President Trump Unveils Major "Liberation Day" Tariff Plan
President Trump has introduced what some are calling one of the biggest economic gambles in presidential history - a new tariff structure featuring a 10% global baseline. Chinese imports will face a steep 54% tariff starting next week, while European goods will see 20% tariffs, with European vehicles specifically subject to 25%. The President billed these as "discounted reciprocal tariffs" in response to what he described as unfair international trade practices.
Note: The White House said that countries such as Russia, Cuba, Belarus and North Korea were not included because existing US sanctions on these countries preclude any meaningful trade.
🇺🇦 NYT: US Involvement in Ukraine More Extensive Than Known
A New York Times article titled "The Partnership: The Secret History of the War in Ukraine" reveals that American involvement under the Biden administration was "far more intimately and broadly" involved than previously known. The report claims American officers determined Russian targets, transmitted coordinates to Ukrainian forces, and authorized attacks using NATO-provided weapons.
“At critical moments, the partnership was the backbone of Ukrainian military operations that, by U.S. counts, have killed or wounded more than 700,000 Russian soldiers. (Ukraine has put its casualty toll at 435,000.) Side by side in Wiesbaden’s mission command center [a U.S. Army Garrison in Germany], American and Ukrainian officers planned Kyiv’s counteroffensives. A vast American intelligence-collection effort both guided big-picture battle strategy and funneled precise targeting information down to Ukrainian soldiers in the field.”
🌏 Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 1,600
The devastating earthquake in central Myanmar has claimed more than 1,600 lives, with experts warning the number will continue to rise. The impact extended into Thailand, where at least 10 people died in Bangkok after a 30-story building under construction collapsed.
⚖️ Corruption Case Against Mayor Adams Dismissed
A U.S. district judge has dismissed the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The judge refrained from expressing his opinion on the merits of the case, instead arguing that his court had no authority to require the Trump DOJ to continue the prosecution started under the Biden DOJ. Trump’s department had ordered New York officials to drop Adams’s charges in February.
🇫🇷 Marine Le Pen Banned from Public Office
A French court has sentenced conservative presidential candidate Marine Le Pen to four years in prison and banned her from holding public office for five years, effectively eliminating her chances in the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement involving European Parliament funds, charges she denies. Jordan Bardella is expected to replace her on the 2027 ballot.
⏱️ Senator Booker Sets Record with 25-Hour Speech
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker set a new record for the longest Senate speech at 25 hours and 5 minutes, breaking Strom Thurmond's record in 1957 of 24 hours and 18 minutes. Booker's marathon address protested various Trump administration policies. One of Booker’s top staffers was arrested for carrying an unlicensed pistol on Capitol grounds during the speech.
🥚 Egg Prices Finally Dropping
For anyone who doesn't already have a coop full of laying hens, this news is for you: egg prices are beginning to fall. The average wholesale price is now $3 per dozen, down 8% from March and a remarkable 63% below February's record high of $8.15. The decline comes from recovering inventories and a slowdown in bird flu cases, with the administration also boosting egg imports to combat higher prices.
📋 REAL ID Deadline Approaching
A reminder that May 7th is the deadline for obtaining a REAL ID for domestic air travel. DMVs nationwide are reporting long lines as people scramble to meet the requirement.
And…here’s a round-up of seriously unimportant news
🎨 "Van Gogh" Painting Likely a Fake
We recently told you about the painting "Elimar," purchased for $50 at a garage sale and valued by some experts at $15 million as a lost Van Gogh. We are sad to report that this painting has been declared inauthentic by the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum. Despite claims from New York art authenticators, the Amsterdam museum stands by its assessment that the work cannot be attributed to Vincent van Gogh. Sometimes, one man’s trash is…another man’s trash.
🦃 Mail Carrier Chased by Turkeys
Massachusetts mail carrier Wayne White had an unusual delivery day when he was persistently chased by three territorial wild turkeys throughout his route. Security cameras captured the amusing "turkey trot" as White continued delivering mail while evading his feathered pursuers. We assume they were protesting the delivery of Field and Stream to subscribers.
