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Musk calls for impeachment of judge who blocked DOGE access at Treasury – The Hill
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Elon Musk is calling for the impeachment of the federal judge who made a decision early Saturday morning that the Treasury Department should block access to anyone “other than civil servants with a need for access to perform their job duties” from its payment systems.

The order explicitly prohibits special government employees and those detailed from outside the department from getting access to the systems, a designation that would cover Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

That appeared to anger Musk, who expressed his irritation in a few Saturday posts on the social platform X, which he owns.

“A corrupt judge protecting corruption,” Musk wrote in one post at 2:11 a.m. “He needs to be impeached NOW.”

That post was written in reply to a post by the conservative media pundit Glenn Beck.

Musk, the leader of DOGE, in an earlier post at 1:40 a.m. wrote “it’s time” in response to another post about impeaching judges who have ruled against actions by the Trump administration.

Elon Musk alleges $50b treasury fraud after federal judge limits DOGE data access – The Times of India
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Elon Musk ignited a firestorm on social media after a federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking the department of government efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive treasury department data. Musk responded with a barrage of posts on X (formerly Twitter), alleging widespread fraud in government entitlement payments.
The order, issued on Saturday by US district judge Paul Engelmayer, supports a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general. They argue that granting DOGE “full access” to the Treasury’s payment systems violates federal laws safeguarding sensitive data, including social security, medicare, veterans benefits, and tax refund information. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for February 20. Until then, DOGE will have limited access to treasury data.

Courts Test Boundaries As Trump Admin Sparks Showdown Over Executive Authority– americanactionnews.com
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“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” Vance wrote on X. “If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal.”

“Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” he continued.

China challenges Trump tariffs at World Trade Organization – Yahoo News UK
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China filed a World Trade Organization complaint against U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% tariff on Chinese imports.

In the Wednesday filing, China argues that the tariff, as well as Trump’s cancellation of a duty-free exemption for low-value packages are “protectionist” and break WTO rules.

It says the duties are discriminatory, and quote “are imposed on the basis of unfounded and false allegations concerning China.”

Beijing’s complaint also comes after Trump’s move to shut a trade loophole that allowed small-value packages to be shipped duty-free.

The so-called “de minimis” provision, used widely by e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu, exempted packages with goods worth less than $800 from duties.

President Trump signs executive order banning males from female sports – Standing for Freedom Center– www.standingforfreedom.com
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday, recognized as National Girls and Women in Sports Day, prohibiting males claiming to be female from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

The order called the practice of schools and athletic associations allowing males to compete against females, “demeaning, unfair, and dangerous” and that it “denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports”.

The document notes that Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 requires educational institutions that receive federal funding to provide equal opportunity for females. As such, it stated, “it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

The order requires the Secretary of Education to take action to protect “all-female athletic opportunities and all-female locker rooms.”

Prime Minister Trudeau will host a Canada-U.S. summit amid threat of Trump tariffs – Pique Newsmagazine
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A Republican senator from Iowa is pleading for an exemption for potash if U.S. President Donald Trump triggers a trade war by imposing steep tariffs on Canadian imports.

Chuck Grassley’s agriculture state could be hammered if Trump ultimately moves forward on his plan to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian imports, with a lower 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy.

The 91-year-old Republican blamed inflation under the Biden administration for a 20 per cent increase in farmers’ input costs. A steep levy on Canadian potash — a key component of fertilizer — could be devastating for those farm operations.

“Given these already-high input costs, President Trump should work to protect family farmers by ensuring Canadian potash and other fertilizer products aren’t subject to the threatened 25 (per cent) tariffs,” Grassley said in a statement emailed to The Canadian Press.

More than 80 per cent of the United States’ potash comes from Canada, said the American Farm Bureau Federation. The world’s next largest producers are Russia and Belarus.

Gavin Newsom to Victims of California Fires: ‘You Can’t Rebuild the Same, Have to Rebuild With Climate Reality in Mind’ (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com
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Last month, comedian Adam Carolla went viral in a video where he talked about how horrible the rebuild process would be for the victims of the California fires because of progressive policies in the state. Carolla said:

So here’s what’s going to happen. All these people who are deep blue Democrats are now going to have to pull a permit to rebuild, and they’re going to get the 28 year old bitch from the Coastal Commission telling them to go fuck off and then they’re going to vote for Trump or whoever’s Trumpian next.

When they start getting the regulation, they’re going to go nuts. And when they start running into the bureaucracy and the red tape, they’re going to start going nuts and they’re going to vote for Rick Caruso next time.

Federal judge: Trump ignoring rule of law for ‘political or personal gain’ – The Washington Post
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A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday blasted President Donald Trump’s commitment to the rule of law, saying he is trampling the Constitution to pursue “political or personal gain.”

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour offered his commentary while becoming the second federal judge in two days to issue a nationwide injunction that blocks the Trump administration from moving forward on an executive order aimed at curbing birthright citizenship.

Coughenour had eviscerated the executive order as “blatantly unconstitutional” during a hearing two weeks ago in the lawsuit brought by a coalition of four Democratic-led states. In Thursday’s court session, Coughenour, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, criticized Trump in direct and unsparing terms moments after Justice Department lawyers had finished arguing that the order was constitutional.

Justice Dept. says no immediate plans to release names of Jan. 6 FBI agents – The Washington Post
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FBI agents suing the Justice Department to keep their names private amid a review of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack prosecutions raised concerns Thursday that Elon Musk or others outside the department may have access to the information and could make it public, putting law enforcement officers at risk.

Lawyers for the agents pressed that case as they urged U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb to bar the government from any disclosure of the agents’ identities.

Trump’s Government Purge Hits Major Roadblock As Judge Puts Brakes on ‘Fork in the Road’ Buyout – RedState– redstate.com
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Employees of the federal government who have been waffling about whether or not to take the “Fork in the Road” buyout offer from the Trump administration have been given the gift of some breathing room, courtesy of U.S. District Judge George O’Toole, a Clinton appointee.

With the midnight Thursday decision deadline looming for millions of federal workers, O’Toole hit the brakes and scheduled a hearing for Monday during which he’ll consider blocking the buyout offer altogether.

“I enjoined the defendants from taking any action to implement the so-called ‘Fork Directive’ pending the completion of briefing and oral argument on the issues. I believe that’s as far as I want to go today,” said O’Toole, who described the brief hearing as a “table setting session” just to schedule arguments for Monday afternoon. He did not say anything about the merits of the dispute over the buyout.

As RedState’s Susie Moore previously reported, the Trump administration—who’ve been very transparent about their intention to reduce the size and scope of the federal government—sent a letter to nearly all of the federal workforce, which comes in at about two million strong, offering them the opportunity to dip out of government service effective 11:59 p.m. Thursday while continuing to be paid through September 30, 2025.

There’s good news for federal employees who were unhappy to learn they were expected to return to working in the office under the new Trump administration: They have another option — a buyout.

The White House will issue a memo Tuesday offering to pay federal workers who don’t want to return to the office through Sept. 30, as long as they resign by Feb. 6, an administration official tells Axios.

Donald Trump signs order withdrawing US from several UN organizations including UNHRC– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to withdraw US from several UN organisations, including the Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while initiating a comprehensive assessment of US financial contributions to the multinational organisation.
The White House also withdrew from the primary UN relief organisation for Palestinians (UNRWA), alongside a planned evaluation of involvement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
White House staff secretary Will Scharf explained these actions were taken in response to perceived “anti-American bias” within these UN agencies.

BREAKING: Trump ends ‘every single media contract’ at the GSA | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
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Trump told the General Services Administration to terminate “every single media contract.”

On Thursday, President Donald Trump ordered the termination of all media contracts within the General Services Administration (GSA). This comes after it was revealed that the federal government was paying millions to Politico for Politico Pro.

According to Axios, Trump told the General Services Administration to terminate “every single media contract.” In an email, the White House wrote two points, “Pull all contracts for Politico, BBC, E&E (Politico sub) and Bloomberg,” as well as, “Pull all media contracts for just GSA – cancel every single media contract today for GSA only.”

Germany rushes to be war ready as it warns: ‘We are no longer living in peacetime’ | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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While British Army numbers have been cut, Germany is going the other way with a large expansion of troops to defend the homeland in the event of a Russian invasion.

The so-called Heimatschutz will consist of six regiments, each containing around 6,000 to 8,000 personnel by 2026. Their training is robust, ranging from shooting and survival skills to a raft of scenarios involving conflict and natural disasters.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a pledge by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to transform Germany’s Bundeswehr, or armed forces, which had been reduced by 40% after the Cold War.

According to German Chief of Defence General Carsten Breuer, Germany has “five to eight years” to prepare for a situation where “an attack against Nato territory might be possible”.

According to current figures, Germany has just over 179,000 troops in uniform. This gives Germany the sixth-largest armed forces in NATO, after the US, Turkey, Poland, France and the UK. But Germany is the EU’s most populous nation, boasting a population of 84.5 million. German chiefs know they can do better and plan to expand this to 203,000 by 2031.

Google removes AI weapons ban from updated principles – Gamereactor UK
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Google has made a significant change to its artificial intelligence ethics, removing a longstanding pledge that the company would not use AI for weapons or surveillance purposes. This update, made to Google’s AI principles, eliminates clauses that had previously prevented the tech giant from developing technologies that could cause harm or violate internationally accepted human rights.

Instead, the updated principles are said to focus on responsible AI development, emphasising human oversight and alignment with international law. While Google claims the revisions reflect the rapid evolution of AI technology since the principles were established in 2018, the move has sparked concern among experts and former employees.

The shift comes at a time when artificial intelligence is advancing quickly and raising important questions about the balance between innovation and ethical responsibility. Some argue that the removal of these safeguards opens the door to potentially harmful AI applications, while others believe the new framework is simply an attempt to align with global industry standards. With this change, will other companies follow suit, and what impact could it have on the future of AI?

State Farm seeks 22% emergency rate hike after receiving 8,700 wildfire claims – OCRegister
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State Farm General requested a 22% emergency rate hike in California on Monday, Feb. 3 to cover losses from the Los Angeles County wildfires and stop its “financial deterioration,” the company wrote in a letter filed with the state’s insurance commission.

The property insurer, the state’s largest and a subsidiary State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., said it has received more than 8,700 claims from the Jan. 7 fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. The company said it has paid more than $1 billion to customers.

The company is seeing signs of rapid deterioration of its capital structure, according to the letter sent to Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara by Dan Krause, State Farm’s president and chief executive officer.

Krause wants Lara to take “emergency action” to help protect California’s fragile insurance market by immediately approving interim rate increases on its filings, with rates to become effective May 1. Besides the average 22% rate increase in homeowners’ insurance policies, State Farm requested a 15% hike for renters, 15% for condo owners and 38% for rental dwellings.

“We know we will ultimately pay out more, as those fires will collectively be the costliest in the history of the company,” wrote Krause. The rate increases are needed to help avert a dire situation for more than 2.8 million poli

U.S. Department of the Treasury Announces Plans to Borrow $1.665 TRILLION Over Next 6 Months– conservativeroof.com
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The U.S. Treasury plans to borrow $1.665 trillion over the next six months, the department announced on Feb. 3 in its first estimate under Secretary Scott Bessent.

According to the Treasury Refunding Estimate, the Treasury projects borrowing $815 billion from January to March. This is $9 billion lower than the October forecast, driven by a higher beginning-of-quarter cash balance.

In the April to June period, the Treasury anticipates borrowing $123 billion.

The Treasury confirmed that it borrowed $620 billion during the October to December quarter, $74 billion higher than initially estimated. Additionally, it finished the three-month span with a cash balance of $722 billion.

Police arrest six people as Tommy Robinson supporters enter counter-demo area at London protest – MSN
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Six people have been arrested after thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters marched in central London on Saturday, with some caught entering a counter-demo area, said the Met Police.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed in response to the protest, organised under the name “Stop the Isolation” or “Unite the Kingdom” in support of Robinson, as well as a separate counter-demonstration.

Chants of “We want our country back” and “We want Tommy out” were sung as the demonstration set off from outside Waterloo station before marching towards Westminster and assembling at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

The counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism also marched to Whitehall to stand “together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we won’t let the far right divide us”.

Fetterman says he’ll oppose Gabbard, RFK Jr.– www.politico.com
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Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has been willing to buck his party to confirm some of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, is ruling out voting for two of the president’s most controversial nominees: Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Fetterman said in a post on X Thursday night that he won’t vote to confirm Gabbard as director of national intelligence or Kennedy as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Both are now expected to be confirmed after their nominations had been seen to be in jeopardy.

“I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings,” Fetterman wrote. “After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy, and will be voting NO on their confirmations.”

South African president warns ‘we will not be bullied’ amid feud with Trump, Musk– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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South Africa “will not be bullied” by President Donald Trump, the leader of the nation declared in a national speech.

President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the United States government’s newfound hostility to South Africa’s domestic policies on Thursday during his State of the Union address — stating that his government and people will not buckle under pressure from the White House.

“We are witnessing the rise of nationalism, protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests, and the decline of common cause,” Ramaphosa said. “This is the world that we as South Africa, a developing economy, must now navigate, but we are not daunted. We are, as South Africans, a resilient people, and we will not be bullied.”

“We will speak with one voice in defense of our national interest, our sovereignty, and our constitutional democracy,” Ramaphosa continued. “By staying true to our values, by harnessing our unique strengths and endowments, and by forging a common purpose, we can turn these trying circumstances to our advantage and propel our country forward.”

It’s the latest rhetorical swing in a developing feud between the U.S. and South Africa — kicked off when Trump announced over the weekend that he would be cutting all future foreign aid to the country due to its new Expropriation Act, which will allow the confiscation of private property without reimbursement.

Trump White House Reveals Its New Tax Plan for Americans– townhall.com
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We knew this was coming, too. One way to revamp the American economy is to create a better tax and job-creating environment. The first Trump presidency did that, which led to bonuses for workers, billions in repatriated cash from overseas, and small business and consumer confidence reaching historic highs. Unemployment across the board reached all-time lows, and then the COVID pandemic happened, thanks to shoddy Chinese lab workers not following or having proper containment protocols in Wuhan.

Now, flush with victory after the 2024 election, the Trump White House is making it a priority to extend their initial tax cuts, which have since expired. It should be made permanent when this budget reconciliation duel begins, and it will be a tough slog. Like completing the border wall and enforcing federal immigration laws, making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent should be a top domestic agenda item.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added that there will be a concerted push for no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security for seniors, no tax on overtime pay, tweaking the caps on SALT, nixing the breaks for billionaire sports team owners, and ending the carried interest loophole.

 

Polls Show Americans Overwhelmingly Support Voter ID Laws– thefederalist.com
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On Jan. 1, California’s new anti-election integrity law went into effect, prohibiting local governments in the Golden State from requiring voters to show identification to cast ballots in elections. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the restrictive legislation into law a little more than a month before November’s historic presidential election.

It’s certainly not the first time the far-left governor with higher political aspirations has been on the wrong side of American sentiment.

A new Rasmussen Reports poll finds that more than three-quarters of likely U.S. voters (77%) say requiring a photo ID to vote is a reasonable way to protect the integrity of elections. Just 17 percent think such measures are unreasonable. The latest numbers are up from 74 percent support in 2021, according to the pollster.

The survey of 1,229 respondents, conducted Jan.26-28, also found 60 percent believe voter ID laws do not “discriminate against some voters,” with 30 percent saying they do.

AfD remain on course for record result in YouGov’s second MRP model of the 2025 German election – YouGov
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Germany’s parliamentary election is now just two-and-a-half weeks away, and YouGov’s second MRP of the campaign shows the Alternative for Germany (AfD) remain on course for the best result in post-war Germany for a party to the right of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU).

Our model’s central estimate projects the AfD will finish in second place, with 142 of the 630 seats in the Bundestag, as well as winning 20% of the vote. This would be roughly double the 10% they won in 2021 and matches the 20% estimated by our first MRP three weeks ago.

Nonetheless, the conservative CDU/CSU retain a clear lead on 29% of the vote (-1 compared to the first MRP) and are projected to win 207 seats.

There’s been no improvement from our first projection for the two centre-left governing parties, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, with YouGov’s second MRP model placing them on 15% and 13% of the vote respectively.

‘China Wants to Get Rid of the US’: Beijing Spending Hundreds of Billions to Undermine America– www.cbn.com
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil and NAIROBI, Kenya – China is aggressively expanding its global influence, specifically through control of key shipping ports.

It’s part of Beijing’s ongoing agenda to use economic, military, and infrastructure projects as leverage to overtake the United States as the world’s leading superpower. CBN News traveled to Brazil and Kenya for a closer look at China’s growing influence around the world.

What is clear from experts though is that China wants to dominate the high seas, and so far, it’s succeeding. Seven of the world’s largest shipping ports are in China, with the Port of Shanghai topping the list

It’s the ports outside of the country’s borders, though, that retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery tells CBN News concerns Washington and its allies the most.

“China’s primary goal is access,” said Montgomery. “Access for resource extraction, access to displace the United States position, access for future operations, but that access acts as the long-term goal of China displacing the United States as the economic partner of choice globally.”

Winning: Trump To Lay Off 1,000 Useless Environmental Protection Agency Employees– lidblog.com
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…And the winning keeps going as Donald Trump is now laying off one thousand useless employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

I am not tired of winning yet, are you?

The Trump administration to more than 1,000 EPA laggards that they can expect layoffs at any moment.

Per Just the News:

The email was the latest effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to downsize the federal government. Dozens of Justice Department attorneys and FBI agents were already fired last month, and most federal employees were offered a buyout option if they resign by Feb. 6.

EPA employees are among those who can opt out of working for the government by resigning by next week. Those who take the deal will be allowed to retain benefits and be paid through September.

The email was sent to roughly 1,100 EPA employees who fell under the “probationary/trial” window, according to NBC News. But Marie Owens Powell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, said the government would need cause to fire the employees.

“As a probationary/ trial period employee, the agency has the right to immediately terminate you,” the email said. “The process for probationary removal is that you receive a notice of termination, and your employment is ended immediately.”

 

Bankruptcy Judge Blocks Settlement Between Sandy Hook Families Who Sued Alex Jones | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com
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Alex Jones

A bankruptcy judge blocked Sandy Hook families from a settlement with Alex Jones on Wednesday.

The New York Post reported:

A US bankruptcy judge on Wednesday blocked a settlement between families who have sued Alex Jones over his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, saying their attempt to divide the bankrupt conspiracy theorist’s assets exceeded his court’s authority.

The decision complicates a proposed sale of Jones’ Infowars platform, and could spur divisions between families who sued Jones and won nearly $1.3 billion in Connecticut court cases and those who won $50 million in Texas courts.

The two groups of families had proposed a settlement that would guarantee the Texas families a 25% share of Jones’ future payments made to the Sandy Hook families, with the Connecticut families taking 75%.

US Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez rejected the settlement at a hearing in Houston, saying the families were asking him to also divide up the assets of Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, despite the fact that the company had been dismissed from bankruptcy last year.

“I can’t do that,” Lopez said. “That case is closed.”

NASA has increased the likelihood of Asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting the earth from one-in-83 to one-in-77. The asteroid is of significant concern because it’s nearly 200-foot-wide diameter means if it hits near a city, it will level it completely, For this reason, this is an asteroid that fits into the category of “city-killer.” If it hits, it will be on December 22, 2032.

NASA: Chances of ‘city-killer’ asteroid hitting Earth have increased – MSN
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The odds of a ‘city-killer’ asteroid smashing into the Earth on December 22, 2032 appear to have ticked up slightly. NASA previously estimated that Asteroid 2024 YR4, a nearly 200-foot-wide space rock, has a one-in-83 chance (1.2 percent) of striking our planet. But now, the agency’s ‘Sentry’ Earth Impact Monitoring system reports a one-in-77 chance (1.3 percent) of a direct hit.

Mexico has avoided a U.S. tariff by sending 10,000 Mexican troops to the U.S. border to help prevent the flow of fentanyl going into Mexico. The Mexican troops were sent to Mexican border states Baja California, Sonora, and Tamaulipas.

Mexico deploys 10,000 troops to US border- Washington Examiner– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Mexico has begun to deploy 10,000 military troops to its border with the United States as part of the country’s effort to deter illegal immigration and drug smuggling northbound.

Mexico has launched Operative Frontera Norte, Spanish for Operation Northern Border, as part of an effort to bolster security along its northern cities and towns.

The move comes following weekend negotiations with the Trump administration. President Donald Trump demanded Mexico crack down on the movement of fentanyl over the border or face 25% tariffs on goods sent to the U.S. from Mexico.

Mexican army soldiers and National Guard troops were deployed to Mexican border states Baja California, Sonora, and Tamaulipas on Tuesday, according to Mexican military officials who spoke with Reuters.

Within those regions, troops will be sent to Tijuana, across from San Diego, California; Mexicali, across from Calexico; Nogales, across from southeastern Arizona; Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, Texas; and Reynosa and Matamoros, which are across the border from the Rio Grande Valley of southeastern Texas.

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After Panama effectively ended China’s authority over the canal built by the American republic, the Panama Canal, they followed up with another concession to the Trump administration.  The Panama government announced U.S. warships can now use the canal freely, as it was intended to be according to the contract that saw the U.S. hand over the canal to Panama under the Carter regime.

Panama eliminates charge for US government ships sailing through canal: State Department – Le Monde
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The Panama Canal Authority on Wednesday, February 5, denied it will allow US government vessels to transit the interoceanic waterway for free, as the US State Department announced earlier. “The Panama Canal Authority, which is empowered to set tolls and other fees for transiting the canal, reports that it has not made any adjustments to them,” the agency said in a statement.

The United States earlier claimed that its government vessels would be allowed to sail for free through the Panama Canal, following heavy pressure from President Donald Trump. “US government vessels can now transit the Panama Canal without charge fees, saving the US government millions of dollars a year,” the State Department said in a post on social media platform X.

It was the first public announcement of promises hinted at by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said that Panama offered concessions during his talks on Sunday. Rubio said he had told Panama that it was unfair for the United States to be in a position to defend the vital waterway and also to be charged for its use.

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Despite a judge’s order to extend the deadline at least until next week, President Trump’s “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation has already seen 40,000 government employees take the offer. U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. extended the deadline to allow unions a chance to sue.

White House says 40,000 federal workers accepted deferred resignation– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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On Thursday, U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. ruled against President Donald Trump’s “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation offer deadline, extending it from Thursday to at least Monday to allow labor unions to challenge its legality. Before he could extend the deadline, however, tens of thousands of employees had accepted the offer.

According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 40,000 federal workers accepted the deal — eight months of pay and benefits until September. The total represents about 2% of the federal workforce.

The White House’s reported goal was between 5% and 10% of the federal workforce.

Certain specifics of the plan haven’t been disclosed, such as whether workers who accept the offer can go into the private sector while still receiving paychecks from the federal government or how pensions and other benefits are affected. Labor unions cast doubt that Trump would stay true to the agreement.

The offer was emailed to all federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management on Jan. 28. The memo, titled “Fork in the Road,” demanded that employees begin to adhere to a much stricter code or resign.

The memo said that the “reformed federal workforce” would be built around four pillars: return to the office, performance culture, a more streamlined and flexible workforce, and enhanced standards of conduct.