GET THE APP
Thursday, August 21, 2025

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

October 15, 2024
Election 2024
Election Integrity

Famous GOP Strategist Says His Identity Is Being Used for Fake Donations to Kamala Harris Campaign.

A famed Republican strategist is taking legal action against ActBlue, accusing the Democratic fundraising platform of facilitating identity theft to make hundreds of unauthorized donations. Mark Block, who served as chief of staff to Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain in 2012 and was made internet famous after a “smoking man” advertisement, claims someone used his identity to make over $880 in donations between May and October without his approval.

Block directly accuses ActBlue of allowing a “smurfing” scheme. This involves keeping small contributions deliberately below a $200 threshold to bypass Federal Election Commission (FEC) reporting rules, violating federal election laws.

The lawsuit, filed in Waukesha County Court, alleges the donations constitute “racketeering activity” under Wisconsin law. Block has requested a temporary injunction to prevent further donations in his name. Block discovered the unauthorized contributions through receipts found in an email account associated with the Cain campaign. He notes numerous donations to Kamala Harris‘s campaign efforts and the LGBTQ-focused Equality PAC.

“Given [Block’s conservative] political leanings, he would never consent to monetary contributions to any of the ActBlue Campaigns,” the lawsuit notes, insisting he did not “make, authorize, or consent to these donations to the ActBlue Campaigns.”

The Republican-led House Committee on House Administration is already conducting a broader investigation into money laundering through ActBlue. Committee experts utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to scrutinize over 200 million FEC records and identified suspicious patterns. These include multiple small donations and contributions exceeding the financial capacity of purported donors.

The lawsuit cites an unidentified “John Doe” who allegedly used an American Express card linked to a Santa Monica address to make fraudulent donations with Block’s personal information. This case may be the first of several, as similar investigations commence in various states.

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
I’m old enough to remember when the smoking man ad came out
for exclusive members-only insights
I’m old enough to remember when the smoking man ad came out show more
for exclusive members-only insights
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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
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.

7 hours ago
Immigration
UK

Farage’s Reform Party Wants to Shut Down Migrant Hotels Nationwide After Court Ruling.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: British municipal governments are considering legal action to stop the central government from filling local hotels with asylum seekers after a successful court challenge in Epping, England, with Nigel Farage’s Reform Party pledging that every council it controls will mount lawsuits.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Epping Forest District Council, Nigel Farage, migrants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Discussions and legal actions have occurred throughout August 2025, with key events in Epping.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Reform councils will be progressing these legal avenues on an urgent basis,” said Reform deputy leader Richard Tice MP.

🎯IMPACT: The High Court’s decision in Epping has set a precedent, with other councils considering legal action.

IN FULL

Municipal governments across the United Kingdom are stepping up legal efforts to block local hotels from being used to house asylum seekers en masse, as public unrest grows over the danger and disruption migrants are causing in communities.

In Essex, Epping Forest District Council recently secured a High Court injunction to prevent migrants from being placed at The Bell Hotel, citing community protests and safety concerns. The protests in Epping erupted in the area after an asylum seeker living at the hotel was arrested for sexually abusing a local girl. The ruling came despite attempts by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, to keep the migrants at the hotel.

The landmark ruling is now being closely examined by other councils. Richard Tice MP, deputy leader of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, has said “Reform councils will be progressing these legal avenues on an urgent basis.”

Farage called the Epping legal case a victory for the “good people of Epping” who have been protesting, saying they “must inspire similar protests around Britain”—despite the efforts of establishment politicians and media outlets to portray them as “far right.”

There is rising frustration from residents who say their communities are being overwhelmed and their voices are being ignored. Many argue that the central government’s current strategy of meeting boat migrants at sea, bringing them ashore, and housing them in hotels free of charge with little to no restrictions on their movements is failing to deter illegal immigration while placing an unfair burden on local services, housing, and law enforcement, and endangering British citizens.

Despite these concerns, London alone continues to house over 12,000 asylum seekers in hotels.

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.

8 hours ago
Corruption
News

Fed Governor Accused of Fraud and Urged to Resign by Trump Vows to Stay in Post.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to resign following allegations of mortgage fraud raised by former housing regulator Bill Pulte. Cook has vowed to stay in post, insisting she will not be “bullied.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, former housing regulator Bill Pulte, and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Allegations surfaced on X and Truth Social on Wednesday, with supporting documents dating back to 2021.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Cook must resign, now!!!” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: The allegations could impact Cook’s position on the Federal Reserve Board and its upcoming interest rate decisions.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook following serious allegations of mortgage fraud raised by Bill Pulte, a former Trump appointee who led the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency. However, Cook has vowed to remain in post, saying she will not be “bullied.”

In a letter dated August 15 and posted on X (formerly Twitter), Pulte accused Cook of falsely claiming two separate homes as her primary residence to receive more favorable mortgage rates. The letter was addressed to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and senior Justice Department official Ed Martin. Pulte claims Cook pledged in a June 2021 mortgage document that she would make an Ann Arbor, Michigan home her primary residence for at least one year. Just two weeks later, she reportedly bought a condo in Atlanta and also listed it as her primary residence—something that could constitute bank fraud.

“Ms. Cook: why did you designate your Atlanta Condo as your primary residence two weeks after declaring your Michigan home as your primary residence?” Pulte wrote.

“Cook must resign, now!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social following the allegations. However, Cook has insisted she has “no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet.”

She added: “I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts.”

Cook, appointed to the Fed’s Board of Governors in 2022, is a key voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets U.S. interest rate policy. President Trump has frequently been at odds with the central bank and its chairman, Jerome Powell, for refusing to cut interest rates, despite other central banks doing so and economic data showing no signs of runaway inflation.

This is not the first time the Federal Reserve has faced serious ethical and legal scrutiny. In January of this year, former senior Fed adviser John Harold Rogers was arrested and indicted for allegedly stealing sensitive trade secrets and passing them to individuals tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Rogers reportedly transferred confidential documents, including internal policy briefings, and even met with Chinese nationals in hotel rooms to hand over materials.

Prosecutors allege he accepted nearly half a million dollars from a Chinese university to teach part-time—a job they say was a cover for espionage.

Image by Brookings Institution.

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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

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

8 hours ago
Culture
News

Cracker Barrel Trashed for Dull New Logo and Woke Turn.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Cracker Barrel announced a new logo, sparking backlash on social media.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cracker Barrel, Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Moore, and CEO Julie Felss Masino.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Changes announced on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The CEO of Cracker Barrel is as woke as they come. She is destroying a once great American brand.” – Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz

🎯IMPACT: The redesign has led to criticism and debate about the company’s direction and identity.

IN FULL

Homestyle food chain Cracker Barrel has unveiled a bland new logo, having already received backlash for a modernist remodel of its interiors. The company claimed on Wednesday that the new logo “is now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape”—despite removing the man and barrel that have defined the brand since the 1970s entirely, leaving only a background shaped vaguely like a barrel with a simplified text logo embossed on it. The chain has not had a text-only logo for 48 years.

Social media users quickly reacted to the changes. Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz criticized the CEO, former Taco Bell executive Julie Felss Masino, on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “The CEO of Cracker Barrel is as woke as they come. She is destroying a once great American brand.” Notably, the chain has celebrated Pride Month and promoted a ‘Cracker Barrel LGBT+ Alliance’ on its website since she was installed in late 2023.

Responding to the backlash against the previous remodeling of Cracker Barrel’s interiors—once homey and old-fashioned, now filled with the same plain, contemporary furniture as many other chains—Masino insisted she was keeping the Cracker Barrel brand relevant and that “People like what we’re doing,” adding: “Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow.”

Similar modernist rebrands have been met with disdain in recent years. Most recently, once-iconic car company Jaguar embarked on a woke image change that was so poorly received that its sales crashed, and the ad agency responsible was cut loose.

Image by Leo Reynolds.

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.

9 hours ago
Crime
News

Trump’s DOJ Is Offering DC Residents Cash Rewards for Arrest Tips.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Attorney General Pam Bondi announced $500 rewards for tips leading to arrests in Washington, D.C., as part of a federal crime crackdown initiated by President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Attorney General Pam Bondi, President Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the D.C. Police Union, and Mayor Muriel Bowser (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ongoing in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the outstanding work of both federal and local law enforcement, dangerous gang members like the one picked up last night will not be allowed on the streets of our nation’s capital.” – Karoline Leavitt

🎯IMPACT: Over 550 arrests have been made, with significant reductions in violent crime, robberies, and especially carjackings reported in D.C.

IN FULL

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday that $500 rewards will be offered for tips leading to arrests in Washington, D.C., amid the federalization of the city’s law enforcement. Bondi posted on X, “We have now made over 550 arrests in Washington, D.C. and have taken 76 illegal firearms off the streets—saving lives. You can help—[the U.S. Marshals Service] is offering a reward for any information leading to an arrest. Together, we will make DC safe again!”

The crime crackdown follows President Donald J. Trump’s move to take control of the city’s police department. Federal and local law enforcement are now working together, supported by the National Guard, with a focus on crime-heavy areas. Immigration-related arrests are also taking place, with the Democrat-dominated city government’s sanctuary policies restricting D.C. police co-operation with immigration enforcement suspended during federalization.

The D.C. Police Union has backed the federal effort, citing major drops in crime, including an 83 percent decline in carjackings, 46 percent fewer robberies, a 21 percent reduction in auto thefts, and a 22 percent fall in violent crime.

However, Democrat D.C. leaders and some leftist agitators are unhappy. Mayor Muriel Bowser criticized the deployment of National Guard troops, complaining on social media that “American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican.” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb added, “Let us be clear: armed soldiers should not be policing American citizens on American soil. Instead of making D.C. more secure, it undermines public safety and endangers our democracy.”

Amid these tensions, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation into whether D.C. police leaders have manipulated crime data to create the appearance of improvement. The probe began after MPD Commander Michael Pulliam was placed on administrative leave over allegations that he doctored violent crime figures, with the D.C. Police Union subsequently warning that such falsification is endemic.

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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

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

10 hours ago
NatSec
News

Deep State Purge: Gabbard Cutting Intel Office Staff Almost in HALF.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard announced plans to cut her agency’s workforce by up to 40 percent and eliminate several offices accused of politicizing intelligence.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tulsi Gabbard, senior Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) officials, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and former DNI James Clapper.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Ending the weaponization of intelligence and holding bad actors accountable are essential to begin to earn the American people’s trust which has long been eroded.” – Tulsi Gabbard

🎯IMPACT: The initiative could save taxpayers up to $700 million and aims to restore public trust in the intelligence community.

IN FULL

On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard revealed plans for a major overhaul of her office, which includes slashing the workforce by up to 40 percent and shutting down several offices accused of politicizing intelligence. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), which employed over 1,800 people when Gabbard assumed her role, is expected to reduce its staff to around 1,300. Dubbed “ODNI 2.0,” the restructuring is expected to save taxpayers as much as $700 million.

The restructuring will eliminate offices such as the Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC), the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center, and the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center. Gabbard specifically called out the FMIC for undermining civil liberties, pointing to its role in pressuring tech companies to censor stories such as an October 2020 report on Hunter Biden’s laptop.

In a message to ODNI employees, Gabbard underscored the urgency of reform, stating, “Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence.”

The move follows the revocation of security clearances for 37 current and former intelligence officials, accused by Gabbard of having “abused the public trust by politicizing and manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorization, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards.”

In addition to the ODNI reforms, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has agreed to merge the National Intelligence University with the National Defense University to streamline intelligence-related programs.

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.

10 hours ago
Immigration
News

Trump Has Paused Visas for This African Country.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has paused most visa processing in Zimbabwe due to concerns about the Zimbabwean government.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Embassy in Harare, the Government of Zimbabwe, and affected visa applicants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The visa pause took effect in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe.” – U.S. Embassy in Harare

🎯IMPACT: Students and other visa applicants are facing delays, with some unable to afford alternative options for interviews in neighboring countries.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has halted the majority of its visa services in Zimbabwe, citing undisclosed issues with the country’s government. In a statement released August 20, the U.S. Embassy in Harare confirmed, “We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe.”

Formerly known as Rhodesia, Zimbabwe heavily persecuted its white minority under former leader Robert Mugabe, although his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has made some steps towards compensating white farmers after their dispossession and mass exodus caused an agricultural and economic collapse.

According to the U.S. State Department, the visa suspension, which took effect on August 7, affects nearly all categories of visa applications, with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas. This move is likely part of a broader effort by the United States to address issues related to visa overstays and abuse of immigration processes. A report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that Zimbabwe had a visa overstay rate of 10.57 percent in 2023, one of the highest among African nations.

In response to similar issues elsewhere on the continent, the Trump administration is requiring financial bonds of up to $15,000 for certain visa applicants from countries like Malawi and Zambia.

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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

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

11 hours ago
News
Politics

Texas Set to Approve Trump-Backed Redistricting Bill.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Texas legislature is advancing a new congressional redistricting bill put forward by Republicans following weeks of Democrat sabotage.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Texas Republicans, Texas Democrats, Governor Greg Abbott (R), and Democrat governors such as New York’s Kathy Hochul and California’s Gavin Newsom.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Texas, following a Democratic walkout to deny quorum in early August; Democrats returned this Monday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The derelict Democrats spent two weeks of shirking their responsibilities and wasting taxpayer money running from a fight.” – Gov. Abbott.

🎯IMPACT: If passed, the Texas map could flip five Democratic seats to Republican control, intensifying national redistricting battles.

IN FULL

The Texas legislature is set to consider a new congressional redistricting proposal introduced by Republicans on Wednesday, after weeks of sabotage by Democratic lawmakers. Without the numbers to vote down the proposal, Democrats fled the state to deny the legislature a quorum—resulting in Speaker Dustin Burrows issuing civil warrants for the chamber’s sergeant-at-arms and state troopers to arrest them.

Republicans view the Democrats’ return on Monday as a win. If enacted, the proposed new map could shift five congressional seats currently held by Democrats into Republican hands.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott reacted to the Democrats’ return, saying, “The derelict Democrats spent two weeks shirking their responsibilities and wasting taxpayer money running from a fight. Now Republicans will do what we were always going to do: pass the new maps and a host of conservative legislation.”

In response, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has declared her intent to “fight fire with fire,” pledging that Democrats in her state will move forward with their own redistricting efforts. California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) have followed suit, putting forth a new congressional map in California that could flip five Republican-held districts to the Democrats, despite major opposition from even their own voters.

GOP-controlled states like Ohio, Florida, Indiana, and Missouri are actively pursuing or weighing their own redistricting revisions. Democratic-leaning Maryland and Illinois have joined New York and California in working to redraw their political maps.

Image by Chmorich.

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.

12 hours ago
Crime
News

DC Police Union Chairman Warns Top Brass Are Covering Up Crime.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The D.C. Police Union chairman, Gregg Pemberton, accused senior officials of manipulating crime statistics by minimizing or omitting reports of violent crimes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: D.C. Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton, senior D.C. police officials, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Washington, D.C., August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Sometimes a robbery will be reported as a theft… burglary reported as unlawful entry… [W]e’re very skeptical that these crime stats are accurate.” – Gregg Pemberton

🎯IMPACT: Federal authorities have launched a probe into the possible manipulation of crime data.

IN FULL

Gregg Pemberton, Chairman of the D.C. Police Union, has accused top officials within the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of deliberately manipulating crime data in Washington, D.C. According to Pemberton, officers are often directed at crime scenes to either understate the severity of incidents or not document them at all: “They respond to the scenes of these violent crimes and, inevitably, you’ll have a captain, or a commander show up on the scene and advise them to take a report for a lesser offense,” he said during a cable news interview.

“Sometimes a robbery will be reported as a theft… burglary reported as unlawful entry… [W]e’re very skeptical that these crime stats are accurate,” he added.

In some cases, Pemberton said, police leaders will direct officers not to record a crime at all if a victim has been shot or stabbed but is not co-operating, and instead simply file an injured person report.

In response to these serious claims, U.S. Attorney Pirro and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have initiated an investigation into the falsification of crime data. One MPD commander, Michael Pulliam, is already facing charges.

At the federal level, Attorney General Pam Bondi has provided updates on President Donald J. Trump’s federalization of law enforcement in the American capital, reporting that authorities have made over 550 arrests so far. Among those taken into custody is a member of the MS-13 gang.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has also confirmed that 48 homeless encampments had been dismantled as part of the administration’s broader strategy to restore public order.

Image by Elvert Barnes.

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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

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

12 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Immigration
UK

Top 3rd World Diplomat Brags ‘Much of London Feels Like Bangladesh.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Bangladesh’s High Commissioner (Ambassador) to the United Kingdom has said that much of London feels like Bangladesh.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bangladeshi High Commissioner Abida Islam; residents of London.

📍WHEN & WHERE: London, United Kingdom; August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “So much of London—especially east London—feels like Bangladesh. I’m looking forward next year to iftar in Trafalgar Square.” – Abida Islam

🎯IMPACT: The comments underscore London’s radically changing demographics, with minority groups taking over certain areas to the extent that they no longer feel alien to politicians from their ethnic homelands.

IN FULL

Bangladesh’s High Commissioner (Ambassador) to the United Kingdom, Abida Islam, has drawn attention to London’s radical cultural and demographic shifts. Speaking to the establishment Financial Times for an article titled, ‘Where ambassadors to the UK dine in London for tastes of home,’ she said: “I’m fortunate. When I was posted in Mexico and South Korea, my homesickness was worse and hit hardest at mealtimes. But so much of London—especially east London—feels like Bangladesh.”

The diplomat added that she was “looking forward next year to iftar in Trafalgar Square,” in reference to the annual Islamic fast-breaking feasts championed by Mayor Sadiq Khan in the British capital’s most iconic public square.

Islam’s remarks come as London continues to transform under the weight of decades of mass migration, accelerated to record levels by former Conservative (Tory) prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, and maintained at historic levels by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer following the election of the Labour Party in mid-2024.

Bangladeshis are particularly dominant in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, one of several areas where the municipal government has been tearing down English flags raised on lampposts and other infrastructure by members of the public. Notably, Tower Hamlets Mayor Luftur Rahman—himself a Bangladeshi immigrant previously ejected from office for electoral fraud but reelected once his ban expired—took a more tolerant approach towards the borough being festooned with Palestinian flags following the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Other prominent Bangladeshi politicians in England include Prime Minister Starmer’s former Anti-Corruption Minister, Tulip Siddiq, who resigned after the Bangladeshi government began investigating her family for corruption.

Image by Kyle Taylor.

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.

13 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
War

BREAKING: Israel Commences Assault on Gaza City.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Israeli military has begun the initial phase of a final assault on Gaza City after a clash with Hamas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), IDF spokesman Effie Defrin, Hamas, and the Israeli government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Gaza City, offensive announced in a Wednesday briefing.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Most of the troops that will be mobilised in this new stage will be active duty and not reservists.” – Israel Defense Forces

🎯IMPACT: The campaign expands Israeli operations in Gaza, with a planned call-up of approximately 60,000 reservists as the government moves to complete the offensive.

IN FULL

The Israeli military has begun the initial phase of a planned assault on Gaza City following a clash with Hamas. Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin said the Israel Defense Forces had already seized control of the city outskirts during a Wednesday briefing.

The Israeli government intends to call up approximately 60,000 reservists to finish the offensive against Gaza’s largest urban center. However, an IDF spokesman stressed, “Most of the troops that will be mobilised in this new stage will be active duty and not reservists.”

This story is developing…

Image by Michael Shvadron, IDF.

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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad