Tens of Thousands Protest in Madrid Demanding Resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Sánchez

"Spaniards took to the streets of Madrid in their thousands to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in the wake of the latest corruption scandal to rock his Socialist Workers’ Party.
Gathering under the banner “Sánchez, resign now!”, protesters flooded central Madrid, marching from the Plaza de Colón to the Victory Arch. According to government estimates, some 40,000 people attended; however, organisers claimed that upwards of 120,000 took part in the demonstration, public broadcaster RTVS reported.
The protest was held in the wake of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero being indicted this week for alleged influence peddling and money laundering from Venezuela amid the €53 million ($57.2 million) public bailout of the Plus Ultra airline

following the Chinese coronavirus crisis.
Zapatero, who has long faced criticism over his close ties to Venezuelan socialist dictators Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, is alleged to have received €1.95 million ($2.11 million) for himself and his inner circle in the claimed influence peddling scheme.
It is just the latest corruption scandal to hit a major figure within the governing Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose own wife, Begoña Gómez, is currently facing charges of influence peddling and embezzlement over claims that she used her position as first lady to benefit her business associates.
Amid the scandals, Sánchez has apparently sought to distract from his domestic woes by casting himself as an opponent to U.S. President Donald Trump on the world stage, by barring American troops from using bases in Spain during the Iran conflict.
At the protest the leader of the right-wing populist VOX party, Santiago Abascal, called on Zapatero to be held in prison during his trial and for Prime Minsiter Sánchez to be compelled to testify.
“There is no one left in Pedro Sánchez’s entourage who is not accused of very serious crimes,” Abascal said, lamenting that his country has been “kidnapped by a corrupt mafia that is impoverishing the Spanish people.”
Members of the centre-right People’s Party (PP) also joined the demonstration, including the party’s spokeswoman in the Senate, Alicia García, who said that they joined with the thousands of Spaniards in Madrid to demand fresh elections, saying: “Enough already with the corruption of Sanchismo.”
“While the Spanish people were suffering the terrible consequences of the pandemic, Sánchez’s PSOE was raking in money hand over fist. This Government is unsustainable,” García added.
Separately, at a gathering of PP members in Mallorca, party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo noted that the only way the former prime minister could have profited from the scheme would have been with the Sánchez government’s implicit backing." Breitbart

Schools In China Reportedly Isolate Students As COVID Cases Surge

"Doctors and residents across China continue to report more infections and deaths as the latest

wave of COVID-19 continues, portraying a far more severe situation than the Chinese regime is letting on.
Schools in various provinces are reportedly suspending classes and placing students in quarantine, leading to growing concerns among the public of a return of lockdowns, according to information provided to the Chinese language version of The Epoch Times and on social media." ZeroHedge

USAID Censorship Scheme Exposed; Global Engagement Center Worked With UK Government And Media Firms To Deploy AI Tools

"America First Legal (AFL) released explosive new documents obtained through ongoing litigation against the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), exposing a vast, government-backed censorship operation to silence Americans under the guise of “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “malinformation.” 

The documents reveal a disturbing alliance between the GEC, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the British Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office (FCDO), and media censorship organizations, all working in lock-step to manipulate public discourse, control media narratives, and suppress free speech.

The GEC, which was forced to shut down in December 2024, was designed to “combat foreign disinformation abroad.” However, through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, AFL uncovered that the GEC engaged in state-sponsored propaganda, repeatedly using willing participants from private media organizations. Further, AFL’s lawsuit against the GEC revealed that USAID had created an internal “Disinformation Primer” that explicitly praised private sector censorship strategies and recommended further censorship tactics.
The new documents released by AFL show: The GEC and USAID coordinated efforts to censor “COVID-19 misinformation” and counter “COVID-19 propaganda.”
The GEC collaborated with officials in the British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office on disinformation efforts.
The GEC coordinated with private media censorship firms, including Poynter and NewsGuard, which provided samples of its Misinformation Fingerprints artificial intelligence (AI) tool, designed to identify and rate websites based on their perceived “misinformation.”
The House Small Business Committee found that Park Advisors received a GEC cooperative agreement award of more than $6 million. Park Advisors then distributed subawards to several companies, including NewsGuard, the Atlantic Council, and the Global Disinformation Index, a project funded by George Soros that generated lists of conservative websites it urged advertising companies to boycott. Together, these groups, not subject to international restrictions like GEC was, tested disinformation products, which led to the creation of the “Disinfo Cloud,” an unclassified platform used by the U.S. federal government, the European Union, the U.K. government, the Australian government, and the Estonian government “to counter adversarial propaganda and disinformation.”
Skibinski showed samples of the new GEC/U.S Cybercommand Testbed Pilot (Misinformation Fingerprints). This program utilized artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor “misinformation.” The House Small Business Committee report details that “there was no firewall in place to ensure that Federal resources were not being used to develop and promote technologies that would have domestic impacts.” 

ZeroHedge

WHO issues new warning over ‘mystery virus’ and calls for return of COVID restrictions

"The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the reinstatement of restrictions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic as cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV)

continue to surge.
While hospitals in China are overwhelmed with positive cases of this respiratory illness, the number of infections is also rising in the UK, leaving other nations uncertain about how to handle the situation.
The Geneva-based organization is now urging the reintroduction of three key measures to protect populations: mask-wearing, isolation, and handwashing." MS

China mystery disease outbreak leads to surging cases five years after Covid

"The global community is on edge as unverified reports emerge of a mysterious illness sweeping through China, leading to hospitals being overcrowded, which is very similar to an outbreak in China last winter and the hospitals not being ready for such an influx of people.
China has been pinpointed as the origin of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, which

triggered a worldwide pandemic after the initial human cases were identified in Wuhan in November 2019.
Presently, unofficial reports from Chinese local media are hinting at a novel ailment, a new strain of the disease, possibly linked to the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), causing severe and sometimes fatal outcomes.
Typically, HMPV results in symptoms akin to a mild cold, but reports suggest that lines of ill children and adults are currently overwhelming China's medical facilities, with fatalities being reported.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has proposed that influenza might be responsible for the spike in hospital admissions and cases, echoing a similar surge in the UK.
Aboluowang News, a US-based outlet reporting on China, published a statement from a farmer in Hunan Province who claimed that the epidemic was proving lethal." MS

China's CDC Reports New COVID-19 Cases Hit Nearly 20 Percent

"The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that new COVID-19 infections in the country of origin have increased to nearly 20 percent in the past few weeks, as two new Omicron subvariants spread across the country." ZH

US lawmaker demands proof Biden is alive

"Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has demanded a “proof of life appearance” by

US President Joe Biden as the 81-year-old has not been seen in public since contracting Covid-19 last week.
Boebert’s demand comes after Biden unexpectedly announced via social media on Sunday that he would be dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and would be endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to represent the Democratic Party in November. The written announcement sparked concerns over Biden’s health, given that the message wasn’t accompanied by any photos or videos of the president.
In a series of posts on X on Monday, Boebert demanded that Biden provide “proof of life” by 5pm that day, saying the president “needs to get in front of some cameras and discuss if he’s aware that he dropped out.”
“Hiding is completely unacceptable,” Boebert wrote.
Throughout the day, the congresswoman reiterated her demand several times, including in a comment to a post by political activist Charlie Kirk, who reported an unconfirmed rumor he attributed to the Las Vegas police department that Biden may be dead or dying." RT

Biden drops out of the 2024 presidential race, endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for nomination

"President Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris."While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for

me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for my term," Mr. Biden posted in a statement on social media.
Mr. Biden said he would address the nation later this week. Mr. Biden is currently in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, as he recovers from COVID-19."
CBS

Biden Pushes Party Unity as he Resists Calls to Step Aside, Says he’ll Return to Campaign Next Week

"President Biden on Friday appealed for party unity to take on former President Donald

Trump’s “dark vision,” working to hold off pressure from Democrats at the highest levels for him to bow out of the 2024 election to make way for a new nominee and avoid widespread losses.
As more Democratic members of Congress called for him to drop out Friday — bringing the total since his disastrous debate against Trump to at least 30 — Biden remained isolated at his beach house in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The president, who has insisted he can beat Trump, was huddling with family and relying on a few longtime aides as he tries to resist efforts to shove him aside." Breitbart

Schumer Says "Best For Biden To Drop Out Of Race" As President Tests Positive For COVID

"Moments ago, ABC News reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., advised President Biden to end his reelection for the greater good of the country and the Democratic Party.

Only eight days ago, Schumer had a different opinion on Biden: "I'm with Joe." Schumer pushed for the Democratic National Convention's delay as questions soared about the president's 2024 candidacy.
According to Axios, the delay "signals that the congressional leaders sympathize with rank-and-file Democrats who want more time to address concerns about Biden's ability to defeat former President Trump."
Vice President Kamala Harris's nomination odds for the party now stand at 50, while Biden's is at 38. Just hours after President Biden mentioned in an interview that he would consider dropping out of the presidential race if diagnosed with a "medical condition," the elderly president tested positive for Covid-19 this afternoon.
Unidos US president Janet Murguía informed the audience at the organization's national conference in Vegas about Biden's diagnosis. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden was delivering speeches in Las Vegas when he "experienced mild symptoms." KJP said the president "will be returning to Delaware, where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time." ZH

NATO Tells Ukraine to Bolster Troop Numbers Through Accelerated Conscription

"Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization‘s Military Committee, Lt. Adm. Rob

Bauer of the Royal Netherlands Navy, has called for Ukraine to bolster its troop numbers through conscription to offset its massive losses on the battlefield.
Bauer made this statement during the opening session of the Kyiv Security Forum, a conference organized annually by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Bauer stressed the need for not only replenishing Ukraine’s stockpile of weaponry but also augmenting the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine due to the massive casualties incurred in combat with Russia. . He advocated for a collective effort akin to the approach taken by the world’s nations to combat the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, asserting that societal sacrifices are imperative.
Notably, Bauer emphasized that such sacrifices primarily entail the involvement of others, distancing himself and fellow proponents of war from personal risk." NW

Denmark and US hit by surge of pneumonia cases as similar ‘white lung syndrome’ plagues China and sweeps Europe

"AN alarming spike in pneumonia cases have been detected in the US and Denmark,

echoing a similar surge in China.
It comes just as the Netherlands reported a stark rise in cases of a similar respiratory virus in children. Some 142 children have been sickened by the illness in Warren County, Ohio, between August and October this year, US health officials said.
In a joint statement, health commissioner Duane Stansbury, and Doctor Clint Koenig, of Ohio Health Riverside Methodist Hospital, called the local surge an "outbreak".
They said: "We do not think this is a new respiratory disease but rather a large uptick in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time."
The average age of those infected was eight years old. Meanwhile, Denmark is battling its own pneumonia cluster.
There were 541 cases of mycoplasma pneumonia - a mild type version of the disease - in the week ending November 26.
This was up 222 per cent from the 168 recorded five weeks earlier, during the week ending October 22, data from the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) in Copenhagen showed.
Mycoplasma pneumonia is sometimes referred to as white lung syndrome because of the way lung damage shows up on scans.
However, Hanne-Dorthe said the rise in cases was expected, as immunity against the bugs dropped across populations during Covid lockdowns.
She said: "For the past four years, the number of mycoplasma infections has been extremely low, and it is not unusual that we have an epidemic now. We have actually been waiting for it since we closed the country after the Covid-19 pandemic."
Pneumonia - inflammation of the lungs — is typically caused by a bacterial or viral infection and gets better within two weeks.
However, some people can become very unwell, especially the over 65s, babies or young children and those with lung conditions.
The surge mirrors events unfolding in China, where an unspecified virus is infecting hundreds of children.
Hospitals in Beijing are overflowing with youngsters lying on floors while hooked up to IVs after showing symptoms such as inflammation in the lungs and a high fever, but no cough.
This, and rising case numbers in the Netherlands, has sparked fears other countries, including the UK, could be impacted over Christmas." TheSun

The Scientific Establishment Warns of “Disease X” while Downplaying Chinese Pneumonia Epidemic

"For months, the scientific medical establishment has warned of the potential of another pandemic – one much deadlier than COVID. They have taken to calling this future pandemic, Disease X.
Speaking to the Fox affiliate in Houston, Dr. Peter Hotez, warned of the dangers of Disease X, "We have a likelihood that new pandemic threats, what people are calling the Disease X, are going to be arising on a regular basis," explains Dr. Hotez and he says Disease X, the next pandemic, could hit hard whenever it arrives.

Why does he think some are predicting the next pandemic will make COVID-19 look like a walk in the park? "You know, I've written about this as well, that COVID-19 is just a warmup act. The next pandemic may not be as severe, but it could be much more severe," says Dr. Hotez, and because no one knows he says it's better to be prepared.
Bizarrely enough, while the scientific establishment warns of “Disease X” these same scientists are turning a blind eye to a pneumonia epidemic that is sweeping through China – leaving hospitals over-burdened.
Not all doctors are ignoring what is happening in China, however, Dr. Peter McCullough is paying close attention.
Writing in Dr. McCullough’s substack:
U.S. government agencies are fond of talking about “Pandemic Preparedness,” passing extravagant legislation such as the PREP ACT, and throwing hundreds of billions at the development of vaccines against viral respiratory illnesses—vaccines that are useless at best.
And yet, these agencies are, at the moment, strangely silent about a mysterious pneumonia that is affecting large numbers of children in two regions of northern China that are about 500 miles apart—Beijing and Liaoning Province. This situation reminds me of the conspicuous fact that the U.S. Consulate General office in Wuhan—which is presumably full of spooks—apparently reported NOTHING about the mysterious pneumonia that started circulating in that city in the autumn of 2019.
While the American government appears to be doing nothing, Dr. McCullough is urging Americans to be prepared.
We will be monitoring the situation in China closely, try to ascertain as quickly as possible what is causing the pneumonia.
In his position of Chief Scientific Officer for the Wellness Company, Dr. Peter McCullough is conducting investigative scholarship to ascertain what medications are the most safe and effective for conditions such as the pneumonia now circulating in northern China. Our ultimate objective is to ascertain if already available, FDA-approved medications could be useful in treating this pneumonia in the event it spreads to the United States.
Given the appalling performance of so many doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our readers may find themselves in search of a new doctor who has demonstrated greater discernment. Such readers may consider a membership with the Wellness Company, whose Virtual Care program offers prompt access to a trusted medical provider to treat your illnesses and obtain prescriptions.
The developing situation in China could be the next pandemic or it could be the next psy op or it could be nothing more than a problem for the Chinese.
Sadly, we all know the next medical crisis is just around the corner. Whether it comes in the form of a bioweapon or something much more mundane like a tick bite – you and your family need to be prepared." ZeroHedge

China's Economy Tips Into Deflation, Threatening Recovery From Pandemic

"China’s economy is tipping into deflation as the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic falters.

The anxiety in China’s business sector is growing as comparisons to Japan’s “lost decades” are made.

China’s problems stem from the way it ended up dealing with the pandemic. The massive shutdowns of big cities and provinces because of just a few positive tests damaged the economy over a far longer period of time than in the West. And then when civil unrest threatened the government, it quickly lifted restrictions on movement and virtually everything else.

More than 80% of the Chinese population became infected with COVID-19 after restrictions were lifted two weeks before Christmas. China stopped counting infections and deaths months ago, but it’s believed that a million people may have died during the worst of the pandemic.

The Chinese government never offered any economic stimulus to restart the economy. 

Investors have been anxiously waiting for policymakers to inject stimulus after the powerful Politburo meeting last month, with the stock market mostly underwhelmed by the lack of concrete action." PJM

Mysterious Chinese Bio-Lab Discovered In Remote California City

"Why would a bio-lab run by a shady Chinese company be operating in Reedley, CA in the central San Joaquin Valley?

What was supposed to be an empty building used only for storage was home to a black-market type of lab testing facility.

YourCentralValley.com reports that the discovery was made after a local code enforcement officer noticed this garden hose poking out a back wall of the building.

Public Health staff also observed blood, tissue and other bodily fluid samples and serums; and THOUSANDS of vials of unlabeled fluids and suspected biological material.

Additionally they found 900 genetically engineered mice, engineered to catch and carry COVID-19, living in “inhumane” conditions.....773 of the mice had to be euthanized, and officials found another 178 mice already dead.

“This is an unusual situation. I’ve been in government for 25 years. I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested the substances and detected at least 20 potentially infectious agents, including coronavirus, HIV, hepatitis and herpes....Agents also found thousands of package boxes - many with shipping labels from China.  

The other addresses provided for identified authorized agents were either empty offices or addresses in China that could not be verified. 

Is this illegal lab the tip of the iceberg? How many additional bioagent labs will be found?" ZH

New Covid-19 strains detected in Russia

"The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 sub-variants of the Omicron strain of Covid-19 were detected in Russia last week..... are both sub-liniages of the Omicron variant of the SARS CoV-2 virus. The former branched from the BA.5 sub-variant and both are currently spreading in the US and Europe. Some people have dubbed them Typhon and Cerberus, respectively.....he newly discovered strains are more infectious, according to studies, but display similar symptoms." RT

Pope Francis: What we are Witnessing is World War III

"Pope Francis warned them that they were witnessing World War III. The Pope said: “The tempest of the Covid-19 pandemic has imposed various limitations on our daily lives and our pastoral activities. Now it seems that the worst is over, and thanks be to God, we can meet again. But unfortunately, Europe and the entire world are convulsed by a war of particular gravity, in terms of the violation of international law, the risks of nuclear escalation, and the grave economic and social consequences. It is a ‘piecemeal’ third world war, to which you bear witness in the places where you carry out your mission. Thank you for everything that the Pontifical Representatives have done and are doing in these situations of suffering. You have brought the proximity of the Pope to peoples and Churches; you have been points of reference in the moments of greatest disorientation and turbulence.”Pope Francis only refers to Covid-19 and the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian conflict in this “third world war.”AndyRoman

China Puts Megacity Chengdu Under Lockdown As Zero-Covid Intensifies

"Asian stocks tumbled after China announced the metropolis of Chengdu would lock down its
21 million residents as authorities battled a new Covid-19 outbreak.

In China's Western region, officials in Chengdu launched massive Covid testing and requested residents to abide by "stay home in principle" from 6 pm on Thursday. The new measure allows one person per household the ability to procure essential items at places like supermarkets. 

"The current state of epidemic control is abnormal, complex, and grim," officials said, adding the lockdown aims to "decisively arrest the spread of the outbreak and guarantee the health of all citizens." ZeroHedge

Biden Tests Positive for Coronavirus - quadruple-vaxxed

"President Joe Biden tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday morning, the White House revealed, just hours after returning from a trip to Massachusetts.

The White House said Biden, age 79, is only experiencing “very mild symptoms” and is fully vaccinated and boosted with four shots of the coronavirus vaccine." Breitbart

 

A new dominant omicron strain in the U.S. is driving up cases — and reinfections

"The BA.5 variant is now the most dominant strain of COVID-19 in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while it's hard to get an exact count — given how many people are taking rapid tests at home — there are indications that both reinfections and hospitalizations are increasing. Dr. Bob Wachter, the chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, says BA.5 is highly transmissible and manages to at least partially sidestep some of the immunity people may have from prior infections and vaccinations." NPR