Thursday, April 30, 2026
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COVID Restrictions Return… In DeSantis’s Florida!?

COVID-19 pandemic era restrictions appear to be returning in Florida, with the Palm Beach Gardens High School, part of the Palm Beach County school district, announcing its Friday night football game against Vero Beach is postponed until September 6th “out of an abundance of caution.”

The news comes shortly after the Florida Governor took aim at former President Donald J. Trump in absentia, for his pandemic handling from the Milwaukee GOP debate stage.

DeSantis has made his response to the COVID-19 pandemic a cornerstone of his campaign’s message to voters, expressing staunch opposition to new lockdowns, school closures, mask requirements, and vaccine mandates. During debate, he said: “It should have never happened. And in Florida, we led the country out of lockdown, kept our state free and open.”

In 2022, DeSantis pushed back against Florida school districts that sought to reinstate mask mandates and closures during outbreaks of COVID-19, telling the press at the time: “Our schools will be open in the state of Florida… If you’re healthy, you need to be in school.”

Despite his bravado, the latest news from Palm Beach Gardens High School suggests that DeSantis’s fight against pandemic restrictions has been less successful than advertised. The National Pulse previously reported that Governor DeSantis failed to fire his state’s very own Dr. Fauci, Palm Beach County Department of Health director Dr. Alina Alonso.

Dr. Alonso, known as “the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in Palm Beach County,” was given free rein during the COVID pandemic to enforce arbitrary restrictions upon millions of Floridians, including the implementation of mask mandates, establishment of a COVID hotline for lockdown snitches, and even creating an armed COVID compliance police force. In 2023, Dr. Alonso retired, stating her replacement Dr. Jyothi Gunta, “will make a great new director.”

By Popular Demand.
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Oil Prices Surge as Trump Warns of Prolonged Blockade.

Oil prices hit a four-year high following reports of an extended blockade against Iranian ports, roiling global energy markets.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Oil prices have surged by over seven percent, reaching a four-year high above $126 per barrel on Thursday, amid reports that President Donald J. Trump has indicated that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports could extend for months. This follows reports suggesting Trump is considering launching fresh military strikes against Iran.
📰 DETAIL: President Trump has reportedly instructed national security officials to prepare for a prolonged blockade to pressure Iran into abandoning its nuclear program. Tehran is believed to have made a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump believes their outreach is in bad faith. Iran’s disruption of the crucial waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas and much of global fertilizer supplies flow, is having a profound impact on energy prices and markets, and has already triggered a jet fuel crisis.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!” – Donald Trump on Truth Social.
🎯 IMPACT: In Asian trading, Brent crude for June delivery jumped 7.1 percent to $126.41 a barrel overnight, before dropping back to $114.70. West Texas Intermediate rose 3.4 percent to $110.31 before dropping back to $105.12. Stock markets declined, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Mumbai each falling more than one percent; Sydney, Taipei, Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta also closed lower. However, the U.S. dollar, viewed as a safe-haven currency amid the crisis, strengthened against other major currencies.

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Oil prices hit a four-year high following reports of an extended blockade against Iranian ports, roiling global energy markets.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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Judge Blocks Deportation of Indian Trucker Who Killed 16 People.

A Canadian judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, convicted of killing 16 people in a 2018 hockey team bus crash, citing concerns over his mental health.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A Canadian federal judge, Jocelyne Gagné, granted a temporary stay of deportation for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the truck driver responsible for the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash that killed 16 and injured 13 others. The judge cited concerns over Sidhu’s mental health, including high suicidal ideation, as a factor in her decision.
📺 DETAIL: Sidhu, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was sentenced to eight years in prison before being released early on parole, had been facing removal from Canada following an immigration ruling. However, the court granted a stay after arguments that deportation could worsen his psychological condition and potentially lead to self-harm.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Being deported back to India, although not anybody’s favorite choice, is not a death sentence. What we have is a death sentence.” – Chris Joseph, father of one of the crash victims.
🎯 IMPACT: The case is one of the worst examples of an Indian immigrant trucker killing innocents on the road in North America. In the United States, there have been multiple cases of Indian nationals crashing semi-trucks into cars, killing innocent people. The issue has raised questions about the ease with which migrants gain access to commercial driving licenses, including illegal immigrants.
📺 FLASHBACK: The Humboldt Broncos bus crash remains one of the worst tragedies in Canada’s recent history. Sidhu violated multiple safety regulations leading up to the crash. The mass casualty crash drew national attention and led to calls for stricter trucking safety standards.

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A Canadian judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, convicted of killing 16 people in a 2018 hockey team bus crash, citing concerns over his mental health.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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Trump DOJ Indicts Sitting Mexican Governor in Cartel Crackdown.

United States prosecutors have charged 10 Mexican officials, including a state governor, with helping a major drug cartel to ship narcotics into the country.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Prosecutors have unsealed an indictment against 10 current and former officials from Sinaloa, one of Mexico’s federal states, including the state’s governor, Rubén Rocha Moya. The indictment accuses the officials of conspiring to traffic drugs into the United States.
📺 DETAIL: On Wednesday, a case was brought forward by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), against 10 current and former officials from Sinaloa, one of Mexico’s 31 federal states, including the governor. The charges include bribery, kidnapping, and cooperating with the Sinaloa Cartel, a major drug trafficking and money laundering organization. The cartel is designated as a terrorist group by the United States. The indictment alleges that the accused used their positions to protect the cartel’s interests, provide sensitive information, and facilitate drug trafficking into the United States in exchange for political support.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “As the indictment lays bare, the Sinaloa Cartel, and other drug trafficking organizations like it, would not operate as freely or successfully without corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials on their payroll.” – Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
🎯 IMPACT: The indictment highlights the deep corruption within parts of Mexico’s government and law enforcement, and the extent to which drug cartels have infiltrated Mexico’s political institutions. The charges may place strain on U.S.-Mexico relations, already made tense by ongoing problems with drug trafficking and illegal immigration, among other issues. This indictment comes roughly a month after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized over 120 pounds of methamphetamine at the southern border.

Image by EneasMx.

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United States prosecutors have charged 10 Mexican officials, including a state governor, with helping a major drug cartel to ship narcotics into the country.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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Vance Confirms Walz, AG Ellison Being Investigated in Somali Fraud Probe.

Vice President J.D. Vance is leading a federal investigation into potential criminal activities linked to fraud in Minnesota, potentially implicating high-ranking state officials.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President J.D. Vance has confirmed that the federal government is investigating Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walz (D) and Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), for potential liability in the state’s welfare fraud scandal.
📰 DETAIL: In his capacity as anti-fraud czar, Vice President Vance has confirmed that the federal government is investigating Minnesota officials, including outgoing Governor Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, for potential liability in connection with the state’s ongoing fraud scandal. Following allegations of widespread welfare and daycare fraud, particularly among Minnesota’s large Somali population, questions have been raised about the extent to which those in positions of political and legal authority turned a blind eye to criminal activities. “You have people that came into this country, many of them illegal, [and] six months later they are driving a Mercedes, despite the fact they don’t have a job. That does not happen without some defrauding of the American taxpayer. The fact that they turned a blind eye for so long is a scandal,” Vance said in an interview on Wednesday.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We’re not going to let anybody who committed a crime off the hook, and in fact, if you are a senior officer, if you’re the Attorney General or the Governor, or any other elected official, we’re going to look extra hard at what you knew and when you knew it and how connected your actions were to this fraud scheme.” – Vice President J.D. Vance
🎯 IMPACT: The investigation could lead to significant legal consequences for Minnesota’s top officials if they are found complicit. Tim Walz already abandoned a reelection bid earlier this year as coverage of Somali fraud in the state on his watch ramped up.
📺 FLASHBACK: In late February, in response to fraud allegations made in late December and January, the Trump administration announced it was temporarily halting specific forms of Medicaid funding to Minnesota.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Vice President J.D. Vance is leading a federal investigation into potential criminal activities linked to fraud in Minnesota, potentially implicating high-ranking state officials.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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Florida Redistricting Effort Passes State Senate, Heads to Governor’s Desk.

Florida’s new congressional map, passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature, is heading to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis, who proposed it just days ago.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Florida’s state legislature has passed a new congressional map in a special session, potentially increasing GOP representation in the U.S. House of Representatives by four seats. The map was approved shortly after a significant U.S. Supreme Court redistricting ruling in Louisiana.
📰 DETAIL: The map, put forward by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) just days ago, passed the state Senate on Wednesday, after being passed by the state House earlier the same day. The approval came after a brief delay for state lawmakers to review the Supreme Court’s decision overturning the creation of a new black-majority district in Louisiana, which heralds changes to the Voting Rights Act that could cost the Democrats a number of racially gerrymandered majority-minority districts nationwide.
🎯 IMPACT: The new map is expected to face legal challenges from Democrat-aligned groups, potentially affecting its implementation ahead of the November midterms. However, if upheld, it could shift the political landscape in Florida, netting the GOP four or five additional House seats and canceling out a redistricting effort likely to hand the Democrats multiple new seats in Virginia.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Florida's new congressional map, passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature, is heading to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis, who proposed it just days ago.

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By Popular Demand.
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Emails Show Biden DOJ Wanted to Target Pro-Trump Nuns.

Text messages reveal Biden-era DOJ prosecutors joked about prosecuting Catholic nuns who attended a pro-Trump rally.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Prosecutors Joseph Cooney and Molly Gaston, both of whom served in the Department of Justice (DOJ) under former President Joe Biden, apparently targeted Catholic nuns for attending the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021, according to recently released text messages.
📺 DETAIL: Text messages shared on Wednesday by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)—who is investigating Arctic Frost, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe into Republicans and conservatives—reveal that Biden DOJ prosecutors Cooney and Gaston seemingly targeted Catholic nuns attending the “Stop the Steal” rally. Grassley said the texts demonstrated a “total disdain for equal justice” and an apparent willingness to target people based on their religion. In February 2021, after spotting the protesting nuns in media coverage of the rally, Gaston messaged Cooney: “I would like to take a special assignment of finding and prosecuting them,” to which Cooney responded, “I’m with you. Although I’d like to prosecute any nun who still wears the head habit.” Both served as top deputies to Jack Smith, then a special counsel tasked with prosecuting President Donald J. Trump and his supporters. The nuns in question were wearing traditional veils and pro-Trump scarves.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Freedom of religion is a cherished First Amendment right enshrined in our Constitution by the Founding Fathers… I was appalled, but sadly not surprised, to discover evidence of Biden DOJ prosecutors threatening to use the power of the federal justice system to target people of faith.” – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
🎯 IMPACT: This revelation raises questions about the impartiality of the Department of Justice under the Biden government. Earlier this year, Cooney announced his intention to run as a Democrat for Virginia’s 7th district, which is part of one of the most traditional Catholic dioceses in the United States.
📺 FLASHBACK: Last year, internal FBI emails revealed that the Biden DOJ targeted President Trump over a January 6 defendant choir as part of a broader “obsession with piling on Trump charges.” 

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Text messages reveal Biden-era DOJ prosecutors joked about prosecuting Catholic nuns who attended a pro-Trump rally.

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By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

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Iran War Has Cost $25 Billion So Far, Pentagon Confirms.

The United States has already spent $25 billion on the Iran war, according to high-ranking Pentagon officials.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The United States has spent approximately $25 billion on the Iran war thus far, according to Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III. As the war nears its 60-day mark, the bulk of its costs have reportedly come from munitions, operations, and equipment replacements and maintenance.
📺 DETAIL: The figure, announced during a House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, is the first cost update since Operation Epic Fury began in late February. Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III indicated that a request for supplemental funding would be submitted after a full cost assessment. Previous estimates indicated that roughly $11.3 billion had been spent in the first six days of the war alone.
🎯 IMPACT: The cost update comes as the war nears the 60-day mark. Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, military operations lasting more than 60 days require congressional approval, with leeway for the President to request a 30-day extension. At present, the House has failed to pass a war powers resolution, while the Senate has consistently blocked measures to end the war.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We will formulate a supplemental, through the White House, that will come to Congress once we have a full assessment of the cost of the conflict.” — Jules Hurst III, acting Pentagon Comptroller.
📺 FLASHBACK: Earlier this month, research from the American Enterprise Institute estimated that the Iran war was costing the United States between $22.3 billion and $31 billion. Over a five-week period, the cost of the war was analyzed as totaling roughly $500 million per day.

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The United States has already spent $25 billion on the Iran war, according to high-ranking Pentagon officials.

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By Popular Demand.
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NY Priorities: Mamdani Said He’d Use King Charles Meet to Lobby for a Diamond to be Returned to India… Then He Chickened Out.

During a 9/11 memorial event in New York City, New York Mayor Zorhan Mamdani claimed he would ask King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India—but failed to follow through.

PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) claimed he would ask King Charles III to transfer the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India during a 9/11 memorial event in New York City on Wednesday. However, video footage of the Uganda-born ethnic Indian interacting with the British monarch at the memorial suggests he made no such request when given the opportunity.
📺 DETAIL: Mamdani made the remarks while taking questions from reporters, noting that, rather than discussing British-American trade and investment or other priorities relevant to New Yorkers, he would use any meeting with the King to “encourage” him to send the diamond to his ancestral homeland. The Koh-i-Noor diamond, now part of the British Crown Jewels, has long been a source of international dispute due to its origins in India and its transfer to Britain during the 19th century under colonial rule. India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have previously laid claim to the diamond, though the British government has given no indication that it will be sent anywhere. Mamdani’s comments came ahead of a scheduled meeting with the King during his U.S. visit, which includes events commemorating the upcoming 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. However, video of that meeting shows Mamdani smiling, bowing, and shaking hands with the King, with no indication that he pressed India’s claims to the Koh-i-Noor.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “You know, if I was to speak to the King separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond.” – Zohran Mamdani.
📺 FLASHBACK: The diamond, known as the ‘Mountain of Light,’ became part of the British Crown Jewels after the Treaty of Lahore in 1849, which required the young ruler of Punjab to cede sovereignty and the diamond to Britain, having already changed hands multiple times. It has since been worn by several British queens, most recently being set in the crown of the King’s late grandmother. In addition to India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran have claimed it.

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During a 9/11 memorial event in New York City, New York Mayor Zorhan Mamdani claimed he would ask King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India—but failed to follow through.

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By Popular Demand.
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Two Charged for Assault on Conservative Journalist Covering Anti-ICE Protest.

A federal grand jury has indicted two people over an assault on Turning Point USA reporter Savanah Hernandez, while she was covering a protest outside an ICE facility in Minneapolis.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A federal grand jury has indicted two people for their involvement in the assault of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) reporter Savannah Hernandez during an anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident occurred on April 11 outside the Whipple Federal Building, where protesters had gathered near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office that also serves as a detention facility.
📺 DETAIL: Video from the scene previously showed multiple people striking Hernandez, with one person shoving her to the ground as she filmed. The assault prompted a federal investigation, with authorities examining potential civil rights violations related attacks on journalists. Officials have not released full details about the defendants or the specific charges as of the time of publication.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Leave me, I am trying to leave!” – Savanah Hernandez, during the altercation.
🎯 IMPACT: Minneapolis was the center of far-left protests during ICE operations in Minnesota, with two leftists being killed while interfering with federal agents or, in one case, trying to run down an agent with a vehicle. The far left agitators are believed to have been funded by a massive underground fraud network. Over 10,000 illegals were arrested in the Minneapolis before the operation was wound down.

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A federal grand jury has indicted two people over an assault on Turning Point USA reporter Savanah Hernandez, while she was covering a protest outside an ICE facility in Minneapolis.

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Florida House Advances Redistricting Bill.

State lawmakers in Florida’s House of Representatives have passed a redrawn congressional map which could give Republicans a significant edge in upcoming midterm elections.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Florida’s House of Representatives has approved a redrawn congressional map. The redistricting proposal could provide Republicans with four additional seats in the U.S. Congress come the November midterms.
📺 DETAIL: On Wednesday, Florida’s House of Representatives approved a redrawn congressional map. Proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis (R), the redistricting measure redraws areas in Orlando, Tampa, and south-eastern Florida. The proposal will reduce the number of Democrat-leaning areas while boosting Republican representation. The scramble to redistrict Florida was sparked after voters in Virginia narrowly approved a redistricting proposal that favors the Democrats.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Based on the testimony that we’ve heard in the two various Committees, I believe that there is a likelihood that that map will be upheld against legal challenges.” – State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-FL).
🎯 IMPACT: After being approved by the state’s House of Representatives, the proposal moves to the Florida Senate, where the Republicans have a substantial majority. Florida’s redistricting measure mirrors similar efforts in other states besides Virginia. In California, a redrawn congressional map favoring the Democrats was passed earlier this year. Similarly, a new congressional map favoring Republicans was introduced in Texas. Notably, these moves come as the Supreme Court voted 6-3 on Wednesday to limit provisions of the Voting Rights Act that previously required some states to create majority-minority districts favoring Democrats.

Image by F McGady.

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State lawmakers in Florida's House of Representatives have passed a redrawn congressional map which could give Republicans a significant edge in upcoming midterm elections.

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By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.