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Deadliest Kyiv Strike Since Trump‑Putin Summit Rocks Capital

(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

A devastating Russian missile and drone assault struck the heart of Kyiv in the early hours of August 28, 2025, killing at least 21 civilians, including four children, and injuring 48 others.

The attack, which officials called one of the deadliest since the Trump-Putin summit, targeted residential neighborhoods, a major shopping mall, and diplomatic facilities, including EU and British Council offices. Ukrainian authorities reported that more than 600 projectiles, both drones and missiles, were launched, with over 560 drones intercepted and most ballistic missiles neutralized by air defense systems. Despite these efforts, widespread destruction swept through central Kyiv.

Over 100 structures sustained damage or were destroyed, including homes, shops, and international diplomatic buildings. Footage from the scene showed burning vehicles, collapsed buildings, and emergency workers pulling civilians from the rubble. Kyiv’s mayor confirmed that several residential high-rises suffered direct hits, while Ukraine’s national police began recovery and identification operations immediately after the strikes ended.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a deliberate massacre and appealed for immediate international action. He took to X, saying, “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions.”

The timing of the assault—coinciding with scheduled peace discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. diplomats in New York—further complicated diplomatic efforts and revealed Russia’s unwillingness to de-escalate the conflict.

European Union leaders swiftly responded, calling the strikes a war crime. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell summoned the Russian ambassador and warned of a new round of sanctions. The United Kingdom also condemned the bombing of its cultural facility in Kyiv, calling it an attack on European values and international law.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed that it targeted military-industrial infrastructure within Kyiv, a statement rejected by Ukrainian and Western officials as disinformation. According to multiple independent sources, no significant military assets were located in the areas hit, with casualties overwhelmingly among the civilian population.

President Trump has previously stated that peace through strength remains the only reliable path to resolution and has emphasized that America’s global leadership must prioritize moral clarity and defense of innocent life.

Alligator Alcatraz to Be Dismantled

alligator
Nellie Adamyan/Unsplash

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an order to move forward with the dismantling of Alligator Alcatraz.

“The Court found Plaintiffs were likely to succeed on their NEPA claim because the project was adversely impacting the environment and was controlled in large part by the federal government, and Defendants had done no environmental analysis at all before building and commencing operations of the facility,” Williams wrote, discussing matters from her 82-page ruling from last week. “The Court described substantial evidence provided by Plaintiffs of several kinds of ongoing and likely future irreparable harm from the project, including to the surrounding wetlands, endangered species, and those who live, recreate, research in, and work to preserve the area.”

Williams added that federal government defendants “rehash the same general arguments about the importance of immigration enforcement they presented during the Preliminary Injunction Hearing.”

“As Defendants provide no new evidence or argument about the particular dangerousness of the detainee population at the [Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport] site or the need for a detention facility in this particular location, the Court will not repeat the shortcomings of Defendants’ claims here,” court documents read.

Williams’ previous ruling prohibited “State and Federal Defendants and their officers, agents, employees, attorneys, and any person who is in active concert or participation with them” from working on the site or bringing additional persons into the facility.

The Department of Homeland Security told CBS News that the facility’s dismantling is “another attempt to prevent the President from fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst.”

“DHS is complying with this order and moving detainees to other facilities. We will continue to fight tooth-and-nail to remove the worst of the worst from American streets,” DHS said.

Air Force Provides Military Funeral Honors to Jan 6 Protester

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January 6, 2021 Protest (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

The U.S. Air Force has agreed to provide military funeral honors for January 6 protester Ashli Babbitt. The decision reverses a 2021 Biden-era decision that denied the request.

A letter from Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier, released on Aug. 27 by Judicial Watch, read, “I understand that the family’s initial request was denied by Air Force leadership in a letter dated February 9, 2021. However, after reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect.”

Lohmeier then invited the family to visit the Pentagon, where he could offer his condolences.

In 2021, Biden-era Air Force Lieutenant General Brian Kelly denied funeral honors for Babbitt “due to the circumstances preceding her death.”

“As a result, I have determined that military funeral honors would bring discredit upon the Air Force,” Kelly wrote.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement that Babbitt’s family is “grateful to President Trump, Secretary Hegseth and Under Secretary Lohmeier for reversing the Biden Defense Department’s cruel decision to deny Ashli funeral honors as a distinguished veteran of the Air Force.”

“Judicial Watch’s team spent years investigating, litigating, and exposing the truth about Ashli’s homicide,” he said. “Judicial Watch is proud to have done its part in bringing her family a measure of justice and accountability for Ashli’s outrageous killing. And our battle for justice will continue.”

In May, the Trump administration agreed to pay nearly $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Babbitt’s family.

Fired Federal Reserve Governor Sues Trump

(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has sued President Donald Trump after he moved to fire her.

According to the lawsuit, Cook claimed her removal is “unprecedented and illegal.”

“President Trump’s conception of ’cause’ has no limiting principle,” the lawsuit says. “It would allow him to remove any Federal Reserve Board member with whom he disagrees about policy based on chalked-up allegations.”

Trump’s effort to remove Cook “would subvert the Federal Reserve Act … which explicitly requires a showing of ’cause’ for a Governor’s removal, which an unsubstantiated allegation about private mortgage applications submitted by Governor Cook prior to her Senate confirmation is not,” the filing adds.

The filing further notes that Cook is the “first Black woman to sit on the Federal Reserve’s Board in its 111-year history.”

The lawsuit comes as President Trump fired Cook over mortgage fraud allegations. Citing the Federal Reserve Act, Trump wrote in a letter addressed to Cook, “You are hereby removed from your position on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, effective immediately.”

“The American people must be able to have full confidence in the honesty of the members entrusted with setting policy and overseeing the Federal Reserve. In light of your deceitful and potentially criminal conduct in a financial matter, they cannot and I do not have such confidence in your integrity,” Trump’s letter read, concluding, “I have determined that faithfully executing the law requires your immediate removal from office.”

Cook asserted that she will not resign from her position, but will instead “continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022.”

EPA Reaches Milestone in Mexican Sewage Crisis

San Diego Mexico Border
Photo by Max Böhme, Unsplash

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) Commissioner Chad McIntosh announced that the 10 million-gallon-per-day expansion project to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis has been completed.

Through the expansion, the plant’s treatment capacity increased from 25 million gallons per day to 35 million gallons per day, a 40% increase.

The EPA will continue to work towards its priorities on the issue, including securing Mexico’s financial commitments through 2027, accelerating project timelines, and establishing preventative measures in additional projects.

“The Trump Administration committed to delivering an urgent and permanent 100% solution to the millions of people afflicted by this crisis, and that’s exactly what they’re going to get,”  Zeldin said. “Just four months after I personally surveyed the environmental devastation in San Diego, seeing the polluted waterways, closed beaches, and smelling the foul air, we’ve delivered this critical expansion years ahead of schedule. Protecting human health and the environment is our first priority at EPA, and no American should have to worry if the air they breathe or the beaches they visit are safe.” 

Vista Mayor John Franklin celebrated that the crisis was addressed in “just 100 days” after “decades of delay and broken promises.”

In July, the U.S. and Mexico agreed to “expedite the timelines of critical infrastructure projects in the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) Minute No. 328 (‘Minute 328’),” the EPA explained at the time. Since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of raw sewage have crossed the border, closing beaches, sickening residents, and disrupting Navy SEAL training at Coronado’s Naval Amphibious Base.

Former Baseball Player Running for Texas House Seat

Baseball (Mick Haupt/Unsplash)

Former Major League Baseball All-Star Mark Teixeira announced that he is running for Congress, representing Texas.

Teixeira, who played for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and New York Yankees, aims to take the seat currently held by Rep. Chip Roy, who is running for Texas Attorney General.

“Big news: I’m ready to go!” he wrote on X. “As a lifelong conservative who loves this country, I’m running for Congress to fight for the principles that make Texas and America great.”

“It takes teamwork to win – I’m ready to help defend President Trump’s America First agenda, Texas families, and individual liberty,” Teixeira wrote.

In a press release for his campaign, Teixeira vowed to “work with President Trump to secure the border, grow the economy, end radical woke indoctrination, promote American energy independence, defend life and the Second Amendment, end forever wars, and strengthen the military.”

Teixeira honored Roy’s representation of the district, saying he led with “unwavering courage and leaves an impressive legacy of principled conservative leadership.”

Roy’s run for Texas Attorney General comes as the state’s current AG, Ken Paxton, has launched a bid for senator.

Announcing his plans on X, Roy wrote, “Texas has a long and proud tradition of rising to defend our homes, our freedom, and our communities.” He added he is “running for Attorney General to carry on that legacy… unafraid to fight, unafraid to win, and unafraid to defend Texas at every turn.”

Paxton said in April that he is running against Senator John Cornyn (R) for his U.S. Senate seat, aiming to “take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment.”

House Launches Probe Into Wikipedia Bias

Wikipedia
Wikipedia (Oberon Copeland/@veryinformed via Unsplash)

The House Oversight Committee, along with the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, has launched an investigation into Wikipedia over manipulated entries.

The investigation comes as Americans and AI chatbots use Wikipedia for information.

“Multiple studies and reports have highlighted efforts to manipulate information on the Wikipedia platform for propaganda aimed at Western audiences. One recent report raised troubling questions about potentially systematic efforts to advance antisemitic and anti-Israel information in Wikipedia articles related to conflicts with the State of Israel,” Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) wrote in the letter. “A second investigation detailed actions by hostile nation-state actors to expose Western audiences to pro-Kremlin and anti-Western messaging by manipulating Wikipedia articles and other news outlets relied on for training AI chatbots.”

“[The Wikimedia] foundation, which hosts the Wikipedia platform, has acknowledged taking actions responding to misconduct by volunteer editors who effectively create Wikipedia’s encyclopedic articles. The Committee recognizes that virtually all web-based information platforms must contend with bad actors and their efforts to manipulate,” the lawmakers added. “Our inquiry seeks information to help our examination of how Wikipedia responds to such threats and how frequently it creates accountability when intentional, egregious, or highly suspicious patterns of conduct on topics of sensitive public interest are brought to attention.”

Earlier this year, Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger urged the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to look into whether the government has influenced the encyclopedia site. “Hi @ElonMusk. Wikipedia co-founder here,” he wrote on X. “May I ask you to determine what branches of the U.S. government—if any!—have employees paid to edit, monitor, update, lobby, etc., Wikipedia?”

A report from the Media Research Center Free Speech America found that Wikipedia effectively blacklisted conservative media groups. The groups blacklisted included Breitbart, The Daily Caller, Daily Mail, Newsmax, OANN, and the Media Research Center.

Trump, Duffy Launch New Acela Trains, Reclaim Washington Union Station

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(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The Trump administration marked a major milestone in U.S. transportation Wednesday as Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled Amtrak’s new Acela trainsets and announced that the Department of Transportation (USDOT) will reclaim management of Washington Union Station.

“With these new Acela trainsets, Amtrak will provide more reliable service and lower prices for the American people – all while increasing the organization’s profitability,” Secretary Duffy said. He added that Union Station, long plagued by disrepair and crime, will be restored to “its former glory” under renewed federal oversight.

Deputy Secretary Steve Bradbury praised the move as part of President Trump’s focus on rebuilding America. “The launch of the new Acela is a critical starting point as we work to improve travel for millions of Americans. Our nation’s capital should be putting our best foot forward,” Bradbury said.

Amtrak leaders also celebrated the upgrades. President Roger Harris hailed the debut as a “new era of next-generation service,” while Board Chair Tony Coscia emphasized that passengers will immediately notice a more modern and elevated experience.

Built by Alstom in Hornell, New York, the NextGen Acela trains are the first high-speed rail sets manufactured in America. Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge credited U.S. workers for delivering “the fastest and most technologically advanced trains in the nation.”

Union Station, which USDOT has owned since the 1980s, has deteriorated in recent decades and become a symbol of urban decline. Much of the revenue generated at the station has been locked away under poor leasing agreements, leaving little for repairs. Under Trump and Duffy’s plan, retail income will now be reinvested in elevators, lighting, security, and major system upgrades.

USDOT expects reinvestment to boost revenue and attract private partners to expand Union Station as a world-class transportation hub. Formal confirmation of federal control is expected this fall.

With new high-speed trains rolling out and Union Station under direct federal management, the administration is signaling that “America is Building Again.”

Germany Pushes Voluntary Military Service Amid Russia Fears

Ian Chaff/Getty via Canva Pro

Germany’s government launched a major campaign Wednesday to expand voluntary military service as leaders warn that Russian aggression demands a stronger Bundeswehr. The push comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz seeks to make Germany “the strongest conventional army in Europe” while avoiding an immediate return to compulsory conscription.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius outlined the plan after Merz’s Cabinet approved his proposal for a new service model aimed at boosting troop numbers. Germany currently fields about 181,000 active service members but says it needs 260,000, plus an additional 200,000 reservists. “The Bundeswehr must grow,” Pistorius said, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Only then is deterrence toward Russia really credible.”

The plan includes more attractive pay, flexible service terms, and new training opportunities for volunteers willing to commit for at least six months. Beginning next year, all young adults turning 18 will receive questionnaires about their willingness to serve. Starting in 2027, men will undergo mandatory medical exams, though service will remain voluntary unless recruitment goals fall short.

Some conservatives in Merz’s coalition argue the effort does not go far enough. Bavarian governor Markus Söder warned that appeals and incentives alone will not meet targets, predicting compulsory service will be inevitable. “Putin could be in a position to challenge NATO in 2027 or 2029,” Söder said. “Why wait if we already know the danger is there?”

The debate underscores Germany’s rapid pivot on defense since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Berlin established a €100 billion modernization fund, loosened budget rules to allow higher defense spending, and recently inaugurated a new Rheinmetall ammunition factory capable of producing 350,000 artillery shells per year.

Pistorius left the door open to reviving conscription, saying it could be introduced within the next several years if volunteer numbers prove insufficient. For now, Germany is betting on incentives and patriotic appeals to grow its ranks before resorting to mandatory service.

José Andrés Attacks Trump Over D.C. Crime Crackdown

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Police (Kenny Eliason/Unsplash)

Celebrity chef José Andrés lashed out at President Donald Trump this week, accusing him of harming Washington, D.C.’s restaurant industry with his aggressive anti-crime policies and immigration enforcement.

Andrés, the Spanish-born founder of World Central Kitchen, posted a lengthy rant on X accusing Trump of “terrorizing” illegal immigrants and avoiding restaurants in the city. “All your time in DC you haven’t eaten ONCE outside the White House or your own hotel,” he wrote. He went on to claim it was “a flat out lie” that half the city’s restaurants had closed because of safety concerns.

But the chef’s claims contradict reporting from late 2023, which showed that at least 52 restaurants permanently shut their doors in the District, with owners directly citing rampant crime as a leading cause. Carjackings, robberies, and homicides have all contributed to a perception of danger in the nation’s capital, driving down foot traffic for local businesses.

Andrés instead blamed Trump’s federal crackdown, arguing that law enforcement measures—including National Guard deployments—were scaring residents and workers. “Restaurants will close because you have troops with guns and federal agents harassing people…making people afraid to go out,” he wrote.

The celebrity chef ended his message with a plea for looser immigration policies, saying small businesses needed illegal immigrant labor to survive. “Government should have respect for its people, not terrorize them,” Andrés concluded.

His comments followed a viral clip of Trump noting that “half the restaurants closed, because nobody could go, because they were afraid to go outside.” Since Trump’s anti-crime surge began, D.C. has seen over 1,000 criminals taken off the streets and even recorded nearly two weeks without a murder—something locals say hasn’t happened in years.

While restaurant owners continue to warn that crime is their biggest challenge, Andrés appears more concerned about protecting illegal immigration than confronting the lawlessness that has plagued D.C. for years.

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