@maxrothbarth
COO at OCCRP. Usual disclaimers about whose these opinions are (mine) apply in the usual (obvious) way. Aspiring cat owner. Corruption, investigative journalism, art, classical music, not necessarily in that order.
To understand the sheer absurdity of this claim, read our feature on how OCCRP’s journalism was pulled into the epicenter of this wild and dangerous conspiracy theory.
www.occrp.org/en/feature/i...
Last year, Benz pushed an online conspiracy theory alleging OCCRP was part of a “deep state” operation working with USAID to undermine President Donald Trump during his first administration.
In his latest episode on the gutting of USAID, #JohnOliver singled out far-right activist Mike Benz as a key architect pushing for the dismantling of the agency — labeling him “a chronically online lunatic” whose lies about USAID were amplified by Elon Musk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU8S...
A collection of 9 anti-ICE and related signs; messages include variations of “ICE OUT” and love for neighbors.
A collection of 9 anti-ICE and related signs; messages include “A person was stolen by ICE here” and “ICE + CBP are scum”
I’ve been photographing anti-ICE and related yard/window/tree/street signs around Minneapolis. The variety of commercial and especially handmade signs is amazing, as is the urge for people to let their neighbors know they care and are furious in ways big and small. Batch #5
Improv!
The collaborative investigation “Pirates of the Azov Sea” has been shortlisted for the 2026 Sigma Awards. The story details how Russia’s occupation of two Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov enabled the export of pillaged Ukrainian grain.
Read our story here: www.occrp.org/en/investiga...
Macro types woke up I guess
Post Amy Siskind @amysiskind.com WH press secretary Karoline Leavitt tells Fox News that a military draft is on the table. 4:19 PM • Mar 8, 2026 CEverybody can reply 276 reposts 699 quotes 685 likes 36 saves 184 ① 975 685
This is an irresponsible, misleading post that misrepresents what Leavitt said. There's enough awful stuff happening. Don't confuse people.
At the risk of boring everyone,a little context.
$100 oil in isolation isn’t that bad. It averaged around that level from 2011-2014 without severe economic ramifications*.
It’s the pace of the rise that has people spooked. And not knowing where it might stop.
"Next week, I will have spent a year in Prairieland Detention Facility, because I attended a protest and called for an end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza – which has killed nearly 200 of my family members."
I am also shocked by the lack of coverage of this fire. It’s so far only affecting the Union Street buildings, but one of those has partially collapsed, from what I can tell backwards into the station. And it’s not yet contained. This is major and more than halfway down BBC’s homepage.
It took about 7 years from the fall of Saddam for Iraq oil production to recover to 2003 levels.
Hullo secure Swiss email users. Google the name "Bradley Birkenfeld" in order to understand how much of a protection this is. Love, Swiss bank account holders
Feels like a day to reup this recent Democracy for Sale story
Tony Blair’s Institute privately pressed a top European Union official working on the rebuilding of Gaza to work with Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-t...
The WSJ reporting this, note.
This is no different from Putin saying MH17 was shot down by Ukraine or Assad saying rebels gassed themselves.
Maybe the thinking isn’t more sophisticated than: “it’s not in the Western hemisphere, we don’t care”.
Almost everything by the Pre-Raphaelites, with the exceptions of anything wombat-related (see attached), and Christina Rosetti’s Goblin Market, which is amazing.
US Policy Creates Ally Shortage
is how a commodities journal might phrase it.
Inspired by ProPublica’s new database, I created a visualization of the nearly 400 LLCs that make up Trump’s business empire.
That and more in this week’s newsletter. Read! Free!
www.howtoreadthisch.art/where-trumps...
Did you know Alan Greenspan was still alive?
I am once again tapping the "support independent, worker-owned, billionaire free news" sign. the most powerful people in the world should not be deciding whether or not we know about this sort of thing. putting Marisa's subscription link below
Post See new posts ConversationSéamus Malekafzali @Seamus_Malek Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid says that Israel should depopulate and destroy every village in southern Lebanon, with the Yellow Line in Gaza as the model, and that "it may not be pleasant to scrape off two or three Lebanese villages, but they brought this on themselves." 0:29 / 0:45 2:44 PM · Mar 5, 2026 · 126.6K Views
Well the good news is that the Israeli opposition isn't actually all that crazy right.
Picture unrelated btw
Why are they announcing death before ID has been confirmed?
what if ayatollah but nice
The Red Wall won’t stand for not bringing the Shah back
tldr: do it
Despite reports to the contrary, the children are clearly alright.
Netanyahu: ‘These So-Called Genocide Experts Have Probably Never Committed A Genocide In Their Lives’
Netanyahu: ‘These So-Called Genocide Experts Have Probably Never Committed A Genocide In Their Lives’ https://theonion.com/netanyahu-these-so-called-genocide-experts-have-probably-never-committed-a-genocide-in-their-lives/