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general

Coinbase’s New Payment Protocol Lets AI Agents Send Money Without Human Help – And It’s Already Processing Millions

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Machines Just Got Their Own Wallets

Coinbase has launched Payments MCP, a revolutionary system that enables AI agents to create crypto wallets, fund them, and send stablecoin payments using simple text commands—no API keys or complex setup required. AI agents are already using this technology to buy data, pay for computing power, and settle transactions worth millions of dollars.

The numbers speak for themselves. The x402 field’s market value surged from $178 million to $832 million in just three days in October 2025, supported by 44 projects. By September of this year, the protocol had processed 1.38 million transactions worth $1.48 million, involving over 72,500 buyers. These are real transactions happening right now with real money on the line.

x402 Turns a Forgotten Web Code into AI Payment Rails

The clever part? Coinbase built this system on a largely unused web standard from the 1990s. The protocol utilizes the HTTP 402: Payment Required status code, originally created decades ago but never implemented widely.

Erik Reppel, Coinbase’s head of engineering, explained, “Marc Andreessen and the team at Netscape explored it while discovering credit card systems” back in the ’90s, but now it finally has a real purpose.

Here’s how it works: When an AI agent tries to access a paid service, the server responds with a 402 code containing payment instructions. The agent reads these instructions, sends USDC stablecoins, and gains instant access—no signup forms, no waiting.

Coinbase and Cloudflare have announced the formation of the x402 Foundation to promote this as an industry standard. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince stated that x402 has the “likelihood to become a core protocol for agentic commerce.” With a company protecting half the internet backing this payment protocol, something big is indeed happening.

AI and Instant Payments Transform Online Entertainment

This technology is already having an impact on the online entertainment sector. For example, crypto-enabled online casinos demonstrate the power of combining AI with instant payments. Players enjoy amazing bonuses, massive game libraries, and withdrawals hitting their wallets within seconds. Gambling expert Matt Bastock rated the top choices on the casinobeats.com online casinos list, showcasing this new era.

AI Agents Can Now Buy Computing Power and Data Independently

The system supports AI models like Claude, Gemini, Codex, and Cherry Studio right out of the box. ChatGPT support is coming soon, pending some technical compatibility fixes.

What ensures safety? Users set spending limits for their AI agents. Reppel noted, “They have dedicated funds you explicitly give them, but they don’t have access to your main wallet. It’s impossible for an agent to rack up a credit card bill you’re responsible for.” For example, an agent might be allowed to spend ten cents freely but would need your approval for anything over a dollar.

Early adopters include Prixe, a stock price API enabling agents to create financial reports, as well as numerous image and video generation services. These agents chain services together—pulling market data, generating charts, writing analysis—all powered by automatic micropayments.

The efficiency gains are significant. Fintech startups report a 60-80% reduction in AI integration costs within the first year, saving between $400,000 and $640,000 annually.

The $30 Trillion Question: Who Pays When Machines Do Business?

Gartner estimates that the machine-to-machine economy could reach $30 trillion by 2030. By the end of this year, experts predict AI agents will execute 90% of all blockchain transactions.

Big players are betting on this future. In July 2025, CoreWeave, an AI data center company, acquired Core Scientific—the largest Bitcoin miner—for $9 billion, pivoting crypto mining infrastructure toward AI computing power.

However, challenges remain. Questions regarding security, responsibility, and standards persist. Who is liable if an AI agent sends funds to the wrong address? What happens if an agent’s wallet is hacked?

Security researchers uncovered vulnerabilities as recently as April 2025, where LLM-based attacks were used to manipulate agents.

As this technology advances, the industry faces critical decisions to safeguard the future of autonomous machine commerce.
https://usethebitcoin.com/crypto/coinbases-new-payment-protocol-lets-ai-agents-send-money-without-human-help-and-its-already-processing-millions/

general

Los Angeles Kings re-sign F Adrian Kempe to 8-year, $85 million contract, AP source says

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Forward Adrian Kempe has agreed to an eight-year, $85 million contract to remain with the Los Angeles Kings, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

The individual spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the Kings had not yet announced the deal with the 29-year-old Kempe, who would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer. The contract extends through the 2033-34 season and carries an average annual value (AAV) of $10.625 million.

Kempe has been the Kings’ most dependable offensive player over the past four seasons. He earned an All-Star selection in 2022 and helped lead Los Angeles to four straight playoff appearances. The Swedish right wing has scored 200 goals and contributed 220 assists during his 10-year career, which he has spent entirely with the Kings. Los Angeles drafted him with the 29th overall pick in 2014.

During the 2022-23 season, Kempe scored a career-high 41 goals and has recorded four consecutive 25-goal seasons. This season, he leads the Kings with six goals and 13 assists in 19 games while playing extensively on special teams. Additionally, Kempe is named to Sweden’s initial roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Re-signing Kempe was a top priority for new Kings general manager Ken Holland, who emphasized the importance of maintaining a foundation of leadership and talent as longtime captain Anze Kopitar plans to retire next year. However, negotiations between the Kings and Kempe stretched from the summer into the current season, sparking speculation that he might enter free agency next year.

Instead, Kempe joins a growing list of notable players who were potential 2026 free agents but have recently re-signed with their teams. Connor McDavid, Martin Necas, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov have all committed to their respective organizations in the past two months.

The Kings, currently holding a 10-5-4 record, have rebounded from a slow start this season. They are on a six-game road trip and have won four consecutive games. Los Angeles is set to play against the Washington Capitals on Monday.

___
AP NHL
https://mymotherlode.com/sports/hockey-general-news/10195217/los-angeles-kings-re-sign-f-adrian-kempe-to-8-year-85-million-contract-ap-source-says.html

general

4 Possible finishes for Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Durpi on WWE RAW from Madison Square Garden

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Becky Lynch looks to put Maxxine Dupri in her rearview mirror when WWE RAW emanates from Madison Square Garden in New York. Dupri defeated The Man in their previous two meetings, grabbing victories by both countout and disqualification. Those losses caused Lynch to lash out, leading to the rubber match this week.

While the Alpha Babe has proven she can hang with the top stars in WWE, winning a singles title is another tall task. The next four finishes are possible when Becky Lynch defends the Women’s Intercontinental title against Maxxine Dupri on RAW.

### #4. Becky Lynch squashes Maxxine Dupri on RAW

While Dupri has shown she is worthy of competing with the top stars in WWE, she’s still not considered one of the top performers in the division. Her improvement is evident, but as most wrestlers love to claim, “There are levels to this.” Lynch is on another level than Dupri, and bookers could opt to have her run through her opponent on RAW.

It would end the feud and possibly open up her next storyline if someone saves Dupri from a post-match beatdown. Jade Cargill squashed B-Fab on SmackDown, so the same could play out on RAW.

### #3. Maxxine Dupri upsets Becky Lynch

Though highly unlikely, Maxxine Dupri could leave Madison Square Garden as the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion. She’s pushed Lynch to her limit twice, so that effort could pay off with a shocking victory over one of WWE’s top stars.

Such a result could force The Man to take some time off and come back with a more unhinged persona. Traditionally, Lynch has been an arrogant and delusional heel, but she can pull off almost any character, much like Alexa Bliss.

Portraying a darker character could eventually lead to another face turn in 2026. Dupri could then get a significant bump before dropping the title to a heel. Issues with referee Jessika Carr could also work in Dupri’s favor.

### #2. Becky Lynch cheats to win

Lynch hasn’t been afraid to bend the rules in the past, including in matches against Dupri and Lyra Valkyria. The problem has been that referees caught her in the act during her recent bouts with Dupri.

This time, things could change with Big Time Becks waiting for the referee to turn her back to cheat. She’ll do anything to keep the title, so blasting Dupri with the belt wouldn’t come as a shock.

This finish would also slightly protect the progress Dupri has made in the ring, maintaining her credibility despite the loss.

### #1. Lynch wins clean

This third match should be the final showdown between the two rivals. The most sensible finish would be for Lynch to definitively defeat the upstart Maxxine Dupri.

A clean victory would force others to recognize that Lynch doesn’t need to cheat to win. Dupri has displayed her resiliency, so The Man should be ready to pull out some new tricks in their third showdown.

While Dupri may have honed her craft over the last two years, Lynch has been working at it for 15 to 20 years. Experience counts for a lot, making a clean, definitive victory for Lynch on RAW a strong possibility.

—

As the tension builds heading into Madison Square Garden, WWE fans can expect an intense and potentially career-defining match for both Becky Lynch and Maxxine Dupri. Which finish will the WWE Universe witness? Stay tuned to RAW to find out!
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/4-possible-finishes-becky-lynch-vs-maxxine-durpi-wwe-raw-madison-square-garden

general

FAA lifts order slashing flights, allowing commercial airlines to resume their regular schedules

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Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the agency announced in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

Citing safety concerns amid growing staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities during the government shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. This order, in place since November 7, affected thousands of flights across the country, impacting major hubs including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

Initially, flight cuts started at 4% and later increased to 6%. However, on Friday, the FAA rolled back restrictions to a 3% reduction, attributing the change to continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing following the end of the record 43-day shutdown on November 12.

This weekend saw the lowest number of flight cancellations since the order took effect, falling well below the 3% cuts mandated by the FAA for Saturday and Sunday. Flight tracking website FlightAware reported 149 flights canceled on Sunday and 315 on Saturday.

According to the FAA statement, an agency safety team recommended rescinding the order after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.” The statement also acknowledged reports of non-compliance by carriers during the emergency order and noted that the agency is reviewing enforcement options, though it did not provide further details.

Flight cancellations peaked on November 9, when more than 2,900 flights were cut due to the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages, and severe weather conditions in parts of the country. Conditions improved throughout the following week as more controllers returned to work, encouraged by news that Congress was close to resolving the shutdown. This progress led the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases—the agency had initially targeted a 10% reduction in flights.

During the shutdown, air traffic controllers were among the federal employees required to work without pay, missing two paychecks amid the impasse. Secretary Duffy has not shared specific safety data prompting the flight restrictions but cited reports during the shutdown of planes getting too close in the air, increased runway incursions, and pilot concerns regarding controller responses.

Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations will rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period now that the FAA has lifted its order.

—
Yamat reported from Las Vegas and Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska.
https://whdh.com/news/faa-lifts-order-slashing-flights-allowing-commercial-airlines-to-resume-their-regular-schedules/

general

Jaylen Brown, Celtics hold off James Harden, Clippers late to claim rare clutch win: 8 takeaways

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The Celtics secured a hard-fought 121-118 victory on Sunday, benefiting from big performances by key contributors including Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard. Despite a spirited fourth-quarter push from James Harden and the Clippers, Boston held on for the win. Here are the key takeaways from the game.

### The Celtics Got a Clutch Win—Barely

The Celtics have struggled in clutch situations this season, and Sunday’s game was no exception. What should have been a comfortable win turned into a nail-biter in the closing seconds, mostly due to James Harden’s late-game heroics.

Harden scored 18 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, all coming in the final 4:20. He made three 3-pointers and three free throws following a somewhat questionable 3-point foul call on Jordan Walsh. His final three-pointer trimmed the Celtics’ lead to just one point with three seconds left.

Several moments swung the game back in Boston’s favor:

– Derrick White and Payton Pritchard both hit clutch 3-pointers in the final seconds, keeping the Clippers at bay.
– With 14 seconds remaining, Pritchard brilliantly broke through the Clippers’ full-court press and found Jaylen Brown under the basket for a dunk that pushed the lead to five points.
– On the last play, the Clippers attempted a desperation heave: Kris Dunn threw a long pass to Ivica Zubac, who then found a streaking Harden. Harden’s shot rattled the rim and backboard but bounced out, sealing the Celtics’ win.

### Jaylen Brown Was Excellent

When the Celtics needed a leader to overcome their clutch-time issues, Jaylen Brown stepped up. He scored 33 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Although his overall shooting wasn’t particularly efficient (33 points on 33 shots, 1-for-7 from three, 4-for-7 from the free-throw line), Brown dominated from mid-range.

Brown is carving out his place alongside Celtics legends like Isaiah Thomas and Paul Pierce with his ability to create and score from the mid-range — even when defenses know where he wants to be. On the defensive end, Brown was equally impressive, pulling down 13 rebounds and playing tough defense.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Brown after the game:
> “The only thing he cares about is winning. He’s finding a great balance of putting us in position to win, empowering his teammates, and doing what he needs to do in games for us to give us a shot.”

Brown acknowledged how his role has evolved throughout his career:
> “I’ve been a lockdown defender and scorer and catch-and-shoot guy, come off the bench. I feel like I’m an all-around player. This year is more of a challenge of your endurance. That’s it.”

### Derrick White Showed Promise

The first 13 games of the season presented a challenging transition for Derrick White into a larger role, but Sunday’s performance was encouraging. White finished with 22 points on 7-for-17 shooting, flirted with a triple-double (seven rebounds and nine assists), and blocked two shots. He was also 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.

White excelled in the pick-and-roll, which is crucial for a Celtics offense that heavily relies on Brown’s ability to create his own shot. White’s ability to facilitate helped offset some of the offensive responsibilities, similar to Jayson Tatum’s dual role as scorer and facilitator.

He found teammates with high-impact assists, including three to Payton Pritchard and one to Baylor Scheierman, demonstrating great court vision. As the season progresses, White’s full adaptation to the Celtics’ system could bode well for the team.

### Payton Pritchard Got Hot (Again)

Payton Pritchard continued his recent upward trajectory, delivering his best game of the season with 30 points on 10-for-16 shooting, including eight 3-pointers on 13 attempts.

Pritchard caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 14 points with four triples in the first four minutes as Boston’s lead swelled to as many as 24 points before the Clippers began their comeback.

His shooting threat forced the Clippers to adjust their defense, which opened up opportunities for teammates like Derrick White. Pritchard is now shooting nearly 48 percent from three over his last five games, despite some off shooting nights in between.

Coach Mazzulla remains optimistic about both Pritchard and White:
> “They work too hard and they’re too good of players. They’ll go up, they’ll go down, but at the end of day, they’ll make plays, and we’ve just got to execute as a team.”

### Jordan Walsh Held His Own Against Harden

While Harden had a strong fourth quarter, only one of his nine field goals came with Jordan Walsh defending him from the start of the possession—a late layup. Walsh forced Harden into tough shots and used his length, athleticism, and defensive IQ to limit Harden’s effectiveness.

Although Harden drew several trips to the free-throw line against Walsh (including three late free throws after a reviewed foul), Walsh’s defensive effort earned praise from Mazzulla:
> “It’s just Jordan’s ability to stay disciplined throughout the entire thing. He’s showing a true mindset, professionalism, and toughness to do that every night.”

Walsh’s contributions went beyond defense, grabbing six defensive rebounds and two offensive boards throughout the game.

### Derrick Jones Jr. Injury Raises Concerns

Unfortunately, the Clippers suffered a potentially serious injury in the second quarter. Derrick Jones Jr. appeared hurt in a freak accident while pursuing a loose ball. As Jaylen Brown reached for the ball, he landed awkwardly on Jones’ leg, causing the forward to crumple to the floor in visible pain.

After a timeout, Jones was helped off the court and appeared unable to put weight on his leg. The Clippers had no immediate update, but the sequence was concerning. The team has already been dealing with injuries to Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Bradley Beal (season-ending fractured hip), making Jones’ status a key concern moving forward.

### A Very Joe Mazzulla Take on “Fun”

After the game, a young reporter from Sports Illustrated Kids asked Coach Mazzulla how he balances pushing players to improve while keeping the experience fun.

Mazzulla admitted he struggles with that balance:
> “I think fun is a cop out sometimes. When things aren’t going well, everybody likes to say, ‘Well, let’s just have fun.’ And it’s like, ‘Well, what does that mean?’
> I think you have to define what fun looks like as a team, and then you kind of have to go after that. But that phrase can be a cop out sometimes, so as you get older, kid, don’t use it. Say ‘I just want to have fun,’ it’s like, well, what does that mean? So, you’ve just got to define that. It’s a good question. I struggle with that.”

If you expected Mazzulla to call “fun” a cop-out to a child reporter, you weren’t wrong.

### What’s Next

The Celtics will face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night in Brooklyn before returning to TD Garden for a rematch as part of NBA Cup group play. Following that, Boston will welcome the Orlando Magic next Sunday.

—

The Celtics showed resilience and balanced contributions on Sunday to secure another win. With key players like Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard stepping up and defensive efforts from players like Jordan Walsh, Boston looks poised to keep competing hard as the season unfolds.
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2025/11/16/jaylen-brown-celtics-hold-off-james-harden-clippers-late-to-claim-rare-clutch-win-8-takeaways/

general

FAA will lift emergency flight reductions Monday

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The emergency order will officially lift on Monday at 6 a.m. ET, bringing an end to the reductions that caused mass cancellations and delays at airports.

The cuts, which began with a 4% reduction in flights at 40 major airports on November 7, were implemented to address fatigue and staffing issues among air traffic controllers during the record-long government shutdown.

The FAA announced that these reductions are being rolled back now that staffing levels have “stabilized” following the end of the government shutdown on Wednesday.

There has been a dramatic improvement in staffing triggers, with only six reported on Friday, eight on Saturday, and one on Sunday, compared to a record high of 81 staffing triggers on November 8.

In addition to the flight reductions, other restrictions will also end, including limitations on some visual flight rule approaches, commercial space launches, and parachute operations.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. [Last name or statement to be completed as needed].
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/faa-will-lift-emergency-flight-reductions-monday-rcna244282

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Nearly 21 years later, family of slain Gold Coast man finds comfort as prosecutors bring murder charges

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Stanford Projansky waited more than 20 years to look into the eyes of the man accused of the execution-style fatal shooting of the oldest of his three sons. Though the 91-year-old Glenview man died just two months shy of the long-awaited day, his two other sons were among two dozen relatives and friends who packed a Cook County courtroom over the weekend to bear witness and honor a loved one they lost too soon.

December 18 marks 21 years since 40-year-old Kent Projansky was killed in his 30th-floor apartment in the Elm Street Plaza building in the 1100 block of North Dearborn Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Police reported there were no signs of forced entry to his apartment, which did not appear ransacked or otherwise disturbed.

On Saturday, David Barklow made his first court appearance in Chicago on first-degree murder charges. Prosecutors said Barklow, 68, a former neighbor of the slain man, has been in custody since April 17 after being arrested at an airport in Lima, Peru, in connection with the murder case and a related warrant alleging unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Following lengthy extradition proceedings in South America, he accompanied FBI agents back to Chicago on Friday.

The victim’s middle brother, Todd Projansky, said Sunday that the family first learned on Friday about the criminal charges and Barklow’s return to the United States. Within 24 hours, Projansky locked eyes for the first time with Barklow during a court hearing he wasn’t sure would ever come.

“It was very difficult to hold out hope,” said Projansky, a Buffalo Grove attorney, in a Tribune interview. “As a somewhat positive person, I kind of always thought it would come, but being realistic with myself, I really questioned sometimes if we’d ever get here.”

Todd described his brother Kent as friendly and generous—a bachelor who was an overly indulgent uncle who spoiled his niece and nephews, including taking them to MLB All-Star Games. He was also a “champion of underdogs,” remembered Todd, recalling when Kent took a Streetwise vendor to a Bulls game and other acts of kindness toward those less fortunate.

“He had a soft spot for everyone,” Todd said.

Just three days after the killing, prosecutors said police responded to a report of a discarded duffel bag found inside a garbage can behind a bank about 14 miles from Kent Projansky’s apartment. The bag contained bloody clothes, a cardboard ammunition box, and a .32-caliber revolver, which crime lab experts later linked to the ballistic evidence recovered from the murder scene.

Despite this promising lead, the investigation went cold.

Todd said his brother’s unsolved killing devastated the family, who also feared for their own safety—not knowing if the crime was random or if Kent had been targeted.

“My kids would ask if someone was going to come in and murder me,” Todd said. He even asked his local police department to drive by his home for well-being checks in the days following Kent’s death. “We didn’t know who did it or why they did it. We suspected and continue to suspect it was about money, but we didn’t know. With four babies in the house, I wanted to be as careful as I could be.”

Todd and his family regularly called police for updates, trying to hold out hope.

Then, in 2017, police resubmitted evidence from the discarded duffel bag using more advanced technology and found that seven latent impressions on items inside the bag—including one on the ammunition box—matched Barklow, prosecutors said. They noted that Barklow’s mother lived in Park Ridge at the time, about two miles from where the duffel bag was recovered.

Todd said his family first heard Barklow’s name in late 2019, when the Chicago man was taken into custody for questioning. Authorities said they obtained Barklow’s DNA samples and fingerprints, but he was released without charges as further forensic testing continued.

Prosecutors said Barklow lived across the street from Kent Projansky at the time of the 2004 killing. During a 2019 interview, Barklow “admitted having purchased weed from the victim” inside his apartment but denied “seeing the victim preceding his death” or having knowledge about the duffel bag and its contents.

As the investigation continued, authorities said Barklow left Chicago in late 2019. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he flew to Sweden and eventually ended up in Ecuador, where he had been living before being taken into custody on April 17 at an airport in Peru.

Prosecutors stated that further forensic testing linked items inside the duffel bag to both the victim and Barklow. Records reveal Barklow has a 1995 federal bank fraud conviction.

He is currently being held in Cook County Jail and is due back in court Monday.

Todd said that though the arrest “doesn’t bring my brother back,” he and his other brother Drew are thankful for law enforcement’s efforts. He also urged more funding to speed up crime lab backlogs, which he said caused delays in the investigation.

Todd noted that his mother, Sheila, 86 and battling dementia, is unaware of the criminal case. His father, who died on September 10, knew of the 2019 lead involving Barklow and was anxiously awaiting the court proceedings.

“My father said one of his purposes in life was to see Barklow in person in a prison jumpsuit,” Todd shared.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/16/gold-coast-murder-peru-extradition/

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‘Simply lying’: Nobel economist bashes Trump’s ‘false’ claims on the state of the economy

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A Nobel Prize-winning economist has criticized President Donald Trump’s “false” claims about the state of the U.S. economy in a new Substack essay published on Sunday.

Paul Krugman, who won the 2008 Nobel Prize in economics for his work on trade theory, argued that Trump is “simply lying” about the economy’s condition. While data indicate that the economy is faring better than popular sentiment might suggest, Krugman highlighted several warning signs — including the continued rise in grocery prices.

“Donald Trump continues to claim that grocery prices are ‘way down,’” Krugman wrote. “Yet anyone who does their own food shopping unlike Trump — can tell you that Trump’s statement is false.”

Krugman further explained that Trump’s economy has created what’s known as a “vibecession” — an economy that feels like it’s in a recession to consumers even if the economic data doesn’t support that conclusion.

“Many observers have compared Trump’s predicament with the problems faced by the Biden administration, whose attempts to highlight good economic data alienated many voters who felt their concerns weren’t being taken seriously,” Krugman added.

“In one important way this is false equivalence: Biden and his officials were pointing to actual data that did indeed seem to paint a relatively positive picture of the economy. Trump and company, by contrast, are simply lying.

“But although Biden and his people were honest, while Trump and his people aren’t, it’s true that we now have two presidencies in a row in which Americans are far more negative about the economy than the usual measures would have predicted,” he concluded.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2674300425/

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Epstein vote looms over House

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WASHINGTON — Lawmakers seeking to force the release of files related to the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein are predicting a big win in the House this week, with a “deluge of Republicans” expected to vote for their bill. This would buck GOP leadership and President Donald Trump, who for months have disparaged the effort.

The bill aims to compel the Justice Department to release all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information concerning the investigation into his death in federal prison. Information about Epstein’s victims or ongoing federal investigations could be redacted.

“There could be 100 or more” Republican votes, said Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) during Sunday news show appearances discussing the legislation. “I’m hoping to get a veto-proof majority on this legislation when it comes up for a vote.”

Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) introduced a discharge petition in July to force a vote on their bill. This is a rarely successful tool that allows a majority of members to bypass House leadership and bring a floor vote.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) criticized the discharge petition effort and even sent members home early for their August recess when the GOP’s legislative agenda was disrupted by the push for an Epstein vote. Democrats also claim that the seating of Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) was stalled to delay her becoming the 218th member to sign the petition, which is the threshold needed to force a vote. She became the 218th signature moments after taking the oath of office last week.

Massie said Johnson, Trump, and others who have been critical of his efforts will be “taking a big loss this week.”

“I’m not tired of winning yet, but we are winning,” Massie added.

### The View from GOP Leadership

Johnson seems to expect the House will decisively back the Epstein bill.

“We’ll just get this done and move it on. There’s nothing to hide,” he said, noting that the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has already been releasing “far more information than the discharge petition, their little gambit.”

The vote comes as new documents raise fresh questions about Epstein and his associates, including a 2019 email Epstein wrote to a journalist stating that Trump “knew about the girls.” The White House has accused Democrats of selectively leaking these emails to smear the Republican president.

Johnson insisted that Trump “has nothing to hide from this.”

“They’re doing this to go after President Trump on this theory that he has something to do with it. He does not,” Johnson said.

Trump’s association with Epstein is well-established, and the president’s name was included in records released by his own Justice Department in February as part of an effort to satisfy public interest in the sex trafficking investigation. Trump has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of a name in the investigation files does not imply guilt.

Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, had many prominent acquaintances in political and celebrity circles besides Trump.

### Modest Expectations and Calls for Accountability

Khanna expressed more modest expectations for the vote count than Massie but hoped for 40 or more Republicans to join the bipartisan effort.

“I don’t even know how involved Trump was,” Khanna said. “There are a lot of other people involved who have to be held accountable.”

Khanna also urged Trump to meet with survivors of abuse. Some of those survivors will be at the Capitol on Tuesday for a news conference, he said.

Massie warned that Republican lawmakers who fear losing Trump’s endorsement because of how they vote will have a mark on their record if they vote “no,” which could hurt their political prospects in the long term.

“The record of this vote will last longer than Donald Trump’s presidency,” Massie said.

On the Republican side, three members have joined Massie in signing the discharge petition: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Nancy Mace (S.C.), and Lauren Boebert (Colo.).
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/16/epstein-vote-looms-over-house/