
Here is a concise summary of the news article: Russia's elite are living in fear as President Putin carries out purges, reminiscent of Stalin's in the 1930s, with apparent suicides, long prison sentences, and mysterious plane crashes. The war in Ukraine has disrupted the balance of power, and the Kremlin is raiding oligarchs' wealth to support the war effort. Former Russian officials and analysts say that no one appears safe, and the rules have changed, with even well-connected individuals being targeted. The purges are seen as a way for Putin to maintain power and wealth, with the Kremlin nationalizing $28.7 billion worth of companies since the start of the war.
Read full article
July 22, 2025 • By Matt Robison
Here is a concise summary of the news article: The US is on the brink of a new round of partisan gerrymandering, a practice where legislative and congressional districts are drawn to maximize a party's power. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is under pressure from President Donald Trump to restart gerrymandering, while California Governor Gavin Newsom has threatened to retaliate. This practice has been a "poison" in American politics, leading to extreme power tilts and the "MAGA-fication" of the Republican Party. The article argues that gerrymandering has driven the radicalization of the Republican Party and has led to a situation where a minority of Americans can drive a radical agenda. The author suggests that a ceasefire between the two parties, similar to the "voting pair" system used in the 1940s and 1950s, could be a way to stop the cycle of gerrymandering and find common ground.

July 22, 2025 • By Ian Millhiser
Here is a concise summary of the news article: The US Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to approve Emil Bove, a former criminal defense lawyer for President Donald Trump, to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Bove is known for his hard-charging and unapologetically MAGA approach, and his nomination has been met with bipartisan opposition. Critics argue that Bove's views on key issues such as abortion and religion are unknown, and that his nomination marks a return to cronyism in Supreme Court nominations. Some prominent right-wing judicial activists have also expressed opposition to Bove's nomination, citing concerns about his character and integrity. If confirmed, Bove could potentially become a Supreme Court justice, which would be a significant risk for Republicans, as he may not hold to the Republican line on domestic policy issues.

July 22, 2025 • By Aaron David Miller and Lauren Morganbesser
Here is a concise summary of the news article: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning his reelection bid, likely for early 2026. His chances of success depend significantly on US President Donald Trump, who has significant leverage over Netanyahu's political future. Trump's relationship with Netanyahu is complicated and transactional, with Trump seeking to gain from his support for Netanyahu. Despite their rocky past, Trump has recently made pro-Israeli moves, such as delivering bombs to Israel and canceling sanctions on settlers. However, Trump's view of Netanyahu is situational, and he may use his leverage to influence Netanyahu's actions on issues like Gaza, Iran, and Syria. Netanyahu needs Trump's support to maximize his successes and minimize his vulnerabilities, but he must also balance his right-wing coalition's demands. The article suggests that Trump will likely continue to support Netanyahu, but may also use his leverage to extract concessions or achieve his own goals, such as a Nobel Peace Prize or Israeli-Saudi normalization. Ultimately, the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu is one of mutual need, with both leaders seeking to gain from their partnership.

July 22, 2025 • By Aaron David Miller and Lauren Morganbesser
Here is a concise summary of the news article: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning his reelection bid, likely for early 2026. His chances of success depend significantly on US President Donald Trump's support. Trump has been a key factor in Netanyahu's political future, and their relationship is complex and transactional. Trump has taken actions that have benefited Netanyahu, but he has also made moves that have sidelined the Israeli leader. As Netanyahu plots his next move, he needs Trump's support to maximize his successes and minimize his vulnerabilities. Trump, in turn, may use his leverage to influence Netanyahu's actions on issues like Gaza, Iran, and normalization with Saudi Arabia. The article suggests that Trump's focus is on achieving his own goals, including ending wars and making peace, and that he may prioritize his own interests over Netanyahu's needs. Ultimately, the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu is one of mutual need, but Trump holds more cards and may dump Netanyahu if he sees a better opportunity with another Israeli leader.

July 22, 2025 • By Kathryn Watson
President Trump has announced that the US will withdraw from UNESCO, the UN's scientific, educational, and cultural arm, citing its support for "woke, divisive cultural and social causes." This decision comes two years after President Biden rejoined the organization, following Trump's initial withdrawal during his first term. The Trump administration has been critical of UNESCO, citing anti-Israel bias and has also withdrawn from other international organizations, including the World Health Organization.

July 22, 2025 • By RT
Sara Duterte, the Vice President of the Philippines and daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for "meddling" in the country's politics. She demanded that the ICC drop all charges against her father, who was arrested in March 2025 and extradited to The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his anti-drug campaign. Sara Duterte claimed the ICC is interfering in the Philippines' governance and has a "neo-colonial bias" that serves Western interests. She also dismissed key witnesses in her father's case and accused the current administration of colluding with the ICC. Rodrigo Duterte has denied the accusations, calling his arrest unlawful. Sara Duterte faces impeachment charges herself, which she denies, and claims are an attempt to block her from running in the 2028 presidential race.

July 22, 2025 • By Mark Joyella, Senior Contributor, Mark Joyella, Senior Contributor https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/
Here is a concise summary of the news article: Fox News has become the highest-rated network this summer, surpassing ABC, NBC, and CBS in prime-time ratings. According to Nielsen ratings, Fox News averaged 2.949 million viewers on a recent Thursday, beating ABC's 2.915 million viewers, CBS's 2.121 million viewers, and NBC's 1.787 million viewers. Fox News President Jay Wallace attributes the network's success to its ability to provide a wide range of content, including news, opinion, and entertainment. The network's shows, such as "The Five," "Hannity," and "Gutfeld!," have consistently outpaced broadcast hits, and its late-night show "Gutfeld!" has beaten all broadcast late-night hosts in ratings. Wallace believes that Fox News has become a destination for viewers, who tune in for its analysis and coverage of major events. The network's success is seen as a testament to the vision of its leaders, including Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, and the hard work of its journalists and producers.

July 22, 2025 • By Byron King
The article, written by Byron King, discusses his trip to Alaska to visit exploration and development sites for gold and other minerals. King notes that the price of gold has risen above $3,400 per ounce, making the search for gold more important. He explains that modern exploration is about using cutting-edge science, including ground mapping, remote sensing, and geophysics, to locate ore bodies with significant resources. King also mentions his previous visit to the Ambler Mining District in northwest Alaska, where he saw an impressive exploration-development project run by Trilogy Metals. However, the project was delayed due to the Biden administration rescinding a permit, which was later reinstated. King concludes that Trilogy is a long-term, buy-and-hold development play, and he will be visiting other projects in Alaska, which he will write about in future articles.

July 22, 2025 • By Allison Quinn
The Trump administration is seeking to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex-trafficking, to determine if she has information about others who committed crimes against victims. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will lead the meeting. Maxwell's attorney stated that she will testify truthfully and is grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth. The meeting comes as Maxwell has filed a petition to vacate her conviction, with her lawyer suggesting that Trump may not be aware of his government's opposition to her appeal. The Justice Department has claimed that no evidence was found to charge third parties with crimes related to Epstein's sex trafficking.

July 22, 2025 • By Jennifer Orsi
The Poynter Institute is honoring four outstanding journalists with awards for their innovative contributions to the profession. The recipients include Cleo Abram, host of "Huge if True"; Jessica Yellin, creator of "News Not Noise"; Mike Allen, co-founder of Axios; and Dean Baquet, former executive editor of The New York Times. The awards will be presented at events in New York City and Washington, D.C., featuring discussions about the future of journalism and its importance to democracy. The honorees are being recognized for their significant contributions to the industry and their ability to connect with audiences across various media platforms.

July 22, 2025 • By The Phong Justin Ngo | School of Architecture and Planning
Seven faculty members at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) have been honored with promotions, effective July 1. The promotions include three in the Department of Architecture, three in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and one in the Program in Media Arts and Sciences. The promoted faculty members are: * Marcelo Coelho, promoted to associate professor of the practice in the Department of Architecture * Holly Samuelson, promoted to associate professor without tenure in the Department of Architecture * Rafi Segal, promoted to full professor in the Department of Architecture * Carlo Ratti, reappointed as professor of the practice in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning * Albert Saiz, promoted to full professor in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning * Delia Wendel, promoted to associate professor without tenure in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning * Deblina Sarkar, promoted to associate professor without tenure in the Program in Media Arts and Sciences These faculty members have made significant contributions to their fields, including architecture, urban planning, and media arts and sciences. They have been recognized with numerous awards and honors for their work, and have published extensively in their fields. According to SA+P Dean Hashim Sarkis, they "represent our school at its best, in its breadth of inquiry and mission to improve the relationship between human beings and their environments."

July 22, 2025 • By Editor
A recent meeting of the CPN-UML party in Nepal sparked debate on age limits for political leaders. Central Committee member Surendra Manandhar argued that focusing on age is a technicality and a waste of time, citing examples of world leaders like Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Narendra Modi who remain effective despite their age. Manandhar also discussed the potential return of former President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to politics, which he found unacceptable, and emphasized the need for the party to uphold the constitution and demonstrate political responsibility. Additionally, he expressed concern about the gap between political leaders and the Nepalese people, attributing it to a lack of transparency and accountability. The discussion highlights the complexities of Nepali politics and the importance of addressing issues like age limits, public trust, and government accountability.

July 22, 2025 • By Editor
The article discusses how the British banking system, particularly the Bank of London, has secretly controlled the United States since the American Revolutionary War. Despite the US winning its independence, British banks infiltrated the American financial system, and by 1913, the private Federal Reserve System was established, effectively putting the US under British control. Historian Carroll Quigley's books, "Tragedy and Hope" and "The Anglo-American Establishment," reveal the existence of a secret society, The Milner Group, which has dominated US politics and finance. The article also explores how the British provoked the American Civil War, funding both sides to reap profits, and how they created the illusion that the war was fought over slavery. It highlights how London-based bankers and secret societies have controlled US presidents, with those who resisted being assassinated or subjected to attempted assassinations. The author also touches on how Marxism was used as propaganda by British industrialists to instigate the Russian Revolution and how the US has been manipulated into conflicts, including World War I and II, to maintain British dominance. The article concludes by stating that the "Deep State" is not a mysterious entity, but rather a small British secret society controlling US institutions, and that the American public is largely unaware of this due to the control of mass media and education. The article mentions Alex Krainer's book, "Grand Deception," which describes how the Russian-American friendship was erased from history, and how the US has been manipulated into conflicts to maintain British dominance. It also highlights how Evangelical Christians have been misled into supporting Israeli wars and how the World Health Organization is controlled by London banking partners. Overall, the article presents a conspiracy theory that the British banking system, particularly the Bank of London, has secretly controlled the United States and manipulated its politics, finance, and conflicts to maintain its dominance.

July 22, 2025 • By Ben Recht
The article "Digging in the Crates" by Ben Recht is a guided tour of the argmin archives. The author mentions that with Google's decreased web indexing, they have to index their archives themselves, which they are not good at. They provide a link to their archives (archives.argmin.net) and highlight some of their past posts, including a survey of reinforcement learning for control applications and a series on the history of academic computer science. The author also discusses their recent posts on forecasting, academic navel-gazing, and the state of academic machine learning, and mentions that they will be taking a break from posting for a couple of weeks.

July 22, 2025 • By Yves Smith
The US is facing backlash from its allies, particularly in Asia, due to its abusive and entitled behavior. The US has harmed Europe by draining its resources to support Ukraine and has threatened the EU with sanctions. Similarly, in Asia, the US has made demands on Japan and Australia, including a request to pre-commit to assisting the US in a potential war with China. Japan and Australia are hesitant to comply, citing concerns about retaliation from China and the potential for the US to abandon them in a conflict. The US's actions have led to a decline in its relationships with its allies, with many questioning the benefits of maintaining a close relationship with the US. The article suggests that the US's behavior is self-destructive and that its allies are beginning to realize that they are not junior partners, but rather colonies to be exploited. The US's decline in soft power, industrial base, and military strength has led to a decrease in its ability to offer benefits to its allies, making it less attractive to maintain a close relationship.

July 22, 2025 • By youtube.com
Former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that the Federal Reserve chair must make fact-based judgments and stay out of politics. She emphasized the importance of the chair having the capacity and willingness to do so.

July 22, 2025 • By Jonathan Glazzard, Rosalind Hollis Professor of Education for Social Justice, University of Hull
The UK government is set to announce its educational strategy for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and there are concerns that Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) may be scrapped. EHCPs provide individualized support for children with special needs, but demand is soaring, and local authorities are struggling to meet the financial costs. Critics argue that EHCPs prioritize individual support over developing inclusive cultures in schools. The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, wants to build a system where more children with special needs can attend mainstream schools, but removing EHCPs could leave children who need specialist support without adequate resources. The government needs to find a solution that provides sufficient support for children with special needs, including funding, trained teachers, and inclusive school cultures, to ensure they can thrive.

July 22, 2025 • By Alice Martin, Head of Research, Work Foundation, Lancaster University
A recent study by Lancaster University and the MS Society found that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) face significant challenges in the workplace due to the condition's fluctuating nature. The study, which surveyed over 1,100 people with MS, revealed that 96% of respondents reported that their condition had affected their ability to work. Many respondents had to compromise their health to stay in a job, with 24% feeling unable to work at all. The study highlights the need for flexible and supportive work environments, including remote and hybrid work options, to enable people with MS and other long-term health conditions to stay in work. The UK government's plans to cut health-related benefits and move more people into work may exacerbate the problem, and the study suggests that a more nuanced approach is needed to support people with fluctuating conditions. This includes improving job design, providing effective occupational health systems, and creating a benefits system that supports movement in and out of work without financial penalties.