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Trump Admin Drops Lawfare Case Against Christian University

(Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Ian Madrigal)

The Federal Trade Commission voted last week to drop a Biden-era lawsuit against Grand Canyon University.

“This case, which we inherited from the previous administration, was filed nearly two years ago and has suffered losses in two motions to dismiss,” a statement from the commission read. “These losses are compounded by recent events: Grand Canyon secured a victory over the Department of Education in a related matter before the Ninth Circuit; the Department of Education rescinded a massive fine levied on related grounds; and the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Grand Canyon University is properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation.”

“We view it as imprudent to continue expending Commission resources on a lost cause. Because we have a duty to maximize consumers’ return on their tax dollars investment, we have decided against pursuing this matter any further,” the statement added.

In 2023, the Biden administration’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC)  filed a lawsuit against GCU, claiming the university “deceived students by holding itself out as a non-profit institution and misrepresenting the costs and number of courses required to earn doctoral degrees.”

Grand Canyon University President Brian Mueller celebrated the case’s dismissal.

“As we have stated from the beginning, not only were these accusations false, but the opposite is true,” he said. “We go above and beyond what is required in our disclosures and are recognized as a leader in this area.”

Discussing the initial lawsuit from the Biden administration, Mueller said, “They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university.”

“That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students and their families,” he said. “Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.”

In May, the Education Department pulled a $37.7 million fine from Grand Canyon University imposed by the Biden administration.

Trump Calls for Immediate Resignation at the Fed

(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump urged Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to resign after allegations of mortgage fraud surfaced.

“Cook must resign, now!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump’s statement followed Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sharing a letter he wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Special Attorney Ed Martin discussing his concerns with potential falsified bank documents.

“According to mortgage documents obtained by U.S. Federal Housing, it appears an individual, Ms. Lisa DeNell Cook, has falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute,” the letter read. “This has included falsifying residence statuses for an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based residence and an Atlanta, Georgia-based property in order to potentially secure lower interest rates and more favorable loan terms.”

“She needs to quit because what she did is grounds for firing,” Pulte wrote in a subsequent social media post.

The development serves as the latest shake-up to the Federal Reserve, as Biden-appointed Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler recently left her position.

“Dr. Kugler, who has served as a governor since September 13, 2023, submitted her letter of resignation to President Trump and will return to Georgetown University as a professor this fall,” the announcement of Kugler’s departure read.

President Trump has also called for Powell to resign, accusing him of misleading Congress during recent testimony. Powell has since been criminally referred to the DOJ by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL).

Several officials are under scrutiny for alleged mortgage fraud, including Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Nvidia Plans B30A AI Chip for China Amid U.S. Export Limits

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Artificial Intelligence (Igor Omilaev/Unsplash)

Nvidia, the world’s most valuable chipmaker, is quietly developing a new artificial intelligence chip for the Chinese market that complies with U.S. export restrictions but remains more advanced than products currently approved for sale.

According to Reuters, sources familiar with the matter say the chip, codenamed B30A, will be half as powerful as Nvidia’s flagship B300 Blackwell GPU but significantly stronger than the H20 GPU, the most advanced model the company can presently sell in China. Unlike the B300’s dual-die design, the B30A will feature a single-die build, though it will retain high-performance features like NVLink support, fast data transmission, and high-bandwidth memory.

The effort reflects Nvidia’s determination to maintain a foothold in China’s lucrative AI market despite escalating U.S.-China tensions. The company confirmed in a statement that it continuously evaluates product roadmaps “to be prepared to compete to the extent governments allow,” emphasizing that all exports comply with U.S. authority approvals.

The Biden administration has tightened restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports to China to prevent Beijing from using cutting-edge chips for military applications and surveillance technologies. At the same time, industry leaders warn that pulling back too far could cede market dominance to state-backed rivals like Huawei.

The development of the B30A comes alongside a broader agreement between U.S. chipmakers and the Trump administration. As Breitbart News recently reported, Nvidia and AMD have been required to share 15 percent of their China-based revenues with the U.S. government in exchange for export licenses. Nvidia agreed to the deal for its H20 sales, while AMD accepted similar terms for its MI308 chip.

Critics of U.S. export restrictions argue that by limiting Nvidia’s ability to sell its most powerful chips abroad, Washington is slowing American companies while giving competitors time to catch up. Supporters counter that keeping the most advanced hardware out of China’s hands is critical to national security and maintaining U.S. technological leadership.

With AI seen as the driving force of the next technological revolution, Nvidia’s balancing act between political compliance and market access underscores the growing entanglement of geopolitics and innovation.

Gang Member Demands Charges Tossed Out

MS-13
Police (Kenny Eliason/Unsplash)

MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia has moved to dismiss the case against him, arguing he was “singled out” by the federal government.

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been singled out by the United States government. It is obvious why. And it is not because of the seriousness of his alleged conduct. Nor is it because he poses some unique threat to this country. Instead, Mr. Abrego was charged because he refused to acquiesce in the government’s violation of his due process rights,” the motion says. “Rather than fix its mistake and return Mr. Abrego to the United States, the government fought back at every level of the federal court system. And at every level, Mr. Abrego won. This case results from the government’s concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice.”

According to the filing, the Trump administration has “gone to extreme lengths to make a criminal case” against Abrego Garcia, having “located and sought cooperation from multiple alleged co-conspirators who have already been sentenced, and who are cooperating down on Mr. Abrego, allegedly a mere driver in a smuggling conspiracy.”

Abrego Garcia is facing human trafficking charges related to a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. Upon being stopped, Tennessee Highway Patrol officers suspected human trafficking, stating on camera that Garcia was likely “hauling these people for money.” Despite these suspicions, officers only issued a citation for driving with an expired license and released him.

No one in the vehicle had luggage, and all passengers listed Abrego Garcia’s address as their own.

Elon Musk’s ‘America Party’ on Hold as Ties with JD Vance Grow

Elon Musk (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Elon Musk may be stepping back from his plan to launch the “America Party,” with new reports suggesting the billionaire is instead aligning more closely with Vice President JD Vance and the Republican Party’s future.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk, who announced the creation of his party on Independence Day as a protest against government waste and corruption, may already be “pumping the brakes” on the project. Musk dismissed the report on X, saying: “Nothing @WSJ says should ever be thought of as true.”

Initially, Musk positioned the America Party as a grassroots alternative for local elections, claiming Americans needed a new choice beyond what he called a “one-party system.” “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk posted in July.

However, the Journal noted that Musk has grown closer to Vance, widely seen as the GOP frontrunner for the 2028 presidential race once President Donald Trump completes his second term. Musk, who began his career in the tech sector like Vance, is reportedly considering supporting the vice president financially in a future campaign.

Musk was a major backer of President Trump during the 2024 campaign and played a role in advising the Department of Government Efficiency on spending cuts. Tensions briefly flared after Trump approved a large spending package — the “Big Beautiful Bill” — which Musk criticized for failing to slash more government waste. The dispute cooled after a later Senate recissions package, and both men publicly reaffirmed their support for one another.

Vance, asked recently about Musk’s relationship with Trump and the GOP, acknowledged the drama but expressed confidence the rift would heal. “The President even says, all his frustration, Elon was a very critical part of the team in the last election,” Vance told reporters. “So my hope is, by the midterms, things are kind of back to normal.”

Musk has not clarified whether he still intends to move forward with the America Party. As a naturalized U.S. citizen, Musk is not eligible to run for president, though his influence — through technology, media, and financial backing — continues to shape Republican politics heading into 2028.

Israeli Cybersecurity Official Arrested in Las Vegas Child Predator Sting

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Israel flag (Stanislav Vdovin/Unsplash)

Serious questions are emerging after the arrest of Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cybersecurity official, in a Las Vegas child predator sting — an incident that has sparked conflicting accounts from U.S. and Israeli authorities.

On August 15, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced that eight men were arrested during a two-week sting targeting individuals seeking sexual encounters with children. Among them was Alexandrovich, 38, who was booked into the Henderson Detention Center and charged with using a computer to lure a child for sex, a felony in Nevada. Court records show he was released on $10,000 bail and quickly returned to Israel.

The operation also netted other high-profile arrests, including Neal Harrison Creecy, a 46-year-old Las Vegas pastor who resigned after posting bail, as well as a former Las Vegas police officer and an Indian engineering student.

Alexandrovich’s LinkedIn profile — which identified him as the executive director of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, an agency under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office — was deleted shortly after news of his arrest broke. Screenshots showed that he had attended the Black Hat 2025 cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas just before the sting.

Initially, Israeli media downplayed the incident. Ynet reported on August 14 that a Cyber Directorate employee was only “briefly detained for questioning” and then returned home. Netanyahu’s office echoed that line, claiming no arrest had taken place. But U.S. authorities directly contradicted those statements.

The State Department’s Near Eastern Affairs Bureau confirmed that Alexandrovich had been arrested, charged, and released on bail. The U.S. Attorney for Nevada also issued a statement, clarifying that Alexandrovich was booked into jail as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children task force and that the Clark County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

By Saturday, Ynet acknowledged that police and court documents confirmed Alexandrovich’s arrest and bail. The outlet also reported he was suspected of attempting to lure a child with mental disabilities. Israel’s Cyber Directorate walked back its earlier denials, saying its initial statement was based on “information provided to us.” Alexandrovich is now officially on leave.

Unanswered questions remain, including who posted Alexandrovich’s bail and how he was permitted to leave the U.S. despite pending charges. Under Nevada law, luring a child with a computer carries a sentence of one to ten years in prison.

Target CEO Resigns

Target
Target (Elvert Barnes Photography/Wikimedia Commons)

Target CEO Brian Cornell will resign in February as the company faces declining sales and will be replaced by COO Michael Fiddelke.

Fiddelke was chosen for the position from a “Strong list of external and internal candidates,” Cornell said in a call, CNN reported. Cornell noted that the incoming CEO is the “right candidate to lead our business back to growth.”

“I’ve seen how our business can perform when we’re at our best, and therefore where we also have clear opportunities today to improve our performance, and we must improve,” Fiddelke said in the call reported by Axios. “I know we’re not realizing our full potential right now, and so I’m stepping into the role with a clear and urgent commitment to build new momentum in the business and get back to profitable growth.”

The shift comes as Target’s second-quarter earnings report showed a decline of 1.9% from a year ago.

Earlier this year, Target scaled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

Target’s “Belonging at the Bullseye Strategy” stated that the company is ending its “three-year diversity, equity and inclusion goals” and its “Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH)” initiatives. It is further halting its “external diversity-focused surveys, including HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.”

The “Supplier Diversity” team will evolve to “Supplier Engagement” to “better reflect our inclusive global procurement process across a broad range of suppliers, including increasing our focus on small businesses,” Target said.

“Throughout 2025, we’ll be accelerating action in key areas and implementing changes with the goal of driving growth and staying in step with the evolving external landscape. We will continue to monitor and adjust as needed,” the strategy added.

Pennsylvania GOP Proposes $16B Education Endowment to End School Property Taxes

Image via Canva

A Republican lawmaker in Pennsylvania is pushing a sweeping plan to eliminate school property taxes by creating a multibillion-dollar education endowment fund. The proposal would replace the roughly $16 billion collected annually from taxpayers for public schools.

Rep. Jason Ortitay, who represents a district southwest of Pittsburgh, unveiled the plan Wednesday. His legislation would establish the Pennsylvania Education Endowment Fund, financed through one-time state asset sales, expanded natural gas drilling on leased state lands, a share of gambling revenue, public-private partnerships, and investment returns from state-issued bonds.

“For decades, Pennsylvanians have demanded relief from the crushing burden of school property taxes, especially seniors, working families, and homeowners on fixed incomes,” Ortitay said in a memo. Unlike past proposals relying on tax swaps, Ortitay argued, this endowment would provide a sustainable alternative for funding public education.

The plan comes as Democrats, who control the state House and governorship, push for increasing yearly appropriations to public schools instead. Gov. Josh Shapiro has overseen more than $2 billion in new education spending since taking office in 2023, but gaps persist between poorer and wealthier districts due to local reliance on property taxes.

In 2023, a state court ruled Pennsylvania’s funding system unconstitutional, putting pressure on lawmakers to find new solutions. Shapiro and Democratic leaders want to address the ruling by continuing to boost annual state appropriations, while Republicans argue for structural reforms that reduce reliance on local taxpayers.

If Ortitay’s endowment plan advances, it could mark a fundamental shift in how Pennsylvania funds education, potentially relieving homeowners of a tax burden that has been a political flashpoint for decades.

Hurricane Erin Slams North Carolina Coast With Surging Waters

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Hurricane Erin, now a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, is churning north-northwest off the East Coast, driving dangerous storm surges and forcing evacuations along North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

At 8 a.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center placed Erin 645 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras and 900 miles west-southwest of Bermuda. While the storm is expected to continue turning away from the U.S. mainland, its vast size is already impacting coastal communities. Hurricane-force winds extend 90 miles from the eye, and tropical storm-force winds reach out 265 miles.

Forecasters warn of storm surges of 1 to 3 feet from South Carolina to Virginia, and 2 to 4 feet along the Outer Banks. High tides on Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands Wednesday evening and Thursday morning are expected to push water over dunes and across stretches of N.C. 12, the critical roadway linking barrier islands.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Ocracoke Island in Hyde County and Hatteras Island in Dare County, both of which declared emergencies. Storm surge warnings are in place from Cape Lookout to Duck, while tropical storm warnings cover the coastline from Beaufort Inlet to the Virginia border, including the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds. A tropical storm watch extends north to Chincoteague, Virginia.

Rainfall totals are projected at only 1 to 2 inches along the Carolina coast, but officials stress that the greatest threat comes from coastal flooding and surge, not precipitation. Coastal South Carolina, including Charleston, will face flood risks at Wednesday evening’s high tide, with impacts moving north into Virginia and the southern Chesapeake Bay by Thursday night.

Rescues along the North Carolina coast have already spiked, with 75 to 100 swimmers pulled from rip currents earlier this week. Ferry routes to Ocracoke Island are suspended as water covers parts of N.C. 12, a familiar problem during hurricanes.

The storm’s offshore track is welcome relief compared to last year’s Hurricane Helene, which devastated North Carolina, killing 107 in the state and leaving $60 billion in damage. Erin is forecast to pass the Carolinas and Virginia by Thursday, move parallel to New England Friday, and head farther out into the Atlantic over the weekend.

Newsom’s False Trump Blame Exposed After Migrant Trucker Crash

(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative)

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is facing criticism after wrongly claiming that President Donald Trump allowed into the U.S. a migrant truck driver now charged with vehicular homicide in a Florida crash that killed three Americans.

The driver, Harjinder Singh, an illegal alien from India, entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2018 across the southern border. On August 12, Singh attempted an illegal U-turn across all lanes of the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce, causing a Chrysler Town & Country to slam into his semi-truck trailer. All three occupants of the vehicle were killed.

Officials confirmed that Singh held a commercial driver’s license (CDL) issued in California. Following the tragedy, Newsom defended his state’s policy of issuing driver’s licenses to illegal migrants and attempted to shift blame onto Trump, claiming Singh had been admitted during Trump’s presidency.

However, the Department of Homeland Security refuted this claim. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that Singh had actually been denied a work permit under Trump. It was under President Joe Biden’s lax immigration policies that Singh later obtained legal work authorization, which enabled him to secure a CDL in California.

Newsom’s communications director Izzy Gardon used the official @GovPressOffice account to double down on the false claim, citing a San Francisco Chronicle article. But the piece failed to support Newsom’s narrative, merely noting that those with work permits can obtain CDLs while California prohibits CDLs for illegal migrants without legal status.

Critics argue the real issue is California’s sanctuary policies, which allowed Singh to remain in the U.S. despite being denied under Trump. The unanswered question remains: why was Singh not removed after his denial, and how was he later able to obtain legal work status under Biden?

By deflecting blame onto Trump, Newsom has drawn fire for politicizing a tragedy that highlights the dangers of weak immigration enforcement and the risks posed by sanctuary state policies.

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