4:45 PM / July 8, 2026

Explosions heard in multiple Iranian port cities after U.S. announces new strikes

Iranian state television reported explosions in several cities after the U.S. announced that it had launched a second night of strikes on Iran.

The semi-official Fars News Agency, which is associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, said that explosions were reported in the southern port cities of Chabahar and Konarak, as well as the western Gulf port city of Bushehr.

Bushehr is a key city because it containsIran's only commercial nuclear power plant.It is also located near Kharg Island, apivotal Iranian oil export hub.

https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/us-iran-war-trump-says-ceasefire-over/#post-update-56244942

Asylum seeker sought by police after New York mom found dead

MICHAEL O'TOOLE

An asylum seeker was on the run last night, after a mum was beaten to death in her own home.

The Middle Eastern suspect is now being hunted over the brutal murder in Co Kerry, Ireland, yesterday of an American-born mum of one, who had lived in Killarney for the past five years. She was named locally as Jamey Carney, the mother to a 13-year-old girl. Gardai (police) are set to launch a murder inquiry as early as Wednesday morning.

The asylum seeker suspect, who was known to Ms. Carney, previously lived in France, and there were fears last night that he may now try to flee Ireland after the killing.

"There is a major search for him," a source told us last night.

We have learned the suspect, who is in his 20s, has been living at an IPAS center in Killarney, but knew Ms. Carney and occasionally stayed at her house in the Muckross Road area of the town, where her body was found yesterday afternoon.

He is believed to have been living in Ireland since the middle of 2024 and was an applicant for international protection.

Ms. Carney, who was a native of New York, was found dead in her bed after her young daughter raised the alarm to a family friend at around 1:20 p.m. yesterday when she became concerned for her welfare.

That friend then contacted a man she knew, who immediately phoned gardai. Officers then rushed to the scene, but Ms. Carney, 43, was then pronounced dead in her own bed. Sources tell us Ms. Carney's body had been hidden by a duvet being placed over her.

We have learned that she suffered serious head injuries after being subjected to a brutal attack - and gardai are set to launch a murder inquiry.

"There is no doubt she was murdered," a source said.

Although her body was found at around 1:30 p.m., sources tell us investigators believe Ms. Carney was beaten to death late on Monday night or into the early hours of yesterday, and lay dead in her bed for up to 13 hours.

"It probably happened overnight," a source confirmed.

We have also learned that the sound of an argument between Ms. Carney and a man could be heard in the house late on Monday night.

Ms. Carney was well known in the area, even though she had only been in Ireland for around five years.

Local non-party councilor Martin Grady had provided her with professional assistance in recent years and said the entire community was devastated by her death.

"I knew her well. Everyone is really shocked, " he said.

He added: "She was a loving mother and a very hard worker. I would encourage people to help gardai in this investigation.

"No matter how big or small the information they have, please just give it to the gardai. This is an absolute tragedy."

And fellow councilor John O'Donoghue, of Kerry Independent Alliance, who knew Ms Carney to see, said: "The air has just gone out of the town. It is cloaked in sadness."

Ms. Carney was also heavily involved in the local Palestine support campaign and was well known and respected in the town.

Gardai appealed for witnesses last night. The force said in a statement, "Gardaí and emergency services responded to an incident at a domestic residence this afternoon. A woman, aged in her 40s, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

"The State Pathologist has been notified, and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course. The scene is currently preserved for technical examination.

"A Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed to lead the investigation. An incident room has been established at Killarney Garda station."

It added: "Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to this incident to come forward.

"Anyone who was in the Muckross Road area of Killarney between the evening of the 6th and the afternoon of the 7th of July 2026 and who may have camera footage, including CCTV or dashcam, is asked to provide this footage to investigating Gardaí.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Investigations are ongoing."

Ms. Carney was originally from New York and just a few days ago took to social media to wish fellow Americans happy Independence Day on July 4.

And she also posted how much she enjoyed attending a concert in Dublin by The Cure last week.

https://www.aol.com/articles/asylum-seeker-sought-police-york-174200000.html

BATTLE FOR HORMUZ: US military hits 90 Iranian targets

The U.S. military launched a second night of airstrikes on key Iranian targets as President Donald Trump says the ceasefire appears to be 'over.

17:06

https://youtu.be/i1zI-cz0bEg

Saudi Arabia, GCC condemn Iranian attacks on regional states

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council in separate statements on Thursday condemned Iran’s attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan and warned against threats to regional security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the attacks violated the sovereignty of “brotherly countries” and called for an immediate halt to all Iranian attacks on countries in the region.

In a separate statement, the GCC called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open, rejected any unilateral arrangements and urged guarantees for freedom of navigation without tolls or passage fees.

The council said Iran bore full responsibility for the attacks and that any attack on one GCC member state was a direct attack on all.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202607049017

33 minutes ago

Netanyahu says Iran won't get nuclear weapons with or without deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons “with or without a deal.”

“The skies of the Middle East have seen unprecedented activity over the past year — and in particular the two successful operations we launched against Iran. If we had not acted, Iran would have armed itself with nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said.

“The Iranian terrorist regime has suffered a very severe blow — and our policy is clear: with or without a deal — Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he added.

Netanyahu said Israel’s military was prepared for any scenario and that preserving air superiority was a fundamental pillar of national security.

“We are promoting a policy of weapons independence, and equipping the pilots with the most tools,” he said.

Netanyahu also pointed to operations carried out with the United States against Iran, saying they had averted “a threat of immediate annihilation, and also a danger to the entire Western world.”

“Our pilots carried out thousands of sorties and attacks. They landed a powerful opening blow on Iran,” he added.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202607049017

JUST IN: Iranian targets OBLITERATED as Strait of Hormuz crisis unravels

The U.S. military conducts a second night of airstrikes against Iran, hitting 90 targets, including port cities and airports. Fox News' Greg Palkot reports the latest.

6:07

https://youtu.be/TkeRUbYJ2Nc

SURVEY: Many Canadian Manufacturers Considering Relocation to U.S.

July 9, 2026 | Sundance |

An interesting report from Bloomberg following a survey conducted by KPMG of Canadian manufacturers.Keep in mind this is a survey of companies within Canada that do traditional manufacturing of products; this is not a survey of companies that assemble foreign goods for export – there is a substantial difference.

As noted within the report,approximately 10% of Canadian GDP comes from Canadian manufacturing. Within that sector there are multiple companies now planning or considering moving out of Canada into the United States.

Many will claim the trigger for the consideration is based on the potential elimination of the USMCA (CUSMA) trade agreement, and there is truth to that aspect. However, the systemic issues within Canada -including energy policy, regulation and corporate tax burdens- represent the larger problem; the termination of the USMCA is the straw that breaks their back.

The domestic hurdles to manufacturing, are thebigger issues that cannot be negotiated awayin U.S-Canada trade agreements. Specifically, the low-price and stable energy policies are the core consistencies that are no longer present in Canada; that fundamental cannot be easily fixed.

• BLOOMBERG – […] KPMG Canada said on Tuesday that42 per cent of Canadian manufacturing companies indicated they have or are considering moving production to the United States. Of those considering relocating, 77 per cent expect to make the transition within the next two years.

• […]the issues go beyond the trade situation though, with Canada needing to create a competitive environment for manufacturers to grow.

• “This survey clearly shows that manufacturers need to feel more comfortable and see some action from the governmentin order to continue to produce and invest and grow in Canada,” she said.

• “Some of thekey factorsthat companies have cited are more certainty aroundinterprovincial trade barriers, they need more tariff certainty, they want to see lower corporate taxes, they want better access to capital and cheaper energy.”

•The survey also found 57 per cent of manufacturing firms have paused, reduced or cancelled capital investment projects. Thirty-six per cent said they have scaled back investments, 12 per cent have paused their plans and nine per cent have cancelled planned spending. (read more)

This survey is further evidence of the scale of leverage President Trump and USTR Jamieson Greer carry toward the Canadian trade negotiations.Quite simply, despite their unwillingness to accept reality – Canada is economically dependent on the United States as the customer for any export.

Without the USMCA (CUSMA) trade agreement Canada is structurally incapable of economic growth.

(https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/07/09/survey-many-canadian-manufacturers-considering-relocation-to-u-s/#more-285130

Carney fucked Canada and the people don’t know how bad it is.

FISA 702 Surveillance Authorities Expired June 12th – Collection Authorities Continue Until March 2027

July 9, 2026 | Sundance |

FISA 702 authorization from congressexpired June 12, 2026. The world did not end, despite the predictions and proclamations from the DC proletariat and narrative engineers.

However, despite the statutory expiration, the intelligence collection continues under theFISA Court’s annual certifications, which were renewed in March 2026 and remain valid through March 2027.{citation}

The annual certifications allow the government to continue collecting communications from foreign targets and querying the Section 702 database,including incidental U.S. communications, without interruption.

Essentially, the surveillance program operates on a separate “certification clock” that is independent of Congress’s statutory timeline. That’s a remarkable workaround.

In ancillary news, I will be offline most of the day as it is a pre-scheduled travel day. I will catch up later tonight.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/07/09/fisa-702-surveillance-authorities-expired-june-12th-collection-authorities-continue-until-march-2027/

(The Save Act is holding up approval of the “traitors in Congress and Senate” refused to prevent Americans from being caught up on another’s crime.The problem is for the election in October it may prevent Republicans getting elected and we need them to protect Trump, otherwise they will come after him and try to impeach him from day one. The Republicans leaders don’t care if that happens to Trump. Say some prayers we need a miracle and we need Trump==!

President Trump Delivers Remarks to the Press Pool Aboard Airforce One

July 9, 2026 | Sundance |

Returning to the U.S. following the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Trump delivered remarks to the traveling press pool on a variety of subjects.

President Trump noted there was not a security issue surrounding the decision to switch AF1 in the U.K,gave remarks about the top-line issues from the NATO summit, said he had no information about Senator Mitch McConnell health and clarified that Spain had changed their tone in order to avoid a trade embargo. WATCH:

President Trump Gaggles with Press on Air Force One En Route Joint Base Andrews, Jul. 8, 2026

14:16

https://youtu.be/xHhlrvRwGt8

President Trump noted the original intent of NATO was a defensive treaty against Soviet aggression.As a consequence of the construct the Europeans should always bear the brunt of responsibility for their collective defense. Russia does not represent a threat to the United States.

(if Europe was truthful they know Russia poises no danger to them, they maintain NATO because they made Russia their boogeyman. And even the US News and propaganda are still stating how dangerous Russia is. Russia has said they are not a danger to Europe, and they are included in many countries providing them their goods. But they still keep the lie going!)

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/07/09/president-trump-delivers-remarks-to-the-press-pool-aboard-airforce-one/#more-285127

Vice Retired admiral calls for 'BOOTS ON THE GROUND' in Iran

Vice Admiral Robert Harward (Ret.) discusses U.S. military strategy and strikes on Iran as tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz following the ending of the ceasefire.

(If the the US did this it would be a never ending war, what a stupid idea)

4:01

https://youtu.be/1HBaBKjBnPM

Byron Donalds sued by Democrat over grocery store confrontation — here’s the video, there is no assault

https://youtu.be/Xis6Ym-Cw8I

If McConnell steps down after August 3, there will be no special election.

Kentucky Governor Demands Health Update on Mitch McConnell

Senator Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized since June 14. Speculation about his health has spread in recent days.

Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky sent a letter to Senator Mitch McConnell on Wednesdaydemanding that he update his constituents on his health as rumors swirlabout the Republican senator’s condition after his hospitalization last month.

Mr. McConnell, 84, has been in the hospital since June 14, when medics were called to his Washington address to respond to a report of an unconscious individual. A worker later informed his supervisor over emergency radio that CPR was “in progress.”

Mr. McConnell’s staff members have not disclosed what prompted his hospitalization or what treatment he is receiving. On Tuesday, several Republicans said they had spoken to Mr. McConnell for about 20 minutes each.

In the letter to Mr. McConnell — who is planning to retire at the end of his term in January — Mr. Beshear, a Democrat, wrote that Kentucky residents had “grown increasingly concerned over the state of your health and well-being, and ability to hold office.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/us/beshear-mcconnell-kentucky-health.html

The great AI data centre cover-up

Tech companies need to come clean about the mounting environmental fallout of their race to build more hubs. 1/2

It is just over 40 years since a US political journalist wrote something about scandals that should have been mandatory reading in school classrooms from then on.

“The scandal isn’t what’s illegal, the scandal is what’s legal,” wrote Michael Kinsley.He was talking about the way rules are written to let powerful insiders, from Wall Street to Washington, get away with unfair but lawful behaviour.

People say Kinsley’s adage is outdated in the age of President Donald Trump.

They are wrong. Look no further than the gathering environmental misery AI barons are foisting on us as they race to build more data centres.

Data hubs already devour more electricity globally than all but 10 countries. About 448 terawatt hours last year if you’re interested. The AI boom means that amount is on track to roughly double within four years.

This would be less of a problem if all the new electricity were green. It won’t be because so many countries still get most of their power from fossil fuels. That includes the US and China, the two largest data centre markets by far.

So the faster these sites multiply, the more planet-heating carbon emissions for the rest of us.

It gets worse. The battle to build data centres is so fierce that the tech giants are not hanging around and waiting for a backlogged grid connection like other companies.

Instead, they are funding their own off-grid power plants.

And because they want features such as super-reliable “five nines”, or 99.999 per cent power availability with only a few minutes of downtime a year,they are often going for systems powered by gas and diesel, which emit air pollutants when burnt.

As of this year, analysts say data centre developers in the US have announced about 100GW of off-grid gas generation. It’s unlikely this will all be built,but Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta alone is planning to fund 10 gas power plants across Louisiana for its hubs.

And here’s where that Kinsley rule of legal scandals kicks in.

Louisiana is one of a growing number of places trying to lure AI investment with business-friendly rules that in some states mean faster power plant approvals and less public scrutiny.

As Reuters reported last month, an Ohio law has allowed some plants to be approved in just 45 days without public hearings.

People are understandably angry. An unprecedented 75 US data centre projects worth around $130bn were blocked or delayed in the first three months of this year, nearly as many as in the whole of 2025, says the Data Center Watch research group.It reckons active opposition group numbers have grown from 396 at the end of 2025 to 833 by the end of March.

https://archive.ph/JdqF4#selection-1631.5-1917.0

>>24807659

2/2

The AI giants’ demand for electricity is only part of the problem. Data centres are a concrete target if you’re worrying about job-killing robots.But they also swallow up land and water. By 2030, they could be using enough water to meet the basic needs of all 1.3bn sub-Saharan Africans for a year, UN researchers estimate.

You can see why it is so important to know exactly what these companies are building and where.But transparency is for the little people. You and I might be fined for not telling the government what we earned last year.An AI company can quietly get the nod for a gas power plant across the road from your home without so much as a public hearing. It’s not needed for private off-grid customers, developers say.

All of this is why António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, last month called on all big AI companies to disclose their data centres’ carbon emissions, water and land use.

I wish him luck. Meta, Google and other big tech companies have long published data on company-wide electricity and water use, which has often soared since AI took off in 2022.

But the figures are not always broken down for their data centres and it is hard to find any reporting on the effect of AI workloads.

Last week I asked seven companies if they would heed Guterres’s call.

My queries went unanswered by all except Microsoft and OpenAI, who sent me their latest published environmental material, but declined to discuss Guterres’s request.

OpenAI’s policy on AI infrastructure is still instructive. “We support policies that require transparency around water, electricity, and government agreements,” it says, “with appropriate exceptions to maintain security, commercial sensitivities, trade secrets, and proprietary information.”

The case, I think, is closed.

https://archive.ph/JdqF4#selection-1631.5-1917.0

Scoop: GOP megadonor Ken Griffin says he'd back Rubio over Vance in 2028

Republican megadonor Ken Griffin said at a private conference Wednesday that he'd support Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Vice President JD Vance in a 2028GOP presidential primary, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Griffin is one of the most prolific donors in the Republican Party — he gave more than $100 million in 2024 — and would be a huge asset to Rubio if the secretary of state were to run for president.

Griffin's comments reflected the emerging split in the GOP between establishment-minded figures like Griffin, who want Rubio to run,and anti-establishment types who prefer Vance — in part because of the VP's reluctance to involve the U.S. in foreign conflicts.

Behind the scenes: Griffin was interviewed at the exclusive Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho — known as "Billionaire Summer Camp" — by New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin.

At one point during the Q&A, Sorkin asked Griffin whether he'd support Rubio or Vance in a 2028 GOP primary matchup between the two.

Griffin noted that he'd historically backed Rubio — he donated to him during his unsuccessful 2016 presidential run — and would be predisposed to backing him again.

The interaction was brief and Griffin, the fifth-biggest donor in the 2024 cycle, specify what he would to to help Rubio.

Yes, but: Rubio has said he would defer to Vance should the vice president run in 2028, as Vance is widely is expected to do.

The backstory:Griffin, a billionaire investor, has criticized President Trump in the past, including in 2022, when he called for the GOP to move on from Trump and said it was "time to move on to the next generation."

Griffin supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis(R) over Trump in the 2024 GOP primary.

Like many other billionaire donors,Griffin has since taken steps to ingratiate himself with Trump.

The intrigue: During Trump's 2024 VP search, Griffin pressed Trump to not select Vance, I reported in my book, "Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power."

What they're saying: A Griffin spokesperson declined to comment.

https://archive.ph/OFifD#selection-371.0-371.72

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

The newly revamped West Wing of the White House, including signage and renovated walls, maple trees, and plantings!President DONALD J. TRUMP

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116886928331817100

FEDERAL’S PEAK ALLOY HIGH-PRESSURE AMMO WILL BE A GAME-CHANGER FOR THE ARMY

BY TRAVIS PIKE

JULY 6, 2026

On June 1 2026, Federal Premium Ammunition announced that the U.S. Army had officially licensed the patent for Peak Alloy ammunition. Federal Premium Ammunition developed the cartridge due to solicitations by the U.S. military; it and premiered it in February 2025 in a cartridge known as 7mm Backcountry.

Traditional ammunition is made from brass cases, which tap out at around 60,000 PSI – any more than that and a brass case would rupture. However, Peak Alloy provides a much stronger, safe case design that allows pressures of more than 80,000 PSI.

High-pressure rounds are designed to give our soldiers better range and a flatter shooting profile, overall, in order to make them more lethal on the individual level.

The military is investing heavily in high-pressure ammunition. For example, the replacement of the M4A1 with the M7 and M8 rifles was based on using a high-pressure 6.8mm cartridge.

To make the M7 cartridge work, the military used a hybrid case type that combined a stainless steel base with a brass case using an aluminum locking washer. But this case type is complicated, expensive, and more difficult to produce than traditional cartridges. It also has more failure points, and it is unsure how much water resistance it offers.

In contrast, Federal’s Peak Alloy doesn’t uses a traditional one-piece case made from a steel alloy.

Steel cases have been used for decades, particularly in Eastern Europe, as they were traditionally cheaper to produce. However, Peak Alloy’s design is different than that of older steel ammunition.

The alloy portion of the cartridge gives it some of the same benefits as brass, namely, it can be easily reloaded, and both expands and contracts inside the chamber creating a seal for better pressure and allowing it to be extracted with ease.

Peak Alloy uses a fast-burning gunpowder to generate the additional pressure. By weight alone, you can improve the velocity of a projectile with less gunpowder as long as it burns faster.

BENEFITS OF HIGHER-PRESSURE CARTRIDGES

The higher pressure curve allows projectiles fired from Peak Alloy to reach higher velocities. When we combine higher velocity with modern projectiles, we increase the projectile’s effective range, its terminal effects on target, and penetration against cover.

There are a number of benefits to using Peak Alloy and high-pressure cartridges. First, they are compatible with shorter barrels and suppressor-configured rifles.

With a traditional 5.56mm round, the gunpowder requires about 20 inches of barrel to reach peak potential because the gunpowder is still burning throughout the barrel’s length.

But if you use a fast-burning gunpowder, you don’t need as long a barrel to reach higher velocities. This allows you to achieve better performance with shorter barrels.

Peak Alloy could potentially be used for the M7 and M8 rifles, creating a simpler projectile case.

The Army’s procurement of Peak Alloy covers rounds up to .50 caliber, allowing the branch to use the technology for any small arm in its arsenal. With SOCOM seeking an M855A1+ cartridge for the HICAR program, it wouldn’t be surprising if Peak Alloy becomes part of that equation.

This technology could also be applied to rifles and machine guns, specifically in the gap between 5.56mm and .50 BMG.

Peak Alloy might be the missing link that makes these high-pressure rounds work – and work with greater simplicity. It’s an exciting new bit of technology, and I’m curious to see how the Army will apply it and what we will see in the near future.

https://www.sandboxx.us/news/federals-peak-alloy-high-pressure-ammo-will-be-a-game-changer-for-the-army/

>>24807627

Trump doesn’t care about McConnell, he tried and blocked a lot of good things Trump was doing in first term. The whole Republican senate except a few let all the scams tie him up. McConnell thought he could make Trump do what he wanted, whatever the outcome is, Trump could not care about the traitor with a Chinese spy wife! Plus Trump

Is dealing with major world events, he only care if it was someone he loved or liked

‘We are not at war’ – NATO state questions bloc’s Ukraine strategy

Escalation against Russia does not guarantee a peaceful resolution, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has warned

Published 9 Jul, 2026 12:36 |

The Czech Republic remains skeptical about NATO’s strategy of continued military support for Ukraine, to which it does not contribute financially, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said as he left the bloc leaders’ summit in Ankara, Türkiye on Wednesday.

Babis’ party won last year’s election on a nationalist platform that included reversing the Ukraine aid policy championed by his predecessor, Petr Fiala, and urging a diplomatic resolution of the conflict with Russia instead.

The declaration approved by NATO leaders in Ankara this week highlighted apledge of €70 billion ($80 billion) in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine in 2026, with a similar amount expected the following year. The money is not a new package, but rather past commitments, including the European Union’s “loan” approved in April.The Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia opted out of the mechanism.

We are not at war. Ukraine is at war,” Babis told reporters on Wednesday, when asked whether NATO’s increasing spending would pressure Moscow to negotiate, adding, “I don’t know, time will tell.” The prime minister said discussions during the summit focused on weapons rather than peace.

Babis said the Czech Republic intended to reach the required NATO level of 2% of GDP level for military spending next year, but also needed money for healthcare, raising police salaries, and other domestic priorities.

Kremlin calls US backing of Ukrainian escalation delusional

Ukraine is seeking additional Western funding to ramp up long-range kamikaze drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, tankers and other targets. During a US-Ukrainian meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the escalation “creates the space to negotiate the end of this war,” with President Donald Trump endorsing his reasoning.

Commenting on the American remarks on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the US leadership was basing its policy on “delusions that escalation and military pressure leads to a peaceful settlement track.” The approach may prolong hostilities, but would also prompt Russia to “create a bigger buffer zone” with Ukraine, he warned.

Czech coalition strained by aid payment

The aid issue caused tensions in the Czech ruling coalition just before the summit, after Foreign Minister Petr Macinka announced the transfer of an unspecifiedsum to PURL, a NATO fund through which European members pay for American weapons intended for Kiev.

Parliament speaker Tomio Okamura, a vocal critic of Ukraine, blasted the move for going against the coalition agreement, but Babis sided with Macinka, saying the money had been allocated by the Fiala government and could not be returned to the budget.The prime minister said the one-off small contribution to purchase interceptor drones was preferable to a direct transfer to the Ukrainian government.

(Everyone knows the leaders etc donating are getting at least 1/4-1/2% giving back to them. Ukraine then takes 30% and the war effort is hardly funded. They are all criminals using Russia to eventually trying to steal all of Russia.)

https://www.rt.com/news/642800-babis-nato-ukraine-strategy/

Milei seeks a U.S.-style government shutdown

The president of Argentina will present a series of legislative proposals aimed at reforming the Central Bank. The goal is to relaunch the administration and get past the nearly four-month crisis in which it has been mired.1/2

Javier Milei is looking to deepen his unconditional alignment with Donald Trump. The president of Argentina follows the geopolitical viewpoints of the U.S. leader, has made Trump’s friends and enemies his own,and even signed a free trade agreement with him, having visited the United States 17 times since his election. And now, Milei seeks to adopt the same mechanism for ordering a halt to public spending when budget appropriations run out or expire — a process known in the United States as a government shutdown.

“We are working on bringing about a shutdown of the executive branch — or more accurately put, of the political system,” Milei announced on Tuesday. “When the budget runs out, you can’t spend any more, and the government shuts down,” the far-right president explained, adding he would submit such a measure to Congress as a bill.

That initiative will be part of a package of reforms that Milei looks to move forward in a kind of relaunch of his administration. With it, the president wants to get back control, and get past the nearly four-month crisis in which his administration has been mired, which revolves around the corruption investigation of Manuel Adorni, his former cabinet chief who is among his closest allies. Adorni wound up resigning from his position 10 days ago, amid a judicial siege and immense public disapproval.

On Monday, Milei’s administration presented its financial plan for this and next year in the intention of calming markets prior to the country’s payment deadlines of over $45 billion. Then on Tuesday, the president announced he would be promoting the shutdown mechanism, along with other measures, to limit public spending, while he continues to take a chainsaw to the government in pursuit of financial surplus, the guiding principle of his economic plan.

He announced details of that plan on the streaming network Neura, after celebrating the Argentinian soccer team’s World Cup tournament win. The initiative, he shared, is linked to an ongoing project to reform the country’s Central Bank statute, to guarantee its “independence” from political powers, and prohibit it from issuing new currency to finance the treasury.

The project, Milei said, is “interrelated” with others that are currently being developed, such as amendments to the capital markets law, a new “fiscal amnesty” program (the government’s term for the legalization of undeclared money or assets), the deregulation of the insurance market, and changes to tax structures. “It is a set of reforms designed to make amends for 91 years of political fraud against law-abiding Argentinians,” Milei stated. On Tuesday afternoon, he led a meeting on details of the bill at the president’s official residence in Olivos, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, where he met with Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo; Minister of Deregulation, Federico Sturzenegger and the head of the Central Bank, Santiago Bausili.

“It is going to prohibit, explicitly and subject to criminal penalties, the violation of the Central Bank’s independence by requiring it to finance the government,” said Milei. He compared the issuance of currency to sustain public spending with a criminal act, and argued it should besubject to penalties, saying, “fraud and counterfeiting are criminal offenses.”

https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-07-09/milei-seeks-a-us-style-government-shutdown.html

>>24808094

2/2

The far-right leader seeks to reverse changes introduced in 2012 to the Central Bank’s charter. At that time, under Cristina Kirchner’s presidential administration, the “primary and fundamental” function of the bank to “preserve the value of currency” was changed for a more ample mission: “to promote monetary stability, financial stability, employment and economic development with social equity.” According to Milei, that multiple aim constitutes “an insult to the intellect.”

In the United States, government shutdown takes place when Congress fails to pass public spending bills or temporary funding authorizations in a timely and proper manner. At such a point, state governments must suspend non-essential activities in light of a lack of funds to sustain them. The last time this took place was between October and November of last year, when the Trump administration remained under partial closure for 43 days, the longest shutdown in the country’s history.

Argentina’s current system does not provide for the suspension of government activities if there is no budget law in effect. In fact, Milei governed during the first two years of his term, 2024 and 2025, with no Congress-approved budget.

In the South American country, the absence of a budget law entails an extension of the previous year’s distribution of funds, with adjustments stipulated by the executive branch. When Milei releases the text of his legislative proposal, the reach of his reform will become more clear, including whether the government will become inactive without an approved budget, as it does in the United States.

https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-07-09/milei-seeks-a-us-style-government-shutdown.html

Trump Takes Up Another White House Project: The Front Columns

Restoration work began after the president saw “door dings in the pillars” and ordered up repairs, the interior secretary said.

President Trump has begun his latest White House construction project: repairs to the iconic columns of the historic building’s front entrance.

Workers have set up scaffolding by the North Portico columns, and on Thursday they dropped a covering over the side closest to the West Wing as the work got underway.

A statement from the White House described the construction as standard restoration work, including stone repair.

In a recent interview on “The Katie Miller Podcast,” Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, said Mr. Trump had ordered the repairs after seeing damage to the pillars.

At the White House, you see the scaffolding on the North Portico right now,” Mr. Burgum said.“President Trump comes out to greet a world leader, he sees door dings in the pillars and says, ‘Look at all this stuff that needs to be repaired.’”

“It’s all historic renovation work,” he added. “We’re restoring the plaster, and not just at the door level —all the way up to the crowns of those towers.”

Mr. Trump has undertaken a Washington construction spree unlike any president before him,proposing at least 18 major construction projects with a potential cost of more than $1 billion.Much of it has been contentious, as Mr. Trump has skirted or tried to run roughshod over the normal review processes and sometimes bypass laws that would seemingly block him.

The columns join several other projects Mr. Trump has begun at the White House. None has spawned more fury than his sudden demolition of the White House’s East Wingto make way for a large ballroom. Work on that has already turned much of the White House grounds into a construction zone.

The construction on the columns appears set to be more modest. Rodney Mims Cook Jr., the Trump-appointed chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts, which advises on construction in Washington,has said he recommended changing the Ionic columns of the White House to a more ornate Corinthian design, which he described as the highest order in classical architecture. But he said Mr. Trump rejected that idea.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/us/trump-white-house-columns.html

Report: US braces for prolonged Iran escalation; no current push for Israeli involvement

By Nava Freiberg

The White House is preparing for the possibility of a prolonged escalation in its conflict with Iran, and US PresidentDonald Trump is convening senior advisers and national security officials to discuss Washington’s next steps, Channel 12 reports, citing US officials.

A US official tells Channel 12 that the ongoingfighting could last anywhere between a couple of days and a month, depending on whether Iran continues attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We’re going to slap them a bit so they understand we’re not fucking around,” the official says.

Trump is expected to meet with his national security team in the Oval Office shortly to discuss possible further action against Iran,according to the report, which adds that there is currently little appetite in Washington for Jerusalem to enter the fighting.

One option under consideration isreimposing a US naval blockade on Iranian ports— a step Trump has publicly floated — though no decision has been made, the report says, adding that many officials around the president believe such a move would be the right course of action. The US first imposed a blockade after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz following the launch of the war.

In the meantime, Israel is preparing for the possibility that the campaign could expand, including the possibility of Iran targeting Israeli bases from which American aircraft have operated, such as Nevatim and Ramon, Channel 12 adds, saying that there is ongoing coordination between the IDF and CENTCOM.

(Inviting Israel would certainly make Iran leaders even worse. Trump is not excluding them for other reasons ie the Iranians will release total terror. Israel leaders have probably told that already. But they want to get attention and sympathy.)

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-us-braces-for-prolonged-iran-escalation-no-current-push-for-israeli-involvement/

Group of US Senate Dems urges block on defense spending bill over clauses deepening Israel ties

By REUTERS and TOI STAFF

Today, 11:28 pm

A group of US lawmakers is urging fellow Democrats toblock military spendinglegislation until the Senate debates proposals to deepen ties with Israel, highlighting growing unease within the party over support for the country andPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

In a letter seen by Reuters and led by Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland,they urge senators to oppose advancing the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which funds the US Defense Department,untillawmakers candebate measuresthat would strengthen US-Israel military and intelligence cooperation.

The effort reflects a broader shift amongDemocrats. as support for Israel in theparty’s rank-and-file has plummeted, with some lawmakers questioning a US policy that has long enjoyed bipartisan backing.

“As Senate Democrats, we shouldnotbe providing votes compelling him [US President Donald Trump]to deepenthe US relationship withNetanyahu’s extremist government,” they write in a “Dear Colleague” letter.

Israel’s favorability rating among Democratsfell from 59% in 2018 to 22% in May, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling, in line with other surveys.

The letter is also signed by Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, both of Massachusetts, as well as BernieSandersof Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democratsand is one of the leading critics of Israel in the Senate.

Congress is currently drafting this year’s NDAA, which authorizes much of Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion military budget. Versions approved by House and Senate committees include the provisions.to deepen US-Israel defense cooperation.

An early version of the fiscal 2027 Intelligence Authorization Act, which is typically attached to the NDAA,would also tighten intelligence ties with Israel, according to the letter.

Some criticism of the Israel-related provisions has beenmore strident. Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat in the US House of Representatives from California who is an outspoken critic of Israel, claimed in a video yesterday that a provision tightening US-Israeli defensetech cooperation “integrates our military with Israel’s military.”

“My highest priority will be to strip this provision from that joint bill,” he said.“We cannot integrate our military with Israel’s and lose our sovereignty.”(makes sense )

In fact, the section in question designates an agent “responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel, to expand andaccelerate bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation.”

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/group-of-us-senate-dems-urges-block-on-defense-spending-bill-over-clauses-deepening-israel-ties/