Despite publicly disavowing it, President-elect Trump’s re-election has emboldened his allies to openly embrace the extreme policy blueprint known as Project 2025. This document, authored by former Trump administration officials and published by the Heritage Foundation, outlines an authoritarian agenda that seeks to dismantle the federal government, replace career civil servants with Trump loyalists, and implement extreme policies on immigration, abortion, energy, and education. While some dismiss this celebration as online trolling, many of these figures are likely to hold positions of influence in the Trump administration, making Project 2025 a real threat to democratic norms and institutions.
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Gaza’s most prominent Islamic scholar, Professor Salman al-Dayah, has issued a powerful fatwa condemning Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel. This rare critique, presented in a detailed six-page document, argues that the attack violated Islamic principles governing jihad by failing to consider the potential for excessive civilian casualties and widespread destruction. Dr Dayah, a respected religious authority in Gaza, emphasizes the importance of protecting non-combatants and avoiding actions that would provoke a disproportionate response from the enemy. He stresses that the attack’s devastating consequences directly contradict Islamic teachings and demonstrate a failure by Hamas to uphold its obligations to the Palestinian people.
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Despite expectations of a large turnout for Kamala Harris among women, early exit polls show a smaller gender gap than anticipated, with Harris falling short of Joe Biden’s 2020 performance. This shortfall is particularly noticeable among Latina women, who saw a 10-point drop in support for Democrats, and non-college educated women, who maintained their preference for Trump. While Harris focused heavily on abortion rights during her campaign, this key issue, while popular, did not translate into a significant boost in her favor. Although abortion rights remain a strong issue for many Americans, the results suggest that it was not enough to sway enough women to support Harris.
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Yale Law School has declined to publicly congratulate J.D. Vance, a 2013 graduate, on his election as vice president, citing a new policy against issuing institutional statements. This decision comes despite the school’s past practice of recognizing notable alumni and its significant role in Vance’s life, as detailed in his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” The silence is particularly notable given the school’s history of congratulating conservative alumni, including Supreme Court justices, though it has been more hesitant to do so in recent years due to student and faculty backlash. This reluctance to acknowledge Vance reflects a broader tension between the law school and its conservative alumni, highlighting a growing divide within the institution.
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Senator Jacky Rosen has secured a second term in the Senate, defeating Republican challenger Sam Brown in Nevada. This win extends Democrats’ winning streak in a crucial swing state and ensures their continued control of this important seat. Despite a close presidential race in Nevada, Rosen established a lead in the Senate contest, reflecting a trend of tight but successful races for Democrats in the state. While both candidates addressed economic concerns and inflation, the race was marked by a focus on abortion rights, with Democrats criticizing Brown’s stance and highlighting his wife’s personal experience with abortion.
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JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, has proposed linking US support for NATO to the European Union’s respect for free speech, specifically criticizing their potential regulation of Elon Musk’s social media platform, X. Vance believes that the US should leverage its power to ensure that its allies uphold American values, including free speech. However, his stance has drawn criticism as it appears to favor Russia, as he has also suggested a peace plan for the Ukraine conflict that would involve Russia keeping seized territory and Ukraine becoming neutral. These proposals raise concerns about their implications for the ongoing conflict and for the future of the US-EU relationship.
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Following Donald Trump’s election victory, Ukrainian President Zelensky has firmly rejected any concessions to Russia, stating that such moves would be unacceptable for Ukraine and Europe. He urged his allies to provide military assistance instead of pressuring him into negotiations that could cede territory to Russia. Meanwhile, Russia has demanded that the West enter direct talks with Moscow to end the war, while also claiming to have made advances in eastern Ukraine and launching strikes on Zaporizhzhia, killing at least four people. Zelensky has previously emphasized the importance of US aid in Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
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Following Donald Trump’s projected election victory, a surge in misogynistic threats targeting women on social media has emerged, echoing a message popularized by neo-Nazi streamer Nick Fuentes: “Your body. My choice. Forever.” This slogan, a twisted inversion of the pro-choice movement’s “my body, my choice,” signals a growing sense of entitlement among far-right men who feel empowered to attack women’s bodily autonomy. Women are reporting an increase in violent and hateful messages, with some expressing fear that this online harassment foreshadows a future where their rights will be further restricted under Trump’s presidency. These disturbing trends, coupled with the ongoing erosion of women’s healthcare access and increased criminalization of reproductive choices, paint a bleak picture of a potential rollback of women’s rights in the years to come.
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Donald Trump’s potential second term will see a significant shift in his White House staff, as he plans to exclusively hire advisors who agree with him, even if it means ignoring expert advice. This decision, driven by a desire for unquestioning loyalty, was confirmed by Donald Trump Jr., who claims he will be “heavily involved” in the transition and ensure that only those who “don’t think they know better” than the president are selected for the administration. This focus on loyalty over expertise could have potentially dangerous consequences, exemplified by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s proposed role in overseeing the Department of Health and Human Services, where he has pledged to remove fluoride from water, despite overwhelming scientific evidence supporting its benefits.
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Incoming President Trump’s ally, Bryan Lanza, has stated that the administration will prioritize achieving peace in Ukraine, not necessarily regaining territory lost to Russia. Lanza emphasizes that Crimea is “gone” and that the US will not be deploying troops to reclaim it, suggesting a focus on a “realistic vision for peace” with Ukraine. Lanza underscores that the US seeks to end the war and minimize US resource expenditure, prioritizing peace over territory. While specific details of Trump’s peace strategy remain unclear, he is expected to make decisions on this issue independently, guided by a select group of advisors.
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John Q. Hosedrinker