President Donald Trump mocked China on Tuesday for its pollution, which represents a sizable share of the world’s waste.
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114372346621591852" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> a series of photos to his Truth Social account that showed islands of floating bottles, plastics, and other waste in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The president called the mess “A Gift from China.”
China is one of the foremost polluting countries, commonly ranking near the top on lists of nations that produce the most waste that finds its way into the natural environment. China was number four on a list of “highest ocean plastic waste polluters in 2025” put together by the United Kingdom’s <a href="https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/ocean-pollution-facts">GreenMatch</a>.
China produces 71,000 metric tons of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean, according to GreenMatch. China ranked just behind Malaysia, which produces 73,000 metric tons. The Philippines and India took the top two spots at 360,000 metric tons and 130,000 metric tons, respectively.
China’s plastic manufacturing sector is the largest in the world and contributes to its chronic appearance at the top of pollution lists.
“China is responsible for 32% of global plastic materials production in 2021, making it the world number one plastic producer by far. China is followed by the world’s second largest plastic producing region: North-America, they are responsible for 18% of the plastic production. In Europe, the plastic footprint is 15%,” according to hydration company <a href="https://www.aquablu.com/stories/world-8217-s-biggest-plastic-polluters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aquablue</a>.
The International Trade Administration <a href="https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/china-environmental-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in 2023 that “China discharged 55.7 billion cubic meters of wastewater in 2021, 28.7% of which originated from industrial sources.”
“The PRC’s sludge volume could reach 90 million tons by 2025, according to the PRC’s National Development of Reform and Commission. … China’s sludge has low organic matter but possesses high silt and heavy metal content levels,” the Trade Administration said.
The evidence of China’s substantial waste is obvious. In 2022, the world’s largest buildup of plastic waste in the ocean floated between California and Hawaii. A study of the plastic island <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3192204/fishers-japan-and-china-among-biggest-contributors-plastic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that China was a top contributor. Waste from China was estimated to make up 32% of the plastic in the floating mound. Japan was the largest contributor to the monstrosity, responsible for an estimated 34% of the plastic waste.

floating garbage

Trump Is Right: China Is Literally Building An Island Made Of Trash

China

Donald Trump

Earth Day

United States

On the eve of April 10, 2025, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts underwent a patriotic transformation. 
Under the leadership of newly appointed President Richard Grenell, the iconic Washington, D.C., landmark made a bold and lasting statement: from now on, the building’s exterior lighting will shine every night with the vibrant and meaningful colors of red, white, and blue to honor the United States of America.
“The lights are a beautiful reminder of the American spirit,” Roma Daravi, Vice President of Public Relations at the Kennedy Center, told The Daily Wire. “The red, white, and blue colors are a powerful symbol of unity and our nation’s commitment to bringing people together. What better place for that than at the Kennedy Center, America’s institution for the Arts.”
Over the past several years, the Kennedy Center has taken on multiple different appearances.
The first big change happened in 2013 when the building was temporarily lit with colorful hues to celebrate a Nordic Festival’s “Northern Lights” exhibit. Then, in 2017, the Center started utilizing rainbow lighting annually during the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center was lit yellow and blue in support of Ukraine back in 2022. It was also lit with purple and amber lights for the Women&#8217;s Suffrage Centennial back in August of 2020. 
Grenell choosing to light the building red, white, and blue every night going forward represents a permanent, year-round tribute to American values, his team explains. In contrast to landmarks like the Empire State Building, which rotates its lights for various causes, holidays, and marketing campaigns, the Kennedy Center will now be dedicated to displaying national pride.
The Kennedy Center has been in the news ever since President Trump took office and promised major reforms, including firing the entire board, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-dumps-kennedy-center-board-puts-immediate-end-to-drag-shows-for-kids">reported</a>.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote on social media in February. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
The changes the new board made led to full-scale meltdowns on the Left, including protests expressed through <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-protesters-plan-to-save-kennedy-center-with-interpretive-dance-yes-really">interpretive dancing</a>. But their protests haven’t made much of a difference. The Kennedy Center just <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kennedy-center-breaks-all-time-attendance-record-after-lib-meltdown-over-trump">broke</a> its all-time attendance record for a public event it hosted on March 29, welcoming 11,000 attendees, of whom 76% were there for the first time.

The Kennedy Center

Red, White, And Blue Lights At Kennedy Center Will Be Permanent Fixture: ‘Reminder Of The American Spirit’

Exclusive: Kennedy Center Honors America With Permanent Patriotic Lighting

General

Kennedy Center

Patriotism

U.S.

Washington D.C.

President Donald Trump is “dead serious” about Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and is willing to use military force if necessary, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth appeared on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” to discuss nuclear talks between the United States and Iran that kicked off on Saturday. Hegseth said that while the administration is committed to finding a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear program, the president would not rule out using military force.
“President Trump is dead serious on this issue. He&#8217;s dead serious that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. He&#8217;s said that for 20 years. He&#8217;s been consistent. That is clear,” said Hegseth. “He&#8217;s dead serious that he wants it done at the negotiating table. He wants it done peacefully, and that&#8217;s why he&#8217;s going straight to these talks.”
The talks began on Saturday with delegations from the United States and Iran meeting in Oman. The teams were led respectively by U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“These were productive talks yesterday. I don&#8217;t want to get ahead of our skis — Steve Witkoff does a fantastic job — but it was a good step, and they&#8217;re going to go at it again on Saturday,” Hegseth said.
“But [Trump] is also dead serious that if we can&#8217;t figure this out at the negotiating table, then there are other options — to include my department — to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear bomb.”
“We hope we never get there … but what we&#8217;re doing with the Houthis and what we&#8217;re doing in the region, we&#8217;ve shown a capability to go far, to go deep, and to go big,” he continued. “And, again, we don&#8217;t want to do that, but if we have to, we will to prevent the nuclear bomb in Iran&#8217;s hands.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a>: &quot;[<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is] dead serious that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon &#8230; He&#39;s also dead serious that if we can&#39;t figure this out at the negotiating table, then there are other options.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/oVwUw16AcC">pic.twitter.com/oVwUw16AcC</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1911424740796825761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Iranian state-owned media <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-says-nuclear-talks-with-trump-team-were-constructive-agrees-to-meet-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Saturday that the two sides met in Oman “in a constructive atmosphere based on mutual respect.” The White House said in a statement that the delegations would meet again in a week.
“Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations’ differences through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible,” the White House said in a statement. “These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. The sides agreed to meet again next Saturday.”
The talks come as Trump has leaned on Iran publicly to curb the violence of its terror proxies across the Middle East, including the Houthis in Yemen. The president warned that Iran would be “in great danger” if the talks failed.
Araghchi wrote an op-ed published in The Washington Post last week that said Iran wants to make a deal and that the regime has been in contact with the Trump administration for weeks. Araghchi also claimed that Iran had upheld the conditions under the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama. Trump had been highly critical of the deal, calling it “one-sided.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency found in February that Iran had blown past the 3.67% enrichment level for uranium set in the nuclear deal. Iran’s uranium stockpile is enriched to around 60%. Weapons-grade uranium is 90%. Iran’s stockpile is also many times larger than the limits set in the deal: approximately 8,294 kilograms to the deal’s cap of 300 kilograms.

Peter Hegseth

Hegseth: Trump ‘Dead Serious’ About Stopping Iran From Getting A Nuclear Bomb

Iran

Pete Hegseth

Steve Witkoff

U.S. officials met with Iranian diplomats in Oman on Saturday in an effort to begin talks to reach a new nuclear deal, the Iranian state-owned news outlet IRIB reported.
IRIB reported that the U.S. and Iranian officials met “in a constructive atmosphere based on mutual respect,” according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/11/politics/us-iran-nuclear-talks/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. The talks were the first direct contact between a member of the Trump administration and the Iranian regime. Officials plan to meet again next week.
“After more than two and a half hours of indirect negotiations, the heads of the Iranian and American delegations spoke for a few minutes in the presence of the Omani foreign minister as they left the talks,” IRIB reported.
The White House confirmed the talks and meeting between Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations&#8217; differences through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible,” the White House said in a statement. “These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff&#8217;s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. The sides agreed to meet again next Saturday.”
The talks follow President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for a new nuclear deal and for Iran and its proxies, including the Houthis, to cease causing mayhem in the region.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-iran-will-be-in-great-danger-if-saturdays-nuclear-talks-fail?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+Iran+Will+Be+In+%E2%80%98Great+Danger%E2%80%99+If+Saturday%E2%80%99s+Nuclear+Talks+Fail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the talks on Monday, warning that if they are not successful, Iran would be “in great danger.”
“I think if the talks aren’t successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger.” Trump said. “It’s not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, that’s all there is.”
“I think everybody agrees that doing a deal will be preferable to doing the obvious, and obvious is not something I want to be involved with or frankly that Israel wants to be involved with if they can avoid it,” Trump added. “So we’re going to see if we can avoid it, but it’s getting to be very dangerous territory.”
On Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the talks will determine if Iran is serious about a deal.
“What happens on Saturday would, I suppose, determine whether there&#8217;s more,&#8221; Bruce said during a press conference. “Right now, this is a meeting that is arranged. It is not part of some larger scheme or framework. It is a meeting to determine whether or not the Iranians are serious.”
In a Washington Post op-ed earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-wapo-op-ed-irans-foreign-minister-says-theyre-ready-to-make-a-deal-with-the-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the Iranian regime is ready to make a deal with the United States. He wrote that the Iranian regime has been exchanging messages and letters with the Trump administration for weeks and that the communication represents “a genuine attempt to clarify positions and open a window toward diplomacy.”
Responding to Trump’s threat of taking military action if a deal cannot be made, Araghchi said that in order to move forward, there needs to be an agreement that there is no “military option” or “military solution.”
“The proud Iranian nation, whose strength my government relies on for real deterrence, will never accept coercion or imposition,” the foreign minister wrote.
Araghchi, acknowledging Trump’s strong opposition to Barack Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal, made the claim that the Iranian regime has upheld the condition to not seek nuclear weapons.
A February <a href="https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2025/03/iran-non-proliferation-private-meeting.php#:~:text=In%20its%20most%20recent%20quarterly,significantly%20during%20the%20reporting%20period%2C" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the International Atomic Energy Agency found that Iran’s uranium stockpile is enriched to 60 percent purity — close to the 90 percent level considered weapons-grade and far above the 3.67 percent limit set by the Iran deal. The total enriched uranium stockpile now stands at approximately 8,294 kilograms, vastly exceeding the deal’s cap of 300 kilograms.
Trump <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-ending-united-states-participation-unacceptable-iran-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrew</a> from the deal during his first term in 2018, calling it “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”
Kassy Akiva contributed to this report.

Iran Says Nuclear Talks With Trump Team Were ‘Constructive,’ Agrees To Meet Again

Oman

A New Jersey Republican mayor ripped Jon Bon Jovi, saying the singer turned his town into “ground zero for homelessness.”
Toms River Township Mayor Dan Rodrick said a restaurant run by Bon Jovi’s nonprofit JBJ Soul Foundation, is causing more trouble than good, especially after it added a temporary pop-up location at the Ocean County Library, per <a href="https://www.nj.com/ocean/2025/04/nj-mayor-blasts-bon-jovis-soul-kitchen-for-homeless-gathering-near-library.html">NJ.com</a>.
He said the restaurant opening has led to homeless individuals being bused into the area, a move which the mayor claims is causing problems for the local community.
Per the outlet, the temporary restaurant is not a traditional soup kitchen or pay-what-you-can establishment, but instead, they serve three-course meals and allow diners to pay it forward and cover a future meal for anyone who can’t afford it. Patrons who can’t pay are offered the opportunity to volunteer in the community kitchen in exchange for food. 
The pop-up restaurant at the library opened in February and is slated to be shut down in May after its permit was extended from the initial closure date of March 31. The other location is permanent. 
&#8220;We don&#8217;t want to be ground zero for homelessness. We don&#8217;t want to be a dumping ground for the homeless problem in the state of New Jersey. The state of New Jersey needs to step up and take care of this problem. They have the resources, and bussing people in from all over to Toms River is not a safe situation,&#8221; Rodrick told Fox News Digital in an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jon-bon-jovi-slammed-turning-nj-town-ground-zero-homeless">interview</a>.
The mayor also noted that many of the homeless people encountered are “from outside the town, outside the county and, in some cases, outside the state of New Jersey.”
Rodrick said he hasn’t spoken to Bon Jovi directly but is frustrated that the restaurant opened in the area, which already has been struggling with its homeless population. Per NJ.com, the municipality does not have a licensed shelter, and last year residents shot down a proposal to build a 17-bed facility on the property of a local church.
&#8220;[Bon Jovi’s] already operating … something in the Silverton section of town. But it was like a restaurant where people go, and they pay for their meal, and they feel good that the money&#8217;s going to be used for something. But this pop-up thing at the library was primarily geared toward making the library, the public library, ground zero for homelessness,&#8221; Rodrick told Fox News.
The mayor also said that the issue began when the Ocean County Board decided to open a warming center, which led to nonprofits &#8220;bussing people into town.&#8221;
&#8220;We wound up with dozens and dozens of people being dropped off downtown every single day at the library no less, where a mom should feel comfortable walking into the library with her daughter and get a book. You shouldn&#8217;t have to walk through gangs of two dozen intoxicated or mentally ill homeless individuals, and that&#8217;s the real issue here,&#8221; he said, noting that there have been several police and EMS calls from the library in recent weeks.
Rodrick also addressed a potential financial incentive for the nonprofits. “These people are being dropped by in our community by agencies pretending to be homeless advocates who get paid by the head to import homeless people into our town from all over the state and the East Coast,” he said, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/05/us-news/bon-jovi-feuds-with-jersey-shore-mayor-over-eatery-for-the-poor/">The New York Post</a>. “These agencies are making millions of dollars importing homeless. Their plan is not about compassion; it’s about people wanting to profit off the homeless issue.”
In a <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/05/us-news/bon-jovi-feuds-with-jersey-shore-mayor-over-eatery-for-the-poor/">statement</a> to the New York Post, Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, who both run the nonprofit, said, &#8220;The JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchen are committed to ending homelessness through real solutions. We are not here to just move people around or force them into the shadows. Our Foundation has built nearly a thousand units of affordable and supportive housing.”
&#8220;Through our JBJ Soul Kitchen, we connect people to resources and services. Whether they need employment, mental health support, or housing, we try to remove the barriers that are keeping them from thriving, not just surviving,” it says.

Jon Bon Jovi

NJ GOP Mayor Says Jon Bon Jovi Turned His Town Into ‘Ground Zero’ For Homeless

NJ Mayor Says Jon Bon Jovi Turned His Town Into 'Ground Zero' For Homeless

Celebrities

Homeless

Homelessness

New Jersey

Scientists claim they have brought the dire wolf species back from extinction after 13,000 years, thanks to genetic engineering.
On Monday, the Texas-based biotechnology and genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences announced that three dire wolf pups were born last fall. The species became popular in modern culture thanks to their inclusion in the popular HBO series “Game of Thrones,” which inspired the company to name the young wolves Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, which references characters in the series.
“Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies,” Colossal CEO Ben Lamm said, per the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/07/us-news/dire-wolf-from-game-of-thrones-revived-in-de-extinction-project/">New York Post</a>. “It was once said, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Today, our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation.”
The team used &#8221; somatic cell nuclear transfer&#8221; to clone high-quality cell lines, which were transferred into donor egg cells and then implanted into a surrogate, the Post reported. 
Two pups were born in October 2024, while a third was born in January 2025.
Colossal made headlines last month for engineering a “woolly mouse,” which they made by injecting mammoth DNA into mice to make them grow thick coats. Per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14580605/colossal-biosciences-extinction-revive-dire-wolf-remus.html">The Daily Mail</a>, the company has a stated goal of bringing the woolly mammoth back from extinction by 2028. 
Paleontologist Julie Meachen told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/science/colossal-dire-wolf-deextinction.html">The New York Times</a> that dire wolves lived in North America during the Ice Age and were contemporaries of mastodons and saber tooth tigers. Their closest living relatives are gray wolves, which are about 25% smaller. Dire wolves also have more muscular jaws and shoulders. 
The company’s announcement has inspired many reactions online, ranging from excitement to skepticism. The official “Jurassic World” account posted its response to X, saying, “We see no possible way this could go wrong.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We see no possible way this could go wrong <a href="https://t.co/EQaOH4fJYk">https://t.co/EQaOH4fJYk</a>
&mdash; Jurassic World (@JurassicWorld) <a href="https://twitter.com/JurassicWorld/status/1909386233744330991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Many commenters said it was a stretch to call these genetically modified wolf cubs actual dire wolves.
“While these genetically engineered wolves exhibit physical and behavioral traits reminiscent of dire wolves, they are not true dire wolves,” one person <a href="https://x.com/CryptoNDN/status/1909287183309037846">wrote</a>. “The genetic modifications introduced specific dire wolf characteristics into the gray wolf genome, resulting in animals that are essentially gray wolves with selected phenotypic traits of dire wolves, rather than exact replicas of the extinct species.”
&#8220;This isn’t life finding a way, this is human interference,&#8221; another person <a href="https://x.com/thehamburglar33/status/1909575090544820231">observed</a>. &#8220;Someone forgot the lesson of just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should. Or in other terms did they step back and ask the question &#8216;why are we doing this?'&#8221;

Howling wolf

Scientists Claim They Brought Back Extinct Dire Wolves With Birth Of 3 New Pups

Animals

Science

Technology

Stock trading appeared to stabilize late Monday after days of volatility on the heels of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement.
The opening of trade negotiations between the United States and Japan appeared to buoy stock prices on the hope that the tariffs, announced last week by Trump in a “Liberation Day” Rose Garden event, may be avoided, according to Reuters. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Dow Jones was trending back down after a 3.5% jump in the morning hours. The S&amp;P 500 was also up 3.6% Tuesday morning before it dipped in the afternoon. The Nasdaq jumped by 4.5% before it also dropped later in the day. 
Shares in Japan showed strength as the Nikkei stock index closed up 6% on Monday. Trump announced on Monday morning that he had spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba about beginning negotiations over trade.
“Countries from all over the World are talking to us. Tough but fair parameters are being set. Spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister this morning. He is sending a top team to negotiate!” Trump posted on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114296909356614075" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> on Monday morning.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to lead negotiations with Japan over tariffs.
“Importantly, a little ray of sunshine is starting to emerge that gives hope that the U.S. is genuinely open to trade negotiations, [with] the most significant being Japan with Treasury Secretary Bessent,” Tapas Strickland, the head of market economics at National Australia Bank, told Reuters.
Stock indexes across Asia, Europe, and the United States also showed some positive signs alongside hopes that the White House is open to negotiations.
Japan received other welcome news after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-revives-possible-sale-of-u-s-steel-to-japans-nippon-steel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> an executive action on Monday reopening the potential purchase of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel. Trump’s order gives the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment 45 days to review the agreement and submit a recommendation.
“I direct the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to conduct a review of the acquisition of U.S. Steel by the Purchasers to assist me in determining whether further action in this matter may be appropriate,” the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/review-of-proposed-united-states-steel-corporation-acquisition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a> says in part.
Former President Joe Biden previously blocked the nearly $15 billion deal in January. At the time, Trump agreed with the decision. He had previously pledged to block the deal and stop U.S. Steel from being “bought by a foreign company.”
Trump appeared to warm to a potential deal in February when he said he would be open to Nippon Steel investing in U.S. Steel, though the president said he still opposed foreign ownership.

Donald Trump, Shigeru Ishiba

Stocks Rebound Ahead Of U.S.-Japan Trade Negotiations

Economy

Japan

Politics

Tariffs

President Donald Trump has ordered a new review of the possible sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, a deal previously blocked by former President Joe Biden.
Trump signed an executive action on Monday ordering his administration to take a new look at the deal and assess the risks the deal may pose to United States national security after U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel offered some changes to the deal. Trump&#8217;s order gives the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment 45 days to submit a recommendation.
“I direct the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to conduct a review of the acquisition of U.S. Steel by the Purchasers to assist me in determining whether further action in this matter may be appropriate,” the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/review-of-proposed-united-states-steel-corporation-acquisition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a> says in part.
Biden blocked the proposed $14.9 billion deal in January, citing risks to United States supply chains. Trump also opposed the deal at the time and pledged to block it.
“I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan,” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/buyer-beware-trump-promises-to-block-sale-of-u-s-steel-to-japanese-company" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social in December.
“Through a series of Tax Incentives and Tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again, and it will happen FAST! As President, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!!” he said.
Trump’s order to reopen discussions on the sale of U.S. Steel comes after the president spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in a Monday morning phone call over tariffs. The call between the two leaders took place as dozens of countries are attempting to negotiate with the White House to avoid wide-ranging tariffs announced by the president last week.
“Countries from all over the World are talking to us. Tough but fair parameters are being set. Spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister this morning. He is sending a top team to negotiate!” Trump posted on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114296909356614075" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> on Monday morning. “They have treated the U.S. very poorly on Trade. They don’t take our cars, but we take MILLIONS of theirs. Likewise Agriculture, and many other ‘things.’ It all has to change, but especially with CHINA!!!”
Trump appeared to soften his opposition to a deal between U.S. Steel and Nippon in February after a meeting with Shigeru. Trump said at the time he would be open to an investment in U.S. Steel from Nippon.
“I don’t want U.S. Steel being owned by a foreign country. All they can have is an investment,” Trump <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/business/us-steel-trump-future/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time.

Trump Revives Possible Sale Of U.S. Steel To Japan’s Nippon Steel

“Home Alone” actor Macaulay Culkin says he’s been estranged from his father for three decades.
The 44-year-old former child star discussed some of the details during a recent episode of Kate Hudson’s “Sibling Revelry” podcast. He was asked why he quit acting, which led to him talking about his father, Christopher “Kit” Culkin, who was also an actor.
&#8220;I was tired, man,&#8221; Culkin <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniesoteriou/macaulay-culkin-on-estrangement-from-his-abusive-father">said</a>. “I was so tired. And the thing is, I remember when I was probably about 11 or 12, I remember talking to my father. And I said: ‘I’m getting tired, I think I need a break,’ and he goes: ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ll look into it.’ And the next thing I know, I was in the next thing, and the next thing, and the next thing. I was like: ‘Oh, I’m stuck. Now, I’m stuck.’”
The actor continued, “When I turned 14, my dad and my mom were having a thing, they kind of split up, and I said: ‘Great, I quit, now he’s out of the picture, I quit. I hope you guys had a good time, I hope you guys all made as much money as you possibly could because there’s no more coming from me,’” he continued, saying that’s when he took “ownership” of himself. 
The “Richie Rich” actor said his relationship with his father was not good at that point. He spoke of his father being jealous of his success.
“During the whole custody thing, I wanted nothing to do with my f***ing father,” he told Hudson. “He was just the worst, and the judge was like: ‘Well, you have to do visitations with him.’ I didn’t say this to the judge — I was a smartass, but I wasn’t that much of a smartass — but I told my lawyer: ‘I’m not doing that.’ He’s like: ‘Well, you’ll be in contempt of court,’ I go: ‘OK, how about I dare this judge to put me in jail for not wanting to visit [my] abusive father. Actually, I’m going to double down on that; I double dare him to arrest the most famous kid in the world…’ I never played that card, but that was the one time I kind of played that card.”
When asked about his relationship with his dad now, Culkin said, “I haven’t spoken to him in what would be about 30-something years. Oh, he deserves it, too. He’s a man who had seven kids, and he has four grandkids, and none of them want anything to do with him.”
He added, “As a man myself, I would know that I f***ed up, I really must have done something wrong… I have more than an inkling that he does not feel that way. Like, we&#8217;re wrong, and he&#8217;s right — he&#8217;s one of those kind of, like, narcissistic, crazy people.”
“Me and him were always butting heads; he was a bad man,” Culkin said, referencing alleged physical and verbal abuse he endured. “He was a son of a bitch; he was bad to his kids, he was bad to his wife, he was the worst person I’ve ever known in my entire life,” Culkin concluded. “It super sucks, but I wouldn’t be the man, I wouldn’t be the father I am today if it wasn’t for my experience. At the end of the day, I was like: ‘I’m gonna win,’ and here I am.”
&nbsp;

Macaulay Culkin

Macaulay Culkin Says He’s Been Estranged From His Father For 30 Years: ‘He Was A Bad Man’

Macaulay Culkin Says He's Been Estranged From His Father For 30 Years: 'He Was A Bad Man'

Entertainment

Hollywood

Social media users are divided over the story of a young Georgia father who left his three children unattended at a McDonald’s restaurant playground so he could go to a job interview.
Chris Louis, 24, was arrested after leaving the children, ages 1, 6, and 10, at the restaurant after walking them there from his apartment in Augusta just before 4:30 p.m. on March 22, per <a href="https://theaugustapress.com/augusta-man-jailed-for-leaving-kids-at-mcdonalds-while-job-hunting/">The Augusta Press</a>. A witness saw Louis leave the children, then return to check on them before leaving again. 
Law enforcement was dispatched to the location after receiving a call from a concerned customer. They were waiting for Louis when he returned to the McDonald’s again at 6:20 p.m. The father told police he didn’t want the children to walk back home alone while he had the job interview. Officers waited at the restaurant until the mother arrived and picked up the children.
Louis was arrested and charged with deprivation of a minor.
The story has inspired a lot of conversation online, with users arguing both sides of the situation. Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown put his support behind Louis and started a GoFundMe to help his cause.
“Story caught me by surprise. A dad just trying to find a way to make money for his family. I know he shouldn’t just leave his kids, but some people don’t have the means for babysitting, etc,” Brown wrote on <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-man-from-the-story-that-has-gone-viral">GoFundMe</a>, which is titled “Pursuit of Happiness.” 
As of Wednesday morning, the campaign has raised just over $40,000 of the $50,000 goal, with $1,000 of it coming from Brown.
“This man is a hero, not a villain,” one person <a href="https://x.com/matt_vanswol/status/1907162412660179112">said</a>. “He is trying to get a job to support his kids and he CORRECTLY assumes that a 10 year old can watch their siblings at McDonalds for a few minutes while he interviews for a job across the street. All charges should be dropped immediately.”
“He had a kid when he was fourteen and holds himself responsible for it. A ten year old can watch a sibling for a short amount of time. This is a wild overreaction on the part of [law enforcement],” another X user <a href="https://x.com/bethanyshondark/status/1906859867085684738">agreed</a>. 
“If the kids were fine, he should be left alone to try and do his best. All that has happened here is they&#8217;ve turned someone that was working to be a productive member of society into someone forced to be a non-productive member of society. I have respect for this man for doing his best to better his situation, and all the police did was destroy it,” a third <a href="https://x.com/karldickey/status/1907098455815651697">agreed</a>.
Some users were skeptical that Louis was actually attending a job interview and questioned why he didn’t get a babysitter.
“Nah! I call BS. Did you read the article? It states that he was seen leaving and returning to McDonald’s multiple times,” one person <a href="https://x.com/LStark711/status/1907193116798693656">observed</a>. “If he was waiting for his turn to be interviewed and was uncertain about how many other applicants were ahead of him or how long it would take, why not have the 10-year-old entertain the younger children safely in the apartment during the interview? It makes no sense to take them to McDonald’s, leave them there, return, and repeat. Something about this scenario seems off.”
Many locals also noted that the location of that McDonald’s was not in a safe part of town.
“McDonald&#8217;s in Augusta is not a safe place for little kids unsupervised,” an X user <a href="https://x.com/MattDeluccia/status/1907171199341207966">said</a>. “Maybe it was 30-40 years ago, but definitely not today. I don’t think he should have been arrested though. I think a warning would have sufficed. Hope he got the job if he’s got 3 little kids.”
“There’s a huge difference between having a 10 yr old watch kids at your house for an hour and leaving them at a McD’s in a busy city,” another person <a href="https://x.com/544pibble/status/1907113606585385225">wrote</a>. “Hard no. I get that he’s trying. While I respect that, as an employer I’d say his judgment is questionable.”

McDonald’s

Controversy Erupts Over 24-Year-Old Dad Who Left Kids At McDonald’s During Job Interview

Controversy Erupts Over 24-Year-Old Dad Who Left Kids At McDonald's During Job Interview

Georgia

Parenting

The United States launched airstrikes against Yemeni cities controlled by Iran-backed Houthi militants over the weekend in a renewed effort to beat down the terror group.
The strikes began on Friday and ran into Saturday. The Houthi-run SABA news agency said bombs killed at least one civilian and wounded four others, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/29/world-news/us-airstrikes-pound-houthi-controlled-yemen-cities-killing-1-reports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. Houthi soldiers often dress in civilian clothing and the group is known for undercounting its casualty numbers.
The United States has yet to confirm the strike. Houthi-run media reported that bombs struck the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as well as targets in the governorates of al-Jawf and Saada, all areas under Houthi control, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-b46abf73435b3c340b7fba3d0fff877f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>.
The strikes came a day after the United States escalated its retaliation against the Houthis by hitting their general command headquarters. The U.S. military released a video of the strike on Friday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CENTCOM Forces Attack Houthi Positions&#8230;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouthisAreTerrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouthisAreTerrorists</a> <a href="https://t.co/6pOZhOmTp6">pic.twitter.com/6pOZhOmTp6</a>
&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1905716545667617196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
U.S. airstrikes have increasingly pummeled the Houthis in recent weeks in an effort to deter the terror group from striking Israel or commercial ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on the terror group, expanding targets from the missile launch sites hit under former President Joe Biden to include top Houthi commanders and key military sites.
The Houthis have threatened commercial shipping and launched attacks on Israel in solidarity with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza. The increased military action against the Houthis from the United States has yet to stop the terror group.
On Thursday, Israeli missile defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis. On Sunday morning, Israeli defenses again intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile, the eighth such missile fired from the Houthis at the Jewish state since March 18, the day Israel’s military renewed operations against Hamas in Gaza after ceasefire negotiations fell apart.
The Houthis as recently as Thursday have also launched attacks against the USS Harry S. Truman, an aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea. The terror group has targeted over 100 commercial ships sailing near Yemen since November 2023.

USS Harry S. Truman

U.S. Pummels Houthi-Controlled Cities In Yemen In Latest Wave Of Airstrikes: Report

Houthis

Israel

Yemen

President Donald Trump said Saturday he has spoken with advisers about annexing Greenland and has not ruled out military force.
Trump made the comments in a 10-minute phone interview with <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-couldnt-care-less-automakers-raise-prices-tariffs-rcna198731" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a>. The president said that he has “absolutely” spoken with top aides about annexing Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory in the northwest hemisphere, and gave “100%” certainty that “we’ll get Greenland.”
On acquiring Greenland, there is a “good possibility that we could do it without military force,” Trump said, but added that “I don’t take anything off the table.”
Asked about what message the United States acquiring Greenland would send to Russia, Trump dismissed the question.
“I don’t really think about that. I don’t really care. Greenland’s a very separate subject, very different. It’s international peace. It’s international security and strength,” the president said. “You have ships sailing outside Greenland from Russia, from China and from many other places. And we’re not going to allow things to happen that are going to be — that are going to hurt the world or the United States.”
The Trump administration has expressed interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark. Administration officials have said Greenland, with its proximity to Russia and Arctic shipping lanes, represents a key security interest for the United States. Officials have also expressed interest in tapping into Greenland’s natural resources.
Vice President JD Vance visited U.S. sites on Greenland last week and scolded Denmark for its management of the territory,
“Our message to Denmark is very simple — you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-calls-out-denmark-for-failures-in-greenland-you-have-not-done-a-good-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful land mass.”
“What we think is going to happen is that the Greenlanders are going to choose through self-determination to become independent of Denmark, and then we’re going to have conversations with the people of Greenland from there,” he added.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen posted a <a href="https://x.com/larsloekke/status/1905764027210547565" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> to social media after Vance’s visit hitting back at criticism from the White House.
&#8220;Many accusations and many allegations have been made. And of course, we are open to criticism,&#8221; Rasmussen said. &#8220;But let me be completely honest: we do not appreciate the tone in which it is being delivered. This is not how you speak to your close allies. And I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies.&#8221;

Trump ‘Absolutely’ Considering Annexing Greenland: ‘I Don’t Take Anything Off The Table’

Trump 'Absolutely' Considering Annexing Greenland: 'I Don't Take Anything Off The Table'

Denmark

Greenland

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