“We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable. Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate. We call on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. This must include engaging with the UN to ensure a return to delivery of aid in line with humanitarian principles. We call on Hamas to release immediately the remaining hostages they have so cruelly held since 7 October 2023.

The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law. We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli Government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate. Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law.

Israel suffered a heinous attack on October 7. We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism. But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.

We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.

https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2025/05/19/joint-statement-leaders-canada-united-kingdom-and-france-situation-gaza

Even before President Trump was re-elected, the Heritage Foundation, best known for Project 2025, set out to destroy pro-Palestinian activism in the United States.

In late April, the Heritage Foundation dispatched a team to Israel to meet with power players in Israeli politics, including the country’s foreign and defense secretaries and the U.S. ambassador, Mike Huckabee.

The conservative Washington-based think tank is best known for spearheading Project 2025, a proposed blueprint for President Trump’s second term that called for reshaping the federal government and an extreme expansion of presidential power.

Now the Heritage contingent was in Israel, in part, to discuss another contentious policy paper: Project Esther, the foundation’s proposal to rapidly dismantle the pro-Palestinian movement in the United States, along with its support at schools and universities, at progressive organizations and in Congress.

Drafted in the wake of Hamas’s attack on Israel in 2023 and the mounting protests against the war in Gaza, Project Esther outlined an ambitious plan to fight antisemitism by branding a broad range of critics of Israel as “effectively a terrorist support network,” so that they could be deported, defunded, sued, fired, expelled, ostracized and otherwise excluded from what it considered “open society.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/us/project-esther-heritage-foundation-palestine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.IE8.flVv.FFTunXMvBkIO&smid=nytcore-android-share

What happens when the media obsesses over one old man… while ignoring another one who is far more demented? A darkly funny, bittersweet tune with a sunset shuffle and fireworks finale. Americana. And yes, thanks to AI, Biden has an amazing collection of misspelled Delaware sweatshirts.

Kyle Griffin
‪@kylegriffin1.bsky.social‬

BREAKING:

The GOP-led House Budget Committee just voted to reject Trump's big budget bill — an embarrassing setback for Republicans.

Five conservative hardliners joined all Democrats in voting against the bill.

May 16, 2025 at 12:15 PM

BREAKING:

The GOP-led House Budget Committee just voted to reject Trump's big budget bill — an embarrassing setback for Republicans.

Five conservative hardliners joined all Democrats in voting against the bill.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1.bsky.social) 2025-05-16T16:15:13.849Z

CNN will exclusively televise actor George Clooney’s record-breaking Broadway show “Good Night, and Good Luck,” on Saturday, June 7, the network announced Thursday.

The limited-run play’s penultimate performance from the Winter Garden Theatre in New York will air live on CNN and CNN International and stream on CNN.com at 7 p.m. ET.

“This announcement marks a historic Broadway first: never before has a live play ever been televised,” the network said in a news release.

The show is an adaptation of the 2005 movie Clooney directed of the same name and is based on veteran journalist Edward R. Murrow’s work and tension with Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1950s.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/15/entertainment/george-clooney-broadway-play-cnn-televise