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Category: World
May 31, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Economy
World

Officials Dismiss Public Concerns as ‘Conspiracy Theories’ as 15-Minute City Plan Imposed.

The City of Edmonton is introducing “15-minute city” zoning, associated with World Economic Forum (WEF) proposals to limit private citizens’ movements to relatively small districts, supposedly in order to tackle climate change.

The city in Alberta, Canada, plans to introduce 15 new districts, with zoning rules allowing high-density housing mixed with commercial and other non-residential premises. The supposed intent of the plan is to provide more accommodation in Edmonton, which is experiencing rapid population growth due to mass migration, and to provide residents with more bicycle paths and other amenities so they do not have to travel more than 15 minutes to meet their needs.

“We are building a cohesive city with opportunities for local living,” claims Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, a former Cabinet member and Indian immigrant.

ULTERIOR MOTIVES. 

However, many Edmontonians believe the scheme is really about restricting their movements to meet climate objectives — 15-minute cities are mentioned multiple times in the city’s Carbon Budget — and will involve coercive measures.

“My understanding is this means I will need to stay within my district to meet all my needs so that the city can meet its climate plan objectives,” complained one resident during a consultation hearing on the plan.

“I think people really need to understand what they’re speaking on,” complained Councillor Keren Tang. “I think unfortunately, a lot of the district planning in particular has been derailed by 15-minute city conspiracy, World Economic Forum, etc. At the end of the day, this is about land use.”

However, 15-minute city plans in England are reinforced with measures such as low-emissions zones, which do not restrict residents’ movements, strictly speaking, but force them to pay surcharges for driving through certain areas or over certain distances, or face hefty fines.

Drivers in London and Oxford are required to apply for permits to authorize certain movements without incurring charges. Brexit leader Nigel Farage has warned the measures are a precursor to imposing “climate lockdowns.”

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The City of Edmonton is introducing "15-minute city" zoning, associated with World Economic Forum (WEF) proposals to limit private citizens' movements to relatively small districts, supposedly in order to tackle climate change. show more
May 30, 2024
Immigration
World

European Nation Sees Over 70,000 Syrians Naturalized in Last Year Alone.

Germany experienced a significant rise in citizenship grants last year, with a considerable number of Syrian nationals contributing to the highest naturalization figures since at least 2000. Official data released on Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office indicated that approximately 200,100 individuals were granted German citizenship in 2023. This represented an increase of about 31,000, or 19 percent, compared to the prior year.

This rise followed a 28 percent increase in 2022, driven by the naturalization of many Syrians. These individuals migrated to Germany between 2014 and 2016 and met the requirements for citizenship. In 2023, 75,500 people from Syria were naturalized, making them the largest group, comprising 38 percent of the total. This number was up by 56 percent compared to 2022. On average, they had spent 6.8 years in Germany before obtaining citizenship.

Other significant groups included 10,700 individuals each from Turkey and Iraq, who also became German citizens last year.

To be granted citizenship, individuals were required to have a working knowledge of German and to demonstrate financial self-sufficiency. Applicants generally need to have lived in Germany for at least eight years. The period could be reduced to six years for individuals demonstrating “special integration accomplishments” such as superior language skills, professional achievements, or civic engagement.

New legislation taking effect on June 27 will ease these requirements. Eligibility for citizenship will be reduced to five years or three years for those with “special integration accomplishments.” Additionally, German-born children will automatically become citizens if one parent has been a legal resident for five years, reduced from the previous requirement of eight years. Restrictions on dual citizenship will also be lifted.

Germany has experienced significant trouble integrating its large Muslim migrant population. A recent study found that nearly half of young Muslims want an Islamic caliphate. Earlier this month, over a thousand Muslims gathered in Hamburg to demand the creation of such a caliphate in Germany.

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Germany experienced a significant rise in citizenship grants last year, with a considerable number of Syrian nationals contributing to the highest naturalization figures since at least 2000. Official data released on Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office indicated that approximately 200,100 individuals were granted German citizenship in 2023. This represented an increase of about 31,000, or 19 percent, compared to the prior year. show more
May 30, 2024
World

The Kids Are… ‘Far Right?’

Young European voters are increasingly identifying with right-wing populist and nationalist parties ahead of the June 6-9 European Parliament elections, according to analysis conducted by POLITICO Europe. The surge in support for these parties, which predominantly oppose mass legal and illegal immigration, could portend a serious shift in the European Union‘s approach to the ongoing migrant crisis across the continent.

Young voters have apparently established parity with the so-called “Boomer” generation in terms of backing “anti-immigration and anti-establishment parties” in Belgium, France, Portugal, Germany, and Finland. In the Netherlands, the anti-establishment Freedom Party led by Geert Wilders was swept into leadership of a coalition government on a campaign tying high housing costs to unchecked immigration. This message saw a significant appeal among young voters in the country.

Like the Freedom Party in the Netherlands, Portugal’s populist and nationalist Chega rode a wave of youth votes to power. Again, like in the Dutch elections, the political right in Portugal found connecting mass immigration with the country’s housing crisis a formidable campaign message.

The Greens and other left-leaning parties are losing ground among young voters in Germany and Finland. Increasingly, young males in both European countries are backing parties that oppose mass immigration and support the preservation of native customers and cultures. Meanwhile, young female voters are increasingly scattered among various political movements, causing a dilution of support among left-wing political parties.

“AfD in Germany doesn’t even have to grow to become the largest because [the Socialists] and the [Christian Democrats] will naturally shrink, and the young voters are scattered across all parties,” said Dutch political researcher Josse de Voogd, in a recent interview. Meanwhile, in France, the National Rally — a nationalist political party — sits at 32 percent support among 18-to-25-year-olds, partly on the leadership of 28-year-old Jordan Bardella.

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Young European voters are increasingly identifying with right-wing populist and nationalist parties ahead of the June 6-9 European Parliament elections, according to analysis conducted by POLITICO Europe. The surge in support for these parties, which predominantly oppose mass legal and illegal immigration, could portend a serious shift in the European Union's approach to the ongoing migrant crisis across the continent. show more
May 29, 2024
Ed Kozak
Culture
Politics
World

Poland Erupts in Protests Over Warsaw Mayor’s Ban on Religious Symbols.

The recent decision by Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski to remove religious symbols from the city hall building has sparked significant protests across Poland. Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, has accused Trzaskowski’s European People’s Party (EPP) of attempting to “destroy religion and people’s faith.”

On May 8, Trzaskowski issued a decree on equal treatment standards within the town hall. The decree included a ban on the display of religious symbols in offices and on workers’ desks. Workers are still permitted to wear religious symbols on their bodies and clothing.

Warsaw is Poland’s first city to formally ban religious symbols in office spaces to promote non-discrimination.

The decision has sparked outrage among conservative groups, including the right-wing PiS and Confederation parties. Although Trzaskowski is not a candidate, these groups have linked the issue to the upcoming European elections.

Confederation MPs Michał Wawer and Roman Fritz have argued that Trzaskowski’s decision attacks Polish citizens’ freedom of belief and religion. PiS MP Małgorzata Gosiewska has requested that the provincial administration in Mazowieckie voivodship, where Warsaw is located, declare the decree illegal. Ordo Iuris, an ultra-conservative legal institute, has filed a complaint against Trzaskowski for abuse of office.

In their statement, Ordo Iuris cited the constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religion and referenced a 2010 Senate resolution and a 2011 European Court of Human Rights ruling to support their stance.

Significantly, Trzaskowski is a member of Poland’s governing Civic Platform party. A staunchly globalist party, Civic Platform’s rule has been marked by the persecution of conservative political opponents.

In the 2021 census, 71.3 percent of Poland’s 36.8 million people identified as Catholic, showcasing the country’s strong religious identity.

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The recent decision by Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski to remove religious symbols from the city hall building has sparked significant protests across Poland. Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, has accused Trzaskowski's European People's Party (EPP) of attempting to "destroy religion and people’s faith." show more
May 29, 2024
Lawfare
World

EU Sanctions Right-Wing Immigration Skeptic News Website.

Officials announced on Monday that the European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on the news website Voice of Europe and two businessmen associated with it. The sanctions extend penalties initially imposed by the Czech Republic, which claims the outlet disseminates Russian propaganda.

The EU-wide measures will affect Viktor Medvedchuk and Artem Marchevskyi, as well as the Prague-based company operating the website. The sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans.

In March, the Czech Republic accused Medvedchuk of financing the website. Medvedchuk is a pro-Kremlin businessman and former Ukrainian lawmaker exiled to Russia in 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange deal. He has since been stripped of Ukrainian citizenship.

The Czech Foreign Ministry indicated that Ukrainian and Israeli citizen Artem Marchevskyi led Voice of Europe’s operations under Medvedchuk’s direction.

“Viktor Volodymyrovych Medvedchuk uses the Voice of Europe media platform for a Russian influence operation aimed at undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and freedom of Ukraine,” the ministry claimed.

In its March sanctions, the Czech Republic targeted the Prague-based company managing the news website. The country alleged it was being used to propagate Russian influence ahead of June’s EU parliamentary elections.

The Council of the EU accused Voice of Europe and its social media accounts of disseminating disinformation on Ukraine and promoting “pro-Kremlin false narratives.”

In an unsigned article, Voice of Europe “categorically rejected” the EU’s actions. It argued that European authorities were attempting to stifle free speech and obscure the real situation in Europe.

The EU has become increasingly hostile to free speech. The bloc mobilized a mass online censorship scheme ahead of the June elections and recently revealed plans for the mass surveillance of private online chats.

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Officials announced on Monday that the European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on the news website Voice of Europe and two businessmen associated with it. The sanctions extend penalties initially imposed by the Czech Republic, which claims the outlet disseminates Russian propaganda. show more
May 29, 2024
Jack Montgomery
War
World

Baltic States, Norway, Finland, & Poland Building Anti-Russian ‘Drone Wall.’

Norway, Finland, Poland, and the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, all NATO members, are creating a “drone wall” along their shared borders with Russia. Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets says the technology will detect and repel hostile drones. Estonia plans to install the barrier along its entire eastern border and around its major cities.

“As we can see on the Ukrainian front, there is a constant technological race between adversaries and new ways to use drones in warfare,” said Läänemets. “The same is true for the various drones that people have access to. Being even a small step ahead of the opponent leads to greater success, but this success can be measured in days, as countermeasures are discovered with alarming speed for each measure, and the cycle continues,” he added.

Expensive U.S. drones have struggled to make an impact in Ukraine, proving highly vulnerable to Russian jamming. Ukrainian forces favor cheaper, off-the-shelf Chinese drones due to their greater reliability.

Like Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are all former Soviet Socialist Republics. Estonia and Latvia are also home to large Russian minorities, which, coupled with their small size — both boast total populations of under two million — arguably renders them vulnerable to future Russian aggression.

In addition to the “drone wall,” Poland is starting a line of fortifications along its borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, formerly Königsberg.

Dubbed the East Shield or ‘Tusk Line,’ after Prime Minister Donald Tusk, it will include hundreds of mines of anti-tank traps, ditches, and minefields.

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Norway, Finland, Poland, and the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, all NATO members, are creating a "drone wall" along their shared borders with Russia. Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets says the technology will detect and repel hostile drones. Estonia plans to install the barrier along its entire eastern border and around its major cities. show more
May 28, 2024
World

Christian Missionaries Murdered in Haiti Will Be Returned to Missouri This Week.

The bodies of a young missionary couple from the U.S. who were fatally attacked by gang members in Haiti are expected to be returned to Missouri this week, a spokesperson for the families said Sunday. Davy and Natalie Lloyd, along with Jude Montis, the local director of Missions in Haiti Inc., were killed last Thursday. The incident occurred in Lizon, a community in northern Port-au-Prince, after the group left a youth activity at a church. Natalie Lloyd is the daughter of Missouri State Representative Ben Baker (R).

Cassidy Anderson, speaking on behalf of the Lloyd and Baker families in a Facebook post, announced that transport has been secured for the bodies to arrive in Missouri by this Thursday. Anderson noted that arranging the security for the transfer would be challenging. Port-au-Prince has been experiencing significant gang violence, with gangs controlling 80 percent of the capital. Authorities are currently awaiting reinforcement from a Kenyan police force as part of a U.N.-backed operation to address the violence.

In a statement on the Missions in Haiti page, it was detailed that Davy Lloyd and his wife were leaving the church when they were attacked by gang members in three trucks. Davy Lloyd managed to call his family after being assaulted and tied up by the attackers. As individuals near the scene helped untie Davy, another wave of gunmen arrived, escalating the situation. The victims then attempted to seek cover in a house associated with the mission, which the gang subsequently attacked.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) urged Joe Biden in a Sunday letter to ensure adequate security for the transport. Former President Donald Trump also extended condolences to the families while addressing the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

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The bodies of a young missionary couple from the U.S. who were fatally attacked by gang members in Haiti are expected to be returned to Missouri this week, a spokesperson for the families said Sunday. Davy and Natalie Lloyd, along with Jude Montis, the local director of Missions in Haiti Inc., were killed last Thursday. The incident occurred in Lizon, a community in northern Port-au-Prince, after the group left a youth activity at a church. Natalie Lloyd is the daughter of Missouri State Representative Ben Baker (R). show more
May 28, 2024
NatSec
World

Iran’s Uranium Nears Weapons-Grade.

Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report released on Monday by the United Nations‘ nuclear watchdog. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that as of May 11, Iran possesses 142.1 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent. This marks an increase of 20.6 kilograms since the last IAEA report in February.

Uranium enriched to 60 percent is just a short step away from the 90 percent enrichment necessary for weapons-grade material. The IAEA has stated that if further enriched, around 42 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent could theoretically produce one nuclear weapon.

Additionally, the report indicated that Iran‘s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 6,201.3 kilograms, which has grown by 675.8 kilograms since the last report. While Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi has highlighted that Tehran now has enough near-weapons-grade uranium to produce multiple nuclear bombs if it chooses to do so. He also acknowledged that the U.N. agency cannot guarantee that some of Iran’s centrifuges have not been used for clandestine enrichment.

Following the death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash, the IAEA’s talks with Tehran have stalled. Iran had initially agreed to technical negotiations with the IAEA on May 20, but the crash disrupted these plans. Iran has since expressed willingness to continue discussions at a later date.

The IAEA emphasized that comprehensive access to Iran’s nuclear program remains essential for effective verification, a sentiment echoed by Grossi, who “deeply regrets” Iran’s decision to bar inspectors.

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Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report released on Monday by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that as of May 11, Iran possesses 142.1 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent. This marks an increase of 20.6 kilograms since the last IAEA report in February. show more
May 28, 2024
Health
World

Pandemic Treaty Talks Continue Despite Hurdles.

Intensive talks among international negotiators failed to solidify the text of a new Pandemic Accord ahead of the World Health Assembly, which will convene in Geneva from May 27 to June 1. Despite the serious setback, European Union leaders signaled they intend to press forward with treaty talks regardless.

Meanwhile, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) — responsible for the negotiations — acknowledged that while several points of agreement existed, significant differences remained. These differences primarily concerned the sharing of information on pathogens and the equitable distribution of benefits.

Established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in December 2021, the INB aims to draft an international treaty to bolster pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Despite the lack of a final agreement, the progress made on the Pandemic Treaty and revisions to the International Health Regulations (IHR) will be presented at the upcoming World Health Assembly.

‘AMBITIOUS TIMEFRAME.’

European Commission spokesperson on health, Stefan de Keersmaecker, noted the considerable progress achieved despite the remaining points of contention. “We had a very ambitious timeframe, a timeframe of two years for these negotiations. We made quite a lot of ground; we still need to negotiate further, considering the complexity of the issues that are being negotiated,” de Keersmaecker said.

Though he refrained from delving into specific discussions, de Keersmaecker emphasized that the EU has engaged with partners, experts, and scientists to provide tangible inputs aimed at addressing gaps exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘PROGRESS WAS MADE.’

“While great progress was made during these negotiations, there are challenges still to overcome,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He added: “We need to use the World Health Assembly to re-energize us and finish the job at hand, which is to present the world with a generational pandemic agreement.”

INB Co-Chair Precious Matsoso from South Africa emphasized the importance of maintaining focus. “The world must not take its focus off the job at hand, which is to ensure the world is better protected from the next pandemic,” Matsoso stated.

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Intensive talks among international negotiators failed to solidify the text of a new Pandemic Accord ahead of the World Health Assembly, which will convene in Geneva from May 27 to June 1. Despite the serious setback, European Union leaders signaled they intend to press forward with treaty talks regardless. show more
May 27, 2024
Jack Montgomery
War
World

Populist PM’s Health Improving Following Assassination Attempt.

Robert Fico, the populist Prime Minister of Slovakia, a European Union and NATO member, is gradually recovering after being shot multiple times by a would-be assassin, according to government and hospital officials.

“Based on the examination results, today’s medical board meeting confirmed the gradual improvement of the Prime Minister’s health condition,” the government said in a brief statement.

The attack occurred on May 15 in the central town of Handlova when Fico was greeting supporters. The assailant shot the 59-year-old premier four times at close range, striking him in the abdomen. Fico was evacuated and taken to the F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital in the regional capital of Banska Bystrica in life-threatening condition, undergoing five hours of surgery. A second operation was carried out two days later.

The suspect, detained at the scene, has been officially identified only as Juraj C. The 71-year-old has been charged with premeditated murder, though he claims he only intended to injure Fico, not kill him.

Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, an ally of Fico, described Fico’s attempted assassin as a “left-wing activist.” He implied the Slovak was targeted because, like Orban himself, he opposes ongoing Western involvement in Ukraine’s war with Russia, favoring a negotiated peace.

Pro-Ukraine social media users reacted to Fico’s shooting by expressing hope Orban would be targeted next.

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Robert Fico, the populist Prime Minister of Slovakia, a European Union and NATO member, is gradually recovering after being shot multiple times by a would-be assassin, according to government and hospital officials. show more