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Senator Introduces Bill to End Political State Prosecutions...

Exclusive: Sen. Thom Tillis Introduces Bill to End Political State Prosecutions of Presidents

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced a bill Friday that would allow presidents and vice presidents — current and former — to move their own civil or criminal cases from a state court to a federal court to stop political local prosecutions such as the one former President Donald Trump faced in New York, Breitbart News has learned exclusively.

“Presidents and Vice Presidents have a right to a fair trial free from political interference, and they should never be targeted by partisan state prosecutors and judges looking to score political points,” Tillis said in a statement provided to Breitbart News.

“The No More Political Prosecutions Act is commonsense legislation that provides Presidents and Vice Presidents (current and former) with the option to move their state cases to a federal court, the same option already provided to other federal officials and employees,” he said.

Tillis’s bill is co-sponsored by Trump allies Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Mike Lee (R-UT).

The bill would simply amend an existing statute that covers many federal officials and staff, including members of Congress and federal judges, who have an option to move their cases to federal court.

Presidents and vice presidents are some of the only federal officials currently unable to remove their cases to federal court, particularly after leaving office, leaving them vulnerable to state prosecutors and judges who can be elected or appointed by state legislatures or governors. This is in contrast to federal judges, who are Senate-confirmed and have lifetime appointments, which help to preserve their independence from the political process.

CNN Debate

Coin Toss Determines Donald Trump Will Get Final Word at CNN Debate

Former President Donald Trump will get to speak last at the first presidential debate against President Joe Biden on Thursday, as CNN determined with a coin flip.

Both candidates will have an opportunity to deliver a two-minute closing statement that serves as an elevator pitch and call to action.

The Biden campaign won the coin toss and chose to select where Biden stood on the stage over who spoke last during the debate, the Hill reported. The Biden campaign chose to stand to Trump’s left, or from the viewer’s perspective, on the right.
The debate parameters follow several controversial rules that CNN finalized that favor Biden, his campaign acknowledged.

The agreed-upon rules are:

Two commercial breaks (Likely to benefit Biden)
Campaign staff will not be able to interact with their candidate during the break
No opening statements, two-minute closing statements
Two-minute answer shot clock, one minute for rebuttals
Mics will be muted “except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak” (Likely to benefit Biden)
CNN reported its rules:

The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks, according to the network, and campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during that time.

Both candidates agreed to appear at a uniform podium, and their podium positions will be determined by a coin flip.

Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. While no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage, candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.

Some aspects of the debate – including the absence of a studio audience – will be a departure from previous debates. But, as in the past, the moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” according to the network.

Adams on Bragg Dropping Charges Against Protesters

Adams: ‘I Respect’ Bragg Dropping Some Columbia Chaos Charges, He Decided School Will Handle Those He Couldn’t I.D.

On Friday’s broadcast of New York’s 1010 WINS’s “The PM Rush,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) stated that he respects Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s decision to drop some charges relating to the disorder at Columbia University and Bragg decided that with “those who couldn’t — he couldn’t get proper I.D. from that the school, Columbia, is going to be addressing that on a local level.” And “I’m going to continue to make sure that those who break the law, the police officers are going to enforce the law.”

Adams said, “There [are] various level[s] to the criminal justice system. The one that I control is the law enforcement aspect of it. But we have the judicial system and we have prosecutors. And I respect each area of how they’re going to handle to keep the public safety in our city. I had communication with D.A. [Bragg]. He’s still prosecuting those who assaulted police officers, and he made a determination based on those who couldn’t — he couldn’t get proper I.D. from that the school, Columbia, is going to be addressing that on a local level. But I respect his decision. And I’m going to continue to make sure that those who break the law, the police officers are going to enforce the law.”

He couldn't identify them? Or he DIDN'T WANT to do it?

Rand Paul & Mike Lee on Biden & Ukraine

Rand Paul, Mike Lee Condemn ‘Unconstitutional’ Biden Security Guarantees to Ukraine

Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a resolution on Friday condemning President Joe Biden’s “unconstitutional” security guarantees to Ukraine.

Biden extended security guarantees to Ukraine for the next ten years, which will help Ukraine boost its defense industrial base and push Ukraine closer to joining NATO.
Politico reported:

But there’s a major catch: The deal is only between the current administrations of the U.S. and Ukraine and won’t be ratified by Congress. Should former President Donald Trump reenter the Oval Office in January, he could rip up the agreement, reneging on Washington’s commitment.

That makes the announcement a high-stakes gamble by President Joe Biden, who has put American credibility on the line in hopes of reassuring Ukraine and European allies, even if he can’t guarantee the deal will last 10 months –– let alone 10 years. But it could also draw a stark contrast with his Republican opponent, marking Biden as a transatlantic champion and Trump an unreliable ally.

“A lasting peace for Ukraine must be underwritten by Ukraine’s own ability to defend itself now, and to deter future aggression,” Biden said. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky called the signing of the agreement an historic day.

However, Paul and Lee believe that the agreement is unconstitutional, serves as a “backdoor” into NATO membership, and bypasses Congress. Paul said in a written statement:

President Biden’s bilateral security agreement with Ukraine commits America to yet another endless war. This deal risks entrapping future administrations to a prolonged military engagement without a clear exit strategy or sufficient burden-sharing from our European allies. We must prioritize American interests and avoid endless foreign entanglements.

More on Biden & Ukraine

Biden Administration Moves Ukraine to Top of List for U.S. Weapons Sales, Making Allies Wait

of the list on countries receiving air defense weapons, and effectively making American allies wait at least 16 months for those same weapons.

The administration said it was because in recent months Russia has stepped up its missile and drone attacks in Ukraine in an attempt to destroy its energy system ahead of the winter.

“This is not a new tactic for them, but they have certainly applied a lot more energy and effort into it in recent months,” National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters Thursday. He added:

As we’ve heard from President Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian military is in desperate need of additional air defense capabilities. We take our partnership seriously, especially when a partner like Ukraine is in such jeopardy. Right now, we know that Ukraine urgently needs these additional capabilities,
We have continued to dig deep and provide Ukraine with a variety of air defense systems and interceptor missiles from our own stockpiles, including those of the Patriot system, NASAMs, and of course, the Hawks.

Many of our allies and partners have stepped up in historic ways as well. But obviously, more is needed, and it’s needed now. So as a result, the United States government has made the difficult but necessary decision to reprioritize, near term, planned deliveries of foreign military sales to other countries of particularly Patriot and NASAM missiles to go to Ukraine instead.

The move is the latest move by President Joe Biden in escalating the U.S.’s involvement in Ukraine’s war with Russia. He recently approved allowing Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia, if Russian forces were readying to attack across the border into Ukraine.

At first the administration claimed the policy was only to hit Russian forces who were readying to attack Kharkiv, but now the Biden administration claims its new policy would allow Ukraine to strike Russian forces anywhere inside Ukraine where they are preparing to launch attacks into Ukraine.

It is unclear if the move would be able to be reversed should former President Donald Trump win re-election in November.

Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), a staunch critic of continuing to send billions of U.S. taxpayer money into Ukraine to fuel the war, slammed the decision, saying, “At this point we are actively endangering our national security by focusing on Ukraine to the exclusion of other priorities. A slow running disaster from the Biden admin.”

Pro-Palestinian Attackers

Pro-Israel Protesters Flock to Defend L.A. Synagogue Targeted by Pro-Palestinian Mob

A large group of pro-Israel counter-protesters rushed to demonstrate outside a synagogue and Jewish school targeted Thursday in Los Angeles by a mob of pro-Palestinian activists.

The confrontation began earlier Thursday, when the pro-Palestinian activists showed up at the school in Valley Village, an area with a large Jewish population in the San Fernando Valley region of L.A.
[X Post]
A large group of pro-Israel counter-demonstrators then came to the school to face off against the pro-Palestinian activists. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrived and separated the two groups on opposite sides of the street.

Local Fox affiliate KTTV-11 covered the dueling protests, noting that it was not clear why the synagogue and school had been targeted.

There is a growing wave of antisemitism in the U.S. associated with anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, who had attended the synagogue when he was in Los Angeles, said there was a double standard at work — that “if people protested Hamas by going to a random mosque and shouting at the constituents, it would be national news and Joe Biden would make a statement about the evils of Islamophobia.”

Biden Let 30 Tons of Fentanyl Cross the Border

Feds: 30 Tons of Fentanyl Crossed Border During Biden Administration

Approximately 30.3 tons of fentanyl have crossed the nation’s southern border since President Joe Biden (D) took office, the Republican National Committee (RNC) said Friday.

That amount of fentanyl is enough to take the lives of about 13.8 billion people, the RNC’s press release said, citing a United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) webpage about the drug.

According to the DEA’s site:

Illicit fentanyl, primarily manufactured in foreign clandestine labs and smuggled into the United States through Mexico, is being distributed across the country and sold on the illegal drug market.  Fentanyl is being mixed in with other illicit drugs to increase the potency of the drug, sold as powders and nasal sprays, and increasingly pressed into pills made to look like legitimate prescription opioids.  Because there is no official oversight or quality control, these counterfeit pills often contain lethal doses of fentanyl, with none of the promised drug.

There is significant risk that illegal drugs have been intentionally contaminated with fentanyl.  Because of its potency and low cost, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, increasing the likelihood of a fatal interaction.

In May, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data showed fentanyl has “largely fueled” a rise in youth overdose deaths since the beginning of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, Breitbart News reported at the time.

“Until relatively recently, opioid deaths were an adult problem. The crisis has now overtaken young people, with Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia doctors reporting a rise in youth emergency room and addiction treatment visits — especially among Latinos,” the report said.

Meanwhile, Biden’s deputies have tried to blame Republicans for his failure to slow the huge wave of fentanyl flowing over his semi-open southern border, even as Republican voters showed staunch opposition to his mass migration priorities, Breitbart News reported in March.

SCOTUS Upholds Gun Ban for Certain Subjects

SCOTUS Votes 8-1 to Uphold Gun Ban for Subjects of Domestic Violence Restraining Orders

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) upheld on Friday a federal ban on gun ownership for subjects of domestic violence restraining orders.

The case centered on Zackey Rahimi, who had been barred from gun possession under a 1994 law prohibiting gun possession by those subject to the aforementioned restraining orders.

NBC News suggested SCOTUS’s decision shows there are some gun controls that can survive the Bruen (2022) test.

CNN quoted Chief Justice John Roberts indicating he and seven of his colleagues had “no trouble” coming together on this decision.

Writing for the majority, Roberts said, “Our tradition of firearm regulation allows the government to disarm individuals who present a credible threat to the physical safety of others.”

Justice Clarence Thomas was the lone dissent against the decision.

Thomas wrote, “The court and government do not point to a single historical law revoking a citizen’s Second Amendment right based on possible interpersonal violence. Yet, in the interest of ensuring the Government can regulate one subset of society, today’s decision puts at risk the Second Amendment rights of many more.”

Former ICE Director on Congressmen & Mayorkas

Fmr ICE Director Homan: Every Republican Congressman Not Voting to Impeach Mayorkas ‘Can Go to Hell’

While speaking out against Biden-era immigration protocol Thursday on FNC’s “The Ingraham Angle,” former Immigrations and Customs Enforcement acting director Tom Homan also criticized Republicans who opposed impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Homan said those Republican lawmakers could “go to hell,” and he talked about the threat that he argued was being concealed by sanctuary cities and other governments that do not compile specific data about violent crimes.

“Well, look, every Republican congressman that did not vote to impeach Mayorkas, you can go to hell,” he declared. “An HR2 that passed the House and went to the Senate, Chuck Schumer won’t even put on the floor. You know, he disgusts me.

But you’re right. Under the Trump administration, we were suing sanctuary cities and actually looking pretty good. One of the first thing Biden did when he got into office is ended the lawsuit. So, there’s no accountability to sanctuary cities. What people need to know is the biggest cities in this nation, Houston, New York, Chicago, L.A., are sanctuary cities.”

“They don’t release nationalities of their criminals,” he continued. “So, we don’t really know how many criminals are raping young women. How many are being arrested for domestic violence or robbery or burglary? We don’t know.”

Entertainment Section

Donald Sutherland, ‘Pride & Prejudice,’ ‘Hunger Games’ Star Dead at 88

Actor Donald Sutherland, known for his roles in Hunger Games and Pride & Prejudice, among many others, died on Thursday at the age of 88.

Sutherland, who won an Emmy for his performance in Citizen X, died in Miami after a long illness, the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) told Deadline. The actor’s official cause of death remains unclear.

The Klute star, who is also the father of actor Kiefer Sutherland, was born on July 17, 1935 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, and got his big break in the 1967 World War II drama, The Dirty Dozen.

Throughout his more than 60 year acting career, Sutherland garnered 200 film and TV credits, according to his IMDb page. His 200th acting credit, Heart Land, is currently in pre-production.

Sutherland also had roles in the 1970 film, M*A*S*H, in which he played Hawkeye Pierce; the 1970 film, Kelly’s Heroes, in which he portrayed Sergeant Oddball alongside actor Clint Eastwood; and the 1973 film, Don’t Look Now, in which he played John Baxter.

The beloved actor’s extensive acting credits also include Dirty Sexy Money, Trust, The Undoing, and The Pillars of the Earth, among many others.

Sutherland also won a Golden Globe for the television movie Path to War, as well as an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his performance in the miniseries Citizen X.

Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, his sons Roeg, Rossif, Angus, and Kiefer, his daughter Rachel, and four grandchildren.

‘Hawaii Five-0,’ ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ Actor Taylor Wily Dead at 56

Actor, sumo wrestler, and fighter Taylor Wily has died at his home in Hawaii at the age of 56.

No cause of death has been revealed for the six-foot-two, 434-pound actor.

The news of his passing was confirmed by Hawaiian station KITV-TV.

Hawaii Five-0 executive producer Peter M. Lenkov lamented the loss on Instagram, writing, “I am devastated. Heartbroken. I’ll post some detailed feelings later. Just too hard right now.”
The mountainous man initially became one of the first American sumo wrestlers in the 1980s and compiled a record of 57-27-14 over two seasons of wrestling.

Wily later competed as one of the fighters in the very first UFC event in November of 1993, though he lost his bout to Gerard Gordeau.

He had an uncredited role in a 1982 episode of the original Magnum, P.I., but his TV career began picking up speed in the late 2000s when in 2008 he got his breakout role as Kemo in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

But it was in 2010 he landed his signature role as Kamekona in the re-boot of Hawaii Five-0, in which he appeared in 171 episodes until the series ended in 2020.

He also appeared on seven episodes of the re-booted Magnum P.I., reprising his role as Kamekona.

The Honolulu-born Wily was a big-hearted and passionate fellow. Back in 2020 when the pandemic began, he posted an inspirational video urging everyone to come together in this “unpredictable times.”

Prosecutors Allege Alec Baldwin was Reckless with Guns Before ‘Rust’ Shooting

The prosecutors in the latest case against actor and producer Alec Baldwin concerning the death of a cinematographer on the set of his movie, Rust, are accusing him of having a history of reckless treatment of firearms.

State prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Erlinda Johnson alleged on Monday that Baldwin had fired at least one blank round from his firearm at the crew before the incident that led to the death of cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. The filing also alleges that he was seen engaging in “horseplay” with guns and that he was “erratic and aggressive,” all of which raised safety concerns, according to Variety.

The prosecutors signaled that they intend to introduce more unsafe use of firearms and Baldwins behavior — some on video — which was introduced during the trial of the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, which led to her conviction and 18-month prison sentence.

One video in the Reed trial showed Baldwin aiming his Colt-style single-action revolver at the crew and then firing the blank at them after the director said “cut.”

Other videos showed Baldwin constantly fidgeting with the gun by cocking it and un-cocking it repeatedly, and brandishing it with his finger on the trigger, both violations of movie industry gun safety practices.

EUROPE

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Sunak's Latest Proposal

British Social Credit System? Restrict Access to Driving Licences or Finance for Youth Who Refuse National Service Say Tories

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak proposes a social credit score-lite for the United Kingdom, where access to modern life basics like a car or financial services could be withdrawn for young people who refuse National Service.

Party leaders from top polling electoral factions — except for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who was to his disgust excluded — were challenged on national television on Thursday night by state broadcaster the BBC, answering audience questions. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who faces apocalyptic polling for his chances to return to the job but who nevertheless hasn’t conceded defeat yet was called on to defend his first election-time policy of promising to introduce national service for young people if re-elected.

While Sunak cited a volunteer ambulance organisation as an example of the sort of mandatory volunteering that could be possible, in reality much of the public concern and discussion has been over the military element of National Service given how widely agreed it is Europe is entering a period of instability and war, and the fact it is to be mandatory.

The Prime Minister was reluctant to engage on how precisely the government would force young people to sign up for National Service and appeared to stumble at one juncture, blurting out a “sorry?” when asked directly about compulsion.  While falling short of committing to any one path, and hand-waving away responsibility for doing so by saying an independent body would make these decisions, Sunak said the government was considering restricting access to modern life essentials.

He said: “You will have a set of sanctions and incentives and we will look at the models that are existing in Europe to get the appropriate mix of those, there is a range of different options that exist… whether that’s looking at driving licenses, access to finance…”.

Sunak Can't Stop the Boats

‘Rishi Can’t Stop the Boats’ — 882 Illegals Cross English Channel in Highest Daily Total of the Year

A new record high of illegal migrants crossing the English Channel this year from the beaches of France was set on Monday, prompting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to declare that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “can’t stop the boats”.

A total of 882 illegal aliens successfully reached British shores on Monday after crossing the Channel in 15 small boats operated by people-smuggling gangs along the French coast.

Monday’s crossings marked the highest figure for the year and took the total since January to 12,313, according to calculations from the Daily Mail.

The paper noted that this was 18 per cent higher than during the same time last year, when 10,472 illegals had made the journey, and up five per cent from 2022 when 11,690 had landed at this point of the year.

It means this year is currently on pace to surpass the yearly record set in 2022, which saw 45,774 boat migrants recorded reaching the country.

Responding to the continued waves of illegals pouring into the country, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Rishi can’t stop the boats and Labour don’t care. This is a national security emergency.”

While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has attempted to claim his policies resulted in the decline in illegal arrivals seen last year when 29,437 migrants reached the country via the busy waterway, this year’s increase backs up claims from Nigel Farage and even the BBC that the weather was likely more of a factor in the reduction seen in 2023.

Prime Minister Sunak has pinned his hopes on deterring the people smuggling trade with the long-delayed Boris Johnson-era scheme to send illegals to the East African nation of Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed offshore rather than putting them up at taxpayer expense in hotels in Britain while awaiting a decision.

Russian Gas

Russian Gas Imports to EU Overtake American Shipments For First Time in Nearly Two Years

Russian natural gas imports to the European Union have overtaken those from the United States for the first time in nearly two years after Brussels sanctions over the Ukraine invasion took hold.

Pipeline gas and liquid natural gas (LNG) from Russia accounted for around 15 per cent of total imports to the EU in May, analysis from the Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS) found.

Following energy sanctions from Brussels and individual member states, the United States surpassed Russia in September of 2022 and has come to supply the EU with around one-fifth of its natural gas imports, the vast majority being LNG shipped in tankers across the Atlantic. However, last month, U.S. supply only counted for 14 per cent, falling behind Russia and Norway.

“It’s striking to see the market share of Russian gas and [liquefied natural gas] inch higher in Europe after all we have been through, and all the efforts made to decouple and de-risk energy supply,” head of gas analytics at ICIS Tom Marzec-Manser told the Financial Times.

While the consultancy firm did say that last month was unique in some regards and the trend reversal is “not likely to last”, given factors such as an outage of a top American LNG facility and Russia increasing shipments to Europe via Turkey ahead of planned maintenance, May’s leapfrogging demonstrated the continued dependence on Russian gas in the EU.

The continued dependence on Russia — and indeed the United States — comes in large part due to the pursuit of so-called green forms of energy while actively spurning domestic fracking for natural gas and a refusal to invest in viable carbon-neutral forms of energy like nuclear power.

More on Russia & Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine Strike Each Other’s Energy Infrastructure With Missiles and Drones

Russia resumed its aerial pounding of Ukraine´s power grid and Kyiv´s forces again targeted Russian oil facilities with cross-border drone strikes, officials said Thursday.

With no major changes reported along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, where a recent push by the Kremlin´s forces in eastern and northeastern Ukraine has made only incremental gains, both sides in the war have taken aim at distant infrastructure targets.

In its seventh major attack on Ukrainian power plants since Moscow intensified energy infrastructure attacks three months ago, Russia fired nine missiles and 27 Shahed drones at energy facilities and critical infrastructure in central and eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said. Air defenses intercepted all the drones and five cruise missiles, it said.

The attack hit power structures in the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv and Vinnytsia regions of Ukraine, causing “extensive damage,” according to national power company Ukrenergo. Seven workers were injured, it said.

Ukrenergo announced extended blackouts across the country despite electricity imports and help with emergency supplies from European countries.

Private energy company DTEK said one of its power plants was hit in the overnight attack but did not specify its location. Three company employees were injured and the plant´s equipment was severely damaged, DTEK said on social media.

Among the most damaging recent strikes on Ukraine´s energy supply were an April barrage that damaged Kyiv´s largest thermal power plant and a massive attack on May 8 that targeted power generation and transmission facilities in several regions.

Rolling blackouts have affected Ukrainian households and industry.

In Russia, meanwhile, authorities in two regions reported fires at oil storage depots after drone attacks, two days after a Ukrainian strike started a huge blaze at another refinery.

Ukraine has in recent months stepped up aerial assaults on Russian soil, targeting refineries and oil terminals in an effort to disrupt the Kremlin´s war machine.

Murat Kumpilov, head of Russia´s Adygea region, said a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the town of Enem that was later extinguished.

The head of the Tambov region, Maxim Yegorov, said an oil reservoir went ablaze at an oil depot there.

Krasnodar region Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said a drone hit a private house in the town of Slavyansk, killing a woman.

Russia´s Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 15 Ukrainian drones over three regions but didn´t mention any damage.

Putin on South Korean Plans

Putin Threatens South Korea: Arming Ukraine Would Be a ‘Very Big Mistake’

Russian strongman Vladimir Putin said South Korea deciding to offer weapons aid to Ukraine would be a “very big mistake,” threatening “respective decisions” that would anger Seoul in remarks on Thursday responding to South Korea announcing it would consider arming Ukraine.

South Korean officials announced the decision to reconsider its current stance of only providing humanitarian aid and reconstructive assistance following Putin’s visit to North Korea, where he signed a mutual defense treaty that bound Russia to defend Pyongyang in the event of an attack. Putin made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday and Wednesday in which communist dictator Kim Jong-un welcomed him with lavish festivities and gifted him two Pungsan hunting dogs.

North Korea had once maintained a similar mutual defense treaty with the fallen Soviet Union, but Russia had not taken measures to commit to military intervention in defense of the rogue communist state until this week.

North Korea and South Korea have formally been in a state of war for 74 years. The Korean War – in which China and the United States are also belligerent parties – began in 1950 and its active hostilities ceased with an armistice agreement in 1953, but neither side surrendered or signed a peace treaty. As a result, Russia committing to military defense of North Korea could potentially make it a party to the Korean War, alarming Seoul.

Conversely, North Korea’s commitment to Russia could make it a player in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, as the Ukrainian military has in recent months attempted to expand its attacks into Russian territory.

Putin confirmed while in Pyongyang this week that the new agreement with Pyongyang “provides for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this treaty.”

The South Korean government summoned Russia’s ambassador to Seoul to protest the treaty and said it had “grave concern” that Russia’s support of communist North Korea could exacerbate already mounting tensions between the two Koreas.

“The government expresses grave concern and condemns the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between North Korea and Russia, which aims to strengthen mutual military and economic cooperation,” South Korean National Security Advisor Chang Ho-jin told reporters on Thursday. In response to Russia’s actions, Chang said, South Korea would “reconsider the issue of arms support to Ukraine.”

“Specific measures will be revealed later, and it will be interesting to see how Russia responds, rather than revealing our plans in advance,” Chang added.

The South Korean news service Yonhap reported that Seoul also implemented several new sanctions on Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion this week.

Putin’s remarks in Vietnam were in response to Chang’s announcement.

“As for the supply of lethal weapons to the combat zone in Ukraine, it would be a very big mistake,” Putin told reporters during his brief stay in Hanoi, according to Russian media. “I hope it will not happen. If it does, then we too will then make the respective decisions, which South Korea’s current leadership is unlikely to be pleased with.”

“We reserve our right to supply weapons to other regions of the world,” Putin said, which some news outlets interpreted as a threat to arm North Korea.

South Korean President Yoon, a hardline conservative, has been vocally supportive of Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. Yoon made a surprise visit to Kyiv in July 2023 in which he met with President Volodymr Zelensky and offered Korean infrastructure expertise, first-aid equipment, and other non-lethal aid. Yoon also announced $150 million in humanitarian aid.

“We need a new large-scale rehabilitation industry. I invited the Republic of Korea to show leadership in creating rehabilitation centers in Ukraine,” Zelensky said at the time.

Seoul appeared to back down from its threat to arm Ukraine, at least for now, in comments to reporters on Friday. The South Korean news outlet Yonhap quoted an anonymous Yoon official stating that Seoul was merely looking at “various options.”

“There are various options for providing weapons, and our position on the recent developments between Russia and North Korea depends on how Russia approaches the situation going forward,” the unnamed official said.

US Soldier Will Spend 4 Years in Russian Jail

U.S. Soldier Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Russian Penal Colony

A Russian court sentenced U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, on Wednesday to three years and nine months in a penal colony for allegedly robbing and threatening to murder his Russian girlfriend.

According to Russian media, Black was arrested on May 2 in the eastern Russian port city of Vladivostok after his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashuk, reported him to the police following an argument.

Vashuk accused Black of stealing about 10,000 rubles (about $120) from her and physically attacking her. She said he grabbed her by the neck during the confrontation, which she interpreted as a threat to her life.

Russian court officials said Black “partially” acknowledged his guilt on the theft charge, although he said he planned to return the money he took from her purse. Black said he took Vashuk’s money because he could not access his own funds while in Russia and accused her of starting the argument that turned violent because she had been drinking heavily.

Black is married and has a child in Texas. His wife, Megan, said she did not know he was in Russia until she received a message from him on May 2 “telling me that he wasn’t coming home.” She said they were in the process of finalizing their divorce at the time of his arrest.

Megan said, through her attorneys, that she believes Black’s “ill-advised” decision to travel to Russia was “motivated entirely by personal reasons,” specifically an “extra-marital affair,” and had nothing to do with “geopolitical intrigue.” Russian officials have not charged him with espionage-related offenses, as they have done with kidnapped Americans, like former Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

The Vatican on Viganò

Vatican Charges Whistleblower Archbishop Vigano with ‘Schism’

The Vatican has summoned Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, to undergo an extrajudicial penal trial for the crime of schism and having denied the legitimacy of Pope Francis and the Second Vatican Council.

Archbishop Viganò has been a thorn in the side of Pope Francis ever since 2018, when he published an explosive report accusing the pontiff of reinstating homosexual abuser Cardinal Theodore McCarrick to a position of prominence despite knowing of McCarrick’s serial abuse.

In his 11-page affidavit, Archbishop Viganò asserted that Pope Benedict had imposed “canonical sanctions” on Cardinal McCarrick in 2009-2010 forbidding him from traveling, celebrating Mass in public, or participating in public meetings, but that Pope Francis later lifted these sanctions and made McCarrick a close personal advisor.

“Francis is abdicating the mandate which Christ gave to Peter to confirm the brethren. Indeed, by his action he has divided them, led them into error, and encouraged the wolves to continue to tear apart the sheep of Christ’s flock,” Viganò stated, before calling on the pope to resign.

“In this extremely dramatic moment for the universal Church, he must acknowledge his mistakes and, in keeping with the proclaimed principle of zero tolerance, Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example for cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them,” the archbishop said.

Now the Vatican’s doctrinal office, headed by Argentinean Cardinal Víctor “Tucho” Fernández, has ordered the former Vatican diplomat to appear in Rome to answer the charges on June 20, either in person or via a legal representative.

Swedish Court on the Syrian General Accused of War Crimes

Assad Regime Syrian General Accused of War Crimes Acquitted by Swedish Court on Lack of Evidence

A Swedish judge on Thursday acquitted a former Syrian army general of indiscriminate attacks on civilians in his home country more than a decade ago, saying prosecutors failed to provide evidence of his involvement in the war crimes.

Brig. Gen. Mohammed Hamo, who now lives in Sweden, was charged in February with aiding and abetting crimes against international law. Prosecutors said that as head of the Ordnance Department of the Syrian Army’s 11th Division, he was responsible for providing the weapons that were used to commit war crimes in 2012.

The prosecutor alleged that Hamo, described by Swedish news agency TT as the highest-ranking officer to stand trial in a European court for such crimes in Syria, had participated in the division´s indiscriminate attacks on military and civilian targets in the Syrian cities of Homs and Hama.

The Stockholm District Court said it was clear that the Syrian army´s warfare included “indiscriminate attacks” that violated international law. But Judge Katarina Fabian said prosecutors did not produce sufficient evidence to convict Hamo.

During the trial, the prosecution chiefly relied on video clips, photographs and testimonies to paint a broad picture of the period showing shelling and fighting between Syrian Army and armed groups. The videos included documentaries by the British Broadcasting Corporation to depict the situation in the region around Homs in 2011 and 2012. None of the material implicated directly Hamo.

Little is known about the 65-year-old Hamo. In June 2012, he was transferred to northern Syria, and the following month he decided to leave the army and fled to Turkey. There, he joined a group that was fighting against the Syrian regime.

He traveled to Sweden in 2015, where he sought asylum. He was granted asylum, but Sweden’s Migration Board informed the authorities that Hamo was previously “a senior officer within the framework of an army that was systematically considered to have committed violations of human rights,” the court said.

Hamo was living in central Sweden when he was arrested on December 7, 2021. A court at the time released him two days later, saying there wasn´t enough evidence to keep him incarcerated. He has since been free.

German Spy Chief on Immigration

Islamic Terrorists Likely Infiltrated Europe Through Ukraine Refugee Scheme, Admits German Spy Chief

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has admitted that Islamist terrorists have likely infiltrated the European Union through the Ukraine refugee scheme, as a terror cell believed to have come to Germany from Kyiv goes to trial.

In its annual report on extremist threats, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic spying branch, said that the threat of jihadist terrorism remains high, with around 27,200 suspected Islamic extremists in the country.

Head of the BvF Thomas Haldenwang admitted that it is likely that Islamic terror groups used schemes for Ukrainian refugees to sneak sleeper cells into the European Union.

Haldenwang highlighted the threat posed by the Central Asian ISIS branch Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISPK)/(ISIS-K), the group believed to be responsible for the Moscow concert hall attack that killed 145 and injured hundreds more in March carried out by gunmen from Tajikistan.

“The ISPK has also managed to bring followers to Western Europe, possibly via the wave of refugees from Ukraine, who are now staying here in various Western European countries,” the spy chief admitted in comments reported by Der Tagesspiegel.

Nevertheless, the Angela Merkel-appointed spy chief maintained that the largest danger posed to German democracy was from “right-wing extremism”.

According to his report, There were around 40,600 suspected right-wing extremists, an estimated 14,500 of whom are believed to be willing to use violence. Meanwhile, the BvF said that there were around 37,000 suspected left-wing extremists, with around 11,200 capable of taking violent actions.

Meanwhile, the domestic intel agency also said that there was a 56.6 per cent increase in reported antisemitic incidents in Germany last year, with a 45 per cent increase in violent anti-Jewish offences.

Iraqi Arrested in Germany

Iraqi Migrant Arrested in Germany Over Alleged ISIS Attack Plan

An Iraqi man who is accused of standing by to carry out attacks for the Islamic State group after he arrived in Germany in 2022 has been arrested, prosecutors said Thursday.

The suspect, identified only as Mahmoud A. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested on Wednesday in Esslingen, near Stuttgart in southwestern Germany, federal prosecutors said in a statement. A judge ordered him to be kept in custody on suspicion of membership in a foreign terrorist organization pending a possible indictment.

He is accused of joining IS in Iraq in or before May 2016 and fighting for the extremist group.

Prosecutors said that Mahmoud A. arrived in Germany in October 2022 and stood by to carry out attacks on behalf of IS. They didn’t specify whether any specific attacks were ever planned.

Youngsters Raped Jewish Girl in France

Three Youths Charged with Antisemitic Gang Rape of 12-Year-Old Girl in France

Three young teenagers have been arrested in France after the anti-semitic-inspired gang rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl after dragging her into an abandoned building in Courbevoie.

While walking home on Saturday through a local park, the young Jewish girl came in contact with two boys, who forced her to follow them to a nearby abandoned daycare centre. They were met by a third boy, who began insulting the 12-year-old girl about her religion, allegedly referring to her as a “dirty Jew”, according to police information cited by Le Figaro.

The situation dramatically escalated, with the young girl being beaten and thrown to the ground as the boys took pictures of her. One of her assailants is said to have held a lighter close to her face, threatening to “burn” her.

Then they allegedly began to gang rape the 12-year-old, violently forcing vaginal and anal penetration and fellatio. Her attackers also reportedly threatened to kill her if she spoke with the police.

However, having told her parents of the attack, the family did go to the police. Three boys, aged 12, 13 and 14 were arrested in connection to the alleged rape based on visual descriptions confirmed by a friend of the 12-year-old girl as well as from CCTV footage placing the three youths near the scene of the incident. The rape was later confirmed by a gynaecological examination at the Garches Medico-Judicial Center.

ASIA

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Pelosi Visited India While Xi Jinping Traveled to Tibet

Xi Jinping Rushes to Tibet After Nancy Pelosi Meets with Dalai Lama

Chinese dictator Xi Jinping dashed to Tibet on Wednesday to meet with Communist Party officials after former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and a bipartisan congressional group met with the Dalai Lama in India.

The Dalai Lama is the 88-year-old exiled spiritual leader of the oppressed Tibetans, whose language, culture, and religion are under constant attack from Xi’s tyranny. Among other depredations, the Chinese government has claimed the power to control the Dalai Lama’s spiritual reincarnation.

Pelosi and the sitting congressional representatives met with the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, a northern Indian city in the Himalayas, where the exiled Tibetan religious leader has dwelled for most of his long life. The group also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi during the trip to India.

Pelosi taunted Xi by saying the Dalai Lama would be remembered far better by historians.

Sure, they will remember him... as the guy that licked a poor kid!

Chinese Fighters in Filipino Waters

Sword-Wielding Chinese Soldiers Seize Filipino Ship in Its Own Waters, Forcing Bare-Handed Brawl

The Chinese Communist regime admitted on Wednesday that it used force to board Filipino ships and force them out of the Philippines’ territorial waters, an act of piracy the Chinese touted as a “police action” because the Filipinos entered an area illegally claimed by China.

The Philippine military said its forces used their “bare hands” to fend off Chinese “barbarians” and demanded China pay damages for its conduct during the incident.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) posted video and photos of the encounter on Wednesday night, showing Chinese personnel attacking their rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) with knives, axes, and poles.
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As with so many chapters in the growing tension between China and the Philippines, the incident on Monday occurred when the Philippine military was attempting to resupply its outpost in the Spratly Islands on the Second Thomas Shoal, which Filipinos refer to as Ayungin Shoal and China calls Ren’ai Reef.

The shoal is considered a “disputed” territory, although an international tribunal rejected China’s claim to the area in 2016. China ignored the judgment and has been trying to seize the area by force ever since.

Kim Jong Un & Putin

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un Trade Dogs, Limousine, and More as Gifts

Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un exchanged lavish gifts at a ceremony on Wednesday in Pyongyang, which the Russian leader visited for the first time in 24 years on Tuesday.

Putin arrived in the North Korean capital on Tuesday for a quick two-day official visit that was part of a broader international tour. Putin then traveled to communist Vietnam on Thursday.

During Putin’s stay in North Korea, he and Kim boosted their countries’ relationship to that of a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and signed a mutual defense treaty that calls for both countries to assist each other in the event that either is militarily attacked. They then exchanged gifts, as is traditional in high-level diplomatic engagements.

The Russian state news agency Tass reported on Thursday that Kim gave Putin, a well-known dog-lover, two Pungsan hunting dogs. The Pungsan is a rare breed of Korean canine considered the national dog of North Korea. Putin received the dogs at the Kumsusan Guesthouse in Pyongyang.
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“Dogs, when fighting an opponent, usually gnaw into the other’s neck. But this dog pounces on him in one fell swoop and gnaws into his throat. Thus, the Pungsan mirrors the values of the Korean nation,” Cho Il-kyung, head of North Korea’s National Heritage Preservation Agency, reportedly said, “which hates injustice, cherishes moral duty and is ruthless toward those who dare provoke it.”

Cho — who described the North Korean breed as having a torso that is “small compared to other dogs in the West” but said it is “very intelligent, agile and persistent” — claimed that the Pungsan is considered a “possible ancestor of the famous Japanese Akita and Shiba Inu breeds.”

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin graciously accepted the two dogs but has yet to choose names for them. In addition to the two dogs, Putin received “several pieces of art depicting his likeness” as gifts from the North Korean dictator.

South Korea on Ukraine War

South Korea Mulls Arming Ukraine After Russia Signs Defense Pact with North Korea

The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday expressed “grave concern” about North Korea’s mutual defense pact with Russia and said South Korea may consider supplying arms to Ukraine as part of its response.

“We emphasize that any cooperation that directly or indirectly helps North Korea increase its military power is a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and is subject to monitoring and sanctions by the international community,” said the statement from Yoon’s office on Thursday:

In particular, Russia, which led the resolution on sanctions against North Korea as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, is harming our security by violating the resolution and supporting North Korea, which will inevitably have a negative impact on South Korea-Russia relations.

The presidential statement said South Korea would seek to “further strengthen the extended deterrence of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the South Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation system to neutralize North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles” now that Russia has acted to make North Korea even more of a threat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the defense pact with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang on Wednesday. The pact represents a dramatic revision of Russia’s policy on North Korea, establishing what Putin described as a “comprehensive partnership” that would “provide for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties.”