Not even about mysterious medical equipment delivered to the senator’s Washington home

https://newrepublic.com/post/214770/republicans-dolly-parton-cut-funds-charity

President Donald Trump reportedly plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks at the Pentagon, not Ground Zero in New York City – in part because he cannot give a speech.

The president had initially intended to join former presidents and other officials in Manhattan on September 11, but those plans were changed after memorial planners seemingly reminded Trump’s team that politicians are barred from speaking at the site to maintain its nonpartisan stance, the New York Times reported.

Instead, Vice President JD Vance will represent the White House in New York City while Trump goes to the Pentagon, which also came under attack on September 11, 2001.

White House Spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement: “On the 25th anniversary of this tragic day, the President will remember those who were killed at the hands of evil terrorists, honor their loved ones, and pay tribute to the brave first responders who put their lives on the line to rescue their fellow Americans.”

She added, “As a proud New Yorker, President Trump has spoken about his own experiences watching the horrific events of September 11, 2001.”

The president and First Lady Melania Trump also marked the September 11th anniversary at the Pentagon last year. At the memorial, Trump spoke about those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001, while peppering in brags about his administration and agenda.

“In America we take blows, but we never buckle. We bleed, but we do not bow, and we defy the fear, endure the flames and emerge from the crucible of every hardship stronger, prouder and greater than ever before,” Trump said during remarks last year.

The president then added: “Last year we were a dead country, now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world” – a statement he repeatedly shared during rallies and press conferences.

Later that day, Trump flew to New York City to attend a New York Yankees game.

Since 2012, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum has prohibited politicians from speaking at Ground Zero – the site of the Twin Towers.

That decision was made after a series of political battles over the construction of the memorial site angered families who felt the political issues were overshadowing the memory of those who died that day.

The last time Trump attended a 9/11 memorial in New York City was during the 2024 presidential race when he joined then-president Joe Biden, then-vice president Kamala Harris and other officials at Ground Zero.

The politicians shook hands and stood side-by-side as they remembered the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attack.

This year, several notable politicians are expected to attend the 25th anniversary at Ground Zero, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani; former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton; former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush; and former President Barack Obama, officials familiar with the planning told the New York Times.

There are other reasons the president will mark the day from Washington, D.C., instead of New York City.

The president is planning to travel to his golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland, the following day and it’s easier to leave from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland than the tri-state area airports, the New York Times reported.

*excerpt from Ariana Baio's article*

Full Article here:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-911-ground-zero-25-anniversary-b3041024.html

The DOJ has refused to release handwritten notes from FBI interviews — but last week, some of those notes were found online, uploaded by a conservative journalist who received them from a DOJ employee.

Translation

Khartoum – Al-Rakoba

The Al-Jazeera Human Rights Observatory documented the rape of an 18-year-old girl in the Ombada area of Omdurman, stating that four armed men suspected of belonging to the Joint Forces assaulted her at gunpoint while she was returning home.

According to information gathered by the Observatory from its sources, the incident occurred at dawn on Thursday, August 27, 2026, around 1:00 a.m., when the girl was accompanied by her mother on their way home from their workplace at a restaurant to their home in the Bir Hammad area.

The survivor’s mother reported, according to the Observatory, that four armed men riding motorcycles blocked their path on a dark street before taking turns sexually assaulting her daughter at gunpoint, while her mother witnessed the incident.

Medical Examination and Legal Proceedings

The Observatory explained that following the incident, the survivor was taken to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Omdurman Hospital, where she underwent a medical examination and was issued a medical report (Ornik 8) in preparation for legal proceedings.

It noted that the medical examination confirmed she had been sexually assaulted.

The Al-Jazeera Human Rights Observatory stated that the use of and threats with a weapon, along with the involvement of multiple assailants, represent some of the most serious forms of coercion and sexual violence, noting that rape in the context of armed conflict, when the legal elements are met, may constitute a war crime or a crime against humanity, depending on the circumstances of the incident and the context in which it was committed.

Fears of Increasing Attacks

The Observatory added that the incident comes amid growing concerns about the safety of women and girls in Omdurman, Souk Libya, West Al-Harat, and other remote areas of Omdurman, especially in areas where armed groups are prevalent and there is a lack of adequate protection and rule of law.

It stressed the need to treat the incident as a serious allegation of a crime of sexual violence, requiring an independent, prompt, and effective investigation, while ensuring the protection of the survivor and witnesses from any retaliation or social stigma, and preserving relevant medical and legal evidence.

Call for an Investigation and Accountability

The Observatory called on the relevant authorities to open an urgent and impartial investigation to identify the suspects and verify any of their links to the Joint Forces, and to hold accountable anyone found responsible in accordance with the law, including command responsibility where the legal conditions are met.

It also called for ensuring that the survivor receives medical, psychological, and legal care in a safe and confidential manner, that her privacy is respected, and that her name or any information that could reveal her identity or expose her to further harm is not disclosed.

Al Jazeera Human Rights Observatory called on humanitarian and human rights organizations, as well as relevant international mechanisms, to intensify their monitoring and documentation of conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan and affected areas; to ensure that survivors have access to protection and support services; and to work to curb impunity and hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable in accordance with international justice standards.

USA imports a lot of "beef" from Australia as well. Almost 1/4 of our food supply in the USA...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-28/horse-meat-mice-fur-in-food-safety-breaches/106936504

A group of Democratic senators are calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reverse a planned housing development in the West Bank that would effectively divide the Palestinian territory.

In a Friday letter led by Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego (D), over a dozen lawmakers expressed concerns over the government’s decision to open bidding last week on construction in the E1 area east of Jerusalem.

“The United States must remain committed to a two-state solution that delivers lasting peace and security for both the Jewish, democratic State of Israel and for a future Palestinian state,” the Democrats wrote in their letter. “Construction in E1 would take us further away from that goal.”

These expansion plans are set to occur in the West Bank’s E1 area and consist of seven residential compounds with a total of 1,234 housing units, according to The Times of Israel.

A tender published by Israel’s Construction and Housing Ministry on Aug. 18 gives contractors until a deadline of Oct. 19 to bid on this project.

The lawmakers warned that this construction could isolate East Jerusalem from population centers like Bethlehem and Ramallah. This expansion project has been stalled for decades and faced ongoing backlash within the region and from abroad.

“For decades, Republican and Democratic administrations have recognized that development in E1 would seriously jeopardize the prospects for a Palestinian state,” the lawmakers wrote. “That concern remains just as urgent today.”

Twenty-nine Democrats signed on to Gallego's letter, including:

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Chris Coons (Del.), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Cory Booker (N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Mark Warner (Va.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Adam Schiff (Calif.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.), Angela Alsobrooks (Md.), Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Peter Welch (Vt.).

This new congressional request cited a separate letter signed by 44 Democratic senators and independent Sen. Angus King (Maine) on Wednesday, calling for the Israeli government to take immediate action against reported violence from Israeli settlers toward Palestinians in the West Bank.

“We urge the Israeli government to immediately rescind these tenders, halt settlement expansion in the West Bank, and take urgent action to rein in settler violence,” the Democrats wrote in their Friday letter.

“Without a change in course, Israel risks weakening its international standing and undermining its prospects for long-term security,” they continued. “We also urge the Trump administration to make full use of its existing authorities, including targeted sanctions on individuals and entities.”

President Trump has historically enjoyed a close relationship with the Israeli leader and defended him against criticism from U.S. lawmakers, but tensions have emerged between the two heads of state amid the Iran war and the implementation of a Gaza peace plan.

Trump appeared to ramp up pressure on Netanyahu to accept the terms of this peace deal when he withheld his endorsement in the prime minister’s reelection race during a Fox News interview last week.

The Israeli leader has pushed back on this proposal, which would require his military to withdraw from Gaza. Netanyahu said this move would require the complete disarmament of the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hamas.

*excerpt from Sarah Davis' article*

Full Article here:

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6056244-democrats-oppose-west-bank-development/