Good morning, it’s Thursday, December 11th. In today’s news, US proposes rule requiring five years of social media history before entering the country, “Biggest transnational crime group on earth”: why Canada must break free from China, Canada adds four new groups to its list of terrorist entities, Poland moves to ban communist party after court rules its activities unconstitutional, and much more.
First time reading the daily blend? Sign up here.
US Proposes Rule Requiring Five Years of Social Media History From Many Canadian Residents
The United States is considering a new rule that would require many Canadian residents who are not Canadian citizens to submit five years of social media history before entering the country. The proposal comes from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and is tied to Executive Order 14161, issued in January 2025.
The change affects travellers who use the ESTA system, which is part of the Visa Waiver Program. Canadian citizens who enter the United States with a Canadian passport are not part of this program and do not complete an ESTA for short visits. The requirement applies instead to people living in Canada who come from Visa Waiver Program countries or who already need formal visas to enter the United States.
The proposed rule, published in the U.S. Federal Register, describes social media as a “mandatory data element” for ESTA applications. It states that applicants would be asked to provide five years of social media history, though it does not specify which platforms this would cover or how the data would be handled. The document also notes that other “high value data fields” may be added, such as ten years of email addresses, five years of personal and business phone numbers, and lists of family members with birth information.
Digital rights groups in the United States have raised concerns. The Electronic Frontier Foundation told U.S. media that social media screening has not proven effective for security purposes and may affect privacy and free expression for travellers and their contacts. The U.S. State Department recently introduced a separate rule requiring some non-immigrant visa applicants to set certain social media profiles to public while their applications are processed.
Travel industry groups are watching the development closely. A recent report from the World Travel and Tourism Council projected a decline in U.S. tourism spending, noting that the United States is the only country among 184 studied expected to see a drop this year. The group pointed to delays, administrative burdens, and the overall travel process as factors shaping visitor behaviour.
Data from Statistics Canada show that cross-border tourism between Canada and the United States has also softened this year during ongoing trade tensions.
The U.S. government will accept public comments on the proposed rule over the next 60 days. Source.
“Biggest Transnational Crime Group on Earth”: Why Canada Must Break Free From China
A group of top national security experts is sounding the alarm: Canada’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has crossed from economic engagement into a full-blown democratic threat.
At a Dec. 6 forum in Toronto, former RCMP proceeds-of-crime director Garry Clement called the CCP “the biggest transnational organized crime group ever seen,” warning that Beijing is actively infiltrating Canada’s political, business, and cultural institutions. Through the United Front Work Department, the CCP co-opts elites, business leaders, community organizations, and media outlets—while intimidating and surveilling dissidents “on a daily basis.”
Clement also linked Beijing to the fentanyl crisis, saying the CCP could shut down precursor shipments to Canada “if they really wanted to,” but instead allows the flow as a form of “disruptive warfare,” echoing the tactics of the Opium Wars.
Dean Baxendale, CEO of the China Democracy Fund, described the CCP’s presence in Canada as “warfare without combat”—hybrid operations involving cyber-espionage, organized crime, financial coercion, port influence, propaganda networks, and targeted manipulation of public opinion. He warned that China’s reach touches everything from universities to housing markets to local elections.
Dr. Maria Cheung emphasized that Canadian intelligence agencies identify the CCP as the most sophisticated and persistent foreign interference actor targeting Canada, weaponizing media, lawfare, and psychological pressure to silence critics and reshape Canadian discourse.
Human rights lawyer David Matas detailed multiple cases of transnational repression on Canadian soil—from Falun Gong practitioners being targeted and expelled from community groups, to consular officials distributing hate material, to foreign events about human rights in China being shut down under CCP pressure.
The experts all delivered the same message: Canada is being manipulated, infiltrated, and coerced by a hostile foreign power—and the relationship is now a liability, not an asset.
Their call to action is blunt: Canadians must push for legislative reforms, stronger law enforcement tools, diaspora protection, digital literacy, and public awareness—and above all, recognize that the CCP’s grip on our institutions is not normal and cannot continue.
Canada must decouple—politically, economically, and institutionally—from the CCP’s influence before the damage becomes irreversible.
Canada Adds Four New Groups to Its List of Terrorist Entities
The federal government has expanded its list of terrorist entities, adding four new groups under the Criminal Code. The update includes 764, Maniac Murder Cult, Terrorgram Collective, and the ISIS affiliate Islamic State–Mozambique.
According to the public notice, the goal is to strengthen Canada’s ability to counter terrorism and violent extremism, especially the online radicalization of young people. Ottawa said the new designations give police and security agencies more tools to track, disrupt, and block activity linked to these groups.
Under the Criminal Code, listed entities face strict financial and legal limits. Any property held in Canada by these groups must be frozen and reported to the RCMP or CSIS. It is now a criminal offence for anyone in Canada, or any Canadian abroad, to knowingly deal with their property. The same applies to offering money, assets, or financial services that could benefit them.
Border and immigration officials may also use the listings when making rulings under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The federal government argues this strengthens Canada’s ability to keep out individuals linked to extremist networks.
Terrorgram Collective, one of the newly listed groups, is known for spreading violent propaganda online and has drawn attention from security agencies in several countries. Islamic State–Mozambique has been active in the Cabo Delgado region, where fighting has displaced thousands. Less is widely known about 764 and Maniac Murder Cult, but officials say the designations reflect intelligence assessments that their actions pose a threat to public safety.
Canadian officials say the listings are part of ongoing efforts to track groups that move quickly across borders and digital platforms. The list of terrorist entities is reviewed on a rolling basis, and Ottawa can add or remove groups as new intelligence comes in. Source.
Poland Moves to Ban Communist Party After Court Rules Its Activities Unconstitutional
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal has ruled that the Communist Party of Poland (KPP) violates the constitution by promoting totalitarian methods, glorifying Soviet-era aggression, and inciting class hatred and violence. The court cited historical crimes under communism, including mass deaths, imprisonments, and repression, noting that pre-war communist leaders helped install post-war Stalinist oppression.
The ruling, forwarded to the Warsaw District Court, could lead to the KPP’s dissolution, liquidation of assets, and exclusion from elections. While the tribunal frames the ban as protecting Poland’s democratic and cultural values, the KPP disputes the court’s legitimacy and vows to continue operating, highlighting the tension between banning dangerous ideologies and allowing democracy to handle bad ideas at the ballot box. More
The US Has Seized an Oil Tanker Off the Coast of Venezuela
President Donald Trump announced that the US seized a massive oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign against drug trafficking under President Nicolás Maduro. The move comes alongside ongoing US military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and a major regional troop buildup. Trump signalled land strikes could follow soon and said details on the tanker’s ownership would be released later. The administration frames these actions as part of a broader effort to restore US influence in the Western Hemisphere, combat transnational criminal organizations, and enforce hemispheric security under a renewed Monroe Doctrine. More
Explainer: The Monroe Doctrine is a US foreign policy principle asserting that the Americas are under US influence and warning European powers against interfering in the Western Hemisphere.
Canadian Taxpayer Dollars Fund Crack Pipes, Drug Paraphernalia Classified as ‘Harm Reduction Tools,’ Federal Official Confirms - More
FBI Arrests Alleged MS-13 Assassin, ‘Kill Squad’ Leader in Nebraska - More
Miami Elects its First Democrat Mayor in Almost 30 Years Over Trump-Backed Candidate - This is being seen as a warning sign for the GOP going into the 2026 midterms. More
RFK Jr.’s Former Group Calls on FDA to Revoke Approval for Most COVID-19 Vaccines - Children’s Health Defence says three of the four available vaccines should be withdrawn. More
Honduras President Xiomara Castro, Facing Defeat, Calls Election a “Sham” and Alleges US–Trump Interference in “Electoral Coup” - More
Sudan Militia Chief Gets 20 Years as ICC Convicts Him of Crimes Against Humanity - More
Global Trade Set to Grow 7% to Pass Record $35 Trillion this Year
Global trade is forecast to grow roughly 7% in 2025, pushing total trade volumes past a record $35 trillion, the UN Trade and Development Agency reported Tuesday. The agency highlighted that trade expansion persisted through the second half of the year despite rising costs, uneven global demand, and escalating geopolitical tensions, underscoring the resilience of international commerce in a challenging economic environment.
This record growth also suggests that global supply chains, though tested, are adapting and evolving faster than many anticipated, hinting at a new era of trade flexibility and innovation. However, sustaining this momentum in the coming year will depend on how effectively businesses and governments navigate inflation, geopolitics, and cyclical demand. More
Policy Rates:
Bank of Canada Keeps Policy Rate at 2.25 Percent, Says It’s at the ‘Right Level’ for Low Inflation - More
US Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rate to 3.5–3.75% Via Split Vote at Final 2025 Policy Meeting - More
Air Transat Reaches Deal with Pilots, Limiting Flight Cancellations to Under Two Dozen - More
Neanderthals Made Fire 360,000 Years Earlier than Previously Thought
Researchers have uncovered the oldest known evidence of humans deliberately making fire at the Barnham site in Suffolk, England, dating back 400,000 years—pushing back previous estimates by 360,000 years. Tiny pyrite fragments found alongside hearths and heated flints indicate that early humans, likely Neanderthals, were intentionally striking flint to create sparks, demonstrating they could make and maintain fire at will. This breakthrough sheds light on how fire enabled warmth, protection, cooking, and social interaction, marking a major leap in human evolution and ingenuity. More
New Ice XXI Emerges When Water Is Crushed to Extreme Pressures - This new ice forms at room temperature, revealing previously unknown crystallization pathways and offering insights for planetary science, and high-pressure materials research. More
A Small Root Mutation Could Make Crops Fertilize Themselves - Scientists identified a tiny protein region that controls whether plants accept nitrogen-fixing bacteria; by altering just two amino acids, they turned a defensive receptor into one that supports symbiosis, with early barley trials suggesting cereals could one day fertilize themselves, massively cutting fertilizer demand and emissions. More
NFL Launches Professional Flag Football League to Gear Up for 2028 Olympic Debut
The NFL voted Wednesday to fund and launch a professional flag football league, investing up to $32 million to grow the sport globally and prepare athletes for its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The league aims to create a clear development pathway from youth and high school programs through college to the professional level, with NFL executive VP Troy Vincent calling it a “critical step in establishing flag football as a premier global sport.”
NFL players will be eligible to compete in the Olympics, with injury protection and salary cap accommodations for teams that lose players to Olympic play. Each NFL team may allow up to one player to represent a country, ensuring participation while protecting team rosters. The move also positions the NFL to capitalize on flag football’s rapid worldwide growth and strengthen its role in the sport’s professional infrastructure. More
Pete Alonso Signs Five-Year, $155 Million Deal with Baltimore Orioles - More
Sophie Kinsella, Author of ‘Shopaholic’ Novels, Died at 55 After Battling Brain Cancer - More
Spotify Expands Music Video Access to Premium Users in US, Canada to Take on YouTube - More
Ontario Funeral Home Unveils Mushroom-Based Caskets Lined with Moss that Biodegrading in Just 45 Days
A Chinese Woman Wore Her Severed Ear on Her Foot for Five Months as Doctors Nurtured It Back to Health Before Successful Surgical Reattachment
On This Day in 2014, a medical team from Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town performed the world’s first successful penis transplant.
It’s not Canada that has a troubling relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, it’s the LPC, which increasingly behaves like it’s a wholly owned subsidiary.