BUT PROTESTS ARE AGAINST ISRAEL, NOT AGAINST HAMAS

15 hostages break silence on horrific sexual violence in Gaza captivity

A comprehensive new investigation has uncovered systematic sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack on Israel, with previously unheard testimony revealing that rape and sexual abuse were employed as tactical weapons of war across multiple locations and continued throughout captivity in Gaza.

 

by Erez Linn 

 

Israel Hayom

Jul 6, 2025

 

  

Amit Soussana, taken hostage by Hamas, was routinely beaten and sexually assaulted by her captors during her 55 days in captivity.

 

 

Fresh testimony from survivors and witnesses demonstrates that Hamas terrorists systematically employed sexual violence during their October 7 assault on Israel, according to a comprehensive new investigation that documents previously unreported accounts of rape and sexual abuse. The Sunday Times revealed that the upcoming Dinah Project report presents evidence from 15 returned hostages who experienced sexual violence in captivity, with only one having spoken publicly before now.

The investigation, conducted by Israeli gender and legal experts with partial funding from the British government, found that sexual violence was "widespread and systematic" during the attack that killed approximately 1,200 people. According to The Sunday Times, the report establishes that rape and gang rape occurred in at least six different locations, though most victims were "permanently silenced" – either murdered during the assaults or left too traumatized to speak.

The Sunday Times reported that the Dinah Project will be published Tuesday in Jerusalem, representing the most comprehensive documentation of sexual violence during the October 7 attack. The report draws from first-hand testimony of 15 returned Gaza hostages, a survivor of attempted rape at the Nova music festival, and interviews with 17 people who witnessed or heard the attacks, along with therapists treating traumatized survivors.

The project aims "to counter denial, misinformation and global silence" regarding what researchers describe as "one of the most under-reported dimensions of the attacks." The report states its mission "to set the historical record straight: Hamas used sexual violence as a tactical weapon of war."

"Clear patterns emerged in how the sexual violence was perpetrated," the report documents, "including victims found partially or fully naked with their hands tied, often to trees or poles; evidence of gang rapes followed by execution; and genital mutilation."

The documented attacks occurred at the Nova music festival, Route 232, the Nahal Oz military base, and three kibbutzim: Re'im, Nir Oz and Kfar Aza. The report reveals that sexual abuse extended beyond the initial assault location 

"Sexual violence continued in captivity, with many returnees reporting forced nudity, physical and verbal sexual harassment, sexual assaults and threats of forced marriage," the investigation adds.

Examples from Islamic State and Boko Haram 

Professor Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, director of the Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University, initiated the project to "ensure recognition and justice for victims and survivors." She collaborated with Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, an international law expert and former chief military prosecutor of the Israeli army, and Nava Ben-Or, a retired judge and former deputy state attorney specializing in sexual abuse cases.

The research responds to criticism of inadequate responses from international organizations like UN Women following reports of sexual violence by The Sunday Times and other outlets. The project also addresses questions raised by false claims from first responders and arguments that Hamas, as an Islamic organization, would not commit rape – despite examples from Islamic State and Boko Haram.

Some critics argued that the sexual violence issue had been "weaponized" by the Israeli government to justify its actions in Gaza. This criticism particularly affected Halperin-Kaddari, who had worked for years on international cases of sexual violence, including Yazidis taken as sex slaves by Islamic State and girls abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

"We feel let down by other women round the world," Halperin-Kaddari said. "If the standard is to believe survivors and witnesses, there is no excuse to keep quiet. Yet in this case a different standard was employed and the victims were lost in politicization. The fact so many kept silent or even denied what happened was devastating and a grave failure of international human rights."

The project takes its name from the first rape victim in the Bible and Torah – Dinah, Jacob's only daughter, who was raped by Shechem, son of a prince. After the assault, Dinah's brothers circumcised and killed the men of his tribe and abducted their women, but Dinah's voice was never heard. Halperin-Kaddari explained that the project aims "to be a voice for those who cannot or can no longer speak."

 

Amit Soussana during her release from Hamas captivity

 

Previous fact-finding reports by the United Nations special representative for preventing sexual violence, a UN independent commission of inquiry, and the International Criminal Court all found indications of sexual violence and gang rape. However, the Dinah Project introduces new evidence including first-hand witness testimony from 15 returned hostages who experienced sexual violence in captivity.

Among the hostages, only one has spoken publicly: Amit Soussana, a lawyer held for 55 days. Two of the hostages were male, and one had all their body hair shaved, according to the report.

Zagagi-Pinhas explained that "sexual violence need not mean rape — also forced nudity, forcing some of the hostages to strip and shower while being watched or trying to force them into marriage."

The researchers also interviewed a victim of attempted rape at the Nova festival who required 17 months to come forward. "We know from therapists there are more but they are still too traumatized to speak," Zagagi-Pinhas added.

The investigation included interviews with 17 people who witnessed or heard attacks, providing detailed descriptions of the violence. These witnesses included two brothers who hid under bushes and Tali Biner, a nurse who concealed herself inside a container. They described 15 incidents including gang rapes.

Additionally, researchers spoke with 27 first responders who described "dozens of cases in different locations" while analyzing forensic evidence from photographs and videos.

Justice when many of the victims are dead  

"What we found makes clear that sexual violence including rape and gang rape took place in multiple locations," Halperin-Kaddari stated.

"We found patterns of evidence," Zagagi-Pinhas added. "Women found dead, naked and mutilated — with gunshots in their genitalia — and tied to trees. The fact that the same things happened in three to six locations can't be coincidence but proof this was premeditated."

She reported that "dozens" of bodies of young women were stripped and some were tied to trees or poles. "Many of the witnesses we spoke to talk of the victims being shot and them still trying to rape a dead body," she said.

The report's primary objective is demanding justice, providing what Halperin-Kaddari describes as "a blueprint for how to secure justice in cases of mass atrocities when many of the victims are dead and it is impossible to point at a specific perpetrator."

"We see October 7 as a test case," said Ben-Or, the retired judge. "Authorities are used to seeking justice on an individual case but here we have mass cases and most victims were murdered or too traumatized to speak which creates profound challenges for establishing accountability so we needed to come up with a new legal framework and new ways to prosecute."

"Sexual violence in conflict is about destruction and dehumanizing a community so the idea you have to find a specific perpetrator who harmed a specific victim is irrelevant," she added. "To say 'When I joined Hamas I meant only to murder women and children, but I am very much against rape' is ridiculous. Everything that was done within the framework of the attack you are responsible for."

The report calls for the UN secretary-general to send a fact-finding mission in light of the testimonies and to include Hamas in the blacklist in the UN's annual report of those designated for using sexual violence as a weapon of war.

A HEBRON EMIRATE?

Hebron sheikhs want to leave Palestinian Authority, join Abraham Accords

“We want cooperation with Israel,” says Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari. “We want coexistence.”

 

By Yossi Aloni 

 

Israel Today

Jul 6, 2025

 

 

Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari and four other top officials in the West Bank’s Hebron district proposed a plan to establish their own emirate and join the Abraham Accords. 

 

Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari and four other prominent clan leaders from Hebron have signed a letter pledging peace and full recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. Their plan: Hebron would secede from the Palestinian Authority, establish an independent emirate, and join the Abraham Accords.

The letter, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, is addressed to Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat, former mayor of Jerusalem, who has hosted the Hebron sheikhs at his home and met with them more than ten times since February. They have requested that he forward the letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and are awaiting his response.

“The Hebron Emirate will recognize the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people,” the sheikhs write, “and the State of Israel will recognize the Hebron Emirate as the representative of the Arab residents of the Hebron district.”

The letter calls for setting a timeline for negotiations to join the Abraham Accords and to reach a “fair and proper” arrangement to replace the Oslo Accords, which they claim “have brought only harm, death, economic disaster, and destruction.” The Oslo Accords, signed in the 1990s between Israel and the PLO, “brought us the corrupt Palestinian Authority instead of recognizing the traditional and authentic leadership – the tribes.”

 

Hebron

 

 

In the wake of the Hamas invasion of Oct. 7, 2023, al-Jaabari and the other sheikhs say they recognize there will never be a Palestinian state

The sheikhs propose that Israel allow 1,000 workers from Hebron to enter for a trial period, followed by an additional 5,000. According to them, Barkat indicated that this number could grow to 50,000 workers or more. Employment in Israel is a vital source of income for Palestinians, but most permits were frozen after October 7. The letter commits to “zero tolerance for terrorism from workers” – “in contrast to the current situation, where the Palestinian Authority pays terrorists.”

Barkat argues that the old peace process has failed, and “new thinking is required.” He is acting with the knowledge of the Israeli government, and Netanyahu is said to cautiously support the initiative.

The Journal article highlights a long-standing partnership with Jewish residents of Judea, so-called “settlers,” noting that they “will find much to like in the plan.” The sheikhs’ letter mentions talks with Yossi Dagan, head of the Yesha Council of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Dagan says he supports the plan and has indeed worked on it with the sheikhs. He notes that he first met Sheikh Jaabari 13 years ago: “His father was a courageous leader who put his people first, and so does the son.”

CHUCK SCHUMER AND JEROLD NADLER ENTHUSIASTICALLY CONGRATULATED ZOHRAN MAMDANI, THOUGH THEY CONDEMNED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR SAVING ISRAEL AND AMERICA BY BOMBING IRAN'S NUCLEAR FACILITIES

Out of the frying pan into the fire

New York Jews fear if Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor of New York, their financial security and personal safety will be in jeopardy. 

 

By Sara Lehmann 

 

JNS

Jul 4, 2025

 

 

Zohran Mamdani, Democratic candidate for mayor, leaves a press conference celebrating his primary victory with leaders and members of the city's labor unions on July 2, 2025 in New York.

Jews can’t seem to catch a break. Just when it was safe for them to leave their shelters in Israel, those in the biggest Jewish community outside of Israel are realizing they may have to find shelter.

The State of Israel has just come off a brilliant and decisive victory against the biggest exporter of antisemitism in the world. Aided by U.S. President Donald Trump and the American military, Israel clobbered Iran and decimated its nuclear capabilities, ridding the world of a terrorist state bent on annihilating the Jewish state.

The euphoria in Israel is palpable, despite the deaths of 29 civilians, with hundreds wounded and massive property damage. There is an almost bewildering sense of relief following decades of habitual dread. And while the ceasefire between Israel and Iran is tenuous, the outlook is buoyant for now.

Trump declared the ceasefire on June 23, bringing an end to what he dubbed the “12-day war” and ushering in an era of guarded optimism and peace through strength. Fear of an intifada against Jews in Israel was cautiously on the wane.

The very next day, Jewish New Yorkers suffered a case of emotional whiplash when a supporter of the chant “globalize the intifada” was nominated as the Democratic mayoral candidate of the city. Suddenly, the intifada moved from the Middle East to New York. And New York Jews, who comprise the largest population in the Jewish Diaspora, find themselves moving out of the frying pan and into the fire.

(l to r) Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, both Jewish, enthusiastically congratulated Mamdani.

 

Many New Yorkers are scratching their heads, wondering how so many of their neighbors voted for the socialist, antisemitic Zohran Mamdani. Throngs of residents and businesses fled the city in recent years as it became a crime-infested metropolis. Now, as it tries to dig itself out, the city stares down the barrel of a candidate who will inflict more crime and cause more New Yorkers to flee.

But for New York Jews, the fear of a mayor Mamdani is a double whammy. It is a lethal combination that threatens financial security and personal safety. This is a man who supports the boycott and divestment movement, will not recognize the State of Israel, vows to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he comes to New York, shouts “Free Palestine” at rallies and refrains from backing annual resolutions for Holocaust Remembrance Day as a New York state representative.

Mamdani’s support for defunding the police and using social workers to replace them, and his refusal to deport criminal illegal aliens, threaten all New York citizens. But Jews, who are already the No. 1 victim of hate crimes in the city as antisemitism has become normalized, fear more harassment, sanctioned with a wink and a nod from a future mayor himself.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams calls Mamdani a “snake oil salesman” and blasts his illusory enticements of freebies from housing to groceries to child care to transportation. Trump calls him a “100% Communist lunatic.” New York Jews call him a danger.

But Mamdani’s mostly young, progressive supporters call him a hero. Decades of being fed anti-American sentiment from kindergarten through college and further nurtured through the media have produced a generation of skewed self-loathing that has turned self-destructive.

Mamdani’s voters either are unaware or choose to ignore the failure of socialism around the globe for more than a century. Worse, they ignore how socialism and communism always morph into the very fascism they decry.

These are voters who balk at American exceptionalism, yet have never had to sacrifice like their grandparents’ generation did when they defended and built up this great country. Instead, they sacrifice their self-preservation and their future. And, in the process, the future of others.

They are much like self-hating Jews, most of whom have little knowledge of authentic Judaism beyond how it might aggrandize their ideology. These include leftist groups like Jews for Justice in Palestine and IfNotNow, which side with Islamists and march in support of Hamas terrorism against their own people. This, despite the threat Hamas poses to them, too.

They also include politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who endorsed Mamdani, and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who enthusiastically congratulated him, though they condemned Trump for saving Israel and America by bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities. To borrow a phrase from leftist ideology, they represent the intersection between self-hating Jews and self-loathing Americans.

New Yorkers, especially Jewish New Yorkers, are now faced with an existential threat come November. This threat does not come in the form of nuclear or ballistic missiles, but from the destructive power of a socialist antisemite in Gracie Mansion, which may be just as lethal to the city that serves as the capital of the world.

It will take the united, vigorous power of those who oppose socialism and antisemitism to obliterate the threat and protect the great city of New York. That, and lots of prayer.

66-YEAR-OLD MAN CARJACKS 93-YEAR-OLD WOMAN

Elder Carjacked in Galveston; Suspect Arrested after Pursuit ends in Webster

By Stephen Bernardoni

 

KGTX 7 News

Jul 3, 2025

 

Doug Ancell 

 

GALVESTON — A 66-year-old man was arrested Thursday after allegedly stealing a vehicle from a 93-year-old woman in broad daylight outside the Bob Lyons Post Office on 59th and Broadway, according to Marissa Barnett, public information officer for the City of Galveston.

Doug Ancell, 66, was booked into the Galveston County Jail and faces charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Police were called to the post office around 10:30 a.m. after Ancell reportedly confronted the elderly woman, took her walker, and drove off in her SUV. The victim was not physically injured, officials said.

Law enforcement agencies across the region were notified, and a short time later, officers from a neighboring jurisdiction spotted the stolen SUV heading northbound on I-45. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over, initiating a brief pursuit.

 

The chase came to an end when the SUV overheated

 

The chase came to an end when the SUV overheated and Ancell pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant in Webster. Deputies with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office arrested the man at the scene.

MOTHER NATURE DEALT TEXAS A HORRIBLE 4TH OF JULY

Hill Country flooding death toll rises past 60 as search continues for missing girls, other survivors

Eleven girls from the Camp Mystic summer camp remain missing.

 

By Berenice Garcia, Jessica Shuran Yu and Carlos Nogueras Ramos

 

The Texas Tribune

Jul 6, 2025

 

 

 

A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.

 

Search and rescue efforts continued Sunday morning for 11 missing girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian camp for young girls at the center of the catastrophic floods that swept the Texas Hill Country, local officials said at a news conference.

At least 59 people were killed by the flooding in Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha said. Several other deaths were confirmed in surrounding counties, pushing the storm's overall toll past 60.

More than 400 first responders from over 20 agencies were on the ground combing the area Sunday, Leitha said.

Among the 59 dead in Kerr County were 21 children and 38 adults. Twelve adults and five children were still unidentified.

"We have increased our number of personnel who are navigating the really challenging shores along the bank line, but we're continuing to make progress," said Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville.

Friends and families posted desperate messages online seeking help locating the missing campers. Many more people could still be unaccounted for, officials warned, noting that visitors to the area for the July 4th weekend make it difficult to assess an exact number of people unaccounted for.

"We will be relentless in going after and assuring that we locate every single person who's been a victim of this flooding event," Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference held earlier in the day with state and federal officials.

Abbott expanded the disaster declaration he issued Friday night to include Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis and Williamson counties given continued rain and ongoing flooding. He also officially requested that President Donald Trump declare the situation a federal disaster, allowing for more federal resources. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who also attended the news conference, said Trump indicated he would approve the request.

"That response and that relief will be coming," Noem said.

She added that the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Border Patrol were already involved in rescue efforts while U.S. Customs and Border Protection were assisting with coordination.

In the span of 36 hours, first responders have rescued more than 850 people, some clinging to trees to stay safe amid the rising water, Abbott said.

Meanwhile, the threat of flooding around Texas remained, and local, state and federal officials urged caution. Officials in Georgetown evacuated parts of the city as more rain was expected Saturday in south Central Texas. There was a possibility of an additional two to four inches over the area, and some isolated pockets could see as much as 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

A flood watch remains in effect until 7 p.m.

In response to criticisms of the warning provided by National Weather Service ahead of the flood, Noem said upgrading their technology was among the reforms Trump sought to make at the department.

However, the agency has been dealing with staffing shortages after cuts by the Trump administration led to nearly 600 layoffs and retirements. Whether those cuts had any effect on the National Weather Service's ability to predict or warn people of the oncoming flood remains an open question. Though, the agency itself said it had adequate staffing.

As floodwaters receded in the Kerrville area, the damage was becoming clear. Dozens of tree trunks were snapped in half, some at 90 degree angles. Black and silver power lines were tangled with branches along the side of the road. A few tree trunks appeared to have been stripped bare of their bark from the rushing water.

At Cross Kingdom Church, Pastor Justin Carpenter started collecting clothing, nonperishable food, toiletries and cat and dog food Friday afternoon. They had reached capacity with donations and were turning other potential helpers away. So far, only about half a dozen people had shown up seeking help. Because the areas most affected has lost cell service, it’s been hard to reach people in need.

“The biggest thing would be to get the word out into the community that we’re here and ready to give everything out,” he said.

Billy Lawrence, a 73-year-old San Angelo man, has dealt with this type of tragedy before. During flooding in the summer of 1987, he spent more than 30 days looking for bodies. The first one he found was of a child in a tree, 20 feet up.

But he said this flood is twice as bad as it was in 1987. On Saturday, he was back patrolling the river for bodies. A former volunteer with the Red Cross, he said he's gotten used to the morbid practice.

“I’m used to death. I’ve been around it a lot," Lawrence said.

He noted there are about 20 camps along the river in this area and said the camp counselors should receive training to check the weather every night.

"I'm not blaming them. They just have to do that,” he said.

President Donald Trump expressed his condolences in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

"Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy," Trump wrote. "Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!"

About 10 inches of rain fell within a few hours, causing flooding along the Guadalupe River which rose 26 feet in 45 minutes.

The death toll in an area historically prone to major flooding has raised questions about whether people near the river, including many vacationers in town for the Fourth of July weekend, received sufficient warning.

The private forecasting company AccuWeather and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation.

“These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a statement that called the Texas Hill Country one of the most flash-flood-prone areas of the U.S. because of its terrain and many water crossings.

Local officials defended their actions Friday while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area.

One National Weather Service forecast earlier in the week had called for up to six inches of rain, said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. “It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,” he said.

However, Porter emphasized that people and officials should always take safety precautions when there is a potential for flooding.

"People, businesses, and governments should take action based on Flash Flood Warnings that are issued, regardless of the rainfall amounts that have occurred or are forecast," Porter said. "Flash Flood Warnings indicate an immediate risk to life and property in the warned area." 

I WONDER SOME TIMES ABOUT HOW SMART THE NATIONAL MEDIA REALLY ARE

By Bob Walsh

 

 

 

There was a HUGE fireworks explosion in Yolo County, CA a few days ago.  It destroyed a building and probably killed seven people.  It made the national TV news.  They are still looking for bodies.

This morning I saw it referenced again, once on a national cable channel and once on a national affiliate broadcast channel.  One of them identified the location as Oakdale.  One identified the location as Oakland.  Both of those location did have noteworthy fireworks related incidents but none of them were the location of the story mentioned.

People do get it wrong.  I have gotten it wrong myself now and again.  I, however, am not PAID by a national news organization to get it right.  Somebody blended and-or conflated the stories and nobody checked, at least not carefully.  

Bad show guys.

A HORRIBLE 4TH OF JULY

Time running out in hunt for the 27 kids STILL missing in Texas floods... as death toll leaps to 50

 

By Sophie Gable, Alyssa Guzman and Samantha Rutt 

 

Daily Mail

Jul 5, 2025

 

Some of the girls that are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, after devastating floods swept through the region 

Devastated parents in Texas are clinging to hope that their missing children will be found alive as authorities insist that the response to horrific flooding is still being treated as a rescue operation.

At least 50 people - including 15 children - have died after the Guadalupe River surged 30 feet above its normal height, devastating children's summer camps and ripping apart families. 

Wrecked father, Ty Badon, spoke with CNN on Saturday explaining his desperation in the hunt for his missing daughter and her friends who have not been seen or heard from since the disastrous rush of water. 

'We pray that all four of them are still alive,' he said holding back tears. 'All four are missing. They're still missing.'

Badon, a resident of Beaumont, added that the last time his daughter and his friends were heard from was around 4 a.m. Friday morning. 

'It's been four o'clock yesterday morning that we were told that they were on the phone with Aidan's dad, who they own the house where they were,' he said, adding that the house 'is no longer there.'

He said his daughter and her friends frantically hung up, explaining that they needed to help the others who had 'just been washed away.' 

'Aidan said "Hey I've got to go, I've got to help Ella and Reese ... they just got washed away," and then a few seconds later the phone just went dead, and that's all we know,' he continued explaining to CNN's Ed Lavandera. 

Badon believes his daughter 'got washed away as well,' as he clings to hope of an eventual reunion.

 

Wrecked father, Ty Badon, spoke with CNN on Saturday explaining his desperation in the hunt for his missing daughter and her friends who have not been seen or heard from since the disastrous rush of water

 

'We presume she got washed away as well. And if you go back to where the house is, it's not a good sign,' he said.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was brutally grilled over the delayed warning alerts Texas residents received before the monster flash flood was about to devastate the state. 

Noem joined Governor Greg Abbott and other state personnel for a press conference on Saturday, where a journalist grilled the cabinet member on the delayed warning from the National Weather Service. 

'ICE Barbie' blamed the 'ancient system' and said the Trump Administration would look into renewing the system to better work for US citizens. 

'The weather is extremely difficult to predict,' Noem said. 'But also that the National Weather Service, over the years at times, has done well and at times, we have all wanted more time and more warning and more notification.' 

She said the Trump Administration is working to 'fix' and 'update the technology.' 

'We needed to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years and that is the reforms that are ongoing there.' 

Residents were not warned until 1:18pm on July 3 and were told it was 'moderate' storms. 

Noem did not bring up how the Trump Administration had proposed cuts for FEMA and NOAA, both which help during natural disasters. The proposal includes cutting NOAA's weather laboratories that research severe storms, as well as, its hub for climate science coordination and research. 

 

Noem joined Governor Greg Abbott and other state personnel for a press conference on Saturday, where a journalist grilled the cabinet member on the delayed warning from the National Weather Service

 

Many Texans have blamed the slow updates as part of the reason at least 50 have lost their lives and 27 are still missing. 

Governor Greg Abbott said the search for survivors will continue 24 hours a day. 

'We will find every one of them,' he promised on Saturday, while calling the state's response to the tragedy 'quintessentially Texas.' 

'When Texas faces a challenge, we come together, we unite,' he said, while sitting next to Noem.

'It's what Texans do, it's what we will continue to do... We will not stop today or tomorrow, we will stop when it's finish.' 

He also signed a request for federal aid, which Noem said the president is expected to sign.  

Earlier today, harrowing images emerged showing the remains of a the leveled summer camp where at least three campers lost their lives after it was deluged by deadly flood waters.

 

Governor Greg Abbott requested federal aid. Noem said the president is likely to sign it

 

At least three campers were killed when the unprecedented current slammed the camp as the girls slept.

Dozens more people, including other campers, are still missing.

Among those confirmed dead are 15 children, including the three young girls who were attending the popular Hunt, Texas summer camp.

Renee Smajstrla, eight, Janie Hunt, nine, and Sarah Marsh all perished when the camp was washed away by the flood waters. 

Among the other confirmed dead are: Jeff Ramsey and Jane Ragsdale, the director of Heart O' the Hills, another nearby summer camp. And 850 people have been rescued by authorities as of Saturday evening.

Heartbreaking pictures show how the side of the summer camp was completely wrenched away by the floods.

 

Harrowing images have emerged showing the remains of a Texas summer camp where nine girls lost their lives after it was deluged by raging flood waters

At least nine campers lost their lives in the floods which slammed into the camp in the early hours of Friday

The girls' sodden beds and belongings were seen covered in river water following the decimation

A stuff animal and a scarf were seen on the steps after the water receded at Camp Mystic 

One of the huts at the camp was completely destroyed, with it's roof sagging over the structure

 

Inside, sodden beds and blankets of the campers can be seen covered in a thick sludge and belongings such as bags and clothing are also seen strewn across the floor.

Another build saw its roof sag over the ruined building as pieces of jagged wood splintered underneath it. 

A 27-year-old father, Julian Ryan, also reportedly died while attempting to save his family after water flooded their in nearby Ingram.

As water quickly rose to their knees, Ryan punched a window to get his fiancée, children, and his mother out of the home safely and onto the roof. 

However, his life-saving punch severed an artery in his arm and 'almost cut it clean off,' his fiancée, Christinia Wilson, told KHOU. 

Hours later, he told them: ''I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all.' 

His body was recovered later that morning after the water receded. The family has since started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of his funeral services.

Experts have also surfaced fears that Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, which is near Austin, will burst as the Llano River is near its crest and flows quickly toward the body of water. 

'Boaters need to get off the water ASAP. Debris-filled fast-moving water will arrive rapidly,' CBS Austin Meteorologist, Avery Tomasco, warned. 

 

A 27-year-old father, Julian Ryan, died saving his family. As water quickly rose in their home off the river, Ryan punched a window to get his fiancée, children, and his mother out of the home safely and onto the roof. The punch severed an artery in his arm

Hours later, he told them: ''I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all' 

 

The river is flowing at a whopping 125,000 cubic-feet-per-second - nearly three times as fast as it was mere hours ago. 

The rising river levels come after unprecedented surge of the Guadalupe River.

Parts of the Lone Star State are expected to be lashed by up to five more inches of rain late Saturday, further stoking fears for dozens of people still missing - some areas are even bracing for up to 10 more inches of rain. 

Several counties - including Travis and Burnet Counties - remain under a flash flood emergency as flood waters are tearing down homes, sweeping away children, and leaving families devastated. 

The loved ones of the missing are desperately begging for help in finding their loved ones. 

In lighter news, four Camp Mystic campers feared missing have since been confirmed found by their families - Ella Bennett, a Camp Mystic counselor, and Annie Flack, a camper. 

While, two other unidentified campers have also been found and were airlifted to safety. 

At least two dozen more still have not been found. 

Another survivor was captured in a dramatic rescue after she was swept nearly 12 miles downstream by raging floods.

 

Locals worry Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, which is near the Southern city, will burst as the Llano River is near its crest and flowing quickly toward the body of water

An unidentified woman was reportedly swept up for 12 miles before finding refuge in a tree

Pictured: A dad hugging his daughter tight at a reunification center in Ingram. Twenty-four people died during the massive floods in Texas, most of which were children attending a summer camp. More than 20, many children, are still missing 

The final death toll is expected to rise as dozens remain unaccounted for after the unexpected flood (Pictured: A drone view of flooded houses along the Concho River)

The National Weather Service has warned that Austin is next in line for biblical floods as Kerrville is swamped under dangerously high waters that have swept children down a river, devastated families, and ruined homes

 

The terrified youngster was pictured clinging to the branches of a tree as the rapids swelled beneath her.

The girl, who is yet to be identified, was later taken to safety, News 4 San Antonio reports.

A separate video showed a helicopter airlifting an individual to safety after the unprecedented flooding.

Officials have since launched a massive rescue effort to locate dozens of missing individuals. 

As the extensive search efforts continue, identities of the missing have begun to emerge with families sharing photos of their loved ones in hopes of learning information about their whereabouts.

 

A helicopter carries two unidentified campers that were also rescued from the floods. Officials have stressed they hope to rescue many of the missing and say they're still hopeful of finding most of those missing safe and well

 

The family of an eight-year-old girl named Renee Smajstrla has confirmed that she was among those who lost her life during the tragic floods. 

Her uncle, Shawn Salta, shared on Facebook: 'We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.'

Heart O' the Hills camp was also impacted by the flood path. The camp shared in an announcement on their website that their director and co-owner, Jane Ragsdale, died in the flood. 

'We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,' Heart O' the Hills said. 

A friend of Jane's shared their last text exchange on social media, writing to her that she was thinking of the camp as the summertime approached. 

'Aw! Thanks. It's definitely our time of year, what we love and live for,' Jane replied. 

Heart O' the Hills added in their statement they weren't in session during the floods and most of those on the site were accounted for and on high ground. 

Terrified parents of those missing said they have been left in limbo as they await news from the ongoing searches. 

 

Several counties - including Travis and Burnet Counties - are under a flash flood emergency as flood waters are tearing down homes, sweeping away children, and leaving families devastated

At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people from various units have joined search efforts 

 

Officials have stressed they hope to rescue many of the missing and say they're still hopeful of finding most of those missing safe and well.

Among those named missing: are Linnie McCown, Anna Margaret Bellows, Mary Grace Baker, Eloise Peck, Lila Bonner, Greta Toranzo, Lainey Landry, Kelly Anne Lytal, Margaret Sheedy, Virginia Hollis, Cile Stewart, Wynne Naylor, Molly Dewitt, Blakely McCrory, Hadley Hanna, Ella Cahill, Joyce Badon, Reese Manchaca, and Aidan Heartfield. 

The sheer scale of destruction - with buildings ripped from their foundations and cars swept away like toys - suggests that may be an overly optimistic prediction.

At a press conference late on Friday evening, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the floods had been devastating, and declared that 'we need God more than ever.'

'It needs God, but it also needs a robust response... searches will continue in the darkness of night, and they will continue' into the early hours of Saturday, Abbott said.

'We’ll put in everything we have in the entire state.'

At least 14 helicopters, 12 drones and more than 500 people from various units have joined search efforts, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at the press conference.

Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday.

Officials said at the press conference on Friday night that a total of 237 people were rescued by authorities through the day, with many more still unaccounted for.

The massive flood shocked local officials in Kerr County, with local Judge Rob Kelly admitting that 'no one knew this kind of flood was coming.' 

President Donald Trump also broke his silence on the devastating floods, as he pledged to fully support the ongoing recovery efforts.

'It's terrible, the floods, it's shocking,' he said late Friday evening.

Trump was asked by reporters if he would provide federal aid to the area, to which he responded: 'We'll take care of them.'

'It's a terrible thing,' he added.

Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that the Coast Guard was 'punching through storms to evacuate Americans from central Texas.

'We will fly throughout the night and as long as possible. This is what the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard do,' she added. 

The remarks came as footage from the ongoing searches of the Guadalupe River show a helicopter heroically saving someone from the flood damage.

The footage showed a person being hoisted from the river as one of 14 helicopters deployed during the searches lifted them to safety. 

 

A total of 237 people were rescued by authorities on Friday as the rescue mission continues through the weekend 

Debris from the flash flooding in Texas on Saturday. President Donald Trump also broke his silence on the devastating floods, as he pledged to fully support the ongoing recovery efforts 

Rushing water on the Guadalupe River on Saturday. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the floods had been devastating, and declared that 'we need God more than ever'

Trees lean as rushing water surges by in Kerrville, Texas, on Saturday. Over 150 people were airlifted from danger during the extensive search and rescue efforts by Texas authorities throughout Friday

 

As some families were left in limbo awaiting their children at reunification centers, parent Serena Hanor Aldrich told the New York Times that she was thankful her two daughters, aged 9 and 12, were rescued during the floods, but said the camp runners should have been ready for the torrential rainfall.

'They should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County,' she said.

'They were posting stuff yesterday morning. They should have been on top of it.'

She said her daughters were safe because they were in camps that were on higher ground, but Camp Mystic runs a number of campsites along the Guadalupe River that were overwhelmed by flood waters.

'There are still campers missing,' Aldrich said at a reunification center, where other parents were still waiting for their children to return.

HOW CUM THIS IS ART

New Yorkers horrified after feminist erects 'outrageously inappropriate' phallic sculpture that 'squirts' over passersby

 

By Alyssa Guzman 

 

Daily Mail

Jul 5, 2025

 

 

The 10-foot 'Foot Fountain (pink),' which is slated to grace Manhattan's High Line Park through May 2026, is composed of a foot at its base that extends upward in all its phallic glory 

 

Artist Mika Rottenberg has described the work as 'an overindulgent creature from my drawings' 

 

A provocative pink sculpture erected in one of New York City's busiest destinations is enraging locals over its 'grotesque' look and not-so-subtle features.

The 10-foot-tall 'Foot Fountain (pink),' which is slated to grace Manhattan's High Line Park through May 2026, is composed of a foot at its base with a flesh-colored column extending upward in all its phallic glory.

The piece is adorned with several mouths featuring protruding tongues and is topped by a sprinkler that spouts water when passersby pedal on a nearby machine.

Viewers have reacted with a mix of shock and disgust at the innuendo-heavy art.

'This is disturbing,' one person responded to an Instagram post by the park promoting the piece.

'Is this a joke?' another asked. 

'Um. That doesn't look like a foot,' a third chimed in. 

'I'm thinking the "foot" part of this installation was a last-minute creative decision,' another joked. 

 

 

One  user commented on X: 'They knew what they were doing with this... it mimics a penis with warts, shooting semen out the top... they added the foot because well ya know can't legit have it only be a giant pink d*ck. Imagine the children's thoughts passing on by.'

Another simply said: 'Oh it's a squirting c*ck statue.' 

The artist behind the piece, Mika Rottenberg, has described her work as 'an overindulgent creature from my drawings'. 

'It first appeared as a small sculpture while I was doing some craft work with my daughter during the pandemic,' she said in a statement on the High Line's website. 

The Argentine-born artist explained that the piece was originally conceived for a museum in Switzerland to work as irrigation fountain to water flowers.

'Here on the High Line, instead of nurturing the well-tended gardens, I thought it should nurture and cool passersby on hot days, and share some of its overenthusiastic spirit!' she said. 

The works of Rottenberg, who was born in Buenos Aires and currently lives in Manhattan, have been featured at museums and galleries around the world.

 

Rottenberg's foot replaced a 16-foot pigeon statue (pictured)  

 

This isn't the first time the High Line has featured unique art. 

Last summer it debuted a gigantic 16-foot pigeon in the same place where Rottenberg's sculpture now stands. 

The pigeon was meant to challenge the grandeur of traditional monuments that celebrate significant historical figures in the city. 

The name and size of the bird was also meant to poke fun at the 'the typical power dynamic between bird and human' as it towered over pedestrians and drivers.

In his sculpture description, Iván Argote explained that the pigeon represents the city's evolution and confronts its viewers with the constantly changing relationship with the natural world and its inhabitants.

DARK DAYS COMING: GEN Z WILL RULE POST TRUMP

Shock poll shows Trump's approval rating savaged by key group

 

By Alexa Cimino 

 

Daily Mail

Jul 5, 2025

 

Donald Trump is losing ground fast with Generation Z, with a string of new polls showing his approval among young voters has plunged to record lows - just months after he made surprising gains in the 2024 election (Pictured: rump signs the sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the 'Big Beautiful Bill')

 

Donald Trump is losing ground fast with Generation Z, with a string of new polls showing his approval among young voters has plunged to record lows.

The latest YouGov/Yahoo survey found Trump's net approval among Gen Z voters collapsed from -23 in May to a staggering -41 in June, with just 27 percent approving of his job performance. 

A separate Quantus poll showed his Gen Z approval dropped from 46 percent in June to just 35 percent in early July, and an ActiVote poll found disapproval surged to 62 percent.

It comes just months after he made surprising gains in the 2024 election.

Experts say the sharp drop reflects frustration with Trump's handling of key issues like the economy, inflation and immigration. 

On inflation alone, YouGov/Economist data shows his Gen Z approval sank from 32 percent to just 23 percent over the past month.

Trump had significantly narrowed the Gen Z gap in 2024, losing 18–29-year-olds to Kamala Harris by just four points. 

A key part of that push was his teenage son Barron, who became an unlikely asset on the campaign trail.

 

 

President Donald had an approval rating that remained steady before and after the so-called '12 Day War,' new polling from the Daily Mail showed. (Pictured:An Iranian firefighter works at the scene of a destroyed residential building caused by Israeli attacks in Tehran on June 13, 2025.)

 

The 18-year-old emerged as a quiet but powerful influence on his father, with some calling him a political ambassador for his generation. 

Barron understood what Gen Z cared about, and used that insight to help steer Trump’s outreach strategy. 

He encouraged his dad to appear on comedian Theo Von’s podcast and helped line up his viral 90-minute interview with Kick streamer Adin Ross, which drew 500,000 live viewers and, according to Trump’s Truth Social account, racked up 100 million total views.

Working alongside conservative influencer Bo Loudon, Barron also pushed Trump to engage with Gen Z favorites like YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David, host of the PBD Podcast.

The approach appeared to work, at least for a while, but fresh polling suggests that goodwill is rapidly evaporating, as the broader electorate seems largely unfazed by his recent military actions.

Despite authorizing U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites during the so-called '12 Day War' between Israel and Iran, the president's approval rating has remained frozen at 47 percent, according to a new Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll. 

It is the same figure recorded on June 6 - before Israel launched its initial strikes - and again on June 18, just days before the U.S. entered the conflict. His disapproval rating also held steady at 53 percent.

However, roughly a third of voters said their opinion of Trump had soured in recent weeks, with many citing fears of a broader conflict with Iran, concerns over his 'dictatorial behavior' for bypassing Congress, or frustration over what they saw as ego-driven decisions.

Another 30 percent said their view of the president had improved - crediting him for showing strength, keeping his promises, and taking swift action to defend U.S. interests abroad.

 

President Donald Trump's landmark Big Beautiful Bill Act was only supported by 28 percent of respondents in the most recent poll for the Daily Mail 

President Donald addressing the press at the conclusion of Wednesday's NATO Summit in the Hague, has had an approval rating that remained steady before and after the so-called '12 Day War,' new polling from the Daily Mail

 

 

The poll, conducted June 24–25 among 1,025 registered voters, came just after Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran following a barrage of intercepted Iranian missiles. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

Meanwhile, a separate shock poll shows most voters are turning against Trump’s so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill' - his massive tax-and-spending package that now heads to his desk after clearing both chambers of Congress.

The sprawling Republican-led bill promises $1,000 ‘Trump Accounts’ for newborns, eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, injects billions into the border wall, and bans states from regulating AI for the next decade. It also imposes new work requirements for Medicaid and food stamps.

While Trump and GOP leaders have hailed it as 'the largest tax cut in history,' most voters remain unconvinced.

Just 28 percent support the bill, while 36 percent oppose it, according to a new Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll - giving it a negative net rating of -8. Support plummets outside of Trump’s base: Republicans back it by +36, but independents oppose it by -14 and Democrats by a staggering -41.

The Congressional Budget Office projects the bill will add $2.4 trillion to the national debt by 2034 while slashing taxes by $3.75 trillion.

Even some Republicans are uneasy. Sen. Ron Johnson threatened to block it over deficit fears, while Sen. Josh Hawley objected to Medicaid cuts.

A CBS News/YouGov poll also found that 47 percent of Americans believe the bill will hurt the middle class - further signaling trouble for Trump’s economic agenda ahead of November.