Syria: Blast at Damascus cafe kills nine

Source: BBC News [UK state media]

“A bomb blast at a crowded cafe in central Damascus has killed at least nine people and injured 22 others, Syrian state media say. The interior ministry said an explosive device was planted inside the cafe, which is located only 100m (330ft) from the Palace of Justice, a major government building in the capital’s Hejaz district. There was no immediate claim from any group for the attack. It was the deadliest bombing in Damascus since a suicide attack on a church in June 2025 killed 25 people. A shadowy jihadist group, Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, said it was behind that bombing, but authorities blamed the Islamic State (IS) group.” (07/02/26)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0vwxyz40zo

Thomas L. Knapp

They Fearmonger About “Communism” Because They Can’t Oppose Real Problems

Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone

“As self-styled ‘democratic socialists’ make some advancements in blue states, Republicans have launched a renewed fearmongering campaign about the urgent threat of ‘communism’ — an ideology with no meaningful political existence in the United States. At a speech on Wednesday, President Trump said that ‘communism is the greatest threat to our country’ and would lead to ‘the ultimate annihilation of civilization’. This is just the latest in a string of rhetoric from the president as he tries to drum up fear about progressive Democrats to prevent massive losses in the midterms. Democratic socialist politicians are still a small minority in US politics, and conflating them with communists is absurd. Communism seeks the complete dismantling of capitalism and the imperialist world order it holds in place at gunpoint, while western ‘democratic socialists’ typically just seek a gentler, more photogenic capitalist empire where things like healthcare and public transportation are funded by taxes.” (07/02/26)

https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/07/02/they-fearmonger-about-communism-because-they-cant-oppose-real-problems/

Steve Trinward

US Filings for Jobless Aid Fall to 215,000 as Layoffs Remain at Historically Healthy Levels

Source: US News & World Report

“U.S. applications for jobless aid inched down last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending June 27 fell by 1,000 to 215,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 225,000 new applications forecast by analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.” (07/02/26)

https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2026-07-02/u-s-filings-for-jobless-aid-fall-to-215-000-as-layoffs-remain-at-historically-healthy-levels

Thomas L. Knapp

Ether and solana extend gains as a short squeeze lifts Bitcoin toward $62,000

Source: CoinDesk

“Ether and solana led crypto higher on Friday as a squeeze on bearish traders pushed bitcoin toward $62,000, capping the market’s first genuinely strong week since mid June. Bitcoin traded around $61,360, up 2.5% over seven days, per CoinDesk data. Ether rose 4.2% in 24 hours to about $1,702 and is up 9.7% on the week, while solana held near $80 with a weekly gain of 18.6%, the strongest among the majors. XRP added 5.7% over the week to $1.09 and Hyperliquid’s HYPE rose 5.1% on the day. Traders betting against crypto lost $281 million to liquidations over the past 24 hours, against $159 million in longs, out of $440 million in total forced closures across 95,690 traders, according to Coinglass data.” (07/03/26)

https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/07/03/ether-and-solana-extend-gains-as-a-short-squeeze-lifts-bitcoin-toward-usd62-000

Thomas L. Knapp

America’s rich tradition of July Fourth protest is worth recalling

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
by M Todd Bennett & David McKean

“No Kings and other protests opposing the policies and executive overreach of the Trump administration continue to draw crowds across the country, most recently on Flag Day, June 14, which was also the president’s 80th birthday. While critics have denounced these demonstrators as un-American — House Speaker Mike Johnson called a 2025 No Kings march a ‘hate America rally’ — those voicing dissent, pushing for change and speaking truth to power are, in fact, participating in a tradition at our nation’s core. That tradition dates back to July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress, citing a list of grievances, declared independence from the rule of a would-be despot, King George III.” (07/02/26)

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/july-fourth-protest-20260702.html

Thomas L. Knapp

The Declaration of Independence Versus America’s Immigration Police State

Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger

“This week — the week in which Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence — U.S. immigration police arrested a Catholic nun in McAllen, Texas, as she was walking to Mass. They handcuffed her, confiscated her rosary, and incarcerated her. But before anyone reacts too harshly to such misconduct, let’s keep in mind some important points. It is the responsibility of the U.S. immigration police to keep us safe. Who’s to say that woman was really a nun? She could easily have been a Muslim fanatic disguised as a nun who was invading America to establish a worldwide caliphate and Sharia law. Indeed, she could have been a terrorist, drug dealer or, even worse, both — a narco-terrorist!” (07/02/26)

https://www.fff.org/2026/07/02/the-declaration-of-independence-versus-americas-immigration-police-state/

Thomas L. Knapp