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Wednesday, April 1, 2026
11 minutes ago
Crime

Fundraiser for Ukraine and Immigration Services Indicted for Multi-Million Fraud Scheme.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal grand jury indicted a Buffalo Grove woman on fraud charges, alleging she swindled $3.5 million while falsely claiming to support immigration services and aid projects for Ukraine.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tatian Bazer, a 40-year-old resident of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and at least six victims in the Chicago area.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged fraud occurred from December 2021 through February 2026, primarily in the Chicago area. The grand jury indictment was handed down on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: Bazer faces seven counts of wire fraud and two counts of impersonating federal law enforcement, with potential sentences of up to 20 years per fraud count and three years per impersonation count.

IN FULL

A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Tatian Bazer, a 40-year-old woman from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, on fraud charges. Federal prosecutors allege she defrauded victims of $3.5 million by claiming the funds were for immigration services and aid projects for Ukraine, while instead using the money for personal expenses.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Bazer solicited six-figure contributions and loans from victims, providing them with falsified records like fake wire transfer receipts and fraudulent checks to conceal her actions. The fraud is believed to have spanned from December 2021 to February 2026.

The indictment also alleges that Bazer impersonated Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, a prosecutor, and a criminal defense attorney after learning she was under investigation. These actions were allegedly intended to reassure victims that their money would be returned. Some victims even provided her with loans to help resolve a fabricated shoplifting arrest.

Prosecutors claim the funds Bazer obtained were used for personal purchases, including luxury watches. When victims sought repayment, she allegedly sent them altered images of bank records and wire transfers to give the impression that she had the means to repay them. However, investigators say she had no intention of doing so.

Bazer has been charged with seven counts of wire fraud and two counts of impersonating a federal law enforcement officer. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while the impersonation charges could result in up to three years each. She has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Chicago.

Image by Steve Fernie.

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48 minutes ago
UK
War

Iranian Drone Strike Destroys British Oil Facility.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Iranian drones struck a British-owned oil facility in Iraq, which was destroyed in the ensuing fire.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Kingdom, Iraqi authorities, oil facility workers, and American forces in the region.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning in Erbil, a province in northern Iraq.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The repeated bombardment and the scale of the fire have left nothing inside the depot untouched by flames.” – Omid Xoshnaw, Iraqi Governor of Erbil

🎯IMPACT: The attack destroyed significant quantities of motor oil, as the Iran war is already causing energy shortages.

IN FULL

A British-owned oil facility in Iraq was destroyed by an Iranian drone strike early Wednesday morning, just hours after Iran warned it might treat British sites as legitimate military targets. Omid Xoshnaw, Governor of Erbil, the province in northern Iraq where the British facility was based, said: “The repeated bombardment and the scale of the fire have left nothing inside the depot untouched by flames.”

Three Iranian Shahed drones struck the facility while a fourth drone was intercepted before it could cause any damage. No injuries were reported among the workers, but the facility, which stored automotive motor oil, was destroyed in the ensuing fire.

Firefighters attempted to contain the blaze but were forced to withdraw after further drone activity was reported at 8:40 AM and 10:20 AM, preventing them from safely continuing the operation. “We arrived on the scene, but we could not put out the fire because of imminent threats of more drones,” explained Jawhar Omar of the Erbil fire brigade.

At least 30 drone strikes have been reported across the region overnight. HKN, an American oil company operating near Duhok, a city in the Erbil province, suffered damage in its second attack since late February. In response, U.S. fighter jets patrolled the skies above northern Iraq.

Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, warned that Iran would strike its facilities if the British government allows the U.S. to use its bases to conduct strikes on Iran. “This is a very important matter we are considering. This is a very important matter for our self-defense,” said Mousavi.

Image by Tasnim News Agency.

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2 hours ago
Immigration

Trump Admin Closes U.S.-Canada Border Road.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration announced the closure of a key road connecting the U.S. and Canada to enhance border security.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, Alberta officials, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The nine-mile Border Road, connecting Montana and Alberta, will close on July 1.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Regardless of the line on the map, you’ll have farmers on both sides of the border, you’ll have family friends on both sides of the border. I think obviously that will continue.” – Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen

🎯IMPACT: The closure ends 80 years of free movement, impacting farming communities and prompting Alberta to plan a replacement road.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has announced the closure of the nine-mile Border Road, which connects Montana and Alberta, Canada, effective July 1. The move is part of broader efforts to tighten U.S. border security and address concerns about smuggling and unauthorized crossings.

Notably, the closure marks the end of over 80 years of free movement along this stretch of highway, which has been a vital link for farming communities on both sides of the border. While the Trump administration has not commented directly on the Border Road closure, the decision aligns with the President’s previous commitments to enhance border security. In 2025, Trump highlighted concerns over fentanyl trafficking, noting that seizures at the northern border had increased, though they remained lower than those at the southern border.

“Regardless of the line on the map, you’ll have farmers on both sides of the border, you’ll have family friends on both sides of the border. I think obviously that will continue,” Alberta, Canada’s Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen stated regarding the closure. He added that the provincial government has been working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the closure, with Alberta allocating an estimated $8 million in Canadian dollars ($5.74 million U.S.) to alter area roadway infrastructure for continued use.

The National Pulse reported last April that President Trump’s imposition of stricter border security measures led to a 95 percent drop in illegal crossings along the U.S.-Canadian border. This reduction followed a series of tariff threats and negotiations between the two nations, which saw Canada eventually commit additional resources to help halt fentanyl trafficking and boost border security infrastructure.

Image by Wing-Chi Poon.

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2 hours ago
William Upton
Immigration
Lawfare

Trump Slams ‘Stupid’ U.S. Birthright Citizenship Law After Attending SCOTUS Arguments in Historic First.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump weighed in on the Supreme Court hearing regarding his Executive Order ending birthright citizenship after attending the oral arguments in a historic first for a sitting President.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) counsel Cecillia Wang, and Supreme Court Justices.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday, during oral arguments at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” – Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: During the course of the arguments, all nine justices expressed degrees of skepticism regarding the Trump administration’s position, namely that birthright citizenship is limited to those “domiciled” in the United States.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump weighed in on the Supreme Court hearing regarding his Executive Order ending birthright citizenship after attending the oral arguments in a historic first for a sitting President. “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social after leaving the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The case, one of the most complicated to be taken up by the high court in decades, stems from President Trump’s challenge to a lower court ruling that struck down his Executive Order. For just over two hours, the nine justices peppered the Trump administration’s Solicitor General D. John Sauer and the challengers’ attorney, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) counsel Cecillia Wang, with questions regarding the scope of the order and the legal implications of domicile-based citizenship.

During the arguments, all nine justices expressed varying degrees of skepticism regarding the Trump administration’s position, namely that birthright citizenship is limited to those “domiciled” in the United States. In this legal context, only the children of individuals intending to maintain a permanent and legal presence in the United States could attain citizenship at birth. Notably, this would exclude almost all illegal immigrants.

George Washington University law professor and constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, writing on X (formerly Twitter), remarked that the Supreme Court overall appears skeptical of the government’s arguments, but stopped short of suggesting the case will be a defeat for President Trump. “The ACLU clearly had a lock on the three liberals, but had more justices in play than the government would have hoped. We ended where we began: the odds do not favor the Administration, but there is no firm evidence of a majority,” Trurley wrote, adding, “Majorities can certainly shift in conference and in drafting. The devil is in the details and the details remain murky at best. Many justices correctly found the historical record, according to one, ‘a mess.’ Indeed, it is maddening to try to divine the intent of the drafters.”

For most of the arguments, the justices focused heavily on a series of past civil rights laws and court decisions that have formed the nebulous—and admittedly murky—legal justification for birthright citizenship as it stands today. Notably, the United States stands almost entirely alone among developed Western nations in its permissive approach to birthright citizenship.

Not a single European state allows unrestricted birthright citizenship, with most requiring either that one parent be a citizen or a legal permanent resident and, in some cases, mandating that at least one parent reside in the country for a set period. As of 2004—when Ireland abolished its expansive jus soli (“right of the soil”) laws—Europe ceased offering unrestricted birthright citizenship entirely. Canada is the only other Western nation with similar statutes granting unrestricted birthright citizenship. Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand abolished their permissive birthright citizenship laws in 1986 and in 2006, respectively.

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3 hours ago
Bonkers Britain

Patriots Attacked by Far Left, Threatened With Legal Action by Local Officials for Flying National Flags.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Oxfordshire County Council in England threatened the Raise the Colours group, which has been raising English and British flags on lampposts and other public infrastructure across the country, with legal action.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Oxfordshire County Council, Raise the Colours group, local residents, and law enforcement.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 24, Oxfordshire, England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division…” – Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council.

🎯IMPACT: The council is considering further legal action, alleging community distress and safety concerns.

IN FULL

Oxfordshire County Council in England has issued a formal notice to Raise the Colours, which has been raising English and British flags on lampposts and other public infrastructure across the country, instructing the group to cease its campaign. Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, stated: “The widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division that is having a real and damaging impact on our communities.”

The council has warned that failure to comply could lead to civil or criminal proceedings. However, Ryan Bridge, co-founder of Raise the Colours, said the group “just wanted to support Oxfordshire, as they had flags taken down by the council at a cost of £51 per lamppost, adding that, far from intimidating people, they had been attacked by far-left activists.

“We were attacked verbally and physically four times in Oxford by four members of the public, verbally attacked all night and called scumbags, racists, Nazis, and fascists,” he said, adding: “I was punched, kicked and hit by a bike—I’ve paid tax into the country for years, and I believe those who attacked us are traitors to their country.”

Image by Rodion Kutsaiev.

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4 hours ago
Lawfare

Foreign-Born Obama Judge Rules Trump Can Face Civil Claims Over Alleged Incitement on January 6.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ruled that President Donald J. Trump is not immune from civil claims related to the January 6 Capitol riot, stating his remarks at the “Stop the Steal” rally plausibly incited violence.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta, Democratic members of Congress, law enforcement officers, and plaintiffs, including Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., regarding events stemming from the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The court rightly recognizes that President Trump’s actions leading to the January 6 insurrection fell outside the scope of presidential duties,” said Damon Hewitt, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

🎯IMPACT: The decision paves the way for a potential civil trial and establishes a precedent that could influence future cases involving presidential immunity.

IN FULL

A federal judge ruled late Tuesday that President Donald J. Trump is not immune from civil claims alleging that he incited the U.S. Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta—born in Patan, India, and appointed by former President Barack Obama—ruled that that President Trump’s remarks during the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 were not covered by First Amendment protections and were tantamount to incitement.

In his determination, Judge Mehta ruled that Trump cannot claim presidential immunity for much of his conduct on January 6, including his speech and social media activity. However, the judge noted that Trump’s official acts, such as his Rose Garden remarks during the riot, remain shielded. “President Trump has not shown that the Speech reasonably can be understood as falling within the outer perimeter of his Presidential duties,” Mehta wrote in the decision.

The ruling builds on a 2022 decision by Mehta, which also rejected Trump’s immunity claims. The case has returned to his courtroom after an appeals court upheld his earlier decision. Mehta clarified that his ruling does not represent a final determination on immunity for specific acts, leaving room for Trump to reassert such claims at trial.

The lawsuit was filed by Democratic members of Congress, including Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS)—who oversaw Congressional Democrats’ January 6 Committee—and law enforcement officers injured during the Capitol riot. The plaintiffs argue that Trump’s actions on January 6 fell outside the scope of his official duties as President. The legal team representing the plaintiffs includes attorneys from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Damon Hewitt, the group’s president, called the ruling a “monumental victory for the rule of law.” He stated, “This ruling is an important step toward accountability for the violent attack on the Capitol and our democracy.” The ruling likely reopens avenues for Democrat-led lawfare campaigns against Trump, though the Supreme Court‘s immunity ruling likely closes off the potential for most future criminal charges.

Image by Tyler Merbler.

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5 hours ago
Science

America’s Return to the Moon Appears Set to Begin Tonight With Artemis II Launch.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: NASA announced Artemis II, humanity’s first lunar mission since 1972, aiming for a quick lunar flyby and return.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will participate in the mission.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The mission is expected to launch in April, with a 10-day journey to and from the moon.

🎯IMPACT: The mission sets the stage for future lunar exploration and eventual settlement.

IN FULL

NASA’s return to lunar exploration is poised to begin with the Artemis II mission, which is currently sitting on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. As of Wednesday morning, the superheavy rocket that will carry Artemis II into space is fueling and barring any issue—such as leaks—the launch will occur during a 2-hour window beginning at 6:24 PM this evening.

Artemis II will see a crew of four astronauts, three Americans and a Canadian, execute an orbital flyby of the moon, traveling thousands of miles through the void of space before returning to Earth. The entire mission is expected to last just under 10 days, though it will not include a lunar landing or extended orbit.

The Artemis II crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, and Glover, the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station, are joined by Hansen, a Canadian rookie astronaut, and Wiseman, the mission commander and a retired Navy captain.

Notably, the mission will utilize NASA‘s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which is more powerful than the Saturn V rocket used during the Apollo missions. However, the SLS has faced challenges, including hydrogen leaks that delayed previous tests. The Artemis II mission has also experienced delays due to similar technical issues.

Once launched, the crew will practice docking maneuvers before heading towards the moon. Their journey will follow a free-return trajectory, a method that uses gravity to minimize fuel use. On flight day six, the Orion spacecraft used in the mission will reach its farthest point from Earth, surpassing the distance record set by Apollo 13. The crew will then return to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.

The National Pulse previously reported that Artemis II is the first stage of a long-term NASA plan to not only return to the moon but also establish permanent human habitation on the lunar surface.

Image by Taavi Niittee.

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6 hours ago
William Upton
War

This NATO Member Just Instituted Emergency Measures to Curb Iran War Fuel Crisis.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Markup caps and export restrictions on fuel went into effect in Romania on April 1, as the country faces a growing energy crisis stemming in part from the ongoing U.S. military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the disruption of oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Romania, the wider European Union, Australia, the United States, and Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The emergency measures went into effect on April 1, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: Since the start of the U.S. conflict with Iran, the cost of gasoline in Romania has risen by 17.6 percent, while diesel has jumped  25.2 percent.

IN FULL

Markup caps and export restrictions on fuel went into effect in Romania on April 1, as the country faces a growing energy crisis stemming in part from the ongoing U.S. military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the disruption of oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz. The NATO member has also been exposed as having failed to keep up its refinery infrastructure, with the country having just one functioning refinery, Petrobrazi, operated by OMV Petrom.

Concerningly, the Petrobrazi refinery is only capable of producing—when operating at capacity—4.5 million tons of fuel per year. Meanwhile, Romanians consume an average of 8.4 million tons of fuel each year. This reliance on a single refinery has left Romania reliant on oil and gas imports for around 65 to 70 percent of its fuel.

This dependence on foreign fuel imports is a crisis impacting much of Europe and Australia as well. The chaos in Asian energy markets has pushed Australia toward the United States for fuel imports, with the nation expected to receive at least two tankers of diesel fuel in the coming days.

In Romania, the extraordinary measures to address the energy crisis will remain in effect until at least June 30. Since the start of the U.S. conflict with Iran, the cost of gasoline in Romania has risen by 17.6 percent, while diesel has jumped  25.2 percent.

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6 hours ago
News

Trump Questions U.S. NATO Membership Again – ‘They Weren’t There For Us.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Donald Trump expressed strong consideration for pulling the U.S. out of NATO after the alliance did not join his efforts against Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. President Donald Trump, NATO allies, and Sir Keir Starmer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Recent statements made to Connor Stringer at The Telegraph.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The statement signifies a potential shift in U.S. defense strategy and raises questions about NATO’s reliability as a defense partner.

IN FULL

U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a strong possibility of withdrawing the United States from NATO, criticizing the alliance for not joining his military efforts against Iran. The U.S. President described NATO as a “paper tiger” and indicated that the decision to pull out is “beyond reconsideration.”

This development comes as the White House expresses dissatisfaction with European allies, who rejected Trump’s request to deploy warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The strait has been effectively closed by Tehran, impacting global oil and gas prices.

In his remarks to The Telegraph, Trump questioned NATO’s commitment, stating, “Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”

Trump also criticized the UK, particularly Sir Keir Starmer, for not participating in the conflict, implying that the Royal Navy is inadequate. “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work,” he commented.

When asked about defense spending, Trump said, “I’m not going to tell him what to do. He can do whatever he wants. It doesn’t matter. All Starmer wants is costly windmills that are driving your energy prices through the roof.”

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7 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Counterfeit Document Scheme.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Guatemalan national, Edgidio Vasquez-Mencho, was sentenced for his role in a counterfeit document-selling scheme in Michigan.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Vasquez-Mencho, two other Guatemalan nationals, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The case originated in September 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan; sentencing occurred in March 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Vasquez-Mencho deserved to be prosecuted and punished. It is bad enough that he has repeatedly violated our immigration laws by crossing the border without permission. Worse than that, once he got here, he operated an illegal document business that enabled others like him to obtain employment illegally and claim taxpayer-supported public services. This conduct must stop.” – U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey

🎯IMPACT: Vasquez-Mencho will serve six months in federal prison before being deported to Guatemala for the third time.

IN FULL

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan reported the sentencing of 41-year-old Guatemalan illegal Edgidio Vasquez-Mencho. He was convicted of participating in an operation that sold counterfeit Social Security cards and permanent resident alien cards to other illegal immigrants in the Grand Rapids area.

Vasquez-Mencho received a six-month federal prison term. He is the second of three Guatemalan nationals charged in the scheme, which supplied fake documents so that illegals could secure jobs and obtain public services reserved for lawful residents. His specific responsibilities involved handing over the counterfeit items and collecting the payments from buyers.

U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey stated, “Vasquez-Mencho deserved to be prosecuted and punished. It is bad enough that he has repeatedly violated our immigration laws by crossing the border without permission. Worse than that, once he got here, he operated an illegal document business that enabled others like him to obtain employment illegally and claim taxpayer-supported public services. This conduct must stop.”

This was Vasquez-Mencho’s third time being caught unlawfully present in the United States. After the first incident, he was permitted to leave voluntarily. After the second, he was formally removed to Guatemala. Once he finishes serving his current sentence, he will be deported yet again.

The investigation began with a grand-jury indictment in Grand Rapids in September 2025 that named Vasquez-Mencho, Norma Yanari Ayala, and Rigoberto Vasquez-Vasquez. The three were accused of conspiring to produce and sell fake permanent resident cards and Social Security cards. On March 16, U.S. Attorney VerHey also announced the sentencing of Ayala—who had previously been deported four times—to eight months in federal prison for her part in the same scheme.

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