Hamas Reportedly Accepts Ceasefire Deal

August 18, 2025

victims — Israel-Hamas conflict (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)

Hamas reportedly accepted a ceasefire deal in its war with Israel, sources involved with the matter told Axios.

According to the “diplomatic source,” the deal accepted by Hamas is “98% similar” to the previous U.S.-supported proposal. Another source told the outlet that the proposal is a “partial deal for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of 10 live hostages, 18 deceased hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners,” Axios described.

The news follows President Trump declaring on Truth Social, “We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be.”

“Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities,” he wrote. “Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that Israel intends to “remove Hamas” from Gaza, adding that the country seeks to “liberate the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”

“We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body,” he explained to Fox News’ Bill Hemmer. “We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That’s not possible with Hamas.”

Trump Student Visa Revocations Target Crime and Terror Ties

August 18, 2025

trump (17) — (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has revoked more than 6,000 student visas this year due to overstays, criminal activity, and ties to terrorism. The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to tighten visa vetting and crack down on abuses within the student visa program.

According to a Fox News report, roughly 4,000 of the revoked visas involved students who broke U.S. laws while in the country, including incidents of assault and DUIs. About 800 students had their visas pulled specifically for assault-related charges or arrests. Between 200 and 300 visas were revoked over support for terrorism, including fundraising for Hamas.

A State Department official emphasized that every revocation was linked to violations of U.S. law or evidence of support for terrorist organizations. “Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States,” the official told Fox News Digital.

Overall, the Trump administration has revoked about 40,000 visas in 2025, far surpassing the 16,000 pulled under President Joe Biden during the same time frame in the previous year. The policy reflects President Trump’s campaign promises to strengthen national security by enforcing stricter immigration controls.

Secretary Rubio told a Senate appropriations subcommittee earlier this year that visa revocations will continue. “We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” he said, noting that thousands more cases are under review.

The stepped-up enforcement comes as the administration increases scrutiny of students involved in pro-Palestinian protests and other activities flagged as potential threats. The move underscores Trump’s hardline approach to immigration and national security, marking a sharp contrast with his predecessor’s policies.

Seattle Sean Feucht Rally Faces Antifa Counterattack

August 18, 2025

Seattle is preparing for potential unrest as Christian worship leader Sean Feucht announced plans to hold a rally later this month at Cal Anderson Park, the former site of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) and recent Antifa riots. Feucht’s Revive in 25 tour is promoting a message to “renew cities that have been devastated for generations.”

In response, Antifa activists are already mobilizing. Flyers circulating online advertise an “Antifascist Slumber Party & Potluck” on August 29 at the park, designed to confront Christians the following morning. Organizers labeled Feucht “another hate pastor” and accused him of planning to spread “anti-queer and trans rhetoric” in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The announcement comes just months after Antifa militants attacked a May worship event at the same location, resulting in 23 arrests after violent clashes with attendees and police. Despite the violence, a King County judge released seven suspects without bail, sparking criticism from local Christian leaders.

Feucht announced that his rally on August 30 had already received city approval, but Seattle officials dispute that claim. Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office confirmed no permit has been issued, noting permits usually take 15–30 days to process. Records show the MayDay USA event, held by another Christian group, had received a permit more than a month in advance.

The May rally, part of the #DontMessWithOurKids movement, drew hundreds of worshippers but was marred by Antifa assaults. Rather than condemn Antifa violence, Mayor Harrell denounced the Christian organizers as “far-right agitators” seeking to provoke Seattle’s LGBTQ community. His comments provoked outrage among Christian leaders, including Pastor Russell Johnson of Pursuit NW, who demanded Harrell’s resignation for what he called “bigoted remarks.”

Seattle Christians later rallied outside City Hall to protest the mayor’s stance, where they were once again targeted by far-left extremists. With tensions already high, Feucht’s upcoming rally is expected to test the city’s ability to balance free speech rights with public safety.

Washington AG Nick Brown Hit with Ethics Complaint

August 18, 2025

Sanctuary — (Nils Huenerfuerst/Unsplash)

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown narrowly avoided an interim suspension of his law license after failing to respond on time to an ethics complaint tied to his office’s relationship with Democratic law firm Perkins Coie. The complaint, filed with the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), alleges Brown improperly signed an amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie while his office held active contracts with the firm.

The Center Square first reported that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) had an ongoing contract with Perkins Coie when it filed the amicus brief backing the firm in a legal battle with President Donald Trump. Later reporting revealed Perkins Coie had at least ten active contracts with the AGO at that time. None were disclosed in the filing.

The WSBA demanded Brown submit a preliminary written response within 30 days of its May 13 letter. By June 13, Brown had not replied. A follow-up letter warned that continued silence could result in subpoenas, fines, and even suspension under WSBA rules. Despite a second deadline of July 16, Brown still failed to submit a response.

Only after The Center Square contacted the WSBA in mid-August did Brown—through Solicitor General Noah Purcell—finally reply. Purcell, a Perkins Coie alum who helped draft the amicus brief, dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” insisting the AGO had “no interest in preserving Perkins’s ability to contract with the federal government.”

Documents obtained by The Center Square suggest deeper coordination, including AGO attorneys offering Perkins Coie advice on when and where to file suit. Internal communications related to the case have since been redacted by the AGO under litigation exemptions, a decision upheld despite appeal.

Brown, a former U.S. Attorney for Western Washington, was elected attorney general last year. The ethics investigation remains ongoing.

Texas Democrats Return to State

August 18, 2025

Texas Democrats who left the state over redistricting efforts have returned to Austin.

The Texas House Democratic Caucus said that they returned to the state to “to launch the next phase in their fight against the racist gerrymander that provoked a weeks-long standoff with Governor [Greg] Abbott and President Trump,” Politico reported. Last week, the caucus said they would return if two conditions were met: the “Legislature’s adjournment sine die Friday” and the “introduction of California’s redistricting maps that would neutralize the Trump-Abbott voter suppression effort.”

“We killed the corrupt special session, withstood unprecedented surveillance and intimidation, and rallied Democrats nationwide to join this existential fight for fair representation — reshaping the entire 2026 landscape,” Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu said in a statement, as per NBC News. “We’re returning to Texas more dangerous to Republicans’ plans than when we left. Our return allows us to build the legal record necessary to defeat this racist map in court, take our message to communities across the state and country, and inspire legislators across the country how to fight these undemocratic redistricting schemes in their own statehouses.”

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder similarly stated that the House Democrats killed the Republicans’ “racist map,” which was “designed to allow Donald Trump to continue harming American citizens and the working class.”

“Texans can see that the Republicans would rather serve Trump than serve the interests of Texans. Like many of you, I am putting faith in our Texas House Democratic Caucus leadership that they are making the best choice to fight back against these maps,” Scudder added. “Whatever the path forward, you can count on the TDP to fight this map to the very end, because Donald Trump needs to run on his platform, not away from it.”

The Texas Senate approved the state’s new congressional map in a 19-2 vote last week. The vote followed nine Democratic senators leaving the chamber. The map now heads to the Texas House.

Three Years Later, Inflation Reduction Act Drives Up Medicare Costs

August 18, 2025

Trump Paris Climate Accords withdrawal — Lucas Sankey/Unsplash

This past weekend marked three years since former President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. Promoted as a way to lower prescription drug costs for seniors, the law is now being blamed for higher premiums, shrinking coverage, and increased taxpayer subsidies.

Insurers warn that Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare beneficiaries face “much, much higher prices” for prescription coverage, according to CVS Health CFO Thomas Cowhey. Analysts argue the IRA shifted costs onto insurers without providing enough subsidies, forcing them to raise premiums and reduce benefits.

A 2024 study in JAMA Network Open found that of the $86 billion spent annually on supplemental Medicare Advantage benefits, only $3.9 billion was actually used for dental, vision, and hearing coverage. Much of the rest went to so-called “ghost benefits”—perks that look good on paper but remain largely unused.

Dr. Tomas Phillipson told Fox Business that premiums are “skyrocketing” under the law. MarketWatch’s Brett Arends also noted that costs are being passed to insurers, who in turn raise premiums to recover losses. From 2024 to 2025, the Better Medicare Alliance reported that out-of-pocket maximums in Medicare Advantage rose 8%, while plan options declined in 31 states.

The law capped annual out-of-pocket prescription costs at $2,000 but shifted catastrophic drug costs to insurers. To soften the blow in an election year, the federal government injected $7 billion in subsidies to prevent steep premium hikes in 2024, followed by a $25 billion rate increase this year. Critics argue this amounts to taxpayer bailouts of insurers.

The Paragon Health Institute concluded that the IRA has led to “fewer coverage options” for seniors and “a significant increase in the subsidies that taxpayers pay to insurance companies.” Despite its name, the law has failed to reduce costs—simply shifting them instead.

California Green Energy Projects Stalled by Red Tape

August 18, 2025

California Governor Gavin Newsom (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)

California is facing major roadblocks in approving solar and wind projects, even under a 2022 law designed to speed up the process. The measure promised developers faster approvals within 270 days, but in practice, renewable projects remain bogged down by bureaucracy and local opposition.

According to Politico, the first project to apply under the new program—a proposed wind farm in Northern California’s mountains—has been waiting more than 650 days since filing its application. Despite the law’s time limit, the California Energy Commission has yet to make a final ruling, largely due to opposition from local activists who derailed the review process.

The failure of the streamlined system highlights a broader problem in California’s governance. While state leaders regularly tout ambitious climate goals, permitting delays continue to stall development. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has pointed to his overall renewable energy record but has not explained the lack of progress on specific stalled projects.

Earlier this year, progressive writer Ezra Klein criticized the inefficiency of Democrat-led states in his book Abundance. He noted that layers of bureaucracy, coupled with ideological commitments to diversity and regulatory oversight, often undermine liberal priorities. Projects meant to advance climate action, he argued, get trapped in the very red tape created by those who claim to champion them.

This reflects a deeper issue within modern progressive governance. Rather than focusing on practical solutions, California’s leadership frequently leans on lofty promises of a utopian future. In reality, the state’s complex permitting structure leaves critical projects delayed for years, frustrating developers and slowing energy expansion.

With renewable energy central to California’s climate agenda, continued permitting failures risk undercutting the very goals Democrats claim to support.

Amsterdam War Memorial Defaced at Pro-Palestine Protest

August 18, 2025

Dutch police arrested a 24-year-old man Saturday after he was caught on video spray-painting a World War II memorial in Amsterdam during a pro-Palestine protest. The suspect, described in media reports as an apparently transgender activist, was filmed wearing a dress and spraying the words “never again is now” across the National Monument in Dam Square.

The vandalism occurred as protesters rallied against Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The slogan, traditionally used as a reminder of the Holocaust, was used by the activist to compare Israel’s fight against Hamas terrorists with Nazi Germany’s extermination of Jews and other minorities. The location of the graffiti appeared to underscore that comparison, as the National Monument honors Dutch citizens killed in World War II.

Police quickly detained the man but later released him. Prosecutors will decide whether to press charges. The act has drawn outrage from locals, who condemned the defacement of a memorial dedicated to victims of Nazi occupation. One business owner told De Telegraaf that “even the dead from the war are not respected,” calling the stunt “unpalatable” and demanding a crackdown on disruptive protests in the city center.

The Amsterdam municipality initially banned the pro-Palestine rally out of concern for public safety, but a judge overturned the decision and allowed it to proceed. The protest was organized by the International Socialists, a far-left group that attempted to distance itself from the vandalism. While they described the act as “tasteless,” the group downplayed its seriousness, noting the graffiti could be removed.

The arrest highlights the growing tensions across Europe as pro-Palestine demonstrations often spill into confrontations, vandalism, and antisemitic rhetoric. With anti-Israel protests escalating, critics argue that public safety and respect for national memorials are being undermined by unchecked activism.

Musk’s Tesla Faces Profit Crisis as Regulatory Credits End

August 18, 2025

Tesla’s long dependence on selling government regulatory credits is nearing an end, putting enormous pressure on Elon Musk’s electric car company to make money from its vehicles alone. Over the past decade, Tesla raked in $11.8 billion from selling carbon and fuel economy credits to other automakers, but that lucrative stream will dry up under new federal rules.

The credit system was designed to help automakers meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Companies that failed to meet benchmarks could buy surplus credits from Tesla to avoid heavy fines. But analysts at William Blair and Co. now project demand for these credits will collapse by 75 percent in 2026 and vanish entirely in 2027.

That’s a major blow, as Tesla has leaned heavily on regulatory credits to stay profitable. In some years, they accounted for nearly a third of the company’s revenue. Without them, Tesla must rely solely on car sales at a time when demand is weakening and competition from other automakers is heating up.

Adding to the challenge, the $7,500 federal EV tax credit—a key incentive for buyers—will expire September 30 under President Donald Trump’s new legislation. Automakers are scrambling to push vehicles off lots before the subsidy disappears. Tesla has warned customers on its website and through direct emails to complete purchases quickly in order to secure the discount.

Tesla is also grappling with an aging lineup and slowing sales growth, particularly in markets once seen as strongholds. With subsidies and regulatory loopholes closing, Musk faces the test of proving Tesla can thrive as a standalone car company rather than one propped up by government mandates.

Industry observers expect Tesla will need aggressive cost-cutting, new models, or both if it hopes to maintain its market share against rivals like Ford, Toyota, and Hyundai, who are pushing deeper into the EV market.

MSNBC Rebrands as ‘MS NOW’ After Ratings Collapse

August 18, 2025

Far-left cable outlet MSNBC has officially dropped the “NBC” from its name, announcing a rebrand as “MS NOW” in a move widely seen as a desperate attempt to salvage its failing image. The split comes after years of collapsing ratings, credibility problems, and its disastrous role in promoting the Trump–Russia collusion hoax.

The network, once launched as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC in 1996, will now operate under its new branding after parent company Comcast spun off MSNBC and other struggling cable networks into a separate entity called Versant. While CNBC kept its name under the same corporate shift, MSNBC was stripped of the NBC brand entirely—a sign that NBC News no longer wants to be associated with the outlet’s toxic reputation.

MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler attempted to spin the rebrand in an internal memo, claiming that “MS NOW” represents “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World” and would allow the channel to build “its own modern newsgathering operation.” However, critics note that dropping the NBC name and iconic peacock logo is a massive blow, signaling that MSNBC has become an embarrassment to the parent company.

Once a ratings powerhouse under Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s audience collapsed following President Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election. Viewers, demoralized after years of being misled by false promises of Trump’s downfall, abandoned the network. Since then, ratings have remained in free fall, leaving MSNBC a shell of its former self.

The rebrand mirrors other corporate blunders, such as Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to drop “HBO” from its HBO Max streaming service—a move that failed to resonate with audiences. Industry observers argue that “MS NOW” sounds like a generic digital start-up, not a trusted national brand.

By shedding the NBC label, MSNBC is now isolated as it struggles to reinvent itself. For many conservatives, the move is a long-overdue admission that years of biased reporting, failed narratives, and elitist punditry have finally caught up with the far-left outlet.