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 My son has narrated the last book I wrote. Please consider listening to it and encouraging others to do so too. (Click on Book Cover) World & Nation Trump’s Iran strategy showcases ‘doctrine of unpredictability’ amid strike threats and sudden pause Iran denied any negotiations were underway as the US continued expanding its military footprint in the region  President Donald Trump paused planned U.S. strikes on Iran just hours before a self-imposed deadline, citing diplomatic progress that Tehran immediately denied, even as U.S. forces continued moving into position, a split signal that leaves the next move uncertain. The move creates a narrow five-day window in which the administration is signaling diplomacy while preserving the ability to strike, raising the stakes for whether talks materialize — or whether the delay simply sets up near-term escalation. The abrupt shift follows a weekend ultimatum in which Trump warned the U.S. would begin targeting Iran’s power infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened, a threat that rattled global oil markets and heightened fears of imminent conflict. Iran has placed deadly sea mines in Strait of Hormuz: report  Iran still has at least a dozen mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which are imperiling oil tanker traffic through the critical passage. The underwater explosives were identified as Iranian-manufactured Maham 3 and Maham 7 Limpet mines, US officials told CBS News. The explosives threaten any unauthorized ship that dares cross the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s permission, effectively shutting down a key trade route that oversees the transport of 20% of the world’s oil supplies. Trump, Senate GOP See Breakthrough on DHS Shutdown Deal  A meeting late Monday between President Donald Trump and key Senate Republicans has created optimism a deal may have been found to end the Democrats' partial government shutdown. After more than five weeks of disruption, Republican lawmakers emerged from the White House signaling renewed momentum toward reopening the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to reports from Punchbowl News and The Hill. The shutdown — now stretching past a month — has been driven largely by Democrat opposition to fully funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who attended the meeting, said negotiators were working urgently to "land this plane," reflecting a growing sense among Republicans that a breakthrough is within reach.
Iran Names Hardline Ex-IRGC Commander to Replace Slain Security Chief  Iran named a former Revolutionary Guards commander and senior figure in the hardline political faction on Tuesday to replace the powerful head of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes last week. Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr was appointed as Larijani's successor as secretary of the SNSC, the Iranian president's deputy of communications posted on X on Tuesday. The SNSC, formally chaired by the elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, coordinates security and foreign policy, and includes top military, intelligence and government officials in addition to representatives of the supreme leader who has ultimate say over all matters of state.
Minnesota millionaire who qualified for food stamps warns of 'fraud by design' loophole ahead of hearing Rob Undersander: 'I have purchased lobster and filet mignon on my EBT card'  Ahead of a Tuesday hearing where Minnesota lawmakers will discuss food stamp fraud, Fox News Digital spoke to a millionaire who says he was able to qualify for food stamps through a loophole — one that he hopes will soon be closed as the state grapples with a massive fraud scandal. Rob Undersander, a retired engineer who volunteers to help seniors navigate the government benefits system, said he learned during training that eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Minnesota was based on income only, not assets. Because his retirement income was low, he realized he could qualify even though he had significant savings and property. To test the system, Undersander applied for benefits in Stearns County in 2016 and was approved within weeks. He later said he collected thousands of dollars in SNAP benefits over more than a year, which he donated to charity, in an effort to draw attention to the issue. Alleged Iranian spies are already in the US — and infiltrating Silicon Valley  Alleged Iranian spies with ties to regime bigwigs have been charged with infiltrating Silicon Valley. Last month, a federal grand jury indicted three Iranian software engineers for allegedly stealing trade secrets from tech companies, including Google. Two of the suspects are sisters, Samaneh Ghandali, 41, and Sorvoor Ghandali, 32. They were charged alongside Mohammadjavad Khosravi, 40, who is Samaneh’s husband, with allegedly using their employment at unidentified technology companies to “obtain access to confidential and sensitive information,” according to the Department of Justice. The tech workers then allegedly “exfiltrated confidential and sensitive documents, including trade secrets related to processor security and cryptography and other technologies, from Google and other technology companies.” Conservative FISA revolt poses fresh test for Speaker Johnson House GOP leadership is pushing clean 18-month extension of warrantless surveillance powers, but privacy hawks say existing guardrails are not enough  A brewing fight over privacy rights and national security will come to a head in the House of Representatives in the coming weeks, shaping up to be the latest test for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and his razor-thin GOP majority. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is set to expire on April 20 pending congressional reauthorization. A planned vote on a "clean" extension of the measure this week, however, has been delayed amid a growing rebellion. A vast swath of lawmakers, along with the intelligence community, have argued the provision is critical to preventing another Sept. 11-style terror attack. But privacy hawks in Congress — a mix of conservatives and progressives — say it gives the federal government too much power to spy on private U.S. citizens. Democrats hammer ICE for arresting 2 at San Francisco airport DHS said the family had a final removal order since 2019 and resisted officers  California Democrats blasted federal immigration authorities after a viral video showed officers arresting two people, including a crying woman, at San Francisco International Airport. The video shows the woman — who the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said is an illegal alien — wailing and dropping to the ground as she is being arrested by two plainclothes agents on Sunday while her daughter cries in the background. California Democrats argued the video showed excessive force and would instill fear in immigrant communities, while calling for answers from federal authorities. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said the woman seen in the video was a "Sacramento mother" and said she was demanding answers. Senate Confirms Mullin to Lead DHS as TSA Standoff Deepens  The Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as homeland security secretary late Monday, approving President Donald Trump's nominee to take over the embattled department after the firing of Kristi Noem during a public backlash over the administration's immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations. Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma known for his close friendship with Trump, has presented himself as a steady hand, saying his goal as secretary would be to get the department off the front page of the news. He takes over at a difficult time, as Trump has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to bolster airport security during a budget standoff in Congress.
Russian Strikes in Ukraine Kill 5, Cut Moldovan Power Line  Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least five people, damaged homes and hit energy supplies including a power link between Moldova and Europe overnight and early on Tuesday, officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said damage had been reported in 11 regions after heavy missile and drone attacks and issued a new appeal for allies to supply Kyiv with air defense munitions. He has repeatedly warned that Kyiv, whose main supplier of air defense systems against ballistic missiles is the United States, will face a deficit of missiles while Washington is focused on the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
Homan fires back at Booker after senator voices 'outrage' over ICE airport deployments Homan accused Booker of 'lying' and 'misleading the American people' over ICE's presence in schools, churches and hospitals  Border czar Tom Homan fired back at Sen. Cory Booker on Monday after the New Jersey Democrat blasted the Trump administration’s decision to deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports and called the move an "outrage." "[Trump is] taking the very same agency that has been bursting into our schools, into our churches, into our hospitals, into our courts, and even into the homes of Americans," Booker said at Newark Liberty International Airport. "He's taking that agency that is reckless and out of control and bringing them to our airports under the lie that somehow this is going to help deal with the long lines that he created in the first place," he added. "I want him to give me one example, just one, when ICE went into a church to arrest somebody, or we went into a hospital to arrest somebody, or we went to an elementary school to arrest somebody. Just give me just one example. You know why he can't? Because there isn't any." How Trump’s ingenious TSA fix calls the Democrats’ bluff By Daniel McCarthy
Democrats who want to defund ICE aren’t getting away with the political hostage-taking they’re using to do it. They’re trying to hold the Transportation Security Administration’s funding hostage until their demands for weakening Immigration and Customs Enforcement are met. That means they’re also subjecting millions of air travelers to added anxiety, and worse, as security-line wait times stretch into hours. Democrats didn’t foresee that Trump would repair their sabotage of America’s transportation security by using the very agency Jeffries & Co. are trying to destroy. Miranda Devine: We’re still learning the full rot of the Russiagate scandal By Miranda Devine
Robert Mueller is dead, but his toxic legacy lives on in the destroyed lives of the innocent victims targeted by the Russia collusion probe that bears his name. To understand why President Trump had no kind words for the former FBI director when he died over the weekend at age 81, you have to understand the human toll on the president and dozens of his friends and allies. Who knows whether Mueller, who had Parkinson’s, was in command of all his faculties when he was appointed special counsel at age 72? But the deep state evildoers on his team knew exactly what they were doing when they used his formerly prestigious reputation to pervert the course of justice for their “Get Trump” frolic. |
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