WORLD NEWS
China Claims Alleged Pentagon Leaks Show U.S. Is the ‘Biggest Global Cyber Thief’
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday claimed the allegedly leaked classified documents from the Pentagon “clearly show that the US has long used its tech edge to conduct indiscriminate secret theft, surveillance and eavesdropping on countries in the world, including its allies.”
China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin tipped his hand by complaining that the United States is outraged by China’s rampant technology theft and government-sponsored hacking and has convinced its allies that Chinese networking products cannot be trusted. He pointed to the purported Pentagon leak as further proof that “the U.S. is the origin of cyber warfare, the biggest spreader of advanced cyber weapons and the biggest global cyber thief.”
The Pentagon had 14 special operations forces (SOF) inside Ukraine as recently as three weeks ago, according to recent documents posted online that appear to be leaked intelligence from the Department of Defense.
A U.S. military slide dated March 23, that appears to be a daily update of the U.S. force posture in the region, featured a bullet list of countries who purportedly had special operations forces in Ukraine.
China will not export weapons in Ukraine conflict
China won’t sell weapons to either side in the war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister said Friday, responding to Western concerns that Beijing could provide military assistance to Russia.
Nuclear Power Shutdown Risks Causing Power Shortages, Group Warns
Germany’s planned shutdown of all of its remaining nuclear
ower plants risks causing power shortages, one industry group in the country has warned.
The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) has warned that the country’s green agenda-loving government’s plan to close the country’s three remaining nuclear power plants in a few days risks causing energy shortages.
Zelensky Demands Another $14 Billion, Asks Finance Leaders to Take Money from Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the heads of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other finance leaders on Wednesday that his country needs $14.1 billion dollars immediately to begin infrastructure repair, urging them to take some of the money from frozen Russian assets.
Zelensky made the remarks during a teleconference meeting in which he spent much of his time discussing the destruction of civilian infrastructure in cities and the need to return Ukraine to normal in the event that the Russian invasion of the country concludes.
Americans to Spend Billions on Biden’s Obamacare for DACA Illegal Aliens
American taxpayers are likely to subsidize billions of dollars in Affordable Care Act benefits for illegal aliens enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program under a plan by President Joe Biden.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced a plan to open the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, and Medicaid rolls to hundreds of thousands of DACA illegal aliens.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Fort Lauderdale Declares State of Emergency, Airport Closed Down
Fort Lauderdale declared a state of emergency on April 13 after a deluge of rain flooded a number of roads and shut down a major airport.
“Flooding conditions remain impactful in the southern areas of the City this morning. An active emergency declaration is in effect,” the City of Fort Lauderdale stated on its website. “Emergency Management crews worked continuously through the night to attend rescue calls.”
It didn’t say when the state of emergency would end.
FBI Agents Arrest Man in Connection to Classified Document Leak
FBI agents on April 13 arrested a man suspected of being involved in the leak of classified documents, officials said.
Agents took Jack Teixeira, 21, into custody “without incident,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in prepared remarks from the Department of Justice (DOJ) headquarters in Washington.
Teixeira was arrested by agents at a home in North Dighton, Massachusetts, “in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defense information,” Garland said.
Aerial footage showed about half a dozen heavily armed and outfitted FBI agents arresting a man wearing red shorts and a T-shirt.
An FBI spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email that agents took Teixeira into custody.
“The FBI is continuing to conduct authorized law enforcement activity at the residence. Since late last week the FBI has aggressively pursued investigative leads and today’s arrest exemplifies our continued commitment to identifying, pursuing, and holding accountable those who betray our country’s trust and put our national security at risk,” the spokesperson said.
Trump Files Motion to Dismiss $30 Million Lawsuit in Death of Officer Brian Sicknick
Former President Donald Trump has filed a motion in federal court to dismiss the $30 million wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the former girlfriend of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died of a stroke on Jan. 7, 2021.
Sandra Garza, Sicknick’s former girlfriend and the representative of his estate, filed suit in January against Trump and Jan. 6 defendants Julian Khater and George Tanios. She is seeking at least $10 million in compensatory damages, plus unspecified punitive damages from each defendant.
Garza’s suit claims that Trump incited a riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, through his speech at the Ellipse. The alleged incitement gave supporters such as Khater and Tanios the motivation to attack the Capitol and deploy chemical irritants against Sicknick, the lawsuit contends.
In his motion to dismiss, Trump attorney Jesse Binnall rapped the suit for false allegations, claiming that Trump enjoyed absolute immunity as president and that his purely political speech is protected by the First Amendment.
“Unfortunately for the plaintiff, the First Amendment forbids courts to regulate the content of political speech,” Binnall wrote in a 46-page memorandum of law filed in U.S. District Court in Washington.
IRS Says Time Running Out to Claim $1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Refunds for Tax Year 2019
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced Wednesday that over a million Americans have unclaimed tax refunds for the tax year 2019 and face a looming deadline to claim a total of $1.5 billion before it becomes government property.
The IRS said in a press release that nearly 1.5 million people across the United States have unclaimed refunds because they haven’t filed their tax returns for the 2019 tax year.
“The 2019 tax returns came due during the pandemic, and many people may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds,” IRS commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. “We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out.”
Normally, the deadline for filing older tax returns falls around the April tax deadline. But for 2019 returns, that window has been extended to July 17 due to the pandemic.
“With the pandemic taking place when the 2019 tax returns were originally due, people faced extremely unusual situations,” Werfel said.
Pushing back at attempts by the courts to silence individuals whose religious views may be perceived as intolerant or hateful, The Rutherford Institute is challenging a five-year restraining order against a street preacher who has been threatened with arrest after citing Bible verses on social media to express his moral concerns about a church that endorses same-sex marriage and raising awareness about a public drag queen performance that occurred in front of children.
Warning that the ramifications of such court rulings could penalize anyone who cites a Bible verse which causes offense or ignites fears despite there being no actual threat to safety, The Rutherford Institute is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to overturn the five-year restraining order against street preacher Rich Penkoski, denouncing it as excessive and a clear violation of the pastor’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion. Institute attorneys also point out that in the absence of any actual threats by Penkoski or proof that he sought to incite violence through the use of Bible verses, the court’s rationale appears to be based solely on claims that LGBTQ leaders felt terrorized, harassed and fearful about how others might react to the Bible verses cited in the street preacher’s social media posts.
“Religious individuals have a clear First Amendment right to publicly cite Bible verses that reflect their concerns about moral issues of the day without being accused of stalking, harassing or terrorizing those who are offended by the sentiments,” said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. “This case is a foreshadowing of the government’s efforts to insulate the populace from all things that might cause offense by criminalizing nonviolent First Amendment activities (speech, thought and actions) perceived as politically incorrect.”
Lawyers for Army Sergeant Daniel Perry accused Travis County District Attorney José Garza of tampering and retaliation against a detective witness. They say the district attorney prevented the detective from presenting evidence to the grand jury supporting Perry’s self-defense claim in the alleged murder of a protester in Austin. The accusation resurfaced on Thursday in a letter from the defense attorneys to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently asked the board to consider a recommendation for a pardon.
Defense attorneys F. Clinton Broden and Doug O’Connell sent a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to present evidence in support of the governor’s requested pardon recommendation. Governor Abbott made the request on April 8 following the conviction by a Travis County jury of murder in the Daniel Perry self-defense trial, Breitbart Texas reported. The letter from the defense team (attached below) reveals exculpatory evidence that was not allowed to be presented to the jury by the trial judge.
Poll: Mitch McConnell’s Approval Underwater as Retirement Rumors Swirl
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) approval rating is underwater as retirement rumors swirl.
A recent survey from The Economist/YouGov found 49 percent disapproving of how McConnell is handling his job as Senate minority leader. Of those, 29 percent “strongly” disapprove. On the flip side, 28 percent across the board approve of his job performance, but only seven percent “strongly” approve. Roughly one in five remain unsure.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed two new gun control measures in response to the February 13, 2023, Michigan State University shooting, neither of which would have prevented that shooting from taking place.
The Detroit News reported that one of the bills is universal background check legislation. The other is a gun storage law.
Rep. Biggs Introduces Bills to Defund Manhattan DA Office
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) has introduced two bills to defund the Manhattan District Attorney’s (DA) Office following the indictment of President Donald Trump.
Trump was indicted in early April on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. But critics have called the case “weak,” suggesting political motives behind the move.
In a comment emailed to the Epoch Times about the bills, Biggs wrote:
“As the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, I will not allow District Attorney Alvin Bragg to misuse federal resources sent by Congress to fund the weaponized prosecution of a former U.S. president, while blatantly ignoring soaring crime in New York City.
“Bragg has repeatedly made clear his top priority as District Attorney is to leverage the legal system to target conservatives,” Biggs said. “I will use every tool I have to protect conservatives and to restore impartiality in our judicial institutions.”
New York Democrat A.G. Letitia James Deposes Donald Trump for Second Time
Former President Donald Trump was in New York City on Thursday for a deposition in connection to Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit alleging business fraud against him and his oldest children.
James is suing Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump for $250 million, alleging they undervalued “properties to gain better rates on loans, insurance policies, and taxes,” as Breitbart News reported. The lawsuit is a civil matter and is not connected to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of Trump on highly criticized business fraud accusations.
Is honking your car horn expressive conduct protected by First Amendment? 9th Circuit weighs in
A federal appeals court has upheld a California law that bans honking your car horn—except when reasonably needed to warn of a safety hazard.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco ruled April 7 against Susan Porter, who was cited for honking her horn in support of protesters.
Porter had contended that the law violates the First Amendment because it is a content-based regulation that is not narrowly tailored to address a compelling government interest.
Porter had honked her horn “in three clusters of short beeps, for a total of 14 beeps,” the 9th Circuit said.
The appeals court found no First Amendment violation in a 2-1 decision. Judge Michelle T. Friedland, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote the majority opinion.
TN Rep. Justin Jones: Tennessee Republicans Want to ‘Reenact the Civil War’Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones said Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead” that the Republicans in the State House want to “reenact the Civil War.”
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “The Tennessee Holler published today, released today, some audio from Republican state legislators meeting and getting mad at each other. What was your response to that? What do you think was important from that leaked audio?”
HEALTH
Biden Administration to Ask Supreme Court to Intervene in Abortion Pill Case
The Biden administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the high-profile case involving a widely used abortion pill, officials said on April 13.
“We will be seeking emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend the FDA’s scientific judgment and protect Americans’ access to safe and effective reproductive care,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved mifepristone, an abortion pill, in 2000.
This month, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered the FDA to halt its approval of the drug. U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to block the order. A panel of judges on the appeals court partially overturned Kacsmaryk’s ruling but kept it in place for FDA modifications made in 2016 or later.
The appeals court ruling means mifepristone will remain available but only under requirements from 2000. The FDA loosened requirements in recent years, including allowing drug dispensation by mail.
U.S. lawyers “have failed to carry their burden at this preliminary stage to show that FDA’s actions were not arbitrary and capricious,” the appeals court judges said, finding that the FDA failed to examine relevant data when it made significant changes in 2016.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Republican Leader Calls for Urgent Vote on ‘Strong’ Debt Limit Bill in April
A senior House Republican leader said Wednesday that passing a “strong” debt limit bill should be the GOP’s top legislative priority and called for a vote on the measure in April, arguing that “the time for action is now.”
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who chairs the Republican Study Committee (RSC), set the end-of-month deadline for a vote on the bill in a Wednesday letter to his GOP colleagues (pdf).
“Passage of a strong debt limit bill before the end of the April legislative session must be the chamber’s top priority,” Hern wrote. “We must work night and day to get it passed to show the American people we can be trusted and force the Senate and White House to answer for their dereliction of duty.”
Hern’s appeal to the RSC’s 176 members comes amid a debt ceiling deadlock between House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Joe Biden, as the United States inches closer to a possible debt default.
Hern’s letter did not specify what the RSC wants to include in the debt limiting measure, but the group released a “Debt Limit Playbook” (pdf) in March that outlines their priorities, which focus on discretionary spending cuts.
House lawmakers face a tight window to meet Hern’s request for a vote by the end of April after they return from Easter recess next week.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sided with conservative investors this week in their request to investigate what they say is PayPal’s systematic political and religious discrimination against customers.
Over the objections of PayPal’s management, the SEC allowed a proposal by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) to go to a shareholder vote at the company’s next annual meeting. This decision follows a similar decision on March 29, in which the SEC green-lighted a proposal regarding alleged political and religious discrimination at JPMorgan Chase, America’s largest bank.
In an April 10 letter to PayPal’s attorneys, the SEC stated that NCPPR’s proposal “requests that the board conduct an evaluation and issue a report within the next year evaluating how it oversees risks related to discrimination against individuals based on their race, color, religion (including religious views), sex, national origin, or political views, and whether such discrimination may impact individuals’ exercise of their constitutionally protected civil rights.”
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Joe Rogan Issues Warning After AI-Generated Version of His Podcast Surfaces
oe Rogan has warned of the growing threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) after a version of his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” was created entirely through the use of AI technology, sparking concern among listeners.
“This is going to get very slippery, kids,” Rogan wrote on Twitter on April 11 in response to a video of the fake show shared on the social media platform by content creator Farzad Mesbahi.
The fake video is titled “Joe Rogan AI Experience Episode #001” and features “guest” Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the creator of the artificial intelligence system ChatGPT.
SURVEILLANCE STATE
As a gun owner, you must know your rights and how to exercise them.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Judge Temporarily Blocks Enforcement of Biden’s Water Rule in 24 States
A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked the implementation of the Biden administration’s controversial “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, granting the request of a coalition of 24 states and more than a dozen industry groups.
On Dec. 30, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final “Revised Definition of Waters of the United States” rule, broadening what types of water sources were subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act.
In issuing the April 12 injunction (pdf), U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland held that the plaintiff states had successfully demonstrated that the new rule “poses a threat” to their sovereignty and amounts to “irreparable harm.”
“One of the purposes of a preliminary injunction is to preserve the status quo,” Hovland wrote. “The ripple effects caused by the 2023 Rule strongly favor maintaining the status quo for now. … The Court finds that a far broader segment of the public would benefit from a preliminary injunction because it would ensure that federal agencies do not extend their power beyond the express delegation from Congress.”
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
National Guide to Finding Local Food: https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/national-guide-to-finding-local-food/
Non-GMO Shopping Guide: https://nongmoshoppingguide.com/
No One Ever Told You Onions Could Do these Miraculous Things
Onions are a natural cure for many health problems. It is the best remedy for severe vomiting and as a general antibiotic that can boost your immune system.
The onion is from the allium family and is rich in sulfur providing the onion with its antibiotic and antiseptic properties. Onion is also extremely high in antioxidant Quercetin which helps the body to fight free radicals.
Natural Cures. Respiratory conditions respond well to onion juice as it is a great expectorant. Onions are good for cholesterol levels, heart, arthritis, a great antioxidant, and good for diabetes due to its flavonoid and sulfur compounds. Onions have been used as a standard treatment for thousands of years.
- Breakup chest congestion- Crush an onion within coconut oil. Coat the chest with onion paste and cover the chest with a dish towel then a shirt.
- Colic- Cherokee Indian recipe for colic babies: Boil a small amount of diced yellow onion in water. Let the onion cool in the water then drain. Feed a teaspoon of the onion tea to the baby every hour until the baby appears to have some relief.
Ear pain/infection– Chop onion and put them into a thin sock and tie the sock closed. Place the flattened onion sock over the troubled ear and cover the head/ear/sock with a hat to hold the sock in place. Remove when pain is gone.
- Cuts- The transparent film of the onion skin will stop moderate bleeding immediately. It also acts as an antiseptic for the wound.
- Cough- Peel a large onion and slice in half. Cover the face of each onion with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and cover the onions for one hour. The sugar/onion relish should be taken twice a day to help with the cough. Fever- Slice an onion into thin slices. Rub the bottom of the feet with coconut oil. Put a thin slice into the arch of each foot and wrap with cling wrap. Cover the onion/feet with sock over night to allow the onion to draw out toxins and the illness from the body.
- Cleanse the air- Place slices of onion on plates throughout your house to purify the air of viruses and bacteria.
- Vomiting- Grate 1 white or yellow onion. Press the onion juice from the onion wrapped in a cheesecloth. Brew a strong cup of peppermint tea and let it cool. Drink 2 teaspoons of the onion juice and wait 5 minutes. Drink 2 teaspoons of the cool peppermint tea and wait 5 minutes. Repeat both the onion juice and peppermint tea until the symptoms subside. Vomiting should stop immediately and the nausea should go away within 15 minutes.
- Fever- Slice an onion into thin slices. Rub the bottom of the feet with coconut oil. Put a thin slice into the arch of each foot and wrap with cling wrap. Cover the onion/feet with sock over night to allow the onion to draw out toxins and the illness from the body.
- Cleanse the air- Place slices of onion on plates throughout your house to purify the air of viruses and bacteria.
- Vomiting- Grate 1 white or yellow onion. Press the onion juice from the onion wrapped in a cheesecloth. Brew a strong cup of peppermint tea and let it cool. Drink 2 teaspoons of the onion juice and wait 5 minutes. Drink 2 teaspoons of the cool peppermint tea and wait 5 minutes. Repeat both the onion juice and peppermint tea until the symptoms subside. Vomiting should stop immediately and the nausea should go away within 15 minutes.
Other Neat Onion Uses:
- Rub a cut onion on you to repel bugs
- Onion juice rubbed into your hair promotes growth
- Onion juice repels moths
- Boiled and cooled onion juice sprayed onto plants repels pests
- Rub an onion slice into the face of an iron to prevent rusting
- Polish copper and glassware with an onion slice
- Rub a cut onion on you to prevent freckling
CANCEL CULTURE
New Critical Race Theory Report Confirms ‘Tide Is Changing,’ Expert Says
State and local countermeasures against critical race theory (CRT)—a quasi-Marxist framework that views the United States as systemically racist—are on the rise in 2023, at a pace equal to or faster than that of 2021 and 2022, according to a new report (pdf) released by CRT Forward, an initiative advocating for CRT in schools at the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law.
Anti-CRT measures in higher education and pushback on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies are also trending higher in 2023, according to LaToya Baldwin Clark, a co-author of the report and an assistant law professor at UCLA, at a webinar releasing the report’s findings on April 12.
A Handful of Companies Control the Global Propaganda
PR firms and ad agency holding companies are a central cog in global propaganda machine. They make sure the same message is distributed in many different places in a cohesively timed fashion
An estimated two-thirds to 80% of the content broadcast and published by corporate media comes from public relations firms such as these four. In other words, most so-called mainstream media “news” is propaganda
The four largest ad holding companies in the world are the Publicis Groupe, WPP, the Omnicom Group and the Interpublic Group, and all are deeply interlocked with the corporate media, the military-industrial complex and the policymakers
A handful of private investment companies dominate every aspect of our lives and own everything we spend our money on. The two largest ones are Vanguard and BlackRock. Vanguard and/or BlackRock are also among the top 10 shareholders in the four largest ad agency holding companies
The 1% of the world’s wealthiest people provide the ideological justification that is driving the implementation of The Great Reset worldwide. The term academia uses to describe this globalist cabal is “The Transnational Capitalist Class” or TCC
Judge Sanctions Fox News for Withholding Evidence in Dominion $1.6B Defamation Case
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis sanctioned Fox News on Wednesday for withholding evidence in Dominion’s $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against the news outlet.
Judge Davis’s sanction came after lawyers for Dominion highlighted numerous instances of Fox News attorneys’ failure to turn over evidence promptly, according to a person present in the courtroom.
Some of the newly turned over evidence includes recordings made by former Fox employee Abby Grossberg that feature former President Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani claiming he did not have evidence to back up claims that Dominion rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor. These recordings were done before pre-taped Fox appearances and were circulated and discussed within Fox, according to Grossberg.
GOOD NEWS
Brave 8-Year-Old Cheerleader Competes Solo When Her Team Doesn’t Show Up, Wins First Place
An 8-year-old cheerleader made a brave decision when her team didn’t show up for a competition, surprising herself and her coaches by performing alone and earning first place.
Peyton Thorsby of Pasco County, Florida, was the only member of her cheerleading team, the Ktech Krakens, to show up for their 6 a.m. call at the Showcase of Championships cheer competition at Florida State Fairgrounds in December 2022. Peyton’s coaches were given the opportunity to forfeit, but the 8-year-old surely had other ideas.
A man who walked into a bakery, determined to pay for his wife’s birthday cake early since he was scheduled for a risky surgery, never expected the kind and overwhelming response he would receive.
73-year-old Keith Hall walked into Cupcake Café on St. Joe Plaza Drive in Palm Coast, Florida, in late February to pre-book a cake for his wife’s birthday and had an interaction with the owner, Theresa Tazewell.
“He initially asked me if I deliver, and I said unfortunately I don’t,” Tazewell told The Epoch Times. “He said that might be problematic and I said, ‘Why is that?’ He said, ‘Because I might not be here.’ I’m nosy, so I had to ask him why. … He was extremely reluctant to tell me what was going on.
ICYMI
Anheuser-Busch Lost Over $6 Billion in Market Value After Transgender Controversy
Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, has lost more than $6 billion in market value after controversially hiring transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney to promote its beverage.
Shares of the beer company have crashed by almost 5 percent since the start of April, after a nationwide backlash among its customer base, which normally leans against “woke” activism.
At least $6.65 billion of Anheuser-Busch ’s market capitalization has been wiped out in less than two weeks.
Anheuser-Busch is the producer of several brands of beer, including Budweiser and Michelob, along with small brands, such as Hammer and Sickle Vodka.
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