Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/judge-blocks-rfk-jr-s-acip-overhaul-trump-backs-revoking-broadcast-licenses-over-iran-fake-news/
Health
A Biden-appointed Massachusetts judge ruled that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. illegally appointed 13 members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) starting June, voiding their votes and guidance on childhood schedules. The ruling blocks CDC recommendations to halt COVID-19 shots for pregnant women and healthy children, citing procedural issues. Kennedy supporters described the ruling as a judicial coup overriding executive authority.
In 2013, 15-month-old Hayes Heller received flu, pneumonia, and DTaP vaccines and developed paralysis within two weeks. After 11 years in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, including a 2022 denial overturned as arbitrary, the VICP awarded partial compensation in 2025, attributing likely causation to DTaP despite debates over AGS. The family received 10% of $3 million claimed due to documentation limits. Defenders noted the program has compensated billions for rare injuries in a no-fault system.
US Politics
President Trump endorsed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s call to revoke broadcast licenses for news outlets airing potentially AI-generated Iran war reports, such as phantom kamikaze boats, downed refuelers, and a burning USS Abraham Lincoln. Trump called such reports treasonous coordination with Iran and expressed support for potential revocations. Critics warned of a chilling effect on press freedom, noting the FCC lacks authority over news content.
Virginia Democrats passed bans on 30-round magazines, most semi-automatic rifles, and pistols in parked cars near the capitol. However, the new law exempts General Assembly members from the pistols-in-parked-cars ban, which critics say is a double-standard. However, defenders clarified the exemption applies narrowly to designated Capitol parking due to indoor firearm restrictions. Activists protested the new law by distributing magazines outside the capitol before signing.
Geopolitics
Ray Dalio writes that control of the Strait of Hormuz will determine the US-Iran conflict’s outcome, with US success reportedly bolstering its global position and failure reportedly risking decline. Iran reportedly aims to prolong the conflict, exploiting US limits on casualties and costs ahead of midterms. Reports indicate no agreement can resolve the conflict, with Iran threatening regional oil facilities in any country’s supporting the US. On that note, Iran warned Romania that US/NATO bases like Deveselu Aegis Ashore and Mihail Kogălniceanu would mean direct participation in aggression. Romania stated it rules out direct involvement in the Middle East conflict.
Meanwhile, Spain relocated its special operations task group from Iraq after security deteriorated, amid US embassy drone strikes and pro-Iran militia attacks. France reported a Shahed drone strike on its Erbil base, killing one soldier. Italy withdrew 100 troops from Erbil and shifted 40 to Jordan. Officials described the relocations as temporary protective measures.
Lastly, unverified reports indicate Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei underwent surgery in Moscow after February 28 airstrikes on Tehran, evacuated via Russian aircraft to a hospital linked to the presidency. However, Iranian officials denied reports of Khamenei’s medical evacuation. Additionally, Israel’s defense minister claimed Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani was killed, pending confirmation.
Artificial Intelligence
A survey of 121,000 developers across more than 450 companies found that 92.6% use AI coding assistants at least monthly, with 75% using them weekly. The survey reported productivity gains from AI at around 10% since initial adoption, with time savings at about four hours per week. Among 4.2 million developers tracked from November 2025 to February 2026, AI-authored code made up 26.9% of production code, up from 22% the prior quarter. Daily AI users merged nearly a third of their code via AI. Onboarding time to the tenth pull request has halved since Q1 2024. In high-performing organizations, AI reportedly increases output and reduces incidents by 50%. In lower-performing ones, it reportedly highlights issues like poor processes. Codex reportedly led adoption, with one million downloads shortly after its February 2 launch and 95% usage among OpenAI developers. Reports also note challenges including a “verification tax” from AI hallucinations and 1.7 times more issues in AI-generated pull requests.
In other news, Niantic reported that Pokémon Go players have generated over 30 billion real-world images through photos and AR scans over eight years. The dataset, which includes landmarks, storefronts, parks, and sidewalks under varied conditions, supports visual navigation AI for delivery robots. Players collected the data while pursuing virtual creatures. Privacy advocates have questioned player consent for the scans and potential surveillance risks.
For Chris’s deep-dive into AI, be sure to check out Volume 2 of the Renaissance Report.
Economy
COMEX data shows 80 million registered ounces of silver backing over 570 million ounces in open interest, a 7:1 ratio, with broader claims reportedly exceeding physical supply by up to 350:1. January deliveries reached 40 million ounces, 40 times the normal level, with recent moves removing 20% of inventory in a week. Five years of 200 million ounce annual deficits total nearly one billion ounces, along with China’s export restrictions. Industrial demand accounts for 60% of total demand and is increasing in solar panels and missiles amid Middle East tensions. Futures indicate backwardation, with lease rates at 8%. COMEX raised margins in December 2025 and January 2026. Physical outflows reportedly raise risks of delivery failure within 90 days. Some analysts predict a price pullback to $74-$81 based on bearish technical indicators such as MACD crosses.
Energy
AAA reported US regular gasoline averages rose nearly 25% this month, on track for a record monthly gain exceeding May 2009, as Brent nears $102 and WTI $95 per barrel. Hormuz disruptions are driving prices toward $4/gallon, with Google searche “Why are gas prices going up” at 2022 Ukraine levels. Critics attributed the surge to administration policies, while supporters cited temporary Iranian disruptions.
The US Export-Import Bank issued $4.2 billion in letters of interest at the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial: $2.4 billion for Japanese and $1.8 billion for South Korean utilities to buy low-enriched uranium from General Matter. General Matter, backed by Founders Fund and Peter Thiel, received a $900 million DOE award for HALEU in Kentucky, alongside efforts by Urenco, Centrus, and Orano. Skeptics questioned the timeline for full production amid regulatory hurdles.
Nano Nuclear’s subsidiary Advanced Fuel Transportation, with GNS, achieved conceptual design milestones for HALEU transport packages supporting multiple fuel forms under NRC quality assurance. Initial analyses confirm compliance, advancing to regulatory engagement. This supports advanced reactors, including Nano’s Kronos microreactor at University of Illinois and laser enrichment plans.
Privacy & Surveillance
Canada’s Bill C-22 requires electronic service providers to retain metadata like location and device data for one year, accessible by police and CSIS with warrants. It excludes browsing and social media data and targets core providers for secret ministerial orders. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree described it as modernization aligning with allies to aid investigations. Critics argue it risks privacy and cybersecurity through mass retention, differing from targeted access. Warrantless client checks are limited to telecoms yes/no responses, with exigent exceptions.
Society
In a recent interview with UK children’s poet Rachel Rooney, she explains how she withdrew from publishing after trans activists criticized her 2018 book My Body is Me!, which affirms natural bodies. She reported facing death threats, event cancellations, publisher distancing, and blacklisting. The Society of Authors faced criticism for inaction.
Sources
93% of Developers Use AI: Productivity Plateaus, Onboarding Halved
93% of Developers Use AI
Source | Submitted by juvan
Silver’s Fat Pitch: Too Obvious to Miss
The case for silver is now almost too obvious.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
Battle for Hormuz: The Final Test of American Empire
it all comes down to who controls the Strait of Hormuz.
Source | Submitted by thc0655
Pokémon Go Players Unwittingly Built AI’s Largest Real-World Visual Dataset
143 million people thought they were catching Pokémon. They were actually building one of the largest real-world visual datasets in AI history.
Source | Submitted by thecountmc
European Nations Withdraw Anti-ISIS Troops from Iraq Amid Drone Strikes and Escalation
European Nations Pull Their ‘Anti-ISIS’ Mission Troops Out Of Iraq
AAA: U.S. Gas Prices on Track for Record Monthly Surge Amid Hormuz Crisis
the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has surged nearly 25% so far this month, putting it on track for the largest monthly increase on record
Biden-Appointed Judge Voids RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel Appointments
A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled on March 16 that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. illegally appointed 13 new members to an influential vaccine panel beginning last June.
Ex-Im Bank Unlocks $4.2B for General Matter’s Nuclear Fuel Push to Japan, South Korea
The Ex-Im Bank will support up to $2.4 billion for Japanese utilities and $1.8 billion for South Korean utilities looking to purchase enriched uranium from the U.S. as opposed to their long-term supplier, Russia.
Nano Nuclear Hits HALEU Transport Design Milestones
Nano Nuclear Progresses HALEU Transport Package
Iran in Crisis: Khamenei’s Moscow Medical Evacuation, Larijani’s Demise, Azerbaijan’s Agri-Diversification
Injured Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly taken to Moscow for treatment
Canada’s Bill C-22: The Return of Mandatory Mass Metadata Surveillance
Mass data retention treats everyone’s location and device data as pre-collected evidence, stored in advance on the off-chance it becomes useful later.
Virginia Lawmakers Exempt Themselves from Their Own Gun Bans
“The provision of this section shall not apply to any member of the General Assembly.”
Trans Activists End Career of Award-Winning Children’s Poet Over Biological Truths
“I’ve given up writing children’s books after being vilified by trans activists,”
Toddler Paralyzed After Routine Vaccines: 11-Year VICP Battle Ends in Partial Payout
‘Routine’ Vaccines Paralyzed Their Toddler. It Took the Government 11 Years to Approve a Payout
Trump Backs FCC License Revocation Push Over Alleged AI Iran War “Hoaxes”
Trump is backing a push to strip broadcast licenses from news outlets over their Iran war coverage
Iran Warns Romania: US/NATO Bases = Direct Entry into War Against Us
Your bases = our targets.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: DORA research, @ArashSadrieh, @gigibcult, Decrypt, @profitsplusid, DVSignals, uselinkinv, Al Jazeera English, WSJ, Euronews, Al-Jarida, Iran’s Ambassador Kazem Jalali, Xinhua, NowThis, rodriQuez, THINC.blog, Medium, Kennedy Maize, @VeBo1991, @DoctorCole, Dr. Nicole Osbourne, OmniPartisanHQ, systematicsound, FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, and The Guardian.
