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Category: News
August 11, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Life for Rape, Murder of Rachel Morin.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Illegal migrant Victor Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of Rachel Morin.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Victor Martinez-Hernandez, Rachel Morin, Harford County State Attorney Alison Healey, and Rachel Morin’s family members.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crime occurred in August 2023 on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Sentencing took place on August 11, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “You are not a candidate for rehabilitation. There is simply no hope to rehabilitate you.” – Judge during sentencing.

🎯IMPACT: The case underscores the impact of illegal immigration and poor border security on public safety.

IN FULL

Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five. The crime occurred in August 2023 on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Martinez-Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, and kidnapping earlier this year.

During the sentencing hearing, Harford County State Attorney Alison Healey described Martinez-Hernandez as “completely and entirely unamenable to treatment or rehabilitation” while seeking the maximum sentence. The judge concurred, stating, “You are not a candidate for rehabilitation. There is simply no hope to rehabilitate you. You took a life that was not yours to take.”

Rachel Morin’s body was discovered in a tunnel drain along the hiking trail, with an autopsy revealing she died from strangulation and blunt-force trauma. Police reported that Martinez-Hernandez had been living illegally in the United States since February 2023, just months before the attack. He had also been linked to a previous murder in El Salvador through an INTERPOL warrant.

The case has sparked renewed criticism of U.S. immigration policies under former President Joe Biden. Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler stated, “The failure here, again, is the immigration system that allowed this person to enter our country illegally and remain in our country and commit crimes.”

Rachel’s mother, Patty Morin, has met with President Donald J. Trump and testified before Congress, emphasizing that her daughter’s death could have been prevented with proper border protocols and a simple DNA swab.

President Trump also weighed in during the murder trial, calling Martinez-Hernandez “an MS-13 Gang Member and Foreign Terrorist from El Salvador” and criticizing the former Biden-Harris government’s immigration policies. Trump pledged, “We will never forget Rachel Morin and are committed to protecting women like her across our Country.”

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August 11, 2025
1A
Religion

Supreme Court Petitioned to Revisit Gay Marriage Decision.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Kim Davis, a former Kentucky clerk, has filed a petition to the Supreme Court arguing that her First Amendment rights protect her from liability for denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kim Davis, her attorney Mathew Staver, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Davis’s petition was filed last month, with the case potentially being heard by the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If there ever was a case of exceptional importance… this should be it.” – Mathew Staver

🎯IMPACT: If accepted, this case could challenge the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

IN FULL

Kim Davis, the former Kentucky clerk who became widely known in 2015 for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses due to her religious beliefs, has taken her case to the Supreme Court. Filed last month, her petition argues that the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom should shield her from personal liability in denying the licenses.

Davis’s legal team, led by attorney Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, is also challenging the Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. In the petition, Staver described the ruling as “egregiously wrong” and referred to former Justice Anthony Kennedy‘s majority opinion as “legal fiction.”

“The mistake must be corrected,” Staver wrote, emphasizing the broad implications of the case. He continued, “If there ever was a case of exceptional importance, the first individual in the Republic’s history who was jailed for following her religious convictions regarding the historic definition of marriage, this should be it.”

“I’m hoping that we’ll obviously get justice in this case for Kim Davis, but that the religious accommodation that she obtained for all clerks in Kentucky is extended to everyone across the country, whether they’re a clerk or not,” Staver added.

Davis’s case not only seeks to clear her name but also aims to revisit and potentially overturn the landmark pro same-sex marriage ruling issued during the Obama-Biden administration. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, it would mark the first significant challenge to the Obergefell decision.

The outcome could have far-reaching consequences for both religious liberty and the legal definition of marriage in the United States. Observers are now waiting to see if the Supreme Court will take up the case.

Image by Photo Phiend.

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August 11, 2025
News

Trump Considers Downgrading Marijuana on Federal Drug List.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that he is considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, White House officials, and industry groups.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday at a White House press conference.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over, I’d say, the next few weeks.” – Donald Trump.

🎯IMPACT: Reclassification could reduce criminal penalties, open research opportunities, and provide tax breaks for marijuana businesses.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump stated on Monday that his administration is considering reclassifying marijuana to a less dangerous legal schedule under federal law. Speaking during a White House press conference, Trump said, “We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over, I’d say, the next few weeks.”

“We’re looking at reclassification,” Trump stated, while cautioning that “it’s early” and the issue is “very complicated.” He expressed concerns about marijuana’s effects on children, but said he had been hearing “great things” about its medical applications.

The Biden government had started the process to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug in 2024, but did not finalize it. A Schedule III designation would reduce criminal penalties, encourage medical research, and allow pharmaceutical companies to participate in the legal marijuana market. It would also enable certain marijuana businesses to qualify for tax deductions.

Since 1971, marijuana has been federally classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside substances like heroin and LSD, which are considered to have a high potential for abuse. Schedule III drugs, on the other hand, include substances like ketamine, anabolic steroids, and Tylenol with codeine, which are deemed less dangerous under federal regulations.

Currently, businesses handling Schedule I or Schedule II substances are unable to claim ordinary business deductions or receive federal tax credits, a restriction that would be lifted for marijuana businesses under a Schedule III classification.

Several states have already legalized the selling of marijuana commercially, including California and New York. Canada legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2018, which led to an explosion of marijuana stores across the country. Use of the drug also increased, according to a 2023 report, which suggested that around 22 percent of the public aged over 15 used cannabis in the past year as of 2021.

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August 11, 2025
News
TECH

AOL Finally Kills Off Its Dial-Up Internet Offering.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: AOL announced the discontinuation of its dial-up Internet service.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: AOL, now part of Yahoo, and its parent company, Apollo Global Management.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The service will end on September 30, 2025, as announced on AOL’s website.

💬KEY QUOTE: “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. This service will no longer be available in AOL plans,” the company stated.

🎯IMPACT: The move marks the end of an era for a service that was synonymous with early Internet usage in the 1990s.

IN FULL

One-time Internet giant AOL (formerly America Online) will shutter its dial-up Internet service at the end of next month. The company—now a property of Yahoo—whose CD trial discs, “You’ve got mail” greeting, and AOL web browser were ubiquitous for those who lived through the 1990s, made the announcement on its website, stating its dial-up offering will be discontinued on September 30.

“AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. This service will no longer be available in AOL plans,” the company said. With cable, fiber-optic, satellite, and wireless Internet technologies now dominating global markets, it is unsurprising that AOL’s dial-up service is shutting down.

Dial-up Internet utilizes a modem connected to a telephone line, and when connecting, generates a familiar—at least for those born before the late-1980s—series of chirps, beeps, and buzzes long associated with the World Wide Web. Along with its dial-up service, AOL says it will also be ending the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser.

Throughout the 1990s, AOL—then known as America Online—was notorious for its never-ending stream of free trial discs that arrived in American mailboxes. In 2006, the company rebranded as AOL, and in 2015, Verizon acquired it. Subsequently, Verizon sold AOL, along with Yahoo, to Apollo Global Management—a private equity firm—in 2021 for $5 billion.

Image by Purple Wyrm.

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August 11, 2025
Economy
News

Bitcoin Is On Another Run, And Here’s The Target People Are Hoping For…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Bitcoin bulls made another attempt to break a key resistance level, potentially setting the stage for a rally to $140,000.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bitcoin traders, crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, and market strategist Marc Chandler.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Early Asian trading hours, with market data expected Tuesday.

🎯IMPACT: A successful hold above the resistance level could push Bitcoin toward $140,000, while failure may lead to a deeper correction.

IN FULL

Bitcoin traders are once again testing a crucial resistance level tied to the 1.618 percent Fibonacci extension, derived from the bear market lows of 2018 and 2022. This is the second time in recent weeks that bulls have attempted to breach this technical barrier. The first attempt failed last month, triggering a drop in Bitcoin’s price below $112,000. Currently, Bitcoin is trading around $122,000, having reached an intraday high of $122,171 during early Asian trading hours.

The Fibonacci extension is a key level used in technical analysis to project potential price targets or profit-taking levels. This level is often associated with the “golden ratio” and is closely watched by market participants for potential trend shifts. In the numerical series, as you progress further into the sequence, the ratio between consecutive numbers approaches 1.618, also known as the golden ratio or phi.

Should Bitcoin successfully maintain levels above this resistance, it may set the stage for a rally toward $140,000. That level is psychologically significant and aligns with a popular strike price on the crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, where more than $3 billion in notional open interest is currently concentrated. However, failure to hold above the current resistance could suggest weakening bullish momentum and potentially lead to a deeper correction.

Upcoming U.S. inflation data, expected on Tuesday, could also impact market sentiment. Economists are forecasting a 0.3 percent increase in the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July, following a 0.2 percent rise in June. While an upside surprise could stir short-term volatility, analysts believe it’s unlikely to alter the Federal Reserve’s leaning toward a rate cut in September.

Additionally, the softer-than-expected July jobs report has already shifted expectations toward a potential Fed rate cut, an outcome that could support risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Most prediction markets are now projecting high odds of at least a 25-basis-point cut next month.

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August 11, 2025
News
Sports

Paramount Secures Mega-Billions UFC Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Skydance’s Paramount has signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with TKO Group for exclusive U.S. media rights to UFC matches, starting in 2026.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Paramount, TKO Group, UFC, and Paramount Chairman David Ellison.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The deal begins in 2026, announced Monday, following Paramount’s recent acquisition of Skydance.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Partnering with a company that puts our premium content front and center without extra charges is a game changer,” said TKO President Mark Shapiro.

🎯IMPACT: The deal doubles UFC’s previous annual revenue and shifts the sport away from the pay-per-view model, aiming to boost viewership and subscriber growth.

IN FULL

Skydance’s Paramount has inked a seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement with TKO Group, securing exclusive U.S. media rights for all Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events starting in 2026. This move signals a pivotal change in the mixed martial arts (MMA) landscape, shifting the industry leader away from the pay-per-view (PPV) model.

The agreement designates Paramount+ as the exclusive platform for the UFC’s 13 annual pay-per-view events and 30 “Fight Night” events. Select UFC bouts will also air on CBS during Saturday prime-time slots.

Financially, the deal will see Paramount committing to $1.1 billion annually—twice the $550 million per year from the previous ESPN contract. TKO President Mark Shapiro hailed the partnership as revolutionary, stating, “Partnering with a company that puts our premium content front and center without extra charges is a game changer.”

Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison underscored the deal’s strategic value, noting, “UFC’s year-round content is a powerful tool to drive engagement, revenue growth, and subscriber acquisitions for Paramount+.” He also indicated plans to pursue international UFC rights.

This agreement follows Paramount’s recent merger with Skydance and its firing of leftist talk show host Stephen Colbert. UFC President Dana White is a prominent supporter of President Donald J. Trump, who has attended a number of UFC events both as a candidate and as a sitting president.

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August 11, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Breaking
Crime

BREAKING: Trump Puts D.C. Metropolitan Police Under ‘Direct Federal Control,’ Deploys Guard.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced he is placing Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploying the National Guard, invoking Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the National Guard, Washington, D.C. officials and residents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Washington, D.C.; Monday morning press conference.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re going to take our capital back.” – President Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: Federal control of MPD and Guard deployment mark a significant shift in D.C. policing and governance, with immediate implications for public safety operations and local government.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has announced he is placing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C. under federal control, declaring, “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.”

“We’re going to take our capital back,” Trump vowed at a Monday morning press conference, pledging that he will “rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse.”

“Under the authorities vested in me as the President of the United States, I’m officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act… and placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control,” he said, describing this as “Liberation Day” in the American capital.

President Trump also announced he is deploying the National Guard to help restore order, blaming the city’s Democrat-dominated local leadership for turning it into a “sanctuary for criminals.”

He referenced the brutal beating of former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine while attempting to thwart a carjacking last week. He also referenced the murder of Mike Gill, an official in the first Trump administration, during a carjacking spree last year, saying, “I lost a very good person a while ago. He was shot waiting for his wife. He was in the car, they robbed his car, they shot him, they killed him like there was nothing to it.”

“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,” the America First leader insisted.

This story is developing…

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August 11, 2025
Crime
News

Trump Issues Latest ‘Liberation’ Message for D.C.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced his plan to address crime and other issues in Washington, D.C.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, Washington, D.C. officials, and residents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Monday via Truth Social.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER!” – Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump pledges to tackle crime and restore order in the nation’s capital.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump vowed that “Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today!” in a Monday morning social media post. “Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN!” he declared on his Truth Social platform.

“The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!!” he added. This precedes a press conference planned for 10 AM, at which it is speculated that the America First leader may move to federalize the Democrat-dominated U.S. capital.

In February, Trump posited a federal takeover of D.C., telling reporters, “I think that we should govern the District of Columbia… we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful.”

The issue has gained prominence again following a violent assault on former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward Coristine, a.k.a. “Big Balls,” as he attempted to stop a carjacking. President Trump has already moved to bolster law enforcement in D.C. with personnel from federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Marshals Service.

In March, Trump signed an Executive Order titled ‘Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful,’ declaring that “As the Federal capital city, Washington, D.C., is the only city that belongs to all Americans and… it should showcase beautiful, clean, and safe public spaces,” and establishing a D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.

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August 11, 2025
News

Brit Rockers Oasis Warned to ‘Stay Out of U.S. Politics’ During Tour.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Oasis has been advised to avoid criticizing President Trump as they prepare for their U.S. reunion tour.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, and talent manager Jonathan Shalit.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The U.S. leg of their tour begins in Chicago in late August.

💬KEY QUOTE: “My advice to Oasis is simple: Stay out of American politics.” – Jonathan Shalit

🎯IMPACT: The warning aims to prevent potential disruptions during the band’s U.S. tour.

IN FULL

Brit rock band Oasis has been advised to avoid commenting on President Donald Trump as they prepare to kick off the U.S. leg of their reunion tour in Chicago this August. Veteran talent manager Jonathan Shalit, chairman of the InterTalent Rights Group, warned the Gallagher brothers to steer clear of American politics.

“My advice to Oasis is simple: Stay out of American politics,” Shalit told reporters. “If they want their US tour to go ahead without disruption, it would be wise to keep quiet on all things Trump.”

The Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, have previously expressed strong opinions about the former president. Speaking to Canada’s CBC, Noel once described Trump as “fucking hilarious” but added, “If it’s a toss-up between Hillary [Clinton] and Trump, American politics is in a worse fucking place than ours.”

Noel’s views shifted after Trump’s 2016 election win. He told Paste magazine he avoids most news but made an exception for Trump, citing concerns about his environmental policies: “His views on the environment are pretty fucking scary, and that will affect my children.”

Liam Gallagher, meanwhile, took a more personal approach during their long-running feud, comparing his brother Noel to Trump. Accepting an award at the NME Awards in London, Liam called Noel “worse than Donald Trump” and “the biggest liar and biggest faker in the business.”

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August 8, 2025
News
UK

UK’s Labour Govt Tanking Among Voters as Nigel Farage Soars.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: New polling shows Keir Starmer’s lead over Nigel Farage as the preferred prime minister has significantly narrowed, reflecting a decline in public confidence.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch, Jeremy Corbyn, Ed Davey, and other political figures.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The polling data was collected earlier this month, reflecting public sentiment as of August 2025 in the United Kingdom.

🎯IMPACT: The data highlights growing dissatisfaction with Starmer’s leadership and signals potential shifts in voter preferences toward Farage ahead of future elections.

IN FULL

According to the latest polling, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer‘s lead over Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as the preferred prime minister has shrunk. In May, Starmer held a 44 percent to 29 percent advantage over Farage, but this has now fallen to 35 percent to 28 percent in August. The decline reflects a shift in public sentiment, particularly among left-of-center voters.

The polling also reveals that Starmer’s advantage against other political figures, such as Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal leader Ed Davey, has narrowed. When compared to Badenoch, Starmer’s lead has dropped from 36 percent to 30 percent, while support for Badenoch has also declined from 25 percent to 20 percent. Meanwhile, Starmer and Davey are now tied at 20 percent each, down from 27 percent to 25 percent in May.

Nigel Farage has also gained ground against other figures. For instance, Farage now leads Kemi Badenoch 23 percent to 21 percent, reversing her previous 29 percent to 25 percent advantage. Similarly, Ed Davey’s lead over Farage has dropped from 14 points in May to just 31 percent to 27 percent in the latest poll.

Public dissatisfaction with Starmer’s premiership is evident, with only 9 percent of Britons rating him as a great or good prime minister. The majority describe his performance as poor or terrible, and even among his own Labour Party voters, only 18 percent view him as above average. Nigel Farage scores the highest among potential leaders, with 24 percent of Britons believing he would be a good prime minister.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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