AE and Politics Today

ICE drops ‘uncontrolled’ fraud bombshell involving thousands of foreign students, ‘phantom employees’​

Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons announced that federal investigators have uncovered more than 10,000 foreign students connected to "suspect employers" as part of another potentially massive fraud scheme, this time involving the federal STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension program.

At a news conference Tuesday, Lyons said the cases uncovered thus far are "just the tip of the iceberg."

OPT is a U.S. immigration program that lets international students on F-1 visas work temporarily in the country in jobs related to their field of study. Lyons said that when the program was first created under the Bush administration and expanded under the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security expected "only a few thousand foreign students would receive training approval before returning home."

"Instead," Lyons said, that OPT "ballooned into an uncontrolled guest worker pipeline with hundreds of thousands of foreign students working in the United States."

He added that "as the program size exploded, so has the fraud."

"Today, we are announcing we have identified over 10,000 foreign students who claim to be working for highly suspect employers, and that’s just among the top 25 OPT employers. This is only the tip of the iceberg," he said.

"We’ve dramatically expanded our oversight of OPT and can report that we found fraud nationwide."

According to Lyons, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officers have visited "problematic OPT worksite employers" in Virginia, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida. He said that many of the suspicious employers include nongovernmental organizations.

According to Lyons, investigators have "discovered empty buildings and locked doors at addresses where hundreds of foreign students are allegedly employed." Investigators have also found hundreds of foreign students listed as working out of residential addresses.

"In many places," he continued, "multiple OPT employers claim to operate from the same address, but none actually lease the facility."

"When someone does open the door, their statements are inconsistent, or they claim no knowledge of the business," said Lyons.

The ICE director also said investigators uncovered what he referred to as "phantom employees," who he said are foreign students who obtained work authorization through OPT but never actually showed up for work at the sites they claimed to work out of.

"This is not accidental," Lyons concluded. "This is deliberate, coordinated and criminal."

He added that "this fraud is not victimless," calling it a "blatant attack on the goodwill of the American people."

(More on the link)

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Great CNN editorial. Its all in the title "Is UK became ungovernable?"


UK became so unstable that no PM can hold the helm for longer then few quarters. Same problem that troubled Conservatives is now messing up Labour.

That is direct consequence of politicians pandering to electorate, which creates downward spiral. UK crisis started 2008 but nothing was done by politicians, because what would need to be done would be unpleasant for electorate. So the last dance on Titanic started. On the opposite side, those who are in the know, like economists were cashing in by shorting UK bonds, because they can clearly see that UK's ship was sinking.

Problem with democracy is that fools elect other fools to govern there is nobody to run the house.

That's why parliament should consist 55% of economists, and 10% of lawyers, not other way around.
 
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UAE cuts state funding for citizens studying at UK universities due to fears of radicalization

"The UAE will not send its students to become hostages of Islamist jihadist ideology disguised as campus activism," said Emirati Expert in Strategic and Political Affairs, Amjad Taha.​

People walk past tents at The University of Manchester campus, as students occupy parts of British university campuses to protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza, May 7, 2024.
People walk past tents at The University of Manchester campus, as students occupy parts of British university campuses to protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza, May 7, 2024.(photo credit: REUTERS/MOLLY DARLINGTON)ByMATHILDA HELLERJANUARY 11, 2026 15:30

The United Arab Emirates has cut funding for its citizens studying at United Kingdom universities over fears that they may be radicalized. This was first reported by the Financial Times and The Times on Thursday, but confirmed by The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

The UAE's Ministry of Higher Education website lists universities eligible for state scholarships. For the first time, the 2026 academic-year list does not include any UK universities. Almost 40 other countries, including Israel, France, and the US, are permitted.

This was not the case in previous years when hundreds of study visas were granted to UAE students to study in the UK each year. Just over 200 Emirati students were granted visas to study at UK universities in the year ending September 2025, over 50% less than in 2022.


UAE officials fear campus radicalization​

According to the Financial Times, when UK officials inquired after the omission, UAE officials did not want their students "to be radicalised on campus."

Officials told The Times that the funding was being limited due to concerns over the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood. The UK has not moved to proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood, despite consistent lobbying by the UAE and other parties.

Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in London, Britain, October 28, 2023.


Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in London, Britain, October 28, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Susannah Ireland)
Many have pointed out that it is unprecedented for a Muslim country to fear that its students may be radicalized by Islamism in the UK.

"The UAE will not send its students to become hostages of Islamist jihadist ideology disguised as campus activism," said Emirati Expert in Strategic and Political Affairs, Amjad Taha. "Across British and Irish campuses, Muslim Brotherhood networks have turned lecture halls into echo chambers of extremism, where antisemitism is normalized, and violence is intellectually laundered as resistance."

"In the UAE, clarity is law. Muslim Brotherhood ideology is banned. Antisemitism is a crime, not an opinion. Extremism is not activism. Wisdom begins where excuses end. This decision is not driven by fear but by foresight. Not by isolation but by responsibility. Those who protect the future are rarely applauded in the present, but history always recognizes them in the end."

Taha then posted a list of universities where Muslim Brotherhood–linked extremist networks are reported to operate recruitment and radicalisation activities. In the UK: University of Birmingham; University of Manchester; SOAS University of London; University of Bradford; Queen Mary University of London; University of Leeds, and Newcastle University. And in Ireland: Trinity College Dublin; University College Dublin (UCD); University of Galway; University College Cork (UCC); Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI); Dublin City University (DCU) and Ulster University.

"An Arab state now treats a European campus as a radicalization risk," said Ahmed Alameri, an Emirati political analyst. "The reversal is complete. Western universities have become incubators for Islamist networks, protected by cowardice and disguised as tolerance. When institutions refuse to draw red lines, they do not educate minds; they manufacture extremism. This is not a message. It is an alarm."

Kier Starmer has 'no interest' in fighting extremism​

National security researcher Khaled Hassan said the announcement follows months of direct engagement with the UK. "The UAE finally realised that Keir Starmer will never do anything they suggest and that he basically has no interest whatsoever in fighting Islamist extremism," he said.

It is important to note that the UAE is not outright banning its citizens from studying in the UK, and that those who wish to self-fund the study are still able to do so. However, students in need of overseas study grants (which cover tuition, living stipends, travel, and health insurance) will no longer be able to study at British campuses.

In 2014-2015, David Cameron's government commissioned Sir John Jenkins to carry out an inquiry into the Muslim Brotherhood. While the inquiry concluded that aspects of the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology and tactics are fundamentally opposed to British values, such as democracy, it did not find enough evidence to justify a full ban.

The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in the UAE since 2014, and the country exercises a zero-tolerance policy on the movement and its members. In 2024, the UAE put 84 Emiratis on trial for ties to the group, and ultimately sentenced 43 to life in prison.

Then, in January 2025, the UAE officially designated eight organisations based in the United Kingdom as terrorist groups, citing their ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The announcement adds the entities to the UAE’s “local terror list,” a register of individuals and organisations deemed to pose a threat to national security.
 
If you Google 'gas prices under Biden' or 'historical chart of gas prices' you'll find that we've been here before or close to it with far less obvious causes. Traditionally Presidents take the blame for high gas prices whether justified or not.

From car forums I have heard that fuel prices in Europe, specifically the UK were extremely high to begin with and those suffering the highest cost were the ones with poor energy strategy. California's Left decided fossil fuels are bad but did not provide a useful alternative. Gavin Newsom objected to reopening Platform Harmony 'because Trump' and also a spill some years ago but I'd imagine if citizens suddenly benefited from it he'd be the first to take credit.

Apparently established reserves are running out, IDK if that's correct or not but obviously talking about doing something isn't actually helping.

UK must back North Sea oil and gas drilling, says trade body

Now then, back to tuning that large gas guzzling old V8 out in the driveway....................
 
Anybody remember the boat people, Castro emptying his jails and asylums into Florida and that poor little kid Elián González ? I do, and like Iran am glad these a******s are getting some of the magic sauce.

Castro's well into his 90s and at this point they probably pour him into a bucket at night, although Israel went out of its way to grab Nazis of the same age and put them on trial so what the hell, have at it. The other five may very well have a problem because the DOJ really does have a long memory and even longer reach when it wants to. If Maduro wasn't sufficient proof of that here's another recent excellent example: United States Arrests ISIS-K Attack Planner for Role in Killing of U.S. Military Service Members at Abbey Gate, Afghanistan

This is unfolding quietly, I love it that Rubio speaks fluent Spanish with a Cuban accent and can directly address them. Even though Nimitz is ready to be retired its still quite capable and parking it right in their back yard certainly conveys the message rather well.


U.S. indicts Cuba's Raúl Castro on murder and conspiracy charges for downing of planes in 1996

US aircraft carrier arrives in Caribbean amid tensions with Cuba
 
Dejan Corovic said:
My new hobby. Discovering things which they didn't thought us in ( socialist ) school:


View: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10242991844911407&set=a.2462973813032
Click to expand...


Yeah.

It irks me to see young people who haven't the slightest idea who Che Guevara was sporting shirts and so forth commonly available on Etsy, eBay etc. I haven't looked but you can probably pick up a nice keffiyeh there too. Like the vast majority of people right now all wrapped up in Free Palestine they haven't the slightest idea of the history behind any of it, they just want to attach themselves to some trendy movement for social reasons. Viva la Revolucion my hairy ass. In reality they'd be the first to catch a bullet and get tossed into a pit, or worse.

We have some damned good reasons to have a hard on for Cuba and in fact, thanks to the CIA they have equally good reasons to despise us but that affords them no empathy in my book.

This sort of flew in under the radar the other day, I happen to think it was fantastic.

 

White House locked down and reporters forced to dive for cover as gunfire erupts​

The White House was placed on lockdown following reports of gunfire on Saturday evening.

Journalists reporting in DC ducked for cover after hearing 20-30 rounds ring out.

Network staffers said they were moved to secure locations inside the White House as the situation unfolded, while NBC sought comment from the US Secret Service.

Television footage from the scene showed heavily armed Secret Service personnel positioned on the White House North Lawn carrying rifles.

'I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots,' tweeted ABC White House Correspondent Selena Wang.

'It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,' she added.

Unusually for a weekend, President Donald Trump was at the White House rather than his usual Florida abode. Trump had earlier been in the Oval Office with Middle Eastern officials for talks on Iran.

The White House press pool had also been dismissed about an hour before the gunshots rang out, so there were just a few reporters left on the White House grounds.

Members of the press corps situated on the North Lawn were rushed to the White House briefing room.

Reporters who were already inside the White House were told to shelter in place whileSecret Service agents shouted 'get down' and warned of 'shots fired.

In the minutes following the shooting, CNN reported the gunfire came from the 17th Street side of the White House, closer to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Saturday's scare comes just weeks after White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting where many of the same journalists were present.

FBI Director Kash Patel tweeted the FBI were on scene as part of the investigation.

Just before 7pm, CNN reported that the lockdown at the White House had ended.

The Daily Mail has contacted the DC Metropolitan Police Department, the White House press office and the Secret Service for comment.

This is a breaking story - more follows...

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Feller said he was Jesus Christ. He's a little late for Easter.

He has risen ! and he's armed ...........................................................
 
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Actually, that’s insensitive.

What I should have said is: Hallelujah! HE has risen!

This time though, he’s here to kick ass and chew bubblegum. Except He’s fresh out of bubblegum …..
 
JD Vance Makes Contact With Tribe Of Illiterate, Feral Women

Science · Jun 16, 2026 · BabylonBee.com
Image for article: JD Vance Makes Contact With Tribe Of Illiterate, Feral Women


NEW YORK, NY — According to sources, Vice President JD Vance stumbled upon an incredible discovery on Tuesday when he made contact with a tribe of illiterate, feral women.
The all-female tribe was discovered in a television studio where anthropologists believe they ate garbage and pretended to put on a show for their pantheon of primitive gods. Their clothing was allegedly a mixture of rags and what appeared to be remnants of the JC Penney Spring Collection.

Vance took copious notes while in their presence, hoping to get his findings to a local university so the tribe could be further studied.
They appear to communicate in a series of shrill cries and moanings too horrific for words. I can barely understand them. And when I do speak, they shriek as if it is forbidden for anyone to question them. I attempted to show them pathways to modern civilization, which they rejected as a form of heresy condemnable by their idol, whom they referred to as 'Barackobama.'
Click to expand...
"Somehow, these women — if you can call them women — live in complete and total isolation from reality," Vance said of his experience with the elusive tribe. "They apparently call themselves 'Thavyoo,' which I speculate means something like 'People of the Banshee.'"

Experts previously believed there were no lost tribes remaining anywhere in New York City, because it's a major metropolitan area full of people. But they were wrong.
"To think there was a lost tribe living in Manhattan all this time," said Professor Handley London, a trained anthropologist. "Absolutely incredible. And their crude society has been remarkably preserved."
At publishing time, scientists had advised anyone against interacting with the tribe, warning that they would lash out if challenged on their worldview.
 
Signs grow that Starmer will resign as government mood shifts

Nick Eardley,Political correspondentand
Henry Zeffman,Chief political correspondent
Getty / PA Media Andy Burnham and Sir Keir Starmer appearing together in a composite image - both are wearing glasses and have neutral expressions


Getty / PA Media

The signs are growing that Monday could see the prime minister set out a plan to stand down.
Sir Keir Starmer has always insisted he will not walk away and will fight any leadership challenge.
But the mood in government has shifted in the past 48 hours.
Several government insiders now think that the prime minister could announce a timetable to quit - as soon as Monday.
The signs were clear that things are moving quickly in what Business Secretary Peter Kyle told the BBC this morning.
The prime minister, he said, would do "what is in the best interests of the country".
Sir Keir, he added, was reflecting on the challenges he faces and political realities.
The challenges for the prime minister have been steadily growing for some time.

Labour MPs argue the problem isn't necessarily the party, it's the man at the top. They believe the prime minister is personally unpopular - and that it is Sir Keir who is holding his party back.
The result of the Makerfield by-election looks set to be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Andy Burnham's victory wasn't even close - he beat Reform comfortably. For Labour MPs despairing about how they take the fight to Nigel Farage's party, they now have a leadership contender who can argue he has a track record of doing exactly that.
Dozens of MPs had already said Sir Keir should quit. That list has grown since Thursday, with senior cabinet ministers adding their voices privately.
The fact that it is known that ministers including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander have told the prime minister to go and yet they remain in their jobs speaks volumes about how Starmer's authority has collapsed.
Burnham is now the overwhelming favourite to be the UK's next prime minister.
If Sir Keir does resign in the coming days, the next question is whether there is any contest at all.
Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, always said he would stand. But his allies are now saying there should be conversations between candidates for No 10 about what the future looks like.
There are some hints a deal could be struck (even if Team Streeting are saying for now that their position hasn't changed).
Reuters Wes Streeting speaking at a conference and appears to be mid sentence. He is wearing a light blue shirt and a dark blazer jacket


Reuters

Speculation remains about Wes Streeting's potential leadership bid
It is of course possible that someone else throws their hat in the ring - but they won't have long to find 81 MPs to back them to get on a leadership ballot.
The next question is timing - when would the next prime minister take over?
There are disagreements across the parliamentary Labour party about what an "orderly" transition would look like - and specifically how long it would take.
Some influential figures in Burnham's camp want him to take over around the time of the annual Labour conference in late September, believing this would give him more space to prepare for government and ensure he can hit the ground running if he becomes prime minister.
But other leading supporters of the former Greater Manchester mayor believe that timetable is far too slow, arguing that an interregnum of three months would grind government to a halt as speculation about what exactly Burnham's plans for government built into a frenzy.

"His opportunity to define himself would be thrown off by endless speculation," a minister said.
One crucial question which is already the subject of intense speculation is the matter of who Burnham would appoint as chancellor.
In recent days this had been seen by some MPs as a straight fight between Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary. But Mahmood is now expected to stay in her current role if Burnham becomes prime minister.
The prospect of Miliband as chancellor is causing serious consternation among those on the right of the Labour Party, who would see his appointment as a clear shift to the left.
"If he picks Miliband, about 100 Labour MPs will be furious from the outset," a minister said. Sharon Graham, the general secretary of the trade union Unite, has already publicly urged Burnham not to appoint Miliband.
Burnham and his allies have gone to ground this weekend. They wanted to give Sir Keir time to reflect on the Makerfield result and come to his own conclusion about his future.
There are growing signs that is exactly what is happening. The next few days could be extremely consequential indeed - for the Labour Party and therefore for the country.
 
The lasting legacy of Trump's presidency will be his appointments to the Supreme Court...Those appointments have ensured that the interpretations of the Court will be based on the intent of our Founding Fathers, not the whims of the looney left by tipping their hands to activism instead of judicial responsibility, as we have seen from Jackson and Sotomayor lately...

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This is why mail in voting must be stopped...Remember when Joe Biden got more votes than any candidate in history?...Look no further than rigging the elections...

...

New York orders new election as clerk is caught tearing up and trashing ballots to rig results for her candidate​

(Excerpt)

District Clerk April Keys allegedly tore up ballots and helped smuggle them out of her office to help board president Victor Pratt win his reelection campaign for the Hempstead Union Free School District on Long Island.

(More on the link)

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