US-Canada military continues its decades-long Christmas tradition of tracking Santa's location, bringing joy to children

25 Dec 2023, AFP

US President Joe Biden and First Lady join NORAD in tracking Santa's whereabouts, bringing joy to children worldwide

This illustration photo shows the NORAD logo on a cell phone screen while the tracker follows Santa flying over New York City on a computer monitor in Los Angeles on December 24, 2023. (AFP)

A joint US-Canadian military monitoring agency continued this year its decades-long Christmas tradition of tracking Santa's whereabouts, helping children around the globe find out when his reindeer-powered, present-filled sleigh would be coming to town.

A 3-D, interactive website at www.noradsanta.org showed Santa Claus and his reindeer on their imagined worldwide delivery route, allowing users to click and learn more about the various cities along the way.

The Santa tracker presented by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dates to 1955, when a Colorado newspaper advertisement printed a phone number to connect children with Santa but mistakenly directed them to the hotline for the military nerve center.

To avoid disappointing the little ones, NORAD's director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, ordered his staff to check the radar to see where Old Saint Nick might be and update the children on his location.

When not spreading holiday cheer, NORAD conducts aerospace and maritime control and warning operations -- including monitoring for missile launches from North Korea, something that may have been on Santa's mind this year as he passed over, with the most recent ICBM test just days ago.

Sixty-eight years later NORAD was continuing its tradition of setting up a temporary call center out of its Colorado headquarters to answer children's burning questions.

A photo posted by the group on Facebook showed rows of people answering phones, some in uniform and others wearing red Santa caps.

Some top-level US dignitaries -- namely President Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden -- joined in on the holiday action.

"This evening, the President and First Lady participated in the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracking calls with children and families across the country," the White House said in a statement.

Earlier Sunday the tracker went down for a short while, leaving children in the Pacific region in the dark about his exact position.

"Hey #SantaTrackers! We may be having a couple of technical difficulties with our tracking map, but #Santa is still flying! He is headed to Fiji next!" the group which runs the tracker said on its Facebook page, before announcing a fix one hour later.

Father Christmas had begun his journey with an out-of-this-world first stop, according to NORAD: the International Space Station orbiting Earth.

The reindeer-pulled sleigh was also seen traversing Israel as well as flying over southern Gaza, crisscrossing Africa, and venturing southward to Palmer Station, a research facility in Antarctica.

Santa then headed up through South America, bound for the United States as he unloaded approximately 100,000 gifts every second.


Around 10:00 pm local time (0300 GMT), Kris Kringle and his reindeer were spotted entering US airspace near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before continuing their journey across the rest of the country -- with nearly 5.5 billion presents, and counting, delivered worldwide.


This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

NORAD SANTA IS A COVER UP FOR THIS

NO HO, HO, HO

Publicintegrity.org

https://publicintegrity.org/politics/norad-faa-unprepared-for-aerial-attack

NORAD, FAA unprepared for aerial attack - Center for Public ... 

Jan 7, 2022 ... “The civilian and military defenders of the nation's airspace — FAA [the Federal Aviation Administration] and NORAD [the North American ...

En.wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_government_operations_and_exercises_on_September_11,_2001

United States government operations and exercises on Septemb... 

On September 11, 2001, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) was involved in an ongoing operation which involved deploying fighter aircraft ...

Wads.ang.af.mil

https://www.wads.ang.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/2819248/operation-noble-eagle-one

Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) - Western Air Defense Sector 

While NORAD's mission has always been to protect the airspace of the U.S. and Canada, prior to 9/11 NORAD was primarily postured to look outward. Over the ...

Youtube.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69uSD1S14RI

Where Were the Fighters on 9/11? - YouTube 

Sep 8, 2021 ... In this episode Ward analyzes the NORAD 9/11 response timeline and the conspiracy surrounding the downing of United Flight 93.

Vanityfair.com

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2006/08/norad200608

9/11 Live: The NORAD Tapes | Vanity Fair 

Oct 17, 2006 ... "The real story is actually better than the one we told," a norad general admitted to 9/11-commission staffers when confronted with evidence ...

Denverpost.com

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/09/11/september-11-norad-10-minute-warning

The Denver Post remembers Sept. 11, 2001: NORAD's 10-min... 

Sep 11, 2018 ... The North American Air Defense Command, which monitors the nation's airspace from inside Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, learned of a ...

Cat Carol

You've heard of Santa, maybe even Krampus, but what about the child-eating Yule Cat?

Dustin Jones
December 23, 2023 



An illuminated cat sculpture in downtown Reykjavik on November 29, 2021. Icelandic folklore tells of a giant cat that eats children who don't wear their new clothes at Christmas time.
Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Christmas time is upon us, and though children loathe getting new clothes for gifts, they best put on that new itchy sweater or slide on those unwanted socks. Or else risk being eaten alive by a giant cat, at least according to Icelandic folklore.

That's right. A child's worst nightmare — new clothes under the tree — could only be outdone by a somehow worse nightmare, being devoured by a ferocious feline that hunts down children caught not wearing their new clothes.

The tale of Jólakötturinn, which translates to Yule Cat, is an Icelandic Christmas classic dating back to at least 1932, according to the Icelandic Folklore website, a research project managed by the University of Iceland.

Jóhannes úr Kötlum, an Icelandic poet, wrote about the Yule Cat in his book, Jólin koma (Christmas is Coming), published in 1932.

Kötlum's poem tells the tale of a cat that's "very large" with glowing eyes. It roams the contryside, going from house to house looking for children who aren't wearing the new clothes they got for Christmas, according to the poem

Memes of the Yule Cat have been making their way around social media, some are meant to be spooky, while others are a blend of fascination and satire.

"I am really fascinated by other culture's holiday traditions so shoutout to my boy the Yule Cat," one meme reads. "A monstrous cat who roams Iceland eating people who aren't wearing the clothes they got for Christmas."

The Yule Cat isn't the only sinister character that comes around Christmas.

Another European folklore character is Krampus, an anti-Santa demon that kidnaps and punishes naughty kids, according to mythology.net. Munich, Germany, hosts an annual Krampus run, which attracts hundreds of participants — and more spectators — every year. 

[Copyright 2023 NPR]

Friday, December 22, 2006

Cat Carol

A sad Christmas tale, that is seasonally appropriate. Not all Christmas songs or tales are joyful. They are often tales of sacrifice and redemption, such as O Henry's famous short story The Gift Of The Magi or Dickens tale of the haunting of Scrooge.

I just wish it wasn't so damn popular on CKUA this season, I never can just turn it off, to late and I get teary eyed again when I hear it.

Score; 5/5 kleenex.

It is basically a retelling of the little match girl story for todays children. The author Bruce Evans is Canadian and the singer Meryn Cadell. gives the song it's haunting apprehensiveness. It is a sad carol despite the uplifting ending.

The Cat Carol

The cat wanted in to the warm warm house,
But no one would let the cat in
It was cold outside on christmas eve,
She meowed and meowed by the door.

The cat was not let in the warm warm house,
And her tiny cries were ignored.
'twas a blizzard now, the worst of the year,
There was no place for her to hide.

Just then a poor little mouse crept by,
He had lost his way in the snow.
He was on his last legs and was almost froze,
The cat lifted him with her paw.

She said "poor mouse do not be afraid,
Because this is christmas eve.
"on this freezing night we both need a friend,
"i won’t hurt you - stay by my side."

She dug a small hole in an icy drift,
This is where they would spent the night.
She curled herself 'round her helpless friend,
Protecting him from the cold.

Oooooo

When santa came by near the end of the night,
The reindeer started to cry.
They found the cat lying there in the snow,
And they could see that she had died.

They lifted her up from the frozen ground,
And placed her into the sleigh.
It was then they saw the little mouse wrapped up,
She had kept him warm in her fur.

"oh thank you santa for finding us!
"dear cat wake up we are saved!"
..."i’m sorry mouse but your friend has died,
There’s nothing more we can do.

"on christmas eve she gave you her life,
The greatest gift of them all."
Santa lifted her up into the night sky,
And laid her to rest among the stars.

"dear mouse don’t cry you are not alone,
You will see your friend every year.
"each christmas a cat constellation will shine,
To remind us that her love’s still here."

Oooooooo

See

Christmas

Rebel Jesus

Tannenbaum

Keeping the 'X' in X MAS

Solstice

MERRY FUCKING XMAS

Layoffs 2023: Nike to cut hundreds of jobs in December, will spend $400 million in severance

Nike recently said in a statement that the company is cutting hundreds of jobs in December 2023, just as recession fears had begun to cool down.

The wave of layoffs in 2023 has not been kind to any industry, be it technology, retail or fashion. Now, major apparel brand Nike has announced that it is planning to cut hundreds of jobs before the new year starts

.

Nike is planning to lay off hundreds of employees before 2024 starts.

ByVaishnawi Sinha
Dec 25, 2023

Nike is planning to cut hundreds of jobs and increase automation of certain services in order to $2 billion in costs, reported The Guardian. The company is cutting costs across the departments due to poor sales over the last year.

In a statement, the US-based sports apparel firm said that they have taken this measure to streamline this organisation, and will be spending $450 million during the layoffs due to restructuring and for severance for the employees.

Nike has not yet seen any major uptick in sales in 2023, with the company reporting only 1 per cent hike in sales over the last three months. The profit margins of the company were up, but the company 

Not only is there a lull in the rise of the sales of Nike, but the share prices of the company fell 10 percent in after hours trading. Nike is not the only sporting apparel company with a dip in share prices, with other firms such as JD Sports and Sports Direct also experiencing a fall on the stock market.

This is the second largest layoff in Nike after the company fired 700 employees in 2020 in the middle of the Covid pandemic in an effort to cut costs during the global lockdown.
Layoffs in 2023 spark recession fear

The economic slowdown in the United States and European Union, as well as the inflation rates caused by Covid, Russia-Ukraine war and other factors have sparked a fear of recession in 2023 in western countries, leading to many companies indulging in mass layoffs.


However, Indian companies saw a 58 per cent increase in layoffs, surpassing last year's trends. a total of 1,175 tech companies laid off 2,60,509 employees in 2023 as compared with 1,064 tech companies letting go of 1,64,969 employees in 2022, as per data from layoffs.fyi.

Siobhain McDonagh: ‘Why the regulatory framework for short selling must be reformed’



In the intricate realm of finance, short selling has been a subject of ongoing debate. Advocates assert that it contributes to market efficiency and price discovery, while critics argue that it can be subject to manipulation, causing harm to retail investors, pension funds, and overall market stability.

As a Labour member of the UK parliament, I firmly believe that the time has come to revisit and reform short selling regulations, particularly in light of the recent news from the US that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has adopted a new short selling rule in attempt to increase transparency. Our mission is clear: protect the interests of pensioners and retail investors and ensure the integrity of our financial markets – in short, the exact opposite of the proposed regulatory changes the chancellor announced in the Edinburgh Reforms.

South Korea’s recent actions in imposing record fines against two global banks serve as a stark reminder of the urgency of this issue. These fines were levied in response to “naked shorting” a highly questionable practice that had the potential to harm the integrity of South Korea’s financial markets and the economy writ large.

While short selling can serve as a legitimate financial tool, it must be conducted responsibly and ethically. South Korea’s actions should serve as a wake-up call to other countries, including the UK and the US, to further improve their own regulatory frameworks and collaborate on an international level.

Predatory short selling practices are not confined to a single region and are often targeted against critical components of the public realm, including housing companies, or retail stores on our high streets. While individually these may seem like just the ups and downs of financial markets, collectively they are fast becoming a cause of global concern with the potential to destabilise sectors that are integral to our societies and economies.

One of the most significant concerns associated with short selling is the potential harm it can inflict on pension funds. These funds, responsible for safeguarding the financial security of retirees, are often invested in a diverse portfolio of assets, including equities. When short sellers strategically target a particular stock, they can swiftly drive its price down, resulting in substantial losses for these funds. These losses, in turn, have a direct and severe impact on the retirement income of individuals who have diligently contributed to their pension plans throughout their careers.

The current regulatory framework often falls short of protecting pension funds from aggressive short selling tactics – which can drive down share value at speed and before institutional investors can react.

Retail investors, another vital component of the financial market, are also at risk when it comes to unchecked short selling. Retail investors often lack the resources and expertise to navigate the complexities of short selling, making them particularly vulnerable to market manipulation. This vulnerability may discourage retail investors from participating in the market, ultimately undermining the democratisation of finance, which is a goal that we should all be striving to achieve.

It is crucial to reconsider and enhance the rules governing short selling to mitigate the potential damage to pensions and safeguard retail investors. Implementing transparency mechanisms, daily reporting and much greater investigatory powers for regulators to ensure short selling is conducted ethically and within the law. We should also explore rules such as circuit breakers or uptick rules, which temporarily halt or slow down short selling of a stock experiencing rapid declines and can help protect the long-term interests of pension investors.

Additionally, implementing stricter penalties for market manipulation and unethical practices in short selling can deter bad actors from exploiting retail investors for their gain.

Given the international nature of financial markets, addressing the issues associated with short selling requires a coordinated effort on a global scale. The UK and the US, as two of the world’s largest financial markets, must take the lead in shaping international agreements that promote responsible short selling practices. A collaborative approach will prevent regulatory arbitrage and create a level playing field for market participants, benefiting investors worldwide.

Historical precedents emphasize the need for international cooperation in financial regulation. The 2008 global financial crisis underscored the importance of cross-border coordination to prevent and manage systemic risks. This crisis, which had far-reaching consequences on the global economy, was a stark reminder that isolated regulatory approaches are inadequate in our interconnected financial world.


The recent actions of South Korea and the predatory behaviour targeting critical sectors should serve as a global wake-up call. It is time for the UK and the US to lead the way in shaping a global agreement that ensures responsible short selling practices, benefiting investors and market stability across borders.

Our collective responsibility is to protect the interests of pensioners and retail investors and to ensure the integrity of our financial markets in a rapidly evolving global context. As we move forward, we must heed the lessons of history and remember that collaboration in financial regulation is essential for the stability and security of the world economy.

MP Comment

By Siobhain McDonagh
Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden
Thursday, 21 Dec, 2023
FINANCIAL SERVICES / SIOBHAIN MCDONAGH

The opinions in Politics.co.uk's Comment section are those of the author.

Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website, providing comprehensive coverage of UK politics.

Why removing Chicago's lead service lines for water will take time

It could take the city up to 40 years to replace all of the lines that are worrying residents and officials.

IT'S CALLED PEVENTITVE MAINTENANCE FOR A REASON

By Meg Hilling
 Dec 23, 2023

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are 9.2 million lead service lines carrying water into homes and businesses across the U.S.

An alarming health statistic to experts, as scientists say "there is no safe level of lead exposure."

In November the EPA announced a proposal that looks to replace all lead pipes leading to households in the U.S. within the next 10 years. It would also improve sampling protocols used by public water systems. All of this, a monumental task, especially for cities like Chicago.

"We're number one in the country, 400,000 lead service lines. And I think this it's incumbent upon this administration, as well as this city council, to take the lead on this and finally address this issue that's been plaguing our community for decades," said Gilbert Villegas, the alderman of Chicago's 36th ward.

Villegas says finding the money to make this happen is going to be a challenge. Nearly $50 billion has been allocated by Congress to upgrade the nation's drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Of that $50 billion, $15 billion has been dedicated to replacing lead service lines.

"However, the problem is, is that we're talking for Illinois alone or for Chicago, it's going to be anywhere between 12 to 15 billion alone for us. So obviously, there's more money that's needed from the federal level for the state level to here locally as well," Villegas said.

So, where does Chicago stand in accomplishing its goal to replace lead service lines? City officials say they are working towards removing 10,000 lines a year. At that rate, it could take the city up to 40 years to replace all of the lines.

"We have a lot more to figure out still, particularly in financing. But I think, you know, we've really made a lot of progress over the last few years," said Andrea Cheng, Chicago's commissioner of water management.

Cheng says her department is working to increase the number of lead service lines replaced each year.

"Our goal for this year is 4,500. We are over 4,200 right now. So, we're right on track to meet that goal in the next year of 8,000," Cheng said.

But, she says getting folks committed to the construction that is required in order to replace a line can be hard.

"Most people don't even know what their water service line is, right? And that's the small pipe that connects your water main that's running down the street over to your home. And most of those in most cities are partially owned by the city, partially owned by the homeowner," Cheng said. "We want to get in there, do the whole thing for free is our goal with our programs."

But it's a critical problem Chicagoans say needs to be addressed sooner than later.

"When I was buying my home, my inspector was like, 'You have a lead service line. We all do, you know, no big deal.' Like there's this kind of like ... there's a lot of desensitization. Like people are desensitized from the extremities of lead service lines. But we know from health officials that there's no safe level of lead," said Gina Ramirez, the Midwest outreach manager for Natural Resources Defense Council.

Ramirez, a third generation Chicagoan, says her mistrust of old pipes goes back to her childhood.

"So, I grew up drinking bottled water in my home. My house, my parents' house, is 100 years old. So, my parents never trusted the tap. There was four of us. They spent a lot of their time and money shopping for water, you know, cooking with bottled water, preparing their coffee, you know, giving us bottles of water to take to school," Ramirez said.

As a parent now herself, Ramirez says she doesn't want her children to grow up facing the same water concerns.

"We don't need another generation drinking out of a lead straw," Ramirez said.

Having helped her parents navigate the process of getting their lead service line replaced, she know it can be done.

"It was such a long kind of burdensome process, but they're so excited now that they can, like, drink water out of the tap and like, prepare soup and make coffee. It's just like a lot more easily. And, you know, they're on a fixed income. They're older. And like the $3 or $8 they spend a week on water adds up," Ramirez said.

While the issue is water under the bridge for Ramirez's family, many Chicagoans will likely be waiting awhile for their lines to be replaced.

UK

Brianna Ghey’s mother remembers murdered daughter’s ‘fearlessness’ and praises ‘outstanding’ trans community

‘I’m trying to be a bit more like Brianna because she was happy being who she was,’ teen’s mother says

Tara Cobham

INDEPENDENT UK
1 day ago

Brianna Ghey’s headteacher pays tribute to ‘determined and fearless’ student

“Fearless” is the word those who knew Brianna Ghey reach for when paying tribute to the transgender teenager, as they try to grapple with her brutal killing.

The 16-year-old’s mother has celebrated her fearlessness in being “whoever she wanted to be”, while the schoolgirl’s headteacher, Emma Mills, described her as “loud and proud and confident in who she was”. A boy and a girl were this week convicted of her murder following the fatal knife attack in a Cheshire Park in February.

Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, has also praised the “outstanding” trans community for their support following her daughter’s death, which led to an outpouring of grief earlier this year.


Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey has also praised the ‘outstanding’ trans community for their support
(Esther Ghey)

Speaking to The Independent ahead of the trial, Ms Ghey, 36, described her daughter’s coming out as “not really a big issue” and her transition aged 14 as quite gradual. Brianna started letting her hair grow long, wearing make-up, and then told her family that she wanted to change her pronouns, Ms Ghey explained, and she stressed it was not a hurdle for her daughter.

“As long as your children are happy, then you’ll do whatever you need to do to help them,” she said.

Ms Ghey explained that she was very close to Brianna and her older daughter as she had been a single parent for much of the girls’ childhoods. Their tight-knit family was shattered on 11 February this year when police appeared at Ms Ghey’s door to tell her that her child had been found stabbed to death in Linear Park in Culcheth, a village near their hometown of Warrington, Cheshire.

Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering Brianna
(PA)

“It’s the news that you would never, ever want to hear – it was completely shocking,” said Ms Ghey. “It was so tragic that I felt like I was going to die myself.”

As an introvert, Ms Ghey initially shied away from the intense interest in her daughter’s case. “But I’m trying to push myself to make a change, to be a bit more like Brianna, because she was confident and happy being who she was and putting herself out there,” she said.

The 16-year-old’s dream was to become famous on TikTok, and she loved to do make-up tutorials for her more than 31,000 followers on the social media platform. “She was very, very outgoing”, said Esther. “A very high-energy, funny, quick-witted child.”

While Cheshire Police do not believe that Brianna was killed because she was transgender, it will ultimately be up to the trial judge, Mrs Justice Yip, to decide if hatred of transgender people played any part in her death when the killers are sentenced in the new year.

Brianna mother Esther said she wants to be a ‘bit more like Brianna, because she was confident and happy being who she was and putting herself out there’
(PA)

Hundreds of mourners joined vigils across the UK to remember the schoolgirl after her shocking murder. Some of those gathered in her hometown wore rainbow flags draped across their shoulders as they laid flowers and wrote tributes on a placard that was placed in the town square.

Ms Ghey described the support as a comfort to her heartbroken family as they attempted to heal from the unimaginable in the months following Brianna’s death.

“The support from the trans community has been outstanding, and the general public as well,” she said.

The family has had to endure a harrowing four weeks during which a girl and a boy with a “thirst for killing” stood trial for Brianna’s murder at Manchester Crown Court.

The pair – currently only identified as girl X and boy Y, and who are both now 16 but were 15 at the time – were convicted on Wednesday of carrying out the “frenzied and ferocious” murder, and face mandatory life sentences. On Thursday, the judge ruled that an order banning the identification of the defendants, on the basis of their age, be lifted when they are sentenced on 2 February.

People leave floral tributes near the scene where 16-year-old Brianna was found with multiple stab wounds
(Getty)

Speaking outside court on Wednesday, Ms Ghey said her daughter’s killers had not shown “an ounce of remorse”, and that she had therefore lost any sympathy she previously felt for them. “To know how scared my usually fearless child must have been when she was alone in that park with someone that she called her friend will haunt me for ever,” Ms Ghey added as she held back tears.

She finished her statement by saying her family would like to request “healing space” for the next few weeks, but she promised to be back at the end of January to continue campaigning for better mental health support for young people and their families.

Ms Ghey previously told The Independent she had launched the campaign in memory of her daughter, who suffered from poor mental health, including anxiety.

The Brianna Ghey: Peace in Mind appeal aims to raise money, partly via a GoFundMe fundraiser, for the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), with the mission of bringing mindfulness training into all UK schools.

“So many other young people are struggling with mental health issues nowadays,” said Ms Ghey, who has been practising mindfulness for eight years.

“It gave me that strength when such a tragedy did happen,” she said, referring to Brianna’s death. “And I want others to experience the benefits that I had.”

DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS

UK consuming more cocaine than Colombia, data shows: ‘Can be ordered like Pizza’

PROHIBITION HAS FAILED

By Mallika Soni
Dec 23, 2023 

UK Cocaine Use: It is also higher than the US and far above levels of consumption in major drug trafficking countries, data showed.


The UK has the worst cocaine habit in Europe as data showed that rates of consumption are much higher than Mexico and Colombia. Experts warned of an epidemic saying that cocaine could be ordered as easily as a pizza. Research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that the UK is now second only to Australia for use in the world. The annual figures show 2.7 per cent of adults aged 15 to 64 use the drug in the UK- highest of 27 countries in Europe.

UK Cocaine Use: Comparatively in Colombia, the figure is 0.6 per cent and in Mexico, the rate is at 0.8 per cent.

It is also higher than the US and far above levels of consumption in major drug trafficking countries, data showed. In UK, men were twice as likely as women to take the drug, with 3.6 per cent using it. While 1.6 per cent of women used the drug, numbers showed. Comparatively in Colombia, the figure is 0.6 per cent and in Mexico, the rate is at 0.8 per cent.
Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here
Read more: Russia-Ukraine in ‘war of attrition', NATO official says: ‘Trust Kyiv’s stats'

UK durg use rates are also more than twice the average of 1.2 per cent across the 38 Western nations that were analysed. Only Australia exceeds Britain’s cocaine habit, with 4.2 per cent of adults consuming the drug.

Dr Niall Campbell, the lead addiction consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital said the drug had become increasingly socially acceptable.

“Cocaine use is pretty much an epidemic at the moment. It’s everywhere, it’s not a drug of the moneyed classes anymore, everybody wants it. They’re all fuelling the criminal empire. We talk to people at all levels of society. From those on building sites having ‘builder’s coke’, to people paying £5,000 at a time for the pure stuff. If you go to a football match at half time there’s a queue of young men going into the loo to use cocaine," he said.

The expert added as per The Telegraph, “Alcohol is the number one reason for admissions to our residential addiction unit, and cocaine and alcohol is the second reason. Cocaine and alcohol always go together – it enables you to drink more. It’s just a routine part of a night out. People have a couple of pints, then ring the dealer. It’s as quick to get cocaine as it is to order a pizza.”

UK

Scrapping HS2 ‘will bring higher fares and congestion for decades’

Plans to make up for the lost capacity due to the cancellation of the railway, first revealed by The Independent, are said to be years away

Archie Mitchell
1 day ago

Rishi Sunak’s decision to scrap HS2 north of Birmingham will bring “higher fares and congestion for decades”, it has been claimed.

Plans to make up for the lost capacity due to the cancellation of the railway, which was first revealed by The Independent, are said to be years away and passengers will reportedly have to be priced off the railway to ease congestion.

The prime minister used his Tory conference speech in October to confirm The Independent’s reports that the northern leg of the high speed rail line would be scrapped, sparking fury among regional leaders and business chiefs.

Experts have now said the decision to cancel the second phase of the project will have knock on effects for the rest of the century.


Rishi Sunak used his conference speech to confirm the scrapping of the northern leg of HS2
(Getty)

Andrew McNaughton, HS2’s former technical director, said Mr Sunak had created a “growth reduction scheme” by axing the route.

He told The Observer the “whole strategy for connecting the north and south of England was HS2”.

“Any other plans were all predicated on HS2 creating the new capacity either directly or indirectly for the next 100 years,” he said.

He added: “If there is nothing to replace it, you would need to ration. What’s the rationing on the railway? You have to price people off. That’s how it’s always been done as the only way of managing demand.”

“There is no alternative,” Mr McNaughton said. He added that HS2 was “by far the best solution” unless Britain is to live with congestion for the rest of the century, choking economic growth. “It was the only big intervention that was going to work,” Mr McNaughton said.

Network Rail confirmed that since Mr Sunak’s decision to scrap phase two of HS2 it had kicked off a project examining how best to avoid congestion among the west coast mainline.

Former PM Lord Cameron said Mr Sunak had made the ‘wrong decision’ by scrapping HS2
(PA Wire)

But industry insiders told The Observer that completion of the review would be “years away”.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “For over a decade the long term strategy for dealing with the growth and capacity constraints along the [west coast mainline] has been the completion of HS2 to Manchester.

“Now the government has changed course, our strategic planning team are starting a large piece of work to look at what interventions will now be required in the decades ahead to deal and address those growth and capacity issues and pulling together modelling and plans and proposals which will eventually go to the government to seek funding to implement.”

After The Independent revealed secret government plans codenamed Operation Redwood to junk the railway line, Mr Sunak blamed ballooning costs for his decision to junk the railway line, saying the “facts have changed” since it was planned.

“I am ending this long-running saga. I am cancelling the rest of the HS2 project and in its place, we will reinvest every single penny, £36bn, in hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands, across the country,” he said.

But he was criticised by business chiefs and local leaders across the north of England and even former PM David Cameron.

Lord Cameron said Mr Sunak had made the “wrong decision” and would “fuel the views of those who argue that we can no longer think or act for the long-term as a country”.

The government said capacity between London and Birmingham, the most congested part of the west coast mainline, would “nearly double” thanks to phase one of HS2.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “This is in addition to redirected funding from Phase 2 being used to support a raft of transport projects across the country, benefitting more people in more places, more quickly.”

The Guardian warns of escalation in the region amid maritime threats near Yemen



2023-12-23 
Shafaq News / IRAN

The British newspaper, The Guardian, highlighted the risk of an expanded regional war due to the growing threat to maritime navigation near Yemen. It pointed out the pressure from Washington hawks for escalation and urged the United States to press China to encourage Iran to prevent further regional escalation.

The report first noted the world's horror at the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza since October 7th, emphasizing the potential for the war to escalate further. It highlighted the Houthis launching missiles and drones towards Israeli ships, causing global concerns, particularly regarding shipping through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

Pressure mounts on President Biden's administration to respond to Iran and its allies, intending to stop these attacks. Supporters of a strong US response believe it would deter a larger war. However, the report warned that the US might risk engagement in a catastrophic war, involving Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, and Iran.

It hifglifgted the serious global implications, particularly affecting US aid to Ukraine and escalating tensions in Asia, indicating the potential for the US to get entangled in broader Middle Eastern conflicts for decades, which it might not endure.

The British report, referencing the mutual attacks between Iran-supported forces and the US military, highlighted the fortunate avoidance of a regional war until now, despite the miraculous prevention of these limited attacks from escalating into a larger conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States.

The Guardian continued, stating, "It appears that the current presence of American aircraft carriers off the Israeli coast has deterred Hezbollah from launching large-scale attacks on Israel from the northern front, while the Biden administration has restrained Israel from conducting wide-ranging operations in Lebanon. However, the report expressed concerns that the ongoing harassment of shipping by the Houthis through the Red Sea indicates a potential expansion of the war."

The report observed that it is unlikely the US Navy could intercept all missiles and drones launched by the Houthis indefinitely. Analysts believe that damage to maritime navigation has already occurred. However, the most alarming aspect is the direct economic costs borne by global shipping and oil prices. Before the current crisis, 12% of global trade and 30% of container shipping passed through the Red Sea.

Therefore, the British report suggested that the Houthi attacks have placed the Biden administration in an exceedingly difficult position. It clarified that the longstanding hawkish American stance against Iran demands a forceful response, viewing a show of strength as a means to deter further provocations from the Iranians and their proxies, thereby contributing to regional stability. The report recalled former National Security Advisor John Bolton's criticism of Biden for "failing to create even minimal deterrence," advocating for increased American strikes, including direct attacks on Iran itself.

However, The Guardian considered such actions "a significant gamble," warning that rather than deterring Iran, further strikes might provoke Tehran into attacking, either to safeguard its interests and prestige or to caution the United States against continued aggression.

The report added, "If an Iranian retaliatory strike results in significant American casualties, Washington would immediately face pressure to retaliate," cautioning that this would pave "the path toward a larger regional war that would significantly damage US national interests."

Despite the White House's astute efforts to avoid this danger, the report highlighted that the costs of maritime shipping might escalate to a point where military action against the Houthis could become inevitable. It suggested that tactical strikes against Houthi units on the ground might mitigate the damage to the global economy by weakening the Houthis' capacity to carry out attacks.

However, the report opined that limited American strikes might not deter Iran from supporting further attacks executed by its allies across the entire region. It urged US policymakers not to overlook the reality that this is a global issue, not solely an American concern, emphasizing that numerous other countries have a significant stake in safeguarding trade flows and should feel pressured to take action and assist in resolving the problem.

In this context, the report elucidated that China, struggling to recover from its post-COVID economic downturn, stands to incur significant losses due to the added risks facing commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Consequently, it is imperative for Washington and its allies worldwide to exert pressure on Beijing to leverage its ties with Tehran toward encouraging Iranian restraint.

According to the report, it is plausible that matters could lead the United States to resort to striking the Houthi rebels in Yemen if they persist in their assaults on global shipping. Nevertheless, such strikes must remain tactically limited, emphasizing that "the history of military operations, from Bosnia to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Libya, emphasizes that pressures to expand strikes invariably increase once initiated."

The report concluded that amid escalating tensions fueled by the appalling violence in Gaza, Washington hawks' eagerness to escalate tensions with Tehran, and the globally vulnerable economy, achieving restraint and averting a wider regional war becomes increasingly challenging, which would be the worst-case scenario for US interests.

Iran denies US claim it targeted tanker near India

By Mallika Soni

Dec 25, 2023 

Iran has repeatedly dismissed US and Israeli accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by the Houthis.

Tehran rejected "worthless" Washington's claims that a drone attack targeting a tanker off the coast of India was "fired from Iran". The statement was in response to claims made by Pentagon after a Japanese-owned chemical tanker was targeted amid a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The Pentagon openly accused Tehran of the attack.

An Iranian flag flutters.(Reuters)

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said, “We declare these claims as completely rejected and worthless. Such claims are aimed at projecting, distracting public attention, and covering up for the full support of the American government for the crimes of the Zionist regime (Israel) in Gaza.”
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Iran also slammed as "repetitive" and "threadbare" recent remarks by UK foreign secretary David Cameron who called Iran a "malign influence in the region and the world" and urged a "set of deterrent measures against" it.
Read more: Pentagon says drone fired from Iran hit merchant vessel now heading to Mumbai

This comes amid Israel's war in Gaza which has continued for the past 11 weeks of Israeli air and ground attacks that have killed more than 20,400 people, mostly women and children. Israel has vowed to crush Hamas after the Palestinian militant group carried out a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians. Hamas also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza.

Iran has repeatedly dismissed US and Israeli accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by the Houthis.

UK

Labour calls for ‘maximum transparency’ over Michelle Mone COVID PPE controversy

Levelling up secretary Michael Gove is being called to subject himself to “questioning and scrutiny” from MPs over the controversy relating to PPE firm Medpro.



Gove, who served as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during the Covid pandemic, was referenced by Baroness Mone in her recent interview with the BBC.

In the interview, conducted by Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Baroness Michelle Mone admitted she did not tell the full truth about her links to the PPE firm.

However, she added that she and her husband have “no case to answer”.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued breach of contract proceedings over a 2020 deal on the supply of gowns.

The National Crime Agency is investigating the company.

Baroness Mone told the BBC she contacted Michael Gove at the beginning of the pandemic following a “call to arms” for Lords, baronesses, MPs and senior civil servants to help provide the “massive quantities of PPE” needed for the pandemic.

She told the BBC: “I just said, ‘We can help, and we want to help.’ And [Gove] was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is amazing’”.

Pressed on whether she stands to benefit from the deal, Baroness Mone said: “If one day, if, God forbid, my husband passes away before me, then I am a beneficiary, as well as his children and my children, so, yes, of course”.

She said her life had been “destroyed” by allegations about their PPE profits, even though “we’ve only done one thing, which was lie to the press to say we weren’t involved”.

She said that was “not a crime”, adding: “No one deserves this.”

Shadow cabinet office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has now called on Michael Gove to answer questions following her claim.

In a letter to Gove, Thomas-Symonds said: “This series of events has led to civil litigation and a National Crime Agency investigation.

“Yet these ongoing matters should not preclude you from addressing questions about your own involvement and the role of the government.

“Events so far expose a shocking recklessness by the Conservative government with regard to public money, and a sorry tale of incompetence in relation to the so-called ‘VIP Lane’ for procurement during the pandemic.”

The Labour frontbencher said Gove should answer questions about the so-called “call to arms” referenced by Baroness Mone.

He said: “The very least Conservative ministers owe is maximum possible transparency and there should be an urgent statement to parliament before the Christmas recess”.


He added: “It is vital that mistakes are addressed, wasted money recouped, and vital lessons learned about the conduct of Government. As a result, I call on you to take the following urgent steps:

Come before parliament yourself to update MPs on this issue and subject yourself to questioning and scrutiny;

Indicate what plans the Government is making to return any money to the public purse that can now be recouped;

Introduce a Covid Corruption Commissioner as the Labour Party is asking for to pursue those who profited from the carnival of waste and ineptitude during the pandemic. You will be aware that the estimated cost to the taxpayer of wasted, failed or overpriced PPE contracts runs into billions of pounds.

In a post of X (formerly Twitter) publicising the letter, Thomas-Symonds said: “The Baroness Mone crisis gets ever murkier for the Tories with an admission that lies were told to the public, an ongoing NCA investigation and tens of millions of taxpayers’ money at stake.

“I’ve written to Michael Gove demanding he comes to Parliament to face scrutiny”.

Following Baroness Mone’s interview on Sunday, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves posted on X: “Failed [and] overpriced PPE contracts = £8.7bn. Public money lost to Covid fraud after warnings were ignored = £7.2bn. £15.9bn of taxpayers’ money lost [and Rishi Sunak] signed the cheques

“Labour’s Covid Corruption Commissioner will clawback every [pound] we can”.

In December 2022, Baroness Mone said she was taking a leave of absence from the Lords in order to “clear her name”.

Speaking yesterday, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said there were “no favours or special treatment” involved in PPE procurement and said it was “categorically not the case” that cronyism was involved in the “VIP lane”.

“The government’s intention in respect of that was to make sure that if legitimate claims came forward, we’d process them quickly”, he said.

“There were no favours or special treatment.”

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Leading Conservative MP Miriam Cates has been placed under investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog.

Conservative MP Miriam Cates 

By Politics.co.uk staff
Monday, 18 Dec, 2023

The backbench MP is facing claims that she has caused “significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its members generally”.

However, it is not known what the investigation — opened on December 14 — relates to.

Those under investigation by Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg are also barred from discussing the allegations.

Cates was elected as MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge in 2019, winning the seat from the Labour Party.

In parliament, she has become a leading figure of the right-wing New Conservatives group.

The New Conservatives is one of the so-called “five families” of right-wing party factions seeking to strengthen the government’s legislation to implement the Rwanda deportation plan.

She has also been outspoken in her concern about declining fertility rates in Britain, claiming the declining birth rate in the UK was partly down to “cultural Marxism” and increased numbers of people going to university.

Cates is now one of eight MPs currently being investigated by standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg.

Others include senior Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing and the Reclaim MP Andrew Bridgen.