News and Headlines 10/8/2021: Keeping you informed.

US News, Politics, World News, Videos, Commentary/Opinion, Keeping you informed.

In The News:

Leaked Documents Designed to ‘Hurt Lt. Col. Scheller’: Defense Counsel

Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller’s defense team has criticized military officials for leaking case documents ahead of an Oct. 14 trial by special court-martial, saying that the leak is designed to harm Scheller’s reputation and distract people from his calls for accountability for senior leadership’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.

Earlier today, Task and Purpose published a story based on leaked documents that purpose to show Scheller’s support for the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots.

Scheller’s Jan. 6 comments do not come from his public videos or statements made on his social media, but rather an alleged conversation he had with an unnamed executive officer, according to the Task and Purpose story.

Marine top brass claims Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller ‘incited a revolution’ by criticizing Afghanistan withdrawal on Facebook: Charge sheet is leaked ahead of secretive court-martial

One of Scheller’s attorneys, Tim Parlatore – who represented Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher in his military case – told Task and Purpose that it proves the military is trying to go after Scheller for something he did not do, purely as a punishment for speaking out against leadership. 

‘At no time has Lt. Col. Scheller ever advocated any violent overthrow of the government or any other insurrection,’ Parlatore said. 

‘He does believe that there does need to be a change in the leadership, both the military and the political class, which is what he was referring to in all of these things.’ 

Pennsylvania schools would be required to post curriculum online under proposed bill

“The curriculum plan, including textbooks, needs to be online for parents to review at any time, and those websites need to be updated each time the curriculum is revised,” he said. “Too many parents have no idea what is being taught until they see their children’s homework.”

But Democrats fear House Bill 1332 comes with ulterior motives and invites more critics to hurl threats at school staff in a time when mask mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions already have generated chaos and distrust.

“It’s about bringing the fights that start on Fox News to a kindergarten classroom near you,” said Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Pittsburgh. “This legislation is an invitation to the book burners and the anti-maskers to harass our schools and our teachers.”

Three Republicans sided with Democrats in opposing the bill. Other concerns raised included that the requirement was too burdensome and duplicative and that the definition of curriculum in the bill – academic standards to be achieved, instructional materials, assessment techniques and course syllabuses – went too far.

Lee commits to revamping Tennessee’s K-12 school funding formula

“Tennessee has a pile of money to allocate from the influx of federal funds, a $2 billion surplus, and annual revenues possibly rising by at least $3 billion,” said Brian Straessle, director of external affairs at the Tennessee public policy center the Sycamore Institute, which is examining the state’s funding model.

If their goal is to overhaul K-12 funding without shortchanging anybody, it’s hard to imagine better circumstances.

“Tennessee ranked 45th in the nation in per-pupil spending at $11,328 in 2020-21, a National Education Association report said. The Education Law Center gave Tennessee a grade of F in its Making the Grade 2020 school funding report.

Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said she believes reviewing the BEP formula will be the most important thing the state will do in education policy for years to come, and she encouraged public input at a website created by the state.

Serial killer who used dating apps to lure victims gets 160 years

Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, 25, sat motionless as the judge gave the sentence in state court in Newark. The sentencing was preceded by emotional statements by family members of victims Robin West and Sarah Butler.

In a brief statement before they spoke, Wheeler-Weaver denied responsibility, telling Superior Court Judge Mark S. Ali that he was framed. Wheeler-Weaver’s mother, aunt and brother sat in the gallery but didn’t address the court.

The sentences covered three murders, one attempted murder and other counts including kidnapping, aggravated arson and desecration of human remains.

Ex-Taliban cmdr. charged with murdering 3 US troops to face trial in NY court

Haji Najibullah, the accused Taliban commander, was charged with a list of terrorism charges stemming from the time he acted as a commander for Taliban forces in Afghanistan, from 2007 to 2009, the DOJ said.

Najibullah is charged with murdering U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew L. Hilton and Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. McKay, and Sgt. Mark Palmateer and their Afghan interpreter in a June 26, 2008, attack on a U.S. military convoy.

In addition to the killings of the three service members, Najibullah is also charged with supporting terrorism, destroying a U.S. military aircraft, conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction and the November 2008 kidnapping of a U.S. journalist and two Afghan nationals. 

Another Longtime TV Reporter Fired By Big Media For Defying Medical Tyranny

“I value the freedom we all have to make our own informed decisions,” Simmons wrote. “I’ve made a big decision and decided not to allow the company that owns KY3, Gray Television, to control my personal health choices. I did not comply with their vaccine mandate after my exemption request was denied.”

“I will miss you all, and I am sad to be leaving this way, but I have confidence that I am doing God’s will for me,” she added. “I trust that He has good plans in store!!”

Simmons said in an interview that she had a. “sinking feeling” when she learned via email that her exemption was denied.

Exclusive: LGBT Minority Farmers Given Taxpayer-Funded ‘Wellness’ Grants

The university’s website explains what the grants can be used for:

This project is administered by queer agricultural service providers and queer farmers across the Northeast to support queer farmers holistically in their needs. We believe queer and trans farmers know best what they need! We define stress and mental health broadly including the impacts of structural barriers and oppression of white supremacy and heterosexism. [Emphasis added].

The funding for the grants is provided by the multi-billion-dollar Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, which was created through the 2018 Farm Bill.

Any “LBGTQ+” farmer, farmworker, or land steward in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, or Washington, DC, is eligible to apply for a grant, ranging from $100 to $500.

“Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color” are prioritized, as well as those “not usually defined as ‘farmers’ by dominant funding structures.”

Biden admin’s ’SICKENING’ connection to CHILD data mining in schools

It seemed bad enough when US Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered the FBI to develop ‘strategies’ to handle alleged harassment from anti-CRT parents toward school board members.

But Asra Nomani, Vice President of Parents Defending Education, joins Glenn to detail a sinister, ‘sickening’ layer to the story:

Garland’s family connections to a government-contracted company that is reaping insane profits from child data mining in schools. And, even worse, many parents aren’t aware it’s happening…

Jason Rantz: Seattle spends heavily to house homeless in pricey hotels and fancy penthouse view studios

Under Executive Dow Constantine, King County spent over $230,000,000 to purchase nine hotels, which can house just over 1,000 homeless people. That’s just under $230,000 per room and doesn’t account for the services and staffing at these shelters.

Driven by an ideological belief that “affordable housing” is a human right, local leaders have largely eschewed encampment sweeps. With COVID relief dollars pouring in, they have taken advantage to pursue a housing-first approach. It has come with unintended consequences. 

The results were even worse for the homeless hotel operated by the city-backed Chief Seattle Club. Of the 111 who entered the program, only two graduated into permanent housing.

WATCH: Human Smuggler Caught In Action At US Southern Border

Daily Caller reporter Jorge Ventura captured a video of a human smuggler guiding three individuals across the Yuma, Arizona, section of the border.

Politics:

Michigan Senate approves more election bills to increase ID access

The Senate voted 20-16 to approve Senate Bill (SB) 304 as amended. Under the bill, the election inspector must notify an elector issued a provisional ballot that it will only be tabulated if the voter verifies voter registration with the clerk within six days after the election.

The inspector would also have to inform the individual that some individuals are eligible for a cost-free state ID.

Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, argued the bill was based on the premise that Pres. Joe Biden unfairly won the 2020 election, and that’s why Republicans want to change election rules.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, disagreed. He said his Senate Committee on Oversight adopted a report finding no fraud in the 2020 election but also found points of reform that would strengthen election integrity.

Concha: This is how desperate Democrats’ media cheerleaders are

The New York Magazine piece implies that ‘unless you pretend the current administration is competent enough to run the government,’ you are the problem, says Joe Concha, Fox News contributor.

Republicans were livid over Schumer’s rebuke after debt ceiling vote. Joe Manchin would’ve ‘done it differently.’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) earlier in the day to allow the short-term break from the threat of fiscal calamity, had spent hours cajoling at least nine more Republicans to seal the deal.

And when the 61-38 vote to end the filibuster was official, Schumer lit into his GOP colleagues.

“I thank my Democratic colleagues for showing unity in solving this Republican-manufactured crisis,” he said. “Republicans played a dangerous and risky partisan game, and I am glad that their brinkmanship did not work.”

Republicans appear to be frustrated McConnell caved after months of insisting Democrats raise the debt ceiling through the cumbersome budget reconciliation process, but Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who was sitting behind Schumer as he spoke, didn’t seem thrilled with Schumer’s GOP rebuke, either.

Attorney General Garland trying to intimidate Americans into silence

Despicable. Un-American. This is the only way to describe efforts by Attorney General Garland to intimidate the American people into silence and compliance.

If we passively accept this flagrant abuse of power, our country will descend further into a police state.

Tucker: Who is really in charge?

Clearly, the FBI, the DOJ and the military are already acting independently of the elected president of the United States, as you just saw, they don’t even keep them informed of international incidents.

What we learned from the destruction of Mike Flynn, really, was that sure, you can elect Donald Trump president, but does he really run the executive branch of government?

No. It turned out Barack Obama was still in charge, even though he was no longer president.

Deep state undermined Trump presidency: Glenn Greenwald

Author and journalist discusses who is really in charge of the government on ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’.

World News:

Finland suspends Moderna COVID-19 shots for young men and boys

Finland has joined other Nordic countries in suspending or discouraging the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in certain age groups because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a rare side effect associated with the shot.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare said Thursday that authorities won’t give the shot to men under 30.They will be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine instead.

The government agency said it found that young men and boys were at a slightly higher risk of developing myocarditis.

The move by Finland followed similar decisions by three neighboring countries Wednesday.

Australia Has Completely Lost Its Mind

Australia has implemented some of the strictest COVID lockdowns in the world, with police arresting citizens for not wearing masks and attending protests.

Malaysian and Singapore Drill with U.K., Australia and New Zealand in Bersama Gold 2021

The Bersama Gold 2021 exercise will involve sea and air exercises, mostly in the South China Sea international waters between the coasts of Malaysia and Singapore, where participating nations will conduct serials like anti-air and anti-submarine exercises, gunnery firings and maneuvering drills.

Air forces from the FPDA member-nations will perform air defense exercises over the airspace of West Malaysia and support the maritime component in anti-submarine exercises.

Forces will also conduct a virtual jungle warfare workshop, which involves cross-sharing jungle fighting doctrines and discussions on interoperability between FPDA member-nations’ land forces.

A total of 2600 personnel, 10 ships, one submarine, six maritime helicopters, three maritime patrol aircraft, 25 fighter aircraft, two support aircraft, and one command and control aircraft will participate in the exercise, according to separate releases from the Malaysian and Singapore defense ministries.

UPDATED: Attack Submarine USS Connecticut Suffers Underwater Collision in South China Sea

“The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition. USS Connecticut’s nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not affected and remain fully operational.

The extent of damage to the remainder of the submarine is being assessed. The U.S. Navy has not requested assistance. The incident will be investigated.”

A defense official told USNI News about 11 sailors were hurt in the incident with moderate to minor injuries. The attack boat is now headed to Guam and is expected to pull in within the next day, the official said.

The underwater strike occurred in the South China Sea and the attack boat has been making its way to Guam on the surface since Saturday, a defense official confirmed to USNI News.

US, UK Aircraft Carriers Lead Show of Naval Might Around South China Sea

Three aircraft carriers and a dozen other warships from U.S.-allied nations sailed on the fringes of the South China Sea this week in one of the biggest shows of Western maritime might in the region for years.

Those drills in the Philippine Sea will be followed by two weeks of large-scale military exercises in the South China Sea – sending a message to Beijing and asserting the freedom of navigation in an increasingly tense Indo-Pacific.

“This is probably the first time since the Taiwan Strait crisis in 1996 that we saw these kind of carrier-based operations,” said Richard Bitzinger, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore.

On the same day the U.S. and U.K. aircraft carriers entered the South China Sea, China sent a record 52 military aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Over a four-day period beginning last Friday, Taiwan reported that nearly 150 Chinese air force aircraft flew into its ADIZ.

Temple Mount status-quo contested; IRGC harasses US Navy in Persian Gulf – TV7 Israel News 08.10.21

1) A Jerusalem Court overrules a police decision to ban a Jewish man who prayed on the grounds of the Temple Mount, drawing wide-spread rebuke from Muslim countries worldwide.

2) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards claimed that its vessels have intercepted a number of U.S. Navy Vessels in the Persian Gulf.

3) Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visited Lebanon – during which he highlighted Tehran’s intention for Beirut “to strengthen bilateral ties in various ways”.

Afghanistan mosque explosion kills, wounds scores of worshippers

At least 100 people have been killed or wounded Friday after an explosion at a Shiite Muslim mosque in northern Afghanistan, a Taliban police official said. 

The death toll – if confirmed – would stand as the highest since U.S. and NATO forces left Afghanistan at the end of August and the Taliban took control of the country. 

Officials believe that the explosion may be the work of militants from Islamic State, which has a long history of attacking Afghanistan’s Shiite minority. 

Mosques are typically crowded during the Friday noon prayer. Witness Ali Reza said he was praying at the time of the explosion and reported seeing many casualties. 

Commentary/Opinion:

Billions for the Poverty Millionaires, Not Much for the Poor | Rudy Giuliani | Ep 177

Biden’s Speech Shows How Out Of Touch He Is!

Joe Biden Is Out Of Touch! His speech in Elk Grove Village proves it!

Bad Guy Gets The Drop On The Cops On Video – LEO Round Table S06E40d

Bad guy gets the drop on the cops on video, Police reform begins forming across the nation.

Topic 1 concerns a video showing LAPD Topanga Division (California) officers engaging in a foot chase and fatal shootout with suspect, Daniel Carver. Also mentioned: Officers Oscar Granillo and Eduardo Guillen.

Topic 2 concerns police reform policies across the nation being set into place, including: more training, raising the minimum age to join law enforcement, and expanding laws for police misconduct.

Arizona Election Audit Update | Ep. 59

You are not a conspiracy theorist for questioning the Arizona election audit—that’s right, read it again.

Liz digs into the major discrepancies in the audit and, of course, the major discrepancies with the mainstream media’s reporting. One thing has been clear from the beginning: we must stop Democratic election electioneering.

And just when you think the Left can’t get any crazier, Democrats make kids pray to the Aztec god of human sacrifice. Hold on… that’s only the start of it.

Plus, was Christopher Columbus really the genocidal mass murderer the Left claims he was? This is The Liz Wheeler Show.