Blog

One in FIVE students entering UC San Diego can’t write properly, new data reveals

Roughly one in five Americans entering UC San Diego cannot write at an entry level standard, a new report revealed. 

About 20 percent of incoming students to the California university had to be placed in analytical writing courses after failing to meet the requirements of a writing placement exam, which forced them into specialized courses called ‘AWP’.

The report published by a UC San Diego admissions committee added that writing skills and literacy are in decline across the entire US. 

According to the university’s faculty, freshmen students’ vocabulary was ‘increasingly’ limiting their ability to engage with longer and harder texts. 

As a whole, the school had seen a ‘steep decline in the academic preparation’ of its domestic freshmen students.

The November 6 report read: ‘Admitting large numbers of students who are profoundly underprepared risks harming the very students we hope to support, by setting them up for failure.’

One possible solution offered was ‘moving beyond GPA and course titles’ in high school to evaluate how ready students actually are for writing at a college level.

Keep reading

Epstein victim who Trump ‘spent hours with’ is NAMED in bombshell unredacted email

Jeffrey Epstein claimed Donald Trump spent hours at his house with Virginia Giuffre, the Daily Mail has learned.

The pedophile financier named Trump multiple times in emails to Ghislaine Maxwell and the author Michael Wolff over a period of 15 years, according to the messages released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

In an email dated April 2, 2011, Epstein wrote to Trump discussing a victim whom the Democrats redacted from their release.

But the Daily Mail has obtained the unredacted email which reveals he was referring to Virginia Giuffre – who stated in her memoir that Trump never did anything wrong.

Epstein said to Maxwell: ‘i want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. virignia [sic] spent hours at my house with him, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc. im 75% there.’

Maxwell replied: ‘I have been thinking about that…’ 

The context of their exchange is not clear. Around three years earlier, Epstein was jailed in Florida after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution with a minor.

Giuffre, who committed suicide earlier this year, was recruited by Maxwell while employed as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago in 2000. She was 16 years old.

The communications were released on Wednesday after Democrats subpoenaed Epstein’s estate earlier this year.

Trump did not send or receive any of the emails, and he has not been charged with any crime in relation to Epstein or Maxwell.

Keep reading

Dem-run city hires inspectors to snoop in residents’ garbage cans to make sure they’re recycling properly

Residents in a California city can expect to see trash inspectors lifting their garbage cans in the early morning hours as the city continues to crack down on recycling. 

Officials are sending teams of Compliance Officers or ‘lid lifters’ to walk through neighborhoods before trash collection and monitor whether residents are properly sorting their trash and recycling. 

The initiative in San Diego was launched following the passage of a law in the California State Senate (SB 1383), which established a new organic waste recycling program. 

The city will not issue citations to those who violate the recycling rules, but instead will place an ‘oops’ tag on the bin, notifying the owner that they made a mistake. 

Some bins may have a ‘do not collect’ sticker on them, which requires homeowners to sift through their trash and call the city for a new pickup.  

The lid lifters won’t be sifting through garbage cans and are only tasked with inspecting what they can see after looking inside the bins. 

City Waste Reduction Program Manager Alexander Galasso told local ABC affiliate, KGTV: ‘Waste doesn’t end when you come to the trash can.’

‘There is a life after waste and we want to make sure that these are sorted correctly, because not only does it impact our staff and trucks, but it impacts what goes into our landfill.’

Keep reading

DOJ Launches Investigation into UC Berkeley over Antifa ‘Mob Violence’ at TPUSA Event

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it is investigating the University of California, Berkeley, a day after “mob violence” from Antifa protesters occurred outside of a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event.

In a post on X, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon shared a letter that was addressed to UC Berkeley Police Chief Yogananda Pittman. In the letter, Pittman was asked to “preserve all records” in her possession that are “relevant to the agency’s preparation, execution, and response to the Turning Point event held” at the campus on Monday, along with related protests.

“The @CivilRights Division, under @AGPamBondi’s leadership, has asked UC Berkeley Police to preserve all records regarding their response to the mob violence at UC Berkeley’s TPUSA event,” Dhillon said in her post. “Every American has the right to speak at and attend events without fear.”

The letter stated, in part, that the situation at TPUSA’s event “may implicate the University of California’s commitment to provide adequate security”:

The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division has recently become aware of concerning incidents occurring on your campus at the University of California (UC), Berkeley on or about November 10, 2026. These events may implicate the University of California’s commitment to provide adequate security pursuant to a 2018 settlement agreement in Young America’s Foundation, et al. v Napolitano et al., U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 17-02255. Our office previously opened investigations of the University of California System for potential violations of Title VI and Title VII based on other events. We will determine whether the events of November 10 should also be included in those investigations. We are also determining whether recent events provide a basis for additional investigation of violations of federal rights, including, without limitation, violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

Dhillon’s letter also explained that the request to preserve all records related to the response to the violence at the TPUSA event, included but was “not limited to” all written or electronic communications from UC Berkeley Campus Police regarding the incident or TPUSA, “generally in the last year,” along with “minutes and communications of any pre-event planning either internal or with outside groups” relating to the event, among others.

Keep reading

56 Arrested in Massachusetts Child Porn Sweep

Massachusetts authorities arrested 56 people across the state for alleged child pornography activities in a crime sweep dubbed “Operation Firewall,” state police announced on Monday.

The three-day investigation in 38 communities targeted the growing problem of possession, production, child enticement, and sharing of child sexual abuse material, the Massachusetts State Police reported.

In addition to the arrests, investigators say they searched 34 homes and seized 229 devices.

“Over several months, members of the State Police’s Division of Investigative Services used their training and skill to develop these cases,” said Col. Geoffrey Noble. “I commend the Troopers for their hard work to overcome the evasive tactics of suspects and build a comprehensive operational plan to safely remove predators from our streets.”

The defendants are expected to face charges connected to child pornography, child enticement, outstanding warrants for assault and battery of a child, rape of a child, and failure to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board, according to authorities.

The investigators worked for several weeks to develop Operation Firewall, according to Lt. Col. Daniel Tucker.

The operation relied on several partners, including detective units, district attorney’s offices, special tactical teams, and officials specializing in the apprehension of violent fugitives.

Troopers conducted arrests for a variety of sexual offenses with children, including contact, enticement, trafficking, and aggravated rape, the state reported.

“The Massachusetts State Police are working very hard every day to keep our communities safe, especially our children,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.

According to the state police, many child pornography investigations stem from a growing number of online tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspicious activity.

Under federal law, electronic service providers are required to submit a cyber tip line report to the agency when they recognize dangerous behavior. Troopers assigned to the cybercrime unit review the tips to see if the content violates the state’s child pornography laws.

Keep reading

The Olympic ban on cheating men is long overdue

Finally, common sense has prevailed at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). If rumours are to be believed, a blanket ban on transgender-identifying men competing in women’s Olympic events is set to be introduced. At last!

This is great news for female athletes who will no longer have to endure the indignity and inherent unfairness of being made to compete against males. And it will no doubt be a huge relief for women who engage in contact sports, such as boxing, and who were put in danger by being made to face bulkier, stronger rivals. But why has it taken the IOC so long to see sense?

Feminists have long known that defending women’s rights is a marathon, not a sprint. But when it comes to single-sex sports, this marathon has been undertaken at snail’s pace. Rather than simply saying ‘no’ to cheating men, the IOC has been around the houses. Since the last Olympics, it has elected a new president, established a ‘working group’, launched a review and commissioned a presentation. Even after all of this, we are told that ‘no decisions have been taken yet’.

The cause for celebration this week is solely down to sources having revealed ‘that a ban is likely to be introduced in 2026’, but probably not before February’s Winter Olympics in Italy. In fact, the ban may not take full effect until the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Sadly, this will be far too late for New Zealand’s women weight lifters. They missed out on the life-changing opportunity to compete in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, when their spot was taken by transgender athlete, Laurel Hubbard. Hubbard competed in men’s events before declaring himself to be transgender in 2013. He took medication to reduce his testosterone levels and – hey presto! – gained a place in the female category. Hubbard did not win a medal at the games, but, unlike the women who did take the top spots, he garnered global media plaudits.

Keep reading

Colombian President Orders Halt to Intelligence Sharing With US Over Drug Boat Strikes

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Nov. 11 that his nation’s security forces will stop intelligence sharing with the United States in response to U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean.

Petro stated on X that he had instructed the Colombian public security forces at all levels to suspend cooperation with U.S. agencies until the U.S. military ceases its strikes on vessels in the Caribbean.

“Such a measure will be maintained as long as the missile attack on boats in the Caribbean persists. The fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people,” he stated.

The White House has not publicly commented on Petro’s announcement. The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.

Since September, according to posts by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other media reports, the U.S. military has carried out at least 19 strikes against vessels alleged to be transporting illegal drugs to the United States, actions that have drawn condemnation from Venezuela and Colombia. At least 76 suspected drug traffickers have been killed in these strikes, according to reports.

Tensions rose between the United States and Colombia after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Petro of encouraging illegal drug production in Colombia, which Petro and the Colombian government have strongly denied.

Keep reading

“Clinton Corruption Files” – Bondi, Patel Give Congress New Evidence Detailing Clinton Foundation Corruption

US Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have provided Congress with new evidence detailing Clinton Foundation corruption.

The IRS began investigating the Clinton Foundation in 2019 but abruptly stopped and cut off whistleblowers, according to memos obtained by Just The News over the summer.

“Can’t talk about the CF [Clinton Foundation],” one of the memos stated as it cut off the two Clinton Foundation whistleblowers.

On Tuesday, Just The News reported that Patel and Bondi have given Congress a new tranche of documents showing the Clinton Foundation took donor money from foreigners seeking influence.

Just The News reported:

Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have produced to Congress a new cache of documents showing how Bill and Hillary Clinton’s foundation collected donations from foreign and domestic interests seeking influence – raising fresh concerns that such evidence was kept from federal prosecutors who tried to investigate pay-to-play allegations against the former first family a decade ago.

Officials told Just the News that the documents were transmitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee in recent days and detail numerous instances of foreigners and even a U.S. defense contractor seeking to curry favor with the Clintons through donations to their family charity, including when Hillary Clinton served as secretary of State. Bill Clinton was a U.S. president from 1993 to 2001.

The officials said some of the evidence was flagged by whistleblowers who claimed such evidence was kept from a corruption investigation that was being conducted in 2015 by the Little Rock, Ark., U.S. attorney’s office before it was shut down by the Obama administration’s Justice Department.

The documents will make clear that there was an effort “to obstruct legitimate inquiries into the Foundation by blocking real investigation by line-level FBI agents and DOJ field prosecutors and keeping them from following the money,” said one official directly familiar with the documents.

In 2018, the whistleblowers, Lawrence Doyle of DM Income Advisors and John Moynihan of JFM Associates, argued that according to their research, the Clinton Foundation was operating outside of its bounds as a 501c3 non-profit organization and instead operated exactly like the global fund in Geneva, Switzerland by brokering money and pharmaceuticals.

Keep reading

China plans to block rare earth shipments to US military contractors: report

China is reportedly crafting a plan to block the US military from getting shipments of rare earth magnets – even as it eases restrictions on shipments to US companies making electronics and other consumer goods.

Beijing has repeatedly used its near-monopoly over rare earth metals – crucial to make everything from iPhones to military hardware like F-35 fighter jets and drones – in tense tariff talks with the Trump administration.

Beijing is planning a “validated end-user” system that fast-track shipments for approved civilian firms in the US, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the plan. It would allow China’s President Xi Jinping to keep his promise to President Trump about easing exports while cutting out military contractors.

If it is enacted, the plan could cause ongoing headaches for US companies that make “dual use” products or have both civilian and military clients, such as certain automakers and aerospace companies, according to the report.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

Keep reading

France to help Palestinians draft constitution for future state, says Macron

France will help the Palestinian Authority draft a constitution for a future state, President Emmanuel Macron said on Nov 11 after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris.

A number of major Western nations including France 

formally recognised a Palestinian state in September, a move driven by frustration with Israel over its devastating war in Gaza and a wish to promote a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.

A US-brokered, Israel-Hamas ceasefire took hold in October, but Israel again rejected any prospect of Palestinian statehood.

Mr Macron said France and the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule under Israeli military occupation in the West Bank, would set up a joint committee to work on drawing up a new Palestinian constitution.

“This committee will be responsible for working on all legal aspects: constitutional, institutional and organisational,” he told reporters.

“It will contribute to the work of developing a new constitution, a draft of which President Abbas has presented to me, and will aim to finalise all the conditions for such a State of Palestine,” Mr Macron said.

Keep reading