Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, is considering litigation against the anti-ICE activists who disrupted a Sunday worship service on January 18. The DOJ arrested three activists who disrupted the service: Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly. Federal authorities charged them under a law that bars obstructing access to houses of worship and related conspiracy statutes for interfering with constitutionally protected religious rights. DOJ officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and civil-rights leadership, framed the action as enforcement of federal protections for places of worship, emphasizing that disrupting a service violates federal law. Bondi stated, “If you protested and went into that church on the Sunday and you terrorized the parishioners, we are coming after you. … We are coming after you if you participated in that. I don’t care who you are. If you’re a failed CNN journalist, you have no right to do that in this country. We don’t live in a third world country. We’re going to protect our houses of worship in this country.” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon echoed, “The JusticeDept will identify & hold accountable every person who unlawfully interrupted this church service. @AGPamBondi  and I will not tolerate harassment of Americans at worship—especially from agitators posing as ‘journalists.’” Renee Carlson, General Counsel for True North Legal, which represents the church, told Fox & Friends on Monday morning, “What I would say here is we have a situation where rights were violated, those rights have to be protected, and there is a law here that can be accessed to ensure those protections. We are thankful that the Department of Justice is moving swiftly to make sure that happens, and the church will continue to evaluate their legal options to make sure that churches in Minnesota, and especially Cities Church, are protected.” Last week, Carlson issued a statement in which she said, “The First Amendment does not allow premeditated plots or coordinated actions to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship, and intimidate small children. There is no ‘press pass’ to invade a sanctuary or to conspire to interrupt religious services. The Constitution protects citizens from threats against fundamental rights by the government, but it also requires government to protect those same rights when they are jeopardized by private actors.” Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, added, “The First Amendment protects the God-given rights of every American to assemble and to worship God. It does not give anyone the right to invade a church and terrorize worshippers. That’s a federal crime: the FACE Act prohibits intimidating or interfering with people worshipping in a church. It is outrageous that, instead of doing their jobs and protecting Minnesotans’ rights, state officials like Keith Ellison choose to mock the invasion of a church. … We are thankful for the Justice Department’s swift action, and we are exploring all legal options to protect the church and prevent further invasions.”

President Donald Trump said Monday that he spoke with Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz about rising tensions over federal immigration enforcement in the state, describing the call as “very good.” Anti-ICE protests have escalated in the Minneapolis area in recent weeks following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was killed by Border Patrol agents during an immigration enforcement operation, and the earlier shooting death of Renee Good, as the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Metro Surge has resulted in thousands of arrests. Earlier on Monday, Trump said that border czar Tom Homan would head to Minnesota to take charge of the federal government’s response. “Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” he wrote. “I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!” he continued. The president went on to highlight cities where an increased federal law enforcement presence has produced results and extended an olive branch to the Democratic governor, who was his party’s vice presidential nominee in 2024. “We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and virtually every other place that we have ‘touched’ and, even in Minnesota, Crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!” Trump added. Gov. Walz’s office confirmed to The Daily Wire that it was a “productive” call, adding that they want “impartial investigations” of the recent fatal shootings and fewer federal agents in the state. “The President agreed that he would talk to his Department of Homeland Security about ensuring the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is able to conduct an independent investigation, as would ordinarily be the case,” the statement said. “The President also agreed to look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota and working with the state in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals.” “The Governor reminded President Trump that the Minnesota Department of Corrections already honors federal detainers by notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a person committed to its custody isn’t a U.S. citizen. There is not a single documented case of the department’s releasing someone from state prison without offering to ensure a smooth transfer of custody,” the statement continued, as DHS has said that roughly 1,360 detainers have not been honored. The comments from the president are an abrupt shift from last week, when he wrote that Walz and Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey “are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric!” The president also pointed out that Minnesota Democrats have faced intense political scrutiny over Medicaid fraud scandals plaguing the state. “Instead, these sanctimonious political fools should be looking for the Billions of Dollars that has been stolen from the people of Minnesota, and the United States of America,” Trump added. Gov. Walz announced last month that he would not seek a third term amid debate and concerns over alleged fraud.

Senate Republicans seem unlikely to budge on funding for the Department of Homeland Security as a partial government shutdown approaches on Friday. Democrats have called for DHS funding to be held up unless there are serious strings attached related to immigration enforcement amid tensions in Minnesota rising higher after the shooting of Alex Pretti. The House already approved spending bills, but they are not in Washington this week, so changes that would be made would need to be sent to them – likely triggering a shutdown in the interim. “Democrats want to shut down the government—again—unless ICE is defunded. Not a chance,” the Senate Republicans account posted on Monday morning. “There can be no mob veto on enforcing the law.” However, much of the funding for the president’s immigration goals was already approved in the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, including more funding for the border and hiring more ICE personnel. Still, many Democrats believe that scrutinizing DHS funding would be necessary to reforming federal immigration operations. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has indicated that he will be leading the charge in “rejecting this DHS spending bill,” according to a recent social media post, and he’s called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) – a key Democrat who helped end the government shutdown in the fall over the Affordable Care Act subsidies – wants the DHS funding to be “separate” from the five other spending bills to avert another closure and for the House to come back in session as “reforms” to the department are debated, according to Punchbowl News. Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) posted to X an unofficial list of demands if the DHS bill returns to the House, including ICE and CBP exiting Minneapolis, “full, independent investigation into the killings,” “no more detaining and deporting U.S. Citizens” and no masks for immigration authorities and “mass arrest quotas and warrantless arrests end.” On Sunday, a White House official told The Daily Wire on background that “Democrats were equal partners in negotiating these bills, which are the product of a bipartisan, collaborative process.” “Now, after a week spent celebrating their successes in the process, and in the midst of a winter storm, they’re holding emergency response funding hostage to score political points. We hope cooler heads prevail, and the country does not have to endure another damaging shutdown,” the official added. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire that a holdup on the department’s funding would create hurdles with emergency management and TSA. “While politicians in the Senate play games with Americans’ safety, they are blocking vital DHS funding that keeps our country secure and its people safe—from TSA and FEMA to the US Coast Guard and Border Patrol,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “This funding supports national security and critical national emergency operations, including FEMA responses to a historic snowstorm that is affecting 250 million Americans. Washington may stall, but the safety of the American people will not wait.” The Daily Wire reached out to several GOP lawmakers who have called for an investigation into Pretti’s death, and asked if that has influenced their stance on DHS funding. Sen. Pete Ricketts’ (R-NE) office pointed to his post on X, stating that his “support for funding ICE remains the same” while calling for “prioritized, transparent investigation.”

A  bookstore owner from Minneapolis who has joined an “economic blackout” to protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement likened ICE to Nazi death camps, saying, “I’m not saying they’re putting people in ovens — yet.” On CNN’s “The Lead,” host Jake Tapper noted, “Hundreds of businesses statewide have closed in solidarity, joining in a so-called economic blackout. One of those businesses participating is an independent bookstore in Minneapolis called Moon Palace Books and the co-owner, Jamie Schwesnedl, joins me now. Jamie, why was it important for you and your wife to close your bookstore today?” “Well, Jake, we can’t do business as usual right now anyway because our city has been invaded by masked gunmen kidnapping family members and friends and neighbors of ours to send them to concentration camps,” Schwesnedl replied. “Additionally, there’s a lot of businesses in our area that have staff or customers or owners who are afraid to come to work, afraid to come in and shop. People are closing down today and we felt like it wouldn’t be kind or fair for us to stay open. So we’re closing in solidarity to help send a message.” “I’m not here to defend ICE, but I’m not a big fan of people using the term concentration camp to describe detention camps,” Tapper protested. “That has a very specific meaning in terms of people that —” “I understand that,” Schwesnedl responded. “But they take people to Fort Snelling here, which literally was built as a concentration camp. And Alligator Alcatraz, which I think we can all agree is a concentration camp. Not saying they’re Dachau, I’m not saying they’re putting people in ovens yet, but these are concentration camps.” CNN guest implies ICE will soon start to “put people in ovens” pic.twitter.com/Nieyp5FrRO — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 26, 2026 Schwesnedl’s outrageous comparison of ICE to Nazis mocks the horrific mass murder of six million Jews and millions of others committed by the German Reich during World War II and their deadly efficiency at doing so. The elite of society joined in the Nazis’ mass murder, whether engineers, scientists, lawyers, bankers, or doctors. In just one example, in October 1941, SS architect Walter Dejaco drafted Auschwitz’s first industrial crematorium, applying professional precision to mass murder. His designs solved the Nazis’ central logistical problem: not how to kill Jews, but how to dispose of bodies at scale. The crematoria and gas chambers he helped design could incinerate thousands daily, mostly Jews. Historians argue Dejaco was “more effective at killing” than guards, because his architectural efficiency made genocide feasible.

The body of the final hostage held in Gaza was returned to Israel on Monday. The body of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old special-forces police officer who was killed in action on October 7, 2023, was returned to Israel, ending a long effort to force Hamas terrorists to hand over hostages. Gvili was killed while fighting off Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians who crossed into Israel, massacring, raping, and kidnapping more than a thousand people near the Gaza border. His body was held captive for 842 days. “We have returned Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, a hero of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Knesset. “There are no more hostages in Gaza.” Netanyahu added that the yellow ribbon pin worn by people around the world to draw attention to the hostages held can now be removed. “For ‘the sons have returned to their borders and the daughters have returned to their borders,’” Netanyahu said, quoting the Bible. Israeli Defense Forces’s Southern Command completed Operation “Courageous Heart” to return Gvili after searching since October for his body. His body was found in a cemetery near Gaza City. Footage of the IDF recovering the body of the final hostage. The return of Ran Gvili means all of the hostages are home after 842 days. pic.twitter.com/AvinMQxzPQ — Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) January 26, 2026 Gvili’s parents fought tirelessly to keep their son’s name in the news after the remaining living hostages returned in October. They met with Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, and other members of his administration. Trump celebrated the news of the final hostage body returning to Israel, congratulating his “great team of Champions.” “Just recovered the last Hostage body in GAZA. Thus, got back ALL 20 of the living Hostages, and ALL of the Dead!” he posted. “AMAZING JOB! Most thought of it as an impossible thing to do.” Gvili was recovering from a serious shoulder injury on October 7, 2023, but left the hospital, put on his uniform, and headed south to join the fight against Hamas. He reportedly helped survivors of the Nova music festival before going to join the fight at Kibbutz Alumim. At 10:50 a.m., he sent text messages saying he had been wounded in the leg. That was the final time his loved ones heard from him. In total, 255 hostages from the Gaza Strip were rescued and brought back home – 168 of them alive and 87 deceased. Twelve Americans were kidnapped, with only eight being freed alive. Gvili’s return marks the first time since 2014 that no Israelis are being held in Gaza. Before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, four Israelis were already in the Strip, including Hisham al-Sayed, a Bedouin Israeli who crossed into Gaza in April 2015, and Avera Mengistu, who entered in 2014. Both were later released alive in February 2025. Hamas had also held the bodies of the Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were killed in the 2014 war and whose remains were returned in 2025. Many of the hostages who have returned testified that they were held for long periods in dark tunnels and subjected to torture, severe starvation, and physical and sexual abuse.

Actress Kristen Stewart said she’s considering leaving the United States, adding that she would still make films for American audiences, even if it meant “shov[ing] them down the throat of the American people.”  The 35-year-old made the remarks during an interview with “The Times,” in the U.K. Stewart is currently promoting her directorial debut, “The Chronology of Water,” which was shot in Latvia because it “would have been impossible to do in the States.” She condemned President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on movies made outside of the United States, calling them “terrifying.” “Reality is breaking completely under Trump,” Stewart told the outlet. “But we should take a page out of his book and create the reality we want to live in.”  When the interviewer asked if she was planning to continue living in the United States, the actress replied, “Probably not. I can’t work freely there. But I don’t want to give up completely. I’d like to make movies in Europe and then shove them down the throat of the American people.” The president reiterated in September that he intends to impose tariffs to incentivize production in the United States.  “Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.’ California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit! Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States,” the president shared in a Truth Social post, as The Daily Wire previously reported. In May last year, Trump said Hollywood was dying a “very fast death,” calling incentives from other countries to produce movies outside of the United States “a national security threat.”  “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated,” the president said at the time. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”

Pork Fest

Movies & TV A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms The Jousting Begins in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: “Hard Salt Beef” Dunk gets by with a little help from Targaryen princes and smallfolk alike… By Tyler Dean | Published on January 26, 2026 Credit: Steffan Hill/HBO Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: Steffan Hill/HBO The second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms continues the premiere’s winning streak with a compelling blend of humor and action (including some of the most intricately choreographed and dynamic jousting scenes ever put on film!) as we follow our titular hedge knight’s quest to become the champion of the tourney at Ashford Meadow. As always, there may be mild spoilers for the general world of Game of Thrones and the Song of Ice and Fire books, but no spoilers for this show beyond episode 2. Let’s get started!  Opening Titles: [File Not Found] Obviously, the dynamic globe and astrolabe of the original Game of Thrones credits are an iconic sequence, perhaps the apotheosis of the HBO opening credits artform that arguably began with The Sopranos and Sex and the City. When House of the Dragon reused Ramin Djawadi’s opening theme, it was a bit of a disappointment even if its opening title visuals are, ultimately, a spectacular improvement on the high bar set by the original series. The decision to eschew opening titles entirely in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is one that feels slightly disappointing but is probably to the overall benefit of the show. It’s a smaller affair with a different vibe, focused on less grandiose moments in history (and with a shorter runtime than the hour-long dramas), and it makes sense to tamp down anything that might overstuff the series or make it feel too tonally similar to the other entries in the Game of Thrones universe. The Title The second episode title, “Hard Salt Beef,” refers to the poverty food that bookends the episode. It’s also, cheekily, a pretty good descriptor for Dunk (Peter Claffey) himself. The name feels apt, seeing as this episode really focuses in on the giant differences between the life of a hedge knight and the life of a royal prince, or even a knight from a noble line.  The Targaryen Delegation Credit: Steffan Hill/HBO This episode finally introduces the bulk of the Targaryens we’ll meet in the course of this season. Bertie Carvel (who you may know from Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and The Crown) plays Baelor Targaryen, who is the eldest son of King Daeron II and the current hand of the king. As I mentioned in my explainer for episode 1, Daeron II finally brought Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms by marrying Myriah Martell. As a result, Baelor has dark hair like his mother.  We also meet Maekar Targaryen, the youngest of Darron’s four sons. He’s played by Sam Spruell (who played the transcendently weird immortal assassin, Ole Munch, in Fargo season 5). Maekar, who is at least sixth in line for the throne, is upset about his missing sons, Daeron (named his grandfather) and Aegon. We encounter another of his sons, Aerion (True Detective: Night Country’s Finn Bennett) who treats Duncan with contempt, much like his father. Incidentally, Maekar has a fourth son, Aemon, currently in training at the Citadel and who, in eighty or so years, will become the same Master Aemon who tutors Jon Snow at Castle Black. We also get a brief shot of Prince Valarr Targaryen (Oscar Morgan), Baelor’s eldest son and second in line for the throne.  In this golden age of Westeros, the Targaryens are somewhat diminished from the height of their power (House of the Dragon is the story of that fall from grace) and are trying to shore up their own reputation and power now that they no longer have access to the dragons that made them kings. You can see this in the fact that King Daeron has sent half his sons to a middlingly important tourney at Ashford Meadow. You can see it in the ways the notably cheaper-looking Kingsguard armor has been painted white rather than enameled. You can even see it in the fact that they now marry outside their line in an attempt to shore up alliances.  Baelor seems to understand the assignment. Whether or not he truly lives up to the chivalric ideal that Dunk places on him, he does seem to know that taking an interest in the concerns of the smallfolk and remembering their deeds is a sure way to become beloved and help keep the Targaryens aloft. Maekar and his sons, by being so low in the line of succession, are not saddled with that same pressure and the show is effortlessly good at highlighting that difference.  The Shadow of War Credit: Steffan Hill/HBO Of course, the thing that hangs over this Golden Age and darkens the Targaryen prospects is not just the absence of the dragons. They have been extinct for fifty or so years (the books reveal that Ser Arlan of Pennytree had gone to see the last dragon shortly before its death, when he was around ten). But this story takes place about thirteen years after the First Blackfyre Rebellion.  Daeron II’s father, Aegon IV (Aegon the Unworthy) had many bastard children and, in a vague allusion to King Lear, had all his children declared legitimate on his deathbed. This led the newly minted Targaryen heirs to challenge Daeron and his trueborn siblings for the throne. These Targaryens eventually settled on the name “Blackfyre” (because they inverted the Targaryen banner colors—a black three-headed dragon breathing black fire on a red field) and tried to seize the throne. While Daeron won a decisive victory against them, numerous Blackfyre scions went into exile or escaped imprisonment, leading to more rebellions after the events of this season. Even in the era of Game of Thrones, Martin insinuates that characters like the spymaster, Varys (Conleth Hill) might be Blackfyre descendants. It’s truly the end of Targaryen legitimacy, and lends just a bit of credence to the idea that the Targaryens’ incestuous practices might have helped keep them in power even as it drove them to madness.  The show alludes to the Rebellion a couple of times in this episode. Egg, all jazzed up on the adrenaline of the first joust, shouts “Die, Blackfyre bastards!” while playfully swordfighting the air. And Dunk, in his paean to Lord Hayford, mentions that Ser Arlan fought alongside him at “the Redgrass.” This references the Battle of Redgrass Field, the decisive final skirmish between Targaryen and Blackfyre forces in 196 AC.  Kinds of Kindness Credit: Steffan Hill/HBO The real heart and magic of this show, at least thus far, lies in how good it is at being sincere about its valuation of simple kindnesses. Martin has always taken a dim view of humanity and tends to write about the ways that power corrupts and goodness is trampled. The reason that Ned Stark’s death in that first book is so affecting is precisely because Ned would be the beleaguered hero of most other fantasy epics. His plot armor should have kept him alive to eventually win back the day, but as we quickly learn, this is not that kind of story. Fifteen years after Game of Thrones became a TV staple, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is pushing back against that bitter vision of the world. Martin is still Martin, and so good intentions and a noble heart are never actually going to be enough to win the day—a fact hilariously underscored when Egg disabuses Dunk of the notion that Ser Donnel of Duskendale (Bill Ward) was born a lowly crabber and not the wealthy son of a crabbing magnate—but Dunk’s simple forthrightness inspires people around him to want to treat him well. Whether it’s the artist and puppeteer Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), or Steely Pate (Youssef Kerkour), the armorer who gives him a discount, or Prince Baelor Targaryen himself, the show feels pretty dedicated to reminding us that there is good in Westeros and that community matters. Even the show’s depiction of Ser Arlan (Danny Webb) in flashback seems much kinder and more nuanced than the abusive old fool depicted in the season premiere. It’s surprisingly heartwarming, and something I didn’t fully expect from a Westeros-based show. Odds and Ends Credit: Steffan Hill/HBO When describing Ser Arlan’s deeds to Lords Florent, Hayford, and Tyrell, Dunk uses the phrase “he held no lands and sired no children.” That is the exact phrasing of the vows of celibacy and non-partisanship that Westeros’ cloistered orders take. Septons, Maesters, Knights of the Kingsguard, and members of the Night’s Watch all vow to hold no lands and sire no children. This metaphorically makes Ser Arlan into something of a more fabled questing knight, taking holy orders and devoting himself in service, not to secure his legacy, but for the good of the realm as a whole.  In The Hedge Knight, Ser Arlan dies of pneumonia following a brutal rainstorm en route to the tourney at Ashford Meadow. This episode seems to suggest that he died of an infected wound on his arm, which we see him trying to hide in his final days. I love how sanguine and untroubled he looks, even as he is clearly succumbing to his injury.  The fanfare played when the Targaryens enter Ashford Hall is the same theme used on House of the Dragon at Aegon II’s coronation. That, in turn has the little opening trill (used in tonight’s episode) followed by a simplified version of King Robert’s theme from the original series. Its little details like that which really make Westeros feel so storied and lived-in.   Steely Pate the armorer is in a long tradition of Westerosi Pates. Spotted Pate is a legendary folk hero: a swineherd who always outsmarts princes and knights, humbling the nobility. Consequently, there are a lot of lowborn Pates running around Westeros. Notably, in A Feast for Crows, the POV of the prologue follows Pate, a novice at the citadel who is murdered by Jaqen H’ghar, who subsequently wears his face and becomes Samwell Tarly’s roommate. But “Pate” is also one of the names Martin throws in when discussing various commoners, making it something of an in-joke.  I spoke about how great the musical continuity was above, but there’s no better illustration of the show’s attention to detail than the joust itself. It’s wonderfully shot and thrilling—and, for the book readers among us, it also goes out of its way to make sure all ten knights are the ones mentioned in The Hedge Knight’s initial bout. Even if you cannot see their faces or hear their voices, they’ve absolutely made sure that the combatants are identifiable as Medgar Tully, Damon and Tybolt Lannister, Androw and Robert Ashford, Leo Tyrell, Humfrey Hardyng, Lyonel Baratheon, Valarr Targaryen, and Abelar Hightower. It really feels like the ideal use of Easter eggs: environmental storytelling that exists neither to gatekeep nor to serve as a fourth wall-breaking wink at the audience, but rather speaks to great attention to detail and a love of the source material, without a slavish devotion to it. I’m glad that showrunner Ira Parker seems as dedicated to this as Bryan Cogman and Ryan Condal have been in the past. In Conclusion So, please chime in and tell me what you thought of the episode in the comments: Do you like the show’s scope and pacing? Are you as delighted as I am with the continued queer coding of Ser Lyonel? How great were Egg’s flummoxed little hand gestures when Dunk stopped his life lesson mid-anecdote? Are you looking forward to next episode, “The Squire,” which, for book aficionados seems like it will contain some of the most consequential events of the novella? Let me know![end-mark] The post The Jousting Begins in <i>A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms</i>: “Hard Salt Beef” appeared first on Reactor.

Books Martha Wells Book Club Martha Wells Book Club: Fugitive Telemetery In which Murderbot solves a murder mystery… By Alex Brown | Published on January 26, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share I have been counting down the days to when Fugitive Telemetry would pop up on my book club reread. When I finally sat down to reread it, I initially planned to squeeze in a few minutes before bed then read the rest over the weekend in a few days. Instead I ended up staying up way too late and consuming the entire thing in one sitting.  We open with a dead human. The body is in the concourse on Preservation Station, and no one knows who the person was. Murderbot and Mensah are stuck in a holding pattern. They’re waiting for GrayCris to make their inevitable move, and that tension makes it difficult for them to get comfortable or make plans for the future.When the corpse turns up Senior Officer Indah is ill-equipped to handle the investigation on her own. As a SecUnit, Murderbot has handled its fair share of murder investigations, and as an entertainment feed fanatic, it has consumed an ungodly number of murder mysteries, both of which make it the prime candidate for partnering with Indah as far as Mensah is concerned. (Murderbot and Indah would rather not, thank you very much.) As far as Mensah is concerned, Murderbot might as well be useful while it waits for GrayCris. Mensah is already filling her time with her leadership responsibilities, not to mention avoiding going to trauma therapy. The pair also need to determine if the dead human was part of a GrayCris attack without overwhelming Station Security. Mensah’s iron will prevails, and Pin-Lee draws up an air-tight temporary employment contract hiring SecUnit out to Station Security. Murderbot’s insight into the Corporate Rim and its hacking skills complement Indah’s knowledge of the station and her protectiveness more than either is willing to admit. Eventually, the corpse leads to other victims and a pack of despicable criminals. The ending is bittersweet. The victims are rescued but the larger corporate scheme continues. It’s a small victory but a vital one.  Importantly, the mystery could not have been solved without the help of the bots under guardianship on Preservation Station. At this point in its journey, Murderbot is still working through its feelings about being a construct under guardianship to humans. It likes the human that holds its guardianship, but it also likes its freedom. It hasn’t yet figured out how to have both. In the previous books, there is a clear delineation between bots and constructs. SecUnit treats bots almost like children. It appeases them to get them to do what it wants, or simply overpowers them or orders them around. On Preservation Station, however, the bots, while not the most complex entities around, are able to think, make choices, and extrapolate. They may not have as much processing power as a construct, but they are people in the same way a construct is a person. Their brains, so to speak, just work differently. It’s so cute to see them have inside jokes and nicknames for each other, and to see Murderbot be genuinely surprised (and a little annoyed) at that. Once again, Murderbot proves to be an unreliable narrator. What it thinks it knows about the world is much smaller than what is actually true about the world.  Something that I’ve heard a lot from fans of the series is their frustration with how Fugitive Telemetry was published after Network Effect despite taking place before it in the chronology. After reading both fairly close together (instead of having nearly a year of wait time between them, much of which was spent dealing with the hell that was the worst of the covid pandemic), it actually makes a lot of sense. Now, I have no idea if Wells always planned for this time switcheroo in her publication schedule or if she made the decision to swap the chronology later on, but I think it was the right choice.  This book adds subtext to Murderbot’s relationship with ART. Now readers know Murderbot has seen bots and constructs living full lives where they make their own choices outside the needs and commands of humans and the lengths they’ll go to ensure that independence. It reframes ART’s interactions with its crew. We know now that ART and Miki aren’t anomalies in liking humans anymore than Murderbot is an anomaly in wanting to hack its governor module. It teases some interesting possibilities for Three as well. Network Effect also serves as a sort of denouement on the GrayCris saga. The story-within-a-story about the augmented human mercenaries hired by GrayCris as assassins is their last gasp. Fugitive Telemetry acts as a good break between that original storyline and the new one coming with System Collapse involving Barish-Estranza. Not only that, this book and the last deal with independent operators aiding enslaved humans trying to escape corporate bondage contracts, which also harkens back to Murderbot’s own flight from its company overlords. The first book functioned a bit like a murder mystery as well, so lots of little parallels.  For new readers who might be intimidated with 4 novellas and a novel, Fugitive Telemetry is a good launching pad. Like All Systems Red, it’s fairly self-contained; it has a lot of interesting action and fun dialogue that don’t require any outside knowledge or lore. Whatever you need to know about Mensah for the purposes of this story, you get on the page, with just enough enticement to make new readers want to learn more. Same with Murderbot’s background. For long-time fans, it offers a lot of tantalizing new worldbuilding, particularly when it comes to bot society on Preservation Alliance. And it fills in some of the gaps left in Network Effect.  After rereading Fugitive Telemetry, I think this novella is my second favorite book in the series thus far, with All Systems Red as my first. Is cozy hardboiled detective a thing? Because that’s what it feels like to me. I doubt we’ll get enough seasons of the TV show to cover this book, but I would love to see those actors do this storyline. What a kick! Next month we’re reading System Collapse, which jumps us forward in time to after Network Effect. Let’s see where all this Barish-Estranza stuff goes.[end-mark] Buy the Book System Collapse Martha Wells The Murderbot Diaries (Volume 7) Buy Book System Collapse Martha Wells The Murderbot Diaries (Volume 7) The Murderbot Diaries (Volume 7) Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget The post Martha Wells Book Club: <i>Fugitive Telemetery</i> appeared first on Reactor.

On Friday, tens of thousands of Americans once again gathered for the 53rd annual March for Life in the District of Columbia. This year’s theme, “Life is a Gift,” points to the heart of why people young and old, from all walks of life and across the political spectrum, brave the cold every year. Until every human being is protected and cherished from the moment of conception, happy warriors will continue to come together to celebrate wins, strengthen resolve, and demand for Congress and those who influence our culture to do more to protect women, girls, and unborn children. On the policy front, both the Trump administration and Congress have been working to roll back President Joe Biden’s pro-abortion policies and advance additional pro-life protections. Earlier in January, the administration announced: — The HHS Office for Civil Rights put Illinois on notice for a state policy requiring medical providers to provide abortion referrals. Such laws violate federal conscience protection laws. If Illinois doesn’t follow the law, HHS can withhold millions in federal funding. — The administration is further expanding the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy which was reinstated last year. Nongovernmental organizations today receive global health assistance funding to certify that they won’t perform or promote abortion. Now, that policy will also apply to radical gender ideology and DEI policies as well. — The National Institutes of Health is reinstating a policy requiring no federal funding to go to entities conducting unethical research on obsolete fetal tissue obtained from elective abortion. NIH will prioritize ethical alternatives instead. — As reported exclusively by The Daily Signal, the Small Business Administration “is reviewing whether Planned Parenthood affiliates illegally received $88 million in loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.” — HHS confirmed it will reverse a Biden-era regulation that allowed “taxpayer-funded abortion travel for unaccompanied illegal alien children.” — CMS put Maryland on notice that its “abortion grant program violate[s] the protections against federal funding of abortions.” — These announcements build on actions taken at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, including: — Pardoning 23 pro-life activists who had been convicted after the Justice Department under Biden weaponized the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act against them for peacefully protesting at abortion clinics. — Issuing an executive order to disentangle taxpayers from abortion funding and revoking two pro-abortion executive orders issued by Biden. — Reinstating the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy, which requires nongovernmental organizations to certify they won’t perform or promote abortion as a condition of receiving U.S. dollars. — Defunded the United Nations Population Fund over its complicity in China’s coercive and inhumane population control policies. — Renewed membership in the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a partnership of more than two dozen countries united in the goal of improving women’s health, preserving human life, strengthening the family, and protecting national sovereignty. — Took steps to ensure the Title X program grantees comply with the letter and spirit of federal law. The administration paused funding to certain grantees like Planned Parenthood to review compliance with grant terms and executive orders. And it restored funding to pro-life states like Oklahoma and Tennessee after the Biden administration improperly conditioned grants on abortion counseling requirements. — Rescinded pro-abortion guidance and policies such as the Department of Defense abortion travel policy allowance as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidance that wrongly claimed federal law on emergency medical care requires that doctors perform elective abortions. — Rescinded a Biden administration regulation requiring abortion benefits and abortion counseling for veterans and certain beneficiaries. Congress, for its part, delivered a massive win by defunding Planned Parenthood of Medicaid payments for one year thanks to a provision in 2025’s One Big Beautiful Bill. The abortion giant receives over half a billion dollars courtesy of American taxpayers every year, and most of that is from Medicaid. Cutting off those reimbursements for a year has left Planned Parenthood reeling. About 50 clinics have closed in the past year. Looking ahead, there’s still a lot of work to do. In addressing health care reform, Congress must deliver on its commitment to protect innocent life by not expanding or entrenching taxpayer funding for abortion coverage. While Congress can be flexible on which road to take on health care reform, all of them must lead to a destination that protects innocent unborn life. Congress must remain committed to preserving the Hyde family of amendments – which prohibit taxpayer dollars from being spent on elective abortions—in annual appropriations legislation. First enacted in 1976, Hyde will mark its 50th birthday later this year assuming members hold the line. Importantly, thanks to Hyde, 2.6 million Americans get to celebrate their birthday every year, too. Federal lawmakers must also work to defund Planned Parenthood beyond the one-year provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Otherwise, the bulk of its taxpayer funding will resume on July 4. On the day Americans mark our nation’s 250th anniversary, it would be a tragedy to simultaneously gift Big Abortion with a massive payday. There’s plenty of additional action for the administration to take as well. There are still regulations and administrative policies from Trump’s first term that haven’t been revived yet. There are also new challenges that have become more pronounced in recent years. Addressing dangerous abortion drugs must be a top priority because women, girls, and unborn children’s lives are at stake. These pills are corrupting medicine by destroying any semblance of a doctor-patient relationship. They hurtwomen who are coerced or forced into an abortion they didn’t want. And they are stifling otherwise strong efforts pro-life states have taken to protect life following the Dobbs decision. It’s of course encouraging that the FDA is conducting a holistic assessment of these dangerous drugs. Such a review is long overdue, especially in light of incomplete adverse event data that has corrupted decision making to weaken safety protections over the years. In the meantime, the FDA should do the bare minimum and restore the safety requirements that were in place during Trump’s first term, including in-person visits to rule out dangerous complications. Thanks to Biden, abortion pills can now be obtained online with little more than a few clicks of a mouse, stripping away basic safeguards such as knowing how far along a woman actually is in her pregnancy, whether or not she has a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, or if the person ordering pills is even a pregnant woman at all. This status quo is unacceptable, and returning to pre-Biden rules does not require a full-scale safety review. It would simply restore basic safeguards while the FDA tackles the broader concerns about mifepristone’s many safety concerns. During Trump’s first term, the administration and Congress made significant pro-life policy progress. Now is the time to restore and expand on what Biden and his pro-abortion allies spent four years undoing. The post All Eyes on Trump, Congress as Americans March for Life appeared first on The Daily Signal.