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USDA freezes funding for Maine amid battle over transgender athletes– www.boston.com
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The Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday that it had frozen federal funding for education programs in Maine, the latest in a barrage of actions targeting the state since its Democratic governor, Janet Mills, sparred with President Donald Trump over the issue of transgender athletes at the White House in February.

The agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, notified Mills in a letter that funding would be stopped while the agency reviews grants awarded to Maine by the Biden administration, many of which “appear to be wasteful, redundant, or otherwise against the priorities of the Trump administration,” Rollins wrote in the letter, according to a statement.

It was not immediately clear which educational programs would be affected by the funding freeze. The government’s statement said its latest action would not alter “federal feeding programs or direct assistance to citizens.”

Senate confirms Matthew Whitaker as US ambassador to NATO– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Whitaker’s approval ensures that a loyalist to President Donald Trump will serve as his de facto surrogate to the U.S.-led alliance while relations with its members are at a historic low. Whitaker will likely use his position to increase pressure on NATO allies to increase defense spending, something Trump has demanded since his first administration.

Former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker speaks during a Commit to Caucus rally on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Ankeny, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)

His first major action as ambassador will be to attend a Brussels summit with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“This week, together with @SecRubio, Amb. Whitaker will arrive in Brussels ready to strengthen the Alliance, ensure the security of the American people, and uphold our nation’s role as the beacon of freedom and liberty,” the U.S. ambassador to NATO’s X account posted.

FBI Agent Didn’t Know He Was Supposed to Lie, So He Confirmed Biden Laptop Was Real on Call with Twitter: Report– www.westernjournal.com
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Amid the volley of “now the truth can be told”-style stories coming out about the last days of President Joe Biden’s administration in the run-up to the 2024 election — and those are bad enough — we’re now getting them about the run-up to the 2020 election, too.

In fairness, we probably should have seen this coming; the Biden administration spent four years protecting the swamp at all costs and invoking the specter of the worst day in the history of all of humanity — Jan. 6, 2021, obvs — to ward off anyone who shined a light into the D.C. bog.

But now, thanks to a report from Catherine Herridge and Michael Shellenberger, two prominent independent journalists, we can see inside the FBI’s response to Hunter Biden’s laptop in regards to social media — and, surprise, surprise, it’s every bit as bad as we thought it would be.

The report said that federal investigators confirmed that, yes, they told Twitter the truth about Hunter Biden’s laptop — i.e., that it was real — before Twitter throttled a story from the New York Post about its unseemly contents.

NASA shocker: Asteroid feared to strike Earth now on course to obliterate the Moon, scientists warn – The Economic Times
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NASA researchers have updated their estimates for asteroid 2024 YR4, which was previously thought to hit Earth. New estimates suggest that the space rock might crash into the Moon instead.

Although the danger to Earth has been averted, scientists are still monitoring the path of the asteroid, as there is still concern about a potential lunar impact. NASA has provided an update on the location and predictions of a concerning asteroid that is speeding through the universe.

Is there still a chance the asteroid will hit Earth?
No, NASA has ruled out an Earth impact in 2032, but the asteroid may strike the Moon instead.How powerful would an asteroid’s impact be?
If it had hit Earth, it could have emitted energy equivalent to 8 megatons of TNT, more than 500 times the Hiroshima bomb.

 

How is NASA tracking 2024 YR4?

However, scientists think there may be a possibility of impact on the lunar surface because of fresh observations made by NASA’s potent James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as quoted in a report by The Daily Star.

In a research memo, an international team of astronomers stated, “An impact on Earth by 2024 YR4 on December 22, 2032, has now been ruled out, but it still has a non-zero probability of impacting the Moon at this time.

Federal judge Ho dismisses public corruption case against Mayor Adams “with prejudice”– www.nydailynews.com
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A federal judge on Wednesday permanently dismissed the sweeping public corruption charges against Mayor Adams  — denying an effort by Trump’s Justice Department to have them, tossed “without prejudice,” or keeping open the possibility of bringing them again.

Manhattan Federal Judge Dale Ho’s decision was not based on the merits of the case against Adams or a belief of whether he was innocent or guilty.

It came after the Justice Department asked Ho to get rid of the case without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled; Mayor Adams asked him to get rid of it permanently, and former federal judges and prosecutors urged him to scrutinize the terms behind the dismissal deal offered to Adams closely and consider appointing a special prosecutor.

The judge appointed an independent lawyer, Paul Clement, the former solicitor general under President George W. Bush, to advise him on the matter, who recommended he dismiss the case for good. Clement said the prospect of the mayor feeling indebted to the president out of fear he could be reindicted and not New Yorkers was “deeply troubling.”

Israel announces plan to seize ‘large areas’ in Gaza – latest updates | Israel-Gaza war– www.theguardian.com
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Airstrikes continued on Gaza on Wednesday morning after the Israeli defense minister announced that Israel intended to expand its war. In a statement, Israel Katz said the offensive was “expanding to crush and clean the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure and capture large areas that will be added to the security zones of the state of Israel.”

The move has been condemned by the Hostages Families Forum, who said it appeared that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government were making the return of 59 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas “a secondary task” that had been “pushed to the bottom of the priority list.”

In a post to social media, Katz said:

I wish success to the IDF soldiers who are fighting bravely and powerfully in Gaza for the return of the kidnapped and the defeat of Hamas. The goal of Operation “Strength and Sword” is first and foremost to increase pressure for the release of all the hostages in the face of Hamas’ refusal.

Expanding the operation this morning will increase the pressure on the Hamas murderers and also on the population in Gaza and advance the achievement of the sacred and important goal for all of us. I call on the residents of Gaza to act now to remove Hamas and return all the hostages. This is the only way to end the war.

When Journos Report a Deportation ‘Sob Story,’ Be Sure to Check the Context and Fine Print– townhall.com
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Even as President Trump’s approval on the economy slips, his support on immigration remains strong.  Americans solidly approve of his mass deportations policy, knowing full well that millions of people were allowed to enter the country illegally under the Biden administration.  Millions of convicted and accused criminals, as well as people with standing deportation orders, are among them.  Quite frankly, these numbers are a good start, but they’re just a start, given what the new president’s team and inherited and the enormity of the resulting task at hand:

Deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement surged above 100,000 since President Trump returned to the White House in January — as he maintains his promise to boot illegal migrants, alleged gangbangers and suspected terrorists from the United States, The Post has learned. ICE officials have made 113,000 arrests and carried out “north of” 100,000 deportations since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, a Department of Homeland Security source told The Post Monday. “He’s doing what he was voted in to do. Point blank!” an ICE source said. It wasn’t immediately clear how many detainees are convicted criminals, the status of their cases and their national origins — though sources believe the majority are being removed to Mexico. ICE has since “maxed out” its detention space and is asking Congress to fund additional beds to support the Trump administration’s deportation campaign that yielded 32,000 arrests in its first 50 days.

Wisconsin Supreme Court race won by Susan Crawford, with support from Democrats and big donors nationwide– www.cbsnews.com
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Susan Crawford, who was endorsed by the Democratic Party, won the closely-watched Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday night in what was the most expensive judicial election in American history.

What would have normally been a sleepy nonpartisan judicial race turned into an expensive battle between Crawford, a Dane County judge, and Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, who was endorsed by the Republican Party. The campaigns and their supporters have spent more than $81 million, attracting endorsements and campaign appearances from Elon Musk, Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders and other national political figures.

With 91% of the vote in, Crawford led Schimel by 54% to 45%, a margin of about 184,000 votes.

Marylander wrongfully deported to El Salvador’s prison after White House mistake– www.washingtontimes.com
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The Trump administration admitted Monday that it mistakenly deported a Maryland father to El Salvador’s prison housing some of Latin America’s most notorious gang members, but officials said U.S. courts don’t have the authority to right the wrong.

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The special elections the Democrats hoped would deliver them a mini-blue tide delivered only a blue blot, a secured Democrat majority in the Wisconsin Supreme Court that is expected to yield more Democrat House seats thanks to the expected gerrymandering a DNC-serving, anti-Americanist court will allow.

But in the other Wisconsin vote, the vote to preserve voter ID laws, the Democrats lost badly. They also lost badly in the two Florida seats, leaving the Republicans with a much stronger 220 to 213 majority in the U.S. House.

Still, the Republicans cannot overcome one major issue, the issue that cost them the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the desire for humans to have the “right” to murder their unborn children. This desire overrides their own desire to be free, for surely they must now understand that Democrats are not Americans at all.

In the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the top issue among voters was abortion at 32%, followed by judicial independence at 25%. The leftist, Susan Crawford, won the swing seat by a vote of 56% to 44%, a decisive win thanks to abortion as the deciding factor. Crawford won among those who counted abortion as their top issue 68 percent to 32 percent.

Conservative thought leader Charlie Kirk said of the  Wisconsin loss, “We did a lot in Wisconsin, but we fell short. We must realize and appreciate that we are the LOW PROP party now. The party has been remade. Special elections and off-cycle elections will continue to be a problem without a change of strategy.”

Wisconsin did, however, offer a silver lining, a win for election integrity. The same voters who sided with anti-Americanist ideologues in the name of preserving the right to murder their unborn child also voted 63% to 37% to require ID for voting. The state has required Voter ID for 10 years. This vote makes it “permanent.”

In the Florida House races, where Republicans were hoping to hold on to 2 empty seats, one held by Matt Gaetz and one held by Michael Waltz. The Republicans held on to both seats, with Jimmy Patronis defeating Democrat Gay Valimont 57% to 43% to hold the Gaetz seat, and Randy Fine beating Democrat Josh Weil 54% to 46% to hold on to the Walz seat. The GOP now holds a 220-213 majority in the House.

Among Florida voters, the number one issue for voters was the economy at 40% and Trump’s agenda at 30%. The Republicans won 75% of the economy voters and 62% of the Trump agenda voters. When abortion is not the main issue, Democrats lose badly.

ICE admits ‘administrative error’ in deporting Maryland man– www.bostonherald.com
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President Donald Trump ‘s administration has acknowledged mistakenly deporting a Maryland man with protected legal status to a notorious El Salvador prison but is arguing against returning him to federal custody in the United States because of alleged gang ties.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials admitted in a court filing on Monday night to an “administrative error” in deporting the 29-year-old man, generating immediate uproar from immigration advocates.

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was arrested on March 12 after completing a shift as a sheet metal worker apprentice at a construction site in Baltimore, according to a complaint filed in federal court by his lawyers.

Abrego Garcia was then sent to a notorious prison in his home country, the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, which activists say is rife with abuses and where inmates are packed into cells and never allowed outside.

He was placed at CECOT despite an immigration judge’s ruling in 2019 that he not be deported to El Salvador because he had established it was “more likely than not that he would be persecuted by gangs,” according to his lawyer’s complaint.

Abrego Garcia “left El Salvador when he was around sixteen years old, fleeing gang violence,” according to the complaint. “Beginning around 2006, gang members had stalked, hit, and threatened to kidnap and kill him in order to coerce his parents to succumb to their increasing demands for extortion.”

ICE admits ‘administrative error’ in sending protected Maryland resident to Salvadoran prison– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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In a new court filing, the Trump administration said it made a mistake in deporting a Maryland father with protected legal status to a prison in El Salvador.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Kilmer Armado Abrego-Garcia, who is married to a U.S. citizen and has a 5-year-old child, was mistakenly a part of three planes with Venezuelan deportees to the Salvadoran Terrorism Confinement Center last month. The filing appears to be the first time the administration has admitted a mistake during the legal fight over President Donald Trump’s decision to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to justify the deportation of over 100 Venezuelan nationals.

“Although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego-Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error,” an ICE official said in a court filing.

While the government acknowledged the error, it said that because Abrego-Garcia is no longer in U.S. custody, the court cannot order him to be returned to the U.S., nor can the court order El Salvador to return him.

In 2019, Abrego-Garcia was deemed by an immigration judge to be a likely member of the MS-13 gang based in Los Angeles, which Abrego-Garcia has repeatedly contested. In the same decision, the court agreed at the time that he should not be deported to El Salvador, determining that his fear of being persecuted or tortured at the grim prison was credible.

White House considering roughly 20% tariff on most imports, report says– www.cnbc.com
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US President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent (L) and Secretary of Commerce nominee Howard Lutnick (R), signs an executive order to create a US sovereign wealth fund, in the Oval Office of the White House on February 3, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Jim Watson | Afp | Getty Images

White House aides have drafted a proposal that would levy tariffs of roughly 20% on most imports, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The report cited three people familiar with the matter. It also said White House advisors cautioned that several options are still on the table, meaning the 20% tariffs may not come to pass. Another plan being considered is the country-by-country “reciprocal” approach, according to the Post.

The report comes a day before April 2, when President Donald Trump is set to announce his larger plans for global trade. The date has loomed over Wall Street, where stocks have been struggling in part due to uncertainty around rapidly changing global trade policy.

Myanmar Quake Death Toll Could Reach 10,000, CBN Mobilizes Relief Effort– www.cbn.com
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Rescue crews in Myanmar used jackhammers and shovels to find any survivors amid the devastation from Friday’s powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake.

Many citizens resorted to digging through the debris by hand, trying to locate anyone still trapped.

At one site, an official said they had detected possible signs of life under the rubble.

Rescue efforts have been hampered by buckled roads, downed bridges, and strong aftershocks, including a 5.1 magnitude aftershock Sunday afternoon.

The UN is warning of a shortage of medical supplies, especially since the quake hit in the middle of Myanmar’s ongoing civil war. There are long lines of victims in need.

The staff of CBN Myanmar is mobilizing to help victims, and a global relief team is deploying with clean water filters and solar lamps.