This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The Institute for Justice has announced it is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court to try to overturn a local fine in Alaska of $95,000 over a banned six-pack of beer.

"The Excessive Fines Clause of the constitution was built for cases like this," said Sam Gedge, a senior attorney at the IJ. "As government agencies increasingly exploit fines and forfeitures to pad their budgets, it's vital that the Supreme Court make clear that the Excessive Fines Clause is a meaningful check on government overreach."

The penalty is coming against pilot Ken Jouppi, who had ferried passengers, groceries and more around the state for years.

On April 3, 2012, "he was ferrying a passenger and her groceries from Fairbanks to the village of Beaver," the IJ said. "But hidden in the passenger's luggage were three cases of beer—two Budweiser, one Bud Light—intended as a gift to her husband, the local postmaster."

The problem was that Beaver, in 2004, voted to ban alcohol entirely.

Before Ken could take off, state troopers searched the plane and discovered the beer. Ken was charged with a misdemeanor and convicted, the IJ said.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Brennan Schilperoort, a grounded C-130 pilot who faced financial penalties and discrimination for several years over his claim to a religious exemption from taking mandated flu shots, has finally achieved a measure of justice in his lengthy struggle against military leadership, as revealed in an exclusive report by this writer.

According to a Sept. 2 press release by Younts Law, which represents Schilperoort, "On August 13, 2025 – twenty months after Major Schilperoort's initial Inspector General (IG)complaint, its denial, and subsequent appeals – the Air Force Inspector General overruled prior findings by subordinate Inspectors General. The IG substantiated Major Schilperoort's complaint that his commander unlawfully issued a Letter of Reprimand and refused to process his December 2023 flu shot religious accommodation request."

As Schilperoort's legal counsel R. Davis Younts posted on X, the determination is a "huge victory for religious freedom in the military."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

For sure pharmaceutical companies made hundreds of billions of dollars during the COVID pandemic on their experimental shots, mostly mRNA creations that actually were "treatments" more than "vaccines," and ultimately have proven to carry with them a multitude of side effects, including multiple side effects that are fatal.

But now a newly released study from Germany, a peer-reviewed assessment, has shown that a cheap nasal spray, going for maybe $10 a bottle, used three times a day is mostly effective at stopping the China virus.

The study appeared in the JAMA Internal Medicine publication and was cited in a report in the Gateway Pundit.

That report said, "For years, Americans were told their only hope was to roll up their sleeves for Pfizer, Moderna, and the rest of the vaccine cartel. Trillions of dollars flowed into their coffers while dissenting doctors were silenced, families were divided, and countless workers lost their jobs under vaccine mandates."

But, it said, now the study of azelastine nasal spray confirmed it reduced COVID infections by two-thirds.

The JAMA publication confirmed, "In this randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial that included 450 participants, the incidence of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections was significantly lower with application of azelastine nasal spray compared with placebo treatment."

The spray already has been in use "for decades to treat allergic rhinitis," and "has in vitro antiviral activity against respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2," JAMA reported.

"A phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center trial was conducted from March 2023 to July 2024. Healthy adults from the general population were enrolled at the Saarland University Hospital in Germany," it explained. "Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive azelastine, 0.1%, nasal spray or placebo 3 times daily for 56 days. SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing (RAT) was conducted twice weekly, with positive results confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Symptomatic participants with negative RAT results underwent multiplex PCR testing for respiratory viruses."

The study had 227 patients assigned to azelastine and 223 to placebo treatment.

"In the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, the incidence of PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly lower in the azelastine group (n = 5 [2.2%]) compared with the placebo group (n = 15 [6.7%]).

"As secondary end points, azelastine demonstrated an increase in mean (SD) time to SARS-CoV-2 infection among infected participants (31.2 [9.3] vs 19.5 [14.8] days), a reduction of the overall number of PCR-confirmed symptomatic infections (21 of 227 participants vs 49 of 223 participants), and a lower incidence of PCR-confirmed rhinovirus infections (1.8% vs 6.3%)," the report said.

The study was done at Saarland University Hospital in Germany.

The reduction in risk of infection amounted to 67%.

"Not only were fewer people infected, but those who did get sick had longer protection before infection (31 days on average versus 19 days in the placebo group) and shorter illness duration when measured by rapid tests (3.4 days vs 5.1 days)," the Gateway Pundit explained.

"The spray didn't just block COVID. It also: Cut symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections from 6.3% (placebo) down to 1.8%. Reduced rhinovirus (common cold) infections from 6.3% to 1.8%. Slashed the overall number of PCR-confirmed infections (COVID + other respiratory viruses) from 22% in placebo to 9.3% with azelastine."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Trump Tuesday posted a video showing U.S. military forces destroying a small ship in the Caribbean carrying drugs and piloted by designated "narcoterrorists" from Venezuela.

Said Trump: "Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.

"The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!"

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

CBS News, which has a history of deceptively editing interviews of high-profile newsmakers, is being blasted by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for editing out her descriptive comments about MS-13 gang member, wife beater and child predator, Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Noem appeared Sunday on the network's "Face the Nation," as she discussed President Donald Trump's efforts to make America safer by deporting criminals aliens including Garcia.

"I joined CBS to report the facts about Kilmar Abrego Garcia," Noem said on X.

"Instead, CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety. Watch for the part of my interview that @CBS tried to cover up."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Former New York City Mayor and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is hospitalized with severe injuries after being struck by a car at high speed in New Hampshire on Saturday night.

Michael Ragusa, head of Giuliani's security, disclosed some details on X, indicating: "On the evening of August 30, 2025, in New Hampshire, Mayor Giuliani was involved in a motor vehicle accident.

"Prior to the incident, he was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Ever since an illegal alien holding a Commercial Driver's License, or CDL, in Florida caused a deadly crash as he made an unauthorized U-turn in an 18-wheeler earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and others have called for a stricter and safer system, especially focusing on the English-language proficiency requirement.

Now, also out of Florida, we know how people like Harjinder Singh, an Indian national living unlawfully in the U.S. who failed his English test miserably but still managed to get a license, may have passed the reading test to receive their CDL – by cheating.

According to First Coast News, an elaborate cheating system among potential truck drivers in Jacksonville has been uncovered, with five men being arrested.

Reports the TV station, "Investigators say people have been rigging their way into commercial driver's licenses, putting everyone on Florida highways at risk."

The scheme involves the non-English-speaking test taker wearing a T-shirt with a small hole in the front. Under the shirt, a cellphone is strapped to the chest so the camera can "see" out the hole.

As the test is taken, the "brains" of the operation can see the test off site and relay the correct answers to the man via an earpiece.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the scheme was highly organized. Investigators identified multiple addresses in Jacksonville where dozens of men were registered as applicants, even though the homes were far too small to actually house them all.

Also, some of the arrested men requested interpreters because they could not speak or read English, including Ukrainian and other foreign languages.

Law enforcement praised the DMV employees at the testing locations for reporting suspicious behavior when the men wiggled in their chairs to position the iPhone cameras.

Singh is charged in Florida with three count of vehicular homicide.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

In the days after three Americans were killed in a horrendous Florida highway crash caused by an illegal alien from India, a campaign quickly emerged – not from the local community, but from Indian media and diaspora organizations intent on shaping perceptions of a U.S. criminal case. As the victims' families grieve, that chorus urges leniency and portrays routine law enforcement as "discriminatory."

Harjinder Singh, an Indian national living unlawfully in the U.S., has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after allegedly making an illegal U-turn Aug. 12 along a Florida highway, resulting in three fatalities, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Singh, who reportedly has limited English-language skills, allegedly made the turn through an "Official Use Only" access point in St. Lucie County, blocking all lanes with his truck and causing a deadly wreck.

Ironically, back in May, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, while introducing new Trump administration enforcement guidelines, announced: "A driver who can't understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period."

Judge Lauren Sweet of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit denied bond to Singh, describing the accused driver as an "unauthorized alien" and a substantial flight risk.

On Aug. 19, Duffy announced the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had opened a formal investigation.

"If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us," Duffy said, calling the crash "a preventable tragedy" and pledging to "use every tool" to hold states and bad actors accountable.

'The families of the deceased deserve justice'

But from abroad, the narrative pivoted quickly. In the Hindustan Times, the North American Punjabi Association argued that "Punjabi truckers are the backbone of the logistics industry in North America" and called for a "balanced approach to safety and fair treatment of immigrant workers."

The Times of India went further, quoting MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal's claim that "Punjabi and Sikh drivers make up 20% of the United States' trucking industry" and "Any mass-level action against them would have a detrimental effect on trucking families and would be discriminatory."

Relatives in Punjab appealed for compassion, saying the driver mortgaged family land to reach the United States and warned that a long sentence would ruin Harjinder Singh's life. Supporters added that a potential decades-long term would devastate his family, cutting off income and leaving them with debt and uncertainty.

In reality, bond rulings, immigration reviews, CDL verification, training standards and insurance checks are not ethnicity tests, but are neutral safeguards that apply to everyone because a 40-ton vehicle can cause catastrophic harm when rules are ignored.

Likewise, a judge labeling the defendant an "unauthorized alien" and a "substantial flight risk" is not a cultural judgment, but a legal one grounded in statute and risk assessment. And a federal safety investigation is not a referendum on any community; it is the state doing its job after three funerals.

There is also an unavoidable irony: If many of the loudest Indian diaspora advocates are in America lawfully and came through the proper channels, the principled position would be to defend equal enforcement, not to demand carveouts for co-nationals. The same rules that protected their own path – immigration screening, licensing and safety compliance – are the rules that protect every family driving beside a tractor-trailer at highway speed.

America's courts and regulators answer to evidence and law, not transnational pressure campaigns. Calling routine public-safety enforcement "discrimination" while asking for India-specific exceptions does not strengthen trust in the system, it erodes it. The way to honor both immigrants who follow the rules and the victims of this crash is the same: Apply one standard of law to everyone, without fear, favor or foreign lobbying.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Officials responded to a mass-casualty shooting Wednesday morning at a Catholic church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where at least two children were killed and 17 others injured.

The shooting took place about 8:30 a.m. at the Annunciation Church, which has a kindergarten-through-8th-grade school on the property. The shooter fired from outside the building through a window and shot children and staff members who were attending morning mass.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says the shooter who was in his early twenties was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. He ultimately killed himself.

"This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping," O'Hara said at a midday news conference. "The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible."

"Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed where they sat."

Seventeen other individuals, 14 of whom are children, were also injured, with two listed in critical condition.

"The coward that fired these shots ultimately took his own life in the rear of the church," O'Hara said. "This deliberate act of violence is just a sign of cruelty that is beyond comprehension."

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports: "An Annunciation parent who was sitting in the back pew at the 8:15 a.m. Mass said students were packed into the pews when a shooter opened fire outside the building with some kind of semiautomatic weapon."

"He just pepper-sprayed through the stained-glass windows into the building, 50 to 100 shots," said the parent, who did not want his name used. "He killed two kids."

"There are no words that can capture the horror and evil of this act," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said. "Do not think of these as just somebody else's kids … Think of this as if it were your own."

"Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now! These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church. These are kids who should be learning with their friends."

"I'm so deeply saddened and so sorry to the families that are suffering right now."

"FBI is aware of the reports coming out of @FBIMinneapolis and our agents are en route to the scene. We will provide more updates as able," said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social: "I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!"

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said: "DHS is monitoring the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

"We are in communication with our interagency partners, and will share more information as soon as it becomes available.

"I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families."

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated: "The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis is horrifying. Praying for the children, families and first responders during this moment of terror and unimaginable grief. Weapons of war have no place in our neighborhoods, streets or schools."

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., indicated: "I am beyond heartbroken over the tragic news of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. I am praying for all the families impacted by this horrific tragedy. I will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

After days of backlash and negative media coverage, restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has scrapped its controversial new logo, returning to the traditional symbol with "Old Timer," or "Uncle Herschel," in place.

"We thank your guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel," the restaurant chain posted on X. "We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our 'Old Timer' will remain. At Cracker Barrel, it's always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family."

For days, the company has taken incoming for its bland new logo, which nixed the "Old Timer" leaning against a barrel, including from the president of the United States.

As WorldNetDaily reported, President Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social: "Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before.

"They got a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity.

"Have a major News Conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again."

The company didn't have a news conference but has made it known they have taken Trump's advice.

The company issued a statement Monday, indicating: "If the last few days have shown us anything, it's how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We're truly grateful for your heartfelt voices."

"You've also shown us that we could've done a better job sharing who we are and who we'll always be."

Cracker Barrel has also come under fire for its DEI ideology, which recently has been purged from its website.