Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Two Firefighters Have Been Killed in a ‘Sniper Fire’ Ambush.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Firefighters responding to a blaze on Canfield Mountain in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, came under “active sniper fire,” resulting in at least two deaths.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Firefighters, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, and an unidentified suspect armed with a high-powered rifle.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident began around 1:21 PM local time on Sunday, June 29, on Canfield Mountain, a popular recreation area in North Idaho.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “We do believe the suspect started the fire, it was an ambush, and it was totally intentional. This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance,” Sheriff Bob Norris said.

🎯IMPACT: After a standoff lasting around 90 minutes, cell phone data suggested the shooter was no longer moving on the mountain, and he was discovered to be deceased by law enforcement. It remains unclear whether police killed the man or if he took his own life.

IN FULL

Authorities in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, took “active sniper fire” for nearly two hours after firefighters responded to a call reporting a fire on Canfield Mountain. At least two firefighters were killed, and one was critically injured. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris stated the fire was reported at 1:21 PM local time, and shots were fired at first responders around 2 PM. After a lengthy standoff, law enforcement discovered the body of a man believed to have been the suspect, though it is unclear whether the police killed the suspect or if he took his own life.

“We do believe the suspect started the fire, it was an ambush, and it was totally intentional,” Norris said. “This was a total ambush,” Sheriff Norris said, adding: “These firefighters did not have a chance.” Law enforcement from local, state, and federal agencies responded to the scene, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dispatching a helicopter for aerial support.

Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Thank God it’s over. It’s so tragic,” Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare said late Sunday, adding, “The people we lost were absolutely top-notch professionals. It’s unheard of for something like this to happen in this community. People are still trying to process exactly what happened.”

The shooter’s identity remains unclear, and law enforcement continues to work the crime scene, gathering evidence before it is damaged or destroyed by fire. At this time, it is believed the suspect acted alone. The brush fire, believed to have been started by the suspect, has subsequently spread to about 20 acres and remains uncontained.

Image by Brandon Anderson.

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One of Zohran Mamdani’s Spiritual Leaders Just Issued a Fatwa Against Trump.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: A senior Iranian cleric, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, issued a fatwa declaring anyone who threatens Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an “enemy of God” in a de facto call to assassinate U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The fatwa was reported by Iran’s Mehr News Agency amid ongoing tensions following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Any person or regime that threatens the Leader or Marja (May God forbid) is considered an enemy of God.” – Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi.

🎯IMPACT: The fatwa could escalate tensions between Iran and the U.S., with Shirazi, 98, potentially becoming subject to a targeted strike himself.

IN FULL

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has issued a fatwa declaring that anyone who threatens Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a “Muharib,” i.e. “an enemy of God” and his messengers, according to state media reports. The fatwa specifically named U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, in response to their recent statements during heightened tensions. Notably, a “Muharib” is subject to the death penalty.

Shirazi, a senior leader in Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s sect of Shia Islam, issued the fatwa in response to an Estefta (formal query). Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that Shirazi, who helped to draft Iran’s constitution following the Islamic Revolution, called on Muslims worldwide “to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes.” The 98-year-old cleric emphasized that supporting such “enemies” is considered “haram” (forbidden) under Islamic law.

The declaration follows a 12-day war between Israel and Iran, during which President Trump said he knew Khamenei’s location and described him as an “easy target.” The fatwa comes despite Trump having stressed that he personally intervened to save Khamenei from an “ugly and ignominious death” at the hands of the Israeli military.

Khosro K. Isfahani, a senior research analyst at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, commented on X, formerly Twitter, that the fatwa is significant for having “directly named Trump.” He highlighted its similarity to previous fatwas that have resulted in violent outcomes.

Image via Tasnim News Agency.

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‘Anti-Natalist’ Fertility Clinic Bomber’s Accomplice Kills Himself in Prison.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Daniel Jongyon Park, accused of aiding an “anti-natalist,” “anti-pro-life” extremist who bombed a fertility clinic, died after reportedly jumping from a high balcony inside a prison facility.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Daniel Jongyon Park, Guy Edward Bartkus, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials, and Attorney General Pam Bondi.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Park died in custody on June 24; the bombing occurred on May 17 at the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Bringing chaos and violence to a facility that exists to help women and mothers is a particularly cruel, disgusting crime that strikes at the very heart of our shared humanity.” – Attorney General Pam Bondi.

🎯IMPACT: The explosion destroyed the clinic, injured people, and highlighted the potential risks of domestic terrorism and extreme “anti-pro-life” ideology.

IN FULL

Daniel Jongyon Park, the alleged accomplice of the Palm Springs fertility bomber, reportedly died by suicide after jumping from a high balcony inside a prison facility. Park, who was accused of supplying chemicals to the Palm Springs fertility clinic bomber, Guy Edward Bartkus, was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital on June 24.

Bartkus died in the initial May 17 explosion outside the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic in California. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the incident as an intentional act of terrorism, motivated by extreme “pro-mortalism, anti-natalism, and anti-pro-life ideology.”

Authorities said Park shipped 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate to Bartkus in January and another 90 pounds just days before the explosion.

The blast destroyed much of the clinic and shattered nearby windows. However, no embryos were harmed. Park, 33, was arrested on June 3 at JFK Airport and faced up to 15 years in federal prison for providing material support to Bartkus. The FBI’s Akil Davis said investigators found “an explosive recipe that was similar to the Oklahoma City bombing” in Park’s home.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a statement following Park’s arrest, said, “This defendant is charged with facilitating the horrific attack on a fertility center in California. Bringing chaos and violence to a facility that exists to help women and mothers is a particularly cruel, disgusting crime that strikes at the very heart of our shared humanity.”

“I just wanted to say, your god definitely doesn’t exist, but if he did, I’d choose satan over your evil god. Did you ever think that maybe the bible is just slander against satan, and that satan just realized what a f***ing creep your god is?” Bartkus said in his written manifesto.

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Euro Nation Urges Apple, Google to Block China’s DeepSeek AI.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: German authorities are pressuring Apple and Google to consider removing the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI_ app DeepSeek from their app stores over privacy concerns.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Germany, the European Union (EU), DeepSeek, China, Apple, Google.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Meike Kamp, called on the Big Tech corporations to take action this week.

🎯IMPACT: DeepSeek faces removal from another European country after Italy removed the app earlier this year, also due to privacy concerns.

IN FULL

Germany is urging tech giants Apple and Google to block access to the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) app DeepSeek from app stores over concerns regarding user privacy. Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Meike Kamp alleges that DeepSeek transfers users’ personal data to Communist China, violating European Union (EU) data protection regulations.

Kamp claims that DeepSeek did not supply her office with sufficient evidence that the app conforms to EU privacy laws, warning, “Chinese authorities have far-reaching access rights to personal data within the sphere of influence of Chinese companies.”

German authorities now demand that DeepSeek either conform to EU data privacy laws or remove the app from the German market entirely. So far, DeepSeek has refused to take any action, Kamp claims. Other EU member states, like Italy, have made similar demands to DeepSeek and blocked the app from app stores in their countries.

DeepSeek is not the only Chinese app to be accused of violating user privacy. As early as 2021, the Netherlands sued TikTok for violating children’s privacy. In 2023, European regulators fined the company an additional $368 million, again for violating privacy laws.

The United States has long considered banning TikTok due to its links with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), passing legislation mandating that Chinese parent company ByteDance divest in order for it to keep doing business in the country.

President Donald J. Trump has delayed the ban while negotiations to sell the company remain ongoing.

Image by Abdelrahman Ahmed.

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WATCH: Trump Admin Oversees Signing of African Peace Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aiming to end ongoing conflict and displacement in the region.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The governments of Rwanda and Congo, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and President Donald J. Trump’s administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The agreement was signed on Friday at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They were going at it for many years, and with machetes—it is one of the worst, one of the worst wars that anyone has ever seen. And I just happened to have somebody that was able to get it settled,” – Donald Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The deal includes a 90-day timeline for Rwandan troop withdrawal and a framework for regional economic integration and mineral trade.

IN FULL

A U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo was signed on Friday with the aim of ending a conflict that has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands this year. The Trump administration facilitated the agreement.

The foreign ministers of both nations signed the agreement at a ceremony overseen by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The deal outlines a 90-day timeline for Rwandan troops to withdraw from eastern Congo and commits both countries to launching a regional economic framework within the same period.

President Donald J. Trump commented on the agreement, emphasizing the severity of the conflict and his administration’s role in brokering peace. “They were going at it for many years, and with machetes—it is one of the worst, one of the worst wars that anyone has ever seen. And I just happened to have somebody that was able to get it settled,” Trump said.

He also highlighted economic benefits for the United States, noting, “We’re getting, for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it. They’re so honored to be here. They never thought they’d be coming.”

The Congo is a key source of critical minerals, particularly cobalt, accounting for around 60 percent of supplies worldwide.

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Another Washington Post Journalist Has Been Arrested for Child Porn.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Thomas Pham LeGro, a Pulitzer Prize-winning video journalist with The Washington Post, has been arrested and charged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with possession of child pornography.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Thomas Pham LeGro, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the DOJ, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

📍WHEN & WHERE: LeGro was arrested on Thursday, June 26, and appeared in federal court on Friday, June 27, 2025.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: The FBI found on LeGro’s work laptop a folder with “11 videos depicting child sexual abuse material.”

🎯IMPACT: LeGro is just the latest Washington Post employee to be charged with possession of child pornography. Earlier this year, the newspaper’s anti-Trump cartoonist, Darrin Bell, was also arrested on child porn allegations.

IN FULL

A Pulitzer Prize-winning video journalist with The Washington Post has been arrested and charged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with possession of child pornography. Thomas Pham LeGro appeared on Friday in a U.S. District Court after the charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

The Washington Post journalist, who serves as the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper’s Deputy Director of Video, was taken into custody by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on Thursday, June 26, following a raid on his residence. Inside LeGro’s home, the FBI found a work laptop which—upon examination—was discovered to contain a folder with “11 videos depicting child sexual abuse material.” Additionally, “agents observed what appeared to be fractured pieces of a hard drive in the hallway outside the room where LeGro’s work laptop was found.”

Notably, LeGro was part of a team of journalists at The Washington Post that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for their coverage of the U.S. Senate race in Alabama, which saw former state Supreme Court Justice and Republican candidate Roy Moore accused of sexually assaulting several women when they were underage. Moore denied the sexual assault allegations, though he acknowledged he may have dated teenagers when he was in his late twenties and early thirties.

This is not the first Washington Post journalist to face allegations of concerning behavior regarding legal minors. Disgraced former WaPo reporter Taylor Lorenz is also accused of inappropriately interacting with teenagers on social media, often featuring them in her stories. In January of this year, the newspaper’s anti-Trump cartoonist, Darrin Bell, was also arrested on child porn allegations. Investigators discovered 134 videos of child sex abuse material (CSAM) on an account Bell is linked to, along with AI-generated child pornography.

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Defending Israel Has Depleted America’s Anti-Missile Arsenal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. deployed a significant portion of its advanced THAAD anti-missile system to Israel during its 12-day conflict with Iran, which included strikes on nuclear facilities and retaliatory Iranian missile strikes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The United States, Israel, Iran, and Iranian proxy groups such as Yemen’s Houthis.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The conflict occurred in June 2025, primarily in Israel and Iran.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Neither the U.S. nor the Israelis can continue to sit and intercept missiles all day… we cannot afford to sit and play catch.” – Tom Karako, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. used an estimated 15-20 percent of its global THAAD stockpile, costing over $800 million, and raising concerns about future readiness and supply chain challenges.

IN FULL

During the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, the U.S. deployed a significant portion of its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to bolster Israel’s defenses. The conflict included strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and retaliatory Iranian missile launches targeting Israeli cities.

The THAAD system, developed by Lockheed Martin, is critical for intercepting short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Unlike the Patriot system, it covers a larger area and comprises a launcher, interceptor, radar, and fire control unit. However, during the conflict, the THAAD system failed to intercept Houthi missiles on at least two occasions, with one missile striking near Tel Aviv‘s Ben Gurion International Airport.

Reports indicate that the U.S. used 15-20 percent of its global THAAD missile stockpile during the conflict, incurring costs exceeding $800 million. A single THAAD interceptor costs between $12 and $15 million. The deployment has raised concerns about the readiness of U.S. missile defense systems for future conflicts.

Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), commented on the situation, saying, “Neither the U.S. nor the Israelis can continue to sit and intercept missiles all day. The Israelis and their friends need to move with all deliberate haste to do whatever needs to be done, because we cannot afford to sit and play catch.”

As a result of the conflict, the U.S. will need to urgently restock its THAAD interceptors. This is not only vital for Israel but also for other regions where such systems may be required, including the Middle East, the Pacific, and Europe.

During the conflict, a similar report claimed that Israel had also begun to run low on ballistic missile interceptors. The report came shortly before both Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire.

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Rogue Judge Faces Impeachment After Blocking Trump’s National Guard Order.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Republican lawmaker has filed impeachment articles against a federal judge who temporarily blocked President Donald J. Trump’s control of the National Guard in California during pro-illegal immigrant riots in Los Angeles.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer, President Donald J. Trump, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The resolution was filed on Friday, June 27, 2025, following riots in Los Angeles earlier this month.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “The goal is to get judges to do their jobs. If we’re not going to try to hold accountable the ones that aren’t, then they have no incentive to stop,” said Rep. Fine.

🎯IMPACT: The resolution highlights GOP frustration with repeated judicial interference in Trump’s executive actions.

IN FULL

Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) has filed a resolution to impeach U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer for temporarily blocking President Donald J. Trump’s federalization of the California National Guard during riots in Los Angeles. Fine criticized the judge’s decision as “political.”

The riots in Los Angeles were sparked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Hispanic and Latino neighborhoods, where activists clashed with law enforcement and burned cars in protest. Trump bypassed California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) to deploy the National Guard, citing inadequate action by state officials to protect federal law enforcement and restore order.

Judge Breyer’s temporary order earlier this month ruled that Trump’s actions exceeded his statutory authority and violated the Tenth Amendment. “His actions were illegal—both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the court opinion stated. Breyer ordered control of the National Guard to be returned to California.

However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Breyer’s ruling last week, affirming that Trump was within his authority to federalize the National Guard. Breyer’s decision has drawn scrutiny from House Republicans, who have increasingly voiced frustration over judicial interference in Trump’s executive actions.

Fine acknowledged the long odds of removing Breyer but defended the impeachment resolution as a necessary step. “I think it’s worth doing. I don’t know that we can pass it, I don’t know that the Senate would remove him from office, but I think failing to avail ourselves of the remedies that the framers intended was a mistake,” he said.

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DHS Is Paving the Way for the Deportation of 500,000 Haitians.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Haitian nationals currently under TPS.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Friday, takes effect September 2.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary.” – DHS spokesman

🎯IMPACT: More than 500,000 Haitians with TPS are affected and encouraged to use DHS resources to return to Haiti.

IN FULL

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, which will take effect on September 2. A notice from DHS stated that Secretary Kristi Noem had determined the situation in Haiti no longer justified the continuation of TPS for migrants from the country. The decision was based on an assessment that environmental conditions in Haiti had improved sufficiently for safe return.

“This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary,” a DHS spokesman said, adding: “The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home. We encourage these individuals to take advantage of the Department’s resources in returning to Haiti, which can be arranged through the CBP Home app. Haitian nationals may pursue lawful status through other immigration benefit requests, if eligible.”

Currently, more than 500,000 Haitians hold TPS. Consequently, Sec. Noem’s decision clears the way for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to begin deportations after the September deadline. In the meantime, DHS is encouraging Haitians impacted by the TPS determination to utilize existing resources for their return to Haiti.

Haitians granted TPS by the former Biden government became a point of political contention during the 2024 election. Large numbers of Haitian nationals were settled in small towns across the United States, resulting in cultural clashes, increased crime, and consternation among American citizens.

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Illegals Warned: Self-Deport or Face $1,000-a-Day Fines.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is reviving and expanding fines for illegal immigrants of up to $1,000 per day.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: United States, rule to be published June 28, 2025.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order… Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late.” – Tricia McLaughlin

🎯IMPACT: The policy signals a renewed crackdown on illegal immigrants, enabling DHS to fine violators immediately, potentially altering migrant behavior and undermining activist-led opposition to deportation enforcement.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is seeking to expedite fines for illegal immigrants—up to $1,000 per day—under a new rule seen by ABC News and set to be published in the Federal Register. The proposed regulation eliminates the current 30-day notice requirement, permitting immediate financial penalties against violators.

Jointly proposed by the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS), the rule covers migrants who enter the U.S. illegally, defy final orders of removal, or fail to leave voluntarily after a judge’s directive. The fines range from $100 to $500 for illegal entry, up to $10,000 for ignoring a deportation order, and $1,000 per day for failing to comply with removal.

“DHS believes that the nature of the failure-to-depart and unlawful entry penalties supports the need for more streamlined procedures,” the rule reads. Trump first introduced the policy during his first term, but the Biden government paused it. Trump reinstated it after taking office in January.

“The law doesn’t enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it,” explained Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order and making our government more effective and efficient at enforcing the American people’s immigration laws. Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late.”

According to DHS, migrants who use the Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home app to leave the country voluntarily will have their fines waived. As of June 13, the department has issued 10,000 fine notifications under the reactivated policy.

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