Source: United Press International
“The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an emergency appeal to fire the leader of an independent watchdog agency in the issue first to reach the Supreme Court challenging President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Hampton Dellinger will be able to lead the Office of Special Counsel through at least Wednesday after an unsigned opinion backed by at least five justices.” (02/21/25)
Source: CoinTelegraph
“Pardoned Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht is asking for clemency for Roger Ver, also known as Bitcoin Jesus, who is facing a possible decades-long prison sentence for alleged tax evasion. In a Feb. 20 statement to X, the recently freed Ulbricht said Ver advocated for him while he was imprisoned and now he wants to return the favor. ‘Roger Ver was there for me when I was down and needed help. Now Roger needs our support,’ he said. ‘No one should spend the rest of their life in prison over taxes. Let him pay the tax (if any) and be done with it.'” [editor’s note: Ver left the US and renounced his US citizenship in 2014. The regime’s claim is that he failed to pay enough in “exit” taxes like those imposed by the Third Reich on fleeing Jews before World War 2. Ver shouldn’t have to ransom himself from these thugs AGAIN – TLK] (02/21/25)
https://cointelegraph.com/news/ross-ulbricht-calls-trump-pardon-bitcoin-jesus-next
Source: The Hill
“The Senate on Friday adopted a budget resolution intended to serve as a blueprint to deliver the first part of President Trump’s agenda. Senators voted 52-48 along party lines on the resolution after a marathon overnight voting session. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against the measure. The so-called vote-a-rama lasted about 10 hours, as Democrats sought to dial up the heat on Republicans with dozens of amendments needling the party on taxes and Medicaid. … The resolution helps pave the way for Republicans to pass roughly $340 billion in funding, including $175 billion in for border operations and immigration enforcement and to carry out Trump’s ambitious deportation plans, as well as $150 billion in defense spending.” [editor’s note: The reconciliation portion of the resolution allows for half a trillion dollars in net deficit increases, which tells us they’re not serious about cutting spending – TLK] (02/21/25)
Source: US News & World Report
“Italian prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation over an explosion last weekend that damaged an oil tanker anchored off the coast of northern Italy, the chief prosecutor of the city of Genoa said on Thursday. … Three oil tankers have been damaged by blasts in the last month in separate incidents around the Mediterranean, with the causes unknown. All three vessels had recently called at Russian ports, according to ship tracking data and sources.” (02/20/25)
Source: Semafor
“Microsoft said Wednesday it had created a new state of matter that is not a solid, liquid, or gas, as it unveiled a powerful new chip that marks the latest development in the quest to create quantum computers. The company is hailing the chip, called Majorana 1, as a milestone toward building a super-powerful quantum computer — machines that rely on particle physics to solve problems beyond the scope of ordinary computers.” (02/20/25)
https://www.semafor.com/article/02/20/2025/microsofts-new-quantum-chip-creates-new-state-of-matter
Source: Fox News
“The Senate on Thursday voted 51-49 to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted ‘yes’ on the conservative firebrand’s confirmation, even while moderates Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted ‘no.’ … Patel, a vociferous opponent of the investigations into President Donald Trump and one who served at the forefront of Trump’s 2020 election fraud claims, vowed during his confirmation hearing last month that he would not engage in political retribution against agents who worked on the classified documents case against Trump and other politically sensitive matters. But his confirmation comes at a time when the FBI’s activities, leadership and personnel decisions are being closely scrutinized for signs of politicization or retaliation.” (02/20/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kash-patel-senate-confirmation-vote-fbi-director
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“France on Thursday handed its sole Ivory Coast military base back to its former colony. France has been present in the country for decades, and its departure is in line with a growing trend among African countries to reduce their military ties with France. The French and Ivorian defence ministers signed a document to confirm the return, shortly after the Ivorian flag was raised in the base’s parade ground. Though the handover comes as a spate of France’s former colonies in west Africa weaken ties with their former imperial ruler, both sides stressed that relations remained warm.” (02/20/25)
Source: Axios
“Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) [announced] Thursday he will not seek reelection in 2026. McConnell was the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history and has become one of President Trump’s GOP antagonists since the new administration began. McConnell, who stepped down from leadership last year, addressed colleagues on the Senate floor on Thursday. He received a standing ovation afterward. ‘Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of my lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time,’ McConnell said. ‘My current term in the Senate will be my last.'” (02/20/25)
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/20/mitch-mcconnell-reelection-senate-retire
Source: Politico
“A federal judge has barred the Trump administration from quickly deporting eight foreign nationals who say they are likely to be persecuted or killed if they’re returned to their home countries — including a family of four fleeing the Taliban. However, the Justice Department indicated Thursday that one of the prospective asylum seekers, identified only as N.S. in public court filings, may already be en route back to Ecuador, where she says her husband — a police officer who she says has raped her, beat her and held her at gun point — might kill her. Lawyers for the asylum seekers say the Trump administration has flagrantly ignored federal laws that require people who have ‘credible fear’ of persecution and violence in their home countries be given a chance to legally seek shelter in the United States.” (02/20/25)
Source: Seattle Times
“Target was sued on Thursday by the state of Florida for allegedly concealing the risks of its diversity and social initiatives, leading to a backlash among customers that caused its stock price to decline. The lawsuit by the State Board of Administration of Florida, an agency overseeing public pension funds that own Target stock, was filed in the federal court in Fort Myers, Florida. Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Florida accused Target of betraying investors and its core customer base of working families by making false and misleading statements about its environmental, social and governance and diversity, equity and inclusion mandates. It said this culminated in a ‘disastrous’ May 2023 Pride Month campaign, which led the retailer to remove some LGBTQ-themed merchandise after in-store confrontations led some employees to fear for their safety.” (02/20/25)