The Minneapolis City Council is considering legalizing sex venues, while the city’s Health Department is already making the case, pointing to research suggesting these spaces promote safer sex and help prevent HIV. Translation: it’s being framed as a public health initiative.
Residents, however, aren’t exactly convinced. One local put it this way: “I think we’ve got other priorities, I’d like to see our downtown revitalized, I’d like to see Uptown a place to go again … bathhouses? I’m not going there.”
Photo credit: kstp
MARKETS
Gold
$4,723.79
-0.58%
Silver
$74.12
-1.61%
Bitcoin
$70,958.21
-1.06%
Dow
47,909.92
+2.85%
S&P
6,782.81
+2.51%
Nasdaq
22,635.00
+2.8%
*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 5:00 a.m.
The Lead: Beirut Bombarded Despite Ceasefire
Photo credit: Aljazeera
Israel has named its attacks on Lebanon “Operation Eternal Darkness.” In other words: hell.
Hundreds of civilians were killed after Israel dropped over 150 bombs in just 10 minutes on civilian areas in Lebanon. Israel says it will continue these attacks under the guise of targeting Hezbollah—similar to how civilians were killed in Gaza during operations against Hamas.
This is a clear breach of the ceasefire that President Trump announced with Iran on Tuesday, and Iran is not willing to let it go. In a statement released Wednesday, it pointed to the ongoing assault on Lebanon, along with violations of Iranian airspace.
Israel’s actions are completely out of bounds. It took less than a day to violate the ceasefire, and Netanyahu is openly saying, “Our finger is on the trigger.”
The question is whether the U.S. has any will or power to make Israel stop attacking Lebanon, or Gaza, for that matter. The U.S. government allowed the utter destruction of Gaza with only cursory condemnations. Why would they take a different stance on Lebanon?
Trump administration officials are now saying that Lebanon was never part of the ceasefire deal with Iran, which is simply not true.
Is this finally getting hard to ignore? It’s starting to look that way. Many world leaders have condemned Operation Eternal Darkness.
Qatar has expressed its disgust with Israel, releasing a statement today: “The State of Qatar condemns the series of heinous Israeli airstrikes that targeted wide areas in Lebanon and resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries.”
And now Spain’s prime minister is urging the European Union to suspend its trade and diplomatic ties with Israel, with Turkey also stepping up, publicly rebuking Israel’s actions.
The outrage is growing, but whether it leads to action is another story.
Truce Undermined
Photo credit: Truth Social
Not even 24 hours after the ceasefire with Iran was declared, the president’s tone has already shifted. Trump is once again turning to threats, this time of the economic variety.
The President took to Truth Social to lay down his latest warning: “A Country supplying Military Weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions.”
Can he do that? Recall that the Supreme Court ruled that he could not use the 1977 emergency law that the administration had been using to impose those levies at will.
There is, technically, another lever Trump could try to pull: Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which allows tariffs of up to 50 percent. The problem? That law is meant to address discriminatory trade practices against U.S. goods, not weapons sales, so if the Trump administration tries it, it would be a legal stretch.
The White House hasn’t responded when asked what legal authority, if any, the president plans to use to back up this latest threat.
Whether he’ll be able to make good on it or not, announcing his intention to limit Iran’s defenses mid-ceasefire is an interesting way to reinforce a truce.
Final Call: How Much Did You Overpay This Year?
Most people never question their tax bill. They assume it’s correct… and move on.
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This is your last chance to join the upcoming Wealth Workshop hosted by our trusted partners at SDIRA Wealth—a team Clayton and Natali have worked with closely for years.
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Featured Redacted Video
Did you miss our last live show? No problem, you can catch the replay here! We discuss how Israel destroyed Trump’s ceasefire with Iran and the MASSIVE attack on Lebanon.
What’s Trending
Photo credit: Fox News
Matthew Perry is trending after the woman accused of supplying the drugs linked to his death was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Michael J. Fox is trending after false rumors of his death spread online. This was quickly shut down by the actor himself with a humorous response confirming he was still alive.
The city of Philadelphia is trending after a glowing streak tore across the sky, with NASA confirming it was a meteor.
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