All posts tagged: presidency

Kast Presidency begins, as Chile shifts to far-right : NPR

Kast Presidency begins, as Chile shifts to far-right : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Chile’s President José Antonio Kast waves to supporters as he leaves Congress after his swearing-in ceremony in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) Gustavo Garello/AP hide caption toggle caption Gustavo Garello/AP SANTIAGO, Chile — José Antonio Kast has been inaugurated as Chile’s new president today at a ceremony in the coastal city of Valparaíso. The far-right politician built his career railing against liberal values from the fringes of Chilean politics. Kast won a resounding victory over his leftist rival in a runoff in December, taking over 58% of the vote with his hardline approach to public security and illegal immigration. His ascent to the presidency marks an abrupt departure from the progressive agenda of leftist Gabriel Boric, whose four-year term ended today. “There are certain issues which Kast will emphasize first, like immigration,” said Claudio Fuentes, a political scientist at Diego Portales University in Santiago. “He will take a very strong stand in controlling the borders, where he will probably increase the presence of the military. Dealing with this will be key …

Bardella’s main rival for French presidency risks crashing out of race – POLITICO

Bardella’s main rival for French presidency risks crashing out of race – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

It will also be a grave personal disappointment for Philippe, who has long held ambitions to run for the Élysée. As prime minister from 2017 to 2020 he steered France through the Covid pandemic, but was ultimately sidelined by Macron when the president wanted to give his government a “new direction,” a decision that many in the administration believed was due to Philippe’s higher popularity ratings. This month’s local elections are an opportunity to launch his campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential race. But Philippe now risks slipping up before he even reaches the starting line. A shock poll from OpinionWay landed last month and predicted that Philippe could be squeezed out by the far right and far left in the second round of the contest in Le Havre. Philippe was seen winning only 40 percent, pipped by the Communist Jean-Paul Lecoq on 42 percent. Franck Keller, backed by the RN, was set to win 18 percent. Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe could see his presidential ambitions dashed if he doesn’t get the backing of …

Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader who ran for presidency, dies at 84

Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader who ran for presidency, dies at 84

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., a longtime civil rights activist who intertwined his politics with his religion, has died at age 84. A protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson was the founder of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and a two-time presidential candidate. Jackson had long lived with Parkinson’s disease but he it had been announced in November that he had suffered from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurodegenerative condition, for more than a decade. In 2023, Jackson announced he was stepping down from the longtime civil rights organization that he had led for more than 50 years. He was briefly succeeded by the Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III, a Dallas pastor who resigned the position within months. Yusef Jackson, one of Jackson’s sons, currently serves as chief operating officer of Rainbow PUSH, which is known for its work on social justice, peace and creating more equitable educational and economic opportunities. Before ill health prevented him, Jackson continued to support and speak in favor of causes for which he was long an …

The ‘You Can’t Fire Me—I Quit’ Presidency

The ‘You Can’t Fire Me—I Quit’ Presidency

Published by Daniella Wilson

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. After the administration announced the expansion of its law-enforcement surge in Minnesota early this year, calling it the “largest DHS operation ever,” Donald Trump laid out a series of stinging critiques of the state, which he said had an “incompetent governor,” a huge welfare-fraud problem, high crime, and a corrupt voting system. “What a beautiful place, but it’s being destroyed,” he said. Today, the White House “border czar” Tom Homan announced the effective end to the mission, promising a “significant drawdown” over the coming week. “I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude,” Homan said. The announcement should be treated skeptically. When Trump ousted the Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino last month, the administration softened its tone but maintained a large and heavy-handed presence in Minneapolis. But Trump has good reasons to back down: …

Center left beats far right to Portugal’s presidency – POLITICO

Center left beats far right to Portugal’s presidency – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Seguro describes himself as someone who “engages in dialogue, unites and brings people together.” He has also promised to be more “discreet” than outgoing President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a former law professor and television commentator who was both praised and criticized for being omnipresent during his decade-long tenure as Portugal’s head of state. Positives for Ventura Portugal is a semi-presidential republic in which the president serves as the country’s head of state and has the power to appoint the prime minister and dissolve parliament. The president also has the right to veto laws, appoint some members of key state and judicial bodies and issue pardons, and serves as supreme commander of the country’s armed forces. In that role, Ventura could have wielded considerable power to favor his own Chega party. But even in defeat, the presidential run represents progress for the far-right leader. Ventura was backed by 33 percent of voters, securing a greater share of the vote than center-right Prime Minister Luís Montenegro when legislative elections were held last year. According to António Costa Pinto, …

Trump is openly cashing in on the presidency

Trump is openly cashing in on the presidency

Published by Sam Flores

Donald Trump announced last week that he is suing the Internal Revenue Service for $10 billion because a contractor leaked his tax returns. This isn’t the first time the president has sued the federal government. He has already filed claims against the Justice Department for $230 million over the investigations into Russian collusion and the stolen classified documents. In each of these cases, it will be up to the agencies, which he oversees, whether to settle — with him. Gosh, I wonder what he’ll decide?  When asked about this curious arrangement over the weekend, Trump told the press, “I’m supposed to work out a settlement with myself… We could make it a substantial amount, nobody would care, because it’s gonna go to numerous, very good charities.” Evidently, American taxpayers are going to have to pay for yet more of Trump’s grievances — and give him what will almost certainly be a nice tax write-off. That’s assuming these “very good charities” aren’t along the lines of his defunct Trump Foundation, for which he was sued by …

“The memes will continue”: A fake presidency, but real tyranny

“The memes will continue”: A fake presidency, but real tyranny

Published by Sam Flores

This past week, the Trump White House posted an image on social media that appeared to show Nekima Levy Armstrong, a lawyer who was arrested after an anti-ICE demonstration in Minnesota, weeping helplessly after being handcuffed. It was a blatant fake. Only minutes earlier, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem had posted the original photo of Armstrong’s arrest, in which she appears calm, even resolute. After the New York Times confronted White House officials with evidence that the second image had been “digitally altered,” probably using a generative AI tool such as Gemini or Grok, deputy communications director Kaelan Dorr responded with a post on X: “Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue.” You could almost hear the high-fives being exchanged; you could almost smell the medium-high-end hair products and lily of the valley-scented body spray. That extraordinary statement says, or reveals, much more than it intends to, and even amid the relentless onslaught of lies, abuses, perversions of justice and outright criminality perpetrated by the Trump regime, it merits closer attention. The memes …

Popular lyrics keep getting darker and dumber, but there was a surprising shift during the first Trump presidency

Popular lyrics keep getting darker and dumber, but there was a surprising shift during the first Trump presidency

Published by José Betancourt

A new analysis of popular music from the last half-century reveals that while the lyrics of chart-topping American songs have generally become angrier and simpler over time, this trend shifts unexpectedly during major societal crises. The findings suggest that during events like the COVID-19 pandemic, listeners may seek out songs that offer an emotional escape rather than those that mirror their anxieties. This research was published in Scientific Reports. Art has historically been viewed as a reflection of the society that creates it. Philosophers and scientists alike argue that cultural artifacts can reveal collective psychological states that are difficult to measure through individual surveys alone. Music is particularly suited for this type of historical analysis because it is widely consumed and contains explicit emotional messages within its lyrics. The consumption of music provides a unique window into the emotional needs of the population at a specific moment in time. Markus Foramitti and Maurício Martins led the research team at the University of Vienna. They collaborated with Urs Markus Nater and Claus Lamm. The team sought …

French presidency calls out ‘fake news’ after Trump drug price comments

French presidency calls out ‘fake news’ after Trump drug price comments

Published by Sam Flores

France’s President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2026. DENIS BALIBOUSE / REUTERS President Emmanuel Macron’s office hit back at Donald Trump after his US counterpart mocked the French leader on Wednesday, January 21, for wearing sunglasses and claimed he had increased drug prices in France under threat of US tariffs. In a speech at the World Economic Forum, the US leader claimed he had strong-armed Macron into agreeing to higher prices in France. “It’s being claimed that President @EmmanuelMacron increased the price of medicines,” the French president’s office wrote on X. “He does not set their prices,” it added, in a post accompanied by a meme of Trump with the words “fake news.” “They are regulated by the social security system and have, in fact, remained stable. Anyone who has set foot in a French pharmacy knows this,” it said. In Davos, Trump made fun of Macron for wearing aviator sunglasses – due to a burst blood vessel – during his own speech on Tuesday. “I watched …