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 My son has narrated the last book I wrote. Please consider listening to it and encouraging others to do so too. (Click HERE) World & Nation Judge orders release of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury records, warns no new information ‘of any consequence’  A Manhattan federal judge on Tuesday ordered the release of grand jury records tied to the criminal case of notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell — but warned that the material would not yield “new information of any consequence.” Federal prosecutors must publish the records — including search warrants and grand jury testimony — because of the law President Trump signed last month compelling the release of all Epstein-related documents, Judge Paul Engelmayer found. But the judge cautioned that the new records would not reveal any bombshells to members of the public that followed Maxwell’s 2021 trial, where she was convicted of multiple sex crimes for helping Epstein abuse girls as young as 14. Trump: 'Only Dark and Sinister Forces' Want to End Tariffs  President Donald Trump, in a pair of early morning social media posts, warned that a "negative decision" by the Supreme Court would be catastrophic to the United States. "The biggest threat in history to United States National Security would be a negative decision on Tariffs by the U.S. Supreme Court," Trump posted on Truth Social. "We would be financially defenseless." In a second post, he said that "only dark and sinister forces" want to see the advantages to security end. Trump Approval Rating Rises Amid Cost-of-Living Push  President Donald Trump's approval rating edged up to 41% in the past week as Republicans warmed to his handling of the cost of living, a sign the administration's new focus on affordability might be supporting his popularity, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The six-day poll, which closed on Monday, showed approval of the president rising from 38% late last month, which was the lowest since Trump returned to the White House in January. Trump started his second term with a 47% rating. Republicans performed poorly in a handful of state elections in November as Democrats hammered the Trump administration over persistently high inflation. But in recent weeks Trump has engaged more forcefully on the topic, scaling back some of his tariff increases and pledging to combat high food prices.
Trump warns Ukraine is ‘losing’ Russia war, calls for new elections despite wartime prohibition  President Trump said in an interview Monday that Ukraine should hold new elections despite its ongoing war with Russia, warning that Kyiv would soon reach a point “where it’s not a democracy anymore.” “I think it’s time. I think it’s an important time to hold an election,” the president told Politico reporter Dasha Burns. “They’re using war not to hold an election, but, uh, I would think the Ukrainian people would, should have that choice.” Under Ukraine’s constitution, elections cannot be held during period of martial law — which President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed in response to Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Under normal circumstances, the terms of Zelensky and Ukraine’s parliament would have ended in May and August 2024, respectively. University of Oklahoma removes professor for alleged discrimination related to TA who gave Christian student 0 Latest disciplinary action follows earlier incident where teaching assistant gave Christian student zero grade for biblical essay response  A University of Oklahoma professor is now facing disciplinary action in relation to a zero grade given to a Christian student in a recent essay. Last week, the school confirmed that teaching assistant William "Mel" Curth, who uses she/they pronouns, had been removed from the classroom after flunking student Samantha Fulnecky on an essay wherein Fulnecky invoked her Christian beliefs and the Bible. Now, an assistant teaching professor is accused of viewpoint discrimination stemming from a protest organized to advocate for Curth's return to the classroom. The University of Oklahoma released a statement on social media on Friday evening confirming that a professor, whom it did not identify, offered excused absences to students who wished to join a protest in favor of Curth's reinstatement. Federal judge refuses to release pro-Trump clerk convicted in 2020 election scheme Former Colorado clerk was convicted of helping to breach voting systems to prove 2020 election claims  A federal judge has refused to release a former Colorado clerk who was convicted of attempting to breach voting systems in hopes of proving President Donald Trump's claims of election malfeasance in 2020. The former clerk, 70-year-old Tina Peters, was sentenced to nine years in prison after a state jury convicted her of participating in a scheme to breach the Mesa County voting systems. Peters filed a lawsuit seeking her release earlier this year, arguing that her free speech rights had been violated, but Judge Scott Varholak rejected the move on Monday. "Ms. Peters raises important constitutional questions concerning whether the trial court improperly punished her more severely because of her protected First Amendment speech," Varholak wrote. "But because this question remains pending before Colorado courts, this Court must abstain from answering that question until after the Colorado courts have decided the issue." Dem-appointed education officials face new scrutiny as Feeding Our Future scandal widens, Trump targets fraud Legislators found Minnesota got 30 complaints about Feeding Our Future but conducted only one review by 2024  New scrutiny has fallen on former Minnesota Department of Education leaders as the Feeding Our Future scandal tied to Gov. Tim Walz widens and President Donald Trump announces new measures targeting fraud in the state. Feeding Our Future (FOF) was a Minnesota nonprofit that aimed to feed low-income children, though federal prosecutors claimed it illegally funneled more than $250 million in taxpayer funds to shell companies and people who used the money to purchase luxury cars, residential and commercial real estate, international travel and expensive jewelry. MDE was the government’s financial interlocutor responsible for approving and monitoring it. In 2018, MDE conducted its only administrative review of the child and adult care food program operations (CACFP) at FOF. Zelenskyy Refuses to Cede Land to Russia as He Rallies European Support  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the pope near Rome on Tuesday as he continued to rally European support for Ukraine while resisting U.S. pressure for a painful compromise with Russia. Answering reporters’ questions in a WhatsApp chat, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his firm refusal to cede any territory, saying that “we clearly don’t want to give up anything,” even as "the Americans are looking for a compromise today, I will be honest.” “Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories,” he said in the message late Monday. ”According to the law we don’t have such right. According to Ukraine’s law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either." Deep Dive Underway on Somali Visas  Border czar Tom Homan told Newsmax on Monday that the Trump administration is conducting an extensive review of visa fraud within Minnesota's Somali community. His comments follow Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's recent guidance that 50% of visas in Minnesota are fraudulent. Homan said the administration has ordered a full-scale crackdown to identify illegal entrants, national security threats, and individuals who entered the country through improperly vetted visa programs. Trump Proposes $12B Aid Package for Farmers Hit Hard by China Trade War  President Donald Trump announced a $12 billion farm aid package on Monday — a boost to farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised tariffs on China as part of a broader trade war. He unveiled the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who raise cattle and grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, wheat, and potatoes. "$12 billion is a lot of money," Trump said, adding that the additional aid will help provide certainty for farmers. The money is coming from tariff revenue, he said. Habba Resigns as US Attorney for N.J., to Keep DOJ Role  President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Alina Habba said Monday she is resigning as the top federal prosecutor for New Jersey, giving up her fight to stay in the job after an appeals court said she had been serving in the post unlawfully. In a statement posted on social media, Habba assailed the court's ruling as political, but said she was resigning "to protect the stability and integrity" of her office. "But do not mistake compliance for surrender," she said, adding that the administration would continue its appeal. "This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me." Australia launches youth social media ban it says will be the world's 'first domino' More than 1 million social media accounts held by users under 16 are set to be deactivated in Australia in a divisive world-first ban that is being closely watched elsewhere.  Can children and teenagers be forced off social media en masse? Australia is about to find out. More than 1 million social media accounts held by users under 16 are set to be deactivated in Australia on Wednesday in a divisive world-first ban that has inflamed a culture war and is being closely watched in the United States and elsewhere. Social media companies will have to take “reasonable steps” to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed. Australian officials say the landmark ban, which lawmakers swiftly approved late last year, is meant to protect children from addictive social media platforms that experts say can be disastrous for their mental health. Supreme Court win for Trump in FTC case would restore the Founders’ design If Monday’s Supreme Court argument is any indication, the days of “independent” agencies acting as a fourth branch of government are numbered. In Trump v. Slaughter, a solid majority of the justices seemed ready to confirm what the Constitution already implies: If an official is exercising executive power, the elected president has to be able to say, “You’re fired.” The case arises from President Trump’s decision months ago to remove Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat he had first appointed (under the statutory requirements for partisan balance) and President Joe Biden later renominated. Millennial Snot: The smarmy, patronizing way liberal elites talk down to the rest of us Back in May 2024, a black studies professor — an academic of the type who writes dissertations about the semiotics of Beyonce — “clapped back” at one of her peers, a white man who had dared complain that all the jobs in his corner of academia had been given to minorities. Their grating exchange went viral, and the poor schmuck certainly won’t be finding work now. Setting aside the content of the argument, I was struck by how these people spoke to one another: These are middle-aged PhDs with prestigious careers, talking like snotty teenagers or sassy drag queens. Note the overuse of sarcasm, emphasizing asterisks, exclamation points, and pregnant-pause ellipses to denote how “over it” they are. They all speak in the dramatic tone of the mean girl. I call it “Millennial Snot.” |
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