The last entirely-Christian town in the Israeli-controlled West Bank is enduring a wave of attacks by violent Jewish settlers, a local church leader says, prompting families to flee and leading clergy to declare the town is “no longer safe” for its inhabitants. Ominously, settlers have also set up an “outpost” on the fringe of that town — Taybeh, Ramallah — a 4,500-year-old community with huge significance in the story of Jesus Christ. 

“The town, which the Gospel of John (11:54) refers to as ‘Ephraim’ — the place Jesus withdrew to before his passion — is no longer safe for its people today,” Father Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of Taybeh’s Church of Christ the Redeemer, told the Catholic, Arabic-language ACI MENA news service. “We do not live in peace but in daily fear and siege...Since last October, more than 10 families have left Taybeh due to fear from ongoing violence and harassment.”   

This and other videos embedded below are circulating on social media, purportedly capturing the settlers’ latest attacks on Taybeh this week (BBC confirms an attack took place on Wednesday): 

More horrific footage from the Israeli settler pogrom against the Christian village of Taybeh, Ramallah, in the West Bank, where settlers set houses and vehicles on fire. pic.twitter.com/97xW3epLEf

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) June 25, 2025

This is only the latest in an ongoing pattern of aggression directed toward Taybeh’s inhabitants, a pattern that has also included stealing farm equipment, and destroying crops with fire or by releasing settlers’ cattle to devour them, Catholic News Agency reports.  

Settlers have established an outpost on the town’s eastern edge, on the remains of a farmhouse abandoned by Christians who’d fled about a year ago under the growing settler campaign of violence and intimidation. An “outpost” is a Jewish settlement on Palestinian land that’s not authorized by the Israeli government. Outposts typically begin with something as small as a tent or a van, and are frequently situated on hilltops or agricultural land. In the case of “herding outposts,” settlers will bring livestock that they allow to graze over a wide area with the goal of establishing a larger claim. Despite outposts’ lack of government permission at the outset, the Israeli government often legalizes them retroactively, cementing the Palestinians’ loss of the land. (Note, there are both Christian and Muslim Palestinians, and both varieties experience the iniquities associated with being non-Jewish in the West Bank.)

Israeli settlers attack the Christian Palestinian village of Taybeh. Meanwhile, if Christians or Muslims defend themselves, the Israeli military will kill them.

pic.twitter.com/OHITkNqobp

— Khalil Sayegh (@KhalilJeries) June 25, 2025

The settler outpost on Taybeh’s periphery sits in an economically-essential agricultural zone that comprises 4,200 acres out of the town’s total 5,900 acres. The land is used for olive groves and seasonal crops, along with raising poultry and sheep. In the usual sequence of events, Jews in the outposts begin harassing the Palestinians whose families have long lived off that land, preventing them from accessing it. Such behavior is often carried out as Israeli security forces stand by and watch — often intervening only when Palestinians fight back.  

Local Christians say this agricultural-deprivation tactic is exactly what’s playing out in Taybeh: 

During the latest olive harvest season, for the second year in a row, farmers were barred from accessing their land near the Rimmonim settlement — which was built on confiscated Taybeh land — resulting in either theft or complete spoilage of the olive crop. Approximately 20 families were physically assaulted while trying to reach their land…. 

“These days, settlers are grazing their cows on a hill planted with olive and barley fields right next to people’s homes. Locals see this as part of a systematic effort to strangle them economically and push them out,” [said Father Fawadleh] — ACI MENA / Catholic News Agency

Horrific night in the West Bank: Israeli settlers are currently attacking the Christian village of Taybeh, near Ramallah—setting homes on fire and shooting at residents. pic.twitter.com/Ug8UzVg94b

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) June 25, 2025

Here, a Palestinian Christian explains how he, his family and fellow Taybeh residents are preyed upon by West Bank settlers seeking to take over the land: 

“Jesus Christ came here a week before he was crucified,” a Palestinian in Taybeh told me.

Taybeh is the largest Palestinian Christian community in the West Bank. Since October 7th, armed Jewish settlers and the Israeli army, emboldened by the war in Gaza, have been terrorizing… pic.twitter.com/0h1c4UPpuh

— Jeremy Loffredo (@loffredojeremy) March 31, 2024

The terrible treatment of Taybeh’s Christians helps explain why Israel-catering Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was booed of a stage in 2014 as he delivered a tin-eared keynote address at a gala hosted by In Defense of Christians (IDC), a nonprofit that seeks to counter persecution and mistreatment of Christians throughout the Middle East — including Israel. Video of the incident went viral again last week in the wake of Cruz’s disastrous interview with Tucker Carlson — in which Cruz insisted the Bible commands Christians to support the modern political entity that is the State of Israel.

At that 2014 IDC event, things quickly went south when Cruz dished out the Israel-pandering rhetoric that reliably draws applause when he’s addressing crowds with no knowledge of the plight of Christian Palestinians in Israel-controlled territory, in Taybeh and elsewhere. “In 1948, Jews throughout the Middle East faced murder and extermination and fled to the nation of Israel,” said Cruze. “And today, Christians have no better ally than the Jewish state,” he added — triggering murmurs and boos. Cruz attempted to plow on, saying, “Let me say this: those who hate Israel hate America. And those who hate Jews hate Christians.” The booing and heckling endured, forcing Cruz to abandon the event, saying, “If you will not stand with Israel and Jews, then I will not stand with you.” 

“If you don’t stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you.”

Remember when Ted Cruz was booed off stage at a fundraiser for persecuted Christians in the Middle East because he demanded allegiance to Israel? https://t.co/RbO4ekW73n pic.twitter.com/dQwgRHFa05

— Lucky Teter (@TheMagaHulk) June 18, 2025

Fifteen kilometers northeast of Jerusalem and 12 km northeast of Ramallah, Taybeh was established by the Canaanites between 2500 and 2900 BC. Three Christian communities live there harmoniously: Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Melkite Greek Catholic. With beautiful whitewashed homes, the original Church of St. George built by the Byzantines in the 4th century, the ruins of a Crusader castle, and described in the Bible (using the name “Ephraim”) as the place where Jesus sought refuge before being crucified, it has been an attractive destination for Christian tourists — though it’s unclear how much longer that will be the case.   

One thing is certain: Ted Cruz and groups like Christians United For Israel won’t be speaking out on behalf of Taybeh’s besieged residents anytime soon.  

Authored by Olivia Gomm via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The average asking price for rental units in Montreal increased by nearly 71 percent between 2019 and the first quarter of this year, according to Statistics Canada.

The average asking rent for a two-bedroom unit in Montreal was $1,130 in 2019, which increased by 70.8 percent to $1,930 by the first quarter of 2025, according to a quarterly report released by StatCan on June 25 in collaboration with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Montreal ranked 17th highest for average asking prices of two-bedroom apartments among 40 census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in Canada.

“Because prospective renters typically face higher rents compared with long-term tenants—whose rents reflect past leases and can also be subject to rent control regulations—asking rents offer a picture of current market trends,” StatCan said in the report.

Meanwhile, smaller CMAs in Quebec, such as Drummondville and Sherbrooke, recorded the lowest average asking rent prices in the first quarter of 2025. However, these two CMAs also had the largest growth in rental asking price from the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of this year.

Asking rent in Drummondville averaged $600 per month in 2019, which jumped to $1,200 per month in 2025, while the asking rent for Sherbrooke in 2019 was $660 and jumped to $1,250 this year.

Toronto, Vancouver

CMAs with the highest average asking rent experienced slower growth in prices between 2019 and 2025.

Toronto, for example, ranks second for highest asking prices. Average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto was $2,560 in the first quarter of 2019, and grew 5.1 percent to $2,690 in the first quarter of 2025.

Average asking rents declined during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, StatCan said, adding that the decrease was followed by an increase in the second half of 2023, reaching a peak of $2,920 for a two-bedroom unit. Year over year, asking rent decreased by 5.6 percent in Toronto from 2024 to this year’s first quarter.

Vancouver, which has the highest average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Canada, experienced stronger growth than Toronto over the six-year period. Average asking rent in Vancouver increased 27.3 percent from $2,490 in the first quarter of 2019, to $3,170 in the first quarter of this year.

Asking rent in Vancouver began to increase in 2021 and reached its peak of $3,580 by the third quarter of 2023. Prices then decreased by 7.8 percent from the first quarter of 2024 to that of this year.

‘Significant Pressures’

Canada’s housing department released a report on April 30 that indicated rent increases have reached a “record high” average of 8 percent annually, which exceeds both inflation and wage growth.

Canadian renters have been facing “significant pressures” due to high demand for rental housing with rental vacancy rates reaching a historical low in 2023, says Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada’s 2024 Transition Binder. The department added that the demand for rental housing has outpaced the supply in most city centres across Canada.

Canada’s increasing population, primarily driven by immigration, coupled with labour shortages in the construction industry and the rising cost of housing, are trends that have influenced the supply-and-demand dynamics in the housing market, the document says.

“Lack of growth in purpose-built affordable rental housing combined with the diminishing non-market housing stock is impacting social areas beyond housing (e.g., health) and disproportionately affecting newcomers, vulnerable and lower-income groups,” the Transition Binder says.

Far-left socialist and foreign-born Muslim Zohran Mamdani’s surprise primary victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the NYC mayoral race has sent shockwaves through the business community. Even more unsettling for pro-business leaders is the realization that a growing segment of voters in the sanctuary city appears completely detached from basic economic math—a symptom of a failed progressive-dominated education system that has glorified socialism while vilifying capitalism. 

Earlier this week, Dan Loeb, chief executive of hedge fund Third Point and a major Cuomo backer, put it best: “It’s officially hot commie summer.” Loeb was referring to Mamdani’s victory over Cuomo in the mayoral primary.

It’s officially hot commie summer.

— Daniel S. Loeb (@DanielSLoeb1) June 25, 2025

“The irony is that socialist policies that lead to hoarding of available housing and stifles investment in new housing leads to high housing costs; other well-intentioned anti-market attempts at wage control, excess regulation, a bloated government bureaucracy and confiscatory taxes cause this,” Loeb wrote on X earlier.

The irony is that socialist policies that lead to hoarding of available housing and stifles investment in new housing leads to high housing costs; other well-intentioned anti-market attempts at wage control, excess regulation, a bloated government bureaucracy and confiscatory…

— Daniel S. Loeb (@DanielSLoeb1) June 27, 2025

Loeb’s X post cited a Wall Street Journal article explaining that Mamdani’s rise to fame was fueled by young, white, college-educated New Yorkers who are increasingly frustrated by out-of-control living costs in the progressive city.

The CEO of Third Point emphasized: “Doubling down will not solve any of these problems while they may drive out the city’s tax base.”

Mamdani’s appeal among young, woke voters centers on his socialist agenda, including rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, and free bus rides.

Young socialists go wild while celebrating Zohran Mamdani winning the NYC Mayoral Democratic Primary.

pic.twitter.com/xD7eaE6U5b

— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 25, 2025

Mamdani’s supporters might want to revisit their college gender studies microeconomics textbooks and relearn that rent control suppresses the construction of new apartments by distorting the economic incentives for developers and investors.

Landlords, such as Danny Fishman, CEO of real estate investment firm Gaia Real Estate, told the Wall Street Journal that the Mamdani administration “would be the death penalty for the city.”

Fishman said a socialist in NYC City Hall “would be the best thing to happen to Miami and Palm Beach since Covid.”

“We’ve got to do something,” said Greg Kraut, chief executive of New York office landlord KPG Funds.

Kraut plans to set up meetings with Adams and the Republican Party to find “another viable path” instead of Mamdani.

“You’re going to see a ton of money coming into the race from all levels literally against this one person,” said Kraut.

Earlier this week, Goldman’s trading desk noted that its NYC Office REITs basket tumbled on the prospect of Mamdani winning. Their analysts said the “big focus is on the back of Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani winning last night. Lot of inbounds on what this potential administration means for NYC exposed REITs, particularly across Office and Apartment REITs with exposure to NYC.”

Anti-communist analyst Karlyn Borysenko commented on the NYC situation, suggesting that “maybe we need a little bit of accelerationism… maybe we need a socialist mayor to show the potential reality we’re dealing with.”

Borysenko warned that people need to wake up—and noted that the Republican Party certainly hasn’t yet understood the threat of a socialist takeover of America. In her view, it might take NYC going fully socialist for the rest of the country to finally pay attention. 

What I think about the incoming Socialist
Mayor of New York City. pic.twitter.com/3ciadAPr67

— Karlyn Borysenko, anti-communist cult leader (@DrKarlynB) June 25, 2025

We suspect Mamdani’s shocking win over Cuomo will mobilize pro-business leaders to begin their anti-socialist campaign. RIP NYC.

Kyle Bass to Loeb: 

You have to leave. Third Point’s HQ must move to DALLAS. Time for you to embrace your inner Texan.

— 🇺🇸 Kyle Bass 🇹🇼 (@Jkylebass) June 25, 2025

. . . 

Authored by Zena le Roux via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

“Eating too many eggs will raise your cholesterol.”

For many years, we were warned to limit eggs in our diet. However, in 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture removed any upper limit on dietary cholesterol from its Dietary Guidelines, marking a big shift in how we view foods like eggs.

Once considered villains of heart health, eggs are being re-evaluated as harmless when it comes to our hearts and as a nutrient-dense food that strengthens our muscles.

Eggs stand out as one of the most complete and bioavailable protein sources, making them an excellent choice for supporting muscle growth and maintenance, Jodi Duval, a naturopathic physician and owner of Revital Health, told The Epoch Times.

“They’re a staple in my clinical recommendations for anyone working on muscle mass, strength, or recovery,” she added.

Eggs Support Muscle

Egg protein is an excellent source of all the essential amino acids your body needs and is easy to digest. Thus, eggs are effective for building muscle and preventing loss, especially as we age.

In fact, eggs are likely the most digestible protein source—measured at 97 percent, compared with many plant proteins, which are digested at 45 to 80 percent.

Eggs are also very high in leucine, an amino acid considered to be the strongest stimulator of muscle growth and repair. For optimal muscle benefits, you need 700 to 3,000 milligrams of leucine daily. One egg contains about 500 milligrams, packed in just 72 calories, thus making it a great choice for muscle health.  

Eggs also contain other nutrients important for muscles, according to Duval. These include:

• Choline, which helps with muscle coordination
• Vitamin D, important for muscle strength
• Vitamins B12 and B2 support energy use in muscles
• Selenium, an antioxidant that helps with recovery
• Healthy fats, especially found in pasture-raised eggs, which contain omega-3s that reduce muscle inflammation

Omega-3 fats improve how muscles use amino acids and help reduce inflammation, which is important because inflammation can cause muscle loss.

Eggs are effective in helping to prevent muscle loss, or sarcopenia. Starting as early as age 30, adults begin to lose around 8 percent of their muscle mass each decade, a rate that accelerates after age 70.

The type and quality of protein in a meal are especially important as we age. Animal proteins, including eggs, are very effective at stimulating muscle maintenance in older adults. However, getting enough high-quality protein can be challenging for many seniors due to reduced appetite, difficulty chewing or swallowing, limited mobility, or tight budgets.

“Eggs really shine when it comes to preventing muscle loss in older adults,” Duval said.

They are affordable, easy to prepare, and rich in nutrients. Their high-quality protein, especially in the yolk, can improve the body’s ability to use protein effectively with age. Regularly including eggs in meals, particularly breakfast, can support muscle maintenance and improve strength and function in older adults, Duval explained.

Egg Whites Versus Yolks

Many people zero in on egg whites, assuming they’re the healthiest option. However, when it comes to muscle building, tossing the yolk means missing out on some of the egg’s most powerful benefits.

While the egg white provides a high-quality source of protein, the yolk contributes approximately 40 percent of the egg’s total protein content. More importantly, the yolk is rich in nutrients such as lipids, vitamins, minerals, and phosphatidic acid, a type of fat molecule that stimulates muscle growth.

Studies have shown that whole eggs offer greater muscle-building benefits than egg whites alone. In one study, healthy young men ate either whole eggs after a resistance training session, with 18 grams of protein and 17 grams of fat, or an equivalent amount of protein from egg whites, with 18 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat. The study found that whole eggs led to greater muscle building and repair, suggesting that the combination of nutrients in the yolk enhances the body’s ability to build muscle, even when total protein intake is the same.

How Many Eggs?

Around 20 grams of egg protein is enough to stimulate muscle growth after resistance training. Since one egg contains roughly 6 grams of protein, three eggs will get you close to the target.

How much you need also depends on your goals.

For athletes or those aiming to build muscle, Duval often recommends two to four eggs after a workout, along with a carbohydrate source to help replenish glycogen and support recovery.

For older adults, she suggests one to two eggs earlier in the day, like at breakfast, when protein timing is especially important to reduce muscle breakdown, regardless of activity level.

“For both athletes and older adults, consistency and spreading protein intake across the day are more important than loading it all at once,” she added.

Duval also emphasized the importance of egg quality. She always recommends pasture-raised, organic eggs when possible.

“They contain more omega-3s, antioxidants, and offer a better overall nutrient profile,” she said.

Easy and Creative Ways to Enjoy Eggs

Eggs are anything but boring, especially when you get a little creative in the kitchen.

Here are some of Duval’s favorite go-to recipes:

• Shakshuka: Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and capsicum sauce with cumin, paprika, and fresh herbs.
• Frittatas: A great way to use up greens, leftover vegetables, and flavor boosters like goat cheese or fresh herbs.
• Soft-boiled eggs with dukkah: A mixture of nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, dukkah pairs well with eggs.
• Scrambled eggs with turmeric and black pepper: Serve with kimchi for a gut-friendly, anti-inflammatory meal.
• Avocado and egg toast: Top with microgreens and chili flakes for a quick, protein-rich breakfast or lunch.

Duval also recommends prepping ahead: “Egg muffins, boiled eggs for snacks, or nourishing bowls topped with poached eggs are all great make-ahead options.”

Lena Beal, cardiovascular dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shared a few more fresh ideas with The Epoch Times:

• Stirred into oatmeal for a surprisingly tasty protein boost
• Japanese-style tamago or soy-marinated soft-boiled eggs
• Egg curry flavored with Indian spices

For those who don’t or can’t eat eggs, some egg substitutes—like tofu scramble or chickpea flour omelets—can offer some benefits when combined with other protein-rich foods, though they lack certain nutrients unique to eggs, such as vitamin B12 and choline.

Remember, eggs offer more than protein.

“They are one of the most complete, whole-food tools we have for strength and longevity at every life stage,” Duval said.

Authored by James Howard Kunstler,

Chaos Creeps In On Little Cat’s Feet

“Great cities fall to the sound of cheering crowds.”

– Ami Kozak on “X”

The Democratic Party put another bullet in its head this week with the election of the charming, affable jihadi communist Zohran Mamdani. Is “communist” too harsh a label? (He styles himself, softly, a “socialist.”) Yet his campaign platform looks like a template from the venerable Soviet Council of Ministers circa 1957: Free Everything: housing, buses and subways, college, child-care, government food stores. . . with a cherry-on-top of replacing police with social workers in high crime areas — because rapists and car-jackers would quit their rowdy ways if only they could talk about their feelings.

If you believe the news reports emanating from Woke Central, Zohran received major support from the folks who predominate the Upper West Side, where he was raised-up by his Columbia prof Dad and film-maker Mom. That is, voted in by the same high-income demographic that flocks to Zabar’s Deli on Sunday mornings for smoked sturgeon and babka — a curious alliance. I guess this solves the old riddle of why Europe’s Jews walked so placidly into Auschwitz.

“Life imitates art,” old Oscar Wilde liked to say, and with so many self-administered bullets in its head now, the Democratic Party looks more and more like The Walking Dead, a necromantic tribute to its erstwhile mascot, “Joe Biden,” the Phantom of the White House. Fortunately, the Latinx bombshell, AOC, America’s answer to Eva Peron, has stepped up to the leadership role, flanked by the foxy Jasmine Crockett, with their mentor, Bernie Sanders close at hand (on a leash, really) barking validation for the Party’s death trip.

It’s a wonder of our time (and its playful zeitgeist) that New Yorkers might choose a mayor even worse than the brain-dead colossus, Bill de Blasio, but there it is, in plain sight for all to behold. The Big Apple and its various services will now go from their currently merely broke-ass condition, to the complete collapse of infrastructure, transit, housing, revenue, business, and public safety, in other words, to true Third World authenticity! Serious people, who run viable businesses, support families, and pay whopping taxes, are in a panic, all a’chatter about moving elsewhere.

That chatter is not idle, especially among the class that owns major real estate, of which New York City has a frightening and increasingly obsolete inventory — hundreds of office skyscrapers running at fifty percent (or less) occupancy, which cannot cover their mortgages, maintenance, or taxes. What will become of them? I’ll tell you: some will be foreclosed-on, sold for dimes on the dollar (and fail again under new ownership,) and quite few will stand empty waiting for acanthus tree seeds to sprout on their empty windowsills.

Or, they will turn into “squats,” like the towers in the abandoned city center of Johannesburg that I saw visiting there ten years ago. Those giant office buildings were not converted into “residential,” you understand; folks were simply camping-out there, even with the electricity and water turned off. This is exactly what happens when you run the prosperous people, whom you hate, out of town, which is what happened in that sad-sack nation.

How many demonstration projects like that are needed to prove that communism with a racist frosting on top is a mug’s game.

Of course, we’re not there yet. Zohran hasn’t been sworn in, though the victory celebration just now looks like it’s fait accompli. You can only imagine the frantic conversation running between the old party poohbahs out in the cold: Chuck Schumer, Hakim, Nadler, Obama, even the loser, Cuomo, plus the non-elected party apparatchiks: Axelrod, Podesta, Carville, Plouffe, Emmanuel. . . . They’re not saying, but I bet many are silently wondering: Is there some way we can just disappear the guy? Make him go away? X him out? Cancel his ass? (Someone, for Godsake, find a couple of girls who will say he groped them in an elevator!)

Or maybe some electoral work-around? Maybe put what remains of the party’s dwindling financial mojo back behind Eric Adams — yes, he’s still Mayor — who supposedly quit the party (after they tried and failed to stuff him in prison) and is running for mayor now as an independent. . . but who will surely welcome whatever support and moolah they can bring to his cause. Adams’s two great virtues as a political figure: he’s not Bill de Blasio and he’s not Zohran Mamdani.

New York might go down the drain anyway. At least for a while. That broken business model for skyscrapers is not going away anytime soon, and neither is the greatly augmented Third World population funneled across the open border into New York City by “Joe Biden’s” shadowy minders. Will New York turn into that fairytale town whose economy subsisted on people simply taking in each other’s laundry?

Well, the city will always have its geographical assets, like, the best goshdarn ocean harbor in the whole east coast. Something will be there. . . some human agglomeration. But what? And over all of that, like the uncanny eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg in Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, looming above the ash-heaps of Queens County on the road to West Egg, lately rises the stern visage of Donald J. Trump, New York real estate mogul superbus, and now President of this sore-beset nation, watching events roll out.

Authored by Brad Jones via The Epoch Times,

The Trump administration has sued California’s Orange County Registrar of Voters Robert Page for allegedly withholding information that could reveal noncitizens were registered to vote.

The lawsuit, filed in federal district court, alleges that Orange County undermined voter confidence by “refusing transparency of its voter information in violation of federal voting laws” and  “concealing the unlawful registration of ineligible, noncitizen voters.”

“Voting by noncitizens is a federal crime, and states and counties that refuse to disclose all requested voter information are in violation of well-established federal elections laws” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division.

“Removal of noncitizens from the state’s voter rolls is critical to ensuring that the state’s voter rolls are accurate and that elections in California are conducted without fraudulent voting. The Department of Justice will hold jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal voting laws accountable,” she said.

The lawsuit alleges that Page has refused to provide the DOJ with records pertaining to the removal of noncitizens from its voter registration list and has failed to maintain an accurate voter list in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X on June 26 that Orange County refused “to hand over records showing noncitizens are registered to vote and received ballots in federal elections.”

Page did not respond directly to a media inquiry, but media liaison Enedina Chhim stated in an email to The Epoch Times that the county “does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation.”

The lawsuit stems from a complaint received by the Attorney General’s Office from the family member of a noncitizen in Orange County “indicating that the noncitizen received an unsolicited mail-in ballot” from the OC Registrar of Voters.

On June 2, 2025, the attorney general requested documents from Page from Jan. 1, 2020, “to present” showing the number of voter registration records in Orange County canceled because registrants didn’t meet citizenship requirements to vote, according to allegations in the complaint.

Page responded to the request but redacted information such a California driver’s licenses and identification card numbers, Social Security numbers, California secretary of State-assigned voter identification numbers, language preference, and images of registrants’ signatures, according to the complaint.

The legal complaint stated that Page cited state law as the reason for the redactions, and on June 17 the DOJ responded to him indicating the data redaction prohibits the Attorney General’s Office from making an accurate assessment of the whether the OC Registrar of Voters acted in compliance with HAVA and the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

The Attorney General’s Office holds that such records are not exempt from the NVRA’s public disclosure provision and is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief.

A class action lawsuit was filed Thursday against Walmart for firing Black workers with criminal records.  The suit follows years of accusations by progressive organizations claiming that Walmart has “shown a pattern of firing qualified Black workers” because of past involvement with the legal system – a practice they say perpetuates “racial and economic inequality”.

Former workers, attorneys and advocates gathered in Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago to announce the suit and argue their rationale:

“Having a record does not define you or your character,” said Marcos Ceniceros, with Warehouse Workers for Justice. “It should not determine your worth, and it certainly shouldn’t be used as an excuse to fire Black workers trying to build a better life.”

The argument assumes, of course, that Walmart has limited its firings to only black workers with criminal records.  Plaintiffs would have to show evidence that the company does not fire white workers with similar records, or that they have a blanket ban on those with criminal histories (federal law does not allow for blanket bans on hiring convicted criminals).

The criminal background issue also comes down to supply and demand – In a tightening labor market companies are less likely to overlook an employee with a record because they have plenty of applicants with clean histories.  In a choice between a criminal and non-criminal, it’s obvious who most employers would hire.  Ultimately, corporations have legal discretion to hire or not hire workers with detrimental backgrounds as long as they review all aspects of each application.

The race debate when it comes to practical business decisions is reminiscent of the ongoing conflict over “food deserts” in cities like Chicago in predominantly black neighborhoods.  Residents and city officials assert that mass retail closures in these neighborhoods constitute an attack on racial equality, but they continually ignore the key problem – High crime and high rates of theft in black areas.  

Actions have consequences, but race hustlers are trying to circumvent this reality.  Some people who have committed crimes and paid their debt to society might deserve a second chance.  Others might not.  Race has little to do with it, and it’s not up to business owners to take the risk simply because a worker is a minority.  

By extension, if a certain demographic is far more statistically prone to commit crimes, then businesses must take this into account.  They might not be able to legally admit it, but they can’t pretend the dynamic doesn’t exist.  The loss of access to employment and to close retail options is in the hands of the community and its residents.  They determine if companies stay or leave.  They determine if they are hired or fired.  

Accountability cannot be avoided forever under the guise of “equity”.    

Authored by Katabella Roberts via The Epoch Times,

Oklahoma has become the latest state to request federal permission to exclude soft drinks and candy from the list of items that can be purchased through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced on June 26.

Stitt made the announcement during an event at the state Capitol, alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as part of his “Make Oklahoma Healthy Again” (MOHA) campaign.

According to Stitt’s office, the campaign is a state-level extension of the national Make America Healthy Again movement championed by President Donald Trump and Kennedy.

“For far too long, we have settled for food that has made us sicker as a nation,” said Stitt. “In Oklahoma, we’re choosing common sense, medical freedom, and personal responsibility.”

Stitt said Oklahoma formally submitted the federal waiver to the Department of Agriculture amid growing bipartisan concern about the link between processed food consumption and chronic illnesses.

The move means Oklahoma joins a growing list of states seeking to remove the sugary items from the federal program that helps more than 42 million low-income Americans pay for food each month.

The governors of Arkansas and Indiana each submitted waivers on April 15, citing efforts to reduce chronic disease and ensure taxpayer funds in federal food assistance programs are used to help low-income Americans afford nutritious food.

Iowa and Nebraska have also submitted similar requests, while West Virginia and Utah have begun the process of pursuing similar changes to their SNAP program.

The American Beverage Association, a trade group whose members include producers and bottlers of soft drinks such as The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper, has consistently opposed the move, writing in an April statement that such waivers “won’t make an ounce of difference on health.”

The group pointed to data showing that obesity has skyrocketed in the past two decades while beverage calories per serving have dropped by 42 percent.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that approximately one in five American children and adolescents are obese, while 40 percent of school-age children and adolescents have at least one chronic health condition.

A 2016 report from the USDA showed that soft drinks were the number one food commodity by expenditure in the SNAP program.

The waivers come after Trump signed an executive order in February establishing the “Make America Healthy Again” commission as part of wider efforts to tackle America’s escalating health crisis.

The commission, which is chaired by Kennedy, is tasked with investigating and addressing the “root causes” of the crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic diseases. It must also produce a strategy, based on the findings of its assessment, to improve the health of America’s children.

According to the order, America’s health care system is largely focused on treating chronic illnesses instead of preventing them, which has led to a growing health crisis with serious economic and national security consequences.

As a result, Americans are becoming sicker and plagued by illnesses that the country’s medical system isn’t addressing effectively, the order says.

Speaking at the Oklahoma state Capitol, Kennedy said that if Americans want to drink a bottled soda, “you should be able to have that right,” however, he added that the federal government “should not be paying for it with taxpayer money.”

Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a $787 million lawsuit against Fox News claiming the company defamed him through its coverage of a phone call between the governor and President Donald Trump.

“No more lies,” Newsom wrote on social media platform X on June 27, confirming news of the lawsuit. “I’m suing Fox News for $787 million.”

The governor seeks damages for what he claims were lies about a phone call with the president. He has also asked the court for an order to stop Fox News from broadcasting or posting segments that say Newsom lied about the call.

Newsom also sent a letter to Fox News, demanding that it issue a retraction and that host Jesse Walters issue an on-air apology about the call.

If the news company and Walters meet those conditions, Newsom will drop the lawsuit.

Newsom’s latest legal action against Trump was done in a personal capacity, one of his official spokespersons, Brandon Richards, told The Epoch Times.

Rumors of a possible presidential run for Newsom have swirled in recent years, though he has denied any intention of entering the 2028 race. However, the governor hinted at the possibility in an interview with the Wall Street Journal for a profile published on June 10.

“I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold,” he said.

Fox News reported earlier this month that Newsom had lied when he claimed he did not get a call from Trump.

Trump shared with Fox News an alleged screenshot of a call the president said he had with the governor about the Los Angeles riots, dated 1:23 a.m. on June 7, that lasted 16 minutes.

“There was no call. Not even a voicemail,” Newson wrote in a June 10 post on X.

Fox News did not immediately return a request for comment.

Via The Libertarian Institute

Even after Tehran informed Washington that Iran would execute a symbolic retaliatory strike on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US military had to engage in its largest battle using Patriot missiles to date to repel the attack. 

On Monday, Iran fired 19 ballistic missiles at America’s largest Middle East air base. Most of the missiles were shot down by air defenses. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters, “We believe that this is the largest single Patriot engagement in US military history, and we were joined in this engagement by the Qatari Patriot crews.”

While Gen Caine did not disclose how many interceptors were fired, it was likely an expensive operation as each PAC-3 Patriot missile costs $4 million. Additionally, the supply of air defense is becoming increasingly limited due to the ongoing war in the Middle East and Ukraine. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate in May, “The Ukrainians asked for air defense systems — Patriot systems, which, frankly, we don’t have.”

After Israel launched its aggressive war against Iran, Tel Aviv’s supply of interceptors quickly dwindled. Within five days of the start of the war, multiple outlets reported Tel Aviv was nearly out of Arrow-3 interceptors and only had supplies to run the Iron Dome air defense system for less than two weeks. 

By the end of the short war, Israel was forced to ration its deployment of interceptors, leaving some areas vulnerable to Iranian strikes. After the war, President Donald Trump noted that “Iran hit Israel hard.”

Throughout the 12-day conflict, the US aided Israel in shooting down incoming Iranian missiles. The assistance put a strain on the Navy’s supply of interceptors.

Adm. James Kilby, the acting chief of naval operations, said while the US had enough SM-3 interceptors, they were being used “at an alarming rate” to defend Israel. 

The SM-3 can cost between $10 million and $30 million for a single missile.