According to CBS News:
Before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House he will return to the courthouse, a New York judge ruled Friday.
Justice Juan Merchan will sentence Trump for his crimes on Jan. 10, a court proceeding that will be unlike any in America’s 248 years. Trump’s conviction in New York stemmed from a $130,000 so-called “hush money” payment his then-attorney, Michael Cohen, made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 election.
Dismissal is still on the table, according to the Associated Press:
Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump’s trial, signaled in a written decision that he’d sentence the former and future president to what’s known as a conditional discharge, in which a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids rearrest.
Merchan rejected Trump’s push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House. The judge said he found “no legal impediment to sentencing” Trump and that it was “incumbent” on him to sentence Trump prior to his swearing in on Jan. 20.
If the case is not dismissed, it will mark an unambiguous attack on the rule of law. The “conviction” followed a show trial intended to taint the 2024 presidential election. Since it didn’t work, it appears Merchan is trying to deliver a final shot before President Trump is inaugurated. It is believed that he will not sentence President Trump to prison. Probation and/or fines are more likely.
This story is developing and will be updated when more information is available.
]]>BREAKING: Rep. Mike Johnson has officially secured the Speaker of the House position.
Reps. Keith Self and Ralph Norman switched their votes to Johnson, delivering the 218 votes needed to clinch the role.
Rep. Tim Burchett reflected on the moment, saying this about Johnson:… pic.twitter.com/FkGFJiMkrf
— The Vigilant Fox
(@VigilantFox) January 3, 2025
Original Story: Congressman Mike Johnson failed to win the Speaker of the House vote in the first round for the 119th Congress. Hakeem Jeffries ended up with 215 votes while Johnson had 216. Three voted for someone other than the two party leaders.
218 was required for a majority. A second round of voting is expected.
President-Elect Donald Trump weighed in and fully endorsed Johnson even after bashing the Continuing Resolution that Johnson had initially proposed. It was over 1500-pages and loaded with pork. Johnson pulled the CR and came back with a “lite” version, which initially didn’t pass. Democrats voted with most Republicans on the third version, which passed.
After coming under fire from conservatives in the House for siding with Democrats far too often, there were several who simply wouldn’t accept him as Speaker of the House. Thomas Massie has led the charge to stop him and voted for Tom Emmer.
I'm a "Hell No" on re-electing Mike Johnson to serve as Speaker of the House. I joined @FmrRepMattGaetz on @OANN to discuss my opposition.
President Trump's agenda needs to become law. Speaker Johnson has already demonstrated he is not the man who can get that done. pic.twitter.com/JfVoCSNqDy
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 3, 2025
Ralph Norman voted for Jim Jordan while Keith Self voted for Byron Donalds. Some of Johnson’s critics, including Chip Roy, held their vote until the end to see the count.
Every Democrat voted for Hakeem Jeffreys.
We will update this story as more information is known.
]]>It’s all about Bird Flu and multiple industries are feeling the pain along with their customers.
“2024 ended with an unexpected spike in sales,” said JD Rucker, CEO of Prepper All-Naturals. “It appears many people are anxious about the way things are going with food and Bird Flu is the biggest reason.”
Biden regime fearmongers are pushing for Bird Flu vaccines and other measures to “protect” Americans, which accounts for the bulk of reporting on what some are calling the next “Plandemic.” But real-world effects are already being felt in the various food industries.
Survival food is hot right now. Americans are stocking up on canned, dehydrated, and freeze-dried foods, particularly meats, in anticipation of shortages that appear inevitable.
To adjust to the sudden surge, Prepper All-Naturals is doing two things. First, they’re introducing new products this year, including long-term storage chicken and ground beef. Second, they’re extending their sale to clear out surpluses of “Freeze-Dried Beef Steak” with a 40% off promo code, “steak40”, on 1-Packs, 4-Packs, and 10-Packs.
“The ‘Freeze-Dried Beef Steak’ is our most popular product but it’s also by far our most abundant,” Rucker said. “Once we get that inventory down to par we can get going on ground beef and chicken. I anticipate we’ll add powdered eggs to the mix soon, too.”
The early 2025 surge actually started last year. First, it was concern over the election with some anticipating chaos regardless of who won.
Then, the ongoing attacks on the farm and ranching industries reaffirmed concerns in the prepper world. Even many on the ideological left, who traditionally haven’t been as concerned about preparedness, began stocking up on food at rates previously unseen. Their reasoning was oftentimes different than that of the ideological right because their primary concern has been the impact of climate change.
“The past few weeks and months, it’s been like a tsunami,” said Aton Edwards, the founder of an emergency preparedness organization called International Preparedness Network.
2025 is already proving to be a year in which preparedness is going mainstream. The survival community has endured years of ridicule for being “Doomsday Preppers.” Now, they are been justified as ahead of the curve.
But as Rucker noted, it’s more than just a desire to be ready for emergencies.
“Preparedness isn’t just about survival,” he said. “It’s about self-reliance. If disaster strikes, there will be those who turn to government to save them and those who can take care of themselves and their families. More and more Americans are doing what they can to be ready for the second option.”
]]>The Issue with “Mass Importation”
A key point raised is the distinction between attracting genuine top-tier professionals and permitting a flood of “mediocre” talent. While supporting skilled foreign workers who can contribute significantly to America’s economy, Kassam expressed concerns about the broader system being exploited. Specifically, the program often doesn’t prioritize pulling in the most qualified individuals or those in high-demand fields.
Instead, data suggests the H-1B visa frequently caters to less specialized roles. This undermines its stated purpose of addressing talent shortages in highly technical or advanced areas.
H-1B Data: Facts That Don’t Add Up
When examining H-1B visa statistics, an interesting trend emerges. Many approved applicants hold only a bachelor’s degree. A much smaller percentage possess master’s degrees, and an even tinier percentage have PhDs. This raises the question: Is the program living up to its mission of sourcing expertise that isn’t readily available in the U.S. workforce?
Kassam highlights another troubling aspect: chain migration through H-1B workers. Since 2023 alone, approximately 250,000 individuals have entered the U.S. as dependents of H-1B holders. This is a significant figure, prompting the need to reassess how the system manages these cases. Is the program’s focus being diluted by this form of migration?
The Problem of Worker Exploitation
Beyond the data, there’s a human cost tied to the H-1B system. Workers under the visa are tied to the companies sponsoring them. This restriction essentially prevents them from seeking better-paying or more fulfilling opportunities elsewhere. Many refer to this as a form of indentured servitude. It’s worth considering whether this aspect aligns with America’s broader values of economic freedom and fair labor practices.
Corporations benefit from retaining skilled labor at lower costs, while workers face limited mobility. This arrangement might serve business interests, but it casts doubt on whether the visa system’s structure respects the rights of the individuals it claims to support.
A Better Model: The O-1 Visa
Kassam introduces the O-1 visa as a better alternative for attracting elite global talent. Unlike the H-1B, the O-1 visa requires individuals to prove extraordinary abilities in their field. The standards are far more stringent, ensuring that only the best and brightest qualify.
By focusing on systems like the O-1 visa, the U.S. could better prioritize highly skilled workers without opening the floodgates to lower-skilled roles. This selective approach would also reduce the likelihood of worker exploitation.
Is Reform Necessary?
The debate over the H-1B visa system isn’t new, but it feels more urgent than ever. As the U.S. faces growing economic competition, being deliberate about who gains entry and why becomes increasingly important. The current structure may incentivize quantity over quality, benefiting companies at the expense of both American workers and many H-1B holders themselves.
Reform could center on stricter qualification criteria, similar to those of the O-1 visa, and reconsidering the issue of worker dependence on employers. Addressing these flaws could make the system fairer and more effective.
Conclusion
The H-1B visa program was designed to bring top talent to the United States. Yet, as the data and personal accounts reveal, it often falls short of this goal. While talented foreign professionals should be welcomed, the system should emphasize quality over quantity. Potential reforms, including a focus on more rigorous criteria like the O-1 visa, could better align the program with its original mission. For America to truly benefit from global expertise, its immigration programs must reflect fairness, meritocracy, and forward-thinking policies.
Article generated with assistance from AI.
]]>For one, authorities report he had wanted to hurt his family but was concerned those actions to distract the media from what he considered more important: the battle between “believers & disbelievers,” a phrase adherents to Islam use to differentiate themselves from others.
But the suspect’s brother now has confirmed that while Shamsud Din Jabbar was “Christian” early in life, he had converted to Islam a long time ago.
Fox News notes that Abdur Jabbar, 24, was interviewed in Beaumont, Texas, “where he and Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, grew up.”
He confirmed the “now-deceased suspect had converted to Islam,” and was a Muslim “for most of his life.”
However, the brother claimed that the violence inflicted by the 42-year-old did not “represent Islam.”
“This is more some type of radicalization, not religion,” he explained.
The report noted that a next-door neighbor to the Jabbar residence also said Shamsud Din Jabbar had been loading lightweight items in the white pickup truck he used for the attack on Tuesday.
“He said he spoke with Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who told him he had gotten a job and was moving to Louisiana. The neighbor said he was under the impression Shamsud-Din Jabbar had gotten another job in IT,” the report explained.
The neighbor said he was shocked on learning Shamsud Din Jabbar was suspected of the mass murder in New Orleans.
Authorities have said Shamsud Din Jabbar drove a rented pickup carrying an ISIS flag into a crowed of New York revelers early Wednesday morning.
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
This article was originally published by the WND News Center.
]]>Instead, the truck reportedly carried “firework mortars and camp fuel canisters” and the explosion appears to have been intentional.
“We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself,” Musk posted.
But the Associated Press framed the incident as though the truck exploded by itself. It also implied that the truck caught fire and then exploded, instead of exploding and then catching fire, which anyone who saw the footage could quickly deduce.
The AP post on X was quickly “ratioed” and then hit with a brutal community note. […]
]]>— Read More: www.outkick.com
The leftists at TIME, which is likely a huge chunk of the people who works there, didn’t want to do this cover but they really had no choice.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 12, 2024
Now it’s almost time to make America great again.
]]>It seems like anyone who doubted the “Trump Effect” on Bitcoin was wrong, at least in these early days after the election and before he’s even inaugurated. Bitcoin soared to over $100,000 for the first time on Wednesday.
According to Breitbart:
The digital asset peaked around its previous 2022 record of $73,000 in March 2024, weeks after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved several exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for investors seeking to acquire it, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. At the end of October, Bitcoin came close to that $73,000 record before retreating in the 60,000s range, then rocketing to a new all-time high of $75,000 before the end of the first week of November. Since then, BTC has sailed past new price benchmarks, first selling for $90,000 on November 13.
In the course of an hour, BTC surged from roughly $98,500 to $103,000 Wednesday evening, smashing a six-figure price barrier that felt unthinkable a decade ago, when the asset spent an entire year under $1,000.
Several factors may have contributed to the past month’s price action; investors may have been energized by President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris (Trump vowed to create a BTC “strategic reserve” and appealed directly to Bitcoiners on the campaign trail) and the announcement that Gary Gensler — a villain in the eyes of many cryptocurrency fans — would step down from the SEC once Trump takes office.
But one of the key elements in Bitcoin’s perennial rise is its “halving” — a 50% reduction in its issuance of new “coin” units — that occurs every four years, making the “mining” that secures the network that records the ledger of BTC transactions more competitive and costly. The latest Bitcoin halving occurred in April 2024. Just as it did in 2012, 2016, and 2020, BTC appears to be entering price discovery roughly five months after the latest halving.
Historically, Bitcoin has grown in cycles of parabolic ascent and “crashes” down to prices far above the previous cycle’s highs.
Will Bitcoin go to $150,000? $200.000? $1,000,000? With Donald Trump in the White House, anything is possible.
]]>According to WJAT:
Twenty years after closing all of its locations due to bankruptcy and a foodborne illness outbreak, a popular Mexican restaurant is looking to make a comeback.
Hormel Foods, who owns the trademark, worked out a deal to bring Chi-Chi’s back to life after every location closed in 2004. The company initially closed its doors after a bankruptcy which coincided with a foodborne illness outbreak that was linked back to them.
The son of the founder of Chi-Chi’s, Michael McDermott, said in a release that he hopes to honor his family’s legacy by combining the classic Mexican restaurant with modern influence.
It would NEVER be admitted by anyone at Hormel or the original Chi-Chi’s team that the 2024 election results played a role in their decision to reopen… but it definitely did.
We’re back, baby!
]]>It would NEVER be admitted by anyone at Hormel or the original Chi-Chi's team that the 2024 election results played a role in their decision to reopen… but it definitely did.
"Trump Effect: Popular Mexican Restaurant Set to Return 20 Years After Closing All US Locations" pic.twitter.com/1BYHO5B8iW
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) December 5, 2024
(DCNF)—Disillusioned with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming immigration agenda and terrified of the level of crime in Mexico, many migrants are choosing to go back to their home countries.
Between 50 to 100 Venezuelan nationals in Mexico are now requesting what is known as “voluntary return” every week, according to a Venezuelan official that spoke with Reuters, who added that many of these migrants have faced perilous situations in Mexico, such as kidnappings and sexual exploitation. A dozen migrants in Mexico told the news outlet that they would prefer to go back to their home countries, despite whatever issues that drove them to leave in the first place.
A major point of contention is Trump’s promise to scrap the CBP One app, which has been used by hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals to schedule asylum appointments with U.S. officials. More migrants feel the obstacles to come from Trump make it no longer worth waiting in Mexico, where many of them have been subjected extortion, sexual assault, kidnappings and a slate of other violence from cartels and other dangerous individuals taking advantage of the migration crisis.
“I am traumatized. If I don’t get the appointment, I will go back,” Nidia Montenegro, a 52-year-old Venezuelan national, said to Reuters.
Trump — who already established himself as an immigration hardliner during his first term in office — has vowed to embark on a number of hawkish measures for his second term, such as executing the largest deportation initiative in U.S. history, resuming wall construction, restarting the Remain in Mexico program and a number of other proposals.
“As President I will immediately end the migrant invasion of America. We will stop all migrant flights, end all illegal entries, terminate the Kamala phone app for smuggling illegals (CBP One App), revoke deportation immunity, suspend refugee resettlement, and return Kamala’s illegal migrants to their home countries (also known as remigration),” Trump posted on X in September.
First launched in October 2020 by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) primarily for cargo inspections, the CBP One app was expanded incredibly in January 2023 to include migrants waiting in Mexico hoping to schedule asylum appointments. More than 800,000 foreign nationals have scheduled appointments to present at ports of entry since the app’s expansion in January 2023, according to CBP.
While there have been reports of human smugglers urging migrants to rush to the southern border before Trump takes office and immigration officials have braced for such a possibility, border crossing numbers and on-the-ground interviews have largely suggested that most migrants feel defeated after Trump’s election victory. Todd Bensman, a national security fellow for the Center for Immigration Studies, reported Tuesday that “most everyone” he interviewed at a migrant camp in Mexico City said that they’re giving up and going home after Trump is inaugurated and cancels the CBP One app program.
Nevertheless, there are some that are still holding on to hope that they will land an appointment before the Republican re-enters the White House.
“I trust I will arrive before Mr. Trump takes office,” Johana, a young Venezuelan national hoping to cross from Guatemala to Mexico, said to Reuters. “If it’s not by appointment, there’s always a way.”