Money From Facebook's Zuckerberg Used to Undermine Election, Violate Law: Report

Hundreds of millions of dollars from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was used to violate election laws, according to a new report.

The Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society, a national constitutional litigation organization, released the 39-page report, alleging that Zuckerberg’s $500 million given to election officials was used to treat voters unequally and improperly influence the election for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The bulk of the funds went to the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), a nonprofit started by former managers and staff at the New Organizing Institute, a progressive nonprofit. According to the report, the nonprofit earlier this year "began sending agents into states to recruit certain Democrat strongholds to prepare grants requesting monies from" it.

https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/78779/money-from-facebooks-zuckerberg-used-to-undermine-election-violate-law.html

39 page report:

https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20428534-hava-and-non-profit-organization-report-final-w-attachments-and-preface-121420

Peter Strzok’s Declassified Messages Give Insider View Of FBI’s Trump Campaign Probe

The Justice Department declassified a batch of internal FBI messages from Peter Strzok, the former counterintelligence investigator who oversaw Crossfire Hurricane.

The messages provide a real-time glimpse into the probe, which began on July 31, 2016, and looked at possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Senate Republicans pushed for the messages to be released as part of their investigation into Crossfire Hurricane.

The Justice Department declassified a batch of internal FBI messages from Peter Strzok, the former counterintelligence official who oversaw the bureau’s investigation of the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia.

The messages, which Senate Republicans released Thursday, provide new insights into the thinking of investigators who worked on Crossfire Hurricane, the code name for the investigation into the Trump campaign.

The documents, obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation ahead of their release, show Strzok and his colleagues discussing strategies for how to handle the investigation, as well as how to approach interviews with targets of Crossfire Hurricane.

The declassified documents also show that Strzok was provided with real-time updates as FBI agents or undercover sources were meeting with Trump campaign advisers Carter Page and George Papaodpoulos, who were early targets of the investigation.

Republican Sens. Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley had asked Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray to declassify the documents on Oct. 30, to help with their investigation of Crossfire Hurricane. The Justice Department declassified the records on Dec. 1.

Strzok’s messages, which are from the FBI’s Lync system, also contain numerous references to Christopher Steele, the former British spy whose dossier the FBI used to obtain surveillance warrants against Carter Page.

One message suggests that Strzok knew early on that Steele was a source for a story published in Yahoo! News alleging that Page had a secret meeting in Moscow with two Kremlin insiders.

https://dailycaller.com/2020/12/17/peter-strzok-declassified-fbi-trump-crossfire-hurricane/

Southern Poverty Law Center Provided Funding to Fulton County, Georgia for 25 Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) provided funding to Fulton County, Georgia, for 25 absentee ballot drop boxes to be used the November 3 general election.

The SPLC made the announcement of the $85,000 grant, dated September 1, 2020, to accomplish this on October 7, 2020:

Today, in response to the anticipated overwhelming number of absentee ballots that will be cast during the 2020 General Election in November and service cuts to the United States Postal Service (USPS), the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) announced it provided funding to Fulton County, Georgia, for the purchase of up to 25 absentee drop boxes* to be distributed throughout the county. The SPLC also announced that it will mail over one million voters of color across all 159 Georgia counties 3 separate times – first with information on the online portal to facilitate absentee voting, then with a blank copy of the official Secretary of State application to request an absentee ballot along with instructions for completion and submission by mail, and finally a last reminder on absentee voting. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot in Georgia is October 30.

The organization’s efforts are part of a multi-pronged strategy along with its Vote Your Voice campaign to eliminate as many barriers to the ballot box as possible in Georgia and across the Deep South.

Fulton County Commission Chairman Robert L. Pitts placed his signature of acceptance on the grant document on October 7, 2020, just four weeks before the election:

“The SPLC is proud to assist in providing the necessary grant funding to counties like Fulton facing budgetary constraints and support efforts to increase the safe exercise of absentee voting. However, the ultimate solution is increased support and funding guarantees from the Governor and Secretary of State to ensure all people have equal access to voting regardless of their county of residence or zip code,” SPLC Chief Strategy Officer Seth Levi said in the October 7 statement.

“To comply with current State regulations, the drop boxes in Fulton are placed on county or municipal property; they have video surveillance; and they are made of durable material able to withstand inclement weather and vandalism. The cost of a single drop box can be as high as $6,000. The SPLC anticipates providing funding totaling $85,000 to pay for approximately 25 new boxes and accompanying video security equipment in the county,” Levi added.

As Breitbart News reported:

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to accept a $6.3 million grant from the Mark Zuckerberg-funded Center for Technology and Civic Life “Safe Elections” project at a September 2, 2020 board meeting. It proceeded without asking a single question about the name of the group providing the funding, the origin of the funding, or the details of what the funding would be used for.

At that September 2 meeting, Fulton County Elections Director Richard Barron stated, based on the budget approved by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners earlier in the meeting, “We are also increasing the number of absentee ballot drop box locations from 20 to 40.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/12/17/southern-poverty-law-center-paid-for-25-absentee-ballot-drop-boxes-in-fulton-county-georgia/

Corona Passports: Ireland Considers Giving Vaccine Certificate Holders Extra Freedoms

Despite controversy in other countries over the possibility of creating a two-tier society where those with vaccination papers have more freedoms than those without, Ireland is considering coronavirus passports, allowing bearers to escape lockdown.

Irish citizens may need to present paperwork proving they had received a coronavirus vaccination in order to go out, enjoy social activities, and enter venues in future, the nation’s health minister Stephen Donnelly said.

Donnelly compared the corona passports to plans being considered by the airline industry where proof of vaccination could be required to board an aircraft.

UK Minister: You Might Be Banned from Venues Without Vaccine Passport https://t.co/f0UOh7YnkY

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 1, 2020

Decisions on whether to go ahead with the scheme would depend on an assessment of how effective the vaccinations actually are, and whether the jab manages to reduce transmission of coronavirus in the community. The Irish government said “nothing was being ruled in or out” in terms of vaccine passports at this stage.

The minister said Wednesday: “The vaccine certificate is part of the implementation plan and what we need to see is exactly what impact these vaccines will have… Then we will be able to make an informed judgment”, reports the Irish Times.

The discussion of restricting freedom for those who get an injection came as Ireland eyed the possibility of the European Union’s health regulator approving the Pfizer vaccine. Unlike the United Kingdom, which used its own medical safety protocols to approve the jab a fortnight ago, Ireland has relied on the centralised European system to test whether the vaccine is safe.

COVID-1984: Wales to Introduce Coronavirus Vaccine Passport Cards https://t.co/nfzXfqOFLx

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 2, 2020

In the United Kingdom — Ireland’s near neighbour in the British Isles — the government has repeatedly made headlines over the question of whether the price of individuals regaining their liberty lost over 2020 is to be getting vaccinated, and then carrying the papers to prove it.

UK Vaccination minister Nadim Zahawi said earlier this month that while the government wasn’t planning to make the jab mandatory, he still foresaw a situation where private businesses and venues would make use of tools the government would make available to them to check whether would-be patrons had got the injection or not.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/12/17/corona-passports-ireland-considers-giving-vaccine-certificate-holders-extra-freedoms/

Three-Year-Old Girl Found Raped at Greek Island Migrant Camp

A three-year-old girl was found passed out in the mud of the Kara Tepe migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, with doctors claiming the young child had been raped.

The horrific incident is said to have taken place on Monday night at the migrant camp which was created after the notorious Moria camp was burned down, allegedly by migrants themselves, earlier in the year.

The victim, who is the child of an Afghan family which applied for asylum in Greece, was found unconscious and bleeding and was quickly transferred to the camp’s medical facility before being sent to a hospital in the nearby city of Mytilene, Proto Thema reports.

So far, no arrests have been made, and police say they are investigating the incident.

Greek Migrant Camps Becoming ‘No-Go Areas’ for Children and Women at Night https://t.co/b7QuT5qfbX

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 13, 2018

The assault comes as NGOs have condemned the conditions at Kara Tepe after major rainfall over the weekend caused a flood, the third since the start of Autumn.

Some NGOs have begun to label the camp “Moria 2.0”, such as activist Tommy Olsen, the head of the Norwegian civil society group Aegean Boat.

“It’s unbelievable that Europe can let this happen on European soil in 2020. Over 7,000 people are living in this camp, many of them children, under inhumane conditions. This is the situation in the new camp on Lesbos that many refer to as Moria 2.0,” Olsen said this week.

The original Moria camp was also well-known for its overcrowded and poor conditions, along with a high number of sexual assaults against women and children.

In 2018, a United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) report claimed that the Moria camp had become a no-go zone for women and children due to the dangers of sexual violence from male migrants.

Underage Afghan Migrants Arrested for Moria Migrant Camp Arson https://t.co/uD5Kra5Cew

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) September 16, 2020

Cecile Pouilly, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR, stated at the time: “In these two centres, bathrooms and latrines are no-go zones after dark for women or children.”

“Even bathing during daytime can be dangerous. In Moria, one woman told our teams that she had not taken a shower in two months from fear,” she said.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/12/17/three-year-old-girl-found-raped-at-greek-island-migrant-camp/

Alaska healthcare worker with no history of drug allergies suffered serious 'anaphylactic-like' reaction after getting Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine

An Alaska healthcare worker suffered a serious allergic reaction within 10 minutes of receiving Pfizer Inc's coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday.

At a news conference on Wednesday, officials said the woman, who remains unarmed, started flushing and experiencing other signs of an allergic reaction after getting the jab at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau.

She was hospitalized and remains stable in the ICU with expectations to be discharged later today.

The woman has no history of allergies, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

Dr Jay Butler, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) deputy director for infectious diseases, says this is the only allergic reaction reported in the country thus far.

No national tally is available, but a crude estimate based on the few states that have begun to release their vaccination data - New York, Michigan and Idaho - would suggest that thousands of Americans have been vaccinated.

The allergic reaction is believed to be similar to the anaphylactic-like reactions suffered by two healthcare workers in Great Britain, both whom have since recovered, after they were given the Pfizer-BioNTech SE vaccine last week.

With hundreds of thousands of Americans expected to be dosed in the U.S. over the next few weeks, health officials will be on high alert to see if any other recipients experience severe reactions.

The reaction was first reported by The New York Times on Wednesday afternoon.

In spite of her reaction, the woman is said to be disappointed that she is unable to receive the second dose of Pfizer's vaccine.

'She kept a very positive attitude,' Dr Nobel Anderson, a family medicine physician at Bartlett Regional Hospital, said at the news conference.

'She was excited that she got the first dose and was disappointed that she will not be getting the second dose. And she encouraged all of us to press on.'

Dr Anne Zink, Alaska's chief medical officer, said the state is not making any changes to its plan to administer the vaccine.

'There were over 40,000 people in the trials and we did not see any reactions like this,' Zink said.

According to Zink, one of the providers who treated the woman said of her reaction: 'Lightning is going to strike somewhere.'

Pfizer has said anaphylactic reactions to vaccines are rare and are estimated to occur in around one per one million doses.

'We don’t yet have all the details of the report from Alaska about a potential serious allergic reaction but are actively working with local health authorities to assess,' a Pfizer spokeswoman told DailyMail.com.

'We will closely monitor all reports suggestive of serious allergic reactions following vaccination and update labeling language if needed.

'The prescribing information has a clear warning/precaution that appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be readily available in case of a rare anaphylactic event following the administration of the vaccine.'

http://www.madnesshub.com/2020/12/alaska-healthcare-worker-with-no.html

Several Charlie Hebdo Terror Attack Accomplices Found Guilty of Terrorist Offences

A French court has ruled on a case involving 14 accomplices of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo terror attackers, finding several of them guilty of terrorist offences, handing out sentences ranging from four years to life in prison.

The trial, which has been ongoing since September, concluded on Wednesday with all the defendants found guilty of various crimes related to the massacre perpetrated by the brothers Saïd and Chérif Kouachi and the kosher market attack committed by Amedy Coulibaly in January 2015. Police had shot dead all three terrorists.

Nezar Mickael Pastor Alwatik, Amar Ramdani, and Willy Prevost were found guilty of criminal terrorist association. Said Makhlouf, Mohamed Fares, Abdelaziz Abbad, Metin Karasular, Miguel Martinez, Michel Catino, and Christophe Raumel were found guilty of criminal association.

Ali Riza Polat, the main defendant in the case, was acquitted of criminal terrorist association, but found guilty of complicity to murder, according to French broadcaster BFMTV. Prosecutors had demanded a life sentence, but he was instead handed 30 years.

During sentencing, the judges said that Polat had provided “decisive logistical assistance to Coulibaly”.

“The court determined that he had sufficient knowledge of his intentions,” the judges continued, adding: “There were many contacts between Coulibaly and Polat in the days leading up to the incident.”

Polat made headlines in October after threatening a female investigator in court as she was giving testimony.

Charlie Hebdo Attack Trial Suspect Threatens Policewoman in Court https://t.co/RTGlrfTy8j

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) October 18, 2020

While the trial saw the prosecution of 14 Islamic extremists, only 11 defendants appeared in court, with three others trialled in their absence.

The brothers Mohamed and Mehdi Belhoucine, who were both connected to the kosher supermarket attack following the Charlie Hebdo massacre, had absconded after the shootings and are believed to have both died fighting for Islamic State in Syria.

Mohamed Belhoucine was found guilty of complicity in Coulibaly’s attack on the Jewish supermarket and sentenced to life in prison. His brother Mehdi had already been tried and convicted in absentia in January for criminal conspiracy.

The widow of Coulibaly, Hayat Boumeddiene, was also missing from court and police are still actively searching for her. She was found guilty in absentia of financing terrorism and association with terrorist criminals and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

From Charlie Hebdo To Nice: 5 Years of Islamist Terror https://t.co/qZSv67d6Bp

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) October 29, 2020

The man who provided the weapons to Coulibaly, a Lille neo-nazi arms dealer and former gendarme informant named Claude Hermant, was recently released from prison after serving a sentence related to another arms dealing case, but was not included in the recent trial.

In October, Hermant spoke out about the massacre saying: “These weapons were easily traced, the police services were on it.”

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/12/17/several-charlie-hebdo-terror-attack-accomplices-found-guilty-of-terrorist-offences/

Colorado coroner outraged over 'inflated' COVID death tolls after finding gunshot victims were included in toll

Brenda Bock, a Colorado coroner, says she's shocked over "inflated" COVID-19 death tolls in Grand County.Now she's speaking out to local news outlets to call attention to the way the state health department is reporting some deaths as coronavirus-related.

What are the details?

Bock, according to the Daily Wire, said that Grand County's five COVID-19 deaths include two gunshot wound victims.

"It's absurd that they would even put that on there," she said. "Would you want to go to a county that has really high death numbers? Would you want to go visit that county because they're contagious? You know, I might get it, and I could die if all of a sudden one county has a high death count. We don't have it, and we don't need those numbers inflated."

The outlet reported that Colorado's health department defended itself by stating that it was just following the protocol set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

KCNC-TV reported that CDC guidelines require the state health department to report "people who've died with COVID-19 in their systems because it's crucial for public health surveillance."

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment states, "This information is required by the CDC and is crucial for public health surveillance, as it provides more information about disease transmission and can help identify risk factors among all deaths across populations."

What else?

According to Sky-Hi News in Grand County, the two gunshot victims were the result of a murder-suicide.

On Tuesday, Bock told county commissioners that she believes just one person in the county has died from COVID-19.

"The coroner maintains that only one person in the county has died from COVID-19, while two more people have died with it [in their systems], for a total of three COVID-related deaths in the county," the outlet reported.

Bock stated that the murder-suicide cases were autopsied, and it was determined that the cause of death was listed as "blunt force injuries due to a gunshot wound."

"Nowhere did the pathologist say COVID was the cause of death," Bock added.

She also told the outlet that she is working with the state to try to get the deaths removed from the official count.

"If we want the public to trust and believe the information being released, we need to make sure it is accurate," she said. "That might be the process, but it's not right. … I strongly stand against that. … We do need to stand up and we do need to get these numbers corrected."

The outlet reported:

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment counts COVID-19 deaths in two different ways from two separate sources of data — deaths caused by COVID-19 and deaths among people who died with COVID-19.

Most recent numbers report that 3,086 people in Colorado have died because of COVID compared to 3,969 deaths with COVID.

Deaths listed as caused by COVID-19 come from death certificates. These causes of death are determined directly by health care providers and coroners.

Alternatively, deaths for people who died with but not necessarily because of COVID-19 come from epidemiological data. Thus, anyone who died within 30 days after testing positive for COVID is included in the count regardless of official cause of death.

http://www.tathasta.com/2020/12/colorado-coroner-outraged-over-inflated.html

Just In Time For The Vaccine: A New COVID Strain Has Been Found

As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out everywhere, a new strain of COVID-19 has been identified in the United Kingdom as a mutation. Normally, when viruses mutate, they become less deadly and more infectious to continue infecting as many hosts as possible.

And what does that mean for the rushed toxic and side effect-laden vaccine they want to jab us all with? It’ll mean nothing. We’ll all be expected to take the shot no matter how many mutations pop up, and like the flu, even with the vaccine, won’t be able to eradicate the coronavirus.

According to The Washington Post, the new strain spreading in the UK has unknown significance as of yet. But the Post also noted:

“There is no evidence that these changes are making the virus deadlier, but new research has provided evidence that the virus is not a static target of vaccines and will need to be watched closely to see how it responds to therapeutic interventions and the human immune system.” –The Washington Post

So are we about to get another mandatory rushed concoction we’ll all be expected to take? Likely. There is an obvious push to get the public on board with this vaccine and to think it won’t be forced or you won’t be coerced into taking it is pure delusion at this point.

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/just-in-time-for-the-vaccine-a-new-covid-strain-has-been-found/

87,000 nurses refuse Covid vaccine Netherlands

Netherlands: 87,000 nurses refuse vaccine. They refuse to be guinea pigs!

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/87000-nurses-refuse-covid-vaccine-netherlands/

NO COINCIDENCES

Peter Nygard, Jeffrey Epstein, and the Fashion to Sexual Assault Pipeline

Infamous Canadian fashion magnate and accused sex trafficker Peter Nygard was arrested in Canada after years of allegations that he raped and trafficked young girls.

On Monday, Canadian authorities arrested fashion mogul Peter Nygard after he was indicted in Manhattan on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. The arrest comes as a result of an extradition treaty between Canada and the U.S., where Nygard faces allegations of rape and trafficking. Nygard’s story bears a disturbing resemblance to the case of serial sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein.

The CBC reports:

“According to the affidavit, evidence gathered in the U.S. includes interviews with more than two dozen people.

‘The investigation shows that Nygard’s criminal conduct has affected hundreds of victims,’ the affidavit says. ‘The harm to his victims has included not only economic and psychological harm but also numerous instances of non-consensual sex, including non-consensual group sex, attempted forcible rapes and drugging of victims.’”

Since the early 2000s, Nygard has been plagued by accusations of trafficking and sexual assault of dozens of women and girls at his homes in the U.S., Canada, and his private island in the Bahamas, Nygard Cay. Fifty-seven women are now accusing Nygard of using violence, intimidation, and his vast resources to entice victims and cover up his actions.

The U.S. federal government has been investigating Nygard for trafficking accusations since at least 2015. In February, 10 anonymous women filed a federal lawsuit accusing Nygard of a “decades-long sex-trafficking scheme.” After the February allegations authorities raided Nygard’s home in Los Angeles and his offices in New York City.

Nygard has also been accused of rape by his own sons. In August, two of his sons accused their father of arranging for them to be raped when they were children. After the arrest, Nygard’s son, Kai Bickle Nygard , told the CBC, “I’m just absolutely thrilled to find out that he’s going to have to face a trial and go through the judicial process and not be able to just take off with a pot of money offshore somewhere.”

The current accusations against Nygard are not the first. As The Mind Unleashed noted, “in 2005, the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti published an article about sex parties at Nygård’s mansion, and featured a short interview with actress Jessica Alba where she said she had to leave a party at the mansion because she was so uncomfortable with what was taking place. She mentioned the presence of young girls at the party as well. Nygård sued the parent company of the paper Alma Media for slander in Los Angeles but lost the case.”

https://www.activistpost.com/2020/12/peter-nygard-jeffrey-epstein-and-the-fashion-to-sexual-assault-pipeline.html

'Detention of ex-Crown Prince weakens Saudi Arabia and the West,' say British MPs

Saudi Arabia's continued detention of its former Crown Prince is weakening the standing of the Kingdom and the security of the West, as well as being in violation of international law, a panel of British MPs yesterday stated.

Former Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef was passed over and replaced in 2015 by current Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. He was arrested in March this year and is reported to have lost a significant amount of weight as his health has deteriorated in detention.

According to the cross-party panel of British MPs who investigated the detention of Bin Nayef following testimony provided by human rights groups and activists last month, he was found to be "suffering from pains in his joints, particularly his knees, making it difficult for him to walk comfortably without assistance." There is also "evidence of damage to his feet, adding to the pain in walking."

Furthermore, Bin Nayef has not even "been able to contest his detention before an independent and impartial judge, has no access to a lawyer to discuss his situation and his case has not been reviewed to determine whether it is appropriate to continue his detention."

The former Crown Prince was kept in solitary confinement until recently. He has been warned by the authorities that he will be sent back into solitary unless he releases funds to the Saudi government, a threat which the MPs' panel believes to be coercion.

The panel was chaired by the former chair of the foreign affairs select committee Crispin Blunt MP (Conservative). He was joined by Layla Moran MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development, and Imran Ahmad Khan MP (Conservative), a former Special Assistant for Political Affairs in Mogadishu.

The MPs have urged Saudi Arabia to address its poor human rights record in order to "defend and explain its actions in a way that will not leave it wholly pilloried in the wider court of global public opinion." This, they argued, is in the interests of the Kingdom and the international community.

With legal advice from Tim Moloney QC of Doughty Street Chambers and Haydee Dijkstal of 33 Bedford Row, the panel was put together by London-based law firm Bindmans LLP. It suggested that member states of the G7 should suspend their extradition treaties and prisoner transfer agreements with Saudi Araba and review all of their current prisoner agreements with the Kingdom due to the overwhelming evidence of its human rights violations.

Social media firms, the panel said, should also resist pressure and intimidation by state actors or groups or individuals who may be coordinating with state actors, recognising the power of public relations that the Kingdom has been trying to harness through social media in recent years.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201217-detention-of-ex-crown-prince-weakens-saudi-arabia-and-the-west-say-british-mps/

Gantz tells Saudi paper: There’s room for a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem

But defense minister stops short of endorsing statehood, saying Palestinians deserve an ‘entity’ and stressing that no part of city will be relinquished to PA

In a rare interview with an Arabic daily, Defense Minister Benny Gantz shied away from supporting a Palestinian state, saying that the Palestinians deserved an “entity” and that Jerusalem “must remain united.”

But the centrist politician, the leader of the Blue and White party, said that while Israel’s capital will remain undivided, “there’s room” for the Palestinians to also establish their capital in the holy city.

“The Palestinians want and deserve an entity in which they can live independently,” Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff, told the Saudi daily al-Sharq al-Awsat, one of the Arab world’s better-known broadsheets.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/gantz-tells-saudi-paper-theres-room-for-a-palestinian-capital-in-jerusalem/

Key points from Vladimir Putin's annual news conference

The conference lasted for 4.5 hours

MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held his customary year-end news conference on Thursday. This time, amid the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the event was held online. Also, it incorporated some features of the question-and-answer program called Direct Line with Vladimir Putin, in which the head of state is asked questions from audiences across the nation.

TASS has collected the top takeaways from Putin's conference:

On Russia's fight against COVID-19

Putin thinks that Russia has tackled the COVID-19 pandemic well, perhaps better than other states.

"Not a single [healthcare] system worldwide was ready for the scale that we encountered. There is simply no system like that. <…Compared to what was going on in the world, of course, our system turned out to be more effective."

Read also

Putin promises to take COVID-19 vaccine at the earliest opportunity

Putin highlighted 97% effectiveness of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine.

"Russia is the first country in the world, which has invented, we could say, and started to produce the vaccine of both the Gamaleya scientific institute and the Novosibirsk-based Vector center. And we have a good vaccine [that is] both safe and effective - over 95% and higher - and specialists say its level of protection reaches 96-97%"

Putin hopes the coronavirus situation will improve in the next 6 months.

On the Navalny case

Putin said, that Alexei Navalny, who is currently undergoing medical treatment in Germany, has the support of US intelligence agencies but it’s not a reason to poison him.

"The patient at a Berlin hospital has the support of US intelligence agencies in this case. If so, it’s a curious fact and intelligence agencies should keep an eye on him. But it’s not a reason to poison him, why would anyone do that?"

Had someone wanted to poison Navalny, they would have gotten it done, Putin noted.

On Russia-US relations under Biden

Putin hopes that at least some problems in Russian-US relations will be solved under Joe Biden’s administration.

"We presume that the newly elected US president will understand what is going on - he is a person, who has experience in both domestic and foreign policy. We expect that all problems, which emerged, or at least some of them will be ironed out under the new administration," Putin said.

On amendments to Russian Constitution

Putin said the amendments to the Russian Constitution were adopted at a right time, when the situation became ripe.

https://tass.com/politics/1236415

STAR OF BETHLEHEM (CHRISTMAS STAR) VISIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 800 YEARS

This week, during this Christian season, humanity will be able to enjoy an astronomical event, a once-in a lifetime sight in the sky that has not happened in 800 years. And that is the alignment of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, better known as the Star of Bethlehem, which according to Christian tradition was followed to reach the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

According to Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem, was followed by the 3 Magi, Bithisarea, Melichior, and Gathaspa, to reach the birthplace of Christ.

This event is set to take place on Dec. 21, which also marks the Winter Solstice, bringing the shortest amount of daylight and the longest night. It is also known as the “Great Conjunction.” Don’t worry if you can’t catch it on Dec. 21. According to the Adler Planetarium, the planets can be seen as early as Dec. 16 and 17, but the “real show” takes place “the evenings of the 20th through the 22nd.”

This is a rare phenomenon, with a special meaning in this Christmas season, and that according to astronomical studies a conjunction this close has not occurred since March 4, 1226, that is, since the Middle Ages. This will still be quite a striking sight, a natural phenomenon occurring when the two planets come together.

Those looking to see the star will want to look above the southwestern or western horizon after sunset. The best time to see them is about an hour after your local sunset. The symbolic Christmas Star will be visible anywhere in the world.

The event has been dubbed the “Christmas Star,” because some astronomers have theorized the “Star of Bethlehem” could have been a rare conjunction involving both Jupiter and Saturn.

The astronomer Patrick Hartigan says that the event will not be repeated until March 15, 2080 and then it will not happen again until after the year 2400, so it would be worth taking advantage and see this. Happy stargazing.

https://thedcpatriot.com/%e2%80%8bstar-of-bethlehem-christmas-star-visible-for-the-first-time-in-800-years/

Chief Rabbi Lau to Diaspora rabbis: You must vaccinate, dangerous not to

The special campaign for Israel-Diaspora relations led by Lau will continue into the next week.

The Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, David Lau, has started speaking to rabbis in the Diaspora to tell them to encourage their followers to vaccinate in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

As part of a campaign to strengthen Israeli relations with the Diaspora, vis-à-vis virtual meetings with other chief rabbis in a wide variety of countries, Lau stressed the importance of preventing the continued spread of coronavirus.

Among some of the meetings that have already taken place include a discussion with the rabbis of the congregations of Vienna, Austria, where Lau provided words of encouragement and halachic responsa.

Lau also virtually met with rabbis of the communities in France to discuss halachic issues and the coronavirus crisis, particularly the need to vaccinate, which included special meetings with the rabbis from Marseilles, Strasbourg and the Beit Din of France.

Lau told the rabbis of the congregations that they need to vaccinate, and that they should act by example and explain the importance of vaccination, saying in a statement that there is a danger in not getting vaccinated.

The special campaign for Israel-Diaspora relations led by Lau will continue into the next week, when he will meet with rabbis from Australia and Panama, along with further meetings expected with rabbis from the United States, Argentina and Canada.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/chief-rabbi-lau-to-diaspora-rabbis-you-must-vaccinate-dangerous-not-to-652477

'Little People, Big World' star Jacob Roloff says a producer molested him

The star said he was also put through 'a long grooming process'

Jacob Roloff, a star of TLC's "Little People, Big World," has accused one of the show's producers of molestation.

Now 23, the reality star appeared in the show beginning in 2006 and made his final appearance just last year. He has now brought allegations against producer Chris Cardamone.

In a lengthy Twitter post, Roloff said that as a child, he was put through "a long grooming process" by Cardamone, who ultimately "molested" the young star.

"I do not expect to provide details of this encounter at any point publicly," Roloff said. "I do hope he is never allowed around children again."

The reality star recalled receiving a text from Cardamone in 2015, "years" after the incident, which eventually prompted him to reveal his "traumatic memory" to the public so that it can "be exorcised of any further power over my development."

"By revealing this, I may be more fully understood and my perspective on issues such as child sexual abuse, child exploitation, and the collateral costs of reality television may be received more clearly," he continued. "Although, I would have to add that this experience has not solely defined my point of view on any of these issues, nor has it defined my worldview in general."

Roloff said he also hoped his statement would serve as a reminder that "sexual assault, in all of its iterations, can happen to anyone at anytime [sic]."

The star said he needed "silence and time" to "process" what happened to him, which is why his accusations are delayed by several years.

He then slammed reality television, calling it "a massive spectacle of drama and pain and argument and invasion" that leads to "sweet" profits.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/little-people-big-world-jacob-roloff-producer-molested-him

Ex-UGA professor admits to using work computer, cell phone to posses child pornography

ATHENS, Ga. – A former University of Georgia (UGA) professor who admitted to authorities that he possessed hundreds of images of child pornography enetered a guilty plea in federal court today for his crime.

James Edward Monogan, III, 39, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count possession of child pornography.

According to the plea agreement, Homeland Security Investigation’s Atlanta Office (HSI-Atlanta) received information in 2019 that KIK user “utbballplaya03” had distributed child pornography to another KIK user in February 2019. KIK, formally known as Kik Messenger, is an internet based instant messaging mobile application. HSI also received a second child pornography distribution complaint for KIK user “texan21225053.” Both KIK usernames belonged to Monogan. On September 5, 2019, HSI, the GBI and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Athens, seizing several electronic devices. Monogan’s UGA office was also searched. A forensic review of the defendant’s electronics located 452 images of child pornography and eight videos depicting child sexual exploitation material on his UGA laptop, as well as an additional 119 images of child sexual exploitation material on his cell phone. Some of these images involved minors under the age of 12.

“Monogan actively participated in the evil world of child pornography and brazenly engaged in his criminal behavior using a computer belonging to his employer. He will spend many years inside a federal prison for his crime, ” said Peter D. Leary, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners for tirelessly working to protect the most vulnerable members of our society and holding child sex offenders accountable.”

“Today’s plea is the result of the strong partnership that Homeland Security Investigations has with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department,” said Katrina W. Berger, special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta. “By working together to leverage our respective resources and expertise, we have removed a dangerous child predator from the community.”

“This investigation demonstrates that no matter who you are, you will be held accountable for preying on children. We value our law enforcement partnerships to be able to work together in these type investigations to catch and punish criminals who seek to exploit one of our most vulnerable populations,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.

Monogan faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Monogan will also have to register as a sex offender. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. There is no parole in the federal system.

https://breaking911.com/ex-uga-professor-admits-to-using-work-computer-cell-phone-to-posses-child-pornography/

Home Depot to Pay $20,750,000 Penalty for Nationwide Failure to Follow Rules for Conducting Renovations Involving Lead Paint

Home Depot to Improve Public Health Protections during Home Renovations

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/home-depot-pay-20750000-penalty-nationwide-failure-follow-rules-conducting-renovations

Kirk Cameron under fire for hosting Christmas caroling ‘protest’ over COVID-19

Actor Kirk Cameron caught heat Thursday for hosting a crowded and non-COVID-19-safety compliant Christmas caroling event, which he called a “peaceful protest” to oppose California’s statewide pandemic stay-at-home order.

The 50-year-old “Growing Pains” star organized the Sunday rally — his second this month — complete with a live band and hundreds of people in a mall parking lot in Thousand Oaks, California, according to footage he posted on Instagram.

“God Bless America. Joy over fear!” Cameron wrote in a post promoting photos of the “protest,” which shows throngs of maskless singers — apparently failing to follow social distance recommendations.

Critics were quick to point out the carolers were likely spreading more than just Christmas cheer.

“This is one of the most irresponsible things I’ve seen lately,” one observer slammed, in reference to California’s spiking coronavirus infections. “To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin…”

Another fumed, “No social distancing and only a couple of people wearing masks? This is so disrespectful and disappointing.”

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/17/kirk-cameron-under-fire-for-christmas-caroling-covid-19-protest/

Growing Threat: Prospects Of Israeli Invasion Of Syria’s ‘Unstable’ Southern Region

The unstable situation in southern Syria requires an intervention by Israel, a recent report by the Israeli National Security Institute (INSS) concluded.

The report, which was published on December 16, was written by researcher Carmit Valensi and INSS Director Udi Dekel.

The report urges Israel to intervene in southern Syria, claiming that the region is far from stable and that the Iranian-Russian struggle for influence is taking place there.

“The prevailing dynamic in southern Syria in recent months and the frequent clashes between groups under Iranian influence and those affiliated with Russia indicate growing competition for influence between Russia and Iran and reflect those actors’ conflicting interests in the region, despite their partnership in the pro-Assad coalition,” the report reads.

The Tel Aviv-based think tanks said Iran is anchoring its presence in the southern Syrian provinces close to the Israeli border in order to create an additional front of friction and conflict with Israel through its proxies.

Valensi and Dekel said Israel should take advantage of the weakness of the Iranian-Shiite axis, including Damascus, in order to stop Iranian influence in southern Syria.

“It [Israel] can use its mechanism for coordination and deconfliction with Russia to adopt a proactive policy in southern Syria and attack the Iranian proxies there, including Hezbollah forces,” the report reads. “At the same time, Israel should strengthen local forces, both Sunni and Druze, and forge connections by means of humanitarian aid – food, fuel, and health services – with elements in the local population that oppose the regime.”

The report argued that an Israel intervention will create an “island of Israeli influence,” thereby disrupting Iranian influence in southern Syria.

While the INSS report suggests a limited Israeli intervention in southern Syria, sources in the Syrian opposition told the North Press Agency that Tel Aviv is actually planning a full-on invasion of the region.

“Israel, along with an Arab NATO, is approaching to storm southern Syria,” an unnamed activist told the outlet. “The incursion will be under the pretext of protecting the people of al-Suwayda and Daraa from Iran and Hezbollah, who are seeking systematic demographic change in the southern region.”

Israel followed a similar logic when it invaded Lebanon in 1976 and in 1982 to end the Palestinian resistance. However, the move backfired. A far more capable and determined local Lebanese resistance movement replaced the Palestinians.

The situation in southern Syria is indeed unstable. However, an Israeli intervention could only further destabilize the region. Such an intervention may also backfire at Tel Aviv.

https://southfront.org/growing-threat-prospects-of-israeli-invasion-of-syrias-unstable-southern-region/

CNN Reported The World Almost Ended In Nuclear War, But It Really Didn’t

Russia and the United States “accidentally started a nuclear war” in the week ending on December 13th, according to CNN’s Barbara Starr, citing unnamed US defense officials.

A Russian military exercise allegedly triggered an “unusual warning” at the US’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

This resulted in several minutes of uncertainty and alarm until an all-clear was sounded, according to the anonymous sources.

“The initial assessment is that the missile warning may have been triggered when US intelligence satellites detected a launch. Highly classified US military satellites that track the infrared trail of ballistic missiles determined that a submerged Russian submarine had test fired four intercontinental missiles from its underwater location in the Sea of Okhotsk off eastern Russia,” on December 11th.

A statement was released regarding the matter. U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa said that “the control center followed proper procedures … to provide rapid and accurate notifications to all required personnel,” both when the initial alert was received and “within minutes” after the missile launch was determined to be part of a training exercise.

The US military “received an alert via a warning notification system of a real-world missile launch. The control center followed proper procedures and acted in a timely manner to provide rapid and accurate notifications to all required personnel,” according to the statement.

“No US aircraft or pilots were scrambled. The missile launch was determined to be part of a regional training exercise and within minutes the control center again followed proper procedures and provided updated notifications. We consistently and routinely monitor for any threats to our forces and our allies,” the statement from US Air Force Europe-Army Africa read.

It should also be reminded that Russia and the US give each other an advance notice of any ballistic missile test, and they do so at least 24 hours in advance.

The procedure for doing so is specifically set out in an international treaty named the memorandum of understanding.

During the exercises over the weekend, Russia reportedly followed this process and warned the US well in advance of the missile launches from submarines in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia’s Pacific Coast.

And the situation itself, is as follows:

The Vladimir Monomakh Project 955 submarine test-fired ballistic missiles in the Sea of Okhotsk.

The launch was detected both by US satellites and at least two radars on the ground (one at Clear Air Force Station in Alaska and the other on Shemiya Island).

https://youtu.be/kNtSbD811c8

https://southfront.org/cnn-reported-the-world-almost-ended-in-nuclear-war-but-it-really-didnt/

>>12067495

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1339594787133919239

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

I will Veto the Defense Bill, which will make China very unhappy. They love it. Must have Section 230 termination, protect our National Monuments and allow for removal of military from far away, and very unappreciative, lands. Thank you!

'Macron Was 'Very Likely' Infected With COVID-19 During European Council, French Presidency Says'