Posts by Jordi

Reuters reported on April 14 that even if President Donald Trump’s SAVE America Act dies in Congress, much of its practical logic is already spreading through the states. According to a Reuters analysis, 23 mostly Republican-led states have recently changed voting procedures in ways that mirror key parts of the bill, including proof-of-citizenship requirements for new registrants, tighter rules on what kinds of photo ID voters can use, and broader screening of voter rolls through a federal system designed for benefit eligibility checks.

Reuters reported on April 13 that Representative Eric Swalwell said he will resign from Congress after sexual misconduct allegations triggered pressure from both Democrats and Republicans for him to leave or face expulsion. Swalwell said removing a member without due process was wrong, but argued it was also wrong for his district to have a distracted representative. Reuters said four women had accused Swalwell of misconduct, including one former staffer who told CNN she was sexually assaulted.

Reuters reported on April 13 that the Trump administration fired more immigration judges, including two Massachusetts judges who had blocked deportation attempts against Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk and Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi. Reuters said the National Association of Immigration Judges claims six judges were fired last weekend and three more on Good Friday, bringing the total number dismissed since January of last year to 113. The union said the firings happened without due process, cause, or explanation.

Reuters reported on April 13 that Ramsey County officials are investigating whether federal agents committed kidnapping, burglary, and false imprisonment when they broke into a St. Paul home, detained ChongLy ‘Scott’ Thao at gunpoint, and then discovered they had seized the wrong man. Reuters said Thao, a U.S. citizen, alleges officers had no warrant and forced him outside in underpants and sandals before driving him around and questioning him for about an hour.

Reuters reported on April 13 that the United States will begin blockading vessels leaving Iranian ports after talks with Tehran failed to produce a settlement, and Iran answered by threatening retaliation against Gulf ports if its own ports are targeted. The move follows a fragile ceasefire that halted six weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes but left the Strait of Hormuz effectively constrained. Reuters said two Iranian-linked tankers slipped out before the blockade took effect and that oil prices jumped back above $100 as markets priced in a longer disruption.

Reuters reported on April 13 that the Trump administration’s new Medicaid work requirement is moving toward implementation with major pieces still unresolved. States and insurers are waiting for detailed federal guidance on exemptions, volunteer work rules, documentation, and reporting systems, even though the law is scheduled to take effect on January 1. Reuters said industry experts doubt the $200 million set aside for implementation will cover what states actually need, especially because Medicaid administration costs are shared between states and the federal government.

Reuters reported on April 13 that the real stress in the oil market is no longer best captured by the headline Brent price. While Brent futures rose above $100 a barrel as the U.S. prepared to blockade ships to and from Iran via the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters said physical North Sea Forties crude for immediate delivery climbed to $148.87 a barrel, breaking its old 2008 high. In other words, buyers trying to secure actual barrels right now are paying far more than the benchmark price shown on television.

Reuters reported on April 12 that U.S. Central Command will begin enforcing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern time after Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the action would apply to vessels of all n

Reuters reported on April 12 that IMF and World Bank officials are preparing to downgrade growth forecasts and raise inflation projections because the Middle East war has become a third major shock to the global economy after COVID and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to Reuters, the World Bank now sees gro