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Showing posts from October, 2023

State Department issues 'worldwide caution' alert amid Israel-Hamas war

U.S. citizens traveling abroad are urged to "exercise increased caution" in light of the Israel-Hamas war, the State Department warned in a worldwide travel advisory U.S. citizens Travel ing abroad are urged to "exercise increased caution " in light of the heightened global tensions spurred by Hamas' terror attack on Israel and the unfolding Israel-Hamas war, the State Department said in a new advisory on Thursday. "Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution," officials said in the "worldwide caution" alert. The department also told Americans overseas to "stay alert in locations frequented by tourists." The last time the department issued such a warning was in August 2022, following the counterterrorism strike in Afghani

Narrower Biden administration student loan relief plan would target hardest-hit borrowers

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Officials released a draft of the plan, but full details are likely months away. The Biden administration has released the first draft of a debt relief policy targeted at the hardest-hit student loan borrower s, providing more clarity on what the next steps are in a monthslong rulemaking process to make good on President Joe Biden's efforts to provide debt relief . The first attempt at broad debt relief, rolled out by Biden last year, was overturned by the Supreme Court in June. That policy would've cancelled debt for more than 40 million borrowers. After it was halted by the court, Biden announced that the administration would try again, under a different law called the Higher Education Act. Since then, the rulemaking process has been playing out with updates on a monthly basis. Though it's still preliminary, the latest draft released Monday by the Department of Education focuses on borrowers who have more debt now than they initially took out, have loans that they fir

Can politicians block their constituents online? Michigan provocateur appeals to Supreme Court

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In a case from Michigan's Kevin Lindke, the Supreme Court will decide when public officials can block and censor their critics on social media PORT HURON, Michigan -- Kevin Lindke has taken a wrecking ball to old buildings as part of a family business and in his free time uses his small-town influencer status on social media to challenge people in power. "You need anger sometimes," Lindke said in an interview. The 43-year-old father-turned-provocateur, who is also a convicted felon and local media personality, has gotten so passionate from time to time that his aggression landed him in jail. "I tried to be the nice guy with a lot of stuff I have going on. That didn't work," he said. "They just run over you. So the anger is -- as long as it's controlled, it's a benefit to what I got going on." Now, Lindke is directing that anger at an issue that is a growing subject of debate online : whether public officials can block criticism from consti

US wants to see up to 100 aid trucks enter Gaza daily, doesn't support ceasefire

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President Joe Biden received a commitment from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, according to the White House. President Joe Biden received a commitment from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, the White House said Monday. Biden spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday as Israeli forces expanded their ground operations in Gaza, in what it called the "second phase" of its war on Hamas after the terrorist group's attacks earlier this month. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in that call Biden "did receive a commitment that Israelis will endeavor to support a significant increase in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, so additional trucks ." Forty-five trucks carrying food, water and other kinds of humanitarian aid were able to make it across the Rafah border crossing on Sunday, according to the administration -- well below the at least 100 trucks

Images of potential Gaza ground invasion may act as 'catalyst for various violent actors': DHS

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Images of Israel's potential ground invasion into Gaza could serve as "a catalyst for various violent actors," Department of Homeland Security warned. Images of Israel's potential ground invasion into Gaza could serve as "a catalyst for various violent actors ," the Department of Homeland Security warned in an intelligence assessment on Sunday. The agency said it's "concerned about lone offenders inspired by or responding to the co NFL ict committing simple, unsophisticated attacks that are difficult to warn of in advance." "Attacks in other countries that are potentially related to the conflict could also motivate copycat or retaliatory attacks," DHS said in the assessment. MORE: Israel-Gaza live updates: Hundreds of Gaza targets struck overnight, Israel says The Israeli military has a "green light" to move into Gaza whenever it's ready, a member of the country’s security cabinet told ABC News. The Biden administra

Vivek Ramaswamy explains why he's using Republican Party as a 'vehicle' in 2024 campaign

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Vivek Ramaswamy has built a national profile this year through his 2024 campaign, but the entrepreneur and commentator says the GOP is just a "vehicle" Vivek Ramaswamy has built a national profile this year through his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, but the entrepreneur and commentator says the GOP is just a "vehicle" for his larger goal, despite the criticism that may bring. "I'm not a party man. Even now, I'm not a party man," Ramaswamy said on Tuesday during a fireside chat with Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Doran in Washington, D.C., where he discussed international wars including in Israel and Ukraine. "I'm using the Republican Party as a vehicle to advance what I see as a pro-American agenda that this country is hungry for," he continued as he answered Doran's first question, which kicked off a fiery conversation: "Why are you a Republican?" Ramaswamy has been asked that several

Chinese fighter jet nearly collides with American B-52 bomber over South China Sea: US officials

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The fighter got within just 10 feet of the US aircraft, according to officials. A Chinese fighter pilot nearly crashed into an American B-52 bomber over the South China Sea during a nighttime intercept on Tuesday, according to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The Chinese pilot "demonstrated poor airmanship" in his J-11 jet, flying within just 10 feet of the B-52 bomber "with uncontrolled excessive speed," putting both planes in danger of colliding, according to U.S. officials . A J-11B fighter jet of the People's Liberation Army Air Force performs during an air show, Aug. 26, 2022, in Changchun, China. Wang Heda/VCG via Getty Images MORE: US releases video showing close-call in Taiwan Strait with Chinese destroyer Video released by the U.S. on Thursday in a social media post shows how dangerously close the Chinese jet got to the American aircraft. "The PRC intercept was conducted at night, with limited visibility, in a manner contrary to international air safe

National Zoo pandas set to make early return to China

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National Zoo pandas Mei Xiang, Tian-Tian and Xiao Qi Ji are set to return to China in mid-November, roughly a month earlier than expected. It's panda -monium at the National Zoo for panda lovers who will have to say goodbye to the trio of bears earlier than expected. Zoo officials told ABC News Wednesday morning that the date for the three giant panda s, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji to leave Washington, D.C., had been moved forward to mid-November, a few weeks prior to their originally scheduled return on Dec. 7. After they leave, the only remaining giant panda s in the United States will be in Atlanta. The zoo is not releasing an exact departure date due to security concerns. It's not clear why the timing of the pandas' departure changed. The three bears will make the 19-hour journey to China aboard a specialized FedEx "Giant Panda Express" plane. People watch male giant panda Xiao Qi Ji walk around his enclosure during a 'Panda Palooza'

US still pushing to free Hamas' hostages as Israel expands ground assault in Gaza: Sullivan

Freeing Hamas' American, Israeli and other hostages in Gaza is still a priority as Israel escalates its ground incursion, Jake Sullivan said Sunday Freeing the American, Israeli and other hostages in Gaza is still a priority as Israel expands its ground assault in the territory in an effort to defeat Hamas in the wake of the group's terror attack on Israel, the White House's national security adviser said Sunday. "We are continuing to see if there are ways to make that happen. We are prepared to support humanitarian pauses so that hostages can get out safely. And we will keep working at that every day because the president has no higher priority than the safe return of American citizens and wants to support the return of citizens of other countries and Israelis as well," Jake Sullivan told ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "Now, how exactly that happens ... I cannot predict that. All I can tell you is every effort is being undertaken rig

Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips launches 2024 White House bid in challenge to Biden

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The three-term congressman will compete in the New Hampshire primary. Rep. Dean Phillips is running to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, he announced on CBS News on Friday morning. The three-term Minnesota congressman will challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024 -- a move that moves the moderate to the fringes of the party as he battles the well-funded and establishment-backed incumbent. Phillips will also com Pet e against longshot candidate Marianne Williamson for the nomination. At 54, Phillips has for months been urging Democrats to put forward another primary challenge r to the 80-year-old Biden -- highlighting concerns over his age and approval ratings. "I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country. But it's not about the past. This is an election about the future. I will not sit still I will not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying that we're going to be facing an emergency next N