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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

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1 hour ago
Immigration
Lawfare

Philly DA Threatens ICE Agents.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D) threatened to prosecute U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents deployed at the airport if they acted inappropriately.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Larry Krasner, ICE agents, and travelers at Philadelphia International Airport.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday at Philadelphia International Airport, following ICE deployment by President Donald J. Trump.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I will put you in handcuffs and I will put you in a courtroom, and if necessary, I will put you in a jail cell…” – Larry Krasner

🎯IMPACT: Krasner has a long history of threatening federal immigration agents, comparing them to Nazis and stating that he will “hunt them down.”

IN FULL

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D)—one of a number of local prosecutors backed by far-left billionaire George Soros—threatened U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents assisting with security at the Philadelphia International Airport with prosecution if they “commit crimes.” The warning, issued by Krasner on Tuesday, was intended to deter and hamper federal officers from carrying out their legal duties.

“This is how it works—you commit crimes within the jurisdiction that is the city and county of Philadelphia, I prosecute you. That is how it works. No, I don’t take a phone call from the President saying, ‘Let ’em go.’ No, the President cannot pardon you. I’ll say it again, the President cannot pardon you,” Krasner said. “I will put you in handcuffs and I will put you in a courtroom, and if necessary, I will put you in a jail cell if you decide to [do] anything like you did in the streets of Minneapolis, which involved the criminal homicide of unarmed, innocent people.”


The far-left Democrat prosecutor repeated his threat on Wednesday in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter). “To anyone who is an ICE agent, thank you for upholding the law and the Constitution of the United States. But if you don’t, you’re gonna find out,” Krasner stated.

ICE agents have been surged to airports around the country by President Donald J. Trump to backfill and assist with security screenings as thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have either quit or called off work amid missed paychecks due to the Senate Democrats’ refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).


Notably, this is not the first time that Krasner has threatened federal agents, especially those who work for ICE. The National Pulse reported in January this year that Krasner smeared ICE agents as  “wannabe Nazis,” and vowed to prosecute them.

“If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities; we will find you; we will achieve justice,” he said at the time.

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7 minutes ago
Economy
War

Iran War Forces USPS to Impose First-Ever Fuel Surcharge.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Postal Service is set to impose its first-ever eight percent fuel surcharge on packages.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Postal Service and Postmaster General David Steiner.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The surcharge begins in April 2026; it is planned to phase out by January 2027.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The agency will run out of money in a year.” – David Steiner

🎯IMPACT: This move aims to address financial struggles, similar to actions by FedEx and UPS.

IN FULL

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is set to impose an eight percent surcharge on packages in an effort to offset sharply rising fuel costs. This will be the first time the Postal Service has ever applied such a surcharge.

The new fee is scheduled to take effect in April 2026 and run through January 2027. Letter mail will not be affected. The decision brings the agency in line with other major parcel carriers such as FedEx and United Parcel Service, which have long used fuel surcharges and have recently raised them in response to higher oil prices linked to the Iran war.

Diesel prices have climbed to $5.38 per gallon—a 51 percent jump from a year ago. Postmaster General David Steiner has voiced serious concerns about the agency’s long-term financial health, warning it will “run out of money in a year.” He has called on lawmakers to ease regulatory limits that currently restrict the Postal Service’s ability to increase prices.

The Iran war is already wreaking havoc on energy markets worldwide, with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warning of a “stark and steep recession” if oil prices hit $150 a barrel. The Iranian regime has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway carrying much of the world’s oil supply, in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes against them.

The strait also carries a large share of global fertilizer supplies, with its closure having significant implications for American farmers.

Image by Sam LaRussa.

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44 minutes ago
News
TECH

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is Laying Off Hundreds Across Multiple Divisions.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Meta began laying off hundreds of employees, affecting its Reality Labs virtual reality division and at least four other divisions.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Meta employees across Reality Labs, recruiting, sales, global operations, and Facebook social teams.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Layoffs began on Wednesday, with notifications continuing in the coming weeks, depending on location.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Teams across Meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they’re in the best position to achieve their goals.” – Meta spokesman

🎯IMPACT: Employees may be offered new roles, relocation options, or face job cuts as Meta shifts focus toward artificial intelligence (AI) investment.

IN FULL

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Wednesday that it will begin laying off hundreds of employees. The layoffs at the Mark Zuckerberg-led technology company will primarily impact its Reality Labs virtual reality division and at least four other departments, with Meta plowing more resources into artificial intelligence (AI) development instead.

“Teams across Meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they’re in the best position to achieve their goals,” a Meta spokesman said in a statement regarding the layoffs. They continued, claiming that efforts would be made to find “other opportunities for employees whose positions may be impacted.”

Outside Meta’s Reality Labs division, other departments impacted include recruiting, sales, global operations, and Facebook social teams. The company indicated that layoff notifications will continue to be sent in the coming weeks; however, some employees will be offered new roles or relocation options instead of outright dismissal.

Earlier this year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized a shift toward AI investments. In a January Facebook post, he stated, “We’re starting to see projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person.” Meta’s 2026 quarterly report projects Reality Labs’ operating losses will be similar to 2025 levels, alongside increased compensation expenses for AI-focused hires. Meta employed nearly 79,000 workers as of December last year.

Image by TechCrunch.

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2 hours ago
News
UK

The British Government is Rushing Through a RETROACTIVE Law Specifically Targeting Large Donors to Farage’s Reform Party.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British government announced a £100,000 (~$135,000) annual cap on political donations from British citizens living abroad and a temporary ban on cryptocurrency donations, which will apply retroactively.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Communities Secretary, Steve Reed, former civil servant Philip Rycroft, Reform Party donor Christopher Harborne, and Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The measures will take effect from Wednesday, pending parliamentary approval.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I am not prepared to allow any window of opportunity for malign actors to interfere in the UK’s electoral system.” – Steve Reed

🎯IMPACT: The decision affects major Reform Party donors like Christopher Harborne, and is clearly aimed at undermining Reform financially.

IN FULL

The British government has announced a new £100,000 (~$135,000) annual limit on political donations from British citizens living overseas, together with a temporary ban on donations made in cryptocurrency. A press release warned that the government would “deliver these changes with retrospective effect.”

“Once the legislation comes into force, political parties and regulated entities like candidates and [Members of Parliament] will then have 30 days to return any unlawful donations they may have received in the interim, after which enforcement action can be taken,” it stated.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Communities Secretary, Steve Reed, claimed he was “not prepared to allow any window of opportunity for malign actors to interfere in the UK’s electoral system,” but the move is plainly aimed at Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, which is consistently leading Starmer’s Labour Party in national polls. Reform has received substantial funding from Thailand-based British donor Christopher Harborne and other contributors based in Monaco. It is also the only major British party to have accepted cryptocurrency donations, although none declared so far have exceeded £11,180 (~$15,000).

The measures draw on recommendations made by former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft, who has described Britain’s 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union as a “fatal mistake.” He alleged there are risks of possible influence from hostile states such as Russia, China, and Iran—as well as from allies including the United States—under the status quo.

On cryptocurrency, Rycroft recommended a temporary moratorium while regulators develop safeguards. He stated, “There is a risk that crypto assets are used as a vehicle to channel in foreign money.”

Reform’s Shadow Home Secretary, Zia Yusuf, said Rycroft is “a leftist political activist cosplaying as an independent civil service grandee,” warning that “The money he has made from the Chinese to do their bidding will be a focus for a Reform government.”

Image by Lauren Turley / No 10 Downing Street.

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2 hours ago
William Upton
News

Cops Raid Rothschild Bank in Epstein Investigation.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Paris offices of the Edmond de Rothschild Group—a Swiss private banking and asset management firm owned by the family of the same name—were raided by French investigators last Friday in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: French diplomat Fabrice Aidan, Jeffrey Epstein, the Edmond de Rothschild Group, and Ariane de Rothschild.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The raid occurred last Friday and was revealed on March 24, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The raid and document seizure appear tied to French diplomat Fabrice Aidan, who was named over 200 times in the Epstein Files and once worked for the Edmond de Rothschild Group.

IN FULL

The Paris offices of the Edmond de Rothschild Group—a Swiss private banking and asset management firm owned by the family of the same name—were raided by French investigators last Friday in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Announced on Tuesday, the raid and document seizure appear tied to French diplomat Fabrice Aidan, who was named over 200 times in the Epstein Files and once worked for the Edmond de Rothschild Group.

Notably, the DOJ documents revealed alleged emails sent by Aidan to Epstein from between 2010 and 2016, during which the former—for three of those years—served as a French deputy representative at the United Nations. The Epstein Files indicated that Aidan, using both his personal and U.N. email accounts, transferred confidential materials—including U.N. Security Council memos—to the now deceased pedophile financier.

While Aidan has denied any wrongdoing, the French government has already initiated a formal administrative case against him. Notably, Ariane de Rothschild—the CEO of the private Swiss bank—was present during the raid. The widow of the late Benjamin de Rothschild, Ariane de Rothschild, is the first non-blood family member to run a Rothschild financial institution.

Sources close to French government prosecutors claim the Rothschild family is cooperating with the investigation. Ariane de Rothschild is also mentioned in the Epstein Files, which show she corresponded with the indicted sex trafficker between 2013 and 2019. A spokesman for the Edmond de Rothschild Group claims the private bank’s CEO was unaware of the allegations against Epstein.

Notably, the raid follows a pattern of post-Epstein Files release investigations that have centered on the deceased pedophile’s relationship with European officials and his access to sensitive government information. The National Pulse reported in early February that several properties owned by former British Ambassador to the United States, Lord Peter Mandelson, were raided by police in connection with an investigation into his alleged leaking of confidential information to Epstein.

On February 23, Lord Mandelson was arrested “on suspicion of misconduct in public office.”  A week earlier, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion that he had passed confidential trade documents to Epstein.

Image by Alessandro Boglio.

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3 hours ago
Health

Sharing a Vape Put Teen in Life-Threatening Coma.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A teenager fell into a coma from contracting meningitis after sharing a vape.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sian Alderton, an 18-year-old from Norfolk, England, and her mother, Kerrie Durrant.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Alderton contracted meningitis in October 2024, in Norfolk, England; she and her mother reported the incident in March 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I did share a vape with multiple people on that night out, so we believe that’s where I would have gotten it from.” – Sian Alderton

🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights the health risks associated with vapes.

IN FULL

A mother in Norfolk, England, is warning others after her daughter was placed in a medically-induced coma due to meningitis contracted from sharing a vape. Sian Alderton, then 18, was enjoying a night out in October 2024 when she contracted bacterial meningitis B. Within just 48 hours, Sian’s condition deteriorated from mild illness to a life-threatening state.

Amid a new meningitis outbreak in England over recent weeks, Sian’s mother, Kerrie Durrant, recounted to local news how her daughter exhibited strange behavior before her condition dramatically worsened overnight, leading to a critical situation where she was struggling to move and required immediate hospitalization.

Upon her admission to the hospital, doctors placed Sian in an induced coma as her condition became dire. The family was informed that she might not survive beyond 24 hours. Fortunately, she did, explaining, “I did share a vape with multiple people on that night out, so we believe that’s where I would have gotten it from,” adding, “I wouldn’t share [a vape] with anybody anymore.”

Vapes also present a threat to wildlife. Viral videos have spread over recent days showing squirrels, attracted by the vapes’ fruity aromas, “vaping” after mistaking discarded devices for food. They are also a fire hazard, with a blaze at an unregistered store in Glasgow, Scotland, recently burning down a 175-year-old building and causing the country’s largest railway station to close for days.

Even more troublingly, vape stores on both sides of the Atlantic have become hubs for anti-social behavior and organized crime, including human trafficking and immigration crime.

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5 hours ago
War

Counter-Terror Police Arrest Two Over Firebombing of Jewish Community Ambulances.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two men were arrested following an anti-Semitic firebomb attack on ambulances owned by a Jewish charity in north London.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Counter-terror police detained two men aged 45 and 47, and are searching for a third suspect.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred early Monday morning in Golders Green, north London, with arrests made on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved.” — Helen Flanagan, head of Counter-Terrorism Policing London

🎯IMPACT: The attack has raised concerns of rising anti-Semitism in England and potential links to Iran-backed groups.

IN FULL

Police have arrested two men in north London in connection with a March 23 firebomb attack targeting Jewish Community Ambulance Service ambulances outside a synagogue in Golders Green. The attack, which briefly forced the evacuation of nearby homes after oxygen canisters inside the ambulances exploded, is being investigated by London’s Metropolitan Police as an “anti-Semitic hate crime.”

The two suspects, aged 45 and 47, were detained on Wednesday and charged with arson with intent to endanger life. Notably, this charge could carry a life sentence. Both men are said by police to have British citizenship. Helen Flanagan, leading the counter-terrorism effort, emphasized the urgency of the investigation, stating, “This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved.”

“We fully recognize the local community will still be concerned and our investigation very much remains active,” Flanagan added.

Shortly after the firebombing, a terrorist group identifying itself as Harakat al-Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) claimed responsibility for the attack. However, there appears to be scant evidence that HIYA actually exists, and British security officials speaking with the media have indicated they believe “it is a front and a brand invented by Iranian intelligence or the Quds Force.”

Iran’s Quds Force, an elite branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that carries out clandestine extraterritorial military operations, warned it would begin carrying out attacks against the United States and its allies after President Donald J. Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury on February 28.

“The enemy should know that their happy days are over and they will no longer be safe anywhere in the world, not even in their own homes,” the Quds Force said in a statement read on state television just days after the joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes began.

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5 hours ago
Politics
TECH

Trump Just Named These Big Tech Execs to the Science and Technology Advisory Council:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced the first appointments to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, PCAST co-chairs David Sacks and Michael Kratsios, and appointees including Marc Andreessen, Sergey Brin, Safra Catz, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, Jensen Huang, and Mark Zuckerberg, among others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced today, as part of an Executive Order establishing the Council.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Under President Trump, PCAST will focus on ensuring all Americans thrive in the Golden Age of Innovation.” – White House statement

🎯IMPACT: The Council will provide recommendations to strengthen American leadership in science and technology.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has named the first members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which was created by executive order. The panel is authorized to have up to 24 members, and further appointments are expected shortly.

PCAST will be co-chaired by David Sacks, who has already been tapped as Trump’s artificial intelligence (AI) and crypto czar, and Michael Kratsios, the President’s assistant for science and technology. PCAST’s currently confirmed appointees, including the likes of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang, are as follows:

Marc Andreessen

Co-founder of Netscape Communications, which created the first widely used web browser, and co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

Sergey Brin

Russian-American computer scientist and co-founder of Google (now Alphabet).

Mark Zuckerberg

Founder, chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms (originally Facebook), which is now heavily investing in AI and the metaverse.

Larry Ellison

Founder of Oracle Corporation, a global leader in database software, enterprise cloud, and business applications.

Safra Catz

CEO of Oracle Corporation; previously longtime CFO, she has steered the company’s shift to cloud infrastructure and AI-driven services.

Michael Dell

Founder and CEO of Dell Technologies; pioneered the direct-sales PC model and built one of the largest enterprise IT and computing hardware empires.

Jensen Huang

Co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA; turned the company into the dominant provider of GPUs that power modern AI training and inference.

Lisa Su

CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD); has driven the company’s resurgence in high-performance CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators.

Fred Ehrsam

Co-founder of Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and co-founder of Paradigm, a leading crypto-focused venture capital firm.

John Martinis

Physicist and quantum computing pioneer who led Google’s Quantum AI team.

Bob Mumgaard

Co-founder and CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a MIT spinout developing compact, high-temperature superconducting fusion reactors for commercial power.

Jacob DeWitte

Co-founder and CEO of Oklo, a company building small, modular, advanced fission reactors to deliver clean, always-on energy.

David Friedberg

Founder of The Climate Corporation (sold to Monsanto), now runs The Production Board, an investment platform focused on biology, agriculture, energy, and climate technologies.

“Under President Trump, PCAST will focus on topics related to the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies present to the American workforce, and ensuring all Americans thrive in the Golden Age of Innovation,” the White House said in a statement.

The council continues a long tradition that dates back to the Science Advisory Board established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Since that time, every American president has maintained a similar group to draw on the knowledge of scientists, engineers, and business leaders to shape national policy.

Image by Anurag R Dubey.

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6 hours ago
Economy
War

Iran War Will Cause Global Recession If Oil Hits $150 a Barrel: BlackRock CEO.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink is warning that a prolonged conflict between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran could drive the price of oil to $150-a-barrel and trigger a “stark and steep recession.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Shell plc CEO Wael Sawan, and U.S. and Iranian leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 25, 2026; Global impact with focus on Europe and the Middle East.

💬KEY QUOTE: Fink warns that Iran could force “years of above $100, closer to $150 oil, which has profound implications in the economy.”

🎯IMPACT: A prolonged conflict could result in fuel shortages in Europe, increased energy prices, and economic instability.

IN FULL

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink is warning that a prolonged conflict between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran could drive the price of oil to $150 a barrel and plunge the world into a “stark and steep recession.” The remarks come as U.S. military operations against the Islamist regime enter their twenty-fifth day, and amid weeks of energy and financial market volatility.

“Rising energy prices is a very regressive tax. It affects the poor more than the wealthy,” Fink notes, while further cautioning that Iran could force “years above $100, closer to $150 oil, which has profound implications in the economy.” The $150-a-barrel benchmark, according to the BlackRock CEO, is an important line to avoid crossing, as doing so would result in “a probably stark and steep recession.”

Still, Fink hedged on the situation in the Middle East, contending that should the war end soon and Iran be brought back into the international fold, the price of oil could drop to $70 a barrel or lower.

Meanwhile, Shell plc (the British parent company of Shell USA) CEO Wael Sawan claims Europe could face fuel shortages as early as next month if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The critical chokepoint in the Persian Gulf controls the flow of an estimated 20 percent of global oil and gas supply. “South Asia was first to get that brunt. That’s moved to south-east Asia, north-east Asia, and then more so into Europe as we get into April,” Sawan said.

Since the start of the conflict in late February, Brent Crude has surged to $120 a barrel on several occasions, though on average, the price has sat between $90 and $100 a barrel. However, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian missile and drone strikes has also resulted in severe price spikes among other goods as well, including fertilizer and helium.

Image by Hossein Zohrevand/Tasnim News Agency.

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7 hours ago
War

U.S. Army Raises Enlistment Age to 42 and Relaxes Rules on Recruiting Drug Convicts.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Army increased its maximum enlistment age to 42 and changed its policy on recruiting people with marijuana convictions amid the Iran war.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Army, including the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserves.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced March 2026, effective April 2026, across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The policy change is meant to better align the service with Defense Department standards.” – Army spokesman

🎯IMPACT: Aligns Army enlistment policies with other military branches and expands eligibility for potential recruits.

IN FULL

The U.S. Army has introduced a major update to its recruiting policies amid the Iran war, increasing the maximum enlistment age to 42. The change is scheduled to take effect on April 20, 2026. Alongside the age adjustment, the Army will now permit applicants who have a single conviction for marijuana possession to join without having to obtain a waiver.

Until now, the upper age limit for new recruits had stood at 35. The revised rules are spelled out in Army Regulation 601-210, which sets out the detailed policies and procedures governing enlistment into the Regular Army, the Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve. Officials say the broader policy revisions are designed to create more uniform enlistment standards throughout the Department of War.

This marks the second occasion in the past 20 years that the Army has raised its maximum enlistment age to 42; the service first did so in 2006 amid the demands of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, before lowering it again to 35 in 2016.

The new regulation takes into account research by analysts who found that older recruits can sometimes perform more successfully than younger ones overall. In particular, people between the ages of 25 and 35 have been shown to be less likely to drop out of initial training and more inclined to reenlist once their first term is complete.

Notably, countries like Ukraine have already moved towards recruiting older men, with the average soldier in the Eastern European country approaching his mid-forties.

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19 hours ago
Health
News

WATCH: Squirrels Seen ‘Vaping’ After Mistaking E-Cigarettes for Food.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Viral videos have surfaced showing squirrels “vaping” after confusing vape devices with food, sparking concerns about the impact of discarded e-cigarettes on wildlife.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Wildlife experts, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), and TikTok users and others capturing the incidents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Videos were recorded in Brixton, South London, and Philadelphia, with additional reports from Wales and New Zealand.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They don’t encounter nicotine in the wild, so like many chemicals, it’s something you don’t want them exposed to.” – Craig Shuttleworth, Bangor University.

🎯IMPACT: Concerns raised over the harmful effects of vaping devices on wildlife, pets, and humans, with calls for better disposal practices.

IN FULL

Squirrels have been recorded “vaping” with discarded e-cigarettes in a number of viral videos shared on social media. Experts believe the animals are attracted to the fruity aroma emitted by the devices, mistaking them for food, in locations from Brixton in south London, England, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Craig Shuttleworth, a red squirrel expert at Bangor University in Wales, commented on the phenomenon, stating, “In the old days, you’d see lots of discarded cigarette butts, but I don’t remember squirrels running around with them. It would be reasonable to assume that a vape would be more attractive than a normal tobacco product that’s not fruity.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in Britain has highlighted the risks that discarded vaping devices pose to wildlife. The RSPCA referenced a 2023 case in New Zealand in which a bird died after swallowing a vape and noted that many such incidents likely go unreported.

Domestic pets have also been affected by vaping products. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service has received 680 calls regarding vape-related incidents involving pets since 2017, the vast majority involving dogs. According to RSPCA Scientific Officer Evie Button, some pets have died after consuming vape liquids.

The broader health implications of vaping for humans are a significant concern. The American Heart Association has described the rise in youth vaping as “a serious public health threat,” with police in North Carolina and elsewhere finding that vape stores are selling vapes to children.

Notably, vape stores represent a threat to the built environment as well as wildlife, with one unregistered store in Glasgow, Scotland, recently causing a fire that destroyed a 175-year-old building and closed down the country’s largest railway station, located nearby, for days.

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