News of the World

[DerVVulfman]

HISTORY CHANNEL TV CREW FINDS
PIECES OF CHALLENGER SPACE SHUTTLE

Pieces of the Space Shuttle found almost 40 years after tragic explosion

While diving underwater in Florida, a documentary team searching for a World War II era aircraft stumble across a large object covered in 8-inch tiles  partially covered by sand. 

They knew it was more modern in construction but couldn't place it and chose to call NASA. And on reviewing the video footage taken during the dive, the space agency confirmed the artifact belonged to the Space Shuttle Challenger which exploded in 1986.

RUSSIA ON THE RUN
ABANDONS CITY IN MAJOR RETREAT

Unable to hold the city of Kherson, Russian Troops retreat in a devastating blow.

According to General Sergei Surovikin, Russian troops would be better used on defensive lines along the Dnipro River.

I understand that this is a very difficult decision, but at the same time we will preserve the most important thing — the lives of our servicemen and, in general, the combat effectiveness of the group of troops, which it is futile to keep on the right bank in a limited area.

In recent weeks, Ukraine has been advancing on this key city, causing Russia to race to relocate thousands of citizens. This retreat is another major victory for Ukraine. who has long sought to recapture this vital city and push Russian troops away.

Kherson is the main city in the region of Ukraine by the same name — it also is one of four regions that Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed in September he was incorporating into Russia “forever.”

Forever wasn't all that long, eh?

[kyonides]

Charges Dropped Against CEO of Election Software Firm

A judge in California on Nov. 9 dismissed charges against the CEO of an election software firm, who prosecutors had accused of being behind “probably the largest data breach in United States history.”

The Los Angeles Superior Court judge threw out charges of conspiracy and grand theft by embezzlement of public funds against Eugene Yu, the CEO of Konnech, at the request of Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon.
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The office of Gascon, a Democrat, said the request stemmed from potential bias that it didn’t detail.

“We are concerned about both the pace of the investigation and the potential bias in the presentation and investigation of the evidence,” Tiffiny Blacknell, a spokeswoman for the office, told The Epoch Times in an email. “As a result, we have decided to ask the court to dismiss the current case, and alert the public in order to ensure transparency.”

Gary Lincenberg, an attorney representing Yu, said the dismissal shows that his client is innocent.
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Konnech sued the leaders, Catherine Engelbrecht and Gregg Phillips, alleging public comments the pair made defamed Yu, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen, and Yu’s firm.

Some of the comments aligned with the charging documents against Yu, which alleged in part that he violated the contract Konnech signed with Los Angeles County by storing data on poll workers on servers in China.
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Phillips testified in the defamation case that he was “told by L.A. County” that they had accessed the same data he viewed in 2021.

The charges against Yu were dismissed without prejudice, which means the charges can be refiled in the future.

Prosecutors haven’t ruled out refiling charges.

Russian Forces Begin Withdrawal From Ukraine’s Kherson

Russia has begun withdrawing its forces from Ukraine’s Kherson region, on the southern bank of the Dnieper River, Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Nov. 10.
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Russian forces will fall back across the river, while taking “all measures to ensure the safe relocation of personnel, armaments, and hardware,” according to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
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He asserted that departing Russian forces were destroying bridges and mining roads in the vicinity of Kherson.
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U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested it would take Russian forces “days, perhaps even weeks, to pull those forces south of that river.”

Milley estimated Russia’s total current troop strength north and west of the Dnieper at 20,000 to 30,000 men.
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Kherson is considered the most strategically important as it commands the only land route to the Crimean Peninsula, along with the mouth of the Dnieper River.

Most of Kherson, including its regional capital, was captured by Russian forces in the opening weeks of the conflict.

In recent weeks, Russian military authorities have overseen the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians from Kherson city in anticipation of a looming Ukrainian offensive. More than 115,000 people so far have left the city for safer positions, Surovikin said.

Previous attempts by Ukrainian forces to breach Russian defenses near Kherson have encountered stiff resistance, leading to significant Ukrainian losses in terms of both troops and equipment, Russian officials say.
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Biden also said it was “interesting” that Moscow had “waited” until after the U.S. midterm elections to announce its withdrawal plans.

Following the Nov. 8 U.S. midterm elections, Republicans are edging closer to securing a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, while control of the U.S. Senate hinges on a few close races.

[kyonides]

Russian missiles cross into NATO member Poland, kill 2: senior US intelligence official
Biden has promised to defend 'every inch' of NATO territory

Russian missiles flew over NATO territory and killed two people in Poland on Tuesday, a senior U.S. intelligence official told the Associated Press.
The Polish government has not immediately confirmed the report, but one spokesman, Piotr Muller, told the publication that top leaders were holding an emergency meeting over the "crisis situation."
Two people were reportedly killed after a projectile struck an area where grain was drying in the village of Przewodów, near the Ukrainian border.
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The Pentagon told reporters that it was taking the reports "seriously and looking into them" as well.
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"We've been crystal clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory," he said in reference to Article 5 of the NATO treaty wherein an attack against one NATO country is considered an attack against all members of the alliance.

Russia's Ministry of Defense denied the incident, calling the reports a "deliberate provocation in order to escalate the situation."

Poland Confirms ‘Russian-Made Missile Dropped’ on Village, Killing 2

Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed early Wednesday morning local time that a “Russian-made missile dropped” onto a village inside its territory near the Ukrainian border, killing two Polish citizens.

“At 3:40 pm, a Russia-made missile dropped on the village of Przewodów, district Hrubieszów, Lubelskie province, and resulted in death of two citizens of the Republic of Poland,” Polish MFA spokesperson Łukasz Jasina said in a statement.

“Therefore, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Zbigniew Rau summoned the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Polish MFA and demanded immediate and detailed explanation.”
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“Russian firepower has launched no strikes at the area between Ukrainian-Polish border. The wreckage published by Polish mass media from the scene in Przewodow have no relation to Russian firepower.”

Reports on Tuesday claimed two missiles hit near the Polish town of Przewodow. Polish news outlets showed a destroyed farm vehicle and an image of a crater.

House Republicans Nominate McCarthy for Speaker

House Republicans on Nov. 15 nominated House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker of the House.

The vote happened during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington as Republicans near gaining control of the House of Representatives, securing 217 of the 218 seats they need with more than a dozen races still uncalled.

During the closed-door vote, 188 Republicans voted to nominate McCarthy as speaker while 31 were opposed, The Epoch Times confirmed.

Moving into the vote, only a few positions were contested—most notably, the position of speaker of the House.
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This means that to fulfill his longtime goal of gaining the speaker’s gavel, McCarthy will need to convince all but a handful of Republicans to give him their backing.

If the Nov. 15 vote is any indication, McCarthy is still far short of the 218 votes he’ll need.

Some Republicans have attributed their opposition to McCarthy to the lackluster results he delivered for the party in the midterms.

Democrats Keep Control of Senate After Emerging Victorious in Key Races

Democrats will have at least 50 seats in the 100-seat chamber. Vice President Kamala Harris is president of the upper chamber, giving her the ability to cast the tiebreaking vote. The Georgia Senate runoff has been scheduled for December.
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In Arizona, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) held off venture capitalist Blake Masters, according to the projections. In Nevada, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) beat former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt. And in Pennsylvania, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman prevailed over Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Republicans did win several closely watched races. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) beat Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. Author J.D. Vance trumped Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio). And Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) bested former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley.

Fauci Responds to Republican Probe Threat After GOP Poised to Retake House

White House COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci said that he has “no problem at all” testifying before the House after it was projected that Republicans would win the majority in the lower chamber.

“I’d be more than happy to discuss anything that we’ve done over the last several years with this outbreak, since I have nothing to hide and I can defend everything we’ve done,” Fauci said at a STAT Summit in Boston.

While it is unclear what party will control the House of Representatives, Republicans need only one seat called in the party’s favor to get 218 seats. Several prominent lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), have said they plan on investigating Fauci and whether his agency funded controversial research of viruses in China.

Several months before the midterms, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Reform committee, said in a statement that Fauci would be investigated regardless of whether he retires or not. It came as Fauci had made an announcement that he is stepping down from his federal government positions.

US Must Increase Taiwan Military Spending to Counter China

A top congressional advisory body recommends that the United States establish multiyear funding and other mechanisms to bolster Taiwan’s defenses against unprecedented aggression from communist China.

The recommendation proposes establishing a joint planning mechanism and encouraging increases in Taiwan’s defense spending to ensure that the island is arming itself to the best of its ability.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) released its annual report on Nov. 15, which said the measures would be necessary to deter an invasion by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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Wong said that the CCP seeks to isolate the island from the rest of the world through diplomatic, economic, and military coercion. The regime’s goal is to compel Taiwan into accepting communist rule by any means necessary. To that end, he said, the United States and Taiwan would need to increase their cooperation to ensure their victory in the event of a conflict with China.

“We recommend the creation of an economic and security preparedness and resilience office to ensure that we ourselves are prepared to withstand and win long-term competition and conflict,” Wong said.
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Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe vowed this year to “start a war no matter the cost” to prevent the international recognition of Taiwan’s independence.

Likewise, CCP leader Xi Jinping said to President Joe Biden this month, “Cross-Strait peace and stability and ‘Taiwan independence’ are as irreconcilable as water and fire.”

Istanbul Bombing Aftermath Highlights US–Turkey Tensions

In a sign of strained ties between Turkey and the United States, Turkish officials declined to accept Washington’s condolences after a deadly bombing in the heart of Istanbul that left six people dead on Nov. 13.

According to Turkish authorities, who swiftly detained the alleged bomber, the attack was planned and carried out by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian offshoot, the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Turkey, along with the United States and the European Union, considers the PKK a terrorist group.

Yet despite the PKK’s close affiliation with the YPG, the latter enjoys the support of Washington, which continues to use it as a bulwark against the ISIS terrorist group in Syria.

“The United States funds, trains, arms, and provides intelligence to the YPG,” Abdullah Agar, a Turkish security expert and political commentator, told The Epoch Times.

“U.S. support allows the terrorist group to carry out these kinds of attacks,” he said. “This is the main reason for the ongoing tension between the United States and Turkey.”

The PKK, for its part, has denied any involvement in the Istanbul bombing.
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On the morning of Nov. 13, Istanbul’s centrally located Istiklal Avenue was rocked by a powerful explosion that left six people dead and another 81 injured.
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Located in Istanbul’s upscale Beyoglu district, the popular thoroughfare was teeming with tourists and shoppers at the time of the blast.
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Agar, who lectures on security issues at Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University, also noted that Istiklal Avenue is home to several foreign diplomatic missions.

[kyonides]

Donald Trump Launches 2024 Bid for White House

Trump, 76, who had hinted at a 2024 run for more than a year, announced the presidential bid in a prime-time speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

“In order to make America great and glorious again I am tonight announcing my candidacy for President of the United States,” Trump said.

The former president stressed that this won’t be his campaign but “our campaign,” saying that the only force “strong enough to defeat the massive corruption we are up against is you—the American people.

“Together we will be taking on the most corrupt forces and entrenched interests imaginable. Our country is in a horrible state. We’re in great trouble.”

Facing a crowd of supporters and allies, the 45th president blamed the Biden administration and Democrats for high inflation, threat of war, and the open southern border.

Tens of Millions of Americans at Risk of Winter Power Blackouts, Grid Emergencies

Large swaths of North America could face blackouts or other emergencies during extreme cold during the 2022–23 winter due to fewer natural gas and coal supplies, said the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).

A report from NERC, a U.S. regulatory body that manages grid stability, said that power grids in Texas, the Carolinas, New England, and the Midwest, are at the most risk of power supply shortfalls during periods of elevated demand.
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Moura and other operators told Bloomberg that during extreme weather or cold periods during the upcoming winter, a quarter of all Americans could face blackout risks.

Matheson then warned that “it doesn’t have to be this way, but absent a shift in state and federal energy policy, this is a reality we will face for years to come.”
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On Friday, the Department of Energy (DOE) said that it is soliciting grant applications for $13 billion in new financing under the bipartisan infrastructure bill for the expansion and modernization of the U.S. electric grid.

Democrat Activist Groups Launch Counterattack Against House Republican Investigations of Biden

Several Democrat non-profits and activist groups are going on the attack against congressional Republicans’ investigations of President Joe Biden, with one group even launching a “Truth SWAT team” to counter “misinformation” about the Bidens.
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Democratic strategist David Brock leads the group, which claims to be bipartisan. An alleged confidential internal memo from Facts First USA has been leaked online by media sources, detailing the group’s plan of attack.

“The presidential election in 2024 will be close and simply relying on the hope that facts will triumph over conspiracy is not sufficient. Instead, a robust external force – a SWAT team with additional capacity – must also be in place to ensure that the media and public do not accept the false narrative that flows from congressional investigations,” the memo reads. “An external operation will also allow President Biden to stay focused on his own preferred messaging during 2023 and 2024 and on his reelection campaign.”

Additionally, the left-leaning Congressional Integrity Project has also stated it would launch a “multi-million dollar effort to expose the reality behind the politically motivated oversight and investigations targeting President Biden and his administration already announced by congressional Republicans.”
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The new House Oversight Committee has said it will investigate Biden and his involvement in his son Hunter’s foreign business deals
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Comer was joined by likely Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who said he would begin an investigation into the Justice Department.

How can they still be talking about misinformation?
It was Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the gang who unilaterally claimed the Hunter Biden's laptop story was fake. At the end we found out that it was totally legit and the FBI kept the data stored somewhere in their offices.
So misinformation here sounds more like barefacedly efforts to hide the truth about an allegedly corrupt family.
Let's just say the Bidens were innocent. Then why are they and other Democrats so afraid of discussing this issues? I mean, if they got nothing to hide, they shouldn't care  at all and should partake in the  investigation alongside the Republicans. On the other side, the Democrats don't treat Donald Trump the same way as Joe Biden. Is that proof of their hypocritical nature?  

GOP Lawmakers Introduce Resolution to Audit Ukraine Aid Funds, Citing Ties With Democrat Donor

The Republican lawmakers are asking that any correspondence and documentation relating to assistance for Ukraine be submitted no later than 14 days after the resolution’s passage. All military, civilian, and financial assistance provided to Ukraine under President Joe Biden is included in the request.

As the bill was presented in the form of a privileged resolution, it will be referred to the relevant committee, where members, within 14 business days, are entitled to reject it or grant it approval for a vote on the House floor.

If the bill is not considered by the committee within that time frame, Greene has the option to force a House vote.
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Massie further called for an inspector general to oversee how U.S. tax dollars are being spent in Ukraine.
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“Every report that [Sopko] put out showed that our money was being wasted and go into fraud [in Afghanistan],” Massie said.
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Clyde singled out recent reports that have sparked suspicion of the alleged relationship between cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Ukraine funding, and the Democrats.

FTX assisted the official website for Aid For Ukraine, an initiative that raises funds from the crypto community for the benefit of Ukraine’s military and humanitarian needs, according to the platform’s statement.

Specifically, FTX helped the Ukraine government in setting up payment rails and facilitating the conversion of crypto donations into fiat currency.

Pelosi to Leave US House Leadership but Remain in Congress

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Nov. 17 announced she would step down from leadership of House Democrats after Republicans flipped the lower chamber.
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Pelosi, 82, said she will remain in Congress.

Pelosi won reelection in the midterms with 84 percent of the vote, easily defeating Republican John Dennis.
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Pelosi has been the top Democrat in the House since 2003, including several stints as speaker, a position held by a member of the majority.
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Republicans flipped the House this week and will secure control once the new Congress convenes in January 2023.
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Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has long been rumored as the frontrunner to replace Pelosi, and was endorsed by Pelosi’s top two deputies on Thursday.

Jeffries, 52, received backing from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.)

Jeffries is currently the chairman of the Democratic caucus.

[DerVVulfman]

HOUSE GOPS TO INVESTIGATE
HUNTER BIDEN DEALINGS

An investigation to determine if President Biden is a security risk or compromised to begin.

Video of the announcement below

Our investigation is about Joe Biden,” Comer said. “Was Joe Biden directly involved with Hunter Biden’s business deals and is he compromised? That’s our investigation.
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Joe Biden told the American people he had nothing to do with and never had conversations with his family about their business dealings. That was a lie. To be clear, Joe Biden is the ‘big guy.

This Representative Comer stated as he also relayed that Hunter Biden's ex-partner, Joey Bobalinski had Identified that President Joe Biden was 'the Big Guy' in the eMails, having also met with President Biden before.

As part of our investigation, we have evidence that the finances, credit cards, and bank accounts of Hunter and Joe Biden were commingled if not shared.
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And on some accounts at least, red flags were raised by banks to the account owner or owners indicating suspicious or illegal activity.

On viewing the above video, the GOP stated there were one hundred and fifty red flags from banking establishments, even towards accounts linked to human trafficking.

UKRAINE TO GET ACCESS
TO BLAST SITE IN POLAND

Nato allies claim it came from Ukraine Air Defense, Kiev denies it and wants to see proof

Ukraine has been demanding access to the blast site since Poland and Nato claimed the missile that killed two came, not from Russia's missile attack early this week, but instead came from Ukraine. Of that, Duda’s adviser Jakub Kumoch stated that Poland had video evidence regarding the blast.

However, Ukraine claims it has evidence of a “Russian trace” in the blast. But regardless of source, they and other Western allies are united that Russia is ultimately at fault for the incident as a result of the massive missile barrage launched.
  Now correct me if I'm wrong... But Russia would be firing missiles to the West, and Ukraine towards the East to intercept them. So why would a Ukranian missile decide... "Nope, I'm going to make a full U-Turn."  I'm sorry, but I have to paraphrase Jim Garrison(D) (Modifying his magic bullet speech) "Never in the history of ballistics has there been a missile this ridiculous."

[kyonides]

Well, we should keep in mind that Ukraine has been using Russian weaponry that is kind of dated and that might include old missiles that might have not been properly maintained for years.

Uncounted Votes on Overlooked Memory Card Flips Election in Georgia

An overlooked memory card in Cobb County, Georgia, with uncounted ballots changed the final results of a special election, officials have said.

The county’s Board of Elections and Registration voted to recertify the results of the Nov. 8 Kennesaw City Council special election during a Nov. 18 meeting, according to a statement.
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Madelyn Orochena was originally declared the winner of the special election. However, when additional ballots were located on the memory card, Lynette Burnette was shown as the winner of the race by 31 votes, officials told local media.
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Cobb election officials said that the memory card was located in Kennesaw when workers were preparing for an audit of the election, according to 11Alive. Further details weren’t provided about why the card was overlooked or where it was located.

A recount was conducted on Nov. 20.

Orochena wrote in a Facebook post that she would file a complaint with the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

World Cup Kicks Off With Welcome From Qatar’s Ruler

Qatar opened the World Cup on Sunday with a lavish half-hour ceremony.
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Tamim arrived at Al Bayt Stadium flanked by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, to a roaring crowd, and sat alongside other Arab leaders. A show unfolded on the pitch, featuring camels, American actor Morgan Freeman, Jungkook of K-pop boy band BTS, and Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi. Fireworks lit the sky.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and the presidents of Egypt, Turkey, and Algeria, as well as the U.N. Secretary-General, were among the leaders at the stadium, where Ecuador later scored a 2–0 victory over Qatar, the first World Cup host to lose their opening game.

The Muslim Gulf nation is staking its reputation on delivering a smooth tournament and has denied accusations of abuse of workers and discrimination. Governing body FIFA hopes the spotlight will now turn to action on the pitch.

Organizers have also denied allegations of bribery to win the rights to host soccer’s biggest event.
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The soccer tournament, the first held in the Middle East and the most expensive in its history, is a culmination of Qatar’s soft power push, after a 3.5-year boycott by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain that ended in 2021.
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There were signs of other thaws as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whose countries’ ties have been strained, shook hands in Qatar.

And for the first time, a direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Doha landed in Qatar despite the absence of formal bilateral ties, thanks to a deal brokered by FIFA.

Kevin McCarthy Plans to Oust Ilhan Omar From House Committee for ‘Anti-Semitic’ Comments

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said on Saturday that when he becomes speaker of the House next year he will remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee because of her remarks that many deemed anti-Semitic.
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Omar, a Muslim immigrant of Somali descent, has been condemned for her remarks on the U.S.–Israel relationship several times in recent years, including by the leadership of her own party.

In 2019, the first-term congresswoman wrote on Twitter that the U.S. support of Israel is “all about the Benjamins.” This prompted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democrats to issue a joint statement, saying that the comment invoked a long-standing anti-Semitic trope and was “deeply offensive.”

President Donald Trump also weighed in at that time to call for Omar’s expulsion.
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This isn’t the first time McCarthy has said he wants to expel Omar from her committee assignment. In an interview with Breitbart in January, he said he was planning to oust Reps. Omar, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) from their respective committees if Republicans secure a majority in the House after the midterms.
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McCarthy argued that the two Californian Democrats shouldn’t stay on the House Intelligence Committee, either. He pointed to Swalwell’s affair with an alleged Chinese Communist Party spy, and the role Schiff played in promoting the false assertion that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 election.

[kyonides]

DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex amid ‘unwinnable war’

José Irizarry accepts that he’s known as the most corrupt agent in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration history, admitting he “became another man” in conspiring with Colombian cartels to build a lavish lifestyle of expensive sports cars, Tiffany jewels and paramours around the world.

But as he used his final hours of freedom to tell his story to The Associated Press, Irizarry says he won’t go down for this alone, accusing some long-trusted DEA colleagues of joining him in skimming millions of dollars from drug money laundering stings to fund a decade’s worth of luxury overseas travel, fine dining, top seats at sporting events and frat house-style debauchery.

The way Irizarry tells it, dozens of other federal agents, prosecutors, informants and in some cases cartel smugglers themselves were all in on the three-continent joyride known as “Team America” that chose cities for money laundering pick-ups mostly for party purposes or to coincide with Real Madrid soccer or Rafael Nadal tennis matches. That included stops along the way in VIP rooms of Caribbean strip joints, Amsterdam’s red-light district and aboard a Colombian yacht that launched with plenty of booze and more than a dozen prostitutes.
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Irizarry’s story, which some former colleagues have attacked as a fictionalized attempt to reduce his sentence, came in days of contrite, bitter, sometimes tearful interviews with the AP in the historic quarter of his native San Juan. It was much the same account he gave the FBI in lengthy debriefings and sealed court papers obtained by the AP after he pleaded guilty in 2020 to 19 corruption counts, including money laundering and bank fraud.

CVS Health reaches agreement in principle for global opioid settlement

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) announced today that it has agreed in principle to a financial resolution designed to substantially resolve all opioid lawsuits and claims against the company by states, political subdivisions, such as counties and cities, and tribes in the United States.

If all conditions are satisfied and the non-monetary terms – which still need to be determined – are finalized, CVS Health has agreed it will pay approximately $5 billion ($4.9 billion to states and political subdivisions and approximately $130 million to tribes) over the next ten years beginning in 2023, depending on the number of governmental entities that agree to join the settlement.

The agreement would fully resolve claims dating back a decade or more and is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing. CVS Health will continue to defend against any litigation that the final agreement does not resolve.
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The timing of cash settlement payments, spread over multiple years, allows the company to continue to invest in its strategic priorities.

 Is that supposed to be legal at all? I mean, nobody would go to jail nor will the company get heavily impacted by the down payments.

Biden Allocates $1.1 Billion to Keep California’s Nuclear Power Plant Operating

California’s last operating nuclear power plant was given another funding boost Nov. 21 as operators seek to keep it running for another eight years.

The U.S. Energy Department awarded Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant $1.1 billion from the Civil Nuclear Credit Program funded by an infrastructure bill passed by Congress in 2021.
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Nuclear power provides half of the nation’s carbon-free electricity, according to the agency. Since 2013, 13 reactors across the United States have shuttered.

Final terms of the funding will need to be finalized by the Energy Department, officials said. The plant produces about 15 percent of California’s renewable energy.

It produced about 9 percent of the state’s energy last year, according to the state’s energy commission.

Politicians applauded the funding that will help extend the life of the once-doomed power plant located in central California near San Luis Obispo.
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Newsom signed legislation Sept. 1 to reverse plans to terminate the plant, which was scheduled to close in 2025.

That's way too much for just 8 years of service or a little more.

California’s Education Funding to Drop by $2.2 Billion

LAO’s annual budget prediction, released earlier this month, anticipates the 2-percent decrease in education funding from the current year’s $128 billion “based upon recent signs of weakness in the economy.”

The predictions are a minimum guarantee, calculated by the state each year for public education funds based upon a set of formulas established in 1988 under Proposition 98.

These predictions typically provide the basis for the state’s budget planning, which is formally adopted by Gov. Gavin Newsom in the summer.

Meanwhile, California projects an overall state budget shortfall of $25 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. About 40 percent of the state’s general fund is usually allocated to public schools and community colleges.

Though funding is expected to drop, LAO forecasts a recovery in the 2023–24 school year if the state dips into its education reserve, making up for the shortfall and covering a projected 8.7 percent increase in inflation.

This means schools and community colleges will have enough money to sustain themselves through cost increases, but no funds for new programs.

[DerVVulfman]

REVEALED!
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PRESSURES
CANADA TO STOP FREEDOM CONVOY

A public inquiry into Canada's decision to exercise emergency powers to eliminate the protest known as the Freedom Convoy revealed that Washington made frantic phone calls to Ottawa.

On February 10th, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland sent an eMail to her staff after a phone call from White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese.

They are very, very, very worried. If this is not sorted out in the next 12 hours, all of their northeastern car plants will shut down.

On the same day, Transporation Minister Omar Alghabra received a phone call from U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a phone call that Alghabra said was unusual. Likewise, Brian Clow, the deputy chief of staff to Canada's Prime minister heard from various White House aids.

Then the next day on the 11th of February, a phone call between US President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took place, one where Trudeau conveyed that Ottawa had a plan to end the blockades. In the call, Biden alluded to the Protest Convoy disrupting the Superbowl in Los Angeles and the streets in Washington.

During the inquiry, Chrystia Freelandtold investigators how she was worried about possible irreparable harm to trade relationship with the United State, and feared DC politicians using any excuse to impose more measures upon Canada.

BIDEN WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
SHUTS DOWN COVID ORIGIN AT BRIEFING

At Dr. Anthony Fauci's final White House press briefing, Daily Caller reporter Diana Glebova attempted to ask the retiring Doctor "What have you done to personally investigate the origins of Covid?"  Immediately, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre halted the briefing to reprimand Glebova, this prompting other reporters to have Fauci answer the question.

Hold on one second. We have a process here. I’m not calling out on people that yell. And you’re being disrespectful to your colleagues, and you’re being disrespectful to our guests. I will not call on you if you yell and also you’re taking time off the clock because Dr. Fauci has to leave in a couple of minutes.

It is literally at this point (23mins 40 seconds) where Ms. Glebova made her inquiry.
Contrary to the White House, Ms Glebova was clearly not yelling as stated.

Out of fifty reporters, few ever get called, and mainly only those that are on a particular list that are favored. So immediately, Ms Jean-Pierre's statement caused an eruption from the journalists in the room, journalists from other news outlets such as the Post,  Al Jazeera and even Today News Africa coming to Ms. Glebova's defense.

You need to call on people from across the room. She has a valid question. She’s asking about the origins of COVID and Dr. Fauci is the best person to answer.

Know that the NIAID under Fauci indirectly funded so-named 'Gain of Function' research at the Wuhan Lab in China which he denied before Congress. And this October, the agency announced $5 Million more in new grants for the same Wuhan-linked group despite US Intelligence reports suggesting that the Wuhan Lab was indeed one of two plausible origins of the virus.

[kyonides]

Honestly, I don't know how a national team can get smashed into smithereens and then defeat a foe that had faced a large threat to their aspirations like Germany.

Anatomy of a choke: Japan wilful participants in their own downfall against Costa Rica

So others have had it a lot worse than Japan here and all is not yet lost but there are unlikely to be many bigger missed opportunities at this tournament, even if we will not know until Thursday - when Group E concludes - just how costly this latest entry into the World Cup hall of chokes proves to be.

By the end, Japan’s players, true to their customs, lined up in a row and bowed solemnly in front of their supporters, who applauded their apologists with a quiet, dignified decorum when, internally, they must have been wanting to scream, self-combust and a whole lot in between.

After beating Germany 2-1 in their opening match, Japan had put themselves in a fabulous position to all but secure their passage to the Round of 16 with a game to spare. Lying in wait was a Costa Rica side who had been thrashed 7-0 by Spain, during which time they had failed to muster a shot and seen only 18 per cent of the ball. In other words, this was about as inviting an opponent as you could realistically expect to meet at this level but football loves to rip up a script and Japan were wilful participants in their own downfall.

...and sunk Japan who would surely not have made such a hash of this had some of their most creative players not remained marooned on the bench for so long.
...
“To a certain degree, we are praying,” Moriyasu said. “The result was a shame and that’s what we need to reflect on but I don’t think it was a total mistake from us.”

By the way, Canada has been eliminated because it seems impossible to qualify for the Round of 16 with a laughable point and no hope to get some extra 3 points in their next match.

The US has tied twice in a row so far, earning 2 points only. Mexico has a single point after tying with Poland.
Costa Rica will face Germany next, while USA will be dealing with their "best friend" in the Middel East, Iran. Mexico will make an attempt to defeat Saudi Arabia, who had previously kicked Argetina quite hard.

Iran want USA banned for ‘offending country’s dignity’ over World Cup flag

USA show Iran flag without emblem of Islamic republic

on Sunday the USA’s match with Iran became even more highly charged after Iran’s football federation demanded their opponents receive a 10-game ban for “offending the dignity” of their country.

The extraordinary request came after the US Soccer Federation displayed Iran’s national flag on social media, in a now-deleted graphic, without the emblem of the Islamic Republic – in support of protesters in Iran before the nations’ Group B match on Tuesday.

The US explained that it had decided to forgo the official flag on social media accounts to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights”.

Iran’s football federation responded with a complaint to Fifa’s ethics committee, saying the US had disrespected the national flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The allegation was reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, which attributed it as coming from a legal adviser at the Iranian football federation.
...
The flag has become a notable point of contention at this World Cup, with Iran fans who oppose the regime in Tehran waving the lion and sun flag, an emblem of its former ruler, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi instead.

However small groups of men supportive of Iran’s government were seen angrily chanting “the Islamic Republic of Iran” at women giving interviews to foreign journalists outside the stadium before their most recent game, against Wales.

Fifa has refused to comment, but a number of well-placed sources have suggested that the prospect of a US ban is highly unlikely.

Biden Admin Authorizes Chevron to Resume Oil Pumping in Venezuela

The Biden administration authorized on Nov. 26 Chevron Corp.’s joint venture to resume oil pumping in Venezuela.

“The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela General License (GL) 41, authorizing Chevron Corporation to resume limited natural resource extraction operations in Venezuela,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.

The goal of the authorization is to “alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan people and support the restoration of democracy,” according to the statement.

The Biden administration’s decision comes after the Nicolás Maduro regime and opposition political alliance Unitary Platform resumed talks in Mexico City.
...
The two sides also announced progress including a humanitarian agreement focused on education, health, food security, flood response, and electricity programs that will benefit the Venezuelan people and a commitment to continuing talks on the Venezuela 2024 elections.

The announcements by the two parties are important steps in restoring democracy in Venezuela, the Biden administration stated.

42 Biden Admin Officials Put on Notice by House Republicans

At least 42 Biden administration officials were sent letters by Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee this month as they request testimony from a variety of White House officials.

Those letters primarily dealt with the suspected politicization of the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ), investigations into U.S. border security, and Hunter Biden.

A recent letter (pdf) led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to White House chief of staff Ron Klain requested testimony from Biden administration staffers relating to alleged “misuse of federal criminal and counterterrorism resources to target concerned parents at school board meetings.” Interviews from four White House officials were requested.

Around the same time, another letter (pdf) from Jordan was sent to the Department of Education requesting testimony from three officials, and another letter to the Department of Homeland Security requests interviews from around a dozen administration officials. That includes embattled Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement chief Tae Johnson.

...They’re seeking testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and dozens of other DOJ and FBI officials, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of the GOP-backed letters.

‘Step Down CCP! Step Down Xi Jinping!’
Protests Erupt Across China Over COVID-19 Curbs

Protests erupted in Shanghai and on university campuses across the country over the weekend, with crowds calling for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its top leader to step down, in a rare display of public dissent that the country hasn’t seen in decades.

The latest wave of widespread anger, from the capital of Beijing to the southern city of Nanjing, occurred after massive protests broke out in the far west region of Xinjiang, where strict COVID-19 curbs were blamed for 10 deaths and nine injuries in a high-rise apartment fire in Urumqi, the region’s capital city. Local authorities denied the accusation.

In Shanghai, crowds of demonstrators gathered for a vigil at Wulumuqi Middle Road, a street named after Urumqi, late on Nov. 26, according to online videos and attendees.
...
She estimated that there were more than 1,000 protesters in the early morning on Nov. 27.

Police began to arrest protesters. Some protesters could be heard shouting: “Don’t use violence!” A man said to the police: “You are people’s police, you should serve the people!”

Rammeloo asked a police officer if he agreed with the protesters.

“He smiled with a very long silence. ‘We can’t do anything about it. Mei banfa,’” Rammeloo wrote on Twitter.

Video footage shows that police shoved protesters into police vehicles. The Epoch Times couldn’t immediately verify the authenticity of the video clips.

Wulumuqi Middle Road has been barricaded, but there are protests along the road, according to Rammeloo.

[kyonides]

Belarus minister who acted as secret go-between with the West 'WAS killed by Kremlin assassins' and 'shaken' dictator Lukashenko now fears for his life

Belarus's foreign minister Vladimir Makei was poisoned in a Kremlin sting operation, extraordinary new reports have claimed.

The veteran diplomat and former spy died suddenly yesterday amid claims he was in secret contact with the West concerning the war in Ukraine and preventing Belarus from being incorporated into Russia by Vladimir Putin.

A video shows Makei, 64, looking healthy on a Belarus military cargo plane last week shortly before he died. He wasn't known to suffer from any chronic illness.

Some reports say he had a heart attack and that his death has 'shaken' president Alexander Lukashenko, who now fears for his own safety.

The tyrant has even replaced his cooks and servants, fearing assassination by Moscow, it is claimed.

Exiled Putin foe and businessman Leonid Nevzlin alleged that Makei 'died as a result of poisoning developed in an FSB special laboratory'.
...
'The action was demonstrative and aimed at disrupting Lukashenko's separate negotiations with the West and China.'
...
But Belarusian political scientist Aleksey Dzermant denied that Makei was assassinated.

'There are no facts that would give reason to say so. Moreover, he had a sufficient degree of protection and security.

Macron Says Some Biden-Backed Policies Could ‘Fragment the West’

“There is a risk today that we must discuss among friends,” Macron told reporters on Dec. 1 at the French Embassy in Washington. “The risk is that, in the face of the challenges I mentioned, the U.S. looks first to the U.S., which is normal—we do the same.”

Then, the United States “looks at its rivalry with China, and that Europe, and therefore France, becomes a sort of adjustment variable,” he added.

Macron then made reference to the Inflation Reduction Act, a Democrat-backed bill passed along party lines earlier this year, and the CHIPS Act. The Inflation Reduction Act, which includes a grab bag of policies, provides some $400 billion of support to the green energy industry in the United States, while the CHIPS Act bolsters U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.

“The choices made, whose goals I share—especially the [Inflation Reduction Act] or the CHIPS Act—are choices that will fragment the West because they create such differences between the U.S. and Europe,” Macron said.

“These choices can only work if there is coordination between us.”
...
European leaders have complained about the legislative package, signed by Biden in August, which offers massive subsidies for U.S.-made products, which they say unfairly disadvantages non-American companies and would be a serious blow to their economies as Europe deals with the fallout from Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the legislation “presents significant opportunities for European firms as well as benefits to EU energy security,” when asked about European concerns.

Appeals Court Stops Special Master Review of Documents Seized at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Estate

The ruling comes after a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit heard from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Trump’s lawyers on Nov. 22 regarding the government’s motion to remove U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie as special master.

This appointment of a special master by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, barred the DOJ from getting their hands on the documents as they pursued a criminal investigation into Trump “pending resolution” of the review.

The federal appeals court ruled that Cannon had no jurisdiction to exercise what’s known as equitable jurisdiction—or the authority of the court to act in the interest of fairness—in this scenario where an indictment hadn’t been announced and without showing that the seizure of documents was unlawful.
...
Exercising equitable jurisdiction should only be “exceptional” and “anomalous,” the judges said. They noted that legal precedent had limited this jurisdiction with a four-factor test. Trump’s jurisdictional arguments “fail all four factors,” they said.
...
“The law is clear,” the appeals court judges wrote in their opinion. “We cannot write a rule that allows any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant. Nor can we write a rule that allows only former presidents to do so.”
...
Jack Smith, a recently appointed special counsel, tasked with leading the investigation into whether the former president violated the Espionage Act and other federal laws through the handling of certain records, including papers with secret markings, brought the appeals court challenge.

LAPD Issues Search Warrant for Reddit to Identify Who Leaked City Council Racist Remarks

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued a search warrant to Reddit Nov. 29 to identify the person responsible for the recent leak of the racially disparaging conversation between former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and other local officials.
...
The probe involves “interviews of persons present and any potential witnesses that have insight into this investigation,” the statement read.

According to Police Chief Michel Moore, since last month the LAPD has been looking into whether the audio recording was produced illegally last year. Under California law, private conversations cannot be recorded unless all parties agree to be taped.
...
Besides Martinez, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera and Councilmen Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León could be heard in the conversation that reportedly happened in October 2021 with racist remarks about a fellow councilor and other ethnic groups.

The recording surfaced just weeks before the Nov. 8 election, but was removed shortly after. Herrera resigned from his position the next day, followed by Martinez a few days later.

Since the leak, protesters have disrupted city council meetings since Oct. 11, calling for Cedillo and de León to resign.

So they care more about how people managed to learn about their council president's racist remarks than what she actually said, treating fellow Latinos as "changitos" or little monkeys.

Supreme Court Keeps Biden’s Student Loan Program on Hold, Agrees to Hear Case

In a brief order, the high court wrote that it would hear oral arguments in February of next year. But in the interim, the Biden administration’s program will remain blocked.

Announced by Biden in August—about two months before the Nov. 8 midterm elections—the plan would cancel hundreds of billions of dollars in federal student loan debt. The Congressional Budget Office estimated earlier this year that Biden’s plan would cost around $400 billion, and the Education Department had said it would total about $379 billion.

The forgiveness program included up to $20,000 in loan relief plans for low- and middle-income individuals. About 26 million people already have applied for student loan forgiveness, while about 16 million applications have been approved, according to the Department of Education.

Attorneys general in the Republican-led states of Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina filed a lawsuit against the program. Several groups and individuals have also challenged the proposal.