This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced that the administration of President Donald Trump and officials in Ukraine have reached agreement on the long-awaited critical and strategic rare earth minerals deal that has been in the works for months.

The minerals deal, in fact, has become part of a larger "United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund" that was announced.

"In recognition of the significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, this economic partnership positions our two countries to work collaboratively and invest together to ensure that our mutual assets, talents, and capabilities can accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery," the announcement said.

"Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, the Treasury Department and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation will work together with the Government of Ukraine to finalize program governance and advance this important partnership."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained, "As the president has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war. This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term. President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides' commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine. And to be clear, no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine."

A report at Washington Examiner said the deal started out as a plan to give the U.S. access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals so that it would be less dependent on China, from where many of those products now come.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
'It is vital to hold these Liars and Fraudsters accountable!'

President Donald Trump on Wednesday unleashed another scathing attack on deceptive news agencies, saying CBS News, its "60 Minutes" program, and the New York Times "have to pay a price" for "their likely unlawful behavior," as reports emerge that CBS and its parent company Paramount are caving to Trump's legal action against them.

Trump sued CBS, alleging the network deceptively edited its Oct. 7 interview with Kamala Harris to help the vice president sound better during the 2024 race for the White House. Now Paramount executives are reportedly nearing a deal with Trump to settle the claims, according to Mark Steffen at Trending Politics.

Steffen reported: "The offer, set to be discussed Wednesday in the first mediation between both camps, is a tacit acknowledgement of how desperate the entertainment company's upper echelon has become to end Trump's $20 billion lawsuit.
"During an April 18th meeting, Paramount allegedly outlined financial parameters for a potential settlement with the president, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions. The exact dollar amount is unclear, but reaching a consensus would pave the way for both sides to seek dismissal of the suit."

Trump said Wednesday on Truth Social: "The case we have against 60 Minutes, CBS, and Paramount is a true WINNER."

"They cheated and defrauded the American People at levels never seen before in the Political Arena. Kamala Harris, during Early Voting and, immediately before Election Day, was asked a question, and gave an answer, that was so bad and incompetent that it would have cost her many of the Votes that she ended up getting.
"It was a disastrous answer! 60 Minutes and its corporate parents, in order that this not have a negative impact on her, removed and deleted Kamala's entire answer, every word of it, and replaced it with a response that she gave later on to an entirely different question.

"The new answer was not good, but it didn't show Gross Incompetence like the one that was removed by 60 Minutes. In other words, 60 Minutes perpetrated a Giant FRAUD against the American People, the Federal Elections Commission, and the Federal Communications System."

Trump continued: "Despite all of the above, and Paramount's/CBS'/60 Minutes' admittance to this crime and, with other similar corrupt removals of answers to questions, the Failing New York Times, which is Fake News both in writing and polling, claims that 'people' said that the case is baseless.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
'Settlers' homes and the surrounding areas are your target. Burn them with your Molotov cocktails and set fire to the grass near the settlement outposts'

Wildfires are raging around Jerusalem and up and down Israel, forcing the evacuation of some communities and the closures of highways.

International help to fight the infernos is coming, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming Italy and Croatia are expected to send three firefighting planes soon. IDF soldiers are on duty.

And other requests have been given to Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria.

There has been extreme wind and dangerous winds in recent days, and some reports attribute the flames to those conditions.

But a report in the Jerusalem Post suggests there's another contributing factor: Terrorists who are urging people to "set" those fires.

"All you have to do is burn," was one message from Hamas, which in fall of 2023 dispatched its terrorists to invade Isreal and killed some 1,200 civilians, kidnapping hundreds more.

"Youth of the West Bank, youth of Jerusalem, and those inside Israel, set their cars ablaze… Gaza awaits the revenge of the free," the terrorist organization wrote, according to the Post.

The terror organization also posted on social media encouragement for Palestinians to "burn whatever you can of groves, forests, and settler homes."

While more than a dozen people already have been injured, there have been no fatalities reported yet.

The Jenin News Network Telegram channel called on Palestinians to "burn the groves near the settlements," the report said.

Estimates are that 220 fires have broken out across Israel over the past few days, under conditions that include heat and winds.

Dozens of homes have been destroyed.

"O, youth of the West Bank," one online statement claimed. "Let us be the flame of freedom which will not die. Let us make their night – a burning day. Let us bring back to them the nightmares of the occupation, so they know that every day is a struggle for the resistance. Set fires of freedom everywhere. We will not give in and will not give up until we burn every piece of stolen land."

The Post explained online, the fires were being called "Flames of the Flood," a reprise of Hamas' description of its terror assault on Israel as "Flood of Al-Aqsa."

Another Palestinian "news channel" incited, "A call to the revolutionary youth and all the heroes of the West Bank. Settlers' homes and the surrounding areas are your target. Burn them with your Molotov cocktails and set fire to the grass near the settlement outposts."

Authorities have confirmed that some of the blazes appear to be arson.

Israel Fire and Rescue Commissioner Eyal Caspi announced the authority's alert level has been raised to the highest level.

And the government confirmed Independent Day events have been canceled because of the threat from the flames.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

'It took media elites 2,000 years to ask'

The New York Times, under the headline, "A Hot Accessory, at the Intersection of Faith and Culture," has unleashed its 1,400-word investigatory piece about the … Christian cross.

It seems that members of the faith wear them, on necklaces and such.

And the Times' discovery has prompted merciless trolling online.

"It took 2000 years for the media elites to ask what those funny T-shaped necklaces are that everybody's wearing," was one snark, from Not the Bee.

"This is real. People wear crosses and the NYT is ON IT," announced Mary Katharine Hamm.

Not the Bee explained, "Across TikTok, young Christian women have been sharing the meaning behind their own cross necklaces, saying they help cultivate a sense of belonging and connection with others. Sage Mills, a student at the University of Oklahoma who has posted videos about her cross necklace, said that seeing women in government like Ms. Leavitt and Ms. Bondi wear their own 'makes me feel good. It makes me feel like God is the important thing for people that are governing our world.'"

It continued, "The Times has the history lesson for anyone confused by this strange symbol. The cross, a symbol most associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, first emerged during the Roman Empire when it was an instrument of mass torture, said Robert Covolo, a theologian and associate pastor at Christ Church Sierra Madre near Los Angeles. By the 4th century, Mr. Covolo said that Christians had begun to use the cross as an emblem of their religion. Not long after, the cross became a focal point for daily jewelry. Cross jewelry dating as far back as the 5th century is prevalent in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London."

The report said, "Think about it: A 1,500 word article … in what used to be the most prominent newspaper in the world … explaining the cross to an American audience."

Twitchy also had assembled some of the comments:

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
'It's not sexy admitting that they met when she was at his front door selling boxes of Thin Mints'

PALM BEACH, Florida – Bill Belichick, the legendary NFL football coach who now at age 73 leads the North Carolina Tar Heels, is breaking his silence about a "CBS Sunday Morning" interview in which his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson shut down a question about how the two met.

"We're not talking about that," Hudson could be heard telling Belichick during the segment which has since gone viral to fascinate America.
On Wednesday, Belichick accused CBS of selective editing "to suggest a false narrative – that Jordon was attempting to control the conversation – which is simply not true."

The coach has now issued a statement indicating: "I agreed to speak with 'CBS Sunday Morning' to promote my new book, 'The Art of Winning – Lessons from My Life in Football.'

"Prior to this interview, I clearly communicated with my publicist at Simon & Schuster that any promotional interviews I participated in would agree to focus solely on the contents of the book.
"Unfortunately, that expectation was not honored during the interview. I was surprised when unrelated topics were introduced, and I repeatedly expressed to the reporter, Tony Dokoupil, and the producers that I preferred to keep the conversation centered on the book.

Belichick continued: "After this occurred several times, Jordon, with whom I share both a personal and professional relationship, stepped in to reiterate that point to help focus the discussion. She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track. Some of the clips make it appear as though we were avoiding the question of how we met, but we have been open about the fact that Jordon and I met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021.

"The final eight-minute segment does not reflect the productive 35-minute conversation we had, which covered a wide range of topics related to my career. Instead, it presents selectively edited clips and stills from just a few minutes of the interview to suggest a false narrative – that Jordon was attempting to control the conversation – which is simply not true."
CBS News hit back against Belichick's claims, saying there were "no preconditions or limitations to this conversation."

Discussion about the interview has sparked a frenzy of comedic reaction.

The Babylon Bee on Wednesday posted a satire article with the headline: "Bill Belichick puts girlfriend in pack 'n play until practice is over."

"That's it, sweetie, you just stay here and play while I go coach the football men, ok?" Belichick was heard telling his girlfriend, according to the spoof. "You've got your sippy cup and your Veggie Straws here, and I brought some of your favorite toys. Just play nice while your Billy-Bill goes to practice, alright?"

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld clowned that he understood why the pair does not want to give details about their initial meeting.

"I get it," Gutfeld said. "It's not sexy admitting that they met when she was at his front door selling boxes of Thin Mints."

During the same broadcast, former wrestling star and now Fox News contributor Tyrus said of Belichick: "He will no longer be remembered as a great football coach. He will go down as one of the dumbest people ever to put on a pair of shoes.

"It was a cry for help. He looked like he was about to cry during the entire interview, with Satan off to the right … like he is being blackmailed."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Faces hearing where she could lose her $200,000-a-year job

A possibly "brutal" punishment is looming for yet another judge accused of helping an illegal alien escape, according to a new report.

In just the past few days, an ex-judge in New Mexico and his wife were arrested for harboring illegal aliens, and a Wisconsin judge was suspended from her duties and arrested for enabling an illegal alien criminal to avoid arrest by waiting ICE agents.

Now a Daily Mail report reveals a hearing is scheduled for a Boston judge, being paid more than $200,000 a year by taxpayers, who is accused of letting "a twice-deported illegal immigrant slip out a side door of her courtroom to avoid ICE agents."
The report said Shelley Joseph, being paid to be a Boston Municipal Court judge, is facing removal from the bench when a hearing is held on June 9 over the April 2018 stunt.

"She has been accused of allowing Jose Medina-Perez, an illegal immigrant originally from the Dominican Republic, walk out a back door of the Newton District Courthouse to avoid getting arrested by the ICE agents on duty," the report said.

She was indicted by former U.S. Attorney Andrew Leiling, but those charges were dropped when she agreed to refer herself to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct and that organization, in a report called "scathing," determined she committed "willful judicial misconduct."
She further failed "to cooperate and be candidate and honest" with investigators.

The report said the hearing will be an opportunity for lawyers for the judge, and lawyers for the commission to present evidence to a hearing officer who has the authority to take away her job.

Medina-Perez was arrested for drug possession and being a fugitive from justice and went to a Newton District Court hearing on April 2, 2018. The commission found Joseph found out that ICE agents were on hand, and had a "civil immigration detainer" to take custody of the illegal alien.
"The defense attorney for Medina-Perez allegedly colluded with the trial court officer to let his client sneak out a 'sally-port door' in the lockup downstairs to avoid the ICE agents, the commissioners said," according to the report.

Part of the evidence is that Joseph ordered a clerk to shut down the courtroom recording system and she held an off-the-record discussion with the lawyers in the case.

On the record, she then granted a defense request to let Medina-Perez "go downstairs" to a lockup, but he fled through a sally-port door.

WND has reported on the two other judges caught in recent cases.

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a warning.

"No one's above the laws in this country," she said. "And if you are destroying evidence, if you're obstructing justice, when you have victims sitting in a courtroom of domestic violence and you're escorting a criminal defendant out a back door, it will not be tolerated, and it is a crime in the United States of America. Doesn't matter who you are, you're going to be prosecuted."
The latest arrest was of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, who was taken into custody by the FBI for allegedly hiding a previously deported illegal immigrant in her jury room in order to stop him from being arrested by ICE, and on Tuesday was relieved of her official duties.

Fox News reported Dugan was charged with obstruction.

In an interview on "American Reports," Bondi explained how the Trump administration will handle judges who obstruct and block federal efforts to secure the border and remove illegal aliens.

"We are going to prosecute you, and we are prosecuting you. I found out about this the day it happened," she said.

"We could not believe, actually, that a judge really did that. We looked into the facts in great depth… You cannot obstruct a criminal case. And really, shame on her. It was a domestic violence case of all cases, and she's protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime."

Dugan is accused of protecting illegal alien Eduardo Flores-Ruiz after his criminal court hearing before Dugan just days ago.

"Dugan demanded that the (federal) officers proceed to the chief judge's office and – after his hearing ended – escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a restricted jury door, bypassing the public area where agents were waiting in order to help him avoid arrest, per the complaint," the report said.

Bondi pointed out then Flores-Ruiz fled on foot, creating a threat to the public.

The earlier arrests were of ex-New Mexico Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, and his wife, Nancy Cano.

They allegedly harbored suspected Tren de Aragua terror group member Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Failed to 'demonstrate attention, care, and efficiency in the performance of her duties related to uncounted ballots'

Wisconsin is a swing state where a number of elections in recent years have been tainted by the misbehavior of elections officials, almost always to the benefit of leftists.

One prominent case just a year ago found a Milwaukee elections official charged with a felony and several misdemeanors for her failure to handle her responsibilities by the book.

The latest case involves a former clerk in Madison, Maribeth Witzel-Behl, who was put on leave and then resigned.

A report from a Fox affiliate explained the results of a city investigation have concluded she violated policy in neglecting to count nearly 200 absentee ballots in November's election.

"The 193 missing ballots were across wards 56, 65 and 68. Those ballots were not enough to sway the outcome of any November race but led to an investigation by the city of Madison and the Wisconsin Elections Commission," the report said.

A report at the Federalist said the investigation revealed she was "derelict" in her duties.

She violated not only city policies, but also the terms of her contract, the investigation confirmed.

"While the mistake in getting the ballots counted on Election Night appears to have been primarily a process of training failure that could have been avoided, there were multiple opportunities for the ballots to have subsequently been counted after Election Day," charged the report from the city's Human Resources director and the Parks superintendent.

"The failure to do so was a dereliction of duties on the part of the city clerk."

The documentation reveals "all manner of election oversight negligence," the report said of the former employee, a leftist who was praised by the city's leftist mayor for her insistence on "inclusivity."

The Federalist reported, "Documents show the former clerk spent portions of 19 days on vacation following the election, as her staff members discovered and attempted to deal with the uncounted ballots. Among other deficiencies, Witzel-Behl failed to 'demonstrate attention, care, and efficiency in the performance of her duties related to the uncounted ballots to mitigate an unprecedented failure in the election process,' according to the report."

She quit her post when faced with a state investigation, the report said.

When the uncounted ballots were found, Witzel-Behl failed to notify state officials, the county clerk, the city attorney or "anyone" in the mayor's office.

"By the time she got around to informing the powers that be, it was much too late — 193 voters in Wisconsin's far-left capital city had been disenfranchised," the Federalist reported.

The investigation also noted that Witzel-Behl's claims about what happened "differed, sometimes dramatically, from those of staff and others."

The report said the local investigation found no violations of state law, but said the state probe might.

The report noted Witzel-Behl was a prominent player in Wisconsin's "Zuckbucks" scandal in 2020, when some 2,200 Madison voters that year got duplicate absentee ballots.

The fiasco raised election-integrity questions.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The University of Pennsylvania broke federal law by allowing a transgender swimmer, a man who calls himself a woman, to be on the women's swim team and go into locker rooms where female team members were required to change.

The ruling is from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, and while the report itself does not name Lia Thomas, the man who identifies himself as a woman and insisted on being on the women's team, it does mean that he could lose the medals he won while he was swimming as a woman.

Thomas has become an activist for privileges for transgenders, after he and female swimmer Riley Gaines tied for first place in one event, and he was given the medal for victory, not her.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Scandal-plagued New York Attorney General Letitia James, already referred to the Department of Justice for investigation of alleged fraud, now also is facing a possible investigation by the state bar association, for violating ethics rules that apply to lawyers.

The DOJ referral came just days ago from William J. Pulte, the chief of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, and alleged James, a Democrat who repeatedly has created cases to attack President Donald Trump, "In multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government-backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms."

Specifically, she's accused of falsely stating on a legal document that her main residence was in Norfolk, Virginia, to get a lower mortgage rate, and also misrepresenting the number of apartments in a building she owns, also in order to get more favorable loan terms.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

All across the United States the nation is becoming more and more divided, since the Supreme Court threw out the faulty and unconstitutional Roe v. Wade ruling from decades ago that created a so-called "right" to abortion.

Since that ruling returned regulation of abortion to the medical powers in each state, officials have taken two paths. One is for a regulation structure that recognizes the health and life of the mother, as well as the health and life of the unborn infant, and that has involved several standards.

The other has been a free-for-all regarding abortion, when unborn children can be killed, legally, up to the moment of birth.