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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2024-01-09

Voices, The Peoples News

January 9, 2024
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
Border Bill May be Delayed By Stubborn Sticking Point: Perhaps it should be called Schrödinger’s border deal, simultaneously alive or dead. Only a day after expressing optimism that Senate negotiators could present legislative text on border enforcement to dislodge more Ukraine aid this week.
https://news.yahoo.com/border-bill-may-delayed-stubborn-025454579.html

U.S. mayors say they will take on migrants, but want five times more federal funding: Denver City Councilmember Flo Alvidrez claimed earlier this month that her city is doing more than its share of carrying the burden when it comes to taking care of migrants. Mayors across the U.S. have stated they are willing to take on more migrants but it would come with a very steep price tag. The United States Conference of Mayors sent a letter in November to Congress saying that the federal government needs to spend far more than it has to cover the cost of the border crisis.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/johnson-congress-migrants/

US voters believe Biden has totally LOST control of America’s borders: When asked if America has control over its borders, an astonishing 66% of voters in Arizona now say ‘no’. As do 63% of those in Pennsylvania, 62% in Florida and 61% in North Carolina. Fewer than a quarter (24%) of those in Arizona and Pennsylvania actually believe that America has control over its borders.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2024/01/02/us-border-mexico-migrants-closures/

Why Thousands of Chinese Cross Mexican Borders to Reach America: Chinese Migration Up at Border as US Marks Anniversary of Repeal of Exclusion Act. A group of people, including many from China, walk along the wall after crossing the border with Mexico to seek asylum, near Jacumba, California, Oct. As the U.S marks the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, thousands of Chinese immigrants are crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, mostly for the same reasons as their countrymen did more than a century ago.
https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-migration-up-at-border-as-us-marks-anniversary-of-repeal-of-exclusion-act/7396937.html

# Corporations / Industry
Walmart’s major new self-checkout update could leave customers in a ‘financial hole’: The promise of self-checkout was alluring: Customers could avoid long lines by scanning and bagging their own items, workers could be freed of doing those monotonous tasks themselves and retailers could save on labor costs.
https://apnews.com/article/selfcheckout-theft-labor-walmart-target-1a8a6da0291651815557316964d7f8f9

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
Evidence of DNA Contamination in mRNA Shots Prompts Call for Halting Their Use: Florida surgeon general calls to stop using mRNA Covid vaccines, citing debunked claim. “If the risks of DNA integration have not been assessed for mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, these vaccines are not appropriate for use in human beings,” a statement from the surgeon general said in a 3 January press release.
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/florida-covid-vaccine-surgeon-general-b2473282.html

Only Remaining HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trial Fails in Africa: A trial of an experimental HIV vaccine in Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa has been stopped early after preliminary data suggested it would not be effective in preventing infection, according to the trial’s chief investigator. African-led trial ended a year early as researchers conclude there is ‘little or no chance’ new combination vaccines cut HIV risk
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/dec/07/prepvacc-hiv-trial-africa-halted-after-disappointing-initial-results-for-combination-vaccine

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals
Activists Call for Process ‘Overhaul’ After Oil Industry Veteran Confirmed to Lead COP29: Azerbaijan has selected its ecology minister—and a former executive at the country’s state-run oil company—to lead the United Nations’ flagship climate conference later this year. The decision has reignited fierce debate over the role the fossil fuel industry should play in global climate talks. U.N. officials on Friday confirmed the appointment
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09012024/todays-climate-activists-process-overhaul-oil-industry-veteran-cop29/#:~:text=Climate%20advocates%20say%20the%20pattern,that%20otherwise%20would%20have%20passed

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology
Chinese online gaming billionaire is second-biggest foreign owner of US land: Chen Tianqiao, 50, acquired the huge tracts in Oregon from Fidelity National Financial Ventures for $85 million, or about $430 per acre, in 2015, according to the Land Report, which lists the Chinese-born, California-based businessman as the 82nd-largest property owner in America. Chen Tianqiao, 50, acquired the huge tracts in Oregon from Fidelity National Financial Ventures for $85 million, or about $430 per acre, in 2015, according to the Land Report, which lists the Chinese-born, California-based businessman as the 82nd-largest property owner in America. Despite the nearly decade-old purchase, the publication only added Chen to its Top 100 Landowners list this week.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/09/business/chen-tianqiao-is-second-biggest-foreign-owner-of-us-land/

# General News
Oversight Chairman James Comer’s ‘Legitimate’ Shell Company Was Shut Down, Twice: Those records include the dealings of Comer’s shell company, Farm Team Properties LLC, which the state of Kentucky has dissolved twice for failure to file annual reports, first in 2020, then again in 2022. As Rep. James Comer (R-KY) plows ahead with his sensationalized impeachment inquiry premised on Hunter Biden ’s business dealings, the Oversight Chairman has alleged that Biden’s opaque financial operations merit investigation, and people who own corporations have a ‘responsibility’ to maintain proper ‘books and records.’ But, a review of dozens of tax, real estate, and business filings in Kentucky and Tennessee indicate that Comer’s own personal ‘books and records’ are opaque at best, and improper at worst.
https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3291770276424-oversight-chairman-james-comer-s-legitimate-shell-company-was-shut-down-twice

Comer pushes back on reporting on ‘shell company’ to manage land: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) pushed back on reporting characterizing one of his business ventures as a shell company, defending the legitimacy of a business structure he said was designed to insulate his farm from lawsuits.
https://thehill.com/homenews/4366307-comer-pushes-back-on-reporting-on-shell-company-to-manage-land/

United Finds Loose Bolts in 737 Max 9 Inspections: The planes have been grounded nationwide after a mid-air Alaska Airlines incident on Friday.
https://theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatches/united-finds-loose-bolts-on-plug-doors-during-737-max-9-inspections/

# Gov / Politics / Global
Israel faces new calls for truce after killing of hostages raises alarm about its conduct in Gaza: Israeli protesters are urging their government to renew negotiations with Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whom Israel has vowed to destroy. Israel is also expected to face pressure to scale back major combat operations when U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Monday. Washington is expressing growing unease with civilian casualties even as it provides vital military and diplomatic support.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-17-2023-22e6e6ac2098dbf29c89c1a49980907b

Israel Strikes Lebanon Again; U.S. Officials Concerned Netanyahu Sees Broader War Is Key to “His Political Survival”: A DIA intelligence assessment found Israel would probably not be able to beat Hezbollah if there’s a significant escalation in Lebanon
https://news.antiwar.com/2024/01/08/us-officials-think-netanyahu-might-see-war-in-lebanon-as-key-to-political-survival/

# Gov / Politics
Support Senator Bernie Sanders’s Call for an Investigation of Indiscriminate Bombing in Gaza: Alarming reports have surfaced that U.S. bombs and artillery are being used in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war that is indiscriminately killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including children.
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/support-senator-bernie-sanders-call-for-an-investigation-of-indiscriminate-bombing-in-gaza

Voting Fraud Is Widespread: The 2020 election involved a criminal voter fraud scheme with mass absentee ballots and phony voter registrations, according to the Justice Department and the New Jersey attorney general. This verdict and indictment happened in 2023. Prosecutors in Massachusetts and New York brought election fraud charges in the closing weeks of December.
https://dcjournal.com/voting-fraud-is-widespread/

Ukraine Needs a Ceasefire, Not Biden’s $50 Billion Escalation of Failing War: If the supplemental spending package is approved military only spending for Ukraine will be greater than the annual budget of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Food and Drug Administration combined. The US has already spent ten times as much on Ukraine as we spend on the Centers for Disease Control.
https://www.laprogressive.com/war-and-peace/ukraine-needs-a-ceasefire

Meet the Companies Profiting From Israel’s War on Gaza: “The scale of destruction and war crimes in Gaza would not be possible without massive weapon transfers from the U.S.” “As global resistance to war and apartheid grows, it is important that the public know exactly who is making this violence possible.”
https://scheerpost.com/2023/12/21/meet-the-companies-profiting-from-israels-war-on-gaza/

Roger Stone Caught on Tape Discussing Dem Assassinations: “It’s either Nadler or Swalwell has to die before the election,” Stone allegedly said on a tape obtained by Mediaite. According to audio obtained by Mediaite, Stone spoke about assassinating two Democratic congressmen—Eric Swalwell from California and Jerry Nadler from New York—to Sal Greco, then a New York police officer moonlighting as a security guard for Stone. Mediaite does not specify how or from whom it obtained the audio.
https://www.newsweek.com/roger-stone-assassination-claims-spark-furious-backlash-1858969

There Is No “Both Sides” to Donald Trump’s Threat to Democracy: Donald Trump is plotting to overthrow American democracy. It is not a secret, and he is not subtle. The only question is whether enough people will care enough to stop it. Trump is not hiding his intentions for a second term. Echoing Hitler’s rise to power, he has called his political enemies “vermin” and promised his supporters that, if elected, he would be their “retribution.”
https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/donald-trumps-plot-against-america/

The five truths Trump hopes you will forget about 6 January 2020: The US Capitol attack was a shameful event in US history, yet Americans remain confused and divided about what occurred
https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-caucuses-young-conservatives-campaign-2ca7441852577795123845811b06bc06

Donald Trump Wants to Rewrite the History of January 6. Don’t Let Him: Trump and his allies are trying to convince Americans that the insurrection was a “peaceful” protest—an attempt, as Joe Biden said Friday, to “steal history the same way he tried to steal the election.”
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-jan-6-riot-campaign-rallying-cry/story?id=106148590

Missouri secretary of state threatening to remove Biden from ballot: The U.S. Supreme Court announced last week that it would decide whether Donald Trump should appear on state ballots. The former president has already been kicked off the ballot in Maine and Colorado. Ashcroft responded by threatening to remove Biden from the Missouri ballot if the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn the other states’ decisions.
https://newrepublic.com/post/177928/missouri-gop-secretary-state-panics-reason-remove-biden-ballot

‘Huge miscalculation’: Biden’s refusal to push for Gaza ceasefire could drag US into Middle East war: The longer Israel’s war on Gaza continues with full U.S. support, the less likely regional actors are to continue showing restraint. “The Biden administration clearly does not want an escalation,” says Parsi, the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. But the longer Israel’s war on Gaza continues with full U.S. support, the less likely regional actors are to continue showing restraint, he says. “This is not going to work in the long run.”
https://www.radiofree.org/2024/01/08/huge-miscalculation-bidens-refusal-to-push-for-gaza-ceasefire-could-drag-u-s-into-middle-east-war/

Donald Trump opened his first campaign rally of 2024 by glorifying the horrific violence of January 6, 2021: Trump, in his speech, defended the insurrectionists and railed against prosecutors, including those overseeing multiple investigations of the Republican former president.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/at-waco-rally-trump-defends-jan-6-insurrectionists-and-blasts-the-prosecutors-investigating-him

# Law Enforcment
Video shows shocking moment police shoot an 11-year-old at his home. The officer, Greg Capers, was not criminally charged and remains on the Indianola, Mississippi, police force. Murry’s family filed a $5 million federal lawsuit in May against police, the city and Capers alleging excessive force and negligence.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aderrien-murry-shooting-camera-footage_n_659c4831e4b0f9f6621dd1d3

# Legal / DOJ
The Constitutional Crises of Donald Trump Have Arrived: The long-feared clash between Donald Trump and the U.S. Constitution is here, several historic legal battles about presidential accountability and his unprecedented lawlessness all careening simultaneously toward the nation’s highest court, just as the 2024 primary election season begins.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/constitutional-crisis-second-trump-term/674872/

Filing alleges ‘improper’ relationship between Fulton DA, top Trump prosecutor: Fani Willis hired alleged romantic partner as special prosecutor, court motion says. The bombshell public filing alleged that special prosecutor Nathan Wade, a private attorney, paid for lavish vacations he took with Willis using the Fulton County funds his law firm received. County records show that Wade, who has played a prominent role in the election interference case, has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022. The DA authorizes his compensation.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/breaking-filing-alleges-improper-relationship-between-fulton-da-top-trump-prosecutor/A2N2OWCM7FFWJBQH2ORAK2BKMQ/

Donald Trump is once again claiming presidential immunity in one of the many legal challenges mounted against him, this time in his Georgia racketeering case: Donald Trump’s Presidential Immunity Appeal Opens New Campaign Front. Former president hears his lawyers’ arguments but for him the case is more political than legal
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/donald-trumps-immunity-appeal-opens-new-campaign-front-69d7f8f2

Trump’s lawyer argues that a president can order SEAL Team Six to assassinate his political rival if Congress is cool with it: Former President Trump’s legal team suggested Tuesday that even a president directing SEAL Team Six to kill a political opponent would be an action barred from prosecution given a former executive’s broad immunity to criminal prosecution.
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4398223-trump-team-argues-assassination-of-rivals-is-covered-by-presidential-immunity/

# Media
Report reveals: CNN’s Gaza coverage filtered by IDF-monitored Jerusalem bureau: It reveals that CNN’s coverage, especially concerning the recent Gaza conflict, is routed through its Jerusalem bureau, operating under Israeli military censorship. Every CNN journalist covering Israel and Palestine must submit their work for review by the news organization’s bureau in Jerusalem prior to publication, under a long-standing CNN policy.
https://theintercept.com/2024/01/04/cnn-israel-gaza-idf-reporting/

# Medical / Health
These Patients Had to Lobby for Correct Diabetes Diagnoses. Was Their Race a Reason? Deroze and three other LADA patients who spoke with KFF Health News, all Black women, are among those who were initially misdiagnosed. Without the correct diagnosis, which can be confirmed through blood tests, they described being denied the medicines, technology, and tests to properly treat their diabetes.
https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/diabetes-misdiagnosis-type-2-lada-black-women/#:~:text=Deroze%20and%20three%20other%20LADA,to%20properly%20treat%20their%20diabetes

Massachusetts Unprepared to Care for Thousands of Autistic Young Adults: Massachusetts has never solved long-term systemic problems of low pay and inadequate training for many of the employees who care for their children, creating unacceptable risks that the pandemic worsened. They spoke of a lack of good options for their sons and daughters.
https://thevaccinereaction.org/2024/01/massachusetts-unprepared-to-care-for-thousands-of-autistic-young-adults/

# Medical Science
Diabetes Breakthrough: FDA-Approved Drugs Regenerate Insulin Production in 48 Hours: We’re another step closer to reducing the need for round-the-clock insulin injections to manage diabetes after a new study showed how insulin-producing cells could be regenerated in the pancreas
https://www.sciencealert.com/diabetes-breakthrough-fda-approved-drugs-regenerate-insulin-production-in-48-hours

# Medical Technology
First growing heart-valve transplant: In 2022, an 18-day-old boy received the first partial-heart transplant. Now a healthy 20-month old, Owen Monroe’s heart has grown with its young recipient, the first time that transplanted tissue has been shown to do this.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/hearttransplantation/108092

# Military / Global
Fears are rising of ‘regional escalation’ in the Middle East. But that wider war is already here: The conflict has spilled over into Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and the Red Sea, yet the context is barely discussed or understood. It may be a small detail, but it tells a big, clarifying story: the Biden administration did not appoint an ambassador to Cairo until March of last year. After he came to office, Biden’s orders to his foreign policy staff were to “keep the Middle East off my desk.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/08/israel-gaza-middle-east-escalation

China purges top army brass after US intel revealed they’d filled missiles with WATER instead of fuel and had a huge silo bunker with the wrong lids due to military corruption: Many of those removed were from the Rocket Force – a key arm of the Chinese army overseeing tactical and nuclear missiles. Now, American intelligence claims military corruption led to the mistakes, which also included fields of silos in Western China fitted with lids that stopped the missiles from launching.
https://news.yahoo.com/us-intel-shows-chinas-army-045909485.html

# Space / NASA
The new space race is causing new pollution problems: Earth’s stratosphere has never seen the amounts of emissions and waste from rockets and satellites that a booming space economy will leave behind. In the past few years, the number of rocket launches has spiked as commercial companies, especially SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk — and government agencies have lofted thousands of satellites into low-Earth orbit. And it is only the beginning. Satellites could eventually total one million, requiring an even greater number of space launches that could yield escalating levels of emissions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/science/rocket-pollution-spacex-satellites.html?unlocked_article_code=1.MU0.qAQK.-DoGWnHajP9N

# Technology
Navigating the Uncharted Waters of AI Regulation: The EU AI Act, in its current form, would give significant power to closed platforms and place an undue burden on open-sourced ones, thus stifling innovation. Ironically, this would give more market power to the established players and effectively regulate new market entrants.
https://dcjournal.com/navigating-the-uncharted-waters-of-ai-regulation/

# UFO Disclosure / Other
What happened in Miami Friday? Miami Police Respond to Viral Mall ‘Alien’ Video: Police have released a statement to allay fears of an alien invasion in Florida, after a video of a Miami crime scene went viral, with viewers claiming an extraterrestrial had been captured on film. Blurry aerial footage of a massive police presence surrounding the Bayside Marketplace outdoor-mall last Monday night racked up millions of views throughout the week, as social media users claimed a 10-foot tall gray alien could be seen walking around between the dozens of squad cars.
https://www.newsweek.com/alien-miami-mall-florida-police-viral-video-response-1858734
Video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/793016895918860
See also: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1vMOPaOODQ/?hl=en

# Water
Scientists find quarter million nanoplastic particles in a liter of bottled water: The average litre of bottled water has nearly a quarter-million invisible pieces of ever-so-tiny nanoplastics, detected and categorized for the first time by a microscope using dual lasers.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/scientists-find-about-a-quarter-million-invisible-microplastic-particles-in-a-liter-of-bottled-water

Arizona governor vows to update state’s water laws: In her State of the State speech, Katie Hobbs committed to protecting the state’s groundwater supplies in the face of opposition from Arizona. Hobbs announced she’s directed the state water department to finalize a new pathway for water providers and communities that will allow them to use some groundwater as they work to develop other water sources.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/arizona-gov-hobbs-vows-to-rein-in-skyrocketing-school-voucher-program-update-groundwater-laws

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2024-01-08

Voices, The Peoples News

January 8, 2024
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
Navajo object to depositing human remains on Moon: The United States will soon launch its first spacecraft to attempt a soft lunar landing since the Apollo era, in a historic collaboration with the private sector—but not everyone is celebrating. The Navajo Nation says depositing human remains on the moon is a desecration of a sacred space and is requesting flights to do so be delayed until concerns are addressed.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.npr.org/2024/01/07/1223351685/some-people-are-paying-to-deposit-human-remains-on-the-moon-the-navajo-nation-ob__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnD0M-yRg$

Human Remains Are Headed to the Moon, Despite Objections: The Navajo Nation has called for a delay in launching the commercial lander Peregrine, which is set to carry human remains on a private mission to the moon https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/human-remains-are-headed-to-the-moon-despite-objections/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnCtVc9xN$

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
Presentation of COVID-19 infection with bizarre behavior and encephalopathy, a case report: Current studies show that patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have neurological symptoms manifesting as acute cerebrovascular diseases, impaired consciousness, and skeletal muscle symptoms. Bizarre behavior is an unusual and unique presenting symptom of COVID-19 infection in our patient.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8080485/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnBS38BLg$

There’s a New Covid-19 Variant and Cases Are Ticking Up. It’s winter, that cozy season that brings crackling fireplaces, indoor gatherings.
and a wave of respiratory illness. Nearly four years since the pandemic emerged, people are growing weary of dealing with it, but the virus is not done with us. Nationally, a sharp uptick in emergency room visits and hospitalizations for covid-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, began in mid-December and appears to be gaining momentum.
What Do You Need to Know?
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-variant-jn1-rsv-flu-cases-what-to-know/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnMZRXlCh$

COVID Subcommittee Chair Says ‘Honesty Is Nonnegotiable’ In Upcoming Fauci Interview: Former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci will once again face questions on the origins of COVID-19, vaccine mandates and how to prevent something like the COVID-19 pandemic from happening again in his upcoming closed-door congressional interview,
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/homenews/4384893-covid-subcommittee-chair-says-honesty-is-non-negotiable-in-upcoming-fauci-interview/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnJ3kJtZO$

# Education / Schools
Skipping School: America’s Hidden Education Crisis: Absenteeism has nearly doubled since the pandemic. With state and federal governments largely abdicating any role in getting kids back into classrooms, some schools have turned to private companies for a reimagined version of the truant officer. Absenteeism underlies much of what has beset young people in recent years, including falling school achievement, deteriorating mental health, exacerbated by social isolation, and elevated youth violence and car thefts, some occurring during school hours. But schools are using relatively little of the billions of dollars that they received in federal pandemic-recovery funds to address absenteeism.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/school-absenteeism-truancy-education-students__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnCrjomZq$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals Big Oil Is Weaponizing The First Amendment: Fossil fuel’s favorite law firm is using the concept of free speech to legally defend the industry’s misleading climate claims as well as silence its critics. For years, the fossil fuel industry has maintained that the First Amendment protects its right to mislead the public about the climate crisis, but that criticism and protest of its operations violates the law. Now, one of the industry’s preferred law firms, which has long been recognized for its defense of the First Amendment, is arguing both sides of this issue in court.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.levernews.com/big-oil-is-weaponizing-the-first-amendment/*:*:text=Fossil*20fuel’s*20favorite*20law*20firm,well*20as*20silence*20its*20critics__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnKcnmcqa$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / Global How BPA and its evil cousins dodge meaningful regulation: The EU’s attempt to rein in BPA use has blind spots, and the US remains a distant laggard. BADGE, like its cousin bisphenol A, also known as BPA, shows an ability to hack the body’s hormones and cause significant harm.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ehn.org/bpa-regulations-2666462524.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnAfc-PO4$

# General News
Investigation reveals effort to undermine election integrity tool: A national tool called the Electronic Registration Information Center helps states verify voter registrations, but a conspiracy theory spread online has inspired many state lawmakers to withdraw from the program.
NPR’s Miles Parks speaks with Amna Nawaz about the potential damage to election safety.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/investigation-reveals-effort-to-undermine-election-integrity-tool__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnAXKnzt5$

UN warns Gaza is now ‘uninhabitable’ as war continues: Humanitarian chief fears ‘famine is around the corner’ with 85% of population displaced and more than 20,000 dead. The humanitarian community is facing an “impossible mission” – trying to help more than 2 million people while UN staff and aid workers from partner organisations are killed, communications blackouts continue, roads are damaged, truck convoys are shot at and vital commercial supplies “are almost nonexistent”.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/05/un-warns-gaza-is-now-uninhabitable-as-war-continues__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnC9aTNol$

# Gov / Politics / Global
‘Eradication of Journalism in Gaza’ Continues as Israel Kills Two More Reporters: The international community must “hold Israel accountable for its heinous crimes,” said the Al Jazeera Media Network.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://therealnews.com/eradication-of-journalism-in-gaza-continues-as-israel-kills-two-more-reporters__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnD_kX6kM$

Israel Accused of ‘Effort to Intimidate the Judges’ Ahead of Genocide Hearings: “Israel is pressing others to denounce the case in the hope of persuading the International Court of Justice to decide based on politics rather than the facts,” said one critic.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/israel-south-africa-genocide__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnGBlYtSa$

Mexico’s $20B demand from Biden to help fix the border mess: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has spelled out a series of demands from the U.S. ranging from visas to a multi-billion infusion of funds – even as the Biden administration seeks to pressure Mexico to do more on its part to address the migrant crisis. He wants the U.S. to deploy $20 billion plan to help Mexico and Central American countries dealing with the root causes of migration – while also calling for wholesale changes in U.S.-Cuba policy.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/mexico-s-20b-demand-from-biden-to-help-fix-the-border-mess/ss-AA1mElob?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=45a1c4adf15d4942a29ab40c82e2b2c7&ei=9__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnK9MvLc2$

# Gov / Politics
The war in Gaza may widen. The Biden admin is getting ready for it: That could put President Joe Biden in the center of a messy Middle East conflict in the midst of a bruising re-election campaign. Last week, a surprise Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, suggested 2024 could open with a terrifying spiral: an expansion of the Israel-Hamas war into Lebanon that could draw in the U.S., Iran and even nuclear weapons.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/04/war-gaza-widen-biden-getting-ready-00133949__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnCU0nLjm$

Congressional leaders have reached an agreement on topline spending levels for the current fiscal year that could help avoid a partial government shutdown later this month. The agreement largely hews to spending caps for defense and domestic programs that Congress set as part of a bill to suspend the debt limit until 2025.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/leaders-in-congress-reach-agreement-on-spending-levels-in-key-step-to-avoiding-shutdown__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnL46wd6X$

Mike Johnson to publicly release 44,000 hours of sensitive January 6 footage: US House speaker to make good on promise to far-right Republicans including Matt Gaetz and Donald Trump
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/17/mike-johnson-january-6-video-footage__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnDia2tD5$

Heeding the Founder’s Advice And Intent on Federal Debt: The federal government is not operating consistently with the Constitution and the Founders’ intent…We must recognize reality. America is in decline, and American voters are not satisfied with the status quo. Political leaders once agreed that the U.S. should borrow only for well-defined purposes. But in the last twenty years, we’ve ignored their guidance and added a staggering $25 trillion to the federal debt.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.americanheritage.com/founders-warned-us-against-federal-debt__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnI7PwhWq$

$7.8 million from foreign governments: Trump’s unprecedented earnings in office raise constitutional questions: Exposing the ties: uncovering Trump’s multi-million dollar deals with foreign states during presidency. House Republicans have vigorously pursued allegations against Biden without evidence, but it appears Trump himself may have received substantial payments from foreign governments during his tenure in the Oval Office.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/08/7-8-million-from-foreign-governments-trumps-unprecedented-earnings-in-office-raise-constitutional-questions/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnOOfuZCr$

# Legal / DOJ
Trump threatens to indict Biden if the courts don’t give him blanket immunity: It’s the latest in a long string of threats Trump has issued to his political opponents. It’s not entirely clear what Trump means by his threat since presidents don’t hand down indictments. In all federal criminal cases, a grand jury must be empaneled and agree to move forward with the charges.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-threatens-indict-biden-courts-immunity-2024-1__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnLOGLg1y$

In the Scar of New Mexico’s Largest Wildfire, a Legal Battle Is Brewing: What Is Victims’ Suffering Worth? A wildfire accidentally started by the federal government drove them from their homes and destroyed the things they loved most about their land. The government will pay them only for things with a price tag. But because the wildfire was accidentally triggered by two planned burns set by the U.S. Forest Service, Sandoval and other victims can seek compensation from a federal claims office only for things that have a price tag, like cars, houses and cattle.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/after-hermits-peak-calf-canyon-wildfire-quantifying-victims-suffering-becomes-legal-battle__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnO0J3q4a$

Every Conservative Supreme Court Justice Sits Out Decision in Rare Move: In a rare move, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett all sat out deciding whether to hear MacTruong v. Abbott, a case arguing that the Texas Heartbeat Act (THA) is constitutional and that the state law violates federal law. The six justices were named as defendants in the case. They did not give a detailed justification as to why they chose not to weigh in, and are not required to do so.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/every-conservative-supreme-court-justice-skips-decision-rare-move-texas-1858711*:*:text=In*20a*20rare*20move*2C*20Chief,state*20law*20violates*20federal*20law__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnCATEMEt$

# Medical / Health
American Red Cross Becomes Target of Republican Fury: The American Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have come under fire from some Republicans who allege they are helping migrants cross the southern border into the U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, wrote on social media that NGOs “are FACILITATING illegal immigration to the U.S., like the International Committee Red Cross, providing maps and information about traveling to the southern border.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/american-red-cross-target-republican-fury-1858706*:*:text=The*20American*20Red*20Cross*20and,southern*20border*20into*20the*20U.S__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnG6iap_j$

‘Chilling’: Supreme Court says Idaho can jail doctors for providing abortions: In a controversial decision, the U.S. Supreme Court reinstates Idaho’s strict abortion law, igniting a national debate over reproductive rights. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday opted to reinstate Idaho’s near-total abortion ban, a draconian law that carries up to five years in prison for doctors who perform the procedure outside of extremely narrow circumstances.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/08/chilling-supreme-court-says-idaho-can-jail-doctors-for-providing-abortions/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnDGCWzAT$

# Medical Science
AI Breakthrough: A New Class of Antibiotics Discovered: For the first time in over 60 years, a new class of antibiotics to treat drug-resistant staph infections has been discovered using artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning; a landmark breakthrough to address the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-future-brain/202312/ai-discovers-first-new-antibiotic-in-over-60-years*:*:text=For*20the*20first*20time*20in,antimicrobial*20resistance*20(AMR)*20crisis__;I34lJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnP12YP9e$

# Military / DOD
The US is preparing to protect itself from hypersonic missiles: Hypersonic missiles are a new breed of weapons that combine the speed of ballistic missiles with the maneuverability and stealth of cruise missiles. They pose a serious threat to the US and its allies, as they can evade existing missile defense systems and strike with little warning. To meet the hypersonic defense challenge, the Defense Department has integrated tracking capabilities between existing space-, ground- and sea-based radars, he said.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/3391322/general-says-countering-hypersonic-weapons-is-imperative/*:*:text=Hill*2C*20director*20of*20the*20Missile,*2Dbased*20radars*2C*20he*20said__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnP_BiqFA$

# Military / Global
Big Attack On U.S.’ Al-Omar Base In Syria; ‘At Least 30 Missiles Launched’ | Watch: The US-led international coalition base in Al-Omar oil field in Syria’s Deir Ez-Zor Governorate was the target of a missile attack on Tuesday evening. The attack came shortly after the Islamic Resistance in Iraq group announced that it had targeted three coalition bases in Al-Hasakah Governorate, in north-east Syria.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/big-attack-on-u-s-al-omar-base-in-syria-at-least-30-missiles-launched-watch-101704713015724.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnFDfNvNr$

Iraq wants US military out: Iraq moving to remove US-led military coalition, prime minister says: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Friday said he would set up a dialogue to discuss the removal of the U.S. military presence in his country after an American strike killed an Iraqi militia leader in Baghdad on Thursday.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4391371-iraq-moving-to-remove-us-led-military-coalition-prime-minister-says/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnEuYt3Vm$

Israel’s Gaza withdrawal, a prelude to full-out war: Tel Aviv has no intention of ending this war, and is escalating on all its other fronts, including with Lebanon. This withdrawal did not mean the end of the war on Gaza, and it certainly did not suggest calm on the Lebanese-Israeli front. On the contrary, reducing the pace of the war in the Gaza Strip increases the possibilities of an Israeli war on Lebanon.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://informationclearinghouse.blog/2024/01/08/israels-gaza-withdrawal-a-prelude-to-full-out-war/11/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnBPl8qou$

Israel knows location of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, but he is using hostages as human shields: ‘Time is running out’ for American hostages in Gaza, ad says. The Israeli military knows the location of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar but has not launched strikes against him because he is using Israeli hostages as human shields, according to multiple reports in Israeli media.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-knows-location-hamas-chief-yahya-sinwar-using-hostages-human-shields-reports__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnE1_UXT0$

Buffer zones shattered: Seoul kickstarts reconnaissance as Pyongyang escalates provocations: This absence of buffer zones enables the authorities in Seoul to conduct reconnaissance operations near the border. This initiative was triggered by ongoing military provocations from Pyongyang.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/buffer-zones-shattered-seoul-kickstarts-reconnaissance-as-pyongyang-escalates-provocations/ar-AA1mEkaM?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=45a1c4adf15d4942a29ab40c82e2b2c7&ei=40__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnBQqLNSw$

# Pharmaceuticals / Drugs
Big Pharma’s battle against FDA-approved medicine imports from Canada: Florida’s groundbreaking move: importing affordable medication from Canada. Big Pharma’s pushback and the FDA’s historic approval, a turning point in U.S. healthcare? The agency’s greenlight is a first-in-the-nation move that faces fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry but could reduce costs for Americans.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/08/big-pharmas-battle-against-fda-approved-medicine-imports-from-canada/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnKpFGLr-$

# Space / NASA
NASA Sending Five Payloads to Moon on Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lander: The five NASA science and research payloads aboard the lander will help the agency better understand planetary processes and evolution, search for evidence of water and other resources, and support long-term, sustainable human exploration.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/clps/nasa-sending-five-payloads-to-moon-on-astrobotics-peregrine-lander/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnCAOMi8C$

NASA Revamps Contracts with Blue Origin and Starlab for LEO Station Projects Post-ISS Era: NASA has reallocated funds, including those from Northrop Grumman’s withdrawn agreement, to enhance the existing contracts with Blue Origin and Starlab. Seattle-based Blue Origin is set to receive an extra $42 million for its Orbital Reef station, totaling their award to $172 million.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://spacenews.com/nasa-adds-funding-to-blue-origin-and-voyager-space-commercial-space-station-agreements/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnKAoMi3C$

India’s Sun probe reaches solar orbit: The Aditya-L1 mission was launched in September and is carrying an array of instruments to measure and observe the Sun’s outermost layers. India’s science and technology minister Jitendra Singh said on social media that the probe had reached its final orbit “to discover the mysteries of Sun-Earth connection.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://phys.org/news/2024-01-india-sun-probe-solar-orbit.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnKwjwt28$

# Veterans / VA
[I hope the veterans reading this newsletter will become activist regarding their own healthcare .. not enough is being done for our vets!
Talk to your councilers, primary care physcian to see if they can help with this. Sounds like a great tool to help with PTSD] Psychedelic drug banishes PTSD: Ibogaine, a psychoactive substance made from the bark of the shrub Tabernanthe iboga, could help treat the psychological effects of traumatic brain injury. A study of thirty male US veterans found that the drug decreased symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression by more than 80% on average, one month after treatment
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newscientist.com/article/2410990-psychedelic-drug-helps-treat-ptsd-and-traumatic-brain-injuries/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnOEP4aK4$

Staff Warned About the Lack of Psychiatric Care at a VA Clinic. They Couldn’t Prevent Tragedy: Two veterans sought psychiatric care at a VA clinic in Chico, California. They were bounced between virtual providers and struggled to get support in the threadbare system. A staffer worried, “We are going to kill someone.” Then tragedy struck.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/when-veterans-cant-access-the-psychiatric-care-they-need__;!!On18fmf1aQ!zi0qnQadN3U9YPxvBJ0I8cV3Yj8uullD4AuIOAxMjUlCVO9wYYIvHQiJcaabRFDysqZ3-KPc9RUqXg6cjt1xuF7XnJob60xV$

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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. 2024-01-07

Voices, The Peoples News

January 7, 2024
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
California lawmaker proposes ending funding for illegal immigrant healthcare: After national outrage over California providing billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded healthcare to illegal immigrants, one state legislator introduced a bill to “revoke all taxpayer funding for health care for illegal immigrants in the California State Budget.” “It is unconscionable to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to give universal healthcare to illegal immigrants when our own citizens cannot afford their own healthcare on top of historic inflation and the highest cost of living in the nation,” said Essayli https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_5c427418-ab3e-11ee-9cc6-ebe149d8ee01.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMiv-lBeG$

Three more Texas counties declare invasion, bringing total to 50: Three years into the border crisis, 50 Texas counties have now declared an invasion. The latest to do so are the judges and commissioners of Bandera, Schleicher and Uvalde counties. Officials in Bandera and Schleicher counties signed nearly identical resolutions in November as Crockett County’s.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/article_68777434-abfe-11ee-9d82-3baf3f32b2cb.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMhqv-83N$

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
US scientists enlisted China’s ‘Batwoman to ‘supercharge’ coronaviruses before pandemic: A Chinese scientist known as “Batwoman” allegedly took part in a meeting with US Government officials about funding for a project to “supercharge” coronaviruses – before the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.the-express.com/news/health/123517/covid-coronavirus-china-us__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMtVhbr5w$

# Environment / Climate / Chemicals / Infrastructure Scientists invent mind-blowing method to remove microplastics from our water: Professor Nicky Eshtiaghi, lead researcher at RMIT University, and her colleagues have created a magnetic nano-pillared adsorbent that can remove smaller microplastics. The adsorbent takes the form of a powder additive, which is added to water and attracts microplastics and dissolved pollutants. “This whole process takes one hour, compared to other inventions taking days,” says Ph.D. candidate Muhammad Haris, the study’s first author. It can also “remove microplastics that are 1,000 times smaller than those that are currently detectable by existing wastewater treatment plants,” according to Eshtiaghi.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.yahoo.com/tech/scientists-invent-mind-blowing-method-103041795.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMob_npkP$

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://urldefense.com/v3/__https://publichealthwatch.org/2023/12/13/houston-chemical-air-pollution-benzene/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMpKH8bPw$

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology EPA allows novel RNAi biopesticide for 3 years: The US Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of a sprayable biopesticide that relies on RNA interference to combat the destructive Colorado potato beetle.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://cen.acs.org/environment/pesticides/EPA-allows-novel-RNAi-pesticide/102/i1__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMjOWg33R$

FDA finds high levels of chromium in applesauce traced to lead poisoning outbreak: In addition to extremely high levels of lead, the FDA has found elevated levels of chromium in cinnamon applesauce products marketed for children. The applesauce in question was manufactured by the Ecuadoran company Austrofoods and marked in the United States under the brands Wanabana, Schnucks and Weis.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/01/fda-finds-high-levels-of-chromium-in-applesauce-traced-to-lead-poisoning-outbreak/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMpIWn_da$

Dissecting claims about Monsanto suing farmers for accidentally planting patented seeds: There are different aspects to this concern: some argue that there should be no patenting of any kind on seeds, while others argue that farmers should not be forced to repurchase seeds. It’s clear that many misconceptions surround the topic of GMOs and patents abound. Seeds for genetically modified crops are not the only ones that are patented.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2024/01/05/dissecting-claims-about-monsanto-suing-farmers-for-accidentally-planting-patented-seeds/?mc_cid=0bda79c5ba&mc_eid=c87bac2a19__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMp5ezYRB$

# General News
Jeffrey Epstein Fixer’s Office Burglarized Hours Before Document Dump: Michael Sitrick, a renowned Hollywood crisis manager, says New Year’s Day break-in at his Brentwood offices where thieves stole computer servers “has to be a coincidence.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/breaking-epstein-fixer-office-burglarized-computer-servers-stolen/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=breaking-epstein-fixer-office-burglarized-computer-servers-stolen__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMk0A63pB$

# Gov / Politics
Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement − a media and disinformation expert explains the danger of political violence orchestrated over social media: Social media allows a political leader to direct the behavior of political movements, including engaging in violence and insurrection. Networked incitement involves insurgents communicating across multiple platforms to command and coordinate mobilized social movements in the moment of action.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theconversation.com/jan-6-was-an-example-of-networked-incitement-a-media-and-disinformation-expert-explains-the-danger-of-political-violence-orchestrated-over-social-media-220501__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMuRYalu8$

Representative Doug Lamborn retiring from Congress at end of year: “I am going to retire at the end of 2024, so the 5th Congressional District seat will be open as is the 3rd and the 4th,” Lamborn told KVOR host Richard Randall, noting he’s not running for either of those seats. Lamborn said he wants to spend more time with family and “look for opportunities to do good.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/u-s-rep-doug-lamborn-retiring-from-congress-at-end-of-year__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMgJKMxjd$

# Juvenile / Children / Youth
Illinois Judge Closes Juvenile Detention Center After “Facility in Crisis” Fails to Meet New State Standards: The Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center abruptly closed on Dec. 31. The judge who ordered the closure said staffing shortages made it difficult to meet state standards for caring for youth in custody.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-judge-closes-franklin-county-juvenile-detention-center-failed-to-meet-state-standards__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMvhqchtT$

# Law Enforcment
Texas man and his friend head-stomp and beat frail Alzheimer’s sufferer who got confused and mistook their car for his daughter’s: The pair proceeding to stomp the senior’s head against the concrete several times. –The victim, who weighs less than 100 pounds, remains hospitalized
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/30/news/2-men-beat-67-year-old-houston-man-with-alzheimers-video/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMlRYlrWr$

# Medical / Health
FDA Gives Florida Green Light to Import Drugs in Bulk From Canada: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Florida’s plan to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. The agency’s greenlight is a first-in-the-nation move that faces fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry but could reduce costs for Americans.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://retailwire.com/fda-gives-green-light-to-import-cheaper-medications-from-canada/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMtASI7Wy$

A Far-Right Court Just Admitted a Truth That Abortion Foes Want to Hide: When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it claimed to be removing the judiciary from the abortion debate. In reality, it simply gave the courts a macabre new task: deciding how far states can push a patient toward death before allowing her to undergo an emergency abortion. The ruling proves what we already know: Roe’s demise has transformed the judiciary into a kind of death panel that holds the power to elevate the potential life of a fetus over the actual life of a patient.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/01/supreme-court-abortion-case-texas-dobbs.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMrEcDren$

# Military / Global
North Korea threatens Seoul as tension builds over military drills: Pyongyang conducts live-fire drills close to its coast for the third time in a row as it threatens Seoul. North Korea has threatened an immediate military strike against South Korea in response to any “provocation”.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/7/north-korea-promises-military-strike-if-any-provocation-from-south__;!!On18fmf1aQ!3o_v478xvQfL_WRKTuIkIY8_CkDNUbOz0Me-TcqvJmcvUl_tA0uI9D8CpS30nGJkEj4N3hi92JCptqiogrOIOpJWMleRYntW$

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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. 2024-01-05

Voices, The Peoples News

January 5, 2024
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
2,500-year-old mysterious stone disk could be oldest celestial map ever: The artifact with engravings resembling star positions and hints at a supernova explosion thousands of years ago. This enigmatic stone disk, comparable in size to a car tire, captivates researchers’ imaginations. The intricate engravings, meticulously etched by a human hand, mirror specific groupings of stars in constellations like Scorpius, Orion, Cassiopeia, and the Pleiades.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://interestingengineering.com/science/mysterious-stone-disk-oldest-celestial-map__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMSx-VzMqk$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
California’s free health care for illegal immigrants to cost taxpayers $3B in 2024
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/video/6344301757112__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS7wMXmRu$

# Education / Schools
Silent struggles: Grieving Houston-area students’ well-being at stake as federal COVID-19 funds fade: The federal stimulus money that helped fund many mental health positions in Texas schools will end in the fall of 2024.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://houstonlanding.org/silent-struggles-grieving-houston-area-students-well-being-at-stake-as-covid-19-funds-fade/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS3CQPz05$

Public schools still segregated, 70 years later: Public schools are deeply segregated. In 2021, approximately 60% of Black and Hispanic public school students attended schools where 75% or more of students were students of color. Black and Hispanic students who attend racially segregated schools also are overwhelmingly enrolled in high-poverty schools.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theconversation.com/70-years-after-brown-vs-board-of-education-public-schools-still-deeply-segregated-219654*:*:text=And*20yet*2C*20public*20schools*20are,enrolled*20in*20high*2Dpoverty*20schools__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS6iA5VYZ$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / Global Geological Phenomenon in Africa Signals Emergence of a New Ocean: The great rift: Africa’s splitting plates could give birth to a new ocean, but with consequences. Evacuation of people and the potential loss of lives will be an unfortunate cost of this natural phenomenon
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/africa/the-great-rift-africa-s-splitting-plates-could-give-birth-to-a-new-ocean-but-with-consequences-88274__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS2dlvDjL$

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Food: CR tested popular fast foods and supermarket staples for bisphenols and phthalates, which can be harmful to your health. Here’s what we found and how to stay safer.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/the-plastic-chemicals-hiding-in-your-food-a7358224781/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS5kTc7Z7$

# General News
Second batch of Jeffrey Epstein court documents unsealed: A new batch of unsealed documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls was released Thursday. With over 40 documents released Wednesday and the 19 the day after, there are still more to come. More than 300 additional pages deepen the picture of Epstein’s elite orbit while resurfacing old claims.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/05/first-thing-second-batch-jeffrey-epstein-court-documents-unsealed__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS-rCAgKB$

# Gov / Politics
Senate anti-Trump GOP see Haley as best hope to avoid disaster: Senate Republicans who are concerned about former President Trump’s viability in a general election now see Nikki Haley as the last, best chance of denying Trump the GOP presidential nomination and averting that they see as a potential general election disaster.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4338363-senate-anti-trump-gop-see-haley-as-best-hope-to-avoid-disaster/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS-t138Mz$

International bridge projects get speedier approval process with push from Texas lawmakers: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, led the effort to set a maximum 120-day timeline for the president to decide whether to approve a permit for new international bridge projects. The previous process could have taken years.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/roadblocks-to-border-bridge-construction-projects-lifted-lawmakers-say/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS04nedsh$

See which states are expanding, or restricting, voting rights: While restoration of the federal Voting Rights Act languishes in a split Congress, an already deep divide in Americans’ access to voting has widened over the past year. In part, that’s because blue states aren’t waiting.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://publicintegrity.org/politics/elections/who-counts/see-which-states-are-expanding-or-restricting-voting-rights/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS9AYq3-o$

High Courts, High Stakes: 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. On top of a monumental presidential election, U.S. voters will select 11 governors, 34 U.S. Senators and 82 state supreme court justices, decide dozens of statewide ballot measures and choose literally thousands of state and local officials.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://publicintegrity.org/politics/high-courts-high-stakes/how-republicans-flipped-americas-state-supreme-courts/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS1Gg0Mzd$

Republican Pushes Legislation That Could Cause Democrats to Lose Multiple Seats in House: House Republicans have done much this year to send some Christmas cheer across the aisle by exiling one member and letting their former leader quit in the middle of his term.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4369019-house-republicans-may-have-just-given-their-majority-away-for-christmas/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS06bBBQF$

Another GOP Congressman Is Calling It Quits: Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) on Thursday became the latest House Republican to forgo reelection, adding to the total of nearly 20 representatives who have shared plans to depart Congress. He joins a growing list of House members who plan to retire or seek other office.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/blaine-luetkemeyer-longtime-missouri-republican-congressman-seek-reelection-106134107__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS1EtdTmQ$

‘The Alternative to Democracy Is Dictatorship,’ Warns Biden: “The guy who claims law and order stands for lawlessness and disorder,” said the Democratic president in speech ahead of third anniversary of January 6 insurrection. “Trump’s not concerned about your future, I promise you.” We will debate, disagree. Without democracy, no progress is possible.” “Think about it,” he added. “The alternative to democracy is dictatorship.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/jan-6-three-years*:*:text=We*20will*20debate*2C*20disagree.,alternative*20to*20democracy*20is*20dictatorship.*22__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS11PpyKk$

Amid Fears of Wider War, US Reportedly Drafting Plans to Bomb Yemen: “Biden’s support for Israel’s Gaza war ties the U.S. to Israel’s escalatory cycle that may result in American soldiers dying in yet another Middle East war,” warned one analyst. The Biden administration is reportedly drafting plans to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen amid escalating fears of a wider war in the Middle East, where the U.S. is inflaming regional tensions by heavily arming Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/biden-bomb-yemen*:*:text=The*20Biden*20administration*20is*20reportedly,assault*20on*20the*20Gaza*20Strip__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS4NkdI4A$

# Law Enforcment
Out of Sight: Officials have responded to an overcrowding crisis in Texas’ largest jail by shipping more people from Houston to far-flung, for-profit lockups with even worse oversight.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://boltsmag.org/harris-county-jail-outsourcing/?utm_source=Watchdog&utm_campaign=39bcc15f64-CPI*Watchdog*Newsletter*1*2F05*2F2024&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4b1b6bd46f-*5BLIST_EMAIL_ID*5D&mc_cid=39bcc15f64&mc_eid=dc62c7adba__;KysrJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS3wmElfG$

A recent traffic stop conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) near Eagle Pass resulted in the arrest of seven illegal aliens and the recovery of two minor children being smuggled into the United States, highlighting the massive number of juveniles rescued by law enforcement during the ongoing border crisis. The incident, documented in a video posted online by a DPS spokesman, showed that the smuggler received instructions via text message regarding where to pick his passengers up near the border and where to drop them off in San Antonio in exchange for payment.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thetexan.news/issues/criminal-justice/texas-dps-has-rescued-over-900-children-from-human-smuggling-trafficking-during-operation-lone-star/article_41d7b428-b223-50ca-b731-e18a7dbcdb77.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS-sjCUIR$

# Legal / DOJ
The New York Times just obtained a shocking, previously secret memo detailing the Trump team’s plot to illegally overturn the 2020 election results using fake slates of pro-Trump electors. A December 2020 memo obtained and published by the Times laid out the use of fake slates of pro-Trump electors to create a controversy that could advance efforts to challenge the election results.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/09/secret-memo-details-trump-plot-to-overturn-2020-loss-to-biden-report.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMSzZC_21r$

The Other Jan. 6 Tapes: Newly Obtained Videos Show Trauma Of Attack For House Democrats : One House member texted his wife what he feared was a final goodbye. One recalled the look of pure hatred in the attackers’ eyes. Another would never forget the whine of a hundred gas masks, all operating at once. Shock, last goodbyes and anger were still fresh in their minds in interviews conducted shortly after the insurrection attempt.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/other-jan-6-tapes-show-trauma_n_65983871e4b0bfe5ff63172e__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS1sUXgV2$

National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre announced Friday that he is stepping down from the gun rights lobbying group, with the timing coming amid the start of a civil trial against him and other NRA executives.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/05/wayne-lapierre-nra-resigns__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS_IykZPT$

Republicans on the House judiciary and oversight committees announced they will meet next week to consider holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress, after he defied their subpoena to appear for a closed-door deposition last month.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/house-republicans-hunter-biden-contempt_n_65981fb7e4b0912833afd0df?utm_source=cordial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hp-us-reg-politics_2024-01-05&utm_term=us-politics&email_hash=3dd0206c24c775c2eb150b32a14844e789cd9d26__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS7cyP2Lg$

Clarence Thomas Told He ‘Must Recuse’ in Trump 14th Amendment Case: “The American people deserve a fair and impartial review of Trump v Anderson, free from any conflicts of interest.” “As trust in the Supreme Court reaches new lows,” she added, “decisions like these only reinforce Americans’ belief that Supreme Court justices are politicians in robes. To begin to restore public confidence in our nation’s highest court, Thomas must recuse himself.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/clarence-thomas-recuse-colorado-case__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS40pNPOQ$

# Medical / Health
Eddie Bernice Johnson’s family says medical neglect led to former congresswoman’s death: The family of the recently retired congresswoman says Johnson contracted an infection at Baylor Scott & White’s rehabilitation facility that led to her death. A towering Dallas political figure, once a nurse, state legislator and congresswoman, Johnson was the dean of the Texas Congressional delegation before retiring from office in 2023. She proved effective at her work due to her long tenure serving in the U.S. House, nearly 30 years at the time of her passing, and a pragmatist streak that made her open to working with Republicans. Johnson, 89, died from a spinal infection while in hospice care at her home.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/04/texas-eddie-bernice-johnson-lawsuit/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMSwAvsXXt$

# Military / Global
Russia used North Korean missiles in Ukraine, US says: The United States also expressed concerns that Russia is seeking close-range ballistic missiles from Iran. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Russia-Iran deal had not been completed but that the US “is concerned that Russia’s negotiations to acquire close-range ballistic missiles from Iran are actively advancing.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/4/russia-used-north-korean-missiles-in-ukraine-us-says__;!!On18fmf1aQ!y_WLdp9Ggn3UpfUZp7D91D1eBgJoBLRbFog2F-n3-GNKxQbQ6WazHBQeha3TJuQBQU5Wgf6K0Jn-QxzhptIzuGgMS40TbIKl$

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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. 2024-01-03

Voices, The Peoples News

January 3, 2024
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
Archaeologists uncover remains of allegedly new human species: An international team of researchers has unearthed an early human skull unlike any other in the fossil record, and their analysis suggests we may have to add another branch to the evolutionary tree. this skull does not belong to the homo sapiens species. It shares a striking resemblance to modern humans in some aspects, including a flat face, but lacks what researchers call a “true chin,” suggesting that the skull could be from an earlier human species such as homo erectus.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://globalnews.ca/news/9887674/skull-china-early-human-species/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6Bc1z9Ad$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
U.S. reopening 4 entry points at southern border: U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified the four entry points as Eagle Pass, Texas; San Diego, Calif.; and the Arizona locations of Lukeville and Nogales. They are to resume processing migrants starting Thursday.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/01/03/four-border-crossings-re-open/1011704256439/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6AZTAVy5$

# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks
National Debt Under Biden Skyrockets To $34 Trillion: Looming Impact Uncertain: The U.S. Treasury Department issued a report Tuesday logging U.S. finances, which have become a source of tension in a politically divided Washington that could possibly see parts of the government shutdown without an annual budget in place.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/national-debt-deficits-biden-economy-inflation-record-b4258704f830c7f6e9c5e693748216cb__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6L_Dlm9x$

Americans to face felony charges by the IRS over crypto: This is part of the new tax reporting obligations that took effect on January 1, 2024, after the infrastructure bill signed into law by United States President Joe Biden in November 2021. Those who fail to file a report within 15 days of a transaction could be charged with a felony offense.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://cryptorank.io/news/feed/4df90-americans-to-face-felony-charges-over-crypto__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6A0mZPih$

New Massachusetts ‘Tax the Rich’ law raises $1.5 billion for public good: The amendment, applying a 4 percent annual surtax to individuals with incomes over $1 million, was passed via a statewide ballot initiative in 2022. The state Department of Revenue estimated late last week that the Fair Share Amendment, which requires people with incomes over $1 million, to pay a 4% annual surtax, will add $1.5 billion to state coffers this fiscal year, which ends in June, surpassing expectations
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/03/new-massachusetts-tax-the-rich-law-raises-1-5-billion-for-public-good/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6CFSByIs$

# Employment / Labor
Blue Shield Of California To Lay Off 165 Workers By Jan. 31, including 49 in Oakland: Blue Shield of California said it moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Oakland in 2019 to reduce expenses. The company cites “the economic headwinds we are now facing” in cutting 165 employees this month
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/blue-shield-california-layoffs-oakland__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6G-zNoJj$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals
Texan Bitcoin miners profit by using less electricity; advocates say all Texans should get the same chance Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms made headlines over the summer for making millions by selling pre-purchased power back to the grid. The news highlighted how the grid can benefit businesses more than consumers.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/03/texas-bitcoin-profit-electricity/*:*:text=Texan*20Bitcoin*20miners*20profit*20by,benefit*20businesses*20more*20than*20consumers__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6MmTr7KQ$

Organizations call on banks to end financing of metallurgical coal: An open letter was sent to 50 banks asking them to end “business as usual” practices. The Sierra Club has joined a global group of 67 organizations led by BankTrack and Reclaim Finance in calling on 50 of the world’s largest banks to end all financial support for new metallurgical coal production and expansion. Metallurgical coal represents 14% of the world’s coal.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/03/organizations-call-on-banks-to-end-financing-of-metallurgical-coal/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6GS9h5rV$

# Gov / Politics / Global
Kim Jong Un orders end to communist diplomacy to reunify Korean Peninsula: North Korea will scrap its efforts to reunify the Korean Peninsula due to South Korea’s “collusion with foreign forces,” the country’s state-run news agency reported Sunday. North Korea will scrap its efforts to reunify the Korean Peninsula due to South Korea’s “collusion with foreign forces,” the country’s state-run news agency reported Sunday
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2024-01-02/kim-jong-un-renunification-south-korea-north-korea-12531385.html*:*:text=CAMP*20HUMPHREYS*2C*20South*20Korea*20**C20North,run*20news*20agency*20reported*20Sunday__;I34lJSUlJeKAlCUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6FwDEt4V$

Vladimir Putin threatens to ‘deal with’ US and Western allies in chilling new warning: Vladimir Putin has issued yet another chilling warning to the West as his brutal invasion of Ukraine draws close to its second year.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.the-express.com/news/world-news/123110/vladimir-putin-warning-us-western-allies-ww3__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6CCHtb_G$

Israeli officials have said that the country will defend itself in next week’s hearing at the International Court of Justice, days after South Africa called for proceedings based on its accusation that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/israel-defend-itself-genocide-claims-icj-hague-gaza-south-africa_n_65946b28e4b0f27b6e357cd1?utm_source=cordial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hp-us-reg-politics_2024-01-03&utm_term=us-politics&email_hash=3dd0206c24c775c2eb150b32a14844e789cd9d26__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6A2xCNsk$

Turkey, Malaysia Back South Africa’s ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel: “Israel’s murder of more than 22,000 Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom were women and children, in Gaza for nearly three months should not go unpunished in any way,” said a Turkish spokesperson.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/turkey-malaysia-genocide-icj?utm_source=Common*Dreams&utm_campaign=b182d87acd-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_01_01_09_14_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-77b634d84f-*5BLIST_EMAIL_ID*5D__;KyUl!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6E13YOXt$

# Gov / Politics
DeSantis and Haley pledge to pardon Donald Trump of federal crimes: The leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination faces 91 criminal charges, nearly half of which are at the federal level. And yet his two main GOP rivals have said they would pardon him if they’re elected. Donald Trump faces 40 federal charges connected to his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago estate, as well as another four federal charges stemming from his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-pardon-desantis-haley-b2471805.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6AyeDxMQ$

Islamic extremism taking root in America a ‘real threat’ to national security: Ret. Brig. Gen. Tata
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTm9udOBVgc__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6K6Q0Lxj$

The Senate Is Turning More MAGA, And It Could Boost A 2nd Trump Presidency: A second Donald Trump presidency could be more unbound thanks to the changing face of the Republican Party, where traditional GOP stalwarts are gradually being replaced with hard-charging MAGA loyalists eager to defend and amplify his tactics. A second Trump White House term could face fewer restraints with more loyalists in the upper chamber of Congress.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-senate-2024_n_658c420ae4b014ec45a2f589__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6OPGfqFk$

US Slams Israeli Calls for Ethnic Cleansing, While Enabling It With Massive Arms Sales: “How can we expect Netanyahu’s government to stop the mass killing of civilians and calls for ethnic cleansing if we continue to supply the weapons used to carry it out?” asked U.S. Rep.
Ilhan Omar.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/israel-ethnic-cleansing*:*:text=The*20U.S.*20State*20Department*20on,has*20reportedly*20expressed*20in*20private__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6MIyFmcm$

# Legal / DOJ
Jack Smith Keeps Telegraphing Some Very Serious Trump Crimes: Smith has compiled a very curious list of theoretical misdeeds that seem to telegraph potential bombshells at his upcoming D.C. trial.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nation.lk/online/jack-smith-keeps-telegraphing-some-seriously-scandalous-trump-crimes-249035.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6G5Kgg71$

Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Eight Counts, Including Criminal Tax Evasion And Campaign Finance Violations: Plea Follows Filing of Eight Count Criminal Information Alleging Concealment of More Than $4 Million in Unreported Income, $280,000 in Unlawful Campaign Contributions
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/michael-cohen-pleads-guilty-manhattan-federal-court-eight-counts-including-criminal-tax__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6ALSG6i_$

Judge Drops Most—but Not All—of Trump’s Jan. 6 Civil Counts: A U.S. district court judge on Tuesday dismissed most of the civil counts against former President Donald Trump and several others for their alleged role in the death of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died while defending the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.huffpost.com/entry/federal-judge-dismisses-wrongful-death-jan-6-capitol-brian-sicknick-trump_n_6594cceee4b0f27b6e35b71d__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6F-zok7a$

List of Epstein Associates Expected to Be Unsealed Today: The documents arose from a lawsuit filed against Epstein’s now-imprisoned accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Those documents include over 150 names deriving from a civil lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on sex trafficking and other charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.axios.com/2024/01/02/jeffrey-epstein-list-names-court-documents-associates__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6LYzPk82$

# Medical / Health
Emergency rooms not required to perform life-saving abortions, federal appeals court rules: The Biden administration reminded hospitals of their obligation to perform life-saving abortions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Texas sued, arguing it was an overstep that mandated abortions.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/02/texas-emergency-abortions-ban-despite-federal-guidance__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6IAzARJ8$

# Military / Global
Israeli military plans to break up Gaza Strip into tribal Emirates, Israeli media reveals: A post-war scenario in Gaza has come to light, according to which the Israeli army could divide the Hamas-governed territory into areas ruled by tribes or clans rather than a single political entity.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-plans-to-divide-gaza-into-emirates-ruled-by-tribes-rather-than-political-entity/3097774__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6LxumEES$

# Nuclear
America is building nuclear bomb cores again to counter Russia and China: China is rapidly growing its nuclear arsenal, and Russia, at war with Ukraine, touts new missile tests and its own nuclear modernization.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/behind-the-scenes-at-a-u-s-factory-building-new-nuclear-bombs/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6EA8-UmK$

# Technology
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. Musk’s company Neuralink Corp. is seeking a volunteer for its first clinical trial, meaning it’s looking for someone willing to have a chunk of their skull removed by a surgeon so a large robot can insert a series of electrodes and superthin wires into their brain.
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!z011F65Nd3mV7pYV2cD04I4dun3qNS8y47N_JI3OTg25G6Bi4GH2eInkmc29zqw0je0ZbWfm3kDMTp66mcj9dabp6NJH4GH6$

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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. 2024-01-02

Voices, The Peoples News

January 2, 2024
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
The Migrant Crisis At The Border And Biden’s Ultimate Response Is Expected To Have Great Implications In 2024: President Biden, despite promises to reverse immigration policies, is considering major restrictions, causing concern among immigrant rights groups
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-migrant-crisis-at-the-border-and-biden-s-ultimate-response-is-expected-to-have-great-implications-in-2024/ar-AA1mhS9N?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=98b01ec841614f9994136a270aa0ea96&ei=74__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xdHunhjv$

Mayors From Sanctuary Cities Demand $5 Billion in Taxpayer Funds to Help With Illegal Immigration Crisis: The mayors said in their letter that more is needed, and they are asking for $5 billion. “Our cities need additional resources that far exceed the amount proposed in order to properly care for the asylum seekers entering our communities,” the mayors’ letter says.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/mayors-from-sanctuary-cities-demand-5-billion-in-taxpayer-funds-to-help-with-illegal-immigration-crisis-5521871__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xV-Bk1vm$

Buses Unload Illegal Immigrants at New Jersey Train Station, Exploiting ‘Loophole’: Buses of migrants have been stopping in New Jersey in an apparent attempt to flout New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ (D) recent order to limit arrivals in the city as an ongoing political battle over immigration continues.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.yahoo.com/news/buses-dropping-migrants-off-jersey-084916319.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xQQPnn_d$

Chinese Nationals Are Flooding Across Southern Border At Record Pace: A record number of Chinese nationals crossed the US-Mexico border in November 2023, with 4,797 encounters, marking the third consecutive month of record encounters. Nationwide encounters with Chinese nationals also increased.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.analyzingamerica.org/2024/01/733802/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xXwyeZC4$

US Border Patrol agent under investigation after he was caught returning migrants to Mexico after they had already crossed into the US near El Paso, Texas, federal government confirms: US law and Border Patrol policy requires agents to arrest any migrant who has crossed into the US illegally, as this family had. Illegal immigrants cannot be returned to Mexico without first being screened by Border Patrol agents because they have broken the law by entering US without authorization. If a migrant in Border Patrol custody makes an asylum claim, they must be given the opportunity to have a credible fear interview
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/texas/article-12919353/US-Border-Patrol-agent-investigation-caught-returning-migrants-Mexico-crossed-near-El-Paso-Texas-federal-government-confirms.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xRU0EsXE$

Biden administration asks Supreme Court to allow border agents to cut razor wire installed by Texas: The Biden administration on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to allow federal Border Patrol agents to cut through or move razor wire Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a contentious effort by the state to prevent illegal border crossings.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-texas-immigration-border-patrol-5aa573c05bae06693572826e0154f956__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xdekeGuy$

The growing lunacy of free health insurance for migrants: Across the globe, millions of people are on the move, defying borders and violating laws to escape poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and break into rich countries. The United States is their No. 1 destination. America needs a strategy to control the impact of this lawless migration on our quality of life. Instead, the Democratic Party merely virtue signals, saying, “Welcome, take whatever we have.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/the-growing-lunacy-of-free-health-insurance-for-migrants/ar-AA1mn4bj?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=21d70e9a4bcc4e2780b075a5beae3469&ei=150__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xRj7sNse$

# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks
8 American Brands Now Owned by Foreign Companies: You might be surprised to learn these companies aren’t as American as you thought.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.moneytalksnews.com/foolproof-ways-to-recession-proof-your-retirement/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xXYa8JkL$

Younger baby boomers are facing a homelessness crisis as rents skyrocket and outpace Social Security: The aging of America means more old people on fixed incomes are overwhelmed by the high cost of housing and other financial shocks; ‘not seen since the Great Depression’
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/younger-baby-boomers-are-facing-a-homelessness-crisis-as-rents-skyrocket-and-outpace-social-security/ar-AA1gL2NO?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=066e19f7411143e18545330568cd61e1&ei=163__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xZpuyBrZ$

CIA accused of hiding records that analysts took ‘monetary incentives’ to bury COVID lab leak finding: The think tank’s Oversight Project filed a federal lawsuit against the CIA Dec. 22, alleging the agency did not comply with its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about analysts who allegedly “received monetary incentives to change their position on the origins of the virus,” according to a copy of the complaint first reported Tuesday by the Daily Caller.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/26/news/cia-accused-of-hiding-payments-to-bury-covid-lab-leak-report/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xbYkGXFZ$

Documents Confirm Mutated SARS-CoV-2 Virus Most Likely Leaked from Biohazard Lab in China: Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which was filed by the nonprofit public health research group U.S. Right to Know, have revealed that in 2018, scientists at the Wuhan Virology lab (WIV) had plans to make coronavirus spike proteins capable of infecting human cells that would be “inserted into SARS-CoV backbones.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thevaccinereaction.org/2024/01/documents-confirm-mutated-sars-cov-2-virus-most-likely-leaked-from-biohazard-lab-in-china/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xQTfoFcA$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals Meet America’s Newest Oil-Trader Extraordinaire: Joe Biden: Oil prices have sputtered since the U.S. began selling its stockpiles. The flood of emergency supplies helped arrest surging oil prices after Russia invaded Ukraine, and pulled billions of dollars into the Energy Department’s coffers in the process.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://peakoil.com/publicpolicy/meet-americas-newest-oil-trader-extraordinaire-joe-biden/comment-page-1__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xXHyMApU$

The Biden administration announced new environmental regulations on Friday targeting household refrigerators, freezers, and commercial fans and blowers. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), these actions will help reduce carbon emissions and save consumers money on utility bills over the next few decades.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-finalizes-efficiency-standards-residential-refrigerators-and-freezers-closing-out__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xSaRUWO4$

Fossil Fuel Giants to Lavish Shareholders With Record Paydays as Climate Crisis Deepens: “The global energy crisis has been a giant cash grab for fossil fuel firms,” said one campaigner. “And instead of investing their record profits in clean energy, these companies are doubling down on oil, gas, and shareholder payouts.” The companies, BP, Shell, Chevron,ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies, spent $104 billion on shareholder payouts in 2022, and are expected to reward investors with even more in buybacks and dividends for 2023,
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/fossil-fuel-shareholders*:*:text=The*20companies**BBP*2C*20Shell*2C,for*202023*2C*20The*20Guardian*20reported__;I34l4oCUJSUlJSUlJSU!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xR8GdW89$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals / Global ExxonMobil hands over operations at West Qurna 1 oilfield to PetroChina: U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil Corp (XOM.N) has formally exited the West Qurna 1 oilfield in southern Iraq and handed over its operations to PetroChina as a lead contractor. Senior Iraqi oil officials met with executives from ExxonMobil, PetroChina and Basra Oil Co at the West Qurna 1 field near Basra to mark Exxon’s complete exit and the handover of its operations to PetroChina.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/EXXON-MOBIL-CORPORATION-4822/news/ExxonMobil-hands-over-operations-at-West-Qurna-1-oilfield-to-PetroChina-45654620/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xXZ1-BqZ$

# Environment / Climate / Chemicals / Infrastructure 2023’s record-breaking climate fury: Scientist reveals how global warming is supercharging storms, heatwaves, and wildfires: Unraveling the ties between global warming and catastrophic weather patterns.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/01/2023s-record-breaking-climate-fury-scientist-reveals-how-global-warming-is-supercharging-storms-heatwaves-and-wildfires/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xfvNsJCy$

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology The Plan to Put Pig Genes in Soy Beans for Tastier Fake Meat: Molecular farming company Moolec has inserted pig genes into soy beans to generate meaty-tasting proteins that can be grown in plants.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.wired.com/story/moolecs-plant-pig-hybrids-will-make-fake-meat-taste-meatier/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xYmQwOyi$

# Food Recalls / Alerts
Burger Recall Over Potentially Deadly Bacteria Found in Beef Products: An Illinois meat producer has issued a recall of 6,768 pounds of ground beef products including ready-made burger patties after samples were found to contain E. coli, a potentially deadly bacteria [Jan 01, 2024 at
5:48 AM EST]
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/burger-recall-potentially-deadly-bacteria-beef-illinois-1856857__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xQv-yj2E$

Nearly 40% of conventional baby food contains toxic pesticides, US study finds: The research, conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) non-profit, looked at 73 products and found at least one pesticide in 22 of them. Many products showed more than one pesticide, and the substances present a dangerous health threat to babies, researchers said.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1132576-40pc-of-conventional-baby-food-contains-toxic-pesticides-us-study__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xbFbS7rC$

# General News
Florida’s CFO Proposes Plan for Taxpayers to Foot Trump’s Legal Bills: Florida’s chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, has caused controversy with a proposal to establish a legal defense fund using taxpayer dollars to cover the legal fees of any Florida presidential candidate facing prosecution.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/florida-taxpayers-could-pay-trump-lawyers-proposal-1841038__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xfWLq_9N$

Electronic cigarettes banned in public places starting Monday: Starting Monday, electronic cigarette products will be banned inside public places in Illinois. Kristina Hamilton of the American Lung Association said the association has been leading the charge to encourage states to expand their smoking bans to include e-cigarettes.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/electronic-cigarettes-banned-in-public-places-starting-monday__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xTX-OaLO$

# Gov / Politics / Global
Defense chief warns N. Korea’s reckless provocations will become ‘prelude to destruction’: North Korea should be made to realize that provocative acts threatening South Korea will only serve as a prelude to its own destruction, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said in a New Year’s Day message Monday.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Seoul:-N.-Korea’s-provocations-‘prelude-to-destruction*22/61209377__;JQ!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xbn_HOM3$

Be ready to use ‘super-powerful’ means to crush US, Kim Jong Un orders
military: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un instructed senior military officials on New Year’s Eve to be ready to “destroy” U.S. and South Korean forces in the event of conflict, including using all “super-powerful” means at Pyongyang’s disposal.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nknews.org/2024/01/be-ready-to-use-super-powerful-means-to-crush-us-kim-jong-un-orders-military/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xU9Pgazf$

Russia is losing one of its closest allies to one of its worst enemies: Russia and Armenia were once inseparable allies. The two former Soviet republics have had a strong relationship for decades but those close ties have grown increasingly strained after Azerbaijan seized Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.
Armenia may soon abandon Moscow in favor of Ukraine https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-is-losing-one-of-its-closest-allies-to-one-of-its-worst-enemies/ss-AA1lPPh0?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=98b01ec841614f9994136a270aa0ea96&ei=31__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xRHZ3RoG$

Israeli ministers’ shocking call for mass expulsion: Gaza faces threat of forced eviction: Ben-Gvir’s statements have brought attention to the plight of the area’s population, severely affected by a three-month bombing campaign that has displaced approximately 90 percent of the territory’s residents.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/02/israeli-ministers-shocking-call-for-mass-expulsion-gaza-faces-threat-of-forced-eviction/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xTKcqzI6$

Israeli officials bracing for potential genocide charges as Gaza carnage escalates: This development has placed Israel’s military operations under intense international scrutiny.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/01/02/israeli-officials-bracing-for-potential-genocide-charges-as-gaza-carnage-escalates/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xWHu5vs5$

Putin Issues New Ominous Threat to US: An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin recently warned of a possible Third World War saying that “blood will flow,” while criticizing U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration. “The primitive blackmailing that Biden Administration has unleashed against the Congress is not new and has historical precedents,” Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chair of Russia’s Security Council said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newsweek.com/putin-ally-issues-ominous-warning-world-war-1850876__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xdGpoEaQ$

# Gov / Politics
New laws across U.S. take effect on Jan. 1: Many state laws take effect on the first day of 2024, including new rules on gun safety, a ban on diversity programs and a curb on telemarketing calls.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/us/new-state-laws-2024.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xX1cPmaI$

The GOP Hopes Contraception Can Solve Its Abortion Problem: Republicans are increasingly recognizing that abortion is an electoral problem for the GOP. They’re hoping voters will accept them being more open to contraception as a compromise.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/13/kellyanne-conway-contraception-republicans-2024-00131410__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xXSVyd5J$

Biden bypasses Congress to expedite arms sales to Israel amid Gaza conflict: Administration’s move to fast-track defense equipment to Israel raises ethical and legal questions amidst ongoing conflict. The administration of United States President Joe Biden has once again bypassed Congress to greenlight an emergency weapons sale to Israel, which has only intensified and broadened its attacks on the Gaza Strip despite growing international outrage
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-biden-administration-once-again-bypasses-congress-on-an-emergency-weapons-sale-to-israel__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xTUVYrLP$

Maine, Colorado officials face threats after Trump barred from ballots: Following Trump’s potential exclusion from 2024 ballots in Maine and Colorado, election officials face unprecedented threats, spotlighting the fragile state of U.S. democracy and the perilous path of political discourse. Depending on the decisions of U.S. courts, former President Donald Trump won’t appear on 2024 primary ballots in Maine and Colorado, recent developments that have led to threats against top election officials in those states.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-supporters*:*:text=Depending*20on*20the*20decisions*20of,election*20officials*20in*20those*20states__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xQkPo4om$

White House wants total anarchy or control: Rep. Tim Burchett
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/white-house-wants-total-anarchy-or-control-rep-tim-burchett/vi-AA1mlYCd?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=066e19f7411143e18545330568cd61e1&ei=173__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xfRayAET$

Blood Money: The Top Ten Politicians Taking the Most Israel Lobby Cash: Unfettered support for Israel and the lobby consistently puts the United States at odds with international human rights organizations and the vast majority of nations over Israel’s war crimes and blatant violations of international law. The current U.N. vote on a ceasefire in Gaza [which the U.S. vetoed] is just the latest example.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.mintpressnews.com/blood-money-top-ten-politicians-taking-most-israel-money-israel-lobby/286491/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xQatoWbR$

# Legal / DOJ
Donald Trump believes he is above the law, and the outcome of this federal case is critical to proving to the nation that he is not: “He is subject to the federal criminal laws like more than 330 million other Americans, including Members of Congress, federal judges, and everyday citizens,” wrote assistant special counsel James Pearce.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.npr.org/2023/10/19/1207324491/trump-isnt-above-the-law-justice-department-tells-a-judge__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xbp75qX9$

# Medical Science
The Age of Crispr Medicine Is Here: The approval of the first Crispr-based therapy is just the beginning. Getting it to patients is the next hurdle. The much-hyped technology for editing genes has fulfilled one of its biggest promises.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2023/11/crispr-sickle-cell-disease-cure/676151/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xU8NWZXb$

# Military / DOD
The Biden administration is failing US troops in the field: Sen. Lindsey Graham: We should be able to beat the Houthis. Secretary Austin and the Biden administration’s failing our troops in the field.” Graham said that while he admired Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, calling him a “great patriot,” he did not believe he was doing a good job protecting American soldiers.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/media/lindsey-graham-biden-administration-failing-us-troops-field?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xcBRgwVT$

# Military / Global
Iran stations warship in Red Sea as US aircraft carrier leaves Middle East: The story about the US carrier leaving the region was covered in Al-Mayadeen media, which is pro-Iran, showing that pro-Iran figures in the region are watching. Iranian warships have been operating in the region “to secure shipping lanes since 2009,” Tasnim said.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-780294__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xTU9Ni9h$

# Space / NASA
Japan moon lander enters lunar orbit: 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.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://phys.org/news/2023-12-japan-moon-lander-lunar-orbit.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xd5WBp32$

# Technology
U.S. Intelligence Reveals Chinese Spy Balloon’s Connection to American Internet Provider: As well as using U.S. technologies within the high-altitude balloons, the Chinese seem to have simply organized a data contract with a U.S. ISP for sending all the spy-in-the-sky data home. The data transmissions were characterized as short but high-bandwidth burst transmissions.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/29/news/chinese-spy-balloon-communicated-with-mainland-via-us-internet-provider-report/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!2WyXro9L1keeJA-Pnoj5GxWIZOI66p1okuupUZaZ9Ffxwph10MwHg3K7pG7NDc9dKU-cBVuFnxqNHbHn0vsmumR_xcxNlGzI$

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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. 2023-12-31

Voices, The Peoples News

December 31, 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
Unearthed 14,000-Year-Old Settlement May Require Revising History Of North America Recent: Oral stories hold significant historic value as they represent a unique and invaluable means of preserving and transmitting cultural, historical, and social knowledge from one generation to the next. That assertion has rested on traditional oral accounts passed down through thousands of generations, not exactly bulletproof evidence to bring to the negotiating table. Last year, though, an excavation was undertaken that would put those claims to the test.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://allthatsinteresting.com/heiltsuk-canada__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84B8x6PmC$

Archaeologists Found an Extraordinary Pyramid That’s Apparently 27,000 Years Old: A new study claims that the Gunung Padang site in Indonesia is a “prehistoric pyramid” from up to 27,000 years ago. The study authors site ground-penetrating technologies as the main source for the conclusion. The archaeological community, however, is questioning the findings and the paper is now under investigation.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/indonesian-pyramid-0019920__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84HxnpCx7$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants
Undocumented immigrants will qualify for free health care in California on Jan. 1: Cash-strapped California will ring in the new year by offering free health care to all undocumented immigrants who qualify for the state’s government-run health insurance program.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://nypost.com/2023/12/29/news/undocumented-immigrants-qualify-for-free-health-care-in-california/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84LvTYrc-$

Mexican president says agreement reached to keep US border crossings open: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says an agreement has been reached with United States officials to keep border crossings between the two countries open after temporary closures during a high number of crossings.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/28/mexican-president-says-agreement-reached-to-keep-us-border-crossings-open__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84Nb8trMA$

Feds to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on his new immigration law; Enforce it and we’ll sue: The Department of Justice (DOJ) warned Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) it will sue Texas if he enforces a new state law that allows for the prosecution and deportation of migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico, according to a letter obtained by The Hill. Abbott signed the legislation earlier this month, citing the increased number of migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4380610-doj-threatens-suit-texas-border-law/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84Mw3cNpA$

They’re serious about maximizing the number of illegal immigrants: Stephen Miller: Miller discusses how the December migrant encounters are reported to be the highest ever on ‘The Ingraham Angle.’
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/video/6344033342112__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84OdkCD8a$

Another Texas county declares invasion after judge’s family members killed: The leaders of another Texas county have declared an invasion after the county judge’s family members were killed by a human smuggler. The smuggler was driving more than 100 mph, heading north from the border, crossing county lines from Pecos County into Crockett County, with a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper in pursuit. The driver was smuggling 11 illegal foreign nationals in his pickup truck.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/article_829c56c6-a65f-11ee-ae66-1fc4c7c8d126.html?a&seyid=110204*utm_source=thecentersquare.com&utm_campaign=*2FNational*2Flists*2Ft2*2F*2F&utm_medium=email__;PyUlJSUl!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84PsZLjRE$

Chicago’s mayor taps $95M in federal COVID-19 relief funds for migrant housing costs: Over 20,000 migrants have appeared in the Windy City since August 2022. Mayor Johnson’s top aides acknowledged that an accounting shift made possible by a budget surplus won’t move the needle in a crisis pushing city resources to the limit.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2023/12/29/24018960/chicago-migrant-crisis-funding-covid-money-brandon-johnson__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84DTSUwl-$

# Border / Immigration / Migrants / Global Mexico Repatriates Venezuelans to Ease US Border Migration: Mexico and Venezuela announced Saturday that they have restarted repatriation flights of Venezuelans migrants in Mexico, the latest move by countries in the region to take on a flood of people traveling north to the United States.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://apnews.com/article/mexico-venezuela-repatriation-flights-migration-united-states-2752ad234fc4bd4e40828f83b0ef7b5d__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84HK7FGmd$

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
Vaccine Linked to Disturbing New Condition: Herein, we have provided a comprehensive review of documents reporting neurological side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in international databases from 2020 to 2022 and discussed neurological disorders possibly caused by vaccination.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://eurjmedres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40001-023-00992-0__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84OJIGaqt$

The safety profile and the actual known adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines in at-risk and healthy individuals: There is evidence of reduced effectiveness against the Omicron variant, even after a fourth dose. Several individuals develop inflammatory cardiomyopathy, thrombosis, neurologic problems, and other rare conditions after COVID-19 vaccination. These events may increase with the administration of repeated vaccine boosters.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230207/The-safety-profile-and-the-actual-known-adverse-effects-of-COVID-19-vaccines-in-at-risk-and-healthy-individuals.aspx__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84LSPnFL4$

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals EVs and $9,000 Air Tanks: Iowa First Responders Fear the Dangers—and Costs—of CO2 Pipelines: County officials say they’d need millions of dollars to buy the equipment required to safely carry out rescue operations amid a CO2 pipeline rupture, which can suffocate people and stall engines. But who’s going to pay?
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29122023/evs-and-9000-air-tanks-iowa-first-responders-fear-the-dangers-and-costs-of-co2-pipelines/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84EVtAxHy$

# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / Global Long-term wildlife impacts at Chornobyl, Fukushima may yield ‘a new ecology’: Radioactive contamination moves in ecosystem-specific ways, depending on factors such as water flow. A combination of radioactive contamination and reduced human activity in nuclear exclusion zones may be giving rise to “a new ecology,” with nature overall neither suffering nor thriving, simply different in the impacted areas.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/long-term-wildlife-impacts-at-chornobyl-fukushima-may-yield-a-new-ecology/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84EKuA6q9$

Wales becomes first country to map important areas for insects: Many insect species have declined, a charity warns, and new maps will help conservation. A five-year project analysed 45 million records collected by naturalists to identify key sites. Wales has suffered “drastic declines” in recent decades, according to the charity Buglife. Wales is home to over 20,000 different invertebrate species.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-67760284__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84Hye79k6$

New research highlights effects of biodiversity and pollution in spread of animal diseases: New research highlights effects of biodiversity and pollution in spread of animal diseases. New research from UW-Madison shows that biodiversity and pollution are factors that can change how vulnerable amphibian species are to disease and parasites. Researchers found that environmental pollutants influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://new.nsf.gov/news/pollutants-affect-biodiversitys-role-spread__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84OFWRANM$

# Food / Farming / GMOs / Chemicals / Technology
‘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://ifp.nyu.edu/2023/news/deplorable-iowas-gop-governor-opts-out-of-summer-food-program-for-kids/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84DIphlpK$

# General News
How Donald Trump plans to gut Washington in second White House stint: It includes mass deportations, more executions for convicted criminals, and a dramatic shake-up of US foreign policy. At the heart of Mr Trump’s plans is a “top-to-bottom overhaul” of the US government, starting with invoking executive powers to replace thousands of career civil servants with political appointees.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/31/how-donald-trump-plans-gut-washington/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84D2lHjiL$

Trump’s rhetoric is increasingly mirroring Nazi talking points, and nobody is paying attention, an expert on extremism warns: Though some critics seized upon the remark, conflating the incendiary remarks with Nazi talking points that targeted Jews during the Holocaust, Trump’s comments weren’t met with the same explosive news coverage he previously faced for similar statements. So, he has continued making them.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218563976__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84MinVr8V$

# Gov / Politics / Global
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. In a statement posted on social media, the Foreign Ministry said that “frank and clear confessions reveal the truth about the goals of the genocidal war led by Netanyahu against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip,” according to The Siasat Daily.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.commondreams.org/news/netanyahu-voluntary-migration-gaza*:*:text=The*20remarks*20earned*20a*20swift,according*20to*20The*20Siasat*20Daily__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84CMt_z6C$

Hamas’ recent battle cry for violence against US latest in litany of threats: Father of murdered American girl calls for Jordan to extradite Hamas terrorist. The Hamas movement intensified its campaign of terrorism targeting American interests, declaring in a chilling December announcement that more violence is warranted against the U.S. after the jihadi group murdered over 30 Americans and over a thousand Israelis on the October 7 massacre in Israel.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.foxnews.com/world/hamas-recent-battle-cry-violence-against-us-latest-litany-threats?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84NubfZSe$

# Gov / Politics
US Congress holds anti-China witch-hunt at TikTok hearing: During the hearing, China was repeatedly presented as a “threat,” an “adversary” and a “danger.” The hearing capped a month in which the US made major steps to provoke a war with China by moving to abandon the one-China policy and “strategic ambiguity” that have governed Sino-American relations for decades.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/03/25/tikt-m25.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84JkXA7em$

DeSantis’ ‘war on woke’ looks a lot like attempts by other countries to deny and rewrite history: Tactics used to censor the teaching of American history in Florida schools bear much in common with those seen in the illiberal democracies of Israel, Turkey, Russia and Poland.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://theconversation.com/desantis-war-on-woke-looks-a-lot-like-attempts-by-other-countries-to-deny-and-rewrite-history-204884__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84NnvTYH0$

Once Again, Biden Bypasses Congress to Approve Arms Sale to Israel: “When Israel runs out of rockets to murder children with, they simply hold their hand out to daddy for more,” said one critic.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-biden-administration-once-again-bypasses-congress-on-an-emergency-weapons-sale-to-israel__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84PgppVMu$

Experts ‘Terrified’ of AI-Driven Misinformation ‘Tsunami’ in 2024 Election: “If people don’t ultimately trust information related to an election, democracy just stops working,” said a senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fortune.com/2023/12/28/2024-election-tsunami-of-misinformation-deepfakes-ai/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84FAJtgZ_$

Could Restrictive New Voting Laws in Swing States Shift the Outcome in 2024? More than 560 new rules governing elections have become law in states all across the country in the last three years.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://truthout.org/articles/could-restrictive-new-voting-laws-in-swing-states-shift-the-outcome-in-2024/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84E5tbK3o$

The ‘why’ behind the effort to recruit Romney for president in 2024: The woman behind an effort to persuade Sen. Mitt Romney to run for president on a bipartisan ticket said it wouldn’t be the first time the former Massachusetts governor was recruited for public office.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-why-behind-the-effort-to-recruit-romney-for-president-in-2024/ar-AA1mg0oo?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=8974a07239ba44798d9d0745da1e1404&ei=180__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84FUqdXUZ$

Biden Called Out By Imprisoned Soldier: ‘Not Enough Is Being Done To Secure My Release’: Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges, urged President Biden to take decisive action for his return. Whelan expressed disappointment in Biden’s handling of his situation and called for more assertive diplomatic efforts. The Biden administration reiterated its commitment to bringing home Americans wrongfully detained abroad but didn’t disclose specific negotiation details.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.analyzingamerica.org/2023/12/733264/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84NMAFuwK$

# Legal / DOJ
Why the Supreme Court won’t overrule that Trump aided an insurrection: legal expert: This would be a historic case, to say the least. If the justices rule directly on whether Trump is disqualified under the Constitution, their ruling would apply in every state, not only Colorado. The justices will find the least-embarrassing way of making this case go away and putting the former president back on the state’s primary ballot.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-12-20/colorado-ruling-disqualifying-trump-won-t-be-upheld-by-supreme-court__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84Is8nf2e$

# Military / DOD
US Marines Transformed to Take On China. Will They Be Ready for Everything Else? The Marine Corps went all in when the Pentagon identified China as the prime national security challenge facing the U.S.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.yahoo.com/marines-focus-china-sparks-readiness-152500542.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84EcD49mX$

What to make of the US military’s movements in the Pacific and a general’s wild warning about war: The US is beefing up its presence in the Pacific with a new military base, its first in 70 years, on the island of Guam, a US territory. There is a new agreement between the US and Japan that will redesignate US Marines stationed on Japan, allowing them to fire anti-ship missiles. Plus, the US military will gain expanded access to bases in the Philippines, a newly announced deal that drew US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to that country this week.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/02/politics/air-force-china-war-2025-what-matters/index.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84IrXZgHh$

New U.S. Maritime Strategy Sets Sights on China: The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard released their clearest argument yet for what they need to do to be prepared to take on China – not in a hypothetical future scenario, but in the day-to-day competition happening now on the seas.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.usni.org/2020/12/17/new-u-s-maritime-strategy-sets-sights-on-china__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84Ia81xIO$

U.S. Army’s Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) System: Background – The Army is procuring and continuing to develop a new maneuver short-range air defense system, or M-SHORAD. This system would perform short-range air defense, or SHORAD. The Army defines the SHORAD mission as:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/IF12397.pdf__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84OEWd_rx$

US Navy sinks 3 Houthi boats attacking merchant ship in Red Sea, US says: U.S. Navy helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and the Gravely responded to a distress call issued by the container ship Maersk Hangzhao, the second distress call the ship issued in less than 24 hours due to “being under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats,” according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thehill.com/policy/international/4383140-us-sinks-3-houthi-boats-in-red-sea-after-attack-on-merchant-ship/__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84BEza97j$

# Military / Global
China’s Military Lashes Out At US: China’s defence ministry lashed out at the United States on Thursday, a week after their top military officials resumed high-level talks, criticising its continued meddling in the Asia Pacific region and saying it maintained a “Cold War” mindset.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/chinas-military-lashes-out-us-after-breakthrough-talks-4014706?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84NhbVjJT$

South Korean troops practice responses to terror, drone attacks on Seoul streets: Seoul’s metropolitan government held an urban field exercise this week with the country’s military to prepare for threats against the roughly 10 million residents from North Korean attacks, the South Korean army said.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/04/asia/south-korea-civil-defense-drill-intl-hnk/index.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84GWmopoW$

Legal fight continues as Japanese government approves Marine runway permits on Okinawa: A Japanese Cabinet minister approved the design changes holding up construction on a Marine Corps runway at Camp Schwab, three days after the Okinawa governor ignored a court order to approve the changes himself.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Okinawa-objection-overridden-as-Japan-greenlights-U.S.-base-move__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84DLNWn4O$

Medvedev Announces Russia’s Plan to Seize Key Ukrainian Cities Including Odessa and Kyiv: In a statement on Telegram, he affirmed that Russia’s so-called special operation aims to continue, with its goals including the disarmament of Ukrainian forces and the rejection of neo-Nazism by the current Ukrainian state. Medvedev also stated that Russia intends to capture additional Ukrainian cities, specifically naming Odessa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dagens.com/news/medvedev-announces-russias-plan-to-seize-key-ukrainian-cities-including-odessa-and-kyiv__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84Hq0uPX1$

# Sports
Girls’ stand against trans participation in sports sets up 2024 legal battle: High school female track athletes in Connecticut stood against the influx of transgender athletes seeking to compete against girls in school sports, setting up a defining legal battle of 2024. The case will be heard in federal district court and will be a defining moment in the debate, which has been ramped up by a string of injuries to female athletes at the hands of transgender athletes in recent months.
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_9c688582-9dd8-11ee-b184-fbbe48960cde.html__;!!On18fmf1aQ!w3fzhHx5WXe4_YxVn26vLe65za_NPV2z8oZRrLy2OeHG0UWXEZnlquaFFPk9QnrWkW092hM3FPtc3dtWpsk9pUk84KgBAh9v$

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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. 2023-12-29

Voices, The Peoples News

December 29, 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
Study: U.S. Anchor Baby Policy Ensures Easy Welfare Access for Illegal Aliens: Households headed by illegal aliens have a relatively easy time accessing taxpayer-funded welfare programs thanks to the nation’s anchor baby policy that gives birthright American citizenship to the United States-born children of illegal aliens, research concludes
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/12/26/study-u-s-anchor-baby-policy-ensures-easy-welfare-access-illegal-aliens/

It is ‘obvious’ the Mexican president is calling the shots: Former Acting ICE Director: Former Acting ICE Director Tom Homan says Mexico won’t do anything to ‘slow the flow’ of migrants coming across the border on ‘The Story.’
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6343975592112

“We Have to Control Our Border”: Thomas Homan, Former Acting ICE Director: Thomas Homan served as acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for the Trump administration from Jan. 2017 until the end of this June. Under President Barack Obama, Homan led the Enforcement and Removal Operations division of ICE, which is in charge of deportations.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/we-have-to-control-our-border-thomas-homan-former-acting-ice-director/

# Covid / Pandemics / Biologicals
# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks
The US national debt is now more than $33 trillion. What does that mean? The National Debt is the primary means by which wealth is transferred from the workers who create it, to the billionaires who plunder us. There are several ways this happens:
https://www.quora.com/The-US-national-debt-is-now-more-than-33-trillion-What-does-that-mean

America is now paying more in gross interest on its record $33 trillion debt than on national defense — here’s who holds the IOUs: In the current fiscal year, which begins in October, through end of November, the Treasury has thus far shelled out $168.8 billion in interest on its debt securities, while the Department of Defense spent $149.7 billion on military programs in the same period.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/america-is-now-paying-more-in-gross-interest-on-its-record-33-trillion-debt-than-on-national-defense-here-s-who-holds-the-ious/ar-AA1mcnFR?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=e172282768ef423fb254d338fb037429&ei=239

Government Taking Social Security Payments From Children Sparks Fury: A year ago, an investigation by the Resolve Philly and The Philadelphia Inquirer found that the city DHS had taken $5 million in foster children’s Social Security payments between fiscal years 2016 and 2020 under a controversial legal practice that allowed it to transfer the fund into the city’s $5 billion general fund
https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-probe-overpayments-demands-money-back-sparks-fury-1832268

Social Security Demanded Over $40,000 Back From Texas Woman: ‘So Unfair’: “Social security waited almost two-and-a-half years and said she now owed over $40,000 within 30 days and stopped paying her entirely by the end of 2019.” In 2020 and 2021, Karen’s daughter worked as an essential worker full-time and lived alone because her parents were considered at high risk for COVID-19. The SSA acting commission, Kilolo Kijakazi, recently apologized after understanding that more than 2 million Americans have been sent overpayment notices, despite reporting a much lower number during a Congress hearing in October.
https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-demanded-40000-back-texas-woman-so-unfair-1856189#:~:text=%22Social%20security%20waited%20almost%20two,high%20risk%20for%20COVID%2D19

# Education / Schools
Missouri school board to reinstate Black history classes with new curriculum: “After thorough discussions, we believe there is an appropriate path forward to offer Black History and Black Literature with an updated curriculum standard in the 2024-2025 school year,” board President Adam Bertrand and Superintendent Kenneth Roumpos said. Francis Howell School District board first must approve a new curriculum “that is rigorous and largely politically neutral,” the board president and superintendent said in a statement Thursday to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
https://mynorthwest.com/3944632/missouri-school-board-to-reinstate-black-history-classes-with-new-curriculum/

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Chemicals / Global
Hess quickly drops as Venezuela deploys soldiers amid Guyana dispute: Hess Corp., which is being acquired by Chevron (NYSE: CVX), quickly dropped 2.6% after Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro said he has deployed soldiers on the country’s eastern Caribbean coast as neighbor Guyana received a warship from the UK amid a dispute over the Essequibo territory.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/4051035-hess-quickly-drops-as-venezuela-deploys-soldiers-amid-guyana-dispute

# Environment / Climate / Chemicals / Infrastructure
Massive Lizards Invading South Carolina Have State Officials Warning Residents to Be on High Alert: The South American tegu can grow up to 4 feet in length and live 20 years. A lizard species that can grow larger than many dogs and about half the length of an alligator has officials in South Carolina in warning mode. The South American tegu, a black and white or red lizard that can grow up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 10 pounds, has been spotted in 14 of South Carolina’s 46 counties.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/massive-lizards-invading-south-carolina-have-state-officials-warning-residents-to-be-on-high-alert/ar-AA1maJ7C?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=e172282768ef423fb254d338fb037429&ei=102

# General News
Maine becomes second state to disqualify Trump from ballot, heightening 2024 turmoil: Trump vows to appeal decision by Democrat Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/maine-bars-trump-2024-ballot

Colorado to include Trump on 2024 primary ballot as state GOP appeals to Supreme Court: The Colorado GOP appealed decision to remove Trump from ballot on Wednesday. The Colorado secretary of state will include former President Donald Trump on the 2024 Colorado primary ballot after Republicans filed an appeal to the Supreme Court.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/28/colorado-gop-pushes-trump-14th-amendment-issue-before-supreme-court-00133269

Egypt has presented a three-phase proposal for a truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza: Israel’s divided war cabinet to discuss proposal. Hamas reported to reject suggestion of sharing power in Gaza. The proposal, which was presented to Israel, Hamas, the United States and European governments on Monday would see Israel fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, all captives held by Hamas, and many Palestinian prisoners, freed, and a united technocratic Palestinian government installed in the enclave.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/25/egypt-sets-out-plan-to-end-gaza-war-free-all-hostages

# Gov / Politics / Global
Prominent Zionists laud Biden’s remark that no Jew anywhere is safe without Israel: This war is not making Israelis safe or Jewish people safe anywhere in the world. It is widely viewed as being genocidal. The nightmare paradox is that through wiping out Palestinians in order to eliminate Hamas, Israel’s security threats will increase, endangering the survival of Israel itself.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/prominent-zionists-laud-bidens-remark-that-no-jew-anywhere-is-safe-without-israel/

Russia, India discuss joint production of weapons amid Ukraine war: India’s foreign minister met Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said relations between the countries are progressing even amid turbulent times
https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2023/12/28/russia-india-discuss-joint-production-of-weapons-amid-ukraine-war/

Mexican president disparages pro-democracy demonstrators: Mexico’s president lashed out Monday against demonstrators opposed to his plan to cut election funding, belittling their concerns about threats to democracy and dashing any hopes that he would try to ease rising political tensions. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador seemed to revel in the conflict, hurling insults at the tens of thousands of people who demonstrated over the weekend in Mexico City’s main plaza, calling them thieves and allies of drug traffickers.
https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-government-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-protests-and-demonstrations-caribbean-02136caaf4142f35c636321bd4ea1d58

South Africa initiates case against Israel at International Court of Justice: The African country, a journalist noted, “fought for its own liberation against an apartheid regime supported for decades by the U.S.” South Africa takes a ‘historic’ new step to hold Israel accountable for its relentless bombardment and violent occupation of Gaza, calling on the International Court of Justice to declare that Israel has breached its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/south-africa-israel-icj

Israeli Forces Fired on Aid Convoy in Gaza: “Our international convoy leader and his team were not injured but one vehicle sustained damage, aid workers should never be a target.” “Israeli soldiers fired at an aid convoy as it returned from northern Gaza along a route designated by the Israeli Army,” Thomas White, the Gaza director for UNRWA, the U.N. relief agency for Palestinian refugees, wrote on social media.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/gaza-aid-convoy

# Gov / Politics
Voters Request Expedited SCOTUS Review of Colorado Trump Case: “The critical question of Donald Trump’s eligibility, given his incitement of insurrection, should be resolved before primary voters cast their ballots,” said a watchdog group involved in the legal battle. “We have filed a motion asking the United States Supreme Court to expedite their consideration of the Colorado Republican Party’s appeal and any subsequent review on the issues so that the important question of Trump’s eligibility can be resolved before primary voters cast their ballots,” he added.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-supreme-court#:~:text=%22We%20have%20filed%20a%20motion,their%20ballots%2C%22%20he%20added

Big Win for GOP as Judge Approves Georgia’s ‘Gerrymandered’ House Map: “Federal law requires an end to vote dilution and a real change for injured voters, not reshuffling the same deck,” said one plaintiffs’ attorney in the case. U.S. District Judge Steve Jone, an appointee of former Democratic President Barack Obama, handed Republicans a major win in his ruling, which found that Georgia’s General Assembly “fully complied with this court’s order requiring the creation of Black-majority districts in the regions of the state where vote dilution was found.”
https://www.commondreams.org/news/big-win-for-gop-as-judge-approves-georgia-s-gerrymandered-house-map#:~:text=U.S.%20District%20Judge%20Steve%20Jones,the%20state%20where%20vote%20dilution

U.S. senator calls for bombing Iran: Lindsey Graham wants the IRGC headquarters “blown off the map.” The US should bomb Iranian oil fields and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps HQ in retaliation for Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, Senator Lindsey Graham said on Thursday. In a Fox News interview, the South Carolina Republican argued that Tehran was behind both the attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria and the harassment of Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/us-senator-calls-for-bombing-iran/

Blinken and Mayorkas Fly to Mexico and Discuss Amnesty for the Millions of Illegal Migrants in the U.S: Joe Biden has let in more illegal aliens into the United States than the population of New Jersey, the 11th largest state. And there are thousands and thousands more on the way.
https://nypost.com/2023/12/27/news/blinken-mayorkas-meet-mexico-prez-as-border-crossings-set-new-records/

Blinken, Mayorkas migrant mission to Mexico yields no action, amnesty teased for illegals in US: The US and Mexico released a joint statement on the ongoing migration crisis Thursday that was heavy on platitudes and support for asylum-seekers, but mentioned no enforcement action to stop a record-breaking wave of illegal immigration, and even teased the prospect of amnesty for those already here unlawfully.
https://nypost.com/2023/12/28/news/blinken-mayorkas-migrant-mission-to-mexico-yields-no-action-as-surge-grows/

The US could stop the war today if the Biden Administration wanted to, but it does not. The question is, why? One hundred and fifty-three member nations of the United Nations General Assembly agreed to a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire. The US voted “NO.” Is Pope Francis correct in saying this has “gone beyond war. This is terrorism” as he describes what is happening in Gaza? There are countless murders occurring in Gaza and the West Bank as the world holds it breath because Israel’s partner in the massacre, the United States, parked its aircraft carriers in the Gulf.
https://freepress.org/article/can-israel-survive-if-there-no-ceasefire

The West’s Inaction Over Ukraine Risks Dangerous Conclusions in Moscow: If the United States and EU allow funding to lapse, the consequences could threaten NATO’s core mission. In Washington, Congress has not moved on U.S. President Joe Biden’s request for $61 billion in aid, stalled by Republican demands for U.S.-Mexico border security funding. In the EU, Hungarian President Victor Orban vetoed a 50 billion euro support package. Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against ongoing Russian attacks hangs in the balance. If U.S. funding is allowed to lapse, European allies will be unable to make up the difference in weapons systems and ammunition for Ukraine’s needs.
https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/12/18/west-s-inaction-over-ukraine-risks-dangerous-conclusions-in-moscow-pub-91290?utm_source=ctw&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=buttonlink&mkt_tok=ODEzLVhZVS00MjIAAAGQLbFHgHQFgppvdrmH4sq32J00U36FXNYMCaC2u6yv_bPXKjnmZXQjJwlo_RIXAIPj3FBVICsMUWmAB_rlU0k9Atc6FT4E27F2PcQOtCggOdM

The Biden administration is quietly shifting its strategy in Ukraine: For two years, Biden and Zelenskyy have been focused on driving Russia from Ukraine. Now Washington is discussing a move to a more defensive posture. With U.S. and European aid to Ukraine now in serious jeopardy, the Biden administration and European officials are quietly shifting their focus from supporting Ukraine’s goal of total victory over Russia to improving its position in an eventual negotiation to end the war, according to a Biden administration official
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/12/27/biden-endgame-ukraine-00133211

How Much Aid Has US Sent Ukraine Since War Began? The total amount of American military, financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the war started on February 24, 2022, is over $79 billion according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research institute that tracks international support for Kyiv. More than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-much-aid-the-u-s-has-sent-to-ukraine-in-6-charts

The West may now have no option but to attack Iran: Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and US Navy vessels in the Red Sea threaten the global economy, endangering the vital Suez Canal trade route. Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and US Navy vessels in the Red Sea threaten the global economy, endangering the vital Suez Canal trade route. As if 14 such attacks in the past month, and against Israel directly, were not enough, Iran has now joined the fray.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/28/the-west-may-now-have-no-option-but-to-attack-iran/#:~:text=Houthi%20attacks%20on%20commercial%20shipping,vital%20Suez%20Canal%20trade%20route

Texas Independence Fight Headed for Court: A pro-Texas independence movement has said it will take the state Republican party to court after it rejected its proposal to put the question of secession on the ballot in 2024. Rinaldi wrote: “The vast majority of petition signatures were invalid. A number of the signatures omitted one or all of the residence address, county of registration, and date of birth/voter registration number. Many contained invalid voter names. Only an estimated 8,300 of the purported 139,000 signatures were in the petition signer’s own handwriting.”
https://www.newsweek.com/texas-independence-republican-party-court-1856413#:~:text=A%20pro%2DTexas%20independence%20movement,on%20the%20ballot%20in%202024

More than three dozen House members not seeking re-election: While some of those leaving their House seats are vying for the Senate or different offices, others are simply getting ready for a life outside politics. Here are the House members who say they won’t be running for reelection in 2024.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4290891-here-are-the-house-incumbents-not-running-for-reelection-in-2024/

Steve Moore: This is the most important story in America right now: Steve Moore says Americans ditching blue states is ‘accelerating’ and warns they will be ‘bled to death’ if they don’t change on ‘The Bottom Line.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6Gd9H3rPjw

Congressional stalemate: $858 billion for military, yet $12 billion child poverty aid stalled: A critical look at the Congressional impasse over funding $12 billion for Child Tax Credit expansion amid the approval of a colossal $858 billion military budget.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/12/17/congress-just-passed-858-billion-military-budget-gop-blocking-12-billion-fight-child

# Legal / DOJ
That New Trump Phone Call Recording Sounds Pretty Bad, Huh? The RNC chair should probably not be saying that! While we did already know about this call, the basic facts of it came to light when Palmer testified to the Jan. 6 committee in 2021,the details of what exactly Trump and McDaniel said weren’t known until now.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/12/trump-michigan-tape-ronna-mcdaniel-2020-election-results.html

Trump Ally Who Was Indicted With Him in Georgia Says they Considered Chartering Private Jet to Fly Fake Elector Certificates to DC Ahead of January 6th
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/trump-campaign-scrambled-fake-electors-014250026.html

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to Face Lawsuit for Tax Fraud and Ethics Violations: For years, conservative billionaires have treated Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas to opulent vacations and trips on their private jets. If these were anything other than disinterested gifts, then they’re taxable — and Thomas owes the IRS a huge bill.
https://jacobin.com/2023/12/clarence-thomas-is-committing-tax-fraud

Clarence Thomas: Here Are All The Ethics Scandals Involving The Supreme Court Justice Amid Unpaid RV Loan Revelations: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas never repaid a “substantial portion” of a $267,230 loan he received from a wealthy friend to pay off a luxury RV, the Senate Finance Committee announced Wednesday—raising potential tax concerns—the latest revelation in a series of recent controversies involving Thomas, leading to calls for him to recuse himself from cases or be removed from office and for the court to impose a binding code of ethics.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/09/22/clarence-thomas-here-are-all-the-ethics-scandals-involving-the-supreme-court-justice-amid-koch-network-revelations/?sh=78ede2be5df7

# Medical / Health
Fake weight loss and diabetes drugs entering U.S. market: Health regulators are warning that counterfeit versions of the drug Ozempic and similar medicines used for weight loss and to treat diabetes are on the U.S. market. NBC News’ Stephanie Gosk has more details. The FDA is warning about counterfeit versions of the diabetes medication that’s also being used for weight loss. The agency has seized thousands of knockoffs of Ozempic, a drug approved for adults with type 2 diabetes. But because it leads to weight loss, there has been a rise in demand nationwide, which has led to the production of counterfeits.
https://news.yahoo.com/counterfeit-versions-ozempic-reported-nationwide-204122318.html

# Military / DOD
Business of War Is Booming as Orders Surge at Top Global Arms Firms: “The order books of the world’s biggest defense companies are near record highs,” a new Financial Times analysis reveals. The London-based newspaper analyzed the order books of the world’s 15 top arms makers and found their combined backlogs were $777.6 billion at the end of 2022—a 10% increase from 2020. According to FT: The trend’s momentum continued into 2023
https://www.commondreams.org/news/arms-trade-2666819054#:~:text=The%20London%2Dbased%20newspaper%20analyzed,trend’s%20momentum%20continued%20into%202023

US Navy warship downs Iranian-backed air assault in the Red Sea: The Navy’s USS Mason shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthi rebels
https://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_Navy_warship_downs_Iranian-backed_air_assault_in_the_Red_Sea_999.html

U.S. Deploys Troops To European Country As Tensions Rise: Dozens of Iowa National Guard soldiers will depart for Kosovo on Friday to join a longstanding North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) peacekeeping mission at a time that the United States has warned of growing turbulence in the Balkans. The U.S. has provided more aid to Ukraine than any other NATO member, though the war has become a stalemate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in October that Putin could be seeking a diversion in the Balkans, where that month a gun battle between Kosovo and Serbian representatives led to the U.S. warning of rising tensions and violence in the region.
https://www.newsweek.com/us-deploys-troops-european-country-tensions-rise-1856164#:~:text=Dozens%20of%20Iowa%20National%20Guard,growing%20turbulence%20in%20the%20Balkans

# Military / Global
Army Commander Tells NATO Country to Prepare for War With Russia: The commander of the Dutch army on Thursday called on the Netherlands to become better prepared for a potential future war with Russia. “The Netherlands should be seriously afraid of war, and our society should prepare for it…Russia is getting stronger, ” Lieutenant General Martin Wijnen, commander of the Royal Netherlands Army, said in an interview with the newspaper De Telegraaf.
https://www.newsweek.com/army-commander-tells-nato-country-prepare-war-russia-1856340

# Nuclear
South Carolina nuclear plant’s cracked pipes get downgraded warning from nuclear officials: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission downgraded its preliminary “yellow” warning for V.C. Summer Nuclear Station issued this October to a final “white” one after owner and operator Dominion Energy showed its generator could still run for six hours in an emergency, the agency announced Thursday.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/south-carolina-nuclear-plant-s-cracked-pipes-get-downgraded-warning-from-nuclear-officials/ar-AA1mcUZo?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=e172282768ef423fb254d338fb037429&ei=277

# Pharmaceuticals / Drugs
‘Frankenstein’ drug 10 times more powerful than fentanyl: “People can have drugs mailed to them or their business and then they can either take the drugs themselves or they deal in these dangerous drugs and other people unfortunately could be exposed, ingest it and die or have medical complications,” the undercover agent said. That makes it more challenging for officers to crack down on those selling it. Not much is known about the drug but investigators say more is coming to light every day. One small study did show the potent drug requires a higher dose of overdose reversal drugs like naloxone than fentanyl and there is no guarantee of survival.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/nitazenes-colorado-opioid-fentanyl/

# Planetary
‘Devil comet’ hurtling towards Earth will erupt: A horned “Devil Comet” that’s been hurtling toward Earth is set to “blow” on Friday or Saturday, which would mark its second eruption in just over two weeks. “The last few outbursts have been on a 15-day cadence and we might be coming up to another one,” Nick James of the British Astronomical Association (BAA) told Spaceweather.com. The comet, known as 12P, is a cryovolcano, or cold comet, which erupts when a large amount of gas and ice amasses and combusts like frozen Coke can.
https://nypost.com/2023/12/29/lifestyle/earth-bound-devil-comet-set-to-explode-today-scientists/

# Space / NASA
Russia, NASA agree to continue joint ISS flights until 2025: The decision was taken “to maintain the reliability of the ISS as a whole.” Russian and U.S. space agencies have agreed to keep working together to deliver crews to the International Space Station (ISS) until at least 2025, Russian corporation Roscosmos said Thursday
https://phys.org/news/2023-12-russia-nasa-joint-iss-flights.html

US military space plane blasts off on another secretive mission: The Space Force’s reusable, robotic craft is carrying classified experiments. There’s no one on board. The U.S. military’s X-37B space plane blasted off Thursday on another secretive mission that’s expected to last at least a couple of years. Like previous missions, the reusable plane resembling a mini space shuttle carried classified experiments.
https://apnews.com/article/secret-space-plane-x-37b-4faa4c90a44b2cac111709af9106c6db

# Technology
Get Ready for a ‘Tsunami’ of AI at CES: CES, which kicks off January 9 in Las Vegas, will feature the usual assortment of new consumer tech products. This year, even more of that stuff will be empowered by machine intelligence. If you’re waiting for the hubbub over generative AI to die down, maybe pull up a chair.
https://www.oodaloop.com/briefs/2023/12/29/get-ready-for-a-tsunami-of-ai-at-ces/

# Veterans / VA
Despite backlog of veterans’ claims, VA using resources to help illegal immigrants: The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), despite having a backlog of hundreds of thousands of cases, is appropriating resources to provide medical care for illegal migrants, according to a July report.
https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/va-diverting-resources-to-give-migrants-medical-care-one-of-the-worst-insults-to-veterans-veteran-affairs-illegal-immigrants-immigration-southern-border-healthcare

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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. 2023-12-28

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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Attention Readers:

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

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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