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Second senator calls for cease-fire in Gaza on November 21, 2023 at 1:24 pm

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Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Monday became the second senator to call for a cease-fire in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants.

“I am calling for a ceasefire — a cessation of hostilities by both sides,” Merkley posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “To endure, the ceasefire and the following negotiations must accomplish other essential objectives, including the release of all hostages and a massive influx of humanitarian aid.”

Merkley’s call comes after Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, became the first senator to back a stop in the fighting earlier this month in an interview on CNN.

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Durbin, however, stipulated that it must start with the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in its initial Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel. He added that “an effort should be made to engage in conversation between the Israelis and Palestinians.”

In a statement released Monday, Merkley condemned the fighting and reiterated that he previously called for humanitarian pauses to “facilitate negotiations for the release of hostages.”

The Oregon Democrat echoed Durbin’s call for Hamas to release the hostages without conditions and lay down their arms for a cease-fire to happen. It’s estimated that more than 200 people were taken hostage by Hamas.

The senator also called for Israel to “end its bombing and shelling and also address the immediate humanitarian challenge” in Gaza. He added that Israel should allow Palestinians to return to their homes in the region and end the violence against Palestinian villagers.

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Most importantly, he said, the Israeli people and Palestinian people need to find leaders that are willing to work together.

“After firmly witnessing accelerating body counts, many Americans, including thousands of Oregonians, have raised their voices to say more must be done to stop the carnage,” Merkley’s statement said. “I agree. So today I am calling for a ceasefire.

Durbin and Merkley using the term “cease-fire” is notable in its departure from language used by both Senate leadership and President Biden.

Merkley previously said Israel’s counteroffensive was “deeply concerning” for the Palestinian people and pushed to restore essential needs to Gaza but made no argument calling for Israel to end the war.

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A group of Democratic senators urged Biden on Monday to work with Israel in an effort to convince the country to open its border for humanitarian aid to be delivered to civilians in Gaza, but stopped short of calling for a cease-fire.

In the House, a growing coalition of Democrats have called on the White House to work toward an immediate truce.

It’s been more than a month since Hamas’s initial attack left 1,200 Israelis dead. At least 13,000 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory strikes from Israel, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported.

​ Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Monday became the second senator to call for a cease-fire in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants. “I am calling for a ceasefire — a cessation of hostilities by both sides,” Merkley posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “To endure, the ceasefire and… 

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Commercial companies to collaborate for DARPA’s new lunar economy study on December 6, 2023 at 9:54 pm

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Establishing commercial markets on the moon is going to require thinking a little differently. That’s DARPA’s hunch, anyway. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s R&D arm, which has just selected 14 companies to participate in a new study to develop technological frameworks for a lunar future. “The next decade […]

© 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

​ Establishing commercial markets on the moon is going to require thinking a little differently. That’s DARPA’s hunch, anyway. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s R&D arm, which has just selected 14 companies to participate in a new study to develop technological frameworks for a lunar future. “The next decade
© 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. 

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World News

Commercial companies to collaborate for DARPA’s new lunar economy study on December 6, 2023 at 9:54 pm

Published

on

By

Establishing commercial markets on the moon is going to require thinking a little differently. That’s DARPA’s hunch, anyway. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s R&D arm, which has just selected 14 companies to participate in a new study to develop technological frameworks for a lunar future. “The next decade […]

© 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

​ Establishing commercial markets on the moon is going to require thinking a little differently. That’s DARPA’s hunch, anyway. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s R&D arm, which has just selected 14 companies to participate in a new study to develop technological frameworks for a lunar future. “The next decade
© 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. 

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Uganda accuses US of pushing ‘LGBT agenda’ after pushback to anti-gay law on December 6, 2023 at 7:52 pm

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Uganda accused the U.S. of pushing an “LGBT agenda” in the wake of pushback to an anti-gay law. 

“There’s a coup at the State Department in the U.S. It is being taken over by people who are pushing the LGBT agenda in Africa,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem said in a Wednesday Reuters article.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an expansion of the previous visa restriction policy targeting “those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Uganda” Monday. This expansion is now aimed at officials or others who were behind or complicit in “policies or actions aimed at repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations.”

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“These groups include, but are not limited to, environmental activists, human rights defenders, journalists, LGBTQI+ persons, and civil society organizers,” Blinken said in a statement. “The immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions.”

Back in May, Uganda’s president signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which calls for capital punishment for cases of “aggravated homosexuality,” defined as acts carried out by those infected with HIV or homosexual acts that involve children, disabled people or those drugged against their will. It also calls for prison for those who have gay sex.

“This shameful Act is the latest development in an alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption in Uganda. The dangers posed by this democratic backsliding are a threat to everyone residing in Uganda, including U.S. government personnel, the staff of our implementing partners, tourists, members of the business community, and others,” President Biden wrote after lawmakers passed the law.

The legislation faced condemnation from both sides of American politics. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have all noted their disapproval of the bill.

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“Any law criminalizing homosexuality or imposing the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ is grotesque & an abomination,” Cruz said at the time. “ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse. #LGBTQ.”

​ Uganda accused the U.S. of pushing an “LGBT agenda” in the wake of pushback to an anti-gay law.  “There’s a coup at the State Department in the U.S. It is being taken over by people who are pushing the LGBT agenda in Africa,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem said in a Wednesday Reuters… 

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