đ¨Far-Left NGOs Join Soros in Funding DC Jury Nullification Project
Progressive philanthropies and major Democratic donors have teamed up with George Soros-linked entities to pour roughly $40 million into nonprofits that back Free DC, a group running seminars critics say promote jury nullification to shield certain defendants in politically charged cases in Washington, DC. The Center for Community Change and Community Change Action, which fiscally sponsor Free DC, received these funds between 2020 and 2024 from sources including Soros family grantmakers ($13.4 million), the Ford Foundation, Tides network, Arabella Advisors, Heising Simons foundations, and unions, enabling the âJuror Information Projectâ that trains potential jurors to influence outcomes for equity and resist law enforcement cooperation, amid concerns over biased grand jury decisions in cases involving federal agents.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, The New York Post
đď¸ Democrats Send Counteroffer on Immigration Enforcement Amid Ongoing DHS Funding Lapse
Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, delivered a counterproposal to the White House and Republicans on February 16, 2026, seeking concessions on immigration enforcement practices in return for supporting funding to end the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. The shutdown began after stopgap funding expired, though most essential operations continue. Democratsâ demands, building on an earlier 10-point plan, include requirements for judicial warrants before arrests on private property, body cameras and visible identification for agents (no masks), restrictions on enforcement near sensitive locations like schools and churches, enhanced training, use-of-force policies, and independent probes into misconduct. These stem from recent fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis and broader concerns over accountability. Republicans and the White House have resisted key elements like warrant changes, arguing they hinder deportations, while some compromise may be possible on masks for officer safety. No agreement has emerged yet, with the impasse entering its fourth day and no clear resolution in sight.
Sources: The Washington Times, ABC News
âď¸ Feds Charge 27 Members of Tren de Aragua Splinter Faction with Murder, Sex Trafficking, and Kidnapping
A federal superseding indictment unsealed on February 13, 2026, charges 27 members and associates of the Anti-Tren splinter faction of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, designated as a foreign terrorist organization, with a 38-count racketeering conspiracy that includes murder in aid of racketeering tied to an April 15, 2024, double murder in the Bronx, New York, murder-for-hire conspiracy, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy, along with other offenses. Prosecutors allege these individuals, all unlawfully present in the U.S., engaged in gunpoint robberies, murders, and the exploitation of vulnerable young women through sex trafficking, using intimidation, brutality, and threats of violence against victims and their families to maintain control and inflict lasting trauma.
Sources: US Justice Dept, The Center Square
đ°Mamdani Proposes First NYC Property Tax Increase in Over Two Decades to Address Budget Shortfall
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has outlined a preliminary budget plan that includes raising property taxes by about 9.5% for the first time since the early 2000s under Michael Bloomberg. This move aims to help close a roughly $5.4 billion two-year budget gap, after state aid from Governor Kathy Hochul reduced earlier higher estimates. Mamdani has framed the property tax hike as a last-resort option if Albany refuses to impose higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. The proposal also involves drawing down reserves and relies on optimistic revenue assumptions, drawing criticism from figures like Comptroller Mark Levine for its potential regressive impact on ordinary homeowners and businesses amid ongoing affordability concerns.
đ¸Third âProphetessâ Indicted in Kingdom of God Global Church Forced Labor Case
A federal grand jury in Michigan has added Kathleen Klein, known within the church as âProphetess,â as the third defendant in an ongoing forced labor conspiracy case against leaders of the Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly Joshua Media Ministries International. Klein, 53, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit forced labor carrying up to 20 years in prison. She allegedly helped run multi-state call centers in Michigan, Missouri, Florida, and Texas, where workers faced grueling unpaid hours, aggressive donation solicitation quotas, and punishments like public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical abuse, food and shelter withholding, forced repentance rituals, and threats of divine judgment including sickness, accidents, death, or eternal damnation if targets went unmet. The scheme reportedly pulled in about $50 million in donations since 2014, much of which leaders used for personal luxuries such as real estate, vehicles, and travel. Co-defendants David Taylor and Michelle Brannon, indicted earlier in July 2025 on related forced labor and money laundering charges, face additional allegations including Taylorâs requests for sexually explicit material from female workers.
Sources: FOX News, US Justice Dept
đ Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Icon, Dies at 84
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader who marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr., founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and ran twice for president as a Democrat, died peacefully on February 17, 2026, at age 84 in Chicago, surrounded by family after a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy, a neurological disorder. His family and organization highlighted his lifelong push for justice, equality, voter mobilization, and uplifting the marginalized, marking the end of an era for a figure who shaped post-King activism with fiery speeches and persistent advocacy.
â§ď¸ A Transgender Father Opens Fire on Family at Rhode Island Hockey Game
A 56-year-old suspect identified as Robert Dorgan, who also went by Roberta Esposito, opened fire at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a high school youth hockey game on February 16, 2026, killing two family membersâincluding his ex-wife and one sonâand critically injuring three others in what police described as a targeted family dispute. The shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a good Samaritan intervened to help stop the attack, preventing further casualties in the crowded rink where the suspectâs other son was playing on the ice. Court records indicate long-standing family tensions tied to the suspectâs gender transition and related issues, though authorities have not released full victim names or a precise motive beyond the domestic nature of the incident.
đ College Students Admit to Faking Progressive Views for Campus Survival
A recent study based on confidential interviews with 1,452 undergraduates at Northwestern University and the University of Michigan, conducted between 2023 and 2025, found that 88 percent of students have pretended to hold more progressive views than they actually endorse to succeed socially or academically. Over 80 percent reported submitting classwork that misrepresented their true beliefs to align with professorsâ expectations, while high rates of self-censorship appeared on topics like gender identity (78 percent), politics (72 percent), and family values (68 percent). Many students avoid open disagreement, conceal beliefs even from close friends or partners, and view silence as the safest option amid pressure for ideological conformity.
Sources: The Post Millennial, Deseret News
âŞď¸ New Yorkers Wake to Amplified Islamic Call to Prayer Echoing Through Manhattan Streets
Social media videos shared recently show the Islamic call to prayer, or Adhan, blasting loudly through parts of Manhattan as early as 5 AM, prompting reactions from residents who describe it as invasive and shocking, with commentary framing the amplified broadcasts as a form of cultural encroachment tied to past city approvals for Fridays and Ramadan under Mayor Eric Adams and perceived influences from figures like Zohran Mamdani; the coverage highlights concerns over noise invading homes and neighborhoods in a city still marked by 9/11 memories, while distinguishing private worship from publicly enforced projections.
Sources: RedState.com, VividProwess on X
âď¸ JB Pritzkerâs Cousin Steps Down from Hyatt Over Epstein Ties
Thomas Pritzker, the billionaire executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation and cousin to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, announced his immediate retirement from the role on February 16, 2026, after recent Department of Justice releases of Epstein-related files highlighted his post-2008 communications with Jeffrey Epstein, including emails about meals, appointments, and travel arrangements. Pritzker expressed deep regret over his association with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, describing it as terrible judgment with no excuse for not cutting ties sooner, and stated the move was to protect the company through good stewardship; he will not seek reelection to the board in May, amid no accusations of wrongdoing but clear fallout from the revived scrutiny of Epsteinâs elite connections.
Sources: The Daily Caller, The Wall Street Journal
đ¨ Google Report Flags Ongoing Cyber Threats from Chinese and Russian Hackers to U.S. Defense Contractors
Googleâs latest threat intelligence update highlights a persistent campaign of state-sponsored cyber operations against the U.S. defense industrial base, with Chinese-linked groups showing the highest volume of activity through exploitation of edge devices like VPNs and routers for long-term access, while Russian actors focus on spoofing contractor websites and broader espionage tied to ongoing conflicts; the report, released around February 10, 2026, also notes involvement from Iranian and North Korean hackers using tactics like fake recruiter schemes and AI tools such as Gemini for reconnaissance and phishing, painting a picture of a multi-vector siege on contractors, suppliers, and employees that goes beyond traditional spying into supply-chain and personnel infiltration risks.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Guardian
𧧠Xi Jinping Delivers Lunar New Year Greetings to PLA via Rare Video Link Amid Purge Fallout
Chinese leader Xi Jinping opted for a virtual format to deliver his annual Lunar New Year message to Peopleâs Liberation Army units on February 10, 2026, from Beijingâs Bayi Building, breaking from his usual practice of in-person inspections with troops. This unusual choice, coming shortly after high-profile investigations into senior military figures including former allies, has prompted overseas analysts to speculate about lingering distrust or concerns over internal stability within the ranks, even as the address emphasized loyalty and readiness. The video appearance, flanked by just two officials, and the shift away from direct troop interactions have fueled talk that ongoing anti-corruption efforts and leadership shakeups may have heightened sensitivities at the top.
Sources: Vision Times, The Epoch Times
đ Khamenei Threatens to Sink U.S. Aircraft Carrier Amid Nuclear Talks
Iranâs Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a pointed warning on February 17, 2026, stating that while U.S. aircraft carriers pose a danger, the weapons Iran possesses are even more dangerous and capable of sending such a vessel to the bottom of the sea. This rhetoric came during a speech as indirect nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran proceeded in Geneva, with Khamenei also mocking claims of American military superiority by saying the strongest army could be struck so hard it cannot recover. The comments coincided with Iranâs IRGC conducting live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz, temporarily closing the vital waterway, and amid U.S. naval deployments in the region.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The UK Independent
đľ Mexican Opposition Urges Greater U.S. Role Against Cartels
Mexican opposition figures are pressing for stepped-up U.S. intervention to tackle drug cartels that have deeply embedded themselves across Mexican society, pointing to American drug consumption and local corruption as key drivers of the ongoing violence that risks turning the country into a full-blown narcostate. They cite the recent U.S. rendition of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as evidence that Washington can and will act against criminal-linked regimes, serving notice to traffickers that similar measures could follow south of the border.
Sources: NewsMax, Mexico News Daily
đ˘Russia Warns Europe Against Seizing Its Shadow Oil Tankers
Moscow has issued a stern warning that it will deploy naval forces to protect its so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers from any European seizures aimed at enforcing sanctions, with a top official indicating possible retaliation against European-flagged vessels. This comes as Western powers seek to choke off Russiaâs oil revenues sustaining its war efforts, though Europe has so far stuck to economic measures rather than direct interdictions, while the U.S. has taken physical actions against suspect tankers in the Caribbean. The newsletter also covers U.S. plans to ramp up missile and unmanned system deployments to the Philippines amid tensions with China, ongoing U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks in Geneva despite Iranian military drills near the Strait of Hormuz, North Korea honoring its soldiers killed in Ukraine, drone strikes on Russian facilities, a think-tank warning about potential Chinese superiority over the U.S. Air Force, and more.
Sources: The Washington Times, FOX News