The Justice Department announced Wednesday a “first-of-its-kind” indictment against 22 Chinese nationals and three Americans for allegedly engaging in an international drug trafficking scheme targeting the United States.  An indictment handed down Wednesday from a federal grand jury in Ohio takes aim at dozens of defendants and four Chinese companies for a plot to ship drug-cutting agents, used to dilute the product and increase its volume to boost profits, from China into America. All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally. “Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.  Prosecutors say that the companies used a number of Chinese nationals “located overseas” to negotiate for payments for illegal cutting agents to drug traffickers in Ohio. Cutting agents are often added to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, and meth.  The Chinese companies targeted include Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Company, Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Company, and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Company.  The Americans charged in the operation include 39-year-old Eric Michael Payne of Ohio and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Auriyon Tresan Rayford. Ciandrea Bryne Davis of Atlanta was also charged for her alleged role in using cryptocurrency to pay Chinese nationals associated with companies for the drug-cutting agents.  Payne is accused of purchasing several kilogram shipments of cutting agents from Chinese companies posing as legitimate pharmacies. He and the other Americans allegedly purchased at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl agents since 2022 that could be used in up to 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture sold on the streets.  “Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.” The Chinese defendants were listed as Lihui Zhao, [name unknown], Shanhong Jiang, Yan Yang, Fengdi Zhang, Dehui Xia, Xing Wu Chen, Qing Lin Wang, Xiaojun Huang, Meixiang Yao, Zhanpeng Huang, Yuqing Feng, Dongjing Sun, Chengqi Nong, Tiduo Wei, Zhisong Nie, Jichao Zhu, Zhengzhe Yin, Changgen Du, Hongfei Wang, Huatao Yao, and Xuening Gao.

The FBI took a trove of documents, three computers, and two iPhones from former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s home during a raid on August 22, according to court records made public on Thursday. Among the boxes of documents were “typed documents in folders labeled ‘Trump I – IV’” and a white binder that was labeled, “statements and reflections to allied strikes,” the New York Post reported. The FBI raided Bolton’s home as part of an investigation over allegations that Bolton illegally snuck out national security files from the White House during President Donald Trump’s first term. The records also revealed that the former national security adviser, who is now a vocal Trump critic, is being investigated for allegedly violating two sections of the Espionage Act of 1917, according to the Post. While Bolton hasn’t been charged with any crime, if the feds go after him on those two charges, he could face up to 25 years in prison. Federal agents also swiped hard drives and USB drives during the raid, and agents were allowed to make Bolton unlock any devices, per the search warrant, CNN reported. According to previous court records, the feds are looking into whether Bolton revealed any sensitive national security information about Trump’s foreign policy during the president’s first term. After a back-and-forth with Trump officials, Bolton removed classified information from his book manuscript before he published it, according to court records. Bolton’s book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” promises “the most comprehensive and substantial account of the Trump Administration.” The book was published in June 2020, less than a year after Trump fired Bolton as National Security Adviser. The Trump administration argued that Bolton’s book endangered national security. FBI officials told the Post that an investigation into Bolton’s handling of sensitive material was paused when former President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, and FBI Director Kash Patel reopened the investigation in February. “The [Biden administration] had probable cause to know that he had taken material that was detrimental to the national security of the United States, and they made no effort to retrieve it,” a senior FBI official said. “That was a friendly administration to [Bolton],” the official added. “They kept bashing [Trump] the entire time for ‘weaponizing law enforcement,’ and they — by politically stopping a righteous investigation — are the ones who weaponized law enforcement.” Bolton has not commented on the raid, but he has continued to criticize Trump’s foreign policy moves. Following the raid, President Trump claimed that he knew “nothing about it.” “I saw it on television this morning. I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real … lowlife,” Trump said. “He’s not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy … we’re going to find out. I know nothing about it.”

VATICAN CITY — In a meeting between Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, the Vatican prioritized the return of hostages in a statement on the Gaza conflict, aligning with Israel’s position that their release is key to ending the war. The Holy See Press Office confirmed Herzog’s audience with the pontiff at the Apostolic Palace, followed by talks with Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister. In a statement issued in Italian and translated by The Daily Wire, the Vatican stressed that “with willingness and courageous decisions, as well as with the support of the international community, the release of all hostages can be achieved, a permanent ceasefire can be reached urgently, [and] the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas can be facilitated.” VATICAN CITY—The following statement was just issued by @HolySeePress: “Today, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience at the Vatican Apostolic Palace the President of the State of Israel, His Excellency Mr. Isaac Herzog, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal… https://t.co/V6OtLO1qGo pic.twitter.com/bGEnAWkSDs — Bree A Dail (@breeadail) September 4, 2025 The prioritization of hostages marked a notable emphasis in the Vatican’s message, and one that Pope Leo XIV has also reiterated, reflecting Israel’s insistence that no resolution can move forward until those taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, are returned. While the statement, issued by the Holy See press office, also mentions the two-state solution as “the only way out of the ongoing war,” the press office did not attribute that position directly to Pope Leo XIV.  Cardinal Parolin, who has led the Secretariat of State since 2013, has long been a central figure in Vatican diplomacy, shaping deals that include the Holy See’s controversial recognition of the State of Palestine in 2015. Parolin’s role in Wednesday’s discussions highlights his influence. As Secretary of State, Parolin remains responsible for both Vatican foreign policy and relations with local churches, including Christian communities in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Wednesday’s statement acknowledged the “historical value” of ties with Israel and underscored the role of Christian institutions across the Middle East in promoting education, social cohesion, and stability. President Isaac Herzog, in a statement released in Italian following the meeting, underscored the alignment between himself and the Pope. “I am deeply grateful to Pope Leo XIV for the warm welcome I received today at the Vatican. First and foremost, Israel is doing everything possible to bring home the hostages held in brutal captivity by Hamas. Israel longs for a day when the peoples of the Middle East—the Children of Abraham—will live together in peace, cooperation, and hope.” Sono profondamente grato a @Pontifex Papa Leone XIV per la calorosa accoglienza ricevuta oggi in Vaticano. Prima di tutto, Israele si sta impegnando in ogni modo possibile per riportare a casa gli ostaggi tenuti in brutale prigionia da Hamas. Israele anela a un giorno in cui i… pic.twitter.com/jiRLu75olf — יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) September 4, 2025 Herzog added that “all leaders of faith and goodwill must be united in calling for the immediate release of the hostages as a first and essential step toward a better future for the entire region.” He also stressed Israel’s commitment to religious freedom, to the protection of Christian communities in the Holy Land and the broader Middle East, and to working for peace and stability. “The Pope’s inspiration and leadership in combating hatred and violence and promoting peace throughout the world are appreciated and vital,” Herzog said. “I look forward to deepening our cooperation for a better future of justice and compassion.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired back at Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) in the early moments of what turned out to be a very contentious Capitol Hill hearing on Thursday, exclaiming at one point, “Do I get a reply?” Throughout the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Kennedy fielded a number of pointed questions about recent shake-ups at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and his complete overhaul of the panel meant to make recommendations on vaccines — and numerous senators used their time to effectively offer their own testimony in place of his, routinely leaving him barely enough time to answer yes-or-no questions. Wyden, after using some of his time to complain that Kennedy was “politicizing” the committee that recommends vaccines, accused him of compromising children’s health. “[You’re] enacting an agenda that I think is fundamentally cruel and defies common sense,” Wyden claimed, before ceding the floor back to the committee chair. WATCH: ? HOLY CRAP! RFK Jr. just absolutely EVISCERATED Democrat Senator Ron Wyden “Senator, you’ve sat in that chair for how long? 20, 25 years? While the chronic disease in our children went up to 76%. And you said NOTHING. You never ASKED the question why it’s happening!” ? pic.twitter.com/kFDt8ErDS6 — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 4, 2025 “Do I get a reply?” Kennedy asked then, and after apparently getting the go-ahead to respond, he directed his comments at Wyden. “Senator, you’ve sat in that chair for how long? 20, 25 years? While the chronic disease in our children went up to 76%. And you said nothing. You never asked the question why it’s happening, why is this happening?” “Today, for the first time in 20 years, we learned that infant mortality has increased in our country,” Kennedy continued. “It’s not because I came in here. It’s because of what happened during the Biden administration that we’re going to end.”

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House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries continued to sidestep questions Thursday about why he has not endorsed avowed socialist Zohran Mamdani to serve as New York City’s next mayor despite the candidate running in the general election contest under the Democratic Party’s banner. Jeffries, who represents a district that Mamdani will oversee if elected mayor, said […]

'Threw it overhand back at Border Patrol agents'

British Member of Parliament Nigel Farage, leader of the political party Reform UK, was testifying Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee on free speech when Democratic Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson pressed him on his connections to President Donald Trump. The congressman asked Farage whether he considered Trump his “mentor,” something the British politician promptly shut […]

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