A Dutch-Israeli PVV MP named Gidi Markuszower will not become the Minister of Asylum and Migration in the cabinet of Prime Minister Dick Schoof, due to a failure to pass the security screening. Meanwhile, a former PVV MP who once argued for abolishing all foreign aid will become Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Aid.
In other news, a U.S. Navy submarine arrived in Guantanamo Bay a day after a fleet of Russian warships sailed into Havana Bay.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, Insubria, JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Inflation in Spain Rises to 3.6% in May, Driven by Housing Costs
Inflation in Spain increased to 3.6% in May, driven primarily by the cost of housing, transport, and fuel. This rise, reported by the National Statistics Institute on Thursday, aligns with market expectations but is higher than April’s 3.3%.
Housing inflation saw a significant increase of 1.2 points, reaching 5.2%. This was largely due to a spike in electricity prices, which had dropped in May 2023 but surged in May this year. Transport inflation also rose to 3.8%, fueled by a smaller decline in fuel prices compared to the previous year. Additionally, inflation in hotels, cafes, and restaurants edged up by 0.7%, while clothing and footwear inflation jumped by 2.3% due to strong demand for new spring-summer collections.
Conversely, the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages fell to 4.4%, thanks to a slowdown in meat and fruit prices compared to May 2023. Prices for fats and oils also saw a deceleration.
Year-on-year core inflation was at 3%, matching market expectations and slightly up from April’s 2.9%. Month-on-month inflation for May was 0.3%, down from 0.7% in April, in line with analyst forecasts.
Despite the uptick in inflation, Spain is projected to experience robust economic growth. The European Commission forecasts economic activity in Spain to grow by 2.1% in 2024 and 1.9% in 2025, driven by domestic demand and a resilient labor market. The Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) is expected to bolster investment growth.
The European Commission also predicts that headline inflation will continue to decline as underlying price pressures moderate. The general government deficit is expected to decrease due to favorable revenue developments and the phasing out of energy-related measures. The debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to gradually decline to 104.8% in 2025 from 105.5% in 2024.
Southern Europe’s major economies—Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal—are anticipated to drive much of Europe’s growth, spurred by rebounds in the tourism and hospitality sectors and increased employment. However, challenges remain, such as economic uncertainty and high debt-to-GDP ratios in countries like Greece.
Valentina Meliciani, a professor of applied economics at Luiss University, commented on the region’s economic landscape: “For the four—Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal—there are certain things that are true, such as a renewed sense of financial stability and the stabilisation of bond spreads. But when it comes to economic growth, there are some differences. Italy has not been able to stabilise its debt.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jobless Claims in the U.S. Reach 10-Month High
The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits surged to a 10-month high last week, suggesting that the labor market may be weakening under the pressure of high interest rates.
Unemployment benefit applications for the week ending June 8 increased by 13,000 to 242,000, up from 229,000 the previous week, according to the Labor Department’s report on Thursday. This figure significantly exceeded analysts’ expectations of 225,000 new claims.
The four-week average of claims, which mitigates some of the week-to-week volatility, rose to 227,000, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week.
Overall, 1.82 million people were collecting jobless benefits during the week ending June 1, an increase of 30,000 and the highest number since early this year.
Weekly unemployment claims are considered a proxy for the number of U.S. layoffs in a given week and an indicator of future job market trends. Despite the recent increase, claims have remained at historically low levels since the massive job losses triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Remarkably Lopsided”: NYT Bestseller Bias Laid Bare
After a March tweet by Elon Musk decrying the New York Times bestseller list as “pure propaganda” after the outlet was forced to admit in court that it’s not a ranked list, The Economist decided to see if there was any merit to longstanding claims of bias against conservative authors.
They found, of course, that there is.
The Economist compiled Bookscan data over a 12-year period and built a statistical model to predict the likelihood of books appearing in the NYT’s weekly “hardcover non-fiction” and “advice, how-to, and miscellaneous” rankings. The model considered books from publishers that identify as politically right of center.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After a recent shooting killed a 17-year-old student, Seattle’s Garfield High School may be rethinking its decision to remove police officers back in 2020.
On June 6, a 17-year-old student was shot and killed in the school parking lot after trying to break up a fight between two boys. Police report that the suspect fled on foot and still remains on the run.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A pro-Palestinian group has shared propaganda video of demonstrators’ antisemitic vandalism at the homes of the Brooklyn Museum’s director and board members — and vowed to return for more.
“YOU TAKE PEACE FROM THE PEOPLE, WE TAKE PEACE FROM YOU,” wrote the group Palestine Action US in an Instagram post Thursday morning.
“WE WILL BE BACK,” the group added alongside footage of blurred agitators spraying blood-red paint across the front of Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak’s home, and hanging signs accusing her of being a “white-supremacist Zionist” complicit in genocide.
Pasternak was one of several Brooklyn Museum leaders whose NYC homes were defaced Tuesday night.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An Arizona man allegedly plotted to gun down black people at an Atlanta Bad Bunny concert in an attempt to spark a race war ahead of the presidential election, according to federal prosecutors.
Mark Adams Prieto, 58, was indicted Tuesday nearly a month after he was arrested over the alleged plot, in which he planned to murder as many black people as he could with semi-automatic rifles he’d bought through cash deals or trades to avoid detection from gun regulators.
He was outed after a source he’d recruited to participate in the massacre notified FBI agents, leading to a months-long investigation tat ended after he attempted to recruit an undercover agent to join the mass shooting, according to an affidavit obtained by NBC News.
“Prieto believes that martial law will be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting should occur prior,” the source told the FBI Phoenix, according to the affidavit, adding that he was “ready to kill a bunch of people.”
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
It has been revealed that Joe Biden’s ghostwriter admitted to deleting audio recordings from interviews with the president at least in part because of special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into whether he mishandled classified documents after leaving the Obama administration.
During an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation last year, Mike Zwonitzer said he “wouldn’t say” how much of his decision to delete the recordings was motivated by the fact that an investigation had been launched, but noted that getting rid of audio files after using them was “something I do as a rule anyways.” The transcript was released on Thursday morning by the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The WNBA is expected to lose tens of millions of dollars in 2024, coming as star Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark was snubbed from a spot on the Women’s Olympic team.
Two people with knowledge of the figures told the Washington Post that the WNBA and its teams are expected to lose around $50 million this year. During the 2018 season, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that on average, the WNBA has lost “over $10 million every year we’ve operated.” The WNBA is in its 28th season.
The WNBA reportedly took in between $180 and $200 million in the 2023 season. A WNBA team executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the outlet that “The truth is, this league would be hard-pressed to exist without the NBA.”
This comes as star player Clark contributed to higher attendance of games she has played at so far this season. According to Sportscasting, teams saw an 87 percent increase in ticket sales when the Indiana Fevers played than the opposing team’s home stadium. Her presence at games also accounts for 33.5 percent of the WNBA’s total attendance in 2024 so far.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Doubles Education Spending, Tragedy Ensues
There are few things I enjoy more about this job than writing a good “hilarity ensues” headline about the latest lefty absurdity, but when it comes to today’s Chicago Public Schools (CPS) absurdity, the only word that will do is “tragedy.”
Illinois Policy just issued a report showing that while CPS has doubled spending per student since 2012, grades are down by 60-80%, depending on the subject. “Just 1-in-4 CPS students can read or perform math at grade level,” the report says. “The percent of students enrolling in college after high school graduation is decreasing. And for those who do enroll, another study found many are struggling to finish college in four years — just 30% get their bachelor’s in four years compared to 47% nationally.”
By every other measure… there’s no other way to put this… CPS is falling apart.
In 2023, 26% of students in grades 3 through 8 across all of CPS could read at grade level and about 18% could do math proficiently. For 11th grade CPS students, only 22% could read at grade level and 19% do math proficiently.
CPS’ failure to engage students shows in the chronic absenteeism rate. Chronic absenteeism has skyrocketed.
According to ISBE data, 86.3% of teachers in CPS were rated as proficient or excellent in 2023, down from 91.4% in 2019. Yet many students in CPS are struggling to reach proficiency in core subjects.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Hitwoman Used Hijab Disguise in Botched Contract Killing: Report
A female hitman from Chicago used a hijab to disguise herself in a botched contract killing of a boutique clothing shop owner in England, prosecutors reportedly said.
Aimee Betro, 44 — who was at large as her accomplices were convicted in Birmingham court last week — donned the traditional Muslim head covering as she allegedly tried to take out her target on the street in September 2019, according to the UK Telegraph.
Betro slipped out of a Mercedes in suburban Birmingham and aimed a gun at victim Sikander Ali as he pulled up to his home in an Audi — but the weapon jammed, said prosecutor Kevin Hegarty.
“She walked quite calmly towards Sikander Ali and was pointing a gun at him at head height,” Hegarty told the court. “She pulled the trigger to fire the gun at him. Mercifully and luckily for him the gun jammed.”
Ali quickly reversed his car and managed to escape — but the bumbling assassin returned to the house the next morning, prosecutors said.
Betro, who was hired by Mohammed Nazir, 30, and his father Mohammed Aslam, 56, took a taxi back and allegedly fired three shots in the direction of the home.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Court Rules “Success Kid” Meme Use in Political Ad Does Not Qualify as Fair Use
When the Obama White House in 2013 used the “Success Kid” meme to promote, in posts on social media, the adoption of the Immigration Reform Bill — nobody clenched a fist, much less batted an eyelash to brand this PR strategy as a copyright violation.
However, the same can’t be said for the case of former Republican Congressman Steve King’s use of the meme (variations of which have been all over the internet for the past 15 or so years). But, when it made its way to one of King’s Facebook posts in 2020, the family of the child whose picture is used as a template sued on copyright grounds.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Defendant Samuel Woodward Takes Stand Over Alleged OC Hate-Crime Killing of Blaze Bernstein
SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) — With his legs shackled and extra security in place, Samuel Woodward took the stand Thursday for the first time in the trial accusing him of viciously murdering Blaze Bernstein in 2018 because of the Orange County teen’s sexual and religious identity.
Prosecutors have argued Woodward lured Bernstein to a Lake Forest park and stabbed him 28 times because he was Jewish and gay.
Woodward’s attorneys have already acknowledged his responsibility for the 19-year-old’s death. But they have focused on the reasons behind the killing, saying they are “not black and white.”
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
‘Destruction of Due Process’: Rand Paul Leads Dozens of Senators Condemning Trump ‘Show Trial’ in NY
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., led 28 other Republicans in a scathing rebuke of Attorney General Merrick Garland and the New York “show trial” against former President Trump.
“The conviction of President Trump in Manhattan is nothing short of the evisceration of the American judicial process,” the lawmaker wrote in a Wednesday letter. “In their zeal to imprison Donald Trump, Democrat prosecutors successfully dissolved the constitutional protections afforded to defendants and the barriers that protect every American from the abuses of arbitrary rule.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fani Willis Begs Court to Throw Out Trump’s Motion to Remove Her From His Case
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s Office filed a motion in Georgia’s Appeal Court on Wednesday to throw out former President Donald Trump’s motion to remove Willis from his Georgia 2020 election case, the New York Post reports.
Willis argued that she should be allowed to continue as lead prosecutor in the case because her secret lover Nathan Wade resigned as special prosecutor after Judge Scott McAfee decided in March that only one of them could remain on the case.
Trump’s legal team said the embattled district attorney’s motion is a “last ditch effort to stop any appellate review of DA Willis’ misconduct.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Far-Left Gaza Agitators Storm and Vandalize Cal State LA Building, Trap University President Inside
On Wednesday, far-left extremists and Gaza camp agitators occupied the student services building at California State University Los Angeles, causing significant property damage and leaving it trashed with graffiti. Multiple school university employees were trapped inside, including the school’s president.
Faculty members were ordered to shelter in place, which left employees trapped in their offices, per ABC7. The university president, Dr. Berencea Johnson Eanes, who allowed a Gaza encampment on campus, was trapped in her office after demonstrators moved to take over the building.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Blocks ATF Rule Expanding Definition of Gun Dealer
Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times
A federal judge in Texas has blocked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from implementing its new rule, which critics say dramatically expands the agency’s enforcement scope by redefining who is a gun dealer.
In his opinion handed down June 11, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk for the Northern District of Texas said the enforcement of the new rule relies on “highly problematic” presumptions that will “trigger civil or criminal penalties for conduct deemed lawful just yesterday.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The US attorney’s office is now prosecuting two alleged gang members over the death of a National Guard soldier in 2021 — after the state attorney refused to do so.
Chrys Carvajal, 19, was killed in Chicago on July 3, 2021 in a drive-by shooting as he was walking to his car while attending a Fourth of July party with his girlfriend.
Three years on from his killing, Gary ‘Gotti’ Roberson, 40, and Joseph ‘Troubles’ Matos, 41, are set to stand trial over his brutal slaying.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House GOP Subpoenas Biden’s Agency Heads Over ‘Potentially Partisan’ Get Out the Vote ‘Scheme’
15 Biden Cabinet officials have been sent subpoenas by the House GOP, asking for documents related to a voter mobilization “scheme” that allegedly stemmed from an executive order handed down by the Biden White House in 2021.
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), who chairs the Committee on House Administration, issued the subpoena to the 15 Biden Cabinet secretaries over the order. The executive order, Promoting Access to Voting, states, “Executive departments and agencies should partner with State, local, Tribal, and territorial election officials to protect and promote the exercise of the right to vote, eliminate discrimination and other barriers to voting, and expand access to voter registration and accurate election information,” per a report from Fox News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hunter’s Baby Mama Lunden Roberts Claims He Kept Drugs at Joe Biden’s Home, Slept With Her Friends
The mother of Hunter Biden’s estranged daughter has revealed that during her time in his inner circle, she witnessed a number of shocking behaviors, and that on at least on occasion, he nearly died from a drug overdose. Lunden Roberts explained that the first son kept a stash of drug paraphernalia “locked up” in President Biden’s Virginia home, and that Hunter often slept with her friends, including almost immediately after she told him she was pregnant with their child.
Roberts’ memoir, “Out of the Shadows: My Life Inside the Wild World of Hunter Biden,” is being published by Skyhorse, which is run in part by the Tony Lyons, the co-founder of American Values 2024, a super PAC and the primary supporter of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. It is set to hit shelves later this summer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Indiana and Mississippi Are Sued Over Online Age Verification Digital ID Laws
A group associated with big (and smaller) tech companies has filed a lawsuit claiming First Amendment violations against the state of Mississippi.
This comes after long years of these companies scoffing at First Amendment speech protections, as they censored their users’ speech and/or deplatformed them.
We obtained a copy of the lawsuit for you here.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
JD Vance Brings ‘Dismantle DEI Act’ to Eliminate Biden Admin’s Diversity Practices
Congressman Michael Cloud (TX) and Senator JD Vance (OH), along with twenty other members of Congress, have introduced the “Dismantle DEI Act.” The bill is aimed at eliminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and cutting federal funding for related activities in federal agencies, contractors, and educational institutions.
The bill responds to an adoption of DEI practices under the Biden Administration, which can prioritize factors like race over qualifications in employment and funding decisions. The proponents of the bill contend that these practices are both discriminatory and wasteful.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NASA Administrator Says ‘At Least a Trillion’ Other Planets Like Earth Could Exist in Universe
NASA has plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface in the near future. Next year, four astronauts will orbit the moon.
“We don’t need to go back to the moon just for the moon. We’re going back to learn new things. In order for us to go to Mars and beyond,” said Administrator Bill Nelson.
The Perseverance Rover is exploring the Jezero Crater on Mars, which was once a lake on the red planet. Scientists believe life may have existed there in the distant past.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Orca’ Activists Arrested in Front of Wall Street Bank Amid Protests Over New Fossil Fuel Investment
New York police arrested dozens of climate activists dressed as orcas Tuesday morning in front of the Citigroup headquarters as they protested the bank’s ongoing investment in fossil fuel expansion, according to group Climate Defenders.
“Arrests continue at [Citibank] because wanting corporations to put planet over profit is a crime,” activists wrote Tuesday morning on the social platform X.
That caption went out above a video of orca-clad protesters, their fins cuffed behind their backs, being escorted from in front of the bank’s glass-walled Manhattan office building.
“Banks like Citi set the planet (and oceans to boil),” the group added in another post. “Now we’re bringing the heat to Wall Street.”
Activists had blocked all the headquarters’ entrances as part of a second day of protests against the bank, temporarily preventing hundreds of employees from going to work.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sandy Hook Families File Request to Seize Alex Jones’ X Account as Part of Asset Liquidation
On Wednesday, families of the Sandy Hook massacre victims petitioned the bankruptcy court to seize Alex Jones’s X account as part of liquidating his assets. The families argued that Jones’s X account, which boasts more than 2.3 million followers, should be treated “no different than a customer list of any other liquidating business,” claiming that Jones uses the account to reach customers and gain profit.
This comes after Jones, who filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022, agreed to liquidate his assets in bankruptcy after failing to reach a settlement with the Sandy Hook families that would reduce the $1.5 billion he owes to the relatives of 20 students and six staff members killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Now, the families want the Houston, Texas judge to seize control of Jones’s social media accounts to ensure he is unable to start any new business ventures, claiming that Jones’s posts are a key part of the Infowars business being liquidated to pay his debts, per Reuters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Soros Prosecutor Sued Over Alleged Anti-Asian Racism, Deletion of Public Records
A former spokesperson for Pamela Price, a Soros-backed district attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area, is suing her past employer alleging that the prosecutor’s office perpetuated anti-Asian racism and deleted public records to avoid media scrutiny.
Patti Lee, who previously worked as a public information officer for Price’s office, alleges that she “experienced a clear anti-Asian sentiment” in Price’s office and that the top prosecutor chose “to hide, delete and change” public records to avoid complying with lawful requests, according to a court filing. The lawsuit claims that Lee was terminated because she is of Asian descent and because she refused to endorse the release of altered public records.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supreme Court Gives Starbucks Unanimous Win in Labor Dispute
The Supreme Court sided with Starbucks on Thursday in a labor dispute over reinstating workers.
In a unanimous vote, the Justices rejected a lower court ruling approving an injunction by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) which would have required the company to reinstate seven workers who were fired for trying to unionize — and brought a television crew into the store to broadcast their effort.
The 9-0 opinion in Starbucks Corp. v. McKinney was written by Justice Clarence Thomas, and found that the plaintiffs were bound by the traditional four-factor test for preliminary injunctions — which requires that they show a likelihood of success on the merits, likelihood of irreparable harm without the injunction, a favorable balance of equities, and that the injunction serves the public interest.
The court rejected the lower court’s more lenient “reasonable cause to believe” standard, which makes it easier to obtain preliminary injunctions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Survivor of CIA MK-Ultra Program Launches New Initiative to Fight Child Sex Trafficking
(LifeSiteNews) — A physician and survivor of sex abuse inflicted through the CIA program MK-Ultra has launched an initiative to fight sex trafficking by equipping communities to recognize where it occurs and providing the legal tools to combat it.
Dr. Juliette Engel, a former assistant professor of radiology who specialized in prenatal ultrasound, has told how she was born into a family of U.S. intelligence operatives who were “instrumental” in the transfer of hundreds of Nazi scientists to the U.S. under Project Paperclip. In 1955, at age six, she was sold by her parents to a fledgling MK-Ultra project, “an illegal program of mind control and experimentation signed into existence by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles in 1953,” as Dr. Engel explained. The project built upon the experiments from the Nazis imported to the U.S. in Project Paperclip.
Colonel Douglas Macgregor, who is involved in Dr. Engel’s anti-child trafficking initiative, has pointed out that a congressional investigation in 1975 “led to revelations that at least 80 American universities, colleges, hospitals,” along with private contractors engaged in MK-Ultra “subprojects involving mind control experimentation including forced administration of mind-altering drugs (particularly LSD), hypnosis, sensory deprivation, isolation, sexual abuse, and torture.”
It was in this horrific program, in which trauma and drugs are used to induce dissociation and amnesia, that Dr. Engel was subjected to government-sponsored child abuse, including sex abuse. It would come to inform her understanding of the government’s involvement in child sex trafficking as a whole.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The suspected Queens jihadist busted with an arsenal of weapons in his SUV was ordered held without bail on Thursday — as disturbing new details of the case emerged in court.
Judd Sanson, 29, was just blocks from La Guardia International Airport when he was stopped by alert cops early Wednesday morning — and nervously reached under the seat of his SUV during the first few tense moments of the encounter with the officers, prosecutors revealed.
They later found a loaded 9mm Glock pistol under the driver’s seat.
“Sorry, there is a lot of drunk people nowadays,” Sanson allegedly told the cops after they stopped him for having obscured license plates on the vehicle. “I live in Jamaica. I was visiting my uncle.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tesla Shareholders Vote to Reinstate Musk’s $56B Pay Package
Tesla shareholders on Thursday voted to reinstate CEO Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package that was voided by a Delaware judge and change the company’s state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas.
The EV-maker held its annual shareholder meeting on Thursday in Austin, Texas, and announced that shareholders approved Musk’s pay package, according to preliminary results announced by the company’s general counsel at the meeting. Additionally, shareholders voted to reincorporate Tesla as a business domiciled in Texas instead of Delaware.
Musk suggested earlier in the day that shareholders were set to approve the proposals, posting a graph on X, formerly Twitter, that showed the number of votes in favor for both proposals surging above a “guaranteed win” threshold in recent days. He wrote in a post on X, “Both Tesla shareholder resolutions are currently passing by wide margins! Thanks for your support!!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump, Youngkin Meet for First Time as GOP Eyes Winning Virginia in November
Former President Donald Trump and Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin met this week. They discussed efforts to flip Virginia red in the 2024 presidential election, Fox News Digital has learned.
A source with knowledge of the meeting told Fox News Digital on Thursday that Trump and Youngkin had discussed recent polling showing Trump neck-and-neck with President Biden in the Old Dominion State, after Biden won the state by 10 points in 2020. The meeting included discussions on how Trump can pull ahead of Biden as the election cycle further intensifies.
The pair also discussed the issues of energy, inflation and trade. The meeting is described as a first ever between the 45th president and Youngkin, who was elected governor in the state’s 2021 election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Has ‘Sort of a Pretty Good Idea’ of VP Pick, Will Probably Announce During RNC Convention
Former President Trump said he has “sort of a pretty good idea” of who his vice presidential running mate will be but will probably announce his selection during this summer’s Republican National Convention.
Trump spoke with Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie at the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the Republican National Committee on Thursday following meetings with the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
He was asked if his pick was present at any of the meetings.
“Probably. I don’t want to go, but I think (it) will probably get announced during the convention,” Trump said. “During the convention. There were some good people and, we have some very good people.”
The convention will be held from July 15-18 in Milwaukee. Trump said that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, could be on the short list.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Floats 20% Corporate Tax Rate in DC Meeting With CEOs: Report
Former President Donald Trump said Thursday during a meeting with top CEOs in Washington, DC, that he wanted to slash the corporate tax rate to 20% — hours after discussing trade and other policies with Republicans on Capitol Hill.
The presumptive 2024 Republican nominee held a private meeting with 80 executives to pitch the rate reduction, CNBC reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Holds 10-Point Lead Over Biden Among Arizona Voters Over 50: AARP Poll
A new survey conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons has revealed that Trump holds massive leads in the state over Biden, both among likely Arizona voters overall and in voters above the age of 50.
The AARP poll found that 45 percent of likely voters over the age of 18 said they would vote for Trump in a five-way race that included third-party candidates, while 37 percent said they would vote for Biden. Among likely voters over the age of 50, 49 percent said they would vote for Trump while 39 percent said they would vote for Biden.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Blasts Biden Over Russian War Ships Arriving Off the Florida Coast, ‘That’s Unthinkable’
During a presser after a meeting with the National Republican Senatorial Committee on Thursday, Donald Trump slammed the Biden administration’s handling of different issues, with one being that Russian ships have arrived off the coast of Florida near Cuba.
“We don’t want to see Russian ships right off the coast of Florida, which is where they are right now. That’s unthinkable,” Trump told reporters in the presser in a long list of problems he saw with the United States.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Wells Fargo Fires More Than a Dozen Employees for Faking Work: Report
Wells Fargo reportedly handed more than a dozen employees pink slips last month after an investigation found they were faking work.
Bloomberg first reported Thursday that, according to the bank’s disclosures to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the workers — all from the firm’s wealth and investment management unit — were “discharged after review of allegations involving simulation of keyboard activity creating impression of active work.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On the latest episode of the Re:Thinking podcast, host Adam Grant sat down with Justin Trudeau to discuss how the prime minister handles doing his job at a time when a majority of Canadians disapprove of how he’s running the country. He asked whether there were times that Trudeau thought about just giving up and stepping down as leader.
Trudeau noted that while the thought did cross his mind, it was during the time his marriage was falling apart that he truly considered quitting. In the end, he remained in power and his now ex-wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, left him.
The prime minister defended his admission that he thinks about quitting “approximately every day,” saying it was “part of a process” every person in a position of leadership should be engaged in. “You have to check that you’re up for it, that you’re all in every given day,” he said, emphasizing his belief that Canadians “deserve a leader that is focused on them with everything they have.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgian Beer Consumption Sinks to All-Time Low
Belgian brewers had a lousy 2023 as both consumption and export significantly dropped, despite the country’s reputation as a paragon of beer production.
Some 36 brewers were forced to close shop, while 23 new ones opened their doors, Belgium’s Federation of Beer Brewers reported.
At the end of 2023, Belgium had 417 breweries compared to 430 in 2022.
Together, the remaining brewers represent around 1,600 beer brands.
Belgians reportedly consumed 5.8 per cent less beer compared to the year prior, or “only” 6.5 million hectolitres. A hectolitre is equal to 100 litres.
While national consumption has been declining for years, that has traditionally been countered by increasing exports. Around 30 per cent of Belgian beer production is for the domestic market.
Exports also dropped last year — by almost 7.5 per cent on the year before.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Britain is Broken’: Farage Broadcasts Political TV Ad, and it’s Five Minutes of Silence
Brexit leader Nigel Farage debuted his party’s latest political ad on Thursday night, and broke with convention by broadcasting only one image with no sound for nearly five minutes.
Political advertisements on television are illegal in the United Kingdom, except for a handful of strictly regulated broadcast slots allocated to parties by the government known as ‘party political broadcasts’. The restrictive format prevents particularly well-funded parties from saturating the airwaves.
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China ‘Undermining Green Transition With Unfair EV Subsidies’
China is “undermining” Europe’s “green transition” with its “unfair” use of subsidies for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, the European Commission has claimed.
The statement came after the bloc slapped Chinese EV imports with tariffs of up to 38.1 per cent on June 12, with the measures to take effect in early July.
In a press release, the body justified its preliminary ruling on the issue by claiming that the measures were now needed to protect Europe’s green automotive sector from the “threat of economic injury”.
It also rejected the argument that imposing tariffs on Chinese green goods could hamper the European Union’s clean-energy transition, claiming instead that China’s allegedly “unfair” subsidising of its own green manufacturing sector was the real threat to Europe’s ability to move away from fossil fuels.
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Dutch-Israeli MP Fails Background Check and Will Not Become Asylum & Migration Minister
PVV parliamentarian Gidi Markuszower will not become the Minister of Asylum and Migration on the expected first Cabinet of Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Markuszower, who is a member of the far-right PVV party, failed the security screening conducted by Dutch civilian intelligence service AIVD. The disclosure about the Tel Aviv-born MP, who was once arrested for illegal possession of weapons, was made by PVV leader Geert Wilders on Thursday evening.
Their colleague, Marjolein Faber, will take Markuszower’s place. Markuszower was also expected to be named the PVV’s deputy prime minister. Wilders did not indicate whether Faber will also become deputy prime minister. The PVV leader has informed Cabinet formation talks leader Richard van Zwol of his decision.
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Dutch Lorry Drivers Threaten to Halt UK Deliveries Over Post-Brexit Border Delays
Dutch hauliers may stop transporting goods to the UK unless post-Brexit delays and driver conditions at border posts improve, warns Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN), the largest trade body for Dutch transport companies.
TLN, representing 5,000 Dutch transport companies, reports that drivers face average waits of over four hours in Britain due to new checks following the UK’s exit from the EU, with some waits extending up to 20 hours. The facilities provided during these waits are described as inadequate, often offering only water and lacking food and drink options.
“We are increasingly receiving reports from hauliers that their drivers no longer want to drive to the UK unless conditions improve,” the association stated in a report shared with the Guardian.
The report highlights issues since the introduction of border checks for plant and animal products on April 30. These checks, intended to prevent diseases from entering the UK, occur at designated border control posts near ports like Killingholme, Harwich, and Felixstowe. The largest facility is at Sevington, Ashford, which serves the Port of Dover despite being 22 miles away.
Elmer de Bruin, TLN’s international affairs manager, emphasized the poor conditions drivers face: “Sometimes these drivers are being held in a waiting room that is only a few square meters, and there is nothing there, only a bit of water, and not even a cup of coffee.”
Earlier this week, the Guardian reported an incident where an Italian lorry driver was held at the Sevington border post for 55 hours and instructed to walk over a mile to the nearest McDonald’s for food.
The TLN report also cites problems with border processes, including damage to plant imports due to careless handling by port staff, leading to significant financial losses for hauliers. For example, one TLN member reported €40,000 (£34,000) worth of plant products rejected by a UK customer due to damage during loading and unloading at a post. The Netherlands was the UK’s third-largest trading partner by imports last year, with over £65bn of goods transported. Plant and cut flower imports reached €2.1bn in the first three months of 2024.
TLN is calling for better training for inspectors and border staff and for drivers to be allowed to assist in loading and unloading. The report also demands more transparency from private border control post operators regarding checks.
De Bruin clarified that TLN is not against Brexit changes but seeks dialogue with the UK government to improve border conditions: “We’re not against the new border model — it’s here and we respect that — but we want to improve the supply chain, because in the end it is for the British consumer.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that they have been working closely with traders to ensure checks are efficient and that inspectors are trained to handle goods properly. They noted that their role is to provide water and toilets but no food and to expedite the process.
The British Ports Association expressed shared frustrations with hauliers and traders over new processes and urged the government to ensure border agencies are adequately resourced to meet targets for quick border checks.
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‘Everyone in AfD is a Nazi’, Claims BBQing Left-Wing Leader
Everyone actively involved in the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is a “Nazi”, according to Lars Klingbeil, the co-leader of the left-wing German Social Democratic Party (SPD).
The senior politician made the comment on June 12 while grilling a varied assortment of meats on the roof of German news outlet Die Welt as part of an interview-cum-cooking programme.
“The AfD is not a party that simply stands a little to the Right of the [Christian Democrats],” the apron-wearing politician said, adding that the SPD had no interest in working with the group.
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Exclusive: Maréchal ‘To Build Own Party’ After Reconquête Implodes in French Election Chaos
Marion Maréchal is to “build her own party” after the implosion of Reconquête in the run-up to France’s snap elections.
Speaking to Brussels Signal, a source close to the leader laid the blame for the party split on Reconquête leader Eric Zemmour, as well as his partner Sarah Knafo, a newly elected MEP.
The couple are accused of running a “humiliating” campaign against Maréchal over the course of the European Parliament elections. Maréchal was reportedly left short of funds and denied access to information technology needed by her team.
This campaign “backfired”, according to Maréchal’s camp. She “still won in the EU elections, despite their manoeuvres”.
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French and Spanish Police Conduct Terror Drills Ahead of 2024 Olympics
In preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, French and Spanish police conducted a joint simulated terrorist attack exercise named Operation Optimus. The exercise commenced in Bayonne, France, where assailants staged an attack before fleeing to San Sebastian, Spain, where they subsequently took hostages.
The national police forces of both Spain and France participated in this surprise drill aimed at enhancing their response capabilities. Overseen in Spain by the General Information Commissioner’s Office, the exercise involved multiple specialized units, including the Special Security Operations Groups (GOES), bomb disposal (TEDAX-NRBQ), and canine and forensic teams.
Coordination points were established in Paris, Bayonne, Madrid, and San Sebastian to ensure effective communication and operations between the two national forces.
For the upcoming Olympic Games, the French government has mobilized approximately 20,000 soldiers and over 40,000 police officers to ensure security. Additionally, around 2,000 troops and police officers from other countries will provide support.
The Summer Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympics.
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Fresh Blow for Rishi Sunak as Reform UK Overtake Conservative Party in Shock New Poll
The party, led by Nigel Farage who is standing in the Essex seaside constituency of Clacton-on-Sea, is polling at 19% — up two points.
According to the poll by YouGov for The Times, the Conservatives have stalled at 18%, while Labour is 19 points ahead at 37%. The Liberal Democrats were down one point at 14%.
Mr Farage, taking part in a seven-way debate, said in his introduction: “I am Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK.
Just before we came on air we overtook the Conservatives in the national opinion polls. We are now the opposition to Labour.”
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Gates Foundation Awards $4M Grant to Fund Digital ID Initiative
The Gates Foundation continues to bankroll various initiatives around the world aimed at introducing digital ID and payments by the end of this decade.
The scheme is known as the digital public infrastructure (DPI), and those pushing it include private or informal groups like the said foundation and the World Economic Forum (WEF), but also the US, the EU, and the UN.
And now, the UK-based AI and data science research group Alan Turing Institute has become the recipient of a renewed grant, this time amounting to $4 million, given by the Gates Foundation.
This has been announced as initial funding for the Institute’s initiative to ensure “responsible” implementation of ID services.
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Germany Blocks Progress on New EU Sanctions Against Russia
Germany is obstructing progress in negotiations on new EU sanctions against Russia, demanding the removal or replacement of a provision that holds company subsidiaries accountable for sanctions violations, according to Stuttgarter Zeitung.
Germany also seeks to ease restrictions on the use of Russia’s SPFS system for electronic financial transaction communications.
“Germany’s hesitations and requests for changes are the decisive reason why the sanctions plans have not yet been finalized,” the publication reports, citing diplomatic sources in Brussels.
The new sanctions package is intended to combat the “evasion” of existing restrictions. For the first time, it could introduce strict measures against Russian businesses involved in liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“The European Commission wants to ban the shipment of Russian LNG by sea from certain ports, including Belgium’s Zeebrugge, to third countries. Germany is concerned about measures that would complicate the circumvention of sanctions,” the article states.
Germany demands the removal of the clause concerning the liability of company subsidiaries if sanctions are violated, or at least limit this measure to certain goods. According to the media, Germany’s requirement stems from fears that German companies could be affected.
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German Defense Minister Advocates Reintroducing Mandatory Military Registration
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has proposed reinstating the system for selecting young men suitable for military service, which was suspended 13 years ago. The initiative aims to assess young people’s willingness and capability to serve in the army through a special questionnaire and medical examination.
According to the Deutschen Presse-Agentur, the Ministry of Defense plans to require all young men to complete the questionnaire, with an estimated 400 thousand candidates annually. Approximately a quarter of them are expected to express interest in army service.
Under the proposal, 40 thousand individuals would be selected each year from the pool of 100 thousand candidates to undergo training in the Bundeswehr, with service durations of six or twelve months.
While the proposal marks a significant step towards potentially reinstating mandatory military service in Germany, it faces opposition from some prominent politicians. Lars Klingbeil, co-chair of the SPD, recently voiced support for maintaining voluntary service.
The discussion surrounding the reintroduction of the draft comes amid considerations of Germany’s defense capabilities, with the Bundeswehr’s strength reduced to 181 thousand soldiers last year. The Ministry of Defense is contemplating this measure partly in response to geopolitical concerns, notably the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Pistorius has emphasized the importance of Germany’s preparedness for potential conflicts and the need to work closely with NATO allies to serve as a credible deterrent force.
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Influencer-Led Spanish Party Secures Three Euro MPs
New party Se Acabó la Fiesta (SALF) has scored a major victory on the European Parliament elections by winning three of Spain’s allotted seats.
SALF, which translates as “The party is over”, was founded by social media personality Luis Pérez Fernandez in early 2024 and now already rivals the Sumar party of Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz, who obtained the same number of MEPs.
SALF received almost 5 per cent of the votes in Spain, ahead of more consolidated parties such as the progressive Podemos, the former coalition partner of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist Party, and the separatist Junts per Catalunya party of Carles Puigdemont.
Fernandez, better known as Alvise, has been a controversial figure in Spanish politics, earning the praise of an online community of more than a million followers, and criticism from the Sanchez government.
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Italian Activist and New MEP Ilaria Salis ‘To be Released From House Arrest’ in Hungary
After being elected an MEP for Italy’s Green and Left Alliance, Italian left-wing activist Ilaria Salis will be released from detention in Hungary, authorities in the country have confirmed.
She had faced up to 11 years in jail for allegedly assaulting right-wing activists in Budapest in 2023.
As an MEP, Salis, a 39-year-old schoolteacher from Milan, will enjoy parliamentary immunity once her election is officially proclaimed.
Hungarian authorities said they would release her once that takes place, which her father Roberto Salis suggested could be in July when the new European Parliament sits.
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Italy’s ‘Reddest’ Town Falls to Civic List
Lamporecchio near Pistoia voted 75% PCI in 1980
A small town near Pistoia dubbed the “reddest” in Italy when the Italian Communist Party (PCI) polled over 75% there in 1980 prompting a visit by PCI leader Enrico Berlinguer will for the first time not have a mayor put up by a leftwing party.
Lamporecchio’s new mayor Anna Trassi is also the town’s first woman mayor.
She beat outgoing leftwing mayor Alessio Torrigiani by 50% to 31.92%.
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Italy: Pro-Palestinian Stumbling Stone Put at ANSA Bolzano Office
Clay plaque on ‘genocide’ placed at entrance to news agency
A stumbling stone, the metal plates inserted into streets and pavements to commemorate Jewish WWII deportees, was placed in front of the ANSA office in Bolzano overnight but this time it did not mark a Jewish deportee but instead the suffering and “genocide” of Palestinians since the inception of Israel in 1948.
The small clay plaque said “here we are planning the deaths of Palestinian men, women and children, victims of genocide and persecution since 1948.
13,000 children killed by bombs and hunger.
We had sworn, never again”.
The plaque was glued into place in Piazza delle Erbe alongside a traditional stumbling stone commemorating a Bolzano victim of the Holocaust, Auguste Freud, who worked in the building now housing ANSA and who was arrested and deported to Auschwitz in 1944, where she was murdered on May 23 that year.
The stumbling stone is situated at the entrance to the office of Italy’s leading news agency.
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Lithuanian Parliament Approves Conscription Reform
The Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, has adopted a significant conscription reform that will see 17-year-olds included in the conscription list and 18-to-22-year-olds called for military service ranging from three to nine months. The decision, made on Thursday, saw 85 MPs in favor, three against, and 14 abstaining.
Under the new law, young men aged 18 to 22 will be drafted after completing school, a slight adjustment from the existing conscription age of 18—23 years. Additionally, individuals aged 18 to 39 will be able to volunteer for enlistment in the Armed Forces.
At 17, young men will be required to contact the National Defence System institution responsible for conscription to provide necessary documents and contact details. They will undergo health checks and, if deemed fit, will be called up for service when they turn 18.
The reform also provides opportunities for those willing but unable to complete mandatory military service due to health issues. These individuals must declare their willingness to serve, and the chief of defense will decide the duration and form of their service.
The issue of deferring service while pursuing higher education was a major point of debate in the parliament. The Defence Ministry’s proposal to remove studying as an exception was not accepted. As a result, young men enrolled in higher education before being added to the conscription list can defer their compulsory military service for one study period.
Additionally, a proposal by the Freedom Party political group allows students to defer their service for an additional nine months after completing their short-term, bachelor’s, and master’s studies to prepare for the next level of education. However, the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence opposed this, arguing that the deferment period would be too long.
The reform offers varying lengths of military service—three, six, or nine months. Higher education students can fulfill their service by enrolling in the Junior Officer Command Training Program or the National Defence Volunteer Force, thus combining their service with their studies. Alternatively, they can pause their studies for regular service.
Furthermore, the Seimas extended the duration of alternative service from 10 to 12 months.
The reform, if signed by the president, will be implemented in stages starting from July until early 2026. Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas emphasized that these changes do not constitute universal conscription but will enable more young people to be called up for military service.
Last week, the Seimas initially backed plans to increase the number of conscripts from 4,240 to 7,040. The military estimates that up to 7,000 young men graduate from school each year and are fit for service.
Plans to reform military conscription in Lithuania were first announced in February 2023, with legislative proposals registered in August and approved by the government in December. Currently, about 4,000 conscripts are called up for mandatory military service annually.
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More Than Six in Ten Muslims Backed French Far-Left Party in EU Elections
The European Parliament elections saw over six in ten Muslims in France back the far-left party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who like other leading leftists in Europe has faced accusations of antisemitism and of cozying up to radical Islamists.
A study conducted by Ifop for the Catholic La Croix newspaper found that 62 per cent of Muslims voted for the La France Insoumise (France Unbowed/LFI) list in the European elections on Sunday in which the far-left party won nearly 2.5 million votes for a projected 9 seats in the European Parliament.
The LFI was distantly followed by the centre-left neo-liberal Place Publique party of Raphaël Glucksmann which received 8 per cent of the Muslim vote and then by President Macron’s Rennaisance and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, both of whom secured 6 per cent of the Muslim vote.
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NATO Takes Over Military Aid Programme for Ukraine
NATO will assume control over the co-ordination of arms deliveries to Ukraine from the US, the alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced.
“I expect that ministers will approve a plan for NATO to lead the co-ordination of security assistance and training to Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said ahead of a two-day meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels on June 13-14.
The announcement followed Hungary’s decision to drop its opposition to the Ukraine support package that NATO plans to finalise at its Washington summit in July.
That includes a financial pledge and the transfer of co-ordination of arms supplies and training to NATO.
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‘NATO Ready to Crack Down on Russian Spies,’ Chief Stoltenberg Says
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the organisation is prepared to go all-out against Russian spies following the latest acts of sabotage and cyberattacks on European Union Member States the organisation blames on Moscow.
He was talking at the beginning of the alliance’s meeting of EU defence ministers, which is taking place on June 13-14.
“We have seen several examples of sabotage, of arson attempts, of cyber-attacks, of disinformation,” he told attendees.
One of the main objectives of the meeting is to “address the Russian campaign of hostile activities against NATO allies.”
The NATO chief urged EU nations to intensify their campaign of reconnaissance and harassment of Russian spies on allied territory.
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Netherlands: Nearly 500 Explosive Attacks So Far This Year; Police, Mayors Plea for Help
There have been 496 explosive attacks on homes and businesses in the Netherlands up to June this year, the police reported on Thursday. That is more than double the 209 explosions in the same period of 2023. The police and Dutch mayors called for more help in tackling this growing crime, advocating for a European ban on the Cobra fireworks often used in these attacks, among other things.
In 2023, there were a total of 1,052 explosive attacks in the Netherlands, but the majority of them happened in the second half of the year.
Rotterdam and Amsterdam still experience the most attacks, but more and more explosions are also happening outside the Randstad, Jos van der Stap, an explosion expert at the police, told RTL Nieuws. “We also see it in other cities in Noord-Holland, but also in smaller cities in Groningen and Noord-Brabant. It occurs in all kinds of places.”
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Netherlands: Schoof I Cabinet Taking Shape; Wilders Meets With Far-Right Leaders Over EU Cooperation
The Schoof I Cabinet is increasingly taking shape as more names of candidates for Minister and State Secretary posts leak to the press. On Wednesday, PVV leader Geert Wilders met with far-right leaders in Brussels to discuss cooperation in the European Parliament.
Mona Keijzer confirmed that she would be the Housing Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for the BBB. Eppo Bruins told Nederlands Dagblad that he would be the Minister of Education, Culture, and Science for the NSC. Bruins was previously a parliamentarian for ChristenUnie, and party leader Mirjam Bikker expressed disappointment about his decision.
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Netherlands: New Coalition Focused on Here-and-Now, Not on Future or Rest of the World: PBL
The mainlines agreement of the new coalition focuses on the “here and now” and less on the future or the rest of the world, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) said in a reflection on the agreement concluded by the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB.
The PBL pointed out that major tasks “cannot be achieved within one Cabinet period.” There are also European agreements that require the Cabinet “to take significant steps to achieve these longer-term goals.”
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Netherlands: PVV MP Who Demanded End to Foreign Aid Will be Aid Minister; Last Minister Jobs Known
Former PVV parliamentarian Reinette Klever, who once argued for abolishing all foreign aid and using that money to scrap the healthcare deductible, is the far-right party’s candidate to become Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Aid, sources told NOS. The names of the candidates for all Minister positions have now leaked, RTL Nieuws reported. The candidates for a few State Secretary jobs are still unknown.
Klever, a business economist, was a PVV parliamentarian between 2012 and 2017, speaking on the topics of energy and healthcare. In a 2016 parliamentary debate, she argued in favor of scrapping development aid so that Netherlands residents no longer have to pay a healthcare deductible.
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Nigel Farage Ready to Lead Britain’s Right Wing With Collapse of Legacy Conservatives, He Says
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who appears to be at the inflection point of overtaking the centuries-old Conservative Party as the major party of the British right says he would even consider taking over the Tories and incorporating them into Reform.
Farage spoke to his former employer, the broadcaster LBC on Thursday morning as part of his ongoing media blitz promoting his candidacy to be elected to Britain’s parliament and looked forward to the likely fallout from July’s election. Per present polling the opposition leftwing Labour Party is on track to win an overwhelming victory and take control of the government.
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Poland: Sacked Pro-Putin Journalist Says He Has Nothing to Hide
A journalist sacked from Poland’s English-language news channel TVP World after giving interviews to Russian portal Sputnik and praising President Vladimir Putin says he was simply doing his job.
Adriel Kasonta said he had not hidden his views, worked at the channel only briefly and received no complaints about his work while there.
Kasonta was employed by TVP World in the spring as a reporter before some staff members alerted the channel’s hierarchy about what they had uncovered about him online. Kasonta’s contract was hurriedly dissolved.
In an interview he gave to Sputnik in February 2023, he praised Putin’s policies and called him a “remarkable” and “outstanding” leader when commenting on the Russian President’s “State of the Union” address earlier that year.
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Political Revolt Breaks Out Among French Right Ahead of General Election
Eric Zemmour, leader of the hard-right French party Reconquête, has dismissed newly elected MEP Marion Maréchal from the party while the centre-right Republicans have expelled their President, Eric Ciotti.
Both were ousted as chaos broke out across France ahead of the snap general election.
On June 12 Maréchal released a statement saying Zemmour had decided to present as many candidates as possible for a right-wing coalition proposed by National Rally (RN) de facto leader Marine Le Pen.
Maréchal baulked at the idea. “We reject the principle of divisive candidacies. We therefore call for support in all French constituencies for single candidates from right-wing coalitions,” she said.
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Shoving Contest Breaks Out in Italian Parliament
An Italian plenary debate over local autonomy degenerated into a shoving match on June 13.
The fighting broke out during discussions on a bill regarding “differentiated autonomy”, an issue dividing majority and opposition.
Trouble started when Leonardo Donno, an MP with the Five Star Movement, presented the Italian tricolour flag to regional affairs minister Roberto Calderoli, accusing him of breaking up the county.
Just prior to him doing so, Donno had been expelled from the chamber for being too loud in his opposition.
His actions then brought things to a boiling point and a shoving match ensued.
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Slovakia Restricts Protests and Enhances Security After Attempt on Robert Fico
The government of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has approved enhanced security measures nearly a month after an assassination attempt on the prime minister, including providing lifetime protection for high-ranking officials and restricting protests near their homes, Bloomberg reports.
Eastern Europe is still reeling from the May 15 shooting that left Fico seriously injured, marking the second assassination attempt on a European leader in over twenty years, Bloomberg reports.
Slovakia’s Defense Minister Robert Kalinak, the deputy prime minister who is overseeing the government during Fico’s recovery, promised that these measures would not impede the right to protest.
“Local authorities and police will not interfere with peaceful gatherings,” he told journalists in Bratislava today, June 12, after the government approved these measures.
The bill now needs to secure a majority in parliament. Despite calls from leaders to counter political attacks, tensions in Slovakia have intensified. The prime minister made his first public appearance since the attack in a video address on June 5, in which he reiterated the rhetoric of his allies, blaming the opposition and the media for creating conditions that led to the attack.
Under the new measures, prime ministers and parliamentary speakers who have served multiple terms—a condition designed specifically for Fico—will receive lifetime payments and protection. High-ranking officials, including opposition leaders, will also receive increased protection.
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Swiss Parliament Rejects ECHR Ruling on Climate Women’s Case
Swiss women, dubbed “climate seniors,” are dismayed by their parliament’s decision to defy a groundbreaking ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding climate change, as reported by BBC.
Having brought their case to the court in Strasbourg, France, the women argued that Switzerland’s insufficient response to climate change, particularly concerning extreme heat events linked to global warming, violated their right to health and life.
In a landmark decision in April, the court sided with the women and ordered Switzerland, which has struggled to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets, to take further action. However, Switzerland’s parliament voted to reject the ECHR’s ruling, contending that the country already possesses an effective climate change strategy.
Switzerland faces challenges in meeting its Paris Climate Agreement objectives, especially given the vulnerability of its Alpine climate to global warming. Despite concerns among citizens, polls indicate a rejection of the ECHR’s involvement, with many believing Switzerland is already doing enough to safeguard the environment.
Switzerland’s response to the ECHR ruling is pending, with the government expected to announce its decision in August. While parliament suggests non-compliance, the final say rests with the Swiss government.
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Three New Euro MPs Draw ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ Cards
Some fresh Members of the European Parliament breathed sighs of relief after being elected; at least three of them have seen their prosecutions halted.
Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) Petr Bystron is embroiled in a scandal where Czech intelligence services have accused him of receiving bribes from Russia.
In his native Germany, the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating him.
But, due to his election to the European Parliament, the hard-right politician will enjoy immunity. Bystron was MP in Germany although his immunity there was lifted in May. The Public Prosecutor’s Office will soon have to interrupt the alleged corruption investigation regarding Bystron, Der Spiegel reported. German investigators can only continue the proceedings against him if his newly earned EP immunity is revoked.
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UK: Oblivious Police Drive Straight Past ‘Blade Runners’ Cutting Down ULEZ Camera
Footage posted online shows two people — one holding the camera and one cutting down the camera with a power tool — on a well lit pavement in London.
Moments later the camera is turned to see a police car is filmed driving past on the road no more than 2 metres away.
The police do not appear to stop or notice the ‘Blade Runners’ in the video.
The cameras film vehicles as they enter Ulez areas and automatically issue fines if the car does not meet the environmental requirements for entry.
The ‘Blade Runners’ are an activist group that vandalise, take down and steal Ulez cameras across the capital.
Last year one member said the group was made up of more than 100 people and admitted that he had stolen 34 Ulez cameras.
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UK: Oxford University Cancels Exams as Pro-Palestine Protesters Storm Campus
Around half a dozen students were said to have taken over a building and began “chanting out the window” at the university’s East Writing School on Oxford high street.
People arriving to take a chemistry exam in the building on Thursday morning were instead faced with protesters draping a flag out the window.
One student told Cherwell, an Oxford student newspaper, that the group stayed in the building overnight.
Meanwhile, a second group of around 20 people were said to have attempted to enter later on.
The protests were organised by an autonomous group, Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P) said.
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The lies on border control and taxation from the UK Conservative party seem to be coming home to roost, with a poll finding a plurality of voters believe the party deserves total electoral oblivion.
The Conservative Party, governing the United Kingdom for the past 14 years, won back-to-back elections with promises of strident border control at voting time, but ultimately forgotten once returned to power.
Such astonishing betrayals, now impossible to hide and increasingly a matter of common conversation in Britain, are reflected in a Public First survey reported by The Daily Telegraph which found that 46 per cent agree the Tories “deserve to lose every seat they have”, an event that would be without parallel in 400 years of British political history.
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Biden Says No Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Soon, as Mediators Work to Bridge Gaps
U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday he doesn’t expect to seal a Gaza cease-fire deal in the near future, as an American-backed proposal with global support has not been fully embraced by Israel or Hamas.
Biden said international leaders had discussed the cease-fire at the Group of Seven summit in Italy, but when asked by reporters if a truce deal wound be reached soon, Biden replied simply, “No,” adding, “I haven’t lost hope.”
The Palestinian militant group responded to the proposal this week by offering changes, which it said aim to guarantee a permanent cease-fire and complete Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza. The proposal announced by Biden includes those provisions, but Hamas has expressed wariness whether Israel will implement the terms.
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G7 Agrees Provisional Deal on $50 Billion Ukraine Loan Using Frozen Russian Assets
Leaders from the G7 countries have reached a provisional agreement to utilize the profits from frozen Russian assets to secure a loan of approximately $50 billion aimed at providing financial aid to Ukraine. The agreement, outlined in a declaration seen by POLITICO, was struck as G7 leaders convened in Puglia, Italy, for a summit lasting three days.
According to the text of the declaration, the G7 intends to finance the loan with revenues derived from the immobilization of Russian sovereign assets held in Western countries. However, crucial details regarding the structure of the loan still need to be finalized, with technical discussions expected to continue until the end of the year.
“The exact details of how the loan will be structured are to be defined by the finance ministers by the end of the year,” a source from a G7 country familiar with the negotiations explained. The declaration sets a deadline of “the end of the year” for completing the agreement.
The United States has been pressing its European allies to find ways to provide financial support to Ukraine amidst concerns that potential changes in U.S. leadership could impact Western support for the country.
Under the agreed framework, each G7 member will independently channel its own loan to Ukraine through the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine (ERA), although specific terms and conditions are yet to be determined.
While the preliminary deal is expected to be discussed further by leaders, it is anticipated that no single G7 country will oppose it. The agreement comes after weeks of disagreement between the EU and the U.S. over whether to issue a single G7-wide loan or separate national loans to Ukraine using immobilized Russian assets.
Key issues of contention included guarantees for the loan and oversight of spending, particularly given Europe’s significant exposure to Russia’s sovereign assets.
The arrangement under discussion is seen as advantageous to European states, as it would not hold them liable for loans issued by the U.S. or other G7 nations, potentially easing concerns amid geopolitical uncertainties.
The agreement underscores efforts by Western nations to present a united front in supporting Ukraine, despite internal disagreements and external pressures.
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G7 Agrees on $50 Billion Loan to Support Ukraine With Russian Assets
To help Ukraine buy more weapons and rebuild damaged critical infrastructure, the United States and other Group of Seven nations agreed Thursday to provide a $50 billion loan to Kyiv this year to be repaid using interest generated by $300 billion worth of immobilized Russian funds.
The first of a three-day leaders’ summit in the Italian resort village of Borgo Egnazia also saw Washington sign a 10-year, nonbinding security agreement with Kyiv designed to help bolster the the war-torn country’s deterrence capabilities while putting it on track for eventual NATO membership — much to chagrin of Russia, which vehemently opposes neighboring Ukraine joining the world’s largest and most powerful military alliance.
Several other members of the U.S.-led coalition also clinched similar long-term security agreements with Ukraine, including Japan, which signed its own support deal with Kyiv the same day. These nations fear a recent battlefield push by Russia, particularly around Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, could reverse Ukraine’s hard fought territorial gains.
Kyiv, which has reportedly received White House permission to use U.S.-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia near the Kharkiv region, has repeatedly asked for increased international military and financial support as it struggles to repel the Russian invasion and awaits delivery of an additional $60 billion worth of U.S. weapons and munitions approved by Washington in April.
“We’re not backing down. In fact, we’re standing together against this illegal aggression,” U.S. President Joe Biden told a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Mozilla Reverses Its Block on Privacy and Anti-Censorship Tools in Russia
Firefox users in Russia can once again install several anti-censorship and pro-privacy extensions, after Mozilla told Reclaim The Net it has reversed its decision to block these add-ons. Previously, developers and users had reported that the extensions were unavailable, suspecting Mozilla, the developer of Firefox, was behind the block.
The extensions in question—Censor Tracker, Runet Censorship Bypass, Planet VPN, and FastProxy—had become unavailable in the Russian market. Initially, it was unclear whether Mozilla made the decision independently or in response to an order from authorities.
One developer from the team behind Censor Tracker had confirmed that the add-on had recently become unavailable in Russia but stated they were unsure why.
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US, Ukraine Sign 10-Year Security Agreement as G7 Gives Kyiv $50B Loan
The US and Ukraine signed off Thursday on a 10-year security agreement, with the leaders of the Group of Seven nations pledging to arrange a $50 billion loan, New York Post reported.
The security deal, signed by President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of a joint news conference on the sidelines of the annual G7 summit in southern Italy, will boost weapons-production cooperation, provide other military assistance and increase intelligence sharing.
The agreement also commits the Pentagon to another decade of training Ukraine’s armed forces.
The US also announced a fresh military aid package for Kyiv valued at $225 million, which includes “air-defense interceptors; artillery systems and munitions; armored vehicles; and anti-tank weapons,” according to the White House.
Funding for the package will come out of the $60 billion Congress allocated to Ukraine defense spending as part of a supplemental funding bill approved in April.
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Azerbaijan-EU Relations Strong Despite ‘Unhelpful’ France, Baku Says
Relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union remain strong despite the “unhelpful” interventions of France, a senior Baku official said.
Hikmet Hajiyev, the chief foreign policy advisor to President Ilham Aliyev, told Brussels Signal that Azerbaijan was interested in furthering its co-operation with the EU and NATO, especially ahead of the country’s COP29 summit in November.
He did express dissatisfaction with French interference in the region, arguing that Paris had been acting “counterproductive” to peace in the region by arming Armenia.
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Macron Announces Suspension of Electoral Reform in New Caledonia
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the suspension of electoral reform in the country’s overseas territory of New Caledonia, which sparked civil unrest on the archipelago last month, reports Le Figaro.
According to Macron, he is halting the electoral law project in New Caledonia, which was supposed to allow residents who have lived there for 10 years to vote in local elections, to “give full strength to local dialogue and restore order.”
The project still needed to be passed by the French Parliament in a session scheduled before June 30. However, the head of state effectively cannot convene a National Assembly session since their dissolution, which Macron announced on Sunday.
Recently, it was reported that commercial flights have resumed to the French Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia, where there has long been an uncertain situation due to the unrest.
The unrest in New Caledonia began due to the electoral reform, which local pro-independence forces see as a threat to the position of the indigenous population. The archipelago has experienced decades of tension between the indigenous Kanak people and the descendants of colonizers who wish to remain part of France.
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Argentina’s Senate Approves Milei’s Radical Reforms Amid Protests
Argentina’s Senate narrowly approved President Javier Milei’s sweeping proposals to reduce state spending and enhance his powers on Thursday, marking his first major legislative victory.
The libertarian leader celebrated the vote as a “triumph” despite opposition senators removing an income tax package and modifying several contentious elements after a lengthy debate marred by violent clashes between police and protesters in Buenos Aires.
Senate President Victoria Villarruel, also the vice president, cast the tiebreaking vote to provisionally approve Milei’s plans to trim the fiscal deficit, incentivize foreign investment, and privatize some state-owned companies. The most critical parts of Milei’s legislation passed in a marathon article-by-article voting session that extended into Thursday morning.
His party made significant concessions, agreeing not to privatize Aerolineas Argentinas, the post office, or the public media company, while keeping a few state-owned firms, like Argentina’s nuclear power company, on the list for potential privatization. A measure to lower the income tax threshold, which would have affected thousands more workers, also failed to pass the Senate’s second round of voting, complicating Milei’s fiscal plans. The revised state overhaul bill now faces a final vote in the lower house, where it is expected to pass given the Senate’s approval.
As senators debated inside Congress, thousands of protesters clashed with police outside, burning cars and throwing Molotov cocktails, while security forces responded with tear gas and water cannons.
This legislative win is a major boost for Milei, who has struggled to implement deep reforms without making compromises in Argentina’s opposition-dominated Congress. His party, Liberty Advances, holds only 15% of seats in the lower house and 10% in the Senate. “Tonight is a triumph for the Argentine people and the first step toward the recovery of our greatness,” Milei posted on X, formerly Twitter, calling his bills “the most ambitious legislative reform of the last 40 years.”
As the only leader since Argentina’s return to democracy in 1983 not to pass a law within his first six months as president, Milei has faced significant challenges in breaking the legislative impasse, raising doubts about his governability and unnerving investors who otherwise support his libertarian agenda.
Analysts suggest the bill’s progress is enough to reassure markets in the short term that Milei’s agenda has sufficient support to navigate Argentina’s political chaos and social unrest. Argentina’s sovereign bond yields surged following the approval.
However, the opposition has vowed to continue fighting, and the narrowly passed plans remain fraught with uncertainties. “The Milei government showed it’s in a political learning curve, which is positive for investors and markets whose main concern is how much of his reform promises will materialize,” said Marcelo J. Garcia, Americas director at geopolitical risk firm Horizon Engage. “But he’ll need to engage in issue-by-issue dialogue to implement at least part of his reform agenda.”
For nearly 21 hours, lawmakers debated the 238-article state reform bill, amending some parts but passing Milei’s controversial one-year state of emergency declaration and broad delegation of powers to the president in energy, pensions, security, and other matters until the end of his term in 2027.
Villarruel again used a casting vote to approve Milei’s expanded powers after a 35-35 tie.
Other controversial articles that passed include a scheme offering investors lucrative tax breaks for 30 years.
Milei’s vision represents a stark shift from the left-leaning Peronist movement, aligned with former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, which has run significant budget deficits financed by printing money for much of the last two decades.
The spending cuts and currency devaluation that Milei has implemented have exacerbated a recession, increased poverty to 55%, and driven annual inflation toward 300%, one of the highest rates in the world. This economic pain has tested the patience of Argentines awaiting the promised benefits of his reforms, such as a stable currency, reduced inflation, and fresh foreign investment.
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US Submarine Pulls Into Guantanamo Bay a Day After Russian Warships Arrive in Cuba
A U.S. Navy submarine has arrived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in a show of force as a fleet of Russian warships gather for planned military exercises in the Caribbean, Associated Press reported.
U.S. Southern Command said the USS Helena, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, pulled into the waters near the U.S. base in Cuba on Thursday, just a day after a Russian frigate, a nuclear-powered submarine, an oil tanker and a rescue tug crossed into Havana Bay after drills in the Atlantic Ocean.
The stop is part of a “routine port visit” as the submarine travels through Southern Command’s region, it said in a social media post.
Other U.S. ships also have been tracking and monitoring the Russian drills, which Pentagon officials say do not represent a threat to the United States.
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‘Outrageous’ Says Orban as ECJ Orders Hungary to Pay €200M for ‘Violating Rights of Migrants’
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ordered Hungary to pay €200 million plus a penalty of €1 million per day if it does not comply with the court’s ruling of December 2020 to abide by “European Union law”.
In 2020, the ECJ stated that Hungary had failed to follow EU legislation by not granting protection to asylum seekers or implementing measures on the return of people who stayed illegally.
The court stated that Hungary had not taken the necessary measures to comply and thus would impose financial penalties.
On X, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban labelled the decision as “outrageous and unacceptable”.
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Poland Introduces Buffer Zone on Border With Belarus
As of June 13, the Polish authorities are introducing a buffer zone on the border with Belarus. The Minister of Internal Affairs has signed an order to implement a temporary restriction on staying in a specific section of the border strip adjacent to the state border with the Republic of Belarus.
The order will take effect on Thursday, June 13 of this year. The restrictions will be in place for 90 days. The depth of the buffer zone will range from 200 meters to 2 kilometers. The restrictions do not apply to populated areas and tourist routes. The zone will cover a 60-kilometer stretch of the border.
At the end of May, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the creation of the buffer zone. According to him, Warsaw will spend 2.3 billion euros on strengthening security along the eastern border with Russia and Belarus. Earlier, Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the country would reinforce its eastern border due to increasing illegal migration from Belarus.
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Sanctuary City Mayor Says Migrant Crisis is ‘Unsustainable’ as He Kicks Them Out of Shelters
Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson framed the current migrant housing situation as “unsustainable” while defending his office’s decision to evict migrants out of taxpayer-funded shelters.
Chicago began enforcing a 60-day limit for most adults in March, and approximately 121 people are set to be evicted by June 18, WTTW, a local outlet, reported. The mayor claimed during a Wednesday press conference that Congress needs to help address the issue and pointed the finger at “Trump Republicans” for the city’s current migrant crisis.
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Study: Non-Citizens Accounted for 64% of Arrests for Federal Offenses in 2018
A 25-page report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that non-citizens accounted for 64 percent of arrests for federal offenses in 2018.
The report showed a complete flip from 1998 when 63 percent of arrests for federal offenses were of U.S. citizens. In 2018, 64 percent of arrests for federal offenses were non-citizens.
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Breaking: Supreme Court Rejects Pro-Life Challenge to Biden FDA’s Abortion Pill Scheme
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — The Supreme Court ruled against pro-life doctors and others who challenged the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to loosen restrictions on the distribution of dangerous chemical abortion drugs.
The plaintiffs lack standing to sue to stop the law, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the unanimous decision in the case titled FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, released on Thursday.
“Here, the plaintiff doctors and medical associations are unregulated parties who seek to challenge FDA’s regulation of others,” Justice Kavanaugh wrote.
“Specifically, FDA’s regulations apply to doctors prescribing mifepristone and to pregnant women taking mifepristone. But the plaintiff doctors and medical associations do not prescribe or use mifepristone,” the decision stated. “And FDA has not required the plaintiffs to do anything or to refrain from doing anything.”
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‘Grassroots’ Campaign Pushing Abortion in Red State Actually Bankrolled by Soros, Dem Dark Money
The organization behind a ballot initiative that could reverse Florida’s six-week abortion ban goes to lengths to promote its “grassroots” credentials, all while taking in millions from liberal dark money groups and other deep-pocketed sources, campaign finance records show.
Floridians Protecting Freedom (FPF), one of the main groups pushing for a 2024 ballot measure that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution, touts its “grassroots” campaign and fundraising in several press releases it has sent out in recent months. However, the group has taken in massive sums of cash from a sprawling liberal dark money network and organizations backed by wealthy liberal donors.
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Pro-Life Father Mark Houck Files $4.3 Million Lawsuit Against Biden DOJ After FBI Raid
(LifeSiteNews) — Pro-life advocate and Catholic father of seven Mark Houck filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) last month for $4.3 million, citing “malicious” and “retaliatory” prosecution after he and his family were subjected to an FBI raid.
The dawn raid of Houck’s home in 2022 by dozens of heavily armed FBI agents has become emblematic of the DOJ’s inordinate targeting of pro-life Americans with excessive force under President Joe Biden. The DOJ had charged Houck with two felonies for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act when he pushed abortion facility “escort” Bruce Love, 73, during sidewalk altercations in 2021.
During Houck’s criminal trial, attorneys with the Thomas More Society successfully showed that the Catholic sidewalk counselor and father pushed Love simply to protect his then-12-year-old son from the verbally abusive abortion activist.
Houck was acquitted on both charges last year.
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Star Wars Lesbian Witches “Use the Force” to Get Pregnant Without Men
Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news
The new Disney-fied Star Wars series is as bad as was expected, with one scene involving lesbian space witches going viral.
The series, called “The Acolyte,” already dubbed the ‘gayest Star Wars ever’ by some of its cast, has lived up to the title in every sense.
The scene below shows the characters conducting some sort of spasticy ritual to immaculately conceive twins by using the force… or something.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the organisation is prepared to go all-out against Russian spies following the latest acts of sabotage and cyberattacks on European Union Member States the organisation blames on Moscow.
Well I for one have completely forgotten that Moscow did not sabotage their own gas pipeline, and so I fully support the initiative against all the sabotage that has not been conducted by the usa, china, islam or the uniparty- funded and approved ngos such as antifa
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Douglas McGregor:
reveals Russia Just Sent DANGEROUS Signal,
EU Panics, Americans Are Afraid…
https://youtu.be/Eqw0DprfQ5Y?si=6nBXe5qdz50fDS5H
403,905 views on June 13, 2024
1,998 comments
Minor Attracted Persons: Newspeak to the nth Degree https://shorturl.at/DDhW2
How about Ashleigh Merchant for U.S. Attorney General https://shorturl.at/3bqnr