The Political Thread

[Chris]

India

The Indian government says its forces have launched "Operation Sindoor", "hitting terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir "from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed".

In a statement, the Indian government says "nine sites have been targeted".

"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.

The statement adds that the attack was ordered after last month's deadly militant attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan:

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has been speaking to Geo TV.

He says that India launched missiles at Pakistan from within its own airspace.

He goes on to say that the strikes hit civilian areas. India's claim of "targeting terrorist camps" is false, he says.

The BBC has not yet been able to independently verify the locations struck.

 

[Barry Poppins]

I'm more wondering who Bengladesh will side with in this conflict, or if they'll stay neutral considering the history between the three nations

 

[Chris]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-may-soon-deport-migrants-libya-military-flight-sources-say-2025-05-07/

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration may deport migrants to Libya for the first time this week, three U.S. officials said on Tuesday, as part of his immigration crackdown and despite Washington's past condemnation of Libya's harsh treatment of detainees.

Two of the officials said the U.S. military could fly the migrants to the North African country as soon as Wednesday, but stressed that plans could still change.

The Pentagon referred queries to the White House. The White House, State Department and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

[Chris]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/us/politics/texas-vote-fraud.html

A half-dozen people, including a county judge, two City Council members and a former county election administrator, were indicted in Texas on Wednesday for “vote harvesting” and tampering with evidence, elevating Attorney General Ken Paxton’s charges of voter fraud by mostly Latino Democrats to a criminal level.

The charges surprised Latino voting rights activists, who had insisted that a series of law enforcement raids on political operatives and voting organizers, some who were in their 70s and 80s, appeared to have been political. The raids last August by Mr. Paxton’s office were part of a sprawling voter fraud inquiry in Latino enclaves near San Antonio and in South Texas, conducted by Mr. Paxton’s “election integrity unit.”

At the time, the League of United Latin American Citizens, one of the nation’s oldest Latino civil rights organizations, said that officers conducting the raids took cellphones, computers and documents. An 87-year-old retired educator described heavily armed officers barging into her home and taking personal items.

 

[Chris]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/07/us/tyre-nichols-memphis-officers-trial

Three former Memphis officers were acquitted Wednesday of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop in 2023.

A jury, which appeared to be all white, took about 8 1/2 hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis. After the jury’s verdict was read, the defendants hugged their lawyers as relatives of the former officers cried. One relative yelled, “Thank you, Jesus!”

The three defendants still face the prospect of years in prison after they were convicted of federal charges last year, though they were acquitted of the most serious charges then, too.

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, fled a traffic stop after he was yanked out of his car, pepper-sprayed and hit with a Taser. Five officers who are also Black caught up with him and punched, kicked and hit Nichols with a police baton, struggling to handcuff him as he called out for his mother just steps from his home. Nichols died Jan. 10, 2023, three days after the beating.

 

[Barry Poppins]

Classic.

 

[Chris]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/07/health/trump-surgeon-general-nesheiwat-means

The White House announced Wednesday that President Donald Trump is pulling Dr. Janette Nesheiwat’s nomination to be surgeon general and replacing her with Dr. Casey Means. The news came the day before Nesheiwat’s Senate confirmation hearing was set to begin.

“Casey has impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Her academic achievements, together with her life’s work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History. Congratulations to Casey! Secretary Kennedy looks forward to working with Dr. Janette Nesheiwat in another capacity at HHS.’ “

The surgeon general, known as “the nation’s doctor,” is a physician who focuses on educating and advising Americans on how to improve their health, by issuing advisories, reports and calls to action to offer the best available scientific information on crucial issues. The surgeon general also serves in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, overseeing this group of uniformed officers who seek to promote the nation’s health.

 

[Samoa Looch]

AP: Sen. John Fetterman Raises Alarms With Outburst At Meeting With Union Officials

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was meeting recently with representatives from a teachers union when things quickly devolved.

www.huffpost.com

 

[Barry Poppins]

Probably because you're a stroke-induced Zionist dipshit.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Congrats to The Australian Labor Party on winning so convincingly after speculation that they'd lose. Nice to see another sister Socialist Party win again . More Socialist governments we have around the world. Better chance that we can try to be more progressive in our values and not go backwards like some countries.