Trump Admin Directs Judges To Auto-Deny Asylum Without Hearings

 In a decisive move to address the nation’s overwhelmed immigration system, the Trump administration has rolled out a new policy directing immigration judges to swiftly dismiss asylum claims deemed legally deficient, a long-overdue measure to alleviate frivolous claims and legal loopholes that has paralyzed the US immigration court system, which has a backlog of nearly four million cases.

The policy, which took effect April 11, empowers judges to deny asylum applications early in the process if they clearly lack a legal basis, bypassing the lengthy and often unnecessary “merits hearing” phase that can drag out cases for years.

“Adjudicators have the duty to efficiently manage their dockets,” wrote Sirce Owen, acting director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), in the policy memo. “It is clear from the almost four million pending cases on E.O.I.R.’s docket that has not been happening.”

For years, critics of the current system have argued that America’s generosity has been exploited by migrants who file dubious asylum claims solely to remain in the U.S. for years while awaiting hearings. Critics of America's broken immigration system have long argued that it rewards economic migrants who game the asylum process by applying without any real chance of qualifying, then using the backlog to remain in the country for years - often receiving work permits and taxpayer-funded benefits in the meantime.

Judges are now encouraged to take “all appropriate action to immediately resolve cases” that lack a viable legal path - a move that could clear out tens of thousands of meritless claims clogging the courts.

According to the Justice Department memo cited by the NY Times, "No existing regulation requires a hearing when there are no factual issues in dispute, including when the facts underlying the legal claim for asylum are undisputed, but the claim itself is legally deficient."

The move comes as immigration courts face record-breaking backlogs. Despite efforts to increase the number of immigration judges, staffing has not kept pace with the rising number of illegal border crossings and asylum applications.

With only about 700 judges managing nearly four million cases, each judge now faces a crushing caseload. The Trump administration has proposed adding more judges, but in the meantime, streamlining the process is seen as critical.

The policy could be especially effective in deterring fraudulent claims. Many migrants who arrive at the southern border file asylum claims not because they fear persecution, but because they know the system allows them to stay in the country for years regardless of merit. By allowing judges to quickly reject obviously invalid claims, the policy could reduce the incentive to abuse the system.

And of course, a Democrat judge will block this in 3, 2, 1...

Speaking of which - the move to block migrants at the front door comes as a Democrat judge, Indira Talwani, has ordered the Trump administration to require individual hearings for roughly 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) before deporting them.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-admin-directs-judges-auto-deny-asylum-without-hearings

IRS Asked To Revoke Harvard's Tax-Exempt Status Which Shields Almost $500 Million Per Year

 The Trump administration has directed the Internal Revenue Service’s top legal official to consider revoking Harvard University’s tax-exempt status, according to the Washington Post, citing three people familiar with the matter. The move represents a significant escalation in the administration’s conflict with the Ivy League institution over its handling of antisemitism and diversity practices.

The request was made to Andrew De Mello, the IRS’s acting chief counsel, on Wednesday by officials at the Treasury Department. De Mello has not yet decided whether to act on it, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations.

Of note, Harvard - which has a $53.2 billion endowment - dodged "at least $465 million" in 2023 due to the tax exemption, according to a Bloomberg analysis cited by the Free Beacon's Peter J. Hasson

A Bloomberg analysis last year found that Harvard's 501c3 status lets it avoid just under **$500 million** in taxes every year https://t.co/FznTtNU2Rh

— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) April 16, 2025

The directive follows the administration’s broader efforts to pressure higher education institutions it views as “woke,” the sources said. Earlier this month, the Trump administration demanded sweeping authority over Harvard’s admissions, hiring, and curricular decisions, as well as its response to student activism related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Harvard rejected those demands on Monday. Hours later, the administration announced it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding to the university.

Harvard is a tax-free hedge fund with $53 billion in semi-liquid assets, and that doesn’t include its tax-free real estate, which is also worth billions. And it still has the gall to demand even more taxpayer money. If schools are going to act like hedge funds, they should be… pic.twitter.com/DCmRWDAxUY

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) April 15, 2025

The next day, President Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status,” and falsely claimed the institution has supported terrorism.

The request to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status was first reported by CNN. While nonprofit status is granted to educational institutions under federal tax law, it comes with restrictions - particularly a prohibition on certain political activity. Legal experts say there is no public evidence that Harvard has violated those rules.

According to federal law, the authority to investigate or alter a nonprofit’s tax status rests solely with the IRS, and the president is explicitly prohibited from ordering or influencing such actions against individual taxpayers or entities.

Former House GOP leader Newt Gingrich thinks it's just the beginning... “I think they’re going to go after a whole bunch of them,” said Gingrich. "I’m not sure why we need to be funding people who aggressively refuse to give up a variety of values and structures that most Americans don’t agree with."

The Trump administration has taken steps in recent months to increase political control over the IRS. De Mello was appointed acting chief counsel in March after the administration demoted a career IRS lawyer who had reportedly resisted efforts to access confidential tax records in pursuit of undocumented immigrants.

In a separate development, Gary Shapley, appointed by Trump as acting commissioner of the IRS, reportedly told staff that revoking the tax-free status of certain nonprofit groups flagged by Republican lawmakers was one of his top priorities. That includes organizations that oppose Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and a Georgia-based political group aligned with Democratic candidates, according to people briefed on the conversations.

Rep. Jason T. Smith (R-MO), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has called on the IRS to strip nonprofit status from groups opposing Israel’s war effort.

The IRS has previously faced controversy over its treatment of politically active nonprofit groups. In 2013, the agency acknowledged using politically loaded keywords to scrutinize organizations seeking tax-exempt status. Although that process initially drew criticism for targeting conservative groups, an inspector general’s investigation later revealed that liberal organizations were also subjected to increased scrutiny.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/irs-asked-revoke-harvards-tax-exempt-status-which-shields-almost-500-million-year

Report Claims N.Korea Supplying 100% Of Russian Artillery Shells Used In Ukraine

 Reuters has cited a UK-based open-source analysis firm to claim that Russia's military is now relying almost on entirely on artillery shells produced and supplied by North Korea along the Ukrainian front.

"Between September 2023 and March 2025, four Russian-flagged vessels made 64 trips transporting nearly 16,000 containers from North Korea to Russian ports, according to satellite data analyzed by the U.K.-based Open Source Center (OSC)," the Tuesday report said. "The organization estimates the shipments included between 4 million and 6 million artillery shells."

In 2023, when US intelligence and Western allies began calling out alleged North Korean ammo transfers to Russia, the Kremlin rejected the allegations at the time, saying there was "no proof" of such activity.

But since then it's become clear that North Korea has actively contributed to Russia's military needs, including sending some 10,000 DPRK troops to assist Russian troops in retaking Kursk territory, on Russian soil.

War analysts have long acknowledged that Russian forces are able to fire at a rate of some ten times more than the Ukrainians along front line positions. This despite Europe and the US over years donating billions worth of weaponry and ammo to Kiev.

This also ties into Ukraine's recent assertions saying that there is an 'axis' of enemies it is fighting back:

“Without help from the DPRK, the Russian army shelling of Ukrainian defensive positions would have been cut in half,” Ukraine’s military intelligence agency GUR told Reuters.

“Without Chairman Kim Jong Un’s support, President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t really be able to prosecute his war in Ukraine,” added Hugh Griffiths, the former coordinator of the UN panel monitoring North Korea sanctions.

Starting last summer, Western media began highlighting that North Korea was sending containers to Russia that could hold as many as 4.8 million artillery shells. And specifically South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik made the first such accusation in an June interview with Bloomberg.

Seoul's intelligence services spotted at least 10,000 containers being shipped from North Korea to Russia, according to Won-sik. Pyongyang has also sent dozens of ballistic missiles, reportedly for use against Ukraine.

In exchange for the ordnance Russia is allegedly giving North Korea oil, satellite technology as well as tech to improve their tanks and aircraft.  North Korea's cheap labor, while ethically abhorrent in nature, is proving useful in the fast manufacture of weapons.

Critics argue that artillery coming from North Korea is "substandard" and far less advanced than western produced artillery, leading to a decrease in effect on target. However, 5 million rounds is an incredible arsenal regardless of technology - and more than enough boom to support a large-scale ground offensive. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/report-claims-nkorea-supplying-100-russian-artillery-shells-used-ukraine

Emerging metabolic pathways in osteoarthritis

 Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting tens of millions of U.S. adults, traditionally understood as a disease driven primarily by mechanical wear and tear. This perspective is being reshaped by emerging research that highlights the contribution of metabolic pathways to OA development and progression.

New research recently published in the journal Science, revealed compelling evidence of a gut-joint axis involving bile acid metabolism and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) signaling in OA development. This study marks a significant advancement in understanding the metabolic underpinnings of OA and opens exciting new avenues for treatment along with potentially new possibilities for arthritis research at Yale.

Charles W. Ohse Professor of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation, Chuan-Ju Liu, Ph.D., serves as the vice chair of Research for the Department of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation and principal investigator at the Liu Lab for Translational Orthopedic Research.

His research efforts at Yale are centered on critical aspects of musculoskeletal health and disorders, particularly inflammation, age-related changes in joints and bones, and skeletal diseases. Of the many conditions he and his lab team prioritize, OA is paramount.

Liu, whose arthritis research is globally-recognized, was recently invited by the journal Science to write a Perspective article sharing his insights on this body of work.

Liu says, "The study by Yang et al shifts our understanding of osteoarthritis from a purely mechanical perspective to one that includes metabolic processes, potentially revolutionizing how we approach treatment."

The role of bile acid metabolism and GLP-1 signaling

According to Liu, the research by Yang and colleagues highlights the crucial role of bile acid metabolism, particularly glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA), in OA. Their preclinical studies showcased that reductions in GUDCA accelerated OA progression, while GUDCA supplementation mitigated these effects. This protective effect was primarily due to the inhibition of the intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR).

FXR, a key regulator of bile acid synthesis, lipid, and glucose metabolism, when inhibited, enhanced the proliferation of intestinal stem cells. This led to an increased number of enteroendocrine cells that secrete GLP-1, a hormone that enters the bloodstream and reaches the joints, thereby offering protection against OA by regulating cartilage-producing chondrocytes and other joint cells.

The influence of gut microbiome on osteoarthritis

The gut microbiome, particularly the bacterium Clostridium bolteae, plays an influential role in FXR signaling and GLP-1 modulation. Liu notes that Yang et al. demonstrated that C. bolteae disrupted bile acid balance, affected GLP-1 secretion, and altered OA progression. This intricate connection between the gut microbiome and joint health underscores the potential of targeting gut-derived pathways for OA treatment.

"The gut-joint axis is a relatively new concept but holds tremendous potential," Liu adds. "Understanding the role of the gut microbiome in osteoarthritis can lead to innovative therapeutic strategies."

Therapeutic potential of UDCA and GLP-1 receptor agonists

One of the most promising aspects of the findings, according to Liu, is the therapeutic potential of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a clinically approved drug for liver disorders. UDCA supplementation restored bile acid composition, increased GLP-1 levels, and subsequently reduced joint inflammation and cartilage degradation in preclinical trials.

Given that UDCA is already in clinical use, these findings offer a promising path for translation into OA treatment. Moreover, GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide and liraglutide, widely used for diabetes and obesity, show potential in alleviating OA-related pain and could be explored further for their effects on cartilage integrity and joint structure.

Future directions and research opportunities

While UDCA has shown promise in mitigating OA progression in preclinical studies and observational human studies, further research is crucial to determine its long-term safety and efficacy in OA patients. Key questions remain, however, regarding the optimal dosing, duration of treatment, and the variability of responses among different patient subgroups based on their gut microbiome composition.

"Longitudinal clinical trials and advanced metabolomic profiling should be the focus of future research to refine patient selection criteria and optimize treatment protocols," says Liu.

"The concept of a gut-joint axis opens intriguing possibilities beyond osteoarthritis, potentially extending to other joint disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis," he concludes. "The interplay between gut microbiota, bile acids, glucose homeostasis, and systemic immune responses is an emerging field that could uncover common therapeutic targets across multiple musculoskeletal diseases."

The evolving understanding of OA as more than a mechanical disorder, along with insights into the gut-joint axis, bile acid metabolism, and GLP-1 signaling, highlight a pivotal shift in the foundational understanding of the condition, which can be utilized to develop new, more effective therapeutic interventions that could significantly improve patient outcomes.

More information: Yuanheng Yang et al, Osteoarthritis treatment via the GLP-1–mediated gut-joint axis targets intestinal FXR signaling, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adt0548

Chuan-ju Liu, Beyond wear and tear at the joint, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adw4656

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-emerging-metabolic-pathways-osteoarthritis-insights.html

Frequent use of antibiotics in infants, young children may up risk for asthma, allergies

 Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to young children to combat conditions such as ear infections and pneumonia. But the drugs may disrupt the digestive microbiome at a significant time in a child's development.

According to previous research, early and repeated digestive microbiome disruption from antibiotic exposure could contribute to diverse, potentially harmful or disruptive conditions as a child ages.

A Rutgers Health study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases explored this further by examining antibiotic exposure data from more than 1 million babies from the United Kingdom and analyzing diagnoses of chronic pediatric conditions through age 12.

The researchers found that repeated antibiotic use before age 2 is associated with a higher risk for asthma, food allergies and hay fever later in life. These findings also applied to siblings who had different experiences with antibiotics.

"Antibiotics play a critical role in combating bacterial infections, but physicians should be judicious when prescribing antibiotics to children under 2, as frequent use may affect long-term health outcomes," said Daniel Horton, the lead author of the study and a core member of the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science within Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research.

Researchers also examined other conditions but didn't find a consistent impact of antibiotic use on the risks for autoimmune diseases—including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and juvenile idiopathic arthritis—or neurodevelopmental conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

The findings suggested a connection between antibiotic use and the risk for intellectual disabilities, but researchers said they encourage further studies to confirm these associations.

"Antibiotics are important and sometimes life-saving medicines, but not all infections in young kids need to be treated with antibiotics," said Horton, who is also an associate professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers School of Public Health. "Parents should continue to consult with their children's doctors on the best course of care."

More information: Matthew A Beier et al, Early childhood antibiotics and chronic pediatric conditions: a retrospective cohort study, The Journal of Infectious Diseases (2025). DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf191

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-frequent-antibiotics-infants-young-children.html

Arkansas, Indiana push to ban candy, soda from SNAP program

 Republican governors in Arkansas and Indiana are asking the federal government for permission to ban soda and candy purchases with food stamps.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said her goal is to improve the health of the nearly 350,000 people in her state who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Associated Press reported.

"Taxpayers are subsidizing poor health," Sanders said Tuesday during a news conference with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. "We're paying for it on the front end and the back end."

In Indiana, Gov. Mike Braun made a similar announcement alongside U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who now heads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Braun said the state's changes would focus on putting "the focus back on nutrition—not candy and soft drinks."

If approved, Arkansas' plan would take effect in July 2026. It would ban the use of SNAP to buy:

• Regular, low- and no-calorie sodas
• Fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% juice
• Artificially sweetened candy
• Candy made with flour, such as Kit Kat bars

However, the plan would allow people to use SNAP for hot rotisserie chicken, which is not allowed now.

Indiana's plan also targets candy and soda. Braun added new work rules for SNAP users, brought back income verification rules and even ordered a review of possible payment mistakes in the program, The Associated Press said.

SNAP, which helped nearly 42 million Americans in 2024 and cost about $100 billion, is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture but run by individual states.

Benefits can be used to buy almost any food item but not alcohol, tobacco and hot meals.

Since 2004, six other states have tried to get federal waivers to restrict certain food purchases through SNAP. None were approved.

Congress would likely need to change law to allow these restrictions, experts say.

"They changed our food system in this country so that it is poison to us," Kennedy said. "We can't be a strong nation if we are not a strong people."

Critics and anti-hunger groups say the changes unfairly target low-income families.

"They just seem to be targeting a specific population without having data that says that they are the issue or that this is going to improve," said Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit advocacy group.

The American Beverage Association and the National Confectioners Association also criticized the plans.

"SNAP participants and non-SNAP participants alike understand that chocolate and candy are treats—not meal replacements," National Confectioners Association spokesman Chris Gindlesperger said.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-arkansas-indiana-candy-soda-snap.html

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation shows promise in Alzheimer's treatment

 Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS-led research is reporting that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the precuneus may slow the progression of cognitive decline, impairments in daily functioning, and behavioral symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Patients who received 52 weeks of rTMS showed slower deterioration across clinical outcomes compared to those who received sham stimulation.

rTMS delivers magnetic pulses to targeted brain areas and is considered a non-invasive brain stimulation technique. It is used to treat conditions like depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder by inducing small electrical currents in brain cells to modify neural activity and help reduce symptoms.

The precuneus brain region has been identified as a promising site for stimulation due to its early involvement in Alzheimer's pathology, including amyloid deposition, gray matter loss, and disrupted connectivity within brain networks.

In animal models, rTMS has been shown to reduce beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau, increase neurogenic proteins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and TNF-α.

A previous Phase II trial found that 24 weeks of precuneus-targeted rTMS slowed cognitive decline and reduced loss of daily functional abilities in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Next, researchers wanted to see if extending rTMS treatment to 52 weeks could continue to preserve cognition and function over the longer time frame.

In the study, "Effects of 52 weeks of precuneus rTMS in Alzheimer's disease patients: a randomized trial," published in Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, researchers conducted a sham-controlled, randomized, and double-blind pilot trial.

The cohort included 48 patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. A total of 27 patients were assigned to receive rTMS, and 21 were assigned to a sham stimulation group. Among them, 31 were continuing from a previous 24-week trial that used the same experimental design, and 17 were newly enrolled and randomized.

Continuing participants remained in their original treatment group and extended their participation by an additional 28 weeks, bringing their total duration of rTMS or sham exposure to 52 weeks. Newly enrolled participants began treatment at the start of the trial and completed a full 52-week course, which included a two-week intensive phase followed by weekly maintenance sessions.

Stimulation was delivered using neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation paired with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) to personalize the location and intensity for each participant. Each session involved 40 two-second trains at 20 Hz spaced over 20 minutes, totaling 96,000 pulses per patient across the trial.

Patients who received repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation experienced a slower rate of cognitive and functional decline compared to those in the sham group. The primary outcome, measured by change in Clinical Dementia Rating Scale–Sum of Boxes, showed an estimated mean change of 1.36 points in the stimulation group compared to 2.45 points in the sham group after 52 weeks.

Functional ability, assessed using the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study scale for activities of daily living, declined by an estimated 1.5 points in the rTMS group and 11.6 points in the sham group.

Cognitive performance, as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale, showed a mean increase of 5.9 points in the rTMS group versus 10.4 points in the sham group. In this context, higher scores reflect greater impairment.

Scores on the Mini Mental State Examination declined by 1.1 points in the rTMS group and 3.9 points in the sham group. Behavioral symptoms, measured with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, also favored the rTMS group, with an estimated change of 3.28 points versus 6.91 points in the sham condition. Subscales showed measurable improvements in apathy, euphoria, and appetite-related disturbances.

Completion rate across both groups was 68%. Most participant withdrawals were linked to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mild adverse effects such as headache or scalp discomfort were reported in both groups and resolved without medical intervention.

Stronger baseline connectivity within the brain's default mode network was associated with a more favorable clinical response in the rTMS group, suggesting that brain activity profiling could help identify patients most likely to benefit from this treatment.

Researchers concluded that rTMS targeting the precuneus may reduce the progression of cognitive decline in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. The treatment also appeared to delay deterioration in daily functioning and reduce behavioral disturbances. Patients receiving rTMS did not show significant loss of autonomy over the one-year period, as measured by standardized assessments.

Some behavioral symptoms, including apathy, euphoria, and appetite-related changes, also improved in patients receiving rTMS. Fewer declines in activities of daily living may translate into lower caregiver burden and greater patient independence during early disease stages.

Larger studies across multiple sites are needed to confirm these findings and could also explore how rTMS could be used in combination with drug therapies that target amyloid, tau, or neuroinflammation.

More information: Giacomo Koch et al, Effects of 52 weeks of precuneus rTMS in Alzheimer's disease patients: a randomized trial, Alzheimer's Research & Therapy (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s13195-025-01709-7

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-repetitive-transcranial-magnetic-alzheimer-treatment.html