September 1, 2026

pgnewser

Federal Prosecutors Charge Chinese National With Voter Fraud in 2024 U.S. Election › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Federal Prosecutors Charge Chinese National With Voter Fraud in 2024 U.S. Election › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

A Chinese national has been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with submitting a fraudulent online voter registration in which he impersonated another Chinese national living in Massachusetts.

Breitbart reports that Yupeng Sun, a resident of Andover, Massachusetts, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with submitting a fraudulent voter registration and ballot during the 2024 presidential election.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), according to a press release from the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

According to court filings, Sun submitted an online voter registration in Massachusetts on October 10, 2024, impersonating another Chinese national residing in the state who had legal permanent resident (LPR) status.

Sun reportedly then submitted an early voting ballot at Malden City Hall for the 2024 presidential election on October 31, while still impersonating the victim.

“Patently Unlawful”: US Judge Strikes Team Trump’s Policy Suspending Immigrant Visa For 75 Nations– www.ndtv.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

“Patently Unlawful”: US Judge Strikes Team Trump’s Policy Suspending Immigrant Visa For 75 Nations– www.ndtv.com
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EXCERPT:

Washington:

A US judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, saying that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.

US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan said the policy that the State Department announced in January was “patently unlawful” and ran afoul of federal immigration law, which explicitly stripped the secretary of state of authority over consular officers’ processing of immigrant visas.

“The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,” she wrote.

The State Department’s suspension that also took effect in January impacted applicants from Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay; Balkan nations such as Bosnia and Albania; South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh; and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

The State Department said applicants from those countries were “at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States.” The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

Iran War Updates: U.S. to unveil new sanctions Trump said would hit Iran with an “economic D-Day”– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Iran War Updates: U.S. to unveil new sanctions Trump said would hit Iran with an “economic D-Day”– www.cbsnews.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

The South Korean military said Monday the U.S. canceled a large, joint military exercise that had been scheduled to take place next month due to force limitations amid the war with Iran.

The Ssang Yong (Twin Dragons) exercise is a joint amphibious landing drill conducted regularly since 2012 by the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps alongside U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. British and other allied forces have taken part in previous years.

A spokesperson for the South Korean Marines said its U.S. counterparts had notified the force in June that “due to the situation in the Middle East,” the U.S.’s ability to deploy forces for the exercise was constrained this year.

The news of this year’s Ssang Yong drills being called off came a week after the U.S. cut short another major joint military exercise with South Korea, on President Trump’s orders, fueling concern in Seoul, and in Japan, that Washington is becoming a less dependable ally in the face of rising threats from North Korea and China.

Dozens of co-ordinated arson attacks hit southern Thailand– www.bbc.co.uk

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Dozens of co-ordinated arson attacks hit southern Thailand– www.bbc.co.uk
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EXCERPT:

More than 50 co-ordinated arson and incendiary attacks “aimed at creating unrest” have been carried out across Thailand’s insurgency-hit south, the Thai military has said.

At least two people were injured, with a local government office building, a convenience store, and a stolen vehicle among the targets set on fire.

The incidents took place across the country’s southern border provinces between 20:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and midnight on Saturday, the military’s Internal Security Operations Command said in a statement.

Most were reported in Narathiwat province, with others occurring in neighbouring Yala and Pattani.

According to the Bangkok Post, two women were injured when a bomb exploded in Muang district in Narathiwat province.

Telecommunication towers were set on fire in several locations, and security officials warned residents not to touch suspicious objects.

Authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the Narathiwat province that was lifted on Sunday morning. No further attacks had been reported on Sunday.

 

Canada retaliates against U.S. tariffs with dollar-for-dollar levies– www.washingtontimes.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Canada retaliates against U.S. tariffs with dollar-for-dollar levies– www.washingtontimes.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Canada is retaliating against President Trump’s 50% tariffs on Canadian products, threatening a dollar-for-dollar counterattack beginning Sept. 8.

The U.S. imposed tariffs on about $20 billion worth of goods from its northern neighbor following the collapse of trade negotiations. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he’s suspending talks and implementing retaliatory tariffs.

“Late last evening I instructed our negotiators to return to Ottawa. We cannot accept what the U.S. has offered, and we will not give what they have asked,” he said in a Saturday statement. “Canada will match the U.S.’ new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses.”

He added that in the coming days, “we will release the details of these new tariff measures, which will come into force the Tuesday after Labor Day.”

Canada’s new tariffs will target steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics.

Washington “asked too much and offered too little,” Mr. Carney said.

Trump’s Plans to Steal the Elections Are Underway– www.truthdig.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Trump’s Plans to Steal the Elections Are Underway– www.truthdig.com
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EXCERPT:

You’d never know it by the title, “Dancing in the Dark,” but the Washington Spectator’s recent investigation is about the various steps (mostly illegal) President Donald Trump is taking, including the use of enforcement tools and violence, to prepare to reverse any overall Democratic victory in the November congressional races. The authors, Mark Medish and Joel McCleary, believe Trump needs such a coup to save himself from impeachment, congressional investigations and subpoenas seeking more proof of crimes throughout his lawless, corrupt, dictatorial regime.

Currently, Trump’s polls are so low that he is endangering enough Republican seats in the House and Senate to give the feeble, corporate money-indentured Democratic Party a chance to win control of Congress. This is precisely what Trump fears, even though he has control of the Executive Branch and the immunity given him by six Injustices of the Supreme Court. Take note, he knows that impeachment and removal from office in the Senate are final, not reviewable in the federal courts.

In 23 single-spaced pages, Medish and McCleary walk readers through the events, directives, ballot seizures and draft emergency orders Trump could use to assert federal control over a midterm election and use a domestic paramilitary force of unprecedented size and budget. Trump and his minions have already expanded their dictatorial control of our democratic institutions. (See the V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2026.)

They then describe the “Devil’s Accordion File” meaning “the elements of a ramified, radical strategy to hold on to power at almost any cost as we approach the test of the 2026 elections.” Although they describe Trump as a brilliant mastermind concentrating extraordinary power in his hands, they remind us that he is also in “full command of his office, directing the Justice Department, the FBI, ICE (the largest new federal police force in American history), the IRS, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Communications Commission, the intelligence community and the armed forces. [Under total acolyte Pete Hegseth.] He is using each agency in a coordinated attack on his political adversaries in ways that would have been dismissed as fantasy only a few years ago.”

‘Moderate’ Dem Who Bested DSA’s Rabid Francesca Hong in WI Gov.’s Race Isn’t So Reasonable After All – RedState– redstate.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

‘Moderate’ Dem Who Bested DSA’s Rabid Francesca Hong in WI Gov.’s Race Isn’t So Reasonable After All – RedState– redstate.com
News Source

EXCERPT:

Be careful what you wish for.

In California, we know the saying all too well. “Get rid of Gavin Newsom!” 

Thanks to term limits, we finally will be rid of the elaborately coiffed governor — but his replacement might be even worse, if Democrat machine candidate Xavier Becerra bests his GOP opponent Steve Hilton in November.





“Toss Bass back in the water!”

Sounds good, but if the appropriately named Karen loses her LA mayoral race, we’ll get Democrat socialist City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who would much rather cater to the homeless and let her district turn into part of the third or fourth world than she would to lift a finger to clean it up.

Wisconsin is now finding out that when you’re dealing with modern Democrats, oftentimes there simply are no sane candidates.

Rep. Francesca Hong (WI-76), the “old white people” hating socialist, was widely expected to win the Badger State Democratic gubernatorial primary, but in a neck-and-neck finish earlier this August, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley pulled out the win.

Good news, right? Sanity prevailed, and the more “moderate” candidate was chosen. Except, not so much. Turns out Crowley is a far-left extremist too, just maybe slightly less so than Hong.

NEW from @foxnews: @DavidCCrowley went all-in on DEI and the Green New Deal agenda in Milwaukee County.

He “embraced racial-equity budgeting,” expanded the county’s equity bureaucracy, and adopted climate plans that threaten even higher costs on Wisconsinites.

All while raising taxes on working families.

He calls himself a moderate, but Crowley is just another radical Democrat.





MORE: When You Come Out Against Thanksgiving, You’ve Completely Lost the Plot, and Probably an Election

Shock: Dem Establishment’s Crowley Defeats DSA-Backed Hong in Photo Finish Wisconsin Gov Primary

For a moment it may have seemed like sanity won out, but that’s getting to be an increasingly impossible prospect when dealing with 2026 Democrats, who have all but started to put pictures of Karl Marx on their campaign signs. Although the Dem establishment backed Crowley over the Fidel Castro wannabe Hong, he’s not actually all that much better:

David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive who defeated Hong after being cast as the more moderate choice, has overseen racial-equity budgeting, expanded the county’s equity bureaucracy and urged the Wisconsin attorney general to sue fossil fuel companies for environmental-related damages. Meanwhile, Crowley has also shared ground with Hong on taxing millionaires and ambitious carbon-neutrality goals.

“Milwaukee County is known for its beer and brats, but unfortunately it’s also the epicenter of David Crowley’s budgetary boondoggles. Under Crowley’s failed leadership, residents received their largest property tax hike in 15 years, paid higher sales taxes for everyday purchases, and saw millions of their hard-earned tax dollars set up to finance Crowley’s Green New Deal ‘Net Zero’ scam for the county,” Wisconsin native and Republican consultant Mark Bednar told Fox News Digital.





Crowley’s Trump-backed GOP opponent, Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI-7), would like a word:

Wisconsin voters have a decision to make in November: do they want to become the next California? They averted the prospect of the Thanksgiving-hating Francesca Hong, but is David Crowley a step up? Survey says: nope.


Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

Help RedState continue to report on the Democrats’ radicalism and inform voters as our nation faces a crossroads. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.




Ottawa and Washington head for all-out trade war– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Ottawa and Washington head for all-out trade war– www.cnbc.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

The Canadian dollar fell on Monday morning after trade talks between Ottawa and Washington fell apart, leaving both sides facing higher prices on a wide array of imported goods.

The U.S. on Saturday slapped 50% tariffs on around $20 billion worth of imports from Canada, its second-biggest trading partner after Mexico. The affected goods span dairy, wine, wood products, ceramics and a slew of other areas.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would retaliate “dollar for dollar” with tariffs starting Sept. 8, targeting sectors such as steel, dairy, agricultural equipment, paper and electronics. Details will be released “in the coming days,” Carney added.

The Canadian dollar was 0.45% lower against the U.S. dollar at 6:10 a.m. ET. The loonie also dipped against the euro, British pound and Japanese yen.

“As a smaller, more open economy, Canada has more to lose from this, but Prime Minister Mark Carney seems to have opened the door to more fiscal stimulus to support affected business,” FX strategists at bank ING wrote in a Monday note.

Fauci starts legal defense fund as federal, state investigations multiply– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Fauci starts legal defense fund as federal, state investigations multiply– www.lifesitenews.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Dr. Anthony Fauci’s lawyers launched a legal defense fund as the former COVID-19 czar’s legal woes continue to mount. 

After two disastrous U.S. Senate hearings and publication of his personal diary this summer, Fauci has now been subpoenaed by three Republican state attorneys general seeking to determine whether he personally profited from guidance he issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While President Joe Biden gave the COVID kahuna a blanket pardon stretching from 2014 to the final day of his presidency, that pardon protects Fauci only from federal prosecution, leaving him exposed to potential legal actions from states. 

The Biden pardon would also not apply to the Contempt of Congress charge that Senate Republicans turned over to the Department of Justice earlier this month after the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director invoked the fifth amendment more than 100 times during a hearing in July. 

“The Anthony S. Fauci M.D. Legal Defense Fund was established to help cover the legal representation and associated administrative costs for Dr. Fauci,” the fund’s website states. “Your contributions directly support these defense efforts and ensure comprehensive legal support during ongoing inquiries and proceedings.”

Canada Strikes Back at President Trump With Major New Tariffs on US Goods– townhall.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Canada Strikes Back at President Trump With Major New Tariffs on US Goods– townhall.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Canada has escalated its trade dispute with the United States, announcing retaliatory tariffs after President Trump imposed 50 percent duties on roughly $20 billion in Canadian imports on Saturday.

“Today I’m announcing that Canada will match the United States tariffs dollar for dollar, rate for rate,” Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said. “Effective September 8, Canada will impose counter tariffs of up to 15, 25 or 50 percent on 27.6 billion in imports from the United States of America. For each product, our tariff would match the American tariff on the same type of Canadian good.”

Muslim Terrorists Slaughter and Kidnap Dozens for ‘Not Practicing the True Teachings of Islam’ During Friday Prayer– gellerreport.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Muslim Terrorists Slaughter and Kidnap Dozens for ‘Not Practicing the True Teachings of Islam’ During Friday Prayer– gellerreport.com
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EXCERPT:

The silence by the international community is devastating just endless condemnation of the Jewish nation defneding itself against this very thing – jihad terror.

Jihadists slaughter and kidnap dozens of people for ‘not practicing the true teachings of Islam’ during Friday prayers in Nigeria

By Sabrina Penty, Daily Mail, August 23, 2026:

Jihadists have kidnapped and slaughtered scores of people in an attack during Friday prayers in central Nigeria.

The exact toll of the attacks, which also hit the village of Binzi in Niger State, was unknown, federal representative Jafaru Mohammed said.

Jibril Ahmad, a civilian who survived the attack, said: ‘Soon after finishing the normal Friday prayer, the armed group of Lakuwara, in their hundreds, wielding guns, knives and machetes, began to attack us.’

‘They slaughtered some of our people, saying we are not practising the true teachings of Islam,’ Ahmad added.

Some are understood to have escaped when another jihadist group, known as Mahmuda, started clashing with the militants.

China warns US of retaliation if Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ sanctions hit their Iran oil trade– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

China warns US of retaliation if Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ sanctions hit their Iran oil trade– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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EXCERPT:

China has warned the US that it could retaliate if Washington significantly expands secondary sanctions on Chinese companies doing business with Iran

China has warned that it could take retaliatory measures if the United States significantly expands secondary sanctions targeting Chinese companies doing business with Iran, according to reporting by the Financial Times.The warning came after the Trump administration on Monday announced new sanctions targeting companies in Hong Kong and mainland China as part of a broader crackdown on Iran’s oil trade. The measures, however, did not target major Chinese financial institutions, FT reported.A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that Beijing would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights and interests, while reiterating China’s opposition to what it described as unilateral sanctions lacking a basis in international law or United Nations Security Council authorisation.The spokesperson also called for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and negotiations.

Democrats won’t fix New Jersey’s voter fraud– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Democrats won’t fix New Jersey’s voter fraud– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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EXCERPT:

For years, the liberal establishment told America that noncitizens don’t vote in elections.

About 6,600 people on the voter rolls had told the state before they were registered that they weren’t U.S. citizens, according to reports from multiple media outlets.

Yet New Jersey registered them to vote anyway.

Now the state claims it was just a software glitch.

But my experience as an elected official tells me that if there is a glitch anywhere, it’s in the law under which they were registered.

It’s clear that we have to reform our voter registration laws to restore confidence.

Gay media celebrates Pope Leo XIV’s 4 pro-LGBT bishop appointments– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Gay media celebrates Pope Leo XIV’s 4 pro-LGBT bishop appointments– www.lifesitenews.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

(LifeSiteNews) — A gay news site published an article praising Pope Leo XIV for having “made room for progressive LGBTQ+ voices.” 

Headlined Pope Leo’s Recent LGBTQ-Friendly Appointments Include Bishop Who Had Drag Queen Speak at Mass, the article draws heavily from a liberal Catholic Substack, Letters from Leo, authored by former Obama staffer Christopher Hale.

The article focuses on the installation of four reportedly pro-homosexual and pro-transgender bishops: James Checchio, appointed by Leo in February to head the Archdiocese of New Orleans; Bishop Ramón Bejarano, chosen in December to lead the Diocese of Monterrey, California; Bishop Christian Würtz, selected in by Leo in July 2025 as the new bishop of Eichstätt in Germany; and Baker, Oregon diocese’s Bishop Thomas Hennen, who at age 47 became the youngest bishop to head a diocese. 

Perhaps the most alarming of the four is Bishop Bejarano. The former San Diego auxiliary bishop famously celebrated an “All are Welcome” LGBT-themed “Pride” Mass – during which a drag queen activist was permitted to speak – as the new bishop of Monterey, California.

Former Miss North Carolina sues Miss USA over alleged defamation– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Former Miss North Carolina sues Miss USA over alleged defamation– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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EXCERPT:

Former Miss North Carolina Brittany Boltinhouse is suing Miss USA for defamation, accusing the pageant organization of weaponizing social media against her after she was dethroned over alleged “homophobic views.”

The lawsuit names the Miss USA organization, its Chairman Thom Brodeur, and the operators of the North Carolina pageant as defendants. The case does not challenge Boltinhouse’s dethroning or seek her reinstatement.

Instead, Boltinhouse alleges the defendants made false statements portraying her as racist, homophobic, transphobic, and bigoted, claiming the statements have damaged her reputation.

In the complaint, Boltinhouse acknowledges that old social media posts resurfaced, including six posts from 2017 and 2019 in which she used a racial slur as a teenager.

She also said posts showing her support for President Donald Trump and the late Charlie Kirk were used by the Miss USA organization as part of a campaign against her. Boltinhouse alleged that her conservative Christian and political views, rather than the stated concerns over her social media activity, were the real reason she was dethroned.

Canada Is Spending Billions to Help Its Workers Survive Our Tariffs – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Canada Is Spending Billions to Help Its Workers Survive Our Tariffs – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com
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EXCERPT:

A utilities box in front of the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, amid Canada’s trade war with the US, August 20, 2026.Nick Iwanyshyn/Canadian Press/AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

On Tuesday, Canadian officials announced funding to back businesses, workers, and industries, as they implement dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on the US in response to the Trump administration’s newly imposed 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian imports.

Senior members of Canada’s government announced a support package worth $7.5 billion Canadian dollars, or about $5.4 billion US, including $3 million in non-repayable loans for every small business and a further $2 million in interest-free loans—even for businesses only indirectly affected by tariffs.

Small and medium-sized businesses directly affected will be able to apply for a further $5 million through Canada’s business development bank, and the Canadian government has set aside $2 billion for medium-sized and large firms, more than half a billion dollars for retraining workers whose industries are affected by tariffs, and a one-year extension on temporary employment insurance benefits Canada already issued in response to the start of Trump’s trade war with Canada last year.

Reporter Loses Credential After Bizarre Courtroom Behavior During Lindsay Clancy Trial– www.westernjournal.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Reporter Loses Credential After Bizarre Courtroom Behavior During Lindsay Clancy Trial– www.westernjournal.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

It’s something of an unspoken rule that when you’re a reporter covering any story — let alone one involving three dead children — that the reporter should present oneself with an air of decorum, respect, and impartiality.

For one now-former Vanity Fair contributor, perhaps that rule should’ve actually been vocalized better to her.

See if you can spot who that ex-contributor was below:

Australia news live: PM, premiers and chief ministers sign firearms agreement; Sarah Hanson-Young scathing on Malcolm Roberts’ gay rights comments | Australia news– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Australia news live: PM, premiers and chief ministers sign firearms agreement; Sarah Hanson-Young scathing on Malcolm Roberts’ gay rights comments | Australia news– www.theguardian.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

State and territory leaders and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, have agreed to further tighten national gun laws in a meeting in Sydney.

Albanese said federal government intelligence would be shared with state and territory law enforcement agencies as part of the deal, and that only Australian citizens would be allowed to hold gun licences.

The push comes after the deaths in December’s antisemitic shooting at Bondi Beach and as the federal government’s national buyback plan falters due to low take-up by the states. Only NSW and the ACT have signed up so far.

Albanese said 3D printed gun technology would be banned, along with sharing of materials about their production.

HHS Official Slams ‘Wolves in White Coats’ Who Transitioned Kids – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

HHS Official Slams ‘Wolves in White Coats’ Who Transitioned Kids – PJ Media– pjmedia.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

A top Trump administration healthcare official has labeled doctors who push children into gender transitions and then abandon them to the devastating consequences “wolves in white coats.”

On August 22, Adm. Brian Christine, assistant secretary for health, went on NTD News and discussed the new Health and Human Services crackdown on fraudulent insurance coding for “sex-rejecting procedures” on minors. There are millions of dollars in the gender transition industry, which is why quite a few woke doctors and medical professionals are happy to encourage it. But when the kids realize they can never be the opposite sex and want to reverse the so-called treatments, the dishonest doctors simply drop them and move on. The surgeries are irreversible, and so is the regret.

Adm. Christine explained that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS team actually took the time to talk to parents and children who regret the procedures they accepted in pursuit of transgender ideology. Instead of mocking or ignoring detransitioners, the Trump administration is giving them a voice.

“We also heard again and again from these children and their families, is that when they had decided, and and you alluded to this, when they had decided ‘no, I made a mistake. I’ve been led down this path, but …this isn’t right, I want to stop my treatment, and I want to try to detransition and go back.’ They were virtually abandoned by the same wolves in white coats who led them down this pathway, they were abandoned, which, again, is heartbreaking, is heartbreaking to hear.”

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports– www.bbc.co.uk

pgnewser August 26, 2026 1

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports– www.bbc.co.uk
News Source
EXCERPT:

The trip is thought to be Ratcliffe’s first trip to Russia as CIA director, although he has maintained contact with his intelligence counterparts in Moscow.

John Foreman, who served as a British military attaché to Moscow between 2019 and 2022, told Radio 4’s PM programme that the visit could be focused on “escalation management” given speculation recent drone activity in Germany could be linked to Russia.

He said: “The Americans don’t normally send such a high ranking official to Moscow unannounced at short notice unless something is up.”

Foreman said the trip could also concern the release of US detainees currently being held in Russia.

Ratcliffe played a role in negotiations for the release of Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina, who was jailed in Russia for over a year after being accused of providing support to Ukraine.