Even as the momentum to protect American elections from foreign influence continues to move forward in 2025, more action is needed, an election integrity watchdog warned in a Wednesday report first shared with The Daily Wire.  The report from the Honest Elections Project documents how eight states have moved in the last year to close a loophole that allows foreign nationals to fund state-level ballot measure campaigns. These campaigns can range from battles over abortion and marijuana to proposals governing how elections are conducted.  “Foreign nationals are prohibited from funding candidate campaigns and PACs, but most states lack similar protections for ballot measure campaigns,” the report says. “As a result, foreign nationals and foreign-funded entities are free to fund and influence campaigns that change state constitutions or even rewrite the rules of the very elections that foreigners are forbidden to influence.” States that moved to ban foreign funding for ballot initiatives included Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Honest Election Project Efforts to ban foreign funding have failed in some conservative states like Texas, where Democrats used a procedural move to hold up the proposal. The report was critical of a bill in Montana on foreign spending, arguing that it had no legislative teeth.  “Despite these setbacks, states across the country made extraordinary progress towards closing the foreign funding loophole in 2025—most on a bipartisan basis,” the report said. “That bipartisanship only goes so far, however: few of the measures that ultimately passed had Democratic co-sponsors, and none were advanced in Democrat-controlled legislatures.” The reports point to the influence of Hansjörg Wyss, a leftist Swiss billionaire, who has reportedly donated over $280 million to the leftist Sixteen Thirty Fund. The Sixteen Thirty Fund has, in turn, spent around $130 million on state and local ballot initiatives since 2014.  According to Americans for Public Trust, the funding from the Sixteen Thirty Fund for ballot initiatives included about $33.5 million in Michigan, $20.7 million in Ohio, $17 million in Florida, $13 million in Missouri, and $10.9 million in Colorado.  Honest Elections Project argued that the spending in Michigan “drove ballot measures on redistricting and election rules that fundamentally reshaped the democratic process for partisan advantage.”  When asked about the increase in states looking to ban foreign spending on elections, a spokesman for Sixteen Thirty Fund said it backed the DISCLOSE Act, legislation backed by Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse that would expand “the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals,” according to the Congressional Research Service.  “Sixteen Thirty Fund is compliant with all applicable laws and regulations, including those governing state and local ballot elections,” the spokesman said. “Our organization has publicly advocated for the passing of the DISCLOSE Act, which would increase campaign finance transparency and accountability.” In response to this funding, the report called for lawmakers in Michigan, Florida, and other states to take action.  The ballot initiative loophole makes American elections vulnerable to the influence of foreign nationals from countries like China, Russia, and Iran, the report said.  Leftist lawyer Marc Elias lost a case over the summer attempting to block the enactment of the law blocking foreign funding of ballot campaigns in Kansas. He previously lost a similar lawsuit in Ohio.  The report also highlighted the passage of laws in several states banning ranked-choice voting, a system where ballots are counted in rounds and the person who starts with the most votes doesn’t necessarily win based on how other voters rank them.  Ranked choice voting “replaces the principle of ‘one person, one vote’ with a complicated process in which voters rank numerous candidates in each race and winners are computed by eliminating poor-performing candidates, redistributing votes, and eliminating exhausted ballots,” the report said.  In 2025, Arkansas, West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, and Wyoming all banned ranked choice voting. The previous year, ballot efforts to introduce ranked choice voting failed in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and Colorado.  Honest Elections Project The Honest Elections Project called for Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas to all take steps to proactively ban ranked choice voting.  “In 2025, states across the country took extraordinary steps to ban the foreign funding of ballot issue campaigns and ranked-choice voting, two of the biggest threats to election integrity and voter confidence facing the nation, and they did so in record numbers,” Jason Snead, Executive Director of the Honest Elections Project, told The Daily Wire. “While there is still much work to be done in 2026 and beyond, this was a banner year for election integrity.”

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary says his agency is working to get ahead of what could be the “fourth wave” of the deadly opioid crisis by targeting a substance derived from the Kratom plant that is being sold to young people in gas stations and vape shops all across the nation.  The compound, 7-hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH, is up to 13 times more potent than morphine, according to Makary. Deceptive marketing and easy access are helping fuel its spread, luring in an increasing number of young Americans.  “We can’t get caught flat-footed again,” Makary recently warned. “We got burned with fentanyl, we got burned with prescription drugs. We cannot get behind the eightball again. This may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic. Concentrated, synthetic, 7-OH may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.”  “7-OH, people need to know, is an opioid,” he emphasized. “You can walk down the street in almost any neighborhood in America and buy an opioid.”  The Kratom plant is native to Southeast Asia. In its natural state, some people find it to have healthful and medicinal qualities. The FDA has made clear that it’s not focusing on the natural kratom leaf. They’re targeting concentrated and synthetic forms of kratom, or 7-OH.  At the end of July, the FDA recommended that 7-OH be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, making it illegal to sell or possess. The agency says it’s an opioid that comes with significant health risks, including addiction and overdose.  Some people may not have even heard of kratom before, but they’ve likely seen kratom-derived 7-OH products in gas stations, corner stores, vape shops, or even online. Kratom, overall, is a billion-dollar industry in the U.S. – and it’s growing fast. In just a few years, the industry is expected to almost double in size.  7-OH is sold in a variety of forms, including powders, vapes, drinks, pills, and products that appeal to children, such as fruit-flavored gummies and even ice cream cones. Joe Raedle/Getty Images These products are often inaccurately labeled concerning their 7-OH content, and can be disguised or marketed as merely the kratom plant. There’s also no federal age restriction on these products, though several states now prohibit the sale of such products to minors.  As far as widespread harm, especially to young Americans, the data is mixed – or perhaps underreported, and too early to tell.  The CDC says there have been some overdose deaths associated with kratom products, but often other substances were also involved. There was also a recent report from the Tampa Bay Times that links kratom products to hundreds of deaths just in the state of Florida, over the past decade. Additionally, more and more anecdotal accounts of 7-OH-related addictions and deaths fill the web, though they remain unverified.  A toxicologist and emergency physician from Albany Medical Center, Dr. Alicia Tudor, believes kratom-related harms are being underreported, specifically regarding overdoses.  “I’ll see it in the emergency department and then probably more often in the addiction clinic that I work at as well,” Tudor told WRGB.  Toxicology tests are not always given when patients come in for an overdose, she said. “Then the results would come back, you know, weeks later, and at that point, the patient’s been discharged and doing better,” Tudor added.  Jim Franco/Albany Times Union via Getty Images New York mother Cari Scribner wants action taken on these highly concentrated kratom products. Her 27-year-old son, Nickolas, died last year from what appears to have been a kratom-related death.  Scribner says her son started using the products to manage anxiety, depression, and insomnia, believing it was merely an “all natural herbal, energy and health supplement.”  In a similar tragedy, Makary relayed the contents of a letter from a grieving stepfather of a young man who had finally quit addiction, only to purchase 7-OH without being aware of its contents.  “He called me on May 31 to tell me he had stopped at the vape shop to buy a vape and was offered a fruity pill, and was told that it was kratom,” Makary read the letter aloud. “He said that he took the pill and became addicted, and should have done his research. He died the night he took two 20 mg 7-oh pills. The wrapper was at his bedside. There were no other drugs or alcohol in the house.”  While kratom has been widely used in the U.S. for some time, concentrated 7-OH has only risen in popularity within the last five years. Ultimately, the FDA is moving to stop the substance from causing more widespread harm before it’s too late.   And it’s not just the FDA taking action. Florida is leading the way on the state level. Earlier this month, Florida AG James Uthmeier announced an emergency rule to classify 7-OH as a Schedule I controlled substance. GOP Gov. Mike DeWine has also urged the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to designate synthetic and natural kratom compounds as illegal drugs. Additionally, a number of other states have moved to add age restrictions for 7-OH or limitations on concentrations of the compound.  The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is currently reviewing the FDA’s recommendation to effectively ban 7-OH. 

Every dog owner strives to have a dog that obeys orders immediately and without question. However, Ellie the golden retriever might be a little too eager when she hears this song. “Turn around, bright eyes, turn around…” We all know the song, Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler. When it is played for Ellie, she obediently turns around. During a recent TikTok trend called “The Turn-Around Challenge,” people played the song while trying to turn themselves around in awkward ways set by the challenge. Most humans failed the challenge, but a hilarious side effect was the number of animals that heard the words and immediately complied. Just call Bonnie Tyler the dog whisperer, I guess. These dogs taught each other the challenge. Apparently, two of these pups knew how to turn around and taught the third while listening to the song. They’re a little out of sync, but still hilarious. @casarchla He’s too big to do this kinda stuff #dogtok #dogs #viralvideo #fyp #foryou #turnaround #trending ♬ original sound – Aric Demond The size of the dog doesn’t make a difference. Big dogs, little dogs, dogs who climb on beds… they all love the song and the challenge. @darcyanddad Trained too well #turnaround #smartdog #dachshund #sausagedog #fyp ♬ original sound – Darcy & Dad Did you catch that parody of the Oscar Mayer Weiner song? Old, but classic, and it fits. That little dachshund is just as proud as he can be every time he turns around. Ellie, the golden retriever, was definitely not the only dog who responded to that song. These dog siblings are also predictable. Their human begins laughing before the words even hit because they know what is coming. The synchronization is almost perfect right to the end. @compilationchaos The chemistry is perfect #dogs #funny #animalsoftiktok #turnaroundchallenge ♬ original sound – CompilationChaos Ellie, the golden retriever, has sent me down a rabbit hole of videos that will not turn my life around. However, they have brought me some belly laughs. Please share. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Obedient Golden Retriever Takes Song’s Lyrics A Little Too Seriously appeared first on InspireMore.

At some point in time, almost everyone takes a moment or two to ponder the same question. Are we truly worthy of the unconditional love of animals? For most people, the question concerns a dog or a cat. Hannah’s toddler daughter, Collins, would tell you it’s about Rolex, her horse. The tiny girl and her horse are the best of friends. @lilcowgirl25 So blessed #fyp ♬ daylight – overlays ⸆⸉ You can barely hear the toddler under the music in the clip, but she clearly shouts, “Rolex.” The horse stopped and immediately began making his way to his best friend. Barely knee-high to a grasshopper, Collins waited patiently for the huge animal to approach. When Collins was younger and just learning to talk, she couldn’t pronounce “Rolex,” so she called the horse “RoRo.” Watching the precious interactions, that seems a fitting nickname. The horse and his best friend share many experiences together, including summer showers. @lilcowgirl25 #fyp #horsesoftiktok ♬ original sound – 80s throwback hits That is a mom who knows how to multitask. Little Collins is learning about caring for a horse as she grows. While she is still too small to perform most care tasks, she is nearby while her mom brushes and feeds Rolex and their other horses. When Collins is out in the yard, Rolex is always near. He is like an oversized guard dog, watching his precious little charge. The horse has so much love in his heart for the toddler. He has always been gentle with her, almost as if his sole purpose is to be her protector. If you can’t get enough of this horse and his best friend, follow Hannah on TikTok. Don’t blink, though. Kids grow fast, and she will be riding Rolex on the circuit soon! When Collins calls for him, Rolex always responds. Please share. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post A Girl’s Best Friend: Horse Comes Galloping When Tiny Tot Calls appeared first on InspireMore.

LIGO is cool in its own right, but physicists have suggested that in the right circumstances, it could detect alien spacecraft.

A man who was caught taking photos of children in a movie theater bathroom was discovered to be a middle school teacher, according to Virginia police.Colonial Heights Police said they were called to the Regal Cinemas at Southpark Mall on July 22 on a report that a man was taking the photos of children. Shaun Jason Adams, 49, was arrested for child pornography after police viewed material on his phone.Court documents said they messaged each other about sexually abusing children in their care.Police said they found a "thread of sexually explicit messages about children" from the data on the phone, and that information led to the arrest of 33-year-old Richard Franklin Troshak III of Chesterfield County."Once, of course, we look at a phone, you start leading to where people have sent messages, sent pictures, and those are the ones that led to the other investigation," said Gray Collins, attorney for the commonwealth of Colonial Heights.Court documents said they messaged each other about sexually abusing children in their care.Adams faces 25 counts of felony manufacturing of child pornography and five felony counts of indecent liberties with a child, while Troshak faces eight counts of felony manufacturing of child pornography and two felony counts of indecent liberties with a child.Both Adams and Troshak worked for Chesterfield County Schools, the former for Elizabeth Davis Middle School and the latter for the Chesterfield Early Childhood Learning Academy.Police said Troshak was arrested at the learning academy without incident.Chesterfield Superintendent Dr. John Murray said he immediately ordered both to be terminated from the district.The investigation also found that both men had previously worked at the Tuckaway day care. At least one message referenced abuse at the day care. RELATED: Missing 12-year-old was killed by alligators — and records show horrific prior conviction against his mother Petersburg Police Deputy Chief Emanuel Chambliss said a third investigation has opened up where Adams lived."If they recognize the teacher involved and suspect he might be involved in any activity here in the city, please contact us," he said.WRIC-TV reported that Troshak has been named the "Overall CCPS Beginning Teacher of the Year" just months before his arrest. The learning academy's principal and assistant principal were placed on administrative leave, according to WRIC.Collins went on to say that many times, victims and witnesses don't want to come forward in these kinds of cases."Even if you don't want to come forward in court, we still need to hear your story so we can make sure that this doesn't happened again to other people," he continued."We've done initial meetings with parents without the children present so we can go over the facts of what we've heard, what we know, and then they can make a more informed decision if they want to actually try to keep going forward with the charges," Collins added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Most Americans think of George Washington's winter encampment as brutal and deadly. But Friedrich von Steuben, an out-of-work military veteran from Europe, turned it into a fruitful training ground