Excerpts Nnedi Okorafor Read an Excerpt From Nnedi Okorafor’s She Who Knows Part science fiction, part fantasy, and entirely infused with West African culture and spirituality… By Nnedi Okorafor | Published on August 7, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from She Who Knows by Nnedi Okorafor, the first book in a trilogy set in the same universe as Who Fears Death—publishing with DAW on August 20th. When there is a call, there is often a response.Najeeba knows.She has had The Call. But how can a 13-year-old girl have the Call? Only men and boys experience the annual call to the Salt Roads. What’s just happened to Najeeba has never happened in the history of her village. But it’s not a terrible thing, just strange. So when she leaves with her father and brothers to mine salt at the Dead Lake, there’s neither fanfare nor protest. For Najeeba, it’s a dream come true: travel by camel, open skies, and a chance to see a spectacular place she’s only heard about. However, there must have been something to the rule, because Najeeba’s presence on the road changes everything and her family will never be the same.Small, intimate, up close, and deceptively quiet, this is the beginning of the Kponyungo Sorceress. Dead Lake My brother Rayan thought he was on my father’s level because he was almost thirty years old, married with three children, including a male newborn. Ger had married his wife months ago and all he wanted to do was chat with her on his portable the entire time, but also make as much money as possible so they could build on their house before having a baby. All of this added up to them being annoyed I was there. “You should be home reading manuscripts, papers, and books at the Paper House and getting ready for your husband,” Rayan said over his shoulder. His dusty red camel, whose name was Mars, liked to walk at the front, even ahead of my father. The beast was just as entitled as my brother. “Didn’t you hear Papa?” I said. “I knew when it was time to go. I had the calling.” “Not all calls are meant to be answered,” Ger said. He was right beside me and I wanted to punch him. “Exactly,” Rayan said. “Girls aren’t meant to be out here.” I looked behind me at my father for backup. He said nothing, only gazing back at me. I frowned and turned around. “We are all here,” my father said. “Let’s all be here.” I said little else for the next many hours. It was tiring. I was there; why should I explain why? Why did my own brothers, who liked me, keep saying I should not be there? My father barely defended me. And all around me were miles and miles of desert, no human villages in sight. I let my mind travel to the witch, what I’d seen. I still had no urge to share my experience with any of them, not even with my father. He’d said nothing to my brothers, which made me not want to tell them even more. I fell asleep on my camel. It was a talent that I had. When I look back, it all makes sense why I was able to do it. I could sit on my camel and sleep deeply without falling off. My brothers and father would say that I’d sway this way and that, but I’d never fall. My brother Rayan said it was as if I’d left a part of myself behind to watch over my body, while the majority of me went elsewhere. So I did not know when we crested the sand dune. I heard my father say, “I never get used to it.” Buy the Book She Who Knows Nnedi Okorafor Buy Book She Who Knows Nnedi Okorafor Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget “It scares me,” Ger said. “I described it once to Zora and she said that she never ever wanted to set eyes on this place. I understand.” “You two are made for each other. Two cowards,” Rayan laughed. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I’d been awake for a few minutes, but once I understood what I was about to see, I hesitated. Some part of me that had listened to all the words, sentiments of people, who had grown up amongst the Osu-nu, who believed the salt roads were for Osu-nu men only, despite the fact that they were discovered by two women, was certain that when I set eyes upon the ghost of the lake, I’d turn into a pillar of salt. There were documents shelved in the Paper House that said so. I’d read them myself with Peter last year and we’d thought it funny, because we didn’t think we had to worry about it either way. I took a leap of faith. I opened my eyes wide. Then… I gasped. My father and brothers all turned to me. “See?” my father said, smiling. “The mere sight of it does not change her.” “What do you think, Najeeba?” Ger asked. I took a few moments. Then I said, “The first to see this place were women,” I said. “I’m probably thinking what they thought… that death sometimes creates great beauty.” The dead lake was the most beautiful and mysterious place I’d ever seen. Down the sand dune, the sand simply ended, and from horizon to horizon the land became salt. The Great Book spoke of Ani awakening and turning her attention back to the Earth, of her then pulling in the stars from which she plucked the Nuru people. Scholars and scientists said there was more to it. Seeing what I was seeing now, I agreed. The peaceful death of a lake could not have done all this. No. It glistened and sparkled in the sunlight. My father and brothers had already put on their sunglasses and I put mine on now. Crystals, shards, large, medium, and small. More salt than humanity could ever consume. Most of it was murky with detritus, like dead leaves, seaweed, pebbles, dirt, other minerals, but some of it was clearer. Before Ani’s return, the Okeke people had used their twisted technology to strain salt from the sea to make it drinkable. That salt was sometimes dumped into lakes like this one. So there had already been an extremely high concentration of salt in the lake. Maybe while the lake was alive, it was also dead. But that still didn’t explain what I was seeing. Ani had worked her juju here so long ago, and it was still so incredibly powerful. “Ani is great,” I whispered. We set up camp on the top of the sand dune. When we finished, my father trudged up an even higher dune, where he just stood looking at the dead lake. “What’s he doing?” I asked my brother Rayan. “It’s how Papa always finds the rarest cubes of salt to sell. He goes up and looks right when we arrive. He says certain things stand out for him and that’s where he goes to look.” “It works every time,” Ger added. “Though he doesn’t always know what kind of weird salt he’ll find. Watch. Before we leave, he’ll find something.” Papa stood up there for nearly an hour. When he came down, he said nothing, acting like what he’d done was perfectly normal. To my brothers, I guess, it was. Once we’d settled in a bit, we went to the dead lake. The camels were happy to stay behind. We left our mining equipment with them. We would start all that tomorrow. “Does anything live here?” I asked. “Not really,” my father said. “Some birds come here to roost, but they find food elsewhere. Vultures come to prey on the ones who die while roosting.” The closer we got to the salt, the more surreal it seemed. We crossed an area that had obviously been mined. When you looked up, this barely left a dent in the miles and miles of crystals. Human beings would go extinct before the salt here ran out, no matter how much people came and took. When my brothers and father stopped to look at a particular salt cube, I turned the other way, toward the crystal wilderness. “Ani is great,” I whispered. In the distance, a cluster of cubes and shards glistened orange-yellow in the waning sunlight. As I stared at it, the light shifted, and I could have sworn I saw something long and lean rise from the salt. Or maybe it was just the heat. I snapped my fingers above my head to ward off the evil eye and turned back to Papa and my brothers, who’d decided the cube wasn’t worth pulling up. Still, when we started walking, I looked back. The orange-yellow light was gone. “This place is strange,” I muttered. We reached the thicker shards and cubes, my father tapping on each and gazing into them like an oracle gazing into a pool or water or mirror. My brothers did the same, but it was clear that my father knew better what to look and listen for than they did. Locating good salt was not just a skill, it was a talent. The ground cracked and shattered, leaving footprints. I found the sound and feel satisfying and I stamped my feet as I walked. “Be serious,” Rayan snapped. “Why? What does it even matter?” “Just have some respect,” he said. “This place is sacred. It is the livelihood of our people.” I rolled my eyes, stamped one more foot, and then treaded lightly. “It’s her first time here,” Ger said. “Don’t act like you didn’t do the same thing when it was you.” Up ahead, our father had stepped onto a large cube. He stood on it and looked down. The sun was shining through it so clearly that I had to shield my eyes. “Ah! We are lucky. This is a good one,” he said. “See how clear it is, Najeeba? Like ice. No detritus trapped inside, no dead creatures.” “Kai! Good find, Papa,” Rayan said. “And we just got here!” “There can be dead things in the salt?” I asked. “Almost always, yes,” he said. “This one is unusual.” He knelt down and placed a solar flag on it. This would make it easy to locate tomorrow. “It’s one of the ways we know this lake did not die naturally. It died fast… and hot.” I sat on a smaller cube, my brothers sitting on a shard and another cube. We stayed like that for a while, listening to the quiet. It wasn’t the same type of quiet as the desert, which is a heavy, cleansing quiet that stills the soul. It was a frantic quiet, as if something was vibrating in privacy. The sun was setting and soon the area was reflecting brilliant oranges, pinks, and periwinkles. “Come on,” my father said, after a quick look around. “It’s not good to be out here after dark.” We set up camp on the edge of the dead lake, my brothers building a large fire for us to sleep around. The nights here were cold. I sat on my mat nibbling on some smoked goat meat as I faced the dead lake. I’d sprinkled a little salt on it, and I savored the smoky, chewy, salty combination. Salt is life. The moon had risen and it reflected off the lake, lighting up the night. A breeze blew and I wondered if there were ever witches out here and what would happen if I ran into one. I smiled. I knew what I’d do if there Were. I thought about the witch again. How I’d changed. How freeing my encounter with it was, especially after I’d chosen to run into it. I looked at my father, who’d always worked so hard. He’d allowed me to come along because I wanted to, but did he ever have the freedom I had? “Papa,” I said, “how… how did it happen? To your family?” The question was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I’d never asked Papa this. My brothers hadn’t, either. I clapped my hands over my mouth, as if I could push the words back in and swallow them. My father looked hard at me and both of my brothers sat up. “Najeeba,” Ger hissed. “Don’t you ever think before speaking?” I cringed, wanting to hide under my mat. My father raised a hand. “No… I’ve been waiting for one of you to ask.” He paused. “I did not think it would be my daughter.” My brothers looked at each other. None of us knew what to do. My father, when angry, sometimes showed it in really complicated ways that were hard to read. It was best to just sit and take whatever it was. Excerpted from She Who Knows, copyright © 2024 by Nnedi Okorafor. The post Read an Excerpt From Nnedi Okorafor’s <i>She Who Knows</i> appeared first on Reactor.

The last thing any CEO wants to hear right now is that their brand has been linked to some sort of hot-button political crusade. After a 16-month beating from anti-woke consumers, the order of the day for corporate America is simple: Keep your head down and avoid the cultural land mines. Unfortunately for retailers like Costco, Walmart, Kroger, and others, the brands don’t always choose the war. Sometimes, the war comes to them. While the rest of the country was reeling from the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s exit from his reelection campaign, New York City’s comptroller was busy extorting five of America’s biggest companies. In threatening letters, the Big Apple’s Brad Lander, who helps control the city’s massive retirement fund, warned CEOs that if they didn’t start selling the risky abortion pill mifepristone in their stores, he would dump $1.3 billion in company shares. In missives to all five corporations (which also included Albertsons and McKesson), Lander used similar language, writing: The Costco Board of Directors’ and management’s failure to publicly commit to Costco becoming a certified mifepristone dispenser therefore raises significant investor concerns. These concerns include the company’s responsiveness to a growing market opportunity, its mitigation of potential reputational risks, and its commitment to maximizing sales and long-term shareholder value. Among other things, the comptroller claims that “mifepristone’s safety is well established,” a common lie that’s been debunked by countless personal testimonies, emergency room statistics, and in-depth research. Apart from the drug’s stunning 10% failure rate, other studies have shown an alarming rate of potentially deadly side effects. A Finnish study of 42,600 women found that out of the 20% of women who experienced serious complications, 15.6% experienced hemorrhaging and 6.7% suffered an incomplete abortion, in which fetal body parts had to be surgically removed. And yet, Lander insists: I am writing to urge Costco to immediately take the necessary steps to receive certification to dispense the medication mifepristone in states where it is legal. Following pharmacy industry leaders, and competitors, CVS and Walgreens, Costco has the opportunity to provide access to abortion medication through its pharmacies. Making mifepristone available benefits customers and employees and increases sales, while also generating long-term shareholder value. It is incumbent on the Board and management to promptly act to ensure that Costco quickly becomes certified and starts dispensing mifepristone without delay. But Lander might have chosen the wrong time to pick a fight with shareholders. In a surprisingly bold stroke, a group of 38 financial managers are hitting back, urging Costco, Kroger, Walmart, Albertsons, and McKesson to stand their ground or face the conservative wrath that’s brought companies like Target, Bud Light, Doritos, John Deere, and Tractor Supply to their knees. The counterpunch, led by firms with more than $100 billion in assets under management, includes representatives from Inspire Investing, Guidestone, Morgan Stanley, Truist, Bowyer Research, Innovest Portfolio Solutions, Transform Retirement, Barbara Mull Investment Solutions, Pax Financial Group, Harvest Investment, Steward Guide Wealth Partners, WSI Financial Partners, Kingdom Focused Financial, Christian Wealth Management, Chandler Wealth Management, Insight Financial, 4:8 Financial, Blue Jasper Capital, Bright Portfolios, Surepath Financial Services, Sage Oak Financial, Schwallier Wealth Managers, and more than 400 other Costco investors. To Lander’s suggestion that selling a dangerous do-it-yourself abortion drug would boost these brands’ stock, the group fires back, “Not true.” “Maximizing shareholder value,” it warns, “requires Costco to avoid politicizing its services and to continue to do what it has always done best, provide excellent grocery and retail goods to families. The ‘growing market opportunity’ of abortion drugs is legally and politically fraught, raises significant reputational issues, and reduces the company’s customer base, both literally and because it would drive away many existing customers.” Together, the group boasts of more than $172 million in ownership of the five retailers, which should add significant financial weight to their concerns. “There’s simply no question that Costco’s decision to sell abortion drugs would automatically risk its brand reputation,” CEO of Inspire Investing Robert Netzly argued. “Entering the abortion drug marketplace is an inescapably political decision. This is just like Bud Light, Disney, and Target. All three have taken affirmative stances on controversial issues in recent years and have yet to recover from the backlash.” And what kind of successful business plan, David Bahnsen added, snuffs out future consumers? “Selling chemical abortion drugs undermines a retail pharmacy’s bottom line,” the financial adviser reiterated. “Instead of selling a lifetime supply of everyday goods like diapers, cough syrup, groceries, toys, food, and clothing, a store settles for a one-time purchase that undermines a lifetime of opportunity.” There aren’t many companies these days willing to risk the billions of dollars in public backlash that comes with embracing the Left’s agenda. If Costco, Walmart, Kroger, and others want to stay in Americans’ good graces, they’ll stick with serving customers, not eliminating them. At the end of the day, Family Research Council’s Mary Szoch pointed out: These shareholders are working to ensure that Costco, Kroger, and Walmart remain retail stores and not abortion businesses. What mom wants to go to the grocery store to pick up deli meat that she’ll pack in her child’s lunchbox knowing that a drug starving an unborn child to death is being dispensed in that same store? What dad wants to pick out ice cream with his 5-year-old daughter while watching a pharmacist hand a woman a drug that will kill her unborn child and leave her alone in her bathroom as she delivers her visibly recognizable child’s body into the toilet? Retail stores should remain just that—places to buy diapers, baby food, milk, and cereal—not places to pick up a drug that is solely intended to kill a human being. Originally published by The Washington Stand We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Conservative Investors Put Costco, Walmart, Kroger in the Hot Seat Over Abortion Drug appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), known for supporting free speech by providing an open platform for public discourse, has declared the inception of its linear TV streaming service on iOS devices. Utilizing TMTG’s custom-built content delivery network (CDN), the innovative streaming technology showcases the broadcaster’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve. In order to enjoy this latest offering, iOS enthusiasts will have to ensure they have the most current version of the Truth Social application, which can be updated via the Apple App Store. The streaming service has been conveniently integrated into the Truth Social app, facilitated by a uniquely crafted Truth+ icon, resembling a television. The streaming service promises a seamless user experience, allowing viewers to either enjoy the content through dedicated channels or as a separate, resizable window within the Truth Social platform – a feature designed for multi-taskers preferring to scroll and stream concurrently. Devin Nunes, CEO of TMTG, shared his enthusiasm about this significant advancement, “We’ve hit a big milestone in our TV streaming rollout, with the service now available across the entire Truth Social platform—iOS, Android, and the Web.” He further expounded on the CDN’s resilience and the continued commitment to optimizing the streaming service across multiple platforms, promising exciting future enhancements. This recent launch is part of a planned phased rollout of the Truth+ infrastructure, an expansion of TMTG’s capabilities across the Truth Social platform. TMTG has ambitious plans on the horizon; they’re working on innovative features like a 14-day digital guide, DVR capabilities, video on demand, an electronic marketplace, and other developments. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Truth Plus Goes Live: Trump Media’s TV Service Is Now on iOS appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

MN Senator Lies, Says Tim Walz Served; J.D. Vance Didn't

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had not even been VP Kamala Harris’s running mate for 12 hours before MSNBC’s All In host Chris Hayes accused Republicans of “swift boating” him on Tuesday. On Wednesday, CNN’s Jim Acosta and Brianna Keilar followed suit by also turning the clock back to 2004 as they defended Walz from GOP criticism. Hayes was displeased at anyone arguing Walz has a problematic past while supporting Donald Trump: Some Republicans are talking about swift boating Walz because he left the National Guard back in 2005 rather than stay and deploy to Iraq though I'm not sure trashing an honorably discharged 24-year Army veteran, the highest ranking enlisted man ever to serve the United States Congress, if I'm not mistaken, later worked on the House Veteran Affairs Committee, I don't think that helps Donald Trump, whose own former staffers say he called American war veterans suckers and losers.      Hayes also turned into a humorless scold as he went after some conservatives for claiming Minnesota isn’t in the Midwest and might as well be considered Canada, “Republicans are going to find out, I think, that framing a gun-owning Midwest nice guy as a radical far-left commie ends up painting you into some really weird corners. Some conservatives, now in order to keep this whole shtick going, now claiming Minnesota just isn't real America. No, literally, the secretary of the Ohio Republican Party said 'Minnesota isn't even in the Midwest, it's basically Canada' which last I checked we have 50 states. National Review writer [Heather Wilhelm] who said Minnesota is ‘Canada lite’ ‘might as well be a different planet.’” On Wednesday, Walz’s GOP counterpart, JD Vance, gave a press conference where he criticized Walz for retiring from the National Guard prior to his unit’s deployment to Iraq. He also took exception to Walz using his military service to justify calls for gun control by referencing weapons “I carried in war” despite having never been to war.     Vance’s comments were carried live on CNN Newsroom, but Acosta still turned to The Atlantic’s senior editor, Ron Brownstein, and recalled, “I mean, these attacks were going to come and they do remind me of when I covered the Kerry campaign back in 2004, the so-called swift boating of John Kerry was a key part of that campaign. Questioning his military service, even though John Kerry was a war hero. It does sound familiar these lines of attack.” Like Hayes, Brownstein didn’t actually defend Walz, but instead tried to make the conversation about Trump, “A couple of big differences being Tim Walz is not the presidential nominee and Donald Trump is not really someone who can go around complaining about people dodging military service, right? I mean, that isn't really an effective line of comparison or argument for him.” Later in the day, CNN News Central host Brianna Keilar didn’t understand what the big deal was, “We should also mention there's reporting that JD Vance did not see combat in his role. I would argue it doesn't matter. They both served. But what do you think about this, kind of, getting some swift boat vibes here.”   Like it’s 2004 again. “Getting some Swift boat vibes here.” CNN’s Brianna @brikeilarcnn trying to discredit criticism of Tim Walz by JD Vance. pic.twitter.com/db7cTBfetg — Brent Baker ?? ?? (@BrentHBaker) August 7, 2024   Sure, but Vance did deploy to Iraq and that is what he was talking about on Wednesday, which CNN, again, ignored. Here is a transcript for the August 6 and 7 shows: MSNBC All In With Chris Hayes 8/6/2024 8:44 PM ET CHRIS HAYES: Who do you think comes out sounding more radical to you, at least? Some Republicans are talking about swift boating Walz because he left the National Guard back in 2005 rather than stay and deploy to Iraq though I'm not sure trashing an honorably discharged 24-year Army veteran, the highest ranking enlisted man ever to serve the United States Congress, if I'm not mistaken, later worked on the House Veteran Affairs Committee, I don't think that helps Donald Trump whose, own former staffers say he called American war veterans suckers and losers.  Republicans are going to find out, I think, that framing a gun-owning Midwest nice guy as a radical far-left commie ends up painting you into some really weird corners. Some conservatives, now in order to keep this whole shtick going, now claiming Minnesota just isn't real America. No, literally, the secretary of the Ohio Republican Party said “Minnesota isn't even in the Midwest, it's basically Canada” which last I checked we have 50 states. National Review writer who said Minnesota is “Canada lite” “might as well be a different planet.” *** CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta 8/7/2024 10:37 AM ET JIM ACOSTA: Yeah. Ron Bronstein, I mean, these attacks were going to come and they do remind me of when I covered the Kerry campaign back in 2004, the so-called swift boating of John Kerry was a key part of that campaign. Questioning his military service, even though John Kerry was a war hero. It does sound familiar these lines of attack. RON BROWNSTEIN: Yeah, of course. A couple of big differences being Tim Walz is not the presidential nominee and Donald Trump is not really someone who can go around complaining about people dodging military service, right? I mean, that isn't really an effective line of comparison or argument for him. *** CNN News Central 8/7/2024 1:05 PM ET BRIANNA KEILAR: We should also mention there's reporting that JD Vance did not see combat in his role. I would argue it doesn't matter. They both served. But what do you think about this, kind of, getting some swift boat vibes here.  

Some voters might find themselves rethinking Vice President Kamala Harris' competence after watching her mistakenly claim that the U.S. and the "Republic of North Korea" have a "strong and enduring" alliance; philosophize about the "significance of time"; talk down to rocket scientists; cluelessly clap along to a song protesting her presence; lecture about geopolitics; or struggle when going off-script. Rather than write off Harris' cringey speeches, viral gaffes, and sudden onset accent changes as "cheap fakes," the liberal media appears keen to try a different strategy: reframe Harris' weaknesses as strengths. The Democrat auditioning to become leader of the free world is not an airy kakistocrat prone to word salads but rather a fun candidate whose "oddball charm satisfies the content demands of the moment" — at least according to the Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber. Kornhaber suggested Monday that the Democratic nominee's "viral moments are fun to watch because they show a serious person having, well, fun." 'The point was not what she was saying, but how she was saying it.' "They don't come off as overly canned either," said the Atlantic staff writer. "They're too idiosyncratic for that. Harris's laugh has already been much dissected — with sexist overtones — but that giggle is just a small part of her larger performance of authenticity. Being in proximity to the nuclear football has not stopped her from finding life amusing, quite clearly." Although Harris is aiming for the White House, the Atlantic indicated the moments Republicans might otherwise mock along with her levity — be it real or feigned — makes her "perfect for TikTok." With Harris in the race, Trump’s communication style is striking a different contrast. The rambling campaign-rally format that he pioneered was, after all, a pre-TikTok invention, one that helped cable news fill hours of airtime. Against an opponent whose social-media appeal derives from everyday breeziness — who will, for example, riff with you about recipes — Trump’s insult-comic bluster could come to seem stilted or even, yes, weird. Harris' TikTok appeal also has ABC News wondering whether she can "ride memes all the way to the White House." "The demographics of the people who tend to vote for the Democratic Party tend to skew younger, so they need to attract, in particular, the younger audiences, which are much harder to reach through traditional media," Pinar Yildirim, a marketing and economics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, told the liberal outlet. Ted Rall recently suggested in the Wall Street Journal that "Democrats are evidently true believers in Ms. Harris, though she's given them little to believe in"; that the "Kamala Harris cult needs a personality." Kornhaber alternatively appears to believe that the breezy variety of TikTok candidate does not necessarily have to present Democrats with something to believe in but rather with something entertaining to watch. He noted, for instance, that at Harris' campaign rally in Atlanta last week, the vice president — who still has yet to post any platform details on her campaign website — was "coy on policy details" but delivered a rhetoric-heavy speech "with a kind of light, smiling swagger that felt unusual for a presidential campaign." "Clips were everywhere the next day. The point was not what she was saying, but how she was saying it: a hallmark, perhaps now more than ever, of what people want from politics," added Kornhaber. Harris' supposed TikTok stardom may, however, be a double-edged sword if even relevant to begin with. "Harris's online appeal could curdle if her team tries to flagrantly force viral moments to happen, rather than stand back and allow the public to react to her persona," said Kornhaber. "In any case, it's certainly not clear that an amused electorate is one that's more likely to vote. But so far, at least, the ease — and yes, silliness — with which Harris carries herself is earning a precious commodity: positive attention." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Biden-Harris administration's open-border policies have worked as a magnet, attracting foreign nationals from all over the globe — both friendly and hostile — to cross illegally into the United States. Worse, the combination of limited federal resources and liberal sanctuary jurisdictions means that illegal immigrants who successfully reach this country are not in danger of being sent back to their country of origin anytime in the near future.While the Biden-Harris administration's border crisis has caused many issues nationwide, arguably the most concerning consequence of the federal government’s open-borders policy is the flow of organized crime elements from central American countries into the U.S.These dangerous networks, including the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, have infiltrated the country in unknown numbers, either by slipping into ports of entry undetected, making unverified asylum claims at designated entry points, or utilizing another one of the Biden-Harris administration's dubious expanded "legal pathways."Over the past year, a number of violent crimes in cities across the U.S. have been linked to TDA members, igniting fears that the group is actively working to expand its transnational criminal empire on U.S. soil.TDA spreads violence and mayhemTren de Aragua, Spanish for "Aragua Train," was originally a prison gang that got its start more than a decade ago as a railroad labor union in Aragua, Venezuela.Andrew R. Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy with the Center for Immigration Studies, told Blaze News that TDA's first criminal enterprise involved extorting businesses in Venezuela and grew to human trafficking, targeting individuals as they fled the country."From there, they basically spread where the migrants went," Arthur said, which "has been throughout South America and, more recently, to the United States."Arthur described the TDA as a "particularly violent," "powerful," and "influential criminal organization." He added, "It's very difficult to compare them with gangs that we're better familiar with, like MS-13."‘Deadly criminal threat across the region.’The growth of TDA’s impact in America has been both rapid and shocking. Five years ago, almost no one in America had even heard of the gang. Now, however, it is causing havoc across the U.S., where it has already been linked to more than 100 criminal investigations, according to a June NBC News report.So far, the largest criminal bust in the U.S. tied to the TDA involved an extensive human trafficking operation out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In May, the Department of Homeland Security arrested three TDA gang members who were accused of tracking down illegal immigrant women shortly after they entered the country. They allegedly flew them from Texas to Louisiana, where the women were forced into prostitution to pay off smuggler debt. If they refused, the gang members allegedly claimed they would murder their family members in Venezuela.Diego Ibarra, the brother of Laken Riley's alleged murderer, Jose, also has suspected ties to TDA.John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE Denver field office director and current Republican congressional candidate for Colorado's 6th District, told Blaze News that TDA has spread to parts of Colorado — and worse, that local law enforcement is refusing to report gang members to ICE.TDA doesn’t just consist of immigrants who joined the gang prior to arriving in the U.S. Rather, TDA has been hard at work recruiting illegal immigrants who are already here, and the gang appears to have had particular success in New York, with disastrous results.Earlier this year, a mob of illegal aliens outside a New York City shelter was captured on surveillance camera punching and kicking two NYPD officers. Customs and Immigration Enforcement later revealed that at least two of the men accused of assaulting the officers were members of TDA.Just last month, a 19-year-old TDA member and Venezuelan national, who illegally entered the U.S., was accused of shooting two New York Police Department officers — fortunately, both officers survived the attack. After his arrest, the suspect allegedly revealed to authorities that TDA members were "smuggling firearms into city shelter inside food delivery packages." He claimed that those deliveries are not required to go through metal detectors.‘TdA giving a 'green light' to fire on or attack law enforcement.’ The escalation of TDA’s activity here in the United States has led a number of law enforcement agencies, both federal and local, to issue bulletins warning about the dangers presented by the gang.Last month, the administration's Department of the Treasury sanctioned TDA as a transnational criminal organization, cautioning that the group has "quickly expanded throughout the Western Hemisphere in recent years.""With a particular focus on human smuggling and other illicit acts that target desperate migrants, the organization has developed additional revenue sources through a range of criminal activities, such as illegal mining, kidnapping, human trafficking, extortion, and the trafficking of illicit drugs such as cocaine and MDMA," the Biden-Harris Treasury Department reported. "Tren de Aragua poses a deadly criminal threat across the region."The Department of Homeland Security also noted in a leaked internal memo obtained by the New York Post that members have been given the "green light" to attack police.The intel, reportedly gathered by the Albuquerque Police Department in New Mexico, warned, "Credible human sources from Colorado provided information on TdA giving a 'green light' to fire on or attack law enforcement.""As you may know, we have a TdA presence here in Chicago, so please be vigilant as you encounter TdA members or affiliates during your investigative and operational activities," the leaked memo reportedly read.The criminal activity caused by gang members in New York City prompted the NYPD Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau to submit an advisory alert to the New York State National Guard to be on the lookout for individuals with gang-affiliated tattoos. The state's National Guard troops have been assigned patrol duties at illegal immigrant shelters.The NYPD has referred to TDA members as "ghost criminals" because there is little information available to identify them other than gang tattoos, including five-pointed crowns, clocks, AK-47 rifles, and trains.Biden-Harris' 'lawful pathways' draws more Venezuelans to USThe Biden-Harris administration has spent three years expanding so-called "lawful pathways," attracting more foreign nationals to the U.S. The combination of progressive policies on a federal and local level has fueled the illegal immigration crisis facing the nation today.Arthur told Blaze News that TDA was able to gain a foothold in the U.S. as the number of Venezuelans crossing into the country increased.While more than seven million — and counting — Venezuelans have left their home country under the socialist regimes of former President Hugo Chávez and current President Nicolás Maduro, most of those nationals fled to nearby countries. After the Biden-Harris administration took office, more Venezuelans started heading for the U.S.In fiscal year 2021, CBP encountered more than 50,000 Venezuelan nationals, according to the agency’s dashboard. In 2023, that number jumped to over 330,000 — a 583% increase. CBP’s nationwide encounters dashboard does not allow for comparisons between the current Biden-Harris administration’s reporting and previous administrations’ statistics. However, older reports are buried on the website, which revealed fewer than 4,000 nationwide apprehensions of Venezuelan nationals from fiscal year 2017 through 2020.‘Our vetting ability is only as good as the information that we have.’Arthur explained that the Biden-Harris administration responded to the mass exodus of Venezuelans from their home country by granting Venezuelan nationals Temporary Protected Status, which only attracted more arrivals to the U.S.The federal government also incentivizes Venezuelan migration through its CHNV process, which allows 30,000 individuals per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela — as well as their immediate family members — to relocate to the U.S.Other foreign nationals wishing to enter the country have utilized the Customs and Border Protection's CBP One app, which allows individuals to schedule an appointment at a port of entry to make an asylum claim.These Biden-Harris programs have allowed the administration to potentially reduce the number of individuals showing up at the southern border, thereby reducing CBP encounter reports and giving the illusion less mass immigration is happening.Arthur explained that the "biggest issue" with these expanded pathways is that the U.S. lacks the ability to properly vet foreign nationals coming into the country."The Venezuelan government is openly hostile to the United States," Arthur told Blaze News. "They don't have any interest in sharing the criminal histories of individuals who are showing up at the southwest border or who are applying for CHNV with this country. Therefore, we only have the limited information that we have in our own databases."Additionally, Arthur noted that there is "very little visibility into either CBP One or into CHNV."According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, applicants must “undergo and clear robust security vetting.” Beyond providing biographic and biometric information, it is unclear what those vetting processes entail."The Biden-Harris administration promises that there's thorough vetting of those individuals, and yet we have no idea what that thorough vetting can be," Arthur noted. "Our vetting ability is only as good as the information that we have. When it comes to Venezuela, we have very little background information on these individuals at all."With the current administration's attempts to expand pathways for Venezuelan nationals to migrate to the U.S., it stands to reason that TDA gang members could be exploiting these programs and slipping through the cracks.Arthur told Blaze News, "And right now, the border situation is what we refer to as a 'baited field.' It's rich for the pickings for any well-organized criminal organization — which TDA plainly is — to exploit."On Friday, Fox News Digital reported that the administration decided to pause the CHNV program in mid-July following a report indicating significant amounts of fraud in applications submitted by beneficiaries’ sponsors. To be eligible for the program, beneficiaries must have a sponsor already residing in the U.S.The Department of Homeland Security told the news outlet that it halted the program "out of an abundance of caution" while it reviews the applications. The DHS insists that beneficiaries are "thoroughly screened and vetted before their arrival to the United States."How many TDA members are in the US?With the long list of unlawful offenses tied to the transnational criminal organization, it raises the question: How many TDA gang members have already infiltrated America? And the answer is: No one knows.NewsNation network correspondent Ali Bradley recently reported that "more than 1,000 known" TDA members are currently in the country. Since October, Border Patrol agents have reportedly encountered 70 TDA members.‘Things are going to get a whole lot worse before they get any better.’National Border Patrol Council Vice President Art Del Cueto told Blaze News that confirmed numbers, such as this, likely only include those who have either been apprehended or have confirmed ties to someone else within the gang."To actually know a number of how many are in, there is absolutely zero way to find out," Del Cueto stated, noting that there have been close to two million gotaways this year alone.The number of reported gotaways is also "a guesstimate because there's no way to know how many actually have gotten away," he added. Del Cueto explained that the reported gotaway numbers could further be skewed because much of CBP's boots-on-the-ground resources have been reallocated to administrative roles to assist with the unprecedented processing of asylum requests."That has limited the amount of agents that are actually in the field to apprehend these types of individuals, and at the same time, limited the amount of agents that are able to give you a proper number of how many could possibly have gotten away," he continued."The scary part is there's no telling how far their reach has gone because there's no way to actually tell how many of them have entered the country," Del Cueto said, referring to TDA members.Leaders slam progressive policies for enabling TDA's violent takeoverWhile TDA has presumably expanded its operations to many cities across the nation, its growing presence in New York City is perhaps the most apparent, with ties to a litany of criminal activities, including everything from moped phone thefts to attempted murder.New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R) told Blaze News that TDA has "taken root" in the city, and it was "entirely predictable.""We actually began seeing alarming gang activity by these Latin American gangs even before the current crisis, but it was ignored by the media and most politicians. I met with members of the NYPD gang squad around 2021, and they were crystal clear about the direction we were headed," Paladino explained. "At the time, the progressives on our Council were actually pushing hard to erase the city's gang database, which would have made anti-gang enforcement completely impossible. Luckily we were able to hold them off, but nothing was stopping the flood of criminal illegals into the city."Paladino said that the gang members "have no fear," and she expressed concern that "things are going to get a whole lot worse before they get any better." She told Blaze News that TDA members "openly target police officers, their families, women, children, anyone at all."‘Now they're actively recruiting in our streets.’She noted that in New York City, at least, the gang is currently "testing their limits — seeing how much they can get away with" and not facing any consequences or "finding any limits" due to the state's "almost completely dismantled" criminal justice system."The scary fact is that we're just not ready. Our police are fighting with one hand tied behind their back, because our progressive-dominated political environment still refuses to even recognize the threat, much less give us the tools to stop it," Paladino added.New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R) told Blaze News that the city needs to immediately abandon its sanctuary policies, which prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration agents, further exacerbating the issue of gang violence.Vernikov warned, "Don't be surprised when these gangs start running our city if we stay on this trajectory.""This is exactly what all of us — at least those on the side of common sense — warned would happen when the nation allowed unmitigated illegal immigration and our city emboldened them by establishing sanctuary city status," Vernikov said. "Now they're actively recruiting in our streets and the NYPD have been effectively handcuffed and barred from effective crime stopping."New York City Councilman Joseph Borelli (R) also pointed blame at the city's sanctuary policies for the increase in criminal activity."This just proves that when we talk about our sanctuary city policy barring law enforcement cooperation, the only beneficiaries are the criminals. Even other migrants should support changing this as they are often the victims of violent crimes in the shelters," Borelli told Blaze News.On the other side of the country, Colorado's sanctuary policies are hindering ICE's ability to locate and detain members of the criminal organization, Fabbricatore told Blaze News."Such policies inadvertently create a breeding ground for gang activities, allowing criminal elements like Tren de Aragua to grow and operate with minimal resistance. It is imperative for the safety and security of our communities that we re-examine these sanctuary policies and enhance our efforts to combat gang-related activities," he said.Del Cueto told Blaze News, "This administration spent three years denying that there was a problem. And now it's obviously extremely chaotic, and there is no way to pinpoint the actual numbers."Del Cueto stated that law enforcement positions have "always been a dangerous job," but the situation has worsened because criminals know they are unlikely to face consequences under the current administration's leadership.""This isn't new with these gangs coming inside. There's way too many coming inside," Del Cueto remarked. "Americans need to realize: You need to pressure lawmakers to have actual consequences for these individuals that are already here when they commit crimes.""At the same time, pressure lawmakers to do the right thing. The gang members that are coming into the country, the people that are committing these crimes — they do not care what side of the aisle people are. They just want to come in here, further and grow their criminal enterprise and at the cost of American lives, regardless of what side of the aisle those Americans are at," Del Cueto added.

Jenn Nizza was just 13 years old when she had her first tarot card reading. Without her knowing, the seemingly innocuous event would usher her into the realm of demonic spirits. Just a few years later, after the first spirit visited her, Jenna trained to become a medium, believing she was helping people find peace and understanding by contacting what she assumed were dead loved ones. Later, when she met Jesus Christ and surrendered her life to Him, Jenna realized that she was never speaking to the spirits of deceased people; she was actually speaking to masked demons. Her intentions to help people haven’t wavered, but now she lives out her calling through ministry and sharing the gospel. Allie Beth Stuckey recently invited Jenna onto the show to share her unique testimony and provide insight into how the occult is hidden in some of the most unsuspected places – like yoga and Taylor Swift. - YouTube www.youtube.com On the subject of Swift, Jenna contends that the megastar is deeply involved in the occult and so are her “swifties,” even though many don’t realize it. “Taylor Swift presents as this Christian-looking, innocent girl years ago, and then you see the darkness boldly, blatantly” emerge after so many people “are already hooked,” says Jenna, adding that this sequence of events “is strategic on behalf of the enemy.” According to Jenna, “[Swift’s] music boldly promotes New Age ideologies and concepts,” especially songs like “Karma” and “Invisible String.” While “Karma” may seem obvious, “Invisible String” is a song many would categorize as an innocent love song. However, Jenna says the song is based on “the invisible string theory” – the idea that “there's an invisible string wrapped around your thumb [or] your pinky” and another “wrapped around somebody else's thumb or pinky that you've crossed paths with at some point in your life.” This invisibly connected pair are often referred to as “twin flames” or “soulmates,” which Jenna says are also New Age concepts. “The idea is that … you have this energetic soulmate/twin flame, which are all lies and doctrines of demons, and [Swift] pushes these all out in her music,” she tells Allie, adding that Taylor is also “doing witchcraft on the stage.” To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above. Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

An Ohio armed robbery victim turned the tables on his attackers last month, grabbing a gun away and then pistol-whipping them before police arrived, Cleveland.com reported.Accused gunman Velonte Barnes, 25, of Cleveland Heights approached a 29-year-old shopper a BP convenience store on Monticello Boulevard in South Euclid on the afternoon of July 6, police told the outlet.Police said the trio began wrestling on the floor, and the victim grabbed the gun from Barnes and used it to pistol-whip both attackers, the outlet noted.At the beverage cooler, Barnes stuck a gun on the man’s stomach, grabbed the victim’s keys from his pocket, and headed toward the store entrance, Cleveland.com said, citing a police report.But police said the victim followed Barnes and tried to rip the gun from his hands, the outlet reported, which resulted in a brawl caught on camera.Police said a second suspect — 35-year-old Leroy Buchanan — entered the store, shoved the victim against a fountain drink dispenser while Barnes knocked the victim into a coffee machine, after which a pot of hot coffee spilled on the victim, Cleveland.com reported.Police said the trio began wrestling on the floor, and the victim grabbed the gun from Barnes and used it to pistol-whip both attackers, the outlet noted.Buchanan got back on his feet, chased the victim into a corner, and began punching him, Cleveland.com said, citing authorities.With that, a third suspect — 33-year-old Sean Buchanan, Leroy's younger brother — entered the store, shoved the victim against the drink dispenser, and punched the victim's head and body, the outlet said, citing police.In addition, Barnes picked up a glass coffee pot and slammed it against the victim’s head, shattering it, police told Cleveland.com.Authorities said the victim dropped to the floor, and the Buchanans kept beating him, the outlet reported.After police arrived, the victim told officers he had never seen his attackers before, Cleveland.com said, citing the police report. He added to officers that after he grabbed Barnes’ gun, he realized he couldn’t fire it because it wasn’t loaded, the outlet said.“The punk didn’t even have a clip in the gun,” the victim added to police, Cleveland.com said, citing their report.Police said the victim suffered injuries to his face and eyes and a coffee burn to his shoulder, the outlet noted.Barnes failed to appear for his late-July arraignment after he also was charged with several felonies, including aggravated robbery and felonious assault, Cleveland.com said.The Buchanans of South Euclid were arrested shortly after the incident, Cleveland.com said.Police said Leroy Buchanan received head stitches and told officers he was trying to defend his brother and himself, the outlet reported.The Buchanans were soon arraigned on several felonies, including aggravated robbery and felonious assault, Cleveland.com reported, adding that both brothers pleaded not guilty and were placed on $100,000 bonds.Last in July, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Richard Bell put the Buchanan brothers on house arrest with monitoring devices, the outlet reported, adding that Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer reached out to their attorneys for comment.Barnes failed to appear for his late-July arraignment after he also was charged with several felonies, including aggravated robbery and felonious assault, Cleveland.com said. Authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, the outlet added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Texas middle school teacher is being hailed as a hero after he used his gun to stop an alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in front of his Houston residence.The incident was recorded on security cameras. 'I was scared, too, I'm not gonna lie. But she needed help more than I was afraid, so I had to do it.'David Garza spoke to KHOU-TV about the incident that began just before midnight July 28. "I looked out the window, and I saw a man beating up a woman on the ground ... trying to take her clothes off," said Garza. With that, he sprang into action and grabbed his pistol."I ran outside, asked what's going on. The girl screamed, 'I'm 15, help me!' I pointed the gun at him and told him to get off her," Garza recalled. The security clip — which you can view as part of KHOU's video report — shows Garza pointing his handgun at the assailant, who Garza said was grabbing the girl by the hair. "He took his hands off right away," Garza added. "He went chasing after her, I went chasing after him, and she got away."Police said the male followed the teenager from a metro bus before he attacked her. Although he got away, authorities were able to get a description and a still image from the bus showing the possible suspect. A neighbor who saw the attack from her window said she believed the suspect would have raped the teenager had Garza not intervened. Garza added that it's not the first time he had to chase a man to protect a child: "I think it's something anyone else would have done — come help a child."Police said the man wore a black hoodie with a white Reebok logo, white tennis shoes, and blue jeans. "I was scared, too, I'm not gonna lie," said Garza. "But she needed help more than I was afraid, so I had to do it."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!