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Tuesday, April 7, 2026

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October 17, 2025
Election Integrity
News

Smartmatic Charged with Money Laundering, Bribing Election Officials.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors charged Smartmatic with money laundering and bribing Philippine election officials.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Smartmatic, co-founder Roger Piñate, and Philippine election official Juan Andrés Donato Bautista.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Payments were made between 2015 and 2018, related to the 2016 Philippine presidential election.

🎯IMPACT: Raises questions about election integrity and corporate influence.

IN FULL

On Thursday, federal prosecutors charged Smartmatic, a controversial voting technology company, with money laundering and bribing Philippine election officials with $1 million. The allegations relate to payments Smartmatic allegedly made to win a contract with the Philippine government for managing the 2016 presidential election and to ensure prompt payment for its services. These transactions reportedly took place between 2015 and 2018.

In 2024, three former Smartmatic executives, including co-founder Roger Piñate, faced charges, though the company itself was not initially named as a defendant. Prosecutors also claim Piñate bribed a high-ranking Venezuelan election official with a luxury home in Caracas in exchange for political favors.

In the Philippines, Piñate faces charges in a $1 million bribery scheme involving overpriced voting machines, with the surplus funds allegedly channeled into secret accounts to bribe election official Juan Andrés Donato Bautista.

Smartmatic has sued multiple American news outlets for their reporting on allegations that its voting machines were used improperly during the 2020 elections, with Democrat megadonor and Epstein Island visitor Reid Hoffman funding the lawsuits. Previously, liberal plutocrat George Soros recruited a Smartmatic chairman to serve as president of his Open Society Foundations organization.

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30 minutes ago
War

Police Kill Three Gunmen Outside Israeli Consulate.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Police killed three gunmen during a firefight outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, which left two security officers severely wounded.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Turkish police, three gunmen, and two security officers were involved, with the Israeli foreign ministry monitoring the situation.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on Tuesday morning outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul’s Besiktas District.

💬KEY QUOTE: Turkey’s interior minister stated that one suspect had “ties to an organization that exploits religion.”

🎯IMPACT: The attack comes amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has seen several retaliatory terrorist attacks primarily against Jewish targets primarily in Europe and the United States.

IN FULL

Three gunmen engaged in a firefight with Turkish police and security officers outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul early Tuesday, with all three attackers being killed in the exchange. Two security officers were wounded as well. The attack occurred in the Besiktas District of Istanbul, where the consulate has been closed for at least two years and was reportedly unstaffed at the time.

Footage shared online shows a police officer drawing his weapon and taking cover as gunfire erupted. One individual was seen covered in blood during the chaotic scene.


Following the attack, the Turkish interior ministry revealed that the attackers had been identified and at least one had “ties to an organization that exploits religion.” Meanwhile, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed it is examining reports of the incident and that the consulate was not staffed.

The attack comes amid the ongoing Iran war, which has seen the United States and Israel conduct extensive military strikes against the Islamist regime since late February. Since the start of the conflict, there have been several attacks against Jewish targets by Islamist terrorists in retaliation for the military strikes against the Iranian regime.

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1 hour ago
Politics

Runoff to Fill Marjorie Taylor Greene’s House Seat is Underway.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Voters in northwest Georgia’s 14th Congressional District will decide a special runoff election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned from Congress.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Army brigadier general, and Republican Clay Fuller, a district attorney with President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The special runoff election is taking place on Tuesday in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District.

🎯IMPACT: The outcome will affect the closely divided U.S. House, where Republicans hold a slim majority.

IN FULL

Voters in Georgia‘s 14th Congressional District will head to the polls today to decide the winner of a special runoff election, following a March 10 contest in which none of the 17 candidates captured a majority of the ballots cast. Tuesday’s runoff election features Republican candidate Clay Fuller—a district attorney backed by President Donald J. Trump—squaring off against Democrat candidate Shawn Harris, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general. In the March race, Harris finished in first place with 37 percent of the vote, while Fuller came in second with nearly 35 percent.

The winner of Tuesday’s election will serve out the remaining few months of former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s term, who resigned from Congress this past January. Both Harris and Fuller are also seeking their respective party’s nomination in the May 19 primary to run for the seat in November’s congressional midterm election.

Georgia’s 14th Congressional District is considered a safe Republican seat, with a partisan rating of R+19—meaning GOP candidates typically win by nearly 20 points in most elections. President Trump captured 68 percent of the district’s vote in the 2024 presidential election. Still, a surprise upset could cause significant problems for House Republicans, who narrowly hold the lower chamber with a 217-214 majority.

Harris has raised significantly more funds than Fuller, with $6.4 million compared to Fuller’s $1.3 million. However, Trump’s endorsement is expected to bolster Fuller’s campaign, given the President’s strong support in the district. Turnout in special elections and runoffs is typically low, which could play a crucial role in determining the final outcome.

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1 hour ago
William Upton
War

U.S. Hits Dozens of Targets on Iran’s Kharg Island.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. military on Tuesday struck around 50 military targets on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub for the Islamist regime located in the northern Persian Gulf.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. military, President Donald J. Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The strikes targeted military sites on Kharg Island on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “My understanding, having talked to Pete [Hegseth] and General [Dan] Caine about this, is that we were going to strike some military targets on Kharg Island. I believe we have done so.” — Vice President Vance

🎯IMPACT: The strikes, which avoided hitting oil facilities on the island, came just hours before an 8:00 PM deadline set by President Trump for the Iranian regime to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face a devastating bombing campaign against its energy and transportation infrastructure.

IN FULL

The U.S. military on Tuesday struck around 50 military targets on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub for the Islamist regime located in the northern Persian Gulf. Notably, the strikes, which avoided hitting oil facilities on the island, came just hours before an 8:00 PM deadline set by President Donald J. Trump for the Iranian regime to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face a devastating bombing campaign against its energy and transportation infrastructure.

“My understanding, having talked to Pete [Hegseth] and General [Dan] Caine about this, is that we were going to strike some military targets on Kharg Island,” Vice President J.D. Vance said during a press conference in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday, confirming the strikes. He continued, “I believe we have done so. The President’s deadline has been followed by us and everybody else, and he said very clearly, we’re not going to strike energy and infrastructure targets until the Iranians either make a proposal that we can get behind or don’t make a proposal. He’s given them until Tuesday at eight o’clock, so I don’t think the news on Kharg Island represents a change in strategy.”

President Trump has repeatedly floated the possibility of either seizing control of Kharg Island and its oil storage and export facilities or destroying its energy infrastructure entirely. Early on in the conflict with Iran, a handful of military sites on the island were targeted, though those strikes appeared to be limited in scope.

The National Pulse reported earlier Tuesday morning that President Trump had warned the Iranian regime’s political and military leaders that if they do not agree to a deal on reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”  He speculated on the possibility of a “revolutionarily wonderful” outcome through what he called “Complete and Total Regime Change,” suggesting that new leadership in Iran could lead to positive developments.

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2 hours ago
War

Vance Backs Trump’s Iran Ultimatum.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President J.D. Vance backed up President Donald J. Trump’s warning to Iran, confirming an 8 PM EST deadline for the Islamic Republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the Iranian government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on Tuesday morning and afternoon; the situation pertains to Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We feel confident we can get a response, whether it’s positive or negative, we’re going to get a response from the Iranians by 8:00 tonight.” – J.D. Vance

🎯IMPACT: The Trump administration is applying pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump warning a “whole civilization will die tonight” if it does not.

IN FULL

Vice President J.D. Vance has backed President Donald J. Trump’s ultimatum to Iran to agree to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8:00 PM EST. “We feel confident we can get a response, whether it’s positive or negative, we’re going to get a response from the Iranians by 8:00 tonight,” said Vance, adding, “I hope they make the right response.”

The Vice President’s support for the President’s ultimatum was issued alongside a reminder that the administration has several “tools in our toolkit” remaining and that President Trump could use them if Iran did not agree to the terms set out by the U.S.

Notably, the Vice President made no mention of nuclear weapons. In response to a post on X (formerly Twitter) suggesting Vice President Vance’s comments implied support for using nuclear weapons against Iran, the White House said, “Literally nothing [Vice President Vance] said here ‘implies’ this, you absolute buffoons.”

President Trump has warned that Iran’s “civilization will die tonight” if the country does not agree to open the Strait of Hormuz, which the Islamic Republic has blockaded since shortly after the war began in late February.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding, “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”

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2 hours ago
News

Trump Blasts Tucker as ‘Low-IQ’ Over Iran War.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump blasted former Fox host Tucker Carlson.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump and commentator Tucker Carlson.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements made on Tuesday in a phone call with the New York Post.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Tucker’s a low IQ person that [sic] has absolutely no idea what’s going on.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Highlights a growing rift between Trump and Carlson over foreign policy and the MAGA movement.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has called conservative commentator Tucker Carlson a “low IQ person,” adding: “[he] has absolutely no idea what is going on.”

“He calls me all the time; I don’t respond to his calls. I don’t deal with him. I like dealing with smart people, not fools,” Trump told the New York Post on Tuesday.

Carlson had made an assertion in a Monday night post on X, where he linked President Trump’s Truth Social post about potential U.S. action against Iran to the risk of nuclear war. Carlson wrote, “Christians need to understand where Trump is taking us,” and urged personnel to resist any such orders.

In his podcast, Carlson further elaborated, stating, “Those people who are in direct contact with the President need to say, ‘No, I’ll resign. I’ll do whatever I can do legally to stop this, because this is insane, and if you give the order, I’m not carrying it out. Figure out the codes on the football yourself.’”

The relationship between Trump and Carlson has been strained in recent months, particularly after Carlson criticized the U.S.-Israeli campaign earlier this year, a move Trump described as evidence that Carlson “lost his way” and no longer belonged in the MAGA movement.

The pair have previously been close, with Trump counter-programming a GOP debate night by sitting for an interview with Carlson. Carlson was a frequent White House guest in Trump’s first year of his second term, and the pair have often spoken on the phone.

The move rings similar to when Trump fell out publicly with his then Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon in his first term, again egged onto the dispute by his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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3 hours ago
Media
TECH

Apple News is Number One for Left-Wing Bias Among Top Four News Apps.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Apple News featured more left-leaning stories than any other major news app in March, according to a study by MRC.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Apple News, MRC Free Speech America, and major outlets categorized by AllSides media bias ratings.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 2026, Apple News platform.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Apple News just took the crown from Yahoo as the most radical news app, even after the FTC delivered an official warning to the company.” – Dan Schneider, Vice President of MRC Free Speech America

🎯IMPACT: Apple’s bias raises concerns as it comes preinstalled on millions of devices, influencing a vast audience by default.

IN FULL

Research by MRC Free Speech America shows that Apple News promoted more stories from left-leaning outlets than any other top news app during March 2026. Throughout March, Apple News featured stories from left-leaning outlets in 434 of the 592 articles that appeared in the top 20 positions of its morning editions. This is higher than Yahoo News (400 left-leaning stories), Google News (382), and Microsoft’s MSN (226).

The study uses AllSides media bias ratings to classify the political slant of the outlets. Notably, Apple News gave very little space to right-leaning outlets, running just five such articles in March—down from an already low eight the previous month. By comparison, Yahoo News carried 70 right-leaning pieces, MSN ran 58, and Google News featured 12.

Dan Schneider, Vice President of MRC Free Speech America, said the results were striking: “Apple News just took the crown from Yahoo as the most radical news app, even after the FTC delivered an official warning to the company. I think Tim Cook is sending a clear message to President Trump and to Chairman Ferguson: Apple is far more interested in pushing radicalism than in providing Americans with balanced news.”

The app heavily favored outlets such as The Guardian, Vox, The Atlantic, and The New York Times for its lead stories. Michael Morris, Director of MRC Free Speech America, commented: “Apple News did more than just double down on its leftist bias in March. The app’s poor showing in February, promoting only 2% right-leaning outlets, versus a reduction to less than 1% from right-leaning outlets in March, highlights Apple’s blatant ideological bias. Despite FTC scrutiny and MRC’s exposure, it’s the worst among the Big Four News Apps. Americans deserve a fairer news distributor.”

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4 hours ago
William Upton
Politics
War

Iranian House Democrat Wants to Impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) announced early Tuesday that she will introduce articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, alleging he is aiding in the commission of war crimes against civilian targets in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Sec. Pete Hegseth, President Donald J. Trump, House Democrats, and House Republicans.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ansari announced her impeachment push in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) early Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “As a chief enabler of this illegal war, Pete Hegseth is responsible for directing this insane military action against Iran, which has already killed thousands of civilians, led to the unnecessary deaths of American service members, and displaced over a million people in the region.” — Rep. Ansari

🎯IMPACT: House Democrats have attempted to impeach Hegseth before, via a push based on false reports that the Secretary of War ordered a secondary strike on cartel operatives aboard a drug boat who had survived an initial attack.

IN FULL

Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) announced early Tuesday that she will introduce articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, alleging he is aiding in the commission of war crimes against civilian targets in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Arizona Democrat lawmaker cited President Donald J. Trump’s threat to hit Iranian power plants, desalination plants, and bridges if the Islamist regime does not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8:00 PM EST tonight.

“What we have seen out of the Trump administration over this weekend has been absolutely horrifying,” Rep. Ansari—the child of Iranian immigrants—said in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter). She continued, “The threats against Iranian civilian infrastructure and the entire country of Iran are unreal and apocalyptic… Iran is a country of 90 million people. Threatening them with annihilation is a monstrous war crime.”

“As a chief enabler of this illegal war, Pete Hegseth is responsible for directing this insane military action against Iran; which has already killed thousands of civilians, led to the unnecessary deaths of American service members, and displaced over a million people in the region,” Ansari added. “That’s why I’m introducing articles of impeachment against Hegseth for repeatedly violating his oath of office and the Constitution, including the disregard of Congress and the willful targeting of civilian infrastructure in Iran.”


Notably, this is not the first time House Democrats have attempted to impeach Trump’s Secretary of War. The National Pulse reported last December that Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth, citing false reports alleging that the Secretary of War ordered a secondary strike on cartel operatives aboard a drug boat who had survived an initial attack.

Thanedar’s impeachment push gained little traction, and the articles were never adopted.

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5 hours ago
News
UK

Kanye West Banned From Entering Britain.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Kanye West was blocked from entering Britain due to controversy over his anti-Semitic remarks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Shabana Mahmood and Kanye West, also known as Ye.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was made recently as West was planning to headline the Wireless Festival in London in July.

💬KEY QUOTE: Sources have confirmed the Government blocked his entry.

🎯IMPACT: The decision came after calls to ban West over his past anti-Semitic actions.

IN FULL

British authorities have blocked Kanye “Ye” West from entering the United Kingdom, citing his past anti-Semitic remarks. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood—roughly equivalent to the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary—played a role in the decision to refuse him entry, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticized Wireless Festival for inviting him to headline an event in London.

Starmer’s government had come under mounting pressure from Members of Parliament (MPs) and Jewish organizations to stop West from entering the country, due to incidents including his release of a song titled “Heil Hitler” and the sale of a swastika T-shirt on his website.

Sources have confirmed that West’s application for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) has been rejected, preventing him from entering Britain.

Corporate sponsors, including Pepsi, had attempted to force West out of the festival by withdrawing support, but its organizers initially stood by him, saying, “Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing, divisive world.”

West previously apologized for anti-Semitic remarks, blaming them on bipolar disorder.

Image by Jason Persse.

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5 hours ago
News

Trump Threatens: ‘A Whole Civilization Will Die Tonight… Maybe Something Wonderful Can Happen.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Donald Trump posted a message on Truth Social threatening Iran’s leaders for failing to negotiate.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump and the leaders of Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The post was made on Truth Social, with reference to events occurring tonight.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Responses have ranged from calling Trump a bluffer, to accusing him of threatening a massive genocide.

IN FULL

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to express his thoughts on what he describes as a pivotal moment in Iran’s history. In his post, Trump mentioned the potential end of an era marked by “47 years of extortion, corruption, and death.”

He speculated on the possibility of a “revolutionarily wonderful” outcome due to what he referred to as “Complete and Total Regime Change,” suggesting that new leadership in Iran could lead to positive developments.

Trump’s post conveyed a sense of urgency and importance, as he stated, “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World.”

While expressing his hope for positive change, Trump acknowledged the potential for irreversible consequences, stating, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

He concluded his message with a blessing for the Iranian people, “God Bless the Great People of Iran!” signalling his support for the nation’s citizens amidst these changes.

Still, the President’s post has caused uproar from commentators, with some suggesting his post amounts to threatening a massive genocide, and others simply claiming he has failed to negotiate with Iran’s new leaders, despite signaling just weeks ago that a deal was on the table.

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19 hours ago
News

Festival Chief Defends Booking Kanye West as UK Govt Weighs Entry Ban.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The managing director of Wireless Festival in London, England, defended the decision to have Kanye West as a headliner, despite a push to bar him from the country over previous anti-Semitic remarks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kanye West, Festival Republic’s managing director Melvin Benn, Jewish groups, British government officials and lawmakers, and festival sponsors.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wireless Festival, scheduled for July, held in Finsbury Park, London.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world.” – Melvin Benn

🎯IMPACT: Sponsors have pulled out, Jewish groups have criticized the decision, and the British government is reviewing West’s visa eligibility.

IN FULL

The managing director for Wireless Festival, an annual hip-hop festival held in London, England, has responded to mounting pressure from British lawmakers, Jewish groups, and corporate sponsors to disinvite rapper Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, for previous anti-Semitic remarks. “Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world,” said Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, the company organizing Wireless Festival, which is scheduled for July later this year.

Benn’s response comes as the British government considers whether or not to allow West into the country. The decision to invite West as a headline act has been heavily criticized by British Members of Parliament (MPs), including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as well as various Jewish organizations, including the Campaign Against Antisemitism and the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

West caused controversy following several anti-Semitic episodes, such as releasing a song called “Heil Hitler,” wearing and selling T-shirts featuring the Nazi swastika, identifying as a Nazi, and announcing that he was going “death con 3 on Jewish people”. West has since apologized, attributing his behavior to bipolar disorder.

Festival Republic’s response comes after several major sponsors of the event, including Pepsi, Diageo, and PayPal, said they would withdraw their support after West was announced as a headline act.

Image by Jason Persse.

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