News From Around the Web
#1 Pritzker Responds to Trump’s Weight Comments: ‘It Takes One to Know One’ - Tara Suter for The Hill, bonnieT, O'Riordan, Bob Lockwood, NATO - Impeach Trump Yesterday, and Oldcrowsnest¥ on X
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said Monday that personal attacks from President Trump “are just evidence of a guy who’s still living in fifth grade” after Trump recently commented on Pritzker’s weight. “It takes one to know one on the weight question,” Pritzker said Monday. “And the president, of course, himself, is not in good shape. So, he ought to respond to that from me.” “I would say also that his personal attacks on me are just evidence of a guy who’s still living in fifth grade,” he added. “He’s the kind of bully that throws invectives at people, because he knows that what he’s saying is actually commentary on himself.”
#2 US CDC Taps Vaccine Skeptic to Lead COVID Committee - Reuters, ABC Big 2 News KMID, Alex'sGhost/The Epoch Times, Brownstone Institute, energyangel8, and MAHA Action on X
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has chosen Retsef Levi, a member of its key vaccine panel, to lead its COVID-19 immunization workgroup, a spokesperson for the health department told Reuters on Monday.Levi had critiqued mRNA vaccines in the past, saying they can cause serious harm and death, especially among children, and called for their immediate withdrawal. Levi did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment...
#3 Trump Fires Fed Governor Lisa Cook Amid Mortgage Fraud Allegations - Maria Tedesco for NBC Montana, Charlie Kirk, Rapid Response 47, Pulte, Republicans against Trump, and Alvaro Bedoya on X
President Donald Trump fired Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook amid allegations of mortgage fraud. Trump announced his latest firing in a Truth Social post on Monday night. In a letter on the social media platform, Trump wrote he has authority under the U.S. Constitution and the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. The mortgage fraud allegations stem from a report from Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Pulte alleged that Cook had claimed two homes as her main residence, one in Georgia and the other in Michigan, to obtain better mortgage lending terms fraudulently...
#4 What a Stake in Intel Could Mean for U.S. Taxpayers Now and in the Future - Rob Wile for NBC News, Saagar Enjeti, Daniel Micovic, Chris Asness/Dirk Freese, Seven Crypto, Stratechery, and getmylikes on X
U.S. taxpayers are now the largest shareholders in Intel. What comes next isn’t so clear. The Trump administration announced Friday that the government had taken a 10% stake in the California-based computer chipmaker, which has fallen behind rivals Nvidia and AMD in the artificial intelligence race. Over the past five years, Intel’s share price has declined more than 50%. The administration has not provided any details about when or under what circumstances it would sell the Intel shares — or whether it would sell them at all. Nor did it say whether the United States would benefit from any dividends, although Intel has not paid out any since last year. The administration does not plan to take any board seats and has said it will vote against the company only in “limited” circumstances...
#5 I Can Believe It’s Not Butter - Del Bigtree for The HighWire, Shadow of Ezra (community note), Gigi Bowman, TPV Sean, and Alex Jones on X
A new lab-made “butter,” developed by a Bill Gates–backed California company, boasts production entirely without photosynthesis—eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. What will be sacrificed next in the name of climate conservation?
#6 Trump to Crack Down on Flag Burning, Desecration With Executive Order - Emma Colton for Fox News, Glenn Greenwald, Thomas Massie, Christopher F. Rufo, Sean Davis, and Dana Loesch/New York Post on X
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Monday cracking down on suspects who desecrate the American flag, including burning it, by mandating they face prosecution, Fox News Digital exclusively learned. "The American flag is the most sacred and cherished symbol of the United States of America, and desecrating it is uniquely and inherently offensive and provocative," a fact sheet on the order provided to Fox News Digital reads. "It is a statement of contempt and hostility toward our Nation, and an act used by groups of foreign nationals calculated to intimidate and threaten violence against Americans."
#7 Child Sex Abuse Victim Begs Elon Musk to Remove Links to Her Images - Angus Crawford and Tony Smith for BBC, Kevin May, PEACE 104.3 FM, Bioom and Daily News on X
A victim of child sexual abuse has begged Elon Musk to stop links offering images of her abuse being posted on his social media platform X. "Hearing that my abuse - and the abuse of so many others - is still being circulated and commodified here is infuriating," says "Zora" (not her real name) who lives in the United States and was first abused more than 20 years ago. "Every time someone sells or shares child abuse material, they directly fuel the original, horrific abuse." X says it has "zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material" and tackling those who exploit children remains "a top priority". The BBC found images of Zora while investigating the global trade of child sex abuse material, estimated to be worth billions of dollars by Childlight, the Global Child Safety Institute...
#8 California Republicans File Petition to Stop Special Election on Newsom’s Redistricting Plan - Brady Halbleib, and Richard Ramos for CBS News, Mary b, Egor Mayflower, James Neil Parr, Alvarezz and his dog Rosie, and Ashley Zavala on X
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan is facing another bout of legal pushback, as state Republicans filed an emergency petition asking the California Supreme Court to block a November special election on the proposal. Named Proposition 50, the redistricting measure, signed into law last week, would overhaul California's congressional map to make five GOP-held districts more favorable to Democrats. The move is being framed by Newsom and state Democrats as a direct response to Texas Republicans redrawing their own maps — under pressure from President Trump — to create five extra GOP-leaning districts. But opponents argue that California's plan violates the state constitution and undermines an independent redistricting commission created by ballot initiative in the mid-2000s. The 432-page petition, filed by the Dhillon Law Group and backed by Republican law...
#9 Towering Wall of Dust Rolls Through Metro Phoenix, Leaving Thousands Without Power - Ross Franklin and Hallie Golden for AP News, Volcaholic, Monika, Minutes, SubX.News, and USA NATO on X
A powerful storm kicked up a towering wall of dust that rolled through metro Phoenix on Monday, darkening the sky, blinding drivers, knocking out power, and grounding flights at one of the nation’s busiest airports. Bernae Boykin Hitesman was driving her son and daughter, ages 9 and 11, home from school when the storm, known as a haboob, arrived late in the afternoon in Arizona City, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix. She had to quickly pull over as the storm engulfed her car. “I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face if I put my hand outside,” she said. Boykin Hitesman said she could taste the dust and feel the strong wind rattling her car until it finally passed about 15 minutes later. “I was nervous,” she said. “My kids were really, really scared, so I was trying to be brave for them.”
