>>24666591, >>24666811 (both pb) Ukraine ‘deliberately’ struck Europe’s largest nuclear plant – Rosatom
If Ukraine could actually use long-range ballistics, Zelensko can probably take Russia and all of Europe in a day.
>>24667899 (pb) @KamalaHarris Pride is joy. Pride is courage. Pride is a celebration. And Pride is the ongoing fight…
I asked satan one day what his top secret weapon is. Satan said, "pervert them".
Pete Hegseth’s anti-DEI speech at West Point is a template to save American lives
Regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, we need the best of the best to protect us.
If you have not read, watched or listened to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s recent commencement address at West Point, you really should make the time to do so. It’s about protecting the lives of you and your family.
During his desperately needed remarks, the secretary of war reminded the cadets before him, "The battlefield does not grade on a curve, and you can’t throw your pronouns at the enemy. Combat is the ultimate test, and our best Americans must ace it."
Hegseth then rightfully singled out the United States Military Academy by calling out the "woke and weak leaders" who sought to transform West Point into a "woke Princeton," Hegseth's alma mater.
The combat-decorated secretary said, in part, regarding those "leaders" of West Point: "They embraced the DEI craze and tried to introduce diversity and inclusion studies. They hired professors who advocated for anti-American ideologies right here in these halls."
How correct Hegseth is. On this point, I have a personal connection with the warning the secretary of war delivered, West Point and the secretary himself.
Back on July 2, 2022, I was on the hallowed grounds of West Point to appear on "Fox & Friends Weekend" to discuss my just-authored book, "The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who Risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence," a book I had only written to protect our Founding Fathers from the "woke" mob continually seeking to cancel them.
Soon after my segment finished, a senior officer at West Point quietly approached me and asked if he could speak with me in private. After we walked off to the side, he outlined in detail how West Point was not only "going far left but eliminating or watering down one standard and tradition after the other." With tears in his eyes, he begged me to get the word out.
To be sure, I tried, but it is a word Secretary Hegseth is much better positioned than I to amplify. As he just did so admirably.
With regard to Hegseth himself, while staying on the grounds of West Point, I had the honor to speak with him one on one several times. To say that he is one who deeply cares about our military and the exceptionalism of our nation would be a vast understatement.
He just proved so with his words calling out the destruction DEI is deliberately visiting upon our military.
During his commencement speech, Hegseth also reminded all, "Many of you, even in your short time in uniform have endured what I call the slow slide of the U.S. Army. You’ve seen standards lowered. You’ve seen an obsession with race and gender. You’ve seen the watering down of discipline, codes weakened and traditions tossed aside in the name of political correctness, statues taken down, paintings placed in the basement."
It is here that I would like to make the most critical point of all. For it is not just the Army or our military in which we see "standards lowered … an obsession with race and gender … the watering down of discipline, codes weakened and traditions tossed aside in the name of political correctness," but in every single occupation which ultimately holds the precious lives of American citizens in its hands.
Be those occupations: our police and fire departments; the health care industry; the airline and transportation industries; air traffic controllers; 911 operators; and our utilities. All in the age of Obama and Biden which have become infused with draconian DEI edicts which have dangerously watered down the quality and effectiveness of those occupations.
Hegseth’s warning about the corrosive – and nation-weakening – effect of DEI in our military applies as much or more to those fields. Jobs which, every single day, do hold the lives of every single American citizen in their hands in one way or the other.
I don’t believe "identity politics" should be the metric used to fill any job. Real world experience and merit should be the only criteria when seeking to fill any position. But, most especially, when it comes to our military, our police, our firefighters, our doctors, our nurses and our pilots, "identity politics" should never be employed.
Hegseth’s West Point commencement address should be superimposed over all these occupations. The welfare, health and very lives of all Americans depend upon those careers and callings being filled only by those most qualified.
Regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, we need the best of the best to protect us. A common sense — and life-saving — point every American should agree upon.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/pete-hegseths-anti-dei-speech-west-point-template-save-american-lives
This Is How the Iran War Ends
With a ceasefire deal ‘largely negotiated,’ Mike Doran talks to a senior administration official who lays out Trump’s two-step plan for peace.
Donald Trump now governs between enemies who want him to fail, and allies who demand impossible victories. He confronts that predicament as he announces that an agreement reopening the Strait of Hormuz is now “largely negotiated.”
Trump faces attacks from both directions at once. Republican allies such as Senator Lindsey Graham fear an ignominious retreat. “If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism,” Graham warned on X over the weekend, “then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate [sic] force requiring a diplomatic solution.” Such an outcome, he added, “will be a nightmare for Israel.” Meanwhile, Democrats who opposed the war from the start depict the move toward diplomacy as an admission of futility. Senator Chris Van Hollen gloated that the emerging framework amounts to “a return to the prewar status quo.”
Adversaries claim that Trump’s diplomacy vindicates their depiction of the war as needless and reckless, while supporters demand an unconditional victory he cannot realistically deliver. Both sides misrepresent the strategic logic of the moment.
https://www.thefp.com/p/iran-war-end-trump-peace-deal-israel
EPA Advances Farmers’ Right to Repair Their Own Equipment, Saving Repair Costs and Productivity
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advanced American farmers and equipment owners’ lawful right to repair their farm and other nonroad diesel equipment. EPA’s guidance to manufacturers clarifies that the Clean Air Act (CAA) supports, rather than restricts, Americans’ ability to make repairs on their own, and makes clear manufacturers can no longer use the CAA to justify limiting access to repair tools or software. For America’s farmers, timely and affordable repairs are essential to planting, harvesting, and keeping operations running.
“EPA is proud to set the record straight and protect farmers. For far too long, manufacturers have wrongly used the Clean Air Act to monopolize the repair markets, hurting our farmers,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “Common sense is following the law as it is written, and that is what the Trump EPA is committed to doing. By protecting every American’s right to repair, we’re not just fixing devices, we’re securing a stronger, more independent future for our country.”
“This is another win for American farmers and ranchers by the Trump Administration. By clarifying manufacturers can no longer use the Clean Air Act to justify limiting access to repair tools or software, we are reaffirming the lawful right of American farmers and equipment owners to repair their farm equipment,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Thank you, Administrator Zeldin, for continuing to put farmers first. This is expected to save our farmers thousands in unnecessary repairs, saving much needed funds after Bidenflation drove up equipment costs on average 45%.”
“EPA’s guidance affirming the Right to Repair will save our agricultural communities thousands of dollars by eliminating corporate middlemen and empowering farmers to fix their own equipment,” said Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “The Clean Air Act has long crushed family farmers across America – but under the Trump Administration, they are finally getting the regulatory relief to break free from burdensome Green New Scam rules and focus on the vital job of feeding, clothing, and fueling America and the world.”
For years, prominent equipment manufacturers have interpreted the CAA’s emission control anti-tampering provisions as preventing them from making essential repair tools available to all Americans. This has forced farmers to take their equipment exclusively to manufacturer-authorized dealers to be fixed, even though the repair could have been made in the field or at a nearby independent repair shop. Not only has this made repairs more costly, but it has also caused many farmers to opt for older agricultural equipment that lack modern emission controls simply because they can fix that equipment themselves.
EPA’s guidance does not change the law, weaken emission standards, or reduce compliance obligations. Rather, it clarifies what the CAA already states, that temporary overrides of emission control systems are allowed when it is for the “purpose of repair” to that equipment to obtain proper functionality. This clarification applies to all nonroad diesel engines equipped with advanced emission control technologies including selective catalytic reduction and inducement systems as well as Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system repairs. Importantly, farmers and equipment owners are not required to rely on authorized dealers exclusively to fix equipment. This makes clear that the law should not serve as a barrier to timely, affordable maintenance of agricultural equipment.
Today’s action will not only expand consumer choice and provide opportunities for farmers but also encourage the use of newer farm equipment. This underscores the agency’s commitment to both America’s farmers and EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment.
On June 3, 2025, John Deere sent a letter to EPA requesting the agency issue guidance confirming that temporary emission control overrides are allowed by EPA. The agency’s guidance is a direct response to this request and makes clear that temporary overrides are allowed under the CAA.
On August 12, 2025, Administrator Zeldin announced new guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software in existing vehicles and equipment. EPA’s action works to protect hard-working American farmers, truckers, and other diesel equipment operators from sudden shutdowns and give them the time to make repairs without impacting productivity or safety.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-advances-farmers-right-repair-their-own-equipment-saving-repair-costs-and
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
In the last two weeks I've taken out many bad Political "Leaders” and Pundits including Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Lightweight “Congressman” Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brad Raffensperger of Georgia, REALLY DUMB Stephen Colbert of CBS, and others. My score, for two weeks, is 38-0, with three more limping Late Night Talk Show Hosts, including Low Ratings Bill Maher and his Fake "Laughing Machine," to go. It is my Honor to be working so hard for our Country! President DONALD J. TRUMP
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116677916960939162
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Alvin Bragg created a new crime just for “Donald Trump.” He took misdemeanors that didn’t exist, and turned them into felonies that never existed. They have a “charge” for Donald Trump that nobody has ever been charged with in the History of Manhattan, and they didn’t charge Hillary Clinton’s lawyer who became the Chief Prosecutor, Mark Pomerantz, and the Judge’s Daughter was the Chief Fundraiser for Kamala Harris and Sleepy Joe Biden. Dirty Cops and Crooked Politicians!
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116677920122432884
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
If Iran surrenders, admits their Navy is gone and resting at the bottom of the sea, and their Air Force is no longer with us, and if their entire Military walks out of Tehran, weapons dropped and hands held high, each shouting “I surrender, I surrender” while wildly waving the representative White Flag, and if their entire remaining Leadership signs all necessary “Documents of Surrender,” and admit their defeat to the great power and force of the magnificent U.S.A., The Failing New York Times, The China Street Journal (WSJ!), Corrupt and now Irrelevant CNN, and all other members of the Fake News Media, will headline that Iran had a Masterful and Brilliant Victory over The United States of America, it wasn’t even close. The Dumacrats and Media have totally lost their way. They have gone absolutely CRAZY!!! President DJT
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116677921449196957
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116677912770941510
Trump calls to vote with latest endorsements.
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump
https://swampthevoteusa.com/iowa-make-a-plan-to-vote/
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump
Iran's annual inflation rate reaches 53.9%, Central Bank of Iran says
Iran's annual inflation rate reached 53.9% during the last Iranian calendar month, which ended on May 21, the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) said on Monday.
CBI said point-to-point inflation, which compares prices with the same month a year earlier, reached 77.2%. Point-to-point inflation for goods stood at 113%.
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202606014821
Unveiling the history beneath the Lincoln Memorial
To call Washington a "swamp" is a metaphor, but also the literal truth. So, when planning began for the Lincoln Memorial in the early 1910s, builders faced a real sinking problem. Their solution led to one of Washington's best-kept secrets, hidden for over a century … until now.
Underneath the Lincoln Memorial is what's known as the memorial's Undercroft (a term usually reserved for the vaulted basement of a medieval castle or cathedral). Here, 120 massive concrete pillars sink 50 feet into the ground, down to the bedrock, to support the weight of the marble above.
The entire space, 50,000 square feet (almost twice the size of the memorial above), has never been seen by the public before, said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. He also pointed out the stalactites: "They're still dripping. And of course, as the rainwater comes through cracks in the granite, it seeps down here, picks up calcium," he said.
Visitors will be able to see it for themselves starting this June, in a new museum hanging directly beneath the memorial. "I thought it would be a good idea just to have more of an educational role for the Lincoln Memorial," said philanthropist David Rubenstein, who helped bring the Undercroft out of the shadows, donating a quarter of the $69 million needed for its transformation.
"You can't really be a great country if you don't really honor your history and understand your history," Rubenstein said.
He hopes it expands our understanding of Abraham Lincoln, whose own life wasn't as grand as the marble above suggests. "He had a very complicated life," Rubenstein said. "He had a lot of tragedy in his life. A lot of his children died before they were very old. [He] had a very complicated marriage as well. But in the end, he rose up to the occasion and became, I think, our greatest president."
Some of the exhibits will also be about the memorial itself. Howard University historian Edna Greene Medford sees the memorial as a stage for America's changing ideas of freedom. "I think it's still about freedom, hope, and today it's about inclusion," she said.
In 1939, contralto Marian Anderson, barred by Whites-only policies at the city's indoor venues, moved her concert performance here, delivering the opening notes to a decades-long battle for civil rights where the memorial often took center stage.
As Martin Luther King Jr said on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, "Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time."
Medford said, "The memorial becomes not just a symbol for freedom for Black people, but it becomes a symbol of freedom for various groups. They feel that this is their memorial. And they are interpreting freedom in their own way."
The museum touches on this history, but it is opening at a moment when other national park sites are removing signs and reviewing exhibitions related to slavery and racism. The administration calls it "restoring truth and sanity to American history."
But with slavery and racism such a fundamental part of the story of the Lincoln Memorial and the new museum, who gets to determine the truth? According to Secretary Burgum, "There's a place to have current cultural debates. And then, there's a place to just tell and celebrate our history. We're not a nation without flaws, but we are a nation that was based on continuous improvement. And we may have 'over-rotated' towards a point of some kind of massive self-criticism, 'cause maybe it was expedient, politically, in the short term. It's important, when we're using federal dollars, that we tell the story that celebrates this country."
The Undercroft invites visitors to see the Lincoln Memorial in its entirety – not just the ideal in marble above, but the work, the weight, and the imperfections underneath. A fitting view perhaps, for Lincoln, and for a country still gathering at his feet.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-undercroft-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial/
Jennifer Lopez’ Daughter Emme Comes Out as a Trans ‘Boy’ Named Oskar
Jennifer Lopez’ Daughter Emme has now come out identifying as a transgender “boy” named Oskar Muñiz after graduating from high school.
Emme made the announcement in March on the Windward school announcements Instagram account under the name Oskar Muñiz along with a photo of the girl when she was a child. The connection to Emme didn’t really make much of a wave until this month when the news finally broke wide after Emme graduated from high school on May 28, The New York Post reported.
Emme had come out as non-binary and used “they/them” pronouns in 2022.
The pronoun change came two years after Emme, dressed in a short, girly skirt, joined her mother, JLo onstage during Lopez’s Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2020 to sing JLo’s song, Let’s Get Loud.
At least 31 celebrities have gay, non-binary, of transgender children, including Robert De Niro, Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts, Eddie Murphy, Cher, Dean McDermott, Charlize Theron, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cynthia Nixon, Sting, Adele, R Kelly, Marlon Wayans, Angelina Jolie, Megan Fox and many more.
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/06/01/jennifer-lopez-daughter-emme-comes-out-as-a-trans-boy-named-oskar/
ICMYI: Jill Biden Talks Joe Biden's Legacy, Opens Up About 2024 Debate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cERZqf_ZaoY
Overton
@overton_news
Bill Maher just dropped a surprising admission about Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt that’s going to shock a lot of liberals in La La Land.
MAHER: “I had Spencer Pratt on my podcast the other day…”
“You know what, I know I’m supposed to hate him — I don’t!”
“He’s a nice guy…what’s charming about him is he has no advisors.”
“I confronted him on like this and this, you’re have to think about. No, I only care about the issues I care about.”
“So he’s very honest about that.”
“It’s funny because he’s running as a Republican and doing quite well.”
“Everybody here is saying what you think about Spencer Pratt? He’s on everybody’s mind.”
“He’s very un-Californian in that way for a guy who is from California.”
https://x.com/overton_news/status/2060565816760840395
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic: Donald Trump ‘Much More Popular’ in Serbia than Any Other U.S. Leader Because He Is ‘Pragmatic,’ ‘Rational’
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Breitbart News exclusively in his office here that American President Donald Trump is easily the most popular United States political leader in his country in a very long time.
Vucic said that Trump’s popularity in Serbia in the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election reached astronomical proportions, with three quarters of Serbs liking Trump and wanting him to win. Vucic said that, in Serbia, Trump had “by far the biggest support” of anywhere in Europe and not even deep-red states like West Virginia, Kentucky, or Louisiana could hold a candle to Trump’s favorability here.
“What I can say is I was surprised with some comments that were made in the press in the United States where some other European countries in the past were emphasized as strongholds of Donald Trump because it was very obvious for all of us that in Serbia he had by far the biggest support, speaking about the election campaign, and that support exceeded even at that time 75 percent of those that are determined of course — which was not the case, even in the United States,” Vucic said. “Nowhere else.”
Vucic is the president of Serbia, a Balkan country in Eastern Europe that has frankly been through a lot over the last century plus. Serbia was part of Yugoslavia, which was divided during the aftermath of the breakup of the Soviet Union in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and before that was behind the Iron Curtain of Communism in the Soviet Union. But before Communism swept eastern Europe, Serbians sided with the Allies in World War II against the Nazis — and the nation lost a third of its population in both World War I and again in World War II. Later, the United States led a NATO bombing campaign against Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, during Bill Clinton’s administration — the Clintons are not popular here at all — and now Serbia is trying to join the European Union but facing some headwinds from Brussels as the as-of-yet unresolved Kosovo issue still looms large over Serbia’s future. Nonetheless, Belgrade’s thriving vibrance swirls together this rough history with a modern crossroads where west meets east and north meets south and Vucic, the nation’s president for the past several years, aims to strategically position Serbia for a bright 21st century. Vucic, an avid chess player, sat with Breitbart News last weekend for a nearly hourlong interview before he visited Beijing, China, one of the first world leaders to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping after Trump’s historic state visit to China in May. Vucic told Breitbart News there are several reasons why Trump is revered in Serbia.
read moar:
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/05/31/exclusive-serbian-president-aleksandar-vucic-donald-trump-much-more-popular-in-serbia-than-any-other-u-s-leader-because-he-is-pragmatic-ration/
Former Hawai‘i County housing official sentenced for bribery scheme
Alan Scott Rudo was paid nearly $1.9 million for conspiring to fraudulently award housing development contracts to his associates.
A former Hawai‘i County housing official was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison over a scheme that defrauded the county for nearly $11 million.
Alan Scott Rudo, 59, was a housing specialist at the Hawai‘i County Office of Housing and Community Development between 2006 and 2018. During his tenure at the department, Rudo conspired with accomplices to fraudulently award housing development agreements and affordable housing credits to those accomplices’ businesses, pocketing about $1.9 million in bribes and kickbacks.
Through those development agreements, the companies received land valued at about $10.9 million, on which they never built a single unit of housing. The conspirators then sold or transferred the land and the affordable housing credits for a tidy profit.
Rudo was charged in 2022 with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud; he pled guilty that same day. Rudo testified at a 2025 trial of his co-conspirators, and was himself sentenced in U.S. District Court on Thursday.
Judge Jill Otake handed down a sentence of 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
In a sentencing statement submitted to the court, Rudo apologized for his actions.
“I betrayed the trust the community placed in me and I caused harm that I can never take back,” Rudo wrote. “I think about that every day and I accept full responsibility for my actions. There is no excuse for the choices I made.”
Rudo wrote the investigation has cost him his marriage, his home and his career, and has forced him to “rebuild [himself] from the ground up.” He said he chose to cooperate with the investigation against his former associates “because it was the right thing to do,” and that he is “committed to doing better.”
His associates — attorney Paul Sulla, 79, of Hilo; attorney Gary Zamber, 56, of Kea‘au; and businessman Rajesh Budhabhatti, 65, formerly of the Big Island — were themselves charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and nine counts of honest services wire fraud, and the three were convicted by a federal jury in 2025.
Rudo’s co-conspirators were sentenced earlier this year. Zamber was sentenced to 70 months in prison in January, Budhabhatti was sentenced to 90 months in February and Sulla was sentenced to 60 months in April.
https://alohastatedaily.com/2026/05/29/former-hawaii-county-housing-official-sentenced-for-bribery-scheme/
Google planning to release millions of mosquitoes into California to 'help stop diseases'
California could soon become a testing ground for one of Google’s most ambitious public health projects yet.
The tech giant is seeking federal approval to release up to 32 million specially treated mosquitoes in California and Florida over the next two years as part of an effort to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.
The proposal is currently under review by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which is accepting public comments through June 5 before deciding whether to issue an experimental use permit.
Regulators have not announced where any mosquito releases would occur if the plan is approved.
Researchers say the latest proposal targets Culex mosquitoes, a species known for transmitting West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus remains the leading mosquito-borne disease in the US.
Those viruses are already established in California, where they circulate naturally among local bird and mosquito populations.
On Friday, a positive sample of West Nile virus was confirmed in Riverside County.
The project is part of Google’s little-known Debug initiative, launched more than a decade ago to develop new technologies aimed at reducing populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Rather than releasing biting insects, the company plans to release male mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria. When the infected males mate with wild female mosquitoes, the offspring do not survive, helping suppress mosquito populations over time.
Because only female mosquitoes bite humans, experts say the releases would not increase the number of biting mosquitoes.
“It’s a great concept, and we’re putting it to real use to see if it works,” Chad Huff, public information officer for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, told KVUE.
Huff said mosquito control agencies have been exploring alternatives to traditional pesticide-based methods for years.
Brent Nye, a Florida resident, was less convinced
“I think it’s interesting,” he told 10 Tampa Bay News. “I’m not sure whether I would want them in my backyard because there are going to be a lot of things that go wrong. I’d rather have some other state to experiment on.”Google says artificial intelligence and robotic systems would be used to breed, sort and release the mosquitoes at a scale large enough to make the strategy effective.
https://www.aol.com/news/google-planning-release-millions-mosquitoes-030000589.html
Key hearing for man accused of killing Charlie Kirk will be public, judge rules
Reporters and the public will be allowed to attend a key upcoming hearing for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk, after a Utah judge on Monday denied a defense request to restrict access.
Tyler Robinson's defense team had asked Judge Tony Graf to close portions of the preliminary hearing on July 6-10, when prosecutors must show they have enough evidence to warrant a trial. It will mark the most significant presentation of evidence to date in a case that has so far focused on matters of media access.
"The public and the media enjoy a presumptive right to access court proceedings, including preliminary hearings," Graf said during his ruling. He said the defense hadn't shown that presenting the evidence publicly would deny Robinson a fair trial.
Robinson's lawyers have tried to guard against media coverage that they say sometimes misrepresents their client as his case has drawn tremendous public attention. The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus.
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. He has not yet entered a plea.
Prosecutors argued that the preliminary hearing should remain open, but they agreed with the defense that media should be limited from viewing or copying some exhibits that could be used in a future trial. They plan to introduce forensic analyses, surveillance video, recordings of witness statements, autopsy findings and alleged messages from Robinson admitting to the crime.
Authorities have said DNA consistent with Robinson's was found on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk, the fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges and a towel used to wrap the rifle. Prosecutors also have said Robinson left a note for his romantic partner that read, "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it."
Graf also granted defense attorneys' request for a hearing on June 12 in which they will argue that prosecutors should be punished for comments they made in the media. Robinson's lawyers have said one prosecutor, Christopher Ballard, essentially went on a "media tour" in which he made "expressions of opinion as to Mr. Robinson's guilt."
Prosecutors responded to the claims last month, saying Ballard had a right to correct misinformation in the media about an inconclusive, preliminary finding by ballistics experts, which led to speculation about Robinson's possible exoneration. They said Ballard did not make any statement of opinion about guilt.
https://abc7ny.com/post/judge-decide-key-hearing-man-accused-killing-charlie-kirk-will-public/19211520/
Sikh man sentenced to 21 years for vicious murder in London
A weapons-obsessed killer who stabbed a student to death has been jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, used a 21cm (8in) blade he said he carried as part of his Sikh faith to kill Henry Nowak, 18, who was walking home alone after a night out with friends in Southampton on 3 December.
The victim, from Essex, was handcuffed by police as he lay dying at the scene after Digwa lied, claiming he had been racially abused by the teen and had acted in self-defence. He told officers his turban had been knocked off and that he had been injured.
Judge William Mousley KC told a packed Southampton Crown Court that Digwa had brought "shame" upon his family and his religion.
Bodycam footage released by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, with the family's permission, shows officers arriving at the scene and speaking to Digwa and others.
Nowak, who is seen on the ground in the video, can be heard saying "I've been stabbed" and "I can't breathe" multiple times.
The footage shows officers turning Nowak onto his side and handcuffing his hands behind his back.
After a couple of minutes, Nowak becomes unresponsive. An officer proceeds to tell him he is under arrest for assault.
The police then contact an ambulance to check on Nowak.
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France apologised and said officers had been lied to in a 999 call made by Digwa's brother and had faced an "extremely complex" crime scene.
Mousley dismissed the racism claims made by Digwa, adding his actions had "stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their safety".
"You were sober but were carrying a large Sikh dagger," Mousley said.
He added Digwa had murdered a "much-loved" young man, inflicting a "lifetime of loss upon his family".
Speaking outside court, the victim's father, Mark Nowak, said the contrast between how his son and Digwa had been treated was "unbearable".
"Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody," he said, calling it "inhumane and degrading".
Mark Nowak added Digwa "was afforded decency" and "we understand, he was never handcuffed at all".
"Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him," he said.
He called for a "full, fearless and transparent" investigation into the police handling of the case, adding the family "should not have to fight for the truth".
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Inside the courtroom, Mark Nowak had said he was "tormented" by thoughts of his son's death.
"I couldn't help Henry in his final moments and there is nothing I can do to bring him back," he said.
With his voice breaking as he finished speaking, he said: "To my dying son, who I love beyond words, I'm so sorry that I let this happen."
Prosecuting barrister Nicholas Lobbenberg KC said Digwa had a "weapons obsession", adding his depiction to police of Nowak as a "racist, drunk, violent aggressor compounds the natural grief and loss of the deceased's family".
Sir Keir Starmer commented on the case in a post on X, where he said: "This an awful, shocking case.
"Henry's loved ones have gone through the trauma of a long trial and endured Henry's killer making up appalling claims about their son who was thoughtful, kind and deeply loved.
"It is right that the IOPC is investigating the police's response to his senseless murder. And we must end the cycle of tragedy by tackling the horror of knife crime.
Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was a first-year student at the University of Southampton. The court heard previously how he had been walking back to his accommodation after drinking to a level that was below the drink-drive limit.
Digwa was in Belmont Road at about 23:30 GMT with the murder weapon in a sheath attached to his belt.
The court was told the attack was not witnessed, but neighbours heard Nowak say he had been stabbed and was dying.
He tried to escape by climbing over a fence, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
The prosecution said he was stabbed five times, including twice in the back of his legs, once in the face and a fatal wound to the chest.
Digwa gave the knife to his mother and it was later found by police at their family home along with more than 20 other weapons.
Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones described the incident as a "national tragedy".
She said it was "devastating" officers did not believe Henry Nowak when he said he had been stabbed and could not breathe.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1d2w411rgro
France seized sanctioned Russian oil tanker with UK help, Macron says
France intercepted a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet on Sunday with UK support, French President Emmanuel Macron has said.
Officers boarded the Tagor in the Atlantic, which maritime authorities said had been flying a false flag when it was detained around 400 nautical miles west of Brittany.
"It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and fund the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine," Macron wrote on X.
A British helicopter provided support during the operation, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) told the BBC.
The Kremlin said the "illegal" seizure was "bordering on international piracy".
"Russia is taking measures to ensure the safety of its cargo," said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Moscow has been operating a "shadow fleet" of tankers with obscure ownership structures to evade international sanctions imposed on its oil exports since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
It is the fourth suspected shadow fleet vessel that France has boarded since September 2025.
Macron said the operation, which took place in international waters, had been undertaken with allies including the UK "in strict compliance with the law of the sea".
An MoD spokesperson said a helicopter which had been on board HMS Somerset provided "tracking and monitoring in support of the French operation".
"Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels – to choke off the funds that fuel Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine."
"These vessels, which fail to adhere to the most basic rules of maritime navigation, also pose a threat to the environment and to everyone's safety," he said.
In a video shared by the French president, armed naval officers could be seen boarding the tanker via a helicopter. The BBC has not verified the footage.
Previously, French authorities had allowed these ships to continue operating after their owners paid fines but have since vowed to block them.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in March he similarly had granted permission for the UK military to board sanctioned Russian ships.
But almost 200 Russian "shadow fleet" vessels had entered UK waters as of 11 May since the prime minister threatened to intercept them in mid-March, BBC Verify analysis suggests.
The MoD said at the time it was "disrupting and deterring" shadow fleet vessels, without providing specific details.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8pwgej1gxo
EPA boss made criminal referrals alleging Democrats ‘self-dealing’ in lucrative green energy grants
nvironmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin says he has made several criminal referrals after uncovering a major political enrichment scandal that routed billions in Biden-era green energy grants to Democrat cronies. “It's about self-dealing,” Zeldin tells Just the News.
Zeldin said he has canceled or stopped about $29 billion in EPA grants – including one for $2 billion to a nonprofit tied to longtime Georgia Democrat election activist and failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams – after unmasking a series of pass-through groups used to route taxpayer monies to the politically connected.
“As you look through all of these pass-through entities, you're seeing so many connections to former Obama and Biden administration officials and Democratic donors, people who were former Cabinet members, other high-ranking administration officials,” he said during a wide-ranging interview Monday on the John Solomon Reports podcast.
Zeldin said he has referred several of the transactions to the EPA inspector general, the agency’s chief watchdog, and the Justice Department for possible prosecution or further investigation. “Those referrals have been made,” he said.
Zeldin said some of the allegations have their roots in legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act, when Congress and the White House were all in Democrat hands. “They included all of this funding in this so-called Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. And then they would work with these different agencies of the Biden administration to get it out to their unqualified friends. The whole thing just feels criminal,” he said. “[…] This is clearly something that falls into the category of blatant waste and abuse.”
Zeldin has repeatedly singled out the Biden administration's $2 billion grant to Power Forward Communities, a nonprofit tied to the former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abrams. The funds were awarded in 2024 to finance "residential decarbonization," which was an effort to replace gas furnaces and other appliances with electric ones.
Abrams reportedly "played a pivotal role" in establishing the group, according to Fox News.
The award came under scrutiny after it was revealed Power Forward Communities had reported only $100 the year before the award. The Trump administration's EPA announced in February 2025 it was taking measures to get the money back as part of an overall effort to claw back funding rushed out the door in the final days of the Biden administration.
Abrams, who worked for a group called Vitalizing De Soto that was tied to Power Forward, has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying the grant was intended to help homeowners to buy eco-friendly appliances.
“Based on that program, a coalition of organizations – famous organizations – came together and said to the EPA, 'if we can do this here, we can do this for millions more Americans,’” Abrams explained in a 2025 interview on MSNBC. “’Let us invest the money of America in lowering the cost for Americans.’”
Zeldin’s quest for accountability began in spring 2025 when his agency revealed that Biden rushed out $20 billion in the greenhouse gas reduction fund to be held in an account by the New York-based Citibank, with just eight nonprofits having the right to spend it.
EPA asked the IG to investigate, providing in its letter several transactions that raised concerns, including that:
Jahi Wise, the former director of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, “personally oversaw” a $5 billion grant to his previous employer;
The $2 billion was given to the Abrams-tied Power Forward Communities.
Young, Gifted & Green was awarded $20 million, even though its CEO applied for funding while serving on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
The $20 billion in funding has been canceled, but it is tied up now in federal court litigation. To date, no major criminal prosecutions have been brought against grant recipients.
But EPA has released recent information indicating that career EPA officials were deeply suspicious of the Biden administration’s rushed effort to give the $20 billion to groups with little history of handling major federal business and with deep political ties.
Zeldin said he is confident that when all litigation is complete most of the $29 billion in grants he has flagged and blocked will be returned to the Treasury as savings for taxpayers.
“We're not taking money from left-wing NGOs to give them to right-wing NGOs,” he said. “This is about getting that money back to the taxpayer. This is about making sure that that money coming through an agency like EPA doesn't have any amount of waste and abuse, that there's a zero tolerance for it."
https://justthenews.com/accountability/waste-fraud-and-abuse/epa-boss-made-criminal-referrals-alleging-democrat-self
Cotton over chemicals: How Trump’s USDA is Making America’s Fabric Great Again
n Thursday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced The Great American Cotton Plan, an effort to help revitalize the nation's cotton-producing industry to move Americans back toward wearing natural fibers as opposed to plastic materials and other pontially toxic fibers.
Launched as a cornerstone of the plan to restore domestic textile manufacturing, the “Plant Not Plastic” initiative urges American consumers to choose products made with natural, U.S.-grown cotton over petroleum-based synthetics like polyester.
Working in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the campaign highlights cotton’s superior breathability, biodegradability, and reduced microplastic shedding—addressing growing concerns about synthetic fibers releasing thousands of plastic particles annually into the environment and potentially into our bodies.
By elevating demand for American cotton through education, procurement incentives, and alignment with the bipartisan Buying American Cotton Act, the initiative simultaneously boosts rural economies, restores domestic textile manufacturing, and advances the Trump administration’s MAHA goals of practical, preventive wellness through everyday choices.
Cotton from many foreign countries, particularly in the global supply chain, has been linked to significant human rights abuses. Concerns include widespread child labor, such as children aged 6–14 working long hours in India’s cottonseed farms.
The underage workers often face pesticide exposure, as well as forced labor involving Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang region and past cases in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. In 2011 Bloomberg News sent investigative reporters out to the fields in the west African country to see for themselves how the daily abuse of children results in the "fair trade" fabric used for Americans' favorite panties and bras.
Workers frequently endure debt bondage, minimal or no pay, hazardous conditions, and government or employer coercion. The U.S. Department of Labor flags cotton from several nations for these risks. Ethical sourcing and better traceability are essential to reduce such exploitation.
Today, approximately 70% of materials are derived from synthetic fibers, with polyester being the most prevalent. But that hasn't always been the case.
For millennia, humans relied exclusively on natural fibers—cotton, wool, silk, linen, and hemp—for clothing and textiles. These materials dominated until the early 20th century.
The shift began with rayon (viscose), the first semisynthetic fiber, commercialized around 1905–1910. True synthetics arrived with nylon, introduced by DuPont in 1939, revolutionizing stockings and apparel during WWII. Polyester followed in the 1940s–50s, prized for durability and low cost. Acrylic and spandex soon expanded the range.
By the late 20th century, synthetic blends dominated global production due to affordability, performance, and scalability. Today, a mix of natural and synthetic fibers prevails, balancing tradition with modern demands for stretch, wrinkle resistance, and sustainability.
In 1989, trade association Cotton Incorporated launched its iconic “The Fabric of Our Lives” advertising campaign on Thanksgiving Day. The memorable jingle—“The touch, the feel of cotton, the fabric of our lives”—was first performed by Richie Havens.
Aimed at countering synthetic fibers, the campaign celebrated cotton’s natural comfort, softness, and place in everyday American life. It became one of the most successful and long-running textile ads, boosting cotton’s market share and cultural resonance for decades.
Natural fibers like cotton, wool, linen, and silk are said to offer superior benefits for human health and comfort. They are highly breathable, allowing air circulation and moisture wicking, which regulates body temperature and reduces skin irritation. Biodegradable and hypoallergenic, they also minimize allergic reactions and feel softer against the skin.
In contrast, synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon, derived from petroleum, often contain harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, azo dyes, and PFAS. These can cause skin rashes, hormonal disruptions, and respiratory issues through prolonged contact or off-gassing.
Synthetics also shed microplastics during washing, polluting waterways and entering our bodies via the food chain. Choosing natural fibers promotes healthier living and a lighter environmental footprint.
https://justthenews.com/government/white-house/cotton-over-chemicals-how-trumps-usda-making-americas-fabric-great-again
Ex-intel official reported Hunter Biden laptop letter was ‘deception operation,’ DOJ asked to probe
Aformer senior intelligence community official under President Barack Obama reported concerns earlier this year that the Hunter Biden laptop letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials in 2020 bore characteristics “consistent with coordinated intelligence deception operations,” according to a memo the ex-official submitted to the intelligence community inspector general.
The concerns have now been referred to the Justice Department, a remarkable turnabout for a letter that was used six years ago to censor factually based concerns about Biden family corruption.
The October 2020 open letter–released as voters were making final decisions about whether to reelect Trump or elect Democrat Joe Biden–was signed by ex-intelligence officials including former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and former CIA Director John Brennan.
Thomas Kuhns, the former official who submitted the memo recently to the Intelligence Community Inspector General, was a Senior Intelligence Officer and former advisor to the Deputy Director of National Intelligence during the Obama administration.
Pro-Biden advocates warned that the public reporting on the contents of Hunter Biden’s personal laptop bore the “hallmarks of a Russian information operation.” Then-candidate Joe Biden used the letter to fend off public criticism about his son’s overseas business dealings, drug use, and alleged influence peddling.
Inspector General referred the complaint to the Department of Justice
Ultimately, by “applying this framework,” Kuhns concluded that “the planning, drafting, and dissemination” of the Hunter Biden laptop letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials “exhibit characteristics consistent with coordinated intelligence deception operations and tradecraft […]" according to the memo.
According to a notification sent to Kuhns on Thursday, the Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) referred the complaint to the Department of Justice's Inspector General.
According to the memo, Kuhns conducted a line-by-line analysis of the open letter, which he says revealed “heavy use of deception tradecraft” including the signatories status as trained intelligence actors, the apparent extensive coordination ahead of publication, relying on selective information and omission of facts, and invoking their personal authority.
One of the biggest concerns Kuhns identified with the process of drafting the letter is that none of the officials who signed on appeared to seek confirmation from the FBI, despite the fact that the laptop had been in the agency’s possession since 2019.
Several authors held active security clearances at the time and chose not to seek confirmation. All the authors have a large social and professional network that includes former and current FBI professionals; no one asked,” Kuhns wrote. “The primary author, former Director of CIA Analysis Michael Morell, did not request classified or unclassified confirmation from the responsible authority.”
Morell and his associates were previously interviewed by the House Judiciary Committee in 2024 for his role as the primary author of the letter.
The transcripts, which include interviews with Morell, one of his key former deputies Marc Polymeropoulos, and former CIA Director John Brennan, showed that the letter drafters were motivated by politics while freely admitting they had no hard evidence for the claims, Just the News previously reported.
Polymeropoulos, a deputy to Morell when he served as director, testified to congressional investigators that Morell told him “the Biden world had asked for this.” Morell, who drafted the letter, told the committee his purpose was twofold, to warn Americans about the danger of Russian influence in the elections and to help Joe Biden politically.
“You wanted to help the Vice President. Why?” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, asked the ex-director.
“Because I wanted him to win the election,” Morell answered, the transcripts show. Morell also told investigators that he had no direct evidence that Russia was involved in the release of Hunter Biden laptop materials.
"So you had no direct evidence that Russia was involved in this matter at all, did you,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., asked.
“I did not,” Morell replied.
The effort to craft the letter closely followed the blockbuster report from The New York Post in October 2020 showing how Hunter Biden introduced his father to his Ukrainian business partner, a senior executive at Burisma Holdings. Joe Biden was vice president at the time.
https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/ex-obama-intel-official-referred-hunter-biden-letter-over-concerns
Ex-intel official reported Hunter Biden laptop letter was ‘deception operation,’ DOJ asked to probe
long read:
https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/ex-obama-intel-official-referred-hunter-biden-letter-over-concerns