March, 2021 | The Georgia Star News

Cofounder of Global Fraud Organization Responsible for Stealing More Than $500 Million Sentenced to Ten Years in Jail

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

A Russian national, who co-founded a global fraud operation that’s responsible for stealing more than $560 million from millions of victims was sentenced to a decade in jail on Friday, the Department of Justice announced.

Russian citizen Sergey Medvedev, 33, and Syvatoslav Bondarenko, who is from Ukraine, co-founded Infraud, court documents said, according to a Justice Department press release. Infraud, a worldwide criminal organization that engaged in financial fraud and stole identities, bragged about having more than 10,000 participants at its height, according to the press release.

Medvedev, the Russian national, conducted an “escrow” service for illegal transactions in the Infraud network starting in November 2010 until law enforcement shut down the organization in February 2018, court documents said, according to the press release.

Music Spotlight: Sam Hatmaker

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Bethany Bowman

The first time I saw Sam Hatmaker was with the Song Suffragettes before COVID. Every songwriter who is part of the Song Suffragettes collective is amazing, but Hatmaker was unique and different. I knew even back then, I wanted to interview her.

It turns out that Hatmaker is from Knoxville, Tennessee. Her mom did theater and her dad was a performer too. It was natural for her to want to be on stage. When she was ten-years-old, she auditioned and was cast in a Christmas show at Dollywood. That ended up with her working at Dollywood for three years.

Border Patrol Holding Thousands of Migrant Children Past The Legal Limit, Some Detained Longer Than 10 Days

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Customs and Border Protection has held at least 800 unaccompanied migrant minors in custody for over 10 days, Axios reported

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can legally hold unaccompanied minors for 72 hours, though over 3,300 were in custody over the limit as of Saturday, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security document obtained by Axios. Over 2,200 unaccompanied minors were held for more than five days and around 820 were in custody for over 10 days.

The number of unaccompanied minors in CBP custody for over 10 days has quadrupled in the last week, Axios reported. Only around 180 unaccompanied minors were in CBP custody for over 10 days as of last Monday.

Biden Administration Facing Media Scrutiny for Not Allowing Press Access to Child Migrant Detention Facilities

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Reporters in the White House Press Briefing Room expressed frustration on Wednesday with the Biden Administration for failing to provide proper information or press access regarding the increasingly overflowing migrant detention facilities on the southern border, as reported by Breitbart.

One reporter grilled White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on this issue, asking “It’s now been three weeks since….you were first asked about getting us some press access” to these facilities, which have been filling up with child migrants in particular. “Why have we still not seen any images inside these facilities?”

Psaki dodged the question, and instead tried to claim that Biden himself is receiving such information in briefings, saying that “he talks to plenty of officials.” Psaki also continued blaming other factors for the lack of information, including various restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the privacy of children who occupy these facilities.

Elizabeth Warren Calls Filibuster Racist Months After Filibustering Tim Scott Police Reform Bill

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren called the filibuster racist Thursday, months after she filibustered Republican Sen. Tim Scott’s police reform legislation.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the filibuster is both racist and shouldn’t be permitted in the Senate since it gives the minority veto power, according to Axios. The legislative filibuster, which dates back to the 1800s, is a rule that requires 60 votes for most legislation to pass in the Senate.

“The filibuster has deep roots in racism, and it should not be permitted to serve that function, or to create a veto for the minority,” Warren told Axios on Thursday. “In a democracy, it’s majority rules.”

Commentary: Biden Will Prove Reagan Right About Big-Government Incompetence

March 23, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Respected Washington Post journalist and CNN host Fareed Zakaria has thrown down the gauntlet by betting that President Joe Biden “can show us that Reagan was wrong” when the Gipper said that “government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem.”

The headline in the Washington Post was “Biden is showing government can work,” and this assertion was supported by a commitment from a Biden White House official that “For people like us who believe in government, task number one is to make government work.”

Lawyer Linked to Steele Dossier is Working for House Dems to Overturn Results of Iowa Election

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

House Democrats have hired Marc Elias, the elections lawyer linked to the infamous Steele dossier, to help in their bid to overturn the results of an Iowa House race won by a Republican incumbent.

According to Politico, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is paying Elias to represent the campaign of Rita Hart, a Democrat who lost by six votes to Rep. Mariannette Miller-Marks.

Hart has appealed to Congress to adjudicate the outcome of the election after state officials declared Miller-Marks the winner. Hart claims that Iowa officials failed to count 22 ballots that would have swayed the election in her favor.

Far-Left Southern Poverty Law Center Holds over $160 Million in Offshore Bank Accounts

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a far-left hate group that specializes in smearing right-wing groups and individuals, is currently holding over $160 million of its assets in offshore bank accounts, according to the Washington Free Beacon.

The revelation comes from the most recent financially-audited statements, which show about $162 million in such foreign accounts as of October 21st of last year. The group raised about $108 million over the course of a year between November 2019 and October 2020, which was up $11 million from their previous year’s total.

CNN Losing Viewers Following Trump Exit

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

CNN has been losing viewers at a record rate since former President Trump left office, dropping nearly 50% its audience in key metrics since January, Fox News reported.

The cable news channel had averaged 2.5 million primetime viewers from November 4 through Inauguration Day on January 20, according to a Fox News analysis of Nielsen data.

However, data shows once President Joe Biden took office the network averaged only 1.6 million total primetime viewers from January 21, through March 15, according to the report.

Trump Reveals What He Wrote to Biden in Oval Office Note

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Former President Trump for the first time discussed the lengthy letter he wrote “from the heart” to President Biden and left in the Oval Office on Jan. 20.

“Basically I wish him luck and, you know, it was a couple of pages long and it was from the heart because I want to see him do well,” Trump said during a recent interview on the podcast “The Truth with Lisa Boothe.”

Crime Syndicate Targeting Hispanics Busted in Nashville

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicted six suspects linked to violent robberies over a period of years that specifically targeted Nashville’s Hispanic community.

“According to police, the six suspects were linked to 150 holdups that primarily targeted Latino families. It is estimated that the group robbed more than $150,000 in cash and belongings from victims and committed 29 violent robberies,” WKRN reported. “Police said the robberies occurred in parking lots at first and evolved into victims’ homes. Armed suspects would often make their entry through unlocked sliding glass doors.”

West Chester University Implements Mandatory Diversity Training for All Employees

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

West Chester University in Pennsylvania has recently instituted mandatory diversity training for faculty and staff.

The required training would take place on the electronic platform EverFi, according to a memo sent to employees obtained by The College Fix.

Employees were notified that this program would serve to demonstrate the “mission, goals, values, and strategic plan” of the public university in ensuring an inclusive and welcoming work environment.

Commentary: Save America From Action Civics

March 23, 2021 RealClearWire

Booker was about twelve when he first set foot in a classroom and discovered that he needed a last name. He invented one on the spot, and for the rest of his life, he was Booker Washington. It was then and still is a civics lesson for America. As a slave born on the Burroughs Plantation in 1856, he was simply Booker. But as a freed individual determined to make something of himself, he chose to identify with his country’s founder.

Booker T. Washington—he added the T later—spent the rest of his life getting educated and educating others, black and white. He is out of fashion these days because he preached black advancement through relentless hard work and veered away from challenging the racist public policies of his time. But he still has something to teach us, namely that Americans have to own their history.

Illegal Immigrants in Rio Grande Valley Being Released Without Court Date

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector of Texas are reportedly releasing illegal immigrants seeking asylum into the U.S. without giving them court dates, Fox News reported Sunday.

Illegal immigrants claiming asylum are not given a Notice to Appear before being released from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody, multiple unnamed Border Patrol agents confirmed with Fox News. Since the migrants aren’t given a court date to attend an asylum hearing, the responsibility is on them to schedule one through Immigrations and Customs Enforcement or other legal assistance.

Border Patrol agents were reportedly told to use prosecutorial discretion when determining to skip the paperwork needed to schedule a court date, according to Fox News. Biometrical data is gathered from the migrants before they’re released into the U.S.

Commentary: Your Freedom of Speech Ends Wednesday

March 23, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

The Senate’s Committee on Rules and Administration Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has announced she is holding a hearing Wednesday, March 24th at 10:00 AM ET on H.R.1/S.1, the Democrats’ misnamed “For the People Act.”

This is the first announced Senate hearing on the Democrats’ plan to do away with your freedom of speech, and if you were hoping the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration would act to correct the outrages that are central provisions of the House-passed bill, think again.

Donald Trump Writes Letter Endorsing Jody Hice for Georgia Secretary of State

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Chris Butler

U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA-10) announced Monday that he wants to replace Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and will run for Raffensperger’s seat. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, in a written statement, promptly endorsed Hice’s candidacy.

Trump Will Return to Social Media on His Own New Platform, Aide Says

March 22, 2021 Admin

Former President Trump will return to social media on his own new platform in around two or three months, Jason Miller said.

“But I do think that we’re gonna see President Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months here with his own platform,” Miller said during an interview on Fox News Channel’s program Media Buzz. “And this is something that I think will be the hottest ticket in social media. It’s gonna completely redefine the game and everybody is gonna be waiting and watching to see what exactly President Trump does, but it will be his own platform.”

New Emails Heighten Mystery Around Presidential Vote Count in Georgia’s Largest County

March 22, 2021March 23, 2021 Admin

Internal emails from Fulton County election workers obtained by Just the News are heightening the mystery surrounding ballot-processing in Georgia’s largest county during last November’s presidential contest.

Uncertainty arose regarding the ballot processing operation at Fulton County’s State Farm Arena on and after Election Night, when ballot-scanning apparently continued even after most election workers had reportedly been sent home.

Mo Brooks to Make Major Announcement Monday in Huntsville

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Chris Butler

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL-05) is scheduled to make what he calls a major announcement regarding his future Monday. This, according to a press release that Brooks and his staff emailed late last week. Brooks also promoted the event on Twitter.

Commentary: Missing from Educational Tech Discussion Is Any Kind of Purpose

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 RealClearWire

Educational technology, or edtech, is now a $10 billion global industry. It’s in every classroom whether physical or virtual. But gone missing from the conversation around the proliferation of edtech companies in the U.S. and around the world is a discussion of the philosophy of education. While billions of dollars are pouring into edtech companies and new technologies are delivering and creating content in creative new ways, there does not appear to be any meaningful discussion about what education’s aim should be in a world that has changed and is changing dramatically. We are now in the digital decade, a truly global society with technology driving the emergence of the metaverse, digital currencies, artificial intelligence, personalized healthcare, and the democratization of learning. But what should we teach, and how should we teach it?

Pfizer: Israeli Data Finds Vaccine Prevents 94 Percent of Asymptomatic Infections

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was over 94% effective in preventing asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, according to real-world Israeli data released late Thursday.

The latest analysis suggests that Pfizer’s vaccine could overwhelmingly halt asymptomatic spread — a main driver of infections since asymptomatic people are often unaware they have the virus. The data also showed that the vaccine was 97% effective in preventing symptomatic cases, hospitalizations and deaths, slightly higher than the 95% effectiveness found in its clinical trials.

Migrants Form Tent Community in Mexico Waiting for Biden to Open the Border

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Nearly 200 tents fill a plaza near the busiest port for border crossings in Tijuana, Mexico, in less than a month as migrants hope the Biden administration will allow entry into the U.S., the Associated Press reported Friday.

Around 1,500 migrants receive meals from a canopy-covered kitchen, kids play sports and volunteer security guards patrol the camp wearing orange jackets, the AP reported. Some pay to shower at a nearby hotel or to use the restroom at the pharmacy and travel agency.

“The camp is a center for disinformation,” a H

After Stinging Loss, Democrats Plot How to Slip $15 Minimum Wage into Next ‘Must-Pass’ Bill

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Progressive House Democrats are rapidly searching for ways to revive the $15 minimum wage increase after a stinging loss in the passage of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus law.

Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus want the $15 minimum wage hike to apply to all workers, including those who receive tips such as restaurant servers.

Commentary: Is an Alliance Possible Between the Conservatives and the Libertarians?

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

In a recent column, I argued that libertarians should stop supporting third-party candidates and join our side in an effort to stand up to the Left. In response, writing for the Orange County Register and Reason, libertarian writer Steven Greenhut contended that although conservatives and libertarians have been allies on many issues in the past, “now we’re like residents of different planets.”

Current Staffer Becomes Eighth Woman to Accuse Cuomo of Inappropriate Behavior

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 The Center Square

A new accuser has come forward in the ongoing sexual harassment scandal tied to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. On Friday, a current staffer came forward with a series of allegations against the leader facing numerous calls to resign over similar accusations.

Alyssa McGrath told The New York Times that the governor gawked at her body and commented on her appearance. In another instance, she claimed Cuomo “gazed down her shirt.”

She becomes the second current aide to accuse Cuomo of harassing behavior. Last week, the Albany Times Union reported an unnamed individual filed a complaint that the governor grabbed her in the executive mansion last year.

Poll Shows Overwhelming Majority Support Voter ID Laws

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

The latest poll by Rasmussen Reports indicates that three-fourths of all Americans support stricter voter ID laws, such as requirements to present photo identification before voting, as reported by Breitbart.

The poll shows that 75 percent of likely American voters are in favor of laws that require presenting some form of photo ID, such as a driver’s license; only 21 percent opposed such a proposal. Among the 75 percent, 89 percent of Republican voters approved of such a suggestion, along with 77 percent of independents, and 60 percent of Democrats. In addition, an overwhelming majority of black voters support voter ID, at 69 percent to 25 percent.

‘I Fought Back Tears’: Democratic Senator Says He Witnessed Separated Children at Biden Border Facility

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy said he “fought back tears” after witnessing a sobbing girl separated from her grandmother at a U.S. border facility Friday.

A young girl was seen sobbing at a border facility Friday while explaining through a translator how she had been separated from her grandmother, Sen. Chris Murphy said in a tweet after he toured the facility with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Murphy said he witnessed hundreds of kids packed into “big open rooms.”

“Just left the border processing facility. 100s of kids packed into big open rooms,” Murphy tweeted. “In a corner, I fought back tears as a 13 yr old girl sobbbed (sic) uncontrollably explaining thru a translator how terrified she was, having been separated from her grandmother and without her parents.”

21 States Sue Biden Admin for Revoking Keystone XL Permit

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

A group of red states sued President Biden and members of his administration on Wednesday over his decision to revoke a key permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, The Hill reported.

The lawsuit is led by Montana and Texas, and backed by 19 other states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

‘That Is Not Leadership Position’: Pelosi Refuses to Back Effort to Remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from House

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that Democratic leadership won’t back the effort to remove Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from the House.

California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez introduced a resolution Friday to remove Greene from the House, saying the congresswoman “advocated violence against our peers, the Speaker and our government,” CNN reported. The resolution was backed by 72 House Democrats.

“I’m not gonna get into that,” Pelosi said. “Members are very unhappy about what happened here and they can express themselves the way they do. What Mr. Gomez did is his own view, and that is not leadership position.”

University of Georgia Professor Told Students Not to Cite FOX News or Other Conservative News Sources

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Chris Butler

Members of The Young Americans Foundation and Campus Reform this week reported that a University of Georgia professor told his students not to cite conservative-leaning news sources, such as FOX News. Both groups identified that man as Scott Connelly, a UGA ecology professor.

Commentary: H.R. 1 and Immigration Reform Will Virtually Guarantee One-Party Rule in the U.S.

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

On March 16, President Joe Biden opened the door to changing Senate rules requiring 60 votes in order to advance legislation, telling ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos “democracy is having a hard time functioning.”

When asked if he had to choose between “preserving the filibuster, and advancing your agenda,” Biden’s answer was “Yes.”

Biden continued, “But here’s the choice: I don’t think that you have to eliminate the filibuster, you have to do it what it used to be when I first got to the Senate back in the old days…You had to stand up and command the floor, you had to keep talking.”

Commentary: Mixed Messaging and Silencing Campaign Fuel Vaccine Skepticism

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

It took a Mexican comedian to do the job the American news media refuses to do.

During a series of pointed questions, Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted the COVID-19 vaccines won’t stop people from contracting the virus; the shots only lessen the symptoms if a recipient is later infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Filmmaker Says Hunter Biden Scandal Movie Running into Liberal Hollywood Headwinds

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Irish filmmaker Phelim McAleer is producing a film chronicling the highly publicized and complicated life of President Biden’s son Hunter Biden. But his efforts to make the picture and get it onto a screen face stiff Hollywood headwinds.

“We know that Hollywood won’t make these movies, and people want to see them,” the conservative filmmaker told the TV show Just the News AM with Sophie Mann. “People want the truth out there.”

Biden Stumbles Three Times While Climbing the Stairs to Air Force One

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Joe Biden fell three times while climbing the stairs to Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Friday.

The stumbles happened just before noon when Mr. Biden, 78, was trying to jog up the steps to the aircraft for a flight to Atlanta.

After the first stumble, Biden, who has previously taunted former President Trump for lacking physical prowess, tried steady himself, but he fell a second time, and then a third time to his knees.

‘Americans Must Be Prepared for What Is Coming’: Pro-Life Lawmakers, Activists Condemn Becerra’s Confirmation to Health and Human Services

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Pro-life lawmakers and activists condemned news Thursday that the senate confirmed California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to serve as health and human services secretary, warning that Becerra is both “a culture warrior” and an “extreme left-wing ideologue.”

“Becerra is a culture warrior who made his name in bloody-knuckled politics by bullying nuns,” Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said Thursday, referring to Becerra’s battles with the Little Sisters of the Poor over an Obama-era contraception mandate.

The Nebraska senator added that Health and Human Services (HHS) should be focused on health during the pandemic — not Becerra’s progressive priorities.

Columbia University to Offer Graduation Ceremonies Based on Race, Ethnicity, Income

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Next month, Columbia University will hold six additional graduation ceremonies for undergraduate students according to their race and other aspects of how they identify.

The six virtual ceremonies were announced by Columbia’s Multicultural Affairs department.

Native, Asian, “Latinx” and Black special events are listed as options where students can register, as well as a Lavender graduation for the LGBTQ community, and a ceremony for first-generation and low-income students, USA Today reports.

Georgia House Passes on Effort to Study State’s Tax, Revenue Structure

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 The Center Square

The Georgia House has rejected a bill that would have launched a review of the state’s revenue and tax structure.

Senate Bill 148 would have created two panels to study and make recommendations for the state’s coffers. It would have re-established the Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians and create the Special Joint Committee on Georgia Revenue Structure.

The House voted, 139-20, against the bill Thursday. It had 39 sponsors.

Massage Parlors Attacked by Gunman Busted in Prostitution Stings

March 21, 2021March 20, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

According to documents released Friday, the two massage parlors targeted by a deranged gunman in Atlanta Tuesday had both been subjects of prostitution stings by police, despite claims to the contrary by Atlanta’s mayor.

“As far as we know in Atlanta, these are legally operating businesses that have not been on our radar,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said after the shootings. “Not on the radar of [the Atlanta Police Department].”

Georgia Power Pushes Electric Vehicle Chargers, Despite No Proof of Demand

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Power officials announced a new initiative this month to provide drivers of electric vehicles with charging stations around the state.

But in a press release, Georgia Power officials did not describe whether enough people in the state drive electric vehicles to justify the investment.

Commentary: A Bipartisan Call to Review Georgia’s Election Process

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Our decisions, the laws we pass, carry the weight of authority, but only when it’s with the consent of the governed. And that consent is only given when the people have faith that an election was fair and fairly won.

Some of you may think it is sour grapes or whining over the results of the last election. Even if you think the machines can’t be hacked and the votes were fairly counted, we still need the people of Georgia to believe in the process — and right now they are unconvinced.

Judge Won’t Delay or Move Chauvin Trial, Despite $27 Million Civil Settlement with Floyd Family

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Despite a $27 million civil settlement between the city of Minneapolis and the family of George Floyd, the judge in the high-profile trial of ex-Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin will continue as scheduled.

“Unfortunately, the pretrial publicity will continue no matter how long we continue [the trial],” Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill said Friday.

U.S. Customs And Border Protection Refuses to Explain How Silencing Officials Adheres to Mayorkas’ Transparency Promise

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection officials refused to explain how restricting agents and border officers from sharing information with the media lives up to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ promise of transparency.

The Biden administration reportedly told border officials they can only share limited information concerning the increase of migrants arriving at the southern border and media releases must first be approved by the national office, NBC News reported Thursday. Only certain employees are permitted to speak on behalf of the agency, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Mayorkas, the head of DHS, committed to keeping the department open and transparent during a White House press conference on March 1.

CDC Updates School Classroom Social-Distance Guidelines – from Six Feet to Three Feet

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that it is updating its physical distancing guidelines for children in schools by reducing the space between them from 6 feet to 3 feet.

The agency said the update was made in response to new data and recommended 3 feet with some qualification – including that each student is wearing a mask, according to CNN.

Commentary: Higher Ed Approaches the Antiracism Training Abyss

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 RealClearWire

Free expression and open inquiry in higher education are under attack by ideologues seeking to impose neo-Marxist “critical” theories, most prominently critical race theory, which places race at the center of all political and social issues.

Critical race theory training, misleadingly characterized as “antiracism” training, has spread widely throughout higher education and is often compared to Maoist struggle sessions, where dissent incurs public shaming, job loss, and harassment. This training often turns into race-shaming and Kafka-trapping, using denial of racism as proof of racism. The result is self-imposed racial conflict and systemic retaliatory discrimination masquerading as “equity.”

Commentary: The Xinjiang Genocide

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

In Xinjiang, located in western China, the Chinese Communist Party is aggressively working to eradicate the faith and culture of the Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minority communities.

On March 10, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio provided a written statement for a U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom hearing entitled, “A Religious Minority Enslaved: Addressing the Complicity of U.S. Companies in Uyghur Forced Labor.” He wrote, “When a regime deprives a people of their right to practice their faith freely, they are depriving those people of their full humanity. They are cutting them off from the traditions that sustained their ancestors and defined who they are as a people. This is precisely why Beijing has targeted the Uyghurs.”

Ankylosaurs May Have Been Decent Diggers

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 RealClearWire

The Gobi Desert today is a desolate place, but millions of years ago it seems to have been brimming with life. The Baruungoyot Formation in southern Mongolia reveals as much. Scientists have unearthed a dazzling array of fossils – ancient mammals, lizards, and, of course, dinosaurs.

Biden Calls Kamala Harris ‘President Harris’

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

President Joe Biden referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “President Harris” on Thursday.

“Now, when President Harris and I took a virtual tour of a vaccination center in Arizona not long ago, one of the nurses on that tour injecting people and giving vaccinations said that each shot was like administering a dose of hope,” Biden said during an announcement at the White House.

Biden previously appeared to forget Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s name during a March 8 speech over the nomination of two female Air Force generals.

House Passes Two Immigration Bills as Border Crisis Intensifies

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

The House passed two separate immigration bills Thursday evening, marking the first time the 117th Congress has voted on the issue under President Joe Biden.

The pair of bills are the first immigration proposals to be voted on since a surge of migrants reached the southern border, resulting in heightened scrutiny on the Biden administration over its handling of what Republicans have labeled a serious crisis.

The House first passed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (ADPA), with nine Republicans voting with Democrats in favor of the bill. The act would provide a pathway to citizenship for so-called “Dreamers” who were brought to the United States as young children, as well as for Temporary Protected Status recipients and Deferred Enforced Departure beneficiaries. The legislation, sponsored by California Democratic Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, could give over 4.4 million people a path to permanent status, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Biden Meets with Abrams, Asian American Leaders in Georgia

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

President Joe Biden spent part of his Friday in Georgia meeting with failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, and leaders of the Asian American community.

Along with Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden’s visit was aimed at offering “support to the Asian American community following a string of shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent,” according to WKRN.