Today’s elections for the European Parliament saw an enormous surge for the right-wing parties. The most spectacular result was in France, where President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of Parliament and called a snap election following his party’s devastating defeat. Rassemblement National, Marine Le Pen’s party, received 32% of the vote, more than twice as much as Mr. Macron’s party. In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats also recorded a resounding defeat, while the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland, Alternative for Germany) came in second, after the Christian Democrats. The Greens fared worst of all, suffering a continent-wide drubbing.
In other news, an 11-year-old boy was arrested by police in Albuquerque after a weeks-long crime spree, with charges that included shootings, burglaries and auto theft.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Dora, JW, McN, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, Upananda Brahmachari, 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.
Canada’s Unemployment Rate Up in May
Canada’s unemployment rate increased by a tenth of a percentage point last month, rising to 6.2%, according to the latest labour force survey from Statistics Canada.
While the economy added 27,000 jobs to the market, it wasn’t enough to keep the country’s overall unemployment rate from increasing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
10,000 California Fast Food Workers McFired Thanks to $20 Minimum Wage: Report
Nearly 10,000 California fast food workers have been fired thanks to the state’s new $20 minimum wage, according to the California Business and Industrial Alliance (CABIA), which slammed Governor Gavin Newsom for the law which went into effect April 1.
“California businesses have been under total attack and total assault for years,” said Tom Manzo, CABIA president and founder in a statement to Fox Business, adding “It’s just another law that puts businesses in further jeopardy.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lunden Roberts, the mother of Hunter Biden’s daughter, Navy, claimed Friday her phones “crashed” and “just about everything” with Hunter Biden on the device was “gone” after she discovered she was pregnant.
Roberts claimed to Sirius XM’s Megyn Kelly that both of her cellphone screens “crashed” at the same time in front of both she and her friends the night she learned she was pregnant with Navy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden’s War on Oil and Gas Industry Costs U.S. Over $250 Billion, Study Finds
A recent study by the Committee to Unleash Prosperity has revealed that President Joe Biden’s policies targeting the oil and gas industry have led to a loss of more than $250 billion in economic activity for the United States. The study, conducted by economists Stephen Moore and Casey Mulligan, found that U.S. oil production under the Biden administration has failed to maintain the growth rate achieved during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
While the U.S. is currently producing record amounts of oil, the production levels are only marginally higher than those in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Energy Information Agency (EIA) had predicted that the U.S. could produce up to 15 million barrels of oil per day under previous trends. However, in the second half of 2023, the average daily oil production stood at 13.2 million barrels, close to the peak reached under Trump, the Daily Wire reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Police Superintendent Pledges DNC Protests ‘Will Not be 1968’ Riots
Chicago won’t see a repeat of the 1968 riots outside the Democratic National Convention, CPD superintendent promised last week.
Democrats are concerned that anti-Israel protests could disrupt the upcoming convention similarly to Vietnam War protesters violently clashing with police officers outside the event nearly 60 years ago. The 1968 convention was also held in Chicago.
Nevertheless, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling assured the public that officers have been preparing to deal with the expected protests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A conspiracy theorist purposefully blew up his Virginia home while authorities were trying to serve a search warrant in December, according to a new video released by law enforcement.
James Yoo, 56, doused his Arlington home with gasoline to set the fire that caused the massive explosion that people reported hearing from miles away, WUSA9 reported. Yoo was found dead inside the following day.
Six months later, on Saturday, Arlington County officials revealed additional details about the deadly blast and released body camera footage from police officers at the scene showing the dramatic moment the house was completely leveled in the explosion.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DA Alvin Bragg Refuses to Testify Before House Judiciary Committee, Says He’s ‘Too Busy’
George Soros-funded Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has refused to attend a House Judiciary Committee hearing to testify.
The Democrat prosecutor says he is “too busy” to attend the hearing on June 13.
Bragg and his prosecutorial team were quick to take victory laps in the wake of the guilty verdict in President Donald Trump’s “hush money” case.
However, in the time since the verdict was read, Bragg has found himself, for the first time, being asked questions about the case that he might not want to answer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dr. Phil Blasts TikTok for Banning Trump Interview Promo
Dr. Phil McGraw expressed frustration with TikTok’s censorship policies after the platform rejected a promotional video for his show on Merit+, advertising an interview with President Donald Trump. Dr. Phil shared the experience with his audience, highlighting concerns about the social media giant’s content moderation practices.
“We put up promos on the social media platforms about the interview for people to watch,” Dr. Phil began. “We submitted a promo to TikTok, and they said, well, we’re going to review this to see if it’s consistent with community standards. It was just the promo here. I mean, it wasn’t saying, ‘Let’s go stomp baby kittens to death or anything.’“
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Grand Jury Convenes in Case of Eric Adams Alleged Campaign Contribution Violations
A grand jury has convened to examine evidence in the FBI’s investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign fundraising, leaving Adams to tell reporters he had “no idea” it was happening. Months ago, Adams was on his way to Washington, DC to demand President Joe Biden take action on the border crisis when he had to turn right back around and head home upon learning that his key campaign fundraiser had been raided by the FBI over allegations of illegal foreign contributions from Turkey.
A subpoena has been served to at least one individual connected to Adams. The mayor responded to the news by expressing his surprise, stating he had “no idea” that a grand jury had been convened, according to a report by the New York Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hate Crimes in New York City Surge for Fourth Consecutive Year
New York City is on track to experience a rise in hate crimes for the fourth year in a row, with antisemitic incidents accounting for the majority of the increase, according to the latest crime statistics. As of May 31, the city recorded 276 hate crime complaints, a significant rise from the 210 reported in the previous year.
The surge in antisemitic incidents has been linked to the anti-Israel demonstrations that have taken place on major college campuses in the city, such as Columbia and New York universities, Fox News reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
HUGE Legal Victory — HFDF Wins Appeal in Ninth Circuit
Health Freedom Defense Fund (HFDF), California Educators for Medical Freedom, and individual plaintiffs have won their appeal in the Ninth Circuit on LAUSD’s Employee Covid Vaccination Mandate.
Health Freedom Defense Fund et. al, led by the exceptional legal team of John Howard and Scott Street at JW Howard Attorneys, have won a significant victory in the Ninth Circuit, which reversed dismissal of their lawsuit challenging the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (“LAUSD”) mandatory vaccination policy for all employees.
Reversing the decision of the Central District of California in Los Angeles, the Ninth Circuit majority held that, first, the case was not mooted by LAUSD’s rescission of the mandate after oral argument last September, 2023. The majority called out LAUSD’s gamesmanship for what it was — a bald-faced attempt at avoiding an adverse ruling by trying to create an issue of mootness.
Unfortunately for LAUSD, they had already done this once in the trial court. Applying the voluntary cessation doctrine, the majority doubted LAUSD’s sincerity in rescinding the mandate immediately after an unfavorable oral argument in September of last year.
On the merits, the majority ruled that the district court had misapplied the Supreme Court’s 1905 decision in Jacobson v. Massachusetts when it dismissed LAUSD’s lawsuit on grounds that the mandate was rationally related to a legitimate state interest. In Jacobson, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a smallpox vaccination mandate because it related to “preventing the spread” of smallpox.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illinois Gov Addresses Scandal-Ridden ‘Super Mayor’ Tiffany Henyard: We Support Investigations
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D., reiterated his support for any state or federal investigations into the infamous Democratic “Super Mayor” Tiffany Henyard from the Village of Dolton.
During an event on Wednesday, a reporter asked Pritzker about whether he’s weighed “stepping in” as the state to address Henyard’s controversial corruption allegations.
“We’ve looked into whether we ought to put resources, whether it’s state police and their anti-corruption efforts or asking the Attorney General,” Pritzker responded. “The reality is there are already two pretty significant investigations going on. We’ll support them in every way we can, but it’s just a matter if you want everybody running over each other in those investigations, or do you want two concerted efforts to get the facts?”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Bid to Win Over Nevada’s Service Industry Workers, Trump at Vegas Rally Vows Tax-Free Tips
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump told a rally Sunday in Las Vegas that he would work to make tips tax-free, an apparent appeal to workers in the city’s huge service industry.
The temperature at the event in the city’s Sunset Park was at about 100 degrees at noon when he took the stage.
The Trump campaign, in anticipation of the heat, supplied the rally with free bottled water, tents with air conditioning and shade, misting and cooling stations and additional medical staff.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pat Guider, a manager at a Big Lots store in New York, was terminated after over 20 years of service for pursuing a shoplifter who assaulted an employee and then informing the police about the incident.
On May 10, Guider witnessed a shoplifter swing a punch at his assistant manager while attempting to leave the store. Concerned for the safety of his team, Guider followed the assailant at a distance through the parking lot while providing updates to 911. Two weeks after the incident, Guider was summoned to his district manager’s office and informed of his termination. He expressed frustration over the decision, maintaining that he acted correctly in response to a violent situation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York Moves to Install Panic Buttons in Stores to Prevent Crime — Walmart Says No Way
On Friday, the New York State legislature passed a law requiring most of the nation’s largest retail companies to install easy-to-access panic buttons in their stores or provide employees a switch that would enable an alarm and notify emergency services. However, Walmart, the world’s largest retailer with 4,700 stores, has come out strongly against the law on claims that panic buttons trigger false alarms.
Dan Bartlett, Walmart executive vice president of corporate affairs, told Reuters, “Eight out of 10 times somebody thinks something’s going on, there’s actually not.”
Bartlett went on to claim that it would be impractical for Walmart to install panic buttons in each of its 98 store locations in New York.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
No Regrets: Ex-DNI James Clapper Says He Won’t Retract Letter About Hunter Biden’s Laptop
Former Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says he would not retract the letter he signed about first son Hunter Biden’s laptop.
In 2020, Clapper along with 51 other officials signed a letter saying that Hunter Biden’s “laptop from hell” was Russian disinformation.
When Clapper recently was asked if he would retract the letter he signed, he told Fox News in a one word answer, “no.”
The infamous laptop story that was originally perceived by media outlets as “Russian disinformation” was resurrected during Hunter’s gun trial.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republican Georgia Rep. Mike Collins claimed Sunday afternoon that one of his staffers was robbed at gunpoint in Washington, D.C.
Collins took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and claimed a staffer on his team and a friend were allegedly robbed at gunpoint early Sunday by three men in the southeast neighborhood of Navy Yard. While the staffer and other individuals were not identified by Collins, the Republican congressman claimed one attacker had taken a watch while another was punched by one of the victims.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An 11-year-old pint-sized perp from hell terrorized Albuquerque for weeks, netting himself a rap sheet already worthy of a career criminal with charges including shootings, burglaries and auto theft, cops say.
“Despite his age, this suspect is considered very dangerous because of his use of a firearm and his escalating violence,” said Harold Medina, police chief of the New Mexico city, in a statement after the diminutive Dillinger’s arrest Thursday night.
The first incident connected to the criminal kiddo dates back to May 5, when a car was stolen in the northeast of the city and recovered about an hour later, NBC reported.
A week later, on May 12, a woman was struck in the leg when four kids pelted her home with rocks trying to break the windows, cops said.
That same day, a 12-year-old also reported a group of boys throwing rocks at her house, identifying some of them as members of a neighborhood group of miscreants known as the “Kia Boys.”
But joyriding and chucking rocks was only the beginning for the kid, who quickly escalated his crime wave, authorities say.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
No arrests were made on Saturday when pro-Hamas protesters surrounded the White House and scuffled with police as they advocated for Israel’s destruction, vandalized property, and called on Hamas to continue murdering Jews, the Secret Service and Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Anti-Israel Encampment Blocking Fire Escape Path at University of Guelph Results in $20,000 Per Day
The University of Guelph is being fined $20,000 per day for non-compliance as anti-Israel protesters continue to obstruct an evacuation pathway.
The university said in a post to its website that an assessment by Campus Safety, Physical Resources and the Guelph Fire Service found tents set up near the Reynolds Walk are obstructing a vital evacuation pathway.
“This creates an unsafe situation for people exiting the building in the event of a fire and impedes the ability of firefighters to respond,” says the update.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadians Tell Trudeau to Scrap Carbon Tax on Farms: Poll
Most Canadians want a carbon tax exemption for farmers, recent polling shows.
A Leger poll, commissioned by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), says 7 in 10 Canadians want no carbon tax charged on the agricultural use of natural gas and propane.
Albertans (76%) and British Columbians (72%) strongly support the exemption. Two-thirds (68%) of Québecers and Atlantic Canadians also want greater relief for farmers.
“That means members of Parliament need to listen to Canadians and pass Bill C-234, a proposed piece of legislation that gives farmers this exact exemption,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chris Carbert, Anthony Olienick Trial Begins: RCMP Witness Admits He Had No Contact With Defendants
RCMP Sergeant Greg Tulloch, the Crown’s first witness, began testifying on Thursday, the first day of Chris Carbert’s and Anthony Olienick’s trial in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Both Carbert and Olienick are charged with conspiracy to commit murder, with the Crown alleging that the two conspired to murder police officers. They are also charged with unlawful possession of firearms for a purpose dangerous to the public peace and mischief causing damage over $5,000. Olienick is additionally charged with unlawful possession of an explosive device.
Carbert and Olienick are the two remaining defendants of a group of men dubbed the Coutts Four, which previously included Chris Lysak and Jerry Morin, who were also accused of conspiring to murder law enforcement officers. Lysak and Morin pleaded guilty to lesser crimes in March and were sentenced to time served in remand.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Streaming companies have warned that consumers could see prices increase after it was announced that they would need to contribute 5 percent of their annual revenues to support broadcasting in Canada.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) which is in charge of putting the Online Streaming Act into place, announced on Tuesday that companies like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime will need to pay about $200 million per year to support Canadian music, TV, film and radio.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gaza Protesters Shout Support for Hamas During Toronto’s ‘Walk With Israel’ March
Keffiyeh-clad counterprotesters shouted support for Palestinian terror group Hamas in Toronto on Sunday as they protested against the UJA’s 55th annual “Walk With Israel” event and called for Israelis to be killed. Tens of thousands of pro-Israel supporters marched in the streets to show solidarity with a nation still healing from the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre.
An agitator protesting against the march repeatedly screamed “Hamas” at Jews and Israel supporters. He held up a provocative sign that read, “F*ck Israel and its supporters,” and was draped in a Palestinian flag and keffiyeh around his shoulders. The keffiyeh is a sign of solidarity with Palestinians and is used by protesters globally.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Google Inks Deal With Organization to Dish Out $100M for Canadian News Companies
Tech giant Google has announced that it will use the Canadian Journalism Collective to distribute $100 million to Canadian news companies.
Google reached an agreement to pay Canadian news publishers $100 million annually, fixed to inflation, to be exempt from the Trudeau government’s Online News Act late last year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Use Tear Gas to Break Up Anti-Israel Protest on McGill Campus, 15 Arrested
Fifteen people were arrested after Montreal police (SPVM) used tear gas and other anti-rioting measures against pro-Hamas protesters at McGill University on Thursday evening.
The escalation came after protesters barricaded themselves in the administration building just a short walk from where they set up an encampment beginning in April.
Police in riot gear approached the crowd outside the building and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd around 7 pm. The crowd reformed after and used several large items like shelves and ladders to build a barricade between themselves and police, video obtained by CTV News shows.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
One of the three accused of murder that left one dead and four others injured in a Mississauga shooting said the attack was meant to keep the victim from telling authorities about the suspect’s ties to the Islamic State.
The accused told an acquaintance about the killing after the three made the man swear allegiance to the group, an acquaintance testified, reports the Toronto Star.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
University of Victoria Protesters Stage Die-in at Nearby Starbucks
An anti-Israel protest broke out at a Starbucks at the University of Victoria in British Columbia on Sunday.
The protest took place inside the coffee shop situated in the campus’ bookstore, with protesters having been set up nearby for nearly a month.
Protesters staged what looked like a “die-in,” wearing white robes with red stains resembling blood, and lying down on the ground. Protesters then chanted and took turns speaking while customers cleared out of the building, Chek News reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
19 Anti-Israel Activists Detained After Blockade in Campus Building in Sweden
Swedish police detained 19 pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activists who had barricaded themselves in the country’s main technical education and research university on Friday.
After two hours, police carried out the masked activists from the third floor of a Royal Institute of Technology building in Stockholm. They are likely to be prosecuted for trespassing and disobeying the police, according to law enforcement.
At around noon, the activists blocked the entrance of a student building at the institute, known by its Swedish acronym KTH, with chairs and tables. Some shouted “Free Palestine” and hung Palestinian flags in the windows.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgian PM De Croo Resigns After Disastrous European Elections
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced his resignation on Sunday night after a disastrous result for his liberal Open VLD party in the European Parliament elections.
The prime minister’s party amassed just 5.8 percent of the vote share after 98 percent of the votes had been counted, fewer than eight other parties.
The big winners in Belgium on the night were the right-wing Flemish nationalists of Vlaams Belang (14.7 percent) and the New Flemish Alliance with 14.2 percent of the European Parliament vote.
In what had been dubbed “Super Sunday” due to the regional elections being held on the same day, the pro-independence Flemish parties also stormed to victory locally and will command a majority in the Flemish regional parliament.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Socialists Set to be Ousted From Walloon Stronghold in Historic Defeat
Wallonia, the Southern, French-speaking part of Belgium, is set for major upheaval following national elections.
After holding power in the region for many decades, the Socialist Party seems to have received a serious beating on June 9.
While many polls predicted a close race between Liberals and Socialists, the voters in Wallonia appeared to have decided differently. Socialists, according to exit surveys, have taken a big hit, losing 5 per cent of the vote, ending up in third place with 21 per cent.
Early results suggest biggest party in Wallonia would be the right-liberal MR party, gaining 8.4 per cent and ending up with almost 30 per cent.
Socialists (PS) and centrists (Les Engagées) are predicted to be in a close contest, at 21 per cent and 23 per cent respectively. As of writing, the advantage appeared to be with the Socialists, though they look sure to fall below a score needed to form a majority.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Brussels Region: ‘Teenagers Wrongly Given Votes’
Voting in the Brussels region has been “completely chaotic”, according to Belgian Socialist Bert Anciaux.
On June 9, many of those queueing to cast their ballot had to wait for more than two hours, it was claimed.
Technical issues played a part but primarily the system seemed to have been snagged more by the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds turning up — who are now allowed to vote in the Europe Parliament elections.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bulgaria’s Centre-Right GERB Seen Leading in Snap National Election
Bulgaria’s centre-right GERB party was seen in the lead after a snap parliamentary election on June 9, an exit poll showed, but will have to find a coalition partners to form a government.
A poll by Alpha Research showed GERB winning 26.2 per cent of the votes, while reformist We Continue the Change (PP) was seen coming second, with 15.7 per cent of the votes.
The ultra-nationalist Revival party is set to come third with 14.5 per cent of the vote, while the Movement for Rights and Freedom (MRF), which mainly represents Bulgaria’s large ethnic Turkish minority, was projected to win 14.3 per cent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
COVID Injections Caused Epilepsy & Appendicitis to Surge in Children, Top Study Finds
A team of eminent scientists has concluded that surges in epilepsy and appendicitis in children were caused by Covid mRNA shots.
According to a new study, children who received the AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech Covid injections faced an elevated risk of epilepsy and appendicitis.
The researchers also found that Pfizer recipients were more likely to suffer from demyelinating disease or heart inflammation.
The study was led by Dr. Julia Hippisley-Cox, a world-renowned professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EP Elections Set to ‘Cement Romania’s Eurosceptic AUR as Main Opposition’
Romanian exit polls have suggested the new ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party has become the country’s main opposition force,
Affiliated with the European Parliament group European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), it is predicted to have come in second place with 15 per cent.
The AUR, born as an anti-lockdown movement during the Covid pandemic, expanded its appeal by campaigning hard on frustration over the Ukraine war and lack of local jobs. The latter message especially resonated with Romanians abroad, attracting one in four votes from the diaspora, according to LSE professor Magdalena Ulceluse.
The AUR is now projected to win five of Romania’s European Parliament seats, more than any party other than the governing National Coalition for Romania (CNR).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The big day’s finally here. Roughly four hundred million Europeans are given the chance to say what kind of Europe they want to see in the next five years. Voters in 27 member states are electing 720 members of the European Parliament, who in turn will also influence the next College of Commissioners and the European Commission President.
We’ll stay with you all night with live updates as the results come in from each country. We’ll be just as excited as you are to see tonight’s winners and losers and whether the expected right-wing shift happens, as well as to theorize together about what all of this will mean for the future of Europe.
Itinerary: National exit polls are usually published as the ballots close, but you can expect the Parliament’s first EU-wide estimates to come in at around 8:30 p.m. (CET). The first provisional results will be announced once every country finishes voting at around 11 p.m., followed by a final update at 1 a.m.
- Liberals and Greens the Biggest Losers EU-Wide
- France: Le Pen Hammers Macron
- Germany’s Exit Polls: Populist AfD Projected to Be Country’s Second Biggest Party
- Right-Wing FPÖ Strongest Force in Austria
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Vote Humiliates Scholz’s German Coalition
BERLIN — Germany’s ruling coalition suffered a crushing blow in the European Parliament election on Sunday, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats recording their worst result in a national vote in more than a century.
The left-leaning coalition’s steep losses — support for the Greens fell by nearly half — will likely renew questions over the government’s stability. The alliance, a three-way partnership that includes the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats, has struggled to find answers to an array of acute problems facing the country, from a stagnant economy to the deep dysfunction of its asylum system.
Though regular elections aren’t due until the fall of 2025, persistent infighting within the alliance over everything from Russia’s war on Ukraine to the budget has fueled speculation that the government could collapse well before then.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
European Voters Overwhelmingly Reject ‘Green’ Parties
According to exit polls for the European Parliament elections, the “green” parties have received a continent-wide kick in the teeth.
While the European Parliament grew by 15 seats, the polls on June 9 suggested representatives of the green bloc dropped from 71 to 53, making them the biggest loser.
In Europe’s leading nations, Germany and France, the predicted results were abundantly clear.
German Greens appeared to have dropped from 20.5 per cent of the vote to 12 per cent, ending in fourth spot behind the Christian Democrats, the hard-right Alternative für Deutschland (Afd) and the Socialist Party.
In France, The Greens are predicted to have achieved 5.4 per cent, dropping from 13.5 per cent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exit Poll: Polish PM Tusk’s Party Ahead
An exit poll carried by Poland’s three main television networks showed Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO) ahead of the former ruling Conservative (PiS) in the battle to elect MEPs.
On June 9, Tusk’s KO was projected to have received 38.2 per cent with PiS on 33.9 per cent in the Eueopean Parliament ballot.
That will be seen as a boost by Tusk and the KO, part of the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the EP, as it would be the first time in 10 years in 10 such elections that his party has topped the PiS. The KO is projected to have won 21 seats.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French voters will head to the polls again later this month after President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of Parliament and called a snap election following his party’s devastating defeat in the European elections to the right-wing National Rally (RN).
The French president addressed the nation shortly after the official exit poll had predicted a resounding victory for the party of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, who were expected to amass nearly a third of all votes in Sunday’s election for the European Parliament.
The right-wing populist party’s 32.4 percent vote share dwarfed all other parties, including Macron’s Renaissance campaigning under the Renew Europe banner, which achieved less than half of RN’s support.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Far-Right Makes Strong Gains in EU Vote, Ruling Parties Suffer
BERLIN, June 9 (Reuters) — The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) shrugged off a string of scandals to take second place in Sunday’s EU election, making gains in particular among the young, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats scored their worst result ever.
The AfD’s strong showing comes as Germany’s party landscape undergoes its biggest upheaval in decades, with new populist parties vying to take space vacated by the shrinking mainstream parties that have dominated since reunification in 1990.
This looks set to make it much harder for established parties to form workable coalitions after elections in three eastern German states in September and at federal level next year.
The rise of populism is also coarsening the political climate, say analysts. The campaign was overshadowed by a surge in violence against politicians and activists.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Auslander Raus Controversy: Football Game Cancelled After Fans Sing ‘Foreigners Out’ Song
Security police are investigating after football fans sang along to an early 2000s eurodance rave classic at a game with new lyrics proclaiming “Germany for Germans, foreigners out”, just the latest instance of the authorities rushing to deal with the song.
A football match being played at the home turf of team ‘TSV Blau-Weiß Eggersdorf’ at Bördeland-Eggersdorf in Saxony-Anhalt against ‘Union 1861 Schönebeck’ was cancelled in the second half after fans started singing a song calling for migrant deportations.
The Salzland District Football Association said they had initiated disciplinary procedures over the fans’ behaviour and notified the state-level sports authority. The police were also called, who identified those involved and began an investigation which has now been taken over by the state security police, who are looking into “incitement” charges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Irish Left on Course for Hammering in Local Elections
Ireland’s member of the European Parliament’s Left group, Sinn Féin, looks set to take a hammering in the country’s local elections.
The Irish party, which at one point was expected to come first in the ballot, is reported to have received just 10 per cent of the first preference votes counted, as of writing.
That is less than half that of the two largest government parties, Fianna Fail (Renew) and Fine Gael (European People’s Party), which are reported to have earned 23 per cent and 23.4 per cent of first preference votes, respectively.
Sinn Féin garnered 24.5 per cent of first preference votes in Ireland’s previous general election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Meta to Focus on Censoring “Misinformation” and “Hate Speech” Ahead of UK Election
As the UK prepares for its General Election on July 4th, Meta has announced a series of measures aimed at combating “misinformation” and “hate speech” on its platforms. While the tech giant frames these initiatives as necessary steps to ensure the integrity of the election, critics argue that Meta’s efforts may actually hinder free speech and stifle legitimate political debate.
Meta’s announcement highlights a multi-faceted approach, supposedly drawing on lessons from over 200 elections since 2016 and aligning with the UK’s controversial censorship law, the Online Safety Act.
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Netherlands: Almost 60 Percent Voted Against Green Plans in Amsterdam Referendum
During Thursday’s advisory referendum in Amsterdam, 59.1 percent of voters spoke out against the municipality’s green plans. Only 34.7 percent indicated that they supported the so-called Main Green Structure. The turnout for the advisory was 37.5 percent, which is about ten percent less than the number of voters for the European Parliament, local broadcaster AT5 reports.
According to the city council, the proposed policy will protect and strengthen the city’s green spaces. A group of Amsterdam citizens disagreed and organized a referendum. They believe the plans are too flexible and will create fewer protected green spaces.
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Perhaps the biggest news following European Parliament elections were the results from France, which saw France’s National Rally storm into first place with 31 percent of the vote, soundly defeating French President Emmanuel Macron’s party, which scored below 14 percent.
Macron has since announced that he will dissolve parliament and call new elections due to the catastrophic result. Le Pen responded to the shock news with a message that her party would win the upcoming elections.
“The President of the Republic has just announced the dissolution of the National Assembly in a few weeks. We are ready for it. I call on the French to come and join us to form a majority around the RN in the service of the only cause that guides our steps: France,” she wrote on X.
The National Rally’s strong showing was evident across the country, with an election map highlighting where her party came in first place.
The first round of France’s parliamentary election will take place on June 30 and a second round is scheduled for July 7.
Austria
The right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) also made history, scoring its first national election victory ever, with exit polls predicting the right-wing populists have stormed to first place in Sunday’s European elections, scoring over 26 percent of the vote.
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Right-Wing Heads EP Elections in Spain
Spain’s Partido Popular (PP) looked set to have won the European Parliament elections in the country with 32.4 per cent of the vote, according to exit polls.
On June 9, the centre-right party led by Alberto Feijóo and part of the European People’s Party in the EP, was expected to have gained 22 of the 61 seats Spain has in the EP, nine more MEPs than in 2019.
The Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), of the EP’s Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), led by Spain’s current Deputy Prime Minister and European Commissioner hopeful Teresa Ribera, was predicted to come second.
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S&D Campaign for EP Elections ‘Successful’ Despite Seat Losses, Lead Candidate Claims
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group’s election campaign was “successful”, its lead candidate has claimed despite polls indicating that the faction has lost seats.
Nicolas Schmit, the spitzenkandidat (lead candidate) for S&D’s parent Party of European Socialists (PES), praised the electioneering work of his colleagues.
“We have shown that our campaign has been successful,” he told a celebration bash in the centre of Brussels on June 9.
“Okay, okay,” he added. “We have not become the first party in the European programme — as much as I know for the moment.
“But we will be a strong second. And without us, there is no majority possible. And this is an important achievement.”
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UK: Farage Says Reform Must Take ‘Beachhead’ in Parliament to Hold Labour Government to Account
f Reform UK doesn’t establish a “beachhead” in Parliament this election the incoming left-Labour government will govern “completely unchecked”, Nigel Farage has said.
Brexit leader Nigel Farage, now returned to front-line politics in the United Kingdom after a brief third career in broadcasting, says the election is already all but decided. Now the big question at the ballot box, he has claimed, is who is to oppose the coming Labour administration.
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Von Der Leyen Declares ‘Victory’ at Jubilant EPP Bash
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has declared her “victory” in the European Elections at a jubilant European People’s Party (EPP) celebration in Brussels.
Speaking amid cheers and chants of her name, von der Leyen praised party colleagues and insisted that the EPP had proven itself to EU voters.
“Today is a good day for EPP,” she declared, arms aloft. “We won the European Elections.”
“We are the strongest party. We are the anchor of stability.”
EPP President Manfred Weber insisted that the rest of Europe’s political groups respect the informal spitzenkandidat (lead candidate) system, where the most popular European faction gets to decide the next European Commission head.
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Centrist Benny Gantz is Quitting Israel’s War Cabinet, Citing Frustrations With Netanyahu
JERUSALEM (AP) — Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s three-man war Cabinet, announced his resignation Sunday, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of mismanaging the war effort and putting his own “political survival” over the country’s security needs.
The move does not immediately pose a threat to Netanyahu, who still controls a majority coalition in parliament. But the Israeli leader becomes more heavily reliant on far-right allies who oppose the latest U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal and want to press ahead with the war.
“Unfortunately, Netanyahu is preventing us from achieving true victory, which is the justification for the painful and ongoing price,” Gantz said. He added that Netanyahu was “making empty promises,” and the country needs to take a different direction as he expects the fighting to continue for years to come.
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Israel’s Gantz Quits Coalition Government, Charges Netanyahu With Making “Total Victory Impossible”
Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz on Sunday announced that he is quitting Israel’s emergency government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a statement he blamed Netanyahu for making “total victory impossible” and further accused him of neglecting achieving the release of the remaining hostages. Gantz blasted Netanyahu and urged him to prioritize returning the hostages above his own “political survival”. Netanyahu’s coalition still holds a 64-member majority in the Knesset, and won’t immediately fall apart, but this is expected to unleash destabilization toward an unclear outcome.
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Protesters Nationwide Hail Hostage Rescue, Urge Deal to Free the Rest; 33 Arrested
Protesters at rallies in Tel Aviv and across the country on Saturday night called for new elections and the return of the hostages held in captivity in Gaza, hours after the military announced that four hostages were rescued alive from central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp.
While joy over the rescue of Noa Argamani, Shlomo Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov was evident at the protests, so too was anger over the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
In Tel Aviv, police said that 33 protesters were arrested during demonstrations and that all roads near the protests were opened to traffic around midnight.
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What America Can Learn From Israel on the Battlefield
America has never successfully liberated and held territory from Islamic terrorists. After thousands dead in Afghanistan and Iraq: both countries are now controlled by Islamic terrorists.
Many top current and former defense officials who oversaw both disasters, despite a track record of zero wins, have been criticizing Israel for not following in their footsteps.
Everyone from former Gen. David Petraeus to current Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown offer the familiar criticisms that Israel is not following the COIN or counterinsurgency model.
“Not only do you have to actually go in and clear out whatever adversary you are up against, you have to go in, hold the territory and then you’ve got to stabilize it,” Chief Brown argued.
The problem with this model is that it failed and left a lot of widows and orphans along the way.
The United States spent over 50 years losing wars, prestige and young men by trying to follow the familiar strategy for defeating guerrilla armies through conventional warfare followed by efforts to hold and stabilize the territories. And what exactly do we have to show for it?
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) discarded this conventional wisdom for another approach.
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More than six months since the Biden administration launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to defend the critical maritime chokepoint Bab al-Mandab Strait from Iran-backed Houthis and ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, we’re witnessing yet another alarming development. Late Saturday, rebels targeted a Western-linked cargo ship with missiles. This underscores the ongoing threat to the shipping lane and the utter failure of Biden’s disastrous foreign policies.
AP News cites a report from private security firm Ambrey, which said the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden was struck by a missile on its forward station, sparking a fire. A second missile missed the vessel, and rebels “on board small boats in the vicinity opened fire on the ship during the incident,” the security firm said, adding no crew on the vessel was hurt in the attack.
“The Master reports that the vessel was hit by an unknown projectile on the aft section, which resulted in a fire. Damage control is underway, the Master reports no casualties and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations wrote on X.
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Russia Appears to Make Headway in Key Ukrainian Town of Chasiv Yar
June 9 (Reuters) — Russian forces appear to be making headway towards their longstanding goal of capturing the strategic Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, according to reports on Sunday from both sides of the more than two-year-old conflict.
Chasiv Yar stands on high ground about 20 km (12 miles) to the west of Bakhmut, a town Russian forces seized a year ago after months of battles that flattened nearly all its buildings. It is seen by both sides as a potential staging point for Russia to advance on the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda quoted a military source and a blogger as saying that Russian forces had begun occupying a district of the town alongside a canal.
“Over the past week, there have been more than 1,500 instances of shelling of the outskirts of Chasiv Yar from the north to the south,” it quoted its source as saying.
The source said Russian troops were using guided aerial bombs to clear areas along a major road “and with the support of multiple long-range missiles and…drones they have begun to move forward and build up their forces”.
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Ukraine Says it Struck a Top Fighter Plane Deep Inside Russia
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine on Sunday said its forces hit an ultra-modern Russian warplane stationed on an air base nearly 370 miles from the front lines.
Kyiv’s main military intelligence service shared satellite photos it said showed the aftermath of the attack. If confirmed, it would mark Ukraine’s first known successful strike on a twin-engine Su-57 stealth jet, lauded as Moscow’s most advanced fighter plane.
In one photo, black soot marks and small craters can be seen dotting a concrete strip around the parked aircraft. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, the strike took place on Saturday at the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia, some 366 miles from the front line.
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Ukraine Says it Has Destroyed an Advanced Russian Stealth Fighter
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine on Sunday said its forces hit an ultra-modern Russian warplane stationed on an air base nearly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines, after its Western allies allowed Kyiv to use their weapons for limited strikes inside Russia.
Kyiv’s main military intelligence service shared satellite photos it said showed the aftermath of the attack. If confirmed, it would mark Ukraine’s first known successful strike on a Su-57 fighter plane, a twin-engine stealth fighter lauded as Moscow’s most advanced military aircraft.
In one photo, black soot marks and small craters can be seen dotting a concrete strip around the parked aircraft. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, the strike took place on Saturday at the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia, some 589 kilometers (366 miles) from the front line.
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10 Hindu pilgrims killed as bus falls into gorge in J&K after Islamic terror attack. Several injured.
Sambit Patranavish | HENB | Jammu | June 9, 2024:: While PM, Narendra Modi and his NDA Govt get sworn in and heads of several countries are in the country, a dastardly terrorist attack on a bus carrying pilgrims has resulted in loss of lives of at least 10 Indians, injuring dozens of people.
Ten people were killed and 33 others were injured after suspected Islamic terrorists fired upon a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims from a shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Sunday, police and officials said. The bus rolled down a gorge following the Jihadi attack.
The incident occurred at 6:10 pm when the terrorists opened fire on the bus that was returning from the famous Shiv Khori temple in Reasi to Katra for another pilgrimage at Viashno Mata, police said. The affected region is kept on high alert considering the security situations.
With the help of local villagers, police evacuated all the passengers by 8:10 pm. Superintendent of Police (SP) Reasi supervised the evacuation and rushed the injured to different hospitals…
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Narendra Modi Sworn in as India’s Prime Minister for a Third Term
Narendra Modi has taken the oath of office as India’s Prime Minister for a record third term. According to Reuters, he now faces the challenge of leading an unstable coalition. The oath was administered during a ceremonial event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace in New Delhi.
The ceremony was attended by thousands of high-profile guests, including leaders from seven regional countries, Bollywood stars, and industrialists. Modi has become the first Prime Minister of independent India to win elections for a third time, having first come to power in 2014. However, as Reuters notes, this time his party did not secure an absolute majority of the voters’ support.
Reuters adds that Modi’s new term is likely to be fraught with difficulties in reaching consensus on contentious political issues. Analysts believe he will now face stronger challenges from the various interests of regional parties and the opposition.
CNN reported that Modi’s lack of an absolute majority indicates a shift in the trends of Indian voters. It is noted that the Indian populace is willing to elect the incumbent Prime Minister for a third term, but unemployment and economic difficulties are becoming increasingly pressing issues.
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Police Force ‘Hate Crime Hoaxer’ Hash Tayeh to Testify in Violent Kidnapping Case
Controversial anti-Israel activist and Burgertory boss Hash Tayeh has been compelledto appear in court on Friday as Victoria Police attempt to force him to testify in a kidnapping and assault case.
Tayeh was questioned by detectives after a man was allegedly ambushed by three masked men, tied up, stomped on, and severely beaten with a hammer in a horrific attack.
Tayeh refused to fully cooperate during initial questioning but police believe he holds crucial information for the prosecution.
There is no suggestion Tayeh has involvement in the attack. However, detectives believe his testimony could shed light on the case, particularly regarding Laura Allam, a 27-year-old CEO of the Al Jannah Foundation, who has been charged in connection with the brutal assault.
Allam’s co-accused, Mohammad Sharab, 37, a regular speaker at anti-Israel protests who has threatened Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini on camera, is also implicated. Another person charged is Ibrahim Al Azhari, with detectives still searching for a fourth unidentified assailant.
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Victoria Police Forced to Use $100M Reserve After Failing to Fill Vacancies
Victoria Police has been compelled to use more than $100 million in savings from unfilled staff positions to fund its daily operations amid a persistent resource crisis.
As of April 30, the organisation had accumulated $117.5 million in savings due to approximately 800 staff vacancies.
Data provided to the parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee indicated that nearly $30 million of these savings were allocated to officer entitlements, including advanced personal leave, accident make-up pay, and unfunded additional superannuation contributions.
An additional $7.2 million was spent on overtime and recall payments, while the bulk, $84.6 million, went towards increased WorkCover premiums.
The police force has faced numerous challenges, including a surge in resignations post-Covid and a significant number of officers off duty on WorkCover, primarily due to mental health issues.
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Canada Experiences Fastest Population Growth in Over 65 Years
Canada’s population is growing at an annual rate unseen since the baby boomer era.
This year the annual population growth hit a record high of 40.77 million largely due to immigration. The last time Canada saw its population grow at this rate was in 1957.
Canada gained 1.27 million people in 2023, up by 3.2% from 2022, marking the largest single-year increase in nearly 70 years, according to data from Statistics Canada.
Despite this the massive influx of immigrants has driven down gross domestic product per capita leading to a decline in productivity levels.
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— As murders surge, police and politicians say the nation is at crisis point
Over the course of one night last year, three people were killed in separate attacks across Sweden — three of many violent attacks to rock the country in 2023.
The first victim was an 18-year-old man who was shot dead in a Stockholm suburb on September 27. Just hours later, one man was killed and another was wounded in a shooting in Jordbro, south of the city.
Then, as if two killings weren’t enough, Soha Saad — a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher living with her brother and parents — died in an explosion in Uppsala, west of Stockholm, in the early hours of September 28.
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Illegal immigrants who have entered the U.S. as part of the record-breaking migrant crisis are eligible for a range of services, assistance and benefits amid a complex network of federal, state and local programs and taxpayer-funded providers.
There were 2.4 million migrant crossings in the U.S. in fiscal year 2023, a new record, and more than 7 million have entered since 2021. While some of those have been returned or deported, many others have instead been processed and released into the U.S. Overall, nearly 7.3 million migrants have crossed the southern border under President Biden’s watch, a Fox News analysis earlier this year found.
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Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday to Fox News there has been no discernable change at the border since President Joe Biden’s June 4, 2024 executive order targeting immigration, before claiming it’s “accelerating” migrant crossings instead.
Abbott appeared on “Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo” to discuss the ongoing southern border crisis as his state continues to take action to secure its border. Fox host Maria Bartiromo began by questioning the Texas governor on if he’s seen any change at the border since Biden announced his executive order Tuesday, which will pause new asylum requests after migrant crossings hit a seven-day daily average of 2,500 and resume after hitting a seven-day daily average of 1,500.
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Previously Deported Migrant Accused of Murder in Las Vegas
An illegal migrant with a long criminal record who has previously been deported from the U.S. is now accused of second-degree murder in Las Vegas.
Jorge Miranda, a 46-year-old migrant from Ecuador, faces murder and other charges after allegedly selling fentanyl to a 45-year-old man who later died of an overdose, according to a report from KLAS.
Police say Miranda was deported from the U.S. in 2016, but regained entry illegally at an unknown time.
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The Biden administration has been busy prosecuting pro-lifers since the overturn of Roe v. Wade two years ago, but dozens of attacks on pregnancy centers and churches remain unprosecuted.
In the two years since the leak of the Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, pro-life churches and pregnancy centers have been vandalized, broken into, threatened and even firebombed by pro-abortion activists. While only prosecuting a handful of individuals involved in these attacks, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has occupied its time by imprisoning pro-lifers who protest at abortion clinics.
As of March, 90 pregnancy centers and resource groups have suffered vandalism, graffiti, property damage, arson, firebombing and even assault on staff members, according to the Catholic Vote, which has tracked the incidents since Dobbs. Additionally, 257 Catholic churches have also come under attack by pro-abortion activists such as Jane’s Revenge and Ruth Sent Us, which have been linked to Antifa and other anarchist groups, with over 30 of the attacks from 2024 alone.
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Wisconsin Parents Sue State Over Schools Keeping Children’s Gender Secret From Parents
Wisconsin parents petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States to hear their complaint against the Eau Claire School District over its policy of aiding students with gender transitions without parental consent or awareness.
The petition urged the Supreme Court to determine whether parents have legal standing to challenge the covert “gender transition” policies in their school districts. Attorneys for the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty noted that nearly 30 similar lawsuits have been filed by parents across the country, and they believe it’s time for the high court to look at the legality of these cases following the dismissal of comparable lawsuits by inferior courts due to lack of standing.
The attorneys wrote in the petition that several hundred school districts adopted secretive policies “to facilitate minor students, often of any age, changing their gender identity at school,” which included keeping a student’s preferred pronouns and what bathroom they use a secret from the child’s parents.
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