[Lauren]

WITH THANKSGIVING LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY NEW YORKERS ARE GEARING UP FOR THE ANNUAL MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE FEATURING 22 LARGE CHARACTER BALLOONS, 34 FLOATS, 11 MARCHING BANDS, 28 PERFORMERS… AND MORE THAN 10,000 PARTICIPANTS.

EACH YEAR, THE PARADE ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF SPECTATORS, LINING THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY WHICH MEANS IT COULD BE ATTRACTIVE FOR FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TERRORISTS TO COMMIT VIOLENCE.

LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS THERE IS NO “SPECIFIC, ACTIONABLE THREAT,” ACCORDING TO A REPORT OBTAINED BY ABC NEWS NEW YORK.

THE DOCUMENT MENTIONS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREAT “STEMS FROM LONE OFFENDERS AND SMALL GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO COMMIT ACTS OF VIOLENCE.”

LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS ONE PARTICULAR CONCERN IS VEHICLE RAMMING, ABC NEWS REPORTS, WHEN A THREAT ACTOR TARGETS CROWDS OF PEDESTRIANS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANS TO HAVE TRUCKS POSTED ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE.

LAST YEAR, DOZENS OF PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTORS WERE ARRESTED FOR DISRUPTING THE PARADE WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO GLUE THEIR HANDS TO THE PAVEMENT.

POLICE SAY THEY WERE ARRESTED AND INVESTIGATED FOR VALDALISM.

THIS YEAR, THE BULLETIN WARNED THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT MALICIOUS ACTORS ATTEMPTING TO DISRUPT PUBLIC SAFETY, INCLUDING BLOCKING ROADS AND KEY TRANSPORTATION HUBS.

Former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who dropped out as nominee for Attorney General, says he will not return to Congress in January. Gaetz resigned from the current 118th Congress, but was elected to join the 119th, so he could have been sworn in if he chose. 

Matt Gaetz: “I’m still gonna be in the fight but it’s gonna be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress. There are a number of fantastic Floridians who’ve stepped up to run.” 

Gaetz’s wife, Ginger, posted on X that “Unemployment has never looked so good.”

Gaetz withdrew as Attorney General nominee on Thursday. The Florida representative met with Senators on Capitol Hill Wednesday and acknowledged there were multiple Republicans who were not willing to support him. 

Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, converting campaign funds for personal use and accepting a bribe.

The committee was actively considering whether to release their report, even though Gaetz had already resigned and was therefore no longer under their jurisdiction. 

Gaetz: “They go and dredge up false, years old allegations of the most salacious and click baitey flavor possible. And in this case those allegations were coming from sources that Merrick Garland’s DOJ had deemed not credible.” 

After Gaetz withdrew, President-elect Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the department. 

Matt Gaetz: “Pam Bondi’s confirmation won’t have some of the sharp edges that mine would have, it won’t have the same long process. So AG Bondi will be able to start implementing those Trump policies right away so we’re ready on day one. “

Now that Gaetz is out of Congress and not returning, the Ethics Committee report into his conduct will likely never be released. 

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

CHINA IS OPENING UP VISA-FREE ACCESS TO MORE COUNTRIES IN AN EFFORT TO KICKSTART ITS STRUGGLING ECONOMY THROUGH TOURISM.

BEIJING ANNOUNCING FRIDAY IT WILL EXPAND THE VISA-FREE PROGRAM TO NINE COUNTRIES INCLUDING JAPAN AND MULTIPLE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

CHINA ALSO REVEALED IT’S EXTENDING THE POSSIBLE LENGTH OF STAY FROM 15 DAYS TO UP TO 30 DAYS.

THE NEW RULES GO INTO EFFECT ON NOVEMBER 30TH.

PREVIOUSLY, ONLY THREE COUNTRIES HAD VISA-FREE ACCESS… AND THEIR PRIVELEGES WERE RESCINDED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

JAPAN WAS ONE OF THE THREE COUNTRIES WITH VISA-FREE ENTRY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR AN EARLY WAIVER TO RESTART THE PROGRAM.

THE COUNTRIES HAVE SPARRED OVER ISSUES RANGING FROM TAIWANESE SOVEREIGNTY TO THE RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVE WATER INTO THE SEA FROM THE FUKISHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT.

TRAVEL AGENCIES ARE REPORTEDLY PREPARING FOR AN INFLUX OF TOURISTS AS THE END OF THE MONTH APPROACHES.

FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR CHINA REPORTED MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION FOREIGNERS ENTERING THE COUNTRY.

OF THOSE, NEARLY FIVE MILLION WERE FROM VISA-FREE COUNTRIES.

WITH THE LATEST MOVE… 38 COUNTRIES NOW HAVE VISA-FREE ACCESS SINCE LAST YEAR.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

[KENNEDY FELTON]

THE EX-GIRLFRIEND OF FORMER MARVEL ACTOR JONATHAN MAJORS… IS ASKING TO DROP A LAWSUIT ACCUSING HIM OF ASSAULT AND DEFAMATION.

GRACE JABBARI LAUNCHED THE CIVIL SUIT IN MARCH OF 20-23… FOLLOWING A SERIES OF ALLEGED EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE COUPLE’S NEARLY TWO YEAR RELATIONSHIP.

JABBARI IS A BRITISH DANCER WHO MET MAJORS ON THE SET OF MARVEL’S “ANTMAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA” IN 20-21.

MANY CONSIDERED MAJORS TO BE A RISING STAR…

APPEARING IN BOX OFFICE HITS AND HBO’S “LOVECRAFT COUNTRY” – which EARNED HIM A PRIMETIME EMMY NOMINATION.

[JONATHAN MAJORS IN “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania”]

“WHAT’S IT GOING TO BE, ANTMAN?” 

[KENNEDY FELTON]

JUST WEEKS AFTER THE PREMIERES OF TWO MOVIES MAJORS WAS FEATURED IN – “CREED 3” AND “Quantumania” – HE AND JABBARI WERE INVOLVED IN AN ALTERCATION IN NEW YORK.

SHE CLAIMED MAJORS ATTACKED HER IN THE BACK OF AN S-U-V….

AND BOTH SAY IT BEGAN AFTER MAJORS RECEIVED A SUGGESTIVE TEXT FROM ANOTHER WOMAN. 

THE TEXT READ – “WISH I WAS KISSING YOU RIGHT NOW.”

THE NEXT MORNING… MAJORS TOLD POLICE HE FOUND JABBARI IN THE CLOSET OF THE APARTMENT THE TWO PREVIOUSLY SHARED.

HE SAYS SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND NAKED FROM THE WAIST DOWN.

THROUGHOUT THE TWO WEEK TRIAL – TEXT MESSAGES AND SECRET AUDIO RECORDINGS WERE PRESENTED.

ONE THAT SPARKED NATIONWIDE ATTENTION INCLUDES MAJORS SUGGESTING JABBARI SHOULD BEHAVE MORE LIKE MICHELLE OBAMA AND CORETTA SCOTT KING.

THE ACTOR PLEADED ‘NOT GUILTY’ … AND HAS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE THROUGH IT ALL.

HOWEVER – IN DECEMBER 20-23 – MAJORS WAS CONVICTED OF TWO MISDEMEANOR ASSAULT COUNTS.

[Jonathan Majors, ACTOR]

“I know I did not place my hands and strike that woman. It never happened.”

[KENNEDY FELTON]

MAJORS AVOIDED JAIL TIME DURING HIS APRIL SENTENCING OF THIS YEAR… BUT WAS ORDERED TO COMPLETE A YEAR-LONG COUNSELING PROGRAM.

ON THURSDAY – COURT DOCUMENTS REVEALED THAT JABBARI AND MAJORS AGREED TO DISMISS ALL CLAIMS AGAINST HIM “WITH PREJUDICE” – MEANING SHE CANNOT REFILE THE LAWSUIT.

THIS LEGAL UPDATE COMES AS MAJORS AND  HIS *CURRENT PARTNER – ACTRESS MEAGAN GOOD – ANNOUNCED THEIR ENGAGEMENT AT the EBONY Power 100 Gala on NOVEMBER 17-TH.

[MEAGAN GOOD, ACTRESS & MODEL]

“I was very shocked and it was wonderful. I was like, ‘Wait, are you serious, babe?’”

[KENNEDY FELTON]

“Deadline” REPORTED OVER THE SUMMER THAT MAJORS IS SET TO STAR IN A REVENGE THRILLER CALLED “MERCILESS” – HIS FIRST MOVIE ROLE SINCE THE TRIAL.

REPORTING FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KENNEDY FELTON.

FOR MORE UPDATES ON LIFESTYLE AND ENTERTAINMENT STORIES, DOWNLOAD OUR APP.

[Ryan Robertson]

IT’S NO SECRET CHINA AND THE PHILIPPINES ARE AT ODDS OVER WHO SHOULD CONTROL PARTS OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, OR WEST PHILIPPINE SEA AS IT’S ALSO KNOWN.
WHAT WAS A SECRET, THOUGH, WAS THE FACT THE UNITED STATES HAS A FORWARD-DEPLOYED TASK FORCE IN THE PHILIPPINES.

ACCORDING TO THE U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE, IT’S CALLED TASK FORCE AYUNGIN, AND IT’S NAMED AFTER WHAT FILIPINOS CALL THE SECOND THOMAS SHOAL.

THE SHOAL IS LOCATED IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS THE SPRATLYS–WHICH IS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE–OR EEZ.

I’VE REPORTED ON EEZs AND THE COMPLEXITIES IN THE REGION NUMEROUS TIMES. SO, FOR A FULL BACKGROUND, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR ARCHIVES AT SAN.COM.

BUT IN A NUTSHELL, BECAUSE THE SHOAL IS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES’ EEZ, MANILA SHOULD HAVE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THESE WATERS.
BUT OVER THE YEARS, CHINA KEPT CHALLENGING THAT SOVEREIGNTY.
SO, THE PHILIPPINES NAVY GROUNDED AN OLD SHIP CALLED THE SIERRA MADRE ON THE SHOAL, AND FILIPINO MARINES USE IT AS A SEMI-PERMANENT OUTPOST.

AND IT’S THE RESUPPLY MISSIONS AND JUST GENERAL MARITIME OPERATIONS IN THE REGION THAT TASK FORCE AYUNGIN IS SUPPORTING.

SPECIFICALLY, THE TASK FORCE IS TEACHING THEIR FILIPINO COUNTERPARTS HOW TO INTEGRATE UNMANNED MARITIME DRONES INTO THEIR OPERATIONS. IT WAS ACTUALLY DURING A DEMONSTRATION OF THESE NEW CAPABILITIES TO THE U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD AUSTIN THAT THE EXISTENCE OF THE TASK FORCE WAS REVEALED.

THE PHILIPPINES REPORTEDLY HAVE AT LEAST 4 MANTAS T-12s. THE MANTAS, OR MAN PORTABLE TACTICAL AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM, IS AN UNMANNED SURFACE VESSEL. IT’S USED MOSTLY FOR GATHERING INTELLIGENCE–BOTH VISUAL AND SIGNAL. THE MANTAS CAN ALSO PERFORM ELECTRONIC WARFARE AND COUNTER-MINE MISSIONS.

THE PHILIPPINES ALSO HAS AT LEAST 1 T-38 DEVIL RAY. IT LOOKS LIKE A TYPICAL SPEED BOAT. DEVIL RAYS CAN BE USED AS A MOTHER-SHIP OF SORTS TO HELP RELAY SIGNALS TO THE T-12S. AND THEY CAN ALSO BE USED AS A WEAPONS PLATFORM AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE U.S. NAVY LAST YEAR DURING ITS DIGITAL TALON EXERCISES.

THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SAYS TASK FORCE AYUNGIN IS ONLY SERVING IN A SUPPORT ROLE, AND THAT ALL RESUPPLY MISSIONS TO THE SIERRA MADRE ARE PURELY FILIPINO OPERATIONS.

AND WHILE THE EXISTENCE OF THE TASK FORCE WASN’T REVEALED UNTIL RECENTLY, THE U.S. MAKES NO EFFORT TO HIDE ITS OVERALL SUPPORT OF THE PHILIPPINES TO STAND AGAINST CHINESE AGGRESSION.

THE ARMY AND MARINES BOTH HAVE HIGH-END INTELLIGENCE GATHERING DRONES OPERATING IN THE REGION, AND U.S. FORCES OFTEN TRAIN SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER WITH FILIPINO FORCES IN NUMEROUS DEFENSIVE EXERCISES.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M RYAN ROBERTSON. FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE-SAN.COM, OR YOU CAN JUST DOWNLOAD THE APP ON YOUR PHONE.

[JACK AYLMER]

WOULD YOU TRY SO-CALLED ‘SEWAGE BEER’ MADE FROM RECYCLED WASTEWATER?

[IGNACE MBOUAMBOUA]

AS LONG AS THEY CAN MAKE IT CLEAN, YOU KNOW. WHEN YOU THIS DRINK BEER, YOU DON’T FEEL THAT IT COMES FROM WASTEWATER AND ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT’S OK. IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING INTERESTING WITH THE WATER THAT IS ALREADY USED, THAT OK YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST LEAVING IT THAT WAY.”

[JACK AYLMER]

ENTREPRENEURS IN SINGAPORE HOPE YOU WILL IN THE NAME OF ENVIRONMENTALISM.

TOUTING THE INVENTION OF A SINGAPOREAN BEER MADE FROM TREATED WASTEWATER CALLED NEWBREW AT THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE.

IT’S PART OF SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO CONSERVE WATER ON AN ISLAND NATION OF SIX MILLION PEOPLE WHERE THERE ARE NO NATURAL WATER SOURCES.

FORCING THE COUNTRY TO BECOME A WORLD LEADER IN WATER MANAGEMENT INNOVATIONS.

[ONG TZE-CH’IN]

OUR COMMITMENT IS TO RECYCLE EVERY DROP OF USED WATER THAT WE COULD GET OUR HANDS ON AND TO CONVERT AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO NEW WATER. I THINK THIS FOR US, THIS IS A SOURCE OF WATER THAT IS CHEAPER AND MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN DESALINATION. AND SO WE INTEND TO MAXIMIZE THAT AS FAR AS WE CAN.

[JACK AYLMER]

SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL EFFORTS TO CONSERVE WATER ALSO INCLUDE CATCHMENT, DESALINATION, RECYCLING AND WATER IMPORTS FROM MALAYSIA.

CLIMATOLOGISTS WARN AS WATER RESOURCES BECOME SCARCER, MORE INNOVATION LIKE RECYCLING WASTEWATER, MAY BE NEEDED.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.

[Ray]

Chinese hackers are actively listening to phone calls and reading the text messages of government and political workers in the DC capital region. In an interview with the Washington Post, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee called it the, “worst telecom hack in our nation’s history — by far.”

Senator Mark Warner said the hackers are still in the networks, they’re listening to calls in real time and have been able to move from one telecom network to another. The impacted companies include AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. 

The hackers are members of a group called ‘Salt Typhoon’. 

The attack started more than a year ago. Warner told the Post to get the hackers out of the system they will have to replace thousands of pieces of equipment across the country. 

They targeted the phones of President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance, members of the Harris campaign and State Department employees. 

In total, there are only about 150 known victims. That’s given the Chinese access to millions of call and text messages, a number that’s expected to increase.

The FBI and CISA made a joint announcement about the attack in which they said hackers also obtained information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders.

Straight Arrow News spoke with Congressman Dusty Johnson about the attack, he explained how China and the Chinese Communist Party uses data as a weapon unlike any other country or entity in history. 

Johnson: “They are experts at using data, piled upon data, piled upon data to put together some really exquisite weapons that we don’t even fully understand the capabilities of. But we know that no enterprise in the history of humankind has ever been able to use data as a weapon like the CCP has. I don’t know what they’re all doing. I know they clearly find some value with it if they’re going to spend tremendous resources in constantly probing our defenses to get in and steal that information.”

Warner said it is crucial that the public understand the intrusion was not confined to Washington but was far broader and exposed critical vulnerabilities.