targeted vaccination and equitable access to care." Titanji and Zucker conclude, "The emergence of clade Ib mpox underscores the need for global collaboration to protect vulnerable populations and prevent this escalating threat from becoming another global crisis."

FDA aims to tackle berry-linked foodborne illness with new strategy --The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rolled out a strategy to help prevent outbreaks of enteric (intestinal) viruses such as hepatitis A and norovirus linked to fresh and frozen berries."While no enteric virus outbreaks associated with domestic berries have been reported in 35 years, there have been reported outbreaks linked to imported fresh and frozen berries," the FDA said in a news release.Contamination can result from lapses in food-safety systems and prevention methods and can be prevented through proper hygienic practices among field workers, management of sanitary facilities, measures to prevent cross-contamination of fruit in the field and processing, and monitoring virus carriage in farm and facility workers, the FDA said. The consistent use of sanitary controls is essential, because people can harbor and shed enteric viruses yet not have symptoms."Collaboration between regulators, the global berry industry, and other interest holders has been critical for the development of this strategy," Conrad Choiniere, PhD, director of the Office of Microbiological Food Safety at the FDA’s Human Food Program, said in the release.

Trump halts foreign aid, including AIDS relief, TB funding | CIDRAP -Amid the flurry of executive orders signed on Inauguration Day by President Donald Trump was a 90-day freeze on foreign aid spending. But late last week, the State Department, led now by former Florida Senator Marco Rubio, issued a memo clarifying that the freeze includes current foreign assistance programs as well, including the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Also affected is USAID, which will hamper global efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB). Each year the State Department distributes $6.5 billion US dollars through PEPFAR to fight HIV in 50 countries around the world. PEPFAR pulls together multiple public health agencies and programs, and has been credited with saving upwards of 26 million lives since its launch in 2003 by then-President George W. Bush. With a total of $100 billion spent, PEPFAR is the largest public health commitment in history by any country to address a single disease. For more than 20 years, the program has seen strong bipartisan support across four presidential administrations, but Trump's freeze marks a new era in US public health foreign policy. The Foundation for AIDS Research, amFAR, said the decision to halt PEPFAR funding will be deadly. "The immediate stop work orders to the more than 190,000 clinicians and other health care workers will massively disrupt the global HIV response," amFAR wrote. "Even short cessations of these programs cause unnecessary suffering, loss to follow-up, and risk onward transmission that cannot simply be 'turned back on' when the suspension is lifted." Currently amFAR estimates PEPFAR pays for antiretroviral treatments for 222,000 people, and the tests of more than 224,000 people annually. PEPFAR also funds more than 7,000 cervical cancer screening each year and provides care for more than 3,500 women each year experiencing gender-based violence. Though PEPFAR is one of the marquee US foreign policy programs, USAID is one of the largest investorsin the global fight against TB, investing $4.7 billion since 2000. USAID is also under the federal pause. Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD, a professor at McGill University in Montreal, told CIDRAP News that the moves of the new administration could do the most harm to global programs fighting TB and HIV. He is a Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology & Global Health at McGill and the associate director of the McGill International TB Centre. "This is a crisis moment for global health and development," Pai said. "I hope everyone in global health will advocate for the US government to continue supporting these critical organizations and programs." As of last week, all US foreign assistance is frozen for at least 90 days pending a review of all programs, but that could be extended.

Trump's aid freeze sparks 'chaos' in HIV/AIDS efforts - A legacy bipartisan initiative to combat HIV and AIDS in Africa is collateral damage from President Trump’s directive to halt all U.S. foreign assistance, despite efforts to exempt humanitarian assistance and lifesaving medication from being caught up in the three-month funding freeze. The State Department issued a memo implementing the pause for new and obligated State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding following Trump’s executive order calling for a 90-day pause on new foreign aid to allow the government to determine if programming aligns with Trump’s foreign policy. The pause in global health funding has frozen activities at health clinics across Africa that rely on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), raising immediate fears of a rapid spread of HIV around the continent. It’s not unusual for a new administration to order a review of existing programs or even to pause new spending, and PEPFAR shouldn’t be immune from that, said Jirair Ratevosian, a fellow at Duke University’s Global Health Institute who formerly worked as a chief of staff for the PEPFAR program. “But, you know, there’s a distinction between reviewing a program, asking questions about a program, and completely freezing its lifesaving mission,” Ratevosian said. “What’s transpired over the last [few days] is something completely different, which is chaos, confusion and potential reversal of one of America’s greatest accomplishments.” The $6.5 billion PEPFAR is considered to be one of America’s most consequential programs in Africa. It is credited with saving 25 million lives and with scaling back the AIDS epidemic. Experts and aid organizations are sounding the alarm over the sudden halt. The stop-work orders came without warning, sowing immediate chaos and confusion. PEPFAR employs more than 270,000 health workers. They have been told to stop serving patients and not go to work. Clinics shut their doors and turned patients away. The administration even told them to stop dispensing antiretroviral HIV medication that they had in stock because it was supplied with PEPFAR funds. Some entities have private funding and other stopgap measures to fall back on, but for others the situation is more difficult. “There are programs all over the continent providing treatment and prevention that are now not delivering what they normally do,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, an international nonprofit focused on HIV prevention. “There will be people, beginning this week, who come back into the clinic, or thought they had an appointment to come back to clinic to get more medication, and won’t be able to get it.” Just as suddenly as the stop-work memo was released, the State Department appeared to somewhat reverse course, announcing Tuesday that lifesaving treatments and medications were not subject to the freeze. But the waiver provided no specific guidance on what services qualified for exemption, deepening the confusion on the ground. Warren said the waiver appears to allow clinics to resume dispensing HIV medication, but it’s not entirely clear. Without clarification, he said clinics are continuing to withhold medication.

GAO: Public-health workforce shortage undermines ability to respond to outbreaks, other emergencies - A new US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report identifies a shortage of public health workers across multiple occupations and locations that restricts the ability to perform essential functions such as disease investigation and mitigation, hazard detection, and emergency response. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other organizations have taken actions (eg, job training and placement, better pay) to alleviate the shortages, which began with the 2008-2009 recession and worsened during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors said. Tracking outbreaks, communicating with public The GAO reviewed 69 public-health workforce research studies and reports and interviewed officials from HHS and 11 stakeholder organizations such as those representing jurisdictions, public health professionals, or education; public health policy and research; and public health practice and population health. FAO officials also interviewed officials in 11 jurisdictions (4 states, 1 territory, 2 tribes, and 4 local governments) with different structures, funding, and proportion of population living in rural areas. Public health workers perform key functions such as tracking disease outbreaks, monitoring water quality, and communicating with the public about health threats, the report noted. "Nonfederal jurisdictions within the U.S. (states, territories, Tribes, and localities, such as counties and cities) have primary responsibility for public health in their geographic areas, and these jurisdictions employ most of the public health workforce—more than 200,000 workers," the authors wrote. "The federal government, particularly the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), supports these jurisdictions' workforces and also employs its own public health workforce." The GAO identified shortages in occupations such as nursing, epidemiology, and operations; skills such as leadership and informatics; locations such as rural areas; and times such as public health emergencies. Contributing factors include worker recruitment and retention challenges, which the authors said are difficult to solve and likely to be long-term. "For example, public health funding can be restricted to limited time frames or specific activities, which makes it difficult to use the funding for hiring," they wrote. Employers also face stiff market competition for workers from other entities that can offer higher pay and better job security and flexibility, a more manageable workload, and less stress. Jurisdictions may also have cumbersome hiring processes due to difficult-to-change state or local civil-service requirements, the GAO said. In response to these challenges, HHS has offered employers more flexibility in using some grant funds for hiring and support, and some organizations have provided financial incentives and made hiring processes more efficient. Maine, for instance, increased pay for public health nurses and expedited hiring processes, which helped the state fully meet its workforce needs. "The public health workforce encompasses numerous jurisdictions within the U.S., many of which face various persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining public health workers," the authors concluded. "However, the HHS and jurisdictional actions we have described, among others, have helped enable jurisdictions to deal with the challenges, and helped begin to address gaps in the public health workforce."

Kansas tuberculosis outbreak now largest in US - TB outbreak on record in the United States. Data on the outbreak from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) show that 67 active TB cases and 79 latent cases have been reported since the beginning of 2024 in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, which are part of the greater Kansas City area. Most of the cases have been in Wyandotte County. KDHE says it has been working with local health departments in response to the outbreak and is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure patients are receiving proper treatment. "The current Kansas City, Kan. Metro tuberculosis (TB) outbreak is the largest documented outbreak in U.S. history, presently (since the 1950’s, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started monitoring and reporting TB cases)," KDHE communications director Jill Bronaugh told CIDRAP News in an email. "This outbreak is still ongoing, which means that there could be more cases." Bronaugh said KDHE reported 79 active and 213 latent TB cases in 2024, adding that those cases are still provisional and are being reviewed by the CDC for confirmation. Two TB deaths in 2024 are associated with the outbreak. "While there is a very low risk of infection to the general public in these communities, KDHE is working to ensure that patients are receiving appropriate treatment, which will limit the ability to spread this disease and prevent additional cases from occurring," Bronaugh said. In September 2023, KDHE researchers published a case report in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on an outbreak of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB in Kansas City that involved 13 people. They noted that 37 to 43 TB cases were reported annually in Kansas from 2019 through 2021. That number rose to 52 cases in 2022, driven in part by the MDR-TB outbreak. The outbreak comes amid rising TB incidence in the United States. According to CDC data, 9,633 TB cases were reported in the United States in 2023—the highest case count since 2013. It was the third straight year of increases in US TB case counts, and the incidence rate of 2.9 cases per 100,000 persons represented a 15% increase from 2022. Most cases were in people born outside the United States. The most recent global TB report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows 8.2 million people were diagnosed with TB in 2023, the highest number recorded by WHO since it began global TB monitoring in 1995.

Tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas City, Kansas is one of the largest in US history - The ongoing yearlong outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in the Kansas City, Kansas, area continues to perplex health authorities, a full year after it began. The TB outbreak has led to 67 active cases that are being treated with a combination of antibiotics that must be taken under supervision of health officials for several months to ensure completion of therapy. There are also 79 people with latent TB, and two have died from their infection. Latent TB is asymptomatic and considered non-contagious, but without treatment it can become active and develop into full-blown TB. The outbreak has centered around the working class Wyandotte County, which includes Kansas City, Kansas (smaller than neighboring Kansas City, Missouri), and the more affluent suburban Johnson County. While a dozen or so cases would be expected in such an outbreak, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Kansas Health System, the comparatively high case count over the past year comes as a “stark warning.” As has been the case since the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials in Kansas have downplayed the threat to the local population despite TB being a contagious respiratory disease. This means that the bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB, is transmitted through airborne aerosol particles. Jill Bronaugh, spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), told the media, “TB is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, speak or sing. While there is a very low risk of infection to the general public in these communities, KDHE is working to ensure that patients are receiving appropriate treatment, which will limit the ability to spread this disease and prevent additional cases from occurring.” The cause of the outbreak remains unknown. However, health officials said that contact tracing was underway to identify presumed close contacts, and free testing was being offered. During 2023, the United States reported 9,633 TB cases, an incidence rate of 2.9 cases per 100,000 persons. [Photo: CDC] Although health authorities had indicated that the Kansas City, Kansas, outbreak was the largest in US history since records began in 1950, an official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told the media that an outbreak of TB cases at homeless shelters in Georgia from 2015 to 2017 led to more than 170 cases of active TB and 400 latent cases. Among US-born patients with TB, being homeless raises a person’s risk of contracting TB ten-fold. The homeless are also more often hospitalized and experience worse outcomes.

Uganda confirms deadly outbreak of Sudan Ebola virus --Today on X, Ugandan health ministers confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus, which belongs to the Ebola virus family, and the World Health Organization (WHO) said it is deploying senior public health experts and staff from the country office to support the response. It is the country's first Ebola outbreak in 2 years and the ninth outbreak of the virus, with five in Uganda and three in Sudan.Ugandan officials said the index patient is a 32-year-old man who worked as a nurse at Mulago National Referral Hospital in the capital city of Kampala and died after seeking care at multiple facilities. "Our rapid response teams are fully deployed, contact tracing is under way, and all necessary measures are in place to contain the situation," Diana Atwine, MBChB, secretary of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, wrote on X. "We assure the public that we are in full control." Forty-five contacts of the index patient, including family members and 35 healthcare workers, none of whom have reported symptoms, are being monitored. The WHO said it has allocated $1 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to accelerate the response and is preparing supplies such as personal protective equipment to transport from its Emergency Response Hub in Nairobi, Kenya, to Uganda. Sudan virus disease is a life-threatening illness of people and non-human primates due to Orthoebolavirus sudanense. Case-fatality rates have ranged from 41% to 100% in previous outbreaks. Because there are no approved treatments, early initiation of supportive treatment is required.

Tests under way in suspected Ebola outbreak in DR Congo -As many as 12 suspected Ebola virus cases have been reported in Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC’s) Equateur province, according to a DRC media report in French that was translated and posted yesterday by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board.Also, officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed to Statthat 12 suspected cases, 8 of them fatal, were recorded in the Boyenge health area. Deaths occurred between January 10 and January 22. The official said samples have been sent to the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa. If confirmed, the outbreak would mark Equateur’s province’s fourth Ebola outbreak since 2018. Equateur province is the western part of the DRC, far from where fighting is underway in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the east. The province’s last outbreak occurred between April and July of 2022 in Mbandaka, the provincial capital. There were five cases, all fatal. Sequencing suggested the outbreak was triggered by a new spillover event from an animal rather than linked to a previous outbreak.

UK reports H5N1 in a poultry worker --The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency (HSA) todayreported a human H5N1 avian flu infection in a person who had close and prolonged contact with a large number of sick birds on a farm, the UK’s first case since 2022.Some European countries, including the UK, are battling H5N1 in poultry and wild birds, and on January 24, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)ordered that the avian flu prevention zone be expanded to cover all of England. The H5N1 detection in a human is the UK’s first since 2022,when tests confirmed an infection in an individual who kept a large flock of ducks in their home in England. The flock owner was asymptomatic, but tested positive on a nasal swab test.Regarding the new case, the HSA said the patient is from the West Midlands region and that the patient is well and has been admitted to a high consequence infectious disease unit. Birds on the farm were infected with the DI.2 genotype, a virus known to be circulating in UK birds, the HSA said, emphasizing that the H5N1 strain is different than the one circulating in mammals and birds in the United States. Two patients with severe infections, one fatal, in the United States and Canada were infected with viruses that belonged to the different D1.1 genotype.The HSA said it has been tracking all people who have had contact with infected animals and that no human-to-human spread has been detected.Susan Hopkins, MB BCh, the HSA's chief medical adviser, said there is no indication of onward transmission related to the case. “The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low despite this confirmed case. We have robust systems in place to detect cases early and take necessary action, as we know that spillover infections from birds to humans may occur.” Officials said birds on the affected farm are being culled, and Christine Middlemiss, DVM, the UK’s chief veterinary officer, said, “We are seeing a growing number of avian flu cases in birds on both commercial farms and in backyard flocks across the country. Implementing scrupulous biosecurity measures will help protect the health and welfare of your birds from the threat of avian influenza and other diseases.”

H5N1 avian flu strikes more poultry in 4 states --The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today confirmed more H5N1 avian flu detections in poultry from four states, including several in hard-hit Ohio.The latest outbreaks in Ohio involved four commercial farms in Mercer County, three turkey producers and one at a duck meat facility. Over the past month, Ohio’s outbreaks have led to the loss of nearly 6 million birds, including several large layer farms, with most of the other events involving turkey producers. APHIS also confirmed an outbreak at a layer farm in Arizona’s Pinal County that has about 316,000 birds. Officials also confirmed two detections in backyard flocks, one in Nebraska’s Kearney County and one in Florida’s Orange County.Since H5N1 was first detected in US poultry in early 2022, outbreaks have led to the loss of a record 147.25 million birds across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.In dairy cow developments, APHIS confirmed one more detection, another herd from California, raising the national total to 944 and the state’s total to 727.

Tests identify H5N9 avian flu at California duck farm -- Highly pathogenic H5N9 avian flu has been identified for the first time in US poultry, on a duck meat farm in California that experienced an outbreak in November 2024, according to anotification today from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Both H5N9 and H5N1 were detected at the duck farm in Merced County, according to tests conducted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory. The event began on November 23, with clinical signs that included increased deaths in the ducks. State officials quarantined the affected farm, and a culling operation of the facility's nearly 119,000 birds was completed on December 2. Scientists with the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), state partners, and wildlife officials are conducting a comprehensive epidemiologic investigation. Angela Rasmussen, PhD, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, said on X today that the H5N9 detection suggests reassortment of circulating H5N1 viruses with avian flu virus that contains the N9 neuraminidase (NA). She added that replication in coinfected hosts can produce unpredictable new reassortant viruses. She said ducks don't get very sick from many avian flu, which can make them great hosts for reassortant viruses. Since they can still fly, eat, and mingle while infected, they can transmit the reassortant virus to new hosts, with the virus continuing to adapt along the way. Though the risk of reassortant flu viruses for people is unclear, they can reassort with human flu viruses, Rasmussen added. She emphasized that its crucial to keep H5N1 out of pigs, given that they are susceptible to human and other flu viruses, including reassortants. In an update that covers the past few days, APHIS reported several more H5N1 detections in poultry flocks, both commercial and backyard birds, including several in the Northeast. In events that could worsen egg shortages, more layer farm outbreaks were reported in Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, and Washington state, totaling at least 1.5 million birds. The virus also struck turkey farms in Minnesota and Ohio, as well as broiler farms in Arkansas and Missouri. The virus also turned up in backyard flocks in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and California. Also, APHIS confirmed 6 more H5N1 detections in dairy herds, all in California, raising the national total to 943 and California's total to 726.

Avian flu strikes more poultry farms, prompts more state measures and warnings --US poultry farms saw no let-up in H5N1 avian flu detections over the past 2 days, with more outbreaks reported from eight states, according to the latest confirmations from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). In California, outbreaks hit two more commercial duck farms, one in Madera County and the other in Merced County, affecting about 157,000 birds.Meanwhile, four more detections were reported in hard-hit Ohio, including three turkey farms and a layer facility that has 1.4 million birds. The virus also struck a broiler farm housing nearly 146,000 birds in Delaware, turkey farms in Missouri and North Carolina, a layer farm in Indiana, and a facility with nearly 48,000 birds in Pennsylvania.More detections were reported in backyard flocks as well, including those in Indiana, Idaho, and Pennsylvania. Separately, Maryland’s agriculture department reported a preliminary positive in a backyard flock in Montgomery County, which is part of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.In dairy cow developments, APHIS confirmed one more detection, another from California, raising the national total to 951 and the state’s total to 734. In other developments, ongoing detections in wild birds and poultry have prompted more actions and warnings in affected states. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture yesterday announced a suspension of all poultry exhibitions due to the ongoing avian flu threat and recent confirmations at commercial farms in surrounding states. Massachusetts officials this week warned the public about suspected avian flu deaths in wild and domestic birds in several of the state’s cities, which suggest the virus is widespread in the state. It urged people to avoid handling wildlife, including sick and dead birds, and it encouraged the public to report sick and dead bird observations if groups of five or more are found to state officials through an online portal.

Avian flu strikes second biggest US egg producer - Rose Acre Farms, the nation's second largest egg producer, said yesterday that tests have confirmed avian flu at its facility in Seymour, Indiana, which could further stretch the supply of eggs as commercial farms in several states continue to battle the spread of the H5N1 virus. In other developments, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported more H5N1 detections in mammals, poultry, dairy cows, and wild birds, and European health groups issued a guide for assessing avian flu mutations that may pose a risk to humans. The company said on X that it first noticed mortality in the layers on January 25 and quickly sent samples for testing. Rose Acre Farms has operations across the country. The Seymour, Indiana, facility is located in Jackson County. The Indiana Board of Animal Health of Animal Health on January 26 announced that the virus had been detected at a layer farm in Jackson County that has 2.8 million birds. The company said it tightened its already rigorous biosecurity measures, is working with state officials, and is monitoring its other facilities. Since the first of the year, outbreaks at layer farms have led to the loss of at least 13 million birds. Meanwhile, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed one more detection in a poultry flock, which involves backyard birds in New York's Ulster County. In an update on wild birds, the agency added about 90 more confirmations across a wide range of states,mostly involving samples collected at the very end of 2024 and in 2025. Many were snow geese found dead, as well as raptors, but the group also included ducks and other waterfowl that were harvested by hunters or collected for live sampling.Regarding dairy cow detections, APHIS added 5 more confirmations, all in herds from California, lifting the national total to 949 and the state's total to 732. APHIS yesterday reported nine more H5N1 confirmations in mammals, all with collection dates in the final days of 2024 or in 2025. Additions to the list include four more domestic cats, including two in South Dakota's Faulk County and one each from California (Contra Costa County) and Oregon (Washington County).Officials also reported two more detections in bottlenose dolphins, both from Brevard County in Florida. Other mammals that were positive in tests for H5N1 included two red foxes, one in Delaware and the other in Pennsylvania, and an Eastern gray squirrel in New York's Albany County.In other developments, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) today issued a framework for assessing avian flu virus mutations, which included recommendations for animal health and public health groups. The agencies based their findings on an analysis of genetics, human case studies, and what's known about antibody presence. They identified 34 mutations that might give avian flu viruses greater capacity to spread to humans.

CWD invades 2 more Minnesota deer permit areas -Two cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild deer have been confirmed in two Minnesota deer permit areas (DPAs) with no previously identified instances of the fatal neurodegenerative disease, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced yesterday. One of the two infected white-tailed bucks harvested in fall 2024 was found in DPA 701 near Greenfield in Hennepin County, in the southeastern part of the state. The other was taken in DPA 266 near Hawley in Clay County, along the North Dakota border in northwestern Minnesota. The closest CWD detection in wild deer to the case in DPA 701 was 31 miles away, in Dakota County. The DPA 266 case was identified about 54 miles from a previous confirmed positive in Polk County."This finding is concerning because it indicates possible new areas of CWD prevalence in wild deer where it hasn’t previously been detected," Erik Hildebrand, DNR wildlife health supervisor, said in the news release. "This also highlights how important our disease surveillance efforts are and how critical it is that hunters are able to test deer harvested anywhere in the state if they would like to." The DNR will implement its CWD response plan, which entails 3 consecutive years of testing to help estimate disease prevalence. The findings will also trigger carcass movement restrictions and a deer feeding and attractant ban and may include more hunting opportunities with higher bag limits. "Additional management actions will be taken per DNR’s CWD response plan, likely this fall, and might include the establishment of a new CWD management zone and surrounding surveillance area to better understand the distribution and prevalence of this disease in the area, as well as considerations of late season hunting, landowner shooting permits and targeted culling," the release said. CWD is a fatal neurodegenerative cervid disease caused by prions, infectious proteins that trigger abnormal folding in normal proteins. Infected animals shed CWD prions in body fluids, which can spread to other cervids through direct contact or the environment.

Iowa reports 2 cases of CWD in wild deer in Fremont, Pottawattamie counties -Two cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) have been confirmed in southwestern Iowa, KMALand radio reports. One of the hunter-harvested deer was found in Fremont County, about 2.5 miles west of Percival, near the Missouri River. The other was taken northwest of Avoca in Pottawattamie County, north of Freemont County, near the border with Nebraska.The Fremont county deer was located more than 8 miles from a positive case identified in 2021, while the Pottawattamie County deer was found roughly 6.5 miles from a positive case detected near Walnut in Shelby County, northeast of Pottawattamie County."Basically, the DNR will try to do a lot more surveillance—so the deer that are already being harvested with the tags that are out there, we'll try to sample more of those," DNR Wildlife Biologist Matt Dollison told the radio station late last week. "Our quotas will go up and maybe expand in some areas, but we'll really just do more to try and figure out what the prevalence of the disease is in that area." Since its first positive CWD test in 2013, Iowa has confirmed 438 cases out of 105,898 wild deer sampled, according to the DNR website. During the 2024-2025 hunting season, the DNR tested 5,459 samples, identifying 51 confirmed and 45 suspected CWD cases. CWD, a fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids such as deer and elk, is caused by prions, infectious proteins that trigger abnormal folding in normal proteins, especially in the central nervous system. Infected animals shed CWD prions in body fluids, which can spread to other cervids through direct contact or the environment. No CWD infections have been reported in people, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends against the consumption of infected animals.

East Palestine, railroad reach $22 million settlement - East Palestine, Ohio, has reached a $22 million settlement with the railroad that operated the train that derailed there in 2023, spilling toxic chemicals and making national headlines.In a statement, the Ohio village said the settlement resolves all claims relating to the derailment, which caused no deaths or injuries but spilled 11 Norfolk Southern cars containing hazardous materials. The town acknowledges some $13.5 million the railroad has already paid out.“As part of the settlement, Norfolk Southern and the Village have mutually agreed that the creation and operation of the proposed regional safety training center in the Village is not feasible and, as a result, work will not proceed with building the center,” the village said in a statement. “Norfolk Southern has agreed to transfer ownership of approximately 15 acres of land it acquired for the center to the Village for another productive use, to be determined by the Village in its sole discretion. Norfolk Southern remains committed to providing training for East Palestine’s first responders at other facilities in the region.”Residents in proximity to the February 2023 derailment were briefly evacuated, and local officials conducted a controlled burn soon after that created a widely visible plume of toxic fumes.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invoked the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or Superfund law, which required Norfolk Southern to cover all costs. The EPA separately settled with Norfolk Southern for $310 million last May.Later investigations determined that the direct cause of the derailment was an overheated bearing on the track outside East Palestine, which a so-called hot box detector on the tracks failed to detect until it was too late for the train to stop. Then-Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and JD Vance (R) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at tightening rail safety regulations in response to the revelations but it did not receive a Senate vote in the last Congress.

Ohio communities look to update water systems - Lead contamination in drinking water continues to be a significant concern in Ohio. With new federal regulations to tackle the issue, local water utilities are accelerating their efforts to replace aging infrastructure. Kevin Kappers, lead program manager for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, explained what the changes mean. "How EPA regulates lead and copper in drinking water changed, so all utilities are reacting to make sure they stay in compliance," Kappers pointed out. "We have already had a lead service line replacement program since 2018, but what that means for us is, we're accelerating that." Federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements mandate replacing lead service lines within the next decade. But concerns remain about funding and logistic challenges, especially for smaller Ohio communities with fewer resources to comply with these changes. Alicia Smith, executive director of the Junction Coalition in Toledo, and other advocates stressed the importance of communication and transparency about lead contamination between cities and their residents. "You have to tell families what and how this impacts their lives. If you don't do that, then no one's doing it right," Smith argued. "The intersectionality of infrastructure impacts public health, public safety and public awareness, for the benefit of environmental and economic justice." Maureen Cunningham, chief strategy officer and director of water at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, emphasized the hazards of lead in water systems. "Lead is a neurotoxin; there's basically no safe level of lead in drinking water for human health," Cunningham noted. "Replacing lead service lines, and replacing all lead in our water systems, will significantly reduce and hopefully even eliminate the threat of lead in drinking water." Jeff Swertfeger, superintendent of water quality and treatment for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, stressed the importance of public participation in updating the systems. "Participation by the people who own those houses that may have lead lines is really important, to get cooperation in order to get those lines out," Swertfeger explained. "A lot of our pipes are over 100 years old. There's a lot of needs in drinking water now, besides just lead." Nationally, $15 billion in federal funding is available for lead line replacements.

Trump orders agencies to override California policies that ‘unduly burden’ water deliveries -- President Trump directed U.S. government agencies to override California’s water policies as needed — slamming the state’s handling of the Los Angeles region’s wildfires in an executive order this weekend.“Firefighters were unable to fight the blaze due to dry hydrants, empty reservoirs, and inadequate water infrastructure,” the order stated. “It is in the Nation’s interest to ensure that California has what it needs to prevent and fight these fires and others in the future.”Writing that “it is the policy of the United States to provide Southern California with necessary water resources,” the order directed federal officials to “immediately take actions to override existing activities that unduly burden efforts to maximize water deliveries.”The order follows comments Trump made Friday prior to visiting Los Angeles, at which time he said he would condition federal wildfire assistance on both voter identification mandates and a release of more water from Northern California statewide.Trump has repeatedly argued that California officials could have boosted water flow to Los Angeles from the northern part of the state simply by pumping more of the resource.Earlier this month, he went so far as to call on Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to resign, while also accusing him of failing to sign a declaration that would have “allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”Newsom’s office was quick to decry the accusations as “pure fiction,” noting that “there is no such document as the water restoration declaration” and that Newsom “is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.” Water experts have backed up the state’s assertions, stressing that California’s supply issues are not as cut and dry as Trump has described them — and that fire hydrants briefly stopped working due to acute demand issues. Trump was presumably referring to a proposal he issued during his first administration that sought to redirect water from Northern California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (the “Bay-Delta”) to the agriculture-rich Central Valley. California officials ended up filing suit against the federal government, disputing the order on the grounds that more pumping would harm fish protected by the Endangered Species Act.Yet in reality, Los Angeles actually gets much of its water elsewhere, with about 38 percent of drinking water in 2023 — the most recent year with data available — coming from the Los Angeles Aqueduct. The aqueduct transports water from the Owens River Valley in the eastern Sierra Nevada to the city, rather than from the northern Bay-Delta. Another 9 percent of the city’s drinking supply came from local groundwater and 2 percent from recycled wastewater, while 51 percent was imported from the adjacent Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Just 30 percent of the Metropolitan District’s water originates in the northern part of the state, while 20 percent comes from the Colorado River and 50 percent form a mix of other resources.Nonetheless, Trump’s executive order includes a section titled “Overriding Disastrous California Policies” that requires several department heads to “expeditiously take all measures, consistent with all applicable authorities, to ensure adequate water resources in Southern California.”The document also calls upon the federal Bureau of Reclamation to “take all available measures to ensure that State agencies — including the California Department of Water Resources — do not interfere with the Bureau of Reclamation’s operation of the project to maximize water delivery to high-need communities.”In response to Trump’s order, Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Newsom, told Reuters that“Trump is either unaware of how water is stored in California or is deliberately misleading the public.”“There is no imaginary spigot to magically make water appear at a wildfire, despite what Trump claims,” Gallegos added.

Massive underground aquifer discovered beneath Oregon’s Cascade Range - Scientists from the University of Oregon have discovered a vast underground aquifer beneath Oregon’s Cascade Range, storing at least 81 km3 (19.4 mi3) of water — almost three times the maximum capacity of Lake Mead. The research detailing the findings was published on January 13, 2025, reshaping the understanding of the region’s water resources and volcanic hazards. Researchers say this vast water reservoir stored within volcanic rock has implications for regional water resources and volcanic hazards. “It is a continental-size lake stored in the rocks at the top of the mountains, like a big water tower,” Leif Karlstrom, a geophysicist from the University of Oregon who led the study said. “That there are similar large volcanic aquifers north of the Columbia Gorge and near Mount Shasta likely make the Cascade Range the largest aquifer of its kind in the world.” The study indicates that this aquifer plays an important role in regional hydrology and volcanic activity. The Cascade Range has been shaped by volcanic processes over millions of years and created porous lava flows that allow deep water circulation. Researchers believe this water storage system could serve as a long-term reservoir and mitigate the effects of climate change on water availability. Many communities in Oregon depend on water from the Cascades including the McKenzie River which supplies drinking water to Eugene. Further analysis of geological formations suggests that similar aquifers may exist in other volcanic regions. Scientists have used drill samples and geophysical imaging techniques to map the structure of the subsurface water network and reveal extensive underground channels capable of sustaining long-term water reserves. The presence of such a large underground water system also has implications for volcanic hazards. Eruptions can become more explosive when magma interacts with groundwater and increases the risks posed by Cascade Range volcanoes. “The movement of water and the hazards posed by volcanoes are linked together,” Gordon Grant, co-author of the study from the United States (U.S.) Forest Service stated. Geological models indicate that water stored within volcanic rocks could alter the stability of magma chambers. The interaction between hot magma and pressurized water has been associated with explosive volcanic activity in the past.

Los Angeles wildfires raise concerns about toxic pollutants in air - The infernal blazes burning in Southern California are raising concerns about the potential airborne hazards they may be leaving behindEven once the fires are ultimately extinguished, experts warn, contaminants from the structures they’ve destroyed — some of them potentially containing toxic materials — could linger in the air and pose uncertain health hazards.While just how many buildings have burned remains inconclusive, estimates indicate that at least 15,000 structures succumbed to the flames of the initial Palisades and Eaton fires. And some “will have experienced significant damage from smoke and toxic ash deposits,” noted Daniel Swain, a University of California, Los Angeles, climate scientist, at a webinar earlier this week. “This is a growing concern in the wake of this highly urban fire that burned not just vegetation, but a whole lot of structures that contain things like lead paint, asbestos, various heavy metals contained in the batteries that burned in vehicles and in home ystem backups and solar panels,” he said.Describing these losses as “a staggering toll,” Swain warned of indirect harm residents could endure from smoke and toxic ash exposures.“The health harms, the illness and sometimes, the death that can result from large scale disasters and wildfires, is not limited only to the people who don’t make it out of the fire zone,” he added.Heading into a likely rainy weekend, the Palisades Fire, which has ravaged the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, was 23,448 acres and 77 percent contained. The Eaton Fire, north of Pasadena, was 14,021 acres with 95 percent containment. But the new Hughes Fire, which began Wednesday near Castaic Lake, had grown to 10,396 acres and was only 56 percent contained. Wildfire smoke contains a mixture of pollutants, although the most well-studied ingredient is fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). When inhaled, these tiny particles can invade the lungs and penetrate the bloodstream, noted Tarik Benmarhnia, a climate change epidemiologist at the University of San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in a recent explainer.In addition to exacerbating existing conditions like asthma, repeat PM 2.5 exposure is also associated with future lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia, Benmarhnia stated. He and his colleagues recently demonstrated how repeat exposures to PM 2.5 from wildfire smoke over multiple years can increase the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.Shedding light on the wildfire smoke’s reach, Scripps Oceanography researchers announced Tuesday they identified ash and debris as far away as 100 miles offshore — prompting concern about potential impacts on fisheries and the broader food web.“These fires are not only consuming vegetation but also massive amounts of urban infrastructure,” project leader Julie Dinasquet said in a statement. “This introduces a novel ‘urban ash’ component to the wildfire source, filled with exceptionally toxic materials.” Among the materials she flagged were lead, arsenic, asbestos, microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organic compounds that occur naturally in fossil fuels. “These fires pose a potential significant threat to both humans and ecosystems through the introduction of a large amount of toxic material in the system,” Dinasquet added. Precisely just how big the public health threat of these wildfires will be, whom that threat will affect and when, remains uncertain. Richard Castriotta, a pulmonologist at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, noted the “big difference” between urban wildfires such as those burning in Los Angeles and those that impact trees alone. Recognizing the dangers associated with forest fire smoke are real, Castriotta told The Hill they pale in comparison to the potential contaminants unleashed by a burning building. He, too, described a smorgasbord of toxic substances involved in such exposures, including chlorine, lead, asbestos and oxides of nitrogen, as well as mystery materials — created as a high-intensity flame “turns the plastics and artificial materials into unknown substances.” “The danger is there for everybody, but it’s worse, naturally, for people who have lung disease, heart disease, diabetes and impaired immunity,” Castriotta said, also noting pregnant and nursing individuals could be at risk. Children, meanwhile, are particularly vulnerable and should not be involved in cleaning up houses burned in the blazes, he stressed. Short-term effects of exposure to smoke tend to appear in both the upper and lower airways, with the nose screening out a lot of larger particles and then the lungs acting as “a first responder” to some of the smaller particles, Castriotta explained. “This is our first immune response, and so if there are a lot of these toxic particles that get in, it can overwhelm the immune response system,” he said. “That would render the person, regardless of previous state of health, relatively immune deficient — unable to cope with additional burdens, much like the firefighters themselves.” In the days and weeks to come, that immune impairment could lead to a greater chance of contracting respiratory ailments like pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19 and bronchitis, Castriotta added. As for people who are already ill, he said that the exposure could exacerbate conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis and heart disease. Castriotta acknowledged, however, he doesn’t know what the long-term effects of exposure to these fires will be and that he’s “not sure if anybody does.” Referencing the 9/11 twin towers collapse, he noted how long it took to determine health impacts on first responders. And while he recognized the differences between these situations, he described similar uncertainties. One potential problem in many of the homes that burned could be the presence of asbestos, which Castriotta described as “a durable, fireproof fiber that lasts forever.” If these fibers get into the lungs, the “first-responder” white blood cells “don’t have the ability to digest and destroy them,” he explained. “That’s the reason why there is a long latent period from the exposure to asbestos and the adverse consequences that may be as long as 30 years,” he said.

Toxic waste delays California wildfire cleanup efforts - (YouTube videos) Toxic waste from burned lithium batteries, asbestos, and synthetic materials poses a significant risk in California’s wildfire-affected areas. Cleanup efforts are being delayed as hazardous substances require specialized removal before residents can safely return.

• Hazardous waste, including asbestos, burned lithium batteries, and synthetic materials, makes it difficult for residents to return to their wildfire-damaged homes.
• Insurance losses from the wildfires have surged to an estimated $40 billion, with experts warning that rebuilding could take up to a decade.
• The wildfires have claimed at least 29 lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and displaced more than 100 000 people.

Toxic waste mixed with charred debris has made it more difficult for residents to return to their homes destroyed by the wildfires burning through California since early January. The toxins include asbestos, a group of hazardous fibrous minerals used in insulation, fireproofing, automotive brakes, and wallboard materials. These long, thin carcinogenic fibers can become airborne and, when inhaled, cause severe health issues.The burning of lithium batteries from electric vehicles has raised significant concerns over toxic waste. These batteries release hazardous materials that require specialized removal, further delaying residents’ return to their properties.“A lot of the cars in the evacuation area were electric vehicles with lithium batteries,” said Jacqui Irwin, a state assembly member representing the Pacific Palisades, one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires. “We’ve heard from firefighters that lithium batteries burned near homes—especially those with power walls—for much longer,” she added.Synthetic materials, including plastic goods and electronic devices such as televisions and other appliances, release toxic chemicals into the environment when burned.Insurance loss estimates from the fires have surged to as much as $40 billion. BlackRock Inc. Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink has warned that rebuilding the city could take a decade. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated $100 million for cleanup efforts.The Los Angeles wildfires, which began on January 7, have claimed at least 29 lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and displaced more than 100 000 people. Recent rainfall triggered debris flows and mudslides, trapping vehicles.

Los Angeles fire survivors erupt in anger over slow and inadequate government response - A town hall meeting in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday escalated into angry exchanges between survivors of the Pacific Palisades fire and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official about the 18-month timeline for clearing debris left by the devastating fire. It is now three weeks since the beginning of the multiple fires which erupted in the Los Angeles area, destroying thousands of homes, businesses and cultural sites. The official death toll is 29, which is likely to rise as more victims are found in the rubble. The vast majority of survivors are struggling with little to no immediate financial aid and can expect to never be made whole. An unknown number have been added to Los Angeles’ already sizable homeless population. The two main options given to the residents at Sunday’s meeting were either the US Army Corp of Engineers’ free cleanup program or private contractors averaging $170,000 per property. “That’s too long,” “Speed it up” and “Hire more people,” Palisades residents shouted during EPA coordinator Tara Fitzgerald’s presentation, according to Newsweek. On January 24, President Donald Trump visited Pacific Palisades, the wealthier enclave that has been nearly erased from the map, and met with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and officials of communities impacted by the fires. He called for dismantling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the main federal agency organizing relief, and called for the states and religious organizations to take care of their own disasters. Residents are relying heavily on donations and charity to meet their immediate needs. However, limited resources make it difficult to address the community’s needs. State Senator Sasha Renée Perez told LAist, “The biggest need that I’m hearing from my constituents is direct cash aid.” Despite widespread devastation, many residents have found receiving any federal assistance a significant hurdle. While FEMA promised a one-time $770 payout for disaster survivors, many residents have found it impossible to navigate the application process, such as lacking necessary paperwork to verify their identities. Many have been denied the aid after applying.

Why the home insurance model is broken --A rash of fast-moving wildfires have wreaked havoc across Los Angeles in recent weeks. Following the outbreak of the Hughes fire, the structural toll of the January wildfires now exceeds 16,000. Early estimates place the economic toll of the fires between $250 billion and $275 billion. Now, property insurers in the state are facing a historic payout, an estimated $40 billion."Preliminary loss estimates are running in the range of $30 to $50 billion", says David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. "That will be the largest fire related catastrophe globally in history."For many California homeowners the situation is dire. Several major property insurance companies, including the state's largest insurer, State Farm, announced pullbacks in coverage in recent years. Some have restricted underwriting in high-risk ZIP codes, others have pulled out of the state all together. Homeowners who have lost their home insurance are largely turning to what is called the 'insurer of last resort', the California FAIR Plan.Malibu homeowner Joan Zoloth is one of more than 449,000 Californians covered under the FAIR Plan."I had to scramble for as many people do in California, had to scramble for insurance," says Zoloth. "I called agents and said, 'What do I do?' And they said, 'You know, it's going to be very hard for you to get insurance'". Along with private insurers, the FAIR Plan also faces a massive payout, an estimated $8 billion in losses. An amount the FAIR Plan simply can't cover. As of Jan. 10, 2025, it had only $377 million to pay claims, as well as an additional $5.78 billion in reinsurance. It's not just Californians who are grappling with losing insurance due to severe climate risks and worsening disasters. According to Realtor.com, 44.8% of all U.S. homes are in areas that face at least one severe or extreme climate risk. That includes flooding, wildfires, heat, wind and air quality risks. Insurers have also been limiting underwriting in parts of Florida, Louisiana and Texas as natural disasters grow in intensity and cost.

Southern California faces mudslide threats after wildfires - After multiple days of heavy rains provided Southern California with significant relief from a spate of catastrophic wildfires, experts are now warning of potential mudslides as debris flows run rampant. Certain parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan region received more than an inch of rain over the course of three days, with the National Weather Service reporting 1.38 and 1.62 inches at the Santa Monica Pier and in part of the San Fernando Valley, respectively.Meanwhile, as of Tuesday, the area’s three biggest blazes — the Palisades, Eaton and Huges fires — were all more than 95 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.Yet although the welcome wet weather has now decreased the threat of new wildfires in Southern California, the threat of mudslides and flooding persists in the burn scars they left in their stead.The California Department of Transportation on Monday announced closures in Topanga Canyon, cautioning drivers that “the recent fires increased risk of mudslides, flash floods and debris flows.” Attributing the roadblocks to “mud and debris,” the agency included photos of a semi-truck awash in muddy rapids and surrounded by errant tree branches.“When rain falls on a burn scar, the ground cannot effectively absorb water,” Jonathan Porter,chief meteorologist for AccuWeather, said in a statement. “Too much rain falling too quickly can send a dangerous mix of water, mud, ash, rocks, and debris sliding down hills and mountains.”“Mudslides and debris flows will be a risk every time substantial rain falls in these burn scar areas for the rest of this winter and even into next winter,” Porter added.With additional opportunities for precipitation occurring in the coming weeks, the threat of new fires may return by late spring or summer, Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather’s lead long-range expert warned.“Two back-to-back winters with exceptional rainfall and mountain snow led to a surplus of vegetation growth,” Pastelok said.That said, both Ventura and Los Angeles counties are still under severe to extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Mudslides and debris flows grip Los Angeles as much needed rain arrives to California - Southern California saw its first significant rainfall in weeks on January 26, 2025, bringing much-needed relief from wildfires but also triggering flash floods and debris flows across Los Angeles County. (YouTube videos) Southern California received moderate rainfall on January 26, with totals reaching up to 30.5 mm (1.2 inches) in some areas, following weeks of wildfire activity. Flash Flood Warnings were issued for Los Angeles County, particularly in burn scar regions, where debris flows caused hazardous conditions. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to incidents in Woodland Hills, where debris flows trapped several vehicles as rain rushed down hillsides. While rainfall totals were not particularly significant, with the heaviest rainfall of approximately 30.5 mm (1.2 inches) recorded between San Fernando and Simi Valley, the National Weather Service (NWS), issued Flash Flood Warnings, and debris flows occurred across much of Los Angeles County, particularly in burn scar areas. Most areas received between 7.6 – 12.7 mm (0.3 – 0.5 inches) of rain, with a few isolated pockets exceeding 25.4 mm (1 inch). The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to debris flow incidents that trapped several vehicles as debris moved rapidly down a hillside in Woodland Hills. Mudslides have blocked the Palisades Drive and the Topanga Canyon, with reports suggesting that a mudflow took down a truck. The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles reported moderate rainfall, with forecasters identifying areas at risk of flooding, including Malibu, Chatsworth, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Pacific Palisades, and nearby regions. Due to hazardous conditions, all four schools in Malibu were closed to protect the safety of students and staff. Officials with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District stated they would monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary. Malibu Canyon Road was closed between Francisco Ranch Road and Puma Road until 17:00 local time (LT) on Monday, January 27. Flash Flood Warnings have been issued for burn scar regions, while a Flood Advisory has been issued for Southeastern Los Angeles County from Burbank to eastern Los Angeles County and south to Compton.

Trump wants voter ID, water release in California for federal aid - President Trump on Friday said he wanted to see two actions taken in California before he offered federal support for Los Angeles as it grapples with wildfires. “I want to see two things in Los Angeles. Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina, where he was touring hurricane recovery efforts. “Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen,” he added.Trump is slated to visit Los Angeles later Friday to view damage from the fires and meet with local officials.California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) office responded to Trump’s comments with a fact-check about its voting laws, noting several other states do not require voter ID. Newsom’s office also said it is currently able to pump as much water as it could under Trump’s first-term policies.“Conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong,” the governor’s office posted on social media.Lawmakers in Congress are debating how to proceed with federal assistance to Los Angeles, where wildfires have killed dozens of people and destroyed communities.Republicans have floated tying aid to a debt ceiling increase or changes to California’s fire-mitigation policies. Democrats have vehemently opposed placing conditions on federal assistance to Los Angeles, arguing it would set a dangerous precedent.Trump has fixated on the claim that California officials could provide additional water flow to Los Angeles from the northern part of the state by simply switching on a valve. But experts have pushed back, arguing the state’s water supply issues are not that simple, and that fire hydrants ran dry in recent weeks because of a surge in demand.The president has also for years pushed for the implementation of voter identification laws amid unproven claims of widespread fraud in elections.California passed legislation that would take effect in 2026 that blocks municipalities from requiring voter ID in elections, a move made in response to one city passing a voter ID requirement.

California bill would hold oil and gas companies liable for climate change-fueled damage - A bill introduced in California’s state Legislature would make fossil fuel companies legally liable for damages from climate change, similar to current law holding utilities liable for fires started by their equipment.State Sen. Scott Wiener (D), who co-introduced the bill Monday, said in a statement that the bill would shift the cost burden from climate disasters from homeowners to oil and gas companies.“Containing these costs is critical to our recovery and to the future of our state. By forcing the fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis to pay their fair share, we can help stabilize our insurance market and make the victims of climate disasters whole,” Wiener said.The legislation would also allow the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort, to sue fossil fuel companies to recoup costs rather than passing them onto ratepayers. The San Francisco-area state senator accused fossil fuel companies of knowingly misleading the public about their products’ role in climate change. While he did not cite specific examples, internal communications at ExxonMobil suggest the company, then known as Exxon, was aware of the relationship as early as the 1970s. Exxon has denied allegations that it spread disinformation about climate change, including during testimony under oath before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.The bill’s introduction comes weeks after devastating wildfires began ravaging the southern part of California. Extreme weather in the state was a major contributing factor to the damage from the fires — after California had an unusually wet winter, including a number of “atmospheric river” storms, it then experienced record heat the following summer and an atypically dry rainy season, allowing fires to quickly spread in the extra vegetation that grew as a result of the wet weather.In the longer term, insurance companies have increasingly scaled back their coverage or left California entirely, due largely to the costs of natural disasters in the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) controversially backed a bill last year that sought to discourage insurer exits by allowing faster rate hikes.Wiener argued the passage of the new bill would allow the insurance market to stabilize without insurers taking a loss from covering the impacts of climate disasters.

Flash Flood Warnings issued for Dallas as powerful cross country storm sweeps through the U.S. - - Parts of Texas and the Northern Gulf Coast will experience a bout of severe weather this week as a powerful cross-country storm sweeps through the south-central U.S., beginning on Thursday, January 30, 2025. The storm is expected to dump heavy snow in the southwest and the Rockies. Several areas such as Dallas and Arlington are already under Flood Watches and Warnings.

• A powerful cross-country storm will impact the south-central United States on January 30, moving east and northeast on January 31.
• Areas in Texas, including Dallas, Arlington, and Plano, have already received significant rainfall, with flash flood warnings issued. Strong winds up to 89 km/h (55 mph) and pea-sized hail have also been reported.
• Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected from east Texas through the Lower Mississippi Valley, bringing damaging winds, hail, and possible tornadoes.
• A weather front arriving on January 31 will bring widespread rainfall and heavy snowfall to the Northwest, northern California, and the northern Rockies, increasing the risk of flooding in steep terrain.

A line of thunderstorms was already moving through parts of Texas, including Dallas and Fort Worth, on Thursday morning, with heavy rain as the main threat, along with strong to marginally severe thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).Flood watches and warnings have been issued across Texas and several other states due to the storm. Strong winds of up to 90 km/h (55 mph) have been reported, along with pea-sized hail in areas such as Killeen, Belton, and Temple, Texas. Dallas, Arlington, and Plano, Texas, along with several other areas, were under a flash flood warning on Thursday morning due to the storm.

Rennes hit by worst floods in 40 years as Storm Herminia hits France - The Watchers (3 YouTube videos) Storm Herminia has been battering Normandy and Brittany since January 25, 2025, causing widespread flooding, evacuations, and school closures. At least two people have lost their lives.

• Storm Herminia has caused severe flooding in Normandy and Brittany, resulting in at least two deaths and the evacuation of nearly 400 residents in Rennes.
• Water levels in the Vilaine River basin have reached or surpassed historic levels recorded in 2001, with areas like Redon expecting further increases before the end of the week.
• The mayor of Rennes described the flooding as the worst in 40 years.
• A new storm named Ivo is forecast to bring gale-force winds of 80 – 100 km/h (50 – 62 mph) and moderate rainfall to Brittany on January 29, exacerbating ongoing flooding.

Rennes, one of the worst-hit areas, has seen its worst flooding in 40 years, with nearly 400 people evacuated due to the storm, according to the mayor. “We no longer have heating or electricity. We woke up with water up to our hips,” said Bakari, Moussa, and Kena, three young workers whose home was flooded. They explained that they had to climb out of their window to escape and later sought refuge at a local kebab shop to charge their phones. YouTube video Eaux et Vilaine, the public territorial authority for the Vilaine basin, is monitoring the water levels. In Guichen, the water level of the Vilaine River matches that of January 2001, while in Guipry-Messac, the 2001 record has been surpassed by 20 cm (7.9 inches). Flooding in the area is expected to stabilize on January 28, but in Redon, water levels are still rising. Currently at 4.66 m (15.3 feet), the level of the Vilaine could reach the historic high of 5.35 m (17.6 feet), recorded in 2001, by Wednesday. No decline is expected before the end of the week, according to an Eaux et Vilaine press release. The floodwaters have completely submerged many areas, forcing the closure of numerous schools and roads. All schools in Redon have been closed due to flooding, and temporary dams have been set up along the Quays of Redon Marina. YouTube video On the RD764 in Redon, vehicles are navigating through floodwaters as the road remains blocked due to flooding from the Oust River and the Nantes-Brest Canal. The towpath entrance to the Nantes-Brest Canal is also underwater. At least 32 municipalities have activated emergency plans in anticipation of 25 – 30 mm (1 – 1.2 inches) of additional rainfall expected across the region on Wednesday, January 29. “Thousands of hectares of meadows are flooded. All the streams are overflowing, and all bodies of water are at their maximum capacity,” said Jean-Luc Chenut, president of the department of Ille-et-Vilaine.

111 flights canceled during Lunar New Year holiday as heavy snowfall hit South Korea - Heavy snowfall has blanketed South Korea for 2 consecutive days on January 27 and 28, 2025, disrupting transportation during the Lunar New Year holiday travels. At least 111 flights were canceled, including 68 flights from Incheon International Airport. Mount Halla on Jeju Island recorded 130 cm (51 inches) of snow on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, while Gangwon Province’s eastern counties recorded up to 40 cm (16 inches). In Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, cities such as Anseong and Pyeongtaek saw 25 cm (10 inches) of snowfall while Seoul’s southwestern Gwanak Ward recorded 13.7 cm (5.4 inches). Snow-covered roads have led to multiple traffic accidents across the country. In Yongin, south of Seoul, a light-rail train service was disrupted for 2.5 hours before resuming operations at 11:10 LT (02:10 UTC) on Tuesday. Major roads crossing Mount Halla were fully closed while the operation of 70 passenger ships on 56 sea routes was suspended. Some KTX high-speed train services were running at reduced speeds with the Gyeongbu, Honam, Gangneung, and central railway lines affected.

Winter storm warnings issued for Hawaii ahead of a severe storm - Strong winds, heavy rain, and the potential for thunderstorms are expected as a winter storm develops northwest of Hawaii on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, impacting the islands through Friday, January 31. A Winter Storm Watch and Gale Watch have been issued for affected areas. A winter storm is expected to develop northwest of Hawaii on the night of Wednesday, January 29, and pass a few hundred miles north of Kauai on Thursday, January 30. The system will move a cold front eastward through the islands on Thursday night and into Friday, January 31, bringing the potential for heavy showers and thunderstorms over the western end of the state starting Wednesday evening The strongest winds are expected in the windward and mauka areas of Kauai and Oahu. Parts of Maui County and Hawaii Island may also experience strong, potentially damaging winds. A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect from the night of Wednesday through Friday morning for the summits of Haleakala, Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa. Ice accumulation may occur on roads and other surfaces as temperatures drop below freezing. The storm system could impact mariners around Kauai, where a Gale Watch will be in effect from Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon. Strong winds may create hazardous seas capable of capsizing or damaging vessels and reducing visibility.

How Climate Change and Widespread Unaffordable Home Insurance Will Wreck Property Values by Yves Smith -- As with the odds of success of the West against Russia in Ukraine or America in a military contest with China, there’s rampant denial of the impact of climate change on property values (commercial as well as residential) in at-risk areas. Along with that is undue fixation of trying to tinker with property insurance as if that could somehow combat the fact that losses are sure to swamp the ability of anyone but perhaps governments to pick up the tab. And that’s not a viable solution. Socialization of risk on this level, particularly given the lack of precedents, is already intensely political and will become only more so. And there’s no consensus on what to do. There are still quite a few who regard talk of global warming as a World Economic Forum “eat your bugs” plot.¹ Climate cognoscenti argue for relocating people and communities to more “sustainable” places. But many are unwilling to move. So as things get more dire, what draconian measure will be imposed to dislodge them? Condemning entire communities with the required eminent domain payoffs?² Or resorting to cheaper forms of coercion, like cutting off power or water or garbage services? Or consider what is happening in Los Angeles. We’ve pointed out that allowing rebuilding with wooden homes is asking for more of the same. But wood-framed houses are likely the cheapest option. But new construction is going to be beyond the means of most, even in the wealthiest neighborhoods. From Daily Mail:A Los Angeles realtor believes a staggering 70 percent of Pacific Palisades residents may never return to rebuild their homes… ‘They’re not staying away because they don’t want to return,’ [Josh] Altman told Fox Business. ‘Of course they want to go back there. They’re not going to return because it’s simple math. I don’t believe they’re going to be able to afford to rebuild.’ Altman is known for brokering high-end real estate deals across Los Angeles, outlined a daunting economic landscape. ‘We’re talking about $1,000 per square foot to build in places like the Palisades and Malibu. With most people heavily underinsured and construction costs skyrocketing – lumber, steel, everything – it’s just not feasible for many,’ he said. And there’s been resistance by burnt-out residents to the idea of rebuilding the less affluent Altadena area as apartments. But there’s no other realistic option given the typical financial situation. And this points to a second general problem as to what to do next. No one seems willing to lower the hammer and change zoning requirements in climate-whacked neighborhoods so as to greatly reduce their vulnerability (even assuming such a thing were possible). Instead, the policy focus is on tinkering with insurance, which is a rearranging-the-deck-chairs-on-the-Titanic level reaction. But the fixation on the presently-less-contentious topic of insurance defers dealing with the excruciatingly hard problem about what to do about buildings and communities. In other words, there’s widespread rejection of a new normal: that a downward reset in living standards and/or wealth that many (most?) Katrina victims suffered is in store for all but the wealthiest climate change housing casualties. And as climate damage to real property accumulates, those values will similarly reset in a big way. But due to the way the US property and casualty insurance industry operates, and the problem we flagged above, that the kick-the-can approach is to try to forestall the inevitable with insurance, it will happen on a state-by-state level as opposed to community level. In other words, as we’ll describe, the inertial path is that in states with large climate change exposed regions, the entire states will have unaffordable or barely affordable home insurance. That means property values will fall. Even cash only buyers face high insurance costs or bearing the risks themselves. For buyers that can’t stump up a purchase price, their ability to borrow will be greatly constrained because they have to be able to afford the insurance premiums, and that will eat up so much from a monthly housing budget that very little would be left for mortgage payments. Much lower mortgage borrowings means much lower housing prices.³

Large sinkhole swallows truck, traps driver in Saitama Prefecture, Japan - A large sinkhole opened up at an intersection in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, swallowing a passing truck and trapping its driver inside. Video credit: Nippon TV News 24 A sinkhole approximately 10 meters (33 feet) wide and more than 5 meters (16 feet) deep opened at an intersection in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on Tuesday morning, swallowing a truck and trapping its driver.

Sinkhole near Tokyo doubles in size with driver still trapped, Japan - 2 YouTube videos - A sinkhole that swallowed a truck and trapped the driver after opening at an intersection in Yashio, part of the Greater Tokyo Area, on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, collapsed further on Thursday, January 30, merging with the second opening that formed nearby and nearly doubling in size. The hole is now approximately 20 m (66 feet) wide, with a risk of additional cave-ins. The sinkhole swallowed a truck, trapping its 74-year-old driver inside. Although the driver was initially able to communicate, contact was lost on Tuesday afternoon as the driver’s seat became buried in debris. Authorities attribute the collapse to a ruptured sewage pipe that leaked wastewater. Another sinkhole formed nearby, likely due to underground erosion caused by the leaking water. YouTube video The prefectural government began discharging wastewater into the nearby Niigata River late Wednesday as an emergency measure to reduce water flowing into the sinkhole. Approximately 1.2 million residents across 12 cities and towns in the prefecture have been urged to refrain from using the sewage system since Tuesday, according to the prefectural government. Rescue personnel are using small machinery to remove mud from the sinkhole to retrieve the driver. A drone has also been deployed to inspect the hole. Officials state that the broken sewage pipe cannot be repaired anytime soon, and the effects of the incident will persist. There are plans to discharge wastewater into two additional rivers to prevent further accumulation in the sinkhole.

Coastal Living May Endanger Your Life - Coastal living is a dream for many Americans, but the effects of climate change are making it increasingly risky. Rising sea levels and stronger storms are just the beginning; the threat to public health is growing and millions living on the coast are already feeling the impact.At the forefront, the threat to coastal living is climate change. Sea levels are quickly rising due to melting glaciers and expanding warm oceans, putting coastal areas at risk. Storm surges are becoming more intense, and high-tide flooding now occurs up to 900% more often than it did 50 years ago.Starting in the 2030s, “sunny day” floods — floods without storms — will become common. Around 400,000 kids — mostly in New York City — live in areas that could experience major flooding by 2030. These changes will make coastal areas less livable, forcing communities to move inland and to higher elevations.In addition to rising sea levels, dozens of coastal cities in the United States are actively sinking, largely due to excessive groundwater extraction. When water is pumped from underground for human consumption, the water table drops and causes land above to collapse. Coastal areas also face pollution linked to tourism, with emissions from out-of-state cars, planes and cruise ships adding to the strain.In Portland, Maine, large passenger-carrying ships dock daily in the peak fall season and idle in the harbor all day, releasing fumes while passengers come ashore. In 2016, a Carnival cruise line was even found dumping waste into the water for nearly a decade, which led to stricter wastewater discharge regulations statewide.About 40% of the U.S. population — 128 million people — live in coastal counties. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds these areas more distressed than inland regions, with marginalized groups bearing the brunt. Over half of the coastal population are people of color, and low-income communities, especially in cities like New Orleans, are disproportionately affected.Environmental changes affect public health, too. Due to these environmental changes, health risks have skyrocketed for those living in coastal counties. In addition to the obvious short-term threats associated with extreme storms and flooding like losing shelter, injury from falling debris or drowning, a variety of illnesses and injuries can stem from water contamination and mold growth long after a weather event.Floods bring saltwater, chemicals and pesticides into local water supplies, raising the risk of hypertension, organ damage and maternal health issues. Flooding also overwhelms septic systems, releasing bacteria and pathogens into the environment, which leads to mold growth in homes. Exposure to mold can cause hay fever-like symptoms and respiratory problems like asthma. For example, two years after Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana, residents were still getting sick from mold exposure, partly because many low-income renters lacked the resources to fix moldy homes or relocate.Algae blooms driven by rising temperatures also threaten public health. These blooms contaminate water, fish and air, causing skin rashes, respiratory issues, gastrointestinal illness and neurological damage. A recent bloom in the largest U.S. freshwater lake was associated with increased doctor visits and pet deaths.Health care systems are also often disrupted by extreme weather conditions, leading to difficulty in providing timely and adequate care. Power outages, road closures and damaged facilities delay treatment and access to care. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, most of the 3,000 deaths linked to the storm occurred months later, due to medication shortages, loss of electricity and a lack of available doctors.Protecting coastal communities requires ongoing efforts — some of which are already underway. Several hospitals across the country are installing flood walls, relocating generators to higher ground, and/or investing in high ground clearance emergency vehicles.Drawing on Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, many local and state health departments are urging health care providers to take an active role in storm preparedness. This includes assisting patients in creating evacuation plans and ensuring access to extended medication supplies.

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is spewing lava once again -The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is erupting again for the seventh time in recent weeks. The eruption started on December 23 in a crater at Kilauea's summit. It has stopped and restarted several times. On January 27, it began again with small bursts of lava, which grew stronger until a steady lava fountain formed, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. On the north side, lava fountains are reaching 100 to 120 feet (30 to 40 meters) high, creating multiple lava streams. A smaller fountain and a small lava flow are visible on the south side. Since December 23, each eruption has lasted between 13 hours and eight days, with breaks ranging from less than a day to 12 days. The current eruption is expected to last 10 to 20 hours. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park includes two of the world's most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. The eruptions can be seen from many viewpoints in the park, and the lava is not a danger to homes or buildings.

Study finds statistical link between solar activity and rainfall variability - A long-term statistical study has confirmed a direct correlation between rainfall variability in India and solar activity features such as sunspots, solar flares, and solar prominences. Researchers analyzed 5 solar cycles, from 1964 to 2019, and found a strong correlation between India’s rainfall variability and solar activity features like sunspots, solar flares, and prominences. Rainfall patterns followed a cyclic trend similar to solar cycles, with periodicities of 2.5 and 3.5 years influencing seasonal and annual precipitation levels. The study suggests that solar activity plays an important role in rainfall distribution, impacting climate patterns and long-term weather trends across India. The research analyzed all-India homogenous rainfall (RF) data and compared it with 3 major solar activity features (SAF), sunspot number (SN), solar flare (SF), and solar active prominence (SAP). The rainfall data were divided into 4 seasonal periods for detailed analysis. The January to February period represents the winter months. The March to May period corresponds to the pre-monsoon months. The June to September period marks the southwest monsoon months. The October to December period covers the northeast monsoon months. The statistical tools used included the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for identifying periodic trends, regression analysis for correlation assessments, and probability distribution functions to determine the most likely rainfall amounts. The study found that rainfall varied distinctly across different phases of solar cycles, with a positive trend observed from solar cycle 20 to 24, culminating in the highest recorded rainfall during solar cycle 24. The analysis of annual rainfall variation over the 55-year period identified two dominant periodicities of 2.5 and 3.5 years, along with other cycles ranging between 2 and 10 years. Additionally, a normal probability distribution analysis showed that rainfall levels between 700 and 750 mm (27.6 to 29.5 inches) were the most frequently observed during this period. The correlation analysis between rainfall and solar activity features showed varying coefficients across different seasons, indicating weak to moderate relationships depending on the time of year. The annual correlation coefficients were -0.06 for SN (Sunspot Number), 0.044 for SF (Solar Flux), and 0.022 for SAP (Solar Activity Parameter), suggesting no strong overall connection between these solar parameters and yearly rainfall patterns. During the winter months (January and February), the correlation coefficients were 0.027 for SN, 0.014 for SF, and 0.037 for SAP, indicating a weak positive relationship between solar activity and rainfall and suggesting that during winter, slight increases in solar activity may be linked to small increases in rainfall, though the relationship is not statistically strong. In the pre-monsoon period (March to May), the results showed a moderate negative correlation for sunspot numbers (-0.10) but a moderate positive correlation for solar flux (0.11) and SAP (0.13), suggesting that during this period, higher sunspot activity tends to be associated with reduced rainfall, whereas increased solar flux and SAP values are linked to higher rainfall levels. During the monsoon season (June to September), the correlation coefficients were -0.003 for SN, -0.02 for SF, and 0.014 for SAP, suggesting almost no significant relationship between solar activity and rainfall. This implies that monsoon rainfall is likely dominated by other atmospheric and oceanic factors, such as monsoon circulation patterns, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and regional climatic conditions, rather than direct solar influences. In contrast, the post-monsoon period (October to December) showed the strongest negative correlation for sunspots (-0.21), indicating that higher sunspot activity is associated with lower rainfall during these months. The correlation with solar flux (-0.053) was also negative but weaker, while SAP (0.14) showed a moderate positive correlation, suggesting that certain aspects of solar activity may still influence rainfall in the later months of the year. The findings suggest that while solar activity may have some influence on rainfall patterns, particularly in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods, the relationship is not strong or consistent throughout the year. Other large-scale climatic drivers, such as oceanic temperature variations, atmospheric circulation patterns, and regional weather systems, likely play a more dominant role in determining seasonal and annual rainfall variability.

Large fireball over Spain shines as bright as the Moon - YouTube video - A very bright fireball was observed over the skies of Spain at approximately 06:20 UTC (07:20 local time) on January 24. The bolide, shining nearly as bright as the Moon, entered the atmosphere at a speed of 114 000 km/h (70 836 mph), traveling over southern Spain and the Mediterranean Sea. The event began at an altitude of approximately 100 km (62 miles) above Fuente la Sabina in the Albacete province. It moved southeast, passing over the region of Murcia and the southern part of Alicante province, before concluding at an altitude of around 40 km (25 miles) above the Mediterranean Sea. The fireball traveled a total distance of 154 km (96 miles) through the atmosphere. It passed over Albacete, Murcia, and Alicante, and was visible from nearly all parts of the Iberian Peninsula. The bright meteor was recorded as part of the SMART project, operated by the Southwestern Europe Meteor Network (SWEMN). Observations were made from meteor-observing stations located at La Hita, Calar Alto, Sierra Nevada, La Sagra, Sevilla, Marçà, and Otura.

Fireball over Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan confirmed as Starlink satellite debris - The Watchers (YouTube videos) A Starlink satellite reentry created a bright fireball-like spectacle across the Midwest skies at 03:00 UTC on January 29, 2025 (21:00 local time on January 28), with debris visible across multiple states and many observers initially mistaking it for a meteor. A dazzling fireball later identified as debris of Starlink satellite #5693 streaked across the Midwest night sky at 03:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 29 (21:00 local time on Tuesday). American Meteor Society (AMS) received 69 reports from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The debris fireball created a stunning display of several colors including orange, brown, yellow, and red, with observers reporting seeing up to 20 individual pieces, all with a trail. One observer from Mukwonago, Wisconsin remarked that the sigh reminded him of the starship Launch 7 reentering the atmosphere after the explosion. “They looked like something in low Earth orbit was reentering. There were several chunks all going in the same direction of various brightness,” he said. “It was a white to orange to reddish blazing something that kept getting larger in size as it sped across the sky – major intensity as it arced over my view with multiple shards coming off and more tail showing as it left my viewing sight,” said Ashley from Elkader, Iowa. “Three or more fragments burst off as it arced over the sky” she added. Reentries of Starlink satellites occur regularly due to their design and natural orbital decay. While not all are observed, those that are can produce noticeable light displays, such as the one seen over the Midwest yesterday. Starlink satellites operate in low Earth orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 540 km and 570 km (336 miles and 354 miles). At these elevations, atmospheric drag gradually reduces their altitude, eventually leading to reentry, where they burn up in the atmosphere. This controlled lifecycle helps prevent long-term space debris. As of January 28, 2025, SpaceX has launched approximately 7 811 Starlink satellites, with around 6 994 still in orbit and 6 243 operational. Given these numbers, Starlink satellite reentries are frequent. It is estimated that about 2 tonnes (2.2 tons) of defunct satellites reenter Earth’s atmosphere daily, sometimes producing visible reentry events. While most re-entries occur over oceans or uninhabited areas and remain unnoticed, some are visible over populated regions, appearing as fireball-like streaks in the sky.

Soccer field-sized asteroid 2024 YR4 has 1 in 83 chance of impacting Earth in 2032 -A newly discovered near-Earth asteroid designated 2024 YR4 has been identified with a more than 1% chance of impacting Earth on December 22, 2032. Astronomers are actively refining its orbit and the potential risk remains under evaluation.

• Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a 1 in 83 (1.2%) chance of impacting Earth on December 22, 2032.
• The asteroid is approximately 55 m (180 feet) wide and is currently about 43.5 million km (27 million miles) from Earth.
• It has been classified as level 3 on the Torino Scale, indicating a close encounter that requires monitoring.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 was detected at the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chile on December 27, 2024. Initial observations provided only limited data on its orbit, but follow-up studies using telescopes worldwide allowed astronomers to better define its trajectory. By analyzing the asteroid’s motion relative to the background stars, researchers refined its orbital parameters, leading to the current assessment that it has a 1.2% chance of impacting Earth in 2032. The impact probability remains subject to change as additional observations further improve the accuracy of its predicted path. The asteroid’s estimated diameter is between 40 and 100 m (130 and 330 feet) and is currently about 43.5 million km (27 million miles) from Earth. Current calculations suggest that around 14:02 UTC (± 10 min) on December 22, 2032, it could pass within approximately 106 200 km (66 000 miles) of Earth. However, uncertainties in its orbit leave the possibility of an impact, with a risk corridor extending from South America across the Atlantic to sub-Saharan Africa. As additional observations refine its trajectory, the impact probability is expected to be reassessed. 2024 YR4 has been classified as level 3 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, which ranges from 0 (no risk) to 10 (certain global catastrophe). A level 3 classification indicates a close encounter meriting attention, with a probability of impact that could cause localized damage. Historically, asteroids initially rated at this level have often been downgraded as more data becomes available. If 2024 YR4 were to collide with Earth, the impact effects would depend on its exact size, composition, and location of entry. The asteroid has six potential impact events between 2032 and 2074, with the highest probability occurring in December 2032. If it collides with Earth, its impact velocity would be approximately 17 km/s (11 miles/s). Such an impact could trigger an atmospheric explosion, known as an “airburst,” or form an impact crater if it reaches the ground. For comparison, the 1908 Tunguska event in Siberia, attributed to an object of similar size (50 to 80 m / 160 to 260 feet), resulted in the destruction of approximately 2 000 km² (770 mi²) of forest. The asteroid’s potential impact location and composition remain uncertain. However, using the Asteroid Launcher tool, estimates have been made regarding possible consequences of extremely unlikely impact over populated areas. In the first scenario, the asteroid is assumed to strike California and be composed of stone. The estimated diameter is 60 m (200 feet), with an impact velocity of 17 km/s (11 miles/s) at a 45° angle. The impact would produce an airburst, detonating approximately 6 km (3.7 miles) above the ground with an energy release equivalent to 9 megatons of TNT. The resulting fireball could span 1.3 km (0.8 miles) in diameter. The Asteroid Launcher estimates that the impact could result in nearly 20 000 fatalities and generate a 192-decibel shockwave. Within 5.3 km (3.3 miles) of the impact site, conditions would resemble an EF5 tornado, with winds exceeding 520 km/h. The wind blast alone could cause approximately 700 fatalities. Impact simulation graphic for New York. Image credit: Asteroid Launcher In the second scenario, all parameters remain unchanged except for the impact location, which is set to New York City to assess the effects in a densely populated area. An impact in New York City could result in nearly 1 million fatalities from the fireball alone, with over 30 000 additional deaths caused by the wind blast. The fireball size, shockwave intensity, and airburst effects would remain consistent with the first scenario. According to the asteroid launcher website, an impact of this size happens once in 660 years.

Asteroid turns out to be Musk’s Tesla Roadster in space – - A newly discovered asteroid was recently removed from the records after it was discovered that it was actually a cherry-red Tesla Roadster sent to space in 2018. On January 2, the Minor Planet Center (MPC) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced the discovery of an unusual asteroid, designated 2018 CN41. First identified and submitted by a citizen scientist, the object’s orbit was notable, it came less than 240 000 km (150 000 miles) from Earth, closer than the orbit of the Moon. Image credit: SpaceX That qualified it as a near-Earth object (NEO), and it was to be monitored for its potential to impact Earth someday. But less than 17 hours later, the Minor Planet Center (MPC) issued an editorial notice that it was deleting 2018 CN41 from its records because, it turned out, the object was not an asteroid but Elon Musk’s 2010 cherry red roadster. The Cherry Red Tesla Roadster was mounted on the Falcon Heavy upper stage and sent to space and into the Sun’s orbit on February 6, 2018, on the Falcon Heavy upper stage. It gained massive publicity during the time as the first production car to have been launched into space.

UK Sets Goal to Cut CO2 Emissions by 81 Percent by 2035 - The UK submitted a plan to the United Nations to cut its CO2 emissions by at least 81 percent by 2035, just as the country’s status as a global climate leader comes under increased scrutiny. The government fleshed out the goal Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced at the COP29 summit in November, touting its credentials as the first Group-of-Seven country to phase out coal, its phaseout of new cars relying solely on the combustion engine by 2030 and its policy of not issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses. By submitting its so-called Nationally Determined Contribution, the UK is marking itself out as one of the few large economies boosting its ambitions against a backdrop of inflation and concern over the cost of the climate transition. “The UK’s bold new climate plan means it is even better placed to cash in on the climate action boom,” said Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN climate change. “Other countries, across the G20 and around the world, should follow suit.” Still, the Labour government’s green credentials have been questioned as it pushes to build a controversial third runway at London’s Heathrow airport. It’s also facing a key test over how it will deal with a court challenge to fossil fuel developments in the North Sea. There’s growing concern over global climate action. US President Donald Trump is set to pull the world’s highest historical emitter out of the landmark Paris Agreement of 2015, which committed countries to keeping global warming below 2C and ideally 1.5C. The European Union is also facing a stiff challenge from climate skeptic parties across the continent. “The UK has demonstrated it is back in the business of climate leadership,” according to the plan published Thursday. “There is no global stability without climate stability.” All countries have to submit their updated climate plans by February, although most are expected to be late, including the EU. The hard deadline is the COP30 climate summit, which is set to be held in November in the Brazilian city of Belem. While the previous US administration under Joe Biden submitted its NDC last year, many of the climate policies put in place are already in the process of being rolled back by Trump.

An underestimated source of methane found in shallow coastal waters -- Shallow coastal waters are hotspots for methane emissions, releasing significant amounts of this potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming. New research highlights how tides, seasons, and ocean currents strongly influence methane emissions and how tiny microorganisms, called methanotrophs, help reduce their impact. These findings are part of a dissertation by NIOZ Ph.D. candidate Tim de Groot, which he will defend on January 31, 2025 at Utrecht University.While human-made sources of methane are well-studied, natural sources like coastal waters remain less understood. These shallow, dynamic ecosystems are rich in methane, and because the water is not very deep, methane-eating microbes (methanotrophs) have little time to break it down before it escapes into the atmosphere.The study investigated three regions: the Doggerbank seep area in the North Sea, the Dutch Wadden Sea, and coastal waters near Svalbard in the Arctic. Findings revealed that methane emissions are highly influenced by natural factors like tides and seasonal changes, which also affect the activity of methane-eating microbes. In the Wadden Sea, methane levels and emissions were higher during warmer seasons when microbial activity was stronger. However, even in colder seasons, methane concentrations remained high, with windy conditions contributing to significant atmospheric releases. Tidal currents transported methane into neighboring waters, where it could still escape into the atmosphere, highlighting the broader impact of coastal methane dynamics.At the Doggerbank seep area, falling tides triggered bursts of methane release while also stimulating microbial activity in deeper waters. However, during cooler autumn months, when water mixed, microbial activity decreased, leading to more methane escaping into the atmosphere compared to summer.In the Arctic near Svalbard, methane concentrations were highest near the seafloor, where diverse and abundant microbial communities were present. Ocean currents played a key role in spreading methane and microbes, limiting their ability to fully break down the gas before it reached the atmosphere.In addition to fieldwork, laboratory experiments revealed that methanotrophic microbes are remarkably adaptable. They thrive in a range of environmental conditions, including shifts in temperature, salinity, and methane levels."As ecosystems change, methane-eating microbes adapt. When one group struggles, another takes over, keeping nature's methane filter running even in a warming world," says Tim de Groot. "Coastal areas may cover only a small part of the ocean, but they are hotspots for methane emissions. As climate change reshapes these systems, understanding how methane emissions will evolve—and how we can mitigate them—becomes increasingly urgent."

Trump pauses renewable energy approvals on public lands, waters - The Trump administration is pausing approvals for new renewable energy projects on public lands and in public waters. The Interior Department quietly issued an order Monday that blocks activities that enable renewable development on federally-owned lands or offshore. For 60 days, the government will not issue any leases, rights of way, contracts or “any other agreement required to allow for renewable energy development.” The directive was signed by acting Interior Secretary Walter Cruickshank, who is helming the agency until President Trump’s nominee Doug Burgum is confirmed by the Senate. The order says that its purpose is to implement “a targeted and time-limited elevation of relevant decisions at the Department of the Interior … for the purpose of reviewing the questions in fact, law, and policy they raise.” It comes as Trump has launched an assault on wind energy in particular, issuing an executive order that pauses new approvals for wind energy. But applying the pause to renewables broadly is an escalation — pausing solar energy action as well. Despite his apparent distaste for wind energy, Trump has also expressed that the nation needs more energy — even issuing an emergency declaration Monday. He is expected to promote fossil fuels — particularly oil and gas — in light of the issue. During the start of his tenure, former President Biden halted new approvals for oil and gas on federal lands. Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, criticized the Trump move, saying in a written statement that “blocking the fastest growing sources of low-cost energy is an odd way to respond to an ‘energy emergency.’”“The real energy emergency is Donald Trump’s job-killing actions that will raise our energy bills while lining the pockets of his wealthy corporate polluter buddies,” he added.

Donald Trump packs EPA with chemical, oil industry alumni - A significant number of political appointees who have joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Trump used to work for or have lobbied on behalf of the chemical and fossil fuel industries. The appointments come as the administration has made apparently competing promises about aggressively cutting regulations while also “Making America Healthy Again.”Among the figures appointed to the agency is Nancy Beck, who used to work at the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry trade and lobbying group, before serving in the EPA during Trump’s first term. Beck has faced controversy over her handling of chemical safety during her first EPA tenure.Also joining the administration is Lynn Dekleva, who spent more than 30 years at chemical giant DuPont, according to her LinkedIn page. DuPont is well known for, among other things, its relationship to “forever chemicals,” a toxic family of chemicals also known as PFAS that have been linked to several cancers and other health concerns and are the subject of EPA regulations, like many toxic substances.DuPont’s legacy parent — E.I. du Pont de Nemours — and its spinoff Chemours have manufactured many types of PFAS. The companies settled a lawsuit from water utilities affected by the chemicals last year. Other legal proceedings remain ongoing.Additional appointments include Chad McIntosh, a former Ford executive, and Alexander Dominguez, who worked for the American Petroleum Institute, a major oil and gas lobbying group. Dominguez has also lobbied on behalf of companies and groups in the biofuels, plastic and oil industries. Steven Cook, who was a lawyer for chemical and oil refining company LyondellBasell, will also be rejoining the EPA. Like Beck, Dekleva, McIntosh, Dominguez and Cook also held EPA positions in Trump’s first administration.The EPA did not directly respond to The Hill’s questions about the appointments or whether officials with industry ties would work on issues that impact their former employers or clients. Instead, spokesperson Molly Vaseliou provided a written statement saying the “EPA is putting together a leadership team composed of some of the brightest experts and legal minds of their fields, all of whom will uphold EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.” “During President Trump’s first term, the combined emissions of criteria pollutants and their precursors dropped by 7 percent and the American people saw significant improvement in air quality. Additionally, the Trump EPA cleaned up more toxic sites than its predecessor by fully or partially deleting 82 sites from the Superfund National Priorities List,” she said.Criteria pollutants refers to a set of six commonly found types of air pollution: smog, soot, carbon monoxide, lead, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Beck is among the most controversial picks to rejoin the administration. She previously served as deputy and then principal deputy assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention in Trump’s first term. She later served in the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. The Associated Press reported at that time that she was involved in sidelining guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The president nominated her in 2020 to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but that push was derailed when even some Republican senators raised concerns about her record on chemical safety.Maria Doa, a former EPA official who worked on chemical issues at the agency for several decades, including during the first Trump administration, told The Hill that Beck tried to weaken the science surrounding toxic chemicals. “When I was at EPA dealing with Nancy Beck, I regularly pushed back against her efforts to … undermine the science, to change scientific determinations so that chemicals would not be regulated,” said Doa, who is now senior director for chemicals policy at the Environmental Defense Fund. She particularly noted that Beck pushed back on efforts to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. “She would downplay the risk from trichloroethylene, which causes three types of cancer, multiple effects on the body, developmental toxicity,” Doa said. Doa also recounted a meeting in which she said Beck did not appear to care that deaths related to paint remover methylene chloride were likely being undercounted. “She said, ‘Well, what is that, like 1 percent? What’s the issue?’ … which is just shocking, because parents lost children, and children lost a father or mother, so there were a number of deaths,” Doa recalled. The EPA did not provide a comment on the specifics of Doa’s statements. Instead, a spokesperson reiterated the same statement provided by Vaseliou.Other Trump appointees to the agency also held lobbying positions.Official Aaron Szabo lobbied on behalf of the sterilization industry on issues related to its use of the toxic chemical ethylene oxide, and for DuPont successor Chemours on issues related to forever chemicals.Szabo additionally lobbied for the American Chemistry Council, a number of oil and pipeline companies and electric utilities Duke, Exelon and NextEra. Jessica Kramer lobbied on behalf of various water utility trade organizations, as well as Duke Energy, Talos Energy and LG Chem. Justin Schwab has provided legal services to utility Southern Co.Kramer and Schwab also served at the EPA during Trump’s first term, while Szabo worked in the White House. E&E News first reported that these officials would be rejoining the administration. The Hill has verified using the agency’s employee database that they are working at the EPA. Matthew Tejada, a former career official who worked in the EPA’s Office for Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, noted that the involvement of officials with ties to industry is not unique to Trump’s administrations. “It’s kind of the rhythm of our government that many of us have become used to — that when a conservative administration comes in, they bring in a coterie of polluting industry representation,” He noted that it’s not clear whether any given individual will necessarily feel beholden to their prior employers. “Are these folks who maybe have differences of philosophy with us, but we can try to find areas of common ground where we can positively advance environmental health protections … or are these folks who are just hell-bent on eliminating any resistance from the executive branch of the government to the whims of our president?” he said. “That is what we have to assess right now.” Trump has pledged to roll back environmental regulations and bolster the oil and gas industry while in office, and made some moves to do so in his initial slate of executive actions last week. But while Trump and his team have supported such rollbacks and appointed officials who worked in the chemical and fossil fuel industries to the EPA, he has also repeatedly said that he supports clean air and clean water. Trump has also adopted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Nevertheless, Doa sees a “hypocrisy” in the administration claiming to want a healthier America while putting industry-affiliated people in top EPA positions. “There’s a hypocrisy there if you put people in place who are going to approve chemicals to go on the market that are risky … or who are going to, when they assess chemicals that have long been on the market, downplay their harms, their risks, not regulate them,” she said.

Doomsday Clock set at 89 seconds to midnight amidst rising threats of nuclear war and AI - The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board (SASB) set the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight on January 28, 2025. This marks the closest it has been to midnight in its 78-year history. The change coincides with the beginning of a new U.S. presidential term, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), and increasing dysfunction in the global information ecosystem, undermining society’s ability to address complex challenges. The decision is based on multiple factors. The Russia-Ukraine war has entered its third year, while conflicts in the Middle East continue to pose a risk of escalation. Russia has suspended compliance with the New START treaty and withdrawn ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Meanwhile, China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, and the U.S. has stepped back from its traditional role as a moderating influence. According to SASB, these factors have significantly increased the risk of nuclear war. SASB has also raised concerns about rapid advancements in AI and its integration into various sectors. In particular, the military applications of AI and the development of autonomous weapons pose significant risks. The emergence and resurgence of diseases continue to threaten the global economy, society, and security. The off-season appearance and sustained presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), its spread to farm animals and dairy products, and confirmed human cases have raised concerns about the potential for a severe human pandemic. The last adjustment to the Doomsday Clock occurred in 2022 when SASB set it to 90 seconds to midnight following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The clock was initially set at seven minutes to midnight when it was created by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947.

New Driller Tiburon Plans to Start Drilling Utica in 2Q25 -- Last fall, MDN told you about a newly formed drilling company that aims to target the Ohio Utica Shale, a company called Tiburon Oil & Gas Partners, LLC (see Former Carrizo O&G Team Forms New Company to Drill in Ohio Utica). The company was founded by four former executives from Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. The company is backed with money from Post Oak Energy Capital. We’d not heard anything further about the company…until now.

Infinity Natural valued at $1.3 billion in debut as US energy IPOs rebound (Reuters) - Infinity Natural Resources was valued at $1.30 billion after its shares jumped nearly 11% in their NYSE debut on Friday, underscoring a rebound in energy listings against the backdrop of a more fossil fuel-friendly Trump administration.President Donald Trump plans to maximize oil and gas production and had declared a national energy emergency last week to accelerate permitting of oil, gas and power projects, roll back environmental protections and withdraw the U.S. from the climate pact.Shares of West Virginia-based Infinity opened at $22.16, above the initial public offering price of $20 apiece. They were last up at $22.08.The oil and natural gas producer, backed by buyout firms Pearl Energy Investments and NGP, sold 13.25 million shares within the marketed range of $18 and $21 apiece to raise $265 million. Founded in 2017, Infinity has grown over the years through a series of acquisitions. It has amassed about 93,000 net acres and its operations are located in the Appalachian basin in the northeastern U.S."Infinity seems to be a fundamentally solid company, with strong margins and growth backed by its continued increases in production and acquisitions," said Renaissance Capital senior research analyst Nicholas Smith.The company has more than doubled its profit in the first nine months of 2024.Infinity, which counts Marathon Oil, BP America and Blue Racer Midstream among its major customers, has exposure to both oil and gas assets, allowing it the flexibility to shift its drilling efforts based on commodity price changes..

CNX Finalizes $505 Million Acquisition of Apex Energy Assets in Appalachian Basin — CNX Resources Corp. has completed its $505 million acquisition of Apex Energy II LLC’s natural gas upstream and midstream assets in the Appalachian Basin. The deal, subject to certain adjustments, has an effective date of October 1, 2024. The acquisition strengthens CNX's position in the stacked Marcellus and Utica shale formations, adding undeveloped leasehold acreage and infrastructure that supports future development. The company expects the transaction to immediately enhance its free cash flow per share. "We look forward to demonstrating the unique CNX approach to operations and community relations to these new communities within the Apex footprint," CNX president and CEO Nick Deiuliis said. "We place a high priority on closely collaborating with our operating communities, local officials, and directly with residents to understand their needs and concerns." Deiuliis highlighted CNX's Radical Transparency initiative, which provides real-time environmental monitoring and disclosure in collaboration with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and the state Department of Environmental Protection. "This initiative offers local communities and residents an even greater level of transparency into our operations, which we believe is second to none in our industry. We look forward to bringing the Apex assets into the CNX family," he added.

7 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 20 – 26 - Marcellus Drilling News - For the week of Jan 20 – 26, permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells fell off a proverbial cliff. Two weeks ago, 41 new permits were issued. Last week, the number plummeted to just seven new permits issued. Perhaps the most interesting thing about last week’s numbers is that NO new permits were issued in the Keystone State (PA). We believe that’s the first time we’ve seen no new permits in PA. We wonder if there’s a problem with the reporting system (the state DEP’s reporting system is known to occasionally have issues). We’ll check again next week to see if PA’s numbers get updated. Meanwhile, there were four new permits for the Buckeye State (OH) and three for the Mountain State (WV). ANTERO RESOURCES | GUERNSEY COUNTY | INR/INFINITY NATURAL RESOURCES | TYLER COUNTY

Gas leak contained, residents allowed back home in Kenner -— A gas leak that caused authorities to close off the intersection of 30th Street and Ohio Avenue in Kenner has been safely contained, and residents have been allowed back into their homes.The leak was caused when a contractor hit a gas line, prompting a response from the Kenner Fire Department and Kenner Police Department. Atmos Energy has shut off the gas supply to the affected area and conducted checks on nearby homes for potential hazards.As of now, the area has been cleared, and authorities confirmed there are no further safety concerns. The situation is under control, and residents are free to return to their homes. Motorists and residents had previously been advised to avoid the area during the response, but the all-clear has now been issued.

Woodside Touts Market ‘Support’ for U.S. LNG Export Projects, Nears Louisiana FID --Woodside Energy Group Ltd. is honing in on a final investment decision (FID) for Louisiana LNG and focusing on its new Gulf Coast assets as investors embrace shifting North American natural gas dynamics, management said. CEO Meg O’Neill said the firm is targetingan FID for the first 16 million ton/year (Mt/y) phase of the Louisiana LNG export project by the e nd of March after making progress on its efforts to sell-down equity in the project. The disclosure narrowed Woodside’s FID target from sometime in early 2025 to 1Q2025. The Australian major previously disclosed plans to keep 50% ownership and associated volumes from the facility proposed south of Lake Charles, LA.

Plaquemines LNG Nears Commissioning Final Liquefaction Blocks of First Phase -- Plaquemines LNG in Louisiana is continuing to ramp up at a rapid pace with seven of the first phase’s nine liquefaction blocks being commissioned. Chart and map of Lower 48 LNG export facilities tracking daily natural gas feedstock flows to sites for market intelligence. Federal regulators authorized Venture Global LNG Inc. on Tuesday (Jan. 28) to introduce hazardous fluids and begin commissioning the seventh block. The blocks consist of two liquefaction trains, each with the capacity to produce slightly more than 72 MMcf/d. The first phase is designed to produce 1.3 Bcf/d of LNG. It is near design capacity as Venture Global is in the process of commissioning about 1 Bcf/d of liquefaction capacity with the latest authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Argent LNG Looks to Supply 5 Mt/y to Petrobangla in Tentative Deal -- Argent LNG LLC has disclosed a proposed supply contract from its developing Louisiana project with Bangladesh’s Petrobangla, opening a door for the United States to fill the country’s growing natural gas demand. During a ceremony in Washington, DC, Argent management and Bangladeshi officials signed a heads of agreement (HOA) for up to 5 million tons/year (Mt/y) from Argent LNG. Along with marking Argent LNG’s first tentative supply agreement, the HOA is the first major LNG offtake contract disclosed since President Trump’s inauguration.

Unpredictable Year for U.S. Natural Gas Supply, Demand and Output as Trump Revamps Energy Goals, Say NGI Thought Leaders --A firehose of executive orders and announcements to reshape the federal bureaucracy followed President Trump’s inauguration last week, as the administration declared a national energy emergency while at the same time, lifting the pause on new LNG export approvals. How much pressure the president can put on the energy industry, though, which is facing oversupply and lower demand, is unclear. NGI’s thought leaders, who have their ears to the ground to delve into trends for natural gas supply, consumption and prices, turned the microphone on themselves recently to share their forecasts for 2025. “The president in his inauguration speech declared a ‘national energy emergency’ and said he would use all powers at his disposal to make the United States energy dominant, but the truth is, the country already is producing more natural gas and oil than ever before,” NGI’s Carolyn Davis, managing editor of news, said.

US natgas prices climb 2% on colder forecasts for February — U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 2% on Wednesday on some long-term forecasts for colder weather and higher heating demand in February. That price increase came despite milder weather and lower heating demand over the next two weeks than previously expected. On its last day as the front-month, gas futures for February delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 6.4 cents, or 1.8%, to settle at $3.535 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). Futures for March (NGH25), which will soon be the front-month, were trading around $3.16 per mmBtu, which would be the lowest close since early December. Financial firm LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 U.S. states fell from 103.8 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in December to 102.2 bcfd so far in January, due mostly to freezing oil and gas wells and pipes, known as freeze-offs. That compares with a monthly record of 104.6 bcfd in December 2023. Freeze-offs from Jan. 18-21 cut output by 6.9 bcfd to a one-year low of 96.9 bcfd on Jan. 21. All of that curtailed output was on track to be back in service on Wednesday. Meteorologists projected weather in the Lower 48 states would remain mostly warmer than normal through Feb. 13. With milder weather coming, LSEG forecasts average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would fall from 136.8 bcfd this week to 126.0 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were lower than LSEG's outlook on Tuesday. On a daily basis, LSEG said total gas use during last week's extreme cold peaked at 173.3 bcfd on Jan. 20 and 181.2 bcfd on Jan. 21, easily topping the prior daily record high of 168.4 bcfd on Jan. 16, 2024. The amount of gas flowing to the eight big U.S. LNG export plants rose to an average of 14.6 bcfd so far in January, up from 14.4 bcfd in December. That compares with a monthly record high of 14.7 bcfd in December 2023. Gas was trading near a 14-month high of around $15 per mmBtu at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) benchmark in Europe and $14 at the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) (JKMc1) benchmark in Asia.

EIA Natural Gas Storage Draw Of -321 Bcf Exceeds Expectations - On January 30, 2025, EIA released its Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report. The report indicated that working gas in storage declined by -321 Bcf from the previous week, compared to analyst consensus of -313 Bcf. In the previous week, working gas in storage declined by -223 Bcf.At current levels, stocks are -144 Bcf less than last year and -111 Bcf below the five-year average for this time of the year.Natural gas prices moved lower as traders reacted to the EIA report. The report showed a bigger-than-expected inventory draw, but it looks that the market prepared for a stronger report due to the impact of Arctic Blast. The current demand for natural gas is low, which serves as a bearish catalyst for natural gas markets. Weather forecasts suggest that traders should prepare for light national demand over the next seven days.

US natural gas prices hold near 8-week low on forecasts for less cold - US natural gas futures held near an eight-week low on Friday on rising output and forecasts for milder weather and lower heating demand over the next two weeks than previously expected. Front-month gas futures for March delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 0.3 cents, or 0.1%, to settle at $3.044 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), putting the contract on track for its lowest close since Dec. 4 for a second day in a row. The decline kept the front-month in technically oversold territory for a second day in a row for the first time since October 2024. Financial firm LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 US states fell from 103.8 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in December to 102.5 bcfd so far in January, due mostly to freezing oil and gas wells and pipes, known as freeze-offs. That compares with a monthly record of 104.6 bcfd in December 2023. Freeze-offs from Jan. 18-21 cut output by 6.9 bcfd to a one-year low of 96.9 bcfd on Jan. 21. All of the curtailed output was back in service by Jan. 28. After extreme cold last week boosted heating demand to a record high, analysts said energy firms may have pulled a record amount of gas out of storage this month. The current record monthly storage withdrawal is 994 billion cubic feet in January 2022, according to federal energy data. Meteorologists projected weather in the Lower 48 states would remain mostly warmer than normal through Feb. 15, with some near normal days around Feb. 8-11. LSEG forecasts average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would fall from 136.4 bcfd this week to 123.8 bcfd next week before rising to 132.8 bcfd in two weeks. The forecasts for this week and next were lower than LSEG’s outlook on Thursday. On a daily basis, LSEG said total gas use during last week’s extreme cold peaked at 173.3 bcfd on Jan. 20 and 181.2 bcfd on Jan. 21, easily topping the prior daily record high of 168.4 bcfd on Jan. 16, 2024. The amount of gas flowing to the eight big US liquefied natural gas export plants rose to an average of 14.5 bcfd so far in January, up from 14.4 bcfd in December. That compares with a monthly record high of 14.7 bcfd in December 2023.

ExxonMobil High on Natural Gas ‘Well Into the 2050 Time Frame’ --The world’s largest natural gas and oil producer is on cruise control this year, with growth pinned to global LNG, the Permian Basin and Guyana’s offshore – as well as opportunities tied to the buildout of data centers, CEO Darren Woods said Friday. (ExxonMobil Global Liquefied natural gas LNG footprint) Speaking with investors during the fourth quarter conference call, Woods said ExxonMobil’s strategy out to 2030 remains on track as it builds opportunities across the board, including for LNG. “We continue to see really healthy demand and an important role for LNG around the world,” he told investors. “As we go out into the future, and you see economies grow and people's standards of living improve, and as countries around the world look to decarbonize and back out coal, LNG is going to play a really important role.”

Unprecedented earthquake hits San Antonio area town within days - Following a rare earthquake felt in the San Antonio area Wednesday night, another rare earthquake hit around the same area on Friday morning. According to the The United States Geological Survey, the agency responsible for tracking and analyzing earthquakes, the 3.6 magnitude earthquake hit near the South Texas town of Falls City just before 4 a.m. on Friday, January 31. The earthquake also had a depth of 2.7 km. While Wednesday night's near-historic 4.5 earthquake could be felt all the way to San Antonio, Friday morning's quake was felt only in the neighboring towns of Karnes City and Poth, the "Did You Feel It?" map shows. Wednesday's quake is the third strongest earthquake in South Texas history behind a 4.8 quake in 2011, and a 4.7 quake in February 2024 that also hit near Falls City. No damage has been reported as a result of Friday morning's quake. Over the past few months, there’s been a rapid spike in the number of earthquakes impacting South Central and West Texas. In particular, there has been a spike in quakes rattling towns around San Antonio – an area not known, historically, for its earthquakes. Earlier this month, a quake the South Texas town of Pearsall, which is located less than 60 miles southwest of San Antonio. That quake was a magnitude 2.1 and had a depth of 8.3 km., according to the USGS.

Atlas Energy Begins Driverless Truck Deliveries to Wells -- Bulk carrier Atlas Energy Solutions began shipments of proppant on two driverless trucks equipped with self-driving technology from Kodiak Robotics recently, in a first for the software developer, the companies said. Atlas produces and supplies proppant, gritty materials like frac sand mixed with fracking fluid that are used by oil and natural gas wells in western Texas and eastern New Mexico. Frac sand consists of small, uniform particles injected into rock formations alongside water to fracture rock in hydraulic drilling operations. The sand props open the fractures it creates. Atlas operates 12 proppant production facilities across the Permian Basin oil and gas region with a combined annual production capacity of 28 million tons. The proppant is shipped from the production facilities to the well pads. Austin, Texas-based Atlas operates a fleet of 120 trucks. Launching self-driving trucks coincided with Atlas’ first deliveries of sand on the Dune Express, a 42-mile, fully electric conveyor system carrying sand from the company’s Kermit, Texas, sand facility to an end-of-line loadout facility in eastern New Mexico. The trucks will transport sand from the Dune Express to Atlas customers across the Delaware Basin segment of the Permian Basin. “Incorporating these driverless RoboTrucks into our operations is a significant advancement in the automation of our business, enhancing our ability to maintain a fundamentally safe and reliable service at the best price for our customers,” Atlas CEO John Turner said. “Becoming the first company to operate our own autonomous semi-trucks and reaching 100 successful autonomous proppant deliveries demonstrates our unique commitment to driving innovation and automation across the Permian Basin’s rugged terrain, dust and heat,” Turner added. Starting bulk autonomous truck deliveries on private roads in the Permian Basin is a first for any Kodiak Robotics customer, the companies said Jan. 24.“This is an incredible moment, for us and for the autonomous trucking industry as we have officially delivered a commercial RoboTruck to a customer and launched commercial operations,” Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette said.“The commercialization of autonomous trucks has been a goal for the industry for many years, and it has now come to fruition. Kodiak is the first company to make autonomous trucking a real business, and this is a major step towards profitability for our company,” he added.

Enbridge making progress on Jefferson County oil spill — While Enbridge Energy continues to clean up its oil spill in Jefferson County, one environmental group still has concerns. Enbridge Energy first reported an oil spill at their Cambridge Station in November. Since then, the company said they have cleaned up more than 60% of it.The company also said that a failed gasket installed in the 70s led to the spill of about 70,000 gallons of crude oil. It occurred underground. However, both Enbridge and the Department of Natural Resources said the spill has not contaminated any of the residential water wells nearby.“We have a potable water well on our property because we have a bathroom and a sink and an office on that site and there is no contamination on that either,” said Paul Eberth, Enbridge director of operations for Midwest region. Amanda Langer is the president of Sustain Jefferson, an environmental group based in Jefferson County focused on promoting environmental health.Langer said this spill shows why more pipeline projects like Line 5 in Superior shouldn’t move forward.“These pipelines were from 1975 and seeing that they weren’t updated until something was going wrong concerns me,” said Langer. “Putting in new ones doesn’t seem like an infrastructure we should be trusting, especially in our delicate areas.” Enbridge Energy said following the spill, it has been checking its older equipment to prevent this from happening again. “Pipelines remain the safest mode to transport crude oil that we all use every day,” said Eberth. “It’s critical to our way of life. The incident isn’t acceptable. It’s not acceptable to Enbridge. This shouldn’t happen, but we are taking all steps to address it.”The DNR said more than 100 oil spills are reported to them each year. However, the agency said they only make them public knowledge when there is potential harm to the public.In this case, this spill in Jefferson County was first reported at 2 gallons in November, but that number changed a month later.“Once the department was notified that the discharge from the station was much larger than originally notified, we took proactive steps to start notifying, making more of that public knowledge,” said Trevor Nobile, DNR field operations director. Langer said there is a lesson to be learned here.“I hope that after looking at this spill and just the amount of soil, the amount of oil that was spilled, it helps us realize that we need to be putting more of our future energy dependence on renewable energy and renewable resources and moving away from stuff that has the potential to poison our land and our water and our soil,” said Langer.

Why Oil Industry Jobs Are Down, Even With Production Up - The industry is pumping ever more oil and natural gas, but it is doing so with only about three-quarters as many workers as it employed a decade ago. For years, as oil and gas companies increased production, they hired lots of workers, enriching communities across the United States. That is no longer true. The country is pumping more oil than ever and near-record amounts of gas. But the companies that extract, transport and process these fossil fuels employ roughly 25 percent fewer workers than they did a decade earlier when they were churning out less fuel, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. Now, with some worried about a looming oversupply of oil, producers are tightening their belt, with spending across North America expected to fall 3 percent this year, according to Barclays. That raises the specter of further job losses, even as President Trump urges companies to “drill, baby, drill.” The thinning out of American oil and gas jobs is reminiscent of the long decline of the U.S. coal industry, where employment crested decades before production fell as mining companies extracted more rocks with fewer people. Two decades into the shale boom, companies are drilling wells that extend deeper into the earth, unlocking more oil and natural gas. New technology is letting them oversee drilling, fracking and production from afar, with fewer people on-site. And larger companies are snapping up smaller players, shedding accountants, engineers and other workers as they go. While the total number of jobs has increased from the bleakest days of the pandemic, far fewer people are working in the industry than before Covid. Among the cost-cutting techniques being pursued by Exxon Mobil and Chevron: hiring engineers and geologists in India, where labor is cheaper, to support activities in the United States and elsewhere. The decline in oil and gas work also reflects the continuing transition to cleaner forms of energy, even if that shift is happening more slowly than many analysts had anticipated a few years ago. “You won’t see a lot of job growth in just the basic act of producing oil and natural gas,” Chris Wright, chief executive of the oil field services company Liberty Energy, said in an interview before Mr. Trump tapped him to lead the Energy Department. The industry, Mr. Wright said, is “on a trend now of flat to maybe gradually declining employment.”Mr. Trump will “protect our energy jobs” while lowering costs for consumers, said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman. During the first half of the American fracking boom, oil and gas companies added workers at a much faster clip than other industries. The industry nearly doubled in size over 10 years, turbocharging the economies of places like North Dakota, home to the Bakken shale formation. Then, in 2014, oil prices crashed. It took a couple of years, but U.S. production eventually bounced back, soaring to a record of nearly 13.5 million barrels a day last fall. Employment never fully recovered, though, entering an undulating decline punctuated by booms and busts, most recently during the pandemic, when oil prices briefly plunged below zero. oil and gas companies slashed budgets and did whatever they could to survive. They drilled ever-bigger wells and installed sensors and other technology that enabled more remote work. Many turned to natural gas to power fracking equipment, rather than diesel, and found that it was cleaner and faster. Highly indebted companies didn’t make it, with more than 100 producers and service firms seeking bankruptcy protection in 2020, according to the law firm Haynes Boone. By late 2024, the number of drilling rigs operating in the United States had fallen roughly 28 percent in five years, federal data show. And still production climbed.“We get three times as many wells from a rig today that we did in 2018 or 2019,” Bart Cahir, who leads Exxon’s shale division, said in an interview last year. “Per person, we’re producing a lot more.”That the oil and gas industry has become more productive is good news for the economy, which benefits when people are able to do more with less, said Jesse Thompson, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.“But in the meantime,” he added, “there are firms and individuals and communities that can lose out.”One consequence of the industry’s efficiency drive is that oil and gas companies, known for paying well, are no longer offering as much of a premium over other industries. Before the pandemic, average wages in oil and gas production were more than 60 percent higher than those in manufacturing, construction and other related industries, federal data show. By last fall, that premium had narrowed to little more than 30 percent.

U.S. E&P Forecasts Tempered for ‘25, but Power Pivot to Natural Gas Expected-- The U.S. energy sector is laying out development plans for 2025 as earnings season gets underway, but a push by President Trump to step up natural gas and oil activity is unlikely to move the needle too much, based on an early analysis. NGI's Top 30 U.S. natural gas producers in 3Q2024. The big wildcard is what the impact will be during the first year of the Trump 2.0 presidency. The new president, through executive orders, wants exploration and production (E&P) companies and the oilfield services (OFS) companies that serve them to have more leasing options and fewer regulatory burdens.

The Beginning of Drill Baby Drill? US Oil Drillers See Uptick In Activity The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States rose this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday, after a 4-rig drop in each of the two weeks prior.The total rig count rose by six rigs, to 582, according to Baker Hughes, down 37 from this same time last year.The number of oil rigs rose by 7—down by 20 compared to this time last year. The number of gas rigs fell by 1, reaching 98, a loss of 19 active gas rigs from this time last year. Miscellaneous rigs stayed the same at 5.The latest EIA data showed that weekly U.S. crude oil production for the week ending January 24 dipped again, this time to 13.240 million bpd—the lowest levels since November 2024, falling from 13.477 million bpd in the week prior. The figure is almost 400,000 bpdshy of the all-time high reached during the week of December 6, 2024.Primary Vision’s Frac Spread Count, an estimate of the number of crews completing wells that are unfinished also fell for the third week in a row. Finishing crews are now down to 183 during the week of January 24, falling from 188 in the week prior. The frac spread count is now at its lowest level since March 2021.There was a spike in drilling activity in the Permian Basin, with the basin seeing a 5-rig climb to 303 active rigs—a figure that is still 8 fewer than this same time last year. The count in the Eagle Ford rose by 1 rig for the third week in a row, to 46. Rigs in the Eagle Ford are now 6 below where they were this time last year.Oil prices were trading down on Friday before the data release. At 12:52 pm. ET, the WTI benchmark was trading down $0.55 per barrel (-0.76%) on the day at $72.18, down nearly $2 per barrel compared to last Friday’s price. The Brent benchmark was trading down $0.12 (-0.16%) on the day at $76.75—down $1.50 per barrel compared to last Friday’s price.

Oil Executives Fume as Trump Shakes Up Climate Rules Again --President Donald Trump has been busy reversing the Biden administration’s so-called climate policies from the moment he was sworn in. He declared a national energy emergency, revoked the Biden ban on new LNG export capacity, and suspended some $300 billion in funding for transition projects in the country. With that, he has made one unlikely group angry: Big Oil executives.The 47th president’s political agenda is nothing if not oil and gas friendly. In fact, oil and gas are among Trump’s top priorities, and he has wasted no time in making life easier for the industry players after four years of extra regulatory and political pressure under Biden. Yet oil executives' apparent frustration with Trump’s reversal of Biden policies is unlikely and perhaps surprising on the surface.Below this surface sits all the money that Big Oil invested in its own transition, under pressure, indeed, but quite a lot of money. The projects this money has been invested in may well become stranded assets now, in an ironic twist of environmentalists’ warnings that oil and gas fields are about to become stranded assets in a transitional world.Reuters reported this week that some in the oil industry were unhappy about Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement. This is the second time Trump has done it and, again according to Reuters, it would jeopardize global efforts to reverse global climatic trends. Not only that, but the withdrawal would reduce the availability of cash for transition investment and confuse investors as the paths of the U.S. and Europe diverge.According to the report, some executives in the energy industry believe that they could have a greater say over the energy transition if the United States is in the Paris Agreement. Yet industry players have more immediate priorities, and these have nothing to do with any climate pacts.“While we prefer that the U.S. government remain engaged in the UN climate process, the private sector is committed to developing the solutions necessary to meet the energy needs of a growing global economy while addressing the climate challenge,” Marty Durbin, president of the Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told Reuters.There is a rather practical reason energy executives would prefer the U.S. government to remain engaged in the UN climate process: those transition investments. Every large oil company has been forced to devise a transition strategy in the recent past, and every large oil company has done so. They have been pushed to invest in low-carbon alternatives to their core products and they have invested, often heavily—and they have received subsidies to pursue these alternatives further.Occidental Petroleum’s direct air capture plans are a case in point. The oil major back in 2023bought a company developing technology that can suck carbon dioxide straight from the air. Oxy spent $1.1 billion on that purchase, eyeing a market that BloombergNEF said could grow into a segment worth $150 billion annually. And the Biden administration was shouldering part of the costs with subsidies. Now, these are gone, threatening the very survival of direct air capture—and more conventional carbon capture investments. No wonder Occidental’s chief executive approached Trump directly during a campaign event to argue the case for leaving IRA funding for carbon capture untouched. Oxy is far from the only one spending big on the transition and carbon capture. Exxon has also spent heftily on developing a carbon capture business.“It's critical that any conversation about addressing climate change must be global in nature, and also recognize that America is the world leader in both energy production and emissions reductions,” the president of the American Exploration and Production Council, Anne Bradbury, told Reuters.Indeed, after so much money spent on transitioning, even partially, it must be frustrating for oil executives to be thrown back into an industry-friendly environment, positive as it is for their business. This is, in fact, the uncertainty that analysts—and industry executives—have been talking about for years. All industries like certainty, even if this is the kind of certainty that would affect their industry negatively, like Biden’s climate policies. They were harmful to oil and gas, but they were certain, so companies could take steps to mitigate the impact.Now, with Trump, it’s back to normal, but companies could never know what would happen in four years, so they will be wary of reversing their current priorities too suddenly. The good news is that most of them are already walking back their transition targets after those targets proved quite unrealistic. Even European Big Oil is going back on transition promises after discovering these promises could not be fulfilled—not at a profit, at least.So, what many hoped would happen during Trump’s presidency may indeed happen: Big Oil protecting its transition investments and pressuring Trump into not completely doing away with Biden’s climate laws, at least until there’s hard proof carbon capture does not make money, but loses money.

Trump eyes Feb. 18 for oil tariffs, expects lower duty for Canada (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he expects his administration to impose tariffs related to oil and gas around Feb. 18 and it could reduce the planned levy on some Canadian crude. The U.S. imports some 4 million barrels per day of oil from Canada, roughly 70% of which is processed by refiners in the U.S. Midwest. A tariff on oil imports could lead to lower production of fuel at those facilities and drive up costs for consumers, analysts and companies have warned. Trump did not name a specific country to which the new tariffs would apply or provide any more details about the plans. "We're going to put tariffs on oil and gas," Trump told reporters in the White House's Oval Office. "That'll happen fairly soon, I think around the 18th of February." Asked if tomorrow's tariffs would include Canadian crude, Trump said: "I'm probably going to reduce the tariff a little bit on that. We think we're going to bring it down to 10% for the oil." That would be instead of 25% that Trump has previously spoken about. Many U.S. oil refiners, especially in the Midwest, rely on imported crude because their facilities are configured to run heavier crude grades, such as those from Mexico and Canada. They are awaiting clarity while preparing for the new tariffs on Canadian and Mexican crude imports. Earlier this month, imports of crude from Canada to the United States hit record levels. U.S. refiner Phillips 66 (PSX.N), opens new tab expects production cuts in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region where alternative crude supplies are limited if tariffs take effect. Phillips 66, along with HF Sinclair and Par Pacific Holdings (PARR.N), opens new tab have elevated exposure to Canadian crude, data from TD Cowen shows. "Our commercial and optimization teams have been working hard to develop every possible scenario we can think of and how we would respond" to Trump's tariffs, said Gary Simmons, chief operating officer of Valero, during call with analysts on Thursday. Valero is the second-largest U.S. refiner by capacity.

Shell Still Eyes Mid-Year Start for LNG Canada, but Forecasts Second ‘Slow’ Year for Natural Gas -- Shell plc continues on course to begin exporting natural gas to Asian markets from the LNG Canada project in British Columbia later this year. However, there are no illusions that 2025 will be a growth year for natural gas, CEO Wael Sawan said Thursday. Bar graph showing Shell's progress toward various global E&P projects. The CEO presided over a conference call with CFO Sinead Gorman to discuss fourth quarter and full-year performance. Sawan also provided some insight into what kind of year this may be for the No. 1 global natural gas trader. “On LNG, 2024 was very light on use of supply,” he told analysts. “We anticipate 2025 will be of a similar magnitude. So that's two relatively slow years at a time when latent demand continues to grow.”

Global Natural Gas Supplies Forecast to Remain Tight in 2025 as Demand Growth Continues, IEA Says - Global natural gas demand hit an all-time record in 2024 and is poised to continue growing this year, albeit at a lower rate as supply expands more slowly than in years past, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest quarterly gas report. Bar chart showing future global natural gas demand growth through 2030. Fast-growing Asian markets pushed global gas demand in 2024 up by 2.8% year-over-year, or by 115 billion cubic meters (Bcm), IEA said. That was above the 2% average growth rate between 2010 and 2020. Natural gas met around 40% of the increase in global energy demand last year, a greater share than any other fuel thanks largely to supportive policies, IEA said. Tighter market fundamentals are expected to keep prices elevated this year. IEA forecast year/year natural gas demand growth to drop below 2% in 2025. Asia is expected to account for more than half of the rise in global gas consumption this year.

Germany’s Russian LNG Imports Surge Over 500% in 2024 - Germany’s imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) soared by 500% in 2024 year-on-year, reaching a total value of 7.32 billion euros, the Financial Times reported, citing a report by Belgian, German and Ukrainian NGOs.Though Berlin has officially banned direct imports of Russian LNG to its new facilities on the north coast, it has been receiving Russian liquified gas via face-saving intermediary ports elsewhere in Europe.The German state-owned energy company Sefe, formerly part of Gazprom and nationalized in 2022, purchased 58 cargos of LNG via the French port of Dunkirk last year — marking a more than 500% increase from the previous year, FT cited the report as saying.Between 3% and 9.2% of Germany's gas supply still originates from Russia, reaching the country through other EU members, according to the data.Previously, Germany was heavily dependent on Russian piped gas to power its economy and had not yet built LNG terminals. This made the country almost entirely dependent on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines carrying gas from Russia’s giant Yamal gas fields to Lubmin, a coastal town in northeastern Germany.Following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Berlin banned direct imports of Russian gas but continued to import it via third parties. However, with reduced volumes and soaring costs, the end of cheap imported Russian gas has led to the deindustrialization of the German economy and sent the former powerhouse of Europe into a two-year recession.A significant portion of Russian LNG arrives at Belgian ports, where it is re-gasified and transported via pipelines across Europe. Once in Germany, also home to the largest gas storage tanks in the EU, the gas is typically recorded as Belgian in official energy statistics, despite Belgium having no domestic LNG production. Belgium is among the largest importers of Russian LNG, alongside Spain and France. In 2024, Russian LNG supplies to Europe reached a record 17.2 billion cubic meters, with a portion of these shipments bound by long-term contracts that companies are unable to terminate.Europe remains hooked on Russian gas and has been unable to find alternative sources of energy.The EU is currently preparing a 16th package of sanctions on Russia that will be released on the third anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. Despite recent calls by 10 EU members to ban Russian LNG imports, LNG will not be included in the upcoming sanctions package.

Upside Seen for TTF This Summer as Natural Gas Storage Drawdown Continues – European natural gas prices declined on Monday as U.S. LNG supply constraints eased and weather patterns shifted warmer. (a chart showing natural gas storage levels in Europe) The prompt Title Transfer Facility (TTF) contract closed 4% lower after surging past $15/MMBtu to its highest point since late 2023 last week, when a rare winter storm swept over the Gulf Coast, limiting LNG vessel traffic and forcing Freeport LNG to shut down on Jan. 21. Freeport spokesperson Heather Browne told NGI Monday that the facility was back online. The plant’s feed gas nominations were back at pre-outage levels. The British Listener vessel also berthed at the terminal on Sunday and has since been loaded, according to Kpler.

TTF Hits Highest Level Since 2023 as Focus Shifts to Injection Season — Three Things to Know About the LNG Market --Hawaii is considering importing LNG to help cut electricity costs and improve reliability. Image showing a comprehensive market analysis of the European Union’s gas storage levels with graphs representing trends in inventories, highlighting key insights into energy market dynamics and gas data projections for the near future. The Hawaii State Energy Office released a study exploring ways to bolster the state’s energy supplies in the wake of the Maui wildfires of 2023. The study suggested that the site of a demolished coal plant on Oahu could be used to import the super-chilled fuel from a floating regasification and storage unit offshore. The study calls for converting oil-fired power plants to run on LNG by 2030 in order to capitalize on cost savings. The Jones Act, which prohibits cargoes moving between U.S. ports, would require the state to import the fuel from other nations like Canada, Australia or Mexico, the study acknowledged.

Russia increases gas export through pipelines more than 15% -Russia has exported more than 119 billion cubic meters of gas via pipelines in 2024, which marks a 15.6% increase compared to the previous year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said, APA-Economics reports. "Gas exports via pipelines increased by 15.6% reaching more than 119 billion cubic meters, while liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports increased by 4%, reaching approximately 47.2 billion cubic meters," Alexander Novak wrote in an article published in the "Energy Policy" journal. According to him, in 2024, gas production in Russia reached approximately 685 billion cubic meters, which is 7.6% more than the 2023 figure.

EU Weighs Resuming Russian Pipeline Gas Imports to Spur Ukraine Peace Talks – FT - EU officials are debating whether to restart Russian pipeline gas imports as a potential incentive for Moscow to negotiate peace with Ukraine, the Financial Times reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the discussions. Some German and Hungarian officials and counterparts in other unnamed European capitals have reportedly backed the idea also as a way to lower the bloc’s rising energy costs. According to FT, the proposal could “encourage Moscow to the negotiating table and give both sides a reason to implement and maintain a ceasefire.” “There is pressure from some big member states on energy prices, and this is one way to bring those down,” one official was quoted as saying. However, Ukraine’s closest EU allies in Eastern Europe — many of whom have worked to eliminate their dependence on Russian energy — were reportedly “infuriated” by the proposal. “It’s madness,” another official told FT. “How stupid could we be to even think about that as an option?” Russia halted pipeline gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine on Jan. 1 after Kyiv refused to renegotiate a transit agreement in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Prior to the cutoff, the pipeline transported around 50% of Russia’s pipeline gas exports — mainly to Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and non-EU member Moldova. Despite banning nearly all Russian pipeline gas and oil imports, the EU imported a record 17.8 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia in 2024. The bloc has committed to phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports entirely by 2027. While the EU banned Russian crude oil and coal following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it has not yet imposed restrictions on Russian pipeline gas or LNG. Earlier this week, however, FT reported that the bloc was considering import restrictions on Russian LNG as part of its next sanctions package, expected to be announced next month.

European Imports of Russian LNG Hit 'Record Levels' in 2024 - According to the Kpler global trade intelligence firm, Russia exported a record 33.6 million tons (45.7 billion cubic meters) of LNG to Europe in 2024, up 4% compared to 2023, equivalent to a third of Russia’s pre-war exports of gas to Europe. And piped gas exports to Europe, largely to Hungary, Turkey and Slovakia, were up a hefty 20%. More than half (52%) of Russian LNG exports went to Europe, which remains Russia’s most important market. China imported another 31 bcm via the Power of Siberia pipeline, more than doubling the volume of imports since the war in Ukraine started. The pipeline is designed to deliver up to 38 bcm of natural gas annually to China and the Power of Siberia 2 will add another 50 bcm if it is eventually built.Discussions are also ongoing regarding a potential new route through Kazakhstan capable of delivering up to 35 bcm annually. Russia reversed the flow of Soviet-era pipelines to Central Asia last year and is already sending about 5 bcm of gas to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.Despite the energy dearth, EU leaders are still calling for a ban on Russian gas imports, a call repeated last week by German Christian Democratic Union leader Friedrich Merz, who is widely expected to succeed Chancellor Olaf Scholz following February's general election.The EU recently published a roadmap for abandoning Russian LNG by 2027 but its members are deeply divided on the issue.The largest buyers of Russian LNG in the EU in 2024 were France (6.3 million tons), Spain (4.8 million tons), Belgium (4.4 million tons) and the Netherlands (1.3 million tons).But this distorts the true picture of consumption: the same Germany that banned the reception of gas carriers with Russian LNG at its terminals imports gas through France. As a result, even now 3-9% of the gas consumed in Germany is of Russian origin. The total share of Russian LNG in EU imports approached 20% in 2024, up from 15% a year earlier.The main buyers in Asia — China and Japan — overtook the European leaders only slightly, having received 7 million tons and 5.7 million tons respectively.Two-thirds of the LNG for export (21.1 million tons) was shipped by the Russian company Novatek from its plant in the Yamal gas fields. Russia’s total share of the EU gas market, taking into account the cessation of pipeline gas supplies since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has fallen from 40% to 6%.

Rescue teams empty 1,500 tons of oil from Russian tanker (AP) — Rescue workers have successfully removed almost 1,500 tons of oil left onboard a tanker that ran aground last year in southern Russia, officials said Saturday. The mishap resulted in a devastating oil spill that damaged miles (kilometers) of coastline along the Black Sea. Two Russian ships, the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212, were badly damaged in stormy weather on Dec. 15, resulting in thousands of tons of low-grade fuel oil called mazut spilling into the Kerch Strait. A crew from Russia’s Marine Rescue Service siphoned away the remaining 1,488 tons of oil left in the grounded Volgoneft-239 in a six-day operation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev said Saturday in a post on the Russian government’s official Telegram channel. Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov announced that the damaged tanker would be drained earlier this month but workers found it was continuing to leak oil into the water. More For You The Volgoneft-239 will now be cleaned and prepared for being dismantled, Savelyev said. The fate of the second tanker, the Volgoneft-212, remains undecided after the boat sank beneath the waves. So far, oil from the spill has washed up along beaches in Russia’s Krasnodar region, as well as in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions of Crimea and the Berdyansk Spit, some 145 kilometers (90 miles) north of the Kerch Strait. President Vladimir Putin earlier in January called the spill “one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years.” Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said Saturday that more than 173,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have so far been collected by the weekslong cleanup effort, with thousands of volunteers joining the operation.

Cleanup of almost 1,700 litres of diesel underway at Diavik diamond mine - A fuel truck at Diavik Diamond Mine tipped and spilled almost 1,700 litres of diesel in December. In a follow-up spill report submitted to the GNWT, Rio Tinto, the company that owns the diamond mine, states that on Dec, 19, a fuel truck rolled onto its side and 1,688 litres of diesel leaked through its top air vent. "After ensuring the safety of the involved person and stabilizing the tipped vehicle, measures were taken to minimize the volume of spilled diesel by catching it in buckets until the air vent could be sealed," reads the report, filed Jan. 20. The remainder of the fuel that had not spilled was pumped out of the truck before the vehicle was brought upright and removed from the scene. Rio Tinto says it anticipates that the cleanup will be completed by the end of January. As of Jan. 20, the mine had cleaned up about 600 cubic meters of the contaminated area — approximately the equivalent of a large shipping container. "The road in question was generally only used for seasonal de-watering prior to area closure activities," the Rio Tinto report explains, adding that the route was not designed with sufficient criteria, such as having berms and signage for heavy equipment in winter conditions. "A site-wide audit of roads and intersections for design and signage risks is underway to prevent recurrence as area uses continue to change with progressive closure activities."

Pipeline vandalism reduces gas exports by 20% – Report -- Nigeria’s exports of liquefied natural gas saw a significant decline of 20 per cent last week, following an attack by suspected vandals who damaged crucial pipelines. is disruption severely affected gas supplies to the country’s LNG plants, leading to a sharp reduction in production and exports, a report by Bloomberg stated on Thursday. The hit on the country’s LNG exports is due to persistent vandalism and sabotage of pipelines in the Niger Delta region. The report stated that the sabotage and vandalism has curtailed gas supplies to its plant and is affecting scheduled shipments. The development indicates that the Federal Government is likely to lose projected revenue remittance from the company to fund its N49.74tn 2025 budget. The NLNG’s General Manager for external relations and sustainable development, Sophia Horsfall, in an email response said, “The loss of facilities due to vandalism and sabotage impacts feed-gas supplies to NLNG and delivery timelines.” It was noted that shipments planned for exports next month may be delayed for at least 10 days due to the substantial loss of pipeline vandalism. Nigeria’s gas exports have faced disruptions due to security issues in the Niger Delta region, although shipments from the NLNG complex saw a rebound in 2024. With the persistent sabotage of oil and gas installations, Nigeria is losing its recent gains in production and supplies, and it’s unable to meet demands.

Second oil spill reported at site of future Marine Corps airfield on Okinawa -- A construction vessel spilled oil at the site of a future Marine Corps airfield in northern Okinawa over the weekend, the second such incident in 10 days. The spill occurred just more than a mile north-northeast of Cape Henoko in Nago city at 11:50 a.m. Saturday, according to a Japan coast guard news release that day. No injuries or environmental damage were reported. The airfield is under construction at the Marine Corps’ Camp Schwab on land reclaimed from Oura Bay to replace Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in densely populated Ginowan city. The U.S. and Japanese governments agreed to move the base in 1996. The Okinawa prefectural government took to the courts to delay construction until recently. A contractor at the airfield site reported at 12:19 p.m. that hydraulic oil spilled from a crane on a 2.3-ton dredging vessel operating off the coast, according to the coast guard. The coast guard confirmed oil seepage on the water’s surface, and contractors installed an oil fence and an oil absorption mat to recover the oil. No additional oil was found leaking out of the oil fence by 2:45 p.m., according to the release. The vessel was using its crane to install equipment on another small vessel at the time of the spill. The cause is under investigation, according to the release. On Jan. 15, hydraulic oil spilled from a drill on a different vessel that was boring into the seabed. No environmental damage or injuries were reported, and the spill was contained the same day, the coast guard said.

Saudi Arabia Set to Hike Oil Prices to Asia to 14-Month High - Refiners in Asia expect Saudi Arabia to hike its official selling prices (OSPs) to Asia for March to the highest against benchmarks since January 2024, a Reuters survey found on Monday, as Middle East’s key benchmarks are rallying on tightened Russian supply to China and India after the latest U.S. sanctions. Saudi Aramco, the world’s top crude oil exporter, is expected to raise the price of its flagship Arab Light grade to Asia loading in March by up to $2.50 per barrel over the Oman and Dubai benchmarks, three refiners in the Reuters poll said. Another refinery source expects Aramco to hike its OSPs for all grades by $3 per barrel. If Saudi Arabia does next week as expected, the price of Arab Light could jump to a premium of at least $3.50 per barrel over the Oman/Dubai average, which is used by Middle Eastern exporters to price their crude going to Asia. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia raised the price of its crude loading for Asia in February by more than expected as supply in the world’s largest-importing region was tightening with the continued OPEC+ cuts and reduced volumes from Iran and Russia. Arab Light loading in February to Asia is priced at a premium of $1.50 over the Oman/Dubai average. The hike for March loadings which Asian refiners now expect could raise the premium of Arab Light to at least $3.50 per barrel over Oman/Dubai and would be the highest such premium since January 2024, according to data compiled by Reuters. The Oman and Dubai benchmarks have rallied in the past month amid lower supply from Russia and Iran and have surged since the U.S. slapped on January 10 the most aggressive sanctions on Russian oil trade yet. Saudi Arabia typically announces around the fifth of each month its crude pricing for the following month and doesn’t comment on price changes. It also sets the tone for the pricing to Asia of the other major oil producers in the Middle East.

Oil Prices Dip As Trump Urges OPEC To Cut Costs Amid Ukraine War - Global oil prices fell on Monday following renewed calls by former U.S. President Donald Trump for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to slash prices. Trump’s remarks were tied to his strategy to pressure oil-rich Russia financially and expedite the end of the war in Ukraine. By 04:30 GMT, Brent crude futures had slipped by 53 cents (0.68%), trading at $77.97 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped by 50 cents (0.67%) to settle at $74.16 per barrel. Speaking on Friday, Trump called on OPEC to “stop making so much money and drop the price of oil,” suggesting that such a move could accelerate the resolution of the Ukraine conflict. He also warned of potential taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on Russia and its allies if diplomatic progress on the war was not achieved soon. “One way to stop [the war] quickly is for OPEC to stop making so much money and drop the price of oil … That war will stop right away,” Trump stated. Russian President Vladimir Putin, responding to Trump’s comments, expressed openness to meeting with him to discuss energy prices and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Market analysts have noted that Trump’s policies to boost U.S. oil and gas output are aimed at securing overseas markets for American crude, potentially challenging OPEC’s market dominance. “He’s going to want to muscle into some of the OPEC market share, so in that sense, he’s kind of a competitor,” said Stephen Driscoll, an oil market analyst. Despite Trump’s call, OPEC and its allies, including Russia, have yet to issue an official response. Delegates from the OPEC+ coalition pointed to their existing plan to gradually increase oil output starting in April. The downward pressure on oil prices comes after both Brent and WTI benchmarks recorded their first weekly decline in five weeks. This easing of prices follows reduced concerns about sanctions disrupting Russian oil supplies. Goldman Sachs analysts have projected minimal impact on Russian oil production, citing the availability of non-sanctioned ships to transport Russian crude and the appeal of discounted Russian ESPO grades to price-sensitive buyers. “As the ultimate goal of sanctions is to reduce Russian oil revenues, we assume that Western policymakers will prioritize maximizing discounts on Russian barrels over reducing Russian volumes,” Goldman Sachs analysts noted in a report. Trump’s push for lower oil prices and his broader strategy to boost U.S. oil exports signal potential shifts in global energy markets. While OPEC+ remains committed to its output plan, the interplay between U.S. production policies, geopolitical tensions, and demand for discounted Russian oil will likely shape oil price dynamics in the coming months.

The Crude Market Traded Lower Amid Losses in the Equity Markets -- The crude market traded lower on Monday amid the losses seen in the equity markets following the news of increasing interest in Chinese startup DeepSeek’s low cost artificial intelligence model. The oil market was already pressured earlier after the U.S. threatened and then reversed plans to impose sanctions and tariffs on Colombia over the weekend after the South American country agreed to accept deported migrants from the U.S. The market was also pressured as Chinese manufacturing data for January was weaker than expected. The crude market, which held resistance at its previous high of $75.21, posted a high of $75.15 in overnight trading. However, the market sold off sharply in tandem with the equities market and posted a low of $72.38. It retraced 62% of its move from a low of $68.05 to a high of $79.39. The oil market later bounced off its low and traded in a sideways trading range ahead of the close. The March WTI contract settled down $1.49 at $73.17, while the Brent contract ended the session down $1.42 cents at $77.08. The product markets ended the session in negative territory, with the heating oil market settling down 5.62 cents at $2.46 and the RB market settling down 2.08 cents at $2.0282. Goldman Sachs said it maintained its $3.30/gallon U.S. retail gasoline forecast for 2025 and forecast U.S. retail gasoline prices in 2026 at $3.10/gallon. Israel’s Walla News reported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House next week. IIR Energy said U.S. oil refiners are expected to shut in about 1.4 million bpd of capacity in the week ending January 31st, cutting available refining capacity by 195,000 bpd. Offline capacity is expected to increase to 1.46 million bpd in the week ending February 7th. On Friday, CVR Energy said its 132,000 bpd refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas, has begun planned turnaround work following a fire at the plant’s naphtha hydrotreater on Tuesday. Kommersant daily reported that Russian companies decreased oil exports by 2.2% on the year to 295.12 million metric tons in 2024. Shipments via the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as from the ports of Novorossiisk and Ust-Luga, decreased. However, shipments increased via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and from the port of Kozmino. Two industry sources said Russian refineries are processing more crude oil in the hope of increasing fuel exports after new U.S. sanctions on Russian tankers and traders made exports of unprocessed crude more difficult. Russian refining runs increased 2% or by 108,000 barrels to 754,800 metric tons a day on January 15th-19th from the first week of the year. It was also up 1.2% from the average for January 2024. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center reported Monday morning that the U.S. experienced a total of 317 HDDs for the week ending January 25th on an oil home heating customer population weighted basis. This was 20.5% more than normal for the week and 21.5% higher than the same week a year ago. For the current week, ending February 1st, the CPC is forecasting just some 233 HDDs, 10.8% less than normal but 15.3% more than the same week a year ago.

Oil prices end lower on Trump's tariff talk, concerns over AI-related power demand - Oil futures settled lower on Monday, as the Trump administration's ongoing tariff threats and their potential economic impact, along with concerns over the potential for a slowdown in AI-related power demand, contributed to a 2% drop in U.S. benchmark crude prices. President Donald Trump paused steep retaliatory tariffs that he had threatened against Colombia, a key source of U.S. crude imports, but the risk of U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico remained. Meanwhile, the emergence of Chinese startup DeepSeek, which has cheaply trained high-performing artificial-intelligence models, raised concerns about the outlook for AI-related spending and power needs.

• -- West Texas Intermediate crude CL00 for March delivery declined by $1.49, or 2%, to settle at $73.17 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
• -- March Brent crude, the global benchmark, shed $1.42, or 1.8%, to $77.08 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe.
• -- February gasoline RBG25 lost 1% to $2.03 a gallon, while February heating oil HOG25 fell 2.2% to $2.46 a gallon.
• -- Natural gas for February delivery NGG25 settled at $3.70 per million British thermal units, down 8.2%, after gaining 2% last week.

Trump said early Sunday he would slap retaliatory tariffs of 25% on products from Colombia and take other measures against the country after it refused to allow two military flights carrying deported migrants to land. Trump dropped those threats after the White House said Colombia had met its demands. Tariffs threatened to crimp an important flow of crude into the United States. Colombia is the nation's fourth-largest supplier of crude, exporting a little more than 200,000 barrels a day, noted Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey, commodity strategists at ING. Colombia's key export grades are heavier crudes of the type used by U.S. Gulf Coast refiners. Tariff-related worries may remain a factor in the oil market. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that momentum is growing among White House advisers for putting 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as early as Saturday. Both countries are also sources of heavy crude used by Gulf Coast refiners. "The larger ramification from the tariff actions directed toward Colombia is that it provides an important context amid looming threats of boosted tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China as soon as Feb. 1st," analysts at J.P. Morgan wrote in a note dated Monday. Potential tariffs on imports from these countries "could be much more impactful to both complex-wide pricing and U.S. price differentials more specifically," they said, adding that this likely means "continued increased volatility around trade headlines in the coming weeks." Threats of tariffs, meanwhile, are also "bearish for the global economy, and especially for China, where demand is already expected to be anemic," said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research. Oil prices also declined on the back of losses in the U.S. stock market, which saw benchmark stock indexes trade sharply lower in Monday dealings, with the Nasdaq Composite COMP dropping more than 3% and shares of chip giant and AI standard-bearer Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) plunging 18%. The stock market on Monday may post one of the biggest threats to oil, said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group, in a daily report. "If we continue this major meltdown, we could see some risk off buying in the crude oil," he said. "Sometimes when the stock market really gets hit, we see that risk off selling in oil and gas. [If] the stock market stabilizes though, look for all the oil and products that bounce back pretty sharply." In comments directly to MarketWatch, Flynn also pointed out that "one of the things that have been supporting energy prices was the assumption that it was going to take an incredible amount of energy to power data centers and artificial intelligence." Now "the market is reacting to this story that perhaps China has found a way to drive artificial intelligence more cheaply and with less energy," he said. "If that's the case, it could be a game changer ... for a lot of commodities, energy included." In other energy dealings, natural-gas prices dropped over 8% Monday following some forecasts for a warming trend in the days ahead, Flynn said. The "potential for a warm-up will put the focus back on prolific U.S. oil and gas production," he said. "The weather's going to be the key for this market. If the weather trends colder, we could get back into another price spike," he said. "But we're getting late in the winter at this point. January, believe it or not, is almost over. Think about spring!"

Oil prices hover near two-week low, Libya supply disruption offers support - Oil prices edged higher but remained near a two-week low on Tuesday, as weak economic data from China and rising temperatures elsewhere dampened demand prospects. Supporting prices was a disruption of oil loading operations in Libya. Brent crude oil futures were up 55 cents, or 0.70%, to $77.63 per barrel at 1236 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 49 cents, or 0.67%, to $73.66. Brent settled on Monday at its lowest since Jan. 9, while WTI hit its lowest since Jan. 2. In Libya, local protesters prevented crude oil loading on Tuesday at Es Sidra and Ras Lanuf ports, five engineers and a shipping source told Reuters, putting about 450,000 barrels per day of exports at risk. “If such disorder spreads, which is not unusual when Libya’s oil industry is held to ransom by one group or another, the current National Oil Corporation evaluated production of 1.4 mbpd will come under threat,” On the other hand, China, the world’s largest crude oil importer, reported on Monday an unexpected contraction in January manufacturing activity, adding to concerns over global crude demand growth. “The general tone of caution in the risk environment, coupled with weaker Chinese PMI numbers that cast further doubt on China’s oil demand outlook, may serve as a drag on oil prices,” China’s crude oil demand is also expected to be hit by the latest U.S. sanctions on Russian oil trade. FGE analysts see refineries in Shandong losing up to 1 million barrels per day of crude supply in the near term amid a ban imposed by the Shandong Port Group on U.S.-sanctioned tankers. Several independent refineries in China have halted operations, or plan to do so, for indefinite maintenance periods, sources told Reuters, as new Chinese tariff and tax policies plunge plants deeper into losses. In the U.S., weather forecasts are for warmer than normal temperatures through this week, which are also weighing on demand for heating fuels after extreme cold sparked a natural gas and diesel rally in prior sessions. Broader financial markets were under pressure from a surge of interest in a low-cost artificial intelligence model launched by Chinese firm DeepSeek. “Losses (in the oil market) appear relatively limited from the turmoil in U.S. tech stocks,” IG’s Yeap said. However, oil markets remain jittery, and there is some time to play out before there is clarity on the ramifications of U.S. policy involving tariffs and sanctions, said Ashley Kelty, an analyst at Panmure Liberum.

Oil Market Rebounds After Selloff Amid AI Disruption and Equity Volatility -- The oil market on Tuesday posted an inside trading day as the market bounced higher following a sharp selloff in tandem with the equities market on Monday that was triggered by news of increasing interest in Chinese startup DeepSeek’s low cost artificial intelligence model. In overnight trading, the market continued to retrace the losses seen on Monday morning. It was supported by the news of protesters in Libya preventing crude oil loadings in the country’s Es Sider and Ras Lanuf ports. The market traded to a high of $74.31 early in the session. However, the market erased some of its gains and posted a low of $72.93 after fears of a supply disruption eased on news that Libya’s export activity was operating normally after Libya’s National Oil Corp held talks with the protesters. The crude oil market later settled in a sideways trading range ahead of the close. The March WTI contract settled up 60 cents at $73.77, while the March Brent contact settled up 41 cents at $77.49. Meanwhile, the product markets ended in mixed territory with the heating oil market settling down 99 points at $2.4501 and the RB market settling up 2.44 cents at $2.0526. The Saudi Press Agency reported that Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman held talks with Iraq’s Hayan Abdel-Ghani and Libya’s Khalifa Abdulsadek in Riyadh on Monday following U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for lower oil prices and ahead of a meeting next week of OPEC+ countries. The Saudi minister and his Libyan counterpart discussed “strengthening joint efforts to support the stability of global energy markets” to serve their mutual interests. He also discussed cooperation to achieve mutual interests with his Iraqi counterpart and met with UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei for informal talks. Last week, U.S. President Trump called on Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower oil prices. OPEC+ has yet to respond, however five OPEC+ delegates said a meeting of the group’s top ministers on February 3rd is unlikely to adjust its current plan to start raising output from April. Bloomberg is reporting that oil loadings from the Libyan ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider on Tuesday were being disrupted as a result of political protests. The state oil company was estimating Libyan oil production prior to the shutdown had been averaging 1.41 million b/d. It was expected Tuesday’s shutdown could shut in some 430,000-460,000 b/d of crude oil production. The Oil Crescent Region Movement reportedly had ordered the shutdown in protest of the state-run National Oil Corp had not transferred the headquarters of five energy companies from western Libya to the eastern part of the country. Later, Libya’s National Oil Corp said operations at all oil terminals were continuing normally after communication with protestors who blocked crude oil loadings at the Es Sider and Ras Lanuf ports. Citgo Petroleum Corp reported a unit upset at its 184,414 bpd Lemont, Illinois refinery. LyondellBasell Industries began shutting down its 263,776 bpd Houston refinery on Monday for permanent closure. The shutdown is expected to be completed by early February as the refinery has only a few days of supply of crude oil on hand. Lyondell said that it planned to begin the refinery’s “ramp down” in late January and the process would continue through February. Motive Enterprises reported maintenance activity resulting in flaring at its 626,000 bpd Port Arthur, Texas refinery.

Oil prices rebound from multi-week lows as investors brace for Trump tariffs (Reuters) - Oil prices settled up on Tuesday, bouncing back from multi-week lows, after the White House reaffirmed U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to issue tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports this week. Fears of weaker demand linked to soft economic data from China and rising temperatures elsewhere capped gains. Brent crude oil futures settled up 41 cents, or 0.53%, at $77.49 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 60 cents, or 0.82%, at $73.77. Brent settled on Monday at its lowest since Jan. 9, while WTI hit its lowest since Jan. 2. The White House said Trump still plans to issue 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Saturday while weighing fresh tariffs on China. "Trump's comments on tariffs kept the market on edge," The tariffs could disrupt the flow of energy products across the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico. In Libya, local protesters prevented crude oil loadings on Tuesday at Es Sider and Ras Lanuf ports, putting about 450,000 barrels per day of exports at risk. However, fears of supply disruption eased after Libya's state-run National Oil Corp said export activity was running normally after it held talks with protesters. "The market priced in the risk of Libyan oil supply disruption before it became clear that flows for now are not disrupted, with the risk premium evaporating again," UBS commodities analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. "There remains a risk of new disruptions down the road," he added. China, the world's largest crude oil importer, reported on Monday an unexpected contraction in January manufacturing activity, pressuring oil prices. "The general tone of caution in the risk environment, coupled with weaker Chinese PMI numbers that cast further doubt on China's oil demand outlook, may serve as a drag on oil prices," IG analyst Yeap Jun Rong said. China's crude oil demand is also expected to be hit by the latest U.S. sanctions on Russian oil trade. FGE analysts see refineries in Shandong losing up to 1 million barrels per day of crude supply in the near term amid a ban imposed by the Shandong Port Group on U.S.-sanctioned tankers. Several independent refineries in China have halted operations, or plan to do so, for indefinite maintenance periods, sources told Reuters, as new Chinese tariff and tax policies plunge plants deeper into losses. In the U.S., weather forecasts are for warmer-than-normal temperatures through this week, which are also weighing on demand for heating fuels after extreme cold sparked a natural gas and diesel rally in prior sessions. The latest weekly report on U.S. inventories, from the American Petroleum Institute industry group, showed crude stocks rose last week by 2.86 million barrels, market sources said on Tuesday. Traders will be waiting to see if the official inventory report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) confirms the build. EIA data is due on Wednesday. Oil markets remain jittery, and it will be some time before there is clarity on the ramifications of U.S. policy involving tariffs and sanctions, said Ashley Kelty, an analyst at Panmure Liberum..

Oil prices continue to bleed amidst a confluence of negative factors -- Oil prices continue to decline for the second day in a row, falling by more than 0.5% across both Brent and WTI crudes, and are close to erasing all gains recorded in January. Oil’s losses come with a set of negative factors that are likely to exacerbate concerns about either oversupply or falling demand for crude, keeping prices under continued downward pressure. Today, we saw more bleak economic data from the Eurozone, where the region did not grow in the last quarter of last year compared to the third quarter, and its largest economies, Germany and France, contracted by 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively. All these readings were worse than expected. These figures come this week after the results of the GfK Consumer Climate survey in Germany, which also showed a decline in economic expectations and income expectations among individuals. These economic difficulties may be exacerbated by the return to the trade war with the imposition of tariffs by the United States, which may ultimately contribute to keeping the prospects for growth in demand for crude oil dim, keeping prices under pressure. The tariffs will also include Chinese exports to the United States, albeit to a lesser extent than Donald Trump previously threatened during his election campaign. However, I do not rule out increasing these tariffs if the upcoming negotiations between the two poles do not reach an agreement on trade terms. So far, we have witnessed a series of positive steps from United States and China that have eased concerns about tariffs. However, the shock caused by the Chinese artificial intelligence product DeepSeek may be an escalating factor in tensions between the two countries as it threatens US dominance in that field. This potential tension may not be evident yet after the DeepSeek shock, but what has already been evident in the oil market are concerns about re-accelerating the shift towards renewable energy sources to keep pace with the needs of the artificial intelligence infrastructure. According to The Wall Street Journal, the DeepSeek spike has caused a sharp decline in US oil and gas stocks this week. At the same time, Trump has shown no intention of following this approach, which is contrary to his approach of easing restrictions on the extraction and production of fossil fuels, which causes an oversupply and deepens the losses in crude prices. While the realization of either of the previous scenarios will serve the same result: more pressure on oil prices to decline. Returning to the economic side, the Federal Reserve maintained concerns about keeping interest rates high for a long time after its meeting yesterday, in which it decided not to change the current range, and its Chairman Jerome Powell stressed in the speech following the announcement the cautious tone towards future cuts. This led to no change in the current expectations about the not achieving a rate cut before next June, according to the data shown by the CME FedWatch Tool. Keeping interest rates high for a long time requires the continued flow of favorable data from the economy indicating the ability to adapt to tight monetary conditions, and the failure to achieve this may increase the obstacles to oil prices on the road to recovery.

WTI Holds Losses After Surprise Crude Build; US Production Tumbles Oil pries continues to churn sideways since tumbling in the big risk-off slump from DeepSeek on Monday as traders weigh the possible fallout from President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs on major US crude supplier Canada and other countries and reports OPEC will evaluate potential changes to America’s energy policy. “Crude prices keep dancing to the rhythm of Trump’s tariff orchestra, with Canada tariffs in focus as they go into effect on Saturday,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodities strategy at Saxo Bank. Wednesday’s price decline represents “a sour sentiment across an overall rangebound market,” he added. API

• Crude +2.68mm
• Cushing +144k
• Gasoline +1.89mm
• Distillates -3.75mm

DOE

• Crude +3.46mm
• Cushing +326k
• Gasoline +2.96mm
• Distillates -4.99mm - biggest draw since March 2022

After 9 straight weeks of draws, crude stocks built last week (by 3.5mm barrels). Gasoline stocks rose for the 11th straight week while Distillate stocks plunged by the most since March 2022...Graphs Source: Bloomberg. US crude production plunged last week, tumbling 237k barrels/day... Including the 248k barrel addition to the SPR, total US crude stocks jumped by 3.71mm barrels - the biggest build since October 2024... WTI remains lower on the day after the DOE data...

Oil prices end lower as U.S. crude supplies post first weekly rise in 10 weeks U.S. oil futures on Wednesday marked their lowest settlement price of the year so far after official data revealed a weekly rise in commercial crude inventories following nine consecutive weekly declines. Oil traders, meanwhile, continued to weigh the outlook for demand - and the possibility that President Donald Trump will implement tariffs as soon as this weekend on Canada and Mexico that may disrupt the flow of crude supplies.

• -- West Texas Intermediate crude CL00 for March delivery fell $1.15, or 1.6%, to settle at $72.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest front-month finish since Dec. 31, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
• -- March Brent crude, the global benchmark, lost 91 cents, or 1.2%, to $76.58 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe. The more actively traded April contract declined by 88 cents, or nearly 1.2%, to $75.61 a barrel.
• -- February gasoline RBG25 settled 0.8% lower at $2.04 a gallon, while February heating oil HOG25 added 0.2% to $2.45 a gallon.
• -- Natural gas for February delivery NGG25 ended at $3.54 per million British thermal units, up 1.8% on the contract's expiration day. The March contract NGH25, which is now the front month, added 1.5% to settle at $3.17.

The oil market is "undoubtedly in a phase dominated by bearish demand concerns," said Steven Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. "The combination of unsettling economic data from China and a [Federal Reserve] that's hitting the pause button on rate changes casts a long shadow over risk sentiment." Still, sentiment in oil markets is "notoriously volatile. ... Despite the backdrop, there's been a rebound from weekly lows as risk sentiment stabilized," he told MarketWatch. "This is partly due to the moderated approach to tariffs that, while gradual, allows room for negotiations and concessions." Looking ahead, the economic landscape "presents a mixed bag," Innes said, implying an uncertain outlook for oil demand. Upcoming personal consumption expenditures data, due out Friday, might show a softening in the economy, potentially alleviating fears of an extended Fed pause on rate cuts, but an anticipated downward revision in headline employment numbers could dampen this somewhat positive outlook, he said. Oil prices continued their move lower after the Fed Wednesday left its benchmark rate unchanged, ending a run of three consecutive meetings with rate cuts. Meanwhile, Innes said he expects oil traders to increasingly focus more attention on the inventory reports from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as these reports will be "crucial in assessing whether President Trump's nudging can successfully encourage U.S. producers to increase output." The EIA reported Wednesday that commercial crude inventories climbed by 3.5 million barrels for the week that ended Jan. 24. That was the first weekly increase in 10 weeks, though domestic production edged lower. The data were expected to show a crude supply climb of 2.6 million barrels on average, according to a survey of analysts conducted by S&P Global Commodity Insights. Late Tuesday, the American Petroleum Institute reported a crude inventory gain of 2.9 million barrels, according to a source citing the data. Total domestic oil production fell by 237,000 barrels per day to 13.24 million bpd, the EIA said. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Okla., Nymex delivery hub added 300,000 barrels to 21 million barrels. The report also showed a weekly supply increase of 3 million barrels for gasoline, while distillate inventories fell by 5 million barrels. The survey forecast an inventory increase of 1.4 million barrels for gasoline and a supply decline of 2.4 million barrels for distillates. Demand for gasoline rose, with total finished motor gasoline supplied, a proxy for demand, at 8.302 million barrels per day in the latest week, versus 8.086 million bpd from a week earlier.

Oil prices stable at 3wk lows; OPEC+ meeting ahead Oil prices were steady near three-week lows on Thursday as market participants kept a close eye on the potential impact of tariffs from United States President Donald Trump on Mexico and Canada, the U.S.' largest crude oil suppliers. By 3:25 pm AEDT (4:25 am GMT) Brent crude futures were down $0.07 or 0.1% to US$76.51 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was flat at $72.63 per barrel. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that Trump intends to impose tariffs on both countries by Saturday. Meanwhile, Howard Lutnick, Trump's nominee for Commerce Secretary, suggested on Wednesday that the tariffs could be avoided if Canada and Mexico take swift action to curb the flow of fentanyl, while also committing to slowing China's progress in artificial intelligence. On the demand side, the Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose by 3.5 million barrels last week, closely aligning with forecasts of a 3.2 million barrel increase. This was partly due to refinery disruptions caused by winter storms sweeping across the country. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday, with Chair Jerome Powell indicating that any rate cuts would only be considered once inflation shows a renewed decline or if there are rising risks in the jobs market. Lower borrowing costs typically boost economic activity and oil demand. Investors are also eyeing the upcoming OPEC+ meeting scheduled for 3 February, where the group of leading oil producers will discuss President Trump's push to increase U.S. oil production and potentially take a unified position on the matter. Trump has publicly urged OPEC, especially its dominant member Saudi Arabia, to lower oil prices, claiming it would help resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. OPEC+ has already planned to gradually increase oil production starting in April, unwinding previous cuts that had been delayed due to weak demand. Meanwhile, Russia's crude oil exports from its western ports are expected to fall by 8% in February compared to January's plan, according to Reuters. This decline is attributed to increased domestic refining and the impact of recent U.S. sanctions on Russian crude exports.

US tariff threat limits oil prices (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Thursday, held in check by threatened U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican crude imports that could take effect this weekend. Brent crude futures settled 29 cents, or 0.4%, higher at $76.87 a barrel. U.S. crude futures finished at $72.73 a barrel, up 11 cents, or 0.2% higher than Wednesday, when they settled at their lowest level this year so far. "We're getting close to the deadline and people are getting nervous," U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff as early as Saturday on Canadian and Mexican exports to the United States if those two countries do not end shipments of fentanyl across U.S. borders. The White House on Tuesday reaffirmed Trump's plan to impose the tariffs, while on Wednesday, the president's nominee to run the Commerce Department said the two countries can avoid this if they act swiftly to close their borders to fentanyl. IG market analyst Tony Sycamore, however, said traders had already priced in Trump's tariffs: "(this is) a major reason why crude oil is trading where it is." Winter storms hit U.S. demand last week, with crude oil stockpiles in the U.S. rising by 3.5 million barrels as refiners cut production. Analysts had expected a 3.2 million-barrel build, according to a Reuters poll. On the supply side, the latest U.S. sanctions on Moscow are squeezing crude oil exports from Russia's western ports, which are set to fall 8% in February from the January plan as Moscow boosts refining, according to traders and Reuters calculations. Investors are also looking ahead to a meeting by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia, together called OPEC+, scheduled for Feb. 3. The group is set to discuss Trump's efforts to raise U.S. oil production and take a joint stance on the matter, Kazakhstan said on Wednesday. Trump has called on OPEC and its leading member, Saudi Arabia, to lower oil prices, saying doing so would end the conflict in Ukraine. He has also set up an agenda of maximizing oil and gas output in the U.S., already the world's largest producer and at record highs. However, analysts believe a price war between the U.S. and OPEC+ is unlikely as it may hurt both. "A price war with the U.S. would involve OPEC+ producers maximising their output to undercut prices and drive shale production into decline," analysts at BMI, a Fitch Group division, said in a note.

The Oil Market Posted Modest Gains as Traders Considered Possible Tariffs - The oil market posted modest gains on Thursday as traders considered the possible tariffs threatened by the Trump administration against Mexico and Canada as well as the OPEC+ meeting next week. In overnight trading, the market continued to trend lower and posted a low of $72.02. However, the market bounced off that level and retraced some of its losses as the market turned its focus on the 25% tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump against Mexico and Canada possibly starting on February 1^st. The market was also looking ahead to a meeting by OPEC scheduled for Monday, February 3^rd. The group is set to discuss President Trump’s efforts to raise U.S. oil production and his call for OPEC to lower oil prices. The crude oil market rallied to a high of $73.55 by mid-morning. The market later traded in a sideways trading range during the remainder of the session. The March WTI contract settled up 11 cents at $72.73 and the March Brent contract settled up 29 cents at $76.87. The product markets ended in positive territory, with the heating oil market settling up 2.14 cents at $2.4754 and the RB market settling up 17 points at $2.0374. According to Kpler data, European Union and UK diesel and gasoil imports are on track to reach a record low of 727,000 bpd this month, compared with 902,000 bpd in December. Meanwhile, European Union and UK gasoline exports are on track to reach 898,000 bpd in January, down from 934,000 bpd in December.Insights Global reported that gasoline stocks held in independent storage in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp terminal in the week ending January 30^th increased by 2.65% on the week and by 71.62% on the year to 1.627 million tons, while its gasoil stocks fell by 1.22% on the week but increased by 24.11% on the year to 2.43 million tons and fuel oil stocks fell by 1.69% on the week and by 0.21% on the year to 13.94 million tons. Naphtha stocks increased by 7.68% on the week and by 61.51% on the year to 491,000 tons and jet fuel stocks fell by 1.49% on the week but increased by 12.32% on the year to 793,000 tons.Bloomberg reported that oil flows through Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga appeared to pause, supporting Ukraine’s claims of a successful drone strike on a pumping station. A source said the Ust-Luga flows fell to zero on Wednesday. On Wednesday, a Ukrainian security official said that the country’s drones had struck Russia’s Andreapol pumping station on the Baltic Pipeline System-2, which feeds Ust-Luga. U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, but strong domestic demand will probably keep the Federal Reserve on a slow interest rate cut path this year. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said GDP increased at a 2.3% annualized rate in the fourth quarter after increasing at a 3.1% pace in the third quarter. Economists had forecast GDP rising at a 2.6% pace. It reported that consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy, grew at a 4.2% rate in the fourth quarter after increasing at a 3.7% pace in the third quarter.

Oil prices lift as traders brace for tariff decision -Oil prices traded higher on Friday as traders assessed the potential impact of tariffs that United States President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on Canadian and Mexican exports. The proposed 25% levy, which could take effect as early as Saturday, has injected uncertainty into the energy markets.By 3:30 pm AEDT (4:30 am GMT) Brent crude futures for March rose $0.63 or 0.8% to US$77.50 a barrel, while the more actively traded April contract climbed $0.50 or 0.7% to $76.23 per barrel. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for April gained $0.69 or 1% to $73.42 per barrel.Despite Friday's gains, Brent is on track for a 1.6% decline this week, while WTI is down 2%. However, both benchmarks are set for monthly gains, with Brent up 3.6% - its best performance since June - and WTI rising 2% in January.Trump has warned that unless Canada and Mexico curb fentanyl shipments into the U.S., he will move forward with a 25% tariff on their exports. It remains uncertain whether crude oil will be included in the restrictions. On Thursday, the President stated that he would soon decide on whether to exempt Canadian and Mexican oil imports from the measure.In 2023, Canada and Mexico supplied more than 71% of U.S. crude oil imports, accounting for the majority of the 6.5 million bpd total imports according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

Oil prices post weekly drop as outline of Trump's tariff plans emerges - Oil futures ended lower Friday, contributing to a loss for the week, though prices held on to a gain for the month as traders awaited a tariff decision by President Donald Trump on crude imports from Canada and Mexico.

• -- West Texas Intermediate crude CL00 for March delivery fell 20 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $72.53 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, for a weekly fall of nearly 2.9%. Prices based on the front-month contract climbed 1.1% for January, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
• -- March Brent crude, the global benchmark, lost 11 cents, or 0.1%, to end at $76.76 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe, for a weekly decline of 2.2%. It finished 2.8% higher for the month. April Brent , which become the front month at the end of the session, declined by 22 cents, or 0.3%, to $75.67 a barrel.
• -- February gasoline edged down by less than 0.1% to $2.04 a gallon, tacking on almost 1.8% for the month, while February heating oil HOG25 added 0.4% to $2.48 a gallon, settling 7.1% higher for the month. The February contracts expired at the end of the session.
• -- Natural gas for March delivery NGH25 ended at $3.04 per million British thermal units, down 0.1% for the session, with front-month contract prices losing 16.2% in January.

"There is still significant uncertainty around whether President Trump will include oil in the tariff package, specifically on Canada," Alex Hodes, director of energy-market strategy at StoneX, wrote in Friday's newsletter. Canada has reportedly threatened that if the tariffs are applied, they will "stop shipments altogether to the U.S. and not pay the tariff," he said. "Both economies will be impacted majorly by the move, so negotiations on a deal will likely be urgent." On Thursday, Trump reiterated a threat to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as early as Saturday. He said a decision on whether to include oil imports would be made Thursday night, but no announcement has so far been made. When asked about an exemption for oil imports, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday that she didn't have an update or readout on exemptions, but details would be available for public consumption Saturday. The U.S. imported 4.42 million barrels of oil per day from Canada in 2023, representing 52% of total U.S. oil imports, according to the Energy Information Administration. Mexico comes in at a distant second, representing 11% of U.S. oil imports at 910,000 barrels per day. Still, Manish Raj, managing director at Velandera Energy Partners, told MarketWatch Friday that if tariffs are applied on Canada, "exporter margins will shrink, but we see no change in their volumes." He continued: "Canadian tariffs should be a net positive for [the] U.S. Treasury and a neutral for oil markets." In addition to punitive tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Trump has threatened a raft of other levies on trading partners, including a universal tariff. Read: Here's how much gas could cost you if Trump's threatened tariffs go through In the U.S., Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) reported Friday that the number of active domestic rigs drilling for oil climbed by seven to total 479 rigs this week. Producers are looking to a "more friendly environment" for crude output under Trump, said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group. Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, together known as OPEC+, plan to hold a committee meeting online on Monday. Most analysts seem to believe that OPEC+ will recommend simply rolling existing production cuts, with the "producer group likely to eventually cancel the scheduled April start to adding 138,000 [barrels per day] of oil per month through September of 2026 for a total of 2.2 million bpd," wrote Robert Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho Securities USA, in a note Friday. "I tend to think OPEC+ will add language to any statement that will allow them to save face versus President Trump's call for OPEC to lower prices," he said. Perhaps the members will "confirm the April barrels and give the impression they will not cancel" the production increase for the fourth time.

Oil ticks up after hours on possibility of lower US tariff on Canadian oil (Reuters) - Oil prices rose in aftermarket trading on Friday as U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects his administration to decrease proposed tariffs on Canadian oil from 25% to 10%, and to impose duties on oil and gas around Feb. 18, later than initially feared.U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 73 cents, or 1%, to $73.48 a barrel after closing down 20 cents, or 0.3%, at $72.53.Brent crude futures for April rose 54 cents, or 0.7%, to $76.54 a barrel in extended trading after settling 22 cents lower on Friday. The March contract, which expired on Friday, had settled down 11 cents at $76.76 a barrel.For the week, the Brent and WTI benchmarks had settled 2.1% and 2.9% lower, respectively, and marked the second straight week of losses as the markets expect the proposed tariffs would drive up fuel prices for Americans and hit global economic growth and demand for energy."We're going to put tariffs on oil and gas," Trump told reporters in the White House's Oval Office. "That'll happen fairly soon, I think around the 18th of February."Asked if tomorrow's tariffs would be inclusive of Canadian crude, Trump said: "I'm probably going to reduce the tariff a little bit on that. We think we're going to bring it down to 10% for the oil."Trump had previously threatened a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican exports to the United States on Feb. 1 and had not clarified if oil and gas would be exempt."It's uncertainty that is starting to push prices up," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital in New York.The Trump administration is doubling down and there is more potential for retaliatory measures from Canada and/or Mexico, and also the potential for escalation of these tariffs, he added.Canada and Mexico are the two largest crude oil exporters to the United States. Canadian crude in particular is used by many U.S. Midwest refineries and a curtailed flow will likely push up fuel prices, analysts have said.Tariffs would likely result in large U.S. refinery run cuts, said Energy Aspects analyst Livia Gallarati."Our base case has been that, if tariffs are announced, they will include a grace period for negotiations and that oil is likely eventually to be carved out from any tariffs," Gallarati added.Canada will respond immediately and forcefully if the United States imposes tariffs, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday, warning Canadians that they could be facing tough times.The market is also awaiting an OPEC+ meeting scheduled for Monday.OPEC+ is unlikely to alter plans to raise output gradually when it meets on Monday, delegates from the producer group told Reuters, despite Trump urging OPEC and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, to lower prices.Meanwhile, the U.S. oil rig count, an indicator of future production, rose by seven to 479 this week.Money managers cut their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to Jan. 28, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday.

Israel Says It Will Occupy Southern Syria 'Indefinitely' - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israel will “indefinitely” occupy areas of southern Syria it captured after the the regime change in Damascus that ousted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Katz made the comments while visiting Israeli troops on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, which is located on the Syria-Lebanon border. “The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the security zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north and all the residents of Israel,” he said. Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967 and annexed the Syrian territory in 1981, a move not recognized by any country until the first Trump administration did so in 2019. Israel began its latest land grab in Syria by capturing a buffer zone between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the rest of Syria that was patrolled by UN peacekeepers. The invading Israeli forces have also captured several towns and villages in Syria’s Quneitra Governorate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated and took credit for the overthrow of Assad since he was an ally of Iran and Hezbollah. But Israel has also used the takeover of Syria by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an offshoot of al-Qaeda, to invade and capture the land in the south. Israel also launched massive airstrikes in Syria to destroy military equipment.“We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria… we will act against any threat,” Katz said atop Mount Hermon. “We will not be dependent on others for our security.”

Hundreds of Thousands of Palestinians Begin Returning to North Gaza - Palestinians who were displaced from northern Gaza in the early days of Israel’s genocidal war on the Strip began returning to the ruins of their homes on Monday as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Despite the massive destruction in northern Gaza, the Health Ministry estimates around 650,000 Palestinians will return. Later in the day,Gaza’s Media Office said 300,000 Palestinians had returned on Monday.The Israeli military first ordered the evacuation of north Gaza in October 2023, when it was estimated that the area was home to about 1.1 million people. Most Palestinians forced from the north had been displaced multiple times over the past 15 months and had been living in tent camps in southern and central Gaza. Many returning to the north will go on living in tents near the rubble of their homes. “We have spent around one year and three months resilient in the Gaza Strip, we did not need anything from the world, we only had God with us,” Fadi, a north Gaza resident who returned to find his home in ruins, told Middle East Eye. Some Palestinians said the return to the north was a message to President Trump, who recently suggested the idea of “cleaning out” Gaza of its Palestinian residents and sending them to Egypt and Jordan, an idea strongly rejected by the neighboring Arab states. “Proposals like Trump’s ignore the deep ties and sacrifices that bind people to their homes,” Rashid Khalidi, a Gaza resident, told The New Arab. “These are not just houses. They are symbols of identity and resistance.”Palestinians were able to return to the north as part of a deal that wasbrokered by Qatar that will see the release of an Israeli female civilian hostage and two other captives on Thursday. Hamas said the return to the north was a “victory” for Palestinians and a “setback” for Israel. Starting in October 2024 and in the months leading up to the ceasefire, the Israeli military had significantly escalated in the northern Gaza cities of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia. Palestinian civilians were ordered to leave under the threat of death, whether by military action or starvation. IDF soldiers also demolished nearly every building in the cities, so Palestinians had nowhere to return. Many Israeli officials and settlers hoped the campaign in north Gaza would lead to ethnic cleansing and the establishment of Jewish settlements, and the return of Palestinians marks a major blow to their plans.Giora Eiland, a retired IDF general who devised the ethnic cleansing plan for north Gaza, which became known as the “general’s plan,” said allowing Palestinians to return to the territory was a failure of Israel’s war goals. He said Israel was now at the “mercy of Hamas.”

Israeli Forces Have Killed More Than 80 Palestinians in Gaza Since Ceasefire Went Into Effect - Since the Gaza ceasefire went into effect on January 19, Israeli forces have killed more than 80 Palestinians across the Strip, Drop Site News reported on Wednesday.Dr. Zaher al-Wahaidi, director of information for Gaza’s Health Ministry, told Drop Site that 49 of the dead were killed by Israeli troops in the southern city of Rafah, where many bodies remain buried under the rubble.Al-Wahaidi also said that since January 19, 470 bodies have been recovered from the rubble, including 150 in Rafah. “We need caterpillars and bulldozers to clear up the wreckage and recover these corpses. People are getting back to literally nothing. Rafah is destroyed, and the killing and bombing continue there,” he said.The Health Ministry said Wednesday in its daily update that Gaza hospitals received another 63 bodies over the previous 24-hour period. Fifty-nine of the bodies were recovered from the rubble, two Palestinians died of previously sustained wounds, and two were killed by Israeli forces in the past day.In several instances, the Israeli military has claimed it opened fire on Palestinians who posed a “threat” to Israeli troops on the ground. But the IDF also shot and killed an unarmed Israeli contractor who was dressed in civilian clothes simply because he was walking toward Israeli troops, demonstrating the free rein Israeli soldiers have to fire on civilians.

Ukrainian Military Intel Chief Warns of Threat to Ukraine's Existence if Negotiations With Russia Don't Start - Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, has warned that if negotiations to end the war with Russia don’t begin by this summer, Ukraine’s “very existence” will be threatened.According to a report from Ukrainska Pravda, Budanov issued the warning during a closed-door meeting of Ukraine’s parliament.A source who attended the meeting told the media outlet that Budanov was asked how much time Ukraine has, and he replied, “If there are no serious negotiations by the summer, dangerous processes could unfold, threatening Ukraine’s very existence.”Describing the response to Budanov’s comments, the source said, “Everyone exchanged uneasy glances and fell silent. It seems like everything depends on things going right.”Budanov’s comments come as the new Trump administration has declared that its official policy is to seek the end of the war in Ukraine. But so far, there’s been no sign that negotiations have started.In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been floating ideas for a potential peace deal that would be non-starters for talks with Moscow, including a proposal for 200,000 Western troops to be deployed to Ukraine to enforce a ceasefire.Budanov’s comments reinforce the fact that time is on Russia’s side, meaning Moscow is unlikely to agree to any deals that don’t include itscore demands: Ukrainian neutrality and continued Russian control of the territories it has captured in Ukraine.

Putin Says He’s Ready to Discuss Oil, Energy Issues With Trump-- Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s ready to discuss crude oil prices and other energy issues at a face-to-face meeting with US leader Donald Trump. Both Russia and the US are top global oil producers and consumers, Putin said in an interview with state-owned Rossiya 24 TV. Price movements in the commodity impacts both economies, he said. “We have a lot to discuss here, and there are other energy issues that might be mutually interesting,” Putin said. “I doubt that Mr. Trump — even if we are hearing about the possibility of additional sanction on Russia — would make decisions that could hurt the US economy.” Putin’s comments follow Trump’s Thursday address to world leaders in Davos, when he urged Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to “bring down the cost of oil.” “If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” Trump added. Earlier this week, Trump also stepped up pressure on Russia to make a peace deal with Ukraine “soon,” or else he would “have no other choice” but to impose additional taxes, tariffs and sanctions on Russian imports to the US, along with “other participating countries.” Earlier this month, the US imposed its harshest sanctions so far on Russia’s energy industry, the key source of the Kremlin’s revenue that funds the war in Ukraine. The restrictions could disrupt Russia’s exports of petroleum and reduce the global supply surplus.

Flirting With WW3: Russia Says Nuclear Plant Targeted In Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack - On Wednesday Russian officials have alleged that a new massive Ukraine drone attack included an effort to target a nuclear power plant. At least 100 drones were sent from Ukraine overnight against various oil and power facilities in one of the single biggest UAV barrages of the war.RIA news agency reported that the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant came under attack. It is the largest power generating plant in Russia's northwest region. State media reports indicate the plant is operating normally in the wake of the assault. "Air defense systems destroyed a drone attempting to strike a nuclear power facility in the western region of Smolensk bordering Belarus, Governor Vasily Anokhin said on the Telegram messaging app," France24 details.Authorities say that among the some 104 total drones which attacked Russia, at least 11 inbound UAVs were destroyed over the Smolensk region, the western part of which borders Belarus.Officials say that at least one of these drones was destroyed by air defense systems as it tried to strike the Smolensk nuclear power complex. "According to preliminary information, one of the drones was shot down during an attempt to attack a nuclear power facility," Governor Vasily Anokhin said on Telegram. "There were no casualties or damage."Still, if accurate the Ukrainians are really playing with fire here - the kind of fire which could trigger WW3 and far crosses all of Vladimir Putin's red lines.Since the war's start, most international concern for potential nuclear disaster has centered on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant, as it's basically been in a frontline area of the battle in Ukraine's east. At various points, the Russian forces who hold and oversee it have accused Ukraine of mounting attacks on the site. Each side has in the past accused the other of plotting false flag incidents at the facility, but lately the situation has become relatively stable.

80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz: Imperialist barbarism returns-- Eighty years ago, on 27 January 1945, the Soviet Red Army liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. The soldiers were presented with an indescribable scene of horror. Auschwitz, the German name for the small town of Oświęcim in southern Poland, came to epitomise crimes beyond the scope of human imagination. The Nazi regime murdered between 1.1 and 1.5 million people in the Auschwitz camp complex during the Second World War. Ninety per cent of them were Jews, but Poles, Sinti and Roma as well as Soviet prisoners of war were also killed. What makes Auschwitz so terrible is not only the gigantic number of murder victims, but also the cold-blooded efficiency with which tens of thousands of SS members, state officials and business leaders worked together to make the mass murder possible. Never before had the apparatus of a modern industrialised state been used so systematically to carry out genocide.The first Auschwitz trial in Germany did not take place until 1963, 18 years after Soviet troops put an end to the mass killing there. This was mainly due to the tireless efforts of the chief prosecutor in the state of Hesse, Fritz Bauer, who had to fight against countless obstacles and personal attacks. Here, too, the number of convictions remained low. However, the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials had great educational value. They opened the eyes of the younger generation that had grown up after the war and contributed significantly to their radicalisation and to the mass protests of 1968-69. In the 1970s, the confrontation with the Nazi regime also found its way into schools. Many old Nazis had by then retired and been replaced by younger teachers who had been influenced by the 1968 movement. The slogan “Never again!” was deeply engraved in the consciousness of a generation, without them understanding exactly what had led to the catastrophe. But the vast majority were convinced that such a crime against humanity must not and could not be repeated. Eighty years after the liberation of Auschwitz, this is no longer the case. Genocide, the persecution and killing of entire populations because of their national origin or religion, “total war” targeting civilians as well as soldiers, and even the possible use of nuclear weapons are once again considered “normal.” This also characterises the official commemoration ceremony, which takes place today at 4 p.m. on the former concentration camp site in Auschwitz. The official guest list includes numerous heads of state and heads of government from Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz as well as Britain’s King Charles are travelling to the event. Russia, the main successor state to the Soviet Union, which liberated Auschwitz at enormous cost, will not be represented. The reason for this is that Germany is once again waging war on the Eastern Front, the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war three years ago, the imperialist powers have supported Ukraine with weapons, ammunition and financial aid totalling 213 billion euros. A further 147 billion euros have already been pledged. The claim that this war is in defence of Ukraine against a Russian war of aggression is simply a lie. In reality, NATO provoked the war by expanding further and further towards Russia, contrary to earlier commitments it had made. The Putin regime, which owes its power to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the plundering of social property by billionaire oligarchs, had no progressive response to this. Unable to appeal to the Ukrainian and international working class, it responded with a reactionary war. However, the responsibility for the war lies with NATO, which is pursuing the goals of controlling Ukraine and breaking up Russia, as well as exploiting the vast natural resources of both countries.