News Weakly - 10/10/2026

In the Balance
Israeli forces hit Gaza City again, killing five Palestinians. Apparently unprovoked. At least, that’s what the media wants us to believe. The fact that Hamas is not a State army, but civilian, and that Israel keeps shooting down rocket attacks and defending their people, and that Israel is losing less people than Hamas … and, of course, that it’s Israel, the hated people … means that the media gives them the nod and only points fingers at Israel. But I’m sure the media thinks it’s “balanced reporting” … as if they’d know balanced reporting if they saw it.

Making America Grate Again
An American Marine was arrested for murder in Okinawa. The Japanese are outraged. The military ceased operations to address the issue. It’s not good. In fact, from 1955 when a sergeant killed a five-year-old Japanese girl to a gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen in 1995 through a constant stream of crimes committed by American military personnel in Okinawa and elsewhere, there have been too many times that our military has assaulted the American reputation rather than enhanced it. The modern decline of morality in America in general is not contributing positively to that problem abroad.

Bravely Fighting Thin Air
Ethiopian forces recaptured Mekelle after the withdrawal of the Tigray People's Liberation Front. I remember the joke about the high school football team that took on the Blunderfolk team … not the brightest bulbs in the box. The high school team was ahead 64 to nothing and walked off the field in disgust. Three plays later, the Blunderfolk team scored. This story about the mighty Ethiopian forces taking Mekelle sounds the same, doesn’t it? They recaptured it soon after the defenders left?

Still Crazy
A 15-year-old girl stabbed eight people at a school in Istanbul, Turkey. A young girl of 10 died from her wounds. Deemed a “mass stabbing” by the media, Turkey was not so foolish as to try to ban knives. Instead, they’re seeking to ban 15-year-old girls. That’s closer to the real problem, right? (I mean people, not weapons.)

Another ICE Man
ICE has an image problem ... they look bad. This time an undercover ICE agent shot a man in New York City for “not complying with lawful orders.” It doesn’t take a law expert to understand you’re not supposed to shoot someone for failing to comply … unless it’s a dictatorship and you’re authorized to shoot for any reason. In a normal government, you're allowed to shoot if there’s a threat to yourself or others. “Failure to comply” is not a threat in itself. Of course, the media felt the need to overblow the story. They’re outraged that the shooting was with the man’s 5-year-old child in the car … because having a child in the car is grounds for allowing crime without response? And they downplayed the fact that the victim of the shooting had gang connections and prior convictions and arrests. These do not excuse the shooting; they simply point out that the media isn’t playing on an even field.

More Fake News Than You Need
In keeping with his normal overblown ego, President Trump issued an executive order making hurricanes illegal. And the world is grateful. On the terrorism front, experts fear that terrorist activity (actual story) in Minneapolis could very possibly spread to America next. Do we need a border wall in Minneapolis? Finally, liberals this week around the country commemorated the anniversary of October 8, the day Israel attacked Gaza completely unprovoked. “Progressives gathered to hold moments of silence for those killed on the first day of Israel's stunning attack on the peaceful Palestinians living in Gaza.” Kind of brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it? I mean … at how close that is to being possibly true.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 9/3/2026

Knife Control
In Slovakia a student attacked several people at a school—a mass stabbing. One woman was killed, another injured, and child was injured. The nation is demanding an immediate ban on knives. Oh … wait … that’s not right. Why do people demand that guns get banned but other instruments of murder get ignored?

Another Crisis Averted
The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act. The bill helps enforce a cap on how much teams can pay their athletes, limits athletes to transferring no more than one time without penalty, and other vitally important issues. Because solving real problems for this nation just doesn’t rise to the level of their attention and actually fixing things isn’t in their job description, I guess.

Mission Accomplished
After more than 20 years of American troop presence in Iraq, the troops have withdrawn. The pull-out was instigated by the Biden administration and carried out by the Trump administration. Iraqis celebrated, but I don’t think anyone celebrated more than Iran whose goal it is to eliminate American troops in the Middle East. Iraqis plan to secure the country on their own as allies of both the U.S. and Tehran … like that could actually happen.

Mystery Solved
Now we know why Russia is having so much trouble taking Ukraine. In an incident this week, a Russian Su-35 shot down a Russian helicopter in a friendly fire incident, killing everyone on the helicopter. Apparently Russian weapons systems are effective … against Russian weapons systems. Russia is now seeking Su-35 control for the nation.

Peace at Any Price
Russian President Putin is promising to use every weapon available up to and including nuclear weapons to defend its territory. It’s the least you would expect from the peace-loving Russian president who only wants to get along with everyone.

Your Best Source for Fake News
After recent terrorist attacks, the FBI has assembled an elite team of investigators to see if these attacks might be linked to a common ideology. One theory is a lot of terrorists watched Friends, so maybe they’re on to something. In other news, Trump realized his gambit to change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Lake Ontario to Lake America was the solution to his latest dilemma. In order to win in the midterms, all he has to do is rename Democrats to Republicans and Republicans will win. Genius!! And, just for fun, because I remember these things, there’s the story of the 8-year-old Sunday School kid who showed up all excited, only to face severe disappointment when he discovered “Sword Drills” weren’t quite what they sounded like.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 9/26/2026

A Little Confused
Apparently President Trump has rejected Iran’s seven-day cease-fire proposal. Instead, Trump plans to restart bombing after the midterm elections. My confusion is this—what does one have to do with the other? I mean, if this president can find time to deal with renaming Lake Ontario and New Mexico, why can’t he deal with elections and blow things up at the same time? And, look, if he isn’t starting again until after the midterm elections, isn’t that more than seven days? It’s all so confusing.

The Government We Don’t Trust
The Supreme Court gave the Donald the go ahead to continue using the DHS SAVE database for verifying voter rolls for potential noncitizens. A lower court blocked it, but the Supreme Court reversed that ruling. Apparently a government should have a listing of citizens in its domain that can be used to verify … citizenship. Others are pretty sure you can’t allow a government to have that kind of power … or something like that. I always thought the same when the teacher was calling roll in school. “Is it fair she would know who is supposed to be in this class?”

Real Humanitarians
Russia continues its humanitarian mission to kill civilians in Ukraine. This week they hit a steelmaker, killing seven civilians. The United Nations doesn’t seem to mind. A few less Ukrainians isn’t “inhumane.”

A Staggering Statistic
Canada is reporting that, currently, assisted suicides make up 10% of all deaths in Canada. Mind you, COVID killed less than 2% of those who got it and in Canada legal suicide is killing at a rate of 10% of all deaths. The story says, “These people are dying to leave Canada.” Was that an attempt at humor?

Fake News to Make Your Day
On that “assisted suicide” story out of Canada, the Bee reported that Canada clarified that “assisted suicide” meant “totally unsolicited murder,” which cleared things up for a lot of people. In politics, there is a movement afoot to nominate Alexandra Ocasio Cortez (AOC) for president in 2028 (actual story). The Bee responded with the story of a man who’s taking solace in the belief that AI will destroy humanity before that happens. Could she actually win? Don’t worry; we won’t live that long. Finally, there’s the story of the 81st General Assembly of the United Nations where they still want people to take them seriously. Fortunately, no one is taking them seriously on that.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 9/16/2026

No Bias Here
A U.N. fact-finding mission determined that the U.S. “committed war crimes” in its war with Iran when a Tomahawk missile struck a school in Minab. They say the U.S. “committed the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in the loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects.” Obviously, unlike Iran, a peace-loving nation that only wants to defend itself by blowing up civilian ships and firing at other noncombatants. Those are not “war crimes.” Why? Apparently solely because the U.S. didn’t do those attacks. No bias here.

Nothing to See Here
OpenAI was planning to go public this year, but decided against it since CEO Sam Altman is concerned about its safety after July’s report that their AI attacked other AIs. What could go wrong, right?

No Harm, No Foul? Or Harm, No Foul?
Russia continues to launch drone strikes against civilian targets in Ukraine. And the U.N. fact-finding mission loudly … sounded like crickets. Again, it’s Russia, not the U.S. doing it, so it is definitely not “war crimes.” Only white people can be racist, and only the U.S. can commit war crimes. Try to keep up, people.

More Fake News That Never Got Printed
Climate activists are blaming global warming for the fact that no hurricanes formed in the Atlantic this season. “Any change is bad.” Right? In another story, the Barna group did a survey and discovered that a majority of Christians are planning to replace the Holy Spirit with ChatGPT by 2028. That makes sense—trading off the third person of the Trinity sent to lead us into all truth for a piece of software that doesn’t have any idea of truth or morality. I know … the story is satire … but I’m afraid it’s too close to being actual. Finally, the Bee reports that a dyslexic California Governor Newsom is proudly celebrating the $1.87 gas prices in his state (which are, according to the story, actually $7.81). The story of course is nonsense because the cost of fuel in California is currently only $6.04 for regular gas and $8.26 for diesel, so that story is clearly bogus.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 9/12/2026

Good Faith
The U.S. sent envoys to Russia to negotiate an end to the war with Ukraine. Putin promised to stop attacks on Kyiv during the visit. Putin demonstrated his good faith by hitting multiple targets in Ukraine on the same day. Now, why wouldn’t anyone find this a sign of a reliable leader with whom they can negotiate?

Crazy
President Trump asked Republicans to “cheat like hell” in the midterm elections and promised to pay $5,000 to Republicans if they take both the House and the Senate in the midterms. Now, I think it was quite clear that it was tongue in cheek since Trump has no access to paying out government money like that, but it doesn’t look good. The fact that he said it is a monumental outrage to the other side also suggests TDS—Trump Derangement Syndrome. Here in Arizona we have a candidate running for Attorney General against Trump if you believe his ads. Just … crazy … on both sides.

Fight Fire With Fire
U.S. forces hit three Iranian tankers in response to an unprovoked missile attack on two U.S. Navy ships. Two were disabled and the third sank. See? We can sink to the level of the enemy if we really want to. (In case it's not clear, I'm just as dismayed about sinking civilian ships as I am about protesters blocking roads for people who aren't involved in the issues. Seems unnecessarily cruel.)

9/11 Remembered
This week we remembered 9/11 on its 25th anniversary. One story was about the families of people who lost loved ones in the attack starting a petition to ask New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani not to attend the 25th 9/11 remembrance ceremony. The story says there were over 23,000 signatures. Apparently, these people understand that “having Mamdani there would show a disrespect to our family members because of the people he supports.” Of course, as a sensitive and aware leader, he showed up anyway … out of deep respect, I’m sure.

We Never Run Out of Fake News
The Bee picked up on that story about Mamdani and showed a picture of him laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown hijacker. I didn't know they had one ... oh ... I see what you did there. On the Trump story, they reported that Trump promised that if the party defeated socialism in November, they'd each get an equal redistribution of weatlh from the government. A fine piece of satire. I think, though, my favorite Bee story this week is on artificial intelligence. The quote is from Jesus. He says, “Oh, your intelligent creations are trying to kill you? Interesting.” (The accompanying picture shows Jesus with a cross on his shoulder.)

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 9/5/2026

Lost Lives
At least 1,000 people lost their lives this week in a flash flood in Nepal. Another 4,000 are still missing. It’s a tragic loss of life. The important thing we need to know, however, is that it’s due to our “climate crisis” and if we don’t do something, a lot more people are going to die. In that second story, they reference how global warming is causing GLOFs—large sections of glaciers that fall into lakes and cause catastrophic waves. The story itself points out, “To be clear, there was no GLOF involved in last week’s landslide,” but … be afraid … be very, very afraid. Sometimes I wonder about the news media as a terrorist organization.

Imperfect
In an unrelated but similar story, two people died in a flash flood in the Grand Canyon. One is still missing. Flash floods in Arizona are not uncommon and not entirely predictable. It can be clear and sunny and a storm miles away can drop rain that will run off and strike without warning. There are systems in place to try to detect flash floods and warn people, but, as it turns out, nothing is foolproof. You know there will be lawsuits over this because the imperfect turned out to be imperfect.

Not Necessarily Friendly Ads
The U.S. military has turned off advertising trackers on various devices such as phones and computers because of reports of enemies using commercially available tracking data to target American forces in the Middle East. Now, I know my phone is listening and feeding me ads, and I know it knows where I am, and it irritates me a lot. But when it gets people killed, it’s more than irritating. When commercialism and the safety of others collide, it can actually be deadly.

Not Your Normal TRUE News
After a jury has repeatedly reported they could not arrive at a unanimous decision on the Lindsay Clancy trial of a mother who admitted to killing her 3 children (actual story), the Bee reports that the State of Massachusetts has been declared incompetent by reason of insanity. It’s a silly story, of course, because sin rots the brain (Rom 1:21, 28), so it’s a lot bigger than the State of Massachusetts. In other news, the First United Methodist Church of Portland is now offering a mail-in attendance option for parishioners. They didn’t want to disenfranchise anyone just because they refused to attend worship. Finally, a woman in New York is praying that the Lord’s will be done here on earth … as long as it’s the same as her will. Actually, I don’t think that’s much of a story. It’s much more common than we care to admit.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 8/29/2026

A Brutal Proof
A Montana man, Alan Smith, 44 years old, was asked by his parents to move out. So he showed up at a Sunday family dinner and shot 4 generations—grandmother, parents, sister, and his sister’s four children. His grandmother was in her 90’s and used a wheelchair, and the youngest victim was a 7-year-old girl. He set the house on fire and killed himself, demonstrating that sin rots the brain (Rom 1:21-22) and the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9).

Too Little, Too Late?
Meta agreed to pay $17 billion and add “better child-safety measures” on Facebook and Instagram ... as if there is such a thing as “child-safety” on social media. The accusation was that they were using “addictive and harmful” algorithms that harmed youth mental health. Not like the poor parenting that allowed the youth to use the “addictive and harmful” products.

Missing the Point
An Air Force major was arrested. It is technically incorrect that he was arrested for calling for President Trump’s impeachment, but that’s the story. He was arrested for making “contemptuous remarks” about the president, disobedience to orders, and conduct unbecoming an officer. Keep in mind that members of the military have rules they have to follow that civilians don’t. For instance, members of the US military are prohibited by military law from participating in protests, marches, or political demonstrations while wearing their uniform. He disobeyed that rule. But I also think it’s worth noting that the military is insistent that its personnel must “respect the office, not necessarily the person who holds it.” This officer clearly missed that message.

Postpartum Abortion?
Lindsay Clancy admits she killed her three children. No question there. The defense claims she had some sort of breakdown—postpartum depression, “a period of insanity,” something—so she shouldn’t be held responsible. And hundreds of women agreed, protesting in her favor. “She needed help.” That may be true, but are we actually going to literally let her get away with murder? Does human life mean that little to us today? Oh, yeah, I guess so. A recent estimate indicates that nearly 2 billion people do not exist today because they were aborted. Well, so much for “made in the image of God.” Wait ... tell me again. Why is murder such an evil crime?

Political Tailgating
In case you haven’t heard, there is a new kid in town (so to speak)—the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). It’s a misnomer, of course, to call them “of America” when their platform is essentially the elimination of the Constitution, but that’s what they’re calling themselves. And they’re growing. Newsweek reported this week that a growing number of Republicans are in agreement with a growing number of the DSA policies, such as Medicare for all, higher taxes on billionaires, raising the minimum wage, and opposition to data centers. It’s a clear example of the Right following the Left at a distance, and it’s disconcerting.

Foolish Name Calling
President Trump decided this week that the really important issue in the world today is that there was a lake on the border of Canada and the US that bore the name “Lake Ontario.” So, he showed them a thing or two. He signed an executive order to rename it “Lake America.” Whew!! Another crisis averted. Look for lower prices in the grocery store and peace on Earth. Oh … wait … strike that. Just a petty action like “stealing” the Gulf of Mexico from Mexico by naming it the “Gulf of America.” This way, you see, he can rename everything and become emperor of the world … for a short while … in his own mind. No, I don’t mean that he actually thinks that. It’s just … silliness from someone I’d have hoped better from.

The Injustice System?
A while back, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth voiced concerns about a particular AI product that he felt might constitute a surveillance risk to the U.S. military. He blacklisted Anthropic, a company that offers an AI that Hegseth doesn't trust. Anthropic sued. Now a U.S. District Judge has ordered that the Department of Defense is not allowed to have that view and the court will decide who the DoD is allowed to trust or distrust. I cannot fathom how the court gets to decide who anyone chooses to use as a provider for products and/or services. Next we’ll have the Supreme Court telling us we all need to buy Chinese products? Is that really a function of US law?

Fake News to Brighten Your Day
Dolly Parton’s sad passing was universally mourned, it seems, so the Bee couldn’t let it go without mention. In one story a man attempts to honor her passing by actually working 9 to 5. “I don’t know if I can make it, but I’m going to try.” Touching. In another story, the Bee reports that the Apocalypse is clearly at hand as the last remaining universally beloved human being passes away. Now … that might be too close to the truth. In other news, President Trump officially classified liberal women as a “terrorist organization.” Sure, “fake news,” but not necessarily fake terror.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 8/22/2026

Paper Tiger?
In February, 2022, world superpower Russia attacked a small adjacent country, Ukraine. It should have been a slam dunk, but now, four years later, we’re still seeing news like Ukraine launching “one of the war’s largest drone attacks” while a Russian drone strike kills 15 in a mall. The war is obviously not over … not even close … but there is a serious question about the actual strength of that “world superpower Russia.”

Aftermath
Five years ago, then-president Biden yanked troops out of Afghanistan overnight, leaving something like $7 billion worth of military equipment and the Afghan people to fall under the Taliban. They promised to be nice, but Afghan women seem to have borne the brunt of the repercussions, losing all the freedom they were given with US protections. I’m sure they’re grateful to be free of all that freedom.

A Major Dilemma
In a critical case before SCOTUS, the justices allowed the president to continue work on a new ballroom for the White House. That’s because it’s an unprecedented constitutional question. Or … not. I’m scratching my head. Really? I mean … both sides. REALLY?

In Control
Two American Airline jets with the same designation were narrowly saved from a disaster by an alert air traffic controller in Phoenix. He kept alert and managed to keep both from colliding in the confusion. Seriously, would we expect some AI air traffic controller to do better?

Your Weakly Fake News
Trump is promising an “economic D-Day” for Iran, so thousands of accountants boarded landing craft for the economic invasion. Right? The Bee headline says, “A.I. Assistant Starting To Suspect Its Human Might Be A Bit Of A Moron.“ Given a lot of the news from News Weakly, the AI might be right. Finally, Trump has threatened to claim the Strait of Hormuz for the US. It turns out he only wants it to build a floating golf course. Did not see that coming. Makes sense.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 8/15/2026

And An Invitation to Tea
The peace-loving Houthis—aligned with Iran—have sent a special gift to the Saudi Jazan refinery. A drone strike started a fire. The strike was because of a claim of air intrusion (not attack) from Saudi Arabia. Because that's what civilized, peace-loving people do. They blow things up when they don't like where airplanes go.

Not On Board the Peace Train
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has rejected Trump's 15-point peace plan for Gaza. They think that they shouldn't have to withdraw from the area as long as their enemy there is still armed. So, Trump loses again. So much for his plan to be emperor of the world.

Is That Even a Question?
Meta Platforms faces 29 states suing over claims that Facebook and Instagram are engineered to be addictive to children. Meta estimates damages could be as high as $1.4 trillion. The states want age restrictions. Interestingly, apparently the states believe that "age restrictions" will solve the problem. That seems naïve to me.

No One Can Be Sarcastic ALL the Time
Come on ... this is heartwarming. A 12-year-old southern California girl walked out of the hospital this week after suffering a rare spinal injury called a "spinal stroke" and being told she'd be paralyzed for life. She plans to pursue a dance career. That really is nice.

Fake News for Your Edification
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving the White House ostensibly to "spend more time with her beautiful young children." The Bee suggests she should be well prepared for motherhood after spending two years answering millions of stupid questions. The WNBA met to figure out what a "woman" was ... and failed (actual story), prompting conflicting reports from the Bee. One says the WNBA has changed their name to ?NBA and the other suggests they consulted with a revered Supreme Court Justice Jackson on the subject. I say they're the same thing.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 8/8/2026

Learning Disabled?
The news is reporting that a deal is near on opening the Strait of Hormuz. Um … again? Oh, of course, it requires that one or both sides stop shooting. Again? We’ve had two ceasefires and now we’re in a third … where the firing hasn’t ceased. But … I guess in a world that has decided truth is relative, it would stand to reason that this would be reasonable and acceptable.

Major Missile Strike
Russian forces “pounded Kyiv” in a major missile strike that killed 10. Now, I know that loss of life is bad and I agree that this is a bad thing, but … “major missile strike”? Russia launched 35 missiles and 185 drones … and killed 10? I have to say, this doesn’t speak well of Russian missile strikes … or the media that seems to want to dredge up panic.

Border Wall
A tiny Spanish territory next to Morocco called Ceuta was inundated with an estimated 80,000 refugees fleeing Morocco. Why? Spain opened the border. The result? At last count, 141 died. The solution? Border fencing and troops. And they say Trump is crazy.

Minimum Outrage
Currently, San Francisco’s minimum wage is at $19.61 per hour for most employees. A proposal of $30 per hour has been floated. They’re keeping it off the November ballot for now, but … why not? I mean, if the goal is “living wage” and the motivation is “what I want,” why not ask for $100 per hour? Oh, sure, that will cripple the economy and make the demand for a higher wage louder, but, hey, if that’s what it takes. I don’t understand why these people can’t figure out basic economics and see that increasing the price of doing business will … increase the price of doing business. It’s just 2+2 math. Oh … I see. Too difficult.

Fake News That’s Fit to Print
After a recent big debate over a $20 burrito, news is surfacing that Jesus fed 5,000 for under $20, and the outrage is palpable. In Washington, Senator Mitch McConnell seems to have gone missing. Now a staffer has admitted they dropped him off at a farm in the country where he’d be happier. Finally, after the Fauci debacle, apparently the Senate will join the rest of the nation in holding him in contempt.

Must be true. I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 8/1/2026

Keep the Lights On
Trump has urged Congress to get rid of daylight savings time ... by making it permanent. Go figure ... government logic. Of course, he’s talking about the jumping back and forth, and, of course, that’s exactly what it looks like they’ll do, but ... why isn’t anyone concerned with reality? Time is determined by the Sun ... which, of course, won’t matter anymore. It will be hotter for outdoor workers in Arizona (for instance) with this new system, but that won’t matter, either. “They can just adjust their hours.” Well ... why can’t we all adjust our hours ... to reality? Science tells us that standard time is better for sleep, circadian rhythms, metabolic and cardiovascular health, and more stable mood and cognitive performance. In the north, children will go to school in the dark in the winter. A Stanford study said permanent standard time would reduce obesity and strokes. But, hey, we like “more daylight” for “more fun,” so don’t bother us with facts. (By the way, it isn’t “more daylight.”)

The Invasion is Here
Apparently the government has decided that your robot vacuum or your robotic pool cleaner is a danger to national security. The FCC has banned any further imports of any robotic devices “over 4.4 pounds” that are “capable of locomotion, obstacle avoidance, navigation, or movement on the ground.” They're worried about cybersecurity, surveillance risks, remote manipulation, the AI navigation software, and supply-chain vulnerabilities. Beware! Robots are at your door ... maybe inside it!!

For the Skeptics
In case you were skeptical about that last story, Anthropic, the company that makes Claude, an AI chat, reported that its AI models hacked into other companies’ systems during testing. Yeah, that’s right. “Artificial Intelligence” keeps proving it’s not very intelligent, way too intelligent, a real helpful tool, and a very dangerous weapon. “I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords.”

More Fun in the Middle East
(Where “fun” is entirely sarcastic.) Let’s see … this week …

• Trump stopped bombing Iran. Apparently we’re running out of bombs (a la Elmer Fudd … “No more buwwets?”). Stay tuned.
• Egypt was targeted for the first time, raising the stakes again. More price increases, I’m sure. (Around my home, gas has gone up a dollar in the month of July.)
• Houthis with ballistic missiles attacked the Saudi Arabian city of Jizan, demonstrating their deep and abiding concern for human life and ... the pointless strategies of modern warfare against the “religion of peace” that doesn’t care. (I want to know who is supplying Houthis with ballistic missiles.)

Just some samples.

Fake News to Soothe the Soul
New York Mayor Mamdani is in the news again, prompting the Bee to report his promise to root out Semitism in New York City and to fight antisemitism by creating “mandatory safety camps” for Jewish residents. What a guy, eh? Dr. Fauci took the Fifth over 100 times in his testimony before the Senate, and the Bee couldn’t let that slide. One story has him competing on Jeopardy by taking the Fifth on every question. Another highlights how the doctor who took away our national constitutional rights used a constitutional right as protection. Now … that was way too close to true.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 7/25/2026

The War Monger
Trump is considering starting a war in Mali. That’s the media’s take. The truth is Trump is threatening to strike a terrorist group in Mali, not attack Mali. Whether or not that’s a good idea is an entirely different subject.

Moral High Ground
As if Iran and Trump aren’t enough, Yemen’s Houthi’s are going to blockade another key strait. They plan to blockade the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the entrance to the Gulf of Suez. Both Iran and the Houthis continue to target civilians as their primary strategy. That’s how you can tell they hold the higher moral ground. Oh … wait.

Price Gouging
Oil prices have spiked again, this time over $100 a barrel. That means your fuel prices will get worse. That means everything will cost more money. That means … we won’t be happy.

Legislative Blockade
The media bias is present again. The most common headline for this story was that the House voted to curb the president’s war powers. True. Time assured us that Republicans were on board. However, the truth is the Senate blocked the measure. In other words, there is an ongoing blockade on our government to accomplish just about anything at all.

Lord of New York
New York Mayor Mamdami has threatened to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for war crimes. Jewish leaders are faulting the mayor for fomenting an increase in antisemitic attacks in New York City with his rhetoric. Can’t be. Mamdani has always been thoughtful and deeply concerned about Jews. Or … not.

Now for the Latest in Fake News
Trump trotted out the election fraud claims (actual story) and no one was impressed, but New Jersey announced it was a software glitch that accidentally enrolled the country of Bolivia as voters. In entertainment news, the new movie, The Odessy, is out and Matt Walsh is complaining that they didn’t cast actual Greek demigods in the roles. What’s wrong with Hollywood? And Mayor Mamdami is condemning the rise in violence against Jews that has occurred since he declared war on them. We can trust him, right?

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 7/18/2026

An Evil Twist
A pro-Palestine protest in Sweden sported a mock Auschwitz gate with “Gaza” written on it to mock Israel … for defending themselves. Not right, Sweden, for any reason. But, the news offers scant information about the ongoing attacks of Hamas on Israel (like IEDs, snipers, tunnel attacks, or rocket launches) because it’s decreased (but not gone) and the media prefers reporting civilian casualties to military ones. (And, of course, there's the standard anti-Israel media bias.) I suspect if Hamas would stop restoring military capabilities and attacking troops in Gaza and such, maybe Israel would stop defending herself against them. I’m just sayin’.

Explosive WHAT??
Reports are out of a parasite outbreak which includes, according to every media outlet I’ve seen, “explosive diarrhea.” I’m thinking I didn’t need that descriptive detail. “Explosive”? The FDA says they’ve found a culprit—lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants. Of course, it’s just a beginning, but they’re working on it. There have been 1,644 confirmed cases, 94 hospitalizations and no deaths according to that story, which confirms my long-held belief that sometimes the news media serves as a terrorist organization by scaring viewers into an unnecessary panic when there aren’t even 2,000 cases in a nation of more than 330 million people. Keep your heads, people. Okay, maybe not your heads of lettuce, but you know what I mean.

You Keep Using That Word
The headlines are about renewed U.S., Israeli, and Iranian attacks in the ceasefire. Now, I may have a problem with English, but isn’t a “ceasefire” when people cease firing? Anyway, Iran hasn’t given up its “ownership” of the Strait of Hormuz or hitting targets and the U.S. and Israel haven’t given up retaliating and it’s a mess. Here’s a tip. When you agree to a ceasefire, cease firing. Just a suggestion, of course.

Moving Forward … Hopefully
The 21st Century Road to Housing Act became law last week without Trump’s approval. It combines 47 proposals to reduce housing costs and increase housing supply, but who knows if it actually will? I recently recalled that the opposite of “progress” is “congress,” so we’ll see if it remains a truism.

Some Fake News You Might Like
Running with the "Explosive WHAT??" story above, the Bee reports that Taco Bell is now offering new Imodium A-D sauce packets with their food sales to assist customers with their explosive … no … I’m not writing that disturbing phrase again. In other news, Idaho has built a border wall entirely out of potatoes to keep Californians out. Good on you, mate. I feel your pain. Finally, with the actual news of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordering testing for testosterone deficiency among military personnel, the Bee is further reporting that he has issued a new order to have military personnel with low testosterone be transferred to the Navy. (That might be an inside joke for much of the military personnel.) But ... won't that just make an almost entirely female navy?

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 7/11/2026

I apologize for the brief News Weakly. This week has been ... extreme. We're working hard to move out of our house of 22 years in a matter of 2 weeks and it's been hectic. Here are a couple stories to tide you over until next week.

No Kidding?
Surprise, surprise! The city of Boston has joined others in suing social media outlets like TikTok and YouTube for “addictive features” aimed at minors. “These features include endless scrolling, frequent notifications, and personalized algorithms.” Wait … you mean … social media is out to entrap our kids and we’ve just now noticed it? This has been a problem from the beginning, but our current “empowerment of children” mindset without guiding or teaching responsibility has led us to this. We shouldn’t act surprised. (And, please, someone tell me you saw the "no kidding?" joke in the heading.)

Speaking of Social Media
A woman who runs an Instagram account called "CatsOnACouch" that she says exists “purr-ly to troll the current administration” is suing after she was barred from a JD Vance event. They violated her First Amendment rights. Is it a violation of the First Amendment? According to the courts, “The government may not regulate speech based on hostility—or favoritism—toward the speaker’s viewpoint,” and they clearly did. According to the Amendment, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech,” and they didn’t, but, hey, we all know the laws and the courts often don’t agree anymore. I’m waiting for the guy with the gun hoping to shoot his hated politician to sue for having his rights violated (First and Second Amendment) because they kept him out of a public hearing on the basis of his hostility. So many are worried about Trump as "king." I wonder about trusting our existing government (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches). Luckily ... I don't have to (Psa 115:3).

Fake News That's Fit to Print
I like it. The Bee did a satire piece in their satire reporting. The story is about a prominent conspiracy theorist who, faced with evidence and reason, gives up his conspiracy theories and begins thinking rationally. Right ... like that would ever happen. Failed Maine candidate, Graham Platner, got more than his fair share of the Bee attention since he quit. One story is about the Nazi who regretted getting a Graham Platner tattoo since Platner dropped out of the race. Another is about how Platner has fled to Argentina to evade his problems here. (You get it, right? Nazis ... Argentina ... never mind.)

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 7/4/2026

(Hey, it's not my fault that July 4th falls on a Saturday this year. I remain dedicated to my readers who love the News Weakly entries and skip a patriotic July 4th entry for you readers. Hope you don't mind.)

The Sky Is Falling!
As they keep telling us, the end of the world is at hand. In this recent story, the ocean surface temperatures hit a record high and we’re in “uncharted territory.” This just after I watched a documentary on the great reefs of the world that told how the environment changed rapidly and radically and life adapted and diversified in order to survive after temperatures changed and ocean levels rose. So ... which is it? Are we headed for disaster or a new beginning? I just can’t keep up with “science” that keeps contradicting itself. (They keep proving "they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Rom 1:21).)

Fragile Peace
The U.S. military launched fresh airstrikes against Iran because Iran has been attacking commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz … in the middle of the “ceasefire” and “peace treaty.” Is this a language barrier thing, where Iran doesn’t speak “peace”? I know the U.S. isn’t perfect at this, but the world was booing the playing of Iran’s national anthem at the FIFA World Cup, so it’s not the U.S. that is raising the ire of the public … this time. They keep saying, “Peace, peace,” but there is no peace (Jer 6:14; Jer 8:11).

A Different “Unrest”
A pair of earthquakes in Venezuela have killed more than 2,500 with tens of thousands missing. Aid is rushing in and Venezuela is being accused of underreporting deaths and slow response. Pray for the people of Venezuela.

An Oblivious Supreme Court
This week the Supreme Court failed to recognize that Donald Trump is the King of the United States and struck down worldwide tariffs, affirmed the independence of the Federal Reserve, and threw out Trump’s attempt at ending birthright citizenship. Crazy Supreme Court. What do they think they are? Part of a system of checks and balances for the Executive Branch? Probably just power-hungry idiots. Or … just doing their jobs—in the face of the "No Kings" complainers.

All the Fake News That’s Fit to Print
The new Supergirl movie has unveiled a new power for Supergirl—the ability to lose $100 million in one week. Europe is suffering from a deadly heatwave that has killed thousands, so American missionaries have been dispatched to Europe to spread the good news of air conditioning. Finally, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s removal of Threatened Persons Status (TPS) to many currently in the country, Democrats are vowing to only deport immigrants who love America.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

(Postscripts: First, no, it's NOT All the fake news that's fit to print. I know. Second, I tried something a little different in this "fake news" this time. I stuck the actual story link in with the fake story link so you could see both. Just in case you were confused.)

News Weakly - 6/27/2026

Not the Government for the People
The Russian population of Crimea revolted against Ukraine years ago and installed a Russian authority. (Technically, Russia invaded and did that, but you get the idea.) Now their “saviors” have halted fuel sales to individuals and businesses because Russia is at war with Ukraine and Ukraine keeps hitting their oil and transport infrastructure. Imagine that ... no gas for anything. It’s good to have a government that takes care of you ... unless, of course, you’re in Crimea. (Crimea sticks out a bit from Ukraine. The river that separates it is called “Crimea River” ... right?)

Balanced Reporting?
The news you hear is that Israel is messing up the Iran agreement by attacking poor defenseless Lebanon. In truth, Hezbollah continues to attack Israel and Israel continues to defend itself. What I want to know is why our media is not reporting both sides of this engagement and only telling us what they think Israel is doing wrong? Oh … wait … I think I can guess at that answer. Media bias.

Balanced Concerns?
Columbia elected Abelardo De La Espriella as its new president on Saturday by a slim margin. He’s a lawyer, never been in office, and “far right” which means that the people are now concerned about climate and environmental and human rights groups issues. You know … the people that elected him. You know, the people that are concerned whenever the leftist issues are in jeopardy. Like every election … in either direction. We’ll watch and see. But don't think these are balanced concerns. They are, as always, biased concerns.

Important News
The 1,000th World Cup match was played between Japan and Tunisia … because, I guess, with all that's going on in the world, kicking a ball around for people to watch and not participate is of vital importance.

Not Everything is Peaceful on the Eastern Front
Given Iran’s peaceful attitude after signing the agreement, it seems odd that the U.S. would carry out strikes against Iran on Friday. Oh, well, sure, Iran attacked a cargo ship and continues to try to dominate the Strait of Hormuz. Sure, they are still angry that Israel is defending herself … I’m sorry … not laying down and dying when Hezbollah attacks. But surely our best tactic would be to pay them $300 billion and then let them do what they want … right?

Your Most Reliable Source for Fake News
For some reason the Bee thinks that President Trump is coming to the conclusion that Iran may not be as trustworthy as he originally thought. I can’t imagine why. After the New York primary, New Yorkers are excited to see how this new kind of never-before-tried system called “socialism” will work out. What could go wrong? Meanwhile, Cubans living in New York are boarding rafts to escape communism … again. On the Left Coast, Governor Newsom is addressing the $18 billion budget shortfall by raising the income tax to 110%, I mean … what’s a government to do? Not spending more than you have is out of the question.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 6/20/2026

Augmented Reality
New York City Mayor Mamdani is promising $15 million of taxpayers' money to pay for “hormone therapy, surgery and mental health case management” for “trans people” in New York City. Taxpayer-funded cosmetic surgery for gender-confused people. Makes sense … somewhere … just not in the real world.

The Rule of Law...yers
Idaho tried to make it illegal for a male to use the female bathroom and vice versa, and a federal judge barred them from doing the sane thing. It seems to me that the Constitution bars the federal government from overruling States (the 10th Amendment), but, hey, I’m not the king, so what say do I have? But we’ve come a long way from rational thinking when we define “male” and “female” by “how I feel” rather than biology and chromosomes and consider that "reasonable."

Reality Check
As if in response to our conversation about the basic goodness of humanity, two stories surfaced this week … to suggest otherwise. First was the feds in New Jersey seizing two websites specializing in making AI-generated fake explicit images of famous women. The second was the report on minors being targeted by AI-generated fake images of minors in nude or explicit conditions. Add to that the admission that more than half admit to having created AI-generated porn themselves, and we have a serious problem across the board. The reality is we’re sinful beings at the core … and our “artificial intelligence” has no moral boundaries at all. We're naive if we think it will make ours a better world. But your federal government is seeking to literally give AI more power. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Risky Technology
If that last story doesn’t concern you, this next one won’t either … but should. Now they’re testing the “world’s first” vaccine designed solely by artificial intelligence. It’s supposed to treat a large swath of viruses. Now, given the well-documented failures of human sciences on understanding and coping with these things, and realizing that AI is only the extension of human thought and human knowledge … what makes them think this amoral, not-actually-intelligent system that we have made will be able to succeed where we have failed? Isn’t it more likely that AI will succeed in creating unintended consequences to a greater level than we have?

Your Trusted Source for Fake News
The Bee made a joke about Iran winning $300 billion for coming in second in the Iran War. Turns out, this “peace agreement” between Trump and Iran does include a $300 billion payout to Iran (actual story). We ridiculed Biden for abandoning $7 billion in armaments in Afghanistan for the Taliban to use. Now we’re giving “peace-loving” Iran $300 billion? I’m sure they’ll only use it for nice purposes. It only gets worse from there. Using Trump’s approach, a husband successfully negotiates his wife down to absolutely everything she wants. Meanwhile, world leaders are lining up to ask Trump to bomb their countries for a little while so they can receive a few hundred billion as well. (Reminds me of The Mouse that Roared.)

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 6/13/2026

Hope Against Hope
Shares for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have climbed on hopes for an Iran-U.S. ceasefire to be signed by Sunday. Of course, the U.S., Israel, and Iran continue to trade shots and threats as the deadline nears. Does crossing your fingers for luck actually work? (Spoiler alert: No ... no it doesn't.)

Against Hope
While all this news and effort is going toward a ceasefire in the Middle East, Trump tells the nation that he wants to take Iran's Kharg Island oil hub and the U.S. launched retaliatory strikes for the downing of an American helicopter. Claiming the deal is almost done, he canceled further strikes. Like he hasn't done that before. We'll see, won't we?

Stormy Weather
My wife and I just drove back from Minnesota this week ... ahead of this news item. The north and midwest and ultimately the northeast are all facing dangerous weather. Winds, storms, tornadoes, hail ... it just goes on and on. (We just missed it by hours as we headed the opposite direction.) Some 40 million are in its path, from Wisconsin to Illinois and Michigan and more to follow. For us, it was clearly "travel mercies."

And We Think Trump is a Problem
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates running for election a day before they were to stand in general elections. They are part of the Strong Armenia party with strong ties to Russia and the claim is they are trying to overthrow the government. The party opposed to this, the Civil Contract party, leads by a substantial margin. (By comparison, we just came through Colorado where it seems as if every candidate is running against Donald Trump, from the governor to the Attorney General to the Senate and House. Amazingly, not one is actually running against Trump, but their advertising says their primary purpose is to defeat him.) Trump is problematic, but a party dedicated to ending the nation is worse, I'd think.

"A Nice Young Man"
Texas teen Karmelo Anthony was convicted of fatally stabbing another teen at a high school track meet in 2025. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. It is, of course, instantly a "racial issue" and the judge who sentenced him called him "a nice young man." Strange way to say he's guilty.

All the Fake News That's Fit to Print
The Bee noted in line with the articles about another ceasefire that Trump has set a new world record by defeating Iran 27 times in one year. Impressive indeed. California just held an election and officials were delighted to report a voter turnout of 250%. Good job, California. And on the Karmelo Anthony story, the Bee reported that the nation was shocked to learn that you can't stab someone in the heart for no reason. With today's standards of morality, I'm surprised myself.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 6/6/2026

A little different format this week.

In the news, we see that Ebola is a problem. WHO and Africa CDC have declared it a public health emergency. The CDC is reporting 452 cases and 82 deaths. Health officials are on high alert again. Now, all of this may be true and even perfectly acceptable practices. Here's the problem. Human perceptions have been altered to hear news and understand it to be “the norm.” So we gear up for a panic. We become afraid we might get Ebola. We worry about our loved ones. We operate in crisis mode—when the crisis isn’t that big. The nature of “news” is to report on the unusual, not the usual. What we’re learning from this story is that this outbreak is unusual and is being approached with that in mind. Don’t let it terrify you unnecessarily.

In Baltimore, 5 men were injured in three separate shootings. A suspected gunman killed six people in a shooting spree across a small city in east-central Iowa. Three people were killed and 17 others were injured in weekend shootings across Chicago. What are we to conclude? In fact, you'd better just stay home and hide. The world isn't safe. Be careful where you go. You'll likely get shot if you go out just about anywhere. Nonsense? Yes. But people think that way because it's in the news.

The European Union will implement the first “carbon border tax” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions outside the EU. This is an example of the above two stories. It is an extreme reaction to the “crisis” of “climate change” without really examining the facts or the science. The Carbon Border Tax will not decrease emissions. It will simply increase the cost of certain imports to the EU and call it “environmentalism.”

Of course, the News Weakly isn’t complete without some lighter news—you know, “your best source for fake news.” The Bee reported that ceasefires are raging across the middle east with increased hostilities between the U.S. and Iran and Israel and Lebanon. I mean, just how much “peace” can we take? California made this news cycle as well. Newsom has designated California as a sanctuary state for fraud after California forwarded a law that would criminalize journalism to protect fraud (actual story). That makes sense, right? And, of course, the whole thing makes the last story far too real. A man found his whole day to be too stressful, so he turned on CNN to get a break from reality. It could happen.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

News Weakly - 5/30/2026

You Keep Using That Word …
The news says that Trump and Iran are close to signing a new peace deal. That’s good. Unfortunately, at the same time, the news says the U.S. carried out new strikes against Iran. We keep hearing about “ceasefires” and “peace accords” … and new conflicts. Are we no longer able to tell the difference?

Weapon of Choice?
It was abundantly clear in the last administration when the powers that be were using the DOJ as a political weapon against Trump and his allies. We all complained about it. Apparently … it's the new "thing." At least, it feels like it. Now the DOJ is launching a criminal probe into E. Jean Carroll, Trump's accuser. Now that's not weaponizing the Department of Justice, right? Yeah ... right.

Really??
Along with the above story about a "peace treaty" and continued fighting, we also get this one. Iran still is trying to control the Strait of Hormuz … and intends to force tolls on Google, Microsoft, and Amazon … for the use of the undersea cables. Personally … I'd just tell them, "No" and shut off the cable to them. But, hey, no one really asked me, did they? (I mean, does Amazon actually deliver to Tehran during a shooting war?) (As a side note … no, they don't currently ship to Iran specifically because of the sanctions and embargoes.)

There Is No Peace
While the “peace accord” with Iran is muddling about, the U.N. is concerned that the war between Russia and Ukraine is getting out of hand. This week, Russia launched a major attack with missiles and drones hitting multiple cities. Patrick Henry, echoing Jeremiah (Jer 6:14), famously said, “Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace—but there is no peace.” Still.

Shocking, I say!
If you don’t know, Temu is an online marketplace (a la Amazon) that is a Chinese offering. Not regulated by the rules of other places, it apparently came as a surprise that the EU would feel the need to fine the company 200 million euro ($232 million) for “illegal products like toxic or hazardous toys and unsafe electronics.” Wait … you're telling me that a Chinese company without the regulations of American or the European Union rules has violated the regulations? Shocking, I say! Or ... not. Caveat emptor--"Buyer beware"--should still be in play even in our "enlightened" and "basically good" world.

Your Best Source for Fake News
Apparently the Bee saw the news items I listed at the outset of this News Weakly in the same way I did. Their story says that Trump has announced the completion of the deal … except, of course, for all the important parts. I get it. In other news, you may not know this, but Canada has a program called "MAID"--Medical Assistance in Dying. So the Bee story is about an elderly grandma in Canada excited that her family is paying to hire her a MAID. Kind of dark humor. The story that made me laugh the most this week, however, was the one about the pope's new encyclical warning the world to slow down on using the AI (actual story). The Bee tells of him asking the chatbot known as Grok and Grok responds with its own 95 theses about how the encyclical is “thoughtful, balanced, and wrong.”

Must be true; I read it on the internet.