#SCOTUS on Fri sided w/a Texas man who challenged a federal #law enacted during the Trump admin that #outlawed#BumpStocks, devices that greatly increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic #weapons.
The 6-3 ruling invalidates the #ban on bump stocks put in place following the 2017 mass shooting at a music festival in #LasVegas & finds that the #ATF exceed its #authority when it issued the ban in 2018.
The #UnitedStates is actively weighing whether to lift one of #POTUS#Biden’s longest-held precautionary measures of the #Ukraine war: a ban on the use of #US provided #weapons for offensive strikes inside #Russia.
The reassessment is a byproduct of Russia’s renewed cross-border assault on #Kharkiv, a chorus of pressure from #EU ofcls & a visit to Kyiv by Secy of State #Blinken that reinforced the peril facing Ukraine….
After a sobering trip to #Kyiv, Secy of State Antony J. #Blinken is urging #POTUS#Biden to lift some restrictions on how Ukraine can use American arms.
The Telegraph headline on Palestinian refugees is in essence identical to how rightwing British tabloids wrote about Jewish refugees when Britain denied them safe refuge during the Holocaust.
These institutions are dedicated to White supremacy at all costs. They view us as disposable nonhumans.
Any PoC and/or Jew who thinks these people are on their side is wrong. They may temporarily pretend to not hate Jews or Ukrainians or whoever but that’s all it is: temporary.
The #Republican-led UnitedStates House of
Representatives passed a bill on Thurs that would force President Joe #Biden to send weapons to Israel, seeking to rebuke the Democrat for delaying bomb shipments as he urges Israel to do more to protect #civilians during its war w/ #Hamas.
WSJ reports that the #Biden administration notified Congress on Tuesday that it was moving forward with more than $1 billion in new #weapons deals for #Israel.
Facing Russian Advance, a Top Ukrainian General Paints a Bleak Picture
#Ukraine’s forces are stretched thin & have minimal reserves to draw on, the chief of #military#intelligence said, in addition to shortages of #weapons.
“The situation is on the edge,” Gen Kyrylo Budanov, head of #Ukraine’s #military#intelligence agency said…from a bunker in Kharkiv. “Every hour this situation moves toward critical.”
His assessment echoed…other Ukrainian officers…, the country’s military prospects are dimming. Besides being outnumbered, Ukrainians face critical shortages of #weapons, esp artillery ammo, & $60.8B worth of arms from the #US —approved 3 wks ago after months of gridlock in #congress —has barely begun to arrive.
Following the #Biden administration's announcement that the US will withhold large bombs and artillery shells if Israel moves into a full invasion of Rafah, #Netanyahu asserted Israel's readiness to proceed independently into the crowded city.
“If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails,” declared Netanyahu in a video statement.
Israel has reached out to US Senators to condemn Biden's decision and demand the immediate reinstatement of #weapons to Israel, with some senators even calling for Biden's impeachment over this move.
“#Civilians have been killed in #Gaza as a consequence of those bombs & other ways in which they go after population centers,” #Biden said in an interview airing Wed evening on CNN, referring to 2k-pound #bombs supplied by the #US “I made it clear that if they go into #Rafah — they haven’t gone in…yet — if they go…, I’m not supplying the #weapons that have been used historically to deal …with the cities….”
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell sent a letter to President Biden expressing “alarm” and concern about the decision “to pause” a weapons shipment to Israel.
They also asked for clarification by the end of the week.
Biden confirmed in an interview that US munitions used by Israel have killed Palestinian civilians.
The #Biden admin paused the shipment of thousands of weapons to #Israel, including controversial 2k-pound bombs, amid mounting concern about the country’s plan to expand a military operation in southern #Gaza that could dramatically increase the conflict’s death toll, U.S. ofcls said Tues.
But in recent days, it became clear to the #Biden admin that “Israeli leaders seemed to approach a decision point on such an operation,” forcing Washington to initiate its review of proposed transfers.
Despite the pause, the #IDF has enough #weapons supplied by the #US & other partners to conduct the #Rafah op if it chooses to cast aside US objections, the 1st ofcl said.
…powerful pro-Israel interest groups including the American Israel Public Affairs Cmte… is spending tens of millions …this #election cycle to unseat #Democrats it views as insufficiently pro- #Israel.
#Republicans assailed news of a delay in #weapons approvals as a “reprehensible” betrayal. “The #UnitedStates must stand with Israel. Period,” said Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC).
Russian ofcls claimed the order was in response to comments from the West about the possibility of more direct involvement in #Ukraine. #NATO called the announcement “irresponsible.”
The announcement of the exercise was Russia’s most explicit warning in its >2yr #invasion of #Ukraine that it could use tactical #NuclearWeapons there.
In the middle of the raging war in #Gaza, the Swedish Armed Forces orders a new weapon system for the Jas 39 Gripen for SEK 390 million.
The target seeker system is manufactured in Israel by a state-owned company and is currently being used in airstrikes against Palestine to guide bombs against civilian targets.
The International Court of Justice has refused to order #Germany to stop sending #weapons and aid to Israel, rejecting a request from #Nicaragua.
Nicaragua brought the case arguing that by providing arms and other support to Israel, Germany is failing to prevent possible genocide against Palestinians in Israel's war with #Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
So much for genocide presentation. Once again we witness the impunity of the apartheid genocidal regime of Israel and it's global network of supporters.
#Nuclear deal in tatters, #Iran edges close to weapons capability
Six years after the #Trump administration withdrew from the Iran nuclear accord, Tehran is rapidly accumulating enriched #uranium, some of it very close to weapons grade. Experts fear that a #bomb could be a short dash away.
6 years after the #Trump administration’s controversial decision to withdraw from the pact, the restraints have fallen away, one by one, leaving #Iran closer to #nuclear#weapons capability than at any time in the country’s history, according to confidential inspection reports & interviews w/ officials & experts who closely monitor Iran’s progress.
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a key ally of Joe Biden, has signed a letter from dozens of congressional Democrats to the US president and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging a halt to weapons transfers to Israel.
It marked the 1st time #Biden has indicated a willingness to reassess his unwavering support of #Israel’s campaign in #Gaza, as pressure grows among prominent #Democrats to condition #weapons sales to Israel as the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 32k, acc/to the Gaza Health Ministry. #POTUS’ rhetoric has grown increasingly sharp regarding Israel’s handling of the crisis, but until now he had not directly warned Israel of #consequences if it does not change course.
The Australian government has been accused of being secretive about its defence exports to Israel, as calls grow internationally for countries to suspend arms transfers that could be used to commit human rights abuses in Gaza.
Senate hearing heard that 52 defence permits were granted to the Israeli government in 2023 alone, and more than 350 were granted since 2017.