Executive Director, Jordan Ctr. for Journalism Advocacy & Innovation/Asst. Professor of Practice @ Univ. of Mississippi;
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2026-08-04T11:39:51Z Event JSON
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Last Notes npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Fox News White House correspondent says President Trump told him today that he's seriously considering making Venezuela the 51st state. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Not The Onion. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/05/kash-patel-fbi-bourbon/687066/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman In a prayer delivered by US Defense Secretary Hegseth during a Pentagon worship service yesterday, he read the fake Ezekiel 25:17 verse from “Pulp Fiction" that Samuel L. Jackson’s character recited just before he shoots a man to death. https://variety.com/2026/film/news/pete-hegseth-pulp-fiction-fake-bible-verse-prayer-service-1236723446/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Amid widespread condemnation from Christian leaders and others who deemed the action blasphemy, President Trump has removed from social media the image depicting himself as Jesus Christ. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/image-depitching-trump-christ-savior-removed-presidents-social-media-p-rcna331554 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Any remaining semblance of presidential decorum was shattered on this Easter Sunday, leading to the justifiable collapse of the final media filter on vulgarity. https://youtu.be/6vS_6XEfsEY?si=8vJW8TdeG_0NNwNI npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Easter Sunday message on his social media account from the president of the United States: “…Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. …” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman UK to host talks among 35 countries to form a coalition intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/01/hormuz-strait-talks-britain-starmer npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Secretary of State Rubio gains ground on VP Vance, still the top vote-getter, in this year’s CPAC presidential straw poll. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/vice-president-vance-wins-cpac-conservative-meetings-2028-presidential-straw-2026-03-28/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman More aviation chaos in the eastern US this evening with ground stops at multiple airports, including DCA, IAD and BWI, after the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control facility in Warrenton, Virginia, which manages a large portion of the region's airspace, had to be evacuated. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Golfer Tiger Woods involved in a rollover vehicle crash. https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/48323058/tiger-woods-involved-florida-rollover-crash npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “Environmentalists are terrorists.” - President Trump during White House remarks to farmers npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman WaPo - Land mines dispersed across a residential area near Shiraz, Iran, may be the first instance in more than two decades of US forces using such weapons. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/03/27/iran-us-land-mines/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman There's no clear evidence but something I've long suspected is that users of VPNs and Tor (.onion) have less anonymity than they might imagine and potentially face greater scrutiny by NSA and Russia/PRC/Israel who have snooping tools we don't know exist. https://www.wired.com/story/using-a-vpn-may-subject-you-to-nsa-spying/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Indicator - X planned to rein in overseas information hustlers, then Elon Musk stepped in. https://indicator.media/p/briefing-x-planned-to-rein-in-overseas-info-hustlers-then-elon-stepped-in npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman FT - UAE willing to join a multinational maritime task force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. https://www.ft.com/content/aeb1cf6c-edde-486e-b437-94bbd4437912?shareType=nongift npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman In yet another break with custom, the signature of President Trump will appear on U.S. dollar bills. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0425 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman President Trump is now worth $6.5 billion, according to Forbes’ latest World’s Billionaires list, up by $1.4 billion from a year ago. https://www.forbes.com/sites/luisakroll/2026/03/10/heres-how-much-donald-trump-is-worth/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NYT - President Trump has discussed turning the White House Treaty Room, historically a meeting place for diplomats and statesmen, into a guest bedroom with an en suite bath. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/us/trump-eyes-white-house-treaty-room-for-latest-renovation-project.html?smid=url-share npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman USPS announces 8% surcharge on all package shipments to offset rising fuel costs, effective Apr. 26 until Jan. 17, 2027. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0325-usps-announces-transportation-related-time-limited-price-change.htm npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Politico says it has launched a security review after a private telephone conversation between one of its reporters and an EU official about issues connected to Hungary and Ukraine was apparently intercepted and the recording published online. https://www.politico.eu/article/politico-journalist-call-intercept-published-hacking-security-review-hungary-ukraine/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman SCOTUS unanimously rules ISPs are not liable for copyright infringement if they fail to disconnect music pirates. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-171_bq7d.pdf npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Special Counsel's team gathered evidence to suggest that Donald Trump retained classified material pertinent to his personal business interests and prosecutors were investigating whether his decision to hold on to those records was motivated by financial gain. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/25/trump-classified-map-private-plane/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A jury has sided with New Mexico, declaring that Meta violated state laws in a case that centered on whether the owner of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp did enough to keep children safe. https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/jury-declares-meta-violated-new-mexico-law/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman (AP) — US is preparing to send about 1,000 troops from an Army airborne unit to the Middle East. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Putting this into context: The Valero Port Arthur refinery is one of the country's most significant energy assets with a reported capacity of nearly 400,000 bpd processing heavy, sour crude oils into high-value products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Details as reported by NPR: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/23/nx-s1-5756465/voice-of-america-staffers-sue-alleging-kari-lake-put-on-propaganda npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A fresh lawsuit just filed against USAGM (including Kari Lake) by several Voice of America journalists alleging the parent agency interfered in VOA programming by violating the Charter and firewall, undermining its reputation and crushing its global reach. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman President Trump says he’s postponing military strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure because of “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman President Trump has installed a statue of Christopher Columbus on the White House grounds, outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where it’s visible from Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street NW. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/22/white-house-christopher-columbus-statue/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman First, the good news. Journalism is racking up a few federal court victories as reporters and editors resist the administration’s aggressive attempts to muzzle mainstream media (at least the kind emphasizing inconvenient facts and non-partisan objectivity). npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman ICE agents being deployed tomorrow to airports. https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/22/politics/homan-ice-security-airports npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Following reports of a loud boom and houses shaking in the Houston area today, a woman says a piece of what might have been a meteorite crashed through her roof. https://www.fox26houston.com/news/houston-meteor-reports-rock-woman-home-crash-2026-march npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NBC - More than 400 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/400-tsa-officers-quit-shutdown-rcna264581 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Weiss and Cibrowski announce they’re shutting down CBS News Radio, which has ~700 affiliated stations, on May 22. "Unfortunately, this decision means that all positions within the CBS News Radio team are being eliminated.” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Update: In a subsequent motion late Thursday, DoJ requests the federal district court “at the least should stay its (VOA) return-to-work mandate for fourteen days npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman DOJ, on behalf of defendants including Kari Lake, files an appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit seeking to reverse last Saturday’s ruling ordering USAGM to return to work the Voice of America staff by Monday and resume all broadcasts that were suddenly taken off air a year ago. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A seventh American has died from injuries received during Iran’s initial attacks across the Middle East, according to CENTCOM. “The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1.” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A federal judge in DC rules that Kari Lake was not lawfully appointed and that actions she took as the claimed head of USAGM “shall have no force or effect,” including last August’s RIFs at the Voice of America. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman After Iran's president apologized to neighboring states, promising Tehran would not attack them again "unless attacked first,” Qatar intercepted a missile and a drone exploded near Dubai’s airport. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ceqvwrydzpqt npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman US total nonfarm payroll employment edged down by 92,000 in February and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.4 percent. Employment in health care decreased, reflecting strike activity. Employment in information and federal npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Authorities say Britney Spears was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Ventura County, California. https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/california/2026/03/05/britney-spears-arrested-in-ventura-county-for-alleged-dui-westlake-village-chp/88998947007/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “The United States of America does not target civilians...I would caution you from pointing a finger at the United States of America when it comes to targeting civilians,” White House press secretary Leavitt replies to a reporter who asked whether the US military bombed a girls’ school in Iran. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NATO air and missile defense assets in the Eastern Mediterranean intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile that was detected heading toward Turkish airspace after being fired from Iran and crossing Iraqi and Syrian airspace. - Turkey MND https://www.turkiyetoday.com/region/turkiye-intercepts-iranian-ballistic-missile-heading-toward-its-airspace-3215600 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman High-ranking US military officers are tying the action attack on Iran to fulfilling a Christian prophecy. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2026/03/03/military-officers-accused-of-framing-iran-war-biblical-mandate.html npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the US jumped 11 cents overnight to ~$3.11, according to AAA. https://gasprices.aaa.com/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman (Reuters) -US Interior Department says a database revealing how the Trump administration plans to revise information on key phases of American history at national park sites was deliberative and the employees who released it "will be held accountable." https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/leaked-interior-department-database-reveals-us-plans-revise-historical-2026-03-03/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman (Reuters) — US Marines opened fire on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-marines-fired-protesters-storming-consulate-karachi-officials-say-2026-03-03/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “We set the terms of this war” against Iran, says Defense Secretary Hegseth. “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman University of Colorado football quarterback Dominiq Ponder died early this morning when the Tesla he was driving crashed and caught fire. https://www.dailycamera.com/2026/03/01/colorado-buffaloes-quarterback-dominiq-ponder-dies/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman BFM - France sending its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the eastern Mediterranean. https://www.bfmtv.com/international/moyen-orient/iran/direct-frappes-en-iran-les-gardiens-de-la-revolution-promettent-un-chatiment-severe-aux-meurtriers-du-guide-supreme_LN-202603010061.html npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Britons in Bahrain, Israel/Palestinian territories, Kuwait and UAE are being urged by the UK foreign ministry to register amid preparations for possible evacuation flights if Middle East airspace remains closed for an extended period. https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/home?origin=x npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman President Trump claims Iranian navy headquarters “largely destroyed.” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “...the Trump administration’s cuts to government-funded broadcasting have hurt the United States’ ability to reach the Iranian people — and win their trust — just as Washington is calling on them to rise up.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/28/us/politics/trump-iran-messaging-broadcasting.html?unlocked_article_code=1.P1A._WAJ.hqRMPJ_qtxZb&smid=url-share npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NHK began emergency shortwave radio transmissions today due to the attacks on Iran by the US and Israel. “Internet connectivity and international telephone services in the region have become unstable, resulting in limited access to information in Japanese.” https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/thumbnails/en/information/nhk_world-japan_radio_begins_temporary_shortwave_transmission.pdf npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Three people are dead and 14 others were wounded in a mass shooting early today outside a bar in downtown Austin, Texas. https://www.statesman.com/news/local/article/bufords-austin-6th-street-shooting-21948608.php npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain airports hit by Iranian attacks. https://www.newsofbahrain.com/index.php npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Posted on the ayatollah’s official X page: “In the name of the Lion of Great Repute (peace be upon him). npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A direct strike hit Tel Aviv late Saturday during a missile barrage from Iran, wounding at least 20 people and igniting fires at the scene. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bj3sy0gt11l npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Sky News - A fire has broken out near the entrance of Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai, after debris reportedly fell from the sky during an Iranian missile attack. https://news.sky.com/story/iran-latest-israel-launches-preventative-attack-defence-minister-says-13509565?postid=11162279#liveblog-body npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman President Trump’s decision to launch a large-scale military operation – particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the US – “raises serious legal and constitutional concerns,” says Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman BBC - Iranian forces say they struck a US naval base in Bahrain. Huge plumes of black smoke were seen rising from an area near the headquarters of the USN Fifth Fleet in Manama. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c204px4zddro npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman UAE confirms a Pakistani national was killed in Abu Dhabi after several missiles launched from Iran were intercepted https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/mediahub/news/2026/2/28/uae-iran npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Anthropic draws a line in the sand — stating it won’t allow DoD to use its AI technology for mass domestic surveillance or autonomous lethal weapons. https://www.anthropic.com/news/statement-department-of-war npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman WaPo - Pro-Trump activists who say they are in coordination with the White House are circulating a draft executive order that claims China interfered in the 2020 election as a basis to declare a national emergency that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting. https://is.gd/EXvyNw npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Wired - A popular right-wing social media account that called a video depicting the Obamas as apes "a masterpiece" appears to be run by a White House staffer. https://www.wired.com/story/a-white-house-staffer-appears-to-run-massive-pro-trump-meme-page/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “Announcement coming tomorrow regarding one of our continued efforts to modernize and right size USAGM,” says Kari Lake of the parent agency of VOA of which she has seized control, arguably without legal authority. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman WSJ - Trump administration considering a possible executive order or other action that would require banks to collect citizenship information from customers. https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-administration-considers-action-requiring-banks-to-collect-citizenship-info-8e26f6d2?st=XHPK2b&reflink=article_copyURL_share npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Elon Musk’s Cybertrucks said to be 17x deadlier than the explosive Ford Pintos of the 1970s. https://fuelarc.com/news-and-features/its-official-the-cybertruck-is-more-explosive-than-the-ford-pinto/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman US women’s hockey gold medal-winning team declines President Trump’s invite to his State of the Union address tomorrow. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/us-womens-hockey-team-declines-trumps-invitation-state-union-rcna260299 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman The former UK ambassador to the US, Lord Peter Mandelson, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-starmer-labour-farage-chagos-cabinet-secretary-12593360?postid=11127679#liveblog-body npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “El Mencho,” the boss of one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal groups, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, has been killed in a military operation, announces the Mexican government. https://www.reforma.com/muere-nemesio-oseguera-en-operativo-del-ejercito/ar3156963 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Update: Never mind, says DHS, reversing an earlier announcement. TSA PreCheck will remains operational "at this time." npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 11 civilians and injured at least 38 over the past day, according to officials. https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-rock-kyiv-as-russia-launches-ballistic-missiles-at-ukraines-capital/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are being suspended this morning, according to the DHS, as a partial government shutdown continues. I am scheduled to fly out of DCA in a few hours and we’ll let you know what the lines look like. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Cuba’s health minister tells AP that US sanctions are no longer just crippling the island’s economy, they’re threatening “basic human safety.” https://apnews.com/article/cuba-health-care-us-energy-embargo-crisis-33ad8447dc4b442ea9b614eb91392be5 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Illinois Governor Pritzker, following today’s SCOTUS ruling, sends President Trump an invoice for $8,679,261,600 for refunds of the “illegal tariffs” the residents of his state were charged. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman BBC - UK government considering introducing legislation to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of royal succession. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kgv837wvdo npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NYT - The husband of the US labor secretary has been barred from the department’s headquarters after at least two female staff members told officials that he had sexually assaulted them. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/business/labor-secretary-husband-sexual-assault-allegations.html?unlocked_article_code=1.NlA.6Ilk.lE-q96Pm3XKm&smid=nytcore-ios-share npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman British far right agitator Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson), previously barred from the US because of his long rap sheet, secured a visa and has met with Kari Lake, the self-proclaimed acting CEO of USAGM. https://inews.co.uk/news/tommy-robinson-was-barred-from-the-us-trumps-border-force-has-now-let-him-in-4247391 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman AP characterizes a large banner featuring Trump’s face on the exterior of DoJ headquarters today as “a physical display of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him” and “a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control.” npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman FDA refuses to start a review of Moderna's application for its experimental flu shot — another sign of the Trump administration's influence on tightening vaccine regulation in the US. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/10/moderna-fda-flu-shot.html npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman As has been speculated SpaceX acquires xAI. https://www.spacex.com/updates#xai-joins-spacex npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Democrat Taylor Rehmet is the victor in a special election for the Texas state Senate, flipping a reliably Republican district President Trump won by 17 points in 2024. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/30/texas-senate-district-9-runoff-rehmet-wambsganss-special-election/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A Danish tabloid reports some Americans were stopped when they tried to hoist the Stars and Stripes in Greenland’s capital city. https://www.bt.dk/udland/live-opbrud-i-verden npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman FBI raids the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Georgia and is seizing records as part of the Trump DoJ investigation into the 2020 election. https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/elections/fbi-law-enforcement-action-fulton-county-elections-office/85-1129eb33-2f88-4f3a-97d7-a03192c26f66 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman (Reuters) - Amazon appears to have prematurely alerted Amazon Web Services cloud-computing employees to layoffs planned for this morning by sending a commiseration email and team-wide meeting invitation hours early. https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/amazon-bungles-wednesday-layoff-plan-with-misfired-internal-email-2026-01-28/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Ecuador is filing a diplomatic complaint after an ICE agent attempted to enter its consulate in Minneapolis. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/ice-agent-blocked-ecuador-consulate-minneapolis-trump-immigration-rcna256284 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Two Republican senators call for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/thom-tillis-lisa-murkowski-call-kristi-noem-resign-dhs-secretary-rcna256233 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman A federal judge rules construction can resume on the $4.5 billion Vineyard Wind project off the Massachusetts, a setback for the Trump administration’s quest to stop the nearly completed wind farm. https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/01/27/vineyard-wind-judge-murphy-stay-injunction-massachusetts-offshore-wind npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NYT - Composer Philip Glass has informed the Kennedy Center that he did not want his Symphony No. 15 to premier on its stage. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/arts/music/kennedy-center-national-symphony-orchestra-gianandrea-noseda.html?smid=url-share npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman (AP) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will have a security role during the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Games. https://apnews.com/article/ice-milan-cortina-olympics-immigration-enforcement-us-110fa4b2066e1fb920dba2a71c3a89e0 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Trump impeachment whistleblower Alex Vindman, twin brother of Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Virginia), announces a run for the US Senate in Florida. https://open.substack.com/pub/alexandervindman/p/friends-i-am-taking-the-fight-to?r=1g77q&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman “I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content.” - California Governor Newsom npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman The Atlantic - Gregory Bovino has been removed from his role as Border Patrol “commander at large” and will return to his former job in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/01/greg-bovino-demoted-minneapolis-border-patrol/685770/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman NYT - The Trump administration is expected to reassign Gregory Bovino, the official in charge of Border Patrol operations and the face of on-the-ground immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/26/us/minneapolis-shooting-ice/heres-the-latest?smid=url-share npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West), in a full-page ad in today’s Wall Street Journal, blames his controversial behavior in recent years, which included antisemitic remarks and selling swastika merchandise, on an undiagnosed brain injury from a 2002 car accident. https://www.businessinsider.com/kanye-west-ye-apology-wall-street-journal-ad-reddit-2026-1 npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Minnesota Republican Chris Madel drops his bid to be governor, explaining he can’t support "the national Republicans' stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.” https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/goper-chris-madel-exits-governors-race-calls-federal-retribution-on-minnesota-unconstitutional/ npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman European Commission launches a formal investigation into Grok, X’s chatbot, after the image-editing function of its built-in AI tool was widely used to virtually undress pictures of real women and underage girls without their consent. npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Gold surges above $5,000/oz for the first time. https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/01/26/gold-tops-usd5-000-as-bitcoin-stalls-near-usd87-000-in-widening-macro-crypto-split-asia-morning-briefing npub1zryv94xpta0twp73c3etjtnjeqsrx62nueerwg6rhqdaqwjx35ds7d8yzd Steve Herman Chris Boden, founder of The Geek Group, is back in the amateur radio fraternity and made history in the process today. https://youtube.com/shorts/RrVBOYfHuCY?si=XNIj0-THPjq97a4B
