“Gladiator II” actor Paul Mescal said Hollywood is changing its approach to leading males. 
The 29-year-old Irish star made the remarks while promoting his new gay romantic drama, “History of Sound,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. 
“It’s ever shifting,” he said during a press conference for the film, per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/paul-mescal-masculinity-brokeback-mountain-cannes-1236406568/">Variety</a>. “I think maybe in cinema we’re moving away from the traditional, alpha, leading male characters. I don’t think the film is defining or attempting to redefine masculinity, I think it is being very subjective to the relationship between [the movie’s characters] Lionel and David.”
This was similar to comments he made last year about the state of masculinity in modern society.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a sort of crisis in masculinity I think at the moment and what it means to be a man,” Mescal <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/andrew-scott-and-paul-mescal-on-toxic-masculinity-the-most-macho-man-will-be-the-first-to-break-13054759">told</a> Sky News at the time. “We have all these things within us, there&#8217;s no one way of being, there just isn&#8217;t, and sometimes the people who are the most outwardly macho in some ways, are the people who aren&#8217;t going to be there for you emotionally.”
Mescal also bristled at the comparisons being made between “History of Sound” and the popular gay romance “Brokeback Mountain” (2005), which starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. 
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“I personally don’t see the parallels at all with ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ other than we spent a little time in a tent,” he said. “[‘Brokeback’] is a beautiful film but it is dealing with the idea of repression … I find those comparisons relatively lazy and frustrating, but for the most part I think the relationship I have to the film is born out of the fact that it’s a celebration between these men’s love and not the repression of their sexuality.”
Per the movie’s description, “History of Sound” is about “two young men &#8212; Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O&#8217;Connor) &#8212; in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen. As they begin to log the events, the two fall in love.”
Previously, Mescal defended himself against being cast as a gay man in films despite being heterosexual in real life. 
“It depends [on] who’s in charge of telling the story,” the actor <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/paul-mescal-im-not-just-the-token-irish-hunk-jrhcs688f?region=global">told</a> The Sunday Times while discussing another project, “All of Us Strangers.”
“The issue is that there have been so many queer performances in cinema that have been offensive, but that’s because the filmmakers and the actors have been careless,” he added.

Paul Mescal

‘Gladiator II’ Actor Says Hollywood Is ‘Moving Away’ From ‘Alpha’ Male Roles

'Gladiator II' Actor Claims Hollywood Is 'Moving Away' From 'Alpha' Male Roles

Celebrities

Entertainment

Hollywood

Masculinity

World

A bust of singer Jim Morrison that was stolen from &#8220;The Doors&#8221; legendary frontman&#8217;s gravesite in 1988 has been recovered by accident, French police have announced.
“After 37 years of absence, the bust of Jim Morrison, stolen in 1988 from the Père Lachaise cemetery, has been found,” the Paris Regional Judicial Police Directorate <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJuPS2ponll">said</a> in an Instagram post.
“During an investigation conducted by the Financial and Anti-Corruption Brigade of the Directorate of Judicial Police of the Prefecture of Police, under the authority of the Paris Public Prosecutor&#8217;s Office, this iconic symbol for the singer&#8217;s fans was recovered.”
The prosecutor&#8217;s office called it a “chance discovery made during a search ordered by an examining magistrate at the Paris court.&#8221;  
Morrison, former singer of The Doors and best known for songs such as “Light My Fire” and “Break on Through,” was found dead at the age of 27 in the bathtub of his Paris apartment in 1971. He was buried at Père-Lachaise, a cemetery filled with other famous figures including Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, and Edith Piaf.
Fans have been flocking to the singer&#8217;s gravesite ever since, especially on special occasions such as the anniversary of his death on July 3. Celebrations there have sometimes gotten rowdy, with police being forced to disperse a crowd in 1991 using tear gas.
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The 300-pound bust made by Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin was added to Morrison&#8217;s tombstone on the 10th anniversary of his death, then disappeared seven years later.
Jeff Jampo, manager of Morrison&#8217;s estate, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/20/style/jim-morrison-grave-bust-found-intl-scli">CNN</a> that he’s “happy to hear” the bust was found. 
“Obviously it’s a piece of history, and one Jim’s family wanted there on his grave, so it’s gratifying to see that it’s been recovered. Now we’ll have to see what kind of shape the bust is in,” he told the outlet.
There has been no indication of what will be done now that the bust has been found.
“I think it would be incredible if they put the bust back onto where it was and it would attract so many more people, but the cemetery wouldn’t even be able to hold that many people,” Paris tour guide Jade Jezzini <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-morrison-paris-grave-bust-recovered-3dc51d6bfdee8c3f19c4b806ddd36313">said</a>, according to the Associated Press. “The amount of people who would rush in here just to see the bust to take pictures of it, it would be incredible.”

Jim Morrison grave

Police Find Jim Morrison’s Stolen Gravesite Bust After Nearly Four Decades

Gravesite Statue Of Jim Morrison Stolen 37 Years Ago Recovered By French Police

France

Paris

singer

Venezuela released U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair on Tuesday in a bid to ease tensions with the United States.
St. Clair, 33, boarded a private chartered flight in Antigua and Barbuda and arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/venezuela-frees-u-s-air-force-veteran-in-overture-to-trump-da13eb55" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>. Richard Grenell, the U.S. envoy for special missions, oversaw the handoff between Venezuelan and U.S. authorities.
Nine other Americans remain in Venezuelan custody. St. Clair and eight of the remaining prisoners were declared wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department on March 3. The ninth is expected to be designated wrongfully detained soon, WSJ reports.
“Joe St. Clair is back in America,” Grenell posted to social media along with photos of himself and the Air Force veteran. “I met Venezuelan officials in a neutral country today to negotiate an America First strategy. This is only possible because @realDonaldTrump puts Americans first.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe St. Clair is back in America. 
I met Venezuelan officials in a neutral country today to negotiate an America First strategy. 
This is only possible because <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> puts Americans first. <a href="https://twitter.com/tsori233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tsori233</a> <a href="https://t.co/BItEnF9Ngg">pic.twitter.com/BItEnF9Ngg</a>
&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1924949414763741433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With St. Clair’s release, Caracas is hoping to placate the Trump administration into allowing Western oil companies to operate in the country, according to WSJ.
After coming into office, the Trump administration moved to pressure Venezuela and its dictator, Nicolas Maduro, by isolating the country economically and sequestering it from the global oil market. In February, Trump revoked a license that allowed Chevron to partner with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company to do business in the country.
Trump later took steps to block other Western oil companies from doing business in the country, as well. The president also <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/trump-says-any-country-that-purchases-oil-from-venezuela-will-have-to-pay-25percent-tariff-on-trade-with-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> to place 25% tariffs on any country that purchases Venezuelan oil.
In recent months, Venezuela has shown more willingness to work with the United States. In addition to releasing St. Clair, Caracas has also accepted a number of deportees back from the United States.
In return, the Trump administration will reportedly delay the final cutoff for Western oil companies to stop doing business in Venezuela.
St. Clair served four tours in Afghanistan. He was honorably discharged in 2019, however struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression while trying to reenter civilian life. He sought treatment in South America, and was arrested by Venezuelan authorities on the border of Venezuela and Columbia in October.

Richard Grenell, Donald Trump

Venezuela Frees U.S. Air Force Veteran In Bid To Ease Tensions With United States

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Richard Grenell

Venezuela

Negotiations over hostages held by Hamas began again on Saturday between the terror group and Israel.
Talks renewed after a new offensive by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip. Hamas official Taher al-Nono said that the latest negotiations have begun without “preconditions,” according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-confirms-new-gaza-ceasefire-talks-with-israel-qatar-saturday-2025-05-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed negotiators to stay in Qatar. An Israeli official said the prime minister has kept contact with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff “in an effort to dissuade Hamas from its refusal and to advance a deal for the release of our hostages,” according to <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-hamas-say-gaza-talks-renewed-after-idf-initiates-major-new-offensive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times Of Israel</a>.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz suggested that the new round of talks is because of Israel’s latest offensive, which was announced on Saturday. Katz said that the terror group’s current stance on negotiations “is in contrast to the uncooperative position they had taken up until this moment,” according to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-854313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jerusalem Post</a>.
Hamas last released a hostage on May 12. The terror group released the last living American citizen, Edan Alexander, from captivity after Alexander spent more than 18 months held hostage.
Israeli officials believe that the hostage group has as many as 23 hostages still alive. All but one of the hostages have been held by the terror group since October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists and Palestinians rushed across the border to Israel and attacked settlements and took hundreds captive.
Israel renewed its military campaign against Hamas on Saturday with airstrikes. It is unknown how many have been killed in the strikes. Hamas officials have claimed that more than 150 have died in the airstrikes, though the numbers are unreliable and Gaza Health Ministry data is <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/why-we-shouldnt-trust-the-facts-coming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspected</a> of being inflated and doctored for propaganda purposes.
Katz said that the new offensive, dubbed Operation Gideon Chariots, is being led with “great force,” according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-gaza-military-offensive-food-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>.
“The heroism of IDF soldiers, the unity of the people and the determination of the political echelon increase the chance of the return of the hostages – as it was then and as it is now,” said Katz.
IDF spokesman Col. Avichai Adraee said the Israeli military is “expanding and increasing the bombing and pressure on Hamas throughout the Strip – from north to south, above and below ground, and even outside the Strip.”
The new offensive will not stop until Israel has accomplished its aims of rescuing the hostages or having them returned, and until Hamas has been dismantled, military officials said.

Gaza City

Hamas Agrees To New Hostage Talks After Israel Pummels Terror Group In New Offensive

Hamas

Hostages

Israel

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump returns to the United States from his weeklong trip to the Middle East, leaders of almost 50 companies praised the president for securing over $2 trillion in deals.
The president&#8217;s trip to the Middle East resulted in a number of deals, including a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia, $200 billion in commercial deals between the U.S. and United Arab Emirates, $1.2 trillion economic exchange agreement with Qatar, and $243.5 billion in U.S.-Qatar commercial and defense deals, according to the White House.
The administration is touting the trip as not only historic, but also one that strengthened safety and stability in the Middle East.
“The numbers don’t lie,&#8221; White House Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers told The Daily Wire. &#8220;President Trump secured trillions of dollars in great deals, and his first foreign trip was a huge success. These historic investments and landmark agreements are a direct result of the economic climate President Trump has quickly developed.”
Business leaders who are benefitting from the deals were vociferous in their praise of the president&#8217;s efforts on Friday afternoon. That includes leaders from Lockheed Martin, Palantir, Qualcomm, Amazon, Google, and more.
“We appreciate President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman convening business leaders in Saudi Arabia to strengthen economic ties and drive innovation between our two countries,&#8221; Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said of the U.S. Saudi deals. &#8220;Amazon is excited to partner with HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia’s newly created AI innovation company, to collectively invest more than $5 billion to build a groundbreaking ‘AI Zone’ there, which will bring multiple innovative AWS AI capabilities to Saudi Arabia along with skills training for 100,000 citizens from the Kingdom.”
Ruth Porat, Alphabet and Google President and Chief Investment Officer, also expressed gratitude to Trump for the Saudi deals, praising the &#8220;engagement and policies of the Trump Administration and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who are enabling strong execution to accelerate AI innovation in both countries.&#8221;
&#8220;Together,&#8221; she said, &#8220;we will create highly-skilled jobs and deliver AI training programs to open new, rewarding career pathways.”
DataVolt CEO Rajit Nanda argued that the Saudi partnership was &#8220;made possible in large part due to the enabling technology and trade frameworks advanced during the Trump Administration—policies that championed high-tech exports, strengthened U.S.-Saudi strategic ties, which have empowered entrepreneurial collaboration in the digital era.”
<div id="attachment_921533" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-business-leaders-jubilant-over-trumps-economic-success-in-middle-east/president-trump-makes-first-middle-east-trip-of-his-second-term-7" rel="attachment wp-att-921533"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-921533" class="wp-image-921533 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2215290920-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2215290920-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2215290920-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2215290920-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2215290920.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES &#8211; MAY 15: U.S. President Donald J. Trump tours the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
And Oracle CEO Safra Catz thanked Trump for his leadership and &#8220;decisive actions,&#8221; actions that allow Oracle to provide &#8220;the world’s most advanced cloud and AI technology to Saudi Arabia.&#8221;
&#8220;Our expanded partnership with the Kingdom will create new opportunities for its economy, deliver better health outcomes for its people, and fortify its alliance with the United States, which will create a ripple effect of peace and prosperity across the Middle East and around the world,&#8221; Catz said.
As for the Quatar deals, Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg touted a historic order, the &#8220;largest-ever for Boeing&#8217;s widebody planes.&#8221;
&#8220;Thank you to President Trump for supporting the agreement, which grows our longstanding partnership with the airline,&#8221; Ortberg said. &#8220;As one of America&#8217;s top exporters, Boeing is proud that our aircraft sales to global customers strengthen U.S. manufacturing and sustain jobs in our factories and at suppliers across the United States.”
Lockheed Martin President and CEO Jim Taiclet promised that &#8220;thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we will help accelerate Qatar’s next-generation air and missile defense capabilities, enabling a more secure and stable region, sustaining American manufacturing jobs, and reinforcing our defense industrial base.”
A spokesman for Northrop Grumman, celebrating Trump&#8217;s deals with the United Arab Emirates, promised: “Just as we have invested in the UAE, such as Northrop Grumman’s grant to the American Community School in Abu Dhabi, we welcome increased partnership and investment by the UAE in our world-class defense sector. This historic trip will increase U.S. jobs and economic strength.”
Parsons President Carey Smith said that his corporation is &#8220;proud to be a part of President Trump’s initiatives to strengthen strategic relations in the UAE,&#8221; and Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli congratulated the president, calling the trip to the United Arab Emirates, &#8220;A key moment that underscores the enduring partnership between two nations committed to innovation, progress, and shared prosperity.&#8221;
&#8220;As we look to the future, energy will remain central to economic growth and broader cooperation that supports stability and opportunity for both countries, and Baker Hughes remains steadfast in our dedication to help both nations meet their goals,&#8221; Simonelli promised.

President Trump Makes First Middle East Trip Of His Second Term

Top Business Leaders Jubilant Over Trump’s Economic Success In Middle East

Economy

Middle East

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Predictions of widespread shortages from President Donald Trump’s trade wars have fallen flat as supply chains and retailers weather the uncertainty of tariff hikes.
The first quarter of 2025 came back with negative GDP growth, but economic signs are pointing toward a positive return in the Commerce Department’s next quarterly report. A positive report should tamp down severely pessimistic predictions about the state of the economy and the impact of tariffs.
“I&#8217;ve told people this is gonna be a skinned knee. This is not a broken leg,” Jim Nelles, a veteran supply chain consultant, told The Daily Wire.
“If you look at the data, we&#8217;re ahead of where we were this time in 2023 and just slightly down from where we were this time in 2024,” said Nelles regarding ships traveling between the United States and Asia.
Since the United States and China <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/tariffs-china-trump-agree-slash-levies-duties-business-markets-bessent-rcna206193" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slashed</a> tariffs, shipping in the Pacific is set to pick up, according to Nelles. “The shipping companies are scrambling to redeploy ships to Chinese ports, and American companies are scrambling to secure containers to put on those ships to bring goods into the United States,” he said.
The most recent <a href="https://www.descartes.com/resources/knowledge-center/descartes-releases-may-global-shipping-report-april-us-container-imports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on U.S. imports from the supply chain and logistics company Descartes shows that 2025’s container import volume is higher through April of 2025 than it was in either 2024 or 2023.
Trump announced sweeping new tariffs last month, threatening heavy levies on America’s trading partners. The shock sent the stock market plummeting and had media outlets and financial experts warning about an economic collapse on par with the coronavirus pandemic.
Headlines in recent weeks have catastrophized about shortages slamming Americans. Stories suggested that supply chains are breaking under Trump’s gambit to remake global trade like they broke under COVID. “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/10/business/zero-ships-china-trade-ports-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For 12 hours, zero ships left China bound for California’s top ports. That hasn’t happened since the pandemic</a>,” says one CNN headline from May 12.
Other headlines have warned of empty ports and empty shelves for Americans. “<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-05-07/empty-store-shelves-might-be-coming-sooner-than-you-think" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Empty Store Shelves Might Be Coming Sooner Than You Think</a>,” says a May 7 headline from Bloomberg. An April 29 Reuters report warned: “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/shipping-volume-will-plummet-35-next-week-la-port-official-says-cnbc-interview-2025-04-29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shipping volume will plummet 35% next week, LA port official says in CNBC interview</a>.”
Major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan predicted last month that the United States was likely to fall into recession. They have since <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-13/jpmorgan-drops-us-recession-call-after-us-china-trade-truce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reversed</a> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/09/goldman-forecast-a-recession-then-almost-immediately-rescinded-it-after-trump-tariff-pause.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">those</a> forecasts.
“The panic was silly and it was driven by the media because they ran out of things to talk about,” said Nelles.
Shortages that did appear would be localized, Nelles said. Generally, businesses properly read the administration’s signals and prepared before the president began slamming down tariffs. That preparation is reflected in Commerce Department data that show imports to the United States spiking in the months leading up to the tariffs falling into place. Imports to the United States in March <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/us-trade-deficit-hits-record-high-march" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit</a> an all-time high.
“At the end of the day, we would&#8217;ve seen nothing like we saw during COVID,” said Nelles. “We just would never have gotten to that point.”
“If you look at what actually happened in December, January, and February, shipments were up. People were stocking their shelves and adding inventory so that they could withstand any sort of tariff action that took place,” he said.
The most pressing problem that Nelles expects has to do with container ships sitting in U.S. ports full of goods that nobody is able or wants to receive.
“Those have to be shipped back to China, unloaded, and then loaded with other goods,” he said. “So, we might have, maybe a four week period where the equipment needs to be rebalanced between North America and Asia. But that&#8217;ll sort itself out.”
The Commerce Department’s quarterly report on GDP released last month <a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gross-domestic-product" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> that the U.S. economy contracted 0.3%, at the time raising fears that the United States may hit the technical definition of a recession, two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.
New economic data has since <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/15/tariffs-inflation-recession-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relieved</a> those concerns. In April, retail sales rose by 0.1%. Revised data showed that retail sales rose by 1.7% in March, a 0.2 percentage point increase. With positive signs for consumer spending, inflationary signals also came back positive. The Producer Price Index fell by 0.5% in April after holding steady in March.
“If you actually take a very hard look at the data, a lot of the shrinkage in GDP was driven by reduction in government spending, which is a good thing,” said Nelles on negative growth in the first three months of the year.
“I think that when they do the second review of GDP, it&#8217;s probably going to be zero to slightly positive,” he predicted. “I think Q2 is going to be positive as well, but it wasn&#8217;t a concern.”
The latest Consumer Price Index data on April came in cooler than expected, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/business/inflation-prices-tariffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showing</a> a 2.3 % increase in prices from a year ago.
“That&#8217;s the third consecutive month that we&#8217;ve had cooler than expected inflation, which tells me that the economy isn’t quite sure what it wants to do yet,” said Nelles. “But it definitely it’s saying I don&#8217;t feel like I need to heat up right now. I just need to bring inflation down and we need to see what’s gonna happen.”
“What I wish the president would do is get rid of uncertainty. I wish he would talk about what the plan is because, right now, it feels like the plan changes based on what he sees on X or on Truth Social,” Nelles said. “That creates a lot of uncertainty in the economy and in the business world, and that&#8217;s why you saw the stock market go down so much in the month of April. But now we&#8217;ve actually gone back up to the point where we&#8217;ve regained everything that we&#8217;ve lost. So, you know, the market likes what we&#8217;re doing.”
Since Trump’s Liberation Day announcement, the administration has entered into negotiations with dozens of countries to rewrite the United States’ trade deals. The process could take a year if not longer to hammer out the details. In the meantime, businesses in the United States will be forced to reckon with the tariff system largely put in place by the president.
The White House could choose to lighten tariffs on countries that agree to negotiate in good faith, Nelles said, or the president may leave in place broad 10% tariffs on countries to increase revenue to the federal government until new trade agreements are signed. If the president chooses the latter option, buyers and suppliers will have to work out together how to handle the tariffs while international trade continues to flow.
Either way, “the net impact will be quite low,” said Nelles.

Apocalyptic Predictions About Trump’s Trade Wars Never Came True. Here’s Why.

Tariffs

United States

Companies have announced billions in new investments in the United States while President Donald Trump has been traveling and signing deals in the Middle East this week.
The president has traveled to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates so far this week to sign agreements and receive commitments that will generate roughly $2 trillion in trade and investment. At the same time, major companies have announced plans to invest billions more dollars into the United States.
Those corporate investments include: at least $20 billion over the next five years from the medical company <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanofi-to-invest-at-least-20-billion-in-the-us-through-2030-growing-investments-in-science-and-expanding-domestic-manufacturing-302455566.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sanofi</a>, $3 billion by Kraft Heinz to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/ketchup-maker-kraft-heinz-investing-3-billion-upgrading-us-manufacturing-2025-05-14/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">upgrade</a> its U.S.-based manufacturing, a $1 billion investment from the energy company Carrier that will <a href="https://www.corporate.carrier.com/news/news-articles/202505_carrier-announces-additional-1-billion-investment-us-manufacturing-footprint-advanced-cuttingedge-rd-workforce-expansion.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">create</a> an estimated 4,000 new jobs, a $300 million investment from Anheuser-Busch to <a href="https://www.anheuser-busch.com/newsroom/anheuser-busch-announces-new-300-million-investment-in-manufacturing-operations-across-the-US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improve</a> the beer-maker’s manufacturing facilities, and a $150 million investment from Siemens Healthineers to <a href="https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/en-us/press-room/press-releases/us-investments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expand</a> production and relocate some manufacturing from Mexico to the United States.
The White House touted the new investments in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/05/president-trumps-policies-keep-paying-off/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>.
“While the President is securing historic investments on his trip in Middle East, billions of dollars’ worth of investments on the home front are pouring in. America is returning as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse thanks to President Trump’s leadership, brilliant economic agenda, and willingness to put America first,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told The Daily Wire in a statement.
The recent wave of investments comes as Trump has hopped around the Middle East signing and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-200-billion-in-commercial-deals-with-uae-bringing-total-gulf-investments-to-massive-sum?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Announces+%24200+Billion+In+Commercial+Deals+With+UAE%2C+Bringing+Total+Gulf+Investments+To+Massive+Sum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing</a> massive economic commitments between the United States and some of the Gulf states.
On Thursday, Trump announced over $200 billion in commercial deals between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The deals include a commitment from Etihad Airways to purchase $14.5 billion worth of aircraft from Boeing and GE Aerospace. Emirates Global Aluminum plans to spend $4 billion to build an aluminum smelter in Oklahoma, the first of such plants built in the United States in 45 years.
On Wednesday, Trump was in Qatar to announce a new defense agreement in which the United States will sell billions-worth of U.S. weaponry to Qatar. Trump also signed an agreement to “generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion,” according to the White House.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hours-into-middle-east-trip-trump-announces-largest-defense-sales-deal-in-u-s-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">began</a> his Middle East tour with a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday with a $142 billion defense sales deal, the largest weapons deal in history. Saudi Arabia made a commitment to invest $600 billion in the United States.

While Trump Pulls In Investments In Middle East Trip, White House Touts Investments On ‘Home Front’

Vice President JD Vance will attend Pope Leo XIV&#8217;s inaugural Mass on Sunday at the Vatican, his office announced.
&#8220;Vice President JD Vance will lead a U.S. Delegation to Vatican City to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV,&#8221; the vice president&#8217;s office said in a statement Thursday.
Second Lady Usha Vance will accompany her husband, and so will Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Rubio. Rubio is also a Catholic.
Vance is the first Catholic convert to serve as vice president, his office noted. He met with the late Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, the day before the pontiff died at age 88.
Back in 2013, Joe Biden, then vice president and also a Catholic, led the delegation to Pope Francis&#8217; inaugural mass.
Pope Leo XIV, who is 69, was elected the first American pope by the conclave of cardinals on May 8.
Leo, who was previously Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born in Chicago and spent much of his priesthood in Peru until 2023, when he was made a cardinal by Pope Francis.
Francis made Prevost the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican official responsible for recommending priests to be made bishops around the world.
Prevost has been strong on Church doctrine, but he is seen as a centrist on political issues.
In February, before becoming pope, Leo <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-twitter-x-trump-vance-criticism-9c311123985ebce282877071f75b6d80" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appears</a> to have shared an article on X from a Catholic outlet with the headline, &#8220;Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn&#8217;t ask us to rank our love for others.&#8221;
The new pope has also previously <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/15/vp-jd-vance-rubio-to-attend-inaugural-mass-of-pope-leo-xiv/83644101007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> several posts critical of the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration policy.
Despite any political differences, President Trump offered a congratulatory message after Leo was announced as the new pope.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114473380014194441" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social.
Trump also attended Francis’ funeral in Rome last month.
Vance congratulated the new pope the day he was elected.
&#8220;Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!&#8221; Vance <a href="https://x.com/JDVance/status/1920550545061810261" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X.
During his last visit, Vance and his wife and children attended the Passion of Christ Mass celebrated by a cardinal marking Good Friday at St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica.

U.S. Vice President James David Vance, along with his wife

JD Vance To Attend Pope Leo XIV’s Inaugural Mass In Rome

JD Vance To Attend Pope Leo XIV's Inaugural Mass In Rome

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A young Israeli mother of three children was on her way to the hospital on Wednesday to deliver her fourth child with her husband when she was shot and killed by a Palestinian terrorist, leaving her baby boy, delivered by emergency Caesarean section, fighting for his life.
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TZE&#39;ELA GEZ, a nurse and a nine-month-pregnant mother of three, was murdered in a Jihadist terrorist shooting attack on Wednesday night AS SHE WAS IN LABOR TO DELIVER HER BABY.
Pray for her baby, a little boy fighting for his life after being delivered in an emergency C-section.… <a href="https://t.co/N3Ovh9yQ1j">pic.twitter.com/N3Ovh9yQ1j</a>
&mdash; Yishai Fleisher يشاي ישי פליישר 🕎 (@YishaiFleisher) <a href="https://twitter.com/YishaiFleisher/status/1922975574382747917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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This is *Tze’ela Gez*, a 30-year-old mother, wife, daughter, friend and therapist. *A Jew*. 
Last night, Tze’ela went into labor, and on the way to the hospital with her husband, they were shot by Palestinian terrorists. Now, four children are left motherless, one of whom never… <a href="https://t.co/oqkYsWNnQj">pic.twitter.com/oqkYsWNnQj</a>
&mdash; Matthew Feinberg (@thewebbie) <a href="https://twitter.com/thewebbie/status/1922975671363469610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hamas praised the execution of Tzeela Gez &#8211; a pregnant Israeli mother gunned down on her way to give birth.
Her newborn is clinging to life.
This is what “heroism” looks like to Palestinians: murdering mothers and orphaning babies.
There are no words. <a href="https://t.co/MSaJHrqd75">pic.twitter.com/MSaJHrqd75</a>
&mdash; raz sauber &#8211; רז זאובר (@raz_sauber_) <a href="https://twitter.com/raz_sauber_/status/1922927244755787827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Last night, Tze&#39;ela Gez and her husband were on their way to the delivery room when they were shot in a terrorist attack.
Their baby was delivered in emergency surgery and is now fighting for his life.⁰Her husband was wounded.
The terrorist opened fire on their car, shooting… <a href="https://t.co/7VQG2ZpGsV">pic.twitter.com/7VQG2ZpGsV</a>
&mdash; LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) <a href="https://twitter.com/LTC_Shoshani/status/1922899854763708561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Heartbreaking morning 💔
Tzeela Gez was on her way to give birth to her fourth child last night when a terrorist opened fire near the community of Pduel, critically injuring her. This morning, she tragically succumbed to her injuries.
We pray for her baby, delivered via… <a href="https://t.co/8zchYSlZvF">pic.twitter.com/8zchYSlZvF</a>
&mdash; Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/1922891108545122807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Tzeela Gez z&quot;l, a pregnant mother of three, was murdered in cold blood on the road to the hospital. Her unborn baby was delivered in an emergency surgery — Our prayers are with her baby, still fighting to live. It’s a brutal reminder of the hatred we face — hatred that targets… <a href="https://t.co/myq5JR8v66">pic.twitter.com/myq5JR8v66</a>
&mdash; J.Majburd (@JonathanMajburd) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanMajburd/status/1922915441657204919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Tze’ela, Gez, 30, a mental health counsellor who treated people suffering from trauma and anxiety, wrote on Facebook two months after the horrific October 7 massacre of more than 1200 Israelis, “Another moment I am grateful that I am breathing, that I am present and that I am here. From here, all I want to do is be active and spread light; even a small smile is spreading light.”
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There is a video of Tzeela Gez ז״ל circulating on social media. 
I’ve added captions to it. 
Tzeela was a mental health counsellor who treated people suffering from trauma and anxiety. 
Praying for her baby, family and friends 
 May Tzeela’s memory be a blessing 😢💔 <a href="https://t.co/2ocgtnwGN1">https://t.co/2ocgtnwGN1</a> <a href="https://t.co/NR1rOwU71w">pic.twitter.com/NR1rOwU71w</a>
&mdash; Karen Ievers (@karenievers) <a href="https://twitter.com/karenievers/status/1922950321061482775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After she was shot by the terrorist, Gez was rushed to Petah Tikva’s Rabin Medical Center, where she later died.
Gez’s sister, Shaked Force, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-en-route-to-hospital-for-delivery-critically-wounded-in-west-bank-terror-shooting/">said</a> her sister’s pregnancy had been difficult, saying, “She really put in an effort. She was always smiling and gave all her strength, always there for others. I don’t have the words to describe such an amazing character.”
Tal Shahar Carmon, Gez’s close friend, told Kan of the “unbearably difficult” moment when Gez’s husband Hananel told his three other children of her murder: “He told them that with Mom they traveled to bring the new baby, and on the way a terrorist shot at Mom, and Dad tried to save her, and they did everything, and they managed to save the baby but not Mom.”
“This is a difficult and painful attack in which an Israeli civilian was killed on her way to a delivery room. I share in the deep sorrow of the family. We are engaged in broad fighting against terror in Judea and Samaria (West Bank), and we will continue,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said.
“We will activate all our tools, and we will reach the murderers to bring them to justice,” he added.
Limor Son Har-Melech, a member of the Israeli Knesset, was seven months pregnant with her second child in 2003 when she and her husband were shot by five Palestinian terrorists, killing her husband instantly and leaving her in critical condition, while her daughter was delivered in an emergency Caesarean section. Al-Aqsa Martyrs&#8217; Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah party until 2007, headed now by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Har-Melech reacted to the latest murderous assault by Palestinian terrorists, writing on X:
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Catching up on the terrible attack last night in Samaria and can&#8217;t breathe.
Reading about Tsala Gaz, Y.D. — a young, pregnant woman, on her way to the delivery room, for the happiest event of her life, bringing life into the world. Her husband was injured in the attack while they were fighting for the baby&#8217;s life — and I can&#8217;t help but go back 21 years.
I was there too. I was also a pregnant woman traveling with her husband on the roads of Samaria, we also encountered a squad of murderers who fired at our car. Shuli, my beloved husband, was murdered. And I, wounded, was taken to emergency surgery. My daughter Sarah was born then, in the sixth month — three hours after her father was murdered, and even then they fought for her life.
Yesterday, just as we were celebrating Sarah&#8217;s engagement, the terrible news came. The media called, asking me to be interviewed. I couldn&#8217;t. The pain was too great.
I imagined Tzala Gaz there, and her husband — that I was praying for his recovery. I imagined how excited they were about the birth, how much they had been waiting for this moment. How they decided that this was the time — now — to get in the car and drive to the hospital. And at that exact moment, a squad of terrorists gathered, who decided that this was the time to murder — to murder them just because they were Jews.
We are dealing with a cruel enemy. An enemy who seeks to kill Jews. In the middle of the night. On dark roads. In order to defeat him and to eradicate him — we must first know his cruel and murderous nature and his goals.
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מתעדכנת על הפיגוע הנורא הלילה בשומרון ולא מצליחה לנשום. קוראת על צאלה גז הי״ד — אישה צעירה, בהריון, בדרכה לחדר לידה, לאירוע המשמח ביותר בחייה, הבאת חיים לעולם. בעלה נפצע בפיגוע שעה שנלחמים על חיי התינוק — ואני לא יכולה שלא לחזור 21 שנה לאחור.
גם אני הייתי שם. גם אני הייתי אישה… <a href="https://t.co/3Ukm2NPVYP">pic.twitter.com/3Ukm2NPVYP</a>
&mdash; לימור סון הר מלך (@limor_sonhrmelh) <a href="https://twitter.com/limor_sonhrmelh/status/1922871408956154155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Israeli Mother Of 3 On Her Way To Give Birth Murdered By Palestinian Terrorist. Hamas Celebrates.

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Judea and Samaria

Mother

Murder

Terrorism

A heroic young Israeli police officer, a father of three who <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rushed to save his countrymen</a> from Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, killing more than a dozen terrorists intent on slaughtering Israelis, took his own life after apparently suffering from survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
First Sgt. Igor Pibenev, 32, the father of three daughters, was at the police station in Hebron on the morning of October 7 when he heard Hamas had launched its murderous assault. Driving to his home in Yated, a village near the Gaza border, he first encountered two terrorists near Urim Junction and killed them, prompting two other terrorists to start shooting at him, both of whom he killed.
“The scenario in my head was that I would get home and see a lifeless house, but I put fear aside,” Pibenev recalled. “From Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, I headed home, but I saw terrorists walking toward the kibbutz cowshed. Then a shootout began, lasting a few minutes. On the way from the police station to my community, I saw a suspicious white vehicle and stopped on the side of the road. I identified terrorists; I shot at them and eliminated them. We had drills for situations like these, but I never believed that we would confront so many terrorists. When I heard about what happened in Kibbutz Be&#8217;eri, I imagined how I&#8217;d be left without a wife and children, but I remained optimistic the entire time.”
“After I eliminated the terrorists, I received a message from my wife that she is currently at the neighbors&#8217; with the children and she is fine and healthy. I said I am on my way,” Pibenev <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said.</a>
“I entered the house, and the look my wife gave me and the girls was that I had arrived as they had hoped. &#8230; I gave a hug to the children &#8230; My feeling was that I was marrying my wife again and that I was back three more times in the delivery room with the excitement of seeing my children come into the world.”
Three months ago, Pivenev’s wife Chani posted on social media: “If there are people around you are have been sinking since that Saturday, (October 7) turn the world on its head so that they can get the proper professional help and treatment. Don&#8217;t try to save them alone, you can&#8217;t, and things will just get worse. Fight the feelings of guilt — it&#8217;s not your fault.&#8221;
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Israel’s Response To Hamas Attack Complicated By Hostages And Concerns Over Gaza Campaign

Israeli October 7 Hero Who Killed Over A Dozen Terrorists Dies Tragically

Heroism

October 7

President Donald Trump travels to the Middle East, where he inks massive arms and investment deals, Sean Combs’ sex trafficking trial brings shocking testimony, and the Left is outraged as Trump welcomes Afrikaner refugees.
It’s Wednesday, May 14, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2>Trump Secures Massive Saudi Investment</h2>
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Topline: President Trump secures a $600 billion investment in the U.S. from Saudi Arabia.
President Trump and an entourage of his top officials were in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, where the president secured a $600 billion investment in the United States and the largest arms deal in history. Trump arrived in Qatar on Wednesday morning and plans to visit the United Arab Emirates while negotiating economic deals and signaling a new approach to American foreign policy in the Middle East.
“Far too many American presidents have been afflicted with the notion that it&#8217;s our job to look into the souls of foreign leaders and use U.S. policy to dispense justice for their sins,” Trump said. “It is God&#8217;s job to sit in judgment — my job to defend America and to promote the fundamental interests of stability, prosperity, and peace.&#8221;
Trump also celebrated a recent ceasefire with the Houthis, who agreed to suspend attacks on American shipping in the Red Sea after months of intense aerial bombardment by U.S. military forces. The president announced the cessation of sanctions on Syria, to give the new government, which ousted the Russian- and Iranian-backed Bashar al-Assad last December, “a chance at greatness.&#8221; Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, is a former Al-Qaeda fighter who fought against American forces in Iraq. He has been Syria&#8217;s president since January and has attempted to rebrand himself as a moderate figure focused more on Syrian interests than jihad.
“In Syria, which has seen so much misery and death, there is a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace. That’s what we want to see,” Trump said.
However, Trump’s rhetoric was not entirely dovish – he issued a stern warning to Iran, a longtime regional adversary of the United States that has come perilously close to developing nuclear weapons. “Iran CAN have a much brighter future — but we will NEVER allow them to threaten America and our allies with terrorism or a nuclear attack. The choice is theirs to make.”
<h2>Did Diddy Do It?</h2>
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Topline: Eight months after his arrest, the federal trial of music mogul Sean &#8220;Diddy&#8221; Combs kicked off this week in Manhattan. The charges Combs faces — including sex trafficking, coercion, and racketeering — have sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.
The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs began on Monday. Prosecutors painted a dark picture, alleging that Combs used his fame, wealth, and multimedia empire to orchestrate a decades-long scheme involving sex trafficking and violence. They claim he lured women with promises of romance or career opportunities, only to force them into “freak offs” — drug-fueled sexual performances involving male prostitutes, some recorded to blackmail victims into silence. They also claim it was particularly during these “freak offs” where women, including his former girlfriend, R&amp;B singer Cassie Ventura, were abused and manipulated.
Combs has been charged with five felony counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transportation for prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison, with a minimum of 15 years for the sex trafficking charges alone.
On Tuesday, Ventura took the stand and said Combs “too frequently… mashed in [her] head, dragged [her] along the floor, kicked [her], stomped on [her] head.&#8221; She also said he characterized these drug and alcohol-fueled “freak-offs” as part of her “job” and that they increased in frequency over the course of their relationship. She said that in the final years she was with Combs, these sex sessions became “all-consuming” and she spent most of her time engaging in the freak-offs or recovering from them while enduring abuse from Combs.
The jury also heard from Daniel Phillip, a former male escort. He gave graphic testimony about being paid to have sex with Ventura at the Gramercy Park Hotel in 2012 while Combs watched from the corner, masturbating and directing the encounters. He also recounted a disturbing incident where Combs allegedly forced him to urinate into Ventura’s mouth. Phillip also said he witnessed Combs’ physical abuse when he threw a liquor bottle at Ventura, dragged her into a bedroom, and slapped her as she screamed, “I’m sorry!” Phillip said he was “terrified” to intervene, citing Combs’ power and nearby bodyguards.
Combs’ defense admitted their client is a “complicated man” with flaws, including a history of drug use and domestic violence, but stressed that domestic abuse is not a federal crime and insisted this isn’t a racketeering or trafficking case. Teny Geragos, one of Combs’ attorneys who is the daughter of celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, told jurors, “This is about Sean Combs’ private sex life,” emphasizing that the women involved, including Ventura, were “strong, capable, and in love with him,” making consensual choices.
<h2>Afrikaner Refugees Arrive In The United States</h2>
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Topline: The first group of white Afrikaners who were granted refugee status by the Trump administration arrived in the United States this week, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/12/trump-afrikaners-refugees-immigration-00342029?utm_source=chatgpt.com">sparking outrage</a> on the Left.
Afrikaners are a South African ethnic group. Fifty-nine Afrikaner men, women, and children arrived in America this week, many of them farmers. They were vetted and granted refugee status very quickly, within a matter of months – the refugee vetting process ordinarily takes years. President Trump, who has been outspokenly opposed to the treatment of white South Africans by their government, signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/addressing-egregious-actions-of-the-republic-of-south-africa/">executive order</a> in February to end aid to South Africa over its discriminatory racial policies, specifically pertaining to white farmers. The order notes that South Africa has taken “aggressive positions” toward the U.S. and her allies, including Israel, and also notes the recently enacted Expropriation Act, which the order said enables the South African government “to seize” Afrikaners&#8217; agricultural property without compensation.”
The State Department said Afrikaners face unjust racial discrimination in South Africa, and added that no one should be subject to “violent attacks because of their ethnicity.” One refugee said that she was attacked on her farm four different times. She said that Afrikaners are being blamed and targeted for the past apartheid in South Africa. Hundreds of people have been killed on farms in just the last four years or so. Not all of those people were white, but many were.
“What’s happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said. “This is persecution based on a protected characteristic, in this case, race. This is race-based persecution. The refugee program is not intended as a solution for global poverty.”
The Left has argued that Trump is favoring these refugees because they’re white – they’ve cited the president’s moves to halt most of the refugee programs established under Joe Biden from nations like Afghanistan, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Trump argues that those programs did not vet refugees properly, especially from those nations that are considered high-risk.

MorningWire-0428 V2

Morning Brief: Trump Lands Huge Saudi Investment & Diddy Faces The Music

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Crime

Iran

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs

South Africa

Reality star Kim Kardashian, 44, testified at the trial for individuals accused of being involved in a 2016 robbery in Paris.
The social media influencer took the stand and described her experience of being held at gunpoint in her hotel room, saying, &#8220;I absolutely did think I was gonna die,&#8221; per <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ce81drd3m6gt">BBC News</a>. Kardashian also described what happened, saying she was wearing nothing but a robe when she was tied up by the assailants.
She said her robe opened when one of the men was handling her, “exposing everything” on her body.
&#8220;They threw me on the bed and the smaller one started to tie my hands,&#8221; she said during the testimony. &#8220;I started to freak out.&#8221;
&#8220;I was sure that I was going to be raped,” Kardashian testified before adding that at that point, her legs were tied together.
The celebrity said she kept repeating, &#8220;I have babies and I need to get home to my babies,&#8221; to the men. Kardashian said she believes one told her to “shut up” at one point, the outlet noted.
&#8220;Then they tied me up and I was hysterical. When he was about to tape my mouth, he leaned toward me and said in English &#8216;shh&#8217; and &#8216;you’ll be OK.'&#8221;
She recalled continuing to fear for her life and being worried for the safety of her mother Kris Jenner and her sister Kourtney, who were with her on the trip, but not in the room at the time of the burglary.
&#8220;At that point, I was sure that&#8217;s when they were going to shoot me,&#8221; Kardashian said, according to the BBC. &#8220;So I said a prayer for my family and my mom and my sister and best friend.&#8221;
She said she believed she &#8220;would be shot dead on the bed and [Kourtney] would see that and have that memory forever.&#8221;
Kardashian added that after the men made away with jewelry worth nearly $9 million, they left her tied up on the bathroom floor. She didn’t try to escape for a while until she knew they were truly gone.
The social media influencer said she used to feel safe in Paris, but now travels with four to six bodyguards everywhere she goes.
The men on trial are part of a group that’s referred to as the &#8220;Grandpa robbers&#8221; by French media due to how old they were at the time, per <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/kim-kardashian-testify-grandpa-robbers-paris-trial-9m-jewelry-heist-rcna206243">NBC News</a>.
One of the suspects, Yunice Abbas, 71, has publicly admitted to being involved in the robbery. He is also co-author of the 2021 book “I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian,” a title which he later said he didn’t choose.
Most of Kardashian’s stolen jewelry was never recovered, the outlet noted. 
The men were arrested three months after the robbery occurred, but the legal process has been plagued by delays and due to the age of the accused, not all of them are physically able to stand trial. One suspect died before the case went to court.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian Testifies During Paris Robbery Trial She Thought She ‘Was Going To Die’

Kim Kardashian Testifies During Paris Robbery Trial She Thought She 'Was Going To Die'

Robbery

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