It's Been Reported

CNN Reporter OUT After Costing Network Millions In Defamation Case (Amer Wire News) — The leftist reporter who cost CNN millions of dollars in a defamation lawsuit over his smearing of a U.S. Navy veteran has left the network, his longtime employer. Earlier this year, a Florida jury found that Alex Marquardt defamed Zachary Young by falsely stating that he exploited Afghans whom he helped to evacuate from the war-torn country after former President Joe Biden cut and ran, a claim that aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” in 2021. “Some personal news: I’m leaving CNN after 8 terrific years. Tough to say goodbye but it’s been an honor to work among the very best in the business. Profound thank you to my comrades on the National Security team & the phenomenal teammates I’ve worked with in the U.S. and abroad,” Marquardt announced in a Monday post to X. While his missive was vague about the reason for the split, former CNN media correspondent Oliver Darcy reported that Marquardt was fired over “editorial differences.” See full story	Supreme Court Unanimously Sides With Catholic Charity Group In Tax Exemption Bid (The Hill) — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a Catholic charity group is entitled to tax relief it was denied on the basis that its operations were not primarily religious, a decision that could expand eligibility for religious tax exemptions. In a unanimous decision, the justices reversed the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s determination that a chapter of Catholic Charities, a social services arm of Catholic diocese nationwide, does not qualify for a state unemployment tax because it doesn’t sway those it serves to become Catholic. “Much like a law exempting only those religious organizations that perform baptisms or worship on Sundays, an exemption that requires proselytization or exclusive service of co-religionists establishes a preference for certain religions based on the commands of their religious doctrine,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the majority opinion. Catholic Charities Bureau is controlled by the Diocese of Superior, and insists its services reflect “gospel values and the moral teaching of the church.” See full story
U.S. Economy Created 139,000 May Jobs, Higher Than Expected (UPI) — U.S. job growth in May was largely in line with expectations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly report released on Friday. The United States added 139,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in May while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.2%. Economists expected 125,000-130,000 jobs created in May, according to CNBC and CNN. Federal employment fell by 22,000 in May, 59,000 since January, health care gained 62,000 jobs while leisure and hospitality added 48,000. The average monthly gain in jobs over the past 12 months was 149,000 jobs. See full story	U.S. Vetoes Security Council Resolution For Gaza Ceasefire (Newsweek) — The United States on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. has played a key role as an interlocutor in ceasefire talks between Hamas and the Israeli government with respect to Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip. Israel launched its military offensive against Gaza in retaliation against Hamas for its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Since the war started, tens of thousands of Gazans have been killed and millions have been displaced. The U.S. was the only Security Council member nation to vote against this week's measure, which called for humanitarian aid to be allowed to resume in Gaza. See full story
Israel Says It Recovered Bodies Of U.S.-Israeli Couple Judi Weinstein And Gadi Haggai – Who Had Ties To NY – From Gaza Strip (NY Post) — The bodies of two elderly US-Israeli hostages who had deep ties to New York and were abducted by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack have been recovered over a year after they were confirmed to have been killed in captivity. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the remains of Judi Weinstein, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 73, were recovered during a “special operation” conducted by Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, and Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip. “Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families. Our hearts ache for the most terrible loss. May their memory be blessed,” Netanyahu announced on X Thursday. “The heart grieves for the most terrible loss. May their memory be blessed.” Netanyahu thanked the “fighters and commanders” for the “successful execution” of bringing their bodies home – and vowed to “not rest or be silent until we bring all our captives home – the living and the dead alike.” See full story	Army Smashes 2025 Recruiting Goal; 61,000 Future Soldiers Enlisted So Far This Fiscal Year (Wash Times) — The Army has exceeded its fiscal 2025 recruiting goal with four months to spare, with 61,000 future soldiers signing up and average per-day enlistments up over last year by more than 50%, officials announced Tuesday. The massive surge in recruiting is a major win for the Trump administration, specifically for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has focused heavily on rolling back woke military policies that he said were hurting recruiting and military readiness and otherwise negatively affecting America’s armed forces. One of the steps he is taking is the identification and administrative separation of transgender troops from the force. On Tuesday, Mr. Hegseth ordered the Navy to change the name of a ship named after gay rights icon Harvey Milk, though the Pentagon later issued a statement saying no official renamings had been announced. See full story
Mystery Of America's 'Lost Colony' May Finally Be Solved After 440 Years, Archaeologists Say (Fox News) — A team of researchers believes they may have cracked one of America's most enduring legends: Where did the settlers of the Roanoke Colony go? The Roanoke Colony, also known as the Lost Colony, was the first English settlement attempt in the United States. A group of over 100 colonists settled on North Carolina's Roanoke Island in 1587, led by Sir Walter Raleigh. John White, the governor of the colony, returned to England for supplies in 1587. When he came back to Roanoke Island in August 1590, he found the settlement mysteriously abandoned – and all the colonists, including his daughter Eleanor Dare and his granddaughter Virginia Dare, gone. One of the only clues remaining at the site was the word "CROATOAN" carved into a palisade. It either referred to Croatoan Island, which is now called Hatteras Island, or the Croatoan Indians. See full story
Joe Biden's Pardons Investigated By Justice Department (Newsweek) — Pardons granted by former President Joe Biden are under investigation by the Department of Justice, according to a report. Ed Martin, the pardon attorney in the DOJ, emailed staff to say the probe will explore Biden's competence and if people were "taking advantage of him through use of autopen or other means," Reuters reported. Newsweek has contacted the DOJ and representatives for Biden for comment outside of regular working hours. The investigation comes as public discussion about Biden's health and decision-making has reignited in recent weeks. Axios obtained audio from Biden's October 2023 interview with special counsel Robert Hur, which showed memory lapses and prolonged pauses. Meanwhile, a new book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson – Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again – suggested Biden had diminished mental faculties that aides concealed from the public. See full story	FBI Releases Writings Of Trans Covenant School Shooter Audrey Hale, Revealing Disturbing Motives & Anti-Christian Hate NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ammoland) — After two years of stonewalling and legal wrangling, the FBI has finally released 112 pages of handwritten notes, drawings, and journals recovered from Audrey Hale, the transgender shooter responsible for the brutal massacre at The Covenant School in Nashville on March 27, 2023. Hale murdered three children and three staff members in what authorities confirmed was a premeditated, solo attack on a Christian elementary school. The release was quietly posted on the FBI’s “Vault” page without context or public announcement. It follows a long legal battle led by The Tennessee Star and the Tennessee Firearms Association demanding transparency from federal authorities. The documents reveal a chilling, hate-filled mindset – riddled with rage, religious rejection, and obsessive planning. Hale detailed her attack strategy, including maps of the school, faculty lists, and notes on school breaks, all intended to help her maximize casualties. See full story
‘Trump Burger’ Restaurant Becoming A Chain In Texas (Amer Wire News) — Trump Derangement Syndrome was on the menu for some food critics as they sought out a themed restaurant in spite of their own “nervousness.” As leftists have likened President Donald Trump to “literally Hitler,” it comes as no surprise that demonization of him and his supporters has persisted. Going beyond smear campaigns and spin about the administration’s efforts against waste, fraud and abuse, critiques came from a new angle as food critics visited a budding Texas chain, Trump Burger. Originally started in 2020 outside Houston in Bellville by Lebanese-born Roland Beainy, Trump Burger, of no affiliation with the Trump family, has since expanded to four locations, adding restaurants in Flatonia, Kemah and West Houston, with the latest addition bringing area critics in to explore what the menu had to offer. See full story	Disney Is Laying Off Several Hundred People As It Grapples With The Decline Of Traditional TV (Business Insider) — Disney is laying off several hundred people globally, the company confirmed to Business Insider, as the entertainment giant grapples with a declining traditional TV audience. The cuts primarily impact the marketing for film and TV in the company's Disney Entertainment division, most of whom are in the U.S. A smaller number of people in publicity, casting, and development are being laid off as well. Some people in corporate finance, who are spread globally, were also affected. No teams were eliminated. Disney has made several head count reductions in recent years as the TV audiences migrate to streaming platforms, where profits have been slow to follow. In March, the company cut nearly 6%, or about 200 people, in its ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks. See full story