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.

New York Democratic congressional candidate Mondaire Jones violated federal law by failing to properly disclose income earned from CNN appearances and work with leftist organizations, according to a complaint filed by a government watchdog on Monday.  The complaint alleges that Jones, who is challenging Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District, omitted several sources of earned income on his most recent financial disclosure that he included in an original financial disclosure covering a similar time period. This income included payments for CNN appearances as well as work with Democrat-aligned PAC Future Forward USA Action and Demand Justice, a left-wing group that wants to drastically change the Supreme Court.  The complaint was filed with the House Committee on Ethics by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a nonprofit organization that promotes transparency in politics.  In his first financial disclosure from August 4, 2023, Jones noted that he had earned $34,022 as a CNN contributor, a $123,237 salary from Future Forward USA Action, $10,000 in consulting fees for Demand Justice, and $150 article payment from The Nation. His second financial disclosure from May 15, 2024, which was supposed to cover the period beginning January 1, 2023, left out his income from CNN, Future Forward, The Nation, and Demand Justice. The only income Jones included was $12,000 from Mondaire Jones for Congress for 2024. Jones also omitted from his second disclosure that he was a member of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), something that was included in the August 2023 filing. “Unfortunately, two facts indicate that this was an intentional omission,” the complaint from FACT says. “First, the majority of information he omitted was related to political organizations or organizations that have positions with which voters may disagree. Second, in August and September 2024, Jones’ campaign was contacted by a reporter on three separate occasions asking about the information missing from his 2024 filing. Jones not only failed to respond, but he has yet to correct his filings.”  The complaint says that the discrepancies were likely “a strategic political calculation,” and that Jones, a former congressman, likely understood how financial disclosures work. FACT asked for the House Ethics Committee to launch an investigation and impose any appropriate sanctions.  Jones did not respond to requests for comment on the discrepancies.  Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! FACT executive director Kendra Arnold told The Daily Wire that the discrepancies were a “clear” instance of something the House should investigate.  “It is imperative financial disclosures represent the facts, not what the candidate wants the public to know—they are not political documents,” she said. “Any ethics violation is problematic, but violations committed for advantage in electoral politics should have an increased sting to the American people. The financial disclosure laws are of utmost importance and cannot be manipulated or disregarded for political gain.”

When Kris Kristofferson passed away a little over a week ago, hearts from all around the world broke. During his decades long career, he was able to change the trajectory of country music, helping create the subgenre of outlaw country. It’s no wonder, then, that ever since the news of his passing, friends, family, and fellow artists alike have paid tribute to the late and great Kris Kristofferson. As you may know, Kristofferson and fellow country legend, Willie Nelson, were quite close with one another. As a result, Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, had the privilege of growing up alongside the late singer. When Kristofferson passed, Lukas made a heartwarming post about him. Now, he’s honoring Kristofferson again — but this time, with Miranda Lambert by his side. @musicmayhemmagazine.com @Miranda Lambert and @Lukas Nelson & POTR honored the late Kris Kristofferson with a cover of Merle Haggard’s “Silver Wings” at Music For Mutts, a @MuttNation benefit concert. #MirandaLambert #Miranda #CountryMusic #CountryGirl #PostcardsFromTexas #MuttNation #Dogs #CountrySinger #Country #Nashville #MusicCity #MusicForMutts #LiveMusic #CountryConcert #Concert #Texas #Puppy #ItTakesBalls #MerleHaggard #LukasNelson #kriskristofferson #coversong #tribute #countrysong #music #hero ♬ original sound – Music Mayhem On Saturday, country artists gathered in Nashville for an event called Music for Mutts. This benefit concert raised money for Lambert’s nonprofit, MuttNation Foundation. She founded it in 2009 as a way to help rescue animals and shelters. So, when she and Lukas joined the stage, they chose to honor Kristofferson in a unique way — with Merle Haggard’s Silver Wings. Miranda Lambert and Lukas Nelson Pay Tribute to Kris Kristofferson With a Merle Haggard Classic You may be wondering: Why wouldn’t they sing a song by Kristofferson? For one, the late singer was a big fan of Haggard’s music. But did you know that Haggard, Nelson, and Kristofferson could have been in a group together? Imagine that! Haggard, however, chose to decline. But there was never any bad blood between them. Instead, they supported each other’s individual endeavors. It’s so fitting, then, that Lambert and Lukas would honor Kristofferson in this way. “Instant tears every time I hear this song,” a fan shares in the comments, with another adding, “Country music still has a future with these two!” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Miranda Lambert Joins Willie Nelson’s Son For Touching Kris Kristofferson Tribute — With A Twist! appeared first on InspireMore.

A post shared on X claims to show Tel Aviv, Israel on fire after being hit by Houthi drones. ?? Tel Aviv on fire after Yemeni suicide drones have successfully hit their targets ? #Lebanon #Iran #Yemeni #Israel pic.twitter.com/oqEOLqdLxY — KHAWAJA DANISH?? (@danishkhawaja08) October 3, 2024 Verdict: False The video is from June 2022. It has […]

The image was shared online long before Nasrallah’s death.

Witness history, ladies and gentlemen

'Would be the largest win for a Democratic presidential candidate'

A viral video shared on X purports to show Israeli soldiers celebrating the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The Israeli fighter jet pilot returns to base after successfully eliminating #Nasrallah. pic.twitter.com/7SZCUbZ8Us — Megh Updates ?™ (@MeghUpdates) September 28, 2024 Verdict: False The claim is false, as the video was originally shared on X in […]