7 h. ago Why Trump’s undermining of US statistics is so dangerous | Daniel Malinsky

From the firing of the labor statistics chief to plans for a new census, the president’s moves serve to entrench authoritarianismIn 1937, Joseph Stalin commissioned a sweeping census of the Soviet Union. The data reflected some uncomfortable facts – in particular, the dampening of population growth in areas devastated by the 1933 famine – and so Stalin’s government suppressed the release of the survey results. Several high-level government statistical workers responsible for the census were subsequently imprisoned and apparently executed. Though the Soviet authorities would proudly trumpet national statistics that glorified the USSR’s achievements, any numbers that did not fit the preferred narrative were buried.A few weeks ago, following the release of “disappointing” jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Donald Trump fired the commissioner of labor statistics, Dr Erika McEntarfer, and claimed the numbers were “rigged”. He also announced his intention to commission a...

Politics

6 d. ago Court tosses Trump lawsuit against Maryland judges over US deportations

Trump-nominated federal judge said Maryland judges were ‘absolutely immune’ from suits over their judicial actionsUS politics live – latest updatesA federal judge on Tuesday dismissed an unprecedented lawsuit filed by the Trump administration earlier in the summer against all 15 judges serving on Maryland’s federal district court – a case that opposed pausing some deportations from the state.In a 37-page ruling, US district judge Thomas Cullen of Virginia’s western district – who was nominated and confirmed to his position during Donald Trump’s first presidency – wrote that “any fair reading of the legal authorities cited by defendants leads to the ineluctable conclusion that this court has no alternative but to dismiss”. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Why Trump built a staff of incompetent sycophants | Robert Reich

Leaders who value loyalty above all else have a symbiotic relationship with those unable to succeed on their own meritsLast week, Trump officials reportedly left behind documents describing confidential planning for the Trump-Putin meeting in a public area of an Alaskan hotel.That’s nothing compared with the actions of Emil Bove, Trump’s new nominee for the US court of appeals for the third circuit, who reputedly told subordinates at the Department of Justice that they should “consider telling the courts ‘fuck you’” and ignoring any court order blocking a planned deportation flight.Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.all the hundreds of ‘respectable’ guys who made careers out of boasting about their uncompromising integrity but have absolutely no loyalty . What I liked most about Roy Cohn was that he wo...

Politics

9 d. ago Heatwave that fuelled deadly wildfires was Spain’s ‘most intense on record’

Country’s weather agency says 10-day period from 8-17 August was hottest since at least 1950, as fires still rageA 16-day heatwave Spain suffered this month was “the most intense on record”, the country’s state meteorological agency (AEMET) has said.Provisional readings for the 3-18 August heatwave exceeded the last record, set in July 2022, and showed an average temperature 4.6C higher than for previous such phenomena, the agency said on X. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Trump nominated US Attorney mysteriously resigns after just a month on the job

Todd Gilbert posted a meme from the movie ‘Anchorman’ but did not explain the sudden departure

Politics

2 w. ago Account tied to Trump nominee posted conspiracy theories about Epstein, the 2020 election and Covid, report says

Erwin Antoni, the president’s pick to take over the Bureau of Labor Statistics, serves as the chief economist for The Heritage Foundation and contributed to Project 2025

Politics

2 w. ago Firefighters forced to cut open child’s playground slide to release middle

The man was found ‘feet and head first’ inside the slide, according to the local fire department

Events

2 w. ago Girl, 9, shot in head outside restaurant as man found guilty

The child was hit in the head by one of six bullets fired outside Evin in Hackney

Politics

2 w. ago Trump reacts to Hillary Clinton's surprising suggestion she would nominate president for Nobel Peace Prize

The Former Secretary of State made the statement in a podcast appearance ahead of Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Politics

2 w. ago Hillary Clinton says she’d nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he helps broker a deal to end Ukraine war

Clinton, a longtime rival of Trump’s, said she would personally nominate the president for the elusive price if he brokered a peace deal that did not ‘capitulate’ to Putin

Politics

2 w. ago Hillary Clinton says she'll nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize if Russia

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has suggested that if Donald Trump brokers a successful Ukraine-Russia peace deal that he should win the Nobel Prize.

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s nominee for Bureau of Labor Statistics was Jan 6 ‘bystander’ outside Capitol, says White House

E.J. Antoni, tapped by President Trump to serve as the nation’s top economic data official, appears in Capitol Police surveillance footage from January 6, 2021

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s pick to head Bureau of Labor Statistics walks back his earlier plan to scrap monthly jobs reports

EJ Antoni first made the suggestion before Trump tapped him to lead the BLS

Politics

3 w. ago Israel intensifies bombing of Gaza, killing 89 Palestinians in 24 hours

At least 15 people queueing for food among the deaths, and five people reported to have died from starvationIsrael has stepped up bombing Gaza, killing at least 89 Palestinians in 24 hours, including at least 15 people queueing for food, despite global outcry over the deaths of six journalists in the territory the previous day.Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City had intensified in the three days after Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved plans to expand the war in the territory. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Core inflation jumps as consumers face higher prices as Trump’s tariffs start to take effect

The report is the first major economic indicator report since Trump fired the the chief statistician for the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Economics

3 w. ago Trump nominates Bureau of Statistics critic to lead agency after previous head fired over bleak report

The previous commissioner of the labor agency was fired after the president raged at a poor showing in the recent jobs report

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump to nominate Stephen Miran to Federal Reserve board

White House economist set to fill seat vacated by Adriana Kugler on temporary basis

Politics

3 w. ago Trump’s attack on stats agency echoes strongmen leaders, economists say

President’s decision to fire head of Bureau of Labor Statistics puts data at risk, survey shows

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by prime minister of Cambodia

Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet made the announcement on Facebook

Politics

3 w. ago US labour data agency was teetering even before Trump fired its chief

Funding and staff cuts have hampered the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ ability to collate vital reports

Politics