Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s Firing of CIA Officers Involved in DEI Programs

Judge Anthony J. Trenga, an appointee of George W. Bush, has temporarily blocked President Trump’s move to clean house in the intelligence community—specifically targeting agents involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives that have compromised national security in favor of leftist ideology.

This ruling comes after a group of anonymous intelligence officers, who had been temporarily reassigned to roles implementing controversial Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs, have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the CIA.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, names ODNI, the CIA, and their respective heads—Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe—as defendants.

The plaintiffs, identified as “John Does 1-6” and “Jane Does 1-5,” claim they are being unfairly targeted simply for their prior assignments to DEIA programs.

However, conservatives see it differently. President Trump’s Executive Order 14151, signed on his first day back in office, decisively dismantled DEIA offices across the federal government, branding them “illegal and immoral.”

The order made it clear that radical left-wing hiring practices, which prioritized identity over merit, had no place in a serious government, especially in agencies tasked with protecting American national security.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim they were placed on administrative leave “without cause” and fear imminent termination.

They argue that the ODNI and CIA’s actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the First and Fifth Amendments, essentially accusing the Trump administration of purging government agencies based on assumed political beliefs.

However, the reality is that these DEIA assignments were nothing more than a bureaucratic extension of the far-left’s identity politics agenda, which has infiltrated every corner of government—including national security agencies.

Many of these so-called intelligence officers were not dedicated to protecting America’s security but were instead focused on enforcing radical leftist policies that prioritized “equity” over competence.

However, on Tuesday, Judge Anthony J. Trenga granted an administrative stay, ensuring that the plaintiffs will remain on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until the court rules further on the matter.

The judge also set a timeline for legal proceedings, requiring the government to submit its response by February 20 and allowing plaintiffs to reply by February 21. A full hearing on the TRO is scheduled for Monday, February 24, 2025.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-trumps-firing-cia-officers/

Flashback: Federal Reserve Refuses To Provide Records Of Foreign Gold Holdings

'Such records, if they exist, would be Reserve Bank records, and consequently, not subject to the Board’s Rules Regarding Availability of Information…'

Weeks after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell evaded a sitting congressman’s questions about the central bank’s foreign gold holdings, the Fed has also declined to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request for records about such holdings.

The Federal Reserve’s lack of transparency comes amidst reports that countries are removing their gold and other assets from the U.S. in the wake of the unprecedented Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. According to a 2023 Invesco survey, a “substantial percentage” of central banks expressed concern about how the U.S. and its allies froze nearly half of Russia’s $650 billion gold and forex reserves.

Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., asked Powell about the matter in a December letter, only to have the Fed chair respond last month with evasive non-answers, telling him that the Federal Reserve does not own gold but holds it as a custodian for other entities—a fact that the congressman presumably already knew.

Following Powell’s evasive response, Headline USA filed a FOIA request with the Fed for records reflecting how much gold the Federal Reserve Bank of New York currently holds in its vault, as well as records reflecting the ownership stake that each of FRBNY’s central bank/government clients have in that gold. The FOIA request also sought records about the Fed’s gold holdings prior to Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

However, the Federal Reserve denied the FOIA request on Wednesday.

“Board staff consulted with staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (‘Reserve Bank’) and have been advised that such records, if they exist, would be Reserve Bank records, and consequently, not subject to the Board’s Rules Regarding Availability of Information,” the Fed said.

The Federal Reserve said that this publication could take its request to the New York Fed. However, that institution isn’t subject to FOIA.

Headline USA is working on an appeal.

Meanwhile, sound-money advocates are blasting the Fed’s lack of transparency.

“They’re just passing the buck to the New York Fed. The FRB could obtain the data from the New York Fed if it wanted to, and then could share it with you if it wanted to. The Fed chairman has already essentially told Representative Mooney that the Fed doesn’t want to disclose the information,” said Chris Powell, secretary-treasurer of the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee.

“If only other news organizations dared to ask such relevant questions about the secret operations of the Federal Reserve System,” he said.

Stefan Gleason, CEO of Money Metals Exchange, a large online precious metals dealer and depository based in Idaho, expressed similar sentiments.

“The Fed doesn’t want anyone to know that foreign governments and other central banks are yanking their gold from America’s shores because it would reveal the folly of U.S. monetary and foreign policy,” he said.

https://headlineusa.com/federal-reserve-refuses-to-provide-records-of-foreign-gold-holdings/

Academy Award Nominee Guy Pierce Says Embattled Star Kevin Spacey ‘Targeted’ Him in the Set of 1997 ‘L.A. Confidential’ – Spacey Responds

“’I probably was a victim to a degree; I was certainly not a victim by any means to the extent that other people have been to sexual predators’, Pearce said on the Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Awards Chatter’ podcast.”

“‘Ah, that’s nothing. Ah, no, that’s nothing’, he said, recalling what he told himself at the time. ‘I did that for five months, and really I was sort of scared of Kevin because he’s quite an aggressive man’.

‘He’s extremely charming and brilliant at what he does — really impressive. He holds a room remarkably. But I was young and susceptible, and he targeted me, no question’, Pearce added.”

“’The only days I feel safe are the days when [Simon Baker] is on set because I’m dumped like a hot potato, and [Kevin] focuses on [Simon] because he was 10 times prettier than I am’, he said.”

Spacey – ‘Grow up, Guy Pearce. You are not a victim’.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1891942517139976490

U.S. State Department Designates Six Mexican Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

-Tren De Aragua (Aragua Train)

-Cartel Del Sinaloa (Sinaloa Cartel, Mexican Federation, and Guadalajara Cartel)

-Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (New Generation Cartel of Jalisco, CJNG)

-Carteles Unidos (United Cartels, Cartel de Tepalcatepec, Tepalcatepec Cartel, The Grandfather Cartel, Cartel Del Abuelo, Cartel Los Reyes)

-Cartel Del Noreste (CDN, Northeast Cartel, Los Zetas)

-Cartel Del Golfo (CDG, Gulf Cartel, Osiel Cardenas Guillen Organization

-La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM)

https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-02873.pdf

Israel Has Violated Gaza Ceasefire 266 Times, Killing 132 Palestinians

Over 900 Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli attacks

Israel has violated the Gaza ceasefire 266 times and has killed 132 Palestinians since the truce went into effect on January 19, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday, citing Palestinian security sources.

Out of the 132 people who were killed, 26 succumbed to wounds received during Israeli attacks. Over 900 Palestinians have also been injured by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes.

In many cases, the Israeli military acknowledged its forces fired on Palestinians simply because they were approaching IDF troops. Due to the Israeli military’s open-fire policy, an unarmed Israeli civilian contractor was also killed.

Despite the Israeli ceasefire violations, Hamas is still going through with hostage releases and announced Tuesday that it would be releasing six living and four dead Israeli hostages this week.

Hamas said that in exchange, Israel agreed to allow mobile homes and construction vehicles into Gaza. The fact that Israel had been blocking such equipment is also a ceasefire violation since it made a commitment to allow the aid to enter Gaza under the initial ceasefire and hostage deal.

https://news.antiwar.com/2025/02/18/israel-has-violated-gaza-ceasefire-266-times-killing-132-palestinians/

5 IDF reservists indicted for severe abuse of Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman

Indictment says soldiers broke prisoner’s ribs, caused internal tear in his rectum during assault at detention facility in July

Military prosecutors on Wednesday filed an indictment against five reserve soldiers for severely abusing a Palestinian detainee at the Israel Defense Forces’ Sde Teiman detention facility in southern Israel last summer.

The high-profile investigation into the abuse caused outrage among coalition politicians, government ministers, and right-wing activists. When the reservists were detained on July 29, 2024, dozens broke into the detention facility and another army base in an attempt to thwart the arrests.

According to the indictment, the five soldiers severely beat and assaulted the prisoner after he was brought to the detention facility on July 5, 2024, leaving him with severe injuries, including broken ribs and an internal tear in his rectum.

The IDF said the indictment was based on a Military Police investigation, including “extensive medical records and authentic visual documentation from the security cameras in the detention facility.” (Leaked footage aired by Channel 12 news in August purported to show the abuse.)

The five soldiers — a team commander, a security guard, an interpreter, and two others — were members of “Force 100,” a Military Police reserve unit tasked with guarding terror suspects at the Sde Teiman base. Two were officers with the ranks of major and captain, and the other three were a sergeant major, a sergeant first class and a corporal.

The five were tasked with searching detainees.

Alongside the five accused reservists was a group of three soldiers tasked with shielding those carrying out the searches from the other detainees held at the facility, using plastic riot shields. Another two soldiers were situated outside the detention area and were tasked with securing the site.

Initially, all 10 soldiers were detained, though prosecutors did not seek to hold the other five soldiers in custody.

According to the indictment, in afternoon of July 5, 2024, a group of Palestinian detainees was transferred from Ofer Prison in the West Bank — which is run by the Israel Prison Service — to the IDF’s Sde Teiman detention facility.

Among them was a prisoner whom the Force 100 team commander identified as “senior and new.” The indictment identifies the detainee only with the initials S. A. He was previously identified as a Hamas police officer.

At 10:26 p.m. that day, the Force 100 team searched one detainee, which lasted around a minute.

Right after, two of the accused reservists came to a mattress where S. A. was lying down, picked him up, and took him to a place where they would search him. The Palestinian detainee’s hands and legs were shackled and he had a blindfold over his eyes.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/5-idf-reservists-indicted-for-severe-abuse-of-palestinian-detainee-at-sde-teiman/

The NTSB’s black box data just confirmed what we all feared—this crash wasn’t just bad luck

The NTSB just cracked open the black box from the catastrophic Blackhawk helicopter crash in Washington, DC, and the findings are staggering. This wasn’t just an accident—it was a disaster in motion, a chain reaction of failures that cost 67 lives in a fiery collision with a commercial jet. Every second of that night is now coming into focus, and the picture isn’t pretty.

Altitude chaos. The Blackhawk pilots were flying blind—literally. One thought they were at 300 feet, the other called out 400, but the brutal truth? They were at 278 feet, soaring dangerously above their supposed 200-foot ceiling. The altimeter was feeding them bad data, and they had no idea.

Missed calls. Air traffic control yelled for them to pass behind the jet, a direct order that could have saved them. But did they hear it? No. At the worst possible moment, the Blackhawk pilot’s mic was keyed, blocking the crucial warning. The result? A deadly silence when it mattered most. Seconds later—impact.

Last-second panic. The commercial jet’s pilots saw it coming. They tried to pull up, nose pitched high in a desperate attempt to dodge catastrophe. But the Blackhawk crew? Oblivious. They never saw what hit them. The moment of impact was the first and last thing they knew.

Night vision disaster. The Blackhawk crew was wearing night vision goggles, a standard protocol for military operations. But did those goggles distort reality? Some experts think they may have locked onto the wrong lights in the crowded DC sky. The technology meant to enhance vision may have led them straight to their deaths.

This wasn’t one mistake. It was a cascade of failures, a night where everything that could go wrong did. Bad data, broken communication, failed systems—every piece stacked against them. The NTSB’s preliminary report is coming, but we don’t need to wait to know the truth: something was deeply wrong that night. The black box doesn’t lie. This is a wake-up call, a warning in blood. And the people responsible better start answering some serious questions.

https://citizenwatchreport.com/the-ntsbs-black-box-data-just-confirmed-what-we-all-feared-this-crash-wasnt-just-bad-luck/

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Suspending Refugee Settlement Funding

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to suspend federal funding for refugee resettlement.

The move comes as part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to realign American priorities—protecting the homeland first, rather than funding programs that facilitate unchecked migration.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, names the State Department, the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as defendants.

USCCB is incorporated as a non-profit and headquartered in the District of Columbia.

USCCB alleges that the administration’s decision to freeze funds allocated for refugee assistance is not only unlawful but also in direct violation of congressional appropriations and statutory obligations under the Refugee Act of 1980.

According to the complaint:

For nearly 80 years, the Catholic Church has been caring for refugees within the United States. Refugees face significant challenges upon entering the country, including locating housing, learning English, and finding employment.

The Church has long helped to ease those burdens and integrate refugees into American society by providing shelter, clothing, food, and training.

This work is an expression of charity taken in fulfillment of Christ’s commandment to serve those in need, regardless of their race, creed, or color.

[…]

For more than sixty years, Congress likewise has recognized that refugee assis- tance and resettlement is not just a moral imperative, but also is essential to this country’s interests.

In 1962, in response to the increase of refugees fleeing communist countries, Congress passed the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, which authorized the appropriation of funds to address “urgent refugee and migration needs.”

[…]

Under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, individuals outside the United States who have been persecuted or fear persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, or certain other grounds can seek legal admission into the United States. Refugees are screened abroad for eligibility and admissibility—a rigorous process that involves security and biometric checks, interviews, and medical screening, among other things.

[…]

A core component of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is federal funding for “domestic assistance” for the resettlement of newly arrived refugees, in partnership with private non-profit organizations. 8 U.S.C. § 1522. Rather than rely entirely on private charitable organizations to provide resettlement assistance, Congress made it the “policy of the United States” to commit federal funds in order to “promote opportunities for [refugee] resettlement.” Refugee Act of 1980.

The USCCB’s lawsuit hinges on the claim that the suspension of federal funds for refugee resettlement leaves thousands of refugees in limbo. But what these bishops fail to acknowledge is the utter disaster that Joe Biden’s reckless immigration policies have created.

Under his administration, the southern border became a lawless free-for-all, allowing millions of unvetted illegal immigrants to flood into American communities, overwhelming law enforcement, hospitals, and schools.

https://www.stationgossip.com/2025/02/us-conference-of-catholic-bishops-files.html

Congressman Introduces Bill That Would Allow AI To Replace Your Doctor And Administer Prescriptions, And Normalize Wearables

“…Building medical records, tracking you, helping you manage any pharmaceuticals you use for your heart issues, even down to producing data sets for your cardiologist to remotely look at your data.”

Last month, Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) introduced bills H.R.193 - Maintaining Innovation and Safe Technologies Act, and H.R.238 - Healthy Technology Act of 2025, which, if eventually accepted, would artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to become your doctor and prescribe medications and pharmaceuticals instead.

H.R.193 was first introduced on January 3rd, and then referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and to the Committee on Ways and Means to be considered. The bill would: “To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on payment under the Medicare program for certain items involving artificial intelligence.”

In a press release, Schweikart argued that integrating AI into “our health care system could produce savings from 5 percent to 10 percent of spending, which equates to around $200 billion to $360 billion annually in 2019 dollars.” In a statement he said:

“My fixation on AI integration and the utility it provides to delivering the personalized care that patients deserve continues to grow. This legislation embraces the morality that is tied to implementing innovation further in our health care system.

“Automating the organization and collection of patient information has proven to reduce physician burden, detect health irregularities quicker, and provide hundreds of million dollars in savings each year. The potential for wearable devices to save American lives and American dollars is expanding, and it’s time for coverage to reflect that.”

https://thewinepress.substack.com/p/congressman-introduces-bill-that

Netanyahu at trial: Investigators blackmailed and distorted testimonies to create allegations

Netanyahu testifies in his corruption trial, denies bribery, and claims investigators manipulated witnesses to build their case against him, via 'guilt by association.'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday corruption trial testimony centered on allegations that Communications Ministry officials enacted on behalf of the Israeli leader policies to benefit Bezeq owner and co-defendant Shaul Elovitch, with Netanyahu charging that the investigators had manipulated the officials to bolster their accusations of a media bribery scheme.

Defense Attorney Amit Hadad said that then-Communications Ministry chief of staff Eitan Tzafrir was instrumental in the prosecution's theory that Netanyahu had advanced telecommunications policies like administrative approval or a 2015 Bezeq-Yes merger in return for positive news coverage yet had not called on him to testify.

Netanyahu said that Tzafrir was not summoned as a star witness because investigators never thought the legal process would reach the point of a trial but rather that the allegations would be resolved in a plea deal.

Judge Moshe Bar-Am and the prosecution challenged Hadad to invite Tzafrir himself to examine him before the court.

Netanyahu said that he wasn't aware of meetings between ex-Yes CEO Ron Eilon and Tzafrir related to the merger, nor had he ordered the chief of staff to approve the deal to satisfy Elovitch.

The prime minister also wasn't aware of or had ordered, according to his testimony, two meetings by aide David Sharan and former Bezeq VP Amikam Shorer. Hadad argued that the meetings were due to their friendship, not due to a bribery scheme.

The defense attorney also argued that Sharan's 2018 interrogation by investigators had indicated that Netanyahu had made no orders regarding the merger.

Netanyahu said that investigators didn't confront him with statements by Sharan, former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber, and other witnesses because he would have set the matter straight. Investigators distorted testimonies and blackmailed witnesses to be able to make their allegations, said Netanyahu.

The hearing ended early with a final point by Hadad that the Israeli leader's office had issued a missive on the need for telecommunications policy reform that would ostensibly harm the business interests of former Walla and Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch.

Netanyahu said that no one had called him or pressed him not to pursue the reforms, including his co-defendant Elovitch.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-842861

Fake Organic Food At Whole Foods?!

Sourcing from China: It has been reported that a significant portion of organic produce sold in the U.S., including at Whole Foods, is imported from China. This has raised questions about the true organic nature of these products.

Environmental Regulations: China’s environmental regulations are not as strict as those in the U.S., leading to potential contamination of organic produce with harmful chemicals and pollutants.

Certification Issues: There are concerns that some Chinese farmers may be obtaining organic certification without adhering to the necessary standards.

https://doctorfarrah.com/2024/05/02/fake-organic-food-from-china-is-flooding-u-s-store-shelves-what-you-need-to-know-2/

These Ukrainian soldiers are furious over Trump’s decision to cut funding so this is their response.

They threaten President Trump, then they burned an effigy of him, all while wearing Ukranian military gear that we most likely paid for.

This is DESPICABLE:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1891945076768584074

Historic Sovereignty Bill for Judea and Samaria Introduced in Knesset

In a bold legislative move that could reshape Israel’s future, Knesset Member Ohad Tal (Religious Zionist Party) has introduced a groundbreaking bill to apply Israeli sovereignty throughout Judea and Samaria. The initiative represents a significant shift in approach to the region’s status and comes at a crucial moment in Israeli history.

Speaking exclusively to Israel365 News about the bill, MK Tal emphasized that the time has come for Israel to “go back to the truth” about its connection to these biblical heartlands. “We are here not because we need Judea and Samaria for security reasons,” Tal explained. “We are here because Judea and Samaria is the Biblical heartland of the Jewish people. We are here in this land only because of these places.”

The legislation, which has garnered support from Religious Zionist Party members but has yet to be signed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich due to his ministerial position, seeks to establish full Israeli sovereignty over the regions commonly known to much of the world as the West Bank. The move represents a departure from decades of interim arrangements that have governed the area.

Tal’s initiative comes at a particularly significant moment, as he points out that recent events have prompted a fundamental reassessment of long-held assumptions about peace in the region. “For too many years we’ve tried to fool ourselves,” Tal stated, “allowing ourselves to become addicted to false peace and quiet, to think that if you pay the bully, he will leave you alone.”

The Knesset member referenced multiple historical attempts at territorial compromise, including the 2005 disengagement from Gaza and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s 2008 peace proposal that would have given the Palestinians 96% of Judea and Samaria and shared sovereignty over East Jerusalem. “It has been proven time and time again that it doesn’t bring peace, not stability, not prosperity, only misery, agony, death and bloodshed to everybody, to Jews and Arabs alike,” Tal asserted.

In a particularly pointed observation, Tal highlighted that between 1948 and 1967, when Jordan controlled the area, no Palestinian state was established. “If what they want so much is a Palestinian state, why didn’t they establish a Palestinian state during those 19 years?” he questioned. “The whole lie of Palestinian nationality and a Palestinian state was only meant for one purpose, and that is to destroy the Jewish state.”

https://israel365news.com/400519/historic-sovereignty-bill-for-judea-and-samaria-introduced-in-knesset/

14 arrested in hit against money laundering gang in Portugal and Spain

Suspects provided money-laundering services to other EU-based criminal networks

Europol has supported a cross-border operation led by Spanish authorities and involving law enforcement from Portugal against the members of a criminal network, mainly Russian nationals, who provided money-laundering services to other EU-based gangs. The ring had already laundered more than EUR 1 million since the beginning of the investigation.

The action day took place on 21 January 2025 in Spain (Madrid, Málaga, Marbella, Torremolinos, Coín and Ayamonte) and Portugal (Lisbon). All in all, the operation led to:

14 arrests

9 house searches

Seizure of over EUR 1 million in cash and cryptocurrencies.

Suspects mainly operated in Spain, used the Hawala method to move the cash sourced mainly from drugs trafficking, and launder the funds collected relying on their own company networks. Investigators believe the gang were carrying out daily cash transactions, occasionally reaching up to EUR 300 000 per day.

Putting the focus on financial investigations

Throughout the investigation, Europol experts provided analytical support to national authorities. A specialist was also deployed during the action day to work hand-on-hand with investigators on the spot and assist them in the extraction of data and further analysis.

The most dangerous organised crime groups carry out complex money laundering schemes to conceal their illegal profits, as in this case. To tackle these top criminals successfully, Europol is putting more focus on investigating high-value targets, financial investigations and asset recovery.

At the same time, Europol aims at increasing its operational impact by dismantling poly-criminal organised groups. To this end, Europol is enhancing its analytical capabilities and developing a complete operational support model to identify, organise, coordinate and deploy multi-disciplinary teams to work with Member States and support priority investigations.

https://www.europol.europa .eu/media-press/newsroom/news/14-arrested-in-hit-against-money-laundering-gang-in-portugal-and-spain

Nearly Two Dozen Trinitarios Gang Members Charged with RICO Conspiracy; State Leader Charged with Four Murders

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/nearly-two-dozen-trinitarios-gang-members-charged-rico-conspiracy-state-leader-charged

Hidden Ties Behind Ozempic Maker's Billion-Dollar Empire: BlackRock and Vanguard’s Role Exposed

Despite warnings about the dangers of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic, its makers Novo Nordisk, an esteemed member of Big Pharma, continues to profit.

Recently, the firm became Europe’s most valuable company with a market cap over $350 billion as Hollywood stars and celebrities praised its products.

However, the question remains: Can you get any shadier than profiting from a potentially dangerous drug, especially with Novo Nordisk’s ties to controversial firms?

The Dark Side of Profits and Big Pharma Traces

Among Novo Nordisk's top institutional shareholders are BlackRock and Vanguard Group, owning 5% and 2.8% of its Class B stock, respectively. Both firms have a history of profiting from conflicts, including those in Gaza and Ukraine, where they've been involved in land acquisitions amidst the chaos.

Shady Connections

BlackRock has a well-documented history of profiting from conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine, where they’ve been heavily involved in land acquisitions while locals face turmoil.

Vanguard has similarly been criticized for its involvement in the quiet purchase of large swathes of land, particularly in conflict zones where people are distracted by ongoing violence.

So, how does this tie back to Novo Nordisk? Well, when major players like BlackRock and Vanguard are heavily invested in a company, it’s not just about financial returns — they can shape the corporate direction, often with little regard for the ethical implications of the products they help market.

Other Notable Shareholders of Novo Nordisk

In addition to BlackRock and Vanguard, there are a few more heavy hitters that round out the top shareholders of Novo Nordisk. Some of these companies have their own controversial reputations:

Morgan Stanley (0.42%)

Bank of America Corporation (0.42%)

Goldman Sachs Trust II - Goldman Sachs GQG Partners International Opportunities Fund (0.7%, Class B stock)

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250216/hidden-ties-behind-ozempic-makers-billion-dollar-empire-blackrock-and-vanguards-role-exposed-1121574533.html

Musk's DOGE is Not Auditing Funding for Israel

Syria’s Grand Mufti: “In Syria there are 23 Million Christians and 23 Million Muslims”. Forced into Exile by U.S. Sponsored Al Qaeda’s Al-Sharaa Regime

Our thoughts are with Syria’s Grand Mufti, Dr. Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun, a man of peace and humility, whose house was recently attacked in Aleppo, but who is now safe outside of Syria.

Hassoun is emblematic of an anti-sectarian, pluralist, unified Syria, explaining to investigative reporter Eva Bartlett in 2018 that

‘In Syria, there are 23 million Christians, and 23 million Muslims. My title is Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, not the Mufti of a particular denomination.’” (1)

His statement reflects those of most Syrians who do not define themselves in terms of religious labels and associations, who reject sectarian hatred, extremism and terrorism — all products and instruments of Western Regime Change operations.

I remember meeting Syria’s Grand Mufti Hassoun years ago, in 2016, as Syria was being besieged by Western-supported sectarian terrorists, the same ones who now claim to govern Syria. He said then that profiting from arms manufacturing should be illegal.

He was right. War profiteering has been a significant driver behind the war on Syria, as it is with NATO expansionism.

What Dr. Hassoun may have overlooked at the time is the pernicious role of International Finance as leading war profiteers.

International Financial Institutions helped set the stage for the war on Syria in the first place. Prof. Michel Chossudovsky notes in “SYRIA: NATO’s Next “Humanitarian” War?” that IMF guidance in 2006 included austerity measures, a freeze on wages, the deregulation of the financial system, trade reform and privatization … leading to unemployment, “social unrest and mass protest.” (2)

Syrians were (by design) ripe for productive change, but not the fake “revolution” and Western-imposed sectarian carnage that would soon dismantle their country.

Now that the elected government has fallen, with al Qaeda posing as the new government, International Financial Institutions are again circling Syria like vultures, keen to profit from Syria’s Western-imposed misery.

According to SANA news, “a roadmap for the economic vision” was discussed at a recent conference in Saudi Arabia, where the conference addressed “reintegration of the Central Bank of Syria into the international system, and the representation of Syria in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.”

Importantly, prior to the Western-imposed Regime Change War, Syria reportedly had NO EXTERNAL DEBT. (3)

International Financial Institutions, seemingly far-removed from the mass death and misery that they helped to orchestrate, are in fact some of the key (though largely hidden) villains that will profit from the demise of Syria as a sovereign, pluralist, anti-sectarian nation. Big Finance loans and conditionalities will dictate much of Syria’s political-economy, largely hidden from view.

Tolerance and pluralism are increasingly unwelcome in the “New Syria” fronted by al Qaeda/HTS’ Al-Sharaa.

Largely unseen bad actors have played an important role in this well-planned catastrophe.

https://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-grand-mufti-forced-exile/5880341

Knesset Passes Bill Banning Entry to Israel to October 7 Deniers and Those Backing Prosecution of IDF Soldiers for war crimes

The bill, which passed without opposition, also bans entry to individuals and affiliated organizations supporting the prosecution of IDF soldiers. It also expands a 2017 amendment which bars issuing visas to people affiliated with groups calling to boycott Israel

Israel's Knesset passed a law on Wednesday barring non-Israeli citizens from entering or residing in the country if they – or the organizations they represent – have denied the October 7 massacre or the Holocaust, or have supported the international prosecution of Israeli security personnel.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-02-19/ty-article/.premium/knesset-passes-bill-banning-oct-7-and-holocaust-deniers-from-entering-israel/00000195-1f03-d293-a1d5-ff07d8270000

Nearly 90% of mortgages are government-backed—this market isn’t real. The Fed STOLE the American dream

The housing market is a farce. It’s not some free-market system—it’s a government-run operation, and it’s propped up by handouts at every level. 90% of mortgages are bought by government-backed entities, repackaged into securities, then dumped into the market. The Fed? They own a third of these, distorting mortgage rates and inflating prices. This is no market; it’s a house of cards. When the government finally backs off, the crash will make 2008 look like a minor setback.

Here’s the ugly truth:

Government-backed loans control nearly 90% of new mortgages in the U.S. This isn’t the American Dream—it’s an illusion built on fake money. What was once a symbol of prosperity is now out of reach for younger generations, who are stuck watching homeownership slip further away. The government intervention has inflated prices, distorted the market, and created a bubble set to explode.

Why? It’s all driven by government policy, which was supposed to stabilize the market. Instead, it’s boosted demand and sent prices through the roof.

Let’s break down the mess:

Government Policies: Pushing more buyers into government-backed loans, inflating demand and driving prices sky-high. More people are stuck paying more than they should for a home.

Economic Downturns: The government became the only lender willing to take risks, but its grip on the market created a distorted, unsustainable system.

Low Down Payments: FHA and VA loans may look appealing, but they’re a ticking time bomb—lower down payments have only driven demand even higher, inflating prices even more.

The bottom line: The market is a sham. Housing prices are inflated, and young people are locked out. Government intervention has distorted the market, and taxpayers are on the hook for billions. This isn’t just a problem—it’s a crisis waiting to happen.

The American Dream is slipping through our fingers, and it’s only a matter of time before the bubble bursts. We need to rethink this entire system before it all falls apart.

https://citizenwatchreport.com/nearly-90-of-mortgages-are-government-backed-this-market-isnt-real-the-fed-stole-the-american-dream/

The Israel Exception From U.S. Laws

THE LIFE OF THE LAW is neither logic nor justice. Raw power is paramount whether in lawmaking, interpretation or application. French poet and journalist Anatole France captured the idea in this quip: “The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread.”

Israel occupies the apex of power in the United States. Notwithstanding his ongoing criminal trial in Israel for breach of trust, bribery and fraud and the arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu received 55 standing ovations in addressing a joint session of Congress on July 24, 2024, a high-water mark of legislative exuberance. Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) related to Tucker Carlson that he is the only Republican in Congress not to have an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) minder. AIPAC is notorious for brandishing its financial clout to crush political opposition, as it did in 2024 with former House members Cori Bush (D-MO) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY).

U.S. LAWS WITH DE FACTO ISRAEL EXCEPTIONS

It is no surprise, therefore, that the law is routinely warped to cosset or shield Israel. One prominent example is the Leahy Law of 1997, which prohibits security assistance to any security unit of a foreign country credibly accused of a gross violation of human rights, such as extrajudicial killing, torture or prolonged arbitrary detention. The State Department has de facto carved out an Israel exception to the Leahy Law. No Israeli security unit has ever been disqualified from U.S. security assistance despite what all the world knows and can see in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Author James Bamford, in his meticulously documented book Spyfail, confirms AIPAC is an unregistered “foreign agent” of Israel under the Foreign Agents Registration Act that the U.S. Department of Justice ignores. Registration is required of an entity that, among other things, acts at the “request” of a foreign principal to influence the public policy of the United States. To believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has never “requested” AIPAC in body language or clues to influence Congress and public opinion to support Israel after Oct. 7, 2023, takes fantasy to a new level. AIPAC worked hand in hand with the Israeli government to oppose the sale of AWACs to Saudi Arabia in 1981. Did the left hand not know what the right hand was doing? Think of an analogy. When King Henry II, during a Christmas dinner with four knights in 1170, rhetorically asked, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” the words were understood as a request to murder Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, which promptly ensued.

https://www.wrmea.org/israel-palestine/the-israel-exception-from-u.s.-laws.html

USAID funded Boko Haram slaughter of Christians in Nigeria

Last week we reported how USAID, a federal agency operating under the auspices of the U.S. State Department, funded Islamic terrorism that killed more than 3,000 U.S. soldiers.

We have an update now that suggests Washington’s funding of Islamic terror groups was much more widespread than originally thought.

And the targets included more than just U.S. soldiers.

Adamu Garba, a chieftain and politician of Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress, has affirmed the allegations that the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, was funding Boko Haram, ISIS and other Islamic terrorists organizations known for murdering Christians.

Boko Haram is known for infiltrating the Muslim nomadic Fulani herdsman, who have conducted a reign of terror against Christians for years in Northeastern Nigeria, burning down the Christians’ homes, killing their men, and often kidnapping and raping their daughters.

A 2018 report by Voice of the Martyrs states:

“In June, the New York Times reported that more than 300,000 people have been displaced as a result for the Fulani militant attacks. Over 500 people have been killed by the militants in 2018 alone. The Fulani often attack in the middle of the night with no warning. The militants tend to surround villages, trap the locals inside their houses, and burn the homes. Their victims have no time to prepare or run.”

Now we have a Nigerian political figure, Adam Garba, coming out and saying that most of the money for these Islamic militants originates from USAID.

Garba says funds from USAID were used to purchase weapons for Boko Haram, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other terrorist groups.

In a video he posted on his X page under the title “TERRORISM AS A FOREIGN POLICY TOOL: Terrorism and USAID Funding,” Garba questioned how USAID spent $824 million last year in Nigeria and yet nobody among the announced recipients saw any benefits of that funding.

https://twitter.com/radiodaljir/status/1890945355858018720

Apparently, Garba was triggered to come forth with his statements after hearing about Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Scott Perry’s comments last Wednesday that USAID was funding foreign terrorist groups.

During a February 12 DOGE subcommittee hearing titled: “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” Congressman Perry alleged that $697 million in foreign aid was being steered through USAID to Boko Haram, ISIS, and al-Qaeda.

For example, Perry said there is no record of USAID using $136 million to build 120 schools in Pakistan, as Congress intended the money to be used.

Garba said: “I mentioned this before that Boko Haram, ISWAP, and most of these terrorists, the weapons they get are actually funded by some clandestine foreign operators, they are the ones supplying them weapons.”

He added that:

“The exposé about USAID has confirmed that Boko Haram and all these terrorists are getting their weapons through the funding from USAID. Just last year, USAID spent $824 million in Nigeria, where did the money go to?”

The Nigerian government said the money was spent on child care mortality and education, but little if any of it apparently went for those priorities.

https://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=303807

Israeli official: ‘Goal’ is to ‘demolish more than the Palestinians build’

Israel wants almost 1,000 new housing units in the occupied West Bank

According to reports, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Sunday that “the goal for 2025 is to demolish more than the Palestinians build in the West Bank.” This comes as the Israeli government is reportedly building almost 1,000 additional housing units in the Efrat settlement close to Jerusalem.

The additional units built for settlers in Efrat would increase the settlement’s size by 40% and block development in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem. The roughly 100 existing settlements in the West Bank host around 500,000 Israeli settlers and are considered illegal under international law.

Sunday’s comments from Smotrich reflect his longstanding hopes for Israeli absorption of the West Bank and the nixing of a two-state solution. He published a lengthy plan in 2017 in this regard entitled “One Hope.”

“We need to and can go back to the post-1948 days, regarding both Israeli Arabs and the Arabs of Judea and Samaria,” he outlined in the plan, the first phase of which is called “Victory Through Settlement.” This, he explained, ”will be realized via a political-legal act of imposing sovereignty on all Judea and Samaria, and with concurrent acts of settlement: the establishment of cities and towns, the laying down of infrastructure as is customary in ‘little’ Israel and the encouragement of tens and hundreds of thousands of residents to come live in Judea and Samaria. In this way, we will be able to create a clear and irreversible reality on the ground.”

"The Arabs of Judea and Samaria will be able to conduct their daily life in freedom and peace, but not to vote for the Israeli Knesset at the first stage” as a way to “preserve the Jewish majority in decision-making in the state of Israel.” He vehemently denies that this system resembles apartheid.

Israel has been carrying out military operations in the West Bank’s north for months now, displacing upwards of 40,000 Palestinians, according to experts, which exceeds displacement levels in 1967 after the Six-Day War when Israel annexed the West Bank from Jordan. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that the IDF has killed at least 876 people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since Oct. 7, 2023.

“The purpose of the operations is to prevent terror from places a few kilometers from Jewish communities and to prevent a repeat of Oct.7,” said an IDF spokesperson, but the actions have come at a significant cost to civilians. Ramy Abu Siriye, a local barber who was displaced from Tulkarem in January, lamented, “The soldiers are taking over one area after another, destroying homes, infrastructure, and roads.”

Annelle Sheline, Quincy Institute Middle East fellow, said everyone loses with annexation: Palestinians, Israelis, the greater region. “The Israeli government continues to undermine the long-term security of Israeli citizens, which can only truly be achieved alongside security for Palestinians.”

Further normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors may also be in jeopardy if the West Bank is de facto annexed, threatening the prospect of a Palestinian state. Earlier in February, when President Trump floated forcing Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip, the Saudi Arabian foreign ministry confirmed that further normalization with Israel wouldn’t happen until the establishment of a Palestinian state and that their position was “firm and unwavering.”

The State Department has not yet commented on Smotrich’s remarks or the new settlements in the West Bank.

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/smotrich-calls-for-more-settlements/