5 Revelations From the Newly Declassified Russia Records
The three lots of records concern the creation, at the behest of President Barack Obama, of an intelligence community assessment (ICA) that featured an allegation that Russian President Vladimir Putin interfered in the presidential election in order to help then-candidate Donald Trump.
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Los Angeles Times
23 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
U.N. investigator says U.S. sanctions over her criticism of Israel will seriously impact her life
ROME — An independent U.N. investigator and outspoken critic of Israel's policies in Gaza says that the sanctions recently imposed on her by the Trump administration will have serious impacts on her life and work. Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, is a member of a group of experts chosen by the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. She is tasked with probing human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories and has been vocal about what she has described as the 'genocide' by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza. Both Israel and the United States, which provides military support to its close ally, have strongly denied that accusation. Washington has decried what it called a 'campaign of political and economic warfare' against the U.S. and Israel, and earlier this month imposed sanctions on Albanese, following an unsuccessful U.S. pressure campaign to force the international body to remove her from her post. 'It's very serious to be on the list of the people sanctioned by the U.S.,' Albanese told The Associated Press in Rome on Tuesday, adding that individuals sanctioned by the U.S. cannot have financial interactions or credit cards with any American bank. When used in 'a political way,' she said the sanctions 'are harmful, dangerous.' 'My daughter is American. I've been living in the U.S. and I have some assets there. So of course, it's going to harm me,' Albanese said. 'What can I do? I did everything I did in good faith, and knowing that, my commitment to justice is more important than personal interests.' The sanctions have not dissuaded Albanese from her work — or her viewpoints — and in July, she published a new report, focused on what she defines as 'Israel's genocidal economy' in Palestinian territories. 'There's an entire ecosystem that has allowed Israel's occupation to thrive. And then it has also morphed into an economy of genocide,' she said. In the conclusion of the report, Albanese calls for sanctions against Israel and prosecution of 'architects, executors and profiteers of this genocide.' Albanese noted a recent shift in perceptions in Europe and around the world following an outcry over images of emaciated children in Gaza and reports of dozens of hunger-related deaths after nearly 22 months of war. 'It's shocking,' she said. 'I don't think that there are words left to describe what's happening to the Palestinian people.' The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people captive. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians but says more than half the dead are women and children. Nearly 21 months into the conflict that displaced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people, the United Nations says hunger is rampant after a lengthy Israeli blockade on food entering the territory and medical care is extremely limited. Zampano writes for the Associated Press.
The Hill
23 minutes ago
- The Hill
Texas GOP unveils new planned congressional map
Texas Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for new congressional maps as a redistricting battle heats up across the country. The maps are expected to create five new House seats that President Trump won by double digits in November. Trump had pressed Lone Star State Republicans to redraw the lines to protect the party's narrow 219-212 House majority in next year's midterms. State Rep. Todd Hunter (R) filed the proposal as Texas lawmakers met for a special session. The maps could endanger Democrats' efforts to take back the lower chamber next year. In response to the moves in Texas, Democrats in California and elsewhere have floated their own redistricting possibilities, heating up a redistricting war ahead of the midterms.
The Hill
23 minutes ago
- The Hill
70 years later, an alarm against nuclear proliferation rings louder than ever
It feels like we're living in unprecedented times. Political divisions rack the U.S. and the world. The war between Ukraine and Russia has brought unforeseen advances in drone warfare. The foreign policy arena feels like a powder keg dangerously close to open flames. Of course, over the last few weeks, we've all been reminded of the terrifying reality of nuclear weapons following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran's nuclear program. Questions about these weapons are once again on the minds of policymakers and the public. Though it may feel like new territory, we may look to the past to help us navigate these turbulent times. This month marks the 70th anniversary of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, written in the wake of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, when the U.S. and Soviet Union were racing to create even more destructive weapons. In this context, philosopher Bertrand Russell and physicist Albert Einstein crafted a powerful statement transcending political ideologies, group identities and national borders. Their message was simple yet powerful: 'Remember your humanity, and forget the rest.' They warned of the calamity of nuclear war. After the invention of the atomic bomb, war was no longer about fortifications and sieges. It was no longer a question of winners and losers but of 'will any of us be left?' Humanity faced the threat of extinction. Though memories of the Cold War are quickly fading, we must acknowledge that the world Russell and Einstein warned against persists and is, in some ways, more worrisome now. Nine governments are known to possess nuclear weapons. Nuclear arsenals have unfathomable destructive power. As the recent events in Europe and the Middle East demonstrate, these weapons are still a threat. Given these realities, many suggest the manifesto's vision of international cooperation and nuclear disarmament was naïve. But this misses the point. The manifesto never said the path to disarmament or peace would be easy. Instead, it noted that the renunciation of nuclear weapons and the abolition of war were the keys to human survival. The fact that this vision hasn't been achieved does not invalidate it as an aspiration; it makes it more urgent. What can be done to address this urgency? One step would be for the nuclear powers to credibly announce a no-first-use policy. To date, only China and India have formally committed to refrain from using nuclear weapons in initial strikes against others. The other nuclear powers could adopt a similar policy. The U.S. and Russian governments could reinvigorate the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START Treaty) which seeks to limit nuclear capabilities. The Russian government suspended participation in New START in February 2023 in response to tensions over Ukraine. The treaty is set to expire in February 2026. Though governments got us into this mess, governments alone can't get us out. Politicians have a weak incentive to consider reducing, if not altogether abolishing, nuclear weapons absent sufficient pressure. The same goes for governments seeking to obtain them. The Russell-Einstein Manifesto inspired many to take up the cause of nuclear disarmament. The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs brought together scholars from many disciplines to discuss peaceful solutions to conflict. These types of gatherings are still needed. But the real solution is everyday people. Nuclear weapons may seem beyond our control, but the ideals and opinions of citizens may be the most critical factor in limiting them and war. Ordinary citizens could be the source of pressure that pushes their governments in the right direction. This is not a utopian dream. Historian Lawrence Wittner highlights the crucial, yet often overlooked role that citizen-based organizations have played in limiting the spread and use of nuclear weapons. But for this to work, citizens must take an interest and recognize their power over their governments. At the heart of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto was a straightforward, yet powerful question: 'Shall we put an end to the human race; or shall mankind renounce war?' As we recognize the 70th anniversary of its publication, we would all do well to reflect on our answer. Abigail R. Hall is an associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa and a senior fellow at the Independent Institute. Christopher J. Coyne is a professor of economics at George Mason University and a senior fellow at the Independent Institute. They are the coauthors of the book ' How to Run Wars: A Confidential Playbook for the National Security Elite.'
