Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/trans-shooter-slays-family-nm-to-investigate-zorro-ranch-iran-conducts-naval-drills-in-strait-of-hormuz/
US Politics
Robert Dorgan, 56, who identified as transgender and used the name Roberta, fatally shot two people at Pawtucket’s Dennis M. Lynch Arena during a high school hockey game before dying by suicide. Police Chief Tina Goncalves called it a family dispute. A federal source said Dorgan killed his wife and shot three children, injuring them. Court records indicate prior family conflicts after Dorgan’s 2020 gender reassignment surgery, including disputes with a father-in-law (charges filed then dismissed), an assault charge against the mother (dismissed), and a divorce initially citing surgery and personality changes before amending to irreconcilable differences, finalized in 2021. Dorgan worked as a Florida truck driver. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee expressed heartbreak over the incident, with the FBI assisting the investigation.
In other news, Nancy Krause told the Calvert County, Maryland, school board she reported the local Turning Point USA-affiliated Club America chapter to Child Protective Services over a December 17 event that barred non-volunteer adults. The student-led, school-independent, non-partisan group hosted two board members to discuss policies; all attendees had parental permission, and events were publicly advertised. Krause raised concerns about safety, parental rights, supervision, restricted parental access, and conflicts for board speakers as mandatory reporters. The club president, a local student, offered dialogue. Since Charlie Kirk’s September 10 assassination, TPUSA has received over 100,000 chapter inquiries amid educator resistance and protests elsewhere. Child Protective Services reportedly dismissed the complaint as baseless and outside its jurisdiction.
Epstein Files
New Mexico has approved an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch property. The bipartisan commission was unanimously approved with subpoena powers and a $2.5 million budget to address alleged federal investigation gaps.
Newly released documents show Epstein and Bill Gates science advisor Boris Nikolic discussing ways to address Nigerian resistance to polio vaccinations, linked to Western associations and scandals like Pfizer’s 1996 Trovan trial that killed 11 children. In a March 2013 email, Epstein referenced sources suggesting “candles and small mirrors,” similar to historical U.S. tactics with Native Americans, to gain consent. Nikolic replied, “Great input — I guess we will need colorful beads and mirrors.” Epstein predicted Boko Haram would target polio workers, which later happened. Nikolic reportedly valued Epstein’s insights over those of 1,000 global health experts.
Energy
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) began naval drills called “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route. Iranian state media reported the exercise tests combat readiness against security threats, supervised by IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour. The drills coincide with resumed indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, after a previous round collapsed amid Israeli strikes and reported U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025. President Trump recently sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. U.S. Central Command warned against unsafe IRGC actions near U.S. vessels, recognizing Iran’s right to operations in international waters while cautioning about escalation risks. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated that U.S. aircraft carriers are vulnerable and could be sent “to the bottom of the sea” by Iranian weapons, according to state-affiliated media.
Economy
The U.S. federal workforce decreased by 270,000 employees, or 9%, from January to November 2025, which the Cato Institute described as the largest peacetime reduction. Over 150,000 accepted buyouts, with others laid off. However, federal spending reached $7 trillion in fiscal year 2025, up $300 billion from the prior year. This is because civilian payroll totaled $336 billion annually, less than 5% of spending. Mandatory programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid accounted for 60% of spending, paid out automatically. Gross interest on the $38 trillion debt hit $1.2 trillion yearly, surpassing defense or Medicare spending. Social Security increased by over $100 billion and interest by nearly $100 billion last year. The Congressional Budget Office projects that 80% of spending growth over the next decade will come from entitlements and interest. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated there is $600 billion in annual fraud, much in entitlements. Courts have blocked DOGE access to payment systems and some layoffs through lawsuits from states and judges.
Privacy & Surveillance
Arizona’s House Bill 2920 would require age verification for all mobile apps, including preinstalled ones like calculators, weather apps, browsers, and messaging. Introduced January 27, the bill would categorize users under 13, 13-16, 16-18, and adults using unspecified “commercially available” methods. Minors’ accounts would link to parents, needing consent for downloads, purchases, and launches. Major app changes, like privacy updates or new ads, would require renewed consent. App stores would share age, affiliation, and consent data with developers, with $75,000 penalties per violation. The bill awaits review by the House Science & Technology Committee and could take effect November 30, 2026. Similar laws in Texas, Utah, Louisiana, and California face legal challenges, including First Amendment claims over anonymous access. Critics have described the measure as extreme, citing risks to user privacy from broad age verification requirements.
In other news, the Pentagon is considering designating Anthropic a supply chain risk, which could bar the Claude AI developer from defense contracts due to its restrictions on military uses. Tensions rose after Claude’s reported role in a January 2026 operation, via Palantir partnership, that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, leading Anthropic to question kinetic applications. CEO Dario Amodei has called for safeguards against mass surveillance and autonomous weapons without human oversight, according to the firm’s Acceptable Use Policy, which prohibits weapons design, domestic surveillance, and violence facilitation unless contract terms apply. Defense officials have sought approval for “all lawful purposes,” pointing to operational gray areas. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell emphasized needs of warfighters. Meanwhile, Elon Musk described Claude as biased against whites, Asians, heterosexuals, and men. Anthropic ended xAI access for competitive reasons. The $200 million contract is small compared to Anthropic’s $14 billion revenue, but separating from classified systems would be challenging, with alternatives behind schedule.
Geopolitics
Russia has offered to pause airstrikes across Ukraine on any designated election day if President Zelenskyy calls for a vote. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated in a TASS interview that Moscow would halt such strikes if Kyiv holds elections. President Putin had previously indicated willingness for a similar pause, while noting that millions of Ukrainians in Russia, including many from Donbass and Crimea, should participate. Galuzin cited Russia’s recent elections near combat zones despite reported Ukrainian disruptions and said Moscow would respect Ukrainian electoral rights if Kyiv acts democratically. Ukraine’s parliamentary committee is reviewing the matter and has called for full safety guarantees from all parties, including international actors.
Australian Politics
Queensland’s Toowoomba District Court sentenced Sudanese refugee Thon Monyluke Deng Angui, 24, to just two years in prison for raping a 20-year-old woman in June 2024 after meeting at a nightclub. Judge Dzenita Balić considered Angui’s childhood trauma in Sudan, where his parents died young amid food shortages in a remote village, when deciding to issue a more lenient punishment. The judge even went so far as to refer to the rapist as a “wonderful young man.” Angui arrived in Australia at 15 without English, graduated high school as prefect, gained citizenship in 2024, and had steady employment with no prior record. The victim said her life was “ripped apart” nearly two years later. Average rape sentences in Australia are five to six years, with a maximum of 25. Online commentators have criticized the sentence as lenient given the offense’s severity.
Sources
Russia Offers Airstrike Pause for Ukrainian Election Day—If Zelensky Calls the Vote
Russia is ready to ensure that there will be no airstrikes on election day in Ukraine if Kiev decides to hold elections
Iran’s IRGC Launches “Smart Control” Drills in Strait of Hormuz Amid US Carrier Deployment
Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) kicked off naval drills Monday in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to state media.
Why Firing 270,000 Federal Workers Didn’t Shrink the $7 Trillion Budget
You could fire every federal employee tomorrow— every bureaucrat, every regulator, every paper-pusher in Washington— and 95% of the spending would continue as if nothing happened.
Pentagon Threatens Anthropic Blacklist Over Claude’s Military Guardrails
The Pentagon is now calling Claude a threat to national security
Arizona Bill Demands Age ID for Every App—Even Calculator and Weather Widget
Every piece of software on a mobile device would be subject to age-gating ID checks under this proposal.
Australian Judge Calls Sudanese Refugee Rapist a “Wonderful Young Man,” Sentences Him to Just 2 Years
Left-Wing Karen Reports TPUSA Student Chapter to CPS Over Parent Ban at Event
A report was made to Child Protective Services
New Mexico Greenlights Full Probe of Epstein’s Zorro Ranch
New Mexico approves comprehensive probe of Epstein’s Zorro Ranch
Transgender Suspect Kills 2 at Rhode Island Ice Rink in Family Dispute, Then Dies by Suicide
Rhode Island ice rink shooting suspect identified as transgender
Epstein Docs Reveal Gates Advisor Laughing at “Candles and Mirrors” Tactic for African Vaccines
Candles and small mirrors, the same as the Americans did with their native Indians.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: NEXTA, Daily Iran News, Telegraph, Axios, Leading Report, Julie Barrett, NoticerNews, GreensAU2, DiehlsaSteph, AgaObF, New Mexico lawmakers, Santa Fe New Mexican, Fox News, and WPRI.
