Unearthed video exposes vulnerable House Dem’s reversal on crucial issue impacting state
A vulnerable Democratic New Mexico lawmaker once called for his state to walk away from the energy production that brings in almost a third of the state’s general fund, while now pitching an “all of the above” energy approach. “We have to champion a whole bunch of different policies to really mitigate the impact of climate change,” Rep. Gabriel Vasquez, D-N.M., said in a 2021 interview. “The electrification of our fleet systems, for example, across our federal government and even our local government here in the city of Las Cruces, the electrification of residential developments, the electrification of residential developments the electrification of commercial and municipal developments, limiting the use of natural gas and other fossil fuels and carbon-based fuels and replacing them with electric,” Vasquez said. At the time, Vasquez was in the middle of a campaign to become the Democratic nominee to challenge incumbent Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M. ‘MODERATE’ DEM’S UNEARTHED ‘DECONSTRUCT’ LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMENTS DRAW FIRE FROM GOP CRITICS His resurfaced comments come as he wages a campaign for a third term in one of the country’s most competitive congressional districts and highlight how some Democrats have made efforts to rebrand their stances towards renewable sources of power as they look to champion affordability platforms. In his most recent campaign materials, Vasquez has said he supports all forms of energy, citing high prices. “Rep. Vasquez stands by the energy workers in the Permian Basin who fuel America’s energy economy. He believes in an all-of-the-above approach with oil and gas and clean energy to diversify our economy and bring more jobs to New Mexico,” his website reads. When asked about his past comments and whether he believes they conflict with his current stance, Vazquez’s campaign said the congressman stands by his current position. “Gabe is proud of his record on the City Council and his advocacy for clean energy, clean air and clean water. In Congress, he continues to support an all-of-the-above energy approach,” Patricia Santiago, a spokesperson for the campaign, said. Energy production in the Permian Basin, one of the world’s largest oil and gas regions, employs a large number of people in New Mexico. The industry brings in $13.1 billion in total revenue, according to the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association. Of that, roughly $7.5 billion goes to New Mexico’s general fund, the state Department of Finance and Administration says. VULNERABLE DEM INCUMBENT CAUGHT CALLING HOME STATE ‘STOLEN LAND’ IN RESURFACED VIDEO FORMER BIDEN CABINET MEMBER DEB HAALAND LAUNCHES NEW MEXICO GUBERNATORIAL BID It’s a reliance Greg Cunningham, a former law enforcement agent and Vasquez’s challenger, believes isn’t going anywhere. “Progressives like Gabe Vasque are first in line to spend our oil and gas money, and then they run around and shame the very industry that funds our schools, builds our roads and gives more than 100,000 New Mexicans a good-paying job. You don’t get to cash the check and trash the people who wrote it,” Cunningham said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Energy is and will continue to be the lifeblood of New Mexico,” Cunningham added. Back in 2021, Vasquez seemed to believe that the transition away from fossil fuels would take time. “We also have to make sure we lay down the path into renewable energy, and that means in places like the Permian Basin, where the economy is strongly dominated by fossil fuel extraction, that we prepare the workforce for a transition into a renewable energy workforce,” Vasquez said. US OIL AND GAS PRODUCERS PRESSURE HOUSE TO PASS PIVOTAL PERMITTING BILL AND GET AMERICA ‘BACK ON TRACK’ “That doesn’t mean next year, that doesn’t mean in five to ten years. We have to be much smarter,” he added. Vasquez last won re-election in a 52.1% to 47.9% victory over Herrell in 2024.
Fox News Poll: Looking ahead to America’s 250th anniversary
American voters are patriotic, proud of the country, and optimistic the best days are ahead, even as they are split on how well the United States is doing living up to its founding principles. As the country approaches its 250th anniversary, a Fox News national survey finds voters are divided on the progress America has made toward achieving such ideals as liberty, equality, and self-reliance, as nearly half rate that progress positively, while a narrow majority gives it negative marks. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS EMBRACE HEALTH AGENDA WHILE RATING RFK JR NEGATIVELY Some of the most positive ratings are among Republicans, White evangelical Christians, rural voters, Whites without a college degree, men, and voters ages 45 and older. Negative ratings come primarily from Democrats, Black voters, independents, women, and voters under age 45. Fifty-three percent of voters say they are proud of the country today. While that’s down 5 points since last year, it’s higher than during the Biden administration years (39–45%), and during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, when 51% said they were proud (2017). FOX NEWS POLL: MOVE OVER BIG BROTHER, VOTERS SEE BIG TECH AS GREATER THREAT TO US Pride varies significantly by generation. More than half of voters ages 45 and older say they are proud of the country, while those under age 45 say they aren’t. The under 30 crowd is the age group that is the least proud at 44%. Around 8 in 10 Republicans say they are proud of the country today, compared with 3 in 10 Democrats, and 4 in 10 independents. Views on patriotism are more positive. Majorities across all partisan groups consider themselves patriotic, including about 9 in 10 Republicans, 6 in 10 Democrats, and slightly more than half of independents. Overall, 7 in 10 voters say they are patriotic. That rises to 9 in 10 among MAGA Republicans and about 8 in 10 among White evangelical Christians, voters ages 65+, and non-MAGA Republicans. White voters (75%) express higher levels of patriotism than non-White (57%) and Black voters (46%). When asked to say in their own words what it means to be an American, more than one-third of voters mention freedom and liberty. Other common themes include national pride, heritage, civic duty, the American Dream and ideas related to rights and equality. About 1 in 10 mention something negative about the current situation in the U.S. Looking forward, a 54% majority believes America’s best days are ahead, up 11 points from 43% when the question was last asked in 2023. During the president’s first term, 62% said the best days were ahead (2017). Some 45% think the country’s best days are in the past. Views on the nation’s future are closely tied to partisanship. Republicans are about 30 points more likely than both Democrats and independents to believe the best days are still ahead. Since 2023, optimism among Republicans is up by 42 points, but down by 20 points among Democrats. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Six in 10 voters believe democracy is not working well in the U.S. today, including three-quarters of both Democrats and independents, and nearly 4 in 10 Republicans. The July 4 holiday has many thinking about summer vacation plans. Voters say they would rather have more money to spend on a vacation than more time to be on one (56% vs. 43%). That marks a reversal from the three previous times the question was asked more than a decade ago, when more than half preferred additional vacation time to additional money to spend on it. Meanwhile, despite three-quarters disapproving of the job Trump is doing on gas prices (77%), a 60% majority says they have not changed their summer travel plans because of prices at the pump. Conducted June 12–15, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (101) and cellphones (644) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (257). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data. Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.
‘Rogue’ Obama judge’s smackdown of Trump election rules provokes ominous warning from White House deputy
An Obama-appointed federal judge on Tuesday struck down key parts of President Donald Trump’s election integrity executive order, prompting a stark warning from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller about the judiciary’s course. U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper ruled that major sections of Trump’s March 25, 2025, executive order, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” exceeded presidential authority and violated the Constitution’s separation of powers. Casper found that the order went beyond enforcing existing law and instead attempted to create or change election rules on its own. “While the Constitution vests the President with ‘executive Power’ and commands him to ‘take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed’… it does not grant the President any specific powers over elections,” Casper wrote in the ruling. “As a result, the President ‘plays no direct role in the process’ of appointing electors, ‘nor does he have authority to control the state officials who do.’” In response, Miller posted on social media that he hoped Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts “understands the path these rogue judges have charted for the judiciary.” FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN PARTS OF TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER ON CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION The chief justice serves as the institutional head of the federal judiciary, and while he does not exercise direct authority over lower-court judges, Miller’s reference to Roberts echoed broader conservative criticism that the Supreme Court has not moved aggressively enough to curb lower-court rulings blocking Trump administration policies. Casper previously issued a preliminary injunction blocking key provisions of the order while the lawsuit played out in court. After more than a year of litigation, the judge on Tuesday largely sided with the plaintiff states. The lawsuit was brought by 19 states challenging the order and was heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the lead plaintiffs in the case, hailed the ruling as a victory for the states. “We sued President Trump over his attempt to unilaterally impose voting restrictions across the country — and we won,” Bonta said. “Today, a federal district court ruled that every provision we challenged in the Executive Order is unlawful and reaffirmed that the power to regulate elections is reserved to the States and Congress.” Casper’s ruling permanently blocks the administration from implementing provisions that would have required documentary proof of citizenship on the federal voter registration form, altered voting requirements for military and overseas voters, and threatened to withhold federal election-related funding from states that refused to adopt certain election rules, including not counting ballots received after Election Day. Casper declared that sections of the order were “unconstitutional and void because they are ultra vires and violate the separation of powers under the United States Constitution.” In addition to finding that the executive order violated the Constitution, Casper also concluded that key provisions of Trump’s order conflicted with federal statutes, including the National Voter Registration Act and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. WITHIN MINUTES OF TRUMP SIGNING VOTER DATABASE ORDER, DEM STATES THREATEN LAWSUITS Trump signed the order on March 25, 2025, arguing that stronger safeguards were necessary to ensure election integrity and public confidence in federal elections, alleging that state officials have failed to comply with court rulings and federal law. The White House at the time described the directive as an effort to restore trust in elections and strengthen voter citizenship verification. “Under the Constitution, State governments must safeguard American elections in compliance with Federal laws that protect Americans’ voting rights and guard against dilution by illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and other forms of malfeasance and error,” the executive order stated. “Yet the United States has not adequately enforced Federal election requirements that, for example, prohibit States from counting ballots received after Election Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote.” Casper is the second judge to rule against Trump’s executive order. GOP GOVERNORS, AGS BACK TRUMP SAVE ACT PUSH, WARN SYSTEM GIVES ‘UNDUE INFLUENCE’ TO STATES WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS In April 2025, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly blocked portions of the order that directed federal officials to add proof-of-citizenship requirements to federal voter registration forms, concluding that the Constitution gives Congress and the states the authority to regulate federal elections — not the president. Casper’s ruling went further, striking down multiple additional provisions related to ballot deadlines, military and overseas voters, and federal funding. Casper’s ruling comes as Republican lawmakers continue pushing the SAVE Act, legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The House passed a version of the measure earlier this year, but the proposal faces an uncertain path in the Senate. Trump has continued to push for the SAVE Act, elevating it as a key priority and arguing that Senate Republicans should be willing to eliminate the filibuster to ensure the legislation reaches his desk. The only issue left concerns whether the federal government can attach conditions to election-related funding for certain states. The judge gave the parties until July 10 to decide whether to continue litigating that claim. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Comer probes alleged Biden collusion with gun control activists in Glock lawsuit
FIRST ON FOX: A powerful House committee is escalating its probe into the Biden administration for alleged collusion with gun control activists. House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is demanding that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the federal agency responsible for enforcing gun laws, hand over documents detailing Biden aides’ communications with Everytown for Gun Safety, an influential gun control group founded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg. Comer’s panel has argued that a now-defunct Biden office may have collaborated with Everytown to help facilitate its lawsuit with the city of Chicago against the gunmaker Glock Inc. “These records will inform the Committee as to whether the Biden Administration and Everytown colluded to attack private gun manufacturing companies through lawfare to circumvent Second Amendment rights,” Comer wrote in a letter Wednesday to the ATF that was reviewed by Fox News Digital. CITY OF CHICAGO SUES GLOCK INC. OVER ‘FACILITATING’ ILLEGAL GUN CONVERSIONS Chicago’s lawsuit, listing Everytown’s legal arm as the plaintiff’s counsel, was filed in March 2024 and alleges Glock sold pistols that the firearms manufacturer knew could be easily modified to fire like machine guns. “Glock knows that it takes little effort to convert its pistols into illegal machine guns and that criminals frequently do so,” the lawsuit alleged. “Glock also knows it could fix the problem, but has chosen not to, putting profits over public safety and violating the law.” In the letter, Comer cited a 2023 meeting between the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (WHOGVP) and representatives from Glock, during which Biden officials pressed the gun manufacturer to modify its pistol designs. When Chicago sued Glock three months later, John Feinblatt, president of Everytown, wrote on X, “Federal officials recently contacted Glock to discuss implementing new ways to modify Glock pistols to make it harder for Glock switches to be installed. Rather than help, Glock has falsely insisted there is nothing they can do.” Comer argues Feinblatt “appears to have had insider information regarding the WHOGVP’s private meeting with Glock, which raises questions about whether the Biden Administration colluded with Everytown to initiate their lawsuit against Glock,” according to the letter. The lawsuit is still moving through the court system, with a Cook County judge denying Glock’s motion to dismiss the case in September 2025. STATES’ TOP COPS GANG UP ON LETITIA JAMES IN CRUSADE WITH POTENTIAL NATIONWIDE CONSEQUENCES The Kentucky lawmaker has also highlighted close ties between the Biden White House and Everytown. The letter notes that Biden aide Rob Wilcox worked at Everytown for eight years prior to his employment with the WHOGVP. Biden also headlined Everytown action fund’s annual training conference, known as Gun Sense University, in June 2024, during which he reiterated his support for a nationwide ban on so-called assault weapons. Wednesday’s letter comes after the GOP-led panel asked the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in April for communications between the Biden White House and Everytown. House Oversight Republicans previously subpoenaed the Biden ATF and Everytown for all communications related to their “potential collaboration efforts,” but neither party complied with the request. Comer has also argued that the committee’s probe will help lawmakers evaluate whether new legislation is needed to combat officials violating recordkeeping requirements or using their roles to leak private information to politically aligned third parties. A spokesperson for the ATF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘He named names’: Trump’s Senate meeting explodes into shouting match over Iran
President Donald Trump’s meeting with Senate Republicans might have been meant to find a way to pass voter ID and citizenship verification legislation, but it devolved into a tense shouting match over the war in Iran. Tensions among Senate Republicans were already simmering with Trump over his last-minute decision to nuke the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, a bipartisan housing package filled with his priorities that the GOP viewed as an easy win to sell to voters in the upcoming midterm elections. Trump described the closed-door affair in a positive light afterward. “I think we had a really great meeting, and we’re very proud of the party,” he said. “We like our leader. We like everybody, really, in the room. I don’t like a few people, but that’s okay. I think you know who they are.” TRUMP HEADS TO CAPITOL HILL FOR PIVOTAL MEETING AS SENATE GOP DIVISIONS DEEPEN What started as a push to pass Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act transformed into Trump railing against Republicans for allowing a war powers resolution handcuffing his authorities in Iran to pass on Tuesday. And that spurred a confrontation with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who Trump campaigned against and defeated earlier this year. “He asked, ‘why would anybody vote for the War Powers Act?’,” Cassidy said afterward. “As he continued, I said, ‘is that a rhetorical question, or would you like to really know?’ He said, ‘I’d like to know.’” IRATE REPUBLICANS ACCUSE TRUMP OF HANDING DEMOCRATS A WIN AFTER BLOWING UP HOUSING PACKAGE “I stood and said, ‘you have not told the American people what’s going on. It was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months,’” he continued. “‘Our original objectives have not been achieved, and I want to know what’s going on.’” Then began the shouting match, which Cassidy blamed on the “Irish in me,” until ultimately he was asked to sit down by his colleagues. “I guess my point is, though, that the American people need to know more than we are being told,” Cassidy said. “The Senate needs to know, and it does not appear, although I don’t know for sure, that the course of this is going the way that we were told.” Lawmakers have still not been fully briefed on the memorandum of understanding Trump and Iranian leaders signed last week, and have raised several issues with its contents and whether it will actually meet the end goals the administration set out to achieve at the start of the war months ago. TRUMP’S IRAN DEAL SPARKS GOP DEMANDS FOR VOTE AS CONGRESS REMAINS IN THE DARK A source familiar with the meeting said that Trump was “very animated” over the war powers vote because it hurt the administration’s negotiating position with Iran, and that he “named names” of the Republicans who voted with Democrats, including Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., who was absent from the vote because he was with the president at an event in Pennsylvania. The source described the shouting match as a “7 out of 10.” “You know, [like] two boys on recess that are yelling at each other over a foul on a basketball court,” they said. Meanwhile, the meeting came just hours after Trump blew up a ceremony to sign the 21st Century Road to Housing Act into law on his quest to force Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act. Lawmakers leaving the meeting said the housing package didn’t come up, and neither did a solution to finding a path forward on passing the SAVE America Act. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has told Trump several times that Republicans don’t have the votes to pass it. Thune said after the meeting that Trump’s discussion on the SAVE America Act was focused on “the priority he places on it, and how the pathway he thinks there is to get an outcome or result.” “So, it really wasn’t on that particular issue, much of a back and forth,” Thune said. And lawmakers didn’t push back on Trump’s desire to pass the legislation, either, despite the political reality that Democrats are blocking the bill and there is no unified front from Republicans to nuke the filibuster to ram it through. “It was more the president saying, ‘If we don’t do this, we’re gonna get ourselves in real trouble going down the road,’” Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., said. “And basically, that was more of the tone than it was, you know, ‘what do y’all think about this? Is this gonna pass? It’s not gonna pass.’”
Why Accra slavery reparatory justice meeting matters
A conference on slavery and reparatory justice held in Ghana’s capital last week is still resonating across Africa and the Caribbean, feeding into global debates on historical accountability, reparations and inequality. At Christiansborg Castle, also known as Osu Castle, a historic fortress overlooking the Atlantic Ocean that served as a holding point for enslaved Africans before they were shipped across the Atlantic, actors and students re-enacted scenes from the slave trade, retracing part of the journey endured by millions of African men, women and children. The three-day “Next Steps” conference brought together heads of state, policymakers, academics, legal experts, civil society groups and representatives of the African diaspora to discuss the long-term consequences of the transatlantic slave trade and ways to advance reparatory justice. The meeting came just months after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution recognising the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel slavery as among the gravest crimes against humanity. The resolution, backed by 123 countries, was the first in the UN’s history dedicated exclusively to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. The Accra gathering produced a 19-point framework calling for formal apologies from countries and institutions that profited from slavery, the creation of reparations mechanisms, the return of cultural artefacts and human remains, debt relief, educational initiatives and stronger international cooperation. Advertisement “The enduring consequences of slavery continue to manifest through structural inequalities, economic disparities, systemic racism, cultural erasure and development challenges,” the conference outcome document said. “The Accra meeting on reparatory justice was not an end in itself but a crucial milestone in a longer journey,” Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, executive director of the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP), told Al Jazeera. “It reminded us that the legacy of slavery is not just historical, but its ripple effect continues to shape present-day inequalities in wealth, development, and access to global financial systems,” Benjamin said. “However, for these conversations to translate into meaningful change, Africa must also prepare its own systems to receive and protect the diaspora and investments it is calling home. “The recommendations from Accra must now be matched with concrete institutional reforms, including stronger protections for diasporans who return to the continent, and a deliberate strategy to use Africa’s creative industries as a vehicle for reparation advocacy and narrative control,” he added. A West Africa and Sahel political and security risk analyst, Mubarak Aliyu, told Al Jazeera that “The Accra meeting revives the focus on the important question of reparation in financial terms, restitution of looted cultural artefacts, and the education of Africans on the horrors of the Atlantic slave trade.” Calls for accountability Among the countries most frequently mentioned in reparations debates are Portugal, Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands, all of which played major roles in the transatlantic slave trade. Historians estimate that Portugal transported more enslaved Africans across the Atlantic than any other European power, accounting for roughly two-fifths of the trade, while Britain became a dominant force during the 18th century. France, Spain and the Netherlands also profited extensively from slave-trading networks and plantation economies in the Americas. Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, attends the opening of the Slavery Reparations Conference in Accra, Ghana [Reuben Ekow Quansah/AP] Calls for reparations have gained momentum in recent years, particularly among African states and among nations in the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), which has developed a reparations agenda that includes formal apologies, development support, debt relief and programmes aimed at addressing the long-term legacy of slavery and colonialism. Advertisement Responses from former colonial powers have varied. The Dutch government formally apologised in 2022 for the Netherlands’ role in slavery. France recognised slavery as a crime against humanity in 2001. Britain has expressed regret for its role in the slave trade but has not committed to reparations. While several European governments have acknowledged the historical injustice of slavery, they have generally stopped short of endorsing direct financial compensation. French President Emmanuel Macron, addressing the conference by video message, acknowledged the historical reality of slavery and said reparations should form part of an ongoing process of recognition and engagement. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama said the conference was intended to move the debate beyond symbolism and towards concrete action. He announced the creation of three international bodies focused on reparatory justice, cultural restitution and legal affairs to help advance the agenda. Aliyu also told Al Jazeera that “While meetings like this are not new, it shows the continued effort on the part of African governments to demand accountability as a precursor for more serious demands surrounding reparations. Ultimately, for these efforts to be successful, more African countries must join the process to voice these demands through a single continental front.” A legacy that endures Supporters argue that the legacy of slavery is not merely historical. Many scholars, activists and policymakers contend that centuries of enslavement, colonialism and exploitation continue to shape patterns of wealth, development and opportunity across Africa and the African diaspora. A key argument raised at the conference was that inequalities rooted in slavery and colonialism continue to influence global economic structures today. Advocates say this legacy is reflected in persistent gaps in wealth, investment, development outcomes and access to international financial systems. The conference also highlighted growing cooperation between African and Caribbean countries, which are increasingly coordinating their positions in an effort to strengthen calls for reparatory justice on the international stage. Supporters see this alignment as a way of giving greater political weight to demands that have often struggled to gain traction internationally. From declarations to action Yet significant challenges remain. There is no international consensus on what reparations should look like in practice, with proposals ranging from financial compensation and debt relief to cultural restitution, educational investment and institutional reforms. Performers re-enact the transatlantic slave trade at Christiansborg Castle, a former slave post, during a conference on follow-up to a UN resolution on trafficking of enslaved Africans, Accra, Ghana [Francis Kokoroko/Reuters] Some observers say the Accra meeting helped push reparatory justice back
How Colombia’s traditional midwives serve as lifelines to rural communities
Quibdo, Colombia – Nohemí Manco was just 14 when she delivered her first baby. She had no choice but to step in. Her sister had gone into labour, and no one else was around. Their home, in the remote Colombian municipality of Unguía, was surrounded by dense jungle canopy, waterfalls and wildlife. But healthcare options were limited. So too was emergency transportation, not that Manco could afford it. Still, Manco knew what to do. Since childhood, she had watched her mother comfort pregnant women through humid nights and sweltering days. She learned where to cut the umbilical cord, which teas to prepare to ease the pain, and how to care for women after birth. By the time her sister’s water broke, Manco felt ready to help. “I loved it. I wasn’t even scared, although my sister was a little frightened,” Manco recalled. Four decades later, she estimates she has delivered about 1,200 babies in the coastal department of Choco — perhaps more. “When a baby starts coming, it feels like sunrise. Everything is dark, and then it’s dawn,” Manco, 53, said. “When the child arrives, it’s like joy and relief at the same time.” Manco is part of a long tradition of “parteras tradicionales” — traditional midwives — who play a central role in many remote communities across Colombia, particularly among Afro-descendant and Indigenous populations. Often the first point of care for expectant mothers in these areas, midwives monitor pregnancies, attend births and provide postpartum care. In some parts of Colombia, hospitals can be hours or even days away. The isolation leaves many pregnant women and their newborns at risk of facing complications with limited medical care. That, in turn, can be fatal. “There is a higher concentration of deaths, proportionally, in rural territories,” said Liany Katerine Ariza Ruiz, a public health researcher specialising in maternal health inequality at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. “Midwives are therefore the main and most constant resource for rural communities.” Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli attacks on Gaza and occupied West Bank kill two, including child
Health officials at Nasser Medical Complex tell Al Jazeera a 12-year-old child was killed in al-Mawasi, Gaza. Israeli forces have continued attacks in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, killing at least two Palestinians despite an ongoing “ceasefire” in the besieged enclave. Health officials at the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza told Al Jazeera that a 12-year-old child was killed and several others wounded in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis city, during an Israeli drone strike on Wednesday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, since the “ceasefire” took effect in October 2025, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,027 people and injured 3,280 others. In total, since Israel’s genocidal war began in October 2023, the cumulative number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks has reached 73,041, with 173,402 others wounded. The killing of the child comes a day after a United Nations commission of inquiry released a report that found that Israel’s deliberate targeting of children is part of its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. “The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed” by Israeli forces, Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of the UN commission, said. “Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law.” Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary explained that Israel had classified the area it hit in al-Mawasi as a “safe zone”. “But despite that, it has been continuously targeted,” she said. Advertisement “Israeli forces attacked a tent on Wednesday, and a 12-year-old child was killed. His name is Ahmed,” said Khoudary, detailing the strike. “At least seven Palestinians were injured in the same attack.” “According to doctors, victims of Israeli strikes are difficult to treat because Israeli authorities continue to ban and restrict medical supplies and medications into the Gaza Strip,” she added. At the same time, Khoudary said there was another attack on the western side of Gaza on Tuesday night. “So despite a ‘ceasefire’, Israeli forces continue to violate and breach the truce,” she said. Occupied West Bank Amid attacks in Gaza, Israeli forces also killed a Palestinian in the town of al-Yamoun in the northern occupied West Bank on Wednesday. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Israeli forces had killed with live fire Mohammed Nazem Zayed, 29, after raiding the town west of Jenin, adding that troops were withholding his body. Al Jazeera reporters said an Israeli special forces unit had stormed the town on Wednesday afternoon and surrounded a house where Zayed was located, before opening fire on him and leaving him to bleed to death. Meanwhile, the Israeli news site Walla said soldiers from the army’s Duvdevan unit opened fire and killed a Palestinian during what it called an “operational activity” in al-Yamoun. Since the beginning of 2026, at least 71 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. Since the genocidal war on Gaza began, Israeli escalation by the army and settlers in the West Bank has killed 1,173 Palestinians, wounded 12,666, led to the arrest of about 23,000 and displaced 33,000, according to official Palestinian figures. Adblock test (Why?)
Ketan Agarwal Murder Conspiracy Revealed: How victim sister’s questions to Siya helped Pune cops
Ketan died on June 18 after falling into a gorge at Lohagad Fort while trekking with Siya. He was allegedly pushed off a ledge by her. However, Ketan’s sister rejected the accident theory from the start.
Kolkata: 3 killed, dozens feared trapped after roof of under-construction warehouse collapses
According to reports, around 50 to 60 people were working at the site when the incident occurred. Authorities have launched a rescue operation, and several people have been rescued so far.