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March 18, 2025
News

Veterans Affairs Halting Distribution of Chemical Castration Drugs to Transgenders.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on Monday that it will begin ending access to chemical castration medications for transgenders. VA Secretary Doug Collins emphasized the agency’s commitment to serving all veterans but stated that those seeking gender transition would need to fund such efforts independently. This move follows a similar action underway at the Department of Defense, as previously reported by The National Pulse.

“All eligible Veterans – including trans-identified Veterans – will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they’ve earned under the law. But if Veterans want to attempt to change their sex, they can do so on their own dime,” Sec. Collins said in a statement.

Under the new policy, the VA will stop offering so-called “cross-sex hormone therapy” to veterans with a current or past diagnosis of gender dysphoria. However, exemptions will be made for those already receiving such treatments through the VA or who started them before their military discharge and qualify for VA healthcare.

NO SEX-CHANGE SURGERIES. 

Veterans who do not meet the outlined criteria will be ineligible for these hormone therapies. Further, the VA specified it would not perform any medical or surgical procedures related to gender dysphoria. Financial savings from these policy changes will be reallocated to veterans with severe injuries.

Records on the prevalence and costs of these procedures within the VA are inconsistent. The Veterans Health Administration estimates that fewer than one-tenth of one percent of the 9.1 million veterans under its care identify as transgender. Although VA has historically denied offering sex-change surgeries, a recent report suggests that the agency previously circumvented policies to provide gender-transition-related items under the Biden government.

These services included prosthetic devices and accessories designed to assist with gender presentation. Such practices were authorized under Directive 1341(4), which has since been revoked. The latest VA announcement aligns with an executive order signed by President Donald J. Trump on January 20 affirming the policy that U.S. law recognizes only two biological sexes.

Image via FCDO.

By Popular Demand.
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14 minutes ago
War

Democrat Senator Cheers Fake Iranian Naval Success.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D) sparked outrage after tweeting “awesome” in response to a false report claiming Iranian vessels had bypassed a U.S. blockade.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) faced backlash after tweeting “awesome” in response to a report claiming 26 Iranian ships bypassed a U.S. blockade. Later debunked as Iranian propaganda, the report falsely suggested a U.S. failure in enforcing its military strategy. Murphy faces accusations of rooting for a foreign adversary.
📺 DETAIL: On Monday, it was reported that 26 Iranian ships had managed to evade a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In response to the report, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) tweeted “awesome”. However, the report was later exposed as baseless, with no reliable evidence of vessels leaving Iranian ports or passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Following online backlash, Murphy followed up on his initial post, claiming it was just a sarcastic comment on President Donald J. Trump’s handling of the Iran war.
🎯 IMPACT: Murphy’s comments have invited criticism that he is using his position to undermine U.S. interests and align with foreign adversaries. The Democrat has a history of taking divisive foreign policy stances, holding a meeting with Iranian officials in Germany in 2020, and extensively criticizing U.S. foreign policy. Following this meeting, he was accused of collusion.
📺 FLASHBACK: Murphy’s comment comes as the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is due to expire on Wednesday. Accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire on “numerous” occasions, President Trump announced on Tuesday that he expects U.S. military action to resume.

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Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D) sparked outrage after tweeting "awesome" in response to a false report claiming Iranian vessels had bypassed a U.S. blockade.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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54 minutes ago
News
Politics

Top MAGA Lawyer Hands Trump a Killer Response to Virginia’s Gerrymandering.

President Donald J. Trump’s former lawyer, Chad R. Mizelle, has suggested a novel way Republicans can push back against Democrat gerrymandering in Virginia, which could turn the tide of the November midterms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Former counsel for President Donald J. Trump, Chad R. Mizelle, has suggested he should counteract Virginia‘s Democrat-initiated congressional gerrymandering efforts by issuing an executive order putting parts of Virginia back under federal control for the first time since 1847.
📰 DETAIL: Mizelle explains in an April 21 article that both Arlington and the city of Alexandria were given to the District of Columbia in 1790, along with a piece of Maryland, to form Washington, D.C., but were given back to Virginia in 1847 when D.C. abolished slavery, while the Old Dominion did not. According to Mizelle, President Trump could declare that act unconstitutional through an executive order, as it was used to protect slavery. This move would then prevent Virginia Democrats from enacting a congressional redistricting scheme, which Virginians are voting on in a referendum today, though the issue would likely go to the Supreme Court first.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “It will not only neutralize the president’s political opponents’ move to stack Congress against him—thus protecting him from another likely sham impeachment – but, most importantly, it will save a great number of red Virginians from having their votes canceled out by deep blue D.C.-adjacent liberals.” – Chad Mizelle.
🎯 IMPACT: If President Trump restores Alexandria and Arlington to D.C., it will remove a major section of blue voters from Virginia and provide more balance to the midterm elections. Without this, the redistricting scheme in Virginia could see the Democrats claim around 90 percent of the state’s congressional seats with only around half of the popular vote.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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President Donald J. Trump's former lawyer, Chad R. Mizelle, has suggested a novel way Republicans can push back against Democrat gerrymandering in Virginia, which could turn the tide of the November midterms.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
Immigration

‘F**k Right Off’ – Leftist, Muslim Minister Blasts ‘White Liberals’ Who Attacked Her for Talking Tough on Immigration.

Britain’s Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended her tough rhetoric on immigration during a podcast recording in London, saying that “white liberals” attempting to guilt-trip her for talking tough on immigration could “f**k right off.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Pakistani-heritage British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood—roughly equivalent to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary—faced hecklers during a podcast recording in London, England, on Monday, where she was accused of adopting the immigration policies of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party. Mahmood reacted furiously, telling the hecklers to “f**k right off” and blasting “white liberals” trying to “put me in a box.”
📺 DETAIL: During the recording of Matt Forde’s Political Party podcast at London’s Duchess Theatre, Mahmood, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s far-left Labour Party, was accused of “out-Reforming Reform,” as her party pays lip service to immigration control by advancing new restrictions on migrants’ rights to claim indefinite leave to remain (ILR). She claimed to recognize public concerns over immigration as “perfectly valid,” adding, “I do think there is that element of it which is: ‘How dare you, a brown woman, say a thing that we white liberals think you’re not allowed to say?’ Well, I’m saying it.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I’m not going to let a tin-pot racist or some random heckler or anybody else claw away at the foundations of who I am as a person. I’m a proud Englishwoman. I’m a proud Brit, I’m a hugely proud Muslim. That is the absolute core of my life… [T]his [heckler] can just f**k right off, because I know I belong in my own country. You’re not going to be able to do that to me.” – Shabana Mahmood
🎯 IMPACT: Net immigration has reduced since Labour regained office after 14 years of Conservative Party rule in mid-2024. However, this is largely a function of numbers dropping since the aberrant post-pandemic “Boriswave” years under former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as well as a sharp increase in emigration. Gross immigration remains near historic highs, and illegal immigration via small boats crossing the English Channel has reached record-breaking levels.

Image via UK Home Office.

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Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended her tough rhetoric on immigration during a podcast recording in London, saying that "white liberals" attempting to guilt-trip her for talking tough on immigration could "f**k right off."

show more
By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Health
War

Hegseth Dumps Another Military Vaccine Mandate.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has officially terminated the Pentagon’s flu vaccine mandate, arguing that “an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation” should also be entrusted to decide for themselves whether to receive the annual shot.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the end of the Pentagon’s mandatory flu vaccine policy for military personnel, effective immediately. The decision allows service members to decide for themselves whether to receive the annual flu shot, framing the move as a restoration of personal freedom and religious liberty.
📺 DETAIL: In a social media video announcing the new policy on Tuesday, Hegseth recalled how the Pentagon had “waged an unrelenting war on our warriors on many fronts, including when it came to denying them simple medical autonomy, and the freedom to express their religious convictions” under the “disastrous” former Biden government. “No more, that era of betrayal is over,” he pledged, promising that “absurd, overreaching mandates” would be discarded. Notably, interim U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates for the effectiveness of the 2025–26 seasonal influenza vaccine stand at just 22–34 percent against adult outpatient visits.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Our new policy is simple: If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it; you should.” But we will not force you.” – Pete Hegseth
🎯 IMPACT: The reform comes as part of a broader rollback of medical mandates under the Trump administration. Hegseth tied the reform to ongoing efforts to rebuild trust with service members and veterans following contentious COVID-19 vaccine mandates, which forced thousands out of the military, encouraging discharged veterans to return to service. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has rescinded guidance pushing hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns whose mothers have tested negative for the virus, among other changes to the vaccination schedule.

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has officially terminated the Pentagon's flu vaccine mandate, arguing that "an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation" should also be entrusted to decide for themselves whether to receive the annual shot.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
UK

Farage’s Reform Party Opens Up Whopping 10-Point Lead Ahead of Crunch Elections.

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has established a double-digit polling lead ahead of English local elections and regional elections in Scotland and Wales.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has opened up a ten-point lead over their nearest rivals, the formerly fringe, far-left Green Party, and the notionally “center-right” Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to mid-2024, ahead of crunch elections across England, Scotland, and Wales in May. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s ruling Labour Party has fallen to fourth place.
📰 DETAIL: YouGov’s latest Westminster (House of Commons) voting intention survey, conducted from April 19 to April 20, puts Reform at 27 percent support, a three-point increase from the previous week. The Greens and the Conservatives are tied at 17 percent, being down by one and two points since last week, respectively. Labour, down one point, trails at 16 percent, with the center-left Liberal Democrats up one point to 14 percent. Restore Britain, founded by Member of Parliament (MP) Rupert Lowe after he was ejected from Reform, is polling at just three percent.
🎯 IMPACT: While the Labour Party is currently unlikely to call fresh national elections before the legal deadline in August 2029, the poll results have implications for local and regional elections in England, Scotland, and Wales next month. A swathe of English local councils are holding municipal elections on May 7, while Scotland and Wales are holding elections for their devolved parliaments—roughly equivalent to state legislatures in the U.S. Heavy losses to Reform could prompt Labour MPs to oust the increasingly unpopular Keir Starmer as party leader and, by extension, Prime Minister, particularly as he is currently embroiled in a scandal over the appointment of the Jeffrey Epstein-linked Peter Mandelson as his ambassador to the U.S. Farage is capitalizing on Starmer’s unpopularity ahead of the May elections, framing them as a de facto referendum on his premiership.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Vote Reform. Get Starmer Out.” – Nigel Farage

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Nigel Farage's Reform Party has established a double-digit polling lead ahead of English local elections and regional elections in Scotland and Wales.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
War

‘I Expect to Be Bombing’ – Trump Accuses Iran of ‘Numerous’ Violations as Ceasefire Expiry Looms.

With the Iran war ceasefire set to expire, Iranian officials are reportedly refusing to meet U.S. officials, and President Donald J. Trump is warning the U.S. military is “raring to go.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump accused Iran of violating its ceasefire agreement with the U.S. and Israel “numerous times” on Tuesday, just one day before it is set to expire. Iranian officials are reportedly refusing to meet U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in Pakistan for peace talks, with Tehran threatening to “reveal new cards on the battlefield” if the war resumes.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET; Vice President Vance is expected to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, before the deadline.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go,” Trump told CNBC on Tuesday morning.
📺 DETAIL: While Pakistani mediators claim both sides will attend talks in Islamabad, Iran is signaling it will not meet with U.S. negotiators “under threat.” Nevertheless, President Trump has stated the Islamic Republic will ultimately have “no choice but to send” representatives, adding, “I think is that we’re going to end up with a great deal.” However, he has also said he does not want to extend the current ceasefire if a deal is not reached before the deadline, saying, he “expect[s] to be bombing” and that “the military is raring to go.”  
🎯 IMPACT: The Iran war has caused oil and gas prices to surge, precipitating a jet fuel crisis as well as increasing prices at the pumps. It has also impacted fertilizer supplies. Iran and the U.S. are dueling over the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s energy and fertilizer supplies flow, with uncertainty over whether Iran is truly lifting its blockade of the strait and the U.S. blockading Iranian ships in turn. U.S. forces boarded an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight, with the Pentagon warning on Tuesday morning that it “will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran—anywhere they operate.”

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With the Iran war ceasefire set to expire, Iranian officials are reportedly refusing to meet U.S. officials, and President Donald J. Trump is warning the U.S. military is "raring to go."

show more
By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
News
SCOTUS

Is the GOP Planning This SCOTUS Move as an ‘October Surprise?’

Speculation that Justice Samuel Alito may retire from the Supreme Court has Republican senators and strategists eyeing a potential confirmation battle to energize conservative voters ahead of the midterm elections in November.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: On Monday, rumors began to spread that Justice Samuel Alito, 76, may retire from the United States Supreme Court, potentially triggering a confirmation battle for his replacement before the 2026 midterm elections. Republican leaders and strategists believe this could galvanize conservative voters. President Donald J. Trump recently signaled he is prepared to appoint multiple new justices.
📺 DETAIL: Rumors are circulating that Samuel Alito, known for his staunchly conservative voting record, may retire from his post, over 20 years after his appointment in January 2006. GOP insiders describe the potential resignation as an “October surprise” that could energize GOP voters ahead of the midterm elections in November, to ensure the Supreme Court keeps its 6-3 conservative majority. Speculation grew further when President Donald J. Trump told Fox News he was ready to nominate up to three new justices last week.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “In theory, it’s two—you just read the statistics—it could be two, could be three, could be one. I don’t know. I’m prepared to do it. But when you mention Alito, he is a great justice.” – President Trump
🎯 IMPACT: A Supreme Court confirmation battle could impact the 2026 midterms. The confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh became a pivotal issue in the 2018 midterms, as Democrats sought to obstruct Kavanaugh’s appointment. The dispute encouraged GOP voters to turn out on polling day, resulting in losses for Democrat incumbents and narrower margins in otherwise comfortable races. However, Fox News claims a source close to Alito has said he is “not stepping down this term and is in the process of hiring the rest of his clerks for the next term.”
📺 FLASHBACK: Rumors of Alito’s potential retirement follow revelations earlier this month that the justice had fallen ill after a Federalist Society dinner in March.

Image by Marielam1.

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Speculation that Justice Samuel Alito may retire from the Supreme Court has Republican senators and strategists eyeing a potential confirmation battle to energize conservative voters ahead of the midterm elections in November.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
UK

Britain is Banning Cell Phones in Classrooms.

Britain’s Department for Education has announced plans to introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools, aiming to create a uniform policy across England.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: On Monday, the British government announced plans to ban cell phones in schools. It will turn the Department of Education’s current advisory guidance into a law requiring all schools in England to prohibit mobile devices throughout the school day.
📺 DETAIL: At present, schools in England have control over how cell phones are regulated on their premises, despite the government officially advising that they should be prohibited during the school day. The proposed amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, a flagship government proposal to overhaul the English education system, particularly in safeguarding and child welfare, would take away schools’ power to set their own rules. The United Kingdom’s other constituent nations, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, set their own policies through their devolved governments, roughly equivalent to U.S. state governments.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This amendment makes existing guidance statutory, giving legal force to what schools are already doing in practice.” – Department for Education spokesman
🎯 IMPACT: Proponents of the amendment argue it will reduce classroom distractions, bullying, and uneven enforcement of bans, while improving grades and behavior. The amendment is supported by both the governing Labour Party and the formerly governing Conservative Party, passing the House of Lords comfortably on Monday. The House of Commons is expected to vote on it on Wednesday.

Image by RDNE Stock project.

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Britain's Department for Education has announced plans to introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools, aiming to create a uniform policy across England.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Crime

D.C. Police Union’s First Gay Leader Faces Child Porn and Grooming Charges.

A former D.C. Police Union leader faces charges of soliciting child pornography and attempting to meet a minor for sex after allegedly attempting to groom an undercover detective posing as a boy.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Former D.C. Police Union Chairman Matthew Mahl, the union’s first gay leader, was arrested and charged with soliciting child pornography and attempting to groom a minor last Tuesday. Mahl, who believed he was communicating with a 15-year-old boy via Reddit, was actually corresponding with an undercover detective from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
📺 DETAIL: Mahl is accused of grooming someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy named Nate by sending sexually explicit messages and naked photos via the Reddit page “r/GayYoungOldDating.” Mahl shared details of his career, which included presidential escort work, and asked the “boy” to send pictures of his genitals. The communications grew more explicit over weeks, with Mahl expressing eagerness for the boy’s 16th birthday on February 11, 2027. He arranged to meet the supposed teenager in Abingdon, Maryland, and was arrested upon arriving at the address. 
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department.” – Metropolitan Police Department statement.
🎯 IMPACT: Mahl is currently on administrative leave, and the Metropolitan Police Department has pledged to investigate further policy violations following the conclusion of the criminal case. Mahl previously served in special operations, providing security for President Donald J. Trump and other top officials. He was once stripped of his gun, badge, and uniform in 2013 over an undisclosed allegation while supervising the MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit. 

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A former D.C. Police Union leader faces charges of soliciting child pornography and attempting to meet a minor for sex after allegedly attempting to groom an undercover detective posing as a boy.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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8 hours ago
TECH
World

Chinese Robots Smash Human Half Marathon Record.

Two robots developed by a Chinese tech company have crushed a human world record for long-distance running at Beijing’s second robot marathon, with another Chinese robot recently coming within a hair of breaking Usain Bolt’s average speed in his world record 100-meter run in 2009.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Two humanoid robots built by the Chinese have completed a half marathon in 48 minutes and 19 seconds and 50 minutes and 26 seconds. Both robots surpassed the human world record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds set by Ugandan long-distance runner and four-time World Cross Country Champion Jacob Kiplimo earlier this year. Built by Honor, a Chinese electronics manufacturer, the new records were set during Beijing’s second annual humanoid robot marathon on Sunday, highlighting the swift progress in China’s robotics industry over the last 12 months.
📺 DETAIL: Sunday’s second annual humanoid robot marathon showcased two robots from electronics manufacturer Honor, a Chinese state-owned enterprise and former subsidiary of Huawei. One of the robots was remotely controlled by humans; the other was entirely autonomous. The remote-controlled robot completed the course in 48 minutes and 19 seconds, while the autonomous robot finished in 50 minutes and 26 seconds. Both smashed the human-set world record set by four-time World Cross Country Champion Jacob Kiplimo. This follows H1, a short-distance running robot built by Chinese company Unitree, achieving a top speed of 10.1 meters per second earlier this month, almost breaking Usain Bolt’s average speed of 10.44 meters per second during his record-setting 100-meter sprint in 2009.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I feel enormous changes this year. It’s the first time robots have surpassed humans, and that’s something I never imagined.” – Robot marathon spectator Sun Zhigang
🎯 IMPACT: The robots’ times represent a massive improvement over China’s inaugural robot marathon, in which robots struggled to complete the course and lagged significantly behind human runners, including amateurs.

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Two robots developed by a Chinese tech company have crushed a human world record for long-distance running at Beijing's second robot marathon, with another Chinese robot recently coming within a hair of breaking Usain Bolt's average speed in his world record 100-meter run in 2009. show more
By Popular Demand.
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