News of the World

[kyonides]

House Republicans, Democrats Weigh In
on Mayorkas Impeachment, Biden Border Policies

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee held its first hearing Wednesday on the Biden administration’s handling of border security. Following that hearing, several committee members discussed impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to take necessary actions to secure the border.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told NTD that he would favor impeaching Mayorkas, though he noted the committee’s majority has not yet reached a decision on the matter.
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“The numbers that we’re talking about, almost 5 million people between the ports of entry illegally coming, that’s pretty real,” Biggs continued; “1.5 million known got-aways, plus unknown got-aways; the amount of drugs and fentanyl, you still only apprehending and interdicting about 10 percent, according to their estimate, but you have more than ever. You’ve got more terrorists coming in, you got more criminal gang members.”

Biggs said the situation at the U.S. border is not an accident or a matter of negligence, but a “feature of the system that [Mayorkas has] put in place.
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Fallon argued that Mayorkas had illegally implemented catch-and-release directives and, through his leadership, “recklessly released” more than 1,000,000 illegal immigrants into the United States.

Fallon brought an additional impeachment charge alleging Mayorkas had perjured himself when he told Congress, under oath, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has maintained “operational control” over the security of the U.S. border. In a third impeachment charge, Fallon accused Mayorkas of having slandered U.S. Border Patrol agents with his comments about allegations they had whipped illegal immigrants who attempted to cross the border.

 People, I think some of you might love immigrants coming to any specific country, but think about it for a moment. If a minimal set of conditions cannot be provided by any state or nation for millions of immigrants to live decently till they can get a job or study at school or college, without becoming a heavy burden for nationals, how can you keep a border open?

At some point you got to close it, like it or not. Leaving them with the doors wide open can only end in one way: criminality soaring by the increase in the number of gangs and  gangsters operating in that country, especially around a nation's borders. And guess who will be some of the  first victims? Yes, the immigrants themselves. This is something I have been watching as it happens in several regions of my own country!

British Monarch to Be Removed From Australia’s $5 Note

The late Queen Elizabeth II will not be featured on Australia’s five-dollar note going forward, instead, a new design that “honours the culture and history of the First Australians”—a term to refer to Aboriginal Australians—will replace the monarch.

The country’s five-dollar bill has featured the late Queen since 1992 and was due to be replaced with her son, King Charles III.

Yet on Feb. 2, the Reserve Bank of Australia announced the swap.
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The Bank would consult with representatives of Indigenous Australians, noting that the new design would take “a number of years” to be finalised and printed.
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The current 50-dollar bill already features famous Indigenous man David Uniapon, an author, activist, musician, and preacher.

While the five-dollar note also includes the Forecourt Mosaic, which is based on a Central Desert dot-style painting by Michael Nelson Jagamara.

The face of King Charles III is expected to be seen on Australian coins later this year.
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However, federal opposition leader Peter Dutton said the move aligned with calls to change the date of Australia Day.
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“I think it’s another attack on our power systems on our society and our institutions,” he added.

 What does the old saying go?  If it ain't  broke, don't fix it!

‘I Don’t Think China Can Tell Me Where to Go’: McCarthy Responds
to CCP Warning About Potential Taiwan Visit

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has fired back after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) warned him not to visit Taiwan amid reports of a potential trip to the democratic island.
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Republicans have voiced their support for a potential visit to Taiwan by McCarthy, which is rumored to be in the works.
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Improving U.S.-Taiwan relations has become a bipartisan rallying point in recent months, following a 2022 visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In response to that visit, the CCP engaged in a series of provocative military actions aimed at intimidating both Taiwan and the United States, including firing several missiles directly over Taiwan which subsequently landed in the waters of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

People Who Posted Sam Bankman-Fried’s Bail Should Be Named, US Judge Rules

A U.S. judge on Monday said the names of two people who helped guarantee bail for indicted FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried should be made public, but put his ruling on hold pending an expected appeal.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan ruled in favor of several media outlets including Reuters that sought the names.

The judge said that while the public had only a “weak” right to know who Bankman-Fried’s guarantors were, it outweighed Bankman-Fried’s arguments for confidentiality, including that the guarantors’ safety could be imperiled.

Kaplan also said the names will remain under seal until at least Feb. 7, because “the question presented here is novel and an appeal is likely.”
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Bankman-Fried, 30, has been confined at his parents’ home in California, after pleading not guilty to fraud for allegedly looting billions of FTX customer dollars.

His parents, both professors at Stanford Law School, had co-signed a $250 million bond for their son, with two other guarantors required to sign $500,000 and $200,000 bonds.

Norway Finds Rare Earth Metals That Could Make Europe Less Dependent on China

Norwegian scientists have made a discovery of rare earth metals in the country’s northern region. The findings have the potential to transform the country’s economy and secure its place as a major player in the global market for high-tech and green technology.
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Today, China is believed to account for more than 80 percent of many metals that are needed for green energy solutions, such as rare earth metals used in electric cars and wind turbines.

Karl Kristensen, a consultant for Bergfald Environmental Consultants, says that the green shift in economics will only multiply the world’s dependence on these materials. He warned that China has almost complete control of the market for rare earth metals.
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The discovery in Norway was made during a routine survey of the region and was confirmed through extensive drilling and analysis. The deposits are believed to be among the largest of their kind in the world, and the potential for further discoveries in the area is significant.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) was responsible for conducting the research that led to the find.
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It follows an announcement from LKAB, a Swedish mining company, earlier in January 2023. LKAB announced the discovery of Europe’s largest deposit of rare earth oxides in the country’s far north.

Japan Warns NSW Coal Reservation Scheme
Could Undermine Relationship between Two Countries

According to The Australian, Japanese Consul-General Tokuda Shuichi had written a letter to the NSW government to express the concerns of Japanese companies about the coal reservation measure introduced in mid-January.
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Any interruption to the supply will likely affect the Japanese economy, which has suffered from the global energy crisis following the war in Ukraine and undermine Australia’s reputation as a coal exporter.

It was also reported that NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean and Premier Dominic Perrottet had received similar written communications from at least one major Japanese power company.

On Jan. 19, the NSW government announced that all thermal coal companies in the state would be required to reserve seven to ten percent of their output for the domestic market to reduce the impact of the coal price cap introduced by the federal government in December 2022.
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At the same time, the NSW government extended the coverage of the coal price cap to all coal mines in the state instead of the 12 mines under the original plan.

With the new measure, the NSW government expected a drop in thermal coal prices, which would reduce the pressure on energy companies that abide by the price cap of $125 (US$89) a tonne.
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NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said the measure was rushed and a radical change of approach as it was extended to coal producers not currently involved in domestic coal supply.
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Meanwhile, Idemitsu, a Japanese conglomerate that has been investing in the Australian resources industry for over 40 years, condemned the policy for its impact on the company’s operation.