Amidst a public falling-out sparked by disagreements over spending bills, Elon Musk tweeted an unsubstantiated claim linking Donald Trump to the Jeffrey Epstein files. This tweet was subsequently deleted. The escalating conflict between the two men also saw Musk calling for Trump’s removal from office. The “Epstein files” refers to intelligence gathered on the deceased financier.
Without informing White House communications staff, Elon Musk’s DOGE team installed Starlink internet service at the White House complex, bypassing established security protocols. This installation allowed for unmonitored data transmission, potentially exposing sensitive information and creating vulnerabilities to hacking. The lack of username/password authentication on the “Starlink Guest” WiFi network further compounded security risks, raising concerns among White House staff and prompting investigations by the House Oversight Committee. The Secret Service, while acknowledging the installation, maintains it did not constitute a security breach.
A significant internet outage affected North Korea for approximately nine hours on Saturday morning, beginning around 2-3 a.m. KST. The disruption, described as a “major” event, disconnected the country from the global internet, impacting official news dissemination and email services. The root cause remains unclear, but the failure of North Korea’s DNS servers is implicated. Experts suggest an internal issue is the most likely explanation, rather than an external attack.
President Zelensky strongly rebuked Donald Trump’s analogy of the Ukraine conflict as children fighting in a park, characterizing Putin instead as a murderer targeting innocent lives. Trump, suggesting non-intervention, made the comparison amidst stalled peace talks, escalating casualties, and Russia’s continued refusal to negotiate meaningfully. Zelensky countered that Trump, and others distant from the conflict, cannot fully grasp the immense suffering inflicted upon the Ukrainian people. This rejection follows Kyiv’s repeated calls for a ceasefire, consistently met with Russian refusal.
Following Elon Musk’s claim that Donald Trump’s name appears in unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files, a public feud erupted. Musk’s assertion, attributed to the files’ non-release, is contradicted by the lack of evidence supporting Trump’s inclusion in any unreleased materials. While Trump’s name appears in some previously released documents, no wrongdoing has been alleged. Trump, however, has promised further Epstein file releases, a pledge met with requests for transparency from Democrats concerning potential delays and redactions.
Representative Mary Miller, known for past controversial remarks praising Hitler, posted and subsequently deleted a social media message criticizing a Sikh guest chaplain’s prayer in Congress, initially misidentifying him as Muslim. Her post, which incorrectly claimed America was founded as a Christian nation, was met with swift condemnation from fellow lawmakers who highlighted her religious intolerance and ignorance. Miller eventually edited the post to correct the religious affiliation before deleting it entirely. The incident spurred criticism from colleagues and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom and condemning Miller’s actions.
Nvidia’s Chief Scientist, Bill Dally, alleges that US export restrictions on chip sales to China are inadvertently bolstering China’s AI sector. These restrictions are forcing Huawei to rapidly develop its own AI solutions, attracting former Nvidia AI researchers in the process. This growth, from one-third to nearly one-half of the world’s AI researchers in China, is presented by Nvidia as a negative consequence of the restrictions, potentially accelerating the US-China tech race. Nvidia itself is suffering significant financial losses due to these restrictions, reporting $8 billion in projected Q2 losses. The situation highlights a complex interplay between national security concerns, corporate interests, and the global competition in AI technology.
Following a major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian air bases (Operation Spiderweb), Russia launched a large-scale retaliatory attack on Ukrainian cities, resulting in casualties. President Trump, while expressing disapproval of the Ukrainian action, appeared to justify Russia’s response, suggesting it was a predictable consequence. Trump previously warned of severe Russian retaliation and has delayed imposing further sanctions on Russia, citing hopes for a peace deal. Despite this, a bipartisan sanctions bill awaits Congressional approval.
Nineteen-year-old Renna O’Rourke died from sudden sniffing death syndrome after participating in the dangerous TikTok trend known as “dusting,” which involves inhaling compressed air duster. This act, also called chroming or huffing, replaces oxygen in the lungs and can cause irreversible damage or death after a single use. Doctors warn of the trend’s ease of access and potential for devastating consequences, highlighting the need for parental awareness and open communication with teenagers about the risks of inhalant abuse. The O’Rourke family shares their daughter’s story to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies.
Grant Hardin, the “Devil in the Ozarks” and former police chief convicted of murder and rape, was apprehended 1.5 miles from the prison he escaped from after a two-week manhunt. Hardin, who impersonated a corrections officer to escape, was captured after a brief attempt to flee. His capture concluded a search involving bloodhounds, mounted officers, drones, helicopters, and a specialized Border Patrol team navigating the rugged terrain. Authorities are investigating a lapse in security that allowed his escape.
John Q. Hosedrinker