‘We are bullish’: House GOP takes aim at these 26 Dem seats in midterms
The House GOP campaign committee is taking aim at more than two dozen Democrats in the chamber as it aims to expand its very fragile majority in next year’s midterm elections. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday released its initial target list for the 2026 midterms, which included 26 Democrats from coast to coast. Republicans currently control the House, when the chamber is at full strength, with a 220-215 majority. While the party in power, which clearly is the Republicans, traditionally faces serious political headwinds in the midterm elections, the NRCC chair is optimistic. FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKE AIM AT DEMOCRATS OVER THIS KEY VOTE Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., emphasized in an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” that 13 of the 26 House Democrats they are targeting are in districts that “were carried by President Donald Trump in the last election.” Hudson characterized the upcoming midterms as an “opportunity election for House Republicans.” And Hudson, who is steering the House GOP’s campaign arm for a second straight cycle, added, “We are bullish. Republicans are on offense thanks to Donald Trump.” HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES PREDICTION ABOUT 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS The Democrats on the NRCC’s target list include Reps. Josh Harder (9th District), Adam Gray (13th), George Whitesides (27th), Derek Tran (45th), and Dave Min (47th) of California; Darren Soto (9th) and Jared Moskowitz (23rd) of Florida; Frank Mrvan (1st) of Indiana, Jared Golden (2nd) of Maine; Kristen McDonald Rivet (8th) of Michigan; Don Davis (1st) of North Carolina; Chris Pappas (1st) of New Hampshire; Nellie Pou (9th) of New Jersey; and Gabe Vasquez (2nd) of New Mexico. Also on the list are Dina Titus (1st), Susie Lee (3rd) and Steven Horsford (4th) of Nevada; Tom Suozzi (3rd), Laura Gillen (4th) and Josh Riley (9th) of New York; Marcy Kaptur (9th) and Emilia Sykes (13th) of Ohio; Henry Cuellar (28th) and Vicente Gonzalez (34th) of Texas; Eugene Vindman (7th) of Virginia; and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (3rd) of New Mexico. The rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently released a list of what it considers its most vulnerable incumbents – known as Frontliners. Reps. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, John Mannion of New York and Janelle Bynum of Oregon all made the DCCC list, but were not included on the NRCC list. Meanwhile, Moskowitz, Pappas and Soto weren’t listed as Frontliners, but were included on the NRCC list. The DCCC, responding, pointed to their performance in last November’s elections when the Democrats took a small bite out of the GOP’s House majority. “House Democrats overperformed across the country in 2024, powered by our battle-tested candidates who won despite the NRCC’s false bravado and these Frontliners will win again in the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital. “The truth is House Republicans are running scared and refusing to hold town halls because they don’t want to get yelled at for their failure to lower prices, bungling the economy, and cutting Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk.”
DR Congo and M23 rebels confirm participation in Angola peace talks
Talks, which DRC previously rejected, will seek to resolve the spiralling conflict in the east of the country. The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, as well as the Congolese government, have confirmed that they will participate in peace talks in Angola. A spokesperson for the M23 said on Monday that a delegation has been sent to Angola’s capital, Luanda. The rebel group has captured key areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) mineral-rich east since the start of this year in a major offensive that has killed many thousands. A delegation representing the DRC is now in Luanda for Tuesday’s talks, a spokesperson for President Felix Tshisekedi told The Associated Press news agency. Tshisekedi had earlier refused direct negotiations with the rebel group over the conflict, which has longstanding roots. M23 has also sent a delegation to Luanda, spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said on X. Angola has been trying to mediate a ceasefire for many months. Peace talks were cancelled late last year after Rwanda insisted on direct dialogue between the DRC and M23, which the Congolese government refused. Advertisement However, Luanda announced last week that it would host direct peace negotiations. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa declared last week that the rebels had forced Tshisekedi to the negotiating table, saying “peace begins with dialogue. The sooner we talk, the sooner peace becomes a reality.” Humanitarian crisis The conflict in the eastern DRC escalated early this year when M23 rebels carried out a lightning offensive and seized the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern DRC, near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises. More than seven million people have been displaced, while 7,000 people have reportedly died since the start of the year. M23 is supported by about 4,000 soldiers from Rwanda, according to the United Nations, and has previously pledged to march to the DRC capital, Kinshasa. Rwanda says its forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and militias hostile to Kigali. The conflict, which has blighted the eastern DRC for decades, is rooted in the spillover into the country of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, as well as the struggle for control of its vast mineral resources. The UN Human Rights Council launched a commission in February to investigate atrocities, including allegations of rape and killing akin to “summary executions” by both sides. Adblock test (Why?)
The world must not accept the ‘new normal’ in Palestine
When I returned to my hometown near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank in January, the tension was palpable. It reminded me of the second Intifada, which I witnessed firsthand as a child. There was fear and anxiety and an increased sense of uncertainty due to constant attacks by Israeli settlers. Roads to and from the town were blocked by checkpoints, leading to hours-long waits and humiliation for Palestinians trying to enter or leave. Weeks before I visited, Israeli settlers had set fire to my family’s land during the olive-picking season. This followed a similar attack last summer and two more the year before, which had destroyed property, crops, and ancient olive trees. My father told me he stood powerless, unable to extinguish the fire as the armed settlers were protected by Israeli forces. Even if the soldiers hadn’t been there to prevent any action to save the property, there would not have been enough water available to put out the fire because it is diverted by nearby illegal settlements. Advertisement The situation across the occupied West Bank has been worsening for years, but violence escalated sharply after October 7, 2023. Nearly half of all Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces or settlers since records began were killed in just the past two years. So far this year, that violence has seen a two-year-old shot in the head by an Israeli sniper inside her family home, and a 23-year-old pregnant woman killed by Israeli fire. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern where Palestinians are killed in unprecedented ways, at unprecedented rates. Israeli military raids on Palestinian homes and arbitrary detention have become a daily occurrence. Of the 10,000 Palestinians lingering in Israeli prisons, more than 300 are children, most of whom face no charge and have no way of knowing if or when they will see their families again. Villages are attacked, homes are demolished, and property is destroyed at accelerated rates. The architecture of occupation — checkpoints, barriers, and permits — has intensified and made daily life unbearable for Palestinians. Nearly 900 new military checkpoints and barriers have been installed since October 7. This has led to severe movement restrictions and disruptions to essential services, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. What was once unprecedented has become “routine” – and the world seems to be getting used to it. Our new reality includes Israeli air strikes on refugee camps, hospitals under siege, children shot in front of their homes. Such incidents of brutal violence have become regular occurrences, just like in Gaza. Advertisement Remember the first hospital attack in Gaza? The first targeting of a school sheltering the displaced? The first fire from an Israeli air strike tearing through tents of the displaced and burning people alive? Now try to remember the last one. Such violent incidents have become so normalised that they are ultimately accepted as a grim reality in a faraway land. The same is now happening in the occupied West Bank. As Save the Children’s representative to the United Nations, I see how this dynamic is reflected on the international stage. The persistent lack of meaningful accountability for Israeli forces has fostered a culture of impunity — allowing acts like bombing schools, burning down homes, and the killing of journalists and humanitarian workers to become perceived as “normal”. And even when the spotlight is cast on Palestine at global events, it seems to make no difference. Earlier this month, the Palestinian-Israeli film No Other Land won the Oscar for best documentary. Accepting the award, Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra expressed his hope that his infant daughter would not have to live the same life that he was currently living – always fearing settler violence, home demolitions and forced displacement. Despite the film winning the highest accolades (or perhaps because of it), the attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers on Masafer Yatta, Adra’s community, have only intensified. There has been no meaningful action from the international community about it. People can be forgiven for being overwhelmed in the face of relentless brutality taking place for more than a year and a half now. It’s only human to feel numb. Besides, so many people have been exposed to media coverage that has systematically dehumanised Palestinians and sidelined their voices, severing human connection and empathy. Advertisement But governments cannot be forgiven for taking no action. They have a legal obligation to uphold international law. Its norms are not relative; they are not up for negotiation. The truth is that the shocking violations taking place in Gaza and the West Bank have been normalised because they are being accepted by those entrusted to uphold the norms of international law. We must demand that international bodies and governments take concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. This includes suspending arms transfers and supporting mechanisms that challenge impunity for those who flout international law. The global community must act decisively to restore respect for international law. States that ignore these laws undermine the very foundation of a rules-based global order. While those who violate children’s rights and international law bear ultimate responsibility, all member states of the United Nations have a duty under the Geneva Conventions to ensure adherence to these principles. Weekly massacres are not normal. A population brought to the brink of a man-made famine is not normal. Air strikes on refugee camps are not normal. A two-tier system of rights based on ethnicity is not normal. Detaining, imprisoning and killing children is not normal. The time for passive observation has passed. The world must demand accountability, support humanitarian efforts, and refuse to accept the unacceptable. Every delay costs more lives; every delay weakens the system designed to keep people across the world safe. Only through collective action can we break this cycle of violence and ensure a future where children in Palestine and Israel, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, are protected and valued. Advertisement The views expressed in this article are the author’s own
Will Gen Z ever be able to retire?
We look at how Gen Z is reshaping the very concept of retirement. Millions of young workers are turning away from traditional retirement plans, arguing that the system no longer reflects today’s economic realities. Generation Z isn’t interested in climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, they’re forging their own paths. But will they ever be able to truly retire? With soaring costs, job instability and an uncertain economy, traditional pensions feel like a relic of the past. Does Gen Z need to prepare for a lifetime of work? Presenter: Anelise Borges Guests:Teresa Ghilarducci – Economics professor, The New SchoolJulie Rose – Travel coach and digital nomad blogger Adblock test (Why?)
SHOCKING! Anonymous letter exposes sexual abuse of students by UP teacher, 59 obscene videos surface
UP police are searching for suspended college Chief Proctor Rajnish Kumar, accused of sexually abusing students, recording videos, and using them for blackmail.
‘Face of evil’: Catholic Church named after St. Patrick vandalized with Satanic message
Federal and local authorities are investigating a possible hate crime after a Catholic Church named after St. Patrick was discovered with “extensive vandalism,” including a Satanic message in Wichita, Kansas. Police arrested a 23-year-old man in relation to the case, but authorities are continuing their investigation. The damage included the beheading of a statue of St. Patrick, the breaking of candles and windows, and the burning of an American flag. The vandalism also included a Satanic website being scrawled onto the Church’s wall, according to a statement by the Catholic Conference of Kansas. The Catholic conference responded to the incident by saying, “This is the face of evil.” The conference said the website is the same type of group that will be holding a Satanic worship ritual at the Kansas State Capitol on March 28. TRUMP PLEDGES TO MAKE US CAPITAL ‘CRIME-FREE’ AND THE ‘TALK OF THE WORLD’ Church members could not hold services on Saturday due to the attack, the conference said in a post that included pictures of the damage. “This is the hate crime scene at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wichita. After forcing their way inside, statues were destroyed, glass smashed and other extensive damage exacted upon this sacred space,” said the conference. The Wichita Police Department also released a statement in which it said it is working with federal law enforcement to launch a “full-scale investigation.” According to the statement, police arrested a suspect in connection with the attack, a 23-year-old man from Saline County, at 2:20 a.m. on Sunday. Local outlet Salina Post identified the man as Michael Angel Gonzalez, citing Sedgwick County booking records. DANCING TRANSGENDER HECKLERS SHUT DOWN PARENTS’ EVENT AT BLUE STATE’S CAPITOL: ‘SAD AND UNFORTUNATE’ The man was arrested without incident and was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on charges of Burglary, Criminal Desecration, and Criminal Damage to Property. The police said the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County district attorney and federal prosecutors for formal charging considerations. Speaking at the scene, Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan called the attack “disgusting,” according to local outlet KSNW. “It doesn’t matter what denomination. People should feel safe there, and they should feel that it’s a place that would be respected,” he said. Sullivan said, “this reprehensible act of vandalism will not be tolerated.” ICONIC ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE STARTING EARLIER TO PREVENT ‘TOMFOOLERY’ AFTER PAST ‘REGRETTABLE MOMENTS’ Despite the attack, Sullivan posted on Sunday that the church congregation – which is predominantly Hispanic – held a St. Patrick’s Day parade. “This afternoon, I attended the St. Patrick Catholic Church St. Paddy’s Day parade, where the congregation and the community came together in celebration,” he said. “Their resilience was evident, especially after the heartbreaking burglary and vandalism that occurred yesterday.” He added, “It was even more meaningful to know that the suspect responsible for this terrible act was taken into custody before sunrise, thanks to the swift and dedicated work of WPD officers. Great job to our team for getting him off the streets and behind bars!”
DHS’ Kristi Noem says Trump admin will resume construction of 7 miles of southern border wall
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced the building of seven miles of new border wall in Arizona as part of the administration’s efforts to “make America safe again.” Noem’s announcement, coming in a short video posted to her X account, marks the beginning of additional border wall construction along the southern border during the second Trump administration. The DHS said in a press release Friday that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) had awarded the first contract of President Donald Trump’s second term to Granite Construction Co. for more than $70 million, which will result in seven miles of new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, according to Noem’s announcement. “Everybody, I’m here in Arizona, and right at this spot, you can see where the border wall ends,” Noem said while standing along the border, donning a CBP hat and jacket. “As of today, we’re starting 7 new miles of construction, we’re going to continue to make America safe again.” VETS GROUP PATCHING BORDER FENCE PLEDGES VIGILANCE AMID TRUMP SUCCESS: ‘THERE ARE STILL GAPS’ The new wall will be paid for via CBP’s Fiscal Year 2021 funds, per DHS. Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden, moved on his first day in office to halt all border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. In late 2023, construction on roughly 20 miles of border barriers in South Texas was allowed to commence under Biden, since the money had already been appropriated by Congress during Trump’s first administration. Under Trump’s first term, approximately 458 miles of primary and secondary barriers were built, per CBP data. This included parts of the current wall that were dilapidated and needed to be replaced. SANCTUARY CITY LAWYERS PLOT TO HELP ILLEGAL MIGRANTS EVADE ICE IN EXPOSED GROUP EMAIL Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas that he was under the belief that Trump was hoping to build a wall across every mile of the southern border by the end of his term in 2029. “I think the president’s hope is that by the end of the term we build the entire border wall,” the vice president told reporters during a press conference. “And, of course, that’s the physical structure — the border wall itself — but we even heard today, there are so many good technological tools, so many great artificial intelligence-enabled technologies” that can also be used to secure the border, Vance added. CALIFORNIA EXPLOITING MEDICAID ‘LOOPHOLE’ TO PAY BILLIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS’ HEALTHCARE, STUDY SAYS The number of illegal migrant “gotaways,” or the number of successful illegal crossings, which are recorded using cameras and other surveillance methods, has dropped as much as 90% since Trump took office, according to some estimates based on numbers reported by Fox News’ Bill Melugin last week. According to the numbers reported by Melugin, border agents have been spotting an average of 77 “gotaways” per day, while during the height of the immigration crisis under Biden, that number reached as much as 1,800 per day, according to reports.
Vadodara Car Accident: Drugs found in accused Rakshit Chaurasia’s blood in narcotics test
The blood samples of Rakshit Chaurasiya, the accused driver in Vadodara car accident case, contain drugs, according to the Vadodara police who is currently investigating the in the case.
‘Dangerous’ order by liberal judge to rehire federal workers should go to SCOTUS, Trump says
President Donald Trump said the U.S. Supreme Court may need to decide if a Clinton-appointed judge can require the administration to reinstate thousands of probationary workers fired as the administration moves to shrink the federal workforce. “It’s a judge that’s putting himself in the position of the president of the United States, who was elected by close to 80 million votes,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on a flight back to Washington Sunday night. “That’s a very dangerous thing for our country. And I would suspect that we’re going to have to get a decision from the Supreme Court.” U.S. District Judge William Alsup, issued the order last week during a federal court hearing in San Francisco on a lawsuit brought by labor unions and other organizations challenging the mass firings ordered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). SECOND JUDGE REQUIRES TRUMP ADMIN TO REHIRE PROBATIONARY WORKERS LET GO IN MASS FIRINGS “And that’s a very dangerous decision for our country, because these are people in many cases, they don’t show up for work. Nobody even knows if they exist. And a judge wants us to pay them, even if they don’t know they exist and if they exist,” Trump said. “And I don’t think that’s going to be happening. But we’ll have to say you have to speak to the lawyers about that.” Shortly after Alsup’s order, a second judge – appointed by former President Barack Obama – also issued a ruling ordering the Trump administration to rehire the fired workers. In Baltimore, U.S. District Judge James Bredar, ruled the firings should cease for two weeks while the federal workforce returns to its previous regulations, arguing the Trump administration ignored procedures for mass layoffs. JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMIN TO REINSTATE PROBATIONARY WORKERS FIRED AT 6 AGENCIES Trump, calling the order “absolutely ridiculous,” ordered the mass layoffs across six government agencies: the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Treasury. The Trump administration has already filed an appeal to the order, arguing that states have no standing to influence the federal government’s relationship with its employees. Trump’s attorneys contend the layoffs were performance-related, not subject to the regulations governing large-scale reductions. Probationary workers – employees who are still within their initial trial period of employment – have been the target of the layoffs since they’re typically new to the job and lack certain civil protection benefits offered to government employees. Several lawsuits have already been filed over the mass firings. BLUE STATE OFFERS TO HIRE FEDERAL WORKERS FIRED BY DOGE The Trump administration’s lawyers find themselves busy as more than 100 lawsuits have been filed against Trump’s orders since he took office in January. Trump has already filed an emergency petition last week in the high court asking justices to allow parts of his executive order restricting birthright citizenship to take effect while other legal battles in the states play out.
Americans want smaller government but new polls shows whether they like how Musk, DOGE, are going about it
Americans like the idea of downsizing the federal government but are far from thrilled with how billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are carrying out cuts to the federal bureaucracy, according to new national polling. President Donald Trump, after winning back the White House in last November’s election, created DOGE with marching orders to overhaul and downsize the federal government. Trump named Musk, the world’s richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, to steer the organization. DOGE has swept through federal agencies during the first two months of the Trump administration, rooting out what the White House argues was billions in wasteful federal spending. Additionally, it has taken a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, resulting in a massive downsizing of employees. The moves by DOGE grabbed tons of national attention and have triggered a slew of lawsuits in response. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS ON ELON MUSK American voters, by a 46%-40% margin in an NBC News poll conducted March 7-11 and released on Sunday, said creating DOGE was a good idea rather than a bad idea. However, when asked about their feelings towards DOGE, 47% of respondents held negative views, with 41% saying they saw DOGE in a positive light. It is a similar story in a Reuters/IPSOS survey conducted March 11-12. By a 59%-39% margin, Americans questioned in the poll said they supported downsizing the federal government. NEW POLLS SPELL TROUBLE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY However, 59% opposed the firing of tens of thousands of federal workers, with 38% supporting the moves by the Trump administration, and by a 50%-38% margin, they said Trump and Musk had gone too far in cutting federal spending. Trump has repeatedly praised Musk for his efforts with DOGE, including during a primetime address earlier this month to a joint-session of Congress. During an interview a week ago on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump called Musk a “real patriot” whose efforts have “opened a lot of eyes.” However, Americans do not hold such rosy views of Musk, according to the surveys. Only 39% of those questioned in the NBC News poll had a positive view of Musk, with 51% holding a negative view. He was underwater at 38% favorable and 59% unfavorable in the Reuters/Ipsos survey. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS SHOW According to a Quinnipiac University national poll conducted March 6-10, 60% disapproved of the way Musk and DOGE are dealing with workers employed by the federal government, with only 36% approving. The survey’s release noted that “54% of voters think Elon Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, while 40% think they are helping the country.” A CNN poll conducted March 6-9 indicated that more than six in 10 thought the cuts by DOGE would go too far and that important federal programs would be shut down, with 37% saying the cuts wouldn’t go far enough in eliminating fraud and waste in the government. It appears Trump is well aware of the negative reviews for Musk and DOGE. Two weeks ago, Trump told the Cabinet secretaries that they, rather than Musk, would be in charge of department downsizing at their agencies. In a social media post, Trump said they would use a “scalpel” rather than a “hatchet” in making government staffing cuts.