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Child refugees in Germany are being radicalized in mosques, joining gangs, and roaming the streets with knives as young as eleven, according to a leading youth charity. The Christian-run organization Die Arche (The Ark), which operates 33 centers across Germany and supports over 7,000 children and young people from refugee and socially disadvantaged families, has issued a stark warning about the state of integration in the country. In a revealing interview with the Bild newspaper, Wolfgang Büscher, a spokesperson for Die Arche with two decades of experience, painted a grim picture of the current situation. "Our system has collapsed. We are at the end. The main reason for this is the continuing influx of refugees," he stated. "I'm calling for a freeze on refugee admissions, otherwise it would no longer be possible to provide help." Adding to the alarming picture, a social worker named Josi, who has been with the organization for eight years, voiced her concerns about the crumbling support systems. "The support systems are no longer working. Integration has failed. We can't do everything," she said. She criticized politicians for their inaction, warning, "The politicians talk and talk and turn a blind eye to the problems. It will escalate and there will be a big bang." Germany is grappling with a significant influx of migrants from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey, and Büscher highlighted the growing criminalization and radicalization among young refugees, particularly those of Arab origin. "All the problems that refugee policy automatically brings with it, but that nobody really wants to recognize, are concentrated here," he explained. "Young Muslim adolescents in particular show what goes wrong with integration. Eleven-year-olds are already running around with knives here." He described how these children are often lost to gangs, which recruit them by exploiting their dissatisfaction with German society. "Come to us if you don't like the Germans. It's better with us," is the lure used by these gangs, according to Büscher. He also noted that many of the youths who visit Die Arche centers attend mosques where radical Islam is preached, referring to moderate places of worship as "wimp mosques." Büscher expressed concern about the almost complete absence of Muslim girls over the age of thirteen at the Berlin Ark center, attributing this to parental fears of Western values influencing their daughters. "They would then no longer be allowed to come to us. We no longer reach these families. They live in a bubble, in a different system," he lamented. He also mentioned reports from staff about young women being forced into marriage and children attending "hotspot schools" with a 95 percent proportion of immigrants. Germany received over 350,000 asylum applications last year, the highest number since 2016. Opposition figures argue that these numbers reflect a failure by the government to address what they describe as a "migration crisis." With around 18 percent of Germany's population being immigrants, the country remains the main destination for migrants in Europe. Büscher's comments come on the heels of German authorities banning the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) and its subsidiary organizations for promoting radical Islamist goals. The interior ministry accused the IZH of supporting antisemitism and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, which is banned in Germany and classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union. Premises belonging to the IZH were searched, leading to the closure of four mosques around the country. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated, "Today, we banned the Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg, which promotes an Islamist-extremist, totalitarian ideology in Germany. This Islamist ideology is opposed to human dignity, women's rights, an independent judiciary, and our democratic government." She clarified that the ban does not apply to the peaceful practice of the Shi'ite religion. A 2020 report on Islamic life in Germany estimated there were roughly 5.5 million Muslims in Germany's population of 83 million. The increasing concerns about integration and radicalization among child refugees highlight the urgent need for effective policies and support systems to address these complex challenges. Credit: Daily Mail 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh has reportedly been killed in Tehran, according to Iranian state media Press TV, which cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In a separate statement, Hamas confirmed that Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed in what they described as an Israeli raid on his residence, following his participation in the inauguration of the Iranian president. Ismail Haniyeh, a significant figure in the militant group, had a long-standing history with Hamas. Born in a refugee camp near Gaza City, Haniyeh joined Hamas in the late 1980s during the First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. As Hamas grew in power, Haniyeh ascended through the ranks, becoming part of a secret “collective leadership” in 2004 and later being appointed as the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2006. By 2017, he had risen to the position of the group's chief and was subsequently designated a “specially designated global terrorist” by the United States. Throughout his career, Haniyeh was involved in various diplomatic efforts, including peace talks with former US President Jimmy Carter. He also engaged with international leaders such as the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and Chinese diplomat Wang Kejian earlier this year. In April, Israeli airstrikes killed three of Haniyeh’s sons and four of his grandchildren, as reported by Hamas. Despite the personal loss, Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar at the time, stated that their deaths would not influence ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations. “Whoever thinks that by targeting my kids during the negotiation talks and before a deal is agreed upon that it will force Hamas to back down on its demands, is delusional,” he said. The Israeli military has declined to comment on the reports of Haniyeh's death, stating to CNN, “We don’t respond to reports in the foreign media.” Israel often doesn’t when it comes to assassinations carried out by their Mossad intelligence agency. The White House has also acknowledged the reports but has refrained from immediate further comment. The killing of Ismail Haniyeh is currently under investigation, with results expected to be announced later today, according to Iranian state media, citing the IRGC. The IRGC expressed condolences to “the heroic Palestinian nation, the Muslim Ummah (community), fighters of the resistance front, and the noble Iranian nation over the martyrdom of the senior Palestinian resistance leader,” as reported by state media. Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, highlighting the close ties between Hamas and Iran. The incident underscores the ongoing tensions and complex dynamics in the region, as both Hamas and Iran continue to be significant players in Middle Eastern geopolitics. Credit: CNN 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

As AI technology continues to advance, its ability to mimic the voices and moving images of public figures becomes ever more sophisticated. This has given rise to a new trend among deepfake creators: defending their creations as "just a parody." This loophole exploits America's long tradition of political humor, which is robustly protected by the First Amendment, allowing citizens to inject virtually any kind of fiction or fraud into the national dialogue as long as it is labeled as comedy. The recent news highlights this issue starkly. On Friday night, Elon Musk, with his 190 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), reposted a video featuring fake overdubs that mimic Vice President Kamala Harris's voice. The video's original poster, "MrReaganUSA," introduced it as a "Kamala Harris Campaign Ad PARODY." However, Musk's repost stripped away this label and simply called it "amazing 😂." The video uses real footage from a Harris campaign video but has her voice altered to say she is "the ultimate diversity hire" and describes both herself and President Biden as "deep state puppets." Whether the fake audio was generated using AI or another technique remains unclear. Musk's repost quickly drew criticism. Users noted that it appeared to violate X's rules on "synthetic and manipulated media" and "deceptive identities." Despite this, the post had garnered about 130 million views without receiving a "Community Notes" annotation, which is X's method of alerting readers to potentially misleading content. When California Governor Gavin Newsom suggested on X that Musk's post should be "illegal," Musk replied, "Parody is legal in America. 🤷‍♂️" This incident is particularly intriguing given Musk's acquisition of X in 2022, during which he emphasized the importance of real, verifiable identities on the platform. He also attempted to suppress users who created parody accounts of him. No owner or CEO of a major tech platform has previously endorsed a political candidate and then used their platform to promote that campaign with content widely viewed as deceptive. Parodies have been a staple of election-year content online for decades. In 2004, JibJab created crude videos featuring George Bush and John Kerry's heads on cartoon bodies. By 2008, more photorealistic videos of Barack Obama and John McCain in a break-dance competition were circulating. "Saturday Night Live" political impersonations became viral standards as soon as social media allowed, and in 2020, Sarah Cooper gained fame by lip-syncing to Trump recordings, presenting his tirades through her performances. Those who rely on the parody loophole often argue that it is "obvious" their work is intended to amuse rather than deceive. This is frequently the case. However, generative AI programs can now create lifelike audio and video of public figures saying and doing things they never actually said or did. As a result, parodies now look and sound more realistic than ever before, and much of the public has not yet adjusted their ability to discern truth from fiction. This widening of the parody loophole has created an open freeway for misinformation and fakery. Despite the potential for misuse, deepfakes have not yet become the widespread problem many experts predicted for the 2024 election cycle. Most social media platforms have moved quickly to counter outright frauds and have required labeling for AI-generated material. However, people who are inclined to believe in conspiracy theories have never been particularly discerning about the evidence they accept and do not necessarily need AI-quality realism. Much of online discourse is now treated as a game of trolling, where lies supported by fabricated evidence can easily gain traction. An example of this is the fictional story about J.D. Vance's furniture fetish, which even included a fake page reference to his memoir. The public sphere in America has always accommodated political mockery, but AI is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between election-year humor and malicious fraud. As AI technology continues to evolve, it will be crucial for society to find new ways to navigate this blurred line and ensure that the freedom to parody does not come at the cost of truth and transparency in public discourse. Credit: AXIOS 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

For too long, the West has tolerated the increasing wave of Russian hybrid attacks on its people, infrastructure, and way of life. It's time to consider much tougher responses. Russian assassinations, explosions, attempts to undermine the transatlantic alliance's democratic system, and other forms of escalating malfeasance have been rampant for years. Recently, this has worsened to include Kremlin-directed sabotage against critical energy infrastructure, defense industries, and other entities supporting Ukraine’s right to self-defense across NATO countries. Assassination plots against leading defense industry executives have led the US to warn against Russia’s “intensifying campaign of subversion.” Despite this, the Western response has been muted and largely passive. Benjamin Schmitt of the Center for European Policy Analysis highlighted this when he asked the Danish prime minister about it in July. She acknowledged that “we are simply being too polite,” but gave no clear response on how the alliance should more appropriately respond. What can the West do? Clearly, it can continue to pursue a low-key response, using counter-intelligence to warn those targeted by the Russians and to stop plots developing, though this clearly does not always prevent the Kremlin from successfully executing attacks across Europe. There are also more robust alternatives. A more aggressive strategy would seek to punish, defeat, and reestablish effective deterrence with the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin is a mobster, and Western thinking should acknowledge this. In the American masterpiece "The Untouchables," the grizzled Chicago beat cop Jim Malone warns Elliot Ness that he can only defeat the gangster Al Capone by achieving escalation dominance. Malone advises Ness that if: “He [Capone] pulls a knife, you pull a gun, he sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue.” Only by making clear that Western patience has been exhausted will the West finally safeguard its interests. Striking back is much easier than it once was. Putin’s decision to launch an all-out invasion 29 months ago has seen the creation of secret armies inside Russian territory. This provides a useful lever, which can be ratcheted up in direct response to Russia’s escalating terrorism abroad. The alliance collectively, or through various national intelligence agencies, can provide increased support to third parties already conducting sabotage and other activities inside Russia. Russian freedom fighters and Ukrainian intelligence services are already causing ample damage to Russian petrochemical infrastructure, defense industries, and the Russian elite all on their own. The provision of detailed intelligence, training, and material support to such groups by the West, combined with backchannel messaging to the Kremlin that such activities are a direct response to Russia’s own sabotage and assassination campaigns, should prove influential in changing Putin’s calculus. In other words, this does not have to be an all-out campaign against Russia. A low-level start would allow the Kremlin to review its campaign of aggression against the West and reconsider. In the meantime, there are numerous additional steps for the West to take to strengthen its response. Revising and renewing existing intelligence-sharing is crucial. There already exists an Intelligence Liaison Unit within NATO headquarters to share intelligence on terrorists; its adaptation would improve understanding of Russian hybrid threats. Intelligence-sharing agreements must be updated to reflect the evolving nature of the threat, ensuring that all agencies and nations have access to timely and actionable intelligence to dismantle Russian malign networks. This will enable better coordination and more effective responses to hybrid threats. Strengthening multinational collaboration and collective action against Russian terrorism is also vital. Drawing inspiration from the successes of Operation Gallant Phoenix, through which the international community came together to destroy the caliphate of the Islamic State in Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), while severely degrading its regional affiliates, NATO should establish a dedicated multinational task force focused on countering Russian hybrid threats and destroying the Kremlin’s networks around the world. This task force should include representatives from intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and the military, facilitating a comprehensive and coordinated approach to hybrid warfare. By treating Russian malign actors like the terrorists that they are, a dedicated task force employing the full range of available intelligence, law enforcement, and security authorities will leave no safe havens from which the Kremlin’s minions can operate with any degree of safety. It is imperative to enhance cybersecurity measures, given the centrality of such attacks in Russia’s strategy, as seen in June’s attack on the UK’s National Health Service. Investing in robust cybersecurity not only protects critical infrastructure but also develops offensive capabilities to deter and respond to cyber threats. This also opens the path for Western cyber-attacks against vulnerable Russian networks. This does not have to be done with the same nihilistic approach as our enemies, but it is now necessary. This too might benefit from cooperation with our Ukrainian allies, who have experience in this area. At the same time, Western messaging toward Russian populations must directly paint any attacks against Moscow’s systems as retribution for the Kremlin’s cyber misdeeds abroad. Ultimately, the transatlantic alliance should also more robustly support pro-democracy movements inside Russia, as there is nothing that Putin and his cronies fear more than a Russian populace no longer willing to endure a system in which the Kremlin harasses, exiles, imprisons, and murders Putin’s political rivals. The West must recognize that a more aggressive campaign to directly counter Russian malign activities is necessary to reestablish deterrence and proportionally punish the Kremlin for its brazen acts of terrorism. By adopting a comprehensive and coordinated approach, the West can better safeguard its interests and uphold the principles of democracy and the rule of law. Previous multinational approaches, such as Operation Gallant Phoenix’s success against ISIS, demonstrate that with the right strategies and robust cooperation, it is possible to successfully counter even the most complex and multifaceted hybrid threats. Doug Livermore is the President of Livermore Strategic Solutions Ltd. and the Deputy Commander for Special Operations Detachment – Joint Special Operations Command in the North Carolina Army National Guard. In addition to his role as the Director of Engagements for the Irregular Warfare Initiative, he is the National Director of External Communications for the Special Forces Association, National Vice President for the Special Operations Association of America, Director of Development of the Corioli Institute, and serves as Chair of the Advisory Committee for No One Left Behind. Credit: CEPA 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Heathrow Airport faced disruption this morning as Just Stop Oil activists targeted its Terminal 5, following an earlier failed attempt at Gatwick Airport. The eco-protesters covered departure boards in orange paint and sprayed windows and floors before sitting down in front of the boards. Security quickly intervened, removing the protesters from the premises. Heathrow Airport confirmed the swift resolution of the incident, stating that the airport continues to operate as normal, with passengers traveling as planned. The Metropolitan Police reported the arrest of two protesters and maintained a presence at the terminal to handle any further issues. Yesterday, Just Stop Oil activists attempted to block the departure gates at Gatwick's South Terminal around 8 am. However, holidaymakers simply stepped over the protesters, rendering the blockade ineffective. Sussex Police arrested eight people on suspicion of interfering with public infrastructure, assuring that the airport was functioning normally without any disruption caused by the protest. Gatwick Airport reiterated that operations remained unaffected, with arrested protesters being removed. In a related protest, Extinction Rebellion activists blocked Old Queen Street in Westminster, targeting the Policy Exchange office with pools of black liquid. This event is part of a broader campaign aimed at disrupting airports and the holiday industry, moving away from road blockades. The recent actions follow a series of arrests of Just Stop Oil members across multiple countries, including Germany, Norway, Finland, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland. These arrests were part of a crackdown on the group's campaign, which had billed July 23 as an “international uprising” under the banner “Oil Kills.” Authorities detained seven protesters at Heathrow under the Public Order Act, on suspicion of conspiring to interfere with a site of key national infrastructure, before they could reach a runway. Similar arrests were made in other countries, with police finding cutting gear and glue on the activists. The arrests were seen as a preemptive measure to prevent a summer of chaos, following the earlier imprisonment of Extinction Rebellion mastermind Roger Hallam and four others for up to five years, after their campaign to block motorways in 2022 was exposed. Just Stop Oil named two of the arrested Heathrow protesters as Sally Davidson, a 36-year-old hairdresser from Portland, Dorset, and Adam Beard, a 55-year-old gardener from Stroud, Gloucestershire. The group’s coordinated efforts and the quick responses from authorities highlight the ongoing tensions between environmental activists and those aiming to maintain public order and infrastructure integrity. Credit: The Sun | The Standard 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

A host on Russian state TV has recently put forth a conspiracy theory suggesting that the Kremlin is collaborating with former President Donald Trump in anticipation of his potential victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. This unsubstantiated claim was presented by Ivan Kamenev, a host on the Solovyov live show, and an excerpt of the broadcast was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Julia Davis, the founder of the Russia Media Monitor watchdog group. "Igor Pshenichnikov, an expert at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, says the rumor that Russia's Foreign Ministry is working with Trump is most likely true," Davis wrote. In the clip, Kamenev raised a provocative question regarding Trump's election bid: "Here's what I want to ask. There was news, although it wasn't officially confirmed, that Russia's Foreign Ministry is working on a big deal for negotiations with Donald Trump." Responding to Kamenev's suggestion, Igor Pshenichnikov stated, "It would be logical to suppose that our Foreign Ministry is working with Trump's team." Despite these assertions, Newsweek was unable to find specific reports in Russia corroborating Kamenev's claims about Russia's Foreign Ministry working on a deal with Trump. Russia has a history of using TV messaging to sow distrust and division. Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry and Trump's campaign for comments via email. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee for the 2024 election, has repeatedly stated that if reelected, he would quickly bring an end to the war in Ukraine by engaging in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, on July 4, the Kremlin denied that any talks were underway between Putin and Trump regarding possible peace conditions for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In the video, Pshenichnikov elaborated on his views about Trump: "Seeing in him, just as the rest of the world does, the most likely winner in the election. If no one gets in his way, and if there's even an election, if there is an election and if it's honest, if Trump lives until November 5, then he will certainly win." He added, "It would be stupid for us not to be working on potential dialogue with Trump. I think these leaks have a basis." The upcoming U.S. presidential election, where Trump is expected to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is scheduled for November 5. On Monday, a U.S. intelligence official told reporters on a call organized by the Foreign Malign Influence Center—an agency under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence—that the U.S. intelligence community anticipates the Kremlin will focus its propaganda efforts on supporting Trump over Harris in the election. NBC News reported the official's statement, "Russia's core interest in this election is opposing candidates who want to offer further aid to Kyiv, and we expect Russia's focus will remain on that." Kamala Harris has previously criticized Trump for his relationship with Putin. Responding to Trump's statements, Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign communications director, said in March that Trump "believes European nations should be paying more of the cost of the conflict, as the U.S. has paid significantly more, which is not fair to our taxpayers." The Foreign Malign Influence Center has identified Russia as the predominant threat to U.S. elections. In an election security update on Monday, the agency stated, "Moscow continues to use a broad stable of influence actors and tactics and is working to better hide its hand, enhance its reach, and create content that resonates more with U.S. audiences." The agency added, "Russian influence actors have undertaken distinct efforts during this election cycle to build and use networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russian-friendly narratives." Earlier this year, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed that Trump had told him he would halt U.S. military aid to Ukraine to end the war. This assertion aligns with the narrative that Russia's state TV is trying to push, painting Trump as a favorable candidate who might align with Russian interests. As the election approaches, these conspiracy theories and propaganda efforts underscore the complex and often contentious nature of international political influence, highlighting the ongoing efforts of various actors to sway public opinion and electoral outcomes in their favor. Credit: Newsweek 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a significant show of support, major LGBTQ+ organizations and leaders have rallied behind Vice President Kamala Harris as she embarks on her historic bid for the White House. This backing highlights Harris’s commendable record on LGBTQ+ rights, forged over a decades-long political career, and underscores the potential impact of her presidency on the community. Brandon Wolf, press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a prominent national LGBTQ+ advocacy group that has endorsed Harris, said, “Kamala Harris was a supporter of LGBTQ+ people when that was not an easy thing to do politically.” This sentiment is rooted in Harris’s actions during her tenure as San Francisco’s district attorney when she officiated some of the nation’s first same-sex marriage ceremonies during the city’s “Winter of Love” in 2004. Later, as California’s attorney general, Harris made a decisive stand by refusing to defend Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage, in court. She actively advocated for the repeal of the amendment in 2013, which the Supreme Court eventually struck down later that year. Harris’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights extended further when, as San Francisco’s district attorney, she established a hate crimes unit specifically to investigate crimes against LGBTQ+ children and teens in schools. She also played a pivotal role in making California the first state to ban the use of the gay and transgender “panic” defense, a legal strategy that allowed individuals accused of violent crimes to receive lesser sentences by claiming that the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity caused them to panic. In 2017, as a California senator, Harris co-sponsored the Senate’s Equality Act, a landmark proposal aimed at amending existing federal antidiscrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes. A 2019 bill introduced by Harris sought to mandate private health plans to cover prescription HIV prevention medications, screenings, and clinical follow-ups. Despite her strong advocacy, Harris has faced criticism regarding her stance on transgender rights. In 2015, as California attorney general, she worked to block a transgender woman in a state prison from receiving gender-affirming surgery. During her first presidential run in 2019, Harris acknowledged the criticism and said she took “full responsibility” for her actions in the case, adding that she worked “behind the scenes” to get the California Department of Corrections to change its policy of denying transgender inmates gender-affirming care. Shelby Chestnut, executive director of the Transgender Law Center, which defended the woman, Michelle Norsworthy, in court, said, “Certainly, her stance on the case was discouraging and harmful to trans people in the state at the time, and there’s no question how devastating it was for our client. But we also have to put it in the context that in subsequent years, in various different positions, she has done a lot to impact the trans community and stay on their side.” In the Senate, Harris helped push for accountability in the death of Roxsana Hernandez, a transgender Honduran woman who died in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2018. Chestnut noted, “She really took the opportunity to push for accountability in Roxsana’s death, which is critical, and that’s how we get change.” Hernandez’s death remains under investigation. Harris has also faced backlash for her support of FOSTA-SESTA, a 2018 law addressing sex trafficking. The law, which makes it easier for law enforcement agencies to go after websites facilitating sex trafficking, has also targeted consensual sex work, affecting an industry where LGBTQ+ people, particularly transgender individuals, are disproportionately represented. Her support for the Biden administration’s policies on the Israel-Hamas war has isolated some LGBTQ+ voters who consider the conflict a significant voting issue. Tensions flared during Pride Month events across the U.S. this year, with boycotts and demonstrations revealing deep divisions within the community. Following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, Harris stated that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas but also emphasized that she “will not be silent” on Palestinian suffering. She condemned protests over Netanyahu’s address to a joint meeting of Congress, highlighting the complexity of navigating international conflict issues while maintaining a strong stance on human rights. Transgender Americans have also expressed hesitancy over the Biden administration’s initial opposition to gender-affirming surgeries for minors, a statement that surprised supporters and angered major LGBTQ+ rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign. The administration later clarified that it does not support state or national bans on gender-affirming care, asserting that “families should have the freedom to make the medical decisions that they and their doctors determine are best for them.” It is important to note that gender-affirming surgeries are typically not recommended for transgender youths under 18, and genital, or “bottom” surgery, is never available to minors. Despite these controversies, the Biden administration has made significant strides in advancing LGBTQ+ rights over the past four years. President Biden, who suspended his own reelection campaign last week, frequently touts his and Harris’s administration as the most pro-LGBTQ+ in history. Wolf of the Human Rights Campaign stressed that voters should consider the “totality of [Harris’s] record” if she is confirmed as the party’s official nominee at the upcoming Democratic National Convention. He also emphasized the stark contrast between Harris and her opponent, former President Donald Trump. Trump has promised to enact at least a dozen policies targeting the LGBTQ+ community if he is reelected, including a nationwide ban on transgender student-athletes competing according to their gender identity and a federal law recognizing only two genders. Trump has also vowed to punish doctors who administer gender-affirming care to minors, roll back new LGBTQ+ student protections instituted by the Biden administration, and cut federal funding for schools accommodating transgender students. Meanwhile, Trump’s running mate, Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance, has championed legislation in the Senate to make providing gender-affirming medical care to transgender minors a felony and ban “X” gender markers on U.S. passports. Vance has also propagated the false and inflammatory claim that LGBTQ+ people are “grooming” children to abuse them, and during his 2022 Senate campaign, he opposed legislation safeguarding marriage equality. Wolf remarked, “The contrast really could not be clearer.” Prominent LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations swiftly lined up behind Harris following her formal announcement of her White House bid on Sunday. A fundraising call hosted Thursday evening by the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and other state and national organizations raised over $300,000 for Harris and registered 1,500 campaign volunteers. This overwhelming support underscores the community’s belief in Harris’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and their hope for a future where those rights continue to be protected and expanded. Credit: Hill 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Around 10 million pensioners in England and Wales will lose their winter fuel payments under new plans announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Starting this autumn, those not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer receive the annual payments, which range between £100 and £300. This decision comes alongside a series of significant cuts, including the cancellation of a planned cap on social care costs and the axing of several major rail and road projects. Reeves cited the previous government's "undisclosed" overspending as the reason for these "urgent decisions." Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt called Reeves's claims “spurious,” arguing that the Conservatives had been transparent about the state of public finances while in power. He also noted that Reeves had consulted with Treasury officials before the election. The Scottish government expressed disappointment over the changes to the winter fuel payment, stating they were made “without any consultation or discussion” between ministers. The responsibility for this payment is set to transfer to the Scottish Government this winter, to be replaced with a Scottish equivalent, the pension age winter heating payment. In Northern Ireland, ministers will decide whether to follow the UK government’s decision to restrict winter fuel payments. In a packed House of Commons, Reeves referred to a public spending audit she had requested from Treasury officials, describing the economic legacy she had inherited as "unforgivable." She announced several measures designed to reduce spending. However, she also confirmed that public sector pay recommendations were being accepted in full. This includes 5.5% rises for NHS workers and teachers, 6% for the armed forces, 5% for the prison service, and 4.75% for the police. Additionally, junior doctors have been offered a 22% pay rise over two years. These pay deals will cost an additional £9.4 billion, with two-thirds funded by central government and all departments asked to find savings totaling £3 billion to cover the rest. Reeves explained that the pay awards and recalculated departmental spending resulted in a "£22 billion hole in the public finances," necessitating immediate spending reductions. Several infrastructure projects have been scrapped, including a two-mile road tunnel near Stonehenge, a bypass for the A27 in West Sussex, Boris Johnson’s plan to build 40 new hospitals in England by 2030, and the Restoring Your Railway Fund. Additionally, Reeves said that several policies from the previous Conservative government would not proceed, including a planned cap on care charges for older people, the planned sale of publicly owned NatWest shares, the Rwanda deportation scheme for illegal migrants, and the Advanced British Standard, which was to replace A-Levels and T-Levels. While Hunt disputed the idea of hidden overspends, some economists, including the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), seem to support some of Reeves's claims of surprises in departmental budgets. However, her decisions have been labeled a "political choice" by economists and Conservative politicians. Paul Johnson, director of the IFS, noted that "half of [the] spending 'hole' is public pay over which the government made a choice and where pressures were known." Addressing MPs, a visibly angry Reeves said the former government had committed to spending money it did not have and had not informed the independent economic watchdog, the OBR, about this. "How dare they?" she said, referring to claims the books were "open." She cited an unfunded overspend of £6.4 billion on the asylum system, including the Rwanda scheme, a figure that Paul Johnson from the IFS described as "huge" and genuinely unfunded. The OBR, in a letter published on Monday, noted it had been "made aware of the extent of these pressures at a meeting with the Treasury last week," indicating it could be "one of the largest year-ahead overspends against... forecasts outside of the pandemic years." The OBR is reviewing how it prepared its forecast for the March 2024 Budget and will assess "the adequacy of the information and the assurances provided to the OBR by the Treasury regarding departmental spending." Hunt denied the previous Conservative government had covered anything up and accused Labour of misleading the public on tax rises. "Taxes will have to go up, and she chose not to tell us," he said, predicting that Reeves's first Budget would be the "biggest betrayal in history by a new chancellor." During her speech, Reeves announced that the next Budget would be on October 30. She also stated that public sector spending reviews looking ahead three years will now take place every two years, with the last one conducted in 2021. A Covid corruption probe will aim to recover the £2.6 billion Labour says was "lost" in dodgy contracts signed during the pandemic. In line with Labour's manifesto, private schools will be taxed at 20% starting January 1 next year, and oil and gas companies will face a higher windfall tax. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney urged Labour to go further in making large companies "pay their fair share" of tax. Labour has previously stated it will not borrow to fund "day-to-day costs," meaning it would only pay for current expenditure using the money it raises in tax. It also pledged to have debt falling by the end of the parliament. During the election campaign, the Conservatives made similar commitments on taxation and spending. Economists said at the time that both parties would either need to cut spending or raise taxes under their self-imposed fiscal rules. Credit: BBC 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a calculated political move, Vice President Kamala Harris and her Democratic allies have started to label Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, as "weird." This new criticism aims to highlight the unconventional and controversial remarks and actions of the Republican duo, particularly Vance's contentious comments on abortion and his assertion that political leaders without biological children lack a direct stake in the country. This "weird" label has quickly gained traction in interviews and online discussions. The Democrats appear to have found a narrative advantage with this strategy, a clarity that was less pronounced when President Joe Biden was the focal point of the reelection campaign. Trump's campaign, which is adept at shaping political discourse through the former president's statements, has struggled to effectively counter this narrative. David Karpf, a strategic communication professor at George Washington University, has praised the strategy, noting that calling Republican comments "weird" is a concise and resonant message that quickly engages Harris supporters. He pointed out that this approach also frustrates opponents, causing them to amplify the criticism through their responses. So far, the Trump-Vance campaign has been unable to mount an effective counterattack. Harris and her allies have been consistent in their use of the "weird" label. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat on Harris' shortlist for vice president, recently called Trump and Vance "just weird" in an MSNBC interview. This characterization was later reiterated on CNN, where Walz referenced Trump’s frequent mentions of the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter in his speeches. Following Trump’s appearance on Fox News, the Harris campaign released a statement titled "Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal’s Fox News Appearance," which included "Trump is old and quite weird?" as one of the key takeaways. The campaign has also described Vance’s stances on abortion and his comments about childless political leaders as "weird." Harris’ campaign spokesperson highlighted Vance's "out-of-touch, weird ideas." Harris' allies, such as Senators Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, have also joined in, criticizing Vance's past remarks about limiting the political influence of childless Americans as a "super weird idea." At a recent fundraiser, Harris herself labeled some of Trump’s claims and Vance’s statements as "just plain weird," a sentiment that echoes past interactions where she reportedly planned to respond to Trump's looming presence in debates by calling out his behavior as weird. The Democrats' "weird" narrative seems to be a direct response to Vance's 2021 comments, where he disparaged prominent childless Democrats, including Harris, as "childless cat ladies" with no direct stake in America. This label is not entirely new; Harris reportedly considered using the term to describe Trump’s behavior as far back as 2018. In an effort to flip the script, Trump’s campaign has tried to redirect the "weird" label back at Harris and the Democrats. Trump spokesman Steven Cheung and Donald Trump Jr. have both highlighted Harris' policies and statements, trying to paint them as equally or more bizarre. Vance himself has criticized Harris’ comments on "climate anxiety" as "really weird stuff," attempting to shift the focus back on her. Interestingly, Democrats seem to be co-opting Republican tactics to bolster Harris’ image. Republicans have long shared clips of Harris’ laugh and certain anecdotes to portray her as weird, including a story where her mother scolds her with the phrase, "You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?" In response, Harris supporters have embraced coconut emojis in their online profiles, turning a potential negative into an in-joke among her base. Matt Sienkiewicz, a communication professor at Boston College, suggests that calling Republicans "weird" might be a way for Democrats to appropriate the Republicans' own tactics against them. Jacob Neiheisel, a political communication professor at the University at Buffalo, likens this strategy to Senator John McCain’s 2008 attempt to portray Barack Obama as a celebrity with no substantial accomplishments. By using the "weird" label, Democrats might be trying to counteract long-standing efforts by the right to paint Harris in a similar light. This strategic branding effort by the Harris campaign and her allies appears to be an effective way to undermine the Trump-Vance ticket by framing their comments and actions as out of touch with mainstream American values while also reinforcing the unity and resilience of the Democratic base. The new line of attack not only engages Harris' supporters but also keeps the Trump-Vance campaign on the defensive, struggling to find an effective response. This narrative may prove crucial as the election approaches, with both parties vying for control of the political discourse and the hearts and minds of American voters. Credit: ABC News 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Hungary's recent decision to ease visa restrictions for Russian visitors has sparked significant concerns among European Union leaders, who warn it poses a national security risk. The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the EU, has criticized Budapest's move, stating it could potentially allow unvetted Russians, including spies, to travel freely across much of the EU. Manfred Weber, the EPP's chair, expressed his concerns in a letter to European Council President Charles Michel. Weber's letter, which was obtained by the Financial Times, urged EU leaders to take urgent countermeasures at the next summit in October. Weber highlighted that Hungary’s new fast-track visa system for citizens of eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, bypasses essential security checks. Budapest claims that the new visa system is intended to facilitate the construction of a nuclear power plant using Russian technology. However, Weber questioned the necessity of this new immigration policy, arguing that it could create significant loopholes for espionage and allow large numbers of Russians to enter Hungary with minimal supervision, thereby posing a severe national security risk. Weber's letter emphasized that the policy could undermine the integrity of the Schengen area, a borderless zone that allows free movement among its 29 member countries. He called for EU leaders to adopt stringent measures to protect the Schengen area's security and prevent other member states from implementing similar initiatives. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has faced criticism from fellow EU leaders for his recent visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This visit came after a stop in Kyiv and was seen by many as an attempt to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Orbán's actions have strained relations with other EU leaders, who have since refused to send their ministers to meetings held in Hungary, opting instead for rescheduling in Brussels. Under EU rules, national governments retain authority over legal migration and work permits. While Russians are not banned from traveling to the EU, sanctions imposed since the 2022 war have restricted Russian airlines from flying into the bloc, and many individuals connected to the Kremlin face travel bans and asset freezes. The EPP, once Orbán's political family until his expulsion in 2021 due to concerns over his increasingly autocratic rule, has distanced itself from Orbán’s Fidesz party. Fidesz has since allied with far-right parties in the EU assembly, including France’s Marine Le Pen. Orbán’s pro-Russia stance has also strained Hungary’s relationship with Poland, a former ally. Recently, Orbán accused Poland of having a hypocritical policy by indirectly purchasing Russian oil, a claim that Polish officials have vehemently denied. Polish deputy foreign minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski questioned Hungary’s continued membership in the EU, suggesting Orbán should consider aligning with authoritarian states like Russia if he feels the EU treats Hungary poorly. Credit: F.T. 2024-07-31 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Update: Third girl dies after Southport dance class stabbing, say police A nine-year-old girl has become the third child to die after the Southport stabbings, Merseyside Police say. More now from Merseyside Police, who say the two victims who died in the attack yesterday were girls aged six and seven. As we've just reported, a third girl, aged nine, died from her injuries in the early hours of this morning. This is the first time police have confirmed the victims' genders. Until this point, we knew only that they were children. Eight other children were stabbed in the attack, police say. Five of the children and two adults remain in a critical condition. Suspect was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents The the 17-year-old currently being questioned by the police in connection with the attack in Southport was born in Cardiff and moved to the Southport area in 2013. His parents are from Rwanda and he has an older brother who was also born in Cardiff. Merseyside Police also say a name being shared on social media in connection with the suspect is incorrect. Almost immediately after the deadly stabbing attack in Southport, baseless rumours began spreading online. While police and emergency services were still responding to the attack, a widely shared LinkedIn post claimed without evidence that "a migrant" was responsible. But the most viral source of rumours so far has been a report published on an obscure US-based website which claims to cover "breaking news". The report falsely claims that that the 17-year old suspect is an "asylum seeker" named "Ali Al-Shakati", who "arrived in the UK by boat last year". Merseyside Police has confirmed that the suspect was born in Cardiff, and has yet to identify the 17-year-old. The report also adds that the suspect was "on the MI6 watch list", despite the fact that it is MI5, not MI6, that deals with domestic counter-terrorism cases. The name "Ali Al-Shakati" has since been widely shared online in posts viewed by millions. Some other outlets, including Russia's RT news channel, have also reported this name, citing the US-based website. Other variations of the report, including the claim that the suspect was a "Channel migrant", have also been widely circulated. Credit: BBC 2024-07-30

In the wake of Venezuela's recent presidential election, chaos has erupted in the streets of Caracas. Security forces resorted to using tear gas and rubber bullets to control the thousands of protesters who descended upon the city following the disputed election results announced on Sunday. President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory, a result heavily contested by the opposition. On Monday evening, central Caracas became a battleground as protesters, some having walked miles from the surrounding slums, converged near the presidential palace. The opposition alleges that their candidate, Edmundo González, secured a convincing victory with 73.2% of the vote. Polls leading up to the election had indicated a clear win for González, who had the backing of united opposition parties eager to unseat Maduro after 11 years in power amidst a severe economic crisis. Despite calls from Western and Latin American countries, as well as international bodies like the UN, for the Venezuelan authorities to release voting records from individual polling stations, the government has maintained its stance. The streets of Caracas saw a heavy military and police presence, including water cannons, aimed at dispersing the protesters and preventing them from nearing the presidential palace. Chants of “Freedom, freedom!” filled the air as demonstrators demanded the government's fall. Footage showed burning tires on highways and large crowds clashing with police on motorbikes who fired tear gas. In various parts of the city, posters of President Maduro were torn down and set ablaze, along with tires, cars, and other debris. Armed police, military, and left-wing paramilitaries loyal to the government clashed with protesters, blocking many roads leading to the city center. The BBC reported from La Lucha, a densely-populated area, where people expressed their frustration and anger. Paola Sarzalejo, 41, decried the election as “terrible, fraud.” She stated, “We won with 70%, but they did the same thing to us again. They took the elections from us again. We want a better future for our youth, for our country." Her father, Miguel, 64, echoed her sentiments, saying, “He lost the elections, he has no right to be there right now.” He lamented the potential exodus of the younger generation, saying, “If the youth all leave, only old people will be left in Venezuela, only senior citizens.” Cristobal Martinez, draped in a Venezuelan flag, described the election as a “fraud.” He noted the importance of the election for young people, many of whom are unemployed and not in education. Martinez shared that it was his first time voting and witnessed significant mobilization against the government. “There was a lot of discontent towards the government. The majority of people were participating for change,” he said. He criticized the lack of progress under Maduro’s long tenure, saying it had been “worse since President Chavez died.” Martinez also criticized older government supporters who relied on bonuses or food handouts, calling for “decent jobs, a good future for our country.” Maduro, on the other hand, accused the opposition of attempting a coup by disputing the results. “This is not the first time we are facing what we are facing today,” he stated, denouncing the opposition’s actions as fascist and counter-revolutionary. The Venezuelan attorney general warned that any roadblocks or legal disturbances during protests would be met with the full force of the law, with 32 people already detained for various offenses, including destroying electoral materials and inciting violence. In response to the election results, US senior administration officials expressed concern, noting that the results did not align with data from quick count mechanisms and other sources. They called on Venezuelan electoral authorities to release the underlying data supporting their announced numbers. However, the US has not yet made a definitive statement regarding its sanctions policy towards Venezuela, acknowledging that Maduro did conduct an election and allowed an opposition candidate, despite banning the opposition leader from running. The Organization of American States (OAS) announced it would hold a meeting of its permanent council on Wednesday to address the Venezuelan election results, reflecting the international community's growing concern over the legitimacy and transparency of the electoral process in Venezuela. Credit: BBC 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

US intelligence officials have accused Iran of attempting to interfere with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign through covert online operations. Tehran’s objective is to influence the election to avoid an outcome that could escalate tensions with the United States, according to a press briefing from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Monday. When questioned about Iran’s preferred candidate, an official referenced their assessment from the 2020 election, which concluded that Iran conducted a “multi-pronged covert influence campaign” aimed at undermining Trump’s re-election efforts. However, the Iranian mission to the United Nations has denied involvement in any activities intended to sway the US election. A spokesperson for the mission told The Times that these accusations are part of psychological operations designed to boost election campaigns artificially. US spy agencies reported a recent shift in Iran’s propaganda operations. Previously, Iran had focused on exacerbating social tensions surrounding the war in Gaza. Intelligence officials noted that Tehran utilized extensive networks of online personas and propaganda mills to spread disinformation, aiming to foster distrust and social discord. Despite Iran’s actions, Russia remains the primary threat to US election security, according to intelligence officials. Moscow is employing a variety of influence tactics, including using public relations firms and both witting and unwitting Americans to support presidential and down-ballot candidates it favors. An official indicated that Russia continues to support a Trump presidency due to the Republican Party’s growing opposition to US military and financial aid for Ukraine. The possibility of Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic presidential nominee has not altered either Iran’s or Russia’s preferred candidates. Iran’s animosity towards Trump and his former national security team is rooted in the death of Qasem Soleimani, the former head of the Quds Force. Soleimani was killed by a US drone strike in Iraq ordered by Trump in January 2020. Since then, Tehran has repeatedly vowed to seek revenge for the death of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps general. In response to these threats, the US Secret Service increased Trump’s security protections after an assassination attempt on July 13. The National Security Council stated that there was no known connection between Thomas Crooks, the would-be assassin, and any foreign actors, although intelligence about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Trump had been received. Credit: The Times 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

As President of the United States, I firmly believe that we must prevent the abuse of presidential power and restore public faith in our judicial system. Our nation was founded on a fundamental principle: No one is above the law. This applies to everyone, including the President and the justices of the Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 decision on July 1, which grants presidents broad immunity from prosecution for crimes committed while in office, jeopardizes this principle. This ruling effectively places no limits on presidential actions, relying solely on the self-restraint of the officeholder. If future presidents incite violent mobs to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, as witnessed on January 6, 2021, there may be no legal repercussions. This is just one example of the potential dangers. Additionally, the Court's decisions have overturned long-standing legal precedents, such as Roe v. Wade, and it is currently facing a crisis of ethics. Scandals involving justices have raised serious questions about the Court’s fairness and independence, which are crucial for ensuring equal justice under the law. Undisclosed gifts to justices from individuals with interests in cases before the Court and conflicts of interest related to the January 6 insurrectionists cast doubt on the Court's impartiality. Having served as a U.S. senator for 36 years, including as chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, and having overseen more Supreme Court nominations than anyone living today, I have great respect for our institutions and the separation of powers. What is happening now is abnormal and undermines public confidence in the Court's decisions, including those affecting personal freedoms. We are at a critical juncture, and in the face of increasing threats to America’s democratic institutions, I am proposing three bold reforms to restore trust and accountability to the Court and our democracy. First, I am calling for a constitutional amendment, the No One Is Above the Law Amendment, which would clarify that there is no immunity for crimes committed by a former president while in office. This aligns with our Founders' belief that presidential power is limited, not absolute. We are a nation of laws, not of kings or dictators. Second, just as we have had term limits for presidents for nearly 75 years, we should have the same for Supreme Court justices. The United States is the only major constitutional democracy that grants lifetime seats to its high court. Term limits would ensure regular changes in the Court’s membership, making the timing of court nominations more predictable and less arbitrary. This would reduce the likelihood of any single presidency radically altering the Court’s composition for generations. I support a system where the President appoints a justice every two years to serve 18 years in active service on the Supreme Court. Third, I am advocating for a binding code of conduct for the Supreme Court. This is common sense. The current voluntary ethics code for the Court is weak and self-enforced. Justices should be required to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest. Every other federal judge is bound by an enforceable code of conduct, and there is no reason for the Supreme Court to be exempt. All three of these reforms are supported by a majority of Americans, as well as conservative and liberal constitutional scholars. I want to thank the bipartisan Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States for its insightful analysis, which informed some of these proposals. We can and must prevent the abuse of presidential power. We can and must restore public faith in the Supreme Court. We can and must strengthen the guardrails of democracy. In America, no one is above the law. In America, the people rule. Credit: W.P. 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Donald Trump often paints himself as a master of foreign policy, claiming that during his presidency, he weakened America's adversaries and garnered greater respect for the United States on the world stage. As he campaigns for re-election, he promises to repeat these so-called successes. However, a closer look at his tenure reveals a starkly different reality. Trump's return to the White House could undermine America's global standing and compromise our national security. Trump's tenure was marked by decisions that made America and its allies less safe while empowering authoritarian regimes. His unwavering admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin baffled foreign policy and intelligence experts worldwide. Trump's friendly overtures towards North Korean leader Kim Jong Un only served to embolden a dangerous dictator and his pursuit of deployable nuclear weapons. One of Trump's most significant foreign policy blunders was his handling of Iran, a long-standing adversary of the United States. In 2015, a multi-nation agreement was established to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for economic incentives from the West. International experts confirmed that the plan was effective, with Iran focusing its nuclear advancements primarily on energy rather than warfare. However, Trump abruptly withdrew the United States from this agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite its success. Trump argued that imposing new economic sanctions on Iran would cripple the regime and force it into submission. Yet, as the New York Times reported, "Mr. Trump was wrong on both counts. … Iran has moved closer than ever to the ability to produce several nuclear weapons, dramatically bolstering the speed at which it can produce nuclear fuel in recent weeks." This outcome was precisely what military and diplomatic experts had warned against when Trump decided to exit the treaty. The Arms Control Association noted five years ago that Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign, which involved reimposing sanctions lifted under the JCPOA, failed to alter Iran's regional behavior, thereby continuing to threaten U.S. allies. The Arms Control Association further criticized Trump's decision, stating, "What is most tragic about the growing crisis is that Trump’s decision to violate U.S. commitments under the JCPOA appears to be based on a set of falsehoods and misconceptions that Trump and his senior officials continue to repeat." They refuted Trump's assertion that the Obama-Biden administration would have allowed Iran "free access to nuclear weapons," dismissing it as nonsense. Fast forward to April 13, 2024, and Iran poses an even greater nuclear threat. Following its attacks on Israeli-backed Hamas in Gaza with missiles and drones, Iran has closed its nuclear facilities to international inspectors. A senior military official in Tehran hinted that Iran might reconsider its stance on nuclear weapon development if Israel retaliates by targeting its nuclear infrastructure. Responsible Statecraft, an organization monitoring global politics, recently published an analysis titled, "Killing the Iran nuclear deal was one of Trump’s biggest failures." The article emphasized that Trump's decision left Tehran "closer than ever to a bomb." In stark contrast to Trump's impulsive and hazardous approach, the Biden-Harris administration has been measured and pragmatic. Following Iran's attacks on Israel, President Biden reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and its G7 allies to collectively increase economic pressure on Iran and to implement measures to restrict its destabilizing military programs. As Trump campaigns to regain the presidency, his foreign policy rhetoric remains as reckless and misguided as ever. He has even suggested that he would allow Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to any NATO member country that fails to meet military spending guidelines. While domestic and economic issues often dominate U.S. presidential elections, it is crucial for voters to recognize the profound risks associated with re-electing Trump. His limited understanding of, and interest in, geopolitical policies and their implications could lead to significant harm if he is given another chance to lead. Charles Babington, who has covered Washington beats including Congress and the White House for 20 years for The Washington Post, the Associated Press, and the News & Observer of Raleigh, highlights the importance of considering the broader consequences of Trump's foreign policy track record. Credit: Hill 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, for their first meeting since September 2020. The encounter came amid reports of past tensions between the two leaders, particularly after Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory—a victory Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed was stolen from him. Despite these reported tensions, the meeting was marked by smiles and affirmations of their good rapport, with Trump asserting, "We have a very good relationship" and insisting it was "never bad." During the meeting, Netanyahu thanked Trump for his efforts in promoting stability in the Middle East during his presidency. The Trump campaign echoed this sentiment, highlighting Netanyahu's gratitude for Trump's work to promote regional stability. Trump, in turn, expressed his unwavering support for Israel, pledging that if he wins the next election, he will "make every effort to bring peace to the Middle East and combat anti-Semitism from spreading throughout college campuses." The backdrop of this meeting includes Netanyahu's recent discussions with Vice President Kamala Harris. After their talks, Harris stated that she would "not be silent" about the suffering in Gaza, a comment that Trump found "disrespectful." Netanyahu expressed hope that his visit to the United States would expedite a ceasefire deal in the ongoing conflict. Addressing Congress earlier in the week, Netanyahu praised Trump's contributions to Israel, specifically mentioning the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu also reiterated his commitment to achieving "total victory in Gaza." Trump echoed this sentiment during their meeting, telling reporters, "If we win, it’ll be very simple. It’s all going to work out and very quickly." He warned that failure to secure competent leadership could lead to major wars in the Middle East and possibly a third world war. "You are closer to a third world war right now than at any time since the second world war. You’ve never been so close, because we have incompetent people running our country." Trump has previously made dire predictions about global stability, suggesting that current conflicts, including the fighting between Israel and Hamas and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, bring the world to the brink of another world war. He underscored his support for Israel, citing his administration’s significant policy decisions, including the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and the sanctions imposed on Iran following the withdrawal from the nuclear deal. "We’ve had a good relationship. I was very good to Israel, better than any president’s ever been," Trump stated. The Biden administration has expressed optimism about reaching a ceasefire deal and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. Trump, however, criticized the current situation as "not acceptable" and questioned the condition of the hostages, stating, "They have to be given back immediately because there can be no way they’re in good shape." This meeting between Trump and Netanyahu underscores the former president's continued influence on U.S. foreign policy and his enduring commitment to Israel, while also highlighting the complex dynamics of current Middle Eastern conflicts and the varied responses from U.S. political leaders. Credit: Sky News | Hill 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a stark warning reminiscent of Cold War tensions, Vladimir Putin has cautioned the United States against deploying long-range missiles in Germany, slated for 2026. Speaking to an audience of sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India during Russian Navy Day in St. Petersburg, Putin declared that if Washington proceeds with its missile plans, Russia will respond in kind by stationing similar missiles within striking distance of the West. The warning comes after the US and Germany announced earlier this month their intention to deploy long-range fire capabilities in Germany by 2026. This move is designed to demonstrate the US’s commitment to NATO and European defense. According to statements from Washington and Berlin, these “episodic deployments” are in preparation for longer-term stationing of such capabilities, which will include SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as developmental hypersonic weapons that boast a longer range than current capabilities in Europe. In his address, Putin highlighted the imminent threat posed by these deployments, noting, “The flight time to targets on our territory of such missiles, which in the future may be equipped with nuclear warheads, will be about 10 minutes.” He emphasized that Russia would take “mirror measures” to deploy its own missiles in response to the US actions, considering the activities of the United States and its satellites in Europe and other regions of the world. Putin accused the US of escalating tensions by transferring Typhon missile systems to Denmark and the Philippines. He likened the current US plans to NATO’s decision to deploy Pershing II launchers in Western Europe in 1979. The Soviet leadership at the time, including General Secretary Yuri Andropov, perceived the Pershing II deployments as part of a broader US strategy to decapitate the Soviet Union by targeting its political and military leadership. Drawing this historical parallel, Putin remarked, “This situation is reminiscent of the events of the Cold War related to the deployment of American medium-range Pershing missiles in Europe.” Reiterating his previous warnings, Putin suggested that Moscow could resume production of intermediate and shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles. He indicated that Russia would then consider strategic locations for deploying these missiles if the US proceeded with bringing similar missiles to Europe and Asia. The escalating rhetoric and strategic maneuvers underscore the growing tensions between Russia and the United States. The potential deployment of long-range missiles in Germany and Russia’s vowed response echo the Cold War era's high-stakes brinkmanship. As both nations prepare for possible military confrontations, the specter of a new missile crisis looms over international relations. Putin’s address to the international assembly of sailors was designed not only to issue a warning to Washington but also to demonstrate Russia’s resolve to defend its territorial integrity and strategic interests. The Russian president’s reference to the rapid flight time of potential US missiles underscores the immediacy of the perceived threat and Russia’s readiness to counteract any strategic advantages gained by the US in Europe. In light of these developments, the international community is watching closely as the US and Russia navigate this precarious situation. The planned missile deployments and corresponding threats of counter-deployments have significant implications for global security and stability. The potential for a new missile crisis requires careful diplomatic engagement and strategic consideration to avoid a repeat of the Cold War’s most perilous moments. Credit: The Guardian 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

The time has come to reconsider the existence of women's prisons. These institutions are not safe spaces for women, many of whom shouldn't be there in the first place. Initially, my belief that women's prisons should be abolished seemed quite radical. However, over the years, this perspective has felt increasingly necessary and urgent. The prison system is in a state of profound crisis. In England and Wales, the prison population has doubled over the past 30 years, despite a substantial decrease in crime rates. Recently, the Prison Governors' Association warned that prisons were just days away from running out of cells. In response, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood blamed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for a "disgraceful dereliction of duty" for failing to address this issue. According to the Mirror, one proposal to ease the pressure on the system was to release enough female prisoners to free up an entire prison. Campaigners, exasperated, are asking why stop there? It's worth considering the purpose of prison. The obvious answer is punishment for breaking the law. Then there's deterrence: the fear of punishment supposedly prevents crime. Additionally, being locked up theoretically stops further criminal activity. Rehabilitation is another goal, with the idea that prisoners should receive help and emerge as better people. However, even a brief look at statistics shows that prisons fail in all these areas, often in shocking ways. Women's prisons, in particular, are in a crisis within a crisis. Self-harm in women's prisons reached its highest rate ever recorded last year, with an increase of 63%—11 times higher than in men's prisons. Mental health issues affect 76% of women in prison. Pregnant women in prison are seven times more likely to suffer a stillbirth than those outside. Inside Time recently reported the death of another baby in an English prison, the third in five years. Nearly half of the women in prison have committed an offense to support someone else's drug habit. This is unsurprising, given that 70% of female offenders have experienced domestic abuse and over half have experienced childhood abuse. Most women are incarcerated for minor crimes and are more likely to be criminalized than men for issues like their children refusing to go to school. Many are serving short sentences, often for shoplifting, driven by the cost-of-living crisis. Regardless of the length of their sentences, their lives and those of their children are irreparably disrupted. Writing about these issues is painful because it means acknowledging the women behind the statistics and the compromises that led to their incarceration. Independent inspections reveal appalling conditions in prisons. For instance, a 2022 inspection of HMP Eastwood Park found three women had died that year, with inmates living in deplorable conditions. Photos of cells depicted scenes reminiscent of a dystopian nightmare. Some cells were blood-spattered, and others had extensive scratches on the walls, reflecting the trauma experienced by previous residents. The inspection concluded that no prisoner should endure such conditions, especially women who are acutely unwell and distressed. Jasmine York, jailed for ten weeks for her part in the "Kill the Bill" protest, described the harrowing environment, stating, "People self-harm in prison in ways that I have never even imagined." She told the BBC, "People are leaving and either re-committing or they’re leaving in a body bag." New figures suggest that HMP Eastwood Park is not unique. The number of assaults and self-harm incidents in women's prisons in England and Wales has hit record highs. This outcome is predictable when traumatized individuals with mental illnesses are locked up in squalor, without support or hope. There are more humane and cost-effective alternatives for the few women who pose a genuine threat to their communities. The vast majority of women in prison are victims of a system more focused on punishment than prevention. The charity Women in Prison published a report this spring highlighting the value of women's centers. There are around 40 of these "one-stop-shops" across England and Wales, providing access to specialist advocacy and support for housing, debt, addiction, mental health, employment, education, domestic abuse, and parenting. These services can prevent women from being drawn into the criminal justice system and struggling to escape. The report is both poetic and humanizing, contrasting sharply with the dehumanizing nature of prisons and offering an alternative path. It serves as a reminder that prisons are blunt instruments that harm not only those within their walls but also the wider society that prefers to look away. Women's prisons have served their time. It's time to abolish them and seek more effective and humane solutions. Credit: The Guardian 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

The organizers of the Paris Olympics have issued an apology following a contentious performance during Friday’s Opening Ceremonies, which featured a reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” The tableau, which included a woman in the role of Jesus, drag queens, and gay icons as disciples, alongside a scantily clad man portraying Dionysus, the Greek god of revelry, has sparked significant backlash. The performance drew sharp criticism from various quarters, including religious leaders and conservative politicians. Church leaders and some political figures condemned the act, perceiving it as a perversion of the biblical scene that recounts the eve of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed his outrage, describing the performance as a “mockery [that] was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world.” In response, a U.S. telecommunications firm, C Spire, announced it would be pulling its advertising from the Summer Games. The French Conference of Catholic Bishops also voiced their objection to the performance. In the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus shares bread and wine with his disciples and instructs them to eat and drink in his memory, a ritual that forms the basis for the Eucharist, or Communion, in Christian worship. The depiction in the Opening Ceremonies, however, deviated significantly from this traditional portrayal, leading to accusations of disrespect and insensitivity. Addressing the controversy, Anne Descamps, a spokeswoman for the Paris Olympics, issued an apology during the Games’ daily news conference on Sunday. “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group,” she stated. “If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry.” Thomas Jolly, the Opening Ceremonies choreographer, defended the performance on the Paris-based BFM network on Sunday. According to France 24, Jolly explained, “The idea was to do a big pagan party linked to the gods of Olympus. You’ll never find in my work any desire to mock or denigrate anyone.” However, organizers admitted on Sunday that Jolly did draw inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting to create the setting. In a statement to The Wrap, Paris 2024 said, “[Jolly] is not the first artist to make a reference to what is a world-famous work of art. From Andy Warhol to ‘The Simpsons,’ many have done it before him.” The statement highlighted that while the artistic interpretation aimed to offer a fresh perspective, it was not meant to offend or belittle any religious beliefs. Credit: W.P. 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Expecting too much from the Afghanistan War Commission might lead to disappointment. Last week, the bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission convened for its first public hearing since its establishment in 2021. This session included testimonies from prominent figures in foreign policy, who discussed the origins of the conflict and the importance of re-examining it. This effort is grounded in George Santayana's famous aphorism: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." The underlying logic is that by reviewing the West's 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, we can identify our mistakes and avoid repeating them in the future. Congress established the commission with two main objectives. First, it aims to meticulously examine the events with the benefit of hindsight. Second, and more importantly, it seeks "to develop a series of lessons learned and recommendations for the way forward that will inform future decisions by Congress and policymakers throughout the United States Government." The commission consists of 16 commissioners, evenly split between appointees from the Democratic and Republican parties. Its co-chairs are Shamila N. Chaudary, a foreign policy academic with experience in the State Department and the National Security Council under President Barack Obama, and Colin Jackson, a Department of Defense official who served in Afghanistan under President Donald Trump. This process of historical analysis and learning is expected to take four years. To put this timeline in perspective, an infantry officer deployed to Afghanistan at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 could potentially be a general by the time the commission publishes its findings. NATO ended combat operations and transferred responsibility to Afghan national security forces a decade ago, at the end of 2014, and U.S. combat forces left the country nearly three years ago. A comparable model for this commission is the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, commonly known as the 9/11 Commission. This commission was created to provide "a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11 attacks." However, the 9/11 Commission operated on a significantly faster timeline. It was established only 13 months after the attacks and reported in July 2004, less than three years after 9/11. Its 585-page report was comprehensive yet manageable, and it addressed many key figures who were still in office at the time, including President Bush, Vice President Cheney, the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor, and the Director of the FBI. The Director of Central Intelligence, George Tenet, had only stepped down weeks before the report's release. A more relevant comparison might be found in the United Kingdom's experience. Although Lord Butler of Brockwell, a former head of the civil service, conducted a brief review of the intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in early 2004, it was widely regarded as an establishment whitewash. In 2009, Prime Minister Gordon Brown initiated a full public inquiry into every aspect of the UK's involvement in Iraq from 2001 to 2009. Chaired by Sir John Chilcot, a former civil servant with extensive experience in intelligence and security, the Iraq Inquiry conducted hearings for 18 months and published its conclusions in 2016, seven years after it was established. The report was exhaustive, comprising 12 volumes and an executive summary totaling 2.6 million words, and it was extensively and harshly critical of British foreign policy. "The government failed to achieve its stated objectives," it concluded, "the consequences of the invasion were underestimated," and "planning and preparations for Iraq after Saddam Hussein were wholly inadequate." These findings were widely reported at the time, and Prime Minister David Cameron made a statement to the House of Commons upon the report's publication. However, the repercussions were muted. Sir Tony Blair had stepped down as prime minister nine years earlier; his first foreign secretary, Robin Cook, had passed away, and his second, Jack Straw, was no longer in Parliament. Blair's chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, had moved into the private sector, and the defense secretary, Geoff Hoon, had become a largely forgotten figure. In blunt terms, politics had moved on. If a lesson was learned by the institutions of government, it was that major land commitments in the Middle East were financially and reputationally ruinous. British combat troops had left Iraq in 2011 and Afghanistan in 2015. Any hope for a reckoning for the "guilty men" was sustained only if one believed that Sir Tony Blair was now in public disgrace and penury, and Jonathan Powell and Alastair Campbell, Blair's director of communications, were not respected consultants and broadcasters. The Afghanistan War Commission may eventually produce an impeccable, insightful, and indispensable analysis of the United States' deployment in the region when it reports towards the end of the 2020s. There may be some lessons that foreign policy experts absorb and implement. However, based on the UK's experience with the Iraq Inquiry, it is advisable to manage expectations if anyone thinks Washington's global stance will change radically or that individuals will be held accountable. It is simply too long ago. Credit: Hill 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a groundbreaking show of support, Vice President Kamala Harris has raised an impressive $200 million during the first week of her presidential campaign. According to her campaign, a striking 66% of these donations came from first-time donors, underscoring the fresh enthusiasm and widespread backing she has garnered. This significant fundraising achievement comes on the heels of President Joe Biden's unexpected decision to step aside as the Democratic presidential nominee. Biden’s move has not only reshaped the dynamics of the 2024 race but also sparked a surge of excitement and financial contributions within the Democratic Party. Before Biden's extraordinary decision, the fundraising battle between the two major parties was intensifying, with former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee rapidly closing the gap with Biden and the Democratic National Committee. However, Harris' remarkable fundraising haul now gives her campaign a crucial financial edge as she seeks to officially secure the party's nomination and aim for the White House in the November election. The impact of Harris' campaign announcement is evident in the unprecedented mobilization of volunteers and supporters. More than 170,000 new volunteers have joined the Harris campaign within the first week since Biden endorsed her as his preferred successor. Michael Tyler, the campaign's communications director, highlighted the significance of this support, saying, "The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris is real — and so are the fundamentals of this race: this election will be very close and decided by a small number of voters in just a few states." The Democratic Party has rapidly coalesced around Harris in the aftermath of Biden's decision. Major party leaders, influential donors, and a majority of delegates have thrown their support behind her candidacy. This swift consolidation of support has positioned Harris as the clear frontrunner to secure the Democratic nomination and has energized the party’s base. Harris' entry into the presidential race has injected new life into the Democratic campaign, providing a boost of optimism and determination among her supporters. As the campaign progresses, her ability to maintain this momentum and build on her initial fundraising success will be critical to her bid for the presidency. With a well-funded campaign and a growing base of enthusiastic volunteers, Harris is poised to make a significant impact in the 2024 election, shaping the future direction of the Democratic Party and the nation. Credit: AXIOS 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Sakina Muhammad Jan, a mother who coerced her daughter into a forced marriage with a man who later murdered her, has caused an uproar in court by refusing to sign a document that would have allowed her early release from prison. Jan, aged 47 or 48, was sentenced to three years in prison by Judge Fran Dalziel at the County Court of Victoria on Monday. The recognisance release order, which she declined to sign, would have permitted her to serve two years of her sentence within the community under specific conditions. Through a translator, Jan expressed her defiance, stating, "I’ve done nothing wrong I cannot accept … I cannot be locked in.” The court proceedings mark a significant legal milestone as Jan becomes the first individual sentenced under Australia's forced marriage laws, introduced in 2013. These laws, which carry a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment, aim to combat coercion in marital arrangements. Jan's sentencing follows a lengthy trial in which a jury found her guilty of forcing her 21-year-old daughter, Ruqia Haidari, into marriage with Mohammad Ali Halimi in late 2019. Tragically, Halimi later murdered Haidari in a fit of rage. The courtroom was filled with more than a dozen family members and members of the Hazara community, many of whom were in tears as the sentence was handed down. Jan, an Afghan Hazara refugee who fled Taliban persecution and migrated to regional Victoria in 2013 with her five children, maintained her innocence throughout the trial. Her lawyers argued that she suffers from enduring grief over her daughter's death. The court heard that Haidari had previously been forced into marriage at the age of 15, a union that ended in divorce. She had expressed a desire to delay any further marriage until she was 27 or 28, wanting to focus on her studies and career instead. Judge Dalziel, in her sentencing remarks, emphasized that while Jan may have believed she was acting in her daughter's best interests, she had persistently ignored Haidari’s wishes and abused her power as a mother. Dalziel highlighted that Haidari would have been acutely aware of the familial and community repercussions of rejecting the marriage, including her mother's anger and the family's standing in the community. Jan’s refusal to accept the judge’s ruling and her subsequent removal from the court underscore the ongoing complexities and emotional turmoil surrounding forced marriage cases. During Halimi's sentencing for Haidari's murder in 2021, the court in Western Australia heard accounts of his violent and abusive behavior towards his wife, including his insistence on her performing household chores. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, in a statement on Monday, underscored the prevalence of forced marriage in Australia, describing it as “the most reported slavery-like offence.” Federal police were alerted to 90 cases of forced marriage in the 2022-23 period alone, highlighting the urgent need for continued vigilance and legal action against such practices. The case of Sakina Muhammad Jan and her daughter Ruqia Haidari serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of forced marriage and the importance of upholding individual rights and freedoms. Credit: BBC | News.Com 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

British television host Piers Morgan recently criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, labeling her as the “most far-left senator in modern American history.” Speaking on “Fox News Saturday Night,” Morgan dismissed the substantial support Harris has garnered from Democrats since President Joe Biden announced last Sunday that he would not seek reelection. “She’s getting a fantastically amazing honeymoon. It’s going to last about a week here, and then reality will kick in,” Morgan stated. “And Donald Trump will start going very hard as he already is about her record. And her record is she’s literally probably the most far-left senator in modern American history.” Republicans and other political commentators have launched a series of attacks on Harris, focusing on various policy stances including immigration, climate change, and her record as a prosecutor. Meanwhile, Harris has used her prosecutorial background to draw a contrast with Trump and his extensive legal issues. MAGA Inc., a prominent super PAC supporting Trump, has spent millions on a series of ads aimed at “cutting the honeymoon short” for Harris. Morgan, commenting on the support from Democrats, added, “The analogy I would give you [about Democrats supporting Harris] is, if you were on the Titanic, which the Democrats were with Biden, and he’s hit the iceberg, and it’s going down, and the last lifeboat has just disappeared … into the moonlight, you will take any vessel you can see.” Morgan continued, “What chance do you have of actually getting to land? You’ll just jump on anything, and that’s where we are.” Fox News radio host Jimmy Failla, speaking with Morgan, expressed his “fascination” with what he called a sudden shift in support for Harris. “I am fascinated by the immediate pivot to this cop Kamala propaganda because if you remember, we’re about three months removed from them talking about pulling her off the ticket, of course, OK. And now, we’re being told she’s the greatest person in the world despite the fact she ran for president, and when she dropped out, she was polling behind ISIS,” Failla said. Credit: Hill 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, has stepped into the presidential campaign spotlight with fervor. Emhoff, who had remained relatively quiet during President Biden’s run, is now using her social media platform to rally support for her stepmother, showcasing a blend of personal advocacy and pro-Palestinian sentiments. Emhoff, a 25-year-old model with a significant following of 330,000 on Instagram, has taken a proactive stance in the campaign. “You already know what time it is,” she posted on Wednesday, alongside a striking image of herself and a link for voter registration. “This is not the time to sit back and defer responsibility. This is on all of us to show up, take action and vote for our future. We can be the change we want to see.” Her message resonated with her audience, urging them to engage actively in the electoral process. However, her involvement has not been without controversy. The next day, Emhoff responded to critics who highlighted that Harris has no biological children. In a spirited Instagram story, she quipped, “How can you be childless when you have cutie pie kids like Cole and I? I love my three parents.” This reference was to her biological parents, Doug Emhoff and Kerstin Emhoff, and her stepmother, Kamala Harris. Ella Emhoff’s social media presence has been noteworthy, particularly during President Biden’s tenure as the Democratic nominee. Her political statements have often focused on the conflict in Gaza. Despite her father Doug Emhoff’s Jewish heritage, Ella has clarified that she does not consider herself Jewish. Her advocacy has included calls for donations to organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In March, she shared a link encouraging support for the organization, which has been accused of having ties to terrorism. The Biden administration cut off funding to UNRWA in January after evidence suggested its complicity in Hamas’ terrorist activities on October 7 in Israel. Ella’s stance has garnered criticism, especially from conservative circles. GOP strategist Garrett Ventry commented, “It’s not surprising that Ella is engaging in her step-mom’s race for president. She is pro-Hamas just like Kamala.” These sentiments reflect the polarized views surrounding her advocacy and her stepmother’s political career. Vice President Harris recently refused to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, further fueling speculation about her stance on Israel-Palestine relations. Emhoff’s influence extends beyond politics. She has made a name for herself in the fashion industry as an avant-garde model, known for her bold appearances, including a topless runway show at New York Fashion Week in 2022. Her eclectic style and outspoken nature have made her a prominent figure in both the political and fashion arenas. Credit: NYP 2024-07-27 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

The Kremlin's highly anticipated summer offensive in Ukraine was intended to be a war-winning maneuver. Launched in the spring, this massive military operation was the largest since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. However, despite high hopes for a decisive breakthrough, the offensive has failed to achieve its most ambitious objectives. The Ukrainian front line has held firm, and there has been no grand collapse of Ukrainian defenses. The offensive, intended to end the war in Russia's favor, has instead resulted in slow and costly gains for the Russian military. The British Ministry of Defence reported staggering casualty figures for the Russian forces, with an average of 1,262 and 1,162 casualties per day in May and June, respectively. These numbers represent the highest daily casualties of the conflict thus far. Despite this, Russian forces continue to advance, albeit slowly. Ukrainian journalist Yuri Butosov recently highlighted a "critical situation" near Pokrovsk, where Russian forces managed to advance four miles in one week. Butosov warned that if the Russians were allowed to enter Myrnohrad, it would enable them to concentrate their forces and potentially attack Pokrovsk itself, threatening the last line of defense before reaching the Dnipropetrovsk region. Deep State, a Ukrainian war blog, reported that a "chaotic withdrawal" by one of the Ukrainian infantry brigades had nearly encircled the 31st separate mechanized brigade near the village of Prohres. Michael Koffman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment who recently visited the front lines, acknowledged the grim reality: "Ukraine is going to be losing more territory over the coming months." Despite initial predictions of a Russian blitzkrieg reaching Kyiv, the current focus remains on capturing the Donetsk region, a key territorial objective for Russia. Vladimir Putin has consistently stated this goal, and all Russian battlefield efforts appear directed toward its achievement. Timing, opportunity, and political considerations are critical factors in this offensive. Russia hopes that a potential victory by Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. presidential election will create favorable conditions for peace talks. If Russia can hold significant territories in the Donbas region, such as Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Pokrovsk, they could frame it as a victory domestically. Currently, Russia enjoys an advantage in men, equipment, and ammunition, but this superiority may diminish by the end of the year. The Russian military is keen to capitalize on this window of dominance. The Russian offensive strategy, orchestrated by General Valery Gerasimov, involves multiple efforts along the front lines. These include an offensive from the Belgorod region to the northeast of Kharkiv, a thrust towards the Oskil River south of Kupiansk, and main attacks further south from Bakhmut towards Chasiv Yar and from Avdiivka towards Pokrovsk. Additionally, a subsidiary attack has developed on Niu-York and Toretsk. There have also been assaults further south aimed at threatening Kurakhove. The initial assault on Kharkiv aimed to establish a buffer zone to prevent Ukrainian strikes into Belgorod and to divert Ukrainian reserves from the main front in Donbas. While the first objective failed, the second was more successful. Ukraine was forced to divert several brigades to contain the threat, highlighting a shortage of mobile reserves. Despite this diversion, the Russians failed to exploit their initial success. The premature start of the Kharkiv offensive took both Ukrainians and Russians by surprise, leading to a delay in assaults in Donbas. In Donbas, since the Kharkiv offensive began, the Russians have advanced only a few miles towards key targets like Pokrovsk and Prohres. Their progress has been slow and costly, with former Ukrainian defense minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk noting the brutal tactics employed by the Russians: "They are sending a lot of people, losing a lot of people, and gaining a few meters." Despite the slow progress, these small advances could cumulatively pose significant threats to Ukrainian defenses. One reason for recent Russian successes is their strategy of concentrating attacks on weaker Ukrainian units. Russian attacks now often involve small infantry actions, reflecting the difficulties both sides face in crossing no-man's-land with traditional armored assaults. The Russians have developed improvised techniques, such as using heavily armored "turtle tanks" and fast-moving motorcycles, to navigate the battlefield. While not foolproof, these methods have yielded some gains, especially when combined with the use of glide bombs, which have become more accurate and psychologically impactful. Ukraine's critical shortages of men, shells, and prepared defensive positions are gradually being addressed. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill overhauling conscription rules in April, significantly increasing troop numbers. The United States Congress approved a military aid package, reducing Russia's ammunition superiority. F-16 fighters are expected to bolster Ukrainian defenses this summer. As these new resources arrive, Russia's battlefield dominance is likely to erode. However, Russia faces its own challenges. Its stocks of armored vehicles are dwindling, and recruitment problems have led to increased salary offers for military volunteers. The tempo of Russian operations may need to be reduced as these issues persist. The next few months remain critical. Ukrainian commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky acknowledged Russia's advantage in equipment. Journalist Yuri Butosov noted that the crisis on the Pokrovsk front is exacerbated by inadequate defenses and a lack of unified command. Ukrainian reserves remain tied up near Kharkiv, making it difficult to reinforce other areas. Despite likely continued Russian advances until September, the battle for Donbas may not determine the war's outcome. Michael Koffman emphasized that the attrition affecting each side's ability to wage war is more significant than territorial gains. In conclusion, Russia's summer offensive has not delivered the decisive blow it intended. While the Russian military has made some gains, these have come at a high cost and without achieving a grand breakthrough. Ukraine's defenses have held, and the arrival of new troops and equipment may shift the balance of power. The war remains complex and fluid, with both sides facing significant challenges and uncertainties in the months ahead. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-07-30 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.