[KRQE] EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Three people, including a police officer, are dead and at least two others injured following a high-speed Wednesday morning pursuit of an SUV carrying suspected migrant smugglers.
The pursuit ended around 3 a.m. with a crash that left multiple vehicles overturned or on their side on Juan Pablo II Boulevard overlooking the Rio Grande in Juarez, Mexico.
Chihuahua state police identified a victim as one of their own, Officer Elida Elizabeth Sariñana. The two other fatalities were occupants of the brown SUV, according to a police report obtained by Border Report.
A Mexican National Guard soldier and two civilians were injured in the crash. The report stated a state police squad car struck the SUV at high speed.
[NYPOST] How many more assaults, robberies, rapes and murders will New York's progressives let vicious street thugs and mentally ill vagrants commit?
On Friday, a homeless parolee with more than a dozen prior arrests, Lateef Green, went after an innocent straphanger with a knuckle knife and stabbed him multiple times, cops say.
Why was this guy free to roam around in search of his next victim?
Because New York's electeds love criminals more than they do law-abiding citizens.
Green had gotten sent up to Mid-State Correctional Facility in 2017 over a 2016 hate attack, in which he severely beat a man in Harlem after screaming, ''There's too many f—ts in this town.''
He was given a slap on the wrist sentence: three to six years.
[NYPOST] When you get called away from Easter dinner to wrangle an alligator, sometimes you need to use the tools you have on site, which is what one Florida gator handler did on the holiday.
Video shared with FOX Weather by Mike Dragich showed the wild Sunday encounter in Jacksonville, Florida.
He said a woman was letting her dog out when she noticed the scaly tail of the 7-foot alligator slide by her patio.
''I responded from an Easter dinner with family, and improvised using a trash can to remove the alligator from the property,'' Dragich said.
A shoeless Dragich used two trash cans to corner and trap the visibly angry and hissing alligator. After getting the gator where he needed it, Dragich brought in a larger trash can with a lid to close the case on the intruder.
The woman who called Dragich can be heard cheering him on as he avoids the reptile's snapping jaws.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/24/2025 00:00 ||
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#2
Weeks before this news broke I viewed a different Youtube video showing a man using a single large lidded trash can to capture a gator of similar size, tipping it upright, causing the gator to slide to the bottom head first. He then wheeled the bin to a nearby body of water, tipped the bin & let the gator go back where he belonged.
Over Easter weekend I camped in a tiny state park in SE Georgia. It had a large pond with signs saying gators were present. People used canoes and paddleboats on the surface, none swam in it. Park personnel told me the gators were not aggressive and only dangerous to people in the pond or standing on the shoreline. Theoretically those gators could have freely crawled out of the pond and into the campground, but staff said that's never happened.
#3
Glad didn't play for Univ. Houston!
At Folkston Georgia at the Gateway to the Okeefenokee swamp you can walk on wooden walkways about 3 feet above 12 foot gators. Used to Moonlight in the ER there as a resident; made for some interesting clinical experiences!
[VANGUARDNGR] A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday, with its impact and that of multiple aftershocks forcing thousands out onto the streets in panic across The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... 's largest city.
The quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, some very powerful, the interior minister said, although there were no reports of major damage or serious injury.
''An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul,'' Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, adding that it was felt in the surrounding provinces.
The initial quake struck at 12:49 pm (0949 GMT) at a depth of 6.92 kilometres under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, and lasted 13 seconds, he said.
''By 3:12 pm (1212 GMT), 51 aftershocks — the largest of which was 5.9 magnitude — had been recorded,'' he said.
As buildings shook, people rushed onto the streets where crowds of worried-looking people stared at their mobile phones for information or made calls, an AFP correspondent said.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/24/2025 00:00 ||
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[NYPOST] New Jersey firefighters are still battling a massive blaze in the southern part of the state, which officials say could wind up being the largest wildfire in the Garden State in the last 20 years.
The Jones Road Wildfire — which broke out Tuesday morning in Lacey and Ocean townships in Ocean County — stands at 11,500 acres (18 square miles) burned and has been 30% contained, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette told news hounds Wednesday.
It sounds like all the risk is Turkey’s, as well as almost all the reward. On the other hand, were Turkey not taking the risk, there would be no reward for Somalia to receive a tiny share of. And really, given how corrupt Somalia is, none of it would get to the peepul, even were the reward a thousand times greater.
[Garowe] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...a NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all.... member, but not the most reliable... will receive up to 90% of the revenue from oil and gas extracted from Somalia’s territorial waters under a recently disclosed agreement, sparking debate over its fairness, according to a report by Nordic Monitor published Tuesday.
The Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Agreement, signed July 19, 2024, by the Ottoman Turkish Petroleum Corporation and the Somali Petroleum Authority, grants a Ottoman Turkish company exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons in three offshore blocks spanning 15,000 square kilometers. Somalia will receive only 5% of the total revenue, per the document obtained by Nordic Monitor.
Under Article 4.7, Turkey is entitled to 90% of annual oil or gas output through a "cost petroleum" system, allowing it to recover exploration and production costs before sharing profits. Turkey will fund exploration and equipment, with Somalia as the official partner.
The revenue split has drawn sharp criticism. Somali politicians, who approved the deal earlier this year, told Nordic Monitor they did not see the official document, fueling concerns about transparency. Somali government officials have not commented on the agreement’s terms.
Economic analysts and diplomats warn the deal could jeopardize Somalia’s financial future without renegotiation, given its estimated 30 billion barrels of untapped reserves. "This risks long-term losses for Somalia," said a Nairobi-based energy consultant, speaking anonymously due to the issue’s sensitivity.
The agreement is part of broader Turkey-Somalia cooperation. A February 2024 defense and economic memorandum commits Turkey to rebuilding Somalia’s navy over 10 years, reportedly for 30% of revenue from Somalia’s exclusive economic zone. A March 7, 2024, deal in Istanbul outlined joint offshore oil and gas exploration, followed by an October 25, 2024, agreement for onshore hydrocarbon cooperation.
Turkey’s seismic vessel, Oruc Reis, began a seven-month mission off Somalia’s coast on October 25, 2024, conducting 3D surveys across the licensed blocks. Escorted by Ottoman Turkish naval frigates, the vessel has completed nearly 80% of its work, according to posts on X. Ottoman Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said preliminary data suggests significant reserves, with plans for a drill ship to follow.
Turkey’s growing role in Somalia, including operating a military base in Mogadishu and managing its port and airport, reflects strategic ambitions to tap Somalia’s resources and counter regional rivals like Æthiopia. However,
some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... Somalia’s tensions with Æthiopia over a Somaliland ...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells.... port deal and Somaliland’s ban on Ottoman Turkish vessels in its waters pose challenges.
As Turkey advances exploration, the deal’s lopsided terms continue to stir debate over Somalia’s economic illusory sovereignty.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/24/2025 00:00 ||
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[VANGUARDNGR] Niger State Governor Umar Bago has ordered the arrest of individuals sporting dreadlocks in Minna, the state capital.
The directive was issued during Tuesday's high-level stakeholders' security meeting at the Government House.
Governor Bago instructed security agencies to not only arrest those with dreadlocks but also forcibly shave their hair and impose fines on them.
''We will have zero tolerance for rascality. Anybody that you find with dreadlocks, arrest, barb the hair, and fine him,'' Bago declared.
Nobody should carry any kind of haircut inside Minna.
''Nobody should carry any kind of haircut inside Minna. I have given marching orders to security agencies.''
The meeting, attended by security operatives and traditional rulers, focused on clamping down on what the governor described as rising criminality and disorder in the state.
Bago also issued a stern warning to parents, urging them to caution their children as his administration would begin implementing stricter security policies.
''Parents should warn their children. From this moment, it's 100% fire-for-fire,'' he said. ''Also, any house found harbouring criminals should be demolished. Niger State is not for useless people.''
Among other measures announced were restrictions on commercial cycle of violences and tricycles, which are now banned from operating between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for emergency medical purposes.
The governor also directed traditional and community leaders, including district, village and ward heads, to ensure accurate documentation of all residents in their areas.
[USA Today] The return of Big Lots continues to grow.
After announcing that store openings would come in waves in 2025, nine Big Lots locations across six states reopened on April 10 and dozens more across 12 states were set to reopen May 1.
Now, more than 70 stores are planned to open across more than a dozen states on May 15, with another round of openings set to take place through early June.
The openings come months after Big Lots announced its sale to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners. As part of the deal, Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 Big Lots stores, as well as two distribution centers.
Parts of Toronto Pearson International Airport have been put on lockdown after a man was shot, with police and paramedics swarming the area.
Terminal 1 Departures at the major airport has been closed due to a 'police-involved shooting', the province's Special Investigations Unit confirmed.
They later confirmed that an adult male had been shot, adding that it was an isolated incident and there are no known threats to the public.
Images taken at the scene show a body on the ground behind a blacked out SUV outside of the terminal. Police said that the officer involved in the shooting was uninjured.
Officials have yet to provide context as to what lead up to the shooting.
CTV News spoke with witnesses who said that gunshots started ringing out just before 7am outside of the terminal.
Traveler Chris Rhind told CP24 he heard 'loud, popping noises' in the distance while grabbing his luggage, the noise caught the attention of a security guard.
Images on social media show cars backed up along the onramp to the departure area, with dozens of cop cars surrounding the airport.
Peel paramedics say they received a request to attend the airport at 6:56 a.m. and no one was transported to hospital. They would not confirm whether anyone had died.
People could also be seen abandoning their Ubers, walking away from the terminal with their luggage in hand.
Police said that those should expect delays out of Terminal 1, and travelers have been urged to contact their airline for flight statuses.
Terminal 1 is the main hub for Air Canada, and also services other airlines as well.
[Townhall] In another major shakeup within the Trump administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration... announced a sweeping reorganization of the State Department, aiming to cut over 700 positions and eliminate 132 of its 734 bureaus—a 15 percent reduction in personnel. This overhaul seeks to refocus the department on core national interests and regional diplomacy, moving away from promoting liberal ideologies. Rubio criticized certain offices for advancing left-wing agendas at taxpayer expense. The restructuring also hints at reducing or closing overseas missions and folding liberal values initiatives into regional bureaus.
On Tuesday, Rubio revealed that the overhaul would eliminate 132 domestic offices, reduce approximately 700 positions in Washington, D.C., and close offices dedicated to war crimes and global conflict. He argued that these changes are essential to improving the department’s effectiveness and ensuring its relevance. He described the current organizational structure as "bloated" and emphasized that it had a "deleterious effect" on foreign policy and the department’s overall impact.
Although no layoffs are expected immediately, a senior State Department official indicated that job losses are likely. The official described Rubio's plans as a "roadmap," with Undersecretaries of State tasked to create implementation plans within 30 days, aiming for leadership to carry out the changes by July 1. The objective is to reorganize the State Department to align with the Trump administration's agenda.
Rubio explained the changes in a post.
We are facing tremendous challenges across the globe. To deliver on President Trump’s America First foreign policy, we must make the State Department Great Again. In its current form, the Department is bloated, bureaucratic, and unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission in this new era of great power competition. Over the past 15 years, the Department’s footprint has had unprecedented growth and costs have soared. But far from seeing a return on investment, taxpayers have seen less effective and efficient diplomacy. The sprawling bureaucracy created a system more beholden to radical political ideology than advancing America’s core national interests.
Under President Trump’s leadership, we have a commander in chief committed to putting America and Americans first. As his Secretary of State, I am confident a reformed State Department will meet the moment and help make our country great once again.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was not part of the changes.
[NYPOST] OpenAI would be interested in buying Google's Chrome if antitrust enforcers are successful in forcing the Alphabet unit to sell the popular web browser as part of a bid to restore competition in search, an OpenAI executive testified on Tuesday at Google's antitrust trial in Washington.
ChatGPT head of product Nick Turley made the statement while testifying at trial in the case where U.S. Department of Justice seeks to require Google to undertake far-reaching measures restore competition in online search. The judge overseeing the trial in Washington found last year that Google has a monopoly in online search and related advertising.
Google has not offered Chrome for sale. The company plans to appeal the ruling that it holds a monopoly.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/24/2025 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[NYPOST] When you get called away from Easter dinner to wrangle an alligator, sometimes you need to use the tools you have on site, which is what one Florida gator handler did on the holiday.
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells....
...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration...
