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Hamas Violates Gaza Ceasefire With Brutal Attacks

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Israel flag (Stanislav Vdovin/Unsplash)

Despite an active ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Hamas is openly violating its terms by executing political rivals, delaying the return of Israeli hostage bodies, and launching attacks against Israeli soldiers. The ceasefire remains technically in place, but the situation is deteriorating on the ground.

Under the agreement, Hamas was expected to return the bodies of 28 hostages last week alongside 20 living captives. So far, fewer than half have been returned. In one case, a body delivered to Israel was not a hostage, but a Palestinian from Gaza. Among the confirmed returned bodies are Nepalese student Bipin Joshi and Thai agricultural worker Sonthaya Oakkharasr.

Hamas continues to carry out public executions of alleged collaborators, prompting rare condemnation from the U.S. State Department. Despite international scrutiny, Hamas claims these executions are legal under its internal laws, offering no indication of halting the practice.

In a direct breach of the ceasefire, Hamas fighters fired an anti-tank missile at Israeli soldiers in Rafah, located in southern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces responded with airstrikes on Hamas positions in the area. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly convened his cabinet to discuss a potential broader military response to the attack.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have been withdrawing to a designated “yellow line” inside Gaza, marked by yellow concrete blocks, as part of the ceasefire agreement. However, the continued aggression by Hamas threatens the stability of the fragile truce.

The escalating violations not only challenge the legitimacy of the ceasefire but also test Israel’s restraint in the face of ongoing provocations. The international community has yet to secure enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance, leaving Israel to respond under pressure to maintain both security and strategic control.

NYC Mayoral Candidate’s Photo With Imam Linked to 1993 WTC Bombing Sparks Concern

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(Photo by Yuki Iwamura-Pool/Getty Images)

In a recent campaign appearance, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani posed arm‑in‑arm with Siraj Wahhaj at Brooklyn’s Masjid At‑Taqwa mosque, drawing criticism due to Wahhaj’s historical association with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Prosecutors previously listed Wahhaj as an unindicted co‑conspirator in the attack that killed six people and injured over 1,000.

Mamdani posted the photograph on social media on October 18, 2025, referring to the imam as “one of the nation’s foremost Muslim leaders and a pillar of the Bed‑Stuy community for nearly half a century.” The photo and post came less than a day after the candidate faced questions regarding his stance on the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas in Israel.

Supporters say the campaign stop signals outreach to the Black Muslim community and reflects Mamdani’s progressive platform focused on public transit, community investment, and housing. Critics argue that the appearance raises serious national‑security and ideological concerns. Wahhaj has made controversial comments in the past and has defended individuals convicted in terrorist plots.

Mamdani has not publicly responded to requests for clarification about his relationship with Wahhaj or the campaign’s vetting process for public‑event partnerships.

Rand Paul Slams Trump’s Drug War Strikes as Illegal

Sen. Rand Paul (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s authorization of military strikes on suspected drug boats, calling the actions illegal and outside the bounds of constitutional war powers. Appearing Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Paul warned that Trump’s policy risks killing innocent people and bypasses essential legal checks.

Host Kristen Welker asked Paul whether the strikes—reportedly responsible for more than 20 deaths across six incidents—were lawful. Paul responded bluntly: “No, they go against all of our tradition.” He emphasized that targeting individuals without knowing their identities or having legal evidence of a crime defies longstanding norms.

“For decades, when you stop people at sea, you board the ship and inspect for contraband,” Paul said. He referenced Coast Guard data showing that roughly 25% of boarded vessels turn out to be clean. “If our policy now is to blow up every ship we suspect or accuse of drug running… 25% of the people might be innocent.”

Paul also raised concerns about the geographic reach of these operations, noting that many of the vessels were thousands of miles from U.S. shores and more likely headed to other countries, such as Trinidad or Tobago. “The idea of them coming here is a huge assumption,” he said, challenging the threat justification.

He warned that authorizing such lethal force without congressional approval edges the country closer to war. “In war, you don’t ask people’s names… but if they want all-out war… that has to have a declaration of war,” Paul stated. He reaffirmed his opposition to war with Venezuela and insisted Congress should be the body to make that decision.

Paul’s remarks underscore ongoing tension over executive war powers and the legality of military action conducted without congressional oversight—an issue that has divided lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Phil Mickelson Takes Subtle Jab at Biden Administration in ‘No Kings’ Day Post

Image via Canva

Golf legend Phil Mickelson posted on social media during the national “No Kings” protests, referencing executive‑pardon powers and immigration policy in a message that critics say takes aim at the Joe Biden administration.

Mickelson’s post stated: “On this special day as we all gather to fight against blanket auto pen pardons and executive orders, lawlessness, and stealing citizens’ resources for illegal non‑citizens, I believe it has worked!! That is no longer happening so great job everyone.”

The “No Kings” protests were held across the United States on October 18, 2025, with rallies in cities such as New York and Washington, D.C., and focused on challenging perceived executive‑overreach by the U.S. government.

Mickelson — known for his support of the Donald Trump administration and conservative values — used his statement to reference both illegal‑immigration concerns and criticism of “auto‑pen” pardons attributable to the presidency.

From a broader perspective, the incident illustrates how high‑profile athletes increasingly use their platforms to weigh in on political and policy debates. Whether such statements shift public opinion or influence policy is uncertain, but they reflect a growing convergence of sports, politics, and public discourse.

Benioff Backtracks After Backing Trump’s National Guard Move

(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, a high-profile Democrat donor, has walked back his comments supporting President Donald Trump’s potential deployment of the National Guard to San Francisco. After facing swift backlash from leftist activists, political allies, and tech elites, Benioff issued a public apology Friday to distance himself from the idea.

Benioff originally floated the proposal during an interview with The New York Times, citing ongoing safety concerns in downtown San Francisco. His remarks aligned with recent federal actions under the Trump administration, which sent National Guard troops to cities like Portland and Chicago to address crime and civil unrest.

However, Democratic leaders in California quickly condemned the idea. Governor Gavin Newsom and San Francisco officials held press conferences insisting that federal troops are not welcome, arguing that crime is already on the decline. The political fallout escalated when Silicon Valley investor Ron Conway resigned from the board of the Salesforce Foundation, saying Benioff’s comments no longer aligned with his values.

Conway, a major supporter of Kamala Harris and longtime Democratic fundraiser, has donated heavily to progressive campaigns. His public break with Benioff highlighted growing divisions within the Democratic donor class as urban crime becomes a flashpoint issue.

Facing mounting criticism, Benioff attempted to clarify his remarks on social media. “I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco,” he wrote. He claimed his initial statement came out of “an abundance of caution” related to Dreamforce, Salesforce’s major tech conference held in the city.

Despite his reversal, Benioff’s comments sparked interest from conservatives. David Sacks, Trump’s adviser on AI and cryptocurrency, publicly invited Benioff to join the Republican Party, describing the GOP as the “inclusive party” rejecting cancel culture. Elon Musk, a frequent critic of California’s leadership, also amplified the incident, referring to San Francisco as a “drug zombie apocalypse.”

President Trump, responding to the news, reaffirmed that San Francisco remains in “a mess” and reiterated the possible use of the National Guard if local leadership fails to restore order.

Benioff, who previously backed Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kamala Harris, now faces skepticism from both sides of the political aisle. His apology reflects the pressure major donors face when deviating from progressive orthodoxy — especially in cities struggling with public safety and political accountability.

Media Conference Replaces Conservative Reporters With Anti‑Israel Activist

At the national conference MediaFest—promoted as the country’s largest media gathering—the organising committee removed two conservative journalists from a panel and substituted in a speaker connected with a pro‑boycott Israel think tank. The shift, attributed to objections from a college student, has stirred debate about fairness and viewpoint diversity in media industry events.

The disinvited journalists were Mary Margaret Olohan, a White House correspondent for The Daily Wire, and Virginia Allen from The Daily Signal. According to the report, the panels from which they were removed focused on “Faith Central,” a segment exploring religion and journalism.

Their removal reportedly followed a complaint from a student at Oregon State University over their past coverage of LGBT issues, abortion, and immigration. The replacement speaker was Erum Ikramullah, a senior researcher at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), which has been described as advocating for anti‑Israel positions via the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions).

Critics say the decision undermines principles of viewpoint fairness and press freedom by effectively silencing two established conservative women reporters. Some once‑again highlight the tension between conference organisers’ goals for diversity and their decisions on who counts as a “diverse” voice. Others argue that the organisers are simply responding to stakeholder concerns and bringing additional perspectives into the mix.

From the standpoint of media ethics and industry norms, this case underscores the need for transparent selection criteria for speakers—especially at large professional gatherings. When conservative voices are removed and replaced with more ideologically distinct speakers in reaction to a single complaint, the perception of bias and suppression grows. For media professionals and attendees, the question revolves around whether events designed to encourage broad exchange are instead narrowing the spectrum of acceptable commentary.

Tim Kaine Slams GOP Shutdown Deal Over Obamacare

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White House (Ana Lanza/Unsplash)

On NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) accused Republicans of offering a “hollow” solution to end the government shutdown, claiming the GOP’s proposal to reopen the government in exchange for a future vote on Obamacare subsidies lacks real guarantees.

Host Kristen Welker questioned Kaine about Senate Republican Whip John Thune’s offer: reopen the government first, then hold a vote on extending health care subsidies. Kaine dismissed the plan, citing a lack of commitment from Republicans in both chambers.

“Offering a vote in the Senate without a commitment that it would pass and without a commitment that the House would take it up is an empty offer,” Kaine said. He argued Democrats are focused on preventing health care costs from rising due to Republican-backed cuts to tax credits and Medicaid under the budget reconciliation process.

Kaine emphasized that Democrats are not only seeking to reopen the government but to secure immediate legislative action that would protect Americans from what he called spiking healthcare costs. “They know they need to fix this, so let’s fix it now,” he added, pointing to bipartisan recognition of the problem.

The Virginia senator also took aim at former President Trump, stating that Democrats are seeking assurances that any bipartisan agreement won’t be undermined later. “A deal is a deal,” Kaine said. “We don’t want him firing thousands of people, canceling economic development projects and canceling public health funds.”

Republicans have argued that a clean continuing resolution is already on the table and that Democrats are refusing to move forward due to internal divisions and political gamesmanship. GOP leaders say health care subsidy negotiations should come after reopening the government to ensure critical services resume and federal workers receive pay.

The standoff leaves tens of thousands of federal workers without pay, with both parties locked in a battle over spending priorities and the future of healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

Minneapolis High Schools Teach Capitalism as a ‘Pillar of White Supremacy’

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School (Rebecca Campbell/Unsplash)

A curriculum in the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) system describes capitalism as a “pillar of white supremacy,” sparking questions about ideology in required ethnic‐studies courses. Documents indicate that one elective—a course in Hmong Studies—includes a unit titled “Power Struggles & Resistance” in which lesson slides equate capitalism and Western culture with genocide, colonialism and white‑supremacy structures.

According to the materials, students are asked to engage in Youth‑Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) where they identify a problem rooted in “institutions and the logics of white supremacy” and propose solutions. The Hmong Studies unit draws on sources that describe capitalism as perpetuating class exploitation, citing Marx’s view that capitalism produces “haves” and “have‑nots.”

MPS requires students graduating in the class of 2025 onward to complete at least one ethnic studies course, under a mandate that these courses “examine the concept of race as an organizing construct in U.S. society.” The district says that ethnic studies courses “are one part of our equity work and do not replace efforts to transform all Social Studies courses.”

The curriculum has prompted debate over the role of ideology in public education, particularly in courses that are mandatory for graduation. Critics argue that presenting capitalism as inherently linked to white supremacy risks oversimplifying complex historical and economic systems. Others express concern that students are being exposed to a one-sided interpretation without balanced discussion or critical engagement with differing viewpoints. As school districts expand equity-focused education, questions remain about how to ensure intellectual diversity and academic neutrality in the classroom.

EU Nations Push Afghan Migrants Deportation Deal

A coalition of 19 European Union countries and Norway has formally urged the European Commission to authorize deportations of illegal and criminal Afghan migrants back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The joint letter, signed this week, cites rising security threats and a breakdown of public trust in asylum policy as key reasons for immediate action.

Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, led the effort and disclosed the participating countries, including Austria, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and others. The letter calls out Brussels for failing to negotiate a return agreement with the Taliban regime, which currently bars member states from carrying out deportations — even of individuals convicted of crimes.

Van Bossuyt warned, “Without comprehensive returns, every asylum and migration policy fails,” and called for a “decisive and joint approach” to regain control of Europe’s borders and national security.

In Belgium alone, over half of Afghan asylum applications are rejected, but 2,815 Afghans who should be deported remain housed in reception centers. Van Bossuyt noted Afghans rank second in committing serious incidents within these centers this year, underscoring the urgent security concern.

Across the EU, 22,870 deportation orders were issued for Afghan nationals in 2023, yet only 435 were enforced — a return rate of just 2%. Member states argue this unsustainable situation is damaging the credibility of European immigration systems.

The letter addressed to EU Commissioner for Asylum and Migration Magnus Brunner stated, “The organization of voluntary and forced return to Afghanistan is a shared European challenge that requires a coherent and collective response.”

Despite the lack of an official EU deal with the Taliban, some countries are moving independently. Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt recently revealed that Berlin is in advanced negotiations with the Taliban. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who promised action during his 2024 campaign, has so far authorized only two deportation flights with Qatari support.

Following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 under President Biden, the Taliban regained full control of the country, making diplomatic engagements more complicated for EU member states. Still, growing concern over Afghan migrant criminality is pushing European leaders to demand Brussels prioritize return and reintegration strategies with Kabul.

College Textbook Sparks Outrage by Labeling Christianity a ‘White Supremacist Group’

Bible (Tim Wildsmith/Unsplash)

A student at University of North Georgia discovered an assigned textbook making a blunt claim that Christianity is a “U.S.‑based white supremacist group,” prompting alarm among believers and a defensive response from the university. In Chapter 8 of International Public Relations: Negotiating Culture, Identity, and Power (2007), the text lists: “corporate, sexual, digital, public, racial, national, brand, and even Christian (a U.S.-based white supremacist group).”

The student, senior Kelbie Murphy, paid approximately $100 for the textbook for her international public relations class and said the passage upset her deeply because it seemingly targets Christians while lumping other identities with the label of white supremacy. The university responded that the passage does not describe Christians or Christianity in general, but rather refers to an extremist group that misuses Christian symbols to promote hate.

The controversy raises concerns on multiple fronts. First, the language in the textbook has gone unchallenged for nearly two decades despite being included in course curricula. That suggests wider questions about vetting and editorial oversight in academic publishing. Second, students who identify as Christian contend the passage mischaracterizes their faith and opens the door to unfair stigma or cancellation‑culture tactics when they express disagreement. Third, the university’s defense hinges on an interpretation that the textbook refers only to a fringe group (“Christian Identity”), a subtlety that may be lost on many students without that contextual knowledge.

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