Saturday, December 28, 2024
Too many chiefs, not enough Indians?
Additionally, the presence of Indian Americans in the administration, including V.P. J.D. Vance's (Hindu) wife, Usha (Bala Chilukuri) Vance, and the religious affiliations of several Indian American appointees are predominantly Hindu:
Vivek Ramaswamy, Kask Patel, Indian-born Jay Bhattacharya & Sriram Krisnan, are Hindus. Besides these, American Samoa-born Tulsi Gabbard is also Hindu. And we can't forget to mention that Indian born Harmeet Dhillon is a Sikh.
These nominations are perplexing at a time when P.M. Narendra Modi's Hindu Nationalist government is an active proponent of De-Dollarization (reduction of the U.S. Dollar's reserve currency status) through India's central membership in the BRICS economic bloc.
Image (Courtesy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsN99BTYPT4
Wescott and Hort
Westcott and Hort
© 1987 Samuel C. Gipp Th.D
Reproduced by Permission
Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1903) and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892) have been highly controversial figures in biblical history.
On one side, their supporters have heralded them as great men of God, having greatly advanced the search for the original Greek text.
On the other side, their opponents have leveled charges of heresy, infidelity, apostasy, and many others, claiming that they are guilty of wreaking great damage on the true text of Scripture.
I have no desire to "sling mud" nor a desire to hide facts.
I believe it is essential at this time that we examine what we know about these men and their theories concerning the text of the Bible.
I long sought for copies of the books about their lives.
These are The Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westeott, by his son, Arthur, and The Life and Letters of Fenton John Anthony Hort, written by his son.
After literally months of trying, I was able to acquire copies of them both for study. Most of the material in this section will be directly from these sources so as to prevent it from being secondhand.
We cannot blindly accept the finding of any scholar without investigating what his beliefs are concerning the Bible and its doctrines. Scholarship alone makes for an inadequate and dangerous authority, therefore we are forced to scrutinize these men's lives.
Friday, December 27, 2024
White House Aides Finally Reveal Who Really Ran The Country As Biden Slid Into Mental Incompetence
(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Reagan Reese
White House Correspondent
December 19, 20241:40 PM ET
With President Joe Biden’s time in office winding down, dozens of those close to his operations over the years told The Wall Street Journal how aides insulated the 82-year-old and handled his responsibilities as concerns of his fitness increased.
President-elect Donald Trump’s domination of the news cycle since winning the 2024 election has allowed Biden to fade from the national politics scene. But since the 82-year-old dropped out of the presidential race, questions about his physical state, how long the president had been declining and how it was being handled, have remained unanswered. The WSJ interviewed nearly 50 people who have been close to Biden throughout his administration and they detail how staff handled cabinet officials, presidential responsibilities and campaign events.
With President Joe Biden’s time in office winding down, dozens of those close to his operations over the years told The Wall Street Journal how aides insulated the 82-year-old and handled his responsibilities as concerns of his fitness increased.
President-elect Donald Trump’s domination of the news cycle since winning the 2024 election has allowed Biden to fade from the national politics scene. But since the 82-year-old dropped out of the presidential race, questions about his physical state, how long the president had been declining and how it was being handled, have remained unanswered. The WSJ interviewed nearly 50 people who have been close to Biden throughout his administration and they detail how staff handled cabinet officials, presidential responsibilities and campaign events.
(RELATED: With All Eyes On Trump, Biden’s Bubble Gathered For One Last Swanky, Insulated Sendoff)
Biden, who was often prone to gaffes and having an unsteady gait, was typically trailed by aides, Annie Tomasini and Ashley Williams, while participating in events, according to the WSJ. Those aides tried to stay within ear shot or eye distance of the president over the years, often giving him “basic instructions” like when to leave and exit the stage in an event, the outlet reported.
Aides also adjusted the president’s schedule to start his meetings later in the day as the 82-year-old was typically not his sharpest in the morning, some sources told the WSJ. Sometimes, the meetings were reportedly scrapped all together if Biden was having an “off day.” The White House denied this account to the outlet.
“He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day so we’re going to address this tomorrow,” a former aide recalled one official saying to them, according to the WSJ.
Biden, who was often prone to gaffes and having an unsteady gait, was typically trailed by aides, Annie Tomasini and Ashley Williams, while participating in events, according to the WSJ. Those aides tried to stay within ear shot or eye distance of the president over the years, often giving him “basic instructions” like when to leave and exit the stage in an event, the outlet reported.
Aides also adjusted the president’s schedule to start his meetings later in the day as the 82-year-old was typically not his sharpest in the morning, some sources told the WSJ. Sometimes, the meetings were reportedly scrapped all together if Biden was having an “off day.” The White House denied this account to the outlet.
“He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day so we’re going to address this tomorrow,” a former aide recalled one official saying to them, according to the WSJ.
Thursday, December 26, 2024
Biden signs 50 bills into law on Christmas Eve - including legislation supported by Paris Hilton
The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act is designed to hold teenage treatment centers and care facilities accountable
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday 25 December 2024 15:59 GMT
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
President Joe Biden spent Christmas Eve signing 50 bills into law, including one piece of legislation supported by Paris Hilton and another designating the bald eagle as the U.S. national bird.
The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, backed by Hilton, a socialite and activist, is designed to hold teenage treatment centers and care facilities accountable. Hilton spent time on Capitol Hill promoting the measure.
This month, the Senate voted unanimously to support the bill, and it passed the House by a vote of 367 to 33. Biden signed the law Tuesday. Hilton, meanwhile, has expressed interest in possibly becoming an elected official.
Biden also signed legislation, sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, and Minnesota Reps. Brad Finstad and Angie Craig, making the bald eagle the official bird of the U.S.
“Bald eagles are a historical symbol of the United States representing independence, strength, and freedom,” the bill states, also noting that the bird “remains the leading insignia for all branches of the United States military.”
The co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, Preston Cook, who helped push for the legislation, said in a statement earlier this month that “the Bald Eagle has symbolized American ideals since its placement on the Great Seal in 1782.”
"With this legislation, we honor its historic role and solidify its place as our national bird and an emblem of our national identity," he added.
US President Joe Biden speaks during a holiday visit to patients and families at Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC, on December 20, 2024. Biden signed 50 bills into law on Christmas Eve (AFP via Getty Images)
Among the other bills signed on Christmas Eve was the Stop Campus Hazing Act, which creates disclosure regulations at federally funded universities, requiring them to report on campus hazing incidents in their annual security reports. On-campus fraternities and sororities often take part in hazings as part of their pledging proceedings. North Carolina State University has found that more than half of college students take part in some kind of hazing.
Biden signed two bills renaming local post offices in honor of community leaders in Texas and California. A post office in Bastrop, Texas will be renamed after Sergeant Major Billy D. Waugh, a CIA intelligence officer and Army soldier who spent more than 50 years serving the U.S.
Meanwhile, a post office in San Francisco, California, will be renamed after the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
The president also signed a number of bills to rename federal buildings, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs community clinic in Lynchburg, Virginia, which is now the Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic, The Hill noted. The Veterans Affairs medical center in Tulsa, Oklahoma was renamed after the late Sen. Jim Inhofe.
Among the other bills signed on Christmas Eve was the Stop Campus Hazing Act, which creates disclosure regulations at federally funded universities, requiring them to report on campus hazing incidents in their annual security reports. On-campus fraternities and sororities often take part in hazings as part of their pledging proceedings. North Carolina State University has found that more than half of college students take part in some kind of hazing.
Biden signed two bills renaming local post offices in honor of community leaders in Texas and California. A post office in Bastrop, Texas will be renamed after Sergeant Major Billy D. Waugh, a CIA intelligence officer and Army soldier who spent more than 50 years serving the U.S.
Meanwhile, a post office in San Francisco, California, will be renamed after the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
The president also signed a number of bills to rename federal buildings, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs community clinic in Lynchburg, Virginia, which is now the Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic, The Hill noted. The Veterans Affairs medical center in Tulsa, Oklahoma was renamed after the late Sen. Jim Inhofe.
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Immigrants prepare action plans after Trump says he will allow ICE to act in schools, churches and hospitals
Immigrants' rights advocates are helping vulnerable families prepare plans of action in case an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported.
Advocates and groups are conducting know-your-rights training sessions and helping vulnerable families prepare plans of action in case an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported. John Moore / Getty Images file
Dec. 23, 2024, 4:56 PM EST
By Nicole Acevedo
Immigrant families are spending the holidays having difficult conversations in anticipation of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to carry out what he has called “the largest deportation program in American history” once he's sworn in next month.
“A lot of us are honestly celebrating Christmas together thinking, ‘Oh my God, is this the last time we get to spend Christmas with our family members?’” said Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, who leads the Hope CommUnity Center, a nonprofit organization outside of Orlando, Florida, that advocates for immigrants and other underserved communities. "This is really heart-wrenching."
To deliver on Trump's promise to deport more than 11 million undocumented immigrants, the incoming administration intends to roll back policies that restrict immigration enforcement actions in sensitive places like schools, churches and hospitals, as well as their respective surrounding areas, NBC News reported.
"There’s no way they can deport millions of people if they don’t go for the low-hanging fruit, and this is it,” Sousa-Lazaballet said.
NBC News spoke with nearly a half-dozen immigrants' rights advocates across four states, and they all said they have received an increased number of calls from immigrants asking about their rights. They have also heard questions from community groups, schools and churches about what their roles are in the face of such possibilities.
In response, the advocates and groups are conducting know-your-rights trainings and helping vulnerable families prepare plans of action in case an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported.
Dec. 23, 2024, 4:56 PM EST
By Nicole Acevedo
Immigrant families are spending the holidays having difficult conversations in anticipation of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to carry out what he has called “the largest deportation program in American history” once he's sworn in next month.
“A lot of us are honestly celebrating Christmas together thinking, ‘Oh my God, is this the last time we get to spend Christmas with our family members?’” said Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, who leads the Hope CommUnity Center, a nonprofit organization outside of Orlando, Florida, that advocates for immigrants and other underserved communities. "This is really heart-wrenching."
To deliver on Trump's promise to deport more than 11 million undocumented immigrants, the incoming administration intends to roll back policies that restrict immigration enforcement actions in sensitive places like schools, churches and hospitals, as well as their respective surrounding areas, NBC News reported.
"There’s no way they can deport millions of people if they don’t go for the low-hanging fruit, and this is it,” Sousa-Lazaballet said.
NBC News spoke with nearly a half-dozen immigrants' rights advocates across four states, and they all said they have received an increased number of calls from immigrants asking about their rights. They have also heard questions from community groups, schools and churches about what their roles are in the face of such possibilities.
In response, the advocates and groups are conducting know-your-rights trainings and helping vulnerable families prepare plans of action in case an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported.
Indian-Americans see their political power rise, this time under Trump
WFAE | By Steve Harrison
Published December 18, 2024 at 3:40 AM EST
RNC
California attorney Harmeet Dhillon gave a Sikh prayer at this summer's Republican National Convention. She's one of President-elect Trump's high-profile Indian American nominees to his administration.
At this summer’s Democratic National Convention, Kamala Harris spoke about her mother, who was born in the city of Chennai, India.
“My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakeable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer,” said Harris, who would have been the first woman elected president, as well as the first person of South Asian descent.
Of course, President-elect Donald Trump won, sweeping all seven swing states.
Indian Americans might be expected to be devastated by Harris' loss. But they are still poised to have more influence than in any previous administration under President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump has nominated Kash Patel to lead the FBI and Jay Battacharya over the National Institutes of Health. Vivek Ramaswamy will co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump picked Harmeet Dhillon to head the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
And, of course, Usha Vance will be Second Lady of the United States.
“That might come as a surprise to a lot of people because Indian-Americans tend to be Democratic,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a researcher at UC Berkeley.
He said that’s based on polls of how Indian Americans, as well as “people who have run for office and won elected office. Or if you look at political contributions. It’s a pretty heavy tilt towards the Democratic Party.”
Courting Indian Americans
But despite that tilt, Trump has embraced — and courted — Indian Americans.
In 2019, Trump shared the stage with India’s conservative and controversial prime minister, Narendra Modi, at a massive rally in Houston. The event, held at a football stadium, was nicknamed “Howdy Modi.”
To massive applause, Trump pledged to work with Modi to make the two countries “even more prosperous than ever before.”
In Trump’s first term, he nominated more mainstream Indian American Republicans, like Nikki Haley as U.N. ambassador and Ajit Pai to lead the FCC.
In his sequel, he’s tapping Indian Americans who’ve made their names as disruptors or fierce defenders of him.
Dhillon opposed the Patriot Act after 9/11 and protested against what she said was discrimination against Sikhs. She became a key defender of Trump starting in 2016, and after Trump lost the 2020 election, she floated the idea of the U.S. Supreme Court to “step in and do something.”
And Patel has echoed Trump’s calls for retribution against political opponents and journalists. In an appearance on Steve Bannon’s podcast last year, Patel said: “We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly — we’ll figure that out.”
Battacharya was a skeptic of the government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. He signed onto a statement known as the “Great Barrington Declaration,” which called for trying to protect vulnerable populations while reopening society sooner.
Hopeful about a second term
The prominence of Indian Americans in Trump’s second administration has surprised some.
Avantika Modi immigrated to the U.S. in the late '90s and moved to Charlotte in 2008.
She’s part of a wave of South Asians coming here for tech jobs in the city’s banks. That influx has made Indian Americans the second-largest group of foreign-born residents in North Carolina, after those born in Mexico.
She was disappointed Harris didn’t win. But she’s Googled Usha Vance and Trump’s Indian American nominees.
“I look at Vivek Ramasamy, and I look at his family,” she said. “And it’s the typical or traditional combination of education with tradition. And I think, ‘OK, maybe they are just doing this to win votes, and maybe they’ll actually do some good.’ ”
She’s cautiously optimistic about Trump’s second term.
“Some of the appointments he’s made of Indians maybe makes me hope and think that he’s not, you know, as racist as he is projected to be,” she said.
Shan Shanmugathan, of Charlotte, also works in IT. He grew up near where Harris’ mother was born in southern India. He also donated to Harris' campaign when she ran for California attorney general 14 years ago.
But he voted three times for Trump, saying the president-elect can be a buffoon, but is right more than he’s wrong.
He likes Trump’s picks, especially Battacharya to lead NIH.
“Jay Battacharya is not an ordinary guy. He’s a Stanford professor,” he said.
Shanmugathan said he appreciates Battacharya’s willingness in the early days of the pandemic to push to reopen schools.
“That’s a mark of courage, right? Especially when saying an unpopular opinion is the most difficult thing to do,” he said.
He also approves of Patel’s nomination to the FBI. He said the agency had become too political under President Biden.
Shift to the right
The Asian American Voter Survey found 77% of Indian Americans said they voted for Hillary Clinton eight years ago. It found in September that 69% planned to vote for Harris.
That shift to the right was seen in other minority groups in the 2024 election.
Amit Mehta, who arrived in Charlotte 25 years ago, said the shift to the GOP is mostly from younger Indian Americans, born in the U.S.
“If I look at my uncles and aunts that live here they are staunch Democrats — 100%, right?” he said. “But then there are younger people that I can see leaning right.”
He said he’s not surprised by the prominence of Indian Americans being tapped to serve. He said his peers have been successful in business, and politics is the next logical frontier.
At this summer’s Democratic National Convention, Kamala Harris spoke about her mother, who was born in the city of Chennai, India.
“My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakeable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer,” said Harris, who would have been the first woman elected president, as well as the first person of South Asian descent.
Of course, President-elect Donald Trump won, sweeping all seven swing states.
Indian Americans might be expected to be devastated by Harris' loss. But they are still poised to have more influence than in any previous administration under President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump has nominated Kash Patel to lead the FBI and Jay Battacharya over the National Institutes of Health. Vivek Ramaswamy will co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump picked Harmeet Dhillon to head the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
And, of course, Usha Vance will be Second Lady of the United States.
“That might come as a surprise to a lot of people because Indian-Americans tend to be Democratic,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a researcher at UC Berkeley.
He said that’s based on polls of how Indian Americans, as well as “people who have run for office and won elected office. Or if you look at political contributions. It’s a pretty heavy tilt towards the Democratic Party.”
Courting Indian Americans
But despite that tilt, Trump has embraced — and courted — Indian Americans.
In 2019, Trump shared the stage with India’s conservative and controversial prime minister, Narendra Modi, at a massive rally in Houston. The event, held at a football stadium, was nicknamed “Howdy Modi.”
To massive applause, Trump pledged to work with Modi to make the two countries “even more prosperous than ever before.”
In Trump’s first term, he nominated more mainstream Indian American Republicans, like Nikki Haley as U.N. ambassador and Ajit Pai to lead the FCC.
In his sequel, he’s tapping Indian Americans who’ve made their names as disruptors or fierce defenders of him.
Dhillon opposed the Patriot Act after 9/11 and protested against what she said was discrimination against Sikhs. She became a key defender of Trump starting in 2016, and after Trump lost the 2020 election, she floated the idea of the U.S. Supreme Court to “step in and do something.”
And Patel has echoed Trump’s calls for retribution against political opponents and journalists. In an appearance on Steve Bannon’s podcast last year, Patel said: “We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly — we’ll figure that out.”
Battacharya was a skeptic of the government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. He signed onto a statement known as the “Great Barrington Declaration,” which called for trying to protect vulnerable populations while reopening society sooner.
Hopeful about a second term
The prominence of Indian Americans in Trump’s second administration has surprised some.
Avantika Modi immigrated to the U.S. in the late '90s and moved to Charlotte in 2008.
She’s part of a wave of South Asians coming here for tech jobs in the city’s banks. That influx has made Indian Americans the second-largest group of foreign-born residents in North Carolina, after those born in Mexico.
She was disappointed Harris didn’t win. But she’s Googled Usha Vance and Trump’s Indian American nominees.
“I look at Vivek Ramasamy, and I look at his family,” she said. “And it’s the typical or traditional combination of education with tradition. And I think, ‘OK, maybe they are just doing this to win votes, and maybe they’ll actually do some good.’ ”
She’s cautiously optimistic about Trump’s second term.
“Some of the appointments he’s made of Indians maybe makes me hope and think that he’s not, you know, as racist as he is projected to be,” she said.
Shan Shanmugathan, of Charlotte, also works in IT. He grew up near where Harris’ mother was born in southern India. He also donated to Harris' campaign when she ran for California attorney general 14 years ago.
But he voted three times for Trump, saying the president-elect can be a buffoon, but is right more than he’s wrong.
He likes Trump’s picks, especially Battacharya to lead NIH.
“Jay Battacharya is not an ordinary guy. He’s a Stanford professor,” he said.
Shanmugathan said he appreciates Battacharya’s willingness in the early days of the pandemic to push to reopen schools.
“That’s a mark of courage, right? Especially when saying an unpopular opinion is the most difficult thing to do,” he said.
He also approves of Patel’s nomination to the FBI. He said the agency had become too political under President Biden.
Shift to the right
The Asian American Voter Survey found 77% of Indian Americans said they voted for Hillary Clinton eight years ago. It found in September that 69% planned to vote for Harris.
That shift to the right was seen in other minority groups in the 2024 election.
Amit Mehta, who arrived in Charlotte 25 years ago, said the shift to the GOP is mostly from younger Indian Americans, born in the U.S.
“If I look at my uncles and aunts that live here they are staunch Democrats — 100%, right?” he said. “But then there are younger people that I can see leaning right.”
He said he’s not surprised by the prominence of Indian Americans being tapped to serve. He said his peers have been successful in business, and politics is the next logical frontier.
Fully embracing heritage
Former La. Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2008 was one of the first prominent conservative Indian American politicians. Like Nikki Haley, born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa, he anglicized his name and became a Christian.
But many Indian Americans today — both Republicans and Democrats — are embracing their heritage, said Pomona College political science professor Sara Sadhwani, who studies Asian American voting.
“And certainly Vivek Ramaswamy falls into that category,” she said. “He talked about what it meant for him to be a Hindu. Which is much different from Bobby Jindal, from Nikki Haley — even Kamala Harris.”
Perhaps no conservative Indian American has embraced their faith more than Dhillon, Trump’s pick to lead the Civil Rights Division at the DOJ. She gave a Sikh prayer at the Republican National Convention this summer.
She told the audience that, “to show respect we cover our head when we pray.”
Dhillon had a scarf that was across her shoulder, and then gently wrapped it over her head. She recited her prayer in Punjabi and then in English.
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Pope Francis sends special Christmas gift to the people of war-torn Ukraine
By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 19, 2024 / 15:25 pm
Pope Francis blesses small mobile medical unit being donated to Ukraine. | Credit: Dicastery for the Service of Charity
“Martyred” Ukraine has occupied a special place in Pope Francis’ heart since the Russian army invaded the country in February 2022.
The pontiff has regularly called for prayer for the Ukrainian people and appealed for peace. But not only that, the Holy Father has also made concrete gestures of solidarity with the victims of the conflict.
The latest is a special gift as Christmas draws near: a vehicle converted into a small mobile hospital to care for the inhabitants of this country devastated by war.
The person in charge of delivering the vehicle where the injured can be operated on will be the pope’s almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajweski.
In addition, the Holy Father is sending six ultrasound machines that will be donated to destroyed and bombed hospitals.
During his trip to Ukraine, Krajewski will visit several communities to meet the suffering people, to bring them hope and the closeness of Pope Francis.
The cardinal has already visited the most affected areas on at least eight occasions at the request of the Holy Father.
In June, he brought the third ambulance donated by the pope to Ukraine. On that occasion, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity visited the district of Zboriv in the Ternopil region.
He also brought with him a large quantity of essential medicines from the Vatican Pharmacy and the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Pharmacy.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Trump Picks Leader Of Key Catholic Political Org, Father Of Nine For Vatican Ambassador
(Photo credit EVAN VUCCI/AFP via Getty Images)
CONTRIBUTOR
December 20, 20242:31 PM ET
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social Friday, praising Burch for “helping build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country.” Burch is a devout Catholic and outspoken supporter of Trump who urged Catholics to vote for the president-elect over his support of religious freedom and pro-life policies.
“I am pleased to announce that Brian Burch will serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Holy See,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Brian is a devout Catholic, a father of nine, and President of CatholicVote. He has received numerous awards, and demonstrated exceptional leadership, helping build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country. He represented me well during the last Election, having garnered more Catholic votes than any Presidential Candidate in History! Brian loves his Church and the United States – He will make us all proud. Congratulations to Brian, his wife Sara, and their incredible family!
The Holy See Ambassador serves as the official representative of the United States to the Vatican.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social Friday, praising Burch for “helping build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country.” Burch is a devout Catholic and outspoken supporter of Trump who urged Catholics to vote for the president-elect over his support of religious freedom and pro-life policies.
“I am pleased to announce that Brian Burch will serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Holy See,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Brian is a devout Catholic, a father of nine, and President of CatholicVote. He has received numerous awards, and demonstrated exceptional leadership, helping build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country. He represented me well during the last Election, having garnered more Catholic votes than any Presidential Candidate in History! Brian loves his Church and the United States – He will make us all proud. Congratulations to Brian, his wife Sara, and their incredible family!
The Holy See Ambassador serves as the official representative of the United States to the Vatican.
(RELATED: ‘Sign Of Great Hope’: Religious Leaders See A ‘Fourth Great Awakening’ As Americans Flock To Christianity)
Burch took to X to accept the nomination.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been nominated by President Trump to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Holy See. Words cannot express my gratitude to all those that have helped me achieve this nomination,” Burch wrote. “I am committed to working with leaders inside the Vatican and the new Administration to promote the dignity of all people and the common good. I look forward to the confirmation process and the opportunity to continue to serve my country and the Church. To God be the glory.”
Burch openly supported Trump’s election run, issuing a memo urging Catholics not to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, previously telling the Daily Caller News Foundation that the Democratic ticket “poses an existential threat to Catholics and all people of goodwill.”
“This is a candidate who doesn’t merely disagree with Catholics, but has a deep animus towards Catholics,” Burch warned at the time, adding that Harris has proven to have “broad hostility to Catholic institutions, Catholic moral beliefs, religious freedom and policies that would undermine the common good of the entire country.”
Trump’s victory on Nov. 5 was due in no small part to the Catholic vote, holding a double-digit lead over President Joe Biden despite losing the same group to him in 2020. Trump’s pro-life stance, defense of religious freedom and decision to pick Catholic J.D. Vance as his running may are all possible factors in Catholics’ voting trend this election.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Burch took to X to accept the nomination.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been nominated by President Trump to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Holy See. Words cannot express my gratitude to all those that have helped me achieve this nomination,” Burch wrote. “I am committed to working with leaders inside the Vatican and the new Administration to promote the dignity of all people and the common good. I look forward to the confirmation process and the opportunity to continue to serve my country and the Church. To God be the glory.”
Burch openly supported Trump’s election run, issuing a memo urging Catholics not to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, previously telling the Daily Caller News Foundation that the Democratic ticket “poses an existential threat to Catholics and all people of goodwill.”
“This is a candidate who doesn’t merely disagree with Catholics, but has a deep animus towards Catholics,” Burch warned at the time, adding that Harris has proven to have “broad hostility to Catholic institutions, Catholic moral beliefs, religious freedom and policies that would undermine the common good of the entire country.”
Trump’s victory on Nov. 5 was due in no small part to the Catholic vote, holding a double-digit lead over President Joe Biden despite losing the same group to him in 2020. Trump’s pro-life stance, defense of religious freedom and decision to pick Catholic J.D. Vance as his running may are all possible factors in Catholics’ voting trend this election.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Friday, December 20, 2024
I am sure this helped the Pope's cause...
I am sure this helped the Popes cause...🙄 pic.twitter.com/4hvCgy83Cd
— Mr.Stark (@MrStark_OG) December 15, 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Christmas
CHRISTMAS
December 25th is well known as the birthday of various pagan gods.
A Roman calendar drawn up by a “Christian” in 354 A.D. (The Codex Calendar of 354) shows December 25 to be the birthday of Sol Invictus. Not only is it listed as a pagan birthday; but, it is listed as the most important pagan birthday of the whole year. It was celebrated in the Roman Circus with extra chariot races. This is the sun god that Constantine the Great worshipped while claiming to be a “Christian.” His coins state that he was “committed to Sol Invictus.” Constantines’ form of “Christianity” continues to influence Christianity today. December 25th is just
one example. Satan wants to be “God.” The first four commandments tell us who “God” really is. Satan hates that and has done everything possible to abrogate those commandments. Calling December 25th the birthday of Jesus is nothing less than sticking a pagan god in the face of the “God” of the Bible – a direct violation of the first commandment.
There was no consensus among third and fourth scholars as to the birthday of Jesus. Different scholars gave many different dates. It seems that January 6th was one of the more popular choices during that time period.
Before the fourth century, the only possible reference to December 25 as the birthday of Jesus is assumed from the writings of Hippolytus. In his writings he indicates that Jesus was born on Passover, which would be either March 25th or April 2nd. Those who desire a December 25th birthday have theorized that Hippolytus really meant “conception” instead of “birth,” therefore nine months after “conception” the baby would be born on December 25th. A study of his other writings however, indicates that the Greek word he chose does indeed mean “birth.” An ancient monument of Hippolytus, now in the Lateran Museum in Rome, shows April 2nd as the birthday of Christ.
There is no record of a December 25th celebration of the birth of Christ in Rome earlier than 336. In Constantinople, no record of a celebration before 378. In Alexandria, not before 400; and in Jerusalem, not before 425.
The bottom line is that there are no reliable historical documents that would place the birth of Jesus on December 25th. On the other hand, there is overwhelming documentation that the birthday of many of the sun gods of antiquity was recognized as December 25th.
In 273 A.D. Aurelian brought the worship of Baal, from Syria, back to Rome, and instituted the cult of Sol Invictus, which combined the worship of all the pagan sun gods into one – “Sol Invictus.” A few years earlier, the Roman emperor Elogabalus had unsuccessfully attempted to make the worship of the sun god Baal the predominant religion in Rome. The way Aurelian was able to get everyone, with their own specific sun gods, to be happy, was by proclaiming December 25th to be the birthday of Sol Invictus. They recognized December 25th as the birthday of their own god, therefore they were happy with the new name “Sol Invictus” – The Invincible Sun. Because of the association with December 25th. they recoginzed Sol Invictus as their own God.
The abominable worship of Tammuz, as spoken of in the book of Ezekiel, is related to December 25th. Today visitors to Bethlehem are taken to a subterranean cave, under the “Church of the Nativity” and are told that Jesus was born there on December 25th. It was Helena, the mother of Constantine, who declared that site to be the birth place of Christ. Jesus was not born there. It is a pagan sun worship cave in honor of Tammuz. The “church” historian Jerome, who wrote the Latin “Vulgate” tells us that Tammuz was worshipped there. He ought to know. His school was right next door. In fact, the back door of his school leads into the temple of Tammuz. In spite of all these facts, thousands of unknowing Christians bow down and kiss the spot in the niche where the idol of Tammuz was placed. Although theologians know, they will not tell people the truth. They will be held accountable.
Our Christian ancestors knew better. The celebration of December 25th was illegal in England. It was outlawed in New England from 1649 to 1658. The December 25th celebration was condemned for its pagan roots by the Puritans, the Methodists, the Quakers, the Amish, the Presbyterians, and the Baptists. Why would they do that if there was not a legitimate problem? Christmas was made a legal holiday in Massachusetts in 1856.
Considering these facts, it is not unreasonable for a person to want to disassociate himself from a pagan birthday that never had anything to do with Christ Jesus. The Bible says that “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” We are only responsible for what we know. Even so, we must not be “willingly ignorant.” Once this information is made known, everyone will have to make their own decision.
In closing, let us not forget that at Mt. Sinai the people declared the celebrations associated with the “golden calf” to be “a feast to the LORD.” He wanted to kill them all, and would have, except for the intervention of Moses. We cannot decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. That is what Satan wants us to do. We cannot proclaim a known pagan birthday to be in honor of Jesus, just because we think it is a good thing to do.
A Roman calendar drawn up by a “Christian” in 354 A.D. (The Codex Calendar of 354) shows December 25 to be the birthday of Sol Invictus. Not only is it listed as a pagan birthday; but, it is listed as the most important pagan birthday of the whole year. It was celebrated in the Roman Circus with extra chariot races. This is the sun god that Constantine the Great worshipped while claiming to be a “Christian.” His coins state that he was “committed to Sol Invictus.” Constantines’ form of “Christianity” continues to influence Christianity today. December 25th is just
one example. Satan wants to be “God.” The first four commandments tell us who “God” really is. Satan hates that and has done everything possible to abrogate those commandments. Calling December 25th the birthday of Jesus is nothing less than sticking a pagan god in the face of the “God” of the Bible – a direct violation of the first commandment.
There was no consensus among third and fourth scholars as to the birthday of Jesus. Different scholars gave many different dates. It seems that January 6th was one of the more popular choices during that time period.
Before the fourth century, the only possible reference to December 25 as the birthday of Jesus is assumed from the writings of Hippolytus. In his writings he indicates that Jesus was born on Passover, which would be either March 25th or April 2nd. Those who desire a December 25th birthday have theorized that Hippolytus really meant “conception” instead of “birth,” therefore nine months after “conception” the baby would be born on December 25th. A study of his other writings however, indicates that the Greek word he chose does indeed mean “birth.” An ancient monument of Hippolytus, now in the Lateran Museum in Rome, shows April 2nd as the birthday of Christ.
There is no record of a December 25th celebration of the birth of Christ in Rome earlier than 336. In Constantinople, no record of a celebration before 378. In Alexandria, not before 400; and in Jerusalem, not before 425.
The bottom line is that there are no reliable historical documents that would place the birth of Jesus on December 25th. On the other hand, there is overwhelming documentation that the birthday of many of the sun gods of antiquity was recognized as December 25th.
In 273 A.D. Aurelian brought the worship of Baal, from Syria, back to Rome, and instituted the cult of Sol Invictus, which combined the worship of all the pagan sun gods into one – “Sol Invictus.” A few years earlier, the Roman emperor Elogabalus had unsuccessfully attempted to make the worship of the sun god Baal the predominant religion in Rome. The way Aurelian was able to get everyone, with their own specific sun gods, to be happy, was by proclaiming December 25th to be the birthday of Sol Invictus. They recognized December 25th as the birthday of their own god, therefore they were happy with the new name “Sol Invictus” – The Invincible Sun. Because of the association with December 25th. they recoginzed Sol Invictus as their own God.
The abominable worship of Tammuz, as spoken of in the book of Ezekiel, is related to December 25th. Today visitors to Bethlehem are taken to a subterranean cave, under the “Church of the Nativity” and are told that Jesus was born there on December 25th. It was Helena, the mother of Constantine, who declared that site to be the birth place of Christ. Jesus was not born there. It is a pagan sun worship cave in honor of Tammuz. The “church” historian Jerome, who wrote the Latin “Vulgate” tells us that Tammuz was worshipped there. He ought to know. His school was right next door. In fact, the back door of his school leads into the temple of Tammuz. In spite of all these facts, thousands of unknowing Christians bow down and kiss the spot in the niche where the idol of Tammuz was placed. Although theologians know, they will not tell people the truth. They will be held accountable.
Our Christian ancestors knew better. The celebration of December 25th was illegal in England. It was outlawed in New England from 1649 to 1658. The December 25th celebration was condemned for its pagan roots by the Puritans, the Methodists, the Quakers, the Amish, the Presbyterians, and the Baptists. Why would they do that if there was not a legitimate problem? Christmas was made a legal holiday in Massachusetts in 1856.
Considering these facts, it is not unreasonable for a person to want to disassociate himself from a pagan birthday that never had anything to do with Christ Jesus. The Bible says that “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” We are only responsible for what we know. Even so, we must not be “willingly ignorant.” Once this information is made known, everyone will have to make their own decision.
In closing, let us not forget that at Mt. Sinai the people declared the celebrations associated with the “golden calf” to be “a feast to the LORD.” He wanted to kill them all, and would have, except for the intervention of Moses. We cannot decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. That is what Satan wants us to do. We cannot proclaim a known pagan birthday to be in honor of Jesus, just because we think it is a good thing to do.
The Sodomite Deception - Full Documentary
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This blatant censorship by hiding a video from this blog is hypocritical at a time when children are provided gender affirming surgeries (sex change operations), and sexual alternative lifestyles are taught as part of the curriculum in practically all government grade schools in America.
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Monday, December 16, 2024
Why are Drones Hovering Over America?
Signs of the Times #88
Why are Drones Hovering Over America?
Originally posted Dec. 16, 2024.
Why are Drones Hovering Over America?
Originally posted Dec. 16, 2024.
Quotes of the Times:
“Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” Donald Trump, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113647906240301335
“It will not be long before other US citizens will have drones hovering over their heads…” Signs of the Times #13, Dec. 8, 2011, commenting on the assassination of American citizen Anwar al-Awlaki, by President Barack Obama.
It is widely known that drones are flying over the eastern seaboard of America at night, and everyone is mystified, perplexed and concerned, because no one seems to know why, or who is doing it.
The Pentagon, (the US agency responsible for defending America), has publicly stated that they know nothing about it, but they also say, that the drones are not of alien origin. In other words, they don’t know what they are, but they do know what they are not – which means, if they know what they are not, then they do know what they are – but they do not want to admit that they know. Which means they are lying to the US public (and the world). Which raises the question, why are they lying? The answer, in all probability, is that they do not want to scare the American people, and cause mass panic.
As Donald Trump has stated, it is absurd that the Pentagon does not know who is flying these drones at night and why they are being flown. The eastern seaboard of America contains some of the most restricted air space in the world. It is simply not allowed for unidentified objects to roam at will through this air space. Airport traffic is already being disrupted and many besides Donald Trump, have called for these drones to be shot down. Nevertheless, each night the drones keep flying. Which means something is happening that official government sources do not want to talk about. Therefore, because of the official silence, speculation is all we are left with – so here goes.
On October 31, 2023 the US Department of Energy issued a press release, with the headlines: ‘Radiation Detecting Drone Soars Over Portsmouth for Collaborative Testing’ https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/radiation-detecting-drone-soars-over-portsmouth-collaborative-testing In other words, the US government has drones that can detect radiation. On a normal mission drones would fly during the day, because normal drone activity requires visibility. However, if drones are trying to detect radiation it is better to fly at night, the better to conceal the drone activity, and attempt to conceal the purpose. If they are trying to detect radiation, why are they trying to detect radiation? The first speculative thought that springs to mind is: “Are they trying to find a nuclear bomb?”
On January 20, 2025, the eastern seaboard of America is going to host the inaugurations of Donald Trump as the next US President - ‘The Powers That Be’ have already shown us, that they are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths, to prevent that from happening. Many powerful people are extremely worried, that they might be going to jail, because of crimes committed during the present soon to be dismissed administration. Are they prepared to save themselves, and perpetuate the present administration in power, by declaring a national emergency by doing the unthinkable, by causing a nuclear device to explode and blaming it on the Russians? Is this why drones are flying over the seaboard of America, because some in the American government, are trying to prevent this from happening? Or is it because some in the American government are going to reveal, that they are searching for a nuclear device and this will be sufficient to declare a national emergency, cancel the inauguration, and perpetuate the present administration in power, until they choose to declare the national emergency over. We will soon find out why drones are hovering over America.
God bless,
Bruce Telfer
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Biden Commutes Sentences of Cartel Leaders & Drug Traffickers in Record-Breaking Clemency Grant
Frank Bergman
Outgoing President Joe Biden has issued a record-breaking clemency grant that benefits fraudsters, drug traffickers, cartel leaders, and crack dealers, court records show.
The lame-duck president’s list of convicted criminals includes nearly 1,500 individuals who will have their sentences commuted.
On Thursday, Biden announced he would commute sentences for individuals “who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities.”
However, the list of commutations released by the White House includes several high-profile and dangerous criminals.
One individual, Francesk Shkambi, was initially sentenced in July 2014 to 27 years in prison.
According to court records, Shkambi was convicted for leading a criminal organization to “smuggle cocaine and marijuana into the United States from Albania.”
“Shkambi also negotiated with a foreign source to traffic cocaine from Mexico to Europe,” the records show.
“The jury found Shkambi responsible for trafficking 85 kilograms of cocaine, 4 kilograms of heroin, approximately 122 pounds of marijuana, and 4,000 pills of Ecstasy.”
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Shkambi was later set to be released in 2029.
Jose Valdez also had his sentence commuted by Biden.
Valdez “coordinated the distribution of large quantities of cocaine and marijuana for a drug-trafficking organization based in El Paso, Texas, from March of 2015 through July of 2016,” court records reveal.
He also “recruited numerous individuals to deliver narcotics to cities throughout the United States.”
According to the BOP, Valdez’s scheduled release date was previously set for November 2026.
Biden also commuted Daniel Monsanto Lopez’s sentence.
Lopez’s request for release to home confinement was denied by a court in 2020.
The court noted Lopez is “the organizer and leader of a sophisticated, years-long narcotics smuggling and distribution conspiracy that trafficked at least 20 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the Bronx.”
“While Mr. Monsanto Lopez’s motion is long on statistics — he emphasizes in support of his motion that COVID-19 has more strongly impacted Hispanic males such as himself — it is short on specifics, and he has failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for his release,” the court held.
According to the BOP, Lopez’s release date was set for December 25, 2024.
David Morrow also had his sentence commuted by Biden.
Morrow was convicted of “conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of crack cocaine” and for “maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing crack cocaine.”
His expected release date was set for November 2031, according to the BOP.
December 13, 2024 - 3:12 pm
Outgoing President Joe Biden has issued a record-breaking clemency grant that benefits fraudsters, drug traffickers, cartel leaders, and crack dealers, court records show.
The lame-duck president’s list of convicted criminals includes nearly 1,500 individuals who will have their sentences commuted.
On Thursday, Biden announced he would commute sentences for individuals “who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities.”
However, the list of commutations released by the White House includes several high-profile and dangerous criminals.
One individual, Francesk Shkambi, was initially sentenced in July 2014 to 27 years in prison.
According to court records, Shkambi was convicted for leading a criminal organization to “smuggle cocaine and marijuana into the United States from Albania.”
“Shkambi also negotiated with a foreign source to traffic cocaine from Mexico to Europe,” the records show.
“The jury found Shkambi responsible for trafficking 85 kilograms of cocaine, 4 kilograms of heroin, approximately 122 pounds of marijuana, and 4,000 pills of Ecstasy.”
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Shkambi was later set to be released in 2029.
Jose Valdez also had his sentence commuted by Biden.
Valdez “coordinated the distribution of large quantities of cocaine and marijuana for a drug-trafficking organization based in El Paso, Texas, from March of 2015 through July of 2016,” court records reveal.
He also “recruited numerous individuals to deliver narcotics to cities throughout the United States.”
According to the BOP, Valdez’s scheduled release date was previously set for November 2026.
Biden also commuted Daniel Monsanto Lopez’s sentence.
Lopez’s request for release to home confinement was denied by a court in 2020.
The court noted Lopez is “the organizer and leader of a sophisticated, years-long narcotics smuggling and distribution conspiracy that trafficked at least 20 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the Bronx.”
“While Mr. Monsanto Lopez’s motion is long on statistics — he emphasizes in support of his motion that COVID-19 has more strongly impacted Hispanic males such as himself — it is short on specifics, and he has failed to demonstrate extraordinary and compelling reasons for his release,” the court held.
According to the BOP, Lopez’s release date was set for December 25, 2024.
David Morrow also had his sentence commuted by Biden.
Morrow was convicted of “conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of crack cocaine” and for “maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing crack cocaine.”
His expected release date was set for November 2031, according to the BOP.
Two of the “most notorious fraudsters” in the Chicago area — former Dixon, Illinois Comptroller Rita Crundwell and former Sentinel Management Group, Inc. CEO Eric Bloom — also made Biden’s list. according to the Chicago Tribune.
Crundwell, who was sentenced in 2013 to nearly 20 years in prison, stole $53.7 million from Dixon over the course of a decade.
Many called Crundwell’s operation the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history.
Bloom was convicted for defrauding “hundreds of victims” of over $665 million.
Biden’s Thursday announcement stated:
“Today, President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans – the most ever in a single day – who have shown successful rehabilitation and a strong commitment to making their communities safer.
“The President is commuting the sentences of close to 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities.”
Crundwell, who was sentenced in 2013 to nearly 20 years in prison, stole $53.7 million from Dixon over the course of a decade.
Many called Crundwell’s operation the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history.
Bloom was convicted for defrauding “hundreds of victims” of over $665 million.
Biden’s Thursday announcement stated:
“Today, President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans – the most ever in a single day – who have shown successful rehabilitation and a strong commitment to making their communities safer.
“The President is commuting the sentences of close to 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities.”
White House
CLEMENCY RECIPIENT LIST
Friday, December 13, 2024
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Monday, December 09, 2024
Suspect ID'd in Fatal Shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Brian Thompson was fatally shot on Wednesday, Dec. 4, in New York City
By Ben Brachfeld, KC Baker, and Elizabeth Rosner
Published on December 9, 2024 01:45PM EST
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By Ben Brachfeld, KC Baker, and Elizabeth Rosner
Published on December 9, 2024 01:45PM EST
PHOTO: NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT/FACEBOOK
Police have identified Luigi Mangione, 26, as the suspect held in connection with the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO who was fatally shot in Manhattan last week, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed at a press conference on Monday, Dec. 9.
Mangione was detained on Monday at an Altoona, Pa., McDonalds after an employee spotted him eating and notified police, authorities confirmed to PEOPLE.
He was discovered in possession of a 9mm "ghost gun" similar to that used to shoot Thompson, multiple fake IDs including a N.J. ID used to check into a hostel where the shooter allegedly stayed, and a 3-page manifesto critical of the health insurance industry, New York and Altoona police say.
An X account belonging to a Luigi Mangione describes him as a Honolulu, Hawaii, resident with a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said he was born and raised in Maryland and has ties to San Francisco, Calif.; Honolulu was his last known address.
The suspect had no known prior arrests, Kenny said, and the NYPD did not have his name on their radar until his arrest in Altoona.
Officials with the NYPD and Manhattan District Attorney's office are en route to Pennsylvania to interview Mangione, who was arrested on weapons charges in Pennsylvania and would have to be extradited to New York before facing potential murder charges.
Thompson was fatally shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, where the CEO was attending a company investors' conference. The hooded, masked suspect fled the scene on a bike, with police losing track of him in Central Park.
Police Find 3 Chilling Words on Bullet Casings Used by Killer of CEO Brian Thompson: Report
Police believe the suspect deliberately targeted Thompson, "lying in wait" outside the hotel as other pedestrians walked by and only opening fire when Thompson arrived.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
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Police have identified Luigi Mangione, 26, as the suspect held in connection with the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO who was fatally shot in Manhattan last week, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed at a press conference on Monday, Dec. 9.
Mangione was detained on Monday at an Altoona, Pa., McDonalds after an employee spotted him eating and notified police, authorities confirmed to PEOPLE.
He was discovered in possession of a 9mm "ghost gun" similar to that used to shoot Thompson, multiple fake IDs including a N.J. ID used to check into a hostel where the shooter allegedly stayed, and a 3-page manifesto critical of the health insurance industry, New York and Altoona police say.
An X account belonging to a Luigi Mangione describes him as a Honolulu, Hawaii, resident with a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said he was born and raised in Maryland and has ties to San Francisco, Calif.; Honolulu was his last known address.
The suspect had no known prior arrests, Kenny said, and the NYPD did not have his name on their radar until his arrest in Altoona.
Officials with the NYPD and Manhattan District Attorney's office are en route to Pennsylvania to interview Mangione, who was arrested on weapons charges in Pennsylvania and would have to be extradited to New York before facing potential murder charges.
Thompson was fatally shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, where the CEO was attending a company investors' conference. The hooded, masked suspect fled the scene on a bike, with police losing track of him in Central Park.
Police Find 3 Chilling Words on Bullet Casings Used by Killer of CEO Brian Thompson: Report
Police believe the suspect deliberately targeted Thompson, "lying in wait" outside the hotel as other pedestrians walked by and only opening fire when Thompson arrived.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Brian Thompson.
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
Back home in Minnesota, Thompson's wife said he had been the subject of threats before he embarked on his trip to New York.
Newly-Released Photos Show Face of Brian Thompson Shooting Suspect, as Killer Remains at Large
The words "deny," "defend" and "depose" were reportedly discovered by detectives on shell casings found at the murder scene. That's similar to a phrase used in a 2010 book, Delay, Deny, Defend, by Jay Feinman discussing health insurance tactics for denying claims.
A motive has not yet been established, but Kenny said it appeared evident from the manifesto that the shooter "has some ill will toward corporate America."
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
Back home in Minnesota, Thompson's wife said he had been the subject of threats before he embarked on his trip to New York.
Newly-Released Photos Show Face of Brian Thompson Shooting Suspect, as Killer Remains at Large
The words "deny," "defend" and "depose" were reportedly discovered by detectives on shell casings found at the murder scene. That's similar to a phrase used in a 2010 book, Delay, Deny, Defend, by Jay Feinman discussing health insurance tactics for denying claims.
A motive has not yet been established, but Kenny said it appeared evident from the manifesto that the shooter "has some ill will toward corporate America."
Sunday, December 08, 2024
Syria rebels met with bishops says nuncio
'They promised respect and reconciliation, now end sanctions'
ROME, 08 December 2024, 15:53
ANSA English Desk
- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The Vatican nuncio in Syria said Sunday that the Islamist rebels who have swept to power in Damascus ending Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime had met with local bishops pledging respect and reconciliation and this deserved to see an end to western sanctions on the country.
"The road is all uphill, those who promised that everyone will be respected, that a new Syria will be created," Cardinal Mario Zenari, apostolic nuncio to Damascus, told Vatican News.
"The rebels met with the bishops in Aleppo, assuring them that they will respect the various religious confessions and Christians, we hope that they will keep this promise and that we will move towards reconciliation and that Syria can also find a little prosperity.
"The hope is that the international community will also respond, perhaps by abolishing sanctions, because they are a burden that weighs heavily especially on the poor people.
I want to hope that the sanctions will be eliminated little by little".
MSNBC star reveals he is 'conflicted' over openly gay Trump Treasury pick Scott Bessent
15:10 25 Nov 2024, updated 17:21 25 Nov 2024
MSNBC star Jonathan Capehart has confessed that he feels conflicted that Donald Trump chose an openly-gay man as his pick to lead the Treasury Department.
Capehart, who is also gay, said he feels torn about Scott Bessent's nomination because a Republican president has selected the highest ranking gay government official ever, not a Democrat.
'You know if confirmed, he would be the highest ranking out LGBT person ever to serve — to be appointed and confirmed by the United States Senate,' Capehart
'And I said, you know, kind of conflicted about it.'
Guest Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist, then stepped in, saying: 'In that case, credit where it's due...
'It is very interesting, yes, that is Trump and not one of our team that made that historic nomination.'
President-elect Trump announced the money manager as his pick to run the Treasury on Friday.
Bessent is a past supporter of Democrats who has become an enthusiastic supporter of Trump. He’s an advocate of cutting spending while extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in Trump’s first term.
MSNBC star Jonathan Capehart has confessed that he feels conflicted that Donald Trump chose an openly-gay man as his pick to lead the Treasury Department.
Capehart, who is also gay, said he feels torn about Scott Bessent's nomination because a Republican president has selected the highest ranking gay government official ever, not a Democrat.
'You know if confirmed, he would be the highest ranking out LGBT person ever to serve — to be appointed and confirmed by the United States Senate,' Capehart
'And I said, you know, kind of conflicted about it.'
Guest Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist, then stepped in, saying: 'In that case, credit where it's due...
'It is very interesting, yes, that is Trump and not one of our team that made that historic nomination.'
President-elect Trump announced the money manager as his pick to run the Treasury on Friday.
Bessent is a past supporter of Democrats who has become an enthusiastic supporter of Trump. He’s an advocate of cutting spending while extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in Trump’s first term.
Saturday, December 07, 2024
Who RULES the world - the secrets of the PROPHECY about the little horn are REVEALED!
Turn on the (cc) Captions for Russian Subtitles
Включите субтитры cc для русских субтитров.
Friday, December 06, 2024
Thursday, December 05, 2024
France in political crisis after no-confidence vote topples government
Minority coalition of PM Michel Barnier falls after three months, the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic
Guardian international staff
Barnier’s minority coalition had been essentially propped up by Le Pen, who, although outside government, had an unprecedentedly powerful role as Barnier attempted to placate her to avoid her party joining a no-confidence vote. Barnier had negotiated with her directly, tapering the budget to her demands.
But Le Pen pulled rank, saying Barnier’s budget was a danger to the country. She said French people had expected Barnier’s appointment to calm government institutions and provide a “vision for the country”. Instead, she said, the budget was a disaster.
Le Pen wrote on social media that, by following the “catastrophic continuity of Emmanuel Macron”, Barnier, who led a coalition dominated by the right and centre, “could only fail”. She said she was “protecting and defending” her party’s 11 million voters, who she said were deeply concerned about the cost of living. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a National Rally MP, said: “[Having] no budget is better than the actual budget, which says a lot about how bad it is.”
If parliament does not pass a budget by 20 December, the government can propose emergency legislation that would roll over spending limits and tax provisions from 2024, pending the arrival of a new government and a new 2025 budget bill.
The savings through spending cuts, and tax rises planned by the Barnier government would be shelved.
Le Pen’s party has said households would be better off in this scenario. Barnier had fiercely contested this, saying that the government’s collapse would bring “extremely serious and turbulent conditions on financial markets”. Barnier’s ministers said more people would end up paying tax or additional tax if thresholds could not be adjusted for inflation. The labour minister, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, said there would be “sadness and worry” after a government collapse.
The head of the parliament’s finances commission, Éric Coquerel, a member of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s leftwing La France Insoumise party, said the no-confidence vote was a sign of “hope” and he felt the “vast majority of French people backed it”. He said Barnier was being “alarmist” when he said that “financial and economic chaos” would be the result if the government fell. Mélenchon, who is not currently an MP, was in parliament, to witness what he called a “historic day”.
The left alliance’s no-confidence motion contained wording that attacked the far right. It noted that despite a large number of French citizens choosing to block the far right in June’s parliament snap election, Barnier had still “ceded to their most vile obsessions” – a reference to their anti-immigration stance. But Le Pen’s party said it would still vote for the no-confidence text as the key issue was to overthrow the government.
The Socialist party leader, Olivier Faure, who said there should now be a prime minister from the left, said Macron must speak to the French people. “How can he leave the French people in this uncertainty just before Christmas?” Faure told Le Monde.
We’ve just witnessed an extraordinary moment in the history of the United States. Throughout the tumultuous years of the first Trump presidency we never minimised or normalised the threat of his authoritarianism, and we treated his lies as a genuine danger to democracy, a threat that found its expression on 6 January 2021.
With Trump months away from taking office again – with dramatic implications for Ukraine and the Middle East, US democracy, reproductive rights, inequality and our collective environmental future – it’s time for us to redouble our efforts to hold the president-elect and those who surround him to account.
It’s going to be an enormous challenge. And we need your help.
Trump is a direct threat to the freedom of the press. He has, for years, stirred up hatred against reporters, calling them an “enemy of the people”. He has referred to legitimate journalism as “fake news” and joked about members of the media being shot. Project 2025, the blueprint for a second Trump presidency, includes plans to make it easier to seize journalists’ emails and phone records.
We will stand up to these threats, but it will take brave, well-funded independent journalism. It will take reporting that can’t be leaned upon by a billionaire owner terrified of retribution from the White House.
Guardian international staff
Wed 4 Dec 2024 14.29 EST
France has been plunged into political crisis after a no-confidence vote brought down the government, ending the beleaguered minority coalition of the rightwing prime minister Michel Barnier after only three months.
The no-confidence motion brought by an alliance of left-wing parties was supported by MPs from Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration, far-right, National Rally. A total of 331 lawmakers — a clear majority — voted on Wednesday night to bring down the government.
Barnier will resign as prime minister on Thursday morning, having warned before the vote that France would be “plunged into the unknown”.
Macron will then address the nation in a televised address on Thursday evening, his office said after the vote.
The toppling of the government leaves the president, Emmanuel Macron, facing the worst political crisis of his two terms as president. There is uncertainty over how a 2025 budget can be decided as France faces a growing public deficit, and over whom Macron could appoint as prime minister.
Macron, whose second term as president runs until spring 2027, is not obliged to stand down himself. He has ruled out resigning, calling such a scenario “political fiction”. But part of the left and far right called for his exit.
Wednesday’s vote was the country’s first successful no-confidence vote since a defeat for Georges Pompidou’s government in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president. The lifespan of Barnier’s government became the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic, which began in 1958.
No new parliament elections can be called before July 2025, narrowing Macron’s options faced with a deeply divided national assembly.
Since Macron called a sudden and inconclusive snap election in June, the French parliament has been divided between three groups with no absolute majority. A left alliance took the largest number of votes but fell short of an absolute majority; Macron’s centrist grouping suffered losses but is still standing and Le Pen far-right National Rally gained seats but was held back from power by tactical voting from the left and centre.
Barnier, the EU’s former Brexit negotiator, was appointed by Macron in September after two months of political paralysis this summer.
Barnier’s key task, which proved his downfall, was to vote through a budget for 2025 in which he said he would begin to tackle France’s deficit with €60bn in tax increases and spending cuts. But after weeks of standoff over the budget, Barnier on Monday pushed through a social security financing bill, using article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows a government to force through legislation without a vote in parliament. This sparked a no-confidence motion brought by the left alliance, and another brought by the far right.
France has been plunged into political crisis after a no-confidence vote brought down the government, ending the beleaguered minority coalition of the rightwing prime minister Michel Barnier after only three months.
The no-confidence motion brought by an alliance of left-wing parties was supported by MPs from Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration, far-right, National Rally. A total of 331 lawmakers — a clear majority — voted on Wednesday night to bring down the government.
Barnier will resign as prime minister on Thursday morning, having warned before the vote that France would be “plunged into the unknown”.
Macron will then address the nation in a televised address on Thursday evening, his office said after the vote.
The toppling of the government leaves the president, Emmanuel Macron, facing the worst political crisis of his two terms as president. There is uncertainty over how a 2025 budget can be decided as France faces a growing public deficit, and over whom Macron could appoint as prime minister.
Macron, whose second term as president runs until spring 2027, is not obliged to stand down himself. He has ruled out resigning, calling such a scenario “political fiction”. But part of the left and far right called for his exit.
Wednesday’s vote was the country’s first successful no-confidence vote since a defeat for Georges Pompidou’s government in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president. The lifespan of Barnier’s government became the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic, which began in 1958.
No new parliament elections can be called before July 2025, narrowing Macron’s options faced with a deeply divided national assembly.
Since Macron called a sudden and inconclusive snap election in June, the French parliament has been divided between three groups with no absolute majority. A left alliance took the largest number of votes but fell short of an absolute majority; Macron’s centrist grouping suffered losses but is still standing and Le Pen far-right National Rally gained seats but was held back from power by tactical voting from the left and centre.
Barnier, the EU’s former Brexit negotiator, was appointed by Macron in September after two months of political paralysis this summer.
Barnier’s key task, which proved his downfall, was to vote through a budget for 2025 in which he said he would begin to tackle France’s deficit with €60bn in tax increases and spending cuts. But after weeks of standoff over the budget, Barnier on Monday pushed through a social security financing bill, using article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows a government to force through legislation without a vote in parliament. This sparked a no-confidence motion brought by the left alliance, and another brought by the far right.
Barnier’s minority coalition had been essentially propped up by Le Pen, who, although outside government, had an unprecedentedly powerful role as Barnier attempted to placate her to avoid her party joining a no-confidence vote. Barnier had negotiated with her directly, tapering the budget to her demands.
But Le Pen pulled rank, saying Barnier’s budget was a danger to the country. She said French people had expected Barnier’s appointment to calm government institutions and provide a “vision for the country”. Instead, she said, the budget was a disaster.
Le Pen wrote on social media that, by following the “catastrophic continuity of Emmanuel Macron”, Barnier, who led a coalition dominated by the right and centre, “could only fail”. She said she was “protecting and defending” her party’s 11 million voters, who she said were deeply concerned about the cost of living. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a National Rally MP, said: “[Having] no budget is better than the actual budget, which says a lot about how bad it is.”
If parliament does not pass a budget by 20 December, the government can propose emergency legislation that would roll over spending limits and tax provisions from 2024, pending the arrival of a new government and a new 2025 budget bill.
The savings through spending cuts, and tax rises planned by the Barnier government would be shelved.
Le Pen’s party has said households would be better off in this scenario. Barnier had fiercely contested this, saying that the government’s collapse would bring “extremely serious and turbulent conditions on financial markets”. Barnier’s ministers said more people would end up paying tax or additional tax if thresholds could not be adjusted for inflation. The labour minister, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, said there would be “sadness and worry” after a government collapse.
The head of the parliament’s finances commission, Éric Coquerel, a member of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s leftwing La France Insoumise party, said the no-confidence vote was a sign of “hope” and he felt the “vast majority of French people backed it”. He said Barnier was being “alarmist” when he said that “financial and economic chaos” would be the result if the government fell. Mélenchon, who is not currently an MP, was in parliament, to witness what he called a “historic day”.
The left alliance’s no-confidence motion contained wording that attacked the far right. It noted that despite a large number of French citizens choosing to block the far right in June’s parliament snap election, Barnier had still “ceded to their most vile obsessions” – a reference to their anti-immigration stance. But Le Pen’s party said it would still vote for the no-confidence text as the key issue was to overthrow the government.
The Socialist party leader, Olivier Faure, who said there should now be a prime minister from the left, said Macron must speak to the French people. “How can he leave the French people in this uncertainty just before Christmas?” Faure told Le Monde.
We’ve just witnessed an extraordinary moment in the history of the United States. Throughout the tumultuous years of the first Trump presidency we never minimised or normalised the threat of his authoritarianism, and we treated his lies as a genuine danger to democracy, a threat that found its expression on 6 January 2021.
With Trump months away from taking office again – with dramatic implications for Ukraine and the Middle East, US democracy, reproductive rights, inequality and our collective environmental future – it’s time for us to redouble our efforts to hold the president-elect and those who surround him to account.
It’s going to be an enormous challenge. And we need your help.
Trump is a direct threat to the freedom of the press. He has, for years, stirred up hatred against reporters, calling them an “enemy of the people”. He has referred to legitimate journalism as “fake news” and joked about members of the media being shot. Project 2025, the blueprint for a second Trump presidency, includes plans to make it easier to seize journalists’ emails and phone records.
We will stand up to these threats, but it will take brave, well-funded independent journalism. It will take reporting that can’t be leaned upon by a billionaire owner terrified of retribution from the White House.
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Monday, December 02, 2024
During the campaign, Trump talked about ‘Black jobs’. He’s nominated just one Black person for his cabinet
Trump’s first administration was the least racially diverse in decades. More than 80 percent of his latest nominees are white
Friday 29 November 2024 12:16 EST
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
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Donald Trump owes his electoral victory to his campaign’s gains among Latino and Black voters. But the nominees for his historic second presidency largely reflect the overwhelmingly white makeup of Washington power.
Thus far, Trump has nominated one Black American to his 16-member Cabinet: Scott Turner for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He has also selected two Latino nominees: Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Secretary of Labor and Marco Rubio for Secretary of State.
When Trump was elected in 2016, his Cabinet included 19 white men, making it the least racially diverse group of the president’s closest advisers and heads of institutional power in more than 40 years.
Trump has nominated Scott Turner for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (AP)
At the time, he had also appointed only one Black nominee to his cabinet; Ben Carson, like Turner, was also tapped for housing secretary.
But out of the 26 nominees for top roles in Trump’s next Cabinet and Cabinet-level positions thus far, 19 are white.
At the time, he had also appointed only one Black nominee to his cabinet; Ben Carson, like Turner, was also tapped for housing secretary.
But out of the 26 nominees for top roles in Trump’s next Cabinet and Cabinet-level positions thus far, 19 are white.
Former spiritual advisor to Donald Trump hails Indian-origin nominations to US administration
Written By: ANI
| Published on: Dec 1, 2024
ANI Photo | Former spiritual advisor to Donald Trump hails Indian-origin nominations to US administration
With several Indian-origin names figuring among the picks by Donald Trump’s for his incoming administration, Johnnie Moore, the former Commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) noted that Indian-American/ Hindu-American community will be at the very heart of the Republican leader’s second term as US President.
Taking to social media platform X on Sunday, Trump’s former spiritual advisor said, “Usha, Tulsi, Vivek, Jay and now Kash. The Indian-American / Hindu American community will be at the very heart of the second Trump administration. Quite a moment for one of America’s most vibrant minority communities.”
Usha, Tulsi, Vivek, Jay and now Kash.
The Indian-American / Hindu American community will be at the very heart of the second Trump administration.
Quite a moment for one of America’s most vibrant minority communities.
— Rev. Johnnie Moore ن (@JohnnieM) December 1, 2024
Usha Vance the Second First Lady, the wife of US Vice President-elect JD Vance traces her roots to Indian immigrants who trace their roots to Andhra Pradesh. Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy was born in the US to Indian immigrant parents who hail from Kerala. Kolkata-born Jay Bhattacharya has been picked by Trump as his Director of the National Institutes of Health while the President-elect has nominated Kashyap “Kash” Patel to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Trump on Saturday (local time) nominated the name of Kashyap “Kash” Patel to serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced Patel’s nomination, highlighting his distinguished career in various government roles. These include serving as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council during Trump’s first term as President.
Trump praised Patel for his work in investigating the so-called “Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax,” calling him an “America First” fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending justice, and protecting the American people.
“I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending justice, and protecting the American people. He played a pivotal role in uncovering the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution. Kash did an incredible job during my first term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials,” the US President-elect said.
Who Are The 3 Hindu Lawmakers In Trump 2.0 Cabinet?
President-elect Donald Trump is assembling his cabinet for the next four years. The Republican has added several controversial picks in his pool, the latest being Kash Patel. The 44-year-old Trump loyalist, whose Indian roots trace back to Gujarat, is expected to replace incumbent FBI Director Christopher Wray - who might resign or be sacked next year.
Donald Trump has named 3 Hindus in his new cabinet
Photo : AP
Authored by:Yash Bajaj
Updated Dec 2, 2024, 18:30 IST
President-elect Donald Trump is assembling his cabinet for the next four years. The Republican has added several controversial picks in his pool, the latest being Kash Patel. The 44-year-old Trump loyalist, whose Indian roots trace back to Gujarat, is expected to replace incumbent FBI Director Christopher Wray - who might resign or be sacked next year. Some other Trump 2.0 nominations include: Vivek Ramaswamy (DOGE), Jay Bhattacharya (NIH) and Tulsi Gabbard (DNI).
With Patel's addition on Saturday, Trump has already nominated three vocal Hindus in his cabinet. The other two are Ramaswamy and Gabbard. Alt(h)ough Jay Bhattacharya has roots in India by birth (Kolkata), the 56-year-old has not made a definitive statement about his faith yet.
1) Kash Patel: Born to Gujarati parents who immigrated to teh US via Uganda, Patel has openly embraced his Hindu culture and heritage. The Trump loyalist spoke in support of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir in February and previously claimed that there was a 'disinformation campaign' targetting India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“There was a Hindu temple there for one of the quintessential gods in the Hindu pantheon in 1500 that was toppled, and they have been trying to get it back for 500 years. Washington establishments conveniently forgot this part of history,” he had said.
2) Tulsi Gabbard: The National Intelligence pick became the first Hindu elected to the US Congress She has been vocal about her faith and is frequently seen chanting bhajans and prayers. Gabbard also discusses how Hindu teachings influence her life and politics, emphasizing principles like karma and seva (service). While she is not of Indian-origin, the former Democrat was immersed in the ideals of Hare Krishna teachings from an early age.
3) Vivek Ramaswamy: The DOGE head and his wife Usha have time and again addressed their Hindu background. Although Vivek identifies as culturally Hindu, he often emphasizes universal principles over specific religious doctrines.
What Happens Next?
Volume 43 Issue Twelve December 2024
Last Trumpet Ministries · PO Box 806 · Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8
What Happens Next?
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:9-13
Amid great anxiety and trepidation, the American people went to the polls on November 5, 2024, to elect the 47th President of the United States. The candidates, former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, were said to be neck-and-neck in the polls in the weeks leading up to Election Day. An article published by Forbes Magazine in the early morning hours of November 5 claimed the candidates were essentially “deadlocked” with Harris holding a very slight edge over Trump. (1) The polling website known as FiveThirtyEight predicted there was a 50 percent chance that Harris would pull out the win while Trump had a 49 percent chance of emerging victorious. (2)
Given how close the polls were, there was a general expectation that the election would be very close and that it could take days or even weeks to tally every vote and determine a winner. The reality was much different from that expectation. In the end, Donald Trump won the election decisively, earning 312 electoral votes compared to Harris’ 226. This total put Trump well over the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the win. (3) Remarkably, Trump flipped the hotly contested states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada, which had all been called for current President Joe Biden in 2020. (4) To make matters worse for the Democrats, the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives and took control of the Senate, which, in theory, should allow Trump to achieve many of his goals as President. (5)
In the days following the election, talking heads all over television and on the Internet offered their hot takes on why the Democrats performed so poorly in the 2024 election. A piece published by Axios on November 6, 2024, put it bluntly, declaring in its headline, “Democrats start clawing each other’s eyes out.” (6) Senator Bernie Sanders, the proud socialist from Vermont, lambasted the Democratic Party, stating, “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.” He then continued, “First, it was the white working class, and now it is Latino and black workers as well. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right.” (7) Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky also lashed out, stating in a segment on CNN, “I’m going to speak some hard truths to my friends in the Democratic Party. This is not Joe Biden’s fault. It’s not Kamala Harris’ fault. It’s not Barack Obama’s fault – it is the fault of the Democratic Party in not knowing how to communicate effectively to voters. We are not the party of common sense, which is the message the voters sent to us.” (8)
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:9-13
Amid great anxiety and trepidation, the American people went to the polls on November 5, 2024, to elect the 47th President of the United States. The candidates, former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, were said to be neck-and-neck in the polls in the weeks leading up to Election Day. An article published by Forbes Magazine in the early morning hours of November 5 claimed the candidates were essentially “deadlocked” with Harris holding a very slight edge over Trump. (1) The polling website known as FiveThirtyEight predicted there was a 50 percent chance that Harris would pull out the win while Trump had a 49 percent chance of emerging victorious. (2)
Given how close the polls were, there was a general expectation that the election would be very close and that it could take days or even weeks to tally every vote and determine a winner. The reality was much different from that expectation. In the end, Donald Trump won the election decisively, earning 312 electoral votes compared to Harris’ 226. This total put Trump well over the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the win. (3) Remarkably, Trump flipped the hotly contested states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada, which had all been called for current President Joe Biden in 2020. (4) To make matters worse for the Democrats, the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives and took control of the Senate, which, in theory, should allow Trump to achieve many of his goals as President. (5)
In the days following the election, talking heads all over television and on the Internet offered their hot takes on why the Democrats performed so poorly in the 2024 election. A piece published by Axios on November 6, 2024, put it bluntly, declaring in its headline, “Democrats start clawing each other’s eyes out.” (6) Senator Bernie Sanders, the proud socialist from Vermont, lambasted the Democratic Party, stating, “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.” He then continued, “First, it was the white working class, and now it is Latino and black workers as well. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right.” (7) Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky also lashed out, stating in a segment on CNN, “I’m going to speak some hard truths to my friends in the Democratic Party. This is not Joe Biden’s fault. It’s not Kamala Harris’ fault. It’s not Barack Obama’s fault – it is the fault of the Democratic Party in not knowing how to communicate effectively to voters. We are not the party of common sense, which is the message the voters sent to us.” (8)
Sunday, December 01, 2024
Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to
ZEKE MILLER, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN LONG
Sun, December 1, 2024 at 7:37 PM EST
\\FILE - President Joe Biden, wearing a Team USA jacket and walking with his son Hunter Biden, heads toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden walk in downtown Nantucket Mass., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Joe Biden speaks on the South Lawn of the White House during a ceremony to commemorate World AIDS Day with survivors, their families and advocates, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on Sunday night, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family members.
The Democratic president had previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence after his convictions in the two cases in Delaware and California. The move comes weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges, and less than two months before President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.
It caps a long-running legal saga for the younger Biden, who publicly disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020 — a month after his father’s 2020 victory — and casts a pall over the elder Biden's legacy. Biden, who time and again pledged to Americans that he would restore norms and respect for the rule of law after Trump's first term in office, ultimately used his position to help his son, breaking his public pledge to Americans that he would do no such thing.
In June, Biden categorically ruled out a pardon or commutation for his son, telling reporters as his son faced trial in the Delware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.”
As recently as Nov. 8, days after Trump's victory, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre ruled out a pardon or clemency for the younger Biden, saying, “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.”
In a statement released Sunday evening, Biden said, “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” alleging that the prosecution of his son was politically motivated and a “miscarriage of justice.”
“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son.”
“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden added, claiming he made the decision this weekend. The president had spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts with Hunter and his family, and was set to depart later Sunday on what may be his last foreign trip as president before leaving office on Jan. 20, 2025.
Hunter Biden was convicted in June in Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018 when, prosecutors said, he lied on a federal form by claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.
He was set to stand trial in September in the California case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. But he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges in a surprise move hours after jury selection was set to begin.
Hunter Biden said he was pleading guilty in that case to spare his family more pain and embarrassment after the gun trial aired salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction.
The tax charges carry up to 17 years behind bars and the gun charges are punishable by up to 25 years in prison, though federal sentencing guidelines were expected to call for far less time and it was possible he would avoid prison time entirely.
The sweeping pardon covers not just those offenses, but also any other “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024."
Biden is hardly the first president to deploy his pardon powers to benefit those close to him.
In his final weeks in office, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner, as well as multiple allies convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Trump this week announced plans to nominate the elder Kushner to be the U.S. envoy to France in his next administration.
Hunter Biden said in an emailed statement that he will never take for granted the relief granted to him and vowed to devote the life he has rebuilt “to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”
“I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction – mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport,” the younger Biden said.
A spokesperson for special counsel David Weiss, who brought the cases, did not respond to messages seeking comment Sunday night.
___
Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Nantucket, Massachusetts contributed to this report.
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