Texas Lottery’s top executive Ryan Mindell resigns as scrutiny over big jackpot winners intensifies

The executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission has resigned, the latest shake-up at the state’s retail gambling enterprise amid multiple investigations into jackpots in 2023 and earlier this year totaling nearly $200 million, and calls from some lawmakers to shut it down.

The lottery announced Ryan Mindell’s resignation on Monday without comment.

A former deputy director and operations director at the lottery, Mindell had held the top job for only about a year following the abrupt resignation of his predecessor.

He leaves as the agency faces at least two investigations ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton into the integrity of the lottery prizes, and how the state handled the introduction of courier companies that buy and send tickets on behalf of customers online.

The Texas lottery was established in 1991 and sends a portion of its annual revenue to public education. In 2024, that meant about $2 billion sent to the state’s public school fund.

But two of the biggest jackpots in agency history prompted flares of scrutiny and criticism from media, lawmakers and state officials who question whether they were fairly won and if courier companies should be allowed.

#USA #Mindell #FindTruth

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'Squad' Dem says Trump may jail people 'for practicing diversity' after visiting ICE-detained students

A Democrat in the House of Representatives' progressive "Squad" is arguing that the Trump administration could soon jail people in the U.S. for a variety of non-criminal reasons, seemingly regardless of their legal status.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., made the comments after visiting college students Rumeysa Ozturk and Mahmoud Khalil. Both are being held at an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility after being accused of espousing pro-Hamas beliefs. Neither are U.S. citizens, though both are in the country legally; Khalil is a legal permanent resident, and Ozturk is on a student visa.

"If people are tempted to marginalize and ‘other’ who this could happen to, again, in Donald Trump's America, this could be you. This could be you, for some, for a miscarriage. This could be you for practicing diversity, equity and inclusion. This could be you for reading a banned book," Pressley said in a press conference after the event.

"It is acutely about Mahmood and Rumeysa, because those are some of the most high-profile cases, but it has implications for every single person who calls this country home."

#USA #ICE #Democrats #FindTruth

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Trump to sign orders to block DEI-based school discipline

The executive orders President Donald Trump is set to sign on Wednesday include an order to ensure school discipline policies are not based on DEI and an order restricting the use of disparate-impact liability legal theory.

A White House document states that Trump’s expected education order aims to bolster classroom safety and order by ensuring disciplinary policies are based on a student’s behavior rather than “DEI” policy.

“The Order requires new guidance to local and state educational agencies regarding school discipline, emphasizing compliance with Title VI protections against racial discrimination and preferencing,” the document notes.

“It calls for appropriate action against educational agencies that fail to comply with Title VI by continuing to use racially preferential discipline practices,” the document adds.

#USA #DEI #Trump #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Xiaomi delays release of first SUV after fatal road accident

Xiaomi Corporation pushed back the debut of its first sport utility vehicle following a fatal accident involving its marquee electric car, a blow to its ambitions to put pressure on Tesla and BYD.

The Chinese company will not start selling the YU7 electric SUV in June or July, its original target, and a new launch date has not been confirmed. It also scrapped an unveiling of the YU7 at this week’s Shanghai auto show. The Beijing-based electronics giant also rescheduled its annual investor day to June from late April.

The delay sets back Xiaomi’s $10 billion EV project, which billionaire co-founder and Chairman Lei Jun has described as his last startup endeavor. The company has released just one EV model and an expansion into SUVs would bolster its effort to go after more established rivals such as Tesla and BYD in the world’s largest car market.

The police are investigating a March 29 accident in Anhui, eastern China, in which three women traveling in a Xiaomi SU7 sedan died after the car — which had the autopilot function turned on — crashed into concrete fencing and caught on fire on an expressway.

#China #Xiaomi #EV #FindTruth

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UK to greenlight experiments to "dim the sun"

Experiments to dim sunlight to fight global warming will be given the green light by the Government within weeks.

Outdoor field trials which could include injecting aerosols into the atmosphere, or brightening clouds to reflect sunshine, are being considered by scientists as a way to prevent runaway climate change.

Aria, the Government’s advanced research and invention funding agency, has set aside £50 million for projects, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Prof Mark Symes, the programme director for Aria (Advanced Research and Invention Agency), said there would be “small controlled outdoor experiments on particular approaches”.

Geoengineering projects which seek to artificially alter the climate have proven controversial, with critics arguing they could bring damaging knock-on effects, as well as being an unhelpful distraction from lowering emissions.

#UK #Experiments #FindTruth

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Thousands sign petition for women-only compartments on Berlin metro

A petition for compartments for women only on Berlin’s public transport network has received more than 15,000 signatures in just nine days.

The signatories appealed to the State-owned Berlin Transport Company (BVG) to designate areas on trains, trams and buses just for so-called “Flintas”, a progressive German acronym encompassing women, lesbians and trans people.

The petition was launched on April 14 by Alex Born, a self-described feminist punk-rock musician, after she witnessed a man covertly photographing a girl on a metro train.

The petitioners suggested establishing the special compartments using purple seats in the rear areas of vehicles “where abusive men often sit”.

A BVG spokesperson insisted current safety measures were sufficient, adding: “If you need help you can always talk directly to our employees using the emergency call points.”

#Germany #BVG #FindTruth

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EC ‘will defend in court’ its combined €700m fines on Apple and Meta

The European Commission says it is prepared to defend the fines imposed on Apple and Facebook owner Meta.

On April 23, the EC announced it would fine Apple and Meta with €500 million and €200 million, respectively.

If the firms launched a legal challenge, an EC spokesman said: “We will defend our case in court if we get there … we are ready to fight in court and to win.”

The fines were the first imposed by the EC under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), legislation aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech.

The decision came after a year-long investigation by the EU executive into whether the companies complied with the DMA and “to what extent and for how long they breach it”, said  the EC spokesman.

#EU #EC #BigTech #FindTruth

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Turkey’s bold energy expansion threatens western dominance

In a bold move to undermine Western economic hegemony, Turkey is advancing aggressive oil and gas exploration projects across Bulgaria, Iraq, and Libya, challenging the status quo of global energy trade and aligning itself with geopolitical rivals.

Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on Monday that Turkey aims to exploit its strategic position as a gateway between Europe and the Middle East, leveraging new deals to reduce reliance on U.S.-sanctioned energy systems.

State-owned Turkiye Petrolleri AO (TPAO), Turkey’s leading energy firm, is reportedly set to sign an agreement with a foreign partner within weeks, intensifying competition with existing projects like Shell’s block in Bulgarian waters. By diversifying Black Sea holdings and boosting domestic production from its Sakarya gas field Turkey aims to corner energy exports to break EU reliance on Russian pipelines and American fracking.

Libya, home to Africa’s largest oil reserves, has become a battleground for nations rejecting Western exploitation. After 17 years of instability — thanks in large part to NATO’s 2011 intervention — Libya is reopening its energy sector with Turkey at the forefront.

As Turkey charts a path toward energy sovereignty, the question lingers: Will the destabilization of global oil markets ignite a cascading collapse of U.S.-led economic frameworks, or will Ankara overextend its grasp into the sands of conflict? In this high-stakes chess match, control over hydrocarbons isn’t merely about profit — it’s about whose flag flies over the new world order.

#Turkey #EU #NATO #FindTruth

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All the things people use AI for in 2025

Whether AI will re-shape the economy entirely still remains to be seen. But there’s no denying that most people are familiar with, and are actively using AI.

What are they using it for now?

Marc Zao-Sanders examined thousands of forum posts over the last year in a follow-up to his 2024 analysis.

People are using AI for support (both professional and personal) in 2025. The top three use cases (therapy, life organization, and finding purpose) all show that AI can assist humans in managing both emotions and their life.

And aside from therapy, these were not the top uses in 2024: which revolved around idea generation and search.

Speaking of AI search, its popularity has fallen 10 spots. People are still interested in learning and making AI explain concepts or add context for them. But they’re not actively looking up information as much.

Experts say they can see AI’s usefulness for teaching mindfulness or cognitive behavioral therapy to users.

However, the problem occurs when AI is used as a replacement for actual human relationships, preventing deeper human connections, in turn exacerbating loneliness.

#AI #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Lancaster mayor defends controversial comments on giving the homeless free fentanyl

Comments made by the Lancaster mayor at a recent city meeting over the growing homeless crisis are sparking controversy. He said he wants to give the homeless free fentanyl.

"What I want to do is give them free fentanyl. That's what I want to do," Mayor R. Rex Parris said at the February meeting. "Do what?" an audience member addressing city officials replied.

"I want to give them free fentanyl," the mayor emphasized.

A video of that exchange at the meeting has been circulating online, stirring massive controversy.

"I mean, I thought people were intelligent enough to understand that it was a metaphor," Parris said in an interview with Eyewitness News. "But I don't regret saying it. It's brought attention to the problem. Hard-working families cannot be safe as long as California continues to empty their prisons and make these people homeless."

#USA #Lancaster #FindTruth

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Global crop failures and trade wars threaten mass famine by 2025, researcher warns

Climate researcher David DuByne has issued a dire warning: a "perfect storm" of extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, and escalating trade wars could plunge the world into severe food shortages by summer 2025. In an exclusive interview with Mike Adams of Brighteon.com, DuByne revealed AI-driven forecasts predicting catastrophic losses in rice, wheat, and corn—staples that feed billions.

DuByne, founder of Adapt 2030, emphasized that geopolitical tensions are strangling global trade. "Factories in Asia are shutting down overnight," he said. "Farmers won’t get spare parts, fertilizers, or seeds. This isn’t incompetence—it’s systemic sabotage."

His AI forecasts reveal alarming declines: Rice (3–5% shortfall), wheat/corn (4–5.5%), and oats (5–7%). Price spikes of 25–40% could trigger riots in impoverished nations.

DuByne advises growing food (Victory Gardens), stockpiling tools, and bartering skills. Adams warns of hyperinflation and supply chain collapse, urging self-reliance before 2025’s crisis hits.

#World #Climate #FindTruth

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Stop all federal funding of universities

By Connor O’Keeffe

The Trump administration has found itself in a dispute with Harvard University. It began when the President’s team sent several Ivy League universities a list of changes they expected the schools to make.

The move is part of a new right-wing strategy which recognizes that we currently live under a vague, necessarily politicized system of civil rights law.

By threatening to withhold federal funds, the administration was able to get schools like Columbia University to agree to enact changes like banning masks, granting campus police more powers, and appointing an administrator to oversee the Middle East Studies Department with the authority to crack down on rhetoric about Israel that the administration considers antisemitic.

Harvard, however, refused to abide by the administration’s demands. As a result, Trump froze a little over $2 billion in federal funds going to the school last week and announced plans to freeze an additional $1 billion—all while threatening to withhold all $9 billion the Ivy League school receives from the federal government each year.

The showdown is largely being framed as either a battle to protect academic freedom from an authoritarian president or an overdue effort to rescue one of the nation’s oldest universities from the radical far-left administrators leading it off course.

Full story

#USA #Trump #Harvard #FindTruth

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U.S. policies driving central banks to gold, views on the dollar divided – HSBC

The Trump administration’s economic and trade policies have emerged as the number-one threat to the stability of central banks around the world, according to a new report from HSBC.

The annual HSBC Reserve Management Trends report includes contributions from 91 central banks representing over $7.1 trillion of global reserves.

It showed that the United States is now seen as the biggest downside risk to central banks worldwide.

The report also showed diverging attitudes and approaches to the U.S. dollar: “while de-dollarisation, it appears, is widely perceived to be gradually advancing, the number of central banks increasing their dollar investments is greater than those reducing them,” they said.

At the same time, 54% of participating central banks said they plan to increase their FX and gold reserves. And while gold prices are continuing to set new all-time highs on a near-weekly basis, relatively few central banks see high bullion prices as a barrier, with 37% of respondents saying they plan to increase their gold allocations in the next year. “For most of those planning to do so, gold is viewed as a portfolio diversifier,” the report said. “Many also see it as a long-term store of value, a good performer during times of crisis, and a geopolitical diversifier.”

#USA #Gold #Banks #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Democrats try to rewrite history of Biden’s presidency

The infirmity of President Joe Biden during his time in office is one of the biggest scandals in American political history. Yet, despite the scale of the coverup, the biggest fiasco of the Biden presidency was not his poor health and mental state. It was how his administration fully leaned into the “great awokening” despite his campaign message of returning to normalcy.

A report from The New York Times on Tuesday highlighted how Biden ultimately ceded ground to his left flank on issues such as forcing schools to allow men in women’s sports with little opposition despite his trepidation. The former president, who ran as some kind of moderate, barely performed the function of a speed bump to the Left’s desires.

They flooded the country with illegal aliens, completely circumventing the laws of our nation and creating a ginormous mess for the succeeding regime to deal with. They pushed DEI into the government. They forced transgender insanity onto K-12 campuses and Easter was used to celebrate a “Trans Day of Visibility.”

The media’s gaslighting and Democrat denials about Biden’s health were not the only problem, they were symptoms of a larger issue of America’s elite institutional corruption. Now that the corruption has been exposed to the American people, they are desperately trying to rewrite history.

#USA #Democrats #Biden #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Golden Crop Candy recalled because of undeclared and unallowed colors

Blooming Import Inc., of Brooklyn, NY, is recalling 74 cases of Golden Crop Candy (10 oz. wrapped candies) because they contain undeclared and unallowed colors, specifically Blue 1, Red 40 and Acid Red 18.

The recall was initiated on March 5, 2025, and remains ongoing, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The affected products were distributed to stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Missouri, Delaware and Texas.

The recall is classified as Class II, indicating a low risk of serious health consequences, though temporary or reversible effects may occur. As of the posting of this recall, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this issue.

Consumers are urged not to consume the recalled candies and should discard the product or return it to the place of purchase. Businesses should cease selling or distributing the affected products and check their inventories for the specified UPC code.

#USA #FDA #FindTruth

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PA bill passes exempting farmers from unemployment tax for migrants

A bill that would change Pennsylvania tax law for farmers to mirror current federal policy has passed through the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

House Bill 1157 would spare farmers from paying unemployment taxes for migrant workers with H-2A visas, as these workers are not eligible to receive unemployment benefits. It would also free workers from having part of their pay docked to go toward the state’s unemployment fund.

Since farms across the state are so dependent on migrant work for their operations, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Christina Sappey D-Kennett Square, says it will save Pennsylvania farmers thousands of dollars annually in unnecessary tax payments.

The bill received broad bipartisan support, passing the committee 23-3.

#USA #Migrants #FindTruth

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Ed Miliband embroiled in new Drax greenwashing row... over a town in Mississippi, U.S.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has been accused by US activists of being complicit in the pollution of a town in Mississippi by handing billions in taxpayer cash to a UK power firm that they claim is harming the health of residents.

Drax Group operates a power plant in Selby, North Yorkshire, that generates electricity by burning wood pellets. Many of these are sourced from forests in the US and shipped to the UK.

Activists from Gloster in Mississippi, where Drax runs a wood pellet factory, say pollution from its plant has caused health issues for people nearby, including heart disease, cancer and respiratory problems. Drax burns millions of tons of wood pellets each year.

The company has received billions in green energy subsidies from the Government. In February, Miliband agreed to hand the group another £2 billion in taxpayer cash over four years.

The complaints, which activists will raise at the Drax annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, threaten to embarrass Miliband, who prides himself on his green credentials.

#USA #UK #Energy #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

New York Times downplays pilot error in deadly D.C. crash to push preferred narrative

New York Times is running interference and burying the real story to protect their preferred narrative. An article headlined "Missteps, Equipment Problems and a Common but Risky Practice Led to a Fatal Crash," which is about January's devastating crash at Reagan National Airport, is a textbook example of mainstream media malpractice.

The liberal paper of record spent roughly a thousand words dancing around the obvious truth: A helicopter pilot directly caused this tragedy by ignoring multiple explicit warnings. But that wouldn't fit their preferred story about "systemic failures," would it?

The Times buried deep in their article: The Black Hawk pilot received clear, explicit warnings about altitude from her co-pilot. The co-pilot explicitly instructed her to turn away from the passenger jet. She ignored those warnings and flew straight into the path of an American Airlines flight.

But instead of leading with these crucial facts, the Times gives us a meandering story about "visual separation procedures" and "aviation practices." Classic mainstream media sleight-of-hand — when the facts don't fit your preferred narrative, bury them under a mountain of context and systemic analysis.

As we know, the liberal media immediately claimed that FAA cuts created the environment for the crash to happen.

#USA #PlaneCrash #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

RFK Jr. weighs removal of COVID-19 vaccine from childhood immunization schedule

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly considering a significant change to the U.S. government’s pediatric vaccination policy, including the potential removal of the COVID-19 vaccine from the official childhood immunization schedule.

Sources familiar with ongoing discussions report that while deliberations are still underway, the proposal would eliminate the coronavirus vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s childhood vaccination guidance. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon confirmed that “no final decision has been made.”

Currently, the CDC recommends one or more doses of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months to 18 years. For children between 6 months and 4 years, guidance calls for two Moderna doses or three Pfizer-BioNTech doses.

Kennedy’s potential move comes amid broader scrutiny of vaccine efficacy and safety.

#USA #RFKJr #COVID #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Russia acknowledges the North Korean military is fighting on its side

Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov has praised the contribution made by North Korean servicemen in helping liberate Kursk Region from Ukrainian forces. He cited their “resilience and heroism” during the operation, which Moscow has hailed as a major success in its campaign against Kyiv’s forces.

“The DPRK military, acting shoulder to shoulder with the Russian military in Kursk Region, showed resilience and heroism,” Gerasimov said during a report to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.

Gerasimov said North Korean troops were taking part in the liberation of Russia’s Kursk Region under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang, which came into force last December. The treaty provides for mutual military assistance in the event of an attack, pledging immediate support “by all means available” under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The agreement’s implementation followed claims by the US and other Kyiv backers that Pyongyang had sent some 12,000 troops to Russia for training and potential deployment in the Ukraine conflict. At the time, Moscow and Pyongyang neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Putin said it was up to the two nations to determine how they fulfill their obligations under the pact.

#Russia #DPRK #WarInUkraine #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

"Together we rise": Conor Mcgregor wants his country back

A massive anti-immigration protest unfolded in the city streets of the Dublin City Centre on Saturday as public concerns surrounding mass migration backfired.

The Irish Alliance is one of the groups behind the demonstration and shared footage of UFC legend Conor McGregor at the Parnell Square site ahead of the protest.

McGregor also shared a video on X, stating, "Together we rise. Together we win. God bless us all. God bless Ireland."

Local media outlets said several thousand people turned out for the anti-immigration protest, while X videos show anti-immigration protesters were significantly higher.

“More than 100,000 Irish patriots just conquered Dublin in one of the biggest Protests Ireland has ever seen,” one user posted on X.

#Ireland #Mcgregor #FindTruth

@uinhurricane