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Wednesday, April 8, 2026
7 hours ago
Religion

Canada Pushes Law That Would Classify Bible Quotes as Hate Speech.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Canada’s proposed Bill C-9, known as the Combatting Hate Act, seeks to alter hate speech laws, raising concerns about potential criminal charges for quoting scripture.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Canadian Minister of Justice Sean Fraser, Canadian Christians, religious and advocacy groups.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Introduced in September 2025, passed the House of Commons on March 25, 2026, and is now heading to the Senate.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Bill C-9 makes it easier for people of faith and others to be criminally charged because of views that other people take offense to.” – Opposition lawmaker Andrew Lawton

🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the bill weakens freedom of expression and religion by removing the ‘good faith’ defense for religious texts.

IN FULL

A bill in Canada that could criminalize quoting the Bible as hate speech has sparked backlash from religious and conservative groups across the country. “Bill C-9 makes it easier for people of faith and others to be criminally charged because of views that other people take offense to,” warned Andrew Lawton, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Conservative opposition.

Bill C-9, known as the Combatting Hate Act, was introduced by Minister for Justice and Attorney General Sean Fraser, and has already passed through the House of Commons, roughly equivalent to the U.S. House of Representatives. It will be debated in the Canadian Senate later this year.

The bill removes two sections of Canada’s criminal code: 319(3)(b) and 319(3.1)(b). Both specifically state that someone cannot be found guilty of hate speech if they “expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text”.

Marc Miller, an MP from the ruling Liberal Party who supports the bill, has cited passages from Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Romans condemning homosexual acts as examples of religious text that could be classed as hate speech. “How do we somehow constitute this as being said in good faith? Clearly, there are situations in these texts where statements are hateful. They should not… be a defense,” he said during a House Justice Committee hearing.

The proposed changes have drawn criticism from Christians in Canada. “This narrowly framed exemption has served for many years as an essential safeguard to ensure that Canadians are not criminally prosecuted for their sincere, truth-seeking expression of beliefs made without animus and grounded in long-standing religious traditions,” the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a letter last year.

Image by James Chan.

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8 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

ICE Agents Shoot Fugitive Gang Member During Attempted Car Ramming.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot an 18th Street Gang member in California after he attempted to use his vehicle as a weapon against officers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE agents, Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.

📍WHEN & WHERE: April 7, 2026, in Patterson, California, near an interstate overpass.

💬KEY QUOTE: “As officers approached the car, the wanted gang member weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over.” – Todd Lyons, ICE

🎯IMPACT: The suspect was hospitalized, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating.

IN FULL

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, a member of the 18th Street Gang, during a targeted vehicle stop in Patterson, California, on Tuesday. “As officers approached the car, the wanted gang member weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over. Following their training, our officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public,” said ICE Director Todd Lyons.

Hernandez allegedly attempted to hit the ICE agents with his vehicle before he was shot. After he was shot, he was taken to a local hospital. Hernandez is wanted for questioning in El Salvador in connection with a murder.

The 18th Street Gang is one of the largest street gangs in Los Angeles. The gang has somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 members across the United States, Mexico, and Central America. The gang is designated as a terrorist organization in the United States, El Salvador, and Guatemala. It is involved in various kinds of illegal activity, including murder, kidnapping, robbery, assault, drug trafficking, extortion, and prostitution. It is a multi-ethnic gang, although its membership draws heavily from Mexico and Central America.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office has said it will assist with the following investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will also assist with the investigation.

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8 hours ago
Culture
Immigration

Florida Weighs Ban on ‘Stealth Jihad’ Cousin Marriages.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed banning first-cousin marriages in the state, a practice currently legal but prohibited in most states.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Florida lawmakers, and supporters of HB 733.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made during a Tampa signing ceremony on Monday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Florida doesn’t ban cousin marriage: That’s a hanging curveball for us to do; we need to do that.” – Ron DeSantis

🎯IMPACT: The proposal could reignite debate on cultural values, public health concerns, and immigration policies in Florida.

IN FULL

Florida is considering a potential ban on marriage between first cousins. “Florida doesn’t ban cousin marriage: That’s a hanging curveball for us to do; we need to do that,” said Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in Tampa on Monday.

He added, “Other states have done it. I don’t know why we wouldn’t, but obviously that feeds into some of the stealth jihad that we see, when you’re allowing things like that. It’s things that are coming in from other cultures that are not consistent with the United States culture, and certainly our culture here in Florida.”

The Sunshine State already bans marriages between many close relatives, such as siblings, parents, grandparents, nieces, and nephews, but has yet to ban marriage between first cousins, though it is already prohibited in most U.S. states.

In 2025, a proposal (HB 733) to ban marriage between first cousins was dropped by the state’s legislature. If passed, the proposal would have gone into effect on July 1 this year. Supporters of a ban on marriage between first cousins cite genetic disorders and muddled, potentially abusive, family dynamics.

President Donald J. Trump’s administration has already taken a hard line against cousin marriage. Earlier this year, the White House criticized the government of the United Kingdom for evading demands to ban cousin marriage, reflecting the administration’s “civilizational concerns” about the country, as outlined in its National Security Strategy late last year.

Image by F McGady.

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9 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Teen Boy Pleads ‘I Just Don’t Wanna Die’ Before Being Murdered by Illegal Immigrant.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Missouri teen, Miles Young, was lured into a deadly ambush and fatally shot after being deceived by suspects, including an illegal immigrant, prosecutors say.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Victim Miles Young, 15; suspects Yefry Archaga, 18, and Praize King, 18; and an unidentified juvenile.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The murder occurred on March 12, 2026, in Greene County, Missouri.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I just don’t wanna die.” – Miles Young, according to witnesses.

🎯IMPACT: Prosecutors have suggested that the attack may have been motivated by a previous homicide case in which Young was a witness set to testify.

IN FULL

Prosecutors have revealed that 15-year-old Miles Young pleaded for his life with illegal immigrant Yefry Archaga, 18, and his two accomplices before being fatally shot on March 12, 2026, in Greene County, Missouri. Young was lured into an ambush by the three suspects, who had convinced their victim that he was meeting up with a girl. According to witnesses, Young attempted to flee from his attackers but was chased down. He shouted, “I just don’t wanna die,” before being murdered.

Archaga and a second suspect, Praize King, 18, have both been charged with first-degree murder. Authorities believe another suspect, possibly a juvenile, remains unidentified.

According to court documents, Archaga orchestrated the ambush, making Young believe he was meeting a girl while tracking his location with others. The group reportedly used multiple vehicles to corner Young, who fled on foot before being chased and shot by Archaga.

On March 31, Archaga was arrested after a two-week manhunt and is currently being held on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer. Prosecutors have suggested that the attack may have been motivated by a previous homicide case in which Young was a witness set to testify. Archaga is scheduled to appear in court on April 13, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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9 hours ago
Data
War

DATA: Iran War Costs $500 Million Daily.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The cost of U.S. military operations in Iran under President Donald J. Trump’s Operation Epic Fury has reached up to $31 billion over five weeks, according to research by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the Pentagon, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The operation has been ongoing since February 28, with significant costs incurred due to Iranian retaliatory strikes against Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Damaged equipment can sometimes be repaired in days, while some destroyed systems will take years to replace on a one-to-one basis,” said Elaine McCusker, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

🎯IMPACT: The operation has strained U.S. military resources, damaged key assets, and raised concerns about broader strategic vulnerabilities.

IN FULL

The ongoing war with the Islamic Republic of Iran—dubbed by the Trump administration as Operation Epic Fury—has cost the United States between $22.3 billion and $31 billion in just five weeks of action, according to research from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Launched by President Donald J. Trump on February 28, the military operation has incurred significant expenses for damaged and destroyed military equipment, as well as personnel losses, after retaliatory missile strikes on U.S. military bases and assets across the Middle East.

AEI estimates that replacing equipment damaged in Iranian retaliatory strikes has cost between $2.1 billion and $3.6 billion. “Damaged equipment can sometimes be repaired in days, while some destroyed systems will take years to replace on a one-to-one basis,” noted Elaine McCusker, a senior fellow at AEI.

Key U.S. military assets damaged or destroyed include a Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning system, multiple radar systems in Qatar and Jordan, and naval base facilities in Bahrain. Additionally, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier experienced several issues with its waste facilities and will need repairs following its extended tour of duty in both the Caribbean and the eastern Mediterranean.

Additional analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates the war‘s daily cost at approximately $500 million, with $1.4 billion in losses recorded during the first six days of fighting alone. CISIS emphasized the urgency of replacing compromised radar systems, which are critical for detecting missile threats.

The operation has also seen the loss of several high-value assets, including more than a dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones, multiple F-15E fighter jets, and a KC-135 tanker. In addition to the financial toll, 13 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives, with 373 others injured.

Image by Hossein Zohrevand/Tasnim News Agency.

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10 hours ago
William Upton
War

Price of Oil Hits All-Time High as Trump’s Iran War Deadline Nears.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Dated Brent crude—a short-term price benchmark for North Sea crude oil—hit an all-time high of $144.42, just hours before a ceasefire deadline with the Islamic Republic of Iran set by U.S. President Donald J. Trump is due to expire.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, oil traders, the Islamic Republic of Iran, European and Asian refiners, and the U.S. military.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “When there is a real, physical shortage, people ‌are not ⁠thinking about July delivery—June loading and hence June futures prices—but oil now.” – Oil trader Adi Imsirovic

🎯IMPACT: The price spike, nearing $150 per barrel, suggests the global energy crisis sparked by the Iran war has worsened, with European and ‌Asian refiners now paying well above the value of oil futures.

IN FULL

Dated Brent crude—a short-term price benchmark for North Sea crude oil—hit an all-time high of $144.42, just hours before a ceasefire deadline with the Islamic Republic of Iran set by U.S. President Donald J. Trump is due to expire. The price spike, nearing $150 per barrel, suggests the global energy crisis sparked by the Iran war has worsened, with European and ‌Asian refiners now paying well above the value of oil futures.

Notably, the war has resulted in the loss of an estimated two ​million barrels per day—roughly 12 percent of the global oil supply—due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran began targeting vessels attempting to traverse the critical waterway. According to oil trader Adi Imsirovic, the primary cause of the oil price spike is “panic.” Regarding the sudden jump in short-term prices, Imsirovic explains, “When there is a real, physical shortage, people ‌are not ⁠thinking about July delivery—June loading and hence June futures prices—but oil now.”

The surge in oil demand comes on the heels of President Trump’s early Tuesday warning that “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” Importantly, Trump’s statement alludes to looming military strikes against Iran’s power plants, desalination facilities, and other critical infrastructure if the Islamic Republic doesn’t agree to a ceasefire plan before 8:00 PM EST.

The National Pulse reported earlier on Tuesday that the U.S. military struck around 50 military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub for the Islamist regime located in the northern Persian Gulf. While the strikes avoided hitting oil infrastructure, President Trump has warned in the past that he may order the entire island to be destroyed.

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11 hours ago
War

Russia, China Block UN Authorization of Military Force to Open Strait of Hormuz.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution on opening the Strait of Hormuz failed after Russia and China vetoed it.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, Russia, China, and the United States.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, at the United Nations Security Council.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Security Council must take measures to ensure the protection of waterways, and we demand that the Security Council issue a resolution securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.” – Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

🎯IMPACT: The veto by Russia and China blocks international military action to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

IN FULL

A United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution brought by Bahrain calling for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the free flow of shipping and energy commerce through the critical waterway was blocked by Russia and China on Tuesday. The resolution would have authorized the use of military force under an international coalition to reopen the strait, which has been effectively closed due to skyrocketing shipping insurance rates after the Islamic Republic of Iran began targeting vessels attempting to traverse the waterway.

Notably, the resolution saw significant support from Security Council members, receiving 11 votes in favor. However, two of the five permanent members of the Security Council, Russia and China, exercised their veto power, blocking the resolution’s adoption. Several Gulf nations have, for weeks, been pushing for UN action, citing the repeated Iranian attacks on oil tankers and cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz and across the broader Persian Gulf.

Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stated earlier in the week, “Our countries are subjected to a sinful Iranian aggression, and GCC countries have a legitimate right to self-defense. The Security Council must take measures to ensure the protection of waterways, and we demand that the Security Council issue a resolution securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Russia and China, however, expressed concerns that the resolution invoked Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which could be interpreted as legitimizing the use of force without clear limits. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov argued that the measure would disrupt “very fragile chances for negotiations” and escalate tensions in the region. In March, Iranian officials claimed that both Russia and China were providing military “cooperation” to the Islamic Republic in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes.

The National Pulse reported earlier on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that its “whole civilization will die tonight” if it fails to accept a ceasefire deal.

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11 hours ago
News
War

REPORT: Israel’s Original Iran Plan Blasted as ‘Farcical’ by CIA, ‘Bullshit’ by Rubio.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. officials assessed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposals regarding Iran, deeming parts of them unrealistic, according to exclusive new reporting from the co-authors of the forthcoming book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, U.S. intelligence officials, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and General Dan Caine.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 12, Situation Room meeting with American officials.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Sir, this is, in my experience, standard operating procedure for the Israelis. They oversell, and their plans are not always well-developed.” – General Caine

🎯IMPACT: The assessment influenced President Trump’s consideration of military action against Iran.

IN FULL

During a high-stakes meeting in the Situation Room, U.S. officials evaluated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposals regarding Iran. These proposals included decapitation of the Iranian leadership, crippling Iran’s power projection capabilities, instigating a popular uprising, and full scale regime change.

The U.S. intelligence community found the first two objectives achievable but deemed the latter two, including a Kurdish ground invasion, unrealistic. CIA Director described the regime change scenarios as “farcical,” and Senator Rubio bluntly called them “bullshit.”

The news comes from an exclusive report by The New York Times‘s Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. On March 16, Haberman and Swan were spotted in the West Wing, with President Donald J. Trump reportedly answering their questions in the Oval Office for an hour. The pair are believed to have been working on the book for almost two years, conducting nearly 1000 interviews along the way. Haberman’s previous attempt at a Trump book fell extremely flat.

General Dan Caine, a top military adviser to President Trump, reportedly noted that Israeli plans often lacked development and required U.S. support. He cautioned against the unpredictability of conflict outcomes and the difficulty of achieving regime change.

President Trump was interested in the first two objectives but recognized that regime change would be “their problem,” indicating it would not influence his decision on military action against Iran.

General Caine also highlighted the challenges of a major campaign against Iran, including depleted U.S. weapon stockpiles and securing the Strait of Hormuz. Despite these concerns, President Trump believed a war would be swift, influenced by the limited reaction to previous U.S. actions. The full Times piece can be read here.

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12 hours ago
Immigration

Trump Admin Threatens to Shut Down International Airports in Sanctuary Cities.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has threatened a shutdown of international flights in cities that shield illegal immigrants under sanctuary policies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, U.S. Customs officers, and leadership in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Mullin revealed the proposal late Monday, April 6, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “So, we’re going to take a hard look at this. One area we may take a hard look at is some of these cities that have international airports. If they’re a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?” – Markwayne Mullin

🎯IMPACT: If enacted, the plan could force cities to choose between retaining international flights or maintaining their sanctuary policies.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is considering shutting down international flights in cities where local Democrats shield illegal immigrants from federal immigration enforcement actions through open-border sanctuary policies. Newly confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin revealed late Monday that the administration is considering the move in response to the ongoing partial government shutdown of DHS, which is impacting funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and customs agents, among other agencies.

“I believe sanctuary cities are not lawful,” Mullin said during a television interview. “So, we’re going to take a hard look at this. One area we may take a hard look at is some of these cities that have international airports. If they’re a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?”

Mullin continued, “If they’re a ‘sanctuary city’ and they’re receiving international flights—and we’re asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport, they’re not going to enforce immigration policy—maybe we need to have a really hard look at that.”

The new Homeland Security Secretary stressed that his department needs to prioritize jurisdictions willing to work with federal immigration enforcement officials. “I’m not going outside the policies that Congress passed for me, but we’re saying that you’ve got to partner with us,” Mullin said.

Withholding customs officers from Democrat-controlled sanctuary cities with international airports could pose a serious economic threat to those jurisdictions—especially those heavily reliant on tourism to sustain local businesses. Among the major cities that could be impacted are Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and New York.

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12 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

ICE Captures Illegal Immigrant Accused of Kidnapping Child from Laundromat.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rearrested an illegal immigrant accused of kidnapping a four-year-old girl from a Long Island laundromat after a local judge released him back into the community.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Carlos Corte-Corte, a 38-year-old illegal immigrant from Ecuador; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Suffolk County Police; Suffolk County District Judge James F. Leonick; and Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The kidnapping occurred on March 28 at the Laundry Kingdom in Patchogue, Long Island. Corte-Corte was rearrested by ICE on March 31.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. This type of insanity leads to more crimes and more innocent victims.” – Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis

🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights the consequences of sanctuary policies as well as the challenges of enforcing immigration laws against repeat offenders.

IN FULL

Carlos Corte-Corte, an illegal immigrant from Ecuador, was rearrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 31 after being released from jail by a local judge despite facing serious criminal charges. The Ecuadoran national had been charged on March 28 with second-degree kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child after luring a four-year-old girl from a laundromat in Patchogue, Long Island, to a nearby park where she was found by police.

Despite the charges, Suffolk County District Judge James F. Leonick released Corte-Corte on supervised release without bond. Notably, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that Corte-Corte had entered the U.S. illegally on at least three occasions in 2020 and had been removed three times, only to return for a fourth time.

Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis criticized the decision to release Corte-Corte, stating, “Sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. This type of insanity leads to more crimes and more innocent victims.” She added that thanks to ICE law enforcement, Corte-Corte is now off the streets.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney expressed disagreement with the judge’s decision to release the alleged kidnapper. “I think if you look at the facts of the case, clearly they’re concerning,” Tierney said.

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