University Protest: Biden supports 'freedom of expression', but will denounce the violence

University protest

American Universities have become a flashpoint for debate in the United States with an university protest movement across the country calling for an end to the war and more generally the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories, with the right accusing demonstrators of anti-Semitism.

Strong tensions

“The president believes that freedom of expression, debate and non-discrimination on university campuses are important,” declared his spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre during a press briefing at the White House.

Due of large University protest, tensions remain high in certain American universities, notably in New York and more widely on the east coast of the United States, after at the call of their leaders, the police arrested a number of students opposed to the conflict which is ravaging the Gaza strip.

“We think it is important that people can express themselves peacefully. But in the event of hateful rhetoric, in the event of violence, we must denounce it,” a White House spokesperson said on Wednesday, April 24.

Students denounce the United States' extensive military and diplomatic support for Israel

Candidate for re-election in November against Donald Trump, the Democratic president is himself torn between this support for Israel and the anger of part of the left-wing electorate, particularly among young people.

Joe Biden promulgated a major aid plan this Wednesday, particularly for Israel. This plan also includes billions of dollars to respond to the "urgent need for humanitarian aid", particularly in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinian manifestation picket White House Correspondents Dinner, as Biden ribs Trump

Biden attacked Trump

US President Joe Biden showed self-irony and attacked his competitor in the presidential election, at the annual Dinner Gala organized by the White House Correspondents' Association, an event.that provoked a demonstration against Israel's War in the nearby Gaza Strip.

Numerous high-profile guests, journalists and celebrities, arrived at the Hilton Hotel in the federal capital, while around 100 demonstrators gathered at the entrance. Some demonstrators shouted slogans like "Shame on you!".

Protest organizers said they aimed to bring attention to the high numbers of Palestinian and other Arab journalists killed by Israel's military since the war began in October. More than two dozen journalists in Gaza wrote a letter last week calling on their colleagues in Washington to boycott the dinner altogether.

"You have a particular responsibility to tell the truth to the powerful and uphold journalistic integrity. it is unacceptable to remain silent, out of fear or for career reasons, when journalists in the Gaza Strip continue to be arrested, tortured and killed for doing their jobs," wrote about 20 Palestinian journalists.

Joe Biden mocks Donald Trump at this White House Correspondents' Dinner. US President attacks his rival Donald Trump: “The 2024 election is in full swing. Yes, age is a subject. I am an adult running against a six year old child. Age is the only thing we have in common. »

"The 2024 elections are in full swing, and age, yes, is a topic," declared Joe Biden. Biden, self-ironies and ironies addressed to Trump: "Joe the sleeping one is still standing", "I am running against a six-year-old child"

Pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to disrupt the event.

Far from the laughter of the assistance that echoed in the hall, a demonstration took place in front of the hotel, where, from a window on the top floor, protesters suspended a Palestinian flag several meters long. Others gathered down in the street with placards and megaphones.

For months, every time the American president travels, demonstrators gather in protest against Israel's support of those who call him "Joe the Genocide" and who demand an end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip.

Several Palestinian journalists have called on their American colleagues in an open letter to boycott this highly publicized event, which is the culmination of a week of worldly receptions.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an association based in New York, at least 97 journalists have been killed since the Gaza War began on October 7 between Israel and Hamas - 92 of them Palestinians.

Anthony Blinken : China is trying to influence election results

Blinken with Jinping in Beijing

Anthony Blinken says the US has seen evidence that China is trying to influence the upcoming presidential election

US State Secretary said the US had found evidence of Chinese attempts to "influence and possibly interfere" with the upcoming US election, despite leader Xi Jinping's earlier pledge not to do so. 

Blinken made this comments in an interview with CNN on Friday at the end of a three-day trip to China, where the top US diplomat spent hours meeting with senior Chinese officials, including Xi, while the two countries cross a series of controversial issues. from US control of technology to Beijing's support for Moscow.

Blinken said he repeated a message that President Joe Biden conveyed to Xi during their summit in San Francisco last November not to interfere in the 2024 US presidential election. At that time, Xi promised that China will not do so, according to CNN.

"We have seen, generally speaking, evidence of attempts to influence and intervene, and we want to make sure that this is stopped as quickly as possible," Blinken stressed when asked if China had so far violated its commitment Xi to Biden.

"Any interference by China in our election is something that we watch very carefully and it's totally unacceptable to us, so I wanted to make sure I heard that message again," Blinken said, adding that there was concern about to China and other countries that exploit the existing social divisions in the US in influence campaigns.

On the other hand, Beijing has repeatedly said it does not interfere in US elections, based on its principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. 

Compete Agreement : Biden Ready To Debate With Trump

United States Presidential Election

United States Election : President Jo Biden ready to debate with Trump without knowing when

This is the first time that Joe Biden has clearly declared that he is ready to debate with his Republican rival as part of the 2024 presidential election campaign. The American president affirmed on Friday, April 26 in an interview that he is ready to public debate Donald Trump, whom he will face in the November presidential election.

Asked by host Howard Stern whether he would participate in a public debate with his predecessor, the 81-year-old Democrat, running for a second term, said: "I will, somewhere. I don't know when. I look forward to doing it."

In his reply, former President Donald Trump also said he is now ready to debate his Democratic opponent Joe Biden "anytime, anywhere." 

“I propose Monday evening, Tuesday evening, or Wednesday evening, during my campaign rally in Michigan,” launched the former president on his Truth Social network.

Close related to American presidential election

The Trump-Biden duel will take place, both candidates guaranteed to obtain their party's nomination

“We must fire the crook”: Trump violently attacks Biden and focuses his speech on immigration

Donald Trump, who is currently on trial in New York in a historic trial, then suggested holding the debate "tonight, at the courthouse". And says: “I’ll stick around!”

Four More Years "PAUSE" - Biden reads 'pause' instruction off teleprompter in speech ...

Biden's gaffe : Four more years ... PAUSE

US President Joe Biden, a candidate for re-election, called on voters last night to vote en masse in the next legislative elections. The invitation was very suggestive "Four more years" said the president, thinking about a new mandate at the head of America 

President Joe Biden took the gloves off Wednesday by saying former President Donald Trump deserved to be punched and injected bleach into his hair — while engaging in his own battle with the teleprompter.

However, too much concentration on Battle desire can strangely lead to a lack of attention and reaction. The President was clearly glued to his teleprompter, so much so that he even read the notes that his teams had written on the teleprompter.

JOE BIDEN AGAIN READS TELEPROMPTER INSTRUCTION DURING SPEECH, 'PAUSE'

Te President made a new gaffe during a union conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. In the middle of his speech where he praised his record, the Democrat read the instructions from his teleprompter... out loud. “I see an America where we defend democracy and we protect freedoms. (...) I see an economy that is growing a lot. Imagine what we could do next. Four more years... pause,” he said, before the audience chorused: “Four more years!”

 ... and it's not the first time the prez fumbled a speech, far from it. In the past, also during a speech, Joe Biden concentrated too hard so that he messed things up very badly. also during a speech,

Additionally, Biden suggested feeling a desire to physically assault former President Donald J. Trump and urged Americans to reject democracy—an apparent blunder given his political party’s support for democracy, which is criticized by Republicans due to the United States being founded as a Constitutional Republic.

The teleprompter mishap occurred when it appeared to instruct Biden to lead a chant of “Four more years.”

Popflex Skirt - What is the “Stormy Daniels” case in which Donald Trump was indicted? (I)

The former president was indicted Thursday evening by the courts of the State of New York, notably due to a financial agreement made with a former porn actress so that she would not reveal their affair, which he disputes. existence.

Historical. Donald Trump became the first former American president to be criminally indicted on Thursday, March 30, by a citizen grand jury in Manhattan. If the precise indictment will remain secret until next Tuesday, the day of Trump's appearance in New York, the case concerns a financial agreement with an actress and director of pornographic films, "Stormy Daniels", with whom the real estate mogul allegedly had an affair in 2006.

What is the Stormy Daniels affair?

The affair was made public in 2018 by revelations from the Wall Street Journal on a possible $130,000 non-disclosure agreement between Donald Trump and Stephanie Clifford, actress and director of pornographic films known under the stage name Stormy Daniels. She allegedly had a sexual relationship with him in 2006, on the sidelines of a golf tournament which they both attended. Trump had then been married for a year to his third wife, Melania.

The actress first mentioned this affair in 2011 in an interview with In Touch magazine, which canceled publication after threats of prosecution from Michael Cohen, Trump's lawyer. The interview would not be made public until seven years later, the day after the Wall Street Journal revelations. Meanwhile, in the middle of the 2016 presidential campaign, the actress would have sought to monetize her story to the media. Alerted by an official from the National Enquirer tabloid – which had shortly before purchased the story of a similar adventure with the model Karen McDougal, to better bury it – Michael Cohen contacted Stephanie Clifford and concluded an agreement with her, just ten days before Election Day.

What can Trump be accused of?

If such an agreement is not illicit in itself, Trump and his company (the Trump Organization) are suspected of having falsified the documentation of the reimbursement of the sums incurred to his lawyer, in order to pass them off as simple legal expenses. A maneuver which would then amount to a disguised donation to an electoral campaign – much higher than the authorized legal ceiling – since the challenge was then to prevent the predictable scandal from damaging the chances of candidate Trump.

The content of the proceedings brought against the ex-president, as well as their classification as an offense or crime, cannot however be precisely determined until they have been formalized by the Manhattan prosecutor, Alvin Bragg. It was the latter who reactivated this case at the beginning of this year by convening a grand jury, while the investigations by the New York justice system had long remained in limbo. If the indictment were to lead to a trial – probably not for several months, or even a year – Donald Trump could face up to four years in prison for illegal campaign financing.

The former head of state denies any affair with Stephanie Clifford and her involvement in the transaction concluded to stifle what he describes as an “extortion” campaign. Denials contradicted for years by Michael Cohen, who broke with his former boss in 2018 to become one of his most virulent critics. He himself pleaded guilty to violations of electoral law, bank and tax fraud, and perjury, which earned him a three-year prison sentence at the end of 2018. He then notably revealed a recording of a conversation with Trump in the middle of the 2016 campaign, attesting to his involvement in paying Karen McDougal to buy her silence.

(to be continued)

Earth Day Bluey Surprise: Donald Trump accused of “criminal conspiracy” on the first day of his criminal trial

The first day, Monday April 22, of debates and testimonies of the historic trial of the former American president in New York draws a duel between accusations of "pure and simple electoral fraud" and a "witch hunt" denounced by the former president.

The image becomes almost routine. Donald Trump comes out of his New York Tower, waves to the few onlookers, then gets into his black car, surrounded by a convoy worthy of a president still in office. Head to the court, located a stone's throw from his ivory tower, for his criminal trial which is only just beginning. 

After a laborious week choosing the twelve jurors and their six alternates, the debates of this moment in history – never before has a former American president appeared before a criminal court – were finally able to begin on Monday April 22. 

The crazy politician faces 34 charges, notably accused of having falsified his accounts to hide, just before his election in 2016, a total payment of $130,000 to Stephanie Clifford, actress and director of pornographic films better known under her pseudonym “Stormy Daniels”. 

A sum which would have been used to buy his silence on their affair maintained in 2006, when Melania Trump, the wife of Donald Trump, had just given birth to their first child.

The Mysterious World of Fish Communication/ "The Oceans Are Full of Sound"

From mysterious clicking noises in a laboratory aquarium to frogfish hums and songs, scientists are discovering the wonder of underwater communication, the BBC reports.

When you think of how fish communicate with each other, you might imagine little more than an aquatic silence punctuated by the odd bubble.

In reality, however, "the oceans are full of sounds," says a researcher at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Clicks, grunts, plops and screams are just some of the sounds that fish use to signal to those around them underwater. Some, such as frogfish, sing beautiful songs to each other, and others, such as herrings, communicate using their digestive tracts – more on this later. They use these signals for various reasons: to warn competitors, to raise an alarm, and even to win over their potential mates.

Clues that fish are more talkative than we thought they were have been a
round since the 4th century, from the works of Aristotle to the whispers of traditional fishing communities. But our ability to listen to the fish was limited by the devices used for underwater recording

Acoustic monitoring has come a long way since the 1930s, and scientists now use underwater microphones, called hydrophones, to listen to marine life. Technology invented during World War II to search for submarines has helped us listen to how fish talk to each other in the depths of oceans, rivers and lakes.

Of the approximately 34,000-35,000 species of ray-finned fish, which include cod, tuna, trout and salmon, about 4% have been studied for sound production. But Rice's research suggests we've only scratched the surface of the mysterious world of fish communication. According to him, up to two-thirds of fish could make underwater noises.

In February 2024, researchers in Germany discovered a small, transparent fish called Danionella cerebrum that produces a sound so loud it could rival a pneumatic drill.

They discovered it after hearing mysterious clicking noises coming from fish tanks in their laboratory.

Fish tend to get agitated for reproductive and territorial reasons. Or, more simply, for food and sex. Underwater sounds sound much clearer to fish than to us.

According to ecologists at the University of Florida who study fish bioacoustics, "Underwater sound travels five times faster than in air." "If we put our heads in a pool and try to figure out where a sound is coming from, we have a very hard time doing it. Fish, on the other hand, can gather directional information from underwater sounds."

The researchers compiled more than 1,200 such noises in an online library called FishSounds. Among all the grunts, chirps and squeaks, some sounds – and the behaviors they signal – stand out

Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya broke the record for the longest chess marathon

Under the bright lights of New York's iconic Times Square, Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya broke the record for the longest chess marathon.

After playing for 58 consecutive hours, he was still at the table, reports the BBC.

Onakoya hopes to raise $1m (£805,000) for charity to support chess education for millions of children.

Hundreds of supporters from the city's Nigerian community turned out to cheer on the chess master, including Nigerian Afrobeats music star Davido.

They provided him with music and energy with supplies of classic Nigerian dishes, including the beloved national staple, jollof rice.

Golden Gate Güell Closed: How Can You Hide a park?

Barcelona's local council has convinced the developers of some of the most popular digital mapping solutions to hide a bus route because of tourists.

The route of the 116 bus from Barcelona, frequently used by tourists to reach Park Güell, has disappeared from applications such as Google Maps and Apple Maps.

This after, under the pressure of the residents of the area, the local authorities requested this from the producers of the applications.

The local council refused to confirm or deny that it had forced Google and Apple to shorten the bus route, but a Google spokesman said such changes were only made at the request of local authorities.

Catalans who use the 116 bus to get home have complained that it is always crowded because of tourists who use it to get to Park Güell.

Park Güell is a privatized park system composed of gardens and architectural elements located on Carmel Hill, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Carmel Hill belongs to the mountain range of Collserola – the Parc del Carmel is located on the northern face.

The park was built from 1900 to 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

New madman across the water: The luxury ocean liner known as Titanic II is almost ready to be launched

The "Titanic" project was relaunched after several years of hiatus. According to officials' estimates, the mega-ship could be launched on June 27, 2027.

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer has revived the Titanic II project, an ambitious initiative to build a replica of the famous ship, but in a version he describes as "far, far superior" to the original, which met a tragic end during the voyage its inaugural

When the story of Titanic II began

In an impressive event held in a rented hall in the Sydney Opera House, Palmer made the long-awaited announcement that he plans to realize his long-held dream of building a 1:1 scale replica of the famous vessel. However, although he initially promised that his company, Blue Star Line, would build a "ship of love" that would redefine style and luxury, Palmer admitted that he had yet to find a suitable shipyard to build the vessel.

Almost a decade has passed since Palmer's press conference at London's Ritz Hotel, where he initiated the Titanic II project. However, although the project has been relaunched, it remains to be seen whether Palmer's dream of bringing the Titanic back to life will ever become a reality.

In response to a reporter's question in 2018 about the veracity of his project, Clive Palmer dismissed the idea that it could be a hoax or a publicity stunt. He qualified these accusations as "nonsense" and emphasized that he has "enough money to build the Titanic 10 times over".

Since then, Palmer has devoted his time and resources to various fields, from involvement in politics, serving as a member of the Australian federal parliament, to disbanding and reviving a political party, and investing in tourism and expensive election campaigns. The Titanic II project suffered a halt in 2015 following a legal dispute between one of Palmer's companies and the Chinese firm Citic, which left the project without funds.

The luxury ocean liner is almost ready

In 2018, Palmer re-announced the project and set 2022 as when the new Titanic would set sail on its maiden voyage. In the latest announcement, Palmer attributed the project's delays to the Covid-19 pandemic and stressed that it now has even greater financial resources. Here, in 2024, construction was resumed and the project is fast approaching completion.

At a press conference in Sydney Harbour, Palmer, 70, said he "could die at any time without having achieved anything great". However, he is adamant that he will continue to pursue his dream of building the Titanic and hopes that he will not close his eyes until he sees it floating on the sea.

Biden vs Trump. Americans can't find the "lesser evil"

An important part of the voters is in a dilemma and will vote for the "lesser evil", while the number of undecided people continues to grow, EFE and other news sources report.

According to the same poll, most voters believe that neither candidate has the mental capacity to be president. In the case of Trump (age 77), 48% think he can perform at the required level, while only 28% think the same about Biden (age 81).

The unfavorable opinion of Biden is 59%, compared to 52%, in the case of Trump, according to the average of the surveys carried out by the specialist portal FiveThirtyEight. This level of rejection is comparable only to the situation in 2016, when Hillary Clinton faced Trump.voters,candidate,mental capacity

Trump appears to be operating in his comfort zone, as he is used to campaigning against the backdrop of guaranteed rejection by a large part of the American electorate. Some polling agencies measure how strongly Americans oppose the candidates, and the results indicate that 48% of those who reject Trump make him "strong", while in the case of Biden the percentage is 45%.

Knowing the number of candidates' haters is crucial to understanding how well they will be able to convince the undecideds, which will determine who will be president of the United States until 2029.

According to the WSJ poll, Trump has an advantage in six of the seven states considered key to victory in the American electoral system. Trump leads Biden in voting intent in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, has a margin of error advantage in Georgia, and is technically tied in Wisconsin.

"No. He's not losing. He's gaining ground or he's tied. When people start focusing (on the election) and seeing the two options, it's obvious that Joe is going to win this election," US First Lady Jill Biden said , on the CBS morning show.

The big burden on Biden's popularity is immigration and the economy, two issues on which Trump appears to be better positioned, given his past promises.

A study predicts that all Japanese people will have the same surname in 500 years

A study conducted by the Tohoku University in Japan predicts that, by the year 2500, all Japanese will bear the surname "Sato", currently the most common surname in the Asian country.

"Sato" is the most common surname among Japanese people, and in 2023 it was borne by 1.5% of the Japanese population, according to estimates from a study led by Professor Hiroshi Yoshida of the Center for Social and Economic Research on Aging, in the mentioned university.

It estimates that the number of people with the surname Sato has increased 1.0083 times in recent years and makes a prediction about the evolution of this number, given the demographic trends of rapid aging and declining birth rates, which lead to a net loss population continues.

His study also takes into account the Japanese law which stipulates that, at the time of marriage, husband and wife must adopt the same surname, either his or hers. In Japan, only one surname and one first name are used.

Japan debates whether women should keep their surnames

Based on these factors, Yoshida estimates that in the year 2446, half of the Japanese population will have the surname "Sato" and that by 2531 all Japanese will have the same surname. The study was made public amid the ongoing debate in Japan regarding the aforementioned civil regulations regarding surnames.

Shakira cancels the movie "Barbie". Her sons hate it

The action of the film is set in Barbie Land - a matriarchal system where the women have all the fancy jobs, while the men (Kens) are subordinate to Barbie and spend all their time on the beach.

The dolls travel to the real world, where they experience patriarchy. Then Beach Ken (Ryan Gosling) wants to include the patriarchy in the constitution of Barbie Land, but is prevented by Barbie (Margot Robbie) and her team.

Shakira said her two sons "absolutely hated" the film. The artist's children say that it is a film that "emasculates", which Shakira agreed with "to a certain extent".

She said: "I'm raising two boys. I want them to feel strong while respecting women. I love pop culture when it tries to empower women without taking away men's ability to be men and protect." .

The artist also said: "I think that men have a purpose in society and that women also have another purpose. We complement each other, and this complement should not be lost"

However, Shakira offered a more nuanced perspective, saying: "Just because a woman can do it all doesn't mean she should, right? Why not share the burden with the people who deserve to carry it, who do they have a duty to wear it too?"

Major cities on the US East Coast are sinking. Experts have explained how it is possible

Several cities on the east coast of the USA are sinking. Experts warn that there are a number of factors causing this situation, including climate change, reports The Guardian.

Between 2007 and 2020, New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk, Virginia sank by about 2 mm per year, other places sank at double or triple the rate, and Charleston, South Carolina sank the fastest, by 4 mm per year.

Some of this surging has resulted from pumping groundwater for water supplies or natural gas, but New York and other cities are sinking under the weight of their buildings.

It's a complex situation, with a number of factors at play. After the great ice sheets melted at the end of the Ice Age, the land gradually tilted, with northern areas that were under ice rising, while southern areas that were ice-free sloped. If land sinks and sea levels rise as a result of climate change, the risk of flooding on the US East Coast is increased.

Buildings, roads, railways, farmland and more are under threat, with the risk of seawater seeping into water supplies and turning forests into 'ghost forests', with coastal wetlands particularly vulnerable to erosion, crucial to protecting many cities from storm surges during hurricanes.