Society

French Government Falls As PM Barnier Loses Confidence Vote

by

– French Government Falls As PM Barnier Loses Confidence Vote:

“If [Macron] decides to stay, he will be forced to acknowledge that he is the President of a Republic that is no longer entirely at peace with itself.”

…

What seemed like a foregone conclusion is now confirmed – French PM Barnier just lost a no-confidence vote (with 331 votes – 288 was needed) forcing his government’s resignation and Macron to appoint a new premier

…

* * *

Please support I. U.

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP

Supreme Court Leans Towards Upholding Tennessee Restrictions On Child Trans Treatments

by

– Supreme Court Leans Towards Upholding Tennessee Restrictions On Child Trans Treatments:

Update (1420ET): After 2.5 hours of arguments, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared to lean towards upholding Tennessee’s ban on ‘gender-affirming care’ for minors.

During arguments, several conservative justices questioned the Biden administration’s claim that there’s “overwhelming” evidence supporting supposed benefits of giving children puberty blockers and hormone treatments.

“I wonder if you would like to stand by this statement, or if you think it would now be appropriate to modify that and withdraw the statement,” said Justice Samuel Alito, who pointed to several European nations that have banned the practice.

Justice Prett Kavanaugh, meanwhile, said “If it’s evolving like that and changing, and England is pulling back and Sweden is pulling back, it strikes me as a a pretty heavy yellow light, if not red light, for this court to come in, the nine of us, and constitutionalize the whole area.”

*  *  *

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a pivotal case challenging Tennessee’s 2023 law banning gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender minors. The case, brought by the Biden administration on behalf of families of trans youth, has brought the question of transgender youth and the role of state regulation of medical procedures into sharp focus.

* * *

Please support I. U.

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP

“100% Bulls**t”: Hegseth Hit Piece Debunked By Over A Dozen Current And Former Fox Employees

by

– “100% Bulls**t”: Hegseth Hit Piece Debunked By Over A Dozen Current And Former Fox Employees:

An anonymously sourced NBC News hit piece accusing Trump DoD pick Pete Hegseth of being frequently inebriated at Fox News has been refuted by over a dozen current and former Fox News personalities and guests, including his two cohosts.

According to NBC, two of their anonymous sources said that “on more than a dozen occasions during Hegseth’s time as a co-host of ‘Fox & Friends Weekend,’ which began in 2017, they smelled alcohol on him before he went on air,” adding ““Those same two people, plus another, said that during his time there he appeared on television after they’d heard him talk about being hungover as he was getting ready or on set.”

“Horseshit”

In response to the hit piece, Hegseth’s co-host Will Cain – who NBC never reached out to – posted to X: “Bullshit. 100 percent bullshit. Actually…horseshit,” adding in a subsequent post, “Your story is horseshit @NBCNews. Put my name on it. On the record. It’ll be your only on the record source.

“Signed, The guy who sat next to him for 8 hours every week for five years starting at 6am.”

* * *

Please support I. U.

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP

“Cancel Me!”: NYC Mayor Vows To Work With Trump On Mass Deportations

by

– “Cancel Me!”: NYC Mayor Vows To Work With Trump On Mass Deportations:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams no longer cares what leftists think about him opposing mass illegal immigration into the city, saying he will work with the incoming Trump administration on mass deportations, and urging that he doesn’t care if he’s ‘cancelled’ for it.

* * *

Please support I. U.

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP

De-Dollarization Effort In Spotlight After Trump’s Tariff Threat On BRICS

by

– De-Dollarization Effort In Spotlight After Trump’s Tariff Threat On BRICS:

Authored by Andrew Moran via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to slap a 100 percent tariff on the economies of BRICS nations if they try to abandon the U.S. dollar as the chief international reserve currency, prompting speculation among economic observers.

“The idea that the BRICS countries are trying to move away from the dollar while we stand by and watch is over,” Trump wrote in a Nov. 30 Truth Social post.

BRICS—a nine-nation alliance of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates—has been at the forefront of the de-dollarization initiative in recent years.

The global campaign to shift away from the greenback generated significant momentum following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Officials from these countries have been employing measures to reduce their reliance on the buck.

Read moreDe-Dollarization Effort In Spotlight After Trump’s Tariff Threat On BRICS

Why Government Intervention Is Fueling The Housing Disaster

by

– Why Government Intervention Is Fueling The Housing Disaster:

The United States is grappling with a severe housing affordability crisis that has persisted for years, leaving millions of Americans struggling to keep a roof over their heads. While some argue for increased government intervention, free market principles offer the most effective solution the issue.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a record-high 653,104 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2023.

This crisis has been exacerbated by a severe shortage of affordable housing, with the National Low-Income Housing Coalition reporting a deficit of 7.3 million affordable rental homes for low-income renters.

At first glance, these statistics might seem to call for more government intervention.

* * *

Please support I. U.

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP

County In Washington State Cannot Block ICE Deportation Flights, Appeals Court Rules

by

– County In Washington State Cannot Block ICE Deportation Flights, Appeals Court Rules:

Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A federal appeals court has ruled that an order in King County, Washington, barring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using a Seattle-area airport to deport illegal immigrants from the country is unlawful, affirming a lower court’s summary judgment and clearing the way for the removals to continue.

Judge Daniel A. Bress of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit wrote in the Nov. 29 opinion that a 2019 executive order issued by King County Executive Dow Constantine that prohibited the ICE deportation flights was unlawful. The ruling identified two primary legal violations: discrimination against federal operations under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution and breach of a World War II-era instrument of transfer agreement governing the airport’s use.

Read moreCounty In Washington State Cannot Block ICE Deportation Flights, Appeals Court Rules

BBC Includes Male ‘Trans Woman’ On Top 100 Women List

by

– BBC Includes Male ‘Trans Woman’ On Top 100 Women List:

The BBC has included a male ‘trans woman’ Colombian scientist in its annual list of 100 inspiring women, just days after sparking controversy over its choice for women’s footballer of the year.

The Telegraph has the story:

Every year, the broadcaster compiles a list of women who have achieved great things in public life.

Its nominees include transgender biologist Brigitte Baptiste, described in the citation as a “trans woman” who “explores the common patterns between biodiversity and gender identity”.

The BBC says the scientist uses a “queer lens to analyse landscapes and species in a bid to expand the notion of ‘nature’ to better protect ecosystems”.

Read moreBBC Includes Male ‘Trans Woman’ On Top 100 Women List

The End Of Fake News? MSNBC Hits New Low In Ratings

by

– The End Of Fake News? MSNBC Hits New Low In Ratings:

The leftist “news” channel MSNBC is facing a ratings crisis, with some of its advertiser-coveted viewership dropping to a two-decade low, according to Nielsen data reviewed by Fox News.

During the week of Nov. 6, MSNBC averaged just 38,000 viewers among adults 25-54, its lowest-rated non-holiday weekday since July 19, 2004.

As reported by Fox News, this demographic is widely prized by advertisers and is crucial for network revenue.

Low viewership impacted shows like The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle and Jose Diaz Balart Reports, both of which saw their smallest audiences ever.

Other shows—including Chris Jansing Reports, Deadline: White House and Katy Tur Reports—saw their worst days ever among the demos.

Several shows lost over 50% of their 25-54 audience. Among those shows are The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle, All In with Chris Hayes, Chris Jansing Reports, Inside with Jen Psaki, The Rachel Maddow Show and Joy Reid’s ReidOut.

* * *

Please support I. U.

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP

Trump Team Refutes Reports Claiming He Will Immediately Discharge Transgender Military Troops

by

– Trump Team Refutes Reports Claiming He Will Immediately Discharge Transgender Military Troops:

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

President-elect Donald Trump’s team refuted anonymously sourced reports claiming that he would immediately discharge all transgender-identifying people from the military upon taking office.

Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, who was tapped by the president-elect to be his press secretary, said in a statement to The Epoch Times on Nov. 30 that such claims by several media outlets are based on speculation.

“These unnamed sources are speculating and have no idea what they are actually talking about,” Leavitt said. “No policy should ever be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump or his authorized spokespeople.”

Read moreTrump Team Refutes Reports Claiming He Will Immediately Discharge Transgender Military Troops

California Bill Would Prioritize Descendants Of Slaves In University Admissions

by

– California Bill Would Prioritize Descendants Of Slaves In University Admissions:

Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A California lawmaker introduced a bill on Monday that would give the descendants of slaves priority admissions into the University of California and California State University schools, the state’s two public university systems.

The bill would change a precedent set nearly 30 years ago. Since 1996, California’s Proposition 209 has prohibited public schools, including the University of California and California State University, to use race as a factor in the admissions process.

California has long employed race-blind admissions efforts, which consider socio-economic status and location to identify disadvantaged students from immigrant or ethnic backgrounds.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat representing parts of Los Angeles, told The Associated Press he would introduce the bill on Monday as lawmakers met on Capitol Hill with new members bing sworn in for the incipient legislative session.

Read moreCalifornia Bill Would Prioritize Descendants Of Slaves In University Admissions

As Many As 200,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Have Deserted: Lawmaker

by

– As Many As 200,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Have Deserted: Lawmaker:

Ukrainian soldiers refusing to report for duty or walking away from their front-line positions are becoming an increasing problem for Kiev. One Ukrainian lawmaker said that there have been as many as 200,000 desertions.

Ukrainian officials and soldiers told the AP that “Facing every imaginable shortage, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops, tired and bereft, have walked away from combat and front-line positions to slide into anonymity.”

The report adds, “Entire units have abandoned their posts, leaving defensive lines vulnerable and accelerating territorial losses, according to military commanders and soldiers.”

Read moreAs Many As 200,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Have Deserted: Lawmaker