#Farmers protest live updates

[brightattire]

Farmer Protest: सोशल मीडिया पर पुलिस की पैनी नजर, दिल्ली की सीमा पर लगाए गये लोहे के नुकीले अवरोधक

दिल्ली पुलिस आयुक्त संजय अरोड़ा ने सुरक्षा व्यवस्था का जायजा लेने के लिए हरियाणा और उत्तर प्रदेश से लगती शहर की सीमाओं का दौरा किया. दिल्ली की सीमा की सुरक्षा बढ़ा दी गई है. विरोध-प्रदर्शन के मद्देनजर पुलिस ने 5,000 से अधिक सुरक्षा कर्मियों को तैनात किया है.

[beyondspaceandstars]

Treacherous (epilogue)

Relationship: Druig x Reader Warnings: N/A Summary: Soulmate!AU - Soulmate tattoos are incredibly rare but you’ve never felt really proud to have one. Everyone else around you gushed over it while you found the whole thing ominous and a little inconvenient. Truthfully, you were never really convinced you’d find your other half… That is until a random camping trip leads you to a quaint village run by a dark and brooding man who just so happens to be your soulmate. Stuck in the forest with nothing else to lose, you agree to join his world, his little village, and see if there’s actually love behind the markings. A/N: i guess we finally made it - thank you for reading and I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this fic, even though it took me forever to update. thank you for being patient and i pray this has lived up to any expectations. thank you for caring and reading! I write just to have fun but it's always nice when there's people to read it :)

‘Treacherous’ Masterlist | Main Masterlist

You made your way out to your apartment balcony, carefully maneuvering the tight space as you carried two plates filled with sandwiches and cups of soup. Druig was already sitting at the patio table. He’d been sitting there for a while scrolling on his new cellphone (or "cellular device," if you asked him about it). 

You two had made a pitstop on your travels to see a few of the Eternals and Sersi had insisted on keeping in touch the modern way. She shoved a phone into Druig’s hands and, despite his protests, he quickly became fascinated with the technology. It was still a very funny sight to you. You were quite relieved you find you weren’t missing your phone, though. 

"Do you have time to take a break from your phone for lunch?" You playfully asked as you placed a plate of food in front of your soulmate. He smirked and rolled his eyes before placing the phone on the table.

"I was reading about a farmer’s market that’s going to be not too far from here tomorrow," he explained. "We should check it out."

"Sounds nice," you replied and swirled your spoon around your serving of soup. It was evident that Druig missed the routine and community of the village. You noticed this pretty quickly after moving in together. He focused on very specific parts of living, such as cooking with particular organic vegetables. He was also very strict about security in your apartment. You never missed the protective eye he kept on, well, everything. 

Living together like this was certainly an adjustment. Even though it wasn’t the first time you two had shared the same home, it felt very different now. You were coming together in one household on almost completely different terms. There was a willingness and dedication to this life that hadn’t felt as real or tangible in the village. 

The place you lived in also felt very bizarre. It was a one-bedroom, cozy flat near the city but not in the heart of it. It screamed prime real estate to you. A place like this in New York would be mind-blowing. You didn’t know how Druig was able to obtain this flat but you also didn’t want to ask too many questions. All of the Eternals seemed to manage their livings on their own with ease and you would just go along with it for him.

 "Are you okay, darling?" Druig asked, pulling you out of your wandering mind. 

You nodded and took a bite of your sandwich. "That farmer’s market sounds really great. Hopefully, their growing standards live up to your demands," you joked. 

"I’m sorry for thinking we should eat well," he replied, making your joking tone. "Perhaps that diner you took me to traumatized me."

You gasped. "You certainly weren’t complaining at the time."

He smirked. "I finally had you back. I was a little distracted, I wasn’t thinking clearly."

Your heart suddenly felt like it was mush in your chest. You didn’t know how he constantly managed to do that to you. It never felt like it would fizzle. 

"There’s no need to woo me," you muttered as you felt your face get warm. "You already have me here."

"But that’s where you’re wrong. Because you’re here, I get to woo you every day, for as long as this world allows."

Now your stomach felt like mush. You had to force yourself to look away or else you would completely crumble under Druig’s gaze. 

"An art gallery a few streets over is looking for an intern. I was considering applying," you said, changing the subject. You had to shift it—he could go on forever working you up.

Druig smiled at your admission. "That sounds wonderful."

"Yeah?" You sighed. "Do you really think so? I wasn’t totally sure, my creativity has been lacking for a while. I… I haven’t done much of anything creative since the village. I never got to finish the blanket." It was such an insignificant part of the village but its loss didn’t get past you. You had remembered that first spark that it ignited in you, that moment you wondered if you were right where you needed to be. It felt so silly to admit, so silly to have a knitted blanket hold so much weight, but its loss could’ve foretold so much.

"I’ll get you all the yarn you want," Druig responded with no hesitation. "You’ll get to make a hundred blankets. You can fill the entire flat with them."

You couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "I make traditional art, too."

"Any materials you need, consider it done," he replied. "Do you want a studio? We could rent a studio."

You quickly shook your head, trying to get him to slow down. His tendency to come on strong and eager had yet to fully fade, but you were starting to think it never would. 

"Let me start with the blanket and internship," you said. "Maybe I’ll get some paint sets as well. We can talk studios…at a later date."

"Sorry," he sighed. "I just want you to have everything. I… I don’t want you to regret this, not even for a second. I never want any more worries or fears running through your head."

You gave him a sympathetic smile and placed your hand on his where it rested on the table. You noticed he hadn’t touched much of his food, a seemingly uncommon occurrence for him.

"You can’t stop me from worrying, but I can assure you that, right here, right now, I’m very pleased with where I am in life. I’m happy in this apartment and I’m glad you’re the one I’m sharing it with."

You swore you heard Druig let out a sigh of relief but you ignored it.

"I think that’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear," he muttered. "I’m happy as well."

"Thank gosh," you said as a smile you couldn’t contain spread its way onto your lips. "Now, we should finish our lunch. I believe I was promised yarn."

"Anything for you, my beautiful, beautiful soulmate."

[legacygirlingreen]

December 1889 // Farmer Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Part 4, master list with full description here

Warnings: Anne getting cursed and obviously Sebastian is upset

Word Count: 2,200

I'm unglued, thanks to you

Sebastian had made good on his promise to write daily. Every morning around a similar time she found his black barn owl pecking her window almost like a wake up call, with a small note detailing updates from the last day. Sometimes it was anecdotes about his classes, info from books he read, or just little pieces of information he felt like sharing. Sometimes he’d inquire about the hamlet or how she was doing. On the rare occasion he’d ask about her Gran’s health, offering sympathies as with time it seemed to get worse. 

When he finally arrived in Feldcroft the day before Christmas she had waited by the flame, ready to pounce on him the second he’d stepped back to the highlands. And she had done just that, as Anne and a boy she didn’t recognize stood off to the side shocked. Sebastian seemingly didn’t mind as the girl had tossed herself into his arms the first chance she got as he chuckled. 

From there he took to introducing her to Ominis, and explaining how excited he had been for the holidays. Unfortunately their fun had been cut short when Solomon stuck his head out to tell Sebastian he needed to get to work. The girl still shuttered at his uncle's presence, but he promised he would swing by later and catch up. 

When night fell she found herself on her lawn, laughing with Sebastian over something that had happened to him concerning a poltergeist at school. He had stopped by on his way back from the fields to check on her. She had spent most of the time after she ate supper picking out her nicest dress and fixing her hair the best she could. That effort seemingly went unnoticed beyond a comment about how “pretty” she always looked. Still the compliment had made her cheeks rosy as she beamed up at the older boy, who truly only mentioned the words in order to make her smile. 

Just as he was explaining how he escaped Peeves she saw smoke rising from atop the hill, followed by a loud crash. Without warning Anne ran past them to check on it despite Sebastian’s protests. In a flash her mother opened the door upon hearing his shouts, confused as to what was going on, until she saw the fire. 

“Y/n get inside!” Her mother shouted at her and she looked at Sebastian. She didn’t like the thoughts of him running in after Anne all alone. She went to protest against her mother when Sebastian gripped her shoulders tight enough to leave bruises and looked directly into her eyes while he said “stay here” before rushing after his twin. 

Once her mother ushered her inside, she forced the girl to wait upstairs before joining the others in the hamlet in figuring out what was happening. Hoping to catch a better view she snuck into her brother's room, where he was somehow still asleep, and peaked out his window, only to see the house atop the hill ablaze. Unable to see anything other than smoke rising she sulked back to her room, waiting for more word. 

Opening the window she could hear shouting but couldn’t tell what it was about. Eventually she got her answer in the form of Solomon Sallow carrying Anne quickly to the floo flame, leaving with a flash. The girl looked worse for wear and the absence of Sebastian caused her to rush down the stairs, neglecting her mothers orders to stay inside. When she made it to the threshold of their living room her mother opened the door, a somber expression on her face. 

“Sebastian?” She asked sadly hoping to have answers on what had happened and if Sebastian was alright. 

“He’s talking to the aurors about what he saw” her mother told her and she sighed in relief knowing he was alive and seemingly okay. 

“What happened?” Her Gran said coming up from the lounge. 

“The old manor up there caught fire. Anne must’ve seen it first because when others got there she was laying on the ground, Sebastian holding her as she had been struck by some unknown curse. There were goblins everywhere. The aurors showed up and contained them but that poor girl…” her mother said sadly.

“Merlin’s beard” her Gran said with a gasp. 

“I need you to listen to me y/n” she said, turning towards the girl, gripping her shoulders. 

“I need you to promise me you won’t wander off on your own. Take your Gran or I, or even Sebastian. But you’re not going anywhere outside the hamlet alone. It’s not safe anymore” her mother said sternly. She could only nod, knowing there was no use arguing. 

Suddenly a knock at the door interrupted their conversation. When her mother opened the door again they were all surprised to see Solomon Sallow there with Ominis, the boy she’d only briefly met that afternoon. 

“I need to stay with Anne at St Mungos until they figure out what’s happened. Anne doesn’t need her brother or Gaunt crowding her and the nurses recommended not allowing visitors while she’s in pain. Can you watch Ominis and Sebastian until I get back?” He asked, looking at her mother and Gran. 

“Of course, Sebastian and his friend are always welcome in my home. Let us know if we can do anything for Anne” her Gran said, reaching forward to usher the boy inside knowing Ominis was blind and often required assistance. 

“Thank you.” He said gruffly before turning back to her mother, “I may need some help gathering up everything for them and Anne” the ex-auror said sheepishly. 

“Y/n and I will help you pack some clothes for Anne and collect the boys things” her mother said, grabbing a coat from the hanger and wrapping it around her body, ushering for her to do the same and gesturing to a pair of shoes by the door. 

As they stepped outside the smell of smoke lingered on the air, as the snow crunched under her boots. They quietly walked over to the Sallow home, a house she had only been inside on the rare occasion to borrow books while Solomon wasn’t there. She found herself hiding behind her mother as they walked with the man who had left her permanently scarred following that accident. Once inside her mother instructed her to wait by the threshold while Solomon and her started to round up a few days' clothes for Anne, as well as collect the boys small bags. 

Y/n waited until her mother handed off a bag with Sebastian’s initials and his warm musky smell, into her waiting arms. She slung the bag over her shoulder and waited for her mothers word to walk back. 

Just as they were about to go home and Solomon was about to return to the hospital the door opened and Sebastian ran through. Upon seeing his uncle without Anne, and his neighbors in his home he panicked. He looked like prey having been caught by a hunter as he gazed at the scene wildly. 

“Sebastian, you are staying with the y/l/n’s. Ominis is already there. The hospital said they are only permitting one visitor to stay with Anne right now until they know more” Solomon spoke. 

She had expected Sebastian to have an outburst, as he so often did with his uncle, but she was surprised when he sadly nodded and moved towards her to retrieve his satchel off her shoulder. She let him take the bag and watched as Solomon walked out the door. 

“We have some bedrolls out back-“ Sebastian said quietly, in a tone she had yet to hear from him when her mother cut in. 

“Don’t worry about it dear, we will conjure some beds. You and Ominis can stay in the loft with y/n. There’s plenty of room up there for 2 extra beds.” Her mother told him and he nodded. 

“I will head back over and get started setting it up. Take the time you need. Y/n can stay to help you collect anything else you’d like to bring. Just make sure she gets back alright. I trust you to not let anything happen to her” her mother said.

“Of course. Not a soul will touch her I promise” he said sternly and with that her mother left them standing alone in the Sallow home. 

The second the door latched he broke down in sobs and she panicked. Having not seen the boy cry before she was taken aback by how intense his cries were as he wrapped his arms around himself. 

She inches closer to him, hoping to help in any way she could, but when she did, he dragged her into his arms, sobbing into her wool coat. Unsure what to do, she clumsily wrapped her arms around him, rubbing a hand up and down his back the way she did to sooth her younger siblings. It seemed to calm him slightly as he eventually stopped crying and looked at her. 

The pair just stared at one another. His face was blotchy from crying and his long eyelashes clumping together. She reached into her coat pocket, offering him a handkerchief to clean himself up with and he took it, wiping his face before shoving it into his jacket.

“Thank you” he said quietly

“Do you have everything you need or..?” She asked if he needed anything else and he looked into the bag digging through it before walking over to the area behind the curtain and grabbing a book off the bed she presumed was his and shoving it in the depths of the bag. 

Before going outside he turned to her and offered a hand and she accepted it without a word as they walked back to her house in silence. Once inside she escorted him upstairs where Ominis was waiting with her mother, having just put the final touches on adding two beds to her room. 

“I’ll be down stairs if you all need anything, the bathroom is down the hall. Try and get some rest,” her mother said to the boys before kissing her head and leaving them.

“Ominis would you like me to show you the bathroom so you can change?” She asked him, not knowing how difficult it would be for him to find it. She knew his wand helped him see sort of, but she was unsure on the logistics or if it worked in the dark.

“I think I’ll manage, thank you” he said, still sounding quite shaken up, but collecting his things and exiting the room nonetheless. 

She sat on her bed looking at Sebastian who was examining the details of her room quietly. He’d only slipped her book inside after climbing a tree to access the room, but that was months ago. Since then she’d decorated and had proudly displayed small tokens he’d sent from hogsmeade: some wrappers from candies he’d sent, a small enchanted portrait he’d found of the black lake, a poster for his favorite quidditch team, as well as a small slytherin banner he got for her. On her desk he’d also found a stack of all the letters he’d sent, neatly wrapped with a silk ribbon, alongside the flower he’d gifted her, still very much alive, in a small glass vase. 

The flower sat next to a small moving portrait of her father in a silver frame. He felt honored to have such a sentimental spot on her desk. 

“You kept it” he said quietly, gesturing to the flower.

She hugged a stuffed fox toy, gifted by her father when she was a child, close to her chest. At his words she shrugged, offering an explanation saying “you gave it to me”, as if that was enough of a reason. 

Coming closer he sat on the bed next to her, waiting for Ominis to return. The silence became too deafening and she felt awkward sitting there alone with him after everything that had happened so she got up to look out the window at the stars, letting out a frustrated sigh when it was too cloudy to see them. 

“What’s wrong” he asked her.

“It’s too cloudy to see the stars tonight” she replied, flopping back down dramatically on her bed. Sebastian didn’t respond, simply grabbing his wand and uttered a spell she wasn’t familiar with. Soon the ceiling of her room was filled with the night sky. 

She lept from the bed, staring in awe at the charm he’d used, before looking back at him with a smile. He tried to return it, but couldn’t force one with how worried he was. She returned to her spot and stared up at the ceiling. 

Eventually Ominis returned and Sebastian offered to let her change before he did. She simply nodded l, slipping off to go change into her night dress for the evening. When she returned she saw Ominis was already in bed and fast asleep. Sebastian sat at her desk, scribbling away on parchment. 

He must not have heard her return because when she tapped his shoulder he jumped. Not wanting to wake the other boy she pointed to the door and he nodded, slipping the parchment back in his book before heading out.

She moved the candlestick over to Sebastian’s bedside, leaving it lit until he came back, before sliding under her covers. She was unaware how long he was gone, and dosed off to sleep. 

At some point she thought she could recall him whispering something to her, kissing her forehead, but she couldn’t tell if it was real or just a dream…

[stele3]

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-state-media-says-several-israeli-missiles-hit-damascus-2024-02-21/

[beardedmrbean]

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[jor-elsemissary]

C-SPAN

————

Summary: Lionel watches Martha on TV

————

The amber liquid filled the crystal glass about a quarter of the way before he put the stopper back onto the bottle. He raised the glass to his lips and contemplated the conversation he had had hours ago over the phone with a certain red-haired flame. He always looked forward to her phone calls and the topics they discussed. He wasn’t sure as to whether they ever had a personal conversation that hadn’t been pleasant. He certainly found them all wonderful, amazing enough to leave him thinking about her long after they had talked.

Lionel held the glass to his lips and took in the aroma of the scotch. He usually drank this when he was upset or angry about something but lately he has found himself partaking of its bitter taste when he thought of her. She has been occupying his mind a lot lately. Ever since she made the news in protest over a financial bill that she strongly opposed. It had passed the House with a slight majority vote with five of her fellow party members voting in favor of it.

Now it was to pass through the Senate, her playground where she can do something about it. It wasn’t a terrible bill at a glance but even he knew it would benefit men like him far more than it would the people it was intended for. It was a grab for federal money that should have gone to the various public programs and services, instead it would line the pockets of corporations under the guise of infrastructure support in the cites that were in desperate need of their infrastructure being updated.

He knew she wasn’t against fixing the ailing cities. It was the idea of out sourcing the contracts completely to corporations with little to no federal oversight that she was against. The money would be abused and the resulting reconstruction of infrastructure would not be worthy of calling it fixed. It would drain the federal government and tax payers of their money for the next two decades and very little in results would come from it.

“They may mock me behind closed doors,” he remembered her saying to him over the phone, “about being a farmer’s wife taken out of her element.” He had smiled that wolfish grin he often used when he knew someone was about to be royally screwed. “But they are about to know what this farmer’s wife can do, Lionel.”

“Don’t tear them apart too hard, Martha,” he had laughed in amusement. He had no idea what she was going to do but he knew it would be newsworthy and he would be proud of her regardless of whether she succeeded or not.

“Oh I will have only just begun,” she had laughed with him and then more seriously, added; “But be sure to not miss tonight.”

“Oh?”

“The Senate is about to be mothered,” she had simply revealed and he could only imagine the scolding those older and stubborn men and women were about to receive. She had said nothing else about what she was planning and they had moved on to more happier topics. Mostly about Clark and how he was doing, and his own recovery from his accident.

He still hadn’t had the heart to tell her what had really happened. It would have devastated her to know the truth about what his son had done and become. So he had kept it from her and said it had been a renovation accident, the window hadn’t been properly installed.

He knocked back the rest of the drink and let the bitterness wash down the memories and feelings he had for her. If she hadn’t come to him while he had been hospitalized for months, to see how he was doing and that he had made it, he knew that she would never be his. It didn’t matter that she had been busy with the Senate at the time or that he had made it clear she needed to work on establishing herself and not visit an old tycoon suspected of a suicide attempt.

It hadn’t stopped him from loving her anyway.

Lionel set the empty glass down and went over to the living room. Reaching down for the remote, he pressed a button and a large screen tv began to rise from a centerpiece against the wall. He turned the electronic on and began inputing the channel for C-SPAN, the country’s public channel that allowed everyone to see live what Congress was doing for them.

He switched it to the Senate floor and contemplated on whether or not he should get himself some more scotch. But he decided water would have been the better choice, seeing that he did want to see and remember what Martha was up to. Whatever it was going to be, he was sure it would make congressional history.

Grabbing a blue bottle of sparkling water from a nearby surface, he sat down on the comfortable sofa and waited for the Senate to begin its final debates over the bill she wanted to stop. They wouldn’t be voting on it tonight, that would come later tomorrow morning so if whatever she was going to say tonight didn’t work, she still had a little bit of time to persuade the others against it.

He would help her, he had decided. He still had enough influence on the Hill to get the votes she needed. It didn’t matter if LuthorCorp, sans LexCorp, would have benefited from the bill or not. What mattered was her and her success.

He opened the bottle and took a long drink from it, the carbonated water tickling the back of his throat and lighting his tastebuds with a tingling fire he had to get use to all over again after his countless surgeries and long stay in intensive care. The hospital didn’t exactly serve Saratoga water to its patients and he had no one else to sneak him anything he had wanted.

His lips turned to a frown at the reminder of how lonely he was now. His son was in prison for murder, and rumor had it he was wanted internationally as well. He had spared Lex the humiliation of being publicly ostracized for attempted patricide. Lionel knew very well how that felt and despite everything, he did care enough about his son to spare him that.

His wife was also nearly two decades in the grave now and Morgan was long dead after their falling out, and the only people that he wouldn’t have minded their company he had pushed away for their sake. So hearing from Martha from time to time had been a drowning man’s anchor in turbulent waters for him.

He took another long drink and turned his focus on the live broadcast. Several of the senators who were arguing for the bill had made their self centered and winded speeches before it was finally the senators from Kansas turns. The senior senator from Kansas abstained from commenting but Martha Kent soon stood and approached the podium. She had a few things with her and Lionel found himself leaning forward when he realized what she was about to do.

“Bold,” he murmured and listened as she began her speech. It was heart warming at first and he could feel the mother in her words before they turned to shaming the congressmen that were present. He could see a couple of them squirming in their seats and he wondered if they realized what she was about to do.

“And without further time wasted,” he chuckled at the irony of her words, “I will remind you of the laws each and every one of you have sworn to uphold and protect, and why they exist. Hopefully then you will remember why you are here and whom you are here for.” That caught their attention as she opened the rather large book she had brought with her and began to read slowly.

He laughed out loud and felt a sudden warmth of pride for the woman who now held the Senate hostage. She was going to make a lot of enemies tonight but that didn’t matter. All she needed to do was hold the Senate for the next eighteen hours and the vote for the financial bill would be postponed, if not dead all together.

He decided that tonight’s entertainment was worth every second of his time. When her filibuster was over, he promised himself to fly over to Washington and take her out to dinner. He wanted to congratulate her on her boldness, and success if she lasted long enough, and didn’t care who saw them together.

She had him enraptured and he could feel his loins stir from her courage and boldness. It was an unfamiliar feeling and one he hadn’t felt since the days of his courtship toward Lillian. He knew right then and there that he wouldn’t mind her filibustering him over some project of his she didn’t approve of.

That said a lot about him, a man who prided himself on being in control and independent. No. He liked the idea of Martha Kent laying down the law over something he was doing.

“God,” he murmured, completely entranced by her voice and the image of her on the television. “Exceptional woman.”

[mediamonarchy]

https://mediamonarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240228_MorningMonarchy.mp3 Download MP3 Food costs, covert gardening and deep fried toothpicks + this day in history w/cyber lettuce and our song of the day by The Lethargics on your #MorningMonarchy for February 28, 2024. Notes/Links: Apple Kills Its Electric Car Project; The car, which Apple spent billions of dollars researching, had been intended as a rival to Tesla’s E.V.s, which include autonomous driving features. https://archive.is/7UaAG Bill Gates Partner GAVI Vaccine Alliance Targets Online Memes https://reclaimthenet.org/bill-gates-partner-gavi-vaccine-alliance-targets-online-memes How memes became health disinformation super-spreaders https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/how-memes-transformed-pics-cute-cats-health-disinformation-super-spreaders “Memes Save Lives”: Stigma and the Production of Antivaccination Memes During the COVID-19 Pandemic https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051231224729 Image: The guy who discovered milk trying to explain what he was doing https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/601835364159586344/1211245925352341564/image.png?ex=65ed7fac&is=65db0aac&hm=50f6ab7342ee84e85d97077cb2e0b1a1223063e1832a509998038bb2a59efcc8& Image: Bill Gates Partner GAVI Vaccine Alliance Targets Online Memes – Graffiti Version https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/601835364159586344/1211117025137524817/bill-gates-targets-memes.jpg?ex=65ed07a0&is=65da92a0&hm=9488fdf585ce8fe0fc2d67a0ea78b06f309aa5da7e85f759becaa0d037e3670b& New York Times writer says he was chided during staff orientation for liking Chick-Fil-A’s spicy chicken sandwich 🤣 https://vxtwitter.com/Not_the_Bee/status/1762165629652766910 // https://notthebee.com/article/just-in-case-you-were-wondering-how-insane-the-new-york-times-is Image: @Hybrid’s Cover Art – The Spicy Scoop’s ‘Red Hot Regret’ https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/983208466481029191/1212263370842050600/20240228_MorningMonarchy.jpg?ex=65f1333e&is=65debe3e&hm=f30fb9f29fb6c3326bf0950f05ad0528c7a78b48495751b4b4dd1a604203ff70& Wendy’s planning Uber-style ‘surge pricing’ where burger prices fluctuate based on demand https://nypost.com/2024/02/26/business/wendys-planning-surge-prices-based-on-fluctuating-demand/ Biden makes unexpected trip to Walter Reed for ‘physical’ as mental fitness speculation mounts https://nypost.com/2024/02/28/us-news/biden-heads-to-annual-physical-as-hunter-arrives-for-impeachment-deposition/ Farm Income Expected to Continue Steep Decline in 2024 https://www.lancasterfarming.com/farming-news/ag-business/farm-income-expected-to-continue-steep-decline-in-2024/article_bab62d90-cf5c-11ee-b20d-ab0e4a64a9c1.html Video: Farm Journal – AgDay Minute: Food costs hit 30-yr high (Audio) https://youtu.be/mvGxTT2eqlg X admits to taking down India farmers’ protest posts https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-68366859 Amish farmer Amos miller update: upcoming hearing Feb 29th Lancaster co., pa https://x.com/freewill_farmer/status/1760999470387372490 #MounseyMinute: The first segment of the “Mounsey Minute” series on Media Monarchy aired recently! https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/the-first-segment-of-the-mounsey #MounseyMinute/#MorningMonarchy: January 24, 2024 – First installment of the Mounsey Minute @ 40:48 https://mediamonarchy.com/20240124morningmonarchy/ MP3: #MounseyMinute – Covert Food Gardening In the Age of Front Lawn Fanaticism (Audio) https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/597898944584089623/1212243255668768808/20240228_MounseyMinute.mp3?ex=65f12082&is=65deab82&hm=290efc2dc4904cc5cf2629ae3e58b1d45e99bcc15b002a6b8083fbb6886be7d9& #MounseyMinute: Covert Food Gardening In The Era Of The Lawn Nazis https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/covert-food-gardening-in-the-era #MounseyMinute: The Future of Food (Is Ours to Decide) https://corbettreport.com/the-future-of-food-is-ours-to-decide/ #MounseyMinute: Buy Gavin’s Book ‘Recipes For Reciprocity’ https://recipesforreciprocity.com/ Why is the ONS suddenly changing the “excess deaths” numbers? https...

[greatgreenwelshadventures]

Habitat Wales Grant

(Our latest reply to our ongoing application)

Thank you for the letter regarding the updates and for the extension of the contract deadline.  Our local farmers union office has been completely overwhelmed with queries from anxious members and we have been unable to take advice on this yet.

We appreciate that change is necessary and that implementing a new scheme will always come with its challenges; however the management of information has been absolutely shambolic.  We respectfully and constructively offer the following feedback:

There seems to be a complete lack of understanding of what it takes to manage land half way up a mountain in North Wales.  We have around 40 acres of valuable habitat (peat bog and upland heath) that we sensitively manage and conserve on a voluntary basis, and we planted over 1000 trees well before the 10% of land as trees idea was a 'thing'.  We really don't need advice from well meaning politicians on how to minimise our impact and live in partnership with the land.

This leaves us with only 20 acres used for small farming practices. How on earth should we be penalised for not complying on the 1/3 of our land when 2/3 does comply if indeed this is actually about habitat, the environment and mitigating climate change?

On our application, we removed the parcels of land which are the only livestock grazing because we have no option but to supplementary feed in winter.  Please do take a visit when half the farm is under water if you have any other suggestions (bring waders). We also need to chain harrow and roll when we get the very small window of weather and ground conditions opportunity.  This is based on local knowledge and experience not an arbitrary date in the calendar.  We are working on organic / biodynamic farming permaculture.  Muck spreading is an essential component of that.

As a result, we unchecked the land parcels on which we could not meet the conditions (which we were able to do on our original application), only to be subsequently advised that the offer was on a whole farm basis.  Your office amended our application without our consent and selected those land parcels we had omitted, then advised us it was too late for us to make changes (changing it back for the above valid reasons).

It is very difficult for us to understand how the restrictions are designed to improve habitat without altogether making farming impossible for many responsible land custodians.

We will take advice and decide whether or not the contract is possible for us to sign but certainly will not be accepting it and then notifying you via SAF if we are unclear on whether or not penalties would apply, which despite many years dealing with nationwide contracts, we are not.

We would appreciate a review of cases such as ours where it would be more appropriate to assign the scheme conditions to select parcels of land provided that this meets a certain percentage of the land overall (in our case 70% compliant habitat already exists).  Otherwise many rural smallholders running sustainable and closed loop farms will be forced to give up in favour of the mass commercial monoculture environment and local community harming farms, which would be counterproductive to the published scheme outcomes, surely?

We wholeheartedly support the farmers that will be protesting against the current changes and sadly cannot join them since as it is just the two of us and we cannot be away from the land or animals. And please note that it has taken numerous attempts to reply as we kept receiving error messages on the site wasting the best part of a preciously dry morning.

Additionally, while you sit in your warm, dry offices, pouring over your satellite and drone images of our farm and the surrounding land, in order that you can remove a few more rocks or gorse bushes from our BPS claim; please note just how many abandoned mountain small holdings together with their now derelict farmhouses surround us.

Indeed we are the only such remaining property on this part of the mountain which is actually still farming.

There is a reason for that. The land and weather conditions here, particularly in winter can only be described as tough and harsh.

Aside from the sometimes inhospitable weather, there are also constant pressures in terms of the massive hikes in the cost of hard feed, fodder and energy costs.

It is an exceptionally hard life basically, and you are making it harder. Tipping over into impossible.

That is why farmers (in Wales) are protesting.

Saying that it is about farmers being anti change or resistant to tree planting woefully misses the point.

That is why the Welsh government will need to rethink this proposed policy. Because in its current form it is not viable for actual farmers!

[tfgadgets]

After Entry Row, Rahul Gandhi, Protesting Farmers Meet In Parliament Complex - NDTV

After Entry Row, Rahul Gandhi, Protesting Farmers Meet In Parliament Complex  NDTV Farmer leaders from six States meet Rahul Gandhi  The Hindu Parliament Monsoon Session 2024 live Update: 12-member farmer leaders delegation reaches Parliament to meet Rahul Gandhi  The Times of India Parliament Budget Session Live Updates: Rahul Gandhi alleges farmer leaders denied entry to Parliament…

[newstfionline]

Saturday, April 27, 2024

University protests and political arguments (NYT) Arnold Kling, an economist, published a book a decade ago that offered a way to think about the core difference between progressives and conservatives. Progressives, Kling wrote, see the world as a struggle between the oppressor and the oppressed, and they try to help the oppressed. Conservatives see the world as a struggle between civilization and barbarism—between order and chaos—and they try to protect civilization. The debate over pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia and other universities has become an example. If you want to understand why university leaders are finding the situation so hard to resolve, Kling’s dichotomy is useful: The central question for colleges is whether to prioritize the preservation of order or the desire of students to denounce oppression. There are also divisions among students. Pro-Palestinian students will say that Israel is the true source of disorder, while pro-Israel students will say that Hamas is the true oppressor.

Tennessee Parents Question Whether Arming Teachers Is the Answer (NYT) Devon Dixon believes guns serve a purpose. That is why she is licensed to carry and conceal firearms. She is also a mother living in the Nashville suburbs with three school-age children. She worries about their safety, especially after three 9-year-olds were among the six killed in a school shooting in the city last year. “It’s pretty heavy on my heart,” she said. But those concerns weren’t enough to persuade Ms. Dixon that Tennessee lawmakers were right to pass a bill on Tuesday that would allow teachers and other school employees to carry concealed handguns on campus in an effort to protect students. The skepticism has come not just from those who want tighter restrictions on firearms but also from some who generally believe strongly in gun rights. Their reluctance was rooted in doubts about the wisdom of placing such a daunting responsibility on teachers and other school workers.

Angry farmers in a once-lush Mexican state target avocado orchards that suck up too much water (AP) You know how people always talk about conflicts over water that are supposed to take place once our planet starts to dry out far into the future? Those are happening right now in Mexico. Mexico has been facing an extensive and intensive drought for a while now, and farmers have begun feuding over water, with local subsistence farmers taking on commercial avocado and berry farmers. The subsistence farmers claim that commercial farmers have long diverted water sources away from local towns, leaving local residents deprived of the water necessary to live their daily lives. Recently, things have come to a head—residents and subsistence farmers from the town of Villa Madero marched up to commercial farming operations, ripping out the illicit water pumps and holding pools that the commercial farms are allegedly using to steal water. That action might have been satisfying in the moment, but local leaders are worried about repercussions from the groups who back the commercial farmers—avocado farmers often pay protection fees to national cartels, which might retaliate for the damage.

Europe needs to be stronger, not a U.S. ‘vassal,’ says France’s Macron (Washington Post) French President Emmanuel Macron made the case for a stronger, more independent European Union, arguing that Europe needs a more credible defense policy to stand up to Russia and not be a strategic “vassal” to the United States. In a sprawling speech delivered under the soaring ceilings of the Sorbonne in Paris, Macron outlined his updated vision for Europe’s “strategic autonomy,” including plans to bolster European defense production and expand industrial policy to stand firm against Russia and compete with economic superpowers that no longer play by free-trade rules. Europe needs to create a union that is more integrated, better defended and more competitive—and never too reliant on the United States. Macron stressed that Europe can no longer rely on the United States alone for its security. “The United States has two priorities: the United States first and the China question second. The European question is not a geopolitical priority,” he said.

Spain’s leader is mulling his future while denouncing a ‘smear campaign’ against his wife (AP) Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez left Spain in suspense after announcing he may step down because of what he called an “unprecedented” smear campaign against his wife. Sánchez, who has been in office since 2018, stunned the nation Wednesday by announcing that he was canceling all official events until next week, when he will unveil his future plans. The announcement came hours after a Madrid provincial judge agreed to study allegations of corruption brought by a right-wing group against Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez.

Ukraine pulls US-provided Abrams tanks from the front lines over Russian drone threats (AP) Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press. The U.S. agreed to send 31 Abrams to Ukraine in January 2023 after an aggressive monthslong campaign by Kyiv arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10 million apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines. But the battlefield has changed substantially since then, notably by the ubiquitous use of Russian surveillance drones and hunter-killer drones. Those weapons have made it more difficult for Ukraine to protect the tanks when they are quickly detected and hunted by Russian drones or rounds. Five of the 31 tanks have already been lost to Russian attacks. The proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection,” a senior defense official said.

China warns diplomatic ties with U.S. could face “downward spiral.” (AFP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his second visit to China in less than a year, said he hopes for progress but has also raised concerns on areas of difference between the two countries, including Russia, Taiwan and trade. China, which has also been infuriated by President Joe Biden’s economic pressure, said relations between the world’s two largest economies are “beginning to stabilize,” but that “negative factors are still increasing and building.” China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Blinken that the U.S. should not “trample on China’s red line” on security, sovereignty and development.

Almost every Chinese keyboard app has a security flaw that reveals what users type (MIT Technology Review/Citizen Lab) Almost all keyboard apps used by Chinese people around the world share a security loophole that makes it possible to spy on what users are typing. The vulnerability, which allows the keystroke data that these apps send to the cloud to be intercepted, has existed for years and could have been exploited by cybercriminals and state surveillance groups, according to researchers at the Citizen Lab, a technology and security research lab affiliated with the University of Toronto. These apps help users type Chinese characters more efficiently and are ubiquitous on devices used by Chinese people. The four most popular apps—built by major internet companies like Baidu, Tencent, and iFlytek—basically account for all the typing methods that Chinese people use. Researchers also looked into the keyboard apps that come preinstalled on Android phones sold in China. What they discovered was shocking. Almost every third-party app and every Android phone with preinstalled keyboards failed to protect users by properly encrypting the content they typed.

“Politicians are not made of stone.” (BBC) Australian ex-Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed to ABC News that during his time in office he reached points of pure exhaustion and struggled with anxiety. “Politicians are not made of stone, yet they're often treated as though they are, including by each other,” he said. He has shared on social media that he wants to “normalize” the act of asking for help when struggling with mental illness, even for people with jobs like his.

Israel could still force an exodus into Egypt (Washington Post) Amid a somber Passover in the Holy Land, a chilling reality remains: Israel could soon trigger an exodus into Egypt. For weeks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled his intent to launch a full-scale offensive into Rafah, the southern Gazan city that’s now home to more than a million Palestinians seeking safe haven in their war-ravaged territory. Netanyahu and his allies want to wipe out militant group Hamas’s footprint in the city—no matter the skepticism of experts who reckon the Islamist organization is far from defeated or the concerns of foreign diplomats and aid workers who fear the calamities for civilians that would follow the Israeli onslaught. A major move would trigger the frantic flight of hundreds of thousands of Gazans, many of whom arrived in the city after their homes and neighborhoods elsewhere in Gaza were pulverized by the Israeli military in its post-Oct. 7 war against Hamas. For months, there’s been speculation over whether Egypt would allow tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee to safety in the Sinai desert. Cairo is not keen to admit a refugee influx, given both its own internal security concerns and larger Pan-Arab worries that the Palestinians will be blocked from returning to their homeland like a previous generation of Palestinian refugees.

Flooding Inundates Kenya, Killing at Least 32 and Displacing Thousands (NYT) Days of heavy rains have pummeled parts of Kenya, leaving at least 32 dead, 15 injured and more than 40,000 people displaced, according to officials. They said that flooding had killed nearly 1,000 farm animals and destroyed thousands of acres of crops, with more rain expected across the country. The rains began in March during what is known in the country as the “long rains,” but precipitation intensified over the past week, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department. In Nairobi, where some of the heaviest rain has fallen, more than 30,000 people have been displaced, according to the United Nations. Edwin Sifuna, a senator in Nairobi County, said on social media that the local government there was “clearly overwhelmed,” and he called on the federal government for help.

South Africa will mark 30 years of freedom amid problems (AP) South Africa is gearing up for celebrations Saturday to mark 30 years of freedom and democracy. But much of the enthusiasm and optimism of that period has subsided as Africa’s most developed economy faces a myriad of challenges. They include widening inequality as the country’s Black majority continues to live in poverty with an unemployment rate of more than 32%, the highest in the world. According to official statistics, more than 16 million South Africans rely on monthly welfare grants for survival. Public demonstrations have become common as communities protest against the ruling African National Congress’ failure to deliver job opportunities and basic services like water and electricity. An electricity crisis that has resulted in power blackouts that are devastating the country’s economy added to the party’s woes as businesses and homes are sometimes forced to go without electricity for up to 12 hours a day.

[epitome-the-burnkid-viii]

Awakening news updates revealing good, evil, and much more!🔥 Come find my show #SupplementalBroadcast 🎱 #youtuberecommendedchronicles🔮 on YouTube & Rumble! New episodes posted regularly!!! 🧩 #CurrentEvents #Politics #Eschatology #News #History #TheGreatResist #TheGreatAwakening 🙏

[fromtheothersideby]

🚨 Join Us for "From The Other Side Live Show 27: NATO's Power Play" 🚨

Streaming live from Minsk, Belarus, Dave & Duke are back with another electrifying episode of "From The Other Side Live Show," diving deep into the geopolitical maneuvers shaking the world. 🌍

🕗 When? 8pm Minsk time, 5pm London, 12 noon New York, 1am Beijing, 4am Sydney

This episode, we'll unravel President Macron stating to send NATO troops to Ukraine, Boris (I think I am Churchill) Johnson's bold claims that Ukraine can retake Crimea, and Victoria (I am Death) Nuland's views on Russia's global stance. Plus, stay updated with the latest developments on the border of Belarus, the increasing protest movement of the Farmers across the EU, what is happening in Gaza and the Red Sea.

🔗 Tune in at https://rumble.com/v4g5n7b-live-show-27-from-the-other-side-natos-power-play.html and make sure to subscribe for live notifications. Don't miss our critical analysis and exclusive insights into the strategic plays defining our times.

#NATOsPowerPlay #Geopolitics #Macron #BorisJohnson #VictoriaNuland #Gaza #RedSea #LiveShow #Minsk 🇧🇾🇫🇷🇺🇦🇬🇧🇺🇸🇵🇸

#FromTheOtherSide 🇧🇾 #Minsk #Belarus watch us live on rumble

[petnews2day]

Farmers Protest Live Updates: Police remove barrier for commuters at Singhu, Tikri borders

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/JTZu1

Farmers Protest Live Updates: Police remove barrier for commuters at Singhu, Tikri borders

13:00 (IST), Feb 24 Farmers Protest Live Updates: Haryana extends mobile internet suspension in seven districts The Haryana government has further extended the suspension of mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by a day till Saturday in the wake of the ongoing farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation, according to an official order. Mobile […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/JTZu1 #OtherNews

[acelandscapes-au]

Farmer Protest Live: Latest Updates on the Ongoing Movement

Stay informed with the most recent developments of the farmer protest as it continues to unfold across various regions. Our live coverage provides real-time updates, insights, and analysis on this significant socio-political movement that has captured global attention.

Since its inception, the farmer protest update evolved into a massive demonstration, with farmers from different parts of the country converging to voice their concerns over agricultural reforms. The protest, which began as a response to the introduction of contentious farm laws, has morphed into a broader movement advocating for the rights and welfare of farmers.

As the protest enters its [insert duration] day, tensions remain high as protestors stand resolute in their demands for the repeal of the controversial laws. Amidst the ongoing negotiations between farmer unions and government representatives, the stalemate persists, with both sides yet to reach a consensus.

Our live coverage brings you firsthand accounts from the ground, offering a glimpse into the daily lives of the protestors and the challenges they face. From impassioned speeches to peaceful demonstrations, we bring you comprehensive coverage of the various activities and events unfolding within the protest sites.

Furthermore, our team of journalists provides expert analysis and context to help you understand the complexities surrounding the farmer protest. We delve into the historical, economic, and political factors that have contributed to the emergence of this movement, shedding light on its broader implications for India’s agricultural sector and its implications on national policies.

In addition to the domestic front, we also keep you updated on the international response to the farmer protest, highlighting solidarity movements and statements from global leaders. The resonance of the farmer protest live on the global stage underscores its significance as a symbol of resistance against perceived injustices and inequalities.

Whether you’re a concerned citizen, a policymaker, or simply interested in staying informed about one of the most significant socio-political movements of our time, our live coverage of the farmer protest ensures that you’re always up to date with the latest developments, opinions, and insights shaping this historic moment. Stay tuned for continuous updates as the farmer protest continues to unfold.

[stele3]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-advances-95-billion-ukraine-israel-package-toward-saturday-vote-2024-04-19/

(Don't know what's going on with the links today.)

[jayprakashraj]

PM Modi Report Card From Last 10 Years Pros And Cons

India news - A comprehensive "report card" for any political leader, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would require a detailed analysis across various sectors and policies over a 10-year period. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, I can provide a general overview of some of the key achievements and challenges during his tenure:

Pros:

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign):

This nationwide initiative successfully addressed sanitation issues and garnered support for cleanliness warriors.

Jan Dhan Yojana (Financial Inclusion Scheme):

It significantly increased financial inclusion by providing bank accounts to the unbanked population.

Make in India:

This program aimed to boost domestic manufacturing and position India as a global manufacturing hub.

Digital India:

The government enhanced digital infrastructure and expanded internet access while digitalizing government services.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY - Housing for All):

This scheme aimed to provide affordable housing to economically disadvantaged citizens.

Goods and Services Tax (GST):

The introduction of GST simplified the tax structure and streamlined the taxation system.

Ayushman Bharat:

This health insurance program offered financial protection against high medical expenses to millions of families.

Surgical Strikes:

The successful surgical strikes in 2016 demonstrated India's response to terrorist threats.

Ujjwala Yojana:

Providing gas cylinders to poor women improved their living conditions.

Startup India:

This initiative encouraged entrepreneurship and supported innovative companies.

Cons:

Employment:

Concerns have arisen over job creation, with some believing that the government hasn't adequately addressed unemployment issues.

Farmers' Issues:

The government faced protests and criticism regarding the farm bills, leading to concerns about the agricultural sector.

COVID-19 Management:

Some have questioned the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during the second wave.

Economy:

Economic growth rates and job creation have been areas of concern for some during Modi's tenure.

Foreign Policy:

Relations with neighboring countries, especially Pakistan and China, have faced challenges.

Inter-State Conflicts:

Disputes between states and between central and state governments have presented difficulties to resolve.

Social Issues:

Political News In Hindi, Debates and controversies related to social issues, such as religious tensions and freedom of expression, have emerged.

It's important to recognize that assessing a leader's performance is subjective, and opinions on Prime Minister Modi's tenure differ among various segments of the population. A comprehensive evaluation would necessitate an in-depth analysis of various sectors and policies, hindi news.