This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
'If convicted, the grandfather of 7, who has never been in trouble with the police, faces a criminal record and maximum fines totaling thousands'

It's considered the most famous line in the Holy Bible.

John 3:16 states: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Now, a retired pastor in Northern Ireland is facing prosecution for voicing the inspirational passage during an open-air sermon.

The charge is that Clive Johnston, 76, allegedly violated "abortion buffer zones laws," even though abortion was never mentioned in his message.

Johnston, former president of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, is facing two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act for holding an open-air Sunday service on the fringes of a buffer zone on the other side of a dual carriageway from Coleraine's Causeway Hospital on July 7, 2024.

He's accused of seeking to "influence" people accessing the hospital's abortion services and for not immediately leaving the area when asked to do so by police.

If convicted, the grandfather of seven, who has never been in trouble with the police, faces a criminal record and maximum fines totaling thousands of dollars.

Johnston told reporters: "I'd like to thank the media for the interest that they've taken in the case. And we have been overwhelmed by the amount of support that we've received."
Simon Calvert, deputy director of The Christian Institute which is representing Johnston, said: "Should a law designed to stop abortion protests be used to criminalize Gospel preaching?
"We have amazing gospel freedom in this country and we encourage Christians to use those freedoms so that more people will hear about the love of God. That's why we've taken on this case. Prosecuting someone for preaching John 3:16 near a hospital on a quiet Sunday is an outrageous restriction on freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
"It's just not reasonable or rational to suggest that preaching the Gospel, with no reference to abortion, is a protest against abortion. The police and the Public Prosecution Service are over-stepping the mark. This is not what buffer zones were designed to do.

"As far as I can tell, the politicians who backed buffer zones never suggested they should be used to outlaw the Gospel. I hope some of them will come forward to confirm this. They could help to persuade prosecutors to drop this ridiculous case.

"Clive has campaigned in the past on abortion. If there had been anti-abortion placards on display, or if Clive had made side-swipes at abortion, I could understand why the police would take an interest. But abortion was not mentioned, not once, not even tangentially.

"For the record, this was an open-air service held on a Sunday, with about a dozen people in attendance, on a patch of grass, separated from Causeway Hospital by a dual carriageway. There was a wooden cross, and Clive leading the singing of well-known hymns on a ukelele. Yet the police summons says he 'conducted a protest' to try to 'influence' patients or staff attending the abortion clinic. This is religiously illiterate."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Extremists are vandalizing, destroying cars because of owner's work to help America

Anti-Trump radicals who have, sometimes violently, opposed the president plans to help Americans by eliminating waste, fraud, corruption, even criminal activity, from the government's spending, have been warned.

They could be subject to long prison terms for domestic violence.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has released the following statement:
The vandalism, or worse, has been reported in multiple states on Tesla vehicles, because Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, also is working as chief of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency to shut down waste of Americans' tax dollars.
There's even a website that has purported to publish the names of Tesla owners, actually suggesting they express their "flair" for artistry with a spray can.
President Trump has explained it's likely not just random vandalism, but there is a strategy, and the presence of powerful and wealthy interests, behind it: "I do think this is an act of domestic terrorism. When we catch those people, you will find out that they were paid by people who were very highly political on the left."

The hit list announces, "If you're on the hunt for a Tesla to unleash your artistic flair with a spray can, just step outside—no map needed!"

The hit list, called DOGEQuest, comes "amid a series of violent attacks targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships. The FBI and ATF are investigating damage to Cybertrucks at a dealership in Kansas City," according to HeadlineUSA.
Amid dozens of instances of vandalism, hundreds have rioters also have gathered at Tesla dealerships.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Booked into jail, then released on bond

An abortionist in Houston has been arrested and accused of providing abortions, and illegally running a network of clinics, without a medical license.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton explained the case is one of the first of its kind in the nation since the Supreme Court threw out the faulty Roe v. Wade precedent in 2022 and states were allowed for the first time in decades to charge offenders.

The suspect is accused of a second-degree felony for operating a ring of illegal and unlicensed abortion facilities with workers falsely posing as medical professionals.
In a statement, Paxton said, "In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted. Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable."

It's not his first action against those who violate Texas abortion laws. He also has filed an action against a New York abortionist for illegally mailing abortion drugs to a Texas resident and practicing without a license. A judge has ordered that abortionist to stop sending those chemicals into Texas, and to pay $100,000 in costs.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said, "The pro-life state of Texas is serious about safeguarding mothers and their babies. Texas law, like every other pro-life law in the country, protects pregnant women's ability to receive life-saving care in a medical emergency. There is no excuse for illegal abortions that take the life of the baby and put women's lives at risk, committed by people who don't even have a medical license."

She continued, "Abortion activists' reckless, criminal disregard for women's lives and unborn life is on full display. We thank Attorney General Paxton for his strong leadership to put a stop to this brutality, including taking on sellers of dangerous abortion drugs across state lines, and hope others will follow his example. Women facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies deserve real care and assistance, not the cruel exploitation of the abortion industry."

Ingrid Skop, of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, said, "As a board-certified ob-gyn practicing in Texas for over 30 years, I have cared for many women who have suffered at the hands of abortionists. We cannot discount the significant risks of harm these women face, including hemorrhage, sepsis, uterine damage, mental health complications and sometimes maternal death. As physicians, our patients must trust we will live out our Hippocratic Oath to do no harm."

A report from the Washington Examiner noted the defendant is Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, and she is accused of owning and running three clinics in the Houston area, then using unlicensed individuals who present themselves as medical professionals.

The operations, Paxton charged, are a direct violation of the Texas Human Life Protection Act.

The report said both performing abortions and practicing medicine without a license are felonies in Texas. It said abortion at any stage in pregnancy is illegal except to save the mother's life or to prevent serious risk to her physical health.

The report said while Rojas' biography on the website for the Houston Birth House said she is certified as a midwife, court filings charge she's been representing herself as an obstetrician.

Court documents reveal Rojas was booked into jail on a charge of practicing medicine without a license, then was released on $10,000 bond. Other charges were added later.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

And social media notes 'insulting the voters' has worked so well for Democrats

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat and the junior senator from Michigan, is insulting the American voters and a social media commenter praised her for doing that, as that "innovative strategy" worked "wonders in 2016 ('basket of deplorables') and in 2024 ('You're all fascists!')"

Slotkin, whose profile just now is based on her delivery of the Democrat response to President Donald Trump's recent address to Congress, said, while appearing on a leftist show, "I think there's a feeling in the country I often say this we're about to turn 250 years old. Right. We're still pretty young for a country. These are our, like like our angry teenage years. Right. We are going through this push and pull where we're happy we're sad, we want this we want that. And what do you do when you have a teenager who's threatening themselves and others. You just try to get 'em through this period alive."

She explained that a country, like a teen, needs to have time "so that their brain can fully form and you can come back to… kinda what the country…"

Actually, the U.S. right now is the world's oldest uninterrupted democracy, being established in 1789.

On social media were responses that included:

"Amazing! Democrats refuse to be reflective on their election loss. They're lashing out and blame everyone else but themselves. Now they've started insulting and blaming voters. …"

And, "I hope @SenatorSlotkin keeps comparing the voters of this country to angry teenagers. Insulting the voters is an innovative strategy that worked wonders in 2016 ('basket of deplorables') and in 2024 ('You're all fascists!'). I'm sure this will reap whirlwinds in 2028."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

'Both sides need to come to an understanding'

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday told reporters Ukraine will have to cede land as part of a peace deal with Russia.

Rubio's comments came just as he was preparing to travel to talks with Ukrainian officials taking place on Tuesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

"I think both sides need to come to an understanding that there's no military solution to this situation," he said.

The secretary explained America can't allow Russia to, "[…] conquer all of Ukraine. […] It'll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014."

Rubio was referencing land that Russia had annexed 11 years ago. His statement seemed to indicate he will push for Ukraine to relinquish control of these territories that have been in dispute for years. Those areas are not part of the current conflict, which saw Russia invade in 2022 and attempt to take more land from the small country.

He emphasized the need for both sides to make concessions, saying, "There with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things, like the Russians are going to have to do difficult things to end this conflict or at least pause it in some way, shape or form."

The talks come just weeks after an explosive meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. Trump asked Zelensky to leave the White House after tensions boiled over in front of the media inside the Oval Office, and a planned press conference to sign a minerals deal was canceled. Zelensky later softened his stance on the negotiations and indicated he would sign the mineral agreement.

Rubio said he hopes talks in Saudi Arabia will go well. He indicated the United States may be willing to resume military assistance to Ukraine if the country's envoys convincingly demonstrate an eagerness to reach peace. Meanwhile, in an attempt to calm concerns that the administration is playing too far into Russia's hand, the president has threatened major sanctions if Moscow continues to bombard Ukraine.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Hampton Dellinger confirms departure from Office of Special Counsel

A federal employee who was fired by President Donald Trump has dropped his court case in which he was trying to overturn the president's decision and take back his job.

A report from MSNBC explains how Hampton Dellinger, of the Office of Special Counsel, has dropped his litigation.

The move comes after a court ruled against him.

He said he strongly disagreed with the court, but said he would abide by the ruling.

He also claimed, "This new ruling means that OSC will be run by someone totally beholden to the president for the months that would pass before I could get a final decision from the U.S. Supreme Court."

The office is responsible for protecting whistleblowers in the government.

It was the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, one step below the Supreme Court, that paused a decision by a trial judge who said Trump could not immediately fire Dellinger.

Those three judges, appointed by Trump, Barack Obama and George H.W. Bush, said the order allowed Dellinger's removal.

The fight already had been up to the Supreme Court, which put off a decision, allowing the trial judge, Amy Jackson, to rule in Dellinger's favor.

A report at the Gateway Pundit explained Trump fired the Joe Biden-appointed Dellinger as part of his effort to bring efficiency to government.

Dellinger could have continued to fight, and the dispute may very well have ended up before the Supreme Court. But courts already have ruled several times in favor of a president's right to dismiss those who work in the executive branch, leading Dellinger to suggest he probably wouldn't win at the high court.

"I'm stopping the fight because, yesterday, circuit court judges reviewing the trial court decision in my favor granted the government's request that I be removed from office while the case continues," he said.

"I think the circuit judges erred badly because their willingness to sign off on my ouster — even if presented as possibly temporary — immediately erases the independence Congress provided for my position, a vital protection that has been accepted as lawful for nearly fifty years. Until now."

He claimed that because he no longer would be there, the office's "independence" was destroyed.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has been mocked as "Pocahontas" for years already, ever since the truth was revealed that she falsely claimed to be a Native American in order to get various benefits.

Jobs and such.

And President Donald Trump, known for his blunt demeanor and language, used that moniker Tuesday during a joint session of Congress.

So the reaction from Nandita Bose, Reuters' reporter at the White House? She claimed it was a "racial slur."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

First Lady Melania Trump joined a roundtable on Capitol Hill Monday that focused on the "Take It Down" act, the first bill of its kind to protect victims of deepfake revenge porn.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., co-sponsored the plan.

However, Rep. Ro Khanna was the only Democrat present at the discussion.

"I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue," Trump said. "Surely as adults, we can prioritize America's children ahead of partisan politics."

The first lady did not mince words in her brief speech. She spoke plainly of the villainous dangers artificial intelligence poses to young people.

"In today's AI-driven world, the threat of privacy breaches is alarmingly high. As organizations harness the power of our data, the risk of unauthorized access and misuse of personal information escalates."

The panel highlighted the story of Elliston Berry, 15, who suffered a horrific ordeal when her school peers created deep fake pornography using her likeness and circulated it online.

The social media company where the video was circulated – which featured Elliston's face atop an adult image – did not take swift action.

Cruz talked about the lasting harm for those who suffer such trauma.

He said teenagers, "are enduring senseless psychological harm knowing that these fake images exist and they're still out there, and in many cases, there is no recourse."

The first lady's push for the bill is part of the return of her BE BEST initiative, seeking to better the social, emotional, and mental health of young people across the country. She urged, "By advancing this bill, Congress can take an important step towards ensuring accountability and fostering responsible online behavior."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Donald Trump and his executive branch Department of Government Efficiency, run by billionaire Elon Musk, are working to save American taxpayers perhaps up to a trillion dollars.

Already, estimates are that $65 billion has been cut from federal spending.

Now states are getting in the act.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A Democrat in Congress is urging Americans to "bring actual weapons" against Elon Musk as the head of DOGE continues to expose massive amounts of spending waste in the federal government.

U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., told CNN on Wednesday that Musk is "harming the American public in an enormous way, and what I think is really important and what the American public want, is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight.

"This is an actual fight for democracy, for the future of this country."

During a DOGE Subcommittee hearing earlier in the day, Garcia held up a giant photo of a dapper Musk in a tuxedo, and referred to it as a "d*ck pic."

CNN's Brianna Keilar asked Garcia: "Do you think that calling Elon Musk a 'd*ck' is effective messaging for confronting what is a potentially an irreversible transformation of the U.S. government?"

"Well, he is a d*ck," Garcia responded.

Commenters on X indicated: "Robert Garcia needs criminal charges immediately. Congress should censor him or expel him. He also should be permanently banned or suspended on X, Facebook, etc. for violating their rules. All violent politicians should face real world consequences."

"So 'defending democracy' now means openly calling for violence against political opponents? The mask is off – Democrats aren't just corrupt, they're dangerous. If there's no accountability for this, they'll keep escalating."

The call for violence against Musk came the same day a mysterious ad appeared in Washington, D.C., stating "Help Eliminate Elon."