How white nationalists infiltrated the wellness movement
Fostering ‘white wellbeing’ Kohne is a sandy-haired, well-groomed man in his early 40s. Hate movement watchers like Beirich consider him a key figure in the white nationalist streaming and podcasting ecosystem. He’s claimed on his shows that he’s been a “pro-white advocate” since he was a preteen in the early 1990s, but he seemingly started gaining recognition across the wider white nationalist world from 2017 to 2018 when he began livestreaming and uploading videos of himself monologuing, often while driving, to social media under the name NoWhiteGuilt. Eventually, he abandoned the car in favour of a home studio and started writing books as well. Little is known about his private life because, as he has explained in livestreams, he avoids sharing details to minimise his risk of being doxxed. But based on public records leaked by two disgruntled white nationalists, Barry and other researchers believe Kohne is a prison guard – or at least was at some point – and was briefly a co-defendant in a lawsuit over the 2006 asphyxiation death of an inmate. Kohne and other guards named as co-defendants with the prison were dropped from the suit on procedural and technical grounds. He claims he once corresponded with William Luther Pierce III, a physics professor turned neo-Nazi who in 1974 founded the National Alliance, which became the premier US white supremacist group but faded after Pierce’s death in 2002. Pierce also published The Turner Diaries in 1978, a story about white nationalists rising up against the supposedly Jewish-controlled US government through attacks that spiral into a world war, a white nationalist victory, the genocide of all nonwhite peoples and executions of white “race traitors”. Timothy McVeigh, the perpetrator of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, handed copies of the book out to friends. Elements of McVeigh’s attack directly mirrored the text. In 2019, Kohne praised Pierce’s contributions to white people and mused about “how tall will [his] statue be when we regain our destiny”. Kohne describes “antiwhitism” as the “greatest threat facing Western civilisation”. Antiwhite policies, according to him, include efforts to address historic racial injustices and embrace equity and diversity, which he sees as abandoning “excellence”; media coverage of violent white nationalist rallies, which he claims are staged by “antiwhite” interest groups to demonise white people and justify attacks against them; and depictions of interracial relationships, which he sees as promoting “miscegenation” and “white erasure”. But unlike more stereotypical white nationalists, Kohne usually avoids slinging slurs at other races or calling for violence. “No race is the enemy, and genetics don’t make you virtuous,” he argues. Members of other races can be “pro-white”, he adds, and thus allies, just as white people can promote “antiwhitism” and thus be foes. Instead, he argues, white people need to give up on mainstream institutions that supposedly fail or harm them and turn inward to foster what he calls “white wellbeing”. Nurturing a sense of “purpose, safety and happiness” within insular white communities, he believes, will create a wall of inner and communal strength that “antiwhite” forces cannot penetrate, helping white people reclaim the power he believes they’ve lost. Those ideas have an audience: Kohne has amassed tens of thousands of followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Gab, Telegram, Spreaker and more niche right-wing platforms as well as several sites he operates. In 2018, he became a regular contributor to the weekly livestream show of Mark Collett, who founded PA, the prominent British far-right group, in 2019. Collett invited Kohne to speak at PA’s first major conference in 2020. Simi, who has followed Kohne’s career since about 2020 says “his approach to white nationalism is gaining salience” even if it’s unclear whether he is gaining prominence as a leader. By 2019, No White Guilt flyers, banners and signs began to crop up in towns and at protests across the US. In 2022, a community of “White Wellbeing” advocacy groups emerged on social media, amplifying Kohne’s rhetoric. In 2023, an independent game-development studio, Dynostorm, announced it was working on a game reportedly based on Kohne’s ideas. Previews suggest that it involves players killing atheists, journalists and furries to save Western civilisation. And in 2024, his followers created a Foundation for White Wellbeing to facilitate giving money to Kohne and his allies. Kohne’s rise coincided with a wave of backlash against traditional, aggressive, outward-looking white nationalist groups and figures after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, one of the largest white nationalist gatherings in recent US history. Members of a wide array of far-right groups, including open white nationalists, gathered in the city to protest against the planned removal of a Confederate statue and find ways to unify their movements. The rally descended into violent clashes with counterprotesters and reporters. The rally’s aftermath triggered a series of investigations into far-right groups, including RAM, and spurred social media platforms, online payment processors, web hosts and other services to ban far-right groups and individuals linked to them. These blows led white nationalists to re-evaluate how to organise and present themselves, explains Kurt Braddock, a professor at American University in Washington, DC, who studies white nationalist rhetoric. Some moved towards “accelerationism”, the idea that seemingly random acts of racial violence by decentralised cells that are unable to sell each other out if their members are arrested can trigger enough unrest to bring about a power vacuum for white nationalists to then fill. The Christchurch mosque shooter, who killed 51 people and injured more than 40 in New Zealand in 2019, referenced accelerationism in writings before the attacks. But many white nationalists turned inward, focusing on strengthening their own communities while making themselves seem innocuous, even acceptable, to outsiders. Kohne’s language exemplifies this trend, explains Barry, who’s monitored the far-right ideologue’s content for several years. Kohne has also made clear that he wants to appeal to an audience that has traditionally been sidelined within white nationalist movements by creating a way for them to “contribute”: women. Adblock test (Why?)
Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday
Syria’s leader will be in Saudi Arabia for two days and is expected to discuss bolstering relations between the two countries. Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was named president of the transitional government earlier this week, is set to visit Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip after taking office. Sources in Syria told Al Jazeera on Saturday that al-Sharaa will be in Saudi Arabia for two days and is expected to discuss bolstering relations between the two countries. Al-Sharaa’s appointment came after opposition forces led an offensive against Bashar al-Assad last December and ended his rule. As president, al-Sharaa has also been authorised to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase which will carry out its task until a new constitution is adopted. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent congratulatory messages to al-Sharaa after his appointment as president and wished him success. Last month, al-Sharaa told Al Arabiya TV that Saudi Arabia “will certainly have a large role in Syria’s future”, pointing to “a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries”. Advertisement Last week, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Damascus, promising help to secure the lifting of international sanctions imposed during al-Assad’s rule. During a news conference after his meeting with al-Sharaa, Prince Faisal added that Riyadh is engaged in “active dialogue with all relevant countries, whether the United States or the European Union, and we are hearing positive messages.” Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also travelled to Riyadh last month. Adblock test (Why?)
Twelve killed in Russian missile, drone attack on Ukraine
Twelve civilians die in Russian missile attack on Ukraine, targeting residential buildings and energy infrastructure. At least 12 people have been killed after Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine that targeted residential buildings as well as energy infrastructure. On Saturday, Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 123 drones and more than 40 missiles. It managed to shoot down 56 of the drones and redirected 61, it said, without providing figures on how many missiles were intercepted. Ukraine’s Emergency Services said a missile struck a residential building in the central city of Poltava, about 120km (75 miles) from the border, killing eight people, including a child, and injuring 17. About 18 buildings, a kindergarten and energy infrastructure were damaged. In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, the mayor said a woman was killed and four people were wounded in a drone attack. Sumy regional officials also said three police officers were killed as they patrolled a town during the attacks. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said damage was caused in six regions – Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhia. Advertisement “Last night Russia attacked our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs,” he wrote on the Telegram app. “Each such terrorist attack proves that we need more support in defending ourselves against Russian terror. Every air defence system, every anti-missile weapon, saves lives.” Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces launched attacks aimed at Ukraine’s gas and other energy infrastructure and had shot down 108 Ukrainian drones in the last 24 hours. Fighting in the nearly three-year war has shown no signs of de-escalating, despite US President Donald Trump’s promise to enact a ceasefire within “24 hours” of taking office on January 20. Both Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have said they are ready for talks on ending the war, but neither side has said when or how. Trump has been critical of the billions Washington has spent arming Ukraine, while threatening to impose additional sanctions on Russia if Putin does not reach a “deal” to end the war. Since March 2024, Russia has launched multiple missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s power sector and other energy infrastructure, knocking out about half of the country’s available generating capacity and forcing rolling blackouts. Adblock test (Why?)
Imavov knocks out Adesanya to stake UFC title claim
Nassourdine Imavov stakes title-fight claim with defeat of former UFC champion Israel Adesanya in Saudi Arabia. Nassourdine Imavov scored a sensational second-round knockout of former UFC champ Israel Adesanya to put his name in the title picture in the run-up to next week’s showdown between champion Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. The 30-year-old Frenchman lived up to his nickname of “The Sniper” by landing a lightning-fast precision punch with his right hand to signal the beginning of the end of the fight early in the second round. Fighting in a non-title fight for the first time since February 2019, Adesanya was attempting to kick-start another run for the belt that he controlled for several years before losing three of his last four attempts to be crowned champion. He was dethroned by Brazil’s Alex Pereira in November 2022, but he won the rematch before losing the title again on points to American Strickland and suffering a submission defeat by Du Plessis of South Africa in his last outing in August 2024. Israel Adesanya in action during his fight against Nassourdine Imavov [Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters] Nicknamed “Stylebender”, Adesanya started well, landing heavy kicks to the body and using feints to draw out his 30-year-old French opponent, who came into the fight following a run of three wins from three in 2024. Advertisement However, the tide turned sharply and the writing was on the wall for the Nigerian-born New Zealander when Imavov landed that thunderous overhand right on his jaw, following it up with a vicious left uppercut as his opponent stumbled to the canvas. Referee Marc Goddard gave Adesanya a chance to recover but as Imavov continued to rain down blows, the referee waved off the fight, resulting in a knockout win for Imavov. “I said it all week long that I was in perfect shape,” Imavov said through an interpreter. “I proved it tonight that I was the better striker. Now the real bonus for me is going to be to fight for the belt.” In the co-main event, England’s Michael “Venom” Page scored a unanimous decision win over Shara Magomedov, handing the Russian middleweight the first loss of his professional MMA career in a tense, tactical battle during which Page used his unpredictable striking to out-point his opponent. Sharaputdin Magomedov in action during his fight against Michael Page [Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)
Is US egg shortage Biden’s fault, as Trump spokesperson claims?
President Donald Trump promised to lower prices for groceries, including eggs. But one crack in his plan is that egg prices haven’t fallen since he took office on January 20. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in her first on-camera news briefing on January 28, blamed that on former President Joe Biden’s “inflationary policies”. Leavitt said the Biden administration and the US Agriculture Department “directed the mass killing of more than 100 million chickens, which has led to a lack of chicken supply in this country, therefore a lack of egg supply, which is leading to the shortage”. [embedded content] Leavitt’s statement is partially accurate about the culling of millions of chickens, but she omitted important details and context about why that happened. First, the chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu. Second, it’s been longstanding USDA policy to cull an entire flock of birds once bird flu has been detected, including during Trump’s first administration. Advertisement White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly referred PolitiFact back to Leavitt’s news briefing comments. Egg prices rose under Biden – from $1.60 per dozen in February 2021 to $4.10 in December 2024 (his first and last full months in office), Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. The Agriculture Department’s January food price outlook said egg prices could rise about 20 percent more this year. A spokesperson for Expana, a company that tracks consumer prices, told news outlet Axios that a dozen large eggs costs more than $7 in some US regions. Since February 8, 2022, when the virus was detected in a commercial flock, more than 147 million birds, including chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese, have died, the USDA said. USDA data shows 108 million egg-laying chickens died since 2022, including 13 million in 2025. It’s not clear how many were euthanised or died of the virus. As of January 29, bird flu has also been detected in dairy cattle, affecting 944 herds in 16 states, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. Humans have also tested positive for the virus – 67 confirmed cases have been reported in the US and one person has died, the CDC said. Why are flocks culled? Experts told PolitiFact the birds are culled to stop the virus from spreading. This protects not only nearby farms and the poultry industry, but public health. A 2002 federal law, the Animal Health Protection Act, gives the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service authority to depopulate herds and flocks to stop the disease’s spread. Advertisement “If the birds are dead, the virus dies along with them,” Russ Daly, a veterinarian for the South Dakota Department of Health and a South Dakota State University professor, said. Chickens that contract the bird flu virus have little chance of survival; 90 percent to 100 percent percent of them die, usually within 48 hours, the CDC said. Waiting for the chickens to die naturally allows more viral load into the atmosphere, making it more dangerous for the farm workers and other people who come in contact with the farm, Jada Thompson, a University of Arkansas agricultural economics and agribusiness associate professor, said. Red Star chickens feed in their coop on January 10, 2023, at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, Illinois. A bird flu outbreak at the time led to the slaughter of tens of millions of birds to limit the spread of the virus [File: Erin Hooley/AP] Is this policy new? Several veterinary professors told PolitiFact that depopulation or “stamping out” of sick birds is a longstanding policy and pointed to a 2015 bird flu outbreak during the Obama administration. Depopulation is the USDA’s primary control and eradication strategy for avian influenza, Yuko Sato, a veterinarian and Iowa State University associate professor, said. “This latest outbreak is devastating because of the large numbers of premises involved since 2022,” Carol Cardona, a University of Minnesota veterinary professor and chair of avian health, said. “But the rule has been there for a very long time now.” Advertisement A 2016 USDA report shows that depopulation in 2015 resulted in 50 million birds being killed. A USDA bird flu response plan, updated in May 2017 during Trump’s first administration, incorporates policy guidance based on lessons from influenza outbreaks during the Obama and first Trump administrations. It said: “Rapid depopulation of infected poultry is critical to halt virus transmission and must be prioritised.” During a March 2017 bird flu outbreak, a USDA report said, “nearly 253,000 birds were depopulated.” How does depopulation work? The USDA encourages farmers who notice signs of illness to contact the USDA or their state veterinarian. Samples taken from the animals are tested and the USDA confirms cases; depopulation usually takes place within 48 hours of the virus’s confirmation. The USDA pays the farmers for the killed birds. “It’s in the best interest of the farmer to get this done quickly, as the USDA provides indemnity payments for the euthanised birds, but not the ones that die naturally,” Daly said. Our ruling Leavitt said there’s an egg shortage because the Biden administration “directed the mass killing of more than 100 million chickens”. During the Biden administration, more than 100 million egg-laying chickens died from bird flu or were killed to stop the virus’ spread. This led to an egg shortage and higher prices. Depopulation is a longstanding practice to prevent bird flu from spreading, agriculture experts said. Government documents show depopulation was the USDA’s bird flu strategy during Trump’s first term and during the 2015 outbreak under Obama. Advertisement Leavitt’s statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details and context. We rate it Half True. Adblock test (Why?)
A historic spectacle: The return to north Gaza
Few images hold as much symbolism as those of Palestinians returning. Plus, Trumpian White House media briefings, and Black Myth: Wukong. The return of more than half a million displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, having survived war, siege and starvation, is a historic moment. For right-wing media outlets in Israel, however, it’s a humiliation. Contributors:Abdullah Al-Arian – Associate Professor, Georgetown University in QatarJehad Abusalim – Executive Director, Institute for Palestine StudiesMichael Schaeffer Omer-Man – Director of Israel-Palestine Research, DAWNYara Hawari – Co-Director, Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network On our radar The new White House press secretary gives the media briefing a Trumpian makeover. Ryan Kohl reports. Black Myth: Wukong – China’s journey to the west Merging traditional Chinese folklore with modern technology, the video game Black Myth: Wukong is revolutionising China’s gaming industry – and politicians in Beijing are reaping the rewards. Featuring:Daniel Camilo – China Gaming ConsultantLizzi Lee – Host, The China ProjectTingting Liu – Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Palestinian patients on way to Egypt as Rafah crossing opens after 9 months
The Rafah border crossing has opened for the first time in nearly nine months to allow sick and wounded Palestinian patients in Gaza to travel to Egypt for medical treatment. Egyptian television showed a Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side. The reopening of the Rafah crossing represents a significant breakthrough that bolsters the ceasefire deal Israel and Hamas agreed to earlier this month. Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female captives in Gaza. More to come… Adblock test (Why?)
Trump envoy arrives in Venezuela to meet Maduro about deportation flights
Richard Grenell, an envoy for United States President Donald Trump, has arrived in Venezuela to meet with the country’s president and discuss possible coordination on Trump’s mass deportation push. At a White House news briefing on Friday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that Grenell left for Venezuela with two “immediate directives” from Trump. “Number one, Rick Grenell has been instructed to identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights of Tren de Aragua members, of Venezuelan nationals who have broken our nation’s laws, will land in Venezuela,” she said. “Number two, Rick Grenell is in Venezuela to ensure that all US detainees in Venezuela are returned home.” The White House clarified, however, that the visit should not be seen as the US accepting the legitimacy of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s third term. During Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican led a “maximum pressure” campaign against Maduro, in an effort to push the socialist leader from power. Advertisement But since Trump took office for a second term on January 20, there have been questions about how his relationship with Maduro might evolve, particularly in light of the cooperation needed for his “mass deportation” campaign. Leavitt on Friday indicated that there would be no leeway in Washington’s demands for Venezuela to accept deportation flights. “We expect every nation on this planet to cooperate,” she said. Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US special envoy for Latin America, echoed that sentiment during a conference call with reporters on Friday. He also pushed Trump’s false claims that foreign governments have intentionally sent criminals from their countries to the US. “The United States and President Trump expects Nicolas Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to the United States, and to do so unequivocally and without condition,” said Claver-Carone. “And that is non-negotiable.” While some figures in Trump’s cabinet have staked out hawkish positions towards Venezuela, some have speculated that the administration could offer incentives like sanctions relief in exchange for coordination on deportation flights. Maduro was sworn in for a controversial third term as president earlier this month, despite allegations that he fraudulently claimed victory in the country’s elections on July 28. No official breakdown of the voter tallies was ever published. But the opposition coalition has released copies of voter records that allegedly show a rival candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won. Advertisement In response to the controversial election, protesters demonstrated against Maduro’s government, and security forces responded with a harsh crackdown that killed an estimated 24 people. Facing an arrest warrant, Gonzalez has since gone into exile, though he took a tour this month of countries including the US to rally support for his claim to victory. The US has recognised Gonzalez as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, and leaders of the European Union have likewise rejected the legitimacy of Maduro’s victory. This is not the first time that the US has supported a rival claim to Venezuela’s presidency. In 2019, after another contested election, National Assembly leader Juan Guaido named himself acting president. Trump invited Guaido to attend his State of the Union speech the very next year. “Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who brutalises his people. But Maduro’s grip on tyranny will be smashed and broken,” Trump said at the time. For his part, Maduro has accused the US of fomenting instability inside the country. During Trump’s first term, the Republican leader ratcheted up sanctions on Venezuela and even called for a reward for any information that might lead to Maduro’s arrest. But critics say those sanctions contributed to Venezuela’s severe economic problems, one of the main reasons for the mass exodus from the country. The United Nations estimates that 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled abroad, due to economic and political pressures. Earlier this week, Trump revoked the temporary protected status (TPS) that had shielded about 600,000 Venezuelans living in the United States from deportation. Advertisement However, to deport foreign citizens back to their country of origin, the US must have an agreement with the government of a given country. This has spurred diplomatic clashes, with some governments — including Mexico and Colombia — briefly refusing to allow flights to land. Adblock test (Why?)
White House announces tariffs on Canada, Mexico & China
NewsFeed The White House spokeswoman has said that the US will place 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 10% on China starting from February 1. She cited fentanyl shipments and undocumented border crossings as justifications. Published On 31 Jan 202531 Jan 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Iran warns that any attack on its nuclear sites would trigger ‘all-out war’
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells Al Jazeera that Iran would ‘immediately and decisively’ to an US or Israeli attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has told Al Jazeera that any attack by Israel or the United States on Iran’s nuclear facilities would plunge the region into an “all-out war”. In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic during a visit to Qatar, Araghchi warned that launching a military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities would be “one of the biggest historical mistakes the US could make”. He said Iran would respond “immediately and decisively” to any attack and that it would lead to an “all-out war in the region”. Concerns have grown in Iran that US President Donald Trump might empower Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Iran’s nuclear sites while further tightening US sanctions during his second term in office. Araghchi said he met Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Doha to discuss key regional issues. “We highly commend Qatar’s mediation role in reaching the ceasefire in Gaza,” Araghchi said in an interview broadcast on Friday. “I hope all other issues will be ironed out.” Advertisement He also met Hamas officials while in Qatar and said Palestinians had achieved “victory” in Gaza, despite the devastation of Israel’s war on the enclave. “Despite all the killings and destruction the whole world witnessed, the Palestinian people held their ground and upheld their values and principles. I believe this stands as a victory,” he said. “The Israeli occupation forces did all in their power to eliminate Hamas and free their captives, but they were forced at the end of the day to sit and negotiate with Hamas. This represents victory for Hamas,” he added. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 47,460 Palestinians, mainly women and children, and wounded 111,580 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day and more than 200 taken captive. Much of the Strip has been reduced to rubble and the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population have been displaced. Regarding developments in Syria, Araghchi said Iran supports the formation of a government in which all segments of Syrian society can participate following the toppling of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was a strong ally of Iran. Araghchi said Iran’s goals are for stability in Syria and to preserve the unity of the country’s territory. “We endorse any government chosen and supported by the Syrian people. We want peace and security for Syrian, which is a precursor to the same in the region,” he said. “We don’t wish to see Syria as the epicentre of endless tension or ethnic conflicts, which may turn it into a safe haven for terrorists. Instability in Syria would spill over the region.” Advertisement Iran had supported al-Assad since Syria’s war broke out in 2011, providing him with fighters, weapons and other military support that aimed to keep him in power, as well as to maintain Tehran’s regional “axis of resistance” to Israel and the US. Regarding the re-election of Trump, Araghchi said the history of Iranian-American relations was “full of hostility and mistrust”. He pointed out that the US under the last Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear agreement and assassinated Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) Quds Force. He called on the new Trump administration to take practical steps to restore confidence, such as returning frozen Iranian funds, and said Iran does not object to direct dialogue with the US, but insists on limiting negotiations to the nuclear issue. Adblock test (Why?)