Which Countries Produced the World’s Gold in 2024?

Money Metals News Service
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Which Countries Produced the World’s Gold in 2024?

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) Where do we get our gold?

Last year, mines globally produced an estimated 3,661 tonnes of gold. It was a new record, but only 3 tonnes higher than the previous record set in 2018.

Between 1970 and 2019, gold production generally increased year after year. There was a drop in production in 2008, but it was something of an anomaly, as it occurred at the onset of the 2008 financial crisis.

After slowing for several preceding years, gold mine output fell by 1 percent in 2019.

The return to 2018 mine output levels is encouraging. However, it’s too early to say that we have returned to an era of increasing mine output, and some industry insiders believe the plateau in recent years signals that we’re close to peak gold.

Peak gold is the point at which the amount of gold dug from the earth begins to shrink every year.

This is because the easier-to-access gold close to the Earth’s surface is quickly running out, leaving deeper veins of gold that are more difficult and expensive to mine. It’s hard to determine when we will hit peak gold due to technological developments that help find new deposits and make extracting gold less difficult.

But as long as gold is valuable, people will be digging it out of the ground.

So, where does all of this gold come from?

Here are the top 10 gold producers in 2024:

  1. China – 380.2 tonnes: China has led the world in gold mine production for many years. Mine output was up modestly by 2 tonnes.
  2. Russia – 330.0 tonnes: Russian gold production was up 2.5 percent over last year. Russia has historically produced much of the gold consumed in Europe, but the Russian government is the biggest buyer of Russian gold. Sanctions in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stopped the flow of Russian gold into Europe. The country has sought alternative markets, particularly in the BRICS bloc.
  3. Australia – 284.0 tonnes: Australian mine output dropped 4.1 percent from 2023’s totals. Last year, the Aussies were tied with Russia for the number two spot in the rankings. Australia has the highest level of known gold reserves, estimated to be about 12,000 tons.
  4. Canada – 202.1 tonnes: Canadian gold production was up 5.4 percent over 2023. Canada leapfrogged the U.S. to grab the #4 spot in 2021. Gold ranks as the nation’s most valuable mined commodity, with domestic exports reaching C$22.34 billion.
  5. The United States – 158.0 tonnes: U.S mine production decreased by 7.1 percent last year. U.S. mine output has fallen consistently since 2017.
  6. Ghana – 140.6 tonnes: Ghana reported a 7.7 percent increase in mine output. The country now ranks as the biggest gold producer in Africa.
  7. Mexico – 140.3 tonnes: After basically flatlining for three years, Mexico saw a strong rebound in mine production in 2024, with mine output rising by 16.7 percent.
  8. Indonesia – 140.1 tonnes: Indonesia also saw a healthy increase in mine output, with gold production rising 27.3 percent. In 2019, the country mined less than 100 tonnes of gold. Mining is one of the country’s most important economic sectors.
  9. Peru – 136.9 tonnes: Mine production was up about 6.3 percent year-on-year.
  10. Uzbekistan – 129.1 tonnes: Uzbek gold production increased by about 10 tonnes last year. Much of the country’s gold is consumed domestically. The Uzbek central bank buys a substantial amount of domestic gold.

South Africa is notably missing from the top 10 gold producers. The country ranked first in the world for many years. Last year, the country produced 98.9 tonnes of gold, putting it behind Mali in African gold mine output.

In December 2017, a study came out saying South Africa could run out of gold within four decades. Analysts said that at current production levels, the country only had 39 years of accessible gold reserves remaining.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Trump Launched Nearly as Many Airstrikes in 5 Months as Biden Did in 4 Years

Headline USA Editor
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Trump Launched Nearly as Many Airstrikes in 5 Months as Biden Did in 4 Years

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump launched nearly as many airstrikes in his first five months in office as President Biden did during his entire four-year term, The Telegraph reported last week, citing figures from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED).

The ACLED found that Trump oversaw 529 airstrikes, compared with 555 launched during President Biden’s term. The majority of Trump’s airstrikes — 470 — have been launched in Yemen, where the Trump administration carried out a very heavy bombing campaign from March 15 to May 6 that killed more than 250 civilians.

The Trump administration has also launched a significant number of airstrikes in Somalia. US Africa Command told Antiwar.com on July 15 that it has carried out at least 51 airstrikes in Somalia so far this year, which includes only one that was launched when Biden was still president in January 2025.

The US has been bombing Somalia at a record pace, and the Trump administration is on track to break the record for annual airstrikes in the country, which President Trump set during his first term at 63. Despite the rate of airstrikes, the US air war in Somalia gains virtually no media coverage in the US.

During his second term, President Trump has also overseen US airstrikes in Syria, Iraq, and the recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The surge in US bombings came after the Trump administration eased restrictions on airstrikes and ground raids, giving lower-level commanders greater freedom of action in areas outside of official US war zones, which include Yemen and Somalia.

“The US military is moving faster, hitting harder, and doing so with fewer constraints,” Clionadh Raleigh, the head of the ACLED, told The Telegraph. The rate of airstrikes comes despite pledges from Trump and his political allies that he would be a “peace president.”

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Ghislaine Maxwell May Testify to Congress. A Look at Other Convicted Criminals Who’ve Done So

Headline USA Editor
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Ghislaine Maxwell May Testify to Congress. A Look at Other Convicted Criminals Who’ve Done So

(Headline USA) The U.S. Congress is poised to subpoena controversial testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of helping financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

If those efforts are successful, Maxwell may join a long list of prominent people — ranging from mafiosos to white-collar criminals — who shifted political narratives and their reputations through congressional testimony after criminal convictions.

The calls for Maxwell’s public interrogation come three years into her 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, conspiracy and transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity. Maxwell’s crimes have been thrust into the spotlight again as pressure mounts for President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice to release information about Epstein’s crimes.

Epstein was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial in 2019, and his case has generated attention because of his and Maxwell’s links to famous people, including royals, presidents and billionaires—along with the fact that the two were allowed to operate with impunity for decades.

Many researchers, including One Nation Under Blackmail author Whitney Webb, believe that Epstein was running a sexual blackmail operation on behalf of one or multiple intelligence agencies. Even Epstein’s former attorney, Alan Dershowitz, recently admitted that Maxwell’s father, the late media mogul Robert Maxwell, had ties to the Israeli spy agency, Mossad.

Maxwell, for her part, has always maintained her innocence.

Recently, the Trump administration has promised “to release all credible evidence” about the Epstein case. His efforts ran into a roadblock when a judge on Wednesday rejected a Trump administration request to unseal transcripts from grand jury investigations of Epstein years ago in Florida — raising the stakes even higher for Maxwell’s testimony.

Here is a look at the history of explosive congressional testimony from powerful people convicted of serious crimes.

Former ally Michael Cohen, 2019

It is not the first time in recent years that Congress has summoned someone convicted of a crime to investigate allegations that involve the president.

As recently as 2019, Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen cast the president as a racist conman in testimony to Congress, shortly after Cohen was sentenced to a three-year prison sentence for campaign finance violations, tax fraud and bank fraud.

Cohen accused Trump, then in his first term, of using his inner circle to cover up politically damaging allegations about sex with a porn actress, and of lying throughout the 2016 election campaign about his business interests in Russia.

Michael Milken, 1993

Wall Street figure Michael Milken was able to rehabilitate his tarnished reputation in 1993, less than a year after he was released from prison for violating U.S. securities laws by selling junk bonds. In fact, he was later celebrated for talking about ways to increase investment in urban areas in his testimony before the Congressional Black Caucus, according to the Washington Post’s reporting at the time.

It was the second time that Milken was asked to testify in front of Congress: the first time was in 1990, when he invoked the 5th Amendment to avoid answering questions about his fraud schemes.

Milken was granted clemency in 2020 by Trump during his first term.

Jack Ruby, 1964

Decades before the Epstein case, Congress sought to clarify rampant conspiracy theories about the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

In 1964, a seven-man commission went to the Dallas County Jail to interview Jack Ruby, the man who was sentenced to death for killing Lee Harvey Oswald after Oswald shot Kennedy.

The commission interrogated Ruby about his political affiliations and motivations for killing Oswald, according to records from the National Archives.

The interview with Ruby led the commission to conclude that Ruby acted alone in killing Oswald, according to the National Archives, despite widespread rumors that the murder was part of a cover-up.

Joseph Valachi, 1962

In the 1950s and 1960s, Congress formed numerous committees to investigate the mafia and it’s influence on government.

In 1962, member of the Genovese crime family Joseph Valachi became the first mobster to publicly acknowledge the existence of the American mafia, according to the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. Broadcast to millions watching televisions across the country, Valachi captivated public attention with graphic details about the crimes he had committed.

Valachi’s criminal record was extensive: When he testified before Congress, he was facing a life sentence for killing someone in prison while he was serving a 15-year sentence for drug trafficking. He arrived at the Capitol building guarded by 200 U.S. Marshals, as rumors circulated that the mobster Vito Genovese was offering $100,000 for Valachi’s execution.

Congress’ fixation on organized crime at that time inspired a major plot point in the 1972 movie “The Godfather Part Two,” when Michael Corleone insists on his innocence in a trial before the Senate.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

U.S. Fertility Rate Reached a New Low in 2024

Headline USA Editor
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U.S. Fertility Rate Reached a New Low in 2024

(Headline USA) The fertility rate in the U.S. dropped to an all-time low in 2024 with less than 1.6 kids per woman, new federal data released Thursday shows.

The U.S. was once among only a few developed countries with a rate that ensured each generation had enough children to replace itself — about 2.1 kids per woman. But it has been sliding in America for close to two decades as more women are waiting longer to have children or never taking that step at all.

The new statistic is on par with fertility rates in western European countries, according to World Bank data.

Alarmed by recent drops, the Trump administration has taken steps to increase falling birth rates, like issuing an executive order meant to expand access to and reduce costs of in vitro fertilization and backing the idea of “baby bonuses” that might encourage more couples to have kids.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the statistic for the total fertility rate with updated birth data for 2024.

In the early 1960s, the U.S. total fertility rate was around 3.5, but plummeted to 1.7 by 1976 after the Baby Boom ended. It gradually rose to 2.1 in 2007 before falling again, aside from a 2014 uptick. The rate in 2023 was 1.621, and inched down in 2024 to 1.599, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

Birth rates are generally declining for women in most age groups — and that doesn’t seem likely to change in the near future, said Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina.

People are marrying later and also worried about their ability to have the money, health insurance and other resources needed to raise children in a stable environment.

“Worry is not a good moment to have kids,” and that’s why birth rates in most age groups are not improving, she said.

Asked about birth-promoting measures outlined by the Trump administration, Guzzo said they don’t tackle larger needs like parental leave and affordable child care.

“The things that they are doing are really symbolic and not likely to budge things for real Americans,” she said.

Increase in births in new data

The CDC’s new report, which is based on a more complete review of birth certificates than provisional data released earlier this year, also showed a 1% increase in births — about 33,000 more — last year compared to the prior year.

That brought the yearly national total to just over 3.6 million babies born.

But this is different: The provisional data indicated birth rate increases last year for women in their late 20s and 30s. However, the new report found birth rate declines for women in their 20s and early 30s, and no change for women in their late 30s.

What happened? CDC officials said it was due to recalculations stemming from a change in the U.S. Census population estimates used to compute the birth rate.

That’s plausible, Root said. As the total population of women of childbearing age grew due to immigration, it offset small increases in births to American women in those age groups, she said.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press



Alleged Would-be Trump Assassin Refuses to Meet w/ His Lawyers

Ken Silva
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Alleged Would-be Trump Assassin Refuses to Meet w/ His Lawyers

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) On Wednesday, attorneys for alleged would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh filed a motion for termination of appointment of counsel, claiming that “the attorney-client relationship is irreconcilably broken.”

Attorneys said Routh refused to meet with them for a scheduled in-person meeting Tuesday morning at the federal detention center in Miami. They said Routh has refused six attempts to meet with their team.

“It is clear that Mr. Routh wishes to represent himself, and he is within his Constitutional rights to make such a demand,” the motion said.

The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney.

Meanwhile, Routh is also battling the Justice Department over what evidence can be presented in front of his jury.

The DOJ wants to present excerpts of text messages and other statements made by Routh as evidence of his assassination plot. However, the DOJ says Routh shouldn’t be afforded the same privilege because his out-of-court statements constitute “hearsay.”

For instance, the DOJ wants to present excerpts from Routh’s “Dear World” letter, which was found after he allegedly tried shooting Trump at his Florida golf course last September. In the letter, Routh apologizes for failing to kill Trump, and offers a bounty for anyone to finish the job. The DOJ presumably wants to present that excerpt from the letter, but not allow Routh to show a jury the entire letter for its full context.

In a Tuesday letter to Judge Aileen Cannon, Routh said he thinks that’s unjust.

“How can my out-of-court statements be inadmissible hearsay–it is not even hearsay–it is direct factual comments from the horse’s mouth,” he asked.

“You want to exclude our sniper expert and now all witnesses — do we even need to show up???” he added, disclosing that he apparently has witnesses he wants to call. It’s unclear who those witnesses might be. Routh was in touch with a number of people in the lead up to Sept. 15, including a human smuggler in Mexico, operatives in Ukraine, and Afghan commandos in Iran.

Routh will return to court Thursday to once again explain why he wants to fire his court-appointed lawyers and represent himself. He has another hearing scheduled for Friday on the admissibility of certain evidence and testimony that can be used for the trial.

Routh is scheduled to stand trial in September, a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted his attempt to shoot Trump as he played golf. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

Gold Storage, Interest Rates, and Fort Knox: Ask Mike Anything

Money Metals News Service
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Gold Storage, Interest Rates, and Fort Knox: Ask Mike Anything

(Money Metals News Service) Even while vacationing in California for a hockey tournament, Money Metals Midweek Memo host Mike Maharrey stayed loyal to his audience, delivering another insightful “Ask Mike Anything” episode.

Pre-recorded just before his trip, Maharrey tackled a range of questions from listeners—covering gold storage, interest rates, debt markets, inflation, and even Fort Knox.

How to Store Gold Safely at Home?

The first question addressed home gold storage. Maharrey emphasized that while storing gold at home offers personal control, it introduces security risks. Key recommendations included:

  • Invest in a heavy, high-quality safe, not a cheap model from a big-box store.
  • Bolt the safe to the floor or wall to prevent theft.
  • Do not rely solely on hiding places—thieves know common spots.
  • Get insurance for your precious metals.
  • Avoid discussing your holdings publicly, especially online.

He noted that Money Metals Exchange offers a fully insured, segregated storage facility—larger than Fort Knox and located outside of New York—for those preferring vault storage over in-home options.

How Do Low Interest Rates Increase the Money Supply?

A common economic misunderstanding prompted Maharrey to explain how artificially low interest rates lead to monetary inflation—even without quantitative easing (QE).

  • Fractional Reserve Banking allows banks to lend out a significant portion of deposits, typically keeping only 10% in reserve.
  • When the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, borrowing becomes cheaper, increasing demand for loans.
  • More lending = more money creation, as each loan becomes a new deposit that can be loaned again.

He pointed out that even modest interest rate cuts have continued to expand the money supply, despite the Fed’s ongoing balance sheet reduction. This inflationary policy mirrors the effects of QE, just through a different mechanism.

Can the U.S. Sell $9 Trillion in Treasuries?

Listener Brian raised concerns about rising U.S. debt and the potential failure to find buyers for a projected $9 trillion in treasuries later this year. Maharrey agreed that:

  • Foreign buyers like Japan and China are reducing their U.S. debt exposure.
  • With increasing skepticism about U.S. fiscal stability, the Federal Reserve may be forced to resume QE to absorb excess supply.
  • Such action could trigger a loss of market confidence, leading to inflation and possibly a major selloff.
  • Analysts like David Hunter predict up to an 80% market crash, and big investors like Warren Buffett and Stanley Druckenmiller have stockpiled cash in anticipation.

What Could Cause a Drop in Gold or Silver Prices?

Zach asked what might cause precious metals to drop sharply in price. Maharrey responded:

  • A tightening of monetary policy, such as renewed interest rate hikes, could lead to a short-term dip.
  • For silver specifically, which derives over 50% of demand from industrial use, technological changes (e.g. alternatives to silver in solar panels) could reduce demand and drive prices down.
  • A sudden new supply discovery is unlikely to crash prices due to the long development timeline in mining.

Despite these hypotheticals, Maharrey remains bullish, citing ongoing dollar devaluation as a long-term driver for higher metal prices.

Is There Really Gold in Fort Knox?

A listener named Clay asked Maharrey if he believes there’s still gold in Fort Knox. His gut instinct? Yes, but with caveats.

  • While Maharrey believes the physical gold is present, he questions the paper ownership—how much of it may be leased or claimed by others.
  • The lack of transparency and refusal to conduct a full audit fosters skepticism and weakens public trust.
  • If gold were proven missing, it could trigger a major crisis of confidence, weakening the dollar and fueling inflation as foreign holders flee U.S. assets.

What Would Gold Be Worth Under a Gold Standard?

When asked by Timothy about the price gold would need to be pegged at under a renewed gold standard, Maharrey cited estimates from economist James Rickards:

  • $10,000–$15,000 per ounce would be necessary to back the money supply adequately.
  • The peg could technically be set anywhere, but it must reflect the size of today’s monetary base.

Should You Cash Out a 401(k) for Silver?

Listener Kelly asked whether it’s wise to cash out a 401(k) to buy physical silver, accepting penalties and lost interest. Maharrey was cautious:

  • Silver remains undervalued—the gold-to-silver ratio is around 87:1, compared to a historical average of ~60:1.
  • Still, silver’s volatility and industrial dependency make it riskier.
  • Rather than liquidate a retirement account, Maharrey suggested exploring a self-directed precious metals IRA, which allows tax-deferred investment in physical metals without penalties.

Are Tariffs Enough to Trigger a Recession?

Jeffrey’s question about tariffs and recession risk prompted Maharrey to say tariffs could indeed act as the “pin” to pop the economic bubble—but they’re not the root cause. He attributed systemic weakness more to:

  • Monetary and fiscal malfeasance
  • Rising debt servicing costs
  • Persistent inflationary pressure

Tariffs may serve as a catalyst, but they are not the underlying driver.

Final Thoughts: Fire Insurance Before the Fire

Maharrey closed by encouraging listeners to think of gold and silver as financial fire insurance—assets you want to hold before the next crisis, not after. With sideways trading patterns suggesting consolidation, and experts like Jordan Roy-Byrne forecasting a prolonged inflationary era, now may be the ideal time to accumulate precious metals.

For more resources, listeners can call 1-800-800-1865 or visit MoneyMetals.com.

Thug w/ Rifle Ambushes Cops, Wounding 3 before Dying in Gunfire

Headline USA Editor
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Thug w/ Rifle Ambushes Cops, Wounding 3 before Dying in Gunfire

(Headline USA) Three police officers were wounded and a man was killed in an exchange of gunfire early Wednesday afternoon in an industrial area of Lorain, Ohio.

Elyria Police Chief James Welsh told reporters officers on patrol were ambushed by a man firing a high-powered rifle. Officers returned fire, he said.

He said it is unclear if the suspect, a 28-year-old man from Lorain whom Welsh did not name, was killed by the officers or shot himself. Welsh said the man is believed to have acted alone.

“This was an ambush situation” on River Bend Drive about 1 p.m., Welsh said. Details about a possible motive were not disclosed. “At this point, we can confirm that he’s a lone gunman.”

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley said in a phone interview that Lorain officers will get counseling to help process the shooting of their colleagues.

The wounded officers’ names were not immediately released. Two officers were flown to a trauma center, while the third was initially treated at Mercy Health-Lorain Hospital, Bradley said.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Hillary Clinton Was on Tranquilizers during 2016 Campaign, Gabbard Reveals

Luis Cornelio
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Hillary Clinton Was on Tranquilizers during 2016 Campaign, Gabbard Reveals

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard came forward Wednesday with explosive allegations against the Obama administration, including that it sat on evidence that Hillary Clinton was regularly using tranquilizers while serving as secretary of state. 

Gabbard also reiterated that former President Barack Obama himself led the launch of the Russian collusion hoax. She made the shocking revelations during the White House’s press briefing. 

According to Gabbard, a newly declassified 2020 intelligence report found that Russian President Vladimir Putin had no specific preference in the 2016 race. The report also noted that Russia sat on emails detailing Clinton’s “psycho-emotional problems, uncontrolled fits of anger, aggression and cheerfulness.” 

Gabbard said the documents further showed Clinton was “on a daily regimen of heavy tranquilizers,” citing emails obtained from the Democratic National Committee that were hacked by Russia.

Gabbard argued that Russia would have released those damning emails before the election if it truly intended to help Trump. Instead, the report concluded Russia chose to hold the material for post-election release, expecting Clinton to win. 

Worse still, she accused the Obama-era CIA of failing to “adhere to the tenets” of standard intelligence analysis when it claimed Putin wanted Trump elected. That conclusion, which preceded the Russian collusion hoax, was based on “one scant, unclear, and unverifiable fragment of a sentence from one of the substandard reports.” 

She named Obama, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey and former DNI James Clapper as the primary figures responsible for the flawed conclusion. Earlier assessments found that Russia did not meddle in the election to favor Trump, but to sow chaos within the U.S. 

“We have referred and will continue to refer all of these documents to the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate the criminal implications of this,” Gabbard said in response to a question about Obama’s potential unlawful conduct. 

She added: “The evidence that we have found and that we have released directly points to President Obama leading the manufacturing of this intelligence assessment. There are multiple pieces of evidence and intelligence that confirm that fact.” 

This is a developing story…

French President Sues Candace Owens to Prove Wife Isn’t a Man

Luis Cornelio
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French President Sues Candace Owens to Prove Wife Isn’t a Man

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, on Wednesday filed a longshot 22-count defamation lawsuit against popular podcaster Candace Owens in a Delaware court. 

The lawsuit aims to squash online rumors claiming Brigitte was born a biological man. However, Owens doubled down on her claims in response.

“You were born a man and you will die a man… That’s the point I’m making,” she said.

The Macrons accuse Owens of orchestrating a years-long campaign targeting the controversial origins of their relationship, focusing especially on claims about Brigitte’s biological gender. 

The lawsuit stems from Owens’s viral multi-episode series Becoming Brigitte, which has garnered tens of millions of views across social media. 

In the series, Owens accused Brigitte of being born Jean-Michel Trogneux before transitioning into a woman. (Jean-Michel Trogneux is the name of Brigitte’s older brother.)

In the lawsuit, Brigitte affirmed she was born female and calls Owens’s reporting defamatory, accusing it of causing “tremendous damage” and subjecting the Macrons to “a campaign of global humiliation.” 

The couple also alleges Owens pushed the transgender story to monetize views and merchandise sales. 

In a YouTube video, Owens dismissed the lawsuit, saying Brigitte ‘has balls’ for filing. Owens also accused the Macrons of using the lawsuit as a PR stunt to control the media narrative. 

Her spokesperson released a statement calling the lawsuit an attack on free speech: “This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist.” 

Owens is far from the first to accuse Brigitte of being born male. The French First Lady previously sued two women for libel over similar claims. Those women were initially convicted but had their convictions overturned by a French appellate court. 

Brigitte, a former educator, first met her husband when he was a 15-year-old student and she was 39. Emmanuel Macron’s parents removed him from the school due to concerns about their age difference.  

They stayed in contact and eventually married in 2007, after Brigitte divorced her former husband. 

Israeli Forces Kill 100 Palestinians in Gaza Over 24 Hours

Headline USA Editor
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Israeli Forces Kill 100 Palestinians in Gaza Over 24 Hours

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday that Israeli forces killed 100 Palestinians and wounded 534 over the previous 24-hour period as US-backed Israeli strikes and the killing of aid seekers continue.

The Health Ministry said that another 13 bodies were recovered from the rubble. “A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the streets, where ambulance and civil defense crews are unable to reach them at this time,” the ministry wrote on Telegram.

Among those killed on Wednesday was Walaa al-Jabari, a journalist who was pregnant at the time of her death. Al-Jabari was killed alongside her husband and their four children when an Israeli missile struck their home in Gaza City. According to Drop Site News, the blast ejected al-Jabari’s unborn child from her womb, and a fetus was found in the rubble.

According to Middle East Eye, al-Jabari worked as a newspaper editor for several local media outlets. Gaza’s Government Media Office said her death brought the total number of Palestinian journalists killed by the IDF in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to 231.

Israeli airstrikes pounded other parts of Gaza City, killing several more children, according to The Associated Press. The Israeli military also bombarded areas of southern and central Gaza and continued its ground offensive in Deir el-Balah.

The Health Ministry said that 34 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces while attempting to reach aid, bringing the total number of aid-related deaths since the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating to 1,060. Another 7,207 aid seekers have been wounded, which has overwhelmed Gaza’s hospitals.

The Health Ministry said that the latest violence has brought its death toll since October 7, 2023, to 59,219, and the number of wounded to 143,045. Studies have found that the ministry’s numbers are likely a significant undercount.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

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