Il premio Sacharov 2026 per la Libertà di pensiero va alla Corte penale internazionale e ai suoi giudici. La Conferenza dei Presidenti, un organo del Parlamento europeo con a capo il presidente e di cui fanno parte i leader di tutti i gruppi politici, questa mattina a Strasburgo ha scelto il vincitore. L’organo con sede a L’Aia, nei Paesi Bassi, è stato colpito dalle sanzioni del presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump e per questo è stato proposto dal gruppo dei Socialisti come “simbolo della resistenza contro le guerre dell’amministrazione americana”. Dopo aver sanzionato singoli giudici e procuratori, l’amministrazione Trump ha deciso di colpire la Corte stessa, privandola delle risorse necessarie per operare. L’annuncio è arrivato il 9 ottobre, dopo l’assegnazione del Premio Nobel per la Pace 2026 alla giurista sudafricana Navi Pillay, che è stata giudice della Cpi e ha accusato formalmente Israele di aver commesso un genocidio a Gaza. Per il primo ministro israeliano Benjamin Netanyahu e per l’ex ministro della difesa Yoav Gallant, la Corte ha emesso i mandati d’arresto per crimini di guerra e crimini contro l’umanità.
“L’Unione europea si fonda sul rispetto del diritto internazionale. Con questo premio conferito alla Corte penale internazionale e ai suoi funzionari, il Parlamento europeo riconosce l’operato di coloro che rendono giustizia alle vittime, anche attraverso indagini, azioni penali e processi. Questi devono poter svolgere il proprio lavoro in modo indipendente. Continueremo a difendere questo principio”, ha dichiarato la presidente del Parlamento europeo Roberta Metsola nell’annunciare il vincitore. Gli altri due finalisti erano Tundu Lissu, avvocato, leader politico e difensore dei diritti umani perseguitato per motivi politici in Tanzania, e Taraneh e Romina Rahimi, a nome di tutte le persone perseguitate dal regime islamico iraniano.
La Corte penale internazionale indaga e giudica le persone accusate dei crimini più gravi per l’intera comunità internazionale: genocidio, crimini di guerra, crimini contro l’umanità e crimini di aggressione. La Corte svolge un ruolo fondamentale nella lotta globale all’impunità e attraverso la giustizia penale internazionale, chiama i responsabili a rispondere delle proprie azioni e si adopera per evitare che i crimini si ripetano. In qualità di organo giurisdizionale di ultima istanza, inoltre, integra l’operato dei tribunali nazionali. Disciplinata dallo Statuto di Roma, è la prima Corte penale internazionale permanente al mondo.
Il Premio Sacharov per la libertà di pensiero è stato assegnato per la prima volta nel 1988 a Nelson Mandela e ad Anatolij Marčenko ed è il massimo riconoscimento che l’Unione europea conferisce agli sforzi compiuti a favore dei diritti dell’uomo. È attribuito a singoli, gruppi e organizzazioni che abbiano contribuito in modo eccezionale a proteggere la libertà di pensiero. Ogni anno il Parlamento europeo consegna al vincitore del Premio Sacharov una somma di 50mila euro e i candidati possono essere nominati anche dai singoli deputati in Parlamento. “La giustizia deve fare il suo corso, piaccia o non piaccia ai potenti della terra: questo è il messaggio che arriva oggi dal Parlamento europeo con la decisione di assegnare il Premio Sacharov per la libertà di pensiero e per l’impegno a favore dei diritti umani proprio alla Corte penale internazionale. Finalmente arriva uno schiaffo a Trump”, così in una nota Gaetano Pedullà, europarlamentare del Movimento 5 Stelle.
The political career of John Kerry, 82, has left a vast legacy that the Donald Trump administration is poised to squander. Among other things, Kerry was the key negotiator of the nuclear deal with Iran and the Paris Agreement. The former secretary of state and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate remains fully engaged in the energy transition through the global investment platform Galvanize. Kerry recently visited Barcelona to give a talk at Impact/Week, a conference for entrepreneurs, investors, and global leaders organized by Norrsken Barcelona, one of Europe’s largest startup hubs.
El mundo MAGA extiende su influencia más allá de la política con una "estética post Barbie" y un nuevo código de vestuario para "restaurar el viejo orden". La estrategia "esconde una vuelta a los valores del autoritarismo y la supremacía viril", dice una experta Leer
El mundo MAGA extiende su influencia más allá de la política con una "estética post Barbie" y un nuevo código de vestuario para "restaurar el viejo orden". La estrategia "esconde una vuelta a los valores del autoritarismo y la supremacía viril", dice una experta
Após uma ruptura amarga com Donald Trump ter deixado muitos na Ucrânia temendo que o presidente dos EUA tivesse se alinhado novamente à Rússia, o presidente Volodymyr Zelensky abordou a disputa de frente: não há nada de pessoal entre mim e Trump, disse ele à CNN, mas se aproximar de Vladimir Putin só iria “torná-lo mais forte”.
Os laços entre os EUA e a Ucrânia se deterioraram gravemente nas últimas semanas.
Zelensky disse que Trump estava “do lado errado da história” após ele anunciar um acordo para comprar combustível russo, desfazendo os esforços internacionais para isolar a Rússia. Trump então suspendeu algumas sanções contra a Rússia, gerando críticas até mesmo de seu próprio partido. As forças da Ucrânia viram seu acesso ao serviço Starlink, administrado por Elon Musk, ser restringido.
Falando à CNN a partir de Kyiv na quinta-feira, Zelensky adotou um tom conciliatório, dizendo que as tensões “não eram sobre personalidades” — mas advertiu que Putin não tinha intenção de parar a guerra.
“Minha atitude em relação a Putin é muito clara. Acho que se levantarmos as sanções, vamos torná-lo mais forte. Não é algo pessoal entre mim e o presidente Trump, e é claro que sou contra qualquer levantamento de sanções.”
Zelensky falou à CNN em meio a uma renovada pressão diplomática dos enviados de Trump para encontrar uma resolução para o conflito de quatro anos e meio.
Na quarta-feira, o enviado especial dos EUA Steve Witkoff passou três horas conversando com o presidente russo Vladimir Putin em São Petersburgo, descrevendo-o de forma controversa como um “humanitário” por sua decisão de libertar o prisioneiro americano Stephen Hubbard, de 74 anos. Witkoff havia se reunido com Zelensky na Noruega um dia antes.
Trump insistiu na quarta-feira que apertar as sanções contra a Rússia teria significado que Hubbard permaneceria preso. “Você poderia se esquecer dele, nunca o veria de novo, ele voltaria para a prisão por 25 anos”, disse ele em resposta a uma pergunta da jornalista da CNN Kaitlin Collins.
Ele acrescentou que sanções mais rígidas colocariam em risco as chances de um acordo sobre a Ucrânia: “Quando você está perto de um acordo e tem negociações delicadas, você não impõe sanções.”
Putin “joga” com vidas
Zelensky disse que sua reunião na capital norueguesa Oslo foi produtiva, mas que não estava convencido do compromisso de Putin com a paz. Após a visita de Witkoff, Putin concordou com conversações em novembro, sem fornecer muitos detalhes concretos.
“Putin está jogando, sabe, ele é um jogador”, disse Zelensky.
“É uma pena porque ele joga com a vida de outras pessoas, e claro que ele não quer (parar a guerra). Então o que queremos de nossos parceiros (é) não dar a ele a possibilidade de ficar mais forte e nos destruir.”
Trump disse na quarta-feira que seu governo está “mais próximo do que nunca” de resolver a guerra na Ucrânia — apenas para a Rússia lançar centenas de drones e mísseis balísticos contra seu vizinho durante a noite.
Até agora, Putin também manteve suas exigências maximalistas em relação à Ucrânia — incluindo território. O secretário de Estado dos EUA, Marco Rubio, disse a repórteres na quarta-feira que “a disputa agora está realmente concentrada no que acontece com o restante do Donbas”, a região leste da Ucrânia que está majoritariamente sob controle russo. Ele disse que “surgiram algumas ideias criativas sobre como resolver essa diferença.”
Congelar as linhas de frente?
Em entrevista à CNN, Zelensky aludiu à possibilidade de congelar as atuais linhas de frente para “cessar-fogo, parar com as mortes, sentar e conversar.” No entanto, ele deixou claro que a ideia de a Ucrânia ceder seu território à Rússia é inaceitável.
“Nossa terra é muito importante porque é sobre pessoas. Não é sobre quilômetros”, disse ele. “Muitas pessoas morreram defendendo esta terra, defendendo nossa independência, nosso país.”
“Ninguém vai reconhecer esses territórios, que estão temporariamente ocupados, como territórios russos, e acho que a Rússia entende isso. É uma pena se alguém não entende, mas isso é problema deles”, acrescentou o presidente ucraniano.
Houve alguns sinais de distensão após Kiev acusar os EUA de limitar o compartilhamento de inteligência sobre mísseis russos em aproximação, de retardar os serviços vitais do Starlink e de atrasar o fornecimento de armas.
Zelensky disse no início desta semana que o compartilhamento de inteligência foi restabelecido, mas afirmou à CNN que o Starshield, o serviço militar da SpaceX, ainda não foi totalmente restaurado.
Mas a escassez crítica de mísseis interceptores da Ucrânia significa que, mesmo que suas forças militares recebam agora um alerta sobre um míssil balístico russo se aproximando, não há nada para abatê-lo.
Zelensky também disse à CNN na quinta-feira que, embora os aliados europeus da Ucrânia tenham fornecido alguns mísseis de defesa aérea ao país, “não é suficiente para nos defendermos”.
A Ucrânia, disse Zelensky, precisa agora principalmente de duas coisas de seus aliados: “Não levantar as sanções contra Putin… (e) nos dar mísseis melhores”.
Life-size display in capital draws crowds and selfies in Tajrish Square; Islamic Republic steps up anti-US messaging and presses war crimes accusations
FIRST ON FOX: A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama is being accused of "misconduct" in a case involving President Donald Trump.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is demanding an investigation into U.S. Judge Kathleen Williams of the Southern District of Florida after she sanctioned Trump's lawyers over his case against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Jordan wrote to the Judicial Conference of the United States that "there is evidence that Judge Williams abused her judicial authority and violated fundamental tenets of judicial impartiality in connection with an unusual and unsupported order that imposed sanctions after the plaintiffs voluntarily had dismissed the underlying action."
The letter is being co-led by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the panel's subcommittee on courts.
Trump, his adult sons Eric and Donald Jr., and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against the IRS in early 2026 seeking $10 billion in damages after a contractor with the agency leaked the president's tax returns to the press. The contractor, Charles Littlejohn, was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Trump, who filed the lawsuit in his personal capacity, had it voluntarily dismissed in May. Shortly after, however, the administration announced a settlement agreement that included $1.776 billion for an "anti-weaponization fund" for victims of "lawfare" by the Biden administration. Trump himself would receive no compensation, but would get a formal apology from the federal government and bar the IRS from ever auditing Trump or his family.
Williams, however, then accused the plaintiffs of purposely manipulating the courts to achieve the settlement and sanctioned two of the president's lawyers in a July order. Her order referred lawyer Alejandro Brito to the Florida bar for potential disciplinary action and prevented lawyer Daniel Epstein from practicing under her jurisdiction for at least a year.
Jordan's letter called the timing of Williams' order "suspect" for coming after the case was voluntarily withdrawn.
He also accused Williams of basing the action on an amicus brief submitted by left-wing judicial activist group Democracy Defenders Action. The brief, which the group said was submitted on behalf of 35 former federal judges, called on Williams to reopen the case despite the dismissal by the involved parties and accused both sides of "fraud" over the settlement.
"Judge Williams issued her July 13 order after the plaintiffs filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of the case, ending the dispute between the parties," Jordan and Issa wrote. "Although Judge Williams invoked the courtâs inherent authority to impose sanctions, the Committee is not aware of Eleventh Circuit precedent applying inherent sanctions authority after a plaintiff has voluntarily dismissed a case based on briefing by partisan nonparties on an unrelated question the court never decided."
They concluded, "Judge Williamsâs conduct risks undermining public confidence in the federal courts. Accordingly, we respectfully ask that the Judicial Conference review this matter, including whether it warrants referral to the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit or other appropriate action, and that you inform the Committee of steps taken no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 5, 2026."
Issa told Fox News Digital in his own statement, "The rogue federal judges who make up the Trump Resistance in Robes continue to disappoint but never surprise. Judge Williams hasn't only shown her liberal contempt for President Trump â but crossed a bright ethical line by going after his attorneys."
Trump allies, particularly in Congress, have clashed with federal judges on multiple fronts so far this term. Republicans have accused what they call "activist judges" of weaponizing their courts to block Trump's agenda.
Democrats, meanwhile, backed up Williams' skepticism of Trump's settlement. The anti-weaponization fund proposal, which has since been blocked by other courts, has received bipartisan pushback.
'A leader of this caliber emerges only once every century,' says a longtime Likud voter, as PM's base touts experience over rivals; 'God help us' if he doesn't win, another says
The European Parliament has awarded the 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials, recognising the Hague-based tribunal’s work in investigating and prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Announcing the decision in Strasbourg on Thursday, 22 October, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the award reflected the European Union’s commitment to multilateralism and international institutions.
Metsola praised the Court for its work in upholding international law and justice. The announcement was met with a standing ovation in the parliamentary chamber.
The decision comes amid an escalating confrontation between the European Union and the administration of US President Donald Trump over the ICC’s jurisdiction and independence.
The restrictions place the Court under the US Treasury’s sanctions regime, limiting financial transactions involving American individuals, businesses and institutions. Washington has issued several temporary and limited exemptions intended to allow specified operations to continue.
The measures followed earlier sanctions against senior ICC officials, including Court President Tomoko Akane, and form part of Washington’s campaign to prevent the tribunal from exercising jurisdiction over American personnel.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has argued that the ICC threatens American sovereignty by asserting authority over nationals of countries that have not accepted its founding treaty.
The Court rejected the latest restrictions, describing them as an attempt to obstruct the administration of international justice.
Established under the Rome Statute, the ICC operates independently of national governments and investigates serious international crimes where its jurisdictional requirements are satisfied.
Neither the United States nor Israel is a party to the Rome Statute.
Arrest warrants involving Russia and Israel
The dispute with Washington has intensified since the ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected with military operations in Gaza.
Israel rejects the Court’s jurisdiction and disputes the allegations. Washington has similarly opposed the proceedings against Israeli officials.
Further warrants followed in 2024 against senior Russian military commanders and officials in connection with attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.
The proceedings demonstrate the geographical scope of the Court’s investigations, although its ability to secure arrests depends heavily on cooperation from individual states.
The ICC has no independent police force and relies on national authorities to execute its warrants.
European Parliament backs international justice
The ICC’s nomination for the Sakharov Prize was submitted by the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament.
Its selection comes as European lawmakers examine how the EU should respond to American sanctions affecting the Court and organisations supporting its activities.
The October restrictions have raised practical questions about access to banking, technology services and other infrastructure required by the tribunal.
European governments must also consider how to support an institution established through an international treaty while maintaining relations with Washington.
The Sakharov Prize carries no legal authority to reverse American sanctions or compel governments to cooperate with ICC investigations. Nevertheless, the award represents an explicit institutional endorsement of the tribunal at a time when its operations face increasing external pressure.
Other nominees and award ceremony
The ICC was selected from three finalists announced earlier this month.
The other nominees were Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and Iranian sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, whose cases have attracted international attention over political persecution and judicial proceedings.
The Sakharov Prize, established by the European Parliament in 1988, is named after Soviet physicist, dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.
It recognises individuals and organisations defending human rights, freedom of expression and fundamental liberties. The award includes €50,000.
Previous recipients include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai and imprisoned journalists.
In 2025, the prize was awarded jointly to Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut and Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.
The formal presentation of the 2026 prize is scheduled for 16 December at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The award places the ICC alongside previous Sakharov laureates while drawing further attention to the unresolved dispute between Washington and European governments over international criminal jurisdiction.
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico challenged his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), to a debate hosted by TMZ, renewing his calls for the Republican to face him ahead of the November election. In an interview with TMZ, Talarico said Paxton has repeatedly ignored his invitations to debate him and suggested the entertainment…
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico challenged his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), to a debate hosted by TMZ, renewing his calls for the Republican to face him ahead of the November election. In an interview with TMZ, Talarico said Paxton has repeatedly ignored his invitations to debate him and suggested the entertainment…
Operations targeting facilities linked to the Iranian nuclear program are being evaluated.
On Wednesday, U.S. media outlets reported on the possibility of new U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran, amid persistent tensions between Washington, Tel Aviv, and Tehran.
Authorities from both countries are reportedly evaluating various scenarios related to “regional security” and the Iranian nuclear program, considered a major source of “concern” for its Western allies.
Among the options being considered are operations targeting facilities linked to the Iranian nuclear program, including infrastructure considered strategic by Western intelligence and defense services.
Speculation has intensified following the recent visit to Israel by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
An investigation published by The New York Times indicates that any far-reaching decision could come after the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for next November.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz: "I said Southern Lebanon would become Gaza. We applied the Rafah model. Destroy everything. 24 villages flattened. 15,000-20,000 homes destroyed. Infrastructure demolished."
Only Israel can brag about committing genocide in broad daylight -…
In addition to a potential military response, reports suggest the possibility of increased economic pressure on Iran through new sanctions and financial restrictions.
U.S. President Donald Trump has not publicly confirmed the adoption of new measures, although the matter continues to be debated in strategic circles in Washington and Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that his country’s occupatory forces are prepared to act “preventively” and “defensively” against any possible Iranian attack during the Israeli electoral process scheduled for October 27.
Katz asserted that the army is “ready to intervene” immediately in operational and intelligence matters, while Iranian authorities have reiterated that they will respond proportionally to any aggression.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | During a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Baku, Azerbaijan, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Israel to halt and reverse the establishment of settlements in the West Bank, which is occupied Palestinian territory. pic.twitter.com/xm7RduwpW6
António José Telo avisa para a falta de estratégia e de relevância da Europa nas decisões globais. Aponta ainda o foco de Trump nas eleições e os preparativos para atacar o Irão.
El Parlamento Europeo otorgó este jueves el premio Sájarov a la libertad de conciencia a la Corte Penal Internacional y a sus trabajadores, presionados por las amenazas del presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, que ha impuesto sanciones contra sus jueces y fiscales, dijeron a Efe dos fuentes parlamentarias.
El premio para la Corte Penal Internacional, que había sido nominada por el grupo socialdemócrata en la Eurocámara, llega dos semanas después de que la jueza sudafricana Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, que ejerció como magistrada de este órgano, ganara el Premio Nobel de la Paz 2026.
Aunque partía como favorito el líder de la oposición de Tanzania, Tundu Lissu, que contaba con la nominación de dos grupos parlamentarios, finalmente en el voto a puerta cerrada la CPI ha obtenido una "mayoría de los votos emitidos", con el apoyo de socialdemócratas, liberales, verdes e izquierda.
Lissu tenía el respaldo de populares y ultraconservadores, mientras que la ultraderecha de Patriotas por Europa optó por no votar en la última y definitiva ronda, dijo a Efe una fuente parlamentaria.
¿Qué es la CPI?
La Corte Penal Internacional (CPI) nació en 2002 con la idea de que ni jefes de Estado ni comandantes militares quedaran fuera del alcance de la justicia por crímenes más graves, y más de dos décadas después, investiga conflictos desde Ucrania hasta Palestina y Afganistán, mientras afronta una fuerte presión política y financiera desde Estados Unidos.
Creada por el Estatuto de Roma, aprobado en 1998, la CPI es el primer tribunal penal internacional permanente, y tiene hoy 125 Estados miembros que le otorgan jurisdicción para juzgar personas -no países- por genocidio, crímenes de guerra, de lesa humanidad y de agresión cuando la justicia nacional no pueda o no quiera hacerlo.
En los últimos años, se ha situado en el centro de algunas de las principales disputas geopolíticas, especialmente después de ordenar, en 2023, el arresto del presidente ruso, Vladímir Putin, por su presunta responsabilidad en la deportación de niños ucranianos desde zonas ocupadas por Rusia, lo que le ha traído amenazas y órdenes de detención emitidas desde Moscú.
En noviembre de 2024 aprobó órdenes de arresto contra el primer ministro israelí, Benjamín Netanyahu, y su exministro de Defensa, Yoav Gallant, por presuntos crímenes de guerra y de lesa humanidad en Gaza, motivo por el que la Administración de Donald Trump sancionó al tribunal y a varios de sus funcionarios.
Estas sanciones amenazan directamente la propia supervivencia operativa del tribunal, puesto que han complicado el acceso de la CPI al sistema financiero y a proveedores internacionales.
El premio Sájarov
El premio Sájarov, dotado con 50.000 euros y nombrado en honor al físico soviético y disidente político Andréi Sájarov, reconoce la labor de personas, grupos y organizaciones que han contribuido de forma destacada a la protección de la libertad de pensamiento.
Desde su creación en 1988 lo han recibido personalidades como el líder sudafricano Nelson Mandela, la joven activista paquistaní Malala Yousafzai, la plataforma española ¡Basta Ya! y opositores al régimen cubano como las Damas de Blanco o Guillermo Fariñas.
El galardón de este año se entregará en una ceremonia el próximo 16 de diciembre durante el pleno del Parlamento Europeo en Estrasburgo (Francia).
An uncanny strength of the second Trump administration has been its ability to be involved in so many scandals that no single one seems to become a dominant story.
Take the most recent allegations about Alina Habba, Trump's former personal defense attorney, who recently landed a plush gig working for Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker. Habba will get $50 million over five years to do unspecified work for a company that barely exists, according toThe New York Times, while Herrera got a presidential pardon for a 2025 campaign finance charge.
But that constellation of corruption might finally be breaking through to voters ahead of next month's midterm elections.
A recent Fox News poll found that "government corruption" was the top issue for voters, ranking ahead of inflation and gas prices. Conservative commentators are taking notice.
"What they're saying is, 'Look, we're tired of you getting rich and us getting poor,'" former White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said this week.
Tim Carney, senior columnist at the conservative Washington Examiner, also tabs the corruption issue—along with other "avoidable mistakes" such as the Iran War and tariffs—as one of the major reasons why Democrats are likely to win the midterms:
Trump and his family have enriched themselves in this second term in ways more similar to third-world regimes or Cook County than to any previous administration. He and his family operate a financial company that has received heavy investments from Qatar's government. He's sold access to himself by selling otherwise worthless cryptocurrency. The IRS he controls settled a lawsuit with him, promising to pay him $1.8 billion (this settlement was voided by a judge).
Trump is not directly on the ballot next month, of course. And most voters might not be able to tell you the details of any single Trump scandal in detail. Even so, this may turn out to be the defining narrative of the second Trump administration, and there seems to be a growing consensus that Republicans have allowed (if not aided and abetted) his corrupt behavior, so it's time to give Democrats a shot at reining it in.
The Trump corruption issue is like the Biden cognitive decline issue in one key sense: Everyone around the president or even supporting him professionally from afar should be asked about it, and their lies/claims of ignorance should be hung around their necks like dumbbells.
Vice President J.D. Vance told journalist Mark Halperin this week that he's "never seen any evidence that anybody's selling access to the president." When Halperin pushed back, Vance doubled down: "What I would say is I don't think there's evidence that the Trump family has become enriched by politics," the vice president said.
So either Vance isn't paying attention, or he's deliberately misleading. "Credit to Vance, it's as good an argument as is available to him," writes Daniel Foster at National Review. "The bad news is it's still not very good."
The internet nearly crashed on Wednesday as digital security and website administrators scrambled to patch two vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language that serves as the basis for many websites.
"Since its development in the 1990s, PHP has evolved into an essential scripting language for web development and is used across vast swaths of the internet in websites and software," explainsWired. "Everything from publishing systems like WordPress and Drupal to e-commerce platforms like Adobe's Magento are built on PHP."
The potential hacking abilities of advanced AI agents make these sorts of security risks more serious. In this case, however, the problem was also identified with the help of AI.
"Ryan Austin, a researcher at Calif, uncovered the flaws with help from GPT-5.6 Sol, one of OpenAI's most advanced models, during an audit of PHP's source code in August," The Wall Street Journalreports. Another security researcher had flagged the issue years ago, but it had never been fixed because it was considered "considered too difficult to exploit" by human hackers.
This is the future of humanity's digital landscape. "Given the severity of these flaws and PHP's widespread use, we consider this one of the most impactful security issues in recent memory," OpenAI said in a statement on Wednesday. "It highlights how AI can uncover security flaws with internet-scale impact, but the same capabilities can also help attackers rapidly develop offensive tools and exploits."
(A shoutout to Reason's web development team for keeping us up and running, today and every day.)
"Fanciful fiction." Media outlets also continue to face decidedly nondigital threats over articles and polls that make the president unhappy.
The White House threatened Politico on Wednesday with unspecified "consequences" for publishing "fanciful fiction" in a series of articles earlier this month about White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. If the articles are not retracted, it would trigger "an immediate review of Politico's relationship with the White House, and, of course, consideration of all other appropriate and available legal remedies," wrote White House counsel William O. Scharf in a letter to the media outlet's publisher.
Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr issued vague threats to broadcasters who cover what Carr called "Fake Polls" intended to "alter the normal patterns of voter turnout and enthusiasm."
These sorts of threats are an affront to the First Amendment, of course. But they are downstream of a more significant issue: the very existence of the FCC.
It's a problem, obviously, that the FCC is run by an authoritarian jackass. But the bigger problem is that the agency contains so many tempting tools for an authoritarian jackass to wield. https://t.co/Q4IJXntkOy
A judge in New Mexico ordered social media giant Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram, among other things) to pay $25 billion for misleading users about data privacy. Last month, a jury found that Meta had violated the state's consumer protection laws 43 million times.
The environmental studies for California's high-speed rail line include such absurdities as counting bumblebees "one by one" and considering the train's "acoustic impacts on waterfowl and shorebirds." That's how to spend 16 years and $15 billion building nearly nothing.
Obvious metaphor alert!
A group dispatched by Hegseth's team in February attempted to move the historic globe, said to be used by Eisenhower during World War II.
They lifted it from its home in an Army office in the Pentagon … and dropped it. pic.twitter.com/vTjWdYXn0k
Mary Peltola’s campaign to represent Alaska in the US Senate has taken her to parts of the massive state’s interior that are inaccessible by road and on the frontlines of the cost-of-living crisis she hopes will make her the first Democrat to win the seat in nearly two decades.
Politico has issued a correction and re-examined multiple articles after the White House threatened "consequences" if the outlet doesn't retract its recent reporting on President Donald Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles, Fox News Digital has confirmed.
In a letter addressed to Politico's global editor-in-chief Jonathan Greenberger on Monday, White House counsel William Scharf slammed three "demonstrably false and defamatory articles" about Wiles, including claims that Trump was mulling Wiles' ouster, and that he had a "freak-out" when Politico published its story.
"These publications reflect far more than sloppy reporting or an unfortunate, inadvertent reliance on unreliable sources. They instead reveal a disturbing pattern of the publication of sensational falsehoods despite direct, on-the-record refutations from senior White House officials and even the President of the United States himself, as well as documentary evidence provided to Politico, all of which established clearly that claims central to Politico's planned reporting were false. Put simply, your publication was told the truth and presented with corroborating evidence, and yet chose to publish fanciful fiction regardless," Scharf wrote in the letter first reported by Axios that has been obtained by Fox News Digital.
"This is not a question of competing interpretations, editorial judgment, or political disagreement. It is a question of whether a major news organization may knowingly publish demonstrably false factual allegations, disregard documentary evidence contradicting those allegations, and then hide behind anonymous sources when confronted with the truth. It may not. I therefore demand that Politico retract these defamatory articles and issue corrections promptly, or face the consequences," he later continued.
Scharf gave Politico "48 hours" to reverse its reporting and issue an apology to both Trump and Wiles before the White House explores "appropriate and available legal remedies."
"The White House has no obligation to pretend that this persistent conduct is consistent with responsible journalism. Nor should Politico expect that its institutional behavior will be insulated from scrutiny. After all, freedom of the press is not a professional exemption from accountability," Scharf told Greenberg.
"I therefore demand that Politico immediately correct or retract these publications, issue a prominent and public apology to the President of the United States and to Ms. Wiles, and remove the false reporting from your digital archives. Failure to do so or otherwise respond justifying Politico's publications within 48 hours will prompt an immediate review of Politico's relationship with the White House, and, of course, consideration of all other appropriate and available legal remedies."
Politico responded on Wednesday, insisting it strives for accuracy in its reporting and "categorically rejects the false accusations" that it "chose to publish fanciful fiction" and "purposeful falsehoods designed to mislead the public."
"That said, Politico takes seriously assertions like those made in your letter. Accordingly, consistent with its commitment to ensuring its reporting is as accurate as possible, Politico re-examined all three articles identified in your letter and did follow up reporting," Politico's attorney wrote in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital.
"As a result, Politico determined it was appropriate to correct one of the three articles identified in your letter," the letter continued.
Politico did not offer an apology to Trump and Wiles or correct the report that Trump was considering moving on from Wiles. Instead, Politico corrected an article to note that Wiles simply offered "positive reinforcement" for then-White House press secretary Katie Zacharia's Fox News appearance on "Hannity" last week before she stepped down, but did not play a direct role in booking the interview.
"The updated version of that article, reflecting the information obtained through Politico's further reporting, has now been published. Promptly and transparently making corrections, as Politico has done here, is a hallmark of journalistic ethics and integrity, and of the very professionalism your letter falsely claims Politico is lacking," Politico's attorney wrote.
The White House did not immediately respond when asked for comment.
Politico has been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration in recent weeks as among the outlets that were banned by the White House last month, which had been reversed by a judge's ruling.
"To be clear, any error that you could identify in Politico's reporting about the President or his administration would not excuse the White House's unconstitutional retaliation and discrimination against Politico for the content of its news coverage," Politico's response said.
"The White House's efforts to retaliate against Politico for its constitutionally protected journalism, and to discriminate against Politico based on what the President perceives to be its editorial viewpoint is a profound affront to the most fundamental constitutional rights," the response continued. "Politico will defend its journalism and the right of its reporters to pursue their mission and report fearlessly on the President and other White House officials for the benefit of the American public, notwithstanding the White House's ongoing attempts to intimidate Politico and chill and punish that reporting."
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