Latest news with #Zeteo
Daily Maverick
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
No holding back: Mehdi Hasan – 'Trump Administration is a sh*t show'
In this hard-hitting episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi sits down with influential broadcaster, journalist and Zeteo founder Mehdi Hasan for an unflinching conversation on global politics. From the chaos brought by Trump's administration to the genocide in Gaza, Elon Musk's DOGE distractions, and President Ramaphosa's punchlines, no topic is off-limits. In this episode of the Readiness Report, Redi takes a hard look at Elon Musk's comments about South Africa — and the controversy surrounding the government's reported efforts to lure Starlink, Musk's very own telecommunications provider, into the country. She's joined by outspoken activist, academic, and Daily Maverick columnist Khaya Sithole for a sharp, no-holds-barred conversation. 00:53 Drama in the United States 01:21 Elon Musk and Disinformation 02:30 Mehdi Hasan's Take on Trump 03:01 Trump's Impact on America and the World 04:00 Trump's End Game and Erratic Behaviour 06:01 International Reactions to Trump 08:38 Trump's Relationship with Russia 12:05 Trump, Israel, and Middle East Politics 15:50 Escalating Crisis in Gaza 16:21 Ethnic Cleansing and Personal Reflections 17:35 Global Sentiment Shift 20:10 Media's Role and Responsibility 27:14 Free Speech and Political Hypocrisy
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Is the Trump Administration Taking Deportation Orders From Extremists?
Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestine activist detained by the Trump administration and threatened with deportation, thinks that government officials coordinated with anti-Palestinian groups and organizations to target him. Zeteo News reports that Khalil and his legal team from the Center of Constitutional Rights filed a Freedom of Information Act request with several government agencies to 'document and expose the reported collaboration between federal officials and private, anti-Palestinian organizations who have identified, doxxed, and reported him and others for purposes of securing the deportation of student activists advocating on behalf of Palestinian human rights.' In their request, Khalil's lawyers say that his arrest, as well as that of other pro-Palestine activists, shows patterns that indicate the government is working with outside groups who are working together to target such activists. These groups, which include the pro-Israel academic blacklist Canary Mission and far-right Betar USA, publicly take credit every time one of these arrests are announced. As early as January, Betar, a Revisionist Zionist organization that has been labeled 'extremist' by the Anti Defamation League was recommending foreign students and teachers to the Trump administration for deportation because they protested against Israel. Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at what he thought was a U.S. citizenship interview, was also on Betar's list. According to Zeteo, the FOIA request cites several examples of Betar and other organizations creating profiles for Khalil and attacking him on social media. Activists from these organizations, such as Betar head Ross Glick, reportedly met with Senator John Fetterman and the office of Senator Ted Cruz to discuss deportation efforts. Fetterman denied working with Betar, telling Zeteo that 'I do not support private organizations coming up with deportation lists, and in any event, I would never participate or assist in that.' The State Department, on the other hand, didn't deny working with such organizations. 'Given our commitment to and responsibility for national security, the Department uses all available tools to receive and review concerning information when considering visa revocations about possible ineligibilities,' a department spokesperson told Zeteo. If the Trump administration is taking deportation recommendations from extremist, anti–free speech organizations like Betar and Canary Mission, it is violating the First Amendment to the Constitution in its immigration policies. But Trump and his associates have already shown the public that they don't care about such freedoms for the people they oppose, let alone the law.
New York Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Kids' YouTube star ‘Ms. Rachel' defends her Gaza comments in talk with anti-Israel reporter
Children's YouTube star 'Ms. Rachel' appeared on anti-Israel journalist Mehdi Hasan's Zeteo news Monday to explain why she has been so outspoken about Israel's war against Hamas. Rachel Griffin Accurso, who goes by 'Ms. Rachel' on her popular YouTube channel, which has 14.7 million subscribers, has shared several posts about the war's effects on Palestinian children. Advertisement 'Over 14,000 precious children have been un-alived in Gaza. Gaza has the largest number of child amputees in history. We can't be silent about these kinds of conditions for children,' Accurso posted to her TikTok channel in Dec. 2024, echoing the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry's casualty statistics. Last month, the Hamas-controlled agency's numbers were revised down by thousands and an analysis of those numbers found that 72% of those killed between the ages of 13 and 55 were males. 'As a teacher, you care about all kids. And I think with so many years of teaching, you just see them all as so similar. They all love to laugh, and they love to learn, and they love to play, and they deserve to play,' Accurso told Hasan, who previously worked for Qatar-funded Al Jazeera and MSNBC. 4 Global Youtube star Ms. Rachel speaks with Medhi Hasan of Zeteo about her statements about Palestinian children and the war over Israel. Advertisement Hasan has been a harsh critic of the Jewish State, accusing the IDF of killing 'hungry people' and comparing it to the regimes of Russia's Vladimir Putin and ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In 2021, Hasan rushed to defend Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who suggested the U.S. and Israel were just as guilty of 'war crimes' as terrorist groups like Hamas and the Taliban. He also defended Omar after allegations of antisemitic rhetoric online in 2019. Critics have asserted that the 'Songs for Littles' crooner is not merely speaking out for vulnerable children, but is in fact trying to indoctrinate kids into a far-left, anti-Israel ideology. 4 YouTube star Ms. Rachel defends posts about Gaza kids after an antisemitism group reported her to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. msrachelforlittles/Instagram Advertisement Accurso allegedly did not immediately speak out against Hamas' horrific Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which saw 38 children killed, seven of whom were between zero and six years old, and 42 children taken hostage. Instead, she waited until after Israel began its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip 12 days later to issue a statement, according to a column in the New York Post. 'Her increasingly politicized online presence should concern parents. Ms. Rachel has a moral compass — but it only points leftward,' New York Post columnist Bethany Mandel wrote. The group StopAntisemitism last month urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into Accurso to probe whether she is being paid to spread Hamas propaganda, the New York Post also reported. Advertisement 4 Ms. Rachel allegedly did not immediately speak out against Hamas' horrific Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which saw 38 children killed. Ms. Rachel denied the accusations as 'absurd' and 'completely false,' in a statement to Fox News Digital. 'It's sad that someone would take compassion for children suffering immeasurably and try to make it controversial. All of my work grows from my care for all children and wanting them to have everything they need to grow and thrive. 'They can't do that if they are denied food, safety, medical care or the love and care of their families. In a time of so much division, the more we can see the humanity of people who are different from us, the better,' she told Fox News Digital. 4 StopAntisemitism claims that she spread peddled misinformation about the Gaza war, including that kids were dying of hypothermia. YouTube/@msrachel Accurso defended her advocacy for children impacted by the war in Gaza to Hasan, saying that as a mother herself, she couldn't stay silent. 'It's sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering. I think it should be controversial to not say anything,' Accurso said. 'The idea that caring for a group of children in an emergency situation means you don't care about other children is false.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Children's YouTube star 'Ms. Rachel' talks to anti-Israel reporter about Gaza posts
Children's YouTube star "Ms. Rachel" appeared on anti-Israel journalist Mehdi Hasan's Zeteo news Monday to explain why she has been so outspoken about Israel's war against Hamas. Rachel Griffin Accurso, who goes by "Ms. Rachel" on her popular YouTube channel, which has 14.7 million subscribers, has shared several posts about the war's effects on Palestinian children. "Over 14,000 precious children have been un-alived in Gaza. Gaza has the largest number of child amputees in history. We can't be silent about these kinds of conditions for children," Accurso posted to her TikTok channel in Dec. 2024, echoing the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry's casualty statistics. Un Revises Gaza Death Toll, Almost 50% Less Women And Children Killed Than Previously Reported Last month, the Hamas-controlled agency's numbers were revised down by thousands and an analysis of those numbers found that 72% of those killed between the ages of 13 and 55 were males. "As a teacher, you care about all kids. And I think with so many years of teaching, you just see them all as so similar. They all love to laugh, and they love to learn, and they love to play, and they deserve to play," Accurso told Hasan, who previously worked for Qatar-funded Al Jazeera and MSNBC. Read On The Fox News App Hasan has been a harsh critic of the Jewish State, accusing the IDF of killing "hungry people" and comparing it to the regimes of Russia's Vladimir Putin and ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In 2021, Hasan rushed to defend Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who suggested the U.S. and Israel were just as guilty of "war crimes" as terrorist groups like Hamas and the Taliban. He also defended Omar after allegations of antisemitic rhetoric online in 2019. Conservative Parents Call To Boycott 'Ms. Rachel' Over Latest Pride Month Video: 'Kids Look Up To' Her Critics have asserted that the "Songs for Littles" crooner is not merely speaking out for vulnerable children, but is in fact trying to indoctrinate kids into a far-left, anti-Israel ideology. Accurso allegedly did not immediately speak out against Hamas' horrific Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which saw 38 children killed, seven of whom were between zero and six years old, and 42 children taken hostage. Instead, she waited until after Israel began its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip 12 days later to issue a statement, according to a column in the New York Post. Funeral Held For Shiri Bibas And Her Sons After Their Remains Handed Over By Hamas "Her increasingly politicized online presence should concern parents. Ms. Rachel has a moral compass — but it only points leftward," New York Post columnist Bethany Mandel wrote. The group StopAntisemitism last month urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into Accurso to probe whether she is being paid to spread Hamas propaganda, the New York Post also reported. Ms. Rachel denied the accusations as "absurd" and "completely false," in a statement to Fox News Digital. "It's sad that someone would take compassion for children suffering immeasurably and try to make it controversial. All of my work grows from my care for all children and wanting them to have everything they need to grow and thrive. They can't do that if they are denied food, safety, medical care or the love and care of their families. In a time of so much division, the more we can see the humanity of people who are different from us, the better," she told Fox News Digital. Accurso defended her advocacy for children impacted by the war in Gaza to Hasan, saying that as a mother herself, she couldn't stay silent. "It's sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering. I think it should be controversial to not say anything," Accurso said. "The idea that caring for a group of children in an emergency situation means you don't care about other children is false."Original article source: Children's YouTube star 'Ms. Rachel' talks to anti-Israel reporter about Gaza posts
NBC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Ms. Rachel doubles down support for children in Gaza
Popular kids' content creator Rachel Griffin Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel, addressed the ongoing backlash over her advocacy for Palestinian children, saying in a recent interview that 'it should be controversial to not say anything.' Known for her YouTube series 'Songs for Littles,' Accurso's channel — which has 14.7 million subscribers — focuses on teaching youngkids nursery rhymes, first words and basic educational concepts like colors and shapes. But elsewhere on her social media platforms, the educator has been outspoken about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has taken shape since Israel began its military response to Hamas' deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023. 'It's sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering,' Accurso said in an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan, founder of the independent publication Zeteo. Accurso did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on Monday. The interview comes on the heels of intensified scrutiny of Accurso, who has been accused of antisemitism by some online critics who take issue with her posts about Palestinian children. Last month, the pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi investigate whether Accurso is 'being funded by a foreign party to push anti-Israel propaganda to skew public opinion.' They accuse her of being 'an amplifier of Hamas propaganda,' claiming some statistics and images she has shared about children in Gaza are false. Accurso did not address the probe request in her interview with Hasan. But she rejected claims that she is antisemitic because she advocates for the lives of children in Gaza. As an educator, she said, her empathy extends to all children around the world. 'I've been blessed to get this platform. And kids feel that I care about them all deeply, and that's why I have the platform. Because they feel it through the screen, because it's genuine,' Accurso said. 'And kids know when things aren't genuine. And that care doesn't end with the kids that are watching, or any kids.' Accurso, a mother to two young children, said her background in early childhood education made her aware that many of the youngest children in Gaza are being malnourished and traumatized in ways that harm their brain development during the crucial first three years of life. But mainly, she said, her concern is simply fueled by empathy. Since she began working with the humanitarian nonprofit Save the Children, Accurso said she learned more about situations faced by children around the world, from the U.S. to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Gaza. She said she was 'horrified' by Oct. 7, as well as the 'distressing, horrific images' of suffering in Gaza. She has since used her platforms to raise awareness and call out human rights violations against children. Last year, Accurso posted a tearful Instagram reel in which she shared that she was being bullied online after she held a fundraiser for Save the Children's emergency fund for kids in conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan, the Congo and Ukraine. She wrote in her caption that she cares for 'Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US — Muslim, Jewish, Christian children — all children, in every country. Not one is excluded.' 'The idea that caring for a group of children in an emergency situation means you don't care about other children is false,' Accurso reiterated in Monday's interview. 'And I just don't understand it.' Accurso has continued her advocacy this year, highlighting the stories of Palestinian children like Hind Rajab. In recent months, she spotlighted a family whose home was destroyed and a 3-year-old who lost both her legs in an airstrike, among others. 'Our compassion doesn't have boundaries or borders,' she told Zeteo. 'We just love kids.'
