Palestinian on hunger strike in Israeli jail ‘on verge of death’

A Palestinian man on a hunger strike for nearly 80 days since his arrest by Israel in late July is “on the verge of death”, Israeli rights group B’Tselem said on Monday.

Maher al-Akhras, 49, was arrested near Nablus and placed in “administrative detention”, a policy Israel uses to hold suspected fighters without charge.

The married father of six launched his hunger strike to protest the policy. He has been arrested several times previously by Israel, which accuses him of having ties to the Islamic Jihad armed group.

On Monday, about 40 people held a rally in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah to support him.

“Our people will not let Maher al-Akhras down,” said Khader Adnan, who was one of those taking part in the rally and who has himself carried out several hunger strikes in Israeli captivity.

Adnan called on the international community and Palestinian leaders to pressure Israel over the case.

“Do more over the coming hours,” he said. “We are in the critical stage.”

‘Fully responsible’

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh demanded al-Akhras’s “immediate release”, according to a statement published by the official WAFA news agency.

Al-Akhras was transferred in early September to Kaplan Medical Center, south of Tel Aviv. His lawyers have appealed on multiple occasions to Israel’s Supreme Court for his release, including at a hearing on Monday.

Israel’s top court deferred a ruling on Monday’s request, saying the case remained under review, according to a summary of the hearing seen by AFP news agency.

The Palestinians and human rights groups say administrative detention, which was inherited from the British mandate, violates the right to due process since evidence is withheld from prisoners while they are held for lengthy periods without being charged, tried or convicted.

“Administrative detention is a crime and should end. We hold Israel fully responsible for his life and call for his immediate release,” said Qadura Fares of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club last week.

About 355 Palestinians were being held under administrative detention orders as of August, including two minors, according to B’Tselem.

https://israelpalestinenews.org/palestinian-on-hunger-strike-in-israeli-jail-on-verge-of-death/?utm_source=If+Americans+Knew+Subscribers&utm_campaign=214f38e69a-IAK_Daily_Updates&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_492062bf3f-214f38e69a-329685529

President Donald Trump Sends Signed MAGA Hat to 15-Year-Old Utah Student Who Was Bullied and Assaulted for Supporting Him

President Donald Trump has sent an upgraded ‘Make America Great Again’ hat to Braxton McElhaney, the 15-year-old student at West Jordan High School in Utah who was brutally bullied by two girls for wearing his hat supporting the president to school.

After seeing the video uploaded anonymously on Instagram, the Gateway Pundit tracked down the family of the teenager who told us that the incident happened at the beginning of the school year.

One of the girls had ripped an American flag mask off the teen’s face and ran to throw it away in the girls bathroom. When she came out, she began assaulting him again and attempting to steal his Make America Great Again hat.

The girl repeatedly hit and spit on him — but McElhaney still refused to let go of the hat.

“He has not attended public school since 1st grade, he has attended charter schools and was doing online. This year he was taking two electives at public school and this happened just two weeks in. He is solely doing online now. He is 15 in 10th grade,” his mother Meshyalah McElhaney told the Gateway Pundit at the time. “I am so incredibly proud of him for holding his ground and not giving into her and retaliating.”

Once we found the family, calls for the president to send him an autographed hat came from all over the internet — and Trump came through!

“All thanks to President Donald Trump for the support all the way from the White House,” Braxton told TGP of his new and improved hat.

His mom added, “We are overwhelmed by the support & love we have received from around the world. We never would have thought it would have made it all the way to the President. Thank you all who made this happen.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/10/president-donald-trump-sends-signed-maga-hat-15-year-old-utah-student-bullied-assaulted-supporting/

Pentagon School To Focus Half Its Curriculum On China, Esper Announces

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Thursday that he tasked a Pentagon-funded university to focus half of its curriculum on China. The move is a testament to the shift in the US military’s focus from terrorism to so-called “great power competition,” as outlined in the 2018 National Defense Strategy.

“As part of our top-10 goal to focus the department on China, I directed the National Defense University to refocus its curriculum by dedicating 50 percent of the coursework to China by academic year 2021,” Esper said at an event hosted by the Heritage Foundation.

The National Defense University is a higher-learning facility run by the Pentagon that offers graduate programs mostly to members of the US military. “I also tasked the military services to make the People’s Liberation Army [China’s military] the pacing threat in our professional schools, programs and training,” the Pentagon chief said.

Esper also warned of the threat China and Russia pose to US global hegemony. “Our strategic competitors China and Russia are attempting to erode our hard-earned gains,” he said.

The former Raytheon lobbyist also touted a new plan to increase the fleet of the US Navy that Esper has dubbed “Battle Force 2045.” The plan calls for the Navy to have a 500 ship fleet by 2045. Currently, the US Navy has just under 300 battle-ready ships.

The Pentagon released its annual report on China’s military in September. The report says China has the world’s largest navy and has “an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines.”

Despite having more ships, China’s navy is vastly smaller than Washington’s in terms of tonnage. One example of this is the number of aircraft carriers each nation has, with the US having eleven aircraft carriers, while China only has two.

Pentagon chief also touts plan to increase US Navy fleet to 500 ships by 2045

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/10/15/esper-pentagon-school-to-focus-half-of-its-curriculum-on-china/

Mitch McConnell: Full Senate to Take Up Barrett Nomination on October 23

The Senate will take up the United States Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett on October 23, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced Thursday.

“We’ll go to the floor on Friday the 23rd and stay on it until we finished [sic]. We have the votes,” McConnell stated. The final vote will likely occur the week of October 26.

McConnell’s remark comes one day after affirming that he has secured enough votes to confirm Barrett to the nation’s highest Court.

On Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) officially scheduled a panel vote for Barrett’s nomination for the following Thursday.

“It’s clear to me from reading in the paper is that what’s going to happen is we’re going to be denied the ability to operate as normal. … I know what awaits us,” said Graham.

Health care again played a starring role in Barrett’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee as Democrats sought to highlight an issue they want voters to consider on Election Day.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Barrett maintained her view that it would be inappropriate to comment on the national healthcare law or other cases that may come before her as a justice. She also declined to say if a president can pardon himself.

Republicans appeared undeterred and likely successful in their effort to have Barrett confirmed before the election, just three weeks away.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/10/16/mitch-mcconnell-full-senate-take-up-barrett-nomination-october-23/

Email Trove Shows Hunter Biden Arranged WH Meetings for CCP Officials

Breitbart revealed on Friday that it has obtained emails from a business partner of Hunter Biden that detail how the son of then-Vice President Joe Biden used his access to his father to arrange private meetings for “potential foreign clients and investors at the highest levels in the White House.”

“These never-before-revealed emails outline how a delegation of Chinese investors and Communist Party officials managed to secure a private, off-the-books meeting with then-Vice President Joe Biden,” Breitbart alleges. This investigation is separate from the bombshell New York Post article about a laptop computer that allegedly contains proof that Joe Biden was lying when he said he had no knowledge of his son’s business dealings in the Ukraine.

Facebook and Twitter have taken unprecedented steps to quash the story, claiming, incredibly, that the article contains personal information that had been “hacked.” Don’t be surprised if the Big-Tech giants do the same with this story, hoping to shove it down the memory hole ahead of the 2020 election.

“In a 2011 email, Hunter Biden’s business associates also discussed developing relations with what one called ‘China Inc.’ as part of a ‘new push on soft diplomacy for the Chinese.'” Breitbart said. “These and more explosive never-before-revealed emails were provided to [author Peter] Schweizer by Bevan Cooney, a one-time Hunter Biden and Devon Archer business associate. Cooney is currently in prison serving a sentence for his involvement in a 2016 bond fraud investment scheme.”

https://pjmedia.com/election/paula-bolyard/2020/10/16/new-bombshell-email-trove-shows-hunter-biden-arranged-wh-meetings-for-ccp-officials-n1065778

Mitt Romney slams Trump for not condemning QAnon conspiracy, and adds scorn for Democrats refusing to denounce Antifa

'Eagerly trading their principles for the hope of electoral victories'

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) slammed President Donald Trump for his comments about the QAnon conspiracy theory during a combative town hall event on NBC, and added scorn for Democrats who refuse to denounce Antifa.

Romney tweeted a statement condemning the president on Friday from his social media account.

"The President's unwillingness to denounce an absurd and dangerous conspiracy theory last night continues an alarming pattern: politicians and parties refuse to forcefully and convincingly repudiate groups like antifa, white supremacists, and conspiracy peddlers," said Romney.

"Similarly troubling is their silence regarding anti-vaxxers, militias, and anarchists. Rather than expel the rabid fringes and the extremes, they have coddled or adopted them, eagerly trading their principles for the hope of electoral victories," he added.

"As the parties rush down a rabbit hole, they may be opening a door to political movement that could eventually eclipse them both," he warned.

One of the more heated interactions between moderator Savannah Guthrie and the president during his NBC town hall had to do with the conspiracy theory that accuses Democrat leaders of participating in a satanic child molestation and trafficking operation.

The president initially answered that he didn't know what QAnon was, and then later praised them for being against pedophilia when pressed by Guthrie to denounce the believers of the conspiracy.

"So, I know nothing about QAnon, I know very little," said the president to Guthrie.

"I know nothing about it. I do know that they are very much against pedophilia, they fight it very hard but I know nothing about it," he added.

He went on to say that he didn't know if there was a "satanic pedophile cult" as claimed by QAnon believers, and neither did Guthrie.

Romney, a former presidential candidate himself, has been very critical of the president in the past, but many on the left responded with scorn against Romney despite his statement about QAnon.

Among the more infamous incidents of Democrats ignoring the threat of Antifa is a statement from Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (N.Y.) calling the left-wing group a "myth."

Here's the interaction from Trump's town hall event:

https://youtu.be/3hybkzCWb_w

https://www.theblaze.com/news/mitt-romney-trump-antifa-qanon

Former Democratic rep whose nude photos were leaked set to host 'Naked Politics' podcast

Katie Hill says 'this podcast is here to expose what's wrong in politics today, undressing the issues'

Former Democratic Rep. Katie Hill (Calif.) has announced she will be launching a new podcast called "Naked Politics," her latest venture since resigning from Congress amid affair allegations and the publication of photos showing her in the nude.

The Hill reported Friday that Ms. Hill's podcast promises to "expose the naked truth behind what goes on" in the beltway.

"This podcast is where we can get dirty," the California Democrat told the outlet. "It's where we can expose the naked truth behind what goes on. The backroom deals, the monied interests, the inability to break from the party. This podcast is here to expose what's wrong in politics today, undressing the issues, and how we can fix them."

Hill gave up her seat months into her freshman term last year after the Democrat-led House Committee on Ethics launched an investigation into allegations that she had an extramarital affair with her legislative director, which would be in violation of new House rules established in response to the #MeToo movement.

While Hill denied the affair, she admitted to having a "consensual" three-way relationship with a female campaign staffer and her now-ex husband prior to taking office. The former congresswoman later blamed "rampant biphobia" as a major reason for her stepping down.

The week before Hill announced her resignation, leaked nude photos of her were published by the Daily Mail and conservative outlet Red State. At the time, she was estranged from her then-husband, and blamed conservative media for "perpetuating" his "abuse by providing him a platform."

"I will fight to ensure no one else has to live through what I just experience," she said in a video message announcing her departure from office. "Some people call this electronic assault, digital exploitation, others call it revenge porn. As the victim of it, I call it one of the worst things we can do to our sisters and our daughters."

Anything else?

Hill also recently released a memoir, titled "She Will Rise," saying she wrote it "to empower women to lead despite many roadblocks and sexist standards."

A show based on the book is in the works, and Hill will be played by actress Elizabeth Moss.

The first episode of "Naked Politics" on Oct. 20 will feature an interview with former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum (D), who recently came out as bisexual months after photos were leaked showing him passed out in a hotel room with a gay male escort and crystal meth.

https://sputniknews.com/us/202010161080796722-roman-catholic-priest-to-be-released-following-2018-activist-break-in-at-nuclear-capable-us-base/

New Judicial Watch Study Finds 353 U.S. Counties in 29 States with Voter Registration Rates Exceeding 100%

1.8 Million ‘Extra’ Registered Voters

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that a September 2020 study revealed that 353 U.S. counties had 1.8 million more registered voters than eligible voting-age citizens. In other words, the registration rates of those counties exceeded 100% of eligible voters. The study found eight states showing state-wide registration rates exceeding 100%: Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The September 2020 study collected the most recent registration data posted online by the states themselves. This data was then compared to the Census Bureau’s most recent five-year population estimates, gathered by the American Community Survey (ACS) from 2014 through 2018. ACS surveys are sent to 3.5 million addresses each month, and its five-year estimates are considered to be the most reliable estimates outside of the decennial census.

Judicial Watch’s latest study is necessarily limited to 37 states that post regular updates to their registration data. Certain state voter registration lists may also be even larger than reported, because they may have excluded “inactive voters” from their data. Inactive voters, who may have moved elsewhere, are still registered voters and may show up and vote on election day and/or request mail-in ballots.

Judicial Watch relies on its voter registration studies to warn states that they are failing to comply with the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which requires states to make reasonable efforts to clean their voter rolls. Judicial Watch can and has sued to enforce compliance with federal law.

Earlier this month, Judicial Watch sued Colorado over its failure to comply with the National Voter Registration Act. In Judicial Watch’s new study, 42 Colorado counties—or two thirds of the state’s counties—had registration rates exceeding 100%. Particular data from the state confirms this general picture. As the complaint explains, a month-by-month comparison of the ACS’s five-year survey period with Colorado’s own registration numbers for the exact same months shows that large proportions of Colorado’s counties have registration rates exceeding 100%. Earlier this year, Judicial Watch sued Pennsylvaniaand North Carolina for failing to make reasonable efforts to remove ineligible voters from their rolls as required by federal law. The lawsuits allege that the two states have nearly 2 million inactive names on their voter registration rolls. Judicial Watch also sued Illinois for refusing to disclose voter roll data in violation of Federal law.

“The new study shows 1.8 million excess, or ‘ghost’ voters in 353 counties across 29 states,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The data highlights the recklessness of mailing blindly ballots and ballot applications to voter registration lists. Dirty voting rolls can mean dirty elections.”

Judicial Watch’s study updates the results of a similar study from last year. In August 2019, Judicial Watch analyzed registration data that states reported to the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in response to a survey conducted every two years on how states maintain their voter rolls. That registration data was compared to the then-most-recent ACS five-year survey from 2013 through 2017. The study showed that 378 U.S. counties had registration rates exceeding 100%.

Judicial Watch is a national leader for cleaner elections.

More

https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-releases/new-jw-study-voter-registration/

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Riccardo Bosi Australia Queensland Election Corruption Prime Minister Lockdowns

Following Facebook, Twitter will now ban Holocaust denial

Twitter is the second major social media network to ban Holocaust denial this week. Facebook announced on Monday that it would ban posts that deny or distort the Holocaust.

Twitter will now ban posts that deny the Holocaust.

Bloomberg News reported Wednesday that a Twitter spokesperson said posts that “deny or distort” violent events including the Holocaust would be banned.

Twitter is the second major social media network to ban Holocaust denial this week. Facebook announced on Monday that it would ban posts that deny or distort the Holocaust, two years after Mark Zuckerberg said Holocaust denial should be allowed in the name of free speech.

“We strongly condemn antisemitism, and hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service,” the Twitter spokesperson said in a statement. “We also have a robust ‘glorification of violence’ policy in place and take action against content that glorifies or praises historical acts of violence and genocide, including the Holocaust.”

The moves come as social media networks make a series of moves to crack down on hateful content ahead of the presidential election, and as activists have called on social media companies to do more to combat hate and misinformation. Facebook also recently banned content related to the QAnon conspiracy theory, as well as a range of hateful posts including those that say Jews control the world. YouTube likewise banned QAnon content, and Twitter removed thousands of QAnon accounts this summer.

Twitter has taken an especially tough stance on disinformation recently, appending warnings to tweets by President Trump sharing false information, violent content or conspiracy theories. The network also recently blocked an unsubstantiated article about Joe Biden from the New York Post, before saying similar content would be allowed with a warning attached.

https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/following-facebook-twitter-will-now-ban-holocaust-denial-645994

370K Pennsylvania mail-in ballot applications rejected: Report

Many residents may have mistakenly sent in more than one ballot request

Pennsylvania has cast off hundreds of thousands of applications for mail-in ballots ahead of the 2020 election, because of confusion about the process.

About 372,000 requests were rejected, as reported by ProPublica on Friday, largely because many of them, about 90%, were duplicates. Overall, one out of every five requests for mail-in ballots are being rejected, according to the publication.

The main reason? Many people who voted during the June primaries may have already checked a box to request a mail-in ballot for the November election.

However, as noted by ProPublica, people who made more than one request should eventually receive their ballot. They can also head to the polls on Election Day.

More than 2.5 million Pennsylvanians have requested mail-in ballots this election.

The state is expecting a record volume of ballots to be sent by mail and, as it stands, counties can’t begin the cumbersome process necessary to ultimately tally those votes until Election Day.

There is an ongoing discussion in the state legislature to allow pre-canvassing to begin in the days leading up to the election although an agreement hasn't been struck.

There is concern that the longer it takes Pennsylvania to tally its final vote count, the more likely it is that there will be misgivings about the security of the process.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court added to the confusion when it ruled that if a ballot is not mailed in a “secrecy” envelope it is to be rejected, which adds an additional step to counting the ballots.

The court will also take up whether a ballot should be dismissed if a signature is markedly different than the one stored in the voter registration database.

Meanwhile, there is another ongoing battle in the court system over the timeframe for mail-in ballots to be counted. As it stands, the Supreme Court has allowed for ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received by Nov. 6 to be counted.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pennsylvania-mail-in-ballot-applications-rejected