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Category: News
August 12, 2025
William Upton
Crime

The Arrest Figures Are in for First Night of Trump’s Federalized D.C. Police.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The newly federalized Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made 23 arrests Monday evening, the first night the city’s police force has been under federal government control.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the MPD, and D.C. criminals.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrests were made on the evening of Monday, August 11, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs, bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youths, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people, and we’re not going to let it happen anymore.” — President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Those arrested face charges including homicide, firearms offenses, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, fare evasion, lewd acts, stalking, possession of a high-capacity magazine, fleeing, operating a vehicle without a permit, Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and reckless driving.

IN FULL

The Trump White House announced that the federalized Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made 23 arrests Monday evening, the first night the city’s police force has been under federal government control. While the average number of daily arrests in the nation’s capital tends to fluctuate significantly, the 23 arrests on Monday evening appear to be on the higher end of the daily average despite occurring over less than a 12-hour period.

According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, those arrested face charges including: homicide, firearms offenses, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, fare evasion, lewd acts, stalking, possession of a high-capacity magazine, operating a vehicle without a permit, Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and reckless driving. The crime crackdown comes as Washington, D.C., continues to see homicide rates outpace many other major U.S. cities, including New York City. Additionally, residents in the capital have faced a continued spree of carjackings, which have often resulted in the death or injury of the victim.

“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs, bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youths, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people. And we’re not going to let it happen anymore,” President Donald J. Trump declared on Monday morning at a press conference announcing the MPD’s federalization. He added: “Every American has a constitutional right to be able to access and petition their government in safety. And countless government officials and employees, likewise, have the right to carry out their jobs in peace without being shot.”

While the corporate media has attempted to claim that crime is either already falling or is not even a problem in Washington, D.C., the city’s crime statistics have been called into question. For instance, in July, the MPD confirmed that Michael Pulliam, a Washington, D.C. police commander, is under investigation for allegedly doctoring crime statistics.

The investigation began after the Fraternal Order of Police complained that the department was deliberately falsifying crime data.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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August 12, 2025
News
UK

Hitwoman Who Disguised Herself in Islamic Veil Convicted.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An American woman has been convicted of attempting to kill a man in Birmingham, England, while disguised in an Islamic veil. Her gun jammed during an initial murder attempt, and she later fired into a family home.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Hitwoman Aimee Betro, Mohammed Aslam and Mohammed Nabil Nazir, who ordered the hit, and their intended victim, Sikander Ali.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Murder attempt in September 2019 in Birmingham, England, conviction in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This prosecution is a culmination of years of hard work doggedly pursuing Aimee Betro across countries and borders while she remained relentless in her bid to escape justice,” said Prosecutor Hannah Sidaway.

🎯IMPACT: Betro was convicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy to murder, and awaits sentencing. Nazir and Aslam have already been imprisoned.

IN FULL

Aimee Betro, a 45-year-old woman from the United States, has been convicted in the United Kingdom for her involvement in a murder conspiracy linked to a family feud in Birmingham, which hosts a large Muslim population. She was flown into the country by Mohammed Aslam and his son, Mohammed Nabil Nazir, who orchestrated the plot to murder Sikander Ali in retaliation for an earlier clash.

The attempted hit took place in September 2019. Betro, wearing a niqab to conceal her identity, attempted to assassinate Ali outside his home. However, the firearm malfunctioned, and she was unable to carry out the killing. Later that same day, she returned and opened fire on his family home, shooting three times into the house, but it was empty at the time.

After the failed attack, Betro fled the country. Authorities later extradited her from Armenia to face charges in England. Prosecutor Hannah Sidaway said her trial was “a culmination of years of hard work doggedly pursuing Aimee Betro across countries and borders while she remained relentless in her bid to escape justice.”

During her trial, prosecutors presented damning evidence linking Betro to the shooting, but she denied all charges, claiming her trip to England was solely to attend a birthday party and that she met Nazir on a dating app.

The jury found Betro guilty of conspiracy to murder, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and illegal importation of ammunition. Nazir and Aslam had previously been convicted for their involvement, receiving sentences of 32 years and 10 years, respectively. Betro faces a potential life sentence.

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August 12, 2025
Immigration

Over 100K Americans Have Applied for Trump’s Nationwide ICE Expansion.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Over 100,000 Americans have applied for roles with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a recruitment drive launched at the end of July.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and President Donald J. Trump’s administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Recruitment began at the end of July 2025; applications have been received nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.” – Kristi Noem

🎯IMPACT: ICE has received over 100,000 applications and is offering incentives such as signing bonuses and student loan benefits amid an unprecedented mass deportation effort.

IN FULL

Over 100,000 Americans have submitted applications for jobs at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the launch of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hiring campaign in late July. The Trump administration initiative seeks to add 10,000 more ICE personnel amid an unpl, providing various perks and easing some qualification restrictions.

In a statement, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stressed the significance of the hiring push. “This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland,” she said. Noem emphasized that ICE agents are responsible for deporting “the worst of the worst criminals” from the nation.

To draw in applicants, ICE is providing sign-on bonuses as high as $50,000, along with programs for repaying or forgiving student loans, and additional perks.

This hiring campaign occurs amid DHS statistics showing an 830 percent surge in attacks against ICE agents, a number that Noem indicated has now climbed to 1,000 percent.

Todd Lyons, the acting ICE Director, has drawn attention to the difficulties ICE agents encounter because of the open border policies of the former Biden-Harris government: “The dedicated men and women of ICE now face unprecedented challenges in removing millions of criminal illegal aliens from our country,” he said.

The ICE hiring portal features various positions such as deportation officer, criminal investigator, and general attorney. It also responds to worries about occupational hazards, noting that agents are “expertly trained” and that all possible measures are implemented to protect them. Every candidate for law enforcement positions will be subject to health evaluations, substance screenings, and fitness tests during recruitment.

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August 12, 2025
Culture
News

Trump Pledges Renovations to Bring Kennedy Center Back to ‘Absolute TOP LEVEL of Luxury.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump hinted at potential renovations to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, aiming to restore it to “the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, President and Executive Director of the Kennedy Center Richard “Ric” Grenell, and lawmakers proposing legislation regarding the center.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made the announcement on Tuesday via Truth Social, with further updates expected Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Tremendous work is being done, and money being spent, on bringing it back to the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The Kennedy Center may see significant renovations and programming changes, with legislative proposals also suggesting renaming parts of the center.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump suggested upgrades to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, expanding on his initiatives to revitalize the White House and other federal properties.

“GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS,” he posted on his Truth Social platform. “They will be announced Wednesday. Tremendous work is being done, and money being spent, on bringing it back to the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment. It had fallen on hard times, physically, BUT WILL SOON BE MAKING A MAJOR COMEBACK!!!

Previously, Trump replaced the center’s board members, personally assuming the role of chairman and appointing Richard “Ric” Grenell, former acting Director of National Intelligence, as president and executive director, to revise its “woke” programming. This earned backlash from some liberal performers, with Broadway star Patti LuPone going so far as to say the center “should be blown up”—but it is already exceeding its revenue goals under Trump’s chairmanship.

Trump’s ambition to overhaul the Kennedy Center aligns with his plans to personally finance a new ballroom at the White House.

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August 12, 2025
Wake Up Right
Immigration

Trump Takes Back Border Wall Materials Biden Tried to Sell Off.

Miles of border wall materials bought in President Donald Trump’s first term—which the Biden regime tried to sell off—have been reclaimed by the Trump administration.

The backstory: In January 2021, Biden halted construction of the southern border wall which had begun under Trump. This left up to $350 million worth of steel panels and bollards stranded.

  • Beginning in June 2024, through December (after Trump won), Biden’s Department of Defense was selling off parts at dirt-cheap prices—including $1-per-panel deals—through an auction company called GovPlanet, which specializes in selling surplus government materials.

Trump reclaims the wall: After negotiations with Trump’s Office of the Border Czar, GovPlanet agreed to return them “at-cost” within the next 90 days.

  • GovPlanet says it agreed to these terms in order to “protect the millions of dollars U.S. taxpayers have already invested” in the border wall.

The numbers: Border crossings have plummeted since Trump returned to office. In July. Customs and Border Protection apprehended 6,177 illegals – an all-time low. None were allowed to enter the U.S.

What happens next? These materials will get put to good use. The recently passed Big, Beautiful Bill earmarked nearly $50 billion for the construction of the border wall.

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Miles of border wall materials bought in President Donald Trump's first term—which the Biden regime tried to sell off—have been reclaimed by the Trump administration. show more
August 11, 2025
Health
News

Rabies Scare Hits U.S. Vacation Hub, Hundreds at Risk.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Health officials are attempting to contact hundreds of visitors to Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park after discovering a suspected bat colony in an attic above guest rooms at the Jackson Lake Lodge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Wyoming Department of Health, the National Park Service, Grand Teton Lodge Company, and federal health officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The potential exposure dates back to May 2025 at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

💬KEY QUOTE: “As a precaution, the affected rooms are closed while public health professionals conduct further assessments and provide recommendations for mitigation.” – National Park Service

🎯IMPACT: Over 200 guests may need rabies risk assessments, with state and federal health officials coordinating preventive treatment as needed.

IN FULL

Public health authorities are reaching out to guests who recently stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge in Wyoming‘s Grand Teton National Park after a suspected bat colony was discovered in the attic space above several guest rooms. Officials believe more than 200 individuals may have been exposed to bats that may be infected with the rabies virus since the lodge opened for the season in May 2025.

In a public statement, the National Park Service (NPS) noted: “[A]ffected rooms are closed while public health professionals conduct further assessments and provide recommendations for mitigation.”

The primary concern stems from the possibility of bat-related rabies exposure, which can occur through bites or scratches that are often so small they go unnoticed. According to Dr. Alexia Harrist, Wyoming’s state health officer, “rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but can be prevented with timely post-exposure vaccines.” She emphasized that individuals who may not be aware of contact with bats, such as children or those in deep sleep, are particularly vulnerable.

The Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are overseeing the investigation and are coordinating with local health officials to identify and assist affected guests. “State public health officials are reaching out to these guests directly to assess if they had exposure to a bat while staying in any of these rooms and determine if they meet the risk criteria for receiving rabies preventive treatment,” the NPS stated, adding: “Individuals who meet the risk criteria for a rabies exposure will be connected with the appropriate provider in their home state for preventive treatment.”

Image by chascar.

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August 11, 2025
Lauren Gallagher
Immigration
News
UK

The British Government Lost Over 150,000 Migrants.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British government admitted losing track of over 150,000 migrants who entered on five-year social care visas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Britain’s governing Labour Party, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Care Minister Stephen Kinnock, missing migrants, and the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: United Kingdom, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[I]t is not possible to estimate the number or proportion of individuals who entered the UK on a social care work visa and who are still in the UK or working in the social care sector,” claimed Stephen Kinnock.

🎯IMPACT: The fiasco highlights the British government’s inability to monitor visa holders’ long-term residence or employment.

IN FULL

The British government has admitted that it has lost over 150,000 migrants who entered the United Kingdom on social care visas. Officials cannot confirm whether they remain employed in the care sector or even if they are still in the country.

Many of these migrants arrived during the “Boriswave,” when former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his successor Rishi Sunak loosened already weak immigration controls after the Wuhan virus pandemic and greatly increased the annual influx of legal migrants.

Johnson’s 2022 reforms added social care staff, mostly intended to work in nursing homes, to a hugely expanded “skilled worker” route, leading to 154,402 five-year visas being issued. Current Care Minister Stephen Kinnock, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, told Parliament his department “does not hold data that directly links visa status to ongoing employment in adult social care or residence in the United Kingdom over time.”

Kinnock claimed that “it is not possible to estimate the number or proportion of individuals who entered the UK on a social care work visa and who are still in the UK or working in the social care sector.”

The Labour-controlled Home Office, roughly equivalent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), blamed the previous Conservative government for the fiasco, claiming Labour “inherited a data system which was not designed to monitor the long-term outcomes of health and care visa holders—including whether they remain in Britain or continue working in the social care sector.”

Public anger over mass migration and border control failures has sparked protests in Britain. Critics accuse both major parties of negligence, with voters turning to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party in growing numbers.

Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

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August 11, 2025
Crime
Politics

House Democrat Promises to Block Trump’s War on D.C. Crime.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin plans to introduce a resolution to terminate President Donald J. Trump’s emergency powers over the Washington, D.C., police force.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), President Trump, House Democrats, D.C. Police Union, and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The resolution is expected to be introduced as early as Wednesday, with the House resuming legislative work in September.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is Liberation Day in D.C. and we’re gonna take our capital back,” President Trump stated during a White House briefing.

🎯IMPACT: The resolution faces near-certain failure in the Republican-controlled House but could create political challenges for moderate Democrats.

IN FULL

Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) is preparing to introduce a resolution to terminate President Donald J. Trump’s emergency powers over the Washington, D.C., police force. The powers invoked Monday morning, granted under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, allow the President to assume control of the district’s law enforcement during emergencies.

Raskin, a vocal critic of Trump, told the media, “Of course, the President has a major political bone to pick with the people of Washington, D.C., who have voted 10-to-1 against him at every opportunity. So this is one more chance to exact revenge.”

President Trump invoked the Home Rule Act on Monday, citing “special conditions of an emergency nature.” The act permits federal control of D.C. police for 48 hours, extendable to 30 days with congressional notification. White House staff secretary Will Scharf confirmed that required notifications have been sent to relevant congressional committees.

Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), criticized the move. Jeffries claimed, “Violent crime in Washington, D.C. is at a 30-year low. Donald Trump has no basis to take over the local police department, and zero credibility on the issue of law and order.”

Meanwhile, D.C. Police Union President Gregg Pemberton supported Trump’s decision, stating, “Crime is out of control, and our officers are stretched beyond their limits.” Notably, a police commander in D.C. is currently under investigation for doctoring crime data to fake reductions.

Raskin’s resolution is unlikely to pass in the Republican-majority House.

Image by G. Edward Johnson.

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August 11, 2025
News
War

Russia Breaks Through on Battlefield Ahead of Trump-Putin Alaska Summit.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Russian forces have achieved a significant breakthrough in eastern Ukraine, advancing past Ukrainian defensive lines near the frontline city of Pokrovsk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russian forces, Ukrainian forces, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump are set to meet in Alaska soon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The breakthrough occurred north of Pokrovsk, near Dobropillia, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

🎯IMPACT: The advance risks isolating Ukrainian forces and could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict and the upcoming Alaska summit.

IN FULL

Russian forces have achieved a significant breakthrough in eastern Ukraine, just days before a planned Alaskan summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump. The advance took place in a critical area along the front line, north of the embattled city of Pokrovsk.

According to reports, Russian direct reconnaissance groups (DRGs) penetrated Ukrainian defensive positions east of Dobropillia, a vital logistics hub supplying the Ukrainian front. Deepstate Maps, an online real-time battlefield map aligned with the Ukrainian government, and several independent war mappers have confirmed the offensive. Russian troops are believed to have advanced as far as eight miles, one of the largest single-day advances in recent years.

As of the time of publication, there is no confirmation as to whether Russian troops have severed the strategically vital highway between Dobropillia and the fortress city of Kramatorsk, a key supply route for the Ukrainian military. The situation on the ground could change, with the potential for a broader Russian push that could see Ukrainian forces trapped in an encirclement across much of the Donbass front.

Many war mappers believe that Pokvosk, a vital logistics hub for the entire Donetsk front, is either already encircled or close to becoming encircled, with few major arteries in and out of the city either not directly under Russian control or within range of Russian bombardment. Notably, the coking coal mine that fueled much of Ukraine’s steel industry is also located at Pokrovsk, so its loss would also deal a major long-term blow to the Ukrainian economy.

These developments come ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The two are expected to discuss possible ceasefire terms, including, according to President Trump, “some swapping, changes in land” between Ukraine and Russia.

Image by Dsns.gov.ua.

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August 11, 2025
Crime
News

Judge Blocks Release of Epstein Grand Jury Documents.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge denied a Department of Justice (DOJ) motion to unseal grand jury materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking cases.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and the DOJ.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued in federal court in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The materials do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor,” wrote Judge Engelmayer.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling maintains the confidentiality of grand jury materials while leaving questions about Epstein’s associates unanswered.

IN FULL

A federal judge has rejected a Department of Justice (DOJ) request to unseal grand jury materials in the sex trafficking cases involving deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his right-hand woman, Ghislaine Maxwell. The decision by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer found that the documents lacked significant undisclosed information about the crimes or the investigations.

Judge Engelmayer noted that the grand juries convened in these cases were not used for investigative purposes and did not hear testimony from victims, eyewitnesses, or suspects. Instead, their function was limited to returning indictments based on evidence presented by law enforcement witnesses over the course of a single day.

“The materials do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor,” Engelmayer wrote. He added that the evidence presented to the grand juries is already largely a matter of public record, with only minor exceptions. The judge also ruled against unsealing additional exhibits that federal prosecutors had hoped to release, citing the lack of new information they would provide.

Prosecutors had argued for unsealing the materials due to public interest and had sought time to notify individuals whose names might be revealed. However, Judge Engelmayer emphasized that the materials would not shed any new light on key questions, including the origins of Epstein’s wealth, the circumstances of his death, or the government’s investigations into his activities.

Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of aiding Epstein in trafficking underage girls, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. She is appealing her conviction and has recently expressed willingness to participate in interviews with Congress and the DOJ in exchange for a pardon.

Epstein died in a federal jail cell in 2019 in unusual circumstances, in what was officially ruled a suicide. However, this is contested by his brother and many members of the public.

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