The anti Trump culture has a big problem: BORING!

LOGIC; Jason Howerton @jason_howerton · Jun 8 For every liberal claiming Trump is being a “dictator” for trying to restore order from violent radicals in LA, I have a challenge for you: Go to Mexico, attack their police force, set a car on fire, and hoist the American flag in the air. Report back on how it goes.

I climbed the stream so dark and moonlit by stealth upwards to the cave, cave lit with torches, deep echoing cave of delight, rubies and gold I came for, the passions of her, dancing deeper, till fading fast flashing disappeared.

Dems can't always be right, and we got thinking caps on! Speaker Mike Johnson @SpeakerJohnson · 31m Only American citizens should decide the outcome of American elections. Yet the D.C. City Council has made it clear they actually want noncitizens and even foreign actors to have an equal say in choosing a mayor and other local public officials in our nation’s capital. As the constitutional authority overseeing the District, House Republicans stand firm against this un-American decision which undermines the rule of law and the core principles of our republic. Quote Rep. August Pfluger @RepPfluger · 44m ✅ PASSED: My bill to prohibit noncitizens from voting in DC elections just passed the House! It's common sense: Only American citizens should be able to vote in U.S. elections!

Art doesn't always hold your hand and make you feel good. Sometimes it takes you into the fire so you can learn things.

Prediction of the day? INTERNET DISASTER WILL NOT BE SEEN. Shifts in reality are going to hit internet cultures hard.

The Daily Beast Newsletters Crossword SUBSCRIBE LOG IN ALL Cheat Sheet Media Obsessed Royals Politics Opinion Power 100 Innovation U.S. News Scouted HOMEPAGE World Why Bamboozled Putin Is Struggling to Avenge Ukraine’s Sneak Attack HUMILIATION Spoiler alert: He doesn’t have a clue how to respond. Marcel Plichta Marcel Plichta Updated Jun. 9 2025 8:55AM EDT Published Jun. 9 2025 7:18AM EDT fb icon twitter icon email icon reddit icon MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MAY 28: (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin touches his earphone during a Russian-Yemeni meeting at the Kremlin on May 28, 2025 in Moscow, Russia. President of Yemen Rashad al-Alimi began an official visit to Russia on Tuesday. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images) Contributor/Getty Images Ever since Ukraine’s devastating drone attack on Russian strategic bombers, the Kremlin has been trying to figure out a fitting response. Ukraine initially claimed 41 Russian aircraft were hit in the sneak June 1 attack on deep-lying airbases, though subsequent satellite imagery suggests fewer airframes may have been damaged or destroyed than initially thought. 1/2 The video player is currently playing an ad. Nevertheless, the blow is significant enough to Russia’s bomber fleet that President Vladimir Putin has to respond to save face. But while Russia has stepped up nightly drone and missile attacks at Ukrainian cities—framed as “revenge”—Putin has not been able to ease the sting of Russia’s lost aircraft. KHARKIV, UKRAINE - JUNE 4: Rescue workers extinguish a fire on a civilian enterprise in the Novobavarskyi district struck by a Russian drone on June 4, 2025 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. At night, the Russian army attacked the Novobavarskyi district of Kharkiv with combat drones and missiles, resulting in destructions and fires in industrial and residential areas. (Photo by Viacheslav Mavrychev/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) Russia has stepped up its nightly strikes on towns and cities across Eastern Ukraine since the sneak attack. Global Images Ukraine/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Putin’s Trump Strategy in Tatters After Epic Humiliation NOT DEAD YET Marcel Plichta Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin photo illustration “Operation Spider’s Web,” as the secret Ukrainian operation was dubbed, was a big enough deal to feature in a lengthy call between Putin and President Donald Trump, who blithely claimed that Putin “will have to respond” to the attacks. Trump himself reportedly thought the Ukrainian operation—using drones assembled in Russia itself and hidden in trucks—was “bad-ss,” then later suggested Ukraine’s precision strike on military aircraft justified subsequent Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Trump’s view is firmly rooted in the idea that both sides are at fault, like a messy schoolyard brawl, even though Russia clearly started the conflict with its invasion of Ukraine. Trump’s comments aside, Russia’s major problem is one of optics: Ukraine’s attack was focused solely on Russian military targets; Russia’s attacks, both before and after Spider’s Web, are more often than not aimed at civilian targets like apartment buildings. The difference in approach reflects a major feature of the war: that Ukraine is fighting off the Russian military, while Russia is fighting against the Ukrainian people. Ukraine Drone Attack. Russia locator map Map Illustration by Eric Faison/The Daily Beast Responding to a military disaster by causing a humanitarian disaster will do little to convince observers other than Trump that Russia’s strikes are in any way justifiable. At previous points in the war when Russia has suffered a military setback—the loss of its Black Sea Fleet flagship, for example, or a bombing attack on the Kerch Bridge—Putin’s response has been predictable: a large-scale retaliatory strike on Ukrainian cities to draw the headlines away from their embarrassment. Part of the problem this time is that Russia was already in the middle of an escalation, launching ever more brutal drone and missile attacks on apartment blocks and other civilian targets in Ukraine in an apparent bid to soften the Ukrainians up for Trump’s “peace talks.” Putin’s post-Spider’s Web drone attacks against Ukraine’s cities were indeed huge, with more than 800 kamikaze drones sent over the border in the following days. The attack on Sunday June 8 was the largest to date, using 479 Shahed-style drones. That broke a record that had been broken four times already in the past few weeks, most recently on the same day as the Spider’s Web attack on Russian airbases. Ukraine Blindsided Trump With Huge Drone Attack on Russia NO CARDS TO PLAY Tom Sanders WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 28: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Zelensky are meeting today to negotiate a preliminary agreement on sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources that Trump says will allow America to recoup aid provided to Kyiv while supporting Ukraine’s economy. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) An additional complication for Russia is that many of the planes that would launch missiles at Ukrainian civilians were themselves damaged in the Ukrainian attack. They have other bombers that could do the role, but these are in various states of modernization or are more expensive to operate. Russia’s recent use of Iskander missiles, which are launched from the ground instead of by air, strengthen the impression that Russia’s bomber fleet is at least temporarily unable to launch the dozens of missiles it could in the past. Putin is taking his military insecurity out on Ukrainian civilians and is threatening the nascent peace process. Russia and Ukraine have had tense negotiations in Istanbul, which are widely considered a step forward even if they have not yet achieved results beyond prisoner swaps. Ukraine had repeatedly suggested a 30-day ceasefire, which Russian officials have so far rejected. Putin told reporters last week that Kyiv “does not need peace” and that Ukraine is relying on terrorism, even though the attacks struck military targets at a time of war. The charred remains of TU-95 strategic bombers at the Belaya airbase in Siberia The charred remains of TU-95 strategic bombers at the Belaya airbase in Siberia Maxar/DigitalGlobe/Getty Images For now, the initiative in the drone war is with Ukraine. In addition to Spider’s Web, Ukraine’s long-range drones have continued to hammer Russian military infrastructure. Last Friday Ukrainian drones struck an oil depot that supplies one of Russia’s major airbases. Ukrainian officials have also promised more covert operations like Spider’s Web, forcing Russian authorities to slow down commercial shipping across the country to conduct mass searches for stowaway drones. Putin Snubs Trump Peace Plea and Will Hit Back at Ukraine NO BACKING DOWN Sarah Ewall-Wice President Donald Trump has remained out of the public eye this week, but he revealed in a post that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, June 4. Russia may not be moving fast enough to stop more attacks. On Saturday, drones hidden aboard a Russian military reportedly destroyed dozens of armored vehicles and tanks. While commentators discuss just how much Ukraine’s sneak attack may have changed war in general--a few thousand dollars worth of drones destroying an estimated $7 billion of hardware--the question remains as to how it will change this war. If Ukraine can pull off more audacious strikes against the Russian air force, then it will pose a serious challenge to Putin’s war effort and Russia’s ability to threaten NATO. If Ukraine opts for their more traditional long-range strikes against oil facilities and airfields, then the damage to Russia’s military and finances will be more gradual. The implications for Russia’s ongoing summer offensive along the front lines are also unclear. Russia’s use of its bombers to strike Ukraine’s cities means that knocking them out might only indirectly benefit Russia’s frontline troops. Even so, Ukraine’s successes, such as shooting down one of Russia’s most advanced fighter jets at the weekend, point to their resilience in the face of Putin’s renewed onslaught. As Russia grapples with the fallout from Spider’s Web, it will have to face some hard realities. Ukraine’s ability to strike Russia has expanded dramatically since 2022 and shows no sign of slowing down. Even as Putin and others claim that they cannot negotiate a peace with Ukraine, the continuing degradation of Russia’s economy and military capability may yet force the Kremlin boss to the table. Marcel Plichta Marcel Plichta Plichta_Marcel plichta.marcel@gmail.com Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

Ukraine rates fourth in the number of people recognized as "Righteous Among the Nations" for saving Jews during the Holocaust, with 2,673 individuals recognized as of December 2024.

Middle East Tensions The Latest Gaza Aid Chaos Israel Bombs Beirut Outskirts Gaza Cease-Fire Talks Iran-U.S. Talks Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Palestinian Authority President Says Hamas Must Exit Gaza Mahmoud Abbas gave assurances to President Emmanuel Macron of France, who has set conditions for possible recognition of a Palestinian state at a U.N. conference next week. Listen to this article · 5:43 min Learn more Share full article A man in a dark suit and tie sits in front of a microphone with his left hand raised and a finger pointed in the air. Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Ramallah in April. Credit...Zain Jaafar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Roger Cohen By Roger Cohen Reporting from Paris June 10, 2025 Updated 2:08 p.m. ET Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, has called for Hamas to “hand over its weapons,” immediately free all hostages and cease ruling Gaza, the French presidency said on Tuesday after receiving a letter from him. The letter was addressed to President Emmanuel Macron of France and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who will jointly chair a U.N. conference in New York next week to explore the creation of a Palestinian state. Mr. Macron has set a number of conditions for the possible French recognition of such a state at that meeting, including the disarmament of Hamas. “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian security forces,” Mr. Abbas said in the letter, according to a statement from the Élysée Palace. He added that the Palestinian forces would oversee the removal of Hamas with Arab and international support, an undertaking that is certain to provoke skepticism in Israel, and probably also in Washington. “Hamas must immediately release all hostages and captives,” the letter said, reiterating a demand that Mr. Abbas has made before. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT A bitter feud has divided Mr. Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, and Hamas in Gaza for many years. The rival factions in the two Palestinian territories have defied several attempts at reconciliation, something that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has seized on to dismiss a two-state solution. Mr. Abbas condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people in some of the strongest terms that he has used, calling it “unacceptable and reprehensible.” Image Armed men in camouflage military uniforms and green headbands with a man in front of them, dressed in black, raising a “V” for victory sign. Members of Hamas handing over an Israeli hostage, in February.Credit...Saher Alghorra for The New York Times He equivocated in his first statement a few days after the attack, which also involved the abduction of about 250 hostages. He said then that he rejected “killing civilians or abusing them on both sides.” But he has sharpened his tone recently. Israel responded to the attack with a devastating war that has killed almost 56,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local authorities, who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The toll and imposition of a blockade, now partially lifted, in the territory have provoked growing international outrage, including among European states like France and Britain little inclined to sharp criticism of Israel in the past. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Responding to another condition Mr. Macron has set for recognition of a Palestinian state, Mr. Abbas committed to reform the Palestinian Authority, which is notoriously corrupt and ineffective. He also affirmed his intention to hold presidential and general elections within a year, under international auspices. Mr. Abbas, 89, has made such commitments before without fulfilling them. He has cited various reasons, including difficulties with voting in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed. No Palestinian presidential election has been held for three decades. Israel is fiercely opposed to French recognition of a Palestinian state and has been dismissive of the conference next week in New York. Like the United States, it has not indicated whether it will attend. Tensions between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Macron have risen sharply in recent weeks, with Israel accusing Mr. Macron of leading “a crusade against the Jewish state.” Editors’ Picks How to Be an Artist How Healthy Is Chicken Breast? The Jeweler to Reality TV Stars SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT While other European states, including Spain and Ireland, have recognized a Palestinian state, the heft of France is particular because it is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, is the only nuclear power in the European Union and is home to the largest Jewish community in western Europe. Image Two men walk down stairs. One on the left is dressed in a dark suit and tie and the one on the right in an open collared black shirt. President Emmanuel Macron of France, left, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in Jerusalem in 2023. Israel opposes French recognition of a Palestinian state.Credit...Pool photo by Christophe Ena In 2012, France voted in favor of granting Palestinians the status of nonmember observer state at the United Nations, but it has resisted full recognition. Responding to the letter, the French presidency said that it welcomed “concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move toward the implementation of a two-state solution.” Discussion of a two-state outcome, dormant for several years before the Hamas attack, has undergone a strange rebirth with Gaza in ruin, the growing Israeli presence in the West Bank nearing half a million settlers, and mistrust between Israeli and Palestinians particularly acute. Mr. Macron, who is near paralyzed on the domestic front because of a deadlocked Parliament, has made the pursuit of an Israeli-Palestinian peace a core objective. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Mr. Abbas said he had no intention of forming a “militarized” state and was ready to accept the deployment of “Arab and international forces as part of a mission of stabilization and protection, under a mandate from the United Nations Security Council.” He also said that he was prepared to conclude a peace agreement within a clear timeline that “ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues.” Israel, under a right-wing government, has been hostile to the idea of the Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza but has not offered any alternative. France has been pointed in trying to distinguish its diplomacy from previous efforts by Washington. It is unclear what Mr. Macron will decide on recognition of a Palestinian state. He is being lobbied by advisers on both sides, with supporters of recognition arguing it is the only way forward, and opponents saying it would reward terrorism. Roger Cohen is the Paris Bureau chief for The Times, covering France and beyond. He has reported on wars in Lebanon, Bosnia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Gaza, in more than four decades as a journalist. At The Times, he has been a correspondent, foreign editor and columnist.

1. A person on Harvard faculty warned about attacking Jews to other faculty, and now she is proven correct. (I have the paper work from the comment section that was closed) My thoughts: Magnificant Moon God @viollessa · Jul 14, 2024 2. Harvard paper found admitted not only racism and antisemitism, but "Immorality." Examples: Plagerism, Black lives promoted to the exclusion of attendence of Jews and Asians. No SAT or Merit needed. Also incredible evidence of indoctrinazion. Woke somehow pro Hamas. WTF? 3. Heritage Foundation @Heritage · Jun 6 Harvard was asked to comply with the law—stop racially discriminating and admitting foreign students who are hostile to America—but the Marxists who now control the once great American university simply can’t bring themselves to do so. The school must be held accountable.