A Tennessee judge has ordered the deactivation of death-row inmate Byron Black’s implanted heart device before his scheduled lethal injection to prevent potential shocks during the execution. The ruling comes after Black’s attorneys argued the device could cause extreme pain if triggered by the pentobarbital. The order mandates the state to have medical professionals and equipment on hand for deactivation, though the state is likely to appeal. This decision follows a long legal battle, including a clemency request citing Black’s cognitive disabilities and medical conditions.
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The Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany recently set a new record for plasma duration in a nuclear fusion reactor, sustaining fusion reactions for 43 seconds. This marks a significant breakthrough, achieving the “triple product” performance level crucial for viable nuclear fusion. Stellarators, unlike tokamaks, can sustain plasma with less power, offering design flexibility and easier plasma control. Using hydrogen ions, fusion reactors avoid toxic waste production unlike fission reactors.
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Former Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor suggests that President Trump’s reluctance to release Epstein-related files could be due to potentially “embarrassing” information within them. Taylor referenced a report alleging Attorney General Pam Bondi’s involvement in searching Epstein records for mentions of Trump, which Taylor views as evidence of a cover-up. He believes the documents may contain details, such as the alleged birthday letter to Epstein, that Trump wishes to keep private and that the situation may lead to the president creating distractions. Taylor also predicts that Trump will attack the free press in response to the investigation.
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Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has accused the Obama administration of orchestrating a “years-long coup” to undermine Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory, releasing declassified emails to support her claims. Gabbard alleges a “treasonous conspiracy” involving Obama and his officials regarding the investigation into Russian interference. These accusations have been met with criticism from Democrats, who see it as a distraction from the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump has supported Gabbard’s statements, while the intelligence community and other Democrats have dismissed her claims as baseless and politically motivated.
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The family of Cornelius Taylor, who was killed when city workers bulldozed his tent during a homeless encampment clearing in Atlanta, has filed a lawsuit against the city. The lawsuit alleges that city employees failed to check the tents for occupants before using the bulldozer, resulting in Taylor’s death. The suit, filed in Fulton County state court, seeks damages and compensation for related expenses, highlighting the incident as “tragic and preventable.” Despite the city’s statement acknowledging the tragedy and prior efforts to assist the encampment residents with housing, the family’s lawyers emphasize the need for better treatment of homeless individuals.
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X (formerly Twitter) is refusing to cooperate with a French probe into alleged foreign interference and bias, deeming the investigation politically motivated. The probe, initiated after complaints of manipulated data and “reduced diversity of voices,” involves suspected crimes like manipulating and extracting data. X has declined to provide access to its recommendation algorithm and real-time data, claiming it has a legal right to do so. The social network also raised concerns about the impartiality of the chosen experts and objected to the use of the “organized gang” aggravating circumstance.
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Former FBI members have confirmed that the agency was instructed to search for mentions of President Donald Trump within the Epstein files. Approximately 1,000 personnel reviewed roughly 100,000 files, with individual analysts instructed to flag any Trump mentions in a spreadsheet. The process was reportedly disorganized and changed frequently, with the initial order to not redact anything changing multiple times. Despite preparations to release the files, the Trump administration ultimately decided against it, amidst growing scrutiny and calls for transparency surrounding the case.
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This report details the Vatican’s practice of sending thousands of Italian children born to unwed mothers to America under the guise of orphan visas during the mid-20th century. Many of these children were not orphans, and their mothers, often pressured or misled by the Church, were unaware of their children’s adoptions. The Church, driven by financial gain and demand from American Catholic families, sometimes even told mothers their children had died. This resulted in the pain and separation of families, as many adoptees later struggled to reunite with their birth mothers, some of whom are still dealing with the aftereffects of the program.
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Iran and Russia Begin Joint Naval Drills in Caspian Sea: So, the news is out that Iran and Russia have kicked off joint naval drills in the Caspian Sea, and, well, it’s stirring up quite a bit of discussion. You’ve got folks joking about the “world’s most incompetent navies,” and even tossing around the idea of the exercises being target practice for Ukrainian drone boats or Storm Shadows. Honestly, the image of those two navies together just conjures up some pretty wild mental scenarios, doesn’t it? Some are envisioning Francis playing with those warships in his enormous indoor-pool-bathtub.
Considering the players involved, there’s speculation swirling around the actual purpose of these drills.… Continue reading
Former Texas Representative Beto O’Rourke is considering a run for Senate in 2026, despite having lost several elections since his last win in 2016 and with Colin Allred already running. O’Rourke, who declined to challenge Senator John Cornyn in 2020, lost to Ted Cruz in 2018, and Greg Abbott in 2022. Amidst Cornyn’s difficult primary battle with Ken Paxton, O’Rourke has called on Democrats to be “ruthless” and use redistricting to their advantage. He believes that Democrats have a real opportunity in 2026 and must take action.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood