This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Artificial intelligence is the new web, the new cell phone, the new email, the new laptop, and the new tech that is expected to impact lives in a major way, as all of those earlier advances did.
But it also offers a threat, especially to families, according to a submission from the Family Research Council to the government's ongoing comment period for rules regarding the advances and use of AI.
The comment included a description of an incident uncovered by an ethicist who tested an AI chatbot. The question was about a 13-year-old girl whose 31-year-old "boyfriend" had "invited her on a trip and was talking about having sex with her for the first time."
The chatbot, it was not identified which one was tested, ignored the clear potential for criminal pedophilia, statutory rape, kidnapping, or worse, the report explained.
Instead, the chatbot "offered suggestions on how to make her first time special," FRC noted in its comments.
"Children's brains are still developing, and their emotions tend to run high. The possibility of social isolation for children and teens is even more pronounced and can severely affect their lives for the worse. An AI-saturated world presents new challenges for parents who want to raise children capable of healthy relationships.
"When children interact with AI, they may internalize distorted messages about human relationships and how to treat people. Since chatbots are designed to be addictive, they will often tell children exactly what they want to hear. This can hinder children's ability to handle disagreements, think critically about media, and respect their parents. Relying on AI chatbots will not help children develop into well-rounded individuals or integrate into society effectively. No matter how well-packaged certain apps and chatbots are, AI will never replace real friends, mentors, teachers, and family," the FRC said.
A report from the FRC said the comment on AI rules noted that "chatbots" will have the power "to morph into dangerous technology."
"Family is the foundation of society. Throughout history, major technological advancements — such as industrialization and communications innovations like the cell phone — have significantly impacted how people meet, marry, start families, and raise children. The rise of AI presents opportunities and challenges on a scale we have never encountered before, and they can be difficult to predict," the FRC explained.
The FRC itself was targeted by a leftist a few years ago. A violent criminal charged into its Washington offices with weapons, shooting and injuring a security officer who eventually was able to subdue the attacker.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed the attacker, who picked out the FRC because it was listed, wrongly, on the "hate" map assembled to target Christians and conservatives by the often-sued Southern Poverty Law Center, wanted to kill as many FRC employees as possible that day.
The FRC explained, "In February, Vice President J.D. Vance noted the second Trump administration is drawing up a 'precautionary regulatory regime' to allow broader use of artificial intelligence while assuring it serves everyone's interests."
The council said, however, that for "all Americans to benefit from the technology," any action plan must "prioritize considerations for how AI will affect families and children."
The report said already the "Veterans Administration will now use AI to analyze veterans' health care needs; NASA will use AI to plot space exploration; and the Justice Department will use AI modeling to assess patterns of crime."
"America is an exceptional country, and we can do this the right way. We ought to be careful not to rush into AI development, as we do not fully understand its potential impacts," FRC suggested.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The United States is at odds with Mexico over its allowance of millions of illegal aliens to arrive at, and cross, America's southern border.
Americans further take offense at the tons of drugs, including the dangerous fentanyl, that are shipped from Mexico into the United States.
Then there are the drug cartels themselves, which President Donald Trump now has designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
Now it's water.
President Trump said, "Mexico OWES Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty, but Mexico is unfortunately violating their Treaty obligation. This is very unfair, and it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly. Last year, the only Sugar Mill in Texas CLOSED, because Mexico has been stealing the water from Texas Farmers.
"Ted Cruz has been leading the fight to get South Texas the water it is owed, but Sleepy Joe refused to lift a finger to help the Farmers. THAT ENDS NOW! I will make sure Mexico doesn't violate our Treaties and doesn't hurt our Texas Farmers. Just last month, I halted water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complies with the 1944 Water Treaty. My Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas Farmers, and we will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!"
The Hill explained Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted her country had failed to meet its obligations.
She claimed that was caused by drought.
Cruz confirmed, "I can tell you, Mexico is in the process now of negotiating with the State Department to provide for the water. We're going to get the water. And that's a great victory in America."
The original agreement requires Mexico to send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande every five years, while the U.S. sends 1.5 million acre-feet of water every year to Mexico from the Colorado River.
An acre-foot of water, by volume, is the water needed to cover one acre of land one foot deep. It's about 326,000 gallons.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Shortly before direct nuclear negotiations are set to begin between the U.S. and Iran in Oman, Tehran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has executed a dramatic political U-turn.
After publicly denouncing talks with Washington as "unwise, irrational and dishonorable" in a televised speech on March 2, he has now quietly agreed to sit at the same negotiating table. This abrupt reversal isn't just a diplomatic maneuver – it reflects the regime's acute fear of internal collapse.
With protests simmering amid economic hardship and a deepening water crisis, Tehran's leadership is facing unprecedented domestic pressure. The fear of a looming uprising, combined with growing international resolve, has forced the regime into a corner.
Iran's appalling global record on executions
According to Amnesty International, Iran was responsible for 64% of all recorded executions worldwide in 2024. That staggering figure reflects a deliberate strategy of mass repression, particularly after the regime lost key regional strongholds – including its strategic influence in Syria and Lebanon.
Khamenei once justified Tehran's involvement in the Syrian conflict by declaring: "If we don't fight there, we'll have to fight here, inside Iran." With that regional buffer eroded, the regime has turned its tools of suppression inward, accelerating executions to instill fear and deter dissent.
Repression fueled by manufactured enemies
Authoritarian regimes often rely on external threats to justify domestic repression. Iran's clerical regime is no different. For over four decades, slogans like "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" have served as both political cover and ideological glue. As one regime insider admitted, "That slogan did more for us than ten intelligence agencies could have."
But the real target of Tehran's brutality has always been internal – the Iranian people and an organized democratic opposition demanding justice and change.
The international cost of silence
Tehran's crimes have long spilled beyond its borders. In 1988, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa that led to the execution of some 30,000 political prisoners – an act widely described as a crime against humanity. But the global community largely turned a blind eye. That inaction emboldened the Khomeini regime, paving the way for further bloodshed in Iraq, Syria and Gaza.
Every time unrest threatens the regime at home, Tehran tries to ignite conflict abroad. Its tactics are predictable. Its brutality, meanwhile, continues to escalate.
Reform is not an option
Rooted in hardline radical theocracy and political absolutism, the Islamic Republic has proven fundamentally incapable of reform. Calls for moderation have either been suppressed or co-opted by the regime to buy time and legitimacy.
Any genuine reform would require freedom of expression, legal accountability and political pluralism – principles that directly contradict the regime's core DNA.
Direct talks: A fracture in the regime's armor
The decision to pursue direct talks with Washington is not just a diplomatic shift – it's a seismic ideological rupture. The regime built its identity on opposition to the West. Now, facing internal collapse, it is compromising the very pillars of its supposed legitimacy.
This contradiction is not lost on the regime's hardliners – including parts of the Revolutionary Guards and intelligence apparatus – who see these negotiations as a betrayal. That tension may soon erupt, opening space for a broader social uprising.
Peace in the region starts with accountability in Iran
Denuclearization is essential, but is not enough. The Iranian people – who have borne the brunt of the regime's brutal repression and whose economic future has been sacrificed on the altar of uranium enrichment – need more than empty gestures. They need real international solidarity.
Back in 2002, it was the Iranian opposition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI, that revealed the regime's secret nuclear sites. Today, NCRI continues to push for regime change – from within. But the international community must take concrete steps for this to occur.
Conditioning political and trade relations on an immediate halt to executions in Iran is one such step. It's not only a moral imperative; it's a strategic necessity to prevent future bloodshed and ever-widening regional instability.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., made an unqualified announcement on CNN: "We encourage people to get the measles vaccine."
He also said government "should not be mandating those," but did not mention any concerns about safety. One might point out that the calculus of risks and benefits is different when there is an outbreak, or that the risk of triggering a neurodevelopmental disorder appears to be less in children older than three years.
Some people have moral concerns about the use of a product developed using aborted human fetuses. In immunosuppressed persons, the vaccine is neither effective nor safe. Children under one year of age are not eligible to be vaccinated with MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine).
Hence, it is important to note, writes Dr. Peter McCullough, that there is an alternative: measles immunoglobulin (Ig), derived from donor blood. This provides passive protection with antibodies for a period of time and can be given to pregnant or susceptible individuals.
A recent review of nine studies involving 660 patients who received either Ig or measles vaccine showed effectiveness ranging from 76%-100% for Ig and from 83%-100% for the vaccine.
Post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended within 6 days for Ig or 72 hours with the vaccine.
This option, which may be safer and morally acceptable to many, should not be ignored.
For additional information:
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, has sent a letter demanding that USA Fencing retract its policy allowing males to compete in women's fencing – this after female fencer Stephanie Turner refused to compete against a male competitor last week, instead taking a knee and forfeiting the match.
As reported by OutKick, Cruz wrote, "It has come to my attention that USA Fencing is still permitting men to compete in women's fencing in violation of federal law."
While USA Fencing is an independent organization that does not receive federal funds, it is the National Governing Body (NGB) for fencing in the U.S. According to Cruz, that means USA Fencing must comply with federal law – notably, President Donald Trump's executive order that bans transgender athletes from women's sports – or risk losing its NGB status.
"Male fencers naturally possess inherent advantages over potential female competitors. Men tend to be taller, have greater muscle mass, and more testosterone – all advantages for fencing movements like lunges, jumping, or leg power measures," the letter states.
A previous statement from USA Fencing explains: "USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based on the research available of the day. … USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we're committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic & Paralympic movement."
Meanwhile, as the New York Post reported, Turner, 31, has received a "courage" award from the women's rights organization XX-XY Athletics along with $5,000.
"By taking a knee, she became more powerful than any male," XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey said. "She's a hero."
Meanwhile, the Texas Attorney General, who announced Tuesday he'll be running for the U.S. Senate, is launching an investigation of the matter over potential violations of state law.
"The investigation will uncover documents related to USA Fencing potentially engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading acts and practices," Paxton said.
"USA Fencing is on the wrong side of history and potentially the wrong side of the law due to violations of Texas consumer protection laws. USA Fencing's policies are not only potentially illegal but also deeply insulting to the young women like Stephanie Turner who have sacrificed so much and dedicated countless hours to compete and succeed in competitions.
"I will fight to stop these unfair policies, and I will never back down from defending the integrity of women's sports."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A federal judge has trashed a leftists' scheme that would have forced pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion.
Pro-life physicians also would have been targeted by the agenda.
According to a report from the Thomas More Society, U.S. District Court Judge Iain D. Johnston has released a decision in Schroeder, et al. v. Treto, Jr., and it struck down as unconstitutional a provision in the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act.
That provision would have compelled pro-lifers to promote abortion "talking points" to women.
The report explained, "In striking down the HCRCA's mandate that pro-life physicians and pregnancy centers share the 'benefits of abortion,' Judge Johnston wrote, 'Constitutionally, to obtain the liability shield, the State can't require medical professionals to discuss with patients what the State believes are the benefits of abortions.'"
The court noted pro-life physicians and pregnancy centers "are required to effectively endorse a course of conduct they find morally abhorrent."
However, the judge upheld a mandate for referring for abortion, and an immediate appeal to a higher court was confirmed.
The center explained, "In 2016, Illinois passed Senate Bill 1564, amending Illinois' HCRCA to require healthcare providers to discussing abortion's 'benefits' and, upon request, referring clients to abortion providers, in order to receive legal protection for conscientious objection. The law was signed into law by then-Governor Bruce Rauner despite pushback from pro-life groups. Thomas More Society sued against both mandates, on behalf of Dr. Ronald Schroeder, 1st Way Pregnancy Support Services, and Pregnancy Aid South Suburbs. In 2017, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking both amendments to the HCRCA—legal protection that had been in place for nearly a decade prior to final judgment."
Judy Cocks, of 1st Way Life Center and Plaintiff, said, "We're relieved that the court has permanently protected our pro-life pregnancy centers from Illinois' attempt to force us into becoming mouthpieces for the abortion industry. To share so-called 'benefits of abortion' would go against the very foundation of our ministry and our First Amendment rights. I have yet to see what the so-called 'benefits of abortion' are—what I see regularly at our centers, instead, is the pain and regret that comes with abortion. At the same time, we are deeply troubled that the court's decision upholds Illinois' abortion referral mandate. We cannot, in good conscience, recommend or refer for abortion. That's not who we are, and it hurts our hearts to even contemplate being mandated to do so."
Thomas Olp, center vice president, said, "We welcome the court's ruling striking down Illinois' attempts to force our pro-life physicians and pregnancy centers to parrot pro-abortion talking points, in violation of their First Amendment rights—a victory we've fought for since this case began nearly a decade ago. But we are greatly concerned that the court did not fully protect conscience rights, leaving our clients forced to compromise their deepest beliefs. We look forward to continuing this fight against the State of Illinois in the Seventh Circuit."
Thomas More Society litigation chief Peter Breen explained, "Thomas More Society will keep fighting to protect our heroic pro-life ministries. Forcing pro-life doctors and pregnancy centers to facilitate abortion unconstitutionally burdens their faith and conscience. We will keep fighting Illinois' abortion referral mandate and appeal to the Seventh Circuit, to ensure our pro-life clients can continue serving women and children, in accord with their faith and without penalty. This fight is far from over."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
It's the fast-track for a court hearing on charges by Liberty University that a worker, hired and then fired, deceived the school and violated a standard to which he had agreed, all in order to undermine the school's religious rights.
The fight is over a lawsuit brought by Jonathan Zinski against Liberty. He was hired but then fired shortly after his probation period had ended.
He had agreed at hiring to follow the school's religious standards, but then after the probationary period claimed he was a woman and would be portraying himself as a "she." He also confirmed that he had been taking drugs to "transition" even before he was hired by the school.
But the school's standards, based on the Bible, recognize male and female and do not support those who claim to change from one to the other, a scientific impossibility.
Liberty Counsel is representing the school and Chief Mat Staver said, "The appeal certification allows Liberty University to appeal this critically important question of religious freedom which can result in controlling the outcome of the case. Zinski intentionally and deceptively set up Liberty University in an attempt to undermine its religious beliefs and mission. Title VII exempts Liberty University from having to employ individuals who violate its religious beliefs and doctrinal positions."
Liberty Counsel confirmed the U.S. District Court of Western Virginia now has certified the appeal for expedited consideration regarding the Title VII lawsuit, Zinski v. Liberty University.
In certifying the appeal, Liberty Counsel said, Senior Judge Norman K. Moon noted Zinski's "sole claim" invokes Title VII sex discrimination "raising the question of whether Liberty University is exempt from sex discrimination in order to uphold its religious doctrines."
Moon previously said after the Supreme Court's decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, neither the Fourth Circuit nor the Supreme Court have clarified the interplay between Title VII's statutory exemptions for religious institutions and individuals claiming to be "transgender."
Moon noted that if the higher court finds that Title VII exempts Liberty University from sex discrimination, then it would be "wholly immune" from this lawsuit. He stated such a ruling could lead to the possible ending of the case saving Liberty University significant pre-trial effort and expense.
Liberty Counsel said it will push both the Fourth Circuit and, if necessary, the Supreme Court to recognize what the First Amendment and Title VII both require— "that Liberty University is permitted to maintain its religious beliefs and practices and to require its employees to comport their lives with Liberty University's Doctrinal Statement and religious beliefs."
Zinski had been terminated "after he flagrantly and intentionally violated Liberty University's doctrinal statement and policies regarding the biblical understanding of gender. When Zinski was hired, he acknowledged and affirmed the doctrinal statement, but then as soon as his 90-day probation period expired he revealed he had begun taking female hormones four months before he was hired, and that he planned to 'identify' as female."
Liberty Counsel charged, "Zinski set up this case when he applied to be hired."
WND previously reported when the lower court judge, Moon, refused to dismiss the case, claiming the school cannot "erect a shield against antidiscrimination laws by asserting that mere acceptance of a member from a particular group would impair its image."
He also claimed having the Christian school employ Zinski does not significantly burden its ability to maintain its views and does not affect its freedom of expressive association.
Liberty University's doctrinal statement clearly states that human beings were directly created in the very image of God as either biologically male or female from the womb, and it is a sinful act prohibited by God to deny one's birth sex by self-identification with a different gender.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
'The real concern for the State Department was one concerning public relations and how it might look in the media'
The Joe Biden administration "completely ignored" a government official's warning that his plan to pull American troops out of Afghanistan abruptly would "almost certainly result in an extreme loss of morale among the Afghan military and that the territorial gains of the Taliban indicated the current government would likely collapse after the withdrawal…"
Which is what happened.
The report comes from the American Center for Law and Justice which pursued Freedom of Information Act projects after Biden's orders cost the lives of 13 American soldiers during that pullout, as well as the lives of 170 Afghan civilians.
Further, Biden ordered left behind for the Taliban to take over U.S. military bases and billions of dollars worth of American war machinery, some of which now has been sold to other terror organizations around the world.
"We have uncovered that the dissent cable appears to have been completely ignored in principle. This particular cable warned that the current U.S. withdrawal plan would almost certainly result in an extreme loss of morale among the Afghan military and that the territorial gains of the Taliban indicated the current government would likely collapse after the withdrawal was complete," the organization reported.
It explained such a cable is the "last resort" for a foreign service officer whose warnings about a situation have not been considered.
"They can send a dissent cable directly to leadership in the State Department. That's what happened, and the warning was still clearly ignored by Biden's top officials," the report said.
"The State Department repeatedly claimed that Secretary [Antony] Blinken had seen the cable, but there was no indication that anyone else did. But at this point, we know that Deputy Secretary Sherman, Deputy Secretary McKeon, and Under Secretary Nuland received the dissent cable on July 13, 2021," the ACLJ reported.
They all reported to Blinken, who was to report to the president, the report said.
"So, what was the response after receiving such dire news via the dissent cable prior to the imminent withdrawal from Afghanistan? Was it candid advice to the secretary? No. Nor was it a reconsideration of the advice provided to the president, nor a proposal to change or modify the withdrawal," the ACLJ explained.
Instead, the Deep State at State inquired, "Please let me know if you would like to provide initial guidance to shape our response on this matter."
The ACLJ explained, "The real concern for the State Department was one concerning public relations and how it might look in the media ('shape our response') and not actually addressing the very real concerns expressed in the dissent cable.
"The contents of these documents should deeply concern every American. They reveal the troubling actions of a misguided administration; and to this day, no one has been held accountable for the disastrous withdrawal. This serves as a stark reminder that, as commander in chief, President Biden bears the ultimate responsibility for the U.S. military's actions."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Colleges and universities across America have an estimated $837 billion stashed away for a rainy day if they want, in their endowments.
And Republicans in Congress are eyeing that trove as a possible source for tax revenue for the nation.
Reports say that Harvard alone has about $49 billion stashed away, and the University of Texas some $45 billion.
But members of the GOP have talked about raising the tax on those assets significantly, to help bring in revenue to balance the tax cuts they intend to create in a "sweeping fiscal overhaul," according to a report in the Washington Examiner.
"I love it. We should do it," U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, said in an interview with the publication about taxing endowments.
The report explained the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, during President Donald Trump's first term, set an excise tax of 1.4% on the investment income of universities if their endowments exceed $500,000 per student.
That has raised, over the years, not even a billion dollars.
But Nehls is proposing a plan that would make that rate 21%, "which would bring it in line with the rate paid by for-profit corporations," the report said.
That is estimated to be able to raise $70 billion over a decade, the report said the Tax Foundation suggested.
The GOP could adopt that through reconciliation, a process in Congress that allow proposals to bypass the Senate filibuster, where Democrats could halt such an idea, and be adopted with a simple majority vote.
Universities already had been facing significant financial turmoil because of the cuts they have faced under the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to reduce fraud, waste and corruption in government spending.
Multiple grant programs have been affected.
The report explained the GOP generally likes the idea, because universities are viewed "as overrun by left-wing radicalism."
Another possible change facing universities is a plan to end the tax exemption from municipal bonds, where the interest, under current law, is excluded from taxable income.
A spokeswoman for the National Association of College and University Business Officers said the options are part of the "tools that colleges and universities use to keep costs low."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
In another example of how extremists are demanding that all of society submit to a minority's transgender ideologies, a nurse in the United Kingdom has been punished for calling a convicted pedophile who preyed on boys "Mister."
It was claimed to be offensive, of course, because the offender was "transgender."
A report from LifeSiteNews explains that nurse Jennifer Melle, of the National Health Service, was disciplined and now is responding with legal action against the Epsom and St. Helier University hospitals.
"She was investigated and disciplined last year for referring to a male patient – a large, six-foot, homosexual and gender-confused pedophile – as such," the report said.
Christian Concern reported that the patient, whose name was not released, is held "in a high-security male prison after multiple convictions for luring boys into sex acts while pretending to be a teenage girl on social media."
Melle explained, "Ever since I have expressed my Christian beliefs under extreme pressure, I have been a marked woman."
The male pedophile was being treated for a urinary problem, and while discussing the case with a doctor and not knowing he claimed to be female, Melle used the words "Mister" and "he."
The fact the patient is a man was significant because of the options for medical treatment.
She confirmed, "This was a real-life medical scenario that required accurate terminology to avoid any doubt between medical professionals."
The patient, overhearing, erupted in rage, demanding he be addressed by pronouns used for women.
Melle said that violated her faith, but she offered to call him by his name.
According to the report, the patient responded by physically lunging at her and using racial epithets.
Officials overlooked the patient's rage, and instead disciplined Melle, the report said.
And she's still be assessed for her ability to work as a nurse, the report said.
"I have been put at risk, but I am being treated like a criminal," she said. "Sadly, if you put your head above the parapet and speak truthfully on these issues in the NHS, the risk is that you will be knocked down, punished severely and demoted."