J6ers undergoing re-education under threat of harsh sentences – afn.net Source Link Excerpt:
It’s not enough to be kept incarcerated indefinitely for simply being present at the Capitol that day. Now, prisoners have to admit that Trump is “bad” and that the events that day were a “threat to democracy.”
Treniss Evans, a “J6er,” testified at a special live hearing last week led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) that those who are incarcerated are also going through re-education.
“May I share a couple of titles?” Evans asked. “These were re-education materials distributed to them about: ‘Trump’s big lie,’ ‘Trump’s crimes before he called for the attack on our democracy,’ ‘Donald Trump: How he has attacked our democracy. Negligence, obstruction, rape, tax evasion.’ These are actual lesson plans.”
According to Evans, prisoners are given credit for taking these courses. But Sandy Rios, host of the Sandy Rios 24/7 podcast, said she knows that if prisoners don’t take the courses or otherwise admit they were wrong, then they receive “draconian sentences.”
“Never in an American court have I ever seen them insist on so-called ‘criminals’ or defendants to actually swear that they have changed their minds or that their thinking was wrong,” she tells AFN.
These J6ers, she says, have to admit to the narrative that the Left has set.
Rios
“In many cases in these court rooms, people have had to admit, according to the Left, to judges that Trump did not win the election,” she describes. “They have to state it and state it out loud in court or write out that he did not win the election in 2020 – that there was no election interference.”
The podcast host also explains that many of them have had to take these re-education courses around everything that happened on January 6 – such as lessons on democracy.
Additional narrative, she explains, that they have to agree to includes that the riot was “an attempt to change the outcome of the election.”
“And many people, because they were afraid, scared to death, actually did go through with this and sign statements that they were wrong, that Trump really did not win, that Joe Biden is the rightfully elected president of the United States,” she adds.
She says not even in a criminal trial – for example, in a murder trial – is the defendant required to recant or admit guilt. “We’ve never, to my knowledge, in this country had this happen,” Rios laments.
A new study from Just Facts “found that about 10% to 27% of non-citizen adults in the U.S. are now illegally registered to vote… The U.S. Census recorded more than 19 million adult non-citizens living in the U.S. during 2022. Given their voter registration rates, this means that about two million to five million of them are illegally registered to vote. These figures are potentially high enough to overturn the will of the American people in major elections, including congressional seats and the presidency.”
Millions of Non-Citizens Plan to Vote in 2024 Election, Study Finds– slaynews.com Source Link Excerpt:
A troubling new study has revealed that millions of non-citizens living in the United States are planning to vote illegally in the 2024 presidential election.
Just Facts, a nonprofit research institute, found that 2.7 million non-citizens are likely to cast votes in November.
The shocking discovery further adds to concerns that the outcome of the presidential race will not reflect the will of the only people permitted to vote in federal elections – American citizens.
The study “found that about 10% to 27% of non-citizen adults in the U.S. are now illegally registered to vote,” Just Facts noted in an overview.
“The U.S. Census recorded more than 19 million adult non-citizens living in the U.S. during 2022,” it says.
“Given their voter registration rates, this means that about two million to five million of them are illegally registered to vote.
The Department of Justice released a threatening letter sent by Ryan Wesley Routh, the man who was allegedly hoping to assassinate Donald Trump while he was golfing, in which he offered $150,000 to complete the job should he fail to complete his mission (which is to kill Donald Trump).
Routh Allegedly Wrote a Very Disturbing Letter Months Ago About Trump. Why Did DOJ Release It?– townhall.com Source Link Excerpt:
Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly wrote a chilling letter about his plan to take out the former president, a new filing released by federal prosecutors shows.
A witness contacted investigators on Sept. 18 informing them that Routh dropped off a box at his home “several months” before the Sept. 15 incident when Secret Service opened fire on Routh, who had been waiting in the shrubbery with a rifle for Trump, who was playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach. It was after this that the witness opened the box to find “ammunition, a metal pipe, miscellaneous building materials, tools, four phones, and various letters,” according to the filing.
One of the letters, allegedly written by Routh, was addressed to “The World” and said, in part, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
A photo of the first page of the letter was included in the filing, which also shows Routh criticizing Trump for being “unfit” to serve as president.
The filing claims Routh also wrote, Trump “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled.”
The withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Niger was completed Monday, September 16, according to American officials. The withdrawal followed a decision by the junta that had just overthrown the government to order U.S. troops out of the country. While the bases were officially handed over to Niger last month, a handful of soldiers remained behind to help with the administrative transfer. Now, these soldiers have also departed.
US military completes withdrawal from junta-ruled Niger – AP Source Link Excerpt:
The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Niger is complete, an American official said Monday.
A small number of military personnel assigned to guard the U.S. Embassy remain, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters.
Earlier this year, Niger’s ruling junta ended an agreement that allowed U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. A few months later, officials from both countries said in a joint statement that U.S. troops would complete their withdrawal by the middle of September.
The U.S. handed over its last military bases in Niger to local authorities last month, but about two dozen American soldiers had remained in Niger, largely for administrative duties related to the withdrawal, Singh said.
The town of Springfield, OH became a battleground in the planvasion battles, with reports of a flood of Haitian “migrants” (20,000) being sent to the 60,000 person town at first trickling through social media, only to catch fire when it was alleged the Haitians were eating the cats and dogs. President Trump and VP Candidate Vance both brought attention to these claims, both being “debunked” by DNC-CCP leaders like appointed avatar Kamala Harris and MSM information terrorists like Dana Bash.
Now, reports have come out that reveal these allegations are based on what the townsfolk themselves have been claiming, but the officials seem to dismiss their allegations even when they DO call into the police. The town’s Mayor, City Manager, and Police Department all denied the allegations, but, again, evidence is beginning to mount that says otherwise. It is not clear whether the reports from the citizens are true, however it is now clear that all of the officials knew of the claims yet lied to the MSM to protect the party, the DNC-CCP, over serving their constituents.
The accusation the President and the VP Candidate were spreading fake news was important because 30 bomb threats came into the town, causing major disruptions, including schooling. The accusation was that Trump and Vance had created terrorists among the MAGAs, but, as it turns out, the calls were coming from foreign countries, with a heavy emphasis on Russia.
The problem with Springfield was echoed in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where a town of 15,000 was inundated with 1,000 Venezuelans and Nicaraguans. Just like in Springfield, Whitewater was not told in advance of this influx, nor was the town given resources to take care of these “migrants,” de facto illegal aliens. On the flipside of Wisconsin is disinformation that works against exposing the planvasion.
A report of the Alabama town of Sylacauga being overrun by Haitians was grossly over-exaggerated as the town received a total of 60 Haitians, hardly enough to overburden the town. Of course, this does not justify the criminal action by the Biden-Harris administration, but it is a caveat to those who share disinformation that might support the American narrative; Disinformation discredits more than the story, it discredits the whole truthful narrative the disinformation might have “affirmed.”
Springfield, OH Official Confirms He ‘Has Heard Of’ Reports Of Missing Pets– trendingpoliticsnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
On Tuesday, resurfaced footage of a Springfield community meeting from March 12, 2024 in which a resident complained of missing pets that had been killed and “chopped up.” While several testimonials from residents have surfaced in recent weeks, both the Harris Campaign and friendly media outlets have claimed the reports and have been made up by former President Donald Trump…
In reference to Haitian migrants — 20,000 of whom have been dumped in the town of 40,000 by the Biden-Harris Administration — a resident explained that the town’s “laws and culture is 180 degrees different than what they’re used to.”
“And one of the things that I heard that bothered me very much, I’ve actually had quite a few people contact me here lately, is some pretty horrid things occurring to domesticated animals in the neighborhood. We’ve had some stuff in the park that, again, they’re being taken advantage,” the resident continued…
In addition to testimonials from residents, an emergency call report details an incident in which a resident asked for assistance with a group of Haitian migrants who were poaching geese in a local park.
“I’m sitting here. I’m riding on the trail going to my orientation for my job today. And I see a group of Haitian people. There was about four of them. They all had geese in their hand,” a Springfield resident reported on a non-emergency line.
BREAKING: Leaked audio of a 911 call from August 26th to the Clark County Sheriff Office in Springfield, Ohio shows a caller reporting 4 Haitian Migrants carrying dead geese to the police. 🚨🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/J33mWik0iP
Ohio Gov blows up anti-Trump media narrative, exposes who’s REALLY behind Springfield “bomb threats”– www.louderwithcrowder.com Source Link Excerpt:
… Last week, it was JD Vance’s “rhetoric” about the chaos caused by Harris-Biden dropping tens of thousands of migrants on a small Ohio town and the hilarious cat memes that came with it. “Bomb threats” were called into schools. JD Vance was blamed.
Turns out that a) all thirty-ish bomb threats were hoaxes, and b) they all came from OVERSEAS. Allows Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to explain more.
When reached for comment, Dana Bash had… nothing to say…
Vance Calls on Media to Apologize For ‘Laundering Verified Foreign Disinformation’ Amid Bomb Threats in Springfield, Ohio › American Greatness– amgreatness.com Source Link Excerpt:
Republican Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance on Tuesday accused the media of “laundering verified foreign disinformation” to smear the Republican ticket and suppress the speech of American citizens ahead of the 2024 election.
“The American media for three days has been lying and saying that Donald Trump and I are inciting bomb threats, when in reality, the American media has been laundering foreign disinformation,” the Ohio senator declared during a rally in Sparta, Michigan, Tuesday afternoon. “It is disgusting and every single one of them owes the residents of Springfield an apology.”
In the past week, the town of Springfield, Ohio has been subjected to dozens of bomb threats against schools and medical centers, all of which turned turned out to be hoaxes that originated from overseas countries.
“Thirty-three threats; thirty-three hoaxes,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, 77, during a press conference in Springfield on Monday. “I want to make that very, very clear. None of these had any validity at all.”
Without naming any specific country, the governor indicated that the threats were being made by foreign actors.
“We have people unfortunately overseas who are taking these actions. Some of them are coming from one particular country,” DeWine said. “We think that this is one more opportunity to mess with the United States,” DeWine continued. “And they’re continuing to do that.”
Springfield mayor says it would be an ‘extreme strain’ on resources for Trump to visit– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
The mayor of Springfield, Ohio, which has been the target of baseless claims from former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) about Haitian immigrants, said a visit from the former president would not be in the city’s best interest.
Rumors that Haitian immigrants were eating pets in the Ohio town were running rampant on social media leading up to the presidential debate. At the debate, Trump brought the baseless claims to national attention when he said the immigrant community was “eating the dogs” and other pets of Springfield residents.
Now, the town has seen dozens of bomb threats, prompting evacuations of schools and universities, which have been closed or remote this week. Trump said he would visit Springfield “soon,” but the mayor does not appear to be so welcoming.
“It would be an extreme strain on our resources. So it’d be fine with me if they decided not to make that visit,” Mayor Rob Rue said at a news conference at city hall, according to NBC News.
Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) said a visit from a presidential candidate is “generally very, very welcomed” but acknowledged it would be a challenge for the town at this time.
“I have to state the reality, though, that resources are really, really stretched here,” he said.
Wisconsin Town Facing Migrant Crisis After 1,000 Venezuelans And Nicaraguans Arrive– www.louderwithcrowder.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Biden administration previously sent 1,000 foreign nationals to Whitewater, Wisconsin, a population of only 15,000 residents. Unsurprisingly, the city needs help, as it’s nearly impossible for them to take on this burden that nobody voted for.
The worst part about this is that it’s at the expense of America’s safety.
Remember when the residents of Martha’s Vineyard cried because they supposedly couldn’t take on this burden? How does the left expect small towns like Springfield and Whitewater to handle it?
While the government does everything in its power to make sure no human is illegal, middle America is crumbling before our eyes and the media could care less.
For a contrast, recall the mass national hysteria when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shipped just a few dozen illegal aliens to swanky Martha’s Vineyard, a super upscale island off of Massachusetts that happens to be a place of residence for former President Barack Obama. Those migrants were airlifted out by the military to the Massachusetts mainland.
But no such luck for places like Springfield, a town of only 60,000 U.S. citizens, that has been subjected to an invasion of 20,000 Haitian migrants. Unlike Martha’s Vineyard, the locals of Springfield are forced to deal with a massive influx of new arrivals that largely do not speak English, tax stretched local resources, crowd public schools, and cause mayhem on the streets of a middle American community.
I heard similar stories when I visited Whitewater, Wisconsin, last week. That small town of 15,000 in southern Wisconsin has been inundated with over 1,000 migrants since Harris took office as vice president. As I will show in my forthcoming documentary on the travails of Whitewater, residents complain that the migrants drive wildly, and often unlicensed and uninsured, causing serious accidents. That local sentiment is backed by police statistics, as well.
New report: Illegals are drastically altering the landscape of public schools– www.americanthinker.com Source Link Excerpt:
According to an in-depth analysis published at Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization with a stated mission to report on America’s school system, particularly the way it impacts those who have “historically lacked access to a quality education,” the demographics of the Chicago public schools is rapidly changing, and I’d argue, not for the better. While the number of (alien) Hispanic students skyrockets, blacks rapidly diminish. Where once there were experienced educators, now there are progressive activists, translators, and social workers who delegate dollars to students based on other needs in extracurricular areas of their lives like housing and food. And, around a quarter of the pupils don’t even speak English.
Authors Crystal Paul and Becky Vevea broke down the current racial demographics, noting that the “vast majority” of students are non-white; Hispanics account for 47% and blacks make up 35%. They also revealed that these figures have “shifted” over the past ten years, as black families fled Chiraq, “birth rates declined” (Illinois abortion rates have steadily increased), and “new immigrants arrived.”
Ainsworth calls for an immediate, permanent end to Biden’s CHNV program flooding Alabama with Haitian migrants – 1819news.com Source Link Excerpt:
Lieutenant Gov. Will Ainsworth is calling for an immediate end to a Biden administration program that is flooding Alabama towns with Haitian migrants.
Ainsworth posted a letter on X Wednesday addressed to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to halt the Cuba-Haiti-Nicaragua-Venezuela (CHNV) Parole Program.
“The [program], which was created and implemented by the Biden-Harris administration, is adversely affecting cities and towns across Alabama, and on behalf of the five million Alabamians I swore an oath to serve, this letter is my formal request that you end it immediately,” Ainsworth wrote.
He said the CHNV program has allowed roughly 520,000 illegal aliens to enter the United States, 80% of which have landed in Florida, giving “human traffickers and sponsors a direct pipeline to Alabama.”
“This program, which lacks any form of congressional authorization, has intentionally and illegally provided an expressway for wrongfully authorized individuals from these four nations to enter our country and unfairly compete for jobs and housing in our state,” Ainsworth said in his letter, adding that the “secretive and erratic handling” of the program has left many Alabamaians feeling “more fearful” and “less secure.”
Ohio sheriff asks for residents’ addresses with Kamala Harris signs to send illegal immigrants to homes– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
A sheriff in Ohio took to social media to issue a warning to the public that anyone who is showing support for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign could eventually house some extra guests.
In a post on his personal campaign page, Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski appeared to encourage residents to write down the addresses of supporters for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
“When people ask me…What’s gonna happen if the Flip – Flopping, Laughing Hyena Wins??” Zuchowski wrote in his post. “I say….write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards!”
“Sooo…when the Illegal human ‘Locust’ (which she supports!) Need places to live…We’ll already have the addresses of the their New families…who supported their arrival!” his post continued.
Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski is telling the public to write down the addresses of Kamala Harris supporters so that those who oppose can send illegal immigrants to the supporters of Harris. (Bruce Zuchowski Facebook)
JD Vance Puts on Master Class in Schooling New York Times Reporter Over the Springfield Question – RedState– redstate.com Source Link Excerpt:
As we previously reported, waves were made Sunday when GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance sat down for what turned out to be a contentious interview with CNN anchor Dana Bash, who repeatedly berated the Ohio Senator for the crime of bringing to light the concerns of constituents who he says alleged that Haitian migrants are eating pets and waterfowl in Springfield.
“Before Donald Trump talked about eating dogs and cats on a debate stage, it was you, Senator, who first elevated this baseless rumor,” Bash huffed. “These are your constituents. So, why are you putting them at risk by continuing to spread claims about Haitian immigrants, despite officials in your state saying that there’s no evidence and pleading for you to stop?”
True to form, Vance did not back down, telling Bash that he “could ignore [my constituents], which is what the American media has done for years to this community, or I can actually talk about what people are telling me.”
Rumors fuel anger over Sylacauga’s small Haitian community, officials say: ‘They just want to work’ – al.com Source Link Excerpt:
… The Talladega County area is the latest in Alabama to be overtaken by concerns over Haitian immigrants, with residents demanding answers from elected officials, urged on by stories shared on social media and elsewhere.
But as with other Alabama communities seeing Haitian immigration, the stories don’t link up with reality.
City officials estimate there are as many as 60 Haitians in the city – nowhere near the 15,000 now estimated to live in Springfield, Ohio, a mostly white, blue-collar city of about 59,000.
The 2023 Census puts Sylacauga’s total population at a little more than 12,000; about 64% of its residents are white.
The U.S. Eighth District Court of Appeals reversed a ruling freezing an Arkansas law that requires signatures on voter registration applications while another court, the PA Supreme Court ruled that ballots with wrong dates on them cannot be counted, which also reversed an earlier ruling allowing it.
Meanwhile, Republicans, including Ron DeSantis, who’s state of Florida has voter ID laws, is calling out the Dems’ desperate efforts to hold on to the un-democratic method of voting called Mass Mailer voting, which is no election at all. – READ FULL ELECTION LAW UPDATED REPORT
Six RINOs Just Pledged to Certify 2024 Election Results, No Matter the Outcome — Here’s the List– wltreport.com Source Link Excerpt:
The swamp is already preparing for Election Day (or month, if we have a repeat of last election…)
A group of over 30 House representatives — including 6 Republicans — just signed a bipartisan pledge promising to certify the results of the 2024 Election, no questions asked.
They’re calling it the “Unity Commitment,” and they’re framing it as a way to “safeguard” Democracy.
Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey and Republican Rep. Don Bacon wrote up this pledge and rallied other Congress members to sign it. Along with Bacon, here are the other 5 Republicans who signed the pledge:
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Mike Lawler (R-NY)
Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR)
Nick LaLota (R-NY)
Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY)
Pennsylvania court reverses ruling allowing misdated mail-in ballots – NewsNation Now Source Link Excerpt:
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Friday that mail-in ballots with incorrect dates will not be counted in November, reversing a previous ruling from a lower court in the battleground state.
The decision from last month named only Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties, which the state’s Supreme Court argued the lower ruling lacked jurisdiction.
“HUGE election integrity win in Pennsylvania,” GOP Chairman Michael Whatley said in a post on X.
Federal judge restores Arkansas voter registration ‘Wet Signature’ requirement – KLRT – FOX16.com Source Link Excerpt:
The U.S. Eighth District Court of Appeals on Friday released a decision that handwritten signatures are required on voter registration applications in Arkansas.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks previously placed an injunction against the State Board of Commissioners’ “wet signature” rule in late August, saying voters could submit signatures electronically.
The decision from the U.S. Eighth Circuit reverses that, again requiring pen-to-paper signatures for voter registration applications.
DeSantis: ‘Democrats Oppose Voter ID Because They Want There To Be Illegal Votes’ – The Daily Wire Source Link Excerpt:
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis discussed his efforts over the weekend to make sure that his state has the most secure elections in the country this fall.
DeSantis told “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo on Fox News that the state has banned ballot harvesting and imposed serious penalties for offenders.
“We require photo ID in order to vote,” he said. “We’ve banned the use of Zuckerbucks, and we’ve been aggressive at policing the voter rolls so that we have accurate voter rolls, and when people have run afoul of our election laws, this election crimes unit we’ve created has been able to investigate, refer these people to prosecution, and you’ve had over 50 people just in the last couple years that have been convicted of various types of voter fraud.”
“In the state of Florida, we require voter ID,” he continued. “We also prohibit issuing any type of photo ID to illegal aliens, no driver’s license, no local government IDs, no private organizations are allowed to issue illegals photo ID, and we don’t recognize out of state licenses or any type of ID for illegals. What that means is it’s almost impossible for an illegal to register to vote. In some of these states where they do issue those ID cards, they can go in, and there’s really no check of the citizenship that has been done. So we’ve been very aggressive in ensuring that only US citizens are on the voter rolls. When we’ve identified people that have voted illegally who are not US citizens, we have brought prosecutions against them.”’
Mass Mail-In Voting Is Democrats’ New ‘Blue Wall’– thefederalist.com Source Link Excerpt:
The most striking feature of the contentious 2020 election was the sudden explosion of mass mail-in voting in states that had little experience with it, and the unprecedented levels of election interference that occurred as left-leaning nonprofit organizations such as The Center for Tech and Civic Life (which was behind “Zuckbucks”) and Democrat “lawfare” experts tried to make the best of this chaotic, mail-in ballot free-for-all.
The mail-in ballot election of 2020 created the template for the Democrats’ new “Blue Wall” election strategy, as a deluge of mail-in ballots propelled Joe Biden to victory, especially in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The rate of mail-in voting rose to above 50 percent in Michigan and Wisconsin, and almost 40 percent in Pennsylvania.
The old “Blue Wall” was an impregnable fortress of safely Democrat states because of large blocs of blue-collar voters — mainly in the Rust Belt of the upper Midwest — that could be relied upon to get Democrats an electoral college victory in a close election. The old “Blue Wall,” however, dramatically failed to protect Hillary Clinton’s candidacy, as an unexpectedly large number of formerly Democrat, working-class voters in Rust Belt states became Donald Trump voters.
Tim Walz’ history as Governor is proving he not only favors the most extreme anti-American, anti-human ideas of the left, he’s signed laws making them reality in Minnesota. From passing laws allowing the murdering of born humans to laws allowing schools to secretly transgender your child, to bragging about laws that assault free speech, Walz’ history is riddled with extreme left policies put into action by force.
The national polls are still close, but the battleground polls, both for Trump and for GOP Senators, are continuing to move in their direction, though GOP candidates are not polling as well as Trump is. The Talyor Swift endorsement has not panned out as more people say they are less likely to vote for Kamala as a result of Swift’s endorsement than would vote for her because of the endorsement.
Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, told an “inter-faith” gathering that “every religion is a way to arrive at God.” The statement came in the Singapore Catholic Junior College.
He further clarified “There are different languages to arrive at God but God is God for all. But my God is more important than your god, is that true? There is only 1 God & each of has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.”
BREAKING: Pope Francis: ‘Every religion is a way to arrive at God’– www.lifesitenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
SINGAPORE (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis today told young people of different faiths that “every religion is a way to arrive at God.”
Addressing an inter-religious meeting of young people in Singapore just before departing for his return flight to Rome, Pope Francis turned to one of the central themes of his pontificate – inter-religious dialogue.
“One of the things that struck me about all of you here is your ability to engage in inter-religious dialogue, and this is very important,” he told the crowd, assembled in Singapore’s Catholic Junior College.
Notwithstanding any comments to the contrary, the Catholic Church has consistently and clearly taught that it is the only true Church, the Body of Christ (Eph 1:22), and it exercises the charge given by Christ to spread the Gospel to all nations and to bring souls into the Church (Mark 16).
‘Every religion’ reaches God
Leaving aside his prepared speech and speaking without a script {transcript subsequently published here}, Francis instead spoke chiefly on dialogue between religions, having just taken questions from a Catholic, a Sikh, and a Hindu.
NEW: #PopeFrancis on inter-religious dialogue:
“Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God but God is God for all.
But my God is more important than your god, is that true?
There is only 1 God & each of has a language to arrive at… pic.twitter.com/TMHRDjEuJ9
The meeting’s widely varied mix of creeds represents Singapore’s status as one of the most diverse religious nations in the world. Focusing on this, Francis urged that no religion be given priority but that individuals instead focus on parity between beliefs:
If we start to fight amongst ourselves and say “my religion is more important than yours, my religion is true, yours is not,” where will that lead us? Where?
It’s okay to discuss [between religions].
Continuing, the Pope declared that each religion is a means to attain God, stating:
Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And how is God God for all? We are all sons and daughters of God. But my god is more important than your god, is that true?
There is only one God and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.
The Pope’s words were warmly welcomed by those present in the hall, which included leaders and representatives of Singapore’s many religious bodies and the large papal retinue.
Courage to pursue religious harmony
Francis also dedicated time warning of the dangers of “bullying” and urging young people to have “courage” to move forward in inter-religious dialogue.
In order to have inter-religious dialogue between youth it takes courage, because youth is really the time when there is courage in our lives. But you can also have this courage and use it for things that really don’t help you, or you can use that courage to move forward and engage in dialogue.
Engaging in a discussion with the selected young people on the stage about the evils of bullying, Francis urged that to “move past” differences “helps with inter-religious dialogue.”
“You can build and move forward with inter-religious dialogue when you respect each other, and this is very important.”
He encouraged them to build a “safe space” where they could discuss their differences without fear of bullying. “Because dialogue is something that creates a path, a way,” Francis said.
He closed the meeting by calling on all present to “pray for each other” in silence. The Pope did not give a formal blessing – echoing his actions in Indonesia – but instead vocally called for God’s blessings on those present:
Let’s pray for each other … May God bless all of us. And as time passes and you become older, especially as you become grandparents, pass this on to the children and grandchildren.
God bless you and pray for me, but pray in favor, not against [me].
Following the conclusion of Francis’ comments, the young people assembled made an inter-religious pledge, committing to promote religious dialogue and harmony:
We the future generation pledge to be a beacon of unity and hope by promoting cooperation and friendships that nurture the harmonious co-existence between people of diverse beliefs.
Speaking to a similar inter-religious gathering of youth in Indonesia only last week, Francis said “Here, you are from diverse religions, but we have only one God, He is only one.”
Catholicism and salvation
Pope Francis has made numerous inter-religious statements and collaborated in formal documents on the matter – notably the controversial 2019 Abu Dhabi document and the Istiqlal Declaration, signed just days ago in Indonesia. The Abu Dhabi text has been described as seeking to “overturn the doctrine of the Gospel” due to its promotion of equality of religions in a form of “fraternity.”
However, the much-loved and widely respected approved catechism, the Baltimore Catechism, reminds readers simply that “The one true Church established by Christ is the Catholic Church.” {Q. 152}
Catholic doctrine teaches that this fact is knowable since the Catholic Church alone has the four marks of being the true Church: one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic.
As a result, the Church teaches that all souls must “belong” to the Church to be saved: “All are obliged to belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved.” {Baltimore Catechism Q 166.}
This teaching of “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” (no salvation outside the Church), has been increasingly rejected by modernizing activists in recent years, yet remains valid and unchanging in the Church’s teaching.
Pope Leo XIII pronounced it clearly in his 1824 encyclical letter UbiPrimum:
It is impossible for the most true God, who is Truth Itself, the best, the wisest Provider, and the Rewarder of good men, to approve all sects who profess false teachings which are often inconsistent with one another and contradictory, and to confer eternal rewards on their members. For we have a surer word of the prophet, and in writing to you We speak wisdom among the perfect; not the wisdom of this world but the wisdom of God in a mystery.
By it we are taught, and by divine faith we hold one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and that no other name under heaven is given to men except the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in which we must be saved. This is why we profess that there is no salvation outside the Church.
The Vatican’s 1949 decree from the Holy Office instructed bishops charged with promoting true ecumenism to draw souls to the Church, and that they must always teach the fullness of the Church’s priority:
By no means is it permitted to pass over in silence or to veil in ambiguous terms the Catholic truth regarding the nature and way of justification, the constitution of the Church, the primacy of jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff, and the only true union by the return of the dissidents to the one true Church of Christ.
The Catholic Church notes that it is possible for those remaining outside the Church “through no grave fault of their own” and who are somehow unaware that the Church is the true Church, to still be saved “by making use of the graces which God gives them.” However, salvation in these cases of “invincible ignorance” is not found through other churches, but is through the Catholic Church as the channel of grace, as taught by St. Thomas Aquinas.
This treaty aims to balance the risks of AI with the promotion of responsible innovation and the protection of human rights.
The AI Convention differs from the EU’s AI Act in that it applies to a broader group of countries and emphasizes human rights.
United States, Britain, and European Union member states will sign the world’s first legally binding international treaty on artificial intelligence, Reuters reported. The treaty, developed over years of negotiations, aims to address the risks posed by AI while promoting responsible innovation.
The AI Convention, adopted in May, is the result of discussions among 57 nations spearheaded by the Council of Europe, a human rights organization. This agreement is focused on protecting the human rights of those affected by AI systems and ensuring that technological progress does not come at the expense of fundamental values like human rights and the rule of law.
While the treaty may share similar goals with the European Union’s recently enacted AI Act, it is distinct in scope and application. The EU’s AI Act, which came into force last month, focuses on regulating AI systems within the EU’s internal market.
The DNC-controlled Health and Human Services (HHS) Department has released a newsletter on suicide prevention targeting “LGBTQIA2S+ Youth” that claims “Lack of access to gender affirming care may have negative effects on LGBTQIA2S+ youth, including exacerbating gender dysphoria, creating feelings of social isolation and depression, and contributing to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”
In rooted, plain terms, our government is pushing for the sterilization, mutilation, and chemical poisoning of our children as a “cure” to suicide. The “cure” for a child to avoid killing themselves is to hack their private parts to smithereens, with girls getting their breasts cut off as well, then become dependent on high doses of dangerous hormone drugs that cost thousands of dollars a month.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is using “Suicide Prevention Awareness Month” this September to push the lie that transgender medical interventions stop children from committing suicide.
The Daily Signal obtained a newsletter the HHS sent on Friday sharing resources on suicide prevention for “LGBTQIA2S+ Youth.” The resources promote the idea that LGBTQ+ children are likely to commit suicide if they don’t receive irreversible gender transition procedures, like surgeries and hormone replacement regimens.
“Lack of access to gender affirming care may have negative effects on LGBTQIA2S+ youth, including exacerbating gender dysphoria, creating feelings of social isolation and depression, and contributing to suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” one of the linked resources reads. “Access to culturally responsive, sensitive, and affirming services for LGBTQIA2S+ youth, particularly healthcare services, has the power to improve health outcomes for this population.”
But an April study revealed that transgender surgeries actually increase the risk of suicide. The study concluded: “Individuals who underwent gender-affirming surgery had a 12.12-fold higher suicide attempt risk than those who did not.”
The significant majority of children with gender dysphoria children grow out of it by the time they reach adulthood, a 15-year study from the Netherlands of 2,700 children reveals.
“Despite growing evidence that so-called gender-affirming care is harmful, HHS continues to spread the dangerous lie that children will kill themselves if their self-proclaimed identity is not ‘affirmed,’” Rachel Morrison, who directs the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s HHS Accountability Project, told The Daily Signal.
The LGBTQ community is ready to boycott companies that drop DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) standards according to a report from Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a militant extortionist organization that threatens companies with corporate-supported social ostracism if it doesn’t change its culture to be “gay affirming.”
HRC claims 80 percent of members of the rainbow community, or the LGBTQ community, would boycott any company that chose to stop using the anti-American, bigoted, racist standard of DEI. The support from the rainbow community at such a high level puts them at odds with the American republic itself.
… But new data from HRC signals that this surge in anti-DEI activity at corporations is already impacting how queer workers perceive brands and employers. In a survey of almost 2,500 respondents—all of whom identified as LGBTQ+—about 80% said they would boycott a company that had rolled back its DEI policies.
Nearly 20% of respondents said that if they worked at a company that made such a decision, they would quit or look for a new job, while a third of those surveyed said their productivity would take a hit. Many others—more than 72% of respondents—said it would impact their experience at work and make them feel less accepted.
Kamala Harris’ Claim That Late-Term Abortions Don’t Happen is Totally Refuted– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Yet Vice President Kamala Harris said during the presidential debate that women aren’t getting late-term abortions.
“Nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion—that is not happening,” Harris said in her debate last Tuesday with former President Donald Trump hosted by ABC News.
Nine states and Washington, D.C. have no time limit on abortion. Five premature babies, likely the victims of partial-birth abortions, were recovered from a D.C. abortion center in 2022.
Former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said the fate of babies who survive failed abortions should be between the doctor and the mother, Advancing American Freedom pointed out in the memo.
“If a mother is in labor…the infant would be delivered,” Northam explained in a 2019 radio interview. “The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated, if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and mother.”
Democrat Chair Admits She Supports Abortions Up to Birth: “All the Way to the End”– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The former chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party was caught on camera advocating that abortion take place “all the way to the end” of pregnancy in an undercover recording made at last month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The video was provided to The Daily Signal last week after Vice President Kamala Harris said during the presidential debate that women aren’t getting late-term abortions.
Late-term abortions refer to abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy, when the baby can survive outside the womb and feel pain.
“Nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion—that is not happening,” Harris said in her debate last Tuesday with former President Donald Trump hosted by ABC News.
Pro-Abortion Extremists Love Kamala Harris, Here’s Why– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
… So why did USA Today columnist USA Sara Pequeño write that “In the June presidential debate, President Joe Biden’s answer on the abortion issue made me feel hopeless”? Because his answer “failed to capture the gravity of the situation.”
Luckily for Pequeño, the Democratic power brokers forced Biden out, making it possible for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the party’s presidential nominee. That, in turn, made it possible for her answer in the September debate to “make up for” Biden’s “incoherent’ response.
For Pequeño, Harris’s “answer is exactly what I was hoping to hear from the Democratic presidential nominee.”
“I pledge to you when Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law“
Kamala Harris Lies About Woman Who Died From Abortion Pill, Falsely Claims Pro-Life Law Killed Her– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
It didn’t take long for Kamala Harris to exploit the death of a woman from the abortion pill for political gain.
As LifeNews reported today, Georgia resident Amber Nicole Thurman died after she took the abortion pill – that caused complications when it left parts of her twin unborn babies inside her…
Although Thurman died from complications of the abortion pill, Harris blamed Georgia pro-life law and falsely claimed it prevented doctors from caring for her.
“This young mother should be alive, raising her son, and pursuing her dream of attending nursing school,” Vice President Harris’ statement said. “This is exactly what we feared when Roe was struck down.”
State abortion bans, Harris said Tuesday, “are preventing doctors from providing basic medical care.”
“Women are bleeding out in parking lots, turned away from emergency rooms, losing their ability to ever have children again… and now women are dying,” Harris said.
“These are the consequences of Donald Trump’s actions,” Harris said. “There is so much at stake in this election, including restoring the freedoms that have been taken away from us.”
Abortion Pill Kills Woman, Left Remains of Her Unborn Babies Inside Her– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Our prediction has come to pass. Yesterday, ProPublicapublished an article attributing the death of Amber Nicole Thurman to Georgia’s pro-life laws.
Thurman legally obtained abortion pills in North Carolina to end the lives of her unborn twins. Five days later, after returning to her native Georgia, she experienced a serious complication: some of her babies’ remains were still in the uterus, and she was developing an infection.
… when Thurman went to the emergency room on the night of August 18, 2022, “doctors started Thurman on antibiotics and an IV drip” and “[t]he OB-GYN noted the possibility of doing a D&C the next day.” D&C stands for dilation and curettage, the surgical procedure that would have removed the twins’ remains from the uterus.
But the next morning came and went with no surgery. Doctors gave more IV fluid, escalated antibiotics, administered a blood pressure medication, tested her for pneumonia and STDs, and kept talking about – but not actually performing – the D&C.
By the time she finally went into the operating room, doctors determined she needed a hysterectomy. They also noticed serious blood flow problems to the bowel, which may have been a side effect of the blood pressure medication.
Thurman died on the table.
ProPublica allows that “[i]t is not clear from the records available why doctors waited to provide a D&C,” but quickly jumps to the implication that Georgia’s heartbeat law was to blame. The article focuses on alleged ambiguities in the medical emergency exception. But without any detectable fetal heartbeats, that exception didn’t even need to come into play.
Nebraska Supreme Court lets ‘intentionally deceptive’ pro-abortion measure stay on ballot – liveaction.org Source Link Excerpt:
The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday that a pro-abortion ballot measure that would enshrine the “right” to abortion in the state’s constitution can go before voters this November.
At issue was the “Protect Our Rights” amendment, which stipulates that “all persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient.” The Thomas More Society had filed a lawsuit against this ballot initiative, arguing that it used “remarkably misleading terms” and was “unconstitutionally riddled with separate subjects.”
In its ruling, the court determined that the amendment initiative “has a singleness of subject” and therefore does not violate the separate subjects rule.
“The fact that the drafters of the initiative have made certain choices regarding the specific limits, parameters, and definitions does not mean that each such provision is a separate subject,” Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman wrote for the court in its unanimous decision.
Tim Walz’s Position On IVF Shows How Extreme He Is– thefederalist.com Source Link Excerpt:
Walz further stated that “the bar is pretty damn low … to treat people like human beings.” But considering that Walz is continually advocating for fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), we have to ask: Where’s the equal justice for those whose lives are diminished to experimental subjects or are simply disposed of through the IVF process? Isn’t the treatment of “extra” human embryonic lives as expendable an affront to the human rights Walz claims to champion?
For his part, former President Donald Trump has recently stated that his administration is “pro-family” and wants more babies to be born; therefore, he wants IVF provided for “free” to infertile couples, either through government subsidization or by mandating that insurance companies pay for it. He appears to remain unconcerned, or at best unaware, that IVF takes more life than it creates.
In either case, perhaps Walz and Trump are simply unaware that in a typical IVF cycle hopeful couples end up with 13 or more lab-created embryos to consider, both practically and morally. Often couples decide what to do with their excess children after they feel their families are “complete.” The sad reality of IVF, though, is that their families are never fully complete while they have frozen children out there waiting to be rescued by their parents. A man and woman with 13 embryos that considers their family “complete” after implanting one more child still have 12 other children who remain, as yet, only partially realized, on ice.
Pro-life campaign ads show aborted children to steer support away from Kamala Harris– www.lifesitenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
(LifeSiteNews) — In a series of riveting TV ads, Presidential candidate Randall Terry is taking aim at Democrats and the Catholics, Evangelicals, and Blacks who vote for them. He and his fellow spokespersons mince no words.
Terry’s campaign has developed about two dozen TV ads custom-tailored to each state where Democrats are seeking to enshrine abortion as a legal right through November ballot initiatives.
Having judged past pro-life efforts since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade to be “anemic,” allowing catastrophic pro-life losses in Ohio, Michigan, Kansas, and Kentucky, the Terry campaign has incorporated images of aborted babies into its messaging in order to help religious voters understand that abortion is exactly what JPII called it: “Murder.”
“You cannot end a holocaust of this magnitude without showing the victims and calling it ‘Murder,’” Terry told LifeSiteNews.
“There are rules and tools in social warfare, and if those five rules and tools are not used, you lose: incendiary images, radical rhetoric, aggressive action, serious sacrifice, and verifiable victory,” Terry said as he explained the need to change the tactics employed in defeating inhuman Democrat policies and politicians.
Pro-Life Advocate Sues San Diego Over “Bubble Zone” Law That Bans Pro-Life Free Speech– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
A California man who has engaged in pro-life advocacy outside of abortion facilities for the past 15 years is suing San Diego for its newly-enacted “bubble zone” ordinance. Under the city law, speech is restricted within 100 feet of the entrance to an abortion facility, and even further restricted within an 8-foot bubble around persons within that zone. On behalf of pro-life advocate Roger Lopez, Thomas More Society attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against the city on September 5, 2024. The lawsuit argues that the speech-restricting ordinance violates the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of pro-life individuals to offer information on life-affirming alternatives, as well as the rights of the women entering an abortion facility to hear it.
The lawsuit alleges that San Diego amplifies favored pro-abortion speech and silences disfavored pro-life speech, despite the San Diego City Council’s past declaration that “it is vital to our democracy to allow free speech for all, even those with whom we vehemently agree.” The ordinance imposes a noise limitation within the 100-foot buffer that is softer than normal conversation and prohibits any act deemed to “harass or intimidate” in a vaguely defined manner. It also imposes a requirement to obtain express authorization before entering a passerby’s 8-foot bubble.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is Fighting Fraud Behind Pro-Abortion Amendment 4– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Deputy Secretary of State for Legal Affairs and Election Integrity Brad McVay has asked law enforcement to investigate claims of “illegal petition forms” and “voter fraud” related to the pro-abortion amendment 4.
Pro-life voters in Palm Beach County claim their signatures were forged on the original petition for Amendment 4 to be placed on the November ballot. The amendment was proposed by the pro-abortion group Floridians Protecting Freedom.
For the then-proposed amendment to get on the November 5 ballot, Floridians Protecting Freedom needed over 891,523 signatures on the initial petition.
Amendment 4 would create provisions in Florida’s state constitution so that:
No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.
A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable to make abortion—the death of unborn children—the centerpiece of a presidential campaign.
But that’s exactly what the Harris-Walz campaign is doing.
It’s not just that they have abandoned former President Bill Clinton’s “safe, legal, and rare” formulation and embraced the “right” to kill an unborn baby for any reason, at any time, up to and including the moment of birth—and even after birth, should the baby survive the abortion.
That, sadly, is now the position taken by all leading Democrats.
But Harris-Walz have gone ever further. They have elevated this “right” above all others, including those listed in the Bill of Rights.
Abortion is, according to Vice President Kamala Harris, “a woman’s most fundamental right,” meaning that in her view it trumps freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or even freedom of conscience.
Do Dems Believe Men Get A Choice Whether Their Children Live?– thefederalist.com Source Link Excerpt:
Kamala Harris touted herself as a champion for abortion in Tuesday’s debate, framing this life-and-death issue as a basic freedom. She told viewers she would “be a president that will protect our fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.”
This theme of abortion as “freedom” has run throughout her campaign, placing so-called abortion rights above the right to life and moving far beyond the former Democrat position of abortion being “safe, legal, and rare.” Tim Walz stands firmly with Harris, famously declaring: “We respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make, even if we wouldn’t make the same choices for ourselves, because we know there’s a golden rule, mind your own damn business.”
But Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg raised an interesting question: What does “reproductive freedom” mean for men? Speaking at a “White Dudes for Harris” event, Buttigieg encouraged men to support Harris because he said abortion benefits them. He argued that “men are also more free in a country where we have a president who stands up for things like access to abortion care.”
Abortion rights questions are on ballots in 9 states. Will they tilt elections? – ABC News
Ballot measures on abortion access could attract voters to polls in November who otherwise might sit out the election — and even a small number of additional voters could make a difference in close races for offices from the state legislature to president.
Scholars and ballot measure experts are divided on the impact ballot measures have previously had on candidate elections. But in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, which ended the nationwide right to abortion, these measures are seen as ones that could sway results if any can.
“2024 is a test in this post-Dobbs world of how this issue being on the ballot will impact candidates,” said Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, executive director of The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, which helps progressive groups with the details of pursuing and campaigning for ballot measures. “It is really dependent on whether candidates are willing to run on those issues.”
Voters in nine states are considering measures to add the right to abortion to their state constitutions in the highest profile of many ballot measures.
Voters in swing states want federal abortion law: Poll – Washington Examiner
Voters in swing states for the 2024 election do not want to leave abortion policy up to the states, according to a new poll from the University of Maryland, as abortion is set to be a pivotal consideration in the first presidential race since the Supreme Court overturnedRoe v. Wade in 2022.
Significant majorities, regardless of party identification, in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin said they preferred some sort of federal law codifying abortion rights, an issue that has sharply divided Republicans and Democrats in the lead-up to November.
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), have made states’ rights on the issue of abortion the new standard of the Republican Party, following the move to delete long-standing anti-abortion language from the GOP platform this summer.
Abortion Could Be Banned Nationwide If Trump Resurrects This Zombie Law– www.scientificamerican.com Source Link Excerpt:
When the Comstock Act was written, germ theory was still contested science, blood types and vitamins were medical mysteries, and the most common cause of death in the U.S. was tuberculosis, then known as consumption. And yet a movement has been gaining steam to use the 1873 law to ban a vital type of medical care nationwide: abortion. Experts say this strategy may well succeed if former president Donald Trump is elected to a second term in November.
Abortions are extremely safe—far safer than pregnancy, studies show. “Abortion is a very safe procedure,” says Glenmarie Matthews, a gynecologist at RWJBarnabas Health in New Jersey. It is also vital medical care for much of the population. “We are trying to isolate abortion care from women’s health care, but it’s all intertwined into one thing,” she says. It’s also politically popular—the clear majority of Americans believe abortion should be legal under most circumstances.
Trump wouldn’t say whether he’d veto a national ban even as abortion remains a top election issue – Las Vegas Sun Source Link Excerpt:
Former President Donald Trump repeatedly declined to say during this week’s debate if he would veto a national abortion ban if he were elected again — a question that has lingered as the Republican nominee has shifted his stances on the crucial election issue.
In Tuesday’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump said he would not sign a federal abortion ban, insisting that a ban would not pass Congress anyway. But he refused twice to say if he would veto such legislation if it landed on his desk. Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio, said in an interview with NBC News last month that the former president would veto a ban.
In response to moderators prompting him about Vance’s statement, Trump said: “I didn’t discuss it with JD, in all fairness. And I don’t mind if he has a certain view, but I don’t think he was speaking for me.”
Trump creates rift in anti-abortion movement (Video) – Social News XYZ
Former President Donald Trump has created a rift in the anti-abortion movement, with some seeing him as a champion and others perceiving him as a traitor to the cause. NOTUS reporter Oriana Gonzlez joins to discuss.
Do Dems Believe Men Get A Choice Whether Their Children Live?– thefederalist.com Source Link Excerpt:
Kamala Harris touted herself as a champion for abortion in Tuesday’s debate, framing this life-and-death issue as a basic freedom. She told viewers she would “be a president that will protect our fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.”
This theme of abortion as “freedom” has run throughout her campaign, placing so-called abortion rights above the right to life and moving far beyond the former Democrat position of abortion being “safe, legal, and rare.” Tim Walz stands firmly with Harris, famously declaring: “We respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make, even if we wouldn’t make the same choices for ourselves, because we know there’s a golden rule, mind your own damn business.”
But Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg raised an interesting question: What does “reproductive freedom” mean for men? Speaking at a “White Dudes for Harris” event, Buttigieg encouraged men to support Harris because he said abortion benefits them. He argued that “men are also more free in a country where we have a president who stands up for things like access to abortion care.”
The Bizarre Alliance Between the Trans Agenda and Abortion– www.lifenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
When discussing the transgender craze and abortion, less is often more. But the alliance between the trans movement and the pro-abortion movement has become so aggressive that we can’t avoid talking about it (as much as we might like to).
At first glance, the issues of abortion and LGBTQ appear unrelated. Same-sex relationships are sterile and can’t result in pregnancy. But the homosexual movement has actively inserted itself into the abortion debate because both the trans and pro-abortion movements are built on a shared philosophy: sexual license that accepts no sexual limitations from church, state, or culture.
Abortion advocates and LGBTQ advocates alike generally believe that sex should be free for any reason, with anyone, and with zero consequences. And they demand that this philosophy be accepted by everyone.
The two movements are locked arm-in-arm, not only in principle but financially. This is why you see so many “Pride” flags at pro-abortion events and abortion rights signs at “Pride” parades.
Voters in Florida will decide on Nov. 5 whether to scrap hard-won legal protections for the unborn and effectively legalize late-term abortion through a constitutional amendment to the Sunshine State’s Declaration of Rights.
Pro-life advocates have shared critical insights with Blaze News regarding the political significance of Florida’s Amendment 4; its implications for the unborn and their advocates both in Florida and out of state; and what it reveals about the pro-abortion movement’s strategy going forward.
New York Democrats panic abortion amendment isn’t silver bullet they were counting on – washingtonexaminer.com
New York Democrats counting on an abortion ballot measure boosting turnout for their party have been increasingly worried it has become a problem for swing-seat candidates.
Conservatives have effectively blasted the amendment for including provisions on “gender identity” and “gender expression” that connect with a nationwide attack on Democrats involving nonbiological females playing in women’s sports.
While abortion and broad LGBT rights have outright support in the state, provisions about “gender identity,” “pregnancy outcomes,” and the rights relating to age are turning off some supporters. Internal polling shows that messaging about mixed-gender sports, in particular, has moved voters in battleground House districts, according toPolitico.
SCOTUS Rules Biden-Harris Admin Can Block Funds to Oklahoma for Refusing to Refer Women for Abortions – townhall.com
The United States Supreme Court blocked the reinstatement of millions of dollars in federal funding for family planning services in Oklahoma because the state refuses to refer pregnant women to get abortions.
The Biden-Harris Administration stripped funding from the pro-life state after family planning services refused to provide a hotline number for patients to call and receive information on abortion.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services and its secretary, Xavier Becerra, were sued by the state, which was seeking a reinstatement of over $4.5 million in family-planning grants. However, on Tuesday, the SCOTUS ruled in favor of the Biden-Harris Administration.
Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch indicated they would have granted the state’s request.
The federal grant program was established in 1970 under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. However, in 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration revised the act, stating that family planning services must provide information to pregnant women about their options to receive “neutral, factual information and non-directive counseling,” including abortion.
U.S. TO SEND MORE TROOPS TO MIDDLE EAST – Risking escalation everyday American soldiers are on the ground in the middle of the Gaza and Lebanon War, the U.S. decided to double down on this risk in the wake of further escalations of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon. The Defense Department announced plans to send dozens more soldiers to the region.
Major General Patrick S. Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said of the decision, “In light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region.”
Israel vows it WON’T stop Hezbollah blitz as wave of 1,600 strikes kills 558 in Lebanon & sends ‘terrorists back 20yrs’– www.thesun.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
ISRAEL has vowed it won’t stop airstrikes against Hezbollah as they blitz the terror group 1,600 times to cripple it.
Israeli Airstrikes Kill Scores Of Hezbollah Terrorists As Full-Scale War Looms– dailycaller.com Source Link Excerpt:
Israeli airstrikes killed scores of Hezbollah terrorists on Monday as the possibility of a major war between the two adversaries continues to grow.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said that Israeli warplanes hit over 300 targets in Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 182 people and injuring hundreds more, though that number doesn’t distinguish between civilians and terrorists, according to severalreports. The strikes follow a string of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah over recent weeks, which have grown more severe and raised concerns that a broader regional war could be right around the corner.
September 23, 2024
UN Votes to Boot Israel out of Gaza, West Bank
By a vote of 124-14, the United Nations has passed a non-binding resolution demanding Israel leave Gaza and the West Bank completely within 12 months of the passing of the resolution. 43 nations abstained from voting. The United States was one of 14 nations voting against the resolution.
UN members vote 124-14 Israel must end ‘unlawful’ occupation of Palestinian territories– www.news24.com Source Link Excerpt:
UN member states voted Wednesday to formally demand an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months and sanctions for non-compliance.
The non-binding resolution, which Israel claimed would fuel violence, calling it “distorted” and “cynical,” is based on an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) saying the occupation since 1967 was “unlawful.”
There were 124 votes in favour, 14 against and a notable 43 abstentions, with the Palestinian delegation heralding the adoption as “historic.”
Arab countries called the special session just days before dozens of world leaders meet at UN headquarters to address the kick off of this year’s General Assembly.
Israel launches ‘Third Lebanon War’ as IDF warplanes pound Hezbollah targets | World | News– www.express.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Israeli warplanes have begun striking targets in the south and east of Lebanon after the IDF warned locals to evacuate as it steps up its military operation against Hezbollah, with one official referring to it as the “Third Lebanon War.”.
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee added on X: “Residents of Lebanese villages: The raids will begin in the near future – evacuate the houses where Hezbollah weapons are hidden immediately!
“Hezbollah is lying to you and sacrificing you. Hezbollah says that you are its environment and that you are its audience, but it seems that its missiles and drones are more valuable and important to it than you.”
An Israeli security source told the Hebrew outlet Ynet that Israel expected a massive response from Hezbollah after the attack adding: “There are days ahead of us when the public will have to show composure.” They referred to the conflict as the “Third Lebanon War”.
Israel could face further weapon sanctions as war fears escalate, hints Foreign Secretary David Lammy– www.thesun.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy hinted Israel could face further weapon sanctions as war fears escalated yesterday.
Labour has blocked some British arms shipments amid concerns over the bloodbath in Gaza, said to have claimed 40,000 Palestinian lives and violence against Arabs in Israel’s West Bank.
Mr Lammy said a full arms embargo on Israel would be a “mistake” – but left the door open to further curbs.
The Labour minister did not comment on the overnight barrage of 150 rockets fired by Hezbollah, but hit out at Israeli violence in the occupied territory.
Speaking at a Labour conference fringe meeting, Mr Lammy said: “I’m deeply, deeply worried by the growing violence and settler violence that we see in the West Bank.
“I’m in discussions with G7 partners, particular European partners on that.
Israel and Hezbollah trade heavy fire as cross-border strikes escalate– www.cbsnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade hundreds of strikes on Sunday as the sides appear to be spiraling toward an all-out war following months of escalating tensions.
The Iran-backed militant group launched more than 100 rockets across a wider and deeper area of northern Israel, with some landing near the city of Haifa. The barrage overnight set off air raid sirens across northern Israel, sending thousands of people scrambling into shelters.
Israel’s military said the rockets were fired “toward civilian areas,” pointing to a possible escalation after previous barrages had mainly been aimed at military targets.
Israel obliterates hundreds of targets in Lebanon after Hezbollah leader vowed revenge for pager blitz that left 37 dead– www.thesun.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
ISRAEL has bombed hundreds of targets just hours after Hezbollah’s leader vowed revenge for the sabotage attack that left 37 dead.
In what now appears to be two rounds of targeted attempted assassinations of Hezbollah leaders, Israel appears to have blown up first their pagers (on round one) and then other electronic devices (on round two). The reports are still not clear, but so far tens of people have been killed, including at least one child, and thousands have suffered serious, some critical injuries.
The pagers may have been made in Taiwan and/or Hungary before they were distributed to Hezbollah. The question now is how much the Taiwanese and Hungarian companies knew about what Israel was doing and what kind of ethical fallout should there be following this disclosure. The operation itself has virtually shut down any meaningful Hezbollah operations, but Hezbollah has vowed that a counter strike will be coming.
Over 4000 injured, 11 dead after mysterious explosions in Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut, southern Lebanon – Israel Hayom Source Link Excerpt:
More than 200 suffer severe injuries as communication pagers unexpectedly detonate in Hezbollah operatives’ pockets. Hezbollah says this is “the biggest intelligence breach yet” as pagers were reportedly latest model and were only recently imported. Iran-backed terrorist group says, “We will respond from an unexpected place.”
Multiple explosions took place on Tuesday in the southern Dahieh district of Beirut, with hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists reportedly injured, with other explosions and injuries also taking place in villages in the southern part of the country, where the Shiite group is dominant, as well as the Bekka Valley. According to Saudi media, senior members of the terrorist group were injured. After several hours, Hezbollah said: “The explosion of the devices led to the death of a girl, two brothers, and many wounded. Beware of rumors. We are on high alert to defend Lebanon.” Lebanon’s health minister confirmed at least 11 died and more than 4,000 were injured, among them at least 200 in serious condition. Other reports indicate that 500 lost their vision, according to Saudi media.
One od Hezbollah’s lawmakers in the Lebanese parliament, Ali Amar, had his son killed by a blast as well. “My son was killed in the communication device explosion. This was Israeli aggression – we will respond in a language the enemy understands,” he said. “We say, ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.’ We have a day with this enemy, and the days will be between us,” he continued. Several sons of other senior Hezbollah members, including of lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, were injured, some critical.
Hezbollah later blamed Israel for the attack, saying, “After examining the facts, we see the Israeli enemy as fully responsible for the attack on the beepers. We will respond from an unexpected place.”
Israel planted explosives in Lebanon pagers, claims sources. Taiwanese company denies making devices– www.news24.com Source Link Excerpt:
Israel’s Mossad spy agency planted a small amount of explosives inside 5 000 Taiwan-made pagers ordered by Lebanese group Hezbollah months before Tuesday’s detonations, a senior Lebanese security source and another source told Reuters.
The operation was an unprecedented Hezbollah security breach that saw thousands of pagers detonate across Lebanon, killing nine people and wounding nearly 3 000 others, including the group’s fighters and Iran’s envoy to Beirut.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel, whose military declined to comment on the blasts.
The plot appears to have been many months in the making, several sources told Reuters.
Taiwan dragged into Middle East politics after deadly pager blasts | Technology– www.aljazeera.com Source Link Excerpt:
Taipei, Taiwan – Taiwan’s crucial tech industry has been unwittingly drawn into Middle East politics after revelations that thousands of exploding pagers used to kill members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group were manufactured using the branding of a Taiwanese firm.
Taiwanese tech company Gold Apollo on Wednesday denied that it had manufactured the AR-924 model pagers that exploded en masse in Lebanon, saying they had been made by a European company named BAC through a licensing deal.
“According to the agreement, we authorise BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in specific regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC,” Gold Apollo said in a statement.
Exploding Hezbollah pagers used in attack allegedly made by Hungarian company– globalnews.ca Source Link Excerpt:
A second wave of exploding electronic devices across Lebanon killed at least 20 people and wounded over 450 others, the country’s health ministry said Wednesday, a day after thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah exploded in what appeared to be a deadly remote attack.
Among the scenes of Wednesday’s explosions was near the funeral for three Hezbollah members and a child killed by pagers the day before, according to Associated Press journalists at the scene.
A Hezbollah official told The Associated Press that walkie-talkies used by the group exploded Wednesday as a part of blasts heard in the capital Beirut. Reuters also reported the explosions came from Hezbollah hand-held radios, citing a security source and a witness in Lebanon.
An AP photographer in the southern coastal city of Sidon saw a car and a mobile phone shop damaged after devices exploded inside of them. A girl was hurt in the south when a solar energy system blew up, the state news agency reported.
Hezbollah vows ‘another reckoning’ against Israel after pager explosions– www.washingtonpost.com Source Link Excerpt:
New explosions linked to electronic devices killed at least 20 people and injured more than 450 across Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after 12 people were killed and thousands wounded by exploding pagers used by members of the militant group Hezbollah in a suspected Israeli attack.
The source of Wednesday’s explosions was not immediately clear. The state news agency said some of the explosions occurred in a brand of two-way radio. At least one of the explosions occurred at a funeral in Beirut’s southern suburbs, held by Hezbollah for people who were killed in Tuesday’s blasts.
Crowds had begun gathering for the funerals when a blast sent people running.
“Anyone who has a device, take out the battery now!” Hezbollah security members yelled to mourners. “Turn off your phones, switch it to airplane mode,” young men in black T-shirts and khakis shouted.
Kamala Harris Delivers Word Salad on Israel, Spars With Black Journalists During Panel Discussion– freebeacon.com Source Link Excerpt:
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris sat down with the National Association of Black Journalists for a Tuesday panel discussion, during which she struggled to convey her position on the Israel-Hamas war and repeatedly sparred with the friendly moderators.
During one exchange, moderator Tanya Mosley of Philadelphia radio station WHYY asked Harris where she draws “the line between” Israel’s “aggression and defense.” After saying there was “a lot to unpack” in the question, Harris touted her belief that the Jewish state “has a right to defend itself.” Mosley pressed Harris to answer the question. Harris did not take it well.
“No, no, let me finish,” she responded. “It’s important to put it in context, which is what I’m doing, and I’ll get to that.”
“There must be stability and peace in that region, in as much as what we do in our goal is to ensure that Israelis have security, and Palestinians in equal measure have security, have self-determination, and dignity,” Harris said. “That there be an ability to have security in the region, for all concerned, in a way that we create stability, and—let us all also recognize—in a way that ensures that Iran is not empowered in this whole scenario in terms of the peace and stability in the region.”
U.S. military acknowledges Yemen’s Houthi rebels shot down 2 MQ-9 Reaper drones – Washington Times Source Link Excerpt:
Yemen’s Houthi rebels shot down two American MQ-9 Reaper drones in under a week, the United States military acknowledged Wednesday, further highlighting the regional spread of the Israel–Hamas war.
As the one-year anniversary of the war approaches, Houthis continue a campaign to target ships traveling through the Red Sea as U.S.-led airstrikes pound their positions in Yemen. That’s imperiled a waterway that typically sees $1 trillion of trade pass through it, as well as crucial shipments of aid to war-torn Sudan and Yemen.
The U.S. military said Houthis shot down the first Reaper on Sept. 10, and the second on Monday. Online video showed the downing and the flaming wreckage on the ground afterward in Yemen’s Dhamar province.
Susan Wild Apologizes for Smearing Her Own Constituents, Defends Contradictory Israel-Gaza Letters to Jewish Constituents– freebeacon.com Source Link Excerpt:
Democratic Rep. Susan Wild (Pa.) admitted during a congressional debate Sunday that she failed to “think” before disparaging her conservative constituents. She also offered an unusual defense for sending an anti-Israel letter to a constituent asking her to support the Jewish state.
Republican representative Ryan Mackenzie brought up both issues during the debate to portray Wild as a “radical partisan” who wavers in her support for Israel.
Mackenzie, who narrowly trails Wild in the race, referred to a Washington Free Beaconreport that found Wild sent dueling letters to two Jewish constituents—a mother and daughter—who sought her support for Israel. In one letter, Wild said, “Israel has a right to defend itself” and pledged to “do everything I can” to ensure Israel’s security. In the other letter, Wild struck an anti-Israel tone, accusing the Israeli government of “inflicting devastation” on civilians in Gaza.
“She was caught red-handed, taking both sides of a serious issue like this to her constituents. That kind of deception should not be allowed, and I think it’s reprehensible,” Mackenzie said during the debate.
Hezbollah’s neighbors: Israeli border community under constant attack from terror group– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
… Since Hezbollah joined the war as a “support front” for Hamas on Oct. 8, over 7,500 rockets have been fired from Lebanon into Israel, and more than 200 drones have crossed the border. The toll: 44 people have been killed, 271 wounded and 62,000 evacuated from dozens of communities in northern Israel. Those who have left have no idea when – or even if – they will ever return. The damage to agriculture and tourism has reached billions of dollars, and there is widespread fear that this conflict will escalate further.
With Lebanon in the background, Yulia Bar-Dan and her husband Nadav during quieter times at Kibbutz Manara. (Yulia Bar-Dan)
The decision to evacuate most northern communities immediately after Oct. 7 didn’t come from the government, which was slow to respond. It came from the residents themselves. “It’s sheer luck that Hezbollah’s Radwan forces didn’t join Hamas in the massacre; if they had, nothing would have stopped them,” says Yochai Wolfin, the community director of Kibbutz Manara. “We are right on the border and at high risk. We’ve known for at least 10 years that Hezbollah’s Radwan forces have a plan they’ve been training to invade the Galilee, seize multiple communities and do here exactly what we saw happen in the south.”
Muslim, European FMs to meet in Madrid on Israel-Palestine two-state solution today – Tribune UK Source Link Excerpt:
The foreign ministers of several Muslim and European countries will meet in Madrid on Friday to discuss how to implement a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Spanish and Norwegian governments said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will host the meeting, which will be attended by his European counterparts, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza.
The two-state solution set out in the 1991 Madrid Conference and the 1993-95 Oslo Accords has long been seen by the international community as the best way to settle the decades-long conflict, but the peace process has been moribund for years.
However, the search for a peaceful solution has been given new urgency by the 11-month-long war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas – the bloodiest episode yet in the overall conflict – as well as escalating violence in the occupied West Bank.
On May 28, Spain, Norway and Ireland formally recognised a unified Palestinian state ruled by the Palestinian Authority comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. With them, 146 of the 193 member states of the United Nations now recognise Palestinian statehood.
U.S. moves USS Theodore Roosevelt from Middle East, leaving USS Abraham Lincoln as sole carrier in vicinity – 13 News Now Source Link Excerpt:
WASHINGTON — The United States has reduced the number of aircraft carriers it has stationed in the Middle East,
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it has moved USS Theodore Roosevelt from the region. That decision leaves the U.S. with just one carrier in the vicinity: USS Abraham Lincoln.
Both carriers have been in place since August 23 to provide presence, as Israel continues its war with Hamas.
“Following a period of dual carrier coverage by the Theodore Roosevelt CSG and the Abraham Lincoln CSG in the CENTCOM region, the Theodore Rosevelt has departed and begun its transit into the Indo-Pacific area of operations,” said Major General Pat Ryder, Department of Defense Press Secretary.
Foreign Anarchists Instructed to Deceive Israeli Authorities, Document Reveals – The Jewish Press – JewishPress.com Source Link Excerpt:
Anti-Israel foreign activists, including American students, are being used by a radical Palestinian organization and told to lie their way into Israel, according to a document obtained by The Press Service of Israel.
The annual Faz3a campaign, organized by the Ramallah-based Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, is timed around the olive harvest season, which typically takes place in October and November.
“When asked about where you are going, you can say Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Do not mention Palestine, the West Bank, nor your intentions to go there. When asked why you are coming, answer tourism. Do not wear anything that can be connected to Palestine,” the document advises the foreigners.
Hamas Using Hostages to Wage Psychological Warfare on Israel, Terror Group’s Leaked Document Shows– legalinsurrection.com Source Link Excerpt:
A newly leaked top-secret Hamas document exposes the terrorist group’s negotiation strategy and its ongoing phycological warfare against Israel. The document, described as Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar’s “secret war paper,” was published by the German newspaper BILD on Friday.
Hamas is negotiating to survive the current Israeli offensive and regain its lost terrorist capabilities to stage future attacks on Israel, the document shows.
The Gaza-based terrorist group’s current negotiation strategy is to restore the “ability of [its] armed forces” to act against Israel. Israel should be “exhausted” and international pressure on country should be “increased,” the German daily reported, quoting from the document.
The aim of the ceasefire talks is to further Hamas terrorist aims — “ending the war is not a priority for Hamas,” the BILD added.
Israeli intelligence commander to resign after being accused of failing to prevent Oct. 7– www.ctvnews.ca Source Link Excerpt:
An Israeli intelligence commander, who critics say played a pivotal role in failing to prevent the Oct. 7 attacks, is resigning, Israel’s military told CNN.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Brigadier General Yossi Sariel, who led its 8200 intelligence unit, has informed them he will “conclude his role in the near future.”
The country’s public broadcaster Kan and several other media outlets have published excerpts of his resignation letter stating he feels personally responsible for not preventing Hamas from launching the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
“On October 7th at 06:29 I did not fulfill the task as I expected of myself, those at my command and commanders expected me and the citizens of the state I love so much,” the letter said, according to Kan.
“Today, in accordance with the state of the war, the processes of the gathering ranks and the building of the unit’s resilience, and after the completion of the initial investigative processes, I request to fulfill my personal responsibility as the commander of the unit on October 7 and at a time to be determined by my commanders to pass the baton to the next shift,” Kan reported Thursday.
US military says destroyed five Houthi drones, two missile systems in Yemen – Social News XYZ Source Link Excerpt:
Sanaa, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The US Central Command said early Wednesday that its naval forces destroyed five Houthi drones and two missile systems in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in the past 24 hours.
“It was determined these (equipment and) systems presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” it said on social media platform X, without disclosing the name of the areas targeted.
The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen since late 2014 after the outbreak of a civil war with the Yemeni government, has not yet made any comment, Xinhua news agency reported.
Israeli forces withdraw from Jenin, step up raids in other West Bank areas – aljazeera.com
The Israeli military has withdrawn from the occupied West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp after a military offensive that killed many and destroyed critical infrastructure.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa confirmed on Friday that Israeli forces had pulled out of the city following a 10-day siege, but residents feared soldiers would return after temporarily moving to surrounding military checkpoints.
At least 21 Palestinians, including children and the elderly, have been killed in Jenin over the last few days, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement on Friday, and at least 130 more were injured.
The Israeli military said on Friday that its forces had been “conducting counterterrorism activity in the area of Jenin”, without confirming the withdrawal.
Iran Ally Shoots Down NATO Military Drone Over Arab Airspace; Rare Escalation Amid Israel-Hamas War – MSN
In a rare incident, Middle East Monitor reported that Iraq shot down a Turkish military drone which was flying over Iraqi air space last week. According to Reuters news agency, an armed drone fell in the centre of the city of Kirkuk in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region. No casualty has been reported in the incident. Iran Ally Shoots Down NATO Military Drone Over Arab Airspace; Rare Escalation Amid Israel-Hamas War
Netanyahu insists Israel will not withdraw from strategic Philadelphi corridor – euronews.com
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stance on keeping an Israeli presence along the Philadelphi corridor, while thousands protested against the government’s failure to secure a hostage deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he will continue to insist on maintaining an Israeli presence along the Philadelphi corridor.
The strategic border between Gaza and Egypt has been a main point of discussion in recent ceasefire talks. Hamas is demanding a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, but Netanyahu claims Israel’s control of the corridor is vital to ensure the militant group cannot rearm via tunnels.
Strikes begin after huge anti-government protests erupt in Israel – Thred
The Israeli government is facing pressure for not doing enough to retrieve hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Tel Aviv to protest on Sunday, while widespread labour strikes are planned for the rest of the week.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Sunday, demanding their government agree to a ceasefire in order to secure a hostage return deal with Hamas.
The protests were sparked after the bodies of six captives were recovered by Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers from underground tunnels in southern Gaza on Saturday.
Forensic examinations conducted by Israel’s health ministry suggest they were killed 48–72 hours before being found.
Israel brought to a near halt as strikes and protests pressure Netanyahu to secure a Gaza hostage deal – CNN
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to Israel’s streets in fresh fury on Monday over the government’s failure to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas. Demonstrations could be seen in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Caesarea and other sites across the country, fueled by the killing in Gaza of six hostages, whose bodies were retrieved by Israeli soldiers this weekend.
Several gatherings targeted the homes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with protesters lighting fires and chanting: “You are the leader – you are guilty!” near one of Netanyahu’s private residences in Caesarea. In Tel Aviv, protesters outside the US Embassy chanted “Shame!” late into the evening, video showed.
Netanyahu has been accused of stalling efforts for a deal by some hostage families and their supporters. More than 100 hostages, including 35 believed to be dead, are still being held in Gaza – the vast majority of them taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, when some 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken captive
The scenes outside the Israeli leader’s homes culminated a day of anger that brought much of the country to a halt, following a call by the country’s largest labor union, known as Histadrut, to shut down the “entire” economy. Flights in and out of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport were also stopped for two hours.
Israeli court orders end of nationwide strike called over handling of hostage talks – The Guardian
Israel’s first nationwide general strike since the Hamas attacks of 7 October, which was convened in support of a deal to free hostages held in Gaza, has ended after eight hours with a court order for workers to go back to their jobs.
The strike was organised amid widespread public anger at the government’s handling of the war in Gaza after the discovery of the bodies of six hostages at the weekend.
It was called by Israel’s largest trade union, Histadrut, from 6am on Monday, closing government and municipal offices as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel’s international airport, Ben Gurion, was reported to have shut down at 8am local time (6am BST) for two hours.
Israel seeking to close down Unrwa, says agency’s chief after school bombing | United Nations– www.theguardian.com Source Link Excerpt:
A campaign is under way to drive the UN relief agency for Palestinians, Unrwa, out of existence, its commissioner general has said, days after 18 people were killed when Israeli jets bombed an Unrwa school in Gaza.
Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview that the Israeli government was seeking to close down the agency, having failed to persuade western donors to stop funding it on the grounds of allegations about links between Unrwa staff and Hamas.
“This deliberate attempt to eliminate Unrwa and prevent it from operating would have devastating consequences for the multilateral system, the UN and the cause of a Palestinian transition to self-determination,” Lazzarini said.
DOJ charges Hamas leader, other militants over Oct. 7 attacks – thehill.com
The Department of Justice has charged Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other militants over the group’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Tuesday.
The charges, unsealed Tuesday, accuse Sinwar and other senior Hamas leaders of “financing and directing a decades-long campaign to murder American citizens and endanger the security of the United States.”
The criminal complaint, filed in federal court in New York City, includes seven counts, including charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, resulting in death.
“In its attacks over the past three decades, Hamas has murdered or injured thousands of civilians, including dozens of American citizens,” Garland said in a video announcement.
Former British diplomat: Benjamin Netanyahu is the enemy of peace in Israel – lifesitenews.com
(LifeSiteNews) — In his latest interviews with Judge Antony Napolitano, former British diplomat and highly influential MI6 operative Alastair Crooke brings to his audience a view of the crisis in world events notably absent from the mainstream headlines.
In one of two videos below, Crooke argues that it is the Netanyahu regime rather than Hamas which is making any peace or hostage deal impossible – to prolong and escalate war in the region.
His work offers a comprehensive appraisal of the system of “mind management” pursued by the liberal-globalist West, whose partnership with Israel sees it focused on “narrative control” through media propaganda, while it loses wars in reality. Crooke is strongly committed to trying to bring about peace between warring factions.
Former aide to New York’s governor is charged with being an agent of the Chinese government
Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, schemed to advance the interests of China while working in New York State government, federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment unsealed Tuesday.
The indictment charges Sun with failure to register as a foreign agent, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy.
Her husband, Christopher Hu, allegedly facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain, prosecutors said.
Sun and Hu each pleaded not guilty during their arraignment in Brooklyn federal court Tuesday afternoon. Sun appeared in a black pantsuit with a red blouse, while her husband appeared in slacks and a pale dress shirt.
While working for the Cuomo and Hochul administrations, Sun allegedly acted as an unregistered agent of China while her husband allegedly laundered the proceeds, enabling them to buy a $3.6 million house in Manhasset and a $1.9 million condo in Hawaii, prosecutors said.
China Paid Pro-CCP Agitators To Clash With Dissenters During Xi’s Visit to San Francisco: Report
China paid pro-Chinese Communist Party agitators to clash with dissidents in November 2023 when the country’s president, Xi Jinping, visited San Francisco, a Washington Post investigation revealed on Tuesday.
The Post’s report found that Chinese diplomats and diaspora groups organized demonstrations to “silence” anti-Beijing protesters gathered outside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where Xi met with President Joe Biden and other foreign leaders. The Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles paid for the hotels and meals of pro-CCP agitators to incentivize them to participate in the violent demonstration.
The agitators harassed and beat anti-China protesters with flagpoles and chemical sprays, leaving some seriously injured, the investigation revealed. The attacks, according to the Post, were “carried out by coordinated groups of young men embedded among” the protesters to silence the dissenters, who gathered to denounce the Chinese government’s domestic repression and human rights abuse.
The Post report is a result of a six-month investigation into China’s campaign to silence foreign dissenters at the 2023 summit. China’s efforts at the APEC summit are part of a broader global pattern to suppress Chinese citizens abroad who advocate against the CCP and ongoing rights abuses in Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and mainland China, the U.S. government and human rights groups told the Post.
China’s Communist Infiltration of U.S. Institutions: A Growing National Threat Often Ignored by Elite Politicans
In recent discussions, experts have raised alarms over the persistent and pervasive threat posed by Chinese infiltration in the United States. Ret. Col. Derek Harvey, a seasoned intelligence officer, and Ben Harnwell, a political analyst, highlighted the grave concerns regarding the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) efforts to infiltrate various American institutions, from universities to government bodies. Their commentary underscores a troubling reality: despite clear warnings, these threats have often been ignored or downplayed.
Harvey pointed out that Chinese infiltration is “the largest counterintelligence and domestic spying operation” faced by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), yet it remains under-resourced and, more concerningly, not prioritized.
“Too often these warnings and the indicators that they should be looking for are ignored or they just are quickly forgotten,” Harvey stated, reflecting a widespread complacency or negligence within the U.S. establishment.
This lack of prioritization is not just a theoretical issue; it has real-world consequences. For instance, Harvey recalled the case of U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell, who served on the House Intelligence Committee while maintaining a relationship with a Chinese agent named Fang Fang. Similarly, Senator Dianne Feinstein employed a driver for two decades who was later revealed to be a Chinese spy. These incidents, Harvey emphasized, were not isolated but part of a broader pattern of Chinese espionage efforts that have been overlooked until it’s too late.
“The FBI is spending resources on following, persecuting, and surveying little old ladies who climb to the U.S. state just to pray,” Harnwell added, pointing out the stark contrast in resource allocation. “Meanwhile, spies who are seeking to advance the influence of the CCP in America often go undetected for years.” This misallocation of resources, according to Harvey, demonstrates a failure of priorities within the FBI and other agencies tasked with national security.
America has one of the largest strategic nuclear arsenals in the world—and one of the oldest. The U.S. can deliver nuclear weapons from silos buried deep in the American heartland, submarines plying vast oceans, or bombers conducting global patrols. Nuclear power has underpinned not just America’s security but that of its closest allies for decades. But the U.S. is losing its nuclear edge in ways that profoundly affect Washington’s interests.
Today, the U.S.’ most formidable adversary, China, is growing its nuclear arsenal by rapidly churning out launch platforms and warheads faster than America’s aging forces can be replaced. A revisionist power like China is most effectively deterred when confronted by an opponent with the resolve and capability to balance out their forces in peacetime and, should deterrence fail, deny them victory in wartime. Satellite imagery of China’s nuclear forces shows that this balance is deteriorating…
A senior U.S. defense official recently revealed that China has begun loading these silos with intercontinental-range missiles. This is to say nothing of Beijing’s more secure road-mobile systems that can also hold the U.S. homeland at risk but are less vulnerable to preemptive attack. The Pentagon has reported to Congress that China’s intercontinental-range missile launchers, in total, outnumber America’s 400 silos loaded with the 54-year-old Minuteman III. China has thus exceeded the targeting coverage of the obsolescing U.S. land-based capability.
Who else is China recruiting? NY political insiders warn of broader CCP effort after arrest of ex-Hochul aide – New York Post
Bombshell accusations that a former aide to New York Govs. Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo acted as a secret agent for China raised alarms Tuesday about a broader effort by the Chinese Communist Party to compromise public officials and infiltrate American governments and society.
Political insiders and watchdog groups pointed to the Brooklyn federal court indictments of Linda Sun and her husband Christopher Hu as showing the extent of China’s spy recruitment apparatus.
“This is a dangerous situation,” warned Ed Cox, the state Republican Party chairman and son-in-law of former President Richard Nixon.
Indictment Of Gov. Hochul’s Aide Shows Red China Is No. 1 Threat– thefederalist.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Chinese have compromised the Democrat Party in ways Democrats dream the Russians have infiltrated Republicans.
Two indictments this week shook the nation, revealing the lengths to which foreign adversaries have gone to compromise the integrity of the American political system. One indictment, however, was not like the other. In fact, one was far worse in just about every way imaginable.
On Wednesday, an indictment handed down by the Department of Justice (DOJ) exposed a network of shadowy Russian media operatives allegedly duping half a dozen conservative pundits with large followings into receiving millions to “pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media.” Federal prosecutors pressed charges against two employees of the Russian-backed news outlet Russia Today (RT), claiming they funneled $10 million to a Tennessee company that paid conservative influencers, who were unaware of its Moscow origins.
In other words, a few conservatives who created their usual online content with the support of a Tennessee firm (apparently Tenet Media) were left completely in the dark about the source of the original financing but are now being tarred in the press as Russian assets. By Thursday, YouTube had stripped Tenet Media’s channel (which hosted the aforementioned popular right-leaning figures) from its website, just two months before Election Day. According to Forbes, YouTube nuked all four channels operated by conservative commentator Lauren Chen, despite Chen’s not having been convicted or even charged with anything.
Yet the Russian interference effort to buy off a couple of oblivious influencers pales in comparison to Chinese operations that are targeting elected leaders who are actually in office.
4 killed, 9 injured in shooting at Georgia high school, officials say (UPDATE)
UPDATE, 2:47 p.m. ET.: A statement from the GBI on social media confirmed that 4 people had been killed in the shooting and another 9 people were transported to various hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
Georgia police said one suspect is in custody after a high school shooting Wednesday morning that resulted in casualties and injuries.
The shooting was reported at the Apalachee High School in Winder about 10:45 a.m. Winder is about an hour northeast of Atlanta.
‘I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state.’
Georgia high school shooting suspect and his father set to make first court appearances this morning
A 14-year-old Apalachee High School student and his father, who are both charged in connection with a shooting at the Georgia school that left two students and two teachers dead earlier this week, appeared in court Friday, both declining to enter a plea to the charges against them.
Colt Gray was arraigned in a Barrow County courtroom on four counts of felony murder stemming from a school shooting that’s left a small community grieving…
In court, Judge Currie Mingledorff informed Gray of his rights and initially said the maximum penalty in his case was the death sentence or life in prison. He later called Gray back into the courtroom to correct the maximum penalty, telling the teen that because of his young age, the maximum he could face is life in prison with or without parole.
Officials Arrest Father Of Suspected Georgia School Shooter
The father of 14-year-old Colt Gray, the suspected shooter at Apalachee High School, was arrested by Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) officials, according to a Thursday press release.
GBI officials announced the arrest of 54-year-old Colin Gray in connection with the Georgia high school shooting on Wednesday, which killed four people and injured nine others. Colin Gray is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, according to officials.
Colt Gray was arrested Wednesday morning after officials had received calls of a shooting occurring at the high school. GBI Director Chris Hosey and Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith confirmed during a press conference the 14-year-old had been a student at the school and will be “tried as an adult.”
HOLY CRAP: Colt Gray’s Family Threatens To Go “FULL THROTTLE” With Blood!
Wow, this is bad….
It ALMOST makes you feel sorry for this kid, the alleged shooter in yesterday’s horrific school shooting. Almost. Because apparently he had one hell of a bad family.
Family members of the alleged shooter went online today and went on the offensive unleashing angry and vile and vitriolic tirades against anyone saying anything bad about Colt, at one point threatening to go “full throttle” in a bloody rage.
Sick stuff.
Take a look here:
NEW: Apalachee High School sh**ting suspect Colt Gray’s family is *defending* him after he k*lled four innocent people, threaten to go “full throttle.”
Multiple family members have lashed out since the incident.
NEW: Apalachee High School sh**ting suspect Colt Gray’s family is *defending* him after he k*lled four innocent people, threaten to go “full throttle.”
Multiple family members have lashed out since the incident.
“Just check yourself before you speak about a child that never asked to deal with the bull**** he saw on a daily basis,” his aunt Annie Polhamus Brown said on Facebook.
“Y’all ready to see Polhamus bl**d in full throttle? Nah, I wouldn’t either.”
“Colt never asked for what he’s been through – I’m with you 1000000%. Prayers for EVERYONE affected,” an apparent relative said in a comment.
A former teacher even called him a “sweet boy.”
“I taught Colt and know first hand he dealt with so much!”
“I love him and will be thinking about him and your family as you go through this tragedy! Such a sweet boy.”
UPDATE: Apalachee High School Received Phone Call Threat Prior to Shooting That Killed 4
New details have emerged from Wednesday’s shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, regarding a warning the school received prior to the gunman opening fire.
Despite reportedly receiving a phone call stating that the high school would be the first of five targets, seemingly nothing was done to prevent the violence.
🚨 JUST IN: The FBI has ADMITTED the Georgia school sh**ter was on their radar, as he had made threats to shoot up the school already, but they failed to act on it.
Probably because they’re more worried about concerned parents at school board meetings.
The FBI has confirmed that the alleged shooter who killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine others at a Georgia high school Wednesday has been on its radar as a possible threat since last year.
In a joint statement, the FBI’s Atlanta field office and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said the agency’s National Threat Operations Center received an anonymous tip about threats posted online regarding a possible school shooting in May 2023.
The agencies said that the threats contained images of guns.
Within 24 hours of receiving the anonymous tip, investigators determined the threats originated in Georgia and the matter was referred to the sheriff’s office.
FBI Tipped Off About Georgia School Shooting Suspect A Year Ago, Agency Says
Local authorities questioned the Georgia school shooting suspect in 2023 following anonymous tips about alleged threats, The Washington Post reported.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Colt Gray, then 13, in May 2023 after the FBI sent anonymous tips it received through its National Threat Operations Center, the Post reported. The officials, however, claimed there was no probable cause for arrest and Gray denied making any threats.
Four people were killed and at least nine hospitalized Wednesday during a school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Chris Hosey confirmed that Gray, 14 and a student at the school, was arrested after being confronted by officers.
Teacher Recorded Laughing During Apalachee School Shooting May Have Been the Bravest Person in the Room
A recording of a teacher laughing during the Georgia school shooting is going viral after a realization that the video portrays more bravery than anyone previously thought.
The video was uploaded to social media platform X on Wednesday, the same day as the massacre at Apalachee High School in Winder.
In the clip, a teacher is seen holding shut a classroom door while students crouch down in the corner. She is smiling and appears to be laughing as someone in the student group records her.
“Why the f*** are you laughing?” a student demands. “What the f*** is wrong with you?”
Harris takes aim at JD Vance for saying school shootings are “a fact of life”
This week’s mass shooting at a Georgia high school brought the issue of gun violence back to the fore ahead of November’s 2024 presidential election.
The big picture: Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) made clear in comments Thursday they have very different ideas in how to respond to gun violence in the wake of the Apalachee High School shooting that killed four people and injured nine others.
Driving the news: A CNN reporter asked Vance at a Phoenix, Arizona, event what his policies were on ending school shootings after this week’s massacre, which saw a 14-year-old student charged with four counts of felony murder and his father facing charges including second-degree murder.
Vance calls for tightened school security, calls school shootings a ‘fact of life’
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) called for tighter school security, describing school shootings as a “fact of life” in the wake of this week’s school shooting in Georgia.
“If these psychos are going to go after our kids we’ve got to be prepared for it,” Vance said at a rally in Phoenix. “We don’t have to like the reality that we live in, but it is the reality we live in. We’ve got to deal with it.”
His remarks came in response to a reporter’s question about what can be done to stop school shootings. The Ohio Republican argued that restricted access to guns will not prevent shootings, per the Associated Press.
“I don’t like that this is a fact of life,” Vance said, per the news wire. “But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools. We’ve got to bolster security so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children they’re not able.”
Trump, Kemp Release Statements Following Tragic Shooting At Georgia School
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp released statements on Wednesday evening after four people were killed and nine more were injured during a tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
“Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA,” Trump said. “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”
Kemp said in a statement that he and his family were “heartbroken” by the news.
“This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event,” he said. “We continue to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to make any and all resources available to help this community on this incredibly difficult day and in the days to come.”
Following up the Israeli operation against Hezbollah leaders through blowing up rigged electronic devices like pages, Nicolas Maduro, the embattled President of Venezuela, is warning members of his government to avoid accepting any electronics gifts. He stated in a Presidential speech on national tv, “Do not accept electronic gifts… be careful with telephones, cellphones, be careful everyone.”
Maduro issues Christmas gift warning — RT World News– www.rt.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Venezuelan leader has pointed to recent pager blasts in Lebanon, while urging caution for the upcoming festive period
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has warned members of his government against accepting electronic devices as Christmas presents.
Maduro’s comments at a meeting on Venezuelan culture in Caracas on Friday followed a series of deadly explosions involving communications equipment in Lebanon last week.
”Do not accept electronic gifts… be careful with telephones, cellphones, be careful everyone,” the president said during a speech broadcast on national television.
EU’s recognition of González as winner in Venezuela vote historic, opposition leader tells Euronews– www.euronews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The European Parliament’s decision showed Europe is with us, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said in an exclusive interview…
On Thursday, the European Parliament voted in favour of a non-binding resolution stating that González, not Maduro, is the legitimate winner of the presidential election.
The partnerships with Russia, Cuba and Iran, as well as oil, gold and drug trafficking and human rights violations, have put Venezuela among countries antagonist to the interests of the West.
In an exclusive interview, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Maria Corina Machado, told Euronews why Venezuela is crucial for European interests and why the decision in Brussels matters so much to her and her compatriots.
September 18, 2024
Venezuela’s government says 4th US citizen detained in alleged plot to kill president – POLITICO Source Link Excerpt:
Venezuela’s government Tuesday announced the arrest of a fourth U.S. citizen in connection with an alleged plot to kill President Nicolás Maduro in which authorities claim the CIA, Spain’s intelligence agency, organized crime groups, sex workers and members of the opposition are involved.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello revealed the arrest and details of the plot during a speech before the National Assembly, whose members applauded the detention. Cabello did not identify the most recently detained American.
The alleged plan joins dozens of other anti-Maduro plans that his government earlier this year claimed to have foiled.
“Those who try to mess with Venezuela, we will screw them, regardless of their name,” Cabello said.
He spoke hours after an independent panel of experts backed by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council issued a scathing report against Maduro’s government, accusing it of deploying the “harshest and most violent mechanisms of its repressive apparatus” in the wake of the disputed July presidential election.
Venezuela intensified ‘repressive machinery’ after Maduro re-election: UN | Nicolas Maduro News– www.aljazeera.com Source Link Excerpt:
Venezuela’s government has unleashed an unprecedented wave of repression following the contested re-election of Nicolas Maduro in July’s presidential election, a United Nations fact-finding mission has reported.
Maduro’s victory in the disputed vote saw authorities crack down on the opposition and protesters, the mission said in its report released on Tuesday. The response of the authorities has thrown the country into one of its most “acute human rights crises in recent history” the report by the UN Human Rights Council (OHCHR) warned.
Amid weeks of unrest on Venezuela’s streets, 25 protesters were killed and at least 2,400 arrested, the report said.
“We are witnessing an intensification of the state’s repressive machinery in response to what it perceives as critical views, opposition or dissent,” said Marta Valinas, chair of the fact-finding mission.
Twenty-four out of the 25 deaths were caused by gunshot wounds, mostly to the neck, the mission reported. Many of those arrested, including more than 100 children, “were accused of terrorism and incitement to hatred”, it noted.
“These arrests involved and were followed by serious violations of due process, reaching unprecedented levels in the country,” the report read.
Venezuelan leaders accuse the CIA of trying to overthrow the government – wbhm.org Source Link Excerpt:
Top Venezuelan officials are accusing the United States of plotting to overthrow the government and assassinate President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelan authorities arrested six people, including three Americans in the alleged plot.
U.S. State Department officials call the accusation “categorically false.”
Venezuela says US Navy SEAL among foreigners arrested over alleged CIA ‘operation’ to assassinate Maduro – CNN Source Link Excerpt:
Venezuela says it has arrested six foreigners, including a US Navy SEAL, for an alleged plot to “destabilize” the country that has been in crisis since disputed elections earlier this year.
Interior minister Diosdado Cabello claimed that the alleged plot was led by the CIA, and aimed at assassinating the country’s leader Nicolás Maduro. The US State Department rejected the claim as “categorically false.”
In a news conference on Saturday, Cabello identified the purported Navy SEAL as William Joseph Castañeda Gómez, and claimed he was the leader of the operation. The minister also named two other detained Americans: David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan.
The minister said that in addition to the Americans, two Spanish citizens – José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andrés Martínez Adasme – and one Czech citizen, Jan Darmovzal, were arrested. Venezuelan authorities have also seized 400 US rifles linked to the alleged plot, he said.
“The CIA is at the forefront of this operation,” Cabello said in the news conference, claiming that Spain’s National Intelligence Center was also involved. “That does not surprise us at all,” he said.
He alleged that the operation had “very clear objectives of assassinating President Nicolás Maduro” and other high-ranking Venezuelan politicians including himself and the vice president.
The State Department denied the claims. A spokesperson confirmed on Saturday a member of the US military had been arrested in Venezuela, and that the department was “aware of unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained” in the country.
“Any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false,” the spokesperson added. “The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.”
The department is seeking additional information, the spokesperson said.
A Spanish foreign ministry source told Reuters it was asking Venezuela for more information.
“The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking for access to the detained citizens in order to verify their identities and their nationality and in order to know what they are accused of exactly,” the source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Venezuela is still grappling with the fallout from its presidential election in July, which saw Maduro claim a third term despite global skepticism about the result and outcry from the country’s opposition movement.
The coalition backing opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez insists the vote was stolen, publishing online vote tally sheets which experts say indicate Maduro actually lost the presidency by a significant margin.
The US has acknowledged Gonzalez as the candidate who received the most votes in that election, but has not formally recognized him as president-elect of Venezuela.
Last week, Gonzalez flew to Spain, fleeing Venezuela after an arrest warrant was issued accusing him of terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes.
On Thursday, the US imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials aligned with Maduro for allegedly obstructing the election.
The US also announced that a Venezuelan plane used by Maduro for international travel was seized in the Dominican Republic; a second plane linked to Maduro is under 24-hour surveillance by authorities in the Dominican Republic, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN.
Meanwhile inside the country, Maduro’s government has cracked down on dissent – the harshest crackdown in years, according to Human Rights Watch. Protests have been fiercely repressed, some 2,400 people have been arrested, and many others are now fleeing the country.
Venezuela opposition leader Machado wants US to do ‘much more’ on election dispute
Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Thursday she wants the United States to do “much more” to press President Nicolas Maduro amid an ongoing dispute over July’s presidential election.
Democracies around the world have criticized the Venezuelan government’s handling of the July 28 vote, which election officials and its top court say was won by Maduro, who has been in power since 2013. Authorities have not released full tallies, blaming a cyber attack.
Venezuela Issues Arrest Warrant for Opposition Leader Gonzalez, AG Says
Venezuela’s attorney general’s office said on Monday a court has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, accusing him of incitement and other crimes amid a dispute over whether he or President Nicolas Maduro won a July election.
Venezuela opposition wants candidate recognized as president-elect
Venezuela’s opposition chief Maria Corina Machado on Thursday called on the world to recognize candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect after a disputed election in the oil-rich nation.
President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in the July 28 vote but many in the international community have refused to recognize that result.
However, they have also stopped short of accepting Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect, instead calling for Caracas to publish detailed polling results.
“The world knows Edmundo Gonzalez is the president-elect and Maduro was defeated by a landslide,” Machado said during a virtual appearance.
Canada still hasn’t recognized the likely winner of Venezuela’s election — Venezuelans want to know why – cbc.ca
Some Venezuelan-Canadians say the Trudeau government has failed to stand up for democracy in its response to the July 28 Venezuelan presidential election — an election tainted by widespread evidence of fraud and a government campaign of arrests, disappearances and torture of poll workers.
Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia ruled out seeking asylum abroad yesterday after a judge loyal to the Nicolas Maduro regime issued a warrant for his arrest on Monday.
Global Affairs Canada condemned the arrest warrant in a media statement. Gonzalez was still in hiding when this article was published.
According to digitized returns, Gonzalez’s unified opposition won the great majority of votes in the election. But his victory has been rejected by the Maduro regime, which claims to have received 51 per cent of the vote. It is backed by Venezuela’s courts and its National Election Commission, both packed with hand-picked Maduro loyalists.
While Gonzalez and his partner, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, have refused international protection, they have asked for international recognition.
International leaders condemn arrest order for Venezuelan opposition leader
Foreign leaders, including in the United States and Brazil, have reacted with alarm and warnings after Venezuela issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia this week.
On Tuesday, Canada joined in the outcry, as the government of President Nicolas Maduro continues to crack down on opposition members after a contested presidential election…
Maduro’s government declared him the winner of the July 28 presidential election, with nearly 52 percent of the vote. But unlike in past elections, it did not release vote tallies to back up that claim.
US seizes aircraft used by Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro
Washington has seized a private aircraft used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, citing alleged violations of US export controls and sanctions laws. The Department of Justice on Monday said the Dassault Falcon 900EX plane had been seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to southern Florida.
“This morning, the justice department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13mn through a shell company and smuggled out of the US for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies,” said US attorney-general Merrick Garland.
The DoJ’s move comes as Maduro, a revolutionary socialist in power since 2013, has been cracking down on the opposition following allegations his government rigged the count to steal victory in July’s presidential election in the Latin American country.
Venezuela’s opposition faces setback after countries suggest repeat of presidential election
Venezuela’s opposition was dealt a blow Thursday when countries that had been pressuring President Nicolás Maduro to release vote tallies backing his claim to victory in last month’s presidential election began suggesting a repeat of the contest instead.
The proposal from the leftist governments of Brazil and Colombia, both Maduro allies, came less than three weeks after the results of the highly anticipated election came into question when the main opposition coalition revealed it has proof that its candidate defeated the president by a more than 2-to-1 margin.
The opposition categorically rejected any plan to redo the election.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, during a virtual news conference with Argentine media, said that repeating the July 28 presidential election would be “an insult” to the people, and she asked if a second election were held and Maduro still didn’t accept the results, “do we go for a third one?”
Venezuela AG received affidavit from opposition leader, lawyer says
The lawyer for Venezuela opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez said on Wednesday the attorney general’s office received his affidavit explaining why Gonzalez ignored three summons, amid an ongoing election dispute.
The summons came before an arrest warrant was issued for Gonzalez, the opposition’s erstwhile presidential candidate, on Monday on accusations of usurpation of functions, falsification of public documents and conspiracy, among other charges.
Venezuelan dictator decrees Oct. 1 to be start of Christmas season: Church responds
“This year, in homage and gratitude to you, I am going to decree that the Christmas season [begins] on Oct. 1,” declared Nicolás Maduro, leader of the ruling socialist regime in Venezuela, Sept. 2 on national television.
“For everyone, Christmas has arrived with peace, happiness, and security,” Maduro added. According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, this is not the first time the socialist regime has done this, as in 2019, 2020, and 2021 it also decreed the “advance” of the Christmas season.
Maduro’s announcement came just hours after the Venezuelan justice system issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González Urrutia, who won the July 28 presidential elections by a wide margin, according to vote tallies published by the opposition. However, the National Electoral Council, controlled by the governing socialist party, declared Maduro the winner.
Major power outage hits Venezuela; Maduro government blames ‘sabotage’
A major power outage plunged much of Venezuela into darkness on Friday, affecting the capital, Caracas, and several other states. The blackout, which began around 4:50 a.m., was blamed on “electrical sabotage” by the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
In a statement shared via Telegram, Communications Minister Freddy Nanez attributed the outage to what he described as a “desperate” effort by Maduro’s opponents to remove him from power. Nanez claimed that all 24 states in Venezuela were at least partially affected by the power disruption. “The entire national government has been activated to overcome this new aggression,” he declared.
By evening, power had been restored to many parts of Caracas after a day marked by intermittent outages. President Maduro, appearing on state television, expressed gratitude to Venezuelans for their patience during a chaotic day that saw businesses close, hospitals switch to backup generators, and Caracas’ subway system shut down, leaving thousands stranded.
US service member detained in Venezuela, officials say
A US service member has been detained in Venezuela, according to four US officials familiar with the matter.
The service member, a US Navy sailor, is a US citizen and was detained on August 30 in Caracas, according to the officials. One of the officials said he is being held by the Venezuelan intelligence agency SEBIN.
A defense official told CNN, “we are aware of reports that a US Navy Sailor was detained on or about August 30, 2024, by Venezuelan law enforcement authorities while on personal travel to Venezuela. The US Navy is looking into this and working closely with the State Department. We refer you to the State Department for additional questions.”
Venezuela election fallout will worsen refugee crisis, Hopkins expert says
Venezuela has been ruled by dictators for nearly a quarter century, first under Hugo Chavez, and now under his protege, Nicolas Maduro. Their regimes have suppressed free speech, throttled the economy, committed untold human rights violations, and, in typical dictator fashion, ignored election results to remain in power. Maduro recently ran for reelection against Edmundo González, a stand-in for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was arbitrarily banned from running by the government. Exit polls indicate that the incredibly popular Gonzalez beat Maduro by 30 points, yet on July 28, Maduro declared himself the winner. In more than a month since, his government has provided no proof of victory but has cracked down on dissent, arresting around 2,000 protestors.
The SNF Agora‘s Dissident in Residence, David Smolansky, has firsthand experience with Maduro’s oppressive governance. Before seeking refuge in the United States, the native Venezuelan was elected mayor of El Hatillo, one of the five municipalities in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in 2013. During his mayoral tenure, he reduced kidnappings in his district by 84%, gained recognition for establishing one of the most transparent local governments in Venezuela, and used his platform to condemn the Maduro administration.
In a move that is sending shockwaves throughout the international social media community, France has decided to arrest the founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, after being allegedly falsely allured to France by current fascist PM Emanuel Macron. The lame duck PM lured Pavel to France by inviting him to have dinner with him, only to have him arrested.
The arrest comes after Durov had recently spoken to Tucker Carlson, claiming authoritarian governments were trying to get Rumble to censor their users. The international response has been mostly in support of Durov, with the United Arab Emirates pulling out an arms deal over it and growing calls to boycott France until it frees Durov. Macron claimed the arrest wasn’t political, but no one is buying it.
Telegram says its founder Pavel Durov has nothing to hide
Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram who was arrested in Paris, has nothing to hide and it is absurd to hold an owner responsible for abuse of the messaging and social media platform, Telegram said in a statement.
Durov, a 39-year-old billionaire cast as “Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg”, was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris shortly after landing on a private jet late on Saturday from Azerbaijan.
The arrest of the Telegram CEO prompted a warning from Moscow to Paris that he should be accorded his rights, and criticism from X owner Elon Musk who said that free speech in Europe was under attack.
Though there has been no official French comment on the arrest, French news channel franceinfo said that Durov was still in custody on Monday and that he could remain in custody for up to four days.
Telegram, in a short statement released after midnight Paris time, gave no details of the arrest but said the Dubai-based company abided by European Union laws and its moderation was “within industry standards and constantly improving”.
“Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” Telegram said. “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
“We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
He has been arrested and detained as part of a cyber criminality investigation – concerning crimes related to illicit transactions, child sexual abuse images and fraud – the Paris prosecutor has said.
In his first public comment on the matter, President Emmanuel Macron said his country “is deeply committed” to freedom of expression but “freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights”.
Telegram Founder Pavel Durov: From Elon Musk to Tucker Carlson: International support pours in for arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov
French-Russian tech tycoon Pavel Durov was taken into custody at a Paris airport on Sunday for suspected involvement in activities associated with his messaging app Telegram. The alleged offences include fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime and the promotion of terrorism.
As per the Moscow Times, Durov was detained at Le Bourget Airport and is scheduled to appear in court on Sunday itself.
He could face charges that carry a maximum prison term of 20 years. The arrest has sparked significant discussion and responses within the technology sector and among well-known individuals. Warrant and content moderation concerns
France has authorised the arrest of Durov as a part of an initial inquiry into the purported offences. The detention of the founder of Telegram has sparked further debates regarding the platform’s policies on regulating content.
Renowned for its end-to-end encryption, Telegram permits groups of up to 200,000 members, consequently raising allegations that it enables the proliferation of inaccurate information and detrimental content. Reactions from the tech industry
The reaction from the tech industry to Durov’s arrest has been swift and vocal. Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, was one of the first prominent tech figures to support the “#FreePavel” trend. He expressed concern about the arrest, seeing it as an attack on free speech and suggested wider implications for censorship. Musk highlighted the dangerous direction these actions represent and expressed increased worry about censorship.
Telegram compliant with EU laws despite the arrest of founder Pavel Durov
Telegram declares itself compliant with all EU laws and defends its CEO Pavel Durov
The great messaging app Telegram, defends its compliance with EU laws, after its CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France.
“Telegram respects the laws of the European Union, including the Digital Services Act, and its moderation meets industry standards and is constantly improving. Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, has nothing to hide and often travels to Europe.”
In practice, Telegram has stated that it is fully compliant with the laws of the European Union and that its content moderation practices fall within the “industry standards”.
This statement comes after its CEO was arrested at a French airport by local authorities. The reason for this arrest appears to be a criminal complaint focused on the platform’s moderation practices, which French law enforcement considers insufficient.
In fact, despite there not being a formal accusation published yet, it seems that the company and its CEO are guilty of having published organized criminal acts.
Rumble CEO Flees Europe as Free Speech Under Attack in U.S. and Globally
The recent events involving the arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, and the subsequent flight of Chris Pavlovski, CEO of Rumble, from Europe, underscore a troubling trend in the global battle over free speech, particularly in the digital age. These incidents are emblematic of the growing tension between governments and social media platforms that refuse to bow to demands for content censorship. This issue has profound implications for the future of free speech, both online and offline, and raises critical questions about the balance between regulation and freedom in democratic societies.
Who Is Telegram’s Billionaire CEO Pavel Durov and Why Was He Arrested?
Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old billionaire founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, who has historically flown under the radar, suddenly made headlines over the weekend after he was arrested in a Paris airport on Saturday (Aug. 25), according to local media reports that were later confirmed by French law enforcement. The surprise news came after Telegram faced backlash for enabling criminal activities through its encrypted messaging platform, and Durov was reportedly held responsible.
Telegram messages are encrypted, meaning no outside influence—not even the company itself or law enforcement—can see conversations that take place on the app. This has made the platform a center for free speech, particularly in non-democratic countries that stifle news at the state level. The flip side, however, is that Telegram has also become a breeding ground for criminal activities, extremism and disinformation. Durov’s arrest was specifically related to Telegram’s lack of content moderation, which has reportedly led to the propagation of pedophilia.
“Telegram abides byE.U.U laws, including the Digital Services Act,”the company said in a statement on Xon Sunday, adding, “Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.”
El Salvador Sides with Telegram’s CEO, Advocates Free Speech
Following the arrest of Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov, several popular crypto figures offered support for the famed tech mogul. In the wake of Durov’s arrest, Nayib Bukele, the pro-Bitcoin President of El Salvador, posted a message on X, implying that the setback would have never happened in his country.
“We also guarantee that you won’t be arrested, censored, or have your assets seized for exercising your right to free speech,” remarked Bukele, who claims El Salvador is now the safest country in the Western Hemisphere. The small Central American nation adopted Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal tender in September 2021.
Islamic State group claims responsibility for knife attack in Solingen, Germany that killed 3
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for a knife attack in Solingen, Germany that killed three people and wounded eight others at a crowded festival marking the city’s 650th anniversary.
The group said Saturday on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians and is a “soldier of the Islamic State” who carried out the assaults Friday night “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
The IS claim couldn’t immediately be verified. No evidence for the group’s assertions was provided.
Police later detained a suspect, the state internal affairs minister of North Rhein Westphalia said early Sunday.
Germany knife attack: Police make 2nd arrest in stabbings
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Saturday for a knife attack in the German city of Solingen that killed three people and wounded eight others.
Some 24 hours after the attack, police said they made a second arrest on Saturday evening as part of a police operation at a home for refugees in Solingen. Police said they could not provide more details on the individual or its connection to the incident.
Police earlier on Saturday detained a teenager who they said may be connected with the attack but said the perpetrator was still at large.
Describing the man who carried out the attack as a “soldier of the Islamic State,” the militant group said in a statement on its Telegram account: “He carried out the attack in revenge for Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
German feds take over festival stabbing case, citing suspected terrorism
German federal prosecutors took over the investigation Sunday of a stabbing rampage in the city of Solingen that left three people dead, citing terrorism as the suspected motive.
A 26-year-old Syrian man turned himself in to police late Saturday after a day-long manhunt that included a search of refugee housing in the city center, said Raimund Dockter, a spokesman for the Düsseldorf police, in a telephone interview Sunday.
Federal prosecutors on Sunday identified the suspect as Issa Al H., not releasing his full last name because of Germany’s privacy laws, and said he is “strongly suspected of membership in a terrorist organization abroad” — referring to the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the assault Saturday.
Germany festival stabbing: Manhunt after three killed in knife attack
German police were on Saturday night hunting for a knifeman who deliberately cut at his victims’ necks in a suspected terror attack at a diversity festival that left three people dead…
15 states have come together to sue the Biden administration over its intentions to provide free healthcare to illegal aliens, specifically so-called “Dreamers.” The complaint claimed, “Aliens granted deferred action under DACA are not included in the definition of such qualified aliens… DACA recipients are, by definition, unlawfully present in the United States.”
A partnership of 15 states, led by Kansas, has filed a lawsuit to block the federal government from providing taxpayer-funded healthcare through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to illegal immigrants. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, joined by attorneys general from 14 other states, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, Western Division. The lawsuit targets the U.S. government and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as defendants.
The core of the lawsuit is a recent CMS rule that expands the definition of individuals “lawfully present” in the U.S. to include recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The change would make DACA recipients eligible for ACA benefits, a move the coalition of states argued is both illegal and financially burdensome.
The complaint argued that DACA recipients, who are unlawfully present in the U.S. by definition, should not be eligible for federal public benefits under the ACA. The states assert that this CMS rule violates the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which restricts eligibility for federal benefits to certain qualified aliens. The lawsuit contends that DACA recipients do not fall within this category.
“Aliens granted deferred action under DACA are not included in the definition of such qualified aliens,” the complaint states. It further argued that “DACA recipients are, by definition, unlawfully present in the United States.”
After the killing of a Hezbollah leader, the terrorist organization launched a rocket campaign against Northern Israel that was met with the largest air attack by Israel against Lebanon since 2006. The war in Gaza is pressing on, with still no signs of an end as efforts to broker cease-fire deals failed. Following the massive air assault on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, Israel also began an expanded West Bank operation, claiming “this is a war for everything.”
Israelis unleash deadly assault on West Bank: ‘This is a war for everything’
The Israeli military conducted a massive operation in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, killing at least nine people in a string of fierce gun battles across Jenin and other major cities as tensions heightened in a war that already has laid to waste most of Gaza.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday called on Israel to consider temporarily relocating Palestinians in Jenin and elsewhere during a major anti-terror raid. The Israeli military said it is allowing residents who wish to flee the combat zones to safely leave.
Israel is ramping up its efforts in the West Bank while continuing operations in Gaza, clashing with Iran-backed Hezbollah on its northern border with Lebanon at the same time commercial ships − some with Israeli ties − are threatened by Iran-backed, Yemen-based Houthi militants.
Netanyahu says won’t accept proposal ending Gaza war
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out accepting a ceasefire proposal that includes ending the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday.
The report comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the Israeli leader on Monday to discuss efforts to reduce tensions and reach an agreement on a ceasefire and release of hostages. Blinken claimed that Netanyahu had accepted the US ceasefire proposal.
The White House later claimed that significant progress had been made during the latest round of talks involving officials from Israel, Qatar, the US, and Egypt in the Qatari capital of Doha last week. Hamas skipped the negotiations, citing the absence of a clear plan.
Iran signals promised strike on Israel may not be imminent
Iranian officials are signaling this week that an attack against Israel may not be imminent, tamping down some of the more urgent rhetoric around threats to avenge Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last month in a blast at his guesthouse in Tehran.
Iran had warned early on of a “devastating” reprisal to “punish” Israel for the assassination — but it later adjusted its language, and, in a statement Wednesday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations reinforced the government’s position that any response “must be carefully calibrated” to avoid affecting a potential cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
US Secretary of State Blinken urges Hamas to accept US proposal to end Gaza war
On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Hamas to accept a US proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza. This appeal came after a “very constructive” meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.
Blinken emphasized that the latest effort to secure an agreement might be the best and possibly last opportunity for both sides.
The negotiations, which had stalled last week in Qatar, are expected to resume with the US proposal aimed at bridging the gaps between Israel and Hamas.
Despite Blinken’s optimism, tensions remain high. Hamas announced the resumption of suicide bombings in Israel after many years, and Israeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians in Gaza on Monday.
“In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal – that he supports it,” Blinken stated. “It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.”
Hamas: New U.S. proposal accommodates Netanyahu’s demands, prevents deal
Vice President Kamala Harris, asked outside a campaign event in Pennsylvania whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prepared to agree to a ceasefire, said that the U.S. is not giving up.
“I will not speak for him, but I will tell you these conversations are ongoing, and we’re not giving up. We’re going to continue to work very hard on this. We’ve got to get a cease-fire and we’ve got to get those hostages out,” Harris said.
U.S. President Joe Biden, when asked about the status of cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas after landing at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday, said “It’s still underway, we’re not giving up, [it’s] still possible.”
Turkey Tells Iran To Bring USA, Israel To ‘Knees’? Erdogan Abandons NATO After Invasion Threat?
NATO Nation Turkey made explosive remarks against the U.S. and Israel. Turkey’s ambassador to Iran, Hicabi Kırlangıç, asserted that Ankara will not dictate Iran’s response to Israeli actions, suggesting that “aggressor countries” like Israel and the U.S. should be “brought to their knees.” Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan also condemned U.S. support for Israeli actions. Watch for more.
After being exposed for supporting DEI policies within its company, and financially supporting far-left organizations, Harley Davidson has issued a statement claiming to have disavowed themselves of DEI policies. They’ve also claimed they will re-evaluate the organizations they support and seek to be more representative of the community they serve.
The company claimed, “… we have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today. We do not have hiring quotas and we no longer have supplier diversity spend goals… “We remain committed to listening to all members of our community.”
Harley-Davidson said Monday that it’s ending diversity and other progressive initiatives at the company. Harley-Davidson is the latest major American brand to backtrack from DEI policies it had supported in recent years.
The company added that “we have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today. We do not have hiring quotas and we no longer have supplier diversity spend goals.”
But the company said it would review all sponsorships and outside organizations the company affiliates with, and the company will establish a central clearinghouse for approvals of those relationships. It also suggested it would drop some sponsorships, including LGBTQ+ Pride festivals, saying the brand going forward would focus exclusively on growing the sport of motorcycling. Harley-Davidson, based in Milwaukee, had previously been a longtime corporate member of the Wisconsin LBGT Chamber of Commerce.
Lawfare Assassin Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, has announced his office’s intentions to not oppose any delay requests in President Donald Trump’s sentencing hearing, which comes after he was “convicted” of lawfare crimes against the Democrat Party. Bragg wrote “The People defer to the Court on the appropriate post-trial schedule that allows for adequate time to adjudicate defendant’s [presidential immunity] motion while also pronouncing sentence ‘without unreasonable delay,’”
After securing a criminal conviction against former President Donald Trump, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg may now be running cover for Democrats who don’t want to see the Republican jailed before Election Day.
In a filing submitted on Friday, the progressive prosecutor said his office will not oppose a motion by Trump’s attorneys to delay a previously scheduled sentencing hearing on September 18th. The request came following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting presidents absolute immunity from official acts performed in office which they argue could be construed to include actions around the hush money payment paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels. In June President Trump was found guilty of felony charges that he orchestrated the payments to assist his 2016 presidential campaign and then ordered the misclassification of the payments on business records. Prosecutors with his office now tell Judge Juan Merchan that discretion around a sentence, which could include jail time, will not include a recommendation from their office.
“The People defer to the Court on the appropriate post-trial schedule that allows for adequate time to adjudicate defendant’s [presidential immunity] motion while also pronouncing sentence ‘without unreasonable delay,’” prosecutors wrote, according to the Washington Examiner.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has injected itself into a topic that one conservative commissioner is warning could set a precedent that leads businesses to effectively begin discriminating against white people for fear of being fined by the FEC for “discriminatory” pricing.
While the conservative commissioner, Melissa Holyoak, agreed that a business overpricing a community based on race was a violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, she warned that the reason for ruling against the impending company is what will set a dangerous precedent.
She claimed “[N]o matter how well-intended, broad standards of liability under disparate impact theories can backfire — particularly ones that seek to regulate the entire American economy — creating risks of unlawful race-based practices. The solution to our Nation’s racial problems cannot come from policies grounded in affirmative action or some other conception of equity. Racialism simply cannot be undone by different or more racialism.”
Lame-duck President Joe Biden’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has just issued a new decision that could force businesses across the country to comply with the Democrats’ radical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda.
One Republican commissioner is warning that the rule could “inject” DEI practices in companies that offer price-varied goods and services nationwide….
However, Holyoak said that the majority also tacked on a “superfluous” violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act.
This move could have a “pernicious” effect on American businesses in the future, Holyoak warns.
“[N]o matter how well-intended, broad standards of liability under disparate impact theories can backfire — particularly ones that seek to regulate the entire American economy — creating risks of unlawful race-based practices,” Holyoak said.
“The solution to our Nation’s racial problems cannot come from policies grounded in affirmative action or some other conception of equity,” she added.
“Racialism simply cannot be undone by different or more racialism.”
She was citing the recent Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
That case outlawed race-based considerations in higher-ed admissions policies.
Holyoak explained that “absent Congressional authorization, the Commission should not attempt to broaden the FTC’s unfairness consumer protection authority into a comprehensive civil rights authority — a new standard of liability that may have unintended and pernicious consequences.”
As a way to combat the rising price of products and services in our daily lives, Kamala Harris, the DNC-CCP’s handpicked “nominee,” is proposing empowering the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to impose fines on businesses that, by their estimation, are engaging in “price gouging.”
The campaign stated, “There’s a big difference between fair pricing in competitive markets and excessive prices unrelated to the costs of doing business. Americans can see that difference in their grocery bills.” The plan essentially makes the FTC the new price fixer of the American economy. In other words, it makes the FTC the czar of the now communist marketplace.
A Harvard economist who worked in the Obama Administration voiced his opposition to Vice President Kamala Harris’ plan to install fixed-pricing on grocery chains and their suppliers.
“This is not sensible policy, and I think the biggest hope is that it ends up being a lot of rhetoric and no reality,” Jason Furman told The New York Times in a report published Friday. “There’s no upside here, and there is some downside.”
On Wednesday, Harris finally unveiled a bit of her policy platform after weeks of speculation. The plan included price-fixing on grocery chains and their suppliers to prevent “corporate price gouging.” The Biden-Harris Administration has routinely blamed “corporate price gouging” for America’s inflation woes, which have consistently polled as a top concern among American voters.
“There’s a big difference between fair pricing in competitive markets and excessive prices unrelated to the costs of doing business,” the Harris campaign said in a statement. “Americans can see that difference in their grocery bills.”
Google has learned that its business is currently deemed an illegal monopoly in search and advertising after a ruling by a Federal Court judge. The ruling follows a lengthy anti-trust trial triggered by the Department of Justice suing Google’s parent company Meta.
In a landmark decision, a federal judge ruled on Monday that Google has violated antitrust laws by maintaining an illegal monopoly in the general search services and general search text advertising markets. The ruling comes as a huge blow to the tech giant, often criticized for its vast influence over the internet and user data.
The memorandum opinion issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia extensively detailed Google’s monopolistic practices. “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” the court wrote. “It has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act.” The lawsuit was initially filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and 11 states on October 20, 2020, with 38 additional states joining in a subsequent complaint.
The plaintiffs accused Google of using exclusionary agreements to dominate the market for general search services and various online advertising markets. “Google has unlawfully used the distribution agreements to thwart competition and maintain its monopoly,” the complaint asserted. After a lengthy trial process, which included the review of millions of pages of documents and testimony from numerous witnesses, the court’s findings were clear.
The judge noted, “Google’s dominance has gone unchallenged for well over a decade,” and highlighted that by 2020, nearly 90% of all search queries in the United States were handled by Google.
After a military commission announced plans to give a plea deal to the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, the Department of Defense announced the cancellation of the plea deal. The defendant, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and two accused accomplices, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, were set to have the death penalty taken off the table in the plea deal.
Defense secretary overrides plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind and two other defendants
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday overrode a plea agreement reached earlier this week for the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and two other defendants, reinstating them as death-penalty cases.
The move comes two days after the military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, announced that the official appointed to oversee the war court, retired Brig. Gen. Susan Escallier, had approved plea deals with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two accused accomplices, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, in the attacks.
Letters sent to families of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the al-Qaida attacks said the plea agreement stipulated the three would serve life sentences at most.
Austin wrote in an order released Friday night that “in light of the significance of the decision,” he had decided that the authority to make a decision on accepting the plea agreements was his. He nullified Escallier’s approval.
Yet another study has revealed the Covid-19 vaccine is causing lethal side effects, with the last coming from Japan that shows the vaccine causes a certain kind of heart damage that leads to sudden lethal heart attacks.
Yet the globalists continue to push on, with the World Health Organization (the WHO) calling on the creation of a worldwide mRNA vaccine program for bird flu while a pro-vax doctor calls on the military and the police to neutralize “anti-vaccine aggression.”
A new study has identified another form of heart damage that is causing sudden deaths to surge among people who have been injected with Covid mRNA shots.
Top Japanese scientists uncovered evidence linking Pfizer’s mRNA shot to severely weakened hearts.
The team of researchers at the Narita-Tomisato Tokushukai Hospital in Japan, led by renowned cardiologist Katsuya Hashimoto, found that Covid shots are causing another form of heart inflammation that had not previously been linked to the injections.
Inflammation of the heart reduces its ability to pump blood around the body.
This weakened state can cause blood clots, cardiac arrest, strokes, and sudden death.
The inflammation is difficult to diagnose due to it often being symptomless, creating a ticking timebomb for sufferers.
On Saturday, July 27, a rocket allegedly coming from the Iran-back Islamist terror cell Hezbollah struck a Druze village in the Golan Heights, killing 12 children. The attack has led to Netanyahu threatening war in Lebanon even as the operation in Gaza hits a major moment as Israel’s central Gaza campaign pushes on.
Israel has already responded with strikes deep inside Lebanon targeting Hezbollah strongholds. As Israel faces a rising threat to its northern border, it submitted an updated proposal for a Gaza ceasefire deal, coincidently on the same day as the attack that killed 12 children.
Israel vowed on Sunday to “hit the enemy hard” after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 young people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and fanned fears that the war in Gaza will spread.
Iran warned Israel that any new military “adventures” in Lebanon could lead to “unforeseen consequences”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Saturday’s rocket fire and called on all parties to “exercise maximum restraint”.
Israel’s army called it “the deadliest attack on Israeli civilians” since the October 7 attack that began the current fighting in Gaza and triggered regular exchanges of fire across the Lebanese border.
Israel blamed Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement for firing a Falaq-1 Iranian rocket but the Iran-backed group — which has regularly targeted Israeli military positions — said it had “no connection” to the incident.
It said, however, that it had fired one such rocket on Saturday towards an Israeli military target in the Golan.
The rocket fire in Majdal Shams, whose population are Arabic-speaking Druze, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return early from the United States.
Israel delivered to the U.S. on Saturday its updated proposal for the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, according to an Israeli senior official and two other sources with knowledge of the issue.
Why it matters: The negotiations over the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal are at a critical juncture.
President Biden, who sees freeing the hostages and ending the war in Gaza as key to his legacy, told the families of U.S. hostages on Thursday that he will continue pushing for a deal in the time he has left in office.
Driving the news: The proposal was delivered ahead of a meeting on Sunday in Rome between Mossad director David Barnea, CIA director Bill Burns, the Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani and the head of Egyptian intelligence Abbas Kamel to discuss the hostage deal.
Despite being the now-official Democrat Party Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris received no new powers from President Joe Biden, who allegedly issued orders delegating Presidential authority on several assigned duties to various members of his cabinet. Some of the members include Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
US President Joe Biden has delegated his authority over the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act to the heads of the US Departments of Treasury and State.
Details: The memorandum says that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have been given the authority “vested in the president” by a number of provisions of the law.
This refers to the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act.
In particular, it concerns the possibility of seizing frozen Russian assets in favour of Ukraine.
Joe Biden has delegated the authority to support Ukraine to the US Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State. This was reported by the White House, according to UNN.
U.S. President Joe Biden has officially delegated some of his authority under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
According to the memorandum, the Minister of Finance will now be responsible for the financial aspects of the implementation of aid to Ukraine, while the Secretary of State will deal with diplomatic and strategic issues.
According to Biden, this authority will apply to any future legislation of a similar nature.
The Minister of Finance has been instructed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
A $208 million grant from the Biden administration to Volvo Holdings that is intended to enable the company to keep 3 American facilities from shutting down is directly benefiting a Chinese Communist Party senior member, auto industry magnate Li Shufu, whose firm holds $2.4 billion worth of stock in the company.
Chinese billionaire and auto industry magnate Li Shufu is a senior Chinese Communist Party member who has explicitly devoted his career to spreading Chinese influence worldwide. According to data reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon, he is also set to personally benefit from the Biden-Harris administration’s latest taxpayer-funded initiative to boost electric vehicle manufacturing.
Li’s firm, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, holds a $2.4 billion stake in heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer Volvo Group, making the Chinese firm the company’s second-largest shareholder. The Volvo Group is set to receive a $208.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy that will help keep some of the truckmaker’s factories afloat.
Geely’s stake is entirely made up of class-A shares, which are more exclusive and confer much greater voting power. In total, Geely has a 15 percent share of voting power, giving it sway in the Volvo Group’s corporate decisions, such as electing board members or initiating mergers.
The value of that stake has surged 5.3 percent, or $119 million, since the morning of July 11, when the Biden-Harris administration announced the grant, which is designed to support the Volvo Group’s transition to electric truck manufacturing across three facilities in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.
The Energy Department’s grant was earmarked under a new federal program designed to support “shuttered or at-risk auto manufacturing and assembly facilities.” The designation suggests that, without the funding, the Volvo Group’s three facilities may have been forced to close.
Among the scenes of Wednesday’s explosions was near the funeral for three Hezbollah members and a child killed by pagers the day before, according to Associated Press journalists at the scene.
