NATO nation rebuffs Ukraine’s missile plea

Finland cannot risk its own readiness to meet Kiev’s demands, Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen has said

Published 10 Aug, 2026 08:16 |

Finland will not hand over more of its air defense missiles to Ukraine, Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen has said, insisting that Helsinki cannot risk its combat readiness amid tensions with Russia.

Speaking to Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat on Saturday, Hakkanensuggested that the upcoming winter will be difficult both for NATO and Ukraine, predicting that Moscow will once again target Ukrainian energy infrastructure with new missile and drone strikes.

Ukraine has already intensified pleas for more air defense missiles, particularly US-made Patriot interceptors, as Russia continues its strikes on military-related facilities and logistics.

Earlier this month, Vladimir Zelensky admitted thatUkraine is struggling to down Russian ballistic missiles“simply because there are no interceptors for the Patriot system=.”

Hakkanen stressed thatthe burden of Ukraine’s Patriot shortage lies chiefly with US production capacityand the stockpile decisions of European states that own Patriots, and not with Finland, which does not have the American-made system.

The minister said that while Finland has “a certain level of capability in certain anti-aircraft missiles,”he “will not disclose any further details about the mechanisms by which we support Ukraine.”

“We have done everything we can to our advantage, but as a frontline country we cannot jeopardize our continued readiness in terms of air defense,” he said.

Hakkanen also argued that “the biggest factor that would help Ukraine at the moment would also be some kind of solution and end to the Iran war,” which has been burning the US stockpile of various missiles.

Finland has previously adopted numerous aid packages for Ukraine, including air defense assets,, though it withheld the specifics, citing operational security.

While Ukraine has struggled with Patriot stockpiles, the Financial Times reported last week thatUS President Donald Trump rejected Zelensky’s request for hundreds more Patriot interceptors, citing depleted US stocks needed for the Middle East. Despite an initial pledge to grant Ukraine a Patriot production license, he soon walked back the promise, citing the sensitivity of the move.

Several NATO members that own Patriots, includingRomania, the Netherlands, and Poland, have also signaled that their capacity to help Kiev is exhausted.

Moscow has consistently denounced weapons deliveries to Ukraine, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome. It has also cast such shipments as “direct participation” in the hostilities.

(https://www.rt.com/news/644054-finland-rebuffs-ukraine-missile-plea/

Good every country in Europe is running out of weapons to give Zelensky and Kiev.

Netanyahu defies Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Israel will not withdraw troops from Gaza until Hamas fully disarms, the prime minister has said

Published 9 Aug, 2026 21:38 |

Israel has rejected US President Donald Trump’s 15-point peace plan for Gazaand will not withdraw troops from the Palestinian enclave until Hamas is completely disarmed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

The roadmap was published last month as part of efforts by the Trump-led Board of Peace to end the Gaza conflict.It calls for Hamas to relinquish control of Gazaand for its weapons tocome under the authority of a Palestinian administration. The process would be linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal and independently verified before each new stage begins.

“I want to be clear:Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said during a meeting with cabinet members.

“The IDF will not withdraw in any way until Hamas is disarmed… We are talking about complete disarmament, not a fictitious disarmament,” he said. Israel is discussing the issue with the US and will “stand firm”against provisions it finds unacceptable, Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu also reiterated that he would not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state, “neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank.”

Trump announced the deal on July 30, describing it as a “historic agreement” on the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave.

“Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Hamas said it had agreed in principle but insisted that it would not disarm until the IDF had completely withdrawn from the enclave.

The 15-point roadmap seeks to advance the unresolved elements of Trump’s original 20-point peace plan, which produced the October Israel-Hamas ceasefire but later stalled over issues including the group’s disarmament and further Israeli withdrawals.

Trump’s Board of Peace was established following the announcement of the ceasefire as a body tasked with overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction, supervising the transfer of civilian governance to a Palestinian technocratic committee, andcoordinating the deployment of an international stabilization force.

However, continued Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,258 people in Gaza and wounded more than 4,100 since the ceasefire was announced, according to local health authorities.

Russia has maintained that the only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict isthe creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

(https://www.rt.com/news/644045-netanyahu-nixes-trumps-gaza-plan/

Massachusetts removes gestational limits on abortion

Massachusetts governor passes controversial abortion bill allowing terminations up to birth

https://www.dailymail.com/health/article-16044311/massachusetts-governor-maura-healey-abortion-law.html

Police and Federal Govt use of Flock Cameras Under Scrutiny

August 11, 2026 | Sundance |

Back in 2013 and 2014 we shared the story of a man returning to Florida was stopped by police in Maryland who asked him for his firearm. When the Floridian asked the Maryland police how they knew he owned a firearm, things got sketchy. {Go Deep} The event kicked off a constitutional discussion.

A few years later in 2015 the Wall Street Journal reported on a national federal database that was using Automatic License Plate Readers (APLRs) to capture and store the travel of millions of Americans {SOURCE}.

Now we fast-forward a decade and that federal database is now being exploited by local police around the nation to keep track of ordinary persons of interest to their community who travel outside their jurisdiction. This is where the Flock Cameras come into the discussion. WATCH:

The same government interests who dismiss our concerns about privacy are the same govt interests who point out how horrible China and Iran are for monitoring their citizens on CCTV systems.

Man discovers how many times cops scanned his license plate

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/

A growing number of law enforcement officers face discipline or arrest for misusing the surveillance tool, raising concerns over shrinking public oversight.

FULL INVESTIGATION:

7:34

(https://youtu.be/wtUkCvF3fa4

Former Air Force Secretary To Sue Over Clearance Revocation, Air Force One Leak Accusation

Former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said Monday that he was suing the Trump administration, after the Department of Defense revoked his access to classified information for allegedly leaking classified information regarding the Qatar-gifted Air Force One.

Kendall told CNN that he had learned of the revocation through a tweet by the Department of Defense, saying he intended to sue and had hired national security attorney Mark Zaid to represent him against the government. “More to come,” said Zaid in a post on X confirming his hiring.

a Friday post on his official X social media account, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell accused Kendall of “unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet”, claiming that the Pentagon had revoked his “eligibility for access to classified information and his ability to hold any sensitive position”.

Kendall told the Associated Press late on Friday that he was “completely mystified” by the accusation. “No one has said anything to me about what I’m asserted to have revealed and I can’t imagine what it could be”.

While Kendall had overseen the VC-25B program building replacements for the VC-25As used to transport the President as part of his role leading the Department of the Air Force, he left the post in January 2025, with the Qatari royal family gifting the Boeing 747-8 to the United States following a state visit by Donald Trump in May 2025….

(https://www.overtdefense.com/2026/08/11/pentagon-accuses-former-air-force-secretary-of-leaking-air-force-one-information/

Judge Pauses Rollout of N.Y.C. Second-Home Tax, Dealing Blow to Mamdani

A group of homeowners had sued the city, arguing that the introduction of the tax was mishandled. After the judge issued an order pausing the rollout, the city said it would appeal.

The fight over a contentious tax on the second homes of wealthy New Yorkers intensified on Monday when a judge ordered a pause on its rollout, and the administration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani vowed to appeal within hours.

The judge, Wayne M. Ozzi of State Supreme Court on Staten Island, issued a temporary restraining order after a group of homeowners sued the city last week, arguing that the rollout was being mishandled.

The tax, proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul and backed by Mr. Mamdani, was lauded by supporters as delivering on the mayor’s promise to “tax the rich.”

It was supposed to generate some $500 million annually for the city, which faces a budget gap. While the judge on Monday was not asked to rule on the legality of the tax itself, his order threw a wrench into those plans, at least for now.

Randy Mastro, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs and a longtime critic of Mr. Mamdani, said in a statement that Justice Ozzi’s decision “vindicated the rights of hundreds of thousands of New York City homeowners who were subjected to a process they never should have been a part of in the first place.”

(https://archive.ph/gaQy9

Aug 9, 2026 -

Politics & Policy

Trump to Axios: "We are low-keying it" with Iran. 1/2

image

Barak Ravid

President Trump signaled on Sunday that he's prepared to allow economic pressure on Iranto mount — as opposed to ordering a new military offensive — even as the country continues to defy the U.S.

Why it matters: Only a week ago, Trump was on the verge of ordering a return to major combat operations. But in an interview with Axios, he did not make any new military threats.

Trump also didn't express any anger or frustration about the fact that Iran has been holding up an announcement on a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, Iran issued a new list of demands to allow shipping through the strait.

What he's saying: "We are low-keying it," Trump said during a brief phone call.

"We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money."

He stressed that Iran "is in very bad shape" economically and has no money to pay its troops. The U.S. naval blockade has exacerbated the Iranian regime's economic crisis, Trump said.

At the same time, Trump said that with oil down to slightly over $75 a barrel,U.S. consumers are feeling less pain from the war.

"It will work out. It always works out.It's like a chess game," Trump said of the back-and-forth with Iran.

Driving the news: An agreement governing traffic in the Strait of Hormuz was negotiated among Iran, Oman and the U.S. and has been pending for a few days now.

As part of the new deal, Iran would be given partial control over traffic in the strait — something it didn't have before the war.

Qatari and Pakistani mediators were confident the deal would be announced Wednesday, but since then its prospects have seemed to fade.

U.S. officials also say there are growing disagreements inside the Iranian regime. One camp, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, isextremely worried about an economic collapse and believes Iran needs to reach a deal with the U.S.. Another led by the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi,rejects any concessions.

State of play: On Saturday, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, laid out new terms for reopening the strait — on top of those negotiated in the Oman agreement.

https://www.axios.com/2026/08/09/trump-iran-interview

>>24925157

2/2

Zolghadr said in a statement that in order for the strait to reopen, the U.S. must:

"[N]ever threaten nor insult Iran in any language." ???

"[P]ermanently end the war against Iran and Iran's allies in Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, and Iraq."

Lift the naval blockade and withdraw military forces from the surroundings of Iran

He added a demand for full compensation for war damages, lifting all sanctions and the release of all Iranian frozen funds.

Until several weeks ago, these demands were a prerequisite for a nuclear deal.Now, Iran is presenting them as conditions just for reopening the strait.

A diplomat from one of the mediating countries said Zolghadr's statement reflected the political infighting within the regime.

Behind the scenes: U.S. officials said Trump was leaning toward resuming major combat operations against Iran a week ago but was convinced to de-escalate for now.

One of the officials said the fighting allowed the Iranian regime to avoid dealing with the consequences of the war, the damage to infrastructure and the deep economic crisis that has been created.

When Iran isn't engaged in war, it is forced to confront a grim reality with no real solutions at hand, the U.S. official said.

At the same time, the U.S. official said, around 8 million barrels of oil are going out of the Gulf every night through the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the U.S. military. The U.S. is going to try and get more oil out as long as there is no deal.

What to watch: "This thing is not over. It's obviously not at the beginning.We're in the middle of the game, and we're applying a whole host of tools — diplomatic, economic, military tools — to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people," Vice President Vance told Fox News on Saturday

https://www.axios.com/2026/08/09/trump-iran-interview

Dem governor booed at Virginia Old Fiddlers' Convention

Virginia Republicans say chilly receptionis fallout from failed redistricting push.1/2

August 11, 2026 11:58am EDT

Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanbergerwas greeted by a chorus of boos at the Virginia Old Fiddlers' Convention over the weekend, as the governor faces sagging poll numbers and lingering political fallout from Democrats' failed push to redraw the commonwealth's congressional map.

Spanberger was met with boos after she was introduced and stepped to the microphone at the longtime Galax gathering,where musicians and spectators were marking the convention's 90th year.

Video from the event showed a chilly reception from portions of the crowd as theDemocratic governor took the stage for about half of a minute.

Spanberger later highlighted her visit in a social media video but made no mention of the boos.

"I'm in Galax. We just went to the Old Fiddlers' Convention and I joined community members at the Poor Man's Dinner," Spanberger said. "It was an incredible time. There was great food, great music, and great community."

Spanberger's political standing has slipped just months into her first year in office. A July Virginia Commonwealth University poll found 44% of registered voters approved of her job performance while 47% disapproved, an unusually weak showing for a new Virginia governor, according to the university's pollsters.

Spanberger has also emerged from abruising battle over mid-decade redistricting. The governor backed a Democratic effort that could have dramatically reshaped Virginia's congressional delegation.Voters narrowly approved the proposal in April on the back of a reported $70 million ballot campaign, but the Supreme Court of Virginia later struck down the effort in a 4-3 ruling, findinglawmakers had failed to follow required constitutional procedures. The existing congressional map remained in place.

For Spanberger, a former congresswoman who campaigned for governor as a pragmatic moderate focused heavily on affordability, the Galaxappearance offered Republicans another opening to argue that her early months in Richmond have alienated some of the voters she pledged to represent.

Republican Del. Tom Garrett, who represents Virginia’s 56th District,said the chilly reception was warranted and pointed back to the wasteful redistricting fight.

"She campaigned, and she was asked about doing a mid-decade redistrict to grab power and take voices away from people outside of Northern Virginia," Garrett told WSET. "She said she wouldn't do it and then she led the charge."

Republican Del. Wren Williams, whose district includes Galax, also praised the crowd for making its displeasure known.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-governor-booed-virginia-old-fiddlers-convention

>>24925199

2/2

"If you think about the affordability agenda that has been run on and that she has championed, where are the results of that?" Williams said.

"And we know the millions of dollars spent trying to disenfranchise the exact individuals that she is now trying to come and pander."

The governor’s office struck a far different tone when asked about the visit, saying Spanberger and her husband, Adam, enjoyed their time at both the convention and the Poor Man’s Dinner.

"Governor Spanberger and her husband Adam had a wonderful time at the Old Fiddlers’ Convention and Poor Man’s Dinner in Galax this weekend — talking to many community members, enjoying the music and festivities, and celebrating the convention’s 90th year," her office said in a statement.

"The Governor is grateful to all those who work year after year to make this event a success and a point of pride for all Virginians."

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger's office for a response to the boos, but has not yet heard back.

The Old Fiddlers’ Convention is a longstanding Galax tradition that draws musicians and visitors for bluegrass and old-time music performances and competitions.

The episode also highlighted a geographic challenge for Democrats in Virginia. Spanberger won the governorship by 15 points last November, but the chilly reception in Southwest Virginia offered a vivid reminder of the resistance she continues to face outside the Democratic strongholds of Northern Virginia and other population centers.

Eric Mack is a breaking news reporter and writer Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET, with a particular interest in stories that lead the news cycle on politics, elections, foreign affairs and government.

(https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-governor-booed-virginia-old-fiddlers-convention

Democrats have a MESS on their hands: Former RNC chair

Former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel discusses Democratic candidates’ struggle to connect with Midwestern voters and analyzes Francesca Hong’s campaign on ‘America Reports.’

6:54

https://youtu.be/9NtEZNO_Bsk

Trump signs executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines, falsely linking shots to autism

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order backing fewer routine vaccines for kids, calling to whittle down the number of recommended childhood shots to 11 while falsely tying immunizations to autism.

The order builds on the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the childhood shot schedule under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic.

“This updated recommendation finally aligns the United States with other advanced and developed nations around the world,” Trump said during a briefing on Monday. “More importantly, it aligns us with common sense and knowledge.”

He also falsely tied vaccines to autism, suggesting multiple times that rising rates of childhood shots have led to an increase in autism diagnoses. Decades of scientific evidence has shown no link between autism and childhood vaccines.

He also called for splitting the combination measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine into three separate single-disease shots.

“The MMR we want to have separate visits, separate times. The vaccine being broken into three separate single doses and vaccines being administered in separate visits,” Trump said.

The order also directs the Department of Justice to investigate where states are in violation of exemptions for childhood vaccine mandates, including parental authority and disability accommodations as well as religious and medical reasons.

It’s not the first time the administration has taken aim at the MMR vaccine and the related MMRV shot, which adds the varicella vaccine to inoculate against chickenpox. Last year, a key vaccine advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also weakened recommendations for the MMRV shot for children under age 4.

But some health experts say that splitting up the shot raises the chance of missed appointments and skipped immunizations because it requires more doctor visits. Speaking to reporters after signing the order, Trump acknowledged it may be hard for some parents to take a child to the doctor multiple times, but argued it would be worth it.

“It’s inconvenient, it’s five stops, but it’s something that I think will have a huge impact on autism,” he said.

There is no scientific evidence that combining the shots leads to higher autism risk.

Asked if he has any concerns about parents being able to afford multiple co-pays for doctor’s visits, Trump said “we’re going to work with the families” to help them afford the costs, without saying specifically how.

The White House also confirmed that changes in vaccine recommendations would not change insurance coverage for the shots.

Trump’s executive order comes as the U.S. logs its worst year for measles infections in decades. Vaccination rates for children have fallen since the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/10/trump-vaccine-executive-order-autism.html