Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs joins Larry to share extraordinary stories from Christians facing persecution around the world, including a young woman whose decision to follow Jesus put her in danger from her own family. Plus, Todd explains what American Christians can actually do to help persecuted believers. Get your copy of "When Faith is Forbidden" COMPLETELY FREE: https://www.VOM.org/larry

Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs joins Larry to share extraordinary stories from Christians facing persecution around the world, including a young woman whose decision to follow Jesus put her in danger from her own family. Plus, Todd explains what American Christians can actually do to help persecuted believers. Get your copy of "When Faith is Forbidden" COMPLETELY FREE: https://www.VOM.org/larry

PUEBLO, CO — Stunned Starbucks workers completely froze up in apparent awestruck wonder as local 39-year-old man Nathan Almes ordered a mysterious beverage called a "black coffee," sources confirmed Thursday morning.

President Trump used a pre-scheduled Hispanic Heritage event at the White House, to update on several initiatives and current policy events ongoing during the administration. President Trump discusses the end to U.S. military force operations in Iraq and the drawdown directive given by his office for full and complete withdrawal.  Additionally, President Trump discusses ongoing […]

The post President Trump Delivers Remarks During Hispanic Heritage Event appeared first on The Last Refuge.

A man who identifies as a woman sued Aetna for refusing to cover his transgender facial surgery, claiming discrimination, even though Aetna says it would not cover cosmetic procedures for a woman who suffers distress from not looking feminine enough.

A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit heard oral arguments on the case Wednesday after a district court judge had blocked Aetna’s policy, finding that the healthcare company engages in unlawful discrimination. The judge ruled that Aetna violated Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, by discriminating against people over their gender identities.

Judge Matthew Schwartz, an appointee of President Donald Trump, asked a clarifying question.

“What about a woman who has a diagnosis that she’s distressed by the fact that she thinks she does not look feminine enough, and she wants to look more feminine?”

Charles McCloud, a partner at the firm Williams & Connolly who represented Aetna, said that the woman would “also be excluded” because her request would fall under Aetna’s policy for “cosmetic procedures.”

He noted that facial reconstruction surgery following a car accident “would be covered” because it might “restore function to the face,” but that surgery to alleviate distress over not looking feminine enough would not be covered for a woman or for a man who identifies as transgender.

“Anyone of any sex is able to get these procedures provided that they have a qualifying medical diagnosis,” McCloud said. “The only thing that this policy does is remove gender dysphoria from the list of qualifying diagnoses.”

Kelly Parry Johnson, senior counsel at the Advocates for Trans Equality who represented plaintiff Gennifer Herley, disagreed.

“What Aetna failed to mention is that it would—at least for the non-transgender woman—conduct an individualized medical review, whereas the transgender woman has the door shut in her face,” Johnson said. “They’ve created an additional barrier to transgender care that is not in place for non-transgender people seeking similar procedures.”

McCloud used part of his rebuttal to respond.

He said Aetna’s policy covering facial reconstructive surgery applies to anyone of any sex or gender identity “if you have a medical necessity because you’ve been in an accident” or if your face has been “impaired,” “even if the incidental result of that is you get sort of a glow-up.”

He said “a transgender man is eligible” and that “the dividing line is based on diagnosis.”

The case comes amid an ongoing legal debate over whether federal nondiscrimination laws require insurers to cover procedures sought as treatment for gender dysphoria. During the Biden administration, federal agencies generally interpreted Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act as protecting access to transgender medical interventions, while the Trump administration has taken a narrower view.

The issue has drawn increasing scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Skrmetti (2025), which upheld Tennessee’s ban on certain transgender medical interventions for minors.

McCloud rejected what he claimed was the fundamental accusation in the case.

“The premise of the argument is Aetna has invidious discriminatory motives against transgender people and believes that they should conform to their sex assigned at birth,” he said.

“Aetna provides a wide variety of benefits to transgender people, including hormone therapy, top surgery, bottom surgery,” McCloud noted. “There would be no reason for Aetna to give all of those benefits to transgender people if it believed they shouldn’t be transgender. It’s just not credible.”

'This lawsuit is solely about holding Mr. Smith accountable and ensuring that our nation’s justice system can never again be weaponized against the American people.'

The events described in the FlyDubai terrorist incident are just astonishing in sequence that led to the safe recovery of a Boeing 737 as it descended at a rate of speed beyond test limits of the aircraft during an attempted terrorist incident. The Co-Pilot of the aircraft flying from Dubai to Israel, stabbed the captain […]

The post Astonishing Series of Events – Incredible Recovery During FlyDubai Attempted Suicide Pilot Terrorism Event appeared first on The Last Refuge.

‘We ought to own it’

The Justice Department has filed a judicial misconduct complaint against federal judges in Minnesota, accusing them of making improper and unethical comments to The New York Times about immigration cases, some of which are ongoing.

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation will host its first-ever Anti-Communist Film Festival beginning Thursday, Oct. 1.  

Elizabeth Spalding, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation chairman, said the selected movies are meant to appeal to a wide variety of audiences of all ages and genre preferences. 

The festival will open with “Pilecki’s Report,” a Polish movie based on the real life of Witold Pilecki, a soldier who volunteered to infiltrate Auschwitz and was the first to report on its atrocities, and his confrontation with and execution by the Soviet communists in control of post-WWII Poland. 

On Friday, attendees can screen the Oscar-winning, biographical drama, “The Killing Fields” which follows two journalists in 1976 Khmer Rouge-controlled Cambodia and their struggles to survive and document the atrocities of the regime that killed over 3 million natives. 

Saturday will feature three films in morning, afternoon, and evening showings: “Night Crossing,” “Red Dawn,” and “The Lives of Others.”  

Rated PG, the morning’s 1983 Disney selection is family-friendly and follows the true story of two families who escaped Soviet East Germany via a homemade hot-air balloon. 

The original 1984 “Red Dawn,” starring a young Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen, is set in a fictitious post-WWII America where Colorado high schoolers fight a guerilla campaign against a combined Soviet and Latin American communist force that has invaded the U.S.  

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, “The Lives of Others,” will close out Saturday’s programming. The 2007 Academy award winner for Best International Feature Film centers around an East German intelligence agent who becomes disillusioned with his government after being ordered to spy on a suspected Western sympathizer.  

The festival’s final showing, the Hollywood hit, 2016 satirical comedy “Hail, Caesar!” stars many prominent left-leaning actors like George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson in fictitious 1950s Hollywood where a professional fixer navigates a Communist plot among other actor-related drama.  

“I hope people take away an understanding that communism always represses freedom and is based on false promises,” Spalding said, “Yet—no matter where or when—ultimately cannot crush our human dignity and freedom.” 

Spalding cited recent polling that showed younger Americans have a favorable view toward socialism and communism as a reason the Victors of Communism Memorial Foundation decided to put on a film festival now. 

“In general, Americans know little to nothing about communism and its past and present crimes,” Spalding said. “And now, some—from Seattle to New York to Washington, D.C.—are voting for self-proclaimed Democratic Socialists.” 

The foundation’s stated aim is to educate younger generations about the historical atrocities committed by communist regimes. Its Washington, D.C. museum commemorates the more than 100 million victims of communism and the individuals who stood against it with exhibitions and special programs.  

Additional information and free tickets for the film festival can be found on the Victims of Communism website: Anti-Communist Film Festival | Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation  

EXCLUSIVE: Hegseth Announces New ‘Patriotic’ Officer Training Program In Partnership With Select Universities

U.S. growth, spending and business activity are showing surprising resilience even as Americans remain deeply pessimistic about the economy.

‘Do I see land strikes as options?’

The elderly in-laws of New York Times technology executive Jonathan McKinsey have been charged with murder after allegedly lying in wait and gunning him down in front of children at a California sports complex.