Since Putin loves history so much: Did you guys know that Russia allied with Germany in WW2 to help take and split Poland?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Poland?form=MG0AV3
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/September-17/soviet-union-invades-poland?form=MG0AV3
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/soviet-invasion-of-poland.html?form=MG0AV3
Amazon launches same-day delivery of meat, eggs, produce in more than 1,000 cities
-Amazon is bringing same-day delivery of fresh foods to more pockets of the U.S., after testing the program in Phoenix and other cities.
-The company said it’s launching the service in more than 1,000 U.S. cities and towns, with plans to expand to at least 2,300 locations by the end of this year.
-Amazon has looked for ways to encourage shoppers to add bananas, ice cream and meat to their order while browsing its sprawling online store.
Amazon
is rolling out same-day delivery of fresh foods to more pockets of the U.S. as it looks to encourage shoppers to add meat and eggs to their order while they’re browsing its sprawling online store.
The company announced Wednesday it’s bringing the service to more than 1,000 U.S. cities and towns, including Raleigh, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, and Milwaukee with plans to reach at least 2,300 locations by the end of this year.
Amazon began testing the service in Phoenix last year and in additional cities this year, where it found shoppers frequently added strawberries, bananas, avocados and other perishables to their order.
“Many of these shoppers were first-time Amazon grocery customers who now return to shop twice as often with same-day delivery service compared to those who didn’t purchase fresh food,” the company said in a release.
The service is free for Prime members on orders over $25 in most cities, or for a $2.99 fee if an order doesn’t meet that minimum. Shoppers without a Prime membership pay a $12.99 fee to use the service, regardless of order size.
Grocery delivery company Instacart
’s stock tumbled 11% following the announcement. Shares of supermarket chains Kroger
and Albertsons
fell 4% and 2%, respectively. DoorDash
stock slid 3%.
Shares of Walmart
, which has been racing to compete with Amazon on speedy deliveries and offers same-day shipping for groceries, slipped 2%.
“In our view, this represents an escalation of head-to-head competition between the two, with Amazon advancing grocery and rural investments whereas Walmart continues to build up its marketplace and advertising verticals,” Mizuho analysts wrote in a note to clients Wednesday.
Amazon has been retooling its grocery business over the past few years.
The company has tweaked its chain of Fresh grocery stores in a bid to attract more shoppers, and it opened up fresh food delivery to shoppers who aren’t Prime members.
It’s also looked to highlight its growing business selling household staples such as paper towels, cleaning supplies, bottled drinks and canned food.
In January, Amazon tapped Jason Buechel, the CEO of Whole Foods Market, the upscale grocer it acquired in 2017 for $13.7 billion, to lead its worldwide grocery stores business. Buechel announced in June that the company was bringing Whole Foods closer to the Amazon grocery umbrella as part of a reorganization.
Previously, Whole Foods had remained largely independent from Amazon’s own grocery offerings.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/13/amazon-same-day-delivery-meat-eggs-produce.html
China's AI, DeepSeek, is unable to keep up Globally without Nvidia chips
Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek delayed the release of its new model after failing to train it using Huawei’s chips, highlighting the limits of Beijing’s push to replace US technology.
DeepSeek was encouraged by authorities to adopt Huawei’s Ascend processor rather than use Nvidia’s systems after releasing its R1 model in January, according to three people familiar with the matter.
But the Chinese start-up encountered persistent technical issues during its R2 training process using Ascend chips, prompting it to use Nvidia chips for training and Huawei’s for inference, said the people.
The issues were the main reason the model’s launch was delayed from May, said a person with knowledge of the situation, causing it to lose ground to rivals.
Training involves the model learning from a large dataset, while inference refers to the step of using a trained model to make predictions or generate a response, such as a chatbot query.
DeepSeek’s difficulties show how Chinese chips still lag behind their US rivals for critical tasks, highlighting the challenges facing China’s drive to be technologically self-sufficient.
The Financial Times this week reported that Beijing has demanded that Chinese tech companies justify their orders of Nvidia’s H20, in a move to encourage them to promote alternatives made by Huawei and Cambricon.
Industry insiders have said the Chinese chips suffer from stability issues, slower inter-chip connectivity and inferior software compared with Nvidia’s products.
Huawei sent a team of engineers to DeepSeek’s office to help the company use its AI chip to develop the R2 model, according to two people. Yet despite having the team on site, DeepSeek could not conduct a successful training run on the Ascend chip, said the people.
DeepSeek is still working with Huawei to make the model compatible with Ascend for inference, the people said.
Founder Liang Wenfeng has said internally he is dissatisfied with R2’s progress and has been pushing to spend more time to build an advanced model that can sustain the company’s lead in the AI field, they said.
The R2 launch was also delayed because of longer-than-expected data labelling for its updated model, another person added. Chinese media reports have suggested that the model may be released as soon as in the coming weeks.
“Models are commodities that can be easily swapped out,” said Ritwik Gupta, an AI researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. “A lot of developers are using Alibaba’s Qwen3, which is powerful and flexible.”
Gupta noted that Qwen3 adopted DeepSeek’s core concepts, such as its training algorithm that makes the model capable of reasoning, but made them more efficient to use.
Gupta, who tracks Huawei’s AI ecosystem, said the company is facing “growing pains” in using Ascend for training, though he expects the Chinese national champion to adapt eventually.
“Just because we’re not seeing leading models trained on Huawei today doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future. It’s a matter of time,” he said.
Nvidia, a chipmaker at the centre of a geopolitical battle between Beijing and Washington, recently agreed to give the US government a cut of its revenues in China in order to resume sales of its H20 chips to the country.
“Developers will play a crucial role in building the winning AI ecosystem,” said Nvidia about Chinese companies using its chips. “Surrendering entire markets and developers would only hurt American economic and national security.”
DeepSeek and Huawei did not respond to a request for comment.
https://archive.is/a2RzY#selection-2263.0-2287.61
Amazon launches same-day delivery of meat, eggs, produce in more than 1,000 cities
-Amazon is bringing same-day delivery of fresh foods to more pockets of the U.S., after testing the program in Phoenix and other cities.
-The company said it’s launching the service in more than 1,000 U.S. cities and towns, with plans to expand to at least 2,300 locations by the end of this year.
-Amazon has looked for ways to encourage shoppers to add bananas, ice cream and meat to their order while browsing its sprawling online store.
Amazon is rolling out same-day delivery of fresh foods to more pockets of the U.S. as it looks to encourage shoppers to add meat and eggs to their order while they’re browsing its sprawling online store.
The company announced Wednesday it’s bringing the service to more than 1,000 U.S. cities and towns, including Raleigh, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, and Milwaukee with plans to reach at least 2,300 locations by the end of this year.
Amazon began testing the service in Phoenix last year and in additional cities this year, where it found shoppers frequently added strawberries, bananas, avocados and other perishables to their order.
“Many of these shoppers were first-time Amazon grocery customers who now return to shop twice as often with same-day delivery service compared to those who didn’t purchase fresh food,” the company said in a release.
The service is free for Prime members on orders over $25 in most cities, or for a $2.99 fee if an order doesn’t meet that minimum. Shoppers without a Prime membership pay a $12.99 fee to use the service, regardless of order size.
Grocery delivery company Instacart’s stock tumbled 11% following the announcement. Shares of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons fell 4% and 2%, respectively. DoorDash stock slid 3%.
Shares of Walmart, which has been racing to compete with Amazon on speedy deliveries and offers same-day shipping for groceries, slipped 2%.
“In our view, this represents an escalation of head-to-head competition between the two, with Amazon advancing grocery and rural investments whereas Walmart continues to build up its marketplace and advertising verticals,” Mizuho analysts wrote in a note to clients Wednesday.
Amazon has been retooling its grocery business over the past few years.
The company has tweaked its chain of Fresh grocery stores in a bid to attract more shoppers, and it opened up fresh food delivery to shoppers who aren’t Prime members.
It’s also looked to highlight its growing business selling household staples such as paper towels, cleaning supplies, bottled drinks and canned food.
In January, Amazon tapped Jason Buechel, the CEO of Whole Foods Market, the upscale grocer it acquired in 2017 for $13.7 billion, to lead its worldwide grocery stores business. Buechel announced in June that the company was bringing Whole Foods closer to the Amazon grocery umbrella as part of a reorganization.
Previously, Whole Foods had remained largely independent from Amazon’s own grocery offerings.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/13/amazon-same-day-delivery-meat-eggs-produce.html
Sally Yates and Andrew McCabe shut down FBI probe into Clinton Foundation corruption
In 2017, a bombshell memo surfaced detailing how FBI agents investigating corruption tied to the Clinton Foundation were repeatedly obstructed by their own leadership and the Obama-era Justice Department. The memo, uncovered by Kash Patel and backed by internal emails, paints a picture of political interference that stifled efforts in New York, Little Rock, and Washington D.C.
Agents believed they had enough evidence to pursue a public integrity case, but were met with resistance. Then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates ordered prosecutors to “shut it down,” while Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe demanded that no investigative steps be taken without his personal approval—a directive he repeated for months.
Despite source reporting suggesting foreign governments may have donated to the Clinton Foundation in exchange for favorable treatment, DOJ officials refused to support the investigation. The timeline reveals that even after Trump took office, concerns about statutes of limitations and a desire to “move forward” led to further delays.
The memo also highlights how McCabe and others slow-walked the Clinton probes while aggressively pursuing the Trump-Russia Hoax. The contrast in treatment—kid gloves for Clinton, brass knuckles for Trump—raises serious questions about bias and political influence within federal law enforcement.
https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/shut-it-down-bombshell-fbi-timeline-chronicles-political-interference
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
@SecScottBessent
I am pushing for a ban on single-stock trading in Congress. The American people deserve better than politicians like
@RonWyden
and
@SpeakerPelosi
with hedge-fund level returns. Public service should be about serving the people, not getting rich.
https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1955713416292601876
US appeals court lets Trump cut billions in foreign aid
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A federal appeals court on Wednesday lifted an injunction that required the U.S. State Department to continue making foreign aid payments, handing a victory to President Donald Trump.
In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said a lower court erred by ordering the Trump administration to restore foreign assistance payments previously approved by Congress.
Trump imposed a 90-day pause on all foreign aid on January 20, the same day he was inaugurated for a second term in the White House. His executive order was followed by aggressive moves to gut USAID, the main U.S. foreign aid agency, including by placing much of its staff on leave and exploring bringing the formerly independent agency under the State Department.
Two nonprofit groups that receive federal funding, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and Journalism Development Network, brought litigation alleging Trump's funding freeze was unlawful.
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, ordered the Trump administration to pay nearly $2 billion in outstanding aid to its humanitarian partners worldwide.
Writing for the two-judge majority, Circuit Judge Karen Henderson said the nonprofit groups "lack a cause of action to press their claims" and therefore failed to satisfy the requirements for an injunction.
Henderson wrote that only the U.S. Government Accountability Office, a watchdog agency, could challenge the president’s efforts to withhold foreign aid funding.
Henderson, who was appointed to the appeals court by President George H.W. Bush, said the court was not addressing the question of whether Trump's foreign aid freeze violated the U.S. Constitution by infringing on the spending power of Congress.
Henderson's opinion was joined by Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas, a Trump appointee.
Circuit Judge Florence Pan, a Biden appointee, wrote in a dissenting opinion that her colleagues were allowing the Trump administration to disregard federal law and the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution.
"The court's acquiescence in and facilitation of the Executive's unlawful behavior derails the carefully crafted system of checked and balanced power that serves as the greatest security against tyranny - the accumulation of excessive authority in a single Branch," Pan wrote.
A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget, the White House's budget office, said the ruling stops "radical left dark money groups" from "maliciously interfering with the president’s ability to spend responsibly and to administer foreign aid in a lawful manner in alignment with his America First policies.”
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/trump-wins-appeal-over-freeze-143122084.html
Energy Department Announces Actions to Secure American Critical Minerals and Materials Supply Chain
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced nearly $1 billion in funding to strengthen America’s domestic supply chains for critical minerals and materials. These resources are vital for technologies like clean energy systems, semiconductors, and electric vehicle batteries, yet the U.S. has long depended on foreign sources for them. The new initiatives aim to reduce that dependency and build a more resilient, secure infrastructure.
The funding will support efforts to accelerate technologies for refining rare-earth magnets, semiconductors, and lithium; pilot recovery of critical minerals from industrial processes; demonstrate domestic refining of rare earth elements from mine waste; expand battery material processing and recycling; and develop new methods for extracting minerals from industrial wastewater. Altogether, these actions reflect a strategic push to secure the raw materials that power modern life and future innovation.
https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-actions-secure-american-critical-minerals-and-materials-supply
Malaysia: Two Chinese nationals charged over drone flight in restricted defence zone
TWO Chinese nationals have been detained and charged for allegedly flying a drone in a restricted area near the Malaysian Ministry of Defence (Wisma Pertahanan) on Jalan Padang Tembak earlier this month.
According to a statement issued by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Criminal Investigation Department on Thursday, the pair were apprehended by Military Police during a routine patrol on 6 August after they were spotted operating a drone near the ministry’s football field.
“The police seized various pieces of equipment, including a drone and several memory cards,” the statement said. A subsequent search of the suspects’ hotel room uncovered additional drone-related gear.
During initial questioning, the men claimed the drone footage was captured at the instruction of their employer, though they reportedly had no knowledge of the motive or purpose behind the surveillance.
“The police are liaising with several international and domestic agencies to verify the background and travel history of both suspects,” the department added.
The duo were brought before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Wednesday, facing charges under Sections 3(a) and 4 of the Official Secrets Act for alleged espionage and unauthorised documentation in a prohibited zone. Both men pleaded not guilty after the charges were read in Mandarin.
Judge Izralizam Sanusi denied bail and fixed 11 September for the appointment of defence counsel and submission of documents. - August 14, 2025
https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/111564/two-chinese-nationals-charged-over-drone-flight-in-restricted-defence-zone
Rapid Response 47
@RapidResponse47
CNN correspondent — outside of Washington D.C.'s Union Station — says the National Guard and federal law enforcement presence is resulting in "fewer people" loitering:
"We have heard a lot of concerns about crime around Union Station — people who are loitering outside."
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955987460942410091
Rapid Response 47
@RapidResponse47
MORNING JOE SCORCHES DEMOCRATS ON D.C. CRIME DENIAL: "91% of Washington residents say crime is a problem… with black residents and lower-income residents significantly more worried about crime than white residents and those with higher incomes."
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955965656194548105
@ForecasterEnten
Re: DC… Americans have liked Trump's approach on crime. He's Air Jordan (+1 pts net approval) compared to Biden last year (-26 pts net approval).
The GOP leads by 16 pts on crime over Dems. The country is a lot more hawkish on crime than many Dems would like to admit.
https://x.com/ForecasterEnten/status/1956004113218462177
Jason Cohen 🇺🇸
@JasonJournoDC
🚨NEW: Geraldo Rivera:
"D.C. has been — with all due respect to our nation’s capital — a sh*thole for a long time."
"If anything, it is worse than ever!"
@DailyCaller
https://x.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1955789799379623977
Florida’s Voice
@FLVoiceNews
BREAKING: Newly announced "Deportation Depot" can hold more than 1,300 illegal immigrant detainees.
@GovRonDeSantis
said costs will be reimbursed by federal partners and it will be operational soon.
https://x.com/FLVoiceNews/status/1955993175262212280
Wild video shows Democrat pick for South Carolina governor arrested in his underwear
The chair of South Carolina’s Democratic Party is calling on Mullins McLeod to discontinue his campaign for governor and focus on his mental health after his nearly 35-minute, profanity-laden rant in the back of a police cruiser became public.
“It is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor,” state Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain said in a statement Wednesday.
Her plea came hours after The Post and Courier first reported on the dashcam video and two days after McLeod became the first Democrat to enter the 2026 governor’s race.
It appears McLeod is not heeding Spain’s advice, with his campaign manager telling the SC Daily Gazette he won’t back away.
“Everything is straight ahead,” said Democratic strategist Cary Cranford. He declined to address McLeod’s mental health.
McLeod did not respond to messages Wednesday left by the SC Daily Gazette. Nor did his criminal defense attorney.
The dashcam video comes from McLeod’s arrest in May on disorderly conduct charges. In it, the 53-year-old personal injury attorney jumps incoherently from one grievance to the next — shouting expletives and accusations for the entire ride against a variety of state and federal lawmakers and using a racial slur. He repeatedly threatens people he doesn’t like — saying he’ll kick their teeth in or let someone else do it — and occasionally yells out “McLeod for governor!”
The high-profile lawyer’s arrest, which made headlines in May, did not stop the Democrat from launching his bid Monday for the Governor’s Mansion. In his three-minute campaign video posted to YouTube, he criticizes “corruption” at the Statehouse. Asked Monday about his arrest, he disputed the police report but declined to go into details. However, he pledged to fully explain what happened before voters go to the polls.
Dash camera footage released from Charleston Police showed what happened after he was placed in the back seat of the cruiser. The department released the video, first to The Post and Courier and then to the SC Daily Gazette, in response to public records requests.
The video starts with McLeod rambling about class-action lawsuits and little money going to victims. When an officer asks for his name, he says all that matters is that he’s “one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil.” When the officer calls him John Doe, McLeod says he’d rather go by Superman.
Once the door closes, he seemingly tells himself, “I can’t connect these dots yet, but if this is going where I think it could be heading, I think I just figured out the president of the United States is my cousin. So, trust me at this point, nothing is crazier either than you and me either being related or you being not guilty. That’s just the way may brain has been trained.”
Then the shouting starts.
The video was taken after officers responded to The Battery at the tip of Charleston’s peninsula about 9:30 p.m. May 14 and found McLeod wearing just underwear and shoes and “yelling at the top of his lungs,” according to the police report, obtained by the Gazette.
The video shows him obviously shirtless. During the ride, officers turn up the radio to a Taylor Swift song, seemingly to try to drown out his ranting. It ends with him reluctantly getting out of the cruiser. Whether he’s wearing boxers or shorts is unclear. His shoes appear to be loafers or slippers.
“I’m not getting out of this car. I’m not doing it,” he says when they arrive at the jail. When the officer asks why he says “because it’s time to go to bed. I’ll sleep right here.”
During the ride, McLeod used partial or full names of a long list of South Carolina officials for what he deems “corrupt” behavior. At one point, he used a vulgarity to describe a Black man.
One of his repeated targets is state Attorney General Alan Wilson, who he references by his full name. The state’s top prosecutor is among five Republicans who have launched a 2026 bid for governor.
“Allen f** Wilson, I’m daring you right now,” McLeod shouts on the video before calling the attorney general out for not doing “the people’s work.”
McLeod then launches into a tirade against “Nancy” — presumably U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, another governor hopeful. He repeatedly calls her a “b****” and says she’s using the playbook of the late Lee Atwater, a Republican strategist notorious for dirty campaign tactics.
“Tell the world right now, what you did in the halls of Congress was the greatest sin ever committed in the history of this nation,” McLeod continues.
He doesn’t say exactly what he’s talking about. But in February, Mace accused her ex-fiancé and three other men of an array of sexual crimes, including raping and videotaping women without their knowledge, during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The men have repeatedly denied Mace’s accusations. One sued her. Mace sued another. No criminal charges have been filed.
Wilson’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment from the SC Daily Gazette.
Mace’s spokesperson said McLeod needs help.
He “threatened to violently kick a woman’s teeth in,” Sydney Long said. “Those who promote violence against women should never hold public office. We hope he gets the help he needs.”
Other politicians McLeod mentions include Gov. Henry McMaster, former Gov. Nikki Haley and President Donald Trump. McLeod calls Trump a “racist a,” refers to Haley as a “b**” and appears to call on McMaster to sell the state plane.
He raves about Elon Musk and the Tesla billionaire’s space travel attempts: “I don’t ever want a billion dollars,” he said. “If I had a billion dollars, my stupid a** would try to do something like going to the moon.”
McLeod also rails against Republican donor Wallace Cheves and his efforts to build a casino on property bordering the town of Santee, telling him repeatedly to pack his bags.
Sometimes he praises people. He seems to call former President Barack Obama a smooth talker and endorse former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer for the U.S. Senate. (Bauer suspended his challenge to U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham last week.)
And he refers to his “friend Bakari,” former Democratic state Rep. Bakari Sellers, who he worked alongside to negotiate an $88 million settlement for victims of the 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. He describes Sellers as someone who can “kick (people) in the gums.”
“The only reason I didn’t let Bakari do the people’s work is because I like a little heavy lifting,” McLeod said.
Asked about the video Wednesday, Sellers said McLeod “needs to explain it” for the sake of his personal and professional relationships.
“I don’t know if there is an explanation,” Sellers told the Gazette. “But that’s on him.”
In a bond hearing following his arrest, McLeod’s lawyer told a judge the erratic behavior stemmed from a mental health episode and exhaustion, The Post and Courier reported.
In her statement, Spain said the party offers McLeod compassion and prays he finds the mental health support he needs.
This is McLeod’s second bid for governor.
In the dashcam video, he referenced his previous run in 2010, saying a friend called him “a class act … maybe the classiest act to ever grace [unintelligible].” But he followed that up by noting the campaign didn’t last long, saying “I got my a** checked in a hurry.”
He dropped out of that race four months before the Democratic primary, endorsing former state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Camden.
https://scdailygazette.com/2025/08/13/sc-democrats-call-on-charleston-lawyer-to-suspend-campaign-for-governor-following-arrest-video/
Trump Administration Said to Discuss Taking Stake in Intel
The Trump administration is in talks with Intel Corp. to have the US government take a stake in the beleaguered chipmaker, according to people familiar with the plan, in the latest sign of the White House’s willingness to blur the lines between state and industry.
A deal would help shore up Intel’s planned factory hub in Ohio, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. The company had once promised to turn that site into the world’s largest chipmaking facility, though it’s been repeatedly delayed. The size of the potential stake isn’t clear.
The talks come just a week after President Donald Trump had called for the ouster of Intel Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan, accusing him of being “highly conflicted” because of concerns about his earlier ties to China.
The plans stem from a meeting this week between Trump and Tan, the people said. While the details are still being sorted, the idea is for the US government to pay for the stake, one of the people said. Another cautioned that the plans remain fluid. The talks could still end without an agreement.
Shares of Intel climbed as much as 8.9% on Thursday. The stock closed 7.4% higher at $23.86 in New York, giving the company a market value of about $104.4 billion. The shares continued rising as much as 4% further after the close of regular trading.
“Discussion about hypothetical deals should be regarded as speculation unless officially announced by the administration,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai.
Intel declined to comment on the discussions. In a statement, a representative said the company is “deeply committed to supporting President Trump’s efforts to strengthen US technology and manufacturing leadership.”
“We look forward to continuing our work with the Trump administration to advance these shared priorities, but we are not going to comment on rumors or speculation,” Intel said.
Any agreement would bolster Intel’s finances at a time when the company has been slashing spending and cutting jobs. It also suggests that Tan will remain at Intel’s helm.
It’s the latest direct intervention by Trump into a key industry. The administration reached an agreement to receive a 15% cut of certain semiconductor sales to China and took a so-called golden share in United States Steel Corp. as part of a deal to clear its sale to a Japanese rival.
The Intel idea also echoes the Defense Department’s unprecedented announcement last month that it will take a $400 million preferred equity stake in the little-known US rare-earth producer MP Materials Corp. — a deal that would make the Pentagon the company’s largest shareholder. That move turned conventional wisdom on its head among investors, analysts, industry executives and even longtime government officials in terms of how private industry has dealt with the government.
These home-run investment swings by the federal government also aren’t expected to be one-time deals, Bloomberg News has previously reported, with Trump and his administration adamant about boosting domestic champions in sectors it deems critical to combating China on national security grounds.
Some deals by the administration are being potentially fashioned on the MP Materials blueprint, one of the people said. That means an equity investment, guaranteed purchases, loans and private financing — alongside government partnership. The view by many within the administration is that such levers give full confidence to investors that a project has the backing of the most creditworthy institution in the world, while also providing cover to taxpayers’ money.
A chip industry pioneer, Intel has struggled in recent years, hurt by the loss of market share and its technological edge. Tan’s predecessor, Pat Gelsinger, touted the Ohio factory expansion as part of a comeback plan.
But Intel’s financial woes have imperiled the project. Earlier this year, the build-out was delayed until the 2030s, and the company said in July that it would further slow the Ohio plan. Since taking over in March, Tan has focused more on getting Intel’s financial house in order.
Intel was poised to be the biggest beneficiary of money from the 2022 Chips and Science Act, though that program is now in flux under Trump. Earlier this year, administration officials floated the idea of having chip-production powerhouse Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. operate Intel’s factories as part of a joint venture. But TSMC CEO C. C. Wei has said that his company plans to remain focused on its own business.
Trump has won Ohio in all three of his presidential elections, and Republicans flipped a Senate seat there in 2024. Vice President JD Vance served as a senator from the state. Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is seeking election there again next year, making the state something of a battleground once again, though it has trended steadily toward Republicans.
https://archive.is/kRz6T#selection-1855.0-1891.366
I no speak Engrish
https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1956446645501165620
Ilhan Omar's district.
https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/1956137380995588439
Starving Gazans they said.
Gutfeld: Gavin Newsom literally fights fire with fire (his state)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7BzHxQX22Y