Philippines: Duterte faces new impeachment bids after surviving attempt

Source: ABC News

“Activists filed two impeachment complaints against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte Monday, accusing her of large-scale corruption after an initial attempt to unseat her a year ago was shot down by the Supreme Court on a legal technicality. The new impeachment bids filed before the House of Representatives are the latest episode in the stormy political life of Duterte, a 47-year-old lawyer and former city mayor who has been touted by supporters as a potential presidential contender in 2028. She is the daughter of ex- President Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw bloody anti-drug crackdowns while in office from 2016 to 2022. He was arrested and detained in the Netherlands by the International Criminal Court last year for alleged crimes against humanity.” (02/02/26)

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/philippine-vice-president-faces-2-new-impeachment-bids-129775355

Thomas L. Knapp

Everyone Dies?

Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob

“After Friday, when I worried about robots taking over, I was glad to read a debunking of the AI Will Destroy Us All meme, so in vogue. In ‘Superintelligent AI Is Not Coming To Kill You,’ from the March issue of Reason, Neil Chilson argues that we shouldn’t freak out. Not only do I not want to freak out, I don’t want to use AI very much — though I understand that, these days, sometimes it makes sense to consult the Oracles.” (02/02/26)

https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/02/02/everyone-dies/

Thomas L. Knapp

MN: Multiple Minneapolis schools closed by hoax threat

Source: BBC News [UK State Media]

“Police say no suspicious packages or devices have been located after a bomb threat was sent to schools in the Columbia Heights neighbourhood, a suburb of Minneapolis, on Monday. Multiple schools in the district, where a number of students have been abducted in recent weeks as part of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in Minnesota, were nonetheless forced to close for the day. Columbia Heights Public Schools said it closed the schools out of an abundance of caution following a credible threat. Classes will resume on Tuesday. The school closures come as protests against ICE continue in Minnesota and across the US. Among the students [abducted] by federal agents in the Columbia Heights district was five-year-old Liam Ramos. A photo of Ramos in a blue bunny-eared hat being held by ICE agents led to a national outcry.” (02/02/25)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2kzzz3m51o

Steve Trinward

Senile reality TV star threatens to sue comedian for telling joke

Source: United Press International

“President Donald Trump has threatened to sue Trevor Noah over a joke the comedian made while hosting Sunday night’s Grammy Awards. … Trump frequently pursues lawsuits against critics and media organizations over comments he says damaged his reputation, drawing criticism from opponents who accuse him of trying to silence dissent. Noah, a South African comedian who has hosted the Grammy Awards since 2021, attracted the ire of the American president with a joke about Trump’s relationship with the convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.” (02/02/26)

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/02/02/Trump-suing-Trevor-Noah-Epstein/1191770021184/

Thomas L. Knapp

Dumping State Income Taxes Could Mean High Sales Taxes — or an Opportunity for Smaller Government

Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille

“Missouri lawmakers are considering a proposal to abolish the state’s income tax and replace it with a sales tax. They’re not alone: Last year, Mississippi approved legislation that will decrease the state income tax over several years until it’s eliminated. That follows in the footsteps of Kentucky and Oklahoma. New Hampshire, which has no income tax, phased out its tax on interest and dividends. Several states making the move are considering sales taxes to fill the revenue gap, and they have the backing of the White House. But a new report warns that sales taxes may have to be higher than anticipated to make up the difference — unless state governments shrink in size and expense.” (02/02/26)

https://reason.com/2026/02/02/dumping-state-income-taxes-could-mean-high-sales-taxes-or-an-opportunity-for-smaller-government/

Thomas L. Knapp