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Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Iran Claims Israeli Airstrikes Near Consulate Kill Seven People Including Two Commanders

Just the News: Iran said Monday that Israeli airstrikes hit a building next to its consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing at least seven people, including two top-tier Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the airstrike, but the country has a tense relationship with Iran, which has vowed to destroy Israel and has funded anti-Israel terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas (Just the News). Reuters: Since the Iranian-backed Palestinian faction Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in Syria against Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and Iran’s Guards, both of which support the government of President Bashar al-Assad (Reuters). Fox News: The senior Iranian military commander has played a “key role” in the Islamic Republic’s support of Hezbollah, a Lebanese terrorist organization, the U.S. says. The U.S. Treasury Department, which sanctioned Mohammad Reza Zahedi in 2010, says he has “acted as a liaison to Hezbollah and Syrian intelligence services and is reportedly charged with guaranteeing weapons shipments to Hezbollah.” Zahedi was a senior leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, which also has been designated by the U.S. State Department as a foreign terrorist organization (Fox News).

Judge in El Paso Releases All Illegals Who Overwhelmed National Guard, Stormed Border

El Paso Times: An El Paso magistrate judge on Easter Sunday ordered the release of migrants accused in a “border riot” when a stampede overwhelmed National Guard troops along the Rio Grande. Court officials noted that undocumented migrants will stay jailed if there is a federal immigration hold blocking their release. Presiding Magistrate Judge Humberto Acosta made his ruling on Sunday, March 31, during an online teleconference bond hearing where he accused the El Paso District Attorney’s Office of not being ready to proceed with detention hearings for each defendant (El Paso Times). End Wokeness: This is Judge Humberto Acosta. He just ruled that the illegals who stormed the border and rioted against the National Guard have to be released from jail. Realize where we are (X). Townhall: As journalists covering the stampede reported at the time, it was “absolute chaos” (Townhall).

Afghanistan Women Continue to Take the Brunt of Oppressive Taliban Rule

HotAir: The fall-out from President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan continues. Recent reporting shows the dire situation Afghan women find themselves in at the hands of the Taliban. Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban, as though 20 years of gradual improvement never happened. The Taliban filled the vacuum of leadership. It has imposed the draconian Islamic laws of the past with a vengeance. Women and girls are feeling the worst of the situation. The freedom of getting an education, to hold jobs, and the freedom of movement has been severely curtailed. Most women and girls have been restricted to remaining in their homes. They only leave home with a male family member as a chaperone. Afghan women are required to wear hijabs in public, just like in the bad old days. Now the Taliban is bringing back public stoning and flogging of women for adultery. The Taliban can do as it pleases because there is no one to hold them accountable. The world is silent (HotAir).

Palestinian Protesters Set Up Autonomous Zone in NYC

Katie Pavlich: A new “autonomous zone” has been set up by left wing activists in New York City. This time on behalf of the Palestinian-Hamas movement in Zucotti Park. The zone, which commandeers public property, boasts signs like “this is the people’s park,” “no more cops,” “no pigs allowed” and much more (Townhall). Visgrad 24: An “Autonomous Zone for Palestine” was set up today in Zucotti Park (Manhattan). Demands: Liberation of Palestine, NYPD funds redistribution to community, No cops on MTA, Mayor to resign, and Empty buildings to be used for migrants (X).

DC Mayor Happy Crime Rates Marginally Lower Than Historic Highs Last Year

Washington Examiner: Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said she is encouraged by the recent crime trends in the district amid early signs that several crimes in the area may be decreasing. After spiking crime in 2023 sparked national headlines and prompted the Council of the District of Columbia to pass emergency legislation, followed by another comprehensive bill passed last month, Bowser explained why she felt “very good” about the new trends (Washington Examiner). Greg Price: DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says “Crime is down in all categories in Washington, DC.” In 2023, violent crime in DC increased by 39%. There were 959 carjackings, which was a record high for the 6th year in a row. There were 274 homicides, which was the highest in two decades. Property crime also increased by 24% and robberies increased by 67%. DC is not safe and their elected officials deny that there is even a problem (X).

Harvard Applications Dwindle Amid Antisemitism, Plagiarism Scandals

Just the News: Harvard University has seen a decline in applications following months of scandals involving antisemitism, plagiarism and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in what critics are calling a warning to other schools facing such challenges. While Harvard had nearly 57,000 applicants for the class of 2027, applications declined more than 5% to about 54,000 for the incoming class of 2028 (Just the News). New York Post: This, after early-admission applications fell 17%, to a four-year low. The students that top schools hope to attract — ambitious, practical and academically oriented — are clearly drawing the obvious conclusion: Harvard’s brand isn’t worth the sky-high cost, and will only get worse until its leaders change course. Let all of US higher education be warned: If you don’t kick the radicals off campus and off the school’s board, shut down the DEI offices and focus on offering an education worth the cost of tuition, you could be next (New York Post).

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department Offers Third Gender Option to Immigrants on Citizenship, Asylum Applications

USCIS: We have revised Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to provide a third gender option, “X,” defined as “Another Gender Identity.” We are also updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual accordingly to account for this form revision and other forthcoming form revisions that will add a third gender option. The 04/01/24 edition of Form N-400 will be the first USCIS form to include the X gender option. Applicants filing this edition of Form N-400 on or after April 1, 2024, will have X immediately available as a gender option on their form (USCIS). Bill Melugin: The US agency tasked with handling asylum claims, visas, and citizenship announces it will now offer “X” as a third gender identity. No, it’s not an April Fools joke (X).

NYC Will Commits Thousands of Personal, Spend Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Protect Subways Instead of Detain Criminals

Townhall: Amid growing concerns about public safety in the Big Apple, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced last week that officials will carry out a gun scanner pilot program to boost confidence in the safety of the public transit system. “We are taking the next step forward in our ongoing efforts to make our subways even safer and ensure New Yorkers feel safer,” Adams said at a news conference. The announcement comes after hundreds of National Guard troops and other law enforcement officers were deployed to the subway system earlier this month (Townhall). End Wokeness: To protect the NYC subway: 750 National Guardsmen, 800 additional NYPD cops, 250 New York state troopers, Bag checkers and checkpoints, $700k upgraded tech turnstiles, New high-tech weapons detectors, $20 million for mental health teams. They would rather do all this than lock up the criminals and close the border (X).

Reporting Indicates Russian Assassination Team Behind “Havana Syndrome” Cases

Axios: New evidence suggests that Russia may be behind the mysterious neurological illness that has affected U.S. diplomats and government workers around the world. A new investigation linked a Russian military assassination unit to cases of “Havana Syndrome,” contradicting the U.S’ previous assessment that it was “very unlikely” a foreign adversary was to blame. The joint investigation published Sunday by The Insider, Der Spiegel and CBS’s 60 Minutes found that Russia’s GRU Unit 29155 may be behind the attacks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday denied Russia’s involvement in Havana Syndrome cases, telling reporters “all this is nothing more than a baseless accusation, an unfounded accusation by the media” (Axios). Benny Johnson: 60 Minutes claims Russia may be behind the ‘Havana Syndrome attacks’ by using a “directed energy weapon” against U.S. officials (X). Rep. Carlos Gimenez: As the only Cuban-born Member of Congress & the US Representative for the Cuban-American community, I’m calling on President Biden to hold the dictatorship in #Cuba accountable for collaborating with Russia to actively target & kill US officials (X).

10.

Bud Light Boycott Over Partnership with Dylan Mulvaney Reaches One Year

Newsweek: April 1, 2024, marks the one-year anniversary of Bud Light’s controversial partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Last year, Mulvaney shared a video on her social media channels showcasing a customized Bud Light can to promote her transition to womanhood, as she created a series titled “365 Days of Girlhood.” The partnership sparked widespread criticism against Bud Light, with many initially calling for a boycott against the brand and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch (Newsweek). Outkick: The Dylan Mulvaney disaster is truly the GOAT when it comes to destroying a brand. Nothing else comes close. Anheuser-Busch stock closed at $66.73 the day before the ad aired. A year later, and it’s selling at $60.89. That’s an 8.75% decline a year later! Usually, things of this nature come and go after a few days. Not Bud Light. The outrage hasn’t gone away, and the beer went from being a beer that casual drinkers enjoyed to being a complete joke (Outkick). End Wokeness: Today marks 1 year since Bud Light made Dylan Mulvaney their brand ambassador. They lost 1,400,000,000 since this ad (X).