dChan
Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:04 p.m. No.23342027   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2057

'The UK government announced its plans to lower the voting age to 16 in time for the next general election

 

Today, the UK government announced its plans to lower the voting age to 16 in time for the next general election.

 

It also pledged other changes to the electoral system, such as expanding forms of voter ID, moving towards automatic voter registration, and tightening rules on political donations to protect against foreign interference - you can read about these proposals in our previous post.

 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said young people who "pay in" to the system should have the opportunity to say what they want their money spent on.

 

Conservative MP Paul Holmes hit back at the government's announcement, arguing that there would be no opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny until September due to the recess - describing the proposal as "hopelessly confused".

 

Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, said he didn't support lowering the voting age to 16 "even though we get lots of votes".

 

And Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney said changing the minimum voting age to 16 was a "no-brainer".

 

Throughout the day, we've heard reactions from young people to the announcement, with some saying it is a "good opportunity for us to have more of a say in our future", and others arguing the move will "backfire".

 

But it could be some time before these proposals become law, as they will need to be scrutinised in Parliament first.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c93kkg37n3kt

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:05 p.m. No.23342038   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2048 >>2116 >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

With Tina Smith hospitalized, democrats are coming up one vote short

 

She will remain under observation overnight, taking her away from the rescissions vote-a-rama.

 

Sen. Tina Smith has been admitted to the hospital after becoming ill Wednesday and won’t be available to help Democrats during crucial votes on the rescission package.

 

Smith will stay overnight for observation, her office said.

 

“While at work at the Capitol today, Sen. Smith started to not feel well. She went to the Capitol physician who recommended she undergo more thorough examination at GW hospital,” the statement read. “Out of an abundance of caution, they are keeping her overnight for observation. She expects to be back at work very soon.”

 

The Minnesota Democrat will be unable to help Democrats as they seek to make changes to the $9 billion package of funding clawbacks in a “vote-a-rama” amendment series.

 

Democrats have failed in their efforts thus far to block pieces of the proposed $1.1 billion in cuts to public media and $8.3 billion in cuts to foreign aid. Some Republicans have backed proposed amendments from Democrats, but not enough to overcome the Republican majority thus far.

 

Smith’s absence means that, barring any other absences, Republicans will not need to rely on Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote on any amendments this evening. Vance traveled to Pennsylvania earlier on Wednesday and is scheduled to return to Washington this evening.

 

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/16/congress/sen-tina-smith-hospitalized-00458811

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:07 p.m. No.23342050   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

The UK government announced its plans to lower the voting age to 16 in time for the next general election

 

Today, the UK government announced its plans to lower the voting age to 16 in time for the next general election.

 

It also pledged other changes to the electoral system, such as expanding forms of voter ID, moving towards automatic voter registration, and tightening rules on political donations to protect against foreign interference - you can read about these proposals in our previous post.

 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said young people who "pay in" to the system should have the opportunity to say what they want their money spent on.

 

Conservative MP Paul Holmes hit back at the government's announcement, arguing that there would be no opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny until September due to the recess - describing the proposal as "hopelessly confused".

 

Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, said he didn't support lowering the voting age to 16 "even though we get lots of votes".

 

And Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney said changing the minimum voting age to 16 was a "no-brainer".

 

Throughout the day, we've heard reactions from young people to the announcement, with some saying it is a "good opportunity for us to have more of a say in our future", and others arguing the move will "backfire".

 

But it could be some time before these proposals become law, as they will need to be scrutinised in Parliament first.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c93kkg37n3kt

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:09 p.m. No.23342058   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

KJP and 3 other Biden aides to testify on his cognitive coverup

 

Four more former Biden White House aides have agreed to speak with investigators as part of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s probe into former President Joe Biden’s mental fitness while in office and his use of the autopen, according to a committee aide granted anonymity to speak candidly.

 

Ian Sams, former special assistant to the president, is scheduled for Aug. 21; Andrew Bates, former senior deputy press secretary, is scheduled for Sept. 5; Karine Jeanne-Pierre, former White House press secretary, is scheduled for Sept. 12; and Jeff Zients, former White House chief of staff, is scheduled for Sept. 18.

 

Two recent witnesses have declined to cooperate with Republicans’ questioning, citing their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination: Biden’s White House physician, Kevin O’Connor, and the onetime chief of staff to First Lady Jill Biden, Anthony Bernal.

 

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/17/congress/more-biden-aides-to-testify-to-house-oversight-00459582

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:11 p.m. No.23342062   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

British voter ID requirements radically watered down, only a bank card needed

 

Sixteen-year-olds will get the right to vote in all UK elections as part of landmark reforms unveiled by the Labour government.

 

Controversial voter ID requirements will also be radically watered down so people only need to have their bank card to be able to take part in elections.

 

A new automated system to register to vote will also be introduced.    

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/16-year-olds-to-get-vote-general-election-starmer-corbyn-voter-id-b1238633.html

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:13 p.m. No.23342069   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

Nebraska sues Colorado over South Platte River water rights, Perkins County Canal

 

Nebraska has filed a lawsuit against Colorado in the U.S. Supreme Court, accusing its neighbor of violating the 1923 South Platte River Compact. The dispute centers on water rights from the South Platte River, which flows from Colorado into Nebraska and is vital for irrigation and agriculture.

 

According to Nebraska officials, Colorado has been diverting more water than the compact allows, particularly during the irrigation season from April 1 to October 15. This summer, Nebraska claims it has received only about 75 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water—well below the 120 cfs it is entitled to under the agreement.

 

A major point of contention is the Perkins County Canal, a $600 million infrastructure project Nebraska is pursuing to secure additional water rights during the winter months. If completed, the canal would allow Nebraska to claim up to 500 cfs of water. Nebraska argues that Colorado is obstructing the canal’s development and asserts its right to use eminent domain to acquire land in Colorado for the project—an unusual provision included in the original compact.

 

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen has vowed to fight for the state’s water rights, while Colorado leaders have strongly opposed the lawsuit. Governor Jared Polis called the legal action “meritless” and warned it could lead to decades of litigation and more than $1 billion in costs. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser criticized Nebraska’s approach, describing the canal project as wasteful and unnecessary.

 

The lawsuit highlights growing tensions over water access in the western United States, where climate change, population growth, and agricultural demands are putting increasing pressure on shared water resources.

 

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/16/nebraska-sues-colorado-over-south-platte-river-water-rights-perkins-county-canal/

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:14 p.m. No.23342074   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2121 >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

Iran Legalizes Tiered Internet Access: Reformists Lead Push for “Digital Apartheid”

 

Iran has officially legalized a tiered internet access system, a move critics are calling “digital apartheid.” The policy, approved by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace on July 15, allows privileged groups—such as government-affiliated professionals, journalists, and select businesses—to access less filtered or faster internet, while ordinary citizens remain subject to heavy censorship, firewalls, and bandwidth restrictions.

 

This decision marks a significant escalation in Iran’s long-standing efforts to control digital access. Although reformist politicians like President Masoud Pezeshkian previously campaigned on promises to loosen internet restrictions, his administration is now accelerating the rollout of the “National Internet,” a domestic infrastructure designed to isolate Iran from the global web and enhance state surveillance.

 

The roots of tiered internet access trace back to earlier administrations, including those of Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, which laid the groundwork for bandwidth discrimination and institutional control. Critics argue that reformist leaders, once vocal opponents of censorship, are now complicit in expanding digital repression.

 

Digital rights activists warn that this system creates a two-class internet, rewarding regime loyalty with freer access while deepening isolation for the general public. The move has sparked widespread outrage, with many viewing it as a betrayal of promises to uphold freedom of expression and access to information.

 

https://irannewsupdate.com/news/society/iran-legalizes-tiered-internet-access-reformists-lead-push-for-digital-apartheid/

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:21 p.m. No.23342111   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

JD Vance

@JDVance

Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it.

 

Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?

 

https://x.com/JDVance/status/1945995384200806709

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:24 p.m. No.23342125   🗄️.is 🔗kun

'Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer to sell blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis at 40% discount

 

-Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer said they will start selling their blockbuster blood thinner, Eliquis, directly to some patients at a more than 40% discount.

-The companies’ new effort would bypass traditional middlemen, including pharmacy benefit managers and insurers, to cut the drug’s monthly cost from a list price of around $606 to $346.

-But the discounted price of Eliquis is still more than nine times the average monthly out-of-pocket cost paid by patients who are commercially insured, and significantly higher than Medicare’s new negotiated price for the drug under the Inflation Reduction Act.

 

Bristol Myers Squibb

and Pfizer

on Thursday said they will start selling their blockbuster blood thinner, Eliquis, directly to patients at a more than 40% discount.

 

The move comes as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to cut drug prices, and threatens to impose sweeping tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S.

 

The companies’ new effort would bypass traditional middlemen, including pharmacy benefit managers and insurers, to cut the drug’s monthly cost from a list price of around $606 to $346. Starting Sept. 8, uninsured, underinsured and self-pay patients will be able to purchase the medicine directly from the Eliquis 360 Support program, which will ship their prescriptions directly to their homes.

 

But the discounted price of Eliquis is still more than nine times the average monthly out-of-pocket cost of $38 paid by patients who are commercially insured. The price under the new program is also significantly higher than the $231 per month price that Medicare negotiated under a provision of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. That negotiated price is set to take effect next year.

 

The negotiated price is what Medicare will pay for Eliquis, and does not set what Medicare patients will pay for the drug now or in the future, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer said in a joint statement. They added that the negotiated price does not reflect “the substantial clinical and economic value of this essential medicine.”

 

More than 90% of Eliquis prescriptions in the U.S. are currently covered through insurance. But Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer said the new effort aims to expand access to the treatment, reduce out-of-pocket costs for patient and provide transparent pricing for a different group of patients.

 

“This program passes more savings directly to patients and demonstrates our continued focus on identifying innovative solutions that foster the best outcomes for each individual while prioritizing access to care,” said Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Chris Boerner.

 

In a note on Thursday, Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said he believes the move came in response to Trump’s plan to lower U.S. drug costs by linking prices to those paid in other developed countries. The president signed an executive order on that plan in May.

 

Risinger said the drugmakers already offer hefty rebates on Eliquis to pharmacy benefit managers, so the firm does not expect the program to create a “net pricing headwind” for Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/17/bristol-myers-squibb-pfizer-to-sell-eliquis-at-40percent-discount.html

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:25 p.m. No.23342130   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2228

Citizen Free Press

@CitizenFreePres

California man saw an ICE operation unfolding at Home Depot and decided to slash the tires of the DHS vehicle. He was subsequently ragdolled, maced in the face, and arrested.

 

America applauds the instant justice.

 

https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1946029354980421919

Anonymous ID: 094274 July 17, 2025, 9:26 p.m. No.23342135   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2144 >>2267 >>2318 >>2320

Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer to sell blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis at 40% discount

 

-Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer said they will start selling their blockbuster blood thinner, Eliquis, directly to some patients at a more than 40% discount.

-The companies’ new effort would bypass traditional middlemen, including pharmacy benefit managers and insurers, to cut the drug’s monthly cost from a list price of around $606 to $346.

-But the discounted price of Eliquis is still more than nine times the average monthly out-of-pocket cost paid by patients who are commercially insured, and significantly higher than Medicare’s new negotiated price for the drug under the Inflation Reduction Act.

 

Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer on Thursday said they will start selling their blockbuster blood thinner, Eliquis, directly to patients at a more than 40% discount.

 

The move comes as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to cut drug prices, and threatens to impose sweeping tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S.

 

The companies’ new effort would bypass traditional middlemen, including pharmacy benefit managers and insurers, to cut the drug’s monthly cost from a list price of around $606 to $346. Starting Sept. 8, uninsured, underinsured and self-pay patients will be able to purchase the medicine directly from the Eliquis 360 Support program, which will ship their prescriptions directly to their homes.

 

But the discounted price of Eliquis is still more than nine times the average monthly out-of-pocket cost of $38 paid by patients who are commercially insured. The price under the new program is also significantly higher than the $231 per month price that Medicare negotiated under a provision of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. That negotiated price is set to take effect next year.

 

The negotiated price is what Medicare will pay for Eliquis, and does not set what Medicare patients will pay for the drug now or in the future, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer said in a joint statement. They added that the negotiated price does not reflect “the substantial clinical and economic value of this essential medicine.”

 

More than 90% of Eliquis prescriptions in the U.S. are currently covered through insurance. But Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer said the new effort aims to expand access to the treatment, reduce out-of-pocket costs for patient and provide transparent pricing for a different group of patients.

 

“This program passes more savings directly to patients and demonstrates our continued focus on identifying innovative solutions that foster the best outcomes for each individual while prioritizing access to care,” said Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Chris Boerner.

 

In a note on Thursday, Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said he believes the move came in response to Trump’s plan to lower U.S. drug costs by linking prices to those paid in other developed countries. The president signed an executive order on that plan in May.

 

Risinger said the drugmakers already offer hefty rebates on Eliquis to pharmacy benefit managers, so the firm does not expect the program to create a “net pricing headwind” for Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/17/bristol-myers-squibb-pfizer-to-sell-eliquis-at-40percent-discount.html