Former President Donald Trump ripped into the judge presiding over his civil business fraud trial during closing arguments on Thursday‚ even after the judge refused to allow the former president to give his own summation. On Wednesday‚ Judge Arthur Engoron told one of Trump’s lawyers that since he did not hear from Trump’s team “by the third extended deadline (noon today)‚ I assume that Mr. Trump will not agree to the reasonable‚ lawful limits that I have imposed as a precondition to giving a closing statement above and beyond those given by his attorneys‚ and that‚ therefore‚ he will not be speaking in court tomorrow.” But during closing arguments‚ Trump spoke up anyway‚ launching into a six-minute-long speech where he slammed both Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James‚ according to the Associated Press. Trump reportedly blasted the judge after his lawyer‚ Christopher Kise‚ asked him once more if his client could speak. When Engoron asked Trump if we would abide by the specific guidelines proposed to him earlier‚ Trump began his speech.  “This is a fraud on me. What’s happened here‚ sir‚ is a fraud on me‚” Trump said. He later accused the judge of not listening to him before Engoron told Trump’s lawyers to “control your client.” He then gave the former president a minute to speak before adjourning for lunch.  “We have a situation where I am an innocent man‚” the former president added. “I’m being persecuted by someone running for office and I think you have to go outside the bounds.” Before going into the courtroom on Thursday‚ Trump stood alongside his lawyers outside and called the trial “election interference at the highest level‚” alleging that “it’s in coordination with the White House and Joe Biden.”   “It is indeed a terrible witchhunt‚” Trump said‚ adding. “As you know‚ I want to speak‚ I want to give a summation. At this moment‚ the judge is not letting me make the summation because I’ll bring up things that he doesn’t want to hear. It’s a very unfair trial. Nobody has ever seen anything like this.”  CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP "A DISGRACE AND ELECTION INTERFERENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL‚" Trump says outside the courtroom in New York before closing arguments. WATCH pic.twitter.com/qTej8aaybr — Simon Ateba (@simonateba) January 11‚ 2024 Trump’s civil business fraud trial began after James‚ a Democrat‚ filed a lawsuit against the former president and three of his children in September 2022. The suit alleges that Trump‚ along with Donald Trump Jr.‚ Eric Trump‚ and Ivanka Trump‚ misled the value of his company’s assets in financial statements “over 200 times in 10 years.” Initially‚ James sought $250 million in fines for Trump‚ but according to a brief filed last week‚ James is now asking the judge to fine Trump more than $370 million.

Kelly Carlin‚ daughter of the late comedian George Carlin‚ said an artificial intelligence (AI) comedy special featuring her father’s likeness is nothing like the real thing.  The 60-year-old screenwriter was commenting on the release of an hour-long show called “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead.” The program aired on the YouTube channel Dudesy‚ which is run by Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen. It blends AI and comedy in a “first of its kind media experiment‚” per The Hollywood Reporter.  The AI version of Carlin replicates his mannerisms and speech patterns to comment on current issues ranging from Elon Musk to the use of artificial intelligence‚ the publication noted. Kelly said the AI version doesn’t come close to replicating her famous father’s originality‚ however. “My dad spent a lifetime perfecting his craft from his very human life‚ brain and imagination‚” she wrote in a statement shared on X that has since gone viral. “No machine will ever replace his genius. These AI generated products are clever attempts at trying to recreate a mind that will never exist again. Let’s let the artist’s work speak for itself. Humans are so afraid of the void that we can’t let what has fallen into it stay there.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “Here’s an idea‚ how about we give some actual living human comedians a listen to? But if you want to listen to the genuine George Carlin‚ he has 14 specials that you can find anywhere.” Carlin‚ who died in 2008‚ is widely regarded as one of the most influential stand-up comedians ever. He was known for his reflections on everyday life on topics ranging from politics to psychology‚ religion‚ and other controversial subjects. One of his best-known bits focused on “seven dirty words.” Besides his stand-up specials‚ Carlin appeared in multiple television projects‚ including “The Tonight Show‚” “Saturday Night Live‚” and his own “The George Carlin Show.” He was also a film star with roles in “Car Wash” (1976)‚ “Outrageous Fortune” (1987)‚ “Bill &; Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1989)‚ “Bill &; Ted’s Bogus Journey” (1991)‚ “The Prince of Tides” (1991)‚ “Dogma” (1999)‚ “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” (2001)‚ Scary Movie 3 (2003)‚ and “Jersey Girl (2004).”

 The Iranian Navy claimed on Thursday to have seized an American oil tanker in the waters of the Sea of Oman‚ according to the Mehr news agency‚ a semi-official news agency of the Iranian government. The report said Iran claimed the seizure of the St. Nikolas‚ previously named the Suez Rajan‚ was in retaliation for the “violation of the Suez Rajan ship in May of this year and the theft of Iranian oil by the United States.” According to The New York Times‚ the ship is actually registered in the Marshall Islands and is run by a company that is not American. Mehrs said Iran cited a court order and the approval of the Ports and Shipping Organization by the Strategic Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army as justification for the seizure of the ship‚ which was loaded with Iraqi crude oil destined for Turkey adding that the ship was “being transferred to the ports of the Islamic Republic for delivery to the judicial authorities.” “UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Thursday it had received a report that four to five ‘unauthorized persons‚’ reportedly wearing ‘military style black uniforms with black masks‚’ had boarded the ship at 03:30 GMT‚” the BBC reported‚ adding‚ “They added that communications with the vessel had been lost and the authorities were investigating.” “We condemn this apparent seizure. The Iranian government should immediately release the ship and its crew‚” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday. “These provocative and unacceptable actions need to stop. We’ll continue to work with our allies and partners to deter and confront the full range of Iran’s concerning and destabilizing behavior in close coordination‚ of course‚ with the international community.” Last April‚ the United States confiscated the Suez Rajan‚ which was transporting over 980‚000 barrels of contraband Iranian crude oil covertly sent by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps‚ labeled a terrorist organization by the United States‚ to an entity abroad. The DOJ stated: The complaint alleges a scheme involving multiple entities affiliated with Iran’s IRGC and the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) to covertly sell and transport Iranian oil to a customer abroad. Participants in the scheme attempted to disguise the origin of the oil using ship-to-ship transfers‚ false automatic identification system reporting‚ falsified documents and other means. The complaint further alleges that the charterer of the vessel used the U.S. financial system to facilitate the transportation of Iranian oil. After the U.S. confiscated the ship‚ a senior commander of the IRGC navy said Iran would retaliate against any oil company that unloaded Iranian oil from a tanker that had been confiscated.

The Biden administration responded this week to attacks against merchant ships in international waters from the Houthi terrorist organization by saying that the goal was not to “contain” the Houthis. Coordinator for Strategic Communications for the National Security Council John Kirby was confronted about the matter during Wednesday’s press briefing after the Houthis launched 18 suicide drones and three missiles at a group of ships in international waters in the Red Sea. “The best solution to this situation not escalating is for the Houthis to stop these attacks‚” Kirby said when pressed on the dozens of attacks that the Iranian-backed terrorist group has launched. “In the interim‚ since they’ve shown no predilection to do that‚ we’re going to do everything we have to do to protect shipping in the Red Sea. And I think I’ll just — going leave it there.” When pressed on the fact that the administration’s “warnings” to the Houthis have done nothing to deter the attacks‚ Kirby claimed that the administration was “successful‚” even though the attacks keep happening. “They will bear the consequences for any failure to do so‚” he said. “And I think I’m just going to leave it there.” Kirby was then confronted over the administration’s statements from last week that they were giving the Houthis their final warning to stop the attacks. “Just given that the administration specifically said last week that the warning last week was the last warning from the U.S.‚ can you at least say whether we should expect to see something different coming from the U.S.?” a reporter asked. “No‚ I cannot say that‚” Kirby responded. “And I’m not going to telegraph punches one way or the other.” Kirby was then asked if it was a mistake for the Biden administration to remove the Houthis from the Foreign Terrorist Organization list. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “The goal here isn’t to contain the Houthis‚ just to be clear‚” he said. “We don’t want to see these attacks on commercial shipping‚ and we’re going to do what we have to do to counter and defend against those attacks. And as I said earlier‚ the Houthi — they have — they’ve — they’ve made certain decisions up to this time. They have to make certain decisions going forward. And we’ll see what decisions they make. They will bear the consequences for those decisions going forward.” REPORTER: Was Joe Biden's decision to delist the Iranian backed Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2021 a mistake? BIDEN SPOX JOHN KIRBY: "The goal here isn't to contain the Houthis‚ just to be clear!" pic.twitter.com/zkXJ99lGb3 — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 10‚ 2024

A group of Jewish Harvard University students filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing it of enabling anti-Semitism and selectively enforcing its own policies to avoid protecting Jews from harassment. “Harvard permits students and faculty to advocate‚ without consequence‚ the murder of Jews and the destruction of Israel‚ the only Jewish country in the world‚” the lawsuit by student Alexander Kestenbaum states. “Meanwhile‚ Harvard requires students to take a training class that warns that they will be disciplined if they engage in sizeism‚ fatphobia‚ racism‚ transphobia‚ or other disfavored behavior.” Kestenbaum’s lawsuit‚ filed jointly with the group Students Against Antisemitism (SAA)‚ accuses Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964‚ and comes amid mounting criticism for its response to Hamas’ deadly October 7 massacre of Israeli citizens. Kestenbaum‚ a Jewish student at the Harvard Divinity School‚ is joined by five other unnamed students who are members of SAA in the lawsuit. “Harvard‚ America’s leading university‚ has become a bastion of rampant anti-Jewish hatred and harassment‚” the lawsuit states. “Mobs of pro-Hamas students and faculty have marched by the hundreds through Harvard’s campus‚ shouting vile antisemitic slogans and calling for death to Jews and Israel.” ‘Harvard Does Not Have Our Back’: Rabbi Slams University At Hanukkah Event Attended By Claudine Gay Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts‚ the lawsuit references mobs occupying campus buildings‚ promoting violence‚ and assaulting Jews on campus. It also accuses administrators and professors of promulgating anti-Semitism and dismissing students who object. “What is most striking about all of this is Harvard’s abject failure and refusal to lift a finger to stop and deter this outrageous antisemitic conduct and penalize the students and faculty who perpetrate it‚” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit argues that anti-Semitism has been a campus problem at Harvard for years‚ but claims Harvard is now enabling it.  The lawsuit raises the fact that Harvard in the 1920s put “quotas on admissions to ‘diminish the Jews’ and restore Harvard as a ‘Gentile’ college.”  “Harvard has instituted admissions policies that have severely reduced — by as much as sixty percent — the number of Jewish students‚ an enormous decline that evinces an intentional effort‚ much like Harvard’s quotas one hundred years ago‚ to exclude Jews‚” it states. In 2013‚ 25 percent of undergraduate students were Jewish compared to less than 10 percent in 2023‚ according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also lists a multitude of other incidents of harassment and targeting of Jewish students before October 7‚ including anti-Israel demonstrations‚ the Harvard Hillel being vandalized‚ and anti-Semitic education materials. One of the unnamed students expressed concern about Harvard’s planned summer program at the Palestinian Birzeit University which is dominated by Hamas‚ as first reported by The Daily Wire this week. Harvard To Host Summer Program At Palestinian University Dominated By Hamas “Among other things‚ Birzeit’s buildings and events are named after convicted terrorists; military parades on campus feature students wearing mock explosive vests while waving Hamas flags; in May 2022‚ Hamas won the majority of Birzeit student government seats; and‚ two weeks before the October 7 massacre‚ eight students were arrested with weapons and plans to carry out a terrorist attack‚” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit expressed concern about several letters signed by students and faculty after Hamas’s October 7 slaughter of Israeli civilians and Harvard’s failure to immediately condemn Hamas and anti-Semitism on campus. It also lists various protests that took place on campus where Jewish students were harassed and physically assaulted. “A video that went viral on social media shows a group of students swarming a Jewish Israeli Harvard Business student‚ holding their keffiyehs open to surround and physically restrain him while screaming‚” the lawsuit states. Elom Tettey-Tamaklo‚ a Harvard Divinity student and residential proctor‚ and Ibrahim Bharmal‚ a Harvard Law Review editor and teaching fellow‚ are named as the assailants.  “Harvard has not imposed any discipline on Bharmal and has done nothing to sanction Tettey-Tamaklo other than relieving him of his proctor responsibilities‚” the lawsuit states. On October 19‚ four of the unnamed students were in Harvard Law’s main building having a discussion with a former Trump administration employee who is Jewish‚ Jason Greenblatt‚ when hundreds of protesters marched through chanting “from the river to the sea” and accusing Israel of genocide‚ according to the lawsuit. “The group stormed Harvard Law’s main building‚ marched down the length of the building’s primary first-floor hallway‚ and blocked the hallway outside the study room where the SAA members and Greenblatt were hiding. Fearing a violent attack‚ students in the study room removed indicia of their Jewishness‚ such as kippot‚ or hid under desks‚” it states. The Assistant Director of Student Life at Harvard Law School‚ Jeffrey Sierra‚ directed the concerned students to the mental health service center and said “he was not in a position to do more‚” the lawsuit states. On November 16 and 17‚ during a 24-hour protest‚ anti-Israel students took over University Hall and were provided burritos and candy by two deans‚ according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also accused multiple professors of harassing and targeting the plaintiffs including Jon Hanson who promoted a podcast that defended Hamas’s Oct 7 attack. It also mentioned an email by Clio Takas who canceled her class “in solidarity” of an anti-Israel walkout on October 20. “Harvard’s campus is a safe space for students of all protected minority groups other than Jews‚” the lawsuit states. Israeli Student Sues Prestigious Art School For Severe Anti-Semitic Harassment The lawsuit points out that while Harvard is a private school that has a $50.7 billion endowment — the largest of any American university — it received financial assistance from the federal government through grants and loans‚ including $642 million in 2022 and $676 million in 2023. Harvard is failing to enforce five of its policies that would protect Jewish students‚ according to the lawsuit‚ including its Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying Policy; the University-Wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities‚ the Free Speech Guidelines‚ Harvard’s Student Organization Policies‚ and policies in Harvard’s various student school handbooks. “Subjected to intense anti-Jewish vitriol‚ including from their own professors and Harvard administrators‚ Kestenbaum and other Jewish students‚ including SAA members‚ have been deprived of the ability and opportunity to fully participate in Harvard’s educational and other programs and have been placed at severe emotional and physical risk‚” the lawsuit states. The suit lists several demands‚ including terminating or suspending administrators‚ professors‚ and students who engaged in anti-Semitic discrimination or abuse‚ requiring anti-Semitism training‚ and monetary damages.

In an era where the free flow of information is more critical than ever‚ allegations have surfaced that a major social media platform has engaged in the shadowbanning of a controversial documentary titled ‘J6: A True Timeline.’ The film‚ which claims to provide an unprecedented chronological account of the events surrounding the Capitol riot‚ has reportedly been hindered from reaching its potential audience. The documentary‚ released on December 31‚ 2023‚ has already amassed over 2 million views despite the alleged suppression. It features detailed‚ timestamped footage of the January 6‚ 2021‚ protest and subsequent riot‚ offering a narrative that challenges the mainstream portrayal. The film’s producers suggest that it fills gaps left by other accounts‚ presenting a version of events not seen elsewhere. Must watch–Its almost Jan. 6th again.https://t.co/Wk9VyfqFO5 — Paul (@pablokrani1) January 4‚ 2024 However‚ viewers attempting to access the documentary on the social media platform have encountered barriers. A “sensitive content” label was added to the post‚ which seemingly capped its view count and restricted further reach. This action has sparked outrage among supporters of the film‚ who argue that such measures are a form of censorship. The platform’s decision to label the content as sensitive has raised questions about the criteria used to determine what constitutes sensitive material. Users report that even after adjusting their settings to allow for media containing sensitive content‚ the documentary remains inaccessible. This has led to accusations that the platform is deliberately limiting the documentary’s visibility. A new documentary that shows you what the Jan 6th committee doesn't want you to see. https://t.co/0L1E9sMkrj — FrogmanHH (@Nerothezar) January 10‚ 2024 The issue extends beyond the documentary itself. Reports indicate that links to articles discussing the film‚ when shared via direct message on the platform‚ are met with warnings of “suspicious content.” This has fueled concerns about broader censorship practices affecting certain viewpoints on the platform. Critics of the platform’s actions point out that while the site permits conservative voices to express political beliefs‚ there appear to be unwritten limits to this freedom. The selective restriction of content has prompted discussions about the role of big tech in shaping public discourse and the implications for democratic engagement. The producers of ‘J6: A True Timeline’ and their supporters have taken to the platform to voice their frustrations and demand transparency. They question the motives behind the suppression‚ suggesting that it reflects a discomfort with narratives that diverge from those endorsed by mainstream institutions. As the debate over digital free speech continues to intensify‚ the case of ‘J6: A True Timeline’ serves as a flashpoint. It underscores the tension between social media companies’ policies and the public’s expectation of unfiltered access to diverse perspectives. Whether this incident will lead to changes in how content is moderated on the platform remains to be seen. The post Social Media Giant Accused of Suppressing Groundbreaking ‘J6: A True Timeline’ Documentary appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

Some people dream of living in a small town where the pace is slow and everyone knows each other. For others‚ that scenario would be a nightmare! However‚ as always‚ the truth is somewhere in between. To get the real scoop on life in a rural community‚ you’d have to ask the people that have actually experienced it. That’s why we rounded up some of the most interesting stories from small town residents online! From wacky encounters with rogue farm animals to unexpected acts of kindness‚ these small town stories are sure to both warm your heart and make you chuckle. Some of them may even make you want to leave the big city behind! 1. Who says nothing ever happens in small towns? Comment byu/official_biz from discussion inAskReddit Move over‚ Groundhog Day. This town has a new way to predict spring: wait for the deer to find the first grass of the season! 2. Sometimes‚ small town crimes aren’t exactly what you’d expect… Comment byu/JesusSwallows from discussion inAskReddit While there are definitely some perks to living in a slow-paced‚ rural community‚ you still have to worry about turkeys forming gangs. Good thing the police stepped in when they did! The post 10 Stories That Perfectly Sum Up Small Town Living At Its Finest appeared first on InspireMore.

The federal government has pledged over $2.8 billion

The record number of unaccompanied alien children who have been trafficked across the southern border ... is breathtaking

'Increase the risk of theft or diversion'