THREAD: trumps travel ban targets countries
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News Timeline
Lithuania’s BOLD Move: QUITS Cluster Bomb BAN Amid Rising Threats
— Lithuania has pulled out of an international treaty banning cluster bombs, citing security threats from Russia. This decision has sparked criticism from human rights groups. Lithuania also plans to exit a treaty banning anti-personnel land mines.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have slammed Lithuania’s move as “disastrous.” They warn it could put civilian lives at risk in the region. Despite the backlash, Lithuania stands firm on its stance due to regional security concerns.
This decision marks a big shift for Lithuania, a former Soviet republic. The country is focusing on its national defense amid rising tensions with Russia. Critics argue this could lead to more militarization in Eastern Europe.
EUROPEAN Leaders’ BOLD Move: Troops to Secure Ukraine’s Future?
— A group of European countries is quietly planning to send troops to Ukraine to enforce a future peace settlement with Russia. Britain and France lead this effort, though details are scarce. The initiative aims to ensure Ukraine’s security, especially since NATO membership for Ukraine is currently off the table.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the need for security guarantees for Ukraine if peace is achieved. European nations have discussed potential troop deployment for about a year, with urgency rising amid concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s possible negotiations with Putin.
In December, before Trump took office, European leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Brussels to discuss the plan further. The meeting included representatives from Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and top EU officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron initially promoted this idea in early 2024 but faced criticism from Germany and Poland when he did not rule out deploying troops on Ukrainian soil. The role of the United States in this plan remains uncertain as discussions continue among European leaders.
NBA’S SHOCKING Return to China: Millions at Stake After Controversial Ban Lifted
— The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns will play two preseason games in China. This follows the reinstatement of the NBA’s broadcast deal, worth millions. The league was banned in 2019 after a controversial tweet by Rockets executive Daryl Morey supporting Hong Kong protesters.
Chinese authorities demanded Morey be fired, but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver refused. Instead, Silver publicly criticized Morey, leading to his apology and retraction of support for the pro-democracy movement. Despite this, China suspended NBA broadcasts until now.
Morey’s tweet read: “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” His apology aimed to mend relations with Chinese fans and sponsors offended by his stance. He stressed that his views were personal and not representative of the Rockets or the NBA as a whole.
The return of NBA games to Chinese screens marks a significant financial move for both parties involved. It highlights ongoing tensions between business interests and political stances within international sports diplomacy.
LIBERAL GROUP Targets Trump And Vance In Shocking Charges
— A liberal group backed by George Soros and Mark Zuckerberg’s FWD.us has filed charges against Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance. The Haitian Bridge Alliance claims the duo disrupted public services and harassed the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio.
The charges include making false alarms, telecommunications harassment, aggravated menacing, and complicity. The group’s attorney stated that local prosecutors failed to act, prompting this rare move by private citizens in Ohio.
State law mandates a hearing before the affidavit can proceed, but none has been scheduled yet. Pro-Democratic media outlets have amplified these accusations while downplaying the impact of government-funded migration on American jobs and communities.
ISRAEL TARGETS Hezbollah: Explosions Rock Lebanon
— Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, announced a “new phase” of the war, focusing on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Speaking to Israeli troops, Gallant praised the army and security agencies for their impressive results. He emphasized the need for courage and determination as resources shift northward.
Meanwhile, Lebanon has experienced a series of mysterious explosions targeting electronic devices. Walkie-talkies and solar equipment were among the items detonated, following a previous wave of pager explosions that killed nine people and injured 300 more.
Explosions also disrupted a funeral in Beirut for Hezbollah members killed by exploding pagers. Damage was reported in Sidon where devices exploded inside a car and mobile phone shop. The situation remains tense as both sides brace for further conflict escalation.
BRITAIN’S NEW Travel Rule: What You Need to Know
— The British government has introduced a new “Electronic Travel Authorization” (ETA) for travelers. This digital requirement costs about $13 and applies to everyone except British and Irish citizens.
The ETA links to a traveler’s passport, aiming to streamline security checks and prevent immigration abuse. The U.K. saw 38 million visits in 2023, up by 6.7 million from the previous year.
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NEBRASKA COURT Upholds Abortion And Gender Care BAN: Aclu Loses Fight
— Nebraska’s LB574, combining the Let Them Grow Act and Preborn Child Protection Act, was upheld by the state’s highest court. The bill initially faced a filibuster but was revised to include a ban on gender-affirming treatment for children. The ACLU sued, claiming it violated the single-subject rule, but the court disagreed.
Chief Justice Mike Heavican stated that both abortion and sex-change procedures fall under medical care, satisfying the single-subject requirement. He emphasized that as long as a bill has one general objective and its title reflects its content, it does not violate constitutional rules.
Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman dissented strongly, accusing the majority of hypocrisy based on a 2020 ruling against medical marijuana legalization for violating the same rule. ACLU attorney Matt Segal argued that abortion and transgender care were separate issues until combined out of necessity by legislators.
TIKTOK On The BRINK: Biden’s Bold Move to Ban or Force Sale of Chinese App
— TikTok and Universal Music Group have just renewed their partnership. This deal brings UMG’s music back to TikTok after a short break. The agreement includes better promotion strategies and new AI protections. Universal CEO Lucian Grainge said the deal will help artists and creators on the platform.
President Joe Biden has signed a new law that gives TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, nine months to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. This decision is due to worries from both political sides about national security and protecting American youth from foreign influence.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, announced plans to fight this law in U.S courts, claiming it supports their constitutional rights. Yet, ByteDance would rather close TikTok in the U.S than sell it if they lose their legal battle.
This conflict shows the ongoing struggle between TikTok’s business goals and America’s national security needs. It points out big worries about data privacy and foreign influence in American digital spaces by China’s tech sector.
NEW ENGLAND Grapples with Fierce Winter Storm: Power Outages and Treacherous Travel Conditions Unleashed
— New England residents were greeted by a fierce winter storm on Sunday, prompting the need for shovels and snowblowers. The Northeast was blanketed with winter storm warnings, with treacherous icy roads reaching as far south as North Carolina.
The storm triggered power outages across the region. Over 13,000 customers in California and upwards of 16,000 in Massachusetts found themselves without electricity. By Sunday morning, some Massachusetts communities had already seen nearly a foot of snow according to the National Weather Service.
Coastal areas reported less snowfall while Boston recorded only a few inches. However, the snow was predicted to continue falling throughout the day with some regions receiving over a foot. The storm also affected Maine where certain areas saw up to 12 inches of snowfall.
Vermont braced for moderate to heavy ongoing snowfall expecting total accumulations between 6 and 12 inches. Wind gusts reaching up to 35 mph threatened to cause blowing and drifting snow across southern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine.
SECOND AMENDMENT Assault: California’s Public Gun Ban Rolls OUT Despite Legal Firestorms
— As the New Year dawns, a contentious California law banning firearms in most public places is set to take effect. This move comes hot on the heels of a U.S. district judge’s ruling on December 20, declaring that the law infringes upon the Second Amendment and citizens’ rights to self-defense.
The district judge’s verdict was momentarily stalled by a federal appeals court, paving way for the law’s enactment while legal battles rage on. Lawyers are gearing up to present their cases before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in January and February.
Spearheaded by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, this controversial law prohibits concealed carry in 26 locations such as public parks, churches, banks, and zoos — irrespective of permit status. The only loophole is for private businesses that explicitly permit firearms within their boundaries.
Newsom hailed the appeals court’s decision on X (formerly Twitter), asserting it maintains 'common-sense gun laws’ during appeal processes. However, dissenting voices like U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney contend that this sweeping legislation is “repugnant to the Second Amendment,” and flouts Supreme Court precedent.
TIKTOK’S SHADOW BAN: Suppressing Content Critical of Chinese Communist Party?
— A recent investigation by Rutgers University’s Network Contagion Research Institute has unveiled unsettling details about TikTok’s content guidelines. The popular social media platform, notorious for its data collection and sharing with its parent company in China, now stands accused of stifling content that criticizes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The research team found a stark contrast in the number of posts featuring contentious hashtags such as China’s conflict with India over Kashmir, the Tiananmen Square massacre, and the Uyghur genocide on TikTok compared to other platforms like Instagram. For instance, there were 206 Instagram posts tagged #HongKongProtests for every single one on TikTok. Similar ratios were observed for #StandWithKashmir, #FreeUyghurs, and #DalaiLama.
The report suggests that there is a high likelihood that TikTok either boosts or suppresses content depending on how it aligns with the Chinese government’s interests. This is worrisome since many Generation Z users rely on TikTok as their primary news source — interestingly enough, this is also the only generation reported not to take pride in being American.
TikTok cannot deny these findings as they mirror the methodology used by them last month to prove their platform was not biased against Israel. This revelation raises serious questions about
TEXAS Supreme Court DISMISSES Abortion Challenge: Pregnant Woman with Fetal Anomaly Forced to Leave State
— Kate Cox, a pregnant woman from Texas, found herself in a dire situation when her unborn child was diagnosed with trisomy 18 — a fatal condition. With the state’s strict abortion ban in place, she had no choice but to leave Texas and seek an abortion elsewhere. This happened just before the Texas Supreme Court rejected her challenge against the stringent abortion legislation.
Cox spent nearly a week trying to get court approval for ending her pregnancy due to health risks and potential fertility issues in the future. However, Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that Cox didn’t provide enough evidence that her pregnancy complications were life-threatening.
Even after leaving Texas, Cox’s case was dismissed by the state Supreme Court. The court ruled that while Cox’s pregnancy complications were severe, they didn’t pose an immediate threat to her life as required by law for an exception.
The Center for Reproductive Rights represented Cox during this ordeal. They reported that she had been frequently visiting emergency rooms due to health concerns related to her pregnancy. However, they did not reveal where she eventually went for the procedure.
BACK Online: Trump’s Facebook and Instagram Accounts to be REINSTATED
— Meta has announced that it will lift the ban on Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts in the coming weeks. The president of global affairs at Meta and former deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom, Nick Clegg, announced that they “don’t want to get in the way of open debate on our platforms, esp in context of democratic elections.”
Clegg stated the company had assessed the risk of allowing the former president back on the platform according to their “Crisis Policy Protocol” and had consulted experts. The decision was caveated with the statement that “new guardrails” are now in place to stop “repeat offenses.”
The announcement comes not long after Twitter, now under the control of Elon Musk, also reinstated Trump; however, he is yet to return to use the platform.
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UK SNOWFALL CHAOS: Travel Nightmare Leaves Thousands Stranded
— A HEAVY snowfall across the UK has caused major travel chaos, disrupting both air and road transport. Flights are suspended at several airports due to dense fog and snow, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings, urging people to travel only if essential.
Train services face serious disruptions with cancellations and delays, especially in northern and midland areas. Icy roads have led to numerous accidents as emergency services work tirelessly in dangerous conditions. Highways England is deploying gritters on major roads, but many drivers remain stuck due to blockages.
The severe weather is also affecting daily life with school closures in impacted regions and public health warnings advising vulnerable individuals to stay indoors. Communities are encouraged to support each other during this cold snap expected to last several days. The government assures that measures are being taken for essential service continuity despite the unpredictable challenges.
Experts warn of possible power outages as more snow and ice are forecasted for the coming days in the UK. Meteorologists predict this cold spell could persist, highlighting the need for caution and vigilance nationwide.
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