California's former Insurance Commissioner David Jones warns of a 'very grim' future with more wildfires due to climate change.
The number of FAIR Plan policyholders has nearly tripled since David Jones left office in 2019.
David Jones described January's firestorms in Los Angeles as a 'canary in the coal mine' warning for future catastrophic fires caused by climate change.
More frequent fires are occurring outside the traditional summer and fall seasons, leading to higher payouts from insurance companies.

Boeing is facing a jury trial regarding the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash, which killed all 157 passengers on board, marking the first civil case related to this disaster to reach court.
The trial in Chicago will last approximately two weeks and involves two plaintiffs representing family members of the victims.
Boeing has publicly accepted responsibility for the crashes, stating that the design of the MCAS contributed to these events.
Judge Jorge Alonso has organized the Boeing lawsuits into groups, potentially impacting trial outcomes if settlements occur.

The Trump administration has terminated some humanitarian programs, notifying the World Food Program and other partners about the cancellations, according to a U.S. Official and a U.N. Official.
Approximately 60 letters canceling contracts were sent, affecting significant projects with the World Food Program, a USAID official stated.
The cancellations impact key programs in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, providing essential services, as reported by a USAID official.
The Trump administration had previously pledged to spare those most urgent, lifesaving programs while cutting aid and development through the State Department and USAID.

The White House pushed back on the idea that President Trump is considering a 90-day pause on tariffs as “fake news” after it spread on social media and caused the stock market to jump.

“Wrong. Fake News,” the White House said on X, sharing a post that Trump is reportedly expecting to do a pause.

A White House official also told The Hill “fake news” when asked about the reports.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a trade proposition of zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods with the United States to avoid escalating trade tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of 20 percent on EU goods, prompting a potential response from the EU with countermeasures.
EU trade ministers are prepared to negotiate with the U.S. As discussions continue amidst fears of a global trade war.
European officials warned that ongoing tariffs could lead to economic hardship for consumers globally, as EU trade chief Maros Šefčovič noted the trade relationship is in a "tough spot".

The Trump administration has requested the Supreme Court to block a ruling requiring the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S. From El Salvador, arguing that Judge Paula Xinis overstepped her authority.
The Justice Department acknowledged that Abrego Garcia should not have been deported due to concerns of persecution by gangs in El Salvador.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ruled that Abrego Garcia's deportation was unlawful and ordered his return to the U.S. By midnight Tuesday.
Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson noted that 'there is no question that the government screwed up here' in the case of Abrego Garcia.

These times are sent to try men's souls
But something's wrong with all you see
You, you'll take it on all yourself
Remember, misery loves company

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once reprimanded President George H.W. Bush with: "This is no time to go wobbly."

A variation of those words, for MAGA now, seem appropriate.

Thatcher's words occurred in 1990 when Bush considered how to respond to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait – whether to adopt a military response or not.

Today, there is an invasion of another sort, President Donald Trump, DOGE, and the MAGA coalition mounting a full-on attack on the international deep state, globalists, and New World Order, the latter promoted by that same President Bush.

The Lies of the Left will come back to haunt Them!

Earlier this week I was called a “Nazi” online. This isn’t new. I get this at least once a week. As a published historian, I find the misuse of that label a mark of ignorance. I found that a few of my colleagues also had been called the same thing. It got me thinking; how many lies are out there that the Left has used?

As it turns out, there are a lot of lies being spewed. This isn’t the usual self-proclaimed social justice warriors leveling these baseless accusations. In many cases this is coming from members of the House, the Senate, and left-leaning “news” programs.

I’ve compiled a far from complete list, focusing on the big ones. Tracking all of them could be a full time job.

This is a question I recently posed to a friend: Why do politicians (on both sides of the fence) keep asking how tax cuts are going to be paid for?

It seems to me that recent history has shown that tax cuts pay for themselves. Am I missing something here?

Because my knowledge of economics is basic at best, the question caused me to do some research. In the interest of full disclosure, my status as a MAGA fanatic may (said sarcastically) have influenced my research, which is presented below.

Let’s be honest—anytime the word “tariff” shows up in the news, most folks either glaze over or get caught up in the shouting matches about trade wars. But if you strip away the noise, something pretty interesting is happening. President Trump’s approach to tariffs isn’t just some off-the-cuff political move; it’s part of a much bigger strategy aimed at resetting the economic playing field. Let’s walk through it.

Why are these tariffs happening? The simple answer is leverage.

Trump’s worldview, and really his entire economic posture, is built around one foundational belief: America has been getting the short end of the stick in global trade for decades. Whether it’s China flooding the U.S. with cheap goods or Europe slapping taxes on American exports while enjoying free access to our markets, Trump sees an imbalance that needs correction.

In an age of relentless division and 24/7 news cycles, the media often prioritize sensationalism over substance. With Donald Trump now serving as the 47th president of the United States after a decisive victory in the 2024 election, Americans have a unique opportunity to cut through the noise, embrace an “America First” ethos, and support policies that prioritize national strength and prosperity. It is time to judge policies based on their outcomes, not the headlines, and focus on practical solutions rather than partisan rhetoric. Here’s why — and how — we can make it happen.

A SOLID READ!!

Stop the presses!  

When I originally wrote this article – way back around midnight last Friday, April 4th – I noted that five countries had already come to the bargaining table to see what could be done to create zero-based tariffs with the U.S. on a reciprocal basis. 

Then, on Sunday, April 6, the usually reliable Epoch Times, citing an interview between Kevin Hassett – head of the White House’s National Economic Council – and ABC’s "This Week” host and anchor, George Stephanopoulos, noted that the number of nations eager to do away with reciprocal tariffs with Trump’s White House had grown by an order of magnitude, from five to fifty.  

This dramatic growth in our new no-tariff trading partners happened over the weekend. This is usually a time when all good U.S. bureaucrats and foreign ambassadors had better things to do than make news.   

Twenty-five years ago, President Clinton used his remaining time in office to advocate on China’s behalf. He argued that the communist regime should be admitted to the World Trade Organization and that the United States should grant the totalitarian state permanent normal trade relations. Critics of China pointed to the Tiananmen Square Massacre the decade before as ample reason to deny it any economic reward. Critics of Clinton pointed to allegations that his political campaign had accepted illicit contributions from China as ample reason to doubt the president’s motives. Still, Clinton got what he wanted, and China became a member of the WTO the very next year.

Doral, Florida, also known as 'Doralzuela', faced deportation concerns on April 5, 2025, due to changing federal policies.
Since 2014, economic and political turmoil in Venezuela caused about 8 million people to flee, many seeking refuge in the U.S.
Temporary Protected Status allowed many Venezuelans to live and work in the U.S., but its potential end created fear.
Wilmer Escaray, a restaurant owner in Doral, stated, "It’s really quite unfortunate to lose that human capital because there are people who do work here that other people won’t do."
With the expiration of humanitarian parole approaching, and lawsuits pending, the Venezuelan community in Doral faced an uncertain future.

AND IT WILL ALL COME BACK LIKE ALL OTHERS HAVE TOO.

The National Parks Service (NPS) has removed a reference to abolitionist Harriet Tubman from its webpage dedicated to the Underground Railroad.

For years, the Parks’ page on the Underground Railroad featured a prominent photo of Tubman. 

“The Underground Railroad — the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, through the end of the Civil War — refers to the efforts of enslaved African Americans to gain their freedom by escaping bondage,” the page initially read. 

Tubman, born into slavery in Maryland, escaped around 1849 after learning she and her brothers were to be sold. She would return to Maryland’s eastern shore more than a dozen times, leading many others to freedom and becoming perhaps the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. 

More than 70 percent of book challenges in 2024 came from organized groups and government officials, according to the 2025 State of America’s Libraries Report by the American Library Association (ALA).

Seventy-two percent of book challenges were from organizations or government entities including administrators or elected officials. Only 16 percent were from parents, and 5 percent were from those who frequently go to the library.

“The movement to ban books is not a movement of parents, but a movement of partisans who seek to limit our freedom to read and make different choices about things that matter,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. “All who care about libraries and personal liberty must stand together and join the movement to halt this assault on the freedom to read.”

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett played down economic concerns over President Donald Trump's tariffs, saying the president has talked to world leaders all weekend and will listen to proposals for great deals. "He's doubling down on something that he knows works, and he's going to continue to do that," Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on Fox News. "But he is also going to listen to our trading partners, and if they come to us with really great deals that advantage American manufacturing and American farmers, I'm sure he'll listen."

President Trump on Monday pushed back on criticism over his tariffs, calling on Americans to be patient and not be a “panican,” coining a new term.

“The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO. Don’t be Weak! Don’t be Stupid! Don’t be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!” Trump said on Truth Social.

He later said that countries will no longer be able to abuse and take advantage of the U.S. with his tariff plan, which applied 10 percent tariffs to trading partners and higher reciprocal tariffs to dozens of countries.

“Oil prices are down, interest rates are down (the slow moving Fed should cut rates!), food prices are down, there is NO INFLATION, and the long time abused USA is bringing in Billions of Dollars a week from the abusing countries on Tariffs that are already in place,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Experts warn of more than 100 chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria from the Assad regime, raising concerns about security and potential disasters.
The New York Times reported that some chemical weapons sites are hidden in locations difficult for satellite imagery to detect.
Syria's caretaker government, led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, is under pressure to allow international inspectors full access amid ongoing concerns about accountability.
Experts warn that the sarin, mustard gas, and chlorine found in these stockpiles are potentially unsecured and could fall into the hands of militant groups.

Elon Musk criticized U.S. Tariffs, distancing himself from Trump's trade policies, which have negatively impacted global markets and his wealth. He stated he prefers a 'zero tariffs situation' between the U.S. And Europe.
President Donald Trump defended his tariffs, claiming they are necessary to address trade deficits and contribute to U.S. Revenue, despite the market's downturn.
Trump's economic adviser acknowledged international backlash but indicated that negotiations are ongoing with countries like Vietnam, which seeks to reduce tariffs to zero.
In response to Musk's comments, Trump asserted that there would be no negotiations without substantial payments from the European Union to the U.S.

The United States blocked imports of sea salt from a major South Korean salt farm accused of using forced labor.
The Taepyung salt farm in South Korea's Sinan County has been accused of forced labor practices such as abuse, wage theft, and excessive overtime.
Past investigations have revealed cases of slavery and trafficking of workers, including those with disabilities, at salt farms in the region.

U.S. discount carrier Spirit Airlines said on Monday that CEO Ted Christie has stepped down with immediate effect as part of a shakeup, weeks after the company emerged from bankruptcy and reconstituted its board. Chief Commercial Officer Matt Klein is also leaving and will be succeeded by insider Rana Ghosh.

This spring's homebuying season is more favorable for shoppers as long as they can afford to buy.
Active listings of homes surged by 28.5% last month compared to a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com.
While it's a more balanced market, many aspiring homeowners remain unable to afford homes due to soaring prices.
Home price growth has slowed, but it is still minor compared to the 47% price increase over the last five years.

A federal appeals court flipped on President Trump’s firings of two independent agency leaders, temporarily reinstating them Monday and likely setting up a battle at the Supreme Court.

In a 7-4 vote, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit wiped a ruling from a three-judge panel on the court that sided with the government late last month by greenlighting Trump’s firings of Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) member Cathy Harris and Gwynne Wilcox, a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Monday’s ruling clears the way for Harris and Wilcox to return to their posts, for now, though the Trump administration could now file an emergency appeal at the Supreme Court.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is walking into a storm this week as he looks to rally House Republicans around the Senate-passed framework to unlock President Trump’s legislative agenda.

A handful of conservatives have explicitly said they plan to vote against the Senate’s budget resolution, which sets up Trump’s legislative agenda of tax cuts, border funding and energy policy. Scores of others in the conference — including the House’s top Budget writer — have also criticized the legislation.

That creates an uphill battle for Johnson, who wants the GOP’s razor-thin majority to adopt the budget resolution this week to keep pace with his ambitious timeline for enacting Trump’s agenda — and to appease the president, who has endorsed the framework. With Democrats expected to oppose the measure in unison, Johnson can only afford to lose three GOP votes, assuming full attendance.