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Monday, August 11, 2025

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2 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Life for Rape, Murder of Rachel Morin.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Illegal migrant Victor Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of Rachel Morin.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Victor Martinez-Hernandez, Rachel Morin, Harford County State Attorney Alison Healey, and Rachel Morin’s family members.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crime occurred in August 2023 on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Sentencing took place on August 11, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “You are not a candidate for rehabilitation. There is simply no hope to rehabilitate you.” – Judge during sentencing.

🎯IMPACT: The case underscores the impact of illegal immigration and poor border security on public safety.

IN FULL

Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five. The crime occurred in August 2023 on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Martinez-Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, and kidnapping earlier this year.

During the sentencing hearing, Harford County State Attorney Alison Healey described Martinez-Hernandez as “completely and entirely unamenable to treatment or rehabilitation” while seeking the maximum sentence. The judge concurred, stating, “You are not a candidate for rehabilitation. There is simply no hope to rehabilitate you. You took a life that was not yours to take.”

Rachel Morin’s body was discovered in a tunnel drain along the hiking trail, with an autopsy revealing she died from strangulation and blunt-force trauma. Police reported that Martinez-Hernandez had been living illegally in the United States since February 2023, just months before the attack. He had also been linked to a previous murder in El Salvador through an INTERPOL warrant.

The case has sparked renewed criticism of U.S. immigration policies under former President Joe Biden. Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler stated, “The failure here, again, is the immigration system that allowed this person to enter our country illegally and remain in our country and commit crimes.”

Rachel’s mother, Patty Morin, has met with President Donald J. Trump and testified before Congress, emphasizing that her daughter’s death could have been prevented with proper border protocols and a simple DNA swab.

President Trump also weighed in during the murder trial, calling Martinez-Hernandez “an MS-13 Gang Member and Foreign Terrorist from El Salvador” and criticizing the former Biden-Harris government’s immigration policies. Trump pledged, “We will never forget Rachel Morin and are committed to protecting women like her across our Country.”

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5 minutes ago
Crime
Politics

House Democrat Promises to Block Trump’s War on D.C. Crime.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin plans to introduce a resolution to terminate President Donald J. Trump’s emergency powers over the Washington, D.C., police force.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), President Trump, House Democrats, D.C. Police Union, and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The resolution is expected to be introduced as early as Wednesday, with the House resuming legislative work in September.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is Liberation Day in D.C. and we’re gonna take our capital back,” President Trump stated during a White House briefing.

🎯IMPACT: The resolution faces near-certain failure in the Republican-controlled House but could create political challenges for moderate Democrats.

IN FULL

Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) is preparing to introduce a resolution to terminate President Donald J. Trump’s emergency powers over the Washington, D.C., police force. The powers invoked Monday morning, granted under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, allow the President to assume control of the district’s law enforcement during emergencies.

Raskin, a vocal critic of Trump, told the media, “Of course, the President has a major political bone to pick with the people of Washington, D.C., who have voted 10-to-1 against him at every opportunity. So this is one more chance to exact revenge.”

President Trump invoked the Home Rule Act on Monday, citing “special conditions of an emergency nature.” The act permits federal control of D.C. police for 48 hours, extendable to 30 days with congressional notification. White House staff secretary Will Scharf confirmed that required notifications have been sent to relevant congressional committees.

Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), criticized the move. Jeffries claimed, “Violent crime in Washington, D.C. is at a 30-year low. Donald Trump has no basis to take over the local police department, and zero credibility on the issue of law and order.”

Meanwhile, D.C. Police Union President Gregg Pemberton supported Trump’s decision, stating, “Crime is out of control, and our officers are stretched beyond their limits.” Notably, a police commander in D.C. is currently under investigation for doctoring crime data to fake reductions.

Raskin’s resolution is unlikely to pass in the Republican-majority House.

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45 minutes ago
News
War

Russia Breaks Through on Battlefield Ahead of Trump-Putin Alaska Summit.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Russian forces have achieved a significant breakthrough in eastern Ukraine, advancing past Ukrainian defensive lines near the frontline city of Pokrovsk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russian forces, Ukrainian forces, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump are set to meet in Alaska soon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The breakthrough occurred north of Pokrovsk, near Dobropillia, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

🎯IMPACT: The advance risks isolating Ukrainian forces and could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict and the upcoming Alaska summit.

IN FULL

Russian forces have achieved a significant breakthrough in eastern Ukraine, just days before a planned Alaskan summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump. The advance took place in a critical area along the front line, north of the embattled city of Pokrovsk.

According to reports, Russian direct reconnaissance groups (DRGs) penetrated Ukrainian defensive positions east of Dobropillia, a vital logistics hub supplying the Ukrainian front. Deepstate Maps, an online real-time battlefield map aligned with the Ukrainian government, and several independent war mappers have confirmed the offensive. Russian troops are believed to have advanced as far as eight miles, one of the largest single-day advances in recent years.

As of the time of publication, there is no confirmation as to whether Russian troops have severed the strategically vital highway between Dobropillia and the fortress city of Kramatorsk, a key supply route for the Ukrainian military. The situation on the ground could change, with the potential for a broader Russian push that could see Ukrainian forces trapped in an encirclement across much of the Donbass front.

Many war mappers believe that Pokvosk, a vital logistics hub for the entire Donetsk front, is either already encircled or close to becoming encircled, with few major arteries in and out of the city either not directly under Russian control or within range of Russian bombardment. Notably, the coking coal mine that fueled much of Ukraine’s steel industry is also located at Pokrovsk, so its loss would also deal a major long-term blow to the Ukrainian economy.

These developments come ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The two are expected to discuss possible ceasefire terms, including, according to President Trump, “some swapping, changes in land” between Ukraine and Russia.

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1 hour ago
Crime
News

Judge Blocks Release of Epstein Grand Jury Documents.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge denied a Department of Justice (DOJ) motion to unseal grand jury materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking cases.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and the DOJ.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued in federal court in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The materials do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor,” wrote Judge Engelmayer.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling maintains the confidentiality of grand jury materials while leaving questions about Epstein’s associates unanswered.

IN FULL

A federal judge has rejected a Department of Justice (DOJ) request to unseal grand jury materials in the sex trafficking cases involving deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his right-hand woman, Ghislaine Maxwell. The decision by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer found that the documents lacked significant undisclosed information about the crimes or the investigations.

Judge Engelmayer noted that the grand juries convened in these cases were not used for investigative purposes and did not hear testimony from victims, eyewitnesses, or suspects. Instead, their function was limited to returning indictments based on evidence presented by law enforcement witnesses over the course of a single day.

“The materials do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor,” Engelmayer wrote. He added that the evidence presented to the grand juries is already largely a matter of public record, with only minor exceptions. The judge also ruled against unsealing additional exhibits that federal prosecutors had hoped to release, citing the lack of new information they would provide.

Prosecutors had argued for unsealing the materials due to public interest and had sought time to notify individuals whose names might be revealed. However, Judge Engelmayer emphasized that the materials would not shed any new light on key questions, including the origins of Epstein’s wealth, the circumstances of his death, or the government’s investigations into his activities.

Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of aiding Epstein in trafficking underage girls, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. She is appealing her conviction and has recently expressed willingness to participate in interviews with Congress and the DOJ in exchange for a pardon.

Epstein died in a federal jail cell in 2019 in unusual circumstances, in what was officially ruled a suicide. However, this is contested by his brother and many members of the public.

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3 hours ago
1A
Religion

Supreme Court Petitioned to Revisit Gay Marriage Decision.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Kim Davis, a former Kentucky clerk, has filed a petition to the Supreme Court arguing that her First Amendment rights protect her from liability for denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kim Davis, her attorney Mathew Staver, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Davis’s petition was filed last month, with the case potentially being heard by the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If there ever was a case of exceptional importance… this should be it.” – Mathew Staver

🎯IMPACT: If accepted, this case could challenge the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

IN FULL

Kim Davis, the former Kentucky clerk who became widely known in 2015 for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses due to her religious beliefs, has taken her case to the Supreme Court. Filed last month, her petition argues that the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom should shield her from personal liability in denying the licenses.

Davis’s legal team, led by attorney Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, is also challenging the Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. In the petition, Staver described the ruling as “egregiously wrong” and referred to former Justice Anthony Kennedy‘s majority opinion as “legal fiction.”

“The mistake must be corrected,” Staver wrote, emphasizing the broad implications of the case. He continued, “If there ever was a case of exceptional importance, the first individual in the Republic’s history who was jailed for following her religious convictions regarding the historic definition of marriage, this should be it.”

“I’m hoping that we’ll obviously get justice in this case for Kim Davis, but that the religious accommodation that she obtained for all clerks in Kentucky is extended to everyone across the country, whether they’re a clerk or not,” Staver added.

Davis’s case not only seeks to clear her name but also aims to revisit and potentially overturn the landmark pro same-sex marriage ruling issued during the Obama-Biden administration. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, it would mark the first significant challenge to the Obergefell decision.

The outcome could have far-reaching consequences for both religious liberty and the legal definition of marriage in the United States. Observers are now waiting to see if the Supreme Court will take up the case.

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3 hours ago
Breaking

BREAKING: Trump Delays China Tariff Hike Amid Ongoing Trade Talks.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order delaying the reimposition of high U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods for 90 days.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, U.S. trade negotiators, and their Chinese counterparts.

📍WHEN & WHERE: August 11, 2025, in Washington D.C., following trade talks in Stockholm, Sweden, last month.

🎯IMPACT: The decision provides additional time for trade negotiations and avoids an immediate tariff hike.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has signed an Executive Order that halts the reimposition of high U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods for another 90 days. The move comes as part of ongoing trade negotiations between the two nations.

The Executive Order was signed just hours before a midnight deadline which would have seen the tariffs snap back into effect. The decision follows the latest round of talks between American and Chinese trade negotiators, held in Stockholm, Sweden, late last month.

A White House official stated that “the delay was the expected outcome from the latest round of talks,” signaling progress in discussions aimed at resolving trade tensions between the two countries.

The National Pulse reported in June that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had not lifted restrictions on rare earth minerals exports despite agreeing to do so in a tariff truce deal with President Trump. U.S. officials accused Beijing of violating a trade agreement reached in Geneva, Switzerland.

U.S. manufacturers have reported significant delays in securing rare earth shipments, with some suppliers demanding sensitive information, such as photos of end-user facilities, to complete applications.

This story is developing…

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News

Trump Considers Downgrading Marijuana on Federal Drug List.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that he is considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, White House officials, and industry groups.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday at a White House press conference.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over, I’d say, the next few weeks.” – Donald Trump.

🎯IMPACT: Reclassification could reduce criminal penalties, open research opportunities, and provide tax breaks for marijuana businesses.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump stated on Monday that his administration is considering reclassifying marijuana to a less dangerous legal schedule under federal law. Speaking during a White House press conference, Trump said, “We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over, I’d say, the next few weeks.”

“We’re looking at reclassification,” Trump stated, while cautioning that “it’s early” and the issue is “very complicated.” He expressed concerns about marijuana’s effects on children, but said he had been hearing “great things” about its medical applications.

The Biden government had started the process to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug in 2024, but did not finalize it. A Schedule III designation would reduce criminal penalties, encourage medical research, and allow pharmaceutical companies to participate in the legal marijuana market. It would also enable certain marijuana businesses to qualify for tax deductions.

Since 1971, marijuana has been federally classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside substances like heroin and LSD, which are considered to have a high potential for abuse. Schedule III drugs, on the other hand, include substances like ketamine, anabolic steroids, and Tylenol with codeine, which are deemed less dangerous under federal regulations.

Currently, businesses handling Schedule I or Schedule II substances are unable to claim ordinary business deductions or receive federal tax credits, a restriction that would be lifted for marijuana businesses under a Schedule III classification.

Several states have already legalized the selling of marijuana commercially, including California and New York. Canada legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2018, which led to an explosion of marijuana stores across the country. Use of the drug also increased, according to a 2023 report, which suggested that around 22 percent of the public aged over 15 used cannabis in the past year as of 2021.

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5 hours ago
News
TECH

AOL Finally Kills Off Its Dial-Up Internet Offering.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: AOL announced the discontinuation of its dial-up Internet service.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: AOL, now part of Yahoo, and its parent company, Apollo Global Management.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The service will end on September 30, 2023, as announced on AOL’s website.

💬KEY QUOTE: “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. This service will no longer be available in AOL plans,” the company stated.

🎯IMPACT: The move marks the end of an era for a service that was synonymous with early Internet usage in the 1990s.

IN FULL

One-time Internet giant AOL (formerly America Online) will shutter its dial-up Internet service at the end of next month. The company—now a property of Yahoo—whose CD trial discs, “You’ve got mail” greeting, and AOL web browser were ubiquitous for those who lived through the 1990s, made the announcement on its website, stating its dial-up offering will be discontinued on September 30.

“AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. This service will no longer be available in AOL plans,” the company said. With cable, fiber-optic, satellite, and wireless Internet technologies now dominating global markets, it is unsurprising that AOL’s dial-up service is shutting down.

Dial-up Internet utilizes a modem connected to a telephone line, and when connecting, generates a familiar—at least for those born before the late-1980s—series of chirps, beeps, and buzzes long associated with the World Wide Web. Along with its dial-up service, AOL says it will also be ending the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser.

Throughout the 1990s, AOL—then known as America Online—was notorious for its never-ending stream of free trial discs that arrived in American mailboxes. In 2006, the company rebranded as AOL, and in 2015, Verizon acquired it. Subsequently, Verizon sold AOL, along with Yahoo, to Apollo Global Management—a private equity firm—in 2021 for $5 billion.

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5 hours ago
Economy
World

Trump Strikes Deal With Nvidia, AMD: Share of China Chip Sales Will Go to U.S. Government.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nvidia and AMD agreed to pay 15 percent of their China chip sales revenues to the U.S. government in exchange for export licenses.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nvidia, AMD, the Trump administration, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The export licenses were granted last week, following negotiations earlier this year.

🎯IMPACT: This unprecedented revenue-sharing arrangement changes the nature of U.S. export policy but may have implications for national security.

IN FULL

Nvidia and AMD, major chipmakers, have reportedly agreed to allocate 15 percent of their China chip sale revenues to the U.S. government to secure export licenses from the Trump administration. The White House finalized an agreement with Nvidia and AMD, mandating a 15 percent revenue share from their chip sales in China to obtain export licenses for the Chinese market, issued last week.

Sources, including a U.S. official, indicate Nvidia will contribute 15 percent of its H20 chip sales revenue in China, and AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip sales. The administration’s use of these funds remains undecided.

This deal marks a first, as no U.S. company has previously agreed to share revenues for export licenses. It reflects President Trump’s approach of encouraging companies to invest domestically to boost U.S. jobs and revenue in exchange for tariff exemptions.

While in Beijing, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang lauded Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) advancements at the International Supply Chain Expo, specifically praising DeepSeek’s AI research, saying, “It is incredibly well written. It is absolutely A-plus quality science and A-plus quality engineering.”

DeepSeek’s creators are believed to have achieved the AI’s current performance by acquiring more American chips than they were supposed to and misrepresenting its technical specifications.

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6 hours ago
William Upton
Breaking

BREAKING: Mass Casualty Incident Declared After Explosion at U.S. Steel Coke Works.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An explosion at the U.S. Steel-owned Clairton Coke Works has led to a Level 3 Mass Casualty Incident (Level 3 MCI).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Clairton Coke Works, U.S. Steel, and Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday morning, August 11, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Just a report of an explosion! Asking for multiple ambulances! My prayers go out to anyone involved in this tragedy and their families and community.” — Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi

🎯IMPACT: Coking can be a dangerous industrial process as the gases created are highly volatile and combustible, meaning errant sparks or other ignition sources can result in significant and deadly explosions.

IN FULL

A Level 3 Mass Casualty Incident (Level 3 MCI) has been declared in Pennsylvania following an explosion at the U.S. Steel-owned Clairton Coke Works in the city of the same name on Monday morning. The Level 3 MCI designation signifies an event that overwhelms local resources, requiring additional resources from outside the immediate area or region. It typically involves 20 to 100 patients and may necessitate the activation of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

The Clairton Coke Works is a coking plant where coke—a coal-based fuel used in iron smelting and steel forges—and industrial gases are derived from coal. Coking can be a dangerous industrial process as the gases created are highly volatile and combustible, meaning errant sparks or other ignition sources can result in significant and deadly explosions.

According to company data, Clairton was able to produce 4.7 million tons of coke annually in its nine batteries and employs an estimated 1,200 people.

In a post on social media, Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi wrote, “Just a report of an explosion! Asking for multiple ambulances! My prayers go out to anyone involved in this tragedy and their families and community.”

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6 hours ago
Economy
News

Bitcoin Is On Another Run, And Here’s The Target People Are Hoping For…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Bitcoin bulls made another attempt to break a key resistance level, potentially setting the stage for a rally to $140,000.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bitcoin traders, crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, and market strategist Marc Chandler.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Early Asian trading hours, with market data expected Tuesday.

🎯IMPACT: A successful hold above the resistance level could push Bitcoin toward $140,000, while failure may lead to a deeper correction.

IN FULL

Bitcoin traders are once again testing a crucial resistance level tied to the 1.618 percent Fibonacci extension, derived from the bear market lows of 2018 and 2022. This is the second time in recent weeks that bulls have attempted to breach this technical barrier. The first attempt failed last month, triggering a drop in Bitcoin’s price below $112,000. Currently, Bitcoin is trading around $122,000, having reached an intraday high of $122,171 during early Asian trading hours.

The Fibonacci extension is a key level used in technical analysis to project potential price targets or profit-taking levels. This level is often associated with the “golden ratio” and is closely watched by market participants for potential trend shifts. In the numerical series, as you progress further into the sequence, the ratio between consecutive numbers approaches 1.618, also known as the golden ratio or phi.

Should Bitcoin successfully maintain levels above this resistance, it may set the stage for a rally toward $140,000. That level is psychologically significant and aligns with a popular strike price on the crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, where more than $3 billion in notional open interest is currently concentrated. However, failure to hold above the current resistance could suggest weakening bullish momentum and potentially lead to a deeper correction.

Upcoming U.S. inflation data, expected on Tuesday, could also impact market sentiment. Economists are forecasting a 0.3 percent increase in the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July, following a 0.2 percent rise in June. While an upside surprise could stir short-term volatility, analysts believe it’s unlikely to alter the Federal Reserve’s leaning toward a rate cut in September.

Additionally, the softer-than-expected July jobs report has already shifted expectations toward a potential Fed rate cut, an outcome that could support risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Most prediction markets are now projecting high odds of at least a 25-basis-point cut next month.

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