October 5, 2023 Good morning, Leading the News . . . Mayorkas declares
‘immediate’ need for border wall in Texas, waives 26 environmental laws . . . Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday that the U.S. has an “acute and immediate need” to build border wall in southern Texas, and he issued an order waiving some of the country’s most iconic environmental protection laws to speed up construction. Mr. Mayorkas identified dozens of miles of border where he plans to build barriers and roads and where he indicated that those environmental
laws would be a hindrance. “There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas,” Mr. Mayorkas said in an official filing in the Federal Register. Washington Times Trump says Biden sees the country being 'invaded,' warns of 'terrorists' already inside the US . . . Former President Trump said the Biden administration is only citing the "immediate need" to build a border wall because President Biden is watching the United States be "invaded" by illegal migrants, warning that
"terrorists" are "already" inside the country. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday said there was an "acute and immediate need" to waive dozens of federal laws in order to build a border wall in south Texas where illegal migration has surged. DHS justified the move due to "high illegal entry" — more than 245,000 migrant encounters have been recorded in the Rio Grande Valley Sector this year. Fox News
Judge at Trump’s NY civil fraud trial slams hand on bench, loses his cool during testimony: ‘This is
ridiculous!’ . . . The Manhattan judge deciding Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial lost his cool on Wednesday — slamming his hand on the bench and snapping, “This is ridiculous” — as the former president’s lawyers grilled his ex-accountant over inconsistent testimony. The judge’s annoyed reaction came after Trump’s side claimed that Donald Bender, a partner at accounting firm Mazars USA, was evading their questions. The attorneys had also repeatedly insisted they needed to
meticulously go through Trump’s financial records with Bender “year by year.” “Don’t waste time,” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said sternly. New York Post Trump Explodes On Judge, 'Corrupt' Letitia James On Day 3 Of NYC Civil Fraud Trial
GOP aims fire at Gaetz after McCarthy ouster . . . House Republicans are aiming their fire at Rep.
Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) after the congressman staged a successful effort to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Speaker, sharply criticizing the Florida Republican for teaming up with Democrats to boot the GOP leader and hurling personal insults his way. Taking matters a step further, at least two GOP lawmakers have said Gaetz should be booted from the House Republican conference, an unlikely outcome that, nonetheless, underscores the raw frustration — and anger — with Gaetz among members of his
party. The Hill How Popular Is Former Speaker Kevin
McCarthy? . . . Only six percent of U.S. adults surveyed held McCarthy in a very favorable light, while 20 percent held a somewhat favorable opinion of the lawmaker. On the other hand, almost half of the survey participants had an unfavorable opinion of Congressman McCarthy, while a quarter of respondents had no fixed opinion. Statista Here’s why Trump can’t become House
speaker – for now . . . Former President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday that he has been fielding calls about possibly becoming the next speaker of the House of Representatives, but the legal battles weighing over the GOP juggernaut might keep him on the campaign trail rather than Capitol Hill. While Trump, 77, has already been deemed the preferred speaker choice for at least two House Republicans, a little-known House GOP rule restricting those with felony indictments from serving in
the role could make him ineligible for the post. “A member of the Republican Leadership shall step aside if indicted for a felony for which a sentence of two or more years’ imprisonment may be imposed,” the Republican Conference Rules of the 118th Congress state. New York
Post Dershowitz Lambasts Trump's NYC Fraud Trial: 'This Is Selective Prosecution & It's Wrong'
Even some RNC members are fed up with ‘embarrassing,’ Trump-less debates . . . With Donald Trump
boycotting and viewership falling off, some Republican National Committee members are starting to question whether the GOP’s primary debates should continue in their current format at all. “You can’t put your head in the sand and pretend these debates are going to result in someone other than Donald Trump getting the nomination,” said Patti Lyman, the RNC’s national committeewoman from Virginia, who called the debates “embarrassing” and said they “reflected very poorly on our party.” Politico Nom Nom believes your dog deserves fresh food . . . Nom Nom delivers fresh food made with whole ingredients you can actually see,
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Western ammo stocks at ‘bottom of the barrel’ as Ukraine war drags on, NATO official warns . . .
Western militaries are running out of ammunition to give to Ukraine, NATO and British officials warned Tuesday. The developments are troubling news for Ukraine as the war with neighboring Russia is in its 20th month and raises questions over whether Moscow may feel able to outlast western commitment promises. “The bottom of the barrel is now visible,” Adm. Rob Bauer of the Netherlands, the chair of the NATO Military Committee and NATO’s most senior military official, said of the West’s
ammunition stockpile Tuesday during a discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum. CNN
Music to Putin's and Xi's ears. Biden Iran envoy key member of Iranian government spy ring/influence operation . . . Well, this explains a lot. The Obama and now Biden Iran policies have never made much sense. Iran is the avowed enemy of our allies and
partners in the Middle East region, but for some reason, the Obama and Biden Administrations have spent enormous efforts appeasing Iran at the same time that they have been increasingly hostile to countries that have allied themselves with us. A new revelation sheds some light on who was driving US policies toward Iran, and the news isn’t good. Hot Air Pentagon Releases Strategy to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction . . . The US Department of Defense has issued an unclassified paper incorporating critical approaches to mitigate weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The strategic report outlines known WMD
threats and offers “tailored” solutions with associated authorities, allies, and operations to counter them and recover from their effects. Under the plan, the US will focus on specific priorities to guarantee the security of the homeland from such attacks, deter WMD use against the US and its partners, enhance the Joint Force to manage chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) environments, and prevent new WMD threats. Defense Post Meeting the Challenge of Deterring Two Nuclear Peers . . . A bipartisan study group recently concluded that currently planned U.S. nuclear forces are insufficient to reliably deter China as a nuclear peer, an aggressive Russia, and possibly both simultaneously. Another study argues
that Washington adopt a deterrence policy of targeting population to obviate the need to bolster forces. At issue, also, is the degree to which the United States should plan to hold China’s ICBMs at prompt risk with its ICBMs. In the past, U.S. nuclear forces were focused on deterring Russia; China was a lessor included case in the sense that if the U.S. had the capabilities needed to deter the Soviet Union, it surely could also deter China. The emergence of China toward nuclear peer status,
seen as a prospect for the mid-2030s, changes that calculation. By the 2030s the U.S. will, for the first time in its history, face two major nuclear powers as strategic competitors and potential adversaries. This will create new stresses on stability and new challenges for deterrence, assurance, arms control, and risk reduction. Real Clear Defense International
Poland election turns Germany into punchbag, straining Western alliance . . . Fighting to win
an unprecedented third term in office, Poland's nationalist government has seized on a target close to home: Germany, its NATO ally and biggest trading partner. In a tight race ahead of Poland's Oct. 15 election, leaders of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party have accused Germany of trying to dictate Polish government policy from Berlin on anything from migration to gas. The feud has frayed Europe's broadly united front supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion, shredding a plan for a
joint Polish-German tank repair plant for Kyiv's benefit. Reuters UK has ‘no strategy’ to tackle China threat as spies ‘aggressively’ target Britain . . . Successive governments have failed to grasp
the scale of the threat posed by China, a report by an influential group of MPs has warned, stating that Chinese intelligence is “prolifically and aggressively” targeting the UK and its interests. In a wide-ranging report the Commons intelligence and security committee (ISC) is scathing about the government’s “completely inadequate” response to the threat of China, saying it had “no strategy” to tackle the problem. Independent UK Russian Oil Thrives Despite European Sanctions . . . Sanctions imposed upon Russian oil have somewhat backfired. Although oil exports have dropped by 10%, several factors have
skyrocketed Russia's earning potential. Oil is much easier to transport than natural gas, so getting it to destinations is of less concern. There's also a global shortage of heavy sour crude - the kind that comes from Russia's Urals - which has driven up prices significantly. Europe's sanction strategy targeted financing and insurance, but Russia has circumvented these restrictions via state-sponsored insurance programs and old tanker purchases. The Russians had ample time to find loopholes and
undermine this system. Zeihan on Geopolitics Alibaba accused of ‘possible espionage’ at European hub . . . Belgium’s intelligence service has been monitoring Alibaba’s main logistics hub in Europe for espionage following suspicions Beijing has
been exploiting its growing economic presence in the west. European governments have been increasing scrutiny of the alleged security and economic risks posed by Chinese companies, which has been part of a wider reassessment of the EU’s traditional openness to trade with China. In specific reference to Alibaba’s logistics arm at the cargo airport in Liège, Belgium’s security services told the Financial Times they were working to detect “possible espionage and/or interference activities” carried
out by Chinese entities “including Alibaba”. Financial Times Saudi Arabia’s Strategy Behind Israel Normalization Talks . . . Iran plays a key role in Saudi thinking here. Saudi Arabia’s efforts
to forge diplomatic ties with Israel represent a new element in the kingdom’s ongoing campaign to manage regional instability. In exchange for normalizing relations, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is hoping to extract concessions for the Palestinians in the West Bank so that they can limit the turmoil that many expect will soon erupt within the Palestinian Authority. The last thing the Saudis want is for Palestinian militant group Hamas to exploit this situation and expand its control beyond
the Gaza Strip, which would work to the advantage of Riyadh’s principal adversary, Iran. The challenge, however, is that mainstream Palestinian politics, centered on Hamas rival Fatah, is approaching an inflection point, making it extremely difficult to achieve substantive progress on this front. Geopolitical Futures Bright Cellars, discover the wine you love . . . Bright Cellars believes that anyone can be a wine person. Learn what you like with our simple and fun wine taste quiz, and experience the joy of wine delivered to your door. Every bottle comes with tasting notes and pairing suggestions. It's like having a sommelier at home. No commitment. No fine print. Just wine your way. Get $100 off your subscription
Money
Biden cancels more student
debt . . . He’s been blocked by the Supreme Court from canceling some of everyone’s debt, but he’s finding little ways around it. And to those of you who saved for college or worked to pay off your loans . . . tough luck. The Democrat agenda is all about removing personal responsibility from the equation. Identity politics puts worth in who you are, not what you have done or can do. It’s the antithesis of what America is supposed to be about. White House Dossier
Homes are now unaffordable in 99% of the US for average Americans . . . Housing prices are growing more
unaffordable even with the astronomical rise in mortgage rates, putting ownership out of reach for millions of Americans. That's according to a new report published by real estate data provider ATTOM, which examined 572 U.S. counties and determined that median home prices in 99% of those areas are out of reach for the average income earner, who makes about $71,214 annually. Fox Business Congress preaches spending cuts while allowing its own budget to explode by 38% since 2014 . . . While
many lawmakers have preached for years the need for federal spending cuts, the amount of taxpayer money that Congress spends on its own operations has swelled 38% since FY2014 from $4.3 billion to $6.9 billion this year, according to a Just the News review of Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports on annual federal budgets. According to CRS, the legislative branch funding covers . . . Just the News
Culture American Despotism – The Great Upheaval Over Race Begins . . . by Newt Gingrich. The great upheaval over race in America began in the 1950s and accelerated dramatically in the 1960s. In many ways, the bridges that started being built in that era are crashing down around us. Today, we have the Black Lives Matter movement (which has supported widespread destruction across America and grifted many millions of
people for misspent donations). Anti-white racism fuels most of the current cultural left. Educational efforts such as the 1619 Project seek to rewrite American history so that slavery and the African American experience are the central themes. There is a growing contempt for police (especially white officers) and acceptance of crime. All of these make up part of the hardcore anti-Americanism emerging as the central value of the left. Gingrich360 Top California Teachers' Union Wants Homeless People To Sleep in Its Public School Parking
Lots . . . One of California's largest teachers' unions wants to open up its public school parking lots to the homeless, a priority the union is pushing as it barrels toward a strike that could shut down school just weeks after students returned to the classroom. Free Beacon
The Church problem . . . By Miljan Vešović. Priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) are
active in pro-Russian and anti-Western propaganda. In their interpretation, NATO is a "satanic creation", Montenegro is "Ukraine in miniature", and prayers are regularly organized for the success of the Russian army in Ukraine.Montenegro has been a member of NATO since 2017, and is still one of the most serious candidates for EU membership. SOC priest Mijajlo Backović is a former member of the special forces of the Serbian army. He is known to the public for propagating militant Serbian and Russian nationalism, but also for hanging out with people from the criminal milieu as well as (interestingly for a conservative Orthodox priest) with Playboy models. He is one of the main organizers of paramilitary formations in Montenegro, the so-called "Orthodox brotherhoods". Those
organizations are connected to the Russian Cossacks and the "Night Wolves". There are serious indications that active duty and retired officers of the Russian military forces and/or security services have participated in the establishment and day to day activities of those "Orthodox brotherhoods".It is known that the SOC is very involved in political processes in Montenegro. AnatenaM Google warning political campaigns to prepare for AI-fueled cyber threats as 2024 elections approach . . . Google is warning political campaigns to prepare for cyberattackers to leverage artificial intelligence
tools in new influence and hacking operations surrounding federal elections. Google head of security policy Charley Snyder said Wednesday that his team observed cyberattackers testing AI for manipulating people and refining their language skills to trick unwitting victims. Washington Times FIFA gives 2030 World Cup to Spain, Portugal, 4 other countries . . . The 2030 men’s football World Cup will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one match each taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, FIFA announced on
Wednesday. World football’s governing body said Uruguay would also hold a centenary ceremony in Montevideo, where the first World Cup took place in 1930. With Europe, Africa and South America set to host games, it is the first World Cup that will span three continents. It also paves the way for big-spending Saudi Arabia to potentially host the next World Cup. Politico EU Biden’s dog Commander booted from ‘hostile’ White House as staff sound alarm over more attacks:
‘We have to speak up’ . . . President Biden’s dog Commander was recently booted from the White House as reports have emerged that the German shepherd has bitten more personnel than previously disclosed, creating what staffers are calling a dangerous workplace. “We’re beyond the point of worrying about trust being broken. We have to speak up,” a source familiar with the president’s Secret Service detail told the news station. New York Post
Video | Walk like a Joe Biden Portuguese drivers take matters into their own hands with climate activists: Show ‘how it’s
done’ . . . Portuguese drivers lost patience with climate activists blocking a busy highway during rush hour traffic Tuesday morning and took the situation into their own hands. Activists from a group called Climáximo, sat on Lisbon’s Segunda Circular highway to protest the nearby energy company Galp. Frustrated drivers decided to move the activists themselves. A viral video shows
cars blared their horns at the activists before about a dozen drivers exited their vehicles and swiftly dragged the small group out of the street. The video was shared by "End Wokeness" on X, who remarked, "Climate activists tried to block a highway in Portugal. Drivers quickly ended it. This is how it’s done." Fox News Watch the video imbedded in the piece.
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