Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, announced a military operation to rescue four hostages in Haiti and threatened the gangs involved.

In a statement on social media, Bukele issued a statement to the gang leaders and gang members that said if the hostages were not safely returned, he would mount a larger operation.

‘We have already finished with the gangs in El Salvador, and we can finish with you too.’

Bukele said in the post translated by X from Haitian Creole that the four hostages were “cowardly” taken after they went to a market.

“Our kidnapped men are not combatants,” he wrote. “They are aviation technicians who are part of our mission in Haiti, within the framework of an international mission. Our mission consists only of pilots and technical personnel, whose primary job is to carry out medical evacuations and save lives, not to wage war.”

He went on to say that if the hostages were not returned alive, the Haitian gangs would face a far greater military operation.

“We have a single objective: to bring our four compatriots back home alive, without any harm,” the president wrote.

“However, I want you, the gang leaders, to understand one thing very clearly: Today’s attack is nothing compared to what is coming if we do not get all four hostages back alive. And do not take our word for empty threats,” he added.

“We have already finished with the gangs in El Salvador, and we can finish with you too,” Bukele added.

The president has been praised for taking a hard line against organized crime in El Salvador by sending criminals to an infamous prison for terrorists. Crime has dropped in the country, but humanitarian groups have accused Bukele of violating human rights and implementing an authoritarian state.

He added a video in the post that appeared to show military trucks in the operation in Haiti.

RELATED: Two Texans allegedly plotted to kill men on island with homeless mercenary force and take women and children as sex slaves

The operation was in retaliation for gang attacks on a gang suppression force with over 2,000 troops from El Salvador, Chad, Jamaica, and Guatemala.

“To the gang bosses terrorizing Haiti: Your days of operating with impunity are numbered,” said Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday. “You can burn vehicles, erect barricades, terrorize the local police, terrorize civilians, but the Gang Suppression Force is coming for you. The international community will not tolerate it.”

“We still have time to avoid this,’ Bukele added in his statement Wednesday.

“Return our four compatriots to us alive, without any harm, and everything will go back to how it was before the kidnapping. The decision is in your hands,” he concluded.

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​Gang members, Nayib bukele, United nations, Haiti, Hostages, Politics 

“Saturday Night Live” veteran Kenan Thompson appears to be the only current cast member publicly scolding Shane Gillis over his controversial opening monologue.

And Thompson is prepared to treat the 38-year-old comedian like a naughty child.

‘I think you need to educate yourself on how things might impact people.’

Performance review

Speaking at Axios’ Media Trends Live event in New York City on Tuesday, Thompson said he would have to sit Gillis down for a little talk if he returned to host “SNL.”

“I’m sure we would have a conversation of, like, ‘How do you think that went?’ … Like a little kid,” Thompson told host Sara Fischer.

“I would just sit him down and be like, ‘So what do you think we could change there, pal?’ And just figure it out.”

Thompson’s remarks stand out among reactions from Gillis’ “SNL” colleagues. The current cast has largely avoided publicly criticizing the comedian, while prominent alumni Dana Carvey and David Spade have come to his defense.

Even Michael Che, who co-hosts the show’s “Weekend Update” segment, declined to condemn Gillis when pressed during an appearance on “Today.”

“That’s comedy,” Che said, explaining that he couldn’t criticize Gillis for a joke that didn’t land.

Carvey was less reserved.

“I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle — only because to me, I just saw it as what we call, I’ll just say it, a joke!” Carvey said on his “Fly on the Wall” podcast with Spade.

Not every former cast member has been supportive. Ego Nwodim and Cecily Strong have both mocked Gillis’ joke about women dressing like “whores” at the gym.

But Thompson, now in his 23rd season on “SNL,” has offered perhaps the most patronizing response yet.

RELATED: Joe Rogan pounces on uproar over Shane Gillis joke about women dressing like ‘whores’ at gyms

‘Harmful’ ha-has

Thompson said he didn’t necessarily consider Gillis a mean person, but suggested the comedian needed to learn that his jokes could hurt people.

“I don’t think jokes are necessarily harmless just because they’re jokes and you didn’t intend it to be a certain kind of way,” Thompson said. “I think you need to educate yourself on how things might impact people.”

He also warned that comedians must balance their “creative liberties” with “watching your step as far as harmful words are concerned.”

The remarks came more than a week after Gillis’ third hosting appearance on “SNL,” during which he joked that women at his gym were dressing like “whores.”

RELATED: ‘I say worse things than that every day’: Jimmy Carr issues hilarious defense of Shane Gillis

Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty Images

Stealing the spotlight

Thompson also seemed annoyed that the controversy had drawn attention away from the rest of the episode.

“Everybody’s focusing in on this one specific word,” he complained, adding that other parts of the monologue and the show were getting “overshadowed.”

The actor pointed to new cast member Grace Reiter’s performance and musical guest Rosalía, saying both deserved more attention than the debate over Gillis’ remarks.

“It’s sad, because nobody is even talking about it,” Thompson said.

He went on to complain that the discussion had become a “back-and-forth on what’s offensive and what’s not.”

When asked whether Gillis would be invited back, Thompson acknowledged that the decision wasn’t his to make.

But he insisted that a return would require a “real chat” about avoiding behavior that creates a “wave pool” for the rest of the cast.

For now, Gillis has not publicly responded to Thompson’s proposed fatherly intervention.

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​Shane gillis, Saturday night live, Entertainment, Kenan thompson 

Abdul El-Sayed wants to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate, but BlazeTV hosts Stu Burguiere and Dave Landau believe he’s one of the weaker Democrats running this November — and his latest controversy isn’t helping.

“El-Sayed’s a uniquely bad candidate for the Democrats,” Stu says, noting that the “Republicans have a chance there.”

“You feel like when you’re coming down [to] the closing days of a campaign, you’d rather not be answering questions about your family being on the terrorist watch list and being in the Muslim Brotherhood. It’s suboptimal,” he adds.

“Michigan Democrat confirms sister-in-law’s terror watchlist lawsuit days before Obama campaign appearance,” one headline from Fox News reads.

“He had to fight back against this because people are like, ‘Hey, we were thinking, like, what if U.S. senators didn’t have sisters that were on the terror watch list,’” Stu jokes.

And in a clip of El-Sayed on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” it’s clear that he didn’t make things much better.

The clip begins with an older clip where a reporter asked El-Sayed if he had any ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, to which he responded “no.” The reporter then asked if his family did, and he responded “no” again.

However, resurfaced tweets from El-Sayed’s half sister are calling that answer into question.

“Had an amazing talk with my mom about her activism in the Muslim Brotherhood during the early 70s while she was in college #respect,” one X post from his half sister reads.

“My family has long been MB, but I’ve always felt that it has navigated the political sphere poorly/destructively,” she wrote in another.

And in another, she wrote, “Praying for all my family that supports the #MB in #Egypt. Lie low, stay safe.”

When another NBC reporter called him out for the contradiction, El-Sayed responded, “And you want to ask me about what was happening in Egypt in 1970? Are you serious?”

“I’m telling you, like, I have no ties,” he added.

“Your mother had no ties?” the reporter pressed.

“I have never had these conversations with my mother. … You’re using hearsay evidence from a tweet. … It’s just not serious,” El-Sayed said again.

“You’ve also gone after the president for truthfulness, so when people ask you a question, they all do expect the truth,” the reporter continued.

“Are you insinuating that somehow I was lying?” El-Sayed asked.

“Yes,” Stu answers for the reporter. “And you’re lying again there.”

“And your sister tweeted it. It’s not hearsay,” Dave agrees.

“It’s not hearsay,” Stu adds. “Your freaking sister has said it not just once but multiple times.”

Want more from Stu and Dave?

To enjoy more of Stu and Dave’s lethal blend of wit, humor, and insightful commentary subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Dave landau, Michigan, Stu burguiere, Muslim brotherhood, Abdul el-sayed, Blazetv show 

“Saturday Night Live” veteran Dana Carvey has a name for Shane Gillis’ crude, widely condemned remarks about women at the gym: a joke.

The comedian weighed in on the backlash to Gillis’ October 10 “Saturday Night Live” monologue, in which he declared, “I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now.”

‘I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle.’

Schitt fit

Gillis went on to describe the revealing shorts women wear to work out, repeatedly portraying himself as a creep for noticing. The routine drew condemnation from fellow entertainers, including “Schitt’s Creek” star Dan Levy, who called the remarks misogynistic.

Carvey, who spent seven seasons on “SNL” from 1986 to 1993, couldn’t understand the fuss.

“I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle only because, to me, I just saw it as what we call — I’ll just say it — a joke,” he said on his “Fly on the Wall” podcast with fellow “SNL” alumnus David Spade.

“Like … when you say jokes, you’re not literally saying women are whores. You are literally joking. Isn’t that kind of the idea?”

Then, apparently reconsidering the wisdom of his defense, Carvey added: “No? Did I just get canceled?”

RELATED: John Doyle: Why women are committed to proving Shane Gillis’ point

Tough crowd

Carvey acknowledged that a joke that might have destroyed at the comedy clubs Gillis regularly plays could land differently in NBC’s Studio 8H.

He and Spade noted that the “SNL” audience tends to consist largely of dressed-up young women — not necessarily the crowd most receptive to Gillis’ observations about women’s gym attire.

Spade, who appeared on “SNL” from 1990 to 1996, was similarly unfazed.

“Listen, it got some laughs, but of course, I think he knows that one’s going to be a button-pusher, but he doesn’t care,” he said.

Spade also found something contradictory about the response to Gillis, particularly in a culture that demands respect for sex workers while condemning women such as actress Sydney Sweeney.

“I will say it’s almost comical that there’s people that say, ‘Oh, don’t make fun of OnlyFans. Don’t make fun of strippers. These are sex workers. They need to be respected.’ And then everyone hates Sydney Sweeney. And it’s like, what? Which one is it?”

Ultimately, Spade suggested that the difference between an acceptable “SNL” joke and an unacceptable one often comes down to the audience’s reaction.

“I think at ‘SNL,’ if something kills, it gets a pass,” he said. “If something totally bombs, then they get in a lot of trouble.”

RELATED: ‘I say worse things than that every day’: Jimmy Carr issues hilarious defense of Shane Gillis

Al Levine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images

Natural-born killer

Carvey and Spade aren’t the only comedians to defend Gillis.

British comic Jimmy Carr dismissed the controversy, saying he makes worse jokes every day.

Two other former “SNL” cast members also had kind words for Gillis. Victoria Jackson, who appeared on the show from 1986 to 1992, was considerably less diplomatic than Carvey.

“He’s right about gym girls dressing like ‘whores,’” Jackson told Entertainment Weekly. “When did ‘camel toe’ become acceptable gym fashion and grocery shopping attire?”

Former cast member Jeff Richards, meanwhile, called Gillis a “really funny guy” and an “obvious natural.”

Gillis’ monologue may have offended a sizeable contingent of entertainers. But among some of the comedians who once worked on the same “SNL” stage, the response has been considerably less scandalized.

Jeff Richards, a cast member from 2001 to 2004, called Gillis a “really funny guy” and an “obvious natural.”

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​Comedy, Dana carvey, Shane gillis, David spade, Saturday night live, Entertainment 

A man was arrested after he allegedly rammed his car into Australian Member of Parliament Helen Haines, an independent lawmaker.

Haines was getting something from her car outside her Wangaratta office in the state of Victoria when the man drove his Toyota Land Cruiser into her, pinning her against the car.

‘Motivation is one of ⁠these things that we absolutely need to explore. His motivation for this, what we allege is a deliberate attack, is very much a centerpiece of the investigation.’

Then he reversed and drove into Haines again, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

Bystanders rushed to help Haines while a local barber detained the 43-year-old alleged attacker until police arrived. He was later identified as Brendan Nugent.

Doctors amputated Haines’ left leg at a Melbourne hospital on Monday, and two days later her right leg was amputated as well.

“The good news in all this is that Helen is alive and she’s stable. That is the most important thing for our family,” her husband said to reporters outside the hospital on Wednesday. “We are grateful and thankful that, at this stage, both her heart and her mind are in good shape.”

Prime Minister ⁠Anthony Albanese characterized the incident as a “deliberate attack.”

No link between the suspect and Haines was initially discovered by investigators, Victoria Police Chief Mike Bush said.

“Motivation is one of ⁠these things that we absolutely need to explore. His motivation for this, what we allege is a deliberate attack, is very much a centerpiece of the investigation,” Bush said.

Police are investigating whether he might have extremist anti-government views.

“Like everyone, we’re examining social media associations, talking to witnesses, friends, and colleagues,” Bush added.

Nugent was charged with one count each of dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, and causing harm to a public official. He was also charged with cannabis possession and cultivation.

RELATED: ‘Complete lizard person’: Chuck Schumer gives stunningly tone-deaf remarks following Australia attack

“It’s a reminder that the world is a more dangerous and divided place than it was a generation ago,” Albanese said on Wednesday.

“I think that Australians do want to see their politicians be able to go about their business, to be able to get something from the back of their car, for goodness sake,” he added.

Wangaratta Mayor Irene Grant said the 30,000 residents of the town are stunned over the incident.

“What has happened to Helen has caused the community to step back in utter disbelief. We can’t believe it; people are horrified by what has happened,” she told the AFP.

Haines is 65 years old and has been married to her husband for 40 years.

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​Australia, Political violence, Car, Attack, Politics 

The mayor of the central Florida city of Kissimmee dodged an impeachment trial, only to end up in handcuffs.

Jackie Espinosa — who was born in New Jersey and elected mayor in 2024 with some Democrat support — was arrested on Wednesday morning. According to the Osceola County charging affidavit, she has been slapped with one count of first-degree felony organized scheme to defraud $50,000 or more and one second-degree felony count of grand theft of over $20,000 but less than $100,000.

‘It is about public service, not self-service.’

The mayor has been dogged for months by allegations that she personally benefited from Business Boost 2.0, a COVID-19 relief grant program that she championed and helped create in September 2025. The program reportedly relies in part on federal funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act.

In a lengthy complaint filed in March, Kissimmee resident Alex Alemi alleged that after Espinosa successfully pushed for the program’s creation, three of her businesses — Adanse LLC, which is owned by the Espinosa Family Trust; Kissimmee Diner Inc.; and the Real Estate Gallery LLC, which is registered under her husband’s name — applied for and received grants from Business Boost 2.0, reported the Orlando Sentinel.

The mayor and her family allegedly received at least $50,000 in funding from the program.

Espinosa admitted to the Sentinel in May, “Three of my 13 businesses got a grant, yes, of our family-owned businesses.”

RELATED: Who wants to be a millionaire? Trump issues nationwide bounty on fraudsters

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

She claimed, however, that the federal funds that floated the program “were available way before I was the mayor.”

The ethics complaint filed in March also alleged that the city’s former attorney, Olga Sanchez de Fuentes, was fired for raising concerns about the grants. The city commission voted 3-1 to fire her in February, though Espinosa supported the move.

The mayor claimed that terminating Fuentes “wasn’t a Jackie thing; this was a commission thing.”

Public outrage prompted a months-long impeachment effort against Espinosa. However, that was thwarted in August by a deadlocked city commission vote on whether to hold an impeachment trial.

The scandal did not, however, die with the deadlocked vote.

Last month, the Florida Commission on Ethics announced that it had found probable cause that Espinosa “had an employment or contractual relationship with an entity doing business with her agency when her business accepted grant money that was administered by her agency.”

Weeks later, WESH-TV reported that Espinosa agreed to a $2,000 fine as well as to a public censure and reprimand. The reprimand agreement is pending.

“After weighing the available options, I believe resolving it now is the appropriate path forward,” the mayor said after agreeing to the fine. “I am ready to put this chapter behind us and focus my attention on what matters most: serving the people of Kissimmee, as I have since day one, with professionalism, integrity, and dedication.”

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who made clear last week that “preventing fraud is a priority for [his] office,” said during a press conference on Wednesday, “We hold corrupt public officials accountable. If you are going to abuse your office, if you are going to abuse the public trust to enrich yourself or family members, we are going to find you, and we are going to hold you accountable.”

In Espinosa’s case, Uthmeier claimed, “The evidence makes very clear that there was intent to engage in this conflict of interest” and that she “ultimately abused her office to enrich herself.”

Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia alleged that:

seven businesses located in properties owned or managed by Jackie Espinosa’s family received a combined total of $90,000 in grant funds. $50,000 went to Espinosa’s businesses while $40,000 went to tenants in Espinosa’s businesses. So $50,000 directly, $40,000 indirectly. During the course of the [Florida Department of Financial Services] investigation, we found that Jackie Espinosa herself applied for the grant on behalf of her family’s businesses.

“Public service means that you work for the public,” said Ingoglia. “It is about public service, not self-service.”

If convicted, Ingoglia said that Espinosa could end up in prison for three decades.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Larry Keefe said to those wondering why this case is a big deal, “If you don’t hold public officials accountable in these public corruption cases then the whole system really unravels, and that’s not an exaggeration. There has to be accountability. When public officials betray the public trust, it’s not just limited to them in their discrete circumstances. It diminishes the trust and credibility that the public has in all of the other public officials who are honest, who are doing a great job, who are giving their life to a noble career.”

Espinosa’s office did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

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​James uthmeier, Florida, Fraud, Impeachment, Politics 

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Atlanta, Georgia, is the latest to be attacked with an incendiary device, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI said the alleged device was tossed at the ICE agency on Tuesday evening. An active scene on Ted Turner Drive in downtown Atlanta is being investigated.

An ‘unidentified male suspected of involvement in an attempted arson’ had been caught on camera.

“The FBI continues to investigate an incident involving a Molotov cocktail-style device thrown at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in downtown Atlanta at approximately 8:15 p.m. on October 20,” FBI Atlanta posted to X late Wednesday morning.

“The device caused minor damage. FBI agents are now reviewing evidence and following leads. No arrests have been made.”

A subsequent post a few hours later indicated that an “unidentified male suspected of involvement in an attempted arson” at the building had been caught on camera.

WSB-TV reported that Atlanta police first arrived at the scene and the FBI and Homeland Security arrived later. Some of the evidence reportedly found at the scene included a plastic lighter and a shopping bag with what appeared to be two bottles of lighter fluid.

A WSB news crew said they got a look at the scene and saw no sign anything caught fire nor any damage caused.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

RELATED: DHS: Deadly Dallas ICE shooting came a month after bomb threat at same office

Liberal activists and agitators have protested ongoing ICE operations to detain and deport illegal aliens. Some have led to heinous attacks against ICE officers, and two detainees were killed and a third injured in an attack just over a year ago in Dallas.

In July, one anti-ICE activist was captured on video allegedly spraying an incendiary liquid at a federal office in New York City and lighting it with a lighter.

He then set off some fireworks and tried to flee before he was “tackled and detained” by a security officer, according to a DHS statement.

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​Federal bureau of investigation, Georgia, Immigration, Incendiary device, Politics