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China’s Hubei province arrests 7 and shuts websites in fentanyl crackdown

A Chinese province has launched a crackdown on the fentanyl trade — a contentious issue in U.S.-China relations — arresting seven people and shutting down more than 200 websites in recent months, state media reported Thursday.

The announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would postpone a highly anticipated trip to China because of the Iran war. Trump has used tariffs to try to pressure China to do more to stem the export of fentanyl precursors — the chemical ingredients that go into the synthetic opioid blamed for tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually in the U.S.

The Hubei Daily News said in an online report that a fentanyl precursor task force established in December had investigated 22 cases in Hubei province through February. Besides the seven arrested, a dozen other people have been subjected to “coercive measures,” which can include being summoned or detained. Four companies have been penalized, the newspaper said.

Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, issued a similar report. It said the task force had been set up to follow a directive from China’s Ministry of Public Security. The operation followed an agreement by China at the end of October to take steps to stop the precursor trade in return for a halving of the fentanyl-related tariff on U.S. imports from China to 10%.

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Audits Spotlight Unusual Trends In Medicaid Spending For Autism Care

One in 31 U.S. children has an autism diagnosis. Among Minnesota’s Somali community, that number jumps to one in 12.

That discrepancy made headlines last fall when the Department of Justice charged a Somali woman with netting millions in fraudulent autism services.

Now, state and federal investigators are putting autism spending in the spotlight.

The September 2025 federal indictment alleged that a therapy center—run by 28-year-old Asha Farhan Hassan—recruited Somali children for an autism services program that was then reimbursed by Medicaid.

The White House pointed to the indictment on March 16 in an executive order announcing the creation of a federal task force to eliminate fraud.

“The staggering fraud and waste in Minnesota alone is a case in point,”  the order reads.

“There is also strong reason to believe that similar problems exist in other States, including California, Illinois, New York, Maine, and Colorado.”

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White House Slams Former Obama-Appointed Federal Prosecutor for Tweeting FAKE Trump Truth Social Post About Tiger Woods

The White House slammed a former federal prosecutor for tweeting a fake Trump Truth Social post about Tiger Woods.

Golf legend Tiger Woods was involved in a major rollover car crash in Jupiter, Florida, on Friday.

Authorities said Tiger Woods, 50, took a breathalyzer test and blew “triple zeros,” which means alcohol was not a factor.

Woods then refused to submit a urine test, so he was arrested and charged with a DUI.

Tiger Woods was not injured in the crash.

President Trump told reporters on the tarmac in Miami on Friday that Tiger Woods is an amazing person.

Joyce Vance, a former US Attorney who served during the Obama Administration and TDS sufferer, fell for a fake Trump Truth Social post about Tiger Woods.

In the fake post, Trump called on Governor Ron DeSantis to pardon Tiger Woods so he can “focus on The Masters and help to Make Golf Great Again!”

“We’re at war. Air travel is a mess. There are measles outbreaks. The price of gasoline is skyrocketing. So of course, the president is focused on keeping his pal out of jail,” Joyce Vance said in the caption.

The White House slammed her for posting a fake Trump quote.

“Not a real post, idiot. Joyce was a federal prosecutor for 25 years. Imagine all the cases she tried with this type of stupidity,” White House spokesman Steven Cheung said.

“Stunning that she is this dense or she has let her Trump Derangement Syndrome warp her sense of reality,” he said.

“Either way, she is a moron,” he added.

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Digital IDs are insecure and can be hacked

On Wednesday, Norman Fenton, Professor Emeritus at Queen Mary University of London, published an article describing how he lost control of his Twitter (now X) account to a hacker on 18 March but has now regained limited control. 

“After sending a spam ‘vote for me’ direct message (with a malicious link) to all my mutual followers on 20 March, the attackers began posting spam publicly. Not sporadically, but continuously: the bot was posting roughly once per second, pausing only intermittently to repost content from accounts I follow. By the time I regained access, there were thousands of spam posts and reposts,” he said.  “For now, anyone visiting my timeline will see little but pages of spam.”

Prof. Fenton ended his article by saying, “Regaining access to my account ultimately required persistence, external pressure, and, quite likely, legal escalation. Many users facing similar attacks will not have those options.

“If X cannot reliably protect accounts, respond promptly to verified compromise reports, and restore control without unnecessary barriers, then users are left dangerously exposed.

“What’s clear right now is that when things go wrong, you will be largely on your own.”

Read more: I’ve regained control of my hacked X account, Norman Fenton, 25 March 2026

In response to Prof. Fenton’s experience, Dr. Scott McLachlan, formerly a lecturer in Digital Technologies for Healthcare at King’s College London, posted a Substack note taking Prof. Fenton’s final remarks a logical step further.

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CNN Crew Apprehended by IDF in the West Bank – Says They Were Assaulted and Equipment was Damaged – IDF Releases Statement

A CNN crew reporting on Israeli settlements in the West Bank in Palestine was detained by IDF soldiers on Friday. 

The reporters say they were put in a chokehold after they and several Palestinian residents were approached by armed troops.

According to the Jerusalem Post,

The CNN team was interviewing Palestinian residents of the West Bank town of Tayasir after settlers established an outpost in the town and violently attacked residents.

While conducting interviews on camera, IDF soldiers ordered the team and the Palestinians to stop speaking and aimed their weapons at the group, according to the CNN reporters present.

Video from the incident shows the reporters being approached and detained.

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City that never sleeps to get 11 pm lights out order under Dem NY state lawmaker proposal

A proposed bill from a New York state lawmaker could dramatically change the nighttime atmosphere of New York City, potentially leaving landmarks like the Empire State Building and nearly half of the city dark after 11 pm.

Manhattan assemblywoman Deborah Glick has sponsored the “Dark Skies Protection Act,” which would require many businesses and residential buildings in New York City to turn off non-essential lighting between 11 pm and 5 am. The proposal aims to reduce energy consumption, cut down on light pollution, and protect migratory birds.

According to the legislation, its goal is to “preserve and enhance the state’s dark sky while promoting safety for people, birds and other wildlife, conserving energy and reducing our carbon footprint, and preserving the aesthetic qualities of the night sky.”

“Our ancestors were able to experience a night sky full of stars, but now 80% of Americans can no longer see the Milky Way and experience its profound beauty,” the bill states. “Exposure to excess artificial light can disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythms – causing changes to brain wave patterns, hormone production, cell regulation, and other biologic activities.”

If passed, the measure would take effect in 2028. The bill includes exemptions for lighting “used for travel and public safety would be exempt.” However, the proposal has drawn criticism from those who argue that reduced lighting could lead to increased crime, including theft and gang-related activity.

“I guess Glick wants to push one last ridiculous idea before she retires,” said NYS Conservative Party chairman Gerard Kassar, according to The New York Post.

Despite the concerns, Glick appears to be prioritizing environmental concerns. The bill notes that 70 percent of bird species migrate annually, with 80 percent migrating at night using the night sky for navigation. Bright city lights, the bill argues, can disorient birds and lead to fatal collisions.

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NASA scientist backs evidence of non-human intelligence in Earth’s skies

A former NASA scientist has backed a groundbreaking study investigating mysterious flashes in the skies during the early nuclear age, decades before the first satellites were launched.

Ivo Busko, a retired NASA developer who worked at the Space Telescope Science Institute, published a pre-print paper this week that independently confirmed mysterious transient flashes first identified by astronomer Dr Beatriz Villarroel and her VASCO research team. 

Their October 2025 study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports.

Villarroel, from the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics in Sweden, identified a possible connection between nuclear tests conducted between 1949 and 1957 and an increase in mysterious bright spots known as ‘transients’ appearing in the sky.

These transients have proven difficult to explain using known natural phenomena, with Villarroel noting that some appeared highly reflective, similar to mirrors, and showed signs consistent with rotating objects.

Busko conducted an independent search of archival sky photographs from the 1950s, using a separate analytical method designed specifically to verify Villarroel’s earlier discoveries. 

His investigation uncovered dozens of transient flashes displaying the same unusual signatures reported by the VASCO team, including extremely short-duration bursts of light. 

Busko wrote that the findings ‘independently confirm the presence of such transients,’ adding further weight to the unusual flashes first reported by Villarroel’s team. 

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Why Is The Trump DOJ Still Enforcing The Biden Pistol Brace Rule?

The current Department of Justice is choosing to continue enforcing an unconstitutional legal theory being weaponized against gun owners by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to a recent statement in GOA’s Texas et al. v. ATF case, DOJ claims that ATF “continue[s] to enforce the NFA’s and the GCA’s regulation of short-barreled rifles against some brace-equipped pistols, even though the Rule has been universally vacated.”

For those who are unfamiliar, in 2022 the Biden Administration issued an executive order instructing the Department of Justice to ban pistol braces, a popular firearm accessory designed to allow shooters with disabilities to “brace” their firearms against their forearm.

The Biden DOJ used this rule to effectively outlaw firearms equipped with stabilizing braces, by regulating them as short-barreled firearms under the National Firearms Act. This move turned the law-abiding owners of upwards of 40 million pistol braces  into felons practically overnight, unless they destroyed their firearm or registered it with the federal government.

GOA and other pro-gun groups challenged this pistol brace rule in multiple courts across the country, culminating with a total elimination of the rule in court.

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‘Contradictory’ Public Opinions on Iran Are Baked Into CBS’s Polling

A recent CBS News poll (3/17–20/26) declared that a majority of Americans (53%) say it would be “unacceptable” if the United States were to end the conflict with Iran with that country’s current leadership still in power.

Moreover, the poll also found that large majorities of Americans say it is “important” to “make sure Iran’s people are safe and free,” to “permanently stop Iran’s nuclear programs,” and to “stop Iran from threatening other countries.”

These results seem to suggest that most Americans want the war to continue until those goals, including regime change in Iran, are actually achieved.

Much of the rest of the poll, however, suggests the public does not support the war with Iran, even when “conflict” instead of the touchy word “war” is used to describe what’s happening. According to the poll:

  • 60% disapprove of the US taking military action against Iran.
  • 62% disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the situation in Iran.
  • 57% believe the “conflict in Iran” is going “very/somewhat badly.”
  • 51% do not believe it is important to change Iran’s leaders to ones that are pro-US.
  • 92% believe it is important to “end the conflict as quickly as possible.”

The report notes: “If those desires between goals and a fast end seem contradictory, it connects to the continued call for more explanation from the administration.”

The poll did ask if the Trump administration had clearly explained its goals, and only 32% said it had; 68% said no.

But that is not evidence of the public’s “continued call for more explanation.” There is nothing in the poll that suggests the public is demanding more information, and in the absence thereof, the public exhibits contradictions between its preferred goals and a quick end to the war. The explanation is a non sequitur.

One reason for the contradictions is that the poll asks each question as though it were free from any context. Respondents are not asked to evaluate each goal in light of possible cost. If, for example, regime change is a goal of the war, how long should the US continue to press for that change, given the likely cost in money and lives?

The poll lists several goals, and each one might seem pretty appealing—assuming it could be reached. Respondents hear a goal and say, sure, it’s important, without having to confront the inevitable trade-offs. Reporting such responses as though the public is actually demanding the US pay the costs to achieve regime change, or to make the Iranian people free and safe, is a wild distortion of what the poll has actually measured.

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Democrat Former Illinois Mayor Urges State Leaders to Accept President Trump’s Help on Rampant Crime After Her Father is Shot

After a tenure mired in controversy, former Dalton, Illinois, Mayor Tiffany Henyward is back in the news.

This time, she is urging Governor JB Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to accept President Trump’s help in tackling rampant crime in the state.

The plea comes after her father was shot in the neck.

ABC7 reports:

The shooting happened around 5:54 p.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block South Kedzie Avenue in North Lawndale, Chicago police said.

A 65-year-old man was in an alley when he was shot in the neck, CPD said. He was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

Henyard confirmed to ABC7 Thursday that her father was the victim in the shooting.

Henyard shared a statement on Facebook, noting, “Although I am deeply saddened to have to address this issue, I want to begin by sincerely thanking everyone for the calls, messages, and prayers.  During this incredibly difficult time, your support has meant more than words can express.”

“Yes, it is true, my family has been directly affected by the senseless gun violence that continues to plague Illinois. Yesterday, my father, my hero was an innocent victim of this random and heartbreaking violence. This tragedy has shaken my family to its core, and unfortunately, it reflects a reality that far too many families across our state are facing.”

“This devastating moment only further highlights what many of us already know, and shouldn’t be ignored: the ongoing gun violence in the City of Chicago has made too many of our communities feel unsafe. It reinforces the urgent need for stronger action and meaningful solutions.”

“I urge Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson to seriously reconsider federal assistance from President Donald J. Trump to help address this crisis and better protect the residents of Illinois, particularly in Chicago. Across the country, communities that have welcomed federal support have experienced measurable reductions in crime. Cities such as Memphis, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, Louisiana during the 2026 Mardi Gras period have all seen positive outcomes through collaborative efforts.”

“The difference between Illinois and those other states is simple, their leadership chose collaboration, and that collaboration produced results.”

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