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September 6, 2024
News
UK

9-Year Jail Term for Man Who Set Fire to Trash Can Outside Migrant Hotel.

A judge has issued the longest sentence to date linked to recent anti-immigration riots in the United Kingdom, sending painter-decorator Thomas Birley to prison for nine years after he set fire to a small trash can outside a Holiday Inn Express hotel near Rotherham on August 4.

Judge Jeremy Richardson at Sheffield Crown Court described Birley’s case as among the most serious connected to the Rotherham riot. During the incident, Birley, 27, was recorded adding wood to a burning trash can that had been pushed against the hotel, which was housing illegal migrants and asylum seekers. He further contributed to the hazard by stacking another bin on top, resulting in a conviction for arson with intent to endanger life.

In addition to the arson charge, Birley threw objects at police officers. Staff at the hotel testified that they feared for their lives, believing they were in imminent danger of burning to death due to the small trash-can fire.

By comparison, an “asylum seeker” who already had a criminal record was sentenced to just six months for attempting to burn down a hotel in 2023. Another with a similar case received just three years. In 2021, 13 migrant men were released without charge after attempting to burn down an army barracks being used to house them.

The riots erupted across England and Northern Ireland following the fatal knifing of three girls in Southport, northwest England, on July 29. Hundreds of individuals have been charged in connection with the riots. The UK judiciary is expediting these cases, resulting in significant sentences for those directly involved in violent acts and for inciting violence online.

Just three weeks ago, Judge Richardson told another suspect he was handing down a longer prison sentence “because of the racialist backdrop, which was a major component of this public disorder.”

More than 200 people have been sentenced in connection with the disorder, ranging from a 13-year-old to a 69-year-old.

By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Crime
NatSec

Teen Accused of Murdering Parents in Plot to Assassinate Trump, FBI Reports.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A 17-year-old in Wisconsin is accused of killing his mother and stepfather to obtain resources and freedom in order to execute a plan to assassinate President Donald J. Trump and overthrow the U.S. federal government.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nikita Casap, his stepfather Donald Mayer, his mother Tatiana Casap, Waukesha County, Wisconsin authorities, and federal investigators.

📍 Where & When: The incident occurred in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, with the arrests made in March. A preliminary court hearing on Casap’s state charges was held on April 9, with the 17-year-old set to be formally arraigned on May 7.

💬 Key Quote: “He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government,” investigators said in the affidavit.

⚠️ Impact: The incident prompted federal charges in addition to the state counts.

IN FULL:

Authorities in Wisconsin have charged a teenager with the murder of his mother and stepfather, citing intentions to use their assets to execute plans to assassinate President Donald J. Trump and overthrow the federal government. Nikita Casap, 17, faces multiple state charges, including two counts of first-degree murder following the March incident. Authorities located the bodies of Donald Mayer, 51, and Tatiana Casap, 35, within their Waukesha County residence.

Prosecutors also charged Casap with hiding bodies, theft, and identity theft. In addition to the state prosecution, the 17-year-old will also likely face federal charges, according to affidavits filed by federal investigators. Based on a review of a manifesto allegedly written by the teenager, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes Casap likely communicated with other individuals regarding his plot—suggesting the possibility of a broader conspiracy.

A search warrant on the teenager’s phone uncovered affiliations with “The Order of Nine Angles,” a group associated with extremist and racially charged ideology. In his manifesto, Casap allegedly advocates for violent actions to “save the white race” alongside imagery revering Adolf Hitler.

“He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States. And he paid for, at least in part, a drone and explosives to be used as a weapon of mass destruction to commit an attack,” federal investigators state in the affidavit. They add: “Other parties, with whom Casap was in contact, appear to have been aware of his plan and action and to have provided assistance to Casap in carrying them out.”

During the 2024 election, President Trump was the target of two assassination attempts, with the first would-be assassin striking the America First leader’s ear with a bullet during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The second assassination attempt involved pro-Ukraine activist Ryan Routh, who was discovered with a rifle hiding along the treeline at Trump International Golf Club, only a short distance from the America First leader.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Education

Trump-Backed School Choice Program Texas Is Poised to Adopt Will Be Largest in U.S.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Texas House, during an extended session, passed a $337 billion budget proposal, including a large-scale school choice initiative. The budget bill now heads to a conference committee that will reconcile differences between the versions passed by the Texas House and Senate before receiving a final vote on passage. 

👥 Who’s Involved: Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX), lawmakers in the Texas state legislature, school choice advocates, and Texas Democrats who oppose the budget bill and school choice program.

📍 Where & When: The debate took place in Texas on April 10, 2025, with the House passing the budget bill early Friday morning.

💬 Key Quote: Governor Abbott stated, “The fact is that we are going to pass school choice this session. At the same time, we’ll ensure Texas public schools receive record funding.”

⚠️ Impact: The budget measure seeks to distribute funds for educational savings accounts, affecting 100,000 students, and includes plans for property tax relief and increased border security funds.

IN FULL:

The Texas House engaged in a lengthy session on Thursday to debate the state’s $337 billion budget proposal, which includes a provision establishing the largest school choice program in the United States. After hours of debate and consideration of over 390 amendments —with only 25 being adopted—lawmakers moved to adopt the budget measure early on Friday morning, moving the school choice program one step closer to becoming a reality. The bill now heads to a conference committee that will reconcile differences between the House-passed budget and a version passed earlier this year by the Texas Senate.

If enacted, budget legislation would allocate $1 billion towards educational savings accounts, affecting roughly 100,000 Texas students. Additionally, the measure allows families to utilize public funds for differing educational expenses, such as private school tuition and homeschooling. President Donald J. Trump announced his support for the Texas school choice program in February, writing on Truth Social: “The Texas House must now pass School Choice to deliver a gigantic Victory for Texas students and parents… We need School Choice passed in every State!”

Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) has also backed the school choice provision in the budget, contending that it will simultaneously bolster educational outcomes and empower families in their education decisions. “The fact is that we are going to pass school choice this session,” Abbott wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “School choice creates competition and guarantees a better education for ALL students.”

Additional elements of the proposal include $11.2 billion for property tax relief and a record-setting $6.5 billion for border security. However, Democrat lawmakers in the state legislature have signaled they will oppose the final budget bill—though it appears unlikely they will be able to prevent its passage.

Image by Chmorich.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News
UK

Minority Report: Predictive Algorithms Will Be Used to Identify Potential Criminals.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: An algorithm is being developed to predict which criminals might later commit murder.

👥 Who’s Involved: Britain’s Ministry of Justice, Greater Manchester Police and other British police forces, and civil liberties group Statewatch.

📍 Where & When: The United Kingdom; the project started in January 2023 and is believed to have been completed in December 2024 but is yet to be deployed.

💬 Key Quote: “Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for ‘predicting’ crime are inherently flawed,” noted Sofia Lyall from Statewatch.

⚠️ Impact: Concerns about bias and the ethical implications of using such predictive models on vast datasets, including from communities already facing structural discrimination.

IN FULL:

The British Ministry of Justice is advancing in its initiative to create an algorithmic tool aimed at predicting which individuals convicted of crimes might escalate to committing homicide. Known internally as the Homicide Prediction Project, the undertaking emerged through Freedom of Information requests from the civil liberties group Statewatch, which flagged the project as concerning.

Expanding on risk-prediction systems already in place, the project is designed to build upon frameworks such as the Offender Assessment System (OASys), which has been used since 2001 to forecast recidivism and inform legal decisions. However, the broad scope of data in this new model has raised red flags. Data utilized, sourced from various police and government bodies, potentially includes information on up to half a million people, some without any criminal history.

Despite officials’ assertions that the project remains in a research phase, uncovered documents allude to future deployments. Sources claim increased collaboration across government agencies and police forces, such as Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police, to enhance the dataset driving these predictions.

Statewatch has raised ethical concerns about the predictive model’s potential for systemic bias. The British state has already attempted to introduce guidelines that were explicitly two-tier and would have seen ethnic minorities prioritized for bail over white men in the country.

Statewatch’s Sofia Lyall described the algorithm project as “chilling and dystopian,” calling for an immediate cessation of its development. “Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for ‘predicting’ crime are inherently flawed,” he said. She highlighted the risk algorithms pose in creating profiles of potential criminals before any crime is committed.

Image by Rama.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News
War

White House Hits Back After Zelensky Attacks Vice President Vance.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The White House responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s accusation that Vice President J.D. Vance is justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions.

👥 Who’s Involved: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. President Donald Trump, and the White House.

📍 Where & When: Comments were made during an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday, with updates and responses on Monday, April 14, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Taylor Van Kirk, press secretary to Vice President Vance: “Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion.”

⚠️ Impact: The diplomatic rift appears to widen amidst continued hostilities in Ukraine, with criticisms from both sides regarding efforts to end the conflict.

IN FULL:

The White House rebuffed allegations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after he criticized Vice President J.D. Vance for supposedly justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions. During a CBS 60 Minutes interview aired on Sunday, Zelensky accused Vance and President Donald J. Trump of promoting an “altered reality” concerning events leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky suggested Vance seemed to approve of Putin’s actions, a claim that prompted a swift reply from Vance’s press team.

Taylor Van Kirk, the Vice President’s press secretary, responded to Zelensky’s allegations, emphasizing that Vance has consistently stated that the war’s origins lie in the Biden government’s “weakness and incompetence.”

“Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion,” Van Kirk said.

This recent escalation follows a previous meeting in the Oval Office, during which Zelensky faced harsh criticism from both Trump and Vance over his ungrateful behavior. Zelensky, who sparked the clash by starting an argument with Vance over the need for diplomacy, was later removed from the White House.

President Trump, placing responsibility for the war on former President Joe Biden, expressed his determination to halt the ongoing violence in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing an urgency to cease hostilities.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Crime
Politics

DOJ Charges Suspect in Arson Attacks on Tesla Showroom, GOP Office.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Federal authorities detained a man following arson incidents at a Tesla showroom and the Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

👥 Who’s Involved: Jamison Wagner, aged 40, is the suspect in these arson attacks.

📍Where & When: The attacks took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Republican Party office fire reported on March 30, 2025, and the Tesla showroom attack occurring on February 9.

💬 Key Quote: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “Hurling firebombs is not political protest… it is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.”

⚠️ Impact: Wagner faces charges that could lead to up to 20 years in prison per count if found guilty.

IN FULL:

A 40-year-old New Mexico man has been apprehended by federal authorities in relation to arson attacks targeting both a Tesla showroom and the Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of Jamison Wagner on Monday, charging him with two federal counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives.

The arrest comes amid a number of recent arrests for attacks and acts of vandalism against Tesla properties and vehicles. Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have been the target of increasingly violent leftist rhetoric over the billionaire technology mogul’s work with President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—tasked with rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal agencies. Wagner’s February 9 arson attack on the Tesla showroom also included the defacement of the building with graffiti carrying incendiary messages against Musk. Two electric vehicles were burned in the Tesla showroom attack, with one being seriously damaged.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has made it clear that such actions are being treated as severe crimes, emphasizing in a statement, “Hurling firebombs is not political protest… it is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.”

In late March, Wagner followed up his Tesla showroom attack, this time targeting the Republican Party of New Mexico’s (RPNM) headquarters in Albuquerque using several incendiary devices. The fire damaged the front door and entryway of the RPNM office, and Wagner again defaced the building exterior with graffiti—this time stating “ICE=KKK.”

Wagner is currently in federal custody pending a hearing regarding his detention. He faces upwards of 20 years in prison on each count if convicted.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Education
Politics

Harvard Rejects Trump Admin Instructions to Address Anti-Semitism on Campus, Risking Federal Funding.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Harvard University rejected a set of funding conditions from the Trump administration aimed at addressing anti-Semitism and other civil rights issues on its campus on Monday, risking the potential loss of hundreds of millions of federal education dollars.

👥 Who’s Involved: Harvard University, President Donald J. Trump’s administration, and Harvard President Alan M. Garber.

📍 Where & When: The statement was issued by Harvard on Monday through a post on their X (formerly Twitter) account.

💬 Key Quote: “The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” the university stated.

⚠️ Impact: Harvard risks potential federal funding cuts as it opposes the Trump administration’s conditions, which are intended to combat anti-Semitism and involve an audit of class subjects and student admission criteria adjustments.

IN FULL:

Harvard University announced on Monday that it will not comply with a set of conditions issued by President Donald J. Trump’s administration in order to continue receiving federal funding. The Trump White House previously informed the university that future federal funding would be conditioned on its adoption of a proposed series of policy changes aimed at combating antisemitism on campus, eliminating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and additional screening of international students for potential terrorist sympathies.

“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard University posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, announcing its decision to refuse the government’s funding conditions. Meanwhile, students, teachers, and staff were notified of the university’s decision in a note from Harvard President Alan Garber.

“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber wrote, alleging: “Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.”

Harvard’s decision to reject the Trump administration proposal could imperil nearly $9 billion in federal funding. Earlier this year, President Trump moved to cut an estimated $400 million in federal funding earmarked for Columbia University over the school’s failure to handle pro-Hamas and antisemitic protests on campus. The Trump administration has also cut $500 million in funding for Brown University, again citing the school’s failure to address anti-Semitic incidents and pro-Hamas demonstrators.

Additional schools seeing significant funding cuts include Cornell University, which has lost $1 billion in federal dollars, and Northwestern University, which saw a cut of around $790 million.

Image by Joseph Williams.

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By Popular Demand.
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8 hours ago
UK

Ariana Grande Concert Terrorist Stabs and Burns Prison Guards.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A violent incident occurred in His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Frankland where Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi attacked three prison guards. In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government has suspended kitchen use in prison separation centers.

👥 Who’s Involved: Hashem Abedi, who played a role in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, and three prison guards.

📍 Where & When: The attack took place at HMP Frankland, one of two so-called separation centers for the most dangerous convicts, on Saturday.

💬 Key Quote: “In our view, [Abedi] should not be allowed any privileges whatsoever while serving a sentence for the deaths of 22 innocent lives and the injuring of many more,” relatives of the Manchester Arena attack’s victims wrote in a letter to the authorities. “He should not have access to anything that he can weaponize, such as hot oil or items he can turn into blades.”

⚠️ Impact: Two male guards remain in hospital with “potentially fatal” injuries, with one suffering a severed artery in his neck and another being left with a punctured lung. A female officer, left with third-degree burns after Abedi threw hot oil on her, was discharged from hospital on Sunday.

IN FULL:

Following a serious assault on prison staff by Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi, at His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Frankland, kitchen use in certain prison “separation centers” has been temporarily suspended. The incident occurred Saturday at HMP Frankland, where Abedi, already serving a life sentence, reportedly attacked three guards. Two male victims suffered “potentially fatal” injuries and remain hospitalized, while a female guard received third-degree burns. Abedi had melted down hoarded butter sachets into hot oil to attack her, according to sources.

Abedi was involved in his brother’s 2017 suicide bombing of an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena, England. Twenty-two people, many of them young girls and parents, were murdered, and over 1,000 were injured, some critically.

This latest attack unfolded after Abedi accessed kitchen areas at the prison’s separation center, which accommodates some of Britain’s most dangerous inmates. The prison officers’ association detailed how the jihadist launched an attack using hot oil and homemade blades crafted from cooking trays.

Abedi has since been transferred to another high-security separation site. The Ministry of Justice announced a comprehensive investigation into the attack, affirming their commitment to reviewing and potentially revising security protocols in response to the breach. However, this is already Abedi’s second documented attack on prison staff, following a previous attack on two guards at London’s HMP Belmarsh in 2020.

The Manchester Arena bombing followed a series of catastrophic state failures, beginning with the decision to grant the Abedi brothers’ Libyan father asylum despite the fact he was a known Islamist. Salman Abedi had been flagged to both MI5—the domestic security agency—and Greater Manchester Police multiple times, but no meaningful action was taken.

On the night of his attack, the concert was not being covered by police due to officers taking an unauthorized multi-hour dinner break. Security guards at the arena also failed to act when Abedi, who was observed performing prayers and behaving erratically while wearing a gigantic backpack at the scene, was reported to them because they were “scared” they would be “branded racist” if they approached him.

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By Popular Demand.
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9 hours ago
William Upton
Crime
Immigration

U.S. Deports More Violent Illegals, Including Tren de Aragua Gang Members, to El Salvador.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Trump administration deported another 10 violent illegal immigrants to El Salvador this past weekend, where they will be held at the country’s CECOT prison facility used to house dangerous criminals and gang members.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, President Nayib Bukele, federal immigration officials, and 10 violent criminal illegal immigrants—including five members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

📍 Where & When: The United States and El Salvador’s CECOT prison, the weekend of April 11-13, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “He’s taking care of a lot of problems that we have that we really wouldn’t be able to take care of from a cost standpoint. And he’s… been amazing. We have some very bad people in that prison. People that should have never been allowed into our country,” said President Trump regarding El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.

⚠️ Impact: The 10 new deportees join over 200 other violent illegal immigrant criminals that the Trump administration has removed from the United States and sent to El Salvador as federal immigration officials continue to enact President Trump’s mass deportation policy.

IN FULL:

Federal immigration enforcement agents removed another 10 violent, illegal immigrant criminals from the United States over the weekend, placing them aboard a government flight bound for El Salvador. The Trump White House has deported over 200 illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes or are identified as members of dangerous gangs to the Central American nation since reaching an agreement in February with El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to house deportees in his country’s CECOT super-prison.

Senior administration officials indicated that five of the 10 illegal immigrants—all either Venezuelan or El Salvadoran nationals—deported to CECOT were confirmed as members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. The other five deportees were considered active threats to American citizens, having a litany of prior convictions for assault, rape, robbery, and making terroristic threats.

The latest deportations come as President Trump hosted Bukele at the White House on Monday, with the aim of further solidifying the relationship between the United States and El Salvador. Ensuring continued access and use of El Salvador’s CECOT prison is a key goal for the Trump White House, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stating last week that thousands more illegal immigrants may soon be sent to the facility.

“I want to thank you for the great job you’re doing. I appreciate it,” Trump said during a press event with the El Salvadoran leader in the Oval Office.

Responding, President Bukele emphasized his commitment to assisting the Trump administration’s deportation actions, stating: “We’re very eager to help. We know you have a crime problem, a terrorism problem you need help with. If we can help, we can do it.”

 

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By Popular Demand.
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10 hours ago
Corruption
UK

Former Anti-Corruption Chief Wanted on Corruption Charges.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A court in Bangladesh has issued an arrest warrant for Tulip Siddiq, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party, in connection with corruption charges related to land acquisition. Until recently, Siddiq was Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Anti-Corruption Minister.

👥 Who’s Involved: Tulip Siddiq, the niece of Bangladesh’s ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with her family members, including Hassina, are involved in the case.

📍 Where & When: The warrant was issued in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 13.

💬 Key Quote: Siddiq’s lawyers claim the charges are “politically motivated.”

⚠️ Impact: The case has raised political tension between Bangladesh and Britain’s far-left government.

IN FULL:

A Bangladeshi court has issued an arrest warrant for Tulip Siddiq, a British Member of Parliament (MP), amidst mounting political tension involving her family. Siddiq, the niece of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, faces allegations of corruption linked to the illegal acquisition of land in a government project near Dhaka. The warrant, issued by Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan, followed the receiving of charges in three cases filed by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission.

According to reports, the legal proceedings also implicate over 50 others, including Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, and brother, Radwan Siddiq. However, both Siddiq’s and Hasina’s camp have condemned the charges as attempts to tarnish the family’s reputation.

Siddiq, who stepped down from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government—in which she served as Anti-Corruption Minister—in January, was allegedly involved in a controversial 2013 nuclear power plant deal between Bangladesh and Russia, which purportedly involved financial misconduct.

Siddiq first emerged in British politics as a municipal councilor before being elected to represent a London electoral district in Parliament in 2015. She rose rapidly within the Labour Party, being promoted to a government role following Prime Minister Starmer’s election win last July.

Labour won a large majority in Parliament but with a historically low number and share of the vote, and their polling numbers have slumped amid several controversies. Brexit leader Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has surpassed Labour in many recent polls.

Image via House of Commons.

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By Popular Demand.
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10 hours ago
Politics
Sports

DOJ Launches ‘Enforcement Action’ Investigation Against Maine for Allowing Men in Women’s Sports.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A U.S. Department of Education investigation into allegations that Maine violated Title IX by allowing men to compete in women’s sports has been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for enforcement action.

👥 Who’s Involved: The U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, Governor Janet Mills (D-ME), and Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.

📍 Where & When: The actions are taking place in Maine, with the investigation prompted by an incident in February where a biological male won a Maine women’s high school pole vaulting championship.

💬 Key Quote: “The Department has given Maine every opportunity to come into compliance with Title IX, but the state’s leaders have stubbornly refused to do so,” states Department of Education Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.

⚠️ Impact: Maine faces loss of federal education funding, with state officials saying they will defend Maine’s transgender athlete policy in federal court.

IN FULL:

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is taking over a Title IX violation case in Maine, signaling it will launch legal action against the state following an investigation by the Department of Education. In February, a biologically male high school athlete—who goes by Katie Spencer—won the state’s Class B girls’ pole vaulting championship, prompting a federal investigation into whether the state violated an Executive Order signed by President Donald J. Trump barring males from participating in women’s sports.

“The Department has given Maine every opportunity to come into compliance with Title IX, but the state’s leaders have stubbornly refused to do so, choosing instead to prioritize an extremist ideological agenda over their students’ safety, privacy, and dignity,” the Department of Education’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a statement. He added: “The Maine Department of Education will now have to defend its discriminatory practices before a Department administrative law judge and in a federal court against the Justice Department. Governor Mills would have done well to adhere to the wisdom embedded in the old idiom—be careful what you wish for. Now she will see the Trump Administration in court.”

Maine’s assistant attorney general, Sarah Foster, contends that her state’s policy allowing biologically male transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports is Title IX compliant. “Nothing in Title IX or its implementing regulations prohibits schools from allowing transgender girls and women to participate on girls’ and women’s sports teams,” Foster argued in a letter to the DOJ. She added: “Your letters to date do not cite a single case that so holds. To the contrary, various federal courts have held that Title IX and/or the Equal Protection Clause require schools to allow such participation.”

In late February, Maine Governor Janet Mills (D) clashed with Trump during a lunch event at the White House when the President pressed Mills on whether her state would comply with his women’s sports directive. When the Maine Democrat insisted that her state was already in compliance, President Trump shot back: “Well, we are the federal law… You’d better do it, because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”

Following the White House exchange, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation to determine whether Maine had violated Title IX regulations. Subsequently, the Trump administration has moved to cut federal funding for the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) over the state’s refusal to comply with Trump’s women’s sports order.

The National Pulse reported in March that the University of Maine System (UMS) reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adhere to Trump’s Executive Order. UMS, comprising eight public universities in Maine, faced a suspension of federal funding from the USDA.

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By Popular Demand.
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