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Thursday, July 9, 2026

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43 minutes ago
News
War
World

Spain Will Boost NATO Contributions Following Trump Trade Threat.

President Donald J. Trump’s threat to halt trade with Spain has prompted the European Union member state to promise to increase its NATO contributions.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that Spain has agreed to increase its contributions to NATO after he ordered a halt to U.S. trade with the Socialist-led country due to its refusal to meet NATO’s defense spending targets. Trump revealed the development while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, stating that Spain had “come back all the way.”
📺 DETAIL: The dispute stems from Spain’s continued insistence that its planned 2.1 percent defense spending level is sufficient despite failing to meet NATO targets. Trump told reporters Spain honored his request for “lots of payment,” warning that the United States would not have continued talks otherwise, while criticizing the country’s Socialist Party government for poor behavior. Earlier in the day, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he had held an informal and cordial conversation with Trump following the trade halt announcement, describing their discussion as focused on soccer and golf rather than the defense dispute. Sánchez said Spain learned of the trade order through reporters but was responding with “calm and patience,” with a Spanish government spokesman also stressing that trade relations between the two countries remain significant and that the United States runs a trade surplus with Spain.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “They honored a request for lots of payment—and if they didn’t, we wouldn’t even talk to them.” – President Donald J. Trump
🎯 IMPACT: The agreement marks a significant win for Trump, who has consistently pushed NATO allies to increase their defense spending so the burden of upholding the alliance does not fall so disproportionately on American taxpayers. Spain’s decision to comply after the trade-halt threat underscores the leverage the United States holds in negotiating with European allies over shared defense responsibilities.
📺 FLASHBACK: President Trump has long criticized NATO allies for failing to meet their defense spending commitments, frequently singling out “delinquent” countries like Germany and Spain for not contributing their fair share to collective security while relying on the U.S. to protect them.

ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force TSgt Laura K. Smith.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 minutes ago
Economy
News

Vance Initiates Investigation into H-1B Visa Program Fraud.

The Department of Labor, at Vice President J.D. Vance’s direction, has launched a major investigation into abuses of the H-1B visa program, highlighting concerns over job displacement for American workers.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President J.D. Vance announced a sweeping investigation into fraud and abuse in the H-1B visa program, with the Department of Labor issuing subpoenas and initiating probes into foreign entities exploiting the system. The investigation aims to address fraudulent practices that displace American workers and undercut wages.
📺 DETAIL: Vance said the investigation is part of a broader initiative targeting fraud across federal programs and will focus on allegations including fraudulent visa applications, wage violations, and labor trafficking schemes. He argued that temporary work visa programs should serve legitimate labor needs rather than enable companies to undercut U.S. wages or replace qualified American employees. The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General will work with other federal agencies to identify potential violations and pursue enforcement actions where warranted. Officials said the probe will also examine Green Card sponsorship practices and labor certification applications for signs of misconduct. Vance said the administration intends to ensure employment-based immigration programs operate as Congress intended while preventing exploitation by bad actors. The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations, though it has long faced criticism from lawmakers and labor advocates over its abuse.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters, and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it.” – Vice President J.D. Vance
🎯 IMPACT: The crackdown signals a shift toward stricter enforcement of visa program regulations, potentially curbing corporate abuses and restoring job opportunities for American graduates.
📺 FLASHBACK: The H-1B program has faced bipartisan criticism for decades, with reports of wage suppression, fraud, and exploitation of foreign workers emerging as recurring issues. Previous investigations have largely targeted smaller entities, leaving many major corporations untouched.

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The Department of Labor, at Vice President J.D. Vance's direction, has launched a major investigation into abuses of the H-1B visa program, highlighting concerns over job displacement for American workers.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
News
UK

WATCH: Kassam Explains How Farage Turned ‘Weaponized’ Probe Into Election Showdown.

The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam explained Nigel Farage’s decision to resign his seat in Parliament and run again in an interview with former Congressman Matt Gaetz.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, explained why Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage has announced his resignation and intention to run again for his parliamentary seat in an interview with Matt Gaetz on Wednesday evening.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “There have been months and months now of spurious allegations being made that he’s in the pocket of some crypto billionaire or that he’s accepted gifts that he shouldn’t have… And finally, yesterday, Farage said, enough is enough. If you’re going to keep saying these things about me… I’m going to resign and I’m going to run again, and let’s see what the people want.” – Raheem Kassam
🎯 IMPACT: Kassam described how Britain’s ruling Labour Party, the notionally center-right Conservative (Tory) Party, and all the other major parties, including the Elon Musk-backed Restore Britain party, have backed off from facing Farage in the by-election (special election), instead allowing BBC contractor, campaigning under the alias “Count Binface,” to serve as the Reform leader’s main opponent. “[W]hat [this] effectively means is that he will win back his seat. What will then happen is that the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner will say, ‘Oh, but you did forget to tick this box incorrectly on this bit of paperwork, so we want you to do it again,’ and we’ll probably see another special election later on this year in the same seat, asking the same question,” Kassam explained, adding, “But how do you think the voters of Clacton-on-Sea are going to respond to having to do that all over again because some faceless bureaucrat?”
📰 DETAIL: Allegations against Farage include claims he improperly declared financial contributions before he became a Member of Parliament (MP), which he and his supporters argue are politically motivated attempts to exclude him from electoral politics. Kassam and Gaetz discussed how similar tactics have been used against President Donald J. Trump and French populist leader Marine Le Pen in recent years.
👀 WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE.

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The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam explained Nigel Farage's decision to resign his seat in Parliament and run again in an interview with former Congressman Matt Gaetz.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Crime
News

Kirk Family Demands Full Disclosure of Lance Twiggs Interviews.

The family of assassinated Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is urging the court to release unredacted interviews with the transgender lover of Kirk’s accused murderer, Tyler Robinson.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Kirk family, represented by attorney Jeffrey Neiman, has called for the full release of unredacted interviews with Lance Twiggs, the transgender lover of Tyler Robinson, who is accused of murdering Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk. Twiggs, granted “use immunity,” is said to be cooperating with prosecutors and is a key witness in the case.
📺 DETAIL: Prosecutors allege that Robinson admitted to the murder in text messages to Twiggs and left a handwritten note expressing his intent to kill Kirk. DNA evidence links both Robinson and Twiggs to the weapon and other items recovered at the scene. Despite the Kirk family’s push for transparency, Judge Tony Graf Jr. ruled that portions of Twiggs’s interviews will remain redacted during the preliminary hearing, though he will personally review the unredacted interviews to determine probable cause.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “To not be transparent here, to not be open, to not let the world see what happened, will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system,” said Jeffrey Neiman, attorney for Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
🎯 IMPACT: The court’s decision to redact portions of Twiggs’ interviews has raised concerns about transparency and public trust in the judicial process. Notably, the ruling only applies to the preliminary hearing and does not determine what evidence will be presented at trial, where Twiggs may also testify in person.
📈 DATA: DNA evidence presented in court showed that Robinson’s DNA made up 95 percent of the material on the murder weapon’s towel, while Twiggs’s DNA accounted for five percent. Similarly, on a screwdriver recovered at the scene, Robinson’s DNA was 89 percent and Twiggs’s DNA was 11 percent, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) analyst.

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The family of assassinated Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is urging the court to release unredacted interviews with the transgender lover of Kirk's accused murderer, Tyler Robinson.

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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.

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3 hours ago
News
War

U.S. and Iran Exchange Further Heavy Strikes After Trump Declares Ceasefire ‘Over.’

The U.S. launched further airstrikes against Iranian military targets overnight, with the Islamic Republic carrying out retaliatory attacks against U.S. forces and allies in the region.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. military conducted further military strikes overnight after President Donald J. Trump declared the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was “over” at the NATO summit in Turkey, in response to earlier Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This followed a previous night of U.S. strikes and prompted retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting U.S. assets and allies in the Middle East.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: Attacks were exchanged overnight on Wednesday and Thursday, with strikes reported across the Middle East, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and southern Iran.
📺 DETAIL: U.S. strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint, destroying missile storage sites, air defense systems, and drones at 90 sites in an effort to degrade its ability to disrupt shipping. Iran retaliated with missile strikes targeting U.S. bases and regional allies of the U.S., including Jordan, where all Iranian missiles were reportedly intercepted. Explosions were also reported in several Gulf nations, with Iran claiming damage to U.S. bases and infrastructure.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We’re gonna hit ’em hard tonight. They violate the agreement every day,” – President Donald J. Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.
💬 SECONDARY QUOTE: “At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway.” – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)
🎯 IMPACT: The renewed hostilities risk destabilizing the region again, threatening global oil and fertilizer supplies. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that U.S. forces remain ready for further operations as directed by President Trump.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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The U.S. launched further airstrikes against Iranian military targets overnight, with the Islamic Republic carrying out retaliatory attacks against U.S. forces and allies in the region.

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.
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4 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
News

City Run by Likely Next UK PM Saw Steepest Decline in Living Standards in England.

A new report reveals Manchester’s real disposable income has dropped sharply, raising questions about Andy Burnham’s leadership of the city and his capability as the likely next British Prime Minister.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Manchester, under former mayor and likely next British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, experienced the steepest decline in living standards of any major English city between 2021 and 2023, with residents’ purchasing power falling by seven percent, according to a Resolution Foundation report. This decline was significantly higher than the national average of 4.7 percent across England.
📺 DETAIL: The report found that real disposable income per person in Manchester was lower in 2023 than when Andy Burnham became Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, despite his focus on the region’s economic record. Researchers said the decline was driven by inflation outpacing income growth, weaker productivity, and the unwinding of post-pandemic government support such as the furlough scheme. The Resolution Foundation also concluded that former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s so-called “leveling-up” agenda failed to significantly narrow regional income gaps.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This big thing that was going on here was price inflation exceeding income growth… it wiped out a few years of income growth.” – Sophie Hale, research director at the Resolution Foundation.
🎯 IMPACT: The findings raise concerns about Burnham’s ability to lead Britain out of its dire economic circumstances following years of mismanagement by both the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party and the incumbent Labor government. Notably, Burnham was a Cabinet secretary under the failed Labour government that preceded the Tories’ 14 years in office from 2010 to 2024.

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A new report reveals Manchester's real disposable income has dropped sharply, raising questions about Andy Burnham's leadership of the city and his capability as the likely next British Prime Minister.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
Crime

Eighth Afghan Refugee Charged in Child Rape Case.

An Afghan asylum seeker has been charged with multiple counts of child sexual exploitation, adding to an ongoing investigation involving seven others already facing similar charges.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Bilal Shinwari, a 20-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, has been charged with two counts of raping a girl under 16, one count of conspiring to rape a girl under 16, and one count of conspiring to rape a woman over 16. He appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court in England after being arrested in Ireland in May and extradited to Britain.
📺 DETAIL: He faces two counts of raping a girl under 16 and one count of conspiring to rape a girl under 16 between August and October 2023, plus one count of conspiring to rape a woman aged 16 or over between August 2023 and May 2025. Shinwari was remanded in custody until a plea hearing at Norwich Crown Court on July 31. Seven other Afghans, who had been granted asylum in the United Kingdom, were previously charged with 38 sexual offenses against two girls in their early to mid-teens, with three also accused of facilitating human trafficking. The seven Afghans pleaded not guilty last month and remain in custody. None of the eight suspects lived in Norfolk asylum hotels, and none of the alleged offending took place there.
🎯 IMPACT: The case highlights ongoing concerns about asylum policies and the vetting of migrants entering Britain. The trial, set for January 2027, may be delayed due to the complexity and volume of evidence, raising further questions about the justice system’s ability to process such cases efficiently.

Image by David Pearson.

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An Afghan asylum seeker has been charged with multiple counts of child sexual exploitation, adding to an ongoing investigation involving seven others already facing similar charges.

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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.
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16 hours ago
News
UK

Vape Batteries Are Causing Hundreds of Fires in Garbage Trucks and Dumps.

A leading waste management company has called on the government to address the growing fire risks posed by improperly disposed vapes, which have caused hundreds of fires and significant public safety concerns.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK has reported over 500 suspected vape-related fires in the past year, citing the improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries in vapes as a major safety hazard. Fires have occurred in garbage trucks and waste processing centers, with some incidents requiring extensive fire and rescue responses.
📺 DETAIL: The company said lithium-ion batteries inside vapes are increasingly igniting, accounting for around 80 percent of its reported fires, with 144 battery and vape-related incidents recorded in the first half of 2026. SUEZ warned that fires have forced waste crews to dump burning loads onto public roads and caused major blazes at recycling sites, including a recent incident involving hundreds of tons of cardboard. The company estimates that around 6.3 million vapes and pods are still discarded every week across the United Kingdom and argues rechargeable devices pose an even greater fire risk because of their larger batteries. SUEZ has urged the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to launch a nationwide public awareness campaign, introduce a deposit return scheme for vapes, and step up enforcement against retailers selling illegal products. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue backed the proposals, warning that lithium-ion batteries have become one of the leading causes of fires in the region and pose a significant risk to public safety and essential services.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Vapes pose a ludicrous level of risk to human life, to very expensive facilities and the communities that sit around them.” – Dr. Adam Read, Chief Sustainability Officer at SUEZ

Image by Renz Macorol.

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A leading waste management company has called on the government to address the growing fire risks posed by improperly disposed vapes, which have caused hundreds of fires and significant public safety concerns.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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16 hours ago
News
Politics

Platner Team Claims Democrat Establishment is Working Against Them.

The Maine Democratic Party and Graham Platner’s campaign are locked in a bitter dispute as allegations of rape and internal party maneuvers threaten the party’s Senate race strategy.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Graham Platner, the Democrats’ U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, is under intense pressure to drop out of the race following allegations of rape and sexual misconduct, causing growing tensions within the Democratic Party. His campaign manager, Ben Chin, has accused the Democrat establishment of working behind closed doors to replace Platner as the nominee without consulting the party grassroots.
📺 DETAIL: Platner’s campaign unraveled after allegations surfaced from multiple women, including claims of rape and sexual assault, which he has denied. The Maine Democratic Party has criticized Platner’s campaign for attempting to influence the process of selecting a replacement nominee, while Platner’s team has accused state and national Democrats of sidelining his supporters. Possible replacements include former Maine State Senate President Troy Jackson and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who previously attempted to remove President Donald J. Trump from ballots in 2024.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Under their watch and direction, they allowed the D.C.-based Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to send staffers to plan a potential nominating process behind closed doors. Both the state and national parties cut our team, our volunteers, and our vast networks of supporters out of the conversation completely.” – Ben Chin, Platner’s campaign manager
🎯 IMPACT: The turmoil jeopardizes the Democratic Party’s chances of unseating Republican Senator Susan Collins in a race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate. With a July 13 deadline to replace Platner on the ballot, the Democrats face a tight timeline to unite behind a new candidate and avoid alienating Platner’s grassroots base. Nevertheless, the pary establishment is striking a combative tone, firing back at the Platner campaign saying, “While the Platner campaign remains focused on distracting from the job of defeating Susan Collins in November with false accusations against us, the Maine Democratic Party remains hyper focused on developing a representative, transparent, and inclusive process to select a new nominee when he chooses to withdraw from the race.”

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The Maine Democratic Party and Graham Platner's campaign are locked in a bitter dispute as allegations of rape and internal party maneuvers threaten the party's Senate race strategy.

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By Popular Demand.
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17 hours ago
Lawfare
News

Biden DOJ Mishandled Classified Docs While Investigating Trump for Mishandling Classified Docs.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has exposed potential mishandling of classified materials by Jack Smith’s team during their investigation into President Donald J. Trump.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released messages on Wednesday indicating that former Biden Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith’s team mishandled classified documents during their investigation into President Donald J. Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents.
📰 DETAIL: Messages obtained by Grassley show that Department of Justice (DOJ) personnel, including those in Jack Smith’s Special Counsel Office, may have mishandled classified materials, for instance by granting access without confirming a “need to know” and leaving a sensitive compartment information facility (SCIF) open overnight. “These records expose yet another double standard of justice,” Grassley said of the findings, explaining: “While Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden escaped accountability for mishandling highly classified information, Jack Smith and the Biden DOJ set out to paint President Trump as a felon and ruin him politically. These and other records I’ve made public show the Biden Justice Department was unquestionably careless, not to mention highly hypocritical.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. According to these messages, Biden DOJ personnel may have committed the very offense for which Jack Smith was prosecuting President Trump,” Grassley said.
🎯 IMPACT: The revelations further undermine the credibility of the lawfare investigation into President Trump for supposedly mishandling classified information he retained at his Mar-a-Lago estate, guarded by Secret Service personnel, following his first presidency. They also highlight the Biden-era DOJ’s double standards with respect to the handling of classified information.

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Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has exposed potential mishandling of classified materials by Jack Smith's team during their investigation into President Donald J. Trump.

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By Popular Demand.
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18 hours ago
Immigration
News

Texas Governor Directs Investigation into ‘Birth Packages’ for Foreign Nationals.

Governor Greg Abbott has directed an investigation into a Texas hospital accused of marketing services to foreign nationals seeking U.S. citizenship for their newborns.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has instructed the state Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center for allegedly promoting birth tourism by advertising maternity packages to foreign nationals seeking U.S. citizenship for their children.
📺 DETAIL: Abbott said the practice exploits U.S. immigration laws by encouraging foreign nationals to travel to the United States to give birth so their children obtain American citizenship, and directed regulators to determine whether the hospital violated state laws or contractual obligations. Mission Regional Medical Center, a public nonprofit hospital near the Texas-Mexico border, denied supporting or facilitating any unlawful activity and said it complies with all applicable federal and state laws. A hospital spokesman added that the marketing materials are no longer in use because they may have caused unintended misunderstandings and said the facility will cooperate fully with state officials. The investigation comes after the Supreme Court recently rejected the Trump administration’s efforts to limit birthright citizenship, renewing Republican scrutiny of birth tourism. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has argued the ruling could prompt stricter screening of foreign visitors, including pregnant women seeking temporary entry into the United States. According to the Migration Policy Institute, an estimated 26,000 U.S. births each year may be linked to birth tourism.
🎯 IMPACT: The investigation could lead to stricter state regulations on healthcare facilities and their marketing practices. Abbott’s directive aligns with broader Republican concerns over birthright citizenship and its potential exploitation.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “American citizenship is not for sale, and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism.” – Governor Greg Abbott

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Governor Greg Abbott has directed an investigation into a Texas hospital accused of marketing services to foreign nationals seeking U.S. citizenship for their newborns.

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By Popular Demand.
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