Trump’s Rally Just Went Full Nazi With Bloodthirsty Immigration Threat  

newrepublic.com,

During a rally in Aurora, Colorado, Donald Trump once again drew on dangerous and dehumanizing language that echoed Nazi rhetoric. He labeled immigrants as the “enemy from within,” portraying them as a threat to the nation, and advocated for harsh penalties, including the death penalty for those he deemed responsible for crimes. Trump falsely claimed that countries worldwide were reducing crime by deporting their criminals to the United States, generating a frenzy of outrage among his supporters. At one point during his speech, a member of the crowd even shouted, “Kill them,” in response to Trump’s comments on dealing with immigrants. Trump doubled down on his promise to deport large numbers of migrants if elected and vowed to impose capital punishment on any migrant who kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer.

The former president didn’t stop at attacking immigrants; he also criticized Kamala Harris, insisting that she shouldn’t have been chosen as the Democratic nominee, calling her a “threat to democracy.” Trump speculated wildly about her relationship with President Biden, claiming, without evidence, that Biden “hates her” and implied that Harris might soon be replaced by another candidate, possibly Hillary Clinton. His scattered, off-topic speech seemed increasingly disconnected, but he reveled in his ability to speak without a teleprompter, calling it “fun” to veer off-script. Despite his erratic delivery, Trump’s rhetoric and inflammatory language stirred the crowd, who repeatedly responded with boos and cheers.

Hurricane Milton Leaves Widespread Destruction; Rescue Operations Underway  

USA TODAY,

In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Florida is grappling with widespread devastation, leaving millions without power and forcing rescue teams into action. The storm, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with winds reaching 120 mph, unleashed torrents of rain and a powerful storm surge across coastal and inland areas. Communities were left underwater, and large sailboats were found strewn across front yards. By Friday, more than 2 million homes and businesses were still without power, and major airports and tourist destinations were only beginning to reopen.

Hurricane Milton’s destruction also led to a deadly tornado outbreak that killed at least six people in St. Lucie County and was linked to at least 17 deaths statewide. Damage assessment teams from the National Weather Service are continuing to survey the impacted areas, particularly focusing on the number of tornadoes spawned by the hurricane. The Tampa Bay area, which had braced for severe flooding, managed to avoid the worst as the storm shifted south, though it still suffered significant damage, including a crane collapsing into a downtown office building and damage to the roof of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Governor Ron DeSantis, speaking at a press conference on Friday, acknowledged the extensive damage caused by the storm, but expressed relief that the worst-case scenario had been avoided. “There’s a lot of work to do, but we will recover,” he said. Despite the destruction, several school districts reopened on Friday, with more expected to follow in the coming days. However, parts of northeast Florida, including Duval, Brevard, and St. Johns counties, remained under coastal flood advisories due to dangerous waves and rip currents.

US Urges Israel to Stop Shooting at UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon  

BBC News,

In a statement on Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden strongly urged Israel to cease its attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon after two serious incidents in the span of 48 hours. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) admitted responsibility for one of the attacks, which injured two Sri Lankan soldiers stationed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). In that incident, Israeli troops opened fire after identifying what they claimed was a threat near the UNIFIL base in Naqoura. The IDF has promised to investigate the matter at the highest levels.

This follows another incident earlier in the week when two Indonesian UNIFIL soldiers were injured after falling from an observation tower, reportedly hit by Israeli tank fire. The violence has sparked condemnation from several world leaders, including the leaders of France, Italy, and Spain, who issued a joint statement condemning the attacks as unjustifiable and calling for an immediate halt to such actions. Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry also strongly condemned the attack on its soldiers, demanding accountability from Israel.

UN officials, including the head of peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, suggested that there was evidence of direct targeting of UN positions. Lacroix expressed concern over the increasing dangers faced by peacekeepers as Israel continues its operations in southern Lebanon. Despite Israel’s ongoing military activities, the Biden administration has urged restraint, warning that continued aggression against UN personnel could further destabilize the region.

Iran Engages in Urgent Diplomacy Amid Fears of Israeli Retaliation  

CNN,

Iran is undertaking an intensive diplomatic effort in response to mounting fears of an imminent Israeli military retaliation following Iran’s missile attacks earlier this month. Tehran is reaching out to countries across the Middle East in an attempt to gauge the likelihood of reducing the scale of Israel’s potential response. Sources close to the matter have indicated that Iran is particularly concerned about possible strikes on its nuclear and oil facilities, and whether the United States can successfully convince Israel to avoid targeting these sensitive sites.

Tensions have been escalating since Israel launched a series of operations targeting Hezbollah, Iran’s primary proxy militia in the region, which has been significantly weakened in recent weeks by Israeli military actions. The United States, which has been consulting closely with Israel, has urged for proportionality in any retaliatory strikes. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time in nearly two months, expressing his concerns about the situation spiraling into a larger conflict.

U.S. Gulf allies, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar, have also voiced their worries, particularly about the impact that a strike on Iran’s oil infrastructure could have on the region’s economy and environment. The Biden administration is increasingly alarmed that the tit-for-tat attacks between Iran and Israel, which began earlier this year, could escalate into a full-scale regional war, drawing in the United States.

White House Forms Emergency Team to Address China Espionage Hack  

Washington Post,

The Biden administration has assembled a multi-agency task force to respond to a significant cyberattack allegedly carried out by Chinese hackers, which has compromised the networks of major U.S. telecommunications companies. The breach, believed to be part of an intelligence-gathering operation, has affected around 10-12 companies, including prominent firms such as AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen. The breach has raised serious national security concerns, with investigators still unclear about how the attackers initially penetrated the companies’ systems.

The complexity of the attack has made it difficult for the affected companies and government agencies to fully secure the compromised networks. A person familiar with the investigation described the hackers as “sophisticated actors,” noting that the breach appears to be a wide-ranging intelligence operation. The FBI and other national security agencies are collaborating with telecommunications companies to address the breach and prevent further intrusions.

The breach underscores the growing threats posed by state-sponsored cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, and the Biden administration is treating this as a major national security crisis. The White House has pledged to work closely with private sector partners to strengthen cybersecurity defenses and protect against future attacks, though officials acknowledge that the sophistication of the breach means that fully resolving the issue may take some time.