China's aspirations of seeing its hundred-year marathon through to displacing the U.S. and becoming global hegemon by 2049 are growing increasingly fantastical. The economic and social problems the Asian nation faced in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic have not gone away. Rather‚ things have continued to deteriorate. Fallout of the one-child policy China faces a worsening demographic crisis‚ due in part to the Chinese Communist Party's one-child policy as well as to other correlated factors such as a decrease in the number of women of childbearing age‚ higher suicide rates in women than in men‚ sex-selective abortion‚ and declining fertility. The birth rate was over 20 births per 1‚000 people in 1990‚ one decade after the implementation of the one-child policy. Over the next 25 years‚ the country saw a precipitous decline in the birth rate‚ which a two-child policy in 2016 was unable to arrest. The rate hit a record low of 7.5 births per 1‚000 people in 2021. Data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics Wednesday indicated the birth rate reached a new low in 2023 of 6.39 per 1‚000 people‚ reported the BBC. The country's annual population has in turn fallen for a second consecutive year‚ this time by an estimated 2.08 million people. "It's not a surprise. They've got one of the lowest fertility rates in the world so this is just what happens - the population stops growing and starts to decline‚" Stuart Gietel-Basten‚ a population policy expert at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology‚ told the BBC. The country's fertility rate in 1950‚ the year after communists formally took power‚ was 5.29. The rate dropped to a record low of 1.16 in 2022. Blaze News previously noted that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development regards 2.1 as the standard for a stable population. Demographic stability has been further undermined by a sex-ratio imbalance. As of 2021‚ there were over 34.9 million more men than women in the country‚ reported Newsweek. "It's kind of locked in now… this is just the next year in this new era of population stagnation or decline for China‚" added Gietel-Basten. The demographic problem has been compounded by economic stress as many of those in China who want and can physically have children reportedly cannot afford to do so. Economic woes Data released this week revealed the Chinese economy had allegedly grown at one of the slowest rates in over 30 years. Reuters reported that China's GDP allegedly grew by 5.2% in the fourth quarter of 2023‚ disappointing many investors and analysts. "Although the government met its 2023 GDP growth target of 'around 5.0%'‚ achieving the same pace of expansion in 2024 will prove a lot more challenging‚" said Julian Evans-Pritchard‚ head of China Economics at Capital Economics. The China Beige Book International's latest survey suggested‚ "Any true acceleration (this year) will require either a major global upside surprise or more active government policy." Craig Singleton‚ senior China fellow at the non-partisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies‚ told Newsweek that the regime's latest claims about the country's GDP growth "are just not credible." "Focusing on China's false GDP figures risks missing the forest for the tree‚" said Singleton. "The days of China's sky-high growth are over." "There is no getting around the fact that China is in damage control mode‚ attempting to project a sense of stability to the international community while grappling with myriad domestic challenges. If ever the cliché 'investor beware' applied‚ it's now‚" added Singleton. The country is struggling with high debt‚ a stock market in free fall‚ and a real estate crisis that continues to ravage the sector. Reuters indicated that amid China's disputed recovery and in the face of concerns about renewed lockdowns‚ the jobless rate nationwide increased to 5.1% last month and unemployment among Chinese youths ages 16 to 24 also remains high. The youth unemployment rate skyrocketed to 21.3% in June 2023‚ prompting the regime to suspend the release of monthly data. The rate allegedly sank to 14.1% in December‚ but is still high enough to create trouble for the regime‚ which has promised progressive increases in living standards in exchange for acceptance of its authoritarian rule. In addition to a potentially restive‚ largely male youth population‚ China has to contend with its massive elderly population. The BBC indicated that the retiree population‚ placing increasing pressure on the health care and pension systems‚ is projected to increase by 60% to 400 million over the next 10 years. The Guardian noted that 14% of China's population is over the age of 65 and is on track to have more geriatrics than the entire population of the United States. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A child-sex sting operation in California earlier this month led to the arrest of more than a dozen men‚ including a noted LGBTQ+ activist who had recently been appointed executive director of a "queer" nonprofit.Between January 5 and 6‚ members of several state and local agencies assisted police in Turlock‚ California — about 15 miles southeast of Modesto — in executing a sting operation to nab sexual deviants attempting to prey on minors. Undercover officers posed as teens ranging in age between 13 and 17 and began interacting with other users on dating apps. Various suspects eventually agreed to meet up with their dating app correspondents — whom they believed to be underage — "for the purpose of sexual activity‚" a press release from Turlock PD said."We got hits on every age‚" claimed Detective Gina Giovacchini‚ who orchestrated the sting.In all‚ police arrested 17 men‚ most of them from Stanislaus County. One of the local suspects swept up in the sting was Gerad Slayton‚ a 42-year-old man who had recently been appointed to be the executive director of the Rainbow Resource Center in Modesto. On its Facebook page‚ which has "BIGRAINBOWFLAG" as its username‚ the RRC describes itself as a "Non-Profit Queer Resource Center serving Stanislaus County. Not Your Typical Pride Center!"As with many other suspects‚ Slayton was charged with meeting with a minor for the purpose of sex‚ a felony‚ and booked in the Stanislaus County jail. He has pled not guilty and appears to have been assessed a bail of $250‚000. He is scheduled to appear in court again on January 29.The RRC issued a statement following Slayton's arrest‚ insisting that his alleged actions occurred "outside working hours and off-premises" and that organization leaders treat the allegations against him "with the utmost seriousness." "Mr. Slayton's actions do not represent our organization's values or mission‚" the statement added.In an interview with the Modesto Bee‚ RRC interim executive director Alex Gutierrez indicated that though Slayton joined the RRC a year and a half ago‚ at the time of his arrest‚ he was not interacting with many of the people the organization ostensibly serves. "He was new in that position and was working mostly with kind of staff roles‚" Gutierrez explained. "So I can’t say that he didn’t have‚ you know‚ any contact with people‚ with peers in general‚ you know‚ not to say zero contact‚ but we have definitely other layers of [contact] when you first come in‚ you don’t obviously meet the executive director."When pressed‚ Gutierrez admitted that the RCC does work with minors‚ though he said most people who go to the center are between the ages of 25 and 35."We’re obviously ready for whatever happens‚ but‚ you know‚ this was a personal decision made by one of our employees‚ and it’s unfortunate‚" Gutierrez added."So‚ it is‚ you know‚ very impactful for us. We are trying to get through it."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here! Turlock police arrest 17 in online child predator operation www.youtube.com

An Atlanta-based studio that teaches women to dance on a pole like a professional stripper has now decided to broaden its classes to target a much younger audience. With its new "Mommy and Me" classes‚ girls and boys as young as 4 can learn to twirl around a pole‚ prompting cries of outrage about the apparent sexualization of young children.Next month‚ Pink Dance and Aerial Studio‚ also known as Pink Poles Studio‚ will begin offering a workshop called "Mommy and Me." During the class‚ kids 4 and up will be "swinging‚ sliding and flipping on a pole" while "moms and peers cheer them on in the background‚" said a statement defending the classes on the company's website.Though the statement repeatedly insists that pole dancing has little or nothing to do with "stripping‚" a video to promote the class shows young girls performing pole stunts often associated with those seen in strip clubs. For this reason‚ Blaze News is choosing not to link to the promo video.No clothing is removed during the class‚ the statement claims. The "children wear age-appropriate gym wear‚ and adult students are fully clothed too." However‚ the statement also boasts that the course will help students‚ ostensibly including children‚ "embrace ... their sensuality."The statement also claims that the class gives families quality bonding time in which "moms can unleash their inner child with their daughters (or sons!)‚ exploring a variety of fun pole tricks and spins." Despite the strong backlash the course has received on social media‚ the overall response has been "overwhelmingly positive‚" the statement said.Tiajuanna "Tia" Harris supposedly founded the pole dancing studio a decade ago‚ despite having "no exotic dancer background or affiliation with stripping." An image contained in the statement indicates that the studio‚ which now has four Atlanta-area locations‚ was the result of divine inspiration. "God gave me a vision and fully funded‚" read the message attending an image of Harris‚ "now 10 years later I'm still winning and getting better each day."Another message attending the "Mommy and Me" promo video on Instagram likewise references divine intervention‚ claiming that God brought Harris together with a "gymnastics coach" known as Royalty Pole at just the right time. "We know she’s perfect for the job‚" the message said. "... God aligned us perfectly and [at] the perfect time."It appears that Royalty or another "gymnastics coach" like her will be supervising the kids during the "Mommy and Me" classes. Royalty's "adult" Instagram page does not appear to contain any videos of traditional gymnastics performances but contains hundreds of posts and videos of stripper-like pole dancing‚ complete with platform shoes and other notorious erotic attire. Her child-friendly Instagram page‚ kidspoletoo_‚ offers just two videos. In both of them‚ she is wearing much more modest clothing.Though Royalty's gymnastics expertise is unclear‚ the Pink Poles Studios statement still hints that young "Mommy and Me" participants may grow up to become Olympic champions like beloved gymnasts Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles. "Pole is a SPORT‚" it states emphatically‚ "and if any of these kids aspire to compete in the Olympics one day‚ they can and will!"Sadly‚ that assertion may not be wrong. In 2020‚ the Global Association of International Sports Federation‚ the organization which determines whether an activity is considered a sport‚ gave pole dancing the official nod‚ creating a path for it to become an Olympic sport some day. After the official GAISF go-ahead‚ pole dancing enthusiasts quickly scrambled to figure out a way to make the sport competitive. "We had to come up with a scoring system‚ rules and anti-doping process‚ everything you would associate with a sport like [soccer]‚" Katie Coates‚ president of the International Pole Sports Federation‚ said at the time.The IPSF offers several age-related categories‚ including "senior 18+ women‚" "senior 30+ women‚" "Master 60+ Women‚" and "Junior Female." There are many categories designated for males as well‚ including a "junior" competition. The website does not state the age range for "junior" competitors. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Silicon Valley technology moguls behind a plan to build a new city in California are trying to gain favor with skeptical locals by offering "ten Guarantees" that are "legally binding‚" according to a Wednesday news post on the project's website."California Forever‚" the firm behind the project‚ quietly purchased 52‚000 acres of land near Travis Air Force Base in Solano County and plans to transform the area into a bustling and sustainable walkable city. The firm is backed by big names in the technology and finance industries‚ including Andreessen Horowitz‚ Laurene Powell Jobs‚ Michael Moritz‚ Reid Hoffman‚ Patrick and John Collison‚ Daniel Gross‚ and Nat Friedman‚ according to an August New York Times report.On Wednesday‚ the firm announced "a powerful set of 10 guarantees to ensure the plan delivers on" the group's promise to create "more good paying jobs… and more county revenue to improve schools‚ promote public safety‚ reduce homelessness‚ and upgrade infrastructure."California Forever said it will contribute to the existing community's growth by "creating good-paying jobs." "The project has to support creation of at least 15‚000 jobs that pay at least 125% of county average weekly wage by the time we hit 50‚000 residents‚ or we can't grow‚" the firm's article read. According to United States Census Data‚ the median household income in the county was $97‚037 in 2022.The firm also promised to carve out "new pathways to homeownership" by providing hundreds of millions of dollars in down payment assistance. The development will primarily consist of row homes and apartment buildings."$400 million in funding for down payment assistance for Solano County residents to buy homes in the new community‚ including homes for working families‚ teachers‚ nurses‚ police and firefighters‚ and construction workers‚" the firm stated. "Funding can also be used to help build affordable homes for low‚ very low‚ extremely low‚ and special needs households‚ including veterans‚ seniors‚ and agricultural workers."California Forever guaranteed it would allocate $70 million to fund higher education scholarships and small businesses. Additionally‚ it committed to investing $200 million in revitalizing downtown areas in Solano County by "renovating or building homes‚ offices‚ shops‚ and other mixed-use buildings."As part of the group's sustainable energy commitments‚ the project includes permitting solar farms with the ability to power approximately 1.5 million homes.The massive land purchase near Travis Air Force Base by Flannery Associates‚ the investment group behind California Forever‚ sparked national security concerns‚ Blaze News previously reported. Prior to the Times' August report‚ the identities of the group's financial backers were unknown‚ leading some to believe the firm might have Chinese or other foreign adversary ties. As a result‚ the U.S. Treasury Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States launched an investigation into the group's purchase‚ which is still ongoing.Many locals‚ including Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy‚ have been pushing to block the elites from developing the new city. Moy expressed concerns about the investors' business connections with China. California Democratic Rep. John Garamendi accused the firm of implementing "strong-arm mobster techniques" to acquire the land from small local farmers. To win over critics and squelch national security concerns‚ California Forever announced that it is committed to developing "a new Travis Security Zone‚ by nearly doubling the size of the current buffer from 7‚971 acres in the 2008 General Plan to a new total of nearly 15‚000 acres."The group further pledged that "the project has to pay its own way through taxes generated by its residents employers‚ without imposing any new tax or other fiscal obligation on any Solano County resident or business located outside of the proposed community.""All ten Guarantees are legally binding on California Forever and enforceable by the county‚" the firm stated.During a press conference on Wednesday announcing the details of the project‚ California Forever CEO Jan Sramek reaffirmed the group's commitment to work with the community and the military base."When we started the project‚ we had two roles. We knew we had to protect the base‚ but we didn't want to stop there. We wanted to be a partner that can make the base stronger today and for all the generations to come‚" Sramek stated. He noted that not only is the project planning to double the base's security buffer zone‚ but the entire community will be located outside the noise and the accident-potential zones established by base officials.A November vote will determine whether the project can advance. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The so-called "non-binary" shooter behind the November 2022 massacre at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs received five consecutive life sentences plus an additional 2‚208 years of prison time in June. He is now set add some years to the total‚ pleading guilty to 74 counts of federal hate and gun crime charges. The shooter hung out at Club Q on Nov. 19‚ 2022‚ then briefly left‚ returning dressed in body armor and toting a semi-automatic rifle. He proceeded to murder five people and injure 19 in what the Department of Justice characterized as a "willful‚ deliberate‚ malicious and premeditated attack." While he attempted to mow down dozens of additional victims‚ heroic patrons at the club were able to restrain him until police arrived on the scene. The victims killed in the shooting were Daniel Aston‚ 28; Kelly Loving‚ 40; Ashley Paugh‚ 35; Derrick Rump‚ 38; and Raymond Green Vance‚ 22. The mother of Ashtin Gamblin‚ a victim who was riddled with bullets but nevertheless managed to survive‚ asked the judge presiding over the shooter's state case to "lock this animal away to the depths of hell." Judge Michael McHenry obliged the victim's mother‚ ensuring the shooter‚ now 23‚ would never again walk free‚ with thousands of years of prison time and no chance at parole. "That is the longest sentence ever achieved in the Fourth Judicial District and the second‚ to my knowledge‚ longest sentence ever achieved in the state of Colorado‚ second only to the sentence achieved in the Aurora theater shooting case‚" said Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen‚ reported CNN. While the shooter‚ son of a pornographer‚ identified as "non-binary" in court filings for the case and indicated his pronouns were "they/them‚" Allen addressed him as a male throughout the case‚ stressing that "there is zero evidence prior to the shooting that he was non-binary." On Tuesday‚ the DOJ announced the shooter had been slapped with hate crime and firearms charges. CNN‚ which elected to use the shooter's preferred pronouns‚ reported that the shooter struck a deal with prosecutors whereby he will plead guilty to all 74 counts — including 50 hate crime charges — and in exchange receive "multiple concurrent life sentences plus additional consecutive sentences totaling 190 years imprisonment‚" in the event a judge approves of the plea deal. The Jan. 9 plea agreement was unsealed Tuesday after the shooter pleaded not guilty earlier in the day‚ reported the Associated Press. While the death penalty was on the table‚ the plea agreement would let the shooter squeak by unscathed. "It's angering and upsetting‚" said Ashtin Gamblin‚ reported Colorado Public Radio‚ which revised Gamblin's comments to respect the mass shooter's preferred pronouns. "Honestly I was hoping for a death penalty." "I feel like [they] just got grounded‚ personally‚ it feels like with the 2‚208 years‚ it's like [they] got grounded‚ go sit in your room for the rest of your life‚" said Gamblin. "The death penalty for me. … I just want [them] to sit with the thought of not knowing when [they're] going to die‚ or the fact [they] could die at any day‚ at any time‚ because that’s exactly what [they] did to us." Michael Anderson‚ who was bartending at the club on the night of the shooting‚ suggested the federal charges would send "a message to people who want to commit violent acts against this community‚ and lets them know this is not something that is swept away or overlooked." The shooter told the AP that at the time of the shooting‚ he was on a "very large plethora of drugs" and abusing steroids. Just over a year before the shooting‚ the "non-binary" shooter was reportedly arrested for threatening his grandparents and vowing to become "the next mass killer‚" stockpiling weapons and bomb-making materials. He was cut loose and his case was dismissed in 2021after his grandparents stopped cooperating with prosecutors. The shooter is presently siting in the Wyoming State Penitentiary‚ having been relocated on account of safety concerns. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Phasmophobia was probably the first co-op horror game experience I ever really put a good few hours into‚ and anyone who has played it will understand why. Kinetic Games' spooktacular paranormal adventure is unique to say the least‚ allowing players to group up and tackle a variety of supernatural beings. Following its massive Ascension update a few months back though‚ many fans have awaited news of any changes or fixes. Now‚ we finally have our first look at the developer's plans. Continue reading Forget Lethal Company‚ another 10/10 co-op horror is getting an update MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games on PC‚ Best VR games‚ Best ghost games

Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League is almost here‚ and fans are gearing up to explore Rocksteady Studios' massive take on Metropolis. If you've been following the developer's progress thus far closely‚ you may recall that back in 2022‚ the team's co-founders left stating that it was "time to hand over the reins" and "start a new adventure together in games." According to a business report containing a company listing‚ both Jamie Walker and Sefton Hill then went on to form a new studio‚ Hundred Star Games. Continue reading Rocksteady co-founders form new studio ahead of Suicide Squad release MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Kill the Justice League system requirements‚ Kill the Justice League release date‚ Best PC games

The new poll has Haley 16 points behind Trump‚ but 29 points ahead of DeSantis.

The federal judge has already found Trump liable for defaming Carroll and the jury is now determining the damages.

Just What We Needed! New York Magazine Publishes Helpful Guide to 'Polyamory'