The ‘transgender mice’ lie: How Trump’s war on science is harming real people

Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

Carolyn Mccoy, 

Arizona Mirror

March 11, 2025

The latest manufactured outrage from the far right? “Transgender mice.”

It’s the perfect viral talking point — designed to sound absurd, evoke outrage and make people believe that the government is wasting their money on nonsense. But it’s a lie.

The real story? The National Institutes of Health allocated funding to study biological sex differences in the brain — research that helps us understand mental health conditions, neurological disorders, and yes, gender identity.

Of the $8 million in research funding they are mocking, only $1.4 million went specifically toward transgender research. The rest? It was spent on studies of Alzheimer’s, PTSD, and depression — research that could save lives. But that’s not what they want you to focus on.

This isn’t just about defunding a study. This is about erasing science that doesn’t fit a political agenda.

If you’ve heard people say that being trans is just a trend, ask yourself: Why do so many trans people say they have always felt this way? Why does gender dysphoria show up in childhood, long before social influences?

Because gender identity isn’t a fad — it’s neurological.

Here’s what we do know:

Autistic people are between six- and seven times more likely to be transgender or nonbinary.Nearly 25% of gender-diverse youth are autistic.Neurological and genetic factors play a role in gender identity — this isn’t just psychology, it’s biology.

Why does this matter? Because if we can understand how gender identity develops in the brain, we can better support trans youth, improve mental health care, and help autistic individuals who experience gender dysphoria.

This funding wasn’t about “making mice trans.” It was about understanding how the brain processes gender. And that knowledge could help millions of people.
If you’re worried about government waste, look at the real problem

If conservatives were really concerned about wasteful spending, they’d look at something far more harmful: the White House’s own anti-trans propaganda.

Donald Trump’s administration isn’t just cutting funding for trans research — it’s publishing misleading, politically motivated attacks on transgender people using taxpayer dollars.

A recent article posted on WhiteHouse.gov dangerously misrepresented science, promoting debunked claims about gender identity and paving the way for rolling back health care protections for trans people, banning gender-affirming care nationwide and erasing legal rights for trans students.

This isn’t about science. It’s about a larger, dangerous narrative that transgenderism isn’t real, that research on gender identity should be defunded and that trans people don’t deserve health care or legal protections.

If you want to talk about wasteful spending, then look at this administration’s efforts to push misinformation while ignoring the real issues affecting Americans.
Defend the science. Defend the truth.

The next time someone brings up “transgender mice,” ask them:

Do you believe in funding neuroscience research on gender identity?Do you support medical studies that could help autistic and trans youth?Why are you mad about this funding, but not billions wasted on government propaganda?

If you believe in truth, science and protecting vulnerable communities, you should care about this. It isn’t about mice. It’s about erasing science that doesn’t fit a political agenda.

Don’t fall for it. Science matters. People matter. The truth matters.


Arizona Mirror is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arizona Mirror maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jim Small for questions: info@azmirror.com.

'Have you no decency?' Lawmakers spar as House GOP chair calls trans congresswoman a man

Matthew Chapman
March 11, 2025 

RAW STORY


U.S. Rep-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE) picks during a lottery drawing for office assignments for new House members-elect of the incoming 119th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Nathan Howar


Chaos broke out during a House hearing on Tuesday after a Republican committee chair addressed Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first openly transgender lawmaker elected to Congress, as a man, and shut down the hearing altogether when confronted over it, The New York Times reported.



"The Europe Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs panel was in the middle of a hearing on arms control and U.S. assistance to Europe when its chairman, Representative Keith Self of Texas, introduced his colleague by calling her 'Mr. McBride,'" reported Annie Karni. "Ms. McBride, who entered Congress knowing she would present a unique target for Republicans who have politicized and attacked transgender people, has generally chosen to let such moments slide. On Tuesday, she briefly registered her displeasure by returning Mr. Self’s slight, responding, 'Thank you, Madam Chair,' before proceeding with her remarks."

While McBride tried to leave it at this, Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA) then spoke up on her behalf in outrage, the report continued.


ALSO READ:'Absolutely unconscionable': Ex-Republican demands Trump removed from office after fight

“Mr. Chairman, you are out of order,” said Keating. “Mr. Chairman, have you no decency? I mean, I’ve come to know you a little bit. But this is not decent.”

He then demanded, “You will not continue [this hearing] with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way,” after which Self adjourned the session.


He later justified his behavior on social media by writing, “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female.”

McBride identifies as female.

Republicans, emboldened by their belief that President Donald Trump's attacks on transgender rights in the 2024 campaign were effective, have moved to crack down on what they call "gender ideology," mandating Capitol Hill restrooms be used by sex assigned at birth. Trump has also signed orders declaring there are two sexes that cannot be altered after birth.

Some observers have noted the literal terms of the order could accidentally declare all Americans female — and imposing similar rules on gendered sports leagues at colleges and universities receiving federal funding, which is currently being challenged in court.

US unable to stand up to Trump, says French senator after viral ‘Nero’ speech


By AFP
March 11, 2025


French senator Claude Malhuret vividly criticised Trump and Musk - Copyright AFP TATYANA MAKEYEVA

Antoine Maignan

US politicians are unable to stand up to Donald Trump, a French lawmaker said, after the viral success of a speech where he damned the US president as presiding over “Nero’s court” and described his advisor, Elon Musk, as a “buffoon on ketamine”.

The main chamber of France’s upper house, the Senate, is usually the venue for stately discussion rather than speeches that go viral worldwide.

But senator Claude Malhuret, a veteran politician who sits with a faction aligned with President Emmanuel Macron in the Senate, last week grabbed global attention due to his colourful choice of language.

“Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a buffoon on ketamine in charge of purging the civil service,” he said in the speech.

He was comparing Trump to notoriously tyrannical Roman emperor Nero.

He also made reference to Musk, owner of social media platform X and the world’s richest person, who has been put in charge of Trump’s federal cost-cutting efforts.

Given English subtitles by social media users, the speech by Malhuret — a former minister, MP and mayor — has been viewed millions of times and also broadcast by international news networks.

– ‘Never imagined’ –

The former doctor and minister told AFP he had echoed the “concern” and “anger” of many in the United States during the eight-minute speech, given during a Senate debate on Ukraine and European security.

“I never imagined that an internet user would spontaneously translate it into English and that it would go viral to such an extent, particularly in the United States,” he said in an AFP interview.

He said he had given voice to an unease in the United States about Trump’s behaviour that is felt on both sides of the political divide.

“Judging by the very, very, very many messages I have received since then, I think that Americans today feel that their politicians are unable to stand up to Trump.

“The Republicans, of course, are afraid of reprisals and so are saying nothing, even those who disagree with him.

“And the Democrats are still reeling from their presidential defeat and the party is not yet in working order.

“For my part, many of the messages I received asked: ‘How come it has to be a French politician who says this, when no-one there is saying it?'” he said.

He added that even people who voted for Trump were starting to believe “it is starting badly and, above all, that the world order is being called into question”.

– ‘Dictator supported by a traitor’ –

Malhuret said in the speech that Europe was at a “critical juncture of its history”.

“The American shield is slipping away, Ukraine risks being abandoned and Russia is being strengthened,” he said.

He said the message of Trump — the “king of the deal” — is that “being his ally serves no purpose because he will not defend you”.

Malhuret accused Trump of presiding over a “seizure of democracy”, saying “never in history” had a US president “surrendered to the enemy”.

“We were at war with a dictator,” he said in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Now we are fighting against a dictator supported by a traitor.”

During their heated meeting in the Oval Office, Trump had treated the “war hero” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “stable boy”, Malhuret said.

In his interview with AFP, Malhuret insisted that, compared to the daily diatribes from Trump and Musk, what he had said was “very respectful”.

“I don’t insult them,” he stressed.

He acknowledged he used “colourful expressions”, explaining: “I prefer colourful expressions to insults or curses.”

‘Cower before a mad king’: GOP moves to ‘surrender’ Congress’ power over Trump’s tariffs

David Badash, 

The New Civil Rights Movement
March 11, 2025 


U.S. President Donald Trump talks to the media next to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, with Tesla cars in the background, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 11, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarqu

Facing a midnight Friday deadline to prevent a federal government shutdown if no budget is passed, the Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, insists he has the votes to secure a continuing resolution, a “CR,” and without any help from Democrats. Democrats have vowed to oppose the measure, citing its spending cuts to health care and veterans’ benefits, as well as the inclusion of controversial policy provisions — despite Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole’s specific claim to the contrary.

Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Monday wrote: “House Republicans want to gut Medicaid. Hard pass.”

“The 99 page bill continues funding levels for federal agencies through September 30, 2025,” NPR reports. “GOP leaders argued the bill was largely a ‘clean’ continuation of current funding levels, but it does include a boost for immigration enforcement and a boost for defense programs.”

It also includes a little-noticed provision, however, that, according to one longtime congressional staffer, “preemptively surrenders” Congress’s constitutional authority to block President Donald Trump’s highly controversial and unpredictable tariffs, which he appears to be imposing and rescinding on a whim.

Here’s how one noted economist explained President Trump’s tariffs on Tuesday:

“Tariffs are on/off/paused, and are targeted/universal, applied to our friends/foes/everyone, starting sooner/later. They’ll be in place for the short/long run because they are a useful policy/bargaining chip, and will solve our problem with fentanyl/deficits/manufacturing/revenue,” wrote Justin Wolfers a professor of economics and public policy.

Meanwhile, that provision House Republicans quietly inserted into the bill that at least temporarily would revoke their authority is now getting some attention.

“Republicans snuck a provision into the rule for the CR that would preemptively surrender congressional authority to block tariffs,” observes Aaron Fritschner, deputy chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA). “When House Republicans vote for this rule today, they will also be voting to support Trump’s tariffs and all the resulting damage to the US economy.”

Congressman Beyer, in a joint statement with U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), blasted the rule:


“”Every House Republican who votes for this measure is voting to give Trump expanded powers to raise taxes on American households through tariffs with full knowledge of how he is using those powers, and every Republican will own the economic consequences of that vote. It speaks volumes that Republicans are sneaking this provision into a procedural measure hidden from the American people.”

“While [Trump] babbles about making Canada the 51st state, your groceries and housing are getting more expensive and your retirement accounts are getting crushed- and House Republicans are supporting him every step of the way.”

The provision might be able to be removed if the House voted to do so after the CR is passed, but chances of that happening — voting to oppose a core tenet of Trump’s agenda — are slim if the GOP holds the House majority. Trump would also have to sign the bill, or the House would have to overturn a veto.

Some House Democrats are explaining their opposition to other provisions in the continuing resolution, which one of them, U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), appears to compare to an exercise in bondage.

“I don’t know whether the GOP will get the votes on their disaster of a bill this week. But I do know that majorities of Republicans voted against similar bills for all of the last 2 years. So what is making them strap on the ball gag and climb into Trump’s dungeon now?” Congressman Casten wrote on social media.

Noting that “Congress has the Constitutional power of the purse and has reaffirmed it through multiple laws (Impoundment Control Act, Anti-Rescission Act) that are being used by multiple courts to block the WH’s over-reach,” Casten warns that the CR “has language that would weaken those cases.”


“This is what you do to cower before a mad king. It is not what you do if you are defending a constitutional democracy,” he declares.

And continuing his explanation for opposing the bill — and continuing his ribald language, Casten notes that the bill “would cut ~$28 billion in funding we passed under the PACT Act to make sure veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and toxic burn pits get healthcare coverage. Pissing on US veterans is a choice.”

There’s more.

“It would slash funding for USDA food inspectors. You know, the people who go into monitor the spread of avian flu, or to make sure you don’t have E. Coli in your lettuce,” he writes.

“It gives the White House much more discretion over public-private partnerships, essentially allowing them to prioritize infrastructure projects (highways, rail, etc.) only in their political supporters communities. That is anti-American, in the purest sense,” says Casten.

“It cuts rent subsidies for low-income folks. Which means a whole lot of landlords are going to find themselves forced to evict some ~32,000 families. If you think your community needs more homelessness, that’s a good idea. Otherwise… really f’ing dumb.”

Congressman Casten concludes, “Here’s the bottom line. When faced with a constitutional crisis, some members of Congress are fighting back. Others are strapping on the ball gag, climbing into Trump’s dungeon and assuming the American people share their masochistic fetish.”

Casten also includes in his analogy Fritschner’s observation about stopping their ability to block Trump’s tariff’s. He responds: “This is how you legislatively mandate the ball gag.”


See the video or at this link.

NASA fires chief scientist, more Trump cuts to come

Agence France-Presse
March 11, 2025 

The NASA logo is displayed at the Earth Information Center exhibit, at NASA headquarters in Washington. (AFP)

NASA announced Tuesday the dismissal of its chief scientist and others to comply with orders from President Donald Trump, marking the latest in a series of administration actions undermining climate change research.

While the move affects only 23 people, a spokeswoman indicated more cuts are coming.

The first round notably eliminates the Office of the Chief Scientist, led by Katherine Calvin, a renowned climatologist who contributed to key UN climate reports. She and other US delegates were also barred from attending a major climate science meeting in China last month.

"To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF," agency spokeswoman Cheryl Warner said.

"A small number of individuals received notification March 10 they are a part of NASA's RIF. If they're eligible, those employees may opt to participate in the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, or VERA, or complete the RIF process."

Also eliminated are the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

NASA has so far avoided the deep cuts affecting other agencies, reportedly due to last minute intervention by Jared Isaacman, Trump's nominee for NASA chief. Isaacman, an e-payments billionaire and SpaceX customer, is seen as close to Elon Musk -- Trump's key advisor and architect of federal cost-cutting efforts.

In February, NASA had been preparing to lay off around a thousand probationary employees. However, Isaacman reportedly asked for the cuts to be put on hold, according to Ars Technica. NASA has not explained the reversal.

The new layoffs, first reported by NASA Watch citing an internal memo, could signal a shift away from research and toward exploration.

Trump and Musk both support a human mission to Mars. In his State of the Union address last week, Trump declared the US would "plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond."

NASA plays a crucial role in climate research, operating a fleet of Earth-monitoring satellites, conducting airborne and ground-based studies, developing sophisticated climate models, and providing open-source data to researchers and the public.


Trump, who has called climate change a "scam" and expressed disdain for the UN and climate science, has already pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement for a second time.

Meanwhile, his administration has dismissed hundreds of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the nation's other key climate agency, with more cuts expected.

Trump orders massive tariff hike and announces national emergency as Canada row escalates

TRUMPF REMOVES 50% TARIFFS AFTER LUNCH

Matthew Chapman
March 11, 2025 10:52AM ET
RAW STORY




Donald Trump (Reuters)


President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Tuesday that he is ordering an even greater escalation of tariffs against Canada, with a 25 to 50 percent tax on steel and aluminum imports from that country, effective Wednesday.

This comes in retaliation to the Canadian province of Ontario instituting its own 25 percent tariff on electricity exports to Minnesota, Michigan and New York, which was a salvo against Trump's initial trade war measures on the country.

"Also, Canada must immediately drop their Anti-American Farmer Tariff of 250% to 390% on various U.S. dairy products, which has long been considered outrageous," Trump wrote in his announcement. "I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area. This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada."

Trump threatened even further actions may be taken in the near future: "If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada. Those cars can easily be made in the USA! Also, Canada pays very little for National Security, relying on the United States for military protection. We are subsidizing Canada to the tune of more than 200 Billion Dollars a year. WHY??? This cannot continue."

"The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State," Trump added, repeating a demand he has made several times and that Canada has rejected as ridiculous. "This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever — And Canada will be a big part of that."

"The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World — And your brilliant anthem, 'O Canada,' will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!" Trump continued.


The Dow Jones plunged even further in response to Trump's announcement, with shares trading 500 points below the opening bell as of press time.

'Hidden From the American People,' GOP Moves to Give Trump Unchecked Trade War Powers

"They slipped in a little clause letting them escape ever having to debate or vote on Trump's tariffs," said one Democratic critic. "Isn't that clever?"

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) looks on during a March 11, 2025 press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
(Photo: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Brett Wilkins
Mar 11, 2025
COMMON DREAMS


Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday snuck language into a rule on the GOP's stopgap funding bill that a pair of Democratic lawmakers warned would "effectively surrender congressional power over raising taxes and tariffs on the American people" to President Donald Trump as he escalates his trade war against the world.

The Republican move would prevent any Democratic vote to challenge the "national emergency" being invoked by Trump to levy sweeping tariffs on countries including Canada, China, and Mexico—and, according to remarks by the president during his joint address to Congress earlier this month, any nation that does not lower barriers to trade with the United States by April 2.



Trump has used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to slap tariffs on Canadian, Chinese, and Mexican exports—although some products have been granted exemptions. The 1977 law empowers the president to control international transactions by declaring a national emergency. However, the measure has never been invoked in order to impose tariffs.

While House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and some of his GOP colleagues said Tuesday that they believe they can push through the six-month funding measure that would avert a government shutdown, Democratic lawmakers condemned the Republicans' process, in which they say they were not included.

"Guess what [Republicans] tucked into this rule, hoping that nobody would notice?" Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), the ranking member of the House Rules Committee, said on the lower chamber's floor on Tuesday. "They slipped in a little clause letting them escape ever having to debate or vote on Trump's tariffs. Isn't that clever?"




Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), both members of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, said in a joint statement Tuesday that "every House Republican who votes for this measure is voting to give Trump expanded powers to raise taxes on American households through tariffs with full knowledge of how he is using those powers, and every Republican will own the economic consequences of that vote."

"It speaks volumes that Republicans are sneaking this provision into a procedural measure hidden from the American people," added Beyer and DelBene, who together previously introduced the Prevent Tariff Abuse Act and the Congressional Trade Authority Act in a bid "to rein in Trump's abuses of tariff powers."

The lawmakers continued:
Today, Trump is further endangering the U.S. economy and hiking prices on the American people by increasing his destructive and pointless tariffs on Canada. There can be no doubt about how he will use the power Republicans are about to give him, and about the disastrous economic effects we have already seen from Trump's tariffs. While he babbles about making Canada the 51st state, your groceries and housing are getting more expensive and your retirement accounts are getting crushed—and House Republicans are supporting him every step of the way.

"The Constitution delegates authority setting tariffs, which are taxes, to Congress, and Congress retains the power to stop Trump from wrecking our economy," Beyer and DelBene added. "Yet House Republicans are choosing to surrender the power of their own votes to a reckless president, putting politics over the country and their constituents. We will continue urging our colleagues to come to their senses and save our economy from Trump's tariff chaos."

How will Trump lie and cheat his way out of this slump?

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo/File Photo
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly before the closing bell as the market takes a significant dip in New York, U.S.

Robert Reich

March 11, 2025
ALTERNET

Recall that Trump was elected largely because Americans thought the economy was lousy and believed him when he said he’d fix it.

Now, seven weeks after his inauguration, the bottom is falling out. Stocks are plunging. Treasury yields are falling. Consumer confidence is dropping. Inflation is picking up.

Over the weekend, Trump refused to rule out a recession this year, telling Fox News there will be a “period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big.”

Well, yes, if “very big” means destroying much of the federal government, allying with Putin against our traditional allies, and putting high tariff walls around America.

The cost of living — the single biggest problem identified by consumers over the last several years — is going up, not down. Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, and his threatened 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, are playing havoc with supply chains inside and outside America.

Trump’s trade war with China intensified today as China began imposing retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of American farm products. Food prices are rising.

Corporations are pulling back from investing in new productive capacity — additional jobs, equipment, factories — because Trump and Musk’s chaos makes it impossible for them to gauge what the future will bring. Joblessness is rising.

The S&P 500 was down more than 2 percent in this morning’s trading — after last week’s 3.1 percent drop (the biggest drop in six months) — signaling that investors are unnerved.

Tesla’s stock tumbled more than 8 percent this morning. Shares of Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon.com, Nvidia, and Meta Platform fell more than 2 percent.

Long-term bonds —which reveal investors’ expectations about the economy over the next decade —are also down. They expect hard times. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield slipped below 4.23 percent (it had settled Friday above 4.31 percent).

Even before this Trump slump, only the richest 10 percent of Americans had enough purchasing power to keep the economy going with their spending. The bottom 90 percent — including most Trump voters — were barely getting by. The next 18 months could be rough on millions of people.

Will the Trump slump turn into a recession? How will Trump lie and cheat his way out of it? Stay tuned.

Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/.

'Great unraveling': Pulitzer-winner warns Trump will trigger economic 'nervous breakdown'

Erik De La Garza
March 11, 2025 
RAW STORY

FILE PHOTO: A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly before the closing bell as the market takes a significant dip in New York, U.S., February 25, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo/File Photo

The global uncertainties spawned by President Donald Trump’s inconsistent policies – both economic and foreign – will not only topple the markets and send investors and entrepreneurs into panic mode, but is also certain to unleash a global “nervous breakdown.”

That’s according to Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Thomas Friedman, who warned readers in an op-ed published Tuesday that Trump retreating to “his old obsessions and grievances” once he returned to the White House, coupled with cramming his administration with “fringe ideologues” and teetering tariff threats, is causing “a great unraveling.”

“Four years of this will not work, folks,” Friedman wrote.

“Our markets will have a nervous breakdown from uncertainty, our entrepreneurs will have a nervous breakdown, our manufacturers will have a nervous breakdown, our investors — foreign and domestic — will have a nervous breakdown, our allies will have a nervous breakdown and we’re going to give the rest of the world a nervous breakdown,” he said.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist added that “top officials of our oldest allies” fear the country is not just becoming unstable, “but actually their enemy.”

“The only person who gets treated with kid gloves is Putin, and America’s traditional friends are in shock,” Friedman wrote.

Similarly, he said economists have expressed fear over “profound uncertainty” surrounding Trump’s economic policies that could lead to a “combination of stagnant growth and inflation (from so many tariffs) known as stagflation.”

Friedman laid blame on all the turmoil Trump has so far triggered in the seven weeks since Inauguration Day, all because he ran for reelection “to avoid criminal prosecution and to get revenge on people he falsely accused of stealing the 2020 election."


"He never had a coherent theory of the biggest trends in the world today and how to best align America with them to thrive in the 21st century. That is not why he ran," Friedman summed up.

Friedman concluded that Trump's "biggest lie of all his big lies" are his "claims that he inherited an economy in ruins and that’s why he has to do all of these things. Nonsense."

Asian markets track Wall Street selloff as Trump-fuelled economy fears build


By AFP
March 11, 2025


Wall Street: — © Digital Journal

Asian markets tumbled Tuesday following a sharp sell-off on Wall Street fuelled by fears about the US economy as Donald Trump presses ahead with his global trade war and federal jobs cuts.

Traders had initially welcomed his election on optimism that his promised tax cuts and deregulation would boost the world’s top economy and help equities push to more record highs.

But there is now a growing pessimism that a recession could be on the cards amid warnings that tariffs imposed on key trade partners will reignite inflation and force the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates again.

The president’s weekend comments that the economy was facing “a period of transition” and his refusal to rule out a downturn did little to soothe investor worries.

A new wave of tariffs due this week will see steep levies of 25 percent on steel and aluminum imports.

Uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs and threats have left US financial markets in turmoil and consumers unsure of what the year might bring.

Fears about the future battered Wall Street, where the Nasdaq tanked four percent owing to another plunge in high-flying tech titans including Apple, Amazon and Tesla.

And Asia followed suit, with losses across the board.

Tokyo was among the main losers after Japanese Trade Minister Yoji Muto said he had failed to win an immediate exemption from US tariffs.

Hong Kong and Shanghai extended Monday’s selling that was stoked by a big miss on Chinese consumer prices that added to worries about the Chinese economy.

Sydney, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Wellington and Manila were also deep in negative territory.

“Economic uncertainty and recession fears have intensified, partly driven by President Trump’s weekend comments about the economy being in “a period of transition” and his reluctance to rule out a recession,” said Shaun Murison, senior market analyst at IG online trading platform.

“This uncertainty has heightened investor anxiety. Trump’s trade policies, including ongoing tariff discussions are creating uncertainty and fears of economic slowdown.

“These tariffs could potentially elevate prices and complicate efforts to reduce interest rates.”

The plunge in sentiment across markets in the past few weeks has filtered through to other risk markets, with bitcoin falling below $80,000 on Monday to its lowest level since November — having hit a record close to $110,000 in January.

The cryptocurrency’s losses have also been driven by disappointment that Trump signed an executive order to establish a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” without planning any public purchases of it.

Oil extended Monday’s drop of more than one percent amid worries about demand as US recession speculation builds.

– Key figures around 0230 GMT –

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.7 percent at 36,382.57 (break)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.1 percent at 23,512.73

Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,354.29

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0855 from $1.0836 on Monday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2888 from $1.2878

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 146.90 yen from 147.26 yen

Euro/pound: UP at 84.23 pence from 84.13 pence

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.5 percent at $65.70 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $69.03 per barrel

New York – Dow: DOWN 2.1 percent at 41,911.71 points (close)

London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.9 percent at 8,600.22 (close)

Op-Ed: Are the markets calling the shots right for once? It’s complicated


By Paul Wallis
DIGITAL JOURNAL
March 10, 2025


Nasdaq building in New York. — © AFP

In a culture where the phrase “market forces” was a mantra for “no ideas,” the phrase has become mystic, and the lack of ideas is pervasive. Markets are manipulable, overhyped, and usually overvalued.

The markets are usually particularly unreliable as predictors of anything much. Big investment money tends to react too slowly to new things and is very risk averse. That slowness to react is turning ugly.

2008 was an exception. The markets caught up with reality, a very rare event since the Greed is Good psychoses. The markets had to call it like it was. A huge volume of worthless securities decimated Middle America. Fortunes were made but mostly lost in the retail investment sector.

There’s a big but nasty-looking difference this time. This is the whole economy in play, and the stakes are much higher.

The big drops in recent days, notably the NASDAQ, are NOT the same thing. The usual suspects. Nvidia, Tesla, and Amazon took a lot of damage and took the index with them. A lot of real money went with them.

Now consider:

All three stocks are hyper-sensitive and oversold to the market.

They all have specific issues. They typically move more than any other stocks with a few exceptions.

Nvidia has been super-hyped on the basis of future earnings from new AI chips. Tesla’s market image has been almost completely destroyed by its demagogue-in-chief.

Amazon is the top storey of the retail market, and retail is under tremendous pressure. The consumer market is shrinking thanks to massive increases in prices across the board. The retailers are trying to dodge the bullets, and not succeeding.

Of themselves, these stocks are usually pretty neurotic and no basis for prophecy. The underlying reason for the moves is more worrying. The massive instability and visions of chaos created by the new administration are extremely disruptive. Nobody has a clue what the future Federal budget will be like. Big job losses and highly questionable numbers don’t do much to reassure.

More Federal debt isn’t exactly popular. It could also be dangerous, and if the cost of borrowing goes up, major defaults are quite possible. The credit market could react badly to a $4 trillion Federal debt ceiling over any time frame. Who wants to lend that sort of money? Who’s paying for it? The US could well have already shut itself off from foreign lenders as well.

Trade is looking particularly bad. Reciprocal tariffs will also hit US exporters. Importers now have new 25% margins to find in their markets to make a profit.

Who has 25% profit margins to absorb the tariffs? Nobody who’s doing business legally. When importers and exporters are both hit with extra big costs, it’s no surprise who pays. The consumer market is too broke to afford it.

The likely result is uncontrollable and unavoidable deflation. That’s the bad kind of deflation. If you manage your own price moves, you can control it, but that’s almost impossible now. Forget “growth” in this environment.

You can’t run any economy on tantrums. This hysteria is going to cause severe insecurity and cost very big money throughout the US economy from top to bottom.

That means everybody loses.

Even the Mafia could go out of business as the hard cash dries up. You can’t even lend loan shark money to people who’ll probably never have any money.

So – Have the markets got it right? This is where it gets complicated. The really big US capital is now in play, and it has never liked any sort of risk. It’s not happy about having to wake up and pay attention.

There’s more to this idyllic Beatrix Potter-like picture of utter lunacy. The US property market, the multi-trillion sacred cow of US capitalism, isn’t looking very safe. Florida and California are looking iffy. One look at the property market headlines will tell you that nobody’s trying too hard to predict what happens next.

Will there be a stock market crash? There definitely will if the big investors bail out to dodge losses. That money can easily go offshore to a safer and saner environment, where it will be very welcome.

All of the above equate to one thing.

The key US economic fundamentals are far beyond lousy across all sectors and clearly deteriorating.

These market moves could be the first whimper of a real collapse. Let’s hope not.

___________________________________________________________

Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.

ECOCIDE

Ships still on fire after North Sea crash


By AFP
March 11, 2025


The UK Coastguard had halted search operations late Monday after rescuing 36 crew members - Copyright AFP GREG BAKER

Lucie Lequier with Akshata Kapoor

Fires were still raging on Tuesday after a cargo ship laden with toxic materials slammed into a tanker carrying flammable jet fuel in the North Sea, as questions mounted about how the accident happened.

The fires were “still going on”, nearly 24 hours after the Solong cargo ship ran into the Stena Immaculate tanker, anchored about 10 miles (16 kilometres) off the northeast port of Hull.

One crew member was also still missing, Grimsby port chief executive Martyn Boyers told AFP.

The government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has launched a probe into Monday’s accident to determine the next steps and need for a counter-pollution response.

The UK Coastguard halted search operations late on Monday after rescuing 36 crew members from both ships. It was not immediately clear if the search had resumed early on Tuesday.

“One crew member of the Solong remains unaccounted for. After an extensive search for the missing crew member sadly they have not been found and the search has ended,” said Matthew Atkinson, Divisional Commander for the HM Coastguard.

Images on Monday showed a huge plume of thick, black smoke and flames rising from the scene off the coast of East Yorkshire, sparking concerns of “multiple toxic hazards”.

The Stena Immaculate was on a short-term US military charter with Military Sealift Command, according to Jillian Morris, the spokesperson for the command that operates civilian-crewed ships providing ocean transport for the US Defense Department.

Crowley, the US-based operators of the tanker, said the impact of the crash “ruptured” the ship’s tank “containing A1-jet fuel” and triggered a fire, with fuel “reported released”.

The Stena Immaculate was carrying around 220,000 barrels of jet fuel.

The Solong was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, according to the Lloyd’s List information service, but it is not known if any of the flammable compound had leaked.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the situation “extremely concerning”.

All crew members aboard the Stena Immaculate were confirmed to be alive, a spokeswoman for the tanker’s Swedish owner, Stena Bulk, told AFP.



– ‘Toxic hazards’ –



A spokesman for the government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch said: “Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps.”

Dutch maritime servicing company Boskalis told the ANP news agency it had been tasked with salvaging the Stena Immaculate and was “fully mobilising”.

Four ships with firefighting capacity were on their way to the site, a Boskalis spokesperson said, adding that the tanker would need to be “cooled down” before the fire could be extinguished.

Ivor Vince, founder of ASK Consultants, an environmental risk advisory group, told AFP: “The good news is it’s not persistent. It’s not like a crude oil spill”.

“Most of it will evaporate quite quickly and what doesn’t evaporate will be degraded by microorganisms quite quickly,” he added.

He warned though, that “it will kill fish and other creatures”.

There were growing concerns about the consequences of any spillage into the North Sea for the local environment and protected wildlife.

Paul Johnston, a senior scientist at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University, said: “We are extremely concerned about the multiple toxic hazards these chemicals could pose to marine life.”

The jet fuel entered the water close to a breeding ground for harbour porpoises.

Sodium cyanide is “a highly toxic chemical that could cause serious harm”, he explained.



– Humber traffic suspended –



All vessel movements were “suspended” in the Humber estuary that flows into the North Sea, according to Associated British Ports (ABP), which operates in the Ports of Hull and Immingham in the region.

The German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said it was also dispatching a vessel capable of fire fighting and oil recovery.

Grimsby native Paul Lancaster, a former seaman, told AFP: “I don’t understand how two ships that big could collide”.

“There must have been a massive engineering problem,” he said.

Environmental groups warn of ‘multiple toxic hazards’ after North Sea ship crash

Copyright Bartek Śmiałek via AP

By Lottie Limb

Published on 11/03/2025 - 

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is assessing what counter pollution action is needed, as people voice concern for porpoises and seabirds.

The collision of two ships off the east coast of England has created an environmental “tragedy” in the North Sea, wildlife experts warn.

Fires are still burning on an oil tanker carrying jet fuel and the cargo ship loaded with toxic chemicals that crashed into it yesterday morning (10 March) off the coast of East Yorkshire. 

One crew member from the cargo ship is missing and the search for them has sadly been called off, according to an update from HM Coastguard this morning. The other 36 crew members from both vessels were safely rescued, with one in hospital. 

An assessment of what counter pollution response will be necessary is being carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. While it’s too early to gauge the extent of the damage, environmental groups have been sharing their concerns about the incident.

What is jet fuel and what damage can it do at sea?

The oil tanker - MV Stena Immaculate - was carrying jet fuel for the US government when it was struck, operator and joint owner US logistics firm Crowley confirmed. Some of that aviation fuel has been spilling into the sea since the crash at around 10am GMT yesterday.

Jet fuel is a kerosene-based liquid with a high boiling point, meaning it evaporates slowly. Data from ship tracking site MarineTraffic indicates the tanker was partially laden, with other sources showing it held 140,000 barrels of the aviation fuel.

The fire on Stena Immaculate will burn off some of the fuel. And bacteria in the sea can break down jet fuel, experts say. But that still leaves an unknown amount of a substance toxic to marine life pouring into a sensitive environment.

What wildlife lives in the area where the crash occurred?

“We are now seeing toxic oil pouring from the 183 metre-long tanker into  - or very near - a sensitive area designated to protect declining harbour porpoises,” Hugo Tagholm, executive director of Oceana UK, tells Euronews Green. 

“As these animals are forced to come to the surface to breathe, they risk inhaling poisonous fumes and choking on oil.”

Oceana says it believes the collision took place in or near two protected areas: the Southern North Sea marine protected area, designated for harbour porpoise, and the Holderness Offshore marine protected area, marked out for seafloor habitats.  

Smoke billows from a vessel after a cargo ship hit a tanker carrying jet fuel off eastern England on Monday, 10 March, 2025.Bartek Śmiałek via AP

There are also breeding seal colonies and numerous species of seabirds along the coast which could be impacted by pollution.

Dave O’Hara, senior site manager at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Bempton Cliffs, told the BBC that the area is home to England's largest gannet colony and internationally important populations of seabirds.

Around half a million seabirds, including Gannets, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins breed in the area each year, on the 122-metre-high chalk cliffs.

Related

What damage could a sodium cyanide leak do in the North Sea?

The cargo vessel, Portugal-flagged container ship Solong, was also carrying a dangerous load: 15 containers of sodium cyanide, according to Lloyd's List intelligence.

It is not yet clear whether the chemical, which is highly water-soluble, has leaked into the sea. 

Dr Paul Johnston, a senior scientist at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University, says the organisation is extremely concerned about “multiple toxic hazards”.

“While we don’t know about the status of the containers holding sodium cyanide, we’re dealing with a highly toxic chemical that could cause serious harm. 

“Any release of bunker fuel could also pose serious risks to nearby nature sanctuaries,” he adds. 

“Authorities need to urgently assess the situation and put in place measures to contain the release of jet fuel and any other toxic substances from the two vessels where possible. We must hope an environmental disaster can be averted.” 

Relate

Local wildlife groups offer their services

Environmental organisations big and small have been responding to the incident, with local residents also keen to assist. 

Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue, a volunteer-led organisation based in a nearby town on the Humber Estuary, has convened to discuss the care it can provide if oiled wildlife reach Cleethorpes Beach.

“We are currently adapting our oil spill response protocols - originally designed for factory spills - to ensure we are prepared for this incident,” the group said in a post on Facebook.

It has set up a dedicated oiled wildlife hotline, and is urging members of the public to call this number (01472 472662) if they encounter an affected animal, rather than attempting to handle it personally.

Hundreds of people have shared or commented on the post to offer their help, including one woman who volunteered during the last major oil spill in UK waters, when the Sea Empress tanker ran aground at Milford Haven, Wales, in 1996.

Related

Incident shows dangers of ‘Big Oil’ dominance

While environmental groups are concerned with the immediate impact on the marine ecosystem, some also say the incident spotlights the risks of fossil fuels.

“This tragic event shows once again that spills occur everywhere Big Oil goes, be it drilling the ocean floor or transporting fossil fuels around the world,” says Tagholm. 

“Local livelihoods could well be threatened in the North East, since oil contamination can impact commercial fish populations, along with the shellfish industry, in addition to the potential impacts on human health.

“We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the destruction this industry causes. Ending the era of Big Oil and building a future powered by clean, renewable energy is paramount, for UK seas, for our communities and our future.”

US Tanker Busts into Flames After Being Hit by Containership off England

Nigeria moves gingerly to tame Africa’s biggest crypto market


By AFP
March 11, 2025


Lagos, Nigeria's economic capital, is home to a thriving fintech sector - Copyright AFP/File Frederic J. BROWN

Tonye BAKARE

Nigerian authorities are warily moving to regulate Africa’s largest cryptocurrency market in long-delayed efforts to create legal certainty in a field still fraught with fraud and volatility.

For years, regulators and government officials have viewed cryptocurrencies and other digital assets with suspicion despite their popularity in the country.

Nigeria ranked second globally after India in 2023 and 2024 on a crypto adoption index compiled by Chainalysis, a global crypto research firm.

Over the past year, a more regulated sector has slowly started to take shape, even as fraud remains a concern for police.

The director-general of the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotimi Agama, confirmed to AFP in August that the regulator was pushing ahead with efforts to create clarity around the use of digital assets.

That month, the SEC announced that it had granted “Approval-in-Principle” to two exchanges to begin operations. The first licensed companies — Busha Digital Limited and Quidax Technologies Limited — have since launched.

“We believe this regulatory move is a positive start that will benefit the market in the long run by building trust and stability,” Buchi Okoro, co-founder and chief executive of Quidax, told AFP.

“The SEC approval sent a clear signal to potential crypto investors, emphasising their focus on customer protection.”

However, the government’s regulatory push is being bogged down by scepticism and widespread fraud and investment scams, with many grifters in play.

In December, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it arrested 792 suspects — including scores of foreigners — in a single operation in the affluent Victoria Island area of Lagos “for their alleged involvement in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams.”

A romance scam is when a fraudster pretends to be in love with a target in order to fleece them.

The previous month, the SEC issued an advisory against Marino FX Limited, which it said had falsely claimed to be registered by the commission as a cryptocurrency exchange. It was not the first time the SEC had published such a notice.



– Cautious steps –



Beyond approving the exchanges, Nigeria’s parliament is considering an investment and securities bill that, if passed into law, would establish a regulatory framework for digital currencies.

In the run-up to the general election in February 2023, President Bola Tinubu, then as the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, promised a regulatory environment that would encourage the healthy adoption of digital assets.

Many in the industry saw his breakaway from his predecessor’s hardline stance against cryptocurrencies as a welcome development.

However, months after taking office, Africa’s economic powerhouse imposed a new set of restrictions on crypto exchanges in an attempt to halt the sliding value of the local naira currency.

In February 2024, central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso singled out Binance for blame.

Binance, the world’s biggest digital asset exchange, was forced to shut down operations involving the naira. Many customers quickly offloaded their wallets, fearing their funds might be trapped.

Authorities arrested, sued and later released one of two Binance executives who had flown into the country for talks with the government. The other fled government custody.

Nigeria’s Inland Revenue Service still has an ongoing $81.5 billion lawsuit against the exchange, which had not been registered to operate in the country.



– Money laundering concerns –



Laolu Biyi Samuel, co-founder of Busha Digital Limited, said the overall regulatory environment was moving positively.

“Despite the strong headwinds we have faced over the years, we have truly seen a turnaround in the government’s approach to innovation in the sector,” he said.

With the United States recently launching a “strategic bitcoin reserve”, experts believe Nigeria’s appetite for digital assets could help the West African nation reap the benefits of a potential windfall.

Still, there are concerns that cryptocurrencies remain a conduit for money laundering and terrorism financing, and that the high volatility could wipe out investments in a country with a weak social safety net.

“Regulatory clarity and policies should be prioritised now,” Obinna Iwuno, president of Stakeholders in Blockchain Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), told AFP. “It is not too late to start discussing a national Bitcoin strategy and action plans.”