Vesper

The VAST majority of the actual corruption IS FROM TRUMP, MUSK, THE RW BILLIONAIRES, THE MIC, MULTIPLE MAGA POLITICIANS AND FOLLOWERS at all levels, big and small. Musk alone is self-dealing billions in government contracts to his firms, whilst also claiming complete control to regulate most or all parts of the US government, plus he and Trump are stopping courts and regualtory agencies from pursuing his graft and other various and sundry practices It's the fox guarding the henhouse on nuclear-powered steroids level.

he and DOGE are running riot, ripping apart the superstructure of the US fedral system of governace he is non-elected, non-accountable, DOGE is not even an official part of the US government there is nothing 'witch hunt' about it at all it is reality

Palace is heading to a 7th consecutive away clean sheet

nil 3 Nketiah

horrible defence by Fulham

nil 2 Sarr

nil 1 Palace Eze

What’s Next for the Economy? https://www.notus.org/newsletters/whats-next-for-the-economy Today’s notice: Democrats go after Elon in Wisconsin. Confusion over FEMA’s future. Abortion opponents’ policy plan. But first: We’re gonna see what this economy can take. Testing Economic Absorption Public health officials in both blue and red states are worried that another round of DOGE cuts targeting jobs at HHS will likely make it harder to make America healthy again, NOTUS’ Margaret Manto and Mark Alfred report. The cuts will also put thousands of Americans out of work. While the Trump administration insists the economy can absorb the DOGE agenda, some critics and outside observers are starting to wonder if a massive government-wide layoff affecting thousands of middle-class jobs is coming at the wrong time economically. They’re also looking at this week’s announcement placing a 25% tariff on foreign cars — along with President Donald Trump’s planned day of tariffs on April 2 — and starting to wonder if this economy can hold much more without severe consequences. “I don’t think it’s possible to announce sweeping tariffs and then expect a muted market reaction,” Colin Grabow, associate director at the Cato Institute’s Center for Trade Policy Studies, told NOTUS. A collection of progressive economists and former Democratic staffers at the Groundwork Collaborative are closely following the public disclosures and earnings calls companies are required by law to share with investors. They’re starting to see Big Business plan for a painful short-term for regular Americans. “We see a lot of discussion about ‘pricing environment,’” Alex Jacquez, the group’s policy chief and a former Biden White House staffer, said of the calls. That means… prices are going up. Jacquez, who watched Biden’s support wither away as prices rose, suggested that if things play out the way the earnings calls predict they will, this economic moment may be difficult for Trump too. “I’ve been kind of shocked at how quickly he’s been able to flip consumer sentiment and future projections,” Jacquez said of Trump. “Fair or unfair, the reality is, people blame the guy in the big chair.”

DOGE is Slashing HHS Personnel and Health Projects. States Are Already Feeling the Strain. State and local officials told NOTUS they’re losing critical funds. https://www.notus.org/health-science/hhs-doge-funding-cuts-states The Trump administration is making sweeping cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services that Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argues will streamline the federal health infrastructure. But cutting so many programs and personnel at once could end up making America less healthy, lawmakers and state health agencies warn. “Robert Kennedy is a hazard to our health,” Sen. Raphael Warnock told NOTUS. As Kennedy embarks on a significant and sprawling reorganization of the country’s federal public health infrastructure, state and local officials told NOTUS they’re already worried about the consequences of the cuts he’s already made. HHS officials cut billions of dollars in grants to state and local health agencies beginning this week as part of DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts, saying they were rescinding unspent COVID-era funding. But the terminations went far beyond the pandemic, NOTUS found. Money for substance abuse prevention, pandemic prevention research and mental health support are among the funds being cut. In an emailed statement to NOTUS, an HHS spokesperson, Emily Hilliard, said the funding cuts were necessary to allow the department to focus on other, more pressing issues. “The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago,” Hilliard wrote. “HHS is prioritizing funding projects that will deliver on President Trump’s mandate to address our chronic disease epidemic and Make America Healthy Again.” Hilliard added that the cuts would save the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention $11.4 billion beginning 30 days after the cuts began, and termination notice issuing began on March 24. State health agencies are already scrambling to cope with the effects of the cuts. “This funding supports the public health work and data systems improved during the pandemic that helped California fill gaps in its existing public health infrastructure,” said Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, in an email to NOTUS. The state is working to evaluate the cuts’ effects, Pan added. The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health lost 25 employees as a result of initial cuts, a spokesperson for the department, Jesse Stone, said in an email to NOTUS. Nineteen of those employees were supporting the Nevada State Immunization Program and the Office of State Epidemiology via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation. And South Carolina lost federal funding for four projects, including a COVID surveillance program and a program targeting vaccines for children, a spokesperson said in an email. “This funding has been essential in supporting critical public health systems, including disease monitoring, reporting, and vaccine efforts for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses,” a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Health, Marisol Mata Somarribas, said in an email to NOTUS. Cuts to the agency, its programs and the research it funds across the country have been sweeping in scope. Kennedy is overseeing the departure of over 20,000 workers — half voluntarily and half via layoffs. The reorganization would also cut the number of divisions at HHS from 28 to 15, and centralize a number of capabilities that are currently dealt with by individual agencies, including human resources, external affairs and policy. It would also create a new Administration for a Healthy America that would consolidate programs that support Kennedy’s mission of reducing chronic diseases. HHS did not respond to a request for comment. Beyond the cuts to state health agency funds, HHS has cut millions of dollars in funding for research into Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and HIV. Several state health departments, including those of Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas and Virginia, said in emails to NOTUS that they were still evaluating how the cuts would impact them. DOGE has also fired National Institutes of Health staff who work to stop lab leaks and others who just aren’t at their desks. “The entire federal workforce is downsizing now, so this will be a painful period for HHS as we downsize from 82,000 to around 62,000,” Kennedy said in a video posted to social media Thursday. Democrats in Congress are incensed by the firings at HHS. “At the end of the day, we’re not any safer because of this,” Sen. Ruben Gallego said. “We’re getting rid of some very important staff positions that are key to our public health safety net.” But the Republican lawmakers NOTUS spoke with voiced no such concern. “I’m supportive of what RFK Jr. is doing,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis said. “It’s obvious to me that the agency needed restructuring.” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, one of a handful of Republican lawmakers who met with Kennedy on Thursday morning, told NOTUS she too supported the reorganization. “I think if we’re going to deliver a service as critical as health, we need to make sure that the dollars are getting to the person rather than blocked up into the bureaucracy,” Capito said. “It’s tough to cut that many positions, but I think he assured us this morning that this will not result in, I mean, the goal is to maintain the good services, the good service and customer service and all that HHS provides,” she said.

most diverse (non elite teams) FA Cup quaterfinals field post WWII

https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/fulham-vs-crystal-palace-1-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/fulham-vs-crystal-palace-2-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/fa-cup/fulham-vs-crystal-palace-3-live-streaming https://redditsoccerstreams.org/event/fulham-crystal-palace/1509527 https://soccer-100.com/event/eng-fa/c-palace-vs-fulham-live-soccer-stats/733958

Trump now thinks he is king of the world.... utter madness inbound US tells French companies to comply with Donald Trump’s anti-diversity order Move signals push by the American president to widen his ideological campaign abroad https://archive.ph/GIae3 The Trump administration has sent a letter to some large French companies warning them to comply with an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programmes. The letter, sent by the American embassy in Paris, stated that Trump’s executive order applied to companies outside the US if they were a supplier or service provider to the American government, according to a person familiar with the matter. The embassy also sent a questionnaire that ordered the companies to attest to their compliance. The document, which the Financial Times has seen, is titled “certification regarding compliance with applicable federal anti-discrimination law”. The document says “Department of State contractors must certify that they do not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable anti-discrimination laws and agree that such certification is material for purposes of the government’s payment decision and therefore subject to the False Claims Act.” The documents appear to signal that the Trump administration is widening its campaign against DEI to foreign companies after launching a crackdown against US media groups such as Disney. A senior banker in Paris said he was shocked by the letter. “It’s crazy . . . but everything is now possible. The rule of the strongest now prevails.” The French finance ministry expressed concerns after some of the companies involved notified it about the move. “This practice reflects the values of the new US government. They are not the same as ours,” said a person close to France’s economy minister Eric Lombard. “The ministry will remind his counterparts in the US government of that.” The existence of the letter was first reported by Les Échos newspaper. The extraterritorial move by the US comes amid heightening tensions between the Trump administration and Europe over economic and security policy as nation pivots away from its traditional allies, especially on trade and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump this week imposed an additional 25 per cent levy on auto sector imports into the US and has increased tariffs on European steel and aluminium imports. The EU is working on reciprocal tariffs in response, but has not yet decided which products to target. Top Trump officials’ attitude towards Europe was cast into stark relief this week when messages about US attack plans in Yemen were leaked to American media. “I just hate bailing Europe out again,” vice-president JD Vance wrote in a Signal chat group. “It’s PATHETIC,” responded defence secretary Pete Hegseth. France has not traditionally been a place where DEI programmes have taken root because of legal limitations on the collection of racial and ethnic data. Employers are not allowed to factor people’s origins into hiring or promotion decisions. But French companies that are potentially exposed to the US demands include aviation and defence groups, consulting providers and infrastructure companies. The FT could not immediately determine which companies had received the letter. According to Les Échos, the letter concluded: “If you do not agree to sign this document, we would be grateful if you could kindly provide us with detailed reasons, which we will forward to our legal department.”

Musk's social media firm X bought by his AI company, valued at $33 billion https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/musks-xai-buys-social-media-platform-x-45-billion-2025-03-28/ Transaction is an all-stock deal Deal's $45 billion price tag includes $12 billion in debt xAI valued at $80 billion, integration could make training Grok easier March 28 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's xAI has acquired X in a deal that values the social media platform at $33 billion and allows the value of his artificial intelligence firm to be shared with his co-investors in the company formerly known as Twitter. The deal could also help xAI's ability to train its chatbot known as Grok. "xAI and X's futures are intertwined," Musk, who also heads automaker Tesla and SpaceX, wrote in a post on X, opens new tab: "Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent." He said the combination values "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt)". Representatives for X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Much of the deal's specifics remain unclear, such as how X's leaders would be integrated in the new firm or whether there would be regulatory scrutiny. Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency. Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development. He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies. Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said. OPENAI RIVALRY Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek. In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover. As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world. xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February. The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data. After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows. The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions. This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter. After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off." Separately, a U.S. judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.

Andrey Santos looked great again as did most of Strasbourg (after a poor first half where Lyon dominated play, they flipped the switch on in the 2nd half) they tore apart Lyon for the most part (was 4 1 until a 96th minute pen) extended highlights https://hoofoo42r.videohatkora.com/embed/09MW36butjfS3

King seen for first time after short hospital visit https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyeyezj8nwo King Charles has been seen in public for the first time since he went to hospital after experiencing temporary side effects from his cancer treatment. He cancelled a trip to Birmingham on Friday on medical advice after spending a short period of time in hospital on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said. The monarch, 76, left his London residence Clarence House on Friday morning to spend the weekend privately at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire. His diagnosis was announced in February last year but it has not been said what type of cancer he has. The Palace has not provided details on what the recent side effects were. King feeling better but will be frustrated at visit having to be cancelled "Tomorrow, he was due to undertake four public engagements in Birmingham and is greatly disappointed to be missing them on this occasion," the Palace said in a statement on Thursday. "He very much hopes that they can be rescheduled in due course and offers his deepest apologies to all those who had worked so hard to make the planned visit possible." Meetings with three ambassadors were also affected, it added. A Palace source described the most recent health development as a "most minor bump in a road that is very much heading in the right direction". The King was taken to the London Clinic hospital in central London by car and was not joined by Queen Camilla during the brief hospital stay. He was said to have been "feeling good" on Thursday evening, carried out some work and shared dinner with the Queen at Clarence House. Leaving the London residence on Friday morning, he waved at crowds that had gathered nearby as he drove away in a black car. The Palace said the King's schedule of public duties - which restarted last April after a period of treatment and recuperation following his diagnosis - is expected to resume next week. Although his cancer treatment is ongoing, the King has continued to make regular appearances in public, including overseas. In recent weeks, he assumed a visible role in global diplomacy. He invited US President Donald Trump for a second state visit to the UK and met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Norfolk residence, Sandringham. He also welcomed Mark Carney, Canada's new prime minister, to Buckingham Palace. Lat week, the King visited Northern Ireland and he also recently attended the Commonwealth Day service, which he missed last year after his diagnosis. Earlier this month, he launched a playlist of his favourite music. He is set to take part in a state visit to Italy in April. A previously planned meeting with Pope Francis has been cancelled due to the pontiff's ill-health. Details of the King's cancer and the type of treatment he is receiving remain private. The diagnosis was made after a separate issue of concern was noted during treatment for benign prostate enlargement, a Palace statement said when his illness was made public last year. The King chose to share the news to prevent speculation and "assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer".

cheesy easy in water lolol

17-year-old winger is currently training with Chelsea ahead of future Strasbourg move https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/transfer-news/17-year-old-winger-is-currently-training-with-Chelsea-ahead-of-future-strasbourg-move/ Chelsea currently have a youngster training with them even though he’s due to sign for Strasbourg in 2026. Chelsea and Strasbourg both fall under the BlueCo ownership, so activity between the two sister clubs isn’t uncommon. In the current 2024/25 season, Chelsea loanees Andrey Santos and Djordje Petrovic are both enjoying incredible campaigns in the French Ligue 1 with Strasbourg. Santos has been earmarked for Chelsea’s squad going into next season because of his impressive midfield displays. As for goalkeeper Petrovic, he’s enjoying a really strong campaign in net in France. However, Jody Morris doubts Petrovic will make it at Chelsea. Yaya Dieme training with Chelsea ahead of Strasbourg move in 2026 According to The Daily Mail, Chelsea have teenage winger Yaya Dieme training with them at Cobham right now. Apparently, the 17-year-old prospect hails from the Diambars football academy set up by Patrick Vieira in 2003. The report says that Dieme is expected to sign for Strasbourg, moving to France in January 2026. In the meantime, the exciting youngster is currently training in England with sister club Chelsea. Back in 2023, Dieme was part of the Senegal side that won the Under-17 African Cup of Nations. Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported back in January that Strasbourg agreed the Dieme transfer with a potential future view to joining Chelsea further down the line. However, the forward doesn’t turn 18 until October, so his deal is on standby until next January. Strasbourg becoming a great alternative for Chelsea players As Strasbourg hunt down European qualification this year, it’s becoming a more attractive home for Chelsea loanees to go and develop. Position Club Matches played Points 1st Paris Saint-Germain 26 68 2nd Marseille 26 49 3rd Monaco 26 47 4th Nice 26 47 5th Lyon 26 45 6th Lille 26 44 7th Strasbourg 26 43 Current Ligue 1 standings in the 2024/25 season Chelsea fans predict big things for Santos because of his outstanding performances at Strasbourg, scoring nine goals in 26 appearances across all competitions this term. From a Chelsea perspective, they may have a perfect process to help build themselves future stars. While Dieme is expected to join Strasbourg next year, perhaps he’s someone that Blues supporters should keep an eye out on.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham set for 13-day transfer headstart as Premier League confirm rule change https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/arsenal/arsenal-Chelsea-tottenham-premier-league-transfer-headstart-5054733 The Premier League has altered the summer transfer window to help clubs taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup. Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Premier League rivals will all be able to get a head start on transfer dealings this summer with the Premier League giving the green light to an earlier A Premier League statement on Thursday read: “Premier League clubs have today agreed the dates for the Summer 2025 Transfer Window.opening of the window. The Premier League transfer window ran from June 14 to August 30 last summer. The period when top flight clubs can complete deals will now take place over two separate periods this summer due to the FIFA Club World Cup. That change has been made to benefit Chelsea and Manchester City ahead of the tournament but will also see the opportunity to complete signings as early as June 1 extended to all Premier League clubs. When does the summer transfer window open for Premier League clubs? The summer transfer window for Premier League clubs will now be open in two separate periods. The first is between Sunday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 10. The second is between Monday, June 16 and Monday, September 1. “The window will open early, between Sunday 1 June and Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the FIFA Club World Cup. It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September.” The first fixtures of the Premier League season will kick off on the weekend of August 16. That means that the window will remain open and allow clubs to complete business during the early rounds of top flight fixtures, as was the case this season. How the Club World Cup has changed the transfer window The transfer window has changed this summer in order to allow Premier League clubs taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup to sign players ahead of the competition. The tournament takes place between June 14 and July 13 in the United States. The FIFA Council had already approved the interim window in October. A FIFA statement explained: "The objective is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players' participation." In the interests of fairness, the governing body has since extended the early transfer window period to be applicable for all Premier League clubs and not simply those involved in the Club World Cup. Which Premier League clubs are involved in the Club World Cup? Chelsea and Manchester City are the only two Premier League clubs competing at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer. Places in the tournament are decided by European teams’ performance in the Champions League over the past four seasons.Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021 and Manchester City lifted the trophy in 2023, which has helped them qualify for the Club World Cup. Real Madrid, who won the Champions League in 2024 and 2022, have also qualified. The rest of the nine places available for European teams were given out through a Uefa ranking system. Only two clubs from any one nation are permitted to enter into the Club World Cup, which is why teams including Liverpool and Arsenal were not considered with Chelsea and Manchester City already ushered in. The FIFA Club World Cup groups are as below: Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami Group B: Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders Group 😄 Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica Group 😧 Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, Club Leon Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg In other news, Arsenal have been handed an Alexander Isak transfer opportunity amid Newcastle United contract claim.

speaking of Real Madrid and frees (if this is true) Liverpool Exclusive: ‘Trent Alexander-Arnold has already signed pre-contract’ https://www.footballinsider247.com/liverpool-exclusive-trent-alexander-arnold-has-already-signed-pre-contract/ Trent Alexander-Arnold has already signed a pre-contract agreement to leave Liverpool and join Real Madrid when his contract expires this summer. Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who remains well-connected within the game, explained sources in Madrid are “100 per cent” convinced the deal has been agreed. The 26-year-old has been available for talks over a pre-contract agreement since January, and Madrid appear to have swooped quickly to agree terms behind the scenes. Trent Alexander-Arnold set to join Real Madrid after pre-contract agreement Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider in November that Liverpool were already aware of Alexander-Arnold’s decision. Now, Robinson has claimed that an agreement was reached during the January window but kept under wraps, and the deal for Alexander-Arnold to join Real Madrid is done. “The information I have is: Trent Alexander-Arnold is going to Madrid,” he told Football Insider. “I spent time in Madrid when we covered the Real Madrid v Man City game, and speaking to sources, they’re convinced Trent signed a pre-contract in January. “It hasn’t been made public knowledge yet, but the word in Madrid is they are 100 per cent sure that he has signed a deal. “Out of the three of them [Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnodl], that one looks like it’s a done deal. “I don’t think how Liverpool perform between now and the end of the season will have any baring on the decisions the players make.“ Speculation over the future of Alexander-Arnold has persisted throughout the season, alongside Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk as all three remain out of contract. Football Insider first revealed on 1 November that Madrid were making advances towards Alexander-Arnold ahead of the January window with a pre-contract deal in mind. Now, Robinson has explained that Alexander-Arnold is the one out of the three star players edging towards an exit that is already a “done deal”.

Liverpool bombshell: ‘Virgil van Dijk to Real Madrid is a dead certainty’ https://www.footballinsider247.com/liverpool-bombshell-virgil-van-dijk-to-real-madrid-is-a-dead-certainty/ Dean Huijsen will develop into a world-class player over time at Real Madrid if they win the race to sign the Bournemouth centre-back – but Virgil van DIjk could beat him to the Spanish capital. That’s according to former Manchester United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected in the game, and exclusively told Football Insider that Madrid are well in the hunt to sign Huijsen. Huijsen’s form for Andoni Iraola’s resurgent Bournemouth side this season has attracted attention from a number of European clubs, with the recent Spain debutant adapting seamlessly to the Premier League. But it is the prospect of Van Dijk following Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real that will fill Liverpool fans with dread. It has emerged that the right-back is on the verge of signing for the Spanish giants and his superstar teammate could follow. Meanwhile, the Cherries currently sit 10th in the table albeit with just a four-point gap to the Champions League places, and Huijsen is just one of several Bournemouth players touted with a move this coming summer. Real Madrid weighing up Dean Huijsen with Van Dijk a ‘dead certainty’ It’s no secret that Los Blancos are on the hunt for central defenders this summer, and Madrid see Huijsen – whose Bournemouth contract includes a £50million release clause – as a player within their reach. However, with experienced centre-backs at even more of a premium, Carlo Ancelotti’s side could raid the Premier League champions-in-waiting, Liverpool, to sign their captain Virgil van Dijk on a free transfer. Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, believes Madrid could prioritise Van Dijk’s signing over Huijsen’s. “I like him, I think he can become a top-class player”, Brown told Football Insider. “He covers the ground like a gazelle, he’s light on his feet. He’s resilient, he can use the ball well – I think he’s got all the ingredients of being a top-class player. “Where do [Real Madrid] go and replenish their centre-half positions? One dead certainty is Virgil van Dijk as I’ve said many times. I never see it mentioned, but I would be surprised if that hasn’t happened.” “[Huijsen] is a young centre-half they could take, and make into the type of player they want, but they’re going to need a centre-half at the start of next season. “Van Dijk is a ready-made choice, if that was their choice. This lad [Huijsen] is one of those that you’d take, and you’d say; ‘I’m backing him to move up the ladder’.” Dean Huijsen deal too good to turn down for Real Madrid Though the signings of Van Dijk and Huijsen would serve two different purposes at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid may be confident that they can potentially get deals for both over the line. Huijsen’s relatively low release clause will undoubtedly attract almost every side in Europe capable of paying a £50m fee, while Van Dijk’s contract heading for expiry could soon make him a free agent. With Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba both now 32 and Madrid having struggled at centre-back for some time, Huijsen and Van Dijk could form the keystone of a new-look defence for the coming season.

MAGA Still Wants To Ban Chemtrails Not only does MAGA not believe in science, but they also think they can change the laws of science with a law. https://crooksandliars.com/2025/03/maga-still-wants-ban-chemtrails I don't want to say that the MAGA/MAHA gang is stupid as hell, but that's only because it's so self-evident. The old but still favorite conspiracy theory about chemtrails is on the rise again, and this time they mean business: To be honest, I kind of hope this plays out a little bit, just to see how they propose to enforce a chemtrail ban. Are they going to send cops up in helicopters to cuff the chemtrails? Will ICE grab them and deport them back to wherever they came from? At least the ridiculousness of this should provide a few laughs to distract from the rest of the shitshow going on around us.

this is NOT a good sign Massive U.S. bomber buildup continues at Diego Garcia https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/massive-u-s-bomber-buildup-continues-at-diego-garcia/ The United States has now moved at least seven B-2A Spirit stealth bombers to Diego Garcia, significantly expanding its military presence at the remote British-controlled island in the Indian Ocean. This marks a further escalation in the ongoing preparations for large-scale military action, potentially targeting Houthi forces in Yemen and, as some analysts suggest, Iranian military infrastructure. This continued buildup follows last week’s airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen—described as the largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025. The Houthis claim at least 53 people were killed in the latest round of strikes, while the U.S. has reiterated its intent to continue operations until Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea cease. The activity was first reported by open-source intelligence (OSINT) specialist “IntelFrog” on X (formerly Twitter), who has been using publicly available aircraft tracking data to monitor movements of military assets. IntelFrog initially reported that 18 U.S. Air Force KC-135 tankers were staged at key locations across the Pacific—including Travis AFB in California, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii, and Andersen AFB in Guam. These tankers, operating under sequential RCH0## call signs, were followed by flights to Diego Garcia, where multiple C-17A Globemaster III aircraft have also been tracked arriving in recent days. The arrival of these cargo planes indicates a substantial logistics effort—likely involving the delivery of personnel, munitions, and support equipment required for long-range bomber operations. IntelFrog’s verified flight data now shows at least seven B-2 stealth bombers on or en route to the island, a highly unusual concentration of the platform in one location. These aircraft, which are capable of penetrating sophisticated air defences, are typically reserved for high-value strategic missions and are rarely deployed in such numbers. The increased military presence comes amid warnings from U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has made clear that airstrikes will continue for as long as Houthi aggression disrupts global shipping lanes. A U.S. official speaking to Reuters stated the operation may continue “for weeks,” suggesting the buildup is part of a sustained campaign rather than a short-term show of force. Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea have caused serious disruption to global trade, prompting multiple shipping companies to divert vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. The U.S. sees freedom of navigation in the Red Sea as a strategic imperative, and recent movements suggest an effort to neutralise Houthi launch capabilities and, potentially, to deter Iranian interference in the wider region. The arrival of the seventh B-2A bomber raises the stakes considerably. Diego Garcia has long played a crucial role in U.S. strategic bomber operations, having hosted B-52 and B-1 missions during the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Its remote location and long runway make it a key forward operating base for long-range operations, especially when regional basing options are constrained by diplomatic or security concerns. The deployment of at least seven B-2s, combined with a logistics tail of tankers and transports, represents a highly flexible and potent strike capability. It also signals a return to Diego Garcia’s historic role as a launchpad for power projection across the Middle East and South Asia. As of now, the U.S. Department of Defense has not formally confirmed the purpose of the deployment. However, the scale, timing, and composition of forces all suggest a significant new phase in the campaign against the Houthis, and possibly beyond.

The SAVE Act Would Disenfranchise Millions of Citizens The SAVE Act would require all Americans to prove their citizenship with documentation unavailable to millions and upend the way every American citizen registers to vote. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-save-act-would-disenfranchise-millions-of-citizens/ This article contains an update. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would require all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation—in person—when registering to vote or updating their voter registration information. Specifically, the legislation would require the vast majority of Americans to rely on a passport or birth certificate to prove their citizenship. While this may sound easy for many Americans, the reality is that more than 140 million American citizens do not possess a passport and as many as 69 million women who have taken their spouse’s name do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name. Because documentation would need to be presented in person, the legislation would, in practice, prevent Americans from being able to register to vote by mail; end voter registration drives nationwide; and eliminate online voter registration overnight—a service 42 states rely on. Americans would need to appear in person, with original documentation, to even simply update their voter registration information for a change of address or change in party affiliation. These impacts alone would set voter registration sophistication and technology back by decades and would be unworkable for millions of Americans, including more than 60 million people who live in rural areas. Additionally, driver’s licenses—including REAL IDs—as well military or tribal IDs would not be sufficient forms of documentation to prove citizenship under the legislation.* In short, the SAVE Act is disastrous legislation that would drastically alter the way every American citizen registers to vote. The legislation completely disregards the resources available to most Americans as well as the reality of American women’s lives. Despite these overwhelming facts and the real possibility that millions of Americans—Republicans, Democrats, and independents—could be disenfranchised, leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives has declared that passing the legislation is one of their top priorities for the 119th Congress. Existing election integrity measures Federal law already clearly states that it is illegal for non-U.S. citizens to register to vote or cast a ballot in federal elections. It’s an existing crime that is punishable by up to five years in prison. Election officials also already use state and federal data—including citizenship data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration—to verify an individual’s eligibility to cast a ballot. What the SAVE Act would do is invert the responsibility to verify a person’s eligibility and citizenship status from election officials and the government onto American citizens. It’s also critical to note that there are already documentation requirements to be able to register to vote. As required by federal law, Americans must provide either the last four digits of their Social Security number or their driver’s license number on a voter registration application in order to provide election officials with the necessary information to verify their identity and voting eligibility. The SAVE Act seeks to upend this process and turn a relatively well-oiled system—where officials are tasked with the work of verification—and, instead, make every single American citizen put in the work, time, and resources to exercise their constitutional right to vote and convince the government that they’re eligible. Half of American citizens do not have a valid passport In addition to setting voter registration back to the preinternet era, the SAVE Act threatens the constitutional rights of American citizens, as tens of millions of citizens do not possess the documentation required under the bill. According to statements and data released by the U.S. Department of State, approximately only half of American citizens possess a passport. This means that half of all American citizens would not be able to provide one of the primary acceptable forms of documentation that would be required to register to vote under the SAVE Act. Nationwide, approximately 146 million American citizens do not possess a passport. To put that number into perspective, 153 million Americans cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential general election. Methodology Source: U.S. Department of State, "Passport Issuance by State or Territory by Fiscal Year (2020-2024)" (last accessed January 2025); U.S. Census Bureau, “Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2022,” Press release, April 2023; U.S. Department of State, “Return to Pre-Pandemic Passport Processing Times,” December 18, 2023; KFF, "Population Distribution by Citizenship Status, 2023" (last accessed January 2025).Map: Center for American Progress In seven states, less than one-third of citizens have a valid passport: West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. And only in four states do more than two-thirds of the citizens have a valid passport: New York, Massachusetts, California, and New Jersey. In West Virginia, the state with the lowest rate of citizen passport possession, only about 1 in 5 citizens—or 20.7 percent—possess this documentation. Conversely, New Jersey has the highest rate of citizen passport possession, with 4 in 5 citizens—or 80 percent—possessing a valid passport. Overall, data shows that high rates of passport ownership are predominantly concentrated in blue states, while low rates of passport ownership are overwhelmingly concentrated in red states. This means that, under the SAVE Act, it would be disproportionately more difficult for American citizens in red states to present one of the primary forms of documentation required to register to vote—and they would be disproportionately disenfranchised if the bill became law. Additionally, Americans who have completed less education as well as Americans with lower incomes are far less likely to have a passport than Americans with higher levels of education or higher income levels. Among Americans whose highest level of education is a high school degree or less, approximately 1 in 4 have a valid passport. Among Americans with a household income below $50,000, only 1 in 5 have a valid passport. The policies in the SAVE Act are a serious socioeconomic issue that would disproportionately impact the voting rights of working-class and lower-income Americans. The vast majority of married women cannot present a valid birth certificate While the vast majority of Americans have a birth certificate, tens of millions of married women could not present their birth certificate as proof of citizenship under the SAVE Act, as it does not display their current legal name. A survey from the Pew Research Center found that 79 percent of American women married to men have taken their spouse’s name. When women who have hyphenated their surname are also accounted for, 84 percent of American women have changed their surname. Nationwide, approximately 69 million women could not use their birth certificate to prove their identity or citizenship status under the SAVE Act. Additionally, 5 percent of married men have also changed their surname, accounting for approximately 4 million men nationwide who could also not present an acceptable birth certificate under the SAVE Act. The legislation does not mention the potential option for these Americans to present change-of-name documentation or a marriage certificate in combination with a birth certificate to prove their citizenship. This shows yet another area in which the legislation makes no attempts to ensure that citizens’ voting rights are protected. Seemingly, the SAVE Act would rather err on the side of disenfranchisement. Methodology Source: Luona Lin, "About 8 in 10 women in opposite-sex marriages say they took their husband’s last name," Pew Research Center, September 7, 2023; U.S. Census Bureau, "S0501: Selected Characteristics of the Native and Foreign-Born Populations, 2023: ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables" (last accessed January 2025); U.S. Census Bureau, "Number of Same-Sex Couple Households Exceeded 1 Million in 2021," November 22, 2022; Unchained At Last, "United States' Child Marriage Problem," April 2021. The same Pew survey found that the two groups of women most likely to take their spouse’s name were conservative Republican women and Republican/Republican-leaning women, while the two least-likely groups were liberal Democratic women and Democratic/Democratic-leaning women. In fact, Democratic and Democratic-leaning women are twice as likely as Republican and Republican-leaning women to have kept their maiden name, with only 7 percent of conservative Republican women reporting that they kept their last name. So while the legislation would unfairly disenfranchise women as a whole, the requirement to present a birth certificate would disproportionately disenfranchise conservative and Republican women. While the SAVE Act does not directly aim to deny millions of American women the right to vote, it certainly does not treat their right vote as sacred and remains ignorant to the fact that requirements of the legislation threaten to infringe on the voting rights of millions of Republican, Democratic, and independent women across the country. As with numerous pieces of federal legislation and policy, the impacts on women are an afterthought and their rights are viewed as inconsequential. Read the accompanying fact sheet The SAVE Act: Overview and Facts The SAVE Act: Overview and Facts Conclusion Congress has a pivotal constitutional responsibility in ensuring that all citizens can exercise their right to vote in a secure and accessible manner. Many Americans have continued to voice concerns regarding election integrity, and elected representatives should be responsive to these concerns in a manner that ensures the ballot box remains accessible for the citizens they represent. As written, the SAVE Act is irresponsible and dangerous legislation that threatens to disenfranchise millions of American citizens—Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike. The only Americans who stand to benefit from the SAVE Act are out-of-touch politicians willing to trample on the rights of millions of citizens, including their own constituents, in order to score a few political points with the media and the administration. For detailed tables including the data depicted above, please see here. *Update, February 3, 2025: The legislation states that “a form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the Real ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States” can be used to prove citizenship. However, the Real ID Act of 2005 does not include a federal requirement for Real IDs to indicate citizenship status, and no state’s Real ID indicates citizenship status on the card. Legally residing noncitizens can also get a Real ID. As it stands, this is an unworkable provision of the legislation, unless the standard for Real IDs is federally changed. Similarly, as tribal and military IDs do not indicate citizenship status, they need to be shown in conjunction with other documentation that does, meaning that alone, they do not satisfy the bill’s requirements. Methodology The U.S. State Department has published state-by-state data on passport issuance for fiscal years (FY) since 2020 and the overall number of passports issued nationwide for FYs since 1996. For FYs 2020-2024, the authors found how many passports were issued in sum for every state over that five-year period. Utilizing the same data, the authors found the average percentage of passports issued nationwide for each state over that same five-year period. For example, from FYs 2020-2024, West Virginia issued a total of 175,000 passports compared to the total 79,830,000 passports issued across all 50 states over that five-year period. This means that, on average, West Virginia issued 0.22 percent of passports nationwide over five years. Using the calculation of average share of total passports issued, the authors estimated the number of passports each state issued between FYs 2015–2019, years for which data was not reported on a state-by-state basis by the State Department. This was necessary in order to estimate the total number of valid passports in circulation, given that an adult citizen’s passport is valid for 10 years. This methodology is based on the assumption that, while volumes of passport issuance vary due to various factors (such as the decline in passport issuances during coronavirus pandemic, which still needs to be accounted for in the number of valid passports in circulation), each states’ individual shares of nationwide passport issuances should remain relatively consistent across a five-year period. In order to estimate the number of passports issued in FYs 2015–2019, the authors applied the average nationwide share for each state to the total nationwide number of passports issued as reported by the State Department for those years. For example, in FY 2019, the State Department reported that 17,794,977 passports were issued nationwide. The authors calculated that if West Virginia issued 0.22 percent of those, it would have issued 39,023 passports that FY. Data for FYs 2015–2019 was calculated using this methodology for each state in each FY. Once the total number of passports issued in each state over the last decade was calculated, the total was divided by the total reported citizen population of each state to estimate the percentage of that state’s citizen population that have a valid passport. Data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) was used to calculate each state’s total citizenship population based on the number of U.S. born citizens and the number of naturalized citizens reported for each state. As children who are citizens can get passports but there is no data publicly available to filter out the number passports issued by states to those under 18, passports issued to children are included in the data and the number of citizens also includes minors. Therefore, it is accurate based on this data to say for example, that “only 20.7 percent of West Virginia citizens possess a valid passport.” Additionally, passports issued for those under 16 years of age are valid for five years. This means that a 13-year-old with a passport could use that to register to vote for the first time at 18. Likewise, 14-, 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds issued a passport could also use that document to register to vote upon turning 18. Therefore, it is important to consider children in this passport possession data for voting purposes under the SAVE Act to some extent. To estimate the number of female citizens in each state that do not possess a birth certificate that displays their current legal name due to a marital name change, the authors needed to determine how many female citizens are currently married or have been married at some point in each state. It was important to not only account for currently married women but also separated, divorced, and widowed female citizens, as many in the later three groups do not change back their surname to their maiden name as would be displayed on their birth certificate. The authors were not able to find reliable data for how many female citizens change their surname back to their maiden name following separation, divorce, or death of their spouse. The U.S. Census Bureau’s “American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate table on the Selected Characteristics of the Native and Foreign-Born Populations” breaks down the rate of each marital categorization (never married, now married, divorced or separated, widowed) for all citizens 15 years and older by citizenship status (native-born citizens and naturalized citizens) for each state. Based on the survey, the authors calculated (1) how many currently married, divorced or separated, and widowed native-born citizens there are in each state, and (2) how many currently married, divorced or separated, and widowed naturalized citizens there are in each state. The total number of currently and previously married citizens in a state was determined by multiplying the combined percentages of married, separated, divorced and widowed populations by the total citizen population for native and for naturalized citizens separately. These were then added up. For example, in Alabama, the ACS survey reported 3,943,617 native-born citizens over the age of 15. It reported that 46.8 percent of them are married, 14.2 percent are divorced or separated, and 7 percent are widowed. This means that there are a total of 2,681,660 native-born Alabama citizens 15 years and older who are married, divorced or separated, or widowed. Similarly, the process was repeated for the 77,953 Alabama naturalized citizens using the reported percentages for each marital status category for that population. In total, this means that there are currently 2,747,062 married, divorced or separated, and widowed 15 years and older citizens in Alabama. That total figure for each state was divided by two to account for the likely number of women in that population accounting for them as one half of all marital status couples since the vast majority of U.S marriages are opposite-sex marriages. According to the Census Bureau, there were only approximately 710,000 same-sex marriages nationwide as of 2021 compared to approximately 62 million married couples nation-wide, meaning that same-sex married couples account for only 1.1 percent of married couples nationwide. For the accuracy of these estimations, therefore, all couples were assumed to be opposite-sex marriages. For the ultimate purposes of calculating the number of women who have changed their surname upon marriage, it is also accurate to account for some same-sex couples as many of them also change or hyphenate their surname. The authors then relied on findings by the Pew Research Center that found that 84 percent of women in opposite-sex marriages changed their surname after getting married (79 percent took their husband’s name and 5 percent hyphenated). The authors applied this rate to the estimated number of female citizens who are or have been married at one point in each state. For example, if there are 2,747,062 citizens 15 years and older in Alabama and half of those are female and 84 percent of those women changed their surname upon marriage, it means that there are 1,153,766 female citizens in Alabama 15 years and older who have changed their surname. This also means that there are 1,153,766 female citizens in Alabama 15 years and older who do not possess a birth certificate that displays their current legal name and could therefore not use that documentation to prove their citizenship status under the SAVE Act. While only Americans 18 years or older are able to cast a ballot, since marriages under the age of 18 make up such a small number of marriages nationwide they should be deemed statistically insignificant. As of 2021, there were approximately 300,000 married minors in the U.S. accounting for approximately just 150,000 or (0.18 percent) of the 81,772,763 married female citizens 15 years and older. Therefore, this population is a good representation of the voting-age citizen population that would not be able to use a birth certificate for voter registration purposes under the SAVE Act. Similarly, the Pew survey found that 5 percent of men took their spouse’s last name. Using the total number of estimated currently or previously married male citizens above, the authors calculated that 5 percent of that total estimated population would be approximately 4 million men.