Longtime Kennett, Missouri resident and waitress Ming Li Hui (“Carol”) faces deportation, a development that has stunned her community. Despite Kennett’s strong support for Trump, residents are rallying behind Carol, highlighting the human impact of immigration policies. Carol, interviewed from jail, expressed emotional distress over her situation and the broader implications of Trump-era immigration enforcement. This episode details Carol’s story and the unexpected outpouring of local support.
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Right-wing candidate Karol Nawrocki secured a narrow victory in Poland’s presidential election, defeating liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski by a margin of 50.89% to 49.11%. Nawrocki’s win, backed by the Law and Justice party, significantly hampers Prime Minister Tusk’s reform agenda due to the president’s veto power. This outcome contradicts initial exit polls and creates a political deadlock, potentially revitalizing the Law and Justice party and hindering Tusk’s government for the next few years. The election showcased starkly contrasting visions for Poland’s future, particularly concerning social and political reforms.
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Following a May 2025 agreement in Geneva to reduce import tariffs by 115 percentage points, China accuses the U.S. of violating the deal through recent actions, including AI chip export controls and visa restrictions. The Chinese Commerce Ministry asserts that China fulfilled its obligations, while the U.S. has unilaterally escalated trade tensions. China threatens further retaliatory measures, creating uncertainty in global markets and jeopardizing established supply chains. Further talks have not been scheduled, although a phone call between Presidents Trump and Xi is anticipated.
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Over 130 former state and federal judges filed an amicus brief supporting Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan’s motion to dismiss charges of impeding government agents. The brief argues that prosecuting Dugan for actions within her judicial discretion constitutes an assault on judicial independence and threatens the ability of judges to perform their duties without fear of retaliation. This prosecution, they contend, sets a dangerous precedent by prioritizing federal interests over state court proceedings and jeopardizes the balance of federalism. The judges’ brief emphasizes the importance of judicial immunity and the potential chilling effect on judicial decision-making.
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Conservative Karol Nawrocki narrowly defeated liberal Rafał Trzaskowski in Poland’s presidential runoff, securing 50.89% of the vote. This victory signals a more populist and nationalist direction for Poland, a shift supported by U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite the Polish president’s largely ceremonial role, Nawrocki’s win presents significant challenges for Prime Minister Donald Tusk, hindering his ability to fulfill key electoral promises and potentially jeopardizing his premiership. Nawrocki, a historian and former boxer, benefited from a “fresh start” campaign strategy, successfully overcoming past controversies.
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A recently passed House spending bill includes a provision requiring financial bonds for injunctions against the Trump administration, effectively limiting legal challenges to the wealthy. This measure, buried within the bill, has drawn criticism for potentially shielding the administration from accountability by making legal action financially prohibitive for most Americans. Experts like Erwin Chemerinsky deem the provision unprecedented and harmful, arguing it’s designed to limit judicial power and prevent court orders from being enforced. Human Rights Watch similarly warns of the provision’s autocratic implications, hindering challenges to the administration’s actions.
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Poland’s presidential election resulted in an extremely close outcome, with initial exit polls showing a near tie between Rafał Trzaskowski (50.3%) and Karol Nawrocki (49.7%). A later updated poll reversed these results, putting Nawrocki slightly ahead. The record-high voter turnout of nearly 73% underscores the significance of this election, with the final results expected to be confirmed on Monday. The winner will significantly influence Poland’s governance and foreign policy, with Trzaskowski favoring closer EU ties and Nawrocki promoting stronger US relations.
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During his This Week broadcast, George Stephanopoulos accused the Trump family of leveraging the presidency to amass billions of dollars through various deals. Stephanopoulos cited instances such as a pardon for a tax cheat after a substantial Mar-a-Lago donation and the SEC dropping a lawsuit against Binance after the platform listed a Trump family cryptocurrency. He quoted The Atlantic, describing the situation as unprecedented corruption on a scale comparable to post-Soviet or postcolonial dictatorships. This accusation comes despite ABC’s previous settlement with Trump for a false statement made by Stephanopoulos.
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In a recent interview, former President Bill Clinton decried President Trump’s disregard for the rule of law, characterizing his actions as unprecedented and ultimately detrimental to his popularity. Clinton emphasized the importance of elections in addressing this issue, expressing optimism that the courts and increased Democratic victories could provide checks on Trump’s actions. He also cautioned against solely focusing on antipathy towards Trump within the Democratic Party, urging unity and a focus on shared values to preserve the nation’s legacy. Finally, Clinton addressed his own health and briefly commented on President Biden’s fitness for office.
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Senate Republicans, by overriding the Senate parliamentarian to revoke a California vehicle emissions waiver, inadvertently created a procedural vulnerability. This action, using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), allows Democrats to potentially stall or even block the Senate’s agenda through numerous disapproval resolutions targeting executive branch actions. Democrats could utilize this to disrupt Senate proceedings significantly, potentially delaying or preventing key legislation like the Republican tax bill. While Democrats are aware of this tactic, it remains uncertain whether they will fully exploit this newly created opening.
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John Q. Hosedrinker