Wuhan Institute of Virology scientist Shi Zhengli has published a paper assessing 40 strains of coronavirus and estimating half of them are “highly risky” to humans, with nine known to have crossed from one species to another and six known to have already infected people.
“It is almost certain that there will be future disease emergence and it is highly likely a [coronavirus] disease again,” wrote the scientist, dubbed the ‘bat woman’ or ‘bat lady’ for her work on coronavirus strains in bats.
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Bats were identified as one vector for a new coronavirus to jump to humans, along with rodents, pigs, pangolins, camels, and civets.
While it was initially suggested that bat soup or infected pangolin meat at a Wuhan wet market was the original source of the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea it actually leaked from the Wuhan lab, popularized by The National Pulse, is increasingly gaining traction after years of resistance.
Shi is not the first person to warn another pandemic may be around the corner, with the British government also having put the chances of a “catastrophic” disease outbreak over the next five years at one in four – causing some to fear the authorities are priming people to get ready for another round of lockdowns and state-backed vaccination drives.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Coast Guard seized over 75,000 pounds of illegaldrugs in its largest-ever haul, valued at nearly $473 million.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Defense (DOD), and 34 suspected drug traffickers detained during the operations.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: This summer, across the Pacific and Caribbean, with drugs offloaded at Port Everglades, Florida, on Monday.
🎯IMPACT: The interdictions highlight the Coast Guard’s growing role in national security and drug enforcement efforts under the Trump administration.
IN FULL
Over the course of the summer, the United States Coast Guard seized more than 75,000 pounds (34,000 kilograms) of banned narcotics from ships operating in the Pacific and Caribbean regions. The entire cache consisted of about 61,740 pounds of cocaine along with 14,400 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated market value reaching $473 million.
These missions took place in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD), focusing on 19 boats transporting drugs in the vicinity of Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, Venezuela, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Aruba.
On Monday, the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton brought the seized narcotics to Port Everglades in Florida. Overall, authorities apprehended 34 individuals suspected of involvement in drug smuggling during these actions, although additional information about the detainees remains unavailable.
This unprecedented confiscation showcases the Trump administration’s commitment to fighting narcotics distribution and protecting American neighborhoods. President Donald J. Trump has announced plans to grow the Coast Guard’s fleet and boost its manpower by 15,000 by 2028, enhancing its ability to tackle drug smuggling through America’s coastal borders.
At present, the Coast Guard operates with around 43,000 full-time personnel, 8,000 reserve members, and 30,000 auxiliary volunteers.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A 23-year-old Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska, was fatally stabbed at a light rail station in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday night.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The victim, Iryna Zarutska, and the suspect, Decarlos Brown, a 34-year-old with a history of arrests.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred at 9:55 PM on August 22 at the South End light rail station in North Carolina.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The story is heart-wrenching, and if, obviously, what we’re hearing is true, clearly we need to give that family answers.” – Councilman Edwin Peacock
🎯IMPACT: The killing has left the community shaken and raised concerns about public safety on transit systems.
IN FULL
Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old woman who had recently fled Ukraine in search of safety in the United States, was fatally stabbed last Friday night at a light rail station in Charlotte, North Carolina. Authorities responded to the scene at the South End light rail station at 9:55 PM, where they discovered Zarutska with fatal injuries.
The alleged attacker, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, was arrested shortly afterward and is now facing a charge of first-degree murder. Police reports indicate that Brown is homeless and has a criminal history that dates back to 2011.
Charlotte City Councilman Edwin Peacock has voiced concern about public safety following the killing, particularly with respect to transit infrastructure. “The story is heart-wrenching, and if, obviously, what we’re hearing is true, clearly we need to give that family answers,” Peacock stated. “And we, more importantly, need to give all the citizens who are riding the light rail a lot of confidence that you’re going to be safe.”
Zarutska’s death comes as her home country remains locked in war with Russia. Despite attempts by President Donald J. Trump to facilitate peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the conflict shows no immediate signs of resolution.
At the same time, President Trump has put Washington, D.C. under federal control in order to reduce the same kind of violent crime seen in Charlotte, and is discussing similar crackdowns across the country. America’s capital saw no murders at all for 12 days after Trump deployed the National Guard and officers from several federal law enforcement agencies on the streets to restore order to the city; a streak that ended August 26 with a fatal shooting in Southeast D.C.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A massive portrait of Donald Trump was displayed on the Department of Labor building in Washington, D.C., featuring his second inaugural portrait, the America 250 logo, and the slogan “American Workers First.”
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Former President Donald Trump, Department of Labor, and critics including Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern and labor organizations like the AFL-CIO.
📍WHEN & WHERE: August 25, 2025, at the Department of Labor building in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator,” Trump remarked before clarifying, “I’m not a dictator. I’m a man with common sense and a smart person.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The display has sparked comparisons to authoritarian imagery and criticism from labor groups over Trump’s policies affecting workers and unions.
IN FULL
A three-story portrait of Donald Trump was unveiled on the Department of Labor building in Washington, D.C., on August 25, 2025. The image features Trump’s second inaugural portrait, accompanied by the slogan “American Workers First” and the America 250 initiative logo. An American flag and a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt with the same motto flank it.
The portrait has drawn sharp criticism from political figures and labor advocates. Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern compared the display to portraits of North Korean leaders, while California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked it with a satirical post on X (formerly Twitter). Labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, denounced the banner, pointing to Trump’s track record of union rollbacks.
Trump responded to critics during a press event, addressing accusations of authoritarianism. “A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator,” he said, before clarifying, “I’m not a dictator. I’m a man with common sense and a smart person.” He also defended his administration’s policies, arguing they are aimed at improving efficiency and addressing national security concerns.
The Trump administration has faced backlash from the far left for its aggressive stance against unions. Over one million federal employees have lost collective bargaining rights since January. Labor groups, however, warn that proposed rollbacks will disproportionately harm minorities and immigrants, focusing less on the American worker and more on the often illegal foreign laborer.
While the Department of Labor has not announced plans for similar displays at other federal buildings, this is not the first time Trump’s image has appeared on government facilities. Earlier this year, a banner featuring Trump and Abraham Lincoln was displayed on the Department of Agriculture building.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced that former Labor Secretary and prosecutor Alex Acosta will sit for a transcribed interview as part of a probe into Jeffrey Epstein.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: James Comer, Alex Acosta, and other officials, including former Attorneys General Alberto Gonzalez, Eric Holder, and Jeff Sessions.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The interview is scheduled for September 19, as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation.
💬KEY QUOTE: “It is our understanding that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in custody and control of documents that may further the Committee’s investigation and legislative goals,” said Comer.
🎯IMPACT: The investigation aims to uncover potential mismanagement by the government in handling the Epstein case and related matters.
IN FULL
Former Labor Secretary and Jeffrey Epstein prosecutor Alex Acosta will sit for a transcribed interview next month before the House Oversight Committee. Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced the interview on Monday as part of his committee’s probe into the late pedophile financier.
Acosta, who served as President Donald J. Trump‘s first Secretary of Labor from 2017-2019 after working as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, has been criticized for signing a deal in 2008 that appeared favorable to Epstein by allowing him to plead guilty to a single state charge, despite a years-long Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) inquiry.
Over the years, Acosta has pushed back against critics who allege he was too lenient, noting the 2008 deal made Epstein register as a sex offender. Despite long-standing rumors that Epstein was an intelligence asset, and this was made known to federal prosecutors during the 2008 investigation, Acosta appeared to suggest this was not the case in 2019, stating: “I would hesitate to take this reporting as fact.”
Comer, who is leading a Congressional probe into the government’s handling of the Epstein investigation, said Acosta will voluntarily sit for the interview on September 19. The chairman also said Monday that the panel will “accept formal written declarations from former Attorneys General Alberto Gonzalez, Eric Holder, and Jeff Sessions under penalty of prosecution for false statements stating they possess no information about the Epstein or [Ghislaine] Maxwell cases.”
In addition, the House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Epstein estate for documents and communications in its possession related to the federal investigation and any potential mismanagement by the government. “It is our understanding that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in custody and control of documents that may further the Committee’s investigation and legislative goals,” Comer said in a press release. “Further, it is our understanding the Estate is ready and willing to provide these documents to the Committee pursuant to a subpoena.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States Supreme Court has moved to overturn a lower court’s ruling that blocked $783 million in cuts made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Supreme Court, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 16 Democratic state attorneys general, U.S. District Court Judge William Young, and the Trump administration.
📍WHEN & WHERE: August, 2025, with litigation ongoing.
💬KEY QUOTE: “All these interventions should have been unnecessary. When this Court issues a decision, it constitutes a precedent that commands respect in lower courts.” — Justice Neil Gorsuch
🎯IMPACT: The ruling will likely encourage further emergency appeals by the Trump White House—most importantly in a handful of lower court cases where judges appear to have ignored a Supreme Court ruling significantly narrowing the use of nationwide injunctions.
IN FULL
The United States Supreme Court has moved to overturn a lower court’s ruling that blocked $783 million in cuts made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In an unusual move, the high court was very vocal in chastising U.S. District Court Judge William Young for having ignored a previous Supreme Court precedent from April. Sixteen Democratic state attorneys general initially brought the case.
“All these interventions should have been unnecessary,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority. “When this Court issues a decision, it constitutes a precedent that commands respect in lower courts.” The 5-4 ruling marks a significant win for President Donald J. Trump‘s efforts to cut government spending and federal waste, fraud, and abuse.
Despite the win on nearly $1 billion in grant cuts, the Supreme Court’s ruling wasn’t a total victory for the Trump administration. Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined with Chief Justice John Roberts and the high court’s three liberal justices in upholding the part of Judge Young’s order that blocked President Trump’s directives to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the NIH.
Outside the ruling’s immediate impact on federal grants, it is notable that the majority opinion focused on the lower court’s ignoring of Supreme Court precedent. This is likely to encourage further emergency appeals by the Trump White House—most importantly in a handful of lower court cases where judges appear to have ignored a Supreme Court ruling significantly narrowing the use of nationwide injunctions.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stopped a carjacking in Washington, D.C., on Monday during President Donald J. Trump’s federal crime crackdown in the capital.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: CBP agents, the suspect involved in the carjacking, and federal authorities under the Trump administration’s direction.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday, August 25, in Washington, D.C., as part of the “Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful” task force initiative.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Today while making D.C. safe and beautiful, CBP agents received a call of a carjacking in progress. Agents immediately responded to the area and stopped the fleeing suspect,” a CBP post on X (formerly Twitter) stated.
🎯IMPACT: The suspect was arrested and will face charges, as over 1,000 arrests have been made since the crime crackdown began.
IN FULL
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says its agents foiled a carjacking in Washington, D.C., on Monday, August 25, as part of President Donald J. Trump‘s efforts to crack down on crime in the nation’s capital. According to CBP, agents were on patrol nearby when they were alerted to a possible carjacking in progress and moved to intervene.
“Today while making D.C. safe and beautiful, CBP agents received a call of a carjacking in progress. Agents immediately responded to the area and stopped the fleeing suspect,” a CBP post on X (formerly Twitter) stated. The agency confirmed the suspect was arrested and will face multiple charges.
The operation is part of the “Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful” task force, launched on August 7 following an Executive Order by President Trump in March. The initiative escalated on August 11 when Trump moved to federalize control of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under emergency powers in the Home Rule Act.
More than 1,000 arrests have been made since the operation began, with federal law enforcement supported by the National Guard working alongside local officers to reduce crime in the city. So far, the initiative has been a marked success, with the city seeing a significant drop in violent crime.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Reform Party leader Nigel Farage unveiled new plans to tackle illegal immigration if he becomes Prime Minister, including leaving the European Court of Human Rights, banning asylum claims for illegal entrants, and deporting 600,000 migrants.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nigel Farage, Reform, Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, and other Labour Party officials.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Plans outlined on Tuesday in Oxfordshire, England.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Under these new plans, if you come to the UK illegally you will be ineligible for asylum. No ifs, no buts.” – Nigel Farage
🎯IMPACT: The proposals aim to address the “national emergency” of illegalimmigration, which has worsened steadily under both the incumbent Labour Party and the previously governing Conservative Party.
IN FULL
Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s populist Reform Party, has unveiled a set of policies to tackle illegal immigration, which he calls a “scourge” that has grown to a “historic and unprecedented” level under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his Labour Party. Farage’s plan includes withdrawing from the European Court of Human Rights—an institution technically separate from the European Union (EU) to which Britain remains subject despite Brexit—scrapping the British Human Rights Act, which is often cited by activist judges blocking deportations, and suspending outdated international agreements like the Refugee Convention.
Outlining “Operation Restoring Justice” at a speech in Oxfordshire, England, Farage declared, “Under these new plans, if you come to the UK illegally you will be ineligible for asylum. No ifs, no buts.” He also pushed for a legal requirement forcing Starmer’s Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper—roughly equivalent to the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary—to deport migrants for illegal entry, which is rarely prosecuted at present.
Reform wants a permanent ban on asylum claims for anyone entering the country illegally. Officials from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party have dismissed the plans as poorly thought out and lacking depth. Still, Starmer’s own efforts to “smash the gangs” behind people-smuggling have proved farcical, with illegal immigration up significantly and smuggling arrests down rather than up.
“The scourge of illegal migration that we have seen in this country over the last five years is historic and unprecedented,” Farage stressed. Tens of thousands of migrants now cross the English Channel in small boats every year from France—a safe country—with the French authorities doing little to stop them, despite the British government paying them hundreds of millions of pounds to do so. Migrants also continue to enter Britain stowed away in trucks and other vehicles passing through the Channel Tunnel, albeit in lower numbers. Meanwhile, the number of visa-overstay illegals is unknown because the British government stopped releasing them after 2020.
Currently, Reform is polling ahead of Labour and substantially ahead of the notionally right-wing Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to mid-2024. Reform winning office in 2029—the latest the next British general election can be held—would be seismic, with the country not having had a Prime Minister who was not from Labour or the Conservatives since 1922.
LIVE: Reform UK announces plans for mass deportation of illegal migrants. https://t.co/h0SFHD4uUY
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation designating August 26, 2025, as a day to honor the American service members killed or wounded in the Abbey Gate terror attack during former President Joe Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Gold Star families.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: August 25, 2025, in the Oval Office, with the proclamation commemorating the 4th anniversary of the attack.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I encourage all Americans to remember the heroism of the brave men and womenwho made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and the Gold Star Families who carry on their proud legacy.” – Donald J. Trump
🎯IMPACT: The proclamation serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by U.S. service members and the need for accountability regarding the events surrounding the attack under Biden.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump has declared August 26, 2025, a day to honor the American service members killed or injured in the Abbey Gate terror attack during former President Joe Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal. The proclamation, marking the fourth anniversary of the attack, states: “On one of the darkest days in our Nation’s history, foru years ago, the gates of hell sprung open when an evil Jihadi terrorist carried out a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan—killing 13 heroes of our United States Armed Forces and shattering the hearts of Americans and our allies.”
Trump stressed the importance of remembering the fallen and supporting their loved ones. The proclamation added, “We will never forget you; we will never forsake you; and your memory will live on forever.” It also named the 13 service members who died, including Marines, a Navy Corpsman, and an Army Staff Sergeant.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remarked, “America deserves answers as far as what happened in Afghanistan. The military needs to answer for what happened in Afghanistan.”
Ahead of his return to office in January, President Trump and his transition team were reportedly considering court martials for the military brass who presided over Abbey Gate. Pentagon accounts of the attack have at times been contradicted by the evidence, and a House Foreign Affairs Committee found the Biden government misled the public over the tragedy.
President Trump officially proclaims August 26, 2025, as a day in commemoration of the 4th anniversary of the attack at Abbey Gate.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Trump has fired Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook following allegations of mortgage fraud.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and Bill Pulte.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The firing was announced in a letter to Cook, following a criminal referral dated August 15, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “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.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The decision raises questions about the integrity and trustworthiness of financial regulators.
IN FULL
President Trump has taken decisive action by removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from her position. This move comes after Bill Pulte exposed Cook for alleged mortgage fraud, leading to a criminal referral.
Lisa Cook, who was appointed by President Biden in 2022, is accused of making false statements on mortgage agreements. Specifically, she is alleged to have signed documents for two properties, each claiming to be her primary residence for the coming year, which is deemed impossible.
In a letter addressed to Cook, President Trump cited his constitutional authority and the Federal Reserve Act to justify her removal. He emphasized the necessity for integrity and honesty in financial regulators, particularly those involved in setting interest rates and overseeing banks.
The allegations against Cook include signing a document for a property in Michigan, followed by another for a property in Georgia, both within a two-week period. This conduct has been described as deceitful and potentially criminal, casting doubt on her competence and trustworthiness.
The Federal Reserve plays a critical role in the U.S. economy, and the integrity of its members is paramount. President Trump’s decision underscores the importance of maintaining public confidence in the institution’s leadership.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced plans to file a lawsuit challenging the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Democratic senators opposing nominees.
📍WHEN & WHERE: August 25, during an Oval Office signing ceremony at the White House.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Blue slips make it impossible for me as President to appoint a judge or a U.S. attorney because they have a gentlemen’s agreement that’s about 100 years old.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit aims to challenge a Senate tradition that has delayed the confirmation of Trump’s judicial and prosecutorial nominees.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on August 25 that he plans to file a lawsuit over the Senate’s long-standing “blue slip” tradition, a procedural custom that allows home-state senators to block certain judicial and prosecutorial nominees in the areas they represent. The century-old practice, used by the Senate Judiciary Committee, often stalls the nomination process when one or both home-state senators decline to return their blue slips, a signal of approval for moving forward with the nominee.
The America First leader made the announcement at the White House, where he signed an executive order targeting cashless bail policies. “We’re also going to be filing a lawsuit on blue slipping,” Trump said. “You know, blue slips make it impossible for me as president to appoint a judge or a U.S. attorney because they have a gentlemen’s agreement that’s about 100 years old.”
Trump’s frustration with the Senate’s slow pace in confirming his nominees has been mounting, especially in light of recent judicial setbacks. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who currently serves as the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has issued multiple rulings in recent months that have thwarted important elements of the Trump administration’s agenda. Boasberg notably ruled against key executive actions on immigration enforcement and environmental deregulation, decisions that the White House has sharply criticized as judicial overreach.
President Trump recently had to withdraw his nominee for U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, after both Democratic senators from the state withheld their blue slips, effectively blocking her confirmation.
Trump also took aim at Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) over the weekend for refusing to discard the blue slip tradition and push through his nominees. “Chuck Grassley should allow strong Republican candidates to ascend to these very vital and powerful roles, and tell the Democrats, as they often tell us, to go to HELL!” he posted on Truth Social.
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