Odds and Ends — 25 July 2025

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, AI, and Debt:

Roman Storm Trial: Is Coding A Crime? The Tornado Cash Court Battle Intensifies

Robinhood’s tokenized stocks have stirred up a legal hornet’s nest

Billions in Bitcoin Sold on Exchanges as Liquidations Top $500 Million

Coronavirus and Public Health:

Study suggests long COVID is more prevalent than previously thought

Politics:

Israeli Official Says Gaza Will Be Wiped Out

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu says Israel is advancing the destruction of Gaza, and that the Strip will be made totally Jewish.
“The government is racing ahead for Gaza to be wiped out,” Eliyahu tells Haredi radio station Kol Barama.

Israel and the U.S. Withdraw From Talks With Hamas

The Israeli government and President Trump’s Middle East envoy said on Thursday that they were recalling the teams that had been negotiating on a Gaza cease-fire with Hamas, ending for now the hope for the return of some of the last surviving hostages from the terrorist attack on Israel nearly two years ago.

France Will Recognize Palestinian Statehood

President Emmanuel Macron announced late Thursday that France would recognize Palestine as a state in pursuit of what he called the historical French commitment ‘to a just and durable peace in the Middle East.’
In a surprise statement on X that followed months of hints and hesitations over possible French recognition of a Palestinian state, he said that he would make a formal announcement to this effect at the United Nations General Assembly in September in New York.

The Political Motives Behind the Gaza Aid Catastrophe

As Palestinians continue to die of severe hunger, a former Israeli official explains what the latest plan is really meant to achieve.

Rand Paul Stalls Mike Waltz’s Nomination

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is standing in the way of Mike Waltz’s nomination as ambassador to the United Nations, dealing a serious setback to Trump’s former national security adviser.

———— The Epstein Coverup ————

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1948209798018682934
- RonFilipkowski

https://twitter.com/TheOnion/status/1948465743609151967
- TheOnion

Trump struggles to contain furor over Epstein as House lawmakers seek subpoenas

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Democrats have been struggling to find a message that breaks through in the era of Donald Trump. Now, they have found one that has long been a rallying cry for the MAGA base: Release the files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
With the House set to go home Wednesday for the August recess, Democrats intend to continue hammering their Republican colleagues on Epstein. They plan to argue that Trump’s support for his administration’s decision not to release the files earlier this month — and GOP lawmakers leaving Washington without addressing the issue — means Republicans are protecting the rich and powerful at voters’ expense.

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1948476455102390466
- SethAbramson

https://twitter.com/TheGrayRider/status/1948080475064476137
- TheGrayRider

Trump Foe Massie Wins Over MAGA Allies

Once fighting a lonely battle against Trump, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie has found an issue that is winning him more Republican friends and political allies than he has had all year: his push to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Many of Trump’s MAGA allies on and off Capitol Hill are frustrated with Trump and top officials in his administration for dragging their feet in releasing the government’s remaining documents and records related to Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender.
But they’re rooting for Massie, who has leaned into the fight in recent weeks and made it his sole mission to get the files released.

House GOP Braces for Epstein Crisis

Internal fury over the House GOP’s Jeffrey Epstein crisis is still swirling as President Trump faces an all-out revolt from his biggest supporters on Capitol Hill.
The rebellion this week stunned White House officials and GOP leaders — and, according to Republicans involved in the talks, it’s currently set to continue the moment they return from August recess. Even as members high-tailed out of town Wednesday, several Oversight Committee Republicans joined with Democrats to force a subpoena to the Department of Justice for its entire trove of Epstein documents — a major blow to Trump and GOP leaders.
Said one Republican: “People are going to move on this regardless. The bill is going to come due.”