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Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

'You ain't seen nothing yet': Florida's DeSantis

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 7 Mar 2023 22:19
3 Min Read

The Florida Governor has devoted much of his agenda since his reelection last November to bashing Democrats.

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  • DeSantis
    Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on March 5, 2023. (AP)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis positioned himself Tuesday as the leading Republican alternative to White House candidate Donald Trump.

The 44-year-old DeSantis has devoted much of his agenda since his reelection last November to bashing Democrats over what he sees as an intimidating form of performative liberalism that he dismisses as "wokeness".

The governor's closely-watched "State of the State" address kicked off a 60-day legislative program aiming to expand gun rights, curb diversity efforts at state-run universities, and end what he calls the "medical authoritarianism" of Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

"Now is not the time to rest on our laurels. We have the opportunity and indeed the responsibility to swing for the fences so that we can ensure Florida remains number one," DeSantis said at the address in the state capital, Tallahassee.

"Don't worry about the chattering class, ignore all the background noise, keep the compass set to true north," he added. "We will hold the line, we won't back down. And I can promise you this: You ain't seen nothing yet."

Under DeSantis, state lawmakers are looking at extending a controversial ban on classroom discussion of sexuality and gender identity -- currently in effect through third grade -- to eighth-grade children.

Ahead of DeSantis' speech, a Florida lawmaker filed a bill that would lower the legal abortion threshold from 15 weeks to six.

Republicans control both chambers of congress in Tallahassee, therefore, little significant opposition is expected to any of the program's bills.

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Read more: "I was screaming and he was smiling": DeSantis ran Guantanamo torture

Florida was doing great before DeSantis

Hours before the "State of the State" address, Trump took to his Truth Social platform and criticized DeSantis, reprising one of his many nicknames for his rival.

"FLORIDA WAS DOING GREAT FOR MANY YEARS, LONG BEFORE RON DESANCTUS GOT THERE," the former US President considered.

DeSantis has already signed into law measures stripping Walt Disney World of its self-governing status in a move widely seen as revenge for the entertainment giant's criticism of Florida's effort to restrict the teaching of sexuality and gender ideology.

"We defied the experts, we bucked the elites," the Florida Governor said. "We did it our way, the Florida way, and the result is that we are the number one destination for our fellow Americans who are looking for a better life."

At a Sunday event in Democratic-led California, DeSantis bragged about a "great American exodus" from liberal to conservative states.

He will travel this week to Iowa, the host of 2024's first presidential nominating contest.

Trump has hinted at a potential third-party campaign if he loses the nomination, although some states prevent candidates from running as independents if they've already appeared under a party's banner.

Read more: DeSantis could face lawsuit for banning African American studies class

  • United States
  • Republican Party
  • Florida
  • US
  • Ron DeSantis
  • Donald Trump

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Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

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