FBI agents who knelt with Black Lives Matter protesters following George Floyd&#8217;s death have been reassigned to less coveted positions, according to insiders briefed on the matter.
The agents were photographed kneeling with Black Lives Matter protestors during the 2020 protests in Washington D.C. following George Floyd&#8217;s death.
The agency was deployed by then-Attorney General Bill Barr in June 2020 to protect federal buildings and aid in crowd control efforts in the streets as local law enforcement were being <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/politics/federal-authorities-washington-dc/index.html">overwhelmed</a> by BLM protestors.
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NEW: FBI agents photographed kneeling during George Floyd protest have been removed from their positions &#8211; CNN <a href="https://t.co/yCVX2a3rK9">pic.twitter.com/yCVX2a3rK9</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1917649459124560262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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FBI officials declined to explain the reassignments, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/us/politics/fbi-agents-2020-protests.html?smid=url-share">stating</a> to the New York Times, “it is our standard practice to decline to comment on personnel matters,” with many inside the bureau viewing them as demotions.
This action, first <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/30/politics/fbi-agents-blm-protest/index.html">reported</a> by CNN, aligns with President Donald Trump&#8217;s campaign promise to root out what he has called &#8220;woke&#8221; and politicized elements within law enforcement.
The kneeling incident occurred when agents assigned to protect federal monuments were confronted by protesters, with the agents claiming that their tactic prevented potential violence.
Photos of the incident sparked fierce internal backlash inside the FBI, with some agents being ostracized by colleagues who viewed the gesture as politically charged, and put the agents at a tactical disadvantage if confrontation did occur.
While former bureau leadership determined the agents hadn&#8217;t violated policy, the incident became a focal point for Trump and the GOP, who cited it as evidence of politicization within the law enforcement agency.
Legal experts note that while the FBI can transfer employees at will so long as they maintain the same pay and position, the agents could potentially pursue legal options if their reassignments were motivated by reprisal or discrimination.
Many Americans expressed frustration in 2020 when various police departments and federal agencies appeared to take political stances during nationwide protests that caused an <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2020/09/16/abc-nbc-spike-mostly-peaceful-protests-leaving-2-billion?utm_source=chatgpt.com">estimated</a> $1-2 billion in property damage and resulted in dozens of deaths.

Police Shooting Death Of Young Black Man Near Minneapolis Sparks Protests

FBI Pushes Out Agents Who Knelt With BLM Protestors In 2020

Black Lives Matter

George Floyd

kash patel

Trump Administration

Conservative Supreme Court justices suggested approval for the nation&#8217;s first taxpayer-funded Catholic charter school in a landmark case that could dramatically expand religious freedom in American education.
St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, proposed by two Oklahoma Catholic dioceses, would offer K-12 education with an explicitly religious curriculum as a state-funded charter school.
Hundreds of families have already signed up while the school awaits the resolution of legal challenges, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-mulls-legality-milestone-religious-charter-school-2025-04-30/">according</a> to Reuters.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh pushed back against the state&#8217;s exclusion of religion during arguments, stating: &#8220;&#8230; You can&#8217;t treat religious people and religious institutions and religious speech as second class in the United States,&#8221; adding that excluding religious schools &#8220;seems like rank discrimination.&#8221;
Attorney James Campbell, a lawyer for the state&#8217;s charter school board that approved St. Isidore, told Justice Kavanaugh that Oklahoma already permits charter schools with specific themes, noting that only religion seemed to be off limits, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-religious-catholic-charter-school-oklahoma-983ed57aabeae53e4b58367c5021f5e1">reported</a>.
“They’re not asking for special treatment, not asking for favoritism,” Kavanaugh concurred. “They’re just saying, ’Don’t treat us worse because we’re religious.&#8217;”
Chief Justice John Roberts challenged both sides of the argument, and will likely be the swing vote after Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself without an explanation. She is a former Notre Dame Law School professor, a major supporter of publicly funded religious charter schools.
&#8220;This does strike me as a much more comprehensive involvement,&#8221; Roberts said, distinguishing it from earlier cases involving &#8220;limited state benefits, such as playground improvements, tuition and tax credits.&#8221;
The court’s three liberal justices were in uniform opposition to the charter school’s creation, with Justice Sotomayor <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2024/24-394_1b72.pdf">saying</a>, “What would you do with a charter school that doesn’t want to teach evolution? Or doesn’t want to teach history, including the history of slavery?”
In the event of a 4-4 tie, the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s 6-2 ruling blocking the creation of St. Isidore would be left in place, which deemed the charter school a &#8220;governmental entity&#8221; that would violate constitutional limits on government involvement in religion.
The case has divided Oklahoma Republicans, with Governor Kevin Stitt and the Trump administration backing the school, while Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond opposes it, per Reuters.
If approved, St. Isidore would represent a significant shift in American education by becoming the first publicly funded charter school with an explicitly religious curriculum.
The Supreme Court&#8217;s decision is expected by the end of June.

Supreme Court Takes On Religious Charter School Case

Supreme Court Conservatives Signal Support For Public Religious Charter Schools

Amy Coney Barrett

Brett Kavanaugh

Free Speech

Oklahoma

Religious Freedom

Supreme Court

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) reintroduced the anti-corruption PELOSI Act on Friday, aiming to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, while President Trump signaled he would sign such legislation into law.
The legislation, whose acronym PELOSI stands for &#8220;Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments,&#8221; and is named after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose husband has drawn <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/deceptive-tactic-nancy-pelosi-disclosed-180000159.html">scrutiny</a> for millions in suspected insider trading.
&#8220;Members of Congress should be fighting for the people they were elected to serve — not day trading at the expense of their constituents,&#8221; Hawley <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-reintroduces-pelosi-act-to-ban-congress-from-trading-stocks/">stated</a>, according to a press release from his office.
&#8220;Americans have seen politician after politician turn a profit using information not available to the general public,&#8221; the Missouri Republican added. &#8220;It&#8217;s time we ban all members of Congress from trading and holding stocks and restore Americans&#8217; trust in our nation&#8217;s legislative body.&#8221;
Under Hawley&#8217;s proposal, elected officials and their spouses would be barred from owning individual stocks while serving in Congress.
The legislation would still allow investment in broader financial instruments such as mutual funds, ETFs, and Treasury bonds.
The bill provides a six-month grace period for compliance after enactment. Any lawmaker refusing to divest would face financial penalties and surrender profits to the federal treasury.
The Government Accountability Office would be required to audit congressional compliance with the law within two years of enactment and submit a report to congressional ethics committees, according to the <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Hawley-PELOSI-Act.pdf">legislation</a>.
When asked on Friday by a reporter if he would support a ban on congressional stock trading, President Trump said he would “absolutely” sign such a bill.
&#8220;Well, I watched Nancy Pelosi get rich through insider information, and I would be okay with it. If they send that to me, I would do it,&#8221; the President said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It is time! Pass my PELOSI Act now &#8211; no stock trading by members of Congress <a href="https://t.co/w1enBmv0BG">https://t.co/w1enBmv0BG</a>
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1915759963386822771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A 2022 New York Times investigation <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/09/13/us/politics/congress-members-stock-trading-list.html">identified</a> at least 97 members of Congress who reported stock trades that potentially intersected with their committee work, raising questions about whether elected officials were using privileged information to enrich themselves.
The issue has <a href="https://publicconsultation.org/united-states/stock-trading-by-members-of-congress/">garnered</a> bipartisan support for reform, with polls consistently showing over 80% of Americans favor banning congressional stock trading.
Similar legislation has been introduced in previous sessions of Congress but failed to advance to a floor vote in either chamber despite widespread public support.

119th Congress Begins Its Term On Capitol Hill

Sen. Hawley Reintroduces PELOSI Act To Curb Congressional Stock Trading, Trump Signals Approval

Congress

Corruption

Insider Trading

Josh Hawley

Nancy Pelosi

Paul Pelosi

Stock Market

A massive explosion at a strategic Iranian port killed at least 14 people and injured 750 others on Saturday, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in the coastal city that serves as a vital shipping hub for the Islamic Republic.
The explosion occurred at the port of Bandar Abbas in southwestern Iran, sending a massive plume of thick gray smoke into the air, with footage showing the blast originating in what appears to be a warehouse facility, according to videos <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/26/middleeast/iran-bandar-abbas-port-explosion-intl/index.html">geolocated</a> by CNN.
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani indicated the explosion likely involved chemical containers, stating that they were stored in a “corner of the port that likely contained chemicals which exploded.”
However, she cautioned, “Until the fire is extinguished, it&#8217;s hard to ascertain the cause.&#8221;
Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni confirmed that six people remain missing as firefighters battle the blaze amid challenging high winds.
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BREAKING: Massive explosion hits the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas <a href="https://t.co/PDNvcmCVOi">pic.twitter.com/PDNvcmCVOi</a>
— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1916063449383153959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The state-controlled oil company denied responsibility for the explosion, with state media company IRIB reporting that the explosion took place in the chemical and sulfur section of the port.
The blast caused widespread destruction, shattering windows within a radius of several kilometers and leaving buildings at the port complex severely damaged, with reports indicating some people may be trapped in collapsed structures.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has <a href="https://x.com/drpezeshkian/status/1916111653445284183">ordered</a> an investigation into the incident and dispatched the interior minister to the region to &#8220;examine the dimensions of the accident&#8221; and conduct &#8220;a comprehensive assessment&#8221; to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Health authorities have advised citizens to remain indoors, avoid outdoor activities, and keep windows closed due to significant air pollution concerns, while many Iranians were seen lining up at health centers to donate blood for the injured.
The now-decimated facility is a critical infrastructure asset for Iran, spanning 2,400 hectares with 35 shipping berths and handling approximately 70 million tons of cargo annually, including oil shipments and general cargo, per CNN.
Regional governor Mohammad Ashouri Taziani confirmed that injured people were being transferred to local medical centers in Bandar Abbas, while the port has been closed and all maritime operations suspended until further notice.

TOPSHOT-IRAN-PORT-EXPLOSION

Massive Explosion Rocks Major Iranian Port, Killing 14 And Injuring 750

Explosion

General

Iran

Middle East

Oil and Gas

World

Luigi Mangione, who faces federal murder charges after the December shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday.
Mangione appeared in Manhattan federal court in a prison jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and ankles, entering not guilty pleas to charges of murder, two counts of stalking, and a firearms offense.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the DOJ intends to pursue the death penalty in the case, causing Mangione&#8217;s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, to request that the court prioritize starting his federal trial before his state cases in New York and Pennsylvania, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/us/luigi-mangione-federal-charges/index.html">reported</a>.
According to authorities, Mangione “<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">murdered</a>” Thompson, a father of two young children, in a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination” as an act of “political violence.”
Thompson was gunned down in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione&#8217;s arrest in Pennsylvania, more than 270 miles from the shooting scene.
At the time of his arrest, Mangione possessed “fake ID used by the suspect, the gun they believe was used in the shooting and a handwritten ‘claim of responsibility,’ authorities have said,” according to CNN.
Mangione&#8217;s targeting of Thompson appears meticulously planned, according to the DOJ, and three 9mm shell casings recovered from the crime scene had the words &#8220;delay,&#8221; &#8220;deny,&#8221; and &#8220;depose&#8221; written on them, an apparent reference to a 2010 book criticizing insurance industry tactics, according to the NYPD.
The case has sparked considerable public attention, with supporters of Mangione gathering outside the courthouse Friday, some wearing green, referencing Nintendo&#8217;s &#8220;Luigi&#8221; character, and holding banners with messages like &#8220;Luigi Before Fascists&#8221; and &#8220;Stop the Violence: End the Death Penalty Now.&#8221;
Chelsea Manning, the former Army soldier convicted of violating the Espionage Act after leaking documents to WikiLeaks, has appeared at multiple hearings in support of Mangione.
Many people, according to CNN, seem to be channeling their frustration with the health care system through Mangione, with some going as far as calling him a vigilante.
A legal defense fund in Mangione&#8217;s name has raised more than $950,000 from supporters.
Mainstream politicians have condemned Mangione&#8217;s alleged actions. &#8220;In America, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint,&#8221; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the day Mangione was arrested, adding, &#8220;He is no hero.&#8221;
Judge Margaret Garnett scheduled Mangione&#8217;s next federal hearing for December 5, when a trial date will be set. She indicated she expects the trial to begin in 2026.

Insurance CEO Murder Suspect Luigi Mangione Is Extradicted To New York

Luigi Mangione Pleads Not Guilty As DOJ Seeks Death Penalty

Crime

Death Penalty

Department of Justice

Luigi Mangione

New York Police Department (NYPD)

Pam Bondi

U.S.

Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who was expelled from Congress last year after extensive fraud revelations, received a hefty 87-month prison term on Friday.
Santos, 36, pleaded guilty last year to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft while also admitting he “filed fraudulent FEC reports, embezzled funds from campaign donors, charged credit cards without authorization, stole identities, obtained unemployment benefits through fraud, and lied in reports to the House of Representatives,” per a Department of Justice press <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/former-congressman-george-santos-pleads-guilty-fraud-and-identity-theft#:~:text=In%20pleading%20guilty%2C%20Santos%2C%2036,to%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives">release</a>.
As U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert handed down the sentencing, Santos could be seen putting his hands over his head in apparent disbelief, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/former-congressman-george-santos-sentenced-to-seven-years-for-fraud-90d88f55">reported</a>.
Despite Santos saying in a Monday <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/852698897/Letter-From-George-Santos">letter</a> to the presiding judge that he &#8220;accepted full responsibility&#8221; for his crimes and was &#8220;profoundly sorry&#8221; for his actions, John J. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York under President Donald Trump&#8217;s DOJ, had pushed for an 87-month sentence, characterizing Santos as “unrepentant,” and “blamed his circumstances on misplaced trust in others,” per The Wall Street Journal.
Judge Seybert reportedly concurred with this sentiment, saying at the sentencing, &#8220;Where’s the remorse? Where do I see it?&#8221;
After his expulsion from Congress, Santos attempted to monetize his notoriety, likely in an attempt to pay the $375,000 in restitution, through personalized videos on Cameo and launching a podcast aptly titled &#8220;Pants on Fire&#8221; – a possible reference to his numerous falsehoods about his education, work history, and personal background, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/nyregion/george-santos-sentencing-prison.html">according</a> to The New York Times.
Santos was making &#8220;twice his congressional salary&#8221; through the personalized video platform, according to The Times, with the former congressman pushing a &#8220;last week on Cameo&#8221; promotion in a last-ditch effort to raise money before his sentencing.
Durham <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086.118.0.pdf">argued</a> in a supplemental court memo that Santos&#8217; recent social media posts claiming he is a “<a href="https://x.com/MrSantosNY/status/1909311390160240990">scapegoat</a>” and a victim of DOJ overreach and selective prosecution &#8220;suggested he had little remorse for his actions.&#8221;
“His actions speak louder than any words, and they cry out for a significant carceral sentence in this case,” the U.S. attorney said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hi my name is George Santos and the DOJ has had a hard on for me since December of 2022.
I refuse to let them break me or my spirit and that makes them big Mad… they have used elaborate language to drag me and hinder my ability to earn income…
Long story short, I will NOT…
&mdash; Pants On Fire with George Santos (@MrSantosNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrSantosNY/status/1908567430403596655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Santos&#8217; dramatic fall began shortly after his 2022 election victory when it was <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/new-york-congressman-elect-santos-admits-to-lying-about-employment-history-and-college-education?utm_source=chatgpt.com">revealed</a> that he had fabricated much of his background, such as graduating from Baruch College, working for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and even playing collegiate volleyball.
“I didn’t graduate from any institution of higher learning. I’m embarrassed and sorry for having embellished my resume,&#8221; Santos admitted in 2023, adding, “I own up to that. … We do stupid things in life.”
Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives after fellow Republicans led the charge following a bipartisan House Ethics Committee report, which found that he had stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors. Some funds were <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/onlyfans-botox-george-santos-ethics-report-b2457313.html">reportedly</a> spent on luxury goods, OnlyFans, and Botox.
His attorneys had requested the minimum 24-month sentence, arguing that his actions &#8220;stemmed largely from a misguided desperation related to his political campaign, rather than inherent malice,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/05/nyregion/george-santos-sentencing-prison.html">according</a> to The New York Times, with the judge ultimately accepting the prosecution&#8217;s recommended sentence.

Former Representative George Santos Faces Sentencing For Fraud

Disgraced Ex-Congressman George Santos Sentenced To More Than 7 Years In Prison

Courts

Fraud

George Santos

New York

Politics

U.S. House of Representatives

Canada&#8217;s Conservative party has narrowed the gap with Prime Minister Mark Carney&#8217;s ruling Liberals to only 3.6 percentage points, just four days before Monday&#8217;s national election.
According to a rolling three-day CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll, the Liberals hold 42.9% support with the Conservatives at 39.3%.
The 3.6-point gap has narrowed significantly from 5.6 points just a day earlier, a significant momentum shift toward opposition leader Pierre Poilievre&#8217;s campaign focused on economic concerns and public safety under Liberal governance.
&#8220;We can&#8217;t afford a fourth Liberal term of rising costs and crime,&#8221; Poilievre <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-election-race-tightens-conservatives-narrow-gap-with-liberals-poll-says-2025-04-24/">told</a> reporters in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Thursday, pledging to scrap electric-vehicle sales mandates, per Reuters.
His campaign has emphasized domestic issues, while Carney has focused heavily on U.S. tariffs and potential “threats” posed by President Trump.
Paul Thomas, a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, suggests the polls may be tightening because of the &#8220;diminished sense of crisis&#8221; regarding relations between the United States and Canada.
He noted that voters&#8217; focus appears to be shifting back to cost-of-living concerns, while Poilievre&#8217;s softening of his campaign tone may also be attracting support.
The Conservative surge follows the release of the party&#8217;s extensive platform and the two candidates’ debates last week.
In recent years, Canada has implemented a federal carbon tax, stricter gun control measures, and substantially increased immigration targets – policies that opposition parties argue have contributed to the country&#8217;s cost-of-living crisis.
While Carney has made United States relations the centerpiece of his campaign, his rhetoric in recent weeks has become increasingly dramatic in an attempt to exploit the fear of American overreach that many Canadians appear to have.
“In this crisis, we have to prepare for America’s threats to our very sovereignty. They want our land, our resources, they want our water, they want our country,” Carney alarmingly <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/19/mark-carney-unveils-plan-to-trump-proof-canada-00299654">declared,</a> per Politico.
Even with a popular vote victory, pollsters caution that the Liberals might secure only a minority government, leaving Carney dependent on smaller parties to govern.
The New Democratic Party, currently polling at 7.2%, could become the kingmaker in a closely contested parliament.
This shift, combined with the Conservative Party&#8217;s recently released detailed economic plan, appears to be resonating with voters concerned about domestic issues.
The election represents a clear contrast between Carney&#8217;s focus on external threats and international relations versus Poilievre&#8217;s emphasis on so0-called kitchen table economic concerns.
With just days remaining before Canadians cast their ballots, both campaigns are intensifying get-out-the-vote efforts in key battleground districts, particularly in suburban areas around Toronto and Vancouver, where elections are typically decided.
The three-day CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll was conducted among 2,000 eligible voters from April 18 to 21, and has a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, per Reuters.

CANADA-VOTE-POLITICS-DEBATE

Conservative Party Surges Ahead Of Canadian Election As Concerns Over Trump Seem To Wane: Poll

Canada

Donald Trump

Elections

Pierre Poilievre

Tariffs

Medical schools nationwide are forcing students to promote left-wing ideologies on race, gender, and obesity at the expense of proper patient care, according to a new watchdog <a href="https://speechfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CRITICAL-CONDITION_Speech-First-Medical-Schools-Report.pdf">report</a> released on Thursday.
The comprehensive investigation, produced by non-profit group Speech First, examined 54 public medical schools across the United States, seeking to document how &#8220;diversity, equity, and inclusion&#8221; (DEI) mandates are being enforced throughout medical education.
&#8220;This ideological conformity is required not only of students but also of faculty, who are often tasked with serving as enforcers of these mandates,&#8221; the report explains, noting that ideological requirements begin as early as the admissions process.
The report, first <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/medical-schools-nationwide-promote-weight-inclusivity-in-ongoing-dei-push/">obtained</a> by National Review, found that 99% of America&#8217;s top medical schools now “mandated commitments to racial justice ideology,” while 89% “did so for gender ideology.”
The report found 30% of examined schools mandate a form of “weight inclusivity,” instructing future doctors to avoid “fatphobia” despite the <a href="https://newsroom.heart.org/news/obesity-related-cardiovascular-disease-deaths-tripled-between-1999-and-2020">heaps</a> of medical <a href="https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/3420">evidence</a> establishing the correlation between obesity and health risks.
These DEI commitments manifest through “mandatory courses, rotations, orientations, statements, and policies,” and even modified Hippocratic Oaths.
As examples, dozens of investigated schools emphasize the impact of white privilege and systematic oppression on medical treatment, and have student guidelines enforcing adherence to a patient’s preferred pronouns rather than their biological sex.
At the University of Texas at Austin, medical students are taught to avoid stigmatizing language, replacing terms like &#8220;overweight&#8221; or &#8220;obese&#8221; with euphemisms such as &#8220;people with larger size,&#8221; while the University of Vermont&#8217;s program explicitly states that &#8220;weight is not an important indicator of health.&#8221;
At the University of Connecticut, for example, medical students must pledge to &#8220;work actively to identify and mitigate my own biases&#8221; and &#8220;specifically work to dismantle policies that perpetuate inequities, exclusion, discrimination, and racism,&#8221; according to documents obtained by Speech First.
The University of Arizona requires students to gain experience in transgender medicine, where students are “instructed that gender transitioning in children is normal, beginning with social changes in pre-adolescence and progressing to puberty-suppressing medications.”
Several harassment policies at medical schools now explicitly prohibit &#8220;misgendering,&#8221; with Oregon Health and Science University classifying it as a form of harassment subject to disciplinary action.
Medical school faculty face similar ideological pressures, as the University of Illinois-Chicago&#8217;s faculty manual states that &#8220;all College of Medicine faculty, regardless of track or rank, are expected to demonstrate a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.&#8221;
The report identifies multiple cases where medical professionals faced serious professional consequences for questioning these ideologies, including Dr. Allan M. Josephson, who was demoted and ultimately terminated from the University of Louisville after criticizing transitioning treatments for children during a 2017 Heritage Foundation panel despite a “stellar record,” according to the non-profit.
The investigation details how this ideological enforcement begins before the student is even admitted to medical school.
The University of Missouri asks applicants how they will &#8220;contribute to the overall diversity of the medical school&#8221; and &#8220;foster an inclusive learning environment,&#8221; functioning as what Speech First characterizes as a political litmus test.
Students, as well as faculty, who question these mandates risk significant consequences. Kieran Bhattacharya, a former University of Virginia medical student, was banned from campus after questioning a presentation on microaggressions during a 2018 panel. After challenging the concept, he was flagged by faculty as &#8220;antagonistic,&#8221; leading to disciplinary action.
Speech First&#8217;s study found that even the Hippocratic Oath has been modified at several universities, with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine recently updating the oath to reflect an anti-racist narrative.
“I will work actively to identify and mitigate my own biases so as to treat all patients and coworkers with humility and dignity. I will strive to promote health equity. I will actively support policies that promote social justice and specifically work to dismantle policies that perpetuate inequities, exclusion, discrimination, and racism,” the updated oath reads.
The report concludes with recommendations for legislative action, including banning mandatory ideological activism courses and ensuring medical curricula prioritize science-based teachings over politically driven health ideologies.
“If this continues, I’m horrified we’ll get doctors who will shove kids into gender chaos, favor race over health, and lie to obese patients, endangering us all for a deranged fringe,” said Jared Gould, research fellow for Speech First, per National Review.

University of Minnesota White Coat Ceremony, August 2022, Star Tribune photo

Med Schools Replace Medical Merit With Obesity Denial And DEI Doctrine, Watchdog Reports

Censorship

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

gender ideology

medical school

Obesity

Social Issues

Meta&#8217;s Oversight Board expressed indignation at the social media giant for its January policy overhaul that axed fact-checking and eased restrictions on discussions about immigration and gender identity.
The independent oversight board railed against the company for implementing the changes &#8220;hastily&#8221; with supposedly no transparency about &#8220;what, if any, prior human rights due diligence&#8221; was performed.
Zuckerberg acknowledged that previous content moderation efforts had resulted in &#8220;too many mistakes and too much censorship.&#8221;
President Trump had frequently criticized Facebook during his first term, culminating in his platform suspension following the January 6, 2021, Capitol events — a ban eventually lifted as he launched his successful 2024 campaign.
Since President Trump’s election to a second term, the Meta CEO has been working to mend fences and roll back a decade of content policies that prohibited “hate speech” and supposed misinformation that conservatives have long criticized as biased.
As part of the January policy <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/metas-oversight-board-rebukes-company-over-policy-overhaul-2025-04-23/">overhaul</a>, Meta scrapped its U.S. fact-checking program, replacing third-party partnerships with a Community Notes tool similar to Elon Musk&#8217;s X, per Reuters.
In addition, Meta removed restrictions on “hate speech” towards LGBT individuals, and also announced it would stop proactively scanning platforms for &#8220;less severe policy violations,&#8221; instead focusing its automated systems only on serious content like terrorism and child exploitation.
Among its 17 recommendations, the board requested that Meta improve enforcement of its bullying policies while clarifying which hateful ideologies remain banned.
The board expressed concern about potential impacts in countries experiencing conflicts, urging Meta to &#8220;assess whether the changes could have uneven consequences globally.&#8221;
Despite the success of Community Notes on X, the Oversight Board still requested that Meta assess the new tool&#8217;s effectiveness and release reports every six months.
Meta said it would respond to the board&#8217;s 17 recommendations within 60 days.
The board did uphold Meta&#8217;s decisions to allow some controversial content, including posts discussing transgender people&#8217;s access to bathrooms, while requiring the removal of posts with racist slurs.
A Meta told Reuters the company welcomed decisions &#8220;that leave up or restore content in the interest of promoting free expression,&#8221; but did not address rulings calling for content removal.
Despite tensions, Meta has so far committed to funding the Oversight Board through 2027, allocating at least $35 million annually over the next three years, placed in an Irrevocable Trust designed to protect the board&#8217;s independence.
Oversight Board Co-Chair Paolo Carozza stated, &#8220;We have no reason to think that Meta is soured on the board or planning to make any large-scale structural changes in terms of its commitment with the board.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-IT-FACEBOOK-TRUMP

Meta Oversight Board Fumes As Facebook Ends Censorship Initiatives

Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg

Social Media Censorship

President Donald Trump announced today he will personally fund the installation of two nearly 100-foot-tall American flags at the White House, declaring that the presidential residence has &#8220;needed flagpoles for 200 years.&#8221;
The President was spotted Wednesday morning with White House groundskeepers surveying the north side of the grounds, gesturing to demonstrate where the massive flagpoles would stand.
&#8220;We&#8217;re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side and another one on the other side, two flags, top of the line,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/23/us-news/trump-announces-self-funded-change-to-white-house/">told</a> reporters outside the White House, per the New York Post.
The two flags, to be positioned on the North and the South Lawns respectively, will significantly alter the White House&#8217;s exterior appearance, making the American flag more prominently visible from multiple vantage points around the presidential residence.
Currently, there is no freestanding flagpole on the White House property, with the only American flag flying from the top of the building itself.
&#8220;They needed flagpoles for 200 years. It was something I&#8217;ve often said, you know, they don&#8217;t have a flagpole per se,&#8221; Trump explained to reporters. &#8220;So we&#8217;re putting one right where you saw us, and we&#8217;re putting another one on the other side, on top of the mounds. It&#8217;s going to be two beautiful poles.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President Trump: &quot;We&#39;re putting up a beautiful, almost 100 foot tall, American flag&#8230;they&#39;ve needed flag poles for 200 years.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AxTJul7Z2K">pic.twitter.com/AxTJul7Z2K</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1915065116300558484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump emphasized that the new additions would be &#8220;paid for by Trump,&#8221; noting the flags are scheduled to arrive next week.
The patriotic addition is part of several changes Trump has made since returning to office, the Post reports, including transforming the Oval Office with more portraits of past presidents and gold-accented decorations reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
He has also announced plans to rebuild the Rose Garden with an artificial platform instead of grass to make it more practical for hosting events without dealing with soggy ground.
Trump previously proposed building a $100 million ballroom at the White House during the Biden administration, but apparently &#8220;never heard back.&#8221;
The President stated his intention to carry out the proposal himself to create more room for ceremonies without requiring massive, bulky tents.
The President recently <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/08/us-news/trump-uses-golden-shovel-to-plant-replacement-for-historic-jackson-magnolia/">participated</a> in planting a replacement for the historic Jackson Magnolia on the South Lawn, using a golden shovel to plant a 12-year-old sapling that is reportedly a descendant of the original tree, which was nearly 200 years old and had been deemed a safety hazard.
Previous presidents have similarly made changes to the executive residence, from Jackie Kennedy&#8217;s historic restoration efforts to the Obama family&#8217;s addition of a vegetable garden.

President Trump Inspects White House North Lawn For New Flagpole Placement

Trump To Personally Fund New Patriotic Addition To White House Grounds

American Flag

Patriotism

White House

Climate activists vandalized the iconic Wall Street Bull with green graffiti declaring &#8220;Greed = Death,” but quickly scrubbed it clean before police officers arrived at the scene.
Members of the environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion defaced the bronze statue early Monday during an Earth Day demonstration, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/22/us-news/wall-street-bull-painted-over-by-environmental-activists-who-cleaned-up-when-cops-came/">reported</a>.
The vandals spray-painted their organization&#8217;s symbol alongside the anti-capitalist messaging on the bull while hysterically reciting climate alarmist slogans.
The activists also attempted to create an image of the bull defecating on a cutout of Earth by hanging debris-filled brown stockings near the rear of the statue.
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NOW: &quot;Greed=Death&quot; tagged on the Charging Bull in NYSE by Climate activists with Extinction Rebellion, on the National Earth Day. <a href="https://t.co/qtEoZmD4jd">pic.twitter.com/qtEoZmD4jd</a>
&mdash; Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScooterCasterNY/status/1914662322397733103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The group took credit for the act on X, <a href="https://x.com/XR_NYC/status/1914703015270879295">writing</a>, “Good morning from the resistance. We came to Wall Street to call out the bullshit. Bullshit told by the 1% who gamble with our futures. Bullshit to bailouts for those who wrecked our economy. #GreedIsDeath #ActNow.”
“We spoke the truth, we called them out — and the city&#8217;s elite laughed. But the joke isn’t so funny now, when it’s their stocks and wealth getting screwed.”
After one cop <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/04/22/earth-day-activists-deface-wall-st-charging-bull-then-clean-it-up/">ordered</a> an activist sitting on the bull&#8217;s neck to dismount, the activists seemed to panic, hastily scrubbing away their graffiti before more police officers even approached the scene, according to the New York Daily News.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Wall Street Bull painted over by environmental activists — who frantically cleaned it up when cops came <a href="https://t.co/ldkrDngmM4">https://t.co/ldkrDngmM4</a> <a href="https://t.co/rBPiqR3if2">pic.twitter.com/rBPiqR3if2</a>
&mdash; New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1914714834785960125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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As more cops arrived on the scene, they casually watched as the activists finished cleaning their graffiti off the bull, making no immediate arrests.
The 7,100-pound Wall Street Bull, installed in 1989, has long been a symbol of American financial prosperity and a frequent target for anti-capitalist protesters.
The bull has repeatedly been targeted by left-wing protesters, who see the statue as a symbol of corporate “greed” and the evils of capitalism.
In 2019, a Dallas man <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2019/09/07/wall-streets-iconic-charging-bull-statue-bashed-by-angry-texas-man/">bashed</a> what appeared to be a heavy silver guitar into the statue while screaming “F**k Trump!,” damaging one of its horns before he was arrested by the NYPD.

Earth Day Protestors Vandalize Iconic Wall St Bull Statue

Climate Activists Deface Wall Street Bull — Then Panic And Clean It Before Cops Come

Climate Change

Earth Day

Environmentalism

Vandalism

Wall Street

The first photos of Pope Francis in his casket were released on Tuesday, as the Vatican announced the pontiff&#8217;s funeral for Saturday.
The images released by the Vatican show the pontiff lying in a wooden casket wearing traditional red vestments and his bishop&#8217;s miter, with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/first-photos-released-pope-francis-his-casket-funeral-set-saturday">praying</a> over his body.
Francis was placed in the casket Monday night in the chapel of the Vatican&#8217;s Casa Santa Marta by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, operating as the acting head of the church until a new pope is selected.
<div id="attachment_910751" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910751" class="wp-image-910751 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211383735-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images</div>
Catholics can <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/04/22/250422a.html">begin</a> paying their respects starting Wednesday, when the casket is brought into St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica.
Cardinals met on Tuesday to establish the next steps, <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/04/22/250422b.html">setting</a> the funeral for 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Peter&#8217;s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. President Trump said he plans to attend the funeral with the first lady, as dozens of other world leaders have also confirmed their attendance.
Francis, who was 88, died Monday morning of a cerebral stroke followed by a coma and ultimately “irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,” according to the Vatican.
The pope had been in and out of the hospital for two months prior to his death, battling various respiratory illnesses necessitating a constant flow of supplemental oxygen and at least one emergency blood transfusion, per the New York Post.
<div id="attachment_910757" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910757" class="size-large wp-image-910757" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211382949-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images</div>
In his final will, Francis wished to be buried at St. Mary Major Basilica, located outside the Vatican, breaking with the tradition of papal burials at St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica.
Pope Francis was the first pontiff from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope in the Church&#8217;s history, serving during a period of significant challenges for the Catholic Church.
His death marks the end of a controversial era and sets the stage for what many religious conservatives hope will be a return to more traditional Catholic leadership.
A conclave to elect the next pope must begin between 15 and 20 days after Francis&#8217;s death, according to Church law.
During this period, Cardinal Farrell will oversee the Vatican&#8217;s administration and the conclave of 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote in the secretive process of selecting the 267th pontiff.
&#8220;He gave himself to the end,&#8221; said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops&#8217; conference and a possible candidate to be the next pope. &#8220;To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone.&#8221;

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Nathan Gay