TV News LIES

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his proposal to “clean out” Gaza by removing Palestinians living there to Jordan and Egypt, a plan which has appalled some allies but has been quickly embraced by Israel’s far right.

Having first floated the idea Saturday, Trump warmed to his theme Monday, saying of Gaza’s population: “I’d like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption and revolution and violence so much.”

He has not specified whether such emigration would be voluntary. The forcible displacement of civilians “can constitute a war crime and/or crime against humanity” depending on the context, according to the United Nations.

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• Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Vladimir Putin was “afraid” of negotiations on ending the war after the Russian president ruled out direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. “Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war,” Zelenskyy said. Putin on Tuesday ruled out speaking directly with Zelenskyy, whom he called “illegitimate” because elections have not been held since Russia started the war. Because of the war, Ukraine is under martial law, during which the Ukrainian constitution does not allow elections. Ukraine has warned against it being excluded from any peace talks between Russia and the US, accusing Putin of wanting to “manipulate” Donald Trump, the US president.

• Ukrainian drones targeted oil and power facilities in western parts of Russia, officials and media outlets reported on Wednesday. Baza, a Russian social media channel close to Russia’s security services, reported that an oil refinery was on fire at Kstovo in Nizhny Novgorod, east of Moscow. In the western region of Smolensk, which borders Belarus, there was a “massive” drone attack and air defence systems destroyed a drone threatening a nuclear power facility, said the governor, Vasily Anokhin. Dozens more drones targeted the Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, and the Tver region that borders the Moscow region to its south, regional governors said. Flights were halted for safety at the Kazan airport in the Republic of Tatarstan, 830km (516 miles) east of Moscow, officials said.

A Louisiana aquarium has a new star — and a mystery — on its hands after a baby shark was born in a habitat without any males.

The Shreveport Aquarium announced last week that Yoko the swell shark — named for "Onyoko," the Chumash word for shark — hatched on Jan. 3, about eight months after her egg was first discovered in a tank with only female inhabitants.

Not only that, it said, but its team "determined that the two female sharks present in the tank had not been in contact with a male in over 3 years."

"This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species," Greg Barrick, the aquarium's curator of live exhibits, said in the release. "It really proves that life ... uh ... finds a way."

Is it a miracle, a medical mystery or more? Scientists have two main theories.

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Parents enrolling children in Oklahoma public schools will be required to provide proof of their child’s US citizenship or legal immigration status under a proposed rule approved Tuesday by the state board of education.

The board voted unanimously to approve the rule aimed at helping Donald Trump’s immigration policies. It still needs to be approved by the legislature and the governor.

Donald Trump has signed another executive order aimed at the transgender community on Tuesday, this time prohibiting gender transitions for people under the age of 19.

“It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” reads the president’s executive order.

The order denotes that “child” or “children” means an individual or individuals under 19 years of age and that the term “pediatric” means relating to the medical care of a child. It also clarifies that the phrase “chemical and surgical mutilation” entails puberty blockers, the use of hormones such as estrogen or testosterone, and surgical procedures. Much of what is mentioned is known as gender-affirming care.

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The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has now entered its second week. Over the past two weekends, Hamas has handed over seven Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of nearly 300 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, and preparations are already under way for a double exchange next weekend. But it hasn’t been without hitches.

Two days in, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian civilians as they sought to return to their homes near Gaza’s southern border, killing a child. This weekend, Hamas opted to release only soldiers, despite having agreed to first release all remaining civilian women and children. Israeli forces then delayed the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, while Hamas dragged its feet on informing Israel how many of the remaining hostages to be exchanged were alive or dead.

TVNL Comment:  How do you say 'ethnic cleansing' in Hebrew?

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The Trump administration has offered federal workers buyouts worth more than seven months’ salary if they would leave their jobs by 6 February as the White House attempts to slash the civil service in an unprecedented overhaul of US government.

The office of personnel management, the government’s human resources agency, sent a memo to the federal workforce on Tuesday evening with four directives that it says Trump is mandating, including a full-time return to the office for most employees. It also said that the federal workforce would be subjected to “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct” and warned that most agencies would be downsized.

“If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country and you will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program,” the email reads. “This program begins effective January 28 and is available to all federal employees until February 6.”

Leaders of the bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee are raising alarms about President Donald Trump’s decision to fire more than a dozen inspectors general, sending a new letter asking for further details on their dismissal.

The joint request from Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) notes that the White House did not submit the required 30-day notice to Congress to dismiss inspectors general. The senators are requesting further information on the 18 watchdog dismissals, which occurred late on Friday, and the names of officials who will act in their places.

“This is a matter of public and congressional accountability and ensuring the public’s confidence in the Inspector General community, a sentiment shared more broadly by other Members of Congress,” the senators wrote to Trump. “IGs are critical to rooting out waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within the Executive Branch bureaucracy, which you have publicly made clear you are also intent on doing.”

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