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Scientists make embryos from human skin DNA for first time

US scientists have, for the first time, made early-stage human embryos by manipulating DNA taken from people’s skin cells and then fertilising it with sperm.

The technique could overcome infertility due to old age or disease, by using almost any cell in the body as the starting point for life.

It could even allow same-sex couples to have a genetically related child.

The method requires significant refinement – which could take a decade – before a fertility clinic could even consider using it.

Experts said it was an impressive breakthrough, but there needed to be an open discussion with the public about what science was making possible.

Reproduction used to be a simple story of man’s sperm meets woman’s egg. They fuse to make an embryo, and nine months later a baby is born.

Now scientists are changing the rules. This latest experiment starts with human skin.

The Oregon Health and Science University research team’s technique takes the nucleus – which houses a copy of the entire genetic code needed to build the body – out of a skin cell.

This is then placed inside a donor egg that has been stripped of its genetic instructions.

So far, the technique is like the one used to create Dolly the Sheep – the world’s first cloned mammal – born back in 1996.

However, this egg is not ready to be fertilised by sperm as it already contains a full suite of chromosomes.

You inherit 23 of these bundles of DNA from each of your parents for a total of 46, which the egg already has.

So the next stage is to persuade the egg to discard half of its chromosomes in a process the researchers have termed “mitomeiosis” (the word is a fusion of mitosis and meiosis, the two ways cells divide).

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Hegseth Announces 4th Deadly Strike On ‘Narco-Terrorist’ Boat Off Venezuela

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced Friday another military strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat off Venezuela which killed four people.

This marks at least the fourth such attack, and after President Trump formally notified Congress this week that the US was entering a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels. Hegseth made clear on social media, “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!”

Hegseth affirmed in a social media post that he had directed the latest strike on Trump’s orders, and released overhead drone video of the attack.

“The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics – headed to America to poison our people,” Hegseth said on X.

“Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route,” he added.

Trump’s rationale for the attacks in the aforementioned memo states the cartels are “non-state armed groups” whose actions smuggling drugs “constitute an armed attack against the United States”.

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Armed police who shot synagogue terror victims, killing one and injuring another, could face criminal charges

Armed police involved in the fatal shooting of Manchester synagogue terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie may face criminal charges.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) admitted one of the victims of Thursday’s attack died after apparently being injured by a police gunshot. His family tonight described him as a hero.

Another person was also injured as police sought to contain the terror threat.

It is believed both victims were standing behind a door at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall when they were hit.

Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead at the scene wearing what appeared to be a suicide vest. The device was later discovered not to be viable.

But police do not believe Al-Shamie was armed, meaning the two gunshot injuries were likely from police firearms.

In a statement, Emily Barry, director of engagement at the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said the watchdog would now investigate.

She said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the victims and their families, as well as all those affected by yesterday’s horrific events.

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Ukrainian Drones Hit Oil Refinery, Chemical Plant 1500km Deep Into Russia

Despite fresh warnings from President Vladimir Putin issued the day prior at the Valdai summit in Sochi, Ukrainian drones have once again targeted two major industrial facilities deep inside Russia overnight – an oil refinery in the Orenburg region and a chemical plant in the Perm region – regional officials announced Friday.

The Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery was struck and suffered damage in the first attack, which lies near the border with Kazakhstan. Videos circulating on social media showed a drone crashing within the refinery grounds, followed by thick black smoke rising above the site.

Regional Governor Yevgeny Solntsev stated that no one was injured and claimed that operations at the refinery were not disrupted, however.

Orsknefteorgsintez is one of Russia’s top oil refineries, with a capacity of 6.6 million tons per year and producing around 30 petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and bitumen, regional reports say.

In Perm, the Azot chemical plant was also attacked, resulting in a disruption of operations there, after eyewitnesses widely reported two loud blasts. At least three drones may have been involved in the strike. Azot is part of billionaire Dmitry Mazepin’s Uralchem holding.

The plant reportedly manufactures products such as ammonium nitrate, nitric acid, sodium nitrate, and urea – and is also said to be Russia’s only producer of higher aliphatic amines and crystalline sodium nitrite.

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Texas megachurch founder Robert Morris pleads guilty to child sex crimes

Texas megachurch founder Robert Morris pleaded guilty in an Oklahoma court on Oct. 2 to sex crimes against a girl that started in 1982 and continued for years.

Morris, 64, entered guilty pleas to five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child in an Osage County courtroom. He will serve six months in the Osage County jail and then be on probation for nine years and six months, according to a plea agreement outlined by Oklahoma Attorney General Getner Drummond in a news release.

He also must register as a sex offender and pay $270,000 in restitution to the victim, Cindy Clemishire, who in court called him “a pedophile, disguised as a preacher.” Morris did not apologize in court.Robert Morris’ indictment: Here’s a timeline of the events

Osage County Special Judge Cindy Pickerill accepted the deal after Clemshire acknowledged she had been consulted about it and was in agreement with the punishment.

The probation is considered a suspended sentence under the plea agreement, which means Morris is now a convicted felon. He could go to prison if he violates the conditions of his probation.

“This case is all the more despicable because the perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position of trust and authority,” Drummond said in the news release. “The victim in this case has waited far too many years for this day.” 

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Trust in the Mainstream News Media Hits New Low in the US at 28%

Fake news peddlers at The Washington Post and New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for their reporting on the Russia collusion scam.

We now know that every bit of this story was fake news and completely manufactured to bring down Trump.

Not a single reporter had the integrity to return their trophy for lying to the masses.

The latest Gallup poll found that American’s trust in the media is at an all-time low.

Just 20% of Americans say they have trust in newspapers, television or radio to report the truth. This number was twice as high at 40% just 5 years ago.

Maybe its all of their lies?

Gallup reported: When Gallup began measuring trust in the news media in the 1970s, between 68% and 72% of Americans expressed confidence in reporting. However, by the next reading in 1997, public confidence had fallen to 53%. Media trust remained just above 50% until it dropped to 44% in 2004, and it has not risen to the majority level since. The highest reading in the past decade was 45% in 2018, which came just two years after confidence had collapsed amid the divisive 2016 presidential campaign.

Republican’s trust in mass media is at 8% today.

Democrat’s trust in the mass media is at 51% today, barely a majority.

A poll back by Gallup and the Knight Foundation in 2023 found that only 26% of American’s view the news media favorably. 50% of respondents believe the mainstream media intends to mislead and misinform the public.

A 2021 report found that the US ranks dead last in media trust in polling of 46 different countries.

The poll was taken during the COVID epidemic when people trusted the media only later to find out that most everything they were told was complete fake news.

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ACLU Sues ICE to Release Records of Detainment Facilities

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), seeking to compel the agency to disclose records related to specific operations, according to the complaint filed on Oct. 1.

The lawsuit, filed jointly by the ACLU and its Virginia and North Carolina affiliates in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, concerns the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

According to the lawsuit, ICE issued a request for information (RFI) on May 28, seeking information on available detention facilities capable of housing single adult populations to support the agency’s Washington field office.

An RFI is issued to gather information regarding services or products from suppliers. In this case, ICE wanted information on detection facilities. While ICE owns five detention facilities, it relies on private prison companies and other facilities to detain a majority of people in its custody, the lawsuit states.

On Aug. 8, plaintiffs submitted a FOIA request to ICE, asking for records of responses to the agency’s RFI.

“[The FOIA] was enacted to facilitate public access to government documents,” the lawsuit reads.

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Abigail Spanberger’s Running Mate in Virginia Desecrates American Symbols on the Campaign Trail

Abigail Spanberger is the Democrat running for governor of Virginia. Her running mate Ghazala Hashmi has been spotted on the campaign trail disrespecting symbols of the United States.

As the Gateway Pundit reported last month, Hashmi has a history of denigrating the people of Virginia as racists, so this comes as no surprise.

Of course, disrespecting American symbols won’t bother leftist voters in the state. People on the left are fond of burning American flags, after all.

Townhall reports:

Unhinged Democrat Candidate Caught Desecrating American Symbols on the Trail

Democrats have yet to learn any lessons from their devastating losses in 2024. If there is any Democratic politician who embodies this reality, it is Ghazala Hashmi, who is beclowning herself while running to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor.

During a recent campaign stop, Hashmi gave a speech in front of a distressed flag hung upside down and a makeshift tombstone that read, “RIP Constitution.”

“We have to fight. We are not going to concede this democracy to the efforts of tyranny,” she shouted. “We are not going to concede the rights that we have in this country to protect every single citizen. We are going to fight. This is an act of civil disobedience that we are going to keep up and make sure that your voices continue throughout Virginia, all throughout the country.”

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DHS Proposes to Partially Reopen New DACA Applications Amid Pending Lawsuit

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has told a federal court it could, for the first time in four years, resume processing new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In a Sept. 30 filing with U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Texas, the department outlined a plan to partially reopen the Obama-era program, which shields certain people brought to the United States illegally as children from deportation and allows them to work.

Since 2021, DACA has been closed to first-time applicants, though existing beneficiaries have been allowed to renew their two-year work permits.

Under the plan, DHS would begin accepting new DACA applications in all 49 states except Texas. Applicants approved outside Texas would qualify for both deportation protections and work permits. By contrast, applicants in Texas could receive only protection from removal, without work authorization, and would not be considered “lawfully present” in the United States.

The proposal also warns that current DACA recipients could have their work permits revoked if they move to Texas.

“These proposals do not limit DHS from undertaking any future lawful changes to DACA,” the department said in its filing.

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David Hogg’s PAC Accused of Spending Millions on Consultants While Candidates They Back Keep Coming Up Short

Brace yourself for this. It turns out that Democrat anti-gun activist David Hogg might be little more than a grifter.

After being tossed out of the DNC where he served as vice chair for a matter of weeks, Hogg decided to focus on his political PAC. Their goal was to elect younger and more progressive Democrats. That’s not working out too well.

It turns out, the PAC is much better at lining the pockets of consultants. They also reportedly spent a lot of cash on frivolous things like fitness classes.

Hogg’s short-lived pillow company was more fiscally sound than this.

FOX News reports:

David Hogg’s PAC spent millions on consultants, ads and fitness classes, records show: report

Despite pledging to spend $20 million to back younger, more progressive candidates, a PAC led by Democratic activist David Hogg has spent millions of dollars on political consultants, ads and even fitness classes.

The PAC, Leaders We Deserve, spent just $455,000 to back three candidates in tough Democratic primary races over the first eight months of 2025, Axios reported.

That figure stands in contrast to the roughly $2.5 million spent on consultants, $1.1 million on digital ads, $965,000 on building donor lists and nearly $5,000 on the fitness class subscription service ClassPass, according to federal campaign filings.

“We provide a wellness benefit to our employees, like many employers across the country,” Kevin Lata, co-founder and executive director of Leaders We Deserve, told Axios. “Our projections show that every $1 we put into these investments will net $3-$5 by the end of the cycle. This helps to make sure every donation goes farther than it otherwise would.”

Even the liberal media is noticing.

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