[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
GOOD MORNING
I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI
IT’S TUESDAY MAY 13TH, 2025
AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:
PRESIDENT TRUMP GETS A ROYAL WELCOME IN SAUDI ARABIA, AS HE PARTICIPATES IN A STATE VISIT. THE KEY ISSUES HE WILL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE ROYAL PRINCE.
AND — TRYING ONCE AGAIN, TO GET SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF TREN DE ARAGUA, OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S NEW DEPORTATION EFFORTS, IN FRONT OF THE NATION HIGHEST COURT.
L3: TRUMP IN SAUDI ARABIA TO KICK OFF FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRIP OF NEW TERM
RIGHT NOW — PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ARRIVING IN SAUDI ARABIA, WITH A FIGHTER JET ESCORT, EARLY THIS MORNING FOR THE FIRST LEG, OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRIP OF HIS NEW TERM. THE PRESIDENT GIVING A FIST-PUMP AS HE GOT OFF AIR FORCE ONE.
THE PRESIDENT IS ALSO SET TO VISIT QATAR AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DURING THE FOUR-DAY TRIP.
TODAY — TRUMP IS MEETING WITH SAUDI ARABIA’S DE FACTO RULER, CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, FOR TALKS ON U-S EFFORTS TO DISMANTLE IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, END THE WAR IN GAZA AND HOLD DOWN OIL PRICES –AMONG OTHER GLOBAL ISSUES. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ALREADY ARRIVED AT THE SAUDI ROYAL FOR SOME OF THE DAY’S EVENTS. THE STREETS OF RIYADH ARE LINED WITH AMERICAN FLAGS FOR THE VISIT.
SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO AND DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH ARE ALSO JOINING THE PRESIDENT ON THIS TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LOOKS TO “STRENGTHEN TIES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GULF PARTNERS.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SUGGESTED HE **COULD** MAKE A DETOUR TO TURKEY ON THURSDAY — AS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY ARE EXPECTED TO MEET, IN PERSON, IN ISTANBUL TO DISCUSS ENDING THE WAR BETWEEN THEIR COUNTRIES.
L3: CHINA LOOKS TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH LATIN AMERICA AMID TRUMP TARIFF UNCERTAINTY
AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTATION AND CHINA HAVE ENTERED A TRUCE IN THEIR TRADE WAR, AND MADE MAJOR REDUCTIONS IN RECIPROCAL TARIFFS, CHINA IS MOVING TO STRENGTHEN ITS ALLIANCES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.
BEIJING HOSTING LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN LEADERS TUESDAY AS CHINA POSITIONS THE WORLD’S SECOND-LARGEST ECONOMY TO BE A RELIABLE TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNER AMID THE UNCERTAINTY FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TARIFF HIKES, WHICH INCLUDE A 90-DAY NEGOTIATING PERIOD.
CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING SAYING CHINA IS READY TO “JOIN HANDS” WITH LATIN COUNTRIES QUOTE “IN THE FACE OF SEETHING UNDERCURRENTS OF PURE POLITICAL AND BLOC CONFRONTATION AND THE SURGING TIDE OF UNILATERALISM AND PROTECTIONISM.”
“THERE ARE NO WINNERS IN TARIFF WARS OR TRADE WARS. BULLYING OR HEGEMONISM ONLY LEADS TO SELF-ISOLATION,” XI SAID.
DURING THE EVENT — XI ANNOUNCED FIVE PROGRAMS AIMED AT BUILDING CLOSER TIES BETWEEN CHINA AND LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS.
HE PROMISED TO BOOST IMPORTS FROM THE REGION AND TO ENCOURAGE CHINESE COMPANIES TO INCREASE THEIR INVESTMENTS—THERE, ALONG WITH A NEW 9-BILLION DOLLAR CREDIT LINE TO SUPPORT LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN FINANCING.
CHINA ALSO PLANS TO EXPAND COOPERATION IN CLEAN ENERGY, 5-G TELECOMMUNICATIONS, THE DIGITAL ECONOMY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND GLOBAL SECURITY.
L3: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SUPREME COURT’S PERMISSION TO DEPORT 176 VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS ASKING THE SUPREME COURT’S PERMISSION TO DEPORT NEARLY 200 VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS DETAINED IN TEXAS — REQUESTING THE NATION’S HIGHEST COURT LIFT THE INJUNCTION IT ISSUED LAST MONTH. THE HIGH COURT TEMPORARILY BLOCKED THE DEPORTATION OF THE SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WHO THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES ARE VIOLENT GANG MEMBERS, UNDER THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT.
IN A FILING ON MONDAY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAID THE 176 ALLEGED MEMBERS OF TREN DE ARAGUA “HAVE PROVEN TO BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TO MAINTAIN IN PROLONGED DETENTION.”
ACCORDING TO THE FILING — AN IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL SAID A GROUP OF 23 MIGRANTS “THREATENED TO TAKE HOSTAGES AND INJURE STAFF AND ICE OFFICERS.”
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL ARGUES IN THE FILING, THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD NOT BLOCK THE REMOVAL OF DETAINEES “WHO HAVE BEEN ENDANGERING OTHERS WHILE IN DETENTION” — AND HE SAYS THE MIGRANTS HAVE RECEIVED “ADEQUATE NOTICE” AND PLENTY OF TIME TO CHALLENGE THEIR DETENTIONS.
L3: SENATE BLOCKS BILL REGULATING CRYPTOCURRENCY AMID CONCERNS OVER TRUMP DEALINGS
ON CAPITOL HILL, A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE REGULATED CRYPTO-CURRENCY HAS FAILED.
THE VOTE WAS CLOSE WITH TWO SENATE REPUBLICANS JOINING DEMOCRATS TO DEFEAT THE SO-CALLED GENIUS ACT, 49-48.
THE MEASURE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING CALLED A **STABLECOIN**, WHICH IS A DIGITAL CURRENCY TIED TO THE VALUE OF THE U.S. DOLLAR.
WHILE MOST LAWMAKERS AGREE THAT REGULATION OF CRYPTO-CURRENCY IS NEEDED, OPPONENTS OF THIS PARTICULAR MEASURE WANT CHANGES.
THEY WROTE “THE BILL AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS STILL HAS NUMEROUS ISSUES THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED, INCLUDING ADDING STRONGER PROVISIONS ON ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING, FOREIGN ISSUERS, NATIONAL SECURITY, PRESERVING THE SAFETY AND SOUNDNESS OF OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THOSE WHO DON’T MEET THE ACT’S REQUIREMENTS.”
MEANWHILE, THE TRUMP FAMILY’S CRYPTOCURRENCY PORTFOLIO CONTINUES TO GROW.
AMERICAN BITCOIN, WHOSE CO-FOUNDER IS THE PRESIDENT’S SON ERIC, IS MERGING WITH A PUBLICLY-TRADED DIGITAL MINING COMPANY THAT DONALD TRUMP JR. IS INVOLVED WITH.
THE NEW BIGGER FIRM WILL BE LISTED ON THE NASDAQ.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS VOWED TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES A BITCOIN MINING POWERHOUSE.
MINERS ARE ESSENTIALLY BITCOIN NUMBERS EXPERTS.
CBS NEWS IS REPORTING THE TRUMP FAMILY’S BITCOIN VENTURES HAVE INCREASED THE FAMILY’S NET WORTH BY NEARLY $3 BILLION.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS INSISTED THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE PRESIDENT’S ASSETS ARE IN A TRUST, MANAGED BY HIS CHILDREN.
L3: FAA LAUNCHES EMERGENCY TASK FORCE OVER ISSUES AT NEWARK AIRPORT
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION IS LAUNCHING AN EMERGENCY TASK FORCE OVER RECENT ISSUES AT NEWARK’S LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT — TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY,
HE ALSO SAID THE F-A-A IS CONSIDERING TEMPORARILY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS INTO, AND OUT OF, THE BUSY AIRPORT NEAR NEW YORK CITY, AS WELL AS SOME SYSTEM UPGRADES.
DUFFY ADDED A NEW SOFTWARE UPDATE that PREVENTED A THIRD RADAR OUTAGE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WHEN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINE FAILED OVER THE WEEKEND.
MEANWHILE, THE DELAYS CONTINUE AT NEWARK AIRPORT NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL ISSUES — BUT ALSO A SHORTAGE OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, MADE WORSE BECAUSE SEVERAL OF THEM WENT ON 45-DAY TRAUMA LEAVE AFTER THE FIRST RADAR OUTAGE.
NBA Draft Lottery – Cooper Flagg sweepstakes
FINALLY THIS MORNING — CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUND AFTER LAST NIGHT’S N-B-A LOTTERY, WITH FANS, SPORTS EXPERTS, AND EVEN PLAYERS TAKING TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO QUESTION WHETHER IT WAS RIGGED AFTER THE DALLAS MAVERICKS CAME OUT ON TOP.
STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS SPORTS REPORTER CHRIS FRANCIS SHOWS US WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE UPCOMING DRAFT.
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THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES FOR THIS TUESDAY.
WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
FOR ALL OF US HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS — I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
