It's Been Reported

DOJ Charges Dozens Of Alleged Tren De Aragua Gang Members With Drug Trafficking, Murder-For-Hire (Just the News) — The Justice Department on Monday announced charges for nearly 30 suspected members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Colorado, including drug-trafficking and murder-for-hire charges. The charges stem from a nine-month investigation into crime at an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, which made headlines last year after the gang allegedly took over the complex. The department said 28 people faced a total of 39 charges related to the crime spree. Other charges include firearms trafficking, using guns in drug crimes and illegal possession of firearms, Fox News reported. Five people were charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. "The charges tell a story of people selling guns and drugs – lots of them," U.S. Attorney for Colorado Peter McNeilly said during a press conference. "The affidavits which have been filed in this case also tell a story of a murder-for-hire plot and other crimes that the defendants were willing to commit, such as sex trafficking." See full story	The Housing Market Hurts Americans, And Trump Blames Powell (PJ Media) — The housing market continues to exclude more and more Americans, and President Donald Trump says the woke head of the Federal Reserve is exacerbating the crisis. Amid still-rising inflation and Jerome Powell’s stubborn refusal to cut interest rates as Trump wants, the economy continues to miss the mark. And fewer than a third of U.S. homes are now within the typical household’s buying range. On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Could somebody please inform Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell that he is hurting the Housing Industry, very badly? People can’t get a Mortgage because of him. There is no Inflation, and every sign is pointing to a major Rate Cut. ‘Too Late’ is a disaster!” Trump also took aim at Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, posting, “Cook must resign, now!!!” Trump has been at loggerheads with Powell and other Federal Reserve officials over Powell’s awful policies and the boondoggle of a building renovation project into which the Fed has poured $2.5 billion. Powell, on his side, has been blocking Trump as much as possible and trying to extend the Biden economic crisis. See full story
Parts Of Russia Face Gasoline Shortages After Ukraine Struck Refineries MOSCOW (Reuters) — Several regions in Russia and parts of Ukraine it controls are reporting gasoline shortages after Ukraine stepped up attacks on Russian oil refineries this month, and amid a seasonal surge in fuel demand. Russia imposed a gasoline exports ban for oil producers on July 28 in a bid to prevent shortages at a time of peak demand because of summer travel and grain harvesting. But some market participants said this will not be enough to avert a fuel crunch. The problem is being aggravated by logistical bottlenecks, low domestic stocks and repair work at refineries, they said. Since early August, Ukraine has targeted a number of oil refineries including Novokuibyshevsk, Syzran, Ryazan and Volgograd in response to Moscow's missile and drone attacks. In Russia's far eastern region of Primorye, local media reported lines stretching back kilometres (miles) as motorists queued to fill up with gasoline. Authorities blamed an influx of tourists. See full story	Top Trump Agency Slashes Billions In Government Waste With Move To Expose 'abuse' Of U.S. Tax Dollars (Fox News) — The Department of Homeland Security announced $12 billion in savings as a result of a contract review process and other cuts over the past two hundred days. DHS says Secretary Kristi Noem is personally reviewing and signing off on or declining any contract over $100,000, resulting in a $10.7 billion reduction, the department says. She’s reviewed over 5,000 contracts, and DHS says decisions are made within a day. "It is stunning that, for years, career bureaucrats were unilaterally signing off on hundred-million-dollar contracts leading to massive waste, fraud and abuse of U.S. taxpayer dollars," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated. "While lobbyists and special interests are fighting for government contracts, Secretary Noem is fighting for the American taxpayer. In less than seven months, she’s saved the U.S. taxpayer $12 billion – that’s more than $50 million a DAY since she took office," Noem continued. See full story
Hundreds Of DoD Civilians Accept Call Of Duty In Southern Border Mission Under Trump’s Order (Fox News) — Defense Department civilians are volunteering by the hundreds for temporary details with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), joining efforts to bolster operations at the troubled southern border under President Donald Trump’s priority to secure it. In under 48 hours, nearly 500 volunteers answered the president's call of duty, as assignments became available via USAJOBS.com. Recruiting agencies include Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "This is a national security problem, and our civilians have the critical skill sets to support DHS in their mission," Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Civilian Personnel Policy Michael A. Cogar said. "We're proud that our civilians are already willing to sign up." Assignments last up to 180 days, providing skills ranging from intelligence analysis to detention support. A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital the initiative reflects Trump’s "whole-of-government approach" to removing national security threats, including gang members and terrorists. See full story	DFL Vacates Fateh’s Endorsement For Minneapolis Mayor, Citing ‘Substantial Failures’ In Process (KSTP News) — The Minnesota DFL (Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party) vacated its endorsement of State Sen. Omar Fateh for Minneapolis mayor after a review panel found glaring flaws in the voting process. A flurry of challenges were submitted to the state DFL in the wake of last month’s Minneapolis DFL Convention, pointing out issues with the electronic voting system and questioning whether a quorum was present for the final ballot that clinched Fateh’s endorsement over incumbent Jacob Frey. The Minneapolis DFL also admitted it erroneously eliminated DeWayne Davis after the first round of voting due to an undercount of 176 votes. “After a thoughtful and transparent review of the challenges, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee found substantial failures in the Minneapolis Convention’s voting process on July 19th, including an acknowledgement that a mayoral candidate was errantly eliminated from contention,” DFL Party Chairman Richard Carlbom said in a statement. “As a result, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee has vacated the mayoral endorsement.” See full story
Trump Orders Review Of ‘Woke’ Content In U.S. Museums (Epoch Times) — President Donald Trump has instructed legal experts to review “woke” installations in museums nationwide. According to an Aug. 19 post on Truth Social, the president believes that museums are the “last remaining segment of ‘WOKE,’” and he wants to address the issue the same way his administration has treated colleges and universities. Trump pointed specifically to a Washington icon as an example of the issue, saying, “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been – Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.” According to the president, his administration won’t allow the current trajectory to continue, and attorneys will “go through” the museums to “start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities,” with which he said there has been substantial progress. See full story	MSNBC To Be Rebranded MS NOW, Dropping Peacock From Logo (The Hill) — Versant is rebranding MSNBC as MS NOW, which stands for My Source for News, Opinion and the World, and dropping the iconic Peacock logo as part of the change. The rebrand, announced Monday, is part of Comcast’s efforts to separate the progressive cable news channel from NBC News and its other assets as it works to spin off its linear cable properties by the end of this year. “As we all know, the peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,” Mark Lazarus, CEO of Versant, the new company set up by Comcast as part of its spinoff efforts, wrote to employees in a memo shared with The Hill. “This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.” See full story
This Deadly Velociraptor Cousin Brandished Giant Razors For Its Thumbs (Nature) — Velociraptor has a new cousin, which may have been even more deadly. The new species has been named Shri rapax, and unlike its famous relative it appears to have brandished killer claws on its oversized hands. The movies may have vastly exaggerated Velociraptor's size – it was closer to a turkey than a human – but one thing they did get right was the weapon of choice: a large, cruelly curved claw on the toe. The new species, S. rapax, was a similar size but seemed to focus its strength into its upper body. Its hands were much bulkier – especially the thumb, where prominent bone structures "suggest the tight anchoring of well-developed flexor muscles", the researchers write. See full story	ICE Rescues 27, Including 10 Children, From Human-Trafficking Ring (Daily Signal) — Immigration enforcement authorities rescued 27 human-trafficking victims in Nebraska last week. Among the victims Immigration and Customs Enforcement rescued were 10 children under the age of 12, according to the Department of Homeland Security. “Our brave ICE law enforcement rescued these children and women, who were being sexually exploited and trafficked,” said Tricia McLaughlin, assistant DHS secretary. The human-trafficking ring was being run by illegal aliens, according to the DHS. President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem “will not allow children and women to be victims of these heinous human-trafficking rings,” McLaughlin said. “Our message to human traffickers is clear: We will dismantle your networks, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. That’s a promise.” See full story
FBI Arrests Woman On 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' Hiding In India, Transports To U.S. For Prosecution (Fox News) — The FBI captured and arrested an individual on the FBI’s "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list, Cindy Rodriguez Singh, in India, for a warrant for the murder of her 6-year-old son, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital has learned that Rodriguez Singh had an active federal warrant for "unlawful flight to avoid prosecution," and an active Texas state warrant for "capital murder of a person under 10 years of age." Rodriguez-Singh allegedly fled the United States to avoid prosecution on charges related to the murder of her child, Noel Rodriguez Alvarez. On Oct. 3, 2024, an INTERPOL Red Notice was published for Rodriguez Singh and submitted to all member countries, including India. At that time, an extradition packet for Singh was also submitted. The FBI, in coordination with Indian authorities and INTERPOL, arrested Rodriguez Singh in India. She has been transported to the United States and the FBI will turn her over to Texas authorities. See full story	Infections From Flesh-Eating Bacteria Are Spreading To New Areas (MedicineNet \| HealthDay) — Health experts across the country are issuing warnings about a surge in infections from a "flesh-eating" bacterium known as Vibrio vulnificus. Typically found in the warm, salty waters of the Gulf Coast, the bacteria are now appearing in new areas, with experts pointing to climate change as a key factor in their northward migration along the east coast, The Associated Press reports. The bacteria thrive in warm, brackish water – a mixture of fresh and saltwater found in estuaries and lagoons. While most infections are reported between May and October in Gulf Coast states, cases have been documented as far north as New England, where a recent case on Massachusetts' Cape Cod prompted a public health alert. Vibrio vulnificus is a particularly dangerous type of Vibrio bacteria. While most of the more than 1,000 Vibrio illnesses reported each year in the U.S. are less severe, Vibrio vulnificus accounts for about 200 cases. As many as 1 in 5 cases end in death, much higher than other strains, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). See full story