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Celibacy is always, shall we say, an affront to what man normally thinks. It is something that can be done, and is only credible, if there is a God and if celibacy is my doorway into the kingdom of God.

Pope Benedict XVI

Certainly, it is difficult to make the demands of the Gospel understandable to secularized people. But this pastoral difficulty must not lead to compromises with the truth.

Pope Benedict XVI

“If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.”

St. Augustine

One can readily admit that the Magisterium's manner of expression does not seem very easy to understand at times. It needs to be translated by preachers and catechists into a language which relates to people and to their respective cultural environments. The essential content of the Church's teaching, however, must be upheld in this process. It must not be watered down on allegedly pastoral grounds, because it communicates the revealed truth.

Pope Benedict XVI

In the name of tolerance, tolerance is being abolished; this is a real threat we face.

Pope Benedict XVI
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  1. Site: LifeNews
    Kathy Hochul Should Stop New York From Becoming 11th State to Legalize Assisted Suicide
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Author: Sarah Holliday

    Will New York become the 12th state to legalize assisted suicide? That decision officially rests in the hands of Governor Kathy Hochul (D).

    On Monday, the New York State Senate passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act (MAID). The vote was 35-27, “with six Democrats — Senators April Baskin, Siela Bynoe, Cordelle Cleare, Monica Martinez, Roxanne Persaud, and Sam Sutton — voting against it,” the New York Post reported. If signed, MAID allows mentally competent adults with six months or less to live to request and self-administer medication for physician-assisted suicide.

    State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D) hailed the legislation as “one of the great social reforms of our state.” The senator, who also co-sponsored the bill in the upper chamber, went on to claim, “This is about personal autonomy, this is about liberty, this is about exercising one’s own freedom to control one’s body.” Similarly, state Senator Rachel May (D) said MAID “isn’t about controlling the disease or controlling the pain, it’s about having control at the end of your life.”

    But critics of the bill are raising ethical and practical concerns, arguing that the legislation, unlike similar laws in the 10 other states and D.C. where assisted suicide is legal, lacks critical safeguards. “Under the bill,” the Post added, “recipients would need approval from two doctors and a sign-off from two independent witnesses, after which they would receive a prescription for drugs they could use to take their life at a time of their choosing. Doctors also do not have to conduct a mental health screening for each patient, but may refer a patient for one under the legislation.”

    ACTION ALERT: Tell Governor Kathy Hochul to veto the dangerous assisted suicide bill.

    Questions linger as to whether there is any statutory waiting period that would serve in “establishing [a] clear chain of custody for the pills, mandating the doctor and recipient meet in-person, and requiring a disclosure that someone indeed used the drugs to take their own life.” This, Hoylman-Sigal claimed, is “rational.” However, opposition to the bill is fierce, with critics framing it as a dangerous step toward normalizing suicide.

    National Review branded New York as the “state of death.” The New York Post called the legislation “monstrous.” Others described Monday’s decision as “a dark day.”

    “For the first time in its history,” said Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, “New York is on the verge of authorizing doctors to help their patients commit suicide. Make no mistake — this is only the beginning, and the only person standing between New York and the assisted suicide nightmare unfolding in Canada is Governor Hochul.” In a statement, The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide added, “The governor still has the opportunity to uphold New York’s commitment to suicide prevention, protect vulnerable communities, and affirm that every life — regardless of disability, age, or diagnosis — is worthy of care, dignity, and protection.”

    Chairman Gerard Kassar of the Conservative Party of New York also urged Hochul to veto the “dangerous legislation.” As he put it, “This legislation is not about dignity — it’s about surrender.” Rather than “investing in pain management, mental health services, and real palliative care, the Democrat-led Senate wants to offer death as a substitute for support. It’s appalling.” He added, “The so-called ‘right to die’ becomes a duty to die when insurance companies realize it’s cheaper than treatment, or when an overwhelmed caregiver sees no alternative. There is nothing progressive about normalizing suicide. This isn’t a left vs. right issue — it’s right vs. wrong. Governor Hochul has a chance to stop this madness and draw a line for decency and life.”

    Hochul, however, has yet to reveal her stance. Her office has only stated that she “will review the legislation,” leaving both supporters and opponents anxiously awaiting her decision. As lobbyists from both sides press their cases, the debate underscores profound moral and ethical questions about life, dignity, and compassion. In a comment to The Washington Stand, Family Research Council’s Mary Szoch put it bluntly: “Physician-assisted suicide is a false form of compassion — one that has no place in America.”

    Szoch, director of FRC’s Center for Human Dignity, went on to explain, “Each of us must recognize that true compassion means a willingness to suffer with someone else — to be there every single step of the journey of life. Proponents of assisted suicide may believe that a person’s dignity can be lost if their capacity to live autonomously decreases. However, as Christians, we are called to witness to the truth that a person’s dignity is immutable because that dignity comes from being a son or daughter of Christ.”

    LifeNews Note: Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand, where this originally appeared.

    The post Kathy Hochul Should Stop New York From Becoming 11th State to Legalize Assisted Suicide appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/kathy-hochul-should-stop-new-york-from-becoming-11th-state-to-legalize-assisted-suicide/
  2. Site: Zero Hedge
    Stellar 10Y Auction Stops Through, Sees 3rd Lowest Dealer Award On Record
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Stellar 10Y Auction Stops Through, Sees 3rd Lowest Dealer Award On Record

    After yesterday's mediocre, if solid, 3Y auction nerves were less on edge ahead of today's sale of $39BN in 10Y paper. And with good reason: moments ago the Treasury announced the result of today's benchmark auction and they were nothing short of stellar. 

    The auction priced at a high-yield of 4.421%, up from May's 4.350% but down from April's "freak out" 10Y sale when the bond priced at 4.465%. The auction also stopped through the When Issued 4.428% by 0.7bps, the 4th consecutive through in a row, if more modest than last month's 1.2bps, and certainly April's 3.0bps.

    The bid-to-cover was a bit on the weak side, at 2.52, down from 2.60 last month, and the lowest since February; it was also below the six-auction average of 2.59. 

    The internals were solid, with Indirects almost unchanged from last month, as foreigners took down 70.6% of the auction, vs 71.2% last month. And with Directs awarded 20.5%, up from 19.9% in May and the highest since January, Dealers were left holding 9.0%, up ftactionally from 8.9% last month and the 3rd lowest on record. 

    Overall, this was an impressive auction, coming at a time when the global surge in duration supply has made it very dangerous to sell debt (especially in Japan). But in the US, animals spirits are back right now, and the market is clearly buying anything and everything, which is why 10Y yields slumped to session lows, just north of 4.40% after the auction and the lowest in the past week. 

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 13:23
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/stellar-10y-auction-stops-through-sees-3rd-lowest-dealer-award-record
  3. Site: LifeNews
    Republicans Fight to Protect Free Speech Rights of Pro-Life Americans
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Author: Ben Johnson

    House Republicans have advanced a bill that would roll back the federal government’s ability to fine or imprison peaceful pro-life advocates, while Democrats slurred its Republican sponsors as “terrorists” who want to “green light violence” and see women raped, abused, and killed.

    On Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee approved the FACE Act Repeal Act (H.R. 589) by a 13-10 vote. The legislation, introduced multiple times by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), would delete the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act — a Clinton-era law that prohibits blocking the entrances to any abortion facility, reproductive health office, or house of worship — from the books. The act, which would codify President Donald Trump’s executive orders on “Ending The Weaponization Of The Federal Government,” “Enforcing the Hyde Amendment,” and “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias,” now moves forward for a vote before the full House.

    Get the latest pro-life news and information on X (Twitter). Follow @LifeNewsHQ//

    “What the Biden-Harris administration did to peaceful pro-lifers like Mark Houck, Paul Vaughn, and Lauren Handy, among many others, can never be erased. The FACE Act is unconstitutional, and today’s committee vote on its repeal is an important step to restoring justice for the pro-life advocates who were targets of weaponized prosecutions and for restoring the rule of law for all,” Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of litigation at the pro-life Thomas More Society, told The Washington Stand. The Thomas More Society legally represented many of those charged and successfully petitioned President Trump to pardon 21 sidewalk counselors.

    Pro-life advocates have long condemned the one-sided enforcement of the FACE Act, which Roy said Democratic administrations had “politicized and weaponized against people across this country, including people of faith” nationwide. “The Biden Department of Justice brought almost a quarter of all the FACE Act prosecutions, 24% of all charges targeting pro-life activists, in less than four years” while “turning a blind eye to the anti-life activists engaged in destroying, vandalizing, and even firebombing pregnancy resource centers and churches at the same time.”

    Only 8% of Biden-Harris FACE Act cases were against those who vandalized pro-life pregnancy centers, he said. Studies show pro-life pregnancy resource centers are 22 times more likely to be attacked than abortion facilities. The Biden-Harris administration also declined to prosecute a single one of the 436 church attacks that took place in 2024 under the FACE Act.

    Legal experts highlighted that, for the first time, the Biden-Harris administration charged peaceful pro-life advocates with violating both the FACE Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act’s ‘Conspiracy Against Rights’ felony provisions (18 U.S.C. § 241). Together, the charges could bring more than a decade in prison. “The previous administration weaponized the FACE Act to prosecute nonviolent pro-life Americans with the harshest sentences,” said Roy.

    “Since 1994, 97% — I repeat that — 97% of FACE Act prosecutions have been against pro-lifers,” added Rep. Bob Odner (R-Mo.). The Biden-Harris administration particularly engaged in thuggish, intimidating behavior against peaceful pro-life activists,” including Mark Houck and Paul Vaughn. Odner described the disproportionate prosecution of Christian conservatives as the “intended effect of the FACE Act.”

    For three decades, “the FACE Act was always intended as a cudgel against pro-life speech, with 97% of prosecutions brought by the DOJ over its 30-year history having targeted pro-lifers,” Breen told TWS. “Our clients — loving moms and dads, grandparents, priests, and nonviolent people of faith — have faced harsher charges and sentences than convicted drug dealers and fraudsters.”

    “To ensure this never happens again and to protect the constitutional rights of peaceful pro-lifers to advocate against the injustice of abortion, Congress must repeal the FACE Act,” said Breen.

    Some ‘Resistance’ from the Trump Administration against Repealing the FACE Act

    Yet Roy revealed he had been “getting some resistance even from our own [Trump] administration” over entirely repealing the FACE Act, saying DOJ officials “will use it to defend churches more.” Likewise, Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) threatened, “If this bill comes out of committee,” she will tell “the rabbis and members of the Jewish community in my district” that “the Republicans on the Judiciary Committee no longer care about enforcing federal law when it comes to our synagogues.”

    Still, Roy said he remained concerned about the general plague of “overcriminalization” and “the overempowerment of the Department of Justice … regardless of who’s in the White House.”

    One Republican opposed the bill: Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) called himself pro-life and found the Biden-Harris administration guilty of “the abuse of this act.” But McClintock claimed the FACE Act “protects every person, pro-life or pro-abortion, in their right to assemble and express their views openly.”

    “When this bill was drafted, great pains were taken to keep its enforcement balanced,” claimed McClintock, who said he wanted to see the act amended rather than repealed, because “the law itself is viewpoint-neutral.” He stated the law is “important to protect the pro-life [minority] in California.”

    “I’m glad to hear you oppose this bill,” Nadler, one of the authors of the 1994 bill, told McClintock.

    Roy remained steadfast. “Freedom is just an illusion when the government buries its own citizens under ridiculous and never-ending criminal laws,” Rep. Roy told TWS. “Almost any American could be indicted [and] charged from some crime, often without even knowing they had violated a law or regulation.” The Texas conservative’s comments came as his committee marked up another of his bills, the Count the Crimes to Cut Act of 2025, intended simply to come up with a formal list of all crimes in the federal register.

    Democrats: Pro-life Advocates Are ‘Terrorists’ Who ‘Want’ Women to Be Raped, Abused, or Killed

    Rather than debate the act’s history of lopsided legal enforcement, most of the committee’s Democrats maligned the motives of Roy and others who sought the punitive bill’s repeal.

    “The only people in America who are asking for this legislation to be repealed are terrorists,” averred Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who said opponents had “a sick obsession” with “telling women what to do with their bodies.” Said Trump does not support nonviolent protests, because he just sent Marines to oppose “protesters” in Los Angeles.

    “This is a green light for more violence against women,” said Swalwell.

    “We have people in this body who are essentially saying it is okay to harm, to hurt, maybe even to kill someone,” insisted Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.). After discussing a woman who was raped and assaulted by her male partner, she said, “If you want to repeal this, you’re saying it’s okay for that to happen to her.” She then claimed those who wanted to repeal the weaponized FACE Act had violated their faith, saying, “You cannot be a Christian and condone that kind of activity.”

    “We’re considering this legislation for one reason: to green light violence against abortion care in this country. … The reason the FACE Act exists is because anti-abortion extremists refuse to renounce violence,” asserted Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (D-Ill.).

    “There is only one reason” anyone would want to repeal the FACE Act, agreed Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.): “They want to see violent obstruction.”

    Several Democrats — including the committee’s ranking member, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) — dismissed concerns that a judge had jailed a 75-year-old grandmother who prayed peacefully at an abortion facility by citing a “fact-check” from Associated Press reporter Melissa Goldin, claiming the elderly Paulette Harlow had been arrested for a FACE Act violation, not prayer. Harlow allegedly blockaded the Washington Surgi-Center, where pro-life advocates discovered the bodies of five viable babies who had possibly been subjected to illegal late-term abortions by Cesare Santangelo. Media and social media “fact-checkers” have been documented misinforming the public about the origins of COVID-19, the efficacy of masks, and natural immunity; the existence of Hunter Biden’s laptop; and abortion’s safety. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton appointee who has handed down numerous pro-abortion opinions, sentenced Harlow to two years and dismissed concerns over Harlow’s age and ill-health, telling her husband that the 75-year-old should “make an effort to remain alive,” since pro-life beliefs are “a tenet of her religion.”

    “No, you are not being arrested for praying. You are being arrested for making threats,” insisted Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.). “There is no evidence that there is selective enforcement here, that the FACE Act has been weaponized against abortion protesters.”

    Nadler similarly decried “the slanders against the FACE Act.”

    President Trump has taken executive action to protect pro-life advocates and end the weaponization of government rampant under his predecessor. In his first week in office, President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise made at the 2023 Pray Vote Stand Summit and pardoned 23 pro-life advocates convicted of violating the FACE Act during the Biden-Harris administration. The president said they “should not have been prosecuted” and called their imprisonment “ridiculous.”

    “This is a great honor to sign this,” said President Trump.

    But pro-life advocates say executive actions turn on a dime with the change of administrations. For peaceful sidewalk counselors to rest easy, lawmakers must expunge the underlying law from the nation’s legal code.

    “We are grateful for the House Judiciary Committee’s leadership on this crucial matter, applaud the passage of Rep. Chip Roy’s FACE Act Repeal bill, and urge Congress to send it to the president’s desk,” Breen told TWS.

    LifeNews Note: Ben Johnson is senior reporter and editor at The Washington Stand.

    The post Republicans Fight to Protect Free Speech Rights of Pro-Life Americans appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/republicans-fight-to-protect-free-speech-rights-of-pro-life-americans/
  4. Site: Zero Hedge
    Israel's Transfer Of Some US-Made Patriot Missiles To Ukraine Might Harm Ties With Russia
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Israel's Transfer Of Some US-Made Patriot Missiles To Ukraine Might Harm Ties With Russia

    Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack,

    Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodksy said that Israel transferred US-made Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine but was contradicted by his Foreign Ministry. They were unconvincing though so ties with Russia might be harmed after its UN envoy warned of “certain political consequences” last summer if this happened. The region has changed since then after Hezbollah chief Nasrallah was killed, Assad fled Syria, and Iran resumed nuclear talks with the US, however, so such consequences might be limited.

    After all, it’s no longer realistic to countenance the scenario of Russia arming Hezbollah, finally allowing Syria to use its S-300s to defend itself from attacking Israeli jets, or providing other forms of indirect support to the Resistance in its regional proxy war with Israel that’s now practically lost. Those were always far-fetched to begin with, but now they’re less likely than ever, thus suggesting that Russia will probably just file a formal complaint and at most flirt with designating Israel as an “unfriendly country”.

    Nevertheless, the second possibility can’t be taken for granted seeing as how Israel is reportedly lobbying the US to keep Russia’s bases in Syria as a counterweight of sorts against Turkiye, and the recent Trump-Bibi rift could be taken advantage of to present Putin as a more reliable partner. Moreover, Israel still doesn’t formally comply with the West’s anti-Russian sanctions, yet its leadership might finally relent if Russia officially designates them as “unfriendly”, so the Kremlin will probably tread cautiously.

    The preceding insight contextualizes why Israel waited until now to finally transfer some of its US-made Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine. Considering that the realistic range of Russia’s retaliatory options is now limited, Bibi likely calculated that the harm to bilateral ties will be manageable, ergo why Israel wouldn’t have much to lose by going through with this. As for why he did so, it might be an attempt to curry favor with US hawks, hoping that this can in turn mitigate the consequences of his rift with Trump.

    This unnecessary zero-sum gamble didn’t reap any tangible dividends, however, as evidenced by the continued tensions in their ties. To the contrary, it revealed how desperate Bibi has become that he’d now risk harming ties with Russia with the expectation that this would then return Israel to the US’ good graces, which makes him look worse than before in the eyes of objective observers. The recent pressure has clearly clouded his thoughts otherwise he wouldn’t have done this.

    Trump and his like-minded allies certainly took note of his calculations and might soon exploit them to the hilt, knowing as they do now how desperate Bibi has become and consequently sensing that they might now be able to extract more concessions from Israel than ever. This could take the form of getting Israel to agree to some level of Iranian nuclear enrichment as part of the deal that they’re negotiating with it instead of Israel unilaterally bombing Iran in the scenario that such a deal is reached.

    Interestingly, while Israel’s transfer of some US-made Patriot missiles might harm ties with Russia, it might therefore worsen ties with the US even more if Trump makes politically unacceptable demands of Bibi after sensing how much weaker he’s become as a result of their recent rift. In response, Bibi will either capitulate at the expense of losing more support from his base, or he’ll defy the US at the expense of Israel’s national security if he goes through with bombing Iran but is then hung out to dry by Trump.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 13:05
    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israels-transfer-some-us-made-patriot-missiles-ukraine-might-harm-ties-russia
  5. Site: Mises Institute
    The Weaponization of Media Access Did Not Suddenly Start with Trump
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Author: Connor O'Keeffe
    What the “legacy” media is trying to present as a brand-new authoritarian crackdown on the press is only a more visible version of how the federal government has attempted to control public opinion for nearly a century.
    https://mises.org/mises-wire/weaponization-media-access-did-not-suddenly-start-trump
  6. Site: Catholic Conclave
    Purge of Czech Jesuits after Rupnik case
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Changes in the Czech Jesuit ProvinceMonday, 9.6.2025Father AmbrosOlomouc. On Monday, May 26, 2025, P. Pavel Bačo SJ, who has been working in the novitiate in Birmingham, took over the office of the Provincial of the Czech Province of the Society of Jesus. The Superior General Arturo Sosa SJ appointed him by a decree dated March 4, 2025.He removed Father Paul Ambrose SJ from his position as Catholic Conclavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06227218883606585321noreply@blogger.com0
    http://cathcon.blogspot.com/2025/06/one-of-four-bishops-resisting-german.html
  7. Site: Zero Hedge
    Beijing Puts Six-Month Limit On Rare Earth Exports To US If Trade Talks Collapse Again
    3 days 8 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Beijing Puts Six-Month Limit On Rare Earth Exports To US If Trade Talks Collapse Again

    Finally some actual detail around what was actually agreed upon during yesterday's trade talks. 

    With questions swirling about the fate of Chinese rare earth exports to the US under the "framework", the WSJ reports that China is putting a six-month limit on rare-earth export licenses for U.S. automakers and manufacturers, giving Beijing leverage if trade tensions flare up again while adding to uncertainty for American industry.

    Chinese negotiators agreed to the temporary restorations of the licenses after the latest round of intense talks with their American counterparts in London, aimed at upholding an interim agreement forged in Geneva last month.

    In exchange, the U.S. negotiators agreed to relax some recent restrictions on the sale to China of products such as jet engines and related parts, as well as ethane, a component of natural gas important in manufacturing plastics.

    According to people who consult with senior Chinese officials, Beijing wants to keep its chokehold on the supply of such critical commodities as leverage for future negotiations and when, not if, trade relations turns sour again.  

    During the London meetings, China agreed to approve rare-earth license applications for U.S. companies right away, pending the signoff of President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the trade framework. The earliest an application could be approved is within a week of the two leaders officially signing off on the framework originally established in meetings last month in Geneva.

    The WSJ source noted that as China approves the applications, the US will start to drop its countermeasures, including export controls on the jet engines and ethane.

    In other words, the US now has six months to create its own rare earths supply chain or else Beijing will be able to use this trump card during the next negotations. 

    Trump said Wednesday that the deal with China to restore the trade cease-fire was done, subject to final approval from himself and the Chinese leader. “FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, without giving additional details on the Chinese commitment.

    China’s grip on rare-earth exports has become a key point of leverage for Beijing in trade negotiations with the U.S. In the wake of the trade truce in Geneva in mid-May that was expected to ease the flow, Washington accused Beijing of slow-walking export licenses. Beijing, in turn, blamed the Trump administration for undermining the Geneva agreement.

    As part of the trade framework, the temporary rare-earths licenses Beijing is expected to start issuing immediately will mostly involve elements used in manufacturing electric vehicles, wind turbines, consumer electronics and military equipment.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 12:36
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/beijing-puts-six-month-limit-rare-earth-exports-us-case-trade-deal-collapses
  8. Site: AsiaNews.it
    Bridges of dialogue during the Buddhist festival of Poson Poya
    3 days 9 hours ago
    On the day that marks the arrival of Arahant Mahinda Thero in Sri Lanka, Christians and Tamils ​​also organised special "dansala", free food, to celebrate the festival. One group made a significant step by handing out coconut saplings, which will bear fruit over the years.
    https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bridges-of-dialogue-during-the-Buddhist-festival-of-Poson-Poya-63277.html
  9. Site: Fr. Z's Blog
    Pentecost Wednesday: Peter’s shadow
    3 days 9 hours ago
    Author: frz@wdtprs.com (Fr. John Zuhlsdorf)
    Pentecost Wednesday: Ember Day Another Octave ramble which might have a couple of surprises. Back in the day, 5th c or so, Pentecost was enriched with an Octave, thus extending the festal character of the great feast. For a while … Read More →
    https://wdtprs.com/2025/06/pentecost-wednesday-peters-shadow-2/
  10. Site: Mises Institute
    Myanmar: The Tragedy of Socialism and Military Dictatorship
    3 days 9 hours ago
    Author: Hein Htet Kyaw
    Myanmar has been a textbook case of the tragedies of socialism. While people are familiar with Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who tried to lead the nation to democracy and a market economy, the nation is better known for military dictatorship and political and economic repression.
    https://mises.org/mises-wire/myanmar-tragedy-socialism-and-military-dictatorship
  11. Site: Zero Hedge
    The Weaponization Of Media Access Did Not Suddenly Start With Trump
    3 days 9 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    The Weaponization Of Media Access Did Not Suddenly Start With Trump

    Authored by Connor O'Keefe via The Mises Institute,

    One of the reasons the American political establishment really hates it when Trump is president is that his administration has a tendency to bring out and exaggerate dynamics at play in Washington, DC that the establishment would prefer to keep hidden.

    One such example is the weaponization of media access.

    Right at the beginning of this term, Trump’s team shook things up by announcing that, going forward, they would control which journalists were allowed into White House press briefings and would determine where each would sit.

    Establishment journalists did little to hide their displeasure as the administration brought right-wing news sites, podcasters, and influencers to briefings that had always been reserved for “respectable” outlets. They characterized it as Trump shattering a decades-long tradition of media independence to prop up media figures loyal to him.

    The anger with Trump’s shake-up came to a head when the administration banned the Associated Press (AP) from White House Briefings after the news wire service refused to call the Gulf of Mexico by its new official name, the Gulf of America.

    As a result of that ban, which has mostly held up in court, many are trying to portray the president’s approach to the press pool as a brand-new form of authoritarianism that Trump has only recently introduced to Washington.

    But that isn’t true. Granting, controlling, and revoking access to official briefings, restricted government facilities, and the sites of government activities has been one of the political establishment’s favorite tools of media control for over a century.

    An urban legend says that the White House press pool was formed one night in 1900 when President Theodore Roosevelt noticed a group of reporters struggling to find sources outside in the rain and invited them into the White House.

    The story is likely not true. But still, the imagery of a president inviting struggling journalists in from a cold rainy night and giving them access to the White House is perfect symbolism for the government’s approach to the press. It appears benevolent and, on the surface, seems to embody the democratic principle of transparency. But by bringing certain journalists in, excluding others, and retaining the power to revoke access, the government gained leverage and control over much of the press.

    Not all presidents shared Roosevelt’s approach to media control. Woodrow Wilson, for instance, was famously unwilling to engage directly with reporters. And when his administration needed to crack down on anti-war rhetoric to ensure enough of the public would accept the American entrance into World War I, Wilson used strong-arm tactics like intimidation, suppression, and even imprisonment against journalists and media figures who continued to oppose the war.

    But as the years went on and Americans grew increasingly horrified by the naked authoritarianism overtaking Europe, a new appreciation for Roosevelt’s approach took root. Unlike the regimes in Berlin and Moscow, the American political class came to understand that the key to good media censorship does not lie in muzzling the media “watchdogs” but in transforming them into lapdogs.

    So, in the 1950s, President Eisenhower formally established the White House press pool as it is known today. Because of limited space, an “independent” organization called the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) was tapped to formally choose the rotating roster of outlets and journalists that would get access to briefings.

    But the independence of this process was an illusion because the White House had complete control over which outlets were eligible to be chosen by the WHCA in the first place. And they would charge participating media organizations hefty fees when traveling with the president on government aircraft. This is presented as a way to protect the taxpayer, but it just so happens to ensure that only a few very wealthy corporate media outlets have been able to accompany presidents on trips.

    Together with the government’s seizure of the airwaves, the selective access the White House granted through the press pool gave the federal government considerable control over which newspapers and broadcasters gained prominence in the American media landscape.

    But there was still room to go. During the Vietnam War, White House officials grew frustrated that American journalists were roaming the country, writing stories that contradicted what officials were saying about the progress of the war.

    So in 1991, when the US again found itself in a major war, the government did the media the “favor” of granting them access to an official, government-sanctioned media center near the Iraqi border where they were fed information officials wanted the public to know. Then, occasionally, some of those journalists would get to join American troops and tour specific areas on and around the front lines.

    It became clear, though, that putting strict limits on what embedded journalists could do, say, or be told was unnecessary. The thrill of getting to ride around in armored vehicles with a bunch of heavily armed guys who were both interested by and working to protect the reporters as if they were VIPs was, as Peter Van Buren put it, “seductive.”

    The government discovered that granting journalists the credentials to embed with US forces was an extremely effective way to effectively control the public’s perception of the war—all while appearing to embrace radical transparency. So, the approach was used heavily in the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

    Sometimes, the White House has combined its pooling and embedding approach to great effect, such as in 2003 when Mike Allen—then at The Washington Post—was brought along for President George W. Bush’s secret trip to Baghdad. Or, two decades later, when Wall Street Journal reporter Sabrina Siddiqui was tapped to accompany President Biden on his secret train ride to Kyiv in early 2023.

    The press dutifully wrote accounts of the trips that were more obnoxiously dramatic than anything the White House communications teams could ever get away with. But that was the point. These were publicity stunts. The journalists weren’t there to observe the trips; they were the entire point of the trips.

    Today, some of the most extreme examples of weaponized access are not coming from officials in Washington but from their allies in Kyiv and Tel Aviv. The Ukrainian government has been very quick to revoke the credentials of foreign journalists when their reporting either reveals things the government wants to remain secret or debunks aspects of the regime’s official narrative. And the Israeli government has banned any foreign journalists from entering Gaza unless they’re brought in by the IDF.

    So it’s ridiculous to hear the legacy media, here in the US, trying to act like Trump is breaking tradition with his use of access and accreditation to control how the media is reporting on his administration. That has been one of the hallmarks of the political establishment’s strategy for controlling the public’s understanding of current events for many decades. The only reason why they suddenly see it as a problem is because, now, they’re not the ones benefiting.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 12:00
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/weaponization-media-access-did-not-suddenly-start-trump
  12. Site: LifeNews
    Louisiana Legislature Passes Pro-Life Bill Targeting Illegal Abortion Pill Sellers
    3 days 9 hours ago
    Author: Steven Ertelt

    The Louisiana legislature has passed a key pro-life bill aiming to crack down on illegal sales of abortion pills in the state so its abortion ban can truly protect unborn children.

    The state legislature has signed off on House Bill 575 – which passed yesterday allowing women to sue anyone who “knowingly performed or substantially facilitated” an abortion for at least $100,000 in damages.

    HB 575 by Reps. Lauren Ventrella and Julie Emerson empowers Louisiana citizens harmed by abortion to file lawsuits against abortion drug dealers who unlawfully sell abortion services, including predators and abuser.

    Get the latest pro-life news and information on X (Twitter). Follow @LifeNewsHQ//

    With pro-abortion states like New York refusing to assist pro-life states like Louisiana in prosecuting illegal abortion pill sellers, this legislation would empower women injured by abortion pills to sue the sellers – which could help put them out of business or prompt them to stop selling abortion pills in the pro-life state for fear of legal accountability.

    Executive Director for Louisiana Right to Life, Benjamin Clapper, said the following after the Senate passage:

    We applaud the Louisiana Senate for passing these two pro-life bills that continue Louisiana’s legacy of defending life and protecting women from the abortion industry. The reckless sale of abortion pills by out-of-state businesses have led to increased instances of women being coerced to have abortions. HB 575 and HB 425 strengthen laws to prevent coerced abortion and allow women hurt by abortion to seek justice.

    Louisiana Right to Life is committed to a future where women and girls are safe from the predatory tactics of the abortion industry and can pursue justice for themselves and their families.

    The post Louisiana Legislature Passes Pro-Life Bill Targeting Illegal Abortion Pill Sellers appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/louisiana-legislature-passes-pro-life-bill-targeting-illegal-abortion-pill-sellers/
  13. Site: Fr. Z's Blog
    OLDIE PODCAzT 58: Ember Days; Chrysostom on St. Matthias; Prayer to the Holy Spirit
    3 days 9 hours ago
    Author: Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
    ORIGINAL NOTES from 14 May 2008: Today is Wednesday in the Octave of Pentecost, or at least it ought to be in in the Novus Ordo as it is in the older, Traditional Roman Calendar. This is the third PODCAzT for the Pentecost … Read More →
    https://wdtprs.com/2025/06/oldie-podcazt-58-ember-days-chrysostom-on-st-matthias-prayer-to-the-holy-spirit-3/
  14. Site: Zero Hedge
    Nintendo's Switch 2 Becomes "Fastest-Selling Hardware Ever Globally" 
    3 days 9 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Nintendo's Switch 2 Becomes "Fastest-Selling Hardware Ever Globally" 

    Goldman Sachs gaming analysts Minami Munakata and Haruki Kubota were spot on in forecasting the explosive popularity of Nintendo's newly released Switch 2, which shattered records with millions of units in sales in just four days. 

    Nintendo wrote on X late Tuesday night that it sold over 3.5 million Switch 2 consoles in just four days, surpassing the original Switch's first-month sales of 2.7 million back in 2017. 

    Switch 2 has become "the fastest-selling Nintendo hardware ever globally," the Japanese gaming company said. This strong sales momentum sets a strong pace toward the company's goal of 15 million units sold by March 2026. 

    #NintendoSwitch2 has sold over 3.5 million units worldwide in its first four days, becoming the fastest-selling Nintendo hardware ever globally. pic.twitter.com/JNrl3Z92pv

    — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 11, 2025

    "We believe sales are tracking above our shipment assumption of 3.9 mn units in the April-June 2025 quarter, and also above the initial sales pace for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (Exhibit 1, Exhibit 3)," Munakata wrote in a note to clients earlier. 

    Exhibit 1

    Exhibit 3

    The analysts also highlight a robust third-party game pipeline and a premium price of $79.99 for Mario Kart World as key drivers of stronger revenue... 

    We focus in particular on the strong pipeline of third-party titles for the Nintendo Switch 2 (in terms of both quantity and quality), and the higher selling price for the new Mario Kart World title (US$79.99), which is above prices for previous titles in the series. We expect to see an increase in per-console revenues (from content, services, peripherals, etc.) in the transition from the Nintendo Switch to the Nintendo Switch 2, similar to that seen in the transition from the PS4 to the PS5. Our FY3/26 operating profit estimate is 15% above the Bloomberg consensus. As seen during the PS4/PS5 transition, we believe Nintendo can maintain and expand user engagement, allowing it to secure higher margins from the first year of the successor console launch compared with the previous console launch (see our report here). We make no changes to our earnings estimates or our 12-month target price of ¥14,500, and we maintain our Buy rating.

    Here's the third-party game pipeline:

    Nintendo shares in Tokyo have hovered near ¥12,000 over the past six weeks, with upward momentum showing signs of exhaustion.

    Our reporting so far:

    • Nintendo Shares Jump After Goldman Sees Switch 2 Unlocking Dormant Users

    • Tariff Turmoil Delays Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders; Will This Derail Goldman's Bull Call On Mario Kart-Maker

    • Nintendo Switch 2 Frenzy: "Selling Out" Across US Retailers As Tariffs Won't Impact Pricing

    • Goldman Thinks Nintendo's Switch 2 Will Blow Away Estimates, Sees No Supply Constraints

    • "Let The Games Begin": Nintendo Switch 2 Launches With Retail Frenzy As Goldman Reaffirms Bullish Outlook

    We've previously highlighted the gaming industry's long-running deflationary spiral—development costs have soared while retail prices stagnated. Now, however, an inflection point may be emerging as AAA games begin creeping toward the $100 mark.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 11:40
    https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/nintendos-switch-2-becomes-fastest-selling-hardware-ever-globally
  15. Site: AsiaNews.it
    Child labour: Asia-Pacific leads global decline, but UN goals still distant
    3 days 10 hours ago
    New data from the International Labour Organisation and UNICEF indicate a drop of 22 million child workers in four years. However, 138 million children remain trapped in this scourge, particularly in agriculture and the informal economy. Expert Insaf Nizam, who spoke to AsiaNews, highlighted the role of economic growth, warning of the dangers of inequality and family responsibilities.
    https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Child-labour%3A-Asia-Pacific-leads-global-decline%2C-but-UN-goals-still-distant-63276.html
  16. Site: Fr. Z's Blog
    7 July: CATHOLIC Mass at Canterbury Cathedral for the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Thomas Beckett –
    3 days 10 hours ago
    Author: Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
    On 7 July there will be a CATHOLIC Mass in the (stolen) Canterbury Cathedral in honor of the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Thomas Beckett. My correspondent alerted me about this along with his comment: There’s … Read More →
    https://wdtprs.com/2025/06/7-july-catholic-mass-at-canterbury-cathedral-for-the-feast-of-the-translation-of-the-relics-of-st-thomas-beckett/
  17. Site: Zero Hedge
    "Revolution", "Arbitrary Dictatorship", And CPI
    3 days 10 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    "Revolution", "Arbitrary Dictatorship", And CPI

    By Michael Every of Rabobank

    Yesterday’s UK labor market data were a clear story – and an ugly one. Yet the US NFIB survey summarized: “Although optimism recovered slightly in May, uncertainty is still high among small business owners. While the economy will continue to stumble along until the major sources of uncertainty are resolved, owners reported more positive expectations on business conditions and sales growth.” That’s still more ‘uh?’ for now.

    In geopolitics, Russia warned it won’t end the Ukraine war until NATO pulls its troops out of the Baltic states. Whatever asset you look at, take a step back and think about that for a moment. 

    Is that a bluff – how can you know? Does it mean the EU surrendering those states back to Russian influence – and where afterwards? That’s the end of the EU as we know it, let alone the version that breezily states it wants to expand to Moldova, next to a Russian client state, and Georgia, next to Russia itself. Or it implies a permanent state of EU-Russia hostility --the latter not with “an economy the size of Italy”, but a war economy with a purchasing power parity of $7 trillion and a world of physical resources-- with profound implications for both sides socio-politically, economically, and financially. 

    Now think about what that implies for your asset again.

    The US reportedly told Israel to end the Gaza war so it can try to get an Iran deal. Meanwhile, Israel attacked the Houthis by sea for the first time, seen as a warmup for Iran; and the head of US Central Command told the House Armed Services Committee he’d presented Defence Secretary Hegseth and President Trump with a "broad range of options" for military action against Iran if negotiations fail. So, keep an eye on those negotiations!

    The US Ambassador to Israel stated the White House doesn’t fully back a Palestinian state under current circumstances: “Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture,” which are unlikely to occur “in our lifetime,” then “there’s no room for it.” Moreover, he added a Palestinian state doesn’t need to be in the West Bank/Gaza and could be created by taking territory from another country. This is as EU states such as Spain, Ireland, and France are pushing in the opposite direction, opening another transatlantic rift. It’s also as the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, and Norway sanctioned two far-right Israeli government ministers, one of whom (the finance minister) responded by paralysing the Palestinian economy by freezing links between its banks and Israel’s.

    In Asia, senior staff in the last Taiwanese administration were arrested for spying for China; and Pakistan accused India of manipulating the flow of the Indus River to disrupt its food security, against the backdrop of a potentially wobbly military ceasefire.

    In geoeconomics, a federal appellate court ruled Trump’s IEEPA tariffs could continue as a full appeal will be heard at another court on July 31. US-India trade talks are reportedly going well; and the US and China agreed a “framework” to roll back recent export controls, so each side gets the key inputs recently cut off by the other - but that’s a pinkie swear not an FTA. 

    Summing things up, the Financial Times op-ed from Martin Wolf talks of ‘An ever-riskier world economy’ as “Trump’s tariff war brings with it unpredictability and a consequent loss of confidence.” Fair enough. 

    Yet, in recent FT fashion, it then argues the US is in the early stages of a “revolution” aimed at changing it into an “arbitrary dictatorship”, following yesterday’s op-ed from Edward Luce that the US is falling into “authoritarianism.” That will be seen as a pinkie paper swear by some. It certainly has far more significant implications than are being priced in by markets if it’s true; and for FT intellectual credibility if it isn’t.

    The EU (again) proposed lowering the Russian oil price cap from $60 to $45, banning the use of the Nord Stream pipelines, and cutting another 22 Russian banks from SWIFT, demanding “an end to the war” – which Russia just made clear requires entirely different EU actions. 

    Europe also placed 62.4% tariffs on Chinese plywood – which is what cynics see its flat-pack plans for strategic autonomy and replacing the US as home to reverse assets and the reserve FX are made of.

    As the potential sale of ports at either side of the Panama Canal and a slew of others to a consortium led by ocean carrier MSC sees concerns it may end de facto neutral treatment for all cargo, the Federal Maritime Commission was warned by the Seafarers International Union of the risks of the growing “dark fleet” registering and flagging outside regulatory oversight. In short, the ‘level playing field’ assumption in global trade is seeing larger and larger potholes ahead.

    In politics, Poland’s PM is expected to win his no confidence vote but still won’t be able to govern with the new president in place; and as France saw another teacher murdered by a pupil, and Austria a school shooting that killed 10, the government is to ban social media for under-15s.

    And as riots continue in LA and a curfew is to be imposed in parts of it, a Wall Street Journal op-ed runs: ‘Tom Cotton: Send in the Troops, for Real’ arguing, “When local police can’t restore order, the federal government has a duty to do so with a show of force.” That echoes his June 2020 op-ed in the New York Times that led to a staff revolt and a political hoo-ha. Today’s call isn’t getting much attention, especially in markets. Which, to be fair, aren’t paying attention to the riots either: as Bloomberg ‘sagely’ noted yesterday, ‘these kinds of things don’t have an impact on stocks (or bonds or FX)’. 

    Unless, of course, they aren’t noise against the backdrop of a globalized world order predicated on free trade and “because markets” but are a symptom of larger breakdowns and structural changes that shatter that order, and the markets based on it. 

    However, you’d need to look at far more than a Bloomberg screen in an air-conditioned, first-world city-centre office to know which way those fat tail risks really lie; but that takes up valuable time in which one could be counting beans or shouting “Rate Cuts!”

    On which note, Treasury Secretary Bessent was just named by Bloomberg as a likely candidate for Fed Chair. 

    First, that’s a year before it’s even vacant, which is not how things used to work and suggests the risks of a Shadow Fed Chair emerging, with a remains-to-be-seen effect on markets. Second, it would be a successive switch from Treasury to Fed when we are constantly told these are sacrosanct positions which must co-ordinate but always remain fiercely independent of each other (“because markets”). Can even Bloomberg-screen readers spot a pattern there? 

    However, the Bessent story has since been shot down by the White House. Yet names like former Fed member Warsh --who’s given some jaw-dropping comments on central banking of late-- and Director of the National Economic Council Hassett -- who’d meet the Trump insider loyalty test-- haven’t been.

    But, relax: everything is as it ever was and ever will be, everywhere. 

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 11:20
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/revolution-arbitrary-dictatorship-and-cpi
  18. Site: Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
    A Family’s Heartbreak: MAiD Decision Leaves Loved Ones Grieving and Confused
    3 days 10 hours ago

    Normal 0 false false false EN-CA X-NONE X-NONE This article was published by Compassionate Community Care on June 11, 2025.

    By Kathy Matusiak Costa
    Executive Director, Compassionate Community Care

    A grieving family from Eastern Canada is speaking out following the unexpected decision of their elderly aunt to proceed with a scheduled Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) procedure at a hospital in British Columbia, just days after a fall that led to her admission into rehabilitation care. 

    According to her niece, the woman had not suffered a serious injury—“she didn’t even break a bone”—and had only recently been told by doctors that she had arthritis. But the family was stunned to learn that she had already scheduled her euthanasia and was resolute in her decision to go through with it.

    “We were willing to bring her home, to take care of her, to give her a dignified natural death surrounded by family and love,” said the niece. “But she cried and hung up on us. She said she didn’t want to. And now it’s happening today.” The family was particularly disturbed to learn from local contacts that the procedure was scheduled to take place in what was described as a “shack-like enclosure” beside the hospital. A national advocacy organization, Compassionate Community Care (CCC), attempted to intervene and speak with the woman directly to offer support and alternatives, but she declined all outreach.

    Her niece and sister are left devastated—not just by the finality of the decision, but by how quickly it was arranged and how little opportunity they had to understand or influence it.
    “Had we not found out she chose MAiD, we would have assumed she passed peacefully, naturally,” her niece said. “Instead, we’re left with this overwhelming feeling that our loved one is being killed.” This case raises ongoing questions about the safeguards, timelines, and communication protocols surrounding MAiD in Canada. Critics have warned that vulnerable individuals, especially those facing isolation or recent trauma, may opt for MAiD without fully exploring palliative care or family-based alternatives. For families like this one, the aftermath is not only grief—but also a painful sense of helplessness.
    https://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-familys-heartbreak-maid-decision.html
  19. Site: Zero Hedge
    Canadian Unemployment Rate Has Now Hit 7%
    3 days 10 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Canadian Unemployment Rate Has Now Hit 7%

    Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 7% in May — its highest in over eight years, excluding the pandemic — with just 8,800 jobs added, according to the Financial Post..

    Full-time employment increased by 58,000, offset by a decline in part-time work. Private sector jobs grew by 61,000, while public sector employment fell by 21,000 due to fewer temporary hires after April’s federal election.

    The Financial Post writes that manufacturing lost 12,200 jobs last month, contributing to a four-month decline of 55,000. Transportation and warehousing also shed 15,000 positions. Employment grew in wholesale and retail trade, utilities, finance, and real estate but dropped in manufacturing, public administration, and accommodation and food services.

    Economists say the rise in unemployment is partly due to U.S. tariffs dampening hiring, with trade-sensitive regions like Windsor (10.8% jobless rate) and Oshawa (9.1%) hit hardest. Indeed Canada noted job postings have remained steady since February but are lower in trade-impacted areas.

    “The impact of tariffs shows up in the industry pattern and regional unemployment pattern,” said Leslie Preston, senior economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank. “The manufacturing sector was down 12,200, as was transportation and warehousing (-15,000).”

    Preston said manufacturing has lost a total of 55,000 jobs over the past four months.

    Youth unemployment reached 20.1%, reflecting the start of the summer job market. The employment rate held steady at 60.8%, with total hours worked unchanged from April but up 0.9% from a year ago. Average hourly wages rose 3.4% year-over-year.

    Bank of Canada policymakers are closely watching these developments, holding rates at 2.75% last week amid inflation concerns. In a note, Andrew Grantham, senior economist with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, said: “We expect that the gradual rise in joblessness will continue into the second half of the year, with positive developments regarding U.S. tariffs and some further interest rate cuts from the Bank of Canada required to help stabilize conditions before year-end and bring a reduction in the unemployment rate again in 2026.”

    Still, economists said the larger trend of the rising unemployment rate could mean further rate cuts by the Bank of Canada during the second half of this year, with the jobless rate expected to peak above seven percent.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 11:00
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/canadian-unemployment-rate-has-now-hit-7
  20. Site: LifeNews
    Iowa Refuses to Allow Satanic Temple to Host Ritual at State Capitol
    3 days 10 hours ago
    Author: Hannah Hiester

    The Satanic Temple (TST) in Iowa filed a complaint June 10 with the Iowa Office of Civil Rights, claiming that it is a religious group and that state officials discriminated against it by denying it permission to host a satanic event in the Iowa Capitol.

    TST applied to hold a winter celebration in the Capitol in December 2024 in an attempt to educate Iowans about satanism and its beliefs, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, which filed the complaint on behalf of TST.

    Mortimer Adramelech, a satanic minister of TST Iowa, claimed that he and his group are simply “seeking to exercise our right to freedom of religion.” The event would have included “satanic holiday carols,” DIY satanic ornaments, a Krampus costume contest, and a ritual.

    REACH PRO-LIFE PEOPLE WORLDWIDE! Advertise with LifeNews to reach hundreds of thousands of pro-life readers every week. Contact us today.

    State officials denied the application, stating that events involving violence, gore, or sexual themes are not permissible. TST claims that the event would not have included such content and would have remained family-friendly.

    This is not TST’s first incident at the Iowa Capitol. In December 2023, the group placed a satanic display in the rotunda of the building, prompting Christian Navy veteran Michael Cassidy to destroy the figure, CatholicVote previously reported.

    “I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged. My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted,” Cassidy said at the time. “The world may tell Christians to submissively accept the legitimization of Satan, but none of the founders would have considered government sanction of satanic altars inside Capitol buildings as protected by the First Amendment.”

    In response to Cassidy’s actions, CatholicVote Vice President Josh Mercer explained that tearing down the statue was not a violation of TST’s First Amendment rights.

    “The state of Iowa has every right to exercise its own government speech on its government property,” Mercer stated in 2023. “You do not have a First Amendment right to have every viewpoint represented.”

    LifeNews Note: Hannah Hiester writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.

    The post Iowa Refuses to Allow Satanic Temple to Host Ritual at State Capitol appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/iowa-refuses-to-allow-satantic-temple-to-host-ritual-at-state-capitol/
  21. Site: OnePeterFive
    To Achieve Clarity, to Avoid Scandal: Some Statements on Christian Re-Enchantment
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: Sebastian Morello, PhD

    Of late, there have been several attacks on my writings and on me personally, in the vanguard of which has been the ex-satanist, ex-Catholic, now Eastern Orthodox writer Michael Warren Davis. The attacks are based on my occasional use of the term ‘magic’, for which Davis claims I must be embroiled in the dark occult, and that I am attempting to entangle others in its web. When I replied to Davis’s…

    Source

    https://onepeterfive.com/to-achieve-clarity-to-avoid-scandal-some-statements-on-christian-re-enchantment/
  22. Site: Edward Feser
    Riots should be suppressed swiftly and harshly
    3 days 11 hours ago

    In an article at Postliberal Order, I argue that the Trump administration has the right under natural law to intervene to suppress riots of the kind seen in Los Angeles this week.

    http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2025/06/riots-should-be-suppressed-swiftly-and.html
  23. Site: Zero Hedge
    Amazon To Invest $20 Billion In Pennsylvania For AI Infrastructure
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Amazon To Invest $20 Billion In Pennsylvania For AI Infrastructure

    In the largest private-sector investment in Pennsylvania history, Amazon is plowing $20 billion into two data center campuses to boost its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing capabilities, as the company looks to help solidify America's technological edge over competitors in China and elsewhere.

    A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pa., on Jan. 14, 2024. Ted Shaffrey/AP Photo

    The investment by Amazon Web Services (AWS) will create 1,250 high-skilled jobs spanning engineering, cybersecurity and network operations, the company said in a Monday announcement. It will also lead to thousands of construction jobs, and spur broader economic growth through demand for services and suppliers within the data center industry.

    One campus will be located next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Salem Township, Luzerne County, while the other will be located in Falls Township, Bucks County, where a US Steel facility was formerly located.

    "Amazon’s multi-billion-dollar investment in Pennsylvania reinforces our dedication to advancing AI innovation while creating lasting economic opportunities in the state," according to the company's chief global affairs and legal officer, David Zapolsky. 

    As the Epoch Times notes further, to help meet the demand for skilled workers, Pennsylvania will allocate $10 million toward workforce development programs tailored to data center construction and operations, including vocational training and community college partnerships, Shapiro’s office said in an announcement.

    Speaking at a press conference in Berwick on Monday, Shapiro said the investment is a generational opportunity to transform Pennsylvania’s economic future, adding that Amazon’s announcement is “just the beginning,” with additional data center projects under consideration in the state.

    “From coal and steel, to server farms and fiber optic cables, Pennsylvania is poised to power our future,” Shapiro said. “A future where America dominates the next frontier of AI and doesn’t cede this ground to China or any other nation.”

    The announcement comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to counter China’s push for global tech supremacy. CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis recently said that President Donald Trump’s intelligence team is prioritizing the denial of any strategic advantage to China—particularly in advanced technologies AI, semiconductors, and quantum computing.

    Calling China an “existential threat,” Ellis said the CIA is focusing increasingly on the tech race. He said that a decisive technological advantage is essential to confronting the Chinese Communist Party’s malign actions against the United States.

    The intelligence community’s latest threat assessment underscores these concerns, identifying China as “the most active and persistent cyber threat” to U.S. government systems and critical infrastructure.

    In the event of a potential conflict with the United States—most notably over Taiwan—China is likely to carry out cyber offensives designed to paralyze U.S. command infrastructure, stir public confusion, and obstruct the swift deployment of troops, the report warns.

    Meanwhile, the Trump administration has ramped up efforts to defend U.S. interests from foreign cyberthreats.

    Trump signed an executive order on June 6 aimed at overhauling cybersecurity policy, directing agencies to adopt secure software development practices, improve defenses against hijacking of network interconnections, and accelerate readiness for advanced cryptography.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 10:20
    https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/amazon-invest-20-billion-pennsylvania-ai-infrastructure
  24. Site: Mises Institute
    What Keeps Us Safe?
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: Mark Thornton
    On your computer monitor, your table lamp, or the label on your hair dryer, you will see the symbol "UL" with a circle around it. It stands for Underwriters Laboratories, a firm headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., and an unsung hero of the market economy.
    https://mises.org/free-market/what-keeps-us-safe
  25. Site: Mises Institute
    The Dutch Model of Secession, Commercial Freedom, and Religious Tolerance
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: Ralph Raico
    The old Dutch republic was a case of commerce producing tolerance, producing harmony, producing a willingness to interact for the mutual benefit.
    https://mises.org/mises-wire/dutch-model-secession-commercial-freedom-and-religious-tolerance
  26. Site: Steyn Online
    Live Around the Planet: Wednesday June 11h
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Mark takes questions from Steyn Club members around the planet...
    https://www.steynonline.com/15380/live-around-the-planet-wednesday-june-11h
  27. Site: Steyn Online
    Surrendering to the Left's Framing
    3 days 11 hours ago
    If you missed today's edition of Steyn's Clubland Q&A live around the planet, here's the action replay. This week's show covered a range of topics from "far right" fainthearts to Mike Johnson's travel plans. Click above to listen. Thank you for all your
    https://www.steynonline.com/15381/surrendering-to-the-left-framing
  28. Site: Zero Hedge
    The GENIUS Act Showdown: Trump's Crypto Agenda Faces GOP Resistance
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    The GENIUS Act Showdown: Trump's Crypto Agenda Faces GOP Resistance

    Authored by Paul Bradford via American Greatness,

    President Trump has made it clear that he will not let the United States fall behind in the global race for digital currency and blockchain innovation. After four years of Biden’s war on crypto, during which he weaponized agencies like the SEC to drive American innovators offshore, Trump is restoring order, sanity, and leadership in one of the most important financial frontiers of the 21st century.

    The Trump administration’s success or failure here will determine whether the U.S. dollar remains the global standard. The president and the larger MAGA movement know it. So do millions of everyday Americans who want a financial system that works for them, not against them.

    But as the Trump administration works to deliver on the president’s campaign promise, a surprising obstacle has emerged—not from Democrats like Elizabeth Warren, who’s made a career out of demonizing crypto, but from within the Republican Party itself.

    At stake is the GENIUS Act, a bipartisan bill that would allow the private sector to create stablecoins pegged to the U.S. dollar.

    You may not have heard of stablecoins before. They are essentially cryptocurrencies with stable prices as they are pegged to the value of something stable, unlike typical crypto.

    As a relatively new financial instrument, creating stablecoins tied to the U.S. dollar represents a massive opportunity to extend the reach of American finance. Millions of people are already using stablecoins, and this number will only grow larger in the coming years. The Trump administration wants to make sure the ones they use are connected to the U.S. dollar, not the yuan or the Russian ruble. More global demand for the dollar will strengthen its value and allow Americans to purchase more for less.

    President Trump wants to sign the GENIUS Act into law before the August recess (ensuring it will not go into effect after China’s stablecoin legislation does this summer).

    Last week, Vice President JD Vance reaffirmed this by expressing the White House’s desire for the Senate to pass the bill clean. Because even a well-intentioned amendment can slow the process, fracture the coalition, and ultimately kill the bill.

    This is where the problem lies. A couple of Republicans are not listening and are proposing amendments that could kill the bill.

    One Republican senator wants to link the Sen. Dick Durbin-backed Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) to the GENIUS Act. It’s no surprise his colleagues hate this bill, with one even saying he will pull his support for the stablecoin bill if this amendment passes—because it is a major government giveaway to big box stores like Walmart and Target.

    The CCCA will use the force of government to mandate that card companies offer retailers at least two payment networks. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is because the high costs of this new regulation would force them to either raise prices or cut back on their consumer benefits programs. That is why The Point Guys, a well-known website that tracks reward points for travel, is opposing the bill, warning that it “has the potential to significantly negatively alter, if not completely eliminate, the world of credit card rewards that we know today.”

    Another Republican senator, who said he plans on voting against the GENIUS Act anyway, wants to impose an obstructionist amendment that would cap the credit card interest rates at 10%. This similar “money grows on trees” legislative idea, endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), would just lead to companies having no choice but to approve fewer lower-income Americans for the credit, even if they desperately need it to stay afloat.

    Vice President Vance: This bill must be allowed to pass clean without these distractions. It’s the only way we can beat China before the country’s stablecoin bill goes live in August. With a Republican senator already saying he will vote against the GENIUS Act because of one of these amendments, VP Vance is being proven right.

    Democrats are the ones who are supposed to obstruct crypto innovation, not Republicans.

    Democrats like Elizabeth Warren spent the last several years trying to suffocate digital innovation in the U.S. under the guise of “consumer protection.” Under Biden, regulators waged war on crypto through intimidation, rulemaking by ambush, and selective enforcement.

    Trump has been dismantling that regime from day one. He fired Gary Gensler, repealed Biden’s hostile executive orders, and is replacing consumers’ fear and confusion over crypto with clarity and confidence. He even signed an executive order to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (a digital Fort Knox of sorts), affirming the U.S. commitment to leading, not following, on crypto policy. It would be a shame if a couple of Republicans stood in his way.

    Republicans should recognize what’s at stake. This isn’t just another bill. It’s our one shot to beat China at its own game. The alternative is letting political infighting and Beltway gamesmanship stall the president’s agenda, giving the People’s Republic the upper hand.

    Trump is doing his job. Now it’s time for Congress to do what the people elected them to do—lead.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 10:00
    https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/genius-act-showdown-trumps-crypto-agenda-faces-gop-resistance
  29. Site: LifeNews
    American Medical Association Overwhelmingly Rejects Assisted Suicide
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: McKenna Snow

    The American Medical Association (AMA)’s House of Delegates “overwhelmingly rejected” changing the organization’s longstanding position that physician-assisted suicide is incompatible with the healing role of the doctor, Patients’ Rights Action Fund (PRAF) reported June 9.

    The AMA’s more than 600 voting delegates — who represent entities such as state medical associations, national medical specialty organizations, and professional interest medical associations — are meeting this week in Chicago, the organization’s website said.

    The association has maintained its policy on physician-assisted suicide since 1994, according to PRAF, an organization dedicated to ending assisted suicide. PRAF reports that the House also greenlighted a report from the association’s trustees that keeps the language used to describe physician-assisted suicide clear. Advocates in favor of the practice often use euphemisms such as “aid in dying” or similar language, especially avoiding the word “suicide.”

    LifeNews is on GETTR. Please follow us for the latest pro-life news

    In the AMA’s background reports document on its policy on physician-assisted suicide, it states that the House’s Council on Judicial and Ethical Affairs reviewed concerns on proper terminology and concluded that using the term “physician assisted suicide” “describes the practice with the greatest precision” and “clearly distinguishes the practice from euthanasia.” The council also noted that referring to physician assisted suicide as “aid in dying” or using the term “death with dignity” is too ambiguous because that could mean euthanasia or palliative care.

    The AMA’s Code of Medical Ethics asserts in chapter 5 that “Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks.” The code recommends physicians respect patient autonomy and provide good palliative care, rather than assisted suicide, when a patient is nearing the end of his or her life. The AMA also expresses sympathy for patients experiencing extreme suffering who decide death is better than living.

    “However, permitting physicians to engage in assisted suicide would ultimately cause more harm than good,” the AMA’s code adds.

    In the same chapter, the AMA also provides “the thoughtful moral basis for those who support assisted suicide.” In this section, the AMA emphasizes the importance of physicians’ conscience rights, although it also notes that their “freedom to act according to conscience is not unlimited.”

    “Physicians are expected to provide care in emergencies, honor patients’ informed decisions to refuse life-sustaining treatment, and respect basic civil liberties and not discriminate against individuals in deciding whether to enter into a professional relationship with a new patient,” the AMA states, adding that in other instances physicians may be able to act in a way that both honors their conscience and their professional expectations.

    The AMA also has policies for physicians to consider when following their consciences, stating under one bullet point that if they object to a certain treatment, physicians should refer patients to another physician that can provide it; and if the physician objects morally to referring the patient at all, “the physician should offer impartial guidance to patients about how to inform themselves regarding access to desired services.”

    Overall, however, the AMA recommends under this section that the physician should either continue providing alternative care for the patient or “formally terminate the patient-physician relationship in keeping with ethics guidance.”

    Catholic ethicist Dr. Kristin Collier, an associate professor of medicine at University of Michigan, posted on X June 9 thanking the expressing gratitude to the AMA for the vote to reject changing its policy on physician-assisted suicide. In the same thread, Catholic bioethicist Charlie Camosy also reacted, “This is amazing.”

    LifeNews Note: McKenna Snow writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.

    The post American Medical Association Overwhelmingly Rejects Assisted Suicide appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/american-medical-association-overwhelmingly-rejects-assisted-suicide/
  30. Site: Zero Hedge
    Trump Pressed Netanyahu To 'Permanently End Gaza War' In Phone Call
    3 days 11 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Trump Pressed Netanyahu To 'Permanently End Gaza War' In Phone Call

    Israeli media has revealed that in a Monday phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump told the Israeli leader that he must permanently end the war in Gaza.

    Trump is said to have conveyed that the conflict should end "the sooner the better"; however, there's been no indication that Trump is willing to use the major leverage he has of cutting off US military aid to enforce this.

    Via Reuters

    The Israeli military is heavily reliant on American weapons for the war's execution, as well as maintaining readiness against other regional threats like the Houthis out of Yemen or Hezbollah in Lebanon.

    The phone call reportedly involved Trump conveying that bringing an end to Gaza operations would help him in nuclear negotiations with Iran, as well as achieving Saudi-Israeli normalization based on the Abraham Accords. These negotiations have been growing tougher, specifically over the question of if the Iranians can maintain any uranium enrichment at all.

    In reference to reporting in Israel's Kan public broadcaster and Channel 12, "Trump also ruled out an attack on Iran as the White House seeks to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, according to the reports."

    While admitting this week that the Iranians have become "much more aggressive" in negotiations which have taken place in Oman and Rome, Trump's latest statements have been a little less directly threatening in terms of the 'bomb Tehran' 'option'.

    For example, here's how Trump responded to a NY Post question on the subject:

    “Well, if they don’t make a deal, they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump answered. “If they do make a deal, they’re not going have a nuclear weapon, too, you know? But they’re not going a have a new nuclear weapon, so it’s not going to matter from that standpoint.

    “But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying, it’s so much nicer to do it. But I don’t think I see the same level of enthusiasm for them to make a deal. I think they would make a mistake, but we’ll see. I guess time will tell.”

    Given the phone call with Netanyahu, it seems the president increasingly sees a Gaza truce deal as crucial to achieving broader stabilization in terms of US interests in the region.

    There's also this interesting information via The Times of Israel:

    Trump reportedly told Netanyahu that the so-called “Witkoff framework,” which would pause the war for some 60 days in exchange for about half of the hostages held by Hamas, will not suffice.

    Meanwhile in Gaza the high death toll continues, amid a controversial plan for a US aid group to oversee humanitarian relieve. Al Jazeera is reporting Wednesday that at least 61 Palestinians, including 39 aid seekers, have been killed by Israeli forces across parts of the Gaza Strip since dawn.

    Most Israeli captives still in Hamas' hands are feared dead, but there's widespread acknowledgement that possibly a dozen or more are still alive. Victims' family members in Israel have been pressing the government to achieve another prisoner swap.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 09:40
    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-pressed-netanyahu-permanently-end-gaza-war-phone-call
  31. Site: LifeNews
    Catholic Bishops Condemn Passage of New York Bill Legalizing Assisted Suicide
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Joshua Mercer

    New York lawmakers on June 9 passed a bill that would legalize physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults — legislation that has now reached the office of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

    According to the New York Post, the bill passed 35 to 27, with six Democrats voting against it: Senators April Baskin, Siela Bynoe, Cordell Cleare, Monica Martinez, Roxanne Persaud, and Sam Sutton.

    The measure, known as the “Medical Aid in Dying Act,” would allow adults diagnosed with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less to request life-ending medication.

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    Approval would require the sign-off of the attending physician and a consulting physician and a written request witnessed by two adults who attest that the patient is acting voluntarily, according to AP News.

    Democratic Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the bill’s sponsor, framed the legislation as humane.

    “It’s not about hastening death, but ending suffering,” he said during a lengthy Senate debate.

    But the bill’s passage marks what many faith and pro-life leaders are calling a somber moment.

    “This is a dark day for New York State,” said Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, which strongly opposes the bill. “For the first time in its history, New York is on the verge of authorizing doctors to help their patients commit suicide. Make no mistake — this is only the beginning, and the only person standing between New York and the assisted suicide nightmare unfolding in Canada is Governor Hochul.”

    According to the AP article, Sen. George Borrello, a Republican, voiced similar concern: “We should not be in the business of state-authorized suicide.”

    The legislation, introduced nearly a decade ago, has long faced resistance. As CatholicVote previously reported, the state Assembly passed the bill April 29 amid intense debate. If Hochul signs it, New York would join 11 other states and Washington, DC, in allowing some form of medically assisted suicide.

    LifeNews Note: Joshua Mercer writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.

    The post Catholic Bishops Condemn Passage of New York Bill Legalizing Assisted Suicide appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/catholic-bishops-condemn-passage-of-new-york-bill-legalizing-assisted-suicide/
  32. Site: Zero Hedge
    Trump Says China Deal "Done" With 55% Tariffs On Beijing; Will Work With Xi To Open Up China To US Trade
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Trump Says China Deal "Done" With 55% Tariffs On Beijing; Will Work With Xi To Open Up China To US Trade

    China and the US have agreed to “a done deal” that includes rare earth exports from China and Chinese students attending colleges in the US, President Trump said on Wednesday, pointing to a potential breakthrough aimed at cooling trade tensions that had been reignited by mutual accusations of deal violations.

    “Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me,” Trump posted on Truth Social, as the negotiating teams from the two countries concluded talks in London from the past two days.

    “Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!).

    “We are getting a total of 55 per cent tariffs, China is getting 10 per cent. Relationship is excellent! Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

    Trump’s comments on Wednesday come a day after the US and China reached an agreement in London on implementing the terms of their tariff truce. 

    But, as Bloomberg notes, Trump's remarks included terms negotiators did not lay out, such as the immediate supply of critical minerals by China. He also said the US tariff rate would be a “total” of 55% — though the precise rate was not clear. 

    That figure includes a 10% baseline duty, a 20% charge tied to fentanyl trafficking and roughly 25% from preexisting levies from Trump’s first term as well as most favored nation rates, according to a White House official. 

    In a follow up post, Trump added to the readout, saying that "President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!"

    American and Chinese officials concluded marathon negotiations on Tuesday, agreeing to revive the flow of sensitive goods, such as critical minerals, and implement the terms of last month’s deal in Geneva, which saw both sides lower tariffs. That deal included a 90-day pause on very high tariffs both nations implemented on each others’ imports that amounted to a de facto trade embargo. It’s unclear whether that deadline, which expires in August, remains in effect.

    Trump’s latest post followed a rocky stretch in bilateral ties, marked by a fraying trust between the world’s two largest economies. But a phone call between Xi Jinping and Trump last week helped fuel a sense of cautious optimism ahead of the London talks.  The two negotiating teams finished their latest round of talks by announcing they had agreed “in principle” to a “framework” that each side would bring home for review by their respective leaders, as the world’s two biggest economies attempt to get their trade-war ceasefire deal signed in Geneva last month back on track.

    In an official statement released by Xinhua on Wednesday afternoon, Beijing said the two sides “made new progress in addressing each other’s economic and trade concerns” during the “candid and in-depth” dialogue.

    Vice-Premier He Lifeng, who led the Chinese delegation, said that “China does not want a trade war, but it is not afraid of one”, according to the statement.

    “The two sides should resolve economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation. China is sincere in economic and trade consultations, but it also has its principles,” He was quoted as saying.

    In London, China’s delegation was led by Vice-Premier He Lifeng. Lutnick, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer led the US side in what was described as “the first meeting of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism”.

    “The two largest economies in the world have reached a handshake for a framework,” said US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who was with the US delegation.

    Unlike the first round of trade talks last month in Geneva, neither side immediately published official statements following the meetings this time.

    In mid-May, both sides agreed in Switzerland to roll back the tariffs imposed this year. US tariffs on Chinese goods were reduced to 30 per cent from 145 per cent, while Chinese tariffs on US imports were lowered to 10 per cent, for 90 days. Analysts had earlier estimated that the effective US tariff was about 20 per cent at end of last year, bringing the total effective rate to about 50 per cent, excluding some sectoral tariffs.

    Tensions escalated dramatically in the days leading up to last week’s presidential phone call, with both sides accusing each other of violating the 90-day trade truce they had agreed to in Geneva. On the call, just days ahead of the London talks, Xi and Trump agreed to push forward with negotiations aimed at resolving their ongoing economic disputes.

    Since last month, the US said it would block and revoke visas for Chinese students, particularly “those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields”, according to the US Department of State.

    China’s recent export restrictions on crucial rare earth elements through tighter licensing and curbs also rattled sectors across the globe as China dominates the supply chain.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 09:20
    https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/trump-says-china-deal-done-55-tariffs-beijing-will-work-xi-open-china-us-trade
  33. Site: Zero Hedge
    Oil Rises As Trump Says He's 'Less Confident' About Nuclear Talks With Iran
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Oil Rises As Trump Says He's 'Less Confident' About Nuclear Talks With Iran

    The NY Post has published a new Trump interview focused on apparently stalled Iran nuclear deal efforts which resulted in a surge in oil prices.

    The President said in the interview he's getting "less confident" about ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran, soon after which oil rose as well as benchmark treasury yields and gold, as investors weigh the possibility of US-Iran nuclear talks falling apart.

    Trump was asked whether he thinks the Islamic Republic will agree to shut down its nuclear program. "I don’t know. I did think so, and I’m getting more and more — less confident about it," he responded.

    "They seem to be delaying, and I think that’s a shame, but I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago," Trump continued. "Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made."

    Then the question was raised by the Post, "what happens then?" To which Trump responded:

    “Well, if they don’t make a deal, they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump answered. “If they do make a deal, they’re not going have a nuclear weapon, too, you know? But they’re not going a have a new nuclear weapon, so it’s not going to matter from that standpoint.

    “But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying, it’s so much nicer to do it. But I don’t think I see the same level of enthusiasm for them to make a deal. I think they would make a mistake, but we’ll see. I guess time will tell.”

    On the question of China's influence on Tehran, Trump described, "I just think maybe they don’t want to make a deal. What can I say?” he said. “And maybe they do. So what does that mean? There’s nothing final."

    Via AFP

    On Tuesday Trump acknowledged in a Fox News interview that Iran is becoming "much more aggressive" in these negotiations. And the day prior he had told reporters that the Iranians are "tough negotiators" and sought to clarify that he would not allow Tehran to enrich uranium on its soil, after some recent contradictory reports suggested the White House had backed off this demand.

    Washington is awaiting a formal response from the Islamic Republic, which is expected to submit a counter-proposal in the coming days, just ahead of an expected sixth round of indirect talks with the US in Muscat, Oman, slated for Sunday, June 15.

    * * * 

    More geopolitical headlines via Newsquawk:

    • Iranian Foreign Minister "As we resume talks on Sunday, it is clear that an agreement that can ensure the continued peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is within reach—and could be achieved rapidly.". Thereafter, US President Trump is less confident about the Iran deal, according to a New York Post podcast interview.
    • Iranian Foreign Minister says "Trump's position on Iran's possession of nuclear weapons could form the basis of the agreement ", according to Al Arabiya.
    • US Secretary of State Rubio said the US condemns sanctions imposed by the governments of the UK, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. Rubio also stated that Israel sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war, while he added that the US urges a reversal of the sanctions.
    • "Iran's Defense Minister warns on US officials' threats of conflict should negotiations falter: We hope for successful talks, but if conflict is imposed on us, Iran will respond decisively, targeting all US bases in host countries.", via Journalist Aslani.
    • "Iran successfully tested a missile equipped with a two-ton warhead last week", according to Iran International citing the Iranian Defense Minister.
    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 09:00
    https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/oil-rises-trump-says-hes-less-confident-about-nuclear-talks-iran
  34. Site: Ron Paul Institute - Featured Articles
    Today Is the Anniversary of JFK’s Declaration of War
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Jacob G. Hornberger

    June 10, is the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s declaration of war against the national-security branch of the U.S. government. To be sure, he didn’t call it that. He simply was delivering a speech at the June 10, 1963, commencement exercises at American University. The speech has gone down in history simply as JFK’s “Peace Speech,” but in essence it was a declaration of war against the Pentagon, the CIA, and the NSA.

    JFK delivered his speech at the height of the Cold War, the period of time in which the United States was supposedly gravely threatened by a worldwide communist conspiracy that was supposedly based in Moscow, Russia. The communists were coming to get us, U.S. officials said. There could never be either a negotiated peace or peaceful co-existence with the communist world, they claimed. This had to be a war to the finish.

    The Cold War sometimes turned hot. There was the Korean War in the early 1950s, when the U.S. government intervened to protect the right of South Korea to secede from the rest of the nation rather than being forced to be part of a communist nation. By June 1963, thousands of U.S. military advisors were in Vietnam for the same reason.

    The irony is that Russia’s communist regime had just recently been America’s ally and partner in World War II. The two nations had worked together to defeat Nazi Germany. But as soon as the war was over, U.S. officials told the American people that they could not rest because they now faced a new official enemy that was arguably more dangerous and threatening than Hitler and the Nazis. That new foe was Soviet Russia, communism, and the Reds.

    In fact, that was the justification for converting America’s federal governmental structure from a limited-government republic to a national-security state, one in which a major part of the U.S. government acquired omnipotent, totalitarian-like powers, including the power of state-sponsored assassinations.

    When JFK became president, he was pretty much a standard Cold Warrior, one who had bought the official line about how the United States was in grave danger of being taken over by the Reds. That was why he approved the CIA’s plan to use CIA-trained Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and oust the communist regime that had taken over the island. Like other Cold Warriors, Kennedy was convinced that a communist regime 90 miles away from American shores proved that the communist threat was getting ever closer to the United States.

    After the U.S. failure at the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy realized that he had been hoodwinked by the CIA, which had assured Kennedy that the invasion could succeed without U.S. support. It was a lie. The CIA figured that Kennedy would have no choice but to provide the support once the operation was in danger of going down to defeat. Kennedy was livid and vowed to dismantle the agency. By the same token, the CIA was equally livid, convinced that Kennedy was a coward, an incompetent, and a traitor.

    After the Bay of Pigs disaster, tensions with the Pentagon began increasing. Convinced that a communist regime in Cuba posed a grave risk to the United States, the Pentagon began pressuring Kennedy to initiate a full-scale invasion of the island. At the same time, convinced that the Reds were expanding in Southeast Asia, the Pentagon pressured Kennedy into sending thousands of troops into Vietnam.

    Kennedy’s settlement of the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the antipathy of the U.S. military establishment toward Kennedy to the surface, especially since the settlement assured the Russians that there would no longer be any more U.S. invasions of Cuba. That meant that Cuba would now permanently serve as a grave threat to U.S. “national security.” The Joint Chiefs of Staff considered the settlement to be among the worst defeats in U.S. history. They compared the settlement to Neville Chamberlain’s capitulation to Hitler at Nuremberg. Like the CIA, they were convinced that Kennedy’s cowardice, incompetence, and treason posed a grave threat to “national security.”

    For his part, it was after the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world came to the brink of nuclear war, that Kennedy achieved a monumental “breakthrough.” He came to the realization that the Cold War was nothing more than one great big racket. He decided to move America in a totally different direction than the one that the national-security branch was leading America. Kennedy’s vision consisted of ending the Cold War and establishing peaceful and friendly relations with Russia and the rest of the communist world. That vision, needless to say, was anathema to the U.S. national-security establishment.

    JFK set forth his vision for America in his Peace Speech at American University. It was essentially a declaration of war against the national-security branch of the federal government and its vision entailing a permanent Cold War, periodic hot wars, and, of course, ever-increasing budgets for the military-industrial complex.

    The war between the executive branch and the national-security branch of the federal government was on. Over the fierce objections of the national-security establishment, Kennedy entered into a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the Russians. He endorsed the idea of a joint trip to the moon, which, of course, would have meant sharing rocket technology with the Reds. He ordered a withdrawal of troops from Vietnam. On the day he was assassinated, he had a secret emissary having lunch with Fidel Castro.

    But Kennedy would discover what Chile’s democratically elected president Salvador Allende would discover ten years later. In a war between the executive branch and the national-security branch of a government, the former is no match for the latter. Both Kennedy and Allende would discover that truth on two fateful days in the histories of their two nations: November 22, 1963, and September 11, 1973, when both presidents ended up dead.

    Reprinted with permission from Future of Freedom Foundation.

    https://ronpaulinstitute.org/today-is-the-anniversary-of-jfks-declaration-of-war/
  35. Site: Zero Hedge
    Everything Soars Higher As Rate-Cut Odds Jump After CPI 'Miss'
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Everything Soars Higher As Rate-Cut Odds Jump After CPI 'Miss'

    A 'disappointing' CPI print (cooler than expected) has promoted a surge higher in the market's expectation for rate-cut...

    Source: Bloomberg

    Prompting a surge higher in EVERYTHING.

    Stocks spiked...

    Treasuries were aggressively bid with 10Y yields sdown 5bps...

    Source: Bloomberg

    The dollar fell...

    Source: Bloomberg

    Helping gold to accelerate...

    Source: Bloomberg

    Goldman said that this would be a materially dovish print (<0.25% MoM for Core CPI) would prompt the bond market to add back at least 2x 25bp rate cuts (it already has) and for Equities to react positively (up 2-2.5%) to the bull steepening that likely ensues.

    What excuse will Powell come up with next to NOT cut?

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 08:52
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/everything-soars-higher-rate-cut-odds-jump-after-cpi-miss
  36. Site: LifeNews
    House Panel Approves Bill to Stop Putting Pro-Life Americans in Prison
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Elise DeGeeter

    The House Judiciary Committee voted 13-10 Tuesday to advance legislation that would repeal the controversial Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a law which has been disproportionately weaponized to jail peaceful pro-life activists.

    Rep. Chip Roy, R-TX, who introduced HR 589 in January, urged the committee to put an end to what he called politically motivated prosecutions ahead of Tuesday’s vote.

    “The politicized nature of these prosecutions cannot be ignored,” Roy said. “HR 589 eliminates the possibility that everyday Americans can face felony convictions for peaceful acts such as sidewalk counseling or signing hymns. Passage of this bill is a crucial and necessary step.”

    “Having a statute such as this in place is begging for it to be politicized,” Roy continued. “It was politicized, and Americans have been put in prison as a result of their beliefs. And it should not remain in place.”

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    Originally enacted in 1994, the FACE Act criminalizes interference with access to abortion clinics. But as CatholicVote previously reported, 97% of FACE Act prosecutions have targeted pro-life individuals — many for nonviolent protests, including prayer outside abortion facilities.

    CatholicVote Director of Government Affairs Tom McClusky praised the committee’s action Tuesday.

    “When the FACE Act was first passed in the ‘90s, both Democratic and Republican administrations avoided using it, questioning its constitutionality,” McClusky said. “It wasn’t until Barack Obama started using it to attack pro-lifers, and then Joe Biden’s Justice Department ultra-weaponized it, that a growing consensus realized that the FACE Act needed to go, as well over 90% of its targets were peaceful pro-lifers.”

    “Rep. Chip Roy has been the champion of repeal — and it is past time the whole House votes to rid ourselves of this ugly weapon,” he concluded.

    In January, President Donald Trump pardoned nearly two dozen pro-lifers unjustly prosecuted under the FACT Act by the Biden administration Department of Justice (DOJ). Some individuals faced several years in prison for peaceful protesting and sidewalk counseling.

    Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, a coalition of major pro-life groups — including CatholicVote — sent a letter to the Judiciary Committee voicing strong support for repeal.

    “Repealing the FACE Act in its entirety is an excellent step in ensuring that never again will pro-life activists have the FBI knock on their front door simply for standing up for the most vulnerable in society,” the letter stated.

    The bill now heads to the House floor for a full vote.

    LifeNews Note: Elise DeGeeter writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.

    The post House Panel Approves Bill to Stop Putting Pro-Life Americans in Prison appeared first on LifeNews.com.

    https://www.lifenews.com/2025/06/11/house-panel-approves-bill-to-stop-putting-pro-life-americans-in-prison/
  37. Site: Zero Hedge
    Fearmongering Pundits Disappointed AGAIN As Consumer Prices Refuse To Surge On Trump Tariffs
    3 days 12 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Fearmongering Pundits Disappointed AGAIN As Consumer Prices Refuse To Surge On Trump Tariffs

    In what is reportedly the first real test of the tariff terror pass-through impact on the average American, today's CPI print was expected to rise modestly following survey after survey suggesting the fecal matter is about to strike the rotating object... just like every mainstream media economist warned.

    Higher Prices

    • ISM Manufacturing prices expanded to 69.8, the highest since June 2022.

    • ISM Services ticked up to 65.1 in April, the highest since January 2023.

    • S&P Global US Manufacturing firms increased their output prices by the greatest degree since early 2023.

    • S&P Global US Services prices advanced.

    • Richmond Fed manufacturing showed prices received rose to 2.65 from 2.34 in March.

    • New York Fed manufacturing prices received edged up to 28.7 from 22.4 in March.

    • Philadelphia Fed manufacturing report showed prices received gained to 30.7 compared to 29.8 in March.

    • Kansas City Fed manufacturing prices received surged to 29, up from 15 in March.

    • Kansas City Fed non-manufacturing showed selling prices rose in April.

    • Dallas Fed manufacturing outlook report showed prices received for finished goods advanced to 14.9, up from 6.3 in March.

    • Dallas Fed services selling prices rose to 8.4 from 5.2 in the prior month.

    • Chicago PMI showed prices expanded at a faster pace in April.

    So what did we get?

    A nothingburger... again... as headline and core CPI both printed below expectations.

    Headline CPI rose just 0.1% MoM in May (+0.2% MoM exp), inching higher to +2.4% YoY (from +2.3% YoY in April)...

    Source: Bloomberg

    Energy deflation dominated the headline CPI...

    Source: Bloomberg

    • CPI increased 0.1% MoM after rising 0.2 percent in April; Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1% in May, following a 0.2% increase in April.

      • The index for shelter rose 0.3% in May and was the primary factor in the all items monthly increase. The food index increased 0.3% as both of its major components, the index for food at home and the index for food away from home also rose 0.3% in May.

      • In contrast, the energy index declined 1.0% in May as the gasoline index fell over the month.

      • Indexes that increased over the month include medical care, motor vehicle insurance, household furnishings and operations, personal care, and education.

      • The indexes for airline fares, used cars and trucks, new vehicles, and apparel were among the major indexes that decreased in May.

    • CPI rose 2.4% for the 12 months ending May, after rising 2.3% in April. The all items less food and energy index rose 2.8% over the last 12 months. The energy index decreased 3.5% for the 12 months ending May. The food index increased 2.9% over the last year.

    Core CPI was even more disappointing for the average PhD pundit as it rose 0.1% MoM (well below the +0.3% MoM expected), flat with April's +2.8% YoY - the lowest since March 2021...

    Source: Bloomberg

    Goods prices deflated...

    Source: Bloomberg

    Some more details on core CPI which rose 0.1% in May, following a 0.2% increase in April.

    • The shelter index increased 0.3% over the month.

      • The index for owners’ equivalent rent rose 0.3% in May and the index for rent increased 0.2 percent.

      • The lodging away from home index fell 0.1% in May.

    • The medical care index increased 0.3% over the month, following a 0.5% increase in April.

      • The index for hospital services increased 0.4% in May and the index for prescription drugs rose 0.6%.

      • The physicians’ services index fell 0.3% over the month.

    • The motor vehicle insurance index rose 0.7% in May, after rising 0.6% in April.

    • The index for household furnishings and operations increased 0.3% over the month.

    • The personal care index increased 0.5% in May, and the education index rose 0.3%.

    • In contrast, the index for airline fares fell 2.7% in May, after declining 2.8% in April.

    • The used cars and trucks index fell 0.5% over the month, and the new vehicles index (-0.3%) and apparel index (-0.4%) also declined.

    Shelter inflation keeps falling...

    • May Rent inflation 3.81% YoY, down from 3.98% in April, lowest since Jan 2022.

    • May Shelter inflation 3.86% YoY, down from 3.99% in April, lowest since Nov 2021

    On a YoY basis, Services cost price increases continue to slow while Goods prices accelerate very (very) modestly...

    Source: Bloomberg

    So, we guess we will just have to wait for NEXT MONTH to see the hyperinflationary hellscape that so many TV pundits told us would occur after Trump's terror tariffs were imposed.

    Every month https://t.co/pbD9Cc3Wml

    — zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 11, 2025

    Cue the excuse factory... just wait until next month...

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 08:41
    https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/fearmongering-pundits-disappointed-again-consumer-prices-refuse-surge-trump-tariffs
  38. Site: AsiaNews.it
    Weekly audience: Pope Leo XIV says, 'there is no cry that God does not hear'
    3 days 13 hours ago
    The pope met with about 40,000 people in St Peter's Square. Continuing the Jubilee catechesis on the theme "Jesus Christ our hope", he commented on the episode of the healing of blind Bartimaeus in Jericho, saying that, 'we must never give up hope, even when we feel lost.' The pontiff also offered his prayers for the victims of the mass shooting in a school in Graz, Austria. This morning he met with AntónioGuterres, UN Secretary-General.
    https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Weekly-audience%3A-Pope-Leo-XIV-says%2C-%26lsquo%3Bthere-is-no-cry-that-God-does-not-hear%26rsquo%3B-63274.html
  39. Site: Zero Hedge
    Futures Drop After US-China Trade Talks Fall Flat, CPI Looms
    3 days 13 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Futures Drop After US-China Trade Talks Fall Flat, CPI Looms

    US equity futures dropped into today's CPI print after traders weren't moved by the US-China trade talks, which saw the two two sides agree on a framework to implement last month’s Geneva deal with few actual details.  There’s also nervousness ahead of inflation data: a hot reading would be a big risk factor for a market near record highs (see full preview here). As of 8:00am ET, S&P and Nasdaq 100 futures traded 0.2% lower but were off session lows; pre-market Mag7 names are mostly higher with TSLA (+2%) the standout after a contrite Elon Muskusk tweeted "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far." Semis and Cyclicals are poised to outperform. In other trade news, US/Mexico were close to a deal on steel tariffs by using import caps, which would be higher than the previous cap, and would remove the 50% tariff on steel below said cap; this looks like a reversion to 2018 levels and may be a template for talks with Canada. The G7 summit will carry additional weight as we are a month away the expiration of the 90-day tariff delay, with only a US/UK framework on the tape. Elsewhere, the EU is said to see talks with the US going beyond a July 9 deadline. The yield curve is twisting steeper with 10Y yields higher, the USD is slightly higher and commodities rise with crude and gold higher after Trump told the NY Post that he’s getting “less confident” about nuclear talks with Iran; natgas and base metals also rallied with Ags are down. The key event today is the CPI report at 8:30am ET where economists expect a relatively tame number, with core inflation up 0.3% in May. Positioning suggests a hotter print will be punished more than a dovish one will be rewarded, according to JPMorgan.

    In premarket trading, Tesla rose over 2% in, outperforming Magnificent 7 counterparts after Elon Musk expressed regret over his recent social-media outburst directed at Trump.

    I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.

    — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025

    Other Mag7 moves: Alphabet -0.1%, Microsoft -0.4%, Apple little changed, Nvidia little changed, Amazon -0.4%, Meta Platforms -0.3%. Steel stocks fell as the US and Mexico close in on a deal that would remove 50% tariffs on steel imports up to a certain volume — seen to erode the advantage US steelmakers would have benefited from if imports from Mexico faced higher rates. (Cleveland-Cliffs drops 5%, Nucor -3%, Steel Dynamics -1.6%). Here are some other notable movers:

    • Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) drops 5%, Nucor (NUE) -3%, Steel Dynamics (STLD) -1.6%
    • American Superconductor (AMSC) falls 16% after the grid systems provider was said to offer shares at a discount.
    • Chewy Inc. (CHWY) falls 6% after the pet food company posted first quarter results.
    • Dave & Buster’s (PLAY) gains 6% after commentary that sales are improving reassured analysts, even as the restaurant and entertainment company’s first-quarter results came in lighter than expected.
    • Etsy (ETSY) falls 3% after the online marketplace announced a proposed private offering of $650 million of convertible senior notes
    • GameStop (GME) declines 5% after the video-game retailer posted a 17% decrease in 1Q net sales.
    • Getty Images (GETY) jumps 5% after Shutterstock shareholders approved their merger agreement. Shutterstock (SSTK) gains 5%.
    • Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) slips 2% after the Air Force has cut in half its request to Congress for its signature F-35s, dealing a blow to the top US defense contractor.

    Tuesday’s thinly detailed outcome of the Trump administration’s trade talks with China in London left traders and investors underwhelmed. Markets were watching whether the world’s top two economies could damp down tensions that economists say have tipped the global economy into a downturn. After some 20 hours of negotiations, US officials said both sides had established a framework to revive the flow of sensitive goods, even though the plan still needs sign-off from Trump and Xi Jinping.

    “A preliminary agreement doesn’t fill me with enthusiasm in terms of this being resolved,” Guy Miller, chief market strategist at Zurich Insurance Co., told Bloomberg TV. “This is going to continue to be pushed down the line.”

    On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted that the "deal with China is done" and that "we are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%."

    In other trade news, a Federal Court of Appeals extended an earlier, short-term reprieve for the administration as it presses a challenge to a lower court ruling last month that blocked tariffs. Steel stocks are trading lower after Bloomberg reported the US and Mexico are closing in on a deal that would remove 50% tariffs on steel imports up to a certain volume.

    Trade (non) deal aside, CPI is top of mind today. Economists expect a relatively tame number, with core inflation up 0.3% in May. Positioning suggests a hotter print will be punished more than a dovish one will be rewarded, according to JPMorgan (full CPI preview here). Economists expect a modest impact from tariff pass-through for goods that are mostly imported. They see inflation rising 0.3% from April after increasing 0.2% the previous month, excluding the volatile food and energy categories. The core CPI, which is regarded as a better indicator of underlying inflation, is seen accelerating for the first time this year — to 2.9% — on an annual basis.

    The CPI report, along with producer price data due Thursday, will offer Federal Reserve officials a final look at inflation and the impact of high tariffs before they gather next week Traders are increasingly betting that policymakers will cut rates only once this year.

    “It is not expected to be market-moving for now but that could increase the scope for an impact from a big surprise,” said Geoff Yu, FX and macro strategist at Bank of New York Mellon Corp. “We expect a more data-driven session as some repositioning is needed ahead of a key central bank week.”

    Investors have been shifting to under-owned, riskier pockets of the market like small caps and high-beta stocks, with Nomura strategist Charlie McElligott citing a “right-tail” risk. Nasdaq has led the recent US equity gains, while technicals are becoming tricky with RSI and MACD indicators showing a bearish divergence.

    Global stocks are likely to rally another 3% into the end of the year, while in Europe, there’s scope for corporate earnings to see more upgrades, according to Citigroup.

    Concerns about a ballooning US budget deficit and demand for long-end bonds have caused the yield on 30-year Treasuries to spike in recent weeks. A downgrade of US sovereign debt by Moody’s Ratings last month has prompted Hong Kong pension fund managers to form a preliminary plan to sell down their holdings if the US loses its last recognized top credit rating, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.

    In Europe, the Stoxx 600 is flat as banking and basic resources lead stocks, while the retail sector is the biggest laggard, with Inditex SA falling 6.4% after Zara owner’s sales missed estimates. Here are the most notable European movers: 

    • Bayer shares rise as much as 2.8% to their highest value since October as HSBC and Kepler Cheuvreux upgrade the German pharmaceutical and chemicals company to buy from hold.
    • Demant shares rise as much as 4%, to the highest since Jan. 31, after the Danish company agreed to acquire hearing-aid retailer KIND Group for €700m, or around DKK5.2b, on a cash and debt-free basis.
    • Quilter advances as much as 4.9%, as UBS upgrades the wealth management firm to buy from neutral and sets a Street-high target on greater conviction of a recovery in flows.
    • Assura shares rise as much as 2.5% after KKR and Stonepeak made their best and final offer for the healthcare property group.
    • European mining shares are among the best-performing sectors in the Stoxx 600 benchmark, as iron ore and base metals gain after the US and China agreed to a preliminary plan to ease trade tensions.
    • Inditex shares drop as much as 6.4%, the day’s worst-performer in the Stoxx 600 Index, after the Spanish retailer reported a muted start to the second quarter and warned that foreign-exchange headwinds could have a large impact on results this year.
    • Fuller Smith & Turner shares slip as much as 2.2% after the pub and hotel operator issued a trading update. Peel Hunt downgraded the stock, noting that growth in the group’s like-for-like sales eased slightly in the first weeks of fiscal year 2026, after a “strong year.”
    • Deutsche Boerse shares drop as much as 2.8% to trade at a six-week low after being downgraded by UBS, with analysts arguing there is limited room for further consensus upgrades or multiple expansion.
    • Ibstock shares plunge as much as 18%, the most since 2016, after analysts warned the building materials supplier’s higher costs and lower pricing has led to a weaker earnings outlook for this year.
    • Technoprobe shares drop as much as 8.6% to €6.9, after the Italian chipmaker’s main shareholder T-Plus announced the sale of a 1.53% stake at a price of €7 per share.
    • GlobalData shares fall as much as 17%, the most since January 2009, after the analytics firm announced that it has terminated discussions with private equity firm ICG over its possible cash offer.

    Asian stocks rose, with sentiment lifted by a preliminary deal between the US and China to de-escalate trade tensions. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose as much as 0.4%, on track for a third day of gains. Chip stocks provided the biggest boost after TSMC posted a 40% increase in May revenue, in a sign of resilient AI demand. Most regional gauges were in the green. Chinese equities led gains in the region, with the onshore benchmark CSI 300 Index climbing 0.8%, the most in nearly a month. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index gained as much as 1.4%. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.2%, capping a sixth-straight daily advance. Risk-on trades got a lift after negotiators from the world’s two largest economies said they had agreed on a framework on how to implement the consensus reached in their prior round of discussions. Officials at the talks in London are expected to take the latest proposal back to their respective leaders in Washington and Beijing.

    In FX, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is little changed. The euro and Swiss franc are the best performing G-10 currencies, rising 0.2% each. The kiwi is the laggard with a 0.2% fall.

    In rates, treasuries decline ahead of CPI data, following a bigger drop for UK gilts, where focus is on fiscal policy ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spending review. US session includes May CPI data and 10-year note auction.  US yields are 1bp-4bp cheaper across a steeper curve, with 2s10s and 5s30s spreads unwinding most of Tuesday’s flattening move. 10-year near 4.50% is ~3bp cheaper on the day; German counterpart is comparable; Gilts lead a selloff in European government bonds, pushing UK 10-year yields up ~6 bps to 4.60%. Bunds pare declines after solid demand at a 10-year auction. 

    In commodities, spot gold climbs $14 to around $3,337/oz. Oil prices swing, with WTI now up 0.9% to around $65.50. 

    Bitcoin finds itself in the red this morning, specifics for the space light after a handful of equity-related updates for the complex overnight.

    To the day ahead now, and as we previewed earlier, look out for the US May CPI release as well as the federal budget balance data. Also worth mentioning that the US 10-yr treasury auction will be held. We’ll also get the Canada April building permits. In terms of central bank speakers, we’ll hear the ECB’s Lane and Cipollone speak. Earnings include Oracle and Inditex

    Top Overnight News

    • The US and China agreed on the outlines of a plan to revive the flow of sensitive goods. Howard Lutnick said Beijing pledged to speed up rare earth metal shipments, while Washington would ease some export controls. The agreement still needs approval from Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. BBG
    • Los Angeles Mayor said they declared a local emergency and a curfew for Downtown Los Angeles from 8pm-6am which is expected to last several days.
    • Tesla (TSLA) CEO Musk posts "I regret some of my posts about President Trump last week. They went too far."
    • The US Court of Appeals Tues night ruled that Trump’s IEEPA tariffs (which includes the 10% baseline, the suspended reciprocal tariffs, and the fentanyl tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China) will stay in place for the duration of the appeals process, but with the case expedited with oral arguments scheduled for Jul 31. Court of Appeals
    • EU hopes to have a tentative framework agreement in place by the Jul 9 reciprocal tariff suspension deadline, but warns that a full deal will require more time. BBG
    • The US and Mexico are closing in on a deal that would remove President Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on steel imports up to a certain volume, according to people familiar with the matter, a revamp of a similar deal between the trade partners during his first term. BBG
    • Oil rose after Trump told NYP that he’s getting “less confident” about nuclear talks with Iran. Benchmark Treasury yields and gold rose. BBG
    • Senate Republicans back off plans to make changes to Medicare in the reconciliation bill. Politico
    • Tesla set June 22 as a tentative launch date for its robotaxi service. BBG
    • Japan’s PPI cools by more than anticipated, coming in at +3.2% Y/Y (vs. the Street +3.5% and down from +4.1% in Apr). BBG

    Market Snapshot

    • S&P 500 mini -0.1%
    • Nasdaq 100 mini little changed
    • Russell 2000 mini +0.2%
    • Stoxx Europe 600 +0.1%
    • DAX +0.4%
    • CAC 40 +0.4%
    • 10-year Treasury yield +2 basis points at 4.49%
    • VIX little changed at 16.98
    • Bloomberg Dollar Index little changed at 1210.19
    • euro +0.1% at $1.144
    • WTI crude little changed at $65.01/barrel

    Trade/Tariffs

    • US Commerce Secretary Lutnick said they have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the outcome from the leaders' call on June 5th, while he added that they are going to go back and see if US President Trump approves it and if approved, they will implement it. Lutnick noted the idea behind this is to increase trade with China with the framework the first step and they had to get the negativity out. Furthermore, he said they expect the rare earths and magnets issues will be resolved in this framework and he reiterated that they reached a framework to implement the agreements reached.
    • USTR Greer said they are focused on full compliance and don't have another meeting scheduled but added they are in constant contact with China and are moving as quickly as they can. Greer stated that they feel positive about engaging with the Chinese and expect to see progress from China on fentanyl, while he noted it is up to the President whether the deadline gets extended.
    • Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said talks with the US had involved in-depth exchanges and communication had been rational and candid, while the two sides reached a consensus regarding the Geneva meeting. Li added he will report on the framework to leaders and hopes the progress is conducive to increasing the trust between China and the US.
    • Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin says no information to offer on US-China meeting in London.
    • China Vice Premier, on China-US talks in London, says China's stance on trade issues with the US is clear and consistent; China not willing to fight but not afraid to fight; vows to reduce misunderstanding with the US. Both sides should enhance consensus. Both sides should jointly safeguard the hard won outcome from the dialogues. Both sides should maintain communication. Should push for stable and long-term China-US trade and economic ties. China is sincere in trade and economic consolations but has its principle.

    A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newquawk

    APAC stocks were mostly higher amid the recent trade-related optimism stemming from the US-China trade talks in London which have now concluded and where officials reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and outcome from the recent Trump-Xi call. ASX 200 advanced to print a fresh record high in early trade before paring some of the gains amid little fresh catalysts. Nikkei 225 marginally benefitted from recent currency weakness and softer-than-expected PPI data. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp gained following the progress in US-China trade talks, albeit with the upside in the mainland capped given the lack of solid details.

    Top Asian News

    • Hong Kong Financial Secretary Chan said expect equity markets to continue to be strong and the IPO pipeline remains strong.
    • BoJ Governor Ueda said markets' risk adverse moves are subsidising somewhat but uncertainty is very high, according to a cabinet member; Ueda said the BoJ will continue to scrutinise market moves, and its impact on the economy. Told those in the Monthly economic report: that domestic financial conditions remain accommodative

    European bourses are generally marginally firmer, EuroStoxx 50 +0.2%, defying indications for a slightly softer cash open. However, this comes with the exception of the IBEX 35 -0.8%, given marked pressure in Inditex (-3.3%).
    Sectors are mixed with Retail -1.0% the laggard given the above Inditex action. Basic Resources, Tech, Consumer Products & Services all benefit from the US-China updates. Stateside, futures are modestly into the red with subdued trade despite the framework agreement between US-China officials as we now await the response from President's Trump & Xi; ES -0.3%. Attention in the meantime firmly on CPI. NVIDIA (NVDA) CEO Huang says there is an inflection point happening in Quantum computing.

    Top European News

    • ECB and PBoC sign MoU on cooperation in the field of central banking, according to a press release.
    • BoE confirms re-calibration of indexed long-term repo operation.
    • ECB's Vujcic says he's looking for more clarity on the trade front.
    • ECB's Kazaks says it is "quite likely" that 2% inflation will require some further cuts for fine tuning, via Econostream on X; market pricing of one or more cut is not out of the realm of the baseline. May at some point go into accommodative territory. So far, seems the deflationary effect of trade tensions could dominate, but the final outcome is open.
    • ECB's Lane says last week's rate cut will guard against any uncertainty about the Bank's reaction function by showing they are committed to returning inflation to target; conditions today are far more favourable for blue EU bond issuance on prudent scale.
    • UK Foreign Secretary Lammy is reportedly en-route to Brussels to sign off on UK-Spain deal over Gibraltar's post-Brexit future, via Telegraph's Barnes.

    FX

    • DXY has seen a bit of two-way action this morning. Initially contained in the wake of US-China talks before coming under a little bit of pressure and losing 99.0 to the downside as EUR and GBP picked up. Nonetheless, the index remains within yesterday's 98.86-99.39 range.
    • EUR unreactive to ECB officials this morning with macro drivers for the bloc light. Latest ECB wage tracker was hawkish but sparked no move. Given US CPI shortly, the USD-side of the equation will likely dictate the Single Currencies fortunes, currently in Tuesday's 1.1373-1.1447 band.
    • JPY a touch softer, USD/JPY holding above 145 in a 144.66 to 145.24 band. Japanese PPI metrics printed softer-than-expected overnight, which is also adding to the weakness in the JPY. Handful of remarks from Ishiba recently, though no follow through just yet.
    • Cable unable to recoup much of the lost ground seen in the wake of yesterday's soft UK jobs report which sent the pair to a 1.3457 session low. Currently just about in the green against the USD, holding at 1.35.
    • PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1815 vs exp. 7.1801 (Prev. 7.1840).
    • JPMorgan revises USD/CNY target to 7.15 (prev. 7.30), cites moderating tariff risks and de-dollarisation theme, expects "gentle downtrend" to 7.10 by Q2 25.

    Fixed Income

    • Fixed benchmarks pressured across the board. Gilts the underperformer after Tuesday’s session of pronounced gains. Gilts opened softer by a handful of ticks, before extending to current losses of c. 30 ticks; marginal pressure around supply, largely awaiting the Spending Review.
    • Aside from ECB speak, which has not influenced price action, updates for EGBs have been light. Bunds in the red by around 15 ticks, but still higher by around 40 ticks WTD.
    • USTs softer but, compared to the above, are much closer to the unchanged mark. As we await updates from the US and/or China President, CPI and then 10yr supply (3yr passed without impact). Amidst this, yields firmer across the curve which is slightly steeper.
    • UK sells GBP 4.25bln 4.50% 2035 Gilt: b/c 2.98x (prev. 3.13x), average yield 4.588% (prev. 4.673%) & tail 0.3bps (prev. 0.3bps).
    • Germany sells EUR 2.336bln vs exp. EUR 3.0bln 2.50% 2035 Bund: b/c 2.7x (prev. 2.4x), average yield 2.54% (prev. 2.66%) & retention 22.13% (prev. 23.7%).
    • Hong Kong pensions intend to cut USTs if the US loses its AAA grade, via Bloomberg.
    • PIMCO’s fixed income CIO Balls said, on BBG TV, the five to ten year part of the US curve is where you would want to be. Adds, Japan looks like an opportunity. On today’s UK Spending Review, Balls remarked that it should not be a significant market event.

    Commodities

    • Initially, a mild upward tilt across the crude benchmarks after Tuesday's declines. However, the complex returned to earlier lows amid commentary from the Iranian Foreign Minister on the potential for a nuclear agreement this weekend.
    • WTI Jul moved to the bottom of a USD 64.60-65.68/bbl range while Brent Aug sits in a USD 66.47-67.10/bbl parameter on the above; since, the benchmarks have bounced and are now marginally firmer once again. Potentially picking up as Trump says he is less confident about an Iran deal, speaking with the NY Post.
    • Spot gold gradually edges higher but just about remains within yesterday's parameters after recent choppy performance and with US CPI on the horizon.
    • Base metals mixed, copper struggled for direction overnight awaiting US-China developments. Elsewhere, a handful of production updates from Codelco, Collahuasi, Escondida and China also factoring.
    • US Private Inventory Data (bbls): Crude -0.4mln (exp. -2mln), Distillates +3.7mln (exp. +0.8mln), Gasoline +3.0mln (exp. +0.9mln), Cushing -0.7mln.
    • Chinese steel production is expected to decline by 4% in 2025, according to the China Iron and Steel Association.

    Geopolitics

    • Iranian Foreign Minister "As we resume talks on Sunday, it is clear that an agreement that can ensure the continued peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is within reach—and could be achieved rapidly.". Thereafter, US President Trump is less confident about the Iran deal, according to a New York Post podcast interview.
    • Iranian Foreign Minister says "Trump's position on Iran's possession of nuclear weapons could form the basis of the agreement ", according to Al Arabiya.
    • US Secretary of State Rubio said the US condemns sanctions imposed by the governments of the UK, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. Rubio also stated that Israel sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war, while he added that the US urges a reversal of the sanctions.
    • "Iran's Defense Minister warns on US officials' threats of conflict should negotiations falter: We hope for successful talks, but if conflict is imposed on us, Iran will respond decisively, targeting all US bases in host countries.", via Journalist Aslani.
    • "Iran successfully tested a missile equipped with a two-ton warhead last week", according to Iran International citing the Iranian Defence Minister.

    Economic Data 

    • 7:00 am: Jun 6 MBA Mortgage Applications 12.5%, prior -3.9%
    • 8:30 am: May CPI MoM, est. 0.2%, prior 0.2%
    • 8:30 am: May CPI Ex Food and Energy MoM, est. 0.3%, prior 0.2%
    • 8:30 am: May CPI YoY, est. 2.4%, prior 2.3%
    • 8:30 am: May CPI Ex Food and Energy YoY, est. 2.9%, prior 2.8%
    • 2:00 pm: May Federal Budget Balance, est. -314b, prior -347.13b

    DB's Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap

    I have a dark secret I'm holding onto at the moment. It's my birthday tomorrow and over the weekend our family photo stream had pictures of one of my presents. My wife is not as tech savvy as she could be. A voucher for a round with Rory Mcllroy? No sadly, but instead a portrait for my office (I assume) of our dog Brontë swinging a golf club dressed in plus fours. It's very amusing and cute. I will show surprise and gratitude tomorrow. If I do a WFH webinar again no doubt I'll show you all and you can smile or shake your head with horror. 

    Overnight, US and Chinese negotiators have said they've agreed on a framework of how to implement the agreement reached at talks in Geneva last month. The main details came from Commerce Secretary Lutnick, who said that “We do absolutely expect that the topic of rare earth minerals and magnets” will be resolved and that export controls implemented by the US should come down as China approves relevant export licenses. China’s trade representative Li Chenggang said that the US and Chinese delegations will now take the proposal back to their respective leaders, with Lutnick noting that “once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it”. At the same time, there was no evidence of progress on topics such as the fentanyl-related 20% tariffs on China that the US has implemented since February. So while the mood music has stayed positive, investors may be wary of the pattern that emerged during the previous US-China trade talks in 2018-19, when apparently constructive in person meetings seemed to take a step back as the negotiating teams returned to their capitals. So there's perhaps a little disappointment this morning that we haven't yet got a bigger announcement, even though there's time to hear the full conclusions of the meeting. 

    In other trade news last night, the US Court of Appeals extended its temporary reprieve for the administration’s tariffs that had been blocked by the US Court of International Trade in late May, as it scheduled arguments in the case for July 31. So that leaves wide-ranging tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in place, while confirming that the legal uncertainty over their use will remain unresolved until well after the July 9 deadline for the reciprocal tariff delay. Separately, Bloomberg reported yesterday that the US and Mexico are close to a deal that would remove 50% of steel imports from Mexico up to a certain quota, adding to the sense that sectoral tariffs are up for negotiation in US talks with trading partners.

    Turning to yesterday’s market moves, given the focus on export controls that have affected chips and rare earth metals, and the hope the restrictions would be eased, semiconductor and technology stocks benefited, helping to lift US equities more broadly. For instance, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Stock Exchange (+2.06%) continued to rally on the hope for a positive outcome, advancing for the third consecutive day. Similarly, the Mag-7 also advanced +1.29% thanks to Tesla’s (+5.67%) continued recovery as well as decent gains for Alphabet (+1.43%) and Meta (+1.20%). And chipmaker TSMC was up +3.98% after the company reported monthly sales that climbed +39.6% in May.

    Another notable story yesterday was a Bloomberg report that Treasury Secretary Bessent was being considered as a potential successor to Powell as Fed Chair. However, the report acknowledged that formal interviews for the role have not yet begun, and later in the day the White House denied that Bessent was a contender for the Fed job. The story follows comments by Trump last Friday that the decision on the next Fed Chair may be “coming out very soon” and yesterday our US economists published a note with initial thoughts on the topic of Powell’s replacement.

    Looking forward, the focus will now turn back to inflation, with the May CPI results coming out later. Our US economists have a full preview here, and their view is that weak seasonally adjusted gas prices should continue to keep monthly headline CPI (+0.20% expected) below core inflation (+0.31% expected). A critical thing to look out for will also be the tariff pass-through, so they’ll be focusing on core goods prices, especially in categories like household furnishings and supplies categories, which saw some preliminary impact in the April data. Bear in mind that even with the 90-day tariff extension, the baseline 10% tariffs have still been in place for the entire month, and the reduction in the China tariffs from 145% to 30% wasn’t announced until May 12, so there were plenty of tariffs in place in May.

    Speaking of inflation, there were fresh signs of inflationary pressure from the NFIB’s small business optimism index. In particular, a net 31% said they were planning to raise average selling prices, the highest share in over a year. But there was some brighter news, as the headline index showed that for the first time in 2025, small business had grown more optimistic, with the headline gauge up to 98.8 in May (vs. 96.0 expected), and up from 95.8 the previous month. So that points to a rebound in sentiment as the administration have dialled back tariffs in recent weeks.

    Ahead of the CPI print, US Treasuries were pretty stable yesterday with an ongoing flattening of the curve. For instance, the 2yr yield (+1.6bps) moved up to 4.02%, whilst the 10yr yield (-0.4bps) fell to 4.47%, marking the flattest level of the 2s10s slope in two months. Those modest moves came amid an uneventful 3yr auction that saw $58bn of notes issued +0.4bps above the pre-sale yield. This will be followed by a 10yr auction today, and then a 30yr auction tomorrow, which will be an important focal point given recent fiscal fears.

    Over in Europe, the latest UK labour market data pointed to growing weakness in Q2. In particular, the number of payrolled employees was down -109k in May (vs. -20k expected). Moreover, average weekly earnings growth fell to +5.3% in the three months ending April (vs. +5.5% expected). So that led investors to dial up the likelihood of rate cuts by the Bank of England, with the probability of a rate cut by the August meeting up to 81%. In turn, that meant gilts outperformed their European counterparts, with the 10yr yield falling -9.0bps. By contrast, there were smaller moves elsewhere, including for 10yr bunds (-4.1bps), OATs (-3.7bps) and BTPs (-5.1bps). The latest move also means the 10yr Italian-German spread edged down again to just 91.3bps, the tightest since February 2021.

    European equities saw a mixed performance, with the STOXX 600 little changed (-0.02%). Defence stocks saw some pullback after their strong performance so far this year, with Rheinmetall (-5.80%), BAE Systems (-2.63%) and Thales (-3.63%) dragging European markets down. That left Germany’s DAX (-0.77%) and Italy’s FTSE MIB (-0.65%) underperforming for a second day running. On the other hand, France’s CAC (+0.17%) and UK’s FTSE 100 (+0.24%) posted modest gains, with the FTSE having been briefly on track for a record closing high intraday.

    In Asia, the Hang Seng (+0.95%), the CSI (+0.82%), and the Shanghai Composite (+0.54%) are all making gains, supported by hopes for improved trade relations with the US even if S&P (-0.32%) and NASDAQ futures (-0.32%) seem a little disappointed we haven't got more information so far. Elsewhere, the KOSPI (+0.91%) is also on the rise, reaching a new 11-month high, while the Nikkei (+0.46%) is being pulled up by tech stocks. 

    Early morning data showed that producer prices in Japan increased by +3.25% y/y in May, a deceleration from a revised +4.1% rise the previous month and falling short of the market consensus of +3.5%. This marks the 51st month of producer inflation, although it is the lowest annual rate observed since last September.

    To the day ahead now, and as we previewed earlier, look out for the US May CPI release as well as the federal budget balance data. Also worth mentioning that the US 10-yr treasury auction will be held. We’ll also get the Canada April building permits. In terms of central bank speakers, we’ll hear the ECB’s Lane and Cipollone speak. Earnings include Oracle and Inditex

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 08:25
    https://www.zerohedge.com/market-recaps/futures-drop-after-us-china-trade-talks-fall-flat-cpi-looms
  40. Site: Zero Hedge
    Always Ready, Always There: Democrats Mobilize Against National Guard Deployment
    3 days 13 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Always Ready, Always There: Democrats Mobilize Against National Guard Deployment

    Authored by Jonathan Turley,

    Gov. Gavin Newsom was in his element this week. After scenes of burning cars and attacks on ICE personnel, Newsom declared that this was all “an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act.” No, he was not speaking of the attacks on law enforcement or property. He was referring to President Donald Trump’s call to deploy the National Guard to protect federal officers.

    Newsom is planning to challenge the deployment as cities like Glendale are cancelling contracts to house detainees and reaffirming that local police will not assist the federal government.

    Trump has the authority under Section 12406 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code to deploy the National Guard if the president is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”

    The Administration is saying that that is precisely what is unfolding in California, where mobs attack vehicles and trap federal personnel.

    Most critics are challenging the deployment on policy grounds, arguing that it is an unnecessary escalation. However, even critics like Berkeley Law Dean Erwin have admitted that “Unfortunately, President Trump likely has the legal authority to do this.”

    There is a fair debate over whether this is needed at this time, but the President is allowed to reach a different conclusion. Trump wants the violence to end now as opposed to escalating as it did in the Rodney King riots or the later riots after the George Floyd killings, causing billions in property damage and many deaths.

    Courts will be asked to halt the order because it did not technically go through Newsom to formally call out the National Guard.

    Section 12406 grants Trump the authority to call out the Guard and employs a mandatory term for governors, who “shall” issue the President’s order. In the memo, Trump also instructed federal officials “to coordinate with the Governors of the States and the National Guard Bureau.”

    Newsom is clearly refusing to issue the orders or coordinate the deployment.

    Even if such challenges are successful, Trump can clearly flood the zone with federal authority. Indeed, the obstruction could escalate the matter further, prompting Trump to consider using the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to participate directly in civilian law enforcement.

    In 1958, President Eisenhower used the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Arkansas to enforce the Supreme Court’s orders ending racial segregation in schools.

    The Trump Administration has already claimed that these riots “constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.” In support of such a claim, the Administration could cite many of the Democratic leaders now denouncing the claim.

    After January 6th, liberal politicians and professors insisted that the riot was an “insurrection” and, in claiming that Trump and dozens of Republicans could be removed from ballots under the 14th Amendment.

    Liberal professors insisted that Trump’s use of the word “fight” and questioning the results of an election did qualify as an insurrection. They argued that you merely need to show “an assemblage of people” who are “resisting law” and “using force or intimidation” for “a public purpose.” The involvement of inciteful language from politicians only reinforced these claims. Sound familiar?

    Democrats are using this order to deflect from their own escalation of the tensions for months. From Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz calling ICE officers “Gestapo” to others calling them “fascists” and “Nazis,” Democratic leaders have been ignoring objections that they are fueling the violent and criminal responses. It did not matter. It was viewed as good politics.

    While Newsom and figures like Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) have called these “peaceful” protests, rocks, and Molotov cocktails have been thrown at police as vehicles were torched. Police had to use tear gas, “flash bang” grenades, and rubber bullets to quell these “peaceful” protesters.

    There appears little interest in deescalation on either side. For the Trump Administration, images of rioters riding in celebration around burning cars with Mexican flags are only likely to reinforce the support of the majority of Americans for the enforcement of immigration laws.

    For Democrats, they have gone “all in” on opposing ICE and these enforcement operations despite support from roughly 30 percent of the public.

    Some democrats are now playing directly to the mob. A Los Angeles City Council member, Eunisses Hernandez, reportedly urged anti-law enforcement protesters to “escalate” their tactics against ICE officers:  “They know how quickly we mobilize, that’s why they’re changing tactics. Because community defense works and our resistance has slowed them down before… and if they’re escalating their tactics then so are we. When they show up, we gotta show up even stronger.”

    So, L.A. officials are maintaining the sanctuary status of the city, barring the cooperation of local police, and calling on citizens to escalate their resistance after a weekend of violent attacks. Others have posted the locations of ICE facilities to allow better tracking of operations while cities like Glendale are closing facilities.

    In Washington, Jeffries has pledged to unmask the identities of individual ICE officers who have been covering their faces to protect themselves and their families from growing threats.

    While Democrats have not succeeded in making a convincing political case for opposing immigration enforcement, they may be making a stronger case for federal deployment in increasingly hostile blue cities.

    *  *  *

    Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 08:05
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/always-ready-always-there-democrats-mobilize-against-national-guard-deployment
  41. Site: Novus Motus Liturgicus
    Practical Steps for Transitioning from the 1962 to the Pre-1955 Roman Rite — Part 2: The Mass
    3 days 13 hours ago
    See here for Part 1: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2025/06/practical-steps-for-transitioning-from.htmlBefore any kind of work can begin in earnest, one must have an ordo alongside the old books of liturgy and try to learn the rubrics. The well-established Saint Lawrence Press Ordo is slightly different from the web-based Ordo of Restore the ‘54, which has the new Assumption and Peter Kwasniewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02068005370670549612noreply@blogger.com0
    https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2025/06/a-history-of-popes-named-leo-part-5.html
  42. Site: Rorate Caeli
    10 Years After its Abolition by Francis, Leo XIV repristinates Imposition of Pallium in Rome
    3 days 13 hours ago
    In 2015, Francis abolished the ceremony of the personal imposition of the Pallium on new archbishops by the pope's own hand in Rome. At the time, this rupture was presented, as usual, as a positive thing:After the presentation of the pallium, and in order to emphasise the participation of the local Church, Pope Francis has decided that this year the newly appointed metropolitan archbishops (New Catholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04118576661605931910noreply@blogger.com
    https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2025/05/a-warning-to-traditional-catholics-in.html
  43. Site: AsiaNews.it
    Buyukada: the Orthodox Patriarchate turns its historic orphanage into a hotel
    3 days 13 hours ago
    Built in 1898, it is the second largest wooden building in the world. Returned to the Phanar in 2010, it is listed as a European Cultural Heritage Site. Behind the decision are the substantial costs of running the facility and safety concerns. For the patriarchate, it can no longer 'remain standing without generating income'.
    https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Buyukada%3A-the-Orthodox-Patriarchate-turns-its-historic-orphanage-into-a-hotel-63272.html
  44. Site: AsiaNews.it
    Robberies with assault on priests: the new face of intolerance in India
    3 days 13 hours ago
    Two serious incidents have occurred in recent days in rural areas of Jharkhand and Orissa. Several priests were forced to seek hospital treatment after being beaten, forced to sing Hindu hymns and robbed. The secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Msgr. Aind: 'These are not simple thefts. It is a way of persecuting and preventing pastoral activities.'
    https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Robberies-with-assault-on-priests%3A-the-new-face-of-intolerance-in-India-63273.html
  45. Site: Zero Hedge
    Musk "Regrets" Some Posts About Trump, Signals Possible Reconciliation
    3 days 13 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    Musk "Regrets" Some Posts About Trump, Signals Possible Reconciliation

    Elon Musk publicly expressed regret over his recent X post attacks on President Donald Trump, admitting that his posts on X — particularly the one linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein — "went too far."

    "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far," Musk wrote in an early morning X post. 

    I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.

    — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025

    The fallout stemmed from last week's blowout after Musk opposed Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," prompting Trump to hint at cutting off government contracts. In response, Musk unleashed a series of now-deleted X posts, including a claim that Trump was "in the Epstein files."

    • Détente? Musk Hints At Path Forward On BBB; Trump Team Schedules Friday Call

    • 'Very Disrespectful': Trump 'Assumes' Musk Relationship Is Over

    To recap last week:

    • Earlier in the week, Musk came out against the 'Big Beautiful Bill' - which raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, and either raises the deficit by $2.4 trillion, or lowers it by $1.4 trillion - depending on who you believe, and fails to address any of the waste, fraud and abuse found by DOGE. 

    • Thursday morning, Trump was asked about Musk's opposition to the bill, telling reporters on Thursday that he's 'very disappointed in Elon,' and that Musk only opposes the bill because they eliminated electric vehicle tax credits from it.

    • Trump then suggested he might pull government funding from Musk's companies such as SpaceX, which owns the only operational US spacecraft capable of transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station.  "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!" -President Donald Trump via Truth Social

    • Musk went ballistic - announcing he would 'immediately' decommission the Dragon program (which he later walked back Thursday night), proposed a new political party (that's still his pinned post on X), endorsed another Trump impeachment, and said in a now-deleted post Trump is 'in the Epstein files,' which is why they haven't been released. 

    Now that the dust has settled in the Trump-Musk feud, the president stated there would be consequences for Musk if he supports Democratic candidates opposing the tax and spending bill.

    Musk stated in a CBS interview that BBB "undermines" the work of DOGE... The Trump administration has refuted this point.

    On Monday, Trump said he had no plans to discontinue Starlink service at the White House but hinted he might have his Tesla Model S removed from the White House grounds.

    "I may move the Tesla around a little bit, but I don't think we'll be doing that with Starlink. It's a good service," Trump told reporters. 

    Trump also said that he would not have a problem if Musk called him: "We had a good relationship, and I just wish him well."

    Musk's actions over the past several days suggest his anger has subsided and that he may be seeking to repair his relationship with the president.

    As we noted last week... 

    For better or worse, the BBB will pass. Instead of clashing over what is autopilot spending to satisfy legacy obligations, focus on how to generate the biggest GDP growth https://t.co/bw6DQ4pBVa

    — zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 5, 2025

    Odds are looking great on Polymarket...

    Source: Polymarket https://t.co/UtjqsaIWrU

    — zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 6, 2025

    However, we do agree with Musk on codifying DOGE cuts—after all, it's a clear mandate from the American people for the president to rein in a bloated federal government long captured by deep-state swamp creatures.

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 07:45
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/musk-regrets-some-posts-about-trump-signals-possible-reconciliation
  46. Site: Zero Hedge
    NIH Director Gives More Details On New Government Medical Journal
    3 days 14 hours ago
    Author: Tyler Durden
    NIH Director Gives More Details On New Government Medical Journal

    Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will start a new journal that will help change the culture of science, the agency’s director said in a newly released interview.

    NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya speaks alongside President Donald Trump during a press conference at the White House on May 12, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    “The NIH can stand up and will stand up a journal where these replication results can be published and made searchable in an easy way,” Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said in a four-hour podcast interview with Andrew Huberman, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, released on June 9.

    Bhattacharya said he envisions people being able to see summaries of similar papers that looked at the same questions.

    “A scientific journal put out by the NIH, a high-profile journal will then make publishing replication work a high-profile scientific, high-prestige scientific activity,” he added later.

    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in May that federal scientists would likely be told to stop publishing in medical journals and, if that happened, the NIH would launch journals that would publish the scientists’ research.

    Kennedy said that the existing journals have problems such as not publishing all of the data that underpins studies, while Bhattacharya said the journals will not publish replication research. Both officials have said they want the government to devote resources to replication, with Kennedy estimating that 20 percent of the NIH budget be designated for that purpose.

    Replication is the process of taking a study, repeating it, and seeing if the results are the same.

    While some scientists conduct meta-analyses, or studies that sum up existing literature on a topic—which could be considered a form of replication—“it’s really difficult to make a career out of doing replication work as a general matter,” Bhattacharya said in the podcast.

    Scientists cannot at present earn large grants from the NIH for such work, which means the scientists cannot receive tenure at a top university, he said. That dissuades young scientists from focusing on replication work.

    “We don’t reward it. The NIH doesn’t reward it,” Bhattacharya said. “That will change.”

    The new journal will also publish negative results, or when scientists try to replicate a study and fail.

    Emphasizing replication will make scientific literature more reliable, according to Bhattacharya, including for drug discovery and individual behavior, and will change the culture of science so that it “rewards truth ... rather than influence,” he added later.

    Huberman, a neuroscientist, said that he welcomed the new journal and the focus on replication. “Everything you’re saying is very reassuring, and should be reassuring to people,” he said. “It’s music to my ears, frankly.”

    The interview was released the same day some NIH employees signed a declaration that called cuts to NIH grants harmful and urged Bhattacharya to restore them. The NIH has terminated more than 2,000 grants totaling some $9.5 billion, as well as $2.6 billion in contracts, the employees said. The Trump administration is also proposing a smaller budget for the NIH in the next fiscal year.

    Huberman noted that some grants that were labeled as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) were cut and questioned Bhattacharya on whether the cuts included grants with the word transgenic. Bhattacharya said that there’s been an appeal process set up and researchers whose grants should not have been cut can file with the government. Some grants that were cut have been restored.

    The NIH director said that it’s important to carry out research on vulnerable populations, and there are legitimate scientific questions where race or sex matters, such as breast cancer.

    “The NIH absolutely supports that kind of research still despite all of the changes,” he said.

    Bhattacharya also said that DEI is centered on the idea that structural racism is primarily responsible for the health outcomes of minorities and that he could not think of a scientific experiment that would in principle falsify that idea. Researchers who want to conduct studies based on the idea will not receive funding, he indicated.

    “Let’s focus on the mission,” Bhattacharya said. “The mission is how do we advance, how do we make investments in research that advance the health and longevity of the American people ... I don’t believe there’s any place for this sort of race essentialism in it.”

    Tyler Durden Wed, 06/11/2025 - 07:20
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/nih-director-gives-more-details-new-government-medical-journal
  47. Site: southern orders
    REVERSING POPE FRANCIS! VERY GOOD RESTORATION BY POPE LEO! WE PRAY FOR MORE TO COME…
    3 days 14 hours ago

    Vatican City – On Sunday, June 29, 2025, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will preside over the Eucharistic Celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica at 9:30 a.m. During the Mass, he will personally bless and bestow the Pallia upon the new Metropolitan Archbishops, restoring a tradition that had been suspended by Pope Francis in 2015. Press title for full story:

    The Pope restores the tradition of bestowing the Pallium upon Metropolitans.

    • Liturgia
    http://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2025/06/reversing-pope-francis-very-good.html
  48. Site: PaulCraigRoberts.org
    Does Western Civilization Have Enough Belief to Continue to Exist?
    3 days 14 hours ago
    Author: pcr3

    Does Western Civilization Have Enough Belief to Continue to Exist?

    Paul Craig Roberts

    Democrats for many long years have imposed race and gender privileges, which violate the 14th Amendment’s requirement of equal protection under law and the 1964 Civil Rights Act’s statutory prohibition of race and gender quotas. In order to give preferences to women, people of color, and sexual perverts at the expense of white heterosexual men, equal protection of law was set aside.  Now Democrats are proving to us that they are only concerned with alleged rights of people of color who are immigrant-invaders and assigned by Democrats,  such as the Democrat governor of California, the rights of US citizens.  

    The Democrats are responding to the Federal government’s effort to deport people who are unlawfully in the US by attempting to organize an insurrection, a real one not an alleged one used to imprison Trump supporters.  To be clear, Democrat office holders at local, state, and federal levels together with George Soros funded NGOs, foundations, and the whore media are in a treasonous conspiracy against the government of the United States and its President and against American citizens.

    The protest that soon became a riot against deporting illegal entrants began in one section of Los Angeles.  Organizers spread it to San Francisco and to Texas.  I do not know if the effort to spread the riots into every blue jurisdiction and to turn it into a full-scale insurrection will succeed. https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/la-protests-ice-raids-trump-06-11-25 

    However, it does seem clear that the Democrats are sufficiently confident that they can create an insurrection, backed by the Democrat judges, that will give them bargaining power over the Trump administration’s deportation policy.  California Governor Newsom who stands with illegal entrants against US law has given the federal government the finger and defied federal authorities to arrest him for his lead in an insurrection against the United States.

    California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment of the National Guard as unlawful and filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of violating state sovereignty.

    What we will see is whether the federal government is too weak to arrest or even acknowledge an insurrectionist.

    If the Democrats succeed in constraining the deportation policy, the likely outcome will be that proven criminals and recent arrivals are subjected to deportation, but illegals who have put down roots have acquired citizenship according to the law of adverse possession will be granted amnesty. 

    I think it is unrealistic to believe that the Trump administration can deport 30 million illegals who have established their own livelihoods and existence in the US courtesy of the absence of enforcement of US laws. The open border policy of the Democrats is clearly a US invitation to immigrant-invaders to enter America unopposed.  Unopposed entry implies acceptance of entry.  In effect, deportation is a breach of an unwritten promise extended by the non-enforcement of US immigration laws.

    All of this said, let’s turn to the real problem. The United States has a political party–the Democrats–which by its control of the major cities in swing states can steal elections at will.  The whore media, together with lawsuits against, and prosecutions of, those who have factual evidence of electoral theft, brought before Democrat judges and juries who have no interest in facts, guarantees the validation of the election theft as the legitimate vote. I do not know if Trump has yet pardoned all those who produced conclusive evidence that his 2020 reelection was stolen. They were prosecuted by the Biden regime’s US Department of Justice (sic)  and by Democrat states for doing so.  In the Democrat Biden regime anyone in American who told the truth was a target for prosecution and imprisonment.  Yet tens of millions of dumbshit Americans supported the corrupt Biden regime.

    In the 2024 presidential election the American Ruling Establishment decided that they would allow Trump to be returned to office, where he would be frustrated and defeated at every turn by the Establishment’s power, with the result being Trump’s failure and the demoralization of Americans who attempted to restore accountable government with Trump’s election. Demoralized and defeated, “the Trump Deplorable” go home and accept their impotence.

    Possibly if the Democrats succeed in creating an insurrection, Trump will respond, unlike the French President in The Camp of the Saints, with sufficient violence to put it down and follow up with the arrest, prosecution, and execution of the treasonous Democrats responsible.

    But this assumes he has the military on his side.  Does he after 12 years of Obama/Biden anti-white, anti-normal American appointees to the officer ranks?  Does the US military any longer represent majority white America?  Do the Hispanic elements in California’s National Guard represent the US or Mexico?

    Americans, being dumbshits, don’t realize how far things have gone.  They now have Hispanic, Asian, Arab and other Muslim peoples, and African immigrants as judges who are immigrant-invaders presiding over local, state, and federal courts and police forces. 

    My own opinion is that Americans, like Europeans, having sat sucking their thumbs, entertaining themselves, and being deceived by official narratives and multicultural brainwashing have lost their country.  

    If you look honestly at the US today and at Britain, France, Germany, Canada, and the rest, what is there to defend?  Why would a white heterosexual male die for Washington, or for the UK, France, Germany, Canada, or any of the other countries that have repudiated their ethnic nationality?

    The most significant fact of our time is that the entire Western World is a dead man walking bereft of the belief system that upheld Western Civilization, now routinely denounced in all major universities in the Western World.  

    https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2025/06/11/does-western-civilization-have-enough-belief-to-continue-to-exist/
  49. Site: PaulCraigRoberts.org
    Do the Democrats Have Insurrection Underway in America ?
    3 days 14 hours ago
    Author: pcr3

    Do the Democrats Have Insurrection Underway in America ?

    PCR with Nima on Dialogue Works

    https://x.com/Dialogue_NRA/status/1932460907088826407?s=19 

    This interview was taken down by YouTube as soon as it was posted, which proves the point that serious issues cannot be acknowledged and discussed.  Just as official narratives prevailed over reality in the Biden, Obama, and Bush regimes, official narratives continue to prevail.  Print, TV, and social media continue to censor.

     

    https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2025/06/11/do-the-democrats-have-insurrection-underway-in-america/
  50. Site: PaulCraigRoberts.org
    Who’s behind LA’s Anti-ICE Riots?
    3 days 14 hours ago
    Author: pcr3

    Who’s behind LA’s Anti-ICE Riots?

    https://sputnikglobe.com/20250609/whos-behind-la-anti-ice-riots-1122221077.html

    https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2025/06/11/whos-behind-las-anti-ice-riots/

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