A female member of the Ukrainian parliament said that Ukraine may need to conscript women. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering conscripting 500,000 more troops for the war with Russia.
In other news, in Germany the AfD reached a record 23% support in a new poll.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, Dora, DV, JW, McN, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Bidenomics Study: 62% of Americans Living Paycheck to Paycheck During Holiday Season
A majority of Americans live paycheck to paycheck in President Joe Biden’s America, a recent LendingClub study found, raising concerns that so-called “Bidenomics” failed to help average Americans.
The high number of Americans struggling to make ends meet appears to confirm polling that shows only 14 percent of voters believe Biden’s economic policies have helped them, while 85 percent think they have either hurt them or made no difference.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Commonwealth Bank has linked record immigration with suppressed wages. Now a payroll company chief executive is predicting a recession in 2024.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Achieving Equity Through Mediocrity: Chicago Moves to Eliminate “High-Achieving” School Programs
Authored by Jonathan Turley
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Board of Education are following the lead of other major cities and eliminating gifted school programs in the name of achieving greater racial and social “equity.”
Eleven “high-achieving selective-enrollment schools” will be eliminated, according to Chicago Board of Education CEO Pedro Martinez, to reduce “stratification and inequity.”
As we have previously discussed, major cities with failing public education programs are erasing performance gaps in their schools by decapitating the top performers rather than elevating the performance overall. Other schools have also eliminated or lowered proficiency standards to achieve higher passage rates.According to the Daily Mail, the Board will vote today on the Mayor’s plan with the support of the president. The Chicago Tribune blasted Johnson in an editorial for reneging on a campaign promise not to abolish the selective schools.President Jianan Shi has portrayed gifted programs as just adding stress by allowing some students to achieve higher levels of education.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alarmists Warn That Housecats Pose ‘A Big Threat to Biodiversity’
Housecats are “murderous” creatures and pose “a big threat to biodiversity” because of their natural predatory instincts, warns National Public Radio (NPR) in an essay this week.
If allowed unsupervised out of doors, cats will eat “2,084 different species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects,” the article declares, citing a recent paper published in Nature Communications.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Hit With Legal Challenge Over Crackdown on Gas Appliances in American Homes
Democrat President Joe Biden has just been hit with a legal challenge over his administration’s crackdown on traditional gas-powered furnaces in Americans’ homes.
The natural gas industry has filed a lawsuit against the Biden admin over its regulations targeting traditional gas-powered residential appliances.
Rulemaking energy groups say the new regulations will impact more than half of all U.S. households.
The legal challenge was filed late Monday and is led by the American Gas Association (AGA).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke out after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump could be removed from the Colorado 2024 ballot for the crime of insurrection, for which Trump has neither been charged nor convicted.
“This is what an actual attack on democracy looks like,” Ramaswamy said, “in an un-American, unconstitutional, and unprecedented decision, a cabal of Democrat judges are barring Trump from the ballot in Colorado. Having tried every trick in the book to eliminate President Trump from running in this election, the bipartisan Establishment is now deploying a new tactic to bar him from ever holding office again: the 14th Amendment,” he said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former President Donald Trump was the favorite among the GOP contenders for president in a straw poll at TPUSA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona. Trump took 82.6 percent of the vote. Tucker Carlson won top pick for US Vice President, taking 35 percent of the vote.
A total of 1,113 attendees of Turning Point Action’s 2024 America Fest event were surveyed in the poll, with interviews being conducted online via an email invite from Dec. 17 to 18, 2023.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Church Completely Destroyed by Massive Fire: ‘Total Loss’
A decades-old Los Angeles-area church has been completely destroyed in a massive fire, according to reports.
The blaze started early Sunday, just hours before a celebration that was set to include a Christmas play and a toy giveaway.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a post on X/Twitter that Firefighters arrived at Victory Outreach church in Pomona at about 2:45 a.m.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump From 2024 Ballot
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in a 4-3 opinion that the Constitution’s “Insurrection Clause” prohibits former President Donald Trump from appearing on the ballot for the presidency in 2024.
“The court found by clear and convincing evidence that President Trump engaged in insurrection as those terms are used in Section Three” of the Fourteenth Amendment, the ruling reads.
The provocative ruling partially reverses a prior ruling from Colorado District Court Judge Sarah Wallace, who ruled in November that Trump is not an officer of the United States as defined by the Fourteenth Amendment and that the Amendment therefore cannot be used to disqualify him from appearing on the Colorado primary ballot.
In his dissent, Chief Justice Boatright wrote, “Dismissal is particularly appropriate here because the Electors brought their challenge without a determination from a proceeding (e.g., a prosecution for an insurrection-related offense) with more rigorous procedures to ensure adequate due process.”
In partially reversing Wallace, the Court all but dared the U.S. Supreme Court to step in by January 4, 2024.
“If review is sought in the Supreme Court before the stay expires on January 4, 2024, then the stay shall remain in place, and the Secretary will continue to be required to include President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot, until the receipt of any order or mandate from the Supreme Court,” the ruling says.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Colorado Man Charged With Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday that a Colorado man has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, ISIS.
According to the DOJ, 18-year-old Humzah Mashkoor of Westminster was arrested on Monday, Dec. 18 at the Denver International Airport before he could board a flight overseas. The DOJ said court documents show he was traveling to the United Arab Emirates, where he intended to stay until he continued on to either Afghanistan or Syria to serve as a fighter for ISIS.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Congress Passed Fewest Laws in Decades in 2023: Report
It’s been a do-little Congress this year.
The House and Senate passed the fewest laws in more than two decades in 2023, putting the 118th Congress on track to be one of the least productive in modern history, Axios reported Tuesday.
Just 24 bills had cleared both chambers as of Monday — the fewest since at least the 101st Congress in 1989, according to data the outlet obtained from the analytics firm Quorum.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dozens Arrested in Capitol Rotunda at Anti-Israel Rally Led by Linda Sarsour
WASHINGTON — Police arrested “roughly 60” anti-Israel protesters inside the Capitol Rotunda Tuesday after a group led by controversial activist Linda Sarsour staged an illegal rally in the iconic venue.
“Not another nickel! Not another dime! No more money for Israel’s crimes!” chanted members of the group, holding “Stop Arming Israel” signs.
It is illegal to hold demonstrations inside the Capitol, though violators of the prohibition are inconsistently prosecuted by the DC US Attorney’s Office after being arrested.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Epstein ‘Never Stopped Abusing’ Victims, Despite Conviction
Jeffrey Epstein “never stopped abusing” his victims, despite being convicted and jailed for his crimes, a new report has revealed.
According to the new report from the Wall Street Journal, Epstein continued to abuse women and underage girls even after his 2008 conviction for child sex crimes.
The report also shows how Epstein’s rich and famous associates helped him to carry out the abuse.
The Journal reports, “The Journal’s investigation shows that Epstein’s sexual exploitation and abuse didn’t end with his 2008 conviction—as many of his famous associates later said they believed—but continued until his second arrest in 2019.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fishers Brothers Sentenced to Combined 35 Years for Distributing Guns for ISIS
INDIANAPOLIS —Two brothers from Fishers have been sentenced to more than 35 years in prison combined for attempting to help ISIS obtain weapons.
This week, Moyad Dannon, 25, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support of Resources, namely firearms, to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The sentence is followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
In October 2021, Moyad’s brother, Mahde Dannon, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on the same charges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Five Teens Arrested for Brutal Beating of Student at Parkland High School in Florida
A number of teenagers have been arrested and charged in connection with the vicious beating of a student near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is known for the tragic 2018 mass shooting that ended in 14 students and three teachers being killed.
Sylvester Hicks, Jr., 16, Chinua Leefatt, 15, Caleb Hensley, 17, and Jordan Thompson, 16, were taken into custody on Thursday, while Jahmeer Beauziel, 17 turned himself in on Monday. They have all been taken into custody and face one count of felony battery each.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gov Hochul Creates Slavery Reparations Commission in New York
New York’s Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul has just signed a bill to establish a slavery reparations commission for the state.
The commission will explore methods of redistributing taxpayer money among black communities by providing reparations to descendants of slaves.
Gov. Hochul signed the bill on Tuesday to create a “community commission to study the history of slavery in New York state.”
The commission will examine “various forms of reparations,” according to the bill.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Authored by Steve Ispas and Lear Zhou via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
An Epoch Times investigation has revealed further details on Jiabei “Jesse” Zhu, the person behind the black-market biolab discovered in California, as well as his connections with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The secret biolab operated in a warehouse in Reedley, California, about 25 miles southeast of Fresno. It was discovered on Dec. 19, 2022, by Jesalyn Harper, a code enforcement officer with the City of Reedley Fire Department.
In the warehouse, Ms. Harper discovered thousands of vials of infectious agents, including coronavirus, chlamydia, E. coli, streptococcus pneumonia, HIV, hepatitis, herpes, rubella, and malaria.
On Oct. 19, 2023, Mr. Zhu was arrested in California and charged with manufacturing and distributing misbranded medical devices and for making false statements to the FDA.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jim Jordan Slaps AG Merrick Garland With Subpoena Over Alleged DOJ Surveillance of Congress
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan levied a subpoena against Attorney General Merrick Garland Tuesday over revelations federal prosecutors’ seized a congressional staffer’s email and phone records.
Last October, Google informed the former Chief Investigative Counsel for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Ia.) that the DOJ had subpoenaed the internet conglomerate in 2017 for that staffer’s email and phone records.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge: Assange Visitors Can Proceed With Spying Suit Against CIA
A lawsuit journalists and allies of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange brought against the CIA advanced in federal court Tuesday after a federal judge turned down a bid by the spy agency to toss out the case.
Manhattan-based U.S. District Court Judge John Koeltl ruled four Americans who visited Assange while he was holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London several years ago can proceed with their suit over allegations that a security contractor gave the CIA data copied from their phones during those visits.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Rules Unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein Associates: ‘Accountability is Coming’
A federal judge ruled this week that court documents will be unsealed in early 2024, making the names of convicted sexual abuser Jeffrey Epstein’s associates known, prompting Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to warn that “accountability is coming.”
The order to unseal these court documents by Manhattan judge Loretta Preska will publicize the name of over 170 associates of Epstein’s. According to the New York Post, the decision is connected to the “since-settled defamation lawsuit that Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre brought against the convicted pedophile’s madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, back in 2015.” Maxwell was convicted in 2021.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Miami Man Facing Attempted Murder Charge in Stabbing of 87-Year-Old Woman
Ariel Chavez, 19, was arrested Sunday on a charge of attempted felony murder causing injury, Miami-Dade jail records showed
A Miami man is facing an attempted murder charge after police said he stabbed an 87-year-old woman in her apartment over the weekend.
Ariel Chavez, 19, was arrested Sunday on a charge of attempted felony murder causing injury, Miami-Dade jail records showed.
According to an arrest report, officers had responded to an apartment in the 400 block of Southwest 8th Avenue Saturday night to perform a welfare check on an elderly woman and found the 87-year-old suffering from a stab wound to her abdomen.
The woman told officers that Chavez had attacked her with a pair of scissors or a kitchen knife, the report said.
The woman was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center to be treated.
Detectives spoke with the woman at the hospital and she told them Chavez was always coming to her home to eat but on this day eh suddenly attacked her unprovoked, the report said.
Detectives found blood spatter at the scene alomng with several kitchen knives and a silver pair of scissors, the report said.
About a half hour after police had reponded to the apartment, they received a phone call from an unknown male who said someone is dead in the 400 block of Southwest 8th Avenue, the report said.
The call came from the same number the 87-year-old woman had saved in her phone for Chavez, the report said.
Chavez was taken into custody when he returned to the apartment on Sunday afternoon, and later gave a full confession, the report said.
In bond court Monday, the victim’s son said Chavez is the grandson of his mother’s friend.
The son also said his mother remained in critical condition and was undergoing another surgery.
A judge ordered him held without bond and appointed him a public defender.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Must Watch: James O’Keefe Exposes IBM’s Anti-White Agenda During AmFest Speech
James O’Keefe took the stage at Turning Point USA’s 2023 America Fest in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday. During the presentation, O’Keefe revealed messages in response to his latest report on IBM that revealed anti-white materials at the company.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nadia Murad’s Lafarge Lawsuit a ‘Game Changer’ for Victims of Terrorism
A court case being brought in the US by Nobel prize winner Nadia Murad against a French company, Lafarge, which gave millions to ISIS is being labelled a game changer.
Experts have told The National the litigation could open the floodgates for any person affected by ISIS to bring a case against the company and that any companies who have funded Hamas will be watching the case closely.
Ms Murad is one of more than 400 Yazidis who have filed a court case against Lafarge for conspiring to provide material support to a campaign of terrorism conducted by ISIS against the Yazidi population.
The case comes after the cement producer became the first company in American history to be convicted of bribing a foreign terrorist organisation after it admitted paying ISIS and Al Nusrah more than $6 million to allow it to keep operating in Syria.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nolte: Study Blames Flight From Democrat-Run Cities on Climate Change
Far-left Axios is gushing over a new study that blames climate change for people fleeing Democrat-run cities like the “metro areas of Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Washington, D.C. (specifically, Alexandria, Va.).”
“Climate migration is already taking place within American communities, new data finds, as people flee flood-prone areas, and create ‘climate abandonment’ zones,” writes an unquestioning Axios.
“The study constitutes the latest warning sign of the effects of climate change,” Axios continues without skepticism. “Population shifts, and a larger reckoning for real estate, are only expected to worsen as global average surface temperatures rise.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Report: Biden Administration Spying on Israel to Determine War Crimes
Israel’s tactics in prosecuting its war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip has reportedly been actively gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies with reports passed to lawmakers.
Politico reports while American officials say they withholding judgments in real-time about Israel’s observance of the laws of war, the gathered intelligence might allow it to make such assessments post-conflict as to the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in relation to international law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sudden Cardiac Deaths Are Soaring Dramatically
The number of people suffering sudden cardiac deaths and dying from unexpected illnesses is continuing to soar at disturbing levels.
In the last two years, fatal cardiac arrests, cancers, blood clots, and deaths from “unknown causes” have spiked to unprecedented levels.
These sudden deaths are showing no signs of slowing down, however, and continue to viciously trend upward.
The CDC hasn’t updated the data with underlying causes since 2021.
While large numbers of people are known to have died unexpectedly from cardiac arrests and cancers, the causes of many sudden deaths are not made public.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Suspect Involved in Road Rage Shooting Death of 4-Year-Old Charged With Murder
LANCASTER, Calif. — A 29-year-old man involved in the alleged road-rage shooting death of a 4-year-old boy in Lancaster was charged Tuesday with murder.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Byron Burkhart was also charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle and five counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 22 at the Antelope Valley Courthouse. According to county jail records, he is being held in lieu of $2 million bail, although prosecutors were asking that his bail be increased to more than $5 million.
A second suspect who was arrested in connection with the shooting, 27- year-old Alexandria Gentile, was not charged. Jail records show she was released from custody Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors identified her as Burkhart’s girlfriend.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Burkhart opened fire on a vehicle Friday night in the area of Sierra Highway and East Avenue J.
Officials say a mother and father were on their way to purchase groceries, with their four-year-old son in the backseat, when Burkhart cut them off and then started chasing them. When the family slowed down, Burkart pulled up alongside their car and started shooting, hitting and killing 4-year-old Gor Adamyan.
Prosecutors said eight shots were fired.
The boy was sitting in the back seat and was struck by gunfire in the upper body. The parents rushed him to a hospital, where he later died.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
Tucker Blasts ‘Creature of the Oligarchs’ Nikki Haley in Epic AmFest Speech
World-famous conservative commentator Tucker Carlson made an appearance before the crowd at the Turning Point USA AmericaFest conference on Monday evening, during which he shared his views on various issues, both in his speech and during a special live broadcast of TimCast filmed on stage. Carlson made it is clear he is no fan of Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley; the former Fox News host bashed her during both of his arranged events.
“I heard Tulsi Gabbard mention the phrase Nikki Haley,” Carlson said during his speech, “And people booed. I was like, oh, yeah, we’re in the right —but then it raised actually a philosophical question for me, which is, should you put air quotes around Nikki Haley, because otherwise you’re just assuming this is a real person, and not just a hologram put out there by Ken Griffin in the billionaire class to torment you,” Carlson said during the speech.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A rebellion is brewing from Germany’s farmers in response to the government’s surprise decision to end tax breaks for agriculture, with the German Farmers’ Association (BvD) president warning the move amounted to a “declaration of war.” He is now threatening mass protests at a time when the government’s approval rating is at a record low and over two-thirds of Germans say the current government should resign.
“We will not accept this,” BvD President Joachim Rukwied said in Berlin on Monday. He described the government’s actions as “a declaration of war” on farmers. If the federal government did not withdraw the unreasonable proposals “without replacement,” farmers would make sure there was “a very hot January” with further protests planned.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
During a recent Hanukkah ceremony in the Polish Sejm, Confederation MP Grzegorz Braun used a fire extinguisher to put out lit Hanukkah candles in a video that has since gone viral. This incident occurred while deputy speaker Krzysztof Bosak, who serves as chairman of the Confederation party, presided over the session.
Speaker Szymon Holownia took over the session, excluding Braun from the proceedings and announcing a legal action against him for disturbing a religious ceremony. Holownia also declared that the Sejm’s presidium punished Braun by halving his salary for three months and withholding his entire stipend for six months.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Grants Extension for Czech Republic’s Import of Russian Oil Products
The European Union has prolonged the exception allowing the import of products from Russian oil into the Czech Republic until December 5, 2024.
However, this extension comes with restrictions, limiting the volumes to levels comparable to the last five years. The EU Council, while approving the twelfth package of anti-Russian sanctions has stated that if viable alternatives emerge before the specified date, the deviation will be terminated.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Central Bank Chief: Digital Cash ‘Now in Preparation Phase’
The head of the European Central Bank has announced that the “Digital Euro” is now being prepared for implementation to replace traditional cash.
The president of the European Union’s Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, revealed that the bloc’s “digital cash” is now in “the preparation phase.”
According to Lagarde, the EU will soon begin to roll out the “digital Euro” for public use.
Lagarde claims that Eurocrats are pushing the technology because it’s “safe” and “easy to use
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Parisian authorities have arrested a 28-year-old homeless man on suspicion of the horrifying rape of a disabled pensioner — an attack that was heard by the victim’s family in a voicemail after the elderly woman had called her daughter for help.
The suspect was detained on Monday for the attack that occurred at the victim’s home in the 18th arrondissement of the French capital on Saturday.
The man is accused of following his 68-year-old victim and forcing entry into her apartment as she returned home. The woman, who suffers from a degenerative cognitive condition and was unable to resist, was forcibly undressed and raped by her attacker.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Baby Jesus Beheaded Along With Other Nativity Figures in Latest Attack on Christians
Unknown perpetrators beheaded baby Jesus and other figures in a Christmas nativity scene over the weekend in the city of Rüsselsheim.
The attack featured the figures, primarily made out of Styrofoam, having their hands severed and their heads removed; some of them were also knocked over. The figures, which were displayed in the town’s market square, were found by a passerby on Sunday morning.
All the figures lost their heads, including baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the three kings, and a donkey.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Stuttgart Lawmakers Blow Taxpayer Cash on Porn Festival With Sex After Party
Regional lawmakers in the German city of Stuttgart have approved next year’s financial budget, which includes €30,000 to be set aside for the return of a porn festival that features a sex party held at a secret location after the event.
It will be the third time the festival will be held in the city since 2021 with the governing SPD claiming it enhances the debate on gender equality.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Berlin nightclub and beer garden has issued an apology for refusing to host a Jewish celebration, emphasizing its commitment to “embracing gender diversity and harmonious coexistence.”
The decision to deny the “Carnival de Purim” group was initially justified by an employee citing concerns related to the “current situation,” but a backlash, including accusations of anti-Semitism and calls for a boycott, prompts a reconsideration, the German press reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Government Plans to Increase Passenger Flight Ticket Tax
In response to the budget crisis, the German government intends to raise the ticket tax on passenger flights. The spokesperson for the government announced this adjustment in the context of the agreement on the federal budget for 2024 on Tuesday, as reported by Spiegel.
The initial plans for a higher kerosene tax in domestic air travel seem to be abandoned. A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Finance confirmed this, stating that instead, additional revenue of a similar amount is sought through annual adjustments to the air traffic tax.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: AfD Reaches Record 23% Support in Poll
Support for Germany’s right-wing party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), reached a record high of 23% in a recent poll, according to Reuters.
According to the Forsa poll, AfD saw a one percentage point increase from the previous week, marking a record high for the institute. This narrowed the gap with the opposition conservative bloc, which remained steady at 31%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary and Turkey Expand Energy Cooperation
Hungary and Turkey have signed five agreements to expand energy cooperation between the two countries, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjartó has announced.
Speaking at a press conference following talks with his Turkish counterparts, Szijjartó praised the closer cooperation with Turkey and said the move could only further benefit Hungary.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Julian Assange’s ‘Final’ Appeal Against U.S. Extradition to be Held in February
LONDON, Dec 19 (Reuters) — WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange’s possible final legal challenge to stop his extradition from Britain to the United States where he is wanted on criminal charges will be held at London’s High Court in February, his supporters said on Tuesday.
Assange, 52, is wanted by U.S. authorities on 18 counts, including one under a spying act, relating to WikiLeaks’ release of vast troves of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables which Washington said had put lives in danger.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nearly Half of French Muslims Label Hamas’ Oct. 7 Attack ‘Opposition to Colonialism’
Almost half of French Muslims believe that the Oct. 7 Hamas surprise attack that killed 1,200 Israelis was “an act of resistance against oppression,” while almost one in five expressed sympathy for the atrocities, according to a new poll by leading French pollster Ifop.
The survey compared French Muslims’ views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the general French population, revealing significant differences in their perception of Hamas.
Asked whether they currently sympathize with Hamas, 19 percent of respondents said yes, compared with only 3% of the general population.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prof. Wojciech Sadurski has said that violating the constitution is justified if it helps “clear out” the conservative Law and Justice (PiS), who, according to him, must never be allowed to return to power.
Sadurski accused the former PiS Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of usurping power by attempting to form a government when his party did not have a majority to do so.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Report: EU Will Miss Most 2030 Climate Targets
The majority of the European Union’s ambitious climate goals are “unlikely” or “very unlikely” to be met by the 2030 deadline, warns the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) new progress report published on Monday, December 18th.
The report, published every December, monitors the progress made on 28 “headline indicators” and their corresponding targets across eight priority groups. These include climate change mitigation, zero pollution, and biodiversity—all part of the EU’s 8th Environment Action Program (EAP), a strategic framework for climate policies to be implemented by 2030.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court on Tuesday ordered the 2021 national election to be partially repeated in the German capital because of severe glitches at many polling stations.
The court ruled that the election must be repeated in 455 of 2,256 constituencies in the state of Berlin, which is one of three German cities that is also a state.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In 2022, the number of suicides rose by 5.6% compared to the previous year, totaling 4,227 registered deaths for this reason, as per the ‘Deaths according to Cause of Death’ report from the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
This reflects a continuous upward trend in suicide figures since 2018 when 3,539 deaths were recorded. The increase between 2020 and 2021 was only 1.6%, the Spanish press reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK COVID Inquiry Biassed in Favour of Lockdowns, Critics Say
The official UK COVID Inquiry will be ignored by the public and will do nothing to inform future pandemic responses unless it urgently works to change the impression that its mind is already made up on lockdowns, campaigners have warned.
UsForThem, a grassroots organisation formed in the early days of lockdown to advocate for children to be put first, has written to Baroness Hallett, who chairs the inquiry, threatening to bring a judicial review against any final findings unless the investigation changes course.
The letter, seen by The European Conservative, states that as it stands,
[The Inquiry] risks entirely undermining the validity of its future findings by perpetuating the impression that it holds a predetermined view of both the nature of the pandemic and of the desirability and effectiveness of the UK’s particular response.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Wants to Build Mini-Nuke Plants in Ukraine
Ukraine can decentralise its power supply network by building a series of “mini nuclear power plants”, British engineering giant Rolls Royce believes.
Rolls Royce is exploring rolling out its proposed Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to Ukraine, using the technology to convert former coal-fired power stations to nuclear. While the British SMR concept of cheaper, smaller reactors has yet to be proven in practice, Rolls Royce hopes to be also to roll out the power stations quickly and at a cheaper energy-unit cost than conventional, larger stations and is attempting to build SMRs for the British government as part of the rush to ‘net zero’.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Study: Humans Contributing to Global Warming by Breathing
A U.K. study found humans may be contributing to global warming by the simple — and necessary — act of breathing.
Scientists affiliated with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Edinburgh said methane and nitrous oxide in the air we exhale make up .1 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The scientists found that, when accounting for burps and farts, humans are fueling alleged global warming by exhaling from their lungs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Spectacular Iceland Volcano Eruption by Town Where Thousands Already Evacuated
The night sky was filled with a spectacular red flash in south western Iceland on Monday as a volcano next to the town of Grindavik erupted, prompting a further evacuation.
Approaching 4,000 people have been evacuated from the fishing town of Grindavik as a crack formed in the Reykjanes peninsula, with erupting lava from the fissure lighting up the sky on Monday evening. There have been several eruptions in the area in recent years but the crack, which is two and a half miles long and less than two miles from the town at its southern extent, is said to pose a potential risk to life.
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World of Trouble: Conscription on the Table as European Militaries Dwindle
The British Army is now the smallest it has been in 200 years, as more defence personnel continue to leave than join, while in Germany the military recruitment crisis is so acute the defence minister speaks of bringing back conscription.
The number of serving personnel in the British armed forces including all three services and the reserves fell by a further 3.9 per cent to just 184,865 this year. Of those, just 75,983 are regular soldiers.
Some 16,260 people left the armed forces in the past year: subtracting new recruitment the net loss of troops was 7,440 personnel.
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Consortium to Support Women in Kosovo
A Hungarian-Kosovar-Albanian consortium, led by the Hungary Helps Agency, will launch its new initiative CREATResili (Create Resilience) on January 1, 2024. The project aims to support women living in Kosovo who have experienced abusive relationships by providing opportunities to create and sell products that tell their stories.
The main goal of the 22-month-long project, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme, is to create a program where creativity promotes the resilience of vulnerable communities and increases social awareness. By using the tools of ‘social design’ (a philosophy of design which prioritizes social issues), CREATResili primarily supports women living in Kosovo who have experienced abusive relationships.
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Fetterman: TikTok is Giving Younger Voters ‘Warped’ View on Israel-Hamas War
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) said Tuesday on CNN’s “The Lead” that younger voters were getting a “warped” view of the Israel-Hamas war from TikTok.
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “Let’s go back to talking about Israel and the divisions in the Democratic Party, particularly among young voters when it comes to Israel’s war against Hamas. Seventy-two percent of young voters, according to this new poll, disapprove of how President Biden is handling the Israel-Hamas war. You’ve been very vocal in your full support for Israel. The Israeli flag is behind you in your office there. You’ve been arguing that Hamas bears responsibility for the tragedy of what’s going on in Gaza. Why do you think so many younger people, especially in your party, see it differently?”
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Israel’s President Isaac Herzog Says Ready to Pause Gaza Fight in Exchange for More Hostages
Israeli President Isaac Herzog told ambassadors from around the world the country is prepared to agree to a second humanitarian pause in fighting in exchange for the return of more hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas, the Islamic militant group considered a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union, still holds about 129 of the initial 240 or more people it abducted from Israel during its deadly attack on October 7.
“I can reiterate the fact that Israel is ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid in order to enable the release of hostages,” Herzog said Tuesday.
“The responsibility lies fully with Sinwar and the leadership of Hamas,” he said, referring to the group’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.
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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Security Council members were in intense negotiations Tuesday on an Arab-sponsored resolution to spur desperately needed humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza during some kind of a halt in the fighting, trying to avoid another veto by the United States.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told reporters Tuesday morning that negotiations were still underway. Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates, the Arab representative on the 15-member council, said she hoped the council could vote on a resolution early Tuesday afternoon.
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Certain US Will “Not Betray” Ukraine: Zelensky Amid War With Russia
Aid for Ukraine has been held up by Republicans in the US Congress, and the White House has warned that it will run out by the end of the year if not renewed.
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he was confident the US would not “betray” his country by withholding crucial wartime funding as it fights off a Russian invasion.
“We are working very hard on this, and I am certain the United States of America will not betray us, and that on which we agreed in the United States will be fulfilled completely,” Zelenskiy said during a televised press briefing in Kyiv.
He added that financial assistance was key to Ukraine’s defence from Moscow’s full-scale attack, which is nearing its two-year mark and showing no signs of abating.
“They should know, our American partners, that we’re waiting for this aid. They know the details of what it’s needed for, how it will influence (the situation),” he said.
He also said he expected the European Union to approve a 50 billion euro aid package soon. EU leaders approved the launch of membership negotiations, but Hungary blocked the aid package.
“I’m confident that we have already achieved all this,” Zelenskiy said. “The question now is one of a certain matter of time.”
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According to the latest public opinion poll conducted by the Moldovan sociological company IMAS, it has been revealed that 58% of Moldova’s residents are dissatisfied with the current course of the republic’s development. The survey was conducted from November 29 to December 16, included the opinions of 954 individuals with a margin of error of 3.2%.
The main grievances of the respondents are related to the perceived deviation of the country towards a situation characterized by abuses, censorship and lawlessness. Only 37% of the respondents supported the development course chosen by the authorities.
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Over 70% of Ukrainians Ready to Renounce Citizenship to Avoid Military Service — Poll
by Sputnik
Over 70% of Ukrainian men are ready to renounce their citizenship in order to avoid serving in the Ukrainian armed forces, a poll conducted by the deputy head of the Ukrainian parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Mariana Bezuhla, showed on Monday.
“An experimental survey. Now only for men. So as not to be mobilized, am I ready to renounce Ukrainian citizenship?” Bezuhla wrote on social media.
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‘Too High a Price’: Ukraine’s War Widows Forge a Path Towards an Uncertain Future
Tens of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel have died since Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. The families left behind face building a new life amid an ongoing war with no end in sight.
Anastasia, 40, found out her husband had died while watching the news. Oleksii Dzhunkivskyi was well known in Ukraine as a champion boxer turned children’s coach who ran his own gym in Irpin, a satellite city outside of Kyiv.
When Russia invaded, the family decided that Anastasia and their daughter would leave Irpin while Oleksii stayed behind as a volunteer working with the military to help civilians. “He delivered food, water, medicine, and helped with the evacuation. In total he managed to save about 50 people,” Anastasia says.
As Russian forces occupied the city, intent on using Irpin as a stepping stone to capture the nearby Ukrainian capital, the “conditions were terrible”, Anastasia says. “There was no [internet] connection at all, constant shelling, no lights, no water.”
…
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Ukraine Scales Back Operations Due to Ammo Shortage as Troops Complain of “Suicide Mission”
A top Ukrainian commander has admitted in fresh statements that the national military’s ammunition supplies are running so low that leaders are forced to reassess priorities and operations.
Ukrainian Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said Monday the army is “replanning” its deployments due to artillery shell shortages which persist “across the entire front line” calling the the shortage a “very big problem.”
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Ukraine Could Conscript Women — MP
by RT
The Ukrainian government should consider the possibility of drafting women if that is deemed necessary in the conflict with Russia, member of parliament Inna Sovsun said on Monday.
Sovsun is one of the 20 deputies of Golos in the Verkhovna Rada. The self-styled liberal and pro-EU party is best known for proposing the legalization of pornography and same-sex civil unions earlier this year.
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Zelensky May Call Up 500,000 More Troops While Insisting US ‘Will Not Let Us Down’ on Added Aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday he may mobilize 500,000 more troops to replenish Kyiv’s forces against Russia — while insisting he’s “confident the US will not let us down’’ on added aid.
Zelensky, 45, has asked his military to give him a more detailed plan on the “very sensitive matter” of adding more troops before he grants them their wish for additional soldiers.
If the plan goes forward, it would cost Ukraine $13.4 billion, the leader said.
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Zelensky Declares a Conflict Between Ukraine and Poland
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that serious political disagreements have arisen between Kyiv and Warsaw.
The Ukrainian president urged the Polish authorities to unblock the border with Ukraine. He added that Kyiv had expected changes with the arrival of the new parliament in Poland.
“We have a conflict at the leadership level. We lost hundreds of millions of dollars; we lost the harvest due to the blockade by Poland. I am not some rag; I am defending the interests of the country, but the Poles did not allow us to export grain. It was a political signal,” noted Zelensky during a press conference on Tuesday.
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China Stepped Up Election Meddling in Midterms, Didn’t Fear Biden: Report
WASHINGTON — Beijing increased the intensity of its election interference operations last year — most likely due to President Biden’s perceived weakness and a belief the activity would draw less attention in a non-presidential year, according to a newly declassified intelligence report.
The 21-page document compiled by the National Intelligence Council and declassified last week by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, concluded that Chinese Communist Party leadership “tacitly approved” the influence campaign, raising fears that the US’ chief rival is readying an even more aggressive interference push in 2024.
According to the report, senior Beijing officials “have issued broad directives to intensify efforts” to influence not only American public opinion, but also foreign policy in China’s favor since the last presidential election.
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China Stages ‘Sham’ Trial of Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Publisher
The trial for Hong Kong publisher and media tycoon Jimmy Lai, which some are labelling a sham, began this week as the Chinese government has charged the pro-democracy figure with a range of crimes from collusion with foreign entities to undermining the country’s national security.
Lai, who has been under arrest since 2020, faces a possible life sentence, a report from the BBC states. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him.
The case stems from the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019 and 2020 which saw thousands of Hong Kongers take to the streets to protest an extradition bill and later saw a violent crackdown by the Chinese Communist Party.
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7-Eleven Confirms Huge Blow to Customers Who Want to Pay Cash
7-Eleven has confirmed it will be phasing out ATMs in its stores after concerned Aussies raised the alarm online, adding to ongoing fears that Australia could become a completely cashless society.
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Australia Wanted to Deport Convicted Terrorist, But He’s Being Released From Prison Instead
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A convicted terrorist whom Australia had wanted to strip of his citizenship and deport will be released into the community on Tuesday under strict conditions.
Algerian-born Muslim cleric Abdul Benbrika will be released from prison on a supervision order for 12 months following a ruling by Victoria state Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth. Police had argued for the order to last for three years.
Benbrika must wear an electronic ankle bracelet to track his movements and abide by a nightly curfew.
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Jeremias Sprague was a rising star who ‘lived and breathed’ all aspects of the world game before he died on the pitch following a suspected heart attack in Melbourne.
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Officers sent to a unit block on Blaxland Street in Ryde in northwest Sydney allegedly discovered 722kg of cocaine inside a unit being rented by 24-year-old Melbourne man Hussein Hamed Habeeb.
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US Officials Monitored Pro-Assange Protests in Australia for ‘Anti-US Sentiment’, Documents Reveal
American officials monitored pro-Assange protests in Australia for “anti-US sentiment”, warned of “increasing sympathy, particularly on the left” for the WikiLeaks founder in his home country and derided local media’s “sensationalist” reporting of the explosive 2010 cable leaks, previously classified records show.
Documents released by the US state department via freedom of information laws give new insight into how the US embassy in Canberra and its security team reacted to WikiLeaks’ release of 250,000 embassy cables in late 2010.
They show the embassy’s regional security office (RSO) monitoring and reporting on pro-WikiLeaks rallies held across Australian capital cities, feeding information to Washington via the embassy.
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An Afghan national who stole a kitchen knife from a French superstore and injured four in a stabbing spree last year has been declared “criminally irresponsible” for the incident and will avoid serving any time in prison.
The Le Mans public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Monday the 33-year-old migrant would remain hospitalized in a psychiatric unit following a judgment of the investigation chamber of the Angers Court of Appeal on Dec. 12.
The court held after seeking advice from psychiatric experts that the man had been “suffering from a psychiatric or neuropsychic disorder” at the time of the attack, which resulted in him not having full “control of his actions.”
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Barely Any Empty Apartments Left in Germany as Mass Migration Fuels Housing Crisis
Germany’s apartment vacancy rate has seen its biggest decline in more than 20 years, falling to just 2.5 percent nationwide at the end of 2022, and migration is being fingered as one of the primary causes behind the crisis. The low vacancy rate is driving rents higher, and putting pressure on households as they struggle under elevated inflation and a weakened economy.
The data, published Monday by consulting institute Empirica and the real estate specialist CBRE, shows that the “market-active vacancy rate,” apartments that can be rented out immediately or offered for rent over the medium term, fell 2.5 percent to about 554,000 residential units at the end of 2022, a drop of 53,000 units compared to 2021.
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Chicago Mayor Says Texas Gov. Abbott ‘Attacking Our Country’ Over Migrant Bussing to Dem Cities
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson lashed out at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday, saying the Republican leader was creating “chaos” around the country over his bussing program that has transported thousands of asylum seekers from border towns to Democratically-led cities.
Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Johnson said migrants were being brought to Chicago in unhealthy conditions and have strained city programs and resources.
“They come to the city of Chicago, where we have homelessness, we have mental health clinics that have been shut down and closed,” he said.
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France: Le Pen Declares ‘Victory’ as Macron Caves on Bill Cracking Down on Mass Immigration
France’s National Rally leader Marine Le Pen declared an “ideological victory” as French President Emmanuel Macron compromised with conservatives on a bill that would toughen mass immigration laws.
Macron had initially introduced a much more watered-down version of the bill last week, but was humiliated after it was rejected in parliament since the French president doesn’t have a majority.
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Germany: Migrants to Receive Payment Cards Instead of Cash
In response to criticism of financial incentives for refugees, the German government plans to replace cash payments to asylum seekers with a “payment card.”
This move aims to reduce bureaucracy and administrative burdens. While some federal states support the idea, Bavaria expresses reservations. The payment card lacks spending controls, allowing unrestricted cash withdrawals, despite the infrastructure for such controls being available, the German press reported.
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Germany Has Signed an Agreement With Georgia in the Field of Migration
German Interior Ministers Nancy Faeser and Georgia’s Vakhtang Gomelauri have signed an agreement outlining measures to reduce the migration flow from the Caucasus country to Germany, according to DW.
Among other things, the agreement includes conducting informational campaigns about the low chances for Georgian citizens to obtain asylum in Germany. It also outlines measures for the reintegration of Georgians who have returned to their home country.
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More Than ‘14,000’ Cross the Border in a Day — the Highest in HISTORY…
— Another migrant record is smashed under Biden with thousands MORE waiting to get in at Eagle Pass and ‘26,000 in custody’
U.S. apprehensions of migrants at the border hit a new record Monday, with at least 12,600 encounters during a period of just 24 hours.
The stunning spike comes as US Customs and Border Protection announced it would suspend rail operations at a pair of international crossings.
The agency pledged to continue to prioritize its ‘border security mission’ amid a situation it called ‘evolving.’
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Study: Nearly 3-in-5 Illegal Alien Households Are on Taxpayer-Funded Welfare
Close to 60 percent of households headed by illegal aliens use at least one major form of welfare, an analysis conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) reveals.
The CIS analysis from Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler shows illegal aliens and legal immigrants, in general, use “significantly more” welfare than native-born American citizens.
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UK: Two Asylum Seekers Living on Migrant Barge Arrested for Sexual Assault in Nearby Nightclub
Two asylum seekers living on board the controversial Bibby Stockholm migrant barge have been arrested for a suspected sexual assault in a nearby nightclub.
The suspects, aged 24 and 27, were detained in relation to an incident that occurred at the Kika Beach Bar in Weymouth, Dorset on Dec. 10.
The nightclub is located approximately six kilometers from the floating barge used to accommodate migrants who illegally entered Britain in small boats via the English Channel and subsequently claimed asylum.
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Watch: Migrants Buying Bikes in Mexican Border City to Reach US Faster
Migrants are purchasing bicycles in a Mexican border city and riding them to the Rio Grande before illegally entering the United States, according to reports.
Thousands of migrants from around the world descend every day on Piedras Negras, Mexico, where they prepare to cross the border river into the besieged city of Eagle Pass, Texas.
Border Hawk correspondent Efrain Gonzalez talked to one group of migrants from Venezuela who hopped on bikes in Piedras Negras to complete the final legs of their journeys to the U.S.
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Crenshaw Bill Would Cut Federal Funding From ‘Toxic’ Woke Universities With DEI Initiatives
Rep. Dan Crenshaw is taking aim at colleges and universities that mandate students sign on to so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) statements.
The Texas Republican announced a bill Monday that would slash funding for higher education institutions that make students commit themselves to the woke oaths — which vow to boost racial, ethnic and gender minorities, along with other historically underrepresented groups, at the expense of the purportedly “privileged.”
“We can see the utter moral bankruptcy in higher education with the spread of antisemitism on college campuses,” Crenshaw said in a statement.
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How DSA Educators Spread Far-Left ‘Poison’ in America’s Schools
Members of the Democratic Socialists of America have quietly gained leadership posts in K-12 education to push anti-capitalist and anti-Israel views on youngsters across the US, according to a parental rights watchdog group.
Parents Defending Education, a grassroots organization that backs the “restoration” of non-political schooling, has identified dozens of DSA members who have landed or sought top school board and teachers union positions in at least 15 states — from California to Kentucky and from New York to Texas.
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Kamala Harris Launches ‘Reproductive Freedoms’ Pro-Abortion Tour Across US
Vice President Kamala Harris announced Tuesday that she plans to travel around the United States in what she calls a “Reproductive Freedoms” tour. Harris announced that these trips will be taken “to organize, build community, and fight back” against what she calls a “full-on attack on a woman’s fundamental freedom to make decisions about her own body” across the nation.
“Across our nation, there is a full-on attack on a woman’s fundamental freedom to make decisions about her own body,” Harris said on the topic in a post on X. “In the new year, I will be traveling the country to organize, build community, and fight back. Because when we fight, we win.”
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Major Publisher Penguin Distributes Books Normalizing Sex Changes for Indigenous Drag Story Hour
Drag Story Hour, the organization that has repeatedly come under fire for children’s story hours led by drag queens across the nation, revealed in November that Penguin Random House gave the organization books for the group’s Indigenous Story Hour.
The video, posted to Instagram on Nov. 22, featured text reading: “Penguin Random House gave us books for our Indigenous Drag Story Hour. So many great titles!”
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Planned Parenthood Hits Jackpot as Demand for Transgender Treatments Soars
Planned Parenthood has seen its transgender treatments business soar in recent years as demand for the life-altering services skyrockets across the country.
The transgender medical business has become increasingly lucrative as it swells into a multi-billion dollar industry.
According to data published by the organization’s regional branches, Planned Parenthood has seen a major boom in demand for transgender treatments, many of which create patients/customers for life.
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Prominent Transgender Activist Tied to Top Pennsylvania Dems Charged With Raping Two Underage Boys
A prominent transgender LGBT activist in Philadelphia who campaigned for and endorsed several top Democrats in the commonwealth was arrested this week on several charges, including rape and assault of two young boys.
Kendall Stephens, 37, was arrested Monday and charged with rape, involuntary assault, unlawful contact with minors and indecent assault against two victims less than 13 years old, along with charges including corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children.
Stephens, a transgender woman who is biologically male, rose to prominence in 2020 after being the victim of a brutal crime believed by many to be a hate crime in which the attacker, Tymesha Wearing, ended up pleading guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy, Fox 29 Philadelphia reported.
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UK Government Introduces Guidelines on Handling Trans Students in Schools
Under the newly proposed guidelines, schools in England will be required to inform parents, even against their children’s wishes, if a student intends to change their assigned gender. Additionally, teachers are not obligated to use the preferred pronouns chosen by transgender students and may continue to use the conventional forms, as reported by Spiegel.
The guidelines also state that schools are not mandated to accommodate changes in school uniforms, such as switching from trousers to skirts, or alterations to students’ names. The conservative British government presented these guidelines on Tuesday.
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Cheers to Vivek for his reaction to the Colorado court ruling that bans Trump from primary and general election ballots, even though Trump has never been charged with, much less convicted of insurrection!
I think I heard that the ruling also prohibits poll workers from counting any write-in votes. To save Democracy!