A prominent figure within the Democratic Socialists of America faced challenging questions on CNN regarding the group’s backing of Fidel Castro. The group had lauded Castro, a Cuban strongman, as a notable symbol of resistance against imperialism.

Anchor Boris Sanchez pressed Ashik Siddique, a co-chair within the organization, following a tribute made last week in honor of what would have been the dictator’s 100th birthday, describing him as “a stalwart symbol of anti-imperialist struggle.”

During a Wednesday interview, Sanchez shared a personal narrative with Siddique, recounting his family’s hardships under communist rule.

“My grandfather was a revolutionary in Cuba at that time,” Sanchez revealed, detailing the impact of the previous regime. “He was affected by the former dictator, Fulgencio Batista, enduring the disappearance of friends who dared to express their opinions.”

Despite the initial promise of change, Sanchez shared that his grandfather ended up imprisoned after Castro came to power.

‘Fidel Castro locked my grandfather up, sentenced to 20 years for doing what you’re doing now on live TV, for speaking his mind, for expressing himself freely, for trying to organize politically. 

Sanchez said he wanted Siddique to think about ‘how you think that lands with people who suffered under that dictatorship who now you were trying to court as voters when your organization comes out and lauds 100 years of Castro.’

Siddique clearly appeared flustered and stammered through his response, which pivoted to the DSA’s critiques of income inequality in the US.  

Sanchez replied: ‘So putting out a statement about Fidel Castro courts those people?’ 

‘We want to expand democracy everywhere in the United States, in Cuba, and everywhere else,’ Siddique replied, again pivoting to his own criticisms of the US government. 

‘And that does not come at the barrel of a gun. It doesn’t come under the threat of economic blockade. That limits democracy everywhere,’ Siddique said.

Sanchez hit back: ‘And Fidel Castro was a beacon of democracy?’ 

Siddique admitted that he ‘wouldn’t say that’ about the dictator. 

‘I think that the revolution in Cuba led to an expansion of things like universal healthcare. That’s actually been a model. Cuba exports medical care to countries that have very poor infrastructure themselves.’

After a discussion of the living conditions in Cuba and whether or not the US was to blame for them, Sanchez added: ‘I would suggest that perhaps we should have more conversations with folks who have fled that regime and what they think about these statements and the position of the DSA.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to the DSA for comment.  

Siddique’s appearance is the latest example of a key DSA member floundering when pushed on their extreme leftwing views by a member of the mainstream press.

Siddique’s fellow co-chair Megan Romer was unable to provide a clear answer when asked to define the group’s belief that she described as ‘taxing the hell out of millionaires.’ 

This occurred during a recent interview with David Remnick of The New Yorker Radio Hour podcast, posted on August 7.

‘Uhhhh, yeah, you know, again, I don’t have like a solid [answer]… but I think-‘ Romer said to which Remnick replied: ‘But shouldn’t you?’

Remnick questioned whether Romer, as one of the leaders of the DSA, should be more specific than simply saying ‘taxing the hell’ out of something. Romer responded: ‘Um, that’s a good question.’

When Remnick pressed her to explain what she meant, Romer shifted the topic towards dependence and exploitation.

‘So again, it’s democracy, right?’ Romer continued. ‘And we have to look at what we have to spend and what we need. We don’t want to depend on the existence of millionaires because that means people are still getting exploited.’

The segment of the interview ended with Romer saying: ‘So yeah, we need to look at what we need to pay for in the interim, what sort of tax base we need for that to happen, and build from there.’ 

In another sputtering interview, Dr Frances Gill, a delegate in the political committee, was asked by an NBC Los Angeles anchor what would happen if his daughter was sexually assaulted under a DSA regime, which seeks to defund the police and entirely end the prison system.

‘If my daughter is assaulted and raped, is there any agency that would seek to find her assailant and bring him to justice?’ Conan Nolan said.

Gill responded that ‘of course,’ a rapist would be held accountable, before giving a meandering explanation of the root causes of crime that failed to directly answer the question because she wanted to ‘avoid getting caught in hypotheticals and talk more about the reality.’ 

‘We’re spending absolutely outrageous amounts of money on police and policing, and we’re not spending money on things that actually make people safe and feel safe,’ she added. 

‘Which is things like actually well-lit streets. The street lights in Los Angeles. Everybody agrees it’s a huge problem.’

Gill appeared to refer to the city’s backlog of repairs, which has left tens of thousands of streetlights without power due to widespread theft of copper wire. 

She went on to say that substance abuse treatment needs to be funded to mitigate crime instead of funneling money into police departments. 

In a notable legal decision, two teenage girls received $550,000 in damages after enduring a terrifying experience where they were suspended upside down for almost 30 minutes due to a ride malfunction at an Oregon amusement park.

This week, a jury ruled in favor of the two teens, granting them $275,000 each in their lawsuit against Oaks Park and the ride’s manufacturer, Zamperla. The legal action stemmed from the AtmosFEAR ride malfunction in Portland in June 2024, as reported by FOX 12 Oregon.

Approximately 30 thrill-seekers faced an unexpected ordeal when the pendulum-style ride, known for its dizzying spins, came to a halt in a vertical position on June 14, 2024, leaving them stranded upside down.

Portland Fire & Rescue crews responded and worked with park engineers to manually lower the ride. The riders were brought down safely after roughly 25 minutes and medically evaluated.

Oaks Park said in a statement to FOX 12 following the verdict:

“While we agree that the ride should not have become stuck, we are grateful that all of the riders are safe, and this incident is now resolved,” the statement read. “Safety is our top priority, and we will continue to work with ride manufacturers and state inspectors to ensure rider safety.”

The family of one of the teens, identified as Evie, said Thursday that the lawsuit was intended to seek accountability.

“We filed this lawsuit to seek accountability and justice. Not only should the ride have never malfunctioned, but the crisis was further exacerbated by the lack of a safety plan at Oaks Park. They did not possess any knowledge of how to fix the ride if it got stuck in the inverted position, and did not have a tool at the park to lower the ride and rescue the riders,” they told FOX 12. 

“That required calling a 1-800 number to even know how to fix the ride, then wait for first responders to arrive on scene, and for the first responders to provide the tool. Additionally, Oaks Park evacuated the park without providing traffic control, which delayed first responders from being able to enter the park quickly in an emergency, prolonging suffering.”

The malfunction occurred on the park’s first day of the summer season. Video from the incident showed riders suspended vertically as people gathered below.

A spokesperson for Zamperla and Oaks Park did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.

Next summer, Major League Soccer is set to undergo one of the most significant transformations in its storied history as it transitions to a summer-to-spring calendar. This shift promises not only a change in timing but also a revamped playoff system, sparking anticipation among fans and teams alike.

Although MLS has been fairly secretive about the specifics of the playoff overhaul, a report from The Guardian on Thursday suggested that the reimagined playoffs might feature a “double elimination” format. Intriguingly, this could expand the participation to as many as 20 clubs, making the playoffs more competitive and inclusive.

According to the same report, under this new schedule, the playoffs are slated to commence in late April. An action-packed three-week period would follow, culminating on May 21, 2028, with the highly anticipated MLS Cup final.

“Major League Soccer is actively assessing potential modifications to its postseason framework as part of a comprehensive review tied to the upcoming shift in its competitive calendar, starting with the 2027-28 season,” the league conveyed to The Guardian in an official statement. “This is an ongoing process, and no final decisions have been reached yet.”

Amidst this major transformation, MLS is also planning to rearrange its team divisions dramatically. The current structure based on Eastern and Western Conferences will give way to a new five-division format, further adding to the league’s evolving landscape.

The 20 best clubs at the end of the season will make the playoffs, with eight taking part in a play-in round. The four teams that advance will be included in a field of 16 clubs. 

The top eight clubs in the combined table at the end of the season would take part in a double-elimination round, and the winning teams would earn a direct bid to the quarterfinals. 

The Guardian also reported that teams would be re-seeded after each round. 

The format is similar to that of the way things are done in Australian rules football. 

MLS has changed its playoff format several times over the course of the league’s existence.

The surrogate mother embroiled in a legal battle over a baby’s future is intensifying her efforts after the infant she carried, diagnosed with a severe heart defect, underwent critical heart surgery shortly after birth. This comes on the heels of the baby’s removal from her care, just a minute after delivery.

McKenna West, an Anchorage-based cardiac nurse and mother, vowed on Thursday to continue advocating for the child’s welfare. She spoke out about the emotional separation from the baby, who was taken away immediately following her delivery on August 12.

“Throughout my pregnancy, I cherished and protected this beautiful baby boy, but I’ve been denied the chance to hold him,” West expressed in an op-ed piece published by the New York Post on Thursday. “In the fleeting 60 seconds post-birth, as the umbilical cord still connected us, I caught my only glimpse of him before he was swiftly taken away.”

In an agreement reached last year, West had decided to become a surrogate for Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, a couple from California and the prospective parents of the child.

According to West, Ahmed and Gilkar asked her to terminate the pregnancy after the baby was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, or HLHS, at about 20 weeks. West refused and later traveled to Texas to give birth.

Ahmed and Gilkar’s attorney disputes key parts of West’s account and says they consented to the child’s surgery as soon as doctors determined he was eligible.

Lee Budner, an attorney for Ahmed and Gilkar, said doctors determined on Aug. 14 that the baby, whom Ahmed and Gilkar call Rumi, was eligible for the Norwood procedure, the first of three open-heart surgeries for newborns commonly used to treat HLHS.

“My clients immediately provided consent for the surgery to occur at the hospital’s earliest availability,” Budner said in an Aug. 17 statement.

The baby underwent surgery Aug. 17, and is recuperating under the care of Ahmed, Gilkar and his medical team, Budner said, adding that his condition “remains critical and complex.”

Budner also accused West of continuing to pursue custody despite court rulings.

“Meanwhile, Ms. West continues to assert baseless claims for custody of Rumi, in violation of multiple courts orders out of both Alaska and California,” he said. “We look forward to quickly defeating those claims as Rumi’s parents continue to focus on his health and safety above all else.”

West, who is being represented with assistance from Alliance Defending Freedom, has said she is not trying to take someone else’s child and described her goal differently.

“I’m not fighting to try to take someone else’s baby,” West wrote Thursday. “I’m fighting because this baby boy needs someone willing to advocate for and fight alongside him as he gets the ongoing treatment his fragile heart requires.”

Live Action founder and president Lila Rose, whose organization has supported West, told News Media that West intends to continue fighting for custody.

“McKenna is fighting for custody because Gabriel needs someone willing to defend him,” Rose said. “He deserves to remain protected and receive every chance to heal and live.”

Rose also questioned Ahmed and Gilkar’s account of events leading up to the surgery.

“If they were willing for Gabriel to receive the surgery, why did a Texas court have to ensure that he received it under the force of law?” Rose said. “The court intervened, and Gabriel has now received the surgery he desperately needed. Praise God.”

Rose also alleged that Ahmed and Gilkar previously declined to consent to the baby’s medical care and are now seeking to take him out of Texas. Their attorney has disputed West’s characterization of the case and said Ahmed and Gilkar consented to surgery once the baby’s medical team determined he was eligible for the procedure.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton previously intervened in the case, notifying two Texas medical centers of what his office said were their legal obligations to provide medically necessary care after the child was born.

The Norwood procedure is the first of three surgeries typically used to treat HLHS, leaving the child’s future medical care at the heart of the continuing dispute.

Budner said the child’s condition remains “critical and complex” and that the family does not intend to provide further health updates.

West, meanwhile, said she intends to continue fighting.

“My plea, my only goal, is simple: Let’s commit to giving this baby the full treatment he needs to live,” West wrote.

Alliance Defending Freedom did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.

A whirlwind of scandal involving drugs, deceit, and danger has thrust a flamboyant entrepreneur from Orange County into the spotlight. The high-stakes saga has led a federal judge to declare the businessman a “danger to the community,” resulting in his detention as he faces serious charges of nearly defrauding a bank of $100 million.

The story took a dramatic turn in June when Mahender Makhijani, a 44-year-old businessman originally from India, was taken into custody by federal agents with guns drawn. His arrest from his luxurious mansion in Newport Beach followed allegations of orchestrating a massive fraud against Western Alliance Bank, headquartered in Phoenix.

However, the alleged financial deceit is merely the tip of the iceberg.

In a recent court session, Federal Judge Autumn Spaeth denied Makhijani’s request for release. The judge cited troubling allegations, including accusations of bribery, rampant cocaine and ketamine use, and involvement in prostitution, painting a sordid picture of the defendant’s recent conduct.

Judge Spaeth concluded that there is “clear and convincing evidence” that Makhijani poses a threat to others and the broader community. Consequently, she ordered that the financier remain in detention while he awaits his trial.

The judge also determined Makhijani is a flight risk and said he made death threats against an Orange County bank employee in an apparent effort to influence the employee’s testimony.

Makhijani has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges stemming from a nearly $100 million loan from Western Alliance Bank.

The businessman once flaunted a lavish lifestyle that included a fleet of high-end sports cars, private jet travel and sex-fueled parties, according to allegations outlined in the case.

Federal prosecutors accuse Makhijani of cooking the books on the loan by doctoring title policies to make real estate pledged as collateral appear substantially more valuable than it actually was.

The nearly $100 million remains unrecovered, according to court papers.

Makhijani enjoyed a high-flying lifestyle before his arrest. He often wore designer sunglasses indoors and favored posh linen shirts, keeping two Newport Beach mansions side by side, with the second reserved for his in-laws.

Makhijani rolled around in a fleet of luxury cars that included a Bentley, Porsche, and Mercedes G-Wagon, controlling “vast sums of money,” to support his lavish lifestyle, court papers say.

Witnesses said he would blackmail his underlings, hosting parties with sex workers and drugs that were attended by bank employees, later threatening to expose those who participated in the twisted festivities.  

An arbitrator in May found Makhijani liable for a more than $1.3 billion in damages over his real estate dealings with Laguna Beach businessman Mohammad Honarkar.

In a 2023 dispute with Honarkar over who had the right to run the Hotel Laguna, Makhijani brought his bouncers into the hotel lobby, where they roughed up workers, evidence in Makhijani’s criminal complaint shows.

The disturbances caused the Laguna and another hotel called 14 West to be temporarily closed after armed guards were involved in a 20-person brawl.   

Honarkar detailed in court documents the threats Makhijani allegedly made against him.

“He’s going to destroy my reputation in Laguna. He’s going to make sure my kids and my grandkids are on the street. He’s going to make my life miserable,” Honarkar said.

In May an arbitrator concluded that Makhijani breached agreements and defrauded Honarkar.

The California Post was there when federal agents swooped on Makhijani to make his arrest.

With automatic weapons drawn, G-men in tactical gear pounced on the slick financier at his plush mansion in the exclusive coastal enclave of Corona del Mar.

Officers with a shield breached the home’s fancy gate and pounded on the front door. “Police with a warrant – Come to the door!” yelled one agent.

After a few tense moments, Makhijani came out in pajamas. The feds placed him in cuffs and put him in a black sedan to be transported to jail.