North Korea Rejects US Outreach 'Multiple Times': Report

Via The Libertarian Institute

A letter from Washington to Pyongyang was rejected multiple times by North Korean diplomats. During President Donald Trump’s first presidency, he engaged in direct diplomacy with Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un through letters and meetings.

According to a "high-level" source speaking with NK News, the North Korean delegation to the UN in New York City has "bluntly" rejected the US outreach several times.

Via EPA/BBC

The American and North Korean leaders exchanged letters during Trump’s first term, leading to three face-to-face meetings. However, Trump was unable to ink a deal with Kim after he allowed his national security advisor – the notorious super-hawk, John Bolton – to threaten Pyongyang during the second summit in Hanoi.

Additionally, during Joe Biden’s presidency, Washington refused to engage with Pyongyang while engaging in a military buildup in East Asia. The policy prompted Kim to reach out to Russian President Valdimir Putin and sign a major cooperation agreement with Russia, including a defense pact. Under the deal, North Korean soldiers fought in Russia’s Kursk region after a Ukrainian incursion last year.

Following the report that Pyongyang had rejected the American letter, the White House said Trump remains open to dialogue with Kim. “The president remains receptive to correspondence with Kim Jong Un,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday. “As for specific correspondence, I will leave that to the president to answer.”

Notwithstanding the frozen relationship between Washington and Pyongyang, North and South Korea engaged in a “meaningful” deescalation this week. On Wednesday, new South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, shut down loudspeakers that played propaganda messages into the North.

Pyongyang responded by shutting down its own loudspeakers on Thursday. South Korea’s unification ministry said the suspension “helped relieve the suffering of residents in (South Korea’s) border areas and has become a meaningful opportunity to ease inter-Korean military tensions and restore mutual trust.”

North Korea Announces Military Support to Iran pic.twitter.com/wshNi2SRKg

— Umprisoner✰⛓️ (@Umprisoner_69) June 13, 2025

Lee said one of the goals of his presidency would be to engage in talks with North Korea.

Tyler Durden Sat, 06/14/2025 - 12:50

China Joins Russia In Condemning Israel's Attacks On Iran

Echoing the stance taken by Russia, China has condemned Israel's unprovoked initiation of war with Iran, calling it a violation of Iranian sovereignty that could bring "serious consequences," with Beijing particularly concerned over the reckless bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities.     

In an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Chinese UN ambassador Fu Cong said:

“China urges Israel to immediately stop all risky military actions to avoid further escalation of tensions...China condemns Israel’s actions that violate Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, opposes the escalation of tensions and the expansion of conflict, and expresses deep concern over the serious consequences that Israel’s actions may bring." 

❗️ China warns Bibi crossed 'red line' when struck Iran nuclear facilities pic.twitter.com/yvPMFG61af

— RT (@RT_com) June 14, 2025

Later addressing a reporter's question, Fu said "we are particularly concerned that they are attacking nuclear facilities, which is another red line that Israel has crossed." International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council that Israel had "destroyed the above-ground part of the Natanz nuclear facility" and that "there is radioactive and chemical contamination at the site." The IAEA later clarified that the contamination was "inside the facility, which can be managed with appropriate protective measures." However, with the underground portion of the facility reportedly intact, subsequent Israeli attacks threaten to change that characterization.   

In the early hours of Thursday, Israeli aircraft began striking multiple sites across Iran, not only targeting nuclear and military facilities but also assassinating individual generals and scientists -- with some of those latter attacks coming against civilian apartment complexes where targeted individuals presumably slept with their families, in close proximity others with no attachments to the military of Iran's nuclear program. Iran struck back with waves of missiles, some of which managed to bypass Israeli and US defenses, killing at least two and wounding dozens. Iran says Israel has killed 78 people and wounded more than 320.  

Doctor at one hospital interviewed on Iranian TV: five of the bodies that were brought to us were children between the ages of three and six pic.twitter.com/F2xPT2tOHD

— Aᴍɪʀ (@AmirIGM) June 13, 2025

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin made phone calls to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The Kremlin issued a statement saying Putin "stressed that Russia condemns Israel's actions, which violate the UN Charter and law." Separately, Russia's foreign ministry said "unprovoked military strikes against a sovereign UN member state, its citizens, sleeping peaceful cities and nuclear energy infrastructure are categorically unacceptable.” 

Kremlin Pool via AP

Just this week, we reported on Iranian state sources revealing that Russia had plans to construct eight nuclear power plants in Iran, two of which were said to already be under construction. Seemingly validating the claim, Russia's RT news outlet quoted the announcement by a spokesman for Iran's national security and foreign policy committee. The two countries have deepened military cooperation in recent years, with Iran furnishing Shahed drones that have played a central role in Russia's war with Ukraine. In April, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned US threats to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, saying such an act "will inevitably lead to an irreversible global catastrophe." 

China also has significant economic and military ties with Iran, starting with China's status as the largest importer of Iranian oil -- representing upwards of 90% of Iranian exports. In May, the countries marked the opening of a railway trade route that slashed the transit time from Shanghai to Tehran from 30 days over the seas to just 15 days by rail. That same month, railway officials representing Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey met in Tehran to pursue a rail network connecting Asia and Europe. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had ordered large quantities of ammonium perchlorate—a key component for solid-fuel ballistic missiles—from China. The quantity was said to be enough to fuel 800 missiles.  

Tyler Durden Sat, 06/14/2025 - 12:15

5 Things To Know About The Army's 250th Birthday Parade

Authored by Ryan Morgan via The Epoch Times,

Thousands of soldiers and dozens of military vehicles will parade through the streets of Washington on June 14 to celebrate the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army.

The parade will be one part of a week of events to celebrate the history and founding of the largest and oldest service in the U.S. military.

It will serve as the centerpiece for the Army’s birthday celebrations and will feature about 6,600 soldiers, 150 ground vehicles, 50 aircraft, 34 horses, two mules, and a dog.

Route of Parade

The parade will start at 6:30 p.m. on June 14 at the intersection of 23rd St. NW and Constitution Avenue and continue east on Constitution Avenue before ending on 15th St. NW.

Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan said the parade and accompanying events on June 14 are expected to cost between $25 million and $45 million.

A map showing the route of the parade and locations of featured events celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army in Washington on June 14, 2025. Illustration by The Epoch Times, MapTiler, Getty Images, Pngtree

Parade Will Cover Eras of Army History

With this milestone birthday, the Army will use the parade to display its history, from the Revolutionary War to the present day.

The modern Army has its roots in the Continental Army of the original 13 American colonies.

Following the outbreak of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775, the Second Continental Congress convened in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. On June 14, 1775, it ordered the formation of the Continental Army, which under George Washington’s leadership bore much of the burden of fighting for American independence.

The Army has traditionally celebrated the date as its birthday.

Among the various Army units participating in the parade will be the Third Infantry Regiment. The Third Infantry Regiment is the Regular Army’s oldest infantry unit and traces its origins to the First American Regiment, which was formed in 1784.

Ceremonial units such as the Fife and Drum Corps and the “Commander in Chief’s Guard” will also appear in the parade wearing uniforms inspired by those worn by members of the Continental Army.

(Top Left) U.S. soldiers load wounded comrades onto amphibious vehicles during the opening stages of the Battle of the Philippines from the shore of Leyte, Philippines, on Oct. 31, 1944. (Top Right) U.S. Army troops charge across a dusty field during a battle in World War I in late 1917. (Bottom Left) Civilians and military personnel watch a mass parachute jump by U.S. 82nd Airborne Division troops during Exercise Long Horn at Fort Hood, Texas, on March 28, 1952. (Bottom Right) A U.S. Army 1st Air Cavalry soldier holds his rifle above his head while directing helicopters landing in a field during an operation north of Saigon in the Vietnam War. The helicopters are transporting unit members to their patrol area. U.S. Navy/Getty Images

Continuing the journey through history, the parade will feature members of the 42nd Infantry Division, which was formed during World War I from National Guard elements from 26 states and the District of Columbia.

Members of the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, and 10th Mountain Division—three divisions that gained prominence during World War II—will also participate.

Showcasing the service of the U.S. ground fighting force through the Vietnam War era, the parade will feature members of the First Cavalry Division and the 25th Infantry Division.

Originally formed in 1921 as a horse cavalry division, the First Cavalry Division was reorganized as an airmobile force during the Vietnam War. Members of the division fought in the Battle of Ia Drang, which was the first major battle of the Vietnam War and was the subject of the 2002 film “We Were Soldiers.”

The 25th Infantry Division, nicknamed “Tropic Lightning,” was formed during World War II and specialized in the jungle environment of the Pacific theater of the war. The 25th Infantry Division’s proficiency in jungle warfare again proved instrumental in the Vietnam War effort.

The parade will also feature members of the Army Special Operations Command, including members of the 75th Ranger Regiment and First Special Forces Regiment. Air crew from the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which specializes in flying special operations units in and out of danger, are set to fly over the parade route.

Along with the various active Army units, the parade will feature members of the Army Reserve, cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and other senior military colleges, and prospective enlistees.

Two B-25 Mitchell bombers fly in formation with dozens of other World War II-era aircraft over Culpeper Regional Airport in Brandy Station, Va., on May 7, 2015. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Tanks and Airpower on Display

Ninety of the 150 ground vehicles appearing in the parade will come from Fort Cavazos, Texas, the home base for the III Armored Corps. These vehicles will include 28 M1A2 sep V3 Abrams tanks, 28 M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and six M109A7 Paladin 155 mm self-propelled howitzers.

The III Armored Corps will transport the vehicles by rail to Jessup, Maryland, and from there move them by road on lowboy trailers to their starting point in the parade.

This transportation process will also serve as a training opportunity for the soldiers of Fort Cavazos.

Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesman for the III Armored Corps, told The Epoch Times that the railhead operations for this parade are another repetition that helps expand the corps’s proficiency with intensive logistical operations.

“Let’s say we have to really go somewhere in the time of conflict or war, we have a set of soldiers that can load faster, tie down faster ... and it just increases our speed to deploy anywhere around the world,” Sztalkoper said.

The parade will feature other lighter land vehicles and towed artillery systems.

Spectators can also look to the sky to view flyovers from World War II-era aircraft such as the B-25 Mitchell, P-51 Mustang, and C-47 Skytrain. The parade will also feature flyovers from OH-6 Cayuse, UH-1 Iroquois, AH-1 Cobra, MH-60 Black Hawk, MH-47 Chinook, and AH-64 Apache helicopters.

Barricades surround a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on display on the National Mall for weekend events marking the Army’s 250th anniversary near the Smithsonian Castle in Washington on June 11, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Road Damage Concerns

Some of the vehicles appearing in the parade can weigh up to 80 tons, raising concerns that they could damage streets along the parade route.

One of the primary measures to limit potential damage to the streets is the placement of steel plates at turning points in the route.

Sztalkoper said rubber pads placed along the tracks of tanks and other tracked vehicles will add another layer of road protection. These vehicles will also move at no more than three miles per hour and will move in a staggered formation to further reduce the risk of road damage.

Since the White House announced the parade last month, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has repeatedly expressed her worries about the potential that tanks and other heavy military vehicles will damage the capital’s roads.

Despite the assurances, Bowser said at a May 29 press briefing, “I remain concerned about it, I have to tell you.”

While the Army has maintained that it can cover repairs should precautions fail, Bowser said the city will likely have to pay the up-front costs of damage to ensure quick repairs.

“These are, for the most part, local streets. And if they’re rendered unusable, we have to make them usable and then go seek our money from the feds,” she said.

U.S. Army soldiers work on M1A3 Abrams tanks, Stryker armored vehicles, and M2 Bradley fighting vehicles at West Potomac Park along the Potomac River for weekend events marking the Army’s 250th anniversary in Washington on June 11, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Schedule of Events

On the morning of June 14, the Army will hold a birthday wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

The National Mall will also host an Army fitness competition and festival at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Finally, the parade will kick off at 6:30 p.m. and conclude with a concert, a parachute demonstration by the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, and a fireworks display on the National Mall.

Blackhawk helicopters do a flyover at the end of the U.S. Army's Twilight Tattoo event at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va., on June 11, 2025. The event features soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington’s ceremonial units. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

The parade and festivities on the National Mall are free and open to the public, but the Army recommends that those planning to attend register ahead on its website. Registration will help attendees get through security more quickly, according to the Army. The parade can be viewed from the parade route or the Washington Monument grounds.

Tyler Durden Sat, 06/14/2025 - 11:40

7 Issues On The G7 Agenda: The Big Topics Albanese And Trump Could Discuss

Authored by Crystal-Rose Jones via The Epoch Times,

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has a full plate ahead of him if he secures a face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the upcoming G7 summit.

The forum, which will run from June 15 to 17 in Canada, serves as a high-profile political and economic forum for key nations to discuss global issues.

While a meeting is yet to be confirmed between the leaders, Deputy Nationals Leader Kevin Hogan says Australia’s leader faces an expanding laundry list of negotiations.

“It’s vital PM Albanese uses the G7 to make Australia’s case directly to President Trump,” he said on X.

While global tariffs that impact Australian beef exports are high on the agenda, it’s not the only elephant in the room.

‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs on Aussie Beef

Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs implement a baseline 10 percent tariff on all Australian exports to America, and are likely the most pressing matter.

Australia and the United States have a free trade agreement, so the tariffs are not in response to any levy Australia may have implemented on U.S. goods.

Rather the tariffs are likely targeting biosecurity rules and fees that producers say have stonewalled U.S. beef imports trying to enter the country.

Under its rules, Australia refuses to take raw U.S. meat products without assurance that the cattle is produced entirely within the United States, with the Australian government concerned that Mexican and Canadian born livestock are also used.

The tariffs are a major concern for Australia given it exports about $2.9 billion (US$1.89 billion) of beef to the United States annually—the biggest beef exporter to America.

Yet Prime Minister Albanese has said Australia’s biosecurity laws are not up for negotiation, potentially limiting the scope of any discussion.

Tariffs on Steel, Aluminium

Earlier this month, Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from 25 to 50 percent.

“In my judgment, the increased tariffs will more effectively counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminium in the United States market and thereby undercut the competitiveness of the United States steel and aluminium industries,” the president said.

Australia only exports a small percentage of steel and aluminium to the U.S. so the issue will not be as pressing.

Further, Australia’s largest steel producer, BlueScope, already has a factory in the United States.

Increasing Defence Spending

Australia’s slow increase to its defence spending has also raised eyebrows in the states.

Only two weeks ago did U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth call on Australia to up its military spending to 3.5 percent of GDP in response to an aggressive Beijing.

Defence spending currently sits at 2.03 percent in the 2024-25 financial year with a plan to reach 2.3 percent by the end of the decade.

Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles has acknowledged the request, while Albanese has been reticent to pledge anymore funding given the already strained state of the nation’s finances (much of the budget is devoted to welfare services).

AUKUS Deal Under Review

Will the AUKUS agreement sink or swim?

It all depends who you ask, with some onlookers concerned (or gleeful) at the prospect of it being annulled, while others like Minister Marles remaining confident the Pentagon’s recently announced review into the deal is nothing unusual.

Marles believes Australia will continue its role in AUKUS, and that nuclear subs will be delivered.

If Albanese and Trump meet, it will likely become a talking point.

Australia’s Tough Approach on Israel

The Australian Labor government’s icy approach to Israel could also be a major sore point between the nations.

Israel and the U.S. remain historic allies, while the Albanese government has taken more obvious steps recently to distance Australia from the Middle East’s only democracy.

The U.S. has reprimanded Australia on two occasions—once after Australia denied a visa to a pro-Israel tech blogger, and more recently after two elected Israeli ministers were sanctioned over their beliefs about the disputed Palestinian territories.

In both instances, representatives of the U.S. government urged Australia to reconsider its actions.

‘Unfair’ Treatment of US Big Tech Firms

Australia’s regulations and taxes on Big Tech firms could be a major focus from the U.S. perspective.

Australia, like the European Union, has a swathe of laws aimed at taxing multinational revenue, which the United States feels targets their companies disproportionately.

These include the Diverted Profits Tax, the Undertaxed Profits Tax, and the News Media Bargaining Code.

The latter forces tech firms like Google and Meta to pay media outlets for displaying their content—effectively propping up the revenue streams for several major news companies.

Tech companies have urged Trump to intervene, complaining of a US$140 million annual loss.

Further, the U.S. government’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could impose a 5 percent levy on U.S.-based income or capital gains for Australian taxpayers or companies, in response to what it deems are “unfair” taxes on its companies.

Hollywood Down Under

Eclectic landscapes, skilled production crews and enticing tax incentives have all made Australia an attractive destination to film big Hollywood productions, and it’s been happening for a while.

From the decades-old Matrix to this year’s Captain America: Brave New World, Hollywood seems to love filming in Australia.

But that love may not be so reciprocal, at least not from the U.S. government.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer believes offshore Hollywood movie production is a drain on the U.S. economy, and a 100 percent tariff on American movies filmed outside the U.S. is in the works.

While Australia isn’t the only nation offering tax breaks to lure Hollywood productions, the issue could become one more talking point between the two leaders.

Tyler Durden Sat, 06/14/2025 - 10:30

House Republicans Probe China-Based Billionaire Allegedly Bankrolling Anti-ICE Riots 

U.S. Congressional Republicans, led by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), launched a formal investigation on Friday into the dark money networks and political affiliations of billionaire Neville Roy Singham, a U.S. national reportedly residing in Communist China. 

Singham is suspected of funding far-left color revolutions in the U.S. with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The inquiry focuses on Singham's possible role as a proxy in CCP propaganda operations and his potential legal exposure under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). 

Oversight Chairman Comer and Declassification Taskforce Chairwoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) threatened to subpoena the far-left billionaire if he refuses to cooperate with the investigation into potential ties in sparking social unrest through a network of revolutionary leftist non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The lawmakers allege Singham could be linked to the ongoing unrest and chaos in Los Angeles. 

In a letter to the billionaire, House Republicans requested documents and information about his dark money network supporting leftist NGOs such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which reportedly played a part in the Los Angeles chaos. 

The Pro-China Party of Socialism & Liberation was heavily present and also advertised the CHIRLA "press conference", where speakers included Sasha Renée Pérez, a California State Senator who declared during her speech "You have almost every single member of the legislature in Los… pic.twitter.com/q4jExfGRHS

— Trevor Loudon (@TrevorLoudon1) June 7, 2025

Thousands are protesting right now in Los Angeles. The Party for Socialism and Liberation is involved in the organizing of this but I think there are other groups involved too.

Don’t assume it’s just the PSL. pic.twitter.com/NI6cEszNVR

— Karlyn Borysenko, anti-communist cult leader (@DrKarlynB) June 8, 2025

At least one of the groups supporting the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles has ties to the Chinese communist regime.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) is under scrutiny for organizing the protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los… pic.twitter.com/XORTUPzTbi

— NTD News (@NTDNews) June 12, 2025

Additionally, in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the lawmakers requested a briefing on investigations into Singham under FARA and other federal laws. 

"It has been reported that Mr. Singham is 'the main backer behind' the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), which has organized nationwide protests, including the Los Angeles riots. According to the New York Times, Mr. Singham, who resides in the People's Republic of China, has a long track record of assisting far-left entities, such as Code Pink, that oppose U.S. interests and support U.S. adversaries," House Republicans wrote in the letter.

The letter continued to note that the leftist billionaire "created an elaborate dark money network which allows him to send funds to a series of non-profits, such as the 'United Community Fund' and 'Justice Education Fund,' that have almost no real footprints."

It concluded by saying, "These reports suggest that Mr. Singham may have acted as an agent for the CCP. Under General Secretary Xi, the CCP is known for its 'Strategy of Sowing Discord,' which 'refers to efforts to make internal disputes amongst the enemy so deep that they become distracted from conflict.' If Mr. Singham is carrying out this strategy on behalf of the CCP, he may have a FARA registration obligation ... and to assist the Committee's oversight of this matter, we request a briefing on what steps DOJ and any component agencies are taking to counter the CCP's influence operations against the United States." 

According to investigative reports (e.g., New York Times, 2023), Singham lives in Shanghai, China, and works closely with pro-CCP advocacy groups. 

From NYT:

What is less known, and is hidden amid a tangle of nonprofit groups and shell companies, is that Mr. Singham works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide.

From a think tank in Massachusetts to an event space in Manhattan, from a political party in South Africa to news organizations in India and Brazil, The Times tracked hundreds of millions of dollars to groups linked to Mr. Singham that mix progressive advocacy with Chinese government talking points.

Government Accountability Institute President Peter Schweizer told ZeroHedge:  

"Singham's anti-American villainy became clear with his financing of the violent Black Lives Matter uprisings — to Communist China's delight. He is absolutely bed with the CCP…etc" 

Schweizer's team revealed some of those dark money-funded NGOs tied to this weekend's nationwide color revolution... 

Dark-Money Network Funneled Millions Into 'No Kings' Nationwide Color Revolution Operation | ZeroHedge https://t.co/gaRzUwdeG5

— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) June 14, 2025

What Democrats want to achieve...

And So It Begins: Leftist Monkey Wrenching Is Leading To Civil War https://t.co/LyBiLISFZT

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 14, 2025

The pivot has begun—toward exposing the organizational and logistical support these NGOs may be receiving from America’s foreign adversaries, all with the goal of "sowing discord" nationwide. This is not organic unrest; it’s likely a manufactured crisis, backed by the Democrat Party and its globalist friends. The madness ends only when the American people recognize the deception for what it is.

*  *  *

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Click pic... buy seeds... take food supply into your own hands... Tyler Durden Sat, 06/14/2025 - 09:55

Is Britain Really The Most Miserable Country In The World?

Authored by Noah Carl via the Daily Sceptic,

In a recent viral tweet, the commentator James Melville posted some figures showing that Britain is the most miserable country in the world. Specifically, Britain was ranked last out of 64 countries on average ‘Mental Health Quotient’ score in the year 2022. (And the 2023 ranking was very similar.)

As to what accounts for this remarkable situation, Melville suggested that it is “the culmination of decades of decline in so many areas in the UK”. Several commenters offered similar explanations. One noted that feeling miserable is a “rational response to watching your heritage dissolve in real time while being told you’re racist for noticing”. Another argued that “it’s not surprising” when the country is “taxed to the hilt” and “abused by illegal immigrants”.

These theories are all well and good. But they ignore something crucial: the ranking makes no sense at all—which calls into question the validity of the data.  

Britain was ranked last on average MHQ score in 2022. Source.

First place in 2022 was Tanzania, with an average MHQ score of 94 (as compared to 46 in Britain). So what is Tanzania getting right that countries like Britain are getting wrong? Well, it’s one of the poorest countries in the world, with a GDP per capita of only $4,000 (as compared to $64,000 in the UK). And it has a life expectancy of only 67, thanks partly to the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic there. To boost Britons’ mental health, should the Government try to emulate Tanzania?

There are more oddities. Ranked fifth is Venezuela, whose living standards are lower now than they were in the late 1970s—thanks to decades of economic mismanagement. Ranked tenth is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where there is an ongoing armed conflict that has claimed thousands of lives. Perhaps the Government should try to emulate Venezuela or the DRC.

Looking at the bottom of the list, Ireland is ranked 60th and Australia is ranked 61st—lower than countries such as Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen. Are Australians really more miserable than Yemenis? I don’t believe it.

Rather than Britons being the most miserable people in the world, it seems far more likely that scores on the Mental Health Quotient do not have the same meaning in different cultures or different languages.

Indeed, the scale itself is needlessly complicated. For example, the first item asks about the respondent’s ‘adaptability to change’, which it defines as ‘your ability to be flexible when faced with societal changes, or changes in your daily routine or environment, and to adopt new ways of living or working accordingly’. After reading the definition, the respondent is required to place himself on a 9-point scale from ‘is a real challenge and impacts my ability to learn’ to ‘is a real asset to my life and performance’.

A simpler measure of well-being is the Cantril Ladder, which requires the respondent to place himself on a 10-point scale, where 10 is ‘the best possible life for you’ and 0 is ‘the worst possible life for you’. When countries are compared on this measure, the numbers make much more sense. Britain is ranked 23 out of 147 countries. And the top spots are taken by Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. Meanwhile, Tanzania is ranked 136.

The lesson here is that just because some figures are written up in a glossy report doesn’t mean they’re right. And in this case, they’re almost certainly wrong.

Tyler Durden Sat, 06/14/2025 - 07:00

And So It Begins: Leftist Monkey Wrenching Is Leading To Civil War

Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us

If you thought that the leftist delusions of grandeur had finally hit their peak you are about to be unpleasantly surprised. There are no limits to the insanity that progressives will embrace in their pursuit of power, and they continue to adhere to the fantasy that they are the “good guys” despite the fact that most of the world has been telling them for the past several years that their ideology is repugnant.

The events in Los Angeles are just the beginning and the path this situation will take is relatively predictable. There is a large enough percentage of the US population (around 25% to 30%) that is inexorably rooted in the ideologies of Marxism and multiculturalism. Many of them might not even understand what they’re supporting, but they’ll still do what they’re told by their gatekeepers.

For decades now the progressives have treated America like an experiment in social engineering; the US has been their personal multicultural playground. What has them enraged today is the fact that they are hitting a wall of opposition. They aren’t used to being told “No” and the only way they know how to respond is by lashing out.

The agenda is simple enough to understand – Open borders, third world replacement of the native population, a complete overhaul of our culture’s fundamental principles and ultimately the utilization of the foreign populace and leftist activists as a weapon to eliminate any resistance. 

Interference on a political level is met with mob violence, looting, rioting and eventually terrorist actions and assassinations. This is the classic model of leftist revolutions throughout modern history. They seem to be disjointed and reactionary, yet their efforts end up highly coordinated and conveniently timed. There is nothing “grassroots” about these movements.

Currently, there is a push to make the LA riots go national with something called the “No Kings” protests scheduled to take place in cities across the country this weekend at the same time as the US Army’s 250th anniversary celebration (and Donald Trump’s birthday). The Democrats continue to spin the narrative that Trump is a dictator or “king” when he was duly elected by the majority of Americans and almost everything he has done so far is in line with what he promised during his campaign.  All the usual suspects are pushing the spread of the riots, from NGOs to Democrat politicians to the corporate media.

There are some hilarious hot takes floating around social media concerning this event. Some leftists are claiming that conservatives are “running scared” and going quiet in the face of the protests. This is simply a lie. Conservatives are actually laughing at activists because the crazies still don’t understand the level of FAFO they are playing with.

Others are arguing for the secession of the west coast to Canada, which isn’t going to happen because an army of rednecks could invade and conquer Canada in a week. Canada has no capacity to protect themselves, let alone retain California, Oregon and Washington.

Finally, numerous Mexican and Democrat representatives are demanding the “return” of California to Mexico, claiming the lands were stolen. Of course, the US handed the Mexicans their ass 200 years ago and California was ceded to the US through the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo. To the victors go the spoils. Also, Also, Mexico belonged to Spain and was only a country for a couple decades before they were defeated in the Mexican-American conflict.

Apparently, the Mexican government needs a reminder of who their daddy is…

My point? There is a hailstorm of stupidity and naivety on the part of of the socialist mob and it’s getting worse by the week. They really think they have some kind of momentum. Progressive commentators including Bill Maher have been claiming that most of the country doesn’t want mass deportations, they just want violent criminals removed. They argue that getting rid of “Pedro the construction worker” or “Juanita the waitress” will be the end of conservative governance.

They still don’t get it.

The majority of Americans VOTED FOR THIS. They want mass deportations. All illegal migrants are criminals by definition and the public wants them gone. I’m even seeing most Libertarians (who often waffle on these kinds of issues) and black Americans call for illegals to be aggressively booted out.

Native born Americans want their country back and they certainly aren’t going to allow Democrats to flood the population with migrants so they can manipulate future elections. But the problem goes far beyond rigging the census or offering sweeping amnesty initiatives to create a voting block of third worlders. As we have recently seen in LA, there is an agitation plot afoot…

My primary theory on the engineered migrant invasion of the west has long been that these people are not just being used to score a voting majority in the near future, or as a tool for cultural replacement, but that they are a kind of mercenary army – An entitled mob purchased with welfare subsidies that will turn to violence to secure what they see as their piece of the shrinking American pie.

Progressive leaders and their NGO partners have deliberately positioned these migrant populations to be used as foot soldiers in an eventual soft coup. They believe that when the Trump Administration cracks down on the riots it will inspire even more unrest in other cities, creating a spiraling crisis. The foreign invasion tactic is part of what I call the “Monkey Wrenching” of America.

In my article ‘The “Monkey Wrench” Sabotage Of America Begs For An Authoritarian Response’, published in January, I outlined the history of far-left attacks on conservative or traditionalist societies including their attempts to overrun Germany in the 1920s (which ultimately led to misguided public support for socialist fascism).

I argued that the political left and the globalists have been reeling from a sharp reversal in political gains and that they are on the retreat. However, they still have a destructive play up their sleeve in the form of a civil war triggered by sabotage and migrant unrest. I noted in January:

“Leftists throughout modern history have a habit of engaging in destabilization efforts when they don’t get what they want. They view their motivations as sacrosanct and beyond criticism, be it “saving democracy” or “saving the planet” or “taking down capitalists and colonists”.

In every case where the political left had influence over social conditions and then lost that power, they revert to directed exponential disruption and violence from riots to assassination. They claim to care about the right of the majority to have their voices heard, but in reality they don’t care at all. When the majority goes against the leftist narrative, leftists go rogue…”

In my article ‘Why Mass Deportations Are Necessary And How To Keep Illegals From Coming Back’, published in February, I predicted the exact tactic the leftist gatekeepers were likely to exploit:

“As we’ve seen in the first weeks of Trump’s presidency, establishment Democrats are intent on interfering with deportations in any way they can (all the future power of leftists requires forced immigration to the US from socialist leaning countries). By extension, leftist activists will seek to disrupt deportation efforts using civil unrest (when the weather warms up these goblins will come out in droves, bank on it).

On top of the internal sabotage, there are many foreign governments that will desperately try to obstruct the return of so many unwanted citizens. Keep in mind that the US is seen by these governments as a dumping ground for their refuse. America is a steam valve to release the pressure so that these countries can get rid of their criminals, revolutionaries and those in poverty…”

There is a clear organized strategy in play to destabilize the US, and the limited unrest over deportations is being exploited as a snowball that leftists hope will create an avalanche. They co-opted the death of George Floyd (who died from Fentanyl overdose) to instigate the BLM riots. They used the war in Gaza to agitate for riots at American universities. They will try to hijack the migrant issue as yet another excuse for national violence.

My suspicion is that the “No Kings” protests will probably fall flat throughout most of the country except in usual suspect cities (LA, New York, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, etc). But, there’s no telling how much cash is behind this operation and how many useful idiots they will dredge up through social media propaganda. If not this week, then eventually, there will be a wider civil breakdown. The illegal migrant agenda is their last chance and they aren’t going to let it fade away easily.

So, here is what’s going to happen and I want to explain this reality to leftists directly:

You’re going to experience a defeat on a level you can’t yet fathom. It’s not going to be fair, it’s going to be ugly. You truly have no idea what is about to happen to you. And, it’s not going to be riot cops, or the National Guard or even the US Marines that serve up the smackdown, it’s going to be regular American conservatives.

Progressive commentators continue focusing on Trump as if he’s going to be wearing the boot that steps on their necks. That’s not how this will go down. You have NO CLUE how many millions of conservatives are fed up with the constant sabotage and cry-bullying of the political left. They are anxious to step in. Listen because I’m doing you a favor here – Just stop, because if you do what you claim you want to do (national riots and infrastructure disruption), we are going to end you.

The switch is about to be flipped. One day soon, without warning, every conservative man in the country is going find themselves reading a particularly egregious news report. They’re going to take off from their jobs which they have been working diligently for most of their lives, they’re going to hug their families, walk out the front door, get in a truck loaded with combat gear, they’re going to show up in droves at the nearest leftist riots, and steeped in an array of skills that they have been carefully practicing for years, they’re going to put those people down flat.

There will be skeptics who will say this is never going to happen. Those people are idiots. They don’t know conservatives, they don’t talk to conservatives. Mark my words, if the current trend continues it’s going to happen and leftists don’t stand a chance (the feds under Obama learned this at Bundy Ranch). So, quit, before it’s too late. Because once it starts it’s not going to stop until every leftist rioter and saboteur is run out of the US or fitted for a wooden box. If you’re on the political left, civil war is the last thing you should want.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 23:05

Netanyahu Survives Coalition Collapse, Strikes Deal With Ultra-Orthodox Partners

Via The Cradle,

Israel’s parliament narrowly rejected a preliminary bill to dissolve itself early on 12 June, avoiding the possibility of snap elections and preserving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile governing coalition. The motion, backed by opposition lawmakers, was defeated by a vote of 61 to 53 – just meeting the 61-seat threshold needed for passage in the 120-member Knesset.

The failed vote followed a last-minute deal between coalition leaders and ultra-Orthodox parties regarding one of Israel’s most divisive issues, which is mandatory military service for the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim. 

While military service is compulsory for most Jewish Israelis, the ultra-Orthodox community – roughly 13 percent of the population – has long been granted exemptions if men are enrolled in full-time religious study.

Ultra-orthodox parties have been pressuring the Netanyahu government to codify the exemptions by passing a new law.

In a key development, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein announced that his committee and ultra-Orthodox parties had reached a preliminary understanding to draft new legislation addressing the conscription issue. This agreement persuaded most ultra-Orthodox lawmakers to vote against dissolving the Knesset.

However, the arrangement sparked backlash from both opposition leaders and within the coalition itself. 

Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democrats party, condemned the agreement, saying, “Netanyahu entered a room with the heads of the Haredi factions and left with a disgraceful agreement … There is no love for the country here. Only cynicism. Only selfish survival.” Golan accused Netanyahu of betraying both military service members and ultra-Orthodox citizens who wished to contribute to the state.

Netanyahu narrowly averts government collapse over ultra-Orthodox conscription dispute
——
A motion to dissolve Israel’s parliament because of friction over the conscription of Haredi men failed to pass on 11 June. The opposition reached a compromise, and only 53 voted in favor of… pic.twitter.com/NxrhoDnWgr

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) June 12, 2025

Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, resigned from Netanyahu’s cabinet in protest over the compromise deal. Goldknopf, whose Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction supported the Knesset’s dissolution, said the new understandings fell short of promises made in coalition agreements. “I can no longer take part as a member of this government,” he wrote in his resignation letter to Netanyahu.

Goldknopf’s resignation follows a previous symbolic resignation in March over the same issue. Despite his departure, UTJ remains part of the ruling coalition, which has been under pressure due to widespread discontent over the military burden placed on young Israelis tasked with executing the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. With the war now lasting more than 18 months, the Israeli army is facing growing manpower shortages, intensifying the debate over draft exemptions.

Roughly 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men reach conscription age each year, but fewer than 10 percent enlist, according to the State Control Committee.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 22:15

Early COVID-19 Vaccine Patent In China Raises New Questions For U.S. Investigators

A Chinese patent for a COVID-19 vaccine filed just weeks after the virus emerged in the United States is drawing fresh scrutiny from U.S. investigators examining the origins of the pandemic and potential efforts to conceal early information about the virus.

The February 24, 2020, patent application - submitted by three Chinese entities affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army - outlines a process for developing a "COVID-19 protein vaccine." The document, which predates the World Health Organization’s declaration of a global pandemic, lists 11 inventors. Among them are two scientists affiliated with a neuroscience institute within the Chinese military - a detail that has puzzled U.S. officials, given that neurological symptoms of COVID-19 were not widely known or studied at the time.

The participation of researchers from the Institute of Military Cognition and Brain Sciences - a division of the Academy of Military Sciences in Beijing - has raised particular concern among federal investigators. The institute, which has drawn attention from U.S. defense analysts in recent years, plays a role in the Chinese military’s emerging focus on cognitive warfare - the strategic use of neuroscience in national defense, Just the News reports.

"Significantly, their published research provided limited, or no data of neuropathology observed in the experimental animals, or the neuroprotection afforded by the vaccine," wrote Dr. Robert Kadlec, a former senior Health and Human Services official, in a 2023 report examining the origins of the pandemic. "Institute of Military Cognition researchers’ involvement in such studies suggest an interest in the vaccine’s protection against SARS-CoV-2 early in the outbreak before evidence of its neurological effects were widely known."

Dr. Kadlec, who served in the Trump administration and played a central role in Operation Warp Speed, was among the first U.S. officials to question why neuroscientists were included in early Chinese vaccine development. His report, titled A Critical Review of COVID-19 Origins: Hidden in Plain Sight, was published last September.

Other figures on Capitol Hill have voiced similar concerns. Representative Darin LaHood, Republican of Illinois and a member of the House Intelligence Committee, recently stated that the cover-up of COVID-19’s early emergence in China should be understood in the context of Beijing’s broader strategic ambitions.

"China has a plan to replace the United States, and they're working at it every single day," Mr. LaHood said in a podcast interview this week. "They want to beat us technologically, militarily, economically and diplomatically. And the sooner we wake up to that, the better."

"… And we've seen evidence of this through Huawei and what China… has done with Huawei, what they've done with TikTok, what they've done now with Deep Seek, what they did… in terms of lying and being deceitful with the Wuhan virus," he continued.

Possibly part of that effort: Chinese military strategists are actively developing new methods for using neurology to gain advantages on the battlefield, according to Elsa Kania, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for New American Security. 

“On the battlefield, attempts to undermine an adversary could include interfering with the adversary’s capacity for cognition, whether through manipulation or out-right destruction, from disrupting the flow of data to exploiting ideology or emotion,” she wrote in January 2020 for U.S. National Defense University magazine, Prism, which focuses on “emerging disruptive technologies.” -Just the News

At the center of the February 2020 vaccine patent is Zhou Yusen, a senior military scientist at the State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity. Zhou, who previously collaborated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology on SARS and MERS vaccines, is among the 11 listed inventors. According to Senate researchers, Zhou died under unclear circumstances in the months following the outbreak.

The presence of neuroscientists on the patent application - including Yan Li and Gencheng Han - has intensified questions about what Chinese scientists may have known about COVID-19’s broader physiological effects in the earliest days of the outbreak. A separate scientific paper identifies both researchers as members of the Institute of Military Cognition and Brain Sciences. At the time the patent was filed, neurological symptoms of COVID-19 were not widely reported or understood by Western scientists.

Subsequent studies have shown that COVID-19 can have long-lasting neurological effects. A 2022 study published in Nature found that survivors of COVID-19 faced elevated risks of conditions including strokes, memory disorders, migraines, and seizures in the months following infection. Researchers at Duke University reported neurocognitive impairments and sleep disturbances lasting up to three months in some patients.

The earliest Chinese study documenting COVID-19’s neurological symptoms was published in April 2020. According to the study, which was based on clinical data from Wuhan, patient monitoring was still underway five days before the vaccine patent was filed.

The new questions about the early vaccine patent follow revelations this week that a Defense Intelligence Agency unit concluded in mid-2020 that COVID-19 was likely genetically engineered and leaked from a laboratory. That internal study, which described the virus’s spike protein as a "chimera," was not included in official U.S. intelligence assessments. It was only released following Freedom of Information Act requests and is now part of the ongoing congressional investigation.

The Defense Intelligence Agency analysis traced elements of the COVID-19 virus back to a decade-old scientific manuscript published by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which has worked closely with the Chinese military on coronavirus research, according to the U.S. intelligence community.

Taken together, these findings are intensifying scrutiny of early Chinese responses to the virus, as well as raising new questions about what information may have been known - and withheld - in the earliest stages of the global pandemic.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 21:50

(Un)Deported Democrat Darling Abrego Garcia Pleads Not Guilty To Human Trafficking Charges

Authored by T.J. Muscaro via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran national returned to the United States after being deported to his home country, pled not guilty to federal human trafficking charges on June 13.

A Homeland Security vehicle stands in front of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building, housing the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, where Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported from Maryland, U.S., to El Salvador by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, faces criminal charges, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Seth Herald

Abrego Garcia entered the United States illegally more than a decade ago. Upon his arrest and deportation to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador in March, he was accused of being a member of MS-13, a gang that has been designated a terrorist organization.

However, legal battles ensued to force the U.S. government to return Abrego Garcia to the United States due to a 2019 immigration judge ruling that he could not be deported due to the threat of gang persecution. A judge ruled that the government had to make sure “his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.”

I’m at the Kilmar Abrego Garcia hearing now in Nashville. Prosecution has a cooperator who says Garcia was making $100,000 a year smuggling guns and people including minors across the border for years.

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) June 13, 2025

Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States from El Salvador’s CECOT mega prison last week. A federal grand jury indicted him on May 21 on charges of smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States and conspiring with others to do so.

“The grand jury found that over the past nine years, Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said on June 6. “They found this was his full-time job, not a contractor. He was a smuggler of humans and children and women. He made over 100 trips, the grand jury found, smuggling people throughout our country.”

Among the illegal immigrants smuggled into the nation were MS-13 members, Bondi said, noting that the smuggling ring Abrego Garcia is accused of being part of was responsible for a 2021 tractor-trailer accident in Mexico that resulted in the deaths of more than 50 migrants.

Holy shit, Kilmar Gracia is also a pedo. pic.twitter.com/mSEgMBhdUK

— Mostly Peaceful Memes (@MostlyPeacefull) June 6, 2025

The trafficking charges cite an incident in 2022 involving a traffic stop in Tennessee, where Abrego Garcia is being charged.

In November of 2022, Abrego Garcia was stopped by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. While he was not charged with any traffic violations at that time, body camera footage of the encounter reportedly captured a discussion among officers about their suspicions of human smuggling.

One officer said, “he’s hauling these people for money.” Another said Abrego Garcia had $1,400 in an envelope.

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have called the allegations “preposterous.”

The hearing on June 13 will also focus on whether Abrego Garcia should be allowed to stay out of jail while awaiting trial on his smuggling charges. A federal judge in Nashville was set to hear arguments from both Abrego Garcia’s lawyers and government attorneys.

Bill Pan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 21:25

Two Former USPS Employees Indicted For Stealing $80 Million In Treasury Checks

Missing your tax return check and living near Philadelphia? We might have an idea of what's gone wrong...

That's because two former employees of the U.S. Postal Service in Philadelphia have been indicted for their roles in a scheme involving the theft of over $80 million in U.S. Treasury checks, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

According to federal prosecutors, Tauheed Tucker, 23, and Saahir Irby, 27, both previously employed as mail processing clerks at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center, are accused of stealing thousands of envelopes containing Treasury checks, according to NBC Philadelphia.

The indictment further alleges that Tucker and Irby sold the stolen checks to two other individuals—Cory Scott, 25, of Ardmore, and Alexander Telewoda, 25, of Clifton Heights. Scott and Telewoda are said to have advertised the checks for sale via the messaging app Telegram.

NBC Philadelphia writes that once payments were received from interested buyers, Scott and Telewoda allegedly mailed the checks out. According to prosecutors, those buyers then attempted to cash the checks, unaware they had been stolen.

Officials report that while the total face value of the stolen checks exceeded $80 million, approximately $11 million worth were successfully negotiated at banks by the buyers.

All four men—Tucker, Irby, Scott, and Telewoda—face charges including conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government property, and mail theft. Each could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

In addition, Irby is facing separate charges of mail theft in connection with another incident involving stolen Treasury checks.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 21:00

Florida State's Novel Civics Program

Authored by Mike Sabo via RealClearEducation,

“Liberty is the lifeblood of America, but it flourishes only when citizens understand the ideas that sustain it,” says Ryan Owens, the director of the Institute for Governance and Civics at Florida State University.

The problem according to Owens is that the serious study of civics has been neglected in recent years. He relates the story of a business leader who recently told him that his biggest personnel problem is younger workers fighting over partisan politics. This is borne out by a recent survey IGC conducted, which is part of its distinctive foundation in social science. It discovered some alarming results.

The survey found that nearly 45% of young adults “would not want someone of the opposite political party to marry into their family.” A quarter said they would refuse to socialize with someone from across the aisle. Sizable percentages of both Democrats and Republicans “would refuse to sell goods to opposite partisans.”

Pointing to these findings, Owens argues that the “next generation needs to understand more about how American institutions operate, the citizen’s role in those institutions and the marketplace, and how to interact with others who hold different views.

Enter the Institute for Governance and Civics. Building a culture that prizes a rigorous study of civics and social science, paired with inculcating the virtues of civil society, is at the heart of the Center’s mission.

Established through legislation in 2023, Owens says that the IGC “seeks to become the nation’s premier policy institute for cultivating effective citizens and responsible leaders.” A faculty partner of the Jack Miller Center, which Owens calls a “force multiplier for civic reform,” the ICG aims to advance “constitutional liberty, economic liberty, conscience liberty, and educational liberty through bold research and transformative teaching.”

“The Institute for Governance and Civics is both a policy institute and a civic thought institute,” Owens notes. “We seek to produce students who understand civic thought and also have the social science skills to compete effectively in a marketplace that demands them. To create the next generation of effective citizens and responsible leaders, students must understand civic thought and social science skills.”

In addition to directing IGC, Owens is a professor of political science and an affiliate faculty member in the FSU College of Law. He calls himself an empirical legal scholar who looks to “apply statistical modeling to answer important normative questions.” His own work focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court, federal appellate courts, and judicial behavior. His recent book “Cognitive Aging and the Federal Circuit Courts” won the 2025 C. Herman Pritchett Award for the best book on law and courts written by a political scientist.

The IGC’s focus is on constitutional liberty, economic liberty, conscience liberty, and educational liberty. “We promote rigorous scholarship and teaching on the architecture of American government and the rationale for liberty,” Owens reports. “We conduct data-driven research to inform policy discussions. And we strengthen the fabric of our civic life by inviting intellectually diverse perspectives—fostering dialogue where others fear discussion.”

The IGC’s “dynamic agenda to encourage civic education” includes an undergraduate degree program in Civics and Liberty Studies, where students will supplement classes on civic thought with courses in social science.

The Institute also features a First Amendment Law Clinic in the College of Law. There, students will litigate First Amendment cases pro bono and will learn the ins and outs of how these cases wind their way through the judiciary.

Awards and scholarships are available to students as well. In 2025, FSU students read and analyzed the main points of Yuval Levin’s newest book, “American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation – and Could Again.” The IGC gave three scholarships to students who wrote the best papers and three additional scholarships to students who exhibited public leadership.

Owens notes that showcasing “intellectually diverse perspectives on campus” and modeling “respectful dialogue” is of paramount concern. The IGC has hosted North Korean defector Yeonmi Park, who shared her harrowing escape from tyranny and human trafficking and emphasized the crucial importance of the rule of law. Jess Bravin of the Wall Street Journal and Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist engaged in a fruitful discussion about the Supreme Court. Owens says that these and other events have had a very good turnout, drawing hundreds of students.

Amidst a focus on civics education in the states, Owens wants to have the IGC “become the hub of the wheel for data related to civics and K-12 reform.” As he notes, “States across the country are taking bold steps through civics reforms to address” the lack of civic knowledge among students. The Institute is currently conducting polls to identify the state of civic knowledge in America. Owens says that the IGC plans on making this information available so it can inform broader policy discussions. Plans are also in place to host a treasure trove of data for researchers looking to examine K-12 education and civics more broadly.

Even though it was recently founded, the Institute for Governance and Civics is already making a notable impact in the important mission of reforming civic education across the nation.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 20:35

Protected Status Terminated For 1 Million Migrants In US

Around 1 million migrants in the U.S. on temporary protections are seeing their status terminated by the Trump administration.

In April, around 350,000 Venezuelans lost their Temporary Protected Status in the country and were told to self-deport.

As Statista's Katharina Buchholz reports, yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security notified almost 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela in the U.S. on the so-called CHNV program that their status had ended.

You will find more infographics at Statista

While the Supreme Court allowed the government to proceed as if the Temporary Protected Status of the Venezuelans in question and the CHNV program had ended, the programs are officially considered on hold as lower courts continue to litigate legal challenges to their discontinuation.

Earlier in the year, the U.S. government had already announced that is was cutting short or not extending some other Temporary Protected Status programs. This affects Haitians, Afghanis, Nepalese and Cameroonians. A total of around 220,000 people, mostly from Haiti, are set to lose their legal status in the U.S. this way in July and August.

Even more Temporary Protected Status programs are also suspected to not be extended. Protections for almost 250,000 additional Venezuelans would have to be extended before September, while more than 50,000 Hondurans are currently seeing their status expire in early July. Other programs include those for El Salvadorians (whose extention wasn't stopped by the Trump administration), Syrians, Ukrainians and Nicaraguans.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 17:40

New IRS Commissioner Once Sponsored A Bill To Eliminate The Agency Entirely

The U.S. Senate confirmed former Missouri Rep. Billy Long on Thursday as the new commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in a 53–44 vote, ending months of temporary leadership at an agency under intense scrutiny and facing deep staffing cuts, according to AP.

Long, a Republican who served in Congress from 2011 to 2023, once sponsored a bill to eliminate the IRS entirely.

It's a step in the right direction...

A former auctioneer with no tax administration experience, he now takes the helm of a struggling agency facing a potential crisis ahead of the 2026 tax filing season.

AP writes that Democrats opposed the confirmation, raising concerns about Long’s past involvement with a firm that promoted a pandemic-era tax credit later shut down for fraud. Long denied wrongdoing during Senate testimony. “These issues were not adequately investigated,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in a letter to the White House, criticizing Long’s background check. “It’s almost as if the FBI is unable to read the newspaper.”

After an unsuccessful 2022 Senate bid, Long joined a company marketing the now-discredited employee retention tax credit. Lawmakers also questioned campaign contributions made to his campaign shortly after former President Donald Trump nominated him.

Long takes over as the IRS undergoes major changes, including the loss of about 20,000 employees—roughly equal to the number hired during the Biden administration. Tax experts warn the agency’s ability to process returns and collect revenue could be compromised.

The fate of the Biden-era Direct File program remains uncertain. Long told senators it would be “one of the first programs that come up for discussion” under his leadership.

Treasury Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender welcomed the appointment in an internal email to staff, writing, “Long’s experience will be critically important to the IRS at this time of transformation, as we build a modern IRS.”

The IRS had cycled through four acting commissioners before Long’s confirmation—one resigned after a controversial data-sharing deal with ICE, and another sparked a political feud between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The agency has also been caught up in legal battles. Unions and advocacy groups sued to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive taxpayer data, accusing it of mismanagement.

Long joins a list of Trump appointees who once sought to dismantle the agencies they now oversee. “This is not unprecedented,” noted one observer, pointing to past examples like Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 16:50

"The World Situation Amounts To A Set Of Jihads Of Different Varieties..."

Authored by James Howard Kunstler,

Game On!

“Leftism is the tyranny of structurlessness. Lawlessness. The abhorrence of order. That is why Leftist individuals are characterized by emotional dysregulation. . . . "

- JT Haltigan

If you seek a general theme in this moment’s tempestuous events, try No submission. It’s behind events in the Middle East and in the USA — and across Western Civ ultimately. No submission to what, you ask? To willful evil. Of course, the willfully evil will not see it that way, and great quarrels will arise over who-and-what represents the evil abroad in the world.

Iran advertised countless times its resolve to wipe Israel off the map, in so many words. Israel was not inclined to submit to that outcome and it closely monitored Iran’s practical steps to acquire deliverable nuclear bombs. Israel, in turn, advertised that Iran’s nuclear program would not be allowed to succeed. The world stood by waiting to see who’s advertising jibed with reality.

Now you know. Never Again is not an empty slogan. The Shiite jihad has been put down, and the effort will continue until the answer is beyond dispute, days, maybe a week or more. Iran’s civil leadership was willing to talk, or at least pretend to talk down to the last hour, but the mullahs above them obdurately pushed ahead toward nuclear jihad. Not going happen, Israel assured them. And so, here we are.

The world situation amounts to a set of jihads of different varieties.

In our country, the Democratic Party has been waging jihad against order, liberty, truth, and decency. You can tell it’s jihad because it’s irrational, frankly, insane. Americans are asked to submit to propositions that will destroy the country and its traditions, and they have had enough of the hustles aimed at that outcome.

Too many of us do not believe that uncontrolled illegal immigration is okay, that government should replace the family, that all journeys in life can be equally favorable, that men can become women by wishing it, that our history must be erased, that censorship is required to keep the jihad going, and that the punishment against citizens will continue until morale improves.

That is the program of the American left and lately of the Democratic Party it has taken over. They demonstrate it by their deeds. The Party represents a dwindling cohort of the populace, but its forces have already marched through and captured many institutions crucial to our national life. The opposing force, loosely called Populism, will not submit to that program, is now actively putting a stop to as much of it as possible, shaking out those institutions.

The Left and the Democrats have lost a lot of ground in recent months, especially their control on the levers of power. And since power is really all they care about — the power to make everybody else submit — they are growing desperate, seeking to induce as much chaos across the land as they can possibly generate. Hence, the outbreaks of civil disorder in the cities, using illegal immigrants as one set of shock troops and mentally-ill youth as another phalanx.

The object of the chaos is to provoke the Populist opposition to exert its authority to control that chaos, and therefore — in the insane reasoning of the leftists — to prove that authority itself is an intolerable wickedness. This is only possible, of course, in minds that do not comprehend boundaries, differences between right and wrong, up and down, inside and outside, reality and fantasy. That is the mentality that drives itself toward chaos. So, it remains for the Populists to demonstrate that authority is not innately wicked, that it can have a beneficent purpose in the scheme of civilized humanity. Order is not necessarily tyranny.

The other once-great nations of Western Civ — Britain, Germany, France — slump towards collapse, having already submitted to the EU, run by an unelected, dictatorial, bureaucracy, under the occult influence of megalomaniacs such as Bill Gates and the Soros family. The newly-arrived hordes of Islamic immigrants in these countries demand submission of the Europeans, and the Europeans have so far failed to resist. But an inflection point draws near, and the latent ferocity of the indigenous population has yet to express itself. It may be too late to avert some kind of violent civil conflict across the continent. Governments will surely fall. Mighty empires die of old age and are conquered, alas.

Here in the USA, we await the “No Kings” actions planned for hundreds of cities and towns across the land, meticulously organized by a host of NGOs, even funded by grifts run through government itself, such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), gifted with $34-million from California taxpayers. Billionaire Walmart heiress Christy Walton is allegedly behind the NGO that styles itself as “Indivisible,” the principal org promoting Saturday’s “No Kings” actions. You can suppose that the idea is to flood-the-zone with so many demonstrations in so many places that at least some of them will get yeasty with violence — tempting populist authority to assert itself. . . so that the left can call them “fascists.”

That label has probably lost its mojo. The Populist opposition has drawn a line against this shuck-and-jive, just as Israel drew a line against its declared enemy acquiring nuclear weapons. The lines, you see, are clearly drawn. The game is on.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 16:25

Battered Hezbollah Says It Will Stay Out Of Iran-Israel Fight

Hezbollah is warning of grave escalation that "crosses all red lines" the day after Israel's major missile attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. But so far the Iran-backed group is indicating it doesn't plan to reopen a war front against Israel.

"This attack by Israel, carried out with full support and protection from the U.S., represents a blatant escalation that disregards all rules and balances in the region,” Hezbollah said in a statement, and is on high alert.

The statement says that Iran has been exercising "the utmost restraint" and defended the Islamic Republic's nuclear program as for peaceful energy purposes.

"This attack will not weaken Iran but will instead strengthen its determination to defend its sovereignty and security," the group asserted.

Indeed, Tehran has on Friday made clear that it plans to continue uranium enrichment. This despite Natanz and other facilities getting hit.

International reports say that over 200 Israeli warplanes (alongside reports of drones) attacked some 100 Iranian sites.

But as for Hezbollah, it's been battered and its leadership decimated since the Gaza war began, and after a prior flare-up of fighting in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah is reportedly pledging to stay out of the Iran-Israel fight thus far:

"Hezbollah is committed to the ceasefire agreement, even though Israel has not respected this commitment over the past period," the spokesperson said. "It continues to kill, assassinate, and attack areas, including entering border villages and remaining at the five points."

Reuters also cited a Hezbollah official on Friday as saying that the group "will not initiate its own attack on Israel in retaliation for Israel's strike."

This is very significant, given Israel will closely be watching its northern border. IDF reservists have reportedly been called up to bolster defenses all across Israel.

But if things escalate with more major waves of attacks on Iran, and should Tehran launch a retaliatory attack, Israel could once again find itself in yet another multi-front war, akin to the opening year of the Gaza war with Hamas.

The collapse: Hezbollah announces that it will not respond to Israel's attack on Iran.

The ayatollahs have been preparing Hezbollah for this moment for years, and now it is paralyzed.

— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) June 13, 2025

As it stands, the Iran-aligned Houthis of Yemen have remained the most active in sending ballistic missiles on Israel. Israeli warplanes have in turn launched periodic strikes on Yemen, including targeting the international airport in Sanaa. Attacks might grow, in coordination with potential retaliation out of Iran.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 15:45

The Justice Department Sues California Coffee Shop Over Discrimination Against Jewish Customers

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

The Justice Department has filed an anti-discrimination case against the owners of the Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, California.

Fathi Abdulrahim Harara and Native Grounds LLC are accused of violating Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in places of public accommodation. The matter is also the subject of a private lawsuit by the Anti-Defamation League and other groups.

In the ADL complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, there are details on how a Jewish customer was alleged to have been chased from the business by its owner and an employee.

Michael Radice, visited Jerusalem Coffee House in July 2024, wearing a baseball cap with a Star of David icon and the phrase “Am Yisrael Chai” — or “the people of Israel live.”

In approaching the business, Radice says that he was confronted by a man sitting outside who demanded, “Are you a Jew?” After Mr. Radice answered affirmatively, the man verbally attacked him and accused him of being “responsible” for “killing children.”

Radice decided to go back to the business the following month and discovered that the man was an employee at the shop. He alleges that the man with the owner and a third employee forced him to leave and then followed him down the street yelling,  “You’re the guy with the hat. You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out.” As Mr. Radice walked away, three men followed him, and he heard them calling him “Jew” and “Zionist.”

The federal lawsuit notes that, on the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, the Jerusalem Coffee House announced two new drinks: “Iced In Tea Fada,” an obvious reference to “intifada.” It also introduced as drink, “Sweet Sinwar,” an apparent reference to Yahya Sinwar, the former leader of Hamas who orchestrated the massacre. It also alleges that the coffee house’s exterior side wall displays inverted red triangles, a symbol of violence against Jews that has been spray-painted on Jewish homes and synagogues in anti-Semitic attacks.

Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can seek to force changes in how the coffee shop must remedy alleged discriminatory conduct. In the meantime, the shop will face demands for civil damages in the private lawsuit.

While customers appear undisturbed by drinks named after a mass murderer, the shop itself is likely to find what is coming a bit harder to swallow. It is now facing litigation on two fronts over the treatment of Jewish customers.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 15:25

Four Plead Guilty In $550 Million USAID Bribery Scheme

Four men have pleaded guilty to a $550 million US Agency for International Development (USAID) bribery scheme, which resulted in 14 contracts being improperly awarded to companies involved in the fraud, the Department of Justice announced in a June 12 statement. 

The U.S. Agency for International Development logo is covered with black tape in Washington on Feb. 7, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

• Robert Watson, 57, USAID contracting officer living in Maryland pleaded guilty to bribing a public official. 

• Walter Barnes, 56, of Maryland and owner of of Vistant, pleaded guilty to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud.

• Darryl Britt, 64, of Florida and owner of Apprio, Inc. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official.

• Paul Young, 62, of Maryland - the president of a subcontractor to both Vistant and Apprio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official. 

Vistant and Apprio are small businesses which were certified under the US Small Business Administration's 8(a) contracting program - which helps small businesses deemed socially and economically disadvantaged.

The bribery scheme began in 2013 according to court documents, which claim that while Watson was a USAID contracting officer, he agreed to take bribes from Britt in exchange for using his position at USAID to award contracts to Apprio - for which Vistant was a subcontractor in one of the awards.

After Apprio became ineligible for contracts with USAID, Vistant moved up and became the subcontractor for USAID projects awarded through Watson's influence between 2018 and 2022. 

Both Vistant and Apprio have "greed to admit criminal liability," and "engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud," according to the DOJ. 

As the Epoch Times notes further, during the scheme, Watson is alleged to have received bribes from Britt and Barnes that were often concealed by passing the funds through Young.

“Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives,” the DOJ said.

“The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.”

All four individuals are scheduled to be sentenced at various dates between July and October. Watson is facing a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, with the other three individuals facing a prison term of up to five years.

”The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers through bribery and fraud,” the head of the Justice Department’s criminal division, Matthew R. Galeotti, said. “Their scheme violated the public trust by corrupting the federal government’s procurement process.”

The Epoch Times reached out to legal representatives for Barnes and Watson but did not receive a response by publication time. The Epoch Times was unable to reach legal representatives for Britt and Young.

Dismantling USAID

The Trump administration has been seeking to dismantle USAID.

In February, then-presidential adviser Elon Musk said President Donald Trump had agreed that USAID should be shut down.

“It became apparent that its [sic] not an apple with a worm it in,” Musk said. “What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair.”

On March 10, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department had canceled about 83 percent of USAID contracts.

“The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States,” he said on social media platform X.

The department decided to keep the remaining contracts, numbering roughly 1,000.

The administration also terminated or placed on leave most USAID employees while shutting down the agency headquarters, which was taken over by the Customs and Border Patrol employees.

On March 18, a federal judge ruled that Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency team likely violated the U.S. Constitution in seeking to dismantle the agency.

The judge ordered that access for USAID workers and contractors be reinstated and that no further actions related to terminating contracts or workers be taken.

The Trump administration is currently pushing a bill through Congress rescinding $9.4 billion in federal spending, including USAID programs.

The rescissions aim to cut “wasteful foreign assistance spending at the Department of State and USAID and through other international assistance programs,” according to a May 28 letter sent to Trump by Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“These rescissions would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests, such as funding the World Health Organization, LGBTQI+ activities, ‘equity’ programs, radical Green New Deal-type policies, and color revolutions in hostile places around the world,” the letter stated.

On June 12, the House of Representatives passed the bill. It now goes to the Senate.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 15:05

Interior Department Announces $200 Billion LNG Supply Agreements With Japan

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

U.S. companies have finalized sales agreements with Japanese power generation giant JERA Co. Inc. for it to purchase up to 5.5 million tons per year of American liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Department of the Interior (DOI) said in a June 11 statement.

A liquefied natural gas tanker arrives at a gas storage station in Chiba prefecture, Japan, on April 6, 2009. STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images

The four 20-year agreements, which are projected to “support more than 50,000 U.S. jobs and add more than $200 billion to U.S. GDP according to S&P Global analysis, underscore President Trump’s efforts to unleash American LNG production and the significant role the U.S. LNG industry plays in strengthening the U.S. economy and bolstering global energy security,” the DOI said.

JERA’s deal with NextDecade Corporation, Commonwealth LNG, Sempra Infrastructure, and Cheniere Marketing LLC involves procuring LNG from the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The finalization of the deal was announced by JERA, the U.S. companies, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

In a June 12 statement, JERA said the companies offer LNG at competitive prices and with flexible contract terms. The value of these transactions exceeds JERA’s total equity investment in the United States, currently $6 billion.

JERA’s existing operations in the United States include LNG procurement contracts for 3.5 million tons per year with Freeport LNG and Cameron LNG, and a 1 million ton per year agreement with Venture Global CP2.

JERA’s recent decision to buy up to 5.5 million tons of LNG annually from the United States is a “message to the world that American LNG is back thanks to President Trump.”

“We’re leading on the world stage,” Burgum said.

“America is no longer begging for foreign energy—we’re producing it cleaner, smarter, better, and more reliably than the rest of the world.”

Under the Trump administration, several steps have been taken to boost the U.S. energy sector, including supporting LNG exports.

An LNG tanker is guided by tug boats at the Cheniere Sabine Pass LNG export unit in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, on April 14, 2022. Marcy de Luna/Reuters

On Feb. 14, President Donald Trump issued an executive order creating the National Energy Dominance Council. The council is tasked with advising the president on “strategies to achieve energy dominance by improving the processes for permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, and transportation across all forms of American energy.”

On May 2, the DOI said it planned to revise an offshore rule from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that would “massively cut costs and red tape” linked to the current process.

The updated rule will “free up billions of dollars for American producers to use to lease, explore, drill, and produce oil and gas in the Gulf of America while protecting American taxpayers against high-risk decommission liabilities,” the department said.

On May 19, the Trump administration announced it would end a Biden-era pause on LNG export approvals, arguing that higher exports benefit the United States by supporting allies and boosting the domestic economy.

LNG Exports

Last month, the Department of Energy (DOE) said it had made several key findings related to U.S. LNG export capability.

In December 2024, the agency published a study on LNG exports and invited public comment through March 20.

After taking into account the study and public comments, the DOE found that the United States has a “robust natural gas supply that is sufficient to meet growing levels of exports while minimizing impacts to domestic prices.”

Boosting LNG exports was also identified as having “no discernible impact” on global greenhouse gas emissions.

“President Trump was given a mandate to unleash American energy dominance, and that includes U.S. LNG exports,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a May 19 statement. “The facts are clear: expanding America’s LNG exports is good for Americans and good for the world.”

According to a March 27 analysis by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the United States remained the world’s largest LNG exporter in 2024, exporting 11.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of LNG.

In an April 3 analysis, the EIA said it expects American LNG exports to “continue growing, driven by the start-up of three new facilities: Plaquemines LNG (Phases 1 and 2), Corpus Christi LNG Stage 3, and Golden Pass LNG.”

“These facilities have a combined nominal export capacity of 5.3 Bcf/d (up to 6.3 Bcf/d peak capacity) and will expand the existing U.S. LNG export capacity by almost 50 percent once these projects become fully operational,” the agency said.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 14:45

NHTSA Tweaks Robotaxi Rules To Unleash "Rapid Innovation"

What a week for the electric vehicle space in America.

First, President Trump publicly mended ties with Elon Musk, calling him a "friend" just a week after their viral feud. Then came the policy hammer: Trump signed three congressional resolutions dismantling California's EV mandate and terminating the federal clean vehicle credit. Musk? Unfazed. With Tesla's dominance in the EV industry and rivals like Rivian and Lucid on life support, this could be the final chapter (explained by Musk one year ago) in the multi-year EV price war, leaving Tesla as the last one standing. 

With the current events out of the way, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has updated its exemption process under the Automated Vehicle (AV) Framework to accelerate the safe deployment of vehicles with Automated Driving Systems (ADS). The current exemption process (Part 555) was built for legacy vehicles and has proven too slow and rigid for the unique challenges of ADS-equipped vehicles.

What's changing:

• Streamlined Exemptions: NHTSA will expedite exemptions for ADS-equipped vehicles to keep pace with rapid innovation and ensure safety technologies can be tested and deployed faster.

• Enhanced Guidance: New application instructions will help manufacturers provide better information upfront, reducing back-and-forth delays.

• Flexible Oversight: NHTSA will move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and adopt more dynamic, adaptive oversight throughout the lifecycle of AV exemptions.

Full NHTSA Memo:

The move to support AVs comes just days before Tesla officially rolls out its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. 

In a post on X, Musk wrote earlier this week that the current plan is for the robotaxi launch to take place on Sunday.

"We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift," he said. 

Tentatively, June 22.

We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift.

First Tesla that drives itself from factory end of line all the way to a customer house is June 28.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025

On Tuesday, Tesla's self-driving robotaxis were spotted on the streets of Austin. 

HOLY CRAP ITS A #ROBOTAXI!!@SawyerMerritt @WholeMarsBlog @DirtyTesLa @niccruzpatane pic.twitter.com/slfAsu0AQl

— Terrapin Terpene Col (@TerrapinTerpene) June 10, 2025

Also, in France...

I had a chance to see the Tesla Cybercab unveiled in Paris, France. pic.twitter.com/IZ2AveM5JC

— M. Brandon Lee | THIS IS TECH TODAY (@thisistechtoday) June 12, 2025

We shared with ZeroHedge Pro Subs a Goldman note at the start of the week that shows the AV rideshare market is poised to enter hypergrowth... 

Pro Subs can read the full note here .... 

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/13/2025 - 14:25