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May 15, 2024
News

Only These 4 Corporate Outlets Meet Biden’s Debate Demand Criteria.

Joe Biden issued a bizarre challenge to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump this morning, proposing two (instead of three) presidential debates under extremely specific conditions. Biden’s request includes narrowing down hosts of the forums to his preferred corporate media outlets. Here are the only four that fit the criteria:

  1. ABC News;
  2. CBS News;
  3. CNN;
  4. Telemundo.

A letter from Biden Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon to the Commission on Presidential Debates—traditionally the organizing body—said Biden would rather participate in debates hosted by these specific broadcast organizations.

Dillon suggests the broadcast host select their moderator from their regular personnel – all of whom have been Biden-friendly and Trump-hostile. The letter also advocates for a protocol where a candidate’s microphone is only active when it is their turn to speak.

By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Health
News
World

Ebola Crisis Escalating as Death Toll Passes 2,500.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola outbreak has become the largest in the country’s history, with health workers facing violent attacks amid rising social unrest.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Over 2,500 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s latest Ebola outbreak, according to the United Nations (UN).
📺 DETAIL: The most recent crisis represents the largest Ebola outbreak in the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The previous largest outbreak lasted from 2018 to 2020. Roughly 160 health workers have fallen ill ‌with Ebola, and 43 have died. In addition, over 260 attacks on health workers have been reported over the past six months, with eight being killed. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments, contributing to the climate of panic. “The Ebola outbreak is growing ⁠exponentially… And all of this is happening in an area that has ​had ​three decades of conflict and is generating huge humanitarian ​needs… Fear translates into angry young men who start throwing stones at their object of fear, the ambulance,” announced Julien Harneis, Senior Ebola Coordinator at the UN. The announcement came on Friday as Harneis warned that funding for the emergency response is set to run out within weeks.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The epidemic is spreading to an area that is bigger than France, and the outbreak is growing faster and wider than the Ebola response.” – Julien Harneis.
🎯 IMPACT: The escalating outbreak threatens to overwhelm the country’s already strained healthcare system. The ongoing violence against health workers undermines the increasingly unsustainable containment operation. This report comes just a few months after former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Robert Redfield warned that the outbreak, which is concentrated in the DRC but has spread to various East African countries, could spiral into a significant pandemic. “I suspect this is going to become a very significant pandemic, probably going to leak into Tanzania, leak into Southern Sudan, maybe leak into Rwanda,” said Redfield back in May.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has become the largest in the country's history, with health workers facing violent attacks amid rising social unrest.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Crime
News

CBP, HSI Detain 11 Foreign Pedophiles on Cruise Ship.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have arrested 11 foreigners in Boston as part of a multiagency operation targeting child exploitation aboard cruise ships.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Boston, working with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other partners, arrested 11 foreign nationals during Operation Tidal Wave from August 14–16, 2026, for involvement in the reception and disbursement of child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
📺 DETAIL: The suspected pedophiles, nine Philippine citizens, one Indonesian, and one Nicaraguan, were encountered while boarding the cruise ships Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway. After searches of their quarters and devices, all 11 were processed for removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act for crimes involving moral turpitude. The multiagency operation is targeting cruise ship crewmembers linked to such material and builds on earlier phases that resulted in enforcement actions against dozens of crew members in San Diego and San Juan.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Protecting children from exploitation is among our highest priorities, and this operation demonstrates the critical role CBP officers play in identifying and stopping individuals who pose a threat to public safety.” – Julio Caravia, Acting Director of Field Operations, CBP Boston Field Office
🎯 IMPACT: The arrests of 11 cruise ship crew members under Operation Tidal Wave highlight the Trump administration’s efforts to intercept foreign pedophiles at ports of entry and protect children from exploitation.
📺 FLASHBACK: Earlier phases of Operation Tidal Wave in April, June, and July led to the removal of 41 crew members for similar offenses.

Image by Bahnfrend.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have arrested 11 foreigners in Boston as part of a multiagency operation targeting child exploitation aboard cruise ships.

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
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5 hours ago
Lawfare
News

Court Slashes ‘Excessive’ Judgment Against Alex Jones.

A Texas appeals court has ruled that damages awarded against Alex Jones exceeded state statutory limits, significantly reducing the penalty.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED:  A Texas appeals court has reduced a $50 million judgment against Infowars founder Alex Jones to $1.5 million, ruling that the original award exceeded the state’s legal limit on damages. Jones was ordered to compensate Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose six-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.
📺 DETAIL: In a unanimous ruling issued on Friday, the Texas Third Court of Appeals said a lower court improperly allowed damages to exceed the state’s $750,000-per-plaintiff cap. The court also found that the evidence did not justify surpassing that limit based on the harassment the families experienced after Jones’s claims. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, remain involved in bankruptcy proceedings.
🎯 IMPACT: The ruling represents a significant financial victory for Alex Jones by sharply reducing the damages he owes to two Sandy Hook parents in Texas. However, the decision does not erase his broader legal liabilities, including a separate $1.4 billion Connecticut judgment.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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A Texas appeals court has ruled that damages awarded against Alex Jones exceeded state statutory limits, significantly reducing the penalty.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Data
NatSec
News

DATA: Voters Oppose US-Israel Military Integration Plan.

A new poll shows widespread opposition among American voters to a congressional proposal that would increase U.S.-Israel military cooperation and integrate Israeli defense companies into the Pentagon.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Most Americans oppose military integration between the United States and Israel, according to a new poll.
📺 DETAIL: According to a poll conducted by Data for Progress, a left-leaning think-tank, 61 percent of likely U.S. voters oppose Section 219, the provision in the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would deepen U.S.-Israel military cooperation and integrate Israeli weapons companies into the Pentagon. This includes 78 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Independents. When not provided surrounding context regarding the NDAA, 62 percent of Republicans oppose granting special access to any foreign military. The poll also revealed that 57 percent of Americans oppose increased Pentagon access for Israeli defense companies. Furthermore, 51 percent of respondents believed that Israel benefits more from the U.S.-Israel relationship. In contrast, only 12 percent of Americans believe that the U.S. benefits more from the relationship. Specifically, Section 219 would establish a U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to carry out joint research and assist in the development of missile defense, artificial intelligence (AI), counter-drone systems, and other areas. The survey polled 1,217 likely U.S. voters between August 3 and August 7.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This poll is a flashing red warning sign for any member of Congress who supports the defense authorization bill… A clear majority of voters do not support further integrating the Israeli military and Israeli military companies into the Pentagon, which the NDAA is set to do,” said Cavan Kharrazian, Senior Policy Adviser at Demand Progress.
🎯 IMPACT: The findings of this poll suggest that Americans are wary about increased military integration with Israel, which is already heavily reliant on the U.S. This sentiment was echoed by Vice President JD Vance back in June, who warned Israeli officials critcizing the Trump administration: “Two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected [Israel] have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars… wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in.”

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A new poll shows widespread opposition among American voters to a congressional proposal that would increase U.S.-Israel military cooperation and integrate Israeli defense companies into the Pentagon.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Economy
News

SNAP Enrollment Declines Dramatically Amid Fraud Crackdown.

The United States’ largest food assistance program, SNAP, has seen a dramatic enrollment decline due to new work requirements and administrative hurdles introduced by President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment dropped by more than 13 percent in just one year.
📺 DETAIL: This reduction follows the introduction of stricter requirements. Under new federal rules, adults aged between 55 and 64 and parents of children aged between 14 and 17 must now meet work, volunteer, or education requirements in order to qualify for the food stamps program. Specifically, new data released this week revealed that enrollment fell from 42.2 million in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May this year, much faster than anticipated. Arizona experienced the largest drop in SNAP enrollment in the U.S., plummeting by 55 percent between April last year and April 2026, resulting in more than 400,000 fewer people using the program. SNAP enrollment peaked at 43.3 million in October 2024 but has fallen sharply following the implementation of measures in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “If there are people that are leaving the welfare rolls because they’re working and they’re moving forward… that would be a step forward.” – Rachel Sheffield, Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation
🎯 IMPACT: The rapid decline in SNAP enrollment suggests that the President’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act and fraud crackdown are achieving their aim of reducing welfare reliance. Waste, fraud, and abuse have become significant problems costing the government immense sums of money. In one high-profile case, reported back in March, a Haitian man admitted to $7.6 million in SNAP fraud committed through his retail store in Boston, Massachusetts. Another bust earlier this year implicated more than 20 retailers in Ohio. In Minnesota, a woman admitted to over $300,000 in SNAP fraud through illegally obtained Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

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The United States' largest food assistance program, SNAP, has seen a dramatic enrollment decline due to new work requirements and administrative hurdles introduced by President Donald J. Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Immigration
News
UK

France Intercepts FEWER Boat Migrants After Taking $900m from Britain to Stop Them.

The deal between the United Kingdom and France to curb illegal Channel crossings is failing, with interception rates actually falling.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: France’s interception rate of migrant boats in the English Channel has fallen, despite a £660 million (~$900m) deal with the United Kingdom to stop the.
📺 DETAIL: According to British Home Office data released on Friday, the interception rate of illegal migrants attempting to cross the English Channel from France is 60.7 percent. The funds provided by the British government were intended to pay for additional officers as well as drones, helicopters, and camera systems. However, despite this funding, the interception rate has marginally increased, with smugglers now adopting larger “mega-dinghies” capable of carrying over 160 migrants at a time.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The number of migrant boats dodging interception increased by 44 per cent in the three months after Labour agreed to splurge another £662million of taxpayers’ money on a failing scheme, compared with the three months before the deal. Thousands of migrants continue, and will continue, to invade our shores unless the Government stops advertising our country as a foodbank for the world. Using Operation Fortress, Reform UK will ensure no boat reaches Britain and that every illegal migrant is detained and deported.” – Zia Yusuf, Shadow Home Secretary for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party
🎯 IMPACT: This is not the only data that has brought the effectiveness of the British deal with France into question. Earlier this month, it was revealed that 1,117 illegal migrants have been admitted to Britain under a parallel “one in, one out” deportation deal, while only 1,087 illegals have been removed. This means that Britain has accepted more arrivals than it has returned, despite the government selling the deal as a solution to the Channel crisis.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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The deal between the United Kingdom and France to curb illegal Channel crossings is failing, with interception rates actually falling.

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By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
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8 hours ago
Economy
News

Trump Waives Beef Tariffs to Combat Rising Prices.

President Donald J. Trump has decided to temporarily waive tariffs on imported ground beef in an attempt to address surging prices caused by shrinking cattle herds and rising demand.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has announced a 90-day waiver on higher tariffs for imported ground beef.
📺 DETAIL: The President’s decision on Friday aims to lower costs for Americans amid historically high beef prices. The tariff waiver applies to 300,000 metric tons of imported ground beef. The suspension of tariffs will allow imported ground beef to bypass fees triggered by exceeding trade quotas. The President stated that the imported beef would sell at 25 percent below current market prices. The rise in beef costs has largely been driven by shrinking cattle herds and increased feeding costs due to shrinking pastures caused by drought. In some cases, this results in farmers culling their herds. This has coincided with an increase in demand for ground beef. As a result, the average price of ground beef in the United States reached $6.89 per pound as of July, a 57 percent increase over five years, according to federal labor data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices. This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again.” – President Trump on Truth Social
🎯 IMPACT: While the additional imports only comprise a small share of the country’s beef supply, the policy shows that the Trump administration is prepared to take a pragmatic approach on tariffs in order to balance the cost of living against the cultivation of parts of the domestic economy. The rise in demand for ground beef coincides with an ongoing decline in demand for fake meat. This represents another tariff-related decision by the administration this month alone. Earlier this week, the President paused the 50 percent tariffs on Canada as part of progress towards a new agreement with America’s northern neighbor. The pause lasts for three days and applies to approximately $20 billion of Canadian imports.

Image by Nillerdk.

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President Donald J. Trump has decided to temporarily waive tariffs on imported ground beef in an attempt to address surging prices caused by shrinking cattle herds and rising demand.

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By Popular Demand.
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9 hours ago
Crime
News
World

Man Rampages Through Swedish School With Sword, Multiple Injured.

A sword-wielding attacker injured multiple people at a Swedish high school in Fagersta before being subdued by police.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A sword attack at The Brinell School in Fagersta, Sweden, on Friday left several people injured. The attacker, whose description has not been released, was shot in the leg by police and taken into custody. Local authorities locked down nearby schools and secured the area.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred on Friday afternoon at the Brinell School in Fagersta, a small Swedish city with a population of about 12,000.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We have been informed of a serious incident in Fagersta. The police are on site and working very intensively with the incident,” said Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer.
🎯 IMPACT: The attack has prompted heightened security measures in the area, including roadblocks and lockdowns at other schools. Crisis counselors have been deployed to support victims and their families.
📺 DETAIL: The motives behind the attack remain unclear as of the time of publication, and police are continuing their investigation. Ambulances, police cars, and a helicopter responded to the scene. Sweden has experienced several high-profile attacks at educational institutions in recent years, including another sword attack in Trollhättan in 2015.

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A sword-wielding attacker injured multiple people at a Swedish high school in Fagersta before being subdued by police.

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By Popular Demand.
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10 hours ago
Crime
News

Trump Crackdown Drives 22 Percent Plunge in Fentanyl Deaths.

The Trump administration credits its border and drug policies for a significant reduction in fentanyl-related deaths.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Fentanyl-related deaths in the U.S. fell by 22 percent from 2024 to 2025, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, with the Trump administration highlighting its efforts to secure the border and combat drug cartels, including through military force.
📰 DETAIL: The Trump administration attributes the decline to its border security measures, targeting of drug cartels, and arrests of fentanyl traffickers. The White House also noted a 45 percent reduction in fentanyl seizures and a decrease in the potency of seized fentanyl pills.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “President Trump targeted cartels who were profiting off the death of Americans, secured our border to stop fentanyl and other illicit drugs from flowing into our communities, and jump-started ICE to arrest illegal alien fentanyl traffickers. These policies delivered a 22 percent decline in opioid deaths in a single year. Thanks to President Trump, America is finally winning the fight against fentanyl,” said White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis.
🎯 IMPACT: The decline in fentanyl deaths suggests a positive shift in the fight against the opioid crisis, potentially saving thousands of lives and reducing the strain on affected communities.
👀 FLASHBACK: Fentanyl has been a major contributor to the opioid epidemic in the U.S., causing tens of thousands of deaths annually and devastating communities nationwide.

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The Trump administration credits its border and drug policies for a significant reduction in fentanyl-related deaths.

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By Popular Demand.
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10 hours ago
Media
News
UK

Comcast-Owned Sky News Faces Investigation for Harassment of Nigel Farage’s Daughter.

The United Kingdom’s communications regulator is investigating two complaints related to Comcast-owned Sky News doorstepping Nigel Farage’s daughter.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Ofcom, the United Kingdom’s media regulator, will investigate Sky News, run by the brother of former Barack Obama advisor Ben Rhodes, after the broadcaster harassed Nigel Farage’s daughter.
📰 DETAIL: Ofcom confirmed on Thursday that it would investigate Sky News, known in Britain as “Sly News.” This follows a complaint submitted by the Reform UK party after the broadcaster doorstepped the house where Farage’s daughter lives. Farage was out of the country at the time. The party said that Sky’s actions constituted harassment. The party has demanded an apology and a correction. The incident occurred back in early July. It was part of a Sky News report regarding a weaponized parliamentary probe into the Reform leader’s finances. “Ofcom has entertained a complaint from Reform UK, made on behalf of Mr Nigel Farage, of unjust or unfair treatment in the programme as broadcast… We have also entertained a complaint about unwarranted infringement of Mr Farage’s privacy regarding the programme as broadcast,” read a statement from Ofcom.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “You tell your bosses, you harass my family any more and there will be serious consequences… That is what your organization has done this morning… You have broken all the rules, Leveson and everything else.” — Nigel Farage when confronted by Sky News after the incident
🎯 IMPACT: The fact that the complaints have been entertained by Ofcom is likely to damage Sky’s already poor reputation. The report comes a week after Farage returned to Parliament following a by-election (special election) victory in Clacton. The by-election was triggered by Farage’s resignation from Parliament, declaring that the people of Clacton should decide whether the Reform leader is fit to represent the constituency (electoral district) or not, rather than a parliamentary probe.

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The United Kingdom's communications regulator is investigating two complaints related to Comcast-owned Sky News doorstepping Nigel Farage's daughter.

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By Popular Demand.
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