Voices, The Peoples News
April 12, 2026
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up
what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and
a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn,
and a time to dance, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather
stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a
time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net
# Border / Immigration / ICE / Migrants
Democrats says ICE’s notorious Dilley detention center is operating in ‘a new era of secrecy’ under new DHS chief. Dozens of families with young children and infants are locked up inside a ‘creepy’ rural detention center, lawmakers say
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/dilley-ice-joaquin-castro-texas-children-b2954798.html
Family sues US over 8-year-old’s death in custody after crossing the border. An internal CPB investigation found found failures in providing proper medical care and that medical personnel did not review documents the mother offered which described the girl’s sensitive condition. In custody, Anadith had a high fever of 104.9 F (40.5 C) as well as nausea, breathing difficulties and pain. Despite pleas from her mom, the child was not taken to a hospital until her body went limp in her mother’s arms.
https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-texas-anadith-mcallen-492a27426f879af0f08031b0c18f845b
Controversy builds in Texas as immigration enforcement expands beyond the border with stricter rules targeting everyday life for noncitizens. Texas challenged federal supremacy by creating a state crime for illegal entry into the U.S. The courts will decide whether it’s constitutional — and whether other states can follow Texas’ lead.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/24/texas-immigration-law-sb4-supreme-court-migrants-border/
A Closer Look at Immigration Enforcement in Texas. Texas has served as experimentation grounds for hateful and sweeping immigration enforcement policies which were quickly adopted by Trump 2.0 for the national level and have also infected other states who have enacted Texas copycat laws and policies. Our analysis below is a mere snapshot of the Texas and federal immigration enforcement policies that are currently in place.
https://www.ilrc.org/community-resources/closer-look-immigration-enforcement-texas
# Drugs / Trafficking / DEA / Gangs
At Least 41 Dead From Drug Stronger Than Fentanyl: A new drug is emerging on the drug scene, causing an increase in overdoses. Cychlorphine is a “designer drug,” a synthetic opioid. It’s touted as being four to 10 times as potent than fentanyl, making it easy to overdose on. This drug is not FDA-approved, and there is scant evidence about its safety.
https://www.aol.com/articles/least-41-dead-drug-stronger-190327883.html
# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banking / Taxes / IRS / Cryptocurrencies
President Trump’s Budget Betrays Seniors: The White House budget jabs a finger in the eye of American seniors by outright eliminating Community Service Block Grants, the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Senior Employment Services – programs that provide older people with food assistance, home heating, and job opportunities.
https://www.ncpssm.org/documents/latest-news/trump-budget-betrays-seniors-breaks-campaign-promises/
How Trump’s tax law boosts the wealthy and leaves behind some workers he promised to help. Promised ‘no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security,’ but the reality is more complex
https://nationaltoday.com/us/fl/boca-raton/news/2026/04/09/trumps-tax-law-favors-wealthy-leaves-some-workers-behind/
Buyers are canceling contracts and walking away in record numbers – new data shows a sharp turn in the housing market. Real estate brokerage Redfin reported that 13.7 percent of homes that went under contract in January fell out of escrow, up from 13.1 percent a year earlier, based on an analysis of sales data going back to 2017.
https://www.newsweek.com/number-home-sales-falling-through-hits-new-record-11578903
Tariff Refunds Flow to Companies as Consumers Keep Footing the Bill. Tariffs drove an estimated 86% of the price increases for imported household goods through January.
https://truthout.org/articles/tariff-refunds-flow-to-companies-as-consumers-keep-footing-the-bill/
# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Oil / Power Plants
“Texas is on its own power grid. Completely separate from the rest of the country. Texas does a lot of things differently and electricity is no exception. While most of the country shares a power grid, we Texans have our own, run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). That independence isn’t just historical trivia, but it directly affects how you buy power, what you pay, and how your lights stay on during wild weather. Let’s break it all down, plain and simple.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2021/02/15/391519/why-does-texas-have-its-own-power-grid/
Texas power grid to connect with national network after decades of isolation. For decades, Texas has operated its own independent power grid, largely isolated from the rest of the country. However, a recent initiative from the Biden administration aims to change that by investing millions to better connect the state with the national electrical system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrJeD3VaUCM
Trump keeps bragging about US energy independence, now the Iran war just delivered the biggest gas price spike since 1967. The Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose 3.3% over the 12 months leading up to March, up from 2.4% in February, marking the biggest monthly change since 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered a global energy crisis.
https://attackofthefanboy.com/politics/trump-keeps-bragging-about-us-energy-independence-now-the-iran-war-just-delivered-the-biggest-gas-price-spike-since-1967/
# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / EPA / BLM / Public Lands / Water
You Can Practically Walk On Water At This Texas Lake That Sits On 4 Million Tons Of Salt
La Sal del Rey is a unique salt lake in Texas, known for its high salt content and historical significance.
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/texas/unique-natural-wonder-tx
# General News
Trump ignites discovery by forcing more Pulitzer Prize Board testimony under oath, demands ‘communications’ about Fusion GPS meeting. There’s a war going on between Donald Trump and Pulitzer Prize Board members, and this week the president revealed who he’ll be grilling next behind closed doors.
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/trump-ignites-discovery-by-forcing-more-pulitzer-prize-board-testimony-under-oath-demands-communications-about-fusion-gps-meeting/
# General News / Epstein / Maxwell
Americans Aren’t Buying the Epstein Story; NPR & PBS Lose Funding, & More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFPT5vM9UpI
# Gov / Politics
JD Vance leaves Pakistan without an Iran deal, says Tehran has final offer from U.S: Vice President JD Vance says Iran chose not to accept US terms, while Iran says it did not expect a deal in the first meeting.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/12/us-and-iran-fail-to-reach-peace-deal-after-marathon-talks-in-pakistan
Secretary Rubio Revokes Green Cards of Foreign Nationals with Ties to Iranian Terror Regime
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/secretary-rubio-revokes-green-cards-of-foreign-nationals-with-ties-to-iranian-terror-regime
H.R.4097 – Designate CAIR as a Terrorist Organization Act: Congress finds the following:
(1) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial.
(2) Multiple State legislatures, including Florida and Arizona, have passed resolutions urging avoidance of engagement with CAIR due to its alleged affiliations with terrorist groups.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4097/text
The Council on American-Islamic Relations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_on_American%E2%80%93Islamic_Relations
US will block ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, is ready to ‘end’ Iran. President Donald Trump has announced the U.S. Navy will immediately blockade the Strait of Hormuz
https://www.channel3000.com/news/national-and-world-news/us-will-block-ships-crossing-the-strait-of-hormuz-is-ready-to-end-iran/article_0e2477a7-fa4e-5037-aca8-c88785607559.html
Court Accepts Trump Argument That Ballroom Construction Is Matter of National Security
https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/court-accepts-trump-argument-that-ballroom-construction-is-matter-of-national-security/
Pope Leo XIV says ‘delusion of omnipotence’ is fueling war in Iran: ‘Enough of wa.r’ “Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” the pontiff said. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/11/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-the-delusion-of-omnipotence-he-says-fuels-the-us-israeli-war-in-iran-00868142
Top Democrat Officially Asks For Trump to Take a Cognitive Exam, Citing ‘Volatile, Profane, Deranged’ Behavior. The top Democrat on a key congressional oversight committee is calling on the White House physician to immediately perform a comprehensive cognitive assessment of Donald Trump following the president’s threats to destroy Iranian civilization.
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-cognitive-exam-jamie-raskin-iran-b2955581.html
# Gov / Politics / Global
Iran Rejects Peace Deal. The rejection comes as the countries approach a deadline imposed by President Trump for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened or Iran would face “all Hell,” with military strikes on power plants.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5817761-iran-rejects-us-peace-proposal/
Netanyahu Says Israel Will Keep Fighting Iranian Regime and Proxies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his country plans to keep fighting the Iranian regime and its proxies as Washington and Tehran entered their first day of peace talks… Netanyahu Says Israel Will Keep Fighting Iranian Regime and Proxies
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/world/middleeast/netanyahu-israel-iran-war.html
Why 28- and 29-Year-Olds Are Disappearing From China’s Uyghur Concentration Camps | Ethan Gutmann
For two decades, investigative journalist Ethan Gutmann has been researching how the Chinese Communist Party secretly harvests the organs of prisoners of conscience and kills them in the process.
https://www.ntd.com/ntdplus/why-28-and-29-year-olds-are-disappearing-from-chinas-uyghur-concentration-camps-ethan-gutmann_1138083.html
# Legal / DOJ / ICJ / International Criminal Court [ICC] / Supreme Court / United Nations (UN)
As Trump and Hegseth bristle at criticism of Iran war, a judge rules Pentagon is trying to ‘dictate the information’ Americans receive. A Washington federal judge found the Pentagon violated a court order by reinstating restrictions on press access in an opinion that sharply criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for curtailing free speech rights with the nation at war.
https://news.bgov.com/us-law-week/pentagons-revised-press-policy-violates-court-order-judge-says
Supreme Court’s 2025–2026 term coming to close with handful of blockbuster cases still undecided. By the time the high court breaks for summer recess, the legal and political terrain of the United States may look markedly different.
https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/whats-still-pending-supreme-court
Trump’s DOJ will move forward with Colony Ridge settlement despite concerns from judge. The proposed $68 million settlement with a Texas land developer that the Justice Department had accused of preying on Hispanic residents includes no money for the victims but more than $20 million for police and immigration enforcement.
https://www.propublica.org/article/colony-ridge-settlement-court-hearing-doj
“Slap in the face”: Trump DOJ plans to settle predatory lending case without compensating victims. Unprecedented settlement offer could target the very people who were harmed by the developer
https://www.salon.com/2026/04/12/slap-in-the-face-trump-doj-plans-to-settle-predatory-lending-case-without-compensating-victims-partner/
A key criminal case could soon get tossed because of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s comments
https://www.aol.com/articles/acting-ag-todd-blanche-marks-175114349.html
# Medical / Nursing / Biologicals / Pharmaceutical / Chemistry / FDA
Half of All Urban Hospital Markets Controlled by Only 1 or 2 Health Systems
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/nearly-half-us-hospital-markets-entirely-controlled-1-or-2-health-systems-kff
Memorial Hermann reaches deal with BCBSTX to return to in-network. The Memorial Hermann Health System’s facilities and physicians are once again in-network for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/health-science/healthcare/2026/04/11/548852/memorial-hermann-blue-cross-blue-shield-contract-houston-health-care/
# Military / Department of Defense [DOD]
The Trump card the president holds if Iran won’t bend: a naval blockade. Trump used a naval blockade to weaken Venezuela before Maduro’s ouster.
https://justthenews.com/government/security/trump-card-president-holds-if-iran-wont-bend-naval-blockade
Two US Navy guided-missile destroyers make their way through Strait of Hormuz. USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112), transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. This mission aims to locate and clear sea mines laid by Iranian forces to restore safe maritime traffic in the critical oil route.
https://news.usni.org/2026/04/11/two-u-s-warships-sail-through-strait-of-hormuz-to-establish-new-route-for-merchant-ships
US-Israeli Strikes on Iran’s Universities Signal Higher Ed No Longer Off-Limits. Even if the ceasefire holds and the war comes to an end, Iran’s academia will bear great costs and long-term impacts.
https://truthout.org/articles/us-israeli-strikes-on-irans-universities-signal-higher-ed-no-longer-off-limits/
# Military / Global
Iran mined the Strait of Hormuz and then lost track of where it put them, and now 20% of the world’s oil supply is stuck behind mines nobody can find. They locked it down, and lost the key
https://attackofthefanboy.com/politics/iran-mined-the-strait-of-hormuz-and-then-lost-track-of-where-it-put-them-and-now-20-of-the-worlds-oil-supply-is-stuck-behind-mines-nobody-can-find/
‘This is the last warning.’ Iran threatens U.S. warships after they throw down the gauntlet for winner-take-all Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Navy ships sent an unmistakable signal Saturday as they crossed the Strait of Hormuz, challenging Iran’s control over the narrow waterway that will likely determine the outcome of the Middle East war.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/last-warning-iran-threatens-u-223917206.html
# NATO
Don’t Abandon NATO, Just Adjust Our Contribution: Trump probably can’t quit NATO but he can wreck it
While an official withdrawal is unlikely, there’s still plenty the US could do to cut the decades-old security compact off at the knees
https://theweek.com/politics/trump-nato-withdraw-article-five
# Security / DHS / Communications
Congress has until April 19–20, 2026, to act on the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a key law authorizing warrantless surveillance of Americans’ international communications. Congress is already digging into to oversight and considering needed reforms to this controversial mass surveillance authority.
https://www.newamerica.org/insights/game-fight-stop-mass-surveillance-under-section-702-has-begun/
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), For too long, this law has allowed the government to evade privacy protections and spy on Americans. Reform is overdue.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/section-702-foreign-intelligence-surveillance-act
# Technology / AI
Japanese semiconductor supplier to open site near Phoenix. TOCALO makes coating technologies that support critical processes within the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Yasuki Nakahira, TOCALO’s vice president of global business development headquarters, said the company “found Chandler’s environment and property to be perfectly aligned with our operational vision.”
https://www.thecentersquare.com/arizona/article_9b455eba-40ec-4ae8-b654-ea226db8b80a.html
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