Latest news with #GodBless
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside Trump's ‘amazing' trip to the Middle East
President Donald Trump toured the United Arab Emirates' largest mosque, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, in Abu Dhabi. This religious and cultural landmark, completed in 2007, features grandiose architectural work and is one of the few mosques in the region open to non-Muslims. 'Is this beautiful? It is so beautiful. Very proud of my friends, this is an incredible culture, that I can say,' Trump said in brief remarks inside the Al Noor Foyer, which features 3D floral vines on the walls that are species found in the Middle East. 'Amazing.' That's the word the U.S. commander-in-chief repeatedly used to describe his trip. This marks the third day, and potentially the end, of Trump's visit to the Middle East, his first tour abroad since taking office the second time. He spent it traveling and giving speeches in two countries — Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He started the week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he unveiled his bold plan for the Middle East that includes removing the sanctions on Syria, disarming Iran's nuclear program, and pushing Saudi Arabia to the Abraham Accords. Trump made his way to Doha, Qatar, where he secured more than $1 trillion in investments to the U.S. on Wednesday. He made it to the UAE on Thursday. At the Abu Dhabi mosque, the president — wearing socks, since wearing shoes is not allowed inside — also stepped inside the main prayer room, decorated with intricate stonework, gilded columns and colorful chandeliers. 'This is the first time they've closed the mosque for the day,' the president said. 'It's an honor of the United States, I think. Better than an honor that's given to the country, but it's a great tribute, thank you.' He spent the morning with business leaders at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Doha. He also addressed American troops at Al Udeid Air Base in Doha around noon. This air base serves as a military hub for American operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. The president walked on stage to a roaring and applauding crowd and Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the USA' playing in the background, according to the White House pool. A banner behind him had the words 'Peace through Strength' Trump conveyed that he wants to 'end conflicts, not start them,' but drew a line in the sand against adversaries like Iran. Qatar said earlier this week it wants to gift Trump a newer Boeing aircraft to replace the current 40-year-old Air Force One. On Wednesday, Trump signed an economic deal with Qatar that will lead to over $1 trillion in investments from the Gulf state. The deal also includes a $96 billion contract between American aerospace company Boeing and Qatar. Trump left Doha for Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, in the afternoon. Aboard Air Force One, Trump addressed the speculation surrounding the Ukraine-Russia peace talks, scheduled in Turkey on Friday. All week, Trump indicated he will stop by Turkey for the negotiations. That was until Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped on the peace talks. 'Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together, OK?' Trump said. Later in the day, he said he's 'probably going back to Washington, D.C.' At the Abu Dhabi airport, he was greeted by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and an arrival ceremony with drums and chanting. The two world leaders briefly chatted and met again for a bilateral meeting after Trump's walkthrough of Abu Dhabi's grand mosque later Thursday. During a press conference at the palace, Trump called the UAE leader 'a great warrior' and appreciated the strong relationship the two nations have. The American president was awarded a medal, known as the Order of Zayed, named after the country's first president. He also signed an official guest book.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Pope Leo's menacing one-word message to America
Pope Leo XIV issued a pointed one-word response when asked if he had anything to say to America. The newly-elected leader was peppered with questions on Monday as he moved through a crowd in the Vatican, including one from NewsNation's Robert Sherman. 'Any message for the United States?' he asked. 'Many,' the pope - Chicago-born Robert Prevost - quickly responded. He added: 'God bless you all.' The brief encounter sparked debate online as many interpreted it to be a dig at Donald Trump - who Leo had previously criticized on X in recent years. 'I just hope this pope ain't woke,' one responded, with another calling it a 'holy mic drop.' Others questioned whether Leo may have misheard the reporter over 'any blessings for the United States', saying it 'makes more sense' given that he told the nation 'God bless you all.' Many took the response to be an opening shot from Leo against the Trump administration, with the new pope having made his disapproval of Trump's policies clear on his social media. His last retweet, on April 14, slams the Trump administration's deportation of undocumented migrant and Maryland father-of-three Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 30, to El Salvador. The post reads: 'Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?' The 69-year-old also shared several articles that address Catholic JD Vance's stance on immigration. One of them is titled: 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' Pope Leo also shared a post in 2018 that read: 'There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.' In response to his remark on having 'many' messages to the United States this week, one X user said: 'Having a pope who's a native English speaker means he's gonna tell them a million different ways how terrible they are.' 'Many positive messages I'm sure,' another sarcastically responded. Pope Leo's stance on immigration should come as no surprise, as he spent the majority of his career in Latin America, even becoming a naturalized citizen of Peru. On Thursday, as he addressed the world as Pope for the first time, he spoke in Spanish as well as Italian but notably avoided speaking his native English. Chants of 'Leo, Leo' ran through the crowd who still appeared to be shocked with many mouthing 'An American?' The first American born Pope, Prevost emerged victorious in the Conclave as he was reportedly seen as 'the least American of the Americans' in the Church's leadership, and as a silent reformer who would carry on much of the work of Pope Francis. However, despite the Pope's stance, both President Trump and JD Vance were quick to congratulate him on his election. 'Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,' Trump said. 'What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!' Vice President Vance added: 'Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!'
Associated Press
03-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Ohio Woodworker Surprised by State Department Order
Middletown, OH May 02, 2025 --( )-- Len Kaltman, owner of Buckeye Pens of Liberty Township, Ohio, received an unexpected order from the U.S. State Department this spring. His handcrafted pens were selected by the Office of the Chief of Protocol as gifts to be given by Vice President J.D. Vance to visiting dignitaries. When the U.S. State Department first contacted Kaltman via the Buckeye Pens website, he thought it was a prank. The letter had indicated that since Vice President Vance was from Ohio, they wanted to incorporate his pens into their diplomatic gifts. 'When the first email inquiry came in, I thought someone was playing a joke on me,' Kaltman says. 'When the second email came in, months later with the actual order, I was very excited!' Buckeye Pens are turned on a lathe by Kaltman in his workshop in Liberty Township, Ohio. Made from the wood of an Ohio buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio, no two of his handmade pens are exactly alike. 'Each of my pens makes a great Ohio themed gift' says Kaltman. 'I use buckeye burl exclusively for its unique grain and colors and of course it's connection to the Buckeye State. Gifts made from the buckeye tree date back to the presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison, when his supporters were reported to carve souvenirs out of the distinctive wood. The patriotic styled pen selected to be given as gifts by the Vice President is one of dozens of Kaltman's custom designs. It features an American flag, bald eagle, and the phrase 'God Bless America' in antique brass and pewter. The executive pens are packaged in a wooden gift box engraved with the Vice Presidential seal and signature. 'It has impressive size and weight and the patriotic design elements are perfect for personal or corporate gifts says Kaltman. The creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Ohio's small businesses will travel the globe in the form of Buckeye Pens, its unique roots a centerpiece for international relations. About Buckeye Pens: Buckeye Pens are individually handcrafted in Ohio, in the Liberty Township woodshop of Len Kaltman. The custom pens make unique and memorable personal gifts for family and friends and are popular corporate gifts for employees and clients. For more info visit Buckeye Pens at: Contact Information: Buckeye Pens and Gifts Len Kaltman 513-313-9324 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Ohio Woodworker Surprised by State Department Order Press Release Distributed by
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Reflections of April 19, 1995, from a former Assistant to the Mayor of OKC
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — It is a place to remember. The grounds of the Murrah Memorial attract visitors from around the world. To people like Rick Moore, this is sacred ground where horrific memories of that day rise to the surface every spring. 'When you come here,' he states, 'you realize something special happened here.' 'Something about the date has always triggered me,' he continues. 'I don't know why but when it gets to be April 19th, I know it.' Rick was the Assistant to OKC Mayor Ron Norick in 1995, his eyes and ears and City Hall. He recalls coming from the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, settling briefly in his office, then rushing to the Murrah Building as the 9 o'clock hour struck and shook the world. 'Did it change your life?,' we ask. 'Totally,' he replies. 'It's one of those things you don't realize until you think about it, until to see it, and talk about it. April 19th comes and it's like something in my heart.' Moore practically lived here and at his office for weeks. He stayed busy in the weeks and months after with good will tours across the United States. Items he saved, then donated to the Memorial Museum, include t-shirts, VHS tapes, pins people gave him to wear. There is one item he still keeps at his desk, a 'God Bless Oklahoma City' placard that used to grace billboards across the state in the aftermath of April 19th. Moore says, 'It makes me think back to that time.' The is one more reminder too, in the form of whiskers gone grey. Recalling 1995, 'So one day I finally got to go home and kind of clean up and shower. My wife said, 'I like your beard.' And like any man understands, what my wife liked, stayed.' From annual remembrance ceremonies to items placed on empty chairs as the Memorial took shape, time and decades have passed. Rick Moore quit his job as Assistant to the Mayor in 1996, but he's still drawn here to the Survivor Tree. He admits, 'I often pull in here to sit and just think.' The good memories slowly outweigh the bad, like a scarred elm still growing and sprouting new leaves. Moore went back to school and earned a PhD from Oklahoma State University at the age of 65. He is currently the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Municipal Contractors Association located in Edmond. Great State is sponsored by True Sky Credit Union Follow Galen's Great State adventures on social media! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Trump uses Kennedy Center visit to criticize the venue and tout his efforts to remake it
President Donald Trump used his visit on Monday to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to criticize the venue of which he's now the chairman, claiming that it's ripe for an overhaul, just like the country he now leads. 'It's in tremendous disrepair, as is a lot of the rest of our country, most of it because of bad management,' said Trump, who was elected chair last month by a newly constituted board, including several new Trump appointees who replaced trustees appointed by Democratic presidents. Trump's visit comes as he's has sought to reshape the renowned arts institution – installing political loyalists in top leadership positions and criticizing its programming for being 'woke.' Trump on Monday called the Kennedy Center a 'very big part of the fabric of Washington, DC,' adding, 'We're going to make our capitol great again, just like we're going to make our country great again.' Trump has faced blowback for those efforts to remake the center, with Hamilton the most high-profile show to cancel performances in the wake of Trump taking over the board. Producer Jeffrey Seller said in a statement that they had seen 'decades of the Kennedy Center neutrality destroyed.' But Trump suggested on Monday he was happy to see the production go. 'I never liked Hamilton very much,' Trump told reporters of the musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, a modern telling of the country's founding through the eyes of Alexander Hamilton, including a multi-ethnic cast. 'But we are going to have some really good shows,' Trump added. 'I would say this, come here and watch it, and you'll see, over a period of time, it'll improve very greatly physically. And we're going to get some very good shows. The thing that does well are Broadway hits.' Singer Lee Greenwood — whose 'God Bless the U.S.A.' is a frequent refrain at Trump events and who was appointed as a member of the board — had apparently sought to perform at the meeting Trump attended Monday, but the president told reporters that the center's 'union structure' had made it cost prohibitive. 'Lee Greenwood wanted to sing a little song today, and because of the cost of the union structure, for him to sing a song just for the board, just a board meeting, it was going to cost $30,000. That doesn't sound too good. They wanted $30,000 to move a piano. So, you can't have that,' Trump said. At the board meeting – over which Trump presided on stage in the Opera House auditorium – he was flanked by more members, including Interim Executive Director Ric Grenell, second lady Usha Vance, interim Vice Chair Jennifer Fischer, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Fox News anchors Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham also attended, among others. 'The great Laura Ingraham,' Trump said off the top. 'We've got a lot of power on this board.' It wasn't just Trump's close confidantes, however. Also on hand was DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. On his tour of the facility, Trump specifically targeted the center's appearance. 'You look at the columns outside, you look at they're supposed to be covered by something, whether it's marble, or whatever, granite. They were never covered. They were painted. But bring it into more modern times, a lot of money has been given to it, and the money has not been properly spent,' Trump told reporters. Trump mentioned former Kennedy Center chairman David Rubenstein, who was elected in 2010, but not by name. 'You can't have this looking like it does,' Trump said, 'I'm so surprised, because I know the person who was in charge of it, and he's a good man. I've never realized this was in such bad shape. I've been so busy. I haven't been able to be here in a long time, and I shouldn't be with what I'm doing.' CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center and to the White House regarding the president's comments. But per the center's website, the façade boasts Italian marble imported from three quarries, while the painted bronze exterior pillars — which Trump claimed were 'supposed to be covered by something' — mimic similar pillars featured as part of the US Embassy in Delhi, India. Both the Kennedy Center and the embassy were designed by American architect Edward Durell Stone. But Trump insisted the Kennedy Center will be made 'great' through his efforts. 'It needs a lot of work,' Trump said on the presidential balcony after the board meeting. 'But we're going to make it great, just like we're going to make the country great and DC great.' Previewing renovations ahead, Trump said, 'We're going to make a lot of changes, including the seats, the décor, pretty much everything needs a lot of work.' At one point on the balcony, Trump turning to Kennedy Center trustees Grenell and Sergio Gor, who joined him in the box, and said, 'I'll tell you what, Ric, why don't you stand back?' Trump stepped to the center with no one else in view. The president, lit by spotlight, posed for photographers in his press pool below, joking, 'Do you want a little picture like this?' Arms outstretched, directly above the presidential seal, it was an image evocative of actress Patti LuPone in Trump's favorite musical, 'Evita.' In his 2004 book, 'Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: Everything You Need to Know About Success, Real Estate, and Life,' the then-real estate mogul admitting to seeing the musical six times, writing he hoped it would return to Broadway soon, while earlier on the tour he admitted a fondness for 'Broadway hits.' The White House Rapid Response team later posted on X video of Trump in the presidential box with his arms raised up. 'Incredibly powerful aura,' the caption said.
