Extra, Extra
Good Old College Trial: “More than 50 universities are being investigated for alleged racial discrimination as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs that his officials say exclude white and Asian American students.” (It’s important to note that this, like the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, is about a broader attack on universities specifically, and expertise in general, and an attempt to silence critics. It’s not about wokeism. It’s about putting a sleep-hold on institutions. That’s why this is part of the same story. The Atlantic (Gift Article): The NIH’s Grant Terminations Are ‘Utter and Complete Chaos.’)
+ Not Buying It: “Consumer sentiment in the U.S. sank this month, as worries intensify over what the tariffs, government layoffs, funding cuts and immigration restrictions that President Trump has introduced might mean for the economy.”
+ Doge-matic: “Musk’s loyalists at DOGE have infiltrated dozens of federal agencies, pushed out tens of thousands of workers, and siphoned millions of people’s most sensitive data. The next step: Unleash the AI.” No one is covering this story better than Wired: Inside Elon Musk’s Digital Coup.
+ Dark Tank: In today’s episode of How Corrupt? … This Corrupt!, we present this from the WSJ (Gift Article): Trump Family Has Held Deal Talks With Binance Following Crypto Exchange’s Guilty Plea. “Representatives of President Trump’s family have held talks to take a financial stake in the U.S. arm of crypto exchange Binance, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that would put Trump in business with the firm that pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money-laundering requirements.”
+ Read in the Original English: “In an effort to put his ‘America first’ stamp on the nation’s speech, US President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order making English the country’s official language. It marks the first time in the US’s nearly 250-year history that the nation has had an official language. Yet, on this small 9.6-square-mile island surrounded by the swirling waters of the Atlantic, residents still speak what is arguably the most English version of English in the country – and many Americans don’t understand it.” The US island that speaks Elizabethan English.
+ Trim Job: “Tesla Cybertruck deliveries reportedly on hold because the trim is flying off.” (No biggie. Cybertruck owners are used to not getting any trim.)
