Osaka..

An anonymous donor has given 21 kilograms of gold bullion, worth about $3.6 million, to the city of Osaka. The donor asked that the gift be used only for water and drainage works. 

City officials said the gold was delivered last November and formally accepted after internal checks. The donation was made without conditions and with a clear request for anonymity.

Failures are becoming more frequent. City leaders say the donation arrives at a critical moment.

Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said the scale of the donation was unlike anything the city had seen before.

“I was honestly lost for words,” he told reporters. “Repairing ageing water pipes requires enormous funding. This support is deeply appreciated.”

The mayor confirmed that the city would fully respect the donor’s wish to remain unnamed. He added that all procedures would follow municipal and national rules.

Pass-Port..

 

Bien-Aime, who is originally from Haiti and was naturalized in 2006, was elected mayor of North Miami in 2019. He resigned in 2022 to run for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission, but lost the election.

In a civil complaint reviewed by NBC News and NBC Miami, the DOJ claims Bien-Aime first entered the United States in 1997 using a fraudulent, “photo-switched” passport under the name Jean Philippe Janvier.

In July 31, 2000, an immigration judge determined he entered the country fraudulently and ordered him removed to Haiti, according to the complaint. He appealed the removal order at the time, but later withdrew the appeal, representing that he had returned to live in Haiti. But federal authorities allege he never went back to Haiti and instead remained in the United States under the name Philippe Bien-Aime.

Department of Homeland Security records — including fingerprint comparisons — show that the person who naturalized as Philippe Bien-Aime is the same individual who was previously ordered removed from the United States under the name Philippe Janvier, according to the complaint.

Comment:

Does this action make illegal activity, illegal? Just a thought.

Loophole..

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday proposed a rule requiring every resident in HUD-funded housing to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status, a move the agency said would close what it called a long-standing loophole in public housing programs.

For too long, illegals and ineligibles have taken spots in public housing through the mixed-status roommate loophole, while Americans were forced to wait,” Turner said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for pushing aside hardworking U.S. citizens while enabling others to exploit decades-old loopholes.”

HUD said the proposed rule would require documentation from all residents, regardless of age, and would remove provisions that allow individuals to decline to submit verification or continue receiving assistance indefinitely despite ineligible status. 

The agency said it expects the change could redirect up to $218 million in housing assistance to eligible households currently on waiting lists.

Invisible..

 

An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations

, commonly known as The Wealth of Nations, is a foundational work of classical economics published by Scottish philosopher Adam Smith on March 9, 1776. 

It is widely considered the "bible of capitalism," as it provided the first comprehensive system of political economy and established economics as a modern academic discipline. 

The book introduces several revolutionary concepts that still underpin modern economic thought: 

• The Invisible Hand: Smith's most famous metaphor, suggesting that individuals pursuing their own self-interest unintentionally promote the good of society through market competition.
• Division of Labor: Smith argued that breaking production into specialized tasks (using his famous pin factory example) drastically increases productivity.
• Free Markets (Laissez-faire): He advocated for minimal government intervention in the economy, suggesting that markets are self-regulating through supply and demand.
• Critique of Mercantilism: Smith attacked the then-prevalent view that a nation's wealth was measured by its gold and silver reserves. Instead, he argued that wealth is the total production of goods and services (equivalent to modern GDP).

Originally published in two volumes, the treatise consists of five individual books: 

Gates..

Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates pulled out of India’s AI Impact Summit just hours before he was scheduled to address the event with a keynote speech. The Bill Gates Foundation said in a statement that the decision was made “to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities.”

Rumors had been swirling around Gates’ attendance throughout the week due to renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. However, just days ago, the foundation confirmed the tech leader was still planning to attend the event.

Gates’ withdrawal comes weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice published emails revealing contact between Gates Foundation staff and Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender. The correspondence suggested the two had a series of meetings following Epstein’s release from prison, focused on Gates’ charitable ambitions. Gates has maintained that his dealings with Epstein were limited to discussions about his charitable work and has said meeting him was an error of judgment. 

Comment:

The Democratic party managed to have the Epstein case and the ICE issue in the mind of some people avoiding any improvement in the economy, trade, efficiency, border control, deportation of criminals, etc. the current administration are performing

Free Ride..

 

A resurfaced video of former President Barack Obama from 2009 is drawing renewed attention for its discussion of immigration policy, citizenship, and border control, reigniting debate as federal enforcement operations intensify under the current administration. 

In the speech, Obama emphasized that citizenship is not automatic and highlighted the need for controlled immigration, framing his remarks as part of a comprehensive approach that balances enforcement with humane treatment for long-term residents.

In the video, Obama said, “This is not going to be a free ride, it’s not going to be some instant amnesty. What’s going to happen is you are going to pay a significant fine, you are going to learn English, you are going to, you are going to go to the back of the line so that you don’t get ahead of somebody who was in Mexico City applying legally. 

But after you’ve done these things over a certain period of time, you can earn your citizenship so that it’s not—it’s not something that is guaranteed or automatic. You’ve got to earn it, but over time you give people an opportunity. 

Confiscated..

 

Italy’s government has approved a new immigration bill that authorizes the Italian Navy to block vessels carrying migrants from entering its territorial waters during periods of “exceptional pressure,” marking the latest in a series of tough measures aimed at curbing irregular migration. 

The Council of Ministers gave its formal approval to the 17-article legislation, which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described as fulfilling a key commitment of her center-right government program.

Since taking office in late 2022, Meloni has pursued stricter migration controls, accelerating the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers and increasing jail terms for human traffickers. 

The newly approved bill introduces a temporary naval blockade to prevent crossings in cases of serious threats to public order or national security, including exceptional migratory pressure. Under the law, vessels violating the blockade could face fines ranging f67rom 10,000 to 50,000 euros and repeat offenders may have their ships confiscated. 

Migrants intercepted under these rules may also be redirected to third countries with which Italy has agreements for reception or detention.

Been .. Done..

 

Scores of dirty tissues, hairbands, condoms, tampons and even panties are being tied to a doomed fence in the middle of the iconic span every day in such high frequency that do-gooder cleanup crews cannot keep up with the litter.  

We literally just walked past it and seen it and got excited,” explained Helen Burton of Birmingham, England, whose two daughters and a friend each put a “bobble,” or hair tie, on a section of the bridge.

“It’s something we had on us, so we thought it’s quite nice!”

The group had not heard of the trend before embarking on their stroll across the landmark and were eager to participate.

We can leave something here to show that we’ve been here,” said Amelie, 13, with her sister, 11-year-old Jess, adding that the trash heap seemed “authentic.”

Supreme..

The Supreme Court turned away an appeal brought by Montana officials seeking to revive a state law that requires minors seeking abortions to obtain the consent of their parents.

The state court ruled that “a minor’s right to control her reproductive decisions is among the most fundamental of the rights she possesses” and the state had failed to show how its own interests overcame those protections.

The Montana Supreme Court has long recognized a right to abortion under the state constitution, and in 2024 voters also approved a ballot initiative that protects the right to abortion.  Just a thought.

Dark..

 

Comments:
The papers are not as crucial now adays as they were once before.  It is not a dark time, its a speed time where important and not important information are communicated within few minutes. Just a thought