Top Democrat Says Americans Need To Suffer So Democrats Can Have Political ‘Leverage’

Democrat Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives Katherine Clark said that American families are going to have to suffer through the Democrat-led government shutdown so that the party can retain its “leverage.”

“Shutdowns are terrible. And of course there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leverage times we have,” Clark said in a recent interview with Fox News.

Democrats are refusing to sign onto a clean continuing resolution that would keep the government open and at current spending levels through November. Passing the clean continuing resolution would allow for Congress to negotiate any changes to spending during the appropriations period. Notably, Democrats voted for a clean continuing resolution 13 times under the Biden administration.

“This is now the longest full shutdown in American history,” Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday during a press conference. “And yet again, Senate Democrats voted for the 11th time — 12 times overall, when you count House and Senate Democrats — to prolong the pain and keep the government closed.”

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Democrats are “holding the entire federal government hostage,” adding, “We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs.” (Read more from “Top Democrat Says Americans Need To Suffer So Democrats Can Have Political ‘Leverage’” HERE)

Country Defends Banning Athletes From Israel After Olympic Committee Urged Boycott

Indonesia defended its decision to block Israeli gymnasts from a world championship event Thursday, saying the move maintains public order despite pushback from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sports Minister Erick Thohir said Jakarta understands the consequences of preventing Israeli athletes from participating in the gymnastics world championship held in the capital, according to Times of Israel.

“We at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as representatives of the Indonesian Government, adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order, and public interest in every international event organized,” Thohir said on his social media account, according to a translation.

He added that the principle is part of Indonesia’s constitution and is motivated by an obligation to “uphold world order.”

Thohir responded to an IOC statement urging all international sporting federations not to host sporting events in Indonesia. The committee also cut off all discussions about any possible Olympic bid by Indonesia, which had expressed interest in hosting the 2036 summer games.

(Read more from “Country Defends Banning Athletes From Israel After Olympic Committee Urged Boycott” HERE)

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Hunter Biden Laments Kamala Harris’ ‘Painful’ Book, Implies Joe Picked Her Because She’s Black

Scandal-scarred former first son Hunter Biden lamented former Vice President Kamala Harris’ “personally painful” badmouthing of his father in her new memoir and book tour.

The younger Biden, 55, chalked up Harris’ bluntness about his father to a desire to be more authentic — and strongly insinuated that her race played a key role in his father’s decision to tap her as vice president.

“I didn’t read it. I really didn’t. I’m just really disappointed. I’ve just heard some of the things. I tried to block it out,” the budding artist told journalist Tommy Christopher during a rare three-hour interview on his Substack platform.

“I’d have to admit, it’s personally painful,” he continued, “for her to, in a book, to try to distance herself and take what I would call the really easy path to distance herself to what I guess she thinks … the biggest complaint about the vice president has always been is that — which I never believe, and I really mean it — is that she is not authentic.”

Harris, 61, rolled out her new memoir, “107 Days,” last month, detailing her historically short stint atop the Democratic ticket for the presidency. (Read more from “Hunter Biden Laments Kamala Harris’ ‘Painful’ Book, Implies Joe Picked Her Because She’s Black” HERE)

Trans Swimmer Banned for 5 Years After Gender Test Refusal

Transgender swimmer Ana Caldas has received a five-year ban and was stripped of all competition results between June 2022 and October 2024 by World Aquatics for allegedly refusing to take a gender verification test.

The 47-year-old Caldas, who goes by Hannah, explained that they feel it is “not medically necessary” to undergo costly chromosomal testing that is not covered by their insurance — and ultimately accepted the punishment. . .

“No US state requires genetic tests for recreational sports events like these. Not even US Masters Swimming, the national governing body for recreational adult swimming in the US, demands this for any of its events.”

The gender verification screening reportedly is part of World Aquatics’ investigation into Caldas’ eligibility, which stemmed from an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton into US Masters Swimming earlier this year.

“I understand and accept the consequences,” Caldas said. “But a five-year suspension is the price I have to pay to protect my most intimate medical information.

(Read more from “Trans Swimmer Banned for 5 Years After Gender Test Refusal” HERE)

Illegal Alien Truck Driver Accused in Deadly 8-Car Pileup Identified as Indian National Released by Biden Administration

The semi-truck driver allegedly responsible for a horrific eight-car collision that left three people dead and several others injured in Ontario, California, has been identified as 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, an illegal alien from India, according to officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported on X that, according to multiple ICE sources, Singh was “caught and released” by border authorities after entering the U.S. illegally at the California border in March 2022 under the Biden administration’s immigration policies.

Melugin stated that ICE had placed a detainer request with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, where Singh is currently in custody. He is being held on suspicion of DUI causing great bodily injury and gross vehicular manslaughter, though formal charges have not yet been filed.

“Police say Singh was speeding and under the influence, never hitting his brakes, when he crashed into slow-moving traffic on the freeway,” Melugin wrote.

The devastating accident occurred on the 10 Freeway and involved four semi-trucks, two pickup trucks, and two passenger vehicles, according to NBC Los Angeles. Authorities confirmed that three people were killed and four others injured when Singh’s red truck slammed into traffic at full speed.

One witness described the moment of impact as resembling “a big explosion.”

“It didn’t stop,” said witness Jason Calmelat, recalling how the truck “didn’t make any kind of maneuvers” before striking the vehicles ahead.

ICE confirmed it has lodged an immigration detainer against Singh, requesting custody once local legal proceedings conclude.

Researchers: China’s TikTok Boosts Pro-Mamdani Content in Algorithm

Researchers say they found that China’s TikTok “systematically boosts” content using in favor of Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and against former NYC Mayor Andrew Cuomo (D) using its content algorithm. The team asserts that this goes beyond simple bias into a new area, “algorithmic steering.”

“Our new research suggests TikTok’s algorithm systematically boosts pro-Mamdani and anti-Cuomo content in NYC’s mayoral race,” Yehonatan Dodeles, the CTO of Spring AI — an open-source app framework for artificial intelligence engineering — announced in a Tuesday X post. The research report has been published to Medium by Dodeles.

“This analysis was done by Spring AI,” Dodeles continued, adding that “the company uncovers the hidden mechanics of social media algorithms to defend democracies from weaponized AI.”

“Based on deep reverse-engineering of TikTok’s recommendation system and representative data (real & synthetic users), we built an AI model that measures when videos get more exposure than they should. We call these ‘Excessive Publicity’ videos,” Dodeles explained in a follow-up X post.

The software engineer went on to say that, across all videos, roughly 17 percent “show this kind of non-organic boost,” adding that his team’s model “correctly flagged” 76.4 percent after testing known paid ads, “confirming it works.”

(Read more from “Researchers: China’s TikTok Boosts Pro-Mamdani Content in Algorithm” HERE)

Ranchers Blast Trump’s Argentina Beef Deal: ‘This Is Going to Hurt Us’

American cattle ranchers are now pushing back hard against the president’s new beef import deal with Argentina, warning it could devastate an industry already struggling with record costs, shrinking herds, and unpredictable trade policies.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) blasted Trump’s plan this week, saying that importing Argentine beef to lower U.S. meat prices “only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers.” NCBA CEO Colin Woodall argued the deal would undercut U.S. ranchers who are just beginning to recover from years of market instability.

“I’m appalled President Trump, who campaigned on how he loved farmers, is putting America’s farmers out of business by helping Argentina farmers first,” said John Boyd, founder of the National Black Farmers Association.

While the administration defends the move as a way to bring down historically high beef prices for consumers, the political backlash from rural America — a key bloc in Trump’s base — has been swift. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), who represents one of the nation’s top cattle-producing states, urged Trump to reconsider, saying ranchers “cannot afford to have the rug pulled out from under them when they’re just getting ahead or simply breaking even.”

The tensions come as the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee voted 19–5 this week to advance the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at overhauling forest management and reducing wildfire risks — another issue central to western ranchers.

The NCBA strongly supports the measure, calling it a step toward “unleashing the conservation prowess of ranchers” by expanding the use of livestock grazing as a wildfire mitigation strategy and reducing government red tape. “The federal government must better utilize grazing to combat the wildfire crisis,” said Kaitlynn Glover, NCBA’s executive director of natural resources.

But while ranchers broadly back the wildfire legislation, their optimism about domestic policy has been overshadowed by frustration over Trump’s Argentina beef deal and his foreign aid strategy.

Beef prices have soared to record highs this year as American cattle herds reach their lowest levels in decades, and imports from major producers like Brazil have plummeted under Trump’s 50 percent tariff policy. Ranchers say that instead of opening the door to Argentine imports, the administration should focus on investing in domestic production and rural infrastructure.

As one Kansas rancher told local media, “We don’t need foreign competition and flashy trade deals — we need fair prices and a president who keeps his word to American farmers.”

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Book: Prince Andrew’s Secret Network to ‘Arrange Girls’ for Sex Exposed

Disgraced royal Prince Andrew allegedly relied on a vast network of staff, security, and social connections to “arrange girls” for sex — all while maintaining close ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, according to shocking new claims from royal biographer Andrew Lownie.

In his upcoming book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, Lownie reveals that Andrew, long known for his controversial behavior, often pressured aides and friends to find him women — specifically blondes and ballerinas. The revelations come just days after the prince surrendered his remaining royal titles amid renewed scrutiny tied to the Epstein scandal.

Lownie claims Andrew’s obsession with women was an “open secret” among palace insiders. “He would spy out an attractive ballerina at the Royal Ballet and then send his protection officer to invite her to meet the prince,” the author writes. Other accounts describe aides approaching women at nightclubs or inviting them to the prince’s private hotel suites while traveling abroad.

One British diplomat reportedly snapped after receiving such requests, saying, “I’m a diplomat, not a pimp.”

According to the book, even taxpayer-funded personal protection officers were occasionally drawn into Andrew’s pursuits — helping to arrange encounters that sometimes involved women he “didn’t realize were prostitutes.”

Lownie also details how Andrew exploited his royal role, especially his position as patron of the English National Ballet, where staff believed he used the post to meet dancers rather than promote the arts. “His main interest was in the dancers rather than ballet itself,” one official said.

The scandal has only deepened following the posthumous release of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which she reaffirmed that she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions as part of Epstein’s trafficking network. Andrew settled Giuffre’s civil suit in 2022 for millions but has continued to deny all allegations.

Giuffre, who was found dead earlier this year at age 41, had long been one of the most outspoken Epstein survivors. Her sudden death has reignited public outrage — and renewed focus on Andrew’s past connections to Epstein and Maxwell, both of whom were convicted or accused of trafficking minors.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has attempted to downplay the growing scandal surrounding the unsealed Epstein documents, calling them a “Democrat hoax” designed to smear political rivals and public figures. Trump, who himself had a history of socializing with Epstein before distancing himself, has denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the disgraced financier’s crimes.

Despite Trump’s denials, the Epstein network continues to ensnare powerful figures across politics, finance, and royalty — and Andrew’s downfall stands as one of its most visible casualties.

The prince’s decision to relinquish his royal titles last week — including the Duke of York designation — underscores the mounting pressure from Buckingham Palace to protect the monarchy’s image. In a statement, Andrew said he was stepping back because “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”

Trump Administration Drastically Increases Sanctions on Russia in Effort to Push Ceasefire in Ukraine

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday a sweeping escalation of U.S. sanctions against Russia, aiming to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In a statement released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the administration said it was placing Rosneft Oil Company and Lukoil OAO — Russia’s two largest oil firms — under expanded sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 14024, which targets individuals and entities operating in Russia’s energy sector.

“Today’s actions increase pressure on Russia’s energy sector and degrade the Kremlin’s ability to raise revenue for its war machine and support its weakened economy,” the Treasury release stated.

The move blocks dozens of subsidiaries connected to Rosneft and Lukoil, including those involved in oil exploration, development, production, and refining. Any company in which either corporation holds a 50 percent or greater stake will now be subject to U.S. sanctions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions were designed to halt the flow of money fueling the war. “Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire,” Bessent said. “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine.”

He added that the United States is prepared to impose even stricter measures if needed. “Treasury is prepared to take further action if necessary to support President Trump’s effort to end yet another war. We encourage our allies to join us and adhere to these sanctions.”

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump praised the sanctions package as one of the toughest yet.

“These are tremendous sanctions,” Trump said. “And we hope that they won’t be on for long. We hope that the war will be settled.”

Trump’s War Against Suspected Narco-Terrorists at Sea Expands to Pacific Ocean

In a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s maritime war on narco-terrorism, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the first lethal military strike outside the Caribbean Sea — targeting and destroying a drug-smuggling vessel off Colombia’s Pacific coast.

Hegseth announced the eighth military strike against a narco-terrorist drug smuggling vessel on Wednesday. The military strike that destroyed the boat and killed two on board is the first to be conducted outside the Caribbean Sea area of operations.

In a social media post on X, Hegseth indicated the strike occurred on Tuesday in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Colombia. Hegseth said the strike that marks a broadening of President Donald Trump’s military campaign against narco-terrorist cartels at sea, saying, “Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.”

According to Hegseth, the eighth kinetic military strike targeted a vessel that was known to military intelligence as being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling and was transiting a known narco-trafficking maritime transit route. Hegseth added, “There were two narco-terrorists aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters. Both terrorists were killed, and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike.”

Hegseth’s announcement contained an ominous warning to narco-terrorists that the kinetic military strikes will continue. (Read more from “Trump’s War Against Suspected Narco-Terrorists at Sea Expands to Pacific Ocean” HERE)

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