Trump Tariffs Will Fail But Expose America's Manufacturing Crisis
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Trump Tariffs Will Fail But Expose America’s Manufacturing Crisis

At a 2011 White House dinner, when President Obama asked Steve Jobs what it would take to manufacture iPhones in America, Jobs bluntly responded: "Those jobs aren't coming back." He understood that manufacturing ecosystems, with their complex supply chains, skills, and relationships, cannot be easily relocated. Nevertheless, President Trump has attempted precisely this with his "Liberation Day" announcement of sweeping tariffs aimed at balancing trade deficits. This move triggered economic turbulence and market declines, prompting him to delay higher tariffs for 90 daysโ€”except for China. While markets partially recovered, uncertainty persists and may have already inflicted lasting damage through higher capital costs. Much analysis has criticized the tariff formula and its underlying economic reasoning. The policy doesn't measure what Trump believes it does, and the notion that America should produce everything domestically defies economic logic. Just as individuals purchase goods […]

UN Shipping Agency Approves Global Carbon Tax Despite US Walkout
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UN Shipping Agency Approves Global Carbon Tax Despite US Walkout

Countries at the United Nations shipping agency have reached an agreement on a global fuel emissions standard for the maritime sector that will penalize ships exceeding emission limits while rewarding cleaner vessels. The agreement was achieved despite the United States withdrawing from the climate talks at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, with the US urging other nations to follow suit and threatening "reciprocal measures" against any fees imposed on American ships. Other nations nonetheless approved the CO2-reduction measures to help meet the IMO's target of cutting net emissions from international shipping by 20 percent by 2030 and eliminating them entirely by 2050. On Friday, a majority of IMO member countries voted to implement a scheme that, starting in 2028, will charge ships $380 per metric tonne for every additional tonne of CO2-equivalent emitted above a fixed threshold, plus […]

Irish Watchdog Launches Investigation Into Musk's Grok AI Training Practices
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Irish Watchdog Launches Investigation Into Musk’s Grok AI Training Practices

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has opened an investigation into how Elon Musk's X platform processes user data to train its Grok AI model. The inquiry will examine whether X complied with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) when processing personal data from publicly-accessible posts made by European Union users. Specifically, the investigation will assess the lawfulness and transparency of how this data was used to train Grok's Large Language Models (LLMs). Grok refers to a suite of AI models developed by xAI that powers a generative AI chatbot available on the X platform. "Like other modern LLMs, the Grok LLMs have been developed and trained on a wide variety of data," the DPC explained in its statement. The Irish regulator clarified that the investigation will focus specifically on "personal data in publicly accessible posts posted on the 'X' social […]

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ECJ Advisor: Ireland Must Accommodate All Asylum Seekers Despite Housing Crisis

An advisor to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a legal opinion stating that Ireland cannot use housing shortages as a justification for failing to accommodate single male asylum seekers. The opinion, published Thursday by the Luxembourg-based court, indicates that Ireland "cannot use force majeure to justify failure to provide basic needs for international protection applicants." It further states that even during "a large influx of people" applying for asylum, "member states cannot invoke force majeure to avoid responsibility for providing adequate reception conditions or compensating for harm caused." This development challenges a key argument used by the Irish government in an ongoing legal dispute. The Department of Children is currently appealing a High Court ruling from August that found the state in breach of fundamental rights by failing to provide accommodation to single male asylum seekers. The […]

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Woman Freed in US-Russia Prisoner Exchange After Jailing Over Small Ukraine Donation

A Russian-American citizen has been released in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington after spending more than a year in a Russian prison. Ksenia Karelina, an amateur ballerina and Los Angeles resident, was arrested in early 2024 while visiting family in Yekaterinburg. Russia's FSB security service accused her of fundraising for a Ukrainian organization that allegedly provided arms to the Ukrainian military. She pleaded guilty last August and received a 12-year prison sentence. According to Russian human rights activists, Karelina had made a single $51 (ยฃ39) donation to a Ukrainian charity on February 22, 2022โ€”the first day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The charity in question has denied raising money for weapons or ammunition, stating that its focus is humanitarian aid and disaster relief. The FSB reportedly discovered the transaction on Karelina's phone. In exchange for her release, […]

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Irish Government Unveils Welfare Package

In response to ongoing cost-of-living challenges, the Irish government has introduced a comprehensive social welfare package as part of Budget 2025. These measures aim to support vulnerable groups financially through various lump-sum payments and benefit increases. The government's welfare package includes several significant provisions: The Carer's Support Grant has increased by โ‚ฌ150 to โ‚ฌ2,000 annually. This non-taxable grant supports those providing full-time care for at least six months. Applications open in April, with payments beginning June 5. A โ‚ฌ300 lump sum fuel allowance payment will help eligible households manage winter heating costs. Those receiving the Living Alone Increase will get a โ‚ฌ200 lump sum payment to assist with independent household management. Families will benefit from double Child Benefit payments in November and December, plus an additional โ‚ฌ100 cost-of-living payment per qualifying child. Individuals on Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, or Invalidity […]

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Irish Payroll Manager Avoids Court Punishment After Spying for Rival and Destroying Evidence

A Dublin payroll manager who admitted to spying on his employer for a competitor has escaped court sanctions despite deliberately destroying evidence he was ordered to preserve by the High Court. Keith O'Brien faced potential jail time for contempt after admitting he destroyed a phone with an axe and disposed of it in a drain at his mother-in-law's house, directly violating court orders. Rippling, a US-headquartered multibillion-dollar HR software provider, initiated High Court proceedings against their former employee last month, alleging he passed trade secrets to rival company Deel while working at Rippling's Temple Bar office. In Thursday's hearing, Mr. Justice Mark Sanfey determined there was "no purpose served" by punishing O'Brien, despite acknowledging his actions were "blatantly" in contravention of court orders and had "done damage" to the litigation. The judge noted that after receiving legal advice, O'Brien began […]

Loose Penguin In Cardboard Box Causes Helicopter Crash
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Loose Penguin In Cardboard Box Causes Helicopter Crash

An unsecured penguin placed in a cardboard box has been identified as the cause of a helicopter crash in South Africa, according to an official investigation report. The South African Civil Aviation Authority determined that the penguin, which was being transported in a box on a passenger's lap, slid off and struck the pilot's controls shortly after takeoff from Bird Island off the Eastern Cape on January 19. The impact sent the helicopter crashing to the ground, though fortunately no one aboard, including the penguin, was injured. Investigators concluded that "the lack of secure containment for the penguin" created the "dangerous situation" that led to the accident. The report, released this week, explained that the flight had been conducting an aerial survey of the island in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape province. After completing the survey and landing, a specialist requested transport […]

Michelle Obama Reveals Truth Behind Marriage Rumors As Critics Question Solo Choices
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Michelle Obama Reveals Truth Behind Marriage Rumors As Critics Question Solo Choices

Michelle Obama has addressed speculation about her marriage to Barack Obama amid rumors of relationship troubles. The former first lady's absence from several high-profile events, including Donald Trump's inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter's funeral, has fueled conjecture about a potential separation. Without directly referencing these specific occasions, Ms. Obama explained on the Work in Progress podcast hosted by actress Sophia Bush that she now exercises her right to manage her own schedule as a "grown woman." She expressed frustration that people couldn't accept she was "making a decision" independently, saying they "had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing." Ms. Obama acknowledged feeling some guilt about stepping back from certain responsibilities. "That's the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with like disappointing people," she said. "I mean, so much so that this year people […]

US Blocks All South Sudan Visas After Deportation Fight Erupts Between Nations
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US Blocks All South Sudan Visas After Deportation Fight Erupts Between Nations

South Sudan has reversed its position in a diplomatic standoff with the United States, announcing it will allow entry to a deported man following the US decision to revoke visas for all South Sudanese citizens. The dispute began when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Saturday that the US would revoke all South Sudanese visas, citing the country's refusal to accept the return of its citizens being removed from the US. South Sudan initially claimed the case involved someone incorrectly identified as South Sudanese who was subsequently sent back to the US. However, the government now says it will permit the man to enter the country "in the spirit of the friendly relations," despite maintaining he is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Officials stated he could arrive in Juba as early as Wednesday. "As a result of this […]

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