Mississippi Supreme Court shuts down teen's bid for masculine name amid gender transition

The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled this week that a 16-year-old biological female undergoing gender transition procedures cannot legally change her name to a more masculine one.

In an 8–1 decision issued April 17, the state’s highest court sided with a lower court judge who previously denied the teen's request, concluding that Mississippi law gives judges discretion over name changes for minors and that such changes must clearly serve the best interests of the child.

The minor, identified in court documents as S.M.-B., first petitioned for a name change through her mother in July 2023. The request, which was uncontested and had the support of the teen’s father as well, was part of her gender transition.

“She identified as a male, and would like to be known as a male … through school, through college, preparing for college and so forth,” the attorney stated during the hearing, according to the Supreme Court’s opinion.

But Judge Tametrice Hodges denied the request later that month, ruling the teen should “mature” further before the court considers such a change. She dismissed the petition without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled later.

#USA #Trans #FindTruth

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US forges ahead with plans for steep port fees on China-built vessels

The Trump administration is forging ahead with plans to charge steep fees on Chinese-built ships for stopping at US ports in an effort to revive its shipbuilding industry, but scaled back the penalties after warnings about the impact on consumers.

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) significantly watered down original plans from February, under which vessels built in China would be charged $3.5m each time they docked at a US port.

Those proposals prompted a backlash from US domestic industries, which warned the port charges would increase prices for American consumers, and sent a wave of concern through the global shipping industry.

The USTR said it would start charging port fees in 180 days, and they would rise incrementally over the coming years.

Under the new rules, Chinese-linked ships will be charged fees linked to the weight of their cargo or the number of containers on board, rather than according to how many US ports they call at.

#USA #China #Ships #FindTruth

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Call for French university chief to go after professor targeted by ‘anti-racist students’

Academics have called for the resignation of the president of France’s University of Lyon 2, Isabelle von Bueltzingsloewen, over her treatment of a professor targeted by “anti-racist and anti colonial students”.

“Fabrice Balanche, a senior lecturer and recognised specialist in Syria and the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East, has been the target of a violent smear campaign orchestrated by a group of students calling themselves anti-racist activists,” claimed the academics in an open letter published on April 18 by Le Figaro, signatories of which included former French education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.

“Criticising him for his alleged support of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, as well as his allegedly ‘Islamophobic’ positions, these students demanded his eviction from the university, going so far as to publish defamatory visuals and disrupt his teaching,” they added.

“The president of Lyon-2 University cannot remain in office after such a denial of the fundamental principles of the University Republic. We demand her resignation,” they wrote.

At the beginning of April, masked activists, members of the the student-led group autonome Lyon 2, burst into a lecture hall where Balanche was giving a class, forcing him to leave the premises amid cries of “Zionist”, “racist” and “Islamophobe”.

#France #University #FindTruth

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Sahara. Arab smugglers lead through the desert Africans who want to get to Europe

On the video - the moment of a rest stop, half-obscured by the sand sleeping, they are still alive. Those who reach the shores of the Mediterranean Sea will end up in Spain or Italy. Then everywhere else.

The Arabs themselves ride in jeeps, the “tourists” walk.

#Africa #Migrants #FindTruth

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Germany cuts economic growth forecast to zero for 2025

Germany's outgoing government has cut its economic growth forecast for 2025 to 0%, down from 0.3% in January - Handelsblatt

If the data is confirmed, it will be the third consecutive year without growth - the first in Germany's modern history.

#Germany #Economy #FindTruth

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China plastic plants face closure risk as tariffs hit US ethane

Chinese plastics factories that depend on a gas they mainly import from the US are contending with the prospect of shutdowns as the world’s two largest economies bunker down for a prolonged trade war.

The world’s dominant plastics manufacturer gets almost all its ethane, a petrochemical feedstock that is also a component of natural gas, from the US, according to analysts. Eye-watering tariffs on American goods mean plants that cannot process substitute raw materials will bleed money.

“The situation is dire for China’s ethane crackers as they have no alternative to US supply,” said Manish Sejwal, an analyst at Rystad Energy, using an industry term for such facilities. “Unless they are granted tariff exemptions, they may have to stop production or close shop.”

Most so-called crackers in China use naphtha as a feedstock, with processors that solely use ethane as raw material for petrochemicals making up is less than 10% of the total at about four million tonnes, according to Rystad. China is by far the biggest buyer of American supply.

#USA #China #TradeWar #FindTruth

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Nearly 300 scientists apply for French academic program to study gender and history amid Trump cuts in U.S.

A French university courting U.S.-based academics said it has already received nearly 300 applications for researchers seeking "refugee status" amid President Trump's elimination of funding for several scientific programs.

Last month, Aix-Marseille University, one of the country's oldest and largest universities, announced it was accepting applications for its Safe Place For Science program, which it said offers "a safe and stimulating environment for scientists wishing to pursue their research in complete freedom."

Last week, Aix-Marseille said it had received 298 applications, and 242 of them are eligible and currently up for review. Of the eligible applicants, 135 are American, 45 have a dual nationality, 17 are French and 45 are from other countries, the university said. Of the 298 scientists who applied to the University of Marseille most were specialized in gender and history.

#USA #France #Gender #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Trump now says China tariffs will come down

President Donald Trump on Tuesday conceded that the 145% tax Americans currently pay for most imported goods from China will come down as a result of trade talks between Washington and Beijing.

Speaking in the Oval Office after a brief swearing-in ceremony for Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins, Trump said talks with China were “doing fine” because “everybody wants to have involvement” in American markets. He also claimed that both he and Chinese representatives would be “very nice” in any upcoming talks but maintained that Beijing would ultimately be forced to come to some sort of agreement to bring down the massive tariffs.

“Ultimately, they have to make a deal, because otherwise they're not going to be able to deal in the United States, and we want them involved, but they have to, and other countries have to make a deal, and if they don't make a deal, we'll set the deal,” he said.

#USA #China #TradeWar #FindTruth

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Tesla stock pops after-hours as Musk's promise to cut DOGE time

Tesla, Inc.'s (TSLA) stock jumped over 5% after the closing bell on Tuesday despite a big quarterly earnings miss as investor hopes were rekindled by CEO Elon Musk’s promise to refocus on his business.

Musk, who has been spending more time as part of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Washington, D.C., said his work outside of Tesla remained “critical.”

“Because if the ship of America goes down, we all go down with it, including Tesla and everyone else,” he said. However, he added that starting "probably next month ... my time allocation at DOGE will drop significantly."

Musk's comments overshadowed the company's disappointing Q1 print that revealed a 71% plunge in profit to $0.27 per share and a 9% drop in revenue to $19.34 billion, both missing Wall Street estimates by a wide margin.

Looking ahead, Tesla reaffirmed plans to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, by June and volume production starting next year.

#Tesla #Musk #DOGE #FindTruth

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Klaus Schwab steps down from WEF board amid globalist retreat

Klaus Schwab, the architect of the World Economic Forum's dystopian agenda, announced he was stepping down from the WEF board. It marks the end of an era for Schwab, who championed radical wokeness, bug eating, mass vaccination campaigns, population control, and climate de-growth policies through what often resembled digital communism—social credit scores, central bank digital currencies, and many more China-like policies. 

Meanwhile, cultural shifts across the Americas signal a rising movement toward traditional values, sending the WEF's ideological woke grip on governments, non-government organizations, corporations, the church, and society into disarray.

"Following my recent announcement, and as I enter my 88th year, I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect," Schwab wrote in a statement.

Schwab stepped down as executive chairman one year ago, with former Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende taking over daily operations. WEF said Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe was appointed board chairman in the interim and that a search committee for replacement had been appointed.

#WEF #Schwab #FindTruth

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Chinese humanoid robots get reality check in half-marathon debut

Six out of 21 Chinese robots completed the world’s first half marathon (21.1 kilometres) for humanoid robots in Beijing on April 19, with the winner setting a record time of 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Over 12,000 people participated in the marathon on the same day, and the human winner reached the endpoint in 1 hour and 2 minutes.

The Tien Kung Ultra robot, developed by X-Humanoid, a Beijing-based state-owned enterprise, won the race for humanoid robots. It is 1.8 meters tall and weighs 52 kilograms.

The first runner-up, Noetix Robotics’ N2, finished the half-marathon in 3 hours 37 minutes. It is 1.2 meters tall, weighs 29 kilograms, and wears children’s trainers.

The second runner-up, DroidUp’s X02, finished the race in 4 hours and 50 minutes. It wears boxing gloves.
An unofficial team entered the competition using a Unitree G2 robot, but the robot fell at the starting point and became a talking point of the event.

#China #Robots #FindTruth

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Sweden moves to criminalize virginity testing and certificates

The Government and the Sweden Democrats are now taking the next step to criminalize virginity testing.

Those who perform a virginity control or intervention are proposed to be sentenced to imprisonment for up to one year, and those who issue a virginity certificate can be punished with fines or imprisonment for up to six months.

The controls are performed despite it being impossible to determine whether a girl or woman has had sexual intercourse through a medical examination. However, the consequences of these "examinations" can be significant.

The governing parties believe that one should be punishable even if there is consent from the girl or woman. They assess that the risk is high that the girl or woman has agreed to it due to fear or concern about the consequences of saying no.

The controls can be performed, for example, prior to a marriage. They are carried out by healthcare professionals, relatives, religious leaders, or others with a special position within their own group. The abuses can occur in Sweden, but also in connection with visits abroad.

#Sweden #Health #FindTruth

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Criticism of Bundestag President Klöckner from SPD and Greens

In recent discussions, members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens have voiced strong objections to the remarks made by Bundestag President Julia Klöckner regarding the political involvement of churches in Germany. Klöckner's comments, which accused religious institutions of issuing politicized statements, have sparked significant backlash.

Greens' parliamentary leader emphasized the importance of the church's voice in addressing pressing global issues, including social justice and humanitarian concerns.

Furthermore, Ralf Stegner from the SPD criticized Klöckner's approach, interpreting it as a form of authoritarian reprimand aimed at the churches.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser also joined the chorus of criticism, underscoring the need for an inclusive dialogue that allows religious groups to contribute to important societal discussions.

The tension surrounding this issue highlights a broader debate in Germany about the intersection of religion and politics, particularly in a democratic society where the voices of various stakeholders, including religious ones, are essential for comprehensive discourse.

#Germany #Bundestag #SPD #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

China's rare earth monopoly is diminishing

Up until 2010, precious rare earths important in the production of microchips, electronics and electric motors were almost exclusively sourced in China. In recent years, several nations have picked up production again while new players entered the market, diversifying it at least to some degree.

Yet, China was still responsible for almost 70% of global production in 2024. But since many countries are wary of depending on China, especially when it comes to technology products, nations with rare earth deposits are likely to exploit them further. The U.S., however, is still shipping its rare earths to China for processing, resulting in 70 percent of U.S. rare earth imports coming from the country. Significant domestic refining capabilities have still not been developed, as issues like labor costs pose hurdles.

China also has the largest know deposits of rare earths, but Brazil, Vietnam and Russia also have a lot of (largely) untapped potential in the sector. The United States and Australia ramped up production of rare earths after 2010 and Myanmar, Thailand and most recently Nigeria also started to mine considerable amounts.

#USA #China #RareEarth #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

New 3500% tariffs on solar panels and related equipment

The U.S. Department of Commerce slapped high tariffs on solar panels and their related products coming from four Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, accusing manufacturers there of dumping products on the U.S. market.

Tariff levels varied wildly between different countries and manufacturers. Solar cells made in Malaysia by Korean company Hanwha only got a tariff of 14.64%, the lowest imposed.

In contrast, four manufacturers in Cambodia—Hounen Solar, Jintek Photovoltaic, ISC Cambodia, and Solar Long PV Tech—got tariffs of 3,521.14%. The Southeast Asian country stopped cooperating with the U.S. probe, leading to such high penalties. While Cambodia is still primarily an agrarian economy, solar panels were the Southeast Asian country’s top export to the U.S. last year.

Chinese-owned solar manufacturing facilities have popped up across Southeast Asia as companies sought to navigate U.S.-China trade frictions. In total, the U.S. imported $12.9 billion worth of solar equipment from the four countries targeted by Monday’s tariffs, representing about 77% of module imports.

U.S. solar manufacturers lobbied for antidumping tariffs on Southeast Asian manufacturers, accusing them of pricing their products below production cost. The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee also argued that Southeast Asian companies received an unfair level of subsidies, making U.S.-made solar panels uncompetitive.

#USA #TradeWar #FindTruth

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Trump slams Zelensky for rejecting Ukraine-Russia negotiations

President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of derailing negotiations to end the war in Ukraine while a peace deal was “very close.”

Trump has slammed President Zelensky in a Wednesday post on Truth Social, saying of the Ukrainian leader, "if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired"... and "He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country."

The fiery denunciation appears in direct response to Zelensky the day prior rejecting Washington demands that Ukraine be ready to formally recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea. Trump continued, "It's inflammatory statements like Zelensky’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about!"

#USA #Ukraine #Trump #FindTruth

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After militant attack in Kashmir, Pakistan braces for strike by India

The Pakistani government struck a measured tone after militants killed more than two dozen Indian civilians in Kashmir on Tuesday, insisting that it has no interest in seeing tensions with India escalate.

But across Pakistan, people are watching with growing concern as Indian officials hint at the possibility of military strikes, and the television airwaves have been filled with defense analysts warning of unpredictable consequences if hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors intensify.

The Indian government has not officially identified any group as being behind the attack in a scenic tourist area of Indian-administered Kashmir. But it announced a flurry of punitive measures against Pakistan on Wednesday, including the suspension of a critical water treaty, in answer to what it said was Pakistan’s support of terrorist attacks inside India.

After the Indian announcement, Pakistan said the National Security Committee, the country’s highest decision-making forum on security and foreign policy, is to formulate a response.

Kashmir is a region both countries claim and have fought wars over.

#India #Pakistan #FindTruth

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US court keeps Trump tariffs in force against group of small businesses

A U.S. federal court on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump's tariffs against a group of small businesses to remain in force for now, saying the businesses had not shown they would immediately be harmed by new taxes on imports.

A group of five companies sued the Trump administration last week, in one of five lawsuits arguing that the president had overstepped his authority when he imposed sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners.

One of the plaintiffs, MicroKits, an educational electronic kits maker, said that it may have to pause operations “in about seven weeks” once it runs out of parts, which it normally imports from China.

In a brief two-page order, the court’s three-judge panel declined to issue a restraining order on the grounds that the plaintiffs had not shown they would face irreparable harm if the tariffs were implemented.

#USA #Tariffs #FindTruth

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Klaus Schwab’s WEF replacement revealed, and he’s even more evil…

Klaus Schwab, the German economist who spent over five decades leading the World Economic Forum, announced his resignation as chair of the board of trustees on April 21. His replacement, former Nestlé CEO Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, a longstanding advocate of corporate control over basic resources such as water, has intensified fears among critics who argue his appointment signals the WEF’s unwavering commitment to a centralized, globalist agenda that threatens individual freedoms.

The interim chair’s first actions underscore the continuity of Schwab’s vision. Brabeck-Letmathe is infamous for declaring in 2018: “Water is not a human right, but a commodity” — a stance that sparked global outrage. At Nestlé, he oversaw policies prioritizing corporate water usage rights over community access, including lobbying against municipal water protections during droughts.

Activists and libertarians argue Brabeck-Letmathe’s elevation positions the WEF as a vehicle for further consolidating control over resources through centralized global governance. While the WEF claims its mission is “to improve the state of the world,” critics note Brabeck-Letmathe’s track record offers little comfort, including his advocacy for strict regulatory oversight over personal water use, effectively systematizing scarcity.

Supporters praised Brabeck-Letmathe’s experience in navigating corporate-government collaboration, but dissenters argue his interim role distracts from urgent issues like supply chain ethics.

#WEF #Schwab #BrabeckLetmathe #FindTruth

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NASA rover discovers out-of-place 'Skull' on Mars, and scientists are baffled

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has come across several unusual rocks that don't seem to be in their original place.

Perseverance is currently searching for signs of ancient life in the hills and rocky outcrops along the rim of the Jezero Crater — a barren, bowl-shaped depression north of the Martian equator that scientists suspect held a huge lake billions of years ago. Since December 2024, the rover has been trekking down a tall slope called Witch Hazel Hill, which scientists hope will provide clues about Mars' past climate.

On April 11, Perseverance paused at a visually distinct geological boundary where light and dark rock outcrops meet. Here, one particular rock, which scientists nicknamed "Skull Hill," stood out against the surrounding light-toned, rock-riddled surface due to its dark color, angular shape and pitted texture, according to a NASA blog post.

"We've found a few of these dark-toned floats in the Port Anson region," the post noted. "The team is working to better understand where these rocks came from and how they got here."

#Space #NASA #FindTruth

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China says it is open to resuming trade talks with the USA

#USA #China #Economy #FindTruth

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