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Monday, June 22, 2026

Category: News
January 5, 2026
Christopher Tomlinson
Bonkers Britain
Crime

Antifa Organizer Who Preyed on 13-Year-Old Found Guilty.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A former British politician and activist for the Antifa-linked activist group Hope Not Hate has been found guilty of child sex offences.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Liron Woodcock-Velleman, Hope Not Hate, unnamed child victim, and lawyer Ali Hussain.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The offences took place in December 2024. Woodcock-Velleman pleaded guilty in January 2026 and is expected to be sentenced in February.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Show me your bra.” — Hope not Hate activist Woodcock-Velleman to a 13-year-old girl.

🎯IMPACT: The arrest comes amid a crackdown on Antifa groups by the Trump administration in the U.S., including European Antifa groups.

IN FULL

A political organizer for the far-left activist group Hope Not Hate, and former politician for Britain’s governing Labour Party, has pleaded guilty to child sex offences involving a 13-year-old girl. Critics have previously linked Hope Not Hate to militant anti-fascist networks.

Liron Woodcock-Velleman, 30, who contributed reports and lodged formal complaints on behalf of Hope Not Hate, sent nude photographs of himself to the victim and explicit messages, including asking whether she was “at home alone.” In one message, he demanded, “Show me your bra,” and inquired “whether she was a virgin,” the courts were told.

The activist appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in London, England, on Friday, admitting to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to view sexual imagery. The offences occurred between December 3 and December 10, 2024, and were uncovered by a police sting operation.

Woodcock-Velleman, elected as a Labour councillor for the London Borough of Barnet in 2022, also previously held a senior role in the Jewish Labour Movement, a Labour-affiliated body advising on anti-Semitism. He resigned from his political position in April 2025 without explanation and deleted his social media accounts. Notably, he had campaigned alongside the current British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and was described as an “ally” of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, appearing with both at a 2022 local election launch event in Barnet.

President Donald J. Trump has designated the Antifa movement a domestic terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also named four Antifa-affiliated groups in Europe as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).

In December 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal probes into Antifa for domestic terrorism and tax crimes, prioritising prosecutions and potential revocation of tax-exempt status for linked groups.

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January 5, 2026
Immigration
News

California DMV to Replace 325,000 IDs for Noncitizens After Finding Decades-Old System Glitch.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced a correction requiring the reissuance of approximately 325,000 Real ID driver’s licenses and identification cards due to a longstanding system error.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: California DMV, DMV Director Steve Gordon, and approximately 325,000 affected residents, primarily noncitizen lawful residents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The issue dates back to a 2006 software configuration, with corrections announced in January 2026, affecting California residents statewide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We proactively reviewed our records, identified a legacy system issue from 2006, and are notifying impacted customers with clear guidance on how to maintain a valid California-issued credential.” – DMV Director Steve Gordon

🎯IMPACT: Roughly 1.5 percent of Real ID holders in California are affected, with the DMV waiving fees and expediting the reissuance process to minimize inconvenience.

IN FULL

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) says it has identified a longstanding system error that necessitates the reissuance of approximately 325,000 Real ID driver’s licenses and identification cards. The issue, stemming from a software configuration implemented in 2006, resulted in incorrect expiration dates being assigned to a subset of Real IDs issued to lawful immigrant residents with fixed authorized stays.

Real ID is a federally mandated identification standard required for air travel and access to certain federal facilities, with full enforcement beginning in May 2025. While the affected cards were verified as Real ID compliant when issued, the expiration dates did not align with federal standards, creating a technical defect.

DMV Director Steve Gordon stated, “We proactively reviewed our records, identified a legacy system issue from 2006, and are notifying impacted customers with clear guidance on how to maintain a valid California-issued credential.”

The error primarily impacts noncitizen residents with time-limited legal status, such as visa holders and lawful permanent residents, whose IDs were issued with standard renewal cycles instead of expiration dates matching their authorized federal stay. Officials claimed that Real IDs have never been issued to illegal immigrants—although some may have been able to use them after their presence in the country became unlawful due to the expiration date issue.

The National Pulse reported in November last year that Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration had announced it would revoke 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) granted to immigrants who, it acknowledged, had remained in the U.S. after the expiration of their legal status. For weeks prior to the move, Newsom and California officials had claimed that all state CDLs had been issued lawfully in accordance with federal law.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 5, 2026
Lawfare
News

Originators of Brigitte Macron Transgender Claim Found Guilty by Court.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A court in Paris, France, found ten people guilty of “cyber-bullying” Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, for claiming she is a man and making “malicious” remarks about the fact that their relationship started when he was 15, and she was 39.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brigitte Macron, her lawyer Jean Ennochi, and ten defendants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The verdict was delivered in Paris on Monday. The events span several years, with related incidents ongoing.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The most important things are the prevention courses and the suspension of some of the accounts,” said Brigitte Macron’s lawyer Jean Ennochi.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling highlights the harsh restrictions of free speech in Europe, and comes ahead of further lawsuits related to the French first lady in the U.S.

IN FULL

A court in Paris, France, has convicted ten people for “cyber-bullying” Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, for making claims that the French first lady is transgender and making “malicious” remarks about the couple’s 24-year age difference. Notably, their relationship started when Emmanuel Macron was just 15, and Brigitte, then 39, was a teacher at his school.

Eight men and two women were sentenced on Tuesday. Most received suspended prison terms of up to eight months and were ordered to attend prevention courses on online harassment. One defendant was taken into custody after failing to appear in court. Several of those convicted were also handed temporary suspensions of their social media accounts.

Among them was Delphine Jegousse, known on social media as Amandine Roy, who claims to be a medium and is regarded as a key originator of the rumors that Brigitte Macron was born a man.

In its ruling, the court said the defendants had used “malicious, degrading and insulting language” and acted with a clear intention to harm the French first lady. Her lawyer, Jean Ennochi, said that the “most important things are the prevention courses and the suspension of some of the accounts.”

The ruling highlights the harsh restrictions on free speech in Europe, with defamation, particularly against public figures, being treated as a criminal offense, usually with no right to a trial by jury. This has led to clashes between European governments and the Trump administration, with prominent figures such as Vice President J.D. Vance questioning whether the former share American values, and others warning that European censorship is encroaching on Americans.

The Paris case comes as the Macrons prepare for a separate defamation lawsuit in the United States against commentator Candace Owens. Owens previously said she would stake her “entire professional reputation” on the claim that Brigitte Macron “is in fact a man.”

Image by Mélanie Praquin.

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January 5, 2026
News

Secret Service Detains Man for Attack on Vice President J.D. Vance’s Home.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Authorities detained a suspect accused of smashing windows at Vice President J.D. Vance’s Cincinnati home.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Secret Service, Vice President J.D. Vance, and an unidentified adult male suspect.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on Sunday at Vance’s residence in Cincinnati, Ohio; the suspect was detained early Monday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The residence was unoccupied at the time of the incident, and the Vice President and his family were not in Ohio.” – Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi

🎯IMPACT: Investigation continues as authorities determine whether the suspect targeted Vance or his family.

IN FULL

The United States Secret Service (USSS) took an unidentified adult male into custody just after midnight on Sunday after he allegedly smashed windows at Vice President J.D. Vance‘s personal residence in Cincinnati, Ohio. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi stated the suspect was detained after “causing property damage, including breaking windows on the exterior of a personal residence associated with [Vance]” on Sunday.

While the identity of the suspect is not yet known, Guglielmi did confirm that he is an adult male, adding: “The residence was unoccupied at the time of the incident, and the Vice President and his family were not in Ohio.” He went on to note that the Secret Service is coordinating with local law enforcement, including the Cincinnati Police Department, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office on pending charges.

Currently, law enforcement officials are working to determine whether the suspect was intending to target the Vice President or his family, or if the property damage was the result of an attempted burglary. The Secret Service does not believe the individual was able to gain entry to the Vance residence before being apprehended.

Vance was present in Cincinnati on Sunday, having flown from Florida following the operation that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, but the Vice President and his family left their Ohio home several hours before the incident occurred.

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January 5, 2026
News
Politics

Tim Walz Abandons Reelection Bid Amid Somali Fraud Scandal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) announced he is dropping his reelection bid.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gov. Tim Walz, fellow Democrats, and potential GOP challengers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Monday in Minnesota, ahead of the 2026 midterms.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The reversal marks a major shake-up in Minnesota politics.” – Axios Report

🎯IMPACT: The decision opens the field for new Democratic candidates and increases the GOP’s chances in the upcoming elections.

IN FULL

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) has abandoned his campaign for reelection. The announcement was made on Monday, amid a growing scandal involving widespread fraud linked to the Somali community and rising pressure from fellow Democrats.

The decision marks a significant shift in the North Star State’s political landscape as the 2026 midterm elections approach, and reverses the failed 2024 vice presidential candidate’s September announcement that he would run for a third gubernatorial term.

Minnesota has seen Democratic victories in every statewide office since 2006, but Walz’s perceived weaknesses have attracted potential Republican challengers, such as state House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Notably, state government whistleblowers have reported that the Walz administration was aware of Somali fraud in the state years ago, but quashed attempts to expose it and threatened retaliation against officials who pushed the issue.

“Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota. We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud but no, we got the opposite response,” over 400 Minnesota Department of Human Services workers revealed in a December statement. “Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports. Instead of partnership, we got the full weight of retaliation by Tim Walz,” they added.

Attention now turns to who will enter the race for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination to replace Walz, with figures including U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), state Attorney General Keith Ellison (D-MN), and state Secretary of State Steve Simon (D-MN) regarded as possible contenders.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 5, 2026
News

Maduro Makes First Appearance Before U.S. Court.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, captured by U.S. forces over the weekend, is set to appear before a federal court on Monday, facing charges related to narco-terrorism.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nicolas Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 5, 2026, at a federal court in New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: The Justice Department says Maduro “abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions.”

🎯IMPACT: Maduro faces charges that include narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy.

IN FULL

Nicolás Maduro, the dictator of Venezuela captured by U.S. forces over the weekend, is making his first appearance at a U.S. federal court in New York City. The Marxist is facing charges related to narco-terrorism.

He and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken to the courthouse by helicopter and a convoy of five vehicles. Streets leading to the courthouse were blocked off by police to ensure security.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indictment against Maduro alleges a long-standing pattern of corruption and drug trafficking, stating that he and other Venezuelan officials “abused their positions of public trust.” They are accused of importing tons of cocaine into the United States.

The indictment further claims that Maduro provided support to major drug trafficking groups in Latin America, including selling Venezuelan diplomatic passports to known traffickers and facilitating flights under diplomatic cover to transport drug proceeds back to Venezuela.

Maduro faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons.

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January 5, 2026
News

Israeli Tech CEO Demands America Restrict First Amendment.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Shlomo Kramer, co-founder of Cato Networks, called for limiting the First Amendment to address perceived threats posed by artificial intelligence and cyber warfare.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Shlomo Kramer, CNBC hosts Sara Eisen and David Faber.

📍WHEN & WHERE: During an interview on CNBC’s “Money Movers.”

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s time to limit the First Amendment in order to protect it,” said Kramer, advocating for government control over social media platforms.

🎯IMPACT: Kramer’s comments sparked widespread backlash online, with free speech advocates warning against the dangers of government censorship.

IN FULL

On CNBC’s “Money Movers,” Shlomo Kramer, co-founder of Cato Networks, argued that freedom of speech protections, such as the First Amendment, should be restricted to counter the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and cyber warfare. Kramer claimed that AI is revolutionizing cyber warfare and undermining democratic societies while giving authoritarian regimes an advantage.

Kramer proposed that governments should take control of social media platforms, ranking the authenticity of users and regulating their speech accordingly. “We need to control the platforms, all the social platforms,” he said. “We need to stack, rank the authenticity of every person that expresses themselves online and take control over what they are saying, based on that ranking.”

When pressed by CNBC host Sara Eisen, Kramer confirmed that he was indeed calling for government regulation of online speech. “The government should, yeah,” he said. “They should do that. And we need to educate people against lies.” He also emphasized the need for governments to develop advanced cyber defense programs to address the evolving threats posed by AI.

Kramer’s remarks quickly went viral on social media, drawing criticism from free speech advocates.

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January 5, 2026
News

Britain’s Left Wing Parties May Collude to Stop Farage’s Reform.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party could be planning a tactical voting strategy to block Nigel Farage and Reform UK from gaining power in the next UK general election.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, and anti-Brexit group Best for Britain, along with the Welsh Plaid Cymru party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Planning is underway ahead of the next UK general election, with past examples including the 2024 campaign and the October by-election (special election) in Caerphilly.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The question is, how do we stop Reform?” – Senior Liberal Democrat MP.

🎯IMPACT: Tactical voting could play a significant role in shaping the election outcome, though its effectiveness remains uncertain amid changing political dynamics.

IN FULL

Britain’s governing Labour Party is reportedly exploring a deal with the far-left Liberal Democrats to block Nigel Farage and Reform UK from gaining power in the next general election. This effort includes setting up websites and communication strategies to guide leftist voters toward backing candidates with the best chance of defeating Reform in specific constituencies.

A senior Liberal Democrat MP explained, “Definitely, there is appetite out there to stop Reform. I’m picking that up on doors all the time, I’m getting asked about it all the time: ‘the question is, how do we stop Reform?'” The strategy is currently informal, with parties focusing their resources on constituencies where their candidates have stronger prospects.

Best for Britain, an anti-Brexit organization, highlighted the effectiveness of its tactical voting website in the 2024 campaign, claiming it contributed to Labour and the Liberal Democrats gaining dozens of extra seats. Nevertheless, the group cautioned that such successes might not be repeated in the next election, especially if Reform and the Conservatives unite their strategies.

In the October Caerphilly Senedd by-election, Plaid Cymru’s win over Reform highlighted the effectiveness of tactical voting. Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth remarked that the result reflected a desire among progressive voters to defeat the populist right.

Polling from the think-tank More in Common highlighted growing dissatisfaction with Labour under Sir Keir Starmer, presenting additional challenges for UK progressives.

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Transgender Surgery
January 4, 2026
News

Federal Employees Sue to Force YOU to Pay for Their ‘Gender Transitions.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) filed a class action lawsuit against the government over the decision to end insurance coverage for sex change hormones and procedures for federal employees.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF), federal workers, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed on Thursday following an August 2025 OPM letter announcing the policy change, which takes effect in 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Starting today, untold numbers of federal employees and their families will be left out to dry at the hands of a shameless administration hell-bent on targeting the transgender community.” — HRC Foundation President Kelley Robinson

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit claims the policy is ‘discriminatory’ and will negatively affect federal employees and their families; however, the Trump administration maintains that only counseling and mid-treatment cases will continue to be covered.

IN FULL

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of federal employees and their families after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that federal health plans will stop covering gender transition–related hormones and surgeries beginning in 2026.

The policy change was outlined in an OPM letter issued in August, which instructed insurers to exclude coverage for “chemical and surgical modification of an individual’s sex traits through medical interventions (to include ‘gender transition’ services).” The guidance allows continued coverage for counseling and for patients already considered “mid-treatment.”

HRCF—the 501 (c) (3) nonprofit arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)—argues the decision unlawfully discriminates against transgender workers and amounts to a denial of medically necessary care. HRC Foundation President Kelley Robinson condemned the move, saying, “Starting today, untold numbers of federal employees and their families will be left out to dry at the hands of a shameless administration hell-bent on targeting the transgender community.” She said the policy is not driven by cost or clinical concerns but is intended to marginalize transgender people in the federal workforce.

According to the lawsuit, major medical and mental health organizations recognize transgender medical treatments as medically necessary and evidence-based. HRC also noted that federal employees often relied on health benefits to obtain care for their dependents. One federal worker named in the suit said the coverage allowed his daughter to receive a puberty-blocking implant and would later be needed for hormone replacement therapy.

The legal challenge comes amid a broader national and international debate over transgender policies, particularly involving minors. In June 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Tennessee to enforce a law banning gender transition procedures for minors. In the United Kingdom, the government has indefinitely prohibited the use of puberty-blocking drugs for children, citing unresolved safety concerns raised by medical experts.

At the federal level, the administration has pursued additional policies affecting transgender individuals. Executive actions have directed agencies to restrict funding for what officials describe as “chemical and surgical mutilation” of minors. The administration has also supported limits on transgender participation in girls’ sports and defended restrictions on transgender military service.

Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok.

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January 4, 2026
News

Rapper Drake Manipulated Music Charts via Online Gambling Platform, Claims Lawsuit.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Rapper Drake has been accused in a federal class-action RICO lawsuit of using the online sweepstakes casino Stake.us to inflate his music play counts on streaming platforms.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Drake, online influencer Adin Ross, Australian national George Nguyen, and Stake.us are named in the lawsuit.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

🎯IMPACT: The allegations include claims of “manufacturing popularity” and bypassing U.S. gambling regulations, with further lawsuits filed in Missouri and New Mexico over similar accusations.

IN FULL

Drake has been named in a federal class-action RICO lawsuit, alleging that he used the online sweepstakes casino Stake.us to artificially inflate the play counts of his music on streaming platforms like Spotify. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, also implicates online influencer Adin Ross, Australian national George Nguyen, and Stake.us.

The lawsuit states that Drake and his alleged accomplices used automated bots and streaming farms to manipulate popularity metrics, distorting playlists and charts. It further alleges that the group utilized Stake.us’s internal transfer features to obscure money movements, describing the platform as “an unlimited and wholly unregulated money transmitter” operating outside financial oversight.

Drake, who signed a promotional deal with Stake in 2022, reportedly worth $100 million annually, is accused of using the platform to bypass U.S. gambling regulations. Ross, a controversial online streamer, and Nguyen, described as a facilitator and operational broker, are also named for their roles in the alleged scheme.

Additional lawsuits have been filed against Drake and Ross, including cases in Missouri and New Mexico, where they are accused of promoting illegal online gambling. A Missouri lawsuit claims that Stake.us is a rebranded version of Stake.com designed to mislead regulators. The New Mexico lawsuit, filed in October, echoes similar allegations.

Drake, who is preparing to release a new album titled “Iceman,” has not publicly commented on the allegations. Stake has denied the claims in a previous response to the media. Meanwhile, Ross dismissed the lawsuits in an online post as “f—–g bull—t.”

Photo by Amber. 

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