Andrew Dominik’s Blonde was extremely polarizing upon its launch in 2022, and the director nonetheless doesn’t perceive why audiences didn’t prefer it. “I don’t understand,” Dominik mentioned throughout a dialog with French producer Ronald Chammah on the Marrakech Movie Competition (through Selection). “[I was] shocked by the response. It’s form of a horror movie, and I suppose that’s what individuals didn’t anticipate. However I prefer it.“
Why Was Blonde So Controversial?
Blonde is a fictionalized interpretation of the life and profession of Marilyn Monroe, performed by Ana de Armas. The movie was going to be controversial it doesn’t matter what, merely as a result of its NC-17 score. Blonde comprises graphic scenes of sexual abuse, and plenty of felt it was an exploitative and dehumanizing have a look at the enduring actress.
Critics and audiences had been break up on the movie. Our personal Chris Bumbray was a fan, however admitted that Blonde is an “incredibly tough watch” and ranks as “one of the most intense, upsetting films in recent years.” However, in the event you’ve received the abdomen for it, “it’s also a great work of art, and kudos to Netflix for allowing Dominik to make something so uncompromising.” You possibly can learn the remainder of his evaluate proper right here.
Ana de Armas earned an Academy Award nomination for her efficiency, but in a testomony to how polarizing the movie proved to be, it additionally walked away with Worst Image on the Golden Raspberry Awards.
Andrew Dominik Credit Brad Pitt for Saving Him from “Director Jail”
Brad Pitt starred in Dominik’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (certainly one of my absolute favorite films) and Killing Them Softly. He additionally produced Blonde. When requested about his relationship with the actor, Dominik credit Pitt with saving him from director’s jail.
“Brad is the reason I’ve worked,” Dominik mentioned. “It’s like, I make a movie after which they put me in director jail. After which Brad comes right down to the parole board and says, ‘Look, he’s realized his lesson. He’s going to make one thing a bit extra user-friendly this time.’ He protects me … I’m actually fortunate to have a friendship like that.“
As for what’s subsequent for Dominik, the director teased that he has “two completely different things” within the works. “One is, I’d like to make a religious film or a spiritual film, and the other is I’m completely fascinated by AI as a generative visual tool and what could be done with that,” he mentioned. “That has no limits to it. … One is a really uncooked movie that’s not even in focus, and the opposite one is one thing fully stylized that cannibalizes different pictures.“
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President Donald Trump mentioned he’ll challenge a preemptive pardon for Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) on Wednesday, successfully voiding Cuellar’s 2024 indictment for bribery.
In a publish on his Reality Social platform, Trump introduced a “full and complete PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar” and his spouse, Imelda Cuellar. Trump claimed that Cuellar’s indictment stemmed from the Biden administration, which “weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them.” In Cuellar’s case, Trump claimed that the congressman was focused as a result of he “bravely spoke out against Open Borders,” earlier than including, “Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!”
Cuellar, an 11-term congressman from South Texas, and his spouse have been indicted by the Division of Justice in Might 2024 for allegedly accepting $600,000 from an Azerbaijani state-owned oil firm and a Mexican financial institution in trade for his assist to sway U.S. international coverage in favor of Azerbaijan and legislative acts to help the Mexican financial institution. The indictment charged Cuellar and his spouse with illegally accepting bribes and performing as unregistered international brokers. Cuellar and his spouse have denied all wrongdoing.
“I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts,” Cuellar mentioned in a publish on X. “I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas.”
President Donald Trump pardoned Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) as he confronted costs of bribery and performing as a international agent.
Eric Homosexual by way of Related Press
Trump’s preemptive pardon for Cuellar comes after he instigated months of battle inside the Justice Division over the case in opposition to the congressman. After inheriting the case from the Biden administration, Trump sought to kill it as he noticed Cuellar, a conservative Democrat, as an ally on border enforcement. Justice Division management in the end determined to go ahead with the case however dropped costs introduced beneath the Overseas Brokers Registration Act, as Trump suspended prosecutions beneath that legislation when he took workplace.
However Trump’s intervention now kills the case solely. It comes at a very odd time for Republicans. Cuellar’s district was one in every of 5 Home seats considerably altered by Texas Republicans to incorporate extra GOP voters after they did mid-decade redistricting at Trump’s behest in August. And a number one GOP recruit, Webb County Choose Tano Tijerina, jumped into the race in opposition to Cuellar on Tuesday.
Cuellar represents a Texas district on the border with Mexico that swung laborious in the direction of Republicans over the previous three election cycles. Democratic presidential candidates dominated the district up till 2020, when Joe Biden solely received it by 7 share factors. In 2024, Trump flipped the district, profitable it by seven factors.
Even within the face of the indictment and the shifting partisan terrain, Cuellar received reelection in 2024 by 5 factors. This was the tightest election Cuellar confronted since he first ran in 2004. That’s why Texas Republicans focused his district of their mid-decade redistricting push. That new district would have voted for Trump by 11 factors in 2024 ― simply sufficient to beat Cuellar’s margin.
However Trump has now handed Cuellar, who filed for reelection on Wednesday, an enormous present as he runs in an much more GOP-leaning district. Not solely has he lifted the cloud of indictment from Cuellar’s head, however he additionally praised the Democratic congressman as a “beloved” lawmaker who stood as much as his personal celebration.
Steve Cropper, guitarist and member of Stax Information’ Booker T and the M.G.’s, has handed away. He was 84 years previous and the reason for loss of life isn’t referred to as of press time.
Cropper’s passing was introduced yesterday (December 3) by way of a press release posted to his official Fb web page: “It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Stephen Lee Cropper, who died peacefully in Nashville today at the age of 84. Steve was a beloved musician, songwriter, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched millions of lives around the world. As the legendary guitarist for Booker T. & the M.G.’s and the architect of the Stax Records sound, he helped create some of the most enduring songs in music history, including “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Soul Man,” “Knock on Wood,” and “In the Midnight Hour.”
A Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame Inductee, Grammy Award winner, and Songwriters Corridor of Fame honoree, Steve’s affect on American music is immeasurable. Whereas we mourn the lack of a husband, father, and buddy, we discover consolation figuring out that Steve will reside ceaselessly by means of his music. Each be aware he performed, each music he wrote, and each artist he impressed ensures that his spirit and artistry will proceed to maneuver individuals for generations. Steve is survived by his loving spouse, Angel Cropper; his kids Andrea and Cameron Cropper, Stevie, and Ashley, together with numerous musicians and followers whose lives he reworked by means of his extraordinary reward. The household thanks everybody for his or her love, help, and respect for his or her privateness throughout this tough time.”
Cropper was born Oct. 21, 1941, close to Dora, Missouri. His household moved to Memphis when he was 9. He started taking part in guitar at 14, citing Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Chet Atkins, Lowman Pauling of the R&B group the “5” Royales, Billy Butler of organist Invoice Doggett’s combo and Bobby “Blue” Bland’s longtime accompanist Wayne Bennett as his early inspirations.
Cropper was one of many early signees of the legendary Stax Information, years earlier than it was named Stax. (Based by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton in 1957 as Satellite tv for pc Information, it was later modified to Stax Information in 1961.) Cropper and his instrumental band, the Mar-Keys (beforehand referred to as the Royals Spades), joined the label, releasing the hit single “Last Night” in 1961.
Whereas different members of the Mar-Keys grew to become the label’s horn part, Cropper and his remaining bandmates fashioned Booker T. and the M.G.’s. That includes Cropper on guitar, keyboard participant Booker T. Jones, bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, and drummer Al Jackson, the band is thought for his or her hit instrumentals “Green Onions”, “Cling ‘Em High”, and “Time Is Tight”. As the house band of Stax Records, Booker T. and the M.G.’s additionally performed on a whole bunch of recordings by artists together with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Invoice Withers, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, and Albert King.
At a time when segregation was nonetheless the legislation, the band bravely included Black and white members. “When you walked in the door at Stax, there was absolutely no color,” Cropper as soon as stated. “We were all there for the same reason — to get a hit record.”
Cropper is thought to be one of many main gamers who helped outline the sound of Memphis soul music. Alongside together with his guitar work, he was additionally a songwriter and file producer. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 1992 as a member of Booker T. and the M.G.’s. In 2005, Cropper was inducted into the Songwriters Corridor of Fame and acquired a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2007.
He remained lively till his passing, scoring a Grammy nomination this yr for his 2024 album, Friendlytown. Many artists have paid tribute to the late Cropper, together with Joe Bonamassa, Tyler Bryant, Dave Mason, Mick Fleetwood, and Huey Lewis. “So sad to hear of Steve Cropper’s passing,” Lewis shared on Instagram. “He was a giant. One of the architects of Memphis soul music, he wrote, produced and played on so many important songs. His music will live on forever. He was also as generous and sweet as anyone I’ve ever met. It’s a sad day for American music, but heaven just got funkier.”
A church in Dedham has drawn response from prime brass at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after inserting an indication in its Nativity scene that reads “ICE was here” the place Mary, Joseph and child Jesus are presupposed to be.
The signal on the show exterior St. Susanna Parish and was the concept of Reverend Stephen Josoma. Beneath the “ICE was here” message, the signal goes on to learn “The Holy Family is safe in our Church… If you see ICE please call LUCE at 617-370-5023.”
Appearing ICE Director Todd Lyons responded to the show in an interview with the Boston Herald, calling it “sad political rhetoric” that solely provides gasoline to the hearth of political division.
“It’s very sad, especially during the holiday season. ICE agents and officers are human beings, too. We don’t want to be referred to in things like that. The brave men and women of ICE are out there doing a dangerous job every day. And, I hate to say it, but people are taking corny things like this decoration to make a point on the backs of our men and women and the job they’re doing every day. All that is doing is adding fuel to the fire,” Lyons advised the Herald.
“We aren’t snatching babies, we aren’t snatching families. Now, if you’re here in the country illegally and came here as a family unit, that’s a different story. But, we’re not out there separating children and we’re not out there separating families. Felon after felon after felon is being arrested by ICE Boston every day and all over New England, yet nobody is focusing on that. All they’re focusing on is this political rhetoric and I don’t know what point they’re trying to make,” he stated.
The parish has a historical past of political activism within the type of demonstrations and indicators, like one on the Nativity scene. On its web site, the parish even posted an image selling the signal on the Nativity scene.
The parish additionally has an official Fb web page, the place they posted photographs of the altered creche. A consumer labeled as a web page administrator, Phil Mandeville, posted an image of the signal to Fb, commenting that he’s “extremely thankful to be a member of this parish” and defending Rev. Josoma.
“Father Steve is an inspiration to us all. I have to say, I don’t recognize a lot of names that have made posts here. I wonder why that is? This parish follows the words of Jesus: ‘Welcome the stranger’ and ‘Feed the poor’. Christ set an example for us to follow: Call out injustice wherever and whenever you see it. He was never afraid to call out the politicians of the time for being hippocrates [sic],” Mandeville stated. “The sin is remaining silent in the face of injustice. Christ ALWAYS ‘mixed religion and politics.’”
On the parish’s web site, Phil Mandeville is listed as a member of the St. Susanna Parish Council.
The Herald has reached out to Mandeville and Rev. Josoma for remark however didn’t obtain a response by 4 p.m. Thursday.
A controversial nativity scene displaying an indication that reads ..“ICE was here” instead of the place Mary, Joseph, and Child Jesus must be, is on show on the St. Susanna Parish in Dedham. (Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)
The household of a Colombian fisherman has alleged the U.S. authorities illegally killed him when it launched a navy boat strike in September.
Alejandro Carranza was killed on Sept. 15 when his boat was focused in an anti-narcotics U.S. navy marketing campaign. On Tuesday, Carranza’s household filed a proper criticism in opposition to the U.S. authorities with the Inter-American Fee on Human Rights (IACHR).
The criticism alleges that Carranza was merely fishing when his boat was focused within the lethal strike. HIs household stated there have been no medication on his boat.
“We know that Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, was responsible for ordering the bombing of boats like those of Alejandro Carranza Medina and the murder of all those on such boats,” the criticism says.
Carmela Medina and Alejandro Carranza, dad and mom of Alejandro Carranza, a Colombian man who allegedly died when the U.S. bombed a ship supposedly carrying medication within the Caribbean, pose for a photograph at their home in Santa Marta on Oct. 21, 2025.
MARCO PERDOMO by way of Getty Photos
Greater than 80 folks have been killed to date by U.S. strikes within the Caribbean and the japanese Pacific. Hegseth and President Donald Trump’s administration have argued that the extrajudicial killings are concentrating on drug smugglers.
The identical month Carranza was killed, Hegseth ordered back-to-back strikes on a Venezuelan boat off Trinidad’s coast, The Washington Put up reported.
The act has been described as a conflict crime, and Hegseth has pivoted to casting blame for the second strike on Joint Particular Operations Command Adm. Frank Bradley.
Whereas Trump has claimed these focused boats are carrying lethal medication like fentanyl into the U.S., he’s supplied no proof, and most of the boats in query are too small and ill-equipped to journey to the U.S.
Carranza’s spouse, Katerine Hernandez, instructed AFP that her husband was a “good man” who was heading out the day of his loss of life to catch fish for his household.
“Why did they just take his life like that?” she requested an AFP reporter. “The fisherman have a right to live. Why didn’t they just detain him?”
Trump defended pardoning the convicted drug trafficker.
“They basically said he was a drug dealer because he was the president of the country,” Trump stated. “And they said it was a Biden administration set-up. And I looked at the facts, and I agreed with them.”
Suppose you want any proof that point passes within the blink of an eye fixed whenever you’re not wanting. I level you within the route of Gal Gadot’s newest Instagram publish, which celebrates the actress’s twelfth anniversary of when she was forged as Diana Prince, aka Surprise Girl, for Zack Snyder’s DCEU. To mark this momentous event, Gadot shared a rarely-seen Surprise Girl display take a look at that includes her chemistry with Snyderverse co-star Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne.
Try Gal Gadot’s Surprise Girl Display screen Take a look at
Within the clip, Bruce approaches Diana as she’s exiting a automobile. When Diana lays eyes on Bruce, she reminds him that the final time they spoke, she issued him a grave warning. “Bruce, I believe I told you that if you ever try to contact or see me again, I’d kill you,” Diana says within the clip. Barely thrown by her greeting, Bruce continues to talk to Diana, hoping to warn her that Lex Luthor is taking an curiosity in her. Diana rapidly reveals that not solely does she learn about Luthor’s investigation, however she can be greater than able to dealing with regardless of the villain can throw her method. The clip ends with Diana storming off into a close-by constructing, and Affleck breaking character as he seems again on the digital camera with an “I think we got what we need” face. You may take a look at Gal Gadot’s Surprise Girl display take a look at proper right here.
What’s Subsequent for Surprise Girl?
After being launched in Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice, Gadot reprised the function in Surprise Girl, Justice League, Surprise Girl 1984, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and The Flash. A 3rd Surprise Girl film was within the early phases of improvement, with Gadot even claiming that James Gunn and Peter Safran had informed her that she would proceed because the character. Nonetheless, phrase rapidly emerged that DC Studios had no plans for any Surprise Girl mission on the time and that there was by no means “any definitive dialogue of Gadot’s Surprise Girl persevering with with the brand new DC Universe.“
Following the success of Superman, DC Studios lastly started creating a Surprise Girl film. They’ve tapped Ana Nogueira, author of the upcoming Supergirl film, to pen the script. Together with Superman and Batman, Surprise Girl is among the largest DC characters, so it was solely a matter of time earlier than the Amazonian made her approach to the DCU. But when Gadot isn’t returning to the function… who would you prefer to see as the brand new Surprise Girl?
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The Seashore Boys and Jon Pardi are celebrating the vacation season, performing on the 103rd Nationwide Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The occasion is being held on the Ellipse at The White Home and President’s Park on December 4. Nice American Household will air the particular on Friday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET, which can then stream on Nice American Pure Flix till Jan. 31, 2026.
Different notable performers embody Alana Springsteen, Brett Younger, Gabby Barrett, Jillian Cardarelli, Matthew West, and Warren Zeiders. The night’s performances will likely be led by Music Director Tariqh Akoni, backed by The USA Navy Band Commodores.
“Joyfully, I am honored to announce that @thebeachboys will be performing at the 2025 National Christmas Tree Lighting in Washington, D.C.,” Seashore Boys founding member Mike Love shared on Instagram. The group, which beforehand sang on the lighting ceremony in 2017, will doubtless carry out classics from 1964’s The Seashore Boys Christmas Album, together with “Little Saint Nick,” “The Man With All The Toys,” and “Frosty The Snowman.”
A lot of this yr for the Seashore Boys has been about celebrating the life and legacy of Brian Wilson, who handed away on June 11. At this yr’s Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame Ceremony, Elton John carried out a tribute to late Seashore Boys legend. “In 1970, when I first came to Los Angeles, Danny Hutton from Three Dog Night took me and Bernie Taupin around to meet Brian Wilson — and I was scared sh–less,” John mentioned earlier than performing the Seashore Boys’ 1966 traditional, “God Only Knows.” “Because he was my idol, my biggest influence when it came to writing songs on the piano.”
In the meantime, Jon Pardi, who launched his Merry Christmas from Jon Pardi album in 2023, is gearing up for choose Christmas-themed reveals in Florida. The nation star will head to St. Augustine from Dec. 12-13, Hollywood on Dec. 18, and Tampa on Dec. 19. Just lately, he introduced new dates for his Honkytonk Hollywood Tour in help of his fifth album, Honkytonk Hollywood (launched in April). The 2026 leg kicks off on March 20 in Bossier Metropolis, LA, with particular friends Ashley Cooke and Zach John King. Pardi will then head to the UK for numerous dates in Might alongside Randall King. This yr, Pardi’s title monitor from 2022’s Mr. Saturday Evening (amongst a couple of Pardi tracks) was a trending favourite on TikTok.
For nearly a 12 months, President Donald Trump has waged an unprecedented marketing campaign in opposition to a core establishment of worldwide regulation, the Worldwide Legal Court docket, looking for to finish its work on the warfare in Gaza. This week urged that Trump stays removed from the end result he desires.
Officers from the ICC’s 125 member states have been conferring in The Hague at their first annual meeting since U.S. sanctions started upending the lives of courtroompersonnel and people who work with them. These governments have reiterated they haven’t any plans to concede to Trump, and as an alternative have made statements suggesting the courtroom can proceed functioning — together with by pursuing Israeli officers for his or her function within the warfare.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli protection minister Yoav Gallant in late 2024 over alleged warfare crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity in Gaza, which stay in impact. (Each males deny criminality.) Israel says alleged misconduct by the ICC prosecutor (which he denies) ought to render these warrants moot, however there is no such thing as a signal the courtroom sees any drawback within the warrants that would present a foundation for acceding to Tel Aviv and Washington. And the courtroom acquired recent proof its members are prepared to assist it maintain people accountable for atrocities, as Germany on Monday handed over a Libyan suspect who German authorities detained in July.
“It’s been a constructive mood [with] a lot of states leaning in to working together to project a sense of support for the court,” Liz Evenson, the worldwide justice director at Human Rights Watch, instructed HuffPost.
Trump focused ICC officers throughout his first presidency over its probes of U.S. actions in Afghanistan, however he has attacked folks related with the courtroom extra aggressively in his second time period.
The Trump administration has used America’s disproportionate international monetary energy and threats of additional repercussions to hinder the courtroom’s work and create a chilling impact — whilst Palestinians proceed to face U.S.-backed Israeli insurance policies that ICC judges mentioned might represent grave crimes, and that would undermine Trump’s personal said imaginative and prescient of peace for Gaza.
For the courtroom, the previous 12 months has come to signify an existential paradox: The ICC’s pursuit of accountability over Gaza is each the rationale it has a goal on its again, and proof it’s crucial.
“We never accept any kind of pressure,” Tomoko Akane, a choose from Japan and the ICC’s president, mentioned throughout the ongoing summit.
Some suspect Trump will attempt to torpedo the courtroom altogether by sanctioning it as a company. Nonetheless, the run-up to the summit urged rising momentum to defend the physique and, by extension, the worldwide requirements meant to stop struggling amongst innocents.
Nicolas Guillou, a sanctioned French ICC choose, referred to as for the European Union to deploy a statute that may bar European entities from abiding by potential American sanctions. Governments reiterated their help for the courtroom, given the vary of world conditions that would quantity to warfare crimes and may solely be tried on the ICC as “a court of last resort” when different judicial techniques fail.
Advocates for worldwide regulation are more and more hopeful that international locations will defend the courtroom due to their conviction that an unbiased tribunal to prosecute people for atrocities is essential to worldwide stability, and that non-members — just like the U.S. and Israel — mustn’t decide its destiny.
“I have never seen in 15 years in The Hague such camaraderie and alignment. Our differences are becoming less important because we know the whole Rome Statute system is being threatened,” Danya Chaikel, the consultant to the ICC for the Worldwide Federation for Human Rights, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations, instructed HuffPost forward of the gathering. Chaikel was referring to the treaty that established the courtroom.
“I sense this kind of wave of support and I’m more optimistic. I wasn’t a couple of months ago,” she continued.
A Court docket Beneath Siege
Defenders of the ICC welcome solidarity however have sought extra concrete steps to insulate the courtroom and stem fears amongst these documenting attainable warfare crimes, given the unprecedented extent of U.S. intimidation.
The Trump administration has indicated its speedy objective is to see the warrants in opposition to Netanyahu and Gallant withdrawn.
That in itself seems extraordinarily unlikely. Critics of the warrants usually cite doubts about Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor who requested and secured them. Although Khan’s prosecution technique has confronted questions and his future stays unsure — pending a United Nations investigation extensively seen as taking too lengthy and at the moment with none clear finish date — a number of ICC judges and notable exterior specialists have endorsed the fact-finding and evaluation he cited in his purposes for the warrants. This 12 months, the courtroom has rejected an Israeli request to quash the warrants, then an Israeli enchantment in opposition to that rejection.
However on a broader scale, the courtroom’s complete mission is a goal. World requirements for a way civilians have to be handled and the right way to wage warfare are sometimes, in the eyes of the Trump administration, a hindrance and a violation of nationwide sovereignty. The president, himself convicted of felonies, has promoted impunity for varied violations of home and worldwide regulation; along with opposing the ICC warrant for Netanyahu, Trump is supporting the Israeli chief’s bid for a pardon over his corruption fees from Israeli prosecutors.
Ought to the courtroom capitulate or collapse, that may be a win for a Trumpian imaginative and prescient of a worldwide order wherein the rule of regulation quantities to may makes proper.
President Donald Trump poses for a photograph with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct. 13, 2025, close to Tel Aviv, as Israel’s President Isaac Herzog watches at left.
In the meantime, the ICC has by no means appeared so susceptible in its 23-year historical past.
Its work on Israel-Palestine has confronted assaults because it started. After Palestine joined the courtroom as a member state in 2015, Israel started surveilling and threatening courtroom officers, studies counsel. After the Palestinian militant group Hamas initiated a brand new warfare within the area with its horrific Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel, Khan started specializing in that recent spherical of battle. His employees confronted elevated threats and American nudges to sluggish any tried prosecutions over Israel’s therapy of Palestinians, which President Joe Biden had directed the U.S. to allow with army and diplomatic help. However by Nov. 21, 2024, a panel of ICC judges mentioned there have been “reasonable grounds to believe” Netanyahu and Gallant dedicated main crimes in Gaza. (Additionally they unveiled warrants for Hamas leaders, which have been withdrawn as they’ve been killed.)
Biden condemned the courtroom’s transfer and his administration repeated its claims that Israel respects worldwide regulation. Upon taking workplace, Trump has constructed on Biden’s coverage of denying the ICC a job in litigating what has occurred in Gaza, simply as he has typically resembled his predecessor by refusing to acknowledge issues from authorized specialists and lawmakers over the U.S. function within the warfare. He added a sanctions marketing campaign in opposition to ICC-linked people and teams that has had the impact of disrupting private lives and chilling involvement in Gaza-related work: Trump has now focused three prosecutors, six judges, three Palestinian human rights teams and UN particular rapporteur Francesca Albanese (whose sanctioned standing was first reported by HuffPost).
American sanctions have important penalties as a result of many personal firms sever ties with these focused out of worry of being punished by the U.S. authorities. The sanctioned people and teams have misplaced entry to financial institution accounts that supported employees and relations, merchandise from Amazon, Airbnb, Microsoft, Expedia and different firms, and are barred from journey to the U.S. Moreover, anxiousness has unfold amongst these even distantly related to the courtroom, from employees to personnel at different organizations, that they are going to face repercussions too, spurring some to cease engaged on warfare crimes probes.
“We expect all ICC actions against the United States and our ally Israel — that is, all investigations and all arrest warrants — to be terminated [or] all options remain on the table,” State Division authorized adviser Reed Rubinstein instructed a gathering of the courtroom’s member states in July. He repeated the U.S. place that the courtroom lacks jurisdiction over international locations that aren’t ICC members, together with Israel, accusing it of an “overreaching abuse of power.”
U.S. sanctions on the courtroom immediately would seemingly have a sweeping ripple impact.
ICCdefenders need its member governments to exhibit their help for the courtroom by passing legal guidelines requiring them to cooperate with ICC arrest warrants, in addition to by condemning selective help for the courtroom’s operations. The U.S. and lots of of Israel’s different allies, as an illustration, have beforehandwelcomed an ICC warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over accusations of warfare crimes in Ukraine. Seeming hypocrisy might embolden potential warfare criminals and undermine religion in frequent worldwide regulation by creating the impression that, as Khan has mentioned one senior official instructed him, “the court was built for Africa and thugs like Putin, not democracies like Israel.”
“States can’t have double standards. If they want arrests, they need to treat all non-cooperation the same, whether that’s on Putin or on Netanyahu,” Evenson mentioned.
The courtroom has repeatedly confirmed it could possibly convict and jail high-profile warfare criminals. Thus far this 12 months, the ICC has secured the arrest of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte — accused of directing the slaughter of 1000’s — and issued warrants for Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, together with for his or her inhumane therapy of ladies.
Chaikel mentioned the courtroom’s supporters ought to emphasize what the courtroom has carried out to help victims of brutality somewhat than debate sanctions.
“It is far more than arrests,” she mentioned. “Its work has a deeper impact on people’s lives and communities.”
Silencing The Court docket, Prolonging Ache
The dispute over the Gaza warrants has largely ignored the brutal actuality of what continues to occur within the area. In actual fact, proof of criminality — implicating the U.S. as Israel’s backer — should be rising.
In issuing their warrants a 12 months in the past, the ICC judges mentioned Israel’s restrictions on meals, water and drugs for Palestinian civilians in Gaza and constant failure to let sufficient shipments enter might represent the warfare crime of utilizing hunger as a way of warfare, in addition to the crimes in opposition to humanity of enforced deaths or “murder,” forcing folks into inhumane circumstances and persecution on political and/or nationwide grounds.
Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza for almost three months this 12 months. And at present, sharp limits on inflows persist, with Israel refusing to open all crossings into the strip, rejecting shipments based mostly on an usually shifting listing of supplies it claims might assist militants (so-called “dual-use” gadgets, together with studying materials for kids) and hindering the work of help teams.
Moreover, the ICC judges cited Israeli assaults that appeared directed at civilians, one other potential warfare crime. For the reason that Trump-brokered ceasefire started final month, Israeli strikes in Gaza have continued nearly day by day, together with the killing on Sunday of two kids looking for firewood — Fadi Abu Assi and Goma Abu Assi, 11 and eight — who the Israel Protection Forces mentioned represented a menace.
“The picture people have is, ‘A ceasefire has come, so problem solved.’ That’s an insultingly superficial way to look at it,” an individual who has frolicked amongst U.S. officers engaged on Gaza instructed HuffPost, requesting anonymity to talk frankly. “It’s much closer to the status quo ante than… a state of recovery.”
Mockingly, Trump himself has made progress in Gaza a matter of U.S. credibility. He has pushed a UN Safety Council decision establishing an American-dominated transitional regime there and established a U.S. military-run heart overseeing developments within the strip — with no Palestinian illustration.
American army representatives there “show they know nothing about Gaza or the humanitarian response,” the particular person mentioned, describing their lack of know-how that Palestinians had cell telephones and their perception that help employees have been focused by Palestinian militants, somewhat than primarily by Israel.
A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command directed HuffPost to a press launch describing how accomplice nations and organizations have despatched representatives to the middle.
Stacy Gilbert, a veteran State Division emergency response professional who give up over U.S. coverage on Gaza, instructed HuffPost she senses echoes of previous U.S. government-led efforts to extend help for Palestinians that had been massively controversial and didn’t considerably enhance circumstances.
“They continue to put so much effort into these mechanisms that are untested versus what they had before with the UN system,” Gilbert mentioned. “The fundamental issue is holding Israel accountable for what they are doing: for their violations of international humanitarian law, for their blockages of humanitarian assistance. Until they are held accountable for that, nothing else is going to work.”
Israel has persistently challenged the worldwide help infrastructure in Gaza. It has banned any engagement with the UN Reduction and Works and Company (UNRWA), traditionally the biggest humanitarian group functioning within the strip, and has not too long ago been telling different help teams they’ve misplaced their official registration with Israeli authorities and should renew it, by way of a course of many see as ideological — meant to scale back criticism of Tel Aviv — and dangerous, because it includes offering lists of their employees.(On Wednesday, Israel mentioned it will open one other crossing level into Egypt, at Rafah, however Egyptian authorities disputed the declare.)
Humanitarian personnel trying to function proceed to face immense problem, Joseph Belliveau of the aid group MedGlobal instructed HuffPost earlier this 12 months.
“There’s no drinking water, there’s no sewage system… people just don’t have homes to return to and on top of that there’s a lot of skepticism,” he mentioned.
As worldwide governments talk about the courtroom and the warfare, they’re doing so at “an even more perilous time,” Gilbert mentioned. “Nothing has fundamentally changed; a little bit of aid is trickling in but not enough, and now winter is approaching.”
TikTok is introducing a brand new “Nearby Feed” to permit customers to discover what’s taking place round them. The corporate says the brand new feed is designed to assist customers do issues like uncover a brand new restaurant near dwelling or discover a new place to discover throughout a visit. The close by feed is rolling out to the U.Ok., France, Italy, and Germany.
TikTok was first noticed testing a Close by feed again in 2022, when it had rolled it out to pick customers in Southeast Asia.
“Posts in the Nearby Feed are shown to people based on location, the topic of the content, and when the content was posted,” TikTok defined within the weblog submit. “For example, people can see local content related to travel, events, food & drink, and other services based on their interests and engagement. For creators, this means their public posts may be available to people located in the city/region where they posted or tagged a location or service.”
TikTok says sharing your location is optionally available and that the choice is simply out there to customers who’re 18 or older. When your location setting is enabled, TikTok could use your machine’s GPS-based location when the app is in use to supply extra correct, location-based suggestions. For iOS customers, they are going to see a visual indicator when their location is being accessed.
The corporate notes that it “continues to collect and use location information in line with local laws.”
Picture Credit:TikTok
TikTok content material received’t seem within the Close by Feed if somebody is underneath 18 years previous, has a personal account, or units their submit privateness to Mates or Solely You.
If folks need to see “Nearby” content material from a distinct place, they’ll change their location by choosing the placement title after which following the steps to replace it. The corporate says this may be helpful whenever you’re touring or need to perform a little research to your subsequent journey.
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“The Nearby Feed also supports local economies by increasing visibility for small businesses, cultural institutions, and local creators,” TikTok wrote within the weblog submit. “The Nearby Feed helps drive discovery, foot traffic, and real-world engagement. In fact, 46% of TikTok users in the UK have visited a local shop, restaurant, or attraction they saw on the platform.”
Whereas TikTok is already identified for its advice algorithm, which is ready to goal customers with extremely personalised content material, the addition of a Close by Feed provides it the flexibility to show much more related content material to its customers.
You possibly can entry the Close by Feed straight from the TikTok dwelling display screen. The title of the tab received’t say “Nearby,” however will as an alternative replicate the placement you’re close to.
It’s unknown when or if TikTok plans to launch the brand new feed in further areas.
Hillary Clinton believes misinformation on social media has formed younger folks’s views on Israel and Palestine in a harmful means.
Whereas talking at a summit hosted by the right-wing Israeli paper, Israel Hayom, in New York Metropolis on Tuesday, the previous secretary of state mentioned she was involved about the truth that “smart, well-educated young people” at the moment are overwhelmingly getting their information on platforms like TikTok, calling the development a “serious problem” for democracy.
“A lot of the challenge is with younger people. More than 50% of young people in America get their news from social media. So just pause on that for a second,” she instructed the viewers.
Zeroing in on many social platforms issues with misinformation and fact-checking, she mentioned, “They are seeing short-form videos, some of them totally made up, some of them not at all representing what they claim to be showing, and that’s where they get their information.”
Hillary Clinton, right here at Georgetown College on Dec. 2, 2025, expressed concern about the place younger individuals are getting their information throughout an occasion hosted by the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom on Tuesday.
Alex Wong through Getty Photos
The politician mentioned that she was significantly involved when it got here to how individuals are getting information in regards to the battle between Israel and Palestine.
“That is where they were learning about what happened on Oct. 7, what happened in the days, weeks and months to follow,” she mentioned of Hamas’ 2023 shock assaults on Israel. “It’s a serious problem for democracy, whether it’s Israel or the United States, and it’s a serious problem for our young people.”
Clinton went on to say it was “shocking” to find out how little her Columbia College college students knew in regards to the “history” behind the occupation.
As she defined, “When you would try to talk to them to engage in some kind of reasonable discussion, it was very difficult because they did not know history. They had very little context. And what they were being told on social media was not just one-sided, it was pure propaganda.”
The previous Democratic presidential candidate added how criticism of Israel was not simply coming from what she known as “the usual suspects” and claimed that “a lot of young Jewish Americans” don’t “understand” the historic context of the battle.
Whereas it’s arduous to parse out the impression of misinformation on public sentiment, People’ opinion on Israel has proven a marked shift because the nation escalated its assaults on Gaza in retaliation for the Oct. 7 assaults.
