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December 9, 2024
Wake Up Right
News

Assad’s Syria Is Over. Here’s What We Know.

Syria’s 50-year Assad dynasty fell this weekend as rebels captured the capitol city of Damascus as President Bashar al-Assad fled the country.

The details: In less than two weeks, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) captured key cities, Aleppo, Hama, and Hams, before eventually arriving at Damascus, where they faced no resistance from Assad’s forces.

  • Video posted on social media shows the rebels celebrating inside Assad’s former palace and emptying prisons.

Where were their allies? Assad’s two long-time allies, Russia and Iran, were unable [or unwilling] to help — as both are currently bogged down in their own conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, respectively.

Where is Assad? The Kremlin revealed that Assad, known for using chemical weapons on his own people, has fled to Russia and was granted political asylum along with his family.

Let’s talk about the rebels: HTS evolved from an offshoot of al-Qaeda in Syria. It’s led by Abu Mohammad al-Jawlani, who brands himself as a moderate freedom-fighter, despite formerly working under terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The U.S. considers HTS a terrorist organization and has a $10 million bounty on Jawlani’s head.

  • The flipside: Jawlani issued an edict to his Sunni Muslim rebels, ordering the protection of Christians and Shiite Muslims in Syria, saying: “In the future Syria, we believe that diversity is our strength, not a weakness.” Pardon me for being suspicious of anyone who repeats the leftist mantra ‘diversity is our strength.’

Note: I’ve seen Jawlani’s name spelled three different ways in mainstream media. I’ve decided to use the WSJ’s spelling.

US and Israel strike: Following the fall of the Assad regime, the U.S. struck dozens of ISIS camps and operatives to prevent the terrorist group from seizing power. Israel conducted airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons plants in Syria.

Trump weighs in: President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the events, writing on Truth Social:

  • “In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”

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

Image by Watchsmart.

By Popular Demand.
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32 minutes ago
Immigration

Some Foreign Students See Legal Status Restored as ICE Plans New Visa Termination Policies.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Trump administration has decided to reinstate the legal status of foreign students whose student visas were recently terminated. This comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to develop a new policy for handling visa termination.

👥 Who’s Involved: The decision involves the Trump administration, ICE, foreign students, the Justice Department (DOJ), and a number of American universities across the country.

📍 Where & When: Affected students across the U.S. began seeing their statuses restored as of Thursday afternoon. The announcement was made during a hearing in the Northern District of California.

💬 Key Quote: DOJ attorney Elizabeth D. Kurlan stated, “ICE still maintains the authority to terminate a SEVIS record for other reasons.”

⚠️ Impact: The reinstatement affects many foreign students, allowing some to regain their status, though their visas remain revoked, causing uncertainty. The termination still appears on records, potentially affecting future visas or green card applications.

IN FULL:

The Trump administration announced on Friday that it would restore the legal status of a number of foreign students whose records were previously terminated. Department of Justice (DOJ) attorney Elizabeth D. Kurlan announced the move during a federal court hearing in the Northern District of California. The DOJ attorney elaborated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) now plans to introduce a new policy to govern the termination of status records.

This development follows the Trump administration’s previous action of revoking visas and legal statuses of many foreign students, particularly those who participated in pro-Hamas demonstrations or had prior charges such as DUIs. While affected students may see their records reactivated, their visa revocation still appears on their record, and ICE notes it still retains the authority to terminate Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records.

“ICE still maintains the authority to terminate a SEVIS record for other reasons,” Kurlan said, adding that the reasons include situations “…such as if a student fails to maintain his or her nonimmigrant status after the record is reactivated, or engages in other unlawful activity that would render him or her removable from the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

A number of foreign students impacted by the revocations saw their statuses updated on Thursday afternoon, almost 24 hours before the DOJ announcement in federal court. However, not all foreign students were reinstated. The University of California, Berkeley, says about half of its affected students have regained their status. Other academic institutions have seen similar mixed updates.

Additionally, the prior terminations still appear on student records, which could negatively impact future immigration processes such as green card applications or requests for other visa statuses.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
Politics

DeSantis Blasts FL House GOP Leaders for Being ‘At War’ With Their Voters.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Tensions have escalated among Florida Republicans, with Governor Ron DeSantis criticizing state House leadership for defying voter expectations and Speaker Daniel Perez countering with claims of mismanagement.

👥 Who’s Involved: Key figures include Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez.

📍 Where & When: The dispute is ongoing in Florida and has recently been highlighted in statements and social media posts, with the crisis escalating in late April.

💬 Key Quote: DeSantis stated, “…the FL House leadership is at war with the voters who provided the supermajority…” Perez countered that DeSantis “has become the swamp.”

⚠️ Impact: This internal conflict may impact Florida’s political dynamics as Republicans hold significant legislative power in the state.

IN FULL:

Tensions between Republicans in the Florida state legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) continue to rise, with the latter now publicly chastising the Republican House leadership. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gov. DeSantis asserted that Republican legislative leaders in the state are moving in opposition to the wishes of voters that granted them a supermajority in the Florida House and Senate.

Earlier this week, DeSantis wrote, “…the FL House leadership is at war with the voters who provided the supermajority in the first place.” Additionally, the Republican governor blasted legislative leaders for adopting a “swamp-centric agenda.” However, House Speaker Daniel Perez (R) contends it is DeSantis who has “become the swamp.”

The National Pulse reported in early April that Gov. DeSantis had blasted Florida Republican legislators for pushing a radical green agenda through the state’s legislature instead of taking up his plan to eliminate Florida’s sales tax. Lawmakers in the Republican legislative supermajority joined with Democrats to push forward a plan creating a far-left state task force charged with developing a framework to implement a carbon sequestration program in the state.

Florida’s term-limit laws have left DeSantis a lame-duck governor, which has emboldened ‘Republican In Name Only’ (RINO) legislators. However, the House Speaker contends that legislative moderates are not the problem, instead pointing the finger at DeSantis himself.

“Unfortunately, what we’ve seen in Florida is a Governor who’s turned into exactly what he promised to fight—he’s become the swamp,” Perez said, adding: “His latest attacks are nothing more than a distraction from the gross financial mismanagement happening under his watch. We’re talking about thousands of missing state vehicles, $160 million unaccounted for at AHCA, and a growing list of problems across agencies and boards—all controlled by the Governor.”

The Florida Republican quasi-civil war could jeopardize DeSantis’s tax reform efforts and stoke voter anger, placing the Republican legislative supermajority at risk.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
NatSec
Science

Seismologists Suggest Earthquakes May Mask Secret Nuclear Tests.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A study suggests that seismic signals from earthquakes can obscure the detection of clandestine underground nuclear tests.

👥 Who’s Involved: The review was conducted by Joshua Carmichael and his team at Los Alamos National Laboratory, with the findings published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

📍 Where & When: The study draws on data from the Nevada National Security Site, highlighting global implications. It has been published in a recent edition of the journal.

💬 Key Quote: “Background seismicity in regions where there’s any sort of seismicity at all is going to measurably and substantially reduce the probability that we can detect signals from an underground explosion at a test site,” said Joshua Carmichael.

⚠️ Impact: The study raises concerns for international monitoring of nuclear tests, potentially affecting compliance verification of treaties such as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

IN FULL:

New research suggests that seismic signals from natural earthquakes may obscure the detection of underground nuclear tests, raising concerns for international monitoring efforts. Scientist Joshua Carmichael and colleagues from Los Alamos National Laboratory, in a review of data published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, found a significant decrease in the accuracy of detection of nuclear tests occurring during or just after a seismic event and even at substantial distances from one another. 

The study evaluated advanced signal detectors capable of identifying explosions with high accuracy. It found a significant reduction in this success rate when explosion signals overlapped with earthquake waveforms occurring within a 100-second timeframe and within a 250-kilometer (or roughly 150-mile) radius. The Los Alamos National Laboratory review referred to how these overlapping waveforms “obfuscate the ability of even the most sensitive digital signal detectors” to identify explosions, potentially impacting global treaty compliance monitoring.

“Background seismicity in regions where there’s any sort of seismicity at all is going to measurably and substantially reduce the probability that we can detect signals from an underground explosion at a test site,” Carmichael, a Geophysical Explosion Monitoring (GEM) team member at the laboratory, said.

This investigation counters earlier findings from a 2012 report that downplayed the potential for earthquake signals to mask explosions. The national security implications are serious, particularly for monitoring adherence to the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty that prohibits all explosive nuclear testing for all military and civilian purposes.

The review also indicates that regional seismic activity, particularly in areas like North Korea, could complicate detection efforts. North Korea’s nuclear testing activities over the past two decades, noted to be “off the charts,” highlight the urgency of accurate detection mechanisms. An increase in low-magnitude seismicity around test sites further complicates monitoring, with potential detection rates plummeting from 92 percent to 16 percent in cases of repetitive seismic events.

The research proposes that the industry may be undercounting natural seismic occurrences embedded in earthquake swarms and aftershock sequences, complicating the monitoring of both natural and anthropogenic seismic events.

Image by Phil LaCombe.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Obama-Backed U.S. Factory Caught Using Illegal Chinese Labor.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A Chinese-owned factory complex in Ohio is under investigation for illegally importing workers from China. Federal authorities have seized $126 million in assets related to this case, which involves allegations of illegal staffing and money laundering.

👥 Who’s Involved: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio is leading the investigation. Fuyao Glass America, a company featured in a documentary, is among the entities involved. Approximately 40 entities allegedly facilitated the illegal employment.

📍 Where & When: The factories are located in the Dayton area of Ohio. The investigation began in December 2019 after law enforcement learned about the alleged activities. The asset seizures related to the money laundering investigation were announced in April 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “We will continue to investigate allegations of unfair labor practices,” said Jared Murphey, ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge.

⚠️ Impact: The investigation has uncovered a network of entities allegedly employing individuals who entered the U.S. illegally. The focus is on accountability for employers and the workforce, and comes amidst heightened economic tensions between the United States and China over the latter’s unfair trade practices aimed at harming American domestic industries.

IN FULL:

Federal authorities have seized $126 million in assets amid an investigation into a Chinese-owned factory complex in Ohio accused of importing workers from China illegally. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio is scrutinizing allegations that workers were smuggled into the country through Mexico to work at factories in the Dayton area.

The investigation indicates that the affected workers, primarily of Chinese and Hispanic origin, were housed in accommodation owned by their employers and transported to work by them. According to authorities, roughly 40 entities were established to facilitate the employment of these individuals who entered and stayed in the United States unlawfully or worked without necessary permits.

Fuyao Glass America—a prominent Chinese manufacturer named in the case—emerged in the spotlight due to its feature in the 2019 Netflix documentary American Factory, acquired by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground Productions. The company, owned by Chinese industrialist Cao Dewang, employs a significant workforce on American soil, including a portion comprising Chinese immigrants.

The probe initially began in December 2019 upon the discovery of a collaboration among multiple business owners from China who moved to Ohio. They formed numerous entities to support the employment network suspected of harboring illegal workers and engaging in money laundering. The asset seizures were announced this month in relation to the money laundering investigation.

Despite being raided, Fuyao Glass America has maintained its stance as a victim, claiming cooperation with the investigation as it unfolds. In response to the allegations, Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge for ICE HSI Detroit, emphasized ongoing efforts to prevent illegal employment and workforce manipulation. “We will continue to investigate allegations of unfair labor practices,” said Murphey.

Notably, former President Joe Biden’s nomination of Nelson Cunningham as a deputy in the Office of the United States Trade Representative was derailed by a bipartisan group of senators over his lobbying work for Fuyao Glass America. Subsequently, Biden appointed Cunningham to an advisory role with the U.S. State Department.

Image by Peter Souza.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
William Upton
Economy
NatSec

President Trump Moves to Expand Offshore Mining, Boosts Access to Critical Minerals.

PULSE POINTS:

❓ What Happened: President Donald J. Trump is directing his administration to work to advance U.S. leadership in extracting seabed mineral resources and related technologies. The Executive Order aims to increase American access to critical rare earth minerals.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and other relevant government officials and agencies.

📍 Where & When: The order was issued from the White House on the evening of April 24, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control,” the Executive Order states.

⚠️ Impact: The order aims to expedite the U.S.’s development and processing of seabed minerals, with consequences for national security, economic strength, and dependence on foreign mineral supplies.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order on Wednesday that prioritizes strengthening the U.S. position in global seabed mineral exploration and technology. This move is part of a broader agenda being pushed by the Trump administration to ensure American access to critical rare earth minerals while circumventing current supply chains that are overly reliant on resources extracted from China.

“The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control,” Trump states in the directive, adding: “Vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources. These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future, and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals.”

The executive order mandates rapid development of domestic technology for seabed mineral extraction, focusing on essential resources for defense, infrastructure, and energy sectors. This initiative aims to reduce America’s reliance on foreign mineral supplies, particularly in light of growing geopolitical tensions and economic competition.

President Trump is tasking key governmental agencies and leaders, including the Secretaries of Commerce, State, Interior, and Energy, with expediting the processes related to exploration permits and data collection concerning seabed minerals. This collaboration is designed to ensure efficiency while maintaining compliance with environmental and transparency standards.

While the Executive Order’s primary focus is on American domestic rare earth mineral access, the directive includes some provisions emphasizing the need for strategic engagement with international partners. The Trump White House contends that the U.S. can counter China’s expanding influence in this sector by fostering alliances and offering support for seabed exploration. The order also envisions creating a robust domestic supply chain for minerals crucial to industrial development and military readiness.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Breaking

BREAKING: George Santos Gets Seven Years in Prison, Wants Solitary Confinement.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Former New York Congressman George Santos has been sentenced to seven years in prison; he has expressed a preference for solitary confinement during his term.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert, George Santos, former New York congressman, and Matt Gaetz, former Florida congressman.

📍 Where & When: Santos was sentenced at federal court in New York on April 25; Santos’s comments on solitary confinement were made on The Matt Gaetz Show prior to his sentencing.

💬 Key Quote: “From his creation of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of money from elderly and impaired donors, Santos’s unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the very system by which we select our representatives,” said prosecutors in a memorandum.

⚠️ Impact: Santos is requesting solitary confinement to avoid risks associated with incarceration in the general population, due to past comments on Latin American gangs.

IN FULL:

Former U.S. Representative George Santos has been sentenced to seven years in prison by U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert after his conviction for two counts of felony fraud. “From his creation of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of money from elderly and impaired donors, Santos’s unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the very system by which we select our representatives,” said prosecutors in a memorandum requesting an 87-month sentence. Santos’s attorneys had requested just two years, citing his lack of prior criminal convictions.

Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023, after the House Ethics Committee said he had been conning donors—some described as “elderly persons suffering from some degree of cognitive impairment or decline” by prosecutors—in order to fund a luxury lifestyle, and misrepresenting his biography.

Ahead of his sentencing, Santos said he would be requesting solitary confinement, citing concerns for his safety. Speaking on The Matt Gaetz Show aired on One America News Network, Santos highlighted his work addressing criminal gangs during his congressional tenure, suggesting this made him a target. He pointed to specific threats from gangs like MS-13 and other groups he publicly criticized while in office.

While a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the specifics of Santos’s case, they outlined general considerations influencing inmate housing decisions. These include factors like security level, medical needs, and risk of harm, which are assessed for appropriate actions, such as protective custody.

On the possibility of requesting a pardon from President Trump, Santos has previously said, “You bet your sweet ass I would.”

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Economy
World

China, Feeling the Pressure, Considers Tariff Cuts on Select U.S. Goods.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Chinese government is contemplating removing certain essential items from its retaliatory 125 percent tariffs on American products.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Chinese government’s commerce ministry officials and Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

📍 Where & When: The development was discussed in Beijing on Friday, April 25.

💬 Key Quote: “There are some companies who have said that if a long-term tariff war continued, their business model would not work in China and we would see them exit,” Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, stated.

⚠️ Impact: Trade tensions between China and the United States could potentially ease, leading to positive market reactions in Asia and Europe.

IN FULL:

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is re-evaluating its tariffs on American goods, with plans to possibly exempt certain critical imports. Concerns over supply chain interruptions caused by the increasing trade barriers between China and the U.S. appear to be the impetus for the CCP’s tariff walkback. Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, revealed the move during a speech at an event in Beijing on Friday, suggesting that the Chinese commerce ministry was communicating with the country’s manufacturers to determine what U.S. imports are indispensable and at risk from the tariff barriers.

“There are some companies who have said that if a long-term tariff war continued, their business model would not work in China and we would see them exit,” Hart said on Friday, adding: “We shared that with the Chinese government because they are of course trying to foster foreign direct investment.”

Earlier this month, Beijing announced it would cease accepting delivery of American-made Boeing airplanes and parts. While the move was ostensibly directed at harming the U.S.-based aerospace giant and American manufacturing, the move—backed by Chinese President Xi Jinping—will likely cause significant disruption to China’s domestic aviation industry and increase safety concerns as airlines are forced to turn to refurbished and aftermarket parts.

Among the critical sectors in China that could see tariff relief or outright exemptions are lifesaving pharmaceuticals and healthcare equipment. The Chinese healthcare system is already experiencing strain under the country’s 1.4 billion people, and a lack of access to critical medical devices and drugs could exacerbate problems.

The strategic reassessment arises in the context of heightened trade tensions, marked by the U.S.’s recent tariff increase on over half of China’s exports to the U.S., now at 145 percent. This ongoing trade spat presents substantial challenges to China’s surplus-style economy that crucially depends on export performance.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
William Upton
Breaking
Crime

BREAKING: Kash Patel Says FBI Has Arrested Judge Who Attempted to Conceal Illegal Immigrant in Her Courthouse.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A Milwaukee County circuit judge has been arrested on charges of obstruction after she allegedly attempted to conceal an illegal immigrant in her courthouse

👥 Who’s Involved: Judge Hannah Dugan, illegal immigrant Eduardo Flores Ruiz, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel.

📍 Where & When: The arrest was announced on Friday, April 25.

💬 Key Quote: “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject—an illegal alien—to evade arrest,” Patel said.

⚠️ Impact: The judge is the second state or local official to be arrested over the last 24 hours over allegations of aiding and abetting an illegal immigrant. A former New Mexico judge and his wife were arrested Thursday evening on allegations of tampering stemming from their harboring of a Venezuelan illegal immigrant member of the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang.

IN FULL:

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents have arrested a Milwaukee County circuit judge on charges of obstruction after she allegedly attempted to conceal an illegal immigrant in her courthouse, going so far as to misdirect agents as to the individual’s location. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested in Milwaukee, with the illegal immigrant, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, also successfully being taken into custody.

“The FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction—after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week,” Patel announced on Friday. “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject—an illegal alien—to evade arrest.”

Patel added: “Thankfully, our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”

Judge Dugan’s arrest is the second instance of a state or local judge being arrested for aiding and abetting an illegal immigrant in the past 24 hours. The National Pulse previously reported that former Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his spouse, Nancy Cano, were taken into custody late Thursday in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and face charges related to allegations that the couple harbored illegal immigrant members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang.

Notably, a number of federal judges have used temporary restraining orders (TROs) and other legal tools to block the Trump administration’s efforts to deport violent illegal immigrant criminals to El Salvador, where they are being held in the country’s CECOT prison facility.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Illegal Immigrant Released by Biden Charged with Rape of Boy.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A Mexican migrant is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy during a game of hide-and-seek.

👥 Who’s Involved: Samuel Cobos-Carmona, the alleged perpetrator; a 13-year-old Florida boy and his eight-year-old brother; Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

📍 Where & When: Alleged incident occurred in Florida behind the victim’s home on April 13, reported one week later.

💬 Key Quote: “We’re going to work very hard with the State Attorney’s Office and our federal partners to make sure this individual does not see the light of day again.” — Sheriff Bill Prummell.

⚠️ Impact: Cobos-Carmona faces charges of lewd and lascivious battery; broader conversations about immigration policy and law enforcement partnerships are likely.

IN FULL:

Charlotte County, Florida, faces a grave criminal case involving an alleged sexual assault on a minor. Samuel Cobos-Carmona, a 20-year-old Mexican migrant, is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy during a game of hide-and-seek behind the victim’s home. The attack reportedly occurred on April 13 but was not immediately disclosed due to the victim’s fear.

According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Cobos-Carmona confessed to the assault after he formed a short-lived friendship with the victim and his younger sibling, aged eight. Sheriff’s deputies arrested Cobos-Carmona on Monday, charging him with lewd and lascivious battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 16.

Sheriff Bill Prummell pledged cooperation with federal and state authorities to ensure the accused remains incarcerated. Prummell remarked, “We’re going to work very hard with the State Attorney’s Office and our federal partners to make sure this individual does not see the light of day again.” The sheriff further emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts with federal agencies to deport individuals like Cobos-Carmona.

Cobos-Carmona’s history in the United States is marked by a previous illegal entry in 2021, leading to deportation back to Mexico. However, he re-entered the U.S. the following year and avoided capture by Texas authorities before relocating to Florida. He was eventually detected, but Sheriff Prummell noted that he was released in 2024 thanks to the Biden-Harris government’s catch-and-release policies.

The case underscores issues surrounding immigration enforcement and public safety, prompting debates about federal policies and the responsibilities of agencies working at the state and local levels. Sheriff Prummell said officials helping to shelter migrants like Cobos-Carmona by implementing sanctuary policies should be “ashamed of themselves.”

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Economy
News

Trump Touts 200 Upcoming Trade Deals, Says Xi Has Called.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump said in an interview that he is finalizing 200 tariff-related deals, projecting completion of negotiations in three to four weeks, and that Chinese dictator Xi Jinping has called.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, President Xi Jinping, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.

📍 Where & When: The information was shared in a TIME magazine interview on April 24, 2025, during a meeting at the White House.

💬 Key Quote: “Over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished,” Trump said of the expected trade deals. “We’ll be finished.”

⚠️ Impact: The deals could substantially reduce foreign and domestic tariffs on terms more favorable to the U.S.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump has told TIME magazine that he is completing 200 trade deals regarding tariffs, and foresees concluding negotiations within the next three to four weeks. During the interview, he was asked about Peter Navarro’s prediction of 90 tariff agreements in 90 days. Trump indicated that he has surpassed expectations, stating emphatically that 200 deals have been made.

Trump did not provide details regarding the specific countries involved or the terms of these agreements. He explained that he has engaged with various foreign representatives over recent weeks on tariffs and economic issues. “I would say, over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished,” he said of the deals.

Regarding China, which currently faces the highest tariff rates imposed by the administration, Trump disclosed that President Xi Jinping has contacted him directly. He said he would not reach out to the Chinese dictator first, but said it was not “a sign of weakness” that Xi had called him. Instead, Trump insisted it was a sign of magnanimity.

Nevertheless, these remarks face dissent from Chinese officials. Before the publication of the TIME interview, Guo Jiakun from the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed the U.S. depiction of active talks is “fake news.” On Friday, Jiakun again claimed that no tariff negotiations had occurred between China and the United States.

President Trump believes that the U.S. holds a decisive upper hand over China, a surplus economy, in any trade war, with the American market being much more important to Chinese exporters than the Chinese market is to American exporters.

“I am this giant store. It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay,” he explained to TIME.

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