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Pentagon Pete May Have Accidentally Kneecapped His Own Revenge Plot The former Fox News host reportedly wants to make an example of Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth might have accidentally sabotaged his own effort to punish a Democratic senator and retired Navy captain who appeared in a video urging military members to disobey illegal orders. Hegseth has threatened to call Sen. Mark Kelly back to active service so he can be court-martialed for appearing in the video, which also featured five other Democratic members of Congress with military or intelligence experience. Of the group, the Arizona senator achieved the highest rank and is the only one who served long enough to retire with a military pension, which means he must still follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or UCMJ. Hegseth, a former Fox News host who served in the National Guard, has therefore zeroed in on Kelly, who served 25 years in the U.S. Navy and flew combat missions over Iraq before being chosen as a NASA space shuttle pilot. He retired as a captain in 2011. The defense secretary wants to make an example of Kelly, sources told CNN. But by repeatedly accusing the senator of violating the UCMJ, Hegseth has likely kneecapped any potential military justice case against him, multiple legal experts said. The secretary’s public statements are a clear case of “unlawful command influence,” in which a superior commander improperly influences or appears to influence the outcome of a military trial, making it impossible for the accused to receive a fair hearing, the legal experts said. A superior commander making comments that imply they expect a certain result in a case is a textbook example of UCI, according to The Judge Advocate General’s School. Given that everyone at the Defense Department works for Hegseth, his comments about Kelly make it nearly impossible for anyone below him to fairly convene a court to hear the case, sources told CNN. A coalition of former and retired military judge advocates also issued a rare joint statement warning that recalling Kelly to face a court-martial would be partisan in nature, legally baseless, and compromised by unlawful command influence, the outlet reported. The Defense Department declined to comment on CNN’s report or on Kelly’s case more broadly. The defense secretary—who now styles himself as the “secretary of war”—has called the Democratic lawmakers the “Seditious Six” on social media and said Kelly’s conduct “brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately.” He has also suggested that Kelly’s comments violate several statutes of the UCMJ, even though Kelly and his fellow lawmakers were citing the uniform code in their Nov. 18 video.In the video, the six Democrats address members of the military and intelligence communities directly, reminding them that they took an oath to uphold the Constitution and must refuse illegal orders. Although the video didn’t give examples of specific orders, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have questioned the legality of the U.S. military deploying to American cities and blowing up suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. “Know that we have your back, because now, more than ever, the American people need you,” the lawmakers said. President Donald Trump responded by writing on Truth Social, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He also reposted a supporter who wrote, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!” Hegseth has been exploring ways to punish Kelly, including administratively reducing his rank from captain to commander, according to CNN. The senator, who was elected in 2020 and whose wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, survived an attempted assassination in 2011, has dismissed the court-martial threat as “almost comical,” and called it a “ridiculous” way for Hegseth to appease the president. “He’s going to prosecute me under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for… reciting the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” he told late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday. “You can’t make this s--t up.” The video also features former intelligence officers Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin and New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander; Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Deluzio, who served in the U.S. Navy, and Chrissy Houlahan, who was with the Air Force; and former paratrooper and Army Ranger Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pete-may-have-accidentally-kneecapped-his-own-revenge-plot/?

Trump Approved National Guard Shooting Suspect’s Asylum Law enforcement sources say the suspect in an ambush near White House was granted asylum in April. The Afghan man alleged to have shot two National Guardsmen near the White House had his asylum approved by the Trump administration earlier this year, according to reports. The suspect has been identified by multiple law enforcement sources and media outlets as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. According to CNN, fingerprints matched a man of that name who fled to the U.S. during the Taliban takeover of his homeland in 2021. Lakanwal, the outlet reported, had “applied for asylum in 2024, and it was granted by the Trump administration in April 2025.” ABC News also identified the suspect as Lakanwal, reporting three law enforcement sources who said his asylum was approved in April 2025. While not naming Lakanwal, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on X that the suspect had arrived “under Operation Allies Welcome on September 8, 2021.” The shooting unfolded by the Farragut West Metro entrance around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Officials said the West Virginia Guardsmen—a woman and a man on “high-visibility patrols” in the capital—were initially fired upon before subduing the gunman, who was also hospitalized. Both Guardsmen remain in critical condition, and the suspect is in custody after being wounded following the incident. Authorities have not publicly released the Guardsmen’s identities. Officials have not announced a motive. The FBI is probing whether the attack could have international terror links, ABC reported. Following the shooting, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it was halting, “effective immediately,” the processing of immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals pending a security review. President Donald Trump, 79, delivered a late-night address from Florida calling the ambush “an act of terror,” vowing to “re-examine every single alien” who entered from Afghanistan and to send 500 more Guard troops to Washington. “He was flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021, on those infamous flights that everybody was talking about,” Trump said. “Nobody knew who was coming in. Nobody knew anything about it. His status was extended under legislation signed by President Biden, a disastrous President, the worst in the history of our country.” He added, “If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them. “America will never bend and never yield in the face of terror. And at the same time, we will not be deterred from the mission the service members were so nobly fulfilling.” Trump announced that his “Department of War” would send 500 more troops to Washington. Noem also blamed the Biden-era program: “The suspect who shot our brave National Guardsmen is an Afghan national who was one of the many unvetted, mass paroled into the United States...under the Biden Administration,” she wrote on X, in a post which drew immediate pushback from critics who pointed out that the asylum approval had occurred this year. Declining to name Lakanwal, she added, “I will not utter this depraved individual’s name. He should be starved of the glory he so desperately wants.” Before moving to America, Lakanwal had served alongside U.S. Special Forces troops in Afghanistan, NBC reported, per a close relative and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Intelligence sources told Fox News Digital that Lakanwal had worked “with various entities in the U.S. government, including the CIA, due to his work as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.” Ratcliffe told the outlet: “In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation.” A White House official said that, as President, Joe Biden entered into the 2023 Ahmed Court Settlement, meaning that, regardless of his asylum status, Lakanwal would not have been removed due to his parole status. They added that the Democrats had “sued the Trump administration relentlessly and blocked us in court repeatedly every time we have tried to revoke parole status.” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Daily Beast: “This animal would’ve never been here if not for Joe Biden’s dangerous policies, which allowed countless unvetted criminals to invade our country and harm the American people.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-approved-national-guard-shooting-suspect-rahmanullah-lakanwal-afghanistan-dhs-kristi-noem-asylum/?

World Leader Absolutely Rips Trump’s Social Media ‘Insults’ The U.S. president has continued to make wild claims about the country. President Donald Trump warned South Africa that it will not be invited to next year’s G20 summit in Miami after what he perceived to be a snub against the United States. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa quickly clapped back, calling Trump’s salty social media post “regrettable.” On Wednesday, Trump, 79, repeated his claim that a white “genocide” was taking place in South Africa, promoting a debunked right-wing conspiracy theory. He also said he was offended by a protocol dispute at the G20 summit held in Johannesburg last week. The meeting was attended by leaders from Japan, China, Australia, France, South Korea, Canada, Brazil, Turkey, and other countries. But while the U.S. is usually present, Trump refused to attend or to send any White House officials to the event. “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa,” he wrote in a post on Nov. 7. “No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue.” In a G20 tradition, President Ramaphosa declared the event closed by banging a gavel on a block. The gavel is then traditionally handed over to the leader of the next country to hold the rotating presidency. The White House instead attempted to send a staffer from its South African embassy to accept the gavel handover. However, South African officials felt handing the gavel to a junior diplomat was an insult and a breach of protocol. Trump posted, “At the conclusion of the G20, South Africa refused to hand off the G20 Presidency to a Senior Representative from our U.S. Embassy, who attended the Closing Ceremony.” He added, “Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year. South Africa has demonstrated to the World they are not a country worthy of Membership anywhere, and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately.” Ramaphosa posted a lengthy statement on X, saying, “As the United States was not present at the summit, instruments of the G20 Presidency were duly handed over to a US Embassy official at the Headquarters of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.” He said while the U.S. was expected to participate in all the G20 meetings, it elected not to attend the summit in Johannesburg of its “own volition.” The president added, “South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democratic country and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms.” Ramaphosa said that South Africa would “never insult or demean another country or its standing and worthiness in the community of nations.” His statement ended by noting it was “regrettable” that despite “numerous attempts” to reset South Africa’s diplomatic relationship with the U.S., “President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country.” In his Truth Social post, Trump claimed America’s absence from the G20 was because the South African government “refuses to acknowledge or address” Human Rights abuses endured by Afrikaners, and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German colonists. “To put it more bluntly,” Trump said, “they are killing white people, and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them.” It is the latest move in the ongoing feud Trump has with South Africa over his claims they are discriminating against the white population of the country. When Ramaphosa met with Trump at the White House in May, he played the president a video of what he claimed were the burial grounds of white farmers allegedly killed by Black South Africans trying to take their land. Trump then confronted Ramaphosa with unsubstantiated claims that South Africa’s Black-led government is anti-white and perpetrating a “white genocide” against local farmers—while Elon Musk, the South African-born billionaire, stood on the sidelines of the Oval Office. “Have they told you where that is, Mr. President?” Ramaphosa said in response to the claims. “I’d like to know where that is, because this I’ve never seen.” Fact-checkers later established that the footage Trump played didn’t actually show the “burial sites” of “over a thousand” white farmers. The white crosses on display had been temporarily erected as a memorial to a white farming couple shot dead on their premises in 2020. Trump claimed the “Fake News Media” were not covering the “genocide.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/world-leader-lashes-regrettable-trump-post-after-g20-snub/?

Temporary protections for 330,000 Haitian immigrants slated to end, Noem announces WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Wednesday the end of temporary protected status for roughly 330,000 nationals from Haiti by February, opening them up to deportations. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/27/repub/temporary-protections-for-330000-haitian-immigrants-slated-to-end-noem-announces/?

Imagine being thankful for alligators! 😧 Well here's an interesting commentary on just that!! This Thanksgiving, everyone in Florida should be thankful for alligators Federal laws saved the gators from extinction, but now the laws have become what’s endangered. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/27/this-thanksgiving-everyone-in-florida-should-be-thankful-for-alligators/?

Public meeting on school vaccinations slated for Dec. 12 in Panama City Nearly two months after calling for the elimination of vaccine mandates from Florida statutes, the DeSantis administration announced it will hold a three-hour public meeting in Northwest Florida for the public to weigh in. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/26/public-meeting-on-school-vaccinations-slated-for-dec-12-in-panama-city/?

FACT FOCUS: Trump says he has ended seven wars. The reality isn’t so clear cut President Donald Trump has projected himself as a peacemaker since returning to the White House in January, touting his efforts to end global conflicts. https://apnews.com/article/trump-peace-wars-claim-fact-check-10128b26232e1d1eb9e68c5617320cf3?

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar MAE SOT, Thailand (AP) — Mohammed Taher clutched the lifeless body of his 2-year-old son and wept. Ever since his family’s food rations stopped arriving at their internment camp in Myanmar in April, the father had watched helplessly as his once-vibrant baby boy weakened, suffering from diarrhea and begging for food. https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-usaid-thailand-trump-rubio-aid-7f6919a1863ceea2ddf6708e47bb88f0?

November 27, 2025 By Sam Sifton Good morning. Today is Thanksgiving, and naturally I have some thoughts about that. But there’s news before the bird: Two National Guard troops were shot in Washington yesterday, blocks away from the White House. President Trump ordered hundreds more troops into the city in response. So we’ll start there. Shooting in Washington Near the site of the shooting. Eric Lee for The New York Times Two National Guard members were shot near the White House yesterday afternoon. Both are in critical condition, officials said. A suspect, a 29-year-old man from Afghanistan, is in custody. He entered the U.S. in 2021 through a refugee program after the Taliban regained power, according to the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem. In a video address, President Trump declared the attack an “act of terror” and vowed to redouble the government’s efforts to deport migrants. The administration paused immigration applications from Afghan nationals. The mayor of Washington also described the shooting as a targeted attack. Trump, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving at the time of the shooting, ordered 500 additional troops to Washington (about 2,000 were already on the ground). Last week, a federal judge ordered a temporary suspension of the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington. After the shooting, the Trump administration asked for that decision to be blocked. Some National Guard members say they have been worried about their safety. The shooting rattled a busy part of the city. Stacey Walters, a nurse, said she heard gunshots and then watched as a group of small children was rushed to safety. “I wanted to cry,” she said. “I’ve never been so close to something like that, let alone at the holidays.” Kirk Mckoy/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Give thanks Here’s a Thanksgiving mantra, though: Everything is going to be all right. That turkey you’re roasting for the first or millionth time? It’s going to be fine, even if you overcook the breasts. That casserole your cousin’s bringing, again, as she always does, with the marshmallows and underdone yams? It won’t hurt anyone. The potluck you’ve been invited to will be fine. Your stepfather’s enjoying himself, frying a bird on the slope of the driveway. Step away. You have a fire extinguisher. (Right?) Give thanks for friendship, for family, for whatever it is you find yourself doing today on this strange secular holiday that binds so many of us together in the presence of food and drink. You’re good. She’s good. They’re good. On Thanksgiving, we’re all good. I’ll tell you four more things about the holiday before we get to the rest of the news. First, if you’re just starting to sketch out a Thanksgiving plan, you should stop immediately. Instead, figure out if there’s a good restaurant open nearby. That frozen turkey at the supermarket is not going to be thawed until December. Second, you’re not going to change anyone’s mind about anything today. That’s not what the holiday is about. There’s no need to argue. Pass the gravy. Tell people about your favorite show or novel or song. Talk about snow! Third, you’re not going to change anyone’s behavior, especially if that person is a full-grown adult. Put ashtrays outside the front door if you have to. Stock Diet Mountain Dew for your cousin who drinks it. Allow your uncle who won’t stop talking to continue to squawk — it’s one day a year. Say it with me: Of course you can watch the Packers game! Finally, know that the time to start making plans for Thanksgiving leftovers is now. It’s a way to keep the excitement alive, a way to ask: What’s next? My old friends at New York Times Cooking have plenty of ideas for that. (I’ll be making bang bang turkey, myself.) Above all, and once more: Give thanks as you move through the day. Say it aloud to all who are present. We can talk about the complicated history of the holiday later: its roots in colonialism, its roots in gauzy nostalgia, its roots in our shared American narrative. Today, be grateful. And hug your people tight. TODAY’S NUMBER 165 — That is the temperature in Fahrenheit, measured at the deepest part of the thigh, at which your turkey is safe to consume, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Does that “rule” mean you should keep your turkey in the oven until its internal temperature is 165? It does not! The turkey’s internal temperature will continue to rise after you’ve removed it from the oven and set it to rest, tented loosely under foil, before carving. My target is 162 or so when it comes out of the oven; it’ll be 165 soon enough. THE LATEST NEWS Hong Kong Fire In Hong Kong. Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times A fire tore through a complex of high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong. At least 55 people were killed, and dozens are still missing. Officials have arrested three people with ties to a construction company that installed scaffolding and netting on the buildings. War in Ukraine Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, offered Russian negotiators tips on working with the president, according to phone call transcripts released by Bloomberg. Trump defended Witkoff’s actions. The U.S. Army secretary, Daniel Driscoll, is playing an unusually active role in the ongoing peace negotiations. A recent example: Driscoll tried to pitch a deal unfavorable to Ukraine by warning European negotiators that Russia is stockpiling long-range missiles. More on Politics President Trump Doug Mills/The New York Times A judge in Georgia dismissed the last remaining election interference case against Trump, effectively ending the effort to charge him with trying to overturn the 2020 election. Scott Bessent used to argue against tariffs. Now that he’s Trump’s Treasury secretary, it’s his job to defend them. Immigration Stephen Paul and his child. Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times Federal agents are arresting foreign-born spouses in routine green card interviews and charging them with visa violations. One woman from Britain had to pass her new baby to her American husband before she was arrested. ICE arrested a woman from Brazil with family ties to the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. The Trump administration says refugees and asylum seekers can never get food stamps. But attorneys general from New York and nearly two dozen other states filed a lawsuit arguing such a rule is illegal. More International News Pope Leo XIV arriving in Turkey. Khalil Hamra/Associated Press Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkey for his first international trip. His visit to a Muslim-majority country is intended to show his interest in interfaith dialogue. In Italy, murders of women killed for misogynistic reasons will now be defined as femicide. Army officers in Guinea-Bissau say they have seized control of the government, one day before the West African nation was scheduled to announce the results of its presidential election. OPINIONS Nick Meyer for The New York Times Thetford, Vt., has held a Thanksgiving potluck for 60 years. Matt Hongoltz-Hetling asks: Is it the source of their vibrant community? I’m 62. Stop telling me I am old, Ken Stern writes. Here is Maureen Dowd’s brother, Kevin, with his annual Thanksgiving column. Morning readers: Save on the complete Times experience. Experience all of The Times, all in one subscription — all with this introductory offer. You’ll gain unlimited access to news and analysis, plus games, recipes, product reviews and more. MORNING READS Dolly Faibyshev for The New York Times Tune in: We tagged along to a rehearsal for this morning’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. (Here’s how to watch it.) Take our quiz: Instead of our weekly news quiz, we’re testing you with questions about the year in food. The Big Heads: Detroit has its own Thanksgiving parade. Look out for papier-mâché caricatures. The face reader: The psychologist Paul Ekman linked thousands of facial expressions to the emotions they often subconsciously conveyed, using his skills to advise the F.B.I. and Hollywood. He has died at 91. SPORTS N.F.L.: Learn why the Detroit Lions always play the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving and other N.F.L. facts to impress your family at the holiday table. College basketball: The two undefeated, top-10 teams, Michigan and Gonzaga, went face-to-face in the Players Era Festival game. Michigan won, 101-61. N.B.A.: The Detroit Pistons’ 13-game winning streak ended with a missed free throw in a loss to the Boston Celtics. THANKSGIVING F.A.Q. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. We have answers to all your Thanksgiving questions, from how long it’s going to take to roast the bird to how to carve it when it’s done. We take many, many stops along the way. We’re here to help. Just click! (Plus, here are some last-minute recipes. The carrots only take 10 minutes.) AT THE MOVIES Chloé Zhao, left, on set with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. Agata Grzybowska/Focus Features Are you going to the movies this holiday weekend? We have a review of “Hamnet,” with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. It tells the love story that inspired Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Also, we’ve assessed “Zootopia 2,” with Jason Bateman, Quinta Brunson and Idris Elba. You know what’s happening there: A brave rabbit cop and her fox friend team up to crack another case. Make it a double feature? More on culture Marie Kondo. Rebecca Clarke Marie Kondo has been reading about tidying and organization since she was a child. She likes to read while soaking in a warm bath. She says you can have more than 30 books if each of them sparks joy. She pays close attention to the texture of the covers. “I love the kind that feels smooth and silky to the touch,” she told The Times in an interview tied to the release of her latest book, “Letter From Japan.” Mel Brooks devised a personality test for our style magazine, T. Jodie Foster took it. She can draw passable sunflowers. Her spaceship to Mars needs work. Jimmy Fallon joked about “Drinksgiving.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … The New York Times Watch our critics Wesley Morris and Parul Sehgal discuss the Netflix documentary “The Perfect Neighbor” on Wesley’s Times podcast, “Cannonball.” The film’s an American nightmare, they say. Using police camera footage, it depicts the events that led to the killing of a Black mother of four by her white neighbor. It’s difficult viewing. And for Wesley and Parul, it raises all kinds of moral and ethical questions. Discuss. Style your Thanksgiving table like an artist, a designer or a chef. Your guests will remember it. Make your last-minute preparations for Black Friday. The deal hounds from Wirecutter have been loosed! Pour yourself some eggnog. Tomorrow’s the official start of holiday music season. (At least in my house.) GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was fixable. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. I’m off for the next few days and will see you on Tuesday morning. — Sam Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

THIS DAY IN HISTORY November 27 1095 Pope Urban II orders first Crusade On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II makes perhaps the most influential speech of the Middle Ages, giving rise to the Crusades by calling all Christians in Europe to war against Muslims in order to reclaim the Holy Land, with a cry of “Deus vult!” or “God wills it!” Born Odo of Lagery, Urban was […]... read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT American Revolution 1746 R.R. Livingston, future Founding Father known as “The Chancellor,” is born Arts & Entertainment 1940 Bruce Lee born 1942 Jimi Hendrix born 2005 Aerosmith and 50 Cent headline a $10 million bat mitzvah Cold War 1954 Accused spy Alger Hiss released from prison Crime 1978 San Francisco leaders George Moscone and Harvey Milk are murdered Native American History 1868 Colonel George Custer massacres Cheyenne on Washita River 1949 Maria Tallchief debuts in “Firebird” as the first-ever American prima ballerina Natural Disasters & Environment 1703 Freak storm dissipates over England U.S. Presidents 1911 White House housekeeper frets over William Howard Taft’s waistline

Suspect in Washington DC national guard shooting had ties to CIA, agency confirms The suspected shooter of two national guard members in Washington DC on Wednesday worked with CIA-backed military units during the US war in Afghanistan, the agency has confirmed. https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4369500197992-suspect-in-washington-dc-national-guard-shooting-had-ties-to-cia-agency-confirms?

The following is an important article that all should read. https://spectrummagazine.org/news/reclaiming-the-prophet-the-authors-discuss-their-book/

I know Stan asked not to post about Gays, But I hope this is an exception. Pastor Saša Gunjević First Adventist Pastor to Maintain Credentials After Coming Out https://atoday.org/pastor-sasa-gunjevic-first-adventist-pastor-to-maintain-credentials-after-coming-out/

This is not journalism.

No, this is China propaganda. Around the buildings are netting. The law requires it to be fire-resistant netting. One building was. The one the inspector checked. The others were petrochemical plastic. Very flammable. This kind of corruption is common there. Also, the windows were covered in styrofoam, very toxic when burned. The fire alarms were turned off. Hundreds are missing. This is the worst fire in the history of Hong Kong.

2 National Guard members shot in an ambush attack just blocks from the White House WASHINGTON (AP) — Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack. https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-dc-c5785dd8920d2d1ac7d71fab769faf5f?

RFK Jr.’s CDC Gives Top Job to Doctor Who Slammed Vaccines Critics have blasted Dr. Ralph Abraham for pushing bogus treatments during the pandemic and halting Louisiana’s vaccination campaign. One of the nation’s foremost authorities on vaccines has just appointed a notorious vaccine skeptic as its second-in-command. Dr. Ralph Lee Abraham’s new role as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s deputy director comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., himself no stranger to controversial and debunked claims about the perceived dangers of vaccines, continues his rampage across the healthcare sector. Neither Kennedy’s department nor the CDC announced Abraham’s appointment, The New York Times reports, and agency staff were apparently largely unaware of the posting. A former Louisiana congressman, Abraham later served as the state’s surgeon general, during which time he halted Louisiana’s mass vaccination campaign on the basis that “whether or not a vaccine is right for a specific person [is a conversation] best had with the individual’s healthcare provider.” The Louisiana health department also waited more than two months under Abraham’s leadership before alerting residents to an outbreak of whooping cough, despite such outbreaks generally being reported almost immediately. Abraham’s views on medicine have aligned with Kennedy in other ways. During the pandemic, he backed hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, drugs used to treat malaria and parasitic infections, respectively, as treatments for COVID-19 despite evidence showing both are ineffective at combating the disease. He also described health policies implemented during the crisis as “tyrannical” and “woefully out of touch with reality.” Speaking with the NYT, Abraham’s predecessor at the CDC, Dr. Nirav Shah, said his “jaw hit the ground” when he learned of the new appointment, given he believes Abraham to be wholly “unqualified” for the position. The posting comes as Kennedy continues to publicly spar with Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who is a doctor and chair of the Senate’s health committee. Cassidy was a key vote in securing Kennedy’s nomination, which he gave after Kennedy agreed that he would not order the CDC to abandon its official position that vaccines do not cause autism. Kennedy has now only technically kept that pledge, after adding an addendum to the agency’s website saying its position on the matter is displayed “due to an agreement” with Cassidy. While Cassidy has since blasted Kennedy for the “irresponsible stunt,” he would appear to have met news of Abraham’s appointment with wary enthusiasm. “I am hopeful that the two of us as doctors can continue to engage in science-based conversations to protect children, including vaccinating children to prevent measles, whooping cough, and hepatitis,” Cassidy said in a statement Tuesday. The Daily Beast has reached out to HSS and CDC for comment on this story. https://www.thedailybeast.com/robert-f-kennedy-jrs-centers-for-disease-control-gives-top-job-to-vaccine-skeptic-dr-ralph-abraham/?

Republican Senator Trashes Trump’s ‘Flat-Out Wrong’ Vengeance Crusade Lisa Murkowski speaks out against Pentagon probe into Democratic lawmaker wildly accused of “sedition.” Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski has condemned the Trump administration’s investigation into Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly for posting a video urging troops to “refuse illegal orders.” Sen. Murkowski lashed out at the “flat-out wrong” investigation the Pentagon launched into Kelly, which could see the former Navy commander and astronaut recalled to active duty so he can be court-martialed over the “serious allegations” of misconduct. Kelly was one of six Democratic lawmakers who posted a video on social media reminding active-duty military members that they can defy orders if they “violate the law or our Constitution.” Trump ramped up a MAGA backlash by posting on Truth Social that Kelly and the other Democrats’ actions were “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” The president also reshared a post from a supporter last week reading, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!” Murkowski, 68, a moderate GOP senator who frequently opposes President Donald Trump, has now defended Kelly and suggested that the Department of Defense and FBI “surely have more important priorities than this frivolous investigation.” “Senator Kelly valiantly served our country as an aviator in the U.S. Navy before later completing four space shuttle missions as a NASA astronaut,” Murkowski posted on X. “To accuse him and other lawmakers of treason and sedition for rightfully pointing out that servicemembers can refuse illegal orders is reckless and flat-out wrong.” Republican Utah Sen. John Curtis also came to Kelly’s defense, though without directly attacking the Pentagon probe. “As a colleague, I respect Mark Kelly and value his friendship. I know him as someone whose career has been defined by service,” Curtis posted. “His record as a combat naval aviator and NASA astronaut reflects his example of the discipline and dedication that are important for success.” Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon, a retired military officer, backed Kelly over Hegseth, who he said was presiding over “amateur hour once again at the Department of Dense.” The other five Democrats said that the FBI has launched an investigation into them over the video. Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin accused the probe of being the latest example of the president using federal agencies to carry out a revenge tour against his adversaries. “The President directing the FBI to target us is exactly why we made this video in the first place. He believes in weaponizing the federal government against his perceived enemies and does not believe laws apply to him or his Cabinet,” Slotkin wrote on social media. “He uses legal harassment as an intimidation tactic to scare people out of speaking up.” In a joint statement, Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, and Chrissy Houlahan added, “No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has labeled the Democrats the “Seditious Six,” calling their actions “despicable, reckless, and false.” Hegseth, a former Fox News host, added that Kelly is the only one of the six who falls under the Defense Department’s jurisdiction and will be “addressed appropriately.” During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kelly dismissed the investigation into him as “ridiculous,” while calling Hegseth “unqualified” to lead the Pentagon. “He just wants to please the president, and this is what he can do this week,” Kelly said. “You can’t make this s--t up.” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Pentagon for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/republican-sen-lisa-murkowski-trashes-trumps-flat-out-wrong-vengeance-crusade/?

Trump, 79, Has Baffling Plan to Rename the Republican Party After Himself The president’s new nickname idea is not one of his best. Donald Trump has come up with a new nickname for the Republican Party. He wants to name it after himself. “There is a new word for a TRUMP REPUBLICAN,” the 79-year-old boldly declared on Truth Social media Wednesday, before asking his followers what exactly the word ought to be. Scorning the low-hanging fruit of ‘Trumpublican,’ a suggestion so obvious even his son Don Jr. thought of it, the president mused: “It is, TEPUBLICAN??? Or, TPUBLICAN???” The last of these options would require MAGA supporters to master an impressive feat of pronunciation known to language experts as the “voiceless labial-alveolar plosive.” They say that to utter a “t” and “p” sound simultaneously, without any intervening vowels, those identifying as “Tpublicans” would need to press their lips together and place their tongue against the ridge behind their teeth. It requires blocking off the flow of air through the nose and pushing the breath forcefully outward, without activating the vocal chords. This is very hard to do. Perhaps accounting for why the “voiceless labial-alveolar plosive” is ordinarily only heard in the high mountains of the North Caucasus, certain parts of rural Ghana, and on a remote island off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Trump’s further assertion that “almost everyone” is a “TRUMP REPUBLICAN” comes as his nationwide approval rating hovers at about 38 percent, and as the embattled president struggles to retain full control of his party amid a confluence of simultaneous scandals and crises. Concern has also continued to mount over the state of Trump’s cognitive health amid frequent memory lapses, difficulty articulating his thoughts and sudden bursts of aggression some experts say could represent the early stages of dementia. https://www.thedailybeast.com/tepublican-or-tpublican-trump-79-has-baffling-plan-to-rename-the-republican-party-after-himself/? ps:How much more vane can he get?????

Georgia case against Trump dropped, ending efforts to punish president over 2020 election aftermath ATLANTA (AP) — A judge on Wednesday dismissed the Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and others after the prosecutor who took over the case said he would not pursue the charges, ending the last effort to punish the president in the courts for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-indictment-fani-willis-b9000b28e65fc8ebe57f6f9cca5cc3ef? ps:Of course he did! That's why they got Willis of the case!!

Apple Reportedly Cuts Dozens of Jobs Across Its Sales Division Some laid-off workers claim the company is just trying to offload its sales responsibilities to third-party resellers, Bloomberg reports. https://www.pcmag.com/news/apple-reportedly-cuts-dozens-of-jobs-across-its-sales-division? ps:The workers can claim whatever they want, but if you look back to when all these billionaires gave extortion money of a billion dollars to trump, you will see that those companies have laid off workers by the truck load!!

Trump shedding support among Latino voters, survey finds WASHINGTON — A majority of U.S. Latinos have grown pessimistic since the 2024 presidential election and increasingly disapprove of the immigration and economic policies of the second Trump administration, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/25/repub/trump-shedding-support-among-latino-voters-survey-finds/? Trans people and people of color have been quietly erased from national caregiving plan Three years after the release of the first comprehensive roadmap to address difficulties faced by family caregivers of older adults and people with disabilities, the Trump administration has quietly erased transgender caregivers and caregivers of color from a list of underserved or hard-to-reach populations, The 19th has exclusively learned. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/25/trans-people-and-people-of-color-have-been-quietly-erased-from-national-caregiving-plan/?

Smart & Safe Florida confident cannabis amendment will make 2026 ballot The latest effort to legalize marijuana in Florida encountered a legal setback but those behind a new amendment insist they still can qualify for the 2026 ballot. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/25/smart-safe-florida-confident-cannabis-amendment-will-make-2026-ballot/? Campbell’s says it uses ‘100% real chicken’ after AG Uthmeier moves to investigate A day after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said that his office is investigating allegations that the Campbell’s Soup Co. uses bioengineered meat in their soups, the company is strongly denying that claim. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/25/campbells-says-it-uses-100-real-chicken-following-ag-uthmeiers-move-to-investigate/? Florida judge’s ruling on marijuana petition signatures won’t be appealed TALLAHASSEE — The political committee behind a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational marijuana will not appeal a judge’s decision upholding state election officials’ invalidation of 200,000 petition signatures. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/25/florida-judges-ruling-on-marijuana-petition-signatures-wont-be-appealed/? Homeowner insurance cost hikes grind to near stop in September, latest data shows After a long run, home insurance price increases in Florida slowed to a near halt between August and September, raising the question: Now will prices go down? https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/26/homeowner-insurance-cost-hikes-grind-to-near-stop-for-homeowners-in-september-latest-data-shows/?