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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-28

Voices, The Peoples News

December 28, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Indigenous
In a Major Shift, Northwest Tribes, not U.S. Officials, Will Control Salmon Recovery Funds: The Biden administration punted on key demands from Indigenous leaders to tear down hydroelectric dams hindering salmon. But tribes won control over $1 billion for other salmon efforts. Little Goose Dam near Starbuck, Washington, is one of four dams on the Lower Snake River the Biden administration could seek to remove.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/northwest-tribes-not-us-officials-will-control-salmon-recovery-funds__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG-i_8mG-$

# Animals / Pets / Alerts / Recalls
Blue Ridge Beef had issued a voluntary recall of its Blue Ridge Beef Puppy Mix, due to Salmonella and Listeria Monocytogenes contamination
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/blue-ridge-beef-issues-voluntary-recall-of-blue-ridge-beef-puppy-mix-due-to-salmonella-and-listeria-monocytogenes-contamination/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG6enPsSy$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Texas begins flying migrants to sanctuary cities with first flight to Chicago: Over 82,000 migrants have been transported to cities by Texas so far. Fox was told that the first flight left El Paso on Tuesday afternoon with 120 migrants on board and arrived at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport later in the day. Sources in Abbott’s office told Fox that all migrants signed voluntary waivers, as they do when bussed.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-begins-flying-migrants-to-sanctuary-cities-with-first-flight-to-chicago__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGyJyEBts$

Buses respond to Chicago’s new penalties and restrictions by dropping migrants in secret locations: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s deputy chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, told The Chicago Tribune that bus companies are now no longer communicating about where they are dropping migrants in an effort to avoid city penalties. In an effort to show the seriousness of the border crisis, some Republican governors have sent buses of asylum seekers to Democratic-controlled states and sanctuary cities.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/media/buses-respond-chicagos-penalties-restrictions-dropping-migrants-secret-locations?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGzjNMPcg$

Illinois communities weigh resolutions to block non-citizen arrivals: Up and down the state of Illinois, local elected officials are evaluating measures to block the acceptance of non-citizen migrants to their communities amid reports that buses from Texas continue to arrive. About
90 non-citizen migrants were dropped off in suburban Elmhurst https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1d6b697e-a4ff-11ee-bb29-33cef32c5b22.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGzHx9NuN$

US, Mexico to keep border crossings open, Lopez Obrador says: Mexican and U.S. officials agreed to keep border crossings open, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday, following a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that focused on securing Mexico’s help to stem record-high migration.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-12-28/us-mexico-to-keep-border-crossings-open-lopez-obrador-says__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG6kGennl$

# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks
Walmart Shifts US Import Focus From China to India: Walmart is shifting more of its imports to the United States from India compared to previous years. In a bid to shift its reliance from the Chinese supply chains, multinational retail corporation Walmart is shifting its focus towards India. As per the data seen by news agency Reuters, the retailer imported one-quarter of its US imports from India between January and August 2023.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/walmart-shifts-to-india-cuts-china-imports/7377475.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG-ZZnGTI$

# Education / Schools
St. Louis-Area School Board Votes To Drop Black History And Black Literature Classes: The Francis Howell School District school board voted to remove “Black History” and “Black Literature” Thursday. The courses were reportedly introduced in 2021 after students and staff members spoke up about experiencing discrimination at school.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://blavity.com/st-louis-area-school-board-votes-to-drop-black-history-and-black-literature-classes__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG2kBhbkb$

Christian Conservatives Attack Satanic Church Over After-School Satan Clubs and Pagan Statues: A Satanic church with a long history of fighting for its First Amendment and religious freedom is fighting again in Iowa. The Church has a 10-year history of coming under attack for its after-school clubs. This time, it’s the Christian conservatives in Iowa.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gistfest.com/christian-conservatives-attack-satanic-church-over-after-school-satan-clubs-and-pagan-statues/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG6_j4_Gb$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals DTE Energy Facing Oversight of “Hardship-Inducing” Debt Collection Practices: The large utility must turn over details of its sales of customer debt, which previously were kept in the dark, but has fought off a ban on the practice. A 2022 investigation by Outlier Media and ProPublica detailed how DTE sold customer debt from closed accounts for pennies on the dollar over a period of nine years. Jefferson Capital Systems, a company that bought the debt, has sued Detroiters, garnished paychecks and income tax returns and put liens on homes
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/dte-energy-oversight-debt-collection-sales-michigan*:*:text=A*202022*20investigation*20by*20Outlier,and*20put*20liens*20on*20homes__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4ZBzSZm$

# Environment / Climate / Chemicals / Infrastructure
Texas companies skirt federal environmental laws with permit loopholes: In Texas, industrial facilities are avoiding stricter federal environmental regulations by classifying themselves as “minor” sources, raising concerns about air pollution and regulatory oversight.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ehn.org/texas-companies-skirt-federal-environmental-laws-with-permit-loopholes-2666814049.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG3GdaEGk$

Experts Expect $400M Accord to Spark More Aggressive Litigation Over ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water: “[F]or the same reason that Jesse James robbed banks,” Lathrop GPM partner William G. Beck said, “the contingent fee lawyers got their hands on the money with tobacco, and then they got their hands on the money with opioids—the same lawyers. I do think it means that we’re going to see more and more [PFAS] litigation and it’s going to be more and more aggressive.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2023/07/13/experts-expect-400m-accord-to-spark-more-aggressive-litigation-over-forever-chemicals-in-drinking-water/?slreturn=20231128093049__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG-FWSd_M$

The lasting damage ‘forever chemicals’ could do to American companies: The lasting damage ‘forever chemicals’ could do to American companies. “Forever” chemicals are proving to be extremely costly to the companies that produced them. 3M (MMM) and Dupont (DD) have agreed to pay more than $15 billion to settle claims that PFAS chemicals, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, caused harm.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-lasting-damage-forever-chemicals-could-do-to-american-companies-180036435.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG0Lu90qj$

‘Forever chemicals’ were everywhere in 2023, Expect more litigation in 2024: Lawsuits accusing major chemical companies of polluting U.S.
drinking water with toxic PFAS chemicals led to over $11 billion in settlements. PFAS water testing finds at least 44 million people exposed, with more results pending https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2023/11/new-epa-data-show-millions-more-have-forever-chemicals-drinking__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4IG6Y2W$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / Global Gold mining in the Amazon: the origin of the Yanomami health crisis: Centuries of exploitation and violation of rights, it seems that a consensus has been reached: preserving the Amazon is the only chance for human beings to survive on the planet and a unique opportunity for Brazil to reduce historic inequities and earn international respect and credibility.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10740397/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGzoBLeO4$

How Illegal Mining Caused a Humanitarian Crisis in the Amazon: The onslaught of illegal miners into Indigenous territory in the Brazilian Amazon has destroyed forest, polluted rivers, and brought disease and malnutrition to the Yanomami people. Now, the new Brazilian government is confronting a health crisis and moving to evict the miners.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://e360.yale.edu/features/brazil-yanomami-mining-malaria-malnutrition-lula__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGzFsXY_T$

Hunger for gold means the Amazon has reached ‘tipping point’ of mercury contamination from illegal mining: Deforestation and degraded forests. Polluted and poisoned rivers. Invasion of Indigenous Lands. Violence against Indigenous Peoples. Exposure to illness. Lost lives and endangered traditional ways of life.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/59123/amazon-rainforest-mining-illegal/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGxWl15ke$

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology
Buzzkill: A bee researcher’s colonies kept dying, and she couldn’t figure out why. Then, she looked at the ethanol factory down the road. Later observations confirmed that her bees had been poisoned by water runoff and windblown dust from piles of pesticide-laden waste at the ethanol plant. It was an uncontrolled release of neonicotinoids, and she had put her bees right on its doorstep. Within a year, AltEn’s misdeeds would be exposed for everyone to see, provoking tough questions for government regulators and seed companies.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thefern.org/2023/12/buzzkill/*:*:text=Later*20observations*20confirmed*20that*20her,**BFate__;I34lJSUl4oCc!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG3ih2oHX$

EPA to propose new pesticide rule: The Biden administration indicated this week that it will propose allowing many common uses of a pesticide that has been linked to developmental delays in kids. The expected proposal follows a court ruling that tossed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ban on the pesticide, called chlorpyrifos
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/newsletters/energy-environment/4372699-epa-to-propose-new-pesticide-rule/*:*:text=The*20Biden*20administration*20indicated*20this,to*20developmental*20delays*20in*20kids.&text=The*20expected*20proposal*20follows*20a,on*20the*20pesticide*2C*20called*20chlorpyrifos__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG84yhBOl$

# General News
Trump claims divine authority and threatens dictatorship in escalating rhetoric: Donald Trump’s recent public proclamations, in which he presents himself as a godly figure and explicitly threatens to behave like a dictator if re-elected, have raised concerns among experts and observers.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/trump-claims-divine-authority-and-threatens-dictatorship-in-escalating-rhetoric/ar-AA1m8lYs?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=7ba13eb2d75d4923a448beea37bb9faf&ei=18__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG8UCLyuB$

Trump’s vow to only be a dictator on ‘day one’ follows growing worry over his authoritarian rhetoric: As Donald Trump faces growing scrutiny over his increasingly authoritarian and violent rhetoric, Fox News host Sean Hannity gave his longtime friend a chance to assure the American people that he wouldn’t abuse power or seek retribution if he wins a second term.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2023/12/08/trump-s-vow-to-only-be-a-dictator-on–day-one–follows-growing-worry-over-his-authoritarian-rhetoric__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG7dvU8Rf$

Poll: Trump leads Biden in Arizona, other swing states: Former President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in a head-to-head matchup poll in several swing states, including
Arizona https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_e8922cbc-a4de-11ee-8ec2-5751d02326fb.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG8eInWct$

Colorado GOP asks SCOTUS to reject ruling preventing Trump from appearing on 2024 ballot: The Colorado Republican Party petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn a state Supreme Court ruling that barred former President Donald Trump from appearing on Colorado’s 2024 primary ballot. “The Republican Party has been irreparably harmed by the decision” to deem Trump, 77, ineligible for the White House, the appeal, filed on behalf of the Colorado GOP by the nonprofit American Center for Law and Justice, states.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/27/news/colorado-gop-asks-us-supreme-court-to-overturn-unprecedented-14th-amendment-ruling-and-keep-trump-on-states-2024-ballot/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4pLohDA$

California Lt. Gov. calls for state to ‘explore every legal option’ to remove Trump from 2024 ballot: Disqualification lawsuits relating to Trump’s appearance on the ballot are pending in 13 states, including Texas, Nevada and Wisconsin. The gubernatorial candidate told the Secretary of State that California “must stand on the right side of history,” and is “obligated to determine” if the former president is ineligible to be on the ballot for the same reasons he was deemed ineligible in Colorado.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-lt-gov-calls-state-explore-every-legal-option-remove-trump-ballot__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG8JO-Ub6$

# Gov / Politics / Global
Israeli Teen Jailed for Refusing to Take Part in Army’s ‘Criminal Attack’ on Gaza: “I believe that slaughter cannot solve slaughter,” said 18-year-old Tal Mitnick, who was sentenced to 30 days behind bars for refusing to participate in what a fellow draft resister called a “genocide” in Gaza.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/conscientious-objector-israel__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG1hSKFRg$

Russia Points North – “You Will Suffer First of All”: Mikhail Ulyanov, serving as the permanent representative of Russia to international organizations in Vienna, adds: “But since they are our neighbors, if God forbid there is any escalation, they will be the first to suffer.” Russia has repeatedly issued warnings against Finland recently, not only due to NATO membership. The fact that Finland closed its eastern border in November also provoked the Putin regime.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/russia-points-north-you-will-suffer-first-of-all/ar-AA1m8JY4*:*:text=Mikhail*20Ulyanov*2C*20serving*20as*20the,be*20the*20first*20to*20suffer.*22__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG8X3C_-e$

Putin Ally Found Dead After Falling From Third-Floor Window: It is the latest in a series of mysterious deaths involving prominent Russian figures since President Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine last February.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-egorov-putin-ally-found-dead-window-1856059__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGykdxBBl$

North Korea Ramps Up Preparations for War With US: North Korea is putting its munitions industry and nuclear weapons sector on a war footing, following months of raised tensions with the U.S. and NATO-aligned countries in the region, a run of missile tests and border activity. Pyongyang’s military and defense sectors will “further accelerate war preparations” in the face of “unprecedented anti-DPRK [North Korea] confrontation maneuvers of the U.S. and its vassal forces,” North Korea’s state media reported on Thursday.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/north-korea-war-preparations-nuclear-missiles-us-south-korea-japan-1856028__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGzHVWyo8$

Alarming surge in violence and human rights abuses in the West Bank: UN report’s findings: Record highs in fatalities and rights violations spark global concern.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/28/alarming-surge-in-violence-and-human-rights-abuses-in-the-west-bank-un-reports-findings/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGzVuPHlT$

# Gov / Politics
Republicans Drafting Bills to Remove Joe Biden from Ballots in Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania: Three Republican state lawmakers are drafting legislation to remove Joe Biden from ballots in Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, Breitbart News exclusively learned Friday.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-pull-trigger-plan-remove-joe-biden-ballots-1855042__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG3rvfVf5$

Maine Supreme Court Rules Christie Ineligible for 2024 Ballot: Maine’s highest court has ruled that Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie will not appear on the 2024 ballot after his campaign failed to gather enough certified signatures from registered voters.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/breaking-maine-supreme-court-rules-christie-ineligible-for-2024-ballot-mstef/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4Q2-Y70$

Dems Target GOP State Lawmakers With Jan. 6 Credentials: House Republicans are releasing most of the security footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol to the public, Speaker Mike Johnson announced Friday. Roughly 90 hours of footage had been posted on the House Administration Committee’s website by Friday afternoon, in a move that Democrats and left-leaning groups have called a threat to security. Starting Monday, members of the public will be able to set up in-person appointments to view the Capitol Police security footage in designated rooms within the Capitol complex.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://rollcall.com/2023/11/17/republicans-begin-releasing-jan-6-security-footage/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG1ujMGWN$

Right-wing extremism and the Cold War go hand-in-hand: U.S. “ironclad” support for militarism undercuts attempts to curb right-wing terrorism. From white supremacist violence in the West Bank to gendered violence in Olongapo, we can’t defeat at home what we export abroad
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/28/right-wing-extremism-and-the-cold-war-go-hand-in-hand/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGwsMoeoH$

# Law Enforcment
Austin’s Soros-backed DA is slammed for allowing man who killed two people in SEVENTH drunk-driving incident is allowed to walk free because his charges were reduced. -Roberto Rangel was initially charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter after an accident that killed Mark Narvaez and Kate Garcia. Three months after his arrest, his charge was reduced to a DWI.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12886621/Austin-DA-slammed-allowing-man-killed-two-people-SEVENTH-drunk-driving-incident-allowed-bond-charges-reduced.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG5RF0MlJ$

Idaho Murders: As a Small Town Grapples With Sinister Rumors, Media’s True-Crime Obsession Grows: While social media puts forth speculation and false information, channels like NewsNation are making a name in true-crime coverage.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/posts/newsnationnetwork_idaho-murders-as-a-small-town-grapples-with-activity-7039301596832264192-QUJc__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG8-hZdkg$

When Alabama Police Kill, Surviving Family Can Fight Years to See Bodycam Footage, There’s No Guarantee They Will: Alabama is among the most restrictive states for disclosing body-camera footage when police kill loved ones. Surviving family members often must go to court to get access to the video, and even if successful, they usually can’t share it publicly.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/police-body-camera-footage-alabama-restrictions*:*:text=Alabama*20is*20among*20the*20most,can’t*20share*20it*20publicly.&text=ProPublica*20is*20a*20nonprofit*20newsroom*20that*20investigates*20abuses*20of*20power__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG6f-LcJi$

# Legal / DOJ
Jack Smith’s special counsel status is unconstitutional, former attorney general tells SCOTUS: Former Attorney General Ed Meese has presented arguments to the Supreme Court that they should reject Special Counsel Jack Smith’s requests because he was unconstitutionally appointed in the first place. Meese, along with law professors Steven G. Calabresi and Gary S. Lawson, filed a friend-of-the-court brief to present the case that Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of Smith, a private citizen, is in violation of the Appointments Clause of the Constitution.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/22/news/special-counsel-in-trump-case-unconstitutional-former-reagan-attorney-general-ed-meese-says/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG5eRrJBy$

Jack Smith Worried About ‘Political Attacks’ at Trump Trial: Special counsel Jack Smith filed a motion Wednesday asking a judge to bar Donald Trump and his lawyers from injecting “political attacks” and conspiracy theories into his upcoming election subversion trial.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4379050-jack-smith-judge-trump-political-attacks-2020-election/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGz3p2jpp$

# Media
Assange gets ‘last chance’ U.S. extradition appeal date: The WikiLeaks founder faces a sentence of 175 years on charges of disclosing classified information if handed over by Britain
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rt.com/news/589360-assange-gets-appeal-court-date/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG05fpnwT$

Social media companies made nearly $11 billion in advertising revenue from U.S.-based minors in 2022: “Our study suggests they have overwhelming financial incentives to continue to delay taking meaningful steps to protect children,” said one Harvard researcher:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/social-media-and-children__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG1ZOrn1S$

# Medical / Health
Infections and Falls More Likely at Private Equity-Owned Hospitals: Patients at hospitals acquired by private equity firms saw a 25% increase in adverse events, new research shows.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4378398-patient-infections-falls-spiked-in-hopsitals-owned-by-private-equity-study/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG7uTRgls$

# Military / DOD
Surface navy emphasizes frigates in its latest modernization plans: The U.S. Navy’s recent force structure study puts even greater importance on small combatants, the director of surface warfare said, a shift in priorities that could require the surface navy to rebalance its ongoing modernization plans
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2023/12/27/surface-navy-emphasizes-frigates-in-its-latest-modernization-plans/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG8_QuiXN$

US announces new weapons package for Ukraine: It could be the final package of military aid to Ukraine unless Congress approves supplemental funding legislation that is stalled on Capitol Hill.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-weapons-funding-4de07e760905039359042d42e9e17500__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG7bjUkKb$

# Military / Global
Ukraine Prepares Chemical Weapons Provocation, Russia Warns: The Ukrainians have acquired triethanolamine, a substance covered by the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that Ukraine could carry out a dangerous provocation with chemical weapons to foment anti-Russian sentiments internationally.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2022-05-06/russia-claims-ukraine-poised-for-chemical-weapons-attack-as-analysts-fear-false-flag-operation__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG7r24Vki$

NATO troops directly involved in Ukraine conflict – Russia –Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has claimed that US, UK, and Polish military personnel are operating air defense and multiple launch rocket systems: Several NATO member states have boots on the ground in the Ukraine conflict, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has claimed. Western military personnel are operating certain weapons systems, he alleged, and that hundreds of the US-led military bloc’s satellites are providing surveillance data to Kiev.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-europe-business-moscow-5b3ca7ea4e005c0908fb86b6d28f79d5__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG_Sm5bMm$

NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine – which is an independent, peaceful and democratic country, and a close NATO partner. NATO and Allies continue to provide Ukraine with unprecedented levels of support, helping to uphold its fundamental right to self-defence.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_192648.htm__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4tl96RE$

With hopes of victory fading, Ukraine’s war against Russia could get even harder in 2024: Intense fighting is likely to continue in the new year, with much hinging on the presidential election in the U.S., Ukraine’s largest military supporter.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/26/what-could-happen-in-the-russia-ukraine-war-in-2024.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG02t6meL$

Israeli Military Censor Bans Reporting on These 8 Subjects: The highly unusual, English-language order for the Gaza war breaks from the secretive and informal way IDF censorship normally works. Weapons used by the Israel Defense Forces, security cabinet leaks, and stories about people held hostage by Hamas, these are some of the eight subjects the media are forbidden from reporting on in Israel, according to a document obtained by The Intercept.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theintercept.com/2023/12/23/israel-military-idf-media-censor/*:*:text=December*2023*202023*2C*206*3A00*20a.m.&text=Weapons*20used*20by*20the*20Israel,document*20obtained*20by*20The*20Intercept__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4IAeNKp$

Israel Raids 10 Cities Across Occupied West Bank: At least one person was killed after Israeli troops launched a coordinated overnight assault on 10 cities including Hebron, Halhul, Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarem, el-Bireh, Jericho and notably the centre of Ramallah, which is the administrative headquarters of the Palestinian Authority.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/28/unparalleled-israeli-army-raids-ramallah-more-occupied-west-bank-cities__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGGw3BOBCn$

# Pharmaceuticals / Drugs
Doctors Warn Asthma Patients About An Inhaler Switch Coming On January 1st: Starting January 1, a drug that thousands of patients depend on to help them breathe will disappear from pharmacy shelves, and doctors are concerned patients may have delays switching to alternatives and getting them covered by insurance. Manufacturer GSK has said it’s discontinuing the branded asthma inhaler Flovent, and instead is making an “authorized generic” version, which is identical but without the same branding.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://wiba.iheart.com/content/2023-12-28-doctors-warn-asthma-patients-about-an-inhaler-switch-coming-on-january-1st/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG-CLhGYw$

Philips Recalled Breathing Machines in 2021. Chemicals of “Concern” Found in Replacement Machines Raised New Alarm: Amid a massive recall in 2021, the medical device maker Philips raced to overcome troubling questions about its replacement machines as customers waited for help. Global device maker Philips Respironics was pulling its popular sleep apnea machines and ventilators off the shelves after discovering that an industrial foam built into the devices to reduce noise could release toxic particles and fumes into the masks worn by patients.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/philips-recall-machines-chemicals-of-concern__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG36L_S26$

# Technology
Tesla robot attacks an engineer at company’s Texas factory during violent malfunction, leaving ‘trail of blood’ and forcing workers to hit emergency shutdown button: Data show one in every 21 Giga Texas workers was injured on the job in 2022. An attorney aiding contract laborers at the factory tells DailyMail.com that there’s evidence Tesla under-reported accidents to state regulators
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12869629/Tesla-robot-ATTACKS-engineer-companys-Texas-factory-violent-malfunction-leaving-trail-blood-forcing-workers-hit-emergency-shutdown-button.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG5u2qmnz$

Senators demand Tesla recalls after ‘alarming’ Reuters reporting: In a significant development, U.S. Senators urge Tesla to take responsibility for vehicle defects, highlighting a systemic issue within the electric vehicle industry.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/28/senators-demand-tesla-recalls-after-alarming-reuters-reporting/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG0tUCDDN$

# UFO Disclosure / Other
Pentagon Whistleblower Says The Government Is Hiding “Non-Human” Technology: David and investigative journalist Leslie Kean discuss new revelations about the government’s potential knowledge of UFOs. According to Kean and her co-author, a former U.S. intelligence official-turned-whistleblower recently gave Congress classified information about covert programs that he says possess intact and partially intact aircraft of non-human origin.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.levernews.com/lever-time-pentagon-whistleblower-says-the-government-is-hiding-non-human-technology/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG5k58aVY$

Why The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Politico Didn’t Publish a Seemingly Bombshell Report About UFOs: Monday U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said government workers with high security clearances had made UFO-related claims, leading to a bill’s provision to halt any reverse-engineering of alien crafts. News stories at the time noted “allegations of secret UFO retrieval and reverse-engineering programs” by former intelligence official turned whistleblower, David Grusch, a story which Vanity Fair traced to a “little-known” site called The Debrief.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thedebrief.org/intelligence-officials-say-u-s-has-retrieved-non-human-craft/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG4K6Anf5$

# Weather
2023’s Costliest Weather Disasters Reveal ‘Double Inequality’ of Climate Crisis: “There is a global postcode lottery that is stacked against the poor,” Christian Aid’s chief executive said on the publication of the charity’s annual list of the year’s costliest climate-driven disasters. Populations that have emitted relatively little greenhouse gas disproportionately suffer the impacts of extreme weather events ranging from floods to storms to wildfires.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://earth.org/impact-of-2023s-costliest-climate-disasters-highly-unequal-new-research-shows/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0VjAHovaMvYdaK5n6uhmyGmRo1h8_2m81C0JM5VIumRglQrcTeb94IH7ajw1xh9kusz0xqSJPTiOUfDKg6ic82EGG0qwcRj4$

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-27

Voices, The Peoples News

December 27, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Accommodating illegal migrants costing American taxpayers $451 billion, X users say it’s cheaper to build a wall: The controversial topic about building walls in the southern part of the United States in order to control the amount of illegals coming into the country has been around since the Trump administration.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/accommodating-illegal-migrants-costing-american-taxpayers-451-billion-x-users-say-it-s-cheaper-to-build-a-wall/ar-AA1m5HoV?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=baef6e5d1b274c16aa4e6cdf8c9e9c0e&ei=14__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscDUnnhmz$

Texas plans to fly more migrants to Chicago after crack down on busses: One migrant bus was impounded and 96 citations were issued. Last week, the Texas Division of Emergency Management or TDEM, which handles migrant transports, chartered its first flight with migrants to Chicago to avoid growing restrictions over when and where migrants can be dropped off.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/texas/article-12902187/How-Texas-flew-migrants-flew-migrants-El-Paso-Chicago-busing-targeted-Illinois-officials.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscGl1qohT$

Biden administration is ‘allowing the cartels to run the show’ at the US Southern border: Former Georgia congressman Doug Collins says that the Biden administration currently has an ‘open door policy’ at the border.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/video/6343921825112__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscG4I8uSP$

Blinken & Mayorkas Head to Mexico to Meet AMLO to Discuss Border Issues: Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall are meeting today with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in Mexico City. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he’s willing to work with U.S.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/border-coverage/blinken-mayorkas-amlo-mexico/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscCdum1Rm$

# Education / Schools
‘Satan Club’ approved at Kansas high school: A Kansas high school approved a Satan worship club despite an online petition with over 7,000 signatures to stop group. Olathe School District this month approved a “Satan Club” after the club application “met the criteria.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/kansas-high-school-approves-satan-worship-club-despite/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kansas-high-school-approves-satan-worship-club-despite__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscOMkPVjn$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure The Upper Atmosphere Is Cooling, Prompting New Climate Concerns: A new study reaffirming that global climate change is human-made also found the upper atmosphere is cooling dramatically because of rising CO2 levels. Scientists are worried about the effect this cooling could have on orbiting satellites, the ozone layer, and Earth’s weather. While the blanket of air close to the Earth’s surface is warming, most of the atmosphere above is becoming dramatically colder. The same gases that are warming the bottom few miles of air are cooling the much greater expanses above that stretch to the edge of space
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://e360.yale.edu/features/climate-change-upper-atmosphere-cooling__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscC3cRaZH$

# General News
Trump Bizarrely Shares Poll Listing ‘Dictatorship’ Priority: The word cloud comes from a J.L. Partners survey for the Daily Mail that asked 1,000 likely voters to use one word to describe what both Trump and President Biden want out of a second term. Trump shared his word cloud in an uncaptioned Truth Social post, which prominently featured words like “revenge,” “power, “economy” and “dictatorship” in large, brightly colored letters. Biden’s word cloud prominently featured words like “nothing,” “economy,” “democracy” and “peace.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.axios.com/2023/12/27/trump-word-cloud-revenge-dictatorship-second-term__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscIXRHXJ0$

The corporate media won’t sound the alarm about the fascist threat posed by MAGA: Trump goes all in on Nazi rhetoric, and the media gives him another free pass. In any other America on any other timeline, a presidential candidate echoing the words of Adolf Hitler would soon be packing up for an early retirement. We clearly don’t live in any of those Americas, because former President Donald Trump got yet another free pass from the press after echoing fascist slogans during a rally in New Hampshire last week.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4310834-trump-goes-all-in-on-nazi-rhetoric-and-the-media-gives-him-another-free-pass/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscC7emf16$

# Gov / Politics / Global
China Scholar Warns Relations With US Ally Facing ‘Point of No Return’: Tensions between China and the Philippines will continue to heat up over the next few years and could reach a “point of no return,” according to the head of a government-backed Chinese think tank.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/china-philippines-us-treaty-ally-south-china-sea-territorial-dispute-1855664*:*:text=Tensions*20between*20China*20and*20the,government*2Dbacked*20Chinese*20think*20tank__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscIxbwsku$

Russia warns Japan over providing Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine: A move by Japan to provide Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine will have “grave consequences” for Russia-Japan ties, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Relations between Moscow and Tokyo, already difficult, have deteriorated sharply since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in Feb. 2022. Japan has joined its Western allies in imposing sweeping economic sanctions on Russia.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-warns-japan-over-providing-patriot-air-defence-systems-ukraine-2023-12-27/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscB9BAenN$

Named “The Monster of Kaliningrad,” this structure has intrigued those monitoring Russian military sites via publicly available satellite images: Located in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave situated between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Sea, this structure’s strategic position is crucial for Russia in Eastern Europe, providing maritime access and significant military presence near NATO.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/iran-warship-navy-caspian-sea-79164ae32aa090a1579e74f595e7962f__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscAlf746Z$

Israel widens offensive in central Gaza as Netanyahu refuses to discuss postwar plan. Security officials keen to arrange meeting as ‘time running out’, according to reports
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-refuses-to-discuss-postwar-plan-for-gaza-strip__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscPzp7rI9$

Israeli Military Plans to Change Nature of Gaza Warfare Within a Month, but Netanyahu May Have Other Plans The U.S. wants a buffer zone along the Gaza border and for Israel to change combat tactics – but there’s one obstacle: Netanyahu’s political situation and his concern over the future of his coalition
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-12-20/ty-article/.premium/idf-plans-to-change-nature-of-gaza-warfare-within-a-month-but-netanyahu-has-other-plans/0000018c-83e5-d219-a5bf-b7fd63780000__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscFJT0Pu_$

How Netanyahu Is Undermining Biden’s Gaza Strategy: Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu threw a political grenade at U.S. diplomacy during a recent press conference. Its explosion threatened to sabotage American efforts to put together a three-way, win-win, post-Gaza war regional architecture.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://time.com/6336245/benjamin-netanyahu-undermining-bidens-gaza-strategy/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscDl_NGuC$

# Gov / Politics
Biden Administration Announces New $250 Million Aid Package for Ukraine: The US State Department announced a $250 million Ukraine military aid package on Wednesday, the last such package the US will provide to Ukraine until Congress approves the Biden administration’s funding requests.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3627204/dod-announces-aid-package-for-ukraine/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscL_o6qqg$

Sen. Susan Collins Pushing Gun Control for U.S. Troops: The proposed law is a response to the 2023 attacks in Lewiston, Maine, carried out by a U.S. Army Reserve member. The bill aims to ensure that military branches use state-level weapons restriction laws when they believe a service member poses a threat to themselves or others.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.analyzingamerica.org/2023/12/730608/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscK005RNW$

Biden Endangers U.S. Troops: Three more American service members are hurt, as U.S. bases became enemy drone catchers. It was going to happen sooner or later: American service members would be seriously hurt as Iran-backed militias conduct lethal target practice against U.S. bases in the Middle East. When will President Biden do his duty as Commander in Chief and protect Americans deployed abroad?
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-endangers-u-s-troops/ar-AA1m4mIN?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=baef6e5d1b274c16aa4e6cdf8c9e9c0e&ei=80__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscBkZwaUw$

GOP Rep. Fights Back Against Push To Disqualify Trump With New Bill: ‘Have A Very MAGA Christmas’: U.S. Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) has proposed the “Presidential Ballot Integrity Act,” aimed at penalizing states that exclude a major party’s nominee from the Presidential ballot. If passed, the bill would render the electoral votes of such states invalid during the January 6th Congress count. Higgins, referencing the Colorado Supreme Court’s barring of Donald Trump from the primary ballot, cited the 14th Amendment’s Section 3, which restricts former officials engaged in insurrection from holding public office. In response, three states have introduced measures to remove Biden from their ballots, echoing a broader trend among Republicans reacting to pivotal legal decisions.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8pprNNk9d0__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscE6jdZqF$

Forget the gaudy Biden vs. Trump soap opera. What counts nationally: The DC party control, stupid! Not voting or voting third party in a razor-close purple state (as in 2016) empowers a dictatorial narcissist.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/27/forget-the-gaudy-biden-vs-trump-soap-opera-what-counts-nationally-the-dc-party-control-stupid/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscB8-HLEu$

# Juvenile / Children / Youth
Michigan Enacts Laws to Reform Its Juvenile Justice System: The package of 19 bills signed by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II aims to keep young people out of the court system and detention when they get in trouble and instead provide more funding for community-based help, such as family counseling and mental health treatment.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thecrimereport.org/2023/12/13/michigan-leadership-enacts-laws-to-reform-michigan-juvenile-justice-system/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscBjnwqlg$

# Legal / DOJ
Senate Committee Authorizes Subpoenas of Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo as Part of Supreme Court Ethics Probe: The subpoenas ask for details on gifts, travel and other perks the two men provided or helped arrange for Supreme Court justices and their relatives, but Senate Democrats will need help from their GOP colleagues if Crow and Leo defy the subpoenas.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-votes-to-authorize-issuing-subpoenas-to-harlan-crow-and-leonard-leo-as-part-of-supreme-court-ethics-probe__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscMsn7BAY$

Trump is throwing ‘gasoline on the fire’ as judges face death threats: Former President Donald Trump’s constant attacks on the justice system as he faces down four criminal cases are putting judges in mortal danger, warned CNN law enforcement analyst John Miller. “Threats against judges in this country have skyrocketed; between 2016 and, I think 2018, they doubled,” said Miller. “Last year, for federal judges, just federal judges, that’s 2,700 federal judges, there were 4,500 threats that are serious enough to merit an investigation by the United States Marshals.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rawstory.com/trump-threats-2666805400/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscONCES2u$

# Media
Vice News laid off over 100 staffers and shut down its flagship show, Vice News Tonight. Vice executives were paid over $1 million in bonuses the next day. That, in a nutshell, sums up the logic of the corporate-owned news media – and why nonprofit, independent journalism is so vitally needed right now.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/media/vice-end-news-shows-layoffs/index.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscFBcWCRz$

# Medical / Health
She was told her twin sons wouldn’t survive. Texas law made her give birth anyway: Miranda Michel, 26, couldn’t leave the state for an abortion. But she also couldn’t bear the idea of carrying a nonviable pregnancy to term.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/11/texas-abortion-law-texas-abortion-ban-nonviable-pregnancies/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscARGnhCW$

# Military / DOD
US Navy Battles Houthi Onslaught: 17 Attacks in One Day! The destroyer USS Laboon and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the USS Eisenhower carrier strike group shot down “twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthis over a 10-hour period,” the command said. The attack began at around 6:30 a.m. local time. US warships in the Red Sea have been battling a growing number of weapons fired by Houthi forces in Yemen over the past several weeks, including 17 drones and missiles during a 10-hour period on Tuesday alone.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/12/26/navy-defends-against-17-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-over-just-10-hour-period.html/amp__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscCjWbf6e$

# Military / Global
A new Iranian warship adds to the quiet naval buildup on the world’s largest lake: Iran introduced a new warship to its Caspian Sea fleet in early November, adding to a years-long naval buildup among the five countries that share the world’s largest lake. The Deilaman, a domestically produced 1,400-ton frigate, was added to the fleet in a ceremony at the end of November.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/iran-warship-navy-caspian-sea-79164ae32aa090a1579e74f595e7962f__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscAlf746Z$

# Space / NASA
NASA’s Juno to Get Close Look at Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io on Dec. 30: The orbiter has performed 56 flybys of Jupiter and documented close encounters with three of the gas giant’s four largest moons. NASA’s Juno spacecraft will on Tuesday, Dec. 30, make the closest flyby of Jupiter’s moon Io that any spacecraft has made in over 20 years.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.space.com/nasa-juno-jupiter-moon-io-closest-july-30__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscAMuQ6f5$

Japan’s SLIM space probe entered the Moon’s orbit on Monday in a major step towards the country’s first successful lunar landing, expected next month. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is nicknamed the “Moon Sniper” because it is designed to land within 100 metres (328 feet) of a specific target on the lunar surface. If successful, the touchdown would make Japan only the fifth country to have successfully landed a probe on the Moon, after the United States, Russia, China and India.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Japan_moon_lander_enters_lunar_orbit_999.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3HHSC067lcJi-7-0iYDAifC7K1g_uoZidSwY_Y98Xh8zWoUEtUpGC47JIiMJbhRJgcawkeQQ5gAZnV3ADh9h6EXscMeyM3Kr$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-26

Voices, The Peoples News

December 26, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Animals / Pets / Alerts / Recalls
Newly discovered hedgehog species diverged from others more than a million years ago: Researchers at Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China, have announced the discovery of a new species within the hedgehog genus Mesechinus. The eastern China hedgehog species was found to be distinct from other regional hedgehogs across morphological and phylogenetic characteristics.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://phys.org/news/2023-12-reveals-species-soft-furred-hedgehogs-southeast.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBObih0HM$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Biden can stop the migrant caravan heading to the border — if he cared: Mr. President, stop this caravan. An estimated 8,000 people set off on Christmas Eve from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula. Destination: the border that Joe Biden threw wide open and refuses to enforce. Biden will do what he always does, blame Congress. But the failure is his alone. If this group is able to walk into Arizona and Texas on live television and then hop a bus to the Port Authority, it sends the continuing message to the world: the United States has no border. Come on down.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/25/opinion/biden-can-stop-the-migrant-caravan-heading-to-the-border-if-he-cared/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBFPoQBf8$

Migrants Breaking Records Signing Up for IDs in Effort to Become Official New York City Residents: Migrants in record numbers have signed up for New York City identification cards, a first step in becoming an official resident of the Big Apple, according to a report. The IDNYC cards, official photo IDs for New York City residents and available for people regardless of their immigration status, can be used for a variety of services, from applying for health insurance to Section 8 housing.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://themessenger.com/news/nyc-id-cards-migrants-nyc-records-sign-up-official-residents-new-york-city__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBESUUERm$

# Bundy Rides Again
Ammon Bundy makes veiled threats while in hiding after $52m defamation ruling: After fleeing the state and failing to appear in court as part of a long-running defamation case against him, far-right activist Ammon Bundy posted a rambling 12-minute video to rage against Idaho officials he blames for a $52m verdict against him and his associates.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ca.news.yahoo.com/ammon-bundy-makes-veiled-threats-184346187.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBCeel-mx$

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
Phillip Buckhaults, PhD on Heart Attacks, Autoimmunity and Cancer Linked to DNA Contamination of Pfizer mRNA COVID Shot: “The Pfizer mRNA [COVID] vaccine is contaminated with the plasmid DNA vector that was used as the template for in vitro transcription reaction. This DNA could be the cause of some of the rare but serious side effects like death from cardiac arrest.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.scstatehouse.gov/CommitteeInfo/SenateMedicalAffairsCommittee/PandemicPreparedness/Phillip-Buckhaults-SC-Senate-09122023-final.pdf__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBJ4RS4v-$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals
‘Major’ problem in Texas: How big polluters evade federal law and get away with it: When the Intercontinental Terminals Company sought a permit to expand its tank farm and terminal on the Houston Ship Channel in 2014, a reviewer with Texas’ environmental regulator expressed a long list of concerns. ITC, the reviewer for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wrote, appeared to be evading core provisions of federal environmental law by dividing its “major” facility among nominally separate “minor” permits, which have less stringent pollution standards requirements and require far less review.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://insideclimatenews.org/news/26122023/state-of-denial-texas-polluters-evade-federal-law/*:*:text=ITC*2C*20the*20reviewer*20for*20the,and*20require*20far*20less*20review__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBEmQmpMW$

Biden needs a fast expansion of the electric grid. One project waited 17 years for its permits. U.S. climate goals will drift out of reach if expanding amounts of renewable electricity can’t reach cities and suburbs.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/25/biden-climate-agenda-hurdles-00126109__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBPD7M4n5$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure
The climate treadmill speeds up at COP28, but critics say it’s still not going anywhere: The Dubai climate summit showed how fossil fuel companies and their allied politicians captured the un process. In the end, a clear statement on phasing out fossil fuels, sought by more than 100 countries at COP28, was replaced with weaker language suggesting a speedy transition away from oil, gas and coal energy, and much of the world was disappointed, with leader after leader from developing countries saying it was not enough
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25122023/climate-treadmill-at-cop28-not-going-anywhere/*:*:text=In*20the*20end*2C*20a*20clear,saying*20it*20was*20not*20enough__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBJefL7uj$

Uncontrolled chemical reactions fuel crises at LA County’s two largest landfills: Hundreds of feet underground, in a long-dormant portion of Chiquita Canyon landfill, tons of garbage have been smoldering for months due to an enigmatic chemical reaction. The highly unusual reactions at Los Angeles County’s two largest landfills have raised serious questions about the region’s long-standing approach to waste disposal and its aging dumps. These incidents have impaired pollution control systems, allowing toxic gases and polluted water to migrate into unwanted areas.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-12-12/mysterious-chemical-reactions-fuel-crisis-in-l-a-landfills__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBMUeRzmN$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / Global
Amazon drought: ‘We’ve never seen anything like this’: This year’s heat and drought in the Amazon intensify worries that it is approaching a tipping point. The Amazon rainforest experienced its worst drought on record in 2023. Many villages became unreachable by river, wildfires raged and wildlife died. Some scientists worry events like these are a sign that the world’s biggest forest is fast approaching a point of no return.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67751685__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBMVlTyr3$

# Gov / Politics / Global
Experts Warn Russia, China Forming Military Alliance To Counter US Dominance: ‘Would Present The United States With A Threat Unlike Any It Has Confronted: “A full-scale China-Russia alliance would present the United States with a threat unlike any it has confronted since the end of the Cold War,” writes Michta. The rivalry between the U.S. and China has been evident in various global conflicts.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36380487/experts-warn-russia-china-forming-military-alliance-to-counter-us-dominance-would-present-the-united__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBLVPCpau$

Russia threatens to take US military bases in NATO territory as chilling warning issued: Vladimir Solovyov, a Russian broadcaster, issued the demand during a recent TV segment. In a clip shared on X by Eastern European media outlet Nexta, Solovyov said Moscow should capture American bases in Germany, Italy and Portugal.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1849208/russia-us-military-nato-vladimir-solovyov__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBAmMTQkv$

Vladimir Putin’s top ally sparks atomic fears as he confirms nuclear weapons move complete: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday said Russian President Vladimir Putin has made “the world more dangerous” by his decision to walk away from international nuclear agreements.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/russias-nuclear-weapons-move-sparks-nato-fears-1842761__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBPvm5Hqf$

Brazil’s Congress Passes Bill to Pave Highway Through Heart of Amazon Rainforest: Brazilian lawmakers have approved a bill to allow conservation funds to be used to pave a highway — BR-319 — that cuts through the middle of the Amazon; researchers say the road could threaten the rainforest’s existence https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ecowatch.com/brazil-amazon-rainforest-highway.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBIlkaO0J$

Palestinians Say Netanyahu ‘Confessions’ Reveal Truth of ‘Genocidal War’ in Gaza: The Foreign Ministry said that the Israeli prime minister’s push for what he terms “voluntary migration” shows that ethnic cleansing of the besieged enclave is the real goal of the ongoing bombing and ground invasion.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/netanyahu-voluntary-migration-gaza*:*:text=In*20a*20statement*20posted*20on,according*20to*20The*20Siasat*20Daily__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBAfVwhVU$

Iraq Slams US Airstrikes as ‘Unacceptable Violation’ of Sovereignty: The Iraqi government called the latest round of U.S. bombing “a clear hostile act.” The Iraqi government on Tuesday accused the U.S. of an “unacceptable violation” of national sovereignty after the Biden administration launched a series of airstrikes purportedly targeting a militia group that’s seen as an Iranian proxy, a move that critics warned would further inflame tensions in the region and raise the risk of all-out war.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/us-airstrikes-iraq*:*:text=The*20Iraqi*20government*20on*20Tuesday,in*20the*20region*20and*20raise__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBHk8tzFF$

‘This Is on Biden’: Israel Ramps Up Gaza Assault After US Guts UN Resolution: “Thanks to the U.S. watering down the U.N. Security Council resolution adopted Friday, Israel’s leaders apparently feel no pressure to stop attacking civilians in Gaza.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/israel-expands-gaza-assault*:*:text=Israeli*20Prime*20Minister*20Benjamin*20Netanyahu,a*20stop*20to*20the*20fighting__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBEouIRho$

# Gov / Politics
Biden team wary of retaliating against Houthi attacks at sea: Some current and former officials are frustrated with U.S. statements that they believe are downplaying the threat. Senior Biden administration officials agree that striking Houthis in Yemen is the wrong course of action for now, per three U.S. officials, even though some military officers have proposed more forceful responses to the militants’ attacks in the Red Sea.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/06/biden-houthi-attacks-yemen-00130333__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBMr1ejzM$

Biden Retaliates After Terrorist Attack in Iraq Against U.S: A drone attack by an Iran-affiliated terrorist group on a military base in Iraq early Monday morning left three U.S. service members wounded, the Pentagon said, and prompted President Biden to order retaliatory strikes.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drone-attack-iraq-military-base-3-u-s-service-members-wounded-kataib-hezbollah-retaliatory-strikes/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBMw6QIm2$

Ron DeSantis Advisers Prepare To ‘Make The Patient Comfortable’ Ahead Of Dropping Out: NYT. If the Florida governor’s appeal was supposed to be Trump without the baggage, that’s not what voters saw.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.inquisitr.com/ron-de-santis-advisors-are-reportedly-prepare-him-to-drop-out-of-2024__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBGXvnzaE$

The Dems’ Anti-DeSantis Has a Plan for 2024—And Maybe 2028: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is concocting the strategy for Democrats on how to take back as many governors’ mansions as possible in 2024.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thedailybeast.com/tim-walz-is-the-dems-anti-desantis-and-he-has-a-plan-for-2024*:*:text=The*20Dems’*20Anti*2DDeSantis*20Has,for*202024**BAnd*20Maybe*202028&text=Minnesota*20Gov.*20Tim*20Walz*20is,And*20may*20have*20aspirations*20beyond__;I34lJSUlJeKAlCUlJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBPmAgnXJ$

NAACP Says Racist Redistricting Aims to Silence Black Voters: Federal lawsuit calls for new congressional and legislative districts respecting constitutional rights of Black voters. North Carolina voters and nonpartisan voting rights groups filed a lawsuit in federal court against the state legislature’s illegal gerrymandering of voting districts that attack the rights of Black North Carolinians.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commoncause.org/north-carolina/democracy-wire/black-north-carolinians-voting-rights-groups-file-lawsuit-against-racially-discriminatory-nc-electoral-maps/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBLvHQDIq$

‘Deplorable’: Iowa’s GOP Governor Opts Out of Summer Food Program for Kids: “Announcing three days before Christmas that we’ve deliberately chosen not to feed hungry kids? The Dickensian parallels write themselves,” said the board chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/iowa-food-program*:*:text=Iowa’s*20Republican*2Dled*20government*20sparked,assistance*20during*20the*20coming*20summer__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBDQReDLH$

US is ‘creeping toward’ war with Iran after Hezbollah strikes: Robert Charles: National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah and other affiliated groups took credit for the attack on Christmas Day. One of the U.S. troops suffered critical injuries. After Biden was briefed on the situation and injuries, he ordered the Department of Defense to arrange retaliation options. The president ultimately directed strikes against three locations used by Kataib Hezbollah and associated groups “focused specifically on unmanned aerial drone activities,” Watson said. The response was carried out at approximately 4:45 a.m. in Iraq, nearly 12 hours after U.S. personnel were injured.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.yahoo.com/joe-biden-directs-airstrikes-against-132046911.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBDlT9PrH$

Biden ‘does not have a policy’ for Middle East, refuses to side with Israel or Palestinians: Gen. Anthony Tata: Retired U.S. Army Brigadier Gen. Anthony Tata weighs in on Biden foreign policy practices allegedly emboldening Iran and reports that the Biden administration initially planned to hide the Chinese spy flight from the American public.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6343876012112__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBBkNMYtk$

US intervention in UN resolution escalates Israeli assault on Gaza: The recent escalation in Gaza, resulting from Israel’s intensified military actions, has led to a significant increase in civilian casualties and displacement. In the shadow of escalating violence in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to expand the Israeli military’s operations. This decision comes in the wake of the United States’ significant intervention in a United Nations Security Council resolution initially aimed at halting hostilities.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/26/us-intervention-in-un-resolution-escalates-israeli-assault-on-gaza/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBJjwNDu7$

This is an act of war: K.T. McFarland: Former Trump Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland provides insight on foreign deterrence on ‘Kudlow.’
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/this-is-an-act-of-war-k-t-mcfarland/vi-AA1m42Ja?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=448d73077ac0414b89401ab515590c8b&ei=17__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBDed1ooN$

# Legal / DOJ
How Republicans flipped America’s state supreme courts: State supreme courts were once dominated by Democrats. A concerted effort by right-wing groups has changed that — with massive implications for abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and elections.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://publicintegrity.org/politics/high-courts-high-stakes/how-republicans-flipped-americas-state-supreme-courts/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBL5JgWzu$

Lose the courts, lose the war: The battle over voting in North Carolina: The disparate impact of felony disenfranchisement. A court ruling granting the vote to people on probation, parole and post-release supervision for felony convictions shows how heavily disenfranchisement fell on North Carolina’s Black residents.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.wunc.org/politics/2023-08-07/lose-the-courts-lose-the-war-the-battle-over-voting-in-north-carolina__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBMktd4cO$

America’s state supreme courts don’t look like America: The racial and ethnic makeup of state high court justices doesn’t match the nation’s. And the gap in representation has gotten worse. The data shows that in 1990, 92% of state high court justices were white — a figure that meant white justices were overrepresented by 16 percentage points when compared to the demographics of the nation as a whole.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://publicintegrity.org/politics/high-courts-high-stakes/americas-state-supreme-courts-dont-look-like-america/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBFnbupL4$

Ethics oversight of state supreme courts can be even more lax than scandal-plagued U.S. Supreme Court: North Carolina’s Supreme Court chief justice heard cases despite a conflict of interest. Experts say judicial ethics at state high courts everywhere don’t receive the scrutiny they deserve.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ncnewsline.com/2023/12/12/not-just-the-u-s-supreme-court-ethics-troubles-plague-state-high-courts-too/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBF9yfSvz$

The Supreme Court’s Extreme Majority Risks Turning Back the Clock on Decades of Progress and Undermining Our Democracy: The Supreme Court’s extreme right-wing majority is poised to roll back long-standing rights and laws. This activism threatens public trust in the court and our democracy.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-supreme-courts-extreme-majority-risks-turning-back-the-clock-on-decades-of-progress/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBCEG1TGJ$

# Medical / Health
Georgia Medicaid Debacle Bolsters Progressive Case Against Work Requirements: “While state politicians continue playing games with people’s lives, Georgians are dying because they can’t afford the healthcare they need,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock. “Pathways to Coverage has cost Georgia more money and covers far fewer people than if the state simply joined 40 other states in expanding Medicaid.” In 2021, the Biden administration rescinded Trump-approved waivers that had allowed Georgia and other states to add work requirements to their Medicaid programs.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/georgia-medicaid-work-requirements*:*:text=*22Pathways*20to*20Coverage*20has*20cost,requirements*20to*20their*20Medicaid*20programs__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBMBkubBg$

# Military / DOD
US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’: The Department of Defense relies on hundreds, if not thousands, of weapons and products such as uniforms, batteries, and microelectronics that contain PFAS, a family of chemicals linked to serious health conditions. Now, as regulators propose restrictions on their use or manufacturing, Pentagon officials have told Congress that eliminating the chemicals would undermine military readiness.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://themessenger.com/tech/pentagon-forever-chemicals-pfas-impact-national-security__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBCxWqmE7$

M109A6 Paladin: U.S. army’s heavy hitter joins the fight in Ukraine: For the first time, the US will provide the Ukrainian army with 18 M109A6 Paladin 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://interestingengineering.com/ie-originals/military-mechanics/season-5/ep-8-m109a6-paladin-us-armys-heavy-hitter-joins-the-fight-in-ukraine__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBErPnVQt$

# Military / Global
India’s navy deploys warships to Arabian Sea after tanker attack: Indian Navy to Deploy Guided Missile Destroyers After Strikes Off Its Coast. The Indian Navy will deploy guided missile destroyer ships in the Arabian Sea as a deterrent after an Israel-affiliated merchant vessel was struck off the Indian coast over the weekend.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/26/indias-navy-deploys-warships-to-arabian-sea-after-tanker-attack__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBLjiNPGz$

How and why is China creating artificial islands in the south China sea? China has been working tirelessly to establish a nearly impenetrable anti-access/area-denial zone encompassing the vast majority of the South China Sea. The development of extensive infrastructure on these artificial landmasses is a critical component of this strategy. In addition to short-range weapons, China has also deployed long-range systems on some of these islands. The artificial islands were created by dredging sand onto reefs which were then concreted to make permanent structures.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TAPq-hciLo__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBOsDKwvz$

China’s Island Building in the South China Sea: Damage to the Marine Environment, Implications, and International Law: China’s island building activities may have violated some of its environmental commitments under international law; the ongoing case initiated by the Philippines at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague regarding China’s claims and activities in the South China Sea is considering this possibility.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.uscc.gov/research/chinas-island-building-south-china-sea-damage-marine-environment-implications-and__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBEIQnqVO$

Russia employs ‘superweapon’ against Ukraine for first time in months – UK: The AS-24 KILLJOY missile accelerates to Mach 4 (roughly 3,000 miles per hour) after launch and may reach speeds as fast as Mach 10 (roughly 7,673 miles per hour). The United Kingdom’s Defense Ministry last week published an intelligence update regarding Russia’s use of a “super weapon” in Ukraine.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.jpost.com/international/internationalrussia-ukraine-war/article-779532__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBB-NMPcp$

Russia’s Using American Military Equipment in Ukraine War: Russia’s Using American Military Equipment in Ukraine War: Report. Russian soldiers are reportedly still getting their hands on Western-made military equipment despite the unprecedented sanctions that have been put in place since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/russia-using-american-military-equipment-ukraine-1855573*:*:text=Russia’s*20Using*20American*20Military*20Equipment*20in*20Ukraine*20War*3A*20Report,-Dec*2026*2C*202023&text=Russian*20soldiers*20are*20reportedly*20still,of*20the*20Russia*2DUkraine*20war__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBDZHmvMd$

# Planetary
Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field: Ancient bricks inscribed with the names of Mesopotamian kings have yielded important insights into a mysterious anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field 3,000 years ago, according to a new study involving University College London researchers. Ancient bricks inscribed with the names of Mesopotamian kings have yielded important insights into a mysterious anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field 3,000 years ago, according to a new study involving UCL researchers.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://phys.org/news/2023-12-mesopotamian-bricks-unveil-strength-earth.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBPFwUVGu$

Challenging assumptions: The 8.5-year rhythm of Earth’s inner core: Researchers from China have confirmed the existence of an approximately 8.5-year Inner Core Wobble (ICW) in both polar motion and length-of-day variations, revealing a static tilt of about 0.17 degrees between the Earth’s inner core and mantle, challenging traditional assumptions and providing insights into the Earth’s internal dynamics and density distribution.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://phys.org/news/2023-12-assumptions-year-rhythm-earth-core.html*:*:text=Researchers*20from*20China*20have*20confirmed,providing*20insights*20into*20the*20Earth’s__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBC0D9imv$

# Science
Research argues that Occam’s razor is an ‘essential factor that distinguishes science from superstition’: Occam’s razor—the principle that when faced with competing explanations, we should choose the simplest that fits the facts—is not just a tool of science. Occam’s razor is science, insists a renowned molecular geneticist from the University of Surrey.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://phys.org/news/2023-12-occam-razor-essential-factor-distinguishes.html*:*:text=7-,Research*20argues*20that*20Occam’s*20razor*20is*20an*20’essential,that*20distinguishes*20science*20from*20superstition’&text=Occam’s*20razor**Bthe*20principle*20that,just*20a*20tool*20of*20science__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSXigJQlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBG0T8gU2$
See also: Occam’s razor: A guiding principle of logic exhorting us to keep things as simple as possible https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newscientist.com/definition/occams-razor/*:*:text=Occam’s*20razor*20is*20a*20principle,should*20prefer*20the*20simpler*20one__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBFDgXsxa$

# UFO Disclosure / Other
Many UFO whistleblowers ‘fearful’ after speaking out: A whistleblower claims the government retrieved non-human spacecraft. A congressman says lawmakers are going to try to hold hearings on UFOs. Whistleblower attorney: The government is not telling ‘the complete story’
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12273635/Investigative-journalist-broke-Pentagon-UFO-story-reveals-whistleblowers-come-forward.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBEfbmGVV$

What’s the deal with UFOs? The historical context of recent whistleblower claims: Former Pentagon employee David Grusch told Congress last week that UFOs are real and the U.S. government has been withholding knowledge of non-human life on Earth for nearly a century.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/whats-the-deal-with-ufos-the-historical-context-of-recent-whistleblower-claims__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBHMFeMYb$

Why the UFO whistleblowers are getting a mixed reaction: Senate Intelligence Committee’s vice chairman, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), appears to think Grusch might be on to something.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/why-ufo-whistleblowers-getting-a-mixed-reaction__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBHffcJsr$

U.S. recovered non-human ‘biologics’ from UFO crash sites, former intel official says: Three military veterans testified in Congress’ highly anticipated hearing on UFOs Wednesday, including a former Air Force intelligence officer who claimed the U.S. government has operated a secret “multi-decade” reverse engineering program of recovered vessels. He also said the U.S. has recovered non-human “biologics” from alleged crash sites. (increasingly, UAP refers to “anomalous” rather than “aerial” phenomena, to account for sightings in both air and water).
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.npr.org/2023/07/27/1190390376/ufo-hearing-non-human-biologics-uaps__;!!On18fmf1aQ!0Zw1_HRXL9KHT1LEd_ynxhpmBhPoIWrFoTlFfFjql6T4YXDmJsHB95ov7Zl79Uh72BHtgkj4_TgfqxkCfkjGTQrRBCPBaKX7$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-24

Voices, The Peoples News

December 24, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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“There will be no Homeland Security until we realize that the entire
planet is our homeland. Every sentient being in the world
must feel secure.” – John Perkins
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Animals / Pets / Alerts / Recalls
Blue Ridge Beef has expanded an earlier recall due to Salmonella and Listeria concerns, and there are multiple dog food and cat food brands included, such as their Kitten Mix, Kitten Grind, and Puppy Mix https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.petful.com/recalled/recalled-blue-ridge-beef-kitten-grind-blue-ridge-beef-kitten-mix-blue-ridge-beef-puppy-mix/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_IRinxe7$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Biden Admin Accused Of ‘Basically Providing Backdoor Amnesty’ For Illegal Migrants: The Biden Administration’s effort to maximize illegal immigration to the United States will crush Texas with the costs, crime, and upheaval from yet another surge of unvetted foreign aliens entering our country as Title 42 expires on May 11. Attorney General Paxton has issued the following statement …
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/paxton-issues-statement-catastrophic-illegal-immigration-surge-orchestrated-biden-administration__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_PjNzXBS$

Federal Court Rules On Biden Admin’s Attempt To Remove Texas Border Protection Measures: Judge Alia Moses ruled in the federal government’s favor but chided the Biden administration for not allowing migrants to use international bridges to claim asylum.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/30/texas-border-concertina-wire-judge-ruling/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_HmigGiZ$

Democrats finally admit border crisis is a problem: Beijing’s top admiral issues the warning during teleconference talks with his US counterpart aimed at defusing tension in the region
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/30/us-and-china-agree-to-cooperate-despite-tensions-over-south-china-sea__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_L4hkS2o$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants / Global Russian Affiliated Airline Adds New European Stop Prompting NATO Fears of ‘Organized Rush of Refugees’: Arecent report by a German publication has shed light on an immigrant smuggling operation orchestrated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The report claims Putin is using a fake airline, called “Southwind Airlines,” to smuggle illegal immigrants into Europe, with the assistance of Turkish connections.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-affiliated-airline-adds-new-european-stop-prompting-nato-fears-of-organized-rush-of-refugees/ar-AA1lX5aV?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=4c900db870cc4ac5b77047d500cb62a4&ei=148__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_DCp7Xn4$

Migrants are ‘seeing the truth’ of the Biden administration: How Biden, Mayorkas broke our Immigration system from the inside out. It truly is a broken system, and that’s because it is broken by design.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/how-biden-mayorkas-broke-our-immigration-system-the-inside-out__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_PFRxQKB$

Immigration Crisis: Here’s Where Biden’s Policies Stand — And What Trump Wants To Do: Biden is trying to strengthen his immigration policies, while Trump vows record deportations. Many Americans are dissatisfied with how Biden is handling the immigration. In a recent Monmouth University Poll, 69% said they disapprove of Biden’s performance on immigration.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://themessenger.com/politics/immigration-crisis-heres-where-bidens-policies-stand-and-what-trump-wants-to-do__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_AUXZHo3$

# Corporations / Industry
John Fetterman Leads Senators Demanding Joe Biden Save U.S. Steel from Foreign Acquisition: Sen. John Fetterman and other senators are urging President Biden’s administration to block the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel Corporation, a foreign company. They emphasize national security implications and the importance of keeping the iconic American steel company under American ownership.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.analyzingamerica.org/2023/12/728429/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_ELHDqEf$

# Education / Schools
Nevada school district sued after student has swastika carved into his back in antisemitic attack: The family of a Jewish student with autism in Las Vegas is suing the city’s school district after the then-17-year-old returned home with a swastika etched into his back.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nevada-student-swastika-carved-back-b2468658.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_D-4c9Iy$

‘After School Satan Club’ draws concern from Tennessee parents: “The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religion that views Satan as a literary figure who represents a metaphorical construct of rejecting tyranny and championing the human mind and spirt. After School Satan Club does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/after-school-satan-club-coming-to-memphis-elementary-school/article_31a7f0f0-991b-11ee-b7af-47f85d0b2244.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_DAD-XvS$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals
The law that will change the way millions of Americans get their power: ‘It’s a big deal’: Rural energy is getting a long overdue makeover. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the government has earmarked $10.7 billion to help make energy cleaner and more affordable for 42 million people across the country
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.yahoo.com/government-just-passed-law-change-114500452.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_DJKLjwy$

In Alabama, What Does It Take to Shut Down a Surface Mine Operating Without Permits? Nearby residents and environmental activists complained to state regulators without redress. Alabama officials initially fined the company, but now they’ve signaled a green light ahead.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24122023/alabama-surface-mine-operating-without-permits/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_IzmA8X2$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure
A BLM Proposal to Protect Wildlife Corridors Could Restore the West’s ‘Veins and Arteries’: Last winter’s deaths of thousands of Wyoming pronghorn increased interest in “conservation leases.” But where wildlife advocates see hope, energy and ranching interests fear an attack on the “Western way of life.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23122023/blm-protect-wildlife-corridors-the-west/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_BIkgnXW$

# General News
Reporter asks Trump supporters to watch video of Trump’s anti-immigrant speech. See how they reacted: CNN’s Gary Tuchman talks to Trump supporters in Iowa – some who rely on migrant labor to run their businesses – about Trump’s latest anti-immigrant comments.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/reporter-ask-trump-supporters-to-watch-video-of-trumps-anti-immigrant-speech-see-how-they/video_5ea92486-c1d6-547e-b1bd-7991f0ce123d.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_DdWkxik$

‘Real Trump derangement syndrome’: MAGA supporters mocked as they call former prez ‘God’s appointee’ being ‘crucified’ by critics: Call one of his ravings sent out in the wee hours on his social media platform Truth Central deranged, and he’ll latch onto that word to use as invective against his political opponents. Trump is even trying to turn the tables on the increasing number of historians, journalists and politicians who warn that the former grifter in chief is an obvious threat to the continuation of our democracy. Yes, the twice-impeached ex-president who lies about and despises the free press and talks about suspending the Constitution now regularly claims that he is somehow protecting all of us from “Joe Biden’s war on democracy.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.salon.com/2023/12/10/trump-derangement-syndrome-is-real–but-its-not-what-they-say-it-is/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_GgKrs5H$

Trump Secretly Mocks His Christian Supporters: Former aides say that in private, the president has spoken with cynicism and contempt about believers. In speeches and interviews, President Donald Trump plays a champion of conservative religious values. But according to McKay Coppins’ recent Atlantic article, behind closed doors, Trump’s “comments about religion are marked by cynicism and contempt.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://radiowest.kuer.org/religion/2020-10-02/what-trump-really-says-about-religious-conservatives__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_G5QPfEO$

Michael Cohen: ‘Trump will continue to ride this grift as long as he can’: “What he’s doing is he’s inciting his base. That’s really what it’s about because the more he incites them, the more money that they raise,” Cohen said in an interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta on Saturday.
“He will continue to ride this grift as long as he can,” Cohen added.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4375772-michael-cohen-trump-will-continue-to-ride-this-grift-as-long-as-he-can/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_MFXA4i_$

# Gov / Politics / Global
Vladimir Putin’s plan to ‘tear the US apart’ during 2024 election exposed: Mr Biden and Mr Trump will face each other for the second time after the divisive 2020 election, in which tensions culminated in the January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill in 2021. An expert on Russia, Mark Galeotti, has warned that Putin will look to capitalize on the polarised debate in the US to “tear the country apart.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.the-express.com/news/world-news/122303/putin-united-states-biden-trump-russia-ukraine__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_Ok-DFwB$

US warned it’s sleepwalking into disaster as China and Russia prepare to inflict chaos: A recent report by the Heritage Foundation warns that, of all the threats facing the United States, none have “grown as fast, or in a manner as difficult to understand, as the danger from cyberattacks.” As the duo write, America won’t be brought to its knees in one hour or one day; instead, it will be brought to its knees over the course of many hours, days, weeks, and years. Nations crippled by the effects of cyberwarfare die a death by a thousand cuts.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1848366/us-china-russia-cyber-attack-warning__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_Ph8wlkh$

Japan will send Patriot missiles to the U.S.: Tokyo relaxes post-Second World War export ban on deadly weapons in defense systems deal that could help Ukraine in its war with Russia: Japan has agreed to send Patriot missiles to the U.S. in a break from its self-imposed ban on exporting deadly weapons since the end of the Second World War. The White House welcomed the decision that could help boost the missile stockpile Ukraine needs to defend itself from a Russian onslaught this winter.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/japan-to-send-u-s-patriot-missiles-creating-deeper-pool-for-ukraine-air-defenses-ae8d4316__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_MP3spOi$

Putin’s Private Army Accused of Sickening New Massacre: Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin may be dead, but witnesses say Russian paramilitaries in the Central African Republic slaughtered dozens of people to secure access to a gold mine.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-private-army-accused-of-massacring-dozens-to-seize-gold-mine__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_K_4pjnb$

Putin Initiates Action in NATO Country Today: According to Germany’s largest daily newspaper, Bild, Russia has established a new airline in Turkey. The intention is to organize a stream of refugees to Europe through the NATO country, thereby causing chaos on the continent. As early as today, December 23, the first airplane is supposed to have taken off.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-initiates-action-in-nato-country-today/ar-AA1lX6bT?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=4c900db870cc4ac5b77047d500cb62a4&ei=11__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_Ald65tJ$

Russia confirms use of prohibited chemical weapons: According to their latest assessment on December 23, Russian naval infantry units have confirmed the use of prohibited chemical weapons in the village of Krynky, located 30 kilometers northeast of Kherson. This act is a direct violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia is a signatory.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-confirms-use-of-prohibited-chemical-weapons/ar-AA1lXO1Q?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=f2b8744f49794db69887969a4ccdfca4&ei=22__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_MzSXIbb$

Chinese Media Warns Minor Incident Could ‘Spark War’ With US: A Chinese newspaper warned on Saturday in an editorial that the fragile relationship between the United States and China could result in a war between the two countries. The warning comes more than a month after President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November. Beijing’s top admiral issues the warning during teleconference talks with his US counterpart aimed at defusing tension in the region
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/30/us-and-china-agree-to-cooperate-despite-tensions-over-south-china-sea__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_L4hkS2o$

# Gov / Politics
There Is No Precedent for How Bad Biden’s Polls Are Right Now, It’s even worse than it looks: Genuine fear has set in among both Democratic insiders and the rank and file as the president trails Trump by 3 points
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/12/biden-trump-2024-campaign-polls-nyt-siena.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_FLTDCYb$

Biden signs record-breaking $886 bln Pentagon budget, Ukraine included: The National Defense Authorization Act is an annual bill that both parties have supported for over 60 years. The 2024 budget won widespread bipartisan approval in both the Senate and the House of Representatives before heading to Biden’s desk.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.yahoo.com/biden-approves-record-886-billion-223656721.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_M24OMd7$

‘Starving your own constituents’: Republicans’ plan to gut food stamps could end House majority: House Republicans’ pursuit of a far-right policy goal that would disproportionately affect millions of their own constituents may end up costing them their razor-thin majority in 2024. As part of their negotiations for the next farm bill, Republicans are insisting on instituting even stricter work requirements for the approximately 41 million recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.alternet.org/starving-republicans-food-stamps/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_IYQnw87$

Biden Affirms Criminal Prosecution Possibility for Presidents: President Joe Biden said he “can’t think of one” reason presidents should receive absolute immunity from prosecution, as Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has claimed. Biden made the comment in response to a reporter’s question Saturday before departing the White House for Camp David, where he will spend Christmas.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.celebtattler.com/news/news/celebrities/33744/biden-affirms-criminal-prosecution-possibility-for-presidents/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_NBAS3FH$

# Legal / DOJ
Paramedics Who Sedated Elijah McClain Convicted in His Death: Two paramedics were convicted Friday in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, who died after he was stopped by Aurora, Colorado, police and injected with the powerful sedative ketamine by the emergency medical services workers. McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist, was walking home from a store on Aug. 24, 2019 when he was stopped by police and violently restrained. He was not armed or accused of committing a crime, but a 911 caller reported a man who seemed “sketchy.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/22/paramedics-found-guilty-in-death-of-elijah-mcclain/72016432007/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_H_zt5Gs$

Bombshell Report Alleges Jack Smith Was Unconstitutionally Appointed Special Counsel: Meese, along with law professors Steven G. Calabresi and Gary S. Lawson, filed a friend-of-the-court brief Wednesday to present the case that Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of Smith, a private citizen, is in violation of the Appointments Clause of the Constitution
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://reason.com/volokh/2023/12/20/special-counsel-jack-smmiths-appointment-is-unconstitutional/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_CLdga-1$

# Military / DOD
The world’s top military powers each have fifth-gen jets, but Russia, China, and the US are all facing problems with their fighters: The Russian Su-57, Chinese J-20, and American F-35 are all facing various challenges. Business Insider spoke with several experts about what’s been holding these programs back.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-china-us-militaries-fifth-gen-fighter-jets-problems-2023-12__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_I5rszva$

# Military / Global
Putin’s navy makes sudden retreat from Black Sea as Ukraine left baffled: Russia has reportedly withdrawn most of its Black Sea Fleet from occupied Crimea in recent weeks following a series of successful Ukrainian attacks. The retreat of the Russian fleet is a serious setback for Vladimir Putin’s ongoing invasion and the latest indication that Ukraine is winning the Battle of the Black Sea.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putins-fleet-retreats-ukraine-is-winning-the-battle-of-the-black-sea/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_KluTFj4$

Chinese, Iranian and Indian Warships Are Now in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden: While the US has unveiled a multinational naval force to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea from Iranian-backed Houthi militia, India has stationed two guided-missile destroyers off the coast of Aden as part of maritime security in the north Arabian Sea.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-stations-two-destroyers-off-the-coast-of-aden-for-maritime-security-101702961948164.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_BWIfpdS$

# Social
Nearly 200 Oklahoma City families face eviction just days before Christmas: Advocates said Oklahoma has one of the shortest windows when it comes to eviction cases. Right now, tenants only get a five-day notice before their eviction hearing.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/midwest/oklahoma-city-evictions/*:*:text=(KFOR)*20**C20Nearly*20200*20hundred,notice*20before*20their*20eviction*20hearing__;I34l4oCUJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_MyKtIFW$

Oklahoma Town Plans to Ticket Homeless People: The Shawnee Board of City Commissioners voted 6-1 on Monday to prohibit anyone from sleeping outside, lying down, sitting down, or placing items in the right-of-way in Shawnee’s downtown area. The ordinance, called “Sit/Lie” by some, efforts to make the city safer for both residents and visitors, the city says.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://themessenger.com/news/shawnee-oklahoma-city-plans-ticket-sit-lie-homeless?utm_source=onsite&utm_medium=latest_news__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_NcHF83C$

# Technology
Social Media Giants File Lawsuit to Stop Utah from Protecting Kids Online: A group representing TikTok, Meta and X sues Utah over strict new limits on app use for minors. Two laws signed in March by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox will prohibit minors from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. unless authorized by a parent — and require age verification to open and maintain a social media account in the state. The restrictions are designed to protect children from targeted advertisements and addictive features that could negatively impact their mental health. Both laws take effect March 1, 2024.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/utah-social-media-teens-tiktok-meta-d11e981a04f38e7c2a96bf44226f991f__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_GG5PS_e$

The Race to Put Brain Implants in People Is Heating Up: Thanks in part to Elon Musk, the field of brain-computer interfaces has captured both public and investor interest, with a cadre of companies now developing implantable devices.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-11-07/elon-musk-s-neuralink-brain-implant-startup-is-ready-to-start-surgery__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1jjIQhzHJ1VJN5wdaDYMnj9z0rybpjRmTm4gcrZ8ODXDqa2D62URHdVbHaLkMxEFCpcpLCP8-KJzhU4b3mNYeHp0_EEhmcSp$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-21

Voices, The Peoples News

December 21, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
US Civilians Are Taking Protection Of The Border Into Their Own Hands: Texas Civilians Joining Border Protection Unit Sparks Fears of ‘Vigilantes.’ New Republican legislation in the Texas House includes the option for average citizens to take action as part of a border policing unit aimed at countering illegal immigration.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/texas-civilians-joining-border-protection-unit-sparks-fears-vigilantes-1799530__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEpIQhxS8$

Cartel Wars At The Border Pose Grave Danger For US Agents: The Mexican military seized the IEDs after a gun battle erupted between cartels vying for control of a border area used for drug smuggling. Federal enforcement issued a warning to border officers, saying they should “exercise extreme caution and should report any possible armed subjects approaching the border with possible explosive devices.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.analyzingamerica.org/2023/12/726763/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEmmQmATD$

The southern border of the United States remains mired in chaos, disaster, and death. Contrary to claims by the Biden administration–in particular Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas–the border is not secure. Indeed, the day-to-day reality and the data make clear that America’s southern border is the furthest thing from secure and is enduring record levels of apprehensions, human trafficking, and drug seizures.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://americarenewing.com/issues/its-time-to-wage-war-on-transnational-drug-cartels/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEoEBRmp2$

US Borders full of migrant’s litter, conservatives calling environmentalists to speak up: the federally-protected borderland in Arizona is overwhelmed by waste and human excrement due to an influx of illegal migrants, as revealed in photos and Border Patrol accounts. The Organ Pipe National Monument, housing endangered species, witnesses migrants awaiting law enforcement, lacking bathrooms. The area is littered with discarded documents and waste, reeking of excrement, posing health risks.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theindependent.sg/us-borders-full-of-migrants-litter-conservatives-calling-environmentalists-to-speak-up/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEpZ6rzCc$

Texas Gov. Flies 120 Migrants to Chicago Amid Ongoing Weaponization of Immigration by GOP: The flight comes after Chicago officials reportedly cracked down on buses coming from Texas with immigrant passengers. Since last year, Texas has bused over 80,000 immigrants to Democratic-led cities across the U.S.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/20/texas-plane-immigrants-chicago-greg-abbott-busing/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEmWxiANq$

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks
Social Security clawbacks drive some Americans into homelessness: A year after the federal government first cut off her disability benefits, Denise Woods drives nightly to strip malls, truck stops, and parking lots around Savannah, Georgia, looking for a safe place to sleep in her Chevy. The government terminated her disability payments without notice. According to letters sent by the Social Security Administration, the agency determined it had been overpaying Woods and demanded she send back nearly $58,000.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.arcamax.com/currentnews/newsheadlines/s-3027930__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEvDcguqm$

Senators demand answers from Social Security for clawbacks tied to COVID-19 relief: A group of U.S. senators is demanding answers from the Social Security Administration to address why the agency, in violation of its own policy, has been reducing and suspending people’s benefits because of the money they received as COVID-19 relief payments.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/senators-concern-social-security-clawbacks-covid-stimulus/*:*:text=Three*20U.S.*20senators*20on*20a,received*20covid*2D19*20relief*20payments__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEow2ASLI$

Senators Demand Answers From Social Security on Clawbacks Tied to COVID Relief: Three U.S. senators on a panel that oversees Social Security have called on the Social Security Administration to address a news report saying that, in violation of agency policy, people’s benefits were reduced or suspended because they received COVID-19 relief payments. The lawmakers, who include Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), sent a letter to acting SSA Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi saying they were “deeply concerned” and wanted answers to a list of questions.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://seniorspectrumnewspapers.com/senators-demand-answers-from-social-security-on-clawbacks-tied-to-covid-relief/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEjJzhh-k$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals Oil companies offer $382M for drilling rights in Gulf of Mexico in last offshore sale before 2025: Oil companies offered $382 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday after courts rejected the Biden administration’s plans to scale back the sale to protect an endangered whale species.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/gulf-oil-offshore-drilling-lease-biden-whale-be6009f1edba22e6e369aa9f1456ec16__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEnEgiYml$

West Texans rally against planned natural gas pipeline: Critics are calling on federal regulators to increase their scrutiny and oversight of the proposed pipeline, which would send gas from Texas to the Mexican coast for export to other countries.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/20/texas-saguaro-cross-border-natural-gas-pipeline/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEh2hp9hV$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure
As the Arctic Warms, Its Waters Are Emitting Carbon: Since the 1970s, the Arctic has warmed at least three times faster than anywhere else on Earth, transforming its waters and ecosystems, the scientists said. Some of these changes promote more CO2 outgassing in the region, while others lead to more CO2 being absorbed.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/as-the-arctic-warms-its-waters-are-emitting-carbon__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEvEH_F40$

# General News
The Constitution’s Insurrection Clause threatens Trump’s campaign. Here’s how that’s playing out: Colorado’s Supreme Court decision to disqualify Donald Trump from the state’s ballot under a clause in the 14th Amendment marks the first time in history the provision has been used to prohibit someone from running for the presidency. The U.S. Supreme Court will likely have the final say on the matter, and their decision could have far-reaching consequences for Trump’s 2024 campaign
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-79373b5043976588b599fc00ede049e8__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEi9LtTqW$

Trump Tells High Court There’s No Need To Rush The Jan. 6 Case Against Him: Trump, though, would have the ability to end that prosecution if he returns to the White House before the case has concluded.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-supreme-court-immunity_n_6580d75fe4b01d1b9534cf4d__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEgEmhCDq$

With voting now less than a month away, the non-Trump GOP presidential candidates are again opting not to exploit his greatest vulnerability: The continuing legal consequences of his Jan. 6 coup attempt. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden agreed with a key part of the Colorado high court’s ruling.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-rivals-coup-attempt_n_65833454e4b04da984257ce2*:*:text=Partycapitol*20riot-,Non*2DTrump*20GOP*20Rivals*20Still*20Unwilling*20To*20Use*20Trump’s*20Jan,court*20rather*20than*20blame*20Trump__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEqwuTfEt$

Colorado GOP Threatens to Go Rogue If Trump Decision Stands: The Colorado Republican Party on Tuesday threatened to switch its presidential nominating process from a primary to a caucus system, following the state’s Supreme Court ruling Tuesday that rendered former President Trump ineligible to appear on the primary ballot. The Colorado GOP’s account on X, formerly Twitter, replied to a post from Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who pledged to “withdraw from the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is also allowed to be on the state’s ballot.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4369749-colorado-gop-threatens-to-shift-to-caucus-system-over-trump-ruling/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEr50m_gS$

Colorado’s Trump Ruling Gives SCOTUS a Shot at Redemption: A decision from Colorado on Tuesday will likely force the court to decide, very quickly by SCOTUS standards, if states can ban Trump from the ballot using the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause. It stayed the ruling until Jan. 4, with the option to keep the stay in place if the Supreme Court takes up the case before then.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.axios.com/2023/12/20/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEl_15Uj4$

Government official forced to flee after Trump fans shared address online: court filing: A government official was forced to flee his home after one former President Donald Trump’s supporters shared his address online, according to information revealed in an unredacted gag order issued Wednesday
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rawstory.com/unredacted-trump-gag-order/*:*:text=Kathleen*20Culliton,-Kathleen*20Culliton*20is&text=A*20government*20official*20was*20forced,unredacted*20gag*20order*20issued*20Wednesday__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEuY2RLTa$

“Fascism Out Loud”: Trump’s Escalating Racist Rhetoric & the Far Right’s Plan for a Slow Civil War: As the 2024 presidential election campaign heats up, Republican front-runner Donald Trump is escalating his racist rhetoric https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.democracynow.org/2023/12/21/jeff_sharlet_trump_blood_poisoning_project2025__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEg-G7_8V$

# Gov / Politics / Global
China has made ‘clear signals’ that they plan to go to war in Asia: Jonathan DT Ward:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6343659480112__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEh004PHx$

Why North Korea’s Latest Nuclear Claims Are Raising Alarms: North Korea’s new wave of propaganda suggests that it has succeeded in miniaturizing its nuclear warheads and made its missiles easier to launch and harder to intercept. The claims, not fully corroborated, show the country is on a path that is worrying to its neighbors, and to the United States.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/02/world/asia/north-korea-nuclear.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEpusV9wK$

When Zionist militias, using advanced Western arms, conquered historic Palestine in 1947- 48, they expressed their victory through the deliberate humiliation of Palestinians. Much of that humiliation targeted women, in particular, knowing how the dishonor of Palestinian females represents, according to Arab culture, a sense of dishonor to the whole community. This strategy remains in use to this day.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.mintpressnews.com/urinating-prisoners-humiliation-functional-israel-war-palestinians/286504/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEothDp9T$

# Gov / Politics
Amid U.N. Security Council Intrigue, U.S. Privately Moves To Block Another Option For International Accountability For Gaza: As bloodshed continues in Gaza, the Biden administration is finalizing plans to urge Switzerland to reject a request from Palestine to hold a conference on violations of the Geneva Conventions. This comes as the U.S. is simultaneously slow-rolling a U.N. Security Council resolution that would drastically increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged strip
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/un-security-council-us-block-accountability-international-gaza_n_6583338ce4b04da984257b9c__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEp1XXZ1O$

U.S. Relationship With Netanyahu Government Has Turned Toxic: Biden Administration’s Relationship With Netanyahu Government Has Turned Toxic. Senior officials are working day and night toward a resolution to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, but they’re getting little help from Bibi—who’s supposed to be an ally.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://time.com/6267020/biden-netanyahu-relationship-turned-icy/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEnCPnwkh$

The West is now at war with Iran and its proxies: Beefing up U.S. naval deployments is not enough to boost deterrence, Washington must also respond decisively to proxy attacks on its forces and increase economic pressure on Tehran. It has been a recurring theme of Iran’s innate hostility towards the West that, irrespective of the ayatollahs’ constant threats, Tehran has invariably shied away from provoking a direct confrontation.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/risks-wider-war-iran-and-its-proxies__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEuezDann$

US shouldn’t protect Chinese shipping in the Red Sea: The United States has established a maritime security initiative to confront Houthi rebel attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Two actions should now follow. First, President Joe Biden should order air and missile strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen. He should request that the United Kingdom, France, and Spain (also members of the initiative) participate in those strikes to lend them multinational credibility.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/us-shouldnt-protect-chinese-shipping-in-the-red-sea__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEkeH4YPb$

US stalls UN resolution amid rising Gaza crisis and Israeli war crime claims: The unfolding crisis in Gaza and the U.S.’s pivotal role in shaping the UN Security Council’s response underscore the complexities of international diplomacy and humanitarian intervention.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/21/us-stalls-un-resolution-amid-rising-gaza-crisis-and-israeli-war-crime-claims/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpElaUo8H_$

FEC urges Congress to close foreign money loophole: The Federal Election Commission is urging Congress to close a loophole in federal law that allows foreign corporations to finance ballot measures.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/12/fec-urges-congress-to-close-foreign-money-loophole*:*:text=The*20Federal*20Election*20Commission*20is,corporations*20to*20finance*20ballot*20measures__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEoAkGlEu$

# Legal / DOJ
A federal judge temporarily blocked a California law that would have banned carrying firearms in most public places starting next month, ruling that it violates the Second Amendment and deprives people of their ability to defend themselves and their loved ones.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/california-gun-laws-concealed-carry-c7ebb8506ed99f41b59455350647c0b6__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEhW_bmxg$

# Medical / Health
The Texas Supreme Court is calling on the state’s medical board to offer guidance to doctors on how to handle exceptions to Texas’ abortion laws. However, doctors say nonbinding guidance won’t be enough to give them reassurance.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/21/texas-medical-board-abortion/*:*:text=The*20Texas*20Supreme*20Court*20has,wouldn’t*20be*20enough*20reassurance__;I34lJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEuQe9tuH$

Texas abortion law’s wording is causing dangerous confusion over emergency medical exceptions, critics say: Emergency medical exceptions to the Texas abortion ban are extremely rare, and experts say the law leaves medical providers with their hands tied and puts patients at risk.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/15/us/texas-abortion-ban-emergency-medical-exception/index.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEj3FHApL$

# Medical Technology
Bioprinting in 3D: Imagine someone needs a heart transplant and scientists take cells from that person to create an entire new heart for them. Research on the International Space Station is helping to bring that dream closer to reality. The Russian state space agency ROSCOSMOS launched equipment in 2018, 3D MBP, that included a magnetic printer called Organ.Aut. A series of experiments from 2018 through 2020 showed that this approach could create tissue constructs, helping to pave the way for additional research on producing artificial organs.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Bioprinting_in_3D_2023_Science_Wrap_999.html*:*:text=Bioprinting*20technology*20also*20could*20create,a*20binder*20on*20a*20film__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEnN7dHp7$

# Military / DOD
Biden prepares to launch missile strike on Houthi rebels amid crisis in Red Sea: The Biden administration has sent messages to the Houthi rebels in Yemen via several channels recently warning them to stop their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and against Israel, two U.S. officials said.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.axios.com/2023/12/14/us-warns-yemens-houthis-stop-red-sea-attacks__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEixA9hXy$

US officials frustrated by Biden administration’s response to attacks in Red Sea: An hours-long firefight involving U.S. commercial vessels in the Red Sea this weekend has left some U.S. officials frustrated by what they see as the Biden administration’s deliberate downplaying of a major threat to American forces. A U.S. Navy warship scrambled to respond to multiple distress calls on Sunday, as Houthi rebels in Yemen launched missiles and drones against three separate commercial vessels. The USS Carney fired back, taking down three unmanned aerial systems.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/04/biden-response-red-sea-attacks-00130018__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEnSObZgb$

Biden weighs up direct military strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen to avoid the $2million cost per shot of bringing down the rebel group’s attack drones in bid to protect trade routes through the Red Sea The Pentagon is keeping its cards close to its chest amid reports that officials have offered Biden an option for direct military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which could result in a standoff with Iran
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12885435/biden-houthi-iran-military-strikes-red-sea.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEtsuNN_k$

# Military / Global
REIGN OF TERROR: Yemen will be a warzone ‘worse than Vietnam’ for US, Iran-backed Houthi chief warns after ‘missile strike plan’ revealed. The US is allegedly drawing up potential plans to strike Yemen, while its 10-country naval fleet takes shape in the Red Sea. The leader of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels has vowed to target American warships if President Biden orders missile strikes against its forces.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/25119316/yemen-arzone-worse-vietnam-houthi-chief/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEqsKOPoi$

Iran warns US will face ‘problems’ with Red Sea task force plans: US and allies in talks to form multinational task force to address attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on ships in Red Sea. Iran’s Defence Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani has warned that a planned United States-backed multinational task force to protect shipping in the Red Sea would face “extraordinary problems.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/14/iran-warns-us-of-problems-in-response-to-red-sea-task-force-plans__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEoKSU1GT$

# Space / NASA
NASA’s 3D-printed Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine Test a Success:
Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, successfully tested a novel, 3D-printed RDRE for 251 seconds (or longer than four minutes), producing more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. That kind of sustained burn emulates typical requirements for a lander touchdown or a deep-space burn that could set a spacecraft on course from the Moon to Mars
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/marshall/nasas-3d-printed-rotating-detonation-rocket-engine-test-a-success/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEir8uFdy$

NASA Outlines Future Strategy for Post-ISS Microgravity Research Labs in LEO: In September 2022, the National Space Council directed NASA to “develop a plan for the next generation microgravity national lab in a commercial space station world.” NASA has been working to develop this strategy, to include considerations for establishing robust international partner pathways outlined in a report https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASA_Outlines_Future_Strategy_for_Post_ISS_Microgravity_Research_Labs_in_LEO_999.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEji-eYU3$

China’s secret space plane emits strong signal to the ground when passing North America: satellite tracker: Strong emissions were detected at the frequency of 2280 megahertz while the uncrewed reusable plane was flying over British Columbia, Canada, where Scott Tilley is based, he told the South China Morning Post in an email on Tuesday. Ling Xin is a science journalist based in Ohio.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3245815/chinas-secret-space-plane-emits-strong-signal-ground-when-passing-north-america-satellite-tracker?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEhkjNMQp$

# Water
A Saudi company abusing water rights in the US lost its leases: Gov. Katie Hobbs on Tuesday defended the decision to strip a Saudi company of its right to lease state land to farm alfalfa for export, and get the water underneath it free, but had no answers to what will become of the nearly 3,500 acres after that.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eacourier.com/news/state/saudi-firm-to-lose-lease-on-arizona-alfalfa-operation/article_d409fdee-63aa-11ee-9be7-875e2c10313b.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEujWg3CE$

Saudi company with alfalfa farms in Arizona to appeal governor’s move to revoke groundwater deal: Fondomonte leases thousands of acres of state-owned land for farming, and while numerous companies have similar agricultural leases, Fondomonte has become a lightning rod of sorts because the location of its leases allows it to pump water unchecked. Fondomonte Arizona grows alfalfa that it ships back to the Middle East to feed cows. Below-market-rate leases to the company first were reported by The Arizona Republic last year.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-investigations/2023/10/03/saudi-company-fondomonte-to-fight-arizona-termination-of-water-lease/71051063007/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!1664cOEHvctYmERcC7fnDgSY4YVjRH5SL6CvrBoo_Qv9y8gpJatUnjRWgkoG7wTGC1VwXbfdPmwwj6V-CeBUSkSpEpBkYBV5$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-20

Voices, The Peoples News

December 20, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Indigenous / Global
Why more than 60 Indigenous nations oppose the Line 5 oil pipeline: The 70-year-old pipeline, which just won a key permit, poses “an unacceptable risk of an oil spill into the Great Lakes.” Line 5 is an outdated oil-and-gas pipeline that poses unacceptable risks of an oil spill, especially as it travels along the lakebed through the Straits of Mackinac in a four-mile section known as the dual pipelines.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://grist.org/indigenous/why-more-than-60-indigenous-nations-oppose-the-line-5-oil-pipeline/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHMp6pqC_$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Immigrant rights groups sue Texas to halt law allowing arrests of migrants: The lawsuit asks judge to prevent the state from enforcing Bill 4, which authorizes Texas police to arrest immigrants suspected of crossing the border illegally.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/19/texas-immigration-law-lawsuit-border-aclu/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHB3O849j$

Chicago Suburb to Oust Immigrants From Hotel and YMCA in Policy Change: All migrants housed in two locations in Oak Park will be required to move out by Jan. 31, village officials disclosed Wednesday. The approximately 160 people at The Carleton of Oak Park hotel and the West Cook YMCA are to be notified of the eviction date this week.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/chicago-suburb-evict-immigrants-hotel-ymca-change-policy__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHB0Yi0hI$

# Censorship
Combating censorship: Pressley’s bill targets discriminatory book bans as civil rights violations: In a bold move against escalating book bans, Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduces a legislative response to safeguard diversity and freedom in literature. Specifically, the legislation would: Ensure primary and secondary schools have a library with a trained librarian; Require public libraries and school libraries to maintain a diverse collection of books; Classify discriminatory book bans as violations of federal civil rights laws https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/20/combating-censorship-pressleys-bill-targets-discriminatory-book-bans-as-civil-rights-violations/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHPS3-h3s$

# Education / Schools
Steve Bannon Wants Kids to Use Guns to Defend Themselves From Bullies: On Tuesday, Bannon broadcast an episode of his podcast from Turning Point USA’s America Fest, during which he advocated for American children to receive firearms training in school, arguing that possessing guns would also help them combat bullying, a suggestion that drew cheers from the conservative crowd at the event.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/steve-bannon-wants-kids-use-guns-defend-themselves-bullies-1853928__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHFsBqF1x$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals
Worried about safety, a small West Texas town challenges planned cross-border pipeline: A proposed pipeline has residents in the 2,000-person town of Van Horn on alert as concerns mount over lack of transparency and possible environmental risk. Critics are calling on federal regulators to increase their scrutiny and oversight of the proposed pipeline, which would send gas from Texas to the Mexican coast for export to other countries.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2023/12/20/worried-about-safety-a-small-west-texas-town-challenges-planned-cross-border-pipeline/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHJ2MAbfc$

Drilling under Pennsylvania’s ‘Gasland’ town has been banned since 2010. It’s coming back: One of Pennsylvania’s leading natural gas companies is poised to drill and frack in the rural community where it was banned for a dozen years for polluting the water supply.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://wtop.com/national/2023/12/drilling-under-pennsylvanias-gasland-town-has-been-banned-since-2010-its-coming-back/*:*:text=It’s*20coming*20back.,-The*20Associated*20Press&text=A*20year*20after*20pleading*20no,for*20polluting*20the*20water*20supply__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHHmstf8g$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure
Republicans ask Supreme Court to review Antiquities Act: Lawmakers want the high court to take up litigation centered on Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument expansion and timber harvesting. House and Senate Republicans are urging the Supreme Court to take up a review of the Antiquities Act, arguing that former President Barack Obama “usurped Congress’s authority” to manage federal lands and warning that other presidents might do the same.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2023/12/19/republicans-ask-supreme-court-to-review-antiquities-act-00132517__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHB7deNv3$

“World’s biggest iceberg” weighs one trillion tons and is floating freely in the open seas: Called A23a, the platform of floating ice has a surface area of 1,500 square miles, a volume of 263 cubic miles and a mass just below one trillion tones. That makes it not only four times as big as Greater London, but a whopping 100 million times as heavy as the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.earth.com/news/iceberg-that-weighs-more-than-the-eiffel-tower-is-floating-freely/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHOvOU0OH$

12% of bird species driven to extinction: Humans are probably responsible for the extinction of around 1,500 bird species over the past 126,000 years. Ecologists made the estimate by using a model that looked at documented extinctions, fossil records and predictions of species richness on 1,488 islands. The model suggested that around 1,300–1,500 bird species — about 12% of the total worldwide — have become extinct since the Late Pleistocene (which was an epoch roughly 126,000–12,000 years ago). Human activities are likely to have caused the vast majority of these extinctions.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-04065-4*:*:text=The*20model*20suggested*20that*20around,vast*20majority*20of*20these*20extinctions__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHH041bFU$

# Gov / Politics / Global
Ukrainian trial demonstrates 2014 Maidan massacre was false flag: A massacre of protesters during the 2014 Maidan coup set the stage for the ouster of Ukraine’s elected president, Viktor Yanukovych. Now, an explosive trial in Kiev has produced evidence the killings were a false flag designed to trigger regime change.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thegrayzone.com/2023/12/11/ukrainian-maidan-massacre-false-flag/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHEOHLhQL$

Everyone hates Zelensky and his WEF/Nazi dictatorship: Ukrainians tell MP they would give up citizenship to avoid conscription: Some 74% of men and 65% of women said they would opt to hand over their passports in Facebook surveys.| A majority of Ukrainians responding to a Facebook poll by a leading lawmaker have said they would be willing to renounce their citizenship in order to avoid being drafted into the military.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rt.com/russia/589300-ukrainians-renounce-citizenship-bezuglaya/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHJikylRB$

Russia and China Lock Arms Again to Defy the West: Senior officials from Russia and China talked up the staying power of their partnership this week and vowed to press on with a trade relationship conducted without the U.S. dollar. Mikhail Mishustin, the Russian prime minister, visited Beijing for the second time this year. On Wednesday, he was given an audience with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said deepening ties between the two nations was “a strategic choice,” according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/russia-china-mikhail-mishustin-beijing-visit-xi-jinping-1854005__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHNVGGqsu$

# Gov / Politics
Republicans Don’t Want to Answer for Trump’s Racist Anti-Immigrant Rant: Trump’s defenders suggest he was merely talking about policy when he said immigrants were “poisoning the blood of the country.” But there was nothing ambiguous about his remarks. Republicans have for years relied on racist and xenophobic tropes to buttress their draconian anti-immigration policies and vision. Trump himself has promised a harsh crackdown on immigrants should he retake the presidency in 2024, one that includes mass deportations and a network of migrant detainment camps.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://au.news.yahoo.com/gop-sen-disappointed-trump-anti-192621670.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHHJd6L8h$

Gen. Jack Keane: US military being ‘shut down’ here by Biden White House: Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen. Jack Keane reacts to growing Middle East tensions and Houthi attacks
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gen-jack-keane-us-military-220144088.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHNyUkn99$

# LGBTQ / Gender
The New “Lavender Scare,” How Fear and Prejudice Impacted a Nation in Crisis: On April 27th, 1953, United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower put into place Executive Order 10450.1. The purpose of the policy was to purge the federal government of anybody who did not fit the ideals of American morality during its era. While the document refrained from explicitly naming homosexuals as one of its targets, it did exclude anyone with “sexual perversion,” which was a euphemism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) people at that time.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1113&context=aujh__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHMjJ-_5h$

You’ve Probably Heard of the Red Scare, but the Lesser-Known, Anti-Gay ‘Lavender Scare’ Is Rarely Taught in Schools: In 1980 was the continuation of a policy launched nearly 30 years earlier, in 1953. Under President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Executive Order 10450, the investigation, interrogation and systematic removal of gay men and lesbians from the federal government became policy. Known as the “Lavender Scare,” the policy was based on the unfounded fear that gay men and lesbians “posed a threat to national security because they were vulnerable to blackmail and were considered to have weak moral characters,” says historian David K. Johnson. According to him, this aspect of American history has largely been overlooked.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://time.com/5922679/lavender-scare-history/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHGCtMF-u$

The Lavender Scare: the shocking true story of an anti-LGBT witch-hunt: In an eye-opening new documentary, director Josh Howard reveals the horrifying state-sanctioned homophobia that once plagued the US https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jun/18/the-lavender-scare-the-shocking-true-story-of-an-anti-lgbt-witch-hunt__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHFmilyBY$

# Medical Science
America’s deadly flirtation with antiscience and the medical freedom movement: The initial United States government response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was marked by a frequent disconnect between government policies and the recommendations of scientific experts.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8011881/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHBhkQ-wl$

In a World First, a Patient’s Antibody Cells Were Just Genetically Engineered: That’s the idea behind a trial launched by Seattle-based biotech company Immusoft. The company announced today that its scientists have genetically programmed a patient’s B cells and put them back in his body in an effort to treat disease. It’s the first time engineered B cells have been tested in a person.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/innovation/world-first-patients-antibody-cells-were-just-genetically-engineered__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHCNQoLzl$

The Age of Crispr Medicine Is Here: Scientists have long imagined being able to correct defective genes to treat diseases at their source. Crispr offers a way to do that. It took just over 11 years—lightning fast for drug-development timelines—for Crispr to move from a tool used in laboratories to a real therapy that could be prescribed to patients.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://time.com/6343853/fda-crispr-treatment-sickle-cell/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHKSIcrye$

# Military / Global
U.S. deploys B-1B bomber after N.K. ICBM launch: The show of strength came after Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of a ballistic missile capable of reaching any part of US mainland. The leader said his country would react to “confrontation with all-out confrontation.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.sky.com/story/us-deploys-bombers-in-response-to-north-korea-missile-tests-12751415__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHN-wDrOT$

# Space
China’s Space Plane Puts Mysterious Objects In Earth Orbit: China’s Shenlong space plane caused intrigue this week after allegedly placing six unidentified objects into the Earth’s orbit shortly after taking off on its third mission. The Shenlong was launched on a Long March 2F rocket on December 14 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, according to China’s official news service Xinhua. The reusable robotic aircraft is on a mission whose detailed objectives have not been disclosed to the public.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/china-space-objects-mysterious-earth-orbit-1853973__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHODmCi0p$

Scientists stumped by mysterious anomaly found on far side of Moon: The Korean orbital spacecraft Pathfinder Lunor Orbiter during the Danuri mission encountered a peculiar anomaly that challenged prior understandings of the satellite. Scientists have proposed two hypotheses to explain this unusual phenomenon, yet neither of them has substantial evidence backing it, reports IFLScience.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thedebrief.org/buried-on-the-far-side-of-the-moon-the-detection-of-a-mysterious-heat-emitting-object-leads-to-an-unexpected-discovery/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2G4i-VZcJiZh-HJF_VtDu1yxwXMn4cK9zZuqCZYSpjvK6KXfM-bNmjaPMiBIpt2rUEqn_Gq88xVIRIN9mDes6DRSHKwbRQLj$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-19

Voices, The Peoples News

December 19, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Archaeology / Anthropology
# Border / Immigration / Migrants
New Yorker faces ICE deportation, despite being U.S. citizen: Pascal “Shakoure” Charpentier was born on an army base in Germany and has called New York City home for three decades, but he might not be able to much longer. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is trying to deport him for being a Haitian immigrant, despite having never been to Haiti.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2023-12-19/immigration/new-yorker-faces-ice-deportation-despite-being-u-s-citizen/a87763-1*:*:text=Pascal*20*22Shakoure*22*20Charpentier*20was*20born,having*20never*20been*20to*20Haiti__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGLrkClNk$

When ICE Tries to Deport Americans, Who Defends Them? “Some things happen for a reason,” he said, explaining his thinking. On the other hand, “I didn’t think that me being picked up by ice was a good reason” to leave behind a stockbroker job in New York for what would likely be permanent exile from the United States. Under the law, Busse was almost certainly a United States citizen. In the labyrinth that is U.S.
immigration law, certain immigrants automatically become citizens if, when they are minors, their parents become naturalized citizens.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/when-ice-tries-to-deport-americans-who-defends-them__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGEGWHNtz$

U.S. wrongfully deports its own citizens: The New Yorker article by William Finnegan, “The Deportation Machine,” highlights many of the continuing systemic problems with ICE policies, including its use of the flawed Secure Communities program, the prevalence of racial profiling, lack of any right to appointed counsel for individuals in immigration court. This lack of counsel is particularly problematic for people, who, because of their mental disabilities, may not understand the immigration proceeding enough to be able to represent themselves adequately.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/yes-us-wrongfully-deports-its-own-citizens__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGGWnkjZX$

Abbott enacts law making illegal entry into Texas a state crime: Gov. Greg Abbott signed historic border security bills into law on Monday, including making illegal entry from a foreign country a state crime. The Texas law is the first of its kind in the country and is expected to be challenged in court, with many arguing it’s unconstitutional https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/18/texas-governor-abbott-bills-border-wall-illegal-entry-crime-sb3-sb4/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGOMaxU_v$

Border Patrol suspends railroad crossings at two key ports of entry in Texas: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is closing international railroad bridges at two major ports of entry in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, after a surge of more than 4,000 people illegally entered over a 48-hour period.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_a02e69c4-9dd4-11ee-b1a6-bfc33fabf13c.html?a&seyid=108109*utm_source=thecentersquare.com&utm_campaign=*2Fnewsletters*2Flists*2Ft2*2Fnatinoal*2F&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline__;PyUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGDKmaACs$

Mexican president says he’ll fight Texas migrant crossing law: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador pledged to fight a new Texas law allowing state authorities to prosecute migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/latino/4367752-mexican-president-to-fight-texas-migrant-crossing-law/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGA5JBUQ3$

US-Mexico border at Eagle Pass faces ‘absolute collapse’: NO Border Patrol agents are patrolling large areas of border as 14,000 migrants enter city in a single day and agents are reassigned to guard them. NewsNation’s drone captured images of thousands of migrants waiting to be processed by Border Patrol agents, as large groups of more than 100 migrants crossed into Eagle Pass throughout the day, overwhelming agents and resources. Many of the migrants arrived on Sunday.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/border-coverage/eagle-pass-unprecedented-migrant-surge-border-patrol/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGLFFI2j-$

# Chemicals
Poisonous Pesticide overuse threatens bird species: Excessive use of toxic agricultural drugs has reduced varieties of native bird populations. According to data obtained by The Express Tribune from the Department of Zoology at the University of Punjab, a 69 per cent drop has been observed in the variety of bird populations over the past few decades with 240 birds species spotted in 1965 to only 74 recorded in the most recent survey carried out in 1997
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://tribune.com.pk/story/2450355/poisonous-harvest-pesticide-overuse-threatens-bird-species__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGEzo3BzU$

# Education / Schools
A Texas high school pilots the state’s first ever Asian American ethnic studies course, with a focus on Asian Americans’ contributions to U.S. History. The class where the celebration happened was an Asian American ethnic studies course being piloted at Round Rock High School this year, the first step for it to get full state approval. The course, the first of its kind in Texas, looks to educate students on how Asian Americans have impacted U.S. history. Texas currently offers three other ethnic courses statewide, focusing on Mexican American, African American and American Indian/Native American studies.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/19/asian-american-studies-texas-round-rock-isd/*:*:text=The*20class*20where*20the*20celebration,Americans*20have*20impacted*20U.S.*20history__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGKNx-A6q$

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology FDA’s human food chief does not think spiked lead in applesauce was an accident: FDA’s new DeputyC for Human Foods, has raised the possibility that the applesauce packages are “purposefully contaminated with lead.” Jones said the FDA’s investigation continues, but “all the signals we’re getting lead to an intentional act on the part of someone in the supply chain.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/12/fdas-human-food-chief-does-not-think-spiked-lead-in-applesauce-was-an-accident/*:*:text=Jim*20Jones*2C*20FDA’s*20new*20DeputyC,someone*20in*20the*20supply*20chain.**B__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSXigJ0!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGEkWYBru$
See also: Officials in Ecuador continue an investigation into lead-tainted applesauce shipped to the U.S:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/12/officials-in-ecuador-continue-investigation-into-lead-tainted-applesauce-shipped-to-u-s/*:*:text=Officials*20from*20the*20FDA*20have,times*20higher*20than*20recommended*20levels__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGJMJEWwD$

Bean sprouts recalled after testing finds Listeria: Chang Farm of Whatley, MA is recalling 12 oz Nature’s Wonder Mung Bean Sprouts, with a sell-by date of Dec. 13, 2023, because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The recall was initiated after a random sample was collected and analyzed by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/12/bean-sprouts-recalled-after-testing-finds-listeria/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGIV81k0k$

Quaker Oats recalls granola bars and granola cereal over Salmonella concerns: The Quaker Oats Company is recalling certain granola bars and granola cereals because of potential Salmonella contamination. The products listed below are sold throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and Saipan. As of the posting of this recall, Quaker has received no confirmed reports of illness related to the products covered by this recall.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/12/quacker-oats-recalls-granola-bars-and-granola-cereal-over-salmonella-concerns/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGG367YC7$

# Gov / Politics / Global
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un Warns U.S. of Possible Nuclear Attack: The second U.S.-Republic of Korea Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) convened in Washington on Friday for talks on nuclear deterrence as part of a commitment by the two countries to share more insight into planning in the event of conflict with North Korea. Pyongyang has developed and tested a range of ballistic missiles that can reach targets in South Korea, Japan and the U.S. mainland.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-warns-north-korea-against-nuclear-attacks-2023-12-16/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGAahsjPx$

# Gov / Politics
Bernie Sanders to force vote on Israeli war crimes, ISI document blows up Pakistan’s case against Imran Khan: Sanders officially took the first step toward conditioning military aid to Israel.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theintercept.com/2023/12/18/bernie-sanders-force-vote-israel-war-crimes/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGGfMyuOg$

Rand Paul Wants To End Undeclared War In Syria: Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul plans to force a vote this week on a joint resolution to remove all U.S. troops from Syria within 30 days, according to sources on Capitol Hill familiar with his plans. “The American people have had enough of endless wars in the Middle East,” Paul told The Intercept by email. “Yet, 900 U.S. troops remain in Syria with no vital U.S. interest at stake, no definition of victory, no exit strategy, and no congressional authorization to be there.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theintercept.com/2023/12/05/rand-paul-syria-war-troops/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGCfGe78T$

Biden Is Overseeing the Silent Death of the First Amendment: In early 2024, a new, grim chapter may be written in the annals of journalistic history. Julian Assange, the publisher of Wikileaks, could board a plane for extradition to the United States, where he faces up to 175 years in prison on espionage charges for the crime of publishing newsworthy information. The persecution of Assange is clear evidence that the Biden administration is overseeing the silent death of the First Amendment—with global consequences
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/julian-assange-belmarsh-tribunal/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGHxfZNQW$

Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies ‘Insurrectionist’ Trump from 2024 Ballot: “Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president,” the state’s highest court found, citing his role in fomenting the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. A divided Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, setting up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to decide whether the front-runner for the GOP nomination can remain in the race.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGGIRxbXJ$

# Medical / Health
Largest Nursing Home in St. Louis Closes Suddenly, 170 Residents Forced Out Days Before Christmas: The largest nursing home in St. Louis closed abruptly last week, according to the union representing workers there, more than 170 people were moved to new homes without notifying relatives and staff did not receive their last paycheck.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/northview-nursing-home-closure-st-louis-78f24bc169ca7aaeed7aeb776e23dd80__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGM0dc1TY$

GOP states lead drive to boot poor kids off Medicaid: Sixty percent of kids who have lost Medicaid coverage this year came from just nine states, all of which are Republican-led, according to new data from the Biden administration. and the 10 states refusing the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults have disenrolled more kids than all of the expansion states combined, the administration also reported.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.axios.com/2023/12/19/children-health-insurance-medicaid-unwinding__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGMFce0_-$

# Military / DOD
Pentagon Was Involved In Domestic Censorship Scheme, New CTIL Whistleblower Files Show: With the addition of “information” as a function of defense, DOD effectively declared that citizens’ perceptions, attitudes, decisions, and behaviors were subject to military scrutiny and manipulation. The Censorship Industrial Complex … aims to undermine and denigrate populist actors and movements through allegations that anti-government sentiment is linked to hate, conspiracy theories, or Russia.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://public.substack.com/p/pentagon-was-involved-in-domestic__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGNPnmoLD$

US launches naval force against Houthi attacks in Red Sea: A multinational naval force will be deployed in the Red Sea to defend against attacks from Houthis that have disrupted international shipping routes
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dw.com/en/us-launches-red-sea-force-against-attacks-by-yemens-houthis/a-67764682*:*:text=A*20multinational*20naval*20force*20will,Lloyd*20Austin*20announced*20on*20Tuesday__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGCyqLxzd$

# Military / Global
The Real Force Behind the Houthis’ Attacks on U.S. Warships Isn’t Iran. It’s China: With increased purchases of sanctioned Iranian oil, China is making it possible for Tehran to financially support the Houthis and its other terrorist proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/real-force-behind-houthis-attacks-us-warships-isnt-iran-its-china-opinion-1853867*:*:text=Yet*20Iran*20is*20not*20the,terrorist*20proxies*2C*20Hezbollah*20and*20Hamas__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGKa_Sb76$

NATO Under Pressure to Send Troops After Germany Deploys Military: Following Germany’s decision to deploy troops to Lithuania amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, some NATO nations like the U.K. may be under more pressure to follow suit. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence announced that it had signed a deal with Lithuania to deploy troops to the area in an effort to protect NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) territory.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/nato-pressure-germany-deploys-troops-1853716*:*:text=Following*20Germany’s*20decision*20to*20deploy,more*20pressure*20to*20follow*20suit__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGDqjkmYa$

The Taliban are now arms dealers: The U.S. military retreated from Afghanistan two years ago, leaving behind weapons that are now turning up in far-flung trouble spots. In markets that have sprung up across the southern and eastern badlands, merchants with Taliban permits are offering U.S.made automatic assault rifles and handguns for sale.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/07/05/taliban-afghanistan-arms-dealers-weapons-sales-terrorism/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGDWWmeQh$

Iran is taking aim at the West, and we have too few ships to stop it: Today we face a more serious threat. Current events in the Red Sea are not an accident, nor the work of rag-tag pirates. We are defending trade against a well-funded and highly equipped militia group – the Houthis – which is firing pot-shots and has boarded ships transiting the area. Some 12 per cent of global trade passes through the Red Sea. If that is cut off, or even hindered, then we have a major economic crisis on our hands.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.yahoo.com/iran-taking-aim-west-too-174527122.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGJZzCxuG$

Biden does nothing as Iran-backed Houthis humiliate us: The world’s lone superpower has been unable to protect one of the most important commercial arteries on Earth from a band of Third World rebels. Welcome to the latest humiliation of a Biden administration foreign policy premised on not being overly provocative toward our enemies.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/19/opinion/biden-does-nothing-as-iran-backed-houthis-humiliate-us/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGBeZ3e4E$

Putin Says Russia Is Upgrading Its Nuclear Arsenal: He added that Russia would attempt to increase its number of voluntary and contract soldiers by over 250,000. Putin boasts Russia has upgraded entire nuclear arsenal as he goads West over Ukraine ‘failures.’ Russian ordnance manufacturers on track to boost shell production to two million per year
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/19/putin-claims-russia-has-upgraded-its-entire-nuclear-arsenal/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGHPfz_97$

# Social
Escalating crisis: A deep dive into America’s surging homelessness rates: Homelessness is a nationwide issue, but its impact varies significantly across states. A recent annual report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) paints a stark picture of the nation’s struggle with homelessness, revealing that the numbers have climbed to their highest point since records began in 2007. This revelation comes amid growing concerns over the widening gap between income levels and housing affordability.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/19/escalating-crisis-a-deep-dive-into-americas-surging-homelessness-rates/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGAdjU7Rk$
See also:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2023-AHAR-Part-1.pdf__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGBYfrU75$

# Water
California is set to approve regulations for transforming wastewater into pure drinking water: California’s State Water Resources Control Board is set to approve new regulations today that would allow suppliers to begin treating wastewater and providing it to households across the state. When a toilet is flushed in California, the water can end up in a lot of places — the ice in a skating rink, the manufactured snow on ski slopes, in pipes providing irrigation for farmland. And — coming soon — in your drinking glass.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.abc27.com/news/us-world/ap-california-set-to-become-2nd-state-to-ok-rules-for-turning-wastewater-into-drinking-water/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!yYF4bdVkz84XV6iQSNxQ1XFplJJvUUaiNoweRWYBCwwCzQ4e8Z7Q2xUKDrkz0n_Z_Sukv8_fPY76wfJRySaYX9JIGF8lldB5$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-17

Voices, The Peoples News

December 17, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Arizona governor signs order deploying National Guard to state’s border: Arizona’s governor signed an executive order deploying National Guard troops stationed in the state to its southern border Friday. “With this Executive Order, I am taking action where the federal government won’t,” Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.) said in a statement on the new order.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4363866-arizona-governor-signs-order-deploy-national-guard-state-border/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WasWvigI$

Controversy in Denver as Illegal Immigrant Influx Increases Beyond 30,000: Areporter from Denver strongly criticized the city for becoming a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants. Jimmy Sengenberger, speaking on GB News, mentioned that large groups of migrants are arriving by bus, putting a strain on the city’s resources. Recent reports indicate that over $33 million has been spent by Denver to support the increasing number of people, with many coming from Venezuela. Sengenberger also noted a notable “change” in the origin of the arriving migrants.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/controversy-in-denver-as-illegal-immigrant-influx-increases-beyond-30-000/ar-AA1lD38f?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=68b6cccfb9d44a7bb013ee548e812a7b&ei=101__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WWtsCGLE$

Biden administration has ‘enriched’ and ‘emboldened’ the Mexican cartels: Fox News contributor Tom Homan joined ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss the U.S. border crisis following an incident where 10 IEDs were found during a cartel gunfight.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/video/6343305312112__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WS8tGGQ9$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants / Global Mexican military seize TEN IEDs at the US-Mexico border at Tucson: Border patrol agents are warned to be ‘vigilant’ as America is faced with unprecedented migrant surge. The IEDs were found by Mexican authorities after Tucson border patrol observed gunshots at the U.S.-Mexico border and a Tucson supervisory border patrol agent arrested an armed person on the U.S. side who had a loaded AK-47 rifle, two loaded AK magazines, loose rounds and a handgun.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12869691/IEDs-seized-Mexico-border.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WUokWuZX$

Arizona governor, a Democrat, orders National Guard to the border: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs on Friday ordered National Guard troops to the border with Mexico, saying the U.S. federal government’s recent decision to close a legal port of entry in her state “has led to an unmitigated humanitarian crisis.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.npr.org/2023/12/16/1219806441/arizonas-governor-is-sending-the-national-guard-to-the-border__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WVQylJo4$

# Chemicals
‘Groundbreaking’ Legal Action Demands EPA Finally Ban Glyphosate: “EPA lacks a legal human health assessment of glyphosate to support its current use,” said a lawyer for the Center for Food Safety.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/glyphosate-epa*:*:text=The*20Center*20for*20Food*20Safety,suspend*20the*20registration*20of*20glyphosate__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WXfMozHI$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals
‘Huge’: 1,600+ institutions holding $41trillion in assets have now divested from fossil fuels: The milestone, one campaigner said, should “give hope to folks that we are making an impact.” More than 1,600 institutions like universities, pension funds, and governments that hold more than $40.6 trillion in assets have now divested from fossil fuels, the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement announced.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/16000-divest-fossil-fuels*:*:text=More*20than*201*2C600*20institutions*20like,Fuel*20Divestment*20Movement*20announced*20Friday__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WUKdHBF7$ .

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals / Global Philippines wants to start new energy exploration projects in South China Sea: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said his country is working to resolve “exploration issues” in the South China Sea so it could start new energy exploration projects in the resource-rich waterway to meet his nation’s energy needs. Philippine leader says his country is working to resolve “exploration issues” in the waterway so it could start energy projects to meet energy needs. In an interview with Japanese media on Saturday, Marcos Jnr said tensions in the sea have ‘increased rather than diminished’ in recent months
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3245365/south-china-sea-philippines-wants-start-energy-exploration-projects-waterway-says-marcos-jnr__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WZZ18aFR$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure
White House Announces Historic Agreement to Study Dam Removal and Fund Fish Restoration The settlement temporarily ends a protracted fight over 14 dams on the Columbia River basin. Tribes argued in a 2021 lawsuit that the dams caused the sharp decline in native fish.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15122023/todays-climate-white-house-tribes-settlement-study-dam-removal-fish-restoration/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WaHlwtP0$

Bizarre Plastic Rocks Now Found Across Five Continents: A bizarre new type of rock containing plastic has been found across the globe, formed mainly from plastic we have created and discarded. This deposit is a combination of rock and plastic polymers from human waste that have been compressed together. Plastic rocks have been found both on the coast and inland in 11 countries across 5 continents so far. They illustrate the extent of plastic pollution throughout the world, with one researcher telling Newsweek the rocks pose an imminent danger to ocean sustainability and ultimately to human health.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/plastic-rocks-pollution-geology-discovered-map-1851193__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WRpO-Uyo$

# Food Recalls / Alerts
Fresh Express recalls bagged spinach after state testing shows Listeria contamination: Fresh Express has issued a recall of Fresh Express Spinach, 8-ounce size, with product code G332 and a use-by date of Dec. 15, and Publix Spinach, 9-ounce size, with product code G332 and a use-by date of Dec. 14 because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/12/fresh-express-recalls-bagged-spinach-after-state-testing-shows-listeria-contamination/*:*:text=Fresh*20Express*20has*20issued*20a,possible*20contamination*20with*20Listeria*20monocytogenes__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WYm_6eee$

Consumer complaints lead to recall of more than 13 tons of TGI Fridays chicken bites: Simmons Prepared Foods Inc. of Van Buren, AR, is recalling 26,550 pounds of TGI Fridays boneless chicken bites products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of clear, hard plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/12/consumer-complaints-lead-to-recall-of-more-than-13-tons-of-tgi-fridays-chicken-bites/*:*:text=Simmons*20Prepared*20Foods*20Inc.*20of,Service*20(FSIS)*20announced*20today__;I34lJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WSEDujlX$

# General News
After School Satan Clubs and pagan statues have popped up across US. What’s going on? Founded in 2013, Massachusetts-based The Satanic Temple has battled multiple districts, most recently in Pennsylvania, over its legal right to operate its After School Satan Clubs. The church, which is formally recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt religious organization, often opens after-school programs in areas where Christian groups already operate, in an effort to counter Bible-based theology.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/16/satanic-temple-christian-controversy/71919541007/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8Wa7Hz99m$

‘Read the First Amendment’: Ron DeSantis slammed for backing Michael Cassidy after satanic statue demolition: DeSantis vows to help man charged with beheading Iowa Capitol’s Satanic Temple statue
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4362025-iowa-capitol-satanic-temple-statue-vandalism-desantis/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WZ8wE_WB$

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/*:*:text=Congress*20shall*20make*20no*20law,for*20a*20redress*20of*20grievances__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WU08sHx5$

MSNBC host blown away by massive size of Russia intel file lost by Trump administration: During an MSNBC segment about a Russian intelligence file that went missing after Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, host Alex Witt was stunned to find out it was not a simple file folder that could be easily misplaced. “Donald Trump was trying to declassify it,” Muldavin explained. “On January 19th this binder was going in and out of the White House because Donald Trump wanted to get that information out and into the hands of the right-wing media.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rawstory.com/trump-missing-russia-file/*:*:text=During*20an*20MSNBC*20segment*20about,that*20could*20be*20easily*20misplaced__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WXczGdDr$

# Gov / Politics / Global
China Launches Massive Cyber Attack On Critical US Infrastructure: A new report claims China has been initiating more cyber attacks and has a greater plan to cripple the U.S. through hacking.
Report: State-sponsored Chinese hackers may have breached US systems Experts: Long game to distract, infect American commerce and infrastructure The challenge is getting the U.S. caught up with China https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsnationnow.com/world/china/chinese-hackers-target-us-infrastructure-report/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WfuisCcD$

Israel Rounds Up Palestinians For Social Media Posts: A secretive task force run by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir is detaining Palestinians, students and peace activists for social media posts. Detainees have been imprisoned in maximum security prisons for weeks.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://prospect.org/world/2023-12-12-palestinians-imprisoned-social-media-posts/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WRNtsuhV$

Finland joins NATO in historic shift, Russia threatens ‘counter-measures’: Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday, its flag unfurling outside the military bloc’s Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of “counter-measures.” Finland’s accession, ending seven decades of military non-alignment, roughly doubles the length of the border the North Atlantic Treaty Organization shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finland-set-join-nato-historic-shift-while-sweden-waits-2023-04-04/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WQ2dNQNR$

Chinese Media Issues Foreboding Warning to US: ‘Playing With Fire’: A Chinese newspaper issued a warning to the United States on Friday that it should stop “playing with fire” when it comes to China’s affairs in the South China Sea. As tensions between China and the Philippines grow in the South China Sea, the U.S. has made clear its alliance to the Philippines. In October, President Joe Biden reaffirmed the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951 and pledged to respond militarily against any attack on Filipino servicemembers, including in the South China Sea.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/chinese-media-issues-foreboding-warning-us-playing-fire-1853089__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WXsQw6v6$

Another Country Occupied By Russia Might Get Dragged Into The Ukraine War: As Russia’s conflict with Ukraine continues, Abkhazia, a region in Georgia occupied by Russia, fears being drawn into the war.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.businessinsider.com/new-russian-naval-base-ukraine-war-georgia-2023-12__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WZFEQUMD$

# Gov / Politics
Biden admin warns North Korea any nuke attacks against US, allies would seal the ‘end’ of Kim Jong Un’s regime: The Biden administration warned North Korea on Saturday any nuclear attacks against the United States or its allies would be “unacceptable” and seal the “end” of Kim Jong Un’s dictatorship. The statement came a day after the United States-Republic of Korea Nuclear Consultative Group met in Washington to discuss nuclear deterrence efforts and plan for a potential fight between the allied nations plan and North Korea.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/16/news/biden-admin-warns-north-korea-any-nuke-attacks-against-us-allies-would-seal-the-end-of-kim-jong-uns-regime/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8Wb-t1TUU$

Are the Democrats Sleepwalking to Disaster? Joe Biden has been an excellent president, but is also, I fear, the candidate least able to defeat Donald Trump. Other Democrats need to enter the race. It’s time for the president to step aside.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://prospect.org/politics/2023-12-11-democrats-sleepwalking-to-disaster/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WYhryrCm$

The Immigration Policy Spiral: President Biden is determined to strike a punitive deal on immigration that capitulates to the far right despite lacking support in the House. It’s not going to work. In 2023, senators and the White House are working tirelessly on an immigration package that is not at all comprehensive, offers no path to citizenship, and is mainly about locking up the border to asylum seekers and migrants, not substantially different from policies Donald Trump and Stephen Miller favor.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://prospect.org/politics/2023-12-15-immigration-policy-spiral/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WfMyrnpT$

Constitutional Convention: Time to wake up, people. It’s no longer just a dream—but a nightmare one step closer to happening. One of the right’s favorite fever dreams over the years has been to gut the US Constitution of many of its checks and balances and officially turn America into a legal oligarchy with a strongman presidency, nearly bulletproof legal immunity for the morbidly rich, and full personhood for corporations. As of this month, it’s no longer just a dream.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/consitutional-convention__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WTVlvwNA$

Florida GOP Ready to Boot Ziegler: ‘He’s Not Donald Trump’: Another member said they refused to approve any kind of payoff for Ziegler. “Christian’s about to learn a very important lesson that a lot of people have learned,” they said. “He’s not Donald Trump and he’s never gonna be Donald Trump.” “He needs to step down and take care of his soul and protect his family.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thedailybeast.com/florida-gop-ready-to-boot-christian-ziegler-for-being-the-threesome-guy?ref=wrap__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WVI5ERa_$

Senate Approves $886B Defense Spending Plan with Funding For Ukraine and Pay Rises For Troops: The Senate passed an $886 billion defense policy plan Wednesday, supported by President Joe Biden, that includes spending plans for Ukraine and annual pay raises for troops in a last-minute rush to authorize funding before the end of the year.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/13/senate-oks-886-billion-defense-bill-with-pay-raises-ukraine-aid/71840431007/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WSTECgDa$

Transitioning to dictatorship: What to watch for as we get closer to the 2024 election: After studying presidential transitions for over a decade, my attention shot to a consequential decision the Republican frontrunner will make in the next few weeks, if he hasn’t already. Though Trump has yet to announce who’s overseeing his pre-election transition planning, that person will ultimately determine whether Trump will realize his promise to be a dictator, should he win next year’s election.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4362660-transitioning-to-dictatorship-what-to-watch-for-as-we-get-closer-to-the-2024-election/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WVHeyX9H$

Another Jim Jordan Opponent Announces His Retirement From Congress: The 48-year-old served as acting House speaker following Kevin McCarthy’s ouster and is chair of the Financial Services Committee. He has served in the House since 2005.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/politics/2023/12/05/patrick-mchenry-says-he-will-retire-from-congress__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WfCRyEQq$

Trump insiders worried supporters may skip voting because victory is assured: According to a report from CNN, there are fears in the Trump camp that the recent endorsement of Haley by popular Gov. Chris Sununu (R) could cut into the former president’s lead so an all-out effort is being made to firm up his support. On the other hand, the report notes, Trump’s massive lead in polls has Trump insiders worried for a different reason.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2666611476/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WSaZmWJf$

# Law Enforcment
Black Ohio woman criminally charged after miscarriage underscores the perils of pregnancy post-Roe: Her case was sent last week to a grand jury. It has touched off a national firestorm over the treatment of pregnant women, and especially Black women, in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump elevated Watts’ plight in a post to X, formerly Twitter, and supporters have donated more than $100,000 through GoFundMe for her legal defense, medical bills and trauma counseling.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-12-16/black-ohio-woman-criminally-charged-after-miscarriage-underscores-the-perils-of-pregnancy-post-roe*:*:text=Dec.*2016*2C*202023*2C*20at*208*3A05*20a.m.&text=COLUMBUS*2C*20Ohio*20(AP)*20**B,began*20passing*20thick*20blood*20clots__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSXigJQlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8Wb2W0whC$

# Legal / DOJ
Trump learns court ruling on Presidential Immunity in defamation lawsuit: A federal appeals court has ruled that former President Donald Trump gave up his right to argue that presidential immunity protects him from being held liable for statements he made in 2019 when he denied that he raped advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/trump-sexual-assault-defamation-trial-presidential-immunity-1794a1b9c32dbb83ec6de6f3342fca47__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8Wa9q4Sl3$

# Medical / Health
Doctors With Histories of Big Malpractice Settlements Work for Insurers, Deciding If They’ll Pay for Care: Doctors working for health insurers can rule on 10,000 or more requests for care a year. At least a dozen were hired by major insurance companies after being disciplined by state medical boards or making multiple or outsized malpractice payments.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/malpractice-settlements-doctors-working-for-insurance-companies*:*:text=Doctors*20working*20for*20health*20insurers,multiple*20or*20outsized*20malpractice*20payments__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WavQkf-K$

The Hidden Fee Costing Doctors Millions Every Year: A powerful lobbyist convinced a federal agency that doctors can be forced to pay fees on money that health insurers owe them. Big companies rake in profits while doctors are saddled with yet another cost in a burdensome health care system.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/the-hidden-fee-costing-doctors-millions-every-year__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WVNwiOzC$

After dropping Humana acquisition attempt, Cigna in talks to sell Medicare Advantage business amid competition: The two insurers were unable to reach an agreement. If it had gone through, the merger would have created a $140 billion industry giant that could position itself as a rival to the largest players. Cigna will instead be working toward more smaller, bolt-on deals that can build out its capabilities.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/cigna-humana-merger-talks-put-ice-wsj__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WXEgYyI3$

# Military / Global
Witnesses Say IDF Troops ‘Executed’ Women and Children in Gaza School: The Biden administration “must respond to the reported execution-style massacre of women, children, and babies,” said the spokesperson of a U.S. Muslim advocacy group.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://truthout.org/articles/civilians-reportedly-killed-execution-style-while-sheltering-in-a-gaza-school/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WUpi70GX$

Israeli bulldozers demolish tents, bury Palestinians alive: Israeli bulldozers have killed dozens of Palestinians by running over and crushing the tents in which they were taking shelter outside the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, Al-Jazeera reported on 16 December. “Dozens of displaced, sick and wounded people were buried alive.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://new.thecradle.co/articles-id/15754*:*:text=Israeli*20bulldozers*20have*20killed*20dozens,wounded*20people*20were*20buried*20alive__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8WajNRqjE$

# Pharmaceuticals / Drugs
Contaminated Vaccines: FDA Reportedly Finds Cleaning And Expiry Lapses At Moderna’s Massachusetts Facility: The agency’s report noted that eight batches of the “drug substance,” the active ingredient in mRNA vaccines, were produced using equipment that failed cleaning tests. While it’s unclear if these batches reached the public, they were identified as being for the COVID-19 vaccine.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/12/36272737/contaminated-vaccines-fda-reportedly-finds-cleaning-and-expiry-lapses-at-modernas-massachusetts-__;!!On18fmf1aQ!xwkds21sxB5YaK53PQpu0wXN1VeEuzWJ8b5j9WGMvm6mGgzCwMu3crwl8rZcQq5g9JGNUGpqIqO4HNXqEd2H8OS8Wefjpebc$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-15

Voices, The Peoples News

December 15, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Indigenous / Global
Brazil’s congress weakens protection of Indigenous lands, defying Lula: While Brazil vows to fight climate change, lawmakers approved a law making it harder for Indigenous tribes to block deforestation https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/brazil-congress-indigenous-rights-fffc3e9ed5ccade64dd0064d375f763a__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfAWxIVgq$

In the Ecuadorian Amazon, oil threatens decades of Indigenous-led conservation: Ecuador’s Socio Bosque project has been key to safeguarding the rainforest. Now, the country’s state-owned oil company is exploiting its many loopholes.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://grist.org/global-indigenous-affairs-desk/in-the-ecuadorian-amazon-oil-threatens-decades-of-indigenous-led-conservation/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfP0iiEPl$

# Animals / Pets / Alerts
1,200 tonnes of fish washing ashore is unknown, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this’: The sardines and mackerel were found floating on the surface of the sea near the fishing port of Hakodate in Hokkaido. Experts have speculated that the migratory fish in both areas had become stranded after being chased to the point of exhaustion by amberjack and other predatory fish. Mass mortality events can also occur when there are sudden drops in the water temperature, causing the fish to go into shock, they added.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/14/ive-never-seen-anything-like-this-japan-says-reason-behind-1200-tonnes-of-fish-washing-ashore-is-unknown__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfHrqDfVN$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Multiple IEDs Discovered at the US-Mexican Border After Threat Levels Heightened: The United States-Mexico border has become the scene of violence normally associated with countries such as Iraq and Syria. The Mexican military has recovered no fewer than 10 improvised explosive devices at the international frontier this week
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.westernjournal.com/multiple-ieds-discovered-us-mexican-border-threat-levels-heightened/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfO5wRCaK$

Chicago threatens to impound buses dropping migrants in the middle of traffic: An influx of migrants from border cities has put Chicago at the center of the immigrant debate in the U.S. as it and other large sanctuary cities struggle to shelter and care for new arrivals. Alders voted to allow local officials to impound buses that bring migrants to the area outside official hours and the official landing zone, effective immediately. Buses have violated the rules at least 77 times, according to the city’s law department.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ffedbd0c-9aa4-11ee-8cda-f34c7bd8f09e.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfBUWXXcl$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals / Global
COP28 Punts on Emissions and Migration Challenges: Negotiations went off the rails and barely recovered, if that. Protesters at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, December 12, 2023. Inside the conference, participating nations most at risk from climate change and related sea level rise pressed for a commitment to phase out fossil fuels.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://prospect.org/environment/2023-12-14-cop28-emissions-migration-challenges/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfBTYsA5i$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure # Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology Deep Sand Technology and GEODNET Foundation collaborate to enhance precision agriculture in rural North America: Deep Sand Technology (DST) has become the go-to source for affordable Autosteering and GPS Guidance for new and older equipment. It announces the immediate availability of a GEODNET-compatible RTK base-station, supporting centimeter-accurate operations without the need to install a UHF radio link.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231212361438/en/Deep-Sand-Technology-and-the-GEODNET-Foundation-Join-Forces-to-Bring-Affordable-Precision-Agriculture-RTK-Services-in-Rural-North-America__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfGk68RG7$

# General News
Revealed: Trump reportedly plans to deploy hundreds of thousands of troops in U.S: In his first term, Trump’s plans to send troops to “war” on the southern border were thwarted. This time, he’s talking about sending up to 300,000 there. Donald Trump’s plans to give himself sweeping powers on “day one” of a new administration include sending vast numbers of U.S. troops, potentially “hundreds of thousands,” to close the southern border and to help build a new network of immigrant detention camps. “If he gets re-elected, I think it would be foolish to think he would just let it go again,” Taylor says.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rawstory.com/trump-deploy-us-troops/*:*:text=The*20outlet*20spoke*20to*20multiple,makeshift*20detention*20camps*20to*20quarter__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfHCQTR-V$

# Gov / Politics
The world is at war, and America is exhausted: Many things are wearing out Americans these days, from security anxieties to real-world conflicts. German and Dutch authorities just foiled a major attack planned against Jews by Hamas, during a holiday season where many people may be traveling to Europe. News that a 13-year-old allegedly plotted to blow up a synagogue in Ohio is beyond disturbing. The fatigue is real; it is not surprising that the Biden administration reportedly is pressing Israel to wrap up its war in Gaza.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4361892-the-world-is-at-war-and-america-is-exhausted/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfEYR-eMV$

Senate Sticks Around To Help Ukraine As House Republicans Skip Town: A bipartisan deal that includes sharper immigration limits and a tougher border policy in exchange for U.S. aid to Ukraine is proving elusive on Capitol Hill. The Senate delayed the start of its holiday break Thursday to allow for more time to reach a deal on the emergency spending bill that lawmakers hope will pair U.S. assistance to Ukraine with major immigration reforms. But the GOP-controlled House recessed and isn’t scheduled to return until 2024.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ukraine-immigration-senate_n_657b70c3e4b08e9b4109a178?utm_source=cordial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hp-us-reg-morning-email_2023-12-15&utm_term=us-morning-email&email_hash=a0fc9b12cacd32ea6c05c417239d9ca02ed55e16__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfHWqueuq$

Progressive Caucus Opposes Defense Bill Over Excess Spending, FISA Extension: The caucus is recommending that members vote against the perennial defense authorization bill, in part because it could extend warrantless spying through this Congress https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://prospect.org/civil-rights/2023-12-13-progressive-caucus-defense-bill-fisa-extension/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfPvPiJmn$

A ‘black hole’ exists in state lobbying disclosures: There’s “a yawning disclosure black hole” around corporate lobbying at the state level, according to a new report that relied on corporate governance data from company and state government websites, as well as state-level lobbying data
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/lobbying/4357754-state-level-corporate-lobbying-disclosures-report/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfC7Ygq7N$

A Wealthy President Biden Nominee Raises‌ Concerns Over Campaign Donations: A wealthy nominee for a key transportation board appointed by President Joe Biden has come under scrutiny for his dual role as a campaign donor and bundler, according to Federal Election Commission records. The nominee, Samuel Slater, was chosen by President Biden in 2021 to serve on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which ‌oversees the Ronald Reagan Washington National and Dulles International airports in Virginia. However, his nomination faced obstacles in the Senate Commerce Committee, leading to his renomination by Biden earlier this year. During a November hearing, Slater expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve on the‌ MWAA’s Board.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.conservativenewsdaily.net/breaking-news/jet-owning-biden-nominee-poured-major-cash-into-presidents-campaign-swampy/?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=conservnewsd__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfAAsd8LE$

Texas Independence Vote Is Imminent, Group’s Leader Says: The leader of a movement advocating Texan independence says that a referendum vote on the issue is close. Daniel Miller and members of the Texas National Movement delivered 139,456 signatures to the Republican Party headquarters in Austin.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/15/texas-secession-texit/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfEghjZmm$

Risk of war with China is real and rising: There has been no shortage of dire predictions of how a war with China might go, especially now that the war in Ukraine has revealed the inability of the U.S. defense base to supply and resupply the millions of rounds of munitions that are required by modern warfare, the asymmetric advantage of cheap drone warfare
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.airandspaceforces.com/escalation-china-war-taiwan-strait/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfEI9kSLM$

Democracy is a culture, and Trump is destroying it: As worrying as the prospect of a second Trump term is, the damage he and his allied movement have already done to American democratic culture is not hypothetical: It’s already here, it’s getting worse, and it will likely persist, even if Trump loses in 2024. Trump has already robbed us of our sense of security and faith in our democracy. The consequences of that theft are not abstract, but rather ones we’ll all have to deal with for years to come.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.vox.com/2023/12/15/23990986/trump-2024-democracy-consolidated-culture-campaign__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfJl4Z5J8$

Michigan Islamic scholar calls on Western Muslims to embrace jihad: Michigan imam is seen on video praising jihad and blaming the US for the ‘genocide in Palestine’ – as experts say it’s another example of the rising danger of extremism and more than TWO MILLION people are added to America’s terror watchlist
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12868223/Michigan-imam-jihad-genocide-Palestine-extremism.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfK5LSP2u$

# Juvenile / Children / Youth
# Law Enforcment
She miscarried in her bathroom. Now she’s charged with abuse of a corpse: Ohio woman’s miscarriage leads to case before grand jury: Forensic pathologist testified the fetus was “non-viable” due to “premature ruptured membranes” as Watts water broke early. “The fetus was too young to be delivered,” Sterbenz said. The forensic pathologist added that the autopsy report found no injury to the fetus and the baby had died before passing through the birth canal.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/06/news/ohio-womans-miscarriage-will-go-before-grand-jury-after-birthing-stillborn-in-toilet/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfEpdSt-7$

Attorney To File Federal Lawsuit Over Black Child Arrested For Urinating In Mississippi: An attorney in Mississippi is preparing to file a federal lawsuit after a 10-year-old Black child was arrested and sentenced to a three-month probation for urinating in public, outside his mother’s car. Police took the child to a jail cell and questioned him without her present
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mississippi-child-arrested-urinating_n_657b77fee4b0e142c0bcf5e1__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfHX9VTAY$

“A Slippery Slope”: NYPD Is Relocating Reporters From Police HQ to a Trailer: Officials say the move is for space reasons. But it comes “against a backdrop of complaints about the coverage of crime,” says one veteran crime reporter, which has “raised everybody’s antenna.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.vanityfair.com/news/nypd-reporters-trailer*:*:text=Officials*20say*20the*20move*20is,has*20**Braised*20everybody’s*20antenna.**B__;I34lJSUlJeKAnCUl4oCd!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfCxnea7L$

# Legal / DOJ
Billionaires Are Bankrolling Judges’ Luxury Travel: In 2021 and 2022, two conservative, billionaire-funded legal interests sent more than 100 federal judges on 251 trips to conferences and seminars in cushy locations around the country and overseas, according to a review of hundreds of federal financial disclosure forms.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.levernews.com/billionaires-are-bankrolling-judges-luxury-travel/*:*:text=In*202021*20and*202022*2C*20two,of*20federal*20financial*20disclosure*20forms__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfGEIgzWw$

Charge Upgraded Against Senator’s Son After Deputy’s Death: Ian Cramer faces new drug charges, including cocaine and methamphetamine possession. A judge on Thursday approved new charges against Ian Cramer, the son of Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., who was accused of leading police in a car chase on Dec. 6 that led to the death of North Dakota sheriff’s deputy Paul Martin. While Ian Cramer had initially faced a manslaughter charge, the judge upgraded that offense to a homicide charge which says that the death was caused negligently instead of recklessly, according to the Associated Press.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/15/n-d-senators-son-faces-homicide-charge-after-car-crash-kills-deputy/71929252007/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfK0wTB7T$

# LGBTQ / Gender
An Ohio bill cracking down on health care and sports participation for transgender youth is headed to the desk of Gov. Mike DeWine (R). It’s unclear if DeWine will sign it. The Ohio legislature gave its final approval Wednesday to House Bill 68, which would ban transgender youth from accessing gender-confirming surgery and non-surgical interventions, including hormone treatments and puberty blockers. (The latter is how medical providers typically treat transgender youth with the approval of the patient’s parents.)
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ohio-anti-trans-youth-bill-dewine_n_657b51e2e4b00e36d2d69126__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfOmExEJW$

# Medical / Health
Major health insurance company faces disturbing allegations of ‘fraudulent scheme’: Health insurance company Humana is being accused of allegedly wrongfully denying care to elderly patients, who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans, using an augmented intelligence model “to override” physicians’ orders on “necessary care patients require,” according to a new lawsuit.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/health/major-health-insurance-company-faces-disturbing-allegations-of-fraudulent-scheme__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfH3pHHAB$

‘Long flu’ has emerged as a consequence similar to long COVID: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, extensive research has emerged detailing the virus’s ability to attack multiple organ systems, potentially resulting in a set of enduring and often disabling health problems known as long COVID. New research from Washington University School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System indicates that people hospitalized with seasonal influenza also can suffer long-term, negative health effects, especially involving their lungs and airways.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-12-flu-emerged-consequence-similar-covid.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfARQn_RA$

# Military / DOD
‘We saw him try to do it’: Expert raises alarm over Trump’s plan to co-opt the military: Trump in his one term tried to impose his will on the Pentagon but didn’t know enough to be successful. Giving him a second bite of the apple would be dangerous.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rawstory.com/trump-military-2666591701/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfCXxjCbL$

# Military / Global
China’s risky maneuvers around the US military are part of a long-running plan to use ‘the enemy to train the troops’: US officials are alarmed by a sharp increase in unsafe interactions with Chinese jets and ships. Close encounters raise the risk of an accident that could escalate to conflict, the officials say.3
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.businessinsider.com/with-close-calls-china-uses-us-to-train-its-troops-2023-12__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfE9_0Pba$

Israeli Troops Kill Child, Block Ambulances and Tear-Gas Hospital in Occupied West Bank: Israeli forces killed an unarmed 17-year-old boy inside the Khalil Suleiman Hospital. Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders, also witnessed Israeli soldiers blocking medical workers in ambulances carrying discharged patients home.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.democracynow.org/2023/12/15/headlines/israeli_troops_kill_child_block_ambulances_and_tear_gas_hospital_in_occupied_west_bank*:*:text=In*20the*20occupied*20West*20Bank,ambulances*20carrying*20discharged*20patients*20home__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfJw8_gMX$

Israeli army kills unarmed Palestinian teen in Jenin hospital: Medical charity MSF: MSF accuses Israeli forces of blocking ambulances, humiliating, harassing medical staff Israel’s Military Chief Says Gaza Assault Will Last “More Than Several Months”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-army-kills-unarmed-palestinian-teen-in-jenin-hospital-medical-charity-msf/3082735__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfBQQV4Mh$

West Bank: Spike in Israeli Killings of Palestinian Children: End Systematic Impunity for Unlawful Lethal Force. The Israeli military and border police forces are killing Palestinian children with virtually no recourse for accountability.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/28/west-bank-spike-israeli-killings-palestinian-children__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfE5hCmAT$

# Social
Nearly 1.7 million Texans lose Medicaid as state nears end of ‘unwinding’: Texas has booted the most people from Medicaid of any state in the country. A majority of those removed lost their health insurance coverage because of procedural errors. The state’s health agency has neared the end of a chaotic process to remove people from state Medicaid insurance who became ineligible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 1.7 million Texans have lost their health insurance. In Texas, Medicaid mainly covers poor children, their mothers, and disabled and senior adults.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/14/texas-medicaid-unwinding/?utm_source=Texas*Tribune*Newsletters&utm_campaign=4a088b3609-trib-newsletters-thebrief&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4a088b3609-*5BLIST_EMAIL_ID*5D&mc_cid=4a088b3609&mc_eid=6f15633605__;KyslJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfDxk71m0$

# Space
Strongest Solar Flare in Years Disrupts Radio Signals: Multiple pilots complained about communication difficulties. A NASA telescope has captured the biggest solar flare in years, which temporarily knocked out radio communication on Earth. The sun spit out the huge flare along with a massive radio burst on Thursday, causing two hours of radio interference in parts of the U.S. and other sunlit parts of the world.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.voanews.com/a/7400188.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfBcPaWvU$

NASA Study Finds Life-Sparking Energy Source and Molecule at Enceladus: A study zooms in on data that NASA’s Cassini gathered at Saturn’s icy moon and finds evidence of a key ingredient for life and a supercharged source of energy to fuel it.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nasa.gov/missions/cassini/nasa-study-finds-life-sparking-energy-source-and-molecule-at-enceladus/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfPoPTVTB$

China’s Shenlong space plane embarks on another secretive mission in space: The launch comes just seven months after the spacecraft’s last mission, a much quicker follow-up compared to the first and second launches which happened 23 months apart, SpaceNews reports.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.space.com/china-space-plane-launch-x-37b-delay__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfI4IyWso$

What Korea discovered about the Moon: One half of the Moon is more electrically conductive than the other, according to measurements from a South Korean spacecraft. The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, nicknamed Danuri, has been studying the Moon since beginning its orbit last December. Scientists speculate that the far side of the Moon is hotter, or perhaps contains more water in its interior than does the near side. Among the observations reported at the meeting were the results of the gamma-ray spectrometer aboard Danuri. This instrument measures high-energy electromagnetic radiation coming from the lunar surface, which can reveal the chemical make-up of the minerals there.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-04005-2?utm_source=Live*Audience&utm_campaign=9920bbc34c-briefing-dy-20231215&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b27a691814-9920bbc34c-50037248__;Kw!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfELy2E90$

# UFO Disclosure / Other
The Senate Just Passed Its Massive Defense Bill: Here’s What That Means for UAP Disclosure: The new legislation, currently referenced as the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act of 2023, will provide “the expeditious disclosure of unidentified anomalous phenomena records,” according to a version that appeared online on Friday. The legislation is expected to be introduced as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thedebrief.org/the-uap-disclosure-act-of-2023-what-we-know-about-chuck-schumer-and-the-senates-new-push-for-uap-transparency/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfGkSt5Kh$

US Congress Gives Government Authority to Keep UFO Information Secret: If the truth about UFOs is out there, the American government doesn’t want you to see it yet. Just months after US space agency Nasa appointed a research director of unidentified anomalous phenomena, and promised more transparency about what it knows, the US Congress has acted to throttle the flow of information that ultimately reaches the public.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/15/ufo-records-release-congress__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfOx_ghal$

Congress scraps provision to declassify information about UFOs, aliens: Congress dropped a provision to release government secrets about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) from the National Defense Authorization Act. The move came as a big disappointment for Democrats and Republicans who want the government to share more of what it knows regarding aliens. “The United States government has gathered a great deal of information about UAPs over many decades but has refused to share it with the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “That is wrong, and additionally, it breeds mistrust.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://san.com/cc/congress-scraps-provision-to-declassify-information-about-ufos-aliens/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3MqcenA11ww2Iot8MGeVVdICdO2n6m8ghcDcQS932lG6Cq-nGFoIQOqAqnu7xtgqe7oqO77QIwbHVo_bkxORiuLLfGgJY7-Y$

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Attention Readers:

Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2023-12-14

Voices, The Peoples News

December 14, 2023
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Hispanic groups ready to ‘resist’ Texas’ push to detain migrants: Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, talks about how grassroots groups plan to “resist” SB4 once Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs it. On Wednesday, they announced a “Know-your-rights campaign” to report abuses once Gov. Greg Abbott signs SB4 into law. The bill approved this year by the Texas Legislature empowers peace officers in the state to inquire about immigration status and bans local governments from limiting assistance to federal immigration agencies. Immigration advocates and Democratic lawmakers say Texas is usurping federal authority and likely will face lawsuits once Abbott signs the bill. They expect that to happen in the coming days.
https://www.blair.com/john-blair-aviator-leather-jacket/8854127.html?cid=rt_bl_criteo_nca_cvn_bnr_simaud&cto_pld=sZ1Yz9jeAAAgCGEKEGtY6Q

LAPD chief says department is leading nationwide movement to arm DACA police officers: As the United States experiences a record number of migrant encounters at the southern border, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore says his Department is taking the nationwide lead on a unique immigration challenge: allowing non-citizen DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients who become sworn officers the ability to carry a firearm full-time.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/lapd-chief-says-department-leading-nationwide-movement-arm-daca-police-officers

# Chemicals
A Texas Community is Being Bombarded by Cancer-Causing Benzene. State Officials Have Known for Nearly Two Decades: In 2005, Texas regulators documented startling amounts of benzene in a community outside Houston. Instead of solving the problem, they allowed a known benzene polluter to expand — a decision scientists worry could haunt residents for years to come.
https://publichealthwatch.org/2023/12/13/houston-chemical-air-pollution-benzene/

Never heard of the Heartland Health Research Alliance? Here’s how the organic and tort-lawyer funded sham research center generates disinformation about glyphosate and other farm chemicals. The objective behind creating HHRA was for it to run the Heartland Study (which was already raising funds from organic and litigator special interests prior to the HHRA formation). When public-funding opportunities for the Heartland Study started becoming more lucrative, the group quickly erased any links with tort law firms and removed references to the wily maverick, Benbrook and his family members staffing these efforts.
https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2023/12/13/viewpoint-never-heard-of-the-heartland-health-research-alliance-heres-how-the-organic-and-tort-lawyer-funded-sham-research-center-generates-disinformation-about-glyphosate-and-other-farm-chemical/?mc_cid=6bb1ac0516&mc_eid=c87bac2a19

# Corporations / Industry
Are ESG, environmental, social and governance, goals the next step in corporate citizenship or an activist imposition? Many see it as the next evolutionary step in corporate citizenship after product stewardship and Corporate Social Responsibility while others see it as an activist imposition of certain subjective concepts of sustainability encouraged by consultants and investment fund managers.
https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2023/12/14/viewpoint-are-esg-environmental-social-and-governance-goals-the-next-step-in-corporate-citizenship-or-an-activist-imposition/?mc_cid=6bb1ac0516&mc_eid=c87bac2a19

# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks
One-Third of Bank Tellers Are on Public Assistance: They handle great sums of money each day, but they’re not earning enough to live on. Fast food and Wal-Mart workers are not the only ones scraping by on minimum wage and depending on public assistance to make ends meet. Bank tellers also often make barely living wages and have to rely on government aid to get by. The report’s findings were based on research conducted by the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California at Berkeley. The committee also interviewed 5,000 bank tellers, customer service representatives and technicians on the details of their employment, including salary and benefits.
https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/one-third-of-bank-tellers-are-on-public-assistance-12206109

# Education / School
Outraged parents and church leaders criticize new Satanic Temple after-school club due to start at an elementary school in January saying: ‘Satan has no room in this district.’
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/3990175-after-school-satan-clubs-gain-popularity-amid-legal-victories/

# General News
Poll finds few likely voters want Trump to be exiled or put to death if convicted: Poll finds few likely voters want Trump to be exiled or put to death if convicted. Almost half of likely voters think former President Donald Trump is guilty of trying to overturn the 2020 election
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_fc0e5be2-99fa-11ee-8e2d-3b5e67766184.html

Poll Worker: Rudy’s Election Lies Sparked Lynching Threats: Ruby Freeman said one emailer said they wanted to hear her “neck snap” when she was hung for what they alleged was treason. Ruby Freeman, one of two Georgia poll workers who sued Rudy Giuliani for defaming them after the 2020 election, recounted a slew of horrifying emails in federal court Wednesday, including emails where election deniers threatened to lynch her. “You are dead,” she recalled one email saying, according to Law & Crime.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2023/dec/12/harvard-president-antisemitism-us-politics-giuliani-zelenskiy?page=with:block-6578899b8f0889f38750a762

# Gov / Politics / Global
Zelenskiy to meet Nordic leaders vowing support for Ukraine: Meeting in Oslo comes on the heels of Zelenskiy’s DC trip. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Oslo to meet some of this strongest supporters, having left Washington without a clear commitment on $61 billion in aid
https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskiy-meet-nordic-leaders-vowing-102131447.html#:~:text=(Bloomberg)%20%2D%2D%20President%20Volodymyr%20Zelenskiy,on%20%2461%20billion%20in%20aid.

Nordic nations vow to back Ukraine ‘as long as it takes’ during Zelenskiy visit: The five Nordic nations told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during talks in Oslo on Wednesday that they would support his country “for as long as it takes” in its struggle to drive out Russian forces.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-president-zelenskiy-surprise-visit-norway-2023-12-13/

China’s Xi meets with Vietnamese prime minister on second day of visit to shore up ties Chinese leader Xi Jinping has met with Vietnam’s prime minister and the head of the country’s National Assembly on the second day of his visit to shore up Beijing’s relationship with Hanoi
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/chinas-xi-meets-vietnamese-prime-minister-day-visit-105613709

China, Vietnam hail upgrade of ties; agree to boost security efforts: China and Vietnam agreed to step up co-operation on security matters in their move towards becoming a community with a “shared future”, they said on Wednesday, as Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a visit to Hanoi. On Xi’s two-day trip, the Communist-ruled neighbours, close in economic areas but at odds over boundaries in the South China Sea, signed dozens of co-operation pacts and agreed to set up more hotlines to defuse any emergencies in the contested waters.
https://www.reuters.com/world/chinas-xi-meets-vietnam-leaders-second-day-state-visit-hanoi-2023-12-13/

# Gov / Politics
Republicans Are Sending a Dangerous Message to the Rest of the World: The Ukrainian president had flown 5,000 miles to patch up his fraying relationship with Washington legislators. On his previous two trips, they’d practically hoisted him on their shoulders, cheering him as democracy’s great brave hope. But this time, in a series of meetings, the Republican lawmakers brushed him off, shrugged that the romance was over, then tacked on that hoariest of evasions: It’s not you, it’s us.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-are-sending-a-dangerous-message-to-the-rest-of-the-world/ar-AA1ltjtQ?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=df581af8138c49e9b2f3fc973b74dd0a&ei=11

‘A dangerous game’: Republican chaos and indecision as crises shake the world: Israel and Gaza explode, Ukraine asks for more help and other predicaments demand US attention while Republicans quarrel among themselves
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/14/house-speaker-republican-leadership-absent-us-aid-israel-gaza-ukraine

Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn avoid questions about Kate Cox abortion case Both Republican senators, who are fierce anti-abortion advocates, declined to comment on their state Supreme Court’s decision to deny Cox an abortion despite a fatal fetal diagnosis.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/ted-cruz-john-cornyn-avoid-questions-kate-cox-abortion-case-rcna129407

Satanic Temple altar at the Iowa state capitol has Republicans seething: Outcry emerged after the un-Christian-like altar was erected on the first floor of the Iowa State Capitol earlier this month, prompting the public and lawmakers to call for its removal. Others have maintained keeping the shrine up is a matter of free speech and freedom of religion.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/satanic-temple-altar-iowa-state-capitol_n_6579d801e4b0db9d2ab7d349

House votes to back impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden: The House on Wednesday authorized the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, with every Republican rallying behind the politically charged process despite lingering concerns among some in the party that the investigation has yet to produce evidence of misconduct by the president.
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86

Hunter Biden defies congressional subpoena: Hunter Biden defied a congressional subpoena Wednesday by refusing to appear for a deposition with the House Oversight Committee, the latest development in the impeachment inquiry into his father, President Joe Biden
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/13/hunter-biden-appearance-capitol-hill-testimony-00131508

This Is Not a War Against Hamas, Israel’s Dystopian Game Show: The horrifying nature of the October 7 attacks led by Hamas do not in any way, morally or legally, justify what Israel has done to the civilian population of Gaza, more than 18,000 of whom have died in a 60-day period. Nothing justifies the killing of children on an industrial scale. Biden and other U.S. officials continue to defend the indefensible by rolling out their well-worn and twisted notion of Israel’s right to “self-defense.” This justification only works for Israel because the Palestinians can enact no such destruction upon Israel and its people. It has no army, no navy, no air force, no powerful nation states to provide it with the most modern and lethal military hardware. It does not have hundreds of nuclear weapons. Israel can burn Gaza and its people to the ground because the U.S. facilitates it, politically and militarily.
https://theintercept.com/2023/12/11/israel-hamas-war-civilians-biden/

Senate to Delay Holiday Recess in Hopes of Reaching Border Deal: The Senate will delay its planned holiday recess and return to the Capitol next week in an attempt to give negotiators more time to reach an elusive deal on a $110.5 billion supplemental spending bill including border policy changes and aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4360737-border-deal-senate-recess/

# Law Enforcment
How Police Have Undermined the Promise of Body Cameras: Hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars have been spent on what was sold as a revolution in transparency and accountability. Instead, police departments routinely refuse to release footage — even when officers kill.
https://www.propublica.org/article/nypd-mulkeen-police-body-camera-footage-denied

Behind bars and beyond burgers: Exposing Alabama’s prison labor exploitation: This lawsuit seeks not only to compensate those who have been exploited, but also to dismantle a system that generates an estimated $450 million annually from this coerced labor.
https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/12/14/behind-bars-and-beyond-burgers-exposing-alabamas-prison-labor-exploitation/

# Media
Video: ‘Civil War’ movie where president bombs American citizens in near future to premiere in 2024: A different kind of “Civil War” will debut in 2024 ahead of the presidential election, courtesy of a new movie whose trailer just came out. Written and directed by Alex Garland, “Civil War” is described in a tagline as “a race to the White House in a near-future America balanced on the razor’s edge.”
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/a24-civil-war-trailer-asks-141222285.html

Mother Jones Merging With Center for Investigative Reporting: The progressive magazine and the investigative nonprofit will complete the merger next year. Most of the news about the journalism business right now is grim. Storied newsrooms are being hollowed out and sold to hedge funds. Once-hot digital startups are cutting back and closing down.
https://www.motherjones.com/media/2023/12/mother-jones-reveal-center-investigative-reporting-merger-non-profit-newsroom/

# Military / DOD
Senate passes final defense policy bill: The Senate overwhelmingly passed 87-13, a compromise annual defense policy bill, teeing up a final vote in the House before it heads to the White House for the president’s signature. The compromise bill authorizes limited assistance for Ukraine, implements AUKUS and institutionalizes a nuclear weapon.
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/budget/2023/12/14/senate-passes-final-defense-policy-bill/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%95%20The%20Senate%20on%20Wednesday,House%20for%20the%20president’s%20signature

Ukraine, Mideast conflicts place renewed pressure on Patriot units: The U.S. Army worked for the better part of a decade to reduce the pressure on troops operating Patriot air defense systems, but the increasing demand for the technology has mostly undone that progress, according to the service’s director of institutional planning for fires and joint capabilities
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/12/13/ukraine-mideast-conflicts-place-renewed-pressure-on-patriot-units/

Robots in the ranks: Army integrating robots in two platoons: Soldiers at both the Maneuver Center of Excellence and the National Training Center are testing out new platoon formations that integrate robots and other technology into dangerous combat scenarios.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/12/13/robots-in-the-ranks-army-integrating-robots-in-two-platoons/

Global conflicts spur a ‘race’ to develop, field electronic warfare systems: “It is imperative that we, in concert with our allies and partners, remain committed to prioritizing our warfighters’ freedom of action and ability to achieve spectrum superiority,” Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said, citing the prominence of EW capabilities in Ukraine and the Middle East.
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/12/global-conflicts-spur-a-race-to-develop-field-electronic-warfare-systems-navy-secretary/

US Navy subs are getting a drone that can launch through a torpedo tube: For the first time, a U.S. Navy submarine has tested an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that can leave and re-enter the sub through a torpedo tube. The capability to deploy a drone through an existing hatch creates new opportunities for surveillance, scouting and other missions. A U.S. Navy submarine has tested an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that can leave and re-enter the sub through a torpedo tube. The capability to deploy a drone through an existing hatch creates new opportunities for surveillance, scouting and other missions.1
https://maritime-executive.com/article/us-navy-subs-are-getting-a-drone-that-can-launch-through-a-torpedo-tube#:~:text=For%20the%20first%20time%2C%20a,surveillance%2C%20scouting%20and%20other%20missions

Pennsylvania Army National Guard members to deploy to Horn of Africa: Members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team are being called up for overseas deployment
https://www.pa.ng.mil/Site-Management/News-Article-View/Article/2867230/28th-id-soldiers-deploy-to-africa/

Let’s bring that margin back: China, Russia too close for comfort in electronic warfare, say generals: Be afraid; be moderately afraid. That’s the bottom-line assessment of where the US and its allies stand on electronic warfare compared to Russia and China, as distilled from a host of statements by current and former Air Force generals at the Association of Old Crows’ annual EW conference. After decades of neglect, jamming enemy radars and communications — and defending against enemy jamming in turn — is back on the agenda for the US and its allies. But China has had its eye on this ball much longer, even creating a Strategic Support Force in 2015, focused on EW, cyberwar and space, as the institutional equal of the traditional Army, Navy and air services.
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/12/lets-bring-that-margin-back-china-russia-too-close-for-comfort-in-electronic-warfare-say-generals/

‘It’s not translating’: Army general says to focus on realistic robotic integration: “Every time it’s like, go watch one [robotic tactical vehicle] follow another one around the parking lot and it runs over the curb and I’m like, ‘Come on, we got to do better than this,” Gen. James Rainey said today.
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/12/with-robotic-tank-formations-out-for-now-army-general-focuses-on-near-term-gains/

# Military / Global
UK, Italy, Japan ink GCAP stealth fighter treaty, reveal new program details: The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partners of Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom have signed a new treaty that will now be sent to their elected representatives for approval, the partners announced today, while also revealing some new details about how the program is to be structured.
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/12/uk-italy-japan-ink-gcap-stealth-fighter-treaty-reveal-new-program-details/

Norway to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine: Norway will donate more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, better known as NASAMS, to Ukraine, this time with a value of 335 million kroner (U.S. $31 million), the government said in a statement. Some will be donated from Norway´s own storage in order to ensure fast delivery to Ukraine, while additional systems will be ordered from the industry for later delivery.
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/noreg-donerer-meir-luftvern-til-ukraina/id3018411/

Dismayed by Moscow’s war, Russian volunteers are joining Ukrainian ranks to fight Putin’s troops: When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ignited into war, back in Moscow, a young Russian who now goes by the name of Karabas was plunged into despair. Shocked by images of what was happening to Ukrainians in Russian-occupied areas, he decided to act — against Russia, his home and country.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-volunteer-troops-014f24506a74161e054b3947ef262873

# Pharmaceuticals / Drugs
Big Pharma Continues To Raise Drug Prices: CAP found that in July 2023, drug companies raised their list prices above the annual inflation rate of 3 percent for 112 drugs. Drug list prices exclude rebates and discounts applied throughout the drug financing supply chain, and these manufacturer-set prices apply across all payers.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/drug-companies-continue-to-hike-prices-above-inflation/#:~:text=CAP%20found%20that%20in%20July,prices%20apply%20across%20all%20payers.

# Science
CRISPR and other new technologies open doors for drug development, but which diseases get prioritized? It comes down to money and science: Drug development takes a great deal of time, money and effort. While future profits play a big factor in which diseases gets prioritized, advocacy and research incentives can also tilt the scale. Sickle cell disease made a great target for this technology because it was caused by a single genetic issue. It was also an attractive disease to focus on because it affects around 100,000 people in the U.S. and is costly to society
https://news.yahoo.com/crispr-other-technologies-open-doors-131022349.html

# Security
Trump Allies Are Giddy About House Intelligence Committee’s Surveillance Bill: The committee is pushing a bill that civil liberties experts say would amount to the largest expansion of domestic surveillance in decades. The federal government’s domestic spying powers come from Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, which was revamped after 9/11 to create mass data collection powers, has been routinely abused and manipulated, and is set to expire at the end of this year.
https://theintercept.com/2023/12/11/house-intelligence-committee-section-702-surveillance/

# Space
NASA’s Space Station Laser Comm Terminal Achieves First Link: NASA’s LCRD (Laser Communications Relay Demonstration) and the new space station demonstration, ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal), successfully exchanged data for the first time. LCRD and ILLUMA-T are demonstrating how a user mission, in this case the space station, can benefit from a laser communications relay located in geosynchronous orbit.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/tech-demonstration/laser-communications-relay/nasas-space-station-laser-comm-terminal-achieves-first-link/

# Veterans / VA
Members of Congress push San Diego VA to give more housing vouchers to homeless veterans: Four members of San Diego’s Congressional delegation are asking the local Veterans Affairs office to issue more housing vouchers amid a rise in homelessness among people who served in the military. The request comes after a Union-Tribune story showed that hundreds weren’t reaching the people who need them.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/homelessness/story/2023-12-13/members-of-congress-push-san-diego-va-to-give-more-housing-vouchers-to-homeless-veterans

Top Republicans roll out bill to bar VA healthcare processing systems from being used for illegal migrants: Top GOP lawmakers roll out bill to weed out services for illegal migrants provided by VA healthcar
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-republicans-roll-out-bill-bar-va-healthcare-systems-used-illegal-migrants?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website

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