Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has ramped up immigration detention, with private contractors operating much of the required infrastructure -- and reaping hundreds of millions of dollars in Immigration and Customs Enforcement contracts after making significant contributions to the president's political operations.
Last August, as part of the federal government's crackdown on people in the country illegally, the Trump administration sent states the names of hundreds of thousands of Medicaid enrollees with orders to determine whether they were ineligible based on immigration status. But seven months later, findings from five states shared with KFF Health News show that the reviews have uncovered little evidence of a widespread problem.
A popular conservative social media figure claims that liberals have been exaggerating their political influence, insisting that conservative voices are a silent majority suppressed by fear of losing jobs. A self-described entrepreneur and CEO, Sabina Gilman, posted her thoughts
Powerful explosives were found near the Balkan Stream pipeline in Serbia that carries Russian gas to Hungary ... read more
Members of Elon Musk's private security team were deputized as federal agents last year even though some of the billionaire's guards lacked the required training and law enforcement experience, according to newly released government emails.
Iran nuclear deal
en.wikipedia.org
... The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA...),[5][6] more commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal or Iran deal, was an agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear program in return for sanctions relief and other provisions.
The agreement was finalized in Vienna on 14 July 2015, between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)"China, France, Russia, the U.K., U.S. -- plus Germany)[a] together with the European Union. ...
When Pres Trump speaks of his "weaving" comments, is he really just admitting his possible dementia?
For example ...
What is artificial intelligence (AI) in finance?
www.ibm.com
...
Artificial intelligence in finance refers to the transformative use of technologies, including advanced algorithms, machine learning and natural language tools. They are used to analyze data, automate processes, enhance decision-making and personalize customer interactions in the financial services industry.
Unlike traditional software, AI systems mimic human intelligence and reasoning, and can learn over time, continuously improving as they process new information. The resulting advancements of fintech allow financial institutions to increase efficiency, reduce risk and deliver more personalized services. It powers applications like credit scoring, fraud detection, algorithmic trading, portfolio management, regulatory compliance and customer service.
By identifying patterns and making real-time predictions, AI helps institutions streamline operations and respond more effectively to market and customer demands. ...
... ejected from the plane and got "seriously wounded" ...
Top Gun Trauma: the Effects of Ejecting From a Fighter Jet on the Spine (2021)
sites.nd.edu
... The need for speed places fighter pilots in electrifying yet dangerous situations. When things go wrong during flight, pilots must consider ejecting, a terrifying choice.
Ejection is a last resort due to the large compressive forces and the high wind speeds that can cause many different serious injuries, including spinal injuries.
Approximately 20-30% of people who survive ejection endure spinal fractures.
Understanding the dangers of flight that service members face increases awareness of the military lifestyle within the civilian population and is critical in finding solutions to lessen the severity of injury. ...
During ejection, the rocket-propelled ejection seat thrusts the pilot upward out of the aircraft. The pilot experiences around 18 g-forces (18 times your bodyweight)! ...
[the article goes into more detail ... ]
@#2 ... Great time for them to grab Taiwan, eh? ...
Possibly.
But there seems to be an upheavel in China's military leadership of late.
Why Is Xi Still Purging His Generals? (February 2026)
www.prcleader.org
... The removal of PLA senior generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli in January 2026 represented the peak, if not the end, of a massive purge of the military leadership that began in mid-2023.
The absence of credible information from Beijing has allowed many theories about the causes of these dismissals to circulate, which often center on factional politics or power consolidation. An examination biographical records, however, yields more support for the view that most purges are intended to clean up corruption-prone parts of the PLA in support of Xi Jinping's broad agenda of readying the military for combat by its 2027 centennial.
The massive scale of the purges, however, has probably set that agenda back as key positions are vacant or filled by less experienced officers. ...
@#4 ... and polling in recent months ranking him among the most loathed political figures in the United States ...
Stephen Miller is Most Unpopular Political Figure In The U.S.: Rand Paul, Scott Bessent and Pam Bondi Follow
www.latintimes.com
... White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller ranks as the most unpopular political figure in the United States, according to a new polling average cited by Migrant Insider. Other high-profile figures including Rand Paul, Scott Bessent and Pam Bondi are next in line.
The Race to the White House polling average, which compiles multiple recent surveys of 27 prominent political figures, found that Miller had a net favorability of negative 36 points among voters who have formed an opinion about him.
According to analysis by Pablo Manriquez of Migrant Insider, 68% of respondents viewed him unfavorably, while only about 18% expressed a favorable opinion. The ranking places Miller below other figures in the survey, including Bondi, who registered a negative 32 rating, and other administration-aligned officials. By comparison, President Trump posted a negative 16 rating in the same dataset, while JD Vance stood at negative 12.
Former president Barack Obama led the poll with positive 18 points, followed by former First Lady Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders. ...
Interesting poll ...
To me, it looks as if Pres Trump may be losing on his deportation stance.
For example, one of his most prominent advisors on deportation apparently has all but gone silent...
Stephen Miller Retreats in Humiliation After Deadly Misstep
www.thedailybeast.com
... Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump's most severe immigration policies, has seemingly been hiding from the American public.
Miller, a longtime Trump adviser who serves as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, has avoided public appearances, The New York Times reported, in the wake of a disastrous immigration crackdown that culminated in the deaths of two American citizens in Minnesota, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both 37, at the hands of federal agents.
Additionally, a Times analysis found that Miller appeared on Fox News, the president's favorite network, once every four days since Trump returned to the White House. But in the wake of Pretti's January 24 death, Miller appeared on the network only twice in February.
Despite a national outcry over policies he has helped craft -- and polling in recent months ranking him among the most loathed political figures in the United States -- Miller still presides over shaping new zero-tolerance immigration policies, just not as publicly. ...
Pres Trump: Only the "worst of the worst."
Trump says he wants to deport the worst of the worst.' Government data tells another story (2025)
apnews.com
... President Donald Trump has pledged to deport "the worst of the worst." He frequently speaks at public appearances about the countless "dangerous criminals" -- among them murderers, rapists and child predators -- from around the world he says entered the U.S. illegally under the Biden administration. He promises to expel millions of migrants in the largest deportation program in American history to protect law-abiding citizens from the violent threats he says they pose.
But government data around ongoing detentions tells a different story.
There has been an increase of arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since Trump began his second term, with reports of raids across the country.
Yet the majority of people currently detained by ICE have no criminal convictions.
Of those who do, relatively few have been convicted of high-level crimes -- a stark contrast to the chilling nightmare Trump describes to support his border security agenda. ...
More from the article ...