Plus: New Iranian Supreme Leader Delivers First Speech (Kind Of)

David Protein bars are being accused in a federal class-action lawsuit of containing 83% more calories and 400% more fat than what is listed on the packaging.

HEALTHIEST BAR IN THE BIZ? — The company claims a bar has 28 grams of protein, 150 calories, and 2 grams of fat.
- But third-party testing reportedly found the bars contain 268–275 calories per serving and 11–13.5 grams of fat.
- In the lawsuit, filed January 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, three plaintiffs claim the labeling violates Food and Drug Administration rules requiring nutrient content not to exceed the declared value by more than 20%. The lawsuit also claims that David Protein knowingly misled consumers with incorrect nutritional information to increase sales.
EW, DAVID: David Protein put out a statement on Instagram on Wednesday insisting that their bars are indeed 150 calories. The company says the way the lab in the suit measured the bars’ nutritional content does not reflect their actual calorie and fat count.

The whole debacle sounds like the storyline from Mean Girls, when Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) tricks Regina George (Rachel McAdams) into eating Kälteen Bars to lose weight, but the bars are actually designed to help people gain weight.

David Protein addressed those parallels directly. “Nobody is getting Regina Georged,” the company’s statement read.

Sam,
Associate Producer

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🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING

Two Extremist Attacks On U.S. Soil: Michigan Synagogue & Virginia University Targeted

MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE ATTACK
A man armed with a rifle drove a pickup truck through the front doors at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan at around 12:30pm Thursday, according to police. A security guard shot and killed the driver. Authorities say no staff or children attending the synagogue’s preschool were hurt, but one security guard was injured in the attack.

What we know: Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said “at least one individual came to the temple, security saw him, engaged him in gunfire.” The driver rammed the pickup truck, which was reportedly loaded with a type of explosive, through the door and down the hallways.
- The fire: Aerial footage showed black smoke billowing from one of the doors and from the roof of the synagogue. Law enforcement sources say they’re looking into whether the driver released some sort of explosive projectile after ramming the building.
Temple Israel: Located about 25 miles from downtown Detroit, it’s one of the largest Reform synagogues in the country. It is home to a preschool, Jewish museum, and hosts a food pantry for the community.
- The synagogue, like most Jewish organizations and schools, has a large security presence, including armed guards.

HOURS EARLIER, ISIS-LINKED SHOOTING
A gunman opened fire Thursday morning at Old Dominion University in Virginia, killing one person and wounding two others. The gunman is dead.

The shooter was identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, of Sterling, Virginia. NBC News reports that Jalloh was previously convicted of providing material support to ISIS. He was recently released from prison.
- Jalloh is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone. He traveled abroad multiple times attempting to join ISIS.
- He reportedly stormed into a classroom inside the school’s Constant Hall and asked if it was an ROTC class. When someone confirmed that it was, he opened fire, shooting and killing the professor.
- An unidentified cadet quickly jumped into action and stabbed Jalloh to death.

BOTTOM LINE: These types of “lone wolf” attacks are a major security concern and can be hard to stop.

A lone wolf attack is an act of violence committed by an individual operating independently, without direct support from an organized terrorist group or network. These people are often radicalized quickly online.
- Case in point, over weekend in NYC, police say two young men inspired by ISIS threw IEDs at an anti-Islam protest. In Austin, a shooter who killed people outside a bar earlier this month, appears to have been inspired by the Islamic Republic. There have been multiple shootings at synagogues in Toronto over the last week.

BEHIND THE CHANGE
Last week, as Republican members of Congress gathered for a retreat in Florida, White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) urged lawmakers to change their messaging on immigration, Axios reported.

The shift follows the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis and accusations that agents are prioritizing arrest quotas instead of targeting serious criminals. There’s also pushback from the courts about a lack of oversight and potential constitutional violations. Polling suggests public frustration is growing.

A Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll from last month found 58% of Americans say the Trump administration’s deportation strategy has gone too far — eight points higher than last fall.
- Politico polling from January found that 1 in 5 Trump voters called his mass deportation campaign too aggressive.

Support the News You Rely On 🌟

Our Premium members make Mo News possible. They protect our independence, fund our team, and allow us to keep our daily coverage free for everyone. 😁

In return, you don’t just get more coverage; you get more context. Exclusive weekend reporting and direct engagement on our private Instagram. A members-only podcast, including “Ask Mosh Anything.” Deep-dive workshops. Our Slack community. The Mo News web app (all our coverage, no Instagram required).

Most importantly, Premium is where you can engage directly with our team. Ask questions. Tell us what you’re seeing. Push us on what needs more context. That back-and-forth helps shape the stories we pursue and how we cover them. 💬

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🚨 SOMETHING ELSE WE’RE WATCHING

Iran’s New Supreme Leader Vows To Keep Blocking Strait Of Hormuz As Oil Prices Surge

In his first message since taking power, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed that Iran will continue military strikes and keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about 20% of the world’s oil supply.

IN HIS WORDS: The written statement was read on Iranian regime TV by a news anchor. There was no video, photos, or audio released of Khamenei, who was reportedly injured in the initial U.S.-Israeli military strikes, and hasn’t been seen since he was appointed to the role.
- The statement also warned that Iran could continue targeting U.S. military bases in nearby countries if they are used in attacks against Iran.
“The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used," he wrote, while also noting Iran would not stop "avenging the blood of the martyrs."

🛢️ IMPACT ON OIL PRICES: His statement and the prolonged oil blockade are causing prices to continue to climb. Americans are paying nearly $3.60 per gallon — up about 60 cents from before the war. Iran warned Wednesday that the price per barrel could climb to $200. Right now, they are about $100 per barrel.

The International Energy Agency said the world is facing the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.”
⛽️ At the gas pump: Crude oil is refined into gasoline, which means that the price of crude oil is one of the biggest factors when it comes to the price of gasoline. When oil prices go above $100 per barrel, analysts note that the price of gas in the U.S. usually jumps to about $4 a gallon.

Will anything help? The Trump administration said Wednesday that it also plans to release 172 million barrels from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, though analysts say that will only modestly lower gas prices.
- The stockpile is less than 60% full after President Biden tapped into it in 2022, now holding 415 million barrels. The White House has also signaled that the U.S. Navy could escort commercial tankers through the strait if needed.
- The White House has also signaled that the U.S. Navy could escort commercial tankers through the Strait of Hormuz at some point.

WHO IS MOJTABA KHAMENEI?Khamenei has not appeared publicly since being appointed Monday to replace his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes in Tehran at the start of the U.S.–Israeli military bombing campaign on Feb. 28. His mother, wife, and daughter were also killed in the strikes.

NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS: The 56-year-old leader reportedly holds even more extreme views than his father, and was pushed through the appointment process by the hardline Iranian Revolutionary Guard wing.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT HIM: The new Atlantic piece, “The Iranian Regime Doubles Down,” by Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says Khamenei is also less capable than his father.
- He reportedly has limited public speaking ability, weak interpersonal skills, and, unlike his father — known for reading widely, including Western literature — Mojtaba is described as a weak student who focused mostly on Islamic texts and Persian poetry and reportedly does not speak English.
- His father, who endured prison and persecution during the revolution, amassed about $100 billion in wealth — partly from assets taken from religious minorities who fled Iran. Mojtaba is about 30 years younger and was not part of the revolution. He’s reportedly built an overseas fortune exceeding $150 million.
  - “When people hear his maiden speech as leader,” Sadjadpour’s source in Tehran said, “they will see his lack of presence.” However, the source notes that after losing his family, “He’s bloodthirsty now” and doubly committed to the Islamic Republic’s vision.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

Senate passes housing affordability bill that faces problems in House (AXIOS)
Americans cut back to afford health care, poll finds (SEMAFOR)
Rep. Jim Clyburn, 85, is running for an 18th term in Congress (NBC)
Washington state passes “millionaires tax” despite concerns of wealth flight (FOX)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

South Korea passes special bill to implement its $350 billion U.S. investment pledge (CNBC)
China adopts an ethnic unity law that critics say will cement assimilation (AP)
Kim Jong Un and teenage daughter fire guns as North Korea debuts new weapon (SKY NEWS)
Russian court convicts 19 people over deadly 2024 Moscow concert hall attack (ABC)
Chile turns right: Kast inaugurated as nation’s most conservative leader since Pinochet (NPR)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

‘Devastating blow’: Atlassian lays off 1,600 workers ahead of AI push (GUARDIAN)
McDonald’s rolls out ‘McValue 2.0’ menu with $3 items, $4 meals after years of post-pandemic price hikes (FOX BUSINESS)
Google Maps is getting an AI ‘Ask Maps’ feature and upgraded ‘immersive’ navigation (TECH CRUNCH)
Rivian’s crucial R2 EV launch to begin with $58,000 model in spring (CNBC)
Live Nation employees boast about “gouging” fans with fees and parking costs in private exchanges (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

President Trump: Iran should skip World Cup ‘for their safety’ (ESPN)
Celebrity chef René Redzepi resigns from iconic Danish restaurant Noma after abuse allegations (AP)
New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and siblings look to transfer stake in team to their children (CNN)
Chilean Smiljan Radić Clarke wins architecture’s highest honor (NPR)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… A Reddit post has gone viral showing what appears to be a worm inside a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish.🪱🐟

Some Reddit users rushed to defend McDonald’s, saying parasites are common in wild-caught fish. Other commentators noted that the pollock used in the sandwich is flash-frozen and deep-fried, a process that kills parasites and makes the fish safe to eat.

The post comes as Filet-O-Fish sandwiches are having a cultural moment. ✝️

The sandwich was first created for Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays during the month of Lent. It has since become a Lent staple.
President Trump said the sandwich was his go-to McDonald’s order during a company conference last year, but he said the dish needed more tartar sauce.

After a taste test, our Mo News team didn’t find any parasites in our sandwiches, but Trump did have a point about the tartar sauce 👍

Two Attacks: Truck-Ramming Attack At Michigan Synagogue; ISIS-Linked College Shooting