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September 12, 2024
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
War
World

This NATO ‘Ally’ Just Called China’s Dictator a ‘Defender of Peace.’

During an official state visit to China, a NATO member state leader praised Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping, calling him a “defender of peace” in a statement on social media.

Spanish socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his admiration for the Chinese communist dictator on Monday, August 9, saying, “China and Spain are two friendly nations, defenders of peace and committed to the multilateral order.”

He added that his country and China were committed to tackling climate change, despite China’s extensive use of coal-fired power plants and the fact it is building more coal plants than the rest of the world.

Sanchez’s comments regarding China being a “defender of peace” come amid accusations that the Chinese are abetting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Beijing refusing to attend a peace conference in Switerzland in June as Russia was not invited.

The CCP has also been saber-rattling regarding Taiwan. Xi Jinping has explicitly told U.S. President Joe Biden that China and Taiwan would be unified, whether through diplomacy or force.

Earlier this year, Admiral John Aquilino, head of the Indo-Pacific Command, predicted that China could invade Taiwan as early as 2027, claiming the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is actively preparing for an invasion of the island.

“The PLA’s actions indicate their ability to meet Xi’s preferred timeline to unify Taiwan with mainland China by force if directed,” he told the U.S. House Armed Services Committee in March.

China has also demanded that the United States cease ties with the Taiwanese government following elections in January that saw anti-CCP and pro-independence candidates elected to office.

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24 minutes ago
News
War

Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines in Response to Russian Official’s ‘Foolish and Inflammatory’ Remarks.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two nuclear submarines have been ordered to strategic positions in response to provocative statements made by Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Dmitry Medvedev, Former Russian President and current Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement followed Medvedev’s recent statements, with submarines reportedly deployed to “appropriate regions.”

💬KEY QUOTE: “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The move underscores heightened tensions and the potential for unintended escalations in light of provocative rhetoric.

IN FULL

Two nuclear submarines have been ordered to strategic locations by President Donald J. Trump in response to comments made by leading Russian official Dmitry Medvedev. “Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” the President announced on his Truth Social platform.

“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,” Trump continued, adding, “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

On July 28, Medvedev had threatened the U.S. over Trump’s decision to shorten a deadline for Russia to make peace with Russia, or else face stronger economic measures, including secondary sanctions.

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia… Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran,” Medvedev posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe [Biden] road!”

Despite its lackluster military performance in Ukraine, Russia remains a potent nuclear power—although a Ukrainian surprise attack recently degraded its strategic bomber fleet.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
William Upton
Economy

The Fed’s Waller Issues Unprecedented Warning: ‘Cut Rates Before Labor Market Deteriorates.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Reserve’s top inflation hawk, Christoper Waller, warns that the central bank erred in not reducing interest rates in July, issuing an unprecedented public criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues on the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, FOMC members, and the U.S. labor market.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Waller published his critique of the FOMC’s July interest rate decision on Friday, August 1.

💬KEY QUOTE: “When labor markets turn, they often turn fast. If we find ourselves needing to support the economy, waiting may unduly delay moving toward appropriate policy.” — Christoper Waller

🎯IMPACT: Employment data released on Friday came in far lower than projections. Additionally, data from the prior two months saw significant downward revisions, suggesting the American labor market may be significantly weaker than previously thought. Should labor market conditions continue to worsen, Federal Reserve actions beyond rate cuts could be necessitated.

IN FULL

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller has published a rare public criticism of his colleagues on the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), following their decision to hold interest rates steady at its July 30-31 meeting. The move by Waller—who is seen by many Fed observers as jockeying to succeed Jerome Powell as Chairman of the Federal Reserve—comes as new jobs data suggests the possibility of significant and worrying weakening in the U.S. labor market.

“At the most recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, I dissented because I concluded that cutting the policy rate by 25 basis points was the appropriate stance of policy,” Waller’s statement, published Friday morning, reads. He continues: “First, tariffs are one-off increases in the price level and do not cause inflation beyond a temporary increase. Standard central banking practice is to ‘look through’ such price-level effects as long as inflation expectations are anchored, which they are.”

“My final reason to favor a cut now is that while the labor market looks fine on the surface, once we account for expected data revisions, private-sector payroll growth is near stall speed, and other data suggest that the downside risks to the labor market have increased. With underlying inflation near target and the upside risks to inflation limited, we should not wait until the labor market deteriorates before we cut the policy rate,” Waller concludes, with the jobs data released shortly after underscoring his concerns.

While known as a staunch inflation hawk, Waller warns: “The price effects from tariffs have been small so far, and since we will likely not get clarity on tariff levels or their ultimate impact on the economy over the course of the next several months, it is possible that the labor market falters before that clarity is obtained—if it ever is obtained. When labor markets turn, they often turn fast. If we find ourselves needing to support the economy, waiting may unduly delay moving toward appropriate policy.”

Notably, employment data released on Friday came in far lower than projections at just 73,000 jobs added in July. Additionally, data from the prior two months saw significant downward revisions, suggesting the American labor market may be significantly weaker than previously thought. Should labor market conditions continue to worsen, Federal Reserve actions beyond rate cuts could be necessitated.

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2 hours ago
Immigration
News

Border Apprehensions Hit Another Historic Low.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Border Patrol reported a new record low in apprehensions at the southwest border for July 2025.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks announced the figures.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The report covers the border for the month of July 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Plus, ZERO releases for 3 months in a row!!” – Mike Banks

🎯IMPACT: The figures suggest President Donald J. Trump’s border measures are rapidly closing down illegal crossings, fulfilling a key campaign pledge.

IN FULL

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks has reported another record monthly low for apprehensions at the southwest border, with only 4,399 incidents recorded in July 2025. Banks also noted that no migrants have been paroled into the U.S. following their apprehension, stressing, “ZERO releases for 3 months in a row!!”

The average number of apprehensions per day in July was 141. In stark contrast, December 2023 under former President Joe Biden’s government saw a record 249,785 apprehensions—the majority of which resulted in releases—for an average of over 8,057 crossings per day.

The collapse in crossings signals that President Donald J. Trump’s border policies are rapidly closing down illegal immigration. This is also reflected in news that the treacherous Darien Gap, a key route for illegals on the way to the U.S. through Central America, saw only around ten migrants pass through in June, compared to almost 40,000 in February 2024.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
William Upton
Economy
World

Trump Sets New Tariff Rates for Nearly 70 Nations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has issued an executive order setting new reciprocal tariff rates for nearly 70 countries across the globe.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Canada, Mexico, and a number of other nations worldwide.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The new trade duty rates were announced late Thursday and take effect on August 7, while the Canadian tariff rate takes effect immediately.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The complexities of a Deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other Nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the Border. We have agreed to extend, for a 90 Day period, the exact same Deal as we had for the last short period of time, namely, that Mexico will continue to pay a 25% Fentanyl Tariff, 25% Tariff on Cars, and 50% Tariff on Steel, Aluminum, and Copper.” — President Trump

🎯IMPACT: A total of around 40 countries with which the United States currently has a small trade deficit will only face a 15 percent rate, while another nearly 30 countries will see rates ranging from 18 percent to 50 percent.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has announced new reciprocal tariff rates imposed on countries worldwide. The trade duties range from the baseline 10 percent to a high of 50 percent. A total of around 40 countries with which the United States currently has a small trade deficit will only face a 15 percent rate, while another nearly 30 countries will see rates ranging from 18 percent to 50 percent, set take effect on August 7.

Canada will additionally have some of its goods that are not exempted under the USMCA free trade agreement tariffed at a new 35 percent rate. The Trump White House says the increased Canadian trade duties are in response to the lack of cooperation from America’s northern neighbor in addressing the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs across the border. The new tariff rate on certain Canadian goods takes effect on August 1.

Meanwhile, goods from Mexico that are not covered by the USMCA could see a 25 percent tariff. President Trump, however, says he has delayed the imposition of the new trade duty amid ongoing negotiations with Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum.

“I have just concluded a telephone conversation with the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, which was very successful in that, more and more, we are getting to know and understand each other,” President Trump announced in a post on Truth Social on Thursday. “The complexities of a Deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other Nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the Border. We have agreed to extend, for a 90 Day period, the exact same Deal as we had for the last short period of time, namely, that Mexico will continue to pay a 25% Fentanyl Tariff, 25% Tariff on Cars, and 50% Tariff on Steel, Aluminum, and Copper.”

“Additionally, Mexico has agreed to immediately terminate its Non Tariff Trade Barriers, of which there were many. We will be talking to Mexico over the next 90 Days with the goal of signing a Trade Deal somewhere within the 90 Day period of time, or longer,” Trump added.

Countries that will now face a 15 percent tariff rate include: Afghanistan, Angola, Bolivia, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, European Union (on most goods), Fiji, Ghana, Guyana, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Nicaragua will face a rate of 18 percent, while Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand will be tariffed at 19 percent. A 20 percent tariff will be imposed on Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Vietnam, with a 25 percent rate on goods from Brunei, India, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Tunisia.

Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Libya, and South Africa will be subject to a 30 percent tariff, while Serbia and Iraq will face a 35 percent tariff. Meanwhile, Switzerland will face a 39 percent trade duty, and Laos and Myanmar will be subject to a 40 percent tariff. Finally, Syria will be subject to a 41 percent tariff, and Brazil, criticized by Trump for mistreating former President Jair Bolsonaro, will be hit with a 50 percent tariff.

Notably, the Trump administration says that goods found to be transshipped to evade these tariffs will face an additional 40 percent duty.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Raheem J. Kassam
Exclusive

EXC: Inside the UK Parliament Committee Where Nigel Farage Blasted Top Democrats for Insulting Christians, Western Heritage, and Donald Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democratic members of Congress interfered in UK politics during a parliamentary committee meeting.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jamie Raskin, Eric Swalwell, Jasmine Crockett, and Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: A recent UK parliamentary committee meeting in the UK Parliament’s Grand Committee Chamber.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Rep. Raskin started by disagreeing that the US had been founded on Judeo-Christian values… and then commenced a shouting tirade about Donald Trump…” – Insider source

🎯IMPACT: The incident highlighted tensions between US and UK political figures over free speech and censorship.

IN FULL

The National Pulse has received exclusive details from inside a key UK parliament committee meeting, where top Democratic members of Congress, including Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and others put on a pro-censorship show, interfered in UK politics, and attacked the President of the United States in an overseas parliamentary forum.

The details, which The National Pulse can report, did not come from a political source, but rather from independent observers in the proceedings, who described a roundtable discussion on free speech chaired by Reform Party leader Nigel Farage MP. After the proceedings, Raskin and Swalwell were so humiliated that they leaked stories to the press in a clear-cut case of foreign political interference, with the hope of damaging populist leader Farage.

EXC: The itinerary of the UK parliament meeting.

FOREIGN POLITICAL INTERFERENCE.

“Farage just looked unhinged and like a giant manbaby,” Raskin told the corporate media, after being reprimanded for attempting to derail the proceedings by ranting against U.S. President Donald J. Trump in the British parliament.

“Nigel chaired the roundtable and, during his introductory speech, happened to comment on the fact that our countries are founded on Judeo-Christian values,” said one source, adding: “Rep. Raskin started by disagreeing that the US had been founded on Judeo-Christian values at all, and then commenced a shouting tirade about Donald Trump’s alleged lack of regard for free speech, which bore absolutely no relation to anything the speakers had said.”

“Nigel repeatedly tried to tell him that we weren’t there to talk about Donald Trump, we were there to talk about ‘the impact of this on the freedom of the ordinary man and woman’. To this, Rep. Raskin just continued his tirade while shouting ‘you trying to shut me down shows how much respect you have for freedom of speech’, while Rep. Swalwell (whose only notable contribution to the event thus far had been loudly speaking to Rep. Raskin while one of the UK speakers had been giving their speech) egged him on and laughed.”

RUDE RASKIN.

Worse still, The National Pulse understands from a source that when one of the UK speakers had raised the case of a Christian veteran who had been convicted for silently praying outside an abortion clinic, Rep. Raskin flippantly dismissed the case as “the guy who hung around outside an abortion clinic because he probably regretted what he and his girlfriend had done years before.”

At that point, Farage is understood to have called Raskin “the rudest man he had ever met.”

A source told The National Pulse: “I don’t blame [Farage]… I have never witnessed that level of unprofessionalism and discourtesy, ever, in the course of an international career.”

The delegation was also joined by Democrat Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), who allegedly “spent the entire time with her head down, chewing gum and scrolling through her phone.”

CENSORSHIP.

The National Pulse reported yesterday how Raskin praised Britain’s new “Online Safety Act,” which is already being used to censor information available to Britons on the internet.

“At no point did any of those three representatives actually substantively engage with the concept of the threat posed to US companies and citizens, or show any concern for anything other than attacking Trump,” an internal observer noted.

“Rep. Raskin has revelled in the fact he made the comment ‘this is why we had a revolution against you guys’ (which he had to say multiple times, as it didn’t land with anyone except for Rep. Swalwell).”

“If that revolution meant we avoided having [Raskin’s] calibre of representative in Parliament, we should start celebrating July 4th in the UK, too,” they concluded.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News

West Point Delayed Correcting False Statement on Hegseth Admission.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: E-mails released via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit reveal West Point confirmed Pete Hegseth’s acceptance into the academy in 1999 but delayed correcting a false statement to the media that he never applied.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: West Point, Pete Hegseth, ProPublica, and the Center to Advance Security in America.

📍WHEN & WHERE: December 10-11, 2024, at West Point and online.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is clear that while West Point quickly provided false information on the record that they were reluctant to correct the record, allowed false information to mislead the American public in the midst of the contentious confirmation hearing, and even falsely accused Secretary Hegseth of creating an illegitimate letter.” – Center to Advance Security in America

🎯IMPACT: The incident raises concerns about political partisanship at the military academy during Hegseth’s nomination as Defense Secretary.

IN FULL

Newly disclosed e-mails, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit by the Center to Advance Security in America, have brought to light that West Point confirmed Pete Hegseth‘s acceptance into the U.S. Military Academy in 1999 on December 10, 2024. Despite this, the academy hesitated to correct an initial false statement provided to ProPublica earlier on December 10, asserting that he had never even applied. Hegseth himself shared his acceptance letter publicly on X (formerly Twitter) the very next day.

“It is clear that while West Point quickly provided false information on the record that they were reluctant to correct the record, allowed false information to mislead the American public in the midst of the contentious confirmation hearing, and even falsely accused Secretary Hegseth of creating an illegitimate letter,” the Center to Advance Security in America said in a statement.

The situation unfolded after ProPublica questioned Hegseth’s admission claims on December 6, 2024. On December 10, West Point’s media relations chief, Theresa Brinkerhoff, mistakenly asserted that Hegseth had never applied. ProPublica approached Hegseth’s team, who insisted he had applied and been accepted, causing ProPublica to return to West Point for confirmation. Although internal confirmation of his acceptance was achieved at West Point later that day, officials refrained from updating the media, with one official whose identity has been redacted advising against confirming or denying the information with any media outlet.

This reluctance resulted in Hegseth preemptively posting his acceptance letter on December 11. West Point communications director Terence Kelley acknowledged the misstep off-the-record but delayed providing an official correction until 10:46 AM on December 11, several hours after Hegseth’s public post and nearly a day after the internal confirmation.

The academy later issued an apology, attributing the error to an “administrative error” and a failure to review archived databases. However, it is now clear that a deliberate decision was made not to correct the false information supplied to ProPublica until after Hegseth went public.

The incident garnered attention in light of Hegseth’s nomination as Defense Secretary by President Donald J. Trump, with West Point’s actions suggesting political partisanship at the military academy.

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By Popular Demand.
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17 hours ago
Immigration
News

Trump Migration Crackdown Slashes Migrants Crossing Darien Gap to Near Zero.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Panama’s Darien Gap, a dangerous but once-busy route for migrants heading to the U.S., is now nearly deserted due to President Donald J. Trump’s immigration crackdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, and U.S. border officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: June 2025, Darien Gap, Panama.

💬KEY QUOTE: “In Panama’s Darien Gap, migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border—only 10 migrants crossed in June,” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

🎯IMPACT: Migrant crossings in the Darien Gap have dropped to nearly zero, reflecting the effectiveness of the Trump administration’s border policies.

IN FULL

Once a major corridor for U.S.-bound migration, Panama’s treacherous Darién Gap has seen a dramatic decline in crossings. According to Panama’s migration authorities, only 10 individuals crossed the dense jungle in June 2025, marking a near-total collapse in traffic along what became a heavily used migrant route under former President Joe Biden.

The sudden drop follows the return of President Donald J. Trump’s hardline immigration policies, which include greatly strengthened border enforcement and efforts to orchestrate mass deportations. These measures stand in sharp contrast to conditions under the former Biden regime, when crossings through the region, once deemed impassable, surged.

In February 2024 alone, 37,166 migrants passed through the Darién Gap, and in 2022, the weekly average reached approximately 16,400. In 2023, over 530,000 migrants traversed the route, usually aided by organized smuggling networks.

Highlighting the change, U.S. Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin noted, “In Panama’s Darien Gap, migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border—only 10 migrants crossed in June. The world is hearing our message that America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers.”

This view is supported by figures from the U.S. southern border, where apprehensions of illegal migrants have sharply declined. Border Patrol agents reported only about 6,000 arrests in June, none of whom were released into the country. This is a steep drop compared to previous years: 83,000 in June 2024, 99,000 in June 2023, and 192,000 in June 2022, per U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

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By Popular Demand.
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17 hours ago
Immigration
News

NYC’s Mamdani Bragged About Channeling Public Funds to Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A resurfaced interview revealed the Democrats’ candidate for New York City mayor, Uganda-born Zohran Mamdani, touting taxpayer-funded unemployment benefits for illegal immigrants as one of his “greatest victories.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, New Yorkers, and illegal immigrants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The comments were made in a June 2021 interview with SAAG Interactive in Mamdani’s capacity as an assemblyman.

💬KEY QUOTE: “What this fund would do is provide some modicum of relief [to illegals]. And this fund was won in many ways because of the pressure brought by [illegals] that the state doesn’t even recognize, the state does not even see,” Mamdani said.

🎯IMPACT: Mamdani’s pro-illegal immigrant stance has drawn criticism from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and highlights his broader platform of supporting illegal immigrants, including expanding sanctuary city policies.

IN FULL

Democratic candidate for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani described securing taxpayer funding for unemployment benefits for illegal immigrants as one of his “greatest victories” during a 2021 interview with SAAG Interactive. The fund, known as the Excluded Workers Fund, was created for illegal alien workers who were ineligible for federal and state unemployment benefits.

“When I think of the greatest victories in Albany this year, I think the excluded workers fund,” the Uganda-born assemblyman said. He continued, “And what this fund would do is provide some modicum of relief. And this fund was won in many ways because of the pressure brought by those that the state doesn’t even recognize, the state does not even see.”

“Without the pressure from those individuals, members of the state would never have taken this action because nothing happens because of benevolence, it happens because of pressure,” he added.

Mamdani’s campaign website outlines his commitment to expanding protections for illegal immigrants in New York City. The avowed socialist and Muslim extremist‘s platform includes measures to strengthen the city’s sanctuary policies, eliminate cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and increase legal support for undocumented residents.

Meanwhile, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has criticized Mamdani for his silence following the recent shooting of a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer in New York City. “His silence in the face of this brutal attack speaks volumes about where his priorities lie, and it’s not with public safety and the American people,” Lyons said of Mamdani, who only became a U.S. citizen in 2018.

Mamdani has also faced scrutiny for his support of the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, which he discussed in the same 2021 interview. Other past comments include anti-NYPD posts accusing police of controlling minorities and the poor, and calls for the defunding of the NYPD and the abolition of prisons.

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18 hours ago
Corruption
World

Ukrainian Lawmakers Brawl in Parliament as Zelensky Reverses Crackdown on Anti-Corruption Agencies.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ukrainian lawmakers passed a bill reinstating the independence of anti-corruption agencies after protests. Two politicians fought in the chamber during the session.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, European Union (EU) officials, and members of Ukraine’s parliament.

📍WHEN & WHERE: July 31, 2025, during a parliamentary session in Kiev, Ukraine.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This guarantees the normal, independent work of anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement agencies in our country. It is the right decision.” – Volodymyr Zelensky

🎯IMPACT: The decision restores Ukraine’s anti-corruption safeguards, addresses public outcry, and aligns with EU governance rules.

IN FULL

Ukraine’s parliament voted on July 31 to reestablish the autonomy of its two key anti-corruption bodies, responding to widespread domestic and international criticism over a recent law placing them under the government’s control. The measure passed unanimously, with 331 lawmakers voting in favor, marking a significant political reversal for President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The parliamentary session was notable for being the first to be broadcast live since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and it reflected the gravity of the situation. Tensions ran high inside the chamber, culminating in a punch-up between two politicians. The cause of the scuffle remains uncertain.

President Zelensky addressed the nation following the vote, acknowledging the strong reaction, including protests in several cities, that the prior law had triggered. “It is very important that the state listens to public opinion,” he said. He emphasized that the new law secures the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), which was gutted by previous legislation.

The controversy began when Zelensky signed a law that transferred oversight of the anti-corruption bodies to the office of the prosecutor general, who is under Zelensky’s control. Critics, including European Union (EU) officials and human rights groups, saw this as a significant rollback of anti-corruption reforms. The backlash was swift: thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in Kiev, protesting despite ongoing martial law, and efforts by Zelensky to claim the anti-corruption bodies had been infiltrated by Russia.

The independence of NABU and SAPO has long been regarded as critical to Ukraine’s aspirations for European Union membership and continued access to Western financial support. Both agencies have played pivotal roles in investigating high-level corruption, including cases involving senior government officials.

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18 hours ago
Economy

Bud Light Parent Company’s Shares Plunge Again.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Shares of AB InBev dropped as much as 11 percent after reporting a larger-than-expected decline in second-quarter volumes, despite increases in revenue and profits.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer, and its CEO, Michel Doukeris.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The stock drop occurred on Thursday, with shares last seen down 9.1 percent by 10:27 AM. London time. The performance reflects global markets, including China, Brazil, and the U.S.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The results pointed to the resilience of the beer category and the continued momentum of the company’s megabrands.” – Michel Doukeris

🎯IMPACT: The decline in volumes, particularly in China and Brazil, overshadowed profit growth and raised concerns about the company’s performance in key markets.

IN FULL

Shares of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer, dropped as much as 11 percent on Thursday after the company reported a steeper-than-expected 1.9 percent decline in second-quarter volumes. Analysts had predicted a smaller 0.3 percent dip. Despite this, quarterly revenues rose three percent on an organic basis to $15 billion, and operating profit jumped 6.5 percent year-on-year, exceeding expectations. However, the American-Belgian multinational could face tariff impacts due to its European footprint and partial Brazilian ownership.

The decline in volumes was primarily driven by underperformance in China, where volumes fell 7.4 percent, and Brazil, which saw a 6.5 percent drop due to adverse weather and high comparisons. AB InBev noted it was “underperforming the industry” in China, a critical market. Shares later pared losses but remained down 9.1 percent by mid-morning in London.

CEO Michel Doukeris emphasized the resilience of the beer market and the strength of AB InBev’s “megabrands,” which include Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Corona. Analysts, however, expressed concerns over the significant volume declines in China and Brazil, as well as weaker-than-expected performance in other regions such as the Middle Americas and EMEA.

The beer industry is also grappling with broader challenges, including 50 percent tariffs on aluminum, which are expected to increase the cost of beer cans produced in the U.S. AB InBev previously stated that 98 percent of its cans are manufactured domestically. Meanwhile, wine and spirits producers are lobbying for tariff relief under ongoing EU-U.S. trade negotiations.

AB InBev previously saw significant losses for almost a year after a Bud Light marketing campaign featuring the transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney sparked a boycott in April 2023.

Image by Like_the_Grand_Canyon.

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By Popular Demand.
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