Feed aggregator

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday that the Trump administration will soon classify additional violent far-left organizations as foreign terrorist groups, warning that politically motivated extremism has become an increasingly dangerous international threat.

Speaking at the State Department’s Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism, Rubio said the administration is broadening its counterterrorism efforts beyond Islamist terrorism to confront what he described as an expanding network of violent far-left organizations operating across international borders.

“Last November, the State Department designated four violent far-left extremist groups as foreign terrorist organizations, and there will be more designations soon,” Rubio told attendees.

Rubio pointed to the murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and multiple assassination attempts against President Donald Trump as examples of what he described as a “distinctive and unique evil.”

He argued that violent activity by far-left extremists has long been minimized or ignored by the media, academic institutions, and government officials despite a lengthy historical record.

“Far-left political terrorism is not a recent-day modern novelty. It is not a fiction manufactured by conservative politicians,” Rubio said. “For most of the modern era, it was in fact the dominant form of political violence.”

A State Department fact sheet released during the conference stated that far-left anti-government extremists were responsible for 63% of all documented anti-government attacks or plots in the United States during 2025.

The department also said violent far-left and anarchist organizations carried out the majority of politically motivated attacks throughout the Western world during the 1970s and 1980s and have stepped up attacks on critical infrastructure in both Europe and the United States in recent years.

The conference drew representatives from more than 60 nations across Europe, Asia, and the Western Hemisphere to strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance cooperation between law enforcement agencies, and coordinate financial efforts to dismantle international extremist organizations.

State Department officials also highlighted the Rewards for Justice program, which offers up to $10 million for information that helps disrupt the financing of designated extremist groups. The department said the United States is also partnering with allied nations to curb terrorist travel and improve cross-border investigations.

Rubio concluded by warning that today’s extremist organizations collaborate internationally through encrypted communications, fundraising operations, and training networks, making a unified global response essential.

“Through intelligence and information sharing, through coordinated law enforcement strategy, through financial targeting and disruption, we will dismantle these networks brick by brick,” Rubio said. “It is time for the people of the civilized world to defend ourselves.”

{Matzav.com}

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that it is seeking to impose a $255,000 civil penalty against United Airlines, alleging the carrier failed to comply with federal drug and alcohol testing requirements.

According to the FAA, United permitted a flight attendant to carry out safety-sensitive responsibilities on 47 flights during 2024 and 2025 without first completing the required evaluation by a substance abuse professional, obtaining a verified negative return-to-duty drug test, or undergoing mandatory follow-up testing. The agency said the employee had been fired by United in 2021 after refusing to take a drug test but was later rehired.

United Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposed penalty.

The FAA has recently taken similar enforcement actions against other major airlines. In April, the agency proposed fines of $255,000 against American Airlines and $304,000 against Southwest Airlines over alleged violations of federal drug and alcohol regulations.

{Matzav.com}

The United States intensified its military campaign against Iran on Thursday night, carrying out a fifth consecutive evening of strikes as Washington continued efforts to weaken Tehran’s military capabilities.

US Central Command said the latest wave of attacks was part of an ongoing operation designed to further reduce Iran’s military strength and operational capacity.

Earlier Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the US naval blockade of vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports is now fully operational. She explained that the blockade was reinstated because of “Iran’s inability to honor their agreement with the United States of America.”

Leavitt said the operation is being carried out by a formidable American force that includes more than 10,000 sailors, marines, and airmen, supported by two aircraft carriers, over 20 warships, and dozens of military aircraft.

Describing the blockade’s initial results, Leavitt said that during its first 24 hours, CENTCOM redirected two compliant commercial vessels and “disabled” one compliant vessel.

{Matzav.com}

A towering life-sized statue honoring Charlie Kirk is scheduled to be unveiled in New York City’s Times Square on Sept. 10, exactly one year after the Turning Point USA co-founder was assassinated, in what the sculptor says is meant to be both a memorial and a statement in defense of free speech.

The monument was created by Sergio Furnari, a sculptor born in Sicily who has spent the past 35 years living in New York. He said the unveiling is planned for 2:23 p.m., the exact time Kirk was shot and killed while addressing a campus gathering at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, one year earlier.

“You know, I’m a New Yorker, so Times Square is like La Piazza,” Furnari told the New York Post. “Everything happens in the city, in the center of the town.”

Although he has not revealed the precise location where the statue will stand, Furnari said it will be displayed “really high on a truck so that everybody can see.”

Promoting the event on Instagram, Furnari wrote: “It’s going to be in the middle of Times Square, the center of the universe.”

He also encouraged those who admired Kirk to attend the ceremony, saying, “If you were a big fan of Charlie, this will be your opportunity to maybe find a little bit of peace or harmony.”

The sculpture portrays Kirk holding a microphone while wearing a sweatshirt bearing the word “FREEDOM,” a tribute to the campus speeches and debates that helped make him one of America’s best-known conservative activists.

Furnari explained that the current version was constructed with a metal framework and industrial resin, though he hopes to eventually recreate it in stainless steel so it is “bulletproof.”

The artist emphasized that his motivation was rooted in defending the principle of free expression rather than endorsing Kirk’s political views.

“It’s not like I was a fan or somebody that followed him. Actually, I didn’t agree with many of his things, but it’s about freedom of speech,” he told the Post.

Kirk, 31, was murdered on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking before a large audience at Utah Valley University. His death sparked nationwide attention, leading to tributes from conservative figures across the country and renewed discussions about political violence and security at public events.

After co-founding Turning Point USA in 2012, Kirk helped build it into one of the nation’s largest conservative youth organizations, establishing chapters on high school and college campuses while organizing major political conferences and voter engagement initiatives.

Meanwhile, the criminal prosecution of the man accused of carrying out the killing continues in Utah. Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Earlier this month, prosecutors wrapped up a weeklong preliminary hearing in which they introduced surveillance video, forensic evidence, and witness testimony they say connects Robinson to the shooting. Defense attorneys disputed the credibility of critical DNA and ballistic evidence.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Sept. 1 before Utah state District Judge Tony Graf, who will decide whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for the case to move forward to trial.

If everything proceeds as planned, the Times Square unveiling will take place on the first anniversary of Kirk’s assassination and is expected to attract supporters from across the country. Furnari said he hopes the memorial will honor Kirk’s legacy while serving as a lasting symbol of the importance of free speech.

{Matzav.com}

House Speaker Mike Johnson is preparing a strategy that could set the stage for another major budget battle with Democrats, as Republicans look to combine government funding with election integrity measures in the months leading up to November’s midterm elections.

According to reports, Johnson said Thursday that the House’s next major legislative effort will be a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating beyond the Sept. 30 fiscal year deadline. The temporary funding measure would likely extend spending into the post-election lame-duck session, Politico reported.

The approach reportedly follows private discussions in which Johnson encouraged President Donald Trump to support the plan. Republicans believe another fight over federal spending could put Democrats on the defensive over key GOP priorities, particularly election security, before voters head to the polls.

When asked whether the Republican-backed SAVE America Act would be included in the temporary spending bill, Johnson indicated that no final decision has been made.

“We haven’t decided all that yet,” Johnson said when asked whether the Republican-backed SAVE America Act would be attached to the stopgap bill.

Johnson made clear, however, that the legislation remains central to the Republican agenda.

“The SAVE America Act is the No. 1 priority for us, and we’re going to attach it to everything that makes sense,” Johnson said. “So we’ll have to see.”

Republicans have increasingly pushed to link major legislation with the SAVE America Act, which would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections. Although the House approved the proposal earlier this year, it has yet to advance in the Senate.

Politico reported that GOP leaders are debating whether to package the election integrity provisions with the funding bill, believing such a move would force Democrats to publicly oppose measures that have become a hallmark of President Trump’s legislative agenda. Some Democrats, however, are expected to favor a straightforward funding extension without additional policy provisions.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, argued that lawmakers should simply keep the government funded until after the election, saying it would be “the adult thing” to do because Congress is unlikely to complete all of its appropriations work before the fiscal year expires.

At the same time, House Republicans are also working to move a separate $95 billion reconciliation package before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.

According to The Hill, the proposal would provide $73 billion for defense and intelligence programs, $12 billion for agricultural assistance, and another $10 billion to implement Trump-backed election integrity initiatives modeled after the SAVE America Act.

Not all Republicans are on board with the proposal. Fiscal conservatives have objected that the legislation does not adequately offset the new spending.

Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, predicted the framework would be “DOA,” while Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he remained undecided, cautioning that advancing the legislation too quickly would be a mistake.

House Republican leaders argue the scaled-down reconciliation package reflects negotiations with both the White House and Senate Republicans while addressing urgent military requirements in the aftermath of the conflict with Iran.

Vice President JD Vance has also urged House Republicans to rally behind the measure, arguing that it would bolster national security, provide assistance to American farmers, and advance election integrity efforts after Democrats declined to support the SAVE America Act in the Senate.

{Matzav.com}

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is dramatically increasing its investment in the United States, announcing plans to pour another $100 billion into expanding its American manufacturing operations as soaring demand for artificial intelligence chips drives record-breaking earnings.

The new commitment raises TSMC’s total planned U.S. investment to approximately $265 billion. The company also boosted its full-year revenue outlook after posting its strongest quarterly profit ever, fueled by the explosive growth of AI technologies.

As the world’s largest contract chip producer and one of the most valuable companies on the globe, TSMC is widely viewed as a bellwether for both the semiconductor industry and the rapidly expanding AI sector. Its performance comes as investors continue debating whether the AI market’s rapid rise can be sustained.

To keep pace with surging demand for AI processors, TSMC has continued expanding its manufacturing footprint in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The company also increased its projected capital spending for the year, raising its investment budget to between $60 billion and $64 billion, up from its previous forecast of $52 billion to $56 billion.

TSMC manufactures advanced chips for some of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Nvidia and Apple. Before Thursday’s announcement, the company had already committed $165 billion toward constructing six semiconductor fabrication plants in Arizona.

According to Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei, the additional investment is intended to “support the strong multiyear demand from our leading U.S. customers,” he said during the company’s quarterly earnings conference Thursday.

“We believe this investment will help to further foster the development of the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem, strengthen the supply chain and support an increasing number of high-tech, high-paying jobs in the United States,” he said.

Wei also said demand tied to artificial intelligence remains exceptionally strong around the world, noting that AI-related growth continues to accelerate.

AI-related demand globally continues to be “extremely robust,” Wei added, as the “AI megatrend continues to drive the need for more and more computation.”

The company reported net income of 706.6 billion New Taiwan dollars—roughly $22 billion—for the April through June quarter, representing a 77% increase from the same period last year. The record-setting results exceeded Wall Street expectations and underscored the continuing strength of the AI-driven semiconductor market.

{Matzav.com}