X suspends Reuters account in India after 'legal demand', government denies making request

X suspends Reuters account in India after 'legal demand', government denies making request

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -The Reuters News account on X has been inaccessible to users in India since Saturday, when the social media platform suspended it in response to what it described as a "legal demand". A spokesperson for the Indian government's Press Information Bureau, however, told Reuters there was no requirement from any agency in the government of India to "withhold the Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem". Reuters could not immediately determine what specific content the demand referred to, why its removal was sought or the entity that had lodged the complaint. Representatives for X did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Reuters spokesperson said in a statement, "We are working with X to resolve this matter and get Reuters account reinstated in India as soon as possible." Reuters World, another X account operated by the news agency, has also been blocked in India. The main Reuters account, followed by more than 25 million users globally, has been blocked in India since Saturday night. A note tells X users that "@Reuters has been withheld in IN (India) in response to a legal demand". In an email to the Reuters social media team on May 16, X said: "It is our policy to notify account holders if we receive a legal request from an authorized entity (such as law enforcement or a government agency) to remove content from their account." "In order to comply with X obligations under India's local laws, we have withheld your X account in India under the country's Information Technology Act, 2000; the content remains available elsewhere". Reuters could not ascertain if the May 16 email was linked to Saturday's account suspension. While the email did not specify which entity had made the request or what content they sought to remove, it said X had been advised that in a case of this sort, a user could contact the secretary of India's Information and Broadcasting Ministry. The secretary, Sanjay Jaju, did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. The 2000 law allows designated government officials to demand takedown of content from social media platforms they deem to violate local laws, including on the grounds of national security or if a post threatens public order. X has long been at odds with India's government over content-removal requests. The company sued the federal government in March over a new government website the company says expands takedown powers to "countless" government officials. The case is continuing. India has said X wrongly labelled an official website a "censorship portal", as the website only allows tech companies to be notified about harmful online content. (Reporting by Aftab Ahmed in New Delhi and Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Kalra and William Mallard)

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July 06, 2025

X suspends Reuters account in India after 'legal demand', government denies making request

X suspends Reuters account in India after 'legal demand', government denies making request NEW DELHI (Reuters) -The Reuters News acc...

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Greene to introduce ‘weather modification’ bill

Greene to introduce 'weather modification' bill

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Saturday she plans to introduce a bill aimed at tackling "weather modification." "I am introducing a bill that prohibits the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity. It will be a felony offense," she wrote in aSaturday poston X. "I have been researching weather modification and working with the legislative counsel for months writing this bill," Greene added. The Georgia lawmaker said the legislation would resembleFlorida's Senate Bill 56, which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in late June. The text makes it illegal for individuals to practice geoengineering and weather modification by imposing a $100,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence. The punishment would apply to cloud seeding, an 80-year-old technology that adds tiny particles—usually silver iodide crystals—to clouds to trigger rain or snow, as defined by theGovernment Accountability Office. Some states have practiced the measure, but it's rarely been undertaken by federal jurisdictions. "We must end the dangerous and deadly practice of weather modification and geoengineering," Greene said of the forthcoming bill. However, lawmakers in the Sunshine State said cloud seeding is a safe practice that has been undermined by conspiracy theories about weather alteration, as contrails, condensation trails left in the air by planes, are sometimes confused as chemtrails. "[They are] kind of two different things, and I think people have got them mixed up, because they think that they've heard that this chemtrail conspiracy theory is about geoengineering and weather modification," Mick West, a science writer and fellow for the Committee of Skeptical Inquiry, told12News. "Then, they discover that there's this thing called cloud seeding, which actually is weather modification. And then they kind of put two and two together and make 17." Greene made headlines last year when she suggested Democrats were able to"control the weather"in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, prompting then-President Biden to condemn what he called "irresponsible" and "beyond ridiculous" falsehoods. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) poked fun at Greene's bill in a post online. "I'm introducing a bill that prohibits the injection, release or dispersion of stupidity into Congress," he wrote in aSaturday post, quoting Greene's original announcement. But one of her Republican colleagues has already signaled he'll back her efforts. "Let's roll Chairlady!" Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) wroteonline. Greene's office did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment on the bill and potential federal penalties outlined in the text. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

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July 06, 2025

Greene to introduce ‘weather modification’ bill

Greene to introduce 'weather modification' bill Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Saturday she plans to introduce a bill aime...

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Centrist Rep. Don Bacon is done with Congress — but open to a potential presidential bid

Centrist Rep. Don Bacon is done with Congress — but open to a potential presidential bid

WASHINGTON — Centrist Rep. Don Bacon, one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House, said this week he doesn't have the "hunger" for another grueling re-election campaign and won't run for a sixth term next year. But Bacon, who spent 30 years in the Air Force and specialized in intelligence matters, said he's interested in serving in an executive role down the road, and wouldn't rule out running for Nebraska governor, or even president in 2028. "I got asked the other day, 'You say you're interested in being an executive — is that governor or president?' I go, 'Yes,'" Bacon said in an interview in his office. "If there's an opportunity and I can make a difference, a unique difference, I would like to keep serving. I just don't want to do two-year elections." Bacon, 61, acknowledged that it'd be incredibly difficult to run for the White House as a current or former House member — James Garfield was successful way back in 1880. And Bacon said he's not sure his brand of Republicanism — Reaganism and a muscular view of foreign policy — can ever make a full comeback in the party, though he said he will continue making the case for it. "I don't think it would be very easily done," he said. "All I know is I have a heart to serve our country, and I have a vision." Defense secretary is another option "if God opens up that door," he said, though he's not sure a Republican president would nominate him. He said he would not run against incumbent Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a fellow Republican and close friend who took office in 2023. Bacon's retirement from Congress is notable because he is one of the few sitting Republicans on Capitol Hill who have been willing to publicly criticize President Donald Trump, who has a reputation for retaliating against his enemies and ending their political careers. Bacon's announcement came just a day after another Republican who's clashed with Trump, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, said hewouldn't seek re-electionin 2026. The pair of retirements came as both Tillis and Bacon were preparing to vote on Trump's mammoth domestic policy package — what the president calls his "big, beautiful bill" — as both lawmakers expressed concerns about Medicaid cuts in the package. Tillis voted against it; Bacon voted for it. But in the interview, Bacon insisted that neither the public feuds with Trump nor theviolent threatshe and his wife have faced had any impact on his decision to leave Congress. First elected alongside Trump in 2016, Bacon represents a swing district that includes Omaha and rural areas to the west; in 2024, Democrat Kamala Harris beat Trump in the district by 4.6 percentage points, while Baconprevailedover his Democratic challenger, Tony Vargas, 50.9% to 49.1%. Bacon lamented that running in a tough battleground district every two years was an exhausting endeavor, and that he didn't have "the fire in my belly" to win a sixth race. "This job requires a 14-hour day during the week, Saturdays, parades and a variety of things, and Sunday sometimes. And do I want to do this for two more years? I just didn't have the hunger to want to work at that intensity level," said Bacon, who has a large pig figurine sitting on his desk. "And my wife has wanted me to come home. I'm gone to D.C. four days a week, and I have a chance to be home now seven days a week, and I have eight grandkids within 10 minutes of my house." Bacon said he thinks he could have won re-election had he run, even though the party that controls the White House typically loses House seats in a president's first midterm election. On top of that, Democrats aresalivatingat the chance to attack Republicans for voting for Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which slashes Medicaid benefits that are critical to districts like Bacon's. A Nebraska rural hospital said Thursday it wouldclose in the coming monthsdue to looming Medicaid cuts. Bacon argued the legislation had not taken effect yet and that it included $50 billion for rural hospitals. He said he had to weigh the pros and cons in the bill; he decided that extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts and boosting military and border funding outweighed any negative impacts. "There's some things I wish were better," he said. "But am I going to vote to raise taxes on middle-class Americans? I'm not." On the day of the interview, NBC News and other outlets reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered apausein sending a shipment of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine amid concerns about the U.S. military's stockpiles. Bacon, who has a photograph on the wall of him meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has consistently been critical of Trump's handling of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and his "appeasement" of Putin. Whoever ordered the weapons pause should be fired, Bacon said. "If Ukraine falls, the world's a more dangerous place. I really don't understand why President Trump doesn't see that. And if Ukraine goes down, Moldova will definitely fall. I think Georgia is in trouble," said Bacon, a retired brigadier general who did four tours of duty in Iraq and also spent time in Afghanistan. "President Trump has done worse than Biden [on Ukraine], and I'm embarrassed to say that," he continued. "I don't like it. He seems to have a blind spot with Putin. I don't know what purpose it serves to withhold weapons to Ukraine and not see that Putin is the invader." "I do believe that if I was the president," Bacon said, "I'd be trying to provide Ukraine with every weapon they needed to convince Putin he has no chance to win." Bacon said he was a big fan of former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley when she ran for president in 2024, and he likes Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential candidates in 2028. Asked about JD Vance, who famouslydressed down Zelenskyyat a White House meeting in February, Bacon suggested the vice president needed to take a tougher stance toward Moscow. "He's a contender. I like him personally, but I wish he saw the Russian threat a little better," Bacon said.

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July 06, 2025

Centrist Rep. Don Bacon is done with Congress — but open to a potential presidential bid

Centrist Rep. Don Bacon is done with Congress — but open to a potential presidential bid WASHINGTON — Centrist Rep. Don Bacon, one of the mo...

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Beshear on potential White House bid: ‘I’ll think about it after next year’

Beshear on potential White House bid: 'I'll think about it after next year'

Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) said he'llconsider a 2028 White House bidin an article published Friday while seething over the "big, beautiful bill" backed by Republicans in Congress. "Two years ago, I wouldn't have considered [running for president]. But if I'm somebody who could maybe heal and bring the country back together, I'll think about it after next year," Beshear toldVanity Fair. The Kentucky governor's term ends in 2027 and he's pledged to complete his tenure in office before launching another political bid for a higher office. Fellow party members Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Gov.Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) have also been listed aspotential contendersfor the presidency as Democrats look to claw back the executive branch after their November loss. Political pundits have suggested the GOP-authored spending package will have a significant impact on midterm elections and cycles that follow as Americans grapple with the possibility of losing their healthcare coverage, a top issue for Beshear. "What the Republican majority is getting wrong is that the American people don't view health care in a partisan way. They want to be able to see their doctor when they need to, and they want their neighbor to be able to see their doctor," Beshear, Kentucky's former attorney general, said in the interview. "No state will be able to compensate for the level of devastation that this bill would cause. What they're doing is immoral, and it's certainly not Christian," he added. The legislation is set to remove millions from Medicaid and introduce stricter work requirements for food stamp benefits and other social services. However, Beshear said in order to break through on the cuts, Democrats will need to help voters conceptualize the ongoing impact of the bill. "If Democrats say this bill is going to increase food insecurity, their point's not going to get through. If they say people are going to go hungry, it will," he said. "And we have to explain not just what we disagree with in this bill, but why. And my why is my faith. The parable of the fishes and the loaves is in every book of the gospel. My faith teaches me that in a country that grows enough food for everyone that no one should starve." Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

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July 06, 2025

Beshear on potential White House bid: ‘I’ll think about it after next year’

Beshear on potential White House bid: 'I'll think about it after next year' Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) said he'llconsider a 2...

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GOP eyes redistricting in Ohio and Texas as it looks to bolster slim majority

GOP eyes redistricting in Ohio and Texas as it looks to bolster slim majority

Republicans are eyeing potential redistricting opportunities in Ohio and Texas as they seek extra cushion to protect their thin majority in the House next year. In Ohio, redistricting lawsmandate a redrawahead of 2026 because the last map passed without bipartisan support. And in Texas, redistrictingcould be addedto an upcoming special session agenda as the White Housereportedly pushesthe Lone Star State to consider redrawing to protect the party's numbers. Defending a narrow 220-212 majority, Republicans are bracing for a competitive election cycle as they look to defy traditional headwinds typically associated with the president's party in midterm years. "I think the Speaker and party leadership look at even a handful of districts as really important, particularly if the natural trend — given the president's popularity at this point and given historic midterm conditions — means that the Republican Party starts out assuming they're going to lose a couple districts right off the bat," said Justin Levitt, a law professor at Loyola Marymount University who founded the database "All About Redistricting." "Ohio is going to have to redraw, one way or the other. Texas is mulling whether to redraw. And there are a lot of competing pressures." Each state redraws its maps once a decade, after the U.S. Census. But in Ohio, the lines used for the last four years are up for a redraw under a wonky state law that effectively sped up the expiration date because they didn't earn bipartisan support. Should Republicans decide to make the maps more competitive, Ohio Democratic Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Emilia Sykes, who represent Ohio's 9th and 13th Congressional Districts respectively, would likely be impacted. President Trump won Kaptur's district, which includes Toledo, by close to 7 points, while Sykes's seat, which includes Akron, was essentially tied by Trump and former Vice President Harris in 2024,according to The Downballot. Both are already competitive for Democrats, though both Kaptur and Sykes have been strong candidates despite the political terrain. "It's no surprise that special interests in Washington and Columbus want to ignore the voters and rig the game," Sykes campaign spokesman Justin Barasky said in a statement. Kaptur campaign political director David Zavac projected confidence over the congresswoman's election next year, while also pointing out that the state will have seen three different maps this decade alone. "The Congresswoman looks forward to a spirited campaign next year," Zavac said in a statement, "but will let the GOP focus on what will surely be another messy primary ahead once they finish their illegal gerrymandering process to try and rig the maps further in their favor." The Ohio Constitutionlays out detailed rulesfor drawing House districts , meaning that only certain counties and cities can be divided, some of that based on population stipulations. Ahead of the required 2025 redistricting, Democrats had sought to pass an amendment to the state Constitution last year that would have reformed the redistricting process in the state, giving the party a better chance of making seats more competitive between the parties. But voters rejected the ballot measure amid confusion over the amendment language; the Ohio Ballot Board approved language that said the amendment would "repeal constitutional protections against gerrymandering" when its supporters said the initiative stated it would do the opposite. While the redistricting process offers Republicans a unique opportunity to reconfigure better maps for its House members, it's not without its own perils. "I do think the best pressure that could force them to do some things that are more reasonable would be Republicans in nearby districts saying, 'Don't carve up our districts, we like our [districts], we don't want them to change,'" said former state Democratic Party Chair David Pepper. In Texas, where there are no specific timing rules for re-making maps, state lawmakers arereportedly under pressurefrom the White House and national Republicans to consider making mid-decade changes that could help shore up GOP numbers. The state legislature just gaveled out their latest regular session, with thenextnot slated until 2027. But amid the chatter about redistricting, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called a special session to kick off July 21. Though redistricting isn't among the governor'sofficial "initial agenda" items, there's still time for the matter to be added to the docket or included in a future special session. "The Republicans in Congress are looking at a very, very narrow majority, and they're looking for every opportunity around the country to increase that majority with things like redistricting [and] the election. They're gonna use every tool at their disposal to do that," said Texas Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser. "Texas is a very red state, so if they can pick up two seats or three seats, then they might give it a try. And even if it makes a seat in a very deep red state a little more competitive, so be it. I think that's some of the thinking," he said. One Republican strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly told The Hill that the party will be on "offense" regardless of how either state's map shakes out ahead of 2026. A second GOP strategist pointed out that there's more Democrats – 13 – that won in Trump districts, while there's only three Republicans hailing from districts won by former Vice President Harris in 2024 overall. "The numbers are in our favor," the GOP strategist said. "It's a game of inches right now." If Republicans do decide to redraw lines in Texas, it could blunt challenges to themapsthat Texas drew after the 2020 census, includingan ongoing trial in El Pasoin which voter advocates allege that the maps discriminate against some Black and Latino voters. The 2021 mapswere already seen as shoring up Republican power in the Lone Star State, but proponents of redistricting reportedly think the GOP's 25-12 congressional edge could expand by several seats. The situation has given some lawmakers a sense of deja vu. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) was among the more than 50 state lawmakers who fled Texas for Oklahoma to deny Republicans a quorum in 2003 as the GOP revisited drawing the state's congressional lines. Texas Republicans, however, were ultimately successful at redrawing favorable lines for their party. "It's just a total partisan power grab that's gonna completely mess with representation in Texas," Castro, who was a freshman during the 2003 walkout, told The Hill last month. "And I hope that cooler minds will prevail, and they'll do redistricting when they're supposed to, which is after the end of the decade." Another layer of uncertainty is how the courts could weigh in on potential redistricting challenges. Both Texas and Ohio have conservative majorities on the state Supreme Courts, but legal challenges over redistricting from other states have been brought up to the U.S. Supreme Court. While the high court, too, has a conservative majority, itnotably struck down Alabama's maps in 2023, saying they likely violated the Voting Rights Act. But while shifting voters from solidly red districts to bluer ones could make Democratic-held seats more competitive, it could similarly blunt the edge of some now-safe GOP seats. The House Democrats' campaign suggested in a statement that the predicament is a lose-lose situation for Republicans. "House Republicans are running scared because they know they will lose the House majority next November, and their only solutions are corrupt attempts to suppress battleground voters' voices," Madison Andrus, a spokeswoman for the House Democrats' campaign arm, said in a statement. "Any changes they try to make to existing maps may endanger existing Republican-held seats," she continued, "and in an environment where the public is wildly unhappy with the Republican agenda of broken promises, they should be careful what they wish for." Ahead of the midterms, though, that might be a risk some are willing to take to put more districts in play for Republicans. "Republican redistricting was key to flipping the House in 2022, preserving the majority in 2024, and can help defend it again in 2026," said Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

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July 06, 2025

GOP eyes redistricting in Ohio and Texas as it looks to bolster slim majority

GOP eyes redistricting in Ohio and Texas as it looks to bolster slim majority Republicans are eyeing potential redistricting opportunities i...

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Gov. Tony Evers' re-election decision looms over battleground Wisconsin

Gov. Tony Evers' re-election decision looms over battleground Wisconsin

In one of the nation's most closely divided battleground states, there's one big question on both parties' minds: Is Gov. Tony Evers going to run for a third term next year? The answer will have reverberating consequences in Wisconsin, where one of five Democratic-controlled governorships is up for grabs in 2026 in states President Donald Trump won last year. Evers, 73, has said he would announce whether he'd run again after he reached a budget deal with Republicans, who control both chambers of the Legislature. But with anagreement rapidlysigned, sealed and delivered last week, some Wisconsin Democrats are growing impatient for his decision. "I'd like to see him make a decision, hopefully sooner rather than later, because I do think we've got a lot of elections that we need to be winning and focusing on," Democratic state Sen. Kelda Roys, who ran against Evers in the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary,said last month. "If the governor makes a decision, I hope that's going to be soon." One dynamic hanging over Evers' decision is the possibility he wouldn't have to deal with a combative Legislature fully controlled by Republicans, as he has throughout his tenure. A landmark 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision from anewly installed liberal majorityprompted the state's gerrymandered maps to be redrawn, giving Democratic amuch more realistic pathto taking control of either the state Assembly or Senate in 2026. "One question he's weighing is, 'Do I try to stay around for one more term and possibly have one, if not both, lower chambers to work with, versus just trying to haggle with Republicans and push the veto pen every single f-----g time," said one Democratic operative in the state who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the race. Some Democrats also feel that Evers, with the benefit of incumbency, still represents the party's best shot at winning next year's gubernatorial election. "There's no question that Evers is the most equipped to win next year," said Joe Zepecki, a Milwaukee-based Democratic strategist who finished second in last month's race to be the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. "Why would we not want to have an incumbent Democratic governor who is the most popular politician in the state, beloved by the Democratic base. That makes all the sense in the world in what will be a good political environment for Democrats." But othershave warnedthat Democrats should not continue to rely on septuagenarian candidates and should clear the way for new voices, particularly following their experience with then-President Joe Biden in 2024. Evers' allies have hit back at that narrative, pointing to recent polling. One Wisconsin Democratic operative familiar with Evers' thinking, who requested anonymity to speak candidly while Evers' decision-making process is ongoing, added, "That just doesn't match with what we're hearing from Democrats and from the Marquette Poll." That refers to aMarquette University Law School poll of registered Wisconsin voters releasedlast month showing that Democrats remain widely supportive of Evers running again — even as the general electorate in the purple state remains more split. The survey found that 83% of Democrats said they supported Evers seeking a third term. That poll also found that 42% of all registered voters said they wanted Evers to run again, compared to 55% who said they did not. That support level, the pollsters noted, is still strong by historical standards. Back in 2016, ahead of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's decision to run for a third term, the same poll found that just 36% of registered voters wanted him to run a third time, compared to 61% who did not. Walker ran again in 2018 and lost to Evers. Evers' approval ratings in the poll — 48% of voters said they approved of his job performance, compared to 46% who said they didn't — is in line with the levels he's seen in that survey throughout his two terms in office in the swing state. If Evers ultimately declines to run, there are several Democrats who could seek to replace him, including state Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. But some Wisconsin Democrats expressed concern that an Evers exit could lead to an expensive and divisive primary. "It would be a big field if he doesn't run. That could get messy," said the Democratic operative familiar with Evers' thinking. Representatives for the political operations of Kaul, Rodriguez and Crowley didn't respond to questions. Johnson spokesperson Thad Nation said in an email that "the Mayor has deep respect for that leadership and certainly hopes the Governor will choose to run again," but that "if Governor Evers decides not to seek re-election, Mayor Johnson would be in a strong position to enter the race." Evers' decision isn't likely to have much bearing on who decides to run for the Republican nomination. Currently, the only declared candidate in the race is Josh Schoemann, the county executive of Washington County, an exurban area northwest of Milwaukee. Alsoweighing bidsare businessman Eric Hovde, who narrowly lost a 2024 U.S. Senate race to Democrat Tammy Baldwin, and Tim Michels, who lost to Evers in 2022. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany alsohasn't ruled outa campaign. Strategists in both parties said that Evers' decision to wait until after a budget deal was reached with state lawmakers could present the governor with an opportunity to leave on a high note, or help build his case for a third term. "Evers got most of what he wanted. He is now in a position to say, 'I've done what I needed to do. I got funding back to UW [the University of Wisconsin system], I got funding for child care, we've saved the kids in Wisconsin.' We've got a kids budget — I think that gives him an out," said Brandon Scholz, a Wisconsin Republican strategist. "He can go out on top." Evers' allies said delaying his announcement provided him with maximum leverage during budget discussions with Republicans. "I think it probably did make better his ability to work with Republicans in the Legislature to get to what appears to now be a reasonable budget," Zepecki said. Responding to questions about whether the governor would be announcing his decision imminently now that the state budget process has wrapped, Evers senior adviser Sam Roecker said only that "the governor has been clear he won't make a decision on 2026 until the budget process concludes." But some Democrats said the prospects of a friendlier Legislature, Evers' poll numbers and the ability to avoid a fractured primary all pointed in one direction. "I think he has decided, and I think he will run," Zepecki said. "If I had to bet money today, that's where we are."

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July 06, 2025

Gov. Tony Evers' re-election decision looms over battleground Wisconsin

Gov. Tony Evers' re-election decision looms over battleground Wisconsin In one of the nation's most closely divided battleground sta...

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How Trump's tariffs will raise home construction costs

How Trump's tariffs will raise home construction costs

NBC News modeled out a 3-bedroom home and found tariffs added more than $4,000 to total costs.

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July 06, 2025

How Trump's tariffs will raise home construction costs

How Trump's tariffs will raise home construction costs NBC News modeled out a 3-bedroom home and found tariffs added more than $4,000 to...

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Trump and GOP target ballots arriving after Election Day that delay counts and feed conspiracy fears

Trump and GOP target ballots arriving after Election Day that delay counts and feed conspiracy fears

ATLANTA (AP) — PresidentDonald Trumpand other Republicans have long criticized states that take weeks to count their ballots after Election Day. This year has seen a flurry of activity to address it. Part of Trump'sexecutive order on elections, signed in March butheld up by lawsuits, takes aim at one of the main reasons for late vote counts: Many states allow mailed ballots to be counted even if they arrive after Election Day. The U.S. Supreme Court last month said it would consider whethera challenge in Illinoiscan proceed in a case that is among severalRepublican-backed lawsuitsseeking to impose an Election Day deadline for mail ballots. At least three states — Kansas, North Dakota andUtah— passed legislation this year that eliminated a grace period for receiving mailed ballots, saying they now need to be in by Election Day. Even in California, whereweekslong vote countingis a frequentsource of frustrationanda target of Republican criticism, a bill attempting to speed up the process is moving through the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Order asserts federal law prohibits counting late ballots The ballot deadline section of Trump'swide-ranging executive orderrelies on an interpretation of federal law that establishes Election Day for federal elections. He argues this means all ballots must be received by that date. "This is like allowing persons who arrive 3 days after Election Day, perhaps after a winner has been declared, to vote in person at a former voting precinct, which would be absurd,"the executive orderstates. It follows a pattern for the president, who hasrepeatedly questionedthe legitimacy of such ballots even though there isno evidencethey are the source of widespread fraud. The issue is tied closely to his complaints abouthow long it takes to count ballots, his desire for results on election night and hisfalse claimsthat overnight "dumps" of vote counts point to a rigged election in2020, when he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. But ballots received after Election Day, in addition to being signed and dated by the voter, must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service indicating they were completed and dropped off on or before the final day of voting. Accepting late-arriving ballots has not been a partisan issue historically. States as different as California and Mississippi allow them, while Colorado and Indiana do not. "There is nothing unreliable or insecure about a ballot that comes back after Election Day," said Steve Simon, the chief election official in Minnesota, which has an Election Day deadline. In his executive order, most of which ispaused by the courts, Trump directs the attorney general to "take all necessary action" to enforce federal law against states that include late-arriving ballots in their final counts for federal elections. He also directs the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to condition federal funding on compliance. Trump's rhetoric motivates Republican states Republicans in five states have passed legislation since the 2020 election moving the mail ballot deadline to Election Day, according to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks election legislation. Earlier this year, GOP lawmakers inKansasended the state's practice of accepting mail ballots up to three days after Election Day, a change that will take effect for next year's midterms.Problems with mail deliveryhad prompted Kansas to add the grace period in 2017. Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a Republican who chairs the committee that handles election legislation, compared the grace period to giving a football team extra chances to score after the game clock expires. "We need this uniform end to the election just so that we know that all voters are operating on the same time frame," he said. A history of complaints in California California has long been a source of complaints about theamount of timeit takes for ballots to be counted and winners declared. "The rest of the country shouldn't have to wait on California to know the results of the elections," U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, a Wisconsin Republican who chairs the Committee on House Administration, said during an April hearing. He said California's "lax election laws" were to blame for the delays. The nation's most populous state has the largest number of registered voters in the country, some 22.9 million, which is roughly equivalent to the number of voters in Florida and Georgia combined. California also hasembraced universal mail voting, which means every registered voter automatically receives a ballot in the mail for each election. The deadline for election offices to receive completed ballots is seven days after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by then. A survey of some 35,000 Los Angeles County voters during last fall's election found that 40% waited until Election Day to return their ballot. Election officials say the exhaustive process for reviewing and counting mail ballots combined with a large percentage of voters waiting until the last minute makes it impossible for all results to be available on election night. California Democrats consider changes to speed the count Under state law, election officials in California have 30 days to count ballots, conduct a postelection review and certify the results. Dean Logan, Los Angeles County's chief election official, told Congress in May that his team counted nearly 97% of the 3.8 million ballots cast within a week of Election Day in 2024. Jesse Salinas, president of the state clerks' association, said his staff in Yolo County, near Sacramento, already works 16-hour days, seven days a week before and after an election. Assemblyman Marc Berman introduced legislation that would keep the state's 30-day certification period but require county election officials to finish counting most ballots within 13 days after the election. They would be required to notify the state if they weren't going to meet that deadline and give a reason. "I don't think that we can stick our heads in the sand and pretend like these conspiracies aren't out there and that this lack of confidence doesn't exist, in particular among Republican voters in California," said Berman, a Democrat. "There are certain good government things that we can do to strengthen our election system." He acknowledged that many counties already meet the 13-day deadline in his bill, which awaits consideration in the Senate. "My hope is that this will strengthen people's confidence in their election system and their democracy by having some of those benchmarks and just making it very clear for folks when different results will be available," Berman said. ___ Associated Press writer John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.

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July 06, 2025

Trump and GOP target ballots arriving after Election Day that delay counts and feed conspiracy fears

Trump and GOP target ballots arriving after Election Day that delay counts and feed conspiracy fears ATLANTA (AP) — PresidentDonald Trumpand...

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What Trump—And the U.S.—Can’t Understand About Air Strikes

What Trump—And the U.S.—Can't Understand About Air Strikes

The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture.Sign up for it here. When Donald Trump ordered air strikes on key Iranian nuclear-enrichment sites last month and immediately declared that the targets had been "completely and totally obliterated," he was counting on a single display of overwhelming air power to accomplish a major strategic goal. Though initially hesitant to join Israel's 10-day-old bombing campaign against Iran, the president came to believe that the United States could finish off Tehran's nuclear ambitions all at once. After what he called a "very successful attack," Trump demanded that Israel and Iran stop fighting, declaring, "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!" In reality, the U.S. attack may have only delayed the Iranian program by months. Trump ended up short-circuiting both his own efforts at diplomacy with Iran and an extraordinary Israeli campaign that required years of elaborate preparation, rendered Iran's air-defense network inoperable, and allowed Israeli forces to methodically work through a long list of target sites across the country over the course of a week and a half. Destroying a military target from the air usually requires multiple raids on the site—not one night and a victory declaration on Truth Social. Israeli military planners had clearly hoped to enlist American help in attacking Iran but may not have anticipated that it would be for one night only. To some extent, Trump's approach is typical of American leaders, who have routinely underestimated the true complexities of military tasks and assumed that a burst of overwhelming force will secure U.S. objectives and allow Washington to impose its version of peace. Recent events—not just in the Middle East but also in Ukraine—suggest that smaller countries with fewer resources than the United States have a far more urgent understanding specifically of how to use air power and generally of how to defeat their enemies. [Read: Trump's One-and-Done Doctrine] An unbounded faith in American military might, combined with a desire not to get bogged down in long foreign engagements, has led to excesses of optimism in the past: the constant escalation cycle in Vietnam, when it was said that more force would bring victory; the infamous mission accomplished banners after U.S. forces deposed Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. In conflicts since the end of World War II, the U.S. military has prevailed in individual battles, but it has won only one clear victory in a war: Operation Desert Storm in 1991. This conundrum has led to far less introspection than it deserves. One of the reasons might be that U.S. military power has been so extensive that the military, and policy makers, have not had to think too deeply about the process of winning wars. For 80 years, the U.S. military could be deployed to occupy territory, blow up structures, or destroy an enemy force—and was able to do it. It could inflict a frightening toll on its enemies at remarkably little cost to itself. The risk of overestimating American capabilities may be greatest in decisions about applying air power. The U.S. has the most awesome air force the world has ever seen. (Not coincidentally, the successful Desert Storm campaign involved purposeful and relentless air attacks on enemy targets.) Such power has immense costs, however, one of which is the destructive luxury of not having to think deeply about just what it means to win a war. American policy makers feel able to lecture smaller powers about what they should and should not do. Trump pushed Israel—which had, remarkably, achieved the ability to move freely in Iranian airspace—to stand down before the U.S. could reliably ascertain whether its own air strikes had been effective. Since 2022, bad instructions from the United States have been devastating to Ukraine's effort to fight off Russian invaders. Under the Biden administration, the United States feared escalation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and kept Ukrainians from using Western-made long-range weaponry to strike legitimate military targets inside Russia. In effect, the American veto created a large safe space in Russia, and gave the Russians the flexibility to plan and execute a hugely destructive strategic air campaign against Ukraine. Until Ukraine began developing its own systems, it was nearly powerless to stop the Russians from unleashing drones and missiles on Ukrainian military and civilian targets. Instead, the Ukrainians were forced to concentrate their resources on a bloody land war fought in trenches and by drones; despite large casualties on both sides, the fighting has produced only tiny changes in territorial control. Ukraine has done its best to change this dynamic, by working to expand its own long-range capabilities andusing those weapons against targets in Russia. The tragedy for Ukrainians is that the Biden administration stood in their way for three years—and was succeeded by a Trump administration that, perhaps because of a broad sympathy with Putin, seems intent on letting Russia win. [Read: The problem with Trump's cease-fire] For all its advanced weaponry, the United States would benefit from listening to smaller, more inventive militaries that are fighting larger adversaries in a rapidly evolving technological environment. Ukraine, for example, has developed enormous expertise in designing and deploying unmanned aerial vehicles, which—as the recent attacks on Russian airfields thousands of miles away from the Ukrainian border showed—create new vulnerabilities at traditional military facilities. Unfortunately, nothing about recent U.S. actions suggests that the country's leaders have any intention to learn from others. Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon seems obsessed with "lethality"—the idea that the United States wins wars by bringing greater lethal force to every direct engagement with the enemy. But although that focus might sound macho and hyper-militaristic to him and Trump, it may be the precursor to more events like Trump's Iran strikes: showy tactical attacks that fail to accomplish any strategic goals of substance. Article originally published atThe Atlantic

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July 06, 2025

What Trump—And the U.S.—Can’t Understand About Air Strikes

What Trump—And the U.S.—Can't Understand About Air Strikes The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories ...

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Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah leader Naim KassemreiteratedSunday the militant group'srefusal to lay down its weaponsbefore Israel withdraws from all of southernLebanonand stops its airstrikes. He spoke in a video address, as thousands gathered in Beirut's southern suburbs to mark the Shiite holy day of Ashoura Ashoura commemorates the 680 AD Battle of Karbala, in which the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein, was killed after he refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate. For Shiites, the commemoration has come to symbolize resistance against tyranny and injustice. This year's commemoration comes in the wake ofa bruising warbetween Israel and Hezbollah, which nominally ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late November. Israeli strikes killed much of Hezbollah's top leadership, including longtimeSecretary General Hassan Nasrallah, and destroyed much of its arsenal. Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to occupy five strategic border points in southern Lebanon and to carry out near-daily airstrikes that it says aim to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. Those strikes have killed some 250 people since November, in addition to more than 4,000 killed during the war, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. There has been increasing international and domestic pressure forHezbollahto give up its remaining arsenal. "How can you expect us not to stand firm while the Israeli enemy continues its aggression, continues to occupy the five points, and continues to enter our territories and kill?" Kassem said in his video address. "We will not be part of legitimizing the occupation in Lebanon and the region. We will not accept normalization (with Israel)." In response to those who ask why the group needs its missile arsenal, Kassem said: "How can we confront Israel when it attacks us if we didn't have them? Who is preventing Israel from entering villages and landing and killing young people, women and children inside their homes unless there is a resistance with certain capabilities capable of minimal defense?" His comments come ahead of an expected visit by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut to discuss a proposed plan for Hezbollah's disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the rest of southern Lebanon. Barrack posted Saturday on X that Lebanon is facing "a historic moment to supersede the strained confessionalism of the past and finally fulfill (its) true promise of the hope of 'One country, one people, one army'" and quoted U.S.President Donald Trumpsaying, "Let's make Lebanon Great again."

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July 06, 2025

Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah leader Naim KassemreiteratedSunday t...

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US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship

US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) —America's largest trade partner, the European Union, is among the entities awaiting word Monday onwhether U.S. President Donald Trumpwill impose punishingtariffson their goods, a move economists have warned would have repercussions for companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump imposed a 20% import tax on all EU-made products in early April as part of a setof tariffstargeting countries with which the United States hasa trade imbalance. Hours after the nation-specific duties took effect, he put them on hold until July 9 at a standard rate of 10% to quiet financial markets and allow time for negotiations. Expressing displeasure the EU's stance in trade talks, however, the president said he wouldjack up the tariff ratefor European exports to 50%. A rate that high could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals much more expensive in the U.S. The EU, whose 27 member nations operate as a single economic bloc, said its leaders hoped to strike a deal with theDonald Trumpadministration. Without one, the EU said it wasprepared to retaliatewith tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer andBoeing airplanes. Here are important things to know about trade between the United States and the European Union. US-EU trade is enormous A lot of money is at stake in the trade talks. The EU's executive commission describes the trade between the U.S. and the EU as "the most important commercial relationship in the world." The value of EU-U.S. trade in goods and services amounted to 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in 2024, or an average of 4.6 billion euros a day, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. The biggest U.S. export to Europe is crude oil, followed by pharmaceuticals, aircraft, automobiles, and medical and diagnostic equipment. Europe's biggest exports to the U.S. are pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments, and wine and spirits. EU sells more to the US than vice versa Trump has complained about the EU's 198 billion-euro ($233 billion) trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more stuff from European businesses than the other way around. However, American companies fill some of the gap by outselling the EU when it comes to services such as cloud computing, travel bookings, and legal and financial services. The U.S. services surplus took the nation's trade deficit with the EU down to 50 billion euros ($59 billion), which represents less than 3% of overall U.S.-EU trade. What are the issues dividing the two sides? Before Trump returned to office, the U.S. and the EU maintained a generally cooperative trade relationship and low tariff levels on both sides. The U.S. rate averaged 1.47% for European goods, while the EU's averaged 1.35% for American products. But the White House has taken a much less friendly posture towardthe longstanding U.S. allysince February. Along with the fluctuating tariff rate on European goods Trump has floated, the EU has been subject to his administration's 50% tariff on steel and aluminum and a 25% tax on imported automobiles and parts. Trump administration officials have raised a slew of issues they want to see addressed, including agricultural barriers such as EU health regulations that include bans on chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef. Trump has also criticized Europe's value-added taxes, which EU countries levy at the point of sale this year at rates of 17% to 27%. But many economists see VAT as trade-neutral since they apply to domestic goods and services as well as imported ones. Because national governments set the taxes through legislation, the EU has said they aren't on the tableduring trade negotiations. "On the thorny issues of regulations, consumer standards and taxes, the EU and its member states cannot give much ground," Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Germany's Berenberg bank, said. "They cannot change the way they run the EU's vast internal market according to U.S. demands, which are often rooted in a faulty understanding of how the EU works." What are potential impacts of higher tariffs? Economists and companies say higher tariffs will mean higher prices for U.S. consumers on imported goods. Importers must decide how much of the extra tax costs to absorb through lower profits and how much to pass on to customers. Mercedes-Benz dealers in the US. have said they are holding the line on 2025 model year prices "until further notice." The German automaker has a partial tariff shield because it makes 35% of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold in the U.S. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but the company said it expects prices to undergo "significant increases" in coming years. Simon Hunt, CEO of Italian wine and spirits producer Campari Group, told investment analysts that prices could increase for some products or stay the same depending what rival companies do. If competitors raise prices, the company might decide to hold its prices on Skyy vodka or Aperol aperitif to gain market share, Hunt said. Trump has argued that making it more difficult for foreign companies to sell in the U.S. is a way to stimulate a revival of American manufacturing. Many companies have dismissed the idea or said it would take years to yield positive economic benefits. However, some corporations have proved willing toshift some productionstateside. France-based luxury group LVMH, whose brands include Tiffany & Co., Luis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Moet & Chandon, could move some production to the United States, billionaire CEO Bernaud Arnault said at the company's annual meeting in April. Arnault, who attended Trump's inauguration, has urged Europe to reach a deal based on reciprocal concessions. "If we end up with high tariffs, ... we will be forced to increase our U.S.-based production to avoid tariffs," Arnault said. "And if Europe fails to negotiate intelligently, that will be the consequence for many companies. ... It will be the fault of Brussels, if it comes to that." Many expect Trump to drop his most drastic demands Some forecasts indicate the U.S. economy would be more at risk if the negotiations fail. Without a deal, the EU would lose 0.3% of its gross domestic product and U.S. GDP would fall 0.7%, if Trump slaps imported goods from Europe with tariffs of 10% to 25%, according to a research review by Bruegel, a think tank in Brussels. Given the complexity of some of the issues, the two sides may arrive only at a framework deal before Wednesday's deadline. That would likely leave a 10% base tariff, as well as the auto, steel and aluminum tariffs in place until details of a formal trade agreement are ironed out. The most likely outcome of the trade talks is that "the U.S. will agree to deals in which it takes back its worst threats of 'retaliatory' tariffs well beyond 10%," Schmieding said. "However, the road to get there could be rocky." The U.S. offering exemptions for some goods might smooth the path to a deal. The EU could offer to ease some regulations that the White House views as trade barriers. "While Trump might be able to sell such an outcome as a 'win' for him, the ultimate victims of his protectionism would, of course, be mostly the U.S. consumers," Schmieding said.

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July 06, 2025

US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship

US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) —America's la...

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America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

We who call the United States home are preparing to celebrate the country's star-spangled semiquincentennial next year ‒ not just with flags and fireworks, but also some serious conversations about history and what it means to be an American. Among the celebrations: amassive fireworks display at Mount Rushmoreon July 3, 2026, and what organizers hope is the single-largest flag-waving celebration in history. And President Donald Trump on July 3 announced he's also planning to host anUltimate Fighting Championship event at the White Houseas part of the festivities. Trump formally kicked off the yearlong celebration on July 3 with aboisterous rally in at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Trump campaigned on an "America first" platform, and he's long invoked symbols of patriotism during his rallies, from having Lee Greenwood sing his hit "God Bless the USA," to literally embracing Old Glory. "This Fourth of July our magnificent destiny is closer than ever before. We are one people, one family and one united American nation," he said to cheers. "We will fight, fight, fight, we will win, win, win, because we are Americans and our hearts bleed red, white, and blue." Trump also reaffirmed his plans to hold a "Great American State Fair" with exhibits from all 50 states that will begin in Iowa, along with other national celebrations. And while there will be parties and parades aplenty for the nation's semiquincentennial, some scholars are also urging Americans to spend time thinking deeply about the country's past and future: The anniversary comes at a time of deep partisan divisions, particularly about the role of immigrants in this nation of them. Trump directly addressed the nation's divide facing the nation in his Iowa appearance, criticizing Democrats who he says "hate" America, and offering the same sentiment in return. Trump made the comments in connection with final passage earlier in the day of his "big, beautiful bill," whichimplements tax and Medicaid cutswhile dramatically expanding immigration enforcement, and was unanimously opposed by Congressional Democrats. "I really do. I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our country, you want to know the truth." Trump said at what was billed as a nonpartisan semiquincentennial kickoff event. Polls show Americans are less patriotic today than ever before recorded: A new Gallup poll found that 58% of U.S. adults say they are either "extremely" or "very" proud to be an American, a record low compared to almost total unity following the 9/11 attacks 24 years ago. Strikingly, the poll found that younger Americans were far less likely to be patriotic than older generations: only 41% of Gen Z is extremely or very proud to be American, compared to nearly 75% of Baby Boomers. The poll also found that Democrats in particular are the source of the drop: Across all ages, just 36% said they are extremely or very proud, down from 62% a year ago. Independents also showed a loss, falling to a record-low 53%, the poll found. In contrast, 92% of Republicans said they were extremely or very proud of the country, Gallup found. "Patriotism is now polarized ‒ to some degree it depends on whoever is the president and that hasn't always been the case," said conservative author and former Republican National Committee staffer John J. Pitney Jr., a government professor at California's Claremont McKenna College. "People in the other party are not just mistaken but are enemies." But Pitney said real American patriotism is alive and well: Everyone who volunteers to serve in the military or a local fire department, who helps out at a food bank or tithes to their local church is helping make good on the promise of America, he said. "Parades are great, all the celebrations are terrific, but that's not really what patriotism is about," Pitney said. "It's certainly possible to take criticism of the country too far. The trouble with Trump's plans is they sound awfully superficial. His patriotism doesn't run any deeper than the cloth of the flag." While celebrations of the country's 250th anniversary by necessity invoke the past, Trump has signaled he wants a historical focus that boosts his vision of patriotism, loyalty and liberty. In conjunction with the anniversary, Trump has ordered the creation of a $34 million National Garden of American Heroes, featuring life-size statues of notable figures from American history, including the second president, John Adams, Red Cross founder Clara Barton, airplane inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and astronaut Christa McAuliffe, along with former President Ronald Reagan and former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Only American citizens are eligible to create the statues. "America owes its present greatness to its past sacrifices. Because the past is always at risk of being forgotten, monuments will always be needed to honor those who came before," Trump said in announcing the statue garden. "These statues are silent teachers in solid form of stone and metal. They preserve the memory of our American story and stir in us a spirit of responsibility for the chapters yet unwritten." In announcing the garden, Trump also ordered the Justice Department to vigorously prosecute anyone caught damaging or defacing memorials and statues. And he has ordered the National Park Service and national museums to focus on history that unites and inspires Americans, rather than on what he considers issues that would "divide Americans based on race." "The Golden Age of America is upon us," Trump said in Iowa on July 3. "This incredible national resurgence is happening just in time for one of the biggest events in the history of our country. Exactly one year from tomorrow, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding with this birthday party, the likes of which you have never seen before." Eric Foner, a retired Columbia University history professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, said countries have long struggled to balance an honest assessment of their history with the push for patriotism. He said the reality is every country has both good and bad on its ledger, and talking about all aspects help build a stronger nation. Some historians have noted that while Trump is willing to acknowledge the end of slavery in the United States, he's been reluctant ‒ if not outright hostile ‒ to talking about the structural racism that remains as a legacy of that enslavement. "It's a self-defeating set of events when you try to just create a patriotic history and glorification," Foner said. "What we remember is also related to what we forget." Trump's 250th celebration plans will operate in conjunction with theU.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which has been working on the celebrations since 2016. The nonpartisan commission known as America250 is honorarily co-chaired by former First Couples: President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and is the country's official birthday party planner, with the backing of all three co-equal branches of government. America250, which has corporate sponsors including Walmart, Palantir, Amazon and Goldman Sachs, is planning the biggest single-year volunteer effort in the country's history, along with sponsoring field trips and oral history recordings. The commission is also organizing a playlist of musical anthems celebrating America, a tech expo to highlight innovation, and a series of concerts celebrating American composers, performers, musicians and dancers. Its new executive director is a former FOX News producer and deputy director of communications for First LadyMelania Trump. "America250 is working to provide the most inspiring celebration that is 'of the people, by the people, and for the people' of this great nation," thecommission promises. "America250's mission is to commemorate the 250th anniversary with inclusive programs that inspire Americans to renew and strengthen our daring experiment in democracy." Tamika Middleton traces her American heritage though the family's graveyard on a dirt road in South Carolina. One ancestor fought for the Union during the Civil War, and her mom still lives on the land that's been in their family since the 1800s. As the descendent of formerly enslaved people, Middleton wants to see the United States live up to the promises it has always made. For her, that means talking honestly and openly about the country's racist past, and about how exclusionary policies have hurt people who look like her. "I have a right to this country. No matter what people think about my critiques or the work that I do, my folks' blood is in the soil." Middleton, 41, said. "I have a right to this country and I have a right to its best self." The managing director of the Women's March, Middleton said organizers have been talking regularly about the importance of an "honest look" at the country's history at the time of its 250th, and what it would take to reach that perfect union where all people are truly equal. Organizers of the 2017 Women's March against Trump organized "Free America" counter-protests during this year's Independence Day celebrations. "What good is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without healthcare?" Middleton asked. "What good is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without housing?" Middleton said the Women's March is still deciding how it will approach the country's 250th anniversary, but encouraged Americans to consider the words of Civil Rights-era activist Fannie Lou Hamer:  "Nobody's free until everybody's free." Said Middleton: "I would be love for people to be thinking about how to bring that to fruition ‒ what does it require every day, the kind of depth, the kind of accountability, the kind of unity. What does it require of us to ensure we are building a different kind of world and a different kind of country?" This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

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July 06, 2025

America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans? We who call the United States home are preparing to celebrate the count...

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Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump’s ire

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump's ire

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies Sunday and Monday during which pressing topics like Israel's attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and trade tariffs imposed by U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpare expected to be handled with caution. Analysts and diplomats said the lack of cohesion in an enlarged BRICS, which doubled in size last year, may affect its ability to become another pole in world affairs. They also see the summit's moderate agenda as an attempt by member countries to stay off Trump's radar. Brazilian PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silvawill have some of his priorities, such as debates onartificial intelligenceand climate change, front and center for the talks with key leaders not in attendance. China's President Xi Jinping won't attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country's leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will make an appearance via videoconference, continues tomostly avoid traveling abroaddue to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine. Debate over language on hot-button topics The restraint expected in Rio de Janeiro marks a departure fromlast year's summit hosted by Russiain Kazan, when the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A source involved in the negotiations told journalists Friday that some members of the group want more aggressive language on the situation in Gaza and Israel's attack on Iran. The source spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly. "Brazil wants to keep the summit as technical as possible," said Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank and university. Consequently, observers expect avague final declarationregarding Russia's war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. As well as suiting Brazil, a watered-down and non-controversial statement may be made easier by the absences of Putin and Xi, Stuenkel said. Those two countries have pushed for a stronger anti-Western stance, as opposed to Brazil and India that prefer non-alignment. A Brazilian government official told The Associated Press Thursday that the group is expected to produce three joint statements and a final declaration, "all of which less bounded by current geopolitical tensions." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the summit's preparations. João Alfredo Nyegray, an international business and geopolitics professor at the Pontifical Catholic University in Parana, said the summit could have played a role in showing an alternative to an unstable world, but won't do so. "The withdrawal of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the uncertainty about the level of representation for countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are confirming the difficulty for the BRICS to establish themselves as a cohesive pole of global leadership," Nyegray said. "This moment demands high level articulation, but we are actually seeing dispersion." Brazil skittish in light of Trump tariffs Brazil, the country that chairs the bloc, has picked six strategic priorities for the summit: global cooperation in healthcare; trade, investment and finance; climate change; governance for artificial intelligence; peace-making and security; and institutional development. It has decided to focus on less controversial issues, such as promoting trade relations between members and global health, after Trump returned to the White House, said Ana Garcia, a professor at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University. "Brazil wants the least amount of damage possible and to avoid drawing the attention of the Trump administration to prevent any type of risk to the Brazilian economy," Garcia said. While Brazil will continue to advocate for the reform of Western-led global institutions, a cornerstone policy of the group, the country wants to avoid becoming the target of tariffs — a predicament it has so far largely escaped. Trump hasthreatened to impose 100% tariffs against the blocif they take any moves to undermine the dollar. Other leaders shun the summit Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will also be absent. Those two countries joined the BRICS in 2024, alongside Ethiopia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited and is participating in member discussions, but it has yet to send its confirmation letter. As well as new members, the bloc has 10 strategic partner countries, a category created at last year's summit that includes Belarus, Cuba and Vietnam. That rapid expansion led Brazil to put housekeeping issues — officially termed institutional development — on the agenda to better integrate new members and boost internal cohesion. Despite notable absences, the summit is important for attendees, especially in the context of instability provoked by Trump's tariff wars, said Bruce Scheidl, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo's BRICS study group. "The summit offers the best opportunity for emerging countries to respond, in the sense of seeking alternatives and diversifying their economic partnerships," Scheidl said. For Lula, the summit will be a welcome pause from a difficult domestic scenario, marked bya drop in popularityandconflict with Congress. The meeting also represents an opportunity to advance climate negotiations and commitments on protecting the environment before November's COP 30 climate talks in theAmazonian city of Belem.

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July 06, 2025

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump’s ire

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump's ire RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS blo...

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Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

The Trump administration is taking a "zero tolerance" approachto attackson law enforcement after a Texas police officer was shot outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. The message came after similar incidents in other cities amid backlash againstPresident Donald Trump'simmigration enforcement agency. An Alvarado, Texas, police officer was shot Friday night near the Prairieland Detention Facility, authorities said. Dhs: Assaults On Ice Now Up Nearly 700% Over Same Time Last Year "We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the [US Attorney offices] and our law enforcement partners," said DeputyAttorney GeneralTodd Blanche on X. "The Department [of Justice] has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible," he added. Read On The Fox News App Blue City Joins La Chaos As Anti-ice Agitators Injure Officers In Violent Riots In Alvarado, a suburb of Fort Worth, several suspects were arrested after an officer with the Alvarado Police Department was shot at around 11 p.m. while responding to reports of a suspicious person,FOX Dallasreported. When the officer tried making contact with the person, shots were fired and the officer was struck in the neck. The officer was flown to aFort Worthhospital for treatment and was later released. Several armed suspects fled but were arrested with the help of the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and other authorities, the news station reported. Original article source:Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

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July 06, 2025

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance The Trump administration is taking a "zer...

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French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet

French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet

PARIS (AP) — China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat inIndia and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defense attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter —notably Indonesia— not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes. The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the twonuclear-armed neighbors, and included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan's Chinese-made military hardware — particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles — fared against weaponry that India used inairstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business forFrance's defense industryand help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia where China is becoming the dominant regional power. France is fighting what it calls a disinformation campaign against the Rafale Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India acknowledged aircraft losses but didn't say how many. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said that he's seen evidence pointing to just 3 Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries. "Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions," Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation. French military officials say they haven't been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. Intelligence assessment says Chinese officials lobbied potential clients to ditch French planes But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defense attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defense officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defense attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent the Rafale's appeal, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: "The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability." In recent years, China has stepped updisinformation campaignson global social media platforms like X, Instagram or Facebook, using networks of state-sponsored influencers, sites that pose as news organizations, and fake social media accounts to spread narratives from Beijing. France's Defense Ministry said the Rafale was targeted by "a vast campaign of disinformation" that "sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design." France considers the jet a 'strategic French offering' "The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the Defense Ministry wrote on its website. "The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships." Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. China may be hoping to weaken the security relationships that France is building with Asian nations by spreading worries about the equipment it supplies, said Justin Bronk, an airpower specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London. "From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export," he said. "They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region."

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July 06, 2025

French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet

French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet PARIS (AP) — China deployed its emb...

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Shiite neighborhoods in Damascus commemorate Ashoura quietly after Assad's ouster

Shiite neighborhoods in Damascus commemorate Ashoura quietly after Assad's ouster

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Shiite pilgrims from Syria and abroad used to flock to the Sayyida Zeinab shrine outside of Damascus every year to commemorateAshoura, a solemn day marking the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. In the days leading up to Ashoura, the streets would be lined with black and red mourning banners and funeral tents. On the day of the commemoration, black-clad mourners would process through the streets, while in gathering halls known as "husseiniyas," the faithful would listen and weep as clerics recounted the death of Imam Hussein and his 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq. Protecting theshrine dedicated to Sayyida Zeinab, the Prophet Muhammad's granddaughter and sister to Hussein, from Sunni extremists became a rallying cry for Shiite fighters duringSyria's 14-year civil war. It was often pointed to as justification for the intervention of militants from Iran, Lebanon and Iraq in the Syrian conflict in support of former President Bashar Assad. This year, afterAssad's ouster in a lightning rebel offensiveled by Sunni Islamist insurgents, the Shiite neighborhoods of Damascus were subdued. The hotels that were once brimming with religious tourists were empty. There were no banners or processions. The faithful continued to observe their rituals inside the shrine and prayer halls, but quietly and with strict security measures. Violence takes its toll Syrian Shiites already felt they were in a precarious position after Assad's ouster. Their fears increased after a suicide bomber blew himself up in a church outside of Damascus last month, killing 25 people and wounding dozens more. Government officials blamed the attack on a cell of the Islamic State group and said they had thwarted plans by the same cell to attack Sayyida Zeinab. In Damascus' Zain al Abdeed neighborhood, mourners entered gathering halls after going through a search and screening with metal detectors. Qassem Soleiman, head of a body that coordinates between the Shiite community and the new government, said Shiite leaders had agreed with the state that they would hold their Ashoura rituals but would "cut back on certain things outside of the halls in order for no one to get hurt and for there not to be problems." The attack on the Mar Elias Church in Dweil'a"put us into a state of great fear and anxiety," he said. "So we tried as much as possible to do our commemorations and rituals and ceremonies for Ashoura inside the halls." Jafaar Mashhadiyia, an attendant at one of the gathering halls, echoed similar fears. "The security situation is still not stable — there are not a lot of preventive measures being taken in the streets," he said. "The groups that are trying to carry out terrorist attacks have negative views of Shiites, so there is a fear of security incidents." Worry affects the economy The absence of pilgrims coming from abroad has been an economic hit to the area. "There are no visitors," said a hotel owner in the Sayyida Zeinab area near the shrine, who asked to be identified only by his nickname, Abu Mohammad, because of security concerns. During the lead-up to Ashoura, "the hotels should be 100% full," he said. "The Iraqis normally fill up the area." But this year, they didn't come. His economic woes predate Assad's fall. In the months before the rebel offensive in Syria, a low-level conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah escalated into a full-scale war in Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands fled from Lebanon across the border into Syria to escape the bombardment, with many of them staying in the hotels in Sayyida Zeinab at discounted rates, Abu Mohammad said. A guard at a checkpoint in Sayyida Zeinab, who gave only his nickname, Abu Omar, in accordance with regulations, said he had seen no security issues in the area since the fall of Assad. "There are attempts to sow discord and sectarianism by corrupt people who were with the former regime and want to play on the string of sectarianism and destroy the country and create issues between us," he said, describing them as "individual efforts." Abu Omar pointed to a group of local men sitting in chairs on the sidewalk nearby smoking hookah. "If they didn't feel safe here next to us, next to a security checkpoint, they wouldn't come and sit here." Soleiman said he hopes that next year, the foreign pilgrims will be back and Shiites will be able to openly commemorate Ashoura, with Syrians from other groups coming to see the rituals as they did in the past. "We hope that next year things will return to how they were previously, and that is a call to the state and a call to the General Security agency and all the political figures," he said. "We are one of the components in building this state." ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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July 05, 2025

Shiite neighborhoods in Damascus commemorate Ashoura quietly after Assad's ouster

Shiite neighborhoods in Damascus commemorate Ashoura quietly after Assad's ouster DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Shiite pilgrims from Syria and ...

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Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue

Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Melbournesynagoguein an apparent escalation of antisemitic violence in Australia's second-most populous city. Angelo Loras, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court Sunday charged with arson, endangering life and property damage. He was also charged with possessing a "controlled weapon" on Saturday when he was arrested. The charge sheet does not say what that weapon was. The Sydney resident did not enter a plea or apply to be released on bail. Magistrate John Lesser remanded Loras in custody to appear in court next on July 22. Flammable liquid was ignited at the door of the East Melbourne Synagogue, also known as the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, on Friday night as 20 worshippers shared a Shabbat meal inside. The congregation escaped without harm via a rear door and firefighters contained the blaze to the entrance area of the 148-year-old building. It was the first of three apparent displays of antisemitic violence across the city on Friday and early Saturday morning. Authorities have yet to establish a link between incidents at the synagogue and two businesses. Antisemitism blamed for attacks on businesses Also in downtown Melbourne on Friday night, around 20 masked protesters harassed diners in an Israeli-owned restaurant. A restaurant window was cracked, tables were flipped and chairs thrown as protesters chanted "Death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces. A 28-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and charged with hindering police. Police are also investigating the spray-painting of a business in Melbourne's northern suburbs and an arson attack on three vehicles attached to the business before dawn on Saturday. The vehicles had also been graffitied. Police said there were antisemitic "inferences" at the scene. The business had also been the target of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the past year. Political leaders condemn antisemitism Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke met with Jewish leaders at the damaged synagogue on Sunday. Burke told reporters that investigators were searching for potential links between the three incidents. "At this stage, our authorities have not drawn links between them. But obviously there's a link in antisemitism. There's a link in bigotry. There's a link in a willingness to either call for violence, to chant violence or to take out violent actions. They are very much linked in that way," Burke said. "There were three attacks that night and none of them belonged in Australia. Arson attacks, the chanting calls for death, other attacks and graffiti — none of it belonged in Australia and they were attacks on Australia," Burke added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahucalled on the Australian government to "take all action to deal with the rioters to the fullest extent of the law and prevent similar attacks in the future." "I view with utmost gravity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent assault against an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters," Netanyahu said in a statement on Saturday. "The reprehensible antisemitic attacks, with calls of 'death to the IDF' and an attempt to attack a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted," he added.

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July 05, 2025

Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue

Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Me...

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Investment firm Azoria postpones Tesla ETF after Musk plans political party

Investment firm Azoria postpones Tesla ETF after Musk plans political party

(Reuters) -Investment firm Azoria Partners said on Saturday it will postpone the listing of its Azoria Tesla Convexity exchange traded fund after Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he was forming a new U.S. political party. Musk made the announcement a day after polling his followers on the X social media platform he owns, declaring, "Today the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." Azoria was set to launch the Tesla ETF, which would invest in the electric vehicle company's shares and options, next week. However, following Musk's announcement Azoria CEO James Fishback posted on X several critical comments of the new party and repeated his support for U.S. President Donald Trump. That culminated in a post where Fishback announced the postponement of the ETF. "I encourage the Board to meet immediately and ask Elon to clarify his political ambitions and evaluate whether they are compatible with his full-time obligations to Tesla as CEO," Fishback said. The announcement undermines the confidence shareholders had in Tesla's future after Musk said in May he was stepping back from his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency, Fishback said. Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment. The announcement from Musk comes after Trump signed his self-styled "big, beautiful" tax-cut and spending bill into law on Friday, which Musk fiercely opposed. Azoria is also offering the Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF that only invests in the top 500 U.S. companies that do not impose hiring targets under diversity, equity and inclusion programs, according to its website. (Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

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July 05, 2025

Investment firm Azoria postpones Tesla ETF after Musk plans political party

Investment firm Azoria postpones Tesla ETF after Musk plans political party (Reuters) -Investment firm Azoria Partners said on Saturday it w...

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A boy in Gaza with brain damage fights for his life amid blockade

A boy in Gaza with brain damage fights for his life amid blockade

BEIRUT (AP) — It's as if the whole weight ofIsrael's war in Gazahas fallen on Amr al-Hams. The 3-year-old has shrapnel in his brain from an Israeli strike on his family's tent. His pregnant mother was killed. His father is paralyzed by grief over the death of his longtime sweetheart. Now the boy is lying in a hospital bed, unable to speak, unable to move, losing weight, while doctors don't have the supplies to treat his brain damage or help in his rehabilitationafter a weekslong blockadeand constant bombardment. Recently out of intensive care, Amr's frail body twists in visible pain. His wide eyes dart around the room. His aunt is convinced he's looking for his mother. He can't speak, but she believes he is trying to say "mom." "I am trying as much as I can. It is difficult," said his aunt Nour al-Hams, his main caregiver, sitting next to him on the bed in Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. "What he is living through is not easy." To reassure him, his aunt sometimes says his mother will be back soon. Other times, she tries to distract him, handing him a small ball. The war has decimated the health system The war began Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people captive. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which says women and children make up most of the dead but does not specify how many were fighters or civilians. Nearly 21 months into the conflict that displaced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people, it is nearly impossible for the critically wounded to get the care they need, doctors and aid workers say. The health care sector has been decimated: Nearly half of the territory's 36 hospitals have been put out of service. Daily bombings and strikes overwhelm the remaining facilities, which are operating only partially. They struggle with shortages of anything from fuel, gauze and sutures to respirators or scanners that have broken down and can't be replaced. Israeli forces have raided and besieged medical facilities, claiming Hamas militants have used them as command centers. Doctors have been killed or were displaced, unable to reach hospitals because of continued military operations. For more than 2 1/2 months,Israel blockedall food, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza, accusing Hamas of siphoning off aid to fund its military activities, though the U.N. said there was no systematic diversion. The population was pushed toward famine. Since mid-May, Israel has allowed in a trickle of aid, including medical supplies. Gaza's Health Ministry estimates that 33,000 children have been injured during the war, including 5,000 requiring long-term rehabilitation and critical care. Over 1,000 children, like Amr, are suffering from brain or spinal injuries or amputated limbs. "Gaza will be dealing with future generations of kids living with all sorts of disabilities, not just brain, but limb disabilities that are consequences of amputation that could have been prevented if the health system was not under the pressures it is under, wasn't systematically targeted and destroyed as it was," said Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care specialist who has volunteered multiple times in Gaza with international medical organizations. A fateful journey north In April, one week before her due date, Amr's mother, Inas, persuaded her husband to visit her parents in northern Gaza. They trekked from the tent they lived in on Gaza's southern coast to the tent where her parents live. They were having an evening meal when the strike hit. Amr's mother and her unborn baby, his grandfather and his brother and sister were killed. Amr was rushed to the ICU at Indonesian Hospital, the largest in northern Gaza. A scan confirmed shrapnel in his brain and reduced brain function. A breathing tube was inserted into his throat. "He is 3. Why should he bear the weight of a rocket?" his aunt asked. His father, Mohammed, was too stunned to even visit the ICU. His wife had been the love of his life since childhood, the aunt said. He barely spoke. Doctors said Amr needed advanced rehabilitation. But while he was at the hospital, Israeli forces attacked the facility — encircling its premises and causing damage to its communication towers, water supplies and one of its wards. Evacuation orders were issued for the area, and patients were transferred to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Another treacherous journey But Shifa was overwhelmed with mass casualties, and staff asked the family to take Amr south, even though no ambulances or oxygen tanks could be spared. The father and aunt had to take Amr, fresh out of ICU with the tube in his throat, in a motorized rickshaw for the 25-kilometer (15-mile) drive to Nasser Hospital. Amr was in pain, his oxygen levels dropped. He was in and out of consciousness. "We were reading the Quran all along the road," said his aunt, praying they would survive the bombings and Amr the bumpy trip without medical care. About halfway, an ambulance arrived. Amr made it to Nasser Hospital with oxygen blood levels so low he was again admitted to ICU. Unable to get the care he needs Still, Nasser Hospital could not provide Amr with everything he needed. Intravenous nutrients are not available, Nasser's head of pediatrics, Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, said. Thefortified milkAmr needed disappeared from the market and the hospital after weeks of Israel's blockade. He has lost about half his weight. When he came out of the ICU, Nour shared his bed with him at night and administered his medication. She grinds rice or lentils into a paste to feed him through a syringe connected to his stomach. "We have starvation in Gaza. There is nothing to eat," said his aunt, who is a trained nurse. "There is nothing left." The care Amr has missed is likely to have long-term effects. Immediate care for brain injuries is critical, Haj-Hassan said, as is follow-up physical and speech therapy. Since the Israeli blockade on Gaza began in March, 317 patients, including 216 children, have left the territory for medical treatment alongside nearly 500 of their companions, according to the World Health Organization. Over 10,000 people, including 2,500 children, await evacuation. Amr is one of them. COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of civilian affairs in Gaza, coordinates medical evacuations after receiving requests from countries that will take the patients and security screenings. In recent weeks, over 2,000 patients and their companions have left for treatment, COGAT said, without specifying the time period. Tess Ingram, spokesperson for the U.N. children's agency, said the only hope for many critically injured who remain in Gaza is to get out. Countries need to "open their hearts, open their doors and open their hospitals to children who survived the unimaginable and are now languishing in pain," she said. Amr's aunt reads his every move. He is unhappy with his diapers, she said. He outgrew them long ago. He was a smart kid, now he cries "feeling sorry for himself," said Nour. He gets seizures and needs tranquilizers to sleep. "His brain is still developing. What can they do for him? Will he be able to walk again?" Nour asked. "So long as he is in Gaza, there is no recovery for him."

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July 05, 2025

A boy in Gaza with brain damage fights for his life amid blockade

A boy in Gaza with brain damage fights for his life amid blockade BEIRUT (AP) — It's as if the whole weight ofIsrael's war in Gazaha...

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