THE NEWS

Cuba Expands Market Reforms As Socialist Economy Buckles Under Trump Pressure

Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba’s Central Committee, reported Wednesday that Havana is easing restrictions on private businesses and self-employed workers as it attempts to stabilize an economy battered by decades of failed socialist policies and renewed pressure from the Trump administration.

“The updated regulations eliminate restrictions, broaden the scope of business activities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives, and incorporate new opportunities in commerce, transport, industry, and services,” Granma wrote in the announcement.

Under Decree 160, the government removed 46 of 125 previously restricted activities and modified another 35, opening more of the manufacturing, energy, transportation, trade, health, and education sectors to non-state participation.

Cuba now has more than 15,600 private small and medium-sized businesses, a figure the government expects to top 16,000 by the end of August.

The reforms mark a slight pivot toward market-oriented activity, even as Cuban officials insist the opening does not represent privatization or a transition to capitalism.

“This opening does not imply a privatization process,” Lázara Mercedes López Acea, president of the National Institute of Non-State Economic Actors, told the local outlet, “but rather the strengthening of the national business system, maintaining the socialist state enterprise as the main actor, while expanding the participation of other economic actors to contribute to the growth of the economy and a better supply of goods and services for the population.”

López Acea said the new measures respond to “the tightening of the economic, commercial, financial, and energy blockade imposed by the United States government.”

This development comes after Cuba passed its broadest economic overhaul since the revolution, seeking to loosen state control as U.S. sanctions compound fuel shortages, prolonged blackouts, and a deepening financial crisis. The economic collapse was already well underway before President Trump launched his maximum-pressure campaign.

Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, recently said Cuba must diversify its economy, business practices and investment channels while pursuing a distinctly Cuban development model.

Rodríguez Castro told USA Today in a recent interview that he is willing to negotiate Cuba’s future with President Trump.

Tyler Durden
Wed, 07/29/2026 – 22:15

The U.S. Army on Sunday revealed it has tested a new warfare system overseas designed to covertly scramble the navigation signals used by enemy precision weapons, making it harder for adversaries to accurately strike targets from long distances while avoiding detection.The electronic system, dubbed “Hammer of the Gods,” was tested at sea off the U.S. West Coast for the first time in mid-July as part of the Project Convergence Capstone 6 (PC-C6) experiment. While land-based versions have been demonstrated over the past two years, the exercise marked the official debut of the maritime variant, the Army said.The portable signal disruptor can reportedly blind enemy to several precision-guided weapons such as long-range artillery, guided missiles and cruise missiles.UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF NATOThe radio signals specifically jam positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) signals, including GPS data, that precision weapons rely on to navigate accurately.Without reliable PNT data, weapon accuracy drops sharply, increasing the likelihood of delayed missions and missed targets.The system also creates a resilient communications network that allows friendly forces to stay connected despite heavy electronic jamming.REPORT WARNS RUSSIA USING SHADOW FLEET TO PROBE NATO DRONE DEFENSESIt links military devices together, so troops can continue to “shoot, move and communicate” even while operating in degraded environments.Army officials said the experiment demonstrated the counter-PNT system could be successfully launched, operated and recovered in real-world maritime environments.The testing brought together the U.S. Army, Navy and Space Force, alongside U.S. Space Forces Pacific, Naval Base San Diego and the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, to integrate space, cyber and conventional capabilities during the exercise.

A California grandmother vanished after failing to pick up her grandchild, sparking a desperate search that ended days later with the grim discovery of her body inside her car in a church parking lot and murder charges against her son.Emmanuel Wesley, 23, of Santa Ana, is charged with murder in the death of his 61-year-old mother, Theresa Jones.Prosecutors allege he shot her twice in the back while she sat behind the wheel of her vehicle outside the Fullerton Police Department on the Fourth of July before moving her body into the passenger seat and driving away.Jones’ disappearance first raised alarms on July 7 when she failed to pick up one of her grandchildren and stopped answering repeated calls from loved ones, according to prosecutors.MISSOURI MOM OF 5 FATALLY SHOT WHILE BUYING SLUSHIES WITH CHILDREN; POLICE SEARCH FOR GUNMANFour days later, on July 11, officers found Jones’ body inside her vehicle, which had been abandoned in the parking lot of a church in Fullerton. Prosecutors allege she had been shot twice in the back.Investigators say surveillance cameras captured the moments surrounding the killing.TWO FOUND SHOT TO DEATH INSIDE CAR ON UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CAMPUS: REPORTVideo allegedly shows Jones pulling up outside the Fullerton Police Department around 2:46 p.m. on July 4 with Wesley riding in the back seat.Authorities say Jones suddenly slumped over in the driver’s seat before Wesley climbed out of the back seat, pushed her body into the passenger seat, got behind the wheel and drove away.”The death of any human being is a tragedy,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. “For someone to kill their own mother is another level of depravity. We will do everything we can to pursue justice for Ms. Jones and everyone who loved her.”BELOVED TEACHER KILLED AS SHE SLEPT, DAUGHTER STABBED IN ATTACK AS MOTIVE REMAINS UNCLEAR: DAJones’ family remembered the 61-year-old as a devoted Christian whose faith shaped every part of her life.”She loved her family fiercely, always putting the needs of her children and grandchildren above her own,” the family wrote in a GoFundMe created to help cover funeral expenses. “To know Theresa was to love her.”Loved ones described Jones as smart, funny and full of life, saying her vibrant personality earned her the nickname “Cardi B.”The fundraiser recalls the family’s agonizing search after Jones unexpectedly failed to pick up her beloved grandchild, ending with the heartbreaking discovery of her body a week later.”We want to honor the beautiful life Theresa lived and the immense love she poured into the world,” the family wrote. “The shock of her loss has left a profound, empty space in the hearts of everyone who loved her.”Wesley has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail in the Orange County Jail.If convicted of murder and the firearm enhancement, prosecutors say he faces up to 50 years to life in prison.

Screencap of Twitter/X video.
Journalist Mark Halperin is not impressed with the mainstream media’s coverage of Dr. Fauci this week. You might even say he is disgusted.
Halperin talked about it with two guests on his 2Way program and although he mentioned several news outlets, he really saved his anger for Brian Stelter of CNN, who made sure to write about how ‘MAGA media’ was treating the story.
It is truly remarkable, the way that Fauci became such a celebrity among members of the media and they’re still showing their devotion to him today.
Halperin also points out how the Fauci coverage mirrors the way the media treated Joe Biden and the cover-up of his mental acuity.
FOX News has details:
Journalist Mark Halperin, host of “2Way,” likened the mainstream media coverage of Anthony Fauci’s diaries to the press’ coverage of former President Joe Biden’s mental acuity on Wednesday, and said they were present at the creation of the cover-up.
“I could spend this entire hour talking to you about the media coverage of this thing,” Halperin said during a conversation with Larry O’Connor and Kevin Walling during “The Morning Meeting” podcast. If you read the stories in the so-called mainstream press about the Fauci Diaries, you will see an exact parallel to the Biden acuity situation. They were present at the creation of the cover-up. They were present, engaged in non-stop bias, pro-Fauci, anti-Trump, and they’re — they’re just sustaining it.”
“There’s no consciousness raising,” he continued. “There seems to be no awareness. And this goes across a range of things. It goes across the question of whether Dr. Fauci lied, whether Dr. Fauci helped fund the gain-of-function research, and it also goes to Dr. Fauci’s insane obsession with fame and celebrity. There’s no other way to describe it.”…
“Brian Stelter, this should be Christmas for him,” Halperin continued. “This should be the greatest day of his life to get to write about all the connections between Fauci and the media here and the ethics involved in people secretly being friends with him and helping him and then praising him on TV. Brian Stelter in his career has written many corrupt sentences to protect the liberal side of the house, many.”
Watch the video below:

NEW: Mark Halperin *UNLOADS* on Legacy Media over Fauci Diary coverage
“You should be ASHAMED of yourself! Not only are you doing a disservice to your readers in not accurately describing what’s in those diaries, but you’re continuing the alienation of 50% of the country.” pic.twitter.com/mkRyMCGHGP
— Jason Cohen (@JasonJournoDC) July 28, 2026

Our media is awful and they have absolutely no shame.

The post Journalist Mark Halperin RIPS Liberal Media Coverage of Fauci: ‘You Should be ASHAMED of Yourself’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

US & Global Reliance On Fossil Fuel Unchanged In 25 Years

Authored by Edward Ring via American Greatness,

So far this century, worldwide energy use is up nearly 60 percent, and, as anyone living in Western industrialized nations knows all too well, we have spent trillions of dollars to “decarbonize” our economy. And guess what? Our dependence on fossil fuels is unchanged.

To make this assertion, we may cite the world’s most authoritative source for comprehensive information on global fuel consumption, the Statistical Review of World Energy. For more than 75 years, an updated annual report has been released, and with the 2026 issue now available, we have the latest information on what forms of energy are most critical for maintaining human civilization. And in 2025, 86 percent of global energy came from fossil fuels: 33 percent from oil, 25 percent from natural gas, and 28 percent from coal. Nuclear power added 5 percent, hydroelectric power added 3 percent, and all renewables—biomass, biofuel, geothermal, wind, and solar combined—contributed 6 percent.

What’s most remarkable about these statistics is how little they have changed in 25 years. The Statistical Review reported that total fossil fuel consumption in 2000 represented, get ready, 87 percent of the total. Our global civilization’s reliance on fossil fuels has declined by 1 percent over the past 25 years. That’s not even a rounding error.

In the United States, the shift is greater, but not anywhere close to the trajectory demanded by the net-zero lobby. In 2000 we relied on fossil fuels for 89 percent of our total energy, and in 2025 that percentage was still 83 percent. More notable, perhaps, was that total energy consumption in the United States actually dropped slightly, from 95.8 exajoules in 2000 to 93.8 exajoules in 2025.

As the table shows, there are many additional, and very big, nuances to this story. Perhaps the biggest is the contrast between trends describing energy use in the United States compared to what happened in the world over the last quarter-century. To begin with, as noted, even though the U.S. population grew from 282 million to 343 million and U.S. GDP in inflation-adjusted dollars nearly doubled from $13.9 trillion to over $24.1 trillion, total energy consumption actually dropped.

Overall, total world GDP increased from an estimated $79 trillion in 2000 to roughly $180 trillion in 2025, more than doubling, while global population grew by 33 percent, from 6.2 billion to 8.2 billion. At the same time, global energy consumption is up 58 percent in the past 25 years, from 381 exajoules to just over 600 exajoules. But where is this energy coming from?

In the U.S., while total energy use declined slightly, the energy mix changed significantly. Consumption of oil stayed about the same, only dropping 3 percent from 37.6 to 36.4 exajoules. But use of natural gas jumped by 35 percent, while coal consumption dropped by a precipitous 63 percent. In 2000, coal and natural gas contributed almost equally to U.S. energy consumption, at 24.4 exajoules and 23.7 exajoules, respectively. By 2025, the contribution of natural gas to total U.S. energy jumped to 32.9 exajoules, while the use of coal plummeted to 8.7 exajoules. Also during the previous quarter century, nuclear energy in the U.S. actually grew a bit, from 7.5 to 9.0 exajoules, while hydroelectric power generation fell dramatically, from 2.6 exajoules in 2000 to only 0.9 in 2025. Hydroelectric power generation, however, is volatile because it depends on annual rainfall and snowpack.

Which brings us to renewables, which in the U.S. grew from virtually nothing in 2000 to supply 6 percent of the energy used in 2025.

For renewables to go from 0 to 6 percent is impressive, but the big story here is the persistence of fossil fuels. In the U.S., while we reduced our use of fossil fuels a bit, as noted, from 89 percent to 83 percent, for the most part we just flipped sources. We replaced coal with natural gas. But worldwide, the consumption of fossil fuels as a percentage of total energy didn’t change at all, barely dropping from 87 to 86 percent, while in absolute terms the use of fossil fuels exploded. And how the total world mix of fossil fuels changed tells a very different story from what happened in the U.S.

Worldwide consumption of oil dropped in percentage terms, from 39 to 33 percent, but the industry logged huge increases in actual production. In 2000, oil was the dominant source of energy in the world at 147.3 exajoules, and in 2025 it retained that distinction with ease, with consumption rising to 201 exajoules. In absolute terms, the use of gas and coal also grew sharply. Natural gas consumption jumped from 90.3 exajoules in 2000 to 150.7 in 2025, an increase of 67 percent. Coal experienced even greater growth, increasing 79 percent from 92.8 exajoules in 2000 to 166 in 2025.

These are a lot of numbers, but they tell an unequivocal story. If we regard the basic proportions that matter, fossil fuels power human civilization as much in 2025 as they did in 2000, despite trillions of dollars invested in renewables. Compared to fossil fuels, everything else combined is still relatively insignificant. Worldwide, as noted, nuclear power offers 5 percent of global energy; hydroelectricity offers 3 percent, and all renewables combined add another 6 percent.

It is pertinent to wonder how renewables, all of them, can possibly be poised to rapidly replace fossil fuels. Over the past 25 years, renewable sources of energy altogether went from zero to delivering to humanity 35.4 exajoules of energy. During that same 25 years, just the increase in fossil fuel consumption was 187 exajoules; that is, it went from delivering 331 exajoules in 2000 to delivering 518 exajoules. As human population moves toward its predicted peak of 10 billion people around 2050, we are going to need more energy to ensure a prosperous civilization, even if our capacity to efficiently convert energy into wealth improves even more than the U.S. was able to do over the past few decades.

These basic proportions are undeniable and lead to an inescapable conclusion. Fossil fuels are indispensable and are going to be with us for a very long time.

It’s important to recognize that the growth in renewable energy, particularly solar (photovoltaic) electricity, has been impressive. The gains have been exponential. Worldwide photovoltaic output—converting terawatt-hours to exajoules—increased from 1.76 exajoules in 2024 to 2.32 in 2025. Photovoltaic energy output is eleven times greater today than it was only ten years ago. But do we have the resources to accommodate another few decades of exponential growth?

Equally pertinent, total global battery storage capacity, despite 60 percent per year growth over the past ten years, is still, as of 2025, only equal to 1.2 terawatt-hours (ref. page 65 in the 2026 Statistical Review, “Grid-scale battery energy storage systems”). In the context of world energy, that’s nothing. It takes 278 terawatt-hours to equal one exajoule. It’s worth reflecting on this fact.

It means that even if we increased our photovoltaic output by another two orders of magnitude—roughly what would be required to even begin making a replacement-level contribution to global energy production—could we also increase our electricity storage capacity by four orders of magnitude from what it is today? Even multiplying today’s worldwide storage capacity by ten thousand would equal only 45 exajoules. Notice those battery farms going in all over? Imagine 10,000 of them where one of them now stands. That’s what it will take, at a minimum, if the world’s energy economy electrifies and does it while relying on intermittent energy sources. Does the earth have the resources to sustain such growth, and what would be the environmental impact?

These are questions everyone must ask who advocates for a net-zero future. There may be answers to these questions, but to date we don’t know what those answers are. Continuing to develop renewable energy has to take into account its own environmental impact. Biofuel cannot possibly grow much beyond current production unless we want to convert millions of square miles of farms and forests into monocultures of sugar cane and oil palm plantations. Wind energy as well is problematic; it’s a resource hog, a visual and auditory nuisance, and it wreaks havoc on the local environment. Hydroelectric power generation also has limited potential to add much more to our energy mix. Geothermal is a wild card. There are other paths, but they will take time—advanced nuclear fission, artificial photosynthesis, space-based power, fusion.

Meanwhile, policies designed to rapidly phase out fossil fuels are based on wishful thinking, and everyone familiar with basic energy statistics knows this. If proponents of net-zero cannot moderate their position against using fossil fuels, then we must justifiably question their motives.

Tyler Durden
Wed, 07/29/2026 – 21:50

The sting from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has not worn off for many fans of the US Men’s National Team.In one of the most inspired performances from a U.S. men’s team, well, ever, the USMNT started their group stage run by destroying a very solid Paraguay team 4-1. They followed that up by handling a defensive, feisty Australia team 2-0, clinching the top spot in their group before the third game even took place.Advancing out of the group stage was the bare minimum expectation, but the way the United States did it — with aggressive, attacking soccer and dominant scorelines — raised expectations for the rest of the tournament.US SOCCER ISSUES STATEMENT ON MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S FUTURE WITH TEAM USA AFTER WORLD CUPThey beat Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32 for their first win in a knockout stage game in decades, though the result was tainted by Folarin Balogun’s very undeserved red card. Everyone knows what happened next. FIFA postponed his suspension, President Donald Trump said he spoke to FIFA about the improper protocol used to give the red card in the first place and Balgoun was allowed to play against Belgium.Little good it did. The Red Devils were clearly the better team in Seattle, and took advantage of some frankly inexcusable and indefensible mistakes from U.S. players. Particularly goalkeeper Matt Freese and center-back Tim Ream. Not only was the 4-1 result frustrating, but disheartening too, for what it implied about how far the USMNT has to go.The end of the World Cup also meant the end of Mauricio Pochettino’s contract as the team’s manager, leading to much debate and disagreement over whether he should continue. And this week, we seem to have gotten our answer on U.S. Soccer’s thinking.Multiple reports, including in The Athletic, have said that the two sides are “close” to an agreement on a new contract. One that would keep Pochettino in place through the 2030 World Cup. Telemundo announcer Andres Cantor also reported Tuesday evening that the two sides were nearing a new deal.After the Belgium loss, Pochettino said he would take some time to rest and consider his decision.”Right now, it’s about resting a little bit, to think, have conversations with the federation to see what the decision is. I’m so happy,” Pochettino explained. “We’ve built a very good relationship.”LA GALAXY COACH GREG VANNEY SAYS TEAM USA WAS ‘TOO NAIVE,’ EXPLAINS CHRISTIAN PULISIC’S STRUGGLESU.S. Soccer also issued a statement heavily implying they wanted to bring Pochettino back. Though the 54-year-old was widely expected to have a list of offers and opportunities in several international leagues.”From a men’s national team coaching standpoint, we’re in active discussions with Mauricio and staff about the future,” said U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson recently. “We all share a belief that the best days of U.S. Soccer are ahead of us, and they’re excited about the opportunity to impact soccer at all levels in every community.”Seemingly, though, he’s nearing a decision to return to the United States.So what does this mean?Some analysts believe that each World Cup cycle should have a different manager. Others believe continuity is key, and that having the same leadership in place allows for more consistent scouting and tactical development with limited practice time.Pochettino’s case in particular feels tough to evaluate. There’s no doubt that the USMNT played a better brand of soccer at the World Cup than they’d show in the past. And had they beaten Belgium, the tournament would have been an unquestioned success. But they didn’t beat Belgium. Not only did they not beat Belgium, in fact, but they lost in humiliating fashion.That loss, though, didn’t look to be Pochettino’s fault. Having no better option at center-back than 38-year-old Tim Ream is not on him. Christian Pulisic’s injury and tentativeness is not on him. Freese inexplicably kicking the grass instead of the ball is not on him. His tactical adjustments in the second half clearly paid immediate dividends, as the U.S. was more in control of play until the Freese debacle. He subbed Sergino Dest off after Dest’s very poor first half, taking decisive action instead of hoping for the best.He also might be able to convince talented dual nationals like Noahkai Banks to fully commit to the USMNT, given his track record at the elite club level. And at the end of the day, who would be a better option?Jürgen Klopp is the new head coach of the German National Team. Maybe Pep Guardiola, though he seems committed to taking a year off after turning down the Italy job. Carlo Ancelotti is with Brazil, who were knocked out in disappointing fashion themselves. Luis de la Fuente, coach of now-defending champion Spain, isn’t going anywhere. Didier Deschamps is a World Cup winner, though it’s hard to see him wanting to jump ship to the U.S.Pochettino’s personality and track record are a tough combo to beat. He was successful in turning around the mindset and tactics with the USMNT. Now he just needs to hope the team’s players develop in the coming years. A lot.

A Florida man allegedly shot and killed his mother after years of built-up anger, then set her body on fire because she had said she wanted to be cremated, according to an arrest report.George Beemer, 23, was arrested on Saturday and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree arson and abuse of a dead human body in connection with his mother’s death, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.Beemer called 911 from his Fort Myers home on Saturday to report that he was suffering from chest pain, and he was rushed to a hospital for medical evaluation.But as he was being taken to the hospital, another 911 call came in about a fire at the same residence. Fire crews rushed to the scene and entered the home to extinguish the blaze, where they discovered the body of Beemer’s mother, who was severely burned and deceased.TIKTOK INFLUENCER WHO ACCUSED ESTRANGED HUSBAND OF PEDOPHILIA FOUND DEAD IN POSSIBLE MURDER-SUICIDEDetectives then developed probable cause that Beemer shot the woman before intentionally setting the home on fire.”Major Crimes detectives, Crime Scene investigators, and our partners with the fire service immediately recognized that something wasn’t right. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and relentless investigative work ensured a swift arrest was made,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.Beemer later admitted to detectives that he murdered his mother after years of built-up anger and set the home on fire because “she wanted to be cremated,” according to a police report, WINK News reported.He confessed to shooting his mother one time before pouring gasoline around her body and igniting it, according to the report.FIREFIGHTER ACCUSED OF KILLING CHEERLEADING COACH HE CALLED SECOND MOM, THEN RESPONDING TO SCENE HE SET: COPSDetectives said Beemer claimed his mother had mistreated him for years, including molesting him. He told detectives that he had finally had enough.But a friend of his mother said the allegations of abuse are false.”There’s absolutely no way,” the friend told WINK News. “No, no, absolutely never, never, no. I can’t buy it. I will never buy it. He’s using it as a defense mechanism to think that there’s any remote chance that this was justified.”Beemer’s former classmate, Madison Edwards, told the outlet she was shocked when she heard the news of the arrest.”We were just completely shocked,” Edwards said. “I wasn’t surprised that he ended up in jail. I was just very surprised as to the reason why.”Beemer is being held at the Lee County Jail.The incident remains under investigation.”My prayers remain with the victim and loved ones as they begin to process this unimaginable tragedy. They deserve answers, and we will continue working tirelessly to provide them,” the sheriff said.Fox News Digital has reached out to the sheriff’s office for additional information.

Two prominent Democratic figures with deep ties to the Clinton and Obama administrations publicly criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week, with former Clinton adviser Mark Penn attacking the mayor’s proposed property tax plan while former Obama White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel recounted what he described as a private conversation in which he challenged Mamdani’s rhetoric on Israel.The criticism is notable because it comes from longtime Democrat insiders rather than Republican opponents and focuses on two of the issues that have defined Mamdani’s rise political rise: his far-left economic agenda and his positions on Israel.Fox News Digital reached out to Penn, Emanuel and Mamdani’s office for comment.NYC MAYOR MAMDANI CALLS THREAT OF RICH PEOPLE LEAVING NYC OVER TAXES ‘IMAGINED’Penn, a longtime Democrat strategist and former pollster and adviser to President Bill Clinton, accused Mamdani of dramatically understating the scope of his proposed pied-à-terre tax after the mayor released a public database identifying property owners who could be subject to it.In a lengthy post on X, Penn argued the city’s valuation system had swept in nearly one million property owners rather than the roughly 30,000 luxury homeowners Penn said had previously been described as the intended targets.”The $5 million figure was a fake,” Penn wrote, arguing the city’s valuation system had improperly classified properties and would force homeowners to prove they should not be taxed.RAHM EMANUEL WARNS NEW GENERATION OF DEM SOCIALISTS DON’T LIKE AMERICAPenn also argued the proposal could depress property values, discourage investment in New York City and potentially raise constitutional questions.Meanwhile, Emanuel said during an appearance on the Unholy Podcast that he met privately with Mamdani for roughly 90 minutes and challenged the self-described democratic socialist mayor over his views on Israel.Emanuel said he praised portions of Mamdani’s domestic agenda, including childcare, but criticized Mamdani’s past use of the phrase “from the river to the sea.”MAMDANI DODGES ON ‘POLITICAL THEATER’ OF EMPTY NETANYAHU ARREST THREAT, CALLS FOR US ACTION AND NYC PROTESTS”I know where there’s a line. You don’t,” Emanuel recalled telling Mamdani.Emanuel said both calls for a “Greater Israel” and the slogan “from the river to the sea” would lead to “perpetual conflict.”After clips of Emanuel’s remarks circulated online, Mamdani communications director Anna Bahr publicly disputed the account.”can confirm this …. did not happen,” Bahr wrote on X in response to a post summarizing Emanuel’s remarks.It was not immediately clear from Bahr’s post whether she was disputing that the meeting occurred or Emanuel’s characterization of the conversation.Emanuel has also recently criticized the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) more broadly. In a post on X this week, he argued Democrats should focus on winning competitive elections rather than what he characterized as ideological distractions.”You can be focused on winning tough races, flipping red seats blue. Or you can be focused on abolishing prisons and… the Senate and Supreme Court? You can’t do both,” Emanuel wrote. “I’m for winning this November and ending Trump’s corruption — and I’m also for putting an end to all the distractions from the DSA.”Penn, Emanuel and Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for additional comment before publication.

The U.S. military announced a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday night, as the brief detente appeareed to have been short-lived.

Video footage of U.S. forces launching the latest round of precision strikes against Iran to degrade their military capabilities, released on July 20, 2026. (U.S. Central Command video)
US forces launched a second consecutive night of strikes against Iran this evening in response to Iran targeting US troops in the Middle East on Tuesday. 
“U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East,” US Central Command announced in a statement.
This comes after President Trump told Fox’s Trey Yingst earlier, “We’re going to beat the f*cking sh*t out of them.”
Trump added, “We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating.”
WATCH:

As The Gateway Pundit reported on Tuesday, Iran launched a “surprise” missile attack against a US base.
Just days earlier, President Trump called off the nearly two-week-long bombing campaign against Iran to continue negotiations on Friday.
Trump had said on Monday, “We are in very deep talks with Iran. If they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action.”
US forces responded last night to the attempted missile strikes by Iran, which US Central Command said were “successfully intercepted.”
The US military carried out a joint strike with Saudi Arabian Armed Forces against “Iran-aligned terrorists,” CENTCOM announced.
“U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” CENTCOM said in a press release.
MORE:
US Central Command and Saudi Arabian Forces Conduct Strikes Against Iran-Backed Forces in Iraq in Response to ‘Surprise’ Attack on US Base

 

The post US Launches Second Consecutive Night of Iran Attacks in “Powerful Response” to Iran’s Attempted Attack on US Forces After Trump Vows to “Beat the F*cking Sh*t Out of Them” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.