French financial markets have stabilized after Marine Le Pen said that she will work with President Emmanuel “Toy Boy” Macron if her party wins the snap elections. Meanwhile, the popular French YouTuber Squeezie warned his fans not to vote for the hard right.
In other news, support for the British “Conservative” Party has fallen to its lowest levels in polling history.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Insubria, JW, LP, Reader from Chicago, 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.
Fitch Confirms Hungary’s Investment-Grade Rating, But Maintains Negative Outlook
As expected by analysts, Hungary’s BBB debt rating was affirmed by Fitch Ratings, and its negative outlook was maintained. The agency made its decision on Hungary’s sovereign debt on Friday, June 14, after the other two major credit rating agencies had reviewed the country over the past two months and left their ratings unchanged.
The rating agency considers the month-on-month improvement in external trade data as a positive factor in determining the rating. However, the fiscal situation poses risks. Just this week, the Fiscal Council warned that the government needs to be very disciplined to maintain this year’s deficit target of 4.5 percent.
In its detailed explanatory note, Fitch said Hungary’s BBB rating is supported by strong structural indicators, investment-led economic growth, and solid net foreign direct investment (FDI) compared with its BBB peers. These are offset by high public debt relative to peers, unorthodox policy actions, and deterioration in governance indicators in recent years.
The outlook, although unchanged, is also significant: The negative outlook reflects risks around the political environment and public finance performance, which could undermine economic stability and put pressure on financing costs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Clearly Not Satisfied”: McDonald’s Winds Down IBM’s Drive-Thru AI Chatbot Test
“McDonald’s essentially told operators that drive-thru AI is in its future. But it is clearly not satisfied with the one it has been testing,” Jonathan Maze, editor-in-chief of Restaurant Business, wrote on X at the end of last week.
Maze penned a note in Restaurant Business that revealed McDonald’s is winding down its two-year artificial intelligence pilot test with an IBM chatbot at more than 100 restaurants.
The Chicago-based fast-food giant is ending this test without any sort of expansion, according to an email sent to franchisees on Thursday. Restaurant Business has obtained a copy of that email.
But the company did not dismiss the prospect of drive-thru AI, suggesting that McDonald’s plans to find a new partner for its automated order taking efforts. —Maze
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“It’s Just Not Right”: Major Venues Now Punishing People for Using Cash vs. Plastic
Fans heading to Yankee Stadium hoping to pay in cash at the iconic ballpark for their favorite concessions have been thrown a curveball: go cashless or pay extra.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, Noa Khamallah, a 41-year-old New Yorker, found out the hard way. Looking to enjoy some popcorn and soda at a game, Khamallah was shocked to discover that his cash was as good as obsolete. Instead, he was directed to a “reverse ATM,” where he inserted $200 only to receive a debit card with $196.50 — after he was hit with a $3.50 service fee for the ‘convenience’ of going cash-free.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
320,000 ‘Ghost Voters’ Found in Michigan Ahead of November Elections
A bombshell new report has revealed that the Democrat-controlled state of Michigan has a staggering 320,000 “ghost voters” registered ahead of the November elections.
Ghost voters are shadows who linger on the voter rolls after their original registrants have moved on.
Often, the original registrants relocated out of state died.
In addition, some of the ghost voters were automatically re-registered with a duplicate identification number.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Gave ‘Campaign Surrogate’ Jack Smith a ‘Blank Check’ to Prosecute Trump Before Election
New court documents have alleged that President Joe Biden gave a “blank check” to Special Counsel Jack Smith to fund lawfare attacks against the Democrats’ number one political enemy.
A new motion states that Smith has been serving as a “surrogate” of the Biden campaign and has been tasked with taking down President Donald Trump with legal attacks.
Trump has long claimed that there is massive collusion between Biden and the weaponized justice system.
Both have been working together to take Trump down ahead of the 2024 election.
Trump’s lawyers have now provided evidence to support those allegations in a new motion submitted to Judge Aileen Cannon who is overseeing Smith’s classified documents case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Creates a Reparations Task Force for Black Residents
Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson created a task force on Monday to investigate possible reparations for black residents in the city, who were victims of racism or descended from slaves in the Civil War.
California has already created a “reparations task force” for people who were descended from slaves, which recommended that they could receive up to $1.2 million. The task force also recommended the state creates a genealogy office that would investigate whether someone is qualified for the payments.
Johnson said the city has a responsibility to look into the inequalities faced by black residents, citing the racism in education, employment, wealth, housing, safety and healthcare, according to The Hill.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
David Moore was forced to reverse course on his pledge to camp out in a high-crime area of his ward after a shooting broke out just feet from his tent.
One Chicago alderman is speaking out against city leadership after police urged him to abandon his pledge to camp out in the crime-ridden portion of his ward due to escalating violence.
17th Ward Alderman David Moore was camping out in a tent for two nights on an abandoned lot in West Englewood to draw attention to an alleged open-air drug market before gunfire rang out just feet from him, ultimately injuring one victim. After the incident, Chicago police vowed to work with Moore to create a plan to end the drug violence in the area.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CISA Chief Calls for AI Image-Labeling Legislation
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a part of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), all of a sudden wants to have deepfakes (which have existed for decades in entertainment. etc. industries) tightly regulated.
Tech companies (Google, Meta, TikTok, Open IA) “voluntarily identifying and labeling” such content on their social platforms and elsewhere won’t cut it now. This is all presented as a segment in the larger AI “conversation” — such as AI is, at this point — while the conversation is around how to make sure the authorities control it strictly.
The value agencies and groups now thoroughly exposed as multi-year drivers of online censorship see in zeroing in on deepfakes (and AI) is, on one hand, the ability to interpret the meaning of this content (even if it’s parody or satire) as political “disinformation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN’s data “guru” Harry Enten has declared that he is “speechless” after reviewing polling that shows President Donald Trump’s surging support from black voters.
Enten revealed that the data shows Trump is heading for a “historic performance” with black voters.
An aggregate of network polls found dwindling interest in President Biden among black voters, down to 70% in 2024 from 86% in 2020.
Trump, meanwhile, has cut into Biden’s coalition, tripling his support from black voters over the last four years, from 7% in 2020 to 21% in 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Delaware Man Stole $11K Worth of Cigarettes From Walgreens: State Police
A Delaware man is accused of stealing more than $11,000 worth of cigarettes from a Walgreens store, according to police.
The incident happened on Thursday at the Walgreens on New Linden Hill Road in Wilmington, Delaware State Police wrote on Facebook.
“Yes, you read that right—eleven thousand dollars’ worth of smokes!” the agency wrote.
An employee was busy in another section of the store when the man walked behind the counter and grabbed the haul of cigarettes, police said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Slams “Extinctionist Movement” Who See Humans as a “Plague”
Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news
In a recent interview, Elon Musk warned that those who wish to see humanity thrive are in a fight against those with an “extinctionist” philosophy, environmental extremists who see humans as a “plague on the Earth.”
Musk was speaking to the Cato Institute about the “implosion of the birth rate,” noting that we should be “very concerned” because it is “accelerating in most countries.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Freedom Powers Unite in Tech: PublicSquare Joins Rumble Cloud
Rumble, a growing key player in the video-sharing and cloud services sector, announced today that PublicSquare will be migrating its Marketplace segment to the Rumble Cloud platform. This strategic partnership of freedom-focused companies marks a step in enhancing the digital infrastructure for commerce and payment ecosystems that prioritize freedom.
PublicSquare is an American digital marketplace that aims to connect consumers with businesses that align with specific values, particularly those that champion freedom. Launched as a platform to support “freedom-loving businesses,” PublicSquare offers a network where users can shop from companies that share their values, with all verified businesses.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Republicans to Investigate Office of Special Counsel for Alleged IRS Whistleblower Retaliation
House Republicans said Monday they are investigating the Justice Department’s Office of Special Counsel on allegations of retaliation against IRS whistleblowers for their disclosures regarding first son Hunter Biden.
The whistleblowers made protected disclosures last year alleging prosecutorial misconduct in the department’s investigation into Biden.
The GOP formalized the probe in a letter Monday to the special counsel’s office that was signed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kansas Accuses Pfizer of Misleading Public About COVID Vaccine in Lawsuit
June 17 (Reuters) — The U.S. state of Kansas on Monday sued Pfizer (PFE.N), opens new tab, accusing the company of misleading the public about its COVID-19 vaccine by hiding risks while making false claims about its effectiveness.
In a lawsuit, opens new tab filed in the District Court of Thomas County, the state said the New York-based drugmaker’s alleged false statements violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. It is seeking unspecified money damages.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Saturday evening, police were called to deal with numerous sideshows taking place across San Jose, California. At one particularly rowdy site in the area of Winchester Boulevard and Olin Avenue in the west of the city, a spectator was injured when a driver slammed into them.
When a reserve officer showed up on scene, he attempted to make his way to the injured person, but was impeded from doing so by members of the crowd, who proceeded to trash the police car while he was inside. The vehicle was left in bad shape, and the officer sustained “minor” injuries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NATO Hits All-Time High of 20 Countries Meeting 2% Defense Spending Rule
WASHINGTON — More than half of NATO’s 32 member nations are spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product on military improvements — the most since the guideline was established a decade ago, the alliance’s leader announced Monday.
“Just five years ago, there was still just nine allies that spent 2% of GDP on defense,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during an event at the Wilson Center in DC. “But … this year, more than 20 allies spent at least 2% of GDP.”
The so-called “2% rule” serves as a spending recommendation for members of the Atlantic security alliance, whose charter states that if one member nation is attacked, all the others will come to its aid.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Officials Find New Smuggled Chinese Import Potentially Deadly to Americans, Pesticides on Marijuana
California officials have discovered a new illegal import from China posing a health threat to Americans — smuggled pesticides used to grow cannabis in the state.
State cannabis regulators during an organized raids late last year, in a licensed Oakland cannabis warehouse building, found bags of unknown pesticides labeled in Chinese, according to a recently published investigation by The Los Angeles Times.
The bags contained packets of wood shavings soaking in the unknown material, similar to pesticides found on illegal farms earlier last year.
The Times reports that lab tests found the shaving to have a “cocktail of dangerous insecticides and fungicides that when burned would emit a cloud of pest— and mold-killing smoke.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Powerful New Jersey Democrat Charged With Racketeering
George E. Norcross III, an influential New Jersey Democrat, was indicted on Monday with 13-counts of racketeering.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, a Democrat, unsealed the indictment, which alleges that Norcross used his political influence to acquire waterfront real estate in Camden, N.J.
The 111-page indictment names five other individuals who were also charged.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Red States Ask Court to Stop Jack Smith’s Gag Order Against Trump in Florida Documents Case
FIRST ON FOX: A group of 24 Republican state attorneys general have filed an amicus brief in former President Trump’s classified documents case, asking a Florida court not to grant special counsel Jack Smith’s gag order request, calling it “presumptively unconstitutional.”
“Free and fair elections in the United States depend on candidates’ ability to speak about important issues of the day. Attempts to stop a candidate from speaking out harm more than just the candidate. They also hurt the voters, who are denied access to crucial information, and the States, which are responsible for managing elections,” the amicus brief filed Monday in the Southern District of Florida stated.
“And when agents of one candidate seek a court order to muzzle discussion on matters relating to important electoral issues, that restraint raises even more fundamental First Amendment concerns,” the brief said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rep Luna: ‘We’re Hearing on Capitol Hill’ That Biden Will be Replaced as Democrat Nominee
Republican Rep. Anna Pauline Luna (R-FL) has revealed that lawmakers on Capitol Hill are being told that President Joe Biden is going to be replaced as the Democrats’ presidential nominee.
In addition, Luna revealed that “we’re hearing” Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris is planning to run for governor of California due to the shift in the presidential ticket.
In an interview with Jesse Watters on Fox News, Luna revealed that “we’re hearing on Capitol Hill” that Biden will be replaced.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Secret Service Agent Robbed at Gunpoint During Joe Biden’s Trip to California
June 17 (UPI) — A Secret Service agent was robbed at gunpoint over the weekend in Southern California and fired his gun during the incident on the same day President Joe Biden was in the state.
The incident was reported at 9:36 p.m. Saturday near a residential community in Orange County as the agent was returning from a work assignment, Tustin police posted on Facebook on Monday.
On Saturday night, President Joe Biden was in Los Angeles for a fundraiser at the Peacock Theater. The president returned to his Los Angeles hotel shortly before 9 p.m. and then flew back to Washington, D.C.
Secret Service did not say whether the agent was part of the detail protecting the president.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Super Mayor’ Tiffany Henyard Faces Yet Another Lawsuit Amid Ongoing Federal Investigations
Dolton, Illinois, Mayor Tiffany Henyard was served with another lawsuit on Thursday after a former employee claimed he was wrongfully terminated.
Former Maintenance Manager Dwayne Thrash alleged that he refused to help Henyard and her assistant Keith Freeman fire another employee, FOX 32 reported. Soon after, Thrash said he was accused of workplace violations that occurred while he was on vacation and was fired.
“Ever since Henyard became Mayor of the Village of Dolton and Supervisor of Thornton Township, she and her closest allies within the Village of Dolton and Thornton Township, including Freeman, have terminated the employment of several individuals they feel pose a political threat to Henyard and her public image, and/or who run afoul of Henyard and/or Freeman by defying their wishes,” the lawsuit read.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tennessee Star Editor Headed to Court After Publishing School Shooter’s Journal Writings
The editor-in-chief of the Tennessee Star has been ordered to appear Monday before the judge overseeing the Nashville Covenant School mass shooting case after the Star published a series of stories detailing writings from the shooter’s journals.
Law enforcement has resisted the Star’s efforts through a lawsuit to release the journal publicly, including those writings identified by Metro Nashville Police as a manifesto.
Tennessee Chancery Court Judge l’Ashea Myles ordered Michael Patrick Leahy, who also serves as CEO of Star News Digital Media, publisher of The Tennessee Star and other news sites across the U.S., to appear for a show cause hearing Monday to determine whether The Star violated any court orders related to publishing news stories on the shooter’s writings.
Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a biological female who identified as a male, shot and killed three children and three school staff in March 2023, prior to being shot and killed by responding police officers.
“Yes, I intend to appear in court on Monday at 11 am, along with my attorneys, Nick Barry with America First Legal and Daniel Horwitz, a nationally recognized First Amendment attorney based here in Nashville,” Leahy told The Center Square Sunday.
Leahy says he faces contempt charges and possible jail time for publishing a series of stories detailing Hale’s writings after exclusively obtaining about 80 pages of the documents from a source. Leahy and The Tennessee Star have pursued public release of the documents to, at this point, no avail.
Among other details on the writings, The Star reported that Hale felt socially isolated and unable to live independently.
“In this densely written, undated entry spread over two pages, Hale wrote about mental health issues with her ‘brain,’ which she elsewhere connected to her purported autism diagnosis and decision to identify as a transgender man despite being a biological female,” The Star reported.
Former acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Jeff Clark wrote on X, after Leahy was ordered to appear in court, that the news outlet had a First Amendment right to publish the stories.
“This is what the free press is for,” Clark wrote. “It’s not designed to coddle the trans movement or keep secrets that could get people killed through ignorance. … (What’s) going on in America? It’s like a slice of the state judiciary across multiple States has lost its collective mind.”
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Pulls Away From Biden in One-Time Swing State: Poll
Former President Trump holds an 18-point lead over President Biden in Iowa, according to a new poll in a one-time crucial general election battleground state that’s shifted to the right over the past decade.
Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, stands at 50% with Biden at 32% among likely voters in a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll released on Monday.
Democrat turned independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who says he’s qualified to make Iowa’s ballot, grabbed 9% support, with Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver at 3%, and 3% backing other candidates, according to the survey.
Iowa was a one-time swing state, which former President Barack Obama carried in the 2008 and 2012 elections.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
With Stanford Out, UW Steps Up for 2024 Election “Disinformation” Research
If it looks like a duck… and in particular, quacks like a duck, it’s highly likely a duck. And so, even though the Stanford Internet Observatory is reportedly getting dissolved, the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (CIP) continues its activities. But that’s not all.
CIP headed the pro-censorship coalitions the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) and the Virality Project with the Stanford Internet Observatory, while the Stanford outfit was set up shortly before the 2020 vote with the goal of “researching misinformation.”
The groups led by both universities would publish their findings in real-time, no doubt, for maximum and immediate impact on voters. For some, what that impact may have been, or was meant to be, requires research and a study of its own. Many, on the other hand, are sure it targeted them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New: Conservatives Have Massive 20-Point Lead Over Trudeau Liberals: Abacus Poll
A survey recently conducted by Abacus Data has found that the Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre has a 20-point lead over Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. Since the last poll was released in May, the former has gained support, while the latter has continued its downward trend. The NDP, meanwhile, has remained steady.
Of the 1,550 Canadians surveyed online between June 6 to 13, 42 percent said they’d vote Conservative were the election held today. The Liberals came in at just 22 percent, which Abacus explained was the lowest vote share they have measured since Trudeau was elected prime minister in 2015.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Three Dead, Including Suspect, After Shooting in Toronto Office Building
On Monday afternoon, shots rang out in the lobby of an office building in the northeastern Toronto neighbourhood of Don Mills. When police arrived on scene, three adults were declared dead.
A nearby daycare and school were placed on lockdown as a result, however none of the children nor staff were injured. The suspected shooter, who has not been identified, took was deceased due to suicide after carrying out the attack.
According to the Toronto Police Service, the incident took place shortly before 3:30 pm near Don Mills Road and Mallard Road. First responders including the Emergency Task Force and K9 unit got to work clearing the building, and when the all-clear was given, people who had been holed up in Northmount School and St. George Mini School & Infant Care began exiting.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech journalist Lubos Palata recently visited the city of Cieszyn and was shocked by what he found. He expressed his embarrassment over the stark differences between the Polish and Czech sides of the city.
“Welcome to Czech Cieszyn, a city that has drastically fallen behind its Polish counterpart more than a century after the partition,” he wrote.
Palata’s visit to the Polish border town was part of his series “Divided by Europe” for Denik.cz, focusing on Czech border towns.
“The Czech part brutally loses out to the Polish side. It’s shocking,” he noted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
At Just 28, Potential Prime Minister Bardella Needs to Convince the French That Age is Immaterial
Jordan Bardella, President of France’s National Rally (RN), has his work cut out convincing French citizens that he should be prime minister following next month’s snap elections.
According to the Huffington Post survey published June 16, 41 per cent of French people polled felt Bardella would not do a better job than the current post-holder Gabriel Attal, while 35 per cent thought he would perform similarly.
The hesitation of French citizens towards Bardella could be in part because of his age. If appointed Prime Minister, the 28-year-old Bardella would become the youngest in French history.
“Can you lead France when you’re so young and inexperienced? Every French must consider this reality,” asked Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in a recent interview with Le Journal du Dimanche.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austrian Green Minister Defies Coalition to Back EU Nature Restoration Law
The final vote on a hotly-contested piece of EU green legislation could be derailed this week after apublic spat erupted between Austrian Green minister Leonore Gewessler and her centre-right ÖVP coalition partners in Vienna after she voted in favour of the legislation without approval.
The debacle began as EU environmental ministers gathered in Luxembourg to sign off on the Nature Restoration Law on Monday. Twenty out of 27 governments endorsed the legislation which will see member states embark on vast ‘rewilding’ programs. Many farming groups claim the measures will endanger Europe’s food security.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EC Standstill Delays Annual Rule-of-Law Report and Key Comments on Spain
The European Commission’s annual report on rule-of-law in the European Union, usually published in June or July, will be delayed “because the Commission is at a political standstill”, according to internal sources within the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
“The report has clear political consequences,” EC sources said, adding: “This year it’s all about the top jobs and until all the cards are dealt, no one will lift a finger.
“Given the timetable for the rest of the year, it is very likely that whoever takes up the post of Commission president will not say anything until he or she is elected,” they added.
To achieve her ambitions for a second term, EC President von der Leyen will likely need support from European Council big-hitters including the Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EP Election Loss Sparks Infighting Among Germany’s Social Democrats
Germany’s ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) is plagued with infighting as a result of losing June’s 6-9 European Parliament elections.
Senior officials within the group have reportedly held several “secretive” meetings in the wake of the vote, which saw it lose to both its rival Christian Democrats, and the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Politicians within the SPD are now trading accusations over their electoral failure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Human Rights’ Court Rejects Hungarian ALS Patient’s Right to Euthanasia
Hungary does not breach a person’s human rights by legally restricting euthanasia, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) wrote in a ruling.
The 47-year-old Daniel Karsai, a human rights lawyer who represented over 1,000 clients at the ECHR, filed a suit at the ECHR last September in order to uphold his right to euthanasia. Karsai is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease, that results in a progressive loss of motor neurons, eventually resulting in death from respiratory failure.
In its ruling, the ECHR wrote: “in the case of Daniel Karsai v Hungary, the court ruled by 6 votes to 1 that the lawyer’s human rights had not been violated under Article 8 of the European Convention (the right to respect for private and family life) and that there was no violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) in relation to Article 8.”
On his Facebook page, Karsai called the decision a big disappointment, but said they would continue to fight.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Ready to Punish France in Case of Le Pen Victory
The European Union is ready to punish France if Marine Le Pen’s nationalist-sovereigntist National Rally (Rassemblement National) wins the upcoming French parliamentary elections, writes establishment media outlet Politico. According to the article, the European Commission may not let a right-wing government “off the hook” with regards to France’s overspending, unlike their leniency with the current and previous cabinets. This is clearly a sign that the EU institutions use their ‘power of the purse’ to penalise only those member states they politically disagree with.
The European Commission can launch a so-called excessive deficit procedure against an EU country if it breaches or is in risk of breaching the deficit threshold of 3% of GDP, or if it has a government debt level above 60% of GDP, which is not diminishing at a satisfactory pace. The procedure may result in a fine.
The Commission in the past came under criticism for failing to enforce the deficit rules, especially in the case of France, with previous Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker famously declaring in 2016 that they had given France leeway on fiscal rules “because it is France.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Five Stabbed in Reported Afghan Community ‘Score Settling’ Attack
A mass stabbing in a supermarket in the Northern French city of Metz has left five people injured, including at least one very seriously.
According to a report from the Le Figaro newspaper, the mass stabbing attack is believed to have been an act of “score-settling” within the local Afghan community in Metz and is believed to be linked to racketeering.
The mass stabbing reportedly occurred in a supermarket at around 10 am local time in the Metz-Borny district on the outskirts of the city. Five people were injured in the attack, one of which suffered serious injuries.
A police source told the paper: “Several victims of this attack, of Afghan origin, identified the perpetrators as belonging to the same diaspora.”
The attackers are still on the run and being sought by police at the time of this reporting. Metz public prosecutor Yves Badorc said that terrorism is not believed to be the motivation behind the mass stabbing, though he did not elaborate further on an alternative motive.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Markets Stabilize After Le Pen Says She’ll Work With Macron in Appeal to French Moderates
In a bid to shore up political support from the centrists, over the weekend France’s surprise political leader Marine Le Pen — who blew president Macron away in the European Parliament elections — assured that she would work with Macron should she prevail in national elections.
“I’m respectful of institutions, and I’m not calling for institutional chaos,” Le Pen told Le Figaro newspaper. “There will simply be cohabitation.”
Le Pen is reaching out to mainstream voters as she aims to cement a majority in the next parliament, a result that would constitute an earthquake in European politics. Her group, the National Rally, is already on track to become the biggest party in the lower house, a prospect which has caused alarm among investors, France’s international partners and a section of the French public.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French YouTube Star Squeezie Warns Youth Against Voting Hard-Right
Hugely popular French YouTuber Squeezie warned against the hard-right in an open letter ahead of the forthcoming snap elections taking place on June 30 and July 7.
In an Instagram post on June 14, Squeezie, whose real name is Lucas Hauchard, cautioned his 8.7 million followers about the National Rally (RN) stating: “National Rally won’t help you.”
The message, titled Letter to the Young People Who Follow Me, addressed the dangers of what he called a “drastic rise of the far-right” and outlined the “disastrous” consequences of RN’s potential coming to power in France.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gruesome Knife Attacks Continue to Shock Germany
Knife attacks and other horrendous acts of violence continue to be committed on a daily basis in Germany, as reported by German media in recent days. After a spate of brutal stabbings last week, Germany was once again abundant with knife crime at the weekend—many of the attacks being committed by migrants.
Media outlet Nius.de published a round-up of the latest incidents.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In a frank post-election commentary, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, the outgoing MEP from Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party, lamented the European right’s failure to secure a blocking minority in the European Parliament. The right-wing factions, despite hopes of winning 200 seats, only managed to secure 159, falling short of the numbers needed to significantly influence parliamentary proceedings.
Speaking at the congress of the Gazeta Polska Clubs in Sulejów in central Poland, Saryusz-Wolski provided a sobering analysis of the election that took place last Sunday. With the ruling coalition having a surplus of 40 seats beyond the necessary half for forming a new EU commission, the fractured state of the right stands out as a significant setback.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Iranian Murderer Released in Iran-Sweden Prisoner Swap
Iran and Sweden exchanged prisoners last Saturday, which saw the release of European Union diplomat Johan Floderus and Swede Saeed Azizi by Tehran, swapped for a convicted criminal — Iranian Hamid Nouri.
The Sultanate of Oman played an important role in brokering the deal. State-funded Oman News Agency reported that the Arabian Gulf country’s involvement followed the “request of the Iranian and Swedish governments to help settle the issue.”
“Swedish citizens Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi have been released after being imprisoned without reason by Iran. The Swedish government has worked intensively for them to be released. Today, they will land on Swedish soil and be reunited with their families and loved ones. Welcome home!”, announced Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Suicides, Assaults and Protests in Prisons on the Rise
Italian jails overcrowding index 130.59%
Suicides, assaults and protests in Italian prisons are on the rise, according to the latest data from penitentiaries collated by ANSA Monday.
There have so far been 43 prison suicides in 2024 compared to 28 in the same period last year.
Also on the rise are attempted suicides (877 versus 821), assaults on prison staff (881 versus 688), collective protest demonstrations (599 versus 440), injuries (286 versus 264) and fights (2,203 versus 2,055).
There are a total of 61,468 inmates, compared to 47,067 regularly available places, for an overcrowding index of 130.59%, said the figures.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
During both the recent European Parliament elections and the Sejm elections in October of last year, the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) failed to secure an outright majority. In a recent press conference, PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski was questioned about potential coalition partners for PiS.
Discussing the Polish People’s Party (PSL), currently a part of the left-liberal government coalition, Kaczynski highlighted the difficulty in forming a coalition, noting that attempts to partner with PSL have always fallen through.
However, he also criticized the right-wing Confederation party, stating that they see PiS as equally problematic as the Civic Platform (PO).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Meet the Netherlands’ Iron Lady
Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom is encountering some barriers to its goal of delivering the new minister for Migration. Such obstacles go against the Dutch electorate’s clear wishes, as expressed in last November’s national elections, for greater immigration control.
Wilders’ first pick, Party for Freedom (PVV) MP Gigi Markuszower, failed security screening by the Dutch intelligence service (AIVD) last Thursday, forcing Wilders to withdraw Markuszower’s candidacy as both Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Migration — “in response to the contents of the report.”
Whenever a new Dutch cabinet is being formed, it is routine for the formateur to have several investigations conducted into any candidate members to see if any incriminating matters come to light.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Meloni Meets Orban Before EU Summit on Top Jobs
Premier Giorgia Meloni on Monday had a meeting in Brussels with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with whom she has good ties, ahead of an informal EU summit Monday night on the top European jobs after this month’s European elections.
Meloni is the president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR), which her right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party belongs to.
FdI maintained its position as Italy’s strongest party in the EU elections, winning close to 29% of the vote here.
Orban’s Fidesz is not in a European group after pulling out of the centre-right EPP two years ago, but is expected to join the ECR.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Dutch Cabinet Will Take Its Place in the First Week of July
The new Cabinet will be sworn in on July 2. That Tuesday morning, the team of ministers will stand on the steps for their formal presentation, according to intended Prime Minister Dick Schoof. “That is now certain.”
The traditional photo shoot with King Willem-Alexander will not be held on Monday, July 1, because that is the date in which Keti Koti is celebrated to commemorate the abolition of slavery.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New French ‘Popular Front’ Battles on Amid Infighting, Exclusions
In its efforts to unite amid infighting, the French political Left and in particular, the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI), has excluded prominent figures.
Socialists (PS), The Greens (EELV), Communists and other Left and hard-left parties hope to join forces to combat both French President Emmanuel Macron and a surging National Rally (RN) with the snap general elections looming.
Yet, in their creation of the so-called New Popular Front, LFI left out prominent figures from its own side.
The party dropped MPs Raquel Garrido, Danièle Simonnet, Hendrik Davi, Frédéric Mathieu, and Alexis Corbière, apparently seen as a threat by LFI founder and de facto leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Reconquête Breakaway MEPs Will Build ‘French Conservative’ Party, Bay Tells ECR
The four MEPs who broke away from Eric Zemmour’s Reconquête party will build a “French Conservative” political party, an internal letter sent to representatives of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group has said.
In the letter dated June 14 and seen by Brussels Signal, former Reconquête MEP Nicolas Bay said he wanted to inform his colleagues regarding the state of the split.
“I know that the situation in France is a little chaotic at the moment,” he wrote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Slovakia Still Undecided About Rutte as Next NATO Leader
Slovakia was still undecided about whether it will back outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next leader of NATO. “We are still discussing this,” said Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini at European Union meetings on Monday.
Rutte currently has the support from 29 of 32 NATO allies to replace Jens Stoltenberg as secretary-general when he steps down this year. All NATO countries must vote unanimously on its next leader.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘To Save Families From Being Torn Apart’ — Hungary is Ready to Broker Peace Deal With Russia
As Hungary has kept the channels of communication with Russia open, it is ready to mediate with Russia in order to preserve peace and preserve human lives, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjartó said at the Peace Conference in Switzerland.
“Hungary is practically the last European country that has not broken off communication with Russia. Hungary is the last country to hold talks with Russia,” said the Hungarian minister while speaking at the peace conference, which notably was not attended by Russia. Szijjartó added that Hungary’s role in brokering a peace deal could be decisive.
In addition, Szijjartó said that in order to “save children, to save families from being torn apart,” Hungary is ready to play its part in the peace process.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: ‘Zero Tolerance’ — Labour Party Leader Starmer Vows Government Crackdown on ‘Islamophobia’
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said that if elected, his government would take a hardline approach in policing “Islamophobia” as he looks to sure up Muslim support before the July 4th general election in Britain.
The government needs to take a “zero tolerance” approach to supposed anti-Islam statements not only made in real life but online as well, Sir Keir Starmer said in a video with London Mayor Sadiq Khan marking the of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr.
The Labour leader said that Islamophobia in Britain has been “far too high for far too long,” adding: “We need to say over and over again, Islamophobia is intolerable, it can never ever be justified and we have to continue with a zero-tolerance approach.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Conservative Party Support Falls to Lowest Level in Polling History as Farage’s Reform Rises
Support for the British Conservative Party has fallen to its lowest levels in polling history, according to leading psephologist Professor John Curtice.
It is just a little over two weeks before Britons will cast their votes for the July 4th election called by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his party is facing a political disaster of historic proportions as Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party continues to strip away support from the Conservatives.
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research, said that “every poll has reported a fall in Conservative support and nearly all the narrowing of the Conservative lead over Reform.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The campaign to knock out the Conservative Party from contention and get representation in Britain’s Parliament at this snap election is to capture a “bridgehead” and prepare for a campaign to take over the British government, Nigel Farage has said.
The ambition for Nigel Farage, now trending towards polling as the most popular right-wing leader in British politics, is “yes, absolutely” to challenge for the leadership of the country at the time of the next national election, which would be at the latest in 2029, he said. The assertion was in response to a very direct question by state broadcaster the BBC on Monday morning, and it prompted Mr Farage to note the very real difficulties the basically impossible position the Conservatives are now in to pitch to lead the country now the utter divorce between the political desires of their voters and the political intentions of their parliamentarians has been revealed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brexit leader Nigel Farage has turned his fire on Britain’s left, launching his election party platform in longstanding Labour stronghold Wales and pitching to be the defender of the working clast strivers against globalist giants and the establishment parties that serve them.
Reform UK held its “contract” launch event in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales on Monday afternoon, making clear while it acknowledged the new party wasn’t ready to challenge for the outright leadership of the United Kingdom in this election, it is fighting to establish a bridgehead in Parliament to make that bid at the next election in 2029.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
This is the moment an anti-ULEZ activist uses a power tool to cut down a camera and traffic light in the latest attack on Sadiq Khan’s controversial scheme.
The group, known as ‘Blade Runners’, opted for their own version of justice this weekend by felling another ULEZ camera using power tools, including a saw.
The scenes took place during a protest in Southwark, South London, with the group taking out a set of lights at a four-way junction.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine War Effort Has Massive Digital Support From the West, Says Hungarian Minister
ithout the support of the digital superpowers, Ukraine would have capitulated long ago, warned Hungarian State Secretary for Military National Security Management at the Ministry of Defense Zsolt Barthel-Rúzsa. He said the situation in Ukraine highlights the need for the development of cyber defense in Hungary. According to the politician, a big dilemma is to accept the risk of balancing an open digital system with the need for security and cyber defense.
“These debates arise with every development, as there is no combat equipment, missile artillery or vehicle today that is not digitalized,” the state secretary added.
He said it was an open secret that both warring sides in Ukraine are using artificial intelligence. He added that “there are almost 10,000 Ukrainian and Russian drones on both sides in the airspace at any given time, and the losses are of a similar order of magnitude.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Vlaams Belang’s Brussels HQ Besieged by Antifa Militants
A march against the so-called far right in Brussels culminated in an attack on the headquarters of the Flemish nationalist party Vlaams Belang on Sunday, while a nearby crowd rallied against populist electoral advances in last week’s European, local, and national elections across Belgium.
Hundreds of masked activists split off from a larger self-styled ‘anti-fascist’ demonstration through the Belgian capital shortly after 1 p.m. The party’s premises were left heavily defaced when the authorities failed to protect the entrance of the multi-story building.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Von Der Leyen Backed for Second Term as EU Commission Chief
The race for the European Union’s leadership roles is nearing the finish line even before it officially begins. Reports indicate that there is already a consensus between the majority of member states, which took shape during informal talks over the weekend.
The frontrunner to the European Council (EUCO) is Portugal’s ex-PM, António Costa — who recently resigned in a corruption scandal — while the EU’s foreign service will likely be led by the notoriously hawkish Estonian PM, Kaja Kallas.
Although the first round of designated negotiations about EU leadership will only begin later on Monday, June 17th, the first meeting between the EU leaders is expected to end with provisional nominations already in place. The leaders of the biggest countries agreed on the names during last week’s G7 Summit in Italy and then won around the others during the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland. No European electorates were involved in this process.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Von Der Leyen ‘60 Votes Short’ of Majority in European Parliament
EU leaders meet on June 17 to discuss top Brussels jobs with incumbent European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen 60 votes short of a majority in the European Parliament, according to one pollster.
The informal summit in the EU capital will discuss not only the next Commission chief but also the head of the European Council and the next EU foreign minister.
All eyes however will be on von der Leyen and her search for a second mandate.
Despite her post-EU-elections proclamation that her centrist Parliament majority had “held”, the German bureaucrat is thought to be short of the majority she requires for re-appointment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netanyahu Dissolves War Cabinet That Directed Gaza Conflict, Israeli Officials Say
Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the influential War Cabinet that was tasked with steering the war in Gaza.
The three-person War Cabinet was dissolved a week after Benny Gantz, a popular opposition lawmaker and former military chief, quit Netanyahu’s governing coalition in frustration over how the war was being handled. In the early days of the war, Gantz demanded a small Cabinet with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant be formed as a way to sideline far-right lawmakers in Netanyahu’s government.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the change with the media, said Monday that going forward Netanyahu would hold smaller forums with some of his government members for sensitive issues.
Critics say Netanyahu’s wartime decision-making has been influenced by ultranationalists in his government who oppose a deal with Hamas for a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages. Those hard-line politicians have voiced support for the “voluntary migration” of Palestinians out of Gaza, currently home to some 2.3 million people, and a return to military occupation over the territory.
Netanyahu denies the accusations and says he has the country’s best interests in mind.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Netanyahu Dissolves War Cabinet After Resignations Over Direction of Military Operation in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday dissolved his war cabinet — following dissent from two key members about the direction of the war Israel declared over eight months ago on Hamas.
The two members, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, resigned from the cabinet last week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Protesters Block Highways Ahead of Knesset Protest Amid ‘Week of Disruption’
Anti-government protesters demonstrated across Israel on Monday, blocking roads for a second day in a call for early elections and a deal with the Hamas terror group to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza.
High school students also staged walkouts in conjunction with the larger demonstrations, including one Tel Aviv-area walkout in which students proceeded to Route 5, a major highway, the Ynet news outlet reported.
Protesters also marched on the headquarters of the Histadrut labor federation, calling on its chief, Arnon Bar-David, to “get off the fence.” The labor leader has called for early elections, but so far declined to order a general strike.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Delta Chat Refuses Russian Government’s Surveillance Demands
Delta Chat, a messaging application celebrated for its robust stance on privacy, has yet again rebuffed attempts by Russian authorities to access encryption keys and user data. This defiance is part of the app’s ongoing commitment to user privacy, which was articulated forcefully in a response from Holger Krekel, the CEO of the app’s developer.
On June 11, 2024, Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media, known as Roskomnadzor, demanded that Delta Chat register as a messaging service within Russia and surrender access to user data and decryption keys. In response, Krekel conveyed that Delta Chat’s architecture inherently prevents the accumulation of user data—be it email addresses, messages, or decryption keys—because it allows users to independently select their email providers, thereby leaving no trail of communication within Delta Chat’s control.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Hails N. Korea’s Support for Ukraine War Ahead of Pyongyang Visit
SEOUL, June 18, 2024 (BSS/AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed North Korea for “firmly supporting” Moscow’s war in Ukraine ahead of a visit to Pyongyang set to boost defence ties between the two nuclear-armed countries.
Historic allies since North Korea’s founding after World War II, Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn closer after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Putin increasingly isolated internationally and looking for friends.
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un made a rare overseas trip on his bulletproof train last September to meet Putin at a Russian spaceport, with Seoul subsequently claiming Pyongyang was shipping arms to Moscow for use in Ukraine, in exchange for Russian satellite know-how.
Putin’s trip has triggered “concern” in Washington, after the Pentagon said last month debris analysis proved North Korean ballistic missiles were already being fired on Ukraine’s battlefields.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
West’s Ukraine Peace Conference Rejects Putin’s Demands
Supported by the Western allies, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnky refused Moscow’s latest terms during the weekend’s Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Switzerland, which he declared a success after the majority of participants agreed with his 10 points to base further negotiations on. However, BRICS members, including China and India, refused to sign the final resolution, casting doubt on Ukraine’s global support.
The peace conference took place on Sunday, June 16th, in the Swiss town of Bürgenstock, where representatives of 101 countries and entities came together to discuss Ukraine’s proposed path to peace. The country that wasn’t invited to the summit was Russia, but this didn’t stop Putin from sending his own plan.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
India: Pull Out All Hindu Children Studying in Madrasas: NCPCR Chief
Send Hindu children studying in madrasas to ordinary schools, NCPCR chief tells Madhya Pradesh govt.
PTI | Bhopal | June 14, 2024:: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo on Friday asked the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh to shift Hindu children studying at madrasas to ordinary schools, stating that these Islamic institutions do not come under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
As many as 9,417 Hindu children are studying at 1,755 registered madrasas in Madhya Pradesh, and these institutions lack infrastructure as mandated under the RTE Act, he said.
He also said that Muslim children studying at unregistered madrasas too should be shifted to ordinary schools.
“I request the MP government to pull out Hindu children studying in madrasas,” Kanoongo told reporters.
The NCPCR chief was here to hold meetings with various state departments with regard to protection of child rights.
“The Act under which the MP Madarsa Board came into being defines madrasas and clearly states that Islamic religious education should be imparted in them. Section 1 of the Right to Education Act excludes madrasas from the purview of the Right to Education Act,” Kanoongo said.
According to the information with the NCPCR, teachers at these madrasas do not have the B.Ed. degree and have not taken the Teacher Eligibility Test, he claimed, adding that their infrastructure too is not in accordance with the RTE Act.
“The safety and security arrangements in madrasas are not up to the mark,” he said, taking a strong exception to Hindu children being sent to madrasas.
“I request the MP government to immediately rectify it,” Kanoongo said.
The child rights body chief further said that under the RTE Act, it is the government’s job to set up schools, and “funding the Madrasa Board is like depriving the poor children of their Right to Education.” “Muslim children who are studying in unregistered madrasas should also be immediately sent to (ordinary) schools,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
India: Cancel Flat Allotment to Muslim Woman in “Hindu Area”: Housing Residents in Vadodara
Demanding that the allotted flat be cancelled, the residents warned of intensifying their agitation and taking up the matter with the state and the Centre.
Snigdha Rupala | HENB | Vadodara | June 16, 2024:: Strong Hindu protest surfaced in a Vadodara Housing Society as a Muslim woman has been allotted with a flat there which false in a ‘disturbed area’.
Several Hindu residents of a housing complex built by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) under a Gujarat government scheme have been staging protests against the allotment of an apartment to a Muslim woman, saying the locality is meant for Hindus only. The agitators say that such allocation of flat to a Muslim family will create further problem as the new resident belonging different faith, religious practice and food habits may hurt the Hindu sentiments in a violative mode. The Hindu protestors wanted to mean the ‘beef eating’, ‘probable cow slaughter’, ‘five time Adhan hooting’, ‘coming of unknown Muslim clerics’ and ‘frequenting of burqa clad women or other persons’ as their problems. All these indicates a cultural crisis and security problems in the area as apprehended by the agitated residents.
The Muslim woman beneficiary said although she was allotted the house six years back, she could not move in due to opposition from other residents.
The Hindu residents claim that houses cannot be allotted to members of the minority communities because the Harni area, where the complex is located, is a Hindu locality and falls under the Disturbed Areas Act that bans the sale of property by members of one religious community to those from another without prior approval from the district collector in areas declared as “disturbed areas”…
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
China Strikes Back With Anti-Dumping Investigation Into EU Pork
China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork and pork byproducts imported from the European Union.
The primary exporters to China from the EU are Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and France.
Beijing’s move on June 17 comes in response to the bloc’s restrictions on Chinese electric vehicle (EV) exports.
Announced by China’s commerce ministry, the latest investigation will scrutinise pork products meant for human consumption, including fresh, chilled and frozen cuts, as well as pig intestines, bladders and stomachs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Japan: Elite Scientists Link Sudden Cardiac Deaths to mRNA Shots
An elite team of Japanese scientists has just uncovered a smoking gun after conducting a major study on the autopsies of people who have recently suffered sudden cardiac deaths.
The trio of heavy-hitting physician-scientists running the Shiga University of Medical Science, Department of Legal Medicine in Japan found that Covid mRNA shots were responsible for the deaths of those they examined.
The scientists, led by Associate Professor Mami Nakamura, MD, PhD, analyzed the deaths of 1,513 people who had died after the first or second SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program from February 2021 to February 2022.
The team of researchers, which also includes Dr. Marin Takaso, MD, PhD and Professor Masahito Hitosugi, MD, PhD, published their explosive findings in the peer-reviewed Journal of Japanese Society of Occupational and Disaster Medicine Vol. 71 No. 6.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
South Korea: Major Study: COVID Shots Trigger Psychiatric Adverse Events
A large-scale study of two million vaccinated people has uncovered evidence that Covid mRNA shots trigger psychiatric adverse events.
The peer-reviewed study was conducted by top Korean scientists and published in the world-renowned Nature Journal.
Led by Eun Mi Chu from the School of Medicine Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, the team of researchers analyzed the data of two million Korean citizens who had received at least one dose of a Covid mRNA shot.
The study looked into serious adverse events (AEs) of a psychiatric nature linked to COVID-19 vaccination.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Newly Elected Mayor Assassinated in Southern Mexico
A newly elected mayor was assassinated Monday in Southern Mexico, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
Salvador Villalva Flores, the recently elected mayor of a small coastal town in Guerrero, Mexico, was assassinated, according to AP. Authorities reported that Villalva was traveling on a bus in San Pedro las Playas when an unidentified assailant shot him in the head, causing his immediate death. San Pedro las Playas is located approximately two hours from Copala where Villalva won the mayoral seat June 2.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Upcoming Report Will Expose Horrors” of Biden’s Lost 85,000 Migrant Children in America
One of Muckraker.com’s journalists has taken to X, revealing an upcoming report set to expose the shocking reality behind some of the 85,000 migrant children who vanished under the Biden administration’s first term.
Muckraker wrote on X that one government insider has supplied them with a “list of addresses where some of the 85,000 missing alien children have been delivered under the Biden administration.”
In the video, a Muckraker journalist stood outside an abandoned Amityville, New York house. He said this is one of the thousands of addresses the government insider has provided them, adding this home with boarded-up windows allegedly had two migrant children delivered to a sponsor living at the house.
“Our upcoming report will expose the horrors of the Biden administration’s unaccompanied children program,” Muckraker wrote on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democratic Governor Jay Inslee requested a meeting with the mayors of the largest cities in King County, the most populous county in Washington state, to discuss illegal immigrants and what assistance could be provided by the administration if the number continues to grow.
On Wednesday, Inslee met with the mayors of some of the county’s largest cities including Seattle, Bellevue, and Kent, to discuss “asylum seekers.” Sources told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that an open question to the mayors by the Governor was: what do you need and how can we help if the number of asylees grows in King County?
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Record 57% of Asylum Seekers Had No ID to Date in 2024
As huge numbers of migrants continue to enter Germany this year, a record number of them have no identification papers, making deporting these newcomers a near-impossible task.
So far in 2024, 57 percent of asylum seekers — up from 48 percent in 2023 — had no identification to prove their identity, their age, or their country of origin, according to data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
According to German newspaper Welt, approximately 100,000 migrants entered Germany illegally between January and May, and well over half of them had no passport or national ID.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illegal Immigrant Suspected in Rachel Morin’s Murder Went on Months-Long Terror Spree
Rachel Morin’s illegal-migrant killer spent the months before her murder on a violent crime rampage, authorities say.
Suspected Salvadorean gang member Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez allegedly killed a young woman in the Central American country — then illegally crossed into the US four times within two months, with only his last try being successful.
He escaped border detection and roamed around free in the US for about 16 months, committing heinous crimes including Morin’s murder, officials say.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘In Times of War, the Law Falls Silent’
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ordered Hungary to pay €200 million for “failing to respect” EU law, including on procedures for granting international protection to non-EU nationals and deporting those staying illegally in the country. It has also imposed a fine of €1 million a day on Hungary if it fails to comply with Brussels’ law on migrants.
Behind the complicated wording lies the reality, namely that the court wants to force our country to allow the uncontrolled entry of foreign masses. There is also a tactical background to the case. The court judgment was already issued before the European Parliament elections, but it was not made public until afterward. They knew full well that it would have meant an even greater defeat than the current one for the globalist, pro-migration liberal parties in Hungary.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Japan Grants Asylum to Just 303 People in 2023 as it Rejected 98% of Applicants
Japan granted refugee status to a ‘record’ 303 asylum-seekers in 2023, an increase from the previous record of 202 people set in 2022, the Justice Ministry announced last week.
Beyond this, two foreign nationals were granted quasi-refugee status for ‘fleeing from countries in conflict,’ while another 1,005 — mostly from Ukraine — were granted permission to reside in Japan on humanitarian grounds, though they do not qualify for refugee status, the Japan Times reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Hispanics Now Support Mass Deportation of Illegal Migrants in US: Poll
A majority of US Hispanics now support the mass deportation of migrants living in the country illegally — and are evenly split over whether the feds should create large detention centers to assist in carrying the massive operation out, according to a recent poll.
A CBS News/YouGov survey conducted this month shows 53% of Hispanics are in favor of kicking out all of the undocumented immigrants who illegally enter — and 50% support the establishment of federal holding facilities to keep migrants before deportation.
Another 47% of Hispanics oppose the mass deportation plan — and 50% oppose detaining migrants as part of that process.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Officials: Illegal Alien, Deported 16 Times, Killed 64-Year-Old Colorado Man
An illegal alien from Mexico, deported 16 times from the United States, is accused of killing a 64-year-old man from Bailey, Colorado, in a vehicle crash.
Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, a 47-year-old illegal alien, has been arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, reckless driving, and driving without a commercial driver’s license in connection to the death of 64-year-old Scott Miller.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Planned, New NYC Migrant Shelter at Staten Island Church Sparks Outrage: ‘Have to Fight Back’
A city plan to open a migrant shelter at a church in Staten Island has sparked outrage — with the borough president framing it Monday as a betrayal that would “hurt this community and the people.”
The proposal will place 15 cots inside the Faith United Methodist Church on Heberton Avenue in Port Richmond, which would then be an overnight haven for single adult men seeking asylum in the US, a bipartisan group of pols said at a press conference outside the house of worship.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said local officials weren’t told about the plan until last week — and he believes that by opening the site, the city will be “hurting this community and the people.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A number of Polish politicians are issuing warnings as more and more migrants appear on Polish streets, especially when neighboring countries like Germany are dealing with record levels of migrant crime, including an unprecedented number of gang rapes and violent assaults.
In a strong call to action, Mariusz Blaszczak, former minister of national defense and member of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, emphasized the need for decisive measures to combat illegal immigration in Poland, criticizing the current left-liberal government’s lack of effective responses.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The sister of slain Maryland mom Rachel Morin told The Post on Monday that the family fears her illegal-migrant attacker may be a serial killer who murdered other victims while in the US.
Accused Salvadoran gang member Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, was arrested Friday in the brutal rape and murder of Rachel Morin, 37, on a hiking trail in August in Harford County, Md. — and had already been wanted in a previous killing in El Salvador and the assault of a mom and young girl in Los Angeles at the time.
“Something we’ve been concerned about is that there are other victims out there … whether they were attacked and it ended the same way as my sister, or maybe there are some out there who are still alive but never came forward,” said Rebekah Morin, 43. “Hopefully now they do come forward.”
Rebekah noted that there are monthslong gaps between his known US crimes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ship Rescues 51 Migrants, 10 Dead on Board Boat
The ship Nadir operate by the German migrant rescue NGO RESQSHIP on Monday rescued 51 people on board a wooden boat in difficulty off Libya and south of Lampedusa, finding 10 dead bodies in its flooded lower deck.
The migrant rescue charity said on X: “#Nadir is currently caring for 51 people on board.
The rescue came too late for 10 people.
“A total of 61 people were on the wooden boat, which was full of water.
Our crew was able to evacuate 51 people, two of whom were unconscious — they had to be cut free with an axe.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An online network managed by a self-proclaimed agent of the Chinese government has reportedly been helping illegal immigrants evade border authorities in order to enter the US.
According to an investigation done by the Daily Caller, there is a Telegram channel titled “American Self-Guided Tour Channel” with over 8,000 members that has served as a platform to discuss how to illegally cross the border into the United States. It has served as a hub for documents, showing specific routes available to take, per the outlet’s investigation.
Documents in the channel, obtained by the Daily Caller, help to identify border wall gaps, how to answer questions from the Border Patrol, as well as provide scripts on how to request asylum. The channel is reportedly overseen by a man who also spreads pro-Chinese Communist Party propaganda online.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
It turns out the boycott of Bud Light over its employ of trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney a year ago wasn’t just a passing fad, as many on the left and in the media laughed it off to be.
In fact, the Bud Light brand is still suffering a year later, according to a new report from 6ABC.
The report says that the backlash against Bud Light is still causing significant disruption, affecting the brand and its network of independent local wholesalers more than a year later, according to third-party sales data and interviews with six Anheuser-Busch wholesalers shared with ABC News
Many of these wholesalers, primarily small to medium-sized enterprises that rely heavily on Bud Light sales, continue to suffer from reduced revenue and face uncertainty about the brand’s full recovery.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Moves to Ban Schools From Notifying Parents of Child Pronoun Changes
The California Senate has approved a bill that bans schools from telling parents if their children want to change their pronouns unless the children give consent or other law requires it.
AB-1955 passed along party lines, with all 29 Democrats voting in favor and their eight Republican colleagues voting against. It now moves to the state Assembly, where it must be passed by committees and on the floor before it can be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Controversial Surrogacy Course at Spanish University Sparks Nationwide Debate
A summer course on surrogacy offered at a public university in Spain has caused a stir in political and civic organizations from the Right to the Left. The only entity not reacting to the course on a practice that is illegal in Spain is the Socialist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
The course is a 20-hour continuing education class offered in July by the Avila campus of Spain’s National Distance Education University (UNED), a public university. According to the course description, in addition to offering an overview of the current legislation around the world on the “controversial assisted reproduction technique of surrogacy,” the course clearly advocates a pro-surrogacy position by pointing out that some countries have “a legally secure model and have been practicing [surrogacy] for decades.”
The course proposes to teach students how to create a legal foundation for the practice, which is currently illegal in Spain and almost every country in the EU.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nearly eight years after a Muslim terrorist committed the largest massacre of gay people in American history, LGBTQ Islamic terror supporters blocked the Philadelphia gay pride parade.
“Long live the Intifada,” members of Queers4Palestine chanted, referring to the Islamic terrorist campaign against the Jewish State, chanting that the gay pride parade was just like the KKK and the Israeli army. “From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!”
Protesting a gay pride parade in support of Hamas was a fitting prelude to the anniversary of the Islamic massacre at a gay nightclub which had its own Hamas connection.
On June 12th, 2016, Omar Mateen, an Afghan Muslim, conducted his own ‘intifada’ at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, murdering 49 people and wounding over 50 more partygoers.
The terrorist attack at a gay nightclub is commemorated every year in the gay community without a single reference to the fact that Omar was a Muslim terrorist killing for Islam.
Even though Omar Mateen had told coworkers that he had ties to Islamic terrorism, had been investigated by the FBI as an Islamic terrorist (he had convinced the FBI that his coworkers were ‘Islamophobes’) and there are recordings of him pledging allegiance to ISIS during the attack, every anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre makes no mention of the “I” word.
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Infamous Topless Trans Influencer Who Was Invited to Biden White House Accused of Sexual Assault
The trans TikToker who was banned from the White House after going topless during a Pride celebration on the lawn has been accused of sexual assaulting at least five people. Rose Montoya, who was born male but now identifies as a woman, allegedly abused the victims over many years.
Jesse Diamond, who goes by TransMuscleBear online, made the allegations on social media, detailing the abuse suffered at the hands of Montoya while recovering from sex change operation years ago. Diamond shared an email appearing to be from Montoya, which read, “I broke your trust and violated you,” as well as “I’m sorry I forced myself on you.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Michael Patrick Leahy, editor and owner of The Tennessee Star, appeared in court on Monday for a “show cause hearing” to address why he should not be held in contempt for publishing parts of trans Nashville school shooter Audrey Hale’s writings, which he obtained from a source. Leahy, along with other outlets, had sued for release of the documents but were denied. The FBI, as well as the family members of the three children and three adults who were killed in the shooting, have worked to prevent the release of the writings.
Speaking to The Post Millennial, Leahy said he beleived, based on a memo he reviewed, that the FBI indicated to the Nashville Police Department that they were at liberty to destroy the writings left behind by Audrey Hale. He said that the FBI, in the memo, said that the writings should “never be released” and that their reasoning was that it could encourage others to undertake the same kind of atrocity, that it could cause false narratives to form or “cause difficulties” for certain groups, such as LGBTQIA+ persons.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Blocks Biden’s Transgender Student Protections in 6 More States
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked a Biden administration rule expanding federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ students.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves halts enforcement of changes to Title IX — the federal civil rights law preventing sex discrimination in schools and education programs that receive government funding — that were finalized in April by the Education Department in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Allez Marine!