NATO Gets a Big New Border With Russia in Major Expansion

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Sweden and Finland took another step toward joining NATO on Tuesday after the 30-country alliance formally signed off on their membership bids and set the stage to bring the long-neutral Nordic nations into the fold within a matter of months.

NATO’s rapid decision to welcome two more members — a move driven by Moscow’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February and fears that war could spread throughout Europe — also carries a host of unanswered questions, including the financial tab that the U.S. will be expected to pick up to secure Finland’s 833-mile border with Russia. It’s also not clear when or whether Finland or Sweden would contribute troops to missions outside their borders as part of a forward-deployed NATO force in Poland, the Baltics or other areas at greatest risk of a Russian attack.

Those questions will be debated in the capitals of NATO nations over the coming weeks. All 30 countries must formally sign off on the membership approval process, though that is expected to be little more than a formality for the vast majority of countries. Denmark and Canada reportedly endorsed the moves on Tuesday, just hours after NATO offered its stamp of approval in Brussels.

The expansion effort could hit a roadblock with Turkey, which has misgivings about Sweden’s and Finland’s commitments to crack down on Kurdish rebel groups that Ankara considers to be terrorists.

NATO leaders mostly brushed aside those questions Tuesday in favor of celebrating the alliance’s most significant expansion initiative in two decades. (Read more from “NATO Gets a Big New Border With Russia in Major Expansion” HERE)

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China More Dependent on US and Our Technology Than You Think

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The Biden administration has been wrong to frame U.S.-China competition as a technological competition. This is because, in most areas, there is no technology competition between the two countries. There is only China’s reliance on the U.S.—a far more technologically advanced nation with far more technologically advanced allies and trading partners. And it’s in the U.S. interest to keep it that way and maintain—and even expand—America’s tech advantage.

The lack of technological superiority means China’s economic advancement is subject to other countries supplying it with critical chips and capital equipment. That’s why China has been making efforts to reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers and produce more technology domestically.

Apart from economic reasons, the ability to produce key technology of its own would allow China to further pursue its geopolitical ambitions without restraint, such as its self-declaration of sovereignty over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

In contrast, reducing reliance on foreign technology is not an issue for the U.S. Instead, given many countries’ reliance on U.S. technology, the priority for America is to improve its current technology to always keep other countries lagging behind.

China’s late start is the main reason for its inferior level of technology. The communist regime didn’t start actively promoting the industry’s development until the 1980s. Drawing lessons from the experiences of the East Asian Tigers—the four highly developed economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan—China had stepped up its efforts by encouraging foreign direct investment in assembling products such as smartphones, laptops, computers, etc., in China. (Read more from “China More Dependent on US and Our Technology Than You Think” HERE)

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Swedish Minister: Trump Threatened Trade Restrictions to Release A$AP Rocky

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President Donald Trump threatened to incite a trade war with Sweden to release U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky from prison in 2019, according to the country’s justice and home affairs minister.

During an interview with a Swedish paper on Thursday, Morgan Johansson said Trump had warned the Swedish government at the time that if it did not release Rocky, then he would issue new “trade restrictions.”

Trump allegedly approached the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, for support as well, Johansson added. (Read more from “Swedish Minister: Trump Threatened Trade Restrictions to Release A$AP Rocky” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

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‘Xi Humiliated’: Wuhan Lab Leak Theory Gains Ground as Experts Point To Evidence in Book

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Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic that threw the entire world into turmoil, a furious debate has raged on about the origins of the Sars-Cov-2 virus. While China believes that the virus jumped from animals to humans, many have alleged that the virus actually leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. In a new book, experts have investigated the various claims made by different groups and concluded it is “highly likely” the outbreak began in Wuhan, despite China suggesting that it may have come from Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and neighboring countries.

In a column written for Spiked, biologist and co-author of Viral: The Search for the Origin Of Covid-19, Matt Ridley lambasted Chinese scientists who not only rejected the lab leak theory as a “conspiracy” but also criticized the theory the virus emerged from wildlife trade in the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan.

In a study published in the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, chinese researchers slammed a group of American scientists who suggested that the virus emerged from a seafood market. . .

Mr Ridley noted that this paper reveals the dilemma that Xi Jinping is in.

He wrote: [China] cannot concede that the virus started in its legal or illegal wildlife trade without huge embarrassment to the Xi Jinping regime, which has encouraged the first and tried to eliminate the second. (Read more from “‘Xi Humiliated’: Wuhan Lab Leak Theory Gains Ground as Experts Point To Evidence in Book” HERE)

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Immediately After U.S. Rejects Roe v. Wade, Israel Makes It Easier to Get an Abortion

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For the first time in 30 years, the Knesset Health Committee approves sweeping abortion reforms under which women will be able to have an early-stage pharmaceutically induced termination at a clinic instead of a hospital and will not need to appear in front of the much-criticized abortion panels, the Health Ministry says.

According to previously announced changes, women will be able to complete the necessary paperwork online, instead of having to do it in person.

In addition, a woman requesting an abortion will not be required to initially meet with a social worker. If they do wish to meet with one, the social worker’s job will be to provide support.

The new regulations will take effect within three months, the Health Ministry said.

Although the planned reforms have been in the works for some time, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz hails the changes as a response to last week’s ruling in the US Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. (Read more from “Immediately After U.S. Rejects Roe v. Wade, Israel Makes It Easier to Get an Abortion” HERE)

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China Rages Over COVID-19 ‘Lie’ After Bombshell Report

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China has rubbished bombshell reports World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Covid-19 virus emerged from a laboratory.

A senior government source reportedly told the Mail on Sunday Dr Tedros believes a “catastrophic accident” led to the virus escaping from the Wuhan Institute of Virology at the end of 2019.

Dr Tedros’ comments regarding the virus’s origins have slowly shifted to being more critical of China’s response in the pandemic’s infancy. . .

Addressing the report on Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin rejected the Mail on Sunday’s claims.

“The report you mentioned is entirely false and the Director-General completely refutes the story in the article,” he responded, saying the WHO has confirmed Dr Tedros’ alleged comments were never made in public or private. (Read more from “China Rages Over COVID-19 ‘Lie’ After Bombshell Report” HERE)

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Ukraine LGBTQ Community Upset Over Russian Invasion

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The official Pride parade in Kyiv was canceled this year after a decade of hard-fought efforts for more acceptance of LGBTQ people.

Before Russia invaded, Ukraine – a largely religious nation with a long history of oppression against sexual and gender expression – had increasingly become a rare bright spot for LGBTQ rights and a sanctuary of sorts for Eastern Europe. Ex-Soviet LGBTQ individuals would travel to experience a gay nightclub scene, especially in larger cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa, where they could feel safer to be open.

Now, what would have been the 10th anniversary of the Equality March in Kyiv this month was relocated to Poland because of the ongoing war. (Read more from “Ukraine LGBTQ Community Upset Over Russian Invasion” HERE)

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State Department Warns Russia: Attack on Lithuania Is Attack on U.S.

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A new Russian threat to target “the residents of Lithuania” has drawn a sharp reminder of the American pledge to fight alongside any NATO allies that might come under attack.

“Lithuania is a member of the NATO alliance,” State Department spokesman Ned Price emphasized. ”We stand by the commitments that we have made to the NATO alliance. That includes, of course, a commitment to Article 5: That is the bedrock of the NATO alliance.”

Price prefaced that warning with a dismissive remark about “Russian saber-rattling or Russian bluster.” The pairing would seem to reflect how unease about heightened military tensions around the war in Ukraine has been conditioned by the recognition that Russia is far likelier to use such threats for propaganda purposes than to risk a direct clash with the trans-Atlantic alliance.

“It seems like it’s partially a Russian influence operation or psyops a little bit,” a senior European official told the Washington Examiner. (Read more from “State Department Warns Russia: Attack on Lithuania Is Attack on U.S.” HERE)

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Pope Francis Resigning? Declining Health, Canceled Africa Trip Fuel Rumors

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Pope Francis’ recent health struggles, worsening mobility issues and canceled events have fueled rumors that the head of the Catholic Church is about to follow his predecessor into early retirement.

Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected to the papacy in March 2013, after Pope Benedict XVI stepped down at age 85, becoming the first pontiff to do so since Gregory XII in 1415.

Now, some Vatican observers believe that the 85-year-old Francis could become the second — although the pope’s adviser has brushed off the chatter. . .

[H]is health has been in apparent decline, and for the past month Francis has been getting around in a wheelchair, or with the aid of a cane, because of knee pain.

The octogenarian prelate reportedly does not want to undergo surgery on his knee — and was quoted as telling bishops in May: “Rather than operate, I’ll resign.” (Read more from “Pope Francis Resigning? Declining Health, Canceled Africa Trip Fuel Rumors” HERE)

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Ukraine Moves to Restrict Russian Culture as War Rages On

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The Ukrainian parliament moved Sunday to further rid its country of Russian culture and influence, in a process referred to by some as “derussification,” by voting to pass a law that restricts certain Russian books and music in the country.

The law stops the printing of books by Russian citizens. There is an exception, however, if the Russian citizen is willing to give up their Russian passport and become a Ukraine citizen, then their books can still be printed. The ban also only applies to authors who held Russian citizenship after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

The law also restricts books from being imported into Ukraine. Now, books printed in Russia and Belarus can no longer be imported, and special permission is required for the importation of books in Russian from any other countries.

The Ukrainian parliament did not stop at just books – the parliament also passed a law that stops all music by post-1991 Russian citizens from being played by media outlets and on public transportation. The law also requires TV and radio stations to play more Ukrainian-language speech and music content. (Read more from “Ukraine Moves to Restrict Russian Culture as War Rages On” HERE)

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