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Friday, October 17, 2025
32 minutes ago
News

Senate Dems’ Government Shutdown Is Halting Billions in Army Corps of Engineers Projects in Democrat Cities: Vought.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought has announced a pause on over $11 billion of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects due to the Senate Democrats shutting down the federal government.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russ Vought, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Trump administration, and Senate Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Friday; projects impacted in cities including New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Democrat shutdown has drained the Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to manage billions of dollars in projects.” – Russ Vought

🎯IMPACT: Federal projects paused, thousands of layoffs expected.

IN FULL

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will immediately pause, and potentially cancel, over $11 billion in projects due to the ongoing government shutdown, according to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. The Project 2025 veteran made the announcement in a post on X, stating, “The Democrat shutdown has drained the Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to manage billions of dollars in projects.”

These paused funds pertain to what Vought described as “lower-priority projects” in cities including Democrat-run New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore.

Vought has been vocal about the consequences of the shutdown, but also describes the funding lapse as an “opportunity” to streamline federal operations. President Donald J. Trump has echoes this sentiment, meeting with Vought to discuss which “Democrat agencies” can be defunded.

The White House has indicated that the shutdown will result in significant federal workforce reductions. While over 4,000 reduction-in-force notices have already been issued, Vought has suggested the total layoffs could exceed 10,000. However, a federal judge appointed by Bill Clinton temporarily blocked the administration from firing government workers during the shutdown on Wednesday afternoon.

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1 hour ago
News
Politics

Senate GOP Leader Thune Attacks ‘Bureaucrat’ RFK Jr. on MSNBC.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) criticized President Donald J. Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during an appearance on MSNBC.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Thune, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and MSNBC’s Ali Vitali.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The comments were made during an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe show.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I think that if I were a woman, I’d be talking to my doctor and not taking advice from RFK, or any other government bureaucrat for that matter.” – John Thune

🎯IMPACT: Thune’s remarks highlight ongoing issues with GOP lawmakers being out of step with the Trump administration and its priorities.

IN FULL

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has taken shots at President Donald J. Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe show. Speaking to Ali Vitali, Thune boasted that the Senate GOP was at odds with the White House on multiple issues, including the use of Tylenol during pregnancy, which President Trump and Secretary Kennedy have warned could increase the risk of autism.

Asked if he “feel[s] the way RFK Jr. Is talking about [Tylenol] is dangerous,” Thune bluntly stated, “I think that if I were a woman, I’d be talking to my doctor and not taking advice from RFK, or any other government bureaucrat for that matter.”

He stressed he could provide “plenty of examples” of issues where he disagrees with the Trump administration, and implied he believes he and the Senate GOP have a mandate to go against the President, as the Senate is “a co-equal independent branch of the government.”

President Trump has previously expressed particular frustration that Thune and the Senate GOP allowed Senate Democrats to obstruct the appointment of many of his nominees for months. However, Thune finally began stopping the Democrats from preventing the President from exercising his electoral mandate in recent weeks, by considering his nominees in batches.

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2 hours ago
News

John Bolton Pleads Not Guilty to Classified Information Charges.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 charges related to mishandling classified information.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Bolton, Judge Timothy Sullivan, and federal prosecutors in Maryland.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Bolton appeared in a Maryland federal court on Friday morning, October 20, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago,” claimed Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell.

🎯IMPACT: Bolton faces decades in prison if convicted, with his next court date set for November 21.

IN FULL

John Bolton, the former National Security Adviser to President Donald J. Trump turned anti-Trump activist, pleaded not guilty on Friday to 18 counts of mishandling classified information. The charges arise from claims that he improperly kept and disseminated national defense details via his personal email and a messaging app. A Maryland grand jury’s indictment alleges he shared over 1,000 pages of personal notes from his White House tenure.

Bolton appeared in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, before Judge Timothy Sullivan, who permitted him to stay out of custody provided he turns over his passport. His next hearing is set for November 21. Each of the 18 charges could result in up to 10 years behind bars.

Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, claims his actions were probed and dismissed long ago. “The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago,” Lowell argued.

The probe into Bolton’s treatment of classified materials traces to the publication of his book, The Room Where It Happened. Bolton has charged that Trump is weaponizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) against his rivals. Trump dismissed the allegations and labelled the longtime war hawk a “bad guy.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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2 hours ago
News
UK

BREAKING: Prince Andrew Renounces Royal Titles.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Prince Andrew has announced he will no longer use his royal titles or honours.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prince Andrew, King Charles III, and the Royal Family.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 17, 2025; United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me.” – Prince Andrew

🎯IMPACT: Prince Andrew further detaching himself from his family may mitigate any further damage he can inflict on it.

IN FULL

Prince Andrew has announced his decision to no longer use his royal title or the honours previously conferred upon him following discussions with his older brother, King Charles III.

“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” the statement reads.

Prince Andrew is best known for his ties to deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, which significantly damaged his family’s reputation. This saw him step back from official duties in 2019, while Queen Elizabeth II was still on the throne. He has attempted to remain largely out of the limelight since then, but reports have emerged in recent days that he held meetings with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spymaster Cai Qi, now the effective chief of staff to Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, in 2018 and 2019.

Reports suggest that the King regarded this latest scandal as the final straw, causing him to ask his brother to renounce his titles.

Image via Royal Navy.

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3 hours ago
Economy

Trump Shrinks Budget Deficit by $41 Billion, Boosted by Tariff Revenues.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. budget deficit decreased by $41 billion to $1.775 trillion in fiscal year 2025.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Treasury Department, and American taxpayers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The smaller deficit was aided by a record $195 billion in net customs receipts for the fiscal year.” – Treasury Department Report

🎯IMPACT: The deficit reduction marks the first decrease since 2022, driven by increased tariff revenues.

IN FULL

The U.S. budget deficit dropped by $41 billion to $1.775 trillion for fiscal year 2025, according to the Treasury Department. This decline occurred even as overall revenues rose, with a key factor being the tariffs enacted by President Donald J. Trump.

The Treasury reported that the fiscal year, which concluded on September 30, represented the first annual deficit decrease since 2022. Officials credited the improvement to record net customs receipts of $195 billion, up $118 billion from the year before, driven by the new Trump tariffs.

Customs receipts for September alone hit a peak of $29.7 billion. These results cover nearly nine months of Trump’s second term, during which his tariff measures have been influential.

Meanwhile, the White House is preparing to relax tariffs affecting the U.S. auto sector, which could aid car manufacturers seeking exemptions from steeper import fees. The Commerce Department intends to reveal a five-year extension to lower automakers’ tariff expenses on imported vehicle components.

The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to review a legal dispute over Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs next month. An unfavorable decision could significantly alter the economic landscape, as well as America’s leverage in international trade.

Fresh tariffs on kitchen cabinets, vanities, timber, and select wood products have just gone into effect, to level the playing field for American producers.

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4 hours ago
News
UK

UK Govt Considers Delaying Local Elections AGAIN Amid Fears Farage Will Win.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British government is considering delaying municipal elections for over five million voters amid concerns that victories for Nigel Farage’s Reform Party could disrupt the governing Labour Party’s plans for local government reform.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Conservative (Tory) Party county council leaders, Reform, Labour, and Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Seven English county councils in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, Surrey, Essex, East and West Sussex; elections currently scheduled for May 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Now it looks like the Labour government will accede to these demands and once again democracy will be denied in all of these counties. That is a complete total outrage.” – Nigel Farage.

🎯IMPACT: Potential postponements could extend Conservative (Tory) council terms and hinder Reform’s electoral progress.

IN FULL

The British government is considering delaying local council elections for over five million residents following requests from seven Conservative (Tory) county council leaders for a second time. The move would delay elections to 2027.

The Conservative council leaders, representing Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, Surrey, Essex, East Sussex, and West Sussex, expect Reform to win, and argue that holding elections now would be a waste of resources if incoming councils are soon replaced local government reforms proposed by the governing Labour Party.

Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has pushed back against the attmept to postpone the elections again on X, saying, “Now it looks like the Labour government will accede to these demands and once again democracy will be denied in all of these counties. That is a complete total outrage, it’ll mean that people elected back in 2021 will be serving six, seven, who knows how long their terms will be.”

Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice also strongly condemned the potential delay. “Trying to cancel hundreds more council elections for a second year… Destroying democracy,” he said, accusing the government of being “terrified” of Reform’s rising support.

In early 2025, the Labour government also delayed council elections in nine areas until 2026, citing a supposed need to align them with planned structural changes. Critics called that decision undemocratic, and some peers in the House of Lords attempted to overturn the measure, though the effort was ultimately defeated.

In May 2025, Reform made major gains in local elections, winning hundreds of council seats and securing a parliamentary by-election victory.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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4 hours ago
Health
News

RFK Jr. Warns Against Falling Sperm Counts and Testosterone Levels Amid Birthrate Collapse.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that American teenagers have lower sperm counts and testosterone levels than men in their sixties during a White House event addressing fertility issues.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald J. Trump, and Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 16, at the White House during an event promoting greater fertility drug access under the Trump administration.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Today, the average teenager in this country has 50 percent of the sperm count, 50 percent of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🎯IMPACT: The remarks have renewed the debate over declining U.S. fertility rates.

IN FULL

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has issued a stark warning about the state of American fertility, calling the ongoing decline a national security concern. Speaking alongside President Donald J. Trump, Kennedy pointed to a dramatic drop in birth rates over the past several decades, emphasizing the urgency of the crisis. “When my uncle [John F. Kennedy] was President, the fertility rate in this country was 3.5 percent,” he said. “Today, it is 1.6 percent. The replacement rate, in other words the amount of fertility that you need in order to keep your population even, is 2.1 percent. We are below replacement right now. That is a national security threat to our country.”

Kennedy, 71, also highlighted the deteriorating reproductive health of America’s youth, stating, “Today, the average teenager in this country has 50 percent of the sperm count, 50 percent of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man. Our girls are hitting puberty six years early, and that’s bad, but also our parents aren’t having children. Parents who want to have children do not have access.”

Highlighting issues such as exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, Kennedy praised President Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative for taking concrete steps to address such hidden health hazards.

Recent CDC data supports Kennedy’s concerns. The total fertility rate in the United States fell to 54.4 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 in 2023. While the raw number of births slightly increased, the general fertility rate continued to decline, especially among younger women. Demographers warn that if left unchecked, this could lead to long-term economic and social consequences.

Joining Kennedy at the event, Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz expressed optimism about reversing the trend. “The fundamental creative force in society is about making babies,” Oz said. “We’ve been under-babied for years.”

Kennedy’s remarks reflect a broader push within HHS to reorient U.S. public health around long-term well-being and national resilience. Since taking office, he has led efforts to reduce America’s dependency on foreign pharmaceutical supplies, challenged corporate influence in health policy, and rejected global mandates that don’t align with U.S. priorities, while successfully pressing major companies to eliminate synthetic dyes and other dubious ingredients from the national food and drugs supply.

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5 hours ago
Christopher Tomlinson
1A
TECH
UK

UK Government Claims Its Right to Censor Americans Overrides the First Amendment.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British communications regulator, Ofcom, is insisting that the U.S. Constitution does not protect Americans from British censorship laws it is seeking to apply to American citizens and companies online.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ofcom, the 4chan imageboard, lawyer Preston Byrne, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Every threat and penalty—including threats of multi-year prison terms—contained in these letters pertains to speech and conduct which is constitutionally protected in the United States,” said Preston Byrne, representing 4chan.

🎯IMPACT: Ofcom’s arguments directly contradict assurances from Prime Minister Starmer that the draconian Online Safety Act would not affect American Internet users.

IN FULL

Britain’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has asserted that the U.S. Constitution, including the First Amendment, does not prevent it from imposing sanctions under the draconian Online Safety Act, even against U.S.-based companies. This assertion comes amid a growing legal dispute with the 4chan imageboard, which has refused to comply with information requests issued by Ofcom.

Ofcom recently fined 4chan £20,000 ($26.7k) for failing to respond to its statutory notices and warned of further daily penalties. The regulator argues that the Online Safety Act, which came into force earlier this year, applies to any online platform accessible in the United Kingdom, regardless of where it is based. In its correspondence with 4chan, Ofcom stated that the platform’s claims of constitutional protections, especially under the First Amendment, were not relevant, and that it can apply its enforcement powers internationally regardless of U.S. law.

The Online Safety Act gives Ofcom broad authority to compel companies to monitor and remove supposedly harmful online content. Critics, including civil liberties advocates and U.S. lawmakers, have warned that the law imposes sweeping censorship obligations, going well beyond child pornography and other obviously criminal content. For instance, parliamentary debates on Muslim grooming gangs have already been taken down to satisfy its requirements.

In response to Ofcom’s actions, 4chan and Kiwi Farms, another U.S.-based platform, filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the British regulator’s demands. The lawsuit argues that the Online Safety Act, as applied to American companies and speech, violates the First Amendment and attempts to impose British law extraterritorially. Legal counsel for the platforms has said the enforcement notices are void and unenforceable in the United States.

“Every threat and penalty—including threats of multi-year prison terms—contained in these letters pertains to speech and conduct which is constitutionally protected in the United States,” 4chan’s lawyer Preston Byrne argued.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government has defended the law, describing it as a necessary measure to protect children and users from online harm. Starmer also previously insisted that the legislation is not intended to censor Americans—claiming, “We wouldn’t want to reach across U.S. citizens, and we don’t, and that’s absolutely right”—but Ofcom’s actions against 4chan suggest this was untrue.

A federal court has yet to rule on whether Ofcom’s orders can be enforced or recognized under U.S. law. In the meantime, Ofcom has stated it will continue to pursue penalties and reserves the right to escalate enforcement, including blocking access to noncompliant sites.

Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

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6 hours ago
Crime
News

Judges Rule Against Trump on National Guard and NYC Funding.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two federal courts ruled against actions taken by the Trump administration involving National Guard deployments in Illinois and the withholding of funding for New York City.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, U.S. District Judge April M. Perry (Joe Biden appointee), and U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan (Bill Clinton appointee).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Rulings were issued on October 16, 2025, affecting Illinois and New York.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is about control,” Governor Pritzker complained of Trump’s efforts to restore order and protect federal law enforcement in Chicago.

🎯IMPACT: The rulings limit presidential authority over National Guard deployment and federal funding, setting the stage for further legal battles.

IN FULL

The Trump administration faced two legal defeats Thursday as federal courts blocked efforts to deploy the National Guard in Illinois and withhold federal funding from New York City.

In Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld a lower court order issued by U.S. District Judge April M. Perry—a Joe Biden appointee—preventing the federalization of the Illinois National Guard. The court ruled that President Donald J. Trump’s actions did not meet the legal standards under 10 U.S.C. § 12406, which permits the President to mobilize National Guard troops during a rebellion or the threat of one. “The facts do not justify the President’s actions in Illinois under § 12406,” the court claimed, adding that “political opposition is not rebellion.”

This decision came after a Texas National Guard unit had already arrived near Chicago. While those troops remain under federal command, the court prohibited their activation until the case is resolved. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), who strongly opposed the deployment, alleged, “For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.”

The Illinois case is the latest in a series of legal battles over Trump’s efforts to assert federal control over state-based military forces. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Oregon blocked a similar attempt to send troops into Portland to protect U.S. federal law enforcement personnel and buildings, ruling that the situation did not justify military intervention. In June, California Governor Gavin Newsom lost a suit challenging Trump’s federalization of the California Guard, though the court warned such actions are still subject to judicial review.

In a separate ruling on Thursday, Bill Clinton-appointed U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ordered the federal government to restore $33.9 million in funding to New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Trump administration had withheld the funds due to the city’s sanctuary policies, but Kaplan claimed the move was “arbitrary, capricious, and a blatant violation of the law.” The judge ruled that the funding must be reinstated immediately.

New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul (D) and Attorney General Letitia James—recently indicted for mortgage fraud—welcomed the decision.

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6 hours ago
UK
War

The British Government Is Importing Indians to Train Air Force Pilots.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Indian Air Force instructors will be imported to train British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots for the first time under a new defense agreement.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Royal Air Force, Indian Air Force, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MOD).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Training begins October 2024 at RAF Valley in north Wales, with Indian instructors embedded for over three years.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Indians are very good and I am certain they will make a valuable contribution towards our flying training, but … it’s ironic that we trained the world to fly, but we can’t even train our own these days,” remarked a former RAF officer.

🎯IMPACT: The deal underscores the British state’s addiction to hiring foreigners in general and Indians in particular to fill all sorts of vacancies, including military vacancies.

IN FULL

Indian Air Force (IAF) instructors will be imported to train Royal Air Force (RAF) cadets to fly Hawk T2 fast jets in Britain, starting in October 2026. This initiative is part of a new defense agreement between the British government, led by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, and India, aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two countries. At least two IAF pilots will be embedded at RAF Valley in north Wales for more than three years.

Notably, the Indian instructors must complete a year-long training program to familiarise themselves with RAF aircraft and procedures, suggesting British pilots could have been trained for the roles. “The Indians are very good and I am certain they will make a valuable contribution towards our flying training, but … it’s ironic that we trained the world to fly, but we can’t even train our own these days,” one former RAF officer commented on the arrangement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the arrangement during Sir Keir Starmer’s recent visit to Bombay (Mumbai). Highlighting the significance of the collaboration, Modi argued, “India’s dynamism and the UK’s expertise combine to create a unique synergy. Our partnership is trustworthy, talent and technology-driven.”

This agreement follows several previous steps taken to deepen UK-India defence ties. A £350 million (~$469 million) contract was recently signed for British-made missiles to be delivered to the Indian Army, and the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has conducted joint exercises with Indian forces. British High Commissioner (Ambassador) to India, Lindy Cameron, described the growing partnership as a “top priority” for Britain, citing India’s increasing economic and strategic influence.

The RAF, which has recently faced challenges in its pilot training programs, previously sent cadets to the United States and Italy in 2023 due to shortages of instructors and Hawk T2 aircraft. This comes at a time when the RAF has been under scrutiny for its internal policies, with a 2023 report revealing that the air force had unlawfully discriminated against white men in recruitment efforts.

Additionally, the RAF has reportedly banned the use of the “Crusaders” nickname within some of its units, out of concern that it could be offensive to Muslims.

Image via Indian Air Force.

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