letterswithoutborders

  Hezbollah's Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was laid to rest on Sunday nearly five months after his assassination by Israel. The name 'Sayyed' (or Sayyid) represents his claim of descent from the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. Nasrallah, 64, was killed on September 27 when Israel dropped more than 80 bombs on a high rise building with an underground bunker in Beirut's southern suburbs. At least six people were killed and over 90 injured following the strike, with several still missing. His Funeral Al-Mayadeen reported an estimated 1.4 million people from across Lebanon and the Middle East attended in and around the Beirut's Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium to say goodbye. Nasrallah was a man that many Lebanese considered a leader, a father, and a resister. His funeral reflects those sentiments as it was said to be one of the largest in Lebanese history. Nasrallah’s successor and cousin, Hashem Safieddine, was also honored at the service. He led the group ...

\The Justice Department wasn't immune to the downsizing of the federal workforce under President Trump. According to the Associated Press, The Trump administration dismissed 20 immigration judges on Friday without explanation, as it continues its efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. It was unclear if they would be replaced or if this move was permanent. The administration fired 13 judges who hadn’t been sworn in yet, and five assistant chief immigration judges, said Matthew Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, a union representing immigration judges. “You have a president now who campaigned on immigration and removing people from the country on the one hand. And on the other hand, he’s actually firing the very judges that have to hear these cases and make those decisions. So, it makes no sense. It’s a head-scratcher,” Biggs said in a statement, as reported by NBC News. Since President Donald Trump’s ...

  In a wild case of mistaken identity a Miami man, Mordechai Brafman, shot at two Israeli tourists 17 times with a semiautomatic handgun mistaking them for Palestinians on Saturday night. Surveillance footage showed Brafman's truck making a U-turn, stopping directly in front of a vehicle, exiting his truck and shooting at the occupants 17 times striking both victims. Brafman, described by Israeli outlet Ynet as a "Florida Jew," was arrested shortly after the shooting.  The shooting sent both of the vehicles' occupants to the hospital. One person was shot in the left shoulder; the other grazed in their forearm. While in custody, Brafman spoke with detectives about the incident. Police reported he “spontaneously stated that while he was driving his truck, he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both.” Brafman remains in custody after his arrest on two counts of attempted second degree murder. The Florida chapter of the Council on American...

 Why are humans obedient to authority? What makes a person follow rules or laws even if it goes against their own morals or conscience? There are many reasons for obedience, and one of the most significant is fear of consequences. When people fear punishment or societal disapproval, people often obey the rules, even at the expense of their own beliefs. The Psychology of Obedience One of the simplest reasons people obey is the Mere Exposure Effect . The theory that individuals choose obedience because  they have been exposed to it . Suggesting that psychological obedience is created environmentally. If they see their parents and friends as obedient people, they are more like to be obedient too. Lack of reliable information can be a big reason. Without other reliable sources of information, people are forced to rely only on the claims of the authority figure. Fear . When people are scared and unsure of what to do, their fears can make them more easily manipulat...

  President Donald Trump is following through on his promise to levee tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. He argues the tariffs will boost US manufacturing, protect jobs, raise tax revenue and grow the economy. Tariffs are tax on imported goods to the United States. These are added to the price a buyer pays a foreign seller. In turn, companies typically pass their higher costs onto their customers. China, Canada and Mexico Trump introduced a 10% tariff on all goods from China. In retaliation, China's finance ministry said that, starting February 10, it would impose tariffs of 15% for U.S. coal and 10% for crude oil, farm equipment and some cars and pickup trucks. Canada was set to move forward with a retaliatory tariff of 25% on products such as orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics, and pulp and paper. However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Trump had a last-minute phone ca...

  Tesla CEO and newly appointed head of The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, has gained access to the Treasury Department's payment system. The system is basically the multi-trillion dollar checkbook for the entire federal government. The data includes social security, federal salaries and Medicare customer payment systems amongst others. Consumers and advocates are concerned that such sensitive information can be accessed by Musk. Concerns The news came after Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk resigned from his position at Treasury after more than 30 years of service. On Friday, The Washington Post reported that Lebryk resigned from his position after Musk and his DOGE organization requested access to sensitive Treasury data. “The Fiscal Service performs some of the most vital functions in government,” Lebryk said in a letter to Treasury employees sent out Friday. “Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t exce...