Foreign
Vladimir Putin compares himself to Jesus facing off against ‘satanic’ West
Russian president Vladimir Putin has likened himself to Jesus Christ as he emphasised the importance of combatting what he terms the West’s “Satanic” values.
During a video call to inaugurate several youth centres near Moscow, the Kremlin leader referenced various Bible quotes in an escalating trend of using religion to rationalise his harsh campaign in Ukraine.
He had earlier drawn similarities between his presumed “mission” to guard the youth from the West’s insidious influence and the tale of Christ’s disciples Peter and Andrew, who were tasked with disseminating the word of God.
While convening with high-ranking Russian officials, the despotic ruler posed a question: “Do you remember how Jesus came to Galilee and saw the fishermen beside the Sea of Galilee?
“One was catching fish, another was fixing his net. And he said to them: ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men, fishers of human souls.’ They became his evangelists, his students.
“This was very important at a time when world religions were developing … but it is no less current now, when we must defend our traditional values, our culture, our traditions and our history,” he stated, following up with: “This is very important for the future of the country.”
Putin made it clear that he wasn’t trying to promote a strictly Christian doctrine and brought up three of the nation’s other “traditional religions”, namely Islam, Judaism and Buddhism.
Around 70% of Russian citizens identify as Christian, and Putin has been playing the religion card. He’s been throwing around biblical references to push the Kremlin’s line.
Just over seven months into his Ukraine invasion, which kicked off in February 2022, Putin slammed Western nations as “Satanic”. He’s not having any of their liberal ways, saying they’ve strayed from the “traditional” and “religious” values that Russia holds dear.
Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Christian church, is close with Putin. He’s called Putin’s long stint at the top a “miracle of God”.
He even painted the horrific Ukraine invasion as a scrap against the “forces of evil” and the “Antichrist”.
Foreign
There will be no same sex marriage again -Trump vows to end ‘transgender madness ‘
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to “stop the transgender lunacy” on day one of his presidency, as Republicans — set to control both chambers of Congress and the White House — continue their push against LGBTQ rights.
“I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military and out of our elementary schools and middle schools and high schools,” the president-elect said at an event for young conservatives in Phoenix, Arizona.
He also vowed to “keep men out of women’s sports,” adding that “it will be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”
Speaking to the AmericaFest conference in a border state he easily carried in the November election, Trump further promised immediate measures against “migrant crime,” vowed to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and doubled down on his talk of restoring US control of the Panama Canal.
Transgender issues have roiled US politics in recent years, as Democratic- and Republican-controlled states have moved in opposite directions on policy such as medical treatment and what books on the topic are allowed in public or school libraries.
Last week, when the US Congress approved its annual defense budget, it included a provision to block funding of some gender-affirming care for the transgender children of service members.
In his speech Sunday, which amounted to something of a victory lap, Trump made expansive promises for his second term — and drew a dark picture of the four years preceding it, under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the latter of whom he defeated in the 2024 election.
“On January 20, the United States will turn the page forever on four long, horrible years of failure, incompetence, national decline, and we will inaugurate a new era of peace, prosperity and national greatness,” Trump said, referring to his swearing-in.
– ‘Golden age’ –
“I will end the war in Ukraine. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East, and I will prevent, I promise, World War III.”
He added: “The golden age of America is upon us.”
Foreign
Fresh Israeli Airstrikes In Gaza Kill 25 Palestinians Including Children
Fresh Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 25 Palestinians, according to medics.
The casualties on Friday included at least eight people in an apartment in the Nuseirat refugee camp and 10 others in the town of Jabalia, among them seven children.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have yet to succeed.
Sources involved in the negotiations told Reuters on Thursday that Qatar and Egypt had resolved some points of contention but key issues remain unresolved.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza following Hamas-led attacks on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023.
The attacks resulted in the deaths of 1200 people and the abduction of over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
Israel states that approximately 100 hostages are still being held, though it is unclear how many remain alive.
Gaza authorities report that Israel’s ongoing campaign has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians and displaced the majority of the 2.3 million residents.
Much of the territory has reportedly been devastated by the conflict.
Foreign
Biden signs bipartisan funding bill to keep government open
President Biden signed the stopgap funding bill that will keep the government open until March, punting the thornier issues surrounding the nation’s finances to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
A bloated 1,500-page funding measure was exploded by Trump and his top ally Elon Musk earlier this week as they demanded a pared-down version.
The parties were able to cobble a stopgap bill together Friday evening, which passed the Senate early Saturday morning.
The package funds the government at current levels until March 14, 2025, and includes $100 billion in hurricane relief funds and $10 billion in aid to farmers.
With the stopgap funding only running until March, an almost certain clash is looming between Trump and GOP spending hardliners when Congress reconvenes in January.
“The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open and delivers the urgently needed disaster relief that I requested for recovering communities as well as the funds needed to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” Biden said in a statement after inking the deal.
The post Biden signs bipartisan funding bill to keep government open appeared first on New York Post.
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