Source: Los Angeles Times
Security & Justice
Captured Hezbollah Operative May Have Been Israeli Double Agent, Report Suggests
The alleged senior Hezbollah operative abducted by Israeli special forces last week in Batroun may have been operating as a double agent, according to a report by The Telegraph.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Lebanon’s Probe into Israeli Raid Expected to Take Days as Security Officials Weigh Theories
Lebanese authorities are ramping up investigations into an Israeli commando raid last week in the northern coastal city of Batroun, during which Imad Amhaz, a Hezbollah official, was snatched.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Opinion
The Emptying of Baalbek Is a Moment to Take Stock
“Large numbers of people continue to flee their homes every day, as Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have been going on unabated.” These disturbing words could be from almost any news report about Israel’s invasion of its northern neighbour over the past month. However, they can be found in a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre issued on July 27, 2006.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
A Future Without Hezbollah
At the end of September, when Israel’s campaign to destroy Hezbollah was reaching its height, I met one of the group’s supporters in a seaside café in western Beirut. He was a middle-aged man with a thin white beard and the spent look of someone who had not slept for days. He was an academic of sorts, not a fighter, but his ties to Hezbollah were deep and long-standing.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Sports
Tottenham Forward Son Heung-min Crowned Asia’s International Player of the Year
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min was crowned as Asia’s International Player of the Year for the fourth time by the Asian Football Confederation at its annual awards ceremony Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Real Madrid Launch Investigation into Racist Insults After El Clasico Defeat
Real Madrid has launched an investigation into racist insults directed at players during Saturday’s 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in LaLiga, it said on Sunday.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Monday 16 September 2024 12:22:44
Trump Blasts Taylor Swift with 'Hate' Message on Truth Social
Evidently Donald Trump is not worried about losing the Swiftie vote.
On Sunday, five days after the world’s biggest pop star endorsed his 2024 opponent, Kamala Harris, the former president lashed out with a blunt, all-caps post on his Truth Social platform: “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”
The post seemed certain to alienate millions of the singer’s devoted fans less than eight weeks ahead of the presidential election.
On Tuesday, following the presidential debate, Swift announced that she plans to vote for Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, in November, adding that she wanted to clarify her position after Trump shared fake AI-generated images suggesting that she might support the Republican ticket. In an Instagram post, Swift said she was voting for Harris because “she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”
“We can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote, signing her post, “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” in a jab at Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance.
Swift’s post included a link to register to vote in the election on Vote.gov, and in the subsequent 24 hours, about 406,000 people clicked on it, showing the star’s reach.
In an interview with Fox News following Swift’s endorsement, Trump suggested that the singer “will probably pay a price in the marketplace” for her position, adding that he was not a fan.
Days later, the Trump campaign began selling new shirts that appeared to be an imitation of the poster for Swift’s billion-dollar grossing “Eras” tour, hawking the merch as a “Trump Era Shirt.”
This is hardly the first time Trump has clashed with celebrities, but his direct attack on Swift adds a dramatic subplot to an already tumultuous election season. Swift has previously encouraged voter turnout and advocated for progressive policies but her endorsement of Harris marks her most high-profile political statement to date.
As the election draws closer, the fallout from the feud could further galvanize both Swift’s fans and Trump’s base, while forcing Trump supporters who are also Swifties into an impossible choice.
