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Articles by Former Dem
Day 10 of the Iranian Uprising -- the Final Battle Begins?
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/11/2026 8:47:29 PM On the 10th day of the Iranian Uprising, events continue to accelerate with a momentous new development. From Tousi TV, the city of Ilam (pop ~200k) in western Iran and largely populated by Kurds is completely in the hands of the anti-Islamicists after the local police force defected en masse. Abadan and Malekshahi have also apparently fallen to the protesters after the local police and IRGC bases were either abandoned or overrun.
'Coffin on wheels' saves wounded Ukrainian soldier from no-man's land
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/17/2025 8:24:29 AM For 33 days, a wounded Ukrainian soldier lay trapped behind enemy lines; a tourniquet the only thing keeping him alive after a landmine shattered his foot. Six rescue missions failed. The escape vehicles were destroyed in the "kill zone", where drones and mines make undetected movement nearly impossible. But his comrades did not concede defeat.
RSF kills 'at least 1,500 people' in Sudan's el-Fasher
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 10/31/2025 12:22:29 PM Scores of people have been killed in attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during their recent capture of the city of el-Fasher in Sudan's western Darfur region, according to a medical group and researchers. The RSF, which has been fighting Sudan's military for control of the country, killed at least 1,500 people over the past three days as civilians tried to flee the besieged city, the Sudan Doctors Network said on Wednesday.
Donald Trump signs executive order allowing illegal immigrants to book 'free flights out of US'
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 5/10/2025 12:34:27 AM Donald Trump has signed a new executive order launching what he called the "first ever self-deportation programme," allowing undocumented immigrants to leave the United States at no cost, with flights booked via a new government-backed app. In a video posted on Truth Social, the president said: "Today I signed an executive order to launch the first ever self-deportation program for illegal aliens.
Gaza ceasefire talks in 'final stages' as details of deal emerge
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/14/2025 11:03:40 AM More information now on how a potential ceasefire deal would look. Revealing some potential details of the agreement, a Palestinian official told the BBC that "the detailed technical discussions took considerable time". Both sides agreed that Hamas would release three hostages on the first day of the agreement, after which Israel would begin withdrawing troops from populated areas.
Hamas expected to release 33 hostages in first phase of emerging ceasefire deal, Israeli officials say
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/14/2025 8:26:05 AM Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of an emerging ceasefire agreement being finalized by negotiators in Doha, two Israeli officials said, the first positive sign in months that a truce in the Israel-Hamas war may be in sight.
Elon Musk to provide Wi-Fi to wildfire-stricken areas using Starlink, Cybertrucks
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/13/2025 7:05:21 AM Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is planning to use Tesla Cybertrucks and Starlink technology to provide free internet to areas devastated by wildfires in California. Musk, who is the CEO of both Tesla and Starlink, wrote in a post on X, another one of his companies, that Cybertruck deliveries would be delayed over the next few days. "Apologies to those expecting Cybertruck deliveries in California over the next few days," he wrote.
How Trump's 'new star' Elon Musk stands to benefit from his presidency
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/6/2024 11:53:08 AM Hours before it became official that Donald Trump had returned to the White House, his biggest supporter was already inside the Oval Office. Elon Musk, who has been a key backer of Trump's return to the presidency, was in his default wind-up mode as he used his X platform to post a superimposed picture of himself - holding a sink - inside the seat of US power. "Let that sink in," he wrote.
6 Things Elon Musk's Grok-2 AI Chatbot Can Do That ChatGPT Can't
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 9/4/2024 10:08:36 PM You probably know that xAI is Elon Musk's new artificial intelligence company, launched in July 2023. But you might not know that Grok-2, xAI's newest AI model, is slowly rolling out on X (previously Twitter) for premium users. Its edge over other LLMs is that it was trained on billions of tweets and real-time data on X. Reminder: "WE ARE A SALON AND NOT A SALOON" Your thoughts, comments, and ideas are always welcome here.
La Nina weather 60% likely to develop from June-August, says US forecaster
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 8/24/2024 11:50:55 AM (Reuters) - A U.S. government weather forecaster expects an about 60% chance of the La Nina weather pattern characterized by unusually cold temperatures in the Pacific Ocean emerging in the second half of 2024. There is an 85% chance that a transition from El Niño to ENSO-neutral is likely to occur by April-June, National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said in a monthly forecast on Thursday.
killing of graduate stokes fears for Ecuador's medics
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 8/11/2024 7:36:54 PM Steven Aguirre Giler was shot in a failed kidnapping attempt as a growing number of rural health workers are targeted by extortionists. ose Aguirre Giler never imagined his brother's work as a doctor in a rural Ecuadorian town would end in kidnapping attempts and fatal gunfire.
Who is Gwen Walz, the wife of Harris' new running mate?
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 8/7/2024 2:03:16 PM Before he got his start in politics, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, chosen on Tuesday to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, was a longtime educator - just like his wife.... Walz first met her husband in western Nebraska, where she began her career teaching English, according to her official biography.
Venezuelan Election Denounced by International Monitoring Group
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 7/31/2024 2:00:32 PM The only independent observer monitoring the polls in Venezuela said that Sunday's vote for president did not meet international standards and was undemocratic, raising more questions about the legitimacy of the results.
This blue-state election compact could create a constitutional crisis
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 6/15/2024 9:42:16 PM Imagine a Jan. 6-style crisis, only this time with serious (as opposed to politically manufactured) disagreements over whether the presidential candidate who won a key state is entitled to its electoral votes. That disturbing scenario just became a little bit more likely - not for the next presidential election but subsequent ones.
Jordan airforce shoots down Iranian drones flying over to Israel
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 4/14/2024 9:23:38 AM AMMAN, April 13 (Reuters) - Jordan's air force intercepted and shot down dozens of Iranian drones that violated its airspace and were heading to Israel, two regional security sources said. They said the army was also in a state of high alert and radar systems were monitoring any drone activity coming from the direction of Iraq and Syria.
Iran said to begin attack on Israel, launching dozens of drones that'll take hours to arrive
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 4/13/2024 4:07:19 PM PM says Israel is ready * Israel restricts gatherings, cancels all educational activities * Dozens of planes patrolling skies * Biden scraps weekend break Iran has launched an attack against Israel with dozens of drones, according to the Axios news site. Drones are assessed to take several hours to cover such a distance. There is no immediate statement from the IDF on the attack.
Mexico breaks relations with Ecuador after embassy stormed
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 4/7/2024 9:32:01 AM QUITO/MEXICO CITY, April 5 (Reuters) - Ecuadorean authorities arrested former Vice President Jorge Glas on Friday evening, seizing him from the Mexican embassy and prompting Mexico to suspend bilateral relations. Glas, 54, convicted twice of corruption, had been holed up in the embassy in Quito since seeking political asylum in December, a request Mexico granted earlier on Friday.
Biden's climate change reparations will bankrupt America
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 2/15/2024 10:06:09 AM Perhaps nothing better illustrates the backwards nature of our time than the drive for reparations. This includes not only payment for race discrimination, but also for the impacts of climate change. In both cases, it's the West's middle and working classes who will foot the bill. Reminder: "WE ARE A SALON AND NOT A SALOON" Your thoughts, comments, and ideas are always welcome here. But we ask you to please be mindful and respectful.
Directly beneath UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, IDF uncoverstop secret Hamas data center
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 2/10/2024 3:55:20 PM Subterranean facility for terror group's intelligence needs, beneath UN complex in upscale Rimal neighborhood, discovered after interrogations of Palestinian prisoners GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Beneath the Gaza Strip headquarters of the controversial United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, known commonly as UNRWA, the Hamas terror group hid one of its most significant assets, the Israeli military has revealed.
Sharp Decline in Violent Deaths Marks Ecuador's Struggle Against Internal Armed Conflict
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 2/5/2024 2:04:26 PM In a surprising turn of events, Ecuador has experienced a significant decrease in violent deaths, with a notable 41% drop following the declaration of an internal armed conflict. Between January 10 and 24, 2024, official figures reveal an average of 9.2 murders daily, down from 15.6 in the same period the previous year. Reminder: "WE ARE A SALON AND NOT A SALOON" Your thoughts, comments, and ideas are always welcome here.
Bret Weinstein Details Trip To Darien Gap With Tucker, Warns About Alleged Chinese Camp
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 2/4/2024 11:28:46 PM Biologist Bret Weinstein detailed his recent trip to the Darien Pass on Thursday with Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson, warning that he had allegedly witnessed a mass Chinese camp. Weinstein appeared on "The Tucker Carlson Encounter" to discuss his recent visit to the Darien Pass, known as one of the most treacherous ways migrants from South America travel to get to the United States.
Venezuela court disqualifies leading opposition presidential candidate
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/29/2024 12:32:43 PM Venezuela's Supreme Justice Tribunal has upheld a ban which prevents presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado from holding office, upending the opposition's plans for elections planned for later this year.
Jewish Students Sue Harvard University, Allege 'Severe' Antisemitism on Campus
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/12/2024 9:53:07 AM Six Jewish students filed a federal lawsuit against Harvard on Wednesday, alleging that the University has failed to address "severe and pervasive" antisemitism on campus.
Harvard President Claudine Gay Resigns, Shortest Tenure in University History
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 1/2/2024 1:54:39 PM Harvard President Claudine Gay will resign Tuesday afternoon, bringing an end to the shortest presidency in the University's history, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. University Provost Alan M. Garber '76 will serve as Harvard's interim president during a search for Gay's permanent successor, the Harvard Corporation - the University's highest governing body - announced in an email on Tuesday.
The Government has developed a dangerous affliction and is faced with intractable problems
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/10/2023 5:50:50 PM The government has developed a dangerous affliction. Faced with intractable - maybe insoluble - problems, it has started to make policies on the basis of wishing them away, as if stating a much-desired outcome while ignoring serious obstacles could somehow bring it about. This is a species of what psychologists call "magical thinking". [snip] The second example was less widely reported.
'Crazy people' led by Sinwar 'destroyed Gaza'
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/10/2023 2:23:19 PM The Shin Bet security agency publishes footage showing the interrogation of former Hamas communications minister, Yousef al-Mansi, who appears to heavily criticize the terror group. "This is a group of crazy people that [Yahya] Sinwar leads. They destroyed the Gaza Strip. Set it back 200 years," al-Mansi says in translated excerpts provided by the Shin Bet. "I have not seen anyone in the Gaza Strip who supports Sinwar, nobody likes Sinwar.
Displaced Palestinians forced to fend for themselves in Gaza's south
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/6/2023 3:44:36 PM [snip] On Wednesday afternoon, the Israeli army dropped leaflets over the city inscribed with a verse from the Koran: "And the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers" -- an apparent reference to the October 7 attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas. Reminder: "WE ARE A SALON AND NOT A SALOON" Your thoughts, comments, and ideas are always welcome here. But we ask you to please be mindful and respectful.
Guyana appeals to US and UN Maduro advances annexation of territory
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/6/2023 3:04:48 PM Guyana has appealed for help from the United Nations and the United States as the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, announced a series of measures intended to advance its annexation of two-thirds of the tiny South American nation's territory.
Gaza residents increasingly directing anger at Hamas over war
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/6/2023 12:20:06 PM According to report, evacuees to Rafah in the south of the Strip have been greeting each other with 'May God take revenge upon Hamas' Israel's Channel 12 news reports that Gaza residents are increasingly expressing anger at Hamas as the war between the terrorist organization and Israel continues.
Israeli forces pictured setting up seawater pumps to flood Hamas tunnels Updated 12 minutes ag
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/6/2023 10:07:47 AM Israeli troops have been pictured setting up pumps to flood Hamas tunnels with water. Long pipes can be seen running from the sea up the beach and into Gaza in images released by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). It follows reports that the IDF was moving to ruin the terror group's vast subterranean network by setting up five pumps capable of sending hundreds of thousands of litres of water cascading underground every hour.
'They Can Go to Hell and Hide There'
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 12/1/2023 9:18:00 PM For nearly a generation, media owned by Qatar and Iran have tag-teamed with Hamas to paint a false picture of ideological uniformity across Gaza. While Hamas quashed opposition to their rule, Al Jazeera and other mouthpieces platformed the terror group's leaders and shills. Take the example of this wounded elderly man at Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital.
Senior IDF officer dismissed pre-Oct. 7 intel on Hamas invasion as 'fantasy'
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/23/2023 10:52:36 PM Two lower level officers in IDF's elite intelligence Unit 8200 outlined a mass invasion one month before onslaught; top officers also waved off manual showing plans for onslaught [...] The manual also described a strategy to lull Israel into complacency by holding negotiations for some form of long-term arrangement with Hamas, while at the same time staging frequent drills and carrying out small security incidents on the border on...
Surveillance soldiers charge sexism a factor in their Oct. 7 warnings being ignored
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/19/2023 10:12:22 AM Senior commanders refused to heed the warnings of the young female surveillance soldiers tasked with watching the Gaza border in the weeks before the brutal Hamas massacre on October 7, and the soldiers believe sexism was a factor in their being ignored, according to a Friday report. Rather than hide its plans for the attack, the Hamas terror group was training in plain sight.
Bahrain crown prince blasts 'intolerable' situation in Gaza, demands Hamas release hostages
By Jacob Magid Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/17/2023 4:24:56 PM Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa blasts the "intolerable" situation in Gaza and calls on Hamas to immediately release the roughly 240 hostages held in the enclave. "I don't think any Arab leader has called on Hamas to do this...So it is a time for straight talking," Khalifa says ahead of the annual Manama Dialogue security summit.
Hamas blocked 300 liters of Israel-supplied fuel from reaching Shifa Hospital
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/12/2023 12:46:19 PM The Israel Defense Forces says it supplied 300 liters of fuel for "urgent medical purposes" at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, but Hamas prevented the medical center from receiving it. Early this morning, troops placed the jerrycans near the hospital, as had been coordinated in advance with officials at Shifa.
Four Bedouin drove from Rahat to evacuate their cousin in Be'eri; they rescued dozens
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/11/2023 6:28:40 PM Four Bedouin men from Rahat saved dozens of Israeli lives on October 7 while deployed by their uncle to evacuate his son Hisham from Kibbutz Be'eri.
Next pandemic deemed the 'Big One' could be the most contagious and deadliest disease known to humanity, scientists warn
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 11/4/2023 7:40:11 PM The next pandemic, dubbed the 'Big One,' could be 'simmering in the background,' waiting to unleash the most contagious and deadliest diseases known to humanity. The paramyxovirus family has over 75 viruses, including mumps, measles and respiratory tract infections, and was added to the list of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' pandemic pathogens to watch in October.
Can Israel take out the tunnels that Hamas uses to move its fighters and weapons?
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 10/14/2023 2:45:47 PM Israel's air force is getting more U.S.-made bombs to help it destroy the labyrinth of tunnels used by Hamas militants in Gaza to conceal weapons, fighters and hostages. In the aftermath of Hamas' surprise attack across Israel's southern border on Oct. 7, Israel has carried out a relentless bombardment of Gaza to try to take out Hamas' weapons stockpiles and its vast tunnel system.
Live Updates*** Israel Orders 'Complete Siege' of Gaza Strip Following Hamas Terror Attack
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 10/9/2023 2:52:31 PM Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has approved a "complete siege" of the Gaza strip following Hamas's massive terror attack on the Jewish state, which has killed over 900 people and wounded 2,500 more, according to reports. State Department spokesman Matt Miller has confirmed the death of nine U.S. citizens.
Over 100 Ohio Black pastors sign letter opposing measure enshrining abortion in constitution: 'Moral issue'
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 10/5/2023 1:42:08 PM A bipartisan group of Black pastors in Ohio released a letter Tuesday calling on voters to oppose a November measure that would enshrine abortion access in the state Constitution and specifically pointed to the negative impact they say abortion has had on the Black community.
Democrats Have Become The Party Of Authoritarianism. They Only Understand Power
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 9/27/2023 8:50:06 AM The left isn't bothered by blatant hypocrisy and injustice. So long as they have power, they're fine with it. Perhaps you saw the news last week that two women in their 70s, Jean Marshall and Joan Bell, are each facing up to 11 years in federal prison for blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic in 2020.
The 'Dump Joe' bandwagon is now rolling so fast even deluded Democrats are jumping on board
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 9/16/2023 11:45:35 AM A certain conventional wisdom about the 2024 presidential race has dominated political discourse for much of this year: Donald Trump is unstoppable when it comes to winning the Republican nomination but cannot hope to retake the White House come the general election. What endears him to his party's base repels the independent and moderate voters he needs to win the presidency.
It's Official! The Democrats Have a Nonwhite Voter Problem
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 9/7/2023 8:15:44 PM I have written quite a bit about the Democrats' emerging problem with nonwhite voters (for example, here, here and here), manifest in steadily declining margins among this demographic.
Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated at campaign event
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 8/10/2023 12:15:33 AM Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead by a suspected "hit man" who was later killed in a shootout with security. Videos and images on social media posted from Quito, the country's capital, showed people taking cover and screaming as gunfire sounded at the rally on Wednesday evening.
Son of Colombia's president admits illegal money entered election campaign, prosecutor says
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 8/5/2023 12:26:34 PM BOGOTA, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Nicolas Petro, the eldest son of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, on Thursday admitted that illegal money entered his father's election campaign last year, the prosecutor handling the case said on Thursday.
Mayor Assassinated as Political and Drug Violence Roils Ecuador
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 7/24/2023 11:11:05 AM The mayor of one of Ecuador's main Pacific ports was assassinated a month ahead of presidential elections as skyrocketing crime overwhelms the authorities, making the formerly peaceful nation as violent as Mexico and Colombia. The mayor of Manta, Agustin Intriago, 38, was gunned down during a public event on Sunday, in the second deadly attack on a politician in a week.
DeSantis' Problem Isn't Trump, That Dems Rigged The Last Election
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 7/11/2023 8:31:36 PM You might have noticed a media narrative taking shape the last few days about how Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign has "stalled." [...] Perhaps what we're seeing is less about him and still less about 2024 or the upcoming GOP primary scrum, and more about what happened in 2020.
The GOP's Festival of Losers
Original Article Posted By: FormerDem, 5/23/2023 4:43:00 PM The obvious reaction to the bizarre idea that Chris Christie will soon enter the 2024 GOP primaries and then win the general election - "Fat chance! - is accurate on every level.
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