COMSTOCK ACT REDUX

‘Sweeping and Dangerous’: US Appeals Court Blocks Mailing of Abortion Pills

The “politically driven” ruling, warned one campaigner, “overrides medical expertise and years of research, and threatens to upend how abortion care is delivered nationwide.”


An abortion rights advocate holds a box of mifepristone outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2024.
(Photo by Shuran Huang for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Jessica Corbett
May 01, 2026
COMMON DREAMS

Rights advocates swiftly sounded the alarm on Friday after the infamously far-right US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit temporarily blocked a federal rule allowing mifepristone to be dispensed by mail, dramatically curtailing access to the medication—commonly used for abortion and early miscarriage care—nationwide, particularly in states with policies hostile to reproductive freedom.

Just months after the US Supreme Court’s right-wing supermajority reversed Roe v. Wade, the Food and Drug Administration permanently lifted mifepristone’s in-person dispensing requirement in early 2023, under then-President Joe Biden. Louisiana—which has among the nation’s most restrictive abortion policies—challenged the FDA’s move.

A federal judge in Louisiana paused that lawsuit last month while President Donald Trump’s administration conducts an FDA review that seems “designed to manufacture an excuse for further restricting medication abortion across the country,” as Julia Kaye, senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project, warned at the time.

After a panel from the appellate court overturned that decision and revived the in-person dispensing rule on Friday, Kaye declared that “anti-abortion politicians have just made it much harder for people everywhere in the country to get a medication that abortion and miscarriage patients have been safely using for more than 25 years.”

“Louisiana’s legal attack on mifepristone shamelessly packaged lies and propaganda as an excuse to restrict abortion—and the 5th Circuit rubber-stamped it,” she continued. “This decision defies clear science and settled law and advances an anti-abortion agenda that is deeply unpopular with the American people. For countless people, especially those who live in rural areas, face intimate partner violence, or live with disabilities, losing a telemedicine option will mean losing access to this vital medication altogether.”

Brittany Fonteno, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), similarly stressed that “this ruling is a sweeping and dangerous rollback that disregards the well-established safety and efficacy of the use of mifepristone via telehealth, and will create immediate, medically unnecessary barriers to care for patients across the country.”

“Make no mistake: This ruling is not grounded in science or patient safety,” she said. “It is a politically driven decision that overrides medical expertise and years of research, and threatens to upend how abortion care is delivered nationwide. Through this litigation, Louisiana seeks to impose its cruel abortion ban across the nation—including in states with legal protections for abortion—and today the court has taken an extreme step toward that end.”

While pledging that “NAF and our allies will continue to advocate to restore full access to medication abortion,” Fonteno reminded patients that mifepristone “remains available in doctors’ offices, clinics, and hospitals.”

After Roe‘s reversal, the anti-choice movement and its allies in elected offices ramped up efforts to impose state-level restrictions on reproductive healthcare. A significant majority of abortions in the United States involve a two-drug regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol, and a quarter of those patients receive care via telemedicine.

“Telehealth has been the last bridge to care for many seeking abortion, which is precisely why Louisiana officials want it banned,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which joined over 100 other reproductive health, justice, and rights groups, including the ACLU and NAF, that filed an amicus brief in this case.

“This isn’t about science—it’s about making abortion as difficult, expensive, and unreachable as possible,” Northup added. “Telehealth has transformed healthcare. Selectively stripping that away from abortion patients is a political blockade.”

The drug companies Danco Laboratories, which makes the brand-name version of mifepristone, Mifeprex, and GenBioPro, which makes the generic, have intervened in Louisiana v. FDA. GenBioPro is represented by the law firm Arnold & Porter and Democracy Forward, whose president and CEO, Skye Perryman, declared Friday that “this is the anti-abortion extremists’ playbook in action once again: Weaponize the courts to serve their political interests, ignore decades of scientific evidence proving mifepristone’s safety, and put women directly in harm’s way.”

“Even as this assault defies the will of the overwhelming majority of the American public, these ideologically extreme politicians and organizations are determined to impose a narrow, autocratic agenda—no matter the cost,” she continued, emphasizing that “our fight is not over.”

The effects of the 5th Circuit’s decision are expected to be immediate absent a quick intervention from the Supreme Court, and Nourbese Flint, president of All* Above All, warned that “as always, the people most impacted will be Black and brown communities and those already navigating systemic barriers to care.”

Serra Sippel, executive director of the Brigid Alliance, a national abortion support group that helps coordinate and fund travel, said that “we expect to see an immediate increase in patients forced to travel hundreds or even thousands of miles for care. That includes many who are later in pregnancy—when care is more complex and more expensive.”

“Over the past several years, we’ve seen a dramatic rise in abortion travel and a growing reliance on practical support networks like ours, particularly in states where patients already travel long distances for care,” Sippel noted. “We will continue to monitor the impact of this ruling and are committed to ensuring abortion patients who need to travel can safely get to the care they need, regardless of where they live.”

Watchdog exposes Republicans' quiet sabotage of Social Security

Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) (Photo: Screen capture)

Alex Lawson

April 29, 2026

ALTERNET

Last week, I visited three chronically understaffed Social Security “ghost offices” in Ohio. These are Social Security field offices with too few staff to meaningfully serve the local community. That means people have to wait months for an appointment, if they can get one at all. It is getting harder and harder for Americans to claim their hard-earned benefits.

Kelly Phillips Erb recently wrote in Forbes about the five-month long ordeal her widowed 77-year-old mother went through to claim Social Security benefits. Stories like that are playing out across the country.

This is no accident. The Trump administration engineered the ghost office crisis. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) forced thousands of workers, including many of the most experienced, out of the Social Security Administration. Thousands more workers were reassigned away from field office work to answer the 1-800 number, without proper training. In 2025 alone, Social Security offices lost an estimated 20% of staff.


Ghost offices are now beginning to turn into closed offices. Over a dozen Social Security offices around the country are currently closed due to lack of staff. It simply isn’t possible to run Social Security properly without the dedicated, experienced staff that Musk forced out.

The three Ohio Social Security field offices I visited were in Painesville, Middleburg Heights, and Columbus. Each of these areas is represented by a Republican congressman who is helping to decimate Social Security.


Donald Trump and Elon Musk are wrecking our Social Security system so they can rob it. And every Republican in Congress is complicit. They’ve all voted for budgets that underfund Social Security, while cheering on DOGE’s cuts.

That includes Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio), who is on the ballot this November. His opponent is longtime Social Security champion Sherrod Brown, who is running to return to the US Senate. Brown has always fought to protect and expand Social Security, and to fully fund the system’s customer service. Meanwhile, Husted and his fellow Republicans are demolishing Social Security brick by brick.

Last November, Husted introduced a so-called “Balanced Budget Amendment.” That would have forced cuts to Social Security, making it illegal to pay promised benefits. Husted wants to deny you the benefits you’ve earned, so that billionaires can buy more golden yachts.


He isn’t alone. The three Ohio Social Security field offices I visited were in Painesville, Middleburg Heights, and Columbus. Each of these areas is represented by a Republican congressman who is helping to decimate Social Security.

The Columbus office is in Ohio’s 15th district, currently represented by Republican Rep. Mike Carey. Carey’s likely Democratic opponent, Adam Miller, joined me at the rally outside the office, where he railed against the Trump administration’s cuts and vowed: “We need to expand Social Security staffing, outreach, and hours. That’s what a Democratic Congress is going to do!”

The Middleburg Heights office is in Ohio’s 7th district, currently represented by Republican Rep. Max Miller—one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country. The district has a staggering 7,161 Social Security beneficiaries for every field office worker. Like Husted, Max Miller supports a Balanced Budget Amendment that would make it illegal for Social Security to pay promised benefits.


I also visited an office in Painesville, which is in Ohio’s 14th district, currently represented by Rep. David Joyce. The district has lost 16% of its Social Security staff in the last year. Like the other Republicans, Joyce has consistently voted for budgets that underfund Social Security.

During my time in Ohio, I met field office staffers who are struggling to keep up with the workload. They are dedicated public servants who work relentlessly every day, but one person simply can’t do the jobs of five, 10, or 15 people forever. I also met Americans who are struggling to access their hard-earned benefits because of the Trump sabotage.

For the sake of Social Security’s future, we need to vote Republicans out of office this November, and replace them with Democrats who will hold the Trump administration accountable. My trip to Ohio was just the beginning.

Alex Lawson is the Executive Director of Social Security Works, the convening organization of the Strengthen Social Security Coalition -- a coalition made up of over 340 national and state organizations representing over 50 million Americans.

'Tough spot': CNN host pities astronauts having to endure fawning president

Artemis II astronauts, NASA Commander Reid Wiseman and NASA Mission Specialist Christina Koch, with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 29, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Sarah K. Burris

April 29, 2026 

ALTERNET

President Donald Trump welcomed the Artemis II astronauts to the White House after their incredible trip farther than any other human has traveled. He didn't want to talk about that, however.

CNN host Brianna Keilar noted that Trump talked about former FBI Director James Comey, crime in Washington, D.C. It was anything but a conversation about the Artemis II crew standing beside him.

"I think we should just also point out what a tough spot for these incredibly accomplished astronauts who have just renewed so much interest in space travel with their incredible achievement of this Artemis II mission," said Keilar. "You know, two of them are active duty military, one of them Canadian, by the way. So, you can understand being in the middle of a situation like this, where some of this is getting politicized. It's just it's extraordinary. It's bizarre."


She noted that the whole purpose of the Artemis crew being at the White House was to celebrate their accomplishments.

After a short conversation about Trump's latest threats on Iran, the anchors returned to the awkward astronauts.


Co-host Boris Sanchez said the president appeared to recognize the position he was putting the astronauts in by turning to complain about politics, among other issues.

"I don't want to get you guys involved. I can't imagine what you're thinking," Trump told the astronauts.

When Trump did get a question about NASA and moving the headquarters, Trump didn't appear to understand the question and asked the reporter to "rephrase" it. After she asked it again, he called on the NASA administrator and then made fun of his ears.


"Yeah, he said, I know [they're] in a tough spot. And then he made it tougher by kind of saying ... I know what you're thinking. Which also can be read as, 'you agree with me. I'm not going to have you speak about that," said longtime CNN broadcaster Tom Foreman.

Foreman mentioned the astronauts' accomplishments again, saying that what they did was a big deal for the United States, but the win-hungry president glossed over it.

"This flight of Artemis II is, honestly, I think, one of the few things that we can point to in a big way in this country in the past several months or whatever, where a lot of people left and right would agree, this was an amazing accomplishment," Foreman said. "And isn't it great that they went out there. This was an accomplishment that was built over many years, not just Donald Trump's years."


He explained that they were there to be honored, but Trump spent no time honoring them.

"He talked to the astronauts much longer in space than he did when they were in the room with him!" said Foreman.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is making drastic cuts to NASA programs that made the Artemis II mission possible. Foreman called it, embracing his guests at the party while having their cars towed.

Republicans and Democrats have tried to convey to the White House that the U.S. will lose the space race to Chinese dominance and they will beat the U.S. to building a moon base and landing on Mars.


Foreman said that it could have very easily been a normal photo-op with a handshake and a wave, " But it turned into something very different."

Republicans have said that they will not allow Trump to make the 25 percent cuts to NASA that were proposed.

Science.org reported that the draft of the budget bill "is an early sign that Congress again thinks Trump has gone too far in cutting research."

Seth Rogen's new film shows children how tyrants like Trump manipulate the masses

Animal Farm/ Screenshot

Matthew Rozsa

April 29, 2026 

ALTERNET

Editor's Note: The story has been updated to include additional information about the "Animal Farm" animators.


In the age of President Donald Trump, American children need to see "Animal Farm."

Based on satirist George Orwell's classic 1945 novella of the same name, “Animal Farm” loosely adapts the original’s plot into an age-appropriate animated film. Directed by Andy Serkis, written by Nicholas Stoller and starring Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Woody Harrelson, Glenn Close and Laverne Cox, it tells the story of a livestock rebellion in which pigs, sheep, chickens, cows and other animals overthrow their farmer and take over his farm. When Orwell first wove this tale more than 80 years ago, it reflected his disillusionment with left-wing politics: A democratic socialist himself, Orwell was dismayed and horrified as the Soviet Union descended into tyranny after the corrupt Joseph Stalin ran Leon Trotsky out of the government.

Flash forward to the 21st century and it’s shocking: The exact same dynamics that Orwell despised in the leftist anti-establishment define the right-wing populism promulgated by Trump. Given that the main filmmakers and stars are explicitly anti-Trump themselves, it is reasonable to surmise that these parallels are deliberate.

As depicted in the Angel Studios version, a boar named Napoleon (Rogen) orchestrates a coup against a pig named Snowball (Cox), a liberal-coded pig (and a character that, in Cox's hands, seems more like Hillary Clinton than Trotsky) who is smart and sincerely means well but cannot conceal her patronizing attitude toward the masses. Discovering and resenting her condescension, the other animals turn on Snowball and follow Napoleon’s lead, who panders to them while secretly plotting to sell them out for his personal profit.

If all of this reminds you of Trump, again, I doubt that was an accident. Just as Orwell criticized Stalin and his supporters for being no better than the aristocrats they deposed, Serkis and Stoller recognize that Trump’s appeal similarly depends on their supporters failing to see how their supposed liberators are exactly like other oppressors. In true Trump-ian fashion, Rogen’s Napoleon wheedles, bribes, gaslights and bullies as necessary to convince a population which craves economic and social justice that he will provide it. Behind the scenes, however, Napoleon ruthlessly funnels all of the farm's wealth and power to himself and his cronies.

I enjoyed everything about "Animal Farm": It's clever, colorful and well-served by its talented cast, especially Rogen as a Napoleon who mixes Trumpist values with Rogen-esque shtick. My positive view on “Animal Farm," however, is not the consensus opinion. Most of my fellow Rotten Tomatoes critics panned “Animal Farm,” complaining (to quote The Wrap’s William Bibbiani) that “the changes [from the book] aren’t an improvement. Most of them only call attention to the power of Orwell’s novella, and the comparative powerlessness of this new version.” To an extent, Bibbiani is correct: Orwell wrote his book for adults while Serkis made his film for young people, and therefore the book is more incisive, layered and thought-provoking than the motion picture.

Yet just because a movie doesn’t live up to a great book, that doesn’t mean the movie itself isn’t also great. Indeed, in this case, trying to faithfully adapt the source material would likely have backfired. I think of Victor Hugo's novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," which in my opinion is superior to the nevertheless-excellent animated Disney film. While I won't spoil the book's plot by revealing the changes, suffice to say that they are both substantial and justifiable, as the Disney film had to remove much of the dark source material so the final product would be suitable for young people. Serkis and Stoller faced the same challenge and rose to it, thereby achieving something quite impressive with this motion picture. For “Animal Farm,” the filmmakers needed to tell an entertaining and kid-appropriate story that nevertheless, like Orwell's novella, effectively explains through its plot how tyrants manipulate their citizens. “Animal Farm” accomplishes this so deftly that I suspect some of critics are taking that feat for granted. Unlike the two previous cinematic iterations of "Animal Farm" — a 1954 animated film and a 1999 live-action adaptation — this one works overtime to be appropriate for kids of all ages.

So yes, Rogen’s Napoleon and his goons are broadly characterized, their machinations easy for all but the tiniest tots to comprehend. Yes, the movie is full of cutesy images, catchy songs, toilet humor and other accoutrements one usually sees in mainstream animated family fare. This is as it should be: “Animal Farm” can appeal to children as much as any “Despicable Me" movie (and, like that franchise, this one looks like it was drawn by Illumination, although Aniventure and Imaginarium Productions made it, with Angel Studios distributing). Importantly, though, "Animal Farm" is crystal clear in transmitting Orwell’s main message: That one should distrust charismatic leaders who promise to help the masses, then manipulate and bully so that they can become dictators themselves.

We live in an era in which Americans need to trust their brains, eyes and ears instead of listening when told to respect corrupt and self-aggrandizing leaders. At a time when Trump is using every conceivable tool to become an American Napoleon — trying to steal elections, exacerbate racial divisions, profit from power and silence critics (especially after the attempts on his life) — kids need to watch “Animal Farm" so they can learn its crucial lesson: Think for yourself, not as the powerful want you to.

Frankly, their parents should learn that lesson too. Democracy depends on it.

Not Just an Abstract Moral Appeal: Ending the Nuclear Age Is a Requirement for Survival

Humanity faces a choice, whether consciously or not, to continue down a path of conflict that leads toward ultimate destruction or to renounce its old ways and center peace at the heart of all its efforts.


"The World Is No Place For Nuclear Weapons" was projected onto the side of Queen Elizabeth House, the new flagship UK Government Hub, in Edinburgh, to celebrate that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) enters into force as international law on January 22, 2021.
(Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

Ivana Nikolić Hughes
May 01, 2026

Common Dreams


This speech was delivered to the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on May 1, 2026.

Honorable President, Distinguished Delegates, Colleagues, and Friends,

We are living in a decisive moment. Humanity faces a choice, whether consciously or not, to continue down a path of conflict that leads toward ultimate destruction or to renounce its old ways and center peace at the heart of all its efforts.

International law, built painstakingly over decades and even centuries to prevent such an unfathomable catastrophe, is under brazen and relentless attack today. At the heart of this divergence lies a fundamental question: whether states may claim a right to wage war without restraint, and whether use and even possession of weapons with potential to end human civilization can ever be justified. These are precisely the issues at the core of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)—whose future we have gathered to discuss at this Review Conference.

Nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are not separate tracks toward a safer world—they are intertwined and inseparable paths.

Our world is a time-ticking bomb. There are more than 12,000 nuclear warheads in existence—each capable of killing hundreds of thousands, some even millions of people, and any one of which could trigger a chain reaction leading to full-scale nuclear war in less time than this session will last.

More than 40 years ago, Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev reminded us that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” And yet today, we hear renewed calls to use nuclear weapons in the name of “saving lives,” alongside threats that contemplate the destruction of entire societies.

The five nuclear-weapon states recognized under the NPT, the United States, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, France, and China, possess over 95% of the world’s nuclear arsenal. With that power comes not only a moral responsibility, but a clear legal obligation under Article VI of this Treaty: to pursue negotiations in good faith to achieve not only nuclear disarmament, but also total and complete general disarmament.

Nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are not separate tracks toward a safer world—they are intertwined and inseparable paths. As Joseph Rotblat warned in his 1995 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech: “If the militarily most powerful and least threatened states need nuclear weapons for their security, how can one deny such security to countries that are truly insecure? The present nuclear policy is a recipe for proliferation. It is a policy for disaster.”

We join the voices of hibakusha and countless others who have come before us in urging all NPT States Parties to take immediate and meaningful action:Condemn and cease all military combat, including wars that risk escalation toward nuclear conflict, and reaffirm the primacy of international law and peaceful resolution of disputes.Unequivocally renounce the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances, and reject policies such as “launch on warning” and “first-use” that heighten, rather than reduce, the risk of nuclear war.Commit to a concrete, time-bound path toward a world free of nuclear weapons, including by joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The first step in this journey must be clear to all: The United States and the Russian Federation, which together possess more than 85% of the world’s nuclear arsenals, must urgently restart bilateral negotiations to reduce and ultimately eliminate their stockpiles. The remaining nuclear-armed states must pause all modernization and arsenal increase programs, and commit to a transparent, verifiable, and irreversible process of disarmament.Recognize and assist all victims of the nuclear age, including survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, those impacted by more than 2,000 nuclear explosions during the so-called nuclear testing period, and uranium mining workers and others harmed by the the development of nuclear weapons, ensuring justice, support, and environmental remediation.

This call is not just an abstract moral appeal; it is a prerequisite for human survival. The credibility of the NPT and the future of humanity depend on the actions we take over the next three weeks.

In the words of Joseph Rotblat: “The quest for a war-free world has a basic purpose: survival. But if in the process we learn how to achieve it by love rather than by fear, by kindness rather than by compulsion; if in the process we learn to combine the essential with the enjoyable, the expedient with the benevolent, the practical with the beautiful, that will be an extra incentive to embark on this great task.”

Thank you, Honorable President.


Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.


Ivana Nikolić Hughes
Ivana Nikolić Hughes is President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Columbia University. Her work on ascertaining the radiological conditions in the Marshall Islands has been covered widely. Her writing has appeared in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, The Hill, Scientific American, The Diplomat, Truthout, Transcend Media Service, and elsewhere.
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Chart Shows How Trump 2.0 Is ‘Most Brazenly Self-Enriching’ Administration in US History

Buying Trump’s meme coin is like investing in “a pet rock, except you don’t even get a rock” out of the deal, said economist Steve Rattner.


A Donald Trump coin is pictured alongside Bitcoin and various other cryptocurrencies in this photo illustration in Brussels, Belgium, on August 5, 2025.
Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Brad Reed
May 01, 2026

COMMON DREAMS

Since returning to office a little more than a year ago, President Donald Trump has nearly tripled his net worth, driven in large part by investments in his family’s cryptocurrency ventures.

Appearing on MS NOW on Friday morning, economist Steve Rattner broke down how Trump’s net worth has exploded from $2.34 billion in 2024 to an estimated $6.5 billion in 2026.

“So where did the money come from? He had $4 billion, he and his family, of profits,” Rattner said. “$3 billion of it came from crypto, and I will tell you, there are so many transactions here, so many structures, that made my head hurt trying to understand it.”

In addition to the crypto ventures, Rattner pointed to Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner raising money from investors in the Middle East through his investment firm Affinity Partners; increased revenue that came from raising admission fees to his Mar-a-Lago resort; and money he’d obtained from lawsuits against assorted media companies.

Rattner then explained the finances of the Trump meme coin, which he described as investing in “a pet rock, except you don’t even get a rock” out of the deal.

“He sold them initially at $7, it went up to $45, not surprisingly it crashed,” Rattner said.

However, Rattner said that early investors in the cryptocurrency, whom he described as “whale wallets,” managed to profit handsomely from the venture by buying up large numbers of Trump coins and then selling them to retail investors, who were left holding the bag when the coin’s value fell precipitously shortly after its launch.

“Let me just emphasize, it’s not like [the retail investors] got anything,” he added. “All they got, in effect, was like a little note, a little email or something, saying, ‘Congratulations, you own 10 Trump meme coins.’ But there’s nothing they can do with it. They were buying nothing, they were buying air.”

The economist did note that Trump made $600 million in trading fees that investors paid to carry out transactions of the coin.

After his appearance on MS NOW, Rattner posted a photo on social media of a graph he made to document the rise in Trump’s wealth over the last two years.



“[Trump’s] administration,” Rattner commented, “is the most brazenly self-enriching in American history.”

'Grotesque': Trump sons' dubious mining deal triggers accusations of 'vast corruption'

Robert Davis
April 30, 2026

 RAW STORY

FILE PHOTO: Eric Trump speaks with his father, U.S. President Donald Trump, on the day of the grand opening of Trump International Golf Links Aberdeen in Balmedie, Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain, July 29, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo


Political analysts and observers were aghast on Thursday after a new report suggested President Donald Trump's family had engaged in a dubious deal.

The Financial Times reported that Trump's sons, Don Jr. and Eric, had taken a stake in a Kazakh mining company that had recently been awarded a $1.6 billion loan from the U.S. government. The brothers reportedly bought into the company last August for an undisclosed amount. The report added that there is "no indication" that the Trumps knew the company was in talks with their father's administration, or that they influenced the decision to grant the loan.

Even so, analysts and observers expressed their outrage on social media.

"Not surprising. This family is beyond anything in the history of the U.S. Outright shameful," Martin Pelletier, portfolio manager at TriVest Wealth, posted on X.

" Trump Cartel’s corruption is so vast and grotesque and shamelessly out in the open that it has an almost paralyzing effect on the senses, made worse by the fact that there’s no systemic pushback, no 'opposition party' or elite resistance or even the hint of accountability," Marm Ames, a radio host, posted on X.

"A serious country would put these scoundrels in prison for life," podcaster Kyle Kulinski posted on X.

"Just a coincidence," Martina Navratilova, a former professional tennis champion, posted on X.

New Infowars owner bids merciless 'good riddance' to 'rubbish' Alex Jones

Alex Jones speaking with attendees at The People's Convention at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan. Flickr/Gage Skidmore

Adam Lynch

May 01, 2026 

ALTERNET

After almost 30 years of broadcasts and MAGA-style conspiracy theories, MS NOW reports the lights are off at Infowars on Friday. And the new company owner couldn’t be more pleased to see founder Alex Jones bump the door on the way out.

“Good riddance to the world’s worst rubbish,” The Onion’s CEO, Ben Collins, wrote in a text to MS NOW. “The second this man is disallowed from abusing these courts, from paying out the $1.4 billion he owes to these families, we are ready to take over with something that will make you forget about what was ever there before.”

MS NOW reports the legal dismantling of one of President Donald Trump’s most reliable propaganda networks — at least until recently — is far from over, but it began with a group of defamation lawsuits filed in Connecticut and Texas by family members of Sandy Hook victims, who argued Jones had damaged them with years of claims that the school shooting was a hoax.

With Jones’ conspiracy claims plastered across the internet, there was no place to deny it, so the judge slapped him with a historic billion-dollar judgement. MS NOW reports Jones has “made good on his promise not to pay the families,” having filed for bankruptcy in 2022 and in 2024. But a judge ordered the liquidation of his assets, which opened the door to comedy site The Onion gathering the pieces under ownership.

“The Onion, helmed by Collins, a former NBC News reporter on the disinformation beat, came forward with a bid, supported by many of the Sandy Hook families,” reports MS NOW. “The Onion initially won, but a judge granted Jones’ request to block the sale, arguing that another offer by a company that happened to operate Jones’ online supplements store had been higher. But in April, there seemed to be a workaround — Jones’ estate had run out of money and instead of buying it in an auction, The Onion could just pay rent in a licensing deal. On Wednesday, a Texas appeals court stopped the transfer again, temporarily blocking the asset handover.”

But unable to afford rent, Jones closed up shop.

“The hell we’ve been through has only made us stronger,” Jones told his staff during his last appearance on Thursday.

But Collins has his own plan for Jones’ “hell.”


“We have a deal with both the Sandy Hook families and the court-appointed receiver, and we look forward to taking over this hellhole imminently,” Collins told MS NOW.

France steps up vaccination push as anti-vax fears grow in Europe

France is using European Immunisation Week to push a nationwide vaccination campaign to raise protection among adolescents and young adults, while scientists warn that anti-vaccine disinformation seen in the United States could spread across Europe.


Issued on: 30/04/2026 - RFI

France is prioritising vaccination against meningococcal and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections among adolescents and young adults during European Immunisation Week.

 AP - Michel Spingler


As vaccination awareness events continue across Europe this week, France is focusing on meningococcal infections and human papillomavirus (HPV), while nearly 300 leading figures have backed a Pasteur Institute-supported call to fight vaccine disinformation.

Published on Monday to coincide with the start of EU Vaccination Week, the text warns that political tensions around vaccines could undermine public confidence.

Growing concern over vaccine hesitancy in France is linked partly to political debates coming from the United States, signatories say.

“The open letter stems from our community's concern regarding the vaccine hesitancy we are seeing in France, linked to political positions, particularly across the Atlantic,” Brigitte Autran, professor at the Sorbonne University and former head of France’s health risk monitoring committee Covars, told public broadcaster FranceInfo.

Disinformation fears

The petition reads: “We are signing this open letter today for all the parents who have questions, for all the citizens troubled by the surrounding noise, for all those searching for a sign of truth amid the cacophony of opinions.

"And here it is: vaccination works. It is safe. It saves lives. One life every eight seconds."

The signatories said vaccines have saved 154 million lives over the past 50 years, citing World Health Organization figures.

Scientists are especially concerned by growing disinformation and attacks on science from the United States and policies under President Donald Trump’s administration.

US Health Minister Robert F Kennedy Jr has drawn strong criticism from medical groups over moves that have raised doubts about vaccine safety, cut research funding and weakened disease prevention programmes, even as the United States faces its worst measles outbreak in years.

France has long promoted vaccination since Louis Pasteur developed the rabies vaccine in 1885, and several vaccines are mandatory, especially for children.

Since 2017, meeting vaccine requirements has been necessary for admission to childcare and school, while vaccination against ACWY and B meningococcal infections became mandatory in 2025.

Teenage gap

French health authorities say that although vaccination rates for babies remain high, greater progress is needed among adolescents and young adults.

Meningitis, sepsis and septicaemia linked to meningococcal infections are serious illnesses that can be life-threatening and may lead to disabilities including amputations, hearing loss and brain damage.

The Santé Publique France health agency said that in 2025, nearly nine out of 10 babies had received their first ACWY vaccine dose by eight months old.

But only 17.1 percent of 11- to 14-year-olds, 10 percent of 15-year-olds and 7.9 percent of people aged 15 to 24 were vaccinated against ACWY meningococcal disease.

Since September 2025, middle school pupils have been able to receive free ACWY vaccinations in all public schools and some participating private schools.

The other major focus is vaccination against HPV, which is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

HPV and flu

Usually spread by sexual activity, some HPV strains cause genital warts while others can lead to cancers.

In 2025, 61.6 percent of 15-year-old girls received a first HPV vaccine dose, up from 58.4 percent in 2024, while the rate for boys rose to 46 percent from 36.9 percent.

But only 35 percent of girls and 27 percent of boys born in 2012 had received two doses, still far below the government’s 80 percent target for 2030.

Measles vaccination targets have also not been fully met, despite the disease circulating again in France since 2024.

SPF says reaching 95 percent coverage for two doses is essential to protect vulnerable groups, including newborns and people receiving cancer treatment.

Flu vaccination rates are also causing concern. “Last year, there were very few vaccinations and an extremely severe flu wave,” Autran told FranceInfo.

Even though flu vaccination has improved slightly, she said levels remain far below those of neighbouring European countries.

“When everything is going well, everyone forgets the benefits of vaccination,” Autran said.

INTERVIEW

Fighting racism 'must be at heart of presidential debate', French mayor tells RFI

France needs to take concrete action to tackle growing racism before the 2027 presidential election, the newly installed mayor of Saint-Denis Bally Bagayoko tells RFI, after facing racist abuse in the weeks following his election in mid-March.


Issued on: 01/05/2026 - RFI

Bally Bagayoko in the RFI studio on 22 April, 2026, to talk about challenges he's faced since becoming mayor of Saint-Denis, north of Paris. © rfi

Born in France to Malian parents, Bagayoko of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party – which the government has designated "far-left" – is now mayor of the second largest town in the Ile-de-France region after Paris. Shortly after being elected, he was the subject of racism, notably on the CNews television channel, on which a guest compared him to a primate. Bagayoko has filed an official complaint against the broadcaster. His town hall has also received racist phone calls.

RFI: You've been subjected to racist attacks, including on CNews. Did these surprise you?

BB: These attacks are utterly intolerable. And I’m unfortunately not the only one to have experienced them, so I want to express my full solidarity with all those who are victims of such remarks. We condemn them.

Now, we need to act. That’s why, on 4 April, we organised a major rally. Some 15,000 people came along to say that the anti-fascist and anti-racist struggle is still necessary. We hope we'll soon be able to develop policies that break with these dynamics, and also create the conditions so that by 2027 we have a government capable of addressing this issue.


RFI: Racism in politics isn’t new, and there has been resistance against it for decades too – people remember the 1983 march against racism [Marche des Beurs]. And yet you don’t think anything has changed?

BB: No. If anything, I would say things are getting worse.

RFI: Because of what you describe as an "unrestrained" form of racism?

BB: Because today we have social media. And we also have, unfortunately, a number of media outlets – such as CNews and others – which act as accomplices to racist discourse, when they're not actively spreading it themselves.

So we’re seeing a growing and increasingly powerful shockwave, which is forcing public authorities and politicians to respond. Public opinion also needs to be more alert – and above all more active.

It’s no longer acceptable to tolerate these attacks. And I say this all the more strongly because, as the mayor of a large city, I'm fortunate enough to have a voice. I get heard. But what about those who are victims of such remarks and remain silent? That's why we have to condemn this, and above all do something to change things.

RFI: So you don't think the State is doing enough? You’ve criticised President Emmanuel Macron for not reacting strongly enough.

BB: Yes, I said so, as I did to other government members who were very slow to respond. Then, under pressure from public opinion, the President of the Republic eventually clarified his position and, of course, condemned the remarks.

But what matters to us – those of us who are often from post-colonial immigrant backgrounds – is action. Of course, statements and condemnations are welcome, they matter emotionally. But what counts is concrete action to stop this happening.

ARCOM [the media watchdog] has a responsibility. The audiovisual regulator and the media must be held to account, and measures must be taken to prevent this kind of discourse.

A protester holds a placard reading 'racism, xenophobia, hate get lost' during a rally against racism convened by Bagayoko in Saint-Denis, on 4 April, 2026. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON

Protest in Paris against immigration law as parliamentary debate continues

RFI: You are planning another rally for May. Has that been confirmed?

BB: The original date was 3 May. But after discussions with a number of partners who want to be fully involved in this major gathering – which should be even larger than the one on 4 April – we agreed to move it to late May, or even early June.

The aim is to build a broad, popular initiative that brings together as many people as possible, to express our deep attachment to the values of the Republic – liberty, equality, fraternity – and to act against racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

RFI: Is this a key priority for you in office? Beyond rallies, are you thinking about other concrete actions?

BB: As mayor, I already have a direct responsibility to act. I also have responsibilities as an employer, which means these issues cannot be dealt with only in abstract terms – they must be addressed within the city itself.

That's why staff and elected representatives are trained in these issues.

Secondly, in Saint-Denis we'll always respond firmly and immediately to anything of this nature – whether it involves residents or media outlets that, in our view, undermine these values.

More broadly, change is needed at a national level – in law, in public decision-making and in how the media operates. There needs to be a major overhaul. That’s why this debate must be held on a national level.

RFI: So the aim is to make this a central issue in the 2027 presidential election?

BB: It has to be at the heart of the presidential debate. The goal is to ensure it’s firmly on the agenda – that the first debates, the first policy directions, the first measures address the question of which candidates are capable of countering the project of the far right in this country. That’s the issue.

Bagayoko, with the founder of France Unbowed (LFI) Jean-Luc Melenchon (left) on 4 April, 2026. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON

How effective is France’s fight against racial discrimination?

RFI: Some people have called you the “French Barack Obama”. The same was said of Karim Bouamrane, mayor of Saint-Ouen, close to Saint-Denis. Do you see that as a form of racism – reducing elected officials to their skin colour – or do you see real parallels with Obama’s trajectory?

BB: I would rather be compared to another figure – the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani. As for the comparison with Barack Obama, that’s a bit of a stretch.

But yes, there is clearly an element linked to skin colour. And the fact he had a very close relationship with people – a very direct, unfiltered style. There’s an element of that.

But it doesn’t define who I want to be. I don’t want to be Barack Obama. I want to be Bally Bagayoko – the child of a working-class neighbourhood who does what I can, within my means, to stand up for what I believe is right in society.

Macron hardens attack on 'far-left' LFI, says antisemitic rhetoric must be tackled

RFI: Bouamrane – who ran against you for the presidency of Plaine Commune, the inter-municipal authority covering eight towns in Seine-Saint-Denis, an election you won – has accused you of wanting to turn it into a support base for the presidential campaign of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of LFI. Does that mean you'll struggle to work together?

BB: It’s interesting that the government classifies us as far-left. But it’s important to say clearly that we are on the left.

As for Karim Bouamrane, even within the left he's closer to the Macronist wing. That said, yes, we can work together. That’s why I held out my hand to him. It’s now up to him to take it – in the interests of residents.

RFI: This reflects a broader national picture where the left is struggling to unite ahead of the presidential election...

BB: I distinguish between political parties, politicians and left-wing voters and activists.

Some people within the Socialist Party share the idea of a more radical programme. That’s why I say that for the 2027 presidential election, we must be able to come together around a candidate. For me, it would be Jean-Luc Mélenchon. We’ll see what happens, but I believe it’s possible.

This article was adapted from an interview in French and has been edited for clarity.

Mali rebels seize key military camp as junta forces and Russians retreat

Bamako (AFP) – Mali's army and its Russian mercenary allies surrendered a strategic northern military stronghold to armed rebels on Friday, as Tuareg separatists and jihadists waged a unified front to bring down the country's junta.


Issued on: 01/05/2026 - RFI

FLA rebels assemble around a roundabout in Kidal on April 26, 2026. © abdollah Ag Mohamed / AFP/File

Forces at Mali's Tessalit military base, a "super-camp" near the Algerian border, surrendered and were scattering southward, an official from the Tuareg-dominated FLA separatist group told AFP.

The FLA's allies, jihadists from the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), are calling for cooperation to bring down the junta that has run Mali since 2020.

Friday's assault follows large-scale, fatal attacks at the weekend by the separatist and jihadist rebels on key junta strongholds across Mali.

And it comes just one day after JNIM began a road blockade on the capital, Bamako. Only people already in the city were allowed to leave.

A security source in Gao, south of Tessalit, told AFP that "no clashes took place" during the rebel forces' capture of Tessalit, and that regular troops had already evacuated when the assailants entered.

A local elected official confirmed to AFP that the Russians had also abandoned their position there.

Tessalit serves as a strategic base due to its geographical location and features a well-maintained airstrip capable of accommodating helicopters and other large military aircraft.

It had hosted a significant number of Malian troops and their Russian allies, in addition to a substantial quantity of military equipment.

"Tessalit is the oldest base built by the colonial power (France)", a military officer told AFP, adding that its position in the far north offered "a panoramic view of the entire Sahara".

Push to take north

The coordinated weekend attacks marked the largest assault in the west African country in nearly 15 years.

The fierce fighting at various locations, including around Bamako, resulted in the death of at least 23 people and killed defence minister Sadio Camara, a key junta figure.

A government tribute was held for the 47-year-old minister on Thursday, who died as a result of a car bomb at his residence in Kati, a garrison town near Bamako.

During the series of attacks, the militants took the northern city of Kidal.

The Tuareg rebels later predicted they would conquer the country's north and the junta would "fall".

In recent years, Mali, like neighbouring junta-led Burkina Faso and Niger, has cut ties with colonial power France and moved closer to Russia.

Russia has sent in mercenaries to help fight a long-running jihadist insurgency.

The three west African neighbours banded together to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which created a joint force it says numbers some 15,000 men.

The government of Niger said late on Thursday that the three countries had "conducted intense air campaigns" following the attacks in Mali on Saturday.

While that assault marked a turning point in JNIM's fight against the Malian junta, it was far from the jihadists' only campaign in recent times.

Late last year, JNIM attempted to cripple the Malian economy by imposing blockades on the supply of petrol and diesel being trucked in from abroad, particularly from Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal.

Russia vows to keep forces in Mali despite warning from separatists to withdraw

Russia said on Thursday its forces would remain in Mali and continue backing the country’s military rulers, rejecting demands from Tuareg separatists to withdraw after surprise attacks forced Russian troops out of a key northern town.


Issued on: 30/04/2026 - RFI

Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) ride on the back of a truck in Kidal, on 26 April 2026. © AFP

Alongside jihadist forces, Tuareg rebels launched coordinated attacks across the country last weekend.

The offensive forced Russia’s Africa Corps paramilitary unit to pull out of Kidal, a strategic northern town that Russian forces helped the Malian army recapture from Tuareg rebels in 2023, prompting speculation about a wider pull-out.

A Kremlin spokesperson denied Russian forces were planning to leave Mali. “Russia is present there in connection with the necessity declared by the authorities,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

“Russia will continue, including in Mali, to fight against extremism, terrorism and other negative manifestations. And it will continue to provide assistance to the current authorities.”

Malian official accuses Russian forces of 'betrayal' after Kidal falls to rebels

Tribute to defence minister

Russian paramilitary forces provide key support to Mali’s military junta, which has been in power since 2020 and is battling insurgents in a long-running conflict in the north.

Defence Minister Sadio Camara, a central figure in the military government and the driving force behind Mali’s partnership with Russian mercenaries, was killed in an attack on his residence on Saturday.

On Thursday, a ceremony was held to commemorate Camara, who was killed when a truck packed with explosives was driven into his compound in Kati, outside the capital, Bamako.

Sadio Camara outside the Malian Ministry of Defence in Bamako on 19 August 2020. © AFP - MALIK KONATE

The service at the military engineering battalion's grounds in Bamako was attended by the defence ministers of Niger and Burkina Faso, which, together with Mali, form the Alliance of Sahel States.

Dressed in combat fatigues, junta leader Assimi Goita paid tribute to Camara by bowing before his coffin, draped in Mali’s flag.

The minister's funeral service was due to take place later on Thursday.

The 47-year-old, who received military training in Russia, was widely regarded as the architect of the junta’s turn towards Moscow and away from former colonial ruler France.

Separatist warning

Kati was one of a number of strategic junta positions that were attacked on Saturday by jihadist fighters from JNIM, a group linked to Al-Qaeda, and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA.

A spokesperson for the FLA said it wanted Russia to "withdraw permanently" from all its positions in Mali.

During a visit to Paris on Wednesday, spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane told French news agency AFP that the rebels intend to take control of other strongholds including Gao and Timbuktu.

"The regime will fall, sooner or later," he said.

Mali has faced a security crisis since 2012, fuelled by violence from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as separatist movements and criminal gangs.

Like neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali has shifted politically and militarily towards Moscow.

Russia’s Africa Corps is overseen by the defence ministry in Moscow and succeeded the Wagner paramilitary force, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash in August 2023, two months after leading a mutiny against Russia’s military leadership.

(with newswires)