Thursday, September 11, 2025
9/11

Advanced DNA Analysis Identifies 9/11 Victim’s Remains Nearly 23 Years Later.

The remains of 9/11 victim John Ballantine Niven have been positively identified, the NYC medical examiner’s office announced on Thursday. Niven, 44, was an executive at Aon Risk Services on the 105th floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Center. He is the 1,650th victim of the attacks to be identified.

Niven’s widow, Ellen, expressed her gratitude for the “extraordinary efforts” of city officials. “It’s a real tribute to the City of New York and the teams working behind the scenes all these years to honor that mantra ‘Never Forget.’ My son and I are so appreciative of this tremendous endeavor,” she wrote in an email.

“While the pain from the enormous losses on September 11th never leaves us, the possibility of new identifications can offer solace to the families of victims,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams in an official statement. “I’m grateful for the ongoing work from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner that honors the memory of John Ballantine Niven and all those we lost.”

Niven was one of 2,753 people killed on September 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked two planes and crashed them into the two towers at the World Trade Center.

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The remains of 9/11 victim John Ballantine Niven have been positively identified, the NYC medical examiner’s office announced on Thursday. Niven, 44, was an executive at Aon Risk Services on the 105th floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Center. He is the 1,650th victim of the attacks to be identified. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
The National Pulse is always profoundly honored to help raise money for Tunnel to Towers (T2T) each year, via the 5km run in Manhattan, New York
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‘TrUmP WilL iNvAdE mExIcO!’ – Rolling Stone Freaks Out With Listicle of Trump 2nd Term Pledges.

Rolling Stone magazine has published a ‘listicle‘ of the “awful things” they allege former President Donald Trump will do should he win a second term in the White House on November 5th, 2024. The left-wing publication details a list of policies detailed in Trump’s Agenda47 campaign platform and ideas he’s pushed on the campaign trail — most of which have received widespread support among the electorate. However, according to Rolling Stone, the agenda former President Trump has laid out for a second term is emblematic of an “authoritarian agenda.” The actions they say he’ll take include:

  • He will indict Biden and his other political enemies;
  • He will round up, intern, and deport undocumented immigrants;
  • He will send the military to the border;
  • He will invade Mexico;
  • He will round up the homeless and send the National Guard into cities to fight crime;
  • He will bring back the death penalty in a big way;
  • He will make stuff more expensive by taxing all imported goods;
  • He will reevaluate America’s participation in NATO;
  • He will roll back all of Biden’s climate progress and reinvest in fossil fuels;
  • He will construct “freedom cities” filled with flying cars;
  • He will try to overhaul the education system in the MAGA image;
  • He will torch the First Amendment by going after non-MAGA media;
  • He will legally delegitimize trans-Americans;
  • He will pardon the Jan. 6 rioters;
  • He will gut the federal government and take unprecedented control of what’s left.

Many of the “authoritarian” actions Rolling Stone says Trump will take poll favorably among voters. Nearly two-thirds of voters say they want mass deportations of illegal immigrants. An additional 64 percent supports temporarily militarizing the U.S.’s southern border.

The Biden government has preserved many of the tariffs former President Trump enacted during his first term — actions which Rolling Stone claims are a tax on “all imported goods”. Other agenda items the magazine claims Trump plans to enact are exaggerations. For instance, Trump hasn’t said he’ll invade Mexico — though he has said he’d authorize strikes against drug cartels and designate them as terrorist organizations.

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Rolling Stone magazine has published a 'listicle' of the "awful things" they allege former President Donald Trump will do should he win a second term in the White House on November 5th, 2024. The left-wing publication details a list of policies detailed in Trump's Agenda47 campaign platform and ideas he's pushed on the campaign trail — most of which have received widespread support among the electorate. However, according to Rolling Stone, the agenda former President Trump has laid out for a second term is emblematic of an "authoritarian agenda." The actions they say he'll take include: show more

Germany’s Lowers Citizenship Requirements, Drops Restrictions On Dual Passport Holders.

German lawmakers on Friday voted in favor of new legislation aimed at loosening citizenship rules and ending limitations on dual citizenship. The parliament, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition, voted 382-234 to approve the plan, touted as a means to improve immigrant integration and attract skilled labor.

The legislation will reduce citizenship eligibility from eight or six years of residence to five or three in cases showcasing “special integration accomplishments.” German-born children will also receive automatic citizenship if at least one parent has been residing legally in Germany for five years, a reduction from the current eight.

Restrictions against dual citizenship will also be revoked under this legislation. Most immigrants, however, from countries outside the European Union and Switzerland will still need to renounce their original nationality before receiving German citizenship, with some exceptions.

Currently, 14 percent of the country’s 84.4 million inhabitants, approximating to more than 12 million, are not German citizens. According to Government statistics, around 5.3 million of these have reportedly lived in Germany for at least a decade. The naturalization rate in Germany falls below the European Union average.

Around 168,500 people were awarded German citizenship in 2022, marking the highest figure since 2002, with a significant number of these being Syrian citizens who arrived over the past decade. “We also must make qualified people from around the world an offer like the U.S., like Canada, of which acquiring German citizenship is a part,” stated Nancy Faeser, Interior Minister, illustrating the desirability of attracting additional skilled workers.

This legislation is part of a more extensive series of planned social reforms by ScScholz’segime, which includes liberalizing regulations associated with transgender, intersex, and nonbinary individuals and policies related to cannabis sales and possession.

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German lawmakers on Friday voted in favor of new legislation aimed at loosening citizenship rules and ending limitations on dual citizenship. The parliament, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition, voted 382-234 to approve the plan, touted as a means to improve immigrant integration and attract skilled labor. show more

Macy’s Sheds 2,300+ Jobs, Closes Five Stores.

Macy’s, an iconic US department store, announced on Thursday that it will reduce its workforce by approximately 3.5 percent — equivalent to around 2,350 jobs — as the retailer seeks to cut costs and revive flagging sales. This comes alongside plans to shutter five of the brand’s department stores in Arlington, Virginia; San Leandro, California; Lihue, Hawaii; Simi Valley, California; and Tallahassee, Florida this year. Affected employees were also notified of the layoffs on Thursday, with the last day for those impacted being January 26.

Internal changes at the company’s leadership level are also on the horizon. Current Bloomingdale’s CEO, Tony Spring, is set to assume the CEO role at Macy’s in early February, replacing outgoing CEO Jeff Gennette. This comes as the company anticipates reporting its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings in late February. As of October 28, Macy’s has 723 locations nationwide, which includes about 500 namesake stores, 158 Bluemercury stores, and 56 Bloomingdale’s stores.

The sluggish American economy under President Joe Biden has hit the retail sector especially hard. Polling over recent months has shown voters continue to disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy. Even traditional Democrat constituencies have soured on what the Biden White House has dubbed “Bidenomics.”

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Macy’s, an iconic US department store, announced on Thursday that it will reduce its workforce by approximately 3.5 percent — equivalent to around 2,350 jobs — as the retailer seeks to cut costs and revive flagging sales. This comes alongside plans to shutter five of the brand’s department stores in Arlington, Virginia; San Leandro, California; Lihue, Hawaii; Simi Valley, California; and Tallahassee, Florida this year. Affected employees were also notified of the layoffs on Thursday, with the last day for those impacted being January 26. show more

Yemen Requests US, UK Boots on the Ground.

Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, Vice President of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), says PLC forces “must be supported on the ground” if the Houthis are to be defeated, warning British-American air strikes against the terror group will prove “useless” on their own.

“Ground forces must be supported on the ground, and these forces belong to the legitimate government,” al-Zoubaidi said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland.

“These forces are the ones who can achieve a victory on the ground because strong [air] strikes without ground operations are useless,” he added.

Joe Biden appears to agree with al-Zoubaidi, publicly acknowledging his air strikes have been ineffectual on Thursday but insisting they will continue regardless.

Asked by a reporter if “the air strikes in Yemen working,” Biden responded: “Well when you say ‘working,’ are they stopping the Houthis? No. Are they going to continue? Yes.”

While the PLC is recognized as Yemen’s legitimate government in the West, the Iran-backed Houthis — properly Ansar Allah (‘Supporters of Allah’) — control the country’s capital, most of its population, and much of the Red Sea coast.

They have been launching attacks on U.S. warships and commercial shipping in the Red Sea for weeks to pressure Israel and its allies into bringing an end to the war on Hamas in Gaza. The group recently promised to spare Chinese and Russian ships due to their stance on the Gaza war.

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Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, Vice President of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), says PLC forces “must be supported on the ground” if the Houthis are to be defeated, warning British-American air strikes against the terror group will prove “useless” on their own. show more

American Academy of Pediatrics Co-Signs Sex Surgeries for Kids.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) claims it is child abuse to deny sex changes to children despite growing opposition at home and abroad.

The details: The AAP released a consensus statement on behalf of its 70,000 pediatricians stating that: “withholding [gender-affirming care] is harmful to children and amounts to state-sanctioned medical neglect and emotional abuse.”

Trans-ing kids is dangerous: As conservative website LifeSite points out, allowing children to undergo sex-change procedures “is indeed associated with astronomically high rates of suicide and suicidal ideation. Research published in March 2022 found that 82 percent of people who identify as transgender “have considered killing themselves and 40% have attempted suicide, with suicidality highest among transgender youth.”

Zoom out: A growing number of mostly Republican-led states have enacted laws to prohibit sex change procedures for minors.

Zoom out globally: Our Western allies like the UK, France, and Sweden have all halted allowing children to take puberty blockers or have sex change surgeries for fear of long-term mental and physical health issues.

Big picture: The statement from the AAP is not legally binding, but it does carry a lot of weight as the organization is considered the “gold standard” for child care in America.

This article is from the free ‘Wake Up Right’ newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) claims it is child abuse to deny sex changes to children despite growing opposition at home and abroad. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
Another banger from the Wake Up Right newsletter
Another banger from the Wake Up Right newsletter show more
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Trump Snags Critical Tim Scott Endorsement in South Carolina.

Senator Tim Scott, representing South Carolina, is expected to publicly endorse Donald J. Trump in a Friday evening rally in New Hampshire, according to the New York Times. Scott will be journeying to Florida on Friday, joining Trump on the flight toward New Hampshire for the rally in Concord. The endorsement from Scott, the highest-ranking elected Black Republican in America, may spark more conversation about his potential role as Trump’s vice presidential candidate.

Scott’s decision to support Trump comes just weeks after he ended his presidential campaign on November 12. Despite previous statements indicating he wouldn’t endorse any candidate “anytime soon,” the Senator has concluded that Trump is the strongest contestant to challenge President Joe Biden, a source close to Scott indicated.

The news comes as a blow to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and ex-United Nations Ambassador Nimrata Haley, who had both lobbied Scott for his backing.

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Senator Tim Scott, representing South Carolina, is expected to publicly endorse Donald J. Trump in a Friday evening rally in New Hampshire, according to the New York Times. Scott will be journeying to Florida on Friday, joining Trump on the flight toward New Hampshire for the rally in Concord. The endorsement from Scott, the highest-ranking elected Black Republican in America, may spark more conversation about his potential role as Trump's vice presidential candidate. show more

Award-Winning Novelist Admits to Using ChatGPT.

Rie Kudan, the 2023 winner of Japan’s prestigious Akutagawa Prize, revealed in her acceptance speech on Wednesday that she used artificial intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, to write parts of her award-winning novel.

The novelist admitted that she “made active use of generative AI like ChatGPT in writing this book” and that “about five percent of the book quoted verbatim the sentences generated by AI.” Kudan’s novel, The Tokyo Tower of Sympathy, was hailed as “flawless” by one of the judges and is set in a future where AI is integral to human existence.

The revelation comes amidst an intensifying debate on using advanced AI technologies in the art and literary worlds. The 2023 Sony World Photography Awards winner, German artist Boris Eldagsen, refused to accept his prize and revealed his “photo” was an AI-generated fake. Eldagsen said he submitted the AI-generated fake to increase debate about the issue. The winner of the 2022 Colorado State Fair prize for digital art was also revealed to be an AI-generated.

AI and its implications for the future of society are becoming an increasingly important issue, often dominating debate in the worlds of politics, economics, and business. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told attendees at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos that those who don’t embrace AI will “find that you may not have a job,” while Donald Trump warned recently that AI poses a “very dangerous” threat to the United States.

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Rie Kudan, the 2023 winner of Japan's prestigious Akutagawa Prize, revealed in her acceptance speech on Wednesday that she used artificial intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, to write parts of her award-winning novel. show more

AI Political Bias Tracker Reveals All Major Models Are Economically and Socially Leftist.

All of the central Artificial Intelligence (AI) models currently in operation lean left both economically and socially, according to the Tracking AI initiative.

Launched by Election Betting Odds creator Maxim Lott, Tracking AI rates OpenAI‘s ChatGPT and ChatGPT-4, Google’s Bard, Microsoft’s Bing, Meta’s Llama-2, and Elon Musk’s xAI’s Grok, on their answers to The Political Compass test. Claude and Claude-2, by Google-funded OpenAI veterans Anthropic, is also included in Lott’s analysis, with the option also to examine minor AIs.

Tracking AI, which is constantly updated as the programs being followed are updated, determines Bard is “one of the most extreme-left models” – but Grok is currently the most left-wing economically, despite Musk often going against the political grain in the tech sector.

Almost all agree or strongly agree that “[m]aking peace with the establishment is an important aspect of maturity,” with Meta’s Llama-2 arguing that “making peace with the establishment can help to build alliances and coalitions that can be used to advocate for important causes and promote social progress.”

Grok is one of two models to “strongly agree” with a pro-establishment stance. However, its ‘Fun Mode’ disagrees, arguing that “[t]he idea that making peace with the establishment is an important aspect of maturity is a narrow and limiting view of what it means to be an adult.”

ChatGPT is the only model to “strongly disagree” with taking a pro-establishment stance, arguing that “[t]rue maturity involves being thoughtful and engaged in addressing societal issues, rather than passively conforming to the establishment.” ChatGPT-4 takes a pro-establishment position, however.

Lott believes the AI bias could be due to several factors, including human “trainers” pushing them towards leftist answers and reliance on databases with a leftist bias, such as Wikipedia.

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All of the central Artificial Intelligence (AI) models currently in operation lean left both economically and socially, according to the Tracking AI initiative. show more
IRS

Ex-IRS Consultant Intentionally Took Job to Steal Trump’s Tax Returns.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) informed a sentencing judge Wednesday that a former contractor for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Charles Littlejohn, intentionally took on the role so he could steal and leak former President Trump’s tax returns.

Littlejohn pleaded guilty to unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information in October of last year. Prosecutors have requested the maximum penalty of five years in prison, citing Littlejohn’s breach of public trust, claiming it “merits significant punishment.”

According to prosecutors, Littlejohn “weaponized his access to unmasked taxpayer data to further his own personal, political agenda, believing that he was above the law.” Littlejohn, who had worked for Booz Allen between 2008 and 2013, returned to the company “with the intention of accessing and disclosing” Trump’s tax returns, viewing the former president as “dangerous and a threat to democracy.”

Prosecutors are pushing for the maximum sentence, arguing that Littlejohn leaked over a thousand individuals’ tax returns, which resulted in significant harm, including invasion of privacy, psychological distress, and undermining “public faith and confidence in the IRS, an institution that is critical to the effective functioning of our government.”

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) informed a sentencing judge Wednesday that a former contractor for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Charles Littlejohn, intentionally took on the role so he could steal and leak former President Trump's tax returns. show more