US withdraws from key UN human rights report, draws criticism from rights advocates.
It’s not exactly a shocker, but the news still stings. The United States is pulling out of the process of submitting its report to the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the mechanism where countries’ human rights records are scrutinized. The US State Department confirmed this, citing an executive order from President Trump as the driving force. Apparently, the official rationale is that participating in the UPR somehow legitimizes the UN Human Rights Council, and that council is seen as failing to condemn serious human rights violations effectively. It’s worth noting the US is on course to be the first country not to deliver a report to the UPR.… Continue reading
The US State Department has revoked visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other Palestinian officials, preventing their attendance at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. This decision, which the US attributes to undermining peace efforts, has been welcomed by Israel but condemned by Palestinian officials who view it as a violation of international law and the UN Headquarters Agreement. Despite the ban, Palestinian representatives at the UN mission in New York may still attend meetings. This move comes amidst international efforts, led by France, to recognize a state of Palestine, a move opposed by the current US administration.
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Trump rules out US peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, offering air support instead. Okay, so let’s break this down. It seems the idea is that instead of putting American boots on the ground in Ukraine, which could escalate into a direct conflict with Russia – and potentially, a world war – Trump is proposing air support. Now, this isn’t a completely new concept; it’s echoing, in a way, policies that Biden was already leaning into. The goal, as expressed, seems to be to avoid a situation where US soldiers are directly engaging with Russian soldiers.
Now, the big question is, what does “air support” actually mean?… Continue reading
During a Fox News interview, Donald Trump clarified that he did not speak with Vladimir Putin on August 18th in the presence of European leaders, citing a desire to avoid disrespecting the Russian President. He stated that Putin wouldn’t engage with the European leaders, implying this was a point of contention. Trump also suggested that the deployment of troops from NATO European member states to Ukraine wouldn’t be problematic for Putin, while asserting he would not authorize the deployment of American troops.
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The summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska has been met with jubilation in Russia, as Putin secured a meeting with his US counterpart without making any concessions. Despite Trump initially threatening consequences if Moscow refused a ceasefire, the summit yielded no tangible results, and Trump instead embraced Putin’s preferred path of a comprehensive peace agreement. This shift was seen as a victory for Putin, as Trump appeared to shift responsibility to Kyiv and Europe while potentially applying pressure on Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to meet Putin’s demands. Moscow’s confidence is high, with Russian officials openly contradicting Trump and state media celebrating the summit as a sign of Russia’s international standing.
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US military deploying forces to southern Caribbean against drug groups is the current order of business, and it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow. The official word is a deployment of air and naval forces to address threats from Latin American drug cartels. The question that immediately springs to mind is, why now? What’s the specific threat that warrants such a move?
This kind of action often brings a feeling of déjà vu, especially given the history of the “war on drugs.” It’s a conflict we’ve been fighting for decades, with debatable success. Could this be just another iteration of the same old strategies, or is there something more at play?… Continue reading
The Trump administration significantly increased the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, alleging his involvement in narco-trafficking and collaboration with cartels to flood the US with drugs. Maduro was indicted in 2020 on federal charges, and the US previously offered rewards for his capture. Despite the US’s efforts and the condemnation of his 2024 reelection, Maduro remains in power. Following this announcement, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister criticized the move as propaganda.
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Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, made a historic visit to the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the West Bank, accompanied by Republican members of Congress. Johnson, the highest-ranking US official to visit an Israeli settlement, was photographed planting a tree with the settlement mayor. The visit, organized by a pro-Israel advocacy group, drew condemnation from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, who cited the visit as a violation of international law. This trip follows Johnson’s strong public support for Israel, contrasting the current US stance against settlements that the US considers illegal.
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The article explores the growing divide between the Democratic establishment and its voters regarding US support for Israel, highlighting a significant shift in public opinion, particularly among Democrats, towards greater sympathy for Palestinians. This change contrasts with the Democratic party’s slow response, attributed to the influence of the Israel lobby, particularly groups like AIPAC, which actively works to maintain unwavering US support for Israel. Furthermore, the article acknowledges how groups like the Anti-Defamation League conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Ultimately, the piece posits that despite the changing political landscape, many establishment Democrats are hesitant to fully embrace the evolving views of their voters.
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Following a recent ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, the United States implemented a 19% tariff on imports from both nations, along with Malaysia, which helped broker the deal. This decision came after President Trump threatened trade restrictions due to a border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. The new rates are part of a broader plan to maintain minimum global tariff rates at 10%. Thailand had attempted to avoid higher tariffs by offering greater market access to US products and vowing to reduce its trade surplus.
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Matt Underwood 
John Q. Hosedrinker