The Canadian government is planning to issue Gazans with family visas so they can escape the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, undocumented immigrants will qualify for free health care in California starting on January 1.
In other news, Russia launched 122 missiles and dozens of drones against Ukraine, killing at least 30 civilians.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, DV, LP, Mark H, 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.
“We’re Headed to a System Where the Elites Pick Our Leadership”: RFK Jr.
Authored by Jeff Louderbeck via The Epoch Times
Facing a monumental challenge to get on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to criticize legal efforts to prevent former President Donald Trump from appearing on the ballot in multiple states.
The Colorado Supreme Court on Dec. 19 declared President Trump ineligible in the state based on a provision in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment that prevents individuals who have engaged in “insurrection” against the United States from holding office.
Mr. Kennedy, who announced on Oct. 9 that he would run for president in 2024 as an independent instead of as a Democrat because the Democrat National Committee was “rigging the primary,” has expressed his disapproval of the decision several times since.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
3 Dead in Stabbing in Hanover, York County
Three people are dead and one person is injured after a stabbing in Hanover, York County.
They are 17-year-old Dylan Arvizu and his mother, 49-year-old Guadalupe Morales.
Police said they were called shortly before 10:15 a.m. Thursday to the 900 block of East Walnut Street and found a 27-year-old man outside a home with severe injuries.
Officers then discovered the bodies of Arvizu and Morales inside the home.
A short time later, officers said they found a 50-year-old man in the 900 block of Broadway Street with severe injuries. He died at a hospital, according to police.
The 27-year-old was also taken to a hospital. The coroner’s office said he’s expected to survive.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
The crazed man accused of stabbing two teen tourists at Grand Central Terminal and then slashing a fellow inmate at Rikers Island is the latest tragic example of New York City’s broken criminal justice system, fed-up lawmakers, advocates and law enforcement sources told The Post.
Steven Hutcherson, 36, is being held at the Bronx lock-up without bail on attempted murder as a hate crime and other charges for allegedly knifing the two teens on Christmas Day, before attacking another inmate in the jail.
But, Hutcherson — who has a history of mental health issues and at least 17 prior arrests — shouldn’t have been out on the streets in the first place because it had been clear for some time that he was dangerous and needed treatment, according to several people who spoke to The Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
There are few things as jarring as a sitting US administration evoking the First Amendment (constitutional free speech protections) — while the purpose to all intents and purposes seems to be to actually undermine them.
In such cases, the hypocrisy doesn’t simply whisper. Here, it screams. And there have been many such instances over the years.
This is a new example: the Biden administration late last week approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the upcoming year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber will include former President Trump on her state’s primary ballot despite pressure to remove the Republican presidential frontrunner.
Weber argued that while she finds the former president’s actions “abhorrent and disturbing and an attack on democracy,” she feels obligated to follow the rule of law and allow Trump on her state’s primary ballot.
“But at the same time, if I believe in this democracy that is there, I have to basically continue to abide by the rule of law, and for me not to do that, then I am no better than Trump,” Weber told The Los Angeles Times on Friday. “And I must be better than Trump.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Retired California public employees are flocking to Idaho with their pension funds and becoming the financial “lifeblood” of at least one Idaho town, ruffling feathers with some locals who are taking issue with the “liberal baggage” of the new residents.
The Los Angeles Times reported this month the town of Eagle, Idaho, has seen an influx of retired cops and firefighters moving to their town with many of them identifying as conservative but who “seem practically socialist to the old guard” with their large pensions.
Two California transplants squared off in the most recent mayoral race, and the key issue between the two former Golden State residents was “who was the least Californian.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson believes reparations for descendants of slaves will help improve his city’s rising crime rate.
Murders are down 13 per cent this year and 20 per cent in three years, but all crime is up 17 per cent — particularly car theft and robbery.
Johnson’s 2024 budget includes $100 million for violence prevention, but also $500,000 to form a Commission on Restoration and Reparations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Comer: James and Hunter Biden Will ‘Eventually’ Testify in Depositions
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has warned Democrat President Joe Biden’s family members that they will not be able to escape congressional testimony.
Earlier this month, Hunter Biden deliberately defied a lawful congressional subpoena to testify in a closed-door deposition hearing before the Oversight Committee.
For refusing to appear before the Committee, the president’s son may soon face contempt of Congress charges.
Such charges, if pressed, won’t absolve Hunter Biden of the subpoena’s requirements, however.
Comer has now warned the Bidens that Hunter will “eventually” provide the Committee with his subpoenaed testimony, according to Breitbart.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DC Business Owner Warns of ‘Out of Control’ Prices and Crime After 52 Restaurants Shut Down
Dozens of restaurants in Washington D.C. have closed their doors amid high rent costs and surging crime, with one business owner admitting he is tired of staff and customers being threatened, robbed and carjacked.
According to the Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Association, 52 restaurants in D.C. have shuttered in 2023.
The nation’s capital is grappling with an escalating crime surge, having surpassed a 20-year record-high in homicides with 261 murders as of Dec. 14, according to Metropolitan Police Department data. Robberies are also skyrocketing, increasing 69% year-to-date, while theft is up 24%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Seattle Fire Department is so short-staffed that they are begging staff to work 72-hour shifts just to have minimal coverage during the holidays.
According to internal documents exclusively obtained by The Post Millennial, there are not enough units to cover regular service and special events for New Year’s Eve in the Emerald City due to staffing shortages. As such, units on duty may be shifted over to those events, possibly leaving their coverage areas with no available units for service.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ex-Law Prof Claims Harvard President Claudine Gay Made a Career Out of Attacking Black Scholars
A former law school professor and Harvard grad has argued people shouldn’t use the race card to defend the Ivy League school’s embattled president, Claudine Gay, because he claims she’s made a career out of “disrupting” black male scholars.
Winkfield Twyman Jr., an ex-professor at the California Western School of Law in San Diego, ripped Gay in a Newsweek op-ed published Wednesday — insisting the recent attacks on her credibility are “well deserved” and not, as some have argued, “racial in nature.”
Twyman pointed specifically to the intense backlash Gay has faced in recent weeks after she failed to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews during a congressional hearing and amid claims she has plagiarized the work of fellow professors at points in her career.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Explosion and Fire at Bridgeport Facility Injures Three People, Officials Say
BRIDGEPORT — An explosion and major fire at an environmental services company on Cross Street Friday afternoon left three people injured and led authorities to evacuate the area or order residents to shelter-in-place, city officials said.
A little before 2 p.m., Bridgeport’s Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls reporting an explosion and fire in the area of Bishop Avenue, East Avenue and Cross Street said Scott Appleby, the city’s director of emergency management.
At the scene, firefighters found a “large active fire” at the Tradebe Environmental Services facility, and a third alarm was struck, Appleby said. Police then began evacuating a two-block radius around the scene and alerting residents to shelter in place “to avoid smoke exposure,” Appleby said.
Medics reported three people were injured during the incident, two of whom suffered smoke inhalation, and a third with burns, Appleby said. All three were taken to Bridgeport Hospital.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
FBI, Law Enforcement Brace for Potential Threats During New Year’s Eve Bash
NEW YORK — An overseas war between Israel and Hamas brought tensions to a boil throughout the U.S., including New York City, where over 1 million people are expected to ring in the new year.
James Smith, assistant director in charge of New York’s FBI Field Office, said there are concerns about international and domestic terrorism and a rise in hate crimes, and law enforcement follows up on all threats.
“I would say overall that, yes, there are threats out there, but we are out there to protect the community day in and day out,” Smith told Fox News Digital.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Thug Shot and Killed During Failed Robbery With Fake Gun
A Florida thug made a fatal error when he tried to use a fake gun to rob a man armed with a very real pistol.
According to Florida police, the crook was killed during an attempted robbery using a fake gun made out of a screwdriver duct-taped to a piece of wood.
The story of the criminal’s demise was told during a press briefing by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former Acting New Bedford Fire Chief Killed in Shooting With Police in Fairhaven, Officials Say
A former acting fire chief in New Bedford was killed in a shooting with police officers at a bar and grill in Fairhaven on Friday night, officials said.
The Fairhaven Police Department said officers were called to 125 Sconticut Neck Road around 5 p.m. for a report of an intoxicated man, whose name they did not release.
The Bayside Lounge is located at that address.
Officers from surrounding communities also responded for mutual aid, the department said in a statement.
Gunshots “were later exchanged between the male and officers,” the department said. The man died, and a responding officer who was wounded in the shooting was taken to an area hospital, the statement said.
A spokesman for New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office identified the man who was killed as Paul Coderre, the city’s former acting fire chief.
“This evening’s fatal shooting in Fairhaven was tragic in every sense,” Mitchell wrote in a post on Facebook Friday night that did not identify Coderre. “I am relieved that the officer who was injured will make a full recovery, and that no one else was seriously hurt.”
New Bedford City Council President Ian Abreu said in a post on Facebook that the injured officer is an Acushnet police officer.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Harvard Academics Were Slamming Scandal-Plagued Claudine Gay Long Before Plagiarism Accusations
The Wall Street Journal just published a sympathetic piece on Harvard President Claudine Gay, painting her as the victim of a hit job by ‘detractors who were skeptical of her work and qualifications,’ and who used her ham-fisted response to antisemitism on campus to pounce on Gay, who is both #Stunning and #Brave.
From the time she began carving her path through the most elite private schools in the nation to the presidency of Harvard University, Claudine Gay earned plaudits and promotions.
She also amassed detractors who were skeptical of her work and qualifications and outraged by what they saw as the political decisions she made as an increasingly powerful administrator. —WSJ
Yes, she was the gold standard until she injected woke politics into Harvard.
Buried about halfway down, the Journal describes how “For years people who identify themselves as academics have aired their resentments and grievances toward Gay on publicly accessible chat boards like the econjobrumors blog and Political Science Rumors,” adding “As Gay rose in prominence the posts about her became more frequent and negative—but they also held some truth.”
The Journal then notes that with generally limited opportunities in academia, bright and competitive scholars are often passed over for the job they think they deserve — and take to said chat boards to bitch
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Seven years after her political epitaph was written, she’s back.
The Clinton Global Initiative has been relaunched in a big way and Hillary Clinton is fundraising for Biden, her allies are inside his faltering campaign and she’s meeting with foreign leaders on his behalf.
Until 2023, Hillary’s career had been on one long downward slide. After she ran out of biographies to sell, she tried writing a children’s book, “Grandma’s Gardens” (which contrary to expectations was not about Vince Foster’s corpse turning up in Fort Marcy Park), then getting in on Chelsea’s racket of putting her name on collections of stories about feminist heroines (Greta Thunberg, Bella Abzug) and that failed, and then she tried to get in on Bill’s racket of putting his name on fictional thrillers about thinly disguised versions of himself with “State of Terror”.
In a career low, Hillary was reduced to marketing fanfic in which she’s struggling with “a Republican president nicknamed ‘President Dumb’ who pulls out of the Iran Deal and then goes to Florida to play golf” and still couldn’t get anyone to pick up a copy. That and trying to get people to buy memberships to Masterclass to listen to her talk about the “power of resilience” put her only a step above peddling Cameo clips side by side with George Santos.
But 2024 looks like Hillary’s year…
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Jack Smith Files Frantic Motion in D.C Court to Limit and Silence Trump’s Defense During Trial
The Democrats’ Special Counsel Jack Smith is making desperate moves to try to suppress President Donald Trump’s ability to legally defend himself in court.
Smith has just filed a substantial motion in Trump’s 2020 election-related criminal trial in Washington D.C., even though the case has been placed on hold pending an appeal on his presidential immunity claim.
Smith has asked the court to strictly limit what Trump and his attorneys can and can’t say during the trial, according to HuffPost.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Journalist Tayler Hansen, who has reported for this publication as well as others, revealed on X that he has been the “victim of an illegitimate investigation” by the Biden administration after his reporting on the events of January 6, 2021. “I was targeted by the US Government for doing my job and branded a Domestic Terrorist,” he said.
“The persecution of a reporter for doing his job is never acceptable,” Hansen told The Post Millennial. “Sadly, I am not the only one that this is happened to. There are thousands of ordinary Americans who have been unjustly targeted by DHS and their spying program, and there needs to be some real accountability. If anything is to happen to me due to publishing this document, it is blatant retaliation from the federal government.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Legal scholar Johnathan Turley has become the latest victim of “swatting” as a 911 call was made falsely reporting someone was shot at his Virginia home.
“Yes, I was swatted this evening. It is regrettably a manifestation of our age of rage,” the George Washington University law professor said in a statement on Friday.
“However, we are grateful to the Fairfax police officers who were highly professional and supportive in responding to this harassment,” said Turley, who regularly writes op-eds for The Post.
Law enforcement responded to Turley’s Fairfax County home after an individual placed the bogus emergency call.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Louisiana Sporting Goods Store Employees Terminated After Chasing Thief Who Stole Firearm: Report
Three employees at a sporting goods store in Louisiana were terminated from their jobs after attempting to stop a shoplifter who allegedly stole a pistol.
Michelle Sutton, along with two other unidentified workers at the Academy Sports + Outdoors in Metairie, Louisiana, said that the shoplifting incident happened Dec. 16
The sales associates said that they thought they were about to make a sale and were showing a customer a pistol, when he took off with the firearm.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Maine GOP State Lawmaker Moves to Impeach State Secretary Over Trump Ballot Removal
A Maine Republican state lawmaker wants to impeach the Maine secretary of state who removed former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot.
GOP state Rep. John Andrews said he wants to pursue impeachment against Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows after she disqualified Trump from the 2024 Republican primary ballot on Thursday.
In her ruling, Bellows cited Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Michael Cohen Admits to Inadvertently Citing Fake Cases Generated by AI in Legal Motion
Michael Cohen, former President Trump’s onetime fixer and lawyer, admitted in a filing unsealed Friday that he inadvertently gave his lawyer fake legal case citations generated by artificial intelligence in connection with a motion to end his supervised release early.
U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman previously called the citations into question, writing earlier this month, “In the letter brief, Mr. Cohen asserts that, “[a]s recently as 2022, there have been District Court decisions, affirmed by the Second Circuit Court, granting early termination of supervised release.”
Furman added, “As far as the Court can tell, none of these cases exist.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A New Jersey man, inspired by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, was arrested in Kenya, after allegedly seeking to join terrorist forces in Africa, authorities said Friday.
Karrem Nasr, a 23-year-old Garden State resident and U.S. citizen who also went under the name Ghareeb Al-Muhaji, was taken into custody in Nairobi on Dec. 14 before being taken to the United States on Thursday, federal prosecutors said.
Nasr, “motivated by the heinous terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas” on Oct. 7, “devoted himself to waging violent jihad against America and its allies,” according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office out of the Southern District of New York.
The suspect “was prepared to kill and be killed” and “specifically aspired to be a martyr for the jihadi cause,” according to a criminal complaint.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
No-Show Joe: East Palestine Residents Still Waiting for a Biden Visit
President Joe Biden exited the White House on Wednesday and claimed his 418th vacation day to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands to put his feet up for New Year’s. East Palestine, Ohio, residents are basking in no such luxury.
They are asking why he has abandoned them as they work to recover from February’s fiery Norfolk Southern train derailment that spilled 1.6 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the local community, affecting its 4,700 residents, as Breitbart News reported.
A full eight months later residents have told New York Times reporter Erica L. Green they feel ignored by a man who took office proudly proclaiming himself as “working class Joe,” echoing complaints that have been growing since the catastrophe.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Palestinian Protesters Shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ Outside of World Trade Center Site
This week, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched to the World Trade Center site in New York City, shouting “Allahu akbar” and “Free Palestine,” while holding up signs that accused President Biden of genocide.
While “Allahu akbar” means “God is great” in Arabic, the phrase has been used by terrorists during attacks.
Thursday’s protest was on the site where, 22 years ago, Islamic terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Reddit Plots AI “Post Guidance” Feature to Pre-Flag “Hate Speech” for 2024
The dystopian world is teeming with twisted concepts; there’s things like “pre-crime,” and now, thanks to Reddit, there is also “post-guidance.”
And even though the phrases use prefixes opposite in meaning, in yet another twist, they are meant to serve a fairly similar purpose.
Reddit’s upcoming “post-guidance” feature, now being prototyped, uses a form of AI to censor content by flagging it for violating guidelines before it ever gets published.
We learn this, and more about plans to (mis)use AI, from Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, who also revealed in an interview that whatever the platform decides to consider bullying and hate speech will be dealt with with the same technology.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Teena Kamal, 54, her husband Rakesh, 57, and daughter Ariana, 18, were found dead in the 27-room home at 8 Wilson’s Way in Dover on Thursday night.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Rumble Extends Innovative Policy: Creators Keep 100% Subscriber Revenue
Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski announced the extension of the platform’s groundbreaking revenue policy. Under this extended policy, creators on Rumble will continue to retain 100% of the revenue generated from their subscribers, without a specified end date. This decision marks a significant step in the digital content creation industry, positioning Rumble as a staunch advocate for creator earnings as well as free speech.
Pavlovski announced the move on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Burgeoning crime, struggling businesses and underfunded police have turned Oakland, California, into a “ghost town,” said a local safe neighborhoods advocate who believes the city’s decline is set to continue into 2024.
“We’re in a doom loop,” Seneca Scott, founder of Neighbors Together Oakland, a nonprofit focused on safety issues, told Fox News. “The doom loop means businesses leave because of the crime and problems, there’s less money to hire more police to solve the problem, and down you tumble.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A new poll has revealed that almost half of American voters support an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, and around six in 10 say that it is likely Joe Biden was inappropriately involved in his son Hunter’s business dealings.
The Dailymail.com/JL Partners poll of 1,000 likely voters found that 35 percent of voters strongly support an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, compared to 27 percent who were strongly opposed to it. An additional 12 percent of voters somewhat supported an inquiry, while 8 percent somewhat opposed the inquiry.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In the final days of 2023, the Biden State Department announced their final aid package to wartorn Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that “up to $250 million of arms and equipment under previously directed drawdowns,” including air defense, ammunition, anti-armor, and ammunition would be sent.
Congress has not come to an agreement on further funding, and the EU is also balking under the continued financial need of the nation to fend off Russia. Ukraine’s lack of a winning posture on the battlefield has also led the US and EU to quietly shift their positions as regards how the war should be waged and the eventual results for Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
69% of Canadians Think Trudeau Should Resign Before Next Federal Election: Poll
Nearly seven in 10 Canadians believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should resign in 2024, before the next scheduled federal election in 2025, according to a new survey by Ipsos.
That belief is strongest held in Alberta, where 81% of respondents said Trudeau should step down as prime minister.
In Saskatchewan and Manitoba that number was 73%, in Ontario 70% and in B.C. 66%.
Trudeau appeared to retain the most support in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, however, even in those regions, 63% and 62% of respondents said they would like Trudeau to resign in 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Stark Drop in Canadians Keeping Up With COVID-19 Vaccinations
Only 15% of Canadians aged five and up are continuing to get their Covid-19 shots, according to new data from the Government of Canada.
Under one-third of Canadians over the age of 60 have received the latest vaccine and only about 44% of people over the age of 70.
There is a slight increase up to 48%, for those over the age of 80 being “up to date” with their boosters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Conservatives Don’t Set the Tone in Any German Party”: An Interview With Joana Cotar
Joana Cotar graduated from the University of Mannheim with a degree in German philology and political science. In 2013, she joined the newly founded AfD (Alternative for Germany) and became a member of the Bundestag after the German federal elections in 2017. Cotar was a member of the AfD’s federal executive and left the party in November 2022. Cotar cited “the close proximity of prominent AfD leaders to the President of the Russian Federation” as the reason for her resignation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Republic Braces for Soaring Heating Costs in 2024, Fueled by Coal Prices
As the new year approaches, Czech households are anticipating a surge in heating expenses, primarily attributed to the escalating prices of coal-fired heating plants, CT24 writes.
The upcoming heating season, which commenced unusually late in mid-October, has seen a reduction in heat consumption, with households tightening their heating budgets. In the third quarter, heat consumption decreased by nearly a quarter compared to the previous year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU’s Competition Chief Defends AI Act Amid Criticism, Emphasizing Legal Certainty
Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition and digital chief, has defended the proposed AI Act, highlighting its role in providing “legal certainty” for tech startups working on artificial intelligence.
The AI Act has faced criticism, notably from French President Emmanuel Macron, who expressed concerns about European tech companies falling behind their counterparts in the US and China due to the stringent regulations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finland Achieves Record-Low Road Fatalities in 2023
Road fatalities in Finland hit a historic low in 2023, with the Finnish Road Safety Council estimating a total of 171 deaths just days before the year’s end, as reported by YLE News.
This marks a significant decrease from 2022, which recorded 196 traffic-related deaths and 225 fatalities the year before. Despite this positive trend, Finland is actively working towards a more ambitious goal: reducing the number of road fatalities by half before 2030, aiming for an annual figure of less than 100 deaths.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Bolsters Security for New Year’s Amid ‘Very High’ Terrorist Threat
France is set to enhance security measures for New Year’s celebrations in response to the country facing a ‘very high’ terrorist threat, as reported by Reuters.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that approximately 90,000 police officers, including 6,000 in Paris, will be deployed, along with 5,000 soldiers from the ‘Sentinelle’ unit dedicated to addressing terrorist threats.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
General Frojdin: More Than 10,000 Ukrainian Military Personnel Have Received Training in Germany
Major General Christian Frojding, heading the special staff on Ukraine at the Ministry of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany, spoke about the cooperation between Germany and Ukraine in the field of military training.
According to him, over 10,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have successfully undergone training in Germany since the start of the program.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Police Brace for New Year’s Eve Challenges Amid Surge in Illegal Fireworks
Police of the Netherlands are gearing up for a challenging New Year’s Eve as they anticipate a surge in the use of powerful and illicit fireworks. Peije de Meij, the coordinator for New Year’s Eve activities within the police force, expressed concern about the rising prevalence of potent fireworks like “Cobras,” which have the explosive force of hand grenades.
Despite efforts to confiscate over 60,000 kilograms of fireworks, which primarily originate from countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic, the challenge persists, as reported by NL Times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Papal Biographer: Pope Benedict Was ‘Bitterly Disappointed’ by Pope Francis
ROME — Peter Seewald, close friend and collaborator of Pope Benedict XVI, said Thursday that Benedict was “stabbed in the heart” by Pope Francis’ attacks on the traditional Latin Mass.
Seewald, a German journalist who worked with Joseph Ratzinger — the future Benedict XVI — for over 25 years, said that Pope Francis has done his best to eradicate the legacy of his immediate predecessor in every way possible.
Francis’ words at the requiem Mass for Benedict XVI “were as cold as the whole ceremony, which had to be brief so as not to honor his predecessor too much,” Seewald told La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana.
Pope Francis “seems to have an aversion to the westernized traditions of the Catholic Church,” said Seewald. “As a South American and a Jesuit, he has erased much of what was precious and dear to Ratzinger.”
“Suffice it to recall the ban on the Tridentine Mass. Benedict had built a small bridge to a largely forgotten treasure island, which until then had only been accessible through difficult terrain,” Benedict’s biographer added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro Wrestler Kurtis ‘Mad Kurt’ Chapman Dies Suddenly at 26
British pro wrestler, Kurtis ‘Mad Kurt’ Chapman has reportedly died at only 26, his promoters said on Dec. 29.
Revolution Pro Wrestling announced on Instagram that the British wrestling community is “heartbroken” over the news.
“We, at Revolution Pro Wrestling are absolutely heartbroken to report the loss of our dear friend Kurtis Chapman,” the organization wrote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Russian Missile’ Entered NATO Airspace, Says Poland: Combat Readiness Increased
Poland says a Russian missile participating in this morning’s massive air strike on Ukraine spent three minutes in Polish, and hence NATO, airspace.
A missile entered NATO airspace on Friday morning at around 0700 (0000 EST), the Polish military says. While initially said to have been a missile of unknown origin and a search for a downed aircraft was launched, Poland now says it has confirmed with its own observations and data from allied militaries that the object was, in fact, a Russian missile.
Polsat reports the remarks of General Wieslaw Kukula who said Ukraine had suffered “a difficult night” of a saturation attack by Russian forces against its air defences, attempting to overwhelm them with drones before pressing on with a missile followup. Polish air defences tracked these attacks over Ukraine, he said, and “One of these rockets crossed the Polish border and then left it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
— Videos show chaotic aftermath when father-of-two was mowed down and killed while walking with his family
This is the dramatic moment bystanders lift a car in a desperate battle to save a ‘Good Samaritan’ who was run over as he helped a woman hurt in a violent wedding party row.
Christian Marriott was on a post-Christmas walk with his wife and young children when a car ploughed into a group of people in Sheffield, killing him as he came to the stranger’s aid.
Shocking footage shows an ambulance worker and a group of neighbours trying to rescue victims of the ram attack from under the blue Seat.
| — Hat tip: Mark H | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Brutal Brawl Among 20 ‘Young People’ in Islamized Belgium Neighborhood
Multiple people were hospitalized following a vicious fight involving around 20 participants in an Islamized enclave of Belgium’s most populous city this week, according to reports.
The shocking incident unfolded at around 10 p.m. on Wednesday night in Antwerp.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The knifeman ran into the sea and attempted to thwart his arrest by swimming away from the scene before being caught and taken into custody.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
President Joe Biden held a ‘frustrating call’ with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu where he pushed him to release tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority, according to a new report.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
IDF: Troops Razed Gaza Hideout Belonging to Sinwar and Large Tunnel System Below it
Army revelation latest in string related to Hamas leader who continues to evade capture, robbing Israel of morale-boosting operational victory sought since war began 3 months ago
The IDF said Friday that its troops had located and demolished a hideout apartment belonging to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in northern Gaza along with a large tunnel system underneath it.
The IDF has claimed to be closing in on Sinwar for weeks, but the terror chief continues to evade capture, robbing Israel of the morale-boosting operational victory it has desperately sought since the war began three months ago.
The hideout apartment was located Friday on the outskirts of Gaza City by the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade. It was later investigated by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, which found a tunnel shaft.
The IDF said it found significant evidence in the apartment that led to its conclusion that Sinwar used it as a hideout.
The tunnel shaft was some 20 meters deep, and led to a 218-meter-long tunnel with several branches, according to the IDF.
The underground passages featured electricity, air filtration systems, plumbing, resting and prayer rooms, and other equipment aimed at allowing senior Hamas members to remain hidden for long periods.
The tunnel was later destroyed by combat engineers, the IDF said.
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Turkish Authorities Thwart Potential Attacks on Religious Sites, Detain 32 Alleged IS Militants
Turkey’s security forces have reportedly detained 32 individuals suspected of having ties to the Islamic State extremist group.
The detainees, including three alleged senior IS militants, were apprehended in pre-dawn raids across nine provinces. According to Turkey’s state-run news agency, Anadolu Agency, the suspects were allegedly planning attacks on synagogues, churches and the Iraqi Embassy.
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‘Europe Doesn’t Know How to Fight Wars’, Chides Ukraine, Warning it Will be Attacked Next
Western defence is too fragmented, too slow to respond, and will be attacked by Putin’s Russia if it doesn’t do more to help Ukraine, their foreign minister says in a rebuke of Europe’s response to the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba appears to have admonished Western nations, who he accuses of doing too little and too late, in the actions taken in the aftermath of the nearly two-year-long reinvasion of his country by Russia. Speaking of the Western response, Kuleba told the Kyiv Independent that Europe has apparently forgotten how war works and hasn’t made the steps he wants to see in activating a wartime economy to produce weapons.
He told the paper: “Europe doesn’t know how to fight wars. The production of weapons is not the most popular area of business… Unfortunately, our friends spent too much time deliberating on how and when to ramp up their production of weapons and ammunition”.
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The United States is providing Ukraine with additional military assistance amounting to approximately €225 million for the time being. This aid package is expected to be the last for the current year, as announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
It primarily includes ammunition and includes 15 million rounds for small arms, as well as ammunition for air defense and the U.S. multiple rocket launcher type Himars.
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Russia Fires 122 Missiles and 36 Drones in What Ukraine Calls the Biggest Aerial Barrage of the War
At least 24 civilians across Ukraine were killed and at least 130 people were injured when Russian forces launched their largest aerial attack Friday morning, hitting six cities between Lviv in the west and Kharkiv in the east.
An unknown number of civilians remain trapped under the rubble after missiles struck shopping centers, apartment complexes, schools, and even a maternity ward.
Photos and videos posted online showed streets covered in ash and debris from the attacks, as buildings burned.
A ball of fire was even seen descending on a residential building, leaving it in flames as a plume of black smoke rose into the sky.
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Russia Launches the Biggest Aerial Barrage of the War and Kills 30 Civilians, Ukraine Says
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia launched 122 missiles and dozens of drones against Ukrainian targets, officials said Friday, killing at least 30 civilians across the country in what an air force official called the biggest aerial barrage of the war.
At least 144 people were wounded and an unknown number were buried under rubble during the roughly 18-hour onslaught, Ukrainian officials said. A maternity hospital, apartment blocks and schools were among the buildings reported damaged across Ukraine.
In the capital, Kyiv, broken glass and mangled metal littered city streets. Air raid and emergency service sirens wailed as plumes of smoke drifted into a bright blue sky.
Kateryna Ivanivna, a 72-year-old Kyiv resident, said she threw herself to the ground when a missile struck.
“There was an explosion, then flames,” she said. “I covered my head and got down in the street. Then I ran into the subway station.”
Meanwhile, in Poland, authorities said that what apparently was a Russian missile had entered the country’s airspace Friday morning from the direction of Ukraine and then vanished off radars.
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Tigran Mkrtchyan is Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Greece, Cyprus, and Albania. He has a BA in History and MA in World History (specialised in Ancient History) from Yerevan State University, an M.Phil in International Relations from Cambridge University, and a Ph.D. in political science from the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.
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India Scoffs at Coal ‘Transition’: ‘Not Happening in Foreseeable Future’
India burns so much coal that it has an entire cabinet-level ministry devoted to coal. The Ministry of Coal informed the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, this week that India will not be transitioning to any alternative form of energy in the “foreseeable future.”
The ministry said more mining and importing of coal will be necessary to meet the energy needs of the growing industrial economy.
The Hindustan Times noted that no one participating in the just-concluded winter session of Parliament acted like India’s promise at the COP28 climate conference to begin eliminating fossil fuels was sincere.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chinese Spy Craft Communicated With China Via US Internet Provider: Report
A new report revealed that the Chinese spy craft that flew over the U.S. at the beginning of this year was communicating with mainland China via an American internet provider.
Two current and one former Biden administration officials told NBC News in a Thursday report that the craft used a U.S. internet provider to receive mainly navigational communications.
NBC News did not name the internet provider in the report. The company denied that the Chinese spy craft used its services and had come to that conclusion via its own investigation as well as talking to U.S. officials.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
TikTok Partners With Fact-Checkers to Police Election “Disinformation, “ Tests Rollout in Taiwan
TikTok — the globally massively popular Chinese video app — has apparently decided to boost its “democratic” credibility by working with controversial and often proven as harmful to democracies fact-checking industry. And strategically in Taiwan, of all places.
The island which broke away from China considers itself independent, but China and most of the world, including the US, does not recognize that, and there have been long-standing tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Now presidential elections are coming up in Taiwan, and TikTok’s “2024 Election Guide” names MyGoPen, which is based in Taiwan, as the “fact-checking partner” there.
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Ibrahim Bazzi, 27, had travelled from Sydney to the village of Bint Jbeil to visit his Lebanese wife Shorouk Hammoud, who was recently granted an Australian visa.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Mr Short, who lives in a $9million Vaucluse mansion with his wife Allyson and their three children, earlier this year already offloaded most of his pub holdings.
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Sonny Bill Williams Makes Controversial Hamas Claim, Sparking Heated Debate
The New Zealand dual rugby international has sparked outrage after he rejected claims of Hamas atrocities in a furious rant online.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Argentina Withdraws From BRICS
Javier Milei has officially communicated Argentina’s decision to withdraw from the BRICS bloc through a letter sent to the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as reported by Infobae.
Milei expressed his rejection of geopolitical proximity to China and Russia, emphasizing that the new Argentine administration differs in many aspects from the foreign policy of the previous government. In the letter, the Argentine president explained that, due to these differences, he does not consider it opportune for Argentina to become a full member of BRICS from January 1, 2024.
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Venezuela Conducts Defensive Military Exercise in Response to Alleged UK Threat
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has directed more than 5,600 military personnel to engage in a “defensive” exercise near the Guyana border following the deployment of a British warship to the area, as reported by Al Arabiya. Maduro stated that the action aims to counter the perceived provocation and threat posed by the United Kingdom to the peace and sovereignty of Venezuela.
The UK announced its decision to redirect the patrol vessel HMS Trent to Guyana, a former British colony, amidst the ongoing territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region. A Guyana foreign ministry source revealed that the ship is expected to arrive on Friday and will conduct open sea defense exercises within Guyana’s territory for “less than a week,” without docking in Georgetown.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Venezuela Reacts Strongly to UK Warship Deployment in Guyana Amid Border Dispute
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned the United Kingdom’s deployment of the HMS Trent navy patrol ship to Guyana, labeling it “an act of hostile provocation” in the midst of an ongoing border dispute. The U.K. framed the move as a show of support for Guyana, a former British colony neighboring Venezuela.
Tensions escalated after Venezuela’s recent referendum seeking public approval to claim sovereignty over the oil and mineral-rich Essequibo region, currently controlled by Guyana but contested by Venezuela for an extended period. In response to the U.K.’s deployment, President Maduro announced his country’s military would initiate defensive military exercises, characterizing it as a response to the perceived threat against peace and sovereignty.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada to Issue Gazans With Family in Canada Visas to Escape War
Canadians who have extended family members in the Gaza Strip will soon be able to apply for temporary visas for them to come to Canada, but the government isn’t committing to providing safe passage out of the conflict zone.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced the new temporary immigration program, which will be for those living in the Gaza Strip who have Canadian relatives.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN host Kasie Hunt argued on the network Thursday that Republican governors’ strategy of sending migrants to blue sanctuary cities “has worked” to highlight the immigration crisis and put pressure on President Biden.
Hunt’s comments come as Biden faces increased demands from beleaguered Democratic mayors to address the border.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston held a virtual press conference this week asking Biden to declare a national emergency and provide additional funding to their cities, which have been overwhelmed by the surge in migrants.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
December Sets Record for Highest Migrant Crossings at US Southern Border
Record-breaking numbers of migrants crossed the U.S. southern border in December, according to internal federal statistics obtained by CBS News. The Border Patrol processed over 225,000 migrants who entered the U.S. illegally during the first 27 days of the month, surpassing any previous monthly record in the agency’s history.
The preliminary Department of Homeland Security statistics reveal that the spike in migration reached its peak in the week leading up to Christmas, with Border Patrol averaging 9,773 daily apprehensions. On certain days during that week, more than 10,000 migrants were processed in 24 hours. Although unlawful crossings have slightly decreased this week, they still remain historically high.
Nearly 60% of all migrants processed in December crossed illegally in the Tucson, Arizona, and Del Rio, Texas sectors, where 2,000 to 3,000 unlawful crossings are recorded daily. Limited manpower and resources have led to migrants sleeping outdoors near international bridges or border barriers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Denver’s Democrat Mayor Admits Migrant Crisis Will Force More Cuts Than Recession
The Democrat mayor of Denver has admitted that President Joe Biden’s migrant crisis will force the Colorado “sanctuary city” to make more cuts to public services than during past major recessions.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston made the comments during an interview with ABC News on Thursday.
Johnston warned that Biden’s open borders agenda has led to a major financial crisis in Denver.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Geo Barents Rescues 336 Migrants, Assigned Port of Ravenna
The Geo Barents migrant rescue ship operated by Doctors Without Borders was navigating towards the Adriatic port of Ravenna in the northern region of Emilia Romagna on Friday after rescuing 336 migrants and refugees from three boats in distress in the Libyan search and rescue zone.
On Thursday evening, the crew rescued two groups of 121 and 100 people, and on Friday morning a third group of 115.
The ship is expected to dock in Ravenna on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.
Separately on Friday, 106 migrants and refugees disembarked from the Sea Eye in the southern Puglia city of Brindisi following rescue in waters south of Lampedusa.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ICE Arrests of Criminal Illegal Aliens in 2023 Drop by 41% Under Joe Biden Compared to Donald Trump
The number of convicted criminal illegal aliens arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents dropped by 41 percent in Fiscal Year 2023 compared to the total arrested in Fiscal Year 2019 under then-President Donald Trump.
In Fiscal Year 2023, which represents the second full fiscal year in which Biden was president, ICE agents arrested nearly 171,000 illegal aliens, fewer than 32 percent of whom were convicted criminals.
For comparison, in Fiscal Year 2019 — which was Trump’s second full fiscal year as president — more than 64 percent of all of the 143,000 illegal aliens arrested by ICE agents were convicted criminals.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illegal Alien From Mexico Accused of Raping Unconscious 15-Year-Old Girl
An illegal alien, whom police thought had fled to Mexico, is now accused of raping a young girl in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
This month, 21-year-old illegal alien Erik Santillan of Mexico has been arrested and charged with aggravated rape after allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl while she was at a friend’s house in 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal authorities have sent an Iranian national with “ties to terrorism” back to Canada more than two months after he had tried to unlawfully cross the border on two separate occasions.
The unnamed individual — who was sought by Canadian authorities on assault charges — was officially removed on Dec. 21 by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Buffalo, US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.
The man was wanted by Canadian authorities as a “national security priority” and had unspecified “ties to terrorism,” the statement added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Joe Biden’s DHS Confirms Illegal Aliens Freed Into U.S. Will Get Photo ID Cards in 2024
President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that the agency is developing a program that will provide border crossers and illegal aliens released into the United States with photo ID cards.
For more than a year, Breitbart News has chronicled how DHS is planning to roll out a pilot program that will give border crossers and illegal aliens photo ID cards, similar to a driver’s license, upon their release into the United States interior from the southern border.
Now, DHS officials are seemingly confirming their plan to issue photo IDs to such border crossers and illegal aliens.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Record Number of Chinese Nationals Caught Illegally Crossing Southern Border
Authorities have revealed that a record number of Chinese nationals have been caught illegally crossing the Southern Border into the United States.
A staggering 4,797 Chinese nationals were encountered on America’s southwestern border with Mexico in November alone.
This figure broke the record that was set just one month prior.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Diego-Area Residents Say Migrants Camping in Yards, Piling Trash Nightly: ‘This is Ridiculous’
People living outside San Diego near the US-Mexico border say their properties are nightly overrun by migrants, who chop down their trees for firewood and camp out on their land with impunity — and neither the federal nor the local authorities are doing anything to help.
Brian Silvas, who lives on a 78-acre property on the southern border about 75 miles east of San Diego, told CNN that huge crowds of migrants troop across his land daily. In fact, the sight of dozens or hundreds of strangers has become so commonplace that Silvas’ three dogs, Whiskey, Soldier and Freedom, do not even bark at them anymore.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Locals on the Isle of Mull have reacted angrily to the notion that Tony Blair’s government planned to use the picturesque Scottish island as a ‘dumping ground’ for asylum seekers while their applications were being processed.
Newly unsealed National Archives have revealed the then PM’s right-hand man Jonathan Powell had suggested sending applicants to the isle, inspired by Australian migration rules that resemble the present government’s Rwanda policy.
Blair had told aides their ideas for dealing with rising asylum applications — over 8,000 in October 2002 — were ‘not good enough’, before Mr Powell highlighted the suggestion of using the threat of detention on Mull as a deterrent in January 2003.
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UK: ‘You Are Clearly a Moron’ Farage Tells Home Secretary Over Claim to Have Stopped Migrant Boats
Brexit leader turned border control activist Nigel Farage pricks top Tory’s ego over outlandish migrant boat claims, pointing out that stormy December weather has more to do with migrant boat arrivals than government policy.
UK Home Secretary (Interior Minister) James Cleverly boasted “There were no small boat arrivals over Christmas for the first time since they started in 2018” in a statement on Wednesday, saying UK Border Force and French patrols were stopping boat migrants from trying to break into Britain across the English Channel. Yet the statement came as northern Europe experienced a bout of particularly strong weather, with England even experiencing a rare tornado on Wednesday night.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Undocumented Immigrants Will Qualify for Free Health Care in California on Jan. 1
Cash-strapped California will ring in the new year by offering free health care to all undocumented immigrants who qualify for the state’s government-run health insurance program.
The state, which faces a $68 billion deficit in the next fiscal year, has been steadily expanding access to its Medi-Cal health insurance program for low-income residents, allowing undocumented children to qualify for the taxpayer-funded program in 2015, then expanding it under Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to cover undocumented adults between the ages of 19-25 and those over 50.
On Jan. 1, California will become the first state to offer free health care to all qualifying individuals — regardless of immigration status or age.
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Joe Abodeely, 80, spent half his life overseeing the Arizona Military Museum — but it has been shut for more than four months after his offensive comments to a tour group.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Burundi Rejects LGBTQ Rights and Foreign Aid Linked to Such Conditions, President States
Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye has declared that same-sex marriage is unacceptable in the country and he vehemently opposes foreign aid that comes with conditions tied to recognizing LGBTQ relations, Bloomberg writes.
This stance positions Burundi as the latest nation in East Africa to challenge LGBTQ rights, following Uganda’s enactment of severe laws, including the death penalty and Ghana’s consideration of punitive legislation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Iowa Law Banning Discussion of LGBTQ Issues in Classrooms
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked key parts of an Iowa law that bans some books from school libraries and forbids teachers from raising LGBTQ+ issues.
Judge Stephen Locher’s preliminary injunction halts enforcement of the law, which was set to take effect Jan. 1 but already had resulted in the removal of hundreds of books from Iowa schools.
The law, which the Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds approved early in 2023, bans books depicting sex acts from school libraries and classrooms and forbids teachers from raising gender identity and sexual orientation issues with students through the sixth grade.
Locher blocked enforcement of those two provisions.
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Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday vetoed a bill that would have restricted gender-changing services for minors and barred transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports after it passed the state legislature by wide margins.
“The consequences of this bill could not be more profound,” DeWine, 76, said in a press conference announcing his decision. “I cannot sign this bill as it is currently written.”
“Were I to sign House Bill 68, were House Bill 68 to become law, Ohio would be saying that the state, that the government, knows better what is medically best for a child than the two people who love that child the most: the parents,” he added.
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The Methodist Church of Great Britain Labels Terms ‘Husband’ and ‘Wife’ Offensive
The Methodist Church of Great Britain has called on its ministers, deacons, and elders to stop using offensive terminology such as “husband” and “wife” to avoid making assumptions that are not “the reality for many people.”
The church added the changes to its “Inclusive Language Guide,” an initiative aimed at preventing the use of “hurtful language” directed at groups the Methodist Church believes have been “marginalised and/or demonised by common culture.” The church plans to update the Inclusive Language Guide every six months to avoid using language that could offend groups it perceives as marginalized.
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US Tech Giants Scaled Back Diversity Hires, Programs in 2023: Report
It has been revealed that technology giants such as Google and Meta scaled back the number of positions and programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2023.
Many companies in the sector ramped up their committment to DEI in 2020 in response to the death of George Floyd and the ensuing racial justice protests, however it appears as though that is no longer a priority.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WHO Demands End of Public Meat Consumption
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been accused of declaring “war on meat and traditional agriculture” after the unelected United Nations (UN) agency demanded that governments “transform food systems” to tackle the “global burden” of “climate change.”
In a video statement, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on governments of sovereign nations to end the consumption of meat among the general public.
Tedros argues that “Our food systems are harming the health of people and planet.”
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All “Allah akbars” should either be immediately arrested and deported. Or they should be shot.
No more Allah, the pedophile in any Western Country.
Kick them all out….
OR….. see what comes next…
Agreed
Justin Trudeau should not only step down as Canadian Prime Minister.
He should also apply for MAID,…
Medical Assistance in Dying….
After all, this was his idea…
So lead the way Great Leader ….
( sarcasm intended)
Re Hilliary meeting with foreign leaders on biden’s behalf: A friend asked why the White House didn’t ask biden’s higher-ranking, brilliant, hand-picked VP–the extremely competent Kamala–to meet with foreign leaders?
….After all, biden and his handlers told us Kammie was selected NOT for her alleged blackness, nor for her gender, but because she was apparently the most competent for the job, eh? So you’d think the handlers would task “duh mos’ competent VP in our history” with meeting foreign leaders, eh?
Re the biden regime having Hilliary meet with foreign leaders on biden’s behalf: A friend asked why the White House didn’t have his hand-picked brilliant VP do that? After all, she was supposedly selected NOT for being semi-black or female, but because she was supposedly the most competent person the Dems could find, eh?
California wants to attract more illegal aliens to replace people who are moving out of state. California “needs” the illegals to maintain congressional seats in Congress, and to fill the school systems so that teachers unions stay fat and happy, and school districts can maintain federal funding that is based on student headcount.
Of course, CA also needs to keep the voter rolls overflowing with ineligible voters.
But who will pay the taxes which generate the income the state needs? Will these illegals file state income tax forms? When the people who generate the incomes becomes fewer than the ones who use the monies it becomes pretty unsustainable situation.
Did you know that
Islam is an invention of Satan
https://swebbtube.se/w/5uLuCfdES9HrCZcCec2X2z
I’ve always said that Muslims are children of Satan.
I also call George Soros Satan in the flesh. Wouldn’t doubt it if he had a hand in the muslim invasions worldwide.
Sending them to the west to destroy Christianity is The second part of the plan. Plan is
1. Israel and US bomb Middle East countries so they can get all the oil and land.
2. Drive the population out killing as many as possible then use UNHCR to resettle them in the west to destroy Christianity.
Elites hate Christianity as mush as the USSR did because it is a threat to their absolute power.
Don’t you all see the pattern repeated over and over again?
Also, their colleagues in western countries are ready to suck citizens dry with government funded welfare and housing for these migrants making themselves billionaires. It is a global scam run by Israel and the US. Christian citizens become poverty stricken minorities living in what were once their own countries.
Wake up while you still have a country.