Category: Opinion

With the support of two of Robert F. Kennedy’s sons, California’s parole board voted Friday to give parole to the killer of the former US Attorney General.

Kennedy served as a Massachusetts senator and as US Attorney General during his older brother, John F. Kennedy’s, administration in the early 1960s, according to The Associated Press (AP). Sirhan Sirhan assassinated RFK on June 6, 1968, at the Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel, minutes after he finished his California primary election victory speech.

Douglas and Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. convinced the panel to grant Sirhan parol more than half a century after their father’s assassination, claiming that his release would symbolize RFK’s “commitment to fairness and justice,” the site stated.

“I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face,” Douglas said. “I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I’m grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love.”

“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” RFK Jr. wrote in a letter to the panel.

SAN DIEGO (@AP) — Robert F. Kennedy's assassin granted parole by California board after 2 of RFK's sons say they support his release.

— Stefanie Dazio (@steffdaz) August 27, 2021

Parole was met with widespread criticism from the Los Angeles Police Department and the general public, Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton told the Associated Press. His attorney, Angela Berry, contended that the choice should be made on the basis of the person he is today, rather than his late 1960s acts.

Sirhan reportedly grinned, expressed gratitude to the board, and gave a thumbs-up following the panel’s approval of his 16th parole plea, the station stated. According to the AP, the board’s staff will evaluate the decision for 90 days before transferring it to Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to approve, disapprove, or amend the board’s approval.

Sirhan will spend six months in a transitional home if the governor agrees to the request. He will be obliged to enroll in an alcohol dependency program and receive counseling. Sirhan’s most recent hearing in 2016 determined that he lacked remorse and demonstrated an inability to comprehend the gravity of his crime.

Sirhan testified in 2011 that he has no recollection of shooting Kennedy but did recall being there. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death during his 1969 trial. According to the site, his death sentence was reversed as a result of the California Supreme Court’s 1972 decision to temporarily abolish capital punishment.

Recent evidence coming to light reveals that North Korea has restarted a nuclear reactor capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium.

According to the report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday, the reactor is located in the city of Yongbyon. In the past month, there have been “indications consistent with the operation” of the reactor. One important indicator of the reactor being restarted is the discharge of cooling water at the facility, according to the report.

Leif Eric Easley professor of international studies at Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul theorizes that North Koreans were not intending to be discreet in restarting the nuclear reactor and may be planning to use Yongbyon as a pawn in negotiations.

“But even if Pyongyang is considering returning to negotiations…it may lead off with a missile test rather than diplomatic engagement,” Easley said.

The Reuters’ report cites North Korea’s last nuclear test was in 2017, however, the United Nations no longer has access to the site since being expelled in 2009. The U.N. currently uses satellite images and other methods to monitor facilities in North Korea.

According to the report, there were indications of activity at Yongbyon’s radioactive laboratory from mid-February through July of this year.

“North Korea’s nuclear activities continue to be a cause for serious concern. Furthermore, the new indications of the operation of the 5-megawatt reactor and the radiochemical laboratory are deeply troubling,” the IAEA said.

After what was an hours-long standoff near the U.S. Capital on Thursday, a North Carolina man who claimed to have a bomb in his truck, surrendered to the authorities. The incident led to an immense police presence and the evacuations of several nearby government buildings.

Floyd Ray Roseberry, 49, live-streamed a video voicing a list of anti-government complaints. He’d driven his truck onto a sidewalk outside the Library of Congress where he claimed to have a homemade bomb and threatened to detonate it.

After five hours of negotiation, the standoff was finally resolved when Roseberry crawled out of the truck and was taken into custody.

Authorities searched the truck and no bomb was found. They did however find bomb-making materials in the vehicle.

An interview with Roseberry’s family revealed the recent death of his mother, Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said. “There were other issues he was dealing with”. Manger added.

Roseberry’s ex-wife, Crystal Roseberry, commented that her ex-husband had been an avid collector of firearms but she’d never known him to be interested in explosives.

A student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who was visiting Washinton said she and a friend encountered Roseberry outside the nearby Supreme Court building that morning.

Campell said Roseberry had a stack of money and “He said, ‘Hey, call the police, tell them to evacuate this street, and I’ll give you all this money.” Campbell stated, “I said No! and he threw the money at us and we started running.”

Campell said they saw some nearby officers and told them about the exchange. The officers then confronted Roseberry and that’s when he threatened to detonate a bomb.

This incident is the third time authorities have responded to threats in the Washington area in the past three weeks, Officials have concerns about a planned rally in September.

Trevor Lawrence will make his NFL debut in Jacksonville on September 12 against the Houston Texans as the Jaguars’ starting quarterback.

Lawrence has been contending with Gardner Minshew II for the starting job during training camp and the preseason, but it was just a matter of time before he was granted the chance to be under the center on game day.

“We wanted him to earn it,” Meyer told reporters on Wednesday. “After (Monday) night’s performance — it was good, obviously not great. We didn’t run the ball very well, but I kind of in my mind, after the second preseason that we kind of have to get someone ready to play in three weeks.”

Buy season tickets: https://t.co/PDT52QnNDL

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 25, 2021

The Clemson product had a spectacular collegiate career, leading the Tigers to a National Championship in his freshman season and throwing for 10,098 yards and 90 touchdowns over the course of his three years.

Most expected first-year head coach Urban Meyer to designate him the starting quarterback for week one early in training camp, but Minshew excelled, and Meyer delayed making his decision until Wednesday.

“He’s a much different player than Trevor,” Meyer said of Minshew on Monday. “Trevor’s a down-the-field passer, this guy’s a scramble-around, make-plays guy, but I’ll tell you what he really is, he’s a warrior. And I appreciate warriors. It’s a street fight right now.”

With a new head coach and a new scheme — not to mention the fact that Meyer was coming off a catastrophic 1-15 season — Meyer had no choice but to start Lawrence. The two are inextricably linked, and with Meyer transitioning from the college game, tying your wagon to the draft’s first choice is never a terrible idea.

“The college game and NFL game, in my opinion, it’s never been closer,” Meyer said. “The college player has changed. The NFL scheme has changed. You think about the two of those things, NFL scheme used to be dramatically different than college. And the college player used to be much different — the young kid. Those aren’t young kids anymore. Now, a lot of them are gonna start getting paid, the empowerment that’s gone on in college football, the mindset of a college athlete, especially when you get to the players I was fortunate to have, it’s all about the NFL, make no mistake about it. … The two worlds have probably never been closer. There are differences, but they’ve never been closer.”

Former President Donald Trump issued a statement Thursday afternoon in response to the tragic loss of at least 12 United States service members in Afghanistan.

Trump’s comments came as President Joe Biden has remained silent on the attacks and deaths of US military personnel, despite the fact that he is scheduled to address the American people at 5 p.m. Eastern.

“Melania and I send our deepest condolences to the families of our brilliant and brave Service Members whose duty to the U.S.A. meant so much to them. Our thoughts are also with the families of the innocent civilians who died today in the savage Kabul attack,” Trump said in a statement.

“This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen, which makes our grief even deeper and more difficult to understand,” the former president added. “May God Bless the U.S.A.”

The American people have taken notice of Biden’s silence and are now calling for his resignation.

Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn (TN) called on Biden and other officials to resign or be impeached and removed if necessary. “Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, and General Milley should all resign immediately or face impeachment and removal from office,” she stated.

President Biden has been hiding from the American people for FIVE hours now, according to the House GOP report.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), a veteran, lashed out, saying, “We haven’t heard from President Biden.” White House briefings continue to be rescheduled. [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] tweeted about Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ proposal, but made no mention of the mounting American casualties in Afghanistan. Is this country led?”

As highlighted by The Daily Wire Thursday, 11 U.S. Maries and one Navy medic were confirmed dead from the attacks.

“At least 10 US Service members killed, dozens of Americans wounded in suicide bomb attack at Abbey Gate in Kabul this morning. Death toll of US service members likely to rise: US officials,” Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin said.

“The bombings took place just outside of the airport on Thursday as throngs of people flocked to the airport seeking evacuation from the largely Taliban-controlled country,” Tim Pearce reported. “One reported ISIS suicide bomber hit one of the airport’s main gates, the Abbey Gate. Another explosion struck just outside of Kabul’s Baron Hotel, which has been a gathering place for Americans waiting to be evacuated from the country.”

“The total number of injuries remains unclear, though early reports indicate over a dozen dead and dozens injured,” Pearce explained. “The attacks took place hours after multiple NATO countries suspended evacuation operations citing the possibility of a terror attack. Thousands of people seeking extraction have crowded outside the perimeter of the airport in recent weeks. Taliban checkpoints have blocked most from getting through.”

President Biden and other White House officials have decided not to speak at several upcoming press briefings after a planned attack claimed American lives earlier today.  The White House also canceled a meeting between the President and a group of governors who planned on housing Afghan allies after two explosions devastated the area around the Kabul airport and resulted in the death of several U.S. Marines and an unknown number of Afghans.

The Israeli delegation wasted no time in organizing a meeting that could take place as soon as this evening. Meanwhile, a meeting between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was canceled with no word on when or if it will be rescheduled.

State Department, Pentagon, and White House press briefings were delayed indefinitely as well Thursday, as the Biden administration deals with what many were warning was a possible consequence of its Afghanistan withdrawal strategy. Many have compared the result of the strategy to the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam through Saigon.

No one seems to know if Biden will speak publicly about the devastating attacks.

The White House, meanwhile, has pointed to tens of thousands of people evacuated in recent days as evidence of the success of the U.S. effort, despite the fact that the Afghan government swiftly collapsed under Taliban assault and that the Taliban is preventing many from getting to the airport.

The White House says it will continue evacuation efforts, but a source briefed on the situation in Kabul said it is “[a]lmost a certainty that Americans will be left behind.”

The White House did say that Biden met with his national security team Thursday morning. Among those in attendance according to the White House were Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

The President will continue to receive updates as the situation changes through the day while Vice President Kamala Harris has been briefed on the attacks and appeared in the Situation Room by video chat.

A.J. McCarron’s season was prematurely ended today as the team revealed that he will miss the rest of the year with a knee injury.

The Falcons confirmed on Sunday night that the famed former Alabama quarterback had torn his ACL during a loss to the Dolphins, effectively ending his chances of playing this season.

QB AJ McCarron has a torn ACL and will miss the 2021 season. https://t.co/da1tGqieCi

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 22, 2021

In spite of the fact that McCarron is simply a backup quarterback to Matt Ryan, he is a household name in the football world, having previously played as a standout quarterback for the University of Alabama.

The name McCarron has become highly well-known in the world of college football over the last 20 years due to his accomplishments.

With a torn ACL, he will miss the entire 2021 season and will be out of the league for the rest of the season. Because he is only 30 years old, he has a good chance of making a comeback in the upcoming years.

AJ McCarron — the presumed backup to Matt Ryan — was injured on a non-contact play in Atlanta's preseason game on Saturday.

"Any time something like that happens that’s non-contact, it’s tough when you know what these guys put into it.” — Arthur Smithhttps://t.co/bcuZSTOvc0

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 22, 2021

However, as we all know, recovering from injuries does not become any simpler as one gets older. It’s just going to get harder, and he’s obviously no longer a kid on the block.

A Taliban spokeswoman told Sky News that the group will not accept a possible extension for withdrawal in Afghanistan under the terms of an agreement proposed by President Joe Biden.

In August, the US responded to the quick Taliban capture of Kabul airport by bringing in additional forces to secure the airport and help with the evacuation process. Biden is considering extending the pullout deadline as more people are still needed to be evacuated. Dr. Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the Taliban, responded, “It’s a red line.”

“This is something, you can say it’s a red line,” Shaheen said in a video interview with Sky News. “President Biden announced that on 31 of August they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it, that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that.”

“If they are content on continuing the occupation, so it would provoke a reaction,” he added.

Watch the interview below:

According to Reuters, a Taliban leadership spokesman also stated that foreign forces have not asked for an extension and reiterated the spokesperson’s stance that it would not be allowed.

The U.S. has increased the number of people that need to be evacuated. A recent White House statement notes that between August 22 at 3:00 am and August 23 at 3:00 am, 28 U.S. military flights evacuated 10,400 civilians from Kabul. Also, 61 coalition planes transported roughly 5,900 people from the combat zone in the fight against the Islamic State.

The total number of persons evacuated by the U.S. since August 14 now stands at around 37,000. According to a White House official, about 42,000 people have been evacuated since the end of July.

Some people evacuated, although it is unclear how many of them are Americans. To find out exactly how many Americans are in Afghanistan, the administration has struggled. It has been reported that the Taliban has physically assaulted some U.S. citizens in an effort to prevent them from getting to the airport.

Reports on Thursday debunking Biden’s statement that there is “no indication that they haven’t been able to get to the airport” cast doubt on his remarks on Friday about the deal with the Taliban, in which he welcomed citizens who wanted to leave the country safely.

A record number of physicians marched out of the hospital on Monday morning to protest the excessive occupancy of ICU beds filled with patients who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19, an MSNBC report found. The group of 75 different doctors walked out of their shifts during this instance.

In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the doctors asked that Americans see the value of immunizations, but also overlook potentially inaccurate information regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness. While Florida’s ICU units are reported to be at 85% capacity, a surge of 21% of cases and 28% of hospitalizations occurred in the state during the previous 14 days.

“It’s incredibly frustrating because we know vaccines are safe and effective,” said emergency room doctor JT Snarski in an interview with “Morning Joe” Monday morning. “Vaccines are safe, and we need to get our communities vaccinated.”

So, why haven't they in the past protested and walked out because of fat people?

— Skipping Stone Travels (@stone_skipping) August 23, 2021

According to MSNBC, a number of the doctors walked out of their shifts. While the incidence of flu vaccination in Florida has increased dramatically in the previous month, 72% of Floridians 12 and older currently have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The walkout is part of a rising trend among doctors, particularly pediatricians, who are fed up with patients who choose not to vaccinate their children. According to a recent announcement by an Alabama doctor, he will no longer see unvaccinated patients starting in October.

These doctors are putting Americans at risk for not being willing to treat unvaccinated patients. If the vaccine is so ‘effective,’ then why are they worried about doing their job.

An Afghan Army general claimed Wednesday that the reason his troops were unable to confront the Taliban was largely due to their sense of betrayal by the United States and President Joe Biden, blaming America for being unable to hold their own country.

“It’s true that the Afghan Army lost its will to fight. But that’s because of the growing sense of abandonment by our American partners and the disrespect and disloyalty reflected in Mr. Biden’s tone and words over the past few months,” Afghan General Sami Sadat wrote in a New York Times op-ed.

“The Afghan Army is not without blame. It had its problems — cronyism, bureaucracy — but we ultimately stopped fighting because our partners already had,” he said.

Sadat recounted the Afghan Army’s three-and-a-half-month campaign to keep the Taliban out of Helmand Province. He said that it was not until President Ashraf Ghani summoned him to Kabul and made him commander of Afghanistan’s special forces that the army ceded control to the Taliban.

“But the Taliban already were entering the city; it was too late,” he said.

"We kept fighting," Afghan Army Lt. Gen. Sami Sadat writes. "But then Mr. Biden confirmed in April he would stick to Mr. Trump’s plan and set the terms for the U.S. drawdown. That was when everything started to go downhill." https://t.co/bZMklQaFqw

— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) August 25, 2021

Sadat stated that the US withdrew critical support from the army, leaving the troops helpless.

“It pains me to see Mr. Biden and Western officials are blaming the Afghan Army for collapsing without mentioning the underlying reasons that happened,” Sadat said. “Political divisions in Kabul and Washington strangled the army and limited our ability to do our jobs.”

“Losing combat logistical support that the United States had provided for years crippled us, as did a lack of clear guidance from U.S. and Afghan leadership,” Sadat said.

Sadat stated that his troops continued fighting and that it wasn’t until Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan that things began to deteriorate.

“It put an expiration date on American interest in the region,” Sadat wrote. “Second, we lost contractor logistics and maintenance support critical to our combat operations. Third, the corruption endemic in Mr. Ghani’s government that flowed to senior military leadership and long crippled our forces on the ground irreparably hobbled us.”

The Biden administration announced its decision to withdraw in April with the goal of leaving by Sept. 11 and began implementing the plan earlier this month with an earlier deadline of Aug. 31. As the US began withdrawing and evacuating Americans and vulnerable Afghans, the Taliban took control of a number of places, including the country’s capital of Kabul, in a matter of days, forcing Ghani to abandon the country.