United States | News & Politics

Ricardo Vaz
November 19, 2025

Over the years, Western media have endorsed Washington’s Venezuela regime-change efforts at every turn, from cheerleading coup attempts to whitewashing deadly sanctions (FAIR.org, 6/13/22, 6/4/21, 1/22/20). Now, with a possible military operation that could have disastrous consequences, corporate outlets are making little effort to hold the US government accountable. Rather, they are unsurprisingly ceding the floor to the warmongers.

Despite Washington ominously amassing naval assets and issuing overt threats against Caracas, Western journalists often talk of “tensions” between the two countries (Fox, 11/17/25; ABC, 11/18/25), or even a “showdown” (Wall Street Journal, 10/9/25; Washington Post, 10/25/25). This is conceptually similar to the framing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza as a “conflict” with Hamas (FAIR.org, 12/8/23), except in this case the media does not have an equivalent of October 7 to rationalize all the atrocities by the US and its allies.

https://archive.ph/zqwG3

I appeared on Piers Morgan's show today with MAGA hacks who, for the first time, couldn't spin, lie, or shamelessly obfuscate for Trump, because they know he's in the Epstein Files, and he's stuck.

In the video above, I present my 3.5-minute case. I also added another segment where I mention the 4 leaks that Trump and MAGA can’t plug when it comes to the Epstein files, no matter how much they retract or keep hidden from the public.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/39243232

Israeli airstrikes kill at least 33 Palestinians in a series of attacks on Gaza City and Khan Younis yesterday, as Israel continues to flagrantly violate the ceasefire agreement. Israeli forces push westward into Gaza City, exclusive Drop Site footage shows. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s summit with Hamas mediator Khalil al-Hayya is canceled. U.S. diplomat visits imprisoned Palestinian American teenager Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim and confirms that he appears to have been tortured. Security footage shows settlers attacking a Christian Palestinian village in the West Bank. Epstein claimed he aided former Israeli PM Ehud Barak in his 2019 attempt at a political comeback, Jacobin reports. NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announces he will retain Jessica Tisch as NYPD commissioner, confirms a meeting with Trump at the White House on Friday, and publicly discourages City Council member Chi Ossé’s primary challenge to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard at the U.S. Embassy in July, the NYT reports. A federal court removes restrictions on immigration authorities in Chicago, reversing a lower court ruling. Insurance plans to punish hospitals that use out-of-network doctors, according to a report from The Lever. U.S. President Donald Trump turns his eyes to Sudan after meeting with Saudi crown prince. The U.S. is pushing a Ukraine peace plan.

Two months after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a government-backed campaign has led to firings, suspensions, investigations and other action against more than 600 people. Republican officials have endorsed the punishments, saying that those who glorify violence should be removed from positions of trust.

By Raphael Satter and AJ Vicens

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/39241477

Two months after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a government-backed campaign has led to firings, suspensions, investigations and other action against more than 600 people. Republican officials have endorsed the punishments, saying that those who glorify violence should be removed from positions of trust.

By Raphael Satter and AJ Vicens

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/30445295

Suddenly, drivers find themselves pulled over — often for reasons cited such as speeding, failure to signal, the wrong window tint or even a dangling air freshener blocking the view. They are then aggressively questioned and searched, with no inkling that the roads they drove put them on law enforcement’s radar.

Only solution is going to be to ban the automated license plate scanners; otherwise this is going to keep on happening.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A judge has dismissed a Trump administration legal challenge to New York policies that block immigration officials from arresting people at state courthouses, saying the federal government can’t force states to cooperate with those enforcement efforts.

U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino late Monday granted New York’s motion to dismiss the government’s lawsuit, one of several legal actions from the Republican administration targeting state and local policies over immigration enforcement.

The rocker who once sang on the album ‘This Toilet Earth’ hopes to raise funds for public media.

You really can’t judge a book by its cover. Take, for example, Blothar the Barbarian, the monstrous lead singer of the legendary shock rock metal group GWAR. With gigantic horns, spiked shoulder pads, a disgusting visage, and other grotesque body parts, Blothar terrorizes the stage. Each show, he belts out songs like “Sick of You” and “Viking Death Machine” while disemboweling his (fake) victims in a rampage of (stage) blood and guts.

At first glance, you wouldn’t peg Blothar as a big fan of Masterpiece Theater, This American Life or Sesame Street. But in reality, he’s an outspoken supporter of the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio. And he’s done something particularly GWAR-esque to support public media in its time of need.

Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.

After yet another woman dies due to lack of abortion care in Texas, Rep. Judy Chu condemns Republicans for failing to protect women's basic freedom to survive their own pregnancies. How many more must suffer or die before Congress acts? This doesn't have to be our reality. #ReproRights

Past presidents and politicians of both parties will gather Thursday in Washington, DC, for former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral — sending off a key figure of pre-MAGA Republican politics.

Anton Lazzaro had appealed the conviction that led to a 21-year sentence, arguing the sex-trafficking charge was unjust and his trial was unfair. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed.