Iran To Buy Chinese Supersonic Anti-Ship Missiles As US Carriers Near

As US carriers and warships mass in the Gulf and as the next round of Geneva talks are expected by week's end, Tehran appears to be quietly upgrading its ability to threaten maritime chokepoints.

According to Reuters, Iran is in advanced negotiations with Beijing to purchase Chinese-made CM-302 anti-ship cruise missiles - which are supersonic weapons (projectiles which go faster than the speed of sound) designed to skim low over the water and evade naval defenses.

via state media: CM-301/YJ-12

"The deal for the Chinese-made CM-302 missiles is near completion. No delivery date has been agreed," informed sources told the outlet.

"Iran has military and security agreements with its allies, and now is an appropriate time to make use of these agreements," an Iranian Foreign Ministry official said separately, at a moment additional deals with Russia are being reported, including a half-billion Euro agreement for Moscow to send thousands of its advanced shoulder-fired missiles to Tehran.

As for the Chinese CM-302, it has a listed range of roughly 290 kilometers (or 180 miles) and is engineered specifically to penetrate layered ship defenses - which the Iranians would seek as they want to complicate US naval operations in the Persian Gulf and beyond, in the event of a hot conflict.

Talks to acquire the weapons have reportedly been in the works for some two years, but were accelerated in the wake of Israel's US-backed 12-day war against Iran last June.

Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli intelligence officer now with the Institute for National Security Studies, has been cited in international reports describing that the acquisition would be "a complete game-changer if Iran has supersonic capability to attack ships in the area."

"These missiles are very difficult to intercept," he added. "China does not want to see a pro-Western regime in Iran. That would be a threat to their interests. They are hoping that this regime will stay."

While neither China nor Russia would likely come to Iran's direct military aid in the event of attack, the pattern on display would likely be along the lines of these expedited weapons deals. 

Washington will be none to happy about this, and could move to expand sanctions and punitive measures on China's defense and 'dual use' industrial sectors.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 23:00

California Allocates $35 Million To Aid Illegal Immigrants

Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times,

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has boosted support for illegal immigrants in response to the federal government’s escalated law enforcement and deportation operations under President Donald Trump.

The new support includes $35 million in existing humanitarian funding for basic needs and legal aid. The money is in addition to $125 million already allocated for “free” immigration-related legal services, the governor’s office said in a statement.

“While the federal government targets hardworking families, California stands with them—uniting partners and funding local communities to help support their neighbors,” Newsom said in a statement.

“The urgent need grows as the Trump Administration accelerates mass detention, tramples due process, and funds authoritarian enforcement with over $170 billion. As the Trump Administration chooses cruelty and chaos, California chooses community.”

The funding will not be cash payouts but instead will go to philanthropic and nonprofit organizations that will help connect illegal immigrants facing deportation to legal services, food assistance, and other aid.

The White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately return a request for comment.

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a Republican serving communities in east San Diego County, criticized the new funding.

“If you were audited by the IRS and found to owe money and back taxes, as a citizen, you couldn’t say, ‘Well, I want a free lawyer to fight the federal government,’” DeMaio told CalMatters.

State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat from Long Beach who chairs the California Latino Legislative Caucus, described the move as protecting families.

“We continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant families. The federal government is waging a war on our communities—and we won’t stand for it,” she said.

“We are putting money behind an effort to stop the fear, stop the separation of our families, and stop violating our basic rights.”

The funding expands access to U.S. support regardless of immigration status. Such measures reflect California’s longstanding commitment to immigrant integration, even as the state grapples with budget deficits and federal pushback.

Disputes Over Sanctuary Policies

Meanwhile, Trump administration immigration law enforcement efforts, including detention and removals, will cost $170 billion over four years, Newsom’s office said.

Department of Homeland Security data indicates that more than 675,000 illegal immigrants have been deported since Trump returned to office for a second term in January 2025. An estimated 2.2 million have self-deported for a total of approximately 3 million departures. Each deportee was paid between $1,000 and $3,000 and had their airfare paid by the U.S. taxpayer.

“In the last year, fentanyl trafficking at the southern border has also been cut by more than half compared to the same period in 2024,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The U.S. Coast Guard alone seized enough cocaine to kill more than 177 million Americans.”

Noem added that the efforts have saved taxpayers more than $13.2 billion, partly because forced removals cost a lot more than incentivized self-deportations.

“Countless lives have been saved, communities have been strengthened, and the American people have been put first again,” she said.

California is a sanctuary state, meaning it limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities in enforcing federal immigration law, save for those who have already been found guilty of serious or violent felonies. However, California’s sanctuary laws—SB 54 and TRUTH Act—do not require state compliance with ICE detainers for those not yet convicted of serious or violent felonies, so arrests and charges alone don’t secure state cooperation.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in February asked Newsom not to release 33,179 noncitizens with ICE arrest detainers from state custody. ICE said they include people previously convicted of murder, sex offenses, or drug trafficking.

“Governor Newsom and his fellow California sanctuary politicians are releasing murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

The federal government has withheld more than $160 million in transportation funds from California over issues such as foreign truck-driver licenses and freezing billions in other aid to Democratic-led states.

An appeals court prevented federal restrictions on commercial driver’s licenses for certain immigrants from going into effect—a reprieve for temporary workers. Los Angeles County has spent more than $1 billion on welfare for illegal immigrants over two years.

DHS on Feb. 23 criticized Newsom for pardoning a convicted attempted murderer facing deportation, saying the governor is putting American lives at risk.

Trump also hosted “Angel families,” who have become victims of crimes by criminal illegal immigrants, at the White House for a remembrance ceremony on Feb. 23.

Jody Jones, the brother of Rocky Jones, who was fatally shot by an illegal alien in California, said:

“I’m sick and tired of hearing these Democratic politicians stand up on these podiums and say how sorry they are for seeing these criminal illegal aliens being ripped apart from their families.

“What about us? What about the American family? What about us? We mean something, too.”

Earlier, the president signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 22—the anniversary of Laken Riley’s murder by Venezuelan illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra—as National Angel Family Day, honoring 62 victims and two survivors of such crimes.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 22:35

Man Accidentally Hacks Himself A 7,000-Robot Army

A software engineer in Spain had the surprise of his life when he found himself in control of thousands of robots in what was supposed to be a pet project. Sammy Azdoufal set out to customize his new Chinese-made DJI Romo robot vacuum, a high-end autonomous cleaner that comes with a price tag of $2,000 that maps homes, mops floors, and navigates obstacles with onboard sensors, according to Popular Science.

Dissatisfied with the manufacturer's app, Azdoufal aimed to steer the device using a PlayStation 5 controller (like any intelligent man would) and that’s when things got weird.

Using an AI-powered coding assistant, Azdoufal reverse-engineered the vacuum's communication protocol with DJI's cloud servers and unwittingly uncovered a critical backend vulnerability. The authentication token for his single device granted access to live camera feeds, microphone audio, detailed floor maps, and operational status from nearly 7,000 other Romo units deployed across 24 countries.

Azdoufal leads AI strategy at a vacation rental home company; when he told me he reverse engineered DJI’s protocols using Claude Code, I had to wonder whether AI was hallucinating these robots. So I asked my colleague Thomas Ricker, who just finished reviewing the DJI Romo, to pass us its serial number.

With nothing more than that 14-digit number, Azdoufal could not only pull up our robot, he could correctly see it was cleaning the living room and had 80 percent battery life remaining. Within minutes, I watched the robot generate and transmit an accurate floor plan of my colleague’s house, with the correct shape and size of each room, just by typing some digits into a laptop located in a different country.

...

Separately, Azdoufal pulled up his own DJI Romo’s live video feed, completely bypassing its security PIN, then walked into his living room and waved to the camera while I watched. He also says he shared a limited read-only version of his app with Gonzague Dambricourt, CTO at an IT consulting firm in France; Dambricourt tells me the app let him remotely watch his own DJI Romo’s camera feed before he even paired it. -The Verge

In malicious hands, attackers could have monitored private spaces, eavesdropped on conversations, or even remotely maneuvered the devices without owners' knowledge. IP addresses provided approximate locations, compounding the privacy breach.

Azdoufal says he could remote-control robovacs and view live video over the internet.

The Verge alerted DJI, which acted swiftly. The company identified the issue during an internal review in late January 2026, deployed an initial patch on February 8, and completed a follow-up update by February 10.

The recent security lapse in the robot vacuum will likely fuel U.S. regulators' scrutiny of the Chinese company. Just two months after the Federal Communications Commission added foreign-made drones and critical components, including those from DJI, to its Covered List in December 2025—effectively blocking approvals for new models—DJI filed a petition last week challenging the decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The company argues the FCC acted without sufficient evidence of national-security threats, procedural flaws, and violations of due process.

"It carelessly restricts ⁠DJI’s business in the U.S. and summarily denies U.S. customers access to ⁠its latest technology," the Chinese dronemaker said in a statement obtained by Reuters.

The ⁠Federal Communications Commission decision in December meant that DJI, Autel and other foreign drone companies will not be able to obtain the necessary FCC approval to sell ⁠new models of drones or critical components in the U.S but it can continue to sell existing versions, Reuters said.

Last March, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the launch of a broad investigation into whether companies aligned with the Chinese Communist Party continue to conduct business in the U.S., despite their equipment and services having been designated as posing unacceptable risks to national security.

The probe, the first major effort by the agency's newly established Council on National Security, targets entities previously added to the FCC's Covered List under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. Placement on the list prohibits new FCC equipment authorizations for those companies' products, effectively barring their importation, marketing and sale of new models in the U.S., and restricts their use in networks supported by federal funds.

“The FCC has taken concrete actions to address the threats posed by Huawei, ZTE, China Telecom, and many other entities that pose an unacceptable risk to America’s national security, including by doing Communist China’s bidding,” Carr said in a statement at the time.

“We have reason to believe that, despite those actions, some or all of these Covered List entities are trying to make an end run around those FCC prohibitions by continuing to do business in America on a private or ‘unregulated’ basis. We are not going to just look the other way,” he added.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 22:10

Your Gut Microbiome Could Affect Colon Cancer - What You Can Do

Authored by Zena le Roux via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

“Supporting the gut microbiome can help reduce colorectal cancer risk and may even enhance prevention and treatment,” Sachin Aryal, gut microbiome researcher at the University of Toledo, told The Epoch Times.

Rost9/Shutterstock

The microbiome has been linked to many aspects of health and has been shown to also play a key role in colorectal cancer.

The good news is that the microbiome is not fixed and that it can be influenced by everyday habits and choices.

How Gut Bacteria Influence Colorectal Cancer

“We’re learning that the bacteria in the gut matter more than we used to think,” Dr. Cedrek McFadden, colorectal surgeon and medical advisor to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, told The Epoch Times.

Gut bacteria are not just sitting there as bystanders. They interact directly with the lining of the colon, the immune system, and inflammatory processes over time. When the microbial balance is off—a condition called dysbiosis—some bacteria can create a low-level inflammatory state or produce substances that irritate the colon lining. Over many years, that kind of environment can contribute to cancer, McFadden said.

Because the colon is directly exposed to gut bacteria and their by-products, colorectal cancer appears to be more strongly influenced by the microbiome than many other types of tumors, although the microbiome can also affect other cancers indirectly.

“It’s not that one bacterium causes cancer,” McFadden said. “It’s more about the overall balance and what the colon is being exposed to day after day.”

When dysbiosis continues, it can further damage the gut barrier—a condition sometimes referred to as “leaky gut.” The tight connections between gut cells loosen, allowing bacteria and their by-products to move deeper into the gut wall. This keeps the immune system in a constant state of activation and inflammation, Raz Abdulqadir, researcher in microbiome and colorectal cancer at Penn State College of Medicine, told The Epoch Times.

“As a result, inflammatory cells release molecules that increase oxidative stress and can damage DNA in colon cells, raising the risk of abnormal cell growth,” he said.

It’s now clear that gut bacteria influence not only inflammation linked to tumor formation, but also how well the immune system recognizes and attacks cancer cell. This explains why patients with different gut microbiomes can respond very differently to the same cancer treatments.

Bacterial Culprits Identified

Several microbes have been consistently associated with colorectal cancer, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis, Enterococcus faecalis, and certain strains of E. coli, Aryal said.

Fusobacterium nucleatum, for example, is found in much higher amounts in people with colorectal cancer compared to healthy people and is particularly abundant in tumor tissue. Higher levels of this bacterium are also linked to stronger inflammatory signals in the gut and can attach directly to the gut lining using a specialized protein, which helps kick-start cancer-related changes.

“However, we still need well-designed intervention studies to determine whether these microbial changes are true drivers of cancer or simply a consequence of the tumor environment,” Aryal said.

The microbiome’s impact is not only about which bacteria are present, but also what they are doing. Microbial by-products—substances produced by microorganisms such as bacteria as a result of breaking down—and toxins—such as chemicals made by bacteria that can irritate the gut or damage cells—either protect the colon or increase inflammation and DNA damage.

“This is why the microbiome is becoming an increasingly important part of conversations around early detection, prevention, and personalized cancer therapy,” Aryal said.

What You Can Do

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is a key factor in preventing colorectal cancer.

Dietary fiber, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics—products combining probiotics and prebiotics—and even fecal microbiota transplantation can help rebuild microbial balance and regulate immune and inflammatory pathways, Abdulqadir said.

Focus on Fiber and Whole Foods

From a dietary perspective, the most important step is to consistently follow an eating pattern that supports microbial diversity, especially one rich in dietary fiber. A high-fiber diet that includes fruits, vegetables, fermented foods, and prebiotic or probiotic sources helps maintain a healthier microbial balance and creates a gut environment less supportive of tumor development, Aryal said.

“Incorporating Mediterranean-style eating patterns is especially helpful because they emphasize whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and healthy fats that support microbial diversity,” he added.

Consider Targeted Supplements

Probiotics may help lower the risk of colorectal cancer. One well-studied strain, Faecalibacterium, has been shown in animal research to reduce gut inflammation and protect against colitis.

Other probiotics, including certain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, help strengthen the gut lining and support healthy cell growth—especially in people with a history of polyps—small growths on the lining of the bowel that can sometimes turn into cancer.

“When probiotics and prebiotics are used together as synbiotics, they help reduce inflammatory mediators and create a gut environment less favorable for tumor development,” Aryal said.

Doses and specific types can vary, so it’s best to talk to a doctor before trying them.

Stay Active

Regular physical activity also plays an important role in optimizing the gut microbiome and lowering colorectal cancer risk, Aryal said.

“Exercise increases microbial diversity, enhances short-chain fatty acid production, and reduces inflammation, all of which help keep the colon healthy.”

Keep It Simple

Gut health doesn’t need to be complicated, McFadden said. His top advice is not to overthink it.

“Eat real food more often. Get fiber in your diet. Cut back on heavily processed foods when you can and don’t chase supplements or trends,” he said.

In his own life, McFadden keeps things simple. He tries to eat balanced meals, stay active, and get decent sleep. He pays attention to stress because of his awareness of its effects on the body, including the gut.

“I’m not perfect, and I don’t expect my patients to be either. I just try to be consistent most of the time.”

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 21:45

CIA Tells Iranians: 'We Want To Help You' - As US Bombers Loom

The US Central Intelligence Agency has never been shy about letting it be known it is seeking to recruit informants from places like China, North Korea and Iran.

The agency has in the recent past released messages in Mandarin, Korean, and Farsi. As a CIA spokesman once said during a prior recruitment effort, "We want to make sure individuals in other authoritarian regimes know that we're open for business."

On Tuesday the CIA issued a special message once again for Iranians in particular, but now the timing is more interesting, given the Trump administration stands on the precipice of deciding on pursuing war or diplomacy with Tehran. He's also gearing up to give his State of the Union Address, and Iran will be high on the agenda.

The CIA posted to X, Instagram, and other officially verified platforms a video in Farsi which encourages Iranians to contact the agency, while featuring instructions for using Tor and other encrypted methods to ensure anonymity, and so local Iranian authorities can't uncover the communications.

The CIA in the message while addressing Iranians in the context of the recent anti-government protests stressed the agency "can hear your voice" and "wants to help you".

According to some of the brief video details:

The video walks viewers through several steps that should be taken to ensure that any contact with the CIA from within Iran will be kept private and to ensure that the identity of the dissident cannot be found out.

It suggests that anyone wishing to contact the CIA should do so from a burner device and using the most up-to-date version of their internet browser of choice.

The person should also use the browser’s incognito mode and clear the browser and device history after making contact, it says.

It also strongly encourages anyone who contacts the agency from Iran to use Tor or a VPN to encrypt the communication, and provides instructions on how to use Tor, warning that without doing so, a visit to the CIA website will be visible to others.

Such outreach efforts, in search of potential future spies, isn't going to help relations between Iran and the US, given Iranian leaders are already on edge about the biggest Pentagon build-up in the region since the 2003 Iraq war.

Tehran has already accused the protesters of being in league with the US, Israel, and foreign intelligence. This fresh CIA recruitment effort is only going to fuel these suspicions and paranoia further. 

Israel has all the while been even more boastful that it had agents "on the ground" during January's deadly unrest, which saw thousands of protesters killed, but also resulted a reported couple hundred police and security personnel killed.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 21:20

A Dozen US F-22 Stealth Jets Land In Israel As Iran Tensions Soar

On Tuesday, TOI and other Israeli media featured some photos of American F-22 Raptors taking off from England's Royal Air Force Lakenheath, which were expected to then fly to southern Israel...

Israel's public broadcaster KAN has reported that at least 12 US F-22 fighter jets landed at an Israeli air base in the south of the country, connected with the ongoing Pentagon build-up threatening anti-Tehran action.

"Twelve US F-22 fighter jets landed this afternoon at one of the Israeli Air Force bases in the south of the country, as part of the American deployment in the Middle East," KAN said.

The publication added of what is the world's most sophisticated and high-tech stealth jet, that it is capable of "penetrating enemy territory and disabling air defense systems and radar installations."

Local media further described the fighter jets' presence as in anticipation of potential new attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen. The Houthis had previously, in solidarity with Gaza and Iran, pummeled Israel with long-range drones and ballistic missiles.

These projectiles have at times even reached international airports in Israel, but the launches out of Yemen have quieted down of late, especially once a Gaza ceasefire was finally cemented.

Over in Iran, there are reports of some sporadic protests at universities, but nothing yet near in size to what January witnessed: 

The Iranian government has emphasised that protesting students must adhere to the theocratic establishment’s “red lines” as violent clashes took place inside universities for a fourth day.

Iranian students “have wounds in their hearts” and are angry, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani acknowledged to reporters during a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday, in an apparent reference to thousands killed during nationwide protests in January.

The Iranians are meanwhile still hoping for diplomatic resolution to the standoff, and by week's close another round of nuclear and peace talks are expected.

Are the F-22s already active in skies over Gaza and the region?

Breaking | A squadron of U.S. F-22 fighter jets is flying over the skies of the Gaza Strip, deploying thermal flares. pic.twitter.com/zjJu90jylA

— غزة 24 | التغطية مستمرة (@Gaza24Live) February 24, 2026

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 20:30

Anthropic Accuses DeepSeek, Other China-Based AI Firms Of Free-Riding

Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Anthropic, the maker of the Claude chatbot, accused three of China’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) companies of creating more than 24,000 fraudulent accounts to tap into its system and train their own models.

The DeepSeek app on an iPhone screen in San Anselmo, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The three companies—DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and MiniMax—allegedly used those accounts to send more than 16 million prompts to Claude, siphoning off output to refine their own products, Anthropic said in a Feb. 23 blog post.

“These campaigns are growing in intensity and sophistication,” the San Francisco-based company said.

The tactic, known as “distillation,” involves training a smaller, less powerful “student” model on the outputs, behavior, and knowledge of a much larger, more advanced “teacher” model. This allows the student system to imitate the teacher’s capabilities without the time and money required to develop them independently.

Anthropic said the scale of the three companies’ alleged distillation activities varied. DeepSeek alone generated about 150,000 interactions with Claude, while Moonshot and MiniMax logged more than 3.4 million and 13 million, respectively, according to Anthropic.

Since many China-based models such as DeepSeek’s R1 do not charge a monthly subscription fee, widespread distillation could make it harder for American providers, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, to monetize products they have spent billions of dollars to build and maintain. That imbalance, the company said, risks eroding the United States’ competitive advantage in AI that export controls are designed to preserve.

Anthropic, which emphasizes its focus on AI safety, further warned that it and other U.S. companies build safeguards to prevent bad actors from using AI to, for example, develop biological weapons or carry out cyber attacks. Illicitly distilled models, by contrast, may lack such guardrails.

“Foreign labs that distill American models can then feed these unprotected capabilities into military, intelligence, and surveillance systems—enabling authoritarian governments to deploy frontier AI for offensive cyber operations, disinformation campaigns, and mass surveillance,” the company warned.

If distilled models are later open-sourced, it added, the risk multiplies as those capabilities “spread freely beyond any single government’s control.”

DeepSeek, Moonshot, and MiniMax did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.

DeepSeek leaped into the top ranks of AI makers last year with the release of its R1 chatbot, which it says was built at a fraction of the cost of leading U.S. alternatives. The launch sparked a tech stock selloff of more than $1 trillion, as investors fretted that a low-cost made-in-China model could undercut Silicon Valley’s AI lead.

Since then, China-based firms have flooded the market with relatively affordable text, image, and video models. Moonshot last month released a new open source model, Kimi K2.5, and is seeking a valuation of about $10 billion in a new funding round, while MiniMax also made its public market debut at about $6.5 billion.

Anthropic alleged that the three firms used “fraudulent accounts and proxy services to access Claude at scale while evading detection.” Proxy networks can obscure a user’s true location and allow them to bypass regional restrictions to open large numbers of accounts.

The Claude maker said it identified the actors with “high confidence” based on internet protocol addresses, metadata, and “corroboration from industry partners who observed the same actors and behaviors on their platforms.” MiniMax, for instance, was seen in action as the company allegedly redirected nearly half its traffic to siphon capabilities from the latest Claude model when it was launched, Anthropic stated.

The allegations come as U.S. chip exports to China attract debate over national security concerns.

In January, the Trump administration published a new regulation that loosened restrictions on the export of Nvidia’s H200 chips, a move that federal officials said is justified to foster China’s reliance on lower-tier U.S. chips rather than the most advanced ones. Critics, however, say that any potential boost to China’s AI computing capacity is a risk too big to accept.

Anthropic, which has consistently called for tighter controls on advanced chips to China, did not explicitly blame the U.S. policy for enabling the alleged extraction, but cited such attacks as further justification for stricter export controls.

“Executing this extraction at scale requires access to advanced chips,” the company wrote in its blog post, stating that restricted chip access would limit “both direct model training and the scale of illicit distillation.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to the U.S. Department of Commerce for comments regarding Anthropic’s concerns.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 20:05

"Anathema In The University Mission": Bari Weiss Canceled At UCLA

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

This week, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss was supposed to give the UCLA Burkle Center’s annual Daniel Pearl Memorial guest lecture on “The Future of Journalism.” It was a wonderful opportunity for students to hear from one of the impactful voices in the media. However, they will not be able to do so after a successful cancel campaign supported by faculty members.

The College Fix reports that roughly 11,000 people signed a petition demanding the university cancel the event, and a leader at the center hosting her talk threatened to resign if the journalist spoke.

One of the most outspoken critics was Margaret Peters, associate director of the Burkle Center, who suggested that she would resign even if Weiss were allowed to speak virtually, according to The Daily Bruin.

The LA Times reported that UCLA was turning to the common excuse of security concerns to effectively yield to the heckler’s veto.

Peters told The Daily Bruin:

“that she believes Weiss has used the guise of free speech to attack people on the left whose opinions she does not agree with – and having her speak at a signatory lecture would legitimize these actions...

To invite somebody who is working against that mission in highly powerful places just seems like anathema in the university mission.”

This statement is an example of the culture that is inculcated into students who become intolerant in college. It explains why students feel righteous in shouting down or interrupting speakers.

What is “anathema” to the academic mission is the viewpoint intolerance and orthodoxy shown by Peters and the faculty and students at UCLA. In accusing Weiss of attacking those with “opinions she does not agree with,” Peters demanded that Weiss be silenced as someone with opinions that she does not agree with.

The lack of self-awareness is a common element among many in higher education who claim to support free speech and intellectual diversity while purging universities of conservative or libertarian faculty or speakers.

The fact that UCLA would pick Peters to lead this Center speaks volumes about the culture in higher education. Peters felt complete license to speak as the Associate Director for the canceling of speakers with opposing views.  Her overt intolerance was likely an advantage with other faculty members.

After years of surveys showing the purging of faculty ranks, there is no evidence that faculty members are willing to allow a diversity of opinions.

After years of viewpoint intolerance, schools like Yale have finally reached the point where there is not a single faculty member left who donates to the Republican Party or candidates.

In 2018, a faculty member who called for greater viewpoint diversity at Sarah Lawrence was the subject of threats and vandalism.

Samuel J. Abrams, a professor at Sarah Lawrence College, wrote about the problem almost ten years ago. His research showed that, while the faculty was overwhelmingly liberal, the administrators were even more so. In his survey of 900 college administrators, he found that liberal staff members outnumber conservative staff members by a 12-to-1 ratio: “A fairly liberal student body is being taught by a very liberal professoriate — and socialized by an incredibly liberal group of administrators.”

That was almost a decade ago.

This does not happen overnight or by accident. It is the result of faculty and administrators replicating their own views while effectively purging their ranks of conservatives or moderates.

Today, even liberal columnists like Ezra Klein have been subject to disruptive protests. It is rare for libertarian or conservative figures to be invited on campuses and these faculty members have succeeded in deterring others.

It is important for speakers to continue to appear on campuses despite these threats. We cannot yield to the mob.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 19:15

Leftist Media Outraged After USA Olympic Hockey Team Goes Pro-MAGA

Perhaps it's destiny - The last time the USA Men's Olympic Hockey Team won the gold in 1980 they had to first defeat the communist Soviet Union.  It was not the final game of the Olympics, it was the second to final game, but it was the only game that was treated as an epic battle of cultural and political ideals and not just a sports competition.  In 2026, the Team USA finally won again, this time against the increasingly communistic country of Canada. 

Maybe this time around the global audience was not as aware of the political nature of the event, but the woke left was certainly spellbound, poised to exploit the outcome as symbolic of an ideological victory over American conservative principles.  In other words, they expected the Canadians to win, and they planned to gloat about the downfall of the US image at the feet of a far-left country.  Obviously, it didn't work out that way.

To pour salt on their wounded progressive egos, the men's team is largely pro-MAGA and says they are excited to attend Trump's State of the Union Address.  Leftist activists have been pressuring American athletes throughout the Olympics to denounce the Trump Administration.  Particularly, they have called on American representatives to speak against ICE and the mass deportation of illegal immigrants. 

The USA Women's Hockey team capitulated and chose to snub Trump's invitation after their gold medal win.  Leftists expected the men to do the same.  Instead, they invited FBI Director Kash Patel and partied with him after the win. Patel is an avid hockey player and was already present in Milan to oversee security for the proceedings.  Donald Trump also made a locker room call to the team to congratulate them.     

You can hear the genuine pride in Donald Trumps voice when he called the Team USA Hockey Team pic.twitter.com/ch6GbXShwh

— Harrison Krank (@HarrisonKrank) February 23, 2026

It all seems like good, clean American patriotism, but that's the problem.  Now, the establishment media is running a blitz against the men's team, attacking them in a series of hit pieces and denouncing their support of the President. 

The Nation calls it the "Ugly Underbelly Of The US Men's Hockey Victory", asserting that:

"Trump holds incredible nostalgia for the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team of 1980. This was the squad that, in one of the great Olympic upsets of all time, defeated the USSR in the semifinals before winning the gold. Pundits turned the victory into a right-wing symbol. It showed that the country had moved away from the social struggles of the 1960s and ’70s and embraced the crypto-fascist variant of patriotism best exemplified in the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan..."

In other words, leftists despair over the loss of the communists and their eventual downfall.  They see the victory of capitalism as "crypto-fascist".  The Nation attacks the men's team as if they work for Trump.  This is what leftists do when people don't submit to their demands and refuse to virtue signal for the woke agenda.

"Unlike other US Olympians speaking out against this regime, men’s hockey players chose to be lickspittles..."

"...The real Olympic heroes were the athletes who stood up for each other - and against Trump."

They go on to list the handful of Olympic athletes who decided to pull a "Kaepernick" and politicize their sport with activism instead of simply competing and representing their country.  

Slate raged over Kash Patel's celebration with the team, suggesting he had no reason or right to be at the event (even though he was invited to be there).  The cope and seethe was readily apparent in SBNation's screeching diatribe in which they argued that:

"Instead of trying to carve off football and basketball viewers, the NHL has been marketing itself to non-sports fans, emphasizing women, supporting the LGBTQ+ community with Pride Nights, and making substantial inroads with Gen Z as a result..."

Yes, and this is a detrimental error because hockey fans generally do not like woke nonsense and mentally ill, sexually degenerate activists.  The LGBT agenda has been forced on hockey fans, they never asked for it.  And, just because Gen Z is more inclined to watch hockey does not mean those particular viewers are more inclined to be gay or woke.  They continue:

"We’re left with a sport that’s at odds with itself, during a time of momentous change. A new generation of young, diverse fans running headfirst into a sport that has often held a reputation for being insular, tribal, exclusionary, and prejudiced. Team USA’s celebration was everything the NHL has been trying to push against, now it’s on full display..."

The Guardian played to the deportation angle and the idea that players might receive "backlash" (backlash that the leftist media often generates and fabricates) if they attend Trump's State of the Union, suggesting that they avoid political entanglements.

"Some players will face pressure to be “team players” and go along with the propaganda-driven Capitol Hill invitation. But perhaps some will recognize that they are being asked to give tacit approval to an administration that is denying many US residents and citizens a chance to be a part of Team USA writ large..."

No legal American citizens are being denied their citizenship.  Around 10 anchor babies have been deported along with their illegal parents, but this is not necessarily a denial of their citizen's status.  Regardless, no foreigner is entitled to access the US for any reason. 

Open immigration is a fabrication of the political left, even the "melting pot" narrative was a creation of early socialists.  It is not an integral part of the American tradition.  Migrants have to earn the right to come to the US.  They are not owed anything.

At bottom, hockey has been targeted for co-option by the political left since the early 2020s and they thought they had taken full control of the platform. This is why they are outraged by the behavior of the men's Olympic team.  The leftists assumed that they owned these guys. 

Beyond that, the media was hoping for a Canadian win as a springboard to bag on the US and Trump.  Instead, they lost, and now journalists are accusing Trump and the men's hockey team of politicizing the victory that leftists were planning to politicize.  Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 18:50

Watch: TDS-Riddled De Niro Sobs In Tears Over Trump

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Robert De Niro, the actor whose unhinged rants against President Trump have become a staple of leftist media, took his Trump Derangement Syndrome to new heights by bursting into tears during an MSNBC appearance.

De Niro sobbed while discussing Trump’s alleged “division,” prompting host Nicolle Wallace to tear up as well in a display of peak propaganda.

De Niro spluttered “You have to lift people up. You can’t divide people… this thing (Trump) they’re destroying, attempting to destroy this country and maybe not even understanding why. It’s up to us to protect the country.”

?? Robert De Niro breaks down crying about Trump:

“You have to lift people up. You can't divide people. This thing [Trump] is destroying the country.”

Peak Hollywood sobfest propaganda. https://t.co/VDoDdXbc75

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 23, 2026

Wallace responded: “You’re always about lifting up everybody around you,” and added “You weren’t supposed to make me cry.”

De Niro’s tears underscore the desperation among Hollywood elites as Trump’s America First policies continue to reshape the nation, exposing the hypocrisy of those who claim to champion unity while sowing division themselves.

Robert De Niro crying about “lifting people up” & saying “you can’t divide people”, after for years, calling Trump and his supporters racists, Hitler, fascists, Nazis….is BEYOND INSANE!!

— The Conservative Read (@theconread) February 23, 2026

No actor has been more divisive and disparaging to conservative voters than Robert Deniro over the last 10 years so spare me the crocodile tears BS. He is a state propagandists bc that’s what’s required to be a working actor. Especially when you owe millions in taxes.

— Wokeaholics (@wokeaholics) February 23, 2026

A washed up professional actor doing what he does best: acting

— Rising Eagle (@risingeagleusa) February 23, 2026

Top-tier emotional framing here De Niro taps into fear, empathy, and outrage all at once. Classic media play.

— Valchiz | CLONE (?,?) (@radar_dapp) February 23, 2026

Elsewhere in the interview, De Niro again claimed Trump will “never leave” the White House and has to be gotten rid of.

Robert De Niro says Trump will “never leave” office, so people “have to get rid of him” on their own.

He then calls on people to obstruct Trump’s election integrity measures at the polls in the midterms.

This absolutely warrants a Secret Service investigation. pic.twitter.com/Y170JAOevm

— johnny maga (@johnnymaga) February 21, 2026

This latest meltdown comes just months after De Niro’s explosive tirade where he labeled the Trump administration “Nazis” and urged leftists to “fight it out” with them, insisting the President would refuse to leave the White House.

In that earlier outburst, platformed on MSNBC, De Niro blathered, “We see it we see it we see it all the time, he will not want to leave,” adding “He set it up with, I guess he’s the Goebbels of the cabinet, Stephen Miller.”

“He’s a Nazi. Yes, he is, and he’s Jewish and he should be ashamed of himself,” De Niro asserted about Miller.

He continued, “It’s all nonsense. It’s, we know it’s all racist. It’s all, I mean, that’s what he appeals to that’s what Trump is. Everything is what you see is what you get. It’s not going to change with him.”

“Everything, the point is we have to keep fighting and pushing until he is out, period. There’s no other way. He’s not going to want to leave the White House,” De Niro blurted.

“What is he facing? He’s facing certain things no matter what the Supreme Court, they’re going to find a way to go after him for what he’s done, all the awful, monstrous things that he’s done,” he garbled, without specifics.

“You know, I don’t see anyway, he’s not going to want to leave,” De Niro reiterated, adding “We cannot let up on him because he is not going to leave the White House. He does not want to leave the White House. He will not leave the White House.”

“The Republicans, most of all, because they know, but they’re going along with it. It’s a classic bully situation. We see it, and there’s no other way to face a bully. You have to face him and fight it out and back them off and back him down. That’s the only way this is going to work,” De Niro ranted.

He also claimed Americans outside elite metropolitan areas side with Trump because they lack access to truthful media—said on MSNBC, of all places.

De Niro has peddled the “Trump is a Nazi dictator” line for nearly a decade.

He once declared Trump worse than psychopath killers he’s portrayed, and said he’d disown his children if they resembled Trump’s family.

“I don’t want my kids to take this the wrong way, but if my kids did what [Trump’s] kids did, I wouldn’t want to be related to them. I would disown them.” De Niro raged on The View.

“I would have a serious talk with them.” he continued, adding ”if I disagreed with them on things of principle, I would say, and they felt it, and we do now.” he added.

Ironically, one of De Niro’s sons declared himself transgender, citing influence from Black women: “I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me… I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 18:25

Pope Allegedly Labels "Far Right" His Greatest Concern In Private Meeting

Recent reports claim that in November of 2025 during a private meeting with Spanish Bishops, Pope Leo XIV asserted that the "rise of ultra-right ideology" was his greatest concern.  The comments allegedly came in response to widespread criticism of the church by conservatives against its weak response to militant LGBT ideology and its continuing defense of mass immigration.  

The initial claims were published by the Spanish newspaper El País, known as a far-left platform.  The paper says it interviewed some of the Bishops involved in the meeting, and they assert that they were given a directive to "be aware of the intentions of extreme right-wing groups." 

Skeptics suggest that El País may be fabricating or exaggerating the context of the meeting to serve the purposes of the political left, however, it's hard to deny that the recent positions of the Vatican have been decidedly left wing. 

Critics of the church argue that the Vatican "cut a deal" with the Spanish Government for compensation of victims involved in clergy pedophilia cases (the cases were resolved this year in a landmark agreement).  They say part of the agreement requires the Vatican to publicly support Spain's new program giving worker rights to at least 500,000 third world immigrants that entered Spain through open borders over the past several years.

Spanish conservatives believe that this is the first step towards the inevitable creation of a fast-track program (or amnesty) giving all migrants citizenship and legal voting status (which leftist politicians have already called for). 

Spain has suffered a suffocating spike in sexual crime in the past decade, including a 150% increase in assaults since the beginning of the immigration surge.  Spanish citizens assert that the leftist government has attempted to suppress crime data involving migrants in order to push their multicultural agenda forward.  Tensions have triggered a number of riots in the past year. 

       

The Papacy has a long history of working in tandem with progressive and globalist institutions.  Under Pope John Paul the II and Benedict XVI, globalism became the Catholic Church's driving political mantra.  They consistently defended mass immigration from the third world into the west.  They also spread the lie that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were migrant "refugees" (They were actually subjects of the Roman Empire and Egypt was a Roman province.  They were not refugees crossing borders illegally).  

The majority of modern Church policies and statements have leaned in support of the leftist, breaking substantially from Christian teachings of the past and putting the western world at risk of erasure.  One has to wonder, whose side are they really on?

In 2021, the Vatican joined with top globalists, world leaders and corporations to announce the Rothschild founded Council For Inclusive Capitalism.  The organization was devised as, essentially, a proto-global government which linked the United Nations, religious institutions, corporation elites and political elites into one body promoting a new global socialism.  With the failure of the covid lockdown plan, they have tried to bury the memory of the council.

A key agenda of the UN and Inclusive Capitalism is open borders, allowing for the easy movement of large groups in and out of otherwise self contained nations.  This is sometimes referred to as the "Immigrant Rights Movement", an effort which the UN funds and supports, causing chaos in Europe and the US. 

Anyone who opposes this agenda in the name of cultural security is accused of being a "right wing extremist", and it would seem that the Vatican has joined with the people promoting the narrative.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 18:00

Maryland Sues To Stop DHS From Converting Empty Warehouse Into ICE Facility

Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Maryland sued the Trump administration Monday to prevent an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility from being built in the state.

Work progresses on a new migrant detention facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility in the Florida Everglades on July 4, 2025. Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo

The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Anthony Brown, claims the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE’s January purchase of a warehouse to convert to an illegal immigrant holding center was done without required public comment, state consultation, or an environmental review.

“DHS purchased this facility while keeping the State and the public in the dark, spending more than $100 million in federal taxpayer dollars without performing the required environmental review and without giving Maryland or Marylanders any voice in the process,” Brown said in a news release.

Brown alleges that the purchase violates the National Environmental Policy and Administrative Procedure Acts. The former requires the federal government to properly consider environmental impacts before undertaking any major action such as construction for airports, buildings, military complexes, and highways. The latter governs how federal agencies develop and issue regulations.

DHS and ICE violated the National Environmental Policy Act by beginning work on the facility without the required environmental review, according to the lawsuit, adding that the project poses a significant threat to local waterways, the Potomac River watershed, protected animals, air quality, traffic, and public health and safety.

“No administration is above the law. Our people must be heard,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in the news release. “The State of Maryland is filing this lawsuit because DHS must be held to the same legal standard as every other federal agency.”

The lawsuit further accused the agencies of violating the Administrative Procedure Act by giving no explanation for the purchase and failing to consider alternatives.

It was unclear what alternatives the suit potentially refers to.

On Jan. 16, the Trump administration purchased the vacant, 54-acre commercial warehouse near Williamsport, about 80 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., for $102.4 million.

The project involves converting the building into a detention center for criminal aliens, with a capacity of 1,500 individuals, court documents show.

The purchase comes as the Trump administration continues immigration enforcement operations across the country and pushes for transforming sites nationwide into federal detention centers to keep up with the increasing number of illegal immigrants being taken into custody.

“Federal officials have made clear they want deportations carried out with speed and speed only,” Brown said in a post on X.

One location in Surprise, Arizona, meant to hold up to 1,500 individuals, was met with backlash from the community. Locals told The Epoch Times they were disappointed DHS bought the property without public notice or input.

DHS bought the 418,800-square-foot warehouse for $70 million.

Homeland Security’s website shows there are more than 140 active detention facilities across the United States.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Maryland’s lawsuit.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 17:00

Democrats Will Try Not To Act Like Children During Trump's State Of The Union Address

President Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, and according to reports, many seats will be empty.

Earlier this month, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave his caucus its marching orders in a closed-door meeting: sit in the chamber with "silent defiance" or don’t attend. 

"The two options that are in front of us in our House is to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend, and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion," Jeffries told reporters last week.

The directive wasn’t given out of respect for President Trump or the event, but because last year's joint address devolved into a spectacle that backfired on the Democrats. Many Democrats held up signs reading "Save Medicaid" and "False" as Trump spoke. Dozens of members from the Democratic Women's Caucus wore pink. But most notably, Rep. Al Green of Texas stood up during the speech and began shouting, raising his cane toward the president, before Speaker Mike Johnson ordered the sergeant-at-arms to remove him from the chamber. Green was later censured in a largely party-line vote, but many Democrats realized that the protests didn’t make them look good at all.

Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told Axios, "Last year didn't really work as envisioned." A senior House progressive, declining to go on the record, confirmed the broader sentiment that “there's just a feeling that it wasn't real effective last time." Another House Democrat even said the behavior was "completely counterproductive and made us look like children. We should be grown-ups, because [Republicans] are not." Jeffries reportedly chewed out some of the most vocal disruptors behind closed doors. 

Now, a growing coalition of members will skip the Capitol entirely and head to the "People's State of the Union," a counter-rally near the Lincoln Memorial organized by MeidasTouch and MoveOn Civic Action, two left-leaning media and activist outfits. The event is designed as counter-programming, featuring former MSNBC anchors Joy Reid and Katie Phang as hosts alongside elected officials and Americans the organizers say have been directly affected by Trump’s policies.

The Senate contingent heading to the rally includes Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Tina Smith of Minnesota. On the House side, Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Veronica Escobar, Pramila Jayapal, John Larson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Delia Ramirez, Sara Jacobs, Emily Randall, and Bonnie Watson Coleman are all set to appear. Even Greg Casar, who blasted his party’s behavior last year, is participating.

Still, some Democrats are ignoring Jeffries entirely and appear to be planning some protest during the speech. 

"The only question for me is which of his disgusting lines prompts me to get up and leave, because at some point I will,” Rep. Jared Huffman of California said. 

Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan hinted at his intentions to protest during the speech, but refused to offer specifics: "I don't have details to share, but this President is not above [the] law, his massive corruption, unconstitutional actions, his insults to our allies, and despicable acts at Epstein's island must be protested." 

Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania previously warned his fellow Democrats not to disrupt Trump’s speech.

“I mean, there’s just no dignity if you have paddles, if you are yelling and saying those kinds of things,” Fetterman told Fox News last week. “I mean, you can agree or disagree on things, but if you’re going to show up, just do it with dignity because, you know, really need to respect the office.”

The Democratic Party heads into Tuesday night's State of the Union address with no unified strategy, a fractured caucus, and a lingering hangover from the last time they tried to make a scene. 

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 16:40

Cartel Problem Is 'Spilling Over To The United States': Texas Senator

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

The cartel problem in Mexico has spilled over into the United States, harming Americans and requiring Washington to take action on the matter, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said in a Feb. 23 interview with Fox News.

“[Mexicans are] very particular about their sovereignty. And I get that. But if they’re not able to take care of the problem, and it’s spilling over to the United States and killing American citizens, it’s our problem. And we need to do something about it. And fortunately, President [Donald] Trump is willing to take this fight to those cartels,” Cornyn said.

“We, under President Trump, have leaned into providing surveillance ISR to the Mexican elite forces. And now the Senate of Mexico has agreed to allow some of our special forces to go in and train theirs.” ISR, in military terms, refers to Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.

The lawmaker said Mexico has long been controlled by the cartels, and the corruption facilitated by its government.

Many of the government officials in Mexico have been compromised, Cornyn said, with these officials getting rich and continuing to do so because of drugs, human trafficking, fuel theft, and other activities.

“You name it, they'll do anything for a buck. And these are dangerous and very violent people,” the senator said.

“But fortunately, President Trump has gotten President [Claudia] Sheinbaum to extradite I think approximately 50 different cartel members to the United States. And I’m glad to see them taking the fight to the cartels in Mexico using U.S.-facilitated intelligence,” the lawmaker said.

Cornyn said he was in communication with the State Department to ensure that they can bring Americans currently in Mexico back home safely amid the violence unleashed following the death of a major drug leader.

Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), was killed on Feb. 22 during a Mexican government operation. CJNG is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico.

There have been reports of violence across Mexico following El Mencho’s death. On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico issued a security alert, asking Americans in Mexico to “shelter in place.”

The alert asked Americans to follow the instructions of local authorities and call 911 in case of emergencies. It recommended that they monitor local media to remain updated on the situation, and “keep family and friends advised of your location and well-being via phone, text, and social media.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post on Sunday that the United States had provided intelligence to the Mexican government in its operation that killed El Mencho.

“The Trump Administration also commends and thanks the Mexican military for their cooperation and successful execution of this operation,” Leavitt said. President Donald Trump wants narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs into the United States to “face the wrath of justice they have long deserved.”

Cartel Threat

The U.S. Department of State said it was offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of El Mencho.

Since 2017, the drug leader has been indicted several times in a Columbia district court. In 2022, he was charged with conspiracy and distribution of a controlled substance for purposes of unlawful importation into the United States, according to the department.

CJNG “has been assessed to have the highest cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking capacity in Mexico, and over the past few years, includes the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States,” the department said.

CJNG and other Mexican cartels were designated as foreign terrorist organizations last year by the Trump administration. The group has attacked Mexican police and military, and conducted assassinations of local officials, the State Department said while announcing the cartel as a terror group.

On Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged the state’s citizens who are in Mexico to closely follow warnings from the State Department amid the security operations, related road blockades, and criminal activity in Mexico, according to a Feb. 22 statement from the governor’s office.

In a Feb. 23 statement, Abbott’s office announced that the governor has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to boost public safety and homeland security operations across the state in response to the rising cartel violence in Mexico.

“Mexican drug cartels pose a significant threat to public safety and national security,” Abbott said.

“By increasing proactive efforts to defend against cartel violence, Texas will continue to utilize every tool and strategy to protect our state and our nation. We will not cower to criminals who impose terror on our fellow Texans and Americans.”

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 16:20

PayPal Shares Jump Again After "Large Rival" Suitor Revealed As Stripe

Update (1558ET):

Bloomberg reports that payment processor Stripe has expressed interest in PayPal, a day after the outlet first reported that a "large rival" suitor was exploring a takeover of the payments platform.

Bloomberg:

• STRIPE IS CONSIDERING AN ACQUISITION OF ALL OR PARTS OF PAYPAL

• STRIPE HAS EXPRESSED PRELIMINARY INTEREST: SOURCES

Before the first Bloomberg report hit, PayPal shares in New York were at 2017 lows (with a market capitalization of around $37 billion) and were down more than 85% from the 2021 high of $291.48.

Shares have jumped as much as 18% since the initial report was released late Monday morning. 

Bloomberg noted, "The deliberations are still early and there's no certainty they'll lead to a transaction." 

*   *  *

PayPal shares were briefly halted due to volatility and are now up 9% after a Bloomberg report said the digital payments firm is attracting takeover interest from potential buyers, as the stock slid to a decade low. The report, based on unnamed sources, has not been confirmed by PayPal.

Interest in a PayPal takeover is in the early stages, according to people familiar with the matter. They say the company has met with banks amid unsolicited interest from suitors.

The sources described one of the suitors as " "large riv"l" looking to purchase the entire digital payments firm, while others are only interested in certain PayPal assets.

Before the news hit, PayPal shares in New York were at 2017 lows (with a market capitalization of around $37 billion) and down more than 85% from the 2021 high of $291.48. Year to date, shares are down 30%.

Wall Street analysts are largely neutral on the stock, with 1" "Buy"," 3" "Hold"," and si" "Sell"." The average 12-month price target is $50.08. 

PayPal was one of the pioneers of digital payments, but has been losing market share as consumers shift to alternatives like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Bloomberg notes a leadership shakeup of the firm is underway, with board chair Enrique Lores set to become president and CEO on March 1, following the ouster of Alex Chriss earlier this month. The latest earnings have disappointed, with quarter four profit and revenue missing estimates and signs of a continued slowdown in payment volume.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 15:58

Iran Strikes Covert Missile Deal With Moscow In Backchannel Rearmament

Iran is squarely in the Trump administration's crosshairs, and both Russia and China are to some degree coming to Tehran's aid with some significant arms deals meant to potentially stave off future attack.

Most significantly, the Financial Times is reporting that Russia will supply the Iranians with thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles in a deal worth 500 million Euros.

via Reuters

It's said to be part of a broader effort to rebuild Iran's air defenses, which were heavily destroyed and retarded by Israeli-US airstrikes in the last June war. Iran is also greatly limited given years of US-led sanctions targeting its defense and industrial sectors.

Though only coming to light this past weekend, the agreement was inked in Moscow in December, and commits Russia to deliver 500 "Verba" launch units and 2,500 "9M336" missiles over three years.

FT says it reviewed leaked Russian documents the UK publication obtained, which revealed the secretive deal for the Russian anti-air defenses.

The agreement was reportedly negotiated between Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Moscow representative of Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), with for example the the 9M336 missiles going for €170,000 per unit.

As for the Verba systems, for Moscow they represent a relatively low-cost way to shore up Iran's air defenses, bolstering Tehran's deterrent posture without meaningfully draining Russia's own missile inventories, badly needed for operations in Ukraine and as readiness for some potential future engagement with NATO.

Graphic News: the Verba 9K336 MANPADS

Last week, Russian naval power was on rare display near Iran, cooperating in planned joint naval drills with the Iranian Navy and IRGC units, in a bit of muscle-flexing as the Pentagon builds up its forces in the Mideast region.

If the US were to launch a surprise attack on Iran, it remains unlikely that either Russia or China would come to Tehran's direct military aid and engage militarily with Washington. However, Moscow and Beijing would no doubt team up to issue a UN Security Council condemnation, and would seek to rally the globe against another Iraq-style war in the Middle East which would likely sow broader instability. 

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 15:45

Judge In Kirk Murder Case Refuses To Disqualify Prosecutors

Authored by Stacy Robinson via The Epoch Times,

A judge ruled on Feb. 24 that a Utah deputy attorney general could continue prosecuting the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk.

Defense attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the accused shooter, had asked the judge in January to disqualify that member of the prosecution team—along with his entire office—after it was revealed that his daughter had been in the crowd when Kirk was killed.

The young woman did not see the shooting, but texted “CHARLIE GOT SHOT” to a family group chat.

Robinson’s defense attorneys had argued that the prosecutor’s relationship with someone in the crowd might have influenced his decision to seek the death penalty.

The prosecution said in a court filing in Utah’s Fourth Judicial District Court for Utah County that she did not have “any lasting trauma from the event.”

“In fact, nearly everything [she] knows about the actual homicide is hearsay,” the filing said, adding that any testimony she gave would consist of “generic, uncontested details available from literally thousands of other witnesses.”

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray had argued in court that the request was meant to delay the trial.

“This is [an] ambush and another stalling tactic,” Gray said.

Kirk, a popular conservative commentator, was killed last September while speaking at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah. Robinson, 22, faces aggravated murder charges related to the shooting.

Footage from the day of the shooting appears to show Robinson, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, climbing onto a building where the shooting is believed to have originated. He turned himself in after consultation with family members.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 15:25

Panama Seizes China-Linked Ports Amid Trump-Beijing Dispute

Panama published a Supreme Court decision, issued in late January, that voided key port operations held by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison. The Balboa and Cristobal terminals have become entangled in a legal dispute involving Washington and Beijing. The timing is important, as it comes about a month before President Trump's planned late-March trip to China.

On Monday, the ruling authorized the Panama Maritime Authority to take over the Balboa and Cristobal terminals near the Panama Canal, ending concessions held by Panama Ports Company (PPC), a CK Hutchison subsidiary, for more than two decades.

The ruling stated that the Panama Maritime Authority will occupy both ports for "reasons of urgent social interest" and take control of all cranes, vehicles, computer systems, and software.

CK Hutchison said Panama's move was "unlawful" and threatened national and international legal action against the country, which controls the 50-mile man-made maritime chokepoint connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, allowing more than 13,000 ships to transit annually.

"CKH considers the ruling, the executive decree, the purported termination of PPC's concession, and the takeover of the terminals to be unlawful," CK Hutchison said in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, adding, "The actions by the Panama State also raise serious risks to the operations, health and safety at the Balboa and Cristobal terminals."

Hong Kong-listed shares of CK Hutchison closed down 2.7% following the court-ordered takeover. Shares year-to-date have gained about 18%, according to Bloomberg data.

Following the move, Danish shipping company Maersk and Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company were granted temporary licenses to operate both terminals.

In a statement to CNBC, Maersk said temporary operations at the Port of Balboa have already begun and will continue for a period of 18 months.

"One of the main tasks will be the deployment of a new terminal operating system and training the workforce to use this new system," Maersk said

The saga surrounding the Balboa and Cristobal terminals comes as the Trump administration pursues a Western Hemisphere defense posture, repositioning the Department of War to secure the region and curb the influence of Chinese and other foreign adversaries across the Americas. This also includes purging the region of communist and socialist regimes.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 15:05

FedEx Seeks Tariff Refund With Lawsuit Against US

Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,

FedEx is suing the United States Feb. 23, seeking a full refund on President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) lacked authorization.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, seeks to recoup all duties paid by FedEx as a result of IEEPA orders and any interest accrued, plus attorney’s fees.

The Tennessee-based shipping giant focused its lawsuit mainly on the emergency tariffs imposed on Mexico, Canada, and China, and the 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports to the United States, which went into effect on April 5, 2025.

In the Learning Resources v. Trump case, the Supreme Court ruled Feb. 20 that Trump’s tariffs violated the emergency powers law he invoked last year to impose levies on China, Canada, Mexico, and other countries.

Tariffs enacted under other laws were not affected by the ruling.

The president declared a national emergency under IEEPA starting on Feb. 1, 2025, to address the flow of illicit drugs across the northern and southern borders, and to stop the synthetic opioid supply chain from China.

Trump continued taking more steps to implement emergency orders with tariffs last year and earlier this year, addressing global threats. The latest tariffs targeted Iran on Feb. 6.

The president issued an order Feb. 20 ending IEEPA tariff actions.

In a dissenting opinion, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the federal government may be forced to refund billions of dollars to importers who paid tariffs under IEEPA “even though some importers may have already passed on costs to consumers or others.”

Kavanaugh also said he expected it could be a “mess.”

During a press conference Feb. 20 following the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump said the ruling didn’t do enough to address the refund issue, which could tie up the federal government in court for years to come.

“I guess it has to get litigated for the next two years,” the president said.

Ships are docked at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif., on Feb. 20, 2026. Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo

Other companies have filed lawsuits seeking refunds on the tariffs, including Revlon, Costco, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Toyota, BYD, Patagonia, REI, Trek, Specialized, Shimano, Bell Sports, Osprey, and Dole Fresh Fruit Company.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, Trump has imposed a 10 percent tariff on all countries, which was raised to 15 percent on Feb. 21. The new worldwide tariff level went into effect immediately, the president announced in a post on Truth Social.

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 14:05

Tonight's State Of The Union: Here's What To Watch As Trump Plans Two, Possibly Three Hour Speech

 Update (1555ET): Tonight's speech is expected to be over two hours, possibly approaching three, PBS News reports. 

He's also expected to call for a new form of personal and corporate tax cuts, Fox News reports, citing comments Trump made at the White House luncheon.

*  *  *

President Trump is set to deliver his first State of the Union address of his second term on Feb. 24, when he is expected to highlight his administration’s accomplishments and seize the moment to shore up support for Republicans ahead of the critical 2026 elections.

Historically, the president’s party almost always suffers midterm losses, and the House appears especially vulnerable this year.

Trump, eager to reverse the trend, is set to deliver a lengthy speech promoting the policy wins over the past year.

“It’s going to be a long speech, because we have so much to talk about,” the president said during an event at the White House on Feb. 23.

In fact, as Polymarket odds show, his speech is expected to last 95 minutes...

The address is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET and will be Trump’s second to Congress since returning to office. He previously spoke to a joint session of Congress on March 4 last year. While it was not an official State of the Union address, the speech was the longest on record, lasting nearly 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Below, The Epoch Times' Emel Akan lays out five key things to watch at this year’s State of the Union:

Midterms Messaging

With eight months until the midterms, Republicans are working to win voters, especially independents who backed Trump in 2024. The majority of voters are still anxious about the high cost of living, according to recent polls. Trump is likely to prioritize the economy in his speech and talk about what he has done to lower gas, housing, and health care costs for American families.

Luke Nichter, professor of presidential studies at Chapman University in Orange, California, believes that Trump’s primary message will be about the midterms.

“He wants to make sure those enthusiastic supporters are still enthusiastic, they still support him, and continue to turn out this fall,” Nichter told The Epoch Times.

The speech comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision last week that struck down tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience before delivering his State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Feb. 4, 2020. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Trump sharply criticized the justices who supported the ruling and has since pledged to raise global tariffs to 15 percent using other statutory authorities. During a Feb. 20 press conference, Trump said he was “ashamed of certain members of the court.” Hence, his tone and remarks toward the justices in the room will be closely watched during the address.

Trump is expected to make the case for high tariffs, even as some Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns about their economic impact.

Immigration will also be a key topic, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains shut down due to ongoing disagreement between the White House and congressional Democrats. Trump is expected to defend his administration’s policies while adopting a more measured tone in light of two recent fatal shootings by immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Aaron Dusso, a political science professor at Indiana University, believes that Trump will try to shift the narrative during his speech, especially given recent criticism of the domestic immigration crackdown and declining approval ratings.

“This is going to be an opportunity for him to command attention across the entire country,” Dusso told The Epoch Times.

Foreign Policy Questions

Foreign policy is typically not a major focus in the State of the Union addresses, as presidents usually prioritize domestic issues. Trump’s address may be an exception, Nichter said.

In recent weeks, the administration has stepped up the U.S. military presence in the Middle East to exert pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear program. The Pentagon has dispatched another large aircraft carrier to the region. Amid tensions, another round of talks with Tehran is set for Feb. 26 in Geneva. Lawmakers will be closely watching for any new announcements regarding Iran.

Mexican soldiers patrol in armored vehicles in Acapulco in the aftermath of a military operation in which Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," was killed in Jalisco state, in Acapulco, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026. Henry Romero/Reuters

In Mexico, a U.S.-aided operation killed Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, a powerful drug cartel leader, on Feb. 22. Lawmakers and foreign policy analysts will be listening for clarity on the extent of the U.S. involvement in the Mexican military’s operation.

Trump is also expected to highlight his broader efforts to broker peace around the world, crediting himself for ending eight wars.

According to Nichter, Trump may also address unresolved foreign policy issues, including Greenland, Cuba, Venezuela, and the golden dome missile defense system.

Guests in the Gallery

The White House and lawmakers will invite special guests to the State of the Union to highlight their political messages.

Over the weekend, Trump invited the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Olympic Hockey teams following their gold medal victories over Canada.

The women’s team declined the invitation, citing scheduling issues. The men’s team is expected to attend.

Jake Guentzel #59, Tage Thompson #72, Jaccob Slavin #74, Kyle Connor #81 and Jake Sanderson #85 of Team United States listen to the national anthem during the medal ceremony for Men's Ice Hockey following their gold-medal win over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Democratic lawmakers have invited several people who say they were victims of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including Jess Michaels and the family of the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre, to demand legal consequences for those named in the files.

Some Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), will bring constituents to raise concerns about the impact of rising tariffs and health care costs.

Some Republicans are focusing on human rights issues in China. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will host the daughter of Gulshan Abbas, a Uyghur doctor detained in China since 2018. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) will host Claire Lai, daughter of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Reaction

There have been dramatic moments at past State of the Union addresses, most notably in February 2020, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up a copy of Trump’s speech after he finished speaking.

This time, the setting will be different. Seated behind Trump will be Johnson and Vice President JD Vance.

Reactions from Democrats in the chamber will be closely watched. As with previous years, some lawmakers are expected to stage symbolic protests, wearing coordinated colors or displaying signs.

Vice President Mike Pence claps as Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi rips a copy of President Donald Trump's speech after he delivers the State of the Union address at the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The official response from the Democratic Party will be delivered by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who won a landslide victory last November and became the state’s first female governor. Her response will air immediately after Trump’s speech.

Yemisi Egbewole, a Democratic strategist and former Biden White House adviser, said that Spanberger’s selection shows the party is changing its strategy by focusing on affordability and moving away from identity issues.

The response is expected to be measured and aimed at voters who are uneasy about Trump as president, even if they sometimes support Republicans, Egbewole told The Epoch Times.

“That is really where Democrats need to hit,” she said.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs executive orders after being sworn into office at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 17, 2026. Win McNamee/Getty Images

More than a dozen Democrats plan to skip the speech and attend an alternative event, the “People’s State of the Union” rally at the National Mall in Washington.

Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), as well as Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) are expected to skip the address.

Defending the Record

Trump is expected to defend his record and outline his legislative goals in another lengthy address.

He will tout economic milestones, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassing 50,000 points. He will argue that crime is falling nationwide.

He will also likely highlight reductions in immigration flows at the southern border with Mexico. Trump has previously said that illegal immigration along that border has reached near-zero levels.

A banner showing President Donald Trump at the Department of Justice in Washington on Feb. 21, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The address is also considered a prime opportunity for the president to lay out his legislative proposals. This year, Trump is expected to encourage the passage of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship to vote.

He will also tout his other policies, such as banning male athletes with gender dysphoria from competing in women’s sports.

According to David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University in Minnesota, Trump will have to keep his base energized while deciding whether to adjust his tone and message to win back the independent voters who helped elect him in 2024.

Republicans’ chances of holding Congress depend on retaining those swing voters, he told The Epoch Times.

“His base is still mostly with him,” Schultz said. “The question becomes, does he only pitch to the base, or does he try to alter his language and approach to appeal to the swing voters?”

Tyler Durden Tue, 02/24/2026 - 13:35