Geopolitics
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has warned that the U.S. risks losing its AI edge to China, a concern underscored by President Trump’s reported declaration of a national emergency on his first day in office. Burgum, prioritizing the AI race alongside preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, emphasizes the critical role of fossil fuels in powering AI data centers, likening AI to “the oil of the future” and stating that the nation controlling AI will shape global dominance for the next fifty years. Industry leaders note that AI data centers’ electricity demand, with one center requiring ten times Denver’s power, could soon outstrip supply, necessitating increased energy production. However, critics, including Democrats, argue that this push for AI supremacy, despite cuts to clean energy initiatives, risks exacerbating environmental issues if not balanced with sustainable practices.
Journalist Alex Newman has suggested that the situation with white farmers in South Africa could be part of a broader agenda to destabilize the Christian West. Newman points to the involvement of entities like the Council on Foreign Relations and the US State Department, alongside support from communist governments. He also criticizes the UN’s new global pandemic treaty for clauses that could enable digital tracking and exemptions for pharmaceutical companies, potentially codifying aspects of the Covid-19 response into international law. However, the South African government has stated that the land reform is aimed at addressing historical injustices rather than promoting genocide.
US Politics
In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Amy Klobuchar endorsed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, recently signed into law, and the pending NO FAKES Act to combat AI-generated deepfakes. These measures aim to protect individuals from non-consensual imagery and unauthorized digital replicas. Critics have expressed concerns that these laws could potentially suppress satire, parody, and other forms of protected speech due to their vague language and fast removal timelines. However, supporters argue that the exemptions for parody and satire in the NO FAKES Act are intended to mitigate these concerns, though some legal experts question their sufficiency in practice.
Economy
The American Dream is reportedly becoming out of reach for many, with Charles Hugh Smith highlighting how systemic fraud, swindles, and corruption skew the distribution of gains, losses, and risks in favor of the wealthy. This imbalance is evident in corporate practices like those of Johnson & Johnson, UnitedHealth, and in cases of mortgage fraud. The current economic stability is described by some as entropy masquerading as equilibrium, with the top 0.01% reportedly owning wealth equivalent to the bottom 50%. Public sentiment reflects frustration with this economic disparity, with many expressing personal experiences of hardship linked to the concentration of wealth among the top 0.1%.
Health
The FDA has announced a timeline to integrate AI across all its centers by June 30, 2025, following a pilot of AI-assisted scientific reviews. This initiative aims to reduce the time scientists spend on repetitive tasks, thereby accelerating the review process for new therapies. The agency-wide rollout is being coordinated by Jeremy Walsh, the FDA’s Chief AI Officer, and Sridhar Mantha, focusing on enhancing usability, document integration, and tailoring outputs to meet specific center needs while ensuring compliance with FDA policy. While AI has shown promise in streamlining processes, concerns have been raised about potential biases in AI algorithms and the need for transparency in AI decision-making.
Technology
Cryptocurrency holders are reportedly becoming prime targets for kidnappers and thieves due to the perceived ease of accessing digital assets. High-profile incidents include the attack on Twitch streamer Kaitlyn Siragusa (Amouranth) and the kidnapping of Dean Skurka, CEO of WonderFi. The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies makes these crimes particularly challenging for law enforcement, with experts recommending the use of “cold wallets” to mitigate risks.
Meanwhile, Chinese hackers have exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Cityworks software to attack US local governments, highlighting the growing cyber threats in the digital age. Recent arrests, such as those of three teenagers in Las Vegas for stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency and NFTs, indicate law enforcement’s efforts to combat these crimes.
Sources
The Unsustainable American Dream: Fraud, Swindles, and Corruption at the Core
The interests of the citizenry–supposedly respresented by elected officials–have been trampled underfoot by a thundering herd of fraud, swindles and corruption, the means by which the sociopaths control the distribution of gains, losses, costs and risks.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
Alex Newman Warns: South African Genocide Blueprint for Global Control
What’s happening down there to them is a microcosm, and that’s what they have planned for you, your country, your family and what’s left of the Christian West.
Source | Submitted by pinecarr
Cryptocurrency Wealth: A New Target for Kidnappers and Thieves
“Amouranth, for example, who was hit in Texas, she almost assuredly got hit because she posted a screenshot of her wallet that had $20 million worth of Bitcoin in it,” he said.
Source | Submitted by BonnieB2A
Chinese Hackers Exploit Cityworks Zero-Day in Attacks on US Local Governments
“Cityworks Zero-Day Exploited by Chinese Hackers in US Local Government Attacks”
Source | Submitted by BonnieB2A
FDA Accelerates AI Integration Agency-Wide Following Successful Pilot
“I was blown away by the success of our first AI-assisted scientific review pilot.”
Source | Submitted by Barbara
Doug Burgum: AI Race Winner Will ‘Control The World’
“Whoever controls the manufacture of intelligence is going to control the world.”
Source | Submitted by nickythec
Senators Push NO FAKES and TAKE IT DOWN Acts to Curb Deepfakes, Raising Free Speech Concerns
“Both proposals, under the banner of combatting AI misuse, would significantly expand government and corporate power to unilaterally censor digital content, posing serious risks to free expression.”
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: RealClearPolitics, Reuters, TechCrunch, The Epoch Times, The Volokh Conspiracy.
by aaronmckeon 
