Feed aggregator

Trump Announces ‘Sick, Dangerous’ Antifa Will Be Designated ‘A Major Terrorist Organization’

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President Trump declared on Wednesday that he intends to classify Antifa as a “MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION” and press for inquiries into those who support the far-left movement.

“I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” Trump announced on Truth Social.

“I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices,” the president continued. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Antifa, short for “anti-fascist,” is a loosely organized group known for violent activity, often dressing in black and appearing at demonstrations to confront police and ignite unrest.

Earlier this week, Trump made clear he was “100%” supportive of labeling the movement a terrorist organization, despite the fact that it operates without an identifiable leadership hierarchy.

His declaration comes as pressure has mounted to curb far-left groups following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week.

Authorities say Tyler Robinson, accused of killing the Turning Point USA founder, was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”

{Matzav.com}

“Charlie King”: Rep. Nadler Mixed Up Charlie Kirk’s Name During House Hearing

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Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) stumbled repeatedly during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, mistakenly referring to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was recently killed, as “Charlie King.”

“Politicizing the murder of Charlie King to go after free speech is not a legacy, I believe, Charlie King would have wanted,” Nadler remarked to FBI Director Kash Patel.

The slip came just after Nadler pressed Patel, asking whether he knew that the Trump administration was using Kirk’s death “as an excuse to crackdown on liberty and freedom of speech.” Patel replied that he could only speak on behalf of the FBI and was unaware of any such initiative.

Before the blunder, Nadler had correctly said Kirk’s name several times. Patel chose not to point out the error, and Nadler, age 78, quickly pivoted to another subject.

Patel’s appearance before the House came a day after he testified before the Senate. Patel, who was appointed FBI director earlier this year by President Donald Trump, clashed with Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) during that earlier testimony over questions related to dismissed bureau employees.

Schiff pressed Patel repeatedly to confirm whether any FBI workers were fired “in whole or in part” for investigating the president. Patel firmly responded, “absolutely not,” before accusing Schiff of laying “a trap” with his “yes-or-no” questioning.

The night before his House testimony, Patel appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity, revealing that the FBI had obtained text messages from Tyler Robinson, the man accused of murdering Kirk, indicating that the killing was premeditated. Those texts, made public Tuesday, showed Robinson claiming he was motivated by Kirk’s “hatred.”

{Matzav.com}

Paul Erupts At Ex-CDC Official Over Vaccines For Babies: ‘Burden Should Be On You’

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Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., found himself in a heated exchange on Wednesday with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Susan Monarez, the former CDC director, over the issue of giving vaccines to infants.

The confrontation unfolded during a Senate hearing concerning Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s move to dismiss Monarez last month. She has claimed her departure was tied to her refusal to dismiss staff who were involved in shaping the CDC’s vaccine guidelines, insisting that there was no scientific justification for dropping certain shots.

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Paul took the opportunity to press Monarez aggressively during his questioning.

“When we’re discussing the science here, we have to discuss what is the science in favor of giving the vaccine to a 6-month-old, and what are the benefits from that? And there is no benefit of hospitalization or death. And then what would the risks of that vaccine be? We have large population studies of the risks of the vaccine in younger people,” Paul said.

“You won’t fire the people who are saying we have to vaccinate our kids at 6 months of age. That’s who you refused to fire,” he charged.

Monarez attempted to respond, saying, “That assertion is not commensurate with the experience that I had with the individuals who were identified to be fired,” but Paul cut her off mid-answer.

“Did any of the people you refused to fire,” Paul began before Sanders interjected sharply: “She’s about to answer the question.”

Paul continued his critique, stating that “we should” remove the recommendation that babies be given the COVID-19 vaccine, along with other shots that he argued are unnecessary for young children.

“What is the medical reason to give a Hepatitis-B vaccine to a newborn whose mom has no Hepatitis?” Paul pressed further.

As Monarez avoided giving a direct explanation, Sanders again jumped in, but Paul pushed back: “You had your time Bernie, I’ve got mine,” he shot back before redirecting his question to Monarez. “What is the medical, scientific reason and proof for giving a newborn a Hepatitis-B vaccine if the mom is Hep-B negative?”

Monarez still declined to answer the question outright, prompting Paul to argue that the responsibility lies with health officials to show evidence that infant vaccine recommendations are truly beneficial.

“You want to make all kids take this? The burden is upon you,” he declared.

{Matzav.com}

FLASHBACK: Mamdani Labeled Kirk A ‘Far-Right Extremist’ Who Should Be Canceled From Speaking In NYC

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New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim socialist, previously endorsed a statement labeling conservative commentator Charlie Kirk—who was assassinated last week—as an “extremist.” The letter urged a venue not to allow Kirk to appear in the city.

The remarks were included in a June 2023 press release signed by several local Democrats, including Mamdani. The statement was issued “in response to Motif Studios agreeing to host a far-right extremist event on June 17th at Tammany House in Long Island City.”

“As elected officials representing western Queens, we are deeply disappointed by the decision by Motif Studios to host an event by the far-right extremist groups Blexit and Turning Point USA at their Triplex LIC/Tammany House venue in Long Island City,” the Democrats wrote.

The release further declared, “Providing a platform for the kind of transphobic, bigoted views held by invited speakers Candace Owens, Charlie Kirk and others goes directly against the diversity and inclusivity that we hold dear as New Yorkers and is an insult to every member of our community.”

The officials went on to call for the venue to cancel the event, urging Motif Studios to “follow the lead” of another space that had initially agreed to host but later “canceled their booking after the community spoke out” about the “bigotry” of the organizers.

“Hate has no home in Queens, New York City, or anywhere else and certainly not here in Long Island City,” the statement added.

Despite the opposition, the program was held as scheduled. Kirk himself posted video footage showing security escorting out a protester who had attempted to interrupt the gathering.

Republican Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, who represents New York’s 15th District, told Fox News Digital that Kirk’s killing highlighted the dangers of suppressing speech. He argued that officials must confront “the culture of hate that has been allowed to grow.”

“We cannot ignore that my colleagues, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and his radical DSA allies, once tried to silence Charlie Kirk in New York City, pressuring venues to cancel his events,” Blumencranz said. “That mindset of censorship and public shaming feeds the hostile climate we see today and corrodes the American ideal that speech must be met with more speech, not suppression.”

Kirk’s murder has sparked heated national debate about freedom of expression. Blumencranz pointed out to Fox News Digital that Mamdani—who currently holds a strong polling advantage in the mayoral race—has been inconsistent in his stance on the matter.

“What’s most telling is Mamdani’s double standard: the speech he rushes to protect — like ‘globalize the intifada,’ which many view as a call to violence against Jews — tears at America’s fabric, while the speech he vigorously fights to silence is the very kind that keeps our democracy alive,” Blumencranz said.

He added, “New Yorkers must ask themselves what it would mean to have a ‘Silencer-in-Chief’ like Zohran Mamdani in City Hall. New York deserves a ‘Unifier-in-Chief,’ who will defend free expression and bring people together — clearly, Zohran Mamdani is not that leader.”

Mamdani did address Kirk’s assassination publicly, telling supporters the tragedy was “horrific” and described the killing as “yet another victim of gun violence in a nation where what should be a rarity has turned into a plague.”

On X, he also posted that he was “horrified” and insisted that “political violence has no place in our country.”

{Matzav.com}

Annual Maamad Hashava By Neki Kapayim! Clean Hands for the Yemei Hadin!

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[COMMUNICATED]

Click HERE to join the Neki Kapayim annual Maamad Hashava! Keren Neki Kapayim is an innovative halachic solution developed by Gedolei Haposkim for the return of unknown debts and misplaced assets.

Join the thousands who have come clean and your Tefillos will soar this Yom Kippur.

Click HERE to join the Neki Kapayim annual Maamad Hashava!

As upstanding, committed Shomrei Torah Umitzvos, our life is all about observing the dictates of Torah and halacha to the utmost of our abilities. Obviously, we each have our shortcomings in different areas, and for this reason the Torah gives us the opportunity of Teshuva – to come clean and make good on our failings. There is one area though, for which the ordinary process of Teshuva, do not suffice to clear us of our misdeeds – that is the real of bein odom l’chaveiro – sins between man and fellow man. When it’s simply a question of a personal offense – one has to ask for forgiveness. If it’s a monetary obligation the debt must be paid up.

Click HERE to join the Neki Kapayim annual Maamad Hashava!

But what happens when we don’t even know to whom we owe whom to pay?

This is indeed a dilemma!

Are our hands completely clean?

Is there anything in our hands or in our possession that’s not 100% our own?

Perhaps, we don’t know who the owner is, but does that make it ours?

The thought is frightening!

Click HERE to join the Neki Kapayim annual Maamad Hashava!

Can we stand before Hashem pleading for mercy; asking for brachos for ourselves and our loved ones, when our hands are sullied by money that’s not ours?
The Gemara (Beitza 29a, Bava Kamma 94b) discusses the issue of returning unknown debt. Click here for halachic overview

The solution developed by the dayanim of Keren Neki Kapayim is a new and innovative idea to achieve a complete and immediate return to the true owner of the money, whoever and wherever he might me

Click HERE to join the Neki Kapayim annual Maamad Hashava!

‘One-Way Ticket To Somalia’: Mace Fires Back At Omar In Heated Congressional Feud

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Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a Democrat, clashed on Wednesday with South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace after Mace remarked that “maybe Somalia can take you back” in response to Omar’s statements about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Their dispute played out online after Mace filed a resolution calling for Omar to be censured and stripped of her committee roles.

Omar came under fire from conservatives following an interview she gave to the progressive outlet Zeteo, where she criticized both Kirk’s record and Republicans’ response to his killing.

In that interview, given just days after Kirk’s assassination, Omar recalled that he had “downplayed slavery and what Black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth shouldn’t exist.”

“There are a lot of people out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate,” the “Squad” member said. “There is nothing more effed up than to completely pretend that his words and actions have not been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.”

Mace answered those remarks with a post on X, saying, “If you celebrate murder, maybe Somalia can take you back.”

Omar, who immigrated from Somalia to the U.S. as a child, shot back online: “I know you aren’t well or smart, but I hope someone can explain to you that there isn’t a correlation between my committee assignments and deportation.

“Would love to see you get the help you need next. You belong in rehab, not Congress,” Omar continued on X.

Mace then escalated further, writing on X, “One-way ticket to Somalia with your name on it, Ilhan Omar.”

Speaking to Fox News Digital, Mace accused Omar of making light of Kirk’s assassination, noting that he left behind a wife and two children.

“Now she’s lashing out because we called her out. What’s not ‘well’ is celebrating political violence,” Mace said. “What’s not ‘smart’ is defending it. Omar should be ashamed of herself. Omar can throw insults all day, but it won’t save her from accountability. She crossed the line, and we’re not letting her get away with it. Go back to Somalia.”

In her own remarks, Omar described Kirk’s assassination as “mortifying,” insisting her words had been misunderstood.

“While I disagreed with Charlie Kirk vehemently about his rhetoric, my heart breaks for his wife and children. I don’t wish violence on anyone,” she wrote. “My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy and compassion.

“Right-wing accounts trying to spin a false story when I condemned his murder multiple times is fitting for their agenda to villainize the left and hide from the fact that Donald Trump gins up hate on a daily basis.”

{Matzav.com}

The Last Step Before The Siyum

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The olam haTorah is abuzz with anticipation as multitudes of Oraysa lomdim take their final strides toward a Siyum on Seder Mo’ed. With the beginning of Maseches Chagigah, tens of thousands across the globe are embarking on the last leg of a journey that began nearly six years ago. And now, for the first time in Oraysa’s history, a global community of lomdei Torah stands on the threshold of completing an entire Seder of Shas together. Kehillos across the U.S., Eretz Yisroel, and Europe are preparing to converge for a historic maamad kavod haTorah to celebrate this milestone. This will be a once-in-a-generation asifa — not only marking an ending, but celebrating a shared journey and the start of something even greater. The Siyum will shine a light on the endurance, perseverance, and dedication of the countless individuals who show up every single day, amud by amud, carrying the vision of the Oraysa movement forward — and equally, the wives and families whose daily sacrifices and unwavering support make this achievement possible. And now, with every daf of Chagigah learned, the anticipation grows louder. This is the masechta that will carry us into history — the final step before the Siyum. For those not yet part of the movement, there could not be a more opportune moment to join. To start Maseches Chagigah today is to be part of the Siyum tomorrow. The journey of Seder Mo’ed has been extraordinary, but the accomplishment that awaits is greater still. With Gedolim, Roshei Yeshiva, and thousands united in celebration, the Siyum promises to be monumental. Each daf of Chagigah is more than learning — it is a contribution to a global accomplishment, a chance to write yourself into the history of Oraysa. Yisroel V’Oraysa V’Kudsha Brich Hu Chad Hu — and together, we are living that eternal truth. To sign up for the Chagiga, click here: https://www.oraysa.org/ To preregister for the Siyum, click here: https://www.oraysasiyum.org/

Starmer Said Planning To Recognize Palestinian State After Trump’s UK Visit

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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to officially recognize a Palestinian state after President Donald Trump concludes his state visit to Britain, according to a report in The Times.

The paper, citing unnamed sources, says Starmer intends to move forward with recognition even before a coalition of countries led by France does so at the upcoming United Nations gathering in New York, a move being discussed against the backdrop of the continuing war in Gaza.

The report explains that Starmer is facing intense pressure from members of his own Labour party to act, but he is expected to delay the announcement until Trump departs. Officials want to avoid the issue overshadowing the joint press conference scheduled for Thursday during the American president’s trip.

The United States has voiced strong opposition to such recognition, arguing that it would serve as a reward to Hamas in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, when roughly 1,200 people were murdered and another 251 were taken captive.

{Matzav.com}

Trump: Antifa to Be Branded Terrorist Group in New Crackdown on Radical Left

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President Donald Trump said early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a “major terrorist organization.” Antifa, short for short for “anti-fascists,” is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups and is not a singular entity. They consist of groups that resist fascists and neo-Nazis, especially at demonstrations. It’s unclear how the administration would label what is effectively a decentralized movement as a terrorist organization, and the White House on Wednesday did not immediately offer more details. Trump, who is on a state visit to the United Kingdom, made the announcement in a social media post shortly before 1:30 a.m. Thursday local time. He called antifa a “SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER.” He also said he will be “strongly recommending” that funders of antifa be investigated. Trump’s previous FBI director, Christopher Wray, said in testimony in 2020 that antifa is an ideology, not an organization, lacking the hierarchical structure that would usually allow it to be designated as a terror group by the federal government. After Trump’s post, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., praised the announcement, saying: “Antifa seized upon a movement of legitimate grievances to promote violence and anarchy, working against justice for all. The President is right to recognize the destructive role of Antifa by designating them domestic terrorists.” In July 2019, Cassidy and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced a resolution in the Senate to condemn the violent acts of antifa and to designate the group a domestic terror organization. (AP)

ABC Pulls ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Off Air ‘Indefinitely’ Over Charlie Kirk Comments

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ABC announced Wednesday night that it was taking “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air “indefinitely” following remarks by the late-night host about the killing of conservative figure Charlie Kirk. The move came just hours after the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission indicated that ABC’s broadcast license could be in jeopardy.

During his Monday monologue, Jimmy Kimmel pointed to Tyler Robinson, the suspect accused of shooting Kirk at a Utah campus last week, and suggested Robinson was connected to President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.

“The MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.

“In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving,” he added.

An ABC representative told NBC News on Wednesday, “ ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ will be pre-empted indefinitely.”

ABC is owned by Disney.

The decision came shortly after Nexstar Media Group announced that all of its ABC-affiliated stations, both owned and partnered, would stop airing the program “for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight’s show.”

Just a few hours earlier, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told conservative commentator Benny Johnson that Kimmel’s monologue was “truly sick,” warning that there could be significant consequences for ABC and Disney.

“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

“They have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest,” Carr said.

Nexstar, which has a $6.2 billion merger deal with Tegna currently awaiting FCC approval, issued its own statement condemning Kimmel’s remarks. “Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” Nexstar said.

Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcast division, said, “Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located.”

“Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue,” Alford said.

{Matzav.com}

UC Sues Trump Administration Over $1.2 Billion Fine And Funding Freeze Due To Campus Antisemitism

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The Trump administration is using civil rights laws to wage a campaign against the University of California in an attempt to curtail academic freedom and undermine free speech, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by faculty, staff, student organizations and every labor union representing UC workers. The lawsuit comes weeks after the Trump administration fined the University of California, Los Angeles $1.2 billion and froze research funding after accusing the school of allowing antisemitism on campus and other civil rights violations. It was the first public university to be targeted with a widespread funding freeze. The administration has frozen or paused federal funding over similar allegations against elite private colleges, including Harvard, Brown and Columbia. According to the lawsuit, the Trump administration has made several demands in its proposed settlement offer to UCLA, including giving government access to faculty, student, and staff data, releasing admissions and hiring data, ending diversity scholarships, banning overnight demonstrations on university property and cooperating with immigration enforcement. The Department of Justice didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Stett Holbrook, a spokesman for the University of California system, said that while the university is not involved in the lawsuit, it is part of numerous legal and advocacy efforts to restore and maintain funding. “Federal cuts to research funding threaten lifesaving biomedical research, hamper U.S. economic competitiveness and jeopardize the health of Americans who depend on the University’s cutting-edge medical science and innovation,” he said in a statement. The coalition that sued is led by the American Association of University Professors union, or AAUP, and represented by Democracy Forward, a legal group that has brought other lawsuits against the Trump administration over frozen federal funds. “The blunt cudgel the Trump administration has repeatedly employed in this attack on the independence of institutions of higher education has been the abrupt, unilateral, and unlawful termination of federal research funding on which those institutions and the public interest rely,” the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco said. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched dozens of federal investigations also targeting K-12 school districts. University of California President James Milliken said on Monday that the federal government has also launched investigations and other actions against all of the UC’s 10 campuses, but he offered no details in a statement. “This represents one of the gravest threats to the University of California in our 157-year history,” he said, adding that the university system receives more than $17 billion each year in federal support, including nearly $10 billion in Medicare and Medicaid funding, and funding that goes toward research and student financial aid. The Trump administration has used its control of federal funding to push for reforms at elite colleges that the president decries as overrun by liberalism and antisemitism. The administration also has launched investigations into diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, saying they discriminate against white and Asian American students. This summer, Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million as part of a settlement to resolve investigations into the government’s allegations that the school violated federal antidiscrimination laws. The agreement also restored more than $400 million in research grants. The Trump administration is using its deal with Columbia as a template for other universities, with financial penalties that are now seen as an expectation. […]

Son of Gerer Rebbe Lashes Out at Chareidi Representatives: “They Support the Votes of the Government of Wickedness”

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A dramatic protest took place Wednesday night outside Prison 10, where thousands gathered against the wave of arrests of more than 70 yeshiva students jailed for draft evasion. Speaking before the crowd, Rav Nechemia Alter, son of the Gerer Rebbe, delivered an unprecedented rebuke directed at the chareidi political representatives who have continued to back government votes despite earlier claims of distancing themselves from the coalition.

“Today a chareidi party supported the government,” Rav Nechemia declared in his address. “I want to say to the chareidi parties: last week you supported the government, whether by backing or abstaining; today you supported the government; and next week you will support the government again. Know this: ‘if you remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another place.’”

His voice rose as he urged a complete break with the coalition. “We must tell everyone, and especially the chareidi parties: we must fight with all our strength against this government — this government of wickedness. We have heard time and again that had they listened to the words of the tzaddikim back at the beginning of the winter, on Chanukah, and voted against the government, we would not have reached this situation. All of this could have been prevented — the arrests of innocent bochurim, whose only ‘crime’ is that they are learning Torah.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Adversaries Turn Kirk Shooting Into Propaganda Tool, Fueling Antisemitic and Anti-U.S. Claims

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Russia moved to amplify online conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk’s killing just hours after it happened, seeding social media with the frightening claim that America is slipping into civil war. Chinese and pro-Iranian groups also spread disinformation about the shooting, with those loyal to Iran’s interests backing antisemitic conspiracy theories while bots linked to Beijing claimed that Kirk’s death shows that the United States is violent, polarized and dysfunctional. America’s adversaries have long used fake social media accounts, online bots and disinformation to depict the U.S. as a dangerous country beset with extremism and gun violence. Kirk’s killing has provided another opportunity for those overseas eager to shape public understanding while inflaming political polarization. “Charlie Kirk’s Death and the Coming Civil War,” tweeted Russian ultranationalist Alexander Dugin, whose influence earned him the moniker “Putin’s brain,” referring to Russia’s president. Pro-Russian bots blamed Democrats and predicted more violence. Russian state media published English-language articles with headlines claiming a conspiracy orchestrated by shadowy forces: “Was Charlie Kirk’s Killer a Pro?” Foreign disinformation makes up a tiny fraction of the overall online discussion about Kirk’s death, but it could undermine any efforts to heal political divisions or even spur further violence. “We’ve seen multiple Russian campaigns attempting to exploit” Kirk’s killing, said Joseph Bodnar, senior research manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. In many cases, the campaigns aren’t adding new claims but are recycling ones that emerged from American users. “They’re picking up domestic actors and amplifying them.” Adversaries tailor disinformation In each case, those spreading the disinformation have tailored it for their own ends. Chinese propaganda has focused on the violent nature of Kirk’s death, painting the U.S. as a nation of violent gun owners and political extremists. Russian voices have tried to tie Kirk’s death to U.S. support for Ukraine, even spreading a conspiracy theory that the Ukrainian government killed Kirk because of his criticism of that aid. Pro-Iranian groups took a different tack, claiming Israel was behind Kirk’s death and that the suspect was set up to take the fall. This conspiracy theory caught on with white supremacist groups in the U.S., showing how corrosive claims can easily spread online despite oceans and linguistic and cultural barriers. The influence campaigns come as the U.S. has rolled back government efforts to expose foreign disinformation. On Wednesday the State Department announced it was ending its remaining efforts to counter foreign disinformation, following a decision earlier this year to shutter the Global Engagement Center, an office that had called out Russian, Chinese and Iranian disinformation in the past. Republicans had targeted the center and its mission because of what they said was its censorship of conservative ideas. False and misleading claims can spread quickly following big news events as people go online to look for information. Artificial intelligence programs that can create lifelike video and audio can make it even harder to find the truth, as can AI chatbots that routinely offer up false information. It happened again following Kirk’s killing, when misinformation about the shooting and the suspect quickly spread online. In recent years, groups looking to spread confusion or distrust have seized on hurricanes, wars, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters, as well as the attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump. The details vary, but the conspiracy theories pushed by foreign adversaries all suggest American institutions — the government, the media, law enforcement, health care — are failing and can […]

Israel Prison Service Warns: Red Cross Visits Could Harm State Security

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The National Security Committee held a stormy discussion on Tuesday on the issue of preventing visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons. Israel has prevented the Red Cross from visiting Nukhba terrorists and Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli prisons since the October 7 massacre. Last year, the Supreme Court demanded that the state provide an explanation why it prevents Red Cross representatives from visiting the terrorists. Committee chairman MK Tzvika Fogel began the discussion by slamming the one-sided mandate the Red Cross received to visit terrorists in Israel. “I don’t see it making any effort with Hamas regarding our hostages like it pressures us,” he asserted. “I will do everything possible to ensure that the Red Cross visits the hostages in Gaza, and until that happens, I’ll stand at the prison gates to prevent them from visiting prisons in Israel. The cabinet must make a decision that no Red Cross visits will be allowed until we receive information about our hostages.” A legal advisor for the intelligence department of Israel’s Prison Service (IPS) explained that the IPS is opposed to the entry of Red Cross representatives, and this position is based on intelligence information that such visits could harm state security. The head of the IPS’s counterterrorism department added that “we have information that the entry of the Red Cross could harm prison security and possibly also state security.” He noted that such a visit could lead to the transmission of negative messages and an increase in friction between prisoners. Likud MK Ariel Kallner said that there have been cases in the past in which the Red Cross harmed state security. He called the organization’s request to visit “murderers” a “delusional, unfair and unjustified request.” Adv. David Babli, advisor to the Minister of National Security, emphasized that Israeli law does not require such visits and noted that a lawsuit has been filed against the Red Cross for transferring aid to Gaza without conditioning it on visiting the hostages. MK Limor Son Har Melech called the Red Cross an “antisemitic organization,” saying that it calls the terrorists who raped and murdered “prisoners”—biased terminology that covers up the world’s antisemitism and hypocrisy. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

LEFTY HACK AXED: ABC Suspends Comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s Show After His Remarks About Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

Yeshiva World News -

ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely after comments that he made about Charlie Kirk’s killing led a group of ABC-affiliated stations to say it would not air the show. Kimmel, a veteran late-night comic, made several comments about the reaction to Kirk’s assassination on his show Monday and Tuesday nights. He said that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel said that “we hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” Kimmel said that Trump’s response to Kirk’s death “is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?” He also said that FBI chief Kash Patel has handled the investigation into the murder “like a kid who didn’t read the book, [guessing] his way through an oral report.” He returned to the topic on Tuesday night, mocking Vice President JD Vance’s performance as guest host for Kirk’s podcast. He said Trump was “fanning the flames” by attacking people on the left. “Which is it, are they a bunch of sissy pickleball players because they’re too scared to be hit by tennis balls, or a well-organized deadly team of commandos, because they can’t be both of those things.” ABC, which has aired Kimmel’s late-night show since 2003, moved swiftly after Nexstar Communications Group said it would pull the show starting Wednesday. Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s death “are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division. Nexstar operates 23 ABC affiliates. There was no immediate comment from Kimmel. President Donald Trump celebrated ABC’s move on the social media site Truth Social, writing: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” He also targeted two other late-night hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, and said they should be canceled too, calling them “two total losers.” Kimmel’s contract is up at the end of next season, which ends in May 2026. On Twitter Wednesday night, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted: “Welcome to Consequence Culture. Normal, common sense Americans are no longer taking the [expletive] and companies like ABC are finally willing to do the right and reasonable thing.” Authorities say Tyler Robinson, 22, who is charged with killing Kirk, grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology.” His parents told investigators he had turned politically left and pro-LGBTQ rights in the last year. Utah records show he was registered as a voter, but not affiliated with either political party. His voter status is inactive, meaning he did not vote in two regular general elections. He told his transgender partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.” Kimmel, like CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, has consistently been critical of President Donald Trump and many of his policies on his ABC show. CBS said this past summer that it was canceling Colbert’s show at the end of this season for […]

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