MMN Editor

A week after President Donald Trump urged Sydney Gruters to run for an open GOP-held congressional seat in Florida, the former executive director of the state’s New College Foundation and wife of Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Joe Gruters declared her candidacy.”As a working mother of three, I see firsthand how much pressure rising prices are putting on families across Southwest Florida,” Sydney Gruters said as she launched her campaign on Thursday. “From groceries and gas to housing and insurance, too many families, seniors, and veterans are being stretched thin. I’m running for Congress to protect our conservative values and fight for the people of this district and give them a strong voice in Washington.”With Trump’s support, Gruters is considered the clear front-runner to succeed retiring longtime GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan, her former boss, in Florida’s right-leaning 16th Congressional District, which stretches from Tampa’s eastern suburbs south to Bradenton. Republicans currently control the House 218-214 and will be defending their fragile majority in this year’s midterm elections.Trump, in a social media post on March 24, emphasized that Gruters would “fight tirelessly.”RNC CHAIR BETS ON ‘SECRET WEAPON’ TO DEFY MIDTERM HISTORY, PROTECT GOP MAJORITIES”Should she decide to enter this Race, Sydney Gruters has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, SYDNEY, RUN!” the president declared.While her husband, a Florida state senator and top Trump supporter in the Sunshine State, is well known nationally as he steers the RNC, the 44-year-old Sydney Gruters is well known in her district and very familiar with Congress.SCOOP: HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN ARM LAUNCHES ‘MAGA MAJORITY’ PROGRAM TO BOOST TRUMP-ALIGNED CANDIDATESGruters served as Buchanan’s operation director for a decade (2007-2017) and later as district director to GOP Rep. Greg Steube (2019-2023) in the neighboring 17th Congressional District.In-between her two congressional stints, she served in Trump’s first administration as state director for Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Department of Agriculture.Prior to launching her congressional campaign, Gruters finished up her tenure as Vice President of Advancement and Executive Director of the New College Foundation.Gruters took her position at the smaller liberal arts state college in Sarasota soon after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis installed a conservative board of trustees at the school. The one-time progressive-minded college subsequently created a classical education curriculum, which emphasizes liberal arts and western teachings. Last autumn, the college was among the first to sign on to Trump’s education compact, which offers schools federal funding for backing his education priorities.As she launches her congressional bid, Gruters is also backed by Maggie’s List, a political group that works to elect conservative women to Congress.Three other Republicans, as well as three Democrats, are also running to succeed Buchanan.Trump won 57% of the vote in the district in his 2024 presidential election victory. And Buchanan grabbed nearly 60% of the vote as he won re-election. But the seat may be refigured ahead of this year’s midterms, as the GOP-dominated Florida legislature meets in a special session later this month to deal with congressional redistricting in the red-leaning state.

B1 bridge in Karaj destroyed in airstrike
President Trump on Thursday posted a video of Iran’s B1 bridge in Karaj, the tallest bridge in the Middle East, being destroyed in an airstrike. 
Trump posted the video on Truth Social, writing, “The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again — Much more to follow! IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
WATCH:

Iranian state media also posted the following clip.

Per the Telegraph:
The B1 bridge in Karaj, which was still under construction, was set to form part of a major highway connecting the region with Tehran, the Iranian capital.
Several people were injured in the strike on the 136-metre-high structure, which was carried out by the United States and Israel, Iranian state media reported.
The Iranian regime also claimed that bombs struck a century-old medical centre in Tehran. Images published by the health ministry show a largely destroyed building, which it identified as the Pasteur Institute of Iran.
On Wednesday, Mr Trump delivered a speech in which he stated that the war was nearly over but also threatened to bomb Iran “extremely hard” if it didn’t bow to his demands.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, President Trump on Wednesday addressed the nation with an update on Operation Epic Fury, where he said that he would continue to escalate the war until Iran makes a deal.
“We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We’re going to bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong,” he said.
“In the meantime, discussions are ongoing,” he said, noting that “If there is no deal, we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously.”
Still, the President announced that the US is close to completing all objectives of Operation Epic Fury and appeared to signal an approaching end to the war regardless of whether Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz.
WATCH: “We’re Going to Bring Them Back to the Stone Ages” – Trump Says Iran Strikes Will Continue and All Objectives Will Be Completed “Very Shortly”, Suggests He Will Let the Strait of Hormuz Reopen “Naturally”

The post WATCH: Trump Posts Video of Iran’s Biggest Bridge Being Destroyed After Threatening to Send Iran “Back to the Stone Ages” – “Much more to follow! IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Alan Dershowitz
Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said Wednesday that both sides of the birthright citizenship debate missed the point.
The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in Trump v. Barbara, a case challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order that eliminated birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants. Appearing on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” Dershowitz said the debate missed the most important argument.
“This is not a case where the Supreme Court gets the last word. The 14th Amendment ends with the following statement: ‘Congress shall have the power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article.’ And so Congress has the power to decide who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States,” Dershowitz told Greta Van Susteren.
Dershowitz said Congress holds the power to deny citizenship to birth tourists who simply passed through the United States, yet neither side made that case.
WATCH:

“If Congress were to pass a law saying that people who come for birth tourism or who just passed through the United States are not subject to the jurisdiction of the country, then the 14th Amendment doesn’t grant them citizenship. Now neither side wants that result,” Dershowitz said. “Both sides want extreme results so that neither side argued sensibly for a solemn manic solution,which would divide the baby — literally the tourist baby — in half. If they lived in the United States, if they spent time here, if they were really subject to the laws of the United States, yes, then they’re citizens.”
Dershowitz said the Supreme Court will likely strike down Trump’s executive order as unconstitutional while handing the bigger question back to Congress.
“If they just passed through, then Congress can say, ‘No, they’re not.’ So the Supreme Court may not get the last word. And I suspect we may see a decision that says, ‘Look, the president doesn’t have that authority, so his executive order is not constitutional, but Congress does,’” Dershowitz added. “And then the ball is thrown back into the Court of Congress to see whether they can pass legislation deciding who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and who isn’t.”
The United States stands among just 30 countries that place no restrictions on birthright citizenship, a policy rooted in the post-Civil War 14th Amendment, which extended citizenship to all persons born or naturalized on American soil to protect freed slaves and their descendants. In 2023 alone, the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that between 225,000 and 250,000 children were born to undocumented immigrant parents, with an additional 70,000 born to temporary visitors.
Trump attended the Supreme Court oral arguments, becoming the first sitting president in American history to do so. He said on Truth Social that foreign countries exploit birthright citizenship for financial gain while insisting the 14th Amendment was designed solely to protect children of freed slaves, not children of undocumented immigrants.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Key takeaways

Chronic conditions like arthritis, allergies and dental disease are making pet care more expensive than ever, according to research from Money.com and Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Most pet owners spend up to $250 a month on chronic issues, but emergencies often run between $1,000 and $5,000, if not higher.
Many owners rely on credit cards or savings to cover vet bills, while a smaller share use pet insurance to help manage sudden expenses.

Veterinary medicine has advanced significantly in recent years, but so has the price tag attached to the treatments and services pets need to thrive.
Costs are particularly steep for owners of cats and dogs with one or more chronic issues like arthritis, joint pain, allergies and dental illnesses, common conditions and ailments that afflict pets. New research from Money.com and Healthy Paws Pet Insurance found that owners of pets with multiple medical conditions spend more not just on routine pet care goods and services, but on medical emergencies triggered by their pets’ health challenges.
Let’s get into it.

Arthritis and joint problems
Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents said their pets struggle with arthritis or joint problems. This includes hip dysplasia and ligament tears that are common among some breeds, like German Shepherds and Maine coon cats, as well as injuries sustained during accidents or while playing.
Once a pet is diagnosed with arthritis, it needs lifelong care to minimize joint pain and slow down the progression of the disease. This includes diet changes, physical therapy, daily pain medications, supplements and more modern treatments like monthly injections to block the pain. By some estimates, these injections cost between $40 to $155 per dose, depending on factors like the animal’s size and weight. Because these shots are typically given monthly, this adds up to nearly $500 to $1,800 annually, on top of your pet’s regular care, along with other supplements and pain medications your vet may recommend.
Food and environmental allergies
The second most common condition in pets are allergies to ingredients in their food or the environment like pollen, mold or grass, marked by 20% of people caring for a sick pet in the report.
When an allergic pet eats or touches a trigger, their immune system overreacts. This can cause itchiness, hair loss and stomach problems.
A single allergy test can set you back about $300, on average, and many pets require multiple tests to correctly identify the allergen. Future expenses depend on what your pet is diagnosed with and whether your vet recommends routine allergy shots. These cost an average of $78 per shot, according to data from medical financing provider CareCredit. Other treatment plans, like oral allergy meds, steroids or medicated sprays, cost anywhere from $1 to $275 per dose, according to rates available on vet telehealth platform Vetster.
Dental disease
In our survey, 17% of pet owners reported dealing with dental disease in their pets. In particular, periodontal disease — inflammation or infection of your pet’s gums — affects around 80% to 90% of dogs after the age of three, according to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.
CareCredit data shows that professional dental cleanings range from $300 to $702 for both cats and dogs, but complications like extractions or advanced gum disease that require surgery or lifelong care can derail your budget by thousands of dollars.
How much do pet owners spend yearly on chronic conditions?
According to data from Money and Healthy Paws, 66% of pet owners caring for chronically ill pets spend up to $250 a month to manage conditions like arthritis, dental disease, joint problems and diabetes. A quarter (25%) reported spending up to $1,200 a year.
And that reflects only baseline expenses. If a chronically ill pet has an emergency, the yearly cost of care shoots up. Almost half (45%) of pet owners who rushed to the vet because their pet suddenly got very ill said they paid between $1,000 and $5,000 for urgent care.
These pet owners aren’t paying with cash, for the most part. The survey found that most (75%) charged these bills to their credit cards or used money from their savings, while 20% said pet insurance covered some or all of the costs, and 17% set up a payment plan with their veterinarian.
This financial reality has led many owners to consider pet insurance as a way to manage risk. Nearly a quarter (20%) of pet owners caring for a sick pet said pet insurance helped cover sudden expenses.
Pet insurance can help keep your cash flow predictable. For instance, if you charge an emergency vet bill on your credit card and file a claim with your insurer as soon as possible, you could get your reimbursement within a few weeks and settle the credit card debt relatively quickly. While pet insurance does not eliminate your pet’s health care expenses entirely, it can buffer the financial hit of a veterinary emergency.

More from Money
Is Pet Insurance Worth It in 2026? What the Data Shows
More Pet Owners Are Going Into Debt to Pay Vet Bills. Here’s Why That’s Risky
The Lifetime Cost of a Pet — and How to Pay for It

Key TakeawaysThe 10 largest US stock funds put in mixed performances amid the market downturn inflicted by the Iran war.Fidelity Contrafund ranked the highest in its category out of the largest active stock funds in the first quarter.Among the largest passive stock funds, the highest-ranking name was the Invesco QQQ Trust.For the largest stock funds, the double whammy of the selloff in technology stocks and the market impact of the Iran war proved a challenging environment. Each of the 10 largest actively managed US stock funds posted losses in the first quarter of 2026, although six outperformed the average fund in their category. Eight finished the quarter in negative territory, while half beat their peers. Among the largest active funds, the best performer within its category was the $158 billion Fidelity Contrafund FCNKX, which landed in the 13th percentile of the large-cap growth category after losing 5.4% in the first quarter. The worst performer was the $213 billion American Funds Washington Mutual Fund RWMGX, which performed near the bottom of the large-cap value category with a 3.1% loss even as other value funds ended in the green. On the passive side, the best performer among the largest stock funds relative to its category was the $372 billion Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ, which ranked in the 13th percentile of the large growth category as it fell 5.9%. Lowest ranked was the $210 billion Vanguard Mid Cap Index Fund VMCPX, which fell 0.6%, placing it in the 71st percentile of the mid-cap blend category.Each quarter, we review the short- and long-term performance of the largest US stock funds. Many of them, such as the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund, are core holdings in portfolios, especially retirement accounts. This list includes both traditional mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.When evaluating funds, investors should focus on long-term returns across multiple years and market cycles. However, shorter-term returns can provide valuable information about biases within strategies.Performance data for this article was based on the lowest-cost share class for each fund. Some funds may be listed with share classes not accessible to individual investors outside retirement plans. The individual investor versions of those funds may carry higher fees, reducing returns to shareholders. For longer-term returns, if a share class was launched more recently than the period mentioned, an older share class was substituted if one exists.The Largest Active Stock Funds: The Best Q1 PerformersWhile all 10 of the largest active stock funds posted losses in the first quarter, the $116 billion American Funds American Mutual Fund RMFGX lost the least. Its 1.3% loss put it in the 83rd percentile of the large-cap value category. The fund’s peers averaged a 1.6% gain, while the benchmark Morningstar US Large-Mid Cap Broad Value Index declined 1.0%.The Fidelity Contrafund performed the best relative to its category. The average first-quarter loss for funds in the category was 8.8%, while the Morningstar US Large-Mid Cap Broad Growth Index fell 8.1%. The largest contributors to the Fidelity Contrafund’s returns were GE Vernova GEV, a power turbine manufacturer, which rose 33.7% in 2026, and energy giant Exxon Mobil XOM, which rose 42.0%. Each contributed 0.3 points to the fund’s returns. Both are relatively small holdings, with Vernova having a 1.1% weight in the portfolio and Exxon a 0.9% weight. The Largest Active Stock Funds: The Worst Q1 PerformersThe $107.4 billion JPMorgan Large Cap Growth Fund JLGMX fell the most of any of the largest active stock funds during the first quarter. Its 8.5% decline put it in the 32nd percentile of the large-cap growth category. What cost the fund the most was its 6.7% weighting to Microsoft MSFT, which fell 23.3% in the quarter, knocking 1.8% off the fund’s returns. The fund’s 7.2% weighting to Alphabet GOOG, which fell 8.5%, cost it 0.8 points.The fund that did the poorest relative to its category was American Funds Washington Mutual Fund, landing in the 95th percentile of the large-cap value category based on a 3.1% loss. Its largest detractor was its 4.9% weighting to Microsoft, which cut 1.3 percentage points from its quarterly returns. The Largest Passive Stock Funds: The Best Q1 PerformersTwo funds posted positive returns for the quarter. One was the $174 billion Vanguard Small Cap Index Fund VSCPX, which gained 1.9%, landing in the 44th percentile of the small cap blend category. Its peers gained 1.6%, while the Morningstar US Small Cap Index was flat. The other was the $238.5 billion Vanguard Value ETF VTV, which gained 3.3%, putting it in the 22nd percentile of the large value category.These funds benefited from the recent stock market rotation, wherein the large growth stocks that had driven the market for much of the last few years underperformed, while value and smaller-cap names held up better.The best fund relative to its category, however, was the large-growth Invesco QQQ Trust, which fell by 5.9%, putting it in the 13th percentile of its category. The largest contributor to the fund’s returns was its 1.4% weight in chip firm Applied Materials AMAT, which added 0.4 points to its returns. The second-largest contributor was its 2.4% weighting to chipmaker Micron Technology MU, which added 0.3 points.The Largest Passive Stock Funds: The Worst Q1 PerformersThe $336 billion Vanguard Growth ETF VUG posted the largest loss of any of the biggest index funds, falling 11.3% in the quarter. Its 9.8% weighting to Microsoft was its biggest detractor, costing it 2.5 points. The fund’s double-digit loss puts it in the 69th percentile of the large growth category. On average, funds in the category lost 5.9% in the quarter, while the US Large-Mid Cap Broad Growth Index fell 8.2%.By comparison, the Vanguard Growth ETF rose 1.8% in the last quarter of 2025, funds in the large growth category averaged a 0.6% return, and the US Large-Mid Cap Broad Growth declined 0.2%.Long-Term Performance of the Largest Active Stock FundsFor the three years ending March 31, seven of the 10 largest active funds outperformed their Morningstar categories, and five funds earned spots in the top quintiles. The highest-ranking fund over the past three years was the Fidelity Contrafund, which ranked in the 3rd percentile of the large growth category. Two other funds placed in the top decile of their categories over the same period: the $177 billion American Funds The Investment Company of America Fund RICGX and the $158 billion American Funds Fundamental Investors Fund RFNGX.Long-Term Performance of the Largest Passive Stock FundsAll 10 of the largest index funds outperformed their categories over the past three years. While none ranked in the top decile, half ranked in the top quartile. The highest-ranking fund was the Invesco QQQ Trust, which ranked in the 16th percentile of the large growth category over the trailing three-year period and sixth in its category over the trailing five-year period. S&P 500 funds (all of which are in the large-cap blend category) were among the top performers. That includes the $1.5 trillion Vanguard 500 Index Fund VFFSX, the $721 billion Fidelity 500 Index Fund FXAIX, the $715 billion iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV, the $651.6 State Street S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY, each of which averaged returns of roughly 18.3% over the past three years.

Trump Fires Pam Bondi As Attorney General

Update (1315ET): That didn’t take long – Bondi is out, according to Fox News and WSJ. 

Bondi met with Trump in the Oval Office Wednesday night ahead of his speech to the nation on the war in Iran, where she reportedly was informed of her ouster, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. 

One of those sources said that by the time Trump took his place behind the podium for the address, Bondi already lost her job and was on her way back to Florida. -Fox

And according to the WSJ: 

Trump blamed Bondi’s handling of FBI files related to Epstein, the convicted sex offender, for creating months of political and personal headaches for him. Facing sustained bipartisan criticism, Bondi was subpoenaed by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee earlier this month to sit for a closed-door deposition in April.

The president weighed firing her in January but ultimately was persuaded not to do so, people familiar with the matter said.

It wasn’t immediately clear whom Trump would pick to succeed Bondi.

Bondi, 60 years old, is the second cabinet secretary Trump has fired in recent weeks; he ousted former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in early March. 

Back to private practice?

* * * ReadyWise Spring Sale – ends April 10. Stock up.

Earlier:

Leaky little sharks are circling in DC – telling the NY Times and CNN that Pam Bondi may soon be out as Attorney General, and replaced with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. 

The frustration, per sources close to the White House cited by The New York Times and CNN, centers squarely on Bondi’s catastrophic mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein files – a saga ZeroHedge has chronicled in excruciating detail as one of the most embarrassing self-inflicted wounds of the second Trump term. Recall Bondi’s infamous February 2025 Fox News appearance where she claimed the “client list” was literally “sitting on my desk right now to review.” Fast-forward months later: no list, endless redactions for “national security,” millions more pages “discovered” at the 11th hour, and zero indictments of any high-profile co-conspirators.

Beyond her disastrous testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee in February – the House Oversight Committee has also subpoenaed her over the “troubling disappearance” of documents, with her deposition still looming on April 14. Even Trump ally and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles admitted Bondi “completely whiffed” the response. 

News: The president has informed Pam Bondi that her time as AG is nearing an end, multiple sources tell me.
Formal announcement hasn’t yet come aka all the normal caveats that he could change his mind apply; he’s been speaking with advisors on a possible replacement in recent…
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) April 2, 2026
Trump is also reportedly pissed that Bondi has an apparent allergy to actual justice – namely, her failure to deliver on promises to go after his political foes (former FBI Director James Comey or New York AG Letitia James). Bondi’s DOJ has also been dragging its feet on broader accountability: no real movement on COVID-era prosecutions despite the obvious targets, a bizarre pivot toward “hate speech” crackdowns that even drew fire from the right, and a general pattern of not prosecuting what many see as a laundry list of potential criminals from the prior regime. Perhaps it was all by design. Either way, looks like Pam’s time is short. 

A person familiar with the situation tells me that Pam Bondi will be out as AG imminently, confirming scoops from @CNN and @nytimes.
When Trump met EPA boss Lee Zeldin on Tuesday to discuss last year’s California wildfires, Trump also discussed the potential of tapping him for… pic.twitter.com/zXj6MInr6B
— Dasha Burns (@DashaBurns) April 2, 2026
What’s more, Bondi’s DOJ has been actively sabotaging the Trump coalition by maintaining Biden-era policies in court – repeatedly mooting litigation on key issues rather than letting judges deliver precedent-setting knockout blows, defending outdated gun control measures like the 1934 National Firearms Act in suppressor cases, and choosing temporary tactical retreats over permanent wins that would prevent future Democrat administrations from simply flipping the switch back on.

Bondi’s nightmare before Congress was more or less the crescendo of her implosion. On February 11, she was hauled before the House Judiciary Committee for what was supposed to be a straightforward oversight hearing – and instead delivered one of the most disastrous performances in recent memory. As we reported live, Bondi exploded into a full-blown shouting match with Rep. Thomas Massie and top Democrats, dodging more than a dozen direct questions on why – after months of “reviewing” the files  – the DOJ still had zero indictments of Epstein’s high-profile co-conspirators.

🚨Massie: “This goes over four administrations. You don’t have to go back to Biden. Let’s go back to Obama. Let’s go back to George Bush. This coverup spans decades, and you are responsible for this portion.”pic.twitter.com/mZoCGOoEtD
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 11, 2026

She hemmed and hawed over the selective redactions (victims’ names left exposed while alleged abusers were blacked out), the sudden “discovery” of a million more pages, and the complete lack of accountability for the powerful men who enabled the operation. At one point she even whipped out what insiders called a “burn book” of lawmakers’ search histories in a desperate whataboutism that backfired spectacularly, drawing jeers from Epstein survivors seated in the gallery. So basically an angry stonewalling with clips that went absolutely viral. The base watched in real time as the woman tasked with draining the swamp instead looked like she was guarding it. 

Massie: “Here is an email that was sent by the victims’ lawyers to the DOJ. It was a list of names not to release. What did the DOJ do with this email? They released it! Literally the worst thing you could do the survivors you did.” pic.twitter.com/oSzA1dV2jj
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 11, 2026

The timing is telling. Rumors of Bondi’s exit have swirled for months, but they intensified this week after Trump met with Zeldin (a reliable MAGA foot soldier who ran New York and has been showered with praise by the president for his EPA work). Bondi was still glued to Trump’s side yesterday – riding in the motorcade to Supreme Court arguments and sitting in the audience for his primetime Iran address – but the non-denial denial from the White House speaks volumes: “Attorney General Pam Bondi is a wonderful person and she is doing a good job.” AKA – “you’re on thin ice.”

Zeldin, for his part, has zero of the Epstein baggage and a track record of hawkish loyalty during Trump’s first term. If the move happens, it would mark the second high-profile Cabinet shakeup of the term after Kristi Noem’s ouster at DHS – a clear signal that even Trump is no longer willing to tolerate the kind of institutional inertia and base-alienating fumbles that defined too much of his first go-around.

For now, Bondi remains in place… but the clock is ticking. As one person familiar with the discussions put it, the Epstein fallout has become a genuine political liability.

* * *

Click link, stock up. Free shipping over $500 + sale + looming boots on the ground = now’s a great time.

Tyler Durden
Thu, 04/02/2026 – 13:12

Kremlin Asks US For Ceasefire At Bushehr Nuclear Plant To Get Remaining Russian Staff Out

Russia is seeking approval from the US and Israel for a ceasefire for the Bushehr nuclear ⁠power plant in Iran, RIA news agency reported Thursday. Airstrikes across the country have reportedly been on the uptick in the past some 48 hours.

“The travel routes will be communicated ‌to the relevant authorities in Israel and the United States, and we will use all channels to request strict adherence to the ceasefire ⁠during the convoy’s movement,” the ⁠head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, stated.

Well over 500 Russian personnel were at the site prior to the US launching Operation Epic Fury, and the Bushehr complex has been hit at least three times by airstrikes, putting the complex and area at severe risk.
via Anadolu Agency

Likhachev said that a “final ⁠wave of evacuation” of some 200 people is tentatively scheduled for next week. There’s been a lot of Russian technicians and personnel there given the plant was undergoing expansion, and it’s Russia which first constructed Busherh – and so has technical expertise.

The Kremlin has accused Washington and Israel of putting the whole region in danger, and further of harming the cause of nuclear non-proliferation globally.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova days ago issued statement saying, “The drama of the situation is aggravated by the fact that countries attacking peaceful nuclear facilities in Iran are effectively undermining  the NPT, the IAEA’s verification mechanisms, nuclear and physical security conventions, as well as the agency’s relevant regulations,” according to the ministry’s website.

“Carefully crafted and internationally agreed solutions are not taken seriously by these states and can be discarded at any moment in favor of their selfish interests and geopolitical considerations,” the spokeswoman added.

Zakharova further communicated that atrocities in Iran must cease, and nuclear sites must be safeguarded, referencing the latest attacks in the past days on the complex in Khondab, the factory in Ardakan, and the strikes near the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

“The aggressors continue to raise the stakes in their war in the Middle East, ignoring all associated risks, including the danger of widespread radioactive contamination,” Zakharova had said last week.

Moscow Urges U.S., Israel to Ensure Safety#Russia’s Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev says Moscow will ask the United States and #Israel to observe a ceasefire during evacuation of staff from #Iran’s Bushehr plant, a final wave involving about 200 personnel is planned next week,… pic.twitter.com/MaaYa6RNIW
— Daily Euro Times (@dailyeurotimes) April 2, 2026
She further chastised UN and international bodies for not stepping up to loudly condemn the US-Israeli operation. The IAEA has meanwhile urged de-escalation, also as Trump is said to be mulling a possible high risk special forces operation to seize Iran’s enriched uranium.

Tyler Durden
Thu, 04/02/2026 – 13:10

Cooper Flagg’s first season in the NBA has not gone as planned and the rookie admitted it’s been tough.Flagg, 19, has had considerable personal success this season and is in contention for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award. However, the Dallas Mavericks have not had much success, as they are 24-52 and nowhere near playoff contention.”Obviously, it’s been tough. Like you said, you know, through high school, college, I mean, I only lost four games last year. So there have been times of the season where it’s been, you know, really mentally taxing on me,” Flagg said during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show.”CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMAnthony Davis played just 20 games with the Mavericks before sustaining a hand injury and was eventually traded to the Washington Wizards. Star point guard Kyrie Irving tore his ACL last season and has not played this season.Flagg hopes that he can look back at the tough times and say he learned from them.GRIZZLIES’ BRANDON CLARKE ARRESTED ON DRUG TRAFFICKING, SPEEDING CHARGES IN ARKANSAS”Just not having success that I would’ve hoped for, and obviously, we’ve had a lot of injuries and a lot of unfortunate things happen throughout the year. It’s obviously not been ideal. I’ve had growth along the way, and I’ve had to get better and learn on the fly, but definitely not the start I would’ve looked for. Hopefully, eventually I’ll be able to look back on it and know that I was able to learn a lot from it,” Flagg said.Flagg said he was thrown out there and into the fire more than he was expected, but he said it’s helped him develop and become more confident and comfortable.In 64 games, the Newport, Maine, native has averaged 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and nearly one block per game.Flagg’s rookie season will continue when the Mavericks play the Orlando Magic (40-36) on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET.Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Churches in America are turning to drone shows, skydiving bunnies and helicopter egg drops to celebrate Easter this year. Last Saturday, Compass Church in Salinas, California, held a “Great Helicopter Easter Egg Drop” with a skydiving bunny. “Compass Church presents The Great Helicopter Easter Egg Drop,” an announcement on the church’s website read. “The sky diving bunny returns this year with double the excitement!”WHITE HOUSE MARKS HOLY WEEK, EASTER WITH DAYS OF PRAYER CENTERED ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTYThe egg drop with the skydiving bunny includes 100,000 Easter eggs, bounce houses, games, photos with the Easter bunny and food for purchase.Similarly, Cultivate Church in Alabama partook in an event, titled, “Great Big Helicopter Easter Egg Drop.” “Join us as thousands of candy and toy-filled Easter eggs fall from a helicopter,” Cultivate Church said in an announcement on its website. AFFORDABLE EASTER TABLE DECOR THAT MAKES HOSTING EASY, STARTING AT $8On Good Friday, a coalition of churches in Tennessee held an Easter drone show and fireworks. “Hundreds of drones will illuminate the night sky in a breathtaking display, synchronized to a powerful narration broadcast on Grace 107.7,” an announcement on the website for The River Community Church in Cookeville, Tennessee, read. “Through light and sound, the story of Jesus will come to life—celebrating hope, resurrection, and new life.”It added, “If you can see the big white cross next to I-40, you’ll have a great view as the drones soar 200 feet above it. The evening will conclude with a stunning fireworks finale over Prayer Mountain, making for a powerful ending to this unforgettable experience.” In a video announcement on Facebook about the event, the lead pastor of the church, Steve Tiebout, said over 20 churches in the area are involved to bring the event together.NIGERIA’S CHRISTIANS ON EDGE FOR EASTER AFTER PALM SUNDAY MASSACRE”Bring people that never go to church. This will be something they’ll want to see, and then you can have those conversations afterward to share with them what Christ has done in your life,” Tiebout said in the video announcement.Fox News Digital reached out to Compass Church, Cultivate Church, and The River Community Church for comment. At a time when America is wrestling with declining church attendance, a recent Barna Group study suggests that attendance has increased among Gen Z and Millennial men, showing signs of a return to church that surpasses older generations. Gen Z and Millennials’ attendance has seen a resurgence in general, according to conservative Gen Z influencer Bo Loudon. “This is the result of a generation that’s had a lot of stuff going on. You know, we had to go through Covid, we’ve had a bunch of wars, and you know, not so great presidencies. But we’re in a great presidency now, and we have a great president that’s made it very open for us to talk about God and speak about our faith,” Loudon told Fox & Friends recently.