UN report accuses Israel of sexual violence against Palestinians

Source: SFGate

“United Nations-backed human rights experts on Thursday accused Israel of ‘the systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence’ in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. … Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the Human Rights Council, a U.N.-backed body that commissioned the team of independent experts, as an ‘anti-Israel circus’ that has ‘long been exposed as an antisemitic, rotten, terrorist-supporting, and irrelevant body.’ His statement did not address the findings themselves. The findings by the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which seeks to document in minute detail the allegations and evidence of crimes to bolster accountability for perpetrators, could be used by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court or in other jurisdictions to try to bring justice to victims and their relatives.” (03/13/25)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/un-report-accuses-israel-of-sexual-violence-20219138.php

Portugal sets elections for May 18 after government collapse

Source: Deutsche Welle [German state media]

“Portugal will hold an early general election on May 18th, the president announced after dissolving parliament late Thursday. This will be Portugal’s third election in just over three years. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa urged voters to perform their civic duty, while acknowledging the difficulties the country is facing. The announcement comes after Prime Minister Luis Montenegro lost a confidence vote on Tuesday, forcing a collapse of his government. He will now act in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed. The confidence vote was called after Montenegro became embroiled in a conflict of interest scandal involving his family’s law firm. He continues to deny any wrongdoing.” (03/13/25)

https://www.dw.com/en/portugal-sets-elections-for-may-18-after-government-collapse/a-71916398

Dead Athena moon lander seen inside its crater grave from lunar orbit

Source: Space.com

“We now have shots of the Athena moon lander’s final resting place. Athena, the second lunar lander from Houston company Intuitive Machines, tipped over during its touchdown on March 6, ending up on its side within a small crater near the moon’s south pole. This orientation prevented the lander’s solar panels from capturing enough sunlight, and Intuitive Machines declared Athena dead on March 7. Athena beamed home a few shots of its surroundings before giving up the ghost. And we now have views of the lander and its crater grave from on high, courtesy of NASA’s sharp-eyed Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).” (03/13/25)

https://www.space.com/the-universe/moon/dead-athena-moon-lander-seen-inside-its-crater-grave-from-lunar-orbit-photos

Our Beautiful Economy Was a Terrible Thing to Waste

Source: RealClearPolitics
by Froma Harrop

“Trump was handed a great economy, ‘The Envy of the World,’ according to financial media. His trade war, lack of coherent economic policy and perhaps low interest in governing when cameras aren’t present have investors close to panic. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost more than 2,000 points since Election Day. Consumer confidence just scored its largest decline since August 2021. Americans are falling behind on car payments at the highest rate in more than 30 years. Inflation and employment numbers have gone wobbly, and the U.S. dollar is losing value. (By the way, the Russian stock market is doing splendidly as are the European bourses.)” (03/13/25)

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2025/03/13/our_beautiful_economy_was_a_terrible_thing_to_waste_152497.html

Dog bites man: Schumer to vote for more government spending and debt

Source: The Guardian [UK]

“The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said on Thursday he would vote for a Republican-written bill to fund federal agencies through September and avert a government shutdown. Schumer’s comments suggest that his members are prepared to provide the necessary votes to clear a procedural hurdle ahead, allowing the seven-month spending measure to advance to a final vote.” ()3/13/25)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/13/schumer-republican-bill-shutdown-trump

Banning children from social media?

Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton

“Australia has taken a drastic step, passing a law (and apparently enforcing it) to prevent people under age 16 from using social media. Now, even more are arguing that DC needs to also enact such a law. For the entire Fifty States and territories. Not much has been published about this in the past six or so weeks, or since the new regime started taking over DC. But it has been reported that twelve States so far have restricted teen access to social media and many more have seen legislation introduced to do so. Three States’ legislation have been blocked by courts. The most recent (reported on WTVR-TV) is Virginia, where lawmakers have passed a bill limiting social media use for those under age 16.” (03/13/25)

https://thepriceofliberty.org/2025/03/13/banning-children-from-social-media/

DOGE’s Housing Department Cuts Will Make the Homelessness Crisis Worse

Source: Center on Budget & Policy Procedures
by Will Fischer

“A record number of people are struggling to afford housing, and leaders from across the political spectrum have called for action. But the Trump Administration, including Elon Musk and the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE) has taken one step after another that will undermine the most effective policies to help people afford housing, including cutting Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff, withholding urgently needed funds, and making harmful policy changes. In 2023, 24 million people lived in low-income households that paid over half their income in rent, forcing them to shift money away from other basic needs and often leaving them one setback away from eviction. In January 2024, 770,000 people across the country (an all-time high) couldn’t afford housing at all and were forced to live in shelters, cars, tents, or other unsafe and unstable circumstances.” (03/13/25)

https://www.cbpp.org/blog/doge-driven-hud-cuts-will-make-it-harder-for-people-to-afford-housing-exit-homelessness