Marine Corps Central Command Cancels Annual Ball Due to ‘Unforeseen Operational Commitments’

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U.S. Marine Corps Major Gen. Chris A. McPhillips announced Tuesday that the 248th Marine Corps Ball has been canceled by the U.S. Central Command, citing “unforeseen operational commitments.”

McPhillips announced the update to the annual event, scheduled on November 16 in Tampa, Florida, for former and retired maritime land forces to get dressed to the nines and celebrate the tradition and legacy of the Marine Corps.

“Due to unforeseen operational commitments and the nature of our current mission, it is with great regret that we must cancel this year’s event,” McPhillips wrote in a letter.

The Central Command’s decision to cancel the celebration resulted from the Marine Corps’ “primary responsibility” to guarantee the defense and security of the United States, McPhillips said.

“It is this commitment to duty that has necessitated the cancellation of what would undoubtedly have been an exceptional evening of camaraderie and tradition,” he said, expressing gratitude for the “immense effort” to those who spent the time and energy to plan the event.

(Read more from “Marine Corps Central Command Cancels Annual Ball Due to ‘Unforeseen Operational Commitments’” HERE)

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Report: Biden Meddles in Israeli Politics During War; Seeks Netanyahu Replacement

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President Joe Biden is trying to pick a successor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a new report citing White House sources — and he is doing so despite the fact that Israel is at war against the Hamas terrorist organization. . .

But a Politico report — based on leaks, perhaps, by sources who want to damage Netanyahu — suggests that the White House is trying to swap Israeli leaders in the middle of the war:

Joe Biden and top aides have discussed the likelihood that Benjamin Netanyahu’s political days are numbered — and the president has conveyed that sentiment to the Israeli prime minister in a recent conversation.

The topic of Netanyahu’s short political shelf life has come up in recent White House meetings involving Biden, according to two senior administration officials. That has included discussions that have taken place since Biden’s trip to Israel, where he met with Netanyahu.

…

With an eye toward the future, U.S. officials are talking to Benny Gantz, a member of the current unity government; Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister; and Yair Lapid, an opposition leader and former prime minister, among other Israeli figures, the former official said.

(Read more from “Report: Biden Meddles in Israeli Politics During War; Seeks Netanyahu Replacement” HERE)

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One Country Severs All Ties With Israel

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On Tuesday, officials in Bolivia announced that it had severed all diplomatic ties with Israel for its defensive attacks on Gaza.

Bolivia “decided to break diplomatic relations with the Israeli state in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip,” Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said at a press conference, according to a report from Reuters.

Reportedly, Bolivia previously cut ties with Israel in 2009. This was done in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Years later, in 2020, the two countries reestablished ties.

“We reject the war crimes being committed in Gaza. We support international initiatives to guarantee humanitarian aid, in compliance with international law,” Bolivian President Arce reportedly said on Monday.

On October 7, terrorist organization Hamas launched its attack on Israel, massacring thousands and taking hundreds of hostages. (Read more from “One Country Severs All Ties With Israel” HERE)

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Donald Trump Jr. Cracks Jokes, Draws Courtroom Laughter During 75-Minute Testimony at $250M Fraud Trial

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Donald Trump Jr. took the witness stand in a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday to defend himself in the $250 million civil fraud trial that threatens his dad’s real estate empire — firing off several jokes as he denied working on the financial statements that are key to the case. . .

“I did not,” the former president’s eldest child said when asked if he had ever worked on his father’s “statement of financial condition” – documents that James alleges Trump falsified from 2011 through 2017 by pumping up his net worth to the tune of billions per year.

“The accountants worked on it, that’s what we pay them for,” Don Jr. said. . .

During the testimony — which lasted for roughly 75 minutes Wednesday and featured James observing from the front row — Don Jr. joked that he has “no understanding” of accounting lingo.

“I rely on professionals and CPAs. We pay millions of dollars and [they] have great degrees,” he said, drawing laughter from the courtroom gallery. (Read more from “Donald Trump Jr. Cracks Jokes, Draws Courtroom Laughter During 75-Minute Testimony at $250M Fraud Trial” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Martial Arts Competition Changes Rules After Female Fighters Pull Out Over Safety Fears After Facing Trans Grapplers

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Terrified female martial artists say they’ve pulled out of recent competitions to avoid facing much stronger transgender fighters — forcing a major organization to revise its rules to ensure trans females can now only face men.

The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) said it overhauled its rules after complaints about transgender female athletes fighting in recent events.

In one of its jiu jitsu events in Georgia earlier this month, transgender grappler Corissa Griffith took home four gold medals in women’s competitions, while another, Cordelia Gregory, placed second, the feminist outlet Reduxx said.

NAGA suggested that transgender grapplers were likely competing by simply ticking “female” in registration forms and then going unnoticed.

However, a number of women have come forward to complain about safety fears from uneven matchups — not all at NAGA events — that left some so scared, they pulled out of major tournaments to avoid similar encounters. (Read more from “Martial Arts Competition Changes Rules After Female Fighters Pull Out Over Safety Fears After Facing Trans Grapplers” HERE)

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Zelensky Aide on Corruption in Ukraine: ‘People Are Stealing Like There’s No Tomorrow’

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An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the government has suffered “reputational damage” on the world stage for its sluggish efforts to battle corruption.

TIME senior correspondent Simon Shuster wrote about his experience following Zelenskyy and his team back to Ukraine after they visited the U.S. in September to appeal for aid, noting in Washington they had faced “insistent calls for Zelensky to fight corruption inside his own government, and the fading enthusiasm for a war with no end in sight.”

Shuster reported that similarly grim sentiment appears among the public as well, as those with the money available “sometimes bribe their way out of service” and that such cases “became so widespread by the end of the summer that on Aug. 11 Zelensky fired the heads of the draft offices in every region of the country.”

“The decision was intended to signal his commitment to fighting graft. But the move backfired, according to the senior military officer, as recruitment nearly ground to a halt without leadership,” Shuster wrote. “The fired officials also proved difficult to replace, in part because the reputation of the draft offices had been tainted.” (Read more from “Zelensky Aide on Corruption in Ukraine: ‘People Are Stealing Like There’s No Tomorrow’” HERE)

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Doing This for Only a Minute per Day Can Reduce Your Sick Days by Almost a Third

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Health and beauty experts are touting the benefits of cold showers — generally defined as bathing in water less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Think of it as a mini ‘shock’ to your system,” Dr. Majdoline Jayoushe, a specialist in internal medicine and associate professor at Mount Sinai, told Vogue this week. . .

Studies have found that cold showers or cold plunges can help increase endorphins, boost metabolism, strengthen immune health, promote healthy weight loss, improve circulation, reduce inflammation and swelling, fight symptoms of depression, and lessen aches and pains. . .

Experts recommend taking a cold shower in the afternoon or evening, noting that our core body temperature is at its lowest in the morning. . .

You don’t have to freeze for long — a 2016 study published in PLOS One found that people who took a cold shower for just 30 to 90 seconds for 90 days called in sick to work 29% less than people who didn’t take the plunge. (Read more from “Doing This for Only a Minute per Day Can Reduce Your Sick Days by Almost a Third” HERE)

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Speaker Mike Johnson Responds to Liberal Media Attacks on His Christian Faith: ‘Disgusting’

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Newly elected Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., responded to liberals and those in the media trashing him for his Christian faith Tuesday.

Johnson, an Evangelical Christian who has proudly invoked his faith in God and said the Bible is his “worldview” since being elected as the new speaker, responded to MSNBC host Jen Psaki, HBO host Bill Maher and others who trashed him for his faith, saying the attacks don’t bother him.

“Media wasn’t always so friendly to someone with a Judeo-Christian worldview, and in your case, some of the things that had been said, Politico interviewed a historian about your worldview, and this historian said you’re a Christian nationalist, it comes from that of Christian supremacy,” Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany said to Johnson.

She then quoted Psaki labeling Johnson as a Christian “fundamentalist.”

“What do you think when you hear that?” McEnany asked.

“Look, there are entire industries that are built to take down public leaders – effective political leaders like me. I’m not surprised by that. I mean, it comes with the territory. It doesn’t bother me at all,” Johnson responded. (Read more from “Speaker Mike Johnson Responds to Liberal Media Attacks on His Christian Faith: ‘Disgusting’” HERE)

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Former State Senator Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Charges

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A former North Dakota Republican state senator pleaded not guilty to federal child sex abuse charges on Monday — months after the lawmaker resigned following a report revealing he allegedly texted a man in jail for possessing child pornography.

Ray Holmberg, 79, one of the nation’s longest-serving state senators, faces charges in U.S. District Court in Fargo for traveling to Europe with the intent of paying for sex with a minor and receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, according to the Department of Justice.

Court documents allege Holmberg traveled from North Dakota to Prague, Czech Republic, from June 2011 through November 2016 for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts with a minor. The indictment also suggests Holmberg received material depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct from November 2012 to March 2013.

Mark Friese, attorney for Holmberg, told The Associated Press in a text message that authorities investigated his client “for 2 years or more and allege nothing recent. The conduct they allege is from more than a decade ago.” (Read more from “Former State Senator Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Charges” HERE)

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Second-Ever Pig Heart Transplant Recipient Dies 6 Weeks After Surgery: ‘We Will Miss Him Tremendously’

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The world’s second pig heart transplant recipient has died six weeks after having the organ implanted, the University of Maryland Medical Center announced Tuesday.

The patient, 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette — a Navy veteran and retired lab technician at the National Institutes of Health — only began showing signs that his body was rejecting the pig heart in the few days before his Oct. 30 passing.

Prior to that, he was progressing well in physical therapy to regain walking capabilities — and even had the energy to play cards with his wife, according to the medical center.

“Nobody knows from this point forward. At least now I have hope and I have a chance,” Faucette said just prior to his September surgery.

In the final weeks of his life, Faucette, of Frederick, Maryland, developed an incredibly special relationship with his surgical team. He was aware that his operation had implications for major medical advances in the future, according to his surgeon, Dr. Bartley P. Griffith. (Read more from “Second-Ever Pig Heart Transplant Recipient Dies 6 Weeks After Surgery: ‘We Will Miss Him Tremendously’” HERE)

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