Karen B 🇺🇸 🌻

I knew and worked with Bob Mueller. I didn’t always agree with him, but he was a Patriot who never said no to his country’s call for service. To speak this way about any veteran is reprehensible; especially so when you are the Commander-in-Chief. Shame on the President.

Fisherman: a lot of us voted Republican, and we’re not seeing the positives come out of it

Donbas playbook again? Russians are pushing the “Narva People’s Republic” Social media groups have appeared calling for autonomy of Estonia’s Narva and the wider Ida-Viru region. They share a flag, an “anthem,” and even mock plans for a “militia.” Posts talk about “protecting Russian identity.” Estonian authorities say this is a Russian information operation. Police warn that participation in such projects could lead to criminal charges. According to intelligence, this is an attempt to destabilize the situation and sow division in society. Estonian intelligence believes the campaign around the “Narva republic” was launched deliberately — at a time when global attention is focused on Iran. The ultimate goal is unclear, but a 2014-style сценарий in Ukraine is not ruled out — first information groundwork, then possible intervention. Concern is also rising in Latvia. Security chief Normunds Mežviets warned that a new Russian invasion could mean the end of the state and the nation. “They will kill us all,” Mežviets said. Earlier, a bill was introduced in Russia that would allow Putin to deploy troops in response to arrests or alleged “persecution” of Russians abroad.

We'd rate Messier 5 five stars. Though it certainly contains a lot more of them: over 100,000! This new image showcases the star cluster in ultraviolet light, a capability unique to Hubble: go.nasa.gov/41nxi0Z

Incredible story. I will put the link to full article in the comments, it's worth reading. "I survived 471 days in an underground bunker fighting for Ukraine against the Russians." Serhii Tyshchenko spent more than 16 months underground, close to suffocation, under constant Russian bombardment, suffering hunger and extreme thirst - from July 13, 2023 to October 28, 2025. Serhii has five children. He missed their birthdays and other milestones. Serhii Tyshchenko received the Hero of Ukraine award. Glory!

Earlier this week, I broke fast at Rikers Island with New Yorkers in custody, Department of Correction staff, Commissioner Stanley Richards, and Councilmember Yusef Salaam. It was a night that will stay with me for quite some time. People sharing what little they have: breaking bread, offering prayer, making space for one another’s dignity even in the hardest place. In a system too often defined by what it takes, I was reminded of what it means to give—mercy, dignity, and humanity. May we extend that mercy as far as we can. Eid Mubarak to all.

Life mates. 😍 Mute Swan pair at RSPB Greylake in Somerset recently. 😊🐦

This morning in Zaporizhzhia, as a result of a drone attack on a private residential sector two children were wounded and their parents were killed, their house was destroyed. Over the past 24 hours at least 8 people were killed and 25 injured in frontline regions. The highest number of civilian deaths, 5, was recorded in Donetsk region. The deliberate destruction of energy infrastructure continues, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are left without electricity in Chernihiv, parts of Kyiv and Mykolaiv region. #StopRussianAggression

🤡 “We don’t use your Internet, we don’t need phones” Russian federal channels are now airing songs about how great it is to live without the internet. At this rate, they’re not even hiding it anymore — just skipping straight to the North Korea starter pack.

🚨 “World War III has already begun,” Serbia’s president makes a bold statement According to Aleksandar Vučić, current events are increasingly resembling the early stages of World War I and World War II.

❗️Soon, virtually any holder of a Russian passport abroad could become a pretext for Russian military intervention. The EU should sharply restrict entry for Russian citizens. This is no longer about comfort or "openness" - it is a matter of security. The formula should be simple: minimal entry by default, maximum checks, and exceptions only for genuinely justified humanitarian and family cases. This is not "Russophobia," but basic self-defense. The Russian government has officially submitted draft law No. 1181659-8 to the State Duma, allowing the extraterritorial use of the Russian Armed Forces by presidential decision to "protect" Russians detained, held, or prosecuted abroad under decisions of foreign or international courts whose jurisdiction Moscow does not recognize. This is groundwork for a pretext. Russia’s draft law should not be read as concern for "its people" but as an attempt to pre-legitimize the use of force abroad. The Kremlin is systematically building a legal construct: ◾️ first - rejecting the jurisdiction of foreign and international courts (December 2025); ◾️ then - banning the extradition of those who fought for Russia (March 2026); ◾️ now - a separate provision allowing the use of the military to "protect" detained Russians abroad. Among the most notable current cases are Butyagin (now in Poland) and Torden (in Finland). For the Kremlin, almost anyone could become a future "rescue" target (they may also draw inspiration from the Maduro precedent), especially if their case is useful for propaganda. The core objective is to frame virtually anything as an "attack on Russia." If a Russian citizen is detained by a European state for any reason - war crimes, occupation-related activities, sabotage, or cooperation with proxy networks - the Kremlin seeks to portray this not as law enforcement, but as the "persecution of Russian citizens." This is the key mechanism: to turn a criminal arrest into a political incident, and a political incident into grounds for escalation. The danger is that the material for such cases already exists in Europe. Russian nationals linked to Wagner, proxy structures, sabotage activities, recruitment, and covert operations are already present across Europe. Some are already involved in investigations and court cases. Others may be used in future provocations. This means the Kremlin does not even need to wait for an accidental incident - potential figures who can later be framed as "victims of persecution" already exist. The scheme is simple and dangerous: first - a provocation, sabotage, or other subversive act; then - the arrest of the operative in Europe; followed by a media campaign about a "hunt for Russians"; and finally - invoking the new legal provision as grounds for "protection." This is how not a diplomatic dispute, but a controlled pretext for special operations, abductions, coercive pressure, or broader escalation is created. The conclusion is stark: this draft law is not about protecting citizens - it is about instrumentalizing them. The Kremlin wants any arrest of a Russian abroad - whether an archaeologist, militant, saboteur, recruiter, mercenary, or simply a Russian citizen dissatisfied with European laws - to be repackaged, when needed, into a casus belli.

I spoke with Metropolitan Epiphanius. My condolences to him and to all Orthodox Christians – the earthly journey of Patriarch Filaret has come to an end. This is a great loss for Ukrainians. He was a strong personality and one of the most steadfast defenders of the Ukrainian Church, independence, and statehood. The Ukrainian people will always honor his contribution to building an autocephalous church. And without the energy, character, and courage of Patriarch Filaret, many of Ukraine’s achievements simply would not have been possible. We also remember how Patriarch Filaret taught us to unite around the idea of a strong and independent Ukraine. May he rest in peace.

You know what’s really weird? I can remember so much about my childhood, but I can’t remember going inside during the summer for lunch.

Interesting development on Havana Syndrome (AHI) today before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Chairman Crawford asks if the Intelligence Community Assessment on AHI -- which assessed it was "very unlikely" a directed energy weapon capable of causing AHI has been wielded by a foreign actor against Americans -- should be retracted. Gabbard (ODNI), Patel (FBI), Hartman (NSA) and Adams (DIA) all say, "Yes." Ratcliffe (CIA) defers to Gabbard on the issue. NSA director saying "Yes" also hints at NSA's altered assessment from late 2024, lending credence to a foreign actor having or using such a weapon. DIA's investigation into AHI, led by Greg Edgreen, was always more confident Russia was behind this. youtube.com/watch?v=FiRYe3…

The Pentagon blackballed its own newspaper from covering its own press conference? Reminder, Stars & Stripes employees are US Army civilians. Their editorial independence is protected by Congress specifically to prevent political leaders from feeding troops propaganda.

My Administration is standing up to Big Tech and prioritizing our kids’ mental health. With the Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness and a new Social Media Research Center, we will make New Jersey a leader in kids’ online safety.

It’s just a weird sickness at some point, this level of greed. You have $200 billion dollars. You could wipe your ass with $100 bills and keep getting richer every day. Why kill thousands and thousands of jobs at this point?

Joe Kent’s theory that Israel manipulated Donald Trump on Iran reeks of antisemitism. We talked about regime change in the first term. Trump wasn’t conned into taking military action against Iran. He did it because he thought it would benefit him.

This week Trump is going to try to ram through the Senate his bill to take over state elections so he can rig the vote in his favor. As he becomes historically unpopular, he’s getting desperate. We cannot let this bill pass.

Messier 58 … in a different light! Our retired Spitzer telescope revealed the galaxy’s stellar populations. In the representational colors chosen for this infrared view, reddish areas are the likely birthplaces of new stars, while blue light comes from mature stars.