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UK MP’s call for digital identity to “tackle illegal immigration”

It turns out that the solution to illegal immigration is instituting a nationwide system of digital identity, issued to every baby at birth and containing all your social, education, financial, medical, and employment information.

At least, according to the 40 or so Labour MPs who co-signed an open letter calling for such a system.

Of course, that digital ID could solve the immigration “problem” should come as no surprise. After all, it can solve every “problem”.

It can make sure our elections aren’t rigged. It can protect our children on the internet. It can prevent the spread of disease. It can lower crime. It can tackle truancy and benefit fraud. It can government eliminate inefficiency.

Oh, it’s good for the economy too!

Yay!

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GOP Pennsylvania Senator Calls For Legalizing Marijuana And Using Tax Revenue To Create State ‘Legacy Fund’ For Long-Term Investments

A Republican Pennsylvania senator is calling for the creation of a state “legacy” fund, using tax revenue from adult-use marijuana sales and gaming to make long-term investments in the Commonwealth’s economy.

In an op-ed published in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday, Sen. Dan Laughlin (R) said “we must ensure that today’s tax revenue is not just spent in the moment but invested wisely to benefit future generations.” And he’s proposing the “Pennsylvania Legacy Fund” as a means of achieving that.

As the legislature once again debates various cannabis legalization proposals, the senator is making the case that, beyond using any resulting tax revenue to fund day-to-day projects and public services, the state should earmark a portion of those tax dollars for a fund to “provide a sustainable source of prosperity that lasts for generations.”

“Legalization isn’t a matter of if anymore—it’s when,” the senator, who has sponsored bipartisan reform proposals, said. “Ohio took the step in 2023, and every year we wait, we lose tax revenue to neighboring states. A well-regulated cannabis market in Pennsylvania could generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually through sales taxes and licensing fees.”

“These funds could be directed into the Legacy Fund, ensuring that revenue from this emerging industry contributes to long-term investments in education, infrastructure, and other critical needs. Additionally, legalization would create jobs, support local businesses, and reduce the prevalence of the illegal and unregulated market. It is imperative that Pennsylvania takes action now to stay competitive and reap the benefits of this inevitable shift.”

Laughlin said his proposal would work by having cannabis and gaming tax revenue deposited into a “carefully managed investment fund,” which would include a “diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and real estate.”

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New Mexico Governor Signs Bill To Create Psilocybin Therapy Program, Legalizing Medical Use Of The Psychedelic

New Mexico’s governor has signed a bill into law to establish a therapeutic psilocybin program in the state.

Weeks after the proposal from Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D) advanced through the legislature, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) gave it final approval on Monday.

The Medical Psilocybin Act will allow patients with certain qualifying conditions to access the psychedelic and use it under the guidance of a licensed healthcare provider.

The measure says the purpose “is to allow the beneficial use of psilocybin in a regulated system for alleviating qualified medical conditions,” including major treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders and end-of-life care. The state Department of Health would be able to approve additional conditions.

Under the newly signed legislation, psilocybin therapy will consist of a preparation session, an administration session and a follow-up integration session.

The state health department will be responsible for establishing guidelines around training for clinicians and producers, including dosage, approved settings for administration, production and storage protocols and other best practices. State officials will also license producers to grow mushrooms and process psilocybin.

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EU Must Buy US Energy to Get Tariff Relief: Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said late on April 7 that the European Union would need to buy $350 billion worth of American energy to secure relief from tariffs.

Trump was responding to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said earlier on Monday during a news conference in Brussels that the EU was ready to negotiate a “zero-for-zero” tariff pact on industrial goods.

Asked by a reporter at the White House whether the offer was enough for him to back down on 20 percent duties on imports, Trump said: “No, it’s not.”

“The European Union’s been really tough over the years. We have a [trade] deficit with the European Union of $350 billion and it’s going to disappear fast,” Trump said. “And one of the ways that that can disappear easily and quickly is they’re going to have to buy our energy from us … They can buy it, we can knock off $350 billion in one week.”

On April 2, Trump announced a minimum 10 percent tariff on all trading partners, as well as higher levies on about 60 nations identified by the administration as “worst offenders” in trade imbalances with the United States. China topped the list.

The 27-nation EU bloc is currently facing 25 percent import tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars, with tariffs of 20 percent due to kick in from April 9 for almost all other goods under Trump’s new policy of responding in kind to countries that he says impose high barriers to U.S. imports.

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Supreme Court Rejects Fire Chief’s Religious Freedom Case

Ronald Hittle was fired as Stockton, California’s fire chief after facing misconduct allegations, including an anonymous letter that labeled him a “corrupt, racist, lying, religious fanatic.”

One factor behind his dismissal was his attendance, along with other managers, at a church-sponsored summit for Christian leaders during work hours.

Hittle attempted to sue, arguing that he was terminated because of his Christian faith, but lower courts ruled that his case wasn’t strong enough to proceed to trial. Hittle maintains that the Supreme Court’s standard for evaluating workplace discrimination claims—a test established over 50 years ago—warrants reexamination.

But on Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear his case, sidestepping a potential showdown over workplace religious discrimination at a time when the Court is also scrutinizing issues related to religion in schools and religion-based tax exemptions.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch indicated they would have accepted the appeal. Thomas noted that Hittle presented ample evidence of discriminatory intent, and that his case could have provided clear guidance on when workplace discrimination claims should proceed, the outlet reported.

Hittle was terminated in 2011 after a city investigation found that he lacked effectiveness and judgment, failed to report time off, engaged in favoritism, and attended a religious event with other managers while on the job, among other issues.

The event—a church-sponsored summit for Christian leaders—was something Hittle attended at the city’s direction for leadership training, USA Today noted.

Hittle contends that his attendance at the Global Leadership Summit was the main reason for his dismissal, alleging that the deputy city manager accused him of being part of a “Christian Coalition.”

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Trump Administration Proposes Historic $1 Trillion Defense Budget to Bolster National Security

President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have unveiled plans for a record-breaking $1 trillion defense budget.

This landmark proposal signifies the administration’s unwavering commitment to national defense and global leadership.

During a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump emphasized the necessity of this substantial investment.

Trump:
“We have great things happening with our military. We also essentially approved a budget, which is in the facility — you’ll like to hear this — of a trillion dollars. One trillion dollars. And nobody’s seen anything like it.

We have to build our military, and we’re very cost-conscious. But the military is something that we have to build, and we have to be strong because you’ve got a lot of bad forces out there now.

So, we’re going to be approving a budget — and I’m proud to say, actually, it’s the biggest one we’ve ever done for the military.”

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DNC Launches ‘People’s Cabinet’ to Fight Trump Administration

The National Democratic Party has launched a new initiative called the “People’s Cabinet” to counter the Trump administration.

Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said the goal is to “cut through the lies” and speak directly to the American people.

“I’ve been traveling across the country nonstop since I started this job, and what I hear over and over is this: Americans want us to challenge Trump’s lies, offer a better alternative,” Martin said in a video statement on April 4.

According to Martin, the People’s Cabinet will be filled with experts, national and local leaders, and everyday Americans who will “fight back” against President Donald Trump’s agenda. The Cabinet will conduct media briefings and host town halls across the country.

Democrats have been battling Republicans who gained control of the U.S. Senate, House, and presidency in the 2024 election. The GOP trifecta paved the way for Trump to shore up the congressional support needed to successfully implement his agenda.

Democrat lawmakers have publicly opposed Trump’s policies, including major cost-cutting by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The advisory panel, led by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has targeted government waste and fraud, leading to cuts in the federal workforce and the elimination of many government contracts.

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Florida Authorities Bust Massive Global Child Pornography Ring — Over 1M Videos Seized, Including Infants Sexually Assaulted

Florida authorities have obliterated a monstrous international child pornography network, seizing over one million videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children—including helpless infants.

Eight degenerates, including seven Florida residents and a Turkish kingpin, now face the wrath of the law for their roles in this stomach-churning operation.

The bust, spearheaded by Florida’s Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), uncovered a sophisticated dark web operation with ties to Turkey, where the alleged ringleader, Emre Bozuyuk, laundered money through hacked financial accounts.

But the most damning revelation? Many of the buyers found this filth through TikTok.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a father of three, didn’t mince words at Monday’s press conference, calling the perpetrators “truly evil” and vowing to lock them away where they’ll “never see the sun again.”

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The Myth of Biden’s “Roaring” Economy

Claims that President Trump inherited a thriving economy from President Biden are not just misleading—they’re dishonest. The Biden supporters measure economic “growth” from the lowest point of the COVID lockdowns in 2020, when businesses were shuttered and unemployment was artificially high. This makes even mediocre recovery look like booming progress. But if we compare Biden’s economy to 2019—the last full year before the pandemic—many key indicators show not a robust rebound but an economy weighed down by inflation, debt, and diminished purchasing power.

Real wages are down. From January 2021 to May 2024, average hourly earnings for private-sector workers fell by 2.24% when adjusted for inflation. Even broader comparisons with 2019 show only marginal gains. According to the House Budget Committee, inflation-adjusted household net worth was still down 4.7% as of early 2025. Meanwhile, inflation surged 15.5% cumulatively from January 2021 through December 2024, with a peak annual rate of 9.1% in June 2022—the highest in more than four decades. President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, along with the $740 billion Inflation Reduction Act—two of the largest spending and money-creation programs in U.S. history—helped sustain inflationary pressure rather than curbing it.

Employment numbers tell a similarly deceptive story. Biden often boasts of adding 16.6 million jobs, but much of that reflects people simply returning to work after pandemic shutdowns. Job growth also leaned heavily on part-time and public-sector positions. Of the jobs Biden claims to have created, about half, 8.3 million were part-time, and 1.2 million were government jobs—positions effectively created by executive action, shifting money from taxpayers to government payrolls.

Americans were also borrowing more just to get by. Total household debt hit a record $17.9 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, up 26% from $14.15 trillion in 2019. Credit card debt alone exceeded $1.14 trillion, up nearly 15% when adjusted for inflation. Delinquencies have surged—9.1% of credit card accounts were delinquent as of Q3 2024, the highest rate since 2011. Auto repossessions rose by 23% in 2023, with an estimated 1.5–2 million vehicles repossessed, a jump from 1.3 million in 2019. Foreclosure activity followed a similar path: filings rose to 357,000 in 2023, still below the 493,000 in 2019 but climbing as post-pandemic protections ended.

The cost of living soared, especially in housing. Average mortgage payments doubled from $1,300 to $2,600 between 2021 and 2024, pushing many Americans out of homeownership, while rents rose 40%. At the same time, the personal savings rate fell to 4%—down from 7.5% in 2019—signaling that households were draining savings just to cover basic expenses.

Supporters of Biden’s economy often point to headline GDP numbers and international comparisons. In 2023, the U.S. posted a real GDP growth rate of 2.5%, outperforming peers like Japan (1.9%), Canada (1.1%), and the Euro area (0.5%). That resilience, however, is nothing new. In 2019, the U.S. grew at 2.3% while Germany grew just 1.1%. The U.S. economy has long outperformed other G7 nations thanks to a large consumer base, a dynamic private sector, and global tech leadership. Nominal GDP reached $27 trillion in 2023, dwarfing Japan’s $4.2 trillion and Germany’s $4.5 trillion. But these structural advantages are not new and cannot be credited to Biden. They are the result of decades of American economic dominance—not the product of any one administration’s policy.

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Taliban denies reports of Bagram Airbase handover to the US

Bagram Airbase, once the center of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, has been a focal point of strategic, political, and military significance. Located in Parwan province, it served as the primary logistics and operations hub for U.S. and NATO forces throughout the two-decade-long military engagement in Afghanistan. However, the departure of U.S. forces in 2021 and the subsequent takeover of the base by the Taliban has raised a series of critical questions regarding the future of this strategically important location and the larger implications for U.S. foreign policy and Afghanistan’s stability.

According to a report by journalist Zark Shabab on Medium, the Taliban has allegedly handed over control of Bagram Air Base to the United States. U.S. military aircraft, including a C-17, reportedly landed at the base, delivering military equipment and senior intelligence officials. The arrival of high-ranking CIA figures, such as the Deputy Chief, suggests significant U.S. intelligence interests in the region. This move has raised questions about possible secret diplomacy or strategic shifts in U.S.-Taliban relations.

Bagram’s Strategic Importance and Taliban’s Initial Refusal

Bagram Air Base was the largest U.S. military hub during the 20-year conflict in Afghanistan, and its control shifted when the Taliban seized it following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. The Taliban had initially refused to return the base, considering it a symbol of their sovereignty. However, recent reports suggest a possible handover to the U.S., raising speculations about the motives behind this shift, including potential counterterrorism cooperation or political maneuvering by the Taliban.

In a recent statement, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, rejected reports of a U.S. military C-17 aircraft landing at Bagram Airbase. Mujahid called these reports “propaganda” aimed at misleading the public. He emphasized that the Taliban would not permit any foreign military presence in Afghanistan, stressing that there was no current need for such presence.

Mujahid’s comments came in response to widespread report and rumors circulating on social media and some media outlets suggesting that U.S. forces were returning to Bagram. He categorically denied these claims, reinforcing the Taliban’s stance on sovereignty and non-interference. “Such an event is impossible,” he said.

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, especially the handover of Bagram Airbase, remains a major issue in foreign policy discussions. Critics argue that the U.S. misjudged the Taliban’s strength, allowing them to gain critical military resources and raising questions about the need for continued U.S. presence in the region.

The Taliban’s control of Bagram and their denial of U.S. reentry highlight the shifting dynamics in Afghanistan. This development has wider implications for regional security and international relations, challenging global responses to the situation.

The reported handover of Bagram to the U.S. is likely to have significant geopolitical implications, especially for regional powers like Iran, China, Russia, and Pakistan. The presence of CIA officials at Bagram suggests a rebuilding of U.S. intelligence networks, which may indicate a new chapter in U.S.-Taliban relations. Analysts suggest this move could signal an evolving cooperation between the two parties, driven by pragmatism, regional security concerns, and intelligence coordination.

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