A suspect has been arrested following the fatal carjacking of a 90-year-old Navy veteran over the holiday weekend. State officials had offered a $15,000 reward following the murder of Nelson Beckett in Houston, Texas, on Saturday.
Police report that Beckett was found in a parking lot with gunshot wounds after Houston patrol officers responded to an assault in progress at an independent living community. According to law enforcement, a carjacker approached Beckett, assaulted him, and proceeded to shoot him. The suspect then took Beckett’s vehicle and belongings, fleeing the scene and running over Beckett in the process. Paramedics transported the elderly veteran to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
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Kyliel Denzel Arceneaux, 21, has been charged with capital murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and tampering with evidence in connection with the slaying. Prosecutors say Arceneaux admits he saw Beckett, who used a walker, as easy prey.
Concerningly, Arceneaux was out on bond when the crime occurred, still awaiting trial for a 2022 evading arrest charge.
The victim’s son, Tim Beckett, told Houston’s ABC station KTRK, “He was always an outgoing person until his very last day. We’ll miss him.”
By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Republican consulting firm has raised concerns about Google’s Gmail disproportionately flagging Republican fundraisingemails as spam while allowing Democratic emails to bypass filters.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Targeted Victory, Google, and political entities such as the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Senator Marsha Blackburn (TN).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The filtering concerns were observed in June and July 2025, with tests conducted on Gmail’s platform.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If Gmail is allowed to quietly suppress WinRed links while giving ActBlue a free pass, it will continue to tilt the playing field in ways that voters never see, but campaigns will feel every single day.” – Targeted Victory memo.
🎯IMPACT: The accusations raise further questions about tech companies’ influence over elections and voter outreach.
IN FULL
A Republican consulting firm, Targeted Victory, has accused Google of unfairly filtering Republican fundraising emails into Gmail spam folders while allowing similar Democratic emails to reach users’ inboxes. The claims, outlined in a memo, highlight ongoing concerns about potential political bias in tech platforms.
The memo revealed that emails containing links to the Republican platform WinRed were frequently flagged as spam, while identical emails with links to the Democratic platform ActBlue were delivered without issue. “The only difference between the two emails was the link,” the memo stated, adding that this pattern persisted even for high-profile accounts such as those of President Donald J. Trump and Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY). Targeted Victory warned: “If Gmail is allowed to quietly suppress WinRed links while giving ActBlue a free pass, it will continue to tilt the playing field in ways that voters never see, but campaigns will feel every single day.”
Google has denied the allegations, with company spokesman José Castañeda stating, “Email filter protections are in place to keep our users safe. They look at a variety of signals—like whether a user has previously marked an email as spam—and apply equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology.”
Research has previously identified disparities in email filtering practices. A 2022 study by North Carolina State University found Gmail flagged 59 percent more Republican fundraising emails as spam compared to Democratic ones during the 2020 election cycle. The study’s authors noted that spam filtering algorithms exhibited biases based on political affiliations.
Targeted Victory reported contacting Google on June 30 to address the issue, but alleged that Google initially deflected responsibility, attributing the filtering behavior to “local settings.” By July, Google acknowledged that WinRed links were flagged as “suspicious,” according to screenshots provided by the firm. The memo warned, “This should alarm every campaign and committee that relies on email to connect with voters.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nearly 200 private contractors from Vectus Global, a firm led by former U.S. Navy SEAL and Blackwater founder Erik Prince, will be deployed to Haiti under a one-year deal to combat gangviolence.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Vectus Global, Erik Prince, Haitian government officials, Haitian National Police, and United Nations-backed Kenyan police officers.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The deployment to Haiti is set to begin soon and will last for one year.
🎯IMPACT: The deployment aims to assist Haiti in reclaiming gang-controlled areas, but concerns remain over potential legal and sovereignty issues.
IN FULL
The private security firm Vectus Global, led by former U.S. Navy SEAL and Blackwater founder Erik Prince, will deploy nearly 200 contractors to Haiti under a one-year deal to combat gang violence. The move is intended to help Haiti’s government recover territory seized by heavily armed gangs in recent years.
The contractors, who will come from America, Europe, and other regions, are expected to support Haiti’s National Police and a United Nations (UN)-backed mission led by Kenyan police officers. This mission has struggled to suppress gang violence due to limited personnel and funding. According to a UN report, the mission currently has 991 personnel but requires 2,500 to meet its goals.
The U.S. government has denied any involvement in hiring Vectus Global for this mission. A Trump administration official clarified that the U.S. is neither funding the contract nor exercising oversight. Haiti’s government has not commented on the arrangement.
Haiti has been plagued by escalating gang violence, with the Viv Ansanm gang federation playing a significant role. This group, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States, has been responsible for large-scale attacks, including prison raids and the temporary closure of Haiti’s main international airport.
Over 1,500 people were killed and more than 600 injured in gang-related violence in Haiti from April to June of this year, according to the UN.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Texas judge has ordered the sale of Alex Jones’s Infowars platform to help pay over $1 billion in damages to Sandy Hook families.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alex Jones, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, Sandy Hook families, attorneys Chris Mattei and Mark Bankston, and The Onion.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Wednesday in a Texas district court.
💬KEY QUOTE: “They are trying to shut us down right now!” – Alex Jones
🎯IMPACT: Infowars’ assets will be liquidated to pay damages, potentially dismantling Alex Jones’s media platform.
IN FULL
Alex Jones’s Infowars must be sold to help pay the more than $1 billion awarded to the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims, a Texas district court judge has ordered. Judge Maya Guerra Gamble stated during a Wednesday hearing that Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, will be placed under the control of a court-appointed receiver. This receiver will oversee the sale of assets to pay Jones’s debts to the Sandy Hook families.
The decision clears the way for The Onion to potentially revive its bid for the outlet. The satirical news outfit had previously won a court-mandated auction for Infowars’ parent company, but the sale was halted in December by a federal bankruptcy judge due to concerns over the auction process. The judge later ruled that the families should pursue damages in state court rather than federal court.
Jones was found guilty of defamation in 2022 over statements related to the 2012 Sandy Hook shootings. On his show Wednesday, Jones expressed frustration over the ruling, stating he was “pissed off” but acknowledged he was “resigned” to the likelihood that Infowars would have to shut down.
He indicated that he plans to continue broadcasting under a different brand.
❓WHAT HAPPENED:New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) pardoned Somchith Vatthanavong, a Laotian immigrant convicted of manslaughter, to stop his deportation.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Kathy Hochul, Somchith Vatthanavong, the Trump administration, and legal representatives.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The pardon was signed in New York last month.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Unless I believe someone poses a danger, I follow what the Bible tells us: ‘Forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you.’” — Gov. Hochul
🎯IMPACT: The pardon could vacate the killer’s deportation order, allowing him to remain in the U.S.
IN FULL
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has granted a pardon to Somchith Vatthanavong, a Laotian immigrant facing deportation due to a conviction for manslaughter. The pardon, signed on July 1, 2025, was not immediately publicized, contrary to the governor’s usual practice with pardons.
Mr. Vatthanavong, 52, was convicted of manslaughter in his late teens after fatally shooting someone in 1988, which he claimed was self-defense. He served 14 years in prison and was released in 2003. He has been living in New York since his release due to the authorities’ failing to take immediate steps to remove him.
The pardon came as a response to increased deportations of illegal immigrants under President Donald J. Trump‘s administration, which has prioritized the removal of illegal and some legal immigrants with prior criminal convictions. Community groups, Vatthanavong’s family, and legal advocates campaigned for his pardon, claiming he is rehabilitated and makes contributions to society.
After the pardon received public attention, Governor Hochul used Christianity to justify her efforts to keep a known killer in America, saying, “Unless I believe someone poses a danger, I follow what the Bible tells us: ‘Forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you.’” Her office says it plans to announce this and other pardons as part of a larger batch later this year.
The pardon could potentially vacate Vatthanavong’s deportation order. Notably, it states explicitly that the reprieve is unconditional, “including offering relief from removal.”
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted by a federal grand jury.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mayor LaToya Cantrell, New Orleands Police Department (NOPD) officer Jeffrey Vappie, former NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork, and former city inspector Randy Farrell.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The indictment occurred on Friday, August 15, 2025, in New Orleans.
🎯IMPACT: This marks the first time a sitting New Orleans mayor faces criminal prosecution.
IN FULL
A federal grand jury has indicted Democrat New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, marking a historic first for the city, as no sitting mayor has ever faced criminal prosecution before despite a number of city officials facing prosecution after leaving office. The indictment was backed by at least 12 of the 16 jurors.
Cantrell’s legal troubles have been mounting over the past two years, with allegations ranging from an inappropriate relationship with her former executive security officer to legal battles over broken funding promises and bribery. Former city inspector Randy Farrell was also indicted, accused of bribing Cantrell with Saints tickets.
The investigation gained momentum in 2023 after local reporters revealed that New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer Jeffrey Vappie, part of Cantrell’s protective detail, was often seen with her at a city-owned apartment during work hours. Vappie was later charged with wire fraud and falsifying records, pleading not guilty.
The indictment further alleges that Cantrell pressured former NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork to dismiss an investigation into Vappie, which may have cost Woodfork the permanent superintendent position.
Cantrell’s spending habits have also been scrutinized. Reports indicate that nearly $200,000 was spent from her campaign account in 2022, a significant portion of which was on image consulting.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The opening match of the 2025/2026 Premier League season was halted due to an alleged racist remark by one spectator.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Referee Anthony Taylor, A.F.C. Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo, Liverpool F.C., and the spectator.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: August 15, 2025, at Liverpool F.C.’s home stadium in England.
💬KEY QUOTE: “They paused the Liverpool Bournemouth match because one of the players got their feelings hurt.” – Raheem Kassam
🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights the increasing sensitivity of soccer players and institutions.
IN FULL
The opening match of the 2025/2026 Premier League soccer season between A.F.C. Bournemouth and defending champions Liverpool F.C. on Friday was unexpectedly halted after a Bournemouth player reported an alleged racist remark by a single spectator to the referee.
Antoine Semenyo, a 25-year-old black man born in Chelsea, London, to Ghanaian immigrants who plays for Ghana in international matches, reported the alleged incident to referee Anthony Taylor. The official halted the match shortly afterwards, and held talks with Bornemouth manager Andoni Iraola, who is Spanish, and Liverpool manager Arend “Arne” Slot, who is Dutch.
Pausing the match over a single spectator, reportedly a Liverpool supporter, shouting an insult at Semenyo has been decried by soccer fans as overkill on social media. Raheem Kassam—Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse—commented, “They paused the Liverpool Bournemouth match because one of their players got their feelings hurt.”
English soccer has long been obsessed with “anti-racism,” with Premier League teams “taking a knee” for Black Lives Matter after George Floyd’s death as a matter of course until late 2022. The English women’s national team continued to take the knee before matches until July 2025.
They paused the Liverpool Bournemouth match because one of the players got their feelings hurt 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/IWcA3PlJbU
President Donald J. Trump has greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the two leaders are expected to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine and a possible deal on nuclear arms control.
Initial reports indicated that the pair would meet one-on-one, with only interpreters present, but the White House has since advised that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will join PresidentTrump. President Putin will also be joined by Russian officials, possibly including Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, who arrived in Alaska earlier in the day.
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Trump said en route to Alaska that he is not sure a deal can be struck today, but added he is “not going to be happy if it’s not today.” He added, “Everyone said it can’t be today—but I want the killing to stop.”
“I’m not doing this for my health, OK?” Trump told reporters. “I don’t need it. I’d like to focus on our country, but I’m doing this to save a lot of lives.”
Trump has indicated that the meeting could be cut short if Putin tries stonewalling him, warning, “If he doesn’t want to cooperate, then I’m gone.”
This story is developing…
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President Donald J. Trump has greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the two leaders are expected to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine and a possible deal on nuclear arms control.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) estimated that efforts to reduce the federal workforce would lead to 300,000 layoffs by year-end.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: OPM Director Scott Kupor and the Trump administration.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The estimate was shared on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
🎯IMPACT: The administration targets a 12.5 percent reduction in the federal workforce, with most reductions coming from voluntary buyouts.
IN FULL
A new report from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) estimates that President Donald J. Trump‘s efforts to cut government waste and federal redundancies will result in an estimated 300,000 federal workers being laid off by the end of the year. According to OPM Director Scott Kupor, 80 percent of the workforce reduction number stems from personnel accepting voluntary buyouts, while 20 percent is the result of direct layoffs.
The Trump White House says its goal is a 12.5 percent reduction in the federal workforce. It has offered two rounds of buyouts so far. An initial round in February resulted in 75,000 federal employees accepting the offer, and a second round was offered in April.
Democrat-backed legal challenges to the buyouts and layoffs have been largely unsuccessful. Earlier this year, Massachusetts U.S. District Court Judge George O’Toole ruled against unions seeking to block the buyouts, stating they lack standing in the legal challenge. Additionally, Judge O’Toole determined his court lacked jurisdiction even to hear the matter.
Meanwhile, in July, jobs data showed that between January and May, the total number of government jobs in the Washington, D.C. area had been slashed by 22,000. The layoffs appear to have substantially accelerated after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a lower court order earlier last month that had blocked the Trump administration from cutting workforces across 19 federal departments and agencies.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Anti-Trump Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) has seen a sharp drop in polling numbers following a MAGA-backed campaign targeting him for defeat in an upcoming Republican primary.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Thomas Massie, MAGA Inc. SuperPAC, President Donald J. Trump, and McLaughlin and Associates.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The poll was conducted August 10-12, 2025, among likely Republican voters in Kentucky’s 4th congressional district.
💬KEY QUOTE: “MAGA Kentucky’s advertising campaign has turned Thomas Massie’s polling numbers up-side-down, leaving him exposed and extremely vulnerable in a Republican primary election for Congress,” the poll stated.
🎯IMPACT: The poll suggests Massie’s approval has dropped significantly, leaving him vulnerable to a Trump-endorsed challenger in the 2026 Republican primary.
IN FULL
Anti-Trump Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY)—once largely thought untouchable in Kentucky’s 4th congressional district—has seen his polling numbers turn upside down following a series of recent spats between himself and President Donald J. Trump. The Kentucky congressman’s opposition to Trump’s America First agenda is being emphasized in a series of advertisements and a voter education effort backed by the MAGA Inc. SuperPAC.
A new internal poll by McLaughlin and Associates shows Massie’s favorability rating dropped from 54 percent in June to 43 percent this month, while his unfavorability rating rose to 54 percent from 40 percent. President Trump himself highlighted the polling data in a post on Truth Social.
The Massie campaign is dismissing the data, calling it unreliable. “This poll does not reflect reality in Kentucky’s 4th district,” a campaign spokesman claimed following the McLaughlin poll.
They contend that MAGA Inc.’s campaign against Massie isn’t having an impact, alleging the SuperPAC is funded by “three socially liberal globalist billionaires who are upset Congressman Massie doesn’t vote for wars and foreign aid.” Notably, The National Pulse has reported that Elon Musk is still a major donor to MAGA Inc.
McLaughlin and Associates made a strong argument that MAGA Inc.‘s $1.8 million ad campaign is negatively impacting Massie’s voter support. “MAGA Kentucky’s advertising campaign has turned Thomas Massie’s polling numbers up-side-down, leaving him exposed and extremely vulnerable in a Republican primary election for Congress,” the pollster states.
The poll, conducted between August 10 and 12 among 500 likely Republican voters from Massie’s district, had a margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points. It also highlighted that 57 percent of GOP primary voters would be more likely to back a Trump-endorsed challenger, and Massie’s “reelect score” fell to 30 percent, below the 40 percent threshold considered safe for incumbents.
Massie has clashed with Trump on key issues, including airstrikes on Iran that crippled its nuclear weapons program and the U.S. debt ceiling. Earlier this year, Trump labeled him “lazy,” “disingenuous,” and the “worst Republican congressman” after Massie voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a signature Trump policy.
Trump has threatened to back a primary challenger against Massie for the 2026 midterms, and MAGA Inc. has been heavily involved in efforts to unseat him.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced he spoke with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to thank him for the release of 16 prisoners and discuss the potential release of 1,300 more.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, and the recently released prisoners.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Truth Social as Trump traveled to Alaska for a meeting with Putin.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Our conversation was a very good one. We discussed many topics, including President Putin’s visit to Alaska. I look forward to meeting President Lukashenko in the future.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The discussion highlights international diplomatic efforts and the potential for further prisoner releases in Belarus.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump shared on Truth Social that he spoke with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko about prisoner releases ahead of his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday afternoon. “I had a wonderful talk with the highly respected President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko. The purpose of the call was to thank him for the release of 16 prisoners. We are also discussing the release of 1,300 additional prisoners,” Trump stated.
He related that the conversation “was a very good one,” and that he and Lukashenko “discussed many topics, including President Putin’s visit to Alaska.” He added, “I look forward to meeting President Lukashenko in the future. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Russia and Belarus are close allies, joined together in a Union State involving deep economic and military ties, although each remains sovereign. Belarus has not participated directly in the Ukraine war, but it has allowed Russian forces to operate from its territory, with the 2022 offensive towards Kiev being launched largely across the Belarusian border.
President Lukashenko pardoned the 16 prisoners, many of whom were charged with extremism—a common charge used against political dissidents in Belarus—last month. Over 1,000 political prisoners are believed to remain detained in the country.
In June, Belarusian political figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski and 13 others were freed and transported to Lithuania, a NATO and European Union (EU) member on the Baltic coast, after a meeting between Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, and Lukashenko.
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