House Passes, Trump Signs Legislation Ending Partial Government Shutdown

With 21 House Democrats voting to fund the government—and 21 Republicans voting against the legislation. AP: President Donald Trump signed a roughly $1.2 trillion government funding bill Tuesday that ends the partial federal shutdown that began over the weekend and sets the stage for an intense debate in Congress over Homeland Security funding. The president moved quickly to sign the bill after the House approved it with a 217-214 vote. “This bill is a great victory for the American people,” Trump said (AP). Ed Morrissey: As predicted, Hakeem Jeffries couldn’t keep his caucus united on the “abolish ICE” demand. Twenty-one House Democrats voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security today, passing the Senate’s two-week CR. Axios reports that the issue has torn the Democrats asunder, and will continue to do so: “More than 20 House Democrats voted with Republicans on Tuesday to reopen the government and keep the Department of Homeland Security funded for two weeks” …. That sets the stage for the negotiations for the full appropriation, with a two-week deadline on this funding. Jeffries and Chuck Schumer want new restrictions on arrest powers for ICE, which Republicans refuse, although both the GOP and the Trump administration have granted other concessions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has already ordered all ICE and Border Patrol personnel to wear body cams as soon as they can be purchased and distributed (Hot Air).

Iran Escalates With Two Provocations in Gulf Region

Financial Times sums it up: The US military said it shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively approached” an American aircraft carrier 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast on Tuesday, an incident that risks escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. In a separate incident hours later, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces threatened to board and seize a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz (Financial Times). The Wall Street Journal speculates on what could explain the provocations: It wasn’t clear why Iran decided to adopt a more aggressive posture when the U.S. is piling up air power, warships and missile defenses in the Middle East. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House in London, said the incidents could mean that hard-line factions in Iran’s leadership aren’t on board with the talks. “When they are under attack, all political sides in the regime work together,” Vakil said. “When there is a mediation, they sabotage each other” (Wall Street Journal).

Iranian Citizens Seethe as State TV Mocks the Corpses of the Slain

It brings to mind Niall Ferguson’s recent comment: We’re looking at callous political violence “at the Stalin, Hitler and Mao level” (Ferguson). Financial Times: Iranians are in uproar after a programme on state television joked about the corpses of those killed in the recent demonstrations, highlighting seething rage towards the country’s rulers following its most violent episode in decades. In the segment, which was aired on Sunday on the political satire show Khat-Khati, the presenter poses a mock multiple-choice question in response to speculation that the Islamic republic was hiding the bodies of the dead. “Which kind of refrigerator do you think the Islamic republic is using to preserve the corpses?” the presenter says. “1. Side-by-side refrigerators 2. Ice cream makers 3. Supermarket freezers 4. ‘I am an ice vendor. Don’t ruin my business!’” (Financial Times).

Two Senior Iranian Diplomats Abandon Assignments, Seek Asylum

Gholamreza Derikvand, represented Iran in Vienna. He has requested Asylum in Switzerland. Earlier, Alireza Jeyrani Hokmabad who is—or was—the Minister at the Iranian UN Mission in Geneva left his post, also requesting asylum in Switzerland. Iran international: Diplomatic sources said fears linked to Iran’s political unrest and concerns over the stability of the governing system had prompted the decision (Iran International). Hillel Neuer of UN Watch: The Islamic regime is crumbling from within (Neuer).

US, Iran Set to Meet in Turkey on Friday

The diplomatic team for the U.S. will include Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They’ll meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Wall Street Journal: The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Pakistan and Oman have also been invited to join, the people said. The discussions are expected to lay groundwork for addressing a range of issues, the people said. The talks could be broken into two tracks, with one addressing Iran’s nuclear program and the other a wider set of issues including U.S. demands for curbs on Iran’s missile program, one of the people said. The two sides still appeared to be at odds on key questions around Iran’s nuclear enrichment and ballistic missiles. But Trump and Iranian leaders have expressed a willingness to talk in recent days, cracking open a window for diplomacy as the U.S. masses military forces and Trump warns of a strike if negotiators fail…. Meanwhile, Iran worries the U.S. could be pursuing diplomacy as a way to buy more time for a strike, Arab mediators said. U.S. and Iranian officials were scheduled to meet for talks in June when Israel launched a surprise attack just days before the meeting (Wall Street Journal).

‘First major medical group opposes gender transition surgeries for youth’

That’s a refreshing headline coming from the Washington Post. Perhaps the dam really has broken. Post: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has issued a broad recommendation against gender transition surgeries for youths, becoming the first major medical association in the United States to narrow its guidance on pediatric gender care amid a crackdown by the Trump administration. A statement sent Tuesday to the group’s 11,000 members and obtained by The Washington Post recommends surgeons delay gender-related chest, genital and facial surgery until a patient is at least 19 years old…. The new guidance …. cites “substantial uncertainty” about the long-term benefits and harms of hormones and puberty blockers more routinely prescribed for gender transition, but does not give any specific recommendations for those treatments (Washington Post). Roger Severino of the Heritage Foundation: Here’s what happens next. 1) They will deny they ever “really” recommended sterilizing surgeries on minors and that it was always up to doctor judgment. 2) As docs are hit with millions in judgments for surgeries *and* puberty blockers, they will officially drop their sex-rejecting hormones recommendation too. 3) When pressed on 2 they will answer ala 1. 4) Only when most of the culprits are retired or dead will the medical associations admit that it was an unscientific, immoral, heinous, harm inflicted on children. 5) They will repeat the entire cycle again on some other medical fad while saying “shut up and trust us, we’re the experts, we’re the science” (Severino).

As Super Bowl Approaches, Petition Circulates to Replace Bad Bunny With George Strait

Super Bowl LX is on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California—with the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks. The decision of NFL execs to continue with Bad Bunny as their headliner provoked a halftime alternative with TPUSA’s “All American Halftime Show” and now a petition of over 120,000 to replace the drag-dressing Hispanic artist Bad Bunny with country music icon George Strait. Combined, it’s clear that NFL execs and commissioner Roger Goodell are programming for woke, not the NFL fan. New York Post: The Super Bowl hasn’t even kicked off yet, but the halftime show is already a fumble in the eyes of over 100,000 disgruntled fans. A viral petition demanding the NFL ditch Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny in favor of country legend George Strait has gained a lot of internet interest, racking up more than 122,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning (New York Post). The petition: (Change). And TPUSA has created quite the impressive alternative: The All American Halftime Show will be a unique, patriotic event proudly celebrating American culture, freedom, and faith. The show will feature musical performances from Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett (TPUSA).  

Understanding Xi Jinping’s Senior-Level Firings and Investigations; ‘Extreme level of paranoia’

The Economist looks at the shake up in China: On January 24th the defence ministry said that the most senior uniformed officer, Zhang Youxia, and another top general, Liu Zhenli, were under investigation for violating discipline. Not since 1971 has there been such a purge at the apex of China’s armed forces (Economist). How to understand it? New York Times reports on Tuesday: But current and former U.S. officials say that no obvious reason has emerged behind Mr. Xi’s latest actions. The Chinese leader could be acting out of paranoia, defending himself against a real political challenge, or genuinely attempting to address high-level corruption in the People’s Liberation Army, they say. U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded in assessments in recent years that Mr. Xi has an extreme level of paranoia, the officials say…. He has now removed all but one of the six generals he appointed to the Central Military Commission in 2022. Mr. Xi is the chairman of the commission, which controls the People’s Liberation Army. The purges have left a leadership vacuum at the top of the world’s largest military. And of the 30 generals and admirals who ran theater commands or specialized operations at the start of 2023, almost all have been expelled or have disappeared, according to a New York Times analysis (New York Times).

Vogue Publishes Cringe-Worthy, Sycophantic Profile of Gavin Newsom

Vogue is probably just the first to puff the mayor who destroyed San Francisco and the governor who destroyed California. It wouldn’t be complete without photography by famed photographer Annie Liebovitz. Maya Singer fawns over his political style as, “Extemporaneous. Jazzy.” But, you know: “jazzy politics are hard to define.” She sits down with him and can’t believe her eyes. She “was having a hard time taking in the man.” The piece opens: Let’s get this out of the way: He is embarrassingly handsome, his hair seasoned with silver, at ease with his own eminence as he delivers his final State of the State address. “In Washington, the president believes that might makes right,” pronounces California governor Gavin Newsom. “Secret police, businesses raided, windows smashed, citizens detained, citizens shot, masked men snatching people in broad daylight….” His tone is temperate, but the words echo through the State Capitol’s Assembly chamber, the august backdrop for his speech. “Lining the pockets of the rich; crony capitalism at an unimaginable scale,” he goes on. “Rolling back rights…. Rewriting history.” Newsom shakes his head, seeming more mournful than angry. Seeming, yes, presidential. “None of this is normal.”…  Newsom has been vindicated by history. “He believes he’s coming from the right place, and he believes in his ability to get things done, so if he puts himself out there, it’s for the greater good,” says Gatti, thinking through his old friend’s way of choosing his battles. A rather intuitive, unpredictable mode of politics, this, for a man who carries an accountability-matrix binder around. Extemporaneous. Jazzy. The thing is, jazzy politics are hard to define (Vogue).

US Life Expectancy Hits All-Time High

Los Angeles Times: U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024 — the highest mark in American history. It’s the result of not only the dissipation of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also waning death rates from all the nation’s top killers, including heart disease, cancer and drug overdoses. What’s more, preliminary statistics suggest a continued improvement in 2025. “It’s pretty much good news all the way around,” said Robert Anderson, of the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the 2024 data on Thursday. Life expectancy, a fundamental measure of a population’s health, is an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live, given death rates at that time…. Deaths from unintentional injuries — a category that includes drug overdoses — fell the most, dropping more than 14% in 2024. COVID-19, which only a few years ago was the nation’s No. 3 killer, in 2024 dropped out of the top 10. COVID-19’s fall meant suicide moved into the top 10, even though suicides in 2024 declined. Homicides fell that year, too, this week’s report said (Los Angeles Times).