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group’s co-founder promise not to give up even “an inch” of the land.

According to Arab media, at the massive rally, Hamas co-founder Mahmoud al-Zahar said, “The participation of thousands in these marches commemorating the launch anniversary [of Hamas] confirms that the Palestinian individual cannot give up his right and refuses to forfeit not an inch of his land.”

Hamas terrorists often chant, “From the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea, Palestine will be free.” The terror group does not recognize Israel’s right to exist.

Speaking at the rally, Hamas official Mushir al-Masri promised to keep Jerusalem at the center of the terror group’s conflict with Israel.

In a statement released by Hamas, al-Masri said Jerusalem “is a red line, and defending it is a sacred duty.”

A Sobering Statistic

On Monday, the United States reached a grim milestone when it was reported that more than 800,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic was declared.

There have been at least 800,156 confirmed deaths traced to the coronavirus, according to a rolling tally by NBC News. That’s more deaths reported than in any other nation.

Thirty-three states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have seen an increase in deaths over the last 14 days.

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the seven-day death average in the U.S. was 1,092, a 27.8 percent increase from the week before.

The first known Americans to have died from coronavirus passed away in February 2020.

Dr. Vin Gupta, a critical care pulmonologist and affiliate associate professor at the University of Washington, expects the U.S. death toll to reach 1 million at some point in 2022.

“That’s just the reality of the situation,” he said. “The same people who didn’t get an initial shot won’t get boosters. It’s a lot of preventable death.”

In total, the U.S. has recorded nearly 50 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

Smollett Found Guilty

On Thursday, actor Jussie Smollett was found guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct. The sixth count was of making a false police report that he was the victim of aggravated battery.

According to one juror, it was the sixth count that caused jurors to struggle.

In the end, according to the juror who spoke with the Chicago SunTimes, they “all thought we were doing Jussie a favor.”

Smollett had told police in January 2019 that he was the victim of a racist crime. He said that two Trump-loving bigots beat him up, tied a noose around his neck, and doused him in bleach on a freezing night. But after a quick investigation, police found that Smollett fabricated the attack. He had hired brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, whom he knew from his TV show, to stage the attack to garner attention.

It took jurors almost ten hours to come to their verdict, which Smollett’s lawyer said they would appeal.

For now, it is likely that Smollett will be sentenced to probation, given his lack of criminal history.

No More Squaw Mountain

A federal panel has approved the renaming of Squaw Mountain in Colorado. The move follows the declaration of the word “squaw” to be a derogatory term against Native American women.

The mountain’s new name will be Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain, named after a famed female Native American translator who lived in the region in the early 1800s. The woman was known at the time as “Owl Woman,” and she was responsible for mediating between Native Americans and white settlers around southern Colorado.

“Squaw” is an Algonquin word for woman, but over time it has been used for racist and misogynistic attacks on Native American women, according to Newsweek.

In a statement, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Historic Preservation Office Director Teanna Limpy said, “A derogatory name that is meant to diminish the sacredness and power of our women is no more. Mestaa’ėhehe will be standing tall on that mountain for many generations to come, continuing to be a story of inspiration for all and perhaps a story that also inspires others to continue to learn other Indigenous cultures and languages.”

Tornados Wreak Havoc

Over 30 tornadoes raging Friday night and early Saturday across the central and southern U.S. brought down buildings and may have claimed 80 lives.

According to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, that state alone may have over 70 people dead from the storms.

Among the buildings damaged in the strike are a candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky and an Amazon warehouse in western Illinois, as well as a nursing home in Arkansas.

The tornadoes hit at least six states: Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

On Saturday morning, Beshear said, “I’m pretty sure that number [killed in Kentucky] is north of 70 ... it may, in fact exceed 100 before the day is done. The level of devastation is unlike anything I have ever seen.”

In a later statement, Beshear said, “I want to thank every local emergency management employee, police officer, firefighter and first responder. This has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history. It’s hard to put into words.

“Remember, each of these lost lives are children of G-d, irreplaceable to their families and communities. But we will make it through this. We will rebuild. We are strong, resilient people -- and we’re going to be there every step of the way. This is one state standing strong.”

Beshear has declared a state of emergency.

Two deaths each have been reported in Arkansas and Missouri, while four have been reported in Tennessee and six in Illinois. In Kentucky’s Warren County, the 12 storm-related casualties include children as well.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he monitored the situation closely and had contacted the governors of the hardest-hit states.

Calling the storms one of the “largest tornado outbreaks in our history,” Biden added, “I want to emphasize what I told all the governors, the fed-

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