Why does a leap year have 366 days? Does the Earth move slower every four years? – Aarush‚ age 8‚ Milpitas‚ CaliforniaYou may be used to hearing that it takes the Earth 365 days to make a full lap‚ but that journey actually lasts about 365 and a quarter days. Leap years help to keep the 12-month calendar matched up with Earth’s movement around the Sun.After four years‚ those leftover hours add up to a whole day. In a leap year‚ we add this extra day to the month of February‚ making it 29 days long instead of the usual 28.The idea of an annual catch-up dates back to ancient Rome‚ where people had a calendar with 355 days instead of 365 because it was based on cycles and phases of the Moon. They noticed that their calendar was getting out of sync with the seasons‚ so they began adding an extra month‚ which they called Mercedonius‚ every two years to catch up with the missing days.In the year 45 BCE‚ Roman emperor Julius Caesar introduced a solar calendar‚ based on one developed in Egypt. Every four years‚ February received an extra day to keep the calendar in line with the Earth’s journey around the Sun. In honor of Caesar‚ this system is still known as the Julian calendar.But that wasn’t the last tweak. As time went on‚ people realized that the Earth’s journey wasn’t exactly 365.25 days – it actually took 365.24219 days‚ which is about 11 minutes less. So adding a whole day every four years was actually a little more correction than was needed.In 1582‚ Pope Gregory XIII signed an order that made a small adjustment. There would still be a leap year every four years‚ except in “century” years – years divisible by 100‚ like 1700 or 2100 – unless they were also divisible by 400. It might sound a bit like a puzzle‚ but this adjustment made the calendar even more accurate – and from that point on‚ it was known as the Gregorian calendar.What if we didn’t have leap years?If the calendar didn’t make that small correction every four years‚ it would gradually fall out of alignment with the seasons. Over centuries‚ this could lead to the solstices and equinoxes occurring at different times than expected. Winter weather might develop in what the calendar showed as summer‚ and farmers could become confused about when to plant their seeds.  Without leap years‚ our calendar would gradually become disconnected from the seasons.Other calendars around the world have their own ways of keeping time. The Jewish calendar‚ which is regulated by both the Moon and the Sun‚ is like a big puzzle with a 19-year cycle. Every now and then‚ it adds a leap month to make sure that special celebrations happen at just the right time.The Islamic calendar is even more unique. It follows the phases of the Moon and doesn’t add extra days. Since a lunar year is only about 355 days long‚ key dates on the Islamic calendar move 10 to 11 days earlier each year on the solar calendar.For example‚ Ramadan‚ the Islamic month of fasting‚ falls in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. In 2024‚ it will run from March 11 to April 9; in 2025‚ it will occur from March 1-29; and in 2026‚ it will be celebrated from Feb. 18 to March 19.Learning from the planetsAstronomy originated as a way to make sense of our daily lives‚ linking the events around us to celestial phenomena. The concept of leap years exemplifies how‚ from early ages‚ humans found order in conditions that seemed chaotic.Simple‚ unsophisticated but effective tools‚ born from creative ideas of ancient astronomers and visionaries‚ provided the first glimpses into understanding the nature that envelops us. Some ancient methods‚ such as astrometry and lists of astronomical objects‚ persist even today‚ revealing the timeless essence of our quest to understand nature.Ancient Egyptians were dedicated astronomers. This section from the ceiling of the tomb of Senenmut‚ a high court official in Egypt‚ was drawn sometime circa 1479–1458 B.C.E. It shows constellations‚ protective gods and 24 segmented wheels for the hours of the day and the months of the year.Image Credit: NebMaatRa via Wikimedia Commons‚ GNU General Public LicensePeople who do research in physics and astronomy‚ the field that I study‚ are inherently curious about the workings of the universe and our origins. This work is exciting‚ and also extremely humbling; it constantly shows that in the grand scheme‚ our lives occupy a mere second in the vast expanse of space and time – even in leap years when we add that extra day.Hello‚ curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name‚ age and the city where you live.And since curiosity has no age limit – adults‚ let us know what you’re wondering‚ too. We won’t be able to answer every question‚ but we will do our best. Bhagya Subrayan‚ PhD Student in Physics and Astronomy‚ Purdue UniversityThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

CNN’s Fareed Zakaria hosted a Sunday special documentary entitled Why Iran Hates America where he ultimately homed in on three Republican presidents: Ronald Reagan‚ George W. Bush‚ and Donald Trump. There is a fine line between explaining Iran’s position and uncritically regurgitating it and Zakaria failed to appreciate the difference as he omitted key information and contradicted himself during relevant portions of the program. Intermixing his own narration with achieved news reports of the Iran-Iraq War‚ Zakaria explained that “Iran was utterly isolated‚” while author Robin Wright added that‚ “it was really Iran standing alone against the rest of the world. And it has defined its security strategy ever since.”     Talking over footage of Reagan on the White House lawn‚ Zakaria mangled history‚ “Meanwhile‚ Washington faced a hard quandary. It had no love for Saddam. But it hated Iran more. So the CIA sent an agent to Baghdad with valuable intelligence‚ beginning a years-long U.S. relationship with Saddam Hussein.” This gives the impression that‚ under Reagan‚ the United States decided to kick Iran while it was down‚ but that is not accurate. Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in September 1980‚ but what Zakaria was discussing did not come about until 1982 when Iran was able to reverse the invasion and clear Iraqi forces out of the country and carry the war into Iraq because it would not end the war unless Saddam was removed. From that point on‚ Washington felt it was necessary to stop Iran and its Shia revolution from expanding beyond Iran. Later‚ after playing a clip of Bush’s Axis of Evil speech‚ Zakaria added‚ “And we all know what happened next.” Following a brief digression into the Iraq War‚ author Narges Bajoghli claimed that “Iran sees itself as a part of the Axis of Evil. So it begins to feel that it has to create a defensive policy against a potential attack.” Zakaria followed up‚ “So Iran shifted to its axis of resistance. A forward defense policy that has been its protector for more than 40 years. Iran became a major presence in Iraq‚ arming Shiite militias that viciously attacked American soldiers. When almost all U.S. troops withdrew in 2011‚ those militias became an integral part of Iraq's army.” Which is it? Is it Bush’s rhetoric and decision to attack Iraq or is it 40 years of policy that predates Bush?     Next‚ it was Trump’s turn to be criticized‚ “When the U.S. assassinated Soleimani in 2020‚ the result might have backfired‚ galvanizing Iran and its allies.” Bajoghli added‚ “It was actually in many ways a goldmine because instead of him being killed by someone in ISIS he's being assassinated by the Great Satan.” You can never know for sure how many of the anti-American protestors are genuine and how many were bribed or forced to be there‚ but either way‚ it completely ignores the mass uprisings the regime has faced in the years since. Wrapping it all up at the end‚ Zakaria again blamed Bush‚ claiming that after 9/11 Iran just wanted to get along with the U.S.‚ “Iran took some important steps to cooperate with Washington in Afghanistan in helping to set up a new government. But once George W. Bush branded them part of the Axis of Evil‚ those overtures collapsed.” He also got in one last whack at Trump‚ “[The Iran nuclear deal] was premised not on trust‚ but on mistrust. Each side carefully protected its interests in that document. But it did create the possibility of a working relationship. And Iran did adhere to the deal‚ moving further away from a nuclear weapons program than it had been for decades. But Donald Trump blew up that deal and that opportunity. And in Iran forces opposed to the deal and any kind of rapprochement with Washington gained power‚ sidelined Rouhani‚ and now rule with an even more brutal fist.” The Biden Administration has recently warned Iran not to export ballistic missiles to Russia for its war on Ukraine because Obama’s deal removed the embargo that prohibited Iran from exporting such weapons. So much for “carefully protected” interests. Beyond the three GOP presidents‚ Zakaria’s documentary also included Georgetown’s Ali Vaez‚ who has solicited feedback from former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on articles he has written defending the nuclear deal. Here is a transcript for the February 25 show: CNN Why Iran Hates America: A Fareed Zakaria Special 2/25/2024 8:34 PM ET FAREED ZAKARIA: Iran was utterly isolated. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Because of fears it will export its fanaticism. ZAKARIA: Backed only by Syria and Libya among Arab nations. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Iraq is getting everything it needs. ZAKARIA: Iraq had most Arab states' support as well as that of the Soviet Union. UNIDENTIFIED NARRATOR: Saddam Hussein. ROBIN WRIGHT: It was really Iran standing alone against the rest of the world. And it has defined its security strategy ever since. ZAKARIA: Meanwhile‚ Washington faced a hard quandary. It had no love for Saddam. But it hated Iran more. So the CIA sent an agent to Baghdad with valuable intelligence‚ beginning a years-long U.S. relationship with Saddam Hussein. JOHN LIMBERT: Our support of Saddam Hussein during The Iran-Iraq war‚ I think was disgraceful. … ZAKARIA: Nearly five months after 9/11‚ President George W. Bush went on the offensive in his 2002 State of the Union Address. GEORGE W. BUSH: North Korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction… Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror… Iraq continues to plan its hostility toward America and to support terror… States like these and their terrorist allies constitute an Axis of Evil arming to threaten the peace of the world. ZAKARIA: A presidential threat branded three countries as the Axis of Evil. And we all know what happened next. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Air raid sirens blared before dawn in Baghdad. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The first American Marines had moved in. ZAKARIA: March 2003‚ U.S. forces invade Iraq vowing to destroy its weapons of mass destruction‚ and put an end to Saddam Hussein's dictatorial rule. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Goodbye‚ Saddam. ZAKARIA: But it was all a historic mistake. DAVID KAY: It turns out‚ so we were all wrong. ZAKARIA: There were no weapons of mass destruction. And the invasion set off a firestorm of violence and vitriol‚ stoking anti-American sentiment throughout the Middle East. NARGES BAJOGHLI: Iran sees itself as a part of the Axis of Evil. So it begins to feel that it has to create a defensive policy against a potential attack. ZAKARIA: So Iran shifted to its axis of resistance. A forward defense policy that has been its protector for more than 40 years. Iran became a major presence in Iraq‚ arming Shiite militias that viciously attacked American soldiers. When almost all U.S. troops withdrew in 2011‚ those militias became an integral part of Iraq's army. … ZAKARIA (voice-over): In Lebanon groups like Hezbollah‚ the crown jewel of Iran's forward defense policy. In Gaza‚ Hamas and Islamic Jihad largely responsible for the October 7th attack on Israel. In Yemen‚ the Houthis who have conducted missile strikes to disrupt shipping lanes and global trade. In Syria‚ a paramilitary group called Shabiha‚ organized by President Bashar al-Assad. And in Iraq and Syria‚ Shia militias. They all act as a conduit and an enforcer to convey Iran's message to the world. VALI NASR: Iran would recruit‚ train‚ organize these militia groups who had a strategic and a tactical relationship with Iran. They will receive funding for military weaponry and they would also be integrated into a command-and-control structure of the Quds Force. ZAKARIA: Quds Force is the most elite part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard responsible for growing the Axis of Resistance. That task fell on the broad shoulders of notorious Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani‚ who took great offense at Bush's Axis of Evil label. MALCOM BYRNE: Here was a person who is just hated by the West and by American officials because he has been the leader of most efforts that have involved threats to the United States. VICTOR BLACKWELL: A rocket attack on the Baghdad airport kills Iran's most revered military leader. ZAKARIA: When the U.S. assassinated Soleimani in 2020‚ the result might have backfired‚ galvanizing Iran and its allies. BAJOGHLI: It was actually in many ways a goldmine because instead of him being killed by someone in ISIS he's being assassinated by the Great Satan. … ZAKARIA: After 9/11‚ Iran took some important steps to cooperate with Washington in Afghanistan in helping to set up a new government. But once George W. Bush branded them part of the Axis of Evil‚ those overtures collapsed. The most significant effort was made by Barack Obama and Iran's then president Hassan Rouhani‚ who both spoke of creating a new relationship. It was not friendship as Iran's Foreign Minister Javid Zarif pointed out to me the Iran nuclear deal was premised not on trust‚ but on mistrust. Each side carefully protected its interests in that document. But it did create the possibility of a working relationship. And Iran did adhere to the deal‚ moving further away from a nuclear weapons program than it had been for decades. But Donald Trump blew up that deal and that opportunity. And in Iran forces opposed to the deal and any kind of rapprochement with Washington gained power‚ sidelined Rouhani‚ and now rule with an even more brutal fist.

President Biden again refused to do a serious interview with a serious news outlet for the Super Bowl‚ but his White House handlers did set him up with a nice tongue bath from NBC comedian Seth Meyers. Reacting to the interview on Tuesday‚ the Cackling Coven of ABC’s The View gushed about how Biden had “the rizz” (slang for having a lot of charisma). They even went so far as to suggest that he was almost – almost as good as former President Obama at doing casual interviews with friendly media. Ignoring the strong likelihood that the whole thing was a verbal Potemkin village (from foreknowledge of the questions to having his infamous aviator sunglasses on hand as a prop)‚ co-host Joy Behar was enamored.  “Look at the way the audience reacted to it‚” she hyped how Meyers’ liberal audience applauded the liberal president. Adding: “And also‚ you notice how relaxed Biden is here? Because when he's relaxed he doesn't stutter‚ he doesn't get nervous and the whole thing of his age goes out the window.” It was also Behar who exclaimed that Biden had “the rizz.” While co-host Sara Haines was proclaiming that she “love[d] seeing [Biden] in the late night arena” and how it reminded her of Obama‚ Behar had nearly the entire table parroting her take: HAINES: Uniquely. Like‚ so we can all agree at the table – because Alyssa's politics differ‚ the charisma‚ the ability to -- BEHAR: The rizz! The rizz! HOSITN: The rizz! FARAH GRIFFIN: The rizz! HAINES: The rizz! He had the rizz!     Faux-conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin continued her trend of being useless at representing the Republican position on the show. She rhetorically saluted the White House communications team for finally cooking up a message to counter the public’s understanding that Biden was mentally unfit for office. “So‚ I think that the White House finally came up with a perfect line to combat the age idea. I think saying ‘it's about how old your ideas’ and then tying it to the abortion issue and rolling back LGBTQ rights‚” she touted. “That's what they need to say because you can be as old as you want to be.” Going further‚ she suggested the canned line “resonates with people” and the appearance “was one of his best performances. I would invite him to come on The View. I think he needs to get out there more and talk to people. They have to see him to know that he's up to the job.” “I thought he was so brilliant‚” Haines agreed. “And the old ideas thing. When I saw it‚ I was like‚ ‘That is perfect!’ That's exactly a contrast and a point that really resonates.” Staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host Sunny Hostin (the descendant of slave owners) also fawned that Biden “was in his best form” and was finally putting up a “good offense” to “bombastic Trump.” “Listen‚ Joe’s been – Joe‚ you know‚ is famous for being laid back. He’s laid back‚” moderator Whoopi Goldberg added. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View February 27‚ 2024 11:16:37 a.m. Eastern (…) WHOOPI GOLDBERG: So‚ do you think this appearance will resonate with people? JOY BEHAR: Yes. Look at the way the audience reacted to it. GOLDBERG: All right. All right. BEHAR: You know‚ Ronald Reagan famously used his sense of humor. He was only 73 in 1984 when he said‚ “Well‚ I'm not going to hold your age against you.” Remember that? Because the guy he was running against‚ Walter Mondale was like 50-something and that was one of those things that put him over the top. And also‚ you notice how relaxed Biden is here? Because when he's relaxed he doesn't stutter‚ he doesn't get nervous and the whole thing of his age goes out the window. And also contrast his sense of humor to Trump who thinks it's funny -- let's hang our vice president. He thinks that's funny. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: So‚ I think that the White House finally came up with a perfect line to combat the age idea. I think saying “it's about how old your ideas” and then tying it to the abortion issue and rolling back LGBTQ rights. That's what they need to say because you can be as old as you want to be. I actually think -- I'm not a Democrat but for Democrats I could see somebody who’s‚ you know‚ more older in their years but being somebody who -- GOLDBERG: You can say mature‚ you can say older. [Crosstalk] FARAH GRIFFIN: But defending these viewpoints that we feel like – they feel like the other side is going backward on. I think that that resonates with people. I thought it was one of his best performances. I would invite him to come on The View. I think he needs to get out there more and talk to people. They have to see him to know that he's up to the job. SARA HAINES: I thought he was so brilliant; and the old ideas thing. When I saw it‚ I was like‚ “that is perfect!” That's exactly a contrast and a point that really resonates. I love seeing him in the late night arena. Obama was so good at this. President Obama -- BEHAR: Well‚ he was a pro at everything! HAINES: Yeah‚ but I just think— [Applause] HOSTIN: Yes‚ he was. HAINES: Uniquely. Like‚ so we can all agree at the table – because Alyssa's politics differ‚ the charisma‚ the ability to -- BEHAR: The rizz! The rizz! HOSITN: The rizz! FARAH GRIFFIN: The rizz! HAINES: The rizz! He had the rizz! And late night brings out different qualities. When you described the relaxed; he's on a couch‚ he’s sitting having a conversation. Normally‚ he's sitting at a podium and it’s all this – [franticly shaking] GOLDBERG: And it's only one person. HAINES: Yeah! And so‚ I think whenever you’re putting people – they should be everywhere. Because a late night show is different from a daytime show which is different than CNN or Meet the Press. GOLDBERG: Well‚ he doesn’t have – Listen‚ Joe’s been – Joe‚ you know‚ is famous for being laid back. He’s laid back. HOSTIN: Yeah. Uncle Joe. (…) 11:21:18 a.m. Eastern HOSTIN: I think he did a great job. I think the best defense is a good offense; and he's been back on his heels so much and we've seen this bombastic Trump‚ you know‚ attack‚ on the attack‚ on the attack. So‚ I think he was in his best form. Of what we saw last night. (…)

Swimsuit model Kristen Louelle Gaffney said that she angered feminists by saying women should take care of themselves physically‚ adding that men are receiving undeserved hate despite building the country.Gaffney‚ a 2021 Sports Illustrated swimsuit model‚ says she came under fire for generally apolitical commentary she gave that was related to women exercising."Something I did not think was a hot topic‚ and it's not political‚ is I said women should take care of themselves physically. I said women should go to the gym. I said women should get their nails done‚ they should put some effort into their appearance‚ and it went viral and the comments were crazy‚" Gaffney told OutKick's Charly Arnolt.The model also took shots at the political left‚ saying leftists have a lot of critiques of men yet are unable to concretely define a particular gender."The left side has really been pushing down men lately‚ yet they can't define what a woman is‚ so that's quite ironic‚" Gaffney continued. "There's a lot of irony in their agendas‚" she added.The San Diego native and wife of former NFL running back Tyler Gaffney previously made headlines when she sported a MAGA purse at the Super Bowl LVIII festivities and praised President Trump."Trump embraces the American dream‚ he protects our children‚ and he puts our country first‚" she said according to Fox News. The 32-year-old added that those who have challenged the concept of putting America and its people first should be questioned‚ rather than Trump.Noting that she wanted to "make a statement" with her accessory‚ Gaffney said she received a lot of support‚ including a lot of high fives from men at the Super Bowl events.Host Arnolt had her own choice words over the feminism debate‚ plainly stating that "toxic masculinity is hot.""The absence of masculinity is the problem; it's not that masculinity exists‚" she explained. Arnolt said that she believed it is also a woman's responsibility to continue to take of herself during a relationship."I think that one of the roles of being a woman is is looking nice‚ taking care of yourself‚ and I think that if you do neglect that and a guy starts losing interest‚ then that's ultimately — I won't say all but some of — your own fault if you're not going to try to look nice for your man and continue to impress."Ultimately‚ the podcaster said that both men and women need to make an effort for one another in a relationship; otherwise they can likely expect their connection to start "falling apart."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

When a certain “asexual white weirdo‚” in the words of Dave Rubin‚ made his way onto Jerry Seinfeld’s show‚ he was quick to point out the surplus of “white males” on the host’s other talk show‚ “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” But all it took was 30 seconds and a few quippy sentences for Jerry to put the BuzzFeed interviewer‚ Peter Lauria‚ to shame. “I have noticed that most of the guests are mostly white males. Of 22 episodes …” Lauria began before Jerry cut him off. “Yeah‚ let’s get into that‚” Seinfeld interjected‚ as the audience howled with laughter. “Take a look over here‚ Peter‚” he continued‚ gesturing to the audience. “What do you see? A lot of whities!” “But I…” Peter restarted‚ but he was cut off again. “Oh‚ this really pisses me off. People think it’s the census or something. This has got to represent the actual pie chart of America? Who cares?” Jerry fired back. “It’s just funny. Funny is the world that I live in. You’re funny‚ I’m interested; you’re not funny‚ I’m not interested.” “I have no interest in gender or race or anything like that‚ but everyone else [is] calculating: Is this the exact right mix? ... To me‚ it’s anti-comedy‚” he concluded. While the conversation was mostly light-hearted and comical‚ Jerry does make an excellent point about the total rejection of meritocracy in our society. “Jerry’s answer there is absolutely right‚” says Dave‚ “and we have seen wokeness destroy comedy‚ which is why there are very few funny movies any more or funny TV shows.” To watch Jerry Seinfeld effectively silence a virtue-signaling lefty‚ watch the clip below. Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

A group of California veterans are joining forces to close gaps in the southern border wall‚ according to a Friday article from Border Report.Border Vets‚ a coalition of military veterans‚ is taking the border crisis into its own hands by using metal stakes and razor wire to seal off holes in the southern border wall that have become hot spots for illegal migrant crossings. The group has been focusing its efforts on patching gaps near Jacumba Hot Springs‚ located in the mountains 60 miles east of San Diego.Kate Monroe‚ a retired Marine‚ told Border Report‚ “It’s really serious for everybody here that we protect our nation. The holes that we can find [in the border wall]‚ we’re going to go ahead and get the razor wire and do our best to defend our country.”“Whoever it is you’re waiting to do this for you‚ they’re not coming. It’s going to be people like us‚ people like America’s veterans‚” she added.According to Monroe‚ the coalition of veterans has routinely completed this type of work at the southern border. Border Vets plans to return to the incomplete wall on Thursday to make additional repairs.The group continues to execute the work despite the Border Patrol’s warnings that only agents and government contractors are legally allowed to alter‚ modify‚ or fix the border wall.Monroe told Border Report that the group has received primarily positive feedback from Border Patrol agents. She noted that the veterans have not been stopped from putting up the razor wire.“That’s not going to stop us or deter us from coming here‚” she stated‚ noting that smugglers are likely to tear down the group’s work eventually. “If we can stop them for one day‚ one hour‚ one week‚ we’ve stopped more people from coming into our country.”Monroe recently posted a video on social media of her closing a gap in the border wall with razor wire. “We’re standing right now at the spot that’s been all over the news. A lot of people have come out here to film this hole in the wall‚” Monroe told viewers. “No one has yet to come and secure this hole in the fence. If you want something done‚ sometimes you got to do it yourself.”“What good is a wall if you can walk right around the corner of the wall?” she asked. Monroe then walked from the American side of the border to Mexico and back again‚ stating‚ “Okay‚ I’m going to cross back over. It’d be super cool if you could pick me up. I’d like my free health care. I’d like my plane ticket‚ my new clothes‚ my lunch‚ my cell phone. America‚ you’re being gaslit. We did not have a secure border.”Illegal migrants‚ many from Central Asia‚ Africa‚ China‚ and South America‚ who cross into the U.S. near Jacumba Hot Springs wait in an unofficial camp to be picked up by Border Patrol agents‚ who then move them to a processing facility‚ the New York Post reported.On Thursday‚ a migrant center in San Diego was forced to shut its doors after its overwhelmed facility ran out of funds‚ according to Fox News Digital. Officials reported that 1‚300 illegal immigrants were released onto the streets of the city over the weekend following the shelter’s recent closure.Jim Desmond‚ San Diego County supervisor‚ stated‚ “This is entirely the fault of the federal government for its open-border policies and the state of California for incentivizing people from around the world to come here.”“We in San Diego County‚ we’re getting a lot of people from all over the world coming across our borders‚ primarily through the Jacumba area‚” he explained. “And what’s unfortunate‚ and I think is kind of scary for people of this country‚ is a lot of these people [being released into the U.S.] aren’t vetted by the Border Patrol.”He noted that the vast majority of the illegal migrants being dropped off in the country are single adult males. The reality is that the people entering this country are not being properly vetted. Border Patrol does not have the time or resources to vet people and instead is forced to drop them on the streets of San Diego. This is dangerous for everyone involved. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

During a Monday evening town hall meeting‚ Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams called for changes to the city's "sanctuary" policy that would allow local law enforcement to turn over some law-breaking migrants to federal agents‚ the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.Adams has previously expressed support for the city's sanctuary status. However‚ New York City's overwhelmed shelter system and increase in crime may be pushing the mayor to reconsider the policy.A video of the town hall meeting posted on social media by independent photographer Leeroy Johnson captured Adams' remarks‚ where he appeared to walk back his stance on the city's sanctuary status policies. "The overwhelming number of migrants and asylum-seekers that are here‚ they want to work. I still don't understand why the federal government is not allowing them to work. They need to have the right to work‚ like all of us that have come to this country have had the ability to do so‚" Adams stated. "But those small numbers that have committed crimes‚ we need to modify the sanctuary city law that if you commit a felony or violent act‚ we should be able to turn you over to [United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and have you deported‚" Adams added.The room erupted in applause in response to the mayor's comments.In a separate video‚ Adams explained that the current laws are preventing him from curbing the illegal migrant crisis within the city."People tell me all the time‚ they see me on the street and they say‚ 'Well‚ Eric‚ why don't you stop the buses from coming in?' It's against the law‚ I can't. 'Why don't you allow those who want to work — allow them to work?' It's against the law — the federal law — I can't. 'Why do you say you have to house everyone that [comes] in?' Because that's the law. 'Why don't you deport those who commit crimes and harm people that are not doing the right thing?' It's against the law‚ I can't‚" Adams said.Despite "inheriting a national crisis‚" Adams argued that New York City has handled the influx of migrants better than other cities across the country."You don't see tent cities in New York. You don't see children and families sleeping on the street in New York. This team here has managed the crisis each time they come‚" he added.During the town hall meeting‚ New York Police Department Chief of Patrol John Chell noted that the city's law enforcement officials have seized 50‚000 illegal scooters‚ bikes‚ and cars off of the streets. According to Chell‚ residents have repeatedly raised concerns about the stolen and illegal vehicles being used by migrants to commit crimes. Canarsie Brooklyn NY \nDuring a Town Hall meeting‚ a resident raised his concerns over illegal scooters‚ @NYPDChiefPatrol John Chell states he heard those concerns by other residents and have been taking action and so far seized over 50k illegal scooters and cars off the streets‚\u2026 — (@) Earlier this month‚ minority Republicans in the New York state legislature proposed legislation that would effectively reverse the city's sanctuary policies‚ Blaze News previously reported. The bill‚ if passed‚ would allow local law enforcement agencies to coordinate with ICE.Kenneth Genalo‚ the director of ICE's New York field office‚ has blamed the city's sanctuary policies for hindering the agency's ability to remove illegal migrants. "We want to help. The problem is‚ due to city policies and state law‚ cooperation is no longer afforded between NYPD and ICE‚" Genalo told the New York Post."Once they're back in the community‚ we have to then go look for them‚" he added. "Instead of being able to take custody of these individuals in the confines of a jail or in the confines of a precinct‚ we now have to go out into the community and the streets where unfortunately the criminals have the upper hand." Canarsie Brooklyn NY\nDuring a town hall meeting‚ the @NYCMayor explains that by law‚ he has to house the migrants and due to federal law‚ he can't turn the busses or planes around. He also states him and his team did the job better than any state or city. \nFilmed by @LeeroyPress\u2026 — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A suspect who allegedly shot and wounded three police officers in Washington‚ D.C.‚ earlier this month is a foreign national who is in the U.S. illegally‚ a new report claims.At 7:30 a.m. on Valentine's Day‚ several cops with the Criminal Apprehension Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department joined members of the Humane Rescue Alliance to execute an arrest warrant for suspected animal cruelty at a residence in a southeastern neighborhood of our nation's capital. When they arrived‚ the suspect initially refused to comply with their orders and instead almost immediately fired several bullets in their direction before barricading himself inside his residence‚ as Blaze News previously reported.Three cops sustained non-life-threatening gunshot injuries‚ and a fourth cop suffered an injury that was unrelated to the gunfire. All four have been released from the hospital. One officer on the scene also fired a service weapon but did not strike the suspect‚ a statement from Metro Police said. The standoff with police lasted nearly 13 hours before a surrender was successfully negotiated.The 48-year-old suspect in the case identified himself as Julius James‚ but investigators later learned that his real name is Stephen Claude Rattigan. He has been charged with assault with intent to kill while armed‚ assault on a police officer while armed‚ and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with the police standoff‚ as well as misdemeanor cruelty to animals‚ a press release from the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office said.Now‚ a new report from Julio Rosas‚ a field reporter with the Manhattan Institute‚ indicates that Rattigan is actually a citizen of an unidentified foreign nation and that he exploited D.C. sanctuary laws to remain in the country illegally."A law enforcement source has confirmed to me the man who recently shot three DC police officers‚ Stephen Claude Rattigan‚ also known as James Claude Julius‚ is in the US illegally‚" Rosas tweeted on Monday evening. "He has an active ICE deportation order." — (@) The press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office suggests instead that Rattigan is a capital resident‚ describing him as "Stephen Claude Rattigan‚ also known as Julius James‚ 48‚ of Washington‚ D.C." (emphasis added). Neither the attorney's office press release nor the statement from Metro PD makes mention of the suspect's legal status.However‚ the press release does allege that authorities "removed 31 dogs" from Rattigan's home‚ that the "living conditions" in the home were "inhumane‚" and that Rattigan had been captured on camera striking one animal in the face multiple times. He was denied bond and remains in custody‚ awaiting a preliminary hearing on February 29.Rosas reached out to ICE for comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

If Republicans can’t win a budget fight over a possible government shutdown against a man deemed too senile to face prosecution‚ then they deserve to go the way of the Whigs. Amid the political imbroglio surrounding the political fates of Donald Trump and Joe Biden‚ we seem to forget that congressional Republicans have a chance to focus national attention on winning issues vital to saving our civilization. With government funding slated to expire on March 1 and March 8‚ now is the time for Republicans to make the case against invasion‚ inflation‚ inquisition‚ injections‚ indoctrination‚ and Islamization — the six “evil I’s.” Republicans win when the focus is on issues‚ but they lose when the focus is on personalities. Democrats are at a massive disadvantage. Their policies are unpopular‚ and their party’s leader and public face is mentally infirm. Republicans will never get more leverage in a budget fight than they have right now. The fact is that even if Republicans win a smashing victory in November‚ conservatives won’t come close to 60 votes in the Senate. Stymied by RINOs‚ they would still lack the votes necessary to pass worthy‚ transformational legislation — except for once a year‚ through the budget reconciliation process. Under the circumstances‚ a budget showdown with the threat of a government shutdown is inevitable. But the threat needs to be credible. If Republicans aren’t willing to at least telegraph to the Democrats that they are willing to shoot the hostage‚ they certainly won’t do so when they have control of all three branches and they’re on the hook for governing. That’s why Republicans never risked a shutdown when they had control of all branches of government (until after they lost the 2018 midterms). The time is right for a real budget fight‚ as Biden is laid bare as a man who belongs in a senior care facility and not the Oval Office. With that in mind‚ here are the demands Republicans should place in their budget under the umbrella of combatting the six “evil I’s.” Invasion Most Americans now believe immigration is the nation’s No. 1 problem‚ according to a new Gallup poll. Stopping Biden’s border invasion therefore should be the Republicans’ top priority. Every day from now until March 1‚ Republican leaders should make it clear they will only pass a budget that includes HR 2‚ which would end “catch and release” and defund the nongovernmental organizations and nonprofits facilitating the invasion. The GOP must not squander this opportunity. They need to fight as long as it takes to harness national attention and beat the Democrats into submission. Inflation The basic American standard of living has now become a luxury for millions of people. Republicans should use the budget to defund Biden’s Orwellian “Inflation Reduction Act‚” which has only fueled the problem it was ostensibly intended to solve. In reality‚ the 2022 law is just the Green New Deal in disguise. Not surprisingly‚ the Congressional Budget Office just raised its estimate of that legislation’s cost by $466 billion. Surging energy prices account for much of that increase. Given the manifest failures of the Democrats’ green energy policies‚ Republicans have a rare opportunity to stand on the side of consumers against the green grift. The electric vehicle market is crashing and causing a massive increase in car insurance at a time when car inflation is already sky-high. Now is the time to pull the plug. Inquisition Republicans will never get a better opportunity to defund the inquisition against the regime’s political opponents. Special counsel Robert Hur’s report earlier this month exposed our two-tiered justice system in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. Hur concluded that Joe Biden should not be prosecuted for unlawfully holding classified documents he took as a U.S. senator and later as vice president because he is mentally unfit to stand trial. Republicans should use that as an opportunity to defund the politically motivated prosecutions of Trump as well as nonviolent January 6 defendants. The budget should also include language from HR 5577 by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas)‚ which would defund prosecutions under the FACE Act that have resulted in the imprisonment of people who have merely sung hymns outside abortion clinics. Finally‚ this portion of the bill should also include the House Judiciary Committee’s reform of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act‚ which the FBI has abused to conduct warrantless searches of American citizens’ communications. Injections After three years‚ we have a wealth of studies‚ data‚ lived experience‚ and documents from the FDA and Pfizer showing that the COVID injections potentially damage every organ system in the human body. We now know that the mRNA spreads to the placenta and mother’s milk and that it’s contaminated with DNA plasmids. A recent study of 99 million people revealed massive safety signals for neurological damage‚ blood and heart disorders‚ myocarditis‚ pericarditis‚ Guillain-Barré syndrome‚ and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. The time has come to defund all mRNA vaccines to ensure they are taken off the market. Indoctrination After every major mass shooting‚ Democrats are prepared to promote gun control. Yet with an apparently growing trend of mass shootings committed by transgender individuals‚ Republicans are not demanding action on government programs to groom of an entire generation of children into hormone-induced violence and mental illness. According to the CDC‚ one in four high schoolers identity as a sexual behavior that will not result in procreation. That is not natural. It’s a contagion of indoctrination. To that end‚ Republicans must bar funding for any Department of Health and Human Services program promoting “gender-affirming care”; any education program teaching “gender studies”; and any indulgence of the sexual ideology both in domestic and foreign policy agencies. Moreover‚ Republicans need to defund the recent Title IX mandate that states accommodate gender dysphoria in public school bathrooms. Islamization It is no exaggeration to say the Biden administration has become a vassal of Iran and a promoter of Hamas. Right now‚ Republicans disagree about whether or how to aid Israel when America itself is trillions of dollars in debt. But Republicans can do a lot more for Israel without spending a dime by simply defunding Biden’s war against the Jewish state. Recently‚ Biden placed sanctions on residents of Judea and Samaria‚ while offering visa incentives for Gaza residents. Meanwhile‚ the State Department may force a “two-state solution” down Israel’s throat. The GOP budget bill should defund all aid to the Palestinians and Lebanon‚ which is a puppet of Iran. The bill should also prohibit sanctions on Israeli citizens and defund all diplomatic missions that promote an Arab Palestinian state. Headed into this week’s deadline‚ Republicans have even greater leverage thanks to a quirk from last year’s debt ceiling deal. The only good provision‚ thanks to the efforts of Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)‚ is an automatic trigger that if Congress fails to enact a new full-year budget by April 30‚ all the agencies would face an across-the-board 1% cut‚ which would hit non-defense agencies hardest. This gives House Republicans cover they need to pass a continuing resolution for the remainder of the year‚ triggering the automatic cuts‚ along with the aforementioned “defund” riders. They can use the pain of the spending cuts as leverage to negotiate the policy riders. Republicans consistently poll well on the issues even as they stumble at the ballot box. The reason is the GOP has shown no seriousness in so much as communicating a plan to reverse Biden’s ruinous policies. There is no more time to waste. Republicans win when the focus is on issues‚ but they lose when the focus is on personalities. Stopping the border invasion‚ reining in inflation‚ clamping down on political inquisitions‚ defunding deadly injections‚ ending transgender indoctrination‚ and halting the Islamization of the government are winning issues. A serious fight on just one of those issues would be worth it. Let’s go.

CBS News has finally returned Catherine Herridge's confidential files and records.After terminating Herridge two weeks ago‚ CBS News came under fire when law professor Jonathan Turley revealed that CBS News officials retained possession of Herridge's confidential records stored in her office‚ prompting intervention from Herridge's union‚ SAG-AFTRA. CBS News confirmed it had possession of the files but denied that their security was compromised.On Monday‚ the union announced that CBS News finally returned the files and records to Herridge."SAG-AFTRA is pleased to confirm that earlier today a representative of our union monitored the return of several boxes containing Catherine Herridge's reporting materials from her CBS News office in Washington‚ D.C‚" the union said in a statement. "Herridge is currently reviewing the materials."Importantly‚ the union pointed out that CBS News' "reversal" only happened "after SAG-AFTRA's intervention and widespread media coverage."For its part‚ CBS News claimed File-gate was normal‚ stemming from a "standard HR conversation about materials in her office‚" a network representative said.Unfortunately for CBS News‚ the decision to terminate Herridge and retain control of her confidential files for about two weeks post-termination is raising eyebrows and‚ now‚ drawing scrutiny from Congress.Last week‚ the House Judiciary Committee sent CBS News President Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews a letter informing her the committee is launching an investigation into Herridge's termination and the retention of her records. The committee is asking important questions and demanding answers from CBS News‚ including why Herridge was terminated‚ why her files were retained‚ who had access to her records after she was terminated‚ and whether her files were accessed in any way after Herridge was terminated."The unprecedented actions of CBS News threaten to chill good journalism and ultimately weaken our nation's commitment to a free press‚" Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wrote in the letter.Herridge has not spoken publicly about her termination or the controversy surrounding her files‚ except to share updates from her union.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!