Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has made multiple efforts to stop the sale of offensive weapons to Israel.
The US Senate rejected three measures from him that aimed to block around $20 billion in US arms sales to Israel. Introduced in late September of last year, the resolutions came nearly a year after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, which led to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and over 43,000 reported deaths.
The Senate voted 18 to 79 to strike down Sanders’ S.J. Res. 111, 17 to 80 on S.J. Resolution 115, and 19 to 78 on S.J. Resolution 113.
Senator Sanders has openly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his military operations and restrictions on aid delivery, accusing Israel of acting beyond its right to defend itself and violating international law.
Senator Sanders/ Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
The three resolutions Sanders introduced aimed to block the transfer of US tank rounds, water rounds, and guidance kits attached to bombs used in Gaza, among other military aid.
Speaking at a news conference with Senators Peter Welch, Chris Van Hollen, and Jeff Merkley, Sanders declared that the US is “complicit” in the ongoing conflict and its atrocities.
Ever since these resolutions were voted against, Senator Sanders has proposed more resolutions regarding the same matter, but to no avail. The outcome has pretty much has always been the same.
Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders visit with Vermont Army National Guard’s 172nd Cavalry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), headquartered in Jericho, Vermont., Friday, January 22. The Soldiers are in the Capitol to conduct security, communication, and logistical missions in support of federal and District authorities leading up and through the 59th Presidential Inauguration.
The Associated Pressreported July 31, 2025, that the Senate rejected an effort from Sen. Sanders to block the sale of US bombs and firearms to Israel yet again, but this time, “the vote showed a growing number of Democrats opposed to the arms sales amid widespread hunger and suffering in Gaza.”
The resolution sought to stop $675 million in bomb sales and the delivery of 20,000 automatic assault rifles to Israel.
Although it failed to pass, it showed that support among Democrats grew. Over half the caucus—27 Democrats—backed the assault-rifle resolution, and 24 supported the bomb-sale measure, compared with just 18 Democratic votes during his last attempt in November, AP reported.
Sanders said Democrats are responding to “a significant majority of the American people who are tired of spending billions and billions of dollars on an Israeli government which is currently starving children to death.”
Due to international pressure, including from President Donald Trump, Israel implemented humanitarian pauses and airdrops. Despite that, however, conditions on the ground remain dire, with aid efforts struggling to meet the overwhelming need.
Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, placed responsibility on Hamas both for the conflict and the current situation in Gaza.
All Republican senators voted against Sen. Sanders’ resolution.
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Blood vessels are channels that carry blood throughout your body and form a closed loop, like a circuit, that begins and ends at your heart. Your heart and blood vessels work as one, creating the circulatory system. Altogether, this vast network stretches nearly 60,000 miles within your body.
Think of your circulatory system as a branching network of roads. The highways are the arteries, carrying blood away from the heart, which then narrow into arterioles. On the way back, small venules collect blood from the body and join together to form veins that return it to the heart. Linking the two are capillaries, tiny, delicate pathways where the real exchange happens: oxygen and nutrients flow into the tissues, while wastes move back into the blood.
Becoming aware of the signs of clogged vessels can help you realize how sneaky heart-related issues can be.
Freepik
The symptoms of blood vessels disorders can be various. In fact, they depend on the type of issues that can affect your blood vessels.
According to My Cleveland Clinic, some of the most common and more general symptoms include changes in skin color — a bluish skin tone, coldness or numbness in your legs, feet, arms or hands, fatigue, and shortness of breath, among the rest.
Symptoms that require immediate medical attention include confusion or difficulty speaking and understanding, sudden numbness or weakness on one side of your body, sudden vision loss, difficulty walking or balance problems, dizziness or fainting, fast heartbeat, severe pain in your chest, upper back, arms or legs, sudden or worsening shortness of breath, or edema (swelling) in your arms or legs.
When blood vessels get clogged by buildup of cholesterol and fats, restricting blood flow and placing extra strain on the heart, they need a cleanse.
There are certain foods and natural remedies that can help you cleanse your blood vessels. Of course, you shouldn’t rely on them entirely, and it’s always for the best to consult your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms described above.
Below is a natural remedy designed to support healthier blood flow by addressing the root of the problem. It helps the body eliminate harmful toxins and gradually reduce fatty accumulations along the arteries, not only preventing dangerous clots but also a lighter, smoother circulation.
In order to prepare this drink, you’ll need a couple of simple and easily accessible ingredients.
One head of red onion: Red onions are rich in antioxidants that help get rid of harmful stuff from your blood vessels. They also have something called quercetin, which is good for your heart and blood vessels.
One head of garlic: Other than being a flavorful ingredient used in every kitchen in the world, garlic also acts as a natural blood thinner, helping blood vessels stay flexible while reducing plaque buildup along artery walls.
At the same time, it helps lower the blood pressure and prevent clots.
A 3cm piece of ginger: Ginger is known for promoting cardiovascular health by lowering harmful cholesterol, improving circulation, and reinforcing vessel strength.
Two lemons: Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C. Citrate, a key component of lemons, can enhance blood flow throughout the body, especially in the legs and lower extremities. Regular consumption of lemon juice has been linked to healthier blood pressure levels and reduced LDL cholesterol, supporting overall cardiovascular wellness.
Two tablespoons of turmeric:Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that helps fight inflammation and protects your cells from damage.
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper: Despite the small amount used in the drink, the black pepper is the key ingredient. It contains piperine that can make turmeric work up to 2000 times better.
Two tablespoons of honey: Honey is more than just a sweet and healthy treat. It protects your circulatory system by reducing stress on blood vessels, one of the key contributors to clogged arteries, and reducing “bad” cholesterol levels.
Peel the whole red onion and slice it into rings, then place it in a pot. Next, peel and chop the garlic cloves into tiny pieces and add them in the pot. Then add the peeled and chopped ginger.
Next comes one lemon, also peeled and chopped. But before doing that, you may want to keep it in a mixture of water and soda to get rid of any pesticides and dirt.
Put a litter of water in the pot.
In a separate bowl, mix the turmeric and the pepper before putting it in the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Place the pot on the stove and let the mixture simmer gently for about ten minutes. During this time, the beneficial properties of all the ingredients will blend together.
After ten minutes, remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature for around 30 minutes. This helps the nutrients settle and become easier for your body to absorb.
Once cooled, strain the liquid through a sieve into a glass bottle or jar. When the bottle is about halfway full, add two tablespoons of natural honey, then close the lid and shake well to mix.
Next, cut the second lemon in half and squeeze all its juice into the bottle. This not only improves the flavor but also enhances the detoxifying effect.
Finally, seal the bottle with a lid and store it in the fridge.
How to Use It
Take one to two tablespoons of this drink every morning on an empty stomach and make sure you don’t skip a day because the consistency is the key.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is for informational purposes only.
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Losing someone we love is never easy. The grief that follows can last weeks, months, or even years, leaving a void that feels impossible to fill. In that pain, many people say they still sense the spirit of their loved one nearby, either through a voice, a fleeting vision, or a feeling that they’re present in some way.
These are moments that can bring comfort to many people who find it hard to overcome the loss.
Some people often describe what’s known as “after-death communication.” It is the unexpected signs, messages, or feelings that seem to come directly from those who have passed. However, not many are willing to talk about this because they fear other won’t understand them.
The truth is that these experiences are more common than we might think, and they don’t have to be seen as strange or unnatural. Instead, they can be understood as part of the way we, as human beings, process loss and try to stay connected with those we love.
Telling the difference between the comforting presence of a loved one and the disturbing influence of other forces can provide clarity, reassurance, and inner peace.
1. The Energy They Carry
The presence of the spirit of a loved one brings peace and comfort, almost like a warm hug that serves as a reminder you are not alone.
Other energies may bring discomfort like sudden chills or an uneasy feeling. If the experience leaves you feeling disturbed rather than comforted, it may not be the spirit and energy of your deceased loved one.
When someone we love reaches out, it’s usually through subtle, personal signs such as a familiar scent, a meaningful song, or objects tied to them slightly moving. Other forces on the other hand bring random or chaotic disturbances: strange noises, odd shadows, or unexplained movements.
3. The Emotional Impact
One of the clearest differences of whether you have been visited or feel the presence of a loved one or another force is how you feel afterwards.
Encounters with the spirit of a loved one you lost often feel comforting and bring relief, gratitude, or joy.
If the presence feels scary, it’s likely not from someone who cared for you because true loved ones rarely inspire fear.
4. Timing and Context
The timing is also a sign. Your loved ones may appear in the form of energy at anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, or other dates of great significance to you and them.
When you feel the energy of a spirit not connected to you, the timing is usually disruptive rather than supportive.
5. How to Respond
If you feel that your loved one is reaching out, respond by lighting a candle, a prayer, or speaking from the heart. These gestures can deepen the connection and provide comfort.
But if you sense a presence that makes you feel anxious, set boundaries and protect yourself through positive affirmations, prayer, or cleansing rituals that create a peaceful space.
The clearest distinction often comes from within. Your intuition can serve as a guide. If a presence feels warm, familiar, and loving, it’s likely your loved one, but if it brings confusion, fear, or negativity, it may be a different kind of energy.
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Officer Daniel Reyes was at the supermarket as part of a new effort to ensure officers remain visible in the neighborhood. The night was quiet, people were doing their groceries, and nothing spoke trouble.
But then, Officer Reyes spotted something that caught his attention. A little girl dressed in a pink dress, around six years old, and a man in a gray shirt holding her hand.
For others, the sight wouldn’t sound any trouble, but Officer Reyes, as experienced as he was, noticed the girl lifted her hand with all her fingers up. She then tucked her thumb into her palm and closed her fingers.
It was a signal that she was in some sort of trouble. The police shared it widely in safety campaigns and it signalled that someone was in danger but couldn’t speak their fear aloud.
“Hey little girl,” Officer Reyes said as he approached the little one. He the turned to the man and asked him about the girl’s name. “Her name is Emma,” the man said, grabbing the girls hand with force.
“Are you her father?” the officer asked. “Yes, and we are getting some groceries. Is everything okay?” the man asked.
As the two adults spoke, the girl’s expression shifted. She pressed her lips tight, as though she tried to stop the words coming out of her mouth.
The officer bent down. “Can you tell me your name, honey?” The child looked up at him with hesitation. Her hand clutched his for a moment, then twitched as if in retreat.
At that moment, the man started running and Officer Reyes called for backup. He started chasing him but he managed to get out of the store through the emergency exit.
The girl felt relieved and started crying. She said her name was Lily and she had been away from home for two days.
“Doing that sign was very smart and brave of you, Lily, now lets take you home.”
Upon checking the security footage at the supermarket, officers noticed that when the man started running, a piece of paper fell out from his pocket. When they found it, they saw a hotel logo and a room number.
Within hours, officers appeared outside a rundown motel just out of town. They knocked on room 12, and the man was inside. He was stacking money inside a bag, ready to flee. Thankfully, the officers caught him just in time.
“You’re not going anywhere,” they said and put handcuffs on him.
The investigation revealed that not only Lily, but other children needed rescue, so teams began an extensive search for other children who might be connected.
Some days later, Officer Reyes visited Lily and her mother at the playground. She had her stuffed teddy bear in her arms.
“You helped save more than just yourself, Lily,” he said, kneeling beside her. He then handed her a silver pin. “This is for people who show real courage. You’ve more than earned it.”
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Amy Forchas, a pediatric nurse at Hennepin Healthcare rushed to work on Wednesday morning to assist with the influx of victims from Annunciation Catholic school shooting. What she didn’t know, however, was that one of those injured was her own daughter, Sofia Forchas.
The tragic shooting that left two children, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, killed and 17 others injured happened during a school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church.
The shooter, who opened fire through the church’s stained-glass windows, was identified as 23-year-old former student Robin Westman.
He used various weapons, including a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, the Guardianreported.
The shooter grew up in Richfield and his mother worked at Annunciation school at some point in the past.
As victims began arriving at the hospital, Amy was shocked to see Sophia, who was badly injured.
“Her mother, a Pediatric Critical Care nurse, arrived at work to help during the tragedy, before knowing it was her children’s school that was attacked, and that her daughter was critically injured,” according to a GoFundMe page that lists Forchas’ father Thomas as an organizer.
“Sophia was shot during the attack and is currently in critical condition in the ICU,” the page adds. “She has already undergone emergency surgery, and her medical team is doing everything they can to stabilize her. Her road ahead will be long, uncertain, and incredibly difficult — but she is strong, and she is not alone.”
Father Timothy Sas of St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis described Sophia as a 7th grader who is “immersed in the life of the Church together with her extended family of several generations who are devoted members of our congregation.”
He wrote, “I have spent a good portion of the day with Sophia’s family at Hennepin County Medical Center where Sophia went into surgery immediately as she was one of the shooting victims who had been critically injured.
“We prayed and comforted each other throughout the day.”
Sophia’s younger brother was also at the church at the time Westman, a transgender woman, opened the fire, but he wasn’t harmed.
“The trauma of witnessing such a terrifying event — and knowing his sister was critically injured — is something no child should ever experience,” the GoFundMe reads.
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On a Sunday evening, 5-year-old Zaria Miller, her brothers, and some friends were cheerfully playing outdoors near Bahia Vista Street, close to Sarasota Christian School near a culvert—a tunnel-like structure that channels rainwater underground.
The game soon turned into a tragedy when the raging flow, intensified by rainfall, dragged Zaria into the storm drainage system.
Emergency services arrived at the scene in an attempt to rescue the little girl in what they dubbed “far from a routine call.” Sadly, the water carried her approximately 100 yards through the underground pipes before she was finally located and taken out.
“It was a low-frequency but high-risk event. There’s a tremendous amount of danger involved in these types of rescues due to the unpredictability of water flow and the confined space,” Assistant Fire Chief Tim Dorsey told ABC7 News.
An eye witness who wanted to remain anonymous described the tragic incident. “All of a sudden, I heard shouting and people screaming,” she said. “Then I heard someone say that one of the little girls from the neighborhood had been pulled into the water. It happened so fast. It’s something you never expect.”
Zaria was rushed to the Sarasota Memorial Hospital with severe injuries. Despite the trauma she suffered, medics did all in their power to rescue her.
The entire community railed around the family to provide them with support. They even started a GoFundMepage to help them with the medical expenses.
Sadly, five days later, Zaria passed away.
“It is with a broken heart that I have to share that Zaria has received the ultimate healing, and is now in the arms of Jesus,” her devastated family posted on the social media, thanking everyone for their support.
Zaria’s tragic passing is yet another reminder that life is unpredictable and everything can change in the blink of an eyes. May she rest in peace.
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Sometimes, when I’m all alone, I still replay it all in my head, and every time it feels like it is someone else’s life story.
I gave years of my life to a man without being aware of his true self. I thought I knew him inside and out, and why wouldn’t I? We had two children together and life felt perfect, until David got involved in an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
One second, everything was picture perfect, and in the next, David was in a wheelchair, paralyzed and unable to walk.
Being a wife and a mother, all I knew was that I needed to step into survival mode. All of a sudden, I became a caregiver, the one paying the bills, the one keeping the kids’ lives as normal as possible, and the person everyone leaned on.
I quit the career I had worked so hard for and I traded it all for long nights of lifting, bathing, cooking, and trying to be strong for everyone else.
During the day, worked at an insurance office, starting early and staying late because I was the sole breadwinner and money was tight as never before. When I’d get home, I was exhausted, but I couldn’t take any rest because it was then that the real work began—caring for David, making sure the kids felt safe, and holding our family together.
Although I felt emotionally and physically drained, I never thought about leaving. Not once.
I knew that God wanted things to be that way and despite the hardship, I knew one day my sacrifice would pay of.
And then it started to happen. After long eight years of therapy, David’s condition started to improve, slowly but steadily.
It took a lot of time, but he was finally able to stand on his feet and take small steps. At first, he needed assistance, but later, he started walking all by himself.
Looking at him and the progress he made, I thought to myself,“This is it. We finally made it. All my sacrifice was not in vain.” Little did I know, however, that life would have one more cruel twist waiting for me.
A week after what I dubbed a miracle, David handed me some papers. He wanted divorce.
I thought he was joking, because why would he want to leave me after everything I had done for him? But no, he wasn’t kidding, he was dead serious.
When I demanded answers, David said he wanted his “freedom” back. That he had felt “trapped” for years. What’s more, he admitted he was having an affair with another woman even before his accident.
My world collapsed. I couldn’t process his words. But I was too exhausted to fight.
Later on, the entire truth came out. It turned out that some of the money I had worked myself into the ground for had been secretly used into supporting this other woman, this secret life. That was a whole new kind of betrayal. It wasn’t just emotional anymore, it was financial, I felt robbed.
I got custody of the kids and decided to start my life over. I got my old job back, reconnected with friends, and moved places.
As of David, the other woman left him. From what I’ve heard, he is now living alone and regrets his actions. But honestly, I’ve been through so much in order to care about his feelings.
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No child should ever be diagnosed with cancer, but the reality is that many children face this disease, leaving them and their families struggling and fighting for their lives.
When 10-year-old Branson Blevins was diagnosed with cancer, his family’s world shattered into a million pieces. They tried everything in their power and young Branson had undergone a number of treatments, but sadly, doctors determined his cancer was terminal and there was nothing left to be done.
His family made sure they provided the best care for their son, turning his wishes into a reality, but he didn’t want any material things. This boy’s biggest wish was to meet his basketball idol, the former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. Watching old game highlights, listening to Shaq’s jokes on TV, and even his commercials provided Branson with brief moments of happiness while his body struggled.
Branson’s dad, a veteran, wrote a letter to Shaquille O’Neal, pouring out his heart and explaining Branson’s condition and his final wish.
However, days turned into weeks and there was no reply. Of course, they weren’t mad or anything, because they were well aware that celebs follow hectic schedules.
One day, however, one of the nurses at the hospital who cared for Branson asked if she could share his story and his wish on the social media. And that’s when a miracle happened.
The post attracted the attention of hundreds of people who re-shared it and started tagging the NBA star. Eventually, the plea reached “The Big Aristotle.”
But unlike other celebrities who would send merchandise through the mail, Shaq took matter into his own hands and decided to appear at Branson’s hospital in person.
At first, the boy’s eyes widened in disbelief. This couldn’t be real. Standing in the doorway was the 7-foot-1 giant he had idolized, wearing a gentle smile that lit up the room.
“Hey, big man,” Shaq said as he stepped inside.
Branson’s smile returned as Shaq knelt beside him, holding his hand, joking, and sharing stories from his basketball career.
They watched highlights together, and Shaq signed Branson’s basketball, sneakers, and even his cast. At one point, Shaq wheeled him down the hallway, laughing and teasing that he was “driving his little buddy to practice.”
That visit went way beyond fun. Shaq offered words of encouragement: “You are stronger than me. You are tougher than me. And I’ll never forget you.” He also quietly supported the family, covering expenses and ensuring they could focus on their time together.
Sadly, Branson’s health declined and he passed away, but the memory of his last days remained with his family forever.
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