Welcome to the W³P Daily News Open Thread.
Post whatever you got in the comments section below.
This feature will post every day at 6:30am Mountain time.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Half of Germany’s Manufacturing Sectors Anticipate Significant Layoffs and Job Losses in 2026
In addition to being the main economic engine in Europe, Germany is the epicenter of the European Union’s overall goal to chase the green energy agenda.
For the past several years Germany has been deconstructing their fossil fuel energy production and replacing it with far more expensive alternatives. This has led to large increases in overall energy prices, and downstream increases in manufacturing costs.
The consequences have been snowballing throughout 2025, while cheap competitive alternatives coming into the EU from China have compounded their problem. Recently a survey of major industries was conducted in Germany to determine the forecast for 2026, the results are not good.
Approximately half of the industrial sectors in Germany are anticipating job losses, cuts or layoffs this year.
22 out of 46 business associations are preparing to downsize their labor force. Only 9 of the 46 are expected to increase hiring.
At a top-line this looks bad. However, when you look at the sectors contracting versus the sectors stable or expanding, you suddenly realize there is a bigger geopolitical problem within the forecast.
Job losses are expected in auto manufacturing, the textile sector, wood and paper fabrication. Job gains are expected in aerospace, shipbuilding and defense production – i.e. the war machinery.
When the largest and most developed industrial economy in Europe is pinning its economic survival on war machinery, a particular momentum is created. It is never a good outcome for Europe when Germany becomes reliant on war to maintain employment.
Unfortunately, that economic forecast does provide context to the German position for continued Ukraine/Russia conflict. You might say that without a war, Germany could slip into a severe economic contraction; not good.
BERLIN, Dec 29 (Reuters) – A majority of German business associations expect job cuts in 2026 as the country’s economic crisis persists, with industry hit hardest by global protectionism and weak exports, a survey by the German Economic Institute IW showed on Monday.
Of 46 business associations surveyed, 22 anticipate workforce reductions next year. Only nine expect to increase hiring and 15 foresee stable employment levels.
[…] Some bright spots emerged in sectors benefiting from increased defense spending, including aerospace and shipbuilding. (read more)
We will keep watching with additional background context for the Ukraine/Russia negotiations.
Did the U.S. Just Strike Land in Venezuela? Trump Says We Hit a 'Big Facility' Hard
Donald Trump has been conducting a war of words with Venezuela and its president, Nicolás Maduro, as he accuses the dictator of running a massive drug operation and sending his output to America, where it kills hundreds of thousands of our citizens.
But it’s not just words that the U.S. president has been lobbing at the South American country — starting in September, the administration has also been taking out dozens of suspected narcotics boats, resulting in the deaths of over 100 alleged drug runners. He’s also increasingly been hinting at land operations.
But have we already carried one out? The president casually suggested in a radio interview Friday that indeed, we have:
President Trump said during a recent radio interview that the U.S. “knocked out” a “big” facility in Venezuela, as the administration continues to turn up the pressure against President Nicolás Maduro.
Asked about Venezuela during a Friday appearance on the “Cats & Cosby” show on New York’s WABC radio, Trump lauded the U.S. military’s attacks against purported drug-smuggling vessels in the region and added that U.S. forces hit a facility two days earlier.
Trump:
[Every time I knock out a boat, we save] 25,000 American lives. It's very simple. And what's happening is, they're having a hard time employment wise. They can't, they can't get anybody.
And... I don't know if either of you read, or you saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send, you know, where the ships come from? Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit very hard.
But drugs are down over 97%. Can you believe it?
Neither the Pentagon nor the U.S. Southern Command has confirmed the attack. However, senior officials told The New York Times that a facility had been eliminated, but they did not provide additional details.
The Venezuelan government has not publicly commented on the alleged attack.
Here’s the president earlier this month explaining why he’s going after Maduro and why he considers the regime such a threat to the United States:
Although one Venezuelan journalist has been reporting on an explosion that allegedly occurred in the country’s second-largest city, Maracaibo, no site has been confirmed.
#URGENTE|🚨 ¿El PRIMER ATAQUE DE EEUU EN VENEZUELA?🇻🇪🇺🇸🚨
— Rafael Itri (@Rafaelitri) December 29, 2025
LA MADRUGADA DEL 24 DE DICIEMBRE SE REGISTRO UNA FUERTE EXPLOSIÓN EN LA ZONA INDUSTRIAL DE SAN FRANCISCO ZULIA (VENEZUELA)
DE CONFINARSE ESTO, ENTONCES ESTAMOS VIENDO LA 2 FASE DE LA OPERACIÓN ANTINARCÓTICOS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/D2mPpzRT3l
DHS on the Ground in Minnesota Investigating Suspected Fraud Sites Following Viral Childcare Fraud
Department of Homeland Security agents are on the ground in Minnesota, going door-to-door to suspected fraud sites, following a bombshell report that exposed widespread fraud at alleged "childcare" centers that were not providing any services and yet were receiving millions in taxpayer funds.
A viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley investigated several sites advertising childcare services, many of which were either closed, showed no evidence of caring for children, or were willing to enroll a child without verifying that the child even existed.
"Homeland Security Investigations, ICE are on the ground in Minneapolis right now conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud," Sec. Noem said on X.
The Department of Homeland Security also provided an update on X, writing:
DHS is on the ground in Minneapolis, going DOOR TO DOOR at suspected fraud sites. The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found. Under the leadership of @Sec_Noem, DHS is working to deliver results.
No criminal charges have been filed so far, though Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators are calling for state officials to face prosecution.
FBI Director Promises Surge of Investigative Resources Following Minnesota Fraud Revelations
Following a viral investigative report by independent journalist Nick Shirley on the Somali community fraud in Minneapolis, Minnesota, FBI Director Kash Patel announces a surge in FBI resources to the region to follow-up.
VIA Kash Patel – “The FBI is aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota. However, even before the public conversation escalated online, the FBI had surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs. Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide.
To date, the FBI dismantled a $250 million fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during COVID. The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies, and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network.
The case led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions. Defendants included Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, Ahmed Ali, Hussein Farah, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, Asha Farhan Hassan, Ousman Camara, and Abdirashid Bixi Dool, each charged for roles ranging from wire fraud to money laundering and conspiracy.
These criminals didn’t just engaged in historic fraud, but tried to subvert justice as well. Abdimajid Mohamed Nur and others were charged for attempting to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash. Those responsible pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including a 10-year prison term and nearly $48 million in restitution in related cases.
The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing.
Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigrations officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible.” (read more)
Generally speaking, the FBI doesn’t usually activate unless the issue at hand begins to become a risk or threat to Washington DC. The FBI usually acts as a proactive defense mechanism for the interests of federal government.