ANOTHER Gaza tower reportedly goes down, Israeli Iron Dome intercepts dozens of missiles in night of tit-for-tat strikes

An Israeli air strike has reportedly leveled another major high-rise in the Gaza Strip – the second in the span of 24 hours – as a barrage of Palestinian rocket fire continues to rain down on Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.

Footage from the embattled Palestinian enclave purported to show the al-Jawhara Tower as it took a direct hit by an Israeli war plane early on Wednesday morning, sending a massive column of smoke into the night sky. It is at least the second large structure in Gaza City severely damaged in recent air raids, with the Hanandi Tower, reportedly a residential complex, reduced to rubble on Tuesday night.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) posted footage of an air strike on a high-rise soon after the initial videos began making the rounds, claiming the building included Hamas “intelligence headquarters” and an “information department.” It is unclear if the grainy IDF video depicts al-Jawhara or another structure, however.

While the al-Jawhara Tower appeared to sustain catastrophic damage in Wednesday morning’s strike, it is not the first time it was targeted by Tel Aviv, with Israeli warplanes bombing the same structure during fighting in 2014. At the time, the Committee to Protect Journalists noted the building housed both Palestinian media outlets as well as apartments.

The IDF also reported “non-stop” rocket fire into central and southern Israel, adding elsewhere that it is continuing strikes on “a number of significant terrorist targets and operatives in the Gaza Strip.” It said the strikes were waking Israeli residents, who scrambled to bomb shelters with their families for the night during the 3am offensive.

Other unconfirmed videos circulating online claimed to show a flurry of rockets launched from Gaza toward Tel Aviv, as well as the city’s Iron Dome air defenses intercepting many of the incoming projectiles.

https://www.rt.com/news/523546-gaza-high-rise-strikes-intercepted/

Israel sure are good at bringing down buildings!

UK’s finance watchdog launches inquiry into Greensill collapse as ex-PM Cameron’s lobbying texts to keep firm afloat published

The UK’s financial regulator has announced the launch of a formal investigation into the collapse of Greensill Capital, the financial services company former Prime Minister David Cameron lobbied ministers to save.

As the PM’s texts and emails were published by MPs on Tuesday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) informed Parliament’s Treasury Select Committee of its probe into Greensill, which went into administration in March.

“The FCA is formally investigating matters relating to Greensill Capital UK (GCUK) and Greensill Capital Securities (GCSL), and the oversight of GCSL by its principal, Mirabella Advisers,” FCA chief Nikhil Rathi told MPs in a letter.

Rathi said the regulator was working with UK law enforcement and regulatory agencies, as well as overseas authorities, to look at a number of allegations concerning the collapsed firm, “some of which are potentially criminal in nature.”

The Greensill debacle rocked Westminster, after newspapers including the Times and Financial Times revealed Cameron had used private communication channels to ask ministers to grant the company financial support intended for firms hit by the effects of Covid-19.

The former Tory PM – who became a senior adviser to Greensill after he left Downing Street – sent texts, WhatsApp messages and emails to government officials, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Several pages of Cameron’s correspondence were published by the Treasury Select Committee on Tuesday, revealing how the ex-PM had made offers to buy officials “lunch” and signed off some messages, “Love DC”.

In one text to Tom Scholar, the Treasury’s permanent secretary, dated April 3, 2020, Cameron said he was “genuinely baffled” that Greensill was refused access to the government’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility to support larger firms disrupted by the pandemic.

On April 22, Cameron sent a message about the scheme to Sunak on behalf of Greensill, asking if the chancellor could “give it another nudge over the finish line”.

On Tuesday, the firm’s Australian founder, Lex Greensill, was grilled by the Select Committee, with MPs asking him multiple questions about his firm’s proximity to the government and other issues relating to its collapse.

Labour MP Rushanara Ali accused Greensill of “gaslighting” by appearing to discredit evidence given to the committee by crossbench peer Lord Myners, who likened the company to a ‘Ponzi scheme’.

At the start of proceedings, Greensill apologized for the firm’s collapse and the subsequent job losses. He said: “To all of those affected by this, I am truly sorry.”

Last month, Cameron said in a statement that he was “desperately sorry for those affected” by the demise of the company.

https://www.rt.com/uk/523513-uk-finance-watchdog-inquiry-greensill/

VIDEO: Tabloid Host Montel Shows Off Girlfriend Kamala Harris In 2001, Helps Paparazzi Pronounce Her Name

Montel had to instruct paparazzi how to pronounce Kamala Harris' first name

Video footage from 2001 shows daily tabloid television host Montel Williams showing off new girlfriend and former politician Kamala Harris, who at the time was best known for being the ex-girlfriend of San Francisco mayor Willie Brown.

Though Harris has not provided much, if any, commentary on her relationship with Williams when it has intermittently resurfaced in the news, footage from 2001 shows the couple beaming as Williams shows off Harris to the press and instructs them how to pronounce her unusual name.

“Kamala Harris, Kamala Harris,” Williams repeated, emphasizing her first name.

The relationship, which has not received significant coverage by most of the corporate media, was referenced in early January 2021 by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who said, “Kamala Harris, who by the way is the ex-girlfriend of Montel Williams and will be described that way forever after on this show…”

https://nationalfile.com/video-tabloid-host-montel-shows-off-girlfriend-kamala-harris-in-2001-helps-paparazzi-pronounce-her-name/

Georgia Gov. Suspends Gas Tax Through May 15

Georgians don’t have to pay state gas taxes starting from Tuesday until this Saturday, at least. Georgia’s governor is suspending the tax and doing away with many restrictions on trucks transporting fuel.

https://www.ntd.com/georgia-gov-suspends-gas-tax-through-may-15_611424.html