Columbia, South Carolina – Donald Trump is well-known for his frequent, and often personal, assaults on top competitors like Joe Biden. He’s recently taken a similar approach to independent presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Among the recent attacks, Trump last week produced a roughly four-minute video online in which he branded Kennedy a “fake,” a “Democrat ‘Plant'” and a “Radical Left Liberal who’s been put in place” to support the Democratic president. Trump denounced the Kennedy family as “a bunch of lunatics.”

“He is not a Republican, so don’t think you’re going to vote for him and feel good,” the former president and likely Republican nominee wrote on Truth Social.

Directing such harsh comments at Kennedy may indicate that Trump and his campaign are concerned about the independent’s attempt in what is expected to be a close November race, in which a third-party candidate siphoning even a small percentage of support may sink one of the main candidates.

Six months after many Americans expressed unhappiness with a rematch between Trump and Biden on Election Day, Kennedy has offered himself as an alternative. Some of Kennedy’s themes, such as staunch support for Israel and condemnation of COVID-19 lockdowns, may appeal to conservative voters rather than Democrats.

Trump Is Increasingly Directing Personal Attacks Against Independent Rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

At this point, polls suggest that considerably more Republicans than Democrats like Kennedy, despite the fact that many Americans are unfamiliar with him. A February Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that 53% of Republicans viewed him favorably, compared to 30% of Democrats. In each case, around one-quarter stated they did not know enough about Kennedy to comment.

Kennedy’s campaign claims that he poses a threat to both Trump and Biden, who has received backing from various members of Kennedy’s own family and described the endorsements as “an incredible honor.” The president has mostly forgotten Kennedy, who fought him for the Democratic primary before running as an independent.

Kennedy has also challenged Trump to a debate at the Libertarian Party convention later this month, where both men will speak on separate days. Kennedy thinks Trump’s supporters are “wavering” in their allegiance.

But Kennedy has significant obstacles.

As an independent candidate, his name does not appear on ballots automatically. He has had to work to ensure ballot access in all 50 states, a process Kennedy says will be accomplished by the summer. According to his campaign, he has reached that milestone in five states (California, Delaware, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Utah), with enough signatures collected for eight more. In several states, officials have not validated the data.

Kennedy has stated that his relatively high performance in a few national polls causes him to believe he is competitive, even though horse-race polls are often untrustworthy this long out from an election. This is not a new pattern for third-party candidates in presidential races. During the 2016 campaign, early national polls showed that libertarian Gary Johnson had support in the high single or low double digits; he eventually received just about 3% of the popular vote.

Like a recent comedy gig in a Detroit suburb, supporters of Kennedy’s activities describe themselves as coming from all across the political spectrum, from individuals who normally support third-party presidential campaigns to dissatisfied Democratic and Republican voters. This included people who had previously supported Biden and Trump but are now disillusioned or uninterested in them.

Ben Carter, a White Lake, Michigan registered nurse, stated that he supported Trump in 2016 but “couldn’t do it again,” choosing Biden four years later. This year, Carter said he liked Kennedy’s willingness to tackle difficult issues, considering the independent candidate as eager to express unpleasant beliefs in a more appealing manner than Trump.

Trump Is Increasingly Directing Personal Attacks Against Independent Rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“I simply don’t hear Kennedy going out and lying about things. “Trump, he just stands up in front of the camera and tells blatant lies about things we know are true,” Carter stated. “He has his opinions that you might not agree with, but I haven’t seen him stand up in front of a crowd and lie to people.”

Trump supporters said they are fascinated about Kennedy’s candidacy, even though they remain firmly committed to Trump.

“He’s super interesting,” Kim Hanson, a Hartford, Wisconsin-based financial consultant, remarked on the margins of Trump’s recent event in Waukesha. “I love hearing from him.”

However, Hanson, a Trump supporter, expressed concern that the novelty of voting for Kennedy would distract from Trump’s support.

“I am concerned about people voting for people they think aren’t going to get in, and they aren’t voting for Trump,” she stated.

Kennedy and Trump appear to agree on a few issues.

Kennedy, like Trump, has been a staunch supporter of Israel in its war against Hamas. In April, he stated that the prosecution of rioters who brutally attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, could be politically motivated, aligning himself with the false depiction promoted by Trump and his allies.

Kennedy criticized Trump, claiming that the attack on the Capitol occurred with Trump’s “encouragement” and “in the context of his delusion that the election was stolen from him.” But Kennedy also stated that if president, he would appoint a special counsel to investigate whether Trump loyalists were unfairly targeted for prosecution.

Kennedy has also accused Trump of economic harm to the middle class. Kennedy described pandemic-era lockdowns as “the worst thing he did to this country,” while conceding in the same address that Trump “gets blamed for a lot of things that he didn’t do.”

Kennedy, a longtime Catholic who describes himself as “pro-choice,” has adopted opposing views on abortion, as has Trump. He backed, then abandoned, the concept of a 15-week federal abortion ban but says he disagrees with Trump that the decision should be left to state governments.

Trump Is Increasingly Directing Personal Attacks Against Independent Rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

According to Bernard Tamas, a Valdosta State University professor who studies third-party presidential campaigns, Kennedy’s policy positions, such as his vaccine skepticism and staunch support for Israel in the war with Hamas, are “more likely to appeal to conservative voters,” an apparent threat to Trump at this point.

“It is quite possible that RFK will damage Trump more (than Biden), especially since there is unlikely to be any other moderate independent candidate for the never-Trumpers to vote for,” Tamas stated.

Tamas believes that even single-digit support for Kennedy might influence the general election outcome.“Losing even a small percent of votes to candidates like RFK Jr. could easily flip the election from one major party candidate to the other,” Tamas stated.

Brian Schimming, leader of the Wisconsin Republican Party, believes Kennedy will take support away from Trump and Biden, possibly from Trump earlier in the campaign but more from Biden later in the race. He claimed Republicans are more enthusiastic about the former president than Democrats are about the incumbent.

“But what does an incidental voter, or a voter who says to themselves consciously that they don’t feel strongly enough about either of these candidates, do?” remarked Schimming, a longtime Republican operative in Wisconsin. “In the end, they peel off votes from the weaker candidate because they’re dissatisfied, who in my mind is Biden.”

Desiree Sherdin, a small business owner from Germantown, Wisconsin, said during Trump’s event in her state that Kennedy’s opinions “tend to go left” of her own despite agreeing with his mistrust of vaccines. She said she would continue supporting Trump and expected many others to do the same.

“People who are loyal to Trump are fiercely loyal,” she stated.

SOURCE – (AP)

Brazil’s Porto Alegre — Meteorologist Estael Sias knew the water would eventually drain into the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, the state capital of Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state, and that she would need to locate a safe place as significant floods overtook entire communities in the northern portion of the state last week.

Thus, she abandoned everything with her spouse, their two dogs, and their three kids. Her neighborhood in Canoas, which is currently among the worst devastated cities in the state, began to fill with water less than a day later.

“My home was submerged,” Sias remembered, her voice quivering. “And forcing my family to leave my house was incredibly difficult.” She stated she could defend those close to her, but not those who insisted on remaining where they were. It has been and continues to be quite upsetting. I’m not sure what will happen when I get back home.

Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms

While rescuers in southern Brazil raced on Wednesday to bring survivors of the catastrophic flooding that has claimed the lives of at least 100 people, some locals refused to part with their possessions, and others went back to their evacuated houses despite the possibility of more storms.

Since last week, 130 individuals have gone missing in Rio Grande do Sul due to heavy rainfall and flooding, according to authorities. The floodwaters have cut off a large portion of the area, and more than 230,000 people have been forced to flee.

Seem storms were predicted for the state on Wednesday evening, with gusts of wind up to 60 km/h (37 mph) and hail likely, according to the afternoon advisory from the National Meteorological Institute. Additionally, the institute predicts that this weekend will bring more rain due to a cold front that will be especially strong in the state’s east and north.

About 300 people were taking refuge at the neighborhood club Gremio Nautico Uniao in Porto Alegre, located in the affluent, minimally damaged area of Moinhos de Vento. As volunteers brought boxes full of feijoada, a traditional Brazilian stew made with beans and meat, dozens of people lay on mats.

Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms

Heitor da Silva was one of them, having followed the advice of the authorities. He is still concerned about the future.

“I simply brought my paperwork, my flip-flops, two pairs of underwear, and three clothes. “Everything else is gone,” remarked da Silva, 68. “Even though I didn’t have much, it remained there. There won’t be anything when I get home. What happens next?

One of the hardest-hit cities by the floods, Eldorado do Sul, has people that officials from the state’s civil defense agency told The Associated Press have been difficult to convince to leave their houses. It is situated close to the middle of the state’s coastline, next to Porto Alegre. Four people at least said no to leaving.

A military helicopter flying above Eldorado do Sul observed hundreds of dwellings flooded, with just their roofs showing. Locals get around on small boards, surfboards, and personal watercraft. Mayor Ernani de Freitas informed local media that the city “will be totally evacuated.”

“Recovery will take at least a year,” he declared.

Governor Eduardo Leite of Rio Grande do Sul held a press conference late Tuesday to urge people to avoid the area because the predicted downpour could result in more severe floods throughout the state.

“Now is not the moment to go back home,” he declared.

The potential of disease transmission was also emphasized in the civil defense agency’s urgent warning to displaced residents not to return to flooded areas.

One of the rescue coordinators, Army Gen. Marcelo Zucco, told the AP that his team is operating at maximum capacity ahead of the torrential downpours expected to reach the Porto Alegre region this weekend. The city was seeing moderate rain on Wednesday afternoon.

“There’s no way to be sure there won’t be trouble ahead of us, but we hope the next rains are not like those we saw,” Zucco remarked.

Our current priorities are completing the rescue efforts and providing the populace with logistical support. That entails delivering food, drink, medicine, and medical transportation for the ill,” the general continued.

He said that his soldiers had now reached several regions by land thanks to some improvement in the day’s weather.

In portions of Uruguay, unusually strong rains have also flooded areas, causing rivers to overflow in the east of the nation and forcing almost 1,000 people to flee, according to authorities. Rescuers said they had evacuated 200 stranded individuals with the army’s assistance. Although the emergency agency said that flash floods had destroyed over a dozen roads and left thousands of residents without power, there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms

Sias, the Rio Grande do Sul meteorologist who works for a forecasting service based there, said that rain in the northern part of the state over the weekend could cause rivers that are already causing widespread flooding around the Patos lagoon, where the Porto Alegre municipal region is located, to swell again.

“We’re going to stay on this alert level until the end of the month,” she declared.

A survey by the National Confederation of Municipalities estimates that damages in over 80% of Rio Grande do Sul’s municipalities are worth 4.6 billion reais ($930 million).

According to Governor Leite, the massive damage will necessitate a rehabilitation plan similar to that of Europe after World War II. The state has already requested that the federal government halt debt payments and establish a fund specifically for the southern region.

Congress overrode a spending cap on Tuesday by enacting an order that declared a state of calamity in Rio Grande do Sul till the end of the year. This allowed the federal government to immediately begin allocating funds to lessen the damage and restore areas damaged by the floods. Both government opponents and supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva came together over the vote.

“Public spending to address the crisis that is currently destroying the state of Rio Grande do Sul has no boundaries,” Planning and Budget Minister Simone Tebet stated in an interview with Radio Gaucha.

SOURCE – (AP)

Afghanistan’s KABUL —On Thursday, the Taliban warned academics and journalists not to collaborate with Afghanistan International TV, claiming that doing so would be illegal. They have never before advised people not to work with a certain channel.

Afghanistan International TV can be accessed via social media, cable, and satellite. Its headquarters are located in London.

The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

A representative for the Ministry of Information and Culture, which is under the control of the Taliban, claimed that the station was going beyond the law and moral and professional standards.

Ministry spokesman Habib Ghofran stated that the Media Violations Commission requested that all journalists and experts in Afghanistan stop working with the station.

“It was decided at the commission meeting yesterday (Wednesday) that it is not permitted to participate in discussions or facilitate the broadcast of this media outlet in public places,” Ghofran continued.

Zia ul Haq Haqmal, the deputy minister of broadcasting, claimed cooperating with the station would be criminal activity.

He listed ten reasons—the purported information manipulation, falsification, and opposition to the government—why one should not collaborate with Afghanistan International TV.

According to Haqmal, it is the responsibility of the court to punish someone who refuses to comply for any of the ten reasons listed above.

The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

Harun Najafizada, the director of Afghanistan International TV, stated that the channel had no employees or independent contractors in the nation, so the commission’s ruling would not impact it.

Najafizada stated, “We rely on the reporting of Afghan citizens and don’t have anyone on the ground.” That is a greater challenge, but our verification is rigorous. It puts pressure on us to compromise our professional standards and poses a threat to other media outlets and free media. It is not going to succeed.

Afghanistan performs appallingly in terms of journalistic freedom. In Reporters Without Borders’ most recent index, the nation was ranked 178 out of 180. Last year, it was rated 152.

According to the group, three radio journalists were detained in April for playing music during shows and answering calls from female listeners. Local authorities could not confirm the arrests.

The Taliban suspended two TV stations earlier this month for failing to “consider national and Islamic values.”

The director of Barya TV, one of the stations shut down, refuted the Taliban’s claims. The radio station remains down.

According to Latif Sadiq, the station was not notified of the suspension. On Thursday, Sadiq declared, “The reports that they repeatedly warned (Barya) are absolute lies.” “They said the case will go to court and decided on their own that (Barya) television is off, broadcasting is off.”

The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, several journalists lost their employment as media institutions closed due to financial difficulties or employee departure. Travel limitations and prohibitions on work present extra challenges for women journalists.

The majority of radio, television, and newspapers were outlawed by the Taliban in the late 1990s when they were in power.

SOURCE – (AP)