News of the Week for December 10th, 2023
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Abortion
Dobbs Decision
New class-action lawsuit challenges Kentucky abortion bans. What we know
A Kentucky woman is suing the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, including Attorney General Daniel Cameron, to overturn the total ban and six-week ban on abortion, according to a release from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Gun Rights
A Shooting Sports Renaissance in Schools?
Air rifle ranges in school basements may still largely be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean the teams themselves have disappeared. As we’re highlighting on today’s Bearing Arms Cam & Co, with trap shooting one of the fastest-growing high school sports and other groups like the Student Air Rifle League hosting competitions for elementary, middle, and high school teams, the shooting sports are making a welcome return to school districts around the country.
Federal Judge Halts Enforcement of New Mexico Governor’s Ban on Carry in Parks
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s never-ending emergency on guns is still ongoing, but its scope has been limited even further by a federal judge. Grisham’s original order suspending the right to carry across the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County was halted by U.S. District Court Judge David Herrera Urias not long after it was issued, but he did allow the governor’s revised order banning concealed carry in parks and playgrounds in those locations to remain in effect.
Activist Shareholders File Suit Against Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is one of the big dogs in the American gun market. They’ve been around for years and their name is recognizable even to people who know nothing about firearms.
Bump stocks, machine guns, and the rule of lenity
The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear the case of Garland v. Cargill, addressing whether a “bump stock” qualifies as a machine gun and is therefore banned by federal law. Gun rights and gun control advocates will surely use the case to argue about the legality and wisdom of gun restrictions, but Cargill presents a more important underlying question: how should courts treat a federal agency’s interpretation of an unclear or ambiguous law? The answer is simple: if Congress does not clearly make something a crime, then a federal agency can’t do so under the guise of “interpreting” the statute.
Appeals Court Strikes Down Major Portions of New York State Gun Carry Law, But Allows “Sensitive” Places Restrictions
The Court’s 261-page opinion invalidates requirement to provide social media to reviewing officials and bans on concealed carry in businesses open to the public and houses of worship, but lets some other provisions stand, such as the required showing of “good moral character” and the ban on concealed carry in “sensitive” public places
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
EPA Seems to Be Setting Up U.S. to Join the Globalist “War on Meat”
As CoP28 climate conferences focuses on cows, the EPA is now targeting methane (a by-product of cattle digestion) and considering new effluent rules on meat industry.
Mr. Hockey Stick Says the Quiet Part Out Loud About Population Control Agenda
Some readers may be unfamiliar with the story of Michael Mann and his infamous “hockey stick” graph, so I will summarize briefly: In 1999, Mann and two colleagues produced a paper on climate trends, showing a sharp upward spike in worldwide temperatures beginning around 1900. The shape of this graph resulted in the “hockey stick” nickname, and it was widely publicized as evidence that global warming was a crisis, a dire emergency requiring severe policy action to reduce the level of carbon emissions. Then in the 2009 “ClimateGate” scandal, the release of emails from England’s East Anglia University showed how the “consensus” about global warming had been manufactured, leading to accusations that Mann had engaged in research fraud. In 2012, Mark Steyn published a brief blog post at National Review referring to Mann as “the man behind the fraudulent climate-change ‘hockey-stick’ graph,” and quoting Rand Simberg of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, another Mann critic. This led to Mann filing a libel lawsuit against Steyn, Simberg, CEI and NR, which has still not been completely dismissed.
‘In Case of Grid Meltdown, Break Glass’: Britain Now Issuing Supply List
This warning from the government wouldn’t have anything to do with the current, tenuous state of the country’s electric grid in the face of, oh, say, something like “winter,” would it?
Californians are Suing to Stop the Planting of Trees
At first glance, it may sound as if this is just more of the typical governmental madness we’re used to seeing in California, and there may still be some elements of that at play. But it’s a serious topic that’s being debated on the West Coast and they’ll want to be careful how they handle it. The issue involves the spate of wildfires that have been ripping through the state over the past several years and the staggering damage they have done to the forests of giant sequoia trees that are only found in California. The National Park Service wants to give the forests a leg up in recovering now that the rainy seasons have returned by planting saplings. That makes sense, right? But not everyone agrees, and a collection of environmental groups, some specifically formed to protect the forests, are suing the Park Service to stop the planting plan. As crazy as it probably sounds, they may have a point.
First They Came For Your Car…
…now they are coming for your meat. Global warming, the universal excuse for left-wing policies designed to make your life worse, demands that modern agriculture be shut down. If you think that is an exaggeration, talk to anyone in Sri Lanka or the Netherlands.
COP28: King Charles’s #Science Problem
A little under two weeks ago, King Charles took a private jet to fly to to Dubai to speak at the opening ceremony for the U.N.’s COP28 climate jamboree. Whether it was appropriate for him to do so, given that Britain’s monarch is meant to keep clear of anything too “political,” is an interesting question. Spoiler: Probably not. But that won’t have bothered Charles, a profoundly self-important individual who almost certainly believes that such petty considerations are beneath him.
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
B.C. man opts for medically assisted death after cancer treatment delayed
Six months into the B.C. NDP government’s move to send breast cancer and prostate cancer patients to two clinics in Bellingham, the province’s wait times have actually gotten worse
Worsening healthcare crisis in communist Cuba could spark a massive uprising
Cuba is a tinderbox, ready to explode with a single spark. Food and fuel shortages have driven Cubans to desperation, but the collapse of the healthcare system may be that spark. Medicine and medical supplies are already scarce on the island, and the Castro dictatorship continues to export doctors and nurses to foreign countries as slave labor, causing severe medical personnel shortages on the island. Bad nutrition leads to bad health, and the Cuban people can only take so much of watching their children and their elderly relatives suffer the corruption of the Castro dictatorship.
Hard evidence: Cuban mercenaries filmed in trenches at Ukraine war front
Three video clips of young Cuban soldiers in Ukraine have surfaced recently. The videos were hacked from a Russian site. Apparently, Russian media doesn’t feel the need to hide the participation of foreign mercenaries in their imperialist war, even after their country of origin and the Kremlin have both denied their participation in the recruitment of such cannon fodder.
War & Terror
Venezuelans approve takeover of oil-rich region of Guyana. What happens next?
Venezuelans voted by a wide margin Sunday to approve the takeover of an oil-rich region in neighboring Guyana – the latest escalation in a long-running territorial dispute between the two countries, fueled by the recent discovery of vast offshore energy resources.
Revealed: children of Isis brides quietly sent to UK for adoption
The children of Isis brides from Britain are being quietly returned to this country and put up for adoption. In one case, two siblings aged under eight are to be found new homes here after their mother was killed during fighting in Syria and their father was captured and jailed by western allies. The siblings are expected to be adopted even though one set of grandparents, who live in another country, are said to be willing to care for them.
‘Everything indicates’ Chinese ship damaged Baltic pipeline on purpose, Finland says
‘I would think that you would notice that you’re dragging an anchor behind you for hundreds of kilometers,’ says minister.
Mindanao: Four killed in explosion at Catholic Mass in Philippines
Four people have been killed in an explosion at a Catholic Mass in the southern Philippines on Sunday morning.
Hamas Drugged Hostages, Including Kids, to Make Them Look Happy During Televised Release
Hamas kidnappers branded children’s legs with heated motorcycle exhaust for identification.
Nato has three years to prepare for Russian attack, warns Poland
The countries on Nato’s eastern flank have as little as three years to prepare for the possibility of a Russian attack, the head of a Polish national security agency said.
US charges ex-ambassador with spying for Cuba over four decades
Victor Manuel Rocha is accused of ‘one of the highest-reaching infiltrations of the US’ and charged with multiple federal crimes
First images ‘show Israel preparing to flood Hamas tunnels with sea water as troops set up pipes and pumps in Gaza’
Images have emerged appearing to show Israeli forces preparing to flood the labyrinth of tunnels used by Hamas under the Gaza Strip with sea water.
U.S. Charges Four Russians With War Crimes in Ukraine
Prosecutors say soldiers abducted and tortured an American citizen
Venezuela raises stakes in border dispute, creates military zone to be carved out of Guyana
In what is likely to further inflame tensions in the hemisphere, Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro announced Tuesday the creation of a new military zone that would be in charge of defending an oil -and mineral-rich territory of neighboring Guyana that he’s claiming belongs to his nation.
Guyana Boosts Security, Engages US to Defend Land from Venezuela
Guyana said it’s intensifying security measures and engaging the US military to help it protect the oil-rich region of Essequibo, describing Venezuela’s intentions to grant oil exploration licenses in the area as a threat to its territorial integrity.
Venezuela arrests opposition figure, issues warrants for staffers for treason
Venezuela on Wednesday arrested an opposition member for alleged treason, after the attorney general said earlier there are arrest warrants out for several people connected to the campaign of opposition presidential nominee Maria Corina Machado for crimes including treason.
US Holds Military Exercises In Guyana As Border Tensions Soar
The United States said it will carry out military flights in Guyana on Thursday in a joint operation as the South American country faces soaring tensions with neighboring Venezuela over a contested oil-rich region.
The U.S. Air Force Is in Serious Decline
The Air Force today would struggle to execute another Desert Storm, much less take on a peer adversary like China.
Why Aren’t We Attacking the Houthis?
To their credit, the Associated Press is asking a question that I’ve been pondering myself this week. We have seen multiple missile and drone attacks by the Houthi rebels in Yemen against American naval vessels and civilian shipping in the past few weeks. Our military intelligence can clearly see where the attacks are coming from. So why haven’t we retaliated against them? As the AP points out, we have launched a few strikes against Iranian-backed terrorists in Iraq and Syria after they launched attacks. Why is Joe Biden so reluctant to pull the trigger against the Houthis? And who are the Houthis, anyway? As with many things in the Middle East these days, the answers are… complicated.
Israel to hold Nuremberg-style war crimes trials for Hamas terrorists behind the October 7 massacre
The number of Hamas jihadists seized on October 7 could be about 100
German Bundeswehr Inspector General warns of potential defensive war against Russia
Germany may have to wage a defensive war against Russia in the future, German televisions news program Tagesschau reported on Dec. 9, citing Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) Inspector General Carsten Breuer.
National
Biden rule takes lunch money from schools that reject progressive gender, sexuality agenda
A new Biden administration rule forces schools to comply with progressive ideology on gender and sexuality or risk losing the federal aid for free and reduced-price school lunches. Legal observers say this is just the first in a slew of new rules on the horizon tying federal education funding to far-left policies on gender and sexuality.
Could 2024 election cause society to collapse? Some preppers think so — and they’re ready.
Brekke Wagoner looks out of the windows of her North Carolina home and sees disaster coming.
Donald Trump’s Proposal to Monitor Voters Sparks Concerns
Donald Trump’s call for people to “guard the vote” in 2024 has sparked concern about potential violence in next year’s election.
Never-before-seen virus that causes malaria-like illness ‘already circulating’
A never-before-seen virus that causes a malaria-like illness has been detected in Peru. The disease was first seen in a man in his twenties, who went to hospital after suffering from two days of fever, chills, headaches and muscle pain among other symptoms.
McDonald’s secret new spin off chain CosMc’s prepares to open — here’s what we know so far
Earlier this year, Maccies bosses announced CosMc’s, described as a ‘small-format concept with all the DNA of McDonald’s, but its own unique personality.’ The first location is well on the way to opening in Bolingbrook, Illinois and after a passer-by managed to take pictures of their menu screens being tested, we finally have some insight into what CosMc’s might serve.
Earth’s magnetic field could completely flip soon — Physicist explains what that means
The Earth’s magnetic field plays a big role in protecting people from hazardous radiation and geomagnetic activity that could affect satellite communication and the operation of power grids. And it moves. Scientists have studied and tracked the motion of the magnetic poles for centuries. The historical movement of these poles indicates a change in the global geometry of the Earth’s magnetic field. It may even indicate the beginning of a field reversal – a “flip” between the north and south magnetic poles.
Prof says he was fired after sounding alarm on grade inflation at women’s HBCU
A former assistant professor from Spelman College says the school fired him after he complained about the institution artificially inflating the grades of his students after he had calculated their grades for the term.
Harvard won’t say whether anti-Semitic students will be punished under anti-discrimination policy
Campus Reform reached out to Harvard to ask what actions would be taken against students committing clear violations of its discrimination and discriminatory harassment policies against Jews. Harvard has not responded.
A Study from California Finds Teaching Phonics Works, Even in Low-Performing Schools
A study released today showed schools which trained teachers on the so-called science of reading (which features phonics) helped raise test scores in poorly performing schools.
Surprise: People With Gender Dysphoria Are Mentally Ill, and Remain So After Transition
A study out of Finland tells us what every sane person already knows: gender dysphoria is not only a symptom of mental illness, but medical treatment for gender dysphoria doesn’t cure that mental illness or provide relief from its symptoms.
Doug Burgum’s Out
North Dakota governor Doug Burgum announced on Monday that he is suspending his 2024 Republican presidential campaign, making sure to criticize the Republican National Committee’s debate requirements for “nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire” on his way out.
A Communist Song at a Christian Funeral
Here’s a strange thing to do at a church-going Christian’s funeral service: sing a song that begins “imagine there’s no heaven,” which later adds “and no religion too.” Or sing “imagine there’s no countries,” when the deceased is someone who served her country all her life. Yet that’s what Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks did at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral.
Understanding the DETERRENT Act
Legislation currently under consideration in Congress could shine a stronger light on foreign gifts to American universities.
Kari Lake struggles to court moderates, imperiling GOP Senate pickup
When she ran for governor of Arizona last year, Kari Lake unapologetically pilloried her Republican opponents with attacks that targeted not just their conservative credentials, but their personal morals and even their families.
Gold bars found in Sen. Bob Menendez’s home linked to 2013 armed robbery: report
Four of the gold bars Sen. Bob Menendez stashed at his home were previously stolen from the businessman accused of bribing the New Jersey Democrat, according to a report.
School Assigned Girl to Sleep With Boy Who Identifies as Trans Without Parental Notification
An 11-year-old girl was assigned to share a bed with a male student who identifies as a transgender girl while on a cross-country school trip, according to a demand letter sent Monday. That girl’s parents are now calling upon the public school system to provide answers and clarification of its policies related to children who identify as transgender.
Detransitioners Speak Out: Hear Their Stories on NR’s New Podcast
I’m pleased to announce that beginning today, NRPLUS subscribers will have exclusive early access to a new National Review podcast miniseries, The Detransitioners, before it becomes more widely available.
Poll: Majority Want Trump Off Ballot If Convicted
A comprehensive set of new polls from NewsNation and Decision Desk HQ holds both good news and bad news for former President and current GOP primary leader Donald Trump.
Kevin McCarthy will leave Congress at the end of the year
Former House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy says that he will leave Congress at the end of this year. “I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started,” McCarthy wrote in an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
Lesbian Teacher Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Molesting Two Teenage Girls
That’s a headline you’ll never see in any mainstream media publication. There is no such thing as a gay pedophile, so far as the media are concerned, and on those occasions when minors are abused in such circumstances, journalists are obliged to conceal the most obvious facts.
‘Delusional-Sounding Allegations’: Conspiracy Kook Killed in Explosion
Police were attempting to serve a warrant Monday night at a home in Arlington, Virginia, when the house suddenly exploded. Human remains were found at the scene of the blast and police say homeowner James W. Yoo died in the explosion, the cause of which is unknown.
Here are the answsers Harvard, Penn, MIT presidents gave when asked if calls for genocide against Jews are against campus rules. (HINT: none of them are ‘yes’)
‘It is a context-dependent decision.’
Colorado Dad Suing School District for Discrimination After Refusing to Display ‘Straight Pride Flag’ Next to ‘Progress Pride Flag’
“If we had more parents like [Feldman], then these policies would never have been rolled out in the first place, and they’d be teaching kids about math and science”
Kendi: White People Can’t Connect to Humanity
Ibram X. Kendi (Ibram Henry Rodgers) has made a good living off of being a nasty racist. Currently, he is the chief greenback arsonist at the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University and achieved that exalted rank by insulting White people to their great delight. Kendi’s path to wealth and power has been to treat White people as scum, and a certain class of Whites seem to enjoy being humiliated and insulted.
She fought GOP board on censorship, then took oath on stack of banned books as new president
While most of the newly sworn in members to the Central Bucks school board chose to swear their oaths on a bible, incumbent Karen Smith brought a stack of books to Monday’s meeting.
6 Nevada Republicans indicted in fake elector case, AG Aaron Ford announces
Six Republicans accused of taking part in submitting fake electoral certificates that claimed President Donald Trump won the 2020 election have been indicted on multiple charges, according to a Wednesday announcement from Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford.
Hi, We’re from the RNC & We’re Here to Help (uh-oh!)
As reported in Tuesday’s Las Vegas Review-Journal, lawyers for the Republican National Committee (RNC) sent a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar threatening to sue over claims that the SOS isn’t cleaning the state’s voter lists.
Surge of detransition lawsuits pose threat to booming gender-transition business
The biggest threat to “gender-affirming care” might come not from red states banning the procedures for minors, but from scarred, young women like Soren Aldaco, Chloe Cole and Prisha Mosley.
Shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Leaves 3 dead
This happened around noon local time on the University of Nevada campus in Las Vegas. At least three people have been killed.
UNLV shooting: Former college professor kills three on Las Vegas campus
Three people were killed in a shooting at the Las Vegas campus of the University of Nevada (UNLV) on Wednesday morning.
Teachers ‘Scared to go to School’ Due to Student Violence and Hardly Any Punishment
“There were a few days that I was scared to go to school.”
Behind the Curtain — Exclusive: How Trump would build his loyalty-first Cabinet
Former President Trump, if elected, would build a Cabinet and White House staff based mainly on two imperatives: pre-vetted loyalty to him and a commitment to stretch legal and governance boundaries, sources who talk often with the leading GOP presidential candidate tell Axios.
Hunter Biden Indicted on Nine Criminal Charges in Tax Probe
Hunter Biden has been indicted in California on nine criminal charges as part of a Department of Justice investigation into his taxes.
No White Faculty Allowed
At the University of Washington, civil rights laws have not stopped blatant racial discrimination in faculty hiring.
MIT president defends blacks-only dorm: ‘Positive selection,’ not ‘exclusionary’
Black congressman says ‘segregation’ obviously happening on campuses
The Troublesome New (Well, Sort Of) Mining Frontier
Western countries have issued coordinated rebukes of deep-sea mining since the United Nations’s International Seabed Authority began doling out exploration permits. Out of the ISA’s 169 member states, 23 have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining (including the U.S., U.K., and France). Not one of those countries have exploration contracts. China, however, has the highest number of exploration contracts — five. Again: The United States has zero.
Tampa man accused of injecting ‘chemical agent’ into neighbor’s home to be deported
The man who injected a “chemical agent” into his neighbor’s home in Tampa is being deported from the U.S., according to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.
Republicans Prepare the Trump Loyalty Oath
National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Steve Daines has been “aggressively lobbying” senators to make their Trump endorsement now, before the blacklisting begins. House members and G.O.P. operatives aren’t far behind.
An Albion’s Seed for Mexican Americans
A report from the Texas Public Policy Foundation sheds light on the diverse origins of Mexican Americans and the culture they bring to their adopted country.
Students at elite universities call for ‘intifada revolution’
Videos circulating on social media show students at elite American universities chanting calls for ‘intifada.’
Biden administration asserts power to seize drug patents in move to slash high prices
The Biden administration asserted its authority to seize the patents of certain costly medications. The effort marks a new push to slash high drug prices and promote more competition in the pharmaceutical industry in the U.S. The administration unveiled a new framework outlining the factors federal agencies should consider in determining whether to use a controversial policy known as march-in rights
The Incoherence of Taylor Swift
Time magazine recently profiled Taylor Swift as its “Person of the Year.” I’m not a fan of her songs, which I’ve described as un-stimulating, glorified elevator music. Still, I read the comprehensive article, wondering if it might reveal details about her artistic process and impressive self-marketing strategies.
Sheila Jackson Lee loses Houston mayor’s race to tough-on-crime state senator
The showdown illuminates the faultlines within the Democratic Party over how to deal with crime on a local level.
Why Trump won’t be on Nevada’s primary ballot
An attempt to rig the results is why Donald Trump won’t be on Nevada’s presidential primary ballot. The former president’s own allies are responsible.
Think Nevada’s false elector indictment isn’t serious? Check the witness list
The jeers have begun in the wake of this week’s grand jury indictment of Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald, national committeeman James DeGraffenreid and four other GOP loyalists in the Silver State edition of Donald Trump’s fake elector scandal.
Economy & Taxes
Why We Are Careening Toward Bankruptcy
The United States is, as Mark Steyn says, the brokest nation in history. And yet, as our national debt rises higher and higher, and the cost of servicing that debt begins to drive out essential federal spending–like defense–there is no end in sight. For decades, the fiscal insanity in Washington has been palpable, and yet the political will to do anything about it is lacking.
Biden administration to forgive nearly $5B in additional student loan debt
The Biden administration has canceled approximately $132 billion in debt for more than 3.6 million Americans
New Jersey officials blast $15 toll for New York congestion pricing
New Jersey officials are blasting the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plans to charge motorists $15 to enter Manhattan as part of the nation’s first congestion pricing program.
70 Percent of VW Workers in Tennessee Have Not Signed UAW Representation Cards
Reuters headline: “More than 1,000 VW workers in Tennessee sign union representation cards — UAW.”
Biden’s Even Worse Version of “Free College”
The administration has abolished federal student lending. You just don’t know it yet.
California faces record $68 billion budget deficit, nonpartisan legislative analyst says
California is facing a record $68 billion budget deficit, state officials announced Thursday, forcing hard choices for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in his final term as he works to build his national profile.
Troubled retailer Sears quietly reopens two stores. What is behind the comeback?
To the casual shopper, Sears, one of America’s oldest retailers, may appear to be on life support. The department store chain that once reinvented how Americans shopped now barely has a brick-and-mortar footprint after a 2018 bankruptcy and hundreds of store closures.
International
Down and Out In Paris and London
Actually, of course, we were anything but down and out. Rather, on vacation. Our plan was to spend a week in Paris, where we had never been, followed by a week in London, where we go pretty often. It didn’t quite turn out that way.
Can China’s Baby Bust Be Reversed? Don’t Count On It
In late October, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the National Women’s Congress that “We should actively foster a new type of marriage and childbearing culture.” Such a statement is rich coming from a man, especially one who leads a party that for decades actively and sometimes brutally enforced family planning policies. It is also delusional: In all probability, China’s baby bust cannot be reversed, at least not anytime soon.
Venezuela: vote shows ‘overwhelming’ support for claim on region of Guyana
Venezuelan electoral authorities on Sunday claimed that 95 percent of voters in a nonbinding referendum approved of the nation’s territorial claim on a huge chunk of neighboring oil-rich Guyana.
The Silenced Majority
Since the riots erupted in Dublin in late November over the attempted stabbing of three children by a naturalized Algerian citizen of Ireland, commentators the world over have started examining Ireland’s proposed hate-speech law, which the Taoiseach and other members of government urged to be passed in the wake of the violence. A substrate of commentary, from Ireland itself, has focused on the fact that there really is no “far right” in Ireland — not in the way it’s understood in the rest of Europe, where a party defined by its stance on immigration makes headway. The “far right” in Ireland is more correctly analogized to Covid, wrote author Conor Fitzgerald. Nobody knows anyone who identifies as far right. You wouldn’t ask Covid for its opinion, or try to compromise with it. You see it as an impersonal but comprehensive threat.
China’s Xi goes full Stalin with purge
In a sign of instability in Beijing’s top ranks, foreign policy and defense officials are vanishing as Xi roots out perceived enemies.
Spain bets on mixed gender prisons
At a jail in northwestern Spain, a sole female inmate played football with 21 male convicts, part of a push towards mixed prison living that remains rare in Europe.
Kadokawa cancels book publication after trans rights activists plan protest
Kadokawa, the Japanese publisher has canceled their planned publication of Abigail Shrier’s Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Crazy Seducing Our Daughters after facing consumer backlash.
Who is Ghana’s masked presidential contender?
Giant billboards featuring a man in a mask and the simple message “leadership for the next generation #thenewforce” have appeared in major cities across Ghana in recent weeks. Other billboards, featuring a masked man flanked by other people with covered faces, have been rolled out as part of the campaign.
Drugs and Gangs in Brussels Sprout Repeated, Deadly Violence
It seems even the most idyllic countries in our imaginations – cities with the fairytale flower and art lined canals of calendar shots – are now plagued by violence fueled by gangs and drugs.
Samuel Paty: Six teenagers convicted for roles in teacher’s beheading in 2020
Six teenagers have been convicted in France for their roles in the 2020 beheading of teacher Samuel Paty. The sentences from 14 months to two years are all suspended or commuted.
The Many Faces of the Woman Taking German Far-Right Politics Mainstream
Once a year on her birthday, Alice Weidel sits down with her wife over a glass of red wine. The couple ask themselves: Is it all worth it? The hatred, the anonymous threats, the public exposure.
12-Year-Olds Charged After Woman Beaten Unconscious at Public Transit Station
Two 12-year-old girls have been charged after what police describe as a “violent assault” left a woman unconscious at an Edmonton train station.
Schoolchildren taught St Hadrian was ‘black’ scholar – even though he wasn’t
The Dark Age abbot was believed to have been born in the region of Cyrenaica in what is now Libya
Opinion
After Santos, Why Not Expel Menendez?
For a long stretch in our politics, shamelessness has been a superpower. Elected officials who are willing to withstand widespread derision and embarrassment have demonstrated they can remain in office, ignore calls for their resignation, and sometimes even win reelection.
The Problem with Trump Is Not the Existence of the Executive Branch
Over at the Atlantic, McKay Coppins writes about the prospects of a second Trump term, and includes this paragraph in his assessment, as if its contents were wildly and self-evidently controversial
Trump is Smart Not to Debate DeSantis; Here’s Why…
Since I know this edition of Muth’s Truths is going to p*ss off some MAGAdonians, let me set the record straight.
The GOP Shouldn’t Hand Biden an Excuse for His Ukraine Missteps
Republicans don’t want to believe it, but they would benefit immeasurably from recognizing that they are a minority.
Making Students ‘Feel Safe’ Is an Arbitrary Standard on Which to Police Speech
It would be letting universities off easy if the response to antisemitism is more-restrictive speech codes.
Democrats couldn’t ask for a ‘better’ GOP in Nevada
Between general unhappiness with President Joe Biden, lingering concerns about the economy and a declining share of voter registrations, Democrats in Nevada have plenty to worry about going into 2024.
