According to exit polls, the Labour Party has won in an overwhelming landslide in today’s British general election, gaining an absolute parliamentary majority with 410 seats. The “Conservatives”, with 131, lost almost two-thirds of their seats. Nigel Farage’s Reform did remarkably well, and will hold an estimated 13 seats. The pound held firm after the election, indicating that investors anticipate stability under the new Labour government.
In other news, the French government will deploy about 30,000 police officers nationwide on Sunday night, due to concerns about violence after the second round of the snap legislative election.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Dora, LP, McN, Reader from Chicago, Roger, 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.
French Supermarkets Enforce ‘Shrinkflation’ Stickers to Protect Consumers
French supermarkets must now alert customers when products undergo “shrinkflation,” where the quantity decreases while the price remains the same or increases. This new regulation, effective this week, mandates visible labels on affected products, following a ministerial order published on April 16.
The rule exempts stores smaller than 400m² and applies only to items sold in constant quantities, excluding loose goods and counter-packaged items like cheese and meat. Violations could result in fines of €3,000 for individuals and up to €15,000 for corporations.
“Shrinkflation is a rip-off, we’re putting an end to it. I want to rebuild consumers’ confidence and confidence goes hand in hand with transparency,” said Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. The measure aims to enhance consumer awareness and control over their purchasing power.
Food inflation in France peaked at 16% last year, making food prices a significant issue. Although this figure has since dropped to 0.8%, the new regulation seeks to ensure pricing fairness.
Carrefour, previously criticized for shrinkflation, claims the new stickers are unnecessary for its stores. “To combat shrinkflation and not penalise customers, the group has implemented a strategy aimed at identifying any products affected by this practice, so that their price can be corrected in advance with its suppliers and its pricing policy,” a Carrefour spokesperson told BFM Business.
However, not all retailers are on board. Système U CEO Dominique Schelcher expressed dissatisfaction with the policy, though he committed to compliance. Michel-Edouard Leclerc, President of the E.Leclerc cooperative, also opposed the rule, arguing that manufacturers should disclose size reductions on packaging. “It’s the manufacturer who knows that his product has been reduced in size. It’s up to the manufacturer to write it on the packaging,” he said, suggesting that it would be inefficient for supermarkets to apply the stickers.
The new decree is intended to pressure suppliers into maintaining fair pricing, providing consumers with greater transparency and confidence in their purchases.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Americans Can’t Afford a Summer Vacation Anymore: Poll
Most Americans have given up all hope of a summer vacation because they just can’t afford it anymore, a new poll shows.
Forty-four percent of those surveyed said they’ll be staying put over the next three months as the crippling cost of living crisis rages on, according to the Newsweek and Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll publishedThursday.
More than half of respondents — 53% — said they would have set off on a summer trip if only their expenses were cheaper, the poll found.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Record Number of German Pensioners Rely on Social Security Benefits
An increasing number of older Germans are relying on state benefits to supplement their pensions, according to the Federal Statistics Office.
The data, shared at the request of the left-wing BSW Group and reported by German newspaper “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung,” reveals that in the first quarter of 2024, a record 719,330 pensioners received basic social security support. This marks an increase of almost 35,000 since March 2023 and a rise of approximately 511,915 since 2015.
Germany is gradually raising its pension age from 65 to 67, with the new threshold applying to anyone born after January 1964. For pensioners with lower incomes, the state offers financial support known as Grundsicherung im Alter, which is determined on a case-by-case basis to ensure all citizens can afford basic necessities such as heating, healthcare, and accommodation. Additional support is provided for those with disabilities. Data from the Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs shows that at the end of 2021, 19.7% of old-age benefit recipients had no income or pension, 36.6% lived on a monthly income of under €400, and 40% had an income between €400 and €800. Only 3.7% had a monthly income exceeding €800.
“The German pension system condemns many old people to degrading poverty,” said left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht, commenting on the new data.
Sahra Wagenknecht, who launched her new BSW party this year after previously representing The Left, advocates for more solidarity and equality in Germany. The BSW website claims, “Millions of older people cannot enjoy their retirement after a long working life because their pensions are humiliatingly low.”
While some argue that the increase in social security claimants is due to changes in the pension system, in January 2021, the German government introduced the Grundrente, an additional pension allowance for low earners. The Grundrente is not considered when assessing income thresholds for old-age benefits, allowing retirees who were not previously eligible for benefits to now receive both the Grundrente and Grundsicherung.
Despite these measures, public figures from the Federal Statistics Office show that 4.9 million pensioners had a personal monthly net income of under €1,000 in 2021, corresponding to 27.8% of all pensioners.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
74-Year-Old San Francisco Woman Killed After Homeless Man Pushes Her in Front of BART Train
California authorities said a 74-year-old woman was killed on Monday night after she was pushed in front of a moving BART train at Powell Street Station in San Francisco. The alleged suspect has been identified as Trevor Belmont, 49, who also goes by the name “Hoak Taing.” Police said Belmont was homeless and took him into custody at San Mateo County Jail, per the San Francisco Standard.
The victim identified as Corazon Dandan, of San Mateo County, was getting ready to board a Millbrae-bound train when she was pushed. She struck her head on the train and fell onto the platform. The incident occurred around 11:05 pm, police said. Dandan was transported to San Francisco General Hospital by the fire department and was later pronounced dead.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Invokes JFK in Cringeworthy Attempt to Relate to Minorities in Rambling Black Radio Interview
WASHINGTON — President Biden told a black radio station in an interview released Thursday that he understood their struggle for representation — because he didn’t think Catholics could be president before John F. Kennedy was elected more than six decades ago.
Biden, 81, told Pennsylvania radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders that he knew what his nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court meant to “a young girl who is in school and having trouble.”
“I looked at John Kennedy and said, ‘Well, he — John — he got elected. Why can’t I get elected?’“ the president said. “People need things to look up to.”
Seconds earlier, Biden made the bizarre and nonsensical claim that “I’m the first president that got elected statewide in the state of Delaware, when I was a kid,” a lapse that will do nothing to quell concerns over his advanced age, which have only grown since his embarrassing performance at his debate last week with former President Donald Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden’s Inner Circle Shrinks to These Two Men, Sources Say, With One Likened to Rasputin
WASHINGTON — President Biden’s inner circle has gotten smaller following his disastrous debate last week — with his wife’s top aide Anthony Bernal emerging as one of the 81-year-old’s key advisers alongside longtime confidante Mike Donilon, four sources close to or inside the White House tell The Post.
Bernal, 51, is a divisive figure for allegedly bullying and sexually harassing colleagues — and his influence was likened by three sources to that held by the mystic Grigori Rasputin over the family and court of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia.
First lady Jill Biden considers Bernal her “work husband” and he’s also close to scandal-plagued first son Hunter, whom Bernal greeted with a hug June 11 after his felony gun conviction.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Slammed Over Twitter Account Touting Pride Month — and Not July 4: ‘Shameful!’
President Biden was roasted like a hot dog at a July 4 cookout Thursday over his official X account’s banner — which still touted Pride Month and failed to acknowledge the nation’s 248th birthday until after The Post inquired about it.
“Biden’s July 4th profile banner is still all about pride month *** Shameful !’’ one X user ripped.
Another person wrote, “Can someone please let Biden know #Pride month is over.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Loses Train of Thought in Fourth of July Speech to Vets: ‘Probably Shouldn’t Even Say That’
President Biden seemingly lost his train of thought as he stumbled through his very brief Independence Day speech at the White House barbeque Thursday — bizarrely claiming that highway congestion no longer exists and nearly calling nemesis Donald Trump his “colleague.”
“I probably shouldn’t even say that … anyway,” the commander in chief said after the latter bumble to a crowd of military service members and their families.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Tells Dem Governors He Needs More Sleep, No Events After 8 P.M.: Report
President Biden told a gathering of nearly two dozen Democratic governors at the White House Wednesday night that he needs to get more sleep and work fewer hours — and even avoid events held after 8 p.m. — despite previous reports he can only fully handle the job between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The 81-year-old’s acknowledgment was reported by the New York Times, citing two people who took part in the high-stakes meeting and others who were briefed on the comment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ABC News has pushed forward the release of its crucial interview with President Biden as pressure mounts on the 81-year-old POTUS to prove that he can stay in the 20204 race following a catastrophic debate performance last week.
Biden is set to speak to anchor George Stephanopoulos early Friday, with the Disney-owned network originally saying it planned to release the taped interview in dribs and drabs before showing the full thing on Sunday.
Now, the entire pre-taped interview will air as a primetime special at 8 p.m. on Friday. A preview of the interview will be released earlier on “World News Tonight with David Muir,” with airs at 6:30 p.m.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Delta Flight Diverts to New York After Passengers Are Served Spoiled Food
NEW YORK (AP) — A Delta flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to New York’s Kennedy Airport on Wednesday after passengers were served spoiled food, airline officials said.
The redeye flight took off from Detroit around 11 p.m. Tuesday and landed in New York at 4 a.m. “after reports that a portion of the Main Cabin in-flight meal service were spoiled,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, said 14 of the plane’s 277 passengers as well as 10 crew members were treated by medical personnel when the flight landed. None of them required hospitalization.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Democrat Suggests Biden Deploy Military to ‘Take Out’ Conservative Justices and Claim Immunity
A Democrat congresswoman has suggested that President Joe Biden should abuse his presidential immunity to assassinate Supreme Court justices who fail to tow the party line.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) questioned whether Biden could send in the military to “take out” conservative Supreme Court justices.
She argued that Biden would be immune from punishment in light of Monday’s presidential immunity decision.
Lofgren suggested that it would teach the SCOTUS a lesson for siding with President Donald Trump on his immunity claim.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Disney Heiress Pauses Donations to Democrats Until Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race
Longtime Dem donor and Disney heiress Abigail Disney reportedly said she would no longer donate to the Democratic Party until President Joe Biden drops out of the presidential race following his dismal debate performance. Walt Disney’s granddaughter told CNBC News on Thursday that she means no disrespect to the president but plans to stop all future donations until Biden is no longer the nominee, claiming the stakes are too high. She wants to see Vice President Kamala Harris replace him on the ticket.
“I intend to stop any contributions to the party unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket. This is realism, not disrespect. Biden is a good man and has served his country admirably, but the stakes are far too high,” said Abigail Disney. “If Biden does not step down the Democrats will lose. Of that, I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Epic Fake Street Sign in San Francisco Mocks California’s Retail Theft Law
A fake street sign mocking California’s retail theft law was put up in downtown San Francisco and has since been removed. The sign, which appeared at the end of June and went viral on social media, was posted outside a Louis Vuitton store and read “NOTICE: Stolen goods must remain under $950.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ex-Clinton Advisor: ‘Dead Joe Biden’ is Better Than Kamala Harris
As panic over the crisis regarding President Joe Biden’s fitness for office continues to deepen among the Democratic Party elite, many are now realizing that the remedy is worse than the disease.
In the wake of Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week, a growing number of Democrats is calling for Biden to step down.
Some are even calling for Vice President Kamala Harris to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Biden.
However, doing so will mean Harris will take his place.
High-profile Democrat donors are also skeptical of Harris’s appeal should she be tapped to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fauci: ‘Unfair’ to Judge Biden’s Mental Fitness From Debate
Dr. Anthony Fauci has weighed on the controversy surrounding Democrat President Joe Biden’s obviously degraded mental and physical state.
After last week’s disastrous debate with President Donald Trump, even Democrats and their corporate media allies are now calling for Biden to step down.
The American people saw with their own eyes that Biden is not fit to be running the country and realized that he probably isn’t in charge.
However, Fauci is now insisting that it’s “unfair” to judge Biden’s health after it was exposed on live TV during the debate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Forever War: U.S. Pledges ‘Significant’ $2.2B Package of Air Defense Systems for Ukraine
The Pentagon chose the eve of the Fourth of July holiday to quietly announce a “significant” package of air defense interceptors valued at some $2.2 billion is destined for Ukraine.
The announcement came just days before the U.S. hosts the NATO summit in Washington and as Ukraine has continued to lobby for military support and acceptance into the alliance.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Gov. Gavin Newsom remains steadfastly committed to the Biden-Harris 2024 presidential ticket, despite admitting during an Independence Day Democratic campaign event in Michigan that the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump “did not go as well” as Biden had hoped.
“I was asked and tasked by President Biden, proudly, to fly from California to Georgia to represent the campaign right after that debate,” Newsom told a crowd of supporters at the Van Buren Dems BBQ for Biden-Harris in South Haven, Michigan, on Thursday.
“I had a lot of talking points in mind, you may have noticed if you saw me, I didn’t bring them with me. And that’s to make the obvious point — things did not go as well as the campaign had hoped, and obviously did not go as well as President Biden had hoped,” he said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Longtime CBS Anchor Claims He Was Fired for Being White, Sues Network
On Monday, longtime CBS anchor Jeff Vaughn filed a lawsuit against the broadcaster and its parent company, Paramount Global, alleging that he had been forced out of his position for diversity reasons, namely because he is white. The Emmy Award-winning news personality had been with CBS-owned KCAL for eight years before being replaced in 2022 by younger, black anchor Chauncy Glover, who fulfilled the network’s racial requirements but had far less experience.
Vaughn argued that CBS selectively targeted him solely because he was a white male, and highlighted a number of ocassions where his decades of expertise were ignored. He claimed that CBS had, from the top down, “implemented an illegal hiring, promotion, or retention policy based on age, race, sexual orientation an sex.”
According to the New York Post, under CEO George Cheeks, the broadcaster set diversity goals such as ensuring 40 percent of primetime writers were people of color in the 2021-2022 season. During the effort to achieve that ratio, CBS News and Stations president Wendy McMahon was hired, at which point Vaughn claimed the diversity push “kicked into high gear.” It was she who oversaw his replacement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York Times Calls for Ban on July 4th Fireworks to Fight ‘Climate Change’
Liberal corporate media outlet The New York Times is arguing that Americans must be forced to give up fireworks during July Fourth celebrations in order to help globalists “fight climate change.”
The NY Times called for a ban on fireworks in a recent article titled: “Enough With the Fireworks Already.”
The left-wing newspaper argues that Americans must find a different way to celebrate their nation’s independence.
Additionally, the article insists Americans should give up fireworks because dogs and wildlife are terrified of loud noises.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump on Thursday delivered a Fourth of July message to the country, roasting “incapable” Joe Biden, “Laffin’“ Kamala Harris, and “Deranged Biden Prosecutor” Jack Smith, who is heading two legal cases against Trump.
“Happy Fourth of July to all, including to our highly incapable ‘President,’ who uses Prosecutors to go after his Political Opponent, who choked like a dog during the Debate but tried to pretend it was ‘International Travel’ (only 12 days rest!) and, when that gig was up, he blamed it on a ‘cold.’ Therefore, why would anyone say he’s cognitively challenged,” Trump wrote.
“Also, respects to our potentially new Democrat Challenger, Laffin’ Kamala Harris. She did poorly in the Democrat Nominating process, starting out at Number Two, and ending up defeated and dropping out, even before getting to Iowa, but that doesn’t mean she’s not a ‘highly talented’ politician! Just ask her Mentor, the Great Willie Brown of San Francisco.”
“Someone else that I have to compliment is a Deranged Biden Prosecutor named Jack Smith, who has become a Legend in his own mind for all of those cases he has lost. The Corrupt Prosecutors are working hard for Crooked Joe, but it will never be enough — MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former cross-dressing Biden staffer Sam Brinton received no jail time after he was given a sweetheart plea deal by a Virginia judge in his felony luggage theft case. The notorious airport luggage thief reached a plea deal last week and on Tuesday pleaded guilty to petit grand larceny in exchange for his felony grand larceny charges being downgraded to a misdemeanor, the Free Beacon reports.
This is the third time Brinton has evaded jail time after being charged with stealing luggage from airport carousels. He faced up to 20 years in prison if he was convicted of the felony charges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Report — Aides ‘Scared S***less’ of Joe Biden: ‘Not a Pleasant Person’
President Joe Biden’s aides are reportedly “scared s***less” during briefings with him, as he refuses to take advice from anyone other than top aides.
The reported leak from Politico represents frustration within the Biden campaign, which is reeling from a poor debate performance and subsequent calls for Biden to drop out of the race.
“It’s like, ‘You can’t include that, that will set him off,’ or ‘Put that in, he likes that,’“ one senior administration official told the outlet. “It’s a Rorschach test, not a briefing. Because he is not a pleasant person to be around when he’s being briefed. It’s very difficult, and people are scared s***less of him.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shocking: Phoenix Cop Pulls Over Waymo Autonomous Vehicle for Driving Into Oncoming Traffic
A driverless Waymo vehicle was recently pulled over by police in Phoenix, Arizona after it started driving down the opposite side of the road when it “encountered inconsistent construction signage” and drove into oncoming traffic.
In a statement, per AZCentral, Waymo blamed the incident on “inconsistent construction signage” during the drive. The company argued that the vehicle had done what it was programmed to do after that by pulling into the next available parking lot and stopping for police.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shooting at Yellowstone National Park on July 4th Leaves Ranger Injured, Suspect Dead
One person is dead and a park ranger was injured following a shooting in the Yellowstone National Park on Thursday morning in Canyon Village, Wyoming, park officials said.
The episode began Wednesday night and ended the morning of July 4, according to a press release from Yellowstone National Park. Rangers responded to a report of a person with a firearm who was making threats at Canyon Village, which is south of Tower Falls in the central part of the park.
When rangers contacted the person, they exchanged gunfire with the individual. The person died. Their identity was not released.
A Yellowstone law enforcement park ranger was injured. The ranger, whose name has not been released, is in stable condition and being treated at a hospital.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Says Biden ‘Quit the Race’ in Leaked Video: ‘That Means We Have Kamala’
President Donald Trump was filmed telling people privately that his team has been informed that he will be facing Kamala Harris in the November presidential election.
A leaked video shows Trump on the gold course discussing the aftermath of his debate with Democrat President Joe Biden.
Trump slams Biden as an “old broken-down pile of crap.”
He then reveals that Biden “just quit.”
Trump then explains “That means we have Kamala” Harris because Biden is “quitting the race.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Washington Removes Residency Requirement for Voter Registration
Washington’s Secretary of State (SOS) has removed a residency requirement for registering to vote enshrined in the state’s Constitution, according to a new report. The Center Square reported that the agency rulemaking occurred when Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Washington’s Attorney General Bob Ferguson agreed to a consent decree to settle a 2023 lawsuit arguing that the constitutional provision violated federal law due to a 2018 state law.
Currently, according to the state’s Constitution, to register to vote, a person must be a resident of Washington for 30 days “immediately preceding the election at which they offer to vote.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The 2016 presidential election was going to come down to two candidates, Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton, whose ‘turns’ had come. And then Donald J Trump rode down an escalator, took their ‘turn’ and the establishment has never been the same since. Because it was their ‘turn’.
In 2020, it was the ‘turn’ of Joe Biden, a man whose only political credential was that he had stuck around long enough to stick to things, like the Senate and the Vice Presidency.
Now in 2024, it’s Joe Biden’s ‘turn’ again. No one in his party was under the impression that he was the best candidate, the best campaigner or the best president, but damn it, it was his ‘turn’.
And now the Democrats are panicking because the candidate taking his ‘turn’ is imploding.
Biden’s debate meltdown has frightened Democrats, but they still have no answer for how to stop the car accident that everyone else could see coming from miles away. And no good strategy beyond getting the party leaders to confront their candidate and ask him to step down. But how do you take away Biden’s ‘turn’ when turns are the most sacred thing in politics?
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
200-Year-Old Hidden Tunnels Found in Slovakia City: Photos
Under a picturesque city in Slovakia ran a centuries-old network of crumbling tunnels. The once life-saving passageways had fallen into disrepair and were eventually forgotten — until now.
Archaeologists excavated several streets in downtown Trencín as part of a project to revitalize a pedestrian zone, city officials said in a June 28 news release. One of these roads, known as Sládkovicova Street, stood out from the others.
During medieval times, Trencín had a fortification system with walls, defensive towers and a castle, Drahoslav Hulínek, the project’s lead archaeologist, said in the release. The walls were built in the 1400s and divided the city in two: the enclosed city center and the exposed suburbs.
Sládkovicova Street ran through the wall and linked both sides, officials said.
While excavating this street, archaeologists unearthed a network of hidden passageways built between the 13th and 18th centuries.
The over 200-year-old tunnels were made of stones or bricks and used for escapes, Hulínek said. During the uprisings of the medieval era, priests, church officials or other people would shelter in underground passageways for safety. For this reason, tunnel networks often connected churches or other buildings.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
China-Built EVs Hit With Duties in Biggest EU Trade Case Yet
The European Union will impose tariffs of up to 37.6 per cent from Friday on imports of electric vehicles made in China, EU officials said, ratcheting up tensions with Beijing in Brussels’ largest trade case yet.
There is however a four-month window during which the tariffs are provisional and intensive talks are expected to continue between the two sides as Beijing threatens wide-ranging retaliation.
The European Commission’s provisional duties of between 17.4 per cent and 37.6 per cent without backdating are designed to prevent what its president Ursula von der Leyen has said is a threatened flood of cheap EVs built state subsidies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China and EU Hold Technical Talks on Impending EV Tariffs
Chinese and EU officials held several rounds of technical talks over Brussels’ proposed tariffs on Chinese electric cars on July 4, China’s commerce ministry said at a regular news conference.
“To date, a number of consultations have been held at the technical level between China and the European Union,” He Yadong, a ministry spokesperson, said.
“There is still a four-month window before arbitration, and we hope that the European and Chinese sides will move in the same direction, show sincerity, and push forward with the consultation process as soon as possible,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ECR Avoids Split as Poles and Italians Decide to Work Together
European parliamentary group the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which appeared on the verge of disintegrating, has decided to stick together.
Fuelled by a turbulent meeting on the morning of July 3, some within the ECR — most notably a large part of the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS) — seemed tempted by the new Patriots for Europe group, spearheaded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbàn and de facto leader of France’s National Rally (RN) Marine Le Pen.
That could have proved painful for the ECR, which grew to 84 seats after the June 6-9 EP vote and is currently the third-largest parliamentary group, overtaking Renew. The Liberal group had already seen one of their members, ANO, switch to the Patriot for Europe alliance.
On the evening of July 3, following a second meeting, the ECR announced all members were staying after all.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Nearly 100 Years Behind on AI Goals, EC Report Finds
The European Union is almost 100 years off hitting its 2030 artificial intelligence (AI) goals, a report published by the European Commission has determined.
An investigation into the bloc’s so-called Digital Decade project found that the EU is far behind on a number of technology goals it had set itself, with the document saying that Brussels’ efforts to make the union a digital leader internationally have failed to yield fruit.
The bloc’s handling of AI is one of the key areas where the continent is lagging; the report found it would not hit its goal of having 75 per cent of EU enterprises using at least one designated AI technology by 2030.
With just 11 per cent of firms currently using the technology, the EC estimated it would take nearly 100 years to achieve this.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EXCL: Launch of ‘Europe of Sovereign Nations’ Group in EP ‘Imminent’
The launch of a new hard-right “Europe of Sovereign Nations” group is “imminent”, sources told Brussels Signal.
Rumours of the new European Parliament group have been circulating since before the EP elections in June, with pundits nicknaming the prospective faction as “the sovereigntists” and “the hooligans”, although the latter of these labels has been repeatedly rejected by those involved with the project.
Speaking to Brussels Signal, one source confirmed that the group had settled on the Europe of Sovereign Nations name, and had already secured the 23 necessary MEPs to form an official EP faction.
The group is said to have sourced these parliamentarians from six different Member States, with at least one parliamentarian from a seventh member state now allegedly all that is needed for the new group to meet the criteria for official EP recognition.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exit Poll Says Leftist Sir Keir Starmer Will be Britain’s New Prime Minister
Polls have closed in the UK General Election, and the nationwide exit poll says the Labour Party has won around 410 seats nationwide, replacing the Conservatives after 14 wasted years.
Sir Keir Starmer, a top lawyer who once served as the United Kingdom’s Director of Public Prosecutions and supposedly former hardline leftist radical, who claims to have changed his mind and reformed the Labour party he now leads into a mature and capable governing force, is going to be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The Ipsos exit poll claims 410 seats for Labour — the second largest Labour majority ever, if it proves to be correct — and a crushing defeat to the Conservatives, collapsing from 365 seats won in 2019 to an estimated 131 today.
The Liberal Democrats are polled to have enjoyed strong growth to 61 seats. Nigel Farage’s Reform, if this exit poll is correct, have well and truly gained the beachhead they said they wanted with an estimated 13 seats — he will be very happy with this.
UPDATE 0225 — Reform UK wins first seat
Reform are doing well time and time again with its second places, but now they’ve have their first Member of Parliament elected, former Tory Lee Anderson who defected to Reform earlier this year. Standing for re-election in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, Anderson took 17,062 votes, well ahead of Labour who took 11,553.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Experts Predict 100% Probability of Mediterranean Tsunami Within 30 Years
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) has issued a dire warning: a tsunami measuring over one meter will strike the Mediterranean within the next 30 years, with 100% certainty. This prediction highlights the urgent need for preparedness in coastal regions.
The primary danger zone is identified as the Averroes fault beneath the Alboran Sea, situated between the Malaga coast and North Africa. An earthquake in this region could generate waves up to six meters high, reaching the Spanish coast in as little as 21 minutes. In the best-case scenario, residents would have only 35 minutes to evacuate inland.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, there have been around 100 tsunamis in the Mediterranean and surrounding seas, accounting for about 10% of the world’s total tsunamis during this period. Historical data reveals that tsunamis in the northeast Atlantic are less common, though a notable event in 1755 saw an 8.5 magnitude earthquake trigger a tsunami that devastated Lisbon, parts of Spain and Morocco, and reached as far as Cornwall in the UK and Ireland.
While a one— to six-meter tsunami might not compare to the catastrophic events in the Indian Ocean in 2004 or Japan in 2011, it would still pose a significant emergency. “We don’t expect waves of 20 meters, like in Japan, Chile, or Sumatra, but more like one to two meters,” explained Hélène Hébert, national coordinator of France’s CENtre d’ALerte Tsunami (CENALT).
The real hazard lies not just in the height of the waves, but in the flows and fluxes of water, which can flood beaches, harbors, and streets. “Even 50 cm can be dangerous to swimmers,” noted Pascal Roudil, technical coordinator at CENALT. He emphasized that tsunamis can arrive quickly, with an earthquake off the Malaga coast potentially triggering a tsunami that hits the shore in 21 to 35 minutes.
France has already implemented a red-alert plan for the first 15 minutes following a tsunami, with CENALT operational since 2012. Meanwhile, UNESCO’s 2022 mission to the Aeolian Islands off Sicily aimed to assess the risk from underwater volcanoes, which could also trigger catastrophic tsunamis.
Spain’s State Plan for Civil Protection against the Risk of Tsunamis includes an early-warning system to detect underwater earthquakes and a coordinated response plan to protect the public. If a tsunami were to originate off Cape St Vincent on the Portuguese coast, it would reach the Spanish Cadiz coast in 40 minutes, leaving less than an hour for evacuation.
Although the IOC estimates a 10% chance of a Cadiz tsunami in the next 50 years, the town of Chipiona is preparing to be Spain’s first ‘tsunami ready’ municipality, having already conducted mock evacuation drills. These drills are part of broader exercises organized by the IOC to prepare seven communities in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean for future tsunamis.
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France to Deploy 30,000 Police Amid Election Night Violence Fears
France will deploy about 30,000 police officers nationwide on Sunday night due to concerns of potential violence following the results of a snap election. The election, which could see the right-wing party gain a parliamentary majority, has heightened tensions.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that 5,000 police officers would be stationed in Paris and its surrounding areas to prevent any unrest from “the radical right and radical left.” This move comes after a series of attacks, including one on government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot and her team in Meudon, where they were assaulted while putting up campaign posters.
“We said to them, without being aggressive, that [defacing posters] was not allowed,” Thevenot told Le Parisien. She noted that the police arrived swiftly after the incident.
“Violence is never the answer. I’ll continue my on-the-ground campaigning,” Thevenot wrote on X.
Marie Dauchy, a candidate for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party (RN) in Savoie, also reported being attacked by a shopkeeper at a market on Wednesday.
The decisive second round of the election is anticipated to make the RN the largest party in parliament. However, both President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist group and a broad left-wing coalition have withdrawn over 200 candidates from the runoff to curb the right’s potential seats. Polling suggests the RN and its allies could win up to 220 seats in the 577-seat national assembly.
Le Pen expressed optimism about achieving an absolute majority, stating on BFM TV, “I say turn out to vote, as it’s a really important moment to get a change in politics in all the areas that are making you suffer right now.”
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French River Police Prepare on the Seine for Olympic Opening Ceremony
French river police trained on the Seine on Tuesday in preparation for the Olympics opening ceremony, set to take place on July 26. The event will feature over 90 boats carrying approximately 10,000 athletes along a 6-kilometer stretch of the river.
The open-air ceremony, expected to last nearly four hours, will transform Paris and its iconic landmarks into a grand stage during sunset. A significant police operation is planned for the event.
“We will have several boats involved with other police units from outside the Prefecture of Police,” said Sophie Malherbe, Head of the Paris River police department. “This will involve securing the fleet during the parade, as well as securing the Seine river bank,” she added.
Paris’ police chief Laurent Nunez announced plans to deploy around 30,000 police officers daily, including armed police, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony on the Seine. The police force will be supported by approximately 18,000 military personnel throughout the competition.
The event is expected to draw about 220,000 invited and security-screened spectators to the upper tiers of the river’s banks, with an additional 100,000 paying spectators watching from the lower riverside and around the Trocadéro plaza.
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French Candidates Make Hurried Deals to Try to Stop Right National Rally From Leading Government
French opposition parties made urgent deals to prevent Marine Le Pen’s right National Rally from securing a landslide victory in Sunday’s second round of legislative elections. Although the National Rally, led by Jordan Bardella, won the most votes in the first round on June 30, it fell short of an outright victory needed to form a government, Associated Press reported.
Le Pen stated that her party would only lead the government if it achieves an absolute majority or comes very close. To block the National Rally, an unprecedented number of candidates from the left-wing New Popular Front alliance and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrists have withdrawn to support rivals with better chances against National Rally opponents.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal campaigned to prevent the National Rally from gaining a majority, emphasizing the potential negative impact on the country. Macron’s gamble to dissolve the National Assembly and call for snap elections backfired, as voter frustration over issues like inflation, immigration, and dissatisfaction with Macron himself benefited the right.
Opponents of the National Rally fear threats to civil liberties and policies that could exacerbate social divisions, with concerns about racism, xenophobia, and restrictions on dual nationality and Muslim headscarves. The election remains a critical moment as France faces the possibility of a right government for the first time since World War II.
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Germany Bans VW From Selling ‘Sensitive Tech’ to China Over Security Concerns
Germany has banned car manufacturer Volkswagen from selling a firm possessing “sensitive technology” to China over security fears.
The German Government cited national security concerns when announcing its ban on MAN Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, from selling a gas turbine business to a state-owned Chinese shipbuilding company.
Robert Habeck, German Vice-Chancellor and economy minister, justified the move by citing strained relations between China and the West in recent years.
“The restriction that we have to put in place by law is that we protect technologies that can be a danger to public security and order from information leaks or from the influence of countries that are not always on friendly terms with us.”
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German Defense Forces Advocate for Women’s Conscription in Case of Reinstatement of Draft
Germany’s Inspector General of the Armed Forces, Karsten Broeber, is calling for the conscription of women in the event of the reinstatement of the draft, according to Welt.
Broeber also believes that women should be required to serve in the military if the draft is reinstated.
“Currently, our military service has been suspended, which, according to the Basic Law, is exclusively directed at male populations. We must establish equality — but for that, we first need a corresponding political and social debate,” said Broeber.
In June, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius presented plans for a new military service model. The new model will consist of a six-month basic military service with the option for additional voluntary military service up to 17 months. A registration system will be introduced, in which young men will be required to declare their willingness and ability to perform military service. Young women will also be able to do so.
Broeber spoke out in favor of Pistorius’s model:
“We need around 400,000 temporary and professional soldiers, as well as reservists. To meet this need, we need around 100,000 additional reservists,” said the Inspector General.
Before Pistorius’s plan was made public, media outlets reported on three different models for reinstating the draft, with the most “radical” one providing for mandatory registration and selection of a certain number of conscripts from both sexes, with the option for alternative civilian service.
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Macronist Spokeswoman and MP Attacked by Youths While Campaigning
A French Government spokeswoman and an MP were attacked while putting up posters on public billboards in Hauts-de-Seine, located in the Île-de-France region.
Eyewitnesses have allegedly told the police that the Quran was referenced shortly before the attack began.
On the evening of July 3, spokeswoman and deputy minister Prisca Thevenot and MP Virginie Lanlo, together with two Rennaissance party activists, were allegedly mobbed by about 15 youths.
Punches were thrown and scooters were driven at them.
One of the activists for French President Emmanual Macron’s party was taken to hospital with a fractured jaw, Europe 1 radio reported, while Lanlo had her arm and leg hurt.
One of the Macronists’ cars was also damaged.
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NATO to Deploy Up to 5,000 Troops in Latvia in Coming Years
Up to 5,000 troops from NATO countries will be stationed in Latvia in the coming years, announced the Latvian Defense Minister, Andris Spruds, according to LSM. The Canadian-led combat group of enhanced presence in Latvia will be expanded to a multinational brigade level.
The brigade is expected to reach full combat readiness by 2026 and will consist of around 3,500 personnel. Meanwhile, NATO troops are already present in Latvia as part of other operations, resulting in a total of around 5,000 personnel in the country over the next two years, according to the minister.
A ceremony was held on Wednesday at the military base in Adaži to mark the start of NATO’s presence in Latvia being upgraded to brigade level.
Spruds emphasized that Latvia has become the first Baltic state to host a NATO multinational brigade.
The main location of the brigade will be the Adaži military base, with its headquarters located in Ceri, Marup Municipality, and large exercises will be conducted at the Selija training ground.
In June 2022, Latvia and Canada signed a declaration to strengthen and further develop the enhanced presence group in Latvia, and in July last year, before the NATO summit in Vilnius, the defense ministers of Latvia and Canada signed a road map outlining future steps to transform the group into a brigade.
Currently, around 1,900 troops from Albania, Canada, Czech Republic, Iceland, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and North Macedonia are serving in the Canadian-led enhanced presence group in Latvia on a rotational basis. Denmark and Sweden will also join the new NATO multinational brigade in Latvia.
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Netherlands: COVID Conspiracy Theorist Willem Engel Acquitted in Sedition Case
The court in The Hague acquitted activist Willem Engel of sedition and ignoring a police order. A community service sentence of 90 hours and a conditionally suspended money fine of 250 euros was recommended by prosecutors.
The 47-year-old foreman of the action group Viruswaarheid, translated to Virus Truth in English, was suspected of sedition via Facebook during a demonstration in the city center of The Hague against the coronavirus emergency law in October 2020. He said in a livestream that people should arrest police officers.
However, the court does not call those statements inflammatory, partly because he emphatically called for no use of violence and no resistance. “The court finds that it cannot be proven that the suspect incited violence against public authorities, given the content and purport of the statement,” the ruling reads.
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Netherlands: Opposition Fiercely Criticize New Dutch PM for “Weak” Response to Far-Right Intolerance
Prime Minister Dick Schoof immediately faced fierce criticism from opposition parties in his first parliamentary debate on Thursday. GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, DENK, and others found his responses to intolerant and controversial statements made by PVV Ministers insufficient and “weak.”
The opposition parties wanted the new Prime Minister to emphatically distance himself from the repopulation conspiracy theory linked to Ministers Marjolein Faber (Asylum and Migration) and Reinette Klever (Foreign Trade and Development Aid), both from the far-right nationalist PVV. “There are two Cabinet members who propagate racist conspiracy theories,” said D66 leader Rob Jetten.
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New EU Anti-Drugs Agency to Tackle ‘Terrorism of Drug Crime’
A new EU anti-drugs agency has been launched in the hopes of combatting what has been described as the “terrorism of drug crime”.
The European Commission launched its new European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in Lisbon on July 3, with the new organisation designed to tighten trans-Atlantic co-operation in the combatting of drug traffickers.
At the inauguration event for the initiative, Brussels’ Interior Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, explained the need to tighten relations with Latin American countries to combat organised drug crime.
Such criminal enterprises, she added, represent “one of the greatest threats to society today”.
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Norway: LGBT Festival Shooting: Judgement Expected Today on Alleged Iranian ISIS Terrorist
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A verdict is expected Thursday in the case of an Iranian-born Norwegian man who is charged with terrorism in a 2022 attack at an LGBTQ+ festival in Oslo, Norway, in which two people were killed and nine seriously wounded at three locations.
The Oslo District Court is to rule on whether Zaniar Matapour fired 10 rounds with a machine gun and eight with a handgun into the crowd, chiefly outside the London Pub, a popular gay bar, on June 25, 2022.
Prosecutors said Matapour, 45, a Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group.
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Survey Unveils Czech Public Opinion on Military Conscription and Defense
A comprehensive survey on the defense capabilities of the Czech Republic, conducted on the Seznam Researcher platform, revealed a general lack of confidence among Czechs in their country’s ability to defend itself independently in the event of a military attack.
Only a small percentage of the 2,178 respondents answered “definitely yes” or “probably yes” when asked about the nation’s self-defense capabilities, with the vast majority expressing skepticism. However, confidence improves significantly when considering defense within the framework of NATO and EU alliances. Seventy percent of respondents consider international cooperation crucial for the country’s security.
The survey also shed light on public sentiment regarding NATO membership and military neutrality. A substantial 80% of respondents support continued NATO membership, indicating a strong trust in the Alliance. However, about 40% also favor military neutrality, despite this being seen as an unrealistic combination. More than half of the participants doubted whether other countries would respect Czech neutrality.
Regarding the return of mandatory military service, the survey found that about half of the respondents support reinstating it for men. However, there is strong opposition to mandatory service for women, as seen in countries like Israel. Men (about 55%) are generally more willing to participate in the country’s defense compared to women (about 25%), although there is significant willingness from both genders to engage in defense efforts.
Interest in the Czech army’s active reserves, a voluntary form of service established 20 years ago, has grown notably, particularly after Russian aggression against Ukraine. Despite this interest, the number of active reservists has only been growing slowly. Since its establishment in 2004, the number of active reserves increased significantly from 1,488 members in 2016 to 4,266 by the end of 2023, with women comprising just under 11% of the total.
The Czech army aims to have 10,000 active reservists by 2030. “If we want to meet the goal of 10,000 men and women in the active reserves by 2030, we have to do more and continue to work intensively on developing the reserves,” said Defense Minister Jana Cernochova in March. The Ministry of Defense plans to offer new benefits to attract more individuals and is negotiating with universities to provide voluntary training to students to lower the average age of reservists, which currently stands at fifty years. “We will think about what else we can offer these people, and we will try to remove obstacles that may sometimes come from employers,” added Cernochova.
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A high-profile Catholic bishop has issued a statement to raise the alarm about the soaring cases of “turbo cancer,” sudden deaths,” and other “harmful side effects” being suffered by the Covid mRNA-vaccinated.
Swiss Bishop Marian Eleganti blasted the “bankruptcy of faith” of those who embraced masking and restrictions on freedoms and pushed vaccine mandates.
“We have excess mortality since the vaccination programs in all countries,” Eleganti warns.
Eleganti asserts that Covid mRNA injections have caused “many harmful side effects,” including “turbo cancer,” excess deaths, and premature births.
The top Catholic Church official blasted the mass vaccination agenda during a video interview with LifeSiteNews journalist Andreas Wailzer in German.
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UK: Bullish Farage Predicts Six Million Votes as Early Counts Show Surprising Reform Performances
“This is going to be huge”, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage predicts as the first results of Britain’s intense night of election results begins.
The first seats for Britain’s next Parliament have been declared and while they have all undeniably been Labour stronghold areas that the party was expected to win, one object of surprise has been a repeated story of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party coming in second every time.
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UK: Pound Firm as Investors Embrace ‘Boring is Good’ With Labour Win
LONDON, July 4 (Reuters) — The pound held firm on Thursday after exit polls suggested Keir Starmer’s Labour party was set to win a massive majority in the UK general election, affording investors some much-needed certainty after years of market volatility under the Conservatives.
Centre-left Labour was on course to capture 410 of the 650 seats in parliament, giving the party a majority of 170 seats and bringing an end to 14 years of Conservative-led government.
Sterling barely budged after the release of the exit polls, and was last trading around $1.276, up 0.1% on the day, showing little change on levels seen earlier on. The pound was also broadly unchanged against the euro , which was flat at 84.71 pence.
“The stability that would be provided by such a win would mean investors can cross ‘UK political risk’ off their list of worries for the time being,” Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, said.
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UK: Top Oncologist Warns Cancers Are Surging in Vaxxed Patients
An eminent British oncologist has raised the alarm after seeing aggressive deadly cancers surging in his patients after they received Covid mRNA shots.
Professor Angus Dalgleish, a world-renowned figure in the medical world who is credited with the discovery of the CD4 receptor, warns that he’s now seeing cancers more aggressive than ever before in vaccinated patients.
Dalgleish, who now serves as the head of The Institute of Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy, said each dose of the mRNA shots appears to make the cancers develop and spread more rapidly.
The professor’s discovery of the CD4 receptor is considered to be one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern medicine as it revealed how HIV was able to invade the body’s cells, causing AIDS.
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Hungary’s Orbán to Meet Putin in Moscow, Days After Kyiv Visit
Fresh off the back of his trip to Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, according to several media reports.
The meet would take place on the fifth day of Hungary’s turn at the helm of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
Orbán is set to meet with Putin in Moscow, as first reported by Hungarian investigative media outlet Vsquare, and later by the Financial Times and Radio Free Europe. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó will also accompany Orbán to the Kremlin, Radio Free Europe reported, citing a government source.
When asked by POLITICO whether Orbán will be meeting with Putin, a Hungarian presidency spokesperson refused to comment.
Earlier in the day, Zoltán Kovács, Orbán’s international spokesman, told reporters cryptically that Orbán was “off the grid.” “We’re not going to tell you ahead what he’s up to,” he said in Budapest when asked if a trip to Moscow was on the cards.
Following initial reports on Thursday of a possible Orbán-Putin meet in Moscow, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, wrote on X: “The EU rotating presidency has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU.
“The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussions about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk chimed in to question the choice: “The rumours about your visit to Moscow cannot be true [Orbán], or can they?” he wrote on X.
Valérie Hayer, president of the liberal Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, also denounced the visit.
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Zelensky Denies Accepting Interview With Tucker Carlson
After Tucker Carlson took to X saying he’d potentially gotten Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to sit down for an interview, Zelensky’s staff released a statement denying that any such meeting had been organized. The former Fox News host has been trying to sit down with the leader of the war-torn nation for months, but all requests appear to have been refused.
In February, Carlson visited Moscow and conducted an interview with Vladimir Putin. His decision to speak with the Russian leader was preceded, and followed, by a promise to do the same with Zelensky.
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China Leads the World in Generative AI Patent Applications — UN
According to a new report from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), China has filed the most patents for generative AI (GenAI) technology, with over 38,200 applications in the past decade. The US is a distant second, with around 6,300 applications, as reported by AP.
GenAI, which allows users to create content such as text, images, music, and code, has seen an explosion of interest since its public debut in late 2022. The technology has been used in various industries, including life sciences, manufacturing, and telecommunications.
The WIPO report aims to track GenAI patent applications as an indicator of trends in artificial intelligence development. However, it’s difficult to determine the quality of the patents, and only time will tell which ones will have significant market value or impact.
The US and China are often seen as rivals in AI development, but by some measures, US companies are leading the way in creating cutting-edge AI systems. The US had 61 notable machine-learning models emerge in 2023, compared to 15 from China.
Despite this, China is still dominant in GenAI patent applications, with South Korea, Japan, and India following closely behind. The report highlights the need for monitoring this rapidly evolving technology to understand its potential impacts on jobs and content creation.
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Japan’s Supreme Court Orders Government to Compensate Forced Sterilization Victims
In a landmark decision, Japan’s Supreme Court has ordered the government to pay compensation to victims of forced sterilization under the country’s now-defunct Eugenics Protection Law. The law, enacted in 1948, allowed for the sterilization of people with disabilities without their consent, with the aim of preventing the birth of “inferior offspring”, as reported by AP.
The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional and rejected the government’s claim that a 20-year statute of limitations should prevent restitution. The decision comes after 11 plaintiffs fought for years to have their case heard by the country’s top court.
The plaintiffs, who are mostly in their 80s and have used wheelchairs for most of their lives, have been seeking justice and compensation for decades. They were forced to undergo sterilization surgeries as teenagers, often without their knowledge or consent. One plaintiff, 81-year-old Saburo Kita, was sterilized at age 14 and only recently revealed his secret to his wife before she passed away.
The court ruled that the sterilization surgeries were performed without rational reasons and were discriminatory against people with disabilities. The judges also found that the procedure severely violated the dignity of the plaintiffs and that the government’s continuous discrimination against them was a serious violation of human rights.
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Japan to Introduce New Banknotes for the First Time in 20 Years
Japan will introduce new banknotes for the first time in 20 years, with advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, reports NHK. The new banknotes feature images of businessman and statesman Shibusawa Eiichi, educator Tsuda Umeko, and bacteriologist Kitasato Shibasaburo.
The design of the banknotes has been updated for the first time since 2004. The new banknotes will have a new type of hologram that makes it more difficult to counterfeit, and large font numbers that are easier to read.
It is expected that the new banknotes will enter circulation after they are delivered to financial institutions by the Bank of Japan. The government and the Bank of Japan plan to print 7.48 billion new banknotes by next March.
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WHO: COVID Shots Triggered Global Heart Deaths Surge
Official figures from the World Health Organization’s global database have revealed that Covid mRNA shots triggered a worldwide surge in heart failure and related sudden deaths.
The bombshell data was made public by a team of medical research investigators who were able to unseal and probe the data as part of a major international study.
The research was led by several investigators at Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
They published the results of the study in the prestigious peer-reviewed Journal of Medical Virology.
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Extremists Attack a Wedding Ceremony in Mali and Kill at Least 21
An armed group attacked a wedding ceremony in central Mali and killed at least 21 people, residents said Wednesday, as the West African nation’s military rulers struggle to combat growing violence by extremists, The Epoch Times reported.
The assailants rode on motorcycles into Djiguibombo village in the town of Bandiagara on Monday evening as residents celebrated the couple, according to Bakary Guindo, president of the local youth group.
“Most of the victims had their throats slit,” Guindo said.
Resident Hamidou Saye said the attackers surrounded the large number of attendees.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it follows the pattern of ones by the al-Qaida-linked JNIM extremist group which often targets the region.
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Authorities are investigating after the body of an illegal immigrant was found near the US-Canada border in a case with suspected ties to human smuggling. According to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), on June 20, the lifeless body of an adult male was discovered close to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks in Ferndale, WA.
The investigation, led by HSI, the US Border Patrol (USBP), and Customs and Border Protection, is investigating connections to an illegal human smuggling operation. Illegal immigrants regularly use the undercarriage of trains or coal cars to get into the US.
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Germany May Deport Afghan Migrants Despite Lack of Diplomatic Ties
Germany is prepared to deport migrants from Afghanistan, despite claims that it has no diplomatic relations with the country. BILD investigation has found that Germany still maintains contacts with Kabul through the Afghan embassy in Berlin.
Around 450,000 Afghans are currently living in Germany, and 13,000 of them are at risk of being deported as their asylum requests were denied. If the Afghan embassy in Berlin issues the necessary documents, Germany may deport these migrants.
The German government claims it cannot deport Afghan asylum seekers back to their homeland because of the lack of diplomatic relations. However, BILD was able to establish that Germany still maintains contacts with Kabul through the Afghan embassy in Berlin.
Afghanistan’s ambassador to Germany, Yama Yari, has been in his post since February 2021 and has attended various official events. Recently, an Afghan representative visited the Federal Foreign Office.
Deputy Bundestag member and Afghanistan expert Erik Kuzayl acknowledged that “theoretically, Germany can negotiate with Kabul.”
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Good Samaritans Catch Drunk Illegal Alien After He Kills 22-Year-Old in DUI Crash and Flees
An illegal alien has been arrested after killing a 22-year-old during a deadly DUI hit-and-run in New Mexico.
The suspect, 21-year-old Jesus Sandoval-Martinez, entered the United States illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed.
Sandoval-Martinez was arrested early Monday morning.
He was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and leaving an accident resulting in great bodily harm or death.
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New Dutch PM Targets Migration While Opposition Slates Wilders
Dick Schoof, the newly installed Prime Minister of the Netherlands, declared that solving the migration problem was a key issue.
One day after assuming the office, the former top civil servant in the Security Service stressed that his government planned to take the problem seriously.
“We have to listen to the voter,” Schoof said. “The voter said, ‘Listen and do something about it.’
“This task is something this government takes extremely seriously.
“Migration puts too much pressure on social services and social cohesion. Asylum and migration figures are high and so is the pressure on society.
“It is precisely to ensure continued support for hosting genuine refugees that we must do something about this,” he insisted.
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Poland Seeks Border Assistance From Germany, Greece, Finland Amid Migration Pressures
Poland is seeking help from border guards and police from Germany, Greece, and Finland to bolster its frontier with Belarus, a senior official announced on July 4. This move comes amid escalating concerns over increasing migration pressures from the east into Europe.
“Preparations are under way and these are countries that are very experienced in border protection. Especially, for example, Greek experiences can be very useful,” the official told reporters.
The border between Poland and Belarus has become a critical point of tension, with Western officials accusing Minsk of employing migrants from outside Europe as a form of “hybrid warfare.” The European Union’s border agency, Frontex, reported that the number of people attempting to cross into the EU along the bloc’s eastern border nearly doubled in the first five months of 2024, although this route is still less trafficked compared to others into Europe.
Polish and Finnish officials have recently warned that the number of people trying to cross via Belarus or Russia could rise significantly soon. Greece is extending its fencing on its border with Turkey, while Finland is taking measures to close a new migrant route via Russia to Europe. These measures include deploying more border patrols, drones, electronic detectors, and building fences.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed concerns in a public television interview on July 4 that migrants coming through Belarus might include individuals trained to attack Polish soldiers.
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Cameroon’s President’s Daughter Publishes Same-Sex Kiss Post, Sparking Controversy in the Country
In a move that has sparked a mixed reaction, Brenda Biya, the 26-year-old daughter of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, has shared a photo of herself kissing another woman on Instagram. The post has drawn attention in Cameroon, where same-sex relationships are illegal and punishable by up to five years in prison, as reported by BBC.
Biya, a musician based abroad who goes by the name King Nasty, did not explicitly state her sexuality in the post, but some have interpreted it as a declaration of her sexual orientation. The post has been met with praise from some LGBTQ+ advocates, who see it as a step towards greater acceptance and inclusivity in Cameroon.
However, others have criticized Biya’s post, questioning whether she is using her platform to generate buzz or if coming out is a privilege only accessible to those with wealth and connections. Human rights groups have long criticized Cameroon’s laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community, and many have called for change.
The government and President Biya have not commented on the post, and most media outlets in Cameroon have avoided reporting on the story due to fear of reprisal.
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A new bill making its way though the Massachusetts legislature aims to remove all mentions of “mother” and “father” and replace them with gender-neutral alternatives. Proponents of Bill H.4750 have argued that it will “ensure legal parentage equality.”
Should the bill be signed into law, all instances of the traditional terms for the male and female individuals necessary to bring a life into the world will be erased from the “Return and Registry of Births, Marriages, and Deaths” chapter of the state’s General Laws, with “person who gave birth” and “parent” taking their place. “Paternity” and “a man and a woman” are also replaced by “parentage” and “persons,” respectively.
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Trudeau and Von Der Leyen to Push ‘Diversity and Gender Equality’ in Industry
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to promote “diversity and gender equality” within their respective industrial sectors.
The statement came as part of an announcement that Canada would be joining the Horizon Europe programme, a Brussels-led initiative “which funds collaborative research projects across a wide range of domains”.
“We warmly welcome today’s association of Canada to Pillar II of Horizon Europe, the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation. This is an important milestone in the long-standing strategic partnership between the European Union and Canada,” the leaders said in a joint statement published on July 3.
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Women’s Rights Group Protests California Law That Requires Housing Male Rapist in Women’s Prison
The Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) is fighting California’s Senate Bill 132, which went into effect in the state in 2021 and allows biological males to transfer into female prisons if they self-identify as women. After their lawsuit was dismissed in early May, the women’s advocacy group put up a billboard on California’s State Route 99 between Fresno and Madera. The billboard states, “Men are housed in women’s prisons. California law requires this. They are raping the women.” Included on the billboard is a link to WoLF’s website highlighting their case on the law against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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“Last night a massive 223,018 people in Wales did something few political experts expected. They voted for Nigel Farage’s party Reform UK.”
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-effect-how-reform-29480315
“Nigel Farage, a supporter of former President Donald J. Trump, a force behind Brexit and Britain’s best known political disrupter, was elected to Parliament for the first time.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/04/world/europe/farage-parliament-reform-election.html
“Prediction: I believe there’s an international movement—which may become violent—that’s quietly intensifying AGAINST commie-toddlerism (aka socialism, fascism, Marxism, et al) and its practitioners (aka elites, sophisticates, the leftist ruling classes, et al). I believe my previous predictions of a Bosnian-style civil war in the US may’ve been too myopic, therefore missing the wider (i.e., global) scope of swelling outrage.” —posted to fb (Sept 2022)
In Moscow, foreigners committed more than 100 crimes against children in six months
Citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are “leading”
103 crimes were committed by foreign citizens against minors in Moscow in the first half of 2024. This is 87.3% more than in the first half of 2023
93 criminal cases have been initiated against 54 people, of which 24 are labor migrants. Most often, crimes against children and adolescents were committed by citizens of Uzbekistan (21), Tajikistan (17), Azerbaijan (7), Kyrgyzstan (5), Moldova (2). Citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Vietnam, France and Cuba committed one crime each.
The majority of criminal cases for crimes against minors were initiated under Article 132 of the Criminal Code – “Violent acts of a sexual nature.” Of the 24 such crimes, 8 were committed by citizens of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, 3 by citizens of Kyrgyzstan. Another 15 cases were initiated under the article “depraved acts.” 9 such crimes were committed by citizens of Uzbekistan, 4 – by Tajikistan.
https://www.mk.ru/incident/2024/07/05/v-moskve-za-polgoda-inostrancy-sovershili-bolshe-100-prestupleniy-protiv-detey.html
What percentage of ‘toddlers would be willing to cheat rather than risk losing a fair election? The answer’s not pretty. Watch..
https://youtu.be/T4X4mE9Ta9k?t=271