Source: Deadline
“Five Al Jazeera journalists were killed today by an Israeli airstrike near Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital. Among them was prominent Arabic correspondent and frontline news reporter Anas al-Sharif, who — alongside Bisan Owda — received Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender Award in December of last year. Colleague Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa were also killed, the network said. Two additional people were also killed, including a journalist from another outlet. … According to multiple media outlets, Israeli military said it targeted al-Sharif specifically, claiming he ‘served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas’ and ‘was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.'” (08/10/25)
https://deadline.com/2025/08/five-al-jazeera-journalists-killed-israel-anas-al-sharif-1236483281/
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Joseph Varon
“Organ transplantation is, in theory, one of the great achievements of modern medicine. When practiced ethically and transparently, it has saved countless lives. But like so many institutions corrupted by profit and policy, it has drifted far from its original mission. In 2024 alone, over 45,000 organ transplants were performed in the United States. That number should inspire hope — but instead, it invites scrutiny. A substantial portion of those organs were harvested under ethically ambiguous conditions, including donation after circulatory death (DCD) and questionable determinations of brain death. The line between patient and donor is blurrin — and not in a way that honors either.” (08/09/25)
https://brownstone.org/articles/the-moral-cost-of-modern-transplant-medicine/
Source: We Are Libertarians
“The 8 Core Principles of Libertarian Thought.” (08/08/25)
https://www.chrisspangle.com/p/foundations-of-liberty-001-the-8
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“In a social media post on Sunday, Donald Trump has demanded homeless residents of Washington DC leave the country’s capital or face eviction, and again promised to use federal officers to jail criminals, even though violent crime in the city was at a 30-year low when he took office in January. ‘The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Sunday morning, shortly after being driven from the White House to his golf club in Virginia. ‘We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital.’ The post was illustrated with four photographs, all apparently taken from the president’s motorcade along the route from the White House to his golf course.” (08/10/25)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/10/trump-homeless-golf-course-washington-dc
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“On August 7, the Gainesville, Florida city commission voted to make three pedestrian crosswalks less visible, and the pedestrians using them less safe, under threat of funding cuts from Florida’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency.’ Why does Florida DOGE want to put Gainesville residents at higher risk of injury or death? If you have to ask why, the answer is usually ‘money,’ and saving money sounds like a reasonable focus for a ‘government efficiency’ project. But that’s not the case here. The costs of painting the crosswalks were borne by a local non-profit. The costs of making the crosswalks less safe will be borne by the taxpayers Florida DOGE supposedly works for. The real answer is ‘politics.'” (08/09/25)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/19863
Source: Sky News [UK]
“Three people were killed in Russia by Ukrainian attacks overnight, local authorities have reported, with Russian drones also striking Ukraine. It comes ahead of Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin on Friday.” (08/11/25)
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-latest-putin-trump-meeting-alaska-summit-zelenskyy-russia-nato-missiles-talks-ceasefire-12541713
Source: Quillette
by Benny Morris
“Netanyahu launched his anti-judiciary campaign — which, in Orwellian fashion, he has dubbed ‘judicial reform’ — three years ago, following the start of his trial on charges that include bribery and fraud and that, if convicted, could land him in jail. Since the Attorney-General has the power to end the legal proceedings, by replacing Baharav-Miara with a personal stooge, Netanyahu could escape prison. Many Israelis view the behaviour of the Netanyahu family over the years, and especially since the start of the current war, as symptomatic of the corruption of the country’s norms and values. The family has spent millions of dollars of treasury money on renovations to their private residences in Jerusalem and Caesarea, citing ‘security requirements.’ And then there is the behaviour of Netanyahu’s two sons: Yair (aged 35) and Avner (aged 30).” (08/09/25)
https://quillette.com/2025/08/09/the-most-corrupt-government-in-the-west-israel-netanyahu/
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“The US justice department has filed a subpoena ordering New York Attorney General Letitia James to testify about her civil fraud investigation into President Donald Trump, sources have told US media. James won a civil case against Trump in 2023 – before he returned to office – that accused him of overvaluing his properties in order to take out loans with favourable terms. He is currently appealing against the judgment. No charges have been filed against James. Both her office and Trump argue the other has abused their investigative powers. James’ office has also received another subpoena regarding her investigation of the National Rifle Association, according to CBS, the BBC’s US partner. The investigation into James is being led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, CBS reports.” (08/09/25)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0qwp9n1qqo
Source: The Daily Economy
by Peter C Earle
“The new levy rattled global markets, but that may be just the beginning. History teaches us to be wary when the government targets gold.” (08/08/25)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/trumps-39-tariff-on-gold-revenue-grab-or-prelude-to-revaluation/
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“Police in London arrested at least 365 people Saturday for supporting Palestine Action at the latest and largest protest backing the group since the government banned it last month under anti-terror laws. The Metropolitan Police said it made the hundreds of arrests, thought to be one of the highest ever at a single protest in the UK capital, for ‘supporting a proscribed organisation.’ It also arrested seven for other offences including assaults on officers, though none were seriously injured, it added. The government outlawed Palestine Action in early July days after it took responsibility for a break-in at an air force base in southern England that caused an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft.” (08/09/25)
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250809-uk-arrests-200-backing-banned-pro-palestine-group
