In an experiment that exceeded scientists’ expectations, mice had their type-1 diabetes cured through a double-transplant method. Additionally, there was no host rejection of one one of the two types of transplanted cells, and the immune system didn’t attack the other, resulting in a diabetes cure without any side-effects. Obviously caveats must be drawn from […] The post Stanford Cures Type-1 Diabetes in Mice Without Insulin or Immune Suppression appeared first on Good News Network.

Books book reviews The Ghosts of Villa Diodati in The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui A young Indian woman becomes a maid in the house of Mary Shelley. By Mahvesh Murad | Published on March 2, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share In the strangely dreary, wet summer of 1816, a young Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein, while staying at the Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva. Barely 18, she had run away from home at 16 with poet Percy Shelley, who was at that point married to someone else. Mary had already lost one baby, and was now trying to take care of her second child while living in this odd situation with her lover Percy who had dragged her there to be closer to Lord Byron, with whom Percy was obsessed. Mary’s half sister, Claire Clairemont was also present, and pregnant by Byron. It was soap opera levels of high drama, and in all this, 18-year-old Mary began to write what is now often cited as the first horror/SF novel. It’s astounding, really, what this young girl’s mind was able to do, especially given the circumstances.  But that isn’t what Leila Siddiqui’s first adult novel The Glowing Hours is about. Siddiqui uses that setting to create an entirely imagined plot about that summer in Villa Diodati. While her story does feature these historical figures, it is not directly about them. It is about Mehrunnisa Begum, a young woman from a noble family in India who has been sent to the UK to deliver information about inheritance to her brother James, who has lived for years with their British father in London. Mehr is annoyed about this, because “inheritance meant very little to her since it would be crucial only in her future dowry, passed from one man’s hand to another’s.” So far, she has lived a fairly cushy life surrounded by the comforts of her wealthy Indian family, but after her mother’s death she is left with no one, and packed off to find her brother. Her travel aboard a steamship and her arrival in London are a rude awakening for the young woman who has not encountered any real racism yet, as she finds herself in a world where the colour of her skin immediately sets her into a class category that she is unfamiliar with: “Being a young Indian woman, if she did not belong to a father or husband, she could only belong to a firangi [foreign] family, and nothing else.”  At this point in colonial history, many Indian women were brought over as ayahs, nursemaids to the children of British colonising families, and often discarded when they were no longer needed, without the means to get back home. Many of them were taken in by the Ayah’s Home in Hackney, London, an ostensibly charitable organisation that would attempt to place the abandoned women in new employment, until they were able to earn their passage back to the Indian subcontinent. It is at this home that Mehr finds herself, passing days while waiting for her brother to show up and take her to their father. But James never does, and Mehr has to accept that her only way back home is by doing what the ayahs are doing: work for an English family until she’s able to pay for passage. She considers herself well above this work, but trains to be a housemaid (badly) and is placed at the home of none other than Baronet Percy Shelley, where she is managed by his lover (and the mother of his latest child), Mary.  The two young women are forced to contend with each other in a unique scenario. Mehr and Mary are both of “noble” birth, but Mehr is a servant, and Mary is an unwed mother. Equal in some ways, yet not. Mehr accompanies her employers to Villa Diodati, where she continues to scrub floors, empty chamber pots and brush rugs, while observing the dynamics of the people she works for from a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective. Things start to get strange about halfway through the book (which is, if anything, a very slow burn in the first half), when ghosts and apparitions make their presence felt, as do strange beings with no heartbeats, paintings that move, and nightmares that come alive, all leading awkwardly back to why Safie is in England. Who or what is haunting the villa? Is the villa itself a demon? Or is it that, as Mehr suggests, “this place is not haunted. [They] are.”  It’s indicated at the start of the book that Mehr is based on the character of Safie, the “lovely Arabian” woman who has a small role in Frankenstein. Safie is the relatable “other” in that novel: She is human but alien, and attempts are made to include her in society by the other characters. It is by watching her be taught to communicate in English that the creature also learns. Mehr, though not Arabian and not at all a peripheral character, is also in some ways a relatable other, especially to Mary. Both young women form some sort of bond, as “that was what fate did—bring motherless young women together in the direst of circumstances.” But it is an awkward bond, because Mehr is mostly prickly and unlikable, and Mary is mostly weak and vague. Buy the Book The Glowing Hours Leila Siddiqui Buy Book The Glowing Hours Leila Siddiqui Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget None of the characters in The Glowing Hours are particularly likable. This is not a problem per se, but the fact that they are mostly one-dimensional is. Mehr, Mary, Shelley, Byron, and Claire are all petty, self-obsessed, pompous snobs. Byron’s physician Polidori is a little less arrogant, but equally one-dimensional. Byron himself in particular is narcissistic and manipulative, and probably closest to an antagonist. We are meant to have sympathy for Mary, but it is hard, since she barely exists on the page, which is unfortunate. But then again, this is a story about Mehr. “Strange how one can find they are an interruption in another person’s story,” says Mary at some point, and that is really what she is, so those expecting insight into Mary Shelley may be left disappointed.  Siddiqui makes a decent attempt at gothic horror in the second half of the novel, with possibly the largest element being the Villa Diodati itself, which comes alive not just with apparitions but as a haunted space itself. There are some passages that explore this really well, where Mehr realises that this is no ordinary space, when “the house carried on its soft song, the wallpaper rustled against her back, hands reaching out to caress her… The paper bulged under her face, another soft caress against her cheek, then the walls fell still and silent.” The other ghosts are a little lacklustre, though there are some nice body horror elements to do with pregnancy and babies, which tie in well with Mary’s state of mind, and to Frankenstein as a narrative on childbirth.  This is mostly a story about the strange, strained dynamic between the inhabitants of Villa Diodati during that one summer in 1816. Even so it is centred around Mehr, an entirely fictional character in a setting full of historical characters. There are some big ideas about racism, classicism, feminism and power lurking in the background here, peeking around corners but never fully showing themselves. As interesting as this could be, the narrative falls a little flat with some awkward plot holes and what feels like a very random climax, even if the reader is well aware of the backstory and willing to focus only and entirely on Mehr.[end-mark] The Glowing Hours is published by Hell’s Hundred. The post The Ghosts of Villa Diodati in <i>The Glowing Hours</i> by Leila Siddiqui appeared first on Reactor.

Democrat lawmakers in Georgia have proposed legislation to prevent taxpayer money from being used to build U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in the state.  Georgia state Sen. Jaha Howard introduced the bill in response to ICE’s reported plans to build facilities in Social Circle and Oakwood. He was joined by state Sen. RaShaun Kemp and South Fulton City Councilwoman Helen Zenobia Willis to announce the legislation.  “We are here because of a proposal of a 10,000-bed detention facility in a town with fewer than 5,000 residents. That should give every Georgian pause,” Howard said, according to CBS News Atlanta.  The South Fulton City Council recently voted to move forward with zoning changes aimed at blocking ICE detention facilities. The Department of Homeland Security, however, plans to continue expanding detention space in Georgia.  The local opposition follows President Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions of illegal aliens—and backlash that has ensued in communities like Minneapolis, where protests led to violent confrontations with ICE. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll last week revealed that 61% of Americans support the deportation of illegal aliens, even as an equal number don’t agree with ICE’s tactics.  Working Together  Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said the administration valued collaboration with local leaders.  “Secretary Noem has stated that she is willing to work with officials on both sides of the aisle to expand detention space to help ICE law enforcement carry out the largest deportation effort in American history,” McLaughlin said.  She added that “ICE is targeting criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members and more,” noting that 70% of ICE arrests involve illegal aliens charged with or convicted of a crime in the United States.  “Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities,” she said.  Georgia state Rep. Houston Gaines told The Daily Signal that he has worked closely with ICE to promote public safety in Georgia.   “In the wake of Laken Riley’s murder, I led the effort in the Georgia House to pass House Bill 1105, legislation that mandates cooperation between local and state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities,” Gaines said. “It includes criminal penalties for any local officials who fail to do so. The goal was simple: ensure that criminals who are in this country illegally are identified, reported, and removed.”   “In Georgia, the law is clear: law enforcement must cooperate. Period,” Gaines added “And the results are undeniable.”  Moving Forward  McLaughlin encouraged state and local law enforcement agencies to sign 287(g) agreements, which allow cooperation with ICE to identify and remove criminal illegal aliens. “Partnerships with law enforcement are critical to having the resources we need to arrest criminal illegal aliens across the country,” she said.  McLaughlin also said seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE and noted that local law enforcement cooperation has led to 40,000 arrests in Florida.  Big Picture  Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. has made his views on ICE clear, calling the agency a “beast” that would “consume the bodies of ordinary citizens.”  They made ICE larger than all of the federal law enforcement agencies combined.When you build a beast that large, it's got to eat.And we're witnessing it eat and consume the bodies of ordinary citizens. It is out of control.— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) February 6, 2026 Brandy Perez Carbaugh, a research assistant with the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, criticized leaders in Georgia for their lack of cooperation.  “Lawmakers should stop virtue signaling by proposing bills that impede on the federal government’s ability to enforce the law and instead protect the people they represent, not illegal foreigners,” Carbaugh said.  The fight between federal and local officials in Georgia mirrors the national debate over immigration enforcement and the role of ICE.   While Democrats argue the agency poses risks to communities, Republicans maintain it is essential for public safety. As both sides dig in, immigration policy is likely to remain one of the most contentious issues in American politics.  The post Small Georgia Town Is at the Center of Latest ICE Fight  appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Most justices appeared skeptical of a federal law banning gun possession for illegal drug users and addicts, during Supreme Court arguments Monday. Intermingling gun rights and the war on drugs, the case has put the ACLU and the NRA on the same side, while Trump’s Justice Department is defending the existing law.  The case comes out of Texas, where a federal grand jury indicted Ali Danial Hemani, a marijuana user, in February 2023 for violating a law prohibiting firearm possession by a user of illegal drugs or a controlled substance. He sued to dismiss the indictment.  The federal prohibition is part of the 1968 Gun Control Act.  Sarah Harris, the principal deputy solicitor general, on Monday argued the law doesn’t infringe on the Second Amendment in part because of longstanding “habitual drunkard” laws that have been around since the colonial era. Those laws impose certain restrictions on individuals with addiction that could pose a danger to themselves or others, she noted. Justice Neil Gorsuch asked, “whether this defendant would qualify as a habitual user.” “The habitual drunkard, the American Temperance Society, back in the day, said has eight shots of whiskey a day, only made you an occasional drunkard,” he said. In the founding era, Gorsuch said, “you had to do double that.” “John Adams took a drink of hard cider with his breakfast every day,” Gorsuch added. “James Madison reportedly drank a pint of whiskey every day. Thomas Jefferson said he wasn’t much of a user of alcohol; he only had three or four glasses of wine a night.” “Are they all habitual drunkards who would be properly disarmed for life under your theory?” Gorsuch asked Harris. Harris replied, “No,” adding of the defendant, “we know he uses marijuana a few times, about every other day.” Harris later explained the law would apply to frequent users of harmful drugs, or those who are addicted.  “An addict is someone who has an uncontrollable urge to use the substance, regardless of whether they have access to any particular moment in time. You can be an addict and not be an unlawful user, because, for instance, you’re in treatment,” Harris said. She added, “An unlawful user, is someone judged by the objective criteria of their frequency of use and adding to someone who has an uncontrolled urge. They can overlap.” The indictment said Hemani knowingly used illegal drugs while possessing a Glock 19 9mm pistol. The prosecution didn’t allege Hemani was intoxicated or using drugs at the time he possessed the firearm. Rather, prosecutors based their case on him being a regular drug user.  Hemani challenged the indictment. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted the motion and dismissed the indictment, and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal. Other conservative justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh on Monday questioned whether the laws on illegal drugs are applicable to the old “habitual drunkard” laws.  Justice Clarence Thomas also asked Harris how the laws she’s citing were different from older laws restricting the freedom of people who claimed to be fortune tellers.  Meanwhile, all three liberal justices seemed skeptical of the government’s argument, as Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked if this rationale would allow for violating the constitutional rights of homeless people.  Though later in the hearing, Chief Justice John Roberts pressed Hermani’s lawyer Erin Murphy about her arguments that the government should assess such matters on a case-by-case basis.  “If you take the principle underlying habitual drunkards, the concept that the statutes back then require is somebody drinking to such success that they can’t care for themselves or their affairs, that they’ve lost self-control, that they’re posing a public safety risk,” Murphy argued.  Roberts asked, “We’re going to assess those on a case-by-case basis, and apparently on an individual, by individual basis?” Murphy responded the statute effectively calls for an individualized basis. “You have to engage in an analysis of someone’s actual use to figure out whether they’re addicted to a controlled substance,” Murphy argued. “If the government wants to try to say a particular substance is so categorically addictive, dangerous, that you can’t use it regularly, OK, but it has to do that under the burden of proof.” Roberts brought up older laws that prohibited firing a gun on New Year’s Eve and the current day restrictions on taking a gun into a courthouse.  “It does indicate there’s some categories of views that were prohibited at the founding, whether it’s habitual drunkards, and in terms of the illegal use, based on particular individuals, or categories, or geographic limitations,” Roberts said.  The post Justice Questions if Founders Would Be ‘Disarmed for Life’ Under Federal Drug Law appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Are Democrats Making a Huge Mistake Blasting Trump on Iran?

On Monday morning, ABC and NBC both expressed fury at President Trump launching war against Iran — the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism — “without evidence” of a serious threat to the homeland and instead relying on “old grievances” against the Islamist regime from decades of Iran-backed deadly attacks on American soldiers. In other words, the liberal media are still bummed their beloved Barack Obama’s Iranian nuclear deal was relegated to the dustbin of history. ABC began spewing their drivel on Good Morning America with chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce — who was the Biden administration’s chief apple polisher — claiming “President Trump has yet to fully make the case for this war to the American people, even after American lives have been lost.” ABC’s Mary Bruce was very much the left’s apple polisher on Monday’s ‘Good Morning America,’ insisting Trump has argued “without evidence” Iran poses a threat to the country via its missiles and nuclear program pic.twitter.com/fAHmQ7pTKg — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 “President Trump returning to Washington, ignoring questions from reporters after launching a new war with Iran. Instead, Trump stopping to inspect new statues of the Founding Fathers in the Rose Garden,” she complained. Bruce further whined Trump “has yet to make a robust case for war to explain why Iran presented an imminent threat to the U.S.” and has “insist[ed], without evidence, that rebuild of their nuclear program was happening fast.” She went onto gripe about Trump stopping into briefly greet attendees at a Friday night fundraiser, mention Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine was not in uniform overnight Friday, and tout “Democrats sounding the alarm” about this war as supposedly being illegal (click “expand”): BRUCE: The President launched the operation from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, while nearby, Trump supporters gathered for a fundraiser. Trump dropping by to mingle with guests in this video, obtained by The Daily Mail before returning to the war room. Hours later, Trump, seen here watching the operation unfold alongside Chief of Staff Susie wiles CIA director John Ratcliffe and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, out of uniform, mapping out the strikes Trump now says the operation could last four to five weeks, but he did not seek congressional authorization for this campaign. Still, many top Republicans in Congress giving their seal of approval. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC) [on NBC’s Meet the Press, 03/01/26]: The mothership of terrorism is sinking. The captain is dead BRUCE: But other Republicans voicing concerns. Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky saying: “This is not America first. The Constitution requires a vote, and your representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.” Democrats sounding the alarm. SENATOR ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA) [on ABC’s This Week, 03/01/26]: There was simply no basis to go in with this massive military campaign, with the goal of regime change. BRUCE: Now, the administration is set to brief congressional leaders later today and the full congress tomorrow. But Democrats are demanding that this war be put to a vote. The House is expected to take up a war powers resolution later this week, but it is unlikely that will become law. Meanwhile, here at the White House, the President still has no plans to field questions from the press or formally address the nation to make his case for war[.] Skipping ahead to the ABC News Special Report on a Pentagon briefing with Caine and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, there was more dismissals. After contributor Steve Ganyard scoffed the entire confab was “short on details,” co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos dismissed the history of Iranian-backed terror as a lead-in to Bruce again reiterating her “without evidence” bit: WATCH: ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and Mary Bruce were NOT pleased with the Pentagon briefing from @SecWar and General Caine, dismissing Iran’s 47 years of deadly attacks and threats and claiming the administration “without evidence” has said Iran was a threat to the country...… pic.twitter.com/Gn8Yfes1e5 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 Chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannell touted the bluster from whatever remains of the Iranian regime as though they’re facts, triggering “concern” in the region: ABC’s Ian Pannell argues after the Pentagon briefing that Americans should “concern[ed]” that Iran claims they’re “essentially...prepared for a long war”.... “[I]nterestingly, while that press conference was taking place, we heard from the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National… pic.twitter.com/hEQMVsuQ88 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 It was at this time that, over on NBC, chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel downplayed the rationale about the Iranian threat having lasted a whole generation as just “old grievances” from Hegseth: GROSS: NBC’s Richard Engel knocks @SecWar for bringing up “old grievances” such as the 1979 revolution, dead American soldiers in the region, and IEDs... “Also, Hegseth said repeatedly that the United States didn't start this war. That — that will clearly be greeted with a lot… pic.twitter.com/pRvoQhYMXa — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 Engel returned after President Trump’s remarks in the East Room at the onset of a Medal of Honor ceremony, telling senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson that Trump justified the military actions on the basis of “a theoretical threat...that if, in the future Iran were to expand its ballistic missile program, it could threaten the United States, and if Iran were able to develop a nuclear program accusing Iran of trying to reconstitute it.” The other justification, Engel observed, was the wild oversimplification deployed a few hours prior: “So, he was talking about a theoretical future threat, and the rest was past grievances from the Iraq War.” It’s a safe bet those who fought and bled in Iraq and/or knew someone who died there would consider what happened to be a “grievance.” Back on ABC, Bruce and Pannell kicked more dirt the administration’s way with the former denouncing the lack of “evidence” to claim Iran has posed a threat to the United States considering what “sources” have told ABC. As for the latter, he ripped the “no clear sense of mission objectives, how you measure success and how you get out of it and bring about peace.” AGAIN: ABC’s Mary Bruce argues Trump lacks real “evidence” to claim Iran was any threat to the United States because of what “sources” have told ABC News... Diane Macedo: “Mary, the President said that this was necessary to, in his words, eliminate “the grave threat posed to… pic.twitter.com/Fe9OKjg1zd — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 ABC’s chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannell says President Trump's remarks Monday morning on Iran possessed “no clear sense of mission objectives, how you measure success and how you get out of it and bring about peace.” pic.twitter.com/Ijoe2mI3D2 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 In contrast, CBS Mornings featured contributor Samantha Vinograd, who’s usually a rock-ribbed liberal partisan national security official given her time for both the Obama and Biden administrations, educated viewers on Iran’s decades of threats to Americans that span across the Atlantic to the homeland with cyber warfare a new front we can all be cognizant of: I never thought I'd say this, but this is dead-on for CBS News contributor and former Obama-Biden administrations official Samantha Vinograd about the threat Iran has long posed the country within our borders -- cells, inspired actors, and cyber attacks. These aren't claims the… pic.twitter.com/n2XBIPckwX — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 2, 2026 Vinograd doubled down after both the Pentagon briefing and the President’s remarks. She also correctly explained no one should be making direct comparisons to Iraq or even Venezuela (click “expand”): We did get some answers. We got some answers as to how this mission was executed. We got some answers on what they were targeting missile sites, the Iranian Navy, and ostensibly nuclear facilities as well. We left with a lot of questions. We have questions about why now. We did hear and we do know that Iran was rebuilding their ballistic missile capabilities, which do have the capability to strike not just in the Middle East, but also into Europe. What we don’t know is why now, whether there was some sort of intelligence or other indication that Iran was preparing to use those ballistic missiles against U.S. facilities or individuals in the region, and we’re walking away with a big question, a big question about how long this military conflict is going to go on. Right now, Iran is striking back with their ballistic missiles. They could turn to cyber capabilities or trying to leverage their proxies, not just the region but around the world. And what metrics for success are going to look like? I do think there was a degree of messaging here not just to the American people, but also to remnants of the Iranian regime that the administration is prepared to continue this operation for a long time and because of that any remnants of the regime should consider laying down their arms, working with the United States and more. I also think there was some conditioning for the American people that we are going to suffer more casualties and more fatalities. And I do think that the secretary of war and that the commander of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were trying to condition the American people, that there is going to be more loss in — in the days and weeks ahead. (....) Every war, every military operation, every country is different, so I don’t compare Venezuela to Iran to Iraq or elsewhere. What I am saying is that the President’s model has been and ostensibly in Cuba, this could be the same as well, not to wholly replace a government, but to try to work with individuals that were previously in power to maintain some level of stability while figuring out a plan for what comes next. (....) I do want to reassure our viewers that the U.S. government has been working for 47 years to defend the homeland from Iranian-backed threats. They are not starting from scratch. At the same time, the Iranian regime has effectively planted, recruited, and paid individuals here in the homeland to conduct acts of physical violence, against government officials, against entities and individuals affiliated with the state of Israel, the Jewish community, Iranian dissidents, and more, and outstanding question is whether they will turn to that, activating those proxies or surrogates or they’ll turn to another tactic, which they have heavily relied on recently, which is cyber operations against networks, against individuals, to embarrass them, to sway public perception. (....) They’ve meddled in our elections before. They have used influence operations before to try and shift public perceptions and sow discord, and, of course, have been involved in election interference as I mentioned. But we should also be aware of their capability to launch disruptive cyber attacks. And that’s why the U.S. government posture has been about partnerships. Partnerships with foreign intelligence service to try to make sure we don’t miss a threat, partnerships with businesses to build resilience to cyber intrusions, and partnerships with the public. All of our viewers need to know that they need to be on the look out right now, not just for physical threats, but — for effort by Iranian-backed proxies and individuals to try and infiltrate their cyber space. To see the relevant ABC transcripts from March 2, click here, here, and here. To see the relevant NBC transcripts from March 2, click here and here. To see the relevant CBS transcripts from March 2, click here and here.

The Department of Transportation has moved to shut down another 550 commercial driver's license schools amid a new focus on crashes involving foreign nationals with U.S. non-domiciled CDLs.'For too long, the trucking industry has operated like the Wild, Wild West, where anything goes and nobody asks any questions.'The DOT announced on February 18 that it discovered the "sham CDL training schools" violated the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's safety standards. The agency issued notices of proposed removal from the FMCSA's national training provider registry.The DOT found that some noncompliant schools used fictitious addresses and employed unqualified instructors who lacked the necessary licenses and permits for the vehicles they were teaching students to drive. In other cases, these schools provided training with vehicles that were not appropriate for the instruction being offered. Some training providers even admitted to investigators that they failed to meet their state's requirements.FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said, "If a school isn't using the right vehicles or if their instructors aren't qualified, they have no business training the next generation of truckers or school bus drivers."One of the schools on the DOT's proposed removal list reportedly provided training to school bus drivers. The DOT informed Blaze News that these schools have not yet been closed, as they are still within the 30-day period to either provide evidence of compliance with federal safety standards or indicate their intention to complete the corrective actions specified by the FMCSA. However, the agency stated that it has already closed 6,500 CDL training schools.RELATED: 18-wheeler speeding the wrong direction on highway was driven by — you guessed it Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty ImagesThe findings resulted from the FMCSA mobilizing over 300 investigators and conducting more than 1,400 on-site sting operations over five days. While 448 schools were issued a notice of proposed removal, 109 training providers voluntarily removed themselves from the FMCSA's Training Provider Registry.An additional 97 training schools remain under investigation for similar alleged violations.RELATED: 'Couldn't read ... road signs': Video shows trucker driving the wrong direction on highway — Sec. Duffy responds Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images"For too long, the trucking industry has operated like the Wild, Wild West, where anything goes and nobody asks any questions," DOT Secretary Sean Duffy stated. "The buck stops with me. Under President Trump, my team is cracking down on every link in the trucking chain that has allowed this lawlessness to impact the safety of America's roads. American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

In a video posted to X, Vinny Martorano, a multimedia journalist for the Sinclair-owned Austin CBS affiliate, was handed a phone during a livestream at the Texas Capitol and shown what appeared to be a message from station management. According to the brief exchange caught on camera, the instruction was to avoid focusing on celebrations in the street, where demonstrators were chanting and thanking former President Donald Trump following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.Martorano glanced at the message, looked back toward the crowd, and responded, “All right. Well, I am,” before continuing his report.'A large group of people in front of the Texas Capitol are celebrating the coordinated strike against Iran early this morning.'The 30-second clip quickly spread across social media, racking up hundreds of thousands of views within hours. Many users framed the moment as evidence of media bias and praised Martorano for refusing to downplay a pro-Trump rally.RELATED: UK prime minister reverses course, allows US use of British bases for strikes on Iran Photo by Cheng Xin/Getty ImagesThe alleged text Martorano received didn't stop him from reporting what was happening.When the livestream continued, Martorano opened his on-air report by noting that reactions across Austin were mixed. "There are a lot of mixed opinions across Austin about the joint attack between the United States and Israel against Iran that happened earlier this morning," Martorano said. "Some people, like this group behind me, are thanking Trump and the United States government for following through with this attack against Iran, while other people across the city say there needs to be more peace in the Middle East."Martorano made additional posts, covering the celebrations.RELATED: Israeli officials say Khamenei is dead. Update: Trump confirms. Photo by Natalia Campos/Getty Images"A large group of people in front of the Texas Capitol are celebrating the coordinated strike against Iran early this morning," one of his posts read. "Some people I spoke with moved to Austin from Iran."Eric Daugherty, chief content officer of Right Line News, praised Martorano for his honest reporting despite alleged pressure to do the opposite. "THAT'S how you do it!"Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A stand-up comedian says fellow little person Peter Dinklage is guilty of hypocrisy for criticizing Disney over the use of dwarf actors in the "Snow White" remake.The box office bomb garnered few moviegoers but plenty of meme mockery when it launched amid constant denigration by its own star, Rachel Zegler.'It's not up to his cultural standards of what a dwarf should do.'Zegler turned off audiences by consistently explaining that the movie avoided an out-of-date story concept while progressing to a world where Snow White doesn't need a man. Heigh-ho, heave-hoThe movie's universally reviled CGI seven dwarfs certainly didn't help matters. Disney made the last-minute switch from live actors when "Game of Thrones" star Peter Dinklage lambasted the studio for daring to use actual dwarfs. The backlash from dwarf entertainers was swift, expressing outrage that the uber-successful Dinklage essentially got at least seven actors fired. Now stand-up comic and actor Brad Williams is calling out Dinklage for giving himself a pass when it comes to allegedly "offensive dwarf roles." Speaking with podcaster Chris Van Vliet, Williams said that while he was jealous of Dinklage's talent, his disdain for the actor comes from his obvious hypocrisy that no one is speaking about."[Dinklage] came out and was really angry that the live-action 'Snow White' movie was going to use real dwarf actors, and he thought that was offensive. If someone else gets work, that's really offensive to him," Williams began. "It's not up to his cultural standards of what a dwarf should do to be a respected member of this business."'Toes' before bros?Meanwhile, said Williams, Dinklage's own resume includes "the most offensive movie to little people ever made": the abysmal 2002 film "Tiptoes."RELATED: Woke 'Snow White' remake lost way more money than you could ever imagine The film stars Gary Oldman as a dwarf, an effect achieved by the actor playing "on his knees" with his arms tied back. "[He] doesn't look like a little person at all," Williams explained."You can't be in 'Tiptoes' .... and then come out and try to take work from dwarf actors and say, 'You can't play the role of a dwarf because it's considered offensive.' To whom? To you?"While joking that Hollywood is "not writing" many roles for little people, the comedian screamed that he would have loved to be in the movie."Yes! Literally the role I was born to play, genetically," he laughed. ShortchangedDinklage's influence over the film did not please fellow dwarf actor Dylan Postl either, who said last year that Dinklage was putting at least a dozen little people out of work in what would have been the role of a lifetime. "What gave him the voice for all of our community?" Postl asked.Stuntmen and stand-ins could have been employed for the dwarf roles as well, Postl and Williams agreed.RELATED: 'It's not right!' Actor Dylan Postl blasts Disney for not casting dwarfs for 'Snow White' in the name of 'progression' Williams' notion that "Tiptoe" "looks like a 'Saturday Night Live' sketch" was the exact sentiment shared by comedians Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura when they brought up the film to one of its stars, Matthew McConaughey.Watching the movie trailer for the first time more than 20 years later, McConaughey called it a "wild concept" that drew a lot of talent."We knew it was a soap opera," he remembered, saying the cast was thinking, "If we straight-face this, it can be really funny and also might actually make you drop a tear."McConaughey and the comedians joked at the swing-and-miss nature of the trailer, agreeing that it "doesn't look real." McConaughey assured the duo, however, that it was indeed a "real production" and he actually "showed up to work" to film that movie.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Georgia teacher has been arrested and accused of sexually assaulting a child, police said. The teacher — a married mother of two — is now facing a divorce filing from her husband, according to court records.Danielle Weaver, a 29-year-old teacher in Leesburg, turned herself in to the Lee County Sheriff's Office on Feb. 18 after arrest warrants were obtained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Feb. 17.'During the course of the inquiry, investigators identified Weaver as the suspect and confirmed the alleged victim is a juvenile student enrolled at the school.'Weaver was booked into the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Jail. She was later released on a $50,000 bond, according to WALB-TV.Weaver was charged with child molestation and improper sexual contact by employee, agent, or foster parent, according to a statement from the GBI.Georgia law defines child molestation as:When such person does any immoral or indecent act to or in the presence of or with any child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person; or by means of an electronic device, transmits images of a person engaging in, inducing, or otherwise participating in any immoral or indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person.Under Georgia law, those convicted of a first offense of child molestation face a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in the statement that the Leesburg Police Department requested the GBI to "assist with an investigation into allegations of inappropriate contact between a teacher and a juvenile student at Lee County High School" on Feb. 4.The GBI statement noted that officers with the Leesburg Police Department responded to a request from Lee County High School administrators to investigate the allegations against the teacher."Investigators identified Weaver as the subject and identified the victim as a juvenile student at Lee County High School," the GBI stated.RELATED: Middle school teacher hit with 22 charges of sex abuse of 13-year-old — went from 'mother figure' to 'monster': Court docs WALB obtained the following statement from the Lee County School System:We, at the ninth-grade campus, can confirm that there is an ongoing legal investigation involving law enforcement concerning the alleged conduct of a former staff member who is no longer working for the district. Upon discovering the allegations, school and district leadership acted immediately to ensure the safety and well-being of students, as well as to conduct a thorough investigation.The investigation into the potential teacher sex scandal is "active and ongoing," the GBI said. Once the investigation is complete, "the case file will be given to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution," according to the GBI.According to court records reviewed by the New York Post, Weaver's husband filed for divorce a day after her arrest. Weaver's husband was granted temporary custody of their two daughters, according to court documents.According to court filings, the husband is seeking a divorce because the marriage is "irretrievably broken."The Lee County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office at 229-931-2439 or the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 229-759-6012. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!