GET THE APP
Monday, February 9, 2026

Category: News
May 16, 2025
Economy
Immigration

Why Is Mexico’s Govt Lobbying Against Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill?’

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: House Republicans proposed a five percent tax on remittances sent out of the U.S. by non-U.S. citizens, sparking opposition from Mexico. In response, Mexican government officials are lobbying House Republicans in the U.S. to drop the provision from President Donald J. Trump’s budget bill.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. House Republicans, Mexican Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and President Trump.

📍 Where & When: U.S., ongoing discussions as of May 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Imposing a tax on these transfers would disproportionately affect those with the least, without accounting for their ability to pay,” Barragán wrote in a letter to U.S. Congressional leaders.

⚠️ Impact: The proposal could generate $1 billion in tax revenue by 2026, but faces resistance from Mexican government officials, as remittances from the United States comprise a significant portion of the country’s revenue.

IN FULL:

The foreign remittance tax provision in President Donald J. Trump‘s budget plan, currently working its way through the House of Representatives, has become the target of a lobbying campaign by the Mexican government, which seeks to remove it from the legislation. Under the plan being pushed by President Trump and his allies in Congress, cash remittances sent by non-U.S. citizens to family members abroad would be subject to a five percent tax.

In a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leaders, Reps. Jason Smith (R-MO) and Richard Neal (D-MA), Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S., Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, urged the U.S. lawmakers to reconsider the tax measure. “Imposing a tax on these transfers would disproportionately affect those with the least, without accounting for their ability to pay,” Barragán wrote, claiming the provision will have unintended consequences such as increased use of unregulated financial channels.

Mexico is the third-largest recipient of remittances among nations worldwide. In 2024, the country received an estimated $64.745 billion in remittances, with most of the money sourced through transfers from the United States. The country’s heavy reliance on payment transfers from the U.S. as a source of revenue has even prompted Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to weigh in on the issue, declaring it “arbitrary and unjust” and calling it “a measure that is unacceptable.”

The Joint Committee on Taxation released estimates that the tax could generate $1 billion in revenue by 2026, rising to $3 billion by 2034. During his first term in office, President Trump pushed for a remittance tax to recoup costs for his border wall with Mexico.

As part of the Mexican government’s push against the tax provision, Barragán has met with U.S. lawmakers, including Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Maria Salazar (R-FL). Salazar stated she is still evaluating the proposal.

Image via Mexico City Government.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 16, 2025
Media
News

Nearly 600 Voice of America Staffers Laid Off.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Nearly 600 Voice of America (VOA) employees, primarily contractors, were fired as part of a Trump administration overhaul of the agency.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Trump administration, U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA employees, and senior adviser Kari Lake.

📍 Where & When: The firings were announced this week, with the employees’ last day set for May 30.

💬 Key Quote: Kari Lake stated, “I don’t have editorial control over the content of VOA and OCB programming, but I can ensure our outlets have reliable and credible options as they work to craft their reporting and news programs.”

⚠️ Impact: The dismissals represent one-third of VOA’s workforce and coincide with a shift toward using One America News Network for news-feed services.

IN FULL:

The Trump administration has terminated nearly 600 employees at Voice of America (VOA) as part of a broader effort to reform the agency. The affected individuals, many of whom are contractors, were informed this week that their employment will end on May 30.

The dismissals account for approximately one-third of the agency’s workforce. Employees were instructed to return VOA property, including badges and credentials, by the same date. The move comes amid a restructuring of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA.

This wave of firings follows an announcement by USAGM senior adviser Kari Lake that One America News Network (OANN) will now provide news-feed services to the agency’s outlets. Lake emphasized her role in ensuring credible and reliable options for the agency’s reporting, stating, “I don’t have editorial control over the content of VOA and OCB programming, but I can ensure our outlets have reliable and credible options as they work to craft their reporting and news programs.”

The restructuring efforts have faced legal challenges. Last month, a federal judge ruled against the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle VOA and its affiliated services. Despite this, the administration appears committed to reshaping the agency’s operations and partnerships.

VOA has been a source of controversy in the past. In 2020, the news outlet was accused of parroting propaganda from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cuts to the USAGM have also affected other broadcasters like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which launched a lawsuit against the Trump administration in March, arguing President Trump violated the Constitution by withholding Congress-approved funding.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 16, 2025
News

Nine Armed Fugitives on the Loose After Jailbreak.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Eleven inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, with two apprehended and nine still at large.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Susan Hutson, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

📍 Where & When: The escape occurred Friday morning at the Orleans Justice Center, less than three miles from the French Quarter.

💬 Key Quote: Sheriff Susan Hutson described the situation as “very serious and unacceptable,” while Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick stated it’s “more than likely” the escapees had assistance.

⚠️ Impact: The public has been urged to remain vigilant as the escapees are considered armed and dangerous, and authorities are conducting a full-scale search.

IN FULL:

Authorities in New Orleans are conducting a “full-scale search operation” after eleven inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center on Friday morning, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Two of the escapees, including Kendell Myles, have been apprehended, but nine others remain at large.

Sheriff Susan Hutson revealed the inmates were discovered missing during a routine headcount at 8:30 AM. She urged the public to stay alert, warning that the escapees should be considered armed and dangerous. “We are launching a full investigation to determine how this escape occurred, including reviewing facility protocols, staff performance, and physical security measures,” Hutson stated.

The escaped inmates have charges ranging from drug possession to murder, according to reports. Concerningly, the escape appears to have been a relatively simple matter of cutting through drywall and escaping through a space accommodating ventilation and piping behind a jail wall.


The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with local, state, and federal law enforcement to locate the fugitives. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick suggested that the escapees likely received outside assistance and have since changed out of their jail uniforms. “We don’t want panic, but we do want people to be mindful,” Kirkpatrick noted.

The Orleans Justice Center, where the incident took place, is less than three miles from the French Quarter, a popular tourist destination. One of the fugitives, Kendell Myles, was apprehended on Royal Street, a busy and popular avenue in the French Quarter.

Sheriff Hutson emphasized the gravity of the situation, calling it “very serious and unacceptable,” and vowed accountability for anyone who aided in the escape.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 16, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
News
World

‘We Don’t Need a Lesson in Democracy’ — German Leader Slams Vance, While Arresting Citizens Traveling to ‘Remigration’ Conference.

PULSE POINTS:

❓ What Happened: German Chancellor (Prime Minister) Friedrich Merz slammed Vice President J.D. Vance, saying Germany does not need lessons on democracy, while it is arresting activists trying to attend a conference on “remigration.”

👥 Who’s Involved: Friedrich Merz, J.D. Vance, German anti-mass migration activists.

📍 Where & When: Merz’s comments were published in the German newspaper Die Zeit, while the arrests of activists occurred in Munich on May 15.

💬 Key Quote: “Of course, we are not on the way to a ‘tyranny’ as we hear from the USA. We really have to reject such statements.” — Friedrich Merz.

⚠️ Impact: The comments of Merz greatly contrast with his government’s actions on the same day, lending further strength to Vance’s comments.

IN FULL:

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has dismissed Vice President JD Vance‘s critiques regarding German democracy, but is banning citizens from travelling overseas to a conference on remigration at the same time. Vance made his comments earlier this year at the Munich Security Conference.

Vance has criticised the German treatment of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and its supporters, saying, “I think, unfortunately, the will of voters has been ignored by a lot of our European friends.”

Merz slammed Vance in an interview this week in German media, saying, “Of course, we are not on the way to a ‘tyranny’ as we hear from the USA. We really have to reject such statements. Germany has been freed from tyranny by the USA, Germany today is stable, liberal and democratic. We don’t need a lesson in democracy,” he insisted, despite the country’s troubled past.

The interview was given the same day German authorities arrested six anti-mass migration activists at a Munich airport as they were en route to a conference on remigration—the return of immigrants to their home countries—in Milan, Italy. Two of the activists were arrested on the aircraft, as they had already boarded, and were removed.

German police later explained that letting the activists go to the “Remigration summit” could “damage the reputation” of Germany. The activists were later released but banned from travelling to Italy, Austria, or Switzerland until Sunday.

Merz’s comments also come after the German domestic spy agency declared the AfD to be “right-wing extremists“, allowing them to spy on members of the party and use undercover informants to infiltrate it. However, following a lawsuit and pressure from the Trump administration—which described the move as “tyranny in disguise”—the agency has put the classification on hold.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 16, 2025
News

New Antitrust Concerns as Gaming Giant Complains of iPhone Ban.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Apple has blocked Fortnite’s submission to the App Store in the U.S. and European Union (EU), preventing its release on iOS devices. The move comes just four years after a U.S. federal court found that Apple had engaged in anticompetitive behavior towards Epic Games, the parent company of Fortnite, and will likely spark a new round of litigation and antitrust allegations.

👥 Who’s Involved: Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, and Apple.

📍 Where & When: Online platforms in the U.S. and EU; announcement made early Friday morning.

💬 Key Quote: “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the U.S. App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union,” according to Fortnite’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

⚠️ Impact: Fortnite will remain offline for iOS users worldwide until Apple reverses its decision.

IN FULL:

Fortnite, the globally popular video game developed by Epic Games, has been blocked from the U.S. App Store and Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union (EU) by Apple, according to a statement shared by the company on its X (formerly Twitter) account early Friday morning. The move by Apple is the first escalation in several years in an ongoing dispute between the two companies, which saw an antitrust lawsuit in 2021 conclude with a U.S. federal court determining Apple had engaged in anticompetitive behavior but did not constitute a monopoly.

The post stated, “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the U.S. App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union.” As a result, the game will remain offline for iOS users worldwide until Apple lifts the restriction.

Epic Games revealed that it submitted Fortnite for review last week in an effort to launch the game on the App Store in the U.S. However, Apple has not yet provided a public explanation or responded to requests for comment regarding the decision to block the submission.

Fortnite, which has millions of players globally, is currently inaccessible on iOS devices due to this development. While the tensions between Apple and Epic Games have lain dormant for several years, this move by Apple is likely to renew allegations of monopolistic behavior and, potentially, a new round of antitrust litigation.

In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers held that while Apple’s App Store did not constitute an anticompetitive monopoly, its anti-steering policies limited competition and were ordered eliminated. Anti-steering is when an online retailer bars consumers from being directed by an app to an external, online storefront.

If the litigation proceeds, it could become one of the first significant antitrust cases under the second Trump administration.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 16, 2025
Jack Montgomery
News

‘He Knew Exactly What That Meant’ — DHS and Secret Service Investigating Comey Over ‘8647’ Post.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Former FBI Director James Comey deleted an Instagram post showing “8647” in seashells, a phrase tied to mob slang for killing and referencing President Trump, prompting a DHS and Secret Service investigation.

👥 Who’s Involved: James Comey, President Donald J. Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS, and the Secret Service.

📍 Where & When: Online, with Comey’s post deleted and investigation announced on May 15, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “He knew exactly what that meant; a child knows what that meant,” Trump said of Comey’s post.

⚠️ Impact: Trump’s swift response and the ongoing probe highlight his administration’s zero tolerance for veiled threats, exposing Comey’s reckless partisanship after his Russiagate missteps.

IN FULL:

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey has deleted a picture he shared on Instagram spelling out ‘8647’ in seashells. To ’86’ someone means to remove or kill them in the slang of the hospitality industry and organized crime, while ’47’ almost certainly refers to President Donald J. Trump, who is the 47th U.S. President.

“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” Comey wrote in a new Instagram post, trying to suggest someone else had arranged the shells. “I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me,” he added, despite his extensive background in law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Secret Service are investigating the post, which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized as having “called for the assassination of [President] Trump.”

President Trump has said he does not believe that Comey did not know what the words implied, telling the media, “He knew exactly what that meant; a child knows what that meant.”

“If you’re the FBI Director, and you don’t know what that meant… That meant ‘assassination,’ and it says it loud and clear,” the America First leader continued, adding that, while Comey “wasn’t very competent,” he was “competent enough to know what that meant.”

President Trump fired Comey, who facilitated the bogus Russiagate investigation, during his first term, after which he became a strident anti-Trump partisan. Two attempts were made on Trump’s life in 2024, including one at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which saw the America First leader struck in the ear by a sniper, and three rallygoers more seriously shot, one fatally. President Trump believes Democrats’ “inflammatory” rhetoric against him inspired the attacks.

WATCH:

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 16, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
UK

Ukrainian Migrant Charged With Setting Fire to Properties Owned by British PM.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A Ukrainian man has been charged with arson and attacking properties owned or linked to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

👥 Who’s Involved: Roman Lavrynovych, Sir Keir Starmer, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

📍 Where & When: The attacks occurred between May 8 and May 12; Lavrynovych was charged on May 15.

💬 Key Quote: “Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service’s counter terrorism command, we have authorised criminal charges against a 21-year-old man after three fires in north London,” confirmed Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) counter terrorism division.

⚠️ Impact: The arrest raises questions on the motive regarding the attacks and what the suspect’s Ukrainian background may have to do with them.

IN FULL:

A Ukrainian migrant has been charged after trying to set several properties on fire that British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer owns or has links to. One fire occurred on May 12 in Kent at the house the Prime Minister lived in before moving into Number 10 Downing Street last year.

Roman Lavrynovych, a 21-year-old Ukrainian national, was arrested and has been charged with three counts of arson for fires at Sir Keir’s home, another property linked to the Prime Minister, and a vehicle that is also connected to him. All of the attacks took place from May 8 to May 12. One person had to be helped out of one of the properties by firefighters.

Lavrynovych was arrested on May 13 at his home in south-east London and was charged on May 15. “Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service’s counter terrorism command, we have authorised criminal charges against a 21-year-old man after three fires in north London,” Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service counter terrorism division, said.

So far, no motive has been put forward by police regarding the attacks, which appear to have clearly targeted the Labour Party leader.

The attack is just the latest serious criminal act by a Ukrainian in recent months in Western Europe. In late March, a Ukrainian man stabbed five people in Amsterdam. Prosecutors later floated the idea that his motive could have been terrorism.

Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 15, 2025
Lawfare
News

Kash Patel Crushes Anti-Trump Weaponization Arm of FBI.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has shut down its federal public corruption squad, known internally as “CR15.”

👥 Who’s Involved: The FBI, former Special Counsel Jack Smith, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, and Permanent Subcommittee Chair Ron Johnson.

📍 Where & When: Washington, D.C.; the announcement follows earlier DOJ restructuring efforts in 2023.

💬 Key Quote: “My oversight has shown time and again how the FBI’s CR-15 unit was weaponized to execute one-sided political attacks, particularly against President Trump and his allies.” — Sen. Chuck Grassley.

⚠️ Impact: The closure signals a shift in FBI resources toward priorities like immigration enforcement.

IN FULL:

Under the orders of Director Kash Patel, the Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has dismantled its federal public corruption squad, CR15, which previously played a significant role in lawfare investigations related to President Donald J. Trump.

The CR15 unit, one of three teams handling public corruption cases at the field office, was heavily involved in the “Arctic Frost” probe. This investigation served as a precursor to Special Counsel Jack Smith‘s failed inquiry into alleged efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the contested 2020 election results. Both federal criminal cases against Trump stemming from these investigations were later dropped following his election triumph.

Agents from the disbanded squad will be reassigned to other duties, as the FBI shifts its focus toward immigration enforcement. This reallocation of resources coincides with broader changes within the Department of Justice (DOJ), which downsized its Public Integrity Section earlier this year and saw resignations from members who opposed dropping a federal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who has scrutinized CR15’s operations, welcomed the closure. “My oversight has shown time and again how the FBI’s CR-15 unit was weaponized to execute one-sided political attacks, particularly against President Trump and his allies,” Grassley stated. He further emphasized the need for transparency and record preservation as his investigations continue.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 15, 2025
Jack Montgomery
News

Don Jr. Accuses Comey of ‘Calling for My Dad to Be Murdered’ in Instagram Post.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Donald Trump Jr. accused former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey of inciting his father’s murder in an Instagram post featuring the slogan “86 47” spelled out in seashells, a phrase tied to mob slang for killing.

👥 Who’s Involved: Donald Trump Jr., James Comey, President Donald J. Trump, and Democrat-aligned media.

📍 Where & When: Online, with Trump Jr.’s accusation posted on X (formerly Twitter) on May 15, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered,” Donald Trump Jr. stated on X.

⚠️ Impact: Comey’s stunt underscores the left’s escalating rhetoric, spotlighting his descent from feigned impartiality to partisan extremism.

IN FULL:

Donald Trump Jr. has accused former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey of calling for his father’s murder in an Instagram post.

Comey had published a picture of ’86 47′ spelled out in seashells on the beach. In hospitality, to ’86’ someone is to remove them from a premises, such as a bar or restaurant, while in the mob, it refers to killing someone. The 47 refers to President Donald J. Trump as the 47th U.S. President.

“Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered,” the President’s eldest son remarked of the post on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”

President Trump survived two attempts on his life in 2024, first at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a sniper shot him in the ear and killed one of his supporters, and then at a golf course in Florida, where pro-Ukraine activist Ryan Routh was found waiting to take a shot at the America First leader in a bush.

While many liberals initially resented Comey for his role in the investigation of the Hillary Clinton email scandal—which he concluded without recommending any charges—he became a hero to them after President Trump fired him in 2017, and fully embraced his partisan role. Early in Trump’s first term, Comey facilitated the bogus Russiagate investigation despite a lack of evidence for any wrongdoing, diverting much of the administration’s time and energy.

Comey offered a full-throated endorsement of Joe Biden before his ouster in favor of Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race, saying, “I don’t care how you feel about Joe Biden. You must vote for him because the consequences on the other side are too severe.”

Image by Paul Morigi Photography via Brookings Institute.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
May 15, 2025
William Upton
Crime
Politics

Foreign Democrat Mega Donor Hit With Sexual Harassment Lawsuit.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Swiss billionaire and Democratic Party dark money mega donor Hansjorg Wyss has been hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit, alleging the 89-year-old subjected a 30-year-old employee to repeated sexual propositions, groping, and sexual exposure.

👥 Who’s Involved: Hansjorg Wyss, Madison Busby, and a network of dark money groups that advocate for progressive political policies and back Democratic Party candidates for office.

📍 Where & When: The lawsuit was filed on April 25, 2025, in the San Luis Obispo County, California Superior Court. Details emerged publicly on May 14, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Mr. Wyss told Ms. Busby how much he enjoyed having a threesome, even with another man,” the lawsuit alleges, adding: “He even suggested a ‘foursome’ and stated it would be ‘fun’ for the three of them and another woman by the name of ‘Lori.’”

⚠️ Impact: The lawsuit could sideline one of the Democratic Party’s most significant and influential dark money donors ahead of the 2026 congressional midterm elections.

IN FULL:

Hansjorg Wyss, an 89-year-old Swiss billionaire and Democratic Party mega donor, is the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a 30-year-old employee at one of his California wineries. In the legal filing, Madison Busby—an employee at Halter Ranch Winery—alleges Wyss subjected her to repeated sexual propositions, groped her, and exposed himself to her. Wyss’s political contributions to far-left advocacy groups and Democratic Party-aligned nonprofits have been the subject of controversy as he lacks both U.S. citizenship and permanent residency.

“Madison has suffered severe emotional distress from the harassment which took place over the course of many years, and also from lost wages and then future damages. She’s been harmed immensely,” Busby’s attorney, John Ly, said after the lawsuit‘s filing. Busby claims that after she rejected Wyss’s advances, the Swiss billionaire engaged in retaliation against her.

While not as publicly well-known as far-left Democrat donors like George Soros and Reid Hoffman, Wyss has quietly become one of the party’s most influential financiers over the last decade. Notably, Wyss is a major backer of the progressive political consulting firm Arabella Advisors‘s dark money network. In recent years, the Swiss billionaire contributed an estimated $162 million to Arabella’s key left-wing political money operations, Sixteen Thirty Fund and New Venture Fund.

Using a network of nonprofits and foundations that help conceal his political giving, Wyss has funnelled over $200 million in total to Democrat Party-aligned nonprofit advocacy groups, including the Center for American Progress, NewsGuard, and Priorities USA.

Notably, United States election laws bar noncitizens from contributing to federal candidates for office and political action committees (PACs). However, Wyss—a Swiss national who lacks American citizenship or permanent residency—circumvents these restrictions by contributing to outside political advocacy organizations that use donor money to help influence elections in favor of Democratic Party candidates.

According to the lawsuit, Wyss aggressively pursued the potential of group sex with Busby. “Mr. Wyss told Ms. Busby how much he enjoyed having a threesome, even with another man,” the filing states, adding: “He even suggested a ‘foursome’ and stated it would be ‘fun’ for the three of them and another woman by the name of ‘Lori.’” The lawsuit notes that in 2022, Wyss admitted to Busby that “if you ever went after me for sexual harassment, you would win.”

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more