Source: The Daily Economy
by Stefan Bartl
“Washington, Beijing, and Brussels are all moving toward state-managed commerce and geopolitical trade blocs. The recent US-China summit accelerates the shift.” (05/21/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/controlled-commerce-the-march-of-a-new-global-economic-order/
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“Americans are contending with almost daily shifts in how the Trump administration characterizes the war-slash-ceasefire with Iran that began Feb. 28. Yet just as important to this current Middle East struggle is a series of resolutions proposed in Congress to either end the conflict or seek approval by lawmakers to continue it. On Tuesday – in its eighth such vote since strikes against Iran began – the Senate advanced a measure to debate a requirement of the 1973 War Powers Resolution that a president obtain congressional approval within 60 days of starting a conflict. The House is expected to vote shortly on a similar measure for the fourth time.” [editor’s note: None of these resolutions are necessary — absent a declaration of war, the war is illegal, full stop – TLK] (05/20/26)
Source: Quartz
“Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week to their lowest level in months, offering another sign that layoffs remain muted despite a range of economic pressures. Thursday’s Labor Department report showed 209,000 new applications for the week ending May 16, a decline of 3,000 from the previous week. The result came in below the 213,000 that FactSet-surveyed analysts had expected. At 202,500, the four-week average — which irons out week-to-week swings — marked its lowest reading since 2024, Bloomberg noted, representing a 1,500-point drop. Continuing claims, covering the week ending May 9, climbed to 1.78 million, an increase of 6,000.” (05/21/26)
Source: The Anarchist Experience
“Rich and Riley discuss the modern use and function of AI chatbot girlfriends and explain how the price signal works to the troll in spite of his perfect game theory example.” (05/21/26)
https://theanarchistexperience.wordpress.com/2026/05/22/the-anarchist-experience-581/
Source: The Dispatch
“All the Things Wrong with Trump’s Billion-Dollar Fund.” (05/21/26)
Source: WBEZ Chicago [US state media]
“Chicago’s top federal prosecutor announced Thursday he was dropping charges against the remaining members of the ‘Broadview Six’ in a stunning hearing that revealed apparent misconduct before a grand jury by his assistants — but which he insisted he knew nothing about until recently. … Boutros said events on Sept. 26, 2025, outside an immigration holding facility in Broadview — in which the defendants and others allegedly surrounded a federal agent’s vehicle and slowed its approach to the building — is ‘unacceptable in a civilized society. It is for the grace of God that that agent moved at 2 miles per hour.’ … Specific details of the misconduct were still coming to light Thursday afternoon …. a prosecutor allegedly had a conversation with a grand juror outside the jury room. And some grand jurors who disagreed with the case were allegedly prevented from participating further.” (05/21/26)
Source: Cobden Centre
by Ryan McMaken
“Fears over price inflation returned in a big way this week as bond yields rose in the wake of recent government reports on consumer and producer prices. The US-Israel war on Iran continues to take a toll on global supply chains, and related price hikes appear to be partly driving growth in long term yields for both US, British, and Japanese debt. This week’s CPI and PPI reports both showed price inflation surging to multi-year highs, and not just on oil prices. This, combined with new increases in oil prices, appears to have spooked investors who are now, in the face of rising prices, are demanding higher yields for long-term debt.” (05/21/26)
https://www.cobdencentre.org/2026/05/price-inflation-accelerates-as-wars-and-deficits-expand/
Source: ABC News
“In a rare move on Thursday, the Supreme Court spared the life of an ‘intellectually disabled’ death row inmate, dismissing an appeal by Alabama officials who claimed the man’s multiple IQ scores show he is competent and eligible for execution. The justices were narrowly divided, 5-4, in allowing a lower court ruling to stand that determined death for Joseph Clifton Smith, a convicted first-degree murderer, would violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition of ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment. The high court did not formally explain its decision. … Two lower federal courts ruled that a holistic analysis of Smith’s IQ scores and other evidence, including his behavioral history and school records, proved he is intellectually disabled.” (05/21/26)
Source: Waste No More Time
by Nicholas Sarwark
“The Libertarian Party is holding a national convention in Grand Rapids, these are priorities for delegates who want to reconstruct the party to be effective moving forward.” (05/21/26)
https://nsarwark.substack.com/p/a-delegates-guide-to-the-2026-libertarian
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“A Tennessee man who was jailed for more than month following his arrest over a Facebook post related to the killing of Charlie Kirk has settled an ‘unlawful incarceration’ lawsuit for $835,000 (£621,000). Larry Bushart, a retired police officer, spent 37 days behind bars before authorities dropped the felony charges against him, during which he lost his post-retirement job and missed the birth of his grandchild. He was arrested last September by the Perry County Sheriff’s Office for sharing a meme in a thread about a vigil honouring the conservative activist. ‘I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated,’ Bushart said in a statement announcing the settlement on Wednesday. ‘The people’s freedom to participate in civil discourse is crucial to a healthy democracy,’ his statement went on to say. ‘I am looking forward to moving on and spending time with my family.'” (05/21/26)