Last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War lies in honor at US Capitol
The remains of Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr., the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War, lay in honor Monday in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Puckett Jr., born Dec. 8, 1926, died at his home on Monday, April 8. He was 97. Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Tuesday, April 16, that Congress would honor the fallen Medal of Honor with the prestigious reception. “The extraordinary valor of Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr. represents the best of the 1.7 million Americans who left home to fight for freedom in the Korean War,” the two lawmakers said in a joint statement. “He demonstrated tireless sacrifice for our country and his fellow Rangers and is an exceptional model for servicemembers and civilians alike. To recognize Colonel Puckett’s remarkable heroism and service, and the contributions of all Korean War veterans, it is our privilege to permit his remains to lie in honor in the Rotunda of the Capitol.” LAST SURVIVING MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT FROM THE KOREAN WAR WILL LIE IN HONOR AT THE US CAPITOL Lawmakers and members of Puckett’s family surrounded the urn resting in the center of the Capitol’s revered Rotunda. Puckett Jr. was from Tifton, Georgia. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1949, where he went on to have a highly-decorated career. “He leads from the front. He leads by example. He leads with heart. He is a Ranger, and that’s how Rangers lead — that’s how you lead,” President Biden said during a White House Ceremony on May 21, 2021, when he presented Puckett, Jr. with a Medal of Honor. The retired Army colonel was 94 years old at the time. COL. RALPH PUCKETT, KOREAN WAR HERO AND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT, DEAD AT 97 Puckett Jr. served as a U.S. Army Ranger and was deployed to the Korean War in 1950 and the Vietnam War in 1967. During his 22 years of service, he received two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars with V device for valor, five Purple Hearts, 10 Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, among others, according to the Army. According to the Architect of the Capitol, government officials and military officers typically lie in state in the U.S. Capitol while private citizens lie in honor. “No law, written rule, or regulation specifies who may lie in state; use of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda is controlled by concurrent action of the House and Senate. Any person who has rendered distinguished service to the nation may lie in state if the family so wishes and Congress approves,” according to its website.
DNA TV Show: Amit Shah’s doctored video exposes ‘deepfakes’, a new threat to diverse society
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High-profile Dems victimized by string of crimes still deny blue state in crisis
Last week alone, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s official residence was burglarized, Rep. Adam Schiff was the victim of theft, and reality TV actress Kyle Richards’ daughter’s home was robbed in broad daylight. But the progressive arm of California’s Democratic Party denies there’s a crime crisis. A security guard for Mayor Matt Mahan was also involved in a violent altercation in the middle of an interview being recorded in downtown San Jose last week, leading to the arrest of the suspect on multiple charges. Since 2020, there has been a statewide rise in property crime and theft, with local critics attributing the increase to what they term “soft-on-crime” policies like Proposition 47 and 57. However, the issue has now caused a divide among Democrats in the legislature. Some are joining forces with Republicans to propose bipartisan bills aimed at curbing petty theft, while progressive lawmakers introduced their own alternative measures – dubbed Smart Solutions – that focus on providing additional services for offenders. “Above all else, our work prioritizes the freedom and material needs of communities most harmed by prisons and policing,” the Ella Baker Center, which collaborates with several state Democrats to promote their progressive crime policies, wrote on its website. “We prioritize their leadership, healing, and liberation.” PROGRESSIVE CALIFORNIA MAYORS BACK EFFORT TO AMEND CRIME LAWS AMID ‘RAMPANT’ DRUGS AND THEFT Proposition 47, passed in California in 2014, reclassified certain nonviolent offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. In 2016, voters passed Proposition 57, which increased parole opportunities for nonviolent offenders and allowed judges, rather than prosecutors, to decide whether juveniles should be tried as adults in certain cases. “If the super majority Democrat legislature wants to really have a positive impact on crime, they should reverse some of their previous previously enacted reckless public safety laws that have dramatically negatively impacted public safety,” Steve Cooley, former Los Angeles district attorney, told Fox News Digital. “I just think it’s ironic that Adam Schiff, who endorsed George Gascon, very publicly and very enthusiastically, is a victim of a theft.” Cooley also argued that Soros-backed Los Angeles DA Gascon enacted several soft-on-crime policies that have caused more crime in the LA area. NEWSOM SENDING 120 CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS TO OAKLAND TO CRACK DOWN ON ‘ALARMING’ CRIME SURGE Elected in December 2020, Gascón directed prosecutors to end the practice of seeking enhanced sentences for defendants accused of gang-related offenses, stopped seeking cash bail for most misdemeanor and nonviolent felony cases, and allowed for the resentencing of individuals who were convicted of crimes as juveniles and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. What’s more, Gascon’s office made it a policy to neither seek the death penalty in any new cases nor pursue executions for individuals already on death row. “We are in an era of increasing – but avoidable – criminality,” Cooley said. “It should not be unexpected that every sector of society will be victimized at some point.” The state’s violent crime rate is up by 13.5% compared to the pre-COVID rate of 2019, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Robberies involving firearms increased nearly 13% compared to 2019 and gun-related homicides and aggravated assaults surged even more, increasing by 37.7% and 61.1% respectively. As such, district attorneys, police chiefs, sheriffs associations statewide, along with mayors from San Francisco and San Jose, are collectively supporting a proposed ballot measure for this year’s election aimed at reversing the effects of Proposition 47, called the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act. NEWSOM IGNORING CALIFORNIA CRISES TO PROMOTE HIMSELF IN PRO-ABORTION CAMPAIGN, GOP LAWMAKERS SAY Jeff Reisig, a district attorney in Yolo County, said after San Jose Mayor Mahan was accosted that “it’s more stark evidence that California’s urban centers have been turned into dangerous places, where seriously addicted, mentally ill and many violent people now roam freely due to weak state laws that have eroded accountability, deterrence and our quality of life.” “Many friends and family who live and work in the urban core of our big cities no longer feel safe even walking to lunch,” Reisig said on X. “Some have been violently assaulted or threatened. Others just can’t stand the oppressive smell anymore. The root cause of so much of the chaos and decay in CA is Prop 47, which essentially decriminalized the use of hard drugs and repeat theft under $950.” Reisig encouraged voters to turn up at the polls this year to repeal Prop. 47. Meanwhile, Schiff’s opponent in the Senate race to replace the late Dianne Feinstein’s seat, former MLB star Steve Garvey, told Fox News Digital in an interview last week he’s “sorry that happened to my opponent” when asked about Schiff being a victim of theft hours before a ritzy campaign dinner, but attributed the incident to soft-on-crime policies. “This has been a long period of time where San Francisco has been deloused by crime,” Garvey said. “I think that my opponent has to make a statement as to where he is on crime.” Thieves on Thursday broke into Schiff’s car, which was parked in a downtown parking garage, and stole his bags. Without business clothes to wear, Schiff still proceeded to the event in shirtsleeves and a hiking vest, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, with others dressed in suits. Fox News Digital reached out to Schiff’s office for comment but did not hear back by time of publication. Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
US, UK urge Hamas to accept Israeli truce proposal in war on Gaza
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron says proposal includes a 40-day ceasefire and the release of captives. The United States and the United Kingdom have urged Hamas to accept an Israeli proposal for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of some hostages held in the besieged territory. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Monday that the Israeli proposal delivered to Hamas includes a 40-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of “potentially thousands” of Palestinian prisoners in return for the release of some Israeli hostages. Speaking on Monday at a World Economic Forum meeting in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Cameron described the offer as “generous”. “I hope Hamas accepts the proposal in front of them,” he said, and stressed that the war would not end until all the captives are released. Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he hoped that Hamas would accept the proposal. “They have to decide – and they have to decide quickly … I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision,” Blinken said. A woman and children flee following Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat in central Gaza [AFP] Egypt, Qatar and the US have been working to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push towards halting nearly seven months of hostilities. At least 34,488 people have been killed and 77,643 others wounded in the Israeli assault on Gaza since October 7, according to Palestinian authorities in the besieged territory. Israel launched its war on Gaza after Hamas fighters led an attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,139 people, according to an Al Jazeera tally based on official Israeli statistics, and seizing around 250 others as hostages. Dozens of hostages were released by Palestinian groups in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails during a previous weeklong truce in late November. Hamas delegation to Cairo The 40-day truce proposal comes as a senior Hamas delegation travels to Egypt for the latest round of negotiations aimed at pausing – if not stopping – Israel’s relentless war on Gaza. Led by Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the delegation is expected to hand in the group’s response to the latest proposal. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he hoped that Hamas would accept the proposal [Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP Photo] Hamas has repeatedly said that it wants a permanent end to the fighting as part of any deal to release captives. Meanwhile, hardline Israeli ministers are warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his government will collapse if a truce is agreed with Hamas in exchange for captives. Reporting from occupied east Jerusalem, Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith said the Israelis have a delegation ready to go to Cairo tomorrow, but that depends on the response from Hamas to Israel’s ceasefire proposal. “It’s understood that the Israelis are asking for fewer than 40 of the 130 or so captives being held by Hamas, and in return for that, they’ll release Palestinian prisoners, and they’ll move to a second phase of a truce, which will offer this period of sustained calm,” he said. Smith noted that Hamas has insisted in previous rounds of talks that it wants to secure a complete end to hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. “So the question is whether this offer of a period of ‘sustained calm’ will be enough for Hamas, considering they’ve been asking for this permanent ceasefire,” Smith said. Israel’s war on Gaza has driven around 80 percent of the territory’s population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine. Adblock test (Why?)
‘The encampment fills me with hope for a Palestinian future’
University protests are bringing people of all religions and races together in support of Palestinian rights and forcing a hard look at US support for the state of Israel, said University of Michigan demonstrator Ahmad Ibsais. Published On 29 Apr 202429 Apr 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Gerard Depardieu released after questioning over alleged sexual assaults
Depardieu released after questioning about allegations made by two women that he sexually assaulted them on film sets. French actor Gerard Depardieu has been released after police questioned him in connection with sexual assault allegations, his lawyer has said. French media had reported earlier on Monday that Depardieu was in police custody for questioning about allegations made by two women that he sexually assaulted them on film sets. Speaking to reporters as he was leaving the police station in the 14th district of Paris, the actor’s lawyer, Christian Saint-Palais, said: “The police custody is over. He is no longer held in the police station.” Depardieu, 75, one of France’s top movie stars, has been at the centre of a number of sexual assault allegations in recent years that have tarnished his legacy and exposed broader divisions about sexual conduct in France. BFMTV and Le Parisien reported that the police summons relates to accusations of sexual assault filed by two women who accuse him of groping during filming – one in 2014, the other in 2021. Alleged assaults The alleged 2014 assault was reported to police in January this year, Le Parisien reported. The other alleged assault involved a 53-year-old movie decorator. She alleged that Depardieu grabbed her and kneaded her waist, stomach and breasts during filming for the movie Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters), according to the woman’s lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, when she filed the complaint with the Paris prosecutor’s office in February. Depardieu already faces a rape charge, as well as claims of assault from more than a dozen women – all of which he has strongly denied. Adblock test (Why?)
Appeals court considers whether West Texas A&M drag show was unconstitutionally banned
University President Walter Wendler canceled a drag performance last year, claiming such shows “denigrate and demean women.”
New poll reveals which party is more enthusiastic about Biden-Trump rematch
Republicans are significantly more enthusiastic about the 2024 election rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump than either Democrats or independent voters, according to a new national poll. And a survey released Monday by the Monmouth University Polling Institute also spotlights that enthusiasm among all registered voters in the Biden-Trump rematch — while remaining well under 50% — has jumped 12 points over the past year – to 39%. “Enthusiasm for a 2020 rematch has increased slightly now that these two candidates are the presumptive nominees. But most voters are not looking forward to November,” Monmouth University Polling Institute director Patrick Murray highlighted. But the poll points to a glaring partisan divide in enthusiasm. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS SHOW IN THE 2024 ELECTION Sixty-three percent of Republicans questioned said they were very or somewhat enthusiastic about the second straight face-off between the Democratic incumbent in the White House and his GOP predecessor. That figure plunges to 36% among Democrats surveyed, and down to 27% among independents. The poll is also the latest national survey to point to a close contest between Biden and Trump. Forty-four percent said they will definitely or probably support Trump in the presidential election, with 43% saying the same thing about Biden. Forty-nine percent offered that they would definitely not vote for the president, with 48% saying the same thing about the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. Eighteen percent of those questioned said that they would definitely or probably cast a ballot for Democrat turned independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the longtime environmental activist and high-profile vaccine skeptic. “Support for Kennedy is not particularly strong even among voters who dislike both Biden and Trump. If he can’t score a decisive win with these voters, it’s unclear what role he can play in this election other than as a spoiler,” Murray highlighted. “The poll results suggest that the Kennedy effect is minimal. If the current situation holds, he would play a spoiler role only in a very close contest. Of course, everything is lining up for this election to be just that.” Inflation (38%) and economic growth and jobs (37%) top the list of most important issues in the presidential election, according to the poll, followed by immigration (33%) and abortion (33%). Immigration (56%) and inflation (53%) are the top ranking issues for Republicans when it comes to shaping their vote in the presidential election, while abortion (44%) is the most prominent issue for Democrats. “When partisan voters name their top issues in this election, it is not about weighing the candidates’ positions. It’s more about which issues are motivating them to get out to vote. You have to focus on the small group of voters who are up for grabs to see which issue may actually sway voters. In this case, it appears to be inflation,” Murray noted. The Monmouth University Poll was conducted April 18-22, with 808 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub
Biden admin accuses Israeli military of human rights violations in stunning condemnation
The U.S. found five units of the Israel Defense Forces responsible “for individual incidents of gross violations of human rights,” the State Department announced on Monday – though whether funding to the American ally could be cut over such abuses under the so-called “Leahy Laws” still hangs in the balance. At a press briefing, State Department principal deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters that the human rights violations happened all before the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants on southern Israel and none happened in Gaza. Four of the units have “effectively remediated,” he said, while the U.S. continues “in consultations and engagements with the government of Israel” on the remaining unit. “They have submitted additional information as it pertains to that unit. And we’re continuing to have those conversations consistent with the memorandum of understanding that we have with the government of Israel that was entered into in 2021,” he said. “When conclusions are made under actions that fall under the auspices of the Foreign Assistance Act, we are required to consult with officials from the government of Israel, and that is ongoing. We are engaging with them in a process, and we will make an ultimate decision when it comes to that unit when that process is complete.” He also noted that “the remediation standard is consistent and it is the same for all countries.” When pressed by a reporter, Patel admitted that the fifth unit is still eligible to receive U.S. arms at this stage. “When we’re talking about the Leahy Law, what we are talking about our unit and component restrictions, when they are found in violation, it is not have bearing on the broader security relationship that we may have with a country, especially a country like Israel, in which we have a longstanding security relationship. The provision of bulk assistance that’s gone back many, many years,” Patel added. WHAT IS THE LEAHY LAW? A senior State Department official told Fox News that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has raised the matter with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The State Department says on its website that “the term ‘Leahy law’ refers to two statutory provisions prohibiting the U.S. Government from using funds for assistance to units of foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights.” Former Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy had championed legislation that became the Leahy law in the 1990s, saying the U.S. needed a tool to block American military aid and training to foreign security units guilty of extrajudicial killings, rapes, torture and other flagrant human rights abuses. The law requires an automatic cutoff of aid to a military unit if the State Department finds credible evidence that it has committed gross abuses. A second Leahy law says the same for Defense Department training of foreign militaries. Rights groups long have accused U.S. administrations, including Biden’s, of shirking rigorous investigations of allegations of Israeli military killings and other abuses against Palestinians to avoid invoking such laws aimed at conditioning military aid to lawful behavior by foreign forces, according to The Associated Press. ISRAEL IS CONCERNED ICC COULD ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS AGAINST NETANYAHU, SENIOR OFFICIALS: REPORT Israel, meanwhile, says its security forces investigate abuses and its courts hold offenders accountable. The development comes as Israeli officials are growing concerned that the International Criminal Court could soon issue arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials over charges related to the war in Gaza, reports say. The court may accuse the senior government figures of pursuing an excessively harsh military response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the New York Times is reporting, citing Israeli and foreign officials. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
New federal transgender rules place women’s workplace rights ‘under attack,’ EEOC commissioner charges
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published new guidance that details how an employer could be found liable for harassment if they require an employee to use a bathroom that corresponds with their biological sex, sparking backlash. “Women’s sex-based rights in the workplace are under attack—and from the EEOC, the very federal agency charged with protecting women from sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination at work. In its new harassment guidance, the Commission formally takes the position that for both private companies and federal employers, harassing conduct under Title VII includes ‘denial of access to a bathroom or other sex-segregated facility consistent with [an] individual’s gender identity,’” EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas said in a comment provided to Fox News Digital. The new guidance published on Monday, “Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace,” outlines that “sex-based harassment” includes “intentional and repeated use of a name or pronoun inconsistent with the individual’s gender identity.” “Harassment, both in-person and online, remains a serious issue in America’s workplaces. The EEOC’s updated guidance on harassment is a comprehensive resource that brings together best practices for preventing and remedying harassment and clarifies recent developments in the law,” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows in a press release Monday. “The guidance incorporates public input from stakeholders across the country, is aligned with our Strategic Enforcement Plan, and will help ensure that individuals understand their workplace rights and responsibilities.” PROMINENT US FIRMS FACE ALLEGATIONS OF WORKFORCE DISCRIMINATION OVER DIVERSITY EFFORTS Sex-based harassment would also include “the denial of access to a bathroom or other sex-segregated facility consistent with the individual’s gender identity,” the document goes on to say. “As we commemorate this year’s 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the guidance will help raise awareness about the serious problem of harassment in employment and the law’s protections for those who experience it,” said Burrows in the press release. FEDERAL COMMISSIONER FIRES BACK AT MARK CUBAN FOR DIVERSITY CLAIM, DELIVERS WARNING ABOUT DEI: ‘MORE PROBLEMS’ The EEOC had announced last year that it would update its guidance to include sexual orientation and gender identity, which sparked backlash from state attorneys general. US JUDGE’S SCHOOL PRIVACY RULING ALLOWS TRANSGENDER BATHROOM USE BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY Lucas, who was appointed to the EEOC by then-President Trump in 2020, continued in her statement that “the EEOC ignores biological reality.” “Relatedly, the Commission declares that harassing conduct includes ‘repeated and intentional use of a name or pronoun inconsistent with [an] individual’s known gender identity.’ The Commission’s guidance effectively eliminates single-sex workplace facilities and impinges on women’s (and indeed, all employees’) rights to freedom of speech and belief. In issuing this guidance, the EEOC ignores biological reality; dismisses the sex-based privacy and safety needs of women; disregards decades of safeguarding principles for women and girls; and fundamentally betrays its mission,” she continued. “Biological sex is real, and it matters. Sex is binary (male and female) and is immutable.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House Monday for comment on the matter.