News Source
EXCERPT:
The Trump administration, which took a noninterventionist approach to artificial intelligence, is now discussing imposing oversight on A.I. models before they are made publicly available.
x01b Radar Archives
News Source
EXCERPT:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is at it again — anointing preferred candidates in hotly contested 2026 primaries and being accused, by their own party, of openly “putting its thumb on the scale” to protect establishment candidates.
Which is a fancy way of saying they’re being called out for rigging the primaries.
Shocker, I know. The party that feigns being warriors for ‘saving democracy,’ but then installed Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton when their voters chose Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, respectively, is at it again.
In the latest round of “Red to Blue” endorsements, the DCCC jumped into multiple tight Democratic primaries to boost candidates they have unilaterally decided can win in the general elections. Some of those candidates are trailing their opponents in both endorsements and fundraising.
News Source
EXCERPT:
- The US fights to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as the UAE comes under attack in a test of Iran truce AP News
- U.S. Warns China Over Iranian Oil as Sanctions Fight Intensifies The New York Times
- Iran issues threat after Trump plans to guide ships through Strait of Hormuz Fox News
- Attacks in Strait of Hormuz, Gulf region imperil fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire The Washington Post
- Trump news at a glance: Middle East tensions back to the brink with president’s new threats against Iran The Guardian
News Source
EXCERPT:
A staffer for Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who was arrested last year for bringing a pistol into the Capitol without a license, saw the charges quickly dropped and walked away from the incident without further consequence, despite lingering questions.
This is quite a surprise, especially given how radical the Democratic Party is about gun regulations, the Second Amendment, and gun-free zones.
In an article published last week, Politico reported the Justice Department recently discovered that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia chose not to prosecute Kevin Batts in April 2025, about two weeks after his arrest.
Timothy Lauer, a spokesperson for Booker’s office, said in a statement that Batts didn’t face criminal charges because he had an active New Jersey retired law enforcement carry permit.
Batts is a retired Newark police detective and reportedly serves as a special assistant and driver for Booker.
News Source
EXCERPT:
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani branded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as “cruel and inhumane” after about 200 anti-ICE agitators rioted outside a New York City hospital Saturday night where a criminal illegal alien with previous arrests was being held.
Whistle-blowing, profanity-spewing rioters damaged several ICE vehicles and assaulted ICE officers, resulting in minor injuries, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
“They [ICE] do nothing to serve in the interest of public safety, and I’ve said that even directly to the president,” the Communist NYC mayor told Gothamist reporter Liam Quigley on Sunday when asked about the melee.
News Source
EXCERPT:
The redistricting war of 2026, which had appeared to conclude in a stalemate between Democrats and Republicans after Florida’s special session, is anyone’s to win.
In the wake of the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, Republicans in the South are on the move, ready to redraw maps the courts had previously blocked efforts to change.
The outcome of the renewed tit-for-tat redistricting war could determine which party controls the House of Representatives in 2026.
Republican Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana has already signed an executive order calling off the state’s May 16 House primaries to allow for redrawing the state’s map, declared a racial gerrymander by the high court.
Louisiana has two Democrat-held districts, held by Reps. Troy Carter and Cleo Fields.
Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee has also called a special session to redistrict after the ruling. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., is the only Democrat U.S. House member from the Volunteer State.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld South Carolina’s current congressional map in 2024. In light of the Court’s most recent decision on the Voting Rights Act, it would be appropriate for the General Assembly to ensure that South Carolina’s congressional map still complies with all…
— Gov. Henry McMaster (@henrymcmaster) May 1, 2026
News Source
EXCERPT:
The debate over regulating artificial intelligence usually focuses on two competing visions. In Europe, lawmakers are writing detailed rules that govern how AI can be developed and used. In the United States, policymakers are taking a lighter touch, allowing companies, investors and consumers to shape the technology’s future.
But a new analysis from students at the University of Florida identifies a third force quietly shaping the future of AI in America: the courts.
As AI spreads faster than any previous technology, judges and juries are being asked to resolve disputes. In doing so, they are not simply applying existing laws—they are, case by case, defining what responsible AI use looks like. The result is a distinctly American form of AI governance: one built through the give and take of negotiations and legal processes rather than legislation.
So far, courts have mostly resisted treating AI as something fundamentally new. Instead, they have folded AI into existing legal doctrines, focusing on the humans and institutions behind the technology.
News Source
EXCERPT:
Nature has retracted a paper that claimed AI had a positive impact on student learning.
The original paper, titled “The effect of ChatGPT on students’ learning performance, learning perception, and higher-order thinking: insights from a meta-analysis,” was originally published in May of last year by Jin Wang and Wenxiang Fan of the Hangzhou Normal University in China. It is a meta-analysis, meaning it combines data from 51 research studies published between November 2022 and February 2025 on the effectiveness of ChatGPT in education. The paper claimed it found that ChatGPT had a large or moderately positive impact on “students’ learning performance, learning perception, and higher-order thinking.”
News Source
EXCERPT:
The Trump administration just slammed the door on an effort by Cuba’s communist government to secure an economic lifeline while appearing to embrace reform. A May 1 executive order expands and sharpens longstanding American sanctions on Cuba, and appears to deliberately target a recent gesture at partially opening the Cuban economy. “All property and interests in property that are in the United States,” the order says, are barred from operating “in the energy, defense and related materiel, metals and mining, financial services, or security sector of the Cuban economy, or any other sector of the Cuban economy,” under the penalty of economic sanctions.
On March 16, in a bid for survival, the communist government of Cuba had announced a series of intended though vaguely executed reforms that would allow foreign investment in the island from Cubans living overseas. The reforms were to include a supposed expansion of private property rights. Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said that the country was “open to maintaining a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies.”
Asked by email if the May 1 order was a deliberate response to the March 16 Cuban announcement, a State Department spokesman referred The Federalist to comments made on April 27 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants. In a long discussion with Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst, Rubio rejected the possibility of reform under the current Cuban government, describing Cuba as “a failed state.”
News Source
EXCERPT:
Scientists involved in planetary formation studies, meteorites, and early solar system investigations have been wondering about the origins of the ingredients that made up the planet Earth. Studies on carbonaceous chondrites, isotopic compositions, and planetary accretion have shown that the elements needed for life on Earth, such as carbon, water, and volatiles, could have come from primitive meteorites that developed in the outer solar system. These studies have contributed to the understanding of how terrestrial planets acquired their life-giving ingredients. Scientists are finding clues to the chemical makeup of Earth through studies of isotope ratios of certain elements like molybdenum and hydrogen.
News Source
EXCERPT:
As the ceasefire between the United States and Iran winds down, heated words filled the air.
“Iran has Violated the Cease Fire numerous times!” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social.
He did not provide details about the alleged infractions.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, rebuked Trump for “imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire,” according to CNBC. He was referring to Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports.
He accused Trump of trying to turn peace talks into “a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering.”
News Source
EXCERPT:
Disgraced former Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is facing renewed scrutiny after campaign finance records revealed extensive spending on alcohol delivery services, luxury travel, and personal expenses funded by donors over multiple years.
According to reports citing Federal Election Commission data, Swalwell’s campaign made more than 100 separate purchases from alcohol delivery service Drizly between 2020 and 2024.
The purchases account for roughly a quarter of all such campaign-related spending nationwide during that period.
Campaign Funds Used for Alcohol, Travel, and Luxury Expenses
After Drizly ceased operations, records show Swalwell’s campaign continued similar spending patterns through Uber Eats, with more than 220 transactions totaling over $19,000.
News Source
EXCERPT:
Democrats hope gerrymandering Virginia will give them the edge they need to win back the House. But Tuesday’s special election is proving more competitive than they’d like.
Tight polling and concerns over voter turnout in an atypical April election have many Democratic party strategists and officials preparing for a close finish.
“I always thought this campaign would be close [and] 24 hours out, I believe that to be the case,” Democratic strategist Jared Leopold said on Monday, before the final day of voting.
“Anytime you’re on the ‘yes’ side of a referendum, you’ve got the burden of proof,” he added. “It doesn’t matter what the referendum is, but anytime you’re arguing for ‘yes,’ the other side is going to be arguing for the status quo.”
News Source
EXCERPT:
A majority of voters support the SAVE America Act and want Congress to pass it before the midterms in November, a March Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found. The majority of respondents also support other election integrity requirements, like counting ballots within 24 hours after Election Day, removing noncitizens from the voter rolls, and even allowing states to share voting records with the Department of Homeland Security.
The Harvard CAPS/Harris poll is conducted monthly. Last month’s survey, conducted March 25-26, included 2,009 respondents identified as “registered voters.”
Much of leftist media outlets’ coverage surrounding the SAVE America Act — which would require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and voter ID in federal elections — fearmongers that the legislation would essentially disenfranchise voters en masse by enacting these common-sense safeguards. The recent Harvard/Harris poll suggests that Americans aren’t as worried about that as the corporate press would have you think.
News Source
EXCERPT:
Biden-era FBI officials pressed forward with an investigation into Republican members of Congress after top prosecutors privately agreed central allegations lacked credibility, documents obtained by Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley show.
Based largely on claims made by then-Democratic New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the FBI launched a probe in January 2021 to assess whether several Republican members assisted individuals or groups who organized the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, records reveal.
“Operation Rampart 12 is yet another example in which Republicans were unfairly targeted and secretly subjected to an invasive investigation by the Biden DOJ and FBI,” Grassley told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“If not for my investigative work and brave whistleblowers, we wouldn’t know about FBI agents’ and DOJ prosecutors’ disgraceful efforts to try and destroy Republicans,” Grassley said. “My Democrat colleagues want to ignore these facts and evidence and defend the fired officials who participated in Biden’s lawfare. I’ll continue working to expose the widespread constitutional abuses that occurred under the Biden administration, because transparency brings accountability.”
News Source
EXCERPT:
Dr. Jordan Peterson is battling a serious neurological condition as well as symptoms of akathisia, according to a new update from his daughter, Mikhaila Fuller.
“Every day for the last year has been hell,” Fuller said in a video. “I’ve cried every single day.”
News Source
EXCERPT:
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Department of Education proposed a rule to hold colleges accountable for graduates’ earnings, introducing an ‘earnings test’ to ensure graduates earn more than those without a degree.
- Programs failing to meet the earnings threshold, with bachelor’s graduates earning less than high school graduates, would lose eligibility for federal student loans.
- The proposal aims to address rising student debt, emphasizing that taxpayer subsidies should only support programs that yield better outcomes for graduates.
News Source
EXCERPT:
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) remains sidelined due to an undisclosed medical issue, extending a weeks-long absence that is tightening the margin for House Republicans at a critical moment.
According to reports, Kean has not cast a vote since early March and has now missed dozens of roll-call votes, with no clear timeline for his return.
Extended Absence Raises Questions
Kean’s office confirmed he will miss additional votes this week but has provided limited details about his condition.
A spokesman said the congressman is “expected to be totally fine” and will be “back to a full schedule soon,” but offered no further updates.
Kean has been absent from public view for more than a month, with no recent in-person appearances.
News Source
EXCERPT:
Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz is officially breaking with Democrats after more than six decades, saying the party he once backed has taken a turn he can’t support.
The longtime liberal announced he is registering as a Republican, pointing to what he described as growing “hostility” toward Israel and a broader ideological shift inside the Democratic Party.
Dershowitz made clear he’s not just switching labels; he plans to get involved in stopping Democrats from reclaiming power in Washington.
“I intend to work hard to prevent the Democrats from gaining control of the House… and Senate, and I urge those who share my concerns about the increasing influence of radicalisms in the Democratic Party to vote, campaign and contribute for continued Republican control of Congress.”
The prominent constitutional lawyer has spent years warning that Democrats are drifting too far left, especially on foreign policy and civil liberties.
News Source
EXCERPT:
There appears to be an expulsion fever occurring in the House of Representatives. Republican Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and Democrat Eric Swalwell (CA-14) resigned their seats, rather than face this particular fate. Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) and Republican Cory Mills (FL-07) remain bloodied, but unbowed.
Cherfilus-McCormick’s day of reckoning comes Tuesday. The House Ethics Commission has found her in violation of 25 charges and recommended sanctions. Republican Ana Paulina Luna (FL-13) plans to bring a resolution to the floor to have Cherfilus-McCormick expelled.
She will be expelled for corruption TOMORROW. Enjoy your last day in Congress Sheila! https://t.co/8odvhIGBAq
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 20, 2026
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-01) has Republican Cory Mills (FL-03) in her sights, and she’s locked and loaded.
I filed a resolution to expel Cory Mills from Congress.
Last time, my resolution to censure him failed because he cut a deal with Ilhan Omar to save his own skin.
My new resolution outlines how Mills misrepresented his military service, sexual misconduct, campaign finance… pic.twitter.com/uUOppMK47g
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) April 20, 2026
I filed a resolution to expel Cory Mills from Congress.
Last time, my resolution to censure him failed because he cut a deal with Ilhan Omar to save his own skin.
My new resolution outlines how Mills misrepresented his military service, sexual misconduct, campaign finance violations and illicit involvement in federal contracts as a member of Congress, among other charges.
Swalwell is gone. Gonzales is gone. Mills is next.
We need to have the moral courage to do what’s right and expel him.
News Source
EXCERPT:
Capitol Hill has never been a particularly ethical place, but complaints of wrongdoing on both sides of the aisle have led to a recent spike in efforts to remove sitting lawmakers.
One new development involves Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), who is facing a House Ethics Committee decision as dozens of her fellow Democrats seem eager to join Republicans in voting to expel her.
While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) only said the party will “follow the facts and apply the relevant law” when it comes to allegations that Cherfilus-McCormick laundered millions of COVID-relief dollars, other Democrats were more decisive.
As Axios reported:
“The charges and examination are incredibly, incredibly serious and I think we have to hold ourselves to high standards here in the Congress,” Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) told Axios.
- “We need to make sure we can tell the American people that they can trust in their lawmakers,” said Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.).
- Reps. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), John Larson (D-Conn.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) all told Axios they expect to vote for expulsion if that is what the Ethics Committee recommends.
- “I’m going to take their recommendation very seriously,” said Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine).
- Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.) went one step further, telling Axios expulsion is “something we should take a look at seriously even if it’s not” what the committee recommends.
News Source
EXCERPT:
So far, America has remained ahead in the new space race. But its biggest rival is making continual steps to catch up. China announced another step in that direction with the unveiling of its first ever reusable five-meter-wide composite propulsion module, announced in a press release on April 11th.
The module was designed by the China Aerospace and Technology Corporation (CASC), the primary state contractor for the Chinese space program. Specifically, it was developed at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), which is also known as the First Academy of the CASC. It marks the largest integrated composite structure ever manufactured domestically for China’s aerospace sector. The first prototype was completed in just seven months, from initial design to delivery, underscoring the rapid development timeline.
Composites are becoming a critical feature of modern launch systems. Traditional metal components simply weigh too much. The more structural weight a launch vehicle has to carry into orbit, the less cargo or fuel it is able to carry due to the tyranny of the rocket equation. Composites are significantly lighter while still having the physical properties of metal, allowing for more payloads, or, crucially, more fuel for reentry burns.