news

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/ISM:-US-manufacturing-activity-declines-in-March/63837825

The manufacturing activity in the United States returned to contraction in March, with the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) going from February's 50.3% to 49%, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said in its report published on Tuesday.

Month-on-month, the New Orders Index fell from 48.6% to 45.2%. The Production Index decreased by 2.4 percentage points to 48.3%. The Employment Index plunged by 2.9 percentage points to 44.7%. On the other hand, the Prices Index soared by seven percentage points to 69.4%.

"Demand and production retreated and destaffing continued, as panelists’ companies responded to demand confusion. Prices growth accelerated due to tariffs, causing new order placement backlogs, supplier delivery slowdowns and manufacturing inventory growth," ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee Chair Timothy R. Fiore commented.

So much for all the bragging the American government did last month: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/manufacturing-is-roaring-back-under-president-donald-j-trump/

“In one month under President Trump, the American economy is soaring back to greatness after the economic calamity left by Joe Biden. The manufacturing industry is already rebounding as there were 9,000 new auto jobs created — the most auto jobs added in 15 months! Under President Trump, the private sector is leading the way — 93% of the job gains in February were in the private sector. This is great news for American workers and families. The Trump Administration will continue to work hard to implement pro-growth policies and push Congress to enact the Trump Economic Agenda.” — Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary

Today’s jobs report shows American manufacturing is on the rebound thanks to President Donald J. Trump and his administration.

If I were in charge of Tesla I'd call it the Thundertruck and hire ACDC for a promo

e: posted in wrong thread

How is help for earthquake even provided when they have like 5 statelets

"Systematic discrimination" - Danish Prison Healthcare Exempt From Patient Safety Reporting

A pregnant woman’s loss of her unborn child in a Danish prison has exposed a stark divide in the Nordic hermit kingdom's healthcare system: incarcerated individuals are denied protections guaranteed to all other citizens, with prison medical services exempt from national patient safety reporting requirements. The case, condemned as emblematic of systemic discrimination aby rights groups and medical experts, has reignited demands for urgent reform.

Minimum tariff of 10% lmao

New satellite imagery of Diego Garcia has appeared online after someone with access purchased MAXAR high resolution imagery, showing 6 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers present at the air base, confirming what was already heard through open source signals intelligence, which I reported on at the time. There is the potential for more B-2s to be inside the four climate controlled hangars also visible, for a maximum of 10 aircraft, though I think such is quite unlikely given the information obtained through open source SIGINT. I think these are all the B-2s present. Please ignore the text, the person that purchases the imagery does this nonsense.

For those wondering if it's possible for Iran to attack Diego Garcia directly, the answer is technically yes, although their capabilities are quite limited in this regard. Only one Iranian ballistic missile has the range, the Kheibar/Khorramshahr-4 missile, but that range is hypothetical/theoretical and based off of the ranges of similar Soviet era and North Korean missiles. Accuracy is also likely an issue at such ranges. I did a write up on the missile back when the possibility of Operation True Promise III seemed more likely, if anyone wants more details.

The Shahed-136B is the only drone with the range, but it would take tens of hours to reach Diego Garcia, giving the US plenty of time to shoot drone swarms down.

Iran could try close the distances involved with weapons stowed on military or even commercial ships, or weapons launched from submarines, but the US almost definitely has a naval presence at the island itself, involving it's own submarines and warships that would take out any Iranian vessels.

So yes, Iran could attack Diego Garcia from their own soil in a conflict, but with limited or untested capabilities. This is why the B-2s are parked there in the first place, and not in Saudi Arabia for instance. Rumours that the B-2s are currently operating over Yemen are just that, unsubstantiated rumours from sources that are becoming increasingly unreliable (like Rybar, who falsely claimed that a Ukrainian F-16 was shot down recently).

Anyone have any reading on South Sudan? Both on the current situation and generally. Seems like they’re headed into a civil war, and I haven’t seen any coverage on it, not even here which is odd.

For people interested in Myanmar conflict and its complexity:

This site tracks the major event and news of it with an interactive map https://myanmar.iiss.org/

Corey Booker beats Strom Thurmond.

A Democratic senator has been blocking the US Senate for more than 24 hours and 30 minutes to protest against the Trump administration and Musk. He received a standing ovation from the Democratic caucus in the House. And he continues, promising to speak out as long as physically possible.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker had been speaking for more than 23 hours in the US Senate against the policies of Musk and Trump. Booker denounced threats to democracy, mentioned concerns about cuts to Social Security and read letters from constituents alarmed by the possibility of constitutional crises.

The senator has received support from fellow Democrats and members of Congress and is only on water. Even though he was exhausted, Booker remained standing - a regimental requirement - and his voice was increasingly firm. According to him, moments like these require “more creativity, persistence and democratic values”.

The longest speech in the US Senate was by a segregationist from South Carolina, Strom Thurmond, who opposed a bill that would guarantee blacks the right to vote. It lasted 24 hours and 18 minutes. The speech took place in 1957 and lasted 24 hours and 18 minutes. In the end, the bill was approved.

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US airstrikes on Yemen continue for the 18th night in a row, with multiple airstrikes reported in Saada, Hajjah and Hodeidah Governorates.

Statement from the Yemeni Armed Forces at 22:00 UTC, 22 minutes from now. There are rumours that the US Navy intercepted ballistic missiles launched at Israel, and that there was another attack on the US Navy warships in the region. So it's probably to do with that. Awaiting confirmation.

Statement is about targeting several US Navy warships in the Red Sea, led by the US aircraft carrier Truman, in the third engagement in the past 24 hours, using cruise missiles and drones. Awaiting official translation.

Al Masirah TV twitter

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Argentina’s Senate Rejects Supreme Court Nominees: A Major Blow to Javier Milei’s Government - Telesur English

Vietnam seeks 3-month delay on tariffs for negotiations

If the Dems had a backbone, part of their Project 2029 platform would be threatening to do the full Venezuela on El Salvador unless they throw this guy into his own prison.

in the irrelevant shenanigans news: bitcoin been rock steady (within 5 percent), i truly don't understand cryptobros.

to more news like about tariffs: https://www.techpowerup.com/335012/us-exempts-semiconductors-from-taiwan-tariffs-but-chip-making-equipment-remains-on-the-list

Wisconsin Supreme Court election being called for Susan Crawford (D).

Ecuador’s Indigenous Movement Supports Presidential Candidate Luisa Gonzalez - Telesur English

Tesla deliveries down 32% QoQ missing targets by 14% vs consensus

US airstrikes continue on Yemen for the 23rd night in a row, with four airstrikes reported at Kamaran Island.

More airstrikes in Sana'a Governorate.

More airstrikes in Sana'a Governorate, targeting Al-Jabal Al-Aswad (Montenegro/Black Mountain in English). This site was targeted in previous airstrikes, before the B-2 deployment.

Reports of intense drone activity over Sana'a and Saada, with Yemeni residents able to video drones (likely MQ-9 Reapers) flying at low altitude earlier this evening, and hearing them now. Air defences are suppressed.

The initial strikes in Sana'a targeted the home of Sheikh Saleh Al-Suhaili (part of the Social Affairs Department) and his family.

More airstrikes in Saada, 3 strikes repeatedly targeting the Al-Ammar family.

Three airstrikes in Hajjah Governorate.

Videos of the drones

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Al Masirah TV twitter

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Colonel Cassad found some very impressive flyby videos of China's artificial island and military base on "Mischief Reef" (in the South China Sea).

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/9756480.html (just scroll down to the videos if you can't read Russian)

It's amazing and, at an ideological level, shows the true power and superiority of market-socialism over neo-liberal capitalism.

What's the deal with the Maidan shooters? Nato or nazi (or both)?

maybe comrade trump can overachieve, huh

Myanmar's military junta updates the death toll from the country's biggest earthquake in decades. There are 2,056 dead, 3,900 injured, more than 270 missing and hundreds homeless. The World Health Organization says that the country's health system has collapsed and rescue teams are struggling to operate in the devastated country, with no roads, bridges or communications.

Elderly people, monks, babies and hundreds of other patients are being treated in parking lots, under makeshift tents. The capital's main hospital has only 1,000 beds for use.

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First french poll after le pen got pwned, assuming the RN goes with the bardella guy who underperformed in the EU elections. These aren't all that different from le pen's numbers, honestly starting to seem like the arrest was either a nothing burger or a "this will bite you in the ass"-burger. The RN will probably still end up in first place in a presidential election and go to the second round facing either an extreme centrist or melenchon, which will require either of those 2 groups of voters to vote for the other against the far right, and then fail to obtain a majority in a legislative election and have to rely on referendums.

Argentine financial markets record setback after Milei's failed mission - MercoPress

Argentine financial markets experienced a sharp decline Friday amid the global economic storm triggered by a trade war between the U.S. and China following President Donald Trump’s tariffs spree. The market downturn, compounded by a nearly 7% drop in oil prices and a 10-year U.S. rate at 3.87%, reflects fears of a global economic setback, prompting expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

While the country risk index soared and Argentine stocks fell 12% on Wall Street, the S&P Merval of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange plummeted 7.4% to 2,107,815 points. Although the region's stock exchanges also fell, Buenos Aires' figures were by far the deepest, as the rest fell between 1 and 3%.

These results also came after President Javier Milei's trip to the United States enhanced his socialite status during a conservative event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. But contrary to Casa Rosada's expectations, Trump was late to the gathering. Therefore, Milei could not meet with him to insist on Argentina's need for a fresh International Monetary Fund disbursement.

In addition, the White House Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone announced that the United States' support to the Libertarian administration before the IMF would hinge on Buenos Aires cutting all ties with Beijing, specifically the currency swap agreement brokered during the previous Government of Alberto Fernández and extended during the current one.

Despite Milei’s ideological shift away from Beijing, China remains a vital economic partner for Argentina—its second-largest trading partner after Brazil—and is heavily involved in sectors like infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications. Ending the swap would require Argentina to repay a large sum it currently lacks.

“I am not going to interfere in the middle of the negotiations that are taking place with the IMF, which we want to be successful,” Claver Carone was quoted as saying. “What we do want is that eventually the famous credit line that Argentina has with China ends,” he added.

In the meantime, consensus has been reported to be absent among the IMF's board on an advance disbursement, despite positive remarks from Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

Advancing money to Argentina, a practice known as frontloading, generates controversy because any financing for the country before its next principal payment to the IMF would be considered fresh funds, which would increase the multilateral's exposure to the nation, it was explained.

This week's rejection by the Senate of Milei's two Supreme Court nominees, coupled with his rift with Vice President Victoria Villarruel and treason charges for his April 2 Malvinas/Falklands speech, portray a declining head of State badly in need of funding to keep his administration going.