State of The Nation

Port Alpha: The US Navy's Astonishing Next-Gen Shipyard - YouTube US Navy Backs Saronic's Port Alpha: Revolutionary Shipyard to Transform Unmanned Fleet Capabilities By Military Affairs Correspondent May 19, 2025 In a significant advancement for the US Navy's strategic vision of a hybrid fleet, defense technology company Saronic has secured $600 million in funding to establish Port Alpha, a revolutionary shipyard designed exclusively for constructing unmanned surface vessels (USVs). This development comes as the Navy accelerates its plans to integrate unmanned capabilities within its battle force, aiming for approximately 150 large unmanned platforms by 2045. "We will bring these elements together with a single goal: to rapidly build a fleet of autonomous vessels in America that redefine maritime superiority and guarantees freedom of the seas for generations to come," said Dino Mavrookas, Saronic's CEO and co-founder, announcing the ambitious project in Fe...

Mexican Navy Training Ship Cuauhtémoc Collides with Brooklyn Bridge, Two Dead New York City, May 18, 2025 - A tragic maritime accident occurred Saturday night when the Mexican Navy's renowned training ship, ARM Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, leaving two people dead and 21 others injured. The historic tall ship, with 277 people aboard, struck the bridge at approximately 8:20 PM after experiencing a mechanical failure that caused it to lose power and veer into the structure, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "The pilot lost power of the ship," Mayor Adams stated during a late-night news conference. The collision snapped all three of the vessel's masts, which stood significantly taller than the bridge's clearance. Bridge Clearance vs. Ship Height The Brooklyn Bridge has a navigational clearance of 127 feet (38.7 meters) above Mean High Water (MHW), while the masts of the ARM Cuauhtémoc topped at 147 feet (45 meters). This 20-foot heig...

"One Big Beautiful Bill Act" - The Contentious Legislative Push in Congress Congressional Republicans are advancing what President Trump has dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," a comprehensive legislative package making its way through House committees amid significant opposition. Three key House committees - Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Agriculture - are currently crafting and marking up the massive reconciliation bill. Key Provisions of the Bill Tax Changes Tax Cut Extensions : Makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, which would otherwise expire at the end of 2025 New Tax Benefits : Eliminates taxes on tips and overtime pay (temporarily through 2028) Standard Deduction : Temporarily increases the standard deduction by $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples Child Tax Credit : Increases the child tax credit to $2,500 (up from $2,000) through 2028 Senior Benefits : Adds a $4,000 increase to the standard deduction for seniors (as an ...

Trump's Drug Pricing Shake-Up: New Executive Order Demands Global Price Equalization By Big Pharma News Team Washington, D.C. – May 14, 2025 In what healthcare analysts are calling one of the most aggressive attempts yet to tackle America's sky-high prescription drug costs, President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday demanding immediate price equalization between U.S. and foreign drug prices. The policy, branded "Delivering Most-Favored-Nation Drug Pricing to American Patients," aims to dramatically reduce what Americans pay for prescription medications, potentially slashing prices by up to 90%. "We're all gonna pay the same: we're gonna pay what Europe's gonna pay," declared Trump at a press conference announcing the order. "Whatever the lowest price paid for a drug in other developed countries, that is the price that Americans will pay." The bold move comes as recent research from the RAND Corporation confirms what...