Germany calls for new sanctions on Russia’s dark fleet that is ‘damaging major undersea cables’ nearly every month
Huileng Tan – December 30, 2024
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said ships are damaging undersea cables in the Baltic Sea nearly every month.Florian Gaertner/Photothek/Getty Images
Germany’s foreign minister urged new European Union sanctions on Russia’s dark fleet.
As part of a probe into a cut cable, Finland said last week it detained a ship that may be from the dark fleet.
The case is being investigated as “aggravated criminal mischief,” Finnish police said.
Germany’s foreign minister has called for further sanctions against Russia’s dark fleet of oil tankers following damage to an underwater cable linking Finland and Estonia last week.
“Ships are damaging major undersea cables in the Baltic Sea almost every month,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told the Funke media group.
“Crews are leaving anchors in the water, dragging them for kilometers along the seafloor for no apparent reason, and then losing them when pulling them up,” Baerbock said, per an AFP translation.
“It’s more than difficult to still believe in coincidences. This is an urgent wake-up call for all of us,” she added.
Baerbock urged new European Union sanctions against Russia’s dark — or shadow — fleet of oil tankers that transport sanctioned Russian oil and energy products.
The EU has also sanctioned 79 vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet. These ships are banned from accessing EU ports and services.
Many of these vessels are aging, operating under opaque ownership, and sailing without adequate insurance coverage. They pose environmental and financial risks to coastal countries. A heavy storm earlier this month caused two tankers to spill thousands of tons of low-grade fuel oil into the Kerch Strait, between the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula and Russia.
Baerbock’s comments came after Finnish authorities detained the Eagle S oil tanker on Thursday as part of an investigation into the cutting of an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea. The cable transmits electricity from Finland to Estonia.
The case is being investigated as “aggravated criminal mischief,” Finnish police said in a press release.
Finnish customs authorities and the European Union’s executive commission said the tanker might be part of Russia’s dark fleet of tankers.
The Kremlin declined to comment on Finland’s seizure of the oil tanker on Friday.
“I cannot say anything for sure, for this is a highly specialized issue that the presidential administration is hardly in a position to comment on,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in response to a question on the Finnish move.
Big Tech companies rely on those visas, while Big Racism people on the internet claim the visas are another example of foreign workers taking jobs from the “forgotten” men and women of America who Trump promised to protect.
(Spoiler alert: Trump sided with Musk and the tech bros this weekend because they gave him lots of money and money is all he actually cares about. Sorry, xenophobes!)
Trump sells out supporters to back Elon Musk on H-1B visas
Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy face MAGA backlash over possible visa program expansion
Here’s how the whole unbelievably stupid thing unfolded.
About a week ago, Trump named venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as an advisor on artificial intelligence. Because Krishnan had previously voiced support for expanding the H-1B visa program, hardcore anti-immigration loudmouths like Laura Loomer – one of the most loyal Trump loyalists – and Steve Bannon got mad and outraged. That’s kind of their thing.
Bannon said the H-1B program is a threat to Western civilization, which makes sense if your soul is so filled with hate it has choked off oxygen to your brain.
Vivek Ramaswamy tells MAGA that Americans are kinda dumb and lazy
Ramaswamy posted on social media: “Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer)…Trump’s election hopefully marks the beginning of a new golden era in America, but only if our culture fully wakes up. A culture that once again prioritizes achievement over normalcy; excellence over mediocrity; nerdiness over conformity; hard work over laziness.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-lead with Elon Musk of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, arriving for meetings at the US Capitol on Dec. 5, 2024 in Washington.
Many MAGA folks read that as Ramaswamy calling them dumb and lazy, probably because that was Ramaswamy calling them dumb and lazy. The MAGA base swiftly turned its ire on Ramaswamy, prompting Musk to call them “contemptible fools.” He later clarified that “contemptible fools” was only referring to “those in the Republican Party who are hateful, unrepentant racists” and will “absolutely be the downfall of the Republican Party if they are not removed.”
I’m not quite sure how that narrows things down, but whatever.
MAGA fans find themselves discovering where they stand in Trump’s world
The bottom line is this: Members of a political movement fueled almost entirely by a hatred of immigrants were getting told by Musk, an immigrant, and Ramaswamy, an American via birthright citizenship, that they are racist and dumb and lazy and should support a program that allows foreign workers to get U.S. jobs.
It prompted prominent MAGA figures like former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who like all these other people is a disreputable dipstick, to post this about Musk and Co.: “We welcomed the tech bros when they came running our way to avoid the 3rd-grade teacher picking their kid’s gender – and the obvious Biden/Harris economic decline. We did not ask them to engineer an immigration policy.”
Somebody pass me the popcorn – this is getting GREAT!
Musk tells MAGA to … well, it’s profane and not too nice
On Friday, Musk took to the social media platform he has ruined and wrote of the anti-worker-visa crowd: “Take a big step back and F–K YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.” (I’m not sure how one of the most influential people in president-elect Trump’s orbit saying “F—K YOURSELF in the face” squares with the evangelical part of the MAGA base, but I can only deal with one group of suckers getting burned at a time.)
President-elect Donald Trump attends Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., on Dec. 22, 2024
Second, Trump constantly peddles xenophobic nonsense about how he’s fighting for the little guy, how he loves his “real American” supporters and how he alone can save them from the scourge of scary immigrants and elitists.
But when a couple of elite billionaires go off on his base and effectively call them a bunch of non-skilled, racist dopes while rallying around a specific immigration program they like because it helps them … well, guess whose side Trump is on?
And the Laura Loomers and Steve Bannons and the MAGA loudmouths online and the voters who let themselves get conned into believing Trump was in it for them? Well, I hope they enjoy looking at the underbelly of the bus. That’s going to be their primary view from now on.
Drink coffee, eat leafy greens, try this New Year’s champagne hack — plus 8 more health tips to help you have a great week
Kaitlin Reilly, Reporter – December 29, 2024
Leafy greens include veggies like kale, spinach and collard greens. (Getty Creative)
Hello and happy New Year, Yahoo Life readers. My name is Kaitlin Reilly, and nearly every week throughout 2024 I’ve rounded up the internet’s latest health and wellness tips. This is our last Sunday edition of the year and it’s been a pleasure helping you improve your life in big and small ways.
With New Year’s Eve just days away, you may be considering the resolutions you’re setting for 2025. While the obvious choice for many may be to hit the gym more often (as so many of us will do come Jan. 2), one pro-health goal you may not have considered is getting better sleep.
There’s a good reason why you should: Getting quality shut-eye (aka “sleepmaxxing,” as social media has coined it) can improve your overall wellness, from boosting your immune system to enhancing memory and brain function. Plus, doing so may give you more energy to exercise and stop you from reaching for less nutritious foods as a pick-me-up (like, say, a Snickers bar from the vending machine when you hit that afternoon slump). Want some tips to get started? Establishing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine and limiting screen time before bed can be your gateway to better rest in 2025.
In the meantime, check the weather in your area and, if you are so inclined, your horoscope. Then read up on these wellness tips.
Celebrating New Year’s Eve can be a fun and festive way to start 2025, but it’s important to keep a few safety tips in mind. More than 50% of crashes on New Year’s involve drivers with high blood alcohol content, per American Safety Council, so if you are planning on going out, make sure you designate a sober driver, plan for public transportation in advance or call an Uber or other ride-share service.
And speaking of alcohol — there’s also a risk of injury when popping that bubbly beverage, as many people do at midnight. To avoid shooting that cork into someone’s eye, make sure to chill the champagne to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which will make it less likely to go rogue. Then, hold the bottle with one hand and use the other to twist the cork, nudging it gently out of the bottle and controlling the release of air. After a minute, the cork should come free.
If you do want to see some fireworks on New Year’s Eve, find a viewing of professional ones in your area — and keep children at least 500 feet away from where the fireworks will be set off in order to mitigate accident risk, as well as dampen noise. Pop noise-cancelling headphones on to protect you and/or your little one’s ears from intense sound, which can damage your hearing.
Experts spoke to HuffPost about what veggies you should eat to improve different health factors. Dietitian Lena Bakovic said that those who want to improve their cardiovascular health should eat more leafy greens, which contain heart-healthy compounds like nitrates, which keep blood vessels open. Given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, it’s a great reason to pile your plate with Swiss chard, spinach, kale and collard greens.
If you often struggle with an uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest, known as heartburn, you know how important it is to find relief, especially if it interrupts your sleep. While popping antacids may quickly resolve the issue, doing so long-term can lead your body to produce more acid as a rebound effect — leading to more annoying symptoms over time.
Caviar, which is made from sturgeon eggs, may be way too pricey to make a regular part of your grocery list, even as the high-low food trend spreads and people are putting the pricey delicacy on everything from potato chips to mozzarella sticks. If you do see it at your next party, however, or just feel like splurging on a fancy treat, dietitians give this fishy food the seal of approval, thanks to the fact that it is rich in protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium and iron. Just be cautious about how you consume it: While it may taste delicious with a dollop of crème fraîche, you could be getting more fat and calories than you’d like.
Dr. Michael Roizen, a 78-year-old anesthesiologist, internist and longevity expert, claims he reversed his biological age by 20 years. One tip he gave Insider for how he did it? Eating lots of salmon, avocado and olive oil — all foods that are rich in healthy fats, which support heart health, reduce inflammation and promote cell repair. These are all foods included in the much-celebrated Mediterranean diet, which is plant-focused and high in omega-3s. Want to follow his lead? Try adding a salmon salad to your lunchtime routine.
Many in the U.K. take Christmas week walks, but going for a long stroll, especially after a meal, is a great idea no matter the day. Experts told Yahoo Life that these walks can help regulate your blood sugar, improve digestion and prevent post-meal energy dips.
Walking in a winter wonderland? Just make sure to stay hydrated, wear layers and shoes with proper tread, and keep a charged cellphone on hand in case you need assistance.
Want to get into a reading habit? Schedule a manageable amount of time to sneak in some pages — like, say, 20 pages per day right when you wake up in the morning, as Atomic Habits author James Clear does. Not into morning reading? Grab a book on your lunch hour, or swap out a TV show with a few chapters before bed.
❄️ Use wintertime to create SMART goals
You may have heard of the “Winter Arc,” which is a TikTok-fueled trend that has people committing to transforming their lives during the colder months by adopting intense fitness, productivity or self-improvement routines. Sam Hopes, a personal trainer, doesn’t think a total rehaul of your life this season is effective long-term, however. Instead, writing for Tom’s Guide, Hopes said to stick to SMART goals — specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based objectives. So instead of saying, “I’m going to walk more in 2025,” pick a reasonable goal — like walking 7,000 steps each day. You’ll be more likely to track your progress, which can help you stick to it over time.
We all need both omega-3- and omega-6-rich foods in our diets, but the imbalance of them may lead to increased inflammation, which is linked to chronic diseases such as heart disease and arthritis. While most Americans tend to get more than enough omega-6-rich foods — which include vegetable oils, common in processed foods — many more are falling behind on omega-3s. A solution? Pile your plate with omega-3 foods like salmon, mackerel, chia seeds and spinach.
Reagan FBI director urges caution against Gabbard, Patel
Luke Barr – December 28, 2024
The only man to lead both the FBI and the CIA urged caution to senators who might vote to confirm former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence and Kash Patel to lead the FBI, according to a letter sent to senators this week.
“I am deeply concerned about the potential nominations of Mr. Kash Patel to lead the FBI and the inclusion of Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as DNI in intelligence roles,” William Webster, who led the FBI during the Carter and Reagan administrations and the CIA after that, said in a letter to senators on Thursday.
PHOTO: In this Dec. 18, 2014, file photo, former FBI Director and Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) under Ronald Reagan, Judge William Webster is interviewed for a documentary about directors of the CIA. (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images, FILE)More
Webster wrote that Patel’s loyalty to Trump may cause problems.
“Statements such as ‘He’s my intel guy’ and his record of executing the president’s directives suggest a loyalty to individuals rather than the rule of law — a dangerous precedent for an agency tasked with impartial enforcement of justice,” said Webster, who turns 101 in March.
PHOTO: Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the FBI, speaks to reporters before a meeting with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Dec. 12, 2024. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)More
He said that during his tenure at the FBI, he was contacted by the president only twice — once by President Jimmy Carter, who asked him to investigate an issue, and once when President Ronald Reagan had a question about Nancy Reagan’s security.
Webster added that Gabbard’s “profound lack of intelligence experience and the daunting task of overseeing 18 disparate intelligence agencies further highlight the need for seasoned leadership.”
“History has shown us the dangers of compromising this independence. When leaders of these organizations become too closely aligned with political figures, public confidence erodes and our nation’s security is jeopardized,” he wrote. “Every president deserves appointees they trust, but the selection process must prioritize competence and independence to uphold the rule of law.”
The letter was first reported by Politico.
Webster did endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president in 2024 and Joe Biden for president in 2020.
The Trump transition team defended both Patel and Gabbard to Fox News.
“Kash Patel is loyal to the Constitution. He’s worked under Presidents Obama and Trump in key national security roles,” said Alex Pfeiffer, a Trump transition team spokesman.
PHOTO: President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, is shown at the Hart Senate Office Building, Dec. 18, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)More
Alexa Henning, a Trump transition official, also defended Gabbard.
“Lt. Col. Gabbard is an active member of the Army and has served in the military for over two decades and in Congress. As someone who has consumed intelligence at the highest levels, including during wartime, she recognizes the importance of partnerships with allies to ensure close coordination to keep the American people safe,” she told Fox News.
Americans and their leaders are to blame for returning Trump to the White House
April Lieberman – December 26, 2024
From rural Tennessee to Democratic presidential politics, I’ve lived in both worlds − of “us and them.”
Here’s my take on why:
my neighbors don’t trust Democrat
a convicted felon is returning to the White House.
There’s plenty of blame to go around.
Biden himself is among those to blame among Democrats
President Joe Biden: for selfishly pursuing the presidency despite cognitive decline, his sundowning obvious back in the 2019 primary debates.
Biden supporters and allies: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and his family for letting him. White House staff, the Democratic National Committee, and party leaders, for enabling this epic disservice to the country. His Cabinet, profiles in cowardice, for not invoking the 25th Amendment and removing him.
Attorney General Merrick Garland: for delaying appointing a special counsel, allowing now President-elect Donald Trump to run out the clock. Rep. Jim Clyburn, for delivering Biden South Carolina in the 2020 primaries. Former President Barack Obama, for strong-arming Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, out of the race, placing loyalty over country, then again by preemptively supporting Biden’s reelection bid, deterring primary challengers.
The Clintons: 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and coastal elites, for underestimating Trump in 2015-2016 and neglecting the Blue Wall. Former President Bill Clinton and ‘90s NAFTA Dems for decimating small towns across America, including mine. All of them (not named Bernie Sanders), for decades of ignoring rural and blue-collar voters while taking Black and Latino Americans for granted, instead pushing agendas far left of the American electorate.
Miscellaneous: Whichever idiot coined “Bidenomics,” an infuriating attempt to gaslight America.
MAGA voters and justice system are responsible for returning Trump to the White House
MAGA: For placing a racist/rapist/convicted felon over our Constitution.
Other Republicans: Most of them, for striking Faustian bargains in normalizing Trump, sacrificing their integrity for power, none more craven than Sen. Lindsey Graham’s betrayal of “Amigo” John McCain on his deathbed to worship at the orange altar. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, for not saving us this national nightmare by ordering his minions to remove the Insurrectionist-in-Chief, forever barring him from federal office − Howard Baker he is not.
Right-wing Supreme Court justices: For not checking the presidency, instead placing Trump above the law, dismantling our rights and democracy itself.
Judge Juan Merchan: For delaying sentencing on 34 felony convictions until after the election, instead of letting Trump campaign from a New York City jail cell.
Media, dictators, billionaires and Congress bear responsibility too
Legacy media: For feeding the beast for ratings, and not reporting the emperor’s lack of clothes until the Biden-Trump debate debacle.
Right-wing media: All of them, particularly the late Rush Limbaugh for pioneering a talk radio of racism, misogyny, and mockery; Fox News, for admittedly “entertaining” the masses with decades of disinformation and paranoia; and Joe Rogan’s #1 podcast, for touting conspiracy theories to millions. His interview and endorsement of Trump? Huuuuge.
Dictators: Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), et al., for funding Trumpworld and interfering in our elections, from stirring division online to disenfranchising voters with bomb threats.
Evangelical leaders: Most of them, for interfering in politics while claiming religious tax exemptions, radicalizing congregations, hailing a rapist as a messiah, and pushing us toward theocracy.
Congress: For pandering to gerrymandered extremes, failing to check SCOTUS, the president, or itself. But, the Senate’s abrogation of its constitutional duty to remove an insurrectionist from the presidency, forever barring him from federal office, is the greatest failure in the 248-year history of American democracy.
April Lieberman is a former appellate attorney with family experience in presidential politics, a Yale Law School graduate who studied philosophy at Vanderbilt, and Democratic politics in the backwoods of West Tennessee.
Russia’s multibillion-dollar revenue stream may soon grind to a halt, thanks to Ukraine. Its ripple effects could hit Europe
Prarthana Prakash – December 24, 2024
While Russia has lost its gas market share in Europe to the likes of Qatar and Norway since it invaded Ukraine, some countries like Slovakia and Austria still rely heavily on the supplies. (Olga Rolenko—Getty Images)
Russia’s wartime economy has been sustained, in part, by oil and gas revenues as Europe has relied on it for several decades. Key to that arrangement is Ukraine, the country Russia is at war with, as the countries have a deal in place to allow Russian gas to transit via Ukraine and reach Europe.
The deal is nearing expiry when the year ends, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has resisted renewing the contract on the same terms even if the Kremlin wants it to. This could create a worry for Russia amid the plunging value of the ruble and a protracted war.
Russia’s gas revenues from supply sent via Ukraine to Europe will be worth $5 billion this year, according to Reuters estimates. In 2023, Russia shipped about 15 billion cubic meters of gas—only a fraction of the supply to Europe pre-pandemic.
Meanwhile, Ukraine makes just $800 million from facilitating the transit of gas to Europe, the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) said last week.
“Despite reams of evidence that Russia uses gas exports to inflict harm on Europe, buyers in Moscow-friendly countries are now pressuring Ukraine to continue the transit from 2025,” CEPA experts wrote.
The dependence on Russian oil and gas supplies has built up over time. In 2022, much of that reliance needed to be rethought following the invasion, forcing gas prices to shoot up. However, governments slowly began decoupling from Russia’s gas supplies, which had a direct impact on Gazprom’s revenues as a state-owned energy supplier.
While Russia has lost its gas market share in Europe to the likes of Qatar and Norway since it invaded Ukraine, some countries like Slovakia and Austria still rely heavily on the supplies. Moreover, because of sanctions, Russia has already taken a big hit on energy-related revenues, which still account for a fifth of its GDP.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted to the impending fallout on the gas transit contract as being “very difficult, requiring greater attention,” on Monday.
A sharp energy-price spike because of the gas transit contract is unlikely. Still, given that transit fees are much higher in other European countries, it could add to uncertainties, ruling them out as viable options for countries such as Hungary.
Russia’s economy has shown some cracks owing to inflation and overexposure by military-adjacent industries. But in sum, it has remained resilient despite the war being dragged on for three years.
For instance, Russia has built trade relationships with allies elsewhere in the world, such as China and India. “The Russian economy has adapted, and key industries have found ways to get the goods and components they need from alternative suppliers or via more circuitous trade routes,” Sergey Vakulenko, a senior fellow at Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, wrote earlier this year.
Russia calls gas sales to Europe ‘complicated’ as deal with Ukraine nears end
Reuters – December 23, 2024
Illustration shows natural gas pipeline, Russian Rouble banknote and flag
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Monday the situation with European countries that buy its gas through a transit deal via Ukraine was very complicated and needs more attention, a day after talks between President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Ukraine has said it will not be renewing a five-year deal to pipe Russian gas to Europe, which is due to expire at the end of the year, as it does not want to aid Moscow’s military effort.
The flow accounts for around half of Russia’s total pipeline gas exports to Europe, with Slovakia, Italy, Austria and Czech Republic set to be most affected if it ends.
Kremlin-controlled Gazprom also exports gas to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline on the bed of the Black Sea.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he could not give more details about Sunday’s talks between Putin and Fico, which also touched on bilateral relations and the Ukraine conflict.
Fico said that Putin had confirmed Russia’s willingness to continue to supply gas to Slovakia, although this was “practically impossible” once the Ukraine transit deal expires.
It was not clear what potential solution the two leaders might have discussed.
Slovakia has said the loss of supplies from the east would not hit its consumption and it has diversified supply contracts. However, it would drive up its costs and the country sought to preserve the Ukraine route to keep its own transit capacity.
Slovakia’s main gas buyer SPP has contracts for the purchase of gas from a non-Russian source with BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Eni and RWE.
The benchmark front-month contract at the Dutch TTF gas hub rose by 1.52 euros to 45.33 euros per megawatt hour (euros/MWh) by 1443 GMT, LSEG data showed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday criticised what he said was Fico’s lack of desire to end his country’s dependency on Russian natural resources as a “big security issue” for Europe and Slovakia.
Hungary has also been keen to keep the Ukrainian route, although it will continue to receive Russian gas from the south, via the TurkStream pipeline.
Zelenskiy said last week it might be possible to renew the transit deal, but only if Russia was not paid for the gas until after the war is over, a condition Moscow is unlikely to accept.
“You heard the statement from the Ukrainian side, and you know about the positions of those European countries that continue to buy Russian gas and that consider this necessary for the normal operation of their economies,” Peskov told reporters.
“Therefore, there is now a very complicated situation here that requires increased attention,” Peskov added.
Putin said last week it was clear there would be no new deal with Kyiv to send Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe.
(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov, additional reporting by Jason Hovet; writing by Mark Trevelyan and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Alexander Smith)
Elon Musk wants to ‘delete’ many Americans’ financial lifeline
Sharon McGowan, opinion contributor – December 24, 2024
Nearly every exit poll conducted on Election Day found that, more than any other issues, voters’ concerns about the economy helped to return Donald Trump to the White House and put Republicans back in charge of both houses of Congress. Americans who felt the sting of inflation and who had trouble making ends meet, as companies steadily increased prices for essential goods like groceries and clothing, voted in the hopes that a new administration and new Congress would bring relief for their families.
So it is especially surprising that one of the first federal agencies to come under scrutiny from the incoming administration is one that has returned billions of dollars to many of the same consumers who were counting on leaders in Washington to look out for their wallets.
On Nov. 27, Elon Musk — who, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tasked by President-Elect Trump with running a new Department of Government Efficiency — posted on his platform X that he wants to “Delete CFPB,” referring to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The agency, Musk said, was part of a problem of “too many duplicative regulatory agencies” in Washington. But there are no other agencies in the federal government returning money to Americans’ bank accounts in the way the CFPB does.
Since its founding, the agency has returned more than $19 billion in cash to people who have been scammed by financial institutions, including predatory payday lenders and even some of the largest banks in the country. It has done so under Republican and Democratic presidents, including major actions against Wells Fargo and Equifax during President Trump’s first term in office, which, combined, returned $425 million to consumers. (Those actions both began under the Obama administration, but Trump’s CFPB directors oversaw the execution of those fines.)
The money recovered is made available to those who have been impacted by the institutions’ wrongdoing through the CFPB’s victims’ relief fund. To date, more than 200 million Americans have been eligible for payments from the fund. The agency has also cancelled many consumers’ debts altogether and reduced loan principles for many others.
In fact, just days after Musk posted his message on X, the CFPB announced that it was mailing refund checks to more than 4 million people who were scammed by so-called credit repair companies, including Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com, which illegally collected fees from consumers seeking relief for the effects of economic woes weighing down them and their families. The companies will pay $2.7 billion in consumer redress and civil penalties; $1.8 billion of that will go directly to those who lost money as a result of the scam.
It’s no wonder the agency enjoys broad, bipartisan support, with more than eight in 10 Americans supporting the CFPB’s various enforcement actions. In red and blue states, Americans seem to support returning money to those who have been cheated.
The agency’s impact is felt in other ways, too. In Oklahoma, CFPB collected evidence that helped retired Lt. Col. Susan Parisi in her fight against loan company GreenSky — which scammed her into a high-interest loan she never agreed to. The CFPB found that GreenSky was using “deceptive” and “fraudulent” tactics and ordered the company to return $9 million to consumers. My organization is representing Lt. Col. Parisi in her class action on behalf of others who were scammed by GreenSky.
So why is an agency that has been so effective, and returned so much money to so many people, being targeted for “deletion?” Because, in the course of holding wrongdoers accountable, it has crossed paths with some of the most powerful people in the country.
Musk’s post on X, for example, seems to have been prompted by complaints from Marc Andreessen, a venture capitalist whose companies have been sanctioned (and, in the case of LendUp Loans, shuttered) because of CFPB investigations and actions. Andreessen accused the agency of “terrorizing financial institutions,” and was clearly infuriated when the CFPB found that LendUp had misled customers about high-interest loans and overcharged U.S. service personnel.
President-elect Trump and Republicans in Congress should not let Andreessen’s views overshadow the overwhelming opinion among Americans that the agency is doing important work that makes a real difference to those who turn to financial institutions and lenders for help during tough financial times. By one count, even under the first Trump administration’s CFPB directors — who tended to enforce far fewer fines against companies than Biden and Obama appointees — the agency brought more than $1 billion in redress back to consumers’ wallets. That’s direct relief, and money in wallets, for millions of Americans. “Deleting” the agency would almost certainly ensure that no such future relief ever reaches consumers again.
Fortunately, neither Musk nor the incoming administration can completely eliminate the CFPB, whose funding comes from the Federal Reserve in a model, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, that is meant to protect it from political meddling. Republicans and Democrats alike should ensure that firewall remains in place, and the CFPB remains on the job, if they’re serious about providing real, meaningful economic relief to Americans.
Sharon McGowan is the chief executive officer of legal advocacy organization Public Justice.
Norovirus is rampant. Blame oysters, cruise ships and holiday travel
Cindy Krischer Goodman – December 23, 2024
Amy Beth Bennett/Sun Sentinel/TNS
Tis the season to wash your hands and watch what you eat.
Norovirus, a vomit- and diarrhea-inducing stomach bug, is sickening Floridians through tainted surfaces and contaminated shellfish.
The Sunshine State is one of 12 in the U.S. with a high number of confirmed outbreaks of the virus. Anyone suffering from a bout of the nasty, extremely contagious virus, beware: it has no specific treatment and typically has to run its course.
Also of note: On average, one infected person will infect two to seven other people.
“It only takes a few virus particles to cause infections, so it doesn’t take much exposure to get sick from norovirus,” said Margaret Gorensek, an infectious disease doctor at Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale.
Norovirus can spread through food, touch, and air particles.
Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration issued two separate seafood recalls in states over potential norovirus contamination.
On Monday, the FDA warned restaurants, food retailers, and consumers in seven states, including Florida, not to eat or sell oysters and Manila clams from Rudy’s Shellfish in Washington. Two days later, the agency issued another recall in 15 states, including Florida, for oysters sold as Fanny Bay, Buckley Bay, and Royal Miyagi Oysters from British Columbia, Canada. Both recalls cited potential contamination with norovirus. The recall did not mention any reported illnesses connected to the oysters and clams.
Shellfish can absorb untreated human sewage containing norovirus; when humans eat the contaminated shellfish, they can become infected.
Most people experience symptoms 12 to 48 hours after eating contaminated food. The common symptoms are nausea, stomach pain, fever, headaches, and body aches.
When norovirus spreads through direct contact, it tends to be from shaking hands or touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your hand in your mouth. That type of spread often happens in restaurants, schools, and on cruise ships.
This month, the norovirus has been wreaking havoc on cruise ships. So far, in December, four ships have reported outbreaks, with one ship reporting more than 100 passengers falling ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
There have been 13 reported norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this year, but this is the first time the virus has been confirmed on three ships within a single month, and suspected on a fourth. Those ships include Holland America’s Zuiderdam and Rotterdam and Princess Cruise’s Ruby Princess. The most recent outbreak was on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, and while passengers experienced norovirus-like symptoms the exact gastrointestinal illness has not been confirmed.
In all cases, the cruise lines isolated ill passengers and crew and increased cleaning and disinfection procedures.
Gorensek at Holy Cross said norovirus is seasonal and often spreads more in the winter. “We usually see it more whenever people are spending time together.”
She said that anyone handling food for holiday meals without thoroughly washing their hands can quickly spread it.
Unlike other viruses, norovirus is hard to kill on surfaces or hands.
“A quick dose of hand sanitizer doesn’t work, only soap and water,” she said. “On surfaces, bleach-based products are best.”
Noroviruses also are relatively resistant to heat and can survive temperatures as high as 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Inhaling airborne norovirus particles can happen — potentially in an airplane’s bathroom — but that method of spread is less common than contact with contaminated surfaces or food.
Anyone who gets norovirus needs to be careful with staying hydrated. Gorensek recommends Pedialyte, Gatorade or broth. “Water isn’t good because it doesn’t give you the necessary electrolytes,” she said.
Young children and anyone with an underlying condition need to be particularly cautious, she said, because “they are susceptible to dehydration and are most at risk.”
Elon Musk’s Drug Use Becoming a Problem for Government Security Clearance
Victor Tangermann – December 17, 2024
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk may not receive top security clearances — even though roughly 400 staffers at his rocket company already have those permissions.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, SpaceX lawyers advised executives not to attempt to secure higher security clearances for the mercurial CEO, since that would force him to disclose information about his frequent contacts with foreign nationals, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, as well as his much-rumored drug use.
Musk currently holds a “top secret” security clearance, giving him access to “some national security secrets,” but not the full clearance required by staff who work on classified programs, sources told the WSJ.
Worse yet, by seeking an even higher security clearance, Musk may risk losing his current “top secret” clearance, the lawyers worry.
But now that he’s been put in charge of a so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by president-elect Donald Trump, these concerns may soon be a moot point. Now that Musk has secured himself prominent placement among the incoming administration’s ranks, the richest man in the world may soon have a much easier time accessing highly classified information.
Without permissions for “sensitive compartmented information,” which several hundred SpaceX employees have, Musk is reportedly unable to access certain information about his company’s spy satellite program, called Starshield. According to the WSJ, he isn’t even allowed to enter most facilities where related work is being done.
Earlier this year, the WSJ reported that Musk had a long history of using psychoactive drugs, including LSD and psychedelic mushrooms. His lawyer, however, later disputed the report, arguing that he had “never failed” a drug test at SpaceX.
Whether Musk will have to fill out a full questionnaire and disclose his drug use, as well as his extensive communications with foreign nationals, remains to be seen. With the ear of the president of the United States, Musk could soon have unfettered access to highly classified information without having to jump through additional hoops.
Besides, now that they’re in charge of DOGE, both he and pharma exec Vivek Ramaswamy will likely have to sift through some highly classified data anyway — as they’ve already promised to slash the Pentagon’s spending in the coming years.
