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The News Cycle is almost impossible to track these days. At least, to do so fully.
That’s where we come in.
In the Badlands News Brief, the Badlands Media team hand picks news items of interest from the previous days to give you an overview of the biggest goings-on relevant to the Truth Community.
Items feature original commentary from members of our growing team of citizen journalists, whose stated opinions are their own. Feel free to follow the corresponding link to see their other work.
Now, onto the news from the Weekend that Was …
Ukrainian military officer coordinated Nord Stream pipeline attack
A senior Ukrainian military officer with deep ties to the country’s intelligence services played a central role in the bombing of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines last year, according to officials in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe, as well as other people knowledgeable about the details of the covert operation.
The officer’s role provides the most direct evidence to date tying Ukraine’s military and security leadership to a controversial act of sabotage that has spawned multiple criminal investigations and that U.S. and Western officials have called a dangerous attack on Europe’s energy infrastructure.
Roman Chervinsky, a decorated 48-year-old colonel who served in Ukraine’s special operations forces, was the “coordinator” of the Nord Stream operation, people familiar with his role said, managing logistics and support for a six-person team that rented a sailboat under false identities and used deep-sea diving equipment to place explosive charges on the gas pipelines. On Sept. 26, 2022, three explosions caused massive leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The attack left only one of the four gas links in the network intact as winter approached. — Washington Post
Our Take: “This report is literally meant to provide Narrative Shielding for the CIA, and should be treated as such.
We had the Hersh report nine months ago that documented in detail how the Biden Admin (or elements within it,) circumvented the US Chain of Command in order to get their proxies on the ground to sabotage German energy infrastructure as a False Flag against Russia.
How do we think they circumvented the CoC? Using Intel Assets, as always.
While they likely DID use Ukrainian assets, framing of these admissions should be applied in context; this is the CIA's Media Industrial Complex attempting to frame the sabotage FF on Ukraine, when it was actually planned and coordinated by the US Deep State Department, and their CIA assets.
Overall, any Media admissions regarding NS2 and Ukraine are examples of Overton's Goalpost, so it's a net positive, but don't let them start to pin all of their intel agency PsyOps, PsyActs and False Flags onto their proxies.
Deflection = Defeat.” —
As Joe Biden promised tax fairness, his son rushed to erase his delinquent taxes, IRS memos show
As Joe Biden marched toward the presidency in 2020 with a promise to force the wealthy to pay their “fair share” of taxes, his son Hunter was scrambling behind closed doors to clean up a trail of his own delinquent taxes before they became an election scandal, according to once-secret IRS memos made public recently by Congress.
IRS agents would soon discover that the future first son was continuing to allegedly misrepresent his income and deductions to the very accountant he had hired to help, the memos show.
The documents reviewed by Just the News show that Jeffrey Gelfound, an Edward White & Company tax accountant hired by Hunter Biden, was a cooperating witness in the IRS criminal probe of the first son and is likely to be a key witness if the younger Biden is charged with tax crimes by Special Counsel David Weiss. — Just the News
Our Take: “You can't impeach an illegitimate President, and over the weekend, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) made it clear that impeachment is not a priority for the Republican-led House. That being said, the idea that there 'isn't enough evidence' or that 'dots haven't been connected yet' would be laughable if it wasn't so irresponsible.
Take for example the latest in the Hunter Biden IRS investigation, and the most recent disclosures from the Ways & Means committee based on documents and testimony from whistleblowers by Joseph Ziegler and Gary Shapley. The testimony of 'cooperating witness' Jeffrey Gelfound across multiple meetings with federal investigators paints a detailed picture of the influence-peddling schemes in which the Biden Crime Family was engaged.
When combined with the evidence from Hunter's laptop, the testimony from Hunter's business partner Devon Archer, the official Suspicious Activity Reports from Hunter's banks, the 'loan repayment' checks directly to Joe from the front-line family members, and all the other evidence, it's hard to imagine that any impeachment inquiry in US history was more well-founded.
God only knows what House Republicans are prioritizing over exposing the overwhelming racketeering, influence, and corruption schemes of the so-called Commander-in-Chief. That is, besides proving that most of the US Federal Government — including the Congress — needs to be abolished and replaced with nothing,” —
House Republicans unveil their plan to avert a government shutdown next week
House Republicans on Saturday unveiled their stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown set to begin next weekend. But with just five legislative days left until the deadline, Congress has little room for error.
Just two and a half weeks into the job, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., opted to go with a two-step continuing resolution, or CR, over a more typical funding extension covering the entire federal government. The untested funding approach is aimed at appeasing far-right agitators in his GOP conference who despise CRs.
The House is expected to vote as early as Tuesday to give members 72 hours to read the text of the bill, according to two people familiar with matter. The plan does not include budget cuts or aid for Israel.
Under the two-step strategy — which Johnson and others have dubbed a “laddered CR” but which others have likened to a step stool — several spending bills needed to keep the government open would be extended until Jan. 19, while the remaining bills would go on a CR until Feb. 2. — NBC News
Our Take: “While I’ve (half) joked in recent months that the US government’s Narrative Deployments regarding a potential shutdown are beginning to transform from the threat to a promise within an increasingly-bipartisan Collective Mind, I DO think another extension will likely be reached on the latest round of B.S. funding, if only so we can watch the Uniparty continue to kick the can down the road in increasingly-dramatic (and exposing) fashion.
I don’t have high hopes for Speaker Johnson, other than the fact that he is either wittingly or unwittingly being used to continue a portion of the biggest mass disclosure operation ever implemented on the American people; he may not be as ‘Establishment’ in persuasion as some of his immediate predecessors, but even if Johnson is seen as pushing for the America First agenda, the apparatus and systems around him appears to be broken to the American people.
Which provides the public mandate to fix them.
Think we have any leaders capable of doing so coming around the next election cycle?” —
F.B.I. Seizes Eric Adams’s Phones as Campaign Investigation Intensifies
F.B.I. agents seized Mayor Eric Adams’s electronic devices early this week in what appeared to be a dramatic escalation of a criminal inquiry into whether his 2021 campaign conspired with the Turkish government and others to funnel money into its coffers.
The agents approached the mayor after an event in Manhattan on Monday evening and asked his security detail to step away, a person with knowledge of the matter said. They climbed into his S.U.V. with him and, pursuant to a court-authorized warrant, took his devices, the person said.
The devices — at least two cellphones and an iPad — were returned to the mayor within a matter of days, according to that person and another person familiar with the situation. Law enforcement investigators with a search warrant can make copies of the data on devices after they seize them.
A lawyer for Mr. Adams and his campaign said in a statement that the mayor was cooperating with federal authorities, and had already “proactively reported” at least one instance of improper behavior. — The New York Times
Our Take: “The NYT spends the first several paragraphs — the only part that 90% of readers will consume — describing how it’s ludicrous that Mayor Eric Adams could be caught up in a campaign finance and influence-peddling scheme. They then take the back half of the piece to detail at least five influence-peddling schemes that Adams has already been caught up in since entering the political arena.
For his part, Adams is blaming the investigations on systemic racism.
‘Black candidates for office are often held to a higher, unfair standard — especially those from lower-income backgrounds such as myself … No campaign of mine has ever been charged with a serious fund-raising violation, and no contribution has ever affected my decision-making as a public official.’
So those five investigations — many of them leading to criminal indictments — were just ‘unserious’ fund-raising violations during Adams’ time in public office?
Still, Adams might have a point about the race thing. His predecessor Mayor Bill de Blasio was investigated in 2017, and no charges were brought. Additionally, the all-white Biden Crime Family continues to skirt consequences despite overwhelming evidence of much more serious influence peddling and public corruption crimes than these allegations against Adams.
It is curious to see investigators looking at Democrats; I thought all their resources were tied up with Trump and their other political opponents. Like parents at school board meetings and people typing in all caps in online chat rooms.
Who knew?” —
Donald Trump arrives at MSG to attend UFC 295 flanked by Kid Rock, Dana White and Tucker Carlson
Former President Donald Trump entered Madison Square Garden for Saturday night’s UFC fights to a loud ovation from the crowd, flanked by an entourage of Kid Rock, Tucker Carlson, Dana White and son Don Jr.
The 45th President, a well-known boxing and mixed martial arts fan, arrived at UFC 295 just moments before the highly anticipated pay-per-view event kicked off.
Trump pumped his fist and waved to the sold-out crowd as Kid Rock’s “American Badass” blared throughout the iconic arena before sitting down in his ringside seats, alongside his crew of well-known faces. — The NY Post
Our Take: “While most take Trump's appearances at UFC events as cute anecdotes, they take on added meaning when you consider the following:
1) John McCain attempted to shut the UFC down in the early 00's, successfully pressuring New York State into waging a campaign against the league.
2) Donald Trump offered the UFC a free venue and transportation in order to save a last-minute event, which, if it HADN'T gone forward, likely would have bankrupted the company, and the emerging sport along with it.
3) The UFC may be a sideshow to some, but it's representative of THE counter-culture sport of the new century, its athletes are nearly impossible to control, and its fans, performers and personalities are off the charts in terms of the 'Based' Meter.
4) Trump has timed his appearances at 2023 UFC events to coincide with major Narrative Deployments, with clips like these coming to represent his true appeal to the American everyman AND counter-culture, alike.
Politics IS Culture. Culture IS Politics.” —
BONUS ITEMS
UN formally condemns Israel but stays mum on Hamas terrorist attacks: watchdog
A United Nations watchdog has criticized the organization for passing multiple resolutions this week condemning Israel for various alleged human rights violations, but making no condemnation of Hamas or other groups or nations, at a time when antisemitism is on the rise.
"The U.N.’s assault on Israel with a torrent of one-sided resolutions, just one month after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and on the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, is surreal," Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, said in a press release.
"The only purpose of these eight lopsided condemnations is to demonize the Jewish state," Neuer said. "The world should not be deceived that these annual resolutions advance the cause of peace or human rights in any way."
The U.N.’s Second Committee, which focuses on Economic and Financial issues, announced the passage of three such resolutions, including one demanding that Israel cease the "exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment" in the Golan Heights region of Syria. — FOX News
Biden administration privately warned by American diplomats of growing fury against US in Arab world
The Biden administration has received stark warnings from American diplomats in the Arab world that its strong support for Israel’s destructive and deadly military campaign in Gaza “is losing us Arab publics for a generation,” according to a diplomatic cable obtained by CNN.
The cable underscores profound concern among American officials about the growing anger against the United States that erupted soon after Israel launched its operations against Hamas, following the militant group’s attacks in Israel on October 7 that left over 1,400 Israelis dead.
“We are losing badly on the messaging battlespace,” reads a Wednesday cable from the US Embassy in Oman, citing conversations with “a wide range of trusted and sober-minded contacts.”
The robust US support for Israel’s actions is being seen, the cable warns, “as material and moral culpability in what they consider to be possible war crimes.” — CNN
Biden to sit down with Chinese President Xi Jinping next Wednesday in San Francisco
President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping next Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific forum, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
The United States's relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, the importance of open lines of communication, and managing the competition responsibly, in addition to "a range of regional global and transnational issues," will all be on the agenda, according to senior administration officials.
"Last year, we put in new rules on outbound and investment and updated our export controls on semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment," one official told reporters on Thursday. "We've taken actions against [People's Republic of China] entities involved in human rights abuses, forced labor, nonproliferation, and supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, and continue to uphold freedom of navigation in the region by flying, sailing, and operating wherever international law allows."
"We also believe that intense competition requires and demands intense diplomacy to manage tensions and to prevent competition from verging into conflict or confrontation," he said. "We know efforts to shape or reform China over several decades have failed, but we expect China to be around and to be a major player on the world stage for the rest of our lifetimes." — The Washington Examiner
We hope you enjoyed this brief look back at the major news items you might have missed in this ever-escalating and ever-accelerating news cycle as the Information War continues to rage on around us.
The Badlands Media team will continue to combine our cognitive powers in order to slow things down and find the signal amidst the noise as this series expands.
As always, if you have any thoughts on these news items or the MANY others swirling in the digital ether, drop into the comments below to share them with your fellow Badlanders.
Thank You Badlanders ❤️🙏✨💫🇺🇸
Of course the UN is favoring Gaza and thus the Hamas terrorists. Terror is name of their hidden game. Everyone who has lost their mind to the emotional matrix, will rally around the UN cry for the US and Europe to take the refugees in while paying no attention to the fact that the Arab nations don’t want them. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Libya and most of the Arab nations know and understand the hidden game of instability that the refugees will foster. The UN tries to lend sympathy to Hamas and the Palestinians which eclipses the horror done on Oct 7.
Meanwhile, some million immigrants are gathering in Columbia with plans to cross our border in 2024!! Trump keeps saying “election interference” and in part we know he refers to 2020 but also to 2024. Instability wrought by the millions of immigrants already here, just waiting for their numbers to climb, is the global cabal agenda. The DeepState hasn’t many plays left to thwart an honest election in 2024.
Good Morning and Thank you for your continued excellence!!
AiA says: "God only knows what House Republicans are prioritizing over exposing the overwhelming racketeering, influence, and corruption schemes of the so-called Commander-in-Chief." Exactly true! (Maybe they just aren't willing to replace JB with KH...think what that would do to our Moody's rating!!!)
I, for one, find great solace in knowing that God is not surprised by any of this - that He (despite how hard it is to embrace) allows Mankind to make bad choices as a trade off for also allowing us to make good ones! Most of us would rather that either only good choices "could be made" (which is, by definition, illogical) or that God would make them for us so that we could blame Him for all the bad we see. (Which points out another critical question: "Who defines bad?")
PS - for those who so kindly offered prayers for that job I mentioned last week, thank you!!! I continue to rely on His grace and provision!