Ukrainian soldiers with a drone – photo by Sergio Hvostini/Wiki Commons
Are the Ukrainian drone capabilities all that Zelensky says they are?
As the eyes of the world are focused on the military conflict in Iran, the Kiev regime is constantly in search of ways to remain relevant.
One way is to offer to share their expertise in anti-drone defense.
Kiev regime leader Volodymyr Zelensky is on a trip to Gulf nations signing agreements to that effect.
But not everyone is impressed by the Ukrainian capabilities, as is the case with the head of German defense giant Rheinmetall, who made harsh comments about Ukrainian drone technology and the role of women in the war effort.
The comments generated a backlash among internet users and Kiev officials.
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, mocked Ukraine’s drone production:
These are Ukrainian housewives. They have 3D printers in their kitchens, and they produce parts for drones. This is not innovation.
“Rheinmetall AG’s Chairman and CEO Armin Papperger likened Ukraine’s development of cutting-edge drone expertise as like playing ‘with Lego’ and said the drones are being built by ‘Ukrainian housewives’.
‘They have 3D printers in the kitchen, and they produce parts for drones’, Papperger said in comments to The Atlantic magazine published Friday. ‘This is not innovation’.”
Zelensky described Papperger’s remarks as ‘strange’.
“’If every Ukrainian housewife can really produce drones, then every Ukrainian housewife could also be the CEO of Rheinmetall’, he told reporters via voicemail on WhatsApp. ‘I congratulate our defense-industrial complex on being at such a high level’.”
Zelensky fires back at Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger:
Rheinmetall, one of Europe’s main arms manufacturers, supplies ammunition, air defense and combat vehicles to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko:
“’Ukrainian women are indeed an essential part of Ukraine’s war effort and of Europe’s security’, she posted on X late Sunday. ‘They have stepped with courage into many areas once seen as male-dominated, bringing energy, discipline, and determination’.”
One of Michigan’s electric utilities, Consumers Energy, announced plans to build up to 9,000 megawatts of solar power on 209,000 acres of farmland. The total size of these solar projects is about 326 square miles. That’s about 2.5 times the size of Detroit itself.
Nearly all these costs get added to citizens’ electric bills. Recognizing this would likely create opposition within townships, Democrat politicians in Michigan passed Public Act 233. It overrides a township if they deny a solar or wind farm permit.
For decades, Michigan’s 1,773 local township governments had the authority to decide whether a large solar farm could be built in their communities. In late November of 2023, Public Act 233 was signed into law. Larger solar (>50MW) and wind (>100MW) projects can now skip the voices of local residents. They now have almost no say in some of Michigan’s biggest industrial projects.
If the local jurisdiction denies the solar application, takes too long, or imposes excessive rules, the developer can bypass the township entirely. They can apply directly to the 3 person Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for approval. All 3 commissioners are appointed by Democrat governor Gretchen Whitmer. In some cases, these developers can bypass townships from the onset.
PA 233 was introduced by MI House of Representatives Abraham Aiyash (D), a top Muslim lawmaker from the Detroit area. Every Democrat voted in favor of the bill, every Republican against (20-18). Like fascists, the MI Democrats took oversight from these small townships and gave it to MPSC. Democrats also control MPSC, which determines how much the two utility companies can charge their MI customers (Consumers Energy, DTE Energy).
MI House of Representatives – House TV
Anyone living in Michigan for long periods knows the skies are often overcast and cloudy. Residents who move to states like FL, TX, or AZ feel “energized” from the regular sun. Michigan has a lower sun angle, extremely cold temperatures, snow, freezing rain, and so on. AI claims MI receives just over half the sun energy of a state like Arizona (55-65%).
Michigan is one of the worst states in the country for solar energy. Michigan Democrats push solar because the money flows in a circle. The utility companies pay the politicians. The politicians pick the regulators. The regulators approve the company’s projects. The company charges electricity users for those projects. Then the company uses some of that money to pay the politicians again.
According to the Michigan Farm Bureau, solar developers are clever in how they lock up farmland. The township planners and neighboring farmers often don’t know land is under a solar deal until an application is filed to build. Here are some land tactics used.
Option to Lease: A small amount is paid to the farmer for the right to lease the land at a later date. The solar company is under no obligation to lease it.
Secrecy Clauses: Farmers can’t disclose anything to anyone – that a deal has been made, in the works, amounts, not even the companies involved.
Exit Rules: The farmer is locked in for 10-25 years, with recurring 5-year renewal options. Solar company can walk away at any time.
The investment firm WisdomTree recently bought Ceres Partners. They now own 49,964 acres of Michigan farmland across 187 parcels. WisdomTree’s CEO Jonathan Steinberg said the deal was driven by a “growing demand for solar, AI data infrastructure, and water.
Due to the One Big Beautiful Bill, the tax breaks of 30% will end this summer. To get the full break, projects must start building before July 4th or finish by December 31, 2027. Consumers Energy is rushing to get projects approved before the deadline. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy estimates that losing the tax credits, plus tariff increases, could push costs up 40% or more.
FOLLOW THE MONEY:CMS Energy owns Consumers Energy and NorthStar Clean Energy, a development company headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI. NorthStar builds solar, wind, and energy storage projects. They sell the electricity to Consumers Energy. The money flows out of the pockets of electricity users, to Consumers Energy, to NorthStar, and then up to their parent company, CMS Energy.
Although MI residents make payments directly to Consumers Energy, CMS Energy is in control of the whole operation. They plan to spend $17 billion over five years on new energy projects. Most of that money will eventually come from the people who pay electric bills.
An analysis by the Energy & Policy Institute found that CMS and Consumers Energy gave money to 122 of the 148 state lawmakers through PACS. That’s 82% of the entire state legislature. Consumers Energy gave $43 million to the secret money group Citizens for Energizing Michigan’s Economy (CEME), which gave the money to politicians. Executives and lobbyists from Consumers Energy also sit on the board of CEME.
The other electric company, DTE Energy, mirrored the same process. They gave $51 million to their own dark money group, Michigan Energy First. Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer received the largest amount of money ($151,000) in utility donations, along with $1M to her nonprofit in 2022. She picks the 3 commissioners of the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), listed below. They decide rates and solar/wind project locations.
Dan Scripps, Chairperson (term ends 2019) – He was president of MEIBC, a group promoting clean energy businesses. He now regulates the companies that build clean energy.
Katherine L. Peretick (term ends 2027) – Former Director of Engineering at energy storage company NRStor. Worked in India, Denmark, and the U.S. for wind turbine manufacturer Vestas. Would probably be a perfect salesperson for CMS Energy.
Shaquila Myers (term ends 2031) – She has no industry experience. Was Chief-of-Staff to the MI House Speaker Joe Tate when PA 233 was debated and passed. Also a senior advisor to Governor Whitmer.
Late last year, Whitmer faced blowback for ousting a well-respected regulator, Alessandra Carreon. She served only 2 of 6 years, the shortest term in the MPSC’s last 40 years. Whitmer replaced her with Shaquila Myers, a political ally and legislative aide with no utility experience. Hmmm!
Here’s how rate increases work, politically. The utility company always asks for MUCH more than they need. In March 2025, Consumers Energy asked Michigan for a $436 million electricity rate hike. The state Attorney General recommended a $152 million increase. It then goes to the MPSC commission, which approved a $277 million rate increase.
The MI Attorney General, Dana Nessel (D), then issues one press release after another. Claims she’s fighting for consumers, which builds her notoriety as she runs for office again, or for Governor. Claims she saved constituents money compared to what utilities wanted, and so on. The MPSC approves more than what the AG recommends in every case, and has never denied an increase. The State AG office has no enforcement power and is just a speed bump in the process. It’s all political theater.
Michigan ranks at the bottom for electricity reliability and 11th highest in the nation for residential prices.
SeatGeek, a platform through which users can buy tickets, is facing backlash for a job posting that offers substantial perks such as $25,000 in “gender-affirming care.”
The analytics engineer position, as reported by Fox Business, pays as much as $175,000 per year.
But it also includes unlimited PTO, $500 per year for wellness expenses, subscriptions to a meditation and therapy app, and $120 per month for live events.
The most head-turning benefit, however, is $25,000 for “family building, reproductive health services and Gender-affirming care.”
Libs of TikTok drew attention to that element of the policy.
The account noted that SeatGeek “is offering job applicants up to $25K to cover ‘Gender Affirming Care’ aka genitaI mutiIation.”
“If you buy from this company, that’s what you’re supporting,” Libs of TikTok warned. “Remember that!”
Ticketing platform @SeatGeek is offering job applicants up to $25K to cover “Gender Affirming Care” aka genitaI mutiIation.
If you buy from this company, that’s what you’re supporting.
Other social media users were indeed taken aback by the policy.
“This also proves they’re price gouging if they can afford to offer this,” one commenter said.
“plenty of other options to buy tickets, easy to avoid them,” another offered.
“Wow! Thanks for letting me know. I’ve used them many times, but not anymore,” a third remarked.
In recent years, many large companies have been paying for employees’ abortion travel and IVF treatments, as well as hormones and surgeries to enable a purported “gender transition.”
Beyond the $25,000 in so-called “gender-affirming care,” the prompts for the application process not only ask whether prospective employees are male or female, but whether they are “non-binary,” “third-gender,” “prefer not to say,” or “prefer to self-describe.”
The application page also says that “SeatGeek is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, military or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.”
Such descriptions are relatively common for employers.
But another statement was included to reaffirm SeatGeek’s special appreciation for diversity.
“As an equal opportunities employer, we recognize that diversity is a positive attribute and we welcome the differences and benefits that a diverse culture brings. Come join us!” the company said.
Authorities are searching for a man who they say exposed himself and inappropriately touched a woman while she shopped at a Whole Foods Market in Valencia on March 23.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the market for a reported sexual assault. The suspect left the area before deputies arrived. However, the act was caught on store security cameras.
In the video, the suspect appears to rub his exposed genitals on the woman’s ear while holding a cellphone, KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff reports. LASD is hoping that the public can help investigators identify the suspect seen in the video.
The suspect is described as a man in his mid 30s. He was wearing a denim shirt and jeans. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at (661) 260-4000.
President Trump said on Monday that he is in serious discussions and close to a deal with Iran, while threatening to escalate “if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached.”
Trump has given Iran until Monday, April 6, to stop blocking oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz amid negotiations.
On Sunday night, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that a deal with Iran “could be soon,” adding that the US is “weeks ahead of schedule.”
On the potential deployment of ground troops, Trump said, “I just have lots of alternatives,” also noting, “we have tremendous numbers of ships over there.”
“It’s really a new regime. It’s a group of people, people that we’ve never dealt with before, that are acting very reasonable. It is truly regime change,” he said. Khamenei’s son, “may be alive, but he’s obviously very seriously in trouble” and “seriously wounded,” Trump added.
Meanwhile, he says, Iran is “agreeing with us” on the 15-point plan proposed by Trump. “And just to prove that they’re serious,” Trump continued, Iran agreed to allow 20 boats of oil to travel through the Strait of Hormuz.
WATCH:
Early on Monday, the President issued a similar statement, writing, “The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran,” threatening the destruction of Iranian infrastructure if a deal is not reached.
“Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet “’ouched,’” he added.
“This will be in retribution for our many soldiers, and others, that Iran has butchered and killed over the old Regime’s 47 year ‘Reign of Terror.”
This comes after thousands of additional troops arrived in the Middle East over the weekend, and reports suggest that up to 10,000 additional troops will be deployed.
Alex Duong, the talented actor and comedian best known for his role on the long-running CBS police drama Blue Bloods, passed away peacefully Saturday morning at age 42 after battling an aggressive form of cancer, surrounded by loved ones who supported him through his final moments.
A Devoted Father’s Final Goodbye
Hilarie Steele, who organized a fundraising campaign to support Duong’s family during his treatment, shared the heartbreaking news through an update on the family’s page. Duong’s wife Christina and their young daughter Everest were able to visit him Friday night, where he remained alert enough to say goodbye to the little girl he treasured deeply. Steele noted that Duong passed comfortably and out of pain, offering some comfort to the devastated family who expressed profound gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers they received throughout this difficult journey.
Rapid Decline and Aggressive Diagnosis
The actor had been diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer that typically affects children but can strike adults with equal severity. According to reports, Duong’s symptoms began with a persistent headache behind his eyes, which quickly progressed to a noticeable bulge in his left eye that alarmed his employer enough to send him home. Medical tests revealed a tumor blocking blood flow to his optic nerve, which doctors classified as extremely aggressive following a biopsy. Duong entered septic shock on Friday, and his condition deteriorated rapidly, with everything changing within hours according to family updates.
A Career Celebrating American Television
Duong portrayed Sonny Le on Blue Bloods from 2021 to 2024, appearing on the show that celebrates law enforcement and family values. His television credits extended across numerous American productions including Pretty Little Liars, The Young and the Restless, and the popular teen drama 90210. His work brought entertainment to millions of American families and demonstrated the talent and dedication that defined his career. The entertainment community mourns the loss of a performer who brought joy to audiences while battling his illness with courage and maintaining his focus on what mattered most: his family and his faith.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East issued a statement on March 28, 2026, condemning the attacks on Christians in Syria and demanding an investigation and full accountability. Photo courtesy of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.
On the evening of March 27, 2026, armed groups attacked the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah in Hama province, Syria, destroying homes, shops, cars, and churches.
The violence continued into the early hours of March 28 and fell on the eve of Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.
The incident was triggered when two Muslim men from Qalaat al-Madiq, a nearby Sunni town, entered Al-Mashwar Street in Al-Suqaylabiyah and harassed several young Christian women.
Local youths intervened, at which point one of the attackers threatened them with a grenade. The men fled, then returned accompanied by Syrian security forces, who proceeded to identify and arrest several young Christian men from the community while taking no action against the instigators.
Scores of men on motorcycles from Qalaat al-Madiq then attacked Christian property. The Church of the Most Holy Theotokos in Al-Suqaylabiyah came under fire during the assault.
Rights Monitor Syria documented that the attackers were armed groups linked to the interim authority, the transitional government that has ruled Syria since December 2024 under Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
Al-Sharaa built his power base through Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, itself an outgrowth of Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate.
Many of the fighters who form the backbone of his movement and now populate the Syrian Arab Army came through networks associated with al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, and in some cases ISIS, before nominally renouncing those affiliations as a condition of international engagement.
The United States designated HTS a foreign terrorist organization, a designation the Trump administration revoked in July 2025 following a meeting between President Trump and al-Sharaa, though HTS retains a separate designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Al-Sharaa has sought to rebrand both himself and his forces as pragmatic nationalists, but the personnel, the ideology, and the command relationships have not fundamentally changed.
A video circulated showing members of the Syrian Arab Army making derogatory remarks against Christians and inciting violence. Security forces were accused of complicity or negligence in areas where they failed to intervene.
The Levantine National Council, a Syrian Christian political organization founded in Damascus in 2025, stated that the attack was carried out under what it described as “influential protection,” an implicit reference to parties with security or political influence, without naming them directly.
The Syrian Arab Army is the official military of Syria, the rebranded successor to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist militia that overthrew Assad in December 2024.
The rebranding was a political move to present the force as a conventional national military, but the personnel and command structure carried over from HTS.
The name itself is ideologically significant. By defining the national military in Arab-nationalist terms, it structurally excludes Syria’s non-Arab communities, Assyrian Christians, and Armenian Christians, as well as its non-Sunni communities, including all other Christians, Kurds, Alawites, Druze, and Yazidis.
Under Assad, the military was deliberately multi-sectarian at the officer corps level as a tool of regime stability. The al-Sharaa government, however, has reversed those policies, making the situation for Christians and other minorities much more dangerous.
The European Syriac Union stated that the Syrian government, in cooperation with affiliated armed groups and tribal militias, is carrying out systematic attacks against civilians from various religious and ethnic backgrounds and called on the United States, the European Union, France, and Germany to urgently reconsider their support for the Syrian government.
The Universal Syriac Union Party described the attacks as bearing the hallmarks of an ISIS-like exclusionary ideology.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East condemned the events, stating they could not be dismissed as isolated, and called for an official investigation, accountability, compensation for those affected, and guarantees against repetition. In Damascus, members of the Orthodox community gathered outside the Antiochian Patriarchate building to demand protection.
Government forces eventually brought reinforcements to Suqaylabiyah and restored order. Hundreds of residents marched through the streets on Saturday demanding accountability and declaring a general strike until the perpetrators are punished. Demonstrations condemning the attack were held in Damascus, As-Suwayda, and the Christian town of Kafrou in rural Hama.
The attack fits a pattern that has intensified since Assad’s fall. Hundreds were killed in the Alawite coastal regions in March 2025 and in the Druze province of Sweida in July.
Christians made up about 10% of Syria’s prewar population of 23 million and enjoyed freedom of worship under the Assad government, but Syria’s Christian population has since fallen from over two million to roughly 300,000.
The al-Sharaa government has consistently condemned attacks on minorities, while critics accuse it of lacking the capacity or will to control its affiliated armed groups.
During Syria’s civil war, Suqaylabiyah was held by Assad loyalists, while Qalaat al-Madiq was held by insurgent groups that now govern the country.
That sectarian geography continues to shape the violence, as the Islamist ideologies of HTS, al-Nusra, and the armed factions operating under the al-Sharaa government call for the elimination of Christians, non-Muslims, and Muslims who reject their brand of Islam.
WATCH: No Kings? No Crowd: Why the Protest Hype Didn’t Match Reality
The latest episode of The Patriot Perspective focused on two developments that reveal a broader issue in American politics: narrative inflation and policy inconsistency. The so-called “No Kings” protests and the ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding debate both demonstrate how political messaging has increasingly detached from institutional reality.
Leading up to the weekend, outlets such as MSNOW framed the “No Kings” demonstrations as a potentially historic moment. Coverage suggested these protests could become one of the largest in recent American history.
That expectation was not met. Turnout and engagement fell well below those projections, and the explanation lies in the structure of the argument itself.
Unlike protests centered on discrete policy disputes, these demonstrations lacked a clearly defined issue. The central claim—that Donald Trump is governing as a “king”—does not align with the constitutional framework under which the presidency operates.
Executive authority, even when used aggressively, remains bounded by statutory law, judicial review, and electoral accountability. Labeling an elected official a monarch does not establish a substantive critique of policy or governance.
This is not a defense of every policy decision. It is a recognition that effective political opposition requires arguments grounded in institutional reality. When rhetoric replaces structure, public engagement declines. That dynamic helps explain why these protests failed to generate sustained momentum.
The contrast becomes more apparent when examining proposals advanced by Democrat policymakers.
For example, Sen. Adam Schiff and others have supported expanding the Supreme Court. Unlike the “king” framing, court expansion would directly alter the composition of a co-equal branch of government. That proposal carries measurable institutional consequences, including the potential erosion of judicial independence and long-term instability in constitutional interpretation.
This comparison highlights the underlying issue. Political messaging has prioritized symbolic language over structural analysis.
Claims that do not correspond to actual institutional change are unlikely to produce lasting political impact.
The second half of the episode addressed a policy issue where the consequences are far more immediate: the DHS funding debate. As previously reported by The Gateway Pundit, current proposals attempt to fund select components of DHS while leaving other agencies under-resourced. This approach misunderstands how the department functions.
DHS is not a collection of independent programs. Agencies like ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations operate within an integrated framework. Their effectiveness depends on coordination, shared intelligence, and operational continuity. Partial funding disrupts that structure.
The result is not a scaled-down version of normal operations. It is a system that cannot function as designed. Gaps in funding create vulnerabilities in enforcement, weaken response capabilities, and increase the risk of operational failure across multiple domains, including border security and transportation safety.
The House of Representatives is not required to accept this framework from the Senate. Accepting partial funding would institutionalize a model that prioritizes short-term political positioning over long-term operational stability. From a policy perspective, that tradeoff is difficult to justify.
Both the protests and the funding debate point to the same conclusion. Political narratives are increasingly disconnected from the structures they claim to address. When arguments are not grounded in institutional reality, they fail to mobilize public support. When policies ignore how systems actually function, they produce measurable risk.
The distinction between messaging and substance remains central to effective governance. This weekend demonstrated what happens when that distinction is ignored.
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Woke Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz used a cringe “No Kings” rally in the Twin Cities this weekend to deliver a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trump and a forceful defense of the state’s Somali illegal alien community.
Speaking to demonstrators, Walz called Minnesota “the freest state in the nation” and vowed “we will never leave the side of our Somali Minnesotans,” promising that their great‑grandchildren would still be in the state long after the “orange clown” was “in the dustbin of history.”
The rally was part of a third nationwide wave of “No Kings” protests against what organizers describe as Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and hard‑line immigration policies, with NPC’S gathered in Minneapolis–St. Paul and more than 3,000 events scheduled across the country with low attendance.
Minnesota has become a focal point for the movement after federal immigration raids earlier this year left two radical leftists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, dead in Minneapolis, turning the state into ground zero for resistance to Trump’s enforcement tactics.
Local and national outlets in the past have reported visible participation by older Americans at “No Kings” events, from a senior‑living‑community protest in Rochester, New York, to Bay Area marches where many attendees were retirees carrying signs like “We have a Constitution, not a king.”
Coverage from wire services noted that crowds at flagship protests in Minnesota and other states included people of all ages, but that retirees and older activists were often front and center in TV and wire photos.
On social platforms, right‑leaning users amplified the “Old Queens” label and similar jokes about the age of the crowds, while TikTok and other meme hubs circulated parody videos riffing on the scale and style of the protests.
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