Thursday, October 16, 2025

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

NBC News Slashes DEI Teams.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: NBC News announced layoffs impacting seven percent of its workforce, particularly those specialized in reporting on ethnic minority and LGBT issues

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: NBC News, its parent company Comcast, and affected employees across various reporting teams.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The layoffs were reported recently, ahead of NBC’s planned split from MSNBC, which will be rebranded to “MSNOW.”

🎯IMPACT: Approximately 150 employees were laid off, with broader industry implications as other networks like CBS and CNN potentially face similar changes.

IN FULL

NBC News has laid off around 150 employees, roughly seven percent of its newsroom workforce, as part of a major restructuring plan that will separate the network from its cable affiliate MSNBC. The move comes ahead of MSNBC’s upcoming rebrand as “MSNOW.” The cuts impacted teams that specialized in reporting on minority and LGBT issues, including NBC BLK, NBC Asian America, NBC Latino, and NBC OUT. According to NBC, these verticals will continue to exist, but their coverage will be absorbed into the broader newsroom rather than being handled by dedicated teams.

The layoffs affect about 2,000 NBC News staffers and around two percent of the wider company workforce, which also includes employees at NBC and Telemundo’s local stations. The network has stated that more than 100 open positions remain available within the news division, and laid-off staff are encouraged to apply.

The reorganization is part of a broader corporate shift under NBC’s parent company, Comcast, which plans to group several networks, including CNBC and USA Network, under a new umbrella brand called Versant. Similar cost-cutting measures may soon be implemented at other major networks. Reports suggest CBS News and CNN could follow suit with staff reductions or pay cuts, including among high-profile anchors such as Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper, and Gayle King, who are known for commanding multimillion-dollar salaries.

These changes come amid a broader trend in corporate America and public institutions pulling back on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Earlier this year, Microsoft disbanded its DEI team, citing “changing business needs.” Internal communications from the company reportedly acknowledged that the kind of systemic change DEI programs aim to create is no longer viewed as a business priority. In a separate move, the University of Florida laid off all DEI personnel and shut down related offices in compliance with new laws banning the use of public funds for DEI efforts.

At the federal level, a rollback of DEI programs is being driven by the Trump administration. In early 2025, the Department of Education removed hundreds of DEI-related documents from its website, canceled over $2 million in DEI training contracts, and placed several related staff on administrative leave.

In March, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education itself, reducing its responsibilities, and initiating widespread layoffs.

Image by Tflynn17.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
More From The Pulse

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

The American ‘Swastika’ Flag in GOP Office Looks Like a Set-Up.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A junior staffer in the office of Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) displayed an American flag with a swastika embedded in it during a Zoom call. Emerging evidence suggests the staffer is the victim of an elaborate set-up.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH), his legislative correspondent, and Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI).

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 2025, during a Zoom call from Taylor’s Capitol Hill office.

💬KEY QUOTE: “No Hill staffer would knowingly put that up in their office,” a longtime Hill veteran said.

🎯IMPACT: An investigation has been opened by the Committee on House Administration and the U.S. Capitol Police.

IN FULL

Controversy surrounding Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) erupted when a leftist X (formerly Twitter) account, The Rooster, posted about a Zoom call showing that a staffer in Taylor’s office appeared to have an American flag with a swastika embedded in it. However, mounting evidence suggests the staffer was set up, with the incident prompting an investigation by the Committee on House Administration, led by Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI).

Sources indicate that the flag, which appeared to have a swastika incorporated into its red stripes, appears normal in person. The swastika is not visible to the naked eye and only appears in video and photographs as a kind of “optical illusion.”

An insider revealed that similar flags were distributed to various Congressional offices earlier in the year. The origins of these flags are currently unknown, but the distribution may have been part of a covert operation or a deliberate attempt to embarrass Republican lawmakers.

The investigation is ongoing, and the U.S. Capitol Police are also involved. The situation highlights how quickly accusations can spread on social media, often without thorough verification. A member of the House Admin Committee remarked, “This saga shows how legacy corporate media tries to blow up conservatives without asking any questions.”

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

CNN Launching ANOTHER Subscription Service Despite CNN+ Fiasco.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: CNN announced the launch of a new subscription service, “All Access,” set to begin on October 28 at $6.99 per month.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: CNN Worldwide Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson, alongside Alex MacCallum, EVP of digital products and services.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The service launches on October 28, offering access to live and on-demand content via CNN platforms.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s an essential step in CNN’s evolution as we work to give audiences the complete CNN experience in a format that reflects how audiences engage with the news today,” said Alex MacCallum.

🎯IMPACT: The move reflects CNN’s effort to squeeze profit out of a declining viewer base.

IN FULL

CNN has announced the launch of its new subscription service, “All Access,” which will begin on October 28 at a cost of $6.99 per month. A previous attempt at a pay-for-streaming service, CNN+, helped precipitate the firing of the network’s prior CEO, Chris Licht, after just over a year on the job in 2023. CNN+ lasted just 30 days before being abandoned.

The new service will provide subscribers with live and on-demand content and access to CNN’s digital journalism. Last year, the corporate news network instituted a paywall for much of its written content and inked a deal to replace much of its original reporting with content from the Associated Press.

Alex MacCallum, CNN Worldwide’s executive vice president of digital products and services, described the initiative as “an essential step in CNN’s evolution” to meet the way audiences consume news today. Mark Thompson, CNN Worldwide’s chairman and CEO, has been a driving force behind merging CNN’s linear and digital operations to better serve its audience.

CNN is offering an introductory annual rate of $41.99, discounted from the standard $69.99 annual price.

Over the last several years, the network has seen its share ratings plummet. Declining viewership and executive-level turmoil—along with its failed attempts at subscription services—have resulted in numerous rounds of layoffs and the firing of top on-air talent. The National Pulse reported last November that several key network personalities, including Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper, were refused raises, and numerous production staff were laid off.

Image by Gregor Smith.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Judges Disqualify Le Pen from Standing for Election.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: France’s top court confirmed a ban on Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally (RN) party, from running for office due to a controversial conviction.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Marine Le Pen, the French Council of State, and supporters of the National Rally party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was upheld recently in Paris, France.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a bid by the judiciary to ‘steal’ the next election.” – Marine Le Pen

🎯IMPACT: The ban could deepen France’s political crisis, eroding public trust in the democratic process amid calls for new elections.

IN FULL

A Paris court has confirmed that Marine Le Pen, head of France’s poll-leading National Rally party, has been barred from running for office despite the increasing likelihood that French President Emmanuel Macron will be forced to call snap elections—or even dissolve the current Fifth Republic for a new constitution. The French Council of State rejected Le Pen’s appeal to overturn her “ineligibility” order, which was imposed in March and is being enforced immediately despite her ongoing appeal against the conviction itself.

Le Pen’s supporters have labeled the ruling as politically motivated, claiming it is solely intended to remove her from the ballot instead of serving justice. Le Pen herself has described the move as an attempt by the judiciary to “steal” the next election. The accusation stems from the perception that the law she is accused of breaking, related to campaign financing fraud, is selectively enforced against politicians who challenge the authority of the European Union (EU).

Le Pen’s appeal against the conviction is scheduled for January. If successful, her eligibility to run for office could be restored in time for the next planned French Presidential election. However, the immediate political climate in France is highly unstable, with governments collapsing rapidly and calls for fresh national elections intensifying.

The instability stems from a deeply divided parliament where no single party or coalition can form a majority. This gridlock has led to discussions about overhauling France’s political system, including the possibility of ending the Fifth Republic and introducing a new constitution and electoral framework.

In an interesting twist, Louis de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou and descendant of France’s last king, has expressed his readiness to serve the nation as king in a restored monarchy—though limited by a new, hypothetical constitution. Speaking to the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche, Bourbon, also known as Louis XX, criticized Macron’s government for its inability to address the country’s pressing issues and for plunging the nation into political chaos.

Image by Rémi Noyon.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

FBI Probes Network Behind Kirk Assassination, Suspect May Have Had Help.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating whether an “extended network” helped Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel, and left-wing extremist groups.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The assassination occurred on September 10 at Utah Valley University.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are dedicating every asset to reaching out to anyone he [Robinson] contacted, called, and text-messaged and had chats online [on] social media platforms with.” – Kash Patel

🎯IMPACT: The investigation has expanded to include far-left groups and online communities that may have influenced or supported Robinson.

IN FULL

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is indicating that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk, may have received assistance from an “extended network” to carry out the assassination. Robinson, 22, is facing charges including aggravated murder and the possibility of the death penalty.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated late Wednesday that the agency is “dedicating every asset” to identifying individuals or groups who may have aided Robinson. This includes examining his communications on social media and online platforms.

Law enforcement is investigating several groups, including the pro-transgender organization Armed Queers SLC, which reportedly removed its Instagram account following Kirk’s assassination. The group’s logo features high-powered rifle rounds similar to those used in the attack. Authorities are also scrutinizing the online gaming platform Steam and other communities where Robinson was active.

Robinson is believed to have been radicalized by far-left ideologies, and he possibly received material support from other left-wing and pro-transgender extremists online. He reportedly confessed to the murder in a message sent via the Discord platform and made a phone call shortly after the attack. Investigators are working to verify these claims and trace any further connections.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

European Populists Unveil Sweeping ‘Remigration’ Plan Featuring Mass Deportations and Citizenship Revocations.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Danish People’s Party has proposed a comprehensive “remigration” plan to tighten Denmark’s immigration policies and bolster social cohesion.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Morten Messerschmidt, leader of the Danish People’s Party, and migrants in Denmark.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Reported on October 16, 2025, on X (formerly Twitter).

🎯IMPACT: The plan has sparked heated debate, with critics calling it discriminatory.

IN FULL

Morten Messerschmidt, leader of the Danish People’s Party (DF), has crafted an ambitious plan to overhaul Denmark’s immigration policies, according to online news platform Visegrád 24. The populist party’s proposals are extensive and go far beyond mass deportations, also targeting legal and naturalized immigrants with criminal records and ties to Islamist institutions.

The plan’s key components involve reviewing all citizenships granted over the past two decades, with mandatory reconfirmation for those issued in the last eight years. It suggests revoking the citizenship of convicted criminals and the withdrawal of foreign aid from countries that refuse to accept their own citizens back.

Messerschmidt also wants to establish high-security deportation centers and permanent border controls—a direct challenge to the European Union’s “free movement” migration regime—overseen by a new Ministry of repatriation, and Denmark’s de facto withdrawal from European and international conventions that obstruct deportations or facilitate chain migration through so-called “family reunification” rights.

Further measures to discourage migrants from entering Denmark are requirements for foreign criminals to serve their sentences abroad, a ban on remittances, bans on the Islamic call to prayer and on Islamic headscarves at public institutions, and the abolition of permanent residence permits. Islamic schools would also be banned, along with foreign funding of Islamic religious communities, which would also lose state recognition.

While the Danish People’s Party has never entered government in Denmark, it has been influential in the Scandinavian country’s multi-party system, previously supporting center-right coalitions in exchange for strong legislation on immigration. Denmark’s left-leaning parties have also become uncharacteristically strong on immigration relative to other left-leaning parties, to answer the electoral challenge of populists like Messerschmidt.

Image by User:EPO.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

WATCH: Deranged Kathy Griffin Turns Election Denier, Suggests ‘Professional Nazi’ Elon Musk Rigged Race.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Kathy Griffin is claiming that President Donald J. Trump’s election was not legitimate, suggesting “professional Nazi” Elon Musk somehow rigged the race.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kathy Griffin, President Trump, and Elon Musk.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 2025, ahead of a public protest event.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m going to say something that’s going to get me in trouble: I don’t think he won in a free and fair election. You heard me. I’m coming out and saying it myself, I don’t care if that means I look crazy.” – Kathy Griffin

🎯IMPACT: Griffin’s comments underscore how many liberals are becoming election deniers in the wake of Trump’s landslide victory in 2024.

IN FULL

Leftist comedian Kathy Griffin has outed herself as an election denier, declaring that President Donald J. Trump’s landslide victory over Kamala Harris in 2024 was not legitimate, and implying that tech mogul Elon Musk somehow rigged the race. In a video endorsing a ‘No Kings Day’ protest—so-called “because Trump thinks he’s a f**king king”—Griffin insisted that Trump is “barely a president,” adding: “In fact, guess what? I’m going to say something that’s going to get me in trouble: I don’t think he won in a free and fair election. You heard me.”

“I’m coming out and saying it myself, I don’t care if that means I look crazy,” Griffin continued, rambling: “Because, Elon Musk, who’s this other Nazi guy running around town, who owns X, and a lot of people think he’s a genius, but he’s not, he’s like, a fake genius. Anyway, he’s a, but, he’s a professional Nazi, in my humble opinion, and, um, he’s good friends with Trump, and at one point, I don’t know if you remember, but he was giving out million-dollar checks to people if they would vote for Trump.”

Griffin complained that this fictitious scheme was “unconstitutional and illegal,” adding that “the fact that Trump won all seven swing states, which has never happened in the history of the U.S., makes it all very suspicious to me.” This is also untrue, however, with the seven swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—only being swing states in the modern era. Richard Nixon, for instance, won every state in the Union bar Massachusetts in 1972, and Ronald Reagan won every state bar Minnesota in 1984.

Griffin—still best known for being fired for brandishing a mock-up of Trump’s bloodied, severed head during his first administration—is not the only Democrat to have turned to election denial since Trump’s reelection. The National Pulse has previously reported on the “Bluelulu” movement—a play on the expression “delulu,” meaning “delusional”—which also tends to feature Musk in its conspiracy theories, many of which center on SpaceX satellites somehow digitally altering election results.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Obama Swoops In to Bail Out Spanberger for Virginia Governor.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Former President Barack Obama is making an eleventh-hour endorsement of Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger in Virginia’s gubernatorial race and has appeared in two digital ads supporting her campaign. This follows Spanberger’s poor debate performance and several polls showing her opponent, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, within the margin of error.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Barack Obama, Abigail Spanberger, and Winsome Earle-Sears.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The endorsement and ads were revealed ahead of Virginia’s off-year gubernatorial election in November 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Virginia’s elections are some of the most important in the country this year. Every vote counts.” – Barack Obama

🎯IMPACT: Democrats hope that Obama’s last-minute endorsement will energize Democratic voters to turn out for Spanberger despite her lackluster campaign and poor debate against Earle-Sears.

IN FULL

Former President Barack Obama has made a last-minute intervention in the Virginia gubernatorial race, endorsing former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), who is running against Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA). Spanberger struggled in a recent debate against Earle-Sears, and the latter has surged in the polls—now just narrowly trailing Spanberger.

Obama is featured in two digital ads, focusing on abortionand economic issues. “Virginia’s elections are some of the most important in the country this year. Every vote counts,” he says.

The endorsement comes as Democrats aim to maintain momentum and stave off mounting support for Republicans in a state where the party in control of the White House has historically struggled in off-year elections.

“We know Republicans will keep attacking abortion rights and the rights of women. That’s why having the right governor matters, and I’m proud to endorse Abigail Spanberger,” Obama claimed in one ad. Another ad highlights economic concerns, with Obama claiming “Republican policies are raising costs on working families so billionaires can get massive tax cuts.”

Virginia is one of two states holding gubernatorial elections this year, alongside New Jersey. These races are being closely monitored for signals on voter sentiment heading into the 2024 presidential election and the 2026 midterms. Other prominent Democrats, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D), are also campaigning in these states to boost Democratic candidates.

The National Pulse reported on Tuesday that New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and Spanberger are both under scrutiny after receiving campaign donations from Pin Ni, a businessman with concerning ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Pin Ni, president of Wanxiang America Corporation, contributed $60,000 to the One Giant Leap super PAC supporting Sherrill’s campaign, and an additional $5,800 directly to her campaign this summer.

Meanwhile, the CCP-linked businessman also contributed $50,000 to support Spanberger in Virginia.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Trump Unveils Triumphal ‘Arc de Trump’ for America’s 250th Anniversary.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced plans for a grand triumphal arch to commemorate America’s 250th birthday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, billionaire donors, and executives from companies such as Google, Meta, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, and Palantir.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced in the East Room on Wednesday, the arch is planned to be placed at the entrance of Arlington Memorial Bridge, across from the Lincoln Memorial.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s an arch… It’s going to be built.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The project aims to leave a lasting mark on Washington, D.C., and could host future presidential inaugurations.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has unveiled designs for a new project to mark America’s 250th anniversary: a grand triumphal arch resembling Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, playfully dubbed the “Arc de Trump.” The America First leader revealed the plan during a Wednesday event in the East Room, attended by donors who also supported the construction of a new White House ballroom.

Trump presented a model of the arch, which he intends to place at the entrance of Arlington Memorial Bridge, opposite the Lincoln Memorial. “That’s Arlington Memorial Bridge,” he said. “And everyone in the past had said something was supposed to be built there. But a thing called the Civil War interfered. That’s a good reason.”

Earlier that day, a reporter noticed a 3D model of the arch on the Oval Office desk. When questioned, Trump confirmed, “It’s an arch… It’s going to be built.” When asked who it was for, he joked, “For me!”

Trump also mentioned that the bridge was originally slated for a Robert E. Lee statue in 1902, adding, “Every time somebody rides over that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they literally say something is supposed to be here.”

Having taken a hands-on role in redesigning parts of the White House since returning to office nine months ago, Trump emphasized his love for real estate and design projects. “It’s so relaxing for me, real estate is relaxing,” he told the donors, citing past presidents like James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman, who also pursued major design projects.

The event representatives from major companies, including Google parent company Alphabet, Facebook parent company Meta, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, and Palantir.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Chinese Black Market Buyers Are Behind London’s Phone Theft Epidemic.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Police in the United Kingdom now admit that London’s phone theft epidemic is not merely the work of pick-pockets and criminal migrants looking to make a quick, illicit payday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Criminal migrants, phone thieves, the Metropolitan Police, and black market buyers in China.

📍WHEN & WHERE: A police raid uncovered the criminal enterprise in December 2024, with arrests made in September 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It quickly became apparent this wasn’t just normal low-level street crime. This was on an industrial scale,” says senior detective Mark Gavin, who is now heading the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into the thefts.

🎯IMPACT: The discovery of the massive theft ring suggests the United Kingdom’s ongoing small boat migrant crisis is likely abetting a larger, organized international criminal network and black market.

IN FULL

Police in the United Kingdom are now admitting that London’s phone theft epidemic is not merely the work of pick-pockets and criminal migrants looking to make a quick, illicit payday. Instead, thanks to the diligence of a British woman who tracked down the thieves who lifted her iPhone, a massive criminal enterprise built on exporting tens of thousands of stolen phones has been revealed.

Last December, a British woman—using the Find My iPhone feature—was able to track her stolen phone after British police essentially told her they would not investigate the matter. The GPS tracking led the woman to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport and, after further pressure, a subsequent police raid uncovered 1,000 stolen iPhones packed in boxes labeled “batteries” and bound for Hong Kong.

“It quickly became apparent this wasn’t just normal low-level street crime. This was on an industrial scale,” says senior detective Mark Gavin, who is now heading the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into the thefts.

Since the late December 2024 raid, law enforcement in the United Kingdom has found an estimated 40,000 stolen phones slated to be sent to China to satiate the country’s growing black market demand for electronics originating from outside the communist regime. Two of the suspected ringleaders of the British side of the illicit stolen phone trade were arrested by the Metropolitan Police late last month.

British officials note the theft ring is part of “local-to-global criminal business mode,” and some of the newest phone models can be sold in China for an estimated $5,000—though on average they go for around $400 per device. Notably, many of China’s cellular service providers do not implement the anti-theft measures seen in other countries that prevent the use of stolen phones.

Concerningly, many of the thieves themselves and other criminal middlemen appear to be, by and large, of migrant background. This suggests the United Kingdom’s ongoing small boat migrant crisis is likely abetting a larger, organized international criminal network and black market.

Image by James Mitchell.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

ICE, Highway Patrol Net 120 Illegal Aliens, Most With Heavy Vehicle Licenses.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) arrested 120 illegal immigrants, most of whom held commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), during a joint operation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE, OHP, and 120 illegal immigrants, including those with prior criminal convictions.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The operation took place from September 22-25 along Interstate 40 in western Oklahoma.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Illegal aliens have no business operating 18-wheelers on America’s highways. Our roads are now safer with these illegal aliens no longer behind the wheel.” – Madison Sheahan, ICE Deputy Director.

🎯IMPACT: The arrests disrupted criminal activity, removed public safety threats, and showcased cooperation between federal and local law enforcement.

IN FULL

A joint operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) late last month resulted in the arrest of an astounding number of illegal immigrants behind the wheel of commercial vehicles. According to federal and state law enforcement, 120 illegal immigrants—91 of whom were operating vehicles requiring commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs)—were arrested from September 22-25 along Interstate 40 in western Oklahoma.

OHP made approximately 520 contacts, while ICE assisted by running records checks on foreign-born nationals encountered during routine patrol duties. Among those arrested, 27 migrants were stopped in passenger vehicles, and two were apprehended at a nearby marijuana growing operation.

ICE reported that the prior convictions among the arrested individuals included DUI, illegal reentry into the U.S., money laundering, human smuggling, assault, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and possession of controlled substances. Of the CDL holders arrested, 80 were in the U.S. through illegal entry, humanitarian parole, asylum claims, or pending immigration hearings.

The operation also revealed the countries of origin and states issuing the CDLs. India led with 39 CDL holders, followed by Uzbekistan with 13 and China with 12. The top five states issuing CDLs were California (44), New York (14), Pennsylvania (12), Illinois (11), and New Jersey (three).

ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan emphasized the importance of the collaboration, stating, “ICE’s 287(g) program clearly demonstrates how federal and local law enforcement agencies can work together to make America safe again.”

Sheahan also encouraged more state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in the program to enhance public safety and access reimbursement funds for their efforts, adding, “Illegal aliens have no business operating 18-wheelers on America’s highways. Our roads are now safer with these illegal aliens no longer behind the wheel.”

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.