Drudge Retort: LampLighter's blog

US-Iran deal redraws Middle East: Iran gains, Rivals lose

LampLighter — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 01:29:40 -0400

U.S.-Iran deal hailed by supporters as historic "grand bargain".

Critics say accord legitimises and strengthens Iran.

To Israel, the deal is strategic setback undermining core goals Lebanon pulled into U.S.-Iran framework, limiting its own track.

Gulf states alarmed by shifting regional order.

Trump Plans to Protect Methane-Leaking Stripper Wells.

lamplighter — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:24:47 -0400

Reporting Highlights...

Climate Rollbacks: Trump's EPA is planning to weaken restrictions on oil and gas wells that produce very little energy but release vast amounts of methane.

A Wealthy Beneficiary: Oil billionaire Jeffery Hildebrand, a major Trump donor, is set to reap the benefits. Society as a whole will deal with the environmental costs.

The Influence Campaign: A former Hildebrand lobbyist now rewriting the EPA's methane rules has solicited input from oil industry groups backed by the billionaire.

Republicans fear Trump is hurting their chances.

LampLighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:01:27 -0400

President Donald Trump believes he handed Republicans a winning playbook for the midterms -- if only they'd follow it. Gerrymander everywhere possible, get rid of the filibuster, fire the Senate parliamentarian and pass the SAVE America Act.

ICE detention center deathrate more than doubles under Trump

lamplighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:15:16 -0400

Experts raise concerns about medical care, supervision in ICE detention centers. ICE death records lack critical information - such as medications and emergency response records. DHS says it is committed to ensuring 'safe, secure and humane environment' for detainees.

Ukraine's point system rewards are steering drone units

LampLighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:56:02 -0400

Ukraine's e-Points system is pushing soldiers toward higher-value Russian targets. Units earn points for confirmed hits and use them to buy drones, robots, and other gear. The system shows how Ukraine is using incentives, data, and decentralization to fight faster.

Approval of Paramount-Warner Bros Deal Surprised DOJ Lawyers

LampLighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:30:12 -0400

When the US Department of Justice approved Paramount Skydance's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on Friday, a DOJ press release said "a rigorous eight-month investigation led by the [Antitrust] Division's career staff" showed that the $111 billion deal would not harm competition or American consumers.

Trump Blows Through His Iran Red Lines to Justify Peace Deal

lamplighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:36:49 -0400

President Donald Trump and his team had several red lines that they used to justify the US war against Iran. At a press conference on Wednesday, Trump largely brushed them aside.

Netanyahu and Trump on Collision Course

lamplighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:30:17 -0400

Benjamin Netanyahu bet that his joint war alongside Donald Trump would topple Iran's clerical rulers and bolster himself ahead of elections at home, as the architect of a U.S.-Israeli alliance that would reshape the Middle East.

High Operational Cost Cited for Alligator Alcatraz's Closing

lamplighter — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:33:55 -0400

Florida will soon close Alligator Alcatraz, a highly publicized immigration detention center that opened in the Everglades less than a year ago, according to multiple news reports citing unidentified officials.

Google Earth's Flight Simulator Lets You Visit the World

lamplighter — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 23:32:00 -0400

We've all heard of Microsoft's Flight Simulator, but not everyone has a strong enough machine to run it smoothly.

OpEd: Inside the Coming War over Face Cameras

LampLighter — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:32:35 -0400

The tech industry is about to flood the market with AI glasses with cameras for multimodal AI. But the public is already turning against the idea. Who will win?

Tesla Presented Misleading 'Full Self-Driving' Safety Data

lamplighter — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:32:15 -0400

In its efforts to secure European approval of its "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system, Tesla has presented self-published safety statistics to regulators in Sweden and the Netherlands that independent traffic-safety researchers have said amount to misleading marketing.

Heart Protection from COVID Shots Remains Amid Updates

LampLighter — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:31:55 -0400

Despite continued benefits, anti-vaccine rhetoric has driven down vaccination.

Only 3% of Recent ICE Detainees Had Violent Felony Conviction

lamplighter — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:33:56 -0400

Trump had pledged to target the "worst of the worst" criminal offenders.

Measles Outbreak in Virginia County Grows to Nearly 90 Cases

lamplighter — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:30:46 -0400

A measles outbreak in Buckingham County, Va., has grown to nearly 90 confirmed cases. State health officials are asking anyone who may be sick or who is not vaccinated to avoid large gatherings.