Two women went on trial today in France over claims that Brigitte Macron, the wife of President Emmanuel “Toy Boy” Macron, was actually a trans man named “Jean-Michel”. Mrs. Macron took exception to their assertion and filed a complaint for libel.
In other news, British “Conservatives” may see their lowest seat tally in party history after the upcoming general election, according to recent polls.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, Insubria, LP, MM, 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.
Bidenomics: More Companies Announce Bankruptcies, Shutter Operations, Citing Inflation
More companies are declaring bankruptcy and shutting down operations, citing inflation and high costs. Inflation and the economy remains a top issue among all voters, according to a recent The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll.
Retailers are closing nearly 3,200 stores this year, according to a recent analysis from CoreSight Research. The closures are a 24% increase from 2023.
U.S. drug stores and pharmacy closures led to 8 million square feet of shuttered retail space this year, the research company said. It also notes that retailers are losing inventory and customers due to retail theft. “Retail shrink” is closely connected to “organized retail crime,” it notes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
70% of Unionized Daily Beast Staffers Take Buyouts as Layoffs Loom — Exclusive
The Daily Beast is gutting its senior editorial team after implementing voluntary buyouts last month, with nearly 70% of unionized staffers leaving the outlet, TheWrap has learned.
The senior staffers taking buyouts include media reporter Justin Baragona, political investigations reporter Jose Pagliery, senior national reporter Pilar Melendez, senior reporter Emily Shugerman, and more, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation. Twenty-five unionized staffers took the buyouts, equivalent to nearly 70% of the guild, including almost all of the outlet’s senior staffers.
Additionally, non-union editorial staffers are expecting another round of layoffs at the end of the month.
“We’re currently watching the collapse of The Beast,” the individual told TheWrap. “There is no doubt the site won’t be able to recover from this.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alec Baldwin ‘Fired a Blank Round at a Crew Member’ Prior to Fatal Movie Shooting
Actor Alec Baldwin was allegedly “engaged in horseplay with his gun” and “fired a blank round at a crew member” prior to the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injury of director Joel Souza on the Rust film set, according to a new court filing.
Prosecutors are examining how the actor “flouted security protocols” leading up to the death of Hutchins.
His trial is slated to start in a few weeks on July 9 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In the court filing, it said he “displayed erratic and aggressive behavior during the filming of Rust that created potential safety concerns.”
The filing went on to describe how he “displayed reckless behavior as it related to the use of a firearm, such as pointing it and firing a blank round at a crew member while using that crew member as a line of site [sic] as his perceived target.”
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Attorneys for Baltimore Seek to Keep Crew Members From Bridge Collapse Ship From Returning Home
Baltimore (AP) — Attorneys are asking a federal judge to prevent crew members on the cargo ship Dali from returning to their home countries amid ongoing investigations into the circumstances leading up to the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.
Eight of the Dali’s crew members were scheduled to debark the ship and return home as early as Thursday, according to emails included in court filings Tuesday. The roughly two dozen total seafarers hail from India and Sri Lanka.
That would mark the first time any of them can leave the ship since it lost power and crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns shortly after leaving Baltimore on March 26.
In the court filings, attorneys representing the City of Baltimore said the men should remain in the U.S. so they can be deposed in ongoing civil litigation over who should be held responsible for covering costs and damages resulting from the bridge collapse, which killed six construction workers and temporarily halted most maritime traffic through Baltimore’s busy port.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Cleveland Newspaper Forced to Retract Opinion Piece With False Claims About FBI Whistleblowers
Cleveland digital newspaper was forced to retract a guest column on Tuesday after it was published with significant factual errors about FBI whistleblowers who made protected disclosures to Congress, including claims they engaged in unlawful conduct.
The error-riddled paragraphs were tucked away at the end of an opinion piece critical of Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, whose Weaponization Committee received testimony from the whistleblowers about their experiences in the bureau. Although the original article was deleted, an archived version can be found here.
The article was removed from the newspaper’s website, cleveland.com, after it was published by The Plain Dealer on June 9.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
BOSTON — Emerson College in Boston said in a message to staff that student protests are one of the reasons why freshman enrollment this fall is “significantly below” projections. Now the school is planning budget cuts and may reduce faculty positions as a result of the decline.
“We attribute this reduction to multiple factors, including national enrollment trends away from smaller private institutions, an enrollment deposit delay in response to the new FAFSA rollout, student protests targeting our yield events and campus tours, and negative press and social media generated from the demonstrations and arrests,” Emerson College president Jay Bernhardt and other administrators said in the letter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Father in Washington State Tracks Daughter to Uber, Finds She Was Being Raped, Beats Up Driver
An Uber driver is being held in a Thurston County, Washington jail on suspicion of kidnapping and raping an intoxicated female passenger. Ahmed Hassan Ali, 58, had his bail set at $100,000 as the court decides how to proceed with charges.
Ali was arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly taking the victim to a rural area and proceeding to sexually assault her in the back seat. The victim’s father and other relatives were able to track her down via her phone, and after rescuing her, proceeded to beat Ali up.
According to KOMO News, the heavily inebriated victim’s friends ordered her an Uber at 12:17 am, then went to another bar. When they got to her house 30 minutes later, she wasn’t there. Given that the Uber should have taken no more than 12 minutes, her friends grew concerned and contacted her family.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Actor Morgan Freeman has reiterated his spite for Black History Month as he did in an old clip that has floated around the internet for years. “I detest it,” he told a reporter last week.
Freeman, who has long been a critic of Black History Month, told Variety in an interview about the subject, “I detest it. The mere idea of it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Committee Subpoenas State Department on Proxy Censorship Claims
The Chairman of the US House Committee on Small Business Roger Williams last week subpoenaed the State Department and Global Engagement Center (GEC) after they refused to turn over requested documents related to accusations of “censorship-by-proxy.”
We obtained a copy of the subpoena for you here.
GEC was used to flag posts that would then get censored by social media platforms and was also involved in giving grants to fund online blacklisters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Republicans Request All Documents Previously Turned Over to Jan. 6 Committee
House Chairman Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., sent requests to 15 federal agencies Wednesday asking for all documents that were previously turned over to the Jan. 6 Select Committee after that Democrat-led committee failed to hand over a majority of those files to the new Republican majority after the 2022 election.
Loudermilk’s House Administration Committee Subcommittee on Oversight has been investigating the response to Jan. 6 by various federal agencies and the Capitol Police as well as the investigation of the Democrat-run Jan. 6 committee and its final report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MSNBC Contributor Posts Image Claiming Trump Needed to be Helped Off Stage
Authored by Steve Watson via modernity.news
A leftist MSNBC contributor has been raked over the coals for claiming Donald Trump is really the presidential candidate who needs to be helped off a stage, rather than than Joe Biden.
Brian Tyler Cohen, who ironically hosts a podcast called ‘No Lie’, posted the following image dating from last year on X: (‘No Lie’ Cohen has since deleted his lie)…
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RFK Fails to Meet CNN Debate Requirements: Report
It has been revealed that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. does not meet the requirements to take part in the upcoming CNN presidential debate on June 27. The independent candidate had previously claimed that he appeared on enough state ballots to appear on stage alongside Donald Trump and Joe Biden, however an investigation by the Washington Post has found that he has not yet reached the threshold.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Snitches Give Stitches: Oregon Moves to Make Reporting Microaggressions Mandatory for Doctors
Authored by Jonathan Turley
There is a controversy in Oregon over a proposed change in the ethics rule from the Oregon Medical Board. At issue is the use of “microaggressions” to discipline doctors and to make reporting such transgressions mandatory for all doctors. It seems before you can give stitches, you have to join snitches under one of the most ambiguous categories of prescribed speech.
I have been a critic of microaggression rules on college campuses and discuss this trend in my book out this week, The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage. In past debates over this category of offensive speech, I have objected that it is hopelessly vague and highly controversial.
That ambiguity creates a threat to free speech through a chilling effect on speakers who are unsure of what will be considered microaggressive. Terms ranging from “melting pot” to phrases like “pulling oneself up by your own bootstraps” have been declared racist. Some of those have been identified by Columbia professor Derald Wing Sue, cited by Oregon’s state government as a “microaggressions expert.”
Professor Sue considers statements like “Everyone can succeed if they just work hard enough!” as an example of a microaggression. Sue’s work on “microassaults,” “microinsults,” and “microinvalidations” are being effectively adopted by the Board.
Notably, when I have objected to this category, advocates have insisted that they are merely voluntary and instructive, not mandatory. I have long argued that they are used in a mandatory fashion by triggering investigations of professors and would inevitably be made mandatory.
That appears to be happening in Oregon. A couple of conservative sites have covered the controversy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Swing State Election Boards Engaged in Legal Battles Over Election Certification Ahead of November
County election boards in swing states across the country are engaged in legal battles over election certification ahead of the November elections, while others were threatened with legal action if they didn’t certify election results.
With the presidential election less than five months away, county election board members are either initiating or find themselves the subject of legal actions over the certification of elections. That process occurs before the state can certify election results.
The central issue is whether election boards must certify election results or if they have discretion over certification, with Democrats largely favoring the former option and Republicans believing the latter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A fraternity student at the University of Southern California (USC) allegedly stabbed a homeless man to death on Monday night after catching him breaking into cars at the school’s Greek Row.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, 19-year-old Ivan Gallegos and two others confronted the man, with Gallegos allegedly stabbing him in a parking lot near Greek Row, an off-campus housing area. The homeless man, whose identity has not been made public, died at the scene. ABC 7 reported that Gallegos was booked on suspicion of murder.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The family of a woman who was refused access to Canada’s euthanasia program is suing the BC government and health officials.
Gaye O’Neill has filed the lawsuit on behalf of Samantha O’Neill, who was terminally ill in a Catholic hospital that does not allow its patients access to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). The province’s policy on MAID requires health facilities to avoid transferring patients, but faith-based organization-run facilities are exempt.
The claim was filed in the BC Supreme Court, the National Post reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New: Canada Officially Designates Iranian IRGC a Terrorist Entity
On Wednesday, Canada officially declared Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity. The country’s government itself was also designated as one that had “engaged in terrorism and systematic or gross human rights violations.”
The announcement was made by Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, alongside Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and other members of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal cabinet. The move comes following increased pressure from Persian Canadians and Conservative politicians in the wake of the downing of PS752, Mahsa Amini’s death, and the ensuing abuse perpetrated by officials as they cracked down on protests against the regime.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poilievre Slams Trudeau for Saying Free School Lunch Program Will Fix 25% Poverty Rate in Canada
In Tuesday’s Question Period, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a “record-smashing” 25 percent of Canadians living in poverty. Trudeau responded by citing some of his government programs, including a proposed free lunch program for Canadian schools, as the remedy for the problem.
Poilievre was noting a report from Food Banks Canada. “You know, [the prime minister] has been promising that raising taxes would make life fair. We find out today from the Food Banks Association of Canada that now a record-smashing 25 percent of Canadians live in poverty after nine years of his taxes, his deficits, and his doubling housing costs. Why is he going ahead with the same wackonomics that caused the poverty in order to solve it?”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“I’d be Careful if I Were the ECR”: An Interview With MEP Lorant Vincze
RMDSZ (the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania) is the main political force representing the country’s one million-strong ethnic Hungarian community. Against all odds, the party managed to retain its two seats in Brussels. Its MEPs, sitting in the centrist European People’s Party, now find themselves preparing for even harder battles with the MEPs of the anti-Hungarian AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) which enters the European Parliament for the first time. We sat down with Lorant Vincze, one of the two MEPs to ask him about the implications of the election and how he sees the future of minority representation in Brussels.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Multiculturalism Has Led to Segregation”: An Interview With Hanan Serroukh
Hanan Serroukh is a social educator and coordinator of the Islamic Studies Area of GEES (Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos—a think tank that collaborates with the State Security Forces). Serroukh has just published Coraje: El precio de la libertad (Courage: The Price of Freedom), an autobiographical work that analyses how Islamism and its leaders have penetrated the structures of Spanish society.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austrian Green Minister’s Defiance Sparks Snap Election Speculation
The political fallout continues after Austrian green minister Leonore Gewessler’s shock decision to defy her government’s line and vote in favour of the EU’s Nature Restoration Law at a meeting of European green ministers in Luxembourg this week. Speculation is now growing that her insubordination could trigger snap elections in Vienna.
Charges were filed with Austria’s constitutional court against Gewessler late Monday afternoon after the green minister defied her centre-right coalition partners and Austrian Prime Minister Karl Nehammer by refusing to abstain from the crunch vote. The vote aimed to designate 20% of EU member states’ landmass as preserved restoration sites and introduce new green regulations on land use.
Gewessler’s vote on behalf of the Austrian government, along with a volte-face by Slovakia, was enough to carry the vote under qualified majority voting rules.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austrian Coalition Government Survives EU Nature Law Crisis
Austria’s coalition government has survived a crisis surrounding its vote in favour of the EU’s Nature Restoration Law (NRL).
It comes after the country’s climate minister, Leonore Gewessler, voted in favour of the new rules in Brussels despite Austria’s government wanting her to abstain.
On the evening of June 17, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that the coalition of Christian Democrats and Greens would continue.
He insisted that although the situation was a “serious breach of trust”, after internal discussions he had decided to keep the government afloat because he did not want to plunge the country into unnecessary “chaos”.
“This is not what citizens can expect from politicians,” he said at a press conference.
“The path to [Austrian] election day on September 29 should be orderly
We will fight this breach of law and trust; it is no small matter. If ministers make their own interpretations of the constitution in the future, it will lead to chaos. I am responsible for stability in our country.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgian Election Victor Picks Negotiator for Flemish Coalition Talks
Negotiations in forming the new Flemish government are picking up speed.
Following his party’s resounding triumph in June 9th’s Belgian elections, N-VA leader Bart De Wever was appointed as informateur—the figure who speaks to potential partners to explore a working coalition—for both Flemish and federal negotiations.
On Wednesday, he completed the former task, appointing fellow party member Matthias Diependaele as formateur for the Flemish government.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Big Brother on Board: UK Train Stations Use Amazon-Powered AI to Read People’s Mood
In the UK, a series of AI trials involving thousands of train passengers who were unwittingly subjected to emotion-detecting software raises profound privacy concerns. The technology, developed by Amazon and employed at various major train stations including London’s Euston and Waterloo, as well as Manchester Piccadilly, used artificial intelligence to scan faces and assess emotional states along with age and gender. Documents obtained by the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch through a freedom of information request unveiled these practices, which might soon influence advertising strategies.
Over the last two years, these trials, managed by Network Rail, implemented “smart” CCTV technology and older cameras linked to cloud-based systems to monitor a range of activities. These included detecting trespassing on train tracks, managing crowd sizes on platforms, and identifying antisocial behaviors such as shouting or smoking. The trials even monitored potential bike theft and other safety-related incidents.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brussels Retreats: Long-Haul Flights Set to be Exempt From Emissions Monitoring
The European Commission has drafted plans to drop long-haul flights from CO2 emissions-monitoring rules.
The move came after international airlines requested an exemption, according to documents seen by Reuters the news outlet reported on June 19.
The European Union is developing plans to require airlines to track and report their emissions starting in January 2025 as part of climate protection measures. In addition to CO2, the bloc aims to have emissions of soot, nitrogen oxides and water vapour recorded.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brussels Greenlights Citizen Carbon Limit Petition
The European Commission has approved a citizens’ initiative that would legally limit an individual’s yearly carbon emissions.
Called “Air-Quotas”, the proposal registered on June 19 is designed “to establish a citizens’ carbon-quota mechanism in each [European Union] country that will encourage businesses to decarbonise through consumer demand”.
“The organisers consider that this new mechanism should cover all purchases of goods and services, starting with air transport,”it added.
A citizens’ petition will not necessarily become EU law or even a formal EC proposal, though does give the idea some legitimacy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Centrist EPP Admits 14 New MEPs, Grows to 188 Seats
The leaders of von der Leyen’s centrist European People’s Party (EPP), the largest group in the European Parliament, have voted to admit 14 new MEPs from six parties from across Europe on Tuesday, June 18th, growing to 188 seats after two MEPs defected since the elections.
The new MEPs include two reps from the Dutch farmers’ party BBB and another from the centrist New Social Contract (NSC), both coalition partners of the right-wing populist Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV); two from the Czech Mayors and Independents (STAN); one from the Danish Liberal Alliance (LA); and another representing the German Family Party (FPD).
According to the group’s official statement, however, the largest new delegation is the Hungarian center-right opposition Respect and Freedom (Tisza) party, which was launched only a few months ago. Tisza finished in second place in the Hungarian EU elections with nearly 30%, claiming 7 seats in Brussels.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The 27 EU leaders were unable to agree upon Ursula von der Leyen’s reappointment as EU Commission President—or on the other top EU positions—during the first round of Council negotiations on Monday, June 17th. This is despite diplomats hinting that such matters were a fait accompli just a day before.
With the negotiations apparently stuck between the two largest blocs—von der Leyen’s centrist European People’s Party (EPP) and the social democrats (S&D)—conservatives are being ignored. Seen from the Right, the main problem is that the Brussels mainstream treats the so-called horse-trading over appointments like it was only their game in town. It is unwilling to recognize the conservatives’ election results and the will of the European voters.
The Council will reconvene next week (June 27-28th) to try again, hoping to agree a deal, ready to submit for the Parliamentary vote in mid-July.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Controversial Romanian AUR Party Joins Meloni’s ECR Group
The European Conservative and Reformist (ECR) group has announced admitting over a dozen new MEPs, reaching a total of 83 seats and therefore becoming the third largest group in the European Parliament. Half of the new members, however, come from a highly controversial nationalist party in Romania despite the group’s supposed commitment to building a “center-right” force that might even enter into coalition with von der Leyen’s EPP and the liberal Renew.
This second round of admission saw ECR accepting the membership of the Denmark Democrats, the Bulgarian ITN, and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens with one MEP each, as well as the “readmission” of Marion Maréchal and her three French colleagues who were expelled from Éric Zemmour’s Reconquête last week and are now creating their own ‘French Conservative’ party.
However, ECR’s largest new delegation will be the Romanian AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians). Although AUR will only represent 5 out of ECR’s 83 seats, the Romanians will still have considerable influence as the 4th largest delegation in the group after the Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (24 seats), the Polish PiS (20), and the Spanish VOX (6).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Criminal Probe and ‘Poor English’ Dog Costa’s Candidacy for European Council
A pending criminal investigation in Portugal has dogged António Costa’s hopes of becoming next president of the European Council.
The former Portuguese PM failed to win sufficient backing to secure the post at a European Union leaders’ private dinner on June 17.
That meant he must now overcome opposition before the June 30 deadline, which outgoing European Council President Charles Michel has set for filling the EU’s top jobs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dutch Police Arrest Gunman Suspected of Shooting Spanish Populist Alejo Vidal-Quadras
Police in the Netherlands arrested a 38-year-old Tunisian man in connection with the attempted assassination of Spanish populist politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras. The suspect was captured in Haarlem on June 6, according to the Noord-Holland district of the Public Prosecution Service (OM). His apprehension was first made public on Wednesday.
Spanish newspaper El Pais identified the suspect as Mehrez Ayari, a French-Tunisian man Spanish police suspect of shooting Vidal-Quadras in Madrid in November. He was allegedly in the planning stages of another politically-motivated murder when he was apprehended in Haarlem, where he was staying under an assumed name.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EPP Boost After Orban Arch-Nemesis Joins Parliamentary Group
MEP Péter Magyar, leader of Hungary’s Tisza opposition party, has joined the European People’s Party (EPP).
Magyar, the ex-husband of former Hungarian Justice Minister Judith Varga, was a former member of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, but left shortly after divorcing his wife and denouncing alleged instances of corruption within the country’s judicial system.
Tisza now joins the EPP with seven MEPs after winning 29.6 per cent of the vote in the country’s European elections, landing three fewer seats than Fidesz.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EPP, Allies ‘Rushing’ as Deal ‘Fragile’ Says Meloni
Surreal coming to talks with names without reflection on vote
The European People’s Party (EPP) and its allies the Socialists and Liberals are “rushing” to set up a replica of their existing European majority, perhaps tweaked with the addition of the Greens, and on the EU top jobs because they know it is a “fragile” deal, Premier and European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) chair Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday.
“They’re tempted to rush because the protagonists realise it is a fragile deal,” she said, adding that that it was “surreal” that the European Parliament groups had not conducted a “reflection” on the vote, which saw the right make considerable gains, and instead had immediately come out with the names of German ex defence minister Ursula von der Leyen as confirmed Commission chief, former Portuguese premier António Costa to take over from Charles Michel as European Council chair, and Maltese MP Roberta Metsola as confirmed EP president.
“I don’t interpret democracy this way, these are attitudes that put citizens off,” she said.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
EU to Launch Deficit Procedures Against Seven Countries
The European Commission is recommending that so-called excessive deficit procedures be launched against seven EU member states—Belgium, France, Italy, Hungary, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia—the EU’s executive body announced on Wednesday, June 19th. The Commission has refrained from using this form of punishment in recent years of economic turbulence, and its decision to do so now raises questions of politically motivated timing.
The Commission can launch an excessive deficit procedure against an EU country if it breaches or is at risk of breaching the deficit threshold of 3% of GDP, or if it has a government debt level above 60% of GDP that is not diminishing at a satisfactory pace. The member state in question is obliged to tighten its fiscal policies—by cutting spending or raising taxes—or face a potential fine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Election Results Confirm 8 Seats for GL-PvdA, 6 for PVV
The official results of the European Parliament elections are in and the seat division is the same as in the final prognosis on June 10, the Electoral Council reported. GroenLinks-PvdA is the largest Dutch party with 8 seats in the European Parliament, followed by the PVV with 6 and VVD with 4. PVV leader Geert Wilders got a seat through preferential votes.
The turnout for the election was 46.2 percent, with 6,253,467 of the 13,542,363 eligible voters casting their vote. A total of 21,269 ballots were not counted because they were invalid. Nearly 9,700 were simply left blank, while over 11,600 were filled out incorrectly. The five municipalities experimenting with the smaller ballot had more invalid votes — 0.74 percent of votes were invalid, compared to 0.18 percent in the rest of the Netherlands.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Farage Tells Packed Rally the People’s Army is Changing the Course of British History Again
Brexit leader Nigel Farage said it was time to fuse the traditional with the radical as he appealed to respect Britain’s history and culture while saving the nation with major reform at a packed rally in Clacton on Tuesday night.
Addressing a hall of supporters after mounting the stage to what has become his campaign anthem, Eminem’s Without Me — making good use of its lyrics “guess who’s back, back again” in a plain nod to his return from political retirement — Nigel Farage announced a mass defection of local Conservative politicians to his Reform Party on Tuesday. While the comings and goings of local councillors may not normally make national news, several Reform candidates and spokesmen have told Breitbart News in recent days that converting the present energy around the party into a permanent grass-roots campaigning organisation ready to fight in 2029 is very much core to the plan.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Files Disappear From the Phone of the Former Spanish Soldier Who Spied on Julian Assange for the CIA
One of the main pieces of evidence against David Morales, the former Spanish soldier whose company spied on Julian Assange and his lawyers during his prolonged stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, has disappeared. The Spanish police did not deliver to Judge Santiago Pedraz the complete file of the Samsung S7 phone used by Morales to communicate with thealleged CIA agents to whom he provided the WikiLeaks founders’ defense strategy, according to documents of the judicial investigation to which EL PAIS has had access. After repeated judicial requests, officers responded that “they do not know” the location of the complete file. Judge Pedraz has ordered its immediate recovery.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former UK Justice Secretary Calls for COVID Fine Amnesty
Sir Robert Buckland, the former Conservative justice secretary who oversaw the courts during lockdown, says there should be a COVID fine amnesty. This would see the 29,383 people fined by the courts for breaking COVID lockdown rules have their “slates wiped clean.”
Those who received fines—for alleged offences, including attending gatherings or not wearing a face mask—were slapped with criminal convictions that could prevent them from working as teachers, social workers or police officers, or from travelling to countries like the United States. Lockdown-critical campaign group UsForThem highlighted that three-quarters of the fines were handed out to people aged under 40, who are most likely to suffer in their employment as a result. “Time,” they said, “for amnesty.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Moves Closer to AfD Ban, Greens Claim Party is a ‘Security Risk for People and Democracy’
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is now the second most popular party in the country, is moving closer to being banned. Christian Democrat (CDU) MP Marco Wanderwitz says he has enough MPs in his corner to table a motion for an AfD ban in the Bundestag.
He noted that he has gathered 37 MPs who will support the ban while speaking with the far-left newspaper taz.
Wanderwitz is still waiting on the Münster Higher Administrative Court. That court has since agreed with the classification of the AfD as a “suspected right-wing extremist” organization in May; however, the court has not yet released a written justification behind its decision. Wanderwitz says he is waiting for the court to release its written report before moving forward with a ban proposal.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Fined €6,000 for ‘Violating Honour’ of Greens Politicians
A German man has been fined €6,000 for insulting The Greens party politicians in his home country.
Björn Otto, a patent attorney, was initially issued with a penalty of €45,000 by the public prosecutor but the judge lowered that to €6,000 on June 14.
Greens politicians had filed a complaint claiming their honour was violated by his comments made at the end of 2022, German newspaper Bild reported.
As a vocal critic of the vaccination programme during the Covid pandemic, Otto had installed a video display in the rear window of his car showing images of government politicians including three Greens MPs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungarian Markets Shrug Off Huge €200 Million EU Fine as Country Reduces Reliance on Brussels Money
A report from Germany’s financial press highlights Hungary’s remarkable resilience in the face of EU sanctions, which have left over €15 billion in funds frozen to a country highly reliant on EU largesse. Notably, Hungary’s stock market has continued to outperform and “adapt” in light of these sanctions, highlighting the country’s efforts to pivot away from Brussels money to survive.
The report from German financial newspaper FAZ notes that the economy is suffering, with the paper assigning blame to state intervention from the “right-wing populist government” of Viktor Orban, as well as the withholding of significant subsidies from the EU. Nevertheless, Hungary’s markets have continued to grow since the start of the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, the leading index BUX has risen by 47 percent, significantly more than other stock market barometers in the region.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In a surprise move, incumbent Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony, who won the race for a second term against his conservative challenger David Vitézy with the narrowest of margins after a vote recount, has now asked the country’s top court for a repeat of the election.
At the June 9 municipal elections, Karacsony beat Vitézy by 324 out of 781,547 votes cast. Vitézy then asked for a recount after a large number of votes were deemed invalid in 20 constituencies. After this second tally, Karacsony was declared the winner with an even slimmer margin of just 41 votes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italian Media Reinforce Roma Stereotypes — Council of Europe
Debate shows feature politicians exploiting issue says report
Italian television is guilty of reinforcing negative stereotypes about Roma people and traveller communities, according to a new Council of Europe report.
“There is a prevalent negative stereotype depicting Roma, primarily as non-violent criminals, except for instances of collaboration with local mafia,” said the study commissioned under the European Union/Council of Europe Joint Programme on the portrayal of Roma people in television broadcasting in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Romania.
“They are often portrayed as uneducated and backward.
This stereotype is reinforced through selective representations of Roma as subjects or objects in reports of minor crimes, domestic violence and social disputes involving Roma communities near local neighbourhoods.
“Such portrayals contribute to negative stereotypes, presenting Roma as “clan” people who are irresponsible, particularly regarding childcare and the treatment of women within their families”.
The report added that “debate TV programmes frequently feature extremist politicians exploiting the above-mentioned topics for electoral gain, especially during election campaigns.
“Within private commercial networks, particularly Mediaset channels, the main objective seems to be highlighting and reporting on the skilful thefts committed by small groups of Roma individuals on public transport and in crowded places,” it continued.
“These reports often include interviews with young or juvenile Roma women, emphasising their seeming impunity and frequent pregnancies at a young age to evade arrest or other consequences.
“As a result, the narrative often centres around the challenges of integration and inclusion, especially concerning the housing emergency and the illegal occupation of social or private housing.
“While such issues also involve Italian citizens or foreigners of different origins, the focus and attention on Roma individuals differ significantly”.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Govt Takes Action to Cut Health System Waiting Lists
Pay rise for staff involved, managers may face penalties
Premier Giorgia Meloni’s government on Tuesday is examining a decree and a bill with a series of measures aimed at cutting waiting lists for national health system services.
Regional governments will be obliged to set up single ‘CUP’ booking centres for people to reserve appointments and monitoring of waiting lists will be assigned to the national agency for regional health services, AGENAS, with a health care control inspectorate and services offered at weekends if necessary, according to a draft of the decree seen by ANSA.
Under the bill, a draft of which ANSA has also seen, a national register for citizens to report inefficiencies and problems with services will be set up and health workers doing overtime to bring down the waiting lists will get a 20% increase in their hourly pay and tax for them will be brought down to 15%.
The bill also sets aside 100 million euros for clinics to bring in specialists in order to reduce the waiting lists.
The bill features stick as well as carrot.
The regional governments will set health agency managers annual waiting-list targets and those who fail to meet them risk 12-month suspensions, according to the draft.
It will be possible for health agencies to use junior doctors who are in training to become specialists for up to 10 hours each week to contribute to the waiting-list-reduction drive.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy Poverty at All-Time High Says Caritas
270,000 people helped in 2023, up 40.7% in last 5 yrs — charity
Poverty in Italy is at an all-time high, Catholic charity Caritas said on Wednesday.
“Poverty today is at an all-time high and is to be understood as a structural phenomenon of the country”, said the Poverty 2024 Statistical Report by Caritas Italiana released today.
“In 2023,” it reads, “in the Caritas listening centres and computerised services alone (3,124 in 206 dioceses in Italy), the people met and supported numbered 269,689.
Almost 270,000 ‘faces’ assimilated to as many households”.
“Compared to 2022,” the report says, “there has been a 5.4% increase in the number of assisted persons, a growth that is more contained than a year ago” but “the comparison of the number of assisted persons 2019-2023 is merciless: +40.7%”.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Vannacci Cleared of Defaming Egonu
Inopportune but not denigratory remark on somatic traits
Italian army general Roberto Vannacci was cleared Monday of defaming volleyball star Paolo Egonu in his controversial book The World Upside Down.
Vannacci, 55, said in the runaway bestseller of Egonu, 25, who has Nigerian parents: “even if Paola Egonu is Italian by citizenship, it is clear that her somatic features do not represent Italian-ness”.
Shelving the defamation suit, a Lucca preliminary investigations judge (GIP) said the suspended general’s remark was “inopportune but not denigratory”.
Vannaci, recently elected with over half a million votes to the European Parliament as an independent for the rightwing League party, said he had never intended to gratuitously offend Egonu’s reputation.
After she sued him, the former paratroop commander said he “esteemed Egonu as a sportswoman and Italian”.
Vannacci’s lawyer called the ruling “a victory for the freedom of opinion”.
Egonu’s lawyer called the ruling “unacceptable” and said they woud probably appeal.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
‘Losers’ France, Germany Can’t Impose Choices Says Tajani
Open doors of majority to ECR not Greens says FM
French and German leaders who lost the Euroepan elections cannot impose choices and isolate Italy’s Giorgia Meloni who on the contrary scored a big win and whose European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group should replace the Greens as new entry into the future European Parliament majority, Deputy Premier, Foreign Minister and centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) leader Antonio Tajani said amid reports that several countries were “shocked” at alleged French and German attempts to isolate Meloni in the post-election jockeying for the EU’s top jobs.
“Yesterday I was not at the meeting in Brussels but certainly there is always an attempt to impose choices on the part of some forces that lost the elections, to impose the law of the loser”, said Tajani referring to French President Emmanuel Macron who got half the votes of marine Le Pen’s rightwing National Rally and called a snap election in response, and to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz whose centre-left SPD lost second place behind the centre right CDU to the rightwing Alternative for Germany.
Commenting at the Farnesina on rumours that several countries were shocked by France and Germany’s apparent desire to isolate Meloni, Tajani said “One cannot try to change the electoral outcome and the will of the citizens with Palace operations.
“The election result must be taken into account, the doors of the majority must be opened to the ECR, not to the Greens”.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Maréchal to Create New ‘French Conservative’ Party
The four conservative MEPs who were recently thrown out of Eric Zemmour’s Reconquete party aim to build a new political force on the French Right, reportedly—with the intention of staying in the European Conservative and Reformist (ECR) group, which their former party joined earlier this year.
The MEPs informed the ECR leadership of their intention in an internal letter dated June 14th and seen by Brussels Signal. In the document, MEP Nicolas Bay explains what is going on regarding the split in France and reassures ECR that he and his colleagues are not planning to jump ship and join Marine Le Pen’s Identity and Democracy (ID) group.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A report from Italy claims that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rejected Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s efforts to join the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament.
Meloni is currently serving as leader of the group, which is made up of a wide range of conservative and center-right parties across Europe. However, according to Italian press outlet Corriere della Sera, Meloni sees more disadvantages than advantages to Orban joining the group.
One of the main sticking points is Orban’s pro-peace position on the war in Ukraine. He remains opposed to sending weapons to Ukraine and is calling for an immediate ceasefire; in contrast, Meloni is pushing for more weapons and continued war against Russia, which has made her somewhat of a darling of the Brussels elite, who see her as someone they can work with, including on the issue of migration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Newly Elected MEP Passes Away Nine Days After Winning Seat
Just nine days after the European Parliament elections, the body is already mourning its first loss.
National Rally (RN) MEP Nathaly Antona, the first woman from Corsica to be elected to the EP, died on June 18 at the age of 49.
The MEP was 24th on the list led by RN President Jordan Bardella for the June 9 vote.
“It is with great sadness that we learned of this terrible news,” Bardella wrote on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Orban Met Meloni, Morawiecki and Rutte in Brussels
On the sidelines of Monday’s informal EU summit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, former Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
With Meloni, the two assessed the results of the European Parliament elections, discussed political issues related to the European right, the tasks ahead of the European Council, made up of heads of state and government, and Hungary’s plans for when it assumes the rule of the EU Presidency, which member states assume on a rotating basis every six months.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland to Lead NATO in Defense Spending This Year
Poland will allocate 4.12 percent of its GDP to defense this year, the highest share among NATO members, according to estimates by the Alliance. This marks an increase from last year’s 3.26 percent of GDP.
Following Poland, Estonia and the United States are the next highest spenders in relation to their GDP, with Estonia spending 3.43 percent and the U.S. 3.38 percent; the NATO average stands at 2.71 percent.
These figures represent payments made by national governments during the fiscal year to meet the needs of their armed forces, allied forces or the Alliance itself, NATO explained in a statement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll Predicts Historic Victory Sending Nigel Farage to UK Parliament in July Election
A poll claiming Nigel Farage is on track to win the Clacton Parliamentary seat by a comfortable margin would be by a degree “unprecedented in modern electoral history”.
Brexit leader Nigel Farage is standing for election to the United Kingdom House of Commons for the eighth time, and polling suggests he may be on the verge of being sworn in to Westminster. Beyond a nationwide swing to Reform UK, the party he founded and now leads again, speat-specific polling by mainstream British pollster Survation by Farage ally Aaron Banks says he is likely to win big in Essex in 15 days time.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Reform UK Unveils Its Contract With the Nation
The Conservatives and Labour have both released manifestos for the July 4th general election. But, as is customary, Reform UK has gone about unveiling its pledges a little differently.
Speaking in Wales on June 17th, leader Nigel Farage said Reform was not publishing a manifesto because “nobody believes now, frankly, a word that [these documents] say.” The party has instead released what it calls a “contract” with the nation.
After a national poll last week put Reform ahead of the Tories for the first time, party bosses chose Wales for the contract’s launch to signal that their long-term aim is also to take power away from Labour. Labour has been in control of the Welsh devolved government for more than 20 years and, as Farage put it, has made taxes “higher” and NHS waiting times “longer” than in England while also making education more and more “woke.”
Reform’s “core pledges” are:
- To freeze all “non-essential” legal migration;
- Stop illegal Channel crossings in its first 100 days in power;
- Incentivise people to use private health care to reduce NHS waiting lists;
- Lift the income tax starting threshold from £12,570 (€14,870) to £20,000 (€23,660) a year to incentivise people to get off benefits; and
- To scrap “self-destructive” net zero policies to help cut energy bills.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Romania Poses Last Hurdle for Rutte’s NATO Leadership Bid
Mark Rutte, the Netherlands’ outgoing liberal prime minister, is likely to soon complete his successful bid to lead NATO. Hungary and Slovakia have officially endorsed his candidacy in exchange for certain guarantees, meaning the Atlantic defense organization only needs Romania’s nod to formalize Rutte’s ascendancy.
Subject to the withdrawal of President Klaus Iohannis’ candidacy, Rutte could be appointed to the role during NATO’s July 9-11 Washington summit.
Rutte appears to continue the well-established European tradition that whenever a politician fails at home, they have a good chance of being rewarded with a better post in Brussels (think of António Costa or von der Leyen herself). No one here stays unemployed for very long.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spain: New Bill Targets ‘Pseudomedia’ in Press Freedom Crackdown
A regional bill in Spain will provide a preview of the restraints on freedom of the press planned by the country’s Socialist government.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez announced recently that by July he would propose legislation for “democratic renewal,” specifically to “end the impunity” of what he called “pseudomedia.” These so-called pseudomedia outlets, according to Sanchez, “spread hoaxes and disinformation” with the help of financing from “the far-right coalition governments of the [center-right] Partido Popular and [populist] VOX.” The two parties have formed coalitions in several of Spain’s regional governments.
Sanchez promised this initiative when his wife came under investigation for alleged corruption and influence trafficking following months of reports in several Spanish media outlets that questioned her activities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden Approves Defense Cooperation Pact With U.S.
Sweden on Tuesday adopted a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the United States, backed by an overwhelming majority within the Swedish Parliament, Swedish media report.
After almost six hours of debate, the deal—first announced last December—passed in the Riksdag with 266 MPs voting in favor, 37 against, while 46 were absent.
The Swedish government believes the agreement will deter Russia and, in the event of a conflict, shorten the distance between American soldiers, equipment, and supplies and whatever war zone they need to be deployed in.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
TikTok Faces Huge EU Fines Under Digital Services Act
The video-sharing platform TikTok could face millions of euros in fines after a formal complaint was lodged against the company at its Dublin headquarters under the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA).
A recent investigation by a left-leaning digital rights group found that TikTok was hosting paid political advertising for the recent European and local elections in Ireland, in violation of stringent EU regulations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Acid Attacks Soar by 75% With Growing Numbers of Female Victims
Acid attacks have surged by 75 per cent with growing numbers of female victims, it has been revealed.
Shocking new figures from police forces in England and Wales show at least 1,244 offences involving corrosive substances were recorded last year, up from just 710 in 2022.
The latest rise comes after a 69 per cent year-on-year increase was also recorded in 2022 as experts warn the escalating problem is a “huge concern”.
Worrying, only eight per cent of attacks resulted in a perpetrator being charged, according to the figures from Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: David Cameron “Thinking About Coming Back” as Tory Leader
‘Heir to Blair’ former prime minister David Cameron has enjoyed his stint as foreign secretary so much that he is considering running for Tory leader again after the July 4th election.
Former UKIP MEP Patrick O’Flynn, now a well-connected political journalist, claims a “well-placed Tory Left-winger” advised him that the now-Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton is surely “thinking about coming back to lead again. … He has loved being back in the thick of things and he is head and shoulders above any other figure from our wing of the party in terms of governing experience and international stature.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nadine Dorries attacked Tory MPs who she has accused of ousting Boris Johnson, after a new poll for The Telegraph revealed the Conservatives are set for a wipeout.
The major opinion poll has predicted that the Tories are set to slump to just 53 seats, with around three-quarters of the Cabinet and Rishi Sunak himself voted out on July 4.
Ms Dorries, a close ally of Boris Johnson and ex-Cabinet minister, laid into former colleagues who she accused of having “worked so hard” to get rid of the former leader.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Liam Gallagher Issues Warning to Just Stop Oil After Stonehenge Protest
Rock star Liam Gallagher has expressed his disgruntlement with Just Stop Oilprotesters who doused the ancient ruins of Stonehenge with orange paint.
The climate activists took part in the action on Wednesday (19 June), as they demanded the next government sign up to a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels by 2030.
Video footage of the protest shows two people in Just Stop Oil t-shirts, named by the group as Rajan Naidu, 73, and Niamh Lynch, 21, running up to the ancient structure with canisters of orange powder paint.
The former Oasis star turned to social media to share this thoughts on the defacement as he warned, “Don’t f*** with the stones man, they have mystical powers. Hope they all wake up tmoz and are all orange toads.”
The action comes ahead of the summer solstice on Thursday (20 June), the longest day of the year and traditionally a spiritually significant period at the site. The stones are considered to be an epicentre of special energy, visited by druids and pagans. Thousands were expected to descend on the site to celebrate the event.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Labour Would Rig Future Elections by Giving Vote to EU Migrants and Prisoners, Claim Tories
Labour would use a “super-majority” victory to rig future elections by giving votes to EU migrants and prioners, a Cabinet minister has said.
Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, claimed that handing Sir Keir Starmer such a large number of seats would embolden him to bring back policies he had shelved.
Mr Dowden said this could include handing the vote to millions of EU nationalsand allowing prisoners to take part in elections, increasing the number of Left-wing voters who could give Labour even larger future majorities.
The Tories said that would “shift the voting dynamic of the electorate and lock Labour into government for a generation”, and claimed the Labour leader could potentially use that to take Britain back into the EU.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The eco-activists sprayed at least two of the giant, ancient stone monoliths with containers of a substance described as orange powder paint the day before the UK’s summer solstice.
As they vandalised Stonehenge, the two visitors could be seen coming across and trying to pull the activists away. Police said two people had been arrested.
English Heritage, which is responsible for Stonehenge, said the vandalism was “extremely upsetting”.
They added: “Orange powdered paint has been thrown at a number of the stones at Stonehenge. Obviously, this is extremely upsetting and our curators are investigating the extent of the damage. More updates to follow but the site remains open.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Post Office Publishes Names and Addresses of More Than 500 Wrongfully Convicted Subpostmasters
Names and addresses of hundreds of Horizon scandal victims have been published on the Post Office website.
The beleaguered organisation is already the subject of a public inquiry after more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted due to faulty software incorrectly recording shortfalls on their branch accounts.
Yet on Wednesday, the Daily Mail reported that the Post Office published on its corporate website a list of 555 wronged sub-postmasters, who won a High Court battle against the organisation in 2019, in a fight led by Sir Alan Bates.
The dossier showed full names and home addresses of the victims, many of whom are set to receive significant sums of money in compensation, the newspaper reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: The SNP General Election Manifesto at a Glance
The SNP has Scottish independence at the heart of its manifesto.
Here, the PA news agency looks in more detail at the party’s plans to achieve it, and the rest of its proposals.
— Independence
As promised, independence is on “page one, line one” of the document, with First Minister John Swinney pledging to seek to give “democratic effect” to an SNP majority in Scottish seats at Westminster by negotiating for a referendum.
But when questioned, he repeatedly refused to say what will happen to the push for independence if the SNP does not win most seats north of the border on July 4.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Tories Set for ‘Lowest Ever Seat Tally’ as New Poll Predicts Massive Drop Off
The Conservatives could end up with their lowest seat tally in party history after the General Election, according to a pollster.
YouGov said its latest study projects the Tories will end up with just 108 seats while Labour romp to a majority in parliament with 425 seats.
The Liberal Democrats are tipped to get 67 while the SNP could drop to 20 seats. Reform UK are expected to get five, with Plaid Cymru on four and the Green Party on two to make up the rest of the MPs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fans of Turkey and Georgia clashed not in Germany’s Dortmund, nor in Istanbul, nor Tbilisi, but in Gorzów Wielkopolski in western Poland after their teams faced off in the Euro 2024 tournament. The thrilling match saw Turkey triumph with a 3-1 victory. Following the game, fans gathered in a fan zone by the Warta River, where tensions flared, leading to a brawl among the supporters.
A local news portal reported that those involved in the fight were not sober.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Israel’s Top Generals Approve Battle Plans for Lebanon Offensive
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday announced that plans to launch an offensive in Lebanon against Hezbollah have been formally approved.
The IDF statement further said it is preparing to “accelerate readiness in the field” at a moment the situation is deteriorating, given the Lebanese paramilitary group backed by Iran has in the last days sent hundreds of drones and missiles into northern Israel. The statement spelled out that “operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After West Rejected Putin’s Overture, Document of Ukraine’s Surrender to be Next Proposal: Kremlin
The Kremlin has continued blasting the international Ukraine peace summit which was held in Burgenstock, Switzerland over the weekend, with spokeswoman Maria Zakharova highlighting that the Alpine “get-together” produced zero results.
Though there were almost 100 countries represented, Zakharova said that this attempt to involve as many countries of the Global South as possible “has failed”. She further described that the whole effort at putting on a “universal event” while at the same time talking more weapons deliveries to Kiev behind the scenes was all about trying to “camouflage” the West’s continued aggressive intentions.
Decrying the Zelensky peace formula, she added that “Its authors in the United States and on Bankovaya Street are trying to portray it as the only foundation for a peace settlement.”
Notably Saudi Arabia, India, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico and the UAE did not sign the summit’s final communique. Additionally, Brazil was present as an “observer” but also did not sign.
She went on to state…
They are not interested in peace in Ukraine, they need further confrontation, escalation and expanded hostilities to implement their unrealizable dream of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia.
Just the day prior to the start of Saturday’s two-day Swiss summit, President Putin had listed key conditions for peaceful settlement, centered on Ukrainian troops leaving the four annexed eastern territories, as well as Kiev giving up all aspirations to join NATO.
Leaders gathered in Switzerland had rejected the overture as but more “propaganda” — and said it would be tantamount to Ukraine’s total capitulation.
The Kremlin now says that the next formal proposal on the horizon will be a document of the Ukrainian government’s surrender. This was stated by Russia’s chief delegate to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, Konstantin Gavrilov, in a Rossiya-24 television interview.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Takes Kim for a Ride After Signing Anti-West Military Pact
Vladimir Putin has driven Kim Jung-un around in a “Russian Rolls Royce” after signing a military pact in a Soviet-style meeting of dictators.
Videos released by Russian media showed Putin climbing into the driver’s seat of the black Aurus limousine that he had just gifted the North Korean leader.
He then beckoned Kim to join him in the front, before pulling off for a drive along the smooth roads that sweep past the manicured lawns of the Kumsusan state residence in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.
Footage showed Kim smiling and pointing at the dashboard and the Russian president gesticulating as he drove.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Signs Pact With North Korea That Could Increase Weapons for Russia’s War in Ukraine
Russia and North Korea have taken a step toward improving relations. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un pledged to help each other’s defense and security and to fight off sanctions. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Robert Gallucci. He was the State Department’s lead negotiator with North Korea in 1994 when the North agreed to freeze its nuclear program in exchange for economic benefits.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Islamist Terror Suspect Arrested From Karnataka by NIA
NIA arrests Islamist terror suspect from Banavasi, allegedly engaged “with the aim to create terror among the Hindu community”.
B Upendran | HENB | Banavasi (UttaraKannada) | June 19, 2024:: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths arrested a terror suspect from Dasana Koppa village in Banavasi taluk for allegedly instigating the suspects involved in the Mangaluru cooker blast, Bengaluru Rameshwaram cafe explosion and Shivamogga mosque blast.
Sources say, while Mangaluru cooker blast (with a plan to plant the bomb at Kadri Manjunatha Temple), and Bengaluru Rameshwaram cafe explosion were set “with the aim to create terror among the Hindu community”, the Shivamogga mosque blast was planned to create “communal riots between Hindus and Muslim”.
The suspect, 32-year-old Abdul Shakoor, was picked up after raids at several places in Sirsi and Banavasi of Karnataka.
Shakoor, who hails from Dasana Koppa village, works in Dubai and is allegedly a member of the banned Popular Front of India. He had come home to celebrate Bakrid when the National Investigation Agency picked him up.
Sources said Shakoor has links with many terror organisations and keeps in touch with them online. “He has a passport, which he has obtained by furnishing false documents. We are probing that angle too,” the source added.
Shakoor, who was a sort of a moulvi (Muslim cleric) , had visited Thirthalli in 2018-19, and that was when he met the prime accused in Mangaluru cooker blast, Rameshwaram cafe blast and Shivamogga mosque blasts.
The police said he has not studied beyond school. He has a business in Dubai, dealing with kitchen items, air-conditioners and metals.
A source says, a team of NIA has taken Shakoor to an undisclosed location. Details awaited.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Men in Black Blamed for Series of Murders in Northern Tajikistan
People in the Konibodom area of northern Tajikistan are locking themselves in their homes when darkness falls. Some are arming themselves. Others have left altogether out of fear.
There appears to be a serial killer or killers on the loose. At least 13 people have been murdered in their homes in or near Konibodom since late March, and local police seem baffled as to who is doing this or why.
It started with the killing of five members of the Sharipov family in late March.
Initially investigators believed the 65-year-old head of the house had killed his wife, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, then hanged himself, but they later determined someone broke into the home and the killer hanged the man to make it look like a domestic dispute and suicide.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Repression in Cuba is the Worst in Latin America”: An Interview With Rosa Maria Paya
Rosa Maria Paya is a Cuban activist for freedom and human rights in Cuba. She has a degree in physics from the University of Havana and is a graduate of the Global Competitive Leadership programme at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C. The daughter of dissident Oswaldo Paya, who died in a traffic accident in 2012 (for which the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights attributed responsibility to Castro’s agents), she is the founder of the Cuba Decide initiative, a citizen initiative that aims to reform Cuba’s political system and rule of law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Channel Migrant Crossings Hit New 2024 High With 884 Coming to UK in Single Day
Almost 900 migrants crossed the English Channel on Tuesday — a record for a single day in 2024.
Some 882 people were detected making the perilous journey from France, according to the Home Office.
It is a further blow to Rishi Sunak’s general election campaign after he made tackling the small boats crisis one of his five pledges when he became Prime Minister.
The number of migrants arriving in the UK in small boats this year now stands at a provisional total of 12,313.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
According to the latest research, the Polish public is increasingly less supportive of refugees from Ukraine. This shift is evident across various areas of daily life, with the exception of the educational sector. The study, titled “Social Perception of Refugees from Ukraine, Migrants, and Actions Taken by the Polish and Ukrainian States,” was published by the newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
The results are clear: The once favorable attitude of Poles towards providing aid to Ukrainians and having them in Poland as refugees is fading.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In line with a new EU directive, Poland will be required to provide social benefits and living conditions for migrants equivalent to those in Germany. According to the EU asylum directive of May 14, 2024, illegal migrants will be entitled to taxpayer-funded social benefits across all EU member states. This includes high-standard free housing, social benefits, comprehensive free healthcare, and access to the labor market for African and Arab migrants.
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a politician from the Law and Justice (PiS) party, noted in an interview with wPolityce.pl that the directive’s intent is to ensure equal benefits for migrants in all EU countries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Far-Right PVV to Handle Integration Policy; Minister Won’t Apologize for Discrimination
In the Schoof I Cabinet, integration will fall under the Ministry of Justice and Security, not the Ministry of Social Affairs, as it currently does, Ingrid Coenradie of the far-right PVV, the candidate for State Secretary of Justice and Security, said on Tuesday after meeting with formateur Richard van Zwol and candidate Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Marojlein Faber, the PVV’s candidate for Immigration Minister, said she would not take back past statements about repopulation and describing Islam as a reprehensible ideology, but she intends to act as a Minister should.
On Tuesday, Ingrid Coenradie said that, as State Secretary of Justice and Security, she would be responsible for the Civic Integration Act, the prison system, morals, and crisis management, according to ANP.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Fifty-Seven Percent of Migrants Arrive Without Passports
More than half percent of all migrants who claimed asylum in Germany in the first five months of this year had no form of identification, according to an article by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. The share of people without documentation (57%) is much higher than last year, when 48% of arrivals claimed to have no passport or an identity card.
Lack of documentation and the unwillingness of countries of origin to take back their citizens is the main reason why Germany is unable to deport many failed asylum seekers and migrant criminals. One country of origin which stands out is Turkey: despite Turkey being a safe country, a NATO and OECD member state, i.e. Turkish citizens have no reason for escape, they are the third largest group of asylum seekers—after Syrians and Afghans—in Germany.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German School System Overwhelmed by Migrants, Warns President of German Teachers’ Association
The German education system is facing a serious crisis as increasingly more and more students are speaking little or no German at all, warns Stefan Düll, the president of the German Teachers’ Association.
“Due to immigration in 2015, the war in Ukraine and other immigration, new people are constantly coming into the system, but the system is slow to keep up because it is moving too fast,” said Dülli, who told new agency DTS that the school system was overloaded due to excessive immigration.
The president says that a high proportion of these children speak little or no German, which is putting an enormous burden on teachers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Border Controls for Euro 2024 ‘Working’ to Catch Criminals
Germany’s decision to temporarily reintroduce border controls for the ongoing Euro 2024 football championships is “working”, authorities say, with the country having reportedly detained a large number of illegals, suspected criminals and extremists.
Police detected well over 1,000 illegal entries or attempted entries into Germany shortly before the start of the competition on June 16. In total 1,400 unauthorised entries have so far been picked up during border checks.
Some 900 people were barred from entering the country or deported, while 173 people were arrested.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ireland: Ryanair CEO: “It’s a Complete Scam, These People Are Not Refugees”
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary asserted that the asylum system was “a complete scam” and that such individuals “are not refugees” because they are arriving from safe countries and then flushing their passports down the toilet.
O’Leary made the comments during an appearance on the Newstalk radio station.
The airline boss was asked how people are able to arrive in Ireland on Ryanair flights without proper documentation or being able to prove their identities.
“Yeah because they flush them down the toilet, they arrive at Dublin airport and they flush them down the toilet,” he responded.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
n a recent border incident, the Polish Border Guard confirmed that a German police car crossed into Poland, leaving behind a family of Middle Eastern migrants, a move described as a breach of cooperative norms between the two nations. This event has sparked considerable controversy and political debate within Poland.
Pawel Jablonski, a Law and Justice (PiS) party deputy and former deputy foreign minister, criticized Germany’s actions, suggesting they are exploiting the open border to unilaterally transfer migrants into Poland.
“This raises a serious question: Should Poland introduce permanent border controls with Germany to prevent such situations in the future?” he wrote on X. Jablonski questioned the resolve of the Tusk government to confront Germany over these matters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Report: 1.1 Million Migrants Applied for EU Asylum in 2023
The European Union’s Asylum Agency’s (EUAA) annual report for 2023, published a few days ago, highlights some of the key data about the state of Europe’s asylum system, including a further increase in overall applications and a consistently low level of deportation of failed asylum seekers—as well as the failure of the so-called Dublin system.
The 321-page report, published on June 14th, concludes that the EU countries continued to host “a record number of people in need of protection” in 2023, with 1.1 million granted temporary protection during the year and an additional 1.1 million new applications registered in the same time, marking a steep 25% increase from 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas Sees 74% Drop in Illegal Border Crossings Since Operation Lone Star, Gov. Office Says
Authored by Lorenz Duchamps via The Epoch Times
Texas officials have reported a significant drop in illegal border crossings since Gov. Gregg Abbott implemented his state-level border security mission.
According to a statement released by Mr. Abbott’s office on June 14, the initiative has resulted in a 74 percent decrease in immigrants crossing into the state illegally in Texas since Operation Lone Star was launched in March 2021.
As part of the initiative, the Republican governor has deployed floating border barriers, installed wire fencing, and used the Texas National Guard to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.
Since the program was launched, the multi-agency effort has led to nearly 514,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 44,000 criminal arrests, with more than 38,600 felony charges, the statement said.
His office also emphasizes that law enforcement officials have seized over 489 million lethal doses of the synthetic opioid fentanyl during this period, noting the quantity seized is enough to “kill every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico combined.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A transgender suspect wanted by Washington, Utah police in connection to a double homicide that occurred within a residence was arrested on Wednesday morning after a manhunt was launched Tuesday night for the suspect.
The St. George Police Department announced on Facebook that Collin Troy Bailey was taken into custody at around 10:30 am local time. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the neighborhoods of Bloomington Hills and Fort Pierce overnight, with the order being lifted at around 7 am. St. George Police public information officer Tiffany Mitchell told St. George News that the deceased victims found were Bailey’s parents.
The department said in a press release that police responded to a shots fired incident at 1039 E Chinook Drive in Washington City at around 7 pm local time. When officers entered the residence, they found two deceased adults, one male and one female, with apparent gunshot wounds. Officers attempted lifesaving measures on the two victims, but the two were pronounced dead. No other victims or suspects were located in the apartment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Disney’s New ‘Gayest Star Wars Ever’ Features First Instance of Trans Pronouns in Cinematic Universe
Disney’s new Star Wars series, “The Acolyte,” has introduced a scene featuring the first instance of a Star Wars live-action project using so-called “proper pronouns” when referring to a character, generating significant attention and mixed reactions on social media.
In a viral clip from the fourth episode titled “Day,” the protagonist Osha, played by Amandla Stenberg, is seen discussing with another female character about a third person in the scene. Stenberg’s character begins by asking “Who is that?” to which the other responds with the name “Bazil.” Stenberg then begins to ask “Is he-” before correcting herself to use gender-neutral pronouns, saying “-or they, with us?”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Radical Euthanasia Bill Halted Indefinitely
One of the unexpected consequences of the dissolution of the French National Assembly in the wake of the European elections is the postponement of the bill to introduce euthanasia in France—without any deadline for its further parliamentary consideration.
During the spring, the first stages of the legislative process unfolded, outlining an extremely progressive law. The law opens up the possibility not only of ‘aid in dying’ but also of formal euthanasia—originally intended as an exception but likely to be widely applied. The bill was due to be examined by MPs until June 18th. It has therefore been suspended, as the MPs will not return to the Assembly until after the second round of legislative elections on July 8th.
Discussions between MPs had already led to significant changes to the initial draft
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Free Speech at Risk: UN Pushes for Global “Hate Speech” Eradication
In a statement issued on the occasion of the “International Day for Countering Hate Speech,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the global eradication of so-called “hate speech,” which he described as inherently toxic and entirely intolerable.
The issue of censoring “hate speech” stirs significant controversy, primarily due to the nebulous and subjective nature of its definition. At the heart of the debate is a profound concern: whoever defines what constitutes hate speech essentially holds the power to determine the limits of free expression.
This power, wielded without stringent checks and balances, leads to excessive censorship and suppression of dissenting voices, which is antithetical to the principles of a democratic society.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed Arizona’s Detransitioner Bill of Rights, which would have required insurance that covers gender reassignment surgery also cover detransition procedures.
In a one-line explanation to Warren Peterson, president of the State Senate, Hobbs wrote, “This bill is unnecessary and would create a privacy risk for patients.”
The legislation, sponsored by Republican Senator Janae Shamp and approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature, would have mandated that insurance companies that cover gender reassignment surgery must also cover detransition surgery and healthcare providers that are licensed to perform gender reassignments must agree to provide detransition procedures.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Louisiana Governor ‘Can’t Wait to be Sued’ After Forcing the Ten Commandments in Classrooms
Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry is looking for a legal fight after mandating the Ten Commandments in every classroom in the state.
“I’m going home to sign a bill that places the Ten Commandments in public classrooms,” he said during a recent GOP fundraiser in Tennessee. “I can’t wait to be sued.”
Landry signed the bill into law on Wednesday, making Louisiana the first state in the US to require all public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Conservative legal groups have been angling for another shot at reversing Supreme Court rulings protecting the separation of church and state after justices shot down a similar state law in Kentucky more than 30 years ago, on the grounds that the state violated the First Amendment’s prohibition against any laws “respecting an establishment of religion.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Reports Reveal Five Eyes’ Surge in Biometric Data Collection
Big Brother might be always “watching you” — but guess what, five (pairs) of eyes sound better than one. Especially when you’re a group of countries out to do mass surveillance across different jurisdictions, and incidentally or not, name yourself by picking one from the “dystopian baby names” list.
But then again, those “eyes” might be so many and so ambitious in their surveillance bid, that they end up criss-crossed, not serving their citizens well at all.
And so, the Five Eyes, (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK) — an intelligence alliance, brought together by (former) colonial and language ties that bind — has been collecting no less than 100 times more biometric data — including demographics and other information concerning non-citizens — over the last 3 years, since about 2011.
That’s according to reports, which basically tell you — if you’re a Five Eye national or visit out of the UN’s remaining 188 member countries — expect to be under thorough, including biometric, surveillance.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland’s Left-Liberal Government Hits Hospital With Hefty Fine for Refusing to Perform Abortions
Polish Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna announced during a Monday press conference that a medical facility in Pabianice near Lódz has been fined due to non-compliance with new abortion regulations implemented by the left-liberal government.
The National Health Fund’s (NFZ) control department has been actively conducting audits related to abortion denials under the recently introduced regulation specifying the general conditions for refusal.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco Mayor Berates Dem Rival in Debate for Not Knowing Names of Local Drag Queens
On Monday night at San Francisco’s mayoral debates, Mayor London Breed took aim at her top Democrat rival, former supervisor and interim mayor Mark Farrell, for being unable to name three drag queens in the city. She attempted to weaponize her support for the LGBTQ community to appeal to voters after she had spent the last debate playing defense and countering blows about her performance as mayor in a city that has been defiled by crime.
Farrell, who is the most moderate of the Democrat candidates and is trouncing London Breed in internal polls, responded by speaking about his support for the LGBTQ community and touting his track record. But he could not name a local drag queen, which angered the LGBTQ community.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spain Extends Euthanasia Law to Include the Mentally Ill
Despite a Constitutional Court ruling to the contrary, the Spanish government has affirmed that its recent euthanasia law allows assisted suicide for the mentally ill. The government is preparing changes to the official manual of best euthanasia practices to clarify the application of the law, thereby facilitating the euthanasia of those suffering from various psychiatric conditions.
“There was no doubt that mental illness could motivate a patient’s request for euthanasia, in accordance with what was included in the Organic Law of Regulation of Euthanasia,” stated Nuria Terribas, vice-president of the Commission for the Guarantee and Evaluation of Euthanasia in Catalonia, adding “at least, there was not among the members that made up the Euthanasia Guarantee and Evaluation Commissions of the autonomous communities.” The remarks were made at a conference on law and health last week, as reported by the trade magazine Diario Medico.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
TikTok Shuts Down Ads for Bold Feminist Sportswear Brand
TikTok has issued a permanent advertising ban on XX-XY Athletics, a feminist sportswear brand that also advocates for the protection of women-only sports.
XX-XY Athletics, launched by former Levi’s executive Jennifer Sey, champions the cause of maintaining sex-based divisions in sports, prioritizing safety and fairness for female athletes. The ad features a group of women and girls who call for courage in upholding “reality.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Conservative Party Leader “Not Against” Assisted Suicide
On assisted suicide, Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak has revealed (to nobody’s surprise) that he is “not against it in principle,” removing yet another possible dividing line with Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer. He appears to have sided with alleged ‘conservative’ commentators who believe the elderly and infirm should be “urged” to consider undergoing the lethal process.
The Tory prime minister suggested that “it’s just a question of having the safeguards in place and that’s where people have had questions in the past.” If Sunak’s comments—and, indeed, support from some senior Tories in the last parliamentary drive for legalisation in 2015—are anything to go by, it appears most likely that Britain’s elderly and infirm will be being pushed to consider assisted suicide within just a matter of years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Women’s Rights Activist Says London Police “Bullying” Her Over Trans Doctor Tweet
Maya Forstater claims she has been threatened with arrest and has been at the centre of a 10-month Metropolitan Police investigation because of a June 2023 tweet in which she said a transgender doctor “enjoys intimately examining female patients without their consent.”
The feminist campaigner, who runs the charity Sex Matters, complained that while she has been interviewed under caution by police and has since had an investigation “hanging over my head for almost a year,” it was “plain” that officers “had given no consideration to the contents of my blogpost” about the doctor in question.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Women Who Made False Claims Brigitte Macron is Transgender Go on Trial in France
Two women went on trial on Wednesday over false claims that France’s first lady Brigitte Macron was transgender, which sparked online rumour-mongering by conspiracy theorists and the far right.
In 2022, Brigitte Macron filed a complaint for libel against two women who posted a YouTube video in December 2021 alleging she had once been a man named “Jean-Michel”.
The claim went viral just weeks before the 2022 presidential election.
The trial on defamation charges comes amid a frenetic campaign for snap legislative polls called by President Emmanuel Macron after the far right trounced his party in EU parliament elections.
Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, appeared in court in Paris on Wednesday to answer questions about the interview she conducted with Natacha Rey, an independent journalist who did not turn up citing illness.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
That lying creep Candace Owens slandered Brigitte as well. Owens said she would bet her career on the ‘fact” that Brigitte Macron is a trasgender.
Owens also slandered Kim Klacik by claiming that she is pole dancing hooker.
Candace Owens cannot be trusted with the truth. She is also against funding Israel who is our only friend in the Middle East.
I really despise that woman with every fiber of my being. She is a despicable and repulsive liar.
“That lying creep Candace Owens slandered Brigitte as well. Owens said she would bet her career on the ‘fact” that Brigitte Macron is a trasgender.”
Not to pick nits here—and I’m NOT a mind-reader—but I reckon Owens’s simply engaging in the ‘toddler “science” of hyperbolic gaslighting.
Candace Owens has changed. And it is not good at all. It has nothing to do with ‘toddler science”.
Her behavior is dispicable and repulsive whether you believe it or not.
She never condemned the Muslim terrorists whose aim to genocide the Hebrews. That, itself, tells me what she really is.
“She never condemned the Muslim terrorists whose aim to genocide the Hebrews. That, itself, tells me what she really is.”
Again, I’m not a mind-reader (so I could be all wet on this…), but I think it more likely that Owens, like most her age, was “educated” by a system based on Jew hatred and moral relativism; and she’s simply revealing the cracks in her aspirational leanings toward conservatism (which has traditionally [and closely] allied itself with Jews and Israel). But I could be wrong..
Re: Brussels retreats.
Most long-distance travellers have no option but to fly. If some kind of ‘carbon tax” is called for, it should apply to private jets and first/business class passengers.
Short/medium class flights in Europe are mostly replicated by decent train services; these are the ones which, if any, should be targeted.
**********************************************************
IN ROTTEN SWEDEN, MEN GIVE BIRTH
TO CHILDREN
***********************************************
The Health Region in Sörmland: “Outdated” that fathers cannot give birth – now the system is changing
Published at 14:24 in Samnytt
A woman who identifies as a man felt offended by being written as “mother” instead of “father” in the maternity ward record. Now the region is changing its data system so that even fathers can give birth.
Samnytt has previously reported on the transgender person – a pregnant woman who considers herself a man – who felt deeply offended when she/he gave birth to her child in Nyköping’s hospital. She/he decided to report the violation to the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO).
The record system that region Sörmland uses is based on proven biological science where only women/mothers can give birth, not men/fathers. But after the current event, there will be a change in that.
– We naturally regret the patient’s experience. We must treat the patients in a way that is correct for them, that is our absolute intention, says Marie Bennermo, head of patient safety in the Sörmland region.
Now the journal system is therefore being changed. Instead of biology, it will in the future be based on the patient’s experience of what gender the person concerned thinks they have.
“Old and outdated”
According to Bennermo, it is an “old” and “outdated” approach to call all women who give birth mothers. If a biological woman perceives herself to be a husband and father, the staff must henceforth play along to avoid violations.
The new experience-based record system should be in place in the spring of 2025. However, not everyone is equally delighted that healthcare in this way deviates from the principle of practicing its activities according to proven science in favor of the individual’s opinion.
“Poppycock”
One of the critics is the Riksdag member, also the chairman of the Riksdag’s justice committee, Richard Jomshof. In a comment on X, he calls the trans and identity politics idea that men can give birth to children “nonsense”.
An Observation and a Prediction.
The Observation: The 2020 Obamerican presidential election was about one thing: How many voters hate one candidate—”Orange Hitler”—enough to vote for whoever the other one is.
The Prediction: The 2024 Obamerican presidential election will be about one thing: Which of the two candidates do voters hate more. As things sit today: it looks like a landslide in favour of The Prince (i.e., more voters hate The Prince than hate “Orange Hitler”).
Grab yer ankles, Obamericans, it’s gonna be a reamer..