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Secretary Rubio Criticizes China’s Bullying for Detaining DOZENS of Panama-Flagged Cargo Ships

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Rubio decries China’s bullying

Panama’s ships caught between the rock and a hard place.

While the Russia-Ukraine war brings danger to the Black Sea, the military conflicts in the Middle East brought about Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

But we’d do well not to forget about the vital Panama Canal and the geopolitical consequences of Donald J. Trump’s administration shutting China out of its infrastructure.

Last Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called out China’s ‘bullying’ for ‘detaining or holding up dozens of Panama-flagged ships’.

Even though the ships were held for a short period of time, it comes as a retaliation after Panama seized control of two ports on the Panama Canal from a Hong Kong-based company.

China denies the bullying allegations.

Associated Press reported:

“Panama has been caught in a broader rivalry between the United States and China after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Beijing last year of running the Panama Canal. The Trump administration sees the critical maritime trade route as strategically important, both commercially and militarily, and Trump has talked about retaking the Panama Canal since his campaign.

‘China’s decision to detain or otherwise impede Panama-flagged vessels engaged in lawful trade destabilizes supply chains, raises costs, and erodes confidence in the global trading system’, Rubio said on social media. ‘The United States stands with Panama against any retaliatory actions against its sovereignty and will always support our partners in the face of bullying’.”

No less than 75% of the ships detained for inspection in Chinese ports in March – 92 vessels – were Panama-flagged.

“The Panama-flagged ships were typically detained for a few days — as short as one day or as long as 10 days — before being released.

That is up drastically from the previous two months, when 19 out of 45 ships — or more than 40% — held in February were Panama-flagged, and 23 out of 71 — or over 30% — in January hung the Panama flag.”

Read more:

FBI Warns Congress of ‘Major’ Cyber Hack Involving China That Could Threaten National Security

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Politics

Trump Welcomes Door Dasher to Oval Office to Highlight ‘No Tax on Tips’ (Video)

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April 14, 2026

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Donald Trump and a woman wearing a DoorDash Grandma shirt stand together outside, discussing delivery services while holding bags in a garden setting.Donald Trump and a woman wearing a DoorDash Grandma shirt stand together outside, discussing delivery services while holding bags in a garden setting.DoorDash driver Sharon Simmons (L) joins President Trump (L) to celebrate ‘No tax on tips.”/Image: screenshot via CSPAN.

On Monday, President Trump ordered DoorDash to the Oval Office to highlight his ‘No Tax on Tips’ policy as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

DoorDash driver Sharon Simmons, AKA, “DoorDash Grandma” delivered McDonald’s to the Oval Office during the President’s surprise remarks to celebrate Simmons’ tax refund as a result of the bill.

On July 4th, 2025, President Trump made history by signing the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” delivering what many politicians have promised but never achieved: true tax relief for the middle class.

White House projections suggest a family of four could save between $10,000 and $13,300. A distributional analysis by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the bill provides over $600 billion in middle-class tax relief, with the largest proportional benefits going to households earning under $50,000.

This benefits approximately 4 million workers in jobs like waitressing, barbering, hairstyling, and taxi driving. Additionally, the bill increases income for more than 80 million hourly workers by up to $1,750 by eliminating income taxes on the overtime pay premium.

President Trump noted, “The reason for this is the fact that I heard you picked up an extra $11,000 that you didn’t think you’d get because the tax bill was so big, the refund was the biggest you’ve ever had, is that a correct statement?”

Simmons responded, “It definitely was. I saved over $11,000 by not having to claim.”

The President asked, “Was that surprising to you, actually?”

She replied, “It was very surprising.”

Watch:

In July 2025, the grandmother of 10, who has completed more than 12,000 deliveries, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee at a field hearing in Las Vegas on pro-worker tax relief.

She shared how the policy (which includes Dashers and other delivery drivers) would let her keep hundreds to thousands of extra dollars annually from tips/earnings.

She said during the hearing,“That’s why I’m very excited that Congress took action to include Dashers and other independent contractors in the No Tax on Tips.”

“For someone like me, that means hundreds or potentially thousands of dollars that stay in my pocket every year.”

“I plan to use these tax savings to cover follow-up medical visits for my husband and to travel to Missouri to see my mom, my kids, and my grandchildren.”

You can read her testimony here.

The post Trump Welcomes Door Dasher to Oval Office to Highlight ‘No Tax on Tips’ (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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FBI Raids Texas Home of 20-Year-Old Suspect Accused of Throwing Molotov Cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s Home

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April 14, 2026

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FBI agents conduct a raid at a home in Spring, Texas, related to a suspect involved in an attack on Sam Altman.

FBI agents conduct a raid at a home in Spring, Texas, related to a suspect involved in an attack on Sam Altman.

The FBI on Monday morning raided the home of the 20-year-old suspect accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home.

The 20-year-old suspect, identified as Daniel Moreno-Gama, threw a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s San Francisco home last Friday morning.

Moreno-Gama was taken into custody last week.

Nobody was hurt.

According to OpenAI, Moreno-Gama also made threats outside of its San Francisco headquarters very early Friday morning.

The FBI raided Moreno-Gama’s Texas home on Monday morning.

According to Fox News, Moreno-Gama had a manifesto document on him at the time of his arrest.

The manifesto had a list of other AI CEOs and their investors with their names and addresses, according to Fox.

Federal charges against Moreno-Gama will be filed today.

Fox News is also reported that Moreno-Gama’s attack was driven by “anti-AI views.”

Per Fox News reporter Brooke Taylor:

Sources tell me Daniel Moreno-Gama traveled from his home in Texas to San Francisco to try and kill Altman.

He was found with a manifesto document on him when he was arrested, expressing his strong views against AI and also had a list of other Ai CEOs and investors with their names and addresses. Fox is told federal charges will be filed this afternoon.

WATCH:

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Trump RESPONDS to Backlash After Posting a Christ-Like Image: “I Thought It Was Me as a Doctor”

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April 14, 2026

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A dramatic painting depicting a figure resembling Donald Trump healing a man in a hospital bed, surrounded by patriotic symbols and diverse onlookers.

President Donald Trump is once again taking heat from the media and even some allies after posting an AI-generated image that critics rushed to label “blasphemous.”

The controversy erupted after Trump shared an image on Truth Social depicting himself in flowing robes, appearing to heal a man, imagery that many in the media immediately framed as “Christ-like.”

The since-deleted image was shared on Orthodox Easter Sunday right after Trump torched the weak-on-crime, America-bashing Pope Leo XIV for criticizing U.S. and Israeli policy in Iran.

A symbolic painting depicting a figure resembling a leader performing a healing gesture over a sick man, with an American flag backdrop and various patriotic elements.

Riley Gaines, a vocal supporter of Trump wrote on X:

“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked”

When asked by reporters about the post and the backlash, Trump responded:

Reporter:
Mr. President, did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ?

Trump:
Well, it wasn’t depicted—it was me. I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with the Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one. So I had—I just heard about it, and I said, “How did they come up with that?” It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better—I make people a lot better.

WATCH:

The post Trump RESPONDS to Backlash After Posting a Christ-Like Image: “I Thought It Was Me as a Doctor” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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