On May 5, Microsoft’s Skype will shut down for good

 After more than 21 years, Skype will soon be no more. Last night, some users (including Ars readers) poked around in the latest Skype preview update and noticed as-yet-unsurfaced text that read "Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams."

This morning, Microsoft has confirmed to Ars that it's true. May 5, 2025, will mark the end of Skype's long run.

Alongside the verification that the end is nigh, Microsoft shared a bunch of details about how it plans to migrate Skype users over. Starting right away, some Skype users (those in Teams and Skype Insider) will be able to log in to Teams using their Skype credentials. More people will gain that ability over the next few days....<<<Read More>>>...

DRC: 70 Christians beheaded in a church by Islamic terrorists

 Christians in DRC have again been left reeling after a heinous act of violence that has left 70 believers dead. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in the country as they face escalating persecution.

Seventy Christians have been found beheaded in a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”), in what’s the latest devastating attack on believers in the northeast of the country.

According to field sources, at around 4 am last Thursday (13 February) suspected militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – a group with ties to the so-called Islamic State (“IS”) – approached homes in Mayba in the territory of Lubero, saying: “Get out, get out and don’t make any noise.” Twenty Christian men and women came out and were captured.

Shaken by this incident, people from the local community in Mayba later gathered to work out how to release those held captive. However, ADF militants surrounded the village and captured a further 50 believers.

All 70 of those kidnapped were taken to a Protestant church in Kasanga where they were tragically killed.

Muhindo Musunzi, director of the Kombo primary school (which belongs to the CECA20 church), says that before this incident, churches, schools and health centres had all shut their doors because of the chaotic security situation. “We had to move all activities towards Vunying,” he said.

Field sources report that, until yesterday (Tuesday 18 February), some families had not been able to bury their dead because of insecurity in the area. Many Christians have now fled the area for their safety....<<<Read More>>>...

Doctor Who “Faces Axe while Lead Actor is on Verge of Quitting Amid Drop in Ratings and Fan Fury at Woke Storylines”

 Doctor Who is reportedly facing the axe, while lead actor Ncuti Gatwa is said to be on the verge of quitting amid a huge drop in ratings and growing fan fury at woke storylines. The Mail has the story.

The long-running sci-fi show has suffered a huge drop in ratings of late, with fans said to be fed up of the injection of woke storylines.

The Scottish actor, 32, joined the show in 2023 after Jodie Whittaker bowed out as the Time Lord, but it’s rumoured that he’s set to walk away from the BBC show after just two seasons.

According to reports, a decision on the show’s future will only be decided by bosses once Ncuti’s second series hits screens later this year.

It is thought that Ncuti has already filmed his regeneration exit scene, with crews allegedly fearing that this could spell the end of the series after a whopping 62 years....<<<Read More>>>....

Ex-PCSO downloaded gun manual and had access to 3D printer, court hears

 A former Lincolnshire police community support officer downloaded a gun manual and had access to a 3D printer, a court has heard. Zoe Watts appeared at Lincoln Crown Court virtually on Thursday, February 13, for a pre-trial preparation hearing and had been expected to submit a plea.

Today’s hearing began with the prosecutor for the case, Jonathon Dee, asking to amend the indictment that had been put forward by the Crown. It was heard in court that the defendant, Ms Watts, had downloaded the specifications for a particular firearm, that she had access to a 3D printer and had sourced other components, and so the weapon found could be made fireable if done correctly.

Mr Dee explained that this behaviour was not a one-off and that Ms Watts “has a history of making illegal weapons”. The defendant was late arriving to the proceedings and was attending remotely from HMP Peterborough.

Stuart Lody, defending Ms Watts, stated: “I had expected her to be produced in person today.” He went on to describe the case as “complicated”.

After Ms Watts appeared on the video conference call, wearing an orange dress with small black polka dots, she explained that her delay to proceedings was due to “a medical emergency”. His Honour, Judge Hirst, the Honorary Recorder of Lincoln stated: “There have been some developments in the case.

“The prosecution accepted that the gun in the state that it was in was not a prohibited firearm. The prosecution is asking to amend the indictment to attempt to manufacture a prohibited weapon.”

He referred to the components that the prosecution say had been purchased, and that they claim these could have turned what was found into “a viable weapon”. Judge Hirst added: “The evidence has not yet been submitted by the prosecution, so I have made an order that the evidence is served a week today on the 20th of February...<<<Read More>>>...

Fresh doubts are raised over conviction of ‘killer’ nurse Lucy Letby – as unearthed papers show she was off duty for third of cases

 Fresh doubts were raised about the conviction of ‘killer’ nurse Lucy Letby last night, with the bombshell revelation of police notes suggesting the jury was misled over key evidence.

The documents raise serious questions over the courtroom claim that Letby was the common link between all the suspicious incidents involving babies at the Chester hospital where she worked.

And the dramatic development comes as an expert cited by the prosecution prepares to go public to say his research was misrepresented in court....<<<Read More>>>...

Conflicting altimeter data puzzles investigators in deadly DC midair collision

 The investigation into the plane crash that left 67 people dead last week when a regional passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport has revealed conflicting altimeter readings.

The collision occurred under clear skies around 9 p.m., but the precise altitude of the aircraft at the time they collided remains a mystery, with the control tower and the plane's flight recorder giving readings that indicate they were not traveling at the same height when they collided. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed a significant discrepancy in the altitude readings of the two aircraft. According to the preliminary data from the passenger jet's flight recorder, the plane was flying at an altitude of 325 feet, plus or minus 25 feet, when the collision occurred. However, the control tower data, which is typically considered reliable, showed the Black Hawk helicopter at 200 feet, the maximum altitude permitted for helicopters in the area.

"That’s what our job is, to figure that out," NTSB member Todd Inman told reporters during a news conference on Saturday. The NTSB is now working to reconcile these conflicting readings, a task complicated by the fact that the helicopter's black box, which could provide crucial data, is waterlogged and requires more time to retrieve...<<<Read More>>>...

Midair collision near D.C. kills 67; Questions mount over preventable tragedy

 In a devastating midair collision near Washington, D.C., an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft.

The crash, which occurred just minutes before the jet was set to land at Reagan National Airport, has left the nation in shock and raised urgent questions about air traffic control protocols and military training flights in one of the busiest airspaces in the country.

The American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, including a group of figure skaters, coaches, and family members returning from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas. Among the passengers were Russian-born former world champion figure skaters Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were coaching young skaters. The Black Hawk helicopter, on a routine training mission, had three soldiers aboard...<<<Read More>>>...

Child Sacrifice and Our Desire to Ignore It

 Some actions of humans are so dark that we prefer to ignore them, avoiding the darkening our own thoughts. When others assist us by denigrating truthtellers or censoring news, we may be quietly grateful as life seems better when not intruded on by the pain of victims or the abuse of their torturers. We find it easier to acknowledge past abuse as a way of showing virtue in the present – such as recognising the Holocaust or massacres under colonial powers. It is also easy to point fingers at foreign countries and condemn abuses and their cover-up. Such long-distance condemnation also enables a feeling of virtue. Thus, we can ignore abuses in our own countries, condemning its victims to continued trauma without feeling we are part of the problem.

In recent weeks organised gang rape there has been a social media awakening of the decades-long practice of rape of early teenage and pre-teen girls in England. Interest was stoked in part because Elon Musk highlighted the subject, and his wide media reach undercut efforts by recent U.K. Governments and the local media to keep the abuse and the perpetrators out of the public consciousness. The issue may be new to many, but it has been in the public domain for over two decades. People in positions of power decided that it was better to allow more girls (the girls of others) to be systematically abused and raped as they considered that addressing the problem might stoke social disorder.

The scale, like the problem the NY Times highlighted, is also vast. In the town of Rotherham where it was originally identified, it is thought at least 1,400 young girls were systematically abused and raped, often for years on end. Across England, this is in the tens of thousands. Numbers are numbing, but individual testimonies speak of repeated torture, gang rape and threats of death, and thousands of girls were left by those in authority to this fate....<<<Read More>>>...

The Truth Finally Revealed

Manchester City 1 2 Manchester United

 Manchester United struck twice in the closing minutes to stun Manchester City in a dramatic derby conclusion at Etihad Stadium.

Josko Gvardiol's first-half header looked to be giving City victory in a largely dismal clash until United staged a remarkable turnaround to give new manager Ruben Amorim a landmark win early in his reign.

Amad Diallo was United's star performer, winning the 88th minute penalty that saw Bruno Fernandes equalise after the youngster was fouled by Matheus Nunes.

As City tried to regroup, Diallo then pounced in the closing seconds of normal time to score from a tight angle.

It was a rich reward for United boss Amorim after he ruthlessly axed Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from his match day squad, but then suffered an early blow when Mason Mount was struck down by his latest injury, limping off after only 14 minutes.

Opportunities were at a premium in a game largely made up of desperate mediocrity, United looking to have wasted their best opportunity to equalise 17 minutes from time when Fernandes raced clear on to Rasmus Hojlund's pass, only to lift his finish over the onrushing Ederson but wide.

The game was turned on its head in that frantic finale, City's fans furious and jeering their side while United's followers celebrated wildly in their corner of Etihad Stadium....<<<Read More>>>...

Keir Starmer’s Labour Takes the Art of Political Lying to a Whole New Level

 Keir Starmer’s Labour has taken the ‘art’ of political lying to a whole new level, says Nick Timothy in the Telegraph. Denial after denial that it would raise taxes before the biggest tax-raising Budget in history. Here’s an excerpt.

Before the election Rachel Reeves said “we don’t need higher taxes. What we need is growth… and I have no plans to increase any taxes beyond those which we have already set out.” Then, Reeves said she would increase taxes by £8.5 billion, spending by £9.5 billion, and borrowing by £3.5 billion by 2028/29. Last week, she raised taxes by £40 billion, spending by £76 billion and borrowing by £36 billion.

This weekend, Reeves justified her broken promise, telling the BBC, “I didn’t know about the state of the public finances” before the election. But this was a lie on top of another lie. In June, before the election, her secret tax plans were reported in the Guardian. Labour sources had blabbed, saying upon arrival at the Treasury Reeves would claim to be surprised by her inheritance and seek a “doctor’s mandate” to raise taxes. “That is not what they are presenting the public with right now,” the sources admitted.

Such was the suspicion that Reeves would do this, she was forced to deny it in a pre-election interview in the Financial Times. “We’ve got the OBR now,” she said, explaining that the independent Office for Budget Responsibility meant “you don’t need to win an election” to know the details of the public finances. Among the tax rises she ruled out in that interview, two – capital gains tax and changes to inheritance tax reliefs – were in the Budget, and proposed in a report written by Reeves in 2018. …

And her claims about the so-called fiscal hole have also fallen apart. Before the Budget, the Treasury briefed the media that the OBR would publish a full breakdown of the £22 billion figure, and justify what Reeves has been saying since July. But that is not what happened. The OBR report identified £9.5 billion of in-year spending pressures – pressures of the kind that arise every year, and were never denied by the Tories – and said the remainder of Reeves’s claim was explained by Labour’s own public sector pay deals. “Nothing in our review,” the OBR Chairman said, “was a legitimisation of that £22 billion.” …

Reeves and her colleagues have taken the ‘art’ of political lying to a whole new level. Before the election the Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, said Labour had “no intention” of changing agricultural property relief for inheritance tax, and said it was “desperate nonsense” to claim otherwise. But the Budget cut the relief for thousands of farms. …<<<Read More>>>...

Sunderland police station set on fire, mosque targeted, and cops put in hospital as thugs cause mayhem in city

 Sunderland’s MPs, police chiefs and the Home Secretary have condemned the scenes of violence, rioting and looting committed by a far-right mob on Friday night.

Lewis Atkinson, MP for Sunderland Central, said he was ‘appalled’ by the scenes, adding: ‘Our city is not represented by a tiny minority causing trouble.’

Education Secretary and Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson said the city had witnessed ‘unforgivable violence and thuggery’.

The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned those behind the riots: ‘The police have the full backing of Government to take the strongest possible action & ensure (rioters) face the full force of the law.’

Football club Sunderland AFC hit out at rioters, saying on X: ‘Tonight’s shameful scenes do not represent our culture, our history, or our people.’

And Chief Superintendent Helena Barron of Northumbria Police, who led the policing operation last night, said officers had been ‘met with serious and sustained levels of violence, which is utterly deplorable’ on Friday night....<<<Read More>>>...

FULL-TIME: England 2-1 Netherlands

 ENGLAND ARE IN ANOTHER EUROS FINAL!

This Three Lions side just don't know how to lose, they have delivered on the big stage again.

Ollie Watkins the hero off the bench with a sensational goal in the 90th minute.

England fully deserved it, and now it's time for them to party!...<<<Read More>>>...

Julian Assange: Free at last, but guilty of practicing journalism

 The United States Government (USG) - under the "rules-based international order" - has de facto ruled that Julian Assange is guilty of practicing journalism.

Edward Snowden had already noted that "when exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, you are being ruled by criminals."

Criminals such as Mike "We Lie, We Cheat, We Steal" Pompeo, former Trump Secretary of State, who had planned to kidnap and kill Julian when he was head of the CIA.

The indomitable Jennifer Robinson and Julian's U.S. lawyer Barry Pollack sum it all up: the United States has "pursued journalism as a crime".

Julian was forced to suffer an unspeakably vicious Via Crucis because he dared to expose USG war crimes; the inner workings of the U.S. military in their rolling thunder War Of Terror (italics mine) in Afghanistan and Iraq; and - Holy of Holies - he dared to release emails showing the Democratic National Committee (DNC) colluded with the notorious warmongering Harpy Hillary Clinton.

Julian was subjected to relentless psychological torture, and nearly crucified for publishing facts that should always remain invisible to public opinion. That's what top-notch journalism is all about.

The whole drama teaches the whole planet everything one needs to know about the absolute control of the Hegemon over pathetic UK and EU.

And that bring us to the kabuki that may - and the operative word is "may" - be closing the case. Title of the twisted morality play: 'Plead Guilty or Die in Jail'.

The final twist in the plot line of the morality play runs like this: the combo behind the cadaver in the White House realized that torturing an Australian journalist and publisher in a maximum security U.S. prison in an electoral year was not exactly good for business.

At the same time the British establishment was begging to be excluded from the plot - as its "justice" system was forced by the Hegemon to keep an innocent man and family father hostage for 5 years, in abysmal conditions, in the name of protecting a basket of Anglo-American intel secrets.

In the end, the British establishment quietly applied all the pressure it could muster to run towards the exit - in full knowledge of what the Americans were planning for Julian....<<<Read More>>>...

Manchester City 1 2 Manchester United

 Manchester United and beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag defied the odds and their critics to pull off a stunning FA Cup final victory over hot favourites Manchester City at Wembley.

Ten Hag went into this Manchester derby final with the growing expectation that he will be sacked by United’s new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, irrespective of the outcome.

If Ten Hag is to be dismissed, he will be going out on the back of the finest day of his two-year reign and United’s finest moment for years following a performance that was virtually unrecognisable from the dismal fare they have served up this season.

United’s triumph, which denied Premier League champions City a second successive domestic double, was built on an outstanding first-half display that brought goals from Alejadro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

Garnacho was the beneficiary of a mix-up between City keeper Stefan Ortega and Josko Gvardiol as he was left with an open goal on the half-hour while Mainoo crowned a sweeping move with a calm finish from Bruno Fernandes’ delicate touch nine minutes later.

City inevitably applied pressure in the second half, Erling Haaland hitting the frame of the goal, United keeper Andre Onana saving superbly from Kyle Walker and Julian Alvarez missing a great chance.

City substitute Jeremy Doku pulled one back with four minutes left but Ten Hag's side held firm to record a famous victory and win a 13th FA Cup, their first since 2016....<<<Read More>>>...

Moronic Mark Drakeford is barred from dozens of pubs in Wales because of ‘Covid’ rules

 Mark Drakeford is still barred from dozens of pubs in Wales, with the chairman of a pub watch scheme saying he will never be welcome. 

In December 2020, Mr Drakeford was barred from every pub on the pub watch scheme because landlords felt his Covid restrictions were too extreme, including the ban on alcohol sales in hospitality settings as well as the 6pm curfew as the prevalence of the virus grew as Christmas got closer.

This week, Mr Drakeford announced he will soon stand down as First Minister of Wales, with the process for his successor already underway. But if he visits this part of Wales, he may struggle to get himself a pint. Phil Ashe, chairman of Llandudno Pub Watch and the vice-chair of West Conwy Pub Watch, told North Wales Live: “Mark Drakeford is not welcome in our pubs, and he never will be because of the damage he caused all the pubs during the pandemic. We currently have 90 odd members, and Mark Drakeford is still barred. Most pubs and businesses are still struggling because of him.” ....<<<Read More>>>...

Dictator Dan Departs

 Victorians are gearing up for a major celebration scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, as they mark the resignation of Premier Dan Andrews, who, if there had been a WEF competition for the harshest despot during the “Covid” era, would have likely been a top contender.

As a result of this he has not been a popular figure and now due to his resignation there is to be a celebration organised by the Melbourne Freedom Rally, who are thrilled at the news and advise that the event is set to be a “significant gathering at the steps of Victorian Parliament House, where locals will come together to mark the end of Andrews’ long reign as Premier.”...<<<Read More>>>...

Zak Crawley's 189 gives England lead over Australia in fourth Test

 

Zak Crawley's astonishing 189 stunned Australia and kept England on course for an Ashes comeback on an exhilarating second day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Crawley cracked the highest score by an England batter in a home Ashes Test for 26 years to give the hosts the perfect chance of levelling the series at 2-2.

In a 182-ball stay, he crunched 21 fours and three sixes to help England to 384-4, a lead of 67.

Crawley shared a stand of 121 with Moeen Ali, who was superb in making 54 at number three, then a riotous double-century partnership with Joe Root, the former captain unlucky to fall for 84.

Though Crawley and Root were both bowled by deliveries that kept low, Harry Brook and Ben Stokes laid a platform to attack on Friday morning with an unbroken stand of 33.

On a perfect day for the home side, James Anderson removed Pat Cummins with the first ball of the morning and Chris Woakes completed his maiden five-wicket haul in an Ashes Test to dismiss Australia for 317.

With the series on the line and bad weather closing in at the weekend, England not only wanted to build a lead, but do so swiftly enough to leave time to force a result.

They did so in a fashion that was barely believable and now have a golden opportunity to level the series at 2-2 and set up a delicious Ashes decider at The Oval....<<<Read More>>>...

“I Am the Regulator!” — EU Commissioner Warns Social Media to Censor After French Riots

 L’Etat, c’est moi” – “I am the state” – Louis XIV is supposed to have said. And in a contemporary echo of that famous phrase, EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton repeatedly stressed on Monday that “I am the regulator” when lambasting social media networks for “not having done enough” during the recent French riots and threatening them with sanctions, including even banishment, if they should remain similarly inactive after August 25.

Not having done enough of what? Well, namely censorship: suppression of content that the European Commission deems to have been in some way or another harmful in the circumstances. Hence, the importance of the August 25 date. For August 25 will mark exactly four months since the European Commission officially designated 17 “Very Large Online Platforms” and two “Very Large Online Search Engines,” and from that date forward, per the below timeline, the designated entities will have to be in compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which is designed precisely to “regulate” online speech....<<<Read More>>>....

Man suffers mysterious illness after discovery of ancient Egyptian tomb

 Egyptologist Ramy Romany suffered a mysterious illness after the discovery of an ancient Egyptian tomb in 2019.

He said that the illness caused him to hallucinate and cough up blood. At the time, the team was filming an episode about mummified remains that researchers claimed were those of a biblical character.

Filmmaker and Egyptologist Rami Romani told The Jordan Harbinger Show that he fell ill after the tomb was opened in 2019.

“While filming, we went into a tomb that hadn’t been opened in years. We unlocked the door and the locals kept their distance at first to make sure there were no snakes or curses of any kind. Not believing in curses, we just went straight down the stairs,” he said.

Romany added that the tomb had not been opened for about 600 years, and that it was quite dusty there.

“The tomb seemed endless. We kept going down and it’s quite dusty. And I breathed it all in. And that day I was returning on foot to Cairo, and I became unwell.”

“The next morning I had a high fever. I have never had such a high temperature in my life. I had a temperature of 42°C and started coughing up blood. They called doctors for me. I almost died.”...<<<Read More>>>...