Stories Speak Volumes: Feb 9-Feb 13
A Round-Up of National and International News
Compiled by
There are so many stories making up the mosaic of national/international news that we can’t cover them all every week. The biggest stories now seem to be: Israel and Iran, the Trump presidency (lawfare and judges), immigration (migrants and illegals), wars, weaponization of government (the deep state) against Trump and conservatives, our nation’s debt, massive inflation, climate change controversy and related expenses of government, industry attempting to address these issues, the Chinese threat, national security, abortion, taxpayer cuts, Ukraine peace, and hatred and violence against Christians. Here are just a few:
Kid Rock Asks Millions of TPUSA All-America Halftime Show Viewers to Read the Bible and Give Their Lives to Jesus
Feb. 9: Breitbart by Warner Todd Huston
The TPUSA “All-America Halftime Show” was a huge hit Sunday night during Super Bowl 60 and during his performance, Kid Rock encouraged the millions watching to read the Bible and dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ. Kid Rock chose to cover Cody Johnson’s #1 smash hit “Til You Can’t” during the TPUSA extravaganza.
“There’s a book a’sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off,” Rock said as his segment. “There’s a man who died for all our sins a’hanging from the cross,” he continued breaking out n song. “You can give your life to Jesus and he’ll give you a second chance, till you can’t,” Kid Rock sang.
The Turning Point USA halftime show was a smash hit on Sunday drawing tens of millions of viewers over the several outlets that carried the show. On Youtube alone it massed more than 6 million viewers at its high point. The TPUSA show watched by millions of Americans showed exactly what (viewers) think of the NFL’s choices in entertainment. “I can tell you that’s a shot across the bow. People are paying attention,” TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet told Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on Sunday evening. “And, you know, if you give us a year to plan this thing—I’m really excited to see what we can pull off.”
Bad Bunny Featured Two Men Simulating Sex, Dry Humping During Halftime Show
Feb. 9: Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft
On Sunday night, Hispanic entertainer Bad Bunny performed at the halftime show at Super Bowl LX. And his show was definitely not child safe. During one scene you can see two men simulating sex with each other. Bad Bunny made the history books. He not only sang his entire show in Spanish but he introduced children to two men dry-humping each other.
GOP Lawmaker Calls on FCC To Take Action After Bad Bunny’s Shocking and Vulgar Halftime Show Lyrics Are Translated to English
Feb. 9: Gateway Pundit by Cristina Laila
At least one GOP lawmaker is calling on the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to take action after Bad Bunny’s shocking and vulgar halftime lyrics were translated from Spanish to English. This was infuriating to millions of Americans. And that is when TPUSA stepped in and decided to hold their own halftime show. At least 25 million people tuned in to the alternative show.
Bad Bunny’s Spanish lyrics were translated to English and they were much worse than previously thought. (Editor’s Note: Gateway Pundit translated the graphic sexual lyrics).
Congressman Randy Fine (FL) called on the FCC to take action, including fines and broadcast license reviews against the NFL, NBC and Bad Bunny. Rep. Fine’s statement: “You can’t say the f-word on live TV. Bad Bunny’s disgusting halftime show was illegal. Had he said these lyrics — and all of the other disgusting and pornographic filth in English on live TV, the broadcast would have been pulled down and the fines would have been enormous.”
On National Law Enforcement Day, Let’s Reward Competence and Make It Great Again Across the System
Feb. 9: RedState by Jennifer Oliver O’Connell
Monday, February 9, was National Law Enforcement Day, and many of us are thankful for the law enforcement officers and other critical personnel who serve and protect our communities as well as our nation.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as U.S. Border Patrol, are currently in the news cycle for the attacks, hatred, and vitriol lodged against them. But for a number of years, from the local sheriff to the district attorney’s office, many sectors of law enforcement have been undermined in their ability to do what they do best: uphold the law and keep us safe. It has become particularly pronounced in blue cities and counties, as criminal justice has become less about preventing crime and punishing criminals and more about injecting politics and policies that erode justice and reward illegality.
As the Blue Lives Matter organization affirms, most law enforcement officers, whether administrative, judicial, correctional, or police, only want to be a part of making their communities a better place. Enforcement and adherence to the law, equipping officers to be competent and on task, and rewarding sound and solid leadership are critical to moving our law enforcement back to making the safety of the community a priority, and not just a social justice experiment.
Kid Rock Tops Bad Bunny On iTunes Chart After Halftime Show Face-Off
Feb. 9: Breitbart by Warner Todd Huston
On the day after TPUSA’s “All America Halftime Show,” Kid Rock has zoomed to the #1 spot on iTunes with his rendition of “‘Til You Can’t,” knocking Bad Bunny out of the top spot despite the Puerto Rican rapper’s appearance as the star of the NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
As February 9 dawned, Kid Rock’s version of “‘Til You Can’t” began rising in the iTunes chart closely followed by the original version of the song released by country singer Cody Johnson. By the afternoon, the two songs had pushed Bad Bunny’s song, “DtMF,” to third place.
Another performer from the TPUSA show has also been climbing the iTunes chart. By the late afternoon, country singer Gabby Barrett’s “The Good Ones” had soared to number four, pushing another Bad Bunny song, “Tití Me Preguntó,” to the fifth spot. Not only that, but at the time this story was published, Barrett’s “I Hope” had taken the sixth spot on the iTunes chart. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s “NUEVAYoL,” had fallen to the eighth slot on the list.
Tinseltown Exodus: Why Hollywood Is Bolting the Golden State
Feb. 10: RedState by Brad Steger
Film and television production has evaporated in Southern California over the past few years, and it is in crisis mode. Right now, California production work is on a three-year losing streak that sees it not just sliding, but plummeting. Coming out of the industry shutdown in 2020, things had returned to levels close to those of previous years. But starting in 2023, the work in the region began to drop, and today there is a stark statistic: Entertainment productions in the Los Angeles region are down to pandemic levels, when the industry had closed down almost entirely.
In recent years, other domestic locations have been trying to curry favor with studios. Georgia long ago grew into a major player, New Mexico is a growing landing spot, and New Jersey has been welcoming and growing, with expansion taking place as Netflix and other studios are committing to work there. Newer locations are seeking a foothold in Texas, North Carolina and even Kentucky.
NFL Lost Nearly Half of Their Audience During Halftime Show
Feb. 10: Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft
The Super Bowl lost 22.1 million viewers during the halftime entertainment. Samba TV reported:
📺 48.6M U.S. households tuned in to #SuperBowl LX, representing a 13% decrease from last year’s game.
🎵 26.5M U.S. households watched #BadBunny’s #halftime performance, down 39% from Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 show.
James O’Keefe Confronts Former Project Veritas Board Member Matthew Tyrmand
Feb. 10: Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft
Now, three years after Project Veritas’ hostile takeover James confronted one of the outspoken board members, Matthew Tyrmand, in a hugely explosive confrontation. During the encounter in Miami Beach that was recorded by camera, Tyrmand admits to being an FBI-Southern District of New York (SDNY) informant! PV had an undercover FBI operative in its headquarters!
Tyrmand admits to being an FBI/SDNY informant Against Conservative Organizations and James O’Keefe. He also threatens to murder James O’Keefe, And Puts Rifle Bullets In O’Keefe’s Heart On The Front Of His Book “Breakthrough”. Tyrmand says he has “a thousand sources” in the DOJ and CIA.Tyrmand says the government agencies are working to target conservatives.
Trump Reverses Biden-Era Crackdown on Christian Universities
Feb. 11: Gateway Pundit by Antonio Graceffo
The Trump administration canceled a $37 million fine against Grand Canyon University (GCU), one of the nation’s largest Christian universities. President Trump first heard about the case in April during the inaugural meeting of his anti-Christian bias task force, where officials discussed what they described as a broader pattern of investigations, fines, and clashes involving conservative Christians under the Biden administration.
On February 6, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order establishing the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. The order declared it U.S. policy to protect religious liberty and end what it described as the anti-Christian weaponization of government. It argued that the prior administration targeted peaceful Christians, particularly pro-life activists, while failing to adequately respond to violence and vandalism against churches.
The order referenced federal prosecutions of pro-life demonstrators, including elderly individuals and a Catholic priest, and noted that President Trump issued pardons in those cases in January 2025. It also criticized actions by the FBI, Department of Education, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Department of Health and Human Services, alleging policies that undermined Christian beliefs on gender identity and religious expression.
The task force, housed within the Department of Justice and chaired by the Attorney General, includes senior Cabinet officials and agency leaders. At its first meeting, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Faith Office leaders Paula White-Cain and Jennifer Korn, and several Cabinet members reviewed cases of alleged discrimination across federal agencies. A month earlier, the administration had directed State Department and Veterans Affairs employees to report instances of anti-Christian bias.
GOP’s SAVE America Act Passes House, Heads for Showdown with Democrats in the Senate
Feb. 11: Washington Times by Mallory Wilson
House Republicans passed voter ID legislation amid vehement Democratic opposition, putting pressure on the Senate to act on the bill this election year. The bill, known as the SAVE America Act, would require a photo ID at the polls and proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote. It also would order states to remove noncitizens from existing voter rolls.
Only one of the chamber’s 214 Democrats, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, voted with the 217 Republicans to pass the measure. The rest of the Democrats insisted that checking citizenship and requiring a photo ID to vote was a racist scheme to disenfranchise minority voters. Republicans argued that the measures prevent fraud, such as double voting, voter impersonation and noncitizen voting. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican, called the bill “critically important to one of the most precious franchises in America, and that is that sacred right to vote.” The primary Republican sponsors are Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah.
In general, voter ID laws have broad support among Americans of all races and political affiliations. A Pew Research Center poll from last year found that a majority of Americans support some form of photo ID at the polls, with 82% of Hispanic voters, 76% of Black voters, 85% of White voters and 77% of Asian American voters supporting it.
Six Republicans Join Democrats as House Votes to Undo Canada Tariffs
Feb. 11: Red State by Ben Smith
Six House Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday to pass a resolution targeting President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, defying the White House during a closely watched House vote.
The measure passed 219 to 211 after Democrats forced consideration through a privileged resolution. The six House Republicans who voted in favor were Reps. Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Kevin Kiley (CA-03), Don Bacon (NE-02), Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Thomas Massie (KY-04). One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (ME-02), voted with most Republicans against it.
As the vote was unfolding, Trump issued a blunt warning to Republicans considering breaking ranks: “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against tariffs will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries! Our Trade Deficit has been reduced by 78%, the Dow Jones has just hit 50,000, and the S&P, 7,000, all numbers that were considered impossible just one year ago. In addition, tariffs have given us Great National Security because the mere mention of the word has Countries agreeing to our strongest wishes. Tariffs have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.”
Trump Signs Kennedy Bill Ending Government Payments to Deceased Americans
Feb. 12: Red State by Ben Smith
President Donald Trump signed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Improper Payments to Deceased People Act into law this week, permanently closing a loophole that allowed taxpayer dollars to be sent to people who had already died.
Sen. Kennedy has pressed the issue for years. His 2020 bipartisan reform temporarily required the Social Security Administration to share its Death Master File with the Treasury Department to prevent improper payments. That three-year safeguard was projected to save at least $330 million between 2024 and 2026. The new law makes that data-sharing permanent and strengthens the Treasury’s Do Not Pay system, allowing agencies to cross-check death records before sending money out the door.
“Using dead Americans to rip off taxpayers is as low as it gets,” said Sen. Kennedy. “Many Americans have seen these scams play out across the country and are tired of watching these fraudsters game the system—so am I. That’s why I wrote this common-sense bill to end this outrageous abuse permanently, and I’m grateful President Trump signed it into law so we can ensure taxpayer dollars go to living Americans who actually need our help.”
The problem, as supporters describe it, was straightforward: The government had the data, but it just wasn’t permanently integrated into its payment guardrails. The Senate unanimously cleared the bill in September 2025, and the House followed in January 2026. That kind of vote total doesn’t happen by accident.
Obama-era Greenhouse Gas Rules Gone as EPA’s Zeldin Signs ‘Single Largest Deregulatory Action’ In History
Feb. 12: Fox News by Charles Creitz
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on Thursday will eliminate the “2009 Obama EPA Endangerment Finding,” which set in motion most federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles, saving Americans billions.
Zeldin said automakers shouldn’t be forced to adopt or be rewarded for using technologies that represent a “climate participation trophy” with no meaningful reduction in actual pollution. The former New York lawmaker said consumer choice is a priority for his agency, and that his office will continue to advocate for “commonsense rules.”
US Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added in a statement that resetting of mileage standards and removal of auto-starts and other greenhouse-gas-regulation-precipitated regulations are part of President Donald Trump’s vision to lower costs and revitalize manufacturing.
Josh Hawley Calls for Indictment of Minnesota AG Keith Ellison Over Ties to Somali Fraudsters
Feb. 12: Breitbart by John Binder
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is calling for the indictment of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) over accusations that he accepted campaign contributions from Somali fraudsters for helping them evade investigation by state and federal officials.
During a Senate Homeland Security hearing on Thursday, Hawley grilled Ellison about a report from the New York Post published last year that accuses the top Minnesota official of taking campaign contributions from Somalis involved in the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, where some $9 billion in taxpayer money was stolen under the guise of feeding needy children.
Hawley also told Ellison that he should resign as Minnesota’s attorney general. As of last December, 85 people have been charged in the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal — nearly all of whom are of Somali descent. The investigation has led to 60 convictions thus far.
This Crucial State Is the Latest Battleground in Redistricting War Between Trump and Democrats
Feb. 13: Fox News by Paul Steinhauser
Democratic state lawmakers in control of the Virginia legislature are fast-tracking a proposed new congressional map that would give the competitive state up to four more left-leaning U.S. House districts in time for this year’s midterm elections. The new map, if implemented before the midterms, could give the Democrats a shot at flipping four GOP-held congressional seats, turning a 6-5 edge in the state’s U.S. House delegation into a 10-1 advantage.
The map, which Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign early next week, comes as Virginia voters are getting ready to vote this spring on a ballot measure which would give the legislature, rather than the current non-partisan commission, redistricting power through the 2030 election. Virginia is the latest battleground, with Florida on deck, in the ongoing high-stakes battle between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats to alter congressional maps ahead of November’s elections.
White House Celebrates Inflation Beating Expectations in January
Feb. 13: The Daily Signal by Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell
Inflation beat expectations by dropping to 2.4% in January, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “President [Donald] Trump has defeated Joe Biden’s inflation crisis in record time. Inflation is low, wages are up, and the American economy is booming—all thanks to President Trump’s pro-growth agenda,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told The Daily Signal. “President Trump is working hard to Make America Affordable Again—just like he promised.”
Income is rising faster than prices, food inflation is slowing, and energy prices are deflating—meaning prices are falling, and core inflation has dropped to its lowest level in almost five years, said EJ Antoni, Heritage Foundation economist and former Trump nominee. Rent prices in several major metropolitan areas—like Austin, Dallas, Phoenix, Miami, and Tampa—have fallen significantly, as well, Antoni added. Real wages grew by $1,400 in Trump’s first year in office, according to the Consumer Price Index report.
Promises Made, Promises Kept: 71 Prices Fell in January and Kept Inflation Low
Feb. 13: Breitbart by John Carney
The U.S. economy is finally digging out from the mess created by President Joe Biden’s spending spree and Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell’s inflationary monetary policy. It’s not just that inflation—the pace of price increases—is slowing. Many prices are actually falling, fulfilling a campaign promise of President Donald Trump. Some 71 goods and services dropped in price in January compared with the end of last year. All numbers were seasonally adjusted. (Editor’s Note: To see the list go to link below):
Rare Canadian School Shooting Continues Troubling Transgender Trend
Feb. 13: The Washington Stand by Joshua Arnold
The tiny Canadian village of Tumbler Ridge (population 2,400) suffered the nation’s deadliest shooting since 2020, when a troubled young man on Tuesday shot and killed eight people and injured 25 at the town secondary school, before turning his gun on himself. Police believe the alleged shooter may have killed his mother and step-brother (age 11) at a nearby home before carrying out the school attack. The two most noteworthy facts about the shooting are its location and the shooter’s identity.
The location of the attack was Canada, where all guns are strictly regulated by national gun control legislation. Guns must be kept locked and unloaded, prospective gun owners must undergo extensive background checks and maintain an active license, and the sale or transfer of handguns has been forbidden since 2022.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald explained that the young man he identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar “was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female.” Van Rootselaar extends a series of high-profile shootings by people identifying as transgender. These include a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minn. in August 2025 and one at Covenant Christian School in Nashville, Tenn. in March 2023.
Mike Hernandez is co-founder of the Citizens Journal–Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net and MountainTopMedia.com. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor, writer of “Prayer Over News Daily” and edits the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes” and other columns. Mr. Hernandez mentors citizen journalists with trainings held every other month (on Saturdays at Shasta Bible College and online) and can be contacted at MikeHernandezMedia.com.