This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The Associated Press had boasted, for years, of being the world's largest news organization.
No longer.
And on Monday it announced it is cutting a further 8% of its staff, through buyouts and layoffs.
Its own announcement confirmed, "The move is part of what is expected to be a dispiriting end-of-year period in the news industry, which is beset by business woes that go back years."
Daisy Veerasingham, the conglomerate's chief, told staff members, "Our customers — both who they are and what they need from us — are changing rapidly. This is why we've focused on delivering a digital-first news report. We now need to accelerate on this path."
In fact, Gannett and McClatchy chains both told the organization this year they are halting their purchase of the news from the wire service, which first came into being in the 1800s when news was transmitted from one city to another via telegraph.
The web has made such a service virtually useless.
As part of diversifying its revenue, the wire service has begun taking "philanthropic funding," in which various entities contribute funding for various reporting topics, such as climate or science, raising the prospect of outside influence.
The News Media Guild, representing writers and photographers, said 121 of its members would be offered buyouts. The AP said there would be fewer, but didn't provide a number.
A commentary at Twitchy said the announcement was part of "a precipitous drop in trust for the 'news' industry."
"It's also in the wake of 'news' outlets being handily defeated by President-Elect Donald Trump in this year's presidential election, despite their best dishonest efforts. This is only the beginning of post-Election Day layoffs and changes for the dying legacy media."
That commentary also noted," Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter and its transformation into X cannot be underestimated. It's become the place 'journalism's' lies come to die, vanquished in real time by average Americans."
The AP doesn't release actual numbers for its staffing levels.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The woke editorial chief of the Scientific American, apparently the nation's oldest magazine with a launch date of 1845, has delivered a vitriolic anti-Trump screed.
And then quit.
Podcaster Ian Miles Cheong explained, "Laura Helmuth, the woke imbecile who destroyed the once celebrated Scientific American by turning it into a woke propagandist rag, has resigned. Pressure from X, notably from Elon Musk, likely forced her resignation."
A report at the Post Millennial explained Helmuth quit as editor-in-chief "after going on a viral tirade against President-elect Donald Trump, calling his supporters 'fascists' and 'bigots'…"
The departure was announced in a post on a leftist social media side.
"I've decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor-in-chief. I'm going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go bird watching), but for now, I'd like to share a very small sample of the work I've been so proud to support," she wrote.
She had been facing a multitude of calls for her to leave.
She had written, "Every four years I remember why I left Indiana (where I grew up) and remember why I respect the people who stayed and are trying to make it less racist and sexist. The moral arc of the universe isn't going to be itself."
Then she offensively added, "Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because f— them to the moon and back. I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of f—— fascists."
It was under her agenda that the previously apolitical magazine turned left, endorsing Joe Biden and then Kamala Harris.
When the outraged reaction appeared, she said, "I made a series of offensive and inappropriate posts on my personal Bluesky account on election night, and I am sorry."
The New York Post explained Helmuth was faced with "fierce backlash for her expletive-filled online tirade."
Pointedly, a social media commenter had challenged her with: "Does the editor-in-chief of Scientific American seem like someone who is entirely dedicated to uncompromising scientific integrity? Or does she seem like a political activist who has taken over a scientific institution?"
Elon Musk, a top Trump supporter, responded, "The latter."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
One social media commenter summed it up succinctly: "Boo hoo."
That was a reaction to multi-millionaire entertainer Whoopi Goldberg's claim that she, too, works for a living and struggled under the economy of the past few years.
That would be the economy under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who Goldberg pushed in the 2024 election, in which Americans were tortured with inflation of some 22%, gasoline prices as high as $6 or $7 per gallon, skyrocketing energy costs, some grocery categories nearly doubling in price and more.
Apparently an $8 million annual paycheck, and a net worth of $60 million, doesn't cover costs like it used to.
It was RedState that "apologized" to her.
"Apparently, an apology is in order, y'all. I can only speak for myself, but it appears that I've been a bit too hard on Whoopi Goldberg. That's right. Turns out that the moderator of ABC's clown show, 'The View,' has had a 'hard time' over the last four years, too — just like every other American who 'works for a living,'" the site posted.
It was Parade that previously estimated her net worth at $60 million, and quoted her own explanation of her nickname, "Whoopi."
She previously told a New York publication the name comes out of her stand-up comic era some 40 or 50 years ago: "When you're performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a little gassy, you've got to let it go. … So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from."
RedState noted it was when the conversation on the talk show turned to President-elect Donald Trump's landslide victory over Harris.
"Co-host Sara Haines — who said she voted for Harris — was having a hard time understanding why working-class people voted for Trump with the belief that he will make things better for them," the report said.
"Enter Whoopi," it said.
"I'm sorry. When you have one candidate who has been running for 12 years — who lies and changes things — I appreciate that people are having a hard time. Me, too. I work for a living. If I had all the money in the world, I would not be here!" [audience laughs] So, I'm a working person [audience applauds]. You know? And my kid has has to feed her family. And my great granddaughter has to be fed by her parents. I know it's hard out there. But I also know that there are a lot of things that we just said, 'Nope, I'm just gonna go this way.'"
Another on social media: "Living on an annual salary of 8 million dollars a year for being on tv a few hours a day has got to be so hard! She really gets it!"
Others opined: "Delusional" and "pathetic."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Israel/Middle East Morning Brief
Night of terror in Amsterdam as Mideast migrants torch a tram, run amok, shout anti-Semitic slogans
Anti-Jewish violence was visited on Amsterdam again Monday night as migrants reportedly of Middle Eastern extraction torched a tram, with footage catching the rioters yelling "Cancer Jews."
U.S. forces strike Iranian assets in Syria, in response to attacks on its personnel
U.S. CENTCOM forces conducted strikes against nine targets in two locations associated with Iranian groups in Syria in response to several attacks on U.S. personnel in Syria over the last 24 hours.
These strikes will degrade the Iranian backed groups' ability to plan and launch future attacks on U.S. and Coalition forces who are in the region to conduct D-ISIS operations.
Hezbollah drone strikes kindergarten near Haifa
Hezbollah continued firing rockets and drones throughout Tuesday morning, with a UAV striking a kindergarten near Haifa. The children and the teachers were in the safe room and there are no reports of injuries. The IDF is investigating why incoming rocket alert sirens did not go off in the immediate vicinity, although staff were aware of others doing so in the area.
Dutch Palestinian leader claims Mossad carried out Amsterdam pogrom to 'shift public opinion'
Watheq Alsadeh claimed that Israeli intelligence was likely responsible for the recent attacks on Israeli #MaccabiTelAviv soccer fans in #Amsterdam.
IDF announces deaths of 4 infantry soldiers during Gaza raid; officer killed in separate incident
Staff Sergeant Orr Katz, Staff Sergeant Nave Yair Asulin, Staff Sergeant Gary Lalhruaikima Zolat, and Staff Sergeant Ofir Eliyahu were all killed in battle while fighting in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Maj. (res.) Itamar Levin Fridman, 34, from Eilat, who served as a team commander in the elite LOTAR Eilat unit was also killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip.
IAF strikes Hezbollah targets in Syria, 9 reportedly killed
The Israeli Air Force struck targets near the village of Shinshar, located on the outskirts of Homs, Syria on Monday, Syria's state-run SANA news agency reported.
Nine people were killed and more than 10 wounded in the strikes, according to the report.
Smotrich: 2025 will be the year of Jewish sovereignty in Judea and Samaria
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich congratulated Donald Trump upon his re-election during the Religious Zionism Party faction meeting on Monday and called for Israeli sovereignty to be applied throughout the entirety of Judea and Samaria.
Fears Iran transferred fentanyl-based chemical weapons to Hamas, Hezbollah
The Iranian regime has developed chemical weapons based on opioids, including fentanyl, and could supply them to its regional terrorist proxies including Hamas and Hezbollah, a U.S. expert warns.
IDF uncovers finds weapons, ammo hidden in humanitarian aid truck
During the passage of the convoy, the IDF said its forces spotted "unusual movement" and stopped the trucks for a security inspection at a checkpoint along the humanitarian route between northern and southern Gaza.
U.K. Jews at highest risk of physical attack according to Israel's Diaspora Ministry
"Europe is sitting on an explosive barrel and it must wake up before it's too late," Diaspora and Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli said, following the release of his ministry's new report into European antisemitism in the year following the Oct. 7 massacre.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
As the administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris winds down – it has only until Jan. 20 to be in power yet – seniors across American can thank them for being required now to work an extra six years before they can take retirement at the same level as before the Democrats took office.
"Inflation has pulverized Americans' finances over the last four years, and a new study shows that's especially true for the nation's seniors, whose retirement accounts have been walloped," explained EJ Antoni, a public finance economist and the Richard F. Aster research fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget," said in a report at the Daily Signal.
"The losses have been so severe that would-be retirees need to work an extra six years on average before they can hang up their work boots – and they can blame Washington for this financial disaster."
Antoni explained the damage to seniors' retirement accounts has been hidden, in part, by the stock market rally in recent months.
"The S&P 500 increased 45% from the first quarter of 2021 through the third quarter of this year, but almost half of that was just inflation driving stock prices higher, not an increase in real value," Antoni explained.
"The big spenders in Congress and the Biden-Harris administration spent the better part of the last four years spending trillion of dollars the nation didn't have, while the Federal Reserve created the money to cover all that excess spending. That devalued the dollar and spawned 40-year-high inflation, which in turn drove up interest rates—also at the fastest pace in 40 years."
Antoni warned, "Until the profligate spending is reined up, people's life savings will continue being pummeled by violent changes in prices and interest rates. Sadly, there's no relief in sight right now as the Treasury just announced they anticipate borrowing more than $800 billion in the first three months of 2025 alone."
Seniors, the report charged, "should be furious that they're having to work years longer to foot the bill for Washington's financial dissipation."
It continued, "Because prices have increased roughly 20% in less than four years, everyone's dollar doesn't go as far as it used to. Now it's only worth 80 cents. That's forcing seniors to reevaluate their retirement plans or risk outliving their savings. … If a person was planning on retiring with a net worth of $1 million, they now need to add almost $200,000 to their savings if they want the same standard of living they previously planned on enjoying. The typical senior nearing retirement will now have to work longer to rebuild the lost value in his or her nest egg."
The actual numbers are the threat, as, "The worst inflation in four decades is a stark reminder that the dollar is not guaranteed to hold its value at all. For example, the average 401(k) balance has risen more than $11,000 over the last three and a half years, but it's worth $12,000 less because of higher prices."
Pensioners are "in no better shape," Antoni said.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Seven cents. Yes, it seems insignificant, doesn't it? But sometimes that's all it takes to support American jobs instead of those in China, Mexico, and other foreign countries. And sometimes, it doesn't cost anything extra at all.
Everyone buys scrubber pads, whether it's for cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, counters, dishes, etc.
A recent visit to my local supermarket revealed just how easy it is to make the right decision – the decision to support fellow American workers – when making small purchases where the price difference is negligible.
Here are the options I found (all packages of three). You could buy the following imported scrubber pads for slightly (very slightly) than the American-made options. We are talking pennies, here:
Or, you could buy any of the following American-made scrubber pads for seven cents more or even less than that:
I based the "seven cents" in the article title on comparing the Mexican-made Dawn Non-Scratch Scrubber Sponge at $3.59 per 3-pack to the Libman All-Purpose Non-Scratch or the Libman Heavy Duty Easy Rinse, both at $3.79 per 3-Pack. This represents a 20-cent difference, or seven cents per scrubbing pad, since there are three in a pack.
But you can clearly choose the American-made Brillo Estracell Scrub Sponge at $3.09 per 3-Pack and pay less than you would for any import in this category.
Personally, I prefer to pay that extra seven cents to buy Libman products. I recently bought the American-made Libman Tornado Cotton Twist Wet Mop for $12.98 at Lowe's. Compare that to the imported Swiffer mop at $15.98.
If you purchase any Libman mop, all you need is an American-made Libman bucket (or any other American-made bucket), which I already had. With Swiffer, you will need to keep buying imported mop and also imported (can't they at least make these in America?) wet/dry mopping cloths. Once again, the American-made version is the cheaper option.
I don't count the Mexican-made Scotch-Brite Greener Cleaner as an option based upon the misleading "green" claim listed in the above pollution details.
President Abraham Lincoln once said, "…when we buy manufactured goods abroad, we get the goods and the foreigner gets the money. When we buy the manufactured goods at home, we get both the goods and the money."
He is arguably America's most popular president, and he was absolutely correct. Let's spend our dollars on American-made goods from American-owned companies to keep jobs, profits, and tax revenue in the USA. It's easy to do, and in the cases listed above, it can either cost less or simply an additional seven cents.
About Roger Simmermaker
Roger Simmermaker has written multiple books on buying American and trade policy since 1996, and has been a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and MSNBC. Roger has also been quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, BusinessWeek, and The New York Times, among many other publications.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
In what already is being called a European program or Kristallnacht II, antisemitism has exploded in Amsterdam and Israeli officials promptly announced a rescue plan including airplanes being dispatched to retrieve endangered citizens.
A report at United With Israel confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced overnight "he was dispatching two rescue planes to Amsterdam following a 'very violent incident against Israeli citizens.'"
A statement from his office confirmed, "The harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked. Prime Minister Netanyahu views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take vigorous and swift action against the rioters, and ensure the safety of our citizens."
The report confirmed "multiple violent incidents" and dozens of arrests. An unknown number of people were hospitalized.
Police in the Dutch city confirmed, "The police have launched a major investigation into multiple violent incidents. So far, it is known that five people have been taken to the hospital and 62 individuals have been arrested. … The police are aware of reports regarding a possible hostage situation and missing persons, but currently have no confirmation that this actually took place."
A report from UPI said the outrages happened on a night "in which fans of the city's top-flight soccer team hunted down and attacked visiting Israeli supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv FC."
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema condemned the violence as "shameful."
The teams met in a Europa League match.
Dutch Prime Minister Richard Schoof said the "antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens" horrified him and are "completely unacceptable."
The report explained, "Running battles broke out on the streets of the city after the home team Ajax FC's 5-0 drubbing of the visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Thursday night."
Riot police were dispatched to "regain control" of the city after "rampaging Ajax FC supporters attacked visiting Israelis."
The Dutch government confirmed, "Mobs chanted anti-Israel slogans and proudly shared videos of their violent acts on social media — kicking, beating, even running over Israeli citizens."
In a statement released in Hebrew, the Israeli National Security Council stated Israelis in Amsterdam should lock down in their hotel rooms, avoid the streets, and refrain from wearing visible Jewish symbols.
Also, they should contact the police about any threat.
Geert Wilders, leading of the largest political party in the Netherlands, blasted the violent attackers, in that it "looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam."
He said, "Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable."
He called it a "pogrom."
The Netherlands, in fact, like many European nations, has been flooded with immigrants in recent years, many from Muslim-dominant nations. In some European cities there essentially are zones where non-Muslims venture at risk of their lives.
Melissa Lantsman, a Canadian parliamentarian, said the situation was "horrific."
In the report, she said, "This is what 'globalize the intifada' looks like. Don't look the other way. Watch the footage and stand up against this lawless mob there and everywhere."
"Antisemitic mobs attacking Israeli soccer fans tonight in Amsterdam. Pathetic response from the authorities as Israel is sending in two rescue planes" charged David Friedman, who is the former U.S. ambassador to Israel. "All this in 2024—three days before the anniversary of Kristallnacht!"
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Multiple criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump potentially could be nixed altogether thanks to his victory over his Democrat rival Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Among the different branches of a years-long "lawfare" war against Trump, earlier this year he was convicted on 34 counts of falsification of business records in the first degree, a felony in the state of New York. The convictions came when a $130,000 "hush money" payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels was allegedly made by Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen, who attempted to hide the payment, in 2016.
He faced a potential prison sentence of up to four years.
However, the cases could be dropped after NBC News reported Justice Department officials have begun to evaluate how they would undo the two federal cases against Trump. This is something they must do for the department to comply with its policies so that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told NBC News the election victory indicates Americans have had enough of the justice system being used against them.
"Americans want an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system," Cheung said.
The Daily Wire further reported the Department of Justice is removing Jack Smith as special counsel.
Sentencing is scheduled in New York on November 26, and according to the New York Post, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan could dismiss the case or at least freeze it until after Trump has carried out his term because the Constitution bars the president from being restricted from carrying out his duties.
Donald Trump Jr. told Fox News the Democrats' call for unity in the wake of his father's victory seems hollow after they used various departments, including the Justice Department, as weapons.
"The Democrats are calling for a unity message, but that unity message they've been calling for for the last few decades, it never really meant anything. It always felt rather shallow given that they did weaponize the Justice Department."
He added the American people had been witnessing the "nonsense" from Democrats during his father's presidency, and after.
"The weaponization of these departments was disgusting and honestly, I think it played well with the American people. After years of watching this, they still elected my father. Overwhelmingly," Trump Jr. said.
Mainstream media pundits are not happy about the case potentially being dropped, however, with CNN's chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid telling Jake Tapper that Trump's legal team will "try to get things delayed."
"I'm told his legal team is going to try to make sure that sentencing never happens. As we know, their usual strategy is always to try to get things delayed," Reid said, adding Trump's legal team will argue he is entitled to the same constitutional protections as a sitting president.
"The judge overseeing that case, Judge Juan Merchan, he's given himself a deadline of November 12, to decide if the conviction against Trump should be tossed based on the Supreme Court's recent ruling on immunity. If he tosses the conviction, there will be no sentencing," Reid said.
In the case before Merchan, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg took claims about Trump's business that would have been misdemeanors had they been charged before the statute of limitations expired.
Bragg then claimed they still were valid charges, and felonies at that, because of some other, unspecified crime.
Merchan, whose daughter was promoting Democrats while her father was ruling against Trump in the courtroom, then uniquely said the jurors didn't have to agree on elements of the crime to convict.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Israel/Middle East Brief
Judea and Samaria residents 'euphoric' over Trump victory
Donald Trump's victory in Tuesday night's election was cheered across much of Judea and Samaria, as local leaders and residents assess his presence in the White House will enable Jewish sovereignty over the land.
Ben Gvir praises Trump victory, says time for sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, death penalty for terrorists
Israel's Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and welcomed the seeming reelection of President Trump in the U.S. elections, said "this is the time for sovereignty, this is the time for complete victory."
Hamas official says Trump will be tested on claim about stopping war
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said on Wednesday that Donald Trump will be tested on his statements that he can stop the war within hours as U.S. president.
WATCH: Ben Shapiro jokes his and Trump's visit to Lubavitcher Rebbe's grave was 'election turning point'
Hezbollah rocket barrage targets central Israel, one impacted inside Ben Gurion Airport's perimeter fence
For the first time since Oct. 8, 2023, a Hezbollah rocket which targeted Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport impacted inside its perimeter fence, although it struck open ground and did not cause any injuries.
Israel's opposition leaders decry Gallant sacking as 'act of insanity'
Standing alongside National Unity chairman Benny Gantz, Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman and The Democrats head Yair Golan at a Knesset press conference, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said Gallant's dismissal was an "act of insanity by an incompetent prime minister."
Report: Biden administration expresses 'surprise' at Gallant ouster
American officials say the Biden administration is 'concerned' by Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to replace his defense minister, speculating that the premier used the election as an opportunity to remove a figure considered more moderate by the White House.
Iran claims readiness if either U.S., Israel carry out preemptive strike
Tehran, fearing it has been put on notice after Donald Trump's seemingly sweeping victory in the U.S. presidential election, said it is ready for confrontation with Israel, and does not rule out a preemptive strike either by the United States – presumably as one of Joe Biden's last official acts – or Israel.
WATCH: Heavy rains and ice balls fall in Saudi Arabian desert
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Already, President Donald Trump has been targeted in two cases of attempted assassination.
In the first, the sniper nicked Trump's ear and then was shot dead by authorities. In the second, a suspect was arrested after fleeing from a hideout at a golf course on which Trump was playing.
The violence likely is at least partly the result of Democrats advocating for violence against him.
Now that same threat apparently has carried over to Trump supporters.
A report at the Gateway Pundit revealed the FBI had arrested a man from Ann Arbor, Michigan, for allegedly posting plans to carry out a shooting on Trump's Christian supporters.
The suspect was identified as Isaac Sissel, 25, who controlled social media sites where threats were posted.
"After his arrest, the man said Trump was a threat that 'should be eliminated' and that 'everything would be better if Trump were dead,'" the report said.
Officials in the U.S. attorney's office revealed the FBI National Threat Operations Center got a submission stating, "I shall carry out an attack against conservative Christian, (sic) filth in the event Trump wins the election. I have a stolen AR15 and a target I refuse to name so I can continue to get away with my plans. Without a specific victim or ability to find the place I hid the gun, there's not a thing the FBI can do until I complete the attack."
Authorities tracked down the suspect through phone records and an IP address in the case.
MLive reported that Sissel was contacted at a hotel in Canton, and said Trump was a threat and leftist groups were not violent enough.
"Sissel said that he wouldn't kill Trump, but if he knew someone was going to assassinate Trump that it was his (Sissel's) duty to not intervene," the complaint said. "Sissel said that he hated conservative Christians, who he enjoyed threatening."