NYTIMES (Ezra Klein and Rollin Hu) - Why Iran Believes It Has the Upper Hand
The Iran expert Suzanne Maloney explains how Iran views the war, and why the United States is losing.
NYTIMES (Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt) - Iran Is Quickly Repairing Missile Bunkers, U.S. Intelligence Says
Reports cast doubt on how close the United States is to destroying Iran’s missile capability, a key goal in the war.
YOUTUBE (The Hill) - Trump Briefed On U.S. F-15 Jet Shot Down By Iran, First Known Instance Since Beginning Of War
One of the two U.S. crew members of a U.S. fighter jet that was shot down over Iran was rescued by U.S. forces, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Hill on Friday. A search and rescue is underway for the other service member, whose status is unclear. Both crew members ejected from the aircraft. Iran’s armed forces shot down what appeared to be a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter plane, Iranian state media reported, in what would be the first time that Tehran downed an American jet since the war broke out five weeks ago. The U.S. Central Command, which oversees the U.S. military’s actions in the region, did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment. Iranian state media released photos purportedly showing parts…
JUSTTHENEWS (Ben Whedon) - Mace: Bondi 'still compelled' to testify on Epstein
Bondi saw her public popularity plunge early in the Trump administration after she organized a botched PR stunt in which she distributed binders of largely public information on Epstein to influencers.
JUSTTHENEWS (Misty Severi) - Second US fighter jet crashes around Persian Gulf, pilot rescued: Reports
The second plane crashed near the same time that Iran shot down an Air Force F-15E fighter jet, where one member of the two-person plane remains missing. The second aircraft has been identified as an A-10 Warthog attack plane.
YOUTUBE (Newsmax) - Repeat offenders are being treated with kid gloves: John Chell | American Agenda
On Friday's "American Agenda," former NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell and Bob Brooks called out soft-on-crime policies that allow for repeat offenders to commit heinous acts.
AXIOS (Andrew Solender) - How millions in taxpayer dollars are helping fund House members' reelection bids
Keep a close eye on the ads that inundate your screens as the 2026 midterm elections heat up. You, the taxpayer, paid for some of them. Why it matters: Each election cycle, incumbent House members use a privilege called "franking" to put millions in taxpayer dollars towards giving their reelection campaigns a thinly veiled boost. - In the 2024 election cycle, House offices spent a combined $44 million on franked mail and another $19 million on other forms of franked communications such as ads, an Axios analysis of congressional disbursement forms found. - According to the advertising spending tracker AdImpact, around $5 million of that was spent on television and digital ads, which are marked as "paid for with official funds authorized…
AI:Incumbent House members are exploiting the "franking" privilege to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars into television and digital advertisements as the 2026 midterm elections approach. While officially intended for constituent updates, these public funds are increasingly being utilized for self-promotion by lawmakers in battleground districts, those running for higher office, and primary targets. Although regulations mandate a "blackout period" 60 days before an election to prevent mass communications, politicians have utilized loopholes to continue sending mailers and robo-calls on the public dime. Ethics watchdogs characterize this practice as essentially stealing from the treasury to fund reelection bids, while some Democrats defend…Open
WASHINGTONPOST (Julian Mark) - Justice Alito ‘felt ill’ at March event, was examined by doctor, court says
Alito’s security detail recommended examination “out of an abundance of caution” before his three-hour drive home from Philadelphia, the Supreme Court said.
YOUTUBE (Owen Report) - After Trump Says Iran Has No Missiles Or Military, Iran Hits Israel With Missiles And Downs US Jets
JUSTTHENEWS (Misty Severi) - Trump's proposed 2027 budget requests $152 million to reopen notorious Alcatraz prison
The president requested $152 million be allocated to the Bureau of Prisons to help cover the first year costs associated with rebuilding Alcatraz as a “state-of-the-art secure prison facility.” He is seeking a total of $1.7 billion for the bureau.