June 24, 2026

01a Apocalyptic

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A gunman who killed at least six people in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, before taking hostages and barricading himself inside a supermarket on Saturday has been shot and killed by police, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukraine’s special tactical police units stormed the store after attempts to contact the gunman with a negotiator failed, the head of Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, Ihor Klymenko, said in a statement on social media. The attacker was killed while resisting arrest, he said.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Klymenko said that the gunman had killed four bystanders while on the street, before entering the supermarket and killing a fifth person.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that a sixth victim, a young woman, died from her injuries in the hospital.

An Associated Press reporter on the scene saw the bodies of the victims in the street covered by emergency blankets before they were taken away.

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JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said on Monday (Apr 20) that it had determined an image circulating on social media that shows a soldier in south Lebanon hitting a statue of Jesus Christ is authentic and depicts one of its troops.

The image appears to show an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of a crucified Jesus that had fallen off a cross.

Arab media reports indicated that the statue was in the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel.

The Debl municipality told AFP that the statue was located in the village, but could not confirm whether it had been damaged.

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A billionaire running for governor of California just released a plan so radical it makes Gavin Newsom look like a moderate.

Tom Steyer, the hedge fund billionaire and failed 2020 presidential candidate who now leads the Democrat primary field for California governor, published a five-point immigration platform this week that calls for abolishing ICE, jailing federal immigration agents, and using state funds to bring deported illegal aliens back to California.

You read that right. He wants to arrest the people enforcing federal law and roll out the red carpet for those who broke it.

Fox News reporter Bill Melugin laid out the details:

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“A possible foreign operation that could be involved here. That’s why they’re investigating.” “There was a meeting at the White House today on the deaths or disappearances of 10 scientists and staffers, many of whom have overlapping connections to some of our most closely held defense and nuclear research space programs, a lot of intersection between that in the work that they were doing.

“Who are the missing or dead scientists with connections to government research

Ten scientists have died or disappeared, all with links to the nation’s nuclear programs, raising questions about possible connections.

On Thursday, President Trump said he was in a meeting about the cases and expects to know more in a week and a half. He expressed hope the links between the cases were just a coincidence.

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On Monday, at 4:53 P.M. local time, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the northeastern shores of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, where the Pacific tectonic plate plunges beneath the North American plate at the deep-sea Japan Trench. Immediately, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) sent out a tsunami warning alert. Although small tsunami waves did soon reach various sections of the coast, no reports of injuries, deaths, or significant damage to homes or infrastructure were reported.

The danger, however, has not necessarily passed. Following the temblor, a JMA spokesperson told the media and those along the affected shoreline that “the likelihood of a new, huge earthquake occurring is relatively higher than during normal times.” Specifically, there is an elevated risk of a “megaquake”—one of magnitude 8.0 or greater—in the coming days.

The odds of an imminent megaquake are very low—around one in 100. “This 1 percent probability is still low in absolute terms, but it’s 10 times higher than normal, which is significant from a risk management perspective,” says Amilcar Carrera-Cevallos, an independent earthquake scientist.

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One of the most painful experiences any parent can have is outliving their child.

On Monday, U.S. Senator Mark Warner announced his 36-year-old daughter had died.

Warner made the announcement on X and shared that his daughter, Madison, died after suffering a decades-long health battle.

The Hill reported on the cause of the death:

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Monday announced the death of his 36-year-old daughter, who had suffered from juvenile diabetes.

“We are heartbroken beyond words by the passing of our beloved daughter, Madison, 36, after a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues. She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” Warner and his wife, Lisa Collins, posted in a statement on X.

“We are grateful for the loving support of friends and family during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we navigate this profound loss,” he added.

Madison is survived by two younger sisters. The three were introduced to the political spotlight in 2001 when Warner was elected governor of Virginia.

Here’s Warner’s post on X:

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As Congress debates antisemitism legislation and the Religious Liberty Commission holds hearings on rising hate, a case pending before the Supreme Court reveals a more mundane threat: city officials who use zoning bureaucracy to shut down Jewish prayer in a private home.

Daniel Grand invited a handful of neighbors to his house on a Saturday morning to pray. The City of University Heights, Ohio, served him with a cease-and-desist order, calling his home an “illegal house of worship.” Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan then encouraged Grand’s neighbors to surveil his home and report any religious activity for punishment.

When a city criminalizes home worship, you’d figure the homeowner has recourse. On paper, yes. In practice, no. In reality, municipalities across the country destroy faith communities not through action but through something more sinister: selective inaction.

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On Thursday’s The Last Word, MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell used a selectively edited clip to portray HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a “deeply perverted racist madman” who wants to remove all black children from their parents and have them “reparented” by the government. In fact, the HHS secretary said no such thing.

The MS NOW host began his dishonest segment by claiming that Kennedy wants to forcibly remove all black children from their parents:

Donald Trump’s Human Services secretary, who was convicted of the felony of heroin possession during the 14 years that he admits to having been a heroin addict, is the first cabinet secretary in history — indeed, the only administration official in the administration of any President in history — who wants to rip every black child in America out of the arms of that child’s mother and that child’s father. Every single black child.

O’Donnell worked in the word “Nazi” as he continued:

Robert Kennedy Jr believes that every black child in America has bad parents, and that every black child in America needs to be reparented. That is his personal Nazi word for it. “Reparented.” He did not say that some black children need to be reparented by him. He did not say that thousands of black children need to be reparented. He said, quote, “every black kid” needs to be reparented by the federal government and institutions run by him.

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US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that American forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship TOUSKA after it tried to bypass a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.Iran initially contradicted the claim, saying US forces were forced to retreat…

In a post on Truth Social he wrote, “Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA… tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them.”

Trump said the ship was warned by a US Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman to stop, but it did not comply.

“The US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, US Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under US Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!,” he further wrote.

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Human societies have not just adapted to the natural world. They have steadily learned how to transform it. Drawing on research from archaeology, ecology, anthropology, and evolutionary theory, Erle Ellis, professor of geography and environmental systems at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, explains how cultural practices have evolved to give humans extraordinary influence over the ecosystems that sustain them.

From early uses of fire to cook food and shape landscapes to modern systems like industrial agriculture, global trade, and rapidly growing cities, societies have developed powerful tools and institutions. These social and cultural advances have allowed humans to reshape the planet on a massive scale while improving their ability to survive and thrive.

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We cannot collaborate with Democrats. Period. They’re insane, motivated by the overeducated, wealthy, white, nose-pierced, and blue-haired radicals that form the core of their political base. They’re held hostage by activist crazies. That’s why we need to eliminate the filibuster in the Senate and accomplish as much as possible, give our members something to energize their supporters at home, and stop the Democrats’ use of illegal aliens to boost their political power. We need to pass the Save America Act.

At the very least, we can ensure that only Americans vote in our elections. Plus, whatever economic action items that were deemed DOA due to the 60-vote threshold.

If we don’t act and Democrats retake Congress, the list of atrocious policy points here is staggering. Look, not everything will get passed, but imagine the disastrous Biden agenda on steroids. Here’s what the Left is cooking up, based on what Democratic operative James Carville said on the Policon podcast.

  • Grant statehood to Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, so that the Democrats can unlock 4 extra seats in the Senate.
  • Pack the U.S. Supreme Court from 9 Justices up to 13 Justices, adding another 4 Left-wing Justices to the court.
  • Reopen the U.S.-Mexico border and grant mass-amnesty to every single alien currently inside of the United States.
  • His advice to Democrat politicians: “Don’t run on it. Don’t talk about it. Just do it.”

Israel is accelerating its war in Lebanon even as talks continue between the two countries. Israel wants a disarmed Hezbollah while Lebanon may not have the capacity to do the job.

IDF Launches Massive Coordinated Strike Across Lebanon trendingpoliticsnews.com
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Israel dramatically escalated its campaign in Lebanon this week, carrying out one of the largest coordinated strikes of the ongoing regional conflict, as the fragile ceasefire continues to teeter on the edge of collapse.

According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces, more than 180 Hezbollah operatives were killed in a rapid, large-scale operation targeting multiple targets across Lebanon. The strikes were executed “within a minute,” hitting roughly 100 targets simultaneously in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.

The IDF said the operation relied on “precise and high-quality intelligence” and focused on key Hezbollah infrastructure, including command centers, military compounds, and facilities used by senior operatives. Israeli officials described the targets as central to Hezbollah’s operational capabilities in the region.

New polls have come out that show four key Senate Races are shifting from toss-up to leans Democrat. This reflects other polls that show similar rises in Democrat numbers, along with rises in funding.

Four Key Senate Races Shift Toward Democrats › American Greatness amgreatness.com
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An independent, nonpartisan newsletter that analyzes state, federal, and presidential elections says four key U.S. Senate races has shifted toward the Democrats in the upcoming November midterm elections.

According to The Hill, The Cook Political Report shifted the ratings to the left on Monday for the North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Nebraska senate races but says the GOP is still favored to maintain its majority in the upper chamber.

Jessica Taylor, the senate and governors editor for the report, said the economy is creating an increasingly sour national environment for Republicans and moving a handful of states toward the Democrats.

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First came the thunderous boom. Then the air billowed with thick black smoke. Fires were “everywhere,” survivors said. Scores of people lay dead.

The Nigerian military, with whom the U.S. military is fighting a growing Islamist threat, initially declared the attack on a weekend market in the remote desert village of Jilli a successful strike “on a known terrorist enclave.” But eyewitnesses describe a starkly different scene: The more than 100 people killed, they say, were traders and other members of the community, and included women and children.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed Tuesday to take a harder line against the U.S. over the deaths of Mexican migrants in its immigration detention centres.

Sheinbaum had previously responded to U.S. President Donald Trump‘s anti-immigration provocations by defending Mexico’s sovereignty while meeting his requests to crack down on drug cartel activity. At the same time, the threat of tariffs and other economic or military-style sanctions loomed.

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Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS), a district in a far-left county in Virginia, encourages students to make a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology as a “core competency,” and has an “equity” grading system that guarantees at least 50 percent on incomplete assignments.

According to documents obtained by Defending Education, the county, home to the Charlottesville metro area and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, is fully steeped in “anti-racism” — an ideology used in curriculums to browbeats white students into denying their self-worth as human beings based on race. The majority of ACPS students are white.

“Albemarle Schools don’t only promote a worldview based in social justice ideology but they tell students that they too must hold this worldview,” Erika Sanzi, Senior Director of Communications at Defending Education, told The Federalist. “Teachers’ lessons are judged using an anti-racist vetting tool to ensure they are sufficiently integrating power and privilege and teaching students to resist oppression. This is not normal.”

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Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed the opposition win in Hungary as “the victory of light over darkness,” as he called for “pragmatic, friendly” relations with the new administration.

Speaking alongside the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy said that he hoped for “pragmatic” and “friendly” relations with the new Magyar government – in sharp contrast with hostile Orbán administration.

“I am sure we will cooperate with Hungary,” he said, expressing hope Ukraine will be able to “build our relations” with the new government based on “cooperation” and “respect for each other.”

He said that the damaged Druzhba pipeline which has been at the heart of tensions between Ukraine and Hungary in recent months will be repaired by the end of April. “Not completely, but enough to function,” he said.

Zelenskyy also briefly commented on the outcome in the Hungarian election, saying:

“The elections when the Hungarian people made their choice were on Sunday, 12 April. In

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AI tool Claude, developed by Anthropic, suddenly announced the rollout of a new identity verification system requiring users to complete a real-time selfie check while holding a government-issued ID.

The move has drawn global attention, but for Chinese users in particular, it feels like a heavy blow that erects a difficult-to-cross “wall” in AI access.

This verification is not being applied universally to all users at once. Instead, it is being introduced gradually in specific scenarios. When users attempt to access certain advanced features, or as part of routine platform integrity checks and other safety and compliance measures, a verification prompt may appear.

The process itself appears simple and typically takes no more than five minutes. However, users must prepare a government-issued photo ID—such as a passport, driver’s license, or national ID card—and use a camera-enabled device to capture a real-time selfie.

For Chinese users, the impact of this mechanism is both broad and profound. The barrier to entry has been significantly raised: individuals without passports are excluded from using Claude.

Even for those who do have passports, older accounts may become valuable assets, while new users face hurdles due to real-name verification requirements, making normal access increasingly difficult.

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The Trump administration abruptly canceled an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami to shelter and care for migrant children who enter the U.S. alone, ending a relationship between the Catholic Church and the U.S. government dating back more than 60 years to the first arrivals of Cuban exiles in South Florida.

Gee, do you think this has anything to do with Pope Leo not kissing his ass like the evangelical fundies do?

The Office of Refugee Resettlement, part of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, has paid Catholic Charities in Miami for several years to house immigrant children who enter the U.S. without parents or adult supervision. The non-profit operates the equivalent of a federally funded foster care system, separate and apart from state agencies that have custody of abused and neglected children. The federal government reached out to the charity in late March about the cancellation of the funding.

Amid his one-way feud with the pope, Trump has abruptly canceled funding for Catholic Charities of Miami to provide housing and foster families for unaccompanied immigrant children, ending a 60-year partnership and possibly forcing hundreds of children to be relocated.
-Keith Boykin

Audrey (@parickards.bsky.social) 2026-04-15T17:15:47.031Z

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Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman called for President Donald Trump to be “eliminated” from office on Wednesday.

During a House Budget Committee hearing, Watson Coleman said, “If we wanted to eliminate abuse and fraud, we’d eliminate the President of the United States from the office right now, and the rest of the sycophants in his administration that are allowing him to do so many illegal things.”

The official White House Rapid Response account posted the video and responded, “These people are SICK!”