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Venezuela Welcomes US Rescue Teams Amid Foreign Aid Surge After Quakes
Venezuela’s government reported on June 27 that more than 1,600 foreign rescuers had arrived via 17 flights to assist in the search for survivors following twin earthquakes. The United States has contributed significantly with urban search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California, as part of a Disaster Assistance Response Team deployment. Additional flights carrying more teams are expected in the coming hours. The quakes struck earlier in the week near Caracas and La Guaira, causing widespread destruction of buildings and leaving hundreds trapped under rubble. Officials have imposed road closures and credential requirements in affected areas to manage traffic and prioritize emergency access while military and police maintain order. Power outages persist in hard-hit zones, and looting has occurred amid the chaos. The US effort also includes military airlift, ships, helicopters, and $150 million in aid. The death toll exceeds 900, with thousands still missing, according to various reports.
🏛️ News & Politics
Trump Warns of Hardcore Godless Communists Threatening American Freedom
President Trump spoke at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority Conference on June 26, 2026, and highlighted the rise of socialist candidates in recent Democratic primaries, particularly in New York City. He described these figures as hardcore godless communists rather than social Democrats, warning that their policies would destroy the traditional American way of life by leading to economic collapse, slums, and third-world conditions, as seen in examples like New York City rent freezes and broader socialist experiments in places such as California. Trump noted that communism is easy to sell with promises of free goods and housing, but inevitably results in no food, no housing, no military, and no law and order, with violence and assassinations often accompanying such ideologies. He criticized Democrats for failing to oppose this shift out of fear, said it represents one of the most serious threats to the nation in its history, and emphasized that ruthless communists target religions, especially Christianity, while urging Americans to vote in the midterms to ensure freedom prevails over communism.
South Dakota GOP Delegates Reject Censure of John Thune Over Failure to Advance Save America Act
South Dakota Republican Party delegates at their state convention in Rapid City on June 26, 2026, voted down a resolution to censure Senate Majority Leader John Thune. The resolution, which had passed the party’s Resolutions Committee, criticized Thune for not advancing the SAVE America Act. That legislation would strengthen voter identification and citizenship verification requirements for federal elections. Opponents of the censure argued it would only help Democrats. The measure sought to hold Thune accountable until the bill passed the Senate and was signed into law by President Trump. Grassroots conservatives expressed frustration with Senate leadership for slow walking the popular election integrity measure despite strong public support. Delegates rejected the proposal in a voice vote without a roll call.
Moderate Democrats’ Push to Reject Socialism Falters Amid DSA Primary Wins
Centrist House Democrats launched the Promise to America pledge in response to recent Democratic Socialists of America victories in primaries. Reps. Tom Suozzi of New York and Adam Gray of California led the effort, which includes statements such as “We are capitalist, not socialist,” “We want safety, not lawlessness,” and “We are proud, not ashamed of America.” Only about 10 sitting House Democrats out of more than 200 have signed it so far, along with a handful of candidates. DSA-backed candidates scored wins in New York City and other areas on June 23 and 24, heightening tensions within the party as it heads toward midterms. Signatories face questions over their own voting records, aligning frequently with progressive figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Critics on the left dismissed the pledge as an ineffective attempt to shift the party rightward.
Minnesota Fraud Suspect Captured in Somalia After Four Years on the Run
Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, a central figure in the massive Feeding Our Future welfare fraud scheme, was arrested in Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 25, 2026. He faces 31 federal counts, including wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering, for his alleged role in stealing around $250 million in pandemic relief funds meant for feeding needy children. Prosecutors say Eidleh helped set up sham meal sites, fake vendor networks, and shell companies while taking bribes and kickbacks to bill the government for meals that were never served. He fled the United States shortly after his 2022 indictment and evaded capture until Somali intelligence and the FBI tracked him down. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald and Minnesota US Attorney Daniel Rosen noted the arrest shows that fraudsters who target American taxpayers cannot hide forever, no matter where they go. This case is part of the largest COVID-era fraud operation in the country, with dozens already convicted.
GOP Senator Teams With Elizabeth Warren on Massive Social Security Tax Hike
Senators Bernie Moreno, a Republican from Ohio, and Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, co-authored an opinion piece calling for the removal of the Social Security payroll tax cap to address the program’s impending funding shortfall. The current cap stands at $184,500 for 2026, meaning workers and employers each pay 6.2 percent on wages up to that amount while earnings above it escape the tax. Without changes, the trust fund could face depletion by late 2032, potentially leading to benefit cuts exceeding 20 percent. The senators argue that eliminating the cap would generate around $3 trillion over the next decade and extend solvency for another generation. Critics highlight that this change would impose one of the largest tax increases in over 40 years, burdening higher earners, small business owners, and sole proprietors with higher costs that could slow hiring, suppress wages, and hit working Americans hardest without corresponding benefit increases for those extra contributions.
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📢 The American Fifth Column
New York Clerk Caught Ripping Up Ballots in School Election Scheme
A district clerk in New York’s Hempstead Union Free School District allegedly tore up ballots and helped dispose of them in a dumpster to boost incumbent trustee Victor Pratt’s reelection in the May 19 vote. April Keys smuggled official ballots out of her office and provided absentee ballots to Pratt, who also participated in their destruction, according to a district investigation detailed in a petition to the state Education Department. Pratt won by a narrow 81-vote margin, driven by unusually high absentee and early mail ballot totals that contrasted sharply with his weaker performance in machine voting. Superintendent Gary Rush discovered ripped ballots in a garbage bag inside Keys’ office days after the election, leading to a lockdown and lock changes. A janitor later moved the bag to a dumpster, where it sat in standing water. State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa promptly annulled the results and ordered a new election within 60 days while appointing a temporary clerk. The Nassau County District Attorney’s office is investigating the matter for potential criminal charges.
Wikipedia Co-Founder Banned From Editing His Own Site
Wikipedia indefinitely blocked co-founder Larry Sanger from editing the platform he helped launch in 2001. Sanger, who coined the site’s name and drafted its early rules, had recently launched WikiProject Intellectual Diversity to promote greater neutrality and include underrepresented viewpoints such as those of American conservatives and Hindus. Editors cited off-wiki canvassing after Sanger publicized the project on social media and in interviews as the reason for the ban, the site’s harshest penalty. Sanger called the process a faceless mob decision lacking due process. The move highlights ongoing criticism of Wikipedia’s left-leaning tilt, where a small group of mostly anonymous administrators holds outsized influence over content.
Visitors to the Obama Presidential Center Struggle to Name a Single Accomplishment
Visitors to the newly opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago could not cite any specific accomplishments when asked by a Fox News producer conducting man-on-the-street interviews. One woman said she could not remember right now, though there were a lot. Another asked for help after being caught off guard. A third suggested just being there. An elderly couple responded by being black and staying black. The segment highlighted the challenge even among those who chose to visit the center dedicated to the former president’s legacy.
Judge Rules Namesake Challenger Eligible Against Senator Dan Sullivan in Alaska Primary
A judge in Alaska has ruled that a man sharing the name and Republican party affiliation of incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan can appear on the August primary ballot. Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews overturned the state Division of Elections director’s decision to disqualify the challenger, Dan J. Sullivan, a 69-year-old retired teacher and former U.S. Forest Service employee from Petersburg. The director had cited concerns that the candidacy was not filed in good faith and aimed to confuse voters, pointing to similarities in campaign materials and the challenger’s consultant ties. Matthews determined that election officials improperly added a “good faith” requirement not found in the U.S. Constitution or state law, which limits Senate qualifications to age, citizenship, and residency. The ruling sets up a likely quick appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court ahead of a Tuesday ballot printing deadline. Republicans have warned that the namesake matchup could sow voter confusion in a key Senate race under Alaska’s top-four primary and ranked-choice general election system.
Feds Nab Iranian Hacker In Montenegro For Massive US Cyber Campaign
Montenegrin police arrested a 39-year-old Iranian-Turkish dual national identified as A.B. or Amir Barati in the coastal town of Kotor on Thursday. They acted on an FBI tip. United States authorities seek him on charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, and identity theft from the Southern District of New York. Investigators allege that since 2013, he has orchestrated attacks on more than 150 American universities and other institutions. These actions caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damages. Authorities claim stolen data and credentials benefited Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian entities. The suspect now faces extradition proceedings in Podgorica.
🌐 International
Xi Continues PLA Purge with Removal of Six Senior Military Deputies
The Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress removed six senior People’s Liberation Army officers from their positions as legislative deputies on June 26. The officials include Wang Kangping from the Eastern Theater Command, Xu Xueqiang from the Central Military Commission’s Equipment Development Department, Li Fengbiao from the Western Theater Command, Yin Hongxing from the PLA Army, Guo Puxiao from the PLA Air Force, and Zhang Minghua from the PLA Cyberspace Force. State media reported the decision without providing reasons, though such removals often signal ongoing disciplinary actions or anti-corruption probes. This move adds to years of leadership changes under Xi Jinping aimed at reshaping the military and ensuring loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Climbs to 1430 Amid Rescue Efforts
The death toll from twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 1430 as of June 27, with rescue teams and civilians continuing searches through rubble in hard-hit areas such as La Guaira. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes struck just seconds apart, causing widespread destruction to buildings and infrastructure, including damage to Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas. Officials report over 68000 people remain missing, while more than 3200 others have been injured, and thousands of survivors sleep outdoors due to unsafe conditions and aftershock fears. Civilians have taken the lead in many rescue operations using basic tools amid frustration over the pace of official response, though international teams from multiple countries, including the United States, have arrived to assist with searches, medical aid, and repairs. Aid agencies note the critical window for finding survivors is closing, yet efforts persist as the disaster affects millions.
Hezbollah Backers Block Beirut Roads Over Lebanon,Israel Deal
Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut late Friday into Saturday, protesting a US-brokered framework agreement signed between Lebanon, Israel, and the United States. Protesters rode motorcycles through central areas near the parliament and the airport road. They blocked roads and burned tires while chanting against the deal. The Lebanese army set up checkpoints and dispersed some demonstrators to restore order. The agreement ties Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon to Hezbollah disarmament. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected it as legitimizing Israeli occupation and a surrender of sovereignty. Supporters accused the Lebanese government of selling out. Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon despite the pact.
Germany’s Military Recruitment Drive Flops Amid Russia Threat
Germany’s ambitious plans to expand its armed forces in response to perceived threats from Russia have hit a major snag, with voluntary recruitment yielding dismal results among young people. The Bundeswehr reached out to around 298,200 18-year-olds through a new registration program launched this year, but only 530 volunteered for service between January and May. Officials confirmed that while about 96 percent of eligible men completed the required questionnaire, interest in actually enlisting remained extremely low, with many expressing only future consideration rather than immediate commitment. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius aims to grow the Bundeswehr from roughly 185,000 active personnel to 260,000 by 2035, backed by 200,000 reservists, as part of a broader postwar military modernization effort tied to heightened tensions following Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Parliament’s Defense Committee chairman Thomas Roewekamp voiced serious doubts about meeting targets without conscription, noting a potential decision by July 2027 after further evaluation, which would mark a significant reversal since Germany suspended compulsory service in 2011.
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