While tens of thousands of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees are struggling to make ends meet, some members of Congress appear to be going about their business as usual during the record-breaking government shutdown.Instead of staying in Washington to resolve the funding stalemate, both chambers commenced a two-week Easter recess over the weekend, a move that is expected to prolong the record-breaking 46-day shutdown until mid-April.In the meantime, some lawmakers have been spotted on vacation, posing for selfies on congressionally sponsored trips and socializing in ritzy casino bars. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sparked controversy after being spotted by TMZ at Disney World over the weekend. CORNYN TARGETS LAWMAKERS’ AIRPORT FAST PASS AS TSA LINES GROW DURING DHS SHUTDOWNThe South Carolina lawmaker was captured holding a “Little Mermaid”-themed bubble wand retailing for $40. Eyewitnesses told TMZ that Graham was holding the toy for a child while she went to the bathroom.The influential Republican senator was also seen waiting in line with a family to ride Space Mountain and dining at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Graham blamed Democrats for the ongoing shutdown in a statement to TMZ, adding that he had repeatedly voted for DHS spending bills filibustered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.”I was invited to a meeting in South Florida on Friday with Trump official Steve Witkoff and others to talk about the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Graham told the outlet. “I went to Orlando to meet friends after. I’m already back in South Carolina.””I voted 7 times to fully fund the government. Call a Democrat,” he added.TMZ’s reporting came after the outlet asked for Americans to send tips about lawmakers on vacation or engaging in leisure during the planned recess period. The pictures have sparked outrage, partly because lawmakers — who earn a base salary of $174,000 per year — are still receiving their paychecks, though members can elect to defer their salary until the shutdown ends.In sharp contrast, certain individuals employed by the U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are not expected to receive salaries until DHS funding is restored.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump wants lawmakers to cancel the recess and “to fund and reopen the Department of Homeland Security entirely.”The embattled Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workforce began to receive back pay on Monday after reporting to work without pay during the first six weeks of the shutdown, following an executive order from President Donald Trump. More than 500 TSA agents quit during the funding lapse, according to senior DHS officials.FETTERMAN SLAMS DEMOCRATIC ‘MESS’ AS TSA WORKERS MISS PAYCHECKS DURING DHS SHUTDOWNSens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to cancel recess and call senators back to Washington. However, neither lawmaker was present during the Senate’s pro forma session on Monday. Some lawmakers have defended the planned recess, despite the 46-day shutdown having no clear end in sight.”You know very well that we’re not off,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told reporters Monday. “We’re working every day in our home states. For most of us, this is when we have time to go up and down our state and to meet with our constituents and listen to their concerns.”Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the influential House Oversight Committee, was spotted at a casino bar by TMZ over the weekend at the luxurious Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort.Garcia’s Vegas visit came after he voted against a two-month DHS funding extension late Friday. The California Democrat had previously voted against a full-year DHS spending bill three times, citing his opposition to funding Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown efforts absent reforms.”Actually, I don’t mind what TMZ is doing here,” Garcia wrote on X following the images’ circulation. “Like the story says my dad has lived in Vegas for 15 years and I had just finished lunch with him. I try to see him whenever I can.””And like I said a few days ago, Speaker Mike Johnson should have never sent us all home,” Garcia added. Additionally, Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., is planning to co-host a watch party for the premiere of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island,” TMZ reported.The offices of Graham, Garcia and Magaziner did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Some lawmakers are also participating in congressionally sponsored trips abroad during the DHS funding lapse.Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., John Curtis, R-Utah, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., traveled to Taiwan as part of a congressional delegation to strengthen U.S.-Taiwan ties.The group was seen smiling while taking photos with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and other Taiwanese officials on Monday, according to images released on social media by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats.
Aaron Glenn Says QB Geno Smith Can Lead Jets ‘To The Promised Land’
Can quarterback Geno Smith lead the New York Jets to the Super Bowl? Aaron Glenn seems to think so.
The Spectator P.M. Ep. 202: Here’s Everything Wrong With Taylor Frankie Paul and MomTok
The premiere of the latest season of The Bachelorette was suddenly canceled due to recent and previous domestic violence allegations against Taylor Frankie Paul, who Disney and ABC had selected as the show’s star. Taylor Frankie Paul’s rise to fame has been fueled by her toxic tendencies, some of which are documented on the Hulu show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. (READ MORE: Taylor Frankie Paul: Disney Exalts an Abuser)
On this episode of The Spectator P.M. Podcast, hosts Ellie Gardey Holmes and Lyrah Margo discuss footage of the incident, which involves Paul throwing metal chairs at her boyfriend and her daughter. Ellie and Lyrah call out Disney for selecting Paul despite her criminal history, and also go through the problems that are displayed by Paul and her group of friends known as MomTok.
Tune in to hear their discussion!
Read Ellie and Lyrah’s writing here and here.
Listen to the Spectator P.M. Podcast on Spotify.
Watch the Spectator P.M. Podcast on Rumble.
Fast-food burger pioneer chain closes its final location
As restaurant closures rise across the U.S., plant-based concepts are facing even steeper challenges and shutting down at a rapid rate. Rising food and labor costs, high rents, and more cautious consumer spending have strained even established brands in the post-pandemic economy. But for vegan and vegetarian restaurants, the additional challenge is that mainstream chains now offer many of the same plant-based options that once set them apart. The closure of Amy’s Drive Thru underscores how difficult that environment has become.Amy’s Drive Thru closes its last restaurantAmy’s Drive Thru has officially closed its final remaining location, which operated inside San Francisco International Airport for seven years and served thousands of travelers daily.The space will be taken over by The Melt, a San Francisco-based fast-casual chain, in May 2026, according to KRON4.The airport closure follows the shutdown of the brand’s last standalone drive-thru restaurant in Rohnert Park, California, which closed on March 8, 2026, according to a post on Amy’s Instagram.”From day one, our mission was simple: to serve delicious, organic food that everyone could enjoy. As the first organic, vegetarian drive-thru in the nation, we’ve shared countless meals, smiles, and memories with you — and that’s something we’ll always be proud of,” said Amy’s in a statement.The company also expressed gratitude to its employees and confirmed that remaining ingredients would be donated to local food banks to reduce waste. Amy’s loyalty program and mobile app were discontinued at the end of January 2026, signaling earlier signs of a broader wind-down, but its Instagram remains active as of the date of publication.
Amy’s Drive Thru closes its last remaining location.David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
From frozen-food leader to fast-food conceptAmy’s Kitchen, founded in 1987, built a national reputation as a pioneer in vegetarian frozen meals before expanding into foodservice in 2015 with the launch of Amy’s Drive Thru.This concept aimed to pioneer one of the first fully vegetarian, organic, and non-GMO fast-food restaurant chains in the U.S., offering a menu of plant-based comfort foods, including burgers, chik’n tenders, pizza, fries, and milkshakes.At its peak, Amy’s operated five locations across California and had plans for significant expansion.Amy’s Drive Thru’s expansion pause and shutdownsAmy’s Drive Thru’s closure was not sudden; it followed a multi-year pullback from earlier growth ambitions.At one point, the company aimed to expand from five locations to 25-30 units within five years. However, after Paul Schiefer was appointed president in 2023, he halted the expansion to adopt a more cautious approach, according to National Restaurant News.”We’re going to grow from the basis of sustainable growth, not just to show we can do it,” said Schiefer in an interview. “There are too many casualties of companies that grew in the wrong way. They didn’t build a model, playbook, or team.”Despite efforts to refine its operating model, including small store formats and more efficient kitchen designs, the concept ultimately could not sustain its footprint.Timeline of Amy’s Drive Thru restaurant closuresSan Francisco International Airport: Closed March 2026Rohnert Park, California: Closed March 2026Corte Madera, California: Closed August 2025Thousand Oaks, California: Closed February 2024Roseville, California: Closed February 2024Amy’s faces tumultuous challengesAmy’s faced internal challenges that complicated its growth trajectory.In 2022, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health fined Amy’s Kitchen $25,000 for health and safety violations following employee complaints about unsafe and hostile working conditions at the Santa Rosa facility, according to SFGATE. That same year, the company laid off around 300 workers after closing its San Jose factory. Additional layoffs affecting about 300 more employees occurred in two Santa Rosa facilities two years later.These operational hurdles forced the company to rethink its cost structure and long-term scalability. At the same time, broader industry pressures were intensifying.A volatile environment for restaurants nationwideAmy’s Drive Thru closure comes amid a broader wave of shutdowns across the restaurant industry.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 17% of new restaurants close within their first year. Long-term restaurants have an even greater chance of shutting down, with about half closing within five years and only 34.6% surviving beyond a decade, according to Oysterlink.Costs have also surged. Prices for food away from home increased 4% in the 12 months ending January 2026, according to recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.Over the past five years, food and labor costs for the average restaurant have each risen by about 35%, according to the National Restaurant Association.To offset those surges, menu prices climbed an average of 31% between February 2020 and April 2025, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.However, higher prices have coincided with a slowdown in customer traffic. In a National Restaurant Association survey, 60% of restaurant operators reported lower traffic in December 2025, up from 51% in November.More coverage on restaurant closures:74-year-old BBQ chain closes key restaurantThese reality TV restaurants are suddenly up for sale after slump76-year-old restaurant chain closing another longtime locationJames O’Reilly, a food industry executive with more than 15 years of experience in restaurant marketing, believes that pricing alone won’t fix demand.”While headline economic indicators have improved and financial markets have strengthened, many restaurant consumers, particularly in lower- and middle-income brackets, have not experienced the same relief,” said O’Reilly in an interview with FSR Magazine.Why plant-based restaurants face additional risksVegetarian and vegan dining is growing, but plant-based restaurants are not necessarily benefiting. What was once a niche advantage has become widely available. Major chains including Burger King, Taco Bell, and Chipotle, as well as casual brands like Cheesecake Factory and Yard House, now offer plant-based options.This shift has reduced the competitive advantage and differentiation of fully vegan concepts.Pablo Moleman, co-founder of the food awareness organization ProVeg, told NL Times that mainstream adoption has effectively absorbed much of the demand that once fueled standalone vegan restaurants.”Vegetarian food has become more normal,” Moleman said. “Ordinary restaurants have fully embraced vegetarian dishes, and that’s led to a drop in market share for dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants.”David Lipschutz, a vegetarian restaurant owner, says that because plant-based restaurants target such a specific audience, location is key.”I think, honestly, that places that are vegetarian or are vegan, they’re going to be niche concepts in very specific markets where there’s enough interest and desire and resources to support them,” Lipschutz said to CBS News. “It has to be someplace where people will respect and put their money on the table for it. And so I think it can’t just be any concept anywhere.”Other vegan restaurant closuresHart House: Closed all locations in September 2024 after 2 years, according to Eater.Sage Vegan Bistro: Closed all locations in January 2025 after 14 years, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal.Plum Bistro: Closed in January 2025, alongside its sister location, after 17 years, according to Capitol Hill Seattle News.Native Foods: Closed its last location in November 2025, two years after becoming employee-owned, according to Block Club Chicago.The bigger shift in plant-based diningAmy’s Drive Thru’s closures show a broader industry transition in which demand for plant-based food is growing but is increasingly being absorbed by mainstream restaurants rather than by standalone vegan brands.For operators, that means the challenge is no longer just increasing brand awareness and incentivizing consumers to try plant-based food; it’s finding a business model that can compete in a market where those options are now nearly everywhere. Related: 31-year-old Italian restaurant chain closing its final locations
Bitcoin, stocks rise, oil slides, after report of Iran’s willingness to end conflict
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country is prepared to end the conflict if it receives security guarantees.
Oracle Firing Tens Of Thousands As CDS Explodes To Financial Crisis Record
Oracle Firing Tens Of Thousands As CDS Explodes To Financial Crisis Record
Two months ago, when ORCL announced it would raise $50 billion in a combination of stock and bonds to ease market fears about its soaring funding costs and lack of actual revenues and “to build additional capacity to meet the contracted demand from the company’s largest cloud customers, including Advanced Micro Devices, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, OpenAI, TikTok and xAI” we said that this latest example of financial engineering, which perhaps most importantly was meant to push its soaring Credit Default Swap lower, was doomed to fail.
We didnt have long to wait: since the Feb 1 announcement, the stock has tumbled to fresh multi year lows…
… but the big risk is that despite the company’s best equity-diluting intentions, ORCL 5 Year CDS just hit the widest on record, a level first (and only) seen during the global financial crisis.
This is a problem because despite Larry Ellison’s best efforts to convince the market that Oracle has more than enough projected revenue – and a massive enough backlog – to grow into its bloated balance sheet, which is approaching $200 billion including off-balance sheet exposure, and refute such claims such as the following from Barclays which warned two months ago that the market “Underestimates the Infrastructure Build Out Necessary to Execute to Oracle’s $512 billion RPO Balance”…
Source: Barclays, available to pro subs
… and that the company will badly miss estimates, as it is forced to fund a much higher capex (some $275 billion) than consensus projects…
Source: Barclays, available to pro subs
… the market simply is not buying it. Literally.
So what is Oracle to do? Well, it is literally going down the list of what Barclays proposed two months ago would be “next steps” as the cold hard reality slams Oracle’s publicly traded securities, the first of which was…
RIF of 20-30K employees which could drive ~$8-10B of incremental free cash flow,
And sure enough, this morning Oracle told employees that it’s conducting a major round of layoffs.
According to CNBC “the layoffs were in the thousands” although with the company employing some 162,000 people, to make an actual dent in free cash flow (which ORCL does not have), it will have to fire tens of thousands.
Layoff emails began landing in inboxes around 6:00 a.m. EST, informing recipients that their roles had been “eliminated” and that the day of notification would be their last working day — with no prior discussion or HR outreach.
“We are sharing some difficult news regarding your position. After careful consideration of Oracle’s current business needs, we have made the decision to eliminate your role as part of a broader organizational change. As a result, today is your last working day. We are grateful for your dedication, hard work, and the impact you have made during your time with us,” the email read.
Industry sources estimate that between 20,000 and 30,000 positions have been impacted, potentially affecting up to 18% of Oracle’s global workforce of roughly 162,000.
Employees reported that the automated mass emails were their only notification, with system access revoked shortly thereafter and instructions to provide personal email addresses to receive severance paperwork.
With Oracle slashing overhead, it will use the funds to invest in CapEx instead. Here is CNBC “While continuing to push its flagship database for storing and serving up corporate information, Oracle has ratcheted up its capital expenditures as it builds data center infrastructure that can handle AI workloads.”
Needless to say, this process has been anything but smooth for the most indebted tech giant, and the company many view as the first canary in the AI bubble coalmine.
While Oracle disclosed that its remaining performance obligations (basically backlog) jumped 359% to $455 billion following an agreement with OpenAI worth over $300 billion, the market refused to reward the company for the circular financing number, and weeks later, Oracle picked executives Mike Sicilia and Clay Magouyrk to replace its CEO, Safra Catz.
As for ORCL’s employees, while tens of thousands are about to be fired, expect many more to leave the company if Barclays is right and the company’s CapEx spending ends up being some $85 billion above the current consensus of $189 billion…
More in the full Barclays report available to pro subs.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/31/2026 – 13:00
Suburban mom accused of killing ex, his parents after ‘hang out’ text, confession revealed in docs: report
Authorities have released new information involving the 30-year-old Indiana woman accused of gunning down the father of her children and his parents in an Illinois suburb earlier this month. Jenna Strouble is charged with nine counts of first-degree murder stemming from the deaths of 32-year-old Jacob Lambert and his parents, Patrick and Stacy Forde, in Chicago on March 22, according to FOX 32. According to newly released court documents, Strouble contacted Lambert on the day of the alleged murder asking him to “hang out,” later admitting to investigators that she went to the meeting “with an intention” to harm him. ’90 DAY FIANCE’ ALUM’S BOYFRIEND BEATS BOCA BASH ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE HE RIPS AS ‘RIDICULOUS’Prosecutors allege Strouble drove to Plum Creek Nature Preserve, but pulled over along Burnham Road in Sauk Village upon learning the first location was closed and offered to give Lambert a back massage, FOX 32 reported.Strouble then straddled Lambert as he laid on his stomach and massaged his back for about 20 minutes, court documents revealed, according to the outlet.Strouble allegedly told investigators that when Lambert criticized her technique, she retrieved a Glock handgun hidden underneath the passenger seat and held it to the back of his head for several minutes before shooting him. JURORS SHOWN BODYCAM OF DOCTOR’S BLOODY WIFE, ROCK HE ALLEGEDLY USED TO BASH HER IN CLIFFSIDE ATTACKProsecutors said immediately following the shooting, Strouble drove to Lambert’s parents’ home in nearby Crete Township and attempted to use his keys to get inside before his father, Patrick Forde, came to the door, according to FOX 32.As Patrick Forde opened the door, Strouble allegedly began shooting from the porch as she entered the home, ultimately striking him 17 times in the chest and abdomen. As Stacy Forde came downstairs, Strouble allegedly shot her three times in the chest and abdomen, FOX 32 reported. AMERICAN WORKER SHOT, KILLED IN BAHAMAS AS SENIOR OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER: POLICEUpon being asked if she came to Lambert’s parents’ home to finish her plan, Strouble allegedly told investigators, “Yeah, pretty much.”Immediately after the alleged murders, Strouble is accused of returning to her home in St. John, Indiana and calling her sister to admit to what she had done, with Strouble’s sister ultimately notifying police. Deputies reportedly arrived at the Fordes’ home around 2 a.m. on March 23 to find Patrick Forde’s lifeless body in the dining room and Stacy Forde lying on the stairs.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XLambert’s body was located in a nearby cul-de-sac in the passenger seat of a 2014 Ford Fusion Titanium, still face down with the seat reclined.As officers arrived at Strouble’s St. John home to take her into custody, prosecutors said Strouble came outside and handed them a loaded Glock 19 fitted with a suppressor, with investigators locating a vehicle registered to Lambert less than a block away, FOX 32 reported.SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTERCourt documents revealed Strouble penned a note the night before the alleged killings providing the names of three of her children and asking others to care for them, according to the outlet.Strouble allegedly admitted to purchasing the gun in December 2025 and buying the suppressor online for roughly $589.SEND US A TIP HEREProsecutors pointed to Strouble’s complaints about Lambert’s parenting and tensions with his family as a possible motive for the alleged murders, with the pair occasionally maintaining an intimate relationship while co-parenting their two young children. The mother reportedly admitted to not having a relationship with her children and spending little time with them, adding that she voluntarily handed custody over to Lambert and his family and only recently had them returned to her.LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCASTStrouble also allegedly told investigators she considered killing her own parents because she did not feel her children would be safe under their care. When investigators asked if she killed Lambert’s parents because she did not want them to take custody of their children, she allegedly replied, “that’s some of the reasons.”LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUBProsecutors pointed to an incident in which Strouble allegedly took her father’s rifle and stashed it under her bed, later telling him she thought about killing Lambert but did not have a plan, according to FOX 32.Investigators also learned of Strouble’s past suicidal tendencies and medication for depression, including one incident in which she wanted to kill herself by jumping out of a window with her children, the outlet reported.Strouble is set to appear in court Tuesday, where a judge will make a determination to keep her in custody until her trial. If convicted, Strouble could face life in prison. Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney assigned to represent Strouble.
Twenty-Two People Tied to a Controversial French Masonic Lodge on Trial for Murder
AI-Generated image by Grok
A shady lodge running killer squads is the stuff of fiction, only in real life.
A murder trial kicked off yesterday in Paris, which is generating a lot of controversy in the press and in French society in general.
No less than twenty-two people are facing charges of murder and other serious crimes, and it’s all centered on members of a shady Masonic lodge accused of ‘running hit squads’.
Out of the defendants, thirteen face life imprisonment if convicted.
Twenty-two people stand trial in France in a case centered on a Masonic lodge accused of running hit squads.
They are accused of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris… pic.twitter.com/sq8KJ4WT2P
— Europa.com (@europa) March 30, 2026
AFP reported:
“Those in the dock include four military personnel from France’s foreign intelligence service (DGSE), two police officers, a retired domestic intelligence officer, a security guard and two business executives.
They are accused of the murder of a racing driver, the attempted murders of a business coach and a trade unionist, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy — all on behalf of a mafia network inside the former Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux.”
Most of the defendants have no previous criminal records.
RFI reported:
“At the heart of the case is the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux. Prosecutors allege that the lodge served as a hub for a tightly organized network that carried out violent acts ranging from assaults to contract killings.
[…] The alleged ringleaders – Jean-Luc Bagur, Frederic Vaglio and Daniel Beaulieu – are all linked to the Athanor lodge and are accused of orchestrating a series of crimes through a structured chain of command. They, along with Beaulieu’s associate Sébastien Leroy, face the most severe penalties.
[…] The case first came to light following a failed contract killing in July 2020. Two members of France’s parachute regiment were arrested near the home of business coach Marie-Helene Dini while in possession of weapons.
Under questioning, the pair claimed they believed they had been tasked by the state to eliminate Dini, alleging she had ties to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.”
The complex trial is expected to last up to three months.
Read more:
Exorcist Priest Warns Against Using Ouija Boards: ‘Demons Lie and Impersonate Dead People’
The post Twenty-Two People Tied to a Controversial French Masonic Lodge on Trial for Murder appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Cruise line cancels all April trips as Iran war worsens
While some airlines have been cautiously running flights to Dubai and Doha amid the widespread regional conflict caused by the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, cruise lines with ships stuck in the Persian Gulf face a tougher challenge. Ships that are now forced to remain in port indefinitely include the MSC Euribia, TUI’s Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 and Celestyal Cruises’ Discovery and Journey. While guests who were on journeys through the region at the time of the strike on Feb. 28 have by now mostly been evacuated and repatriated home on charter flights, the ships themselves are unable to get out of port due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.Celestyal Cruises says it is “unable to reposition our ships back to the Mediterranean,” cancels all cruisesCelestyal Cruises, which is based in Athens and sells a series of three-, four-, and seven-night sailings through the Greek Islands as well as in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea, just confirmed that it will be canceling all of its sailings for April as two of its ships remain grounded.”Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, we have been unable to reposition our ships, Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, back to the Mediterranean,” the cruise line said in a statement on March 30. “As a result, following careful consideration, all departures scheduled for April 2026 have been cancelled.”Related: Fairmont hotel in Dubai set aflame after Iranian strikeCelestyal Discovery is currently docked in Dubai while the Celestyal Journey is being kept in port in Qatar’s Doha. The ships remain operational and can be put toward new routes as soon as they are able to get out of the Strait of Hormuz; Celestyal’s current hopes are to put the Discovery on the May 1 three-night Iconic Greek Islands sailing and Journey on the seven-night Greece, Italy and Croatia tour departing on May 2.But whether the cruise line will be able to run these itineraries remains mired in geopolitical uncertainties amid new waves of Iranian attacks on U.S. bases and allies throughout the Middle East.
Two Celestyal Cruises ships are currently stranded in the Middle East.Celestyal Cruises
These other cruise lines are affected by the Strait of Hormuz closure”Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners,” Celestyal Cruises Chief Commercial Officer Lee Haslett said in a further statement. “While we know this will be disappointing, making this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected.”The widespread disruptions to maritime traffic around the Strait of Hormuz have impacted a number of other cruise lines; Swiss cruise line Explora Journeys has also canceled all sailings into countries such as Egypt, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia into 2027 in favor of new itineraries in North Africa and the Western Medierranean.More Travel News:Airline to launch unusual new flight to Cayman Islands from the U.S.Iranian strike hits major airport, injuries reportedUnexpected country is most luxurious travel destination for 2026U.S. government issues sudden warning on Switzerland travelLuxury Tales, a destination management company crafting luxury trip itineraries, also sent out a message to the travel agents it works with acknowledging that many may have clients who are “affected by these cancellations.””We know how challenging last-minute changes can be,” CEO Zaneta Laini wrote in the message. “Our team is ready to assist you in rescheduling affected clients. We can provide land services in Greece, whether your clients want to explore the islands, mainland Greece, or a combination of both.”Related: Thailand may crack down on visa-free access for Americans
Colorado Can’t Ban Counselors from Helping Minors Escape LGBTQ Ideology, Supreme Court Rules
In an 8-1 opinion Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Colorado law violates the First Amendment by discriminating against the free speech rights of a Christian therapist who helps minors embrace their biological reality and heterosexual inclinations.
In Chiles v. Salazar, Kaley Chiles, a licensed Christian therapist, challenges a 2019 Colorado law banning conversion therapy helping clients under 18 who want to rid themselves of unwanted gender ideologies that reject biology.
Chiles does not provide any type of physically-altering service. Instead, she counsels her clients in order help them achieve their psychological goals. As such, she is engaging in constitutionally-protected free speech, the court ruled:
“Held: Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy, as applied to Ms. Chiles’s talk therapy, regulates speech based on viewpoint, and the lower courts erred by failing to apply sufficiently rigorous First Amendment scrutiny.”
“When the government seeks not just to restrict speech based on its subject matter, but also seeks to dictate what particular ‘opinion or perspective’ individuals may express on that subject, ‘the violation of the First Amendment is all the more blatant,’” the court explained:
“As applied to Ms. Chiles, Colorado’s law regulates the content of her speech and goes further to prescribe what views she may and may not express, discriminating on the basis of viewpoint.
“The law permits her to express acceptance and support for clients exploring their identity or undergoing gender transition, §12–245–202(3.5)(b), but forbids her from saying anything that attempts to change a client’s ‘sexual orientation or gender identity,’ including efforts to change ‘behaviors,’ ‘gender expressions,’ or ‘romantic attraction[s],’ §12–245–202(3.5)(a).”
In essence, the Colorado law favors expression of one viewpoint, but forbids another, by allowing therapists to affirm a minor’s chosen gender identity or sexual orientation, while prohibiting them from helping minors who no longer want to defy biological norms.
Chiles is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which cheered Tuesday’s ruling in a statement:
“Counselors walking alongside these young people shouldn’t be limited to promoting state-approved goals like gender transition, which often leads to harmful drugs and surgeries. The Supreme Court’s ruling is a victory for counselors and, more importantly, kids and families everywhere.”
“Kids deserve real help affirming that their bodies are not a mistake and that they are wonderfully made. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today is a significant win for free speech, common sense, and families desperate to help their children,” said ADF Chief Legal Counsel Jim Campbell, who argued before the court in October:
“States cannot silence voluntary conversations that help young people seeking to grow comfortable with their bodies.”
Tuesday’s Supreme Court’s ruling will help protect counselors threatened by similar laws in more than 20 states and over 100 localities across the country, freeing them to help struggling youth seeking professional guidance, ADF notes.