Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off this evening in the first debate of the presidential campaign, which was hosted by CNN. I didn’t watch it, but a number of Democrat pundits were apparently alarmed by Mr. Biden’s lackluster performance.
In other news, two workers were allegedly shot and killed yesterday by an illegal migrant at a Texas Chick-fil-A.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, 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.
Belgian Inflation Reaches 10-Month Peak
Belgium’s year-on-year inflation soared to 3.74% in June, the highest in ten months, driven mainly by surges in energy and housing costs, according to Statistics Belgium.
This marks an increase from May’s 3.36%. The rise is attributed to energy utility prices jumping to 10.85% in June from 7.84% in May, and housing costs experiencing a similar hike. Additionally, prices in restaurants and hotels increased to 4.83% from 4.09%, and communication prices rose to 2.6% from 1.45% in May.
In contrast, the growth rate of food and non-alcoholic beverage prices slowed significantly to 0.1% from 0.77%. Footwear and clothing prices stabilized at 3.83%, down slightly from 3.87%. There was a decrease in prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco, which fell to 6.65% from 7.12%, and household equipment and furnishings, which dropped to 1.16% from 1.5%. Transport prices also saw a decline to 1.81% from 2.13% in the previous month.
Month-on-month inflation in Belgium for June was 0.22%, a decrease from 0.37% in May. Statistics Belgium noted, “With regard to energy, we see a positive inflation this month. It now stands at 15.10%, compared to 11.17% last month and 9.19% in April. For electricity, inflation is currently at 13.3%, compared to 3.6% last month. For natural gas, it went from 84.4% last month to 128.0% this month.”
In Italy, the producer price index (PPI) report for May showed a year-on-year decline of —3.5%, an improvement from April’s —5.9%, indicating the slowest fall in wholesale inflation since April 2023. Energy prices plunged by —10.1%, and intermediate goods’ prices fell by —3.9%. However, inflation for consumer goods rose slightly by 1%, and capital goods inflation remained stable at 0.2%.
Month-on-month, Italian producer prices saw a 0.3% increase in May, recovering from a —0.9% decline in April. The stabilization of producer prices is attributed to the market adjusting to the price surges in metals, energy, and food products following the geopolitical tensions, including the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Weekly Jobless Claims Drop, But Benefit Recipients Reach Two-Year High
Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the total number of people collecting jobless benefits reached its highest level in over two years. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims for the week ending June 22 fell by 6,000 to 233,000, down from 239,000 the previous week.
However, the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits increased for the eighth consecutive week, rising to 1.84 million for the week of June 15. This marks the highest level since November 2021.
The Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark borrowing rate 11 times since March 2022 to combat the highest inflation in four decades, which surged as the economy recovered from the COVID-19 recession of 2020. The Fed aimed to cool the labor market and slow wage growth, which can drive inflation.
While many economists expected the rapid rate hikes to trigger a recession, this has been avoided so far due to strong consumer demand and a resilient labor market. Nonetheless, recent government data indicates emerging weaknesses.
Jobless benefit applications have been trending higher in June after generally staying below 220,000 earlier this year. The unemployment rate edged up to 4% in May, even as employers added a robust 272,000 jobs that month. Job postings in April dropped to their lowest level since 2021.
The Labor Department’s report also showed that the four-week average of claims, which mitigates some week-to-week volatility, increased by 3,000 to 236,000.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A ‘Disaster’: Biden’s Shaky Start in Debate With Trump Rattles Democrats
June 27 (Reuters) — U.S. President Joe Biden’s supporters had hoped Thursday night’s debate would erase worries that the 81-year-old was too old to serve another term, but his hoarse voice and at times tentative performance against Republican rival Donald Trump did the opposite.
Biden and Trump, 78, both have faced concerns about their age and fitness in the run-up to the Nov. 5 election, but they have weighed more heavily on Biden.
On Thursday, with his voice hoarse from a cold, Biden hurried through some of his talking points on the debate stage, stumbled over some answers and trailed off during others.
About halfway through the debate, a Democratic strategist who worked on Biden’s 2020 campaign called it a “disaster.”
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Lied About Hunter Laptop at Last Debate With Trump, ‘Spies Who Lie’ Tell Congress
WASHINGTON — Call it the C-Y-A.
President Biden lied during his most recent debate against Donald Trump when he claimed a group of former intelligence operatives had determined files from his son Hunter’s abandoned laptop were “garbage” and a “Russian plant” — so signers of the “Spies Who Lie” letter told Congress in testimony made public Thursday, just hours before the first Biden-Trump debate of 2024.
The former spies, whose letter was drafted specifically to give Biden, now 81, a “talking point” at the second and final debate of the 2020 campaign, said they merely suggested that files from Hunter’s hard drive were bogus, but didn’t assert it as a fact — days after bombshell reports by The Post showed the elder Biden was involved in his family’s Chinese and Ukrainian business relationships.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Administration Considers Allowing American Military Contractors to Deploy to Ukraine
The Biden administration is moving towards lifting a de facto ban on American military contractors deploying to Ukraine, aiming to assist the Ukrainian military in maintaining and repairing US-provided weapons systems, according to four US officials familiar with the matter.
The proposed change represents a significant shift in the administration’s Ukraine policy as the US seeks to enhance Ukraine’s military capabilities against Russia. While the policy is still under development and awaits President Joe Biden’s final approval, an administration official emphasized, “We have not made any decisions and any discussion of this is premature. The president is absolutely firm that he will not be sending US troops to Ukraine.”
If approved, the policy could be enacted this year, allowing the Pentagon to issue contracts to American companies for in-country work for the first time since Russia’s invasion in 2022. This move aims to expedite the maintenance and repair of critical weapons systems used by the Ukrainian military, which currently need to be transported out of Ukraine for significant repairs.
US-provided equipment that sustains damage in combat must be transported to Poland, Romania, or other NATO countries for repairs, a time-consuming process. Although US troops provide remote assistance via video chat or secure phone for routine maintenance, this arrangement has limitations due to the lack of direct, hands-on support.
The reconsideration of these restrictions has intensified in recent months as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield and US funding for Ukraine faces challenges in Congress. Allowing experienced American contractors to maintain a presence in Ukraine is expected to expedite the repair process of high-value equipment, such as the F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine is set to receive later this year.
Companies bidding for these contracts will need to develop robust risk mitigation plans to protect their employees. Current and former officials emphasized that this policy change will not lead to a large-scale contractor presence as seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, but rather a focused effort with potentially a few dozen to a couple hundred contractors working in Ukraine at any given time.
“This would be a much more focused and thoughtful effort to support Ukraine in country,” said retired Army officer Alex Vindman, who served as the director for European Affairs on former President Donald Trump’s National Security Council.
Vindman, who has advocated for lifting these restrictions for nearly two years, remarked, “Ukraine is an ally. The US has keen, critical national security interests in supporting Ukraine, and there are plenty of risk mitigation measures.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Boeing ‘Whistleblower’ Fired After Highlighting Potentially ‘Catastrophic’ Flaw — Lawyers
By RT
Another potential whistleblower has come forward claiming that he was fired for filing a complaint that Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner planes were being built in an unsafe manner, according to legal documents obtained by CNN.
Boeing has been under intense scrutiny in recent months, since a door tore off one of the company’s jets during an Alaska Airlines flight in January and left a gaping hole in the fuselage.
CNN cited complaints filed on Wednesday by attorneys for Richard Cuevas, a mechanic at Strom, a contractor for Boeing’s manufacturing partner Spirit Aerosystems.
Cuevas claims he witnessed holes being drilled improperly into the nose parts of 787 planes at a facility in Kansas in 2023. According to the mechanic, the gaps he observed could “compromise power and air pressure on the planes, creating serious safety risk for the passengers on board” and potentially lead to “catastrophe,” CNN wrote.
Cuevas filed a complaint with Boeing and Spirit in 2023 about “substandard manufacturing and maintenance processes” he had witnessed and was fired just a few months later, according to the documents.
Boeing said in a statement that it had investigated Cuevas’ allegations and concluded that the holes did not pose a safety problem.
Numerous whistleblowers have alleged in recent years that the 737 Max, the 787 Dreamliner, and the 777 have serious production issues. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched several inquiries into Boeing and in 2021 deliveries of new Dreamliners were halted while the regulator looked into quality control issues.
The US Department of Justice is reportedly considering filing criminal charges against the company over its quality and safety failures.
Two crashes involving Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, in 2018 and 2019, resulted in nearly 350 deaths. The aerospace company admitted that a design flaw was to blame for the accidents, after which all 737 MAX planes were grounded.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democrats’ School-Choice Lies Laid Bare in Pennsylvania — With Black Voucher Support Above 90%
Surrounded by dozens of teachers-union officials on the steps of the Pennsylvania state Capitol this month, Democratic state Sen. Lindsey Williams excoriated a proposed K-12 education-voucher program.
She called it a conspiracy by racist, religious fundamentalists bent on destroying public education by driving “straight, white, able-bodied kids into private religious schools.”
The next day, a group of black religious leaders gathered in the state Capitol to tell Gov. Josh Shapiro to support the voucher program, called the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Deputies: Man Facing Charges After Shooting Walmart Delivery Drone With Pistol in Lake County
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A man is facing charges after he was accused of shooting a Walmart delivery drone with a pistol on Wednesday, according to deputies.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said they received a complaint about a Walmart delivery drone that was shot. Upon investigation, deputies discovered a bullet hole in the payload the drone was carrying.
Witnesses identified the suspect as Dennis Winn and directed deputies to his residence, which was also the location of the incident.
Deputies said they interviewed Winn, and he admitted to shooting the drone with a 9mm pistol.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Despite Backlash, X Continues Digital ID Verification With New Partner Stripe
X, a prominent social media platform, has seemingly phased out its association with the Israeli identity verification firm AU10TIX, shifting instead to American company Stripe to manage its identity verification services.
The move followed reports that AU10TIX had suffered a data leak.
This transition comes amidst concerns raised by some of X’s users regarding the safety of their personal data, particularly their photo IDs.
The call for X to disengage from AU10TIX also gained momentum after specific users highlighted the risk of intelligence sharing.
But rather than dropping the controversial digital ID system entirely, X has simply switched companies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two former Uvalde school police officers — including disgraced ex-Chief Pete Arredondo — were indicted Thursday for their botched response to the 2022 shooting that left 21 dead.
Arredondo and former Officer Adrian Gonzales were indicted by a grand jury for the felony charges of abandoning and endangering a child, Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell told the Uvalde Leader-News.
The UCISD chief turned himself in and was booked at the Uvalde County jail Thursday, while Gonzales was expected to enter into custody Friday morning, according to reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A Newport News man questions felony charges brought on him after he accidentally shot himself.
Liam Vaughn, 28, is walking with a cane with a bullet lodged in the back of his leg.
The Newport News resident accidentally shot himself during an argument outside the 7-Eleven where he works on June 12. The incident happened on Nettles Drive just after 7 p.m. Police announced Monday they’ve charged Vaughn with two misdemeanors and a felony in connection to the incident. He spoke exclusively with 13News Now, questioning the nature of his arrest and the charges he faces.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Prosecutors in Donald Trump’s Florida documents case have listed a slew of public statements by the former president that they say led to threats against them, the FBI and court staff — all evidence that a gag order should be imposed on him.
The federal lawyers in special counsel Jack Smith’s office filed dozens of documents with a judge Wednesday that included copies of the Trump social media posts and campaign emails that allegedly led to threats from his supporters against law enforcement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Man Becomes 6th Charged With Antisemitic Mob Beating of Jewish Man in Times Square
A Florida man became the sixth attacker indicted in the brutal caught-on-camera beating of a Jewish man in Times Square in 2021, Manhattan prosecutors said Thursday.
Salem Seleiman, 28, was arrested on a warrant on May 10 — nearly three years after he allegedly joined the hateful mob who pummeled victim Joseph Borgen during clashes between Israel and Palestinian supporters in Midtown.
Seleiman was part of a pack of men that hurled antisemitic slurs like “dirty Jew,” “filthy Jew” and “f—k Israel” at Borgen, who was wearing a yarmulke, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has reacted to Wednesday’s ruling by the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in the Murthy v. Missouri case, to call for new legislation that would, going forward, reinforce the rules, already contained in the First Amendment, meant to protect citizens from government-orchestrated censorship.
Jordan, whose Committee is probing alleged government-Big Tech collusion in violation of the First Amendment through the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, noted that the US Constitution’s First Amendment is “first for a reason.”
According to the Republican congressman, free speech that this amendment protects (from government intervention) should extend to any government infringement — be it in Congress, or online.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Freight Train Derails in Matteson, Leading to Evacuations Amid Leak
Authorities briefly evacuated residents and businesses after a freight train derailment in Matteson Thursday morning.
According to officials, a mandatory evacuation order was issued to residents and businesses located near the derailment, which occurred at 217th Street and Main due to a suspected leak from the derailed cars.
According to an update from Canadian National, a car containing liquified gas leaked a “limited amount of product” during the derailment. The leak was contained and there is no longer a “danger to public safety,” the company said.
Public officials in Matteson echoed those comments, saying that “propane residue” leaked from one of the derailed cars. That substance was quickly contained, and there is no ongoing danger to the public.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Judiciary Advances Contempt Resolution Against Biden’s Ghostwriter
The House Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance a resolution that would hold President Biden’s ghostwriter in contempt of Congress for failing to provide transcripts and recordings of his conversations with the commander-in-chief.
The possible contempt charges against Mark Zwonitzer, which can now be considered by the full House of Representatives, come after federal investigators revealed the author had classified material disclosed to him by Biden, 81.
Zwonitzer, 61, would be referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution if the full House were to pass the resolution.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hundreds of Modern-Day Hippies Camping in California Forest Ordered to Leave or Face Fines
Peace out!
Hundreds of modern-day hippies who form a commune known as the “Rainbow Family” are being kicked out of their campsites at a California national forest with the threat of fines and jail time.
The US Forest Service ordered about 500 of the permitless campers to leave Plumas National Forest within 48 hours on Wednesday or face a fine of up to $5,000 and/or prison time of up to six months,according to the vacate order.
The California eviction is the first time the Rainbow Family of Living Light — a loose-knit group of free-spirited people who gather to camp together in a different national forest each year during the first week of July — has been forced to end its annual camping tradition since its first gathering in 1972.
The free annual gatherings attract between 5,000 and 10,000 people each year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jim Jordan Investigates Stanford Internet Observatory Monitoring Election Speech for 2024
Recently the news arrived that what opponents see as a key linchpin in the government-Big Tech censorship collusion, the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO), was winding back its operations.
But before it does, the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government want to gain access to information requested through a previous subpoena.
On Monday, Chairman Jim Jordan sent a letter to SIO’s legal representative, the main point being the Committee’s desire to make sure that neither SIO, other groups operating as part of the university, nor any group that might succeed SIO will continue with their “disinformation studies” ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge in Trump Classified Docs Case Grants His Request for Hearing on Key Evidence in Indictment
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge presiding over the classified documents case of former President Donald Trump granted his request Thursday for a hearing on whether prosecutors had been permitted to improperly breach attorney-client privilege when they obtained crucial evidence from one of his ex-lawyers.
The order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ensures further delays in a criminal case that has already been snarled by significant postponements, resulting in the indefinite postponement of a trial that had been set to begin on May 20 in Fort Pierce, Florida. It means that Cannon will revisit a different judge’s order from last year that permitted prosecutors to get testimony and other evidence from a Trump attorney that wound up being repeatedly cited in the indictment of the former president.
Trump faces dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstructing the FBI’s efforts to recover them. He has pleaded not guilty.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Stops Parents’ Effort to Collect on $50M Alex Jones Owes for Saying Newtown Shooting Was Hoax
A federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday stopped an effort by the parents of a boy killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting to begin collecting on some of the $50 million they won in a lawsuit against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones over his false claims that the massacre was a hoax.
Lawyers for Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, whose 6-year-old son Jesse Lewis died in the 2012 Connecticut shooting, had obtained an order from a state judge in Texas earlier this month allowing them to begin collecting some assets from Jones’ company, Infowars’ parent Free Speech Systems. That order came after the company’s bankruptcy reorganization failed and its case was dismissed.
But U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said Thursday that the state judge’s ruling conflicts with federal bankruptcy law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NASA Plans for Doomsday Scenario of Asteroid With 72 Percent Chance of Hitting Earth in 14 Years
What if a never-before-seen asteroid barreling in our direction was likely to strike Earth?
That’s the hypothetical scenario NASA astronomers tested with a recent simulation in which officials attempted to plan for an asteroid that had a 72% chance of hitting Earth in just 14 years.
After the theoretical timeline was posed to a group of nearly 100 government representatives in April, NASA found that the best plan they made to counter the horrifying doomsday scenario had several “high-level gaps,” according to their presentation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
North Carolina Rejects Initial Ballot Access for RFK Jr., Cornel West in Boost for Biden
North Carolina’s state Board of Elections voted along party lines Wednesday against listing independent presidential hopefuls Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West on the ballot — a move that is likely to benefit President Biden, if it holds.
Three Democrats on the panel voted to keep Kennedy and West off-ballot “for now,” while the board’s two Republicans expressed discontent with the process.
Democrats have long fretted that Kennedy and West could siphon would-be Democrat votes away from Biden, especially in battleground states that could decide who wins the presidency.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Oklahoma public schools will be required to teach students the Bible as a “necessary historical document” — a week after Louisiana directed the Ten Commandments be posted in every classroom.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters revealed the controversial edict, which critics argue is unconstitutional and could end up being fought in court.
“It is essential that our kids have an understanding of the Bible and its historical context,” the Republican told reporters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would have provided billions of dollars to combat the opioid epidemic.
After deliberating more than six months, the justices in a 5-4 vote blocked an agreement hammered out with state and local governments and victims. The Sacklers would have contributed up to $6 billion and given up ownership of the company but retained billions more. The agreement provided that the company would emerge from bankruptcy as a different entity, with its profits used for treatment and prevention.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, said “nothing in present law authorizes the Sackler discharge.”
Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor dissented.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supreme Court Pauses Biden EPA’s ‘Good Neighbor’ Plan Targeting Air Pollution
The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a Biden administration policy meant to reduce cross-state air pollution Thursday, preventing it from taking effect while lower court litigation played out.
In a 5-4 decision, the justices handed a win to three Republican-led states — Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia — as well as US Steel, pipeline operator Kinder Morgan and other steel and fossil fuel industry groups that had contested the policy.
The Environmental Protection Agency triggered the challenge in March 2023 when it proposed a rule that would have applied to power plants and other industrial sources of ozone in 23 upwind states whose own emission-reduction plans were found to run afoul of the so-called “Good Neighbor” provision of the federal Clean Air Act.
The “Good Neighbor” rule is meant to assist downwind states such as New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin comply with federal air quality standards.
Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their claim that the proposed EPA rule was “arbitrary” and not “reasonably explained.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Vegas Voters Registered With Addresses at Topless Bar, Casino: Lawsuit
MESQUITE, Nev. — Hundreds of individuals in Clark County, Nevada — home to Las Vegas and the majority of the Silver State’s registered voters — appear on the rolls with residential addresses in a casino, several industrial parks and Larry Flynt’s Hustler Erotic Ultra Club, a lawsuit filed Tuesday in district court charges.
The legal filing alleges that registrar Lorena Portillo, in her second year of heading the county’s election department, is not ensuring voter rolls are accurate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Vermont Man Awarded $175,000 After Wrongful Arrest for Flipping Off State Trooper
A Vermont man arrested by police for swearing at an officer and flipping them off has received a $175,000 settlement after suing the officer and the state for violations of the man’s First and Fourth Amendment rights.
Gregory Bombard was driving through St. Albans, Vermont on February 9, 2018, when he was passed by Vermont State Trooper Jay Riggen just after noon. According to the complaint, filed in the state’s Superior Court Civil Division, “As their vehicles passed each other, Defendant [Jay] Riggen believed Mr. Bombard to have moved his hand or fingers in some manner,” believing that Bombard “displayed his ‘middle finger’ toward Defendant Riggen.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Walgreens Boots Alliance’s Stock Headed for 27-Year Low After Profit Miss and Lowered Guidance
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.’s stock WBA —22.16% fell 25% on Thursday, after the drugstore chain’s fiscal third-quarter profit fell short of estimates and it again lowered guidance to reflect a stressed consumer following a period of high inflation.
The stock was last trading at $12.19, a level last seen in 1997, and is down 40% in the year to date, underperforming the S&P 500’s SPX roughly 15% gain. Volume of 80 million shares that changed hands by noon was 6.4 times the 65-day daily average.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WH Correspondents Slam CNN for Excluding Outside Press From Biden-Trump Debate
ATLANTA — The White House Correspondents’ Association publicly blasted CNN Thursday in a last-ditch attempt to expand access to the first presidential debate of 2024 — only for the network to quickly reject the final plea to let non-CNN journalists into the debate hall.
The debate between President Biden and former President Donald Trump was brokered by the campaigns and will be different from past showdowns in its lack of an audience and the muting of microphones when a speaker’s time is up.
The move means TV viewers may entirely miss off-mic remarks and that coverage will be limited to what CNN cameras show at the time — with moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, plus network cameramen, photographers and other support staff expected to be the only journalists in the room if there is other related significant news to relate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Windows 11’s Sneaky OneDrive Sync
Those still using Microsoft Windows (now in version 11) as their operating system in 2024 have a lot of experience being left out of the “decision-making process” concerning their own computer and their own data.
This is what closed-source, proprietary software gets you (in addition to a lack of innovation and overall technical quality); but there are even more ways to avoid transparency, and, frankly, disrespect paying customers.
And one is introducing questionable features without even announcing them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Carbon Tax to Cost Economy $12 Billion in 2024, $30 Billion Per Year by 2030: CTF
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax continues to accrue massive costs for the Canadian economy.
The carbon tax will cost the Canadian economy $11.9 billion in 2024, costing each Canadian an average of $295 in lost GDP, rising to $30 billion by 2030, or $678 per person, according to calculations by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
“The economic cost is the difference between what the GDP would be without the carbon tax minus the projected GDP with the carbon tax,” said Gage Haubrich, the CTF’s Prairie director.
The calculations come just weeks after the Liberals released carbon tax datathey had previously kept secret, just moments before a motion compelling them to do so was to be debated in the House of Commons.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
University of Waterloo Suing Anti-Israel Encampment Organisers for $1.5 Million
The University of Waterloo is seeking an injunction to clear an anti-Israel encampment occupying its campus and $1.5 million in damages from encampment organizers.
The legal action from the university comes after it issued the encampment a trespass notice last Friday.
In a statement, the university said the encampment, which has been occupying its campus since May 13, is “in violation of Waterloo policies, and the law.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Another Brutal Shooting in Brussels Leaves Two Dead and Two Critically Injured
A shooting at a bar in Saint-Gilles, Southern Brussels, left two dead and three injured, two of whom are currently fighting for their lives.
The attack happened between 1am and 2am on June 27 in the Rue de’l Argonne, a stone’s throw from the Brussels-South railway station.
Two people on a scooter are said to have driven by the bar and opened fire on those sitting on the terrace.
Belgian media reported that a man and a women died on the spot.
Two other victims are in critical condition while a third suffered minor injuries.
Brussels South police said no arrests have yet been made but the scooter ridden by the suspects has been found.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bloomberg French Poll of Polls: Le Pen’s Party Boosts Lead
(Bloomberg) — Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally has continued to widen its lead ahead of the first round of France’s snap legislative election on Sunday while President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party and its allies have stalled in third place, according to Bloomberg’s poll of polls.
The National Rally has risen by 0.5 point to 35.8% in Bloomberg’s composite. A leftist alliance called the New Popular Front, bringing together Socialists, Communists, Greens and the far-left France Unbowed, is second on 28.6%, up 0.2 point. Macron’s group is little changed on 20.5%.
Macron dissolved the National Assembly earlier this month and called a snap legislative vote after his group was trounced in European Parliament elections. The first round will be held on June 30, with a second on July 7.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia: ANO Signals Intention to Establish New European Parliament Group
The Czech opposition party ANO will establish a new group in the European Parliament (EP), party leader and former PM Andrej Babis announced during an interview with CNN Prima News and on his social media profiles today.
Babis said the agenda of the new group would be sovereignty, security, opposition to “illegal migration”, and changes to the European Green Deal. He has not yet indicated which other parties will participate in the new group, but said further details will follow next week.
Each political group in the European Parliament, in which MEPs are associated according to their political affiliation, must have at least 23 MEPs from seven EU countries. ANO, which won the European elections in the Czech Republic, will have seven of the 21 Czech MEPs.
Last week, Babis announced that ANO would leave the liberal Renew Europe group, as well as the ALDE European party, arguing it would not be able to fulfil its programme in this group.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia: Praha Has the Most Expensive Rental Market in Europe
The Czech Republic’s capital, Praha, has the highest rental prices in Europe. According to a study by the Institute for Planning and Development, renters in Praha pay almost 40% of their income on rent, compared to 25% in Munich and 12% in Vienna. This means that many people cannot afford to rent a flat in Praha.
The study also found that the city has a shortage of affordable housing, with only 30,000 municipal apartments available, making up just 4% of the city’s housing stock. This has led to a situation where many people are forced to live in small, overpriced apartments or share flats with multiple roommates.
Experts believe that the solution lies in increasing the supply of affordable housing, simplifying the building process, and providing incentives for developers to build affordable apartments. The government has announced plans to increase the supply of municipal housing by 8,000 apartments and has also introduced a system of guarantees for landlords who rent their properties to low-income families.
However, some experts argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of the crisis, such as high investment demand for apartments and demographic changes. They also suggest that the government should provide more support for renters, such as tax incentives for long-term rentals and progressive taxation on property ownership.
The rental market is not only a problem in Praha but also in other regions of the Czech Republic. According to a Deloitte report, rental prices have increased by 1% in the first quarter of this year, with the highest increase seen in Olomouc and Hradec Kralové.
Overall, the situation highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the housing crisis in Praha and beyond.
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Czech Republic Falls Short on Euro Adoption Criteria, Says European Commission
The Czech Republic meets only one of the four criteria required for adopting the euro, according to the European Commission’s 2024 Convergence Report. The country satisfies the long-term interest rate convergence criterion but fails in price stability, sound public finances, and exchange rate stability.
The European Commission expects the Czech Republic to start meeting the sound public finances criterion soon. The assessment included six EU member states committed to future euro adoption: the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden. None met all the criteria, with Poland and Hungary failing to meet any.
Currently, only Bulgaria among the assessed countries participates in the exchange rate mechanism ERM-2, a precursor to eurozone entry. Denmark, having negotiated a permanent exemption, was not assessed.
Despite committing to the euro upon joining the EU in 2004, the Czech government, led by Petr Fiala, does not prioritize its adoption. Businesses in the Czech Republic advocate for the euro, contrasting with the coalition parties’ mixed stance: ODS and TOP 09 oppose it, while STAN and the Pirates support planning for eurozone entry.
In February, the government tasked the National Economic Council and the Legislative Council with evaluating the impacts of joining ERM-2 and adopting the euro by October’s end. The government’s reassessment of euro readiness is scheduled for the first quarter of next year.
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Denmark Forms Alliance to Combat Tech Giants and Protect Children’s Well-Being
The government in Copenhagen, alongside several children’s organizations, has formed a new alliance to combat the influence of social media platforms on children. Announced on Monday, the pact aims to shield children in the EU from the addictive designs and business models of tech giants.
Partnering with youth organizations such as Save the Children, Børns Vilkår, and the Danish Youth Council, the alliance seeks to mitigate features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, and streaks. These features, designed to keep users engaged, expose children to disturbing and inappropriate content.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized the alliance’s focus on children’s welfare: “We’re up against some very, very big, powerful tech giants who, until now, have not chosen to live up to their responsibility in relation to children.”
Highlighting the severity of the issue, one teenager shared, “I had a day where I spent 11 hours on my phone, and about nine of those hours were on TikTok.”
Frederiksen criticized the tech industry’s insufficient efforts to implement effective age controls and remove harmful content. Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, General Secretary for Save the Children, stressed the importance of age verification: “There is a need for actual age verification. There is a need for age-appropriate content requirements.”
Schmidt-Nielsen further stated, “There is no point in 12-year-old children watching content that not even adults should watch. There is a need to be able to get hold of an adult.”
Christine Ravn Lund, chairwoman of the Danish Youth Council, proposed a balanced approach: “Get a better balance between the physical and the digital in a normal child and youth life.”
The initiative will involve several Danish ministries, including those of business, culture, and digitalization.
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Elements of Von Der Leyen’s Green Deal Reappear in Leaked EU Summit Document
EU leaders will reintroduce “green” commitments into the EU Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029, which they are set approve at their latest summit, according to a leaked draft obtained by Brussels Signal.
Climate campaigners complained green policies were absent from a previous leaked version, with military investment largely taking their place. “You can’t shoot a wildfire and you can’t bomb a flood,” said Greenpeace’s EU spokeswoman Ariadna Rodrigo.
In the draft EU leaders will discuss on the evening of June 27 in Brussels, at which they will also likely re-nominate Ursula von der Leyen as European Cmmission President, aspects of her first term’s Green Deal have reappeared.
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EU Leaders to Agree on Top Jobs, Strategic Agenda With Focus on Defence
European Union leaders are to agree on Thursday on the strategic course for the EU and on the people to run its institutions for the next five years, with a special focus on helping Ukraine fend off Russia and bolstering the EU’s own defences.
Leaders of the 27 EU countries are to start their two-day summit by signing a security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to demonstrate their support for the country fighting off Moscow’s invasion for a third year.
The leaders will reiterate their pledge to support Ukraine as long as it takes, stressing that “Russia must not prevail” and that Ukraine must get back the land annexed by Moscow, draft conclusions prepared for the summit showed.
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France Elects: PM Bardella Would Scale Back Military Support to Ukraine
Marine le Pen, de facto leader of France’s hard-right party National Rally (RN), said President Emmanuel Macron would no longer be the sole decision-maker on France’s strategic and military position should her party win the upcoming general election.
Le Pen was speaking in an interview published by the online outlet Télégramme on June 27 regarding possible outcomes of an RN victory in the vote on June 30 and July 7.
She said that if party President Jordan Bardella became Prime Minister, he would have the upper hand on diplomatic and military issues.
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Germany: AfD MEP Bystron: New Police Searches
Newly elected MEP Petr Bystron, second on the German party Alternative für Deutschland’s (AfD) candidate list for the European Parliament ballot of June 6-9, has again had his premises searched by police.
This time, officers targeted property in the Czech Republic.
Germany’s Public Prosecutor has accused Bystron of bribery and money laundering after Czech intelligence services claimed politicians had allegedly accepted payments from a Russian influence operation.
According to the allegations, Bystron accepted a five-digit sum from Voice of Europe, a news service that is said to promote pro-Russian sentiment.
The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office told the German Press Agency the latest searches were taking place “to secure further evidence”.
Previously, Bystron had his premises in Berlin, Bavaria and on the Spanish island of Mallorca searched in May.
The German politician denies all allegations, describing law enforcement actions as “nasty methods” and the accusations against him “far-fetched”.
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German Consumer Sentiment Dips in July Amid Economic Uncertainty
German consumer sentiment is set to fall slightly in July, ending a four-month streak of rises, as households, uncertain due to higher prices and a sluggish economy, choose to hold onto their money, a survey showed on Wednesday.
The consumer sentiment index published jointly by GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM) unexpectedly fell to —21.8 heading into July, from a slightly revised —21.0 in June. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a rise, to —18.9. The index aligns with other indicators suggesting a challenging road ahead for Europe’s largest economy, after Ifo’s business climate index and HCOB composite PMI also unexpectedly fell this month.
“The interruption of the recent upward trend in consumer sentiment shows that the road out of the sluggish consumption will be difficult and there can always be setbacks,” said NIM consumer analyst Rolf Buerkl.
Income and economic expectations both fell moderately, while the willingness to buy stagnated at a low level and the willingness to save, already at a high level, grew slightly.
“The slightly higher inflation rate in Germany in May is clearly causing more uncertainty among consumers again, which is also reflected in the increase in the willingness to save,” said Buerkl. Inflation rose to 2.8% in May on higher services prices.
Sustained recovery will only come when consumers have planning security, which will return if upward pressure on prices is dampened, and clear future prospects, he said.
“This also means that the government must quickly and clearly communicate the burdens and reliefs people will face as a result of the upcoming budget discussions,” Buerkl added.
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A glamorous jet-setting fugitive known as the “Cryptoqueen” who oversaw a $4 billion Ponzi scheme akin to Bernie Madoff now has a $5 million bounty on her head, the FBI announced Thursday.
Ruja Ignatova, an Oxford University-educated Bulgarian national charged with wooing unsuspecting clients to spend fortunes on worthless cryptocurrency, remains one of the FBI’s most elusive “Most Wanted” suspects after dodging international authorities for seven years.
“She may travel on a German passport to the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece and/or Eastern Europe,” the feds said — a nod to how slippery the accused crafty criminal has been since last being spotted in 2017.
The brunette braniac, who has a penchant for blood-red lipstick, is believed to be traveling with armed guards or associates — and may have had plastic surgery to alter her appearance, the FBI added.
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Hungarian Foreign Minister Emphasizes Strengthening EU-China Cooperation During Upcoming Presidency
Péter Szijjartó, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation with China during Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the European Union.
In a phone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Szijjartó underscored the need for pragmatic, objective relations based on mutual respect, rather than ideology.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Szijjartó identified two main reasons for enhancing EU-China relations: promoting peace and improving competitiveness. He praised China’s firm stance on peace and expressed support for the Brazil-China peace plan aimed at resolving the crisis in Ukraine. “We agreed with my Chinese foreign minister colleague that to create peace, we must continue and strengthen our efforts because only with peace can we avoid more losses for the warring parties, for Europe, and for the world,” he said.
Szijjartó also stressed the importance of economic cooperation to restore Europe’s competitiveness, which he noted has declined recently. He advocated for closer EU-China economic relations, citing Hungary as a successful model of East-West cooperation. “Hungary is the best example of the positive outcomes and benefits of mutual respect and pragmatic East-West economic cooperation, as the largest Eastern and Western companies operate smoothly together in Hungary, and both they and we profit greatly from this,” he stated.
The minister cautioned against EU punitive tariffs on the Chinese automotive industry, highlighting concerns from economic and automotive industry stakeholders. He emphasized that cooperation with Chinese companies is crucial for Western European car manufacturers’ electric transition strategies, warning that isolating the European and Chinese automotive industries could harm both competitiveness and the environment.
In summary, Szijjartó’s discussions with Wang Yi reflect Hungary’s commitment to fostering EU-China cooperation during its presidency, aiming to bolster peace and economic growth through pragmatic, mutually beneficial relations.
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Lithuania Discusses Possibility of Acquiring Drone Defense Systems
Lithuania’s Defense Minister, Raimundas Karoblis, has said that the country is currently assessing the need to acquire drone defense systems. This was reported in an interview with LRT.
The head of Lithuania’s Defense Ministry promised to discuss future investments with Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte.
“Now we are evaluating what capabilities are needed, I will go with the Prime Minister, I will talk about what investments are necessary to get this off the ground, because there is a world of drones and a world of anti-drones,” Karoblis said.
According to him, developing anti-drone capabilities should be done parallel to the development of drones. Karoblis added that contracts were signed for the purchase of mobility systems on Wednesday. The equipment will be delivered to 28 mobility parks planned in various locations in Lithuania by summer.
Last week, it was reported that Lithuania began training instructors to use FPV drones.
Recently, Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis expressed hope that the country will be able to sign contracts for the purchase of additional air defense systems with a range of both long and short distances by summer.
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NATO Faces Mobilization Challenges in Europe in Case of Conflict With Russia
NATO member states are facing challenges in mobilizing new troops and may struggle to deploy additional 300,000 soldiers in case of a conflict with Russia, according to the Financial Times.
The newspaper reported that NATO countries officially have 1.9 million troops at their disposal, which would be sufficient to counter the Russian military. However, it would be difficult to recruit an additional 300,000 soldiers to implement new defense plans. Even with a full mobilization, it would take months to prepare.
The need for such a large-scale mobilization is not explained by the publication, but in July 2023, NATO leaders approved a plan to deploy 300,000 troops on the eastern flank of the alliance in case of conflict.
Germany, the UK, France, and Italy are particularly struggling with personnel shortages, according to the newspaper. Germany’s armed forces have 180,000 personnel and lack at least 20,000 more to fulfill NATO obligations. The UK has failed to meet its annual recruitment targets over the past decade and reduced its ground forces by 4,000 personnel last year.
France’s military strength has decreased by more than 16,000 personnel since 2014, while Italy’s army has shrunk by more than 39,000 personnel, FT reported. According to European Council on Foreign Relations analyst Camille Grand, defense planning in Europe has not been mass-based. This has led to gaps in recruitment and annual reductions in armed forces across most European countries.
In July 2023, NATO leaders at a summit in Vilnius named Russia as the most significant security threat and approved a defense plan for a conflict with Russia for the first time since the end of the Cold War. On February 29, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that if Ukraine loses in a conflict with Russia, NATO countries will fight against Russia.
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Orban: Political Coalition Behind Von Der Leyen Disregards Election
The three-group coalition backing Ursula von der Leyen’s second term doesn’t reflect the results of the European Parliament elections, Hungarian Prime Minister told reporters in Brussels on Thursday.
The coalition consists of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the centre-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D), and the centrist Renew.
The EPP and the S&D respectively came first and second in the elections, but Renew came fourth, behind the conservative and mildly-eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR).
“It’s not based on the merit of the election. If it would be based on the merit of election, that would be EPP, socialist, and ECR, which is the number three,” Orban said. “But instead of ECR, it’s Renew, which a clear evidence that this is a party-based deal. Shameful.”
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Poland and Baltic Countries Call for Strengthened EU Border With Russia
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have called upon the European Union to establish a ground defence line along its Eastern border with Russia and Belarus.
The initiative, outlined in a letter addressed to EU leaders ahead of a two-day European Council summit in Brussels starting on June 27, aims to enhance the EU’s defence against military and hybrid threats, combining overt and covert military and non-military means.
“Building a defence infrastructure system along the EU external border with Russia and Belarus will address the dire and urgent need to secure the EU from military and hybrid threats,” said the letter signed by the leaders of the four countries.
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Slovakia Criticizes Czech Police for Lacking Toughness on Approval of Attack on Fico
The ruling party in Slovakia, Smér-SD, criticized the Czech police on Wednesday over their handling of an assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, according to the Novinky publication.
MP and former head of the Slovak police Tibor Gaspar claimed that the Czech police do not respond to statements such as “this pig should be shot”. Gaspar quoted the Czech police’s decision, which emphasizes the freedom of expression.
He reminded that even in the Czech Republic, approving a crime is a crime punishable by up to one year in prison. Smér-SD considers the actions of the Czech police insufficient. The Czech police stated that they are obliged to act in accordance with criminal law and instructions.
The criticism from Bratislava came as new Slovak President Peter Pellegrini is on a state visit to the Czech Republic. According to him, relations between the two countries are at their highest level. Differences of opinion on this or that issue cannot pose a threat or worsen them, he said.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was targeted in an assassination attempt in mid-May, published his first statement since then on June 5, announcing his intention to return to work in a few weeks.
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UK: Exclusive: Farage Hails Gen-Z Voters Turning Right Amid Reform Social Media Surge
“It’s happening”, Nigel Farage tells Breitbart as the battle for social media heats up and shows his Reform Party enjoying a commanding lead across platforms by practically any metric.
Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage hailed the work ethic and increasingly right-wing views of the youngest voters in the United Kingdom, noting in just three weeks of the General Election campaign since he took back control of the party he founded, support had increased.
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UK: Gaining Momentum: Farage Unveils More Big-Money Former Tory Donors Defecting to His Reform Party
Long-time Conservative Party donor Sir John Hall came out in support of Nigel Farage at a rally on Thursday, the latest as Reform’s last-minute campaign to change British politics picks up steam.
North-east England property developer Sir John Hall, the former owner of Newcastle United Football Club has publicly endorsed Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party at a rally in County Durham on Thursday. The long-time political donor, who is understood to have given half a million pounds ($630,000) to the Conservatives — no small amount in the British political ecosystem — told ITV he was coming out for Reform because he believed the party would “fight for my English rights and customs”.
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A survey of nearly 20,000 Britons put Nigel Farage’s Reform UK ahead of the Conservatives nationally and on course to pick up 18 seats in the House of Commons following next week’s elections, an outcome which would have been seen as impossible just a month ago.
Nigel Farage’s return to frontline politics — after having stepped aside following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU — his rebranded Brexit Party (now Reform UK) has seen a stunning rise in support, as people disaffected from both Westminster establishment parties have found a home in the populist upstart party.
An MRP poll from Find Out Now and Electoral Calculus found that Farage’s Reform party is now on pace to win 17 per cent of the vote nationally, compared to 15 per cent for the governing Conservative Party, which would represent the worst performance since 1900 for the party that has dominated the British political landscape for centuries.
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UK: Police Arrest ‘Key Just Stop Oil Organisers’ — But Group Says They Were Just Having Soup
Six people have been arrested at a Just Stop Oil meeting in east London, including some suspected of being “key organisers” for the climate protest group, police say.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “We know Just Stop Oil plan to disrupt airports and thousands of holidaymakers this summer.”
The force said it made the arrests on Thursday evening under a new section of the Public Order Act “which makes it illegal to conspire to disrupt national infrastructure projects”.
“We believe some of those in custody are key organisers for Just Stop Oil,” it said.
The climate demonstration group said the police force had “raided a soup night”.
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Fact-Checking Network Says Online Fact Checks Aren’t Censorship
We now live in a world where “fact-checkers” organize “annual meetings” — one is happening just this week in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
These censorship-overseers for other companies (most notably massive social platforms like Facebook, etc.) have not only converged onto Sarajevo but have issued a “statement” that includes the town’s name.
The Poynter Institute is a major player in this space, and its International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) serves to coordinate censorship for Meta, among others.
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Israel Lets 19 Kids Leave Gaza Who Are Sick or Wounded, First Medical Evacuation in Nearly 2 Months
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli authorities say 68 people — 19 sick or wounded children plus their companions — have been allowed out of the Gaza Strip and into Egypt in the first medical evacuation since early May, when the territory’s sole travel crossing was shut down after Israel captured it.
The nearly nine-month Israel-Hamas war has devastated Gaza’s health sector and forced most of its hospitals to shut down. Health officials say thousands of people need medical treatment abroad, including hundreds of urgent cases.
The Israeli military body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, known by its acronym COGAT, said Thursday that the evacuation was carried out in coordination with officials from the United States, Egypt and the international community.
The children and their companions left Gaza via the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing, and the patients were to travel to Egypt and farther abroad for medical treatment.
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Hindutva activists who were seen chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ in front of his house, pelted stones and stuck pro-Israel posters on the front gates while blackening out his address with ink.
Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | June 28, 2024:: As a repercussion after Asaduddin Owaisi raised the slogans of ‘Jai Palestine’ in the Lok Sabha after taking his oath as MP on Tuesday, June 25, some Pro Israel Hindu activists from unknown organisation stormed the official residence of Hyderabad MP at 34 Ashoka Road in New Delhi.
Taking his X handle, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday alleged that his Delhi residence was “vandalised with black ink” by “unknown miscreants”.
“Some ‘unknown miscreants’ vandalised my house with black ink today. I have now lost count the number of times my Delhi residence has targeted. When I asked Delhi Police officials how this was happening right under their nose, they expressed helplessness,” Owaisi wrote on X.
In the closing of his oath, Asaduddin raised slogans, ‘Jai Bhim’, ‘Jai Mim’, ‘Jai Telangana’, ‘Jai Palestine’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’, attracting wide criticism by various quarters.
The alleged vandalism on Thursday night with black ink besides pasting posters demanding cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership is now being investigated by the Delhi Police.
The ‘miscreants’ behind the act, who are yet to be identified, also posted posters reading Bharat Mata Ki Jai with the demand that Owaisi’s Lok Sabha membership be cancelled.
Following the incident, Delhi Police have increased security at Owaisi’s residence. A group of police officers was seen outside his home, with some removing posters that had been affixed to the nameplate and main gate.
On June 26, Advocate Amita Sachdeva of Delhi High Court sent a letter to President of India to seek action against Asaduddin Owaisi in order to cancel his Membership of Parliament under Article 102 and 103 of Constitution of India…
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Shahadat: Who is Responsible for Radicalisation of West Bengal and Bangladesh Muslims?
All these militant groups are dedicated to annihilate the Kaffirs (non-Muslims including Hindus and Buddhist as targeted prey) to establish the rule of Allah, Quran and Muhammad.
Prakash Narayan Das | HENB | Kolkata | June 26, 2024:: Islamic Militants of Bangladesh’s banned Ansar al-Islam are active under the cover of a new militant module called ‘Shahadat’ with the aim of establishing an Islamic state or Khilafat (caliphate) in two Bengals (i.e. in West Bengal and Bangladesh). Such sensational information has surfaced after the arrest of a militant named Habibullah Sheikh by the STF (Special task Force) by the special source of the WB State Police from Kanksa Panagarh in West Burdwan.
Detectives claim that after interrogating Habibullah, they found out that he is actually the mastermind behind Shahadat, a new militant group in Bangladesh. In a press conference at the RAB Media Center in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 25, Commander Arafat Islam, director of the Law and Media Branch of the Rapid Action Battalion, RAB, brought forward the first information on the ‘Shahadat’ group. The three terrorists arrested by RAB, Mohammad Ismail Hossain (25), Mohammad Jihad Hossain alias Huzaifa (24), and Mohammad Aminul Islam (25) were interrogated and found that the three were active members of the banned militant organization Ansar Al Islam. Recently, they established a new militant module called Shahadat and conducted dawati activities (invitation for Jihad) in Dhaka, Chittagong and Satkhira regions. Together they used a secret VoIP app. It is also reported that the recruits were given various training including weapons and blast expertise. Among them, Ismail Hossain was the head of the recruiting branch and the other two were the chief trainers. In a press conference, RAB Commander Arafat said that the new militant organization ‘Shahadat’ is working under the cover of Ansar Al Islam. This organization believes in the ideology of Al-Qaeda. The number of members of this organization is more than hundred. The group is being managed and raised by a person named Salahuddin who is abroad. Their aim is to establish an Islamic caliphate in Bangladesh and West Bengal. They are trying to open militant training camps in various parts of Bangladesh, especially Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Jessore, Satkhira and the surrounding areas of Dhaka. It is learned that most of these organizations are being used as tools for militancy by attracting madrassa students and educated radicalized children. The madrasa teachers of this organization very skillfully motivate the students for Jihad. For this reason, it is also known that they secretly train the members in physical strength training…
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Tucker Carlson has called a female reported ‘stupid’ and unleashed on the ABC during an extraordinary rant at the Australian Freedom Conference held in Canberra on Tuesday.
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Argentina Poised to Pass Economic Reform Bill in Milei’s First Big Legislative Win
BUENOS AIRES, June 27 (Reuters) — Argentina’s Congress is set to pass sweeping economic reform measures proposed by President Javier Milei, giving him his first big legislative win just over six months after taking office.
The lower Chamber of Deputies started the final debate on Milei’s main reform bill and a twin fiscal package on Thursday, with general approval already in hand and the vote now focused on agreeing final details before the measures become law.
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Bolivian General Arrested After Apparent Failed Coup Attempt as Government Faces New Crisis
Led by a top general vowing to “restore democracy,” armored vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia’s government palace Wednesday in what the president called a coup attempt, then quickly retreated — the latest crisis in the South American country facing a political battle and an economic crisis.
Within hours, the nation of 12 million people saw a rapidly moving scenario in which the troops seemed to take control of the government of President Luis Arce.
He vowed to stand firm and named a new army commander, who immediately ordered the troops to stand down.
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‘Canary Islands a Mess Despite What Brussels Says,’ Migration Expert Claims
The pressure of illegal migration in the Canary Islands has become “unsustainable”, according to Rubén Pulido, a Spanish ex-military immigration analyst.
In 2023, “more than 140,000 people arrived illegally by sea in the archipelago”, he said on June 26. “In the month of October alone there were 15,000.
“Canary Islands is a mess, despite what Brussels says,” he told Brussels Signal.
Pulido pointed to the UN signing of the so-called “Marrakesh Pact” for “orderly, safe and regular migration” in December 2018.
“The pact was aimed at achieving such migration,” he said, adding “but six years have passed and it is neither orderly, nor safe, nor regular”.
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EU Signs Frontex Cooperation Agreement With Serbia to Enhance Border Management
The European Union has signed an operational cooperation agreement with Serbia to bolster border management efforts through the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). The agreement aims to tackle irregular migration more effectively by extending cooperation with Western Balkan countries.
Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic signed the deal in Belgrade, allowing Frontex to collaborate more closely with Serbia. Johansson emphasized Serbia’s crucial role in managing migration routes and praised the strong cooperation between Serbian border police and Frontex in combating crime, migrant smuggling, and irregular migration. “The Frontex Status Agreement we signed today will upgrade our cooperation,” Johansson said. “Under the command and lead of the Serbian authorities, Frontex will support the Serbian border police and law enforcement at the borders with Bosnia Herzegovina and North Macedonia.”
This marks Serbia’s second agreement with Frontex. Dacic highlighted that police forces will now be deployed not only on the state borders with Hungary and Bulgaria as part of operation “Serbia Mainland,” but also on Serbia’s borders with third countries. He noted that this will significantly contribute to the “fight against cross-border crime and irregular migration.”
Frontex currently has over 480 officers deployed in the Western Balkans through joint operations at the EU’s external borders with Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. Of these, 111 officers are already deployed in Serbia under the previous status agreement, working on the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria.
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Finland Supports Use of Reservists at the Border in Emergency Situations
In Finland, the parliamentary defense committee has supported amending the law on military service to allow for the faster deployment of reservists to protect the border, reports Yle.
The amendment will enable reservists assigned to the border troops to be called up much more quickly than before, for instance, to combat controlled migration. The defense committee’s unanimous decision was prepared on Wednesday, June 26.
Under the current law, reserve soldiers and officers can only be called up for training to enhance combat readiness.
“The security situation is now unpredictable, and we must prepare for hybrid threats from Russia by all possible means. The Border Guard’s own personnel may not be sufficient in sudden situations, and in such cases, we cannot afford to wait three months to call up reservists for training.
Gradually increasing the readiness of the border troops can guarantee national security and the safety of our borders,” explained defense committee chairman Jukka Kopra.
After the law is amended, a serious threat to border security will also be grounds for conducting exercises. Reservists called up for training will not perform dangerous tasks but may be used for patrolling, orientation, and traffic control, for example.
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Germany Sends Back Over 4,600 Migrants to Poland This Year, Mostly Ukrainians
Germany has returned over 4,600 people to Poland this year who attempted to illegally enter the country, with around half of them being Ukrainian nationals. The figures were released by the German federal police to Polish news website Interia.
The returns are divided into three categories: those under the EU’s Dublin Regulation, which requires asylum seekers to stay in the country where they first arrived; those returned under a Polish-German agreement on readmission; and those turned back at the border during regular border controls.
While Germany is required to inform Poland of returns under the first two categories, it is not obligated to do so for those turned back at the border. This third category has seen the largest number of returns, with 2,292 Ukrainians among those sent back to Poland.
The Polish government has raised concerns about the returns, particularly after a recent incident where six Afghan asylum seekers were transported to the Polish border by German police and left there without being processed. The German authorities have apologized for the incident and established a taskforce with Poland to prevent similar incidents in the future.
However, if such incidents continue to occur, Poland’s interior minister has threatened to introduce controls on its side of the German border.
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Illegal Migrant Fatally Shoots Two Workers at Texas Chick-fil-A: Police
Two workers were allegedly shot and killed by an illegal migrant at a Texas Chick-fil-A on Wednesday — in the latest disturbing incident believed to have been committed by an asylum seeker.
Oved Bernardo Mendoza Argueta, a 37-year-old native of El Salvador, was arrested and charged with capital murder after he opened fire in the fast-food joint in Irving around 3:40 p.m., according to police.
Two people, one identified as Patricia Portillo, died at the scene from gunshot wounds. The other victim’s identity is being withheld pending family notification, a police spokesperson told The Post.
He fled the scene in a silver 1997 Honda sedan but was tracked down and taken into custody around 2:50 a.m. Thursday morning.
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A migrant from Ecuador who entered the US illegally is accused of suffocating a 21-year-old Syracuse woman on her birthday and then burying her body in a shallow grave in an upstate New York park, authorities said.
Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis, 21, is charged with killing Joselyn Jhoana Toaquiza, a fellow Ecuadorian, after arranging to meet the victim for her birthday at his Airbnb in Syracuse on June 18, the Post-Standard reported.
The pair, who are believed to have attended elementary school together in Ecuador, were captured on surveillance cameras entering the rental property just before 4:30 pm., cops said.
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Illegal Immigrants Cross Northern Border Into US Via ‘Wide Open’ Washington Park: TPUSA Frontlines
Illegal border crossings from Canada into Washington state are on pace to shatter records as area that has been understaffed by Border Patrol agents is being taken advantage of. Blaine, Washington is a major port of entry between the US and Canada and is surrounded by heavy security, but one area nearby has been left open.
The Peace Arch Park connecting British Columbia and Washington state is a wide-open area and serves as a neutral area between the US and Canada and has become a hotspot for illegal immigration, per a report from TPUSA’s Frontlines. There are no fences or checkpoints, just surveillance cameras mounted on poles around the park. Depending on the time of day, there are only a few border agents in the area.
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HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners packed two overflow rooms at a Houston funeral home to say goodbye on Thursday to Jocelyn Nungaray — the 12-year-old who was allegedly brutalized and murdered by two illegal migrants.
Among those were family members who admitted their views on the border and immigration changed forever after Jocelyn was found strangled and bound in a bayou.
“I used to feel bad for the immigrants, but ever since this happened it’s made me change my mind about who to let in and who not to let in,” Christine Nunez, a cousin of Jocelyn’s grandmother, told The Post outside Earthman Resthaven Funeral Home and Cemetery.
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The first of 400 migrants to be housed in a converted prison have been greeted by protesters unhappy they are moving into their small town.
Bay State Correctional Center in Norfolk, Massachusetts, closed in 2015 and has been repurposed as a migrant shelter.
The jail was a minimum-security facility and used dorm-style accommodation that doesn’t look like a traditional prison, and was heavily modified for the migrants.
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NYC Migrant Shelters Under Scrutiny After Accused Cop Shooter Claims Gun-Smuggling Chain
An accused cop shooter who claimed a Venezuelan gang is smuggling guns into migrant facilities stayed at a shelter with a X-ray and magnetometer to scan for weapons, officials said.
Security guards at the East Elmhurst shelter have been “retrained” on the proper use of handheld wands and scanning belongings since former resident Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, allegedly shot two NYPD officers, city officials told The Post.
But Mata’s stunning, but still-unverified claim that the bloodthirsty, Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua gang is using food delivery bags to sneak guns to members has prompted lawmakers of all stripes to call for heightened security at city-run migrant shelters.
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Poland to Establish Special Border Protection Units
Poland has announced the creation of special units within the border guard service dedicated to border protection. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Czeslaw Mroczek, as quoted by PAP.
He noted that the greatest current threat is the attempts by crowds of migrants trying to breach the border from Belarus.
“We will establish special border units to focus on border protection. This should have been done a long time ago,” Mroczek said.
He added that a comprehensive package of measures on this issue will be presented shortly.
“We are facing a situation of national security threat due to illegal migration on the Belarusian-Polish border. We quickly identified the weak spots and will reinforce them soon,” said the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs.
Recently, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski suggested that Warsaw might completely close the border with Belarus.
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Turkish Migrant Arrested for Allegedly Raping 15-Year-Old Girl in His Car in Albany
A migrant from Turkey was charged with raping a 15-year-old girl in Albany — and questions are swirling about why it took cops more than a month to inform the public about the horrific assault.
Sakir Akkan, 21, is accused of attacking the teen inside his car on Arch Street in the state capital in the early hours of May 14 after she ran away from a local group home, court records obtained by The Post show.
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New U of Arizona DEI Course Requirement Hit With Criticism: “Academically Unserious”
By Ellie Cameron of The College Fix
As universities nationwide scale back diversity, equity and inclusion policies, Arizona’s flagship public institution is preparing to implement a new mandate for students — two courses with a DEI emphasis as a graduation requirement.
Through the two courses, students will focus on themes of diversity, power, equity, privilege, oppression and marginalization, learn “how historical and contemporary populations have experienced inequality,” and “theorize how to create a more equitable society,” the university’s website states.
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Supreme Court Officially Allows Emergency Abortions in Idaho One Day After Leaked Opinion
The Supreme Court on Thursday officially affirmed a lower court injunction that allows abortions in medical emergencies to continue in Idaho, one day after inadvertently posting the opinion online briefly before scrubbing it.
Technically the case will go back to a lower court for further evaluation, but the decision by the high court ensures that Idaho doctors can continue to perform emergency abortions for the time being.
Its decision was per curiam — an unsigned opinion — meaning that the majority opinion was not assigned to a specific judge. However, Alito penned a dissent and was joined in part by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas. This is why some describe it as a 6—3 decision.
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Presidential debate was an absolute set up to get rid of Biden , no other reason for a summer debate. The DNC had prepped all the commentators to be appropriately negative and they sang from the Party song sheet. Biden is gone, Harris is not a replacement. They have their pick ready and waiting and I am sure prepped to be surprised to be nominated and given such a great opportunity to serve the American people/ the puppet masters, Clinton and Obama. This is the precisely chosen worst outcome for Trump and America.
Stewart: I did not watch the staged and fake debate, but got everything I need to know from viewer comments. I think the “worst outcome” for Trump and America is whatever we were going to get, anyway. Everything has been planned in advance.
Real PResident Donald John Trump is going to win the 2024 election in a landslide.
For years now, all of the legacy media outlets have denied, denied, denied that anything was wrong with good old Uncle Joe. Now, suddenly, out of the blue, he’s so impaired that he’s got to go! All of the legacy media outlets have for some reason decided to ignore what they’ve been saying for years, and stick a knife in poor old Uncle Joe’s back. Yeah, right . . . nothing fishy going on here, obviously.
So, once again, last night’s debate illustrated why Prince Aricept’s The Prince.
Gosh, who could’a seen this coming?! Oh, wait..
“Prediction: If elected, I think there’s a possibility that Prince Aricept might put on his hat one day and just walk away, vanishing into the DC streets…” —posted to fb (Apr 2020)
“Memo to The Blacktivist Queen: It’s time!
Declare Prince Aricept incompetent and get it over with. I know that’s The Plan, you know that’s The Plan and, most importantly, The Party put you in office to execute The Plan. I think you’re a commie-toddler bent on BLACK Lunatic Madness revolution, but at least you’re mentally competent. C’mon Kamala, it’s time.” —posted to fb (June 2021)