FEMA is allegedly out of money, even though it received $20 billion from a spending bill two weeks ago. Meanwhile, a monster hurricane is heading for Western Florida. However, they had a billion dollars to house people here illegally. It gets worse. The focus for this administration is on hurricane equity. Yes, we are now […] The post Monster Storm, FEMA Pennyless & Focus Is on Hurricane Equity appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

According to Jack Phillips at The Epoch Times, Hurricane Helene will likely keep Trump supporters in 25 North Carolina counties from voting. Twenty-five counties are disaster zones. They are mostly Republican or Independent. Western North Carolina and huge areas of the Appalachian Mountains were damaged or wiped out. Mail will probably not be delivered and […] The post Voting in NC Republican Areas Is in Grave Danger appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Vice President Kamala Harris faced a wave of backlash over the weekend for touting the Biden-Harris administration’s plan to send money to Lebanon while Americans were still reeling from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in the southeastern United States. Even as the true breadth of the damage is still unknown — and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has revealed they don’t have enough funds to last through the remainder of hurricane season — Harris took to X to announce more than $150 million in aid for Lebanon. “The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there,” she posted. “To that end, the United States will provide nearly $157 million in additional assistance to the people of Lebanon for essential needs such as food, shelter, water, protection, and sanitation to help those who have been displaced by the recent conflict. This additional support brings total U.S. assistance to Lebanon over the last year to over $385 million.” The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there. To that end, the United States will provide… — Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 5, 2024 Critics pushed back, arguing that it was tone-deaf to send money out of the country when there were so many Americans still just trying to survive, much less put the pieces of their lives back together after losing everything. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! “This has to be fake. Even Kamala Harris, the gold standard of stupid, isn’t stupid enough to post this. Certainly not while North Carolinians are pulling the bodies of their neighbors from the wreckage. It’s simply inconceivable,” actor James Woods posted. This has to be fake. Even Kamala Harris, the gold standard of stupid, isn’t stupid enough to post this. Certainly not while North Carolinians are pulling the bodies of their neighbors from the wreckage. It’s simply inconceivable. https://t.co/3RWcFtGqmG — James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) October 6, 2024 “Please tell me there is a town called Lebanon, North Carolina?” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) added. Please tell me there is a town called Lebanon, North Carolina? https://t.co/6QISAjVnXZ — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 6, 2024 Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) added, “Can’t make this stuff up. Americans are dead and devastated after the Hurricane. Waiting for relief. Kamala’s admin has depleted our FEMA funding to resettle illegal aliens in the country and she posts this …” Can’t make this stuff up. Americans are dead and devastated after the Hurricane. Waiting for relief. Kamala’s admin has depleted our FEMA funding to resettle illegal aliens in the country and she posts this…. https://t.co/EcZyofb9VI — Eli Crane (@EliCrane_CEO) October 6, 2024 “Yep. Her team actually posted this while hundreds are still missing or feared dead in Western North Carolina. This is rightfully the ratio to end all ratios. Amateur hour. Again,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted. Yep. Her team actually posted this while hundreds are still missing or feared dead in Western North Carolina. This is rightfully the ratio to end all ratios. Amateur hour. Again. https://t.co/VyX2ORwnUy — Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) October 6, 2024 “People say she has no political talent but it takes an enormous amount of political talent to be both anti-Israel and anti-hurricane survival victims in a single statement,” conservative pundit Stephen L. Miller said. People say she has no political talent but it takes an enormous amount of political talent to be both anti-Israel and anti-hurricane survival victims in a single statement. https://t.co/awwkLkuaq9 — Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) October 6, 2024 Political consultant Noah Pollak added even more context, saying, “Lebanon is controlled by Iran and its terrorist group Hezbollah. When she brags about giving $385 million in US taxpayer money to “Lebanon,” what she means is she is giving $385M to Iran — on top of all the hundreds of billions Biden-Harris has given them already.” Lebanon is controlled by Iran and its terrorist group Hezbollah. When she brags about giving $385 million in US taxpayer money to "Lebanon," what she means is she is giving $385M to Iran — on top of all the hundreds of billions Biden-Harris has given them already. https://t.co/Fs43WefGlq — Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) October 6, 2024

A year after the October 7 attack against Israel, nearly 100 hostages captured by Hamas have not been returned, and many of those are presumed dead.  Of the roughly 251 hostages taken by the terrorist group on that day, officials say that 64 are still being held alive alongside the bodies of another 33 of whom are deceased. The other 154 hostages have been either rescued or released, or their bodies have been recovered.  Seven American citizens, including four still believed to be alive, are still in Hamas custody, including Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein, and Gadi Haggai. Siegel (65), Dekel-Chen (36), Alexander (20), and Neutra (22) are all believed to be living, while Chen (19), Weinstein (70), and Haggai (73) are believed to be dead.  The body of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old American-Israeli taken by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival, was recovered last month in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. During a rally in New York City’s Central Park on Sunday calling for the release of the remaining hostages, Edan Alexander’s parents spoke about the pain of their son’s situation.  “It’s a day-to-day struggle. We are in an upside-down world, but we have to stay focused. We have two more kids to raise and just to stay strong for our kids. We have no choice,” Adi Alexander told CBS News.  His mother, Yael, said that the last time she spoke with Edan, he told her that the situation in Israel was worsening.  “He told me even though things were already getting dangerous around him. That was the last time I heard my son’s voice. I cannot describe the pain of not knowing where your child is or how he is,” she said.  Other family members have spoken about how they have not been able to move on since their loved ones were captured.  “A whole year in which time has stopped. I’m still on the same day,” Shai Wenkert, whose son was kidnapped from the music festival, told The New York Times. Tomer Keshet, who had family taken by Hamas, said he was frustrated with the lack of progress.  “It is a horrible feeling to meet these people who have major influence all over the world and not get our family back,” he told the Times.  President Joe Biden issued a statement on Monday. “I have met the families of the hostages and grieved with them,” he said. “They have been through hell. My Administration has negotiated for the safe release of more than 100 hostages, including Americans. We will never give up until we bring all of the remaining hostages home safely.” Memorials and rallies for the hostages are planned for Monday around the world.

After President Biden had warned Israel not to strike Iranian nuclear sites or oil fields after the terror state had fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant responded by declaring that Israel would do whatever it felt was necessary. “At the moment, everything is on the table,” Gallant told Fox News on Sunday. “Israel will respond to the unprecedented Iranian attack in the manner of our choosing, and at the time and place of our choosing.” Gallant’s comments came after President Biden warned Israel against hitting Iran’s oil fields. “If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden told reporters Friday. Former President Trump criticized Biden’s comments while campaigning in North Carolina on Friday, saying, “They asked him, ‘what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran?’ And he goes, ‘As long as they don’t hit the nuclear stuff.’ That’s the thing you want to hit, right?” The Biden-Harris administration has repeatedly attempted to curb Israel’s response to Iran’s aggression through its proxies and direct attacks. Over the weekend Vice-President Kamala Harris was asked on CBS’ “60 Minutes” if she considered Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ally, and dodged the question, replying, “I think, with all due respect, the better question is, do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is yes.” In his statement to Fox News on Sunday, Gallant spoke of his hopes that Israel could still work with the United States military, saying, “It is important for us to hold discussions on strategic cooperation between our countries and defense cooperation in light of the threats posed by Iran and its proxies. We are powerful when we are aligned and I want to make sure of it.” Gallant spoke of terrorists arrayed from Gaza in the south to Judea and Samaria as well as Hezbollah — the largest terrorist group in the world which was planning an invasion of Israel far more deadly than the October 7 Hamas massacre  — in the north. “We have conducted counterterrorism activities in northern Gaza and in Judea and Samaria, following intel indicating that terrorists were planning Oct. 7-style attacks on Israeli citizens,” he continued. “We will operate precisely and preemptively when necessary in order to defend our citizens. … Israel has made extraordinary achievements against Hezbollah – we will do what it takes to defend our citizens and our sovereignty. This includes eliminating their attack capabilities, taking out leadership, and placing a weapons embargo on Hezbollah.” Gallant told CNN that Israel’s war against Hezbollah has “dismantled a major part of their capabilities” and made a crack that now opens the door to change not just in Lebanon, but in the entire Middle East.”

Hurricane Milton, which is moving east across the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to hit Florida later this week, has strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). NWS said on Monday morning that data from two hurricane tracking airplanes shows sustained wind speeds of 150 mph, which moves Milton into a Category 4 storm. According to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, sustained winds of 157 mph or higher will move a hurricane from Category 4 to Category 5. Forecasters warn that Milton could maintain Category 4 strength when it makes landfall in the Tampa Bay area either late Wednesday or early Thursday morning, CBS News reported. …MILTON RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES INTO A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE… Data from both Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Milton has strengthened to a category 4 hurricane. The maximum sustained winds are estimated to be 150 mph (240 km/h). Milton is a category 4 hurricane on the… pic.twitter.com/ANN9TnR3zS — National Weather Service (@NWS) October 7, 2024 Milton’s path is also expected to include Orlando, Florida, before it moves to the state’s Atlantic coast and eventually out into the Atlantic Ocean by Thursday evening. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 Florida counties on Sunday, and mandatory evacuations have been issued for some zones in the Tampa Bay area as of Monday morning. “Impacts will be felt across the Florida peninsula, as Milton is forecasted to exit Florida’s east coast as a hurricane,” DeSantis said on Sunday, adding, “Floridians should prepare now for potential impacts, even if you live outside of the forecast cone. We recommend following all evacuation orders from your local officials.” Hurricane Milton’s path is somewhat unusual, forming in the Gulf of Mexico before moving eastward, but similar paths have been recorded in the past, most recently in 1998. “It’s not uncommon to get a hurricane threat in October along the west coast of Florida, but forming all the way in the southwest Gulf and then striking Florida is a little bit more unusual,” said Hurricane Center specialist Daniel Brown. 4 AM CDT Monday: Here is a look at the watches and warnings in effect for Hurricane #Milton. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for portions of the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Hurricane, Storm Surge, and Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for portions of… pic.twitter.com/rqu33rfUwB — National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 7, 2024 Milton is forecasted to hit Florida just two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall in northern Florida before moving into Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina, causing catastrophic flooding and damage and killing more than 200 people. While Helene made landfall in northern Florida, the Tampa Bay area saw massive storm surges and high winds, which caused severe damage from St. Petersburg to Clearwater. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! Following the devastation caused by Helene, the Biden-Harris administration was blasted for an apparent lack of response in the storm’s immediate aftermath. After Helene hit multiple states, whistleblowers accused the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) of misappropriating funds while leaving first responders on the ground without orders.