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Category: News
March 14, 2025
Lawfare

Newsmax Reveals How Much it Paid in Smartmatic Dispute.

Newsmax has agreed to pay $40 million to Smartmatic in a settlement stemming from a defamation lawsuit regarding the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The settlement was revealed for the first time in a new regulatory filing by the media outlet. Filed last year, the settlement resolved claims made by Smartmatic, which accused Newsmax of falsely reporting that its voting machines had been used to manipulate election results in favor of Joe Biden.

The agreement, finalized in September, consists of both a cash payment and an option for Smartmatic to buy stock in Newsmax. So far, Newsmax has paid out $20 million, with the remainder due before July. In the filing, Newsmax expressed the expectation that fulfilling the financial terms of the settlement will preclude further legal costs, including potential appellate actions.

Last year, Newsmax admitted in a statement—as part of the settlement agreement—that the court declared allegations about Smartmatic’s involvement in altering election outcomes to be false. The disclosure of these payment details sheds light on previously confidential aspects of the settlement. Discussions on such confidential terms were not part of the public record when the lawsuit was initially resolved just before it went to trial.

This is not the first defamation case faced by Smartmatic. The company reached a separate settlement in April with One America News, although the terms of that agreement remain undisclosed. Smartmatic is currently engaged in a similar defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

The National Pulse has previously reported that the Smartmatic lawsuits against Newsmax and Fox News are at least partially underwritten by anti-Trump tech oligarch Reid Hoffman. Notably, Hoffman—a visitor to ‘Epstein Island’—invested in Smartmatic last year in what appears to be an effort to help fund the company’s litigation.

Image by Patrickroque01.

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Newsmax has agreed to pay $40 million to Smartmatic in a settlement stemming from a defamation lawsuit regarding the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The settlement was revealed for the first time in a new regulatory filing by the media outlet. Filed last year, the settlement resolved claims made by Smartmatic, which accused Newsmax of falsely reporting that its voting machines had been used to manipulate election results in favor of Joe Biden. show more
March 14, 2025
News

These Two U.S. Volcanos May Be About to Erupt.

Scientists have issued warnings about potential volcanic eruptions at two sites in the United States, including one near Anchorage, Alaska. Mount Spurr, approximately 80 miles west of the city, has been exhibiting heightened volcanic gas emissions, as reported by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) earlier this week. Recent aerial surveys over the volcanic mountain have documented this increased activity.

The AVO communicated that elevated seismic activity, gas emissions, and surface heating might precede an eruption, though such changes are not definitive indicators. An eruption can also occur without prior warning, making it particularly dangerous for those near the area or flying over it.

Meanwhile, Mount Adams, in Washington state, is also under closer scrutiny, as it experienced a series of minor earthquakes toward the end of last year. The 12,000-foot volcano poses a significant risk due to the potential for landslides and mudslides, particularly affecting residents in South Central Washington.

Although the uptick in seismic events around Mount Adams does not definitively predict an imminent eruption, it is notable. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), nine earthquakes ranging from magnitude 0.9 to 2.0 were recorded near the volcano between September and October 2024. Typically, this area experiences only one quake every two to three years.

According to USGS, the principal threat is the risk of avalanches and landslides—phenomena capable of sending rock, ash, and ice down the mountain, irrespective of eruptive activity. Though the frequency of seismic events around Mount Adams has diminished since October, experts remain vigilant for any resurgence.

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Scientists have issued warnings about potential volcanic eruptions at two sites in the United States, including one near Anchorage, Alaska. Mount Spurr, approximately 80 miles west of the city, has been exhibiting heightened volcanic gas emissions, as reported by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) earlier this week. Recent aerial surveys over the volcanic mountain have documented this increased activity. show more
March 14, 2025
Crime
News
UK

UN Judge Claims Immunity After Arrest for Keeping Slave.

A United Nations judge attempted to claim diplomatic immunity after being accused of taking part in modern slavery but has now been convicted by a British court. Lydia Mugambe, a 49-year-old United Nations judge, has been convicted in a British court for offenses tied to modern slavery.

Thames Valley Police arrested her at her residence and charged her under the Modern Slavery Act. During her arrest, Mugambe claimed diplomatic immunity, stating she was not a criminal and held immunity due to her position as a judge in her home country of Uganda.

The charges against Mugambe include conspiracy to breach British immigration laws, facilitating travel with an objective of exploitation, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness. She was found guilty of forcing a young woman to work for her as a domestic servant in Britain.

Upon arrival in Britain, the victim was compelled to serve as a maid and provide childcare for Mugambe, with restrictions placed on her freedom to choose her work or control her identification documents. She was left with little choice but to comply with Mugambe’s demands.

Modern slavery has become a significant problem in the United Kingdom in recent years. In 2022, a report claimed that the number of people victimized by modern slavery was the highest since records began.

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A United Nations judge attempted to claim diplomatic immunity after being accused of taking part in modern slavery but has now been convicted by a British court. Lydia Mugambe, a 49-year-old United Nations judge, has been convicted in a British court for offenses tied to modern slavery. show more
March 14, 2025
News

WATCH: Classless Libs Jeer Vance & Family at Kennedy Center Concert.

Mannerless liberals heckled Vice President J.D. Vance and his family at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where President Donald J. Trump recently took over as chairman, in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The Vice President was attending a National Symphony Orchestra concert in his first appearance at the venue since President Trump assumed control of it.

As Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha, settled into a box-tier seat, some audience members greeted him with boos lasting around 30 seconds. A video capturing the scene shows Vance taking the incident in stride, waving to those gathered.

The Vances remained for the whole concert despite the event starting approximately 20 minutes late due to heightened security.

Last month, Trump removed Kennedy Center board members appointed during Joe Biden’s administration. Trump’s moves as chairman have been assertive, aligning with his criticism of the center as overly “wokey” in recent years.

Usha Vance’s recent appointment to the Kennedy Center’s board aligns with Trump’s strategic placements, also including figures like Susie Wiles and Laura Ingraham.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Mannerless liberals heckled Vice President J.D. Vance and his family at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where President Donald J. Trump recently took over as chairman, in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The Vice President was attending a National Symphony Orchestra concert in his first appearance at the venue since President Trump assumed control of it. show more
March 14, 2025
Health
News

MAHA Scores String of Victories on Fluoride, Food Safety, and Vaccination Policies.

The “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, associated with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and backed by President Donald J. Trump during the 2024 election, has scored several major victories at both the state and federal levels in recent days. Utah is set to become the first state in the U.S. to prohibit fluoride in public drinking water. Meanwhile, at the federal level, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is halting research into vaccine hesitancy while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating potential connections between vaccinations and the development of autism in children.

Utah’s Republican Governor, Spencer Cox, will soon sign legislation sponsored by State Representative Stephanie Gricius (R) into law, ending the fluoridation of public drinking water in the state on May 7. This will make Utah the first state in the U.S. to explicitly ban public water fluoridation—though Hawaii currently does not require the practice, leaving fluoridation policy up to local governments. While only two counties in Utah currently fluoridate water, nearly half of the Beehive State’s population resides there.

The MAHA movement has actively campaigned against water fluoridation, labeling fluoride as an industrial byproduct linked to various health issues. Kennedy has referenced studies and a court ruling suggesting fluoride poses an “unreasonable risk” and requested an evaluation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Meanwhile, the NIH has halted funding for research into vaccine hesitancy. Around 40 grants dedicated to studying why Americans decline vaccination are being cut. Additionally, the CDC is investigating potential connections between vaccinations and rising autism rates, noting a study that found one in 36 U.S. children is diagnosed with autism—up from one in 10,000 in 1970.

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The "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement, associated with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and backed by President Donald J. Trump during the 2024 election, has scored several major victories at both the state and federal levels in recent days. Utah is set to become the first state in the U.S. to prohibit fluoride in public drinking water. Meanwhile, at the federal level, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is halting research into vaccine hesitancy while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating potential connections between vaccinations and the development of autism in children. show more
March 13, 2025
Health
News

Trump Education Sec. Discusses Trans Coercion in Schools with Detransitioners.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon met with “detransitioners” at the Department of Education on Thursday, coinciding with DeTrans Awareness Day. The discussion focused on the influence schools, educators, and administrators have on youth regarding irreversible gender transition procedures.

“No teacher should attempt to persuade or coerce a student to undergo a gender transition. No parent should be lied to or prevented from knowing what is going on with their child’s mental or physical health,” McMahon said following the meeting, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and learning from detransitioners’ experiences to prevent similar occurrences.

The meeting revealed that many detransitioners felt schools played a significant role in their early social transitions, often preceding medical interventions. Claire Abernathy, 20, recounted how swiftly she transitioned socially and medically after her school affirmed her identified gender without notifying her parents.

Laura Becker, 28, shared insights on how being autistic made her particularly susceptible to gender ideology. She argued that autistic children might focus intensely on ideas, making them more vulnerable to the pressures of transitioning.

Since taking office, President Donald J. Trump has moved to ban the chemical and surgical mutilation of children in the name of gender ideology. The executive order led to many medical institutions across the country ending or pausing so-called “gender-affirming care.”

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Education Secretary Linda McMahon met with "detransitioners" at the Department of Education on Thursday, coinciding with DeTrans Awareness Day. The discussion focused on the influence schools, educators, and administrators have on youth regarding irreversible gender transition procedures. show more
March 13, 2025
William Upton
Lawfare

Far-Left San Francisco Judge Orders Trump to Rehire Thousands of Fired Bureaucrats.

A federal judge on Thursday afternoon ordered President Donald J. Trump‘s administration to rehire thousands of probationary federal workers dismissed as part of government cost-cutting measures in recent weeks. Federal District Court Judge William Alsup of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California—appointed to the bench in 1999 by then-President Bill Clinton—ruled that Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had unlawfully terminated federal employees with the Departments of Defense, Treasury, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs.

In his ruling, Judge Alsup called the terminations “unlawful” and described the OPM’s statutory justifications for the mass firings as a “sham.” However, the far-left District Court judge did not go so far as to say federal agencies could not engage in force reductions—but stipulated that proper federal statutes and procedures would need to be followed.

From the bench, the Clinton-appointed judge lashed out at Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys, whom he accused of trying to hide who directed the layoffs. “You will not bring the people in here to be cross-examined. You’re afraid to do so because you know cross-examination would reveal the truth,” Alsup said. “I tend to doubt that you’re telling me the truth. … I’m tired of seeing you stonewall on trying to get at the truth.”

‘A CRAZY JUDGE IN SAN FRANCISCO.’

Additionally, Judge Alsup called OPM’s argument that the layoffs were performance-based “a gimmick,” again baselessly accusing the Trump administration of dishonesty: “It is sad, a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie.”

In a brief moment of self-awareness—and perhaps realizing his statements announcing his ruling could see him quickly reversed on appeal—Alsup added: “The words that I give you today should not be taken that some wild-and-crazy judge in San Francisco said that an administration cannot engage in a reduction in force. It can be done, if it’s done in accordance with the law.”

The lawsuit was brought by a federal employee union representing government workers. Meanwhile, in a similar case involving President Trump’s buyout offer, U.S. District Court Judge George O’Toole ruled that federal employment policies were outside the jurisdiction of federal courts and should be adjudicated by the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA).

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A federal judge on Thursday afternoon ordered President Donald J. Trump's administration to rehire thousands of probationary federal workers dismissed as part of government cost-cutting measures in recent weeks. Federal District Court Judge William Alsup of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California—appointed to the bench in 1999 by then-President Bill Clinton—ruled that Trump's Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had unlawfully terminated federal employees with the Departments of Defense, Treasury, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs. show more
March 13, 2025
Corruption
Crime
Immigration

Trump DOJ Investigates NYC Illegal Immigrant Hotels for Criminal Activity.

President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas to two New York City hotels that were converted into aid centers and shelters for illegal immigrants. The subpoenas order the infamous Roosevelt Hotel and the Stewart Hotel to provide federal prosecutors with the names of individuals, contractors, and other entities that oversaw the “funding and management of the illegal immigrant/migrant shelter program.” Additionally, the DOJ is seeking the names and other identifying information of the individuals who stayed at both hotels.

In addition to the Roosevelt Hotel and the Stewart Hotel, the Hotel Chandler also received a DOJ subpoena. While the Hotel Chandler is being operated ostensibly as a homeless shelter, it appears federal prosecutors believe the facility has either housed illegal immigrants in the past or is connected financially to the other two hotels.

The DOJ investigation is centered on suspected violations of federal immigration law and is explicitly directed at the hotels and their operators rather than New York City government officials. Since its conversion to an aid center and shelter in May 2023, the Roosevelt Hotel alone has processed 173,000 illegal immigrants. In exchange for serving as a shelter, the New York City government agreed to pay up to $220 million to the hotel, which is owned by the Pakistani government, as part of a larger financial arrangement involving an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package.

Currently, the city provides shelter and assistance to around 45,000 illegal immigrants—down from a peak of around 70,000 in January last year. Notably, Mayor Eric Adams testified before Congress that his city has spent nearly $7 billion on housing and feeding an estimated 232,000 illegal immigrants since 2022.

The National Pulse reported in late February that Adams announced that the city is moving to shut down the Roosevelt Hotel shelter facility.

Image by Billy Hathorn.

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President Donald J. Trump's Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas to two New York City hotels that were converted into aid centers and shelters for illegal immigrants. The subpoenas order the infamous Roosevelt Hotel and the Stewart Hotel to provide federal prosecutors with the names of individuals, contractors, and other entities that oversaw the "funding and management of the illegal immigrant/migrant shelter program." Additionally, the DOJ is seeking the names and other identifying information of the individuals who stayed at both hotels. show more
March 13, 2025
William Upton
Media
Politics

Michelle Obama Podcast Only Draws a Few Thousand Subscribers Despite Media Blitz.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama launched a new podcast with her brother, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson—but you can’t be blamed if you didn’t know. Despite an intense marketing campaign, the digital offering garnered only around 12,000 subscribers in its first 14 hours on YouTube earlier on Thursday. Even several hours later, that number still stood at just over 20,000.

While Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not publish real-time subscriber numbers, on neither site does IMO boast more than a few thousand reviews, with around 8,000 on Apple and just under 5,000 on Spotify. The podcast has received disproportional media attention and paid promotion, which typically translates to fairly quick success. However, that isn’t the case with the Michelle Obama offering.

Dramatic media headlines speculating about a possible divorce, based on a rather mundane complaint the former First Lady makes regarding her husband Barack Obama, do not even seem to be enough to generate listener interest.

Discussing their marriage, Mrs. Obama told her brother, “Barack, you know, he had to adjust to what ‘on time’ was for me.” She continued, revealing that former President Obama would wait until the last minute to use the bathroom or find his glasses when the family was about to leave.

“I was like, ‘Dude, a 3 o’clock departure means you’ve done all that,’ you know, it’s like, don’t start looking for your glasses at the 3 o’clock departure,” Mrs. Obama recalled, though she conceded her husband has gotten more timely: “He’s improved over 30 years of marriage, but that was a ‘you must adjust.'”

While the former First Lady’s absence from Jimmy Carter‘s funeral and President Donald J. Trump‘s inauguration—both attended by former President Obama—has fueled separation rumors, this remains speculation.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama launched a new podcast with her brother, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson—but you can't be blamed if you didn't know. Despite an intense marketing campaign, the digital offering garnered only around 12,000 subscribers in its first 14 hours on YouTube earlier on Thursday. Even several hours later, that number still stood at just over 20,000. show more
March 13, 2025
William Upton
War
World

Putin Appears to Agree to Ceasefire ‘Framework’ — But No Confirmed Deal Yet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have agreed to the framework of a ceasefire deal with Ukraine proposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump. However, the Russian leader stopped short of confirming that he accepts the terms of the U.S.-brokered plan as written and recently agreed to by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The comments from Putin, made during a Thursday press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, mark significant progress in Trump’s efforts to end the three-year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russian officials had until recently refused to acknowledge Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and, as early as Thursday morning, had flatly dismissed the American-negotiated ceasefire deal.

“We agree with the proposals for the ceasefire, but our position is based on the assumption that the ceasefire would lead to a long-term peace. Something that would remove the initial reasons for the crisis,” Putin said. The Russian president added that he would discuss the proposal further with U.S. negotiators and perhaps speak over the phone with President Trump about the plan.

Earlier on Thursday, the Russian government’s negotiator, Yuri Ushakov, appeared to reject the ceasefire proposal outright in off-the-cuff comments made to Russian media. However, an overnight move by President Trump’s Treasury Department to cut off all Russian oil sales to the European Union allowed under a sanctions exemption issued by the former Biden government may have pushed Putin to reverse course.

Putin specifically cited the issue of restoring Russian oil and gas sales to European nations during the press conference on Thursday.

WATCH:

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Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have agreed to the framework of a ceasefire deal with Ukraine proposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump. However, the Russian leader stopped short of confirming that he accepts the terms of the U.S.-brokered plan as written and recently agreed to by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. show more