Wednesday, March 18, 2026

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WATCH: Rogan Shuts Down Bernie’s Climate Change Propaganda.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Joe Rogan challenged Senator Bernie Sanders’s claims about climate change during an appearance on Rogan’s podcast.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Joe Rogan, host of The Joe Rogan Experience, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

📍WHEN & WHERE: June 2025, during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The reality is that the Earth’s temperature has never been static, right? We can both agree on that. It’s always been up and down.” – Joe Rogan.

🎯IMPACT: Rogan used data to counter Sanders’ claims, sparking debate over the interpretation of climate change statistics.

IN FULL

Joe Rogan clashed with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Tuesday, disputing the 83-year-old socialist’s assertion that the Earth is experiencing unprecedented warming due to climate change. Sanders claimed, “I think the last ten years have been the warmest on record,” while advocating for green energy initiatives.

Rogan countered, “The reality is that the Earth’s temperature has never been static, right? We can both agree on that. It’s always been up and down. There’s been ice ages and heat waves. And then, The Washington Post looked at it… Essentially, they found that we’re in a cooling period.”

Rogan referenced a Washington Post article that reported the hottest temperature in Earth’s history occurred nearly 100 million years ago, with an average of 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit. This contrasts sharply with the 2023 average of 58.86 degrees Fahrenheit. Rogan added, “This was, like, a very inconvenient discovery. But they had to report the data, and kudos to them for doing that.”

Sanders, appearing unprepared to address Rogan’s points, responded, “Well, I’m not sure. I didn’t read that article, but—but the scientists who are out there—I think—” before Rogan interrupted, pointing out the financial incentives tied to climate change narratives. “There’s a lot of money involved in this, this whole climate change emergency issue. And there’s a lot of control,” Rogan said.

While Sanders pivoted to discussing China’s carbon footprint and the global nature of climate change, he provided no examples to support his claims of increasing extreme weather disturbances. “All I can tell you is that we are, in my view, going to see more extreme weather disturbances in the coming years than we have ever. We’re seeing them right now,” he claimed.

While Sanders largely shares the same views as Democrats on climate change, he has come into conflict with the party after claiming Democrats have abandoned their traditional working-class base. Last November, the DNC attacked Sanders, calling his comments “straight up BS.” Earlier this year, in March, Sanders even praised President Donald J. Trump for his border policies and for cracking down on the smuggling of the deadly drug fentanyl.

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Audit Reveals Systemic Failures Allowed Somali Fraud to Persist for Years.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A new state audit revealed that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services failed to investigate Medicaid kickback allegations, despite having the legal authority to do so for decades.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Minnesota Department of Human Services, Governor Tim Walz (D) and his administration, and the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The audit was released on Tuesday, March 17, 20226, focusing on Minnesota’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) program.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We disagree with [Minnesota’s] assertion that it did not have the authority to investigate allegations of kickbacks alone. Based on our analysis, [the Minnesota Department of Human Services] has had the authority to investigate allegations of kickbacks in MA since the late 1990s.” — OLA audit report

🎯IMPACT: The report highlights systemic failures in oversight, costing taxpayers millions and placing public funds for autism services at risk.

IN FULL

Minnesota’s Department of Human Services systemically failed to investigate Medicaid kickback allegations for years, according to a newly completed state audit. The agency claimed it lacked the authority to conduct such investigations, effectively turning a blind eye to widespread social services fraud—especially among the state’s Somali immigrant community.

Released by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) on Tuesday, the audit directly contradicts Minnesota’s claims that it lacked the legal investigatory authority. “We disagree with [Minnesota’s] assertion that it did not have the authority to investigate allegations of kickbacks alone,” the OLA report states, adding, “Based on our analysis, [the Minnesota Department of Human Services] has had the authority to investigate allegations of kickbacks in MA since the late 1990s.”

The audit focused on the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) program, which provides autism services. The program’s budget skyrocketed from $3 million in 2018 to nearly $400 million in 2023, raising concerns about fraud risks. Kickbacks were a key element in fraudulent schemes uncovered in the program, with providers using financial incentives to maximize Medicaid billing.

Deputy Legislative Auditor Katherine Theisen noted that the Minnesota Department of Human Services declined to investigate three specific kickback allegations from 2021 to 2023, failing to refer them to law enforcement or other investigative agencies. The audit also identified a decades-old administrative rule error that may have limited the agency’s ability to suspend payments during investigations.

In response, the Minnesota Department of Human Services stated in a letter included in the report, “We agree with the recommendation that fraud should be defined to more clearly include kickbacks.” However, Republican lawmakers criticized the agency’s inaction. Minnesota House Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins (R) called the lack of oversight “astounding,” adding that Minnesota’s failure to address administrative errors compounded the issue.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Tulsi Gabbard Tells Senate that Trump’s Iran Strikes Are Strategic Success.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard briefed the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, stating that the U.S. military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran are a strategic success.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tulsi Gabbard, the Senate Intelligence Committee, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The briefing occurred on Wednesday during a Senate Intelligence Committee meeting in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: Gabbard stated that Iran’s capability to project military force has been “largely destroyed” and the regime’s strategic position in the region is now “significantly degraded.”

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. intelligence community cautions that the Islamist government remains relatively intact and, should it survive the current military operation, U.S. intelligence agencies believe it will “seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces.”

IN FULL

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, telling lawmakers that President Donald J. Trump’s authorization of U.S. military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran has proven to be a strategic success. Gabbard, while emphasizing her remarks reflected the overall assessment of the American intelligence community and not her own “personal views or opinions,” stated that Iran’s capability to project military force has been “largely destroyed” and the regime’s strategic position in the region is now “significantly degraded.”

Still, President Trump’s top intelligence official cautioned that the Islamist government remains relatively intact and should it survive the current military operation, U.S. intelligence agencies believe it will “seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces.”

Since the state of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, Iran’s retaliatory actions have resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members and injuries to approximately 200 more. In addition, the targeting of oil tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian drones and anti-ship missiles has caused insurance costs for the shipping industry to skyrocket—effectively closing the critical waterway to cargo and tanker traffic. The closure of the strait has disrupted global supply chains for critical resources, including oil, fertilizer, and aluminum.

Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic have eliminated most of the regime’s top political and military leadership. Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial strikes on February 28, along with 40 to 50 other top regime officials. The 86-year-old theocrat was succeeded by his 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as Supreme Leader. Notably, senior U.S. government officials, including President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, have indicated that Mojtaba Khamenei was likely seriously wounded and possibly disfigured in the same airstrike that killed his father. He has made no public appearances or released any prerecorded messages since assuming power.

In subsequent weeks, other key Iranian officials have perished, including Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, and General Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary morality police. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had also been killed in a “targeted strike” in Tehran.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Principal Who Celebrated Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Convicted of Pedophilia Offenses.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A former Oregon high school principal who celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk has been sentenced for possessing and sharing child sex abuse images.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jeremy P. Williams, former principal of Rainier Junior/Senior High School.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Williams was sentenced in March 2026 in Columbia County, Oregon.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Authorities received automatic alerts from several social media sites.” – Cowlitz County Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill

🎯IMPACT: Williams was sentenced to over five years in prison and registered as a sex offender.

IN FULL

Jeremy P. Williams, the former principal of Rainier Junior/Senior High School in Oregon, has been sentenced to five years and one month in prison after being convicted of possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material. Investigators identified Williams, who lives in Longview, Washington, after social media companies flagged explicit content tied to him.

Before his arrest, Williams had been placed on paid administrative leave over remarks he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who had been assassinated in Utah about a week earlier. Williams had led the school since 2022 and retired in November, earning $99,500 annually.

Cowlitz County Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill said authorities found no evidence that any students from Williams’ school were involved in the material. The case was heard in Cowlitz County Superior Court, where Judge Thad Scudder issued the sentence and ordered Williams to register as a sex offender. In addition to his prison term, he must pay $3,000 in fees and complete three years of probation after release.

Williams’s earlier comments about Charlie Kirk came amid wider national controversy after the organizer’s assassination. Many educators faced consequences for celebrating or justifying the killing, with more than 100 teachers suspended in Texas. Elsewhere, teachers were fired, although some filed lawsuits challenging their dismissals.

One activist claimed to have collected more than 51,000 tips identifying individuals who allegedly expressed support for the assassination online.

Image via Rainier School District.

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EXPOSED: Leftist Icon Cesar Chavez Was Serial Child Molester, Investigation Claims.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The late leftist and progressive icon Cesar Chavez raped two underage girls, as well as Dolores Huerta—a fellow farmworker labor leader—in the 1960s and ’70s, according to a new investigation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cesar Chavez, Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, Dolores Huerta, the United Farm Workers, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and Bob Menendez.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation into the allegations against Chavez was published on March 18, 2026, with the alleged sexual assaults occurring between 1966 and the late 1970s.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Wake up people. This man u march for every year molested me.” — Debra Rojas

🎯IMPACT: For decades, Chavez—who claimed he drew political inspiration from the likes of Niccolò Machiavelli, Adolf Hitler, and especially Mao Zedong—has been hailed as a leftist and progressive icon by Democrat lawmakers. His home, including his private office where many of the assaults allegedly took place, was dedicated as a national monument by Barack Obama in 2012.

IN FULL

The late leftist and progressive icon Cesar Chavez raped two underage girls, as well as Dolores Huerta—a fellow farmworker labor leader—in the 1960s and ’70s, according to a new investigation. Revealed by the New York Times, Chavez allegedly first raped Huerta in 1966.

“Mr. Chavez drove her out to a secluded grape field in Delano, Calif., parked and forced her to have sex inside the vehicle. She said she chose not to report the assault to the police because of their hostility toward the movement, and she feared that no one within the union would believe her,” the investigation states. Further, the report claims that between 1972 and 1977, Chavez repeatedly raped Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas, while both were underage and the farmworker leader was in his forties.

While the two women have remained relatively quiet on the allegations for years, Rojas alluded to the sexual assaults nearly a decade ago in a private Facebook group, writing at the time, “Wake up people. This man u march for every year molested me.” The group—comprised of longtime organizers who had worked with Chavez and supporters of his movement—was planning celebrations for Cesar Chavez Day, first proclaimed by former President Barack Obama in 2014.

Rojas says she was just 12 years old when Chavez first began molesting her. She detailed how the avowed Maoist farmworker leader would use the privacy of his office to touch her genitals and fondle her breasts out of the view of others. She stated that when she was 15 years old, Chavez kept her stashed in a motel room for an entire week so that he could repeatedly engage in sexual intercourse with her.

Meanwhile, Ana Murguia detailed her first sexual encounter with Chavez, stating she was summoned to his office where he sat her on a yoga mat, kissed her, and removed her pants. “Don’t tell anyone, they’d get jealous,” Chavez allegedly told Murguia. The woman says Chavez molested her repeatedly in his private office, leading to her attempting suicide on multiple occasions. “I wanted to die,” Murguia said. She had known Chavez since she was around eight years old.

Critically, the revelations regarding Chavez’s pedophilic rape and molestation of young girls come a day after the United Farm Workers—the labor organization he founded—stated it would not participate in celebrations of its one-time leader. Calling the allegations against Chavez “troubling,” the labor union, in a statement, says the claims against him “are incompatible with our organization’s values. Some of the reports are family issues, and not our story to tell or our place to comment on. Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors. Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing. We have not received any direct reports, and we do not have any firsthand knowledge of these allegations.”

For decades, Chavez—who claimed he drew political inspiration from the likes of Niccolò Machiavelli, Adolf Hitler, and especially Mao Zedong—has been hailed as a leftist and progressive icon by Democrat lawmakers. The National Pulse previously reported that former President Joe Biden replaced an Oval Office bust of World War II hero and British leader Sir Winston Churchill with one of Chavez on his first day in office. President Donald J. Trump subsequently restored Churchill’s bust, removing Chavez’s visage from the White House. Also of note, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the granddaughter of Cesar Chavez, served as Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign manager.

In 2014, then-President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as “Cesar Chavez Day,” a federal commemorative holiday celebrating Chavez’s birth and legacy. Two years prior, Obama dedicated the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument at Chavez’s home and former United Farm Workers headquarters in Keene, Kern County, California. It was in this home that Chavez’s private office—where he engaged in the molestations—was located. Additionally, in 2017, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a resolution to honor Chavez’s life and legacy—an annual push by Democrats that had occurred during each Congress for the past decade.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in June last year, moved to begin the process of renaming the USNS Cesar Chavez.

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Israel Eliminates Iran’s Intelligence Minister in Latest String of Targeted Strikes.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in a targeted strike in Tehran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israeli Defense Forces, Esmail Khatib, and Iranian leadership.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The strike occurred in Tehran on Wednesday, during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest & killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis & Americans around the world.” – Israeli Defense Forces

🎯IMPACT: The assassination marks the third high-ranking Iranian official killed in two days, though the Islamist regime still appears resistant to collapse.

IN FULL

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in a “targeted strike” in Tehran. This marks the third assassination of a senior Iranian official in just two days.

“Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest & killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis & Americans around the world,” the IDF stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter). They also noted his involvement in suppressing the Mahsa Amini protests between 2022 and 2023.

The strike follows the deaths of Ali Larijani, Iran’s top security official, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij forces, on Tuesday. Iran’s judiciary news agency confirmed Soleimani’s death, while a statement from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council detailed that Larijani was killed alongside his son and several aides.

Khatib, appointed in 2021 by the now deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been a key figure in Iran’s intelligence operations. Khamenei himself was killed on February 28, during the opening minutes of U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting high-ranking Iranian officials.

The ongoing U.S.-led military operation against Iran has now stretched to 19 days.

Image by Hossein Zohrevand/Tasnim News Agency.

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WATCH: Farage Warns Talented Britons Are Leaving the Country and Being Replaced by Afghan Goat Herders.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Farage voiced concerns about young Britons leaving the country and being replaced by foreign goat herders at a rally in Buckinghamshire, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party, British emigrants, and Afghan migrants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, at a rally in the Buckinghamshire city of Milton Keynes, England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our young, brilliant people are leaving the country [and] being replaced by goat herders from Afghanistan.” – Nigel Farage

🎯IMPACT: Farage’s comments highlight concerns about native talent loss and mass migration in the United Kingdom.

IN FULL

Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s Reform Party, raised alarms over the emigration of young, talented Britons and their replacement by foreign peasants at an election rally in Milton Keynes, England. “Our young, brilliant people are leaving the country. As hundreds of thousands leave, talented people, taxpayers, entrepreneurs, business types… frankly, they’re being replaced by goat herders from Afghanistan,” he told the crowd.

“Now, that comment will get me in trouble, but that’s OK. I’ve spent my whole life being in trouble,” he joked.

Net immigration to Britain in the year to June 2025 is currently estimated at around 204,000—historically high but down substantially from the “Boriswave” years under the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party post-pandemic, when it passed 900,0000.

However, the net influx is not down under the incumbent Labour Party chiefly due to any stringent immigration restrictions, but rather due to a massive increase in people leaving the country. Gross long-term immigration in the year to June 2025 is currently estimated at around 898,000, mitigated on paper by long-term emigration rising to 693,000.

Notably, Afghans are an especially problematic migrant community in Britain, being disproportionately dependent on welfare and publicly-funded housing, and the single-most grossly overrepresented nationality in sex crime statistics, with 59 arrests per 10,000 people, compared to just six arrests per 10,000 people among British citizens.

They are also the third-most overrepresented nationality for crimes of violence—behind Congolese and Somalis—with 102 arrests per 10,000 people, compared to 16 arrests per 10,000 people among British citizens.

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Iran Bombs British-Australian Base.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Iran launched a missile attack on Al Minhad Air Base, damaging facilities used by British and Australian troops.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Iran, British and Australian forces, and Israel.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Late Tuesday at Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

💬KEY QUOTE: “All Australian staff were absolutely safe.” – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

🎯IMPACT: No casualties reported among British or Australian personnel, but the attack heightens tensions for the British and Australian governments, which have been at odds with the Trump administration over the refusal to assist U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran.

IN FULL

Iran launched a missile strike on Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) overnight, targeting a facility that hosts British and Australian military personnel and assets. This is despite the British and Australian governments, led by left-wing prime ministers Sir Keir Starmer and Anthony Albanese, having refused to assist U.S.-Israeli operations against the Islamic Republic.

The attack damaged an accommodation block and a medical facility in the Australian section of the base, after a projectile struck a nearby road and sparked a small fire. Prime Minister Albanese confirmed the incident and stated that all Australian personnel were “absolutely safe,” with no injuries reported. The British Ministry of Defence said there were no British casualties at the base, which has maintained a permanent British presence since 2024 to support regional operations.

In a separate overnight operation, Israel announced that its forces had killed Esmail Khatib, Iran’s intelligence minister, in a targeted strike. Khatib was a key figure in Iran’s counter-espionage efforts against Israel’s Mossad. The previous day, Israel reported that it had killed Ali Larijani, Iran’s senior security chief and the regime’s main frontman since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary morality police.

Image by Fars Media Corporation.

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Transgender Activist Charged with Infant Rape.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A man identifying as transgender was charged with the rape of an infant girl in Washington.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: William Kelso Flournoy IV, also known as “Isabelle” or “Izzy,” and Tacoma Police.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The arrest occurred on March 5, 2026, in Tacoma, Washington.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I spoke with the lead detective, and he is actively investigating this case and continuing to run down all leads.” – Officer Shelbie Boyd

🎯IMPACT: Flournoy’s arrest raises concerns about potential additional victims.

IN FULL

A Washington man who identifies as transgender has been arrested and charged with the rape of an infant girl. William Kelso Flournoy IV, who uses the name “Isabelle” or “Izzy,” was charged last week with first-degree rape of a child and sexual exploitation of a minor.

Tacoma police launched an investigation after receiving a priority CyberTip from Google through a database for Internet crimes against children, according to Reduxx. Detectives identified Flournoy as the suspect using an associated IP address and distinctive physical features visible in video of the rape. The victim was quickly located, and her parents confirmed her identity. They told investigators that in 2023, while living in a motel and working multiple jobs, they had invited Flournoy and his partner to stay with them and assist with childcare.

On social media, Flournoy describes himself as a “youth advocate” and maintains accounts under the name Isabelle. The Tacoma Police Department Incident Report notes that Flournoy was arrested by an FBI task force while residing at an assisted living shelter for transients.

Flournoy previously volunteered with the Youth Action Board, a youth-led group affiliated with the REACH Center in Tacoma that focuses on issues affecting young people experiencing homelessness. Detectives intend to contact the REACH Center due to concerns about potential additional victims.

Flournoy entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment, where bail was set at $1 million. Last July, Flournoy faced separate accusations of possessing and dealing in illicit material.

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School Restricts Lunch for All Students During Ramadan.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Canadian school implemented “food-free zones” in its cafeteria to support Muslim students observing Ramadan.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Fairview School in Calgary, Muslim students fasting for Ramadan, and the Calgary Board of Education.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The policy was introduced during Ramadan, which began February 17 and ends March 18, at Fairview School in Calgary, Canada.

💬KEY QUOTE: “To support students who may be fasting, we will be providing designated No Food Spaces during lunch.” – School email to parents.

🎯IMPACT: The decision faced criticism online, with many questioning the practicality and fairness of the policy.

IN FULL

Fairview School in Calgary, Canada, has introduced “food-free zones” in its cafeteria during Ramadan, when many Muslim students fast from dawn until sunset. The policy was shared with parents in an email explaining that it was meant to support those observing the fast.

The email stated: “To support students who may be fasting, we will be providing designated No Food Spaces during lunch.” Under the plan, students in Grades Four to Six cannot eat in the cafeteria during the first half of lunch, while those in Grades Seven to Nine are barred from eating in their lunchroom for the full hour. The policy quickly drew criticism online, with one user writing, “The true common sense solution would have been for the fasting students to avoid the cafeteria area.”

The Calgary Board of Education responded in a statement posted on Instagram, defending the move. It said, “During special cultural and religious observances, schools are able to make accommodations to support students, both in and out of classroom activities. This could include accommodations when students are fasting during Ramadan.” The board also claimed that “no changes have been made to these designated lunch areas,” despite the earlier email outlining the restrictions. Comments on the post were disabled.

In recent years, accommodations for Ramadan in the West have expanded beyond schools; the English soccer Premier League introduced Ramadan breaks, pausing matches to allow Muslim players to eat. The practice has been ongoing since 2021.

In 2024, a British government body even included “Hadiths of the Day” in London’s King’s Cross station during Ramadan. However, backlash led to the Hadiths, the sayings of the Prophet Mohammed, being removed.

Image by AwayWeGo210.

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Raids on Vape Stores See Four Arrests, Drugs and Millions in Cash Seized.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Four men were arrested and $2.3 million was seized during raids at vape stores in Kinston, North Carolina.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Fatehi Alshoabi, Khaled Almaqaleh, Ibrahim Nagi, and Emad Ali were arrested.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The raids took place in March 2026 in Kinston, involving 26 businesses and eight homes.

💬KEY QUOTE: “When we’re consistently getting complaints from our community members, specifically parents with children 15, 16, 17 years old going to these shops to buy illegal narcotics, we’re going to take it extremely seriously.” – Chief Keith Goyette

🎯IMPACT: The operation provides more evidence that vape stores are hubs for organized crime and dealing illegal narcotics, on both sides of the Atlantic.

IN FULL

Police in Kinston, North Carolina, conducted a series of raids at vape stores, resulting in the arrest of four men and the seizure of $2.347 million in cash. The operation, known as Operation Wintergreen, involved searches of 26 businesses and eight homes.

The arrested men are Fatehi Alshoabi, Khaled Almaqaleh, Ibrahim Nagi, and Emad Ali, all facing various charges related to drug possession and sales. Police confiscated nearly 110 pounds of THC and almost eight pounds of khat, an illegal stimulant popular in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa region.

Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette emphasized the operation’s focus on safeguarding youth from illegal narcotics. He stated, “When we’re consistently getting complaints from our community members, specifically parents with children 15, 16, 17 years old going to these shops to buy illegal narcotics, we’re going to take it extremely seriously.”

Goyette mentioned that more than 34 search warrants have been issued during the three-month operation, which is set to conclude next Tuesday. However, efforts to combat illegal drug activity will persist beyond the operation’s end.

Despite the raids, the targeted vape stores reportedly remain open, with Chief Goyette clarifying that the police aim to stop crime rather than closing businesses. However, vape stores on both sides of the Atlantic are frequently linked to organized crime, human trafficking, and illegal immigration. They are also frequently hazardous to their neighborhoods, with an unregistered vape store in Glasgow, Scotland, recently causing a fire that burned down a 175-year-old city landmark and caused Scotland’s largest railway station to close.

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