Source: The American Conservative
by Abdelhalim Abdelrahman
“Current Venezuela discourse within the Trump administration is eerily reminiscent of the run-up to the Iraq war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Fox News are beating the drums of war, perpetuating falsehoods that grossly exaggerate Venezuela’s threat to the U.S. Over the last few weeks, inaccurate claims that Caracas bears responsibility for America’s fentanyl crisis, supplies Hamas with uranium, or directly conspires against America with Iran and Hezbollah have become the new ‘Saddam has WMDs’ deception to justify a sham war and regime change in Venezuela. … If Congress does not immediately assert its rightful authority, under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, to stop the escalating intervention, then the United States risks following the same dark path that laid the groundwork for the horrific invasion of Iraq.” (12/09/25)
“Peace is preferable. In Europe, new drums are beating, joining those drums of war already present in Eastern Europe. The Russo-Ukrainian War drags on, despite efforts by The Donald and a few others to negotiate at least a longer-lasting ceasefire. To believe the news stories on mainstream media sources, both Russia and Ukraine are bleeding themselves dry. According to many (whom we once viewed as rational, neutral, and observant commentators), Russia has failed, is doomed, and Putin and his entire regime are toast. … Of course, it just might be that once again the MSM (and various and sundry governments) are lying to their audience, figuring they have cozened the public. Again. Such fun! Such profits!” (12/08/25)
“The Canada-US trade relationship is over 150 years old and remains one of the world’s most closely aligned economic partnerships. The two countries conduct annual trade valued at $1.3 trillion. Currently, that relationship is in shambles. Tariff negotiations have stalled, and Prime Minister Mark Carney is redirecting Canadian trade away from the U.S. He is committed to doubling Canada’s non-U.S. exports over the next decade. … While Carney has prioritized the economy in his government’s policy initiatives, he often overpromises and fails to deliver on commitments made.” (12/09/25)
“Uber Technologies Inc. is introducing a way for some people to use the ride-hailing service without the company’s signature app. The rideshare giant plans to install physical kiosks at places like airports, starting with LaGuardia in New York, it said in a statement on Tuesday. These outposts, which were designed with travelers in mind, include a large touch screen with a credit card reader and receipt printer. The booking experience mirrors what consumers might be used to on the mobile app.
The first kiosk will be at LaGuardia’s Terminal C, with installations at hotels, ports and other international airports to follow over the coming months, the company said. The experience was intended for ‘international visitors arriving without a local data plan or anyone who prefers an in-person experience,’ it added.” (12/09/25)
Source: Property and Environment Research Center
by staff
“Starting January 1, 2026, overseas visitors who pull up to the gates of 11 of the most popular U.S. national parks (including destinations like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon) will pay a $100 surcharge on top of the base entrance fee. The price of non-resident ‘America the Beautiful’ annual passes will also rise, to $250, while remaining $80 for Americans. The policy change is fantastic news for anyone who cares about national parks, including visitors from abroad. For years, PERC has argued that higher fees for non-resident visitors are one of the smartest, fairest ways to protect America’s best idea at a time when our most famous parks are straining under record crowds and aging infrastructure.” (12/08/25)
“Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Monday evening designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as ‘foreign terrorist organizations.’ The order, which was posted on the governor’s social media accounts, stated that Florida would be designating the two organizations as terrorist groups due to alleged connections to anti-Israel groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Palestinian groups. … CAIR called the order ‘defamatory and unconstitutional’ and said it plans to file a lawsuit against DeSantis.” (12/08/25)
