Unless you’re a climate warrior or an energy wonk‚ you probably weren’t aware of last week’s end of the 28th edition of the “Council of the Parties‚” better known as COP28‚ held this year in Dubai‚ United Arab Emirates. Don’t be surprised if you weren’t one of over 84‚000 delegates – more than double the previous record – who got an invite. It’s probably because you are not a raging hypocrite. COP28 attendees spent the better part of two weeks in deep discussion over the “existential threat” of a so-called “climate crisis‚” and how the world needs to respond before it is too late to save the planet from imminent doom. When you add to the expansive delegate count the thousands more non-delegate support staff‚ media‚ climate-warrior groupies‚ and casual onlookers‚ the ultimate outcome is that over 100‚000 people – who all claim to love Mother Earth more than anything – felt the need to inundate Dubai rather than jump on Zoom sessions or conference calls to discuss how to save the planet. Remember‚ Zoom is good enough for kids locked out of schools‚ but not good enough for climate junkets. Delegates spent two weeks in Dubai staying in 5-star resorts‚ feasting on gourmet meals‚ drinking top-shelf alcohol‚ being driven around in stretch limousines‚ “laboring” in air-conditioned conference facilities‚ and engaging in unknown debauchery when not working to rid the earth of traditional energy solutions‚ like coal‚ oil‚ and natural gas. When not engaged in extracurricular activities‚ COP28’s delegates created a bunch of work-product to justify their junket. First on the menu‚ pun intended‚ was an effort to cancel meat. Keep in mind‚ they just want to cancel your holiday meal‚ not their own. Then‚ the delegations pledged hundreds of millions of dollars toward helping developing nations impacted by the “crisis.” Forget that these dollars will never be used to help those nations grow their GDPs nor their energy independence; instead‚ the World Bank will administer the money to the ruling class in those countries. What could possibly go wrong giving more money and power to the elite?    The most celebrated output from COP28 was a final agreement calling for the “beginning of the end” of all fossil fuel development. This “global stockade” – signed by delegations representing more than 200 countries is‚ according to the United Nations‚ the vehicle by which “[p]arties take actions towards…the phase-down of unabated coal power‚ phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies‚ and other measures that drive the transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems‚ in a just‚ orderly and equitable manner…” Let’s take this in for a minute: 84‚000 delegates spent two weeks living in luxury‚ and their takeaway was that fossil fuels – which‚ between coal‚ natural gas‚ and oil power over 80% of the world today – are the enemy of the planet? News flash: none of the climate hypocrites‚ COP28 delegates‚ would be meeting in Dubai in the first place without fossil fuels. None of them – not a single one – made it there‚ stayed there‚ communicated to their home countries‚ families or each other while there‚ enjoyed their lavish lifestyle while there or made it home from there without direct or byproduct use of fossil fuels. So‚ the next time you hear about the good work being done at the COP events – and make no mistake‚ we’ll see COP29‚ COP 39‚ COP49‚ and so on – remember that they are giant parties designed to bring powerful‚ wealthy ideologues together to rage against the very products that have made their powerful‚ wealthy lives possible. COP should stand for the “Council of the Pointless.” * * * Rick Whitbeck is the Alaska State Director for Power The Future‚ a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs. Contact him at Rick@PowerTheFuture.com and follow him on X: @PTFAlaska. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire. 

More than 30 synagogues in Massachusetts were targeted with bomb threats on Sunday‚ just days after its largest city‚ Boston‚ rejected millions of dollars in federal anti-terrorism grant money due to the belief that funding law enforcement could be racist. The city council rejected the grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in a contentious 6 to 6 vote‚ with the opposition arguing that giving more funds to law enforcement would “do more harm than good” to minority communities. The grant was intended to fund “planning‚ exercises‚ trainings‚ and operational needs‚ that will help prevent‚ respond to and recover from threats or acts of terrorism‚ including chemical‚ biological‚ radiological‚ nuclear and explosive incidents‚” according to a letter from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to the council. Sunday’s bomb threats would be the sort of incidents the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region would use the funding to train for. Police responded to the bomb threats — which turned out to be hoaxes — and swept several synagogues‚ where no explosives were found. The council’s decision deprives several surrounding towns that are within the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region of the benefits from the funding as Boston is the lead city that has the authority to accept the funding. Brookline‚ one of the towns impacted‚ had two synagogues threatened directly by an email stating that bombs were inside the buildings and would go off in a few hours‚ a spokesperson for the town’s police department told The Daily Wire. “Unfortunately these incidents have happened at temples from time to time‚” public information officer Paul Campbell said. “Upon learning of this most recent bomb hoax‚ we sent a message to all of the Jewish institutions‚ advising them of the incident to at least make them aware and so they could contact us if they needed us.” Councilor Michael Flaherty‚ who voted in favor of the anti-terrorism funding‚ said the rejection was an embarrassment. Massachusetts Teachers Union Says U.S. Is Complicit In ‘Genocidal Assault’ In Gaza “Nonsensical and embarrassing‚ where several councilors did not support the Mayor’s office of Emergency Management‚” Flaherty said according to the Boston Herald. “Not only did they fail the residents of Boston‚ they failed eight other cities and towns that were depending on this funding to protect themselves against acts of terrorism.” Council President Ed Flynn said the funding is important considering the city’s history of terror attacks — noting not only the Boston Marathon bombing‚ but also that terrorists departed from Boston’s Logan International Airport before hijacking planes that crashed into the World Trade Towers on September 11‚ 2011. “Boston is not immune from these issues‚ unfortunately‚” Flynn said‚ according to the Boston Herald. FBI Boston spokesperson Kristen Cetera urged the community to “remain vigilant” after Sunday’s threats. “The FBI takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk‚” she said. “While we have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat‚ we will continue to work with our local‚ state‚ and federal law enforcement partners to gather‚ share‚ and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention.” State Police trooper Brandon Doherty said hundreds of other Jewish institutions received similar threats nationwide over the weekend. “The State Police Hate Crime Awareness and Response Team‚ a unit that was established several weeks ago‚ will communicate with religious leaders about follow-up concerns they may have related to the threats‚” Doherty told The Daily Wire. The votes opposing the funding came from Councilors Ricardo Arroyo‚ Liz Breadon‚ Kendra Lara‚ Ruthzee Louijeune‚ Julia Mejia‚ and Brian Worrell. Lara‚ who lost her reelection bid and appeared in court earlier this year for crashing into a house with her child in the car‚ skipped work last week for a “Global Strike for Gaza‚” The Daily Mail reported. ‘Harvard Does Not Have Our Back’: Rabbi Slams University At Hanukkah Event Attended By Claudine Gay Louijeune‚ during the meeting‚ said there needed to be more “community conversation” before moving forward with grants‚ arguing that the city had to ensure “we’re not doing more harm than good in our black — in all of our communities —  and especially our black and brown communities.” BRIC‚ the Boston police department intelligence gathering wing‚ has been under fire in recent years by critics who claim it disproportionately tracks people of color with its gang database. After heated debate‚ $3.4 million from four years’ worth of held-up state funding for BRIC passed in October‚ according to WBUR. A Democrat state senator said the vote enabled politics to come before public health and responded by introducing legislation on Friday to strip the Boston City Council of the power to approve public safety grants. “The bill would ensure access to federal and state funds designated to assist our municipal partners is providing the highest level of public health and safety services in a dangerous world.” Nick Collins who represents South Boston told the Boston Herald.  Under Collin’s legislation‚ the state legislature and the governor would approve funding rather than local councils. Wu plans to refile the grant next year after newly elected members of the city council take office. Wu and the city councilors did not respond to a request for comment.

In the face of reports that the Biden administration is pressuring Israel to hurry up with its war against the terrorist group Hamas‚ allegedly telling the Jewish state that time was running out for its large-scale ground and air campaign operations in Gaza and a smaller force should be employed‚ U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin joined Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant at a press conference on Monday in Tel Aviv and stated he was not there to “dictate timelines or terms” regarding Israel’s war against Hamas. “I know that Israel has been profoundly changed from where you were on October 6‚” Austin acknowledged. “So I’m here with a clear message: America’s support for Israel’s security is unshakable and Israel is not alone. At a time of mourning‚ a real friend shows up.” “On October 7‚ Hamas committed one of the worst atrocities in the history of modern terrorism‚” Austin stated. “Innocent young people at a concert were massacred. Parents were shot in front of their children. Women were sexually assaulted. Toddlers and Holocaust survivors were taken hostage.” Austin then gave a clear-eyed picture of Hamas: “And for Hamas‚ that was just the beginning. Hamas has clearly and loudly spelled out its vision of the future‚ and it is to repeat October 7 over and over and over again. No country should tolerate such a danger‚ and Israel has every right to defend itself against a fanatical terrorist group whose stated purpose is to murder Jews and eradicate the Jewish state.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Asked if he had set any sort of either timetable or deadline to the current phase of the Israel ground war in Gaza‚ Austin replied‚ “Regarding the timeline‚ this is Israel’s operation and I’m not here to dictate timelines or terms‚” adding‚ “Our support to Israel’s right to defend itself is ironclad‚ as you’ve heard me say a number of times‚ and that’s not going to change. It’s critical‚ as I said earlier‚ that Hamas not be able to threaten Israel from Gaza or even threaten Gaza anymore.”

A prominent Philadelphia LGBTQ activist was arrested Monday and charged with the rape of two minors younger than 13.  Kendall Stephens‚ a 37-year-old man who identifies as a woman‚ had a preliminary arraignment in a Philadelphia court on Monday and was charged with rape‚ involuntary deviant sexual intercourse‚ unlawful contact with minors‚ corruption of minors‚ unlawful contact with minors‚ indecent assault against people less than 13 years of age‚ obscenity to minors and endangering the welfare of children‚ according to court documents‚ CBS Philadelphia reported. Further details about Stephens’ alleged crimes have not yet been revealed as the investigation continues. Stephens’ bail was set for $250‚000 and his next court hearing is scheduled for December 29‚ according to CBS Philadelphia.  In 2020‚ the LGBTQ activist was assaulted in his home in South Philadelphia by a person Stephens said targeted him because of his trans identity. Stephens’ attacker‚ Tymesha Wearing‚ pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy and was also convicted of hate crimes — which is considered a summary offense in Philadelphia — in February of this year. After Stephens was attacked‚ the activist called on Pennsylvania to make LGBTQ individuals a protected class in the state’s hate crime laws.  “There needs to be a call to action to our newly Democratically controlled State House of Representatives to push hate crime laws to include LGBTQ-identified individuals as a protected class in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania‚” Stephens said. “My trans siblings who met an untimely demise due to anti-trans violence are crying out from the grave and they deserve justice.”  Stephens was then praised by leftist Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner for advocating for “queer victims of violent crime.”  “Ms. Stephens continues to speak out loudly on behalf of other queer victims of violent crime – all while pursuing graduate studies‚” Krasner said earlier this year.  Stephens also spoke at a campaign event for the state’s Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro during his 2022 campaign‚ where the trans activist endorsed Shapiro in his race against Republican Doug Mastriano.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “Josh Shapiro is a man of faith‚ family‚ and fairness‚ and his track record – from protecting LGBTQ+ rights to defending reproductive rights – is one of fighting for the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians‚” Stephens said in March of 2022.

Celine Dion’s sister Claudette shared an update on her Grammy Award-winning sister’s health status in the wake of Celine’s Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) diagnosis. “She doesn’t have control over her muscles‚” Claudette told the French outlet 7 Jours‚ per the translation. “What pains me is that she has always been disciplined. She always worked hard.” Claudette also mentioned that the “My Heart Will Go On” singer would love to perform live again. “In what capacity? I don’t know‚” she told the outlet. “The vocal cords are muscles‚ and the heart is also a muscle. This is what gets me.” Celine revealed her SPS diagnosis last year after canceling several of her concert stops. “Hello‚ everyone‚” the 55-year-old singer said at the time. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out to you. I miss you all so much and can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person. As you know I’ve always been an open book and I wasn’t ready to say anything before but I’m ready now.” “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it’s been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through‚” she continued. “Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff-person syndrome which affects one in a million people.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Celine canceled the rest of her then-ongoing tour. SPS is an incurable‚ progressive disease that turns people into “human statues” who are unable to walk or talk.  Though Celine has kept her battle with the disease mostly private‚ her sister has spoken about the singer’s health status before. In August‚ she said Celine is working with “top researchers‚” but so far hasn’t seen much improvement. “We can’t find any medicine that works‚ but having hope is important‚” Claudette said at the time‚ as The Daily Wire previously reported. “I honestly think that she mostly needs to rest‚” she continued. “She always goes above and beyond‚ she always tries to be the best and top of her game. At one point‚ your heart and your body are trying to tell you something. It’s important to listen to it.” Katie Jerkovich contributed to this report.

Lizzo’s attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss a harassment and discrimination lawsuit brought by a former employee. The singer’s lawyers requested the dismissal on Friday‚ per court documents obtained by People. The documents claim that the case filed on behalf of Asha Daniels is “meritless and salacious‚” the outlet noted. The dismissal request further accused Daniels of “abandoning her post” by skipping a concert she was scheduled to work at in Paris. The document claims Daniels‚ who was employed as a wardrobe stylist‚ did not fulfill her employment obligations as she “failed to perform the work that she was assigned and‚ eventually‚ just played hooky and refused to show up for work.” Lizzo’s attorneys also said the harassment case should be tossed on a technicality because Daniels “is a New York resident who worked for a Delaware corporation while the singer was touring in Europe.” This would mean she “has alleged no nexus to California‚” which is where the original suit was filed. Daniels’ attorney‚ Ron Zambrano‚ said in a statement that the motion to dismiss was “another Hail Mary by Lizzo’s team to try to shift blame to the victims‚ as she has done to the three other plaintiffs who have sued her for similar allegations of harassment‚ disability discrimination and retaliatory termination.” “Lizzo and her lawyers can continue trying to rationalize her illegal and wretched conduct but we remain committed to seeking justice for our clients‚ and look forward to our day in court where Lizzo can explain her behavior in a public forum‚” he continued. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Daniels filed the lawsuit in September‚ claiming that she was the victim of a “racist and sexualized environment” while working for Lizzo. The suit also named Lizzo’s production manager‚ tour manager‚ and makeup artist in the document. “I felt like I was living in a madhouse. It was totally shocking‚” Daniels told NBC News of her alleged experience. “I was listening to this black woman on this huge stage have this message of self-love and caring for others and being empathetic and being strong and standing up for others. And I was witnessing myself‚ the dancers and the background vocalists and my local team in every city be harassed and bullied regularly.” The Grammy Award-winning singer has multiple pending lawsuits. Three of her former backup dancers‚ Arianna Davis‚ Crystal Williams‚ and Noelle Rodriguez‚ also accused Lizzo of harassment and body-shaming during their employment with her.  The 35-year-old singer‚ whose real name is Melissa Jefferson‚ has denied wrongdoing in both cases.

Cuteness‚ indeed! When faced with an open area in the kitchen and a new kitten‚ these armadillos are all about introducing themselves to the newbie. But wait‚ who has armadillos in their kitchen? The video was posted by DrPossumlady‚ and it appears that she does rescue armadillos. The name is fitting since armadillos are like armored ‘possums. Armadillos are unique because they are the only mammals with a hard shell! They are also incredibly adorable. In our featured video clip‚ two armadillos seem curious about the kitten while the other looks for floor snacks in the background. Meanwhile‚ another curious onlooker is busy adding their two-sniffs. The video opens with a tiny kitten on the floor with one armadillo. The ‘dillo is poking and prodding the kitten with its snout. We’re unsure if it’s wondering why this thing is so fluffy or if it’s looking for bugs to snack on. Armadillos rely on their sense of smell to compensate for their poor eyesight. Image from YouTube. It doesn’t take long for a few extra noses to enter the scene. The third armadillo is still searching for snacks along the edge of the cabinets. The armadillos are assessing this intruder. Or perhaps they’re just trying to figure out where he lost his armor. Image from YouTube. The kitten sees an opening and attempts to escape. Image from YouTube. But then they have second thoughts and decide on a full frontal “attack.” Image from YouTube. That wasn’t a bad idea‚ but the execution was flawed. The tiny tuft of fluff soon found itself pinned by the armored warrior. Image from YouTube. The poor kitten was outmanned‚ outnumbered‚ and outplanned by the armadillos (yep‚ totally swiped that from Hamilton). It was pretty much over when they brought in the border collie sniffer. Watching these little critters wrestle would distract me from any tasks on my to-do list. I don’t know how DrPossumlady lives with these three armored snack machines. They are just too adorable. We’re pretty sure they all end up being friends in the end. Speaking of friends‚ you can share this with yours. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post What Happens When 3 Baby Armadillos Meet A Kitten? Pure Cuteness! appeared first on InspireMore.

After nearly three months of stiff competition‚ the latest season of The Voice comes to a close tonight. But before the winner can be announced‚ the remaining contestants were tasked to perform last night. Choosing the right song has never been more important. Luckily for Mara Justine‚ who brought Turning Tables by Adele to The Voice stage‚ she easily won over fans with her emotional performance. Although Mara is only 21 years old‚ this is far from her first time competition. At 11 years old she wowed everyone on America’s Got Talent‚ and she did so again on American Idol when she was 15. Her experience shines through in all of her performances this season‚ and last night’s is no different. YouTube Mara Justine Stuns With Classic Adele Song on The Voice Mara looks like a star on stage. Black-and-white versions of her appear on the multiple screens behind her. Mara herself looks stunning in a dark green gown with makeup that sparkles similarly to the many lights all around her. Taking on an Adele song is no easy feat‚ but Mara seems to do so with ease. The song highlights her soft yet powerful voice‚ and she’s able to convey the emotions behind the lyrics heartbreakingly well. “It’s unbelievable‚ the growth you’ve shown in this competition‚” Niall Horan‚ her coach‚ said. “That was a big‚ big Voice moment in my head… I hope you go on to win this thing‚ you’re amazing.” Watch Mara Justine take Turning Tables by Adele to The Voice stage in the stunning video below. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Mara Justine Takes On Adele Classic In Poignant “The Voice” Live Finale. appeared first on InspireMore.

Talk about a reunion of legends! Johnny Cash‘s daughter Rosanne and singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson joined forces together for a powerful rendition of “Lovin’ Her Was Easier” to celebrate icon Willie Nelson. Rosanne and Kris’s collaboration brought audiences to their feet before they even opened their mouths to sing! This image is from YouTube. It’s not often that you see so many legends in a room together. Rosanne Cash is a powerful musician in her own right‚ and Kris Kristofferson is one of the most prominent singer/songwriters in American history. To see the two collaborate in honor of Willie Nelson was an absolutely unforgettable experience. “Lovin’ Her Was Easier” is a beautiful song that was written by Kris in 1971. Willie Nelson famously covered the tune‚ too‚ making it a perfect selection for this birthday celebration. Hundreds of thousands of viewers were overcome with emotion viewing this performance. “Good on you Rosanne to bring a Kris onto stage. He was‚ is‚ and will always be a legend of music. This is magic‚” commented one fan. “Such a beautiful performance. Brought tears to my eyes. So beautiful‚” said another. While this celebration was in honor of Willie’s 90th birthday‚ Kris is 87 himself! At the time of the show‚ he was apparently sick‚ but he really left it all out on the stage. Check out the video below to see Kris Kristofferson and Rosanne Cash’s powerful performance. It’s a tear-jerker! The featured image for this post is from YouTube. The post Johnny Cash’s Daughter Joins Kris Kristofferson In Epic Duet For Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday. appeared first on InspireMore.