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Thursday, March 12, 2026

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3 hours ago
News
Sports

Iran Soccer Team Barred from U.S. World Cup, Tehran Confirms.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Iran announced it will not compete in the FIFA World Cup following the killing of its now-former Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah ‌Ali Khamenei.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Iranian government, FIFA, the Iranian Football Federation, President Donald J. Trump, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The withdrawal was announced on March 1, 2026. The World Cup is scheduled to occur from June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I really don’t care if Iran participates. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.” – President Donald J. Trump.

🎯IMPACT: Iran’s withdrawal raises questions about which nation might replace it in the tournament.

IN FULL

Iran has announced it will not take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali confirmed the decision during a broadcast on state television, saying the current environment makes participation impossible. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist,” Donyamali said. He also added that “considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.”

The tournament, organized by FIFA, is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The upcoming competition will be the first World Cup featuring 48 teams, making it the largest edition in the tournament’s history.

Iran had already secured qualification after topping its Asian qualifying group, which would have marked the country’s fourth consecutive appearance and seventh overall at the World Cup. The team had been drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. Iran was scheduled to play group matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and Lumen Field in Seattle.

Questions about Iran’s participation surfaced after U.S.–Israeli military strikes on Iran began in February, which reportedly killed Khamenei and triggered a wider regional crisis. The strikes intensified political tensions and raised doubts about whether Iranian players would travel to the United States for matches.

Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Iran would still be welcome at the tournament after discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump later commented on the issue, saying, “I really don’t care if Iran participates. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”

Iran’s withdrawal would mark the first time since the 1950 World Cup that a qualified nation has boycotted the finals for political reasons. FIFA must now determine how to fill the vacant spot in the tournament, with possible replacements including Italy or another team from the Asian Football Confederation, such as Iraq. However, FIFA’s rules do not clearly outline a procedure for replacing a qualified team that withdraws shortly before the competition.

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By Popular Demand.
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15 minutes ago
Crime
News

Migrant Charged With Throwing Random Stangers Onto Subway Tracks.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Honduran migrant has been arrested at a homeless shelter for pushing two people onto subway tracks in New York City.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Suspect Bairon Hernandez, his two victims, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks took place last weekend, with Hernandez being arrested on March 10.

🎯IMPACT: The case is just the latest involving a migrant attacking random people on public transit in a major American city.

IN FULL

A Honduran migrant has been arrested for allegedly pushing two strangers, including an elderly man, onto subway tracks at a Manhattan station over the weekend. Authorities say Bairon Hernandez, 34, was taken into custody early Tuesday morning by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn.

Investigators say the incident occurred around noon Sunday at the Lexington Avenue–63rd Street subway station on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. According to police, Hernandez allegedly approached the victims from behind and shoved them onto the tracks without warning.

The victims, an 83-year-old man and a 31-year-old man who did not know each other, were left stranded on the rails below the platform after the attack, authorities said. Bystanders quickly rushed to help and were able to pull both men back onto the platform before a train entered the station.

Hernandez has been charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, assault, and reckless endangerment, police said. When reporters questioned him outside a Manhattan precinct following his arrest, Hernandez denied the accusations, repeatedly shaking his head and saying “no” when asked whether he pushed the two subway riders.

The attack has renewed concerns about violent incidents on public transit systems in major cities. In recent years, several high-profile cases involving migrants and transit violence have drawn national attention. In one widely circulated case, a migrant appealing deportation after prior sex crime convictions was accused of pushing a mail carrier in front of a train during an altercation. In another case, a migrant accused of setting a woman on fire allegedly avoided immediate federal immigration detention because of local sanctuary policies.

Such incidents have intensified political debate over public safety on transit networks, immigration enforcement, and the impact of sanctuary laws in major U.S. cities. Sanctuary restrictions on cooperation with federal immigration authorities undermine public safety by making it harder to take foreign criminals into custody.

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By Popular Demand.
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54 minutes ago
Bonkers Britain
War

Iran’s New Supreme Leader Owns a £200m London Property Empire.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Reports have surfaced that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, owns a substantial property empire in London, prompting calls for sanctions.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mojtaba Khamenei, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and British government officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 11, 2026, various locations in London, England.

🎯IMPACT: Calls for increased sanctions on Iran and scrutiny over foreign property ownership in London.

IN FULL

The British government is facing growing calls to impose sanctions on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after reports surfaced that Mojtaba Khamenei, who has succeeded his slain father, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Supreme Leader of Iran, is linked to a multi-million-dollar property empire in London.

Among the assets highlighted are high-end apartments which look down on the Israeli embassy, and 11 mansions on Bishops Avenue—a.k.a. “Billionaire’s Row”—in Hampstead. Investigations suggest that these properties were acquired through individuals already subject to British sanctions for their alleged role in providing financial support to the IRGC. Collectively, the holdings are believed to be worth around $200 million.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has previously described Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment as Supreme Leader as “unacceptable.” He has not been seen in public since his elevation, with Iranian state media suggesting he was seriously injured during early U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Dozens of Iranian political and military leaders besides the former Supreme Leader have been killed in the strikes, but the regime is continuing to launch retaliatory strikes at U.S. forces and allies across the Middle East, disrupting oil and fertilizer supplies globally.

Image by Mahmoud Hosseini / Tasnim News Agency.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
William Upton
Election Integrity
Politics

Desperate Cornyn Now Claims He Supports Nuking the Filibuster to Pass SAVE Act.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has reversed his position on the Senate filibuster rule, advocating for its removal to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, which mandates voter ID for federal elections.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, President Donald J. Trump, and Senate Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Cornyn announced his U-turn in an op-ed published on Wednesday in the New York Post.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We can either unilaterally disarm, or we can stand and fight,” Cornyn wrote regarding the filibuster and the SAVE Act.

🎯IMPACT: Cornyn’s shift comes as polls show Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a longtime supporter of the SAVE Act, is beating him in the polls for the upcoming Senate primary runoff in the Lone Star State.

IN FULL

In an effort to save his re-election bid, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) says he has now changed his mind on preserving the Senate’s filibuster rule, writing in an op-ed published Monday that the obstruction tool being utilized by Democrats must be eliminated to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act. The bill, which would require voter ID for federal elections, has emerged as a key priority for a large swath of the electorate and a top issue motivating much of President Donald J. Trump‘s MAGA base.

“For many years, I believed that if the U.S. Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain… My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies,” Cornyn wrote. “Today, Democrats are weaponizing the Senate’s rules to block the SAVE America Act, defund the Department of Homeland Security, and hurt the American people—all to spite President Donald Trump. But they say openly that if these same rules ever get in Democrats’ way, they won’t hesitate to rip them up.”

“This leaves conservatives with two options. We can either unilaterally disarm, or we can stand and fight. The answer is clear: We need to stand, fight, and win,” Cornyn added, before declaring that he has changed his stance on the filibuster, “I respectfully urge the remaining handful of my Republican colleagues still holding on to the old position that I used to share to reassess the new reality and update their thinking.”

Still, he appeared less committed on Wednesday afternoon when pressed on his stance on Capitol Hill. “I said I’d be open to reforms,” Cornyn muttered when asked if he now supported “nuking” the filibuster, before declaring it wasn’t true that he had changed his position only to win President Trump’s endorsement in his Republican Senate primary runoff race against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. When pushed further, Cornyn bizarrely and aggressively shoved his hand in the reporter’s face and declared, “I think we’re done, go ahead, go away.”

Unlike Paxton, who has been a MAGA stalwart for years, Cornyn has a long history of backstabbing President Trump, and his top team included other Republicans-in-name-only (RINOs) who have said the MAGA movement should be “purged” from the GOP.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News

Pam Bondi Moved to Military Housing Amid Cartel, Epstein Files Threats.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has relocated to a military base in the Washington area due to threats from both Central and South American drug cartels, as well as critics of her handling of the Epstein Files.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Pam Bondi, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Bondi moved to the military housing at some point during March 2026.

🎯IMPACT: It is not unusual for Cabinet officials, especially, to reside on military bases. Several past Department of Defense (now Department of War) secretaries and senior staff have resided on bases, including Jim Mattis and Robert Gates.

IN FULL

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has moved into housing on a military base in the Washington, D.C. area following an increasing number of threats against her by individuals believed to represent Central and South American drug cartels, as well as critics of her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files release. Notably, the threats against Bondi—according to senior officials in the Trump administration—saw a significant escalation after President Donald J. Trump ordered a military operation that resulted in the successful capture and extradition of Venezuelan narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro this past January.

Prior to relocating to military housing, Bondi had been living in an apartment in the nation’s capital. However, publicly accessible residences occupied by Trump administration officials have become increasingly difficult to secure—a concern exacerbated by the rise in leftist political violence against U.S. immigration agents and the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk last year.

In addition to Bondi, a number of other Trump White House officials and Cabinet members have opted for the more secure military housing over private residences in the D.C. area. These officials include White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.

Last year, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesman stated that Noem was paying “fair-market rent” for the military housing, though what that actually amounts to is unclear. Still, it is not unusual for Cabinet officials, especially, to reside on military bases. Several past Department of Defense (now Department of War) secretaries and senior staff have resided on bases, including Jim Mattis and Robert Gates.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Media
News

UNREAL: CNN REPEATEDLY Runs Cover for New York Islamic Terrorists.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: CNN commentator Ana Navarro falsely claimed an Islamic State-inspired attack in New York City, targeting people protesting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), was targeted at the mayor himself.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ana Navarro, suspects Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, former New York City Council member Joe Borelli, and Abby Phillip.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 11, 2026, New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The attack wasn’t on Mayor Mamdani. It was attacking protesters, people protesting Mamdani.” – Joe Borelli

🎯IMPACT: CNN has faced criticism for its inaccurate coverage of the Gracie Mansion incident, both on-air and in written reporting.

IN FULL

CNN political commentator Ana Navarro falsely claimed during a panel discussion on CNN’s NewsNight show that an Islamic State-inspired attack near the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) had targeted the mayor himself. In reality, the incident involved two suspects, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, who are accused of attempting to hit anti-Mamdani demonstrators protesting the “Islamic takeover of New York City” with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), while shouting “Allahu akbar!”

Navarro’s false statement came up in a conversation about whether Republicans were using the foiled attack to stir up anti-Muslim hostility. Former New York City Council member Joe Borelli, a Republican, immediately pointed out the error, explaining that the explosives were directed at the anti-Mamdani protesters rather than at Mamdani—a member of the same Twelver sect of Shia Islam as Iran’s ruling ayatollahs.

Even after the correction, Navarro maintained her position, declaring, ‘It was at his house!’ The program’s host, Abby Phillip, did not challenge or address Navarro’s remark at the time; she had previously made a similar false statement, describing the attack as “an attempted terror attack against New York’s Mayor, Zohran Mamdani.”

Phillip subsequently issued an apology, admitting that the devices had been thrown at protesters against Mamdani and Islamization, not the Muslim mayor. CNN had also published a report portraying the alleged terrorists sympathetically.

“Two Pennsylvania teenagers crossed into New York City Saturday morning for what could’ve been a normal day enjoying the city during abnormally warm weather,” CNN wrote in a social media post sharing the report. “But in less than an hour, their lives would drastically change as the pair would be arrested for throwing homemade bombs during an anti-Muslim outside protest at Mayor Mamdani’s home,” it added, appearing to portray the suspects almost as victims.

The post was eventually deleted, with the outlet admitting it had “failed to reflect the gravity of the incident, thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting.” However, even after the report correction and Phillip’s apology, CNN did not stop mischaracterizing the attack, with CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere claiming on Wednesday afternoon that Mamdani was now a “target of political violence.”

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
NatSec
War

FBI Warns Iran Plotting Drone Strike on California.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a threat alert to California law enforcement regarding potential Iranian drone strikes on the West Coast as retaliation for recent U.S. military actions against the Islamist regime.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The FBI, California law enforcement, the Trump administration, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The threat alert was issued in early March 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the U.S. conducted strikes against Iran.” – FBI alert

🎯IMPACT: Heightened concerns over drone warfare and national security, with warnings extending to Mexican cartel drone activity along the U.S.-Mexico border.

IN FULL

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a threat alert in early March to California law enforcement detailing intelligence pointing to the potential of Iranian drone strikes launched against the West Coast of the United States. According to the memo, Iran was believed to be seeking to position an unidentified vessel off California’s coast with the intent of using it as a platform to launch suicide drones. The threat alert appears to be more of a situational awareness notice than a warning of an imminent Iranian attack.

“We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United State Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the U.S. conducted strikes against Iran,” the FBI threat alert states, adding, “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”

There are additional concerns that Iranian agents or proxies operating in Central and South America could coordinate with Mexican drug cartels to launch suicide drone attacks across the U.S. southern border, especially targeting American military bases in Texas and California.

The National Pulse reported in March of last year that Border Patrol chief Mike Banks warned that the criminal cartels in Mexico have increasingly utilized drones not just for smuggling but also as weapons against rival cartel operations. In 2024, Air Force General Gregory M. Guillot testified before the U.S. Senate that U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) was registering around 1,000 unauthorized drone incursions across the U.S.-Mexican border each month.

Image via Fars Media Corporation.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Economy
War

Strategic Oil Reserves Tapped Amid Iranian Attacks.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Several member states party to the International Energy Agency (IEA) plan on releasing significant petroleum reserves, equivalent to an estimated 400 million barrels, to boost global supply.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED:  Iran, the International Energy Agency (IEA), and multiple nations, including Germany, Austria, and Japan.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The reserve releases were announced on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale, therefore I am very glad that IEA Member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size.” — IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol

🎯IMPACT: The decision to release petroleum reserves comes after Iran is suspected of striking at three oil tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

IN FULL

The International Energy Agency (IEA) announced the largest release of emergency oil stocks in its history, making 400 million barrels available to the global market after Iran is suspected of attacking at least three commercial tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Two of the vessels sustained some damage but remained operational and afloat; however, the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree—hit by two unknown projectiles—was forced to evacuate its crew, with at least three crew members still missing.

“The oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale, therefore I am very glad that IEA Member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, adding, “Oil markets are global, so the response to major disruptions needs to be global too. Energy security is the founding mandate of the IEA, and I am pleased that IEA Members are showing strong solidarity in taking decisive action together.” Still, Birol emphasized that the crucial Strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened and that Iranian attacks on international shipping must cease.

Germany, Austria, and Japan have all confirmed they will be releasing a portion of their petroleum reserves. It remains unclear, though, whether the United States will release barrels of its own. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum supported the release of oil reserves during a television appearance on Wednesday, describing the situation as a “temporary transit problem” that could be resolved militarily and diplomatically. He criticized Iran for “holding the entire world hostage economically” and noted that President Trump had made clear the consequences of such actions.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning, Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), stated that U.S. forces are “delivering devastating combat power” against Iran, targeting its ability to plant mines and disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. He reported the destruction of over 60 Iranian ships and the elimination of an entire class of Iranian warships.

Image by Jan Zakelj.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
News
War

Three Vessels Hit in Strait of Hormuz.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Three vessels were struck by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the total number of ships attacked in the region to at least 14 since the Iran war began.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The incidents involved ships flagged by Thailand, Japan, and the Marshall Islands, with investigations underway by their respective operators and maritime risk firms.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks occurred on Wednesday, March 11, in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The company is working with the relevant authorities to rescue… missing crew members.” – Precious Shipping, operator of the Thai-flagged vessel.

🎯IMPACT: The attacks have disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil and fertilizer supplies, and raised concerns about escalating tensions in the region.

IN FULL

Three commercial vessels were struck by unidentified projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, according to maritime security firms, bringing the number of ships targeted in the region to at least 14 since the Iran war began. The incidents have intensified concerns about the safety of one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

One of the vessels, the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, was damaged after being hit by two projectiles. Its operator, Precious Shipping, said three crew members are missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room. “The company is working with the relevant authorities to rescue these three missing crew members,” the firm said, adding that the rest of the crew had been evacuated safely to Oman.

Another ship, the Japan-flagged ONE Majesty, sustained minor damage after being struck by an unidentified projectile while anchored in the Persian Gulf. The vessel’s owner, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the ship remains operational. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident.

A third vessel, the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, was also hit by a projectile northwest of Dubai. The ship’s hull was damaged, but its owner, Star Bulk Carriers, reported that no crew members were injured.

The U.S. Navy has declined requests for military escorts for commercial vessels transiting the strait, citing heightened risks. President Donald J. Trump, however, has said the United States is prepared to provide naval escorts if needed.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important waterways, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. A significant portion of global oil exports passes through the narrow passage, making any disruption there highly consequential for global energy markets.

The ongoing conflict has already had ripple effects beyond shipping. Rising fuel costs linked to the instability have contributed to surging fertilizer prices, placing additional pressure on farmers worldwide. Meanwhile, regional energy infrastructure has also been affected, including the shutdown of a major Saudi oil refinery following an Iranian attack.

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8 hours ago
Bonkers Britain

Far-Left UK Govt Advances Plan to Eliminate Most Jury Trials.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Plans to scrap jury trials for most cases in Britain cleared a key hurdle as Members of Parliament (MPs) advanced the legislation to the next stage.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Justice Secretary David Lammy, Labour MPs, and the Bar Council.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, in the British Parliament.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There is very little evidence to support even basic rationality of the government’s decision to rush through this legislation which unnecessarily removes jury trials from thousands of people.” – Kirsty Brimelow KC, Bar Council

🎯IMPACT: The legislation could end the right to jury trials for cases with sentences of three years or less, despite significant legal and political opposition.

IN FULL

The far-left British government’s scheme to dramatically limit the right to trial by jury cleared a key hurdle in Parliament on Tuesday after Members of Parliament (MPs) voted to move the legislation to the next stage of the legislative process. The controversial reform, introduced by anti-Trump Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, would represent a significant shift in England and Wales’ legal system, with defendants facing a potential prison sentence of three years or less no longer being entitled to a jury trial. Instead, a single judge would determine guilt or innocence.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party government argues the change is necessary to tackle the growing backlog in Britain’s courts. “To restore swift and fair justice, we are pulling every lever available, investment is essential, modernisation is essential, and reform,” Lammy said.

The measure passed its reading by 304 votes to 203, but exposed divisions within the governing Labour Party. Ten Labour MPs voted against the bill, while around 90 abstained.

The proposal has also drawn strong opposition from the legal community. More than 3,200 lawyers, supported by the Bar Council, signed a letter urging the government to abandon the plan. Kirsty Brimelow KC, chair of the Bar Council, warned: “There is very little evidence to support even basic rationality of the government’s decision to rush through this legislation which unnecessarily removes jury trials from thousands of people. It’s not too late for the government to listen to us as experts and as a profession and stop before bulldozing our jury system.”

Critics argue the reforms could undermine one of the most important safeguards in the British legal tradition, which has relied on juries for centuries to ensure defendants are judged by their peers rather than solely by the state.

The debate comes amid broader controversy concerning changes to the British justice system. In 2025, new Ministry of Justice guidance advised courts to consider factors such as ethnicity, gender, and identity when making certain bail and sentencing decisions, prompting critics to warn that the policy risked creating a “two-tier” system skewed against straight white men.

Image via 10 Downing Street.

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9 hours ago
William Upton
Politics

WATCH: Cornyn Drops Panicked Attack Ad Claiming Ken Paxton Stole a Pen.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Senator John Cornyn’s (R-TX) reelection campaign has rolled out a panicked advertisement against his Republican primary runoff opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), accusing the latter of stealing a pen.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, and attorney Joe Joplin.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The campaign ad first aired on Tuesday, March 10; the pen incident occurred in 2013.

🎯IMPACT: The incident saw attorney Joe Joplin leaving the pen in a tray as he rushed through courthouse security. Sometime after, Paxton also passed through security and mistakenly picked up the pen along with the other items he had placed in the tray. After courthouse security realized the error and contacted Paxton, it was returned to Joplin.

IN FULL

U.S. Senator John Cornyn‘s (R-TX) reelection campaign has rolled out a panicked advertisement against his Republican primary runoff opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), accusing the latter of stealing a pen. While over-the-top and often hyperbolic campaign attack ads are nothing new, attempting to drive up an opponent’s negatives by claiming they pocketed another attorney’s pen may be a first.

The Cornyn campaign ad heavily focuses on the biblical theme of the Ten Commandments, with a booming, God-like baritone voice bellowing “Thou Shalt Not Steal” after claiming Paxton stole a $1,000 Montblanc pen, citing a 2023 New York Times article. However, Paxton never actually stole the pen.


Instead, the incident—which occurred in 2013—saw attorney Joe Joplin leaving the  Montblanc pen in a tray as he rushed through courthouse security. Sometime after, Paxton also passed through security and mistakenly picked up the pen along with the other items he had placed in the tray. After courthouse security realized the error and contacted Paxton, the Montblanc pen was returned to Joplin. Notably, and perhaps lost on the Cornyn campaign, is the Ninth Commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

The National Pulse reported on Monday that new poll numbers from the Texas Senate Republican runoff indicate Paxton has regained his lead over Cornyn, with his electoral edge holding regardless of whether President Donald J. Trump endorses either candidate.

Meanwhile, the Cornyn campaign rolled out a Faith Advisory Council to boost the incumbent Texas Senator’s standing among evangelical Christian voters. However, several members of the group are well-known boosters of refugee resettlement and mass amnesty policies, with ties to the George Soros-backed Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT).

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