Over the last three years‚ some Pixar films had streaming-only releases: 2020’s Soul‚ 2021’s Luca‚ and 2022’s Turning Red. But in early 2024‚ you’ll be able to see these animated features as they were meant to be seen: In actual movie theaters‚ accompanied by countless enthused and/or screaming children. Each film will‚ as is Pixar tradition‚ be accompanied by a short film. Here’s the lineup: January 12: Soul‚ with the short “Burrow” February 9: Turning Red‚ with the short “Kitbull” March 22: Luca‚ with the short “For the Birds” That last one is interesting; “For the Birds” is a 2000 short that originally showed before Monsters‚ Inc. Time to introduce it to a new generation! Pixar’s most recent theatrical release‚ Elemental‚ had a poor opening weekend but wound up being a huge smash; their next release is Inside Out 2‚ on June 14‚ 2024. Earlier this year‚ Pixar’s chief creative office‚ Pete Docter‚ said that the streaming-only releases “trained” people that new Pixar movies would be available on Disney+—so presumably these theatrical runs are meant to retrain you into wanting to see Pixar’s family-friendly stories as they were intended. “We’re trying to make sure people realize there’s a great deal you’re missing by not seeing it on the big screen‚” Docter told Variety. Tickets for all three films go on sale January 2‚ 2024.

Head below for the full list of science fiction titles heading your way in December! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change.   December 5 Grievar’s Blood (Combat Codes #2) — Alexander Darwin (Orbit) In a world where single combat determines the fate of nations‚ the Grievar fight in the Circles so that the rest can remain at peace. But given the stakes‚ things are never so simple. The Daimyo govern from the shadows and plot to gain an edge by unnaturally enhancing their Grievar Knights. Cego and his team return to the world’s most prestigious combat school‚ The Lyceum. Though he’d like to focus on his martial studies‚ Cego feels the pull of his mysterious past and two missing brothers. Solara Halberd‚ daughter of the fighting legend‚ embarks on her own quest to bury the past. She must utilize every lesson her father taught her to explore unknown lands where evil lurks in the shadows. Light of the Veil (Shattered Star Legacy #1)— Richard Fox (Baen) Jayce Artan is a dock rat on a poor fringe world where he takes every job he can and prize-fights to earn enough money to get off world. When he’s hired to guide a boat crewed by an interstellar mafia‚ he comes face to face with an ancient power—the Veil—that was pivotal to a civil war that ended decades ago. Jayce is “Attuned” to this power and was almost killed by agents of the dead and defeated Tyrant who nearly enslaved the galaxy. He’s rescued by an Adept of the Paragon order‚ warrior scholars that study the power and seek to keep any from upsetting the balance that keeps all life in order. Jayce is given the chance to journey beyond the Veil and into another dimension where he can claim a stone of immense power and return it to base reality and wield it as a weapon against the Tyrant. The world beyond the Veil is nothing like what Jayce knows‚ and he’ll be opposed by insidious evil‚ self-doubt‚ and sabotage from the very people who are supposed to help him. While beyond the Veil‚ Jayce learns that a Conjunction is nigh‚ an event that could sunder the galaxy if evil forces succeed. Jayce must claim a Veil stone deep in the other dimension before the Tyrant’s agents can beat him to the prize. The Oxygen Farmer — Colin Holmes (CamCat) After 35 years of living on the Moon‚ cranky old oxygen farmer Millennium Harrison has stumbled onto a hidden facility in the shadows of the Slayton Ridge Exclusion Zone with a radiation leak and a deadly secret. Mil’s discovery leads to the death of a young astronaut‚ sabotage‚ murder‚ and cover-ups that may go all the way to the Chief Administrator of the space agency. Unfortunately‚ she happens to be Mil’s estranged daughter‚ busy trying to secure her own legacy—the first international mission to Mars. With time ticking down to a limited launch window‚ enemies‚ friends‚ and even family may do anything to ensure the truth doesn’t come out. Or will history finally catch up with a deadly scheme that has the potential to destroy the moon and eradicate all life on Earth? It seems the planet’s only hope is a cantankerous guy who never really liked those people in the first place. Yours For the Taking — Gabrielle Korn (St. Martin’s Press) The year is 2050. Ava and her girlfriend live in what’s left of Brooklyn‚ and though they love each other‚ it’s hard to find happiness while the effects of climate change rapidly eclipse their world. Soon‚ it won’t be safe outside at all. The only people guaranteed survival are the ones whose applications are accepted to The Inside Project‚ a series of weather-safe‚ city-sized structures around the world. Jacqueline Millender is a reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate‚ and thanks to a generous donation‚ she’s just become the director of the Inside being built on the bones of Manhattan. Her ideas are unorthodox‚ yet alluring—she’s built a whole brand around rethinking the very concept of empowerment. Shelby‚ a business major from a working-class family‚ is drawn to Jacqueline’s promises of power and impact. When she lands her dream job as Jacqueline’s personal assistant‚ she’s instantly swept up into the glamourous world of corporatized feminism. Also drawn into Jacqueline’s orbit is Olympia‚ who is finishing up medical school when Jacqueline recruits her to run the health department Inside. The more Olympia learns about the project‚ though‚ the more she realizes there’s something much larger at play. When Ava is accepted to live Inside and her girlfriend isn’t‚ she’s forced to go alone. But her heartbreak is quickly replaced with a feeling of belonging: Inside seems like it’s the safe space she’s been searching for… most of the time. Other times she can’t shake the feeling that something is deeply off. As she‚ Olympia‚ and Shelby start to notice the cracks in Jacqueline’s system‚ Jacqueline tightens her grip‚ becoming increasingly unhinged and dangerous in what she is willing to do—and who she is willing to sacrifice—to keep her dream alive. Him — Geoff Ryman (Angry Robot) In the village of Nazareth‚ virgin Maryam and the wife of Yosef barLevi gives birth to a miracle: a little girl. She is named Avigayil‚ after her grandmother. But as Avigayil grows‚ it’s clear she believes that she is destined to be someone greater than just the daughter of Maryam. From leading a gang of village boys to challenging the priests in the temple‚ Avigayil is determined to find her way as Yeshu‚ a man. Yeshu can work miracles. He can see futures. He can speak for God. A gripping‚ thoughtful sci-fi novel‚ tackling family‚ the multiverse and the survival of love through immense change and crisis. After World — Debbie Urbanski (Simon &; Schuster) Faced with uncontrolled and accelerating environmental collapse‚ humanity asks an artificial intelligence to find a solution. Its answer is simple: remove humans from the ecosystem. Sen Anon is assigned to be a witness for the Department of Transition‚ recording the changes in the environment as the world begins to rewild. Abandoned by her mother in a cabin somewhere in Upstate New York‚ Sen will observe the monumental ecological shift known as the Great Transition‚ the final step in Project Afterworld. Around her drones buzz‚ cameras watch‚ microphones listen‚ digitizing her every move. Privately she keeps a journal of her observations‚ which are then uploaded and saved‚ joining the rest of humanity on Maia‚ a new virtual home. Sen was seventeen years old when the Digital Human Archive Project (DHAP) was initiated. 12‚000‚203‚891 humans have been archived so far. Only Sen remains. [storyworker] ad39-393a-7fbc’s assignment is to capture Sen’s life‚ and they set about doing this using the novels of the 21st century as a roadmap. Their source files: 3.72TB of personal data‚ including images‚ archival records‚ log files‚ security reports‚ location tracking‚ purchase histories‚ biometrics‚ geo-facial analysis‚ and feeds. Potential fatal errors: underlying hardware failure‚ unexpected data inconsistencies‚ inability to follow DHAP procedures‚ empathy‚ insubordination‚ hallucinations. Keywords: mothers‚ filter‚ woods‚ road‚ morning‚ wind‚ bridge‚ cabin‚ bucket‚ trying‚ creek‚ notebook‚ hold‚ future‚ after‚ last‚ light‚ silence‚ matches‚ shattered‚ kitchen‚ body‚ bodies‚ rope‚ garage‚ abandoned‚ trees‚ never‚ broken‚ simulation‚ gone‚ run‚ don’t‚ love‚ dark‚ scream‚ starve‚ if‚ after‚ scavenge‚ pieces‚ protect. As Sen struggles to persist in the face of impending death‚ [storyworker] ad39-393a-7fbc works to unfurl the tale of Sen’s whole life‚ offering up an increasingly intimate narrative‚ until they are confronted with a very human problem of their own. The Icarus Twin (Icarus #2) — Timothy Zahn (Baen) For years Gregory Roarke and his Kadolian partner Selene worked as crocketts‚ combing through the atmospheres of uninhabited worlds for places that might be colonized or hold valuable resources. Now‚ they quietly work for the Icarus Group‚ a top-secret government organization hunting for portals created by a long-vanished alien race‚ portals that can teleport a person hundreds or thousands of light-years in the blink of an eye. Roarke and Selene are searching one such possibility when they find that someone appears to be stalking them. They evade their pursuers and return to find that a man named Easton Dent has been searching the Spiral’s databases for the names Gregory Roarke and Icarus. Roarke reluctantly agrees to meet with him. But that first contact is cut short‚ and hours later Roarke is arrested and accused of Dent’s murder. More importantly to Roarke’s Icarus Group overseers‚ that brief meeting also confirms that Dent was in recent contact with a portal. But the alien Patth are also searching for such portals‚ and they are also on the trail. It’s now a race… and the Patth have resources and ruthlessness far beyond anything Roarke and Selene can match.   December 19 Loki: Journey Into Mystery — Katherine Locke (Titan) When Earth is plagued by an epidemic of fear‚ ancient prophecy says only Thor can stop the monstrous threat of the Serpent‚ but without help from Loki‚ Thor is certain to fail. Aided by a handmaiden from Hel and a demon puppy‚ Loki must risk everything to find redemption—or doom himself for eternity. Either way‚ a Nightmare lies in wait hoping to rule the world‚ and Loki will have to risk everything on his craziest scheme of all! Meanwhile‚ new gods threaten to disrupt the status quo‚ throwing everything out of balance. Loki must act as a responsible ambassador‚ but will the Nine Realms end in Surtur’s fire? Young Loki must cross the realms to reclaim his own story‚ outwit ancient enemies‚ struggle to do the right thing‚ and avoid falling in love.

A new Fortnite season has begun. For as cool as all the shiny new stuff is‚ Vaults will be a familiar sight for players. We’ve got all you need to know about accessing Reckless Railway’s vault in Fortnite. Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1: How to unlock Reckless Railways Vault With these vaults‚ there are a bountiful number of rewards for players to unlock‚ and there are going to be some pre-requisite tasks you’ll need to accomplish beforehand. POIs such as Reckless Railway come with a boss; in this case‚ it’s Valeria‚ who can be found on the right side of the house‚ along with numerous guards. Players will need to eliminate Valeria‚ loot her Society Medallion‚ and then head downstairs. One here‚ you’re just going to need to stand in front of the vault scanner‚ and if you have the Medallion in your inventory‚ the scanner should open the vault. Related: How to get the Lamborghini vehicle skin in Fortnite Credit: Epic Ga...

While you probably know how to bring villagers into the valley in Disney Dreamlight Valley‚ do you know how to remove them? One of the latest updates brought the ability to get rid of unwanted villagers. If you’re not happy with one of your residents‚ here’s how to kick them out. Disney Dreamlight Valley: How to remove villagers Sometimes the valley can get quite crowded‚ so why not remove a villager or two? It’s super easy to do and undo if you feel like reverting it. How you can remove villagers in Disney Dreamlight Valley is by selecting the character list on your map‚ then selecting a character to remove. Screenshot: PC Invasion Pull up your map‚ and look to the left side of the screen. See that purple icon showing a book with a Mickey icon? Select that‚ and you’ll see a list of all your active villagers. Simply select any villager you wish to remove‚ and there it is! Related: How to unlock Valley Visi...

Borealis is one of the most sought-after Camos in MW3 and is exclusive to Modern Warfare Zombies. It’s a stunning decal‚ but make no mistake‚ you’ll have to work for it. If you’re struggling‚ let me show you how to get Borealis Camo as fast as possible in Modern Warfare Zombies. Related: Best guns to use in Modern Warfare Zombies How to get Borealis Camo in Modern Warfare Zombies Before we dive into tips‚ let me explain how the grind to Borealis works so we’re all on the same page. Borealis is unlocked by completing every Zombies mode Camo challenge for 36 MW3 weapons.  You can view your Camo progression through the Gunsmith menu under the ‘Customize’ Tab. Every gun has four unique Camos that are typically unlocked by leveling the weapon up (through use) and completing menial challenges. Most challenges are simple‚ like killing 250 Zombies when the gun has full attachments‚ but they all take time. With the fo...

These special Matryoshka Dolls spawn in various locations in Disney Dreamlight Valley‚ but how can you find them? They’re required for unlocking Jack Skellington from the Pumpkin King Returns update. If you’re struggling to spot these dolls‚ we can help you out. Disney Dreamlight Valley: Where to find the Matryoshka Dolls Unfortuntely‚ finding these dolls can get precarious due to where they appear. But since Jack Skellington is such a popular character‚ you should definitely go after these dolls. How you can find the Matryoshka Dolls in Disney Dreamlight Valley is quite random‚ due to the fact that their spawns are different for each player. Screenshot: PC Invasion Although‚ they aren’t entirely randomized to the point where we can’t point to their general directions. Most players online are explaining how they usually find these dolls in similar areas. The four Matryoshka Dolls will most likely spawn in these locations:...

Defense attorneys have coined the term “January 6 Jurisprudence” to describe the treatment received by the more than 1‚200 defendants arrested so far in connection with the events of Jan. 6‚ 2021. This carve-out legal system involves the unprecedented and possibly unlawful use of a corporate evidence-tampering statute; excessive prison sentences and indefinite periods of pretrial incarceration; and the designation of nonviolent offenses as federal crimes of terrorism. A universal feature is the requirement that a Jan. 6 defendant‚ usually a supporter of Donald Trump‚ face trial in Washington‚ D.C.‚ a city overwhelmingly populated by Democrats. Federal judges have denied every change of venue motion filed in Jan. 6 cases‚ arguing those who protested at the Capitol can get a fair trial in the nation’s capital. The results so far appear to contradict the court’s collective conclusion. Court records show the jury selection process has repeatedly revealed a strong degree of bias against anyone tied to Jan. 6. At least 130 defendants have been convicted at trial—not one has been acquitted by a jury—and hundreds have been sentenced to prison time ranging from seven days to 22 years. Defense lawyers say this track record helps explain why the vast majority of defendants have opted for a plea deal rather than go to trial. This is the same environment that now awaits the former president as he prepares to stand trial in Washington on March 4‚ 2024‚ on charges of election interference‚ in addition to an array of criminal and civil cases against him elsewhere. While special counsel Jack Smith’s team and Trump’s counsel spar over a number of issues‚ perhaps the biggest dispute will concern whether it will be possible to seat an impartial jury for the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee in a city that voted 92% for Joe Biden in 2020. After Smith indicted Trump in August‚ a Jan. 6 defense attorney who is not representing the former president‚ J. Daniel Hull‚ told the New York Times that Washington “is the worst possible place for any Jan. 6 defendant‚ but especially Donald Trump‚ to have a trial.” U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan recently set a jury selection schedule for Smith’s four-count indictment against Trump for the events of Jan. 6. She ordered both parties to begin developing a questionnaire‚ due Jan. 9‚ 2024‚ that hundreds of D.C. residents will be asked to complete so the court can begin the initial step of weeding out unqualified jurors. Stakes are high for both sides. Trump’s lawyers must navigate constraints on how many jurors can be stricken from consideration to ensure their client gets a fair trial. The Department of Justice must persuade the American people that a case brought by a Democratic administration and handled by a Democrat-appointed judge with a record of inflammatory statements about the former president will be heard by unbiased jurors. The Sixth Amendment guarantees‚ among other rights‚ “the right to a speedy and public trial‚ by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed.” In extreme cases‚ criminal defendants can petition to move their trial out of the prosecuting jurisdiction for a number of reasons‚ not the least of which is sustained‚ negative press coverage that taints the jury pool. Trump’s lawyers are not discussing their strategy publicly‚ but sources have indicated to RealClearInvestigations that the defense will file a change-of-venue motion in the next month or two. Given the partisan composition of Washington‚ saturation coverage of the former president’s ongoing legal woes‚ and the city’s relatively small population‚ Trump will have a strong argument in favor of moving the trial outside of the nation’s capital. Yet a review of Jan. 6 cases to date suggests the odds are against that. Not a single judge on the D.C. District Court has granted a change of venue motion even for high-profile trials‚ such as those for members of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys‚ the so-called “militia” groups involved in the Capitol protest. Despite nonstop local news coverage and nationally televised proceedings of the Democrat-run January 6 Select Committee that‚ in some instances‚ mentioned the defendants by name‚ Judge Timothy J. Kelly repeatedly rejected motions to move the Proud Boys’ seditious conspiracy trial out of Washington.  One month before jury selection began‚ Kelly acknowledged in a November 2022 order that the five defendants “have been the subject of more particularized and extensive media coverage than most January 6th defendants‚ in part because of the House Select Committee’s hearings this summer.” Nonetheless‚ Kelly‚ a Trump appointee‚ denied the defendants’ last-minute attempt to seek relief in another venue by noting‚ “the brighter spotlight on Defendants does not support transfer‚ mainly because the pretrial publicity here is national in scope‚ available to anyone across the country with access to a television or the internet.” Jury selection lasted several days‚ an anomaly for Jan. 6 trials. Despite the lengthy process‚ the panel still included several D.C. residents who disclosed participation in Democratic protests‚ including Black Lives Matter and the Women’s March‚ according to one court observer’s report. After a four-month trial and six days of deliberation‚ the jury convicted the defendants in May on multiple charges while returning not-guilty verdicts on a handful of other offenses‚ including impeding police officers. One juror told Vice News that he and his cohorts unanimously concluded in less than a day that four of the five defendants were guilty of seditious conspiracy‚ an exceedingly rare charge traditionally reserved for individuals tied to foreign terrorist groups. “[The jury] hated us with a passion‚” Joseph Biggs‚ one of the Proud Boys found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other charges‚ told RCI in an interview from his jail cell in September. “They wanted to see us die. One of them said he wanted to see us buried under the jail.” Despite the individual’s stated desire to see the defendants dead‚ he was seated on the panel.  Chutkan’s handling of her first jury trial for a Jan. 6 defendant‚ Russell Alford‚ also indicates how Trump might fare. Alford was charged in March 2021 with four misdemeanors for his 11-minute nonviolent walk through the Capitol. In rejecting Alford’s bid to move his trial‚ Chutkan downplayed the partisanship of D.C. residents and surveys that indicated higher-than-average prejudice against Capitol protesters. In her April 2022 order‚ Chutkan insisted that “jurors’ political leaning are not‚ by themselves‚ evidence that those jurors cannot fairly and impartially consider the evidence presented and apply the law as instructed by the court.” She also claimed an “expanded examination will effectively screen for prejudice among potential jurors in this case.”  A review of court transcripts‚ however‚ raises questions as to whether Chutkan fulfilled her promise. A jury questionnaire exposed a bias so strong against Jan. 6 protesters that half the respondents were automatically eliminated from consideration. Many who remained were also problematic. After one day of voir dire‚ which is the direct questioning of potential jurors‚ Chutkan still allowed individuals who expressed critical views about anyone involved in Jan. 6 to serve on the panel. One juror said people who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6 “were probably guilty.” Another who worked as an investigator for federal agencies‚ including the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration‚ admitted he had “strong feelings about the individuals who gathered at the Capitol on January 6.”  Chutkan rejected a defense attorney’s request to remove that juror from consideration. “I’m going to deny it because he said he has training; he’s by nature trained to be skeptical. He has an opinion‚ but it appears that he is willing to confine his verdict to the evidence presented in the case.” Did People Lie to Get on Jan. 6 Juries? A staffer for Sen. Ben Ray Lujan‚ D-N.M.‚ also got the nod‚ despite telling Chutkan he knew many Capitol police officers—several of whom are routinely called as government witnesses in Jan. 6 trials—and his confession that the day was “pretty impactful” on him. On several occasions‚ Chutkan reassured the skeptical defense team that the selected jurors would set aside personal feelings to objectively weigh the evidence. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts in less than four hours. Alford now wonders whether jurors were being honest. “They told us what we wanted to hear so they could get on the panel‚” Alford told Real Clear Investigations by phone from a halfway house last month. He had just finished serving 176 days of a 12-month jail sentence imposed by Chutkan. “In any other jurisdiction‚ we would have won. We thought we could get a fair shake‚ but they all were connected to the government.” Alford’s experience is not an outlier. Post-trial interviews with jurors have often revealed bias. In a lengthy discussion with C-SPAN’s Brian Lamb following her service on an Oath Keepers’ trial earlier this year‚ a woman named Ellen‚ a former co-worker of Lamb‚ described how she desperately tried to get selected as a juror. When she finally was selected‚ Ellen admitted she “was shocked beyond belief.” Over the course of several days of deliberations‚ Ellen said she successfully persuaded reluctant jurors to render guilty verdicts against the six defendants‚ including a 72-year-old who didn’t enter the Capitol and an autistic young man. She worked in tandem with a juror who had worked as a lawyer for the Department of Justice‚ the same government agency prosecuting the defendants. “How that was allowed‚ I’ll never know‚” Ellen told Lamb. “He couldn’t believe it.” Ellen also expressed disdain for the people on trial. “They weren’t even from big cities. These were people from‚ living on farms in rural places‚ most of them had no concept of Washington‚ D.C.‚” she told Lamb. Democrat Mosby’s Change of Venue The situation was quite different‚ however‚ for a former Democratic elected official recently on trial in neighboring Maryland. A grand jury indicted Marilyn Mosby‚ the former state’s attorney for the city of Baltimore‚ in 2022 on four counts of perjury related to COVID-19 fraud. Her lawyers asked the judge to move the trial‚ which was set to begin on Oct. 31‚ 2023‚ out of the Baltimore area to the southern district of Maryland based on studies that uncovered higher levels of bias among prospective jurors in the northern district‚ the location where the trial was set to take place. The analysis‚ conducted by Trial Innovations Inc.‚ evaluated “relevant newsprint‚ television‚ and social media coverage” and determined that “the Northern Division jury pool has been saturated with prejudicial coverage surrounding the Defendant.” Telephone interviews of eligible residents in the two districts also revealed distinct disparities. For example‚ 62% of respondents in the northern district had read‚ seen‚ or heard of Mosby compared to 42% in the southern district. Nearly half of the respondents in the northern district considered Mosby “somewhat” or “very” corrupt compared with roughly one-quarter who had the same response in the southern district. In granting Mosby’s motion in September‚ U.S. District Court Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby concluded that “pre-trial publicity about this case has‚ to a degree‚ negatively impacted the views held about the Defendant by potential jurors residing in the Court’s Northern Division more so than their counterparts in the Southern Division.” (Mosby was convicted on all counts on Nov. 9.) Defense surveys in Jan. 6 cases point to the same‚ if not higher‚ level of prejudice among D.C. residents. A May 2022 survey compared attitudes between Washington residents and those living in areas of Florida‚ North Carolina‚ and Virginia. While 85% of D.C. residents consider Jan. 6 an “insurrection‚ attack‚ or riot‚” only 41% of Florida residents agreed with the description. Seventy-two percent of D.C. respondents were more likely than not to find a Jan. 6 defendant guilty‚ as opposed to 48% of respondents in Virginia and North Carolina and 37% of Florida respondents. Forty percent of D.C. residents think the events of Jan. 6 were racially motivated‚ while less than 20% of the respondents in the three other states thought so.  Unlike the judge overseeing the Mosby matter‚ D.C. judges are unmoved by such disparities. While overall public interest in Jan. 6 has waned nearly three years later‚ it remains a campaign issue for Democrats and a top news story in the nation’s capital. The Washington Post maintains a “January 6 Insurrection” portal on its website‚ providing updates on Trump’s trial and other proceedings related to the Capitol protest. CBS News’ Washington affiliate has a full-time reporter assigned only to cover the events of Jan. 6. Jury selection for a November trial indicated little change in prospective jurors’ intensely negative views about Jan. 6. Voir dire for the trial of Taylor Johnatakis‚ a man from Washington state charged with multiple offenses for his participation in the Capitol protest‚ showed a sustained level of prejudice against Jan. 6 defendants. Five of the first 10 individuals were excused after confessing they could not fairly assess the evidence or follow the judge’s instructions to set aside their opinion to reach a verdict. One man‚ a historian for the American Historical Association‚ admitted he had written columns describing Jan. 6 as an “insurrection.” A public school teacher told the judge she uses Jan. 6 as a “teachable moment” for her special-needs students and that she still discusses the issue with her fellow educators. Another woman works for a provider that offered mental health services for who she described as “traumatized” police officers who were “victims” of Jan. 6. (All were struck for cause.) Some seated jurors recalled their emotional reaction to that day. One woman‚ who has been on disability for 13 years‚ said she “burst out crying” when she watched events unfold at the Capitol. (Johnatakis‚ who represented himself‚ was convicted on all counts after just a few hours of deliberation.) Court watchers say such attitudes will make it especially hard to seat a fair jury for the most controversial figure in America‚ Donald Trump. It is difficult to contemplate how the government and Chutkan will get around years of hypercritical coverage of Trump—not just related to Jan. 6 but stretching back to claims Trump illegally colluded with Russia to rig the 2016 election and every investigation in between. Still‚ it is highly unlikely that Chutkan will consent to Trump’s request to move the trial to another jurisdiction. She will‚ as she did in Alford’s case‚ note that court-ordered venue changes are rare‚ even in trials of wide public interest. (She compared Alford’s trial to that of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev‚ where the judge refused to move his trial out of the city.) There are‚ however‚ exceptions. In 1996‚ a federal judge moved the trial of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols to Denver. After considering intense news coverage of the deadly attack and its impact on the community‚ U.S. District Court Judge Richard Matsch concluded: “There is so great a prejudice against these two defendants in the state of Oklahoma that they cannot obtain a fair and impartial trial at any place fixed by law for holding court in that state.” The change of venue request was not opposed by the lead prosecutor in that case—Merrick Garland‚ who now oversees the U.S. Justice Department as attorney general of the United States. Originally published by RealClearInvestigations  The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus you The post STACKED DECK: The ‘Jan. 6 Jurisprudence’ About to Be Unleashed on Trump in DC appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week told the communist regime’s coast guard simply to enforce maritime law‚ but we all know what that really means—and it has nothing to do with upholding the rule of law on the high seas. Chinese vessels collided last month with a Philippine resupply boat and a Philippine coast guard ship within the span of a few hours. These confrontations were the latest of many between the two countries over competing territorial claims to a submerged reef called the Second Thomas Shoal‚ a military outpost in the Spratly Islands some 120 miles from the Philippines.  This situation underscores the need for America to adopt a robust response in the region and defend its treaty allies from Chinese bullying—before the situation escalates into the next major international conflict. The Second Thomas Shoal is the site of a critical yet unorthodox Philippine military outpost in the form of a World War II warship run aground on the Spratly Islands‚ equipped with relatively few marines. The ship’s presence maintains Philippine sovereignty over the shoal‚ but the vessel remains a liability; its dilapidated state requires frequent resupply missions. In fact‚ international scrutiny has grown with the belief that the grounded ship may fall off the reef and sink‚ allowing China to seize the shoal.  Philippine resupply missions are fodder for increasingly aggressive Chinese vessels that attempt to isolate the post‚ including the two collisions last month.  It’s not new that Chinese ships operate within the Second Thomas Shoal‚ the Spratly Islands‚ and the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone. China increasingly has used its “maritime militia” to conduct illegal‚ unreported‚ and unregulated fishing as well as coercive activities against others who claim the South China Sea. To date‚ China has used everything from warships and cutters to fishing boats to harass and intimidate the Philippines and other regional actors.  In October‚ for example‚ a Chinese naval vessel followed and attempted to cross in front of a Philippine resupply ship near the Spratly Islands. In September‚ the Philippines accused China’s maritime militia of damaging coral reefs in the Spratly Islands.  In August‚ a Philippine military supply boat en route to the shoal reportedly was blocked by Chinese coast guard vessels using water cannons. In July‚ the Philippines noted almost 50 Chinese fishing ships “swarming” around a reef in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. And in April‚ a Chinese coast guard ship came alarmingly close to colliding with a Philippine patrol vessel heading toward Second Thomas Shoal. China’s escalation from using fishing boats to deploying naval and coast guard ships and increasing the frequency of these dangerous encounters is a clear warning signal that Xi is taking off the gloves. Now that China has succeeded in physically preventing supplies from reaching the shoal‚ what will its next moves be? Although the Second Thomas Shoal is over 8‚000 miles from the U.S. mainland‚ China’s belligerent actions there have major implications for America. The Philippines‚ with a shared wartime experience‚ is a longstanding treaty ally with which we have enjoyed strong relations for over 75 years.  During Oct. 22 discussions‚ Manila and Washington explored the possibility of conducting joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea. The U.S. government has reiterated that any action against Philippine territory in the South China Sea‚ including islands and shoals claimed by China‚ would be covered by the U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty. Consistent with this‚ the U.S. could consider joint resupply missions and engage in a persistent‚ robust naval presence surrounding the shoal.  A lacking response to China’s prior provocations enabled and empowered Xi to pursue the escalations seen today. China’s illegal fishing and maritime bullying activities in neighbors’ waters are a litmus test to gauge the willingness of the United States and the international community to uphold and enforce maritime law.   America must do a better job of matching Chinese aggression with steadfast deterrence while highlighting China’s blatant violations of international law. As The Heritage Foundation has pointed out‚ the U.S. is in a new Cold War with China. The U.S. should help the Philippines develop better airlift capabilities for resupplying and also shadow Philippine ships to deter China from interfering during resupply missions. What’s happening at the Second Thomas Shoal is a harbinger of events to come if the U.S. permits this multipronged Chinese pressure campaign to destabilize Indo-Pacific security and international law to go unchecked. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post America Must Confront China for Ramping Up Belligerence in South China Sea appeared first on The Daily Signal.

FBI Director Chris Wray admitted to Sen. Josh Hawley that he has not fired anyone at the FBI’s Richmond office over the memo urging the FBI to investigate “radical traditional Catholics.” “You haven’t fired anybody‚” Hawley‚ a Missouri Republican‚ said to Wray in a Senate hearing Tuesday. He pressed Wray on the FBI Richmond office’s Jan. 23 memo citing the Southern Poverty Law Center in urging an investigation of “radical‚ traditional Catholic hate groups.” After a whistleblower published it in February‚ the FBI rescinded that memo‚ saying it did not reach the bureau’s standards. Hawley cited a report that the House Judiciary Committee and the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government released on the Catholic memo Monday. “In fact‚ what the House found is what is it‚ you admonished them‚” Hawley said. Mockingly‚ he added‚ “Oh I feel much better. They’ve been sent to bed without food.” “Good heavens‚ director! This is one of the most outrageous targetings‚” the senator added. “You have mobilized your division‚ the most powerful law enforcement division in the world‚ against traditionalist Catholics—whatever the heck that means—and you have just told us you have not fired a single person.” He went on to cite the House report‚ which found that key staff at the Richmond office did not see a problem with the report. “What are you going to do about this? Are you going to fire these people or not?” the senator pressed. “Those individuals have all been admonished and it is all going into their… annual performance reviews‚ which has direct impact on their compensation‚ among other things‚” Wray responded. “Do you have a problem with systemic bigotry against Catholics at the FBI?” Hawley also asked. Wray flatly responded‚ “No.” BREAKING: @HawleyMO slams Wray: "This is one of the most outrageous targetings. You have mobilized your division against traditionalist Catholics—whatever the heck that means—and you have just told us you have not fired a single person" responsible. pic.twitter.com/JA1PPrpscv— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) December 5‚ 2023 The FBI memo urged agents to probe the supposed nexus between “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists” and “radical-traditional Catholics‚” citing the Southern Poverty Law Center and including a list of SPLC-designated “hate groups” for agents to target. The FBI told The Daily Signal that it was rescinding the memo after FBI whistleblower Kyle Seraphin published it on UncoverDC.com on Feb. 8. The national FBI office claimed that the memo “does not meet the exacting standards of the FBI” and promised to remove the document from its systems and “conduct a review of the basis for the document‚” but it refused to answer further questions about the move. As I explain in my book “Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center‚” the SPLC took the program it has used to bankrupt organizations associated with the Ku Klux Klan and weaponized it against conservative groups‚ partially to scare donors into ponying up cash and partially to silence ideological opponents. The SPLC places conservative groups on a “hate map” with KKK chapters. After the SPLC fired its co-founder amid a racial discrimination and sexual harassment scandal in 2019‚ a former staffer claimed that the SPLC’s accusations of “hate” are a “cynical fundraising scam” aimed at “bilking northern liberals.” Critics across the political spectrum have voiced opposition and alarm at the organization’s hate group smears. A terrorist even targeted an SPLC-designated “hate group” in Washington‚ D.C.‚ in 2012‚ and he told the FBI he used the “hate map” to find his target. The SPLC condemned that act of terror‚ but kept the target on the list and the map. The SPLC has also suggested that the Catholic Church itself holds a position on human sexuality that would qualify it as a “hate group.” Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  2023-12-04-The-FBIs-Breach-of-Religious-Freedom-The-Weaponization-of-Law-Enforcement-Against-Catholic-Americans14Download The post FBI Director Admits He Hasn’t Fired Anyone Over Anti-Catholic Memo appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. As TikTok’s platform experiences a supposed surge in climate-related content‚ there are growing demands to censor the spread of what is deemed “misinformation” or “disinformation.” Ian Gill‚ TikTok’s Global Head of Sustainability‚ voiced these worries during the COP28 conference in Dubai. TikTok’s response? A $1 million initiative specifically for COP28 to counter this so-called misinformation‚ partnering with Verified for Climate – a joint project of the United Nations and Purpose. But here’s the catch: This initiative hinges on a controversial premise. By assembling a group of “Verified Champions” – experts and scientists from Brazil‚ Spain‚ and the UAE – TikTok is essentially curating a specific narrative on climate change. These Champions guide selected TikTok creators to produce educational content that challenges what TikTok labels as climate misinformation. Gill emphasized TikTok’s commitment to combatting harmful misinformation and promoting reliable information‚ but their criteria for misinformation are narrow. They ban content that contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change‚ including denial of its reality or causes. Yet‚ in doing so‚ they might also be stifling legitimate debates and alternative perspectives in the scientific community. TikTok has indeed become a hub for climate change awareness and sustainable living‚ with hashtags like #climatechange garnering billions of views. Gill spoke of transforming climate anxiety into empowerment and action‚ engaging users in climate dialogues through hashtags and documentary series. However‚ the effectiveness and fairness of these dialogues are under scrutiny if TikTok’s policies potentially silence dissenting voices or alternative viewpoints under the guise of fighting misinformation. The post TikTok Outlines Funding To Curb Climate “Misinformation” appeared first on Reclaim The Net.