Tayyip Erdogan said his country no longer allow Turkish funds go into Israel.
Turkey officially ends relations with Israel!
NATO ally Turkey announced it will no longer support Israel and its decision to strike Hamas. It also stated that the Muslim world and Arab allies should unite to defeat the Israeli Defence Force and Israeli Occupying Force.
The White House and Congress continue the farce of allowing "Israel to defend itself."
The House of Representatives passed a $14.5 billion military aid package which excluded funding Ukraine. President Joe Biden has talked to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and had urged him to not engage in a ground offense.
Israel has called for the United Nations to be abolished. They warned that Israel has violated numerous resolutions and they are calling for immediate ceasefire.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said enough is enough.
Turkey said Saturday it was recalling its ambassador to Israel and breaking off contacts with Netanyahu in protest at the bloodshed in Gaza.
Ankara announced the decisions on the eve of what promises to be a difficult visit to Turkey by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Palestinian ally Turkey had been mending torn relations with Israel until last month's start of the Israel-Hamas war.
But its tone hardened against both Israel and its Western supporters -- particularly the United States -- as the fighting escalated and the death toll among Palestinian civilians soared.
The Turkish foreign ministry said ambassador Sakir Ozkan Torunlar was being recalled for consultations "in view of the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in Gaza caused by the continuing attacks by Israel against civilians, and Israel's refusal (to accept) a ceasefire".
A tale of two dictators. Turkish president Erdogan breaks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli forces have encircled Gaza's largest city while trying to crush Hamas in retaliation for October 7 raids into Israel that officials say killed around 1,400 people -- mostly civilians -- and saw some 240 people taken hostage.
The Gaza health ministry in Gaza says around 9,500 people -- mostly women and children -- have since been killed in Israeli strikes and the intensifying ground campaign.
Erdogan led a massive rally in Istanbul last weekend during which he accused the Israeli government of behaving like a "war criminal" and trying to "eradicate" Palestinians.
Still more protests will greet Blinken on Sunday when the top US diplomat begins a two-day visit to Ankara marking the last leg if his Middle East tour.
Erdogan separately told reporters that he held Netanyahu personally responsible for the growing civilian death toll in the Gaza Strip.
"Netanyahu is no longer someone we can talk to. We have written him off," Turkish media quoted Erdogan as saying.
- 'Stop this' -
Israel had earlier withdrawn all diplomats from Turkey and other regional countries as a security precaution.
The Israeli foreign ministry said last weekend it was "re-evaluating" relations with Ankara because of Turkey's increasingly heated rhetoric about the Israel-Hamas war.
Blinkin told Israeli officials that instituting a humanitarian pause will ultimately help buy additional time to execute a ground invasion of Gaza.
Ken Buck is a far right Republican. However, he is not an election denier. An idiot, though!
A reminder: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is the most laziest member of the House of Representatives. She is currently dating Right Side Broadcasting executive Brian Glenn.
Greene is one of 90 House members who are considered insufferable. The Republicans literally are hoping that she will slip up so they can expel her. They failed getting rid of Rep. George Santos (R-NY) on Wednesday. He ain't crazy enough.
Greene is feuding with Democrats and Republicans. She went after Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), a fellow insufferable member for not backing her censure of Democrat, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Greene also took the time to aim at Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) and Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) who both announced their retirements.
Here is the list of Republicans that did not vote.
You voted to kick me out of the freedom caucus, but keep CNN wannabe Ken Buck and vaping groping Lauren Boebert and you voted with the Democrats to protect Terrorist Tlaib.
You hate Trump, certified Biden’s election, and could care less about J6 defendants being persecuted. https://t.co/OIgUvndXek
When a terrorist attack happens on our homeland, just remember that Republicans couldn’t even censure Rashida Tlaib, a Pro-Hamas Pro-terrorist Israel hating member of congress.
Buck announced Wednesday he would not seek a sixth term in Congress, citing many in his party who refuse to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election and to condemn the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Job stressing Republican lawmaker.
In a video message posted online, Buck said voters’ hopes that Republicans will take decisive action may be in vain, and that his party’s “insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode Americans’ confidence in the rule of law.”
“Too many Republican leaders are lying to America, claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing Jan. 6 as an unguided tour of the Capitol and asserting that the ensuing prosecutions are a weaponization of our justice system,” Buck said.
The 64-year-old former prosecutor, who has served in Congress since 2015, was one of the eight Republicans who joined with Democrats to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in early October. Buck eventually threw his support behind Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana for speaker, despite Johnson’s own efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election through a legal challenge.
Earlier today I announced that I won't be seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
To my friends in Colorado, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve our nation. Being your representative in Washington DC has been the highest honor of my life. pic.twitter.com/FQdPVbpH46
Buck has a penchant for being a wildcard as a fiscal conservative, but he also has proven himself to be someone willing to push back against party leaders.
He spoke out against McCarthy’s launch of an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, saying that House Republicans were relying on flimsy evidence. He also has pointed to concerns about the process for approving spending and complained about stopgap spending bills.
Buck’s decision not to seek reelection came the same day U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, the Republican chairwoman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, said she would not seek reelection in 2024 after nearly three decades in Congress.
Granger, who at 80 is the nation’s longest-serving GOP congresswoman, said, “It’s time for the next generation to step up and take the mantle and be a strong and fierce representative for the people.
Granger was first elected in 1996. Her district, which includes Fort Worth, is heavily Republican and is likely to remain out of reach for Democrats next yea r.
“It’s time for the next generation to step up and take the mantle and be a strong and fierce representative for the people,” Granger said in a statement.
Her decision ends a barrier-breaking career that included serving as Fort Worth’s first female mayor and Texas’ first GOP congresswoman. Her district includes a Lockheed Martin plant that builds the F-35 fighter jet, and over the years, she has been a key force in securing more military funding.
Granger was among the Republicans who opposed Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid to become House speaker. She said she will work with new Speaker Mike Johnson “to advance our conservative agenda” for the remainder of her term.
Israel, congressional gridlock, new House speaker, Ukraine, Hunter Biden. The headaches of a U.S. president.
For the month of October, the jobs report showed a small net of 150,000 jobs.
The U.S. economy saw job creation decelerate in October, confirming persistent expectations for a slowdown and possibly taking some heat off the Federal Reserve in its fight against inflation.
Nonfarm payrolls increased by 150,000 for the month, the Labor Department reported Friday, against the Dow Jones consensus forecast for a rise of 170,000. The United Auto Workers strikes were primarily responsible for the gap as the impasse meant a net loss of jobs for the manufacturing industry.
The unemployment rate rose to 3.9%, the highest level since January 2022, against expectations that it would hold steady at 3.8%. Employment as measured in the household survey, which is used to compute the unemployment rate, showed a decline of 348,000 workers, while the rolls of the unemployed rose by 146,000.
A more encompassing jobless rate that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time positions for economic reasons rose to 7.2%, an increase of 0.2 percentage point. The labor force participation rate declined slightly to 62.7%, while the labor force contracted by 201,000.
“Winter cooling is hitting the labor market,” said Becky Frankiewicz, chief commercial officer at staffing firm ManpowerGroup. “The post-pandemic hiring frenzy and summer hiring warmth has cooled and companies are now holding onto employees.”
Average hourly earnings, a key measure for inflation, increased 0.2% for the month, less than the 0.3% forecast, while the 4.1% year-over-year gain was 0.1 percentage point above expectations. The average work week nudged lower to 34.3 hours.
The Fed uses wage data as one component of its inflation watch. The central bank has opted not to raise interest rates at its past two meetings despite inflation running well above its 2% target. Following Friday’s jobs data, markets further reduced the probability of a rate hike in December to just 10%, according to a CME Group gauge.
From a sector standpoint, health care led with 58,000 new jobs. Other leading gainers included government (51,000), construction (23,000) and social assistance (19,000). Leisure and hospitality, which has been a top job gainer, added 19,000 as well.
Lauren Boebert approves of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Manufacturing posted a loss of 35,000, all but 2,000 of which came because of the auto strikes. Transportation and warehousing saw a decline of 12,000 while information-related industries lost 9,000.
“After years of incredible strength, the labor market could finally be slowing. The topline miss, plus downward revisions and higher unemployment, deliver a strong message to [Chair] Jerome Powell and the Fed,” said David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation. “Further tightening is now highly unlikely, and rate cuts could be back on the table next year.”
In addition to the October slowdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised lower its counts for the previous two months: September’s new total is 297,000, from the initial 336,000, while August came in at 165,000 from 227,000. Combined, the revisions took the original estimates down by 101,000.
Job creation skewed heavily to full-time workers, reversing a recent trend. Full-time jobs grew by 326,000, while part-time tumbled by 670,000 as summertime seasonal jobs wrapped up.
The report comes at an important time for the U.S. economy.
Following a third quarter in which gross domestic product expanded at a 4.9% annualized pace, even better than expected, growth is projected to slow considerably. A Treasury report earlier this week put expected fourth-quarter GDP growth at just 0.7%, and 1% for the full year 2024.
Fed policymakers have deliberately tried to slow the economy in order to tackle inflation. On Wednesday, the Fed’s rate-setting committee chose to hold the line for the second consecutive meeting after a series of 11 hikes since March 2022.
Markets expect the Fed is likely done raising, though central bank officials insist they are dependent on incoming data and still could hike more if inflation doesn’t show consistent signs of falling.
AIPAC continues its hateful attacks on Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
Inflation data has been mixed lately. The Fed’s preferred gauge showed the annual rate fell to 3.7% in September, an indication of steady but slow progress back to its goal.
Surprisingly strong consumer spending has helped propel prices higher, with solid demand giving companies the ability to charge higher prices. However, economists fear that rising credit card balances and increased withdrawals from savings could slow spending in the future.
I am guilty of dehumanizing. I call the former Republican president, Washed Up 45. I say that Lauren Boebert, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Cori Bush, Paul Gosar, Jim Jordan, Ro Khanna and Ronny Jackson are worthless. I call Sean Hannity a softball because he does corny interviews with Republicans. I look at Americans as cynical people who are a mixture of ideologies. And yes, we are human.
But in dire times, is it fair to say that I am saddened by the state of our country.
We are giving more money to funding wars. We are still dealing with gun violence. We are not fixing problems at home when it comes to kitchen table issues. Biden may get fair grades on how he is running government but his foreign policy agenda is out of touch.
He may have lost my support after he took a stance that many progressives disagree with.
As we enter the final two months of 2023, we see President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on the wrong side of history. They can boast about jobs and a stable economy, but to a fickle American, it is not enough.
The conflict in Israel and Palestine has became the No. 1 issue in the world. It has opened up wounds that affects both sides of the political spectrum. Republicans and Democrats both are infighting.
Republicans finally got a member who is now the House Speaker and he is already failing at his job. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was selected after six Republicans were rejected.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted in October setting off three weeks of not having a functioning House of Representatives. Johnson, the seventh choice was finally voted with an overall majority. Johnson, a relatively unknown lawmaker has now became an open book.
His wife was a former gay conversion therapist. Which means Johnson was allegedly gay at one point in his life. He also claims to have an adopted Black son. But recent pictures only show he has two white daughters and two white sons. Johnson is very Pro-Israel and it was a resolution that was recently passed with nine Democrats and two Republicans opposing funding to Israel. Johnson purposely left Ukraine funding out which angered Biden and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Johnson so far has angered members of the Republican Party. Worthless member Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has feuded with Johnson and several members.
She called Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) out after he announced his retirement, slut shamed Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), nicknamed Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and blasted Johnson for not backing her resolution to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
Greene and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) voted against funding Israel. Greene did it because she was rejected in her censure resolution. Massie because he said he will be "America First" over Israel. Massie was called out by the Pro-Israeli lobbying firms.
Tlaib and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) faced attacks from not only the right but from the left as well. They joined with Greene and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in opposing funding to Israel. The lobbyist group American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its affiliates the Anti-Defamation League and Democratic Majority for Israel are promoting Islamophobia. They are criticizing Tlaib, Omar and Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) for opposing funding to Israel.
They are also using dog whistle politics against Omar and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO).
Wesley Bell, the prosecuting attorney of St. Louis County, announced on Monday that he was ending his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat in Missouri — which he launched in June, hoping to unseat Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) — to instead challenge Bush for her House seat.
AIPAC and DMFI has now bankrolled Bell in trying to oust insufferable Bush.
Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) also announced they are retiring.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) told a Black reporter to shut up after she asked Johnson a question about his role to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) was confronted by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sen. Todd Young (R-IN).
The senators spoke on the floor to ask for unanimous consent to confirm military nominations by voice vote, one nomination at a time. They argued with Tuberville. They pleaded with him. They upbraided him — and they spoke at length about the people whose nominations he was blocking.
As each nominee was put forward for a unanimous consent vote, the presiding officer asked, "Is there objection?"
And every time, Tuberville answered, "I object."
Tuberville has been stopping the Senate from approving military nominations en masse for months because of funding for the border wall and his protest a Pentagon policy that pays for travel expenses for service members who must leave the state to obtain an abortion and other reproductive care.
Biden to visit Maine to honor the victims of the Lewiston mass shooting.
Romney (R-UT) is retiring. The 2012 Republican presidential nominee and one term senator has written a book that criticized Biden, Washed Up 45, Greene, Tuberville, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). He wished the Senate would do its job and pass legislation. He praised moderate members for at least keeping the Senate from being a place of utter chaos.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has 12 federal charges. He is accused of bribery, acting as a foreign agent and lying to federal authorities. He refuses to resign and has made it clear regardless he will run. Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) has announced a primary challenge. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), a former Democrat turned Republican is being courted to run.
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) launched a lackluster presidential campaign. He claims that Biden's age and his declining poll numbers are the reason for his run. Former Republican operative Steve Schmidt is running his campaign. Republican mega donor Harlan Crow has pocketed a donation to Phillips. The moderate lawmaker also faces a primary challenge if he concedes and decides to run for his seat come reelection.
Nikki Haley is currently in second place with 15% of the vote. No where close to Washed Up 45 but enough to be a threat. He already labeled his former UN Ambassador a "bird brain" afterwords.
Mike Pence, Larry Elder, Will Hurd and Perry Johnson withdrew from the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race. Pence announced his withdrawal at the Republican Jewish Coalition. Pence will not confirm his support for his former boss.
Washed Up 45 was told to clam up. U.S. Magistrate Judge Tanya Chutkan warned the former president to stop attacking Jack Smith and witnesses. A gag order was imposed on the former president due to his relentless posting on Truth Social.
New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron had enough of Washed Up 45, Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump's bullshit. In the fraud trail, Washed Up 45, his sons and lawyers act like they did nothing wrong. New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued the former president and Trump Organization for inflating assets and lying to officials. His company is at the verge of utter collapse.
World leaders (except the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, Australia, Japan and European Union) are frustrated with Israel and the lawlessness. Israel did air strikes on a refugee camp, hospital, mosque, UN-sponsored schools in the Gaza Strip. They continue shooting civilians in the West Bank. These are war crimes and they are calling for a ceasefire now.
The U.S. continues to not accept the calls for a ceasefire. It is causing Biden to lose support among young voters, Muslims, Jews, Arab American voters and progressives. Biden's stance on Israel has become a lightning rod. It has divided moderate and progressive Democrats.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), an Afro-Latin openly gay lawmaker has been the most vocal pro-Israel member thus far. He has falsely labeled Pro-Palestinian protests as anti-semitic and tied several commentators to supporting Hamas. Progressives are mounting a challenge against him, Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).
Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia may pose the most serious threat to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). Justice announce he will run for the U.S. Senate.
Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida, New Jersey, Arizona, Missouri and Pennsylvania will be the states to watch for. Republicans need two seats to regain control. Democrats need to hold Arizona, Ohio, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to keep control. Democrat have an opportunity to flip the House with Rep. George Santos (R-NY). It will be a challenge to beat him after Congress failed to oust him. His criminal charges and being denounced by New York Republicans will not be a factor.
We will have the results of the Kentucky governor's race this month. Andy Beshear will face off against Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. If Cameron wins, he will become the first Black governor of Kentucky. He will be the first African American Republican to hold a governorship. Last month, Republican attorney general of Louisiana Jeff Landry won the October primary beating all Republican and Democratic rivals to become governor-elect.
Louisiana was held by two term Democratic governor John Bel Edwards. He was term limited and Democrats failed to put money into the state.
We still have an actor and automotive strike.
We had a walkout at CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. Many pharmacists demand more pay and incentives to keep them.
Rite Aid has filed for bankruptcy. Yellow Trucking went out of business. There are three Kmarts left in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. O'Charleys is closing 80 restaurants in the United States. Target had announced closures of 15 stores.
Yes, folks are working two jobs. I am a testimony of that. But I am confident that in the short term I will have all the resources to reapply for the job I prefer.
The Congress has less work than most Americans. It is infuriating that the average worker works more hours than 157 House members and 36 senators.
Republicans see the only path to victory is basically obstruct and complain about the president. They won't offer solutions or policies. All they care about is trying to keep folks angry with culture wars and distractions.
Carlos Latuff made Biden uncomfortable.
President Joe Biden's headaches:
Washed Up 45.
The Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate stalling his agenda.
The media asking him about Washed Up 45's controversies.
The Supreme Court making controversial decisions that impact the country.
Gun violence and Congress not doing anything to stop it.
Inflation.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), Rep. George Santos (R-NY), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO).
Republican governors Ron DeSantis, Doug Burgum, Kay Ivey, Greg Abbott, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Bill Lee, Glenn Youngkin, Kristie Noem, Kim Reynolds, Brian Kemp, Brad Little and Greg Gianforte.
Federal Judges and Supreme Court members appointed by Washed Up 45.
The junk food media and their never ending dramatizing of world events.
Anti-Vaxxers.
Lawmakers and activists who protest the CDC guidelines during the pandemic.
The endless culture wars that Republicans find outrage in.
Washed Up 45 and his minions on Fox, Newsmax, OANN and the internet.
Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. The idiots who run it and the idiots who post on it.
Fox, Breitbart, Libs of TikTok, The Daily Mail, Newsmax and OANN's relentless talk about conspiracies. The endless attacks on the president's age, First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden, Ashley Biden and the conspiracies about the president's mental capacity and health.
The endless racism towards Biden's allies Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Barack Obama.
The relentless talk about spending despite the former president's reckless spending.
The lack of civility towards fellow Americans.
Vladimir Putin.
Xi Jinping.
Kim Jong-Un.
Benjamin Netanyahu.
Alexander Lukashenko.
Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
Monthly reminders:
The coronavirus doesn't care about your age, race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, politics, economic or social standings. It doesn't care about your business, your performances, your personal finances and travel. It doesn't care about the funerals, the birthday parties, the weddings, the vacations, the events and your graduations.
An active shooter doesn't care about the politics, race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, your finances, your family, your plans that day, your successes, your failures, and most importantly, your life.
You're not safe in the school, the concert, the hospital, the church, the casino, the bus station, the subway, the light rail train, the buses, the malls, the local big box store, the political rally, the protest rally, the women's center for reproductive surgeries, the mosque, the synagogue, the state buildings, the workplace, the gas station, the family picnic, the food truck rally, the funerals, the birthday parties, the graduations, the wedding, the televised events, the sporting events and many more events that have some terrorist with a firearm. Domestic violence, suicide, racism, culture war inspired, politically motivated and international operative inspired are types of gun violence.
Food prices, energy prices, rent, city services and college education have risen. Companies are struggling to find workers. They are now trying to push incentives to get workers in.
Real Reasons To Why Unemployment Rate Stays The Way It Is! The main reasons why some are not working.
DEAD
BORN
IN PRISON
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
IN HIGH SCHOOL
IN COLLEGE FULL TIME
VOLUNTEER
DISABLED
INFLATION
STAY AT HOME PARENT
RETIRED
QUIT ON THEIR OWN
TERMINATED FROM EMPLOYMENT
NOT HIRING UNQUALIFIED
NOT HIRING TOO QUALIFIED
ACTIVE MILITARY
NATURAL DISASTERS
MASS SHOOTINGS DISRUPTING DAILY ROUTINE
BEING LAID OFF DUE TO CLOSING OR STAFF REDUCTION
DESTRUCTION TO FACILITY OR PROPRETY
OUTSOURCING JOBS TO OTHER STATES OR COUNTRIES
BEING UNDOCUMENTED IN FEAR OF I.C.E. OR U.S. AGENCIES
BEING PUBLICLY OUTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA DOING SHAMEFUL ACTS
PARTICIPATING IN UNCIVIL OR VIOLENT PROTESTS
Jobs are looking good despite fears.
Companies are cautious about hiring employees. With the average wages stagnant, many are not looking forward to returning to a job that pays dirt wages. Many who worked in the retail, restaurant and low end service industry are not willing to take a job for less than $10 an hour. Matter of fact, no one can survive on $15 an hour.
Republicans don't see the bigger picture itself. They rather continue to believe in conspiracies about people collecting the safety net and not going back to work.
Give them a liveable wage and maybe things might improve in the job market.
We can't always assume that folks are lazy. People are literally dying from being exposed to the coronavirus, gun violence and folks are tired of the status quo of their jobs.
Many single mothers are having trouble trying to find quality daycare or family members to watch children. On top of that, some have lost family members due to the pandemic. A homemaker may have lost their spouse. Some may have no choice but to watch their children or loved ones due to the aftermath of the pandemic.
The face of evil.
Folks are still trying to rebound from medical bills, late rent payments, owing taxes and college loans.
Republicans are white nationalists without a conscience.
Washed Up 45's presidency and Republican controlled governments killed millions of Americans. Biden has a slim majority in Congress and things can't be done with obstruction from both parties.
Holding these lawmakers accountable is not just a pledge, but a promise. You need to learn who represents your community. Your local community member, your school board member, your mayor, your state representative, your state senator, your governor, your U.S. Representative, your U.S. Senator and the president need to be held accountable for their actions.
We need to put pressure on Republicans and Democrats to do something to improve everyone's lives.
The call number to the U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official phone number, 202-224-3121. Let them know that "doing nothing", "refusing calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East," endless "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" will be no longer accepted and you want legislation to curb gun violence as well as end the status quo. Let them know that being in your district means you are tasked to bring results to the constituents who voted for you and convince those who didn't consider you the next election. Let them know that women deserve the right to safe medical procedures. Let them know that their failure to pass legislation are the reasons why democracy and the economy are in free fall.
Former college basketball coach Bob Knight passed away.
The MAGA world lost another famous celebrity.
I meant an infamous celebrity who was a college basketball coach known for throwing chairs, spitting in the faces of referees and racial dog whistles. A man who backed Washed Up 45 in 2016 and 2020, with the claims of this phony being the "realest president God's ever given."
Bob Knight, known for the time as the University of Indiana Hoosiers basketball passed away. He was 83.
Knight’s family made the announcement on social media on Wednesday night. He was hospitalized with an illness in April and had been in poor health for several years.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family,” the statement said. “We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored.”
Knight was among the winningest and most controversial coaches in the sport, finishing his career with 902 victories in 42 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech while mentoring some of America’s best coaches.. He also coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1984.
The Hall of Famer cared little what others thought of him, choosing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” to celebrate his 880th win in 2007, then the record for a Division I men’s coach.
He was nicknamed “The General” and his trademark temper also cost him his job at Indiana in 2000. He once hit a police officer in Puerto Rico, threw a chair across the court and was accused of wrapping his hands around a player’s neck.
Critics fumed relentlessly about his conduct, but his defenders were legion. There was this side of Knight as well: He took pride in his players’ high graduation rates, and during a rule-breaking era he never was accused of a major NCAA violation.
At Indiana, he insisted his base salary not exceed that of other professors. At Texas Tech, he sometimes gave back his salary because he didn’t think he earned it.
Knight expected players to exceed expectations on the court and in the classroom. He abided by NCAA rules even when he disagreed with them, never backed down from a dust-up and promised to take his old-school principles to the grave.
While he was beloved by many of his players, his disposition and theatrics sometimes overshadowed his formidable record, tactical genius, innovation and dedication to and the game, leaving behind a singular resume..
“He changed basketball in this state, the way you compete, the way you win,” Steve Alford, the leader of Knight’s last national championship team in 1987, once said. “It started in Indiana, but he really changed college basketball. You look at the motion offense and people everywhere used it.”
Long esteemed for his strategy and often questioned for his methods, Knight reveled in constructing his best teams with overachievers. As a hard-to-please motivator, he clung to iron principles, and at 6-foot-5 was an intimidating presence for anyone who dared cross him.
When Knight retired in 2008, he left with four national championships (one as a player at Ohio State) and as the Division I men’s record-holder in wins. He coached everyone from Mike Krzyzewski to Isiah Thomas to Michael Jordan. His coaching tree included Krzyzewski, who broke Knight’s wins record; Alford; Lawrence Frank, Keith Smart, Randy Wittman and Mike Woodson, Indiana’s current coach, among others.
“We lost one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball today,” Krzyzewski said. “Clearly, he was one of a kind. He recruited me, coached me, mentored me and had a profound impact on my career and in my life. This is a tremendous loss for our sport and our family is deeply saddened.”
Robert Montgomery Knight was born Oct. 25, 1940, in Massillon, Ohio. His mother, whom Knight credited as his strongest childhood influence, was a schoolteacher and his father worked for the railroad.
Hazel Knight seemed to understand her son’s temperament. Once, when Indiana was set to play Kentucky on television, two of Knight’s high school classmates ran into her at a grocery store and asked if she was excited about the game, according to his biography, “Knight: My Story.”
“I just hope he behaves,” his mother remarked.
He played basketball at Ohio State, where he was a reserve on three Final Four teams (1960-62). He was on the 1960 title team that featured Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek, two future Basketball Hall of Famers.
After a year as a high school assistant, Knight joined the staff of Tates Locke at West Point. In 1965, he took over as head coach at age 24. In six seasons, coaching the likes of Krzyzewski and Mike Silliman, his teams won 102 games and it was off to Indiana in 1971.
Knight quickly restored the Hoosiers’ basketball tradition with a revolutionary offense and an almost exclusively man-to-man defense. Most opponents struggled against his early Indiana teams, with the Hoosiers going 125-20 and winning four Big Ten Conference crowns in his first five seasons.
The run concluded with Indiana’s first national championship in 23 years. That 1975-76 team went 32-0, ending a two-year span when the Hoosiers were 63-1 and captured back-to-back Big Ten championships with 18-0 records. It remains the last time a major college men’s team finished with a perfect record. That team was voted the greatest in college basketball history by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association in 2013.
“One of the things that he said to our 1976 team, which I was fortunate enough to be a part of, was that you may never see another team like this again,” Indiana Board of Trustees chair Quinn Buckner said. “Well, I don’t know that we will ever see another coach like him again.”
Knight won his second title in 1981, beating Dean Smith’s North Carolina team after NCAA officials decided to play the game hours after President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded earlier in the day. His third title at Indiana came in 1987 when Smart hit a baseline jumper in the closing seconds to beat Syracuse, one of the most famous shots in tournament history.
Knight spent five decades competing against and usually beating some of the game’s most revered names -- Adolph Rupp, Smith and John Wooden in the early years; Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino and Roy Williams in later years.
“He was a guy I idolized when I got here (in 1983) because Bobby Knight was the man,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “He treated me great, and he helped me. I wish people knew what a great heart that he had. He was a different dude, but if you needed some help, he would answer the bell.”
The Olympic team Knight coached in Los Angeles in 1984 was the last amateur U.S. team to win gold in men’s basketball. And, to no surprise, it came with controversy. Knight kept Alford on his team while cutting the likes of future Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
“I am so blessed that he saw something in me as a basketball player,” Woodson said in a statement. “He influenced my life in ways I could never repay. As he did with all of his players, he always challenged me to get the most out of myself as a player and more importantly, as a person. His record as a basketball coach speaks for itself. He will be remembered as one of the greatest ever.”
But winning and winning big was only part of Knight’s legacy.
Knight with Washed Up 45.
Other big-time coaches might follow the gentlemanly, buttoned-up approach, but not Knight. He dressed in plaid sport coats and red sweaters, routinely berated referees and openly challenged decisions by NCAA and Big Ten leaders. His list of transgressions ran long:
— Knight was convicted in absentia of assaulting a Puerto Rican police officer during the 1979 Pan American Games.
— He forfeited an exhibition game to the Soviet Union in 1987 when he pulled his team off the court after being called for a third technical foul.
— He told NBC’s Connie Chung in a 1988 interview, “I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it.” Knight was answering a question about how he handled stress and later tried to explain he was talking about something beyond one’s control, not the act of rape.
— He was accused of head-butting one player and kicking his own son, Pat, during a timeout.
— At a 1980 news conference he fired a blank from a starter’s pistol at a reporter. During the 1992 NCAA Tournament, Knight playfully used a bull whip on star player Calbert Cheaney, who is Black.
His most famous outburst came Feb. 23, 1985, when Purdue’s Steve Reid was about to attempt a free throw. A furious Knight picked up a red plastic chair and heaved it across the court, where it landed behind the basket. Fans started throwing pennies on the court, one hitting the wife of Purdue coach Gene Keady. Reid missed three of his next six ensuing free throws.
“There are times I walk into a meeting or a friend calls to say, ‘I saw you on TV last night,’” Reid said on the 20th anniversary of the incident. “I know what they’re talking about.”
Knight apologized the next day, received a one-game suspension and was put on probation for two years by the Big Ten. Intent on preventing such a thing again, Indiana officials chained together the chairs for both benches.
The iconic black-and-white photo of the incident remains a classic for Hoosiers fans and even became fodder for a television commercial with one of his old coaching rivals, former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps. Knight for years joked he was merely attempting to toss the chair to a woman looking for a seat.
Fifteen years after the chair toss, Knight’s temper led to his downfall in Bloomington. Video surfaced of Knight allegedly putting his hands around the neck of player Neil Reed during a 1997 practice, a charge that prompted Indiana President Myles Brand to put Knight on a zero-tolerance policy following a university investigation.
Then, on Sept. 10, 2000, after winning a school-record 662 games and 11 Big Ten titles in 29 seasons, his time at Indiana came to a shocking end. While passing Knight in an Assembly Hall corridor, Indiana student Kent Harvey said, “Hey, what’s up, Knight?” Knight considered it disrespectful, grabbed Harvey’s arm and lectured him about manners. A few days later, Brand fired Knight.
Students protested by tearing down a goal post at the football stadium, ripping a dolphin statue off a fountain and hanging Brand in effigy outside his home. Knight publicly condemned Brand’s leadership. Brand became NCAA president in 2002 and died in 2009 at 67 while still on the job. Neil Reed died in 2012 after collapsing in his California home. He was 36.
In 2003, Knight lashed out profanely after an ESPN reporter asked about his relationship with Alford, then the Iowa coach. The following year Knight received a reprimand after a verbal dust-up with David Smith, then the Texas Tech chancellor, as the two men stood at a grocery store salad bar.
He still won, too. In his first six years in West Texas, Knight led the Red Raiders to five 20-plus win seasons, a feat never previously achieved at the school. On Jan. 1, 2007, Knight won his 880th career game, breaking Dean Smith’s record with a win over New Mexico. Krzyzewski topped Knight’s mark in 2011, with his mentor broadcasting the game for ESPN.
For nearly two decades, Indiana officials attempted to make peace. Knight refused, even skipping his induction into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
“I hope someday he will be honored at Indiana. That needs to happen. Somebody needs to make that happen,” Scott May, a starter on Knight’s 1976 championship team and an outspoken critic of Knight’s firing, pleaded as Knight stayed away. “I think they should name Assembly Hall after him.”
The ice finally broke in February 2020, a few months after Knight bought a new house in Bloomington. His first public appearance at Assembly Hall since the firing came at halftime of the Hoosiers’ game against rival Purdue.
Billed as a reunion between the coach and many of his former players, the halftime celebration became a sustained roar for The General. May and Buckner, who also played on Knight’s first title team, helped the aging coach — no longer steady on his feet -- walk onto the court.
“When he moved back here, I knew he was in a good place,” said Wittman, who played on the 1981 national champs. “I knew he was happy here, living, and I told him you belong here.”
Knight didn’t speak to the crowd that day. It spoke to him.
“We love you, Bobby,” one fan shouted during a brief pause from the crowd, a scene that brought the steely Knight to tears.
Away from the court, Knight was an avid golfer who loved to read, especially history, and donated generously to school libraries at Indiana and Texas Tech. He would vacation in far-flung places to hunt and fish with family or friends such as baseball great Ted Williams or manager Tony La Russa.
Knight also made a cameo appearance in the 2003 movie “Anger Management” with Adam Sandler. In 2006, he starred in “Knight School,” an ESPN reality show in which 16 Texas Tech students vied for the chance to walk on to his team the following season.
A month after leaving Tech, Knight, who often lashed out at reporters, joined ESPN as a guest studio analyst during the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The next season, he expanded his role as a color commentator. The network parted with Knight in 2015.
He returned to public view in 2016, campaigning for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and kept a mostly low profile until returning to the campus where he became a household name and the state where his presence was so big, his death was announced in retail stores Wednesday night.
“I was standing there, and he was coach Knight,” Wittman said, referring to Knight’s pregame speech in February 2020. “It was like he hadn’t left that locker room. The words he gave to those players before they went out on the floor, it was fabulous.”
Survivors include wife Karen and sons Tim and Pat.
Kings Island is located in Mason, Ohio near Cincinnati.
The Ohio based theme park company is merging with the Texas based theme park company and it will build a massive amusement park revenue.
Cedar Fair and Six Flags will now be headquartered in Charlotte. The Charlotte area has the Carowinds Amusement Park which operates under Cedar Fair.
The company Cedar Fair is located in Sandusky, Ohio near Cleveland. The company will relocated most of its facilities to Charlotte. Some of its corporate offices will remain in the Sandusky area for the time being. Cedar Point is one of the largest amusement parks in the country. It is located in Sandusky.
Six Flags Entertainment which is based in Arlington, Texas is officially leaving. The company will vacate the city and move to Charlotte.
The combined company, with a pro forma enterprise value of approximately $8 billion based on both companies’ debt and equity values as of October 31, 2023, will be a leading amusement park operator in the highly competitive leisure space with an expanded and diversified footprint, a more robust operating model and a strong revenue and cash flow generation profile.
The combined company will operate under the Six Flags name, with Richard Zimmerman, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cedar Fair, serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company, while Selim Bassoul, President and Chief Executive Officer of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, will serve as the Executive Director of the combined company's Board of Directors.
The combined company will boast 27 amusement parks, 15 waterparks, and nine resort properties in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to the Associated Press.
“Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” said Richard Zimmerman, president and chief executive officer of Cedar Fair, in a news release. “Together, we will have an expanded and complementary portfolio of attractive assets and intellectual property to deliver engaging entertainment experiences for guests. The combination also creates an enhanced financial profile with strong cash flow generation to accelerate investments in our parks to delight our guests, driving increased levels of demand and in-park value and spending. I have great respect for the Six Flags team and look forward to joining forces as we embark on this next chapter together.”
It will be valued at roughly $8 billion, based on both companies’ debt and equity values as of October 31, according to Cedar Fair.
“The combination of Six Flags and Cedar Fair will redefine our guests’ amusement park experience as we combine the best of both companies,” added Selim Bassoul, president and chief executive officer of Six Flags. “Six Flags and Cedar Fair share a strong cultural alignment, operating philosophy, and steadfast commitment to providing consumers with thrilling experiences. By combining our operational models and technology platforms, we expect to accelerate our transformation activities and unlock new potential for our parks. We are excited to unite the Cedar Fair and Six Flags teams to capitalize on the tremendous growth opportunities and operational efficiencies of our combined platform for the benefit of our guests, shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders.”
The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2024, Cedar Fair says.
New York Republican lawmaker continues on after most Republicans and some Democrats voted to not expel him for misconduct.
The push to try to oust Santos came from fellow GOP lawmakers in the New York delegation, who argue his past lies and embellishments about his personal history and his various legal entanglements make him unfit for office. Santos maintains his innocence after being indicted on a slew of federal charges.
Rep. Anthony D'Esposito on Thursday formally filed the expulsion resolution as privileged -- which forced the House to move quickly on Santos' possible removal. D'Esposito was joined by Reps. Mike Lawler, Nick LaLota, Marc Molinaro and Brandon Williams.
The resolution needed a two-thirds majority to succeed, but fell well short. The final vote was 179 to 213 with 19 members voting present.
Santos defended himself on the House floor ahead of the vote, saying his colleagues were "prioritizing petty politics."
"The loss of the presumption of innocence establishes a dangerous precedent that threatens the very foundation of our legal system, and we risk losing the trust that the American people placed in us by passing judgement without due process," Santos said. "If we work together, we can protect the integrity of our system and the rights of all citizens."
"I'm fighting tooth and nail to clear my name in front of the entire world, Mr. Speaker. It hasn't been easy, but I'm fighting by God's grace," he added.
D'Esposito sent a letter from the group to colleagues on Wednesday urging them to back the resolution to force Santos out.
"We strongly urge you to vote in favor of this resolution and encourage you to contact any one of us should you have any doubts about expelling George Santos from this body," they wrote.
Only five members in U.S. history have been expelled from the House. The last time an expulsion occurred was in 2002, when Ohio Democrat James Traficant was removed after being convicted of 10 felony counts of racketeering, bribery and fraud.
Democrats tried to force the House to consider an expulsion resolution back in May, when the first set of charges came down against Santos. Republicans avoided that vote, instead choosing to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee -- which released a rare statement Monday saying they'll announce next steps for their Santos investigation on or before Nov. 17.
The committee's investigative subcommittee, which has been reviewing allegations involving Santos, said it "has contacted 40 witnesses, reviewed more than 170,000 pages of documents and authorized 37 subpoenas."
Santos has said he intended to cooperate with the committee.
Bolivia said enough is enough. They are calling for Israel to be held accountable.
South America And Latin America Abandon Israel!
🇧🇷🇧🇴🇨🇺🇨🇱🇨🇴 Thank you.
This can't be ignored much longer. World leaders are calling for an immediate ceasefire and the Israeli government continues to ignore it. They are indiscriminately bombing civilians in the Gaza Strip. They are shooting civilians living in the West Bank. They are continuing this propaganda war on X, Meta and Google.
But the images of children, families and heavily populated areas being bombed have finally changed the narrative. It has forced several countries to denounce Israel and demand for full statehood of Palestine.
While over in the United States, those who are Pro-Israel are still dehumanizing and conflating. When they are protesting for a "Free Palestine", they are claiming you're a terrorist sympathizer. When you say, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," they are claiming you are calling for a Holocaust of Jews and Israel.
When you want the U.S. to stop funding Israel, you are called a traitor.
President Joe Biden, Washed Up 45 and 96% of Congress are influenced by Israel when it comes to intelligence, state propaganda and messaging. They love the donations from AIPAC.
AIPAC, one of the most powerful lobbyist groups in the country has an iron grip on American politicians. This will come to an end and mark my words, this conflating by America is the final straw.
Several South American and Latin American countries are no longer allowing Israel to stay in their countries. The Guardian reported that Bolivia is officially ending its ties with the apartheid country.
A number of South American countries have registered diplomatic protests against Israel, in response to its latest conflict with Hamas, with Bolivia’s government cutting ties entirely and attributing its decision to alleged war crimes and human rights abuses being committed in the Gaza Strip.
The world is tired of Israel claiming it's a victim.
The decision by Bolivia was announced at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon by María Nela Prada, a minister in President Luis Arce’s administration. “We demand an end to the attacks on the Gaza Strip which have so far claimed thousands of civilian lives and caused the forced displacement of Palestinians,” the minister told reporters in her country’s de facto capital, La Paz.
Hours later, the governments of Chile and Colombia recalled their ambassadors from Israel, while Brazil’s president criticized the continued airstrikes on Gaza.
Bolivia’s deputy foreign minister, Freddy Mamani Machaca, said the decision represented “a repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and its threat to international peace and security”.
Former president Evo Morales demanded Israel be classified as a “terrorist state” and for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and “his accomplices” be denounced to the international criminal court for genocide and war crimes.
Bolivia previously broke off relations with Israel in 2009 after the county’s invasion of the Gaza Strip but re-established ties in 2020 under former president Jeanine Áñez.
Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, said on Tuesday he had recalled his ambassador over Israel’s “massacre of the Palestinian people”.
Petro recently likened Israel’s actions to those of Adolf Hitler’s Nazis, drawing a rebuke from Israel’s foreign ministry, which accused him of putting Jewish lives in danger and encouraging “the horrific acts of Hamas terrorists” with his “hostile and antisemitic statements”.
Chile’s president, Gabriel Boric, also announced he had recalled his country’s ambassador in Tel Aviv to discuss the “unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law” he said Israel was committing in Gaza.
Israel Continues To Commit War Crimes! America Ignores Catastrophe!
President Joe Biden is losing support among progressives, Arab Americans, Blacks and Muslim voters. His hardline stance to Israel has caused a rift between the Democrats.
The Democrats pro-Israel wing has totally ignored the Palestinians and chastised members who believe the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip and West Bank will stain America. They run on this bullshit about criticism of the Israeli government is anti-semitic. I swear if I hear one more asshole tell me to denounce Hamas, I am going to fucking scream.
Biden hates this world leader with a passion but he is willing to shelve billions of taxpayer money to our ally Israel despite the country tilting towards fascism.
Benjamin Netanyahu ignores the calls by world leaders to ceasefire. The Israeli government continues to disregard the United Nations and their warnings that they are inching closer to criminal charges.
Israeli airstrikes hit a densely populated refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing at least 50 Palestinians and a Hamas commander, and medics struggled to treat the casualties, even setting up operating rooms in hospital corridors.
Israeli tanks have been acting in Gaza for at least four days following weeks of air bombardments in retaliation for an attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on mostly Israeli civilians on Oct. 7 and the taking of more than 200 hostages.
An Israel Defense Forces statement said the strike on Jabalia, Gaza's largest refugee camp, had killed Ibrahim Biari. It said he was a ringleader of what it called the "murderous terror attack" on Oct. 7.
The bullshit Israel promotes.
Palestinian health officials said at least 50 Palestinians were killed in the refugee camp blast and 150 wounded. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem denied any senior commander there and called the claim an Israeli pretext for killing civilians.
A Hamas statement said there were 400 dead and injured in Jabalia, which houses families of refugees from wars with Israel dating back to 1948. Reuters could not independently verify the reported casualty figures.
The blast left large craters in a rubble filled area surrounded by wrecked concrete buildings.
Israel has sent repeated warnings to Gaza residents to evacuate northern areas and while many have gone south, many have not. The Israeli government is doing forcible removal which is a war crime within itself.
In Washington, a group of anti-war protesters raised red-stained hands to interrupt a hearing in Congress on providing more aid to Israel. They shouted slogans including, "Ceasefire now!" "Protect the children of Gaza!" and "Stop funding genocide." Capitol police removed them from the room.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby had no comment on the blast at the refugee camp, saying he had no information yet. The "killing of civilians is not a war aim" of Israel, Kirby said.
U.N. and other aid officials said civilians in the besieged Palestinian enclave were engulfed by a public health catastrophe, with hospitals struggling to treat casualties as electricity supplies peter out.
After the attack on Jabalia, dozens of bodies lay shrouded in white, lined up against the side of the nearby Indonesian Hospital, footage obtained by Reuters showed.
Juggling dwindling supplies of medicines, power cuts and air or artillery strikes that have shaken hospital buildings, surgeons in Gaza have worked night and day trying to save a constant stream of patients.
"We take it an hour at a time because we don't know when we will be receiving patients. Several times we've had to set up surgical spaces in the corridors and even sometimes in the hospital waiting areas," said Dr. Mohammed al-Run.
Hamas has told mediators it will release some foreign captives in coming days, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of the group's armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, said in a video on the Telegram app on Tuesday. He gave no further details on the number of captives or their nationalities.
Meanwhile, Israeli families of victims of the Oct. 7 attack appealed to the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to order an investigation into the killings and abductions. Israel is not a member of the Hague-based court and refuses to recognise its jurisdiction.
The United States has made "real progress" in the last few hours in negotiations to secure a safe passage for Americans and other foreign nationals who wish to leave Gaza, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have been working to open the Rafah crossing into Egypt to allow people to come and go.
Egyptian authorities would allow 81 Gazans who were severely wounded in the weeks of bombardment to enter Egypt on Wednesday to complete treatment, the Palestinian border authority said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed again on Tuesday for the protection of civilians caught in the conflict, stressing the need for proportional behaviour and precautions by all parties.
Netanyahu dismissed international calls for a "humanitarian pause" in fighting to enable emergency aid deliveries to civilians suffering from critical shortages of food, medicine, drinking water and fuel.
He has vowed to press ahead with plans to annihilate Hamas after several inconclusive wars dating back to the militant group's 2007 takeover of Gaza.
Israeli ground forces battled Hamas gunmen based in a sprawling tunnel network. The tunnels under the cramped enclave are a prime objective for Israel as it expands a ground offensive.
Some of the 240 hostages that Israel says were seized by Hamas are believed to be held in the tunnel complex, posing a further complication for the Israelis on top of the difficulties of fighting in a crowded urban setting.
The Israeli military said its forces had struck about 300 targets over the past day, including anti-tank missile and rocket launch posts below tunnel shafts, as well as underground Hamas military compounds.
Militants responded with anti-tank missiles and machine gun fire, it said. A number of militants were killed, it said, without specifying a number.
Hamas said in a statement its fighters were engaged in fierce battles with Israeli ground forces, who were taking losses. "The occupation is pushing its soldiers into proud Gaza, which will always be the cemetery of invaders," Hamas said.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis is trailing in the polls. His rival Washed Up 45 is by far leading in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The former president who is facing multiple indictments is still leading. He is now taking advantage of this by mocking DeSantis for wearing modified shoes to give the impression he is tall.
He was questioned by host Patrick Bet-David on the PBD Podcast about claims circulating online regarding hidden high heels allegedly in his boots.
Bet-David displayed images of DeSantis from a recent appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher which have gone viral. The images highlight the governor's cowboy boots with an outline added to show where hidden high heels may have been added to enhance DeSantis' height.
DeSantis quickly denied the rumors about lifts and added that he hadn't been shown the online claims about the height boosters.
Washed Up 45 shared images on his Truth Social platform from DeSantis' appearance on Maher's program. The photos show DeSantis' cowboy boots with the caption: "Tell me he's not wearing hidden heels."
President and First Lady Biden meet Ron and Casey DeSantis.
The same noise that plagued Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) during his failed 2016 bid against then Washed Up celebrity.
Given the former president lies about his height, weight and physical appearance, I am amazed how the junk food media refuses to call out that liar for what he is. I mean the federal court imposed a gag order on him and he still disregards it as "election interference."
The junk food media took this hook line and sinker. Who cares about DeSantis and his fucking shoes?
It is his godamn policies.
Washed Up 45, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Chris Christie and even President Joe Biden will kiss Israel's ass. They will take hardline stances on issues and cause chaos throughout the world.
The former president had lowered America's place in the world. Biden made is worse by clearly taking the side of an ethno-state known for pushing propaganda into American politics.
While the world is watching a genocide unfold in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the junk food media is doing lip service for an incompetent former president.
There is no way I will vote for Ron DeSantis. I just believe he has been unfairly attacked by the former president. The nearly 300 lb, balding, grotesque, former billionaire who served one horrible term as President of the United States.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli military officials must be removed now. If they continue to exist, Israel will lead the U.S. and its allies to global war. Enough is enough.
Dehumanizing and gaslighting. Deflecting, promoting disinformation and pressuring world leaders to punish dissent. Typical fascist moves by Israel and our own government.
All to masquerade the lawlessness. Calling people antisemitic because they dare criticize Israel.
American Muslims, Arab Americans and people who sit on the fence are tired of President Joe Biden and American politicians defending Israel and dehumanizing outrage to the genocide happening in Gaza.
I'm not antisemitic or Islamophobic.
I am not anti-American.
I am not voting for Washed Up 45 and I am likely not voting for Biden either.
Both of them along with Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Dean Phillips, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum and Cornel West are supporters of Israel too. They are as worthless as Biden and Washed Up 45.
I am not voting for any of them.
I swear the Middle East and Ukraine will spell doom for Russia, the European Union, China, Great Britain and the United States.
Israel will be the flashpoint.
The world is getting tired of Israel.
In a joint statement the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Morocco, on Thursday condemned the targeting of civilians and violations of international law in Gaza.
Their statement said the right to self-defence did not justify breaking the law and neglecting Palestinians’ rights. The Arab ministers also condemned forced displacement and collective punishment of the Palestinians in Gaza.
Arab nations have linked hands with the Global South to challenge Israel and its western backers to end the bombing in a Gaza at the start of a rare two-day emergency debate at the UN general assembly.
In a fierce warning on Thursday the Iranian foreign minister said that if what he described as the genocide did not stop the U.S. would “not be spared from this fire”.
The debate was occasionally unsettling for the U.S., as diplomats from across the globe challenged what they frequently described as Washington’s unqualified support for Israel since the Hamas attack that killed 1,400 people. Since then, according to the Palestinian authorities, more than 7,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with Israel pounding the territory with airstrikes.
Anger was also expressed at a new pitch by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He said “the Israeli attack on Gaza … has reached the level of a massacre, and the silence of the international community on what is happening is a shame for humanity”.
Erdoğan added that peace would “only be possible with the creation of an independent, sovereign and geographically integrated, Palestinian state, according to the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital”.
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