🎧 LISTEN TO THE HEADLINES ON THE SUBSTACK APP
⚖️ Iraqi Hezbollah-Linked Operative Charged With Plotting New York Synagogue Bombing Amid Iran Conflict
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, an Iraqi national with ties to Kata’ib Hezbollah, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Hezbollah, faces federal charges in Manhattan for conspiring to provide material support to terrorist groups and plotting to bomb public places. He allegedly directed at least 18 terror attacks across Europe and two in Canada since late February 2026, targeting U.S. and Israeli interests in retaliation for the ongoing U.S.-Israel war in Iran. These included firebombing a Bank of New York Mellon building in Amsterdam, attempting to detonate explosives at a Bank of America site in Paris, stabbing Jewish individuals in London, and striking a synagogue in Belgium, plus other sites. Al-Saadi also sought to bomb a prominent Manhattan synagogue last month, provided an undercover FBI operative with maps and photos of Jewish centers in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, and paid $3,000 toward the plots. He was arrested in Turkey, transferred to U.S. custody, and detained after his initial court appearance on May 15, 2026, where he reportedly described himself as a prisoner of war linked to the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
🏛️ Senate Parliamentarian Blocks Key Provisions in GOP Border Funding Package
The Senate Parliamentarian ruled on Thursday that several major sections of the Republican-led $72 billion reconciliation package intended to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection violated Senate rules under the Byrd Rule. The affected provisions included main Border Patrol funding, additional Department of Homeland Security appropriations, and elements related to border security technology and screening. Republicans must now revise the language to attempt compliance for passage via the reconciliation process, which allows a simple majority vote. The parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, determined that portions improperly extended beyond budgetary impacts, potentially conflicting with existing laws on migrant child protections, such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. GOP leaders described the outcome as expected procedural adjustments and planned to submit reworked text, with a target deadline of June 1 for President Trump to receive the bill.
❎ DHS Quietly Dials Back Accuracy Targets for Voter Roll Cleanup Tool
The Department of Homeland Security has reduced the target accuracy rate of its Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system from 99 percent to 97 percent. The actual accuracy rate for manual checks also dropped from 99 percent in 2024 to 98 percent last year. Officials run this database, which draws from Social Security, State Department, and other records, against state voter rolls to identify potential noncitizens and other ineligible entries. As of March, it had flagged more than 25,000 possible noncitizens on rolls plus over 330,000 deceased individuals, with some 20,000 cases referred for further investigation. The change means thousands more U.S. citizens could face incorrect flags and need to prove eligibility, especially after 60 million voter records were queried since April 2025. Errors often stem from citizens born abroad without updated records or children who gained citizenship through parents but remain listed as green card holders. Supporters note the system still performs well for government work and aids election integrity efforts. Critics argue the tool was designed for benefits checks, not mass voter screening, and warn of burdens on legitimate voters.
🗺️ South Carolina Governor McMaster Calls Special Session on Congressional Redistricting
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster issued an executive order on May 14, 2026, calling the General Assembly back for an extra legislative session. The session begins Friday, May 15, at 11:00 AM to address the state budget and continue consideration of congressional districts. This move follows the state Senate’s failure earlier in the week to pass a measure extending the regular session for redistricting purposes. Republicans hold a 6-1 majority in the state’s congressional delegation, and the effort targets redrawing lines around the majority-Black 6th District long held by Democrat Jim Clyburn. Recent Supreme Court rulings have limited certain race-based districting considerations, opening possibilities for map changes ahead of the 2026 midterms.
💸 Arizona Medicaid Fraud Crackdown Slashes Behavioral Health Billing by 92 Percent
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on May 14, 2026, that behavioral health billing under the state’s American Indian Health Plan has plummeted 92 percent since a fraud crackdown began in 2023. Billing fell from roughly $3.1 billion between 2021 and 2023 to about $230 million in the following period. The effort targeted fraudulent sober living homes and treatment providers that billed Arizona’s Medicaid program, known as AHCCCS, for services never rendered, including claims for minors, incarcerated individuals, and deceased patients. Officials tied the schemes to the exploitation of vulnerable Native Americans seeking addiction treatment, often in unlicensed facilities. Mayes highlighted the sentencing of nurse practitioner Rita Anagho to 3.5 years in prison for her role in these operations, noting over 140 indictments and around 41 convictions so far in the broader probe. State leaders described the drop in claims as evidence that aggressive enforcement has curbed a massive scam that previously drained taxpayer funds while harming those it claimed to help.
Read Underground USA’s featured article:
⚠️ The Grift of Redefined Racism And How The Far-Left Poisoned America
BE SURE TO LIKE THE ARTICLE & SHARE IT WIDELY
⚠️ Newsom Hints at Democrats’ Emergency Plan to Block Republican Advance in California Governor Race
California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed concerns about the state’s June 2 jungle primary during a budget presentation on May 14. He stated he does not expect two Republicans to advance to the November general election. Newsom referenced a “break-the-glass” contingency plan. He noted that many people understand the implications if Democrats are locked out and said efforts are underway to prevent that outcome. The top-two primary system pits all candidates against each other regardless of party. Recent polls show Republican Steve Hilton leading or tied with Democrat Xavier Becerra. Other contenders include Republican Chad Bianco and Democrat Tom Steyer. Democrats have reportedly used tactics such as mailers highlighting Hilton as a conservative to consolidate GOP votes and protect a Democratic spot in the runoff.
👈🏼 MN Dem Tax Chair Faces Calls for Removal After Heated Exchange With GOP Lawmaker During Gun Bill Sit-In
Minnesota House Democrats staged an overnight sit-in on the chamber floor late on May 15, 2026, after a motion to bring a Senate-passed gun control package to the floor for a vote failed on a 67-67 party-line tie. The legislation would restrict assault-style weapons, large-capacity magazines, and ghost guns while funding school safety measures in response to the recent Annunciation Church shooting. During the tense standoff, DFL Rep. Aisha Gomez, who co-chairs the Taxes Committee, engaged in a loud verbal exchange with Republican Rep. Elliott Engen. Republicans, including House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Leader Harry Niska, claimed Gomez told Engen to “go f*cking shoot himself” and demanded her removal from her committee post plus a public condemnation from Gov. Tim Walz. Video footage released by multiple outlets shows Gomez yelling phrases such as “think of them, not yourself, how about that” in reference to grieving parents, with no audible evidence of the specific threat alleged; Gomez called the accusation a fabrication. The sit-in continued into Friday as lawmakers face a Sunday midnight deadline to wrap up the session.
😦 Michigan Congressional Candidate Shelby Campbell Posts Vulgar Self-Description and Inappropriate Video
Michigan Democrat Shelby Campbell, a candidate for the U.S. House in the state’s 13th Congressional District, posted a since-deleted TikTok video in which she called herself a c*nt while flashing a crotch shot at critics. Campbell, a 32-year-old single mom and former assembly line worker, has a history of controversial online posts. These include one mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk by noting the return of Jimmy Kimmel and claiming her district would not care, and another telling people to stop thanking troops for their sacrifices. She faces incumbent Shri Thanedar in the August 4, 2026, Democrat primary.
⚧️ HRC Projects Lgbtq Voters At One-Fifth Of Electorate By 2040 With 15 Million Dollar Midterm Push
The president of the Human Rights Campaign told interviewers that LGBTQ+ individuals make up a growing share of voters and will reach about 10 percent of the electorate in 2026 before climbing to 20 percent by 2040. HRC plans to spend 15 million dollars on the 2026 midterms, its largest non-presidential cycle investment. The group targets eight Republican-held House districts it believes can flip with turnout from equality-focused voters. HRC also backs Democratic Senate candidates in several states and stresses the need for candidates to support full civil rights protections, including for transgender people, while claiming LGBTQ+ lives have worsened under current conditions. The comments followed California Governor Gavin Newsom moderating his position on males competing in female sports.
⚖️ Harvey Weinstein’s Third NYC Rape Trial Ends in Mistrial After Jury Deadlock
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Curtis Farber declared a mistrial on May 15, 2026, in Harvey Weinstein’s third New York City sex crimes trial. The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on charges that the 74-year-old former movie producer raped actress Jessica Mann at the DoubleTree hotel in Midtown Manhattan on March 18, 2013. Jurors first signaled they were deadlocked earlier that day and sent a second note after the lunch break stating that no one would change their position. Weinstein’s lawyer moved for a mistrial, which the judge granted. This marks the second time a jury has failed to convict Weinstein on Mann’s specific allegations following a prior retrial that ended without agreement on that count. Weinstein, who was convicted last year on a separate sex crime charge involving another woman, remains imprisoned.
📰 Florida News Outlet Exposed as AI-Powered Scam Operation
A Florida news site called the South Florida Standard operated as a complete fabrication, with staff members, including an editor-in-chief named Sofia Delgado, who were generated entirely by artificial intelligence. The fake reporters featured AI-created headshots and invented biographies full of local details. Much of the site’s content consisted of material lifted from legitimate outlets such as Florida Politics, run through AI tools, and republished under the phony bylines. Journalists from The Florida Trib uncovered the scheme through code analysis that linked the operation to a Philadelphia reputation management firm run by Drew Chapin, a convicted fraudster who admitted to creating multiple similar AI-driven sites across several states. Site operators removed bios and took the platform offline after questions arose. The episode highlights how easy it has become to spin up sham local news operations using cheap domains and prompts in minutes.
⛔ Iranian Forces Seize Vessel Off UAE Near Strait Of Hormuz
A ship anchored roughly 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE’s Fujairah oil export terminal was boarded by unauthorized personnel early on May 14. The vessel, identified as the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan, was then directed toward Iranian territorial waters. Reports indicate the ship functioned as a floating armory. It stored weapons for private maritime security teams protecting commercial vessels from piracy in the region. UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the boarding and redirection. The incident adds to recent seizures in the area, including two ships taken by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in April.
⚖️ Israel to Sue New York Times and Kristof Over Blood Libel Rape Claims
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed legal advisers on May 14, 2026, to pursue the strongest possible defamation action against The New York Times and columnist Nicholas Kristof. The move responds to Kristof’s May 11 opinion piece that detailed allegations of systematic sexual violence, including rape, by Israeli soldiers, prison guards, and settlers against Palestinian detainees. Israel described the column as one of the most hideous and distorted lies published against the country in modern times. It accused the piece of relying on unreliable, Hamas-linked sources such as Euro-Med and attempting to draw a false moral equivalence between Hamas terrorists and Israeli forces. The Times defended the column as deeply reported with expert consultation, while its newsroom stayed silent on the claims. Critics highlighted the source’s history of unverified accusations against Israel.
🌐 US Pledges Another $1.8 Billion to UN Humanitarian Efforts
The United States announced an additional $1.8 billion in humanitarian aid to the United Nations on May 14, 2026. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz made the pledge alongside State Department officials and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This contribution adds to a $2 billion pledge from December 2025, bringing total US support under the new framework to $3.8 billion for life-saving assistance across 21 countries. The funds target victims of natural disasters, famine, and other critical needs over the coming year. Officials emphasized that the money advances reforms for greater efficiency, accountability, and measurable impact after the shutdown of USAID. The UN has raised $7.4 billion so far toward a $23 billion goal for the year. UN leaders welcomed the support for reaching millions in urgent crises.
🏝️ US Moves to Indict Aging Cuban Strongman Raúl Castro Over 1996 Plane Shootdown
The United States plans to indict Cuba’s Raul Castro. A Department of Justice official said late on Thursday that prosecutors are preparing charges against the 94-year-old former Cuban president and brother of Fidel Castro. The potential indictment would require grand jury approval. Its timing remains unclear but sounds imminent. The case centers on Cuba’s deadly 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes operated by the Miami-based humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida has led the review of possible criminal charges against senior Cuban officials tied to that incident.
🦠 Ebola Outbreak in Eastern Congo Claims 65 Lives
A new Ebola outbreak has struck Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Africa CDC reported 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths, mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones. Preliminary tests detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples, pointing to a non-Zaire strain with sequencing still underway. Officials have called an urgent meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, and global partners to strengthen cross-border surveillance and response efforts. Concerns center on urban settings, population movement tied to mining, and insecurity that could aid spread. Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials.