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Trump popularity sinks as Americans quickly sour on economy: poll
What are you on about. Both sides trotted out their own style of billionaire. Different shhhh same pile. -
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Remember the olden days in Thailand?
Buses to the border? Nah, back in the day I'd just drop my passport off at a certain g/h and pick it up three days later, lost count how many times I've been to Burma Lol -
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Why is AI so goddam awful?
i pay for chatgpt and overall enjoy it a lot even if it makes a lot of mistakes. This weekend i asked it to create a picture of a teacher whose head is exploding under pressure. I didn't like the mustaches it kept putting in. I kept telling it to edit the pics and get rid of the mustaches. every time it generated a new photo it kept putting on a mustache telling me it had gotten rid of it. there was no way i could get it to fic it the right way... still a few clinks to iron out.. but good fun and no limitations with the paid subscription. I can afford the 28$ US a month so no biggy.. -
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Zelensky Pushes Back Against Trump’s “Disinformation” on Ukraine War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of spreading disinformation, responding to false claims made by Trump about Ukraine’s role in the war with Russia. Zelensky’s remarks mark one of the most public clashes between Kyiv and Washington since Russia launched its full-scale invasion nearly three years ago. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv, Zelensky rejected Trump’s assertions while emphasizing that any resolution to the war must involve Ukraine directly. “Unfortunately, President Trump—I have great respect for him as a leader of a nation that we have great respect for, the American people who always support us—unfortunately lives in this disinformation space,” Zelensky said. His comments followed high-level discussions between U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. Kyiv was not included in the talks, which aimed at negotiating an end to the war and reestablishing diplomatic channels. Zelensky criticized the meeting, arguing that U.S. engagement with Moscow “helped Putin out of his long isolation,” as Russia has been largely ostracized on the global stage since the war began. Trump reacted to Ukraine’s exclusion from the negotiations by making a series of inaccurate claims. “Today I heard, ‘Oh well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you been there for three years. You should’ve ended it after three years. You should’ve never started it. You could’ve made a deal,” he said late Tuesday. The claim that Ukraine initiated the war has been a persistent falsehood promoted by the Kremlin. The conflict began in 2014 when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. In February 2022, Moscow escalated its aggression by launching a full-scale invasion, sending troops across the border, bombing Ukrainian cities, and attempting to capture Kyiv. Trump further questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, repeating another narrative frequently used by Moscow. “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law,” he said at his Mar-a-Lago resort, while falsely claiming that Zelensky’s approval rating was “at 4%.” Zelensky dismissed these statements as Russian propaganda, saying Ukraine had evidence that such claims were discussed between the U.S. and Russia. He pointed to a recent survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), which showed that while his popularity has declined since the war’s early days, his approval rating has never fallen below 50% and currently stands at 57%. Zelensky says the cost of the war in Ukraine so far is $320bn, saying Kyiv and US have different numbers on this. About $120bn has come from Ukraine taxpayers, and $200bn from the US and EU, he adds. The US supplied $67bn in weapons as well as budget support, he says. Trump has previously said the US wants the equivalent of $500bn worth of rare earth minerals from Ukraine in exchange for its continued support. “It’s not $500bn – that’s not a serious conversation," Zelensky says. He says that the US alleges 90% of support for Ukraine comes from them, but "the truth is somewhere else". "We are grateful for their support," he adds. Zelensky also clarified that elections were not held last year due to martial law, which was implemented after Russia’s invasion. The law prohibits elections from taking place in wartime. Despite Trump’s comments, Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine remains steadfast in its fight and that any decisions about the war’s resolution must involve Kyiv. Based on a report by CNN | BBC 2025-02-20 -
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Labour Struggles to Get Britain Back to Work Amid Rising Employment Concerns
The government must take swift and decisive action to ensure the troubling employment trends highlighted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) do not become a long-term problem. When Labour unveiled its *Get Britain Working* White Paper before Christmas, Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized, “Getting Britain back to work is at the heart of my mission to grow the economy.” His assessment is correct—economic growth cannot be achieved without a strong and active workforce, which is why the latest employment figures are cause for concern. According to the ONS, the number of payrolled employees increased by only 49,000 in January compared to the previous year, following a decline of 32,000 the month before. For a government that aims to increase the employment rate to 80 percent by bringing two million more people into the workforce, these numbers suggest that progress is falling dangerously behind. At this pace, it would take more than 40 years to reach the target. Labour’s ambition to *Get Britain Working* is commendable, as economic inactivity has been a persistent issue since the pandemic. Under the Conservatives, the number of people leaving the workforce grew significantly, and real-term spending on incapacity and disability benefits is now nearly 40 percent higher than in 2013. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has acknowledged the scale of this challenge and has pledged to reform the benefits system to encourage employment. She has made her position clear, stating, “There are people who shouldn’t be on benefits who are taking the mickey.” Even former Labour Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair recently admitted that the country “really cannot afford to be spending the amount of money we’re spending” on an ever-expanding welfare bill. However, businesses remain the key drivers of job creation, and current policies appear to be discouraging rather than incentivizing employment. The ONS data reveals that Labour’s increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and the looming Employment Rights Bill are having a predictable effect—businesses are cutting jobs instead of hiring. This should come as no surprise. The government is well aware of how taxation influences behavior. In her Budget last October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves increased the soft drinks levy to curb sugar consumption, raised alcohol duties to discourage drinking, and hiked tobacco taxes to incentivize quitting smoking. These measures rest on the widely accepted principle that higher taxation reduces demand. The same logic applies to employment—if hiring becomes more expensive due to increased Employer NICs, businesses will inevitably reduce job opportunities. The concerns surrounding the Employment Rights Bill further compound the issue. The Federation of Small Businesses has reported that 92 percent of small business owners are worried about the Bill, with 67 percent stating they plan to hire fewer employees as a result. Some MPs have even proposed amendments that would push for a four-day working week with no reduction in pay, a move that would significantly increase costs for businesses and further stifle job creation. Revitalizing the UK’s workforce should be a national priority. The Jobs Foundation has been engaging with businesses across the country, and many leaders have expressed their strong commitment to providing employment opportunities for those in need. However, they require government support to make this possible. Starmer and Reeves have made a show of their engagement with business leaders, but this dialogue must translate into policies that create a favorable environment for job growth. The government should back Liz Kendall’s proposed welfare reforms to ensure that work is incentivized rather than discouraged. It must also approach the Employment Rights Bill pragmatically, acknowledging the legitimate concerns of businesses and recognizing that most employers act in good faith. Additionally, the upcoming Spring Statement presents an opportunity for bold measures to stimulate economic growth and restore confidence in the job market. By adopting these strategies, the government can rebuild business confidence and ensure that the worrying employment trends reported by the ONS remain only a temporary setback in the journey toward *Getting Britain Working*. Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2025-02-20 -
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Department of Government Efficiency Claims $55 Billion in Federal Savings
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has announced that its cost-cutting measures have resulted in an estimated $55 billion in savings for the federal government. According to a post on its website, these savings come from a combination of renegotiated contracts, programmatic changes, asset sales, and workforce reductions. A significant portion of these savings comes from dismantling or cutting contracts from various federal agencies. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) led the list, with $6.5 billion in reported savings. USAID, which provides international aid and food assistance, was among the first targets of DOGE under Musk’s leadership, with his team quickly moving to scale back the agency’s operations. Following USAID, the Department of Education saw cuts totaling nearly $502 million, while the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) also experienced reductions. Other agencies affected included the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. When ranking cuts as a percentage of their overall budgets, USAID was again at the top, followed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Executive Office of the President. Additional agencies in this category included the GSA, Department of Education, OPM, DHS, Department of Commerce, EPA, and USDA. To support its claims, DOGE published a “wall of receipts” detailing various cost-saving actions. These included canceling subscriptions to Bloomberg Government, Politico, and The Washington Post from the CFPB budget, which saved nearly $30 million. The agency also reported $144 million in savings from ending real estate leases, including closing State Department offices in Miami, Department of Justice offices in Cincinnati, and a GSA office in Illinois. Additionally, DOGE reported cutting $199 million from programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In total, the website listed 1,126 contracts responsible for $16.4 billion in savings and 97 real estate contracts responsible for $144.5 million in savings. However, no specific evidence was provided for the remaining $38 billion of the claimed $55 billion in cuts. DOGE stated that it plans to update its website twice a week with the latest data and aims to make all cost-cutting measures fully transparent and easily accessible. “We are working to upload all of this data in a digestible and fully transparent manner with clear assumptions, consistent with applicable rules and regulations,” the agency said. The push for federal cost-cutting measures has intensified under Musk’s leadership, with DOGE actively identifying areas of waste, fraud, and inefficiency across multiple government agencies. Similar efforts were made during the Trump administration, which offered buyouts to federal workers, leading to 75,000 employees voluntarily leaving their positions. Despite its claims of success, DOGE has faced increasing pressure to provide greater transparency regarding its actions, particularly as questions arise over the unaccounted $38 billion in cuts. As the agency continues its aggressive approach to reducing government spending, scrutiny over its methods and the long-term impact of these reductions is likely to grow. Based on a report by The Hill 2025-02-20
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