Pro-Palestine protesters block bridge outside UK parliament
Hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators blocked access to a bridge near the British parliament on Saturday, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in an act of civil disobedience. London, like other Western cities, has seen regular and sometimes large demonstrations calling for an end to Israel’s bombardment of the besieged strip. Police clashed with the protesters, who occupied surrounding roads after they were prevented from marching across Westminster Bridge, where they had planned to unfurl banners. Police said they had imposed a legal order limiting the location of the protests and that by 3pm (15:00 GMT) people had begun to disperse. Those who refused to comply with an order to leave could be arrested, police said. Saturday’s action, the first major demonstration of the new year, was smaller than previous mass marches but comes two days before the UK Parliament returns to work after its Christmas break. The protest was designed to push politicians to adopt a harder stance towards Israel in its war on Gaza, which has killed more than 22,700 Palestinians in three months. Adblock test (Why?)
FBI arrests three people linked to January 6, 2021, insurrection
The three Florida residents allegedly attacked officers during an assault on the United States Capitol three years ago. United States authorities announced the arrest of three people wanted in connection with the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol, as the country marked the third anniversary of the violent attack by Donald Trump’s supporters. The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Jonathan D Pollock, 24, his sister, Olivia M Pollock, 33 and Joseph D Hutchinson, 27, at a ranch in Groveland, Florida, the FBI said in a statement on Saturday. The three will be arraigned on Monday. All are charged with assaulting officers, violent entry into the Capitol and other felonies. The three had been indicted in April 2021. Jonathan Pollock had gone into hiding shortly after the attack while his sister and Hutchinson had been arrested in June 2021 and released on bond, but fled shortly before they were set to go on trial in Washington, DC last March. The FBI had offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Jonathan Pollock, who they “considered armed and dangerous”. According to a 53-page indictment, Jonathan Pollock and Hutchinson are on video recordings, repeatedly punching officers during the riots. Pollock is also alleged to have grabbed riot shields from officers, and he and Hutchinson are accused of using the edge of one to strike an officer in the neck or face. In June 2021, the Pollocks’ brother, Gabriel, defended his siblings and Hutchinson in an interview with The Ledger, Lakeland’s newspaper, saying: “I do feel like it is a political move that’s being perpetrated, which – it’s sad.” “I think people are pretty fed up with the way the country’s being taken away from the people,” he added. January 6, 2021 Three years ago, a crowd of thousands attacked the US Capitol in an effort to stop the certification of the 2020 election results, spurred on by false claims the election had been “rigged” against Republican incumbent Trump. More than 2,000 people entered the Capitol building, smashing windows, ransacking offices, defecating in public spaces and searching for members of Congress. The assault was ultimately unsuccessful but it has set off alarm bells about the stability of US democracy and the growing influence of anti-democratic elements within the Republican Party. On Friday, US President Joe Biden took a jab at Trump, who was the country’s president at the time, calling him out for inaction on January 6 and election-related lies. “It was among the worst derelictions of duty by a president in American history,” Biden said in Pennsylvania. Trump hit back at Biden at a rally in Iowa on Friday. “Not one thing has gotten better under crooked Joe Biden. Everything’s a mess,” he said. But he only briefly addressed the events of January 6 repeating unfounded claims that the 2020 contest was marred by widespread voter fraud. The US continues to grapple with the fallout from the attack. More than 950 people have been charged with federal crimes relating to the riot, with some facing accusations of seditious conspiracy – a rare but serious offence. The US Department of Justice added that 192 of those defendants have been sentenced to time behind bars and 484 have pleaded guilty to various crimes. [embedded content] Adblock test (Why?)
Could infighting threaten Israel’s government?
Bitter divisions erupt between ministers on post-war plans for Gaza. Israel’s far-right coalition government is at war, not just in Gaza but with itself. Ministers are fighting about a possible inquiry into the army’s pre-October 7 role – and proposals to expel all Palestinians from Gaza. So, how fragile is Israel’s government? And what would its collapse mean? Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra Guests: Ofer Cassif – Member of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset Gideon Levy – Columnist at the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and author of, The Punishment of Gaza Daniel Levy – President of the US Middle East Project, political negotiator under the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak Adblock test (Why?)
Border Patrol stops illegal immigrant convicted of murder, marking 10th killer arrested since October
Border Patrol agents apprehended an illegal immigrant with a prior conviction for murder this week, authorities announced on Friday, making it the 10th such arrest since the fiscal year began in October. The illegal alien from El Salvador was arrested on Thursday, and Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens said he had been previously convicted of murder. “So far in FY24 (since Oct. 1st), USBP has arrested 10 subjects with homicide/murder convictions,” Owens said on X, formerly known as Twitter. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SEEN POURING INTO US THROUGH BREACH IN BORDER WALL IN ARIZONA The arrest comes amid regular apprehensions of criminals coming across the southern border among the millions of illegal immigrants hitting the U.S. border each year. There were 2.4 million migrant encounters in FY 23, and records have been set for monthly encounters in December when there were over 300,000 encounters. In FY 23, there were over 35,000 criminals encountered, both at the ports of entry and between them. In FY 24 so far, there have been more than 6,000 criminals encountered. Additionally, Border Patrol officials have previously raised concerns about the potential for gotaways to get past overwhelmed Border Patrol agents. There were over 650,000 gotaways in FY 23, and Owens told lawmakers last year that it’s a concern for them. BIDEN ADMIN EYES MORE DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO VENEZUELA AS MIGRANT NUMBERS SHATTER RECORDS “If a person is willing to put themselves into harm’s way crossing through very remote, very dangerous conditions to evade capture, you have to ask yourself why. What makes them willing to take that risk? That’s of concern to me,” he said. “What’s also of concern to me is I don’t know who that individual is. I don’t know where they came from. I don’t know what their intention is. I don’t know what they brought with them. That unknown represents a risk, a threat. It’s of great concern to anybody that wears this uniform.” Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., lawmakers are negotiating with the administration over a $14 billion border security funding request as part of the emergency supplemental. JOHNSON CALLS MIGRANT CRISIS ‘TRULY UNCONSCIONABLE’ DURING VISIT TO BESIEGED SOUTHERN BORDER The Biden administration has said that it needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform from Congress, arguing that it needs more money for processing as well as increased expedited removals and deportation flights. Republicans have blamed the crisis on the administration’s releases of migrants into the interior and other policies, and they have demanded stricter limits on asylum and parole as part of any agreement.
Biden mocked for appearing confused after anti-Trump speech: ‘Lost again’
President Biden garnered the attention of some social media users on Friday after he delivered a speech in Pennsylvania and appeared “confused” landing in Delaware later that evening. Shortly after Biden’s trip to Blue Bell, Pennsylvania — where he delivered a campaign speech marking three years since the January 6 Capitol riot — the 81-year-old president faced a flurry of criticism for his remarks and behavior both after the speech and upon his arrival in Delaware, where he is spending the weekend. Biden spent a great deal of time attacking former President Donald Trump, who holds a massive lead over the GOP presidential primary field, and his “mob” of supporters during the Friday-evening speech near Valley Forge. The president accused Trump of “trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election,” while saying that the results of the 2020 election proved that he was a “loser.” BIDEN DOES NOT HAVE ‘COGNITIVE ABILITY’ TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM, SAYS FORMER WH DOCTOR After delivering the address, first lady Jill Biden quickly approached the podium and hugged the president before taking him by the hand and leading him off the stage. The couple appeared to whisper something to one another, but what said wasn’t discernible based on the angles of the main camera. After embracing his wife, Biden turned back to the mic and spoke over the loudspeakers that had already begun playing exit music. “I understand power. Thank you all so very much,” he said before slowly leaving the stage. Highlighting the instance in a post to social media, one user noted that Jill Biden helped the president “off the stage following his remarks lest he get confused, and/or lost, or falls.” Following his speech, Biden flew on Marine One to Delaware to spend the weekend with his family. Upon landing and departing from the helicopter, several users noticed the president’s peculiar behavior. “After two weeks of vacation and a 32-minute speech, Biden is back in Delaware for a weekend respite. He was VERY confused upon landing,” RNC Research, an account managed by the Republican National Committee, remarked on X. Sharing the same clip, conservative commentator Benny Johnson wrote in a post to X, “Biden is lost again.” Biden, who turned 78 shortly before taking office in January 2021, has faced repeated questions over his fitness for office and mental acuity. A recent NBC poll indicated that 59% of registered voters have “major concerns” about his physical and mental health as he eyes a second term, with an additional 27% having either “moderate” or “minor” concerns. NEW POLL REVEALS HUGE GAP IN BIDEN’S AGE VS. TRUMP’S IN HYPOTHETICAL 2024 MATCHUP Brennan Gorman, an Independent voter, joined “FOX & Friends Weekend” in November and offered his perspective on why he finds Biden’s age a problem for not only his campaign, but the entire country. “I’m absolutely concerned,” he said at the time. “He exhibits many issues when it comes to physical and cognitive abilities, but also it’s difficult for him to connect with the younger generation. Our electorate is getting younger and younger, and we’re electing people who are older and older.” Seventy-six percent of voters agreed Biden is “too old” to serve a second term, compared to just 48% who said the same about Trump, according to the poll. Last November, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, the former White House physician for Presidents Obama and Trump, expressed concern about Biden’s health and mental acuity. “I’ve been saying for quite some time now, when he was candidate Joe Biden, that I didn’t think that he had the cognitive ability to do the job,” Jackson said on “FOX & Friends.” Jackson emphasized that Biden has “degenerated” over the last three years. “He’s got these people that surround him that are inappropriately encouraging him to continue to run, because it builds up who they are and what they do. But our border, our wars overseas, our economy, you know, it’s just a disaster right now. And he just can’t do the job. And it’s just on display every day that he’s not capable of doing this job anymore,” Jackson warned.
DeSantis floats keeping Biden off Florida ballot as SCOTUS weighs Trump case: ‘We’re going to fight back’
GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he’s looking at ways to keep President Biden off the ballot due to the “invasion of 8 million” at the southern border — though he said he also believes efforts to bar former President Trump from the ballot are wrong. “I do think the US Supreme Court is going to have to take the case,” DeSantis told reporters following a campaign event in Iowa Friday. “I do think they’re going to have to rein this in, because I just think if you look at it, it just becomes too different.” But DeSantis said in the meantime that Florida is looking at whether it could block Biden from the ballot for policies he says have led to an “invasion” of immigrants into the U.S. over the southern border. “You could make a case — we’re actually I’m actually looking at this in Florida now. Could we make a credible case that Biden, because of the invasion of eight million?” DeSantis said. TRUMP BACKED BY 27 STATES IN SUPREME COURT FIGHT, WHO WARN OF 2024 ‘CHAOS’ IF HE’S REMOVED FROM BALLOT DeSantis has frequently cited the eight million figure, referring to the number of immigrants who have allegedly entered the country illegally under Biden’s administration. Despite disagreeing with the legality of barring candidates from primary ballots, DeSantis said it is important to fight by the same set of rules Democrats are using. FOX NEWS TOWN HALL WITH GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS “I think if this is going to happen for them . . . I don’t believe in fighting with one hand tied behind your back. Whatever the rules are applied to us, we’re going to fight back and play the rules the other way,” DeSantis said. “You know, we’ve got a better way forward. We’re not going to have to worry about those issues. And then when I become president, I’m going to be able to address all the lawfare and all the weaponization, and we’ll be able to end this stuff once and for all,” he added. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case on whether Trump can be kept off of state primary ballots. A Colorado high court ruled in favor of a Republican effort to bar the former president from appearing on primary ballots. FOX NEWS TOWN HALL WITH FMR. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump had engaged in an insurrection for his role in the January 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol. The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868 after the Civil War, bars people who have “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office. Other states have also moved or is considering efforts to block Trump from the ballot. The Maine Secretary of State determined that Trump was ineligible to appear on the primary ballot, and the Illinois State Board of Elections (SBE) will hold a vote this month to decide whether to remove the former president’s name. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Ukraine says Russian missile attack kills 11 in eastern town
At least 11 people, including five children, have been killed by a Russian missile attack in and around the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, according to the regional governor. Eight people were also wounded when Russian missiles hit the area, Vadym Filashkin, the governor of the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk region, said on Saturday. “The main blow was dealt to Pokrovsk and Rivne in the community of Myrnograd,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app. He said S-300 missiles had been used in a series of attacks, and one hit a house of a family of six. Filashkin released photographs showing rescue workers working through the debris in the aftermath of the bombardment. He said the attack showed Russian forces were “trying to inflict as much grief as possible on our land”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and accused Russia of once again deliberately targeting civilian objects. “And Russia must feel – feel every time – that none of these attacks will end without consequences for the terrorist state,” Zelenskyy said. The town of Pokrovsk, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the front line of the fighting, had already been hit by a deadly bombardment last August, which left at least eight people dead and 82 injured. Crimea attack Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine’s military claimed it successfully attacked the Saki military air base in the west of the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. “Saki airfield! All targets were hit!” Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram. Russian officials did not comment on the alleged attack, but Russia’s defence ministry said in the early hours of Saturday that it had successfully downed four Ukrainian missiles over the peninsula overnight. Later on Saturday, the ministry reported that its air defence forces had shot down six anti-ship missiles over the Black Sea. Ukraine has targeted Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, since the start of Moscow’s full-scale offensive in February 2022. North Korean missiles? Meanwhile, as Russia’s nearly two-year-long war in Ukraine continues, the Kharkiv region prosecutor’s office provided evidence on Saturday that Russia attacked Ukraine with missiles supplied by North Korea, showcasing the fragments. Russia attacked Kharkiv with several missiles this week, killing two people and injuring more than 60 in one of its biggest missile and drone raids since the start of the war. “The production method is not very modern. There are deviations from standard Iskander missiles, which we previously saw during strikes on Kharkiv. This missile is similar to one of the North Korean missiles,” Dmytro Chubenko, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office told media as he displayed the remnants. He said the missile was slightly bigger in diameter than the Russian Iskander missile, while its nozzle, internal electrical windings, and rear parts were also different. On Friday, the US said Russia is using ballistic missiles from North Korea and is seeking close-range ballistic missiles from Iran. In a post on X on Friday, British Defence Minister Grant Shapps warned, “The world has turned its back on Russia, forcing Putin into the humiliation of going cap in hand to North Korea to keep his illegal invasion going. In doing so, Russia has broken multiple UNSC resolutions and put the security of another world region at risk.” UN Security Council resolutions – approved with Russian support – ban countries from trading weapons or other military equipment with North Korea. While the Kremlin has not yet commented on the recent evidence, relations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un have warmed in recent months, with the two leaders also meeting in person in Russia last September. [embedded content] Adblock test (Why?)
Former US general: Israel may win in Gaza, but fail in the region
US General Mark Kimmitt says Israeli talk of annihilating Gaza ‘sounds good on TV’ but is impractical and illegal. By mimicking United States tactics in World War II in Germany and Japan, Israel has made a grave mistake with its war on Gaza, according to retired US Army Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. Kimmitt tells host Steve Clemons that Israel’s tactics – firebombing and “starting new” – have made it unwelcome among the peoples of the region. Despite Israel’s assassination of a top Hamas commander in Lebanon and disruption of shipping routes in the Red Sea, the US is less concerned about regional instability than it was in October. The situation “has not hit US red lines,” he says. Adblock test (Why?)
US diplomat Blinken meets Turkey’s Erdogan, kicking off Gaza diplomacy tour
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met senior Turkish officials in Istanbul, kicking off a week-long trip across the Middle East aimed at calming tensions that have spiked since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October. In his meeting with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Blinken “emphasised the need to prevent the conflict from spreading, secure the release of hostages, expand humanitarian assistance and reduce civilian casualties,” US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Saturday. Blinken also stressed the need to work towards broader, lasting regional peace that ensures Israel’s security and advances the establishment of a Palestinian state, Miller added. Erdogan, a fierce critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, had previously skipped a meeting with Blinken, when the US diplomat visited Ankara in November, over Washington’s staunch backing of Israel’s assault on Gaza. On Saturday, Blinken also met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and discussions focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Turkey’s foreign ministry said. In his conversation with Blinken, Fidan pointed to Israel’s escalating aggression, saying it poses a threat to the entire region. He also underlined the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, allowing the permanent delivery of aid, and stressed the need to return to two-state solution negotiations as soon as possible, the ministry added. Minister of Foreign Affairs @HakanFidan met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul. At the meeting, Ministers discussed the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sweden’s NATO accession process, bilateral & regional issues. 🇹🇷🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/UvHbV5YoDs — Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) January 6, 2024 ‘Deescalation’ The US’s strained relationship with Turkey precedes the current war, with the two nations also feuding over foreign policy issues ranging from NATO to Iraq. Ankara is frustrated by the delay in approval from the US Congress for a $20bn deal for 40 F-16 fighter jets. Washington is waiting for Turkey to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO. On Saturday, Blinken and Fidan addressed Ankara’s process to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership, according to a Turkish foreign ministry statement. US officials are confident Ankara will soon approve Sweden’s accession after it won the Turkish parliament’s backing last month, a senior State Department official travelling with Blinken told the Reuters news agency. As part of Blinken’s whistlestop tour of several countries, he then travelled to the island of Crete on Saturday to meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Fellow NATO member Greece is awaiting the US Congress’s approval of a sale of F-35 fighter jets. Post Greece, Blinken’s tour in the coming days will include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the occupied West Bank, where he will deliver a message that Washington does not want a regional escalation of the Gaza conflict. Blinken also hopes to make progress in talks about how Gaza could be governed if and when Israel achieves its aim of eradicating Hamas. Blinken’s trip has “three main messages”, said Mahjoob Zweiri, a professor of Gulf studies at Qatar University: deescalation of the conflict; the humanitarian crisis; and what happens the day after the war ends. “Washington doesn’t seem to be happy over the statements coming from the government of Netanyahu talking about the displacement of the people. They seem to want to put pressure on Netanyahu, especially with London, Paris and Germany saying the status quo of Gaza should not be changed,” Zweiri told Al Jazeera. Blinken has said Washington wants regional countries, including Turkey, to play a role in reconstruction, governance and potentially security in the Gaza Strip, which has been run by Hamas since 2007. At least 22,722 people have been killed and 58,166 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll from the October attack on Israel stands at 1,139 people. Adblock test (Why?)
India’s Aditya-L1 sun mission reaches solar orbit
Launched in September, the solar observation mission will undertake a comprehensive study of the sun. India’s solar observation mission has entered the sun’s orbit after a four-month journey, the latest success for the space exploration ambitions of the world’s most populous nation. The Indian Space Research Organisation’s Aditya-L1 mission was launched in September and is carrying an array of instruments to measure and observe the sun’s outermost layers. “India creates yet another landmark,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X on Saturday. “It is a testament to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realising among the most complex and intricate space missions.” India’s science and technology minister Jitendra Singh said on social media that the probe had reached its final orbit “to discover the mysteries of Sun-Earth connection”. The spacecraft has positioned itself at Lagrange Point 1, from where it will undertake a comprehensive study of the sun, focusing on the solar corona and its influence on space weather. The satellite covered approximately 1.5 million kilometres (930,000 miles) over the span of four months, just a fraction of the Earth-sun distance of 150 million kilometres (93 million miles). Greetings from Aditya-L1! I’ve safely arrived at Lagrange Point L1, 1.5 million km from my home planet. 🌍Excited to be far away, yet intimately connected to unravel the solar mysteries #ISRO pic.twitter.com/BCudJgTmMN — ISRO ADITYA-L1 (@ISRO_ADITYAL1) January 6, 2024 Named after the Hindi word for the sun, this mission follows India’s recent achievement of being the first country to successfully land on the moon’s south pole, with the Chandrayaan-3 mission in August last year. Scientists involved in the project aim to gain insights into the impact of solar radiation on the increasing number of satellites in orbit, with a particular focus on phenomena affecting ventures like Elon Musk’s Starlink communications network. “Today’s event was only placing the Aditya-L1 in the precise Halo orbit … A lot of people are interested in understanding this effect. So we look forward to a lot of scientific outcomes in the coming days. At least five years of life is guaranteed with the fuel left out in the satellite,” ISRO Chairman S Somanath told reporters in India. “We definitely need to know more about the sun, as it controls the space weather,” Manish Purohit, a former ISRO scientist, told the Reuters news agency. The low earth orbit is going to get “super” crowded over the coming years, he added. ISRO has been sharing regular updates of the mission through posts on X, since the solar landing. AdityaL1 Mission: Halo-Orbit Insertion of Aditya-L1 Successfully Accomplished Read more: https://t.co/7QtH9AxKUD#isro #AdityaL1Mission pic.twitter.com/ekYKsdMWxK — ISRO ADITYA-L1 (@ISRO_ADITYAL1) January 6, 2024 The United States and the European Space Agency have sent numerous probes to the centre of the solar system, beginning with NASA’s Pioneer programme in the 1960s. Japan and China have both launched their own solar observatory missions into Earth’s orbit. But the latest mission by the ISRO is the first by any Asian nation to be placed in orbit around the sun. Adblock test (Why?)