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Friday, January 30, 2026
1 minute ago
William Upton
TECH
World

How China Uses Porn and a Millions-Strong Bot Army to Censor Social Media:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses a five to 10 million-strong bot army to flood X (formerly Twitter) with illicit adverts and pornographic Mandarin language posts to suppress the ability of Chinese speakers to view uncensored news when significant events occur in China.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: X (formerly Twitter), X’s head of product Nikita Bier, the CCP, and X’s Mandarin-speaking users.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The CCP social media bot army was revealed by Bier in a series of posts on X on Friday, January 30, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Chinese government floods X search results with porn whenever there is political unrest—to prevent their citizens from finding out real-time information.” — Nikita Bier

🎯IMPACT: The revelation that the Chinese government has such a large and aggressive bot operation on the platform raises serious concerns about its potential use to impact and influence politics and media beyond its borders as well.

IN FULL

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses a five to 10 million-strong bot army to flood X (formerly Twitter) with illicit and pornographic Mandarin language posts to suppress the ability of Chinese speakers to view uncensored news when significant events occur in China. Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, revealed the CCP’s alternative censorship strategy in a series of posts on the platform early Friday morning.

“The Chinese government floods X search results with porn whenever there is political unrest—to prevent their citizens from finding out real-time information,” Bier wrote, continuing, “This has been a difficult problem to solve but we are aware & working on it.”

When another X user raised the question of why the platform’s rate limit doesn’t prevent the CCP’s bot censorship strategy, Bier noted, “They have a pool of 5-10 million accounts that were registered before I locked down signup.”

In 2009, the CCP blocked access to X, then still known as Twitter, for Internet users in China. However, in recent years, the platform has seen a spike in Mandarin-speaking users, and Internet users in China have found ways to work around the communist regime’s censorship through VPNs and other methods.

The revelation that the Chinese government has such a large and aggressive bot operation on the platform raises serious concerns about its potential to impact and influence politics and media beyond its borders. This is especially concerning in light of the CCP losing one of its most successful propaganda tools earlier this month, when the Chinese company ByteDance finally sold off most of its stake in the TikTok social media app to a group of non-Chinese investors with an all-American corporate board established to oversee the platform. The sale marked the culmination of months of negotiation by President Donald J. Trump’s administration to secure ByteDance’s divestment and the transfer of TikTok to non-Chinese—and predominantly American—investors.

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23 minutes ago
Economy
Health

Trump’s War on High Drug Prices is Slashing Costs for Patients.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Drugmakers have reduced prices for several widely used medicines, including diabetes and blood clotting treatments.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Companies like Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Price data was released on January 30, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These are heavyweight drugs, and to see them crater in price like this is historic,” said Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn Research, a Dayton, Ohio-based firm that analyzes drug pricing.

🎯IMPACT: The price cuts are expected to lower costs for patients who pay a percentage of the list price.

IN FULL

The costs of a number of widely used prescription drugs have seen significant price cuts since the start of 2026, bucking the long-standing trend of price increases at the beginning of a new year. Among the list price drops are popular drugs used to treat conditions like diabetes and blood clots.

President Donald J. Trump‘s sweeping drug price reforms are largely credited with driving the price drops, including Medicare‘s newly negotiated lower prices that took effect for the first time this year. A total of 20 brand-name drugs saw list-price reductions this month, ranging from 9.8 percent to 91.7 percent.

Among the notable reductions were a 43 percent cut for the blood thinner Eliquis from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and a 44.4 percent drop for the diabetes treatment Jardiance from Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly. “These are heavyweight drugs, and to see them crater in price like this is historic,” said Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn Research, a Dayton, Ohio-based firm that analyzes drug pricing.

For patients who pay the full price or a copay based on a percentage of the list price, these reductions will mean lower costs, equating to lower prices for millions of Americans.

The National Pulse reported in December that President Trump finalized agreements with nine major U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies to lower their drug prices for American consumers, in line with the prices they charge in other countries. The agreements with Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, GSK, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi were announced by President Trump during an event at the White House alongside the executive leadership of the drug companies.

“As of today, 14 out of the 17 largest pharmaceutical companies… have now agreed to drastically lower drug prices for… the American people and the American patients,” Trump said during the White House even last month, adding, “This represents the greatest victory for patient affordability in the history of American health care, by far, and every single American will benefit.”

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1 hour ago
News

Trump DOJ Releases 3 MILLION More Epstein Files Pages.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) released over three million pages of documents, more than 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the DOJ, and Congress.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Files were released on Friday, following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act last November.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I take umbrage at the suggestion, which is totally false, that the attorney general or this department does not take child exploitation or sex trafficking seriously.” – Todd Blanche

🎯IMPACT: The release complies with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, though some materials remain redacted to protect victims and sensitive information.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has made public more than three million pages of documents, together with over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, to fulfill its obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. These materials relate to the criminal investigation and death of convicted pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche shared the news at a press conference on Friday. He noted that more than 500 lawyers and staff members put in extensive work, including work on weekends and holidays, to complete a review of the documents and meet the law’s demands. The team examined over six million pages in total, removing duplicates and irrelevant items while safeguarding sensitive details about victims. Blanche likened the volume reviewed to “two Eiffel Towers of pages.”

“I take umbrage at the suggestion, which is totally false, that the attorney general or this department does not take child exploitation or sex trafficking seriously, or that we somehow do not want to protect victims,” Blanche said. He stressed that the department was not protecting any prominent figures, countering various allegations tied to the delay in releasing all documents.

The DOJ explained that any redactions were kept to a minimum and focused solely on shielding victims and their families. “Some pornographic images, whether commercial or not, were redacted, given the Department treated all women in those images as victims,” said a DOJ statement.

Notably, Blanche said no redactions were applied to the names of notable people, including politicians, in the released materials.

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2 hours ago
News

‘C*cksucker, Stop!’ – Nicki Minaj Roasts Don Lemon Moments Before Arrest.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nicki Minaj roasted Don Lemon shortly before his arrest related to a church invasion.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nicki Minaj, Don Lemon, Katie Miller, anti-ICE activists, and Christians in Minnesota.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Friday morning; Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles, California, in connection with a church invasion in St. Paul, Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “C*cksucker, stop.” – Nicki Minaj

🎯IMPACT: Lemon’s arrest followed a grand jury indictment related to the church invasion.

IN FULL

Rapper Nicki Minaj roasted former CNN journalist Don Lemon during an appearance on The Katie Miller Podcast, aired shortly before his arrest in Los Angeles, California, following a federal grand jury indictment. Minaj, a supporter of President Donald J. Trump who had called for Lemon’s arrest over his participation in the invasion of a Minnesota church by anti-ICE activists, was questioned on the activist-journalist’s comments branding her “racist, unhinged, homophobic, and out of your depth.”

Minaj’s sharp retort, “Cocksucker, stop,” went viral as news broke of Lemon’s arrest in connection with the aforementioned invasion of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lemon, though ostensibly present in a journalistic capacity, was hostile when engaging with church members, and sympathetic when engaging the invaders, even telling one, “Thank you for your service.” Federal law enforcement views him as an active participant in the invasion rather than a mere observer.

Notably, the invasion disrupted a church service, terrifying children in attendance and causing many congregants to flee. The activists were motivated by suspicions that the pastor had ties to federal immigration enforcement.

Several others have also been arrested over the church invasion, including radical black activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who runs the Racial Justice Network (RJN).

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3 hours ago
News
Politics

Senate Funding Deal Collapses, Saturday Shutdown Looms.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. government is heading toward a partial shutdown after a Senate vote on a funding deal stalled.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), President Donald J. Trump, and members of Congress.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 29 and 30, 2026, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a bad deal.” – Sen. Lindsey Graham

🎯IMPACT: A partial shutdown of federal operations is expected to begin at 12:01 AM. ET Saturday without a funding deal.

IN FULL

The U.S. government is on the verge of a partial shutdown after the Senate’s planned vote on a funding deal stalled late Thursday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and other Republican leaders had aimed to push the deal forward, but it faced opposition within their own ranks over what Republican senators characterize as leadership caving to Democrats on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) confirmed he placed a hold on the funding package, effectively blocking it from quick consideration. Graham expressed his dissatisfaction with the deal, stating, “This is a bad deal,” as he entered Thune’s office late Thursday evening.

Late Thursday, just before the Senate attempted to move the Democrat-backed funding deal, President Donald J. Trump pushed for lawmakers to vote for the appropriations package. “America is setting Records in every way, and our Growth Numbers are among the best ever. The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, continuing, “Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before). Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”

It is believed that Sen. Graham‘s hold specifically stems from a provision passed by the House that removed legislative language allowing senators to sue for up to $500,000 if their phone records were obtained by former special counsel Jack Smith during the former Biden government’s Arctic Frost scandal.

Without a funding agreement, a partial shutdown of federal operations is set to begin at 12:01 AM ET on Saturday. Even if the Senate reaches an agreement on Friday, the House of Representatives is not scheduled to return until Monday, though Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has indicated he may be able to bring the House into session late Sunday if necessary.

A number of conservative members of the Senate have expressed opposition to the DHS funding deal, arguing it surrenders leverage and will likely result in a number of Democrat policy victories that could effectively gut U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—including a requirement for agents to obtain a judicial warrant rather than an administrative warrant in order to arrest migrants with outstanding removal orders.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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3 hours ago
Crime
News

Biden Judge Blocks Death Penalty in Luigi Mangione Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A judge ruled that Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will not face the death penalty if convicted on federal charges.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Luigi Mangione, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and Judge Margaret Garnett.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling occurred on Friday, January 30, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: Mangione could still face life in prison if convicted, though the death penalty removal is likely to be appealed.

IN FULL

The federal judge presiding over the murder trial of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ruled on Friday that Luigi Mangione, 27, will not face the death penalty if convicted. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret Garnett, nominated by former President Joe Biden, dismissed the federal murder charge but maintained a stalking charge that carries a maximum punishment of life in prison. Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state charges.

Notably, Judge Garnett’s reasoning in dismissing the federal murder charge revolves around a requirement that the killing was committed during another “crime of violence.” The judge agreed with Mangione’s defense team that the stalking charge did not constitute a violent crime.

While the removal of the death penalty is—for now—a significant win for Mangione, the ruling is likely to be appealed. Meanwhile, Mangione’s legal defense also suffered a considerable setback when Judge Garnett rejected his defense attorneys’ attempt to suppress evidence obtained during the search of his backpack at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s on December 9, 2024. Items recovered included a 3D-printed handgun, a loaded magazine, a notebook, a map, and a “survival kit.” Police testified that such searches are standard procedure during arrests.

The Friday ruling means that jury selection in the federal case against Mangione will now likely begin in October of this year rather than on September 8. State prosecutors in New York are pushing to start their state case against the alleged assassin in early July, though Mangione’s attorneys argue this does not give them enough time to prepare an adequate defense.

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4 hours ago
News

Dem Leader Jeffries Calls for Murder of Kristi Noem – ‘We Are Dead Serious.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democrats are threatening impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries using explicitly violent language to target her.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and House Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The statement was made on Thursday at the Capitol.

💬KEY QUOTE: “She needs to be put on ice permanently.” – Hakeem Jeffries

🎯IMPACT: The move signals a heightened level of political tension and aggressive rhetoric from House Democrats, who once again are resorting to violent threats in the face of their own political impotence.

IN FULL

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is under fire for effectively putting a bounty on the head of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, telling his supporters during a press event on Thursday: “She’s got to go—we are dead serious… She needs to be put on ice permanently.”

Since making the comments, Democrats have claimed he meant for Noem to be suspended, thereby nullifying the “permanently” part of his sentence. To put “on ICE” either means to suspend temporarily, or to murder.

In reality, Jeffries is sending a coded message to his supporters, who have been increasingly violent over the past year, and have resorted to multiple attempted murders against the President of the United States, and the actual murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk.

WATCH:

As a result of Democrat rhetoric, attacks on ICE and Border Patrol officers have spiralled out of control this year.

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5 hours ago
William Upton
Economy

Trump Names New Fed Chairman.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced his nomination of economist Kevin Warsh to serve as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, Kevin Warsh, and current Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Friday, January 30, 2026. Pending Senate confirmation, Warsh will succeed Jerome Powell when the latter’s term expires on May 15, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: If confirmed, Warsh would succeed Powell in May and potentially reshape Federal Reserve policy, which Trump has criticized for its handling of interest rates.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that he will nominate Kevin Warsh to serve as the next Chairman of the Federal Reserve, succeeding Jerome Powell, whose term expires on May 15, 2026. Warsh, a former member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, has been a critic of Powell’s hesitancy to cut interest rates. Since his inauguration last January, President Trump has ramped up his criticism of Powell, even floating the possibility of firing the Fed chairman.

“I am pleased to announce that I am nominating Kevin Warsh to be the CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding: “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best. On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down. Congratulations Kevin!”

Warsh has long been seen as the safest choice to lead the Federal Reserve, with strong ties to Wall Street and a more hawkish stance on lowering interest rates. The National Pulse previously reported that Warsh aligned early with President Trump regarding interest rates, stating last year, “The President’s right to be frustrated with Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve.”

Currently, Warsh serves as an economist with the Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He previously served as an economic policy advisor to President George W. Bush and became the youngest Federal Reserve governor at age 35 when he joined the board in 2006, a role he held until 2011. In the latter role, Warsh served as a critical go-between for Washington, D.C., and Wall Street during the 2008 financial crisis.

Notably, Warsh was also a finalist to be President Trump’s Treasury Secretary, with the job ultimately going to macro-fund manager Scott Bessent. Bessent and Warsh are believed to be on friendly terms with the latter having proposed a new Treasury-Fed accord, similar to one implemented in 1951, to address the nation’s debt and improve coordination between monetary and fiscal policies.

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5 hours ago
Crime
Immigration
Media
News

Don Lemon Has Been Arrested.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities in Los Angeles, California.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Don Lemon, federal agents, and his attorney Abbe Lowell.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Thursday night in Los Angeles, while Lemon was covering the Grammy awards.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.” – Abbe Lowell

🎯IMPACT: The arrest follows Don Lemon invading a church in Minnesota alongside anti-ICE activists, ostensibly in a journalistic capacity.

IN FULL

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents on Thursday night in Los Angeles, California, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell has confirmed. Lemon, 59, now working as an independent activist-journalist, was taken into custody in connection with his participation in the invasion of a Cities Church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, by anti-ICE activists, following a grand jury indictment.

Lemon was there ostensibly in a journalistic capacity, although he conducted hostile interviews with church members and sympathetic interviews with the invaders, even telling one of the latter, “Thank you for your service.” The invasion, which disrupted a church service and sent congregants fleeing with their children, was motivated by the pastor being suspected of having ties to the federal government.

The exact charges against Lemon were unclear as of the time of publication, although federal authorities had previously indicated that they would pursue people involved in the church invasion for civil rights violations.

Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell described the arrest as an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration,” which “will not stand.”

The arrest comes amid a broader federal immigration operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where authorities deployed 3,000 immigration agents over the past two months. Three other people involved in the same church protest have also been arrested.

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19 hours ago
Immigration
News

TX Attorney General Ken Paxton Launches Major H-1B Fraud Investigation.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has launched an investigation into alleged H-1B visa fraud involving three North Texas businesses suspected of illegal activity.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Attorney General Ken Paxton, three unnamed businesses, and state officials are involved in the investigation. Governors Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Ron DeSantis (R-FL) have also taken action on related policies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation, announced late Wednesday, is ongoing in Texas, with related policy moves occurring in Florida and at the federal level.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Any criminal who attempts to scam the H-1B visa program and use ‘ghost offices’ or other fraudulent ploys should be prepared to face the full force of the law.” – Attorney General Ken Paxton.

🎯IMPACT: The investigation reflects growing scrutiny on H-1B visa practices at both the state and federal levels.

IN FULL

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has launched an investigation into allegations of H-1B visa fraud involving three North Texas businesses suspected of illegal activity, according to a news release from his office. The probe centers on claims that the companies improperly used the skilled-worker visa program to sponsor foreign employees through deceptive practices. As the investigation is ongoing, and charges have yet to be filed, the companies have not been publicly named.

“Any criminal who attempts to scam the H-1B visa program and use ‘ghost offices’ or other fraudulent ploys should be prepared to face the full force of the law,” Paxton said. He added that fraud within the program harms Texans by taking away jobs and opportunities, stating, “I will use every tool available to uproot and hold accountable any individual or company engaged in these fraudulent schemes.”

State officials allege the businesses under investigation may have created “sham” companies and operated “ghost offices” to fraudulently obtain H-1B approvals. In one example cited by the attorney general’s office, a company reportedly listed a single-family home as its corporate headquarters while promoting a separate, unfinished building as its worksite in public-facing materials. Civil investigative demands have been issued seeking records related to the companies’ finances, operations, employee rosters, and internal communications.

The Texas inquiry comes amid a broader crackdown on alleged visa fraud at both the state and federal levels. Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) has ordered a freeze on new H-1B petitions submitted by Texas state agencies and public universities through May 31, 2027. Similar actions have been taken in other states, including Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) directed the state university system to end H-1B hiring.

At the federal level, authorities under the Trump administration have intensified enforcement against visa abuse, launching more than 100 investigations into H-1B fraud schemes and revoking a record number of visas. Officials have also expanded efforts to revoke citizenship in cases involving immigration fraud, arguing that stricter enforcement is necessary to protect American workers and restore integrity to the system.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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