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Pope Francis: Virtue Enables Us to Have ‘a Tendency Towards the Right Choice’  National Catholic Register

Pro-Israel Americans need to send Biden a message  JNS.org

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Washington — A polio survivor known as the “man in the iron lung” has died aged 78, according to his family and a fundraising website.

Paul Alexander of Dallas, Texas contracted polio at the age of six, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down and reliant on a mechanical respirator to breathe for much of the time.

Though often confined to his submarine-like cylinder, he excelled in his studies, earned a law degree, worked in the legal field and wrote a book.

“With a heavy heart I need to say my brother passed last night,” Philip Alexander posted on Facebook early Wednesday. “It was an honor to be part of someone’s life who was as admired as he was.”

Christopher Ulmer, a disability advocate running a fundraiser for Alexander, also confirmed his death in a GoFundMe update posted on Tuesday.

“His story traveled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered,” said Ulmer.

A prior update on Alexander’s official TikTok account said he had been rushed to the emergency room after contracting Covid-19.

Iron lungs are sealed chambers fitted with pumps. Raising and lowering the pressure inside the chamber expands and contracts the patient’s lungs.

Invented in the 1920s, their use fell away after the invention of the polio vaccine by Jonas Salk, which became widely available in 1955 and helped consign the devastating paralytic illness to history.

Alexander held the official Guinness World Record for time spent in a lung.

According to his Guinness page, he was able to leave the device for periods of time after he learned to “frog breathe” with the help of a physical therapist.

This involved “using his throat muscles to force air into his lungs, gulping down air one mouthful at a time.” Eventually, he only returned to his iron lung at night to sleep.

As a practicing lawyer, he was able to represent clients in court in a special wheelchair that held his paralyzed body upright.

Seventy-five-year-old Martha Lillard of Shawnee, Oklahoma is reportedly the last surviving person in an iron lung. 

(NewsNation) — Attorneys general from 26 states are urging Congress to swiftly pass the “Laken Riley Act,” which requires the arrest of anyone in the country illegally for any larceny, burglary or shoplifting offense.

After 22-year-old Riley, an Augusta University nursing student, was killed late last month while on a morning run, Republicans rushed the “Laken Riley Act” to the House floor to coincide with President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address. It passed in the U.S. House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 251-170 on Thursday.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the attorneys general argue, “President Biden’s repeated actions of ignoring the rule of law and abandoning successful policies have created a border crisis of historic proportions.”

They added, “As attorneys general, we are fighting to preserve the rule of law and keep our states safe when the federal government fails to act, or in the case of illegal immigration, actively makes it worse. To that end, we applaud the bill’s enforcement provision for State Attorneys General.”

Authorities arrested Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who entered the U.S. illegally, on murder and assault charges in connection with Riley’s death.

Riley’s death has become a rallying point for Republicans, as Ibarra was allowed to stay in the U.S. to pursue his immigration case despite being previously arrested by New York police in August.

“We believe the Laken Riley Act is a strong bill that can act as another arrow in the quiver when it comes to combatting illegal immigration and protecting Americans. Please advance this bill to a vote as soon as possible. Laken Riley should still be alive. Let her memory be used to protect others before it’s too late,” the attorneys general wrote in the letter.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement said Ibarra was arrested by New York police in August and charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. Ibarra was released before ICE could ask New York officials to hold him until immigration authorities could take him into custody, ICE said. New York officials have said they have no record of the arrest.

The legislation would also allow states to sue the federal government for crimes committed by immigrants who enter the country illegally. It was part of a broader push by Republicans to deride immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally and tie them to violent crimes.

Dozens of speakers and performers are canceling their appearances at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival, in protest of the event’s sponsorship by the U.S. Army amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The U.S. Army is one of six SXSW “super sponsors” for the event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually for a festival of panels, music showcases, film screenings, and exhibitions in Austin, Tx. This year, as many artists continue to boycott the ongoing event, they have been posting statements via social media, explaining their decisions and citing their discontent with the Army sponsorship, as well as SXSW’s partnership with private defense contractor RTX, a known weapons supplier to the Israeli Army. 

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded to the protest in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying,“We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”

In a series of comments posted to X in response, SXSW said, “We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints. Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy. We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech.”

“The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives,” the statement continued. 

The U.S. military has shown continuous support for Israel since the country launched its Gaza invasion following Hamas’ Oct. 7th attack that killed 1,200 people. Since then, more than 30,000 people have been killed and more than 70,000 have been injured in Gaza, according to figures supplied by the Hamas-run health ministry, and reiterated by the United Nations. The U.S. has provided roughly $3.3 billion a year in annual military aid to Israel, per the Council on Foreign Relations.

“We’re proud to be a sponsor of SXSW, and to have the opportunity to showcase America’s Army,” Matt Ahearn, a U.S. Army spokesperson told TIME in a statement. “SXSW presents a unique opportunity for the Army to meet technology innovators and leaders, explore new ideas and insights, and create dynamic industry partnerships as we modernize for the future.”

SXSW has not yet responded to TIME’s request for comment.

Here’s a full list of the acts who have pulled out of the festival so far:

Eliza McLamb, TC Superstar, Mamalarky, Proper, The Curls, c*mgirl8, Horse Jumper of Love, Abe Batshon, Buffalo Nichols, Buggin, BODEGA, The Armed. TAGABOW, Farmer’s Wife, Mei Semones, MEDUSA, TC Superstar, Omni, Trauma Ray, Mamalarky, Subsonic Eye, Birthday Girl, Groa, Winona Forever, Little Marzan. Tetchy, Discovery Zone, Friend, Lady Apple Tree, Allegra Krieger, Jess Cornelius, Lip Critic, Godcaster, Lucía Beyond, Gel, May Rio, Greg Freeman, babybaby_explores, The New Eves, Ben Aqua, Bloomsday, Strange Joy, Reyna Tropical, Being Dead, Proper, Enola Gay, Gavin James, Robert Grace, Chalk, Soda Blonde, Madison Baker, Luge, Vilagerrr, Font, Fust, Kolb, Frances Chang, Sarah Morrison, This is Lorelei, Conchúr White, Fantasy of a Broken Heart, Tomato Flower, Merce Lemon, Gold Dime, Vera Ellen, and…

Kneecap

“This decision will have a significant financial impact on Kneecap, both on lost income and on logistical costs already incurred, but it isn’t an iota of hardship when compared with the unimageable [sic] suffering being inflicted every minute of every day on the people of Gaza,” the band said in a statement on X.

Lambrini Girls

“We are pulling out of SXSW tomorrow. We won’t be going to Austin whatsoever,” said Brighton-based band Lambrini Girls on March 9. 

Scowl

American punk band Scowl pulled out of SXSW on March 8. “We came to this decision in protest of the U.S. Army’s sponsorship of SXSW. As well as the involvement of RTX (formerly Raytheon), Collins Aerospace, and BAE Systems whom have direct ties to the manufacturing and supplying of weapons used against Palestinians.”

Okay Shalom

“Thanks for the support and solidarity re dropping out of SXSW. There’s always a right thing to do and it’s almost never as complicated as the establishment wants you to believe, and sometimes it costs you a dream, but a dream is a dream and not a life. Palestinians deserve to dream. They deserve to live,” the East Coast-based artist Okay Shalom said on Instagram.

Squirrel Flower 

“Genocide profiteers like Raytheon supply weapons to the IDF, paid for by our taxes. A music festival should not include war profiteers. I refuse to be complicit in this and withdrawl [sic] my art and labor in protest.”

Sprints 

Dublin-based Irish punk band Sprints announced that they had pulled out of SXSW on March 13. “With an empty schedule in Austin we decided to honour our commitment and performed at the KUTX Austin Food Bank Fundraiser this morning and will be playing one pop up show in Lazarus Brewing at 7pm on Thursday. Neither event is affiliated with SXSW.

Rachel Chinouriri 

“I wasn’t aware until yesterday, that SXSW is being funded by the Army as a ‘super sponsor’,” English singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri said in a statement explaining her decision to withdraw from the festival. “This has been an enormous oversight by SXSW and hopefully a huge learning experience to be more considerate about this in the future.”

Mick Flannery

Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery withdrew from the festival on March 11. 

“I will not be playing the previously advertised official showcase at the SXSW festival. I do not wish to be associated with weapons manufacturers,” he said in a post on X.

Gurriers, NewDad, and Cardinals 

Irish bands Gurriers, NewDad, and Cardinals jointly announced their withdrawals on March 12. “To be clear, we, as ‘Music From Ireland’ bands will not be partaking in any official SXSW shows. We stand in complete solidarity with Palestine and others who have spoken out against, and boycotted SXSW,” they said in a statement. “Sponsorship of the festival from the U.S. Army as well as defense contractors/those sending arms to destroy innocent lives is an act we find disgusting and reprehensible.”

The festival’s Irish showcase was canceled after several Irish acts pulled out of their performances.

The amusing reason Trump is falsely accusing Dems of using A.I.  MSNBC

CEO of the insurance company that backed Trump bond in Carroll case defends issuing policy  NBC News

Judge dismisses some charges against Trump in Georgia election interference case  WLWT Cincinnati

Ivanka Trump, Karlie Kloss’ camps try to end rift rumors: ‘They’re family, not best friends’  Page Six