Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested in New York last night. He is charged with sex trafficking by force, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The speculation and videos of Diddy kicking one woman have gone on for months. The charges will be read on Tuesday. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told TMZ outside the courthouse […] The post Sean Diddy Combs Arrested for Sex Trafficking, and Racketeering appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

University of Maryland President Darryll Pines appears to have committed significant plagiarism, lifting large portions of two academic journal articles from a tutorial website made years prior by an Australian student, a Daily Wire investigation found. A 1,500-word stretch of a 5,000-word paper by Pines and a co-author published in 2002 — accounting for nearly a third of the paper — is virtually identical to a tutorial website called “Surfing the Wavelets” published in 1996 by Joshua Altmann, who at the time of publishing was a university student in Australia. Pines does not cite or mention Altmann or the website, which says it was last updated in October 1996. Pines and his co-author, Liming Salvino, then recycled much of that paper, including almost all the uncredited Altmann language, for another peer-reviewed paper in 2006. Pines, a rocket scientist and diversity activist, does not appear to have made any changes to Altmann’s work except removing some sentences and Americanizing the Australian’s British spelling (turning “analyse” to “analyze,” e.g.) — but Pines missed two such words, “endeavour” and “modelling,” which remain in his work with the spelling commonly used abroad. Pines’s systematic editing of British words suggests he did copy the language, but deliberately manipulated Altmann’s text to look like his own. The finding of significant past plagiarism comes after Pines this month presented what he said was “faculty research” defending a pro-Palestine rally planned for October 7, but which actually came from ChatGPT. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! When Altmann published the tutorial in 1996, he had recently been working in a restaurant and was a student at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. At the time, Pines had a doctorate from MIT and was leading a University of Maryland program “to increase the number of underrepresented minority PhDs in four departments within the College of Engineering.” Another scientist cited Altmann’s online tutorial in his Ph.D. dissertation in 1998. The duplicated language is highlighted here: Pines’s 2002 paper, “Health monitoring of one dimensional structures using empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert-Huang Transform,” was published in the journal Smart Structures and Materials, part of the SPIE engineering association. In 2006, Pines and Salvino reused a large portion of that paper — including nearly the entire uncredited Altmann section — for a paper published in the Journal of Sound and Vibration, “Structural health monitoring using empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert phase.” The above chart looks almost the same whether comparing Altmann to Pines’s 2002 or 2006 papers. Where Altmann writes the word “endeavor,” Pines’s 2002 article says “endevour,” as if someone tried to Americanize the Australian’s British-style language but removed the wrong letter. The 2006 article also mirrors Altmann’s language in using the British “modelling,” though the 2002 article does not, perhaps because an editor at that journal changed it to the American “modeling.” Pines’ papers do not contain any footnotes to Altmann. Instead, his footnotes are the same as Altmann’s, down to the page numbers. In virtually the only instance where Pines tried to paraphrase, he managed to add multiple errors. Altmann writes, “Several techniques can be used to enhance the characteristics that are otherwise not readily observable.” Pines’s 2002 paper says “This led to the emergence of several techniques that could be used to enhance the characteristics that would otherwise not readily observable.” That passage in his 2006 paper has an additional inserted typo (one apparently again caught by the more vigilant 2002 editor), saying “This lead to the emergence.” Katie Lawson, a spokeswoman for the University of Maryland, did not deny that the language was copied, but suggested there would be no repercussions for the president. “It is not uncommon for historical and technical reviews to use recurrent language to provide a framework for past work. Establishing this shared understanding in the scientific community is what allows for applications of new technology, which is what Dr. Pines and Dr. Salvino explored in testing a new application of the Hilbert phase. The use of customary or common language in introductory material does not speak to the integrity of the data or the veracity of the findings,” she said in an email. Lawson declined to respond to questions about whether University of Maryland students and faculty are required to cite their sources when using extensive verbatim work of others, and what would happen if they did not. IEEE, a professional engineering society, says “Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, (a) uncredited copying of someone else’s work, (b) using someone else’s material without clear delineation or citation, and (c) uncited reuse of an author’s previously published work that also involves other authors.” It said it “is a type of copyright infringement, and as such may also subject the author(s) to legal liability.” IEEE’s policies say that it considers “uncredited verbatim copying of a large portion (greater than 20% and up to 50%) within an article” as its second-most serious offense. It said the actions that “shall” be taken in such a case include the publication of a “Notice for Publishing Misconduct,” rejection of all articles currently being reviewed by the author, and possible prohibition of future publishing. The society recommends that the offender be required to submit an apology to the victim and the journal editor, with more severe punishment if he refuses. The Daily Wire reported this month that Pines plagiarized from ChatGPT and passed the writing off as original research he had gathered from faculty experts. “I have consulted with Middle East Scholars and Historians on our campus regarding the origin and history of the Palestinian Flag. The general consensus opinion from these faculty scholars is as follows,” he wrote, followed by output that in reality came from ChatGPT. He used the veneer of “expert scholarship” to end a debate with a Jewish critic who objected to his decision to allow a pro-Palestinian group that advocates for “armed struggle” to hold an event on October 7, the anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. When The Daily Wire asked him about the false attribution, he ignored the inquiry. Pines is credited with many journal articles and academic accomplishments, but his scientific achievements often come with him as just one member of a larger group. In the plagiarized articles, he is the lead author. His journal articles co-authored this year include “Stereotypes and Implicit Biases in Engineering: Will Students Need to ‘Whistle Vivaldi’?” and “Understanding the ‘Us All’ in Engineering 4 Us All through the Experiences of High School Teachers.” Pines’s story is similar to that of former Harvard president Claudine Gay, who resigned following the exposure of her own plagiarism. Both Pines and Gay came under fire for their handling of anti-Semitism on campus, and were uncovered as plagiarists in the ensuing scrutiny. Related: U of Maryland Prez Said Anti-Israel Protesters Could Rally On 10/7—Then Threatened To Call Police On Jew For Complaining

Years before the gunman suspected of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump on Sunday was seized by police, U.S. authorities had been alerted of the danger he posed. The gunman was taken into custody on Sunday after ultimately being caught traveling northbound on Interstate 95. Secret Service had seen the barrel of his gun poking out between bushes at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. “The suspected gunman in Sunday’s apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump was hiding near the former president’s Florida golf course for roughly 12 hours before a Secret Service agent spotted him and opened fire, prosecutors said Monday,” The Wall Street Journal reported. A nurse who met the suspected gunman several times in Kyiv in 2022 told The Wall Street Journal that she grew so concerned about his propensity to make violent threats that she informed a Customs and Border Protection officer. She provided a list of people she had met who had alarmed her while telling the officer the suspected gunman “should be number one.” “She showed the officer a notebook listing more than a dozen names of Americans and others whose actions had alarmed her, she recounted. Under the heading ‘Overall Predatory Behavior (or antisocial traits)’ were four names. (The gunman’s) was at the top,” the Journal noted. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! The nurse also filed an online report with the FBI and Interpol in 2023 expressing her concern about the suspected gunman. However, she said neither Customs nor the FBI contacted her regarding the issue. A French man told the Journal that when he met the suspected gunman in Kyiv in 2022, he was “very upset about the fact that Trump was trying to negotiate a deal with Putin instead of trying to really have Ukraine’s back.” In 2019, the FBI received a tip that the suspected gunman had a firearm despite being a felon; the FBI alerted authorities in Honolulu, where he was then living, but then closed the investigation. The suspected gunman reportedly issued social media posts that catalyzed aid groups to ban him from their Signal groups and alert the State Department, former CIA officer Sarah Adams, who ran groups aiding humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, said.

Daily Wire host Michael Knowles blasted the Left on Monday night, arguing that “political violence is a Left-wing phenomenon.” Knowles spoke at the Young America’s Foundation event at Washington and Lee University in Virginia and addressed the violence against conservatives on college campuses and against Republicans in the political arena. “These campus lectures are prime examples of Left-wing political violence. When students invite a conservative public figure to speak on campus, university officials regularly disinvite us citing vague ‘safety concerns,'” Knowles said. “And who is threatening anyone’s safety? It isn’t the conservative speakers. It isn’t the conservative students. It is the leftists.” Knowles acknowledged that the administrators who cite “safety concerns” when they cancel a conservative’s speech have a good argument “because the leftists on campus are frequently violent.” He mentioned recent examples of violence breaking out on campuses when conservatives such as Charles Murray, Riley Gaines, and himself are invited to speak. “Just last year, leftists at the University of Pittsburgh lit a street on fire, burned me in effigy, and threw an explosive at a building as I walked on stage,” Knowles said. “Political violence is a left-wing phenomenon in America. It is encouraged and carried out by leftists, some of whom have been bailed out of jail by Kamala Harris, whose despicable rhetoric continues to justify violence against President Trump and other conservatives.” “Political violence is a left-wing phenomenon… It is encouraged and carried out by leftists, some of whom have been bailed out of jail by Kamala Harris, whose despicable rhetoric continues to justify violence against President Trump and other conservatives.”@michaeljknowles… pic.twitter.com/UyxQmILhxf — Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) September 16, 2024 The Daily Wire host also discussed the second assassination attempt on Trump after a Democrat donor was arrested for allegedly hiding in wait for Trump with an AK-47-style rifle near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! “We know for a fact that the alleged assassin heard Biden and Harris’ calumnious talking points because he quoted them directly on social media,” Knowles added. “He posted ‘Democracy is on the ballot.’ And if democracy is on the ballot then anything goes.” “Kamala and Biden deserve much of the blame for the attempted assassinations on President Trump,” he continued. “But they don’t deserve all of the blame. Many prominent liberals have encouraged political violence against conservatives for years now.”

I am one of countless women who are fighting a battle that was never meant to be ours alone. My journey began at the tender age of 17 when I brought my first child into this world without the safety net of family support. Today, I am the mother of three beautiful children, who are my heart and soul. I worked tirelessly in my twenties, juggling three jobs while attending night school to earn a bachelor’s degree. This pursuit for a better life left me with $60,000 in student debt — a shadow that looms large over my future. Today, I gross $6,000 a month, working 15-20 hours of overtime each week. It’s an income I once idolized and aspired to during my studies, believing it was the key to making a name for myself. Yet, the harsh reality is that after taxes, $2,400 in rent, $800 in health insurance, $700 in childcare for my toddler, $400 in utilities, $250 in car insurance, and another $400 in legal fees each month — stemming from a bitter custody battle with my ex-husband — I find myself $1,900 in the red every month. I receive $400 in child support, but it barely scratches the surface of what’s needed. I share these detailed financial numbers to underscore the stark reality that we are all confronting in this country. This isn’t just my struggle — it’s the shared plight of countless Americans burdened by an unforgiving economic system. My car payment is an additional burden, an expensive necessity because financing a vehicle was cheaper than paying any amount in full for something I would own. I am using old food stamp money I had saved up for food when I lost my job last year, but that is dwindling and will run out in a month or so. Soon, I will have no money for food. In the midst of these struggles, I watch in despair as politicians spend more time in political arenas fighting amongst themselves, rather than putting the needs of Americans like me at the forefront. I feel forgotten, as if my reality is not important to those who profit from the political use of the hurt that people like me endure. I find myself ensnared in a relentless cycle, each day feeling like I am shackled in a form of modern-day slavery — laboring endlessly, knowing deep down that no matter how fiercely I fight, breaking free seems impossible. It’s as if my very essence is owned, my labor dictated, my freedom stolen by an unyielding system. This economy, this broken system, holds me captive, squeezing every ounce of strength from my soul as I desperately struggle to break free from the chains of my invisible master. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! I write this not only as a call for change, but out of personal desperation. I hope that by voicing my struggles, I can somehow make sense of the daily battles I face, and in doing so, find a way to make them more bearable. Each word is a plea, a testament to the resilience I must muster every day, yearning for a glimmer of hope amidst the overwhelming darkness. I am exhausted — mentally, physically, and emotionally. It feels as though all my energy is spent on mere survival and my relationship with my children suffers because of it. My health is deteriorating, and I can’t afford the copay to seek help. I make too much to qualify for state assistance, but not enough to survive. In desperation, I’ve resorted to taking out small credit cards with excruciating interest rates, just to afford basic necessities. Yet, even these lifelines slip from my grasp as I let payments lapse, unable to keep up with the relentless financial demands. Each month, I sink deeper into a quicksand of debt, watching helplessly as it pulls me further under. Every day, I send out numerous job applications, hoping to break through the algorithmic barriers that online hiring processes have erected. In a desperate bid to gain an edge, I pay for subscriptions to job board websites, yet the opportunities seem scarce in a sea where everyone is striving for the same lifeline. It’s a bitter pill to swallow knowing my teenage son has more in his savings than I do, and I wrestle with the urge to borrow from him just to afford basic necessities like laundry detergent. I see women my age turning to platforms like OnlyFans, tempted by the possibility of financial relief. I hold onto my faith, my dignity, and my love for my children as a shield against that reality. Yet, the temptation lurks as bills pile up and my credit score plummets. Emails from creditors with “Payment Declined” messages haunt my inbox. My bank account teeters at $3, and payday is a mere cycle of temporary relief before the next wave of bills crashes in. Each month, I face the agonizing decision of which bills to pay and which to defer, forced to prioritize their importance to my family’s immediate well-being. This constant juggling act leaves me perpetually behind, always scrambling to catch up, yet never quite able to break free. It’s a relentless cycle that chips away at my resolve, leaving me feeling defeated and powerless. I ask you: How can it be that earning $60,000 to $70,000 a year leaves me scrapping for survival? Why are hardworking people like me stuck in a system that seems to reward the few at the expense of the many? Each day, the dream of owning my own home slips further away. With every missed payment, my credit score plummets, and any chance of building savings evaporates. The soaring prices of homes stretch far beyond my reach, transforming the American Dream into a distant mirage that taunts me from the horizon. My heart aches as I watch illegal immigrants walk into this country and receive more support than I do. I cry in solitude, locked in my bathroom, journaling and praying for change. This is not just my story, but the story of many women in America who are slowly being crushed under the weight of an unyielding system. I am choosing to vote for Donald Trump because I yearn for a life where my hard work truly counts, where I can live on my own terms without depending on government handouts just to survive in a system that those in power have broken. I implore those who share my struggles to make the same choice, recognizing that more government band-aids will only lead to restricted freedoms and make it increasingly difficult to get ahead. We need to reclaim our autonomy and ensure our labor reaps the rewards it deserves. I’m not seeking handouts or “free government money” — I’m demanding real, substantial change. I vote conservative because I believe in a future where dedication and determination pave the way to personal success and dignity. We need policies that uplift working mothers, honor our contributions, and empower us to provide for our children without sacrificing our health and well-being. This is a plea for action, for reform, and for a future where we are not punished for striving for better. America, the land of opportunity, must become a reality, not just a dream. Change is not a luxury; it is a necessity for mothers, for families, and for Americans like me. * * * Kirsten White is a hardworking mother of three who lives in Idaho. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

'Massive shell game'

'We expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets'