The Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea are threatening to disrupt U.S. and global markets with delayed shipping times and increased goods prices‚ The Washington Post reported. The Yemen-based Houthis have launched several attacks since Oct. 7 against vessels in the Red Sea as part of retaliation efforts against Israel and its allies. In an effort to avoid the Houthis‚ commercial vessels are now taking longer routes to reach their destinations‚ resulting in delays and higher shipping costs‚ and ultimately increased prices for consumer goods in the U.S. and across the world‚ according to the Post. Major shipping companies like COSCO‚ Maersk‚ and CMA CGM‚ as well as several fuel tankers‚ previously utilized major trade routes in the Red Sea that cut through Africa and Asia‚ according to the Post. The recent spate of Houthi attacks has forced shipping vessels to move down and around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. This new route adds thousands of miles and potentially weeks of time to a vessel’s trip‚ according to the Post.“It’s about an 8% longer journey‚ which is going to drive prices up quite a bit for ocean freight—that’s a material impact on prices for the goods themselves‚” Ryan Petersen‚ CEO of Flexport‚ told the Post. Petersen noted that the higher costs associated with shipping these goods will affect the prices of “most of the stuff that you see in stores.” There goes the wave. Just about every westbound ship has turned south for the Cape. pic.twitter.com/cpIRJYpNQn— Nathan Strang (@NavyStrang) December 19‚ 2023 Delayed shipping times also mean that some of the goods these vessels are carrying will no longer be in season when they finally arrive at their destination‚ making them less profitable to retailers and wholesalers‚ according to the Post. “You can’t sell Valentine’s Day cards on St. Patrick’s Day‚” George Kochanowski‚ CEO of shipping container company Staxxon‚ told the Post. U.S. and other international consumers that relied on goods delivered through the Red Sea will feel the brunt of increased costs and delays‚ according to the Post. Though the immediate consequences affect companies that previously shipped through Red Sea routes‚ compounded traffic will “ultimately metastasize to the entire world‚” Richard Danderline‚ CFO of Staxxon‚ told the Post. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in December that an international task force had been formed to combat the Houthis’ aggression in the Red Sea. The Houthis have launched more than 100 attacks against 10 commercial vessels‚ and managed to hijack one ship before bringing it back to a Yemeni port in November. There is no timeline for how long the Houthis will keep up their attacks‚ but the U.S. maintains its right to defend itself and its interests‚ a Pentagon spokesperson told the Post. Originally published by the Daily Caller News 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 your name and town and/or state. The post US Consumers Face Higher Prices for Goods as Houthis Continue Attacks on Commercial Vessels appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Honduran nationals are running fentanyl trafficking rings in cities across the western U.S.‚ an alternative newspaper in Oregon reports. Law enforcement agencies have been investigating a cartel using “Honduran nationals to distribute bulk amounts of fentanyl … in the western United States‚” according to Willamette Week‚ citing a criminal complaint filed Dec. 12 in U.S. District Court in Portland. Fentanyl trafficking operations have been identified in the cities of Seattle‚ Denver‚ Portland‚ Oregon‚ Oakland‚ California‚ and Salt Lake City‚ Utah‚ the newspaper reported. A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration task force‚ Group D-51‚ has been investigating cases involving the drug trafficking rings‚ according to Willamette Week. The task force includes the Department of Homeland Security as well as Oregon’s Tigard and Sherwood police departments and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. One drug trafficking organization “is suspected of importing controlled substances‚ including fentanyl pills‚ heroin‚ and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States‚ and conspiring to distribute those drugs in Oregon and Washington‚” the newspaper reported. Honduran nationals have dominated fentanyl dealing on the streets of San Francisco in recent years‚ the San Francisco Chronicle reported in July. One of the biggest appeals the city offers is a shield from immigration authorities due to its sanctuary status. “The reason is because‚ in San Francisco‚ it’s like you’re here in Honduras‚” one Honduran drug dealer told the Chronicle. “The law‚ because they don’t deport‚ that’s the problem.” “Many look for San Francisco because it’s a sanctuary city‚” the drug dealer added. “You go to jail and you come out.” This article originally was published by the Daily Caller News 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 your name and town and/or state. The post Honduran Nationals Reportedly Run Fentanyl Trafficking Rings in Major Cities appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In this season of giving‚ I’ll donate to The Doe Fund‚ a charity that helps drug abusers and ex-cons find purpose in life through work. Doe’s approach doesn’t include many handouts. It’s mostly about encouraging people to work.“Work works!” they say. It does. Most Doe Fund workers don’t go back to jail. I’ll also donate to Student Sponsor Partners‚ a nonprofit that gives scholarships to kids from low-income families so they can escape bad public schools. SSP sends them to Catholic schools. I’m not Catholic‚ but I donate because government-run schools are often so bad that Catholic schools do better at half the cost. Thanks to SSP‚ thousands of kids escape poverty. Yet some on the Left say giving time and money to charity is a mistake. Their trust in government leads them to think that government programs are much better at lifting people out of poverty. “Charity can distract from permanent solutions‚” claims an article in the Harvard Political Review. “Time‚ effort and funding that are funneled into charitable acts could be redirected to actual solutions spearheaded by the government‚ which has the resources to implement concrete change.” Yikes! Yes‚ government has “resources‚” all of which are taken from taxpayers by force. “Concrete” is fitting because government’s “solutions” are rigid and immovable. But as far as promoting change that’s actually useful‚ government has a terrible track record. Before Lyndon Johnson launched his “War on Poverty‚” Americans were lifting themselves out of poverty. Every year‚ the poverty rate dropped. When welfare checks began‚ progress continued for about seven years. But then progress stopped! Progress stopped even as America spent $27 trillion on its “war.” What happened? Government handouts changed people’s thinking. They taught millions of Americans: You are entitled to a check. No longer was it individuals’ responsibility to help families‚ neighbors‚ and ourselves; now it was clearly government’s job. The result is that people became dependent on handouts. Government rarely teaches people to be self-sufficient; handouts encourage you to be helpless. Welfare created something never seen before in America: a near-permanent “underclass.” Welfare told parents: Don’t get married; you’ll lose benefits. Don’t work; your check will be reduced. Above all‚ make sure the father isn’t home when a welfare worker comes. If he is‚ your check may be reduced or eliminated. This changed incentives that motivated parents for generations. The result has been ruinous for millions of children. Charities aren’t perfect‚ but they are much more efficient and effective than clumsy government. Charities have the freedom to be selective. They can help people who truly need aid‚ but also refuse charity to people who need “a kick in the butt.” Government’s one-size-fits-all rules prohibit that. Charity is not guaranteed forever. People don’t know how long they can expect to receive assistance. They have an incentive to become self-sufficient. In addition‚ while charities actually give most of their money to the needy‚ government doesn’t. America’s constantly growing welfare workforce today is so bloated that 70% of welfare money now goes to the bureaucrats! As usual‚ big government is the problem rather than a solution. Americans are generous. Most of us donate to charities‚ many of which will provide more permanent help to the needy than government ever will. Ideally‚ America would shrink government and lower taxes so more of us would have money to spend how we want. For most‚ that means giving to those in need. To help people‚ we need more rich people. If only there was a system that made people richer … Oh‚ right! There is—capitalism! Over the past 30 years‚ more than a billion people climbed out of extreme poverty‚ thanks to free markets. As capitalism makes us richer‚ we each have more opportunity to help others in need. COPYRIGHT 2023 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC. 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 your name and town and/or state. The post Markets and Miracles appeared first on The Daily Signal.

NY Times: Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on 10/7

Spain to Germany: Hold My Cold‚ Dark Cervesa

A New Chapter in Colorado’s Wildlife Saga Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has successfully released five gray wolves into the wilds of Grand County. This initiative isn’t just about reintroducing a species; it’s about reviving a part of Colorado’s ecological heritage‚ a dream made possible by the affirmative vote of the people. The Journey from... The post Wildlife team looks on in awe as large gray wolves are released into the wild appeared first on Animal Channel.

Non-human screening technologies will soon become feasible at various venues

Federal efforts to stop Texas from policing its own borders come as massive hordes of migrants enter the US illegally.

Swattings follow spate of similar incidents carried out against various conservatives over Christmas holiday. The family of former Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott and the daughters of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) were the victims of “swatting” incidents on Wednesday‚ adding to the growing list of conservatives similarly targeted in recent days. Scott‚ who currently serves as a Republican Senator for Florida‚ reported the incident happened at his Naples home on Thursday‚ saying‚ “Last night‚ while at dinner with my wife‚ cowards ‘swatted’ my home in Naples.” “These criminals wasted the time &; resources of our law enforcement in a sick attempt to terrorize my family‚” Scott wrote on X. Last night‚ while at dinner with my wife‚ cowards “swatted” my home in Naples. These criminals wasted the time &; resources of our law enforcement in a sick attempt to terrorize my family.Ann &; I want to thank @NaplesPolice &; @CollierSheriff for all they do to keep us safe.— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 28‚ 2023 Rep. Greene also revealed in an X post Thursday that “Both my daughter’s houses just got swatted today.”Save 40% on DNA Force Plus NOW! Try it today and see why so many listeners have made it an essential part of their daily routine! Both my daughter’s houses just got swatted today.Big thanks to the police who responded! We appreciate you and support you!Whoever is doing this‚ you are going to get caught and it won’t be funny to you anymore.@FBI— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 28‚ 2023 “Whoever is doing this‚ you are going to get caught and it won’t be funny to you anymore‚” the Republican firebrand added‚ tagging the FBI in her post. Related: ‘They Want To Get Us Killed’: Two GOP House Reps‚ Multiple Conservatives SWATTED Over Christmas Holiday The “swattings‚” which involve perpetrators making false reports to elicit a police response which they hope becomes fatal for the swatting victim‚ follow a spate of similar incidents carried out against various conservatives over the Christmas holiday. Rep. Greene was personally the victim of two swatting attempts over the past two weeks‚ including on Christmas. Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) also reported being swatted on Christmas Day. I was swatted this morning on Christmas Day and a few days ago – Thursday Dec 21st. we received this death threat where this man is saying I will be shot in the head and skinned to make a “parasol” making a reference to Gein‚ who was a psychopath killer who would make things out… pic.twitter.com/iW8JvOSJLa— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 25‚ 2023 UPDATE: Capitol Police &; local police are investigating the Swatting incident at our home on this Christmas Day.Thankful for law enforcement working today (&; every day). 5 cars responded to our home.The deputies &; troopers were polite‚ professional‚ &; prompt. God bless them. https://t.co/bGuTPhiH3I— Rep. Brandon Williams (@RepWilliams) December 25‚ 2023 Popular pro-Trump conservative X user CatTurd announced he’d been “swatted” on Dec. 22‚ and Human Events editor Jack Posobiec also reported his parents had been the victim of a swatting attempt after unknown perpetrators told police Posobiec “had shot [his] wife and sons in the kitchen.” I was just swatted again … the local cops are great and know what's going on now. All is well at the Catturd ranch. Still not going to shut up. pic.twitter.com/dtAM2DzQcx— Catturd â„¢ (@catturd2) December 22‚ 2023 They told the officers that I had shot my wife and sons in the kitchen— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) December 25‚ 2023 After producing a video analyzing the MTG and Posobiec swattings‚ conservative-leaning commentator Styxhexenhammer666 was himself swatted. So my home was SWATTED earlier- coincidentally the day I made my video on the subject- thanks to the local and state police for calling my mother beforehand and simply doing a basic search and not hauling off and bashing down the door. Also thank you for recording the call. It'll…— Styxhexenhammer666 (@Styx666Official) December 26‚ 2023 Considering the victims’ identical political affiliations‚ it stands to reason the swattings are likely the work of one or more deranged leftists‚ who hopefully gets brought to justice soon. The globalists are increasing their attacks on Infowars and the stakes have never been higher! Please consider donating and visit InfowarsStore.com for merch‚ nutraceuticals and survival gear. Follow the author on X‚ Facebook‚ Gab‚ Minds‚ Truth Social and Gettr.