Netflix’s ‘Mary’ Attracts Social Media Backlash for Casting Israeli Actress as Mother of Jesus

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A new Biblical epic coming to Netflix this Christmas is garnering online backlash because of the film’s Israeli cast.

Netflix’s “Mary,” coming to the streaming platform on December 6, stars Israeli actress Noa Cohen in the titular role, and Israeli actor Ido Tako as Joseph, Jesus’ father. The coming-of-age tale retells the world-famous Biblical story through the eyes of Mary, mother of Jesus.

“Directed by D.J. Caruso (Disturbia) and written by Timothy Michael Hayes, this uplifting biblical epic follows Mary, Joseph, and their newborn son, Jesus, as they flee the relentless pursuit of King Herod, portrayed by two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins,” Netflix’s website announced.

Since Netflix dropped the trailer for the film on November 12, it has been relentlessly attacked by anti-Israel critics on social media who are upset by the casting of the Israeli actors as Mary and Joseph. . .

Several people online are now calling for a boycott, claiming the film is historically inaccurate because Mary and Joseph were actually “Palestinian.”

“Instead of casting Middle-Eastern Christians to play the roles, the director casted European Israelis to play the roles for ‘authenticity’ reasons… yeah boycott this crap!” one account with a Palestinian flag in its profile demanded.

(Read more from “Netflix’s ‘Mary’ Attracts Social Media Backlash for Casting Israeli Actress as Mother of Jesus” HERE)

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“No Excuse”: Trump Fumes on Truth Social After Senate Confirms Biden Judges — Thanks to GOP Absences

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Republican senators are urging some of their colleagues, including Vice President-elect JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Donald Trump’s Secretary of State pick Marco Rubio, R-Florida, to get back to the office and block Democrats from confirming judges during the lame-duck session while they still have the majority and the White House.

After their absences helped Senate Democrats to confirm several of President Joe Biden’s nominees, Republicans fumed about Vance, Rubio and others during their weekly caucus lunch and to reporters. “I’m not going to bubble wrap it,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. “There’s no excuse for that, it’s our job to be here and vote.”

“We want to see [Vance] and some of our members back because of these votes we’re having,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters. “Particularly on some of the circuit court judges.”

Trump himself issued marching orders on Truth Social on Tuesday. “The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door,” Trump declared. “Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!” he wrote, just a few hours after he invited several GOP senators, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to witness a SpaceX launch while the rest of the chamber was voting. (Read more from “No Excuse”: Trump Fumes on Truth Social After Senate Confirms Biden Judges — Thanks to GOP Absences” HERE)

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The Police Report About Pete Hegseth’s Alleged Sexual Assault Vindicates Him of Criminality

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[WARNING: article contains graphic language and details.]

. . .What you’re going to hear now and in the coming days from the national media is that there are “graphic” details in a police report related to an alleged sexual assault involving Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming nominee for Defense secretary. It’s certainly graphic, but the media will bet you won’t bother reading the report, which in reality looks really bad for the alleged victim and effectively clears Hegseth of criminality.

The 22-page report details an incident from seven years ago when in 2017, Hegseth, then a Fox News celebrity, attended an event for a Republican women’s group as a featured speaker. The way the media have relayed the event so far is that a woman in attendance has accused Hegseth of drugging her at an afterparty before raping her in his hotel room. Outside of the alleged victim’s admittedly incomplete recollection, none of the testimony or evidence included in the police report supports that claim. In truth, all of it indicates that the accuser lied to her husband, who was in her hotel room, while she galavanted at night with Hegseth and other attendees before voluntarily joining him in his room to have consensual sex.

The report’s events took place in early October 2017, and it includes multiple eyewitness testimonies and text message evidence of what took place before and after the alleged assault. The alleged victim is identified only as Jane Doe. After a night of moderate drinking, during which Doe says she at some point felt she may have been surreptitiously drugged, Doe said she remembered few details but that she recalled inexplicably finding herself in Hegseth’s hotel room, that he ejaculated on her body, and that she thereafter went to her own room to join an unnamed person in bed. Text messages she shared with police indicate the person was her husband and that there were other parties in the room, likely children. . .

The rest of the report is an overwhelming refutation of that version of events. Included are text exchanges with her husband, wherein she repeatedly mentions Hegseth, but omits that she was spending time with him at the after-parties; testimonies from other women in attendance who said Doe never appeared overserved and in fact seemed completely coherent throughout; surveillance video footage that showed Doe and Hegseth walking around with locked arms; and a hotel staff member who recalled engaging Doe and Hegseth by the pool, at which time Hegseth was belligerent and Doe guided Hegseth away from the conflict.

The report ends with Hegseth’s version of events, in which he admits he only initiated sex with Doe after she took him to his room and says that the two of them repeatedly expressed reservations about the intimacy. He said that the two of them agreed the affair needed to remain secret. If there’s one corroborated piece of Doe’s story, it’s that Hegseth also recalled that she asked him if he had a condom. (Read more from “The Police Report About Pete Hegseth’s Alleged Sexual Assault Vindicates Him of Criminality” HERE)

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Parents Scold Schools for Demanding ‘Gender Identity’ of 3-Year-Olds

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Parents are scolding schools across the United Kingdom for demanding they provide the “gender identity” of their 3-year-olds who are enrolling in primary classes. . .

It is the Christian Institute that confirmed the primary school applications used by more than 100 local authorities over recent years demands parents select “man/boy/male” or “woman/girl/female” or a third option to “self-describe.”

This agenda “has no place on the form with regard to 3-year-olds on any level,” charged one concerned mother.

The report explained the form in use was “supplied by an external provider, but has been used for more than 550,000 students.”

“I immediately investigated as the council does not want or need a question about gender identity on our school admissions form,” admitted Martin Tell, the chief of the Buckinghamshire Council, explaining his actions when he found out. (Read more from “Parents Scold Schools for Demanding ‘Gender Identity’ of 3-Year-Olds” HERE)

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Russia Threatens to Attack New U.S. Base in Poland With ‘Advanced Weapons’

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Russia has threatened to attack a new US defense base in Poland with “advanced weapons” — just hours after reportedly launching an intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine on Thursday.

Moscow leveled the warning after saying the opening of the ballistic missile defense base, located in the town of Redzikowo near the Baltic coast, would lead to an increase in overall nuclear danger.

“Given the nature and level of threats posed by such Western military facilities, the missile defense base in Poland has long been added to the list of priority targets for potential destruction, which, if necessary, can be executed with a wide range of advanced weapons,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

The US base at Redzikowo, which opened Nov. 13, is part of a broader NATO missile shield — known as “Aegis Ashore” — that can intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles, according to the alliance.

“This is another frankly provocative step in a series of deeply destabilizing actions by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic Alliance in the strategic sphere,” Zakharova said of the base’s opening. (Read more from “Russia Threatens to Attack New U.S. Base in Poland With ‘Advanced Weapons’” HERE)

Ukraine’s Former Military Commander in Chief Delivers Chilling Message: WWIII ‘Has Begun’

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Kyiv’s former military commander in chief said the direct involvement of Russian allies in Ukraine means that World War III has officially begun.

“I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that the Third World War has begun,” former military chief Valery Zaluzhny warned Thursday, according to Politico.

Zaluzhny, who now serves as Ukraine’s envoy to the UK, said Kyiv’s conflict is now on a global scale following the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia earlier this month.

Along with the presence of North Korean and Iranian weapons on the frontlines, Zaluzhny said his nation was besieged by international forces, urging Kyiv’s allies to respond in kind.

“It is obvious that Ukraine already has too many enemies. Ukraine will survive with technology, but it is not clear whether it can win this battle alone,” he said. (Read more from “Ukraine’s Former Military Commander in Chief Delivers Chilling Message: WWIII ‘Has Begun’” HERE)

Matt Gaetz Is Withdrawing His Name From Consideration for Attorney General

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Firebrand former to future Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the nation’s attorney general and was expected to take a hammer to the weaponized processes the Department of Justice implemented under Joe Biden, has withdrawn his name from that nomination.

Gaetz said, “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.

“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”

Trump responded, “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” (Read more from “Matt Gaetz Is Withdrawing His Name From Consideration for Attorney General” HERE)

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Lawmakers Act as Biden Admin Plans to Let Ukraine off the Hook for Massive Debt to Americans

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The Biden administration told Congress it plans to cancel $4.65 billion in debt owed by Ukraine, approximately half of an economic loan offered earlier this year.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the plans in a briefing on Wednesday. “So we have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine,” he said.

In April, Congress passed a supplemental funding package that earmarked $60 billion worth of aid for Ukraine, including $9 billion structured as a loan, with a provision that allowed the administration to forgive it, according to Miller.

Miller added that Congress could pass a resolution of disapproval to overturn the cancellation. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced such a resolution on Wednesday night. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., immediately said he would introduce a resolution to block the measure.

Such a resolution is unlikely to pass a Democratic-controlled Senate, and President Biden could veto it. The supplemental funding package gave the administration the power to forgive 50% of the loan, and the remaining 50% could be forgiven after January 2026. (Read more from “Lawmakers Act as Biden Admin Plans to Let Ukraine off the Hook for Massive Debt to Americans” HERE)

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Trump Picks Former Florida AG Pam Bondi to Replace Gaetz

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President-elect Donald Trump went from one Floridian to another Thursday, announcing that former Sunshine State Attorney General Pam Bondi would be his new pick to lead the Justice Department, hours after former nominee Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration.

“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump, 78, said in a statement on Truth Social. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”

Gaetz, 42, was announced as Trump’s attorney general-designate Nov. 13, but withdrew earlier Thursday after failing to persuade a majority of Republican senators to support him. (Read more from “Trump Picks Former Florida AG Pam Bondi to Replace Gaetz” HERE)

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Judge Rules MSNBC Pundit Potentially Defamed Trump Attorney

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A federal court in Washington, D.C., ruled an online claim made by a legal analyst at MSNBC against a former White House attorney in the Trump administration is potentially defamatory.

In September, U.S. District Court Judge Loren AliKhan denied a motion from MSNBC legal analyst and attorney Andrew Weissmann to dismiss a complaint filed by Stefan Passantino, who represented former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson before she became the Jan. 6 Committee’s star witness.

Passantino had previously served as head deputy ethics counsel in the Trump White House and was Hutchinson’s attorney when she was initially questioned by the House Democrats’ Soviet-style inquisition run by then-Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney. Hutchinson fired Passantino, who was being paid by the Save America PAC, when she decided to change her testimony before the House committee and make a series of outlandish claims immediately discredited by her own named sources.

Passantino sued Weissmann last year after the former deputy to Special Counsel Robert Mueller claimed the Trump-world attorney “coached her to lie.”

“This is an insidious lie,” Passantino’s lawsuit reads. “Ms. Hutchinson even testified, under penalty of law: ‘I want to make this clear to you: Stefan [Passantino] never told me to lie. … He told me not to lie.” (Read more from “Judge Rules MSNBC Pundit Potentially Defamed Trump Attorney” HERE)

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