Rubio targets ICC
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court, calling it a threat to U.S. sovereignty.
Where this was said
Federal Deficit Tops $1.3 Trillion; Tariff Refunds Hit $80 Billion
At 3:35 · chapter starts 2:10
NPR's Scott Horsley delivers a sobering fiscal update: the federal government is more than $1.3 trillion in the red with three months still left in the fiscal year [1] — Scott Horsley "Nine months into the fiscal year, the U.S. is more than $1.3 trillion in the red — and the interest bill alone has already surpassed $1 tri…" 02:07 . Tax collections are up, but spending is growing faster — a gap that shows no sign of closing. The starkest figure is the interest bill: paying the interest on accumulated federal debt has already cost more than $1 trillion this fiscal year alone, a sum that dwarfs nearly every line in the federal budget except Social Security [1] — Scott Horsley "Nine months into the fiscal year, the U.S. is more than $1.3 trillion in the red — and the interest bill alone has already surpassed $1 tri…" 02:07 . Adding to the fiscal pressure, the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the president's most sweeping import tariffs has created a massive refund liability. The Treasury Department has already paid out more than $80 billion to businesses and individuals who were charged tariffs the court later ruled illegal [2] — Scott Horsley "The Supreme Court struck down the president's sweeping import taxes, and now the government is footing an $80 billion refund bill. While th…" 02:37 . The administration is pushing to impose new tariffs to replace the lost revenue, but the financial damage from the old ones is still being reckoned with.
Federal deficit over $1.3 trillion
Nine months into the fiscal year, the federal government is more than $1.3 trillion in the red.
Interest on debt over $1 trillion
Just paying interest on accumulated federal debt has cost more than $1 trillion in the last nine months — more than nearly any other single government program except Social Security.
Supreme Court Kills Tariffs — But the Bill Is $80 Billion
The Supreme Court struck down the president's sweeping import taxes, and now the government is footing an $80 billion refund bill. While the administration scrambles to impose new tariffs, the fiscal fallout from the old ones is still being tallied.
Iran Fires Back: Missiles Over Bahrain, Tankers Attacked
After a third consecutive night of U.S. military strikes on Iran, Tehran is hitting back hard. Bahrain's missile alert system went off for a third time, and Iran targeted two UAE-linked tankers, killing one person and wounding eight others. The region is on edge.
$80B in illegal tariff refunds
The Treasury Department has paid more than $80 billion in refunds for tariffs that were collected illegally after the Supreme Court struck them down.
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France built 56 nuclear plants in the 1970s
France built 56 nuclear plants in the 1970s and now has the cheapest energy in Europe, making it independent of Russian or Middle Eastern energy geopolitics.
Estonia has one tax form
Estonia has a single tax form, a law preventing the government from asking citizens for the same information twice, and a flat rate of tax — enabling competitive taxation.
Lisbon legalised drugs and slashed crime
Portugal's Lisbon, once a city with a major heroin problem, legalised drugs and redirected enforcement spending into rehabilitation and housing, dramatically reducing crime.
Boland Amendment vote: 411-0
The first Boland Amendment banning CIA and Defense Department funds for the Contras passed the House unanimously — yet the Reagan administration ignored it.
Saudi Arabia donated $32M to Contras
Over just two years, Saudi Arabia alone donated $32 million to the Contra rebels, giving loosely affiliated factions millions they had no way to spend on arms.
National Endowment: 52% program rate
The National Endowment for the Preservation of Liberty raised $6.3 million for the Contras but only $3.3 million reached them — a shockingly low 52% program expense rate.
Secord & Hakim marked up arms 300%
Richard Secord and Albert Hakim marked up their arms shipments to the Contras by as much as 300%, making enormous personal profits from the covert operation.
Oliver North had zero covert experience
Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, tapped to run the entire covert Contra support operation, had no prior experience in covert operations whatsoever — he was learning as he went.
