GET THE APP
Monday, November 3, 2025

Category: News
July 8, 2025
Immigration

Macron Admits Immigration Is a ‘Burden.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need for France and the United Kingdom to address immigration collaboratively, calling it a “burden for our two countries.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Emmanuel Macron, President of France, and the British government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Macron addressed the British Parliament on July 8, during the first day of his three-day state visit to the United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “France and the UK have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration [sic] with humanity, solidarity, and firmness.” – Emmanuel Macron

🎯IMPACT: Macron’s remarks set the stage for an upcoming summit to foster cooperation and achieve tangible results on immigration challenges after years in which illegal crossings of the English Channel have steadily worsened.

IN FULL

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a united effort between France and the United Kingdom to address immigration, admitting it is a “burden for our two countries.” Speaking to the British Parliament on Tuesday, July 8, during the first day of a three-day state visit, Macron said migrants crossing the English Channel illegally in small boats are seeking “hope for a better life,” but added: “Rules must not be flouted.”

Macron said Britain and France need to tackle illegal immigration with “humanity, solidarity, and firmness,” insisting their shared objective “is to have the best ever cooperation between our two countries in order to fix today what is a burden for us both.”

Channel crossings were declared a “major incident” by the British government as long ago as 2018. Still, they have steadily increased from hundreds to thousands to tens of thousands annually regardless, despite escalating multi-million-pound payments to the French authorities to stem the flow.

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s Reform Party, was among the first public figures to expose the crisis and highlight incidents in which the French and British authorities were seemingly colluding to help transport boat migrants to England rather than turning them back to France.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
News
War

Russia-Linked Arsonists Convicted of Burning Down Ukraine Aid Warehouse.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Three men have been found guilty of an arson attack on a warehouse in London, England, in connection with the Ukraine war, causing approximately £1 million (~$1.36m) in damage.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nii Mensah, Jakeem Rose, and Ugnius Asmena were convicted. Ringleaders Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves admitted to aggravated arson and were linked to Russia’s Wagner Group.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred on March 20, 2023, at an industrial unit in Leyton, London.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This case is a clear example of an organisation linked to the Russian state using ‘proxies’ to carry out very serious criminal activity.” – Commander Dominic Murphy

🎯IMPACT: The case marks the first convictions under the National Security Act 2023 for saboteurs acting on behalf of the Wagner Group.

IN FULL

Three men have been convicted of setting fire to a warehouse in London, England, which was linked to Ukraine aid efforts. The arson attack, carried out on March 20, 2023, caused the equivalent of over a million dollars in damages. England’s High Court heard that the attack was orchestrated on behalf of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company (PMC).

Nii Mensah and Jakeem Rose set fire to the building while Ugnius Asmena waited in a car. Dylan Earl planned the attack with assistance from Jake Reeves, who targeted the warehouse due to its role in supplying Starlink equipment and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Both Earl and Reeves admitted to aggravated arson and charges.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the London Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, stated: “The warehouse arson put members of the public at great risk, and it was only by good fortune nobody was seriously injured or worse.” He added that the case demonstrates how foreign entities, such as the Wagner Group, use local proxies to carry out acts of sabotage.

Evidence presented during the trial included phone data, CCTV footage, and videos of the fire. Mensah and Rose were recorded climbing over a wall to approach the warehouse and later fled the scene. Messages between the perpetrators revealed their awareness of the damage caused, with Mensah texting Earl: “Bro lol it’s on the news … we dun damages [sic].”

The court also heard of additional plots by Earl and Reeves to target businesses and individuals critical of the Russian government, including the high-profile Russian dissident Evgeny Chichvarkin. The defendants will be sentenced later this year.

Earlier this year, a Wagner Group mercenary was arrested crossing illegally into the United States from Mexico. He was found with a drone, two passports, and around $4,000.

Russia is suspected of being linked to other possible acts of sabotage in Western countries, including exploding packages on cargo planes.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
News
War

Trump Is Exerting ‘Heavy’ Pressure on Netanyahu to End Gaza War.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump is applying significant pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring an end to the ongoing war in Gaza, according to sources close to the ceasefire negotiations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio, and Hamas leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Meetings in Washington, D.C., including a White House dinner on Monday night, during Netanyahu’s visit from Monday to Thursday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The U.S. pressure on Israel has begun, and tonight it will be heavy,” an unnamed source told Sky News.

🎯IMPACT: The pressure from the U.S. could influence Netanyahu’s decisions regarding the Gaza conflict and potentially reshape the region’s future diplomatic landscape.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump is reportedly exerting strong pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt Israel’s military actions in Gaza. This comes from two sources close to the ceasefire negotiations, with one U.S. source stating on Tuesday, “The U.S. pressure on Israel has begun, and tonight it will be heavy.”

Netanyahu, who arrived in Washington, D.C., early Monday morning, has held meetings with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, and Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State and National Security Adviser. Additional meetings are taking place on Tuesday, with the Israeli leader is scheduled to remain in Washington until July 10.

The Monday night dinner between Trump and Netanyahu reportedly focused on the Gaza ceasefire deal and the broader implications for the region. While Trump seeks to solidify his legacy as a peacemaker, Netanyahu’s strategic objectives, including the elimination of Hamas, remain a key factor in the negotiations.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
Immigration

Trump: ‘We’ve Got to Give the Farmers the People They Need’ — But No ‘Amnesty.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump said he is not considering any form of “amnesty” for illegal immigrants, but that farmers must be given “the people they need.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and agricultural and hospitality industry lobbyists.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made his remarks on Tuesday, following statements earlier in the day from Agriculture Secretary Rollins.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve got to give the farmers the people they need, but we’re not talking amnesty.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The announcement reinforces the administration’s stance on immigration enforcement and pushes back against lobbying efforts for amnesty.

IN FULL

On Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump said that his administration will not entertain any “amnesty” deals for illegal immigrants, with mounting rumors that lawmakers on Capitol Hill—along with agricultural and hospitality industry lobbyists—are pursuing one. Both industries, in recent weeks, have ramped up political pressure for a carve-out to protect illegal immigrants in their respective workforces from ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the country.

“We’ve got to give the farmers the people they need, but we’re not talking amnesty,” Trump said, echoing remarks by his Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, who stated earlier on Tuesday that, “[T]here will be no amnesty, the mass deportations continue but in a strategic way, and we move the workforce towards automation and 100 percent American participation.”

The comments come amid an ongoing debate within the Trump White House over how to address the agricultural and hospitality industries’ push for exceptions to the illegal immigrant crackdown. Notably, in mid-June, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued guidance resulting in a brief pause on immigration enforcement actions targeting farms and hotels. However, after public and internal White House backlash, the guidance was withdrawn just days later.

On Monday, The National Pulse reported that Republican state lawmakers in California authored a letter urging President Trump to direct ICE to end its “sweeping raids” against illegal immigrants and instead open “a path to legal status” for “non-criminal undocumented immigrants [sic].”

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
Lawfare

Obama Judge Bizarrely Rules Congress Cannot Deprive Planned Parenthood of Funding.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Massachusetts federal judge temporarily blocked a provision in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” recently signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, that would have halted Medicaid funding to abortion giant Planned Parenthood.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Planned Parenthood, Judge Indira Talwani, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Massachusetts, the ruling was issued Monday, with a hearing set for July 21.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The fight is just beginning, and we look forward to our day in court!” – Planned Parenthood.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling temporarily ensures Medicaid funding continues to Planned Parenthood despite the new federal provision.

IN FULL

Planned Parenthood secured a temporary legal victory late Monday after a Barack Obama-appointed federal judge in Massachusetts moved to block a federal provision barring Medicaid funding for the abortion giant. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani’s ruling comes despite the provision in question being a part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” recently passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump. On the surface, it appears to be a grave encroachment by a federal judge into the powers of the legislative branch.

While the Hyde Amendment already bars most federal dollars from funding abortion services, like those offered by Planned Parenthood, the fungibility of said dollars has allowed the organization to remain a major Medicaid funding recipient. However, under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” healthcare providers who abort babies and received $800,000 or more in Medicaid funding in 2023 are barred from receiving additional funding for one year.

“Defendants, their agents, employees, appointees, successors, and anyone acting in concert or participation with Defendants shall take all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its members; Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah,” Judge Talwani wrote in her order which prevents the federal provision, already authorized by Congress, from taking effect for 14 days. Consequently, the judge has scheduled a hearing on the matter for July 21.

Planned Parenthood contends the provision—which does not single the organization out—explicitly targets them for what it maintains are legal activities. However, the nature of the legislative provision is that of a budgetary measure aimed at reducing Medicaid expenditures, and again, it does not single out Planned Parenthood specifically.

U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) slammed the ruling. “What part of the Constitution prohibits Congress from defunding Planned Parenthood?” the Utah Republican wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), continuing: “If any part of the Constitution somehow prohibits Congress from withdrawing federal funding from an entity like Planned Parenthood, I’m not familiar with that provision.”

“Unless I’m missing something, this is an abuse of judicial power,” Lee added.

Notably, the United States Supreme Court already ruled recently that state governments can move to restrict Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood.

Image by Robin Marty.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
News

Trump Launches Farm Security Plan to Curb Foreign Threats.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senior Trump administration officials unveiled a plan to protect U.S. farmland from foreign threats, including Chinese ownership and agroterrorism risks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, and Chinese nationals linked to agroterrorism concerns.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made Tuesday during a press conference.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The farm’s produce is not just a commodity, it is a way of life that underpins America itself, and that’s exactly why it is under threat,” said Brooke Rollins.

🎯IMPACT: U.S. farmland security measures include canceling contracts with foreign entities and addressing agroterrorism vulnerabilities.

IN FULL

On Tuesday, high-ranking officials from the Trump administration unveiled a strategy to safeguard U.S. agricultural land from Chinese ownership and other risks to American farming resources.

“Every family, every home, every community depends upon what our farmers do, and they support and sustain us, not merely by keeping us materially fed, but by keeping us spiritually strong,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins during a press briefing.

“The farm’s produce is not just a commodity, it is a way of life that underpins America itself, and that’s exactly why it is under threat from criminals, from political adversaries, and from hostile regimes that understand our way of life as a profound and existential threat to themselves,” she further stated.

The initiative seeks to protect U.S. farmland from adversaries such as Communist China, strengthen the agricultural supply chain, and enhance the security of American agricultural research. Rollins disclosed that she had ended contracts or research collaborations involving 70 scientists from nations of concern, including China.

In June, two Chinese nationals in Michigan faced charges for attempting to illegally transport Fusarium graminearum, a fungus considered a potential agroterrorism weapon, into the U.S. The Justice Department indicated that researchers funded by federal grants employed these individuals.

Rollins has confirmed that her department terminated seven ongoing agreements with foreign entities deemed concerning.

This development follows a bipartisan effort last month, when Democratic Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) and Republican Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced legislation to enhance scrutiny of foreign purchases of U.S. farmland, particularly addressing concerns about Chinese ownership near critical military sites.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
War

Houthi Strike on Cargo Ship Leaves 3 Dead.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked two cargo ships in the Red Sea, killing three mariners and wounding two others.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Houthi rebels, the European Union (EU)-led Operation Aspides, and the crews of the Liberian-flagged ships Eternity C and Magic Seas.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks occurred on July 7, 2025, in the Red Sea, a critical global trade route.

🎯IMPACT: The attacks raise concerns of a renewed Houthi campaign threatening vital shipping lanes and global trade.

IN FULL

On Monday, July 7, 2025, Houthi rebels launched a deadly assault on the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea, killing three crew members and injuring two, one of whom lost a leg, according to the EU’s Operation Aspides naval force. The attack involved explosive drones and small boats targeting the vessel en route to the Suez Canal.

Security personnel on board returned fire, but the ship was left adrift, with its crew unable to evacuate safely. The day prior, on Sunday, the Houthis targeted another Liberian-flagged vessel, Magic Seas, with missiles, drones, and gunfire, forcing its 22 crew members to abandon ship.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the ship sank, though this remains unverified. These attacks, the first since November 2024, signal a resurgence of Houthi aggression in the Red Sea, a critical trade route for $1 trillion in annual commerce.

The European Union (EU) naval force in the region confirmed the Eternity C attack but noted the Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility. The assaults followed Israeli airstrikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, which the rebels often cite as provocation, alongside their stated support for Palestinian militants since the Hamas-Israel conflict began in October 2023.

From November 2023 to January 2025, Houthi attacks struck over 100 merchant ships, sank two, and killed four sailors. A U.S.-led military operation earlier this year paused their activity, but these recent strikes raise concerns about renewed threats to global shipping.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Eleven Arrests After Sniper Ambush at ICE Facility Saw Officer Shot in the Neck.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Eleven people were arrested after a “planned ambush” targeting corrections officers at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ten to 12 masked individuals dressed in black, law enforcement officers, and corrections officers at the Prairieland ICE detention facility.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Late at night on July 4, 2025, at the Prairieland ICE detention center in Alvarado, Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Make no mistake; this was not a so-called ‘peaceful protest.’ It was, indeed, an ambush.” – Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.

🎯IMPACT: Ten suspects face charges, including attempted murder of federal officers, with potential sentences ranging from ten years to life in prison. Another suspect faces charges related to evidence tampering.

IN FULL

Eleven suspects accused of orchestrating a violent attack on the Prairieland U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, have been arrested. The attack left a police officer with a gunshot wound to the neck; as of the time of publication, he is expected to recover.

The incident began around 10:37 PM when 10-12 suspects, some masked, defaced vehicles with graffiti reading “ICE pig” and “traitor” and set off fireworks near the facility. As two unarmed ICE corrections officers responded, an assailant fired 20-30 rounds at them, while another shot an arriving Alvarado police officer in the neck.

Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson explained that the vandalism and fireworks had been intended to lure federal agents into the open. Once law enforcement was drawn out, they were fired upon from a wooded area nearby.

“Today, my office has charged ten individuals with three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer,” Larson said. “Each of the ten are also charged with three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Each of these defendants faces a mandatory prison term of ten years and up to life in prison. An additional co-conspirator was charged with an obstruction of justice and conspiracy for attempting to conceal and destroy evidence in relation to the attack, and he faces up to ten years in prison.”

She stressed that the attack “was a planned ambush with the intent to kill ICE corrections officers. Make no mistake; this was not a so-called ‘peaceful protest.’ It was, indeed, an ambush.”

Authorities recovered AR-15 rifles, body armor, and materials like a ‘Resist Fascism’ flag, and ‘Fight ICE terror’ and ‘Organising for Attack! Insurrectionary Anarchy’ fliers, suggesting an organized effort.

Meanwhile, a gunman was killed on Monday after entering the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol building near McAllen International Airport, Texas, and opening fire.

These incidents come in the same week as Axios reported Democrats were telling them their base has become increasingly radical, particularly on immigration, with one unnamed lawmaker telling the news outlet, “Some of them have suggested … what we really need to do is be willing to get shot.”

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
News

Chinese Military Accused of Targeting NATO Aircraft With Laser.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Chinese military allegedly targeted a laser at a German aircraft involved in a European Union-led mission in the Red Sea.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: German aircraft, Chinese military, and the European Union’s Aspides mission.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred during a routine operation over the Red Sea.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Endangering German personnel (and) disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable.” – German foreign ministry

🎯IMPACT: The German aircraft’s mission was aborted, and the aircraft returned to a base in Djibouti.

IN FULL

Berlin has raised concerns over an incident in which the Chinese military allegedly targeted a German aircraft with a laser. The NATO country’s aircraft was participating in the European Union’s Aspides mission, which aims to safeguard marine traffic in the Red Sea.

The German foreign ministry took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the act, stating that “Endangering German personnel (and) disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable.” The ministry further revealed that the Chinese ambassador to Berlin had been summoned for discussions.

According to a spokesman from the German defense ministry, the aircraft was targeted “without reason or prior contact” during a routine mission. The Chinese vessel’s actions were described as posing a threat to both personnel and equipment.

Following the encounter, the German aircraft was forced to abandon its mission and return to its base in Djibouti. The nature of the laser, whether a weapon or a guidance system, remains unclear.

This development has sparked diplomatic tensions, with Germany demanding explanations and assurances from Beijing regarding the incident.

Image by Steve Webel.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
July 8, 2025
War

Trump Resumes Military Aid to Ukraine.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that the United States will resume sending defensive weapons to Ukraine, reversing a recent pause in shipments.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Pentagon officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on July 7, following escalating Russian attacks on Ukraine.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They’re getting hit very hard now,” said Trump, speaking from the White House.

🎯IMPACT: The resumption of defensive aid could increase pressure on Russia’s President Putin to renew peace negotiations with Ukraine; however, the move could also be seen as a reescalation and further prolong the conflict.

IN FULL

The Pentagon announced on Monday that it will resume sending defensive weapons to Ukraine at the request of President Donald J. Trump. This decision reverses a prior move to pause air defense shipments that were already en route to Ukraine.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the weapons would “ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure that the killing stops.” President Trump, speaking alongside U.S. and Israeli delegations at the White House, emphasized the need for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against escalating Russian air attacks. “They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump said, adding that he was “disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn’t stopped.”

Following a July 3 phone call between Trump and Putin, Russian forces launched what Ukrainian officials described as the largest airstrikes since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The Ukrainian air force reported over 539 drones and 11 missiles during the attacks, marking a record high.

In addition to the renewed flow of military aid, President Trump continues to float the possibility of imposing additional sanctions on Russia. Additionally, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is pushing legislation in the U.S. Senate that would hit countries purchasing Russian oil with a 500 percent tariff—though it remains unclear just what level of support the South Carolina Republican has among his colleagues for the measure.

Ukraine’s reliance on air defense systems supplied by Western allies, including the Patriot missile system, has grown as Russian attacks intensify. Ukrainian officials were surprised when the Pentagon initially paused shipments of critical munitions, citing concerns that America’s stockpiles had been run down. However, the decision to resume aid follows a productive July 4 phone call between President Zelensky and President Trump. Zelensky described the conversation as “the best in all this time” and expressed gratitude for U.S. support in addressing air defense needs.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more