“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” ~ Hebrews 12
First Watch:
Government Reopens Lawmakers have agreed to reopen the government after a record-breaking 41-day shutdown. Several Democrats joined Republicans to get the bill through the Senate. It is not clear what was gained, as Ben Domenech notes, calling it the “shutdown about nothing.” (DailyWire, The Transom)
Trump Floats 50-Year Loans President Trump frustrated supporters hoping for relief on housing and cost-of-living pressures after suggesting government handouts and 50-year loans. Critics note longer loans simply mean more interest for lenders, pressing the GOP to be more imaginative when it comes to get the economy working for more Americans. (The Federalist, Not the Bee)
Credit Card Giants Settle Visa and Mastercard have agreed to pay $38 billion to retailers who accused them of charging excessive swipe fees. (Reuters, Fox)
Farewell to the Penny The U.S. Mint has pressed its final penny. Ending the 230-year run will save taxpayers an estimated $56 million annually.(WNG)
Florida Man Arrested A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly threatening violence against several non-denominational churches. (WNG)
Military History in Decline The National Academy of Scholars warns that the collapse of military-history education in colleges and service academies is harming the nation.(NAS)
Tehran’s Water Crisis Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the nation’s water shortages are so severe that Tehran may eventually need to be evacuated. Tehran’s mayor said the idea of moving 90 million people is a joke. (ZeroHedge)
Bridge Collapses Weeks After Opening Spectacular footage shows part of a newly completed bridge linking China and Tibet collapsing in a landslide. The region is known for its seismic instability.(The Guardian)
Second Watch:
Berkeley Meltdown Antifa protestors have thrown smoke bombs and fireworks, shouting Charlie Kirk taunts and expletives to disrupt a TPUSA event at UC Berkeley. A few protestors clashed with police, and at least one attendee was injured in a scuffle after a rioter reportedly ripped off his cross necklace. (New York Post, Not the Bee)
Wrong Case for Obergefell Challenge The Supreme Court has declined to hear a case challenging the 2015 Obergefell ruling. Activists are treating the move as a rebuke to anyone hoping the Court might overturn gay marriage. But court watchers note that refusing this case isn’t a victory for the ruling—especially since Justice Thomas has already hinted Obergefell rests on shaky foundations, much like Roe did before it fell. (The Federalist) The Court will, however, hear a case on whether states may accept mail-in ballots after Election Day. (The Federalist)
The Tangled Web New documents from the House Judiciary Committee show the DOJ’s January 6 investigation, “Arctic Frost”, reached far further than previously acknowledged. Officials flagged numerous people tied to Trump’s first term for investigation despite no criminal activity nominated. This follows revelations that the FBI probe sought private banking and phone records from GOP lawmakers—under gag orders imposed on telecom companies by Judge James Boasberg. (Washington Examiner, Deseret News)
Former State Department official Mike Benz argues these efforts are part of a broader push by government-funded NGO, the Atlantic Council, to suppress conservative populist movements globally. He says the revelation has shown that weapons manufacturers, and aligned billionaires have significant influence over foreign elections. (Grok via X, After Party via YouTube)
In related news, the DOJ is reviewing a referral accusing former CIA Director John Brennan of lying to Congress about the Steele dossier that fueled the debunked Trump–Russia collusion saga. (Front Page).
Third Watch:
🌞 The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has captured a close up of the sun’s magnetic field at its South Pole. The sun’s magnetic pole flips every 11 years perhaps explains the amount of auroras showing up in unexpected places
🪵 How tiny woodpeckers pack such a punch
🎸 The frying pan beginnings of the electric guitar
And…
I love this Instagram account. Proud dad Stephen Spencer turns his toddler’s songs into sweet yacht rock songs. Hug your kids and listen to their stories!
Let us pray. Eternal God, merciful Father, You have appointed You Son as judge of the living and the dead. Enable us to wait for the day of His return with our eyes fixed on the kingdom prepared for Your own from the foundation of the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
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