INTERNACIONAL
Iraq sounds alarm on terror threat from Syria one day after US troops leave
Iraq is preparing for the possibility that Islamic State fighters could spill across the border from Syria, the country’s foreign minister said Thursday. It comes just one day after the U.S. military formally ended its counter-ISIS mission in Iraq.
Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that Baghdad is closely watching recent ISIS activity in neighboring Syria, and warned that fighters crossing into Iraq could once again pose a threat to the country’s security.
«We are worried about ISIS activities inside Syria,» Hussein said, adding that Iraqi forces were preparing to confront any movement toward the border. Still, he stressed that Baghdad believes its military can now handle the terrorist group without the large U.S.-led coalition presence that helped defeat ISIS’s self-declared caliphate.
ISIS POISED TO EXPLOIT HISTORIC US IRAQ EXIT, TERROR GROUP ‘ACTIVELY WAITING IN THE GAPS,’ EXPERT WARNS
«If they would be capable to cross the border, that would be once again a threat to our security,» Hussein said. «We are preparing ourselves – if there will be any movement from inside Iraq — to fight them and to defeat them.»
The warning came just after the departure of the final U.S. forces under Operation Inherent Resolve on Wednesday.
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Trump hailed the withdrawal as a victory over ISIS, saying the terrorist group had been «completely decimated.»
«We came to fight a caliphate, and there is no longer a caliphate, so we are going home,» Trump said. «This day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS.»
But Hussein’s warning came four days after Syrian authorities said they dismantled an ISIS cell operating across four provinces, arresting four of its leaders and seizing explosives that had been prepared for attacks. The cell had carried out kidnappings and was involved in assassinations and planting explosive devices, according to Syrian security forces.
U.S. officials assess that ISIS has been severely degraded and no longer poses a systemic threat to Iraq, but the terrorist group maintains scattered cells across Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon has said Iraqi forces are capable of suppressing the remaining threat themselves, while U.S. forces continue counter-ISIS operations in Syria aimed at preventing the group from reconstituting.
The withdrawal marked the end of a U.S. military mission in Iraq that, in different forms, stretched across more than two decades and reshaped American foreign policy. The 2003 invasion toppled Saddam Hussein but gave way to years of insurgency and sectarian violence. Nearly 4,500 U.S. service members were killed before American forces withdrew in 2011.
Three years later, U.S. troops returned as ISIS swept across large parts of Iraq and Syria, seizing Mosul and declaring a self-styled caliphate. The U.S. launched Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014, leading an international coalition that helped Iraqi forces reclaim the territory ISIS had captured.
After the withdrawal, Iraq intends to pursue a bilateral security relationship with the U.S., though discussions on what that will look like have not yet begun.
He said Baghdad and Washington had discussed the principle of a future security relationship while negotiating the coalition’s departure, but still need to work out the details, including what kind of training, intelligence sharing or other military cooperation could continue.
At the same time, Baghdad is moving to bring Iran-backed militia groups operating outside the regular security forces under government control, another longstanding source of friction between Iraq and the U.S.
Iraq had originally set a Sept. 30 deadline — coinciding with the U.S.-led coalition’s withdrawal — for armed groups to lay down their weapons or come under state authority. That deadline has since slipped to June 2027 as some powerful factions resist disarmament.
Hussein said one group had issued a statement Thursday backing the government’s plan and another was expected to follow within a day, while negotiations continued with others.
«A single group will not be allowed to take the decision in their hands and attack other countries,» Hussein said.
That question has taken on new urgency as Iraq tries to contain the fallout from the war between the U.S. and neighboring Iran. Hussein confirmed that a recent attack on Saudi Arabia originated from Iraqi territory near the Iranian border, prompting an investigation by Baghdad and consultations with both Riyadh and Tehran.
Hussein said he had been in contact with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan over the attack and planned to visit Riyadh to discuss the matter further. The investigation remains ongoing, he said.
More broadly, Hussein described Iraq as caught in the middle of the U.S.-Iran conflict, saying Iraqi territory had been struck by both sides.
«We became a victim of this war,» Hussein said.
Baghdad has pressed both Washington and Tehran to resolve the conflict through negotiations, Hussein said, while seeking to keep Iraq from being drawn further into the fighting.
iraq, syria, isis, politics, national security, middle east foreign policy, foreign policy, terrorism
INTERNACIONAL
‘DSA jihadi’: LA mayoral candidate torched after defending ‘genocide’ comment during Jewish forum
Nithya Raman, the far-left Los Angeles mayoral frontrunner, defended her appearance on controversial streamer Hasan Piker’s program and stood by her use of the term «genocide» to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza when pressed by a Jewish audience Tuesday night, raising alarm among some Jewish voters.
Raman’s appearance before hundreds of attendees at a Jewish community mayoral forum quickly turned into a series of pointed exchanges over Israel, antisemitism and her past comments on the war in Gaza. Pressed over her appearance on Piker’s show, Raman said candidates need to «meet people where they’re at» and rejected the suggestion that appearing on his platform signaled an endorsement of his views.
She also reaffirmed her use of the word «genocide» to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying she relied on unnamed «experts» who have used the same terminology.
Both Raman and current Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass attended a candidate forum hosted by several Jewish organizations Tuesday evening, during which they were questioned on a range of topics but largely about antisemitism, public safety, homelessness, Israel and other issues of particular concern to the Jewish community ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
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«Nithya Raman’s remarks should alarm every Jewish voter in Los Angeles,» StopAntisemitism founder and Executive Director Liora Rez told Digital, arguing that «‘meeting people where they’re at’ is not a defense» for appearing on Piker’s program.
The Wednesday night forum’s moderator noted that many in the audience viewed Raman’s appearance on Piker’s show as «deeply hurtful,» citing the streamer’s past remarks about Jews and praise for groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and al Qaeda. Asked why she chose to appear and whether she worried it could be perceived as an endorsement of his views, Raman said she has consistently spoken out against antisemitism but believed candidates should engage voters across different platforms.
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«I do believe that as an elected representative who’s seeking higher office, you have to go and speak to voters,» Raman said. «I think it’s important for us as elected officials and as people running for office to go and speak to them even when you disagree with parts of those individuals… and meet them where they’re at.»
Raman’s explanation echoes a rationale Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed offered when defending his own appearances with Piker, arguing candidates should engage audiences on platforms where voters already are.
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The moderator then shifted to Raman’s broader views on the Israel-Gaza war, noting that she had repeatedly described Israel’s actions as «genocide» and asking her to define the term and address Jewish voters who viewed the language as deeply inflammatory.
Raman acknowledged that «the word ‘genocide’ is a deeply painful word» and said she understood its historical significance, but maintained she used the term because other experts had done so and because she felt compelled to speak out after seeing «the targeting of hospitals» and «the deaths of children.»
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«I have used that term, and I’m not an expert on these issues, and so I have looked to experts on these issues — international experts, Israeli experts — who have used that language, and that is what guided me in using that term in describing what’s happening in Gaza,» Raman said.
But, in comments to Digital, Rez said «that charge is not supported by the facts,» arguing «casualty figures supplied by Hamas-controlled authorities, often presented without distinguishing civilians from combatants, do not establish a deliberate campaign to destroy the Palestinian people.»
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During the Tuesday night forum, Bass offered a sharply different view on the term and rejected its use in regard to the war in Gaza when pressed on the matter.
Meanwhile, when asked where she differed from the anti-Israel positions of the Democratic Socialists of America, whose Los Angeles chapter has endorsed her mayoral campaign, Raman defended the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, as «a legitimate form of peaceful protest» before arguing that Israel-related issues were not part of her municipal platform and pointing to disagreements she has had with DSA on other issues.
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Rez rejected Raman’s characterization of BDS as «a legitimate form of peaceful protest,» arguing the movement «is a discriminatory movement that singles out the world’s only Jewish state for isolation and elimination.»
Local Los Angeles activist and Jewish mother of two, April Silverman, slammed Raman’s appearance at the forum on X, arguing the mayoral frontrunner is not aware of «the concept of knowing your audience and reading the room.»
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«Nithya Raman couldn’t even pretend in front of a room full of Jewish Angelenos to be anything other than an antizionist radical,» said Shana Meyerson, a podcast host who has a show called «The Unapologetically Jewish Podcast.»
«She also doubled down on her ‘genocide’ accusations despite admitting she ‘isn’t an expert,’ and could not define what genocide is,» Meyerson added. «Another DSA jihadi laughing in the face of Jewish Americans.»
politics, controversies state and local, hasan piker, anti semitism
INTERNACIONAL
Tribunal Electoral rechaza cambios a las reformas y advierte riesgos para los comicios de 2029 en Panamá
El Tribunal Electoral (TE) lanzó una fuerte advertencia a la Asamblea Nacional y rechazó categóricamente varios de los cambios introducidos al proyecto que reforma el Código Electoral, al considerar que representan retrocesos para el sistema panameño.
El organismo aseguró que no respaldará medidas que pongan en peligro la democracia, la equidad ni la transparencia de las elecciones generales de 2029.
En un comunicado firmado por los magistrados Narciso Arellano, Luis Guerra y Alfredo Juncá, el TE hizo un llamado a los diputados de todas las bancadas para actuar con prudencia.
Aunque reconoció que la Asamblea posee la facultad constitucional de discutir, aprobar o rechazar las leyes, pidió que el interés general prevalezca sobre intereses particulares durante el debate.
El organismo recordó que entregó al Legislativo una propuesta sustentada en los principios de participación, transparencia, equidad y rendición de cuentas, resultado del proceso desarrollado después de las elecciones de 2024.
Para los magistrados, el texto contenía avances importantes que fueron alterados durante su discusión en la Comisión de Gobierno, Justicia y Asuntos Constitucionales.
El proyecto original fue construido después de meses de discusiones en la Comisión Nacional de Reformas Electorales (CNRE), donde participaron partidos, representantes de la libre postulación, organizaciones ciudadanas, universidades e instituciones públicas.
De ese proceso surgieron las modificaciones presentadas formalmente por el TE ante la Asamblea para establecer las reglas de los comicios de 2029.
Sin embargo, el documento experimentó una profunda transformación durante el primer debate legislativo. Al proyecto original se le eliminaron artículos, se incorporaron nuevas disposiciones y otras fueron modificadas, mientras el propio Tribunal Electoral advirtió que algunos de esos cambios alteran aspectos fundamentales de la propuesta elaborada previamente.
Uno de los principales puntos de conflicto está relacionado con el dinero privado que puede ingresar a las campañas electorales.
Entre las modificaciones aparece el aumento de los límites permitidos para determinadas candidaturas a diputados y alcaldes, una decisión cuestionada porque puede modificar las condiciones económicas bajo las cuales competirán los aspirantes en 2029.
Los cuestionamientos van más allá de cuánto dinero podrá utilizarse. Diferentes sectores han advertido sobre los controles aplicables al financiamiento político y la obligación de transparentar ingresos y gastos electorales, asuntos especialmente sensibles ante el incremento de los montos. Para el TE, la transparencia en el uso de recursos constituye uno de los principios centrales de la reforma.
Otro cambio objetado por el Tribunal permitiría que una persona elegida para dos cargos conserve simultáneamente la titularidad de ambos, aunque solamente ejerza uno en determinado momento.
La institución incluyó esta modificación entre las disposiciones que considera contrarias a los avances que pretendía introducir el proyecto original de reformas electorales.
La reforma también modifica las condiciones aplicables a funcionarios públicos que aspiran a puestos de elección popular. El TE cuestionó la extensión de los períodos durante los cuales podrían permanecer en sus posiciones antes de separarse para competir, debido a que las reglas deben garantizar condiciones equitativas entre quienes participan en una elección.
La libre postulación constituye otro de los focos de disputa. Las modificaciones introducidas durante el primer debate endurecen determinadas condiciones para quienes buscan competir fuera de los partidos políticos, mientras también cambian requisitos relacionados con organizaciones en formación.
El asunto adquiere relevancia ante el crecimiento de candidaturas independientes registrado en los últimos procesos electorales.
Entre los cambios cuestionados figura el aumento del porcentaje de firmas requerido para determinadas candidaturas por libre postulación, así como modificaciones relacionadas con la conformación de nuevos partidos.
Estas disposiciones han provocado críticas porque elevan las exigencias para ciudadanos y organizaciones que buscan ingresar al sistema político sin estructuras partidarias consolidadas.
La controversia alcanza igualmente la manera como se desarrolló el primer debate. Diputados independientes denunciaron que decenas de modificaciones fueron sometidas a votación sin una discusión individual suficientemente amplia, mientras los responsables de conducir la comisión han defendido el procedimiento utilizado. El trámite terminó trasladando esas diferencias al pleno de la Asamblea.
El documento enviado desde la Comisión de Gobierno también presentó posteriormente inconsistencias relacionadas con disposiciones aprobadas durante el primer debate. Una de ellas involucró un artículo sobre libre postulación, luego de detectarse que el texto remitido no correspondía completamente con lo votado, situación que añadió nuevos cuestionamientos al proceso legislativo.
El proyecto presentado inicialmente por el TE buscaba actualizar la fiscalización, fortalecer los derechos políticos y mejorar las condiciones de competencia electoral, además de modificar asuntos relacionados con adjudicación de curules, financiamiento y participación.
Su propósito declarado era fortalecer la transparencia y la confianza ciudadana en las elecciones que se celebrarán en 2029.
Ahora será el pleno de la Asamblea donde puedan corregirse, mantenerse o eliminarse las modificaciones aprobadas durante el primer debate. El proyecto de ley 699 todavía debe completar su trámite legislativo, por lo que las reglas definitivas que regirán las próximas elecciones generales aún pueden cambiar durante las siguientes discusiones.
El Tribunal Electoral cerró su pronunciamiento haciendo un llamado a la Asamblea Nacional para pensar primero en la institucionalidad del proceso electoral y en el beneficio de los ciudadanos. Con su comunicado, los magistrados dejaron marcada una posición pública frente a cambios que consideran perjudiciales para la equidad y transparencia de los comicios de 2029.
edificio,exterior,sede tribunal electoral de panamá
INTERNACIONAL
DHS torches sanctuary Fairfax after accused child predator released despite immigration detainer
Homeland security officials blasted Fairfax County, Virginia after DHS arrested an illegal immigrant convicted of pedophilic crimes, including aggravated sexual battery of a parent with a child and illicit filming of a naked minor, following the Democrat-led municipality’s refusal to honor an ICE detainer.
The dispute comes as DHS and Republicans in Congress remain at odds with county leaders, including Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and Sheriff Stacey Ann Kincaid, over what they describe as a lax approach to prosecuting illegal immigrants and cooperating with federal authorities.
«Another criminal illegal alien has been taken off the streets by the brave men and women of ICE, with no help from sanctuary politicians in Fairfax County,» DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.
Digital reached out to Kincaid’s office — which handles the jail — and a Fairfax County spokesman for comment but did not hear back by press time.
ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING CHILDREN AFTER FAIRFAX COUNTY RELEASE: DHS
ICE’s Washington field office arrested Honduran illegal immigrant Oscar Evaristo Nunez more than a year after Fairfax County corrections officials released him without cooperating with federal authorities.
Nunez was previously arrested in Fairfax on Aug. 27, 2025, on charges including aggravated sexual battery of a parent with a child ages 13 to 17, two counts of nonconsensual videotaping of an undressed minor and two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a victim under 13.
He was released two days later from the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center after corrections officials declined to honor a detainer lodged by ICE.
«This illegal alien from Honduras had been arrested for child sex crimes in August last year, but Fairfax County refused to honor ICE’s detainer and let this creep back out onto the streets,» Mullin said.
ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA A ‘HOTBED’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME, DHS SAYS AFTER LATEST RAPE CHARGE
«Once again, ICE did the job that these heartless sanctuary politicians won’t do: enforce the law and protect American lives. DHS is calling on Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to stop putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people.»
Nunez remains in ICE custody, but his criminal proceedings continue in absentia in Fairfax, a spokesperson for Descano told Digital.
The spokesperson said a Descano prosecutor objected to the release.
Nunez’s plea hearing was scheduled for Friday but has been continued to Nov. 5. A Descano spokesperson said ICE «stalled our ability to seek justice in this case and further delayed the [victim’s] family’s ability to get the closure they deserve» by taking him into custody «during an active prosecution.»
Robert Guadian, director of ICE’s Washington field office, said in a statement issued before the spokesperson’s comments that when local officials refuse to honor ICE detainers, they prioritize politics over the safety of their communities.
The incident occurred before incumbent Gov. Abigail Spanberger took office in January, but ICE pointed to several other recent cases of denied detainers and the like that they say have created an unsafe environment across Virginia.
The agency has previously cited her executive directives undoing Youngkin-era cooperation with ICE at the state level and the passage of a law restricting cooperative agreements between local authorities and DHS, which a George H.W. Bush-appointed judge temporarily blocked last month.
In a statement to Digital, a Spanberger spokesperson said the Democrat «strongly believes violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported.»
«Under Governor Spanberger’s leadership, the Virginia Department of Corrections continues the long-standing practice of notifying ICE when individuals born outside of the United States are in state custody,» they said.
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The spokesperson also cited Spanberger’s history as a CIA officer prosecuting crimes involving minors as particularly sensitive to Nunez’ case.
«As a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators, Governor Spanberger will always prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginia families and kids.»
deportation, sanctuary cities, politics, illegal immigrants, homeland security, migrant crime, virginia, abigail spanberger
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