Friday, April 25, 2025

Minority Report: Predictive Algorithms Will Be Used to Identify Potential Criminals.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: An algorithm is being developed to predict which criminals might later commit murder.

👥 Who’s Involved: Britain’s Ministry of Justice, Greater Manchester Police and other British police forces, and civil liberties group Statewatch.

📍 Where & When: The United Kingdom; the project started in January 2023 and is believed to have been completed in December 2024 but is yet to be deployed.

💬 Key Quote: “Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for ‘predicting’ crime are inherently flawed,” noted Sofia Lyall from Statewatch.

⚠️ Impact: Concerns about bias and the ethical implications of using such predictive models on vast datasets, including from communities already facing structural discrimination.

IN FULL:

The British Ministry of Justice is advancing in its initiative to create an algorithmic tool aimed at predicting which individuals convicted of crimes might escalate to committing homicide. Known internally as the Homicide Prediction Project, the undertaking emerged through Freedom of Information requests from the civil liberties group Statewatch, which flagged the project as concerning.

Expanding on risk-prediction systems already in place, the project is designed to build upon frameworks such as the Offender Assessment System (OASys), which has been used since 2001 to forecast recidivism and inform legal decisions. However, the broad scope of data in this new model has raised red flags. Data utilized, sourced from various police and government bodies, potentially includes information on up to half a million people, some without any criminal history.

Despite officials’ assertions that the project remains in a research phase, uncovered documents allude to future deployments. Sources claim increased collaboration across government agencies and police forces, such as Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police, to enhance the dataset driving these predictions.

Statewatch has raised ethical concerns about the predictive model’s potential for systemic bias. The British state has already attempted to introduce guidelines that were explicitly two-tier and would have seen ethnic minorities prioritized for bail over white men in the country.

Statewatch’s Sofia Lyall described the algorithm project as “chilling and dystopian,” calling for an immediate cessation of its development. “Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for ‘predicting’ crime are inherently flawed,” he said. She highlighted the risk algorithms pose in creating profiles of potential criminals before any crime is committed.

Image by Rama.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

White House Hits Back After Zelensky Attacks Vice President Vance.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The White House responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s accusation that Vice President J.D. Vance is justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions.

👥 Who’s Involved: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. President Donald Trump, and the White House.

📍 Where & When: Comments were made during an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday, with updates and responses on Monday, April 14, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Taylor Van Kirk, press secretary to Vice President Vance: “Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion.”

⚠️ Impact: The diplomatic rift appears to widen amidst continued hostilities in Ukraine, with criticisms from both sides regarding efforts to end the conflict.

IN FULL:

The White House rebuffed allegations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after he criticized Vice President J.D. Vance for supposedly justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions. During a CBS 60 Minutes interview aired on Sunday, Zelensky accused Vance and President Donald J. Trump of promoting an “altered reality” concerning events leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky suggested Vance seemed to approve of Putin’s actions, a claim that prompted a swift reply from Vance’s press team.

Taylor Van Kirk, the Vice President’s press secretary, responded to Zelensky’s allegations, emphasizing that Vance has consistently stated that the war’s origins lie in the Biden government’s “weakness and incompetence.”

“Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion,” Van Kirk said.

This recent escalation follows a previous meeting in the Oval Office, during which Zelensky faced harsh criticism from both Trump and Vance over his ungrateful behavior. Zelensky, who sparked the clash by starting an argument with Vance over the need for diplomacy, was later removed from the White House.

President Trump, placing responsibility for the war on former President Joe Biden, expressed his determination to halt the ongoing violence in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing an urgency to cease hostilities.

READ:

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

DOJ Charges Suspect in Arson Attacks on Tesla Showroom, GOP Office.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Federal authorities detained a man following arson incidents at a Tesla showroom and the Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

👥 Who’s Involved: Jamison Wagner, aged 40, is the suspect in these arson attacks.

📍Where & When: The attacks took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Republican Party office fire reported on March 30, 2025, and the Tesla showroom attack occurring on February 9.

💬 Key Quote: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “Hurling firebombs is not political protest… it is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.”

⚠️ Impact: Wagner faces charges that could lead to up to 20 years in prison per count if found guilty.

IN FULL:

A 40-year-old New Mexico man has been apprehended by federal authorities in relation to arson attacks targeting both a Tesla showroom and the Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of Jamison Wagner on Monday, charging him with two federal counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives.

The arrest comes amid a number of recent arrests for attacks and acts of vandalism against Tesla properties and vehicles. Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have been the target of increasingly violent leftist rhetoric over the billionaire technology mogul’s work with President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—tasked with rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal agencies. Wagner’s February 9 arson attack on the Tesla showroom also included the defacement of the building with graffiti carrying incendiary messages against Musk. Two electric vehicles were burned in the Tesla showroom attack, with one being seriously damaged.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has made it clear that such actions are being treated as severe crimes, emphasizing in a statement, “Hurling firebombs is not political protest… it is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.”

In late March, Wagner followed up his Tesla showroom attack, this time targeting the Republican Party of New Mexico’s (RPNM) headquarters in Albuquerque using several incendiary devices. The fire damaged the front door and entryway of the RPNM office, and Wagner again defaced the building exterior with graffiti—this time stating “ICE=KKK.”

Wagner is currently in federal custody pending a hearing regarding his detention. He faces upwards of 20 years in prison on each count if convicted.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

Harvard Rejects Trump Admin Instructions to Address Anti-Semitism on Campus, Risking Federal Funding.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Harvard University rejected a set of funding conditions from the Trump administration aimed at addressing anti-Semitism and other civil rights issues on its campus on Monday, risking the potential loss of hundreds of millions of federal education dollars.

👥 Who’s Involved: Harvard University, President Donald J. Trump’s administration, and Harvard President Alan M. Garber.

📍 Where & When: The statement was issued by Harvard on Monday through a post on their X (formerly Twitter) account.

💬 Key Quote: “The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” the university stated.

⚠️ Impact: Harvard risks potential federal funding cuts as it opposes the Trump administration’s conditions, which are intended to combat anti-Semitism and involve an audit of class subjects and student admission criteria adjustments.

IN FULL:

Harvard University announced on Monday that it will not comply with a set of conditions issued by President Donald J. Trump’s administration in order to continue receiving federal funding. The Trump White House previously informed the university that future federal funding would be conditioned on its adoption of a proposed series of policy changes aimed at combating antisemitism on campus, eliminating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and additional screening of international students for potential terrorist sympathies.

“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard University posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, announcing its decision to refuse the government’s funding conditions. Meanwhile, students, teachers, and staff were notified of the university’s decision in a note from Harvard President Alan Garber.

“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber wrote, alleging: “Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.”

Harvard’s decision to reject the Trump administration proposal could imperil nearly $9 billion in federal funding. Earlier this year, President Trump moved to cut an estimated $400 million in federal funding earmarked for Columbia University over the school’s failure to handle pro-Hamas and antisemitic protests on campus. The Trump administration has also cut $500 million in funding for Brown University, again citing the school’s failure to address anti-Semitic incidents and pro-Hamas demonstrators.

Additional schools seeing significant funding cuts include Cornell University, which has lost $1 billion in federal dollars, and Northwestern University, which saw a cut of around $790 million.

Image by Joseph Williams.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

U.S. Deports More Violent Illegals, Including Tren de Aragua Gang Members, to El Salvador.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The Trump administration deported another 10 violent illegal immigrants to El Salvador this past weekend, where they will be held at the country’s CECOT prison facility used to house dangerous criminals and gang members.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, President Nayib Bukele, federal immigration officials, and 10 violent criminal illegal immigrants—including five members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

📍 Where & When: The United States and El Salvador’s CECOT prison, the weekend of April 11-13, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “He’s taking care of a lot of problems that we have that we really wouldn’t be able to take care of from a cost standpoint. And he’s… been amazing. We have some very bad people in that prison. People that should have never been allowed into our country,” said President Trump regarding El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.

⚠️ Impact: The 10 new deportees join over 200 other violent illegal immigrant criminals that the Trump administration has removed from the United States and sent to El Salvador as federal immigration officials continue to enact President Trump’s mass deportation policy.

IN FULL:

Federal immigration enforcement agents removed another 10 violent, illegal immigrant criminals from the United States over the weekend, placing them aboard a government flight bound for El Salvador. The Trump White House has deported over 200 illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes or are identified as members of dangerous gangs to the Central American nation since reaching an agreement in February with El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to house deportees in his country’s CECOT super-prison.

Senior administration officials indicated that five of the 10 illegal immigrants—all either Venezuelan or El Salvadoran nationals—deported to CECOT were confirmed as members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. The other five deportees were considered active threats to American citizens, having a litany of prior convictions for assault, rape, robbery, and making terroristic threats.

The latest deportations come as President Trump hosted Bukele at the White House on Monday, with the aim of further solidifying the relationship between the United States and El Salvador. Ensuring continued access and use of El Salvador’s CECOT prison is a key goal for the Trump White House, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stating last week that thousands more illegal immigrants may soon be sent to the facility.

“I want to thank you for the great job you’re doing. I appreciate it,” Trump said during a press event with the El Salvadoran leader in the Oval Office.

Responding, President Bukele emphasized his commitment to assisting the Trump administration’s deportation actions, stating: “We’re very eager to help. We know you have a crime problem, a terrorism problem you need help with. If we can help, we can do it.”

 

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

Former Anti-Corruption Chief Wanted on Corruption Charges.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: A court in Bangladesh has issued an arrest warrant for Tulip Siddiq, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party, in connection with corruption charges related to land acquisition. Until recently, Siddiq was Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Anti-Corruption Minister.

👥 Who’s Involved: Tulip Siddiq, the niece of Bangladesh’s ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with her family members, including Hassina, are involved in the case.

📍 Where & When: The warrant was issued in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 13.

💬 Key Quote: Siddiq’s lawyers claim the charges are “politically motivated.”

⚠️ Impact: The case has raised political tension between Bangladesh and Britain’s far-left government.

IN FULL:

A Bangladeshi court has issued an arrest warrant for Tulip Siddiq, a British Member of Parliament (MP), amidst mounting political tension involving her family. Siddiq, the niece of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, faces allegations of corruption linked to the illegal acquisition of land in a government project near Dhaka. The warrant, issued by Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan, followed the receiving of charges in three cases filed by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission.

According to reports, the legal proceedings also implicate over 50 others, including Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, and brother, Radwan Siddiq. However, both Siddiq’s and Hasina’s camp have condemned the charges as attempts to tarnish the family’s reputation.

Siddiq, who stepped down from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government—in which she served as Anti-Corruption Minister—in January, was allegedly involved in a controversial 2013 nuclear power plant deal between Bangladesh and Russia, which purportedly involved financial misconduct.

Siddiq first emerged in British politics as a municipal councilor before being elected to represent a London electoral district in Parliament in 2015. She rose rapidly within the Labour Party, being promoted to a government role following Prime Minister Starmer’s election win last July.

Labour won a large majority in Parliament but with a historically low number and share of the vote, and their polling numbers have slumped amid several controversies. Brexit leader Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has surpassed Labour in many recent polls.

Image via House of Commons.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

Teen Boy Thrown to His Death from Apartment Building by Syrian Migrants.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: A 15-year-old boy has been killed in Hamburg, Germany, after being thrown from the eighth floor of a 14-story high-rise by a group of Syrian men who forced their way into his apartment.

👥 Who’s Involved: The victim was a 15-year-old Iraqi boy; according to Hamburg police. His attackers were four Syrian teenagers and young men (16, 17, 20, 20) and a 22-year-old Iraqi woman.

📍 Where & When: Hamburg, Germany, last night.

💬 Key Quote: “The bad thing is that children are growing up in Hamburg (and not only there) who don’t know anything else about life—they will increasingly perceive such conditions as ‘normal.'” — Sven Wendorf, Member of the German Bundestag (parliament).

⚠️ Impact: The home invasion and subsequent murder is the latest violent attack perpetrated by migrants in Germany, which has seen voters flock to the nationalist and populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a result of migrant crime.

IN FULL:

A 15-year-old boy of Iraqi origin fell to his death in Hamburg, Germany, after a group of Syrian migrants forced their way into his apartment and pushed him from the eighth floor of the 14-story building. According to Hamburg police, a group of Syrian teenagers and young men aged between 16 and 20, along with a 22-year-old Iraqi woman, have been detained as suspects in the attack.

Hamburg police state that the attack took place last night, with firefighters and emergency personnel arriving at the Soltauer Ring apartment complex and discovering the victim at around 1:15 AM. First responders attempted emergency resuscitation on the teenage victim; however, according to police, the 15-year-old boy died shortly thereafter.

Witnesses told police that the group of Syrian migrants had forced their way into the teenager’s apartment and that a loud argument ensued. Reportedly, the situation subsequently escalated with the group of Syrian men attacking those present in the apartment, culminating in the 15-year-old boy being pushed to his death. At least three men, aged between 17 and 22, witnessed the attack and provided descriptions of the perpetrators to police.

While the attackers had fled the scene, Hamburg police were able to locate the group of Syrian migrants and the Iraqi woman based on the witness descriptions. After a brief manhunt, police found the suspects traveling in two taxis in Hamburg’s Hammerbrook district.

“The bad thing is that children are growing up in Hamburg (and not only there) who don’t know anything else about life – they will increasingly perceive such conditions as ‘normal,'” said Sven Wendorf, Member of the German Bundestag (parliament), in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The National Pulse previously reported in March that a vehicle attack left two dead and dozens injured in Mannheim, Germany. Meanwhile, late last year, five people were killed and over 200 injured when a Saudi migrant allegedly plowed a car through a crowd at a Magdeburg, Germany, Christmas market.

Image by Shark1989z.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

Trump Partially Exempts Smartphones, Laptops from Tariffs.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The Trump administration has granted a temporary tariff exemption for various electronics, including smartphones and laptops, amidst ongoing trade tensions with China.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Trump administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and tech companies reliant on these imports.

📍 Where & When: The exemptions are effective retroactively from April 5, announced on Friday night.

💬 Key Quote: “These products are subject to the existing 20 percent Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket,'” President Donald J. Trump explained.

⚠️ Impact: The exemptions provide temporary relief for tech companies and consumers while keeping on pressure to “reshore” manufacturing to the U.S. over the longer term.

IN FULL:

The Trump administration has rolled out a temporary reprieve from some tariffs for various everyday electronics, easing pressures on tech companies and consumers while maintaining pressure on China. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revised its tariff guidelines Friday night, itemizing 20 product categories now exempt from reciprocal tariffs.

Effective retroactively to April 5, the exemptions cover laptops and smartphones, among other electronics. On Truth Social, President Donald J. Trump explained, “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances, and Non Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other Countries have used against us, especially not China,” and that the products will still be “subject to the existing 20 percent Fentanyl Tariffs… they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’ We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.”

The exemptions provide for refunds of tariffs collected post-April 5. Trump officials have emphasized the temporary nature of this measure, stressing potential new semiconductor-specific tariffs within months.

Desktop computers—including components like disc drives—are included in the exemption list alongside laptops and smartphones under “automatic data processing machines and units thereof.” Computer parts, solid-state drives, flat-panel display modules, routers, and various semiconductor products are also covered, accounting for sectors with high import needs and—for now—limited domestic output.

Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities called the move “a game-changer scenario when it comes to China tariffs.” China has been one of the only countries to attempt a reciprocal battle with the United States over President Trump’s new tariffs. Last week, the one-party communist dictatorship accused the U.S. of “bullying and coercion” while imposing 125 percent tariffs on American goods. However, such measures are of limited usefulness, with China as a surplus economy, selling far more to the U.S. than vice versa.

READ:

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

REVEALED: Anti-Trump Democrat Mayor Received Over $300K from Suspected CCP Influence Operative.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: A probe reveals Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s 2021 campaign received substantial donations from a Chinese association-linked fundraiser.

👥 Who’s Involved: Mayor Michelle Wu, fundraiser Gary Yu, and the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an intelligence and recruitment agency operated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

📍 Where & When: Donations were made in the U.S. during Wu’s 2021 campaign; Wu has risen to prominence in the Democratic Party in 2025 as a leading anti-Trump, pro-open borders figure.

💬 Key Quote: “There is no ethnic Chinese official in America who is not targeted. It’s time for law enforcement to investigate the CCP’s ties to Gary Yu and Yu’s ties to Mayor Michelle Wu.” – Gordon Chang, China expert

⚠️ Impact: Concerns over foreign influence in U.S. politics, potential investigations into Wu’s campaign contributions.

IN FULL:

A recent investigation has found that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s 2021 campaign received over $300,000 from a fundraiser reportedly tied to a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence agency. The contributions to the Democrat mayor’s campaign were raised with the assistance of the New England Chinese American Alliance (NECAA), a civic association led by Gary Yu, who serves as the group’s co-chairman.

The investigation found that Yu—the founder of Boston International Media Consulting, whose real name is Yu Guoliang—is also listed as an official with the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an intelligence department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Notably, the UFWD is tasked with recruiting members of the Chinese diaspora to act as intelligence assets and manage the CCP’s foreign influence operations. In his role with the UFWD, Yu operates as a talent recruiter—raising questions about potential foreign influence operations targeting Wu and other Massachusetts government officials.

Using the NECAA, Yu has positioned himself as a significant campaign contribution bundler for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. Campaign finance records show Yu has donated considerable sums to various Democratic politicians in the state, including Governor Maura Healey (D-MA), State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, and Michelle Wu.

“There is no ethnic Chinese official in America who is not targeted. It’s time for law enforcement to investigate the CCP’s ties to Gary Yu and Yu’s ties to Mayor Michelle Wu,” noted attorney and CCP expert Gordan Chang during a recent interview. “Wu’s ultra-leftism makes her the perfect candidate for CCP recruitment and capture. Or do we have it backward? Is her ultra-leftism the result of CCP recruitment and capture?” he added.

Mayor Wu has emerged as a leading anti-Trump voice in the Democratic Party, declaring in March that Boston will remain a sanctuary city and resist efforts by federal immigration officials to detain and deport illegal immigrants. “Come high water or hell—no matter who threatens to bring it—Boston has stood up for the people we love and the country we built. And we’re not stopping now,” Wu declared during her State of the City address last month, adding: “God save whoever messes with Boston.”

Image by Peter Souza.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more

Arizona to Purge Up to 50K Noncitizens from Voter Rolls.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Arizona’s 15 counties have initiated a process to verify and remove noncitizens from their voter lists. Nearly 50,000 registrations without proof of U.S. citizenship are under review.

👥 Who’s Involved: America First Legal (AFL) led the initiative, filing a lawsuit on behalf of EZAZ.org and naturalized citizen Yvonne Cahill. The counties are collaborating with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for verification.

📍 Where & When: This process is occurring across all counties in Arizona, set into motion after a lawsuit was filed last year.

💬 Key Quote: James Rogers, AFL senior counsel, stated, “This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans.”

⚠️ Impact: The verification effort aims to secure election integrity by ensuring only citizens can vote in state and local elections. Confirmed citizens will be transferred to regular voter lists, while noncitizens will have their registrations canceled.

IN FULL:

Arizona election officials have started verifying the citizenship status of registered voters following a legal settlement stemming from a lawsuit filed late last year. The verification process includes reviewing the state’s “federal-only voters” list, which comprises approximately 50,000 registrants who have not provided proof of U.S. citizenship. State law mandates that voters on the list undergo verification in order to participate in state and local elections.

The voter roll purge resulted from a lawsuit filed by America First Legal (AFL) on behalf of EZAZ.org and Yvonne Cahill, a naturalized citizen and registered voter. AFL’s lawsuit argued that the counties failed to adhere to state legislation demanding monthly checks for noncitizens among voter rolls. As a result of the settlement, Arizona’s 15 counties are working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to validate the status of voters. County officials previously faced criticism for not utilizing available resources to check citizenship, which Arizona law requires.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 prevented states from enforcing voter registration requirements beyond the federal obligation to affirm citizenship, Arizona law continues to enforce proof of citizenship for voting in state and local elections. The state law also requires monthly verification by county recorders to ensure registrants on the so-called “federal-only” list, which includes nearly 50,000 individuals, hold U.S. citizenship.

“This will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls,” says AFL’s James Rogers, adding: “It will also potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed, which would allow them to vote in state and local elections. AFL congratulates each of Arizona’s 15 county recorders for taking this bold and important step for election integrity in the state.”

Image by Wing-Chi Poon.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more