03 World

Putin Aide Drops WW3 Bombshell | 'NATO Nations Should Start ...

Russia and Belarus Stage Simulated Nuclear Strike During Zapad-2025 War Games– www.themoscowtimes.com
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Russia and Belarus staged a simulated nuclear strike during their joint Zapad-2025 military exercises, which are being observed this year by delegations from several NATO countries, including the United States.

The drills, which began Friday and end Tuesday, are aimed at testing Belarus and Russia’s ability to repel an enemy attack and retake lost territory, according to the Belarusian Defense Ministry. Zapad-2025 has put NATO countries on alert, particularly in Eastern Europe, where Poland and neighboring countries carried out their own exercises earlier this summer.

Top Belarusian general Pavel Muraveiko said the maneuvers included “planning and examining the potential use of non-strategic nuclear weapons and the evaluation and deployment of the Oreshnik mobile missile system.”

Russia first unveiled the Oreshnik, a hypersonic ballistic missile, during a strike on Ukraine last November in what many analysts described as political theater rather than a demonstration of a new superweapon. Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko latewr asked Moscow to station the missile system in his country, citing threats from NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Germany.

Public Opinion Surveys Show Recent Gains for China’s Soft Power–  chinadigitaltimes.net

China Is Determined to Hold Firm Against Trump's Pressure ...

Public Opinion Surveys Show Recent Gains for China’s Soft Power– chinadigitaltimes.net
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Several public opinion surveys published over the last few months paint a picture of China’s role in the world from the perspective of both Chinese and international respondents. These build on previous surveys from the past year that show how despite polarized views, global attitudes towards China have improved at the expense of the U.S., especially in the Global South. (Meanwhile, polls showing dissatisfaction within China have been censored online.)

One notable survey published this month by Dina Smeltz, Craig Kafura, Yawei Liu, Nick Zeller, and Sam Dong at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs tracked Chinese people’s confidence in China and their desire for their country to play a global leadership role. Conducted between April 25 and June 16, the survey found that a “key difference between Chinese views of Beijing’s role in the world compared to American views of Washington’s role is that China’s public support is widespread across all demographic groups, while the public in the United States is much more fragmented, especially by partisan affiliation.” Here is a summary of the main findings:

Nine in 10 Chinese support their country’s active participation in world affairs (90%).

Part of this enthusiasm stems from a sense that China is a leading power in the world: Large majorities say their country is in at least a somewhat strong position in the world (97%) and expect it to get at least somewhat stronger in the next five years (95%).

Seven in 10 Chinese respondents say China has a unique character that makes it the greatest country in the world (69%) versus three in 10 who say China is no greater than any other country (30%).

While a plurality prefer China play a shared leadership role in the world (48%), four in 10 say it should take a dominant one (41%). One in 10 feel China should play no leadership role (11%). [Source]

Advice for maintaining goat herd health - Farmers Weekly

EU country set to ban movement of sheep and goats | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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The government of an EU country is threatening to impose a strict ban on the movement of sheep and goats as it battles a deadly virus. Greece has seen an outbreak of smallpox in its herds of goats and sheep, which has led to tens of thousands of animals being slaughtered.

Data from Greece’s Ministry of Agriculture shows that over 260,000 sheep and goats have been culled in the twelve months to August. Some 1,100 farms have been forced to shut after reporting cases of the highly contagious disease. Although the virus cannot spread to humans, the health crisis could see prices for mutton and goat’s meat steeply rise.

The outbreak also threatens to deal a huge blow to the export of feta – Greece’s trademark salty cheese made from goat and sheep’s milk.

In an attempt to bring the outbreak under control, the government announced on Monday a 10-day plan.

Officials have called on stockbreeders to tighten biosecurity measures for their flocks, as well as ordering vets to step-up on site inspections at farms.

Additionally the government has urged local officials to establish disinfection points to control the movement of flocks across the country.

Europeans say Iran has yet to take necessary actions to stop the ‘snapback’ of UN sanctions– abcnews.go.com
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — European officials warned Iran on Wednesday it had yet to take the actions needed to stop the return of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program.

The comments from the German Foreign Ministry and the European Union came after a call Iran had Wednesday with representatives of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.

“The window for finding a diplomatic solution on Iran’s nuclear issue is closing really fast,” Kallas warned in a statement. “Iran must show credible steps towards addressing the demands of France, (the) U.K. and Germany, and this means demonstrating full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and allowing inspections of all nuclear sites without delay.”

The German Foreign Ministry separately wrote on the social platform X that “Iran has yet to take the reasonable and precise actions necessary to” stop the reimposition of U.N. sanctions.

Iran had no immediate comment on the call, though it had acknowledged earlier that the call would take place. Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier reached a deal mediated by Egypt to grant the U.N. watchdog access to all Iranian nuclear sites and for Tehran to report on the whereabouts of all its nuclear material. It remained unclear when Iran will make that report.

Signposts Toward the Future of Indian-Chinese Relations– warontherocks.com
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On Aug. 31, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s annual summit in Tianjin — Modi’s first trip to China in seven years. The meeting highlighted improving relations between the two countries, following a period of intensified tensions during border clashes in 2020. This renewed engagement occurs at a time of unusually high U.S.–Indian tensions, raising concerns in Washington that New Delhi might be leaning more toward China. We asked three experts to identify key indicators that might signify the direction of Indian–Chinese relations over the next few

Putin responsible for murder? Navalny’s wife claims he was ‘poisoned’ in prison; demands laboratory report to be made public– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny‘s wife claimed that independent lab tests on biological samples secretly taken abroad indicate he was poisoned while incarcerated in an Arctic prison in February 2024. Navalny, who was President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, died under mysterious circumstances died under mysterious circumstances while serving a 19-year sentence on charges widely seen as political retribution, AFP reported. In a video statement, Yulia Navalnaya said laboratories in two countries had concluded he was “killed, specifically poisoned,” but withheld details about the substance or the labs involved, urging them instead to release their findings independently.She said his allies “were able to obtain and securely transfer biological samples of Alexei abroad”.”Laboratories in two countries came to the conclusion that Alexei was killed. Specifically: poisoned,” she said in a video posted on social media.“I demand that the laboratories that conducted the analyses publish their results,” she said. “I assert that Vladimir Putin is responsible for the murder of my husband, Alexei Navalny,” she said in the video. “Stop appeasing Putin for some higher ‘considerations’.

China accuses Philippines of ship collision near disputed shoal in South China Sea– www.cbsnews.com
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China’s coast guard accused a Philippine ship of deliberately ramming one of its vessels on Tuesday near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines denied it, saying China’s forces used powerful water cannons that damaged its ship and injured a crew member.

A Chinese coast guard statement said more than 10 Philippine government ships coming from various directions entered the waters around the shoal, which is called Huangyan Island in Chinese. It said it deployed water cannons against the vessels.

The encounter came six days after China announced it was designating part of Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve. The Philippine government, which calls the shoal Bajo de Masinloc, filed a diplomatic protest.

China and the Philippines have clashed repeatedly around outcroppings in the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. The two countries are among several that have competing claims to territory in the waters, which are of strategic importance and home to valuable fishing grounds.

The Philippine coast guard said two Chinese coast guard ships hit a Filipino fisheries vessel, the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, with powerful water cannons for nearly 30 minutes “resulting in significant damage,” including in the captain’s cabin and the bridge. A glass window was shattered and injured a personnel while the deluge of water caused a short circuit that affected electrical outlets and five outdoor air-conditioning units, it said.

Charlie Kirk suspect confessed in note to roommate, prosecutors allege– www.bbc.com
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Watch: Tyler Robinson appears in court via video link

The man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk confessed to killing the right-wing activist in a message to his roommate, prosecutors have alleged, as they announced seven charges against him.

Tyler Robinson, 22, left a note under a keyboard for his roommate to discover, said Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray. He added that the roommate was Mr Robinson’s romantic partner.

According to Mr Gray, the note said: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”

The prosecutor also shared text messages between the roommates, including one in which the defendant allegedly said he shot Kirk because he had “had enough of his hatred”.

The suspect is being held without bail in a special housing unit at the Utah County Jail. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday, appearing remotely as prosecutors read the seven charges against him.

The charges are aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent crime when children are present.

Instagram/charliekirk1776
Charlie Kirk, his wife, Erika, and their two children

Israel begins ground offensive in Gaza City, thousands of residents flee – National– globalnews.ca
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The Israeli military began its ground offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, slowly closing in on the Palestinian territory’s largest city, where block after block has already been destroyed in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Thousands of people streamed out in vehicles laden with their belongings, but hundreds of thousands more remain.

The operation marks yet another escalation in a conflict that has roiled the Middle East for nearly two years and likely pushes any ceasefire farther out of reach. The military wouldn’t offer a timeline for the offensive, which it says aims to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure,” but Israeli media suggested it could take months.

It began the same day that independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel fiercely rejected the allegation, calling the experts’ report “distorted and false.”

Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza, UN commission of inquiry says – National– globalnews.ca
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A team of independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council has concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, issuing a report Tuesday that calls on the international community to end the genocide and take steps to punish those responsible for it.

The deeply documented findings by the three-member team are the latest accusations of genocide against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as Israel carries on with its conflict in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of people. Israel rejected what it called a “distorted and false” report.

The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, which was created four years ago, has repeatedly documented alleged human rights abuses and violations in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel led by Hamas, and other Palestinian areas.

While neither the commission nor the 47-member-country council that it works for within the U.N. system can take action against a country, the findings could be used by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court or the U.N.’s International Court of Justice.

Suicidal pensioner survives balcony plunge after landing on woman who was tragically killed while cushioning his fall– www.thesun.co.uk
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A WOMAN was killed after a pensioner jumped from a fourth-floor apartment – landing on her and surviving the fall.

Francesca Manno, 83, tragically died while walking through the courtyard of the building in northern Italy.

A 70-year-old man fell directly onto Ms Manno in the Baggio district of Milan on Sunday afternoon at around 6pm local time.

The man had climbed over his balcony railing in the building where both he and Ms Manno lived, according to Corriere Milano.

In the immediate aftermath, investigators feared it was a double suicide, with a couple having jumped together, the Italian newspaper reports.

But the military later confirmed that the man and woman were strangers.

It is now understood that the man had attempted suicide and that Ms Manno’s death was the result of a tragic accident.

Passersby alerted emergency services who rushed to the scene.

Putin spokesman makes chilling WW3 comments as NATO ‘at war with Russia’– www.mirror.co.uk
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NATO countries are “at war with Russia” over Ukraine, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

“NATO is at war with Russia,” Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media on Monday. “This is obvious, and it does not require any additional evidence. NATO provides direct and indirect support to the Kyiv regime.” Peskov’s comments reiterated a familiar Kremlin narrative that Western backing of Ukraine amounts to active participation in the conflict.

Tensions soared last week between NATO’s Eastern European allies and Russia. A total of 19 Russian drones flew over Poland overnight on Wednesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, adding that at least three were shot down by Polish and NATO aircraft.

“This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two,” Tusk warned. The incident marked the first time Russian drones were downed over NATO territory since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

In response to the incursion, Warsaw invoked NATO’s Article 4 on Thursday, which calls for discussions among allies over threats to territorial security. This is a step short of Article 5, which requires collective military defence from allies if a member state is attacked. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski described the drone attacks as a test of the alliance’s resolve by Russia.

Trump’s lowered 15% tariff on cars from Japan to take effect Tuesday– japantoday.com
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U.S. President Donald Trump’s lowered tariff of 15 percent on automobiles from Japan will take effect Tuesday, the Commerce Department said, about four months after his aggressive trade agenda started damaging the industrial backbone of one of Washington’s key allies.

The department announced the timing of the adjustment on Monday. The U.S. tariff rate for foreign-origin cars rose to 27.5 percent after Trump imposed in April an additional auto tariff on national security grounds, squeezing the margins of Japanese automakers and other manufacturers.

The reduced tariff is part of a trade deal the Trump administration struck on July 22 with Japan, which in return has committed to investing heavily in the United States and increasing imports of American agricultural products during the president’s nonconsecutive second term.

Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 4 formally implementing the trade agreement, which also granted Japan special treatment on what he calls “reciprocal” tariffs.

The department’s notice to be published Tuesday said that as agreed by the two countries, Trump’s additional 25 percent tariff imposed in May on major auto parts, including engines and transmissions, will also be cut to 15 percent for those coming from Japan.

Massive photo of Trump and Epstein unveiled outside Windsor Castle – National– globalnews.ca
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A massive photograph of Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has appeared on the lawn outside Windsor Castle, ahead of the U.S. president’s second state visit to the U.K. on Tuesday.

Footage shared by the British political protest organization Everyone Hates Elon shows several people unveiling the blown-up photograph, which the group says was funded by donations from the British public.

Organizers wrote alongside the footage, “Trump is coming to the UK to AVOID the EPSTEIN story. Unfortunately the British public just crowdfunded the WORLD’S BIGGEST PHOTO of Donald with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.”

“And here it is right outside Windsor Castle, where @realdonaldtrump is staying with the King this week.”

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The King is set to host Trump and the First Lady this week at Windsor Castle, where they will be given a ceremonial welcome and treated to a state banquet.

Exclusive: How Taiwan is reinventing government

Taiwan leaders flaunt sovereignty amid warnings Chinese invasion– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Official communications from the government of Taiwan continue to use coded language regarding the island’s relationship with mainland China, but Taiwanese leaders are far less ambiguous behind closed doors.

The Washington Examiner traveled to Taipei, Taiwan, to speak with members of the island’s government about their increased push for independence, as well as conservative opposition leaders who fear such rhetoric is thrusting their homeland to the brink of war.

When asked by the Washington Examiner why the current Democratic Progressive Party government is now leaning into rhetoric about full separation from the People’s Republic of China, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said that it was simply the will of the people.

“There is a consensus in Taiwan that Taiwan is not part of the PRC and Taiwanese people will decide their own future because Taiwan is already a democratic country,” he told the Washington Examiner. “So of course, our people can be their own masters and decide their own future.”

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung speaks with members of the press from 13 countries at the ministry’s headquarters in Taipei (Photo by Timothy Nerozzi)

“And according to our opinion poll, in terms of identity, I can assure you that more than 80% of the Taiwanese people believe that they are Taiwanese [instead of Chinese],” Lin added.

Turkish court overturns convictions against four human rights ...

Turkish court delays verdict in case that could oust opposition party’s leader – Click2Houston
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A Turkish court on Monday delayed a verdict in a case seeking the annulment of an internal leadership election of the country’s main opposition party over alleged irregularities, a decision that could restore the party’s unpopular former leader and inflame political tensions.

The court in Ankara adjourned the trial over the legitimacy of the 38th congress of Republican People’s Party, or CHP, until Oct. 24. The congress in 2023 ousted long-time leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and elected current chairman Ozgur Ozel.

Did the Kurds help the U.S. during World War II? - News - Missouri ...

Kurdish-led forces arrest ISIS leader in east Syria: Monitor – rudaw.net
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The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday carried out a “precise security operation” to arrest a “prominent” Islamic State (ISIS) leader in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province, a war monitor reported.

The operation, conducted with support from the US-led global coalition, “resulted in the arrest of a prominent ISIS leader,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, adding that it took place in the town of al-Shuhail.

The SDF has carried out numerous operations this year to counter what they say is a resurgence in ISIS activity targeting both their forces and civilians.

The Observatory noted that the suspect was whisked away “to a security agency for further investigation.”

Congress of Deputies - Wikipedia

Spain’s Supreme Court Moves Closer to Indicting Ruling Socialist Party – The European Conservative
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The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), currently leading the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is facing its most serious judicial threat in decades. According to judicial and police sources, Spain’s Supreme Court now has sufficient “indications” to indict the party itself on charges of illegal financing.

The move would mark an unprecedented escalation in the so-called ‘Koldo case’, a corruption scandal that has already implicated several senior Socialist figures. The investigation is being led by Supreme Court justice Leopoldo Puente, who handles a sealed case concerning an alleged criminal organization tied to two former Organization Secretaries of the PSOE: José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán.

The scandal led to the preventive detention of Santos Cerdán, one of Sánchez’s closest allies until just months ago. Judicial documents describe a “multi-million-euro loot” managed by companies and intermediaries.

Investigators point to two key sources of evidence: documentation seized in police raids on Spanish construction companies earlier this year, and irregular expenses and donations linked to Ábalos and Cerdán during their time running the party’s powerful organizational machinery.

According to the Guardia Civil’s Central Operative Unit (UCO), donations allegedly linked to kickbacks from public contracts may have been funneled into the PSOE’s accounts. Since 2014, the Supreme Court has demanded detailed financial records from the party, including membership fees, voluntary contributions, and payments.

How China Could Quarantine Taiwan: Mapping Out Two Possible Scenarios

Taiwan launches China ‘invasion handbook’ for residents as tensions soar– www.mirror.co.uk
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China has set up massive military exercises, simulating blockades and menacing invasion of Taiwan. The Taiwanese government is making sure the island is prepared. This soldier stands guard during an air raid drill in Taipei.(Image: AP)

Taiwan has launched a new civil defence handbook today, bringing attention to the importance of a strong civilian response in case of a Chinese invasion. The handbook, issued by All-out Defense Mobilisation Agency, features checklists and questions to help residents plans for crises like military invasions or natural disasters on the earthquake-prone island.

Shen Wei-chih, director of the All-Out Defense Mobilisation Agency told Associated Press: “Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, we have felt that much more information needs to be added. Today’s new edition of the National Defense Handbook is about how to enhance and raise public awareness of crises, as well as strengthen the ability for self-defense.”

China claims Taiwan, a self ruled island off its coast, as part of Beijing’s sovereign territory. Tensions between the two sides has soared in recent years as their governments ceased official communications.

Bill Ackman took a Wall Street tactic to an Ivy League fight in ...

Billionaire Bill Ackman convened stormy Israel ‘intervention’ with Charlie Kirk, sources say– thegrayzone.com
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A month before Charlie Kirk’s killing, billionaire pro-Israel moneyman Bill Ackman arranged an intervention in the Hamptons during which sources say he and others “hammered” Kirk for the conservative leader’s growing criticism of Israeli influence in Washington. Kirk came away fretting about Israeli “blackmail,” sources say, as he contemplated a Catholic conversion.

On September 11, one day after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, billionaire pro-Israel moneyman Bill Ackman took to Twitter/X to trumpet his relationship with the late conservative operative. “I feel incredibly privileged to have spent a day and shared a meal with @charliekirk11 this summer. He was a giant of a man.”

The Grayzone has spoken to five people with intimate knowledge of Kirk’s meeting with Ackman, which was held in early August. According to one source, Kirk was left upset after the gathering turned into an “intervention” where he was “hammered” for his increasingly skeptical views on the US special relationship with Israel, and for platforming prominent conservative critics of Israel at his TPUSA events. 

House of Representatives | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica

House GOP leaders move to extend block on tariff termination votes– www.politico.com
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House Republican leaders are moving to again head off votes trying to cancel much of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff regime.

A procedural measure Republicans on the Rules Committee advanced Monday night would extend until March 31 a block on efforts by Democrats and several Republicans to end the national emergencies underlying Trump’s sweeping tariffs — including on Mexico, Canada, Brazil and his “liberation day” levies from April.

It would also block “resolutions of inquiry,” measures that can be used by the House to compel the release of information from the executive branch.

The House is set to vote Tuesday on the measure, which also tees up several D.C. crime- and governance-related bills for floor debate.

GOP leaders have struggled to keep their ranks in line on tariff-related votes. On Monday, their bid to strangle a Democratic-led effort to end Trump’s Brazil levies succeeded only narrowly, 200-198.

Friends of the IDF – Supporting Israel Defense Forces

Britain Bans IDF Officers From Elite Military Academy Founded by Churchill– gellerreport.com
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Why did they bother to fight the Nazis? How long before we see King Charles reciting the shahada?

This is what happens when a left-wing bankrupt nation sells out to barbarians.

According to news reports from September 14, 2025, the recent UK ban on Israeli nationals from enrolling at the Royal College of Defence Studies appears to be unprecedented.

This is the first time in the college’s history since its founding in 1927 that it has excluded students from a particular country.

The institution was established nearly a century ago following a recommendation from a committee led by Winston Churchill, then colonial secretary, with the vision of fostering “understanding between senior military officers, diplomats, civil servants and officials.”

Winston Churchill was a strong supporter of the Zionist movement and the creation of a Jewish National Home, which he believed would be a blessing to the world. He envisioned a Jewish state under British protection, becoming a reality through Jewish majority-rule and the reclamation of desert lands.

Conor McGregor ends his campaign to become Irish president–  www.nydailynews.com

Conor McGregor - Wikipedia

Conor McGregor ends his campaign to become Irish president– www.nydailynews.com
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MMA superstar Conor McGregor tapped out of Ireland’s presidential race.

“Following careful reflection, and after consulting with my family, I am withdrawing my candidacy from this presidential race,” the pugilist announced in a long message posted on X.

The mercurial 37-year-old fighter was considered a longshot to compete in the race he announced he was joining in March. McGregor faulted the Irish electoral process for being constrained by “the straitjacket of an outdated Constitution” that protects establishment candidates and works against populist outsiders like himself.

He said late Sunday he’s been in New York since Wednesday, when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean to commemorate the 9/11 terror attacks and plans to stay in the U.S., where he hopes to meet with the Trump administration to talk about Irish jobs.

Irish voters head to the ballot box to pick the island nation’s next president on Oct. 24. Polling showed McGregor was likely to finish with 7% of the popular vote, according to outlets including the Guardian.