News of the World

[kyonides]

US NEWS

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Federal Judge Makes Major Decision On Voting Machines

A federal judge in Georgia has ruled that there is substantial evidence of cybersecurity deficiencies in the state’s election machines, potentially violating plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.

The judge set a trial date for January 9, 2024, for the case filed by election integrity advocates and individual voters, who are requesting the use of hand-marked paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines.

The lawsuit includes expert reports highlighting weaknesses in the election system, prompting concerns and calls for compromise and legislative action.

“The Court notes that the record evidence does not suggest that the Plaintiffs are conspiracy theorists of any variety. Indeed, some of the nation’s leading cybersecurity experts and computer scientists have provided testimony and affidavits on behalf of the Plaintiff’s case in the long course of this litigation,” the judge wrote.

“The Court cannot wave a magic wand in this case to address the varied challenges to our democracy and election system in recent years, including those presented in this case.”

Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing Wisconsin Pro-Life Organization

A man pleaded guilty this week to the 2022 firebombing of a Wisconsin pro-life organization — an attack which occurred just days after someone leaked the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the invented constitutional “right” to abortion.

Madison resident Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 30, signed a plea agreement on November 20, admitting to attacking the Madison headquarters of Wisconsin Family Action. Roychowdhury signed the agreement in exchange for the recommendation he not receive a maximum punishment of 20 years behind bars, LifeSite News reported Wednesday. A judge is set to review the plea deal on December 1.

The fiery attack occurred early in the morning on May 8, 2022. Law enforcement responded to an active fire at the organization’s building and found the remnants of two mason jars, one of which was singed but had not successfully caught fire. The outside of the building was spray-painted with, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either,” as well as a large “A” and the number “1312” a derogatory acronym that numerically stands for “ACAB” (All Cops are Bastards).

Disney Channel Actress Bridget Shergalis Arrested for Vandalizing Israeli Company’s Offices

Actress Bridget Shergalis was among a handful of radical anti-Israel activists with the group Palestine Action US arrested this week for vandalism after a New Hampshire office of Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems was ransacked.

According to its Twitter page, the US branch of Palestine Action is dedicated to “dismantling Elbit Systems and the Zionist War Machine.”

The group shared several posts with photos of their hit of Elbit’s New Hampshire offices.
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The three alleged vandals were eventually released on bail. One of them, Calla Walsh, went to Twitter and spewed: “I am facing an extreme level of political repression from the state and need all the support I can get. History will absolve us and Palestine will be free.”

If you want it to be free, then help Israel get rid of Hamas.

SOUTHCOM Head: Losing Critical Infrastructure Contracts in Latin America to China Is a Security Issue

During an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Commander Gen. Laura Richardson stated that American companies haven’t been bidding for contracts on critical infrastructure in Latin America and the U.S. is getting beaten in that national security area by China.

Richardson said, [relevant remarks begin around 6:05] “I would say that the U.S. is investing the U.S. quality investment, and we are investing in the hemisphere. The problem is, is that leaders don’t see it, the presidents of the countries don’t see it. We have over 800 U.S. companies in Colombia, over 250 U.S. companies in Panama, over 200 in Honduras, who knew? We don’t talk about it, we don’t brag. We don’t talk about the great things that quality U.S. investment brings, transparency, labor rights, environmental standards, we hire local workers. With the People’s Republic of China and the Belt and Road initiative, they bring in their own Chinese laborers ... we also have to have our U.S. companies competing on the contracts for critical infrastructure. We’re not competing on those for deepwater ports, for space or telecommunications and energy. And we need to do that.

EUROPEAN NEWS

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Irish PM Sparks Anger for Saying Freed Child Hostage ‘Found’ After She was ‘Lost’

Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar sparked equal measures of anger and dismay Saturday when he greeted the release of Israeli-Irish hostage Emily Hand by saying “an innocent child who was lost has now been found.”

Varadkar used social media to make his statement neglecting to mention the nine-year-old Hand had been held hostage for 50 days in Gaza by Hamas terrorists after she was taken from a sleepover with her friend on October 7 during the terror group’s devastating attack on Israel.

“This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily Hand and her family,” Varadkar’s official account tweeted on X, formerly Twitter. “An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief. Our prayers have been answered.”
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Emily Hand was not “lost”, she was “kidnapped”, taken as hostage by Hamas. Kidnapping is against the law, being lost is not.

Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said he had ordered his staff to call in Ireland’s ambassador for a reprimand.

In a post on X directed at Varadkar earlier on Sunday, Cohen wrote: “It seems you have lost your moral compass and need a reality check!”

ASIAN NEWS

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Stampede at India Music Festival Has Killed at Least 4 Students, Injured 60 More

A stampede during a music festival at a university in southern India on Saturday killed at least four students and injured 60 others, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

The disaster happened at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kerala state where students were enjoying a live musical event that was interrupted by rain, leading the audience to scamper for shelter that resulted in a stampede.

At least two people among the injured are in critical condition, news website Indian Express reported.

Taliban Arrests German-Employed Aid Workers

Taliban authorities in Afghanistan arrested four local employees of Germany’s main government-owned aid agency, according to the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

“I can confirm that the local employees of GIZ are in custody although we have not received any official information on why they are detained,” a ministry spokeswoman told the Associated Press in a statement late Saturday.
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The German Agency for International Cooperation, or GIZ, is owned by the German government. It operates in around 120 countries worldwide, offering projects and services in the areas of “economic development, employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security,” according to the agency´s website.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from the country. Many foreign missions, including the German embassy in Kabul, closed down their offices.

The Taliban initially promised a more moderate approach than during their previous rule from 1996 to 2001 but gradually reimposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.

China Catches Up to U.S. Nuclear Submarine Technology

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has greatly narrowed the submarine warfare gap, which could spell big trouble for U.S. plans to defend Taiwan with submarines.

Two particularly troubling events took place in 2023. First, satellite photos showed China putting together the hull for a new sub that would be dramatically larger than any previous PLAN undersea vessel, and then China field-tested a nuclear sub using the same quiet hydrojet propulsion system American subs employ.

Hydrojet or “pump-jet” technology is the next step beyond noisy propellers, which tend to be the greatest source of noise from underwater vehicles. Propeller technology has evolved tremendously over the last few generations of subs, but hydrojets are even more silent, efficient, durable, more functional in shallow water, and best of all, less prone to cavitation.
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If China can produce big submarines with pump-jet propulsion, it will have entered the same era of undersea warfare as the U.S. Navy. The Chinese are also reportedly beefing up their anti-sub defenses, including a vast network of sensors deployed in the South China Sea that has inevitably become known as the “Underwater Great Wall,” plus more sophisticated tactics for using aircraft in anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

China’s string of fortified islands in the South China Sea would make excellent platforms for ASW planes and helicopters — and unlike ships that carry such aircraft, islands cannot be sunk with torpedoes by hard-pressed sub commanders. China’s rapidly expanding surface fleet is well-provisioned with submarine detection systems, as well.