Venezuela Prepares for Imaginary U.S. Invasion with Karaoke, Karate

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Socialist dictator of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro ordered measures in recent days to prepare the country for a purported “invasion” by the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s increasing efforts targeting Latin American drug cartels in the region.

Venezuelan state propaganda armed have rolled out bizarre videos in the past week of the alleged “training” Venezuela’s citizens are engaged in to scare the U.S. military out of invading.

The United States reportedly deployed three Aegis guided-missile destroyers near Venezuelan waters. According to unnamed sources speaking to Reuters on Monday, “about 4,000 sailors and Marines” are expected to be committed in the southern Caribbean region in a several-month-long operation in international airspace and waters.

For years, Maduro has repeatedly claimed without evidence that the United States plans to “invade” Venezuela and oust him from power. Maduro, who has illegally clung to power, is actively wanted by U.S. authorities on multiple narco-terrorism charges and is a leading figure of the Cartel of the Suns, an international cocaine trafficking operation identified by the United States as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced this month that the United States doubled its reward for information that can lead to Maduro’s arrest and conviction from $25 to $50 million. (Read more from “Venezuela Prepares for Imaginary U.S. Invasion with Karaoke, Karate” HERE)

Wearing Hearing Aids Before Age 70 May Cut Dementia Risk by 61%, Study Finds

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A new study suggests a simple step could dramatically lower the risk of dementia — but timing is everything.

Researchers tracking nearly 3,000 adults over two decades found that people who began wearing hearing aids in their 60s had a 61% lower risk of developing dementia compared to peers with untreated hearing loss. However, once participants reached their 70s, the protective benefit of hearing aids appeared to fade.

“Managing hearing loss during midlife — improving hearing with the use of a hearing aid — could help protect the brain and reduce risk of dementia,” said Dr. Sudha Seshadri, a behavioral neurologist and study co-author.

A Growing Concern

The findings come at a critical time. Dementia diagnoses are expected to double by 2060, with nearly one million new cases projected each year in the U.S. Without major intervention, researchers warn, millions more Americans could face memory loss and related health complications in the coming decades.

Why Hearing Matters for Brain Health

The study adds to growing evidence linking untreated hearing loss to cognitive decline. Previous research has shown hearing aids can slow cognitive deterioration by nearly 50% over three years in older adults already at high risk of dementia.

Scientists believe several factors may explain the connection. When hearing fades, the brain must work harder to fill in gaps, straining memory and processing. Hearing loss also accelerates brain shrinkage with age and can lead to social withdrawal — depriving older adults of critical mental stimulation.

Barriers to Care

Despite the potential benefits, hearing aids remain underused. Nearly 27 million Americans over 50 experience hearing loss, but only about one in seven use a device. Even among those who do, the average delay before seeking treatment is roughly a decade — a gap researchers say can heighten risks of depression, isolation and cognitive decline.

Cost and accessibility have long been barriers, but that may be changing. In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss. The move opened the market to lower-cost devices available in stores and online, reducing the need for prescriptions or audiologist visits.

The Bigger Picture

Experts caution that dementia is a complex condition influenced by multiple factors, from cardiovascular health to genetics. Still, hearing loss stands out as one of the most preventable and treatable risks.

A January study found Americans over 55 face a 42% lifetime risk of dementia. Researchers argue that addressing hearing loss early could be a cost-effective public health intervention — protecting not just memory, but overall quality of life.

For now, the advice is straightforward: if hearing loss begins in your 60s, don’t wait. The earlier hearing aids are adopted, the more powerful the potential brain boost.

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Teens These Days Can’t Behave Themselves So One Local Chick-Fil-A Had To Lay Down The Law

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A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Ohio will require all customers under 17 to be accompanied by an adult or face removal, the franchise announced last week.

The franchise from Kettering, Ohio, said the policy intends to “ensure a safe and respectful environment for all guests,” requiring minors to be accompanied by someone over 21, according to a post on its Facebook page. The timing coincides with the start of the school year, when teenage foot traffic typically increases. The new rule follows a similar policy the nearby Town & Country Shopping Center implemented in 2022 to address property damage. That policy requires visitors to carry proof of age.

Local residents expressed mixed reactions online. Critics called the policy overly broad and unfair to well-behaved teenagers. Supporters argued it would preserve a family-friendly atmosphere.

“Nobody there makes enough to constantly remove disruptive teenagers who lack accountability and fear of consequence,” one commenter said, responding to another user who suggested the restaurant could simply remove disruptive customers on a case-by-case basis.

The Kettering location was not the first one to introduce such a policy. A Royersford, Pennsylvania, Chick-fil-A enforced similar restrictions in 2023 after dealing with what it called “unacceptable behaviors.” The Pennsylvania franchise cited loud, profane conduct, food throwing, table vandalism, and verbal abuse of employees. (Read more from “Teens These Days Can’t Behave Themselves So One Local Chick-Fil-A Had To Lay Down The Law” HERE)

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Senate Report: Biden’s HHS Placed Thousands of Migrant Children With Unvetted Adults

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A new report from the Senate Judiciary Committee has raised serious concerns over how the Biden administration handled the placement of unaccompanied migrant children in the United States. Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) revealed findings showing that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) placed more than 11,000 migrant children with adults who were never properly vetted.

Thousands of Children Placed Without Required Checks

Under federal law, when unaccompanied children are placed with adult sponsors who are not parents or relatives, those sponsors must undergo FBI fingerprint-based background checks. According to the report, Biden’s HHS disregarded this requirement, placing thousands of minors in homes where no such checks were conducted.

The report also noted that more than 79,000 children under the age of 12 were placed with sponsors without the agency conducting home studies that are meant to evaluate living conditions and child safety.

“My oversight continues to expose disturbing evidence that the Biden-Harris administration turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of kids who needed proper supervision and care,” Grassley said. “It’s appalling to prioritize speed and optics over the safety and well-being of children.”

The investigation highlighted the sheer scale of the crisis. Between October 2020 and September 2024, HHS cared for nearly half a million unaccompanied minors — a surge that strained the system and led to rapid, and in many cases, unverified placements. By comparison, from October 2024 through June 2025, the number dropped significantly to just over 21,000.

Critics say the Biden administration’s approach prioritized quickly clearing children from federal custody rather than ensuring their long-term safety.

Kennedy Blasts Policy as “Child Abuse”

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who took office earlier this year, told Congress in May that the Biden administration’s handling of the issue amounted to systemic child abuse.

“My predecessor was deliberately employing a policy of speed over safety so they waived all of the identification requirements for sponsors,” Kennedy testified. “Sponsors were not required to show valid identification; they were never fingerprinted, so we don’t know if there’s a criminal record. There was no DNA testing, so the claims that they were taking a family member were dubious.”

The Judiciary Committee says it will continue pressing for accountability and reforms to prevent future abuses. Grassley emphasized that protecting migrant children should not be a partisan issue: “We cannot allow government negligence to put children at risk. This is about basic safety and responsibility.”

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Defense Department May Adopt Pro-America Test For K-12 Schools, Military Academies

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Future military officers and the children of U.S. service members may soon be able to satisfy government testing mandates with a new test that prioritizes traditional math and the Great Books. Because tests strongly influence what teachers teach, this would encourage more traditional, less politicized instruction for the 70,000 or so children attending Department of Defense, or DODEA, K-12 schools.

The current Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) moving through Congress would require DODEA schools to offer 11th-grade students the college admissions test of their parents’ choice. This would allow students to take the Classic Learning Test, a Great Books competitor to the SAT and ACT college entrance exams. NDAA is a must-pass annual military spending bill. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., successfully added that amendment during markup in July.

“Accepting the CLT alongside the SAT and ACT opens the door for talented students from every educational background. It’s about making sure our military academies attract the best and brightest,” Banks said in a statement to The Federalist. “Many homeschool students take the CLT, which focuses on reading, logic, and classic texts in a way other tests don’t. These are good skills to take to the academies and putting this into law would ensure future administrations can’t unilaterally undo what Secretary Hegseth is trying to achieve.”

The NDAA amendment occurred after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tweeted his support for accepting CLT at military academies in May. Hegseth is the coauthor, with David Goodwin, of a 2022 New York Times bestselling book about classical education, Battle for the American Mind. The book follows up on a documentary Hegseth hosted for Fox News.

Four Republican senators voted against another amendment from Banks to require U.S. military academies such as West Point to accept the CLT as applicants’ college entrance exam. Those are Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, and Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana. If these four had voted for this amendment, it also would be in the NDAA this year. (Read more from “Defense Department May Adopt Pro-America Test For K-12 Schools, Military Academies” HERE)

Raising the Bar: Trump Admin Makes U.S. Citizenship Harder to Earn

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For decades, becoming a U.S. citizen has been one of the greatest privileges in the world. But under weak policies, too often the path to naturalization has been reduced to checking boxes and avoiding only the most extreme disqualifiers. That’s changing under the Trump administration, which has announced a tougher, more rigorous standard for immigrant applicants seeking citizenship.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released new guidance restoring a “holistic and comprehensive” standard for evaluating good moral character (GMC). Instead of assuming someone qualifies simply because they haven’t committed a murder or aggravated felony, officers will now look for positive contributions — evidence that an applicant is ready to uphold the responsibilities of citizenship, not just enjoy its benefits.

According to the memo, “evaluating GMC involves more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing. It entails a holistic assessment of an alien’s behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character.”

This means that, moving forward, USCIS officers will weigh factors like:

Volunteer service and community involvement

Family caregiving and ties in the U.S.

Stable employment and financial responsibility

Educational attainment and tax compliance

At the same time, the new policy tightens scrutiny of disqualifying behavior. Acts that previously slipped through the cracks — including DUIs, drug violations, reckless driving, harassment, or even unlawful voter registration — can now weigh heavily against an applicant.

The Trump administration’s message is clear: U.S. citizenship is not a consolation prize. It is the gold standard of citizenship worldwide, and it must be reserved for those who embody the best of American values.

As USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser put it, “U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship — it should only be offered to the world’s best of the best.”

By restoring higher expectations, the administration is ensuring that America remains a nation built on strong families, strong communities, and strong character. That’s not only good for today — it’s an investment in the country’s future.

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North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un Orders More Nuclear Weapons

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North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on Monday ordered a rapid buildup of nuclear weapons, ostensibly because recent joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea were an “obvious expression of their will to provoke war.”

Kim made his remarks while attending the launch of the new 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon at North Korea’s western port city of Nampo. North Korean state media claims the destroyer will be capable of carrying nuclear missiles when it becomes operational in 2026.

The Choe Hyon is the second destroyer in its class. The first one, Kang Kon, featured in a botched launching ceremony in May that caused serious damage to the underside of the ship. The destroyer was reportedly repaired and relaunched in June.

Kim raged that the launch mishap, which he personally witnessed, was a “serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism.”

According to the dictator, the Kang Kon disaster “brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse.” A smoother launch ceremony for its sister ship, the Choe Hyon, was meant to be a step toward restoring the pride of the North Korean military. (Read more from “North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un Orders More Nuclear Weapons” HERE)

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Costco Stands Firm Against Abortion Pill Sales

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In an era when corporate America often bows to the loudest voices on the Left, Costco has taken a stand that deserves recognition. The retail giant has confirmed it will not dispense the abortion pill mifepristone at its 500-plus pharmacy locations.

This decision didn’t come in a vacuum. Faith-based activists, including Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and Inspire Investing, pressed Costco to resist the cultural push to normalize abortion-on-demand through retail pharmacies. And Costco listened — or at the very least, refused to cave to activist pressure from the other side. That in itself is a win.

ADF’s Michael Ross called it “a very significant victory,” and he’s right. At a time when CVS and Walgreens are moving forward with dispensing abortion drugs, Costco has demonstrated that it will not be swayed into turning its pharmacies into abortion providers. The message is clear: not every corporation has to follow the radical Left’s playbook.

Critics claim this is “short-sighted” and that Costco is undermining “access to safe and FDA-approved medication.” But let’s be honest — this isn’t about access. Abortion pills are already widely available online and by mail. This is about pressuring every major American corporation to carry the water for the abortion industry, no matter the moral or societal cost. Costco has simply said no.

For conservatives, Costco’s decision is not just a victory — it’s momentum. The coalition of pro-life advocates is already turning its attention to Walgreens, CVS, and even Amazon, urging them not to participate in the sale of mifepristone. Every small stand matters, because it reminds corporate America that millions of consumers still believe in the sanctity of life.

Costco has proven that it’s possible to thrive without bowing to the abortion lobby. Let’s hope other retailers take note — and follow suit.

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Russia Open to Bilateral or Trilateral Talks With Trump and Zelensky: Putin’s Foreign Minister

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, either one-on-one or alongside President Trump, a top Kremlin official said Tuesday — without committing to a timetable.

“We do not reject any forms of work, neither bilateral nor trilateral. Russian President Putin has repeatedly spoken about this,” Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov told Moscow-owned broadcaster VGTRK.

Putin has rejected attempts by Zelensky to meet face-to-face for the entirety of the 41-month-old war, but the White House insisted Tuesday that talks would happen after Trump met Putin in Alaska on Friday and discussed the way forward with Zelensky and other European leaders at the White House Monday.

Lavrov added that any meeting, whether “1+1” or “1+2,” should be undertaken with a “serious approach” and not simply intended to make headlines.

“Any contacts with the participation of top officials must be prepared with the utmost care,” he stressed.

Trump said Monday that he had spoken to Putin during the meeting with Zelensky and the Europeans and the Russia leader had said he was ready to talk with his Ukrainian counterpart. (Read more from “Russia Open to Bilateral or Trilateral Talks With Trump and Zelensky: Putin’s Foreign Minister” HERE)

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Biden DOJ Ripped White House Over Clemency Grant to ‘Non-Violent Offenders’: ‘Stop Saying That Because It Is Untrue’

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Senior Justice Department officials were left befuddled by the sweeping pardons then-President Biden approved for thousands of convicts days before leaving office earlier this year — and rebuked the White House for falsely labeling the clemency recipients “nonviolent” offenders, according to emails reviewed by The Post.

Associate Deputy Attorney General Brad Weinsheimer struggled to make sense of the commutations granted nearly 2,500 federal convicts on Jan. 17 and requested “a list as to each inmate listing the offenses that are covered by the commutation.”

“I think the language ‘offenses described to the Department of Justice’ in the warrant is highly problematic and in order to resolve its meaning appropriately, and consistent with the President’s intent, we will need a statement or direction from the President as to how to interpret the language,” Weinsheimer wrote in a Jan. 18 email to members of the White House Counsel’s Office and the DOJ Pardon Attorney’s Office, adding that a statement directly from Biden would help clarify “the meaning of the warrant language.”

“One other important note,” the DOJ official continued, “in communication about the commutations, the White House has described those who received commutations as people convicted of non-violent drug offenses.

“I think you should stop saying that because it is untrue or at least misleading.” (Read more from “Biden DOJ Ripped White House Over Clemency Grant to ‘Non-Violent Offenders’: ‘Stop Saying That Because It Is Untrue’” HERE)

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