Pablo Picasso Le pigeon aux petits pois (Pigeon with Peas) – stolen May 20 2010 1911
(Photo credit: MoD Crown Copyright via Getty Images)
Adult
While Trump recklessly tweets blame at California, President Biden shows up like a true Commander in Chief—meeting officials, ensuring they have everything to fight the fires and rebuild.
We’re really going to miss having an adult in the room.pic.twitter.com/ZFmHHNE6TY
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) January 8, 2025
the level of decorum this beautiful woman has demonstrated just this week alone through trying times and events is awe inspiring pic.twitter.com/cszuU5RPt0
— ines (@inesabelle) January 8, 2025
Nvidia
Elon Musk is working on exactly the right things. He has hit the 3 most important areas in artificial intelligence with xAI, Tesla's autonomous vehicles and its humanoid robot.
一 Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) January 8, 2025
Mel Gibson
https://twitter.com/i/status/1877505358530265478
We’ll have 10 days in absolute nowhere land. Happy smooth transition.
“Decades ago, this sort of petty behavior was limited to the Clinton team taking the ‘W’ off the keyboard before Bush took office. Now we have this sort of crap..”
• ‘It’s All Talk’: Trump Accuses Biden of Sabotaging ‘Smooth Transition’ (RCW)
President Biden and President-elect Trump sat side-by-side in the Oval Office after the election exchanging pleasantries in front of the cameras, both promising “a smooth transition.” Biden vowed to “do everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated,” insisting the president-elect would get “what you need.” Trump replied, “I very much appreciate that,” agreeing with the president that the coming transfer of power would be “as smooth as it can get.” That era of good feeling, if it hadn’t already, ended two weeks from inauguration day. “They say we’re going to have a smooth transition,” Trump said Tuesday during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, “all they do is talk. It’s all talk.” The incoming president feels sabotaged by the outgoing president on at least two fronts: A sudden and sweeping offshore drilling ban and his imminent sentencing in his New York hush money trial.
Biden announced earlier this week that he would protect 625 million acres of ocean from offshore oil and gas drilling along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea. An environmentalist, he has conserved more land and waters than any other president in history and condemned the “false choice” of choosing “between protecting the environment and growing our economy” when announcing the ban under a provision of the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Predictably, Trump balked. “It is like the whole ocean,” he said while reflecting on the vast acreage and complaining that his predecessor had just “destroyed the economic viability of drilling in the ocean.” “I’m going to have it revoked on day one,” he continued before indicating that such a move would likely incur legal challenges. And he should know.
Trump tried to reverse former President Barack Obama’s ban on drilling in Arctic and Atlantic waters through executive action, only to be blocked by a federal court in 2019. The judge ruled that reversing a ban would require congressional action. Democratic administrations tend to be more conservation-minded, while Republican ones are more permissive of oil and gas production. This is nothing. During the campaign, Trump often bragged about how the United States became a net exporter of fossil fuels during his tenure, boasting about the vast reserves of “liquid gold under our feet,” a supply far greater “than any other country.” And while the U.S., in fact, hit record highs of domestic oil production in the last four years, Biden hastened and cheered the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy.
The latest conservation effort is more than just energy policy in the eyes of Trump. It is instead a direct attempt to hamstring his strategy to bring down inflation before that plan can even start. During remarks at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump vowed that increased drilling would bring down gas prices and reduce manufacturing inputs, thus “driving down inflation.” At Mar-a-Lago, an optimistic president-elect pegged the value of offshore drilling at $50 trillion, complaining that Biden “has thrown it away.” Of course, there is no love lost between Trump and Biden. The Republican calls his counterpart “the worst president in history.” The Democrat regularly called his predecessor “a threat to democracy.” “Decades ago, this sort of petty behavior was limited to the Clinton team taking the ‘W’ off the keyboard before Bush took office. Now we have this sort of crap,” Mick Mulvaney, who served as Trump’s second chief of staff, told RealClearPolitics.
He also pointed to federal employees at the EPA racing to lock in union contracts ahead of a second Trump term as more evidence of a permissive outgoing president stymieing his successor. “It’s outrageous and will likely lead to a bipartisan effort to dramatically curtail presidential authority,” Mulvaney added, “especially during lame duck periods.” While Biden sees last-minute conservation as part of legacy building, Mulvaney and other Republicans see it as an ongoing failure of Democrats to understand the electorate. “What I can’t understand is this: If this is about your legacy, why make your legacy something that American voters just soundly rejected?” added the former chief. “If they thought banning offshore drilling was a good idea, they could’ve voted for Kamala.”
The last one left of a long series of cases. He should wear it as a badge of honor.
• Supreme Court Rejects Trump Request To Stop Sentencing In Hush Money Case (ZH)
The Supreme Court on Jan. 9 rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s request to halt proceedings in his New York business records case, removing a potential barrier to sentencing scheduled for Jan. 10, The Epoch Times reports. The brief order – which ensures Trump will be branded a “convicted felon” at his inauguration in 10 days – noted that Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh would have granted the application. In other words, Trump appointee Amy Coney Barrett sided with the liberals on the bench. In retrospect, CNN belief that Justice Barrett might be the “last best hope for Supreme Court liberals” proved to be accurate. Thanks to Barrett’s defection, the Supreme Court will stand by as Judge Juan Merchan sentences Donald Trump over felony offenses that many legal analysts consider to be a sham.
The Supreme Court offered two reasons it said it refused to grant the application. “First, the alleged evidentiary violations at President-elect Trump’s state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal. Second, the burden that sentencing will impose on the President-Elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose a sentence of ‘unconditional discharge’ after a brief virtual hearing,” a note on the Supreme Court’s docket read. After the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump wrote on TruthSocial that he appreciated the “time and effort of the United States Supreme Court in trying to remedy the great injustice done to me.” He went on to say that he was innocent and would appeal the case. “For the sake and sanctity of the Presidency, I will be appealing this case, and am confident that JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL,” Trump wrote.
Trump’s application for a stay was submitted on Jan. 8 and argued that “the prospect of imposing sentence on President Trump just before he assumes Office as the 47th President raises the specter of other possible restrictions on liberty, such as travel, reporting requirements, registration, probationary requirements, and others—all of which would be constitutionally intolerable under the doctrine of Presidential immunity.” New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan has indicated that he wouldn’t impose a punishment including incarceration. He denied Trump’s request to halt proceedings as did two state appeals courts this week. Trump told the U.S. Supreme Court that Merchan had erroneously admitted certain evidence of his official acts as president and failed to acknowledge a form of immunity for presidents-elect. He asked the court to take up his case and consider those issues, as well as whether he was entitled to an automatic stay due to an appeal on presidential immunity.
Trump was found guilty in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying records in relation to an alleged payments to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford. Merchan is expected to enter a judgment of conviction on Jan. 10 and potentially offer a statement criticizing Trump’s behavior. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the indictment against Trump in 2023, told the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 9 that it should reject Trump’s application and allow the state courts to continue handling the issue. Bragg said Trump was asking for an extraordinary intervention by the justices and that Trump had not yet exhausted his state-court remedies. “Any stay here risks delaying the sentencing until after January 20, when defendant is inaugurated and his status as the sitting President will pose much more severe and potentially insuperable obstacles to sentencing and finality,” Bragg’s brief read. The president-elect said that the opinion written by Merchan “goes against our Constitution, and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it.”
“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up..”
• ‘Putin Wants To Meet’ – Trump (RT)
US President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday that a meeting is being set up between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump said before a meeting with Republican governors in his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, according to Reuters. He did not specify when the meeting would take place. Trump, who takes office on January 20, has criticized outgoing President Joe Biden’s unconditional aid to Kiev and, during his election, has vowed to quickly compel Russia and Ukraine to restart negotiations.
He also described Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky as the “greatest salesman on earth,” in reference to his constant requests to Western countries to provide additional military and financial assistance. Although Trump did not reveal a clear roadmap for peace, media reports indicate that his team is considering freezing the conflict along the current front line. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow “had received no requests” for a Trump-Putin meeting. “It makes sense, of course, to wait until [Trump] takes office,” Peskov said.
Trump’s incoming Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, has expressed hope that he can hammer out a deal between Russian and Ukraine within 100 days after Inauguration Day. He also criticized Biden for not speaking to Putin since 2022, when Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Negotiations between Moscow and Kiev broke down in spring 2022, with both sides accusing each other of making unrealistic demands. According to Putin, the Ukrainian team had agreed to some of Russia’s terms, but then abruptly walked away from the talks. Former senior State Department official Victoria Nuland later revealed that Western countries advised Kiev not to agree to Russia’s terms in 2022.
“..I would be happy to buy something if there is real peace..”
• Jim Rogers Predicts Russian Economic Boom (RT)
Russia is headed for an economic boom once the Ukraine conflict is over, according to US investor and hedge fund manager Jim Rogers. In an interview with RBK news outlet on Wednesday, Rogers said the resolution of the conflict would stabilize the geopolitical situation and positively impact Russian bonds, the ruble, and foreign investment. Many non-Russian investors have seen their funds blocked due to Ukraine-related sanctions and Moscow’s countermeasures since early 2022. In March, Russia launched an asset-swap scheme allowing Russian and foreign investors to exchange frozen Western securities for immobilized funds in Russia. Two rounds of the scheme freed some 10.64 billion rubles ($102 million) in foreign assets.
However, Rogers, whose Russian portfolio includes shares in state airline Aeroflot, did not participate. He told RBK he wants to retain Russian assets and is looking forward to buying more as soon as non-residents get the opportunity to trade on the Russian market. “I would be happy to buy more Aeroflot shares, I would be happy to buy Moscow Exchange shares, I would be happy to buy something if there is real peace,” he stated. Rogers said the Russian market is currently unsuitable for most foreign investors due to conflict-related risks, including fears of asset confiscation. However, he predicted a drastic shift following a resolution, leading to a market boom, higher bond prices, and a stronger ruble. “If the situation changes, perhaps I will be driven to pay more attention to bonds and the ruble,” Rogers said.
He added that shares in the Moscow Exchange (MOEX) and stocks in travel and tourism could become significant beneficiaries once geopolitical tensions ease. Rogers also linked his optimistic outlook to Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory. Trump has pledged to resolve the Ukraine conflict upon returning to the White House, and his incoming special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, recently expressed hopes for a resolution within 100 days of Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Rogers noted that Trump “really wants” to resolve the situation but cautioned that achieving peace will require negotiations with Moscow.
Russia has reiterated its openness to diplomacy while insisting that Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification must be part of any settlement. Moscow has also demanded that Ukraine cease military operations and acknowledge the “territorial reality” of its former regions that chose to join Russia. Regarding the world economy, Rogers warned of a looming global recession by mid-spring, predicting that it would be “the worst” in his life. He attributed this to growing national debt and Trump’s potential import tariffs on Chinese goods, which he said could severely impact global trade and the economy, likening the potential fallout to the Great Depression of the 1930s. He added that the US dollar would weaken as a safe-haven currency, leading to a downturn in the global stock market.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is essentially defenseless. Someone will do something.
• Trump Serious About Acquiring Greenland – Reuters (RT)
Donald Trump is serious about his plan to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Reuters has reported, citing sources familiar with the US president-elect’s thinking. The plan is part of Trump’s efforts to expand America’s global influence and secure his presidential legacy, the outlet explained. Trump has argued that US control over the Arctic island is a national security imperative, and has not ruled out taking the territory by force if necessary. The former real estate developer first floated the possibility of acquiring Greenland during his previous term in office, calling the potential acquisition “a large real estate deal.” Trump’s idea has so far been dismissed by the current administration of US President Joe Biden, the EU, Denmark, and the government of Greenland itself.
Trump’s renewed statements, however, indicate that his desire is a “deep-rooted ambition” rather than “a fleeting fancy,” Reuters wrote on Thursday. Trump sees territorial expansion as a means of creating a lasting legacy that will be remembered for generations, the outlet cited sources as saying. The US was last expanded in 1959, when Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th US states under then-President Dwight Eisenhower. Trump has also recently spoken about taking over the Panama Canal and Canada. One source told the agency that the future president is unlikely to use military force to gain control over Greenland. However, he is serious about using other means – including applying diplomatic and economic pressure on Denmark.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, lies between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is home to a large US military base and is located on the shortest route from North America to Europe. Its territory is larger than Mexico but is home to fewer than 57,000 permanent residents. The island gained home rule from Copenhagen in 1979. Greenland’s significance has grown due to its rich natural resources, including rare earth minerals. As climate change makes the Arctic more accessible, its potential for exploiting resources and emerging shipping lanes has drawn heightened attention from global powers, including China and Russia. Moscow seeks to keep the Arctic stable, the Russian ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, said on Thursday.
In a post on Telegram, the diplomat wrote that “an attempt to strengthen US national security at the expense of other countries… will be taken into account by Russia in its military planning.” The deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and former president, Dmitry Medvedev, has described Trump’s plans as “over the top and eccentric – and totally unworkable.” “There is not going to be a quick solution to the conflict in Ukraine; the US economy will waddle on at a leisurely pace… so instead, Trump has decided to ‘reshape’ the world… to redraw the political map in his own style. A new, vibrant, and colorful globe to replace the dull and gray old one,” Medvedev said.
“..what Trump had proposed last time, last administration, was effectively a 50-50 rev share where the US would take over the overhead costs because it costs Denmark tens of billions of dollars a year..”
• Erik Prince: Trump Was Closer To Buying Greenland Than Previously Known (ZH)
Blackwater USA founder Erik Prince revealed in a recent interview on the Sean Spicer Show that President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration was closer to securing a groundbreaking agreement with Denmark to take control of Greenland than previously known. Prince’s comments come as Trump ramps up his calls to acquire the Arctic landmass, highlighting its strategic military and economic advantages.
SEAN SPICER: From a strategic standpoint how important is Greenland to the United States?
ERIK PRINCE: It is an enormous amount of mineral potential. It is of significant interest to the Chinese Communist Party. And so I think what Trump had proposed last time, last administration, was effectively a 50-50 rev share where the US would take over the overhead costs because it costs Denmark tens of billions of dollars a year for the policing, security, and administration of Greenland. The US would take that on, but then it would basically split the revenue of any mining or energy development together with Denmark. I think it’s a good deal for Denmark and a good deal for the United States.
SEAN SPICER: Does Denmark view themselves right now as potentially being under attack by the Chinese or under threat from them?
ERIK PRINCE: No, but it’s the same CCP approach of show up with a lot of money, buy a lot of influence, and create presence—literally in our attic—that the Canadian government doesn’t do nearly as much of effective patrolling of all those waters and areas. And so, as a defensive play and as a good opportunity for the United States to maximize the reach and the economic development in our own hemisphere, it makes perfect sense. Most importantly, there’s some fantastic back country and helicopter skiing.
SEAN SPICER: I knew there’d be a silver lining, but I mean in all honesty I just can’t imagine Denmark saying oh yeah yeah we’ll give up 50% or 20% even of our sovereign territory because you guys want.
ERIK PRINCE: They were almost ready to do the deal last time. Yes, and because Denmark—I don’t believe Denmark doesn’t come anywhere near to the 2% that they’re supposed to be spending on NATO. Maybe it’s just a false flag by the president to make Denmark spend their 2% on NATO. But it’s an interesting approach and I hope he sees it through.
SEAN SPICER: If you had to make a prediction whether Denmark agrees to some kind of a deal, where would you put it?
ERIK PRINCE: Above 50%. Remember, you know, think about, um, you know, they called the purchase of Alaska Seward’s Folly and it turned out to be absolutely a brilliant purchase. I think it came out to two or three cents per acre in terms of value. Um, the United States, you can imagine, where would we be without Alaska? So maybe in five years or 10 years, we’ll be looking back, where would we be without Greenland?
“NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!”
• Trump Tells California Governor Newsom To Resign (RT)
US President-elect Donald Trump has urged California Governor Gavin Newsom to resign over the state’s devastating wildfires, alleging his water policies caused the disaster. The wildfires, which started earlier this week, have wreaked havoc across California, killing at least five people and forcing more than 100,000 to evacuate. The fires have consumed over 20,000 acres, including parts of affluent areas in Los Angeles County, damaging or destroying more than 2,000 homes, businesses, and other buildings, according to officials. Some firefighters have reportedly been hindered by a lack of water in fire hydrants. Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to lash out at Newsom, urging him to resign. “Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snowmelt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” he wrote.
He further accused Newsom of prioritizing environmental policies over human lives: “He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid.” Trump also criticized US President Joe Biden over the crisis: “NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!”, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Newsom’s director of communications, Izzy Gardon, dismissed the criticism, accusing Trump of “playing politics” during a crisis. “The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need,” Gardon said.
Newsom has declared a state of emergency, and President Joe Biden canceled a trip to Italy to prioritize directing the federal response in the days ahead. Areas hit hardest by the fire include the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, and Sepulveda Basin. Several celebrity homes have been destroyed in the fires, including those of Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, Mandy Moore, and Leighton Meester. According to the Hollywood Reporter, another fire has broken out not far from the Runyon Canyon, dangerously close to such iconic landmarks as the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Walk of Fame, while also threatening tourist hotspots such as the TCL Chinese Theatre and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
The only way left to make them feel relevant.
• 150 EU Officials To Monitor Elon Musk Conversation With Alice Weidel (RMX)
The European Union’s outrage is only growing over a planned interview hosted by Elon Musk later today with Alternative for Germany (AfD) party co-chair Alice Weidel. Now, Politico is reporting that 150 EU officials are expected to attend the conversation between Musk and Weidel for the purpose of learning whether X is complying with EU rules. In addition, French politicians are already talking about an EU-wide ban. The claim is that there are fears that Musk’s team will manipulate the algorithm to provide the interview more attention. However, Musk has over 200 million followers and nearly all of his posts receive millions and often tens of millions of views, which makes it certain that the interview, which has also been widely advertised, will receive significant attention. Weidel has also taken to X about the surveillance of the upcoming interview.
“Big Brother is watching you: 150 EU officials are supposed to monitor my conversation with @elonmusk. An EU that uses its bureaucracy to exercise censorship on social media is instilling the spirit of unfreedom. The #dsa threatens democracy!” she wrote The officials overseeing the interview are “given relatively extensive power,” according to Politico. They will be able to use, among other things, the Digital Services Act (DSA) to monitor how the algorithm works and how content is being displayed to users. Politico writes that Musk allegedly pushed certain posts in the past, including one about the Super Bowl in the past. The alleged reason was that Musk was mad that one of President Biden’s posts were getting more attention. The EU officials are working with experts from the European Center for Algorithmic Transparency” in Seville to determine if such an action will occur once again.
However, they will not release this information immediately. Instead, it will like be added to a general procedure against X. A wide range of EU leaders fear losing power due to shifting public sentiment, and Musk’s X represents their top threat. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, on Wednesday, called for a decisive stand against political influence. When asked whether a ban on X, in the same style as Brazil, was possible, he responded: “That is possible under our laws.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also claimed Musk was pushing “hate” and warned against the rise of fascism in Europe. SPD General-Secretary Matthias Miersch said that Musk’s influence on Germany’s elections now “call into question the foundations of democracy.”
However, Musk is unlikely to manipulate the algorithm in favor of Weidel especially when enough people are already likely to watch the interview without any interference. Absent some overt manipulation, it is unclear what could possibly be illegal about such an interview. Musk is allowed to interview Weidel. That is his right and her right. The bigger problem would be if he censored anyone who criticized such an interview or manipulated the algorithm to suppress this criticism, which is undoubtedly what the old Twitter regime did before his purchase — all of which the EU actively supported The head of Germany’s Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, appeared to take a more measured approach to the issue.
“Not everything that you get upset about is also illegal,” said Müller on Thursday morning on Deutschlandfunk. “In election campaigns, you also have to put up with things that you personally find inappropriate, indecent or unacceptable.” Freedom of expression always means “the freedom of those whose opinion you do not share.” He said that the excitement over the Musk interview was “understandable” but it must first be observed whether any laws are actually broken during the process. He noted, however, that people could choose simply not to listen to the interview.
Much ado about nothing. It’s just that Germany seeks to ban them, and Musk doesn’t like that.
• Key Points From Musk’s Talk With AfD Leader (RT)
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has hosted a lengthy conversation with the co-leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel. Up 150 experts were expected to monitor the talk live-streamed on X on Thursday evening for potential violations of Germany’s election laws, according to Politico. Musk earlier ruffled some feathers in Berlin by praising AfD’s policies, including its tough stance on immigration. During his talk with Weidel, he reaffirmed his belief that “only AfD can save Germany” ahead of the 2025 parliamentary election.
Merkel ‘ruined’ Germany. Weidel slammed former Chancellor Angela Merkel for her “open-doors policy” during the 2015 migrant crisis, when Germany accepted around 1 million of asylum-seekers from Africa and the Middle East. Merkel “basically ruined our country,” Weidel stated, arguing that the phaseout of cheap nuclear energy “destroyed the backbone” of the German economy. Germany has shut down its nuclear plants, becoming the only industrial nation to do so, the AfD leader said. In 2011, the German parliament decided to close the plants in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan. The last reactor was shut down in 2023, two years after Merkel stepped down as chancellor. Weidel said Germany should reintroduce nuclear power as a cheaper alternative to green energy promoted by Berlin. Musk, who described himself as “a big fan of solar energy,” suggested that Germany should not only reopen its nuclear power plants but “significantly increase” their output.
Immigration takes toll on taxpayers. Weidel criticized the government for what she said was fostering “immigration into the social system,” which consumes a significant share of taxpayers’ money. Over 7 million people have arrived in Germany since 2015, the politician claimed, adding that almost 60% of them got rid of their ID papers to complicate potential deportation procedures. She blamed the situation on the lax attitude to migrants during the Merkel era. Musk said that the US has to deal with a similar influx of undocumeted migrants through its border with Mexico. According to the German federal statistics agency, over 14 million “non-Germans” arrived in the country between 2015 and 2023. The report did not specify whether they came from other EU nations or from outside the bloc. The federal and regional authorities spent €6.29 billion ($6.48 billion) as part of the asylum seekers’ benefits program in 2023 alone, according to the government data.
‘Libertarian conservative party’. Alternative for Germany is a “libertarian conservative party” that fights bureaucracy and seeks to “free the people from the state” by reducing the role of the government in public life, Weidel said. She added that she wants to see “self-confident people” enjoying the freedom of speech and generating wealth. Weidel complained that her party was being “negatively framed” by the media. She thanked Musk for a “normal conversation,” where she was not being “interrupted” on a regular basis. She repeatedly rejected comparisons between AfD and the Nazis, arguing that Adolf Hitler was neither a libertarian, nor a conservative. Some current and former AfD members, including its Thuringia leader Bjoern Hoecke, have made controversial statements regarding Germany’s Nazi past and have been accused of links to neo-Nazi groups. For that reason, all other major parties have mostly refused to work with AfD. In 2021, Germany’s domestic security agency BfV classified AfD as a “suspected” extremist group. The party unsuccessfully contested the designation in court.
Censorship is what Hitler did. Musk and Weidel blasted EU officials for monitoring their conversation and engaging in “censorship of free speech.” They agreed that free speech is a “bedrock of democracy,” while “extreme censorship” helped Hitler to cement his power. “For those who want censorship, I think they should be careful what they ask for because once you institute censorship, it’s only a matter of time before that censorship is turned [against] you,” Musk said.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict ‘complicated’. Weidel voiced her support for Israel, describing her party as the “only protector” of Jews in Germany. At the same time, she stressed that the people of Gaza should have access to drinking water and other basic resources. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “complicated,” she said, adding that she does not see an obvious solution at the moment. Musk proposed steps he said would help bring about an end to the fighting, such as the “elimination” of Hamas and other forces that seek the “destruction” of Israel. He called for “fixing” the Palestinian education system. The Palestinian territories should be prosperous, he said. “I think there is great wisdom in forgiveness,” Musk stressed. “It is the only way to stop the endless cycle of violence.”
EU ‘has given up’ and only escalates with Russia. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict demonstrates how much the EU had “given up on everything” and has been reliant on the US, Weidel said. She stated that, while the ongoing hostilities are a “big danger” to European security, the EU has only managed to “escalate the entire conflict [with] Russia.” “It is very dangerous what is going on here,” she stated, adding that EU countries “have no strategy” and “no red lines.” The conflict could “escalate big time towards a nuclear exchange,” she warned. Musk expressed hope that US President-elect Donald Trump could quickly resolve the crisis, but refused to comment on the incoming administration’s plans. He argued that prolonging the conflict would only weaken Ukraine, which is a “smaller country” and cannot afford major losses.
Now also as a video: The full conversation with @elonmusk! pic.twitter.com/5BrLGV8viu
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) January 9, 2025
Go away!
• Zelensky Says Send Western Troops To ‘Force Russia To Peace’ (ZH)
During a meeting of Ukraine’s defense allies held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tried to once again get his backers to escalate their entry into the war with Russia. We can perhaps expect such desperate, harebrained appeals to be floated each day until Trump takes office on January 20. Zelensky wants as much commitment to the war from the West as possible ahead of a Trump administration which has repeatedly vowed to negotiate a swift end to the nearly three-year long conflict. Zelensky’s newest pitch issued Thursday is for the deployment of Western troops in large numbers to Ukrainian soil. He called this one of the “best instruments” to “force Russia to peace.” “Our goal is to find as many instruments as possible to force Russia into peace,” he told the meeting of defense representatives.
“I believe that such deployment of partners’ contingents is one of the best instruments,” he emphasized. “Let’s be more practical in making it possible.” He further acknowledged that Europe is entering a “new chapter” of cooperation and would have “new opportunities” given Donald Trump’s return to the White House. This was perhaps a way of sugar-coating what for many European officials is cause for deep anxiety and uncertainty. For this reason, Europe has spent many months trying to ‘Trump-proof’ aid to Ukraine in unison with the Biden administration.
“It’s clear that a new chapter starts for Europe and the entire world. Just 11 days from now, a time when we have to cooperate even more, rely on one another even more and achieve even greater results together,” Zelensky said. “I see this as a time of opportunities.” While Zelensky didn’t get any immediate affirmations that Western troops will suddenly be sent to directly aid his forces in the war, US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin used the occasion to announce the very last aid package of the Biden administration: Austin on Thursday announced a $500 million in additional weapons and equipment for Kyiv, which officials say will be the final military aid package before Biden leaves office.
He said the package includes additional missiles for Ukrainian air defense, more artillery ammunition, more air-to-ground munitions and equipment to support Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets. This is unlikely to do much, when by all accounts the real most pressing problem remains manpower woes, and a consistently advancing Russian army in Donetsk. Zelensky did try to find a positive concerning his war effort during the meeting in Germany, calling the Kursk offensive into Russia one of the “biggest wins, not just last year, but throughout the war.” Russia confirmed as a last weekend that a new Ukrainian counterattack in the border territory was underway. In the last days the Kremlin has claimed to have significantly dented it while destroying many tanks, assets, and personnel.
Hell hole. Courtesy of … us.
• Kiev Hunting Half A Million Draft Dodgers (RT)
Around half a million Ukrainian men are suspected of evading conscription, according to the country’s military. Media communications officer Natalia Kindrativ told Kiev FM radio on Wednesday that over 500,000 draft dodging warrants had been filed since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022. Since that time, Ukraine has declared a general mobilization, lowered the conscription age to 25, and toughened penalties for draft evasion to address troop shortages. However, the military has continued to face personnel challenges and recruitment officers are increasingly using harsh tactics.
“Enlistment offices have filed search notices for over 500,000 people,” Kindrativ said, adding that searches are carried out by Ukraine’s National Police, as conscription officers lack the authority to pursue individuals. She added, however, that “police resources are limited,” which makes it challenging to locate such a large number of people. In order to tackle the problem, law enforcement has been enlisting investigators and forming task forces to help in the effort.
Kindrativ emphasized that men aged 25 to 60 are subject to mobilization under Ukrainian law but noted that conscription officers are empowered to check the documents of males as young as 18. She clarified that police are not allowed to search for draft dodgers in their homes, but only in public places. “If a person does not have a deferment or reservation and is deemed fit for service, they are called up. All healthy individuals are mobilized,” she said. Under Ukraine’s martial law and general mobilization regulations, conscription officers can look for citizens between 25 and 60 who are believed to have violated registration rules. Those declared wanted can resolve the issue by voluntarily appearing at a conscription center with the necessary documents.
Numerous videos on social media over the past year have shown officers forcefully detaining men on the streets and taking them to recruitment centers. Street raids to find potential recruits have reportedly led to violent clashes, with some incidents resulting in injuries and deaths. In addition to draft dodging, Ukraine’s military has faced a rise in desertions. According to Bloomberg, nearly 96,000 criminal cases have been opened against servicemen who abandoned their positions since 2022, most of them last year. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recently acknowledged the increase in desertions but insisted the numbers have been declining since a peak in autumn.
Like Zelensky, Netanyahu should leave too.
• Netanyahu Cancels Trip To Trump’s Inauguration (RT)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend US President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration ceremony, The Times of Israel reported on Thursday, citing the prime minister’s senior aide. Trump will take the oath of office and officially be sworn in as the 47th US president on January 20 at the Capitol in Washington, DC. The Israeli leader had previously been expected to attend the event. Netanyahu’s senior aide did not elaborate on why the trip was cancelled. However, some media reports cited the Israeli prime minister’s recent prostate surgery, claiming Netanyahu had been advised to rest following the procedure. The now-cancelled trip to Washington would have been Netanyahu’s first trip abroad since an arrest warrant against him and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. The ICC’s decision garnered mixed reactions worldwide, with some countries expressing their intention to comply with the court’s directives, regardless of diplomatic immunity. Hungary, which is a Rome Statute signatory, said it would not enforce the warrant, while the US, which is not party to the ICC, has denounced it. According to media reports, Trump has been in contact with Netanyahu over the situation in the Middle East, particularly Gaza. The two spoke in December, which both later described as a “very good” and “warm” discussion. Trump later reiterated his public warning that hostages held in Gaza be released before he assumes office or there will be “hell to pay.”
A Hamas official recently stated that the group had approved a list of 34 captives to be freed as part of a potential ceasefire agreement with Israel. Progress, however, has stalled after Palestinian officials reported more than 100 deaths from intensified Israeli airstrikes over the past weekend. On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages to Gaza. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has resulted in widespread destruction and massive loss of life in the Palestinian enclave. Gaza’s health authorities have reported over 46,700 Palestinian deaths.
“..the overall focus in the EU should be on addressing the economic fallout and not engaging in pointless political debates.”
• Slovak PM Fico Warns Of Looming EU Collapse (RT)
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has slammed the EU over what he called its inability to address economic fallout across the bloc and claimed that it could collapse. Fico issued the warning on Wednesday in a video message posted on Facebook about Ukraine’s recent decision to halt the transit of Russian gas to EU member states. Kiev refused to extend a contract with Russia’s Gazprom beyond 2024, effectively cutting off the flow of natural gas to Hungary, Austria and Slovakia. Fico accused Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky of “sabotaging the financial interests of Slovakia and the EU,” saying the transit stoppage could trigger an energy crisis across the bloc and result in some €70 billion ($72 billion) worth of damage.
“Neither Slovakia nor the EU is at war, we have no reason to tolerate Zelensky’s adventures, especially looking at the aid Slovakia and the EU are providing to Ukraine,” Fico said in the video as quoted by News Now agency. He further voiced frustration with the EU’s failure to take action, saying he would travel to Brussels to meet with the energy commissioner and would do everything he can “to wake him up from his sweet sleep, because we have a ‘bloody’ serious problem.” Fico met with the EU’s energy chief, Dan Jorgensen, on Thursday to discuss the impact the halt in flows would have on energy prices in the region. It was reportedly agreed that talks on the matter would continue. In the video, the Slovak prime minister also rejected allegations by Zelensky, the Slovak opposition, and some Western officials that he is aligned with Moscow. Fico said his priority is to safeguard Slovakia’s financial and national interests.
He emphasized that the overall focus in the EU should be on addressing the economic fallout and not engaging in pointless political debates. “…Looking at the EU, I fear that it will fall apart sooner than we can imagine,” he stressed. Reflecting on his recent trip to Moscow, Fico pointed out that Kiev’s gas transit blockade was the reason behind his Russia visit. “I needed to secure at least gas for Slovakia’s domestic consumption, which we have secured, even without increasing gas prices,” he said, confirming Moscow’s commitment to continued energy supply via the TurkStream pipeline. Kiev’s cutoff of Russian pipeline gas supplies has already caused a surge in European energy prices, which reached €50 per megawatt hour for the first time in over a year. This led to an immediate call by Italy to extend the EU’s emergency gas price cap to prevent an energy price shock across the bloc.
‘Lock the Clock’. Think Europe will follow?
• Senators Introduce Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent (ET)
A bipartisan group of senators, led by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), has reintroduced legislation to make daylight saving time permanent year-round. The proposal is opposed by a coalition of sleep medicine organizations, which advocate “locking the clock” but in standard time. The legislation, called the Sunshine Protection Act, was unanimously passed in the Senate in 2022 during the 117th Congress, but it stalled in the House. Now, Scott and 15 other senators have reintroduced the bill, describing it as a common-sense approach that will simplify the lives of U.S. households, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s backing for an end to the practice of twice-yearly clock changes.
“I hear from Americans constantly that they are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year—it’s an unnecessary, decades-old practice that’s more of an annoyance to families than benefit to them,” Scott said in a Jan. 8 statement. “I’m excited to have President Trump back in the White House and fully on board to LOCK THE CLOCK so we can get this good bill passed and make this common-sense change that will simplify and benefit the lives of American families.” Although Trump has advocated locking the clock, it’s unclear whether the president-elect is in favor of making daylight saving time or standard time permanent. In March 2019, he said he was fine with making daylight saving time permanent. In December 2024, he called for the elimination of daylight saving time, suggesting that it’s standard time that he backs, a position aligned with several medical organizations.
The legislation proposed by Scott and the others would establish permanent daylight saving time, meaning clocks would no longer be turned back in the fall, resulting in later sunrises and sunsets throughout the winter. Current federal law allows states to exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time, with Arizona and Hawaii observing year-round standard time, resulting in more morning daylight in the winter months. Advocates for permanent daylight saving time argue that it would eliminate the need to turn clocks back in the fall and provide extended sunlight in the evening, offering more opportunities for outdoor activities.
“Every winter folks in Washington state despair at the prospect of losing an hour of precious sunlight when we are forced off Daylight Saving Time,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said in a statement. “This is about public health, it is about our economy, and it’s about just putting a little more light in families’ lives so they can spend time together, outdoors, in the sunshine.” Opponents of daylight saving time, such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), counter that standard time is better for both health and safety. AASM said in a position statement issued on Jan. 1 that there are numerous benefits to a permanent switch to standard time, including better sleep, less stress, and fewer car accidents.
”I drove up to San Francisco and I listened to it and I had road rage,” Gibson said..”
• Joe Rogan and Mel Gibson Puzzled That Fauci ‘Is Still Walking Around’ (RT)
Hollywood star Mel Gibson and popular American podcast host Joe Rogan have claimed that former chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci should face prosecution, as they discussed his influence on the American healthcare system over the years. Fauci became the public face of the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic both under President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. The imposition of restrictive measures and the scientist’s reported involvement in suppressing the theory that the virus may have originated from US-funded gain-of-function research in China have made Fauci a controversial figure. Gibson was a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Thursday. Both men wondered how Fauci was “still walking around,” or “at least free” after his actions during the pandemic.
They were discussing the 2021 book by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. titled ‘The Real Anthony Fauci’. The author, a healthcare campaigner turned politician, described Fauci as an official in cahoots with big pharmaceutical corporations, who had abused his power for decades. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in the US was one of the main topics of the book. ”That book is an accurate depiction of what Anthony Fauci did during the AIDS crisis, which probably was an AZT crisis,” Rogan claimed. He was referring to the antiretroviral medication azidothymidine. It was the first to be used en masse in the late 1980s to suppress HIV and had serious side effects. Kennedy claimed that Fauci, in his role as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), improperly endorsed AZT and downplayed its side effects while undermining possible alternative treatments.
”I drove up to San Francisco and I listened to it and I had road rage,” Gibson said, recalling his reaction to the book. ”If this is true, what the f**k is going on and how is that monster still loose?” Rogan asked. Meanwhile, the outgoing Biden administration is considering “giving him a full pardon – it’s like f**king crazy.” Fauci’s name came up as the two were criticizing mainstream media for its “complicity” in protecting for-profit healthcare in the US. Gibson recalled how Rogan was attacked by news outlets for taking the drug ivermectin after testing positive for Covid-19 in 2021. “font-size:11px;color: #353535;”The medicine is widely used to treat parasites in humans in Africa. But the media dismissed it as a “horse dewormer” – the drug’s usual application in the US – as they urged the public to vaccinate against Covid-19.
Swan
THIS IS INCREDIBLE😭??? pic.twitter.com/eDvulcGkwq
— 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘆🫧💚 (@beyoncegarden) January 8, 2025
Comet
BREAKING 🚨: Super rare comet G3 ATLAS, which is only visible once every 160,000 years, will appear in the night sky in the next few days ☄️
Most visible in the southern hemisphere pic.twitter.com/BDL6T1yPYH
— Latest in space (@latestinspace) January 9, 2025
5th
Marcin Patrzalek plays Beethoven's 5th symphony perfectly on his guitar. 👌 pic.twitter.com/hWX8d2iybM
— The Figen (@TheFigen_) January 9, 2025
Support the Automatic Earth in wartime with Paypal, Bitcoin and Patreon.
