Dolphins have been observed interacting with manatee calves in unusual behavior‚ some of which has been aggressive and hostile. But while researchers are not sure why they are doing it‚ it is clearly deliberate. Over a 21-year period‚ researchers documented 10 interactions between bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) and Antillean manatee calves (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Belize‚ in the Caribbean Sea. The interactions‚ which were directed at orphaned calves as well as those accompanied by their mothers‚ are complex and hard to understand‚ but some were just outright violence.  Bottlenose dolphins and Antillean manatees share their range and preferred habitats in these waters where they hunt and forage among the same seagrasses. This likely increases the chances of them encountering one another‚ but it is not currently clear whether the aggressive behaviors recorded by researchers were due to random encounters or whether they were targeted.“The dynamics of these interactions remain poorly understood‚” Dr Eric A. Ramos and colleagues write in a new paper on the subject. “For example‚ it is unclear whether dolphins encountered calves by chance or not‚ or if they approached and interacted with them out of curiosity‚ or if they actively sought out lone calves‚ or if dolphins separated the calves from their mothers.”But “regardless of the circumstances by which encounters took place‚ dolphins clearly initiated interactions with manatee calves in all cases.”Ambiguous and unambiguous activities Although scientists are still not sure what is going on‚ dolphins are known to display certain behaviors towards their own young and the calves of other species. Some of these behaviors were observed between dolphins and manatee calves. For instance‚ in one case described by Ramos and his team‚ a group of five adult dolphins were seen interacting with a young manatee in 1999. The group detected a manatee calf and then “surrounded” it. But in this interaction‚ the behavior observed appeared to be “affiliative” as the animals rubbed against the calf and demonstrated supportive behaviors similar to those practiced with their own young.But in other cases‚ things got a bit murkier or turned nasty. In 2015‚ an adult dolphin appeared to be harassing a baby manatee on footage recorded by bystanders. In 2018‚ four dolphins were seen interacting with a group of manatees. These animals appeared to be harassing a mother and trying to separate her from her calf. Then a single adult dolphin focused in on the calf and “was observed displaying aggression and attacking” it. This included ramming the calf and biting it. The calf was manually retrieved by conservationists and rehabilitated.In 2009‚ a sick solitary female manatee calf was rescued from the water and taken to Belize City to recover. During an examination of its body‚ the calf had multiple deep skin lacerations and marks consistent with dolphin tooth rakes. The calf recovered from its condition and was reintroduced to the wild in 2012.The examination of multiple other calves recovered during this period also demonstrated clear signs of attack from dolphins‚ some of which died before they could be rescued. Although it cannot be said that their deaths were a direct result of these attacks‚ it does show that these animals are interacting more frequently than previously thought and that the nature of these interactions is complex. “Identifying if interactions with dolphins contributed to the death of manatee calves was not possible‚” the authors write. “For example‚ bottlenose dolphins interacting with a manatee calf may unintentionally or intentionally separate it from its mother leading to a mother-calf separation. Additionally‚ these calves may be physically impaired and have underlying health complications that increase their likelihood of becoming lost or abandoned by their mothers.”Understanding what is going on here and what the driving forces behind these interactions are will require further investigation. “Future stranded manatees should be systematically examined and complete necropsies should be conducted to identify the cause of death. The use of aerial drones proved highly effective for describing the interaction between dolphins and manatees at a relatively fine spatial and temporal scales.”Still‚ while we are not completely sure what is going on here‚ the research provides insights into a previously unreported interspecies interactions. Dolphins can certainly be jerks‚ as has been observed on many occasions in the past‚ but if their behavior is impacting the lives of manatees then conservationists need to know‚ as the latter are already a threatened species. The study is published in PLOS ONE. 

Dotted throughout the mountainous Kabayan municipality in the Philippines‚ dozens of secretly concealed "fire mummies" have lain undisturbed for hundreds of years. Known by locals as meking‚ these well-preserved corpses belong to the ancient ancestors of the Indigenous Ibaloi‚ yet environmental changes now threaten to destroy these revered remains.The popular term "fire mummy" derives from the process by which these bodies were preserved. Though the exact mummification method has never been written down and is now largely forgotten‚ it’s believed that the meking were smoked over long periods‚ resulting in an excellent state of preservation.The mummified bodies were then placed in caves atop the highest mountains in the Benguet region. At altitudes of almost 3‚000 meters (9‚840 feet)‚ the cold mountain conditions helped to protect the bodies from degradation and decay‚ although climate change‚ leaks‚ and human interference have seen some of these mummies become infested with mold and insects.In an attempt to preserve the meking‚ researchers from the University of Melbourne have installed environmental monitors in some of the caves that house these ancient mummies. This will allow scientists to track changes in moisture and temperature before deciding on the best course of action to protect the mummies.And while the team is hopeful of safeguarding the fire mummies’ future‚ other researchers are still trying to piece together the history of these macabre relics. Because the secrets of the Kabayan mummification process have only been passed down by word of mouth‚ the discontinuation of the tradition means that many of the details have now been lost.For instance‚ no one knows exactly how many mummies exist or where their caves are located. It’s also unclear how and when the tradition started‚ although local legend suggests that the first person to become a fire mummy was a 12th-century ruler and demigod named Apu Anno.Like many other fire mummies‚ Apu Anno’s body was so immaculately preserved that the tattoos covering his body are still visible. Stolen from its resting place in 1918‚ the legendary leader’s mummy was later paraded as a carnival attraction in Manila before winding up in an antique shop‚ only to be finally returned to the Ibaloi in 1999.Sadly‚ Apu Anno’s mummified body is currently invaded with fungal spores and now lies in a cave that cannot be accessed by the public while scientists attempt to preserve the corpse.So far‚ researchers have not accurately dated the remains of Apu Anno‚ although radiocarbon dating of other fire mummies has indicated that some are between 150 and 200 years old. This suggests that Kabayan mummification was practiced all the way up to the 19th century.The procedure itself is also largely unknown‚ although it’s believed that bodies were strapped to a contraption called a "death chair" while they were cleansed with salt water and dried with the smoke of burning herbs. No one knows for sure which plants were used‚ although interviews with local Indigenous elders have indicated that many of the ingredients – including a native plant called Embelia philippinensis – were specifically chosen for their antimicrobial properties.According to local beliefs‚ the meking were placed atop mountains so they could be closer to the gods. Unless their destruction is averted‚ some believe that disaster will befall present and future generations of the Ibaloi.

A seven-year-old Canadian dog named Hermes is shaking things up with his acting chops. Owned by Madison Allen‚ Hermes has a unique talent for pretending to be injured‚ a skill so impressive it might even make Hollywood take notice. The video opens with a scene that sets the stage for Hermes’ theatrical skills. Madison Allen‚... The post Adorable actor dog fakes injury but miraculously recovers when he hears ‘magic words’ appeared first on Animal Channel.

CBS’s Stephen Colbert welcomed Columbia Journalism School Dean‚ New Yorker staff writer‚ and MSNBC talking head Jelani Cobb to the Tuesday edition of The Late Show to proclaim that only one of the two parties believes in democracy‚ imply Republicans want to stop black people from voting‚ and wonder why trust in journalism is so low. Colbert started off okay‚ “Sixty-eight percent of Americans say that they have lost their confidence in newspapers‚ TV‚ or radio. The only thing they trust now is late night and I was wondering‚ how do you as a journalist yourself‚ and as the dean of the school‚ how do you think journalism needs to get that or can get that trust back from the American public?”     Cobb replied by recalling‚ “You know‚ it's not something that‚ you know‚ can be inherited. It's something that has to be earned every single day. And so I talk with my students about this and say‚ you know‚ you earn the trust of the public by being correct day in‚ day out and when you make mistakes‚ you own up to it.” He continued: The other thing that I think is really important is that most people don't know how news gets produced. You know‚ they think that we do‚ I mean‚ there are movies‚ maybe you see someone go out reporting and so on‚ but the ethical standards and the fact-checking‚ things that you do‚ the stories that you don't publish‚ the things you find out that go‚ this doesn't quite add up. You know‚ there are actually rigorous processes in place and most reliable institutions‚ rigorous processes that determine what you can and can't say in a newspaper article or in a news story and so we have to do a better job of explaining that story.  That sounds great‚ Cobb and his colleagues should take his own advice‚ because in reality‚ things are very different as Colbert later highlighted‚ “How hard is it to maintain or to uphold or point toward the ethics of objective reporting when you're not necessarily reporting Coke and Pepsi? You’re reporting‚ like‚ one group of people still believes in democracy and another group of people is fine with autocracy and would be fine if you did not vote… So‚ how do you objectively‚ you can't say like “well‚ they’re fine stories on both sides of this.” Cobb replied‚ “that's not what objective reporting is and that's one of the things that we have to get past‚ like it’s one of the common misperceptions that if you just report on both sides equally‚ then you're being objective.” Rather‚ the true definition of journalistic objectivity requires you to “report on both sides while subjecting both to the same sort of equal interrogation of their positions and their statements and the truth is in the offing of that.” Cobb further added “And so‚ you‚ if a person is saying that they advocate autocracy and a person advocates for democracy‚ those two things are not equal. And you're not being unobjective or you're not being subjective to say that those things are not equal.” Again sounds great‚ but if Cobb really wanted journalists to take sides on issues because that is what truth demands‚ he would also call out Colbert for the “would be fine if you did not vote” line‚ but he doesn’t because he is also a flaming progressive partisan pretending to be a truth-teller and that is why trust in the media is so low. Here is a transcript for the January 23-taped show: CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 1/24/2024 12:22 AM ET STEPHEN COLBERT: Sixty-eight percent of Americans say that they have lost their confidence in newspapers‚ TV‚ or radio. The only thing they trust now is late night and I was wondering‚ how do you as a journalist yourself‚ and as the dean of the school‚ how do you think journalism needs to get that or can get that trust back from the American public?  JELANI COBB: Well‚ I mean‚ there are a lot of things. First‚ you know‚ thank you‚ really happy to be here and‚ you know‚ we don't really get the trust back. You know‚ it's not something that‚ you know‚ can be inherited. It's something that has to be earned every single day. And so I talk with my students about this and say‚ you know‚ you earn the trust of the public by being correct day in‚ day out and when you make mistakes‚ you own up to it.  The other thing that I think is really important is that most people don't know how news gets produced. You know‚ they think that we do‚ I mean‚ there are movies‚ maybe you see someone go out reporting and so on‚ but the ethical standards and the fact-checking‚ things that you do‚ the stories that you don't publish‚ the things you find out that go‚ this doesn't quite add up. You know‚ there are actually rigorous processes in place and most reliable institutions‚ rigorous processes that determine what you can and can't say in a newspaper article or in a news story and so we have to do a better job of explaining that story.  … COLBERT: How hard is it to maintain or to uphold or point toward the ethics of objective reporting when you're not necessarily reporting Coke and Pepsi? You’re reporting‚ like‚ one group of people— COBB: Sure. COLBERT: -- still believes in democracy and another group of people is fine with autocracy and would be fine if you did not vote. COBB: Right. COLBERT: Specifically‚ you‚ Jelani‚ did not vote.  COBB: I know‚ it’s shocking. COLBERT: So‚ how do you objectively‚ you can't say like “well‚ they’re fine stories on both sides of this.” COBB: But see‚ that's not what objective reporting is and that's one of the things that we have to get past‚ like it’s one of the common misperceptions that if you just report on both sides equally‚ then you're being objective. But you should report on both sides while subjecting both to the same sort of equal interrogation of their positions and their statements and the truth is in the offing of that.  And so‚ you‚ if a person is saying that they advocate autocracy and a person advocates for democracy‚ those two things are not equal. And you're not being unobjective or you're not being subjective to say that those things are not equal.

In the aftermath of Ron DeSantis dropping out of the GOP presidential race over the weekend‚ MSNBC anchor Ayman Mohyeldin led a panel in trashing the Florida governor over his electoral misfortune‚ hitting him with personal attacks and accusing him of being a terrible governor. Setting up one of several segments on the subject on Sunday night‚ Mohyeldin posed: "Can you think of a single Republican primary contender who has embarrassed themselves more or tarnished their reputation more than Governor Ron DeSantis?" He then went to disaffected former Republican Tara Setmayer‚ who currently works for the disgraced Lincoln Project‚ giving her a chance to gloat that she and her former colleague Rick Wilson had predicted DeSantis as an "Epic Fail" when it began. Mohyeldin ended up declaring that he has never "seen someone as cringeworthy as DeSantis." In a later segment‚ Mohyeldin played a montage of clips of DeSantis at different campaign  or other public events and led his panel in laughing at the Florida Republican: "I mean‚ it's just so difficult to watch that. It is so difficult to watch that. I almost kind of feel bad for him -- I almost feel bad for him‚ but I don't really. I want to get your reactions to this. ... This was a guy who was horrible at the actual act of being a politician." Setmayer then got to pile on again‚ this time also working in a shot at Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas)‚ as she commented: I mean‚ it's cringe the whole time. You're just looking at this and thinking‚ "Is this a candidacy? Or is it like a Saturday Night Live ongoing sketch making fun of the worst possible awkward candidate ever. You know‚ this was doomed to fail from the beginning -- like‚ when I worked on Capitol Hill‚ Ron DeSantis was a Congressman‚ and‚ you know‚ he was like the Ted Cruz of the House. No one liked him -- he was awkward and weird with his colleagues. So this -- the whininess‚ the sanctimoniousness -- I mean‚ I have to give Trump credit -- at first‚ we thought it was a clunky name‚ but the "sanctimonious" was appropriate... Introducing another segment toward the end of the hour‚ Mohyeldin accused the Florida governor of "targeting" people for abuse‚ even death: When you look at the list of people Ron DeSantis targeted -- women with the abortion ban‚ Black Americans with the way he arrested voters‚ and also banning of books and denying them history -- LGBTQ plus Americans‚ the migrants‚ the parents of transgender children‚ COVID-19 and what that meant for the thousands of people in Florida who lost their lives because their governor did not take it seriously. I mean‚ the list just goes on and on and on. This was a consequential individual who has done a lot of damage to his state. Setmayer agreed: "Yeah‚ that's why I said the idea of scaling up what he did in Florida nationally should have disqualified him from the very beginning‚ but it didn't because the Republican party is okay with the cruelty being the point as long as they win and stick it to the libs." After earlier accusing Republicans of being "cruel" and "inhumane‚" former New Hampshire GOP chair Jennifer Horn took more shots at her former party: "This primary fully revealed for the American people just how vile so many Republican voters have become -- just how vile the party has become -- the inhumanity that the Republican leadership is willing to accept and embrace -- the ugliest parts of Trumpism that the GOP is building their platform on going forward." Transcript follows: MSNBC's Ayman January 21‚ 2024 8:08 p.m. Eastern AYMAN MOHYELDIN: Can you think of a single Republican primary contender who has embarrassed themselves more or tarnished their reputation more than Governor Ron DeSantis? I mean‚ recall all the fawning coverage that he received. We've got some of it up here -- the New York Post calling him "DeFuture" -- from conservative media outlets‚ including this front page from the New York Post. I genuinely can't think‚ you know‚ think of previous candidates. Jeb Bush came to mind‚ but he was never praised or expected to do as well as he -- as Ron DeSantis -- and yet here is Ron DeSantis sharing Jeb Bush's fate. TARA SETMAYER‚ THE LINCOLN PROJECT: Yeah‚ Jeb Bush‚ Scott Walker‚ Marco Rubio‚ Chris Christie -- I mean‚ the list is long‚ and people who have embarrassed themselves trying to kiss up to Donald Trump after he embarrassed them is long as well. It's like the‚ you know‚ political cowardice greatest hits volume two. But Ron DeSantis was a dead man walking -- his campaign was since he launched. And I will say that we at the Lincoln Project predicted that he would be an epic fail from day one. We predicted this a year and a half ago. Rick Wilson and I sat back and said‚ "Okay‚ just watch. Just watch."... (...) MOHYELDIN: No real surprises‚ and‚ on top of everything you've all described‚ just a horrible retail politician all around. I don't think I've seen someone as cringeworthy as Ron DeSantis trying to shake hands with kids or adults or anyone in a room. Trying to have a beer was just awkward for this guy (...) 8:40 a.m. (after showing montage of clips of Ron DeSantis campaigning) MOHYELDIN: I mean‚ it's just so difficult to watch that. It is so difficult to watch that. I almost kind of feel bad for him -- I almost feel bad for him‚ but I don't really. I want to get your reactions to this. ... This was a guy who was horrible at the actual act of being a politician. Put aside policy for a moment‚ but when you watch that‚ what do you think? What do you make? SETMAYER: I mean‚ it's cringe the whole time. You're just looking at this and thinking‚ "Is this a candidacy? Or is it like a Saturday Night Live ongoing sketch making fun of the worst possible awkward candidate ever. You know‚ this was doomed to fail from the beginning -- like‚ when I worked on Capitol Hill‚ Ron DeSantis was a Congressman‚ and‚ you know‚ he was like the Ted Cruz of the House. No one liked him -- he was awkward and weird with his colleagues. So this -- the whininess‚ the sanctimoniousness -- I mean‚ I have to give Trump credit -- at first‚ we thought it was a clunky name‚ but the "sanctimonious" was appropriate... (...) JENNIFER HORN‚ EX-CHAIR OF NEW HAMPSHIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY: The problem isn't just that his policies and his message were so cruel or so mean -- so much of it was inhumane. So much of it‚ you know‚ he would just -- like just saying it off his cuff‚ you know‚ talking about these people that he put on planes and shipped‚ you know‚ to places that they didn't know where they were going and separating them from their families and banning African American studies from the high school curriculum and‚ I mean‚ you go through the list‚ and his attitude and his policies about COVID and talking about blowing up Mexico. I mean‚ he was not just mean -- he was inhumane. And that was the part of Trumpism he really ran with. (...) 8:51 p.m. MOHYELDIN: We may have had over the last two hours some fun with our panel at the expense of Ron DeSantis‚ but Philadelphia Inquirer opinion columnist Will Bunch put it earlier today‚ he wrote: "It is so tempting to pile on the Ron DeSantis jokes‚ but I keep thinking about the Black voters he had arrested‚ the kids who had to leave (New) College‚ the migrants he tricked onto that plane -- all for the sake of the worst campaign in American history." Well‚ let's get some final thoughts from our panelists on that. You know‚ we said‚ Tara‚ earlier in the show‚ that when you look at the list of people Ron DeSantis targeted -- women with the abortion ban‚ Black Americans with the way he arrested voters‚ and also banning of books and denying them history -- LGBTQ plus Americans‚ the migrants‚ the parents of transgender children‚ COVID-19 and what that meant for the thousands of people in Florida who lost their lives because their governor did not take it seriously. I mean‚ the list just goes on and on and on. This was a consequential individual who has done a lot of damage to his state. SETMAYER: Yeah‚ that's why I said the idea of scaling up what he did in Florida nationally should have disqualified him from the very beginning‚ but it didn't because the Republican party is okay with the cruelty being the point as long as they win and stick it to the libs. And I think that speaks volumes about where the Republican party is today and why Donald Trump is still so far ahead -- why he will be the nominee as we predicted two years ago. It's inevitable. Anything Nikki Haley or anyone does is moot -- it's a fait accompli. Donald Trump is the Republican party's mantra. And that binary choice between Trump and Biden is going to become a reality much sooner‚ and the American people need to wake up and pay attention to the dictatorship that Donald Trump wants to inflict on this country‚ the threat that that poses to our democracy. And think about whether it's worth it losing our democracy for a tax cut or for lower gas prices. The American people will have to face that choice because this election could potentially be the last free and fair election we have in this country if they elect Donald Trump again. That's what we're facing here. MOHYELDIN: Is that becoming clearer for voters‚ Fernand‚ or not yet when you see somebody like Ron DeSantis and the kind of campaign he'd run. Is it crystallized clearly for Americans what's at stake? (...) FERNAND AMANDI‚ MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: It wasn't just Ron DeSantis all by his lonesome who caused so much damage here in the state of Florida. He did that as a pupil of Donald Trump as do all of the profiles in cowardice of today's Republican party. They are following the lead in trying to out-Trump Trump with this cruelty because it is ultimately what Republican voters are willing to stand by. That is why it is absolutely critical that team Biden and team democracy and the coalition that has to emerge to successfully defend that -- not just Democrats‚ but Democrats‚ independents‚ Republicans of conscience -- there are millions of them out there -- band together and understand and make the case that if we do not reelect Joe Biden‚ we are ending the 246-year experiment -- the American experiment in representative democracy -- and we will be handing it over to Donald Trump who has‚ he said not once‚ not twice.‚ but more than one occasion that he will be a day one dictator. MOHYELDIN: Jennifer‚ your final thoughts on this as Ron DeSantis exits the race and the legacy that he leaves behind both as a candidate and also the continued threat that Donald Trump poses to our democracy. HORN: Well‚ Ferdinand (sic) had it exactly right. This primary was much -- was never about Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley or anybody else on that stage -- Chris Christie‚ Ramaswamy‚ any of them. It was always -- and‚ in fact‚ I would suggest it wasn't even exactly about Donald Trump. This primary fully revealed for the American people just how vile so many Republican voters have become -- just how vile the party has become -- the inhumanity that the Republican leadership is willing to accept and embrace -- the ugliest parts of Trumpism that the GOP is building their platform on going forward. I've said many times‚ Trump could be gone tomorrow‚ but Trumpism woven into the GOP is going to last for decades. And my biggest fear is that too many of us in this country have become lazy defenders of democracy. It's one thing for all of us to talk about it -- we need Americans to really understand what that means. MOHYELDIN: Absolutely an important point. We have to get the message out clearly as to what is at stake in this election cycle. Nothing short of our democracy is on the line.

The Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post had some fun with the weekly ratings report‚ underlining just how badly CNN did in the last week. Despite the attention around the Iowa caucus‚ CNN came in 10th most-watched channel on cable‚ getting beat by Hallmark‚ The History Channel and INSP‚ a South Carolina-based channel founded in the late 1970s by the Christian televangelist Jim Bakker that now runs mostly Westerns. CNN had an average of 538‚000 nightly viewers in the 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. block during the seven-day period from Jan. 15 until Jan. 21‚ according to Nielsen. The cowboy shows on INSP had 577‚000 viewers in the same time frame.  Ariel Zilber pointed out "Fox News‚ whose parent company Fox Corp. is the corporate sister of The Post’s owner News Corp.‚ topped all networks with an audience of 2.091 million in prime time‚ according to Nielsen." ESPN came in second‚ thanks in part to airing the playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. MSNBC was third with 1 million viewers in prime time. This is why new CNN boss Mark Thompson has been all about boosting CNN's online presence. In a memo circulated to staffers last week‚ Thompson bluntly warned of the demise of linear television. He warned CNN “has been slow to respond to the challenge” of dwindling audiences.  “We need to recapture some of the swagger and innovation of the early CNN‚” Thompson wrote in the memo. “Like so many other news players with a broadcast heritage‚ CNN's linear services and even its website can sometimes have an old-fashioned and unadventurous feel as if the world has changed and they haven't.” CNN is stuck far behind Fox and MSNBC‚ and now it loses to cowboy-show reruns. That's their recent history. How do you like them "Facts First" apples? 

A Canadian federal court ruled Tuesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's use of martial law in 2022 to crush the peaceful trucker protests "was not justified." Justice Richard Mosley noted further that "the decision to issue the Proclamation was unreasonable and led to infringement of Charter rights." While a poll indicated last month that a supermajority of Canadians already wanted Trudeau to resign‚ he now faces additional pressure to step down. However‚ his deputy — who recently smirked as a reporter was bashed and arrested by police for asking her questions — indicated the Liberal regime will continue to defend its actions and appeal the ruling. Meanwhile‚ NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and his socialist party are attempting to retroactively qualify their support for the Emergencies Act invocation‚ suggesting they had championed it "reluctantly." What's the background? The trucker protests‚ dubbed the Freedom Convoy by organizers‚ kicked off in early 2022 in response to the Canadian government's draconian COVID-19 vaccine mandates and travel restrictions‚ which greatly impacted the livelihoods of those whose jobs required them to leave the house. A massive convoy comprising Canadian flag-adorned trucks and other vehicles drove across the country‚ cheered on by massive crowds at various stops along the way‚ until it ultimately reached Ottawa‚ the nation's capital. In Ottawa‚ multitudes of citizens crewed outside their Parliament‚ calling on the Liberal regime to drop some of its pandemic protocols‚ which even one of the authors of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms said were unconstitutional. The protests took on the atmosphere of a winter festival‚ complete with bounce castles‚ saunas‚ musical performances‚ dancing‚ and speeches. Crime dropped in the Canadian capital during this so-called occupation‚ and demonstrators periodically shoveled the sidewalks. — (@) Not all were keen on the protests‚ however. Affluent residents in the government city claimed they were left traumatized by the sight of Canadian flags and the sound of honking‚ according to CTV News. While Trudeau had not intervened in previous political protests — such as those staged by BLM or Idle No More activists — and had not taken similar action in 2020 when anti-pipeline activists blockaded Canadian rail lines‚ paralyzing the country‚ the peaceful trucker protests were evidently too much for him to bear. Martial law With the approval of his Cabinet and the support of Singh's New Democratic Party‚ Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act from Feb. 17 to 23‚ 2023. At the time of the declaration‚ there were still around 500 trucks remaining in Ottawa. "These illegal blockades are hurting Canadians‚ and they need to stop‚" said Trudeau. The Emergencies Act is a revised version of Canada's former War Measures Act‚ which can be invoked in national emergencies that "seriously threate[n] the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty‚ security and territorial integrity of Canada." Police seized fuel from the truckers in subzero conditions‚ towed 115 trucks‚ and arrested hundreds of protesters. The Liberal regime also discussed deploying German Leopard battle tanks against protesters; froze 257 bank accounts; and altogether clamped down on public criticism of government overreach. Trudeau was condemned by members of the Conservative Party and civil rights organizations‚ as well as by foreign dignitaries. An internal Department of Public Safety report later revealed there was no evidence of violence committed by Freedom Convoy protesters in Ottawa; that "the majority of the events have been peaceful"; and that the "disruption to government activities is so far minor." In late 2022‚ Trudeau told the Public Order Emergency Commission what allegedly made the Freedom Convoy unusual was that the protesters expressed a "certain level of frustration" that was "very concerning." — (@) 'Unjustified' Siding with civil liberties groups in his Tuesday ruling‚ Justice Mosley indicated that while economically impactful‚ the Freedom Convoy protests neither threatened national security nor warranted martial law. "I have concluded that the decision to issue the Proclamation [of the Emergencies Act] does not bear the hallmarks of reasonableness – justification‚ transparency and intelligibility – and was not justified‚" wrote Mosley. The court also found that the Trudeau regime had not exhausted other available‚ less extreme legal options to tackle what it perceived as a threat. "Due to its nature and to the broad powers it grants the Federal Executive‚ the Emergencies Act is a tool of last resort‚" wrote Mosley. "The GIC cannot invoke the Emergencies Act because it is convenient‚ or because it may work better than other tools at their disposal or available to the provinces." The Canadian Civil Liberties Association‚ one of the groups that challenged the Liberal regime‚ said in a statement‚ "Emergency is not in the eye of the beholder. Emergency powers are necessary in extreme circumstances‚ but they are also dangerous to democracy. They should be used sparingly and carefully." "They cannot be used even to address a massive and disruptive demonstration if that could have been dealt with through regular policing and laws‚" continued the CCLA. "The Federal Court agreed that this threshold was not met." Canadian Constitution Foundation executive director Joanna Baron‚ who also challenged the use of the act‚ said‚ "The invocation of the Emergencies Act is one of the worst examples of government overreach during the pandemic and we are very pleased to see Justice Mosley recognize that Charter rights were breached and that Cabinet must follow the law and only use the Act as a tool of last resort." Liberals unrepentant amidst resignation calls While Trudeau dodged questions from reporters after the ruling‚ Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland indicated the Liberal regime is unrepentant and will appeal the ruling‚ reported the National Post. "The public safety of Canadians was under threat; our national security‚ which includes our national economic security‚ was under threat‚" said Freeland. "I was convinced at the time. It was the right thing to do. It was the necessary thing to do." — (@) Cosmin Dzsurdzsa of True North intimated the appeal might be well received‚ given that two-thirds of the 15 Federal Court of Appeal judges were Liberal appointees. Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre — poised to beat Trudeau in the next election should the Liberal fail to resign — said Trudeau "broke the highest law in the land with the Emergencies Act. He cause the crisis by dividing people. Then he violated Charter rights to illegally suppress citizens." Former Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer stressed that "Trudeau must now answer for his reckless abandonment of the law and the most basic freedoms of all Canadians." Scheer said in another message‚ "Never again let Trudeau give a lecture about Charter rights." Maxime Bernier‚ head of the People's Party of Canada‚ reiterated that the Liberal government is a "tyrannical regime‚" adding in a subsequent tweet that the decision by the Liberal government was "absolutely horrendous‚ violent‚ abusive and unnecessary." Ezra Levant‚ the publisher of Rebel News‚ suggested that in "any healthy democracy he'd resign." Jay Bhattacharya‚ professor at the Stanford School of Medicine and co-author of the "Great Barrington Declaration‚" wrote‚ "In light of the Federal Court ruling that the Canadian government violated the basic civil rights of its citizens by invoking the Emergencies Act‚ Justin Trudeau should resign and there should be a new election." Dr. Jordan Peterson wrote‚ "If the government violates its own constitution in what way is it still the government? A dead serious question @JustinTrudeau[.] Looks like it's high time for you to hit the road‚ Jack." Trudeau presently has a disapproval rating of 64% according to the Angus Reid Institute. An Ipsos poll last month indicated that 69% of Canadians think Trudeau should step down. Trudeau appears to be in hiding‚ as he has no public events scheduled for Wednesday. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Biden Department of Homeland Security Monday‚ allowing federal border officials to cut the razor wire Texas has installed along stretches of the Rio Grande as a means of securing the southern border and protecting American sovereignty. Rather than cave in the wake of the 5-4 decision — which had nominally conservative Justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett in the majority — the Lone Star State has doubled down and installed more wire. — (@) The Texas Military Department indicated it would "hold the line in Shelby Park to deter and prevent unlawful entry into the State of Texas. We remain resolute in our actions to secure our border‚ preserve the rule of law‚ and protect the sovereignty of our State." Shelby Park is a 47-acre municipal park in Eagle Pass where hordes of illegal aliens have entered the U.S. in recent months and years. The state seized control of the park on Jan. 10. In addition to fencing the perimeter and improving shoreline barriers‚ the state ousted federal agents‚ allowing them entry only in specific circumstances. "Texas has the legal authority to control ingress and egress into any geographical location in the state of Texas‚ and that authority is being asserted with regard to that park in Eagle Pass‚ Texas‚ to maintain operational control of it‚" Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said of the move. In the weeks since‚ the Biden administration has been working through the courts to regain entry to the park and dismantle the defenses therein. NewsNation reported that following the Monday Supreme Court ruling‚ Texas officials have been spotted installing new razor wire and anti-climb fences. Federal agents have not yet been seen attempting to enter Shelby Park to cut the wire. Footage shared to X by CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez appears to show Texas National Guard soldiers setting up more wire in Eagle Pass to help curb the influx of foreign nationals into the country. — (@) Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) championed Texas' apparent installation of additional razor wire‚ telling NewsNation‚ "Quite frankly‚ I think that Gov. Abbott needs to tell the federal government to stay out of Texas‚ in my opinion. They're not protecting the border‚ they've done a lousy job as an administration‚ they're not putting the policies in effect that need to be there to deter people from coming." Following the Supreme Court's ruling‚ Abbott wrote‚ "This is not over. Texas' razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages. I will continue to defend Texas' constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property." The Texas National Guard continues to hold the line in Eagle Pass.\n\nTexas will not back down from our efforts to secure the border in Biden\u2019s absence. — (@) "The Supreme Court's temporary order allows Biden to continue his illegal effort to aid the foreign invasion of America‚" Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said of the ruling. "The destruction of Texas's border barriers will not help enforce the law or keep American citizens safe. This fight is not over‚ and I look forward to defending our state's sovereignty." Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) blasted the interlocutory order‚ writing‚ "This opinion is unconscionable and Texas should ignore it on behalf of the [Border Patrol Union] agents who will be put in a worse position by the opinion and the Biden administration's policies." The Border Patrol Union indicated the removal of wire would "undoubtedly encourage more illegal immigration" and hinder Border Patrol agents' efforts to target criminal elements crossing the border illegally. "The administration no doubt will say this is a win for border security‚ but if they sought rank and file input‚ they would be told this will do the exact opposite‚" the union said in a statement. "Agents support what Texas was trying to accomplish in the absence of true border security policies from this administration." "I think it's disgraceful‚" Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) told the Messenger. "And it is unfortunately the manifestation of the Biden administration actively fighting against the state of Texas to try to prevent Texas from securing our border." Blaze News previously reported that the Biden White House alternatively celebrated the decision‚ stressing the wire "got in the way." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A male golfer competing against women said he didn't understand why he faced criticism after winning a women's golf tournament.Hailey Davidson‚ a 31-year-old golfer who was born a man‚ recently won the NXXT Women’s Classic tournament. The win in the women's tournament propelled Davidson to the top of the NXXT tour's leaderboard.The golfer and governing body received swift backlash‚ with Davidson stating on multiple platforms that he didn't understand why he would be facing such criticisms."It’s crazy the amount of misinformed hatred I have received so far today‚" Davidson wrote‚ according to the New York Post. "All of these people [think] I hit it 300 yards or even 280 yards. How about 250 on a good day."Davidson was later asked by "Good Morning Britain" if he thought males have an inherent advantage against women in sports."Men do have advantages‚ so you get a trans person on hormones for a year‚ no surgery‚ nothing‚ of course for the most part they're going to have an advantage‚" he replied.Davidson underwent gender reassignment surgery three years before his controversy began."I don't believe people should be banned from sports‚ but I do believe there should be guidelines in effect‚" he continued. "I don't understand it‚ I don't get what the fear of me‚ one person‚ is doing."Davidson also told the U.K. program that he had received numerous death threats within days of his victory in the women's tournament. Transgender golfer‚ Hailey Davidson‚ says she fears for her safety after winning a place on a US tour designed to provide 'growth opportunities' for female players. \n\nShe has been accused of having an unfair advantage because she can hit a ball further than a female born player. — (@) The NXXT Women's Pro Tour responded to outcries and said they would subject Davidson to further hormonal testing."In maintaining the integrity of our standards‚ we have requested Hailey Davidson to undergo additional testosterone testing to ensure compliance with the appropriate guidelines‚" CEO Stuart McKinnon wrote in a blog post.Davidson has reacted to comments in multiple Instagram posts‚ citing misinformation on the part of his critics."While this win was amazing‚ unlike every article is saying‚ I am so incredibly far from the LPGA Tour. ... I will never allow hate to win‚ especially when based in some misinformation‚" the golfer wrote.In another post‚ Davidson explained that he doesn't "have the resume of most other professional female golfers."He qualified that statement only by saying that he didn't go to a big Division I school‚ nor did he compete in a major tournament.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

How do you get Diamond in Palworld? Palpagos Island is flush with ore and minerals‚ though you might be wondering if you can get your hands on a shinier material. Well‚ not so fast – before you grab that pickaxe and venture into a mineshaft‚ you might be surprised to learn that the rarest gemstone in Palworld comes from a different place entirely. Thankfully‚ we can tell you exactly where to get it. While there are plenty of Palworld resources that are required to build and maintain your Palworld base‚ you might just want an influx of cold hard cash to spend at the Palworld Marketeer for the rarer Palworld Pals still eluding you. That’s where Palworld Diamond comes in. This precious gemstone is a cut above Ruby and Sapphire‚ and its high value translates into the currency that fuels the Palworld economy. Here’s where to find it. Continue reading How to get Palworld Diamond MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palworld pals‚ Palworld review‚ Palworld system requirements