Day: April 11, 2024

BAMAKO, Mali — Mali’s ruling junta has issued a decree suspending all political activities until further notice, saying it needs to preserve public order, a move that follows last year’s decision to call off elections indefinitely. 

Junta spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga read out the statement on state television late Wednesday evening, while the country was celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in which observant Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. 

Mali has experienced two coups since 2020, amid a wave of political instability that has swept across West and Central Africa. The country has battled a worsening insurgency by jihadi groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group for over a decade. 

Col. Assimi Goita, who took charge after a second coup in 2021, promised to return the country to democracy in early 2024. But in September, the junta canceled elections scheduled for February 2024 indefinitely, citing the need for further technical preparations. 

Analysts said the move was likely a backlash against political figures, civil society and students who have expressed frustration with the junta’s repeated moves to delay the nation’s transition back to democratic rule. 

“Recent weeks saw mounting pressure by political parties and figures,” Rida Lyammouri of the Policy Center for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank, told The Associated Press. “For the first time, the public and politicians have publicly criticized junta leaders and accused them of a lack of seriousness.” 

Mali previously relied on French troops to help push back the insurgents. Amid growing frustration over the lack of progress, the ruling junta ordered French troops out and turned to Russian contractors instead for security support. The last French forces departed in August 2022 after almost a decade of operations in Mali. 

YAOUNDE, CAMEROON — Opposition candidates are accusing Chad’s military ruler, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, of flouting election rules and launching his campaign before the official starting date of April 14.

Deby, the transitional president who seized power after the death of his father in 2021, is attempting to cement his rule with a victory in Chad’s presidential election on May 6.

The general said on state TV Wednesday that if elected as Chad’s president, he will maintain peace and develop the central African state, adding that he would fight what he called endemic poverty by creating jobs and funding youth agricultural projects.

Several hundred people, a majority from Deby’s Patriotic Salvation Movement party, applauded as he told them that more than 200 opposition political parties and about 1,000 civil society groups have agreed to support him.

Deby encouraged them to immediately begin campaigning for him.

Lydie Beassemda, a presidential candidate of The Party for Democracy and Full Independence of Chad, accused Deby of disrespecting Chad’s electoral code by launching his campaign early.

April 14 is the date set by Chad’s Constitutional Council for campaigning to begin.

Beassemda said nine opposition challengers notified the National Agency for the Management of Elections that Deby launched campaigning early. The agency said it is examining several complaints from opposition candidates but provided no details.

Beassemda urged Chad’s 8 million registered voters not to be intimidated by Deby, who wants to continue the role of his father, Idriss Deby Itno.

The 37-year-old Deby was proclaimed head of an army junta after rebels killed his father in 2021 after more than 30 years in power. The presidential election in May is meant to be a transition back to democracy.

Deby initially promised an 18-month transition period after he seized power. He later appointed himself as the head of a transitional government. Opposition parties say he uses the military to suppress the opposition.

Opposition candidates urged Chadians to be vigilant and report suspected election malpractices to the National Agency for the Management of Elections. They also called for the international community to take note that Deby is not respecting democratic norms by campaigning before the official start date.

The nine candidates challenging Deby in the election, including pro-democracy figure Success Masra, who now serves as transitional prime minister, say Deby does not want to lose his family’s grip on power.

Deby says he will respect the verdict of the ballot and hand over power if he is defeated.

The Constitutional Council set the first round of voting for May 6 and the second round for June 22.

Of all the major political news outlets that have sold their souls while chasing ratings and clicks and page views in the Trump era, the New York Times might be the most brazen and the most tragic. For a century we’ve counted on the Times to deliver the kind of deep dive investigative reporting that other news outlets couldn’t. But these days the Times seems more content to deep dive off the deep end.

For instance, everyone with a pulse understands that the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to fully outlaw abortion in the state – based on nineteenth century legislation no less – is going to have a major impact on the 2024 election. Then there’s the New York Times, which just announced that the issue “may not sway voters” at all. Wait what?

The NY Times is basing this on – in its own words – “some people” in swing states. That’s right, some people. In other words, the Times decided what story it wanted to run, and then found the reactions of a few people it could cherry pick in order to support its ludicrous narrative.

But that’s what the game is all about these days, right? Ludicrous narratives. Intentionally ludicrous narratives, to be more precise. The more absurd of a contrarian hot take something is, the more likely it’ll go viral – if only because everyone comes out of the woodwork to condemn it. Hate clicks are still clicks, after all.

Back in the real world, the Arizona Supreme Court ruling on abortion will obviously have a major impact on the 2024 election. Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, the Democrats have outperformed in every election. This proves that abortion rights are now a major driver of voter turnout that pollsters and such can’t figure out how to parse.

But the New York Times knows that. It just wants the clicks, the notoriety, and the relevance that it knows it can get by saying the most stupidly inaccurate thing possible. After all, “the NY Times” is currently trending on Twitter as everyone piles on against the NY Times. So the newspaper got what it wanted out of this. The question is how we drag ourselves out of this deepening abyss that is political journalism.

The post The NY Times just stepped in it appeared first on Palmer Report.

Donald John Trump has now reached the “they’re out to get me” part of his downfall. Oh, we always knew it would come to this. Sociopathic bottom feeders like Donald Trump ALWAYS turn to the “world is out to get me ” defense. Pity for Trump that it never works.

Early Wednesday morning, a sleepless and deranged orange animal began an unhinged, mentally deficient rant on Twitter about how everyone is plotting against him. Paranoia WILL destroy you.

Of course, just because Trump is paranoid does not mean they’re not out to get him. Someone is eagerly coming for Donald Trump. Who is that? Lady Justice. How fitting WOMEN have brought down that Trump! Let’s look at these wonderful and fearless women who have helped to bring about Trump’s financial and criminal demise:

Fani Willis

Tish James

Judge Chutkan

E. Jean Carroll

Lady Justice

Lady Justice is a symbol, but what a symbol she is! And the great thing is — nobody can stop the regal lady from coming for Trump. Lady Justice usually gets her criminal. Donald Trump is undoubtedly now becoming aware of that. His unhinged post on Wednesday morning is the stuff that morons are made of.

“White House Thugs!!”

“Dangerous and unfair!”

“Illegal attack!”

“COMMUNISM!!”

Election interference!”

Sigh. You know what? Even his RANTS lack originality. Trump would certainly not make it in the poetry department, considering his vocabulary is about ten words long.

“GAGGED!”

“SHAM!!”

“ANIMALS!!”

“RUSH TO THE FINISH. SO UNFAIR.”

We warned you, folks. We said that as the trial date gets closer, his royal madman would become even madder. Now, it does look like that has indeed come to pass. But the best is yet to come. The best, most terrified rants of the traitor will begin when the trial starts. I cannot even imagine what curses and rage Donald Trump will release then. Stay tuned.

The post Donald Trump just reached a whole new stage of his downfall appeared first on Palmer Report.

(NewsNation) — Three mariners stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean were saved after making a “HELP” sign made from leaves from palm trees that was seen by a U.S. Navy aircraft.

The mariners had been on Pikelot Atoll, which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, for “more than a week” before being rescued by the Coast Guard and Navy, a news release said.

According to the release, the mariners, all men in their 40s, began their trip in a small, 20-foot open skiff with an outboard motor from Polowat Atoll on Easter Sunday.

Then, on Saturday, Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received a distress call from one of the men’s relatives who said her three uncles had not returned from Pikelot Atoll.

Crews from the JRSC Guam coordinated a “multifaceted search and rescue operation,” the Coast Guard said. While there were challenges at first when mobilizing air assets because of availability, operational commitments and weather conditions, they were able to engage a U.S. Navy P-8 aircraft crew from Kadena Air Force Base in Japan.

That aircraft identified the mariners April 7.

“In a remarkable testament to their will to be found, the mariners spelled out “HELP” on the beach using palm leaves, a crucial factor in their discovery. This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location,” Lt. Chelsea Garcia, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were located, said in a statement.

Aircraft crew members sent survival packages down to the mariners, while the U.S. Coast Guard ship Oliver Henry was rerouted to Pikelot to rescue them.

On Monday, a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules aircraft flew over the area and relocated the mariners, who confirmed they were in good health with a radio that was dropped by the aircraft. Although their skiff had sustained damage that made it “non-functional,” it was recovered, and the men had food and water.

The next day, the crews on the Oliver Henry successfully rescued the stranded men and their equipment, taking them to Polowat Atoll.

“Whether we’re out there protecting valuable resources or saving lives, we’re not just visitors — we’re members of this vibrant maritime community that connects all these islands,” said Lt. Ray Cerrato, commanding officer of the Oliver Henry. “This recent operation near Pikelot Atoll hits home the kind of difference we can make. It’s about more than just performing a duty; it’s about the real human connections we forge and the lives we touch.”