Former President Trump issued a statement about the assassination attempt today at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He said that his right ear was pierced by a bullet, but that he was fine. He extended his condolences to the family of the bystander who was killed, and to the two people who were reportedly seriously wounded. The Butler police said the perpetrator was shot dead. Some reports identify him as an Antifa activist named Mark Violets, while there is also a rumor that his name is Hussein. All tentative identifications should be taken with a grain of salt.
In other news, the German Foreign Office said that Hungary has caused a lot of damage since it assumed the rotating presidency of the EU.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, Reader from Chicago, Roger, Vlad Tepes, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
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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.
66% of Dem Voters Would Abandon Biden if Offered Alternatives, Poll Finds — See Who They Prefer
(The Center Square) — A new poll shows 30% of Democrats would pick someone other than President Joe Biden as their nominee if other generic options existed.
That climbs to 66% if voters were given specific alternatives.
The polling underscores recent concerns about Biden’s leadership and ability to govern.
The poll was conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights from July 8-11 and surveyed nearly 2,300 likely voters, including 1,006 Republicans, 1,117 Democrats, and 172 true (non-leaning) independents.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After Embrace at NATO Summit, Zelenskyy Takes His Case for US Military Aid to Governors
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Away from Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to broaden support for U.S. military aid by telling state governors Friday that the world’s leaders should see for themselves the carnage wrought since Russia invaded his country more than two years ago.
Zelenskyy’s plea at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Salt Lake City came days after NATO leaders met in the U.S. capital and pledged more help for Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alameda Man Suspected of Fatally Shooting Wife, in-Laws and Child Facing Murder Charges
An Alameda man suspected of fatally shooting his wife, her parents and his young child was charged with four counts of murder and various other felonies, the Alameda County District Attorney said on Friday.
The DA said 54-year-old Shane Parrish Killian faces four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, corporal injury to a relationship partner, elder or dependent adult abuse, infliction of injury, possession of an assault weapon, and possession of an unconventional pistol. He also faces several enhancements.
The deadly shooting happened Wednesday around 9 p.m. on the 400 block of Kitty Hawk Road. Police said the suspect’s father-in-law had managed to get to a neighbor’s and asked them to call 911.
When officers arrived to the scene, the suspect’s father-in-law was outside of the home. Police said they were able to talk to him before he died at the scene.
Inside the home, three people were found shot dead, including a 6-year-old boy. A 1-year-old was also found shot, and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Assaults, Robberies, Shoplifting Skyrocket in California as Crime Surge Continues
(The Center Square) — California continued its rapid increase in assaults, robberies, car thefts, and shoplifting, with the latest statewide data finding shoplifting increased 39% in 2023.
Violent crimes overall rose from 193,019 in 2022 to 199,838, with most of the increase from jumps in assaults and robberies. Aggravated assaults, or attacks with the “purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury,” jumped from 128,798 in 2022 to 135,046 in 2023. Robberies, which involve the threat or use of force to take property, increased from 47,669 in 2022 to 49,177 in 2023.
Vehicle theft also grew significantly, rising from 181,815 in 2022 to 195,853 in 2023.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
With two weeks remaining before a planned vote on Chicago Public Schools’ $9.9 billion budget proposal, Mayor Brandon Johnson has said he won’t accept staff cuts or forgo CPS’ $175 million obligation to contribute to the Municipal Employees Annuity and Benefit Fund.
In an emailed statement Friday, a spokesperson for the administration said that the mayor is “aligned with CPS on the cost-saving measures and operational efficiencies” outlined in the district’s proposal released earlier this week. But, Johnson’s office added, “He is not supportive of cuts to critical support staff. As in previous years, budget amendments may be necessary to address concerns and account for increased costs.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Elon Musk Endorses Trump for President After Apparent Assassination Attempt at PA Rally
Elon Musk has publicly endorsed Donald Trump for president following an incident at a Pennsylvania rally where Trump appeared to have been shot at.
Musk shared a clip on X showing the moment when Secret Service agents surrounded Trump and escorted him off stage after shots were fired at the former president. In the video, Trump is heard telling the agents “wait” before raising his fist to the crowd and cameras, after which he is taken away by the Secret Service.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk posted alongside the video.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Removing Homeless Encampment Ahead of Democratic National Convention
CHICAGO (AP) — Homeless people who have been living in one of Chicago’s largest and most visible encampments will be relocated to a shelter by next week so the area will be emptied before the Democratic National Conventionin August, a city official said Friday.
The encampment is along Interstate 90 just southwest of the city center, an area that’s a main thoroughfare between the two sites where the Democratic convention will be held starting Aug. 19.
The encampment will be emptied and permanently roped off on Wednesday, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services Commissioner Brandie Knazze said Friday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN Moves to Eliminate Its Race and Equality Team
CNN reportedly dismantled its Race and Equality team as the network moves to restructure its operations. This comes after CNN’s new CEO Mark Thompson announced a complete network overhaul on Wednesday, which will include mass layoffs.
A source told journalist Philip Lewis of the Huffington Post that one reporter on the Race and Equality team has been laid off, and the other two have been reassigned to different newsrooms. The Race and Equality team, which consisted of three writers, was created in 2020 by former CNN president Jeff Zucker during the height of the infamous Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Enough!’: Bernie Sanders Goes to Bat for Biden, Says Dems Need to ‘Stop Bickering and Nit-Picking’
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders expressed his continuing support for President Joe Biden in the 2024 election in a New York Times op-ed published Saturday.
Sanders, who opposed Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2020, called on Democrats to rally behind the presumptive party nominee even while acknowledging that the president is “old, is prone to gaffes, walks stiffly and had a disastrous debate with Mr. Trump,” he said in the op-ed. In the midst of calls from 18 House Democrats and Democratic Vermont Sen. Peter Welch for Biden to drop out of his re-election bid, Sanders was steadfast in his support for Biden, echoing his initial endorsement in 2023, according to The Associated Press.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brexit leader Nigel Farage has condemned the legacy media for spreading a “narrative of hatred” around his longtime friend and ally Donald Trump after he survived an apparent assassination attempt on Saturday.
Following what appears to have been a failed assassination attempt against Donald Trump, the former President of the United States and current frontrunner in the 2024 presidential election, Nigel Farage condemned the media’s coverage of the presumptive Republican nominee.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former President Trump Rushed Offstage After Gunfire Erupts at Butler Rally; Shooter, Bystander Dead
BUTLER, Pa. — Secret Service swarmed the stage as former President Donald Trump was speaking Saturday afternoon at a rally in Butler after gunshots rang out over the crowd. The Butler County district attorney told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that two people, the shooter and a bystander, are dead.
Trump could be seen being led offstage to a vehicle by his security detail. It appeared that Trump had been injured, with Associated Press photos showing blood coming from the right side of his face near his ear.
A spokesperson for Trump said, “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
Trump was less than 10 minutes into a speech when he reached for his head and then ducked behind the podium for cover. The crowd began to scream and cover their heads.
Surrounded by the Secret Service, the former president eventually stood back up, pumped his fist and was escorted from the rally.
| — Hat tip: Vlad Tepes | [Return to headlines] |
Former Blockbuster Rival Redbox Goes Bankrupt
The movie rental service Redbox — identified by its large, red kiosks outside of grocery and convenience stores — has gone bankrupt and will shut down all 27,000 of its movie rental kiosks. The company’s 1,033 employees will be terminated without pay as a result, the Daily Mail reported.
In June, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, the parent company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to refinance nearly $1 billion in debt. On Wednesday, however, a court heard that lenders were unwilling to provide additional funding, and as a result, the company is in the process of closing under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The company owes more than 500 creditors millions of dollars, including big-name retailers like Walmart and Walgreens as well as industry powerhouses like Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and the BBC.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich reacted to President Biden’s highly-anticipated press conference at the 2024 NATO Summit on Thursday, saying the commander-in-chief made it clear that he’s not stepping away from the 2024 race.
Blagojevich told Fox News host Jesse Watters on “Jesse Watters Primetime” he believes Biden will stay in the race despite growing calls from members of his own party to step aside.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cops have thwarted a sinister plot concocted by an 18-year-old New Jersey man to annihilate PSE&G substations, impacting the power grid.
Andrew Takhistov began communicating online with an undercover officer in January, according to federal investigators. The East Brunswick man is accused of “soliciting another individual to destroy energy facilities” in North Brunswick and New Brunswick “in order to advance his white supremacist ideology.”
Investigators allege Takhistov had asked the undercover officer online for advice on weapons and expressed an interest in traveling overseas for paramilitary-style training.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Here Are the Four Republicans Who Voted Against Fining Merrick Garland
House Republicans failed to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in “inherent contempt” Thursday thanks to four Republicans joining Democrats in voting against the measure.
Ohio Rep. David Joyce, Ohio Rep. Michael Turner, California Rep. Tom McClintock and California Rep. John Duarte all voted to strike down Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s resolution to hold the attorney general in “inherent contempt” for refusing to hand over audio tapes of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jailed Trump Adviser Peter Navarro to Depart Prison, Address RNC: Report
Jailed Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro will leave prison Wednesday to address the Republican National Convention (RNC), according to The Associated Press.
Navarro, who was a leading trade adviser for then-President Donald Trump, will leave a federal prison in Miami and speak to the convention being held from Monday to Thursday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sources familiar with the RNC’s schedule told the AP on Friday. Navarro and his allies have criticized his conviction for defying a Jan. 6 Committee subpoena, calling it political imprisonment and a “death sentence.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Public school employees in the Bronx allegedly shouted “Heil Hitler” at a Jewish teacher a day after she found her desk littered with “Free Palestine” stickers, she claimed in a lawsuit.
Emilie Baser, an English teacher at Harry S. Truman High School, was subjected to antisemitic harassment, discrimination and retaliation since February, according to the court papers filed Friday against the city Department of Education.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New: Tucker Carlson to Speak at the RNC
Media personality Tucker Carlson will be speaking at the Republican National Convention on Monday along with many others who will be making an appearance at the event.
According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Carlson will be speaking on Monday for the event along with former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz and others. It has been rumored that Donald Trump will announce who he’s chosen as his running mate by Monday, and that the VP candidate is scheduled to speak on Tuesday. Speculation about the VP pick has centered around North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as well as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and others.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Oregon Police Recover Over $200,000 Worth of Stolen LEGO Sets in Major Bust
Oregon police have recovered more than $200,000 worth of stolen Lego sets in a significant bust involving a massive theft ring, officials announced.
A three-month investigation uncovered that the owner of Brick Builders, a store on Willamette Street in Eugene, Oregon, was “knowingly” purchasing new, unopened Lego sets stolen from nearby stores, according to a statement from Springfield police on Facebook.
The thieves had been stealing hundreds of dollars’ worth of Lego sets from local retailers and selling them to Brick Builders for cash. On July 3, officers executed a search warrant at Brick Builders and seized 4,153 Lego sets, valued at over $200,000. Police indicated that the thieves received only “a fraction” of the Lego sets’ retail value, with many using the proceeds to purchase drugs.
Suspects interviewed by police claimed that Brick Builders’ staff were aware the Lego sets had been stolen. When reached by phone Wednesday night, the owner of Brick Builders directed NBC News to his attorney. A message left with the attorney’s firm was not immediately returned.
The police department collaborated with loss prevention investigators from Target, Fred Meyer, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart to verify that Brick Builders was buying Lego sets stolen from their stores.
The suspects face charges of organized retail theft and theft by receiving.
“We all feel the impact of organized retail theft through the increasing cost of items we buy for our families,” Police Chief Andrew Shearer said. “Recognizing this, SPD’s Crime Reduction Unit, with the support of our retail partners, works diligently to hold accountable those who make the choice to engage in or support retail theft.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RNC Convention Speakers Include GOP Heavyweights, VP Hopefuls — and an English Bulldog
The Republicans are going to the dogs.
Former President Trump announced the roster of headliners for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, including a who’s who of party luminaries, close family — and at least one canine.
Team Trump and the Republican National Convention’s Committee on Arrangements said Saturday that West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and his pet pooch Babydog would be among the “headliners and keynote speakers” at the convention, which begins Monday at the Fiserv Forum Complex Center.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Shot on Side of Head, Rushed Off Stage in Assassination Attempt at Pennsylvania Rally
Donald Trump appears to have been shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former President could be seen grabbing his neck and then falling to the ground as the sound of shots rang out.
[Comment: This article has photos and a video.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Shot on Side of the Head in Apparent Assassination Attempt at PA. Rally
Former President Donald Trump was wounded after being shot in the ear during a possible assassination attempt on stage at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday night.
Following the attack on Trump, nine shots rang out and Trump ducked for cover before being surrounded by Secret Service agents.
Before being rushed off stage, Trump told agents to wait and — with blood staining the side of his face and mouth — gave a defiant fist pump to the crowd.
The Secret Service said that Trump is safe, and a campaign spokesperson said he is fine, and being checked out at a local medical facility.
Police sources said that the threat had been “neutralized” by the Secret Services’ counter assault team, law enforcement sources said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Shot at PA. Rally Live Updates: Attempted Trump Assassin is Dead: Sources
Shots have been fired at Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally on Saturday in an apparent assassination attempt.
Trump suddenly clutched the side of his head after an apparent shot rang out, and he was promptly tackled by Secret Service agents as additional shots were fired.
The former president was seen with streaks of blood on the right side of his face, raising his fist as he was led away.
The sniper who took a shot on former President Donald Trump’s life is dead, sources told The Post.
The Secret Service Counter counter-assault team “neutralized” the threat, the insiders said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Sees Outpouring of Support After Assassination Attempt at Rally Stop
Politicians and high-profile celebrities rushed to offer support for ex-President Donald Trump after he was injured in an apparent assassination attempt during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.
House Speaker Mike Johnson was the first Republican to put out a statement in the moments after the party’s presumptive presidential nominee was rushed off the stage with blood streaming from his ear.
“Praying for President Trump,” Johnson simply wrote on X.
Actor Russell Brand, who hosts a conspiracy podcast, speculated the attack was brought on by Trump’s fall from grace in the media.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The shooter who fired at least eight shots at Donald Trump is dead, with a rallygoer also killed in Saturday’s shocking bloodbath.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger broke the news to reporters after the atrocity at a Trump rally at Butler Farm Show Grounds in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Neither the identity of the shooter nor the bystander who also died has been released.
In the moments after the shooting, voices could be heard screaming ‘The shooter is down’ as Trump dived to the floor and frightened rallygoers screamed with fear.
The 45th president was seen ducking down with blood coming from his ear. He pumped his fist in the air to indicate that he was fine while surrounded by Secret Service agents before being led away.
Team Trump says the former president is ‘fine’ and that further detail would follow soon.
A medical helicopter was seen taking off from the rally site 19 minutes after the shooting and is believed to be headed for a hospital in nearby Pittsburgh, The New York Times reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Wanted Man Arrested After Falling Through Apartment Ceiling in New York
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — A wanted man was arrested after police say he fell through an apartment ceiling in Elmira, New York while hiding from police.
According to the Elmira Police Department, officers were called to an apartment building at about 6:26 p.m. on July 12 for a report of a wanted person, George Wilson.
Officers surrounded the building and tried to make contact with Wilson. But shortly after the officers arrived, one of the building’s tenants went outside and told them that Wilson had fallen into their apartment from the attic.
Police secured the apartment Wilson reportedly fell into and kept calling for Wilson to come out from his hiding place. A K9 Unit from the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office found Wilson after a brief search, and he was arrested without further incident.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Woman Who Stole Ashley Biden’s Diary Heads to Prison Sooner Than Expected After DUI Charge
The Florida woman who stole a diary belonging to Ashley Biden, the president’s daughter, has been arrested in Georgia on multiple charges related to an open container of marijuana found in her vehicle after she was pulled over by police for speeding. This comes the day before Aimee Harris, 42, was set to report to prison to serve a one-month sentence for the theft of the diary, as reported by Law and Crime.
Harris now faces new charges that include driving with a suspended license, speeding, possession of marijuana, possession of an open container in a vehicle, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, court documents show.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada Needs 8 More Years to Reach NATO’s Defense Spending Target
Canada plans to reach the NATO defense spending target of 2% of GDP by 2032, reports BBC. The country’s Defense Ministry stated that Canada will invest in a “balanced combination of additional capabilities” outlined in the April defense policy update to achieve the target of 2% by 2032.
Currently, Ottawa spends around 1.4% of its GDP on defense, and in the April defense policy update, it announced plans to increase military spending to 1.76% of GDP by 2030.
“By continuing these investments, Canada fully expects to reach the NATO target of 2% of GDP by 2032,” said Prime Minister Trudeau at the NATO summit in Washington.
Ottawa is under pressure from Washington to increase defense spending. In May, US senators sent a letter to Trudeau urging him to increase defense spending even more. Meanwhile, this week, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson accused Canada of “sitting on America’s tail.”
Trudeau at the NATO summit stated that Ottawa has participated in all NATO initiatives and has done everything possible, which, in his words, “does not always reflect in rough mathematical calculations that some people quickly turn to.”
“Canada is focused on effective use of resources, not on nominal goals that easily make headlines and accounting reports but do not actually make us safer,” he added.
Recently, UK Defense Minister John Healey said that NATO members should exceed the alliance’s target, which requires allocating 2% of GDP to military spending.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Sweden is a Potential Target”: An Interview With NATO’s Newest Member
The table of NATO leaders looked a bit more crowded this week when they convened in Washington for their annual summit. It now included a seat for Sweden, the alliance’s newest member, which decided to join after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine shattered the illusion that Europe could forever remain at peace.
As the NATO summit wound down on July 11, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson sat down with TIME to discuss the future of the alliance, the threats from Russia, and what it means to join the world’s most powerful military club.
The following transcript of the conversation has been edited for length and clarity by TIME.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French PM Eyes Rebuilding Political Force After Party Backing
France’s prime minister on Saturday was elected leader of his party’s National Assembly lawmakers as politicians from all sides jockeyed for position to form the next government.
Gabriel Attal was the only candidate in the vote by the Renaissance party parliamentary group, which he plans to use as the base from which to rebuild the political force that got roundly beaten in a snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron.
Of the 98 Renaissance deputies registered to vote, 84 backed Attal, who will start in his role next week.
As Attal and other ministers eye a future outside government, deep cracks have appeared between the 35-year-old premier and his former mentor Macron.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Says Hungary’s EU Presidency Causing ‘A Lot of Damage’
The German Foreign Office on Friday said Hungary has caused “a lot of damage” in the 12 days since it assumed the rotating EU presidency.
A spokesman in Berlin called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visits to Moscow and Beijing “solo Hungarian efforts that we observe with great astonishment and skepticism.”
He said Orban was acting in a personal capacity and not as a representative of the EU.
Regarding possible consequences for the visits, the spokesman said: “We have to see how Hungary’s Council presidency continues. We are now on day 12 and it has already caused a lot of damage.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
With the climate crisis at a critical juncture, climate activists’ actions have taken on a new level of eccentricity. Their attempts to draw attention to their cause have become more erratic and bizarre.
One atrocious example in the last month is the “Just Stop Oil” group’s protest spraying orange powder over Stonehenge, a historic site of significance.
What does defacing historic sites have to do with moving away from burning fossil fuels? You be the judge of that. Even more surprisingly, the people presumably trying to stop global warming have put Tesla in their crosshairs.
The logic behind these actions is baffling to any reasonable observer; however, despite our bewilderment, the supposed “climate activists” have again struck against Tesla.
This time, their preferred course of action is vandalizing a Tesla Cybertruck displayed at a Tesla store in Germany, a disturbingly persistent pattern of behavior.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Postpones Huawei 5G Ban to 2029, Drawing Criticism for Soft Approach
Berlin’s Western partners will be pleased it is cutting ties with the Chinese 5G equipment maker, even if the terms of the deal suggest a capitulation. The German government has agreed to exclude Chinese telecoms manufacturer Huawei from its 5G networks—but pushed back the effective dates further than expected.
Government representatives met with network operators this week. The details of the agreement—first reported by WDR—were confirmed to POLITICO by two people with knowledge of the decision. The information points to the softest possible solution and a capitulation to Beijing.
Under the agreement, components manufactured by Huawei, China’s leading 5G equipment maker, are to be banned from sensitive core network infrastructure by the end of 2026, rather than by the end of 2025 as previously envisaged, as reported by POLITICO.
Huawei components would have to be removed from radio access networks such as antenna masts by the end of 2029 instead of the end of 2026. This is a satisfactory outcome for German operators, who were planning to replace them by then anyway, limiting extra costs.
Greens lawmaker Tobias Bacherle deplored the “unnecessary room for maneuver” and slammed the concessions as “irresponsible.” Talks have been ongoing since 2019, “so it shouldn’t really take another five years,” he said.
Nonetheless, the agreement will ease worries in Brussels and Washington, where Germany has been seen as dragging its feet on cutting ties with Huawei, despite Berlin’s endorsement of the EU-level 5G Security Toolbox that set out measures to reduce dependencies across networks in 2020. German operators have relied heavily on Huawei to roll out 4G and 5G network infrastructure. A 2022 study by consultancy firm Strand Consult estimated that Chinese components accounted for 59 percent of Germany’s 5G setup.
The review of the Huawei ban will be “completed shortly,” a German interior ministry spokesperson said, adding that they have “reached a decision on how to proceed.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland to Spend 5% of GDP on Defense Next Year
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has pledged that his country will increase its defense spending to 5% of GDP next year, according to Bloomberg.
Sikorski noted that Poland is currently spending more on defense as a percentage of its GDP than any other NATO country.
“Poland is spending four percent (GDP) and we will be spending five next year. We’re number one in NATO, including the United States… because we’re no longer in the era of perpetual peace after the Cold War,” the minister said.
However, despite its own generous spending, Sikorski warned against using military budgets as a benchmark. He cited Iceland as an example, noting that despite having a virtually non-existent defense budget, it remains a valuable asset due to its strategic location.
He also supported former US President Donald Trump’s pressure on NATO countries to increase defense spending.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scholz Criticized in Germany for Decision to Host US Long-Range Missiles
The decision to host US long-range missiles in Germany has sparked not only support, but also criticism from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to a report by DW.
The decision was criticized, in particular, by the coalition and even the Social Democratic Party of Scholz, where lawmaker Ralph Stegner warned of a new “arms race”.
“This won’t make the world safer. On the contrary, we’re entering a spiral where the world becomes more dangerous,” Stegner told Funke media group.
The Greens, who are part of Scholz’s coalition with the liberal Free Democrats, stated that they and German society were not adequately informed about the decision and demanded explanations.
“This could amplify concerns and leave room for misinformation and incitement,” said Sarah Nanny, a Green representative in parliament on security issues to Rheinische Post.
Catherine Drage, chairwoman of the parliamentary group of the Greens, told RTL that Scholz should “explain and answer these questions publicly”.
Opposition to the agreement also emerged from the right-wing flank of German politics.
“Chancellor Scholz is acting against Germany’s interests,” said Tino Chrupalla, a leader of the Alternative for Germany party, which has continued to oppose German arms supplies to Ukraine.
“He allows us to ruin Germany’s relations with Russia forever and we’re returning to the conflict scheme between East and West,” Chrupalla said, adding that deploying US missiles would make Germany a target.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Starmer Shifts UK’s Focus Back to Europe
President Joe Biden’s warm reception of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House marked a pivotal moment for the new UK leadership’s foreign policy direction, emphasizing a return to closer ties with the European Union post-Brexit.
Biden praised Starmer’s initiative, highlighting its importance in strengthening the transatlantic alliance. “I kind of see you guys as the knot tying the transatlantic alliance together, the closer you are with Europe, the more you’re engaged,” Biden remarked during their meeting.
Downing Street swiftly capitalized on Biden’s endorsement, with a UK government spokesperson noting that “the president welcomed the prime minister’s recent comments on establishing closer relationships with our European counterparts.”
Starmer, who previously avoided extensive Brexit discussions during his opposition, has now prioritized enhancing UK-EU relations as a core foreign policy objective. This shift includes potential renegotiations of Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal and deeper cooperation on defense.
“The UK is back,” Starmer declared confidently, echoing Biden’s sentiments from his early days in office. “We want to play our part on the world stage.”
Starmer’s administration aims to solidify this pivot by pursuing a UK-EU defense pact, enhancing collaboration on defense policy and fostering easier cooperation among defense firms on both sides of the English Channel.
While NATO remains central to European defense strategy, Starmer assured that any UK-EU defense agreements would complement NATO’s role, aiming to strengthen Europe’s security landscape without undermining existing alliances.
Despite these ambitions, challenges loom, particularly concerning trade barriers and EU negotiations. Brussels is expected to demand significant concessions for any changes to the current UK-EU relationship.
Looking ahead, the durability of this UK-EU reconciliation strategy may hinge on future US leadership. With potential changes in the White House, Starmer could face differing attitudes toward multilateral engagement, potentially altering the international landscape once again.
In summary, Starmer’s diplomatic efforts are poised to reshape Britain’s role in Europe, leveraging Biden’s endorsement to drive closer integration and collaboration across the Atlantic.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Teachers Told to Present British Empire Like Nazi Germany: Report
Teachers in the UK have reportedly been told to present the history of the British Empire similarly to the horrors of Nazi Germany.
So-called “anti-racist” guidance said to be offered to teachers in the UK has argued that both Nazi Germany and the British Empire should be presented as powers that “committed atrocities” and that teachers should refrain from offering students information about the historical goods done by the Empire.
According to The Telegraph, the guidance produced by “The Key” school support organisation stated that schools should “teach colonialism as ‘invading and exploiting’ other countries, and present the British Empire as you would other global powers that committed atrocities, e.g. Nazi Germany”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Top Hamas Commander is Targeted in a Major Israeli Airstrike in Gaza
Powerful Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of Palestinians and wounded many more Saturday in southern Gaza, officials said. An Israeli military official said the target was the head of the Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif. But there was no immediate word on his status.
The Israelis bombed the city of Khan Younis and the nearby area of al-Muwasi, which has been designated a humanitarian safe zone by the Israeli military and where thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
More than 70 Palestinians were killed in the bombings at the two locations, many of them civilians, according to witnesses and the Gaza Health Ministry. Many more were wounded. This was the latest attack in a series of ongoing Israeli air operations directed at Hamas, but which have also inflicted heavy civilian casualties.
Shortly after the strike, reports began circulating that the target was Deif, a shadowy figure who has led the military arm of Hamas for more than two decades and has survived multiple Israeli attempts to kill him.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Kiev Spy Chief Says Several Attempts Made to Assassinate Putin
There have been several attempts to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to military intelligence service chief Kyrylo Budanov on Saturday.
“But as you can see, they were unsuccessful,” Budanov told New Voice, a Ukrainian website. The general did not say what his claim was based on. He also did not say whether his or other Ukrainian intelligence services might have been involved in the plans.
Budanov has made provocative comments in the past, as a form of psychological warfare. The Kremlin responded, with spokesman Dmitry Peskovmaking clear that the president’s safety would be protected. “The threat from the Kiev regime is obvious,” he told TASS state news agency in Moscow.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Signs Bill Increasing Income Taxes for the Wealthy in Russia
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday endorsed a bill that raises income taxes for the rich, part of efforts to help fill government coffers during the fighting in Ukraine.
Putin signed the bill into law two days after it was approved by both houses of parliament.
The legislation, which envisages a progressive tax on personal income, is a major change from the flat-rate tax that was widely credited with improving revenue collections after it was introduced in 2001.
The new law imposes a 13% tax for incomes of up to 2.4 million rubles ($27,500) a year. For incomes over that amount, a steadily higher tax rate would apply, with the maximum rate of 22% for incomes exceeding 50 million rubles ($573,000).
Putin has said that the tax increase would affect no more than 3.2% of Russia’s taxpayers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Initiates Call With Pentagon After NATO Offered Ukraine ‘Irreversible’ Membership Path
In a rare positive development, the heads of the US and Russian militaries have held a rare phone call in an effort to deescalate tensions. But Moscow is livid at certain recent developments and pledges from the West.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday spoke by phone Russian Minister of Defense Andrey Belousov for the second time in less than a month. The call was initiated by Moscow just after the close of the NATO summit hosted by Biden in Washington this week.
Pentagon readout said Austin “emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine,” deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told a briefing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Meets Irish PM as Eight Die in Russian Attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris to discuss Russia’s invasion as at least eight more civilians were killed in fighting in the east and south of the country.
Zelenskiy stopped off in Ireland on July 13 on his way back to Ukraine from the July 9-11 NATO summit in Washington, where alliance members announced they would continue to back the embattled country with military aid.
Though Ireland joined the alliance’s Partnership for Peace program in 1999 to increase interoperability with other Western militaries, it is a neutral country and does not support parties involved in conflict with military aid.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
South Korea to be the First Country in the World to Deploy Laser Weapons
South Korea is set to mass-produce a laser weapon that successfully shot down small drones during trials, according to Reuters, citing the country’s defense agency. One shot will cost $1.50.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that South Korea will become the first country in the world to deploy and use such a weapon for military purposes. Seoul has dubbed its laser program “Star Wars”.
The South Korean military developed the laser weapon in collaboration with Hanwha Aerospace. According to a statement from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, this weapon is effective, quiet, stealthy, and affordable at $1.45 per shot.
DAPA described this weapon as one that changes the rules of engagement on the battlefield in the future. If its power is increased to counter ballistic missiles and larger aircraft threats.
[Note: The article mentions that the cost of one shot is $1.45, but in another part it says that it will cost $1.50, so I left it as it was.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A court in Ecuador has handed down prison sentences ranging from 12 to 34 years for five individuals found guilty of murdering presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The journalist and former legislator was shot and killed in August 2023 while leaving a rally, becoming the most prominent victim of Ecuador’s escalating violence, as reported by Reuters.
The judge, Milton Maroto, read out the verdict, which can be appealed by both the prosecution and defense. The trial began at the end of June. Prosecutors accused two of the defendants of being members of the Los Lobos crime gang, designated as a terrorist organization by President Daniel Noboa in January.
According to the attorney general’s office, Carlos Edwin Angulo Lara, known as “El Invisible” (“The Invisible”), gave the order to murder Villavicencio from prison, while Laura Dayanara Castillo was in charge of logistics. Both Angulo and Castillo were sentenced to 34 years and eight months.
Villavicencio, whose journalism had exposed corruption and connections between organized crime and politicians, had long faced threats before his murder. Prosecutors are conducting a separate investigation into who ordered the murder. One of the hitmen died at the scene, and seven other suspects, mostly Colombian citizens, were killed while being held in prisons on pre-trial detention.
Villavicencio’s friends and family have criticized multiple delays in the case and have called for an investigation into who ordered the killing. Villavicencio’s widow, Veronica Sarauz, had asked judges earlier on Friday to apply the full weight of the law to those accused.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UN Steps Up Efforts to Combat Gang Violence in Haiti, Extends Mission Until 2025
The United Nations Security Council has condemned the escalating gang violence and criminal activity in Haiti, which is undermining peace and stability in the country and the region. The council has approved a resolution that extends the UN’s political mission in Haiti until July 2025, with a mandate to support free and fair elections, as reported by AP.
The resolution expresses concern about the flow of illegal arms and ammunition into Haiti, which has led to increased violence and control by gangs. The council also welcomes the deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational security force to help the Haitian National Police restore security.
The gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 and are now estimated to control up to 80% of the capital. The violence has led to a surge in killings, rapes, and kidnappings, prompting a violent uprising by civilian vigilante groups.
The UN Secretary-General has appealed for international support to combat the gangs, and the Kenyan police have already begun deploying in Port-au-Prince. The resolution aims to support a democratic transition in Haiti and restore security in the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Polish border guard was killed last month by a group of spear-throwing migrants as they attempted to cross the border into Europe, as officials say a surge in arrivals through Belarus is Putin’s latest war tactic against the West.
21-year-old Sgt Mateusz Sitek from the Polish village of Nowy Lubiel was killed after a group of migrants reportedly from Africa and the Middle East attempting to cross the Polish border hurled a volley of makeshift weapons at officers.
Several more were injured during the clash.
The improvised weapons appear to have been made out of tree branches and steel blades taped to the top.
Waves of migrants arriving at the gates of the EU via Belarus and meeting border guards with aggression is becoming increasingly more common.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An illegal immigrant who has been deported three times was arrested in connection with a devastating house fire that killed a mother of two of her three children last month. He had been dating the mother at the time, however, he did not father the children killed.
Jose Carmen Cardona, a 59-year-old illegal immigrant was arrested on Friday in California. The fire claimed the lives of 32-year-old Lisbeth Gutierrez-Salazar and two of her sons, aged 10 and 7, who were asleep in their mobile home when the blaze was allegedly set by Cardona. Police revealed that Cardona had been dating Gutierrez-Salazar and had been deported three times from the US prior, per Fox News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
PRINCETON, Texas — Investigators with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security are now investigating an alleged forced labor ring in Collin County.
Police in Princeton, east of McKinney, say several women were forced to sleep on floors in a rented home, and they have evidence that the scheme may be far-reaching, involving upwards of 100 people.
The lawyer for one of the four suspects denies his client’s involvement in ‘human trafficking.’
In a press release, the Princeton Police Department says the women were “forced” to work for the suspect and multiple “programming shell companies.”
The attorney for the alleged leader of the operation, however, argues the arrest affidavit does not provide evidence of force.
Attorney Jeremy Rosenthal is stating the case of his client, Santhosh Katkoori, an accused leader of a human labor trafficking operation in Princeton and other areas of North Texas.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Migration Offsets Population Decline in the European Union
Migration continues to drive population growth in the European Union, compensating for the natural decline within the bloc.
According to demographic data released by Eurostat on Thursday, the EU’s population increased by 1.6 million, reaching 449.2 million people between January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, despite having more deaths than births during that period.
A significant portion of the migratory inflows consisted of Ukrainian refugees, contributing notably to the EU’s population rise.
However, the population growth was not uniform across all member states. Spain (+525,100), Germany (+330,000), and France (+229,000) experienced the most substantial increases, whereas Poland saw the largest population decrease (-132,800), followed by Greece (-16,800) and Hungary (-15,100).
The data highlights that migration has prevented an overall population decline in the EU, even as right-wing political parties, which often oppose migration, gain popularity. These parties typically advocate for reversing demographic decline by increasing fertility rates and reducing emigration, rather than relying on migration.
Germany, France, and Italy together account for nearly half of the EU’s total population. The EU had experienced population drops in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic but has since rebounded over the past two years. Eurostat projects that the population will peak in 2026 and gradually decrease to approximately 420 million by 2100.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOJ Filed Brief in Support of Trans Inmate Who Sent Bomb to the DOJ
Authored by Ken Silva via Headline USA
Headline USA has uncovered the identity of an anonymous Georgia prison inmate suing the state for a sex change, and can reveal that the plaintiff is a convicted violent sodomizer who was indicted in April on multiple federal charges for constructing and mailing bombs to federal facilities.
The plaintiff, David Cassady, 55, an inmate at Phillips State Prison in Georgia, is represented by the big law firm Baker Botts, as well as the Murell Law Firm and the Florida-based group Rights Behind Bars. Additionally, the ACLU and the Justice Department have filed amicus briefs in support of Cassady’s lawsuit.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
John Deere Promotes DEI, CRT, Radical Trans Agenda Including ‘Pride’ Events for Toddlers
John Deere, one of America’s most famous farm equipment and supply companies, has been conducting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training, promoting critical race theory (CRT), and supporting the radical gender identity agenda, such as funding LGBTQ “Pride” events for toddlers and urging employees use their “preferred pronouns.” The company also has controversial ERG groups that separate employees based on race, gender, and sexual orientation.
According to its website, John Deere implemented DEI policies in 2020 after longtime employee John May became its CEO the year prior. It now has an entire page dedicated to DEI in the workplace.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
OMG: Disney Co-Sponsored Naked LGBTQ Pride Parades for Kids
A Disney whistleblower released internal documents to journalist James O’Keefe that revealed the Walt Disney Company has a long history of pushing a radical LGBTQ agenda onto children, specifically during Pride month.
Explosive documents show that the company promoted LGBTQ children’s events that featured naked adult males and polysexual virtual hangouts. Disney also released a map of their nationwide sponsored all-ages Pride parades, many of which included adult nudity and sexually charged performances. Additionally, it has been revealed that the Walt Disney Company is in a covert partnership with “Zebra Youth,” which is a support program for LGBTQ homeless and at-risk individuals between the ages of 13 and 24.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland Rejects Bill to Decriminalize Abortions
The lower house of the Polish parliament, the Sejm, rejected a bill to partially decriminalize abortions on Friday with a narrow margin, according to Onet.
The bill, which aimed to decriminalize assistance in abortion and abortion with the consent of the pregnant woman up to the 12th week of pregnancy, was supported by 215 deputies, with 218 opposing it, and three abstaining.
The Left (a bloc of left-wing parties in the Polish parliament) and the ruling coalition’s Civil Platform and Poland 2050 parties fully supported the initiative. The opposition Right and Justice party and right-wing deputies opposed it.
The decisive votes came from the Polish Peasant Party: only four out of 28 members of the faction supported the project. The result was met with applause from right-wing deputies from the Confederation and PiS.
The bill, agreed upon in the Sejm last month, aimed to decriminalize abortion assistance and abortion with the consent of the pregnant woman up to the 12th week of pregnancy.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has previously stated that he will not sign the law even if it reaches his desk. Surveys show that most Poles support allowing abortions in cases where there is a serious threat to the mother’s life or health, as well as in cases of fetal defects.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“The gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump…was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks.” —NYTimes (14 Jul 2024)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/14/us/politics/trump-gunman-thomas-crooks.html
“When Crooks was 17 [2021], he made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that raises money for left-leaning and Democratic politicians.” —Canadian Broadcast Corp (14 Jul 2024)
https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7263201
“Extreme incompetence or it was deliberate. Either way, the SS leadership must resign.” —Elon Musk (14 Jul 2024)
PA Trump rally witness claims he and others pointed the shooter out to law enforcement for “a minute or two” BEFORE the shooting started! If true, this begs the question: why? Watch (~1 min)..
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Mf1Vz7HP4tU
Scarily, Watson’s comments can no longer be dismissed as simple hyperbole; accurately summing-up where we are today. Watch (10 mins)..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGNRkumDjm0
Just one Franz Ferdinand-style shot away..
The first report I heard was that the shooter was a Chinese sniper.
The second one I heard was someone by the name Mark Violet.
Finally, it was reported that his name is ‘Crooks”.
I believe this was an inside job carried out by Mayorkas and Joe Biden.
“I believe this was an inside job carried out by Mayorkas and Joe Biden.”
Nah, not a chance. Of this I’m certain.
The Prince (Biden) can’t extricate himself from a urinal without assistance; and Mayorkas—who was caught LYING to me on two conference calls!—couldn’t keep a secret if his US citizenship was at stake.
If it was an inside job, it was accomplished by accident—’toddlers can’t do anything—other than LIE!—right.