pgnewser

Creating realistic deepfakes is getting easier than ever. Fighting back may take even more AI – Toledo Blade

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

This summer, someone used AI to create a deepfake of Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an attempt to reach out to foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor over text, voicemail, and the Signal messaging app.

In May someone impersonated President Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles.

Another phony Mr. Rubio had popped up in a deepfake earlier this year, saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service. Ukraine’s government later rebutted the false claim.

The national security implications are huge: People who think they’re chatting with Mr. Rubio or Ms. Wiles, for instance, might discuss sensitive information about diplomatic negotiations or military strategy.

“You’re either trying to extract sensitive secrets or competitive information or you’re going after access, to an email server or other sensitive network,” Kinny Chan, CEO of the cybersecurity firm QiD, said of the possible motivations.

Synthetic media can also aim to alter behavior. Last year, Democratic voters in New Hampshire received a robocall urging them not to vote in the state’s upcoming primary. The voice on the call sounded suspiciously like then-President Joe Biden but was actually created using AI.

The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election – Brennan Center for Justice– news.google.com

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

The Trump administration has launched a concerted drive to undermine American elections. These moves are unprecedented and in some cases illegal. They began with the pardon of the January 6 defendants who sought to overturn the 2020 results. They include affirmative attacks on democratic institutions, the repeal and withdrawal of voter protections, and symbolic or demonstrative moves. A clear pattern suggests a growing effort. As the 2026 midterms approach, that effort will likely gather momentum.

This resource offers the first chronicle of the Trump administration’s actions this year to undermine election integrity. They include:

  • attempting to rewrite election rules to burden voters and usurp control of election systems;
  • targeting or threatening to target election officials and others who keep elections free and fair;
  • supporting people who undermine election administration; and
  • retreating from the federal government’s role of protecting voters and the election process.

China’s $137B AI Strategy Challenges US Dominance, Targets $207B by 2030 – WebProNews

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

In the race for artificial intelligence supremacy, China’s government is doubling down on practical applications to accelerate adoption across industries. Unlike the U.S., which emphasizes foundational model development, Beijing is channeling resources into deploying AI in everyday operations, from factory assembly lines to urban management systems. This strategy, highlighted in a recent report by The Washington Post, aims to embed the technology deeply into the economy, fostering rapid innovation and challenging American dominance.

Recent policy moves underscore this commitment. Just days ago, on July 26, 2025, China unveiled its Action Plan for Global AI Governance, building on President Xi Jinping’s earlier initiatives. As detailed in coverage from ANSI, the plan outlines a 13-point roadmap targeting over 300 exaflops of computing power by year’s end, emphasizing green AI and international collaboration under UN frameworks.

Government Funding and Infrastructure Boost

To fuel this ambition, Beijing has allocated massive financial support. A new AI Industry Development Action Plan, backed by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, pledges 1 trillion yuan—roughly $137 billion—over five years, according to posts circulating on X from industry analysts. This funding is set to bolster state-owned enterprises and startups alike, focusing on scalable applications rather than theoretical advancements.

Infrastructure is another cornerstone. China aims to increase its computing capacity from 230 exaflops to 300 exaflops by 2025, as noted in reports from WebProNews. This push includes expanding data centers and promoting open-source models, enabling widespread adoption in sectors like manufacturing, where AI optimizes supply chains and predictive maintenance.

<b>Hamas releases second video of Israeli hostage and says it will not disarm until Palestinian state established - The Guardian</b>

Hamas releases second video of Israeli hostage and says it will not disarm until Palestinian state established – The Guardian

pgnewser August 4, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

Hamas has reaffirmed that it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is established, as the group released its second video in two days of an Israeli hostage.

Responding to one of the key Israeli demands to end the war in Gaza, Hamas – which has dominated the territory since 2007 – said it could not yield its right to “armed resistance” unless an “independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital” is established.

Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and deal for the release of hostages ended last week in deadlock.

On Saturday, Hamas released a second video of hostage Evyatar David. In it, David is skeletally thin and is shown digging a hole, which, he says in the video, is for his own grave.

Israeli restrictions on the entry of goods and aid into Gaza have led to severe shortages of food and other essentials, stoking international demands for a ceasefire. UN-backed food security experts said this week that the “worst-case scenario of famine” is now playing out in Gaza.

Texas House Democrats flee to Chicago to deny GOP’s congressional redistricting effort – Chicago Tribune

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Opting to use what Texas politicians called a nuclear option, dozens of Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives arrived in Chicago on Sunday under threat of fines, arrest and removal from office to deny Republicans the quorum they need to redraw five congressional districts aimed at helping President Donald Trump and the national GOP maintain its narrow U.S. House majority in next year’s midterm elections.

A supportive Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker met the Texas Democrats after they landed Sunday evening at O’Hare International Airport. At a late-night news conference, Pritzker praised the Texans for displaying “a righteous act of courage” as he called Trump a “cult leader” and “would-be dictator.” The Illinois governor also criticized Texas Republicans for using a special legislative session in Austin, aimed at providing relief for last month’s flood victims in the state’s Hill Country, to please Trump and use it “as political cover to push through a racially gerrymandered congressional map.”

‘They roll right over’: Many Democrats call their party weak and ineffective, AP-NORC poll finds – KMBC

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Many Democrats see their political party as “weak” or “ineffective,” according to a poll that finds considerable pessimism within Democratic ranks. Republicans are more complimentary of their party, although a small but significant share describe the GOP as “greedy” or say it is generally “bad.”

The poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in July reveals warning signs for both major U.S. parties as the political focus shifts to elections in New Jersey and Virginia this fall and the midterm contests next year.

Respondents were asked to share the first word or phrase that came to mind when they thought of the Republican and Democratic parties. Answers were then sorted into broad categories, including negative and positive attributes. Overall, U.S. adults held a dim view of both parties, with about 4 in 10 using negative attributes, including words such as “dishonest” or “stupid.”

But nearly nine months after Republican Donald Trump won a second presidential term, Democrats appear to be harboring more resentment about the state of their party than do Republicans. Democrats were likelier to describe their own party negatively than Republicans. Republicans were about twice as likely to describe their own party positively.

New 3D-Printed Titanium Alloy is Stronger Than the Standard – Yet 30% Cheaper – Good News Network

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Engineers from an Australian University have produced a new type of 3D-printed titanium that’s about a third cheaper than commonly used titanium alloys.

A team of engineers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) developed the groundbreaking alloy by replacing expensive vanadium with more accessible elements. By rethinking how titanium alloys are designed, the team created a material with improved performance and more uniform microstructure—key factors for aerospace and medical applications.

The team has filed a provisional patent on their innovative approach, which has also been outlined in a paper published in Nature Communications.

The study’s lead author Ryan Brooke, working at the university’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing, will investigate the next steps of commercializing the technology, saying the field of 3D-printed titanium alloys was ripe for innovations.

“3D printing allows faster, less wasteful and more tailorable production yet we’re still relying on legacy alloys (like Ti-6Al-4V) that doesn’t allow full capitalization of this potential. It’s like we’ve created an airplane and are still just driving it around the streets,” he said in a university press release.

‘I wasn’t supposed to vote’: UMich illegal voting scandal reveals fraud risks in same-day registration – The College Fix

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Illegal voting charges against student prompt wider concerns about campus election integrity, civics education

Concerns about election integrity have arisen after a University of Michigan international student’s illegal voting at a campus polling site highlighted risks of same-day registration fraud and inadequate voter verification processes.

The College Fix recently obtained court records in the case of Haoxiang “Neil” Gao that suggest the international student was not well-educated about voting rights and spent less than 15 minutes registering and casting his ballot at the on-campus polling site, which was co-organized by two Democrat donors.

Just hours later, Gao told an election official he was “freaking out” when he realized he had voted illegally. He immediately contacted them in an attempt to take back his ballot – which cannot be done.

Political Violence Surges in Yemen as Fuel Imports to Houthi-Controlled Areas Plummet – Yemen Online

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

 Yemen is witnessing a sharp escalation in political violence amid a significant drop in fuel imports to Houthi-controlled territories, raising concerns over humanitarian fallout and regional stability.

According to recent reports, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has suspended approvals for fuel shipments destined for the port of Hudaydah, a key entry point for supplies into northern Yemen.

As of late June, over 20 fuel tankers carrying approximately 500,000 metric tons of fuel were stranded in the Coalition Holding Area in the Red Sea, awaiting clearance.

The move follows allegations that the Houthis misappropriated 45 billion Yemeni rials from a special account at the Central Bank’s Hudaydah branch, diverting funds to support their military operations.

Ukraine Russia war latest: Trump aide says India financing Putin’s war by buying Russian oil – The Independent

pgnewser August 4, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

The Kremlin has warned that everyone should be careful about nuclear rhetoric, after Donald Trump ordered a repositioning of US nuclear submarines.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the significance of Mr Trump’s announcement last Friday that he had ordered two submarines to be moved to “the appropriate regions”.

The move came after former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev made remarks about the risk of war between the nuclear-armed adversaries.

Texas Democrats decamp to Illinois to deny Republicans a quorum on redistricting – NBC News

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

A showdown over redistricting in Texas played out here on Sunday as dozens of state Democrats took refuge roughly 1,000 miles away from home, saying they had fled Texas to deny a quorum to Republican efforts to add as many as five congressional seats to their map.

It culminated with Texas’ governor, a Republican, threatening to expel the Democrats from the Texas state House and potentially extradite them, saying they may be “felons.”

The Texas state House Democrats filed off of buses and Ubers into a crammed county party headquarters at a strip mall Sunday night, standing alongside Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to rail against what they charged was a racist, unfair and undemocratic attempt to overhaul the Lone Star State’s political map.

Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu said that he believed about 57 Democrats have left the state, with the bulk staying in Illinois for at least the immediate future. Other House Democrats were in Boston and Albany, New York.

China’s new electronic warfare tech disrupts enemy systems while protecting friendly signals – Interesting Engineering

pgnewser August 4, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

hinese researchers have reportedly developed a new electronic warfare (EW) system that can simultaneously interfere with enemy systems while keeping friendly ones untouched in a ‘null zone’. Likened to the eye of a storm, this new technology represents a significant shift in conventional EW systems.

To help conceptualize how it works, think of a storm. Everything inside it is disrupted by intense electromagnetic noise. But the center of a hurricane, colloquially called ‘the eye’, is completely calm. The new technology intentionally creates the ‘eye’ for friendly forces, even in the middle of aggressive electronic warfare.

The innovation reportedly works on coordinated drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) acting as precise jamming sources. These drones emit carefully crafted radio signals that can be adjusted for waveform, amplitude, phase, and timing (all controllable radio frequency signal parameters).

FED Holds Interest Rates Steady as Calls for Powell’s Firing Get Louder

pgnewser July 31, 2025 0

In the face of economic signals that might justify lowering interest rates, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell doubled down on his commitment to not lower interest rates despite rising dissent within the Fed itself against Powell’s “leadership. After this decision, calls for his firing and resignation have only increased, though President Trump has not yet responded (though he might by print time).

Powell’s justification for actions that his detractors equate to outright overt sabotage of the U.S. economy was to blame the uncertainty of the effect of Trump’s tariffs. He claimed “Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly to prices of some goods, but their overall effects on economic activity and inflation remain to be seen. A reasonable base case is that the effects on inflation could be short-lived—reflecting a one-time shift in the price level. But it is also possible that the inflationary effects could instead be more persistent, and that is a risk to be assessed and managed.”

Jerome Powell holds interest rate steady—and is looking through tariffs by not raising rates– fortune.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

 

In a move that everyone was expecting, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell disappointed Donald Trump again yesterday by refusing to cut the base interest rate.

Indeed, a hawkish Powell even used the dreaded r-word (“raise”)—having suggested he is responsive enough to calls to “look through” tariff-induced inflation by not increasing interest rates, a notion which likely would have sent the Oval Office into a fury.

While rates held steady at 4.25% to 4.5%, a split among the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is growing, with two members dissenting. This represents the highest level of friction within the FOMC for more than 30 years.

But despite the pressure—both from within the Fed and externally—Powell struck a cautious tone on cutting. For some time analysts have pencilled in a cut in September, the next meeting of the FOMC.

Freedom Convoy Organizers Still Face Years in Prison on October 7 Hearing

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Freedom Convoy sentencing straight from anarcho-tyranny playbook– www.theblaze.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

You may not have heard the term “anarcho-tyranny” in a while — maybe never. But it’s the only phrase that fits what’s unfolding in Canada right now: a system that punishes peaceful political dissent while letting real criminals off easy. It’s lawfare in service of regime security.

That was true under Justin Trudeau, and it’s even more apparent under his successor, Prime Minister Mark Carney — a globalist banker who cashed in on political connections and now presides over a government determined to crush dissent.

Even if Barber and Lich are granted the absolute discharge that their lawyers are requesting, the Liberal government has proven its point: Defy us, and we will … ruin your life.

Drawn-out sentencing

Just look at the ongoing prosecution of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich, two of the main organizers of the 2022 Freedom Convoy — the trucker-led protest that captured global attention when thousands of Canadians rolled into Ottawa to peacefully demand an end to COVID-19 mandates and lockdowns.

The trial began shortly after Labor Day 2023. On April 3, 2024, the pair were found guilty of mischief, but nearly six months later, they still haven’t been sentenced. Their next court date isn’t until October 7.

That makes this the longest mischief trial in Canadian history.

Let’s be clear: Barber and Lich face up to eight and seven years in prison, respectively. For mischief. For organizing a protest. The Crown — Canada’s prosecution — has also filed a request to seize Barber’s truck, known as “Big Red,” an icon of the convoy.

CNN Triggers Backlash by Describing Black NYC Gunman as ‘Possibly White’– slaynews.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

CNN anchor Erin Burnett is under fire after describing the gunman involved in a deadly shooting spree in Midtown Manhattan as “possibly white” despite evidence to the contrary.

On Monday night, Burnett angered viewers during a live broadcast when she and her co-anchor discussed surveillance footage showing the shooter, later identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, holding a rifle.

Burnett’s initial comment, which was made in reference to Tamura’s appearance, included a description of him as a “possibly white” male with sunglasses and a mustache.

This assessment was supposedly based on the first images that emerged of the gunman.

However, those images, which were obtained from the surveillance footage, clearly showed Tamura with a darker complexion that conflicts with Burnett’s description.

Nevertheless, Burnett and her colleagues continued to repeatedly push the false narrative.

 

FBI Reportedly Holds Jeffrey Epstein Jail Video With Mysterious ‘Missing Minute’– conservativeroof.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

The FBI, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of Justice inspector general are all allegedly in possession of a copy of the now-infamous surveillance video from the Manhattan Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Jeffrey Epstein died in 2019, without the missing minute of footage.

The claim comes amid a massive scandal regarding nearly 11 hours of footage released earlier this month by the Justice Department and FBI, which included a one-minute jump in the time code just before midnight on August 9-10, 2019.

CBS News reported, citing an unnamed “government source,” that the agencies have video “that does not cut from just before 11:59 p.m. to midnight of the night Epstein died by suicide in his cell.”

As reported by CBS:

What is unclear is why that section was missing when the FBI released what it said was raw footage from inside the Special Housing Unit the night Epstein died, Aug. 9-10, 2019. The recording came from what officials said was the only relevant video camera that was recording its footage in the unit. This video has been cited by multiple government officials as a key piece of evidence in the determination that Epstein died by suicide.

Epstein’s death, as with many aspects of his high-profile sex trafficking case, has become fodder for conspiracy theories. The missing minute added to the conjecture after the release of the video, when news organizations and amateur sleuths who reviewed the video quickly noticed that onscreen jump in the time stamp.

EXPOSED: Woke Cincinnati Police Chief Sued For Discriminating Against White Officers | Drew Hernandez | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

 

Four Cincinnati police officers—Captain Robert Wilson and Lieutenants Patrick Caton, Gerald Hodges, and Andrew Mitchell—filed a federal lawsuit on May 19, 2025, against the city and Police Chief Teresa Theetge, alleging workplace discrimination against white male officers. The lawsuit claims that Chief Theetge and the city favored women and minority officers for preferred assignments, which offer career advancement and benefits.

It further alleges that since Theetge became chief, the department has used race and sex-based criteria for promotions and assignments, disproportionately excluding white male lieutenants. This comes as the woke Police Chief has entered the national spotlight after scolding social media and the media for daring to report on the recent viral video of multiple innocent white people being beaten senseless by multiple black suspects under her watch in Ohio.

Harvard Offers to Pay $500 Million to Settle With Trump Administration– gellerreport.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

In the wake of Columbia’s settlement for $220 million, Harvard has indicated a willingness to settle as well: Harvard University has signaled a willingness to meet the Trump administration’s demand to spend as much as $500 million to end its dispute with the White House as talks between the two sides intensify, four people familiar with the negotiations said. According to one of the people, Harvard is reluctant to directly pay the federal government, but negotiators are still discussing the exact financial terms. The sum sought by the government, which recently accused Harvard of civil rights violations, is more than twice as much as the $200 million fine that Columbia University said it would pay when it settled antisemitism claims with the White House last week. Neither Harvard nor the government has publicly detailed potential terms for a settlement and what allegations the money would be intended to resolve (New York Times).

It’s not enough, Not nearly. Harvard must be purged of the poison that has infected the institution, faculty in every department, every policy decision ……

Kathy Hochul defends Zohran Mamdani’s anti-police rhetoric | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

“Going after an unelected official who said something back in 2020 when many people were—I mean, come on, give me a break,” said Hochul.

Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul defended Zohran Mamdani, a socialist candidate for NYC mayor, after he came under fire this week from Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik over resurfaced anti-police social media posts.

Hochul, who has not yet endorsed Mamdani, appeared on CNN’s “Inside Politics” on Monday to respond to Stefanik’s call for New Yorkers to vote against Mamdani, describing the controversial candidate as a “disgrace” after he referred to NYPD officers as “racist” and a “major threat to public safety” back in 2020.

Iran’s regime preparing for Plan B?– www.americanthinker.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

After the recent Israeli war against the Iranian regime and the American attack on the Fordo nuclear site, the mullahs in Tehran are feeling the heat. This is the most fragile the regime has been over the past 46 years, and talk of regime change is spreading. For the past year and a half, some in the regime have been preparing for a plan B, in case they need to flee urgently. While that does not mean that the regime is about to fall, it is still a valid indicator of the nervousness of the leadership.

After Hamas, one of Iran’s proxies, attacked Israel by surprise on October 7, 2023, the Iranian regime and its allies have sustained major military and strategic losses at the hands of Israel. For instance, Hezbollah, from far its most powerful proxy, is just a shadow of itself after the elimination of most of its leadership, including its long-time ruthless chief Hassan Nasrallah. Therefore, apparatchiks of the regime started panicking, deciding that it was time to either turn against the regime by defecting and/or working for the Israelis or the Americans to build a life abroad.

Surrogacy Emboldens Pedophiles To Buy Proximity To Kids– thefederalist.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Surrogacy is problematic for a whole host of reasons. It makes procreation and pregnancy transactional, creates morally and ethically reprehensible conundrums, hurts women and babies, has strong overlap with human trafficking, and reeks of corruption.

Arguably, the most alarming consequence that comes from the increasingly popular practice of renting wombs, however, is that surrogacy can be easily exploited by pedophiles and abusers to gain proximity to children.

One such example surfaced this week after internet sleuths discovered that one of the two men seen in a viral video celebrating a baby’s monthly milestones by kissing the boy’s face is a convicted pedophile.

https://twitter.com/LouiseScot51918/status/1949441171085799511

Less than 10 years before Brandon Mitchell bought his son via surrogacy, the then-high school chemistry teacher earned himself several criminal charges for attempting to solicit images from a male teenage student. Subsequent investigation by law enforcement yielded more than 12,000 texts between the teacher and child as well as several pieces of sexually explicit media.

Top FDA Official Resigns in Disgrace After Exposé by Investigative Journalist Laura Loomer | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Dr. Vinay Prasad — a radical left-wing ideologue who wormed his way into one of the most powerful regulatory roles in the federal government — has officially resigned from the Food and Drug Administration following a explosive exposé led by investigative journalist Laura Loomer.

For weeks, Loomer publicly exposed Prasad’s shocking anti-Trump rhetoric, far-left allegiances, and dangerous abuse of regulatory power.

“We have a crisis at the FDA! A wolf in sheep’s clothing is sabotaging President Trump’s bold “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda!” Loomer wrote on X.

Loomer continued, “This is no mere bureaucratic misstep. It’s a catastrophic vetting failure that threatens to derail the America First healthcare revolution. Prasad’s anti-Trump rhetoric, radical left-wing ideology, and deliberate actions to obstruct our President’s deregulatory mission prove he’s a dangerous misfit. The time to act is NOW—Prasad must be REMOVED before he destroys Trump’s vision for a healthier America!”

According to Loomer:

In 2021, Prasad described himself as a “political liberal, closest to Elizabeth Warren” and a “Sanders/Warren liberal,” proudly embracing a progressive identity. He voted for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary, and FEC records reveal he donated to Sanders’ campaign, signaling his support for radical left-wing policies.

In 2020, Prasad declared on X that he wanted “Biden to win more than anything” and confirmed he voted against Trump, solidifying his opposition to the President.

Prasad’s policy positions are a direct affront to the conservative principles underpinning Trump’s agenda. He advocates for universal basic income, student loan forgiveness, open borders, and Roe v. Wade abortion standards. He supports a 50% marginal tax rate for high earners, a wealth tax, single-payer healthcare, universally funded pre-K and community college, and expansive parental leave policies.

Trump Admin Halts a String of Antitrust Cases, Approving Corporate Mergers– readsludge.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

The Trump administration has dropped federal scrutiny of several corporate mergers in recent months, according to an analysis by Public Citizen—waving through multibillion-dollar deals for companies, including many that made large donations to the Trump-Vance inauguration.

The watchdog Public Citizen examines the Trump administration’s blessing of the mergers in its updated tracker of 165 corporate enforcement actions that have been halted, dropped, or withdrawn as of July 25. The tally includes cases that were dismissed by federal agencies instead of being brought to trial, as well as investigations that were closed favorably for corporations.

Since the start of April, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have advanced the mergers of T-Mobile and UScellular, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and rival Juniper Networks, and others that faced charges of being anti-competitive. Under President Trump, the agencies have also intervened in antitrust cases on the completed mergers of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, Capital One and Discover, and others.

“Trump’s unshackling of a rogues gallery of corporate villains and lawbreakers shows how little this president cares about the victims of corporate crime,” said Rick Claypool, research director for Public Citizen. “This is no ‘law and order’ administration—this is an administration that views cheated consumers with contempt, and workers’ hard-earned wages as fair game for corporate con artists.”

 

Antifa ICE Attacker in Portland Charged

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Portland Antifa militant charged for throwing rock at officer’s head during anti-ICE riot | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

Robert Jacob Hoopes, 24, of Portland, was arrested by the FBI on July 25 when federal agents raided his home, busting into his residence with their guns drawn.

The US Department of Justice has charged an Antifa-affiliated militant who self-identifies as a devout “Quaker” over a series of violent attacks he allegedly committed against federal police officers during a June riot at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland.

Robert Jacob Hoopes, 24, of Portland, has been accused of throwing a large rock within close distance at an ICE officer’s head, resulting in serious injury. He also allegedly used a makeshift “battering ram” to vandalize the ICE building, among other offenses, according to court documents.

Hoopes has been charged with felony aggravated assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000. He was arrested by the FBI on July 25 when federal agents raided his home, busting into his residence with their guns drawn.

The defendant was arraigned in federal court on Monday, July 28, and entered a not guilty plea.

Defendant Robert Jacob Hoopes

According to an FBI affidavit, Hoopes allegedly attempted to breach the front door of the ICE facility on June 14 with several other rioters. He was captured on surveillance video throwing multiple large rocks towards the door. Hoopes, wearing all black clothing and obscuring his identity behind a gas mask, then moved to barricade the front doors in an attempt to trap federal officers inside the building.

As officers opened the door to clear the barricade, Hoopes allegedly threw a large rock within arm’s length distance, striking an ICE Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officer in the head. The attack resulted in the officer sustaining a “significant laceration” over his eye, according to court documents.

Hoopes was captured on surveillance video allegedly gathering and throwing rocks at federal officers and the ICE facility. Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Photo of Hoopes allegedly throwing a rock and the ICE officer’s injuries. Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Later that day, Hoopes was observed with several additional black clad militants using an upended stop sign as a “makeshift battering ram,” striking the main entry door to the ICE facility several times. The unlawful act resulted in significant damage to federal property, totaling more than $7,400, according to the affidavit, which noted that the subjects worked in “concert,” but Hoopes was “leading the charge.”

Hoopes was captured on surveillance video using an upended Stop sign as a makeshift “battering ram.” Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Federal authorities determined Hoopes was the alleged attacker after discovering a photo of his “unmasked” face and an identifiable tattoo that was featured in a news article published in The Oregonian. Agents then used facial recognition software, which provided 30 possible comparison photos from various public databases. One of the photos was from a Reed College Smugmug photo-sharing page called “Canyon Day April ’23,” which depicted a man with a similar build and appearance with the identical tattoo, according to the affidavit.

The facial recognition software also provided an Instagram account, @illdowhatican, which listed its name as “Jacob Hoopes.” The account also stated that the user graduated from Reed College Computer Science in 2023. An FBI agent contacted Reed College’s Director of Community Safety, who provided alumni information that revealed Jacob Hoopes’ full name is Robert Jacob Hoopes, according to court documents.

Federal agents used this photo of Hoopes, featured in The Oregonian, to uncover his identity through facial recognition software. Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit/The Oregonian

On July 10, FBI agents conducted surveillance at Hoopes’ Portland residence and captured a photo of him with the distinctive tattoo on his left forearm. He was taken into custody on July 25 when FBI agents raided his home, which he shares with his Antifa-affiliated girlfriend, with their guns drawn.

FBI agents captured this image of Hoopes while conducting surveillance at his Portland residence. Photo courtesy: FBI affidavit

Hoopes self-identifies as a “Quaker pacifist,” but his alleged actions that day portray a different story, according to Assistant US Attorney Gary Sussman, who described Hoopes to the Court as a violent danger to the community.

Sussman argued that Hoopes should remain in pre-trial custody, but Judge Youlee Yim You refused the request. Instead, the judge ordered Hoopes’ release with various conditions, including GPS monitoring and a prohibition on returning to the ICE facility or the surrounding area.

Dozens of individuals involved in the Quaker community supported Hoopes in the courtroom, unaware of the crimes he allegedly committed. His father, Thomas Hoopes, flew in from Philadelphia to support him. There was a rally outside the federal courthouse calling for the release of Hoopes before the hearing, which received support from Socialist Portland City Council member Angelita Morrillo.

Online records show that Hoopes attended George School, an elite private boarding school in Pennsylvania, before graduating from Reed College. George School has a tuition of $77,500 for boarding students and $51,300 for day students.

Hoopes faces more than 20 years in federal prison if convicted on the charges. More than 20 individuals have been federally charged for a variety of offenses committed during the ongoing Antifa occupation outside the ICE facility, which began on June 7.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and is being prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

Elon Musk is ‘working on’ UK age verification for X — and Xbox should steal his idea – Windows Central

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

I didn’t expect myself to suggest emulating Elon Musk this week, but X has a possible solution for age verification that Xbox should copy. One of the ways X verifies age is checking the age of an account. If an account was created before 2012, the site assumes you’re an adult now.

It’s not a perfect solution, since someone could have lied about their age back in 2012 and still be under 18 today. But I doubt any reasonable verification method will be perfect.

X has run into some issues with age verification, which Musk says are being addressed. “We are working on this,” said Musk in a post replying to a UK user who cannot verify their age on X. The Xbox team may want to copy Musk’s general idea but execute it better.

Where Microsoft and the Xbox team draw their line could be different than what X decided. Since a five-year-old is more likely to have played Xbox in the past, it’s probably worth having different rules.

But any account old enough to legally drink in the UK should be verified automatically.

Germany’s political polarization spills into the streets ahead of federal elections – ACLED

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Since Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left coalition collapsed over budget squabbles and a lost confidence vote on 16 December 2024, Germany has entered an unusually tense campaign ahead of snap elections on 23 February 2025.1 The country’s political arena has moved away from long-standing centrism toward heightened polarization — a shift that is also felt in the streets. Just weeks before the elections, hundreds of thousands protested nationwide after the center-right Christian Democratic Union party’s Friedrich Merz — the likely next chancellor according to polls — relied on support from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to push a parliamentary motion for tougher migration laws.2 Although the bill was ultimately rejected and Merz ruled out any coalition with the far right, it nonetheless breached a post-war norm observed by Germany’s mainstream parties referred to as the ‘firewall,’ whereby collaboration with far-right forces was consistently avoided.3

Long seen as Europe’s engine of stability and growth, Germany is grappling with mounting challenges. A sluggish post-pandemic recovery, rising populism, and entrenched urban-rural and East-West divides have fueled discontent and polarization. Meanwhile, infighting among members of the ruling coalition and reignited debates over energy, immigration, and foreign policy have sparked street activism and bolstered the opposition.4 The AfD, in particular, is gaining ground, with polls projecting it as the second-strongest parliamentary force in the upcoming elections.5

Amid such polarization, national vote season appears to be an increasingly perilous time for German politicians. The 2024 European Parliament election campaign offered a worrying preview, as it was marred by a spate of aggressions against local centrist party officials, candidates, and campaign volunteers, while revealing a larger pattern of violence targeting politicians across the spectrum.6 Looking at both last year’s European vote and the high-stakes federal election on 23 February, this piece explores how rising polarization has intensified street activism in the form of demonstrations, both against far-right parties and government policies; it also considers whether polarization is contributing to an uptick in political violence, particularly amid the mounting tensions surrounding national elections.