EXPLAINER

Is RFK Jr truly independent?

A leaked video of a call with Donald Trump has reopened a debate on where the Kennedy scion stands ahead of the November US election.

Supporters of independent US presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr protest against his exclusion from the first presidential debate, outside CNN's West Coast headquarters in Burbank, California [File: Mike Blake/Reuters]

By Lorraine Mallinder
Published On 17 Jul 2024
AL JAZEERA

Robert F Kennedy Jr, a member of America’s most famous – and Democratic – political family, is running as an independent candidate in this year’s presidential election. But his independence was called into question this week after the leaking of a conversation between him and Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Last October, Kennedy dropped out of the Democratic primary race against incumbent President Joe Biden to launch what appeared to be a quixotic independent bid for the presidency.

Both Biden and Trump were eager to crush the freewheeler’s bid, depicting him as a dangerous ally of the opposite camp, both lobbing accusations of him being an election “plant” or “spoiler”.

Now, Democrats are alleging that the leaked conversation proves an alliance between RFK and Trump. So what’s going on? Is RFK working with Team Trump or is he truly independent? Where does he stand on key issues – and does he align more with Republicans or with Democrats?

What happened during the call?

During the chat, which took place following an assassination attempt on Trump over the weekend, the Republican nominee appeared to be coaxing Kennedy to join his campaign.

“I would love you to do something – and I think it would be so good for you and so big for you,” said Trump, audible over speakerphone. “We’re gonna win.”

“Yeah,” replied Kennedy.

Aside from references to bringing Kennedy onto his side – “We’re way ahead of the guy,” Trump said, referring to Biden – the Republican nominee also appeared to be playing to Kennedy’s anti-vaxxer views.

“When you feed a baby, Bobby,” Trump said, “a vaccination that is like 38 different vaccines, and it looks like it’s meant for a horse, not a, you know, 10-pound or 20-pound baby … and then you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically.

“And then you hear that it doesn’t have an impact, right? But you and I talked about that a long time ago.”

Trump also spoke to Kennedy about Saturday’s assassination attempt, saying that the bullet that hit his ear “felt like a giant – like the world’s largest mosquito”.

(SOME SAY IT WAS SHARDS OF THE TELEPROMPTER)

But what was the call really about?

The call was an attempt to “neutralise or co-opt RFK so he doesn’t syphon off potential Trump voters”, Steffen Schmidt, professor emeritus in the department of political science at Iowa State University told Al Jazeera. “He’s using The Art of the Deal tactic to gain that small but important political ground.”

Melissa Smith, author of the 2022 book, Third Parties, Outsiders, and Renegades, agreed.

“The video seemed to be more of Trump trying to sway Kennedy to endorse his campaign,” she said.

“Kennedy is focusing his attention on fundraising and trying to get his name on the ballot in all 50 states, which is a very expensive task. His fundraising has been slow recently, and that makes him look more vulnerable to the other campaigns,” Smith said.
Did Trump and RFK Jr also meet?

They did, apparently on Monday, before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, hours before the Republican nominee announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his pick for vice president.

Politico reported the meeting that day, with claims from sources that Trump had discussed the possibility of Kennedy supporting his campaign.

Seeking to dispel reports, Kennedy came clean on Monday about his “meeting this morning” with Trump, underlining that they had discussed “national unity” and that he hoped to also meet Democratic leaders to discuss the same topic.
Advertisement

“No, I am not dropping out of the race,” he said.

Who is RFK Jr?

A member of the Kennedy family, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr is a son of US Attorney General and Senator Robert F Kennedy, and a nephew of US President John F Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy.

Kennedy ditched the Democrats last year after it became clear that his long-shot primary bid was unlikely to succeed.

Since then, he has campaigned as an independent, hawking a mind-bending brand of left- and right-wing politics – largely liberal on issues like abortion, while endorsing libertarian free-market solutions on the environment, and peddling conspiracy theories on vaccines.

Amid a national mood of political disenchantment, the longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist has projected himself as a political outsider, blasting “corporate kleptocracy”.

Could he be teaming up with Trump?

“He could be or not … I don’t think he has a road map,” said Schmidt, speaking about Kennedy. “He’s a ship in search of a port and at this point, I don’t think he himself even knows where he wants to tie up and disembark.”

Unlike many other politicians who ultimately need to fall in line with either Democrats or Republicans, Kennedy “is both dependent on his own cult following of anti-vaxxers and environmentalists and independent in that he has lots of cash and doesn’t have to be accountable to anyone”, Schmidt said.

Smith, the author, said Kennedy would not join Trump at this point.

“It’s somewhat predictable that Trump did all the talking, and you only see Kennedy respond in a monosyllable one time,” she told Al Jazeera.
What are Kennedy’s views?

They’re a mixed bag. Once named a “Hero of the Planet” by Time magazine, he has threatened to repeal Biden’s signature climate legislation, which pushes for a transition to a green economy, calling for a market-led approach – a stance closer to Trump’s on the environment.

On immigration, he supports Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, forcing asylum seekers to wait south of the border for immigration hearings – a policy the Biden administration tried to end. This said, he is calling for the use of technology, such as cameras and detectors, in places where a physical wall is not necessary.

He has pitched himself as an antiwar candidate opposing aid to Ukraine and blaming the US and NATO for creating a “proxy war” with Russia – echoing a position taken by sections of the conservative right. Trump too has opposed aid to Ukraine.

Yet, RFK has staunchly defended Israel’s no-limits war on Gaza, bringing him into alignment with Biden.

Kennedy’s position on abortion has shifted during the campaign, but he is closer to Democrats on the issue. Having endorsed federal restrictions on abortion after the first trimester, he later issued a statement that abortion should be unrestricted until “the baby is viable outside the womb”.

He is perhaps best known for his anti-vaxxer views, abundantly aired during the COVID-19 pandemic when he accused the US government’s then-chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, of “a historic coup d’etat against Western democracy”.
Advertisement

How was the video leaked?

The video was first posted by Kennedy’s son, Robert F Kennedy III, with the message: “I am a firm believer that these sorts of conversations should be had in public. Here’s Trump giving his real opinion to my dad about vaccinating kids – this was the day after the assassination attempt.”

The video call spread like wildfire on social media, with Kennedy apologising to Trump on Tuesday on social media platform X.

“When President Trump called me, I was taping with an in-house videographer,” he wrote. “I should have ordered the videographer to stop recording immediately. I am mortified that this was posted,” he said.

Where is Kennedy in this race?

No third-party candidate has won the presidency in more than a century and a half, and the latest polls show Kennedy with about 8 percent support.

However, Kennedy has what pundits are calling the “X factor”. Polls back in May showed that his use of social media and appeal among younger voters could give him unpredictable sway in key swing states like North Carolina. The state’s election board voted Tuesday to certify the We The People party that supporters of Kennedy are using as a vehicle for him to run in a handful of states.

Not including North Carolina, Kennedy’s campaign has said he is officially on the ballot in nine states and that signatures have been submitted in 14 more.
A threat to the big two?

Both the Democrats and the Republicans see Kennedy as a threat, said Smith.

“So it makes sense that Trump was asking Kennedy to endorse him. Trump would like to have Kennedy’s voters [many of them young] supporting him, as that is a demographic that any presidential candidate would like to win,” she said.

Indeed, an NBC poll in April found that Kennedy was cutting deeper into Trump’s support.

Republican voters viewed him much more favourably (40 percent positive, 15 percent negative) than Democratic voters (16 percent positive, 53 percent negative).

Still, Democrats are mindful of what happened in 2000, when Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was blamed for Al Gore’s loss of Florida – and the presidency – to George W Bush.

The Democratic Party has been fighting hard to neutralise Kennedy, filing Federal Election Commission complaints against him and his allies to try to keep him off the ballot in several states. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has also sponsored advertisement campaigns attacking Kennedy.

Democrats claim that Kennedy is being funded by MAGA donors, notably the reclusive Tim Mellon, who has reportedly contributed $20m to Kennedy’s campaign.

As the leaked video of the conversation between Kennedy and Trump went viral, Democratic National Committee spokesperson Matt Corridoni posted on X: “When people show you who they are, believe them”.

How does Kennedy view his former party?

Kennedy’s campaign hasn’t been going well in recent days.

This month, Vanity Fair revealed the independent candidate had allegedly groped babysitter Eliza Cooney in the late 90s. While Kennedy later apologised to Cooney by text, she later told The Washington Post that she found the message from Mr Kennedy “disingenuous and arrogant”.

For his part, Kennedy claims that the Democrats are out to get him, suggesting that they are in cahoots with the media.

“The [Democratic National Convention] media’s garbage pail journalism may distract us from President Biden’s cognitive deficits but it does little to elevate the national debate or reduce the price of groceries,” he said on X.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

WORKERS CAPITAL

Updated briefing: Canadian financial companies blocking Hong Kongers’ access to an estimated C$2 billion in retirement savings

Despite testifying in the Canadian Parliament one week ago on the withholding of Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) savings from Hong Kongers who have permanently left Hong Kong, Manulife and Sun Life continue to prevent Hong Kongers from accessing an estimated C$2 billion worth of their hard-earned retirement savings.

The funds are held as part of Hong Kong’s mandatory pension scheme, which are held in trust by various financial institutions, including the Canadian financial companies, as part of the MPF system. Manulife alone holds almost 28% of the MPF market with over C$56 billion in assets under management. Sun Life manages around C$23 billion. Management fees for the Manulife MPF funds vary between 0.75% and 1.98%. Sun Life’s vary from 0.77% to 2.13%.

Ordinarily, anyone permanently leaving Hong Kong is entitled to withdraw their MPF savings. However, a unilateral declaration from the Hong Kong government in response to the opening of the BNO visa scheme in January 2021 to no longer recognise the BNO identity has blocked access for hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers.

This retaliatory action was conducted by fiat with no laws or regulations being changed in Hong Kong regarding the operation of the Mandatory Provident Fund. Under the MPF trust deed, trustees like Manulife and Sun Life have a legal obligation to release the savings to beneficiaries who can provide evidence of their right to reside in a foreign country, which includes a BNO passport or visa.

However, Hong Kong Watch and Members of the Canadian Parliament continue to see several letters from Manulife and Sun Life to Hong Kongers, rejecting their early MPF withdrawal claims based on guidance from the Mandatory Provident Fund Authority which supervises the provision of MPF schemes and does not consider the BNO passport or visa a valid form of identification per the Hong Kong government’s declaration. This includes the case of a Hong Konger in Canada who had obtained Canadian permanent residency and applied to withdraw their MPF from Manulife, but was denied simply because they arrived in Canada with their BNO passport.

During the hearing in the Canadian Parliament last week, Laura Hewitt, Sun Life’s Head of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, said, “Sun Life does not decline Canadian permanent residents or citizens who have permanently left Hong Kong from withdrawing their MPF funds.”

Maryscott Greenwood, Manulife’s Global Head of Government Relations for Canada, said, “We do not decline to process an application for reasons of the BNO visa or passport.”

Hong Kong Watch continues to actively engage in discussions with these MPF trustees as well as cross-department governmental and parliamentary representatives to ensure that this is the case, and continues to call for the release of Hong Kongers’ rightful access to their own savings.

The briefing also recommends that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) should change the designation of BNO passport and visa holders from ‘GBN’ to ‘CHN’ or ‘HKG’ on Canadian permanent residency cards to allow Hong Kongers to access their MPF savings and to prevent further retaliation from the Hong Kong government.

The full briefing can be read here.

Megan Khoo, Research and Policy Advisor of Hong Kong Watch and author of the briefing, said:

“We are grateful that Manulife and Sun Life testified before the Canadian Parliament last week, but carefully-worded answers without follow-up actions not only result in Hong Kongers continuing to be denied access to their savings but also lend a hand to transnational repression against the Hong Kong community. There continues to be an open case in which a Hong Konger with permanent residency in Canada is being denied access to their MPF. This is not acceptable. Hong Kongers should be able to flee from increasing persecution in Hong Kong to Canada, without having to endure further forms of persecution that mentally and financially threaten their new lives.”

STRAY

Turkish legislators hold tense debate on bill to control stray dogs. Critics fear a mass culling

A stray dog rests outside Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. A Turkish parliamentary commission on Wednesday began a tense debate on a bill designed to manage the country’s large stray dog population which animal … more >

By Suzan Fraser - Associated Press - Wednesday, July 17, 2024

ANKARA, Turkey — A Turkish parliamentary commission began a tense debate Wednesday on a bill to manage the country’s large stray dog population that animal advocates fear could result in the widespread killing of the animals.

The legislation, submitted to parliament by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party, is pitting groups advocating for safer streets free of the feral dogs against animal rights activists who are demanding the withdrawal of the bill.


Erdogan has stated that approximately four million stray animals are wandering the streets and rural areas of Turkey. While many of them are docile, an increasing numbers of dogs are seen roaming in packs and numerous people have been attacked.

The legislation being debated in parliament’s agriculture and rural affairs commission is a diluted version of an initial proposal that would have required the strays to be rounded up, housed in shelters and euthanized if they are not adopted within 30 days.

That proposal, which was leaked to the media, had ignited a public uproar, with animal rights activists arguing it would result in the mass extermination of unadopted dogs.

The revised proposal forces municipalities to remove the stray dogs from the streets and place them into shelters where they would be neutered and spayed. Dogs that are sick, believed to have rabies or exhibiting aggressive behavior would be euthanized.

Municipalities would also be required to build dog shelters or improve conditions in existing shelters by 2028.

The revised bill has failed to ease concerns, with activists arguing that certain municipalities may opt for the easy solution of conducting a mass culling of the stray animals instead of allocating resources toward shelters.

The parliament’s agriculture and rural affairs commission meeting began tumultuously when the committee chair demanded that media, NGO representatives and other observers exit the room, citing insufficient space to accommodate everyone. The meeting was later moved to a larger room.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for STRAYS 

Haiti: Displaced Women Face ‘unprecedented’ Level Of Insecurity And Sexual Violence

Thursday, 18 July 2024, 
Press Release: UN News

Instability in Haiti is fuelling a spike in sexual violence against women and girls as armed gangs continue their assault on the population, the UN agency championing gender equality said on Wednesday.

A new report by UN Women reveals the dire living conditions and lack of security faced by some 300,000 displaced women and girls amid ongoing political instability, escalating gang violence and the threat of the current hurricane season.

In constant danger

Women and girls account for more than half of the 580,000 displaced people in Haiti, and the UN Women Rapid Gender Assessment highlights how makeshift camps, which lack basic necessities, are putting them at particular risk of sexual and gender-based violence.

The survey was conducted in April in the six most populated and diverse displacement sites in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

It found that most camps have no lighting or locks in key areas such as bedrooms and toilets, while residents are exposed to daily threats from the gangs. The constant danger of stray bullets and other security risks further underscore the urgent need for improved protection in these sites.

Aggression against women and girls, specifically rape, is also being used in most camps as a deliberate tactic to control their access to humanitarian assistance, the agency noted.

Appeal to new Government

“Our report tells us that the level of insecurity and brutality, including sexual violence, that women are facing at the hands of gangs in Haiti is unprecedented. It must stop now,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.

“We urge the newly appointed Government to take measures to prevent and respond to the violence women and girls are subjected to, and to increase women’s participation in the camps’ management so that their security concerns are listened to and acted upon.”

She added that “humanitarian aid must be safely distributed in line with the differentiated needs of women and girls.”

Resorting to sex work

The report also revealed that nearly 90 per cent of women interviewed have no source of income in the camps.

More than 10 per cent said they had resorted to or considered the possibility of sex work or prostitution to meet their needs at least once, and 20 per cent knew at least one person who had done so.

Other findings include that some 16 per cent of respondents felt intimidated, harassed, or traumatized by armed gangs, and almost 70 per cent said they were mentally affected by the upsurge in violence. Only 10 per cent reported having access to health services in the camps.

Supporting women’s organizations and entrepreneurship

In response to the crisis in Haiti, UN Women is assisting women’s organizations to reach displaced people within host communities and camps, including through projects supported by the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, the UN Peacebuilding Fund, and the German Government.

The agency has also trained police officers to improve prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and provide services to survivors. Additionally, it continues to support women entrepreneurs, who are affected by road blockages and ongoing violence, through a project funded by Norway.

International security mission

Last October, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to assist the Haitian National Police in combatting the gangs.

UN Women urged all stakeholders involved in the non-UN mission to guarantee the immediate protection of women and girls, and to give Haitian women’s organizations a leading role in the management of the displacement camps.

Only two per cent of women surveyed reported having a leadership role in camp management, the agency said, stressing the urgency to both ensure their active participation in decision-making and implement immediate protection measures.

© Scoop Media

Ghana supreme court defers ruling on anti-LGBTQ bill


By Guardian Nigeria
17 Jul 2024 |

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo leaves the Banquet Hall after the closing session of the ordinary session of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government in Abuja, on July 7, 2024. - A summit of West African leaders opened on July 7, 2024 in Abuja in a tense political context following the decision of Niger, Mali and Burkina to unite within a "confederation". (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)

Ghana’s Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred its ruling on a request to restrain parliament from transmitting a highly contested anti-LGBTQ bill to President Nana Akufo-Addo for his final approval.

The ruling means debate around the bill, which has dominated Ghana’s political discourse since parliament passed it in February, will be sidelined from the campaign for December’s presidential election race.

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, chairing the five-member Supreme Court panel, said the court will expedite the case. But the case has been adjourned indefinitely, with no date set for further rulings.

Ghana’s Attorney-General Godfred Dame welcomed the court’s decision, telling the media: “I think the court is fair in coming by that approach.”

Two lawsuits are challenging the passage of the so-called “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill”, which has faced widespread international criticism for curbing human rights.

Broadcaster Richard Dela Sky is contesting the constitutionality of the bill, arguing it violates several provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

Amanda Odoi, the other plaintiff, is seeking a restraining order to prevent the parliament speaker, the attorney-general, and the clerk of parliament from sending the bill to President Akufo-Addo for approval.

The bill, which stipulates jail terms of six months to three years for engaging in LGBTQ sex and sentences of three to five years for promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities, has drawn condemnation from rights activists but gained wide support in the conservative West African state.

Ghana’s finance ministry has warned that the country, emerging from its worst economic crisis in decades and under a $3 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund, risks losing close to $3.8 billion in World Bank financing due to the bill.

Akufo-Addo, who is stepping down after two terms, has refused to approve the bill, citing the multiple court cases against it.

His ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) faces a tight race against the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming presidential ballot.

The bill, commonly referred to as the anti-gay bill, has faced widespread international condemnation, including from the United Nations, the United States, and the British government.

Despite this, it has significant support among MPs and is backed by a coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders.

Putin's Spies Are a Threat to Paris Olympics, Google Warns

By Hugh Cameron
NEWSWEEK

Published Jul 17, 2024

Russian hackers are gearing up to derail the Paris Olympics, according to cybersecurity experts, with prospective targets ranging from those in the stands to state officials.

New research from Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm and subsidiary of Google, argued that the events' organizers and attendees will need to remain on high-alert, given the significant risk posed by cyber-criminals with motivations both financial and geopolitical.

In a report entitled "Phishing for Gold," Mandiant determined that the Paris Olympics face "an elevated risk of cyber threat activity."

The authors, Michelle Cantos and Jamie Collier, assessed "with high confidence" that Russian state-sponsored actors posed the greatest risk to the Games, with hackers from China, Iran and North Korea also presenting a moderate threat.

Visitors take photos next to Olympic rings near Plaza de la Bastilla ahead of Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 15, 2024 in Paris, France. A new report by Mandiant argued that these Games will... More MAJA HITIJ/GETTY IMAGES

Collier, Mandiant's lead threat intelligence advisor for Europe, spoke to Newsweek about the unique vulnerabilities of the Olympic Games.

"As a high profile sporting event with a global audience, the Olympics represents an ideal stage for disruptive cyber operations intended to cause negative psychological effects and reputational damage," Collier said. "This is because the impact of any disruption would be significantly magnified."

The paper outlines the varied cyber risk that face the Games, including cyber espionage, "Disruptive and destructive" attacks, and financially motivated hacks.

As an international event attended by government officials and heads of state, Collier believes that Russian hackers will attempt to use the event for "information gathering" on foreign, senior decision makers.

However, attendees should also be wary, and such large events present ripe opportunities for cybercriminals of all stripes to target tourists with ticket scams and attempt to steal personal data.

For Collier, the worst case scenario would be a widescale "destructive" attack, such as the deployment of "wiper malware" which erases data on target networks, and which would throw the Paris Games into disarray.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his speech at the IOC Gala Dinner on the eve of the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. Mandiant's report names Russia...

More ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Collier argued that a coincidence of factors make these Olympics particularly vulnerable.

The International Olympic Committee banned Russia from competition in February 2022, as an immediate response to the country's invasion of Ukraine which the organization deemed a "blatant violation" of the Olympic Charter. Russian and Belarusian athletes still may compete under a neutral flag.


According to Collier, this provides Putin with a "clear motivation" to target the Games and, alongside its sophisticated cyber espionage capabilities and track record of targeting previous Olympics, make it the greatest risk to the competition.

During the 2016, 2018 and 2020 Games, state-sponsored Russian hackers leaked athlete data, disrupted networks during the opening ceremonies, and conducted reconnaissance of Olympic officials, according to Mandiant.

France's ardent support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion also makes these games the perfect target for geopolitically motivated attacks, according to Collier, and France the most likely target for cyberattacks.

However, Collier said that the reaction to the report has been encouraging since it was first published in June.

"We have been really encouraged by the number of organizations involved in the Olympics that have read our report and are looking to respond to the threats that matter most to them," Collier said. "More organizations than ever now understand that identifying relevant threats helps them build a more proactive security posture."

All the World’s a Stage: How Predictive Programming Crafts Far-Right X Users’ Worldview



By Mason Krusch

15th July 2024

Introduction

This Insight investigates how far-right X users construct their worldview around fictional media and predictive programming, that is, the notion that a nebulously-defined group known as “the elite” — supposedly consisting of members of various international organisations, US and UK political leadership and intelligence agencies, and multinational corporations — forewarns international publics of its future nefarious plans using fictional media such as movies and TV shows. In particular, this Insight explores how far-right X users claim that the movies Leave the World Behind (2023) and Civil War (2024) were attempts by the elite to issue advanced warnings for the Dali’s collision with the Key Bridge as well as future debilitating cyberattacks and a second American civil war. This Insight then further probes how fictional media mould far-right X users’ worldviews by examining the origins and development of a strange and outlandish conspiracy theory pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines known as the “pureblood” movement, whose adherents espouse definitively eugenicist and neo-Nazi beliefs. This Insight concludes by assessing how such conspiratorial thinking facilitates the erosion of critical discourse and media literacy vital to the healthy functioning of democratic societies.

Predictive Programming

Ship Wrecks and Cyberattacks

The collision of the cargo ship MV Dali with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on 26 March 2024 spurred far-right X users to declare that the movie Leave the World Behind had foretold the catastrophe. Leave the World Behind, released on Netflix on 8 December 2023, follows two mutually distrustful families on Long Island as they attempt to navigate the immediate aftermath of a blackout believed to have been caused by a cyberattack.

In an early scene of the movie, one of the families witnesses a large tanker ship run aground on a beach due to, so they later learn, a cyberattack targeting maritime navigation networks. It was this scene in Leave the World Behind to which far-right X users quickly began comparing the Dali’s collision, alleging that the film’s scene had served as a warning from the elite for the real-life incident. Far-right users opined that the Dali’s collision was by design rather than an accident, adding that former US President Barack Obama, an executive producer for Leave the World Behind, must have orchestrated the Dali’s crash.


Figure 1. A post from an account which boasts 1.8 million followers, depicting former US President Barack Obama directing both the tanker scene from Leave the World Behind and the Dali’s collision.

One far-right X user declared that the apparent similarity between the Dali’s collision and the tanker scene in Leave the World Behind “can’t be coincidence.” The ostensible proof for the movie having predicted the Dali’s collision stems, so the user alleges, from the fact that the name of the tanker in Leave the World Behind is “White Lion,” while the flag of Sri Lanka (for which the Dali was bound before its collision) features a lion on it — albeit a yellow one.


Figure 2. A post from someone arguing, using loose symbolic association, that the tanker scene in Leave the World Behind foretold the Dali’s collision.

Other far-right X users have alleged that Leave the World Behind was a warning from the elite about impending cyberattacks. Approximately 33 minutes into the movie, a simulated CNN news report appears on a TV screen displaying a map depicting the extent of the film’s fictitious cyberattack. One far-right X user called on users to more deeply scrutinise the scene, suggesting that a QR code embedded in the map may contain some deeper message because “[w]e know they [the elite] have to tell us.” When scanned, the QR code in fact leads to a tourism page for the Lake Shawnee Abandoned Amusement Park from the Visit Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau; the meaning of this is unclear.


Figure 3. A post from a conspiracy theory account claiming that the fictional cyberattack in Leave the World Behind foreshadows a similar real-life event.

Similarly, another X user, whose account has over 885,000 followers, claimed that Leave the World Behind, along with an educational video produced by the World Economic Forum warning about the dangers of cyberattacks, indicated that the public was being “programmed” for a future “cyber pandemic.” The World Economic Forum and its founder, Klaus Schwab, are frequent targets for far-right conspiracy theorists, who opine that the organisation is plotting to take away people’s freedoms.


Figure 4. A post alleging that Leave the World Behind and an educational video from the World Economic Forum were attempts to “program” the public.

Civil War

Another recent film that has generated much discussion among far-right X users is Civil War, produced by studio A24 and released on April 12, 2024. Far-right X users allege that Civil War, which depicts the travels of several journalists en route from New York City to Washington, DC to interview an authoritarian third-term US president, is a warning from the elite of an impending real-life second American civil war that the elite themselves are apparently seeking to instigate. Although discussion of the risk of widespread political violence in the United States has increased since the storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, far-right X users have openly decried the movie — even well before its premiere — as an attempt by the elite to foment civil war through predictive programming.


Figure 5. A post from a highly influential far-right X user with over 2.5 million followers asserting that Civil War is predictive programming shortly after the release of the film’s trailer.


Figure 6. A post from a far-right X user, whose account has over 331,000 followers, calling Civil War an attempt at predictive programming.

One X user insisted that the timing of the release of Civil War “was no coincidence” and that civil war is “what they [the elite] want.” Similarly, another X user whose account has over 255,000 followers claimed that “[w]hen all else fails, they [the elite] will be the ones to ‘try’ to start a Civil War.” Another user further asserted that “[t]his movie, a masterclass in ‘Predictive Programming,’ isn’t just a film: it’s a psychological warfare tool… it’s pure mainstream deception,” adding that the film’s president is “suggested to be Trump,” whose fictional death serves as “a potential spark for chaos.”

Such comments threaten the integrity of democracy by undermining public trust in government authorities and institutions. Additionally, such conspiratorial thinking risks creating self-fulfilling prophecies whereby members of the far-right view widespread political violence — even civil war — as inevitable and thus permittable. Indeed, the latter user, in the same post, concludes by declaring that “when tyranny looms, the real answer isn’t a civil war; it’s a Revolution,” an equally alarming alternative.

Purebloods: A Wizarding War against the Impure?

One strange and outlandish trend among far-right X users is the pureblood movement, whose adherents claim that their abstention from taking any COVID-19 vaccinations means that they alone have pure blood, while those persons who received COVID-19 vaccinations have tainted theirs. Emerging initially on TikTok in September 2021, the pureblood movement takes its name from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, purebloods being those persons whose ancestry consists solely of wizards and witches, in contrast to Muggles, who are born to non-magical parents. In the series, purebloods such as Lord Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy are the antagonists who set out to purge the world of non-purebloods, and Rowling has explicitly stated that the concept has Nazi undertones.

Although early users of the term on TikTok later explained that they were joking, the pureblood movement bears a close similarity to white nationalist movements, and far-right users on X have since perpetuated the notion of being purebloods in earnest. A self-described “Post Apocalyptic War Lord” and far-right X user with over 599,000 followers praised Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic for winning the 2023 US Open Tennis tournament not based on his athletic skills, but rather his pureblood status, as Djokovic was notably opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine.


Figure 7. A post lauding Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic for his unvaccinated “pureblood” status.

Searching the hashtag #PureBlood, a variety of posts appear from other X users extolling their self-proclaimed pureblood status. One X user called on fellow pureblood users to repost a fake certificate commending their efforts for “surviving the greatest psychological fear campaign in human history.” Similarly, a user whose account has over 196,000 followers posted an image of a sticker reading “PUREBLOOD. Unmasked, unjabbed, unafraid,” calling on fellow pureblood X users to join her. In this way, self-professed pureblood status serves as a definitive identity marker engendering an exclusive sense of community, social unity, and solidarity.

This exclusivity of the pureblood movement is a salient characteristic, and some far-right X users identifying with the movement have advocated for the separation of purebloods from non-purebloods. In a repost to a user sharing what is claimed to be a preprint of an article alleging that blood from vaccinated persons is tainted, an X user proposed that purebloods establish their own blood banks, harkening to the eugenicist notion that pure blood and blood which is deemed to be impure cannot be mixed for fear of contaminating the former.

An even more otherworldly variation of this pureblood theory stems from X user The White Rabbit Podcast, who claims to be a senate candidate for the far-right Great Australian Party and whose account has over 208,000 followers. The White Rabbit Podcast proposes that the ratio between the percentage of persons with rhesus-negative blood (blood that lacks the Rh antigen and which occurs in approximately 15 percent of the United States’ population and an even smaller percentage of the total global population) mysteriously corresponds with the percentage of persons who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine.


Figure 8. A post from The White Rabbit Podcast implying that COVID-19 vaccines genetically altered recipients’ blood type.

While the conspiratorial logic is opaque and difficult to follow, this X user seems to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines genetically altered recipients’ blood from rhesus negative to rhesus positive, and that recipients of the vaccine were thus “infected” with “ape” blood by which she erroneously conflates the Rh antigen in humans with the Rh antigen found in rhesus macaque monkeys (from which the human version of the antigen took its name following early scientific research using the rhesus macaques as test subjects). Thus, in the eyes of certain members of the far-right, those deemed to be non-purebloods are not only impure, but quite literally animals. Such attitudes recall eugenicist beliefs espoused by neo-Nazis, and indeed, it is worth noting that the “88” which appears as part of The White Rabbit Podcast’s X handle might very well refer to the “88” cipher frequently used by members of neo-Nazi organisations as a code for “Heil Hitler.”

Summing It Up: What Is the Risk and What Can Be Done?

The disjointed and opaque system of logic underlying far-right X users’ conspiracy theories might, at first glance, seem to discredit their potential for garnering influence. The method to far-right X users’ madness relies, after all, on loose and apparently arbitrary associations drawn from fictional media that would seemingly have little appeal to a broader audience not already initiated into far-right beliefs. Despite their esoteric nature, however, conspiratorial posts from far-right users on X garner hundreds of thousands and even millions of views, and some far-right X accounts have just as many followers. The ease with which such posts are disseminated to wider audiences through the use of hashtags and appeals to popular and current media, in fact, facilitates their spread to new audiences.

The risk is not merely that X users come to believe in false conspiracy theories, but that the abundance of such disorienting discourse undermines users’ confidence in their ability to discern truth from fiction. Furthermore, while speculation on supposed ulterior motives behind films may, in itself, be fairly innocuous — especially since it does not necessarily involve calls for political violence — far-right X users’ use of such discourse to erode trust in government officials and institutions degrades the ability of members of the public to make informed assessments of political realities, thus weakening the integrity of democracy.

One way to mitigate this problem is for tech companies to partner with universities, schools, libraries, and civil society organisations to promote digital and media literacy education. Raising awareness of far-right and other extremist discourse, as well as teaching members of the public how to identify and report such content, empowers individuals by providing them with the knowledge and resources needed to be responsible social media users. Community leaders, in partnership with industry experts, might also stress the importance of good social media hygiene in maintaining the overall health of democracy, underscoring the cumulative repercussions of individuals’ online behaviour on community integrity while striving to inculcate the importance of normative values such as truthfulness, diligence, and resilience. Additionally, national government officials should aim to develop counter-narratives to extremist messages while further fostering constructive dialogue and emphasising the need for national vigilance in the face of rampant disinformation. Indeed, a whole-of-society approach that coordinates both private and public stakeholders at various tiers might craft the most robust approach to mitigating the spread of extremist narratives.

Mason W. Krusch is a postgraduate researcher at the Global Studies and International Relations Programme at Northeastern University (Boston, US). His work has previously been published in Small Wars & Insurgencies (Taylor & Francis) and The Defence Horizon Journal (European Military Press Association). His research interests include information operations, unconventional warfare, Nordic security, and far-right extremism and online radicalisation. He holds a MS in Global Studies and International Relations from Northeastern University and a BA in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Sheep on a high: Flock feasts on cannabis after extreme weather

by Staff Reporter
17 Jul 2024 


In a truly bizarre twist of fate, a flock of sheep in Greece found themselves feeling a bit too "ewe-phoric" after munching on a crop of weed!

Wildfires, heatwaves, and flooding had left the poor flock near Thessaly with little to graze on, so they took matters into their own hooves and made a beeline for a greenhouse producing medicinal cannabis.

The greenhouse owner had already seen his crop battered by the extreme weather, but the sheep's unexpected feast was the final blow. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry," he told TheNewspaper.gr. "First, we had the heatwave and lost a lot of production. Then the floods took almost everything. And now this - the herd got into the greenhouse and finished off what was left. I honestly don't know what to say."

In total, 100kg of the crop was destroyed, and the sheep left feeling more than a little light-headed.

Their shepherd noticed the strange behavior immediately. "They were jumping higher than goats, which never happens," he marveled.

Meanwhile, in a curious case of vanished evidence in Uttar Pradesh, India, officers were left empty-handed in a court case after 195kg of drugs mysteriously disappeared. The culprit? "Fearless mice," according to the officers, who claimed the rodents had destroyed the stock while it was in storage. Judge Sanjay Chaudhary quipped, "Rats are tiny animals and they have no fear of the police. It's difficult to protect the drug from them."

While recreational weed remains illegal in India, its extract, bhang, is perfectly legal and even used in some Hindu practices.

So, there you have it - a tale of sheep on a wild trip and some daring drug-devouring rodents!

French trade unions give up on strikes in Paris airports following successful negotiations

Airport employer group ADF, unions find common ground on additional bonuses, French media outlets say

Nur Asena Ertürk |17.07.2024 - 

Paris Orly Airport

ANKARA

Trade unions in France gave up on launching strikes in Paris airports after successful negotiations, according to media reports.

Trade unions, including the CGT, FO, CFDT, and Unsa, announced on July 8 that they were planning strikes in Paris airports on July 17.

The unions claimed bonuses for the entire staff, 1,000 additional recruits, and the possibility of taking annual leaves during the Olympic Games, the broadcaster France info said.

Airport employer group ADF and the unions on Tuesday found common ground and agreed on various additional bonuses comprising the workers’ efforts during the Olympics, the same source added. The unions thus decided not to launch strikes in the airports.

CGT demonstrations

The CGT is planning demonstrations in Paris on Thursday at noon, in front of the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the French parliament.

The aim is to call for President Emmanuel Macron to take action and allow the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) to select a prime minister and govern the country.

Macron accepted Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's resignation one week later and was harshly criticized for delaying the process and causing instability in the country.

The NFP, which is expected to get the most seats in the National Assembly, started searching for a candidate to propose as prime minister.

The intense work led to a divergence of opinion, even divisions inside the NFP, which is looking for a solid name to give Macron.

The New Popular Front could win over 180 seats. The centrist alliance, Together for the Republic, backed by Macron, finished second with over 160 seats, while Marine Le Pen's RN got over 140 seats.

The National Assembly has 577 seats, and none of the three primary alliances is expected to win an absolute majority of 289 lawmakers.

The first round was held on June 30, and 76 candidates were elected without a second round.

The RN received 29.26% of the vote alone (37 seats), a figure that rises to more than 33% when combined with its allies.

The NFP got 28.06% (32 seats), followed by the centrist Together with slightly over 20.04% (two seats).

Macron dissolved the parliament and announced early elections after the RN won more than 31% of the vote in the European Parliament elections on June 9, defeating his centrist bloc.

Australia vows to hold Russia accountable for 'downing' of MH17 flight

⁠MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down above eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 on board

Serdar Dincel |17.07.2024 - TRT/AA


ISTANBUL

Australia on Wednesday vowed to hold Russia accountable for the alleged downing of the MH17 flight.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said: “The findings of ... court unequivocally and conclusively establish Russia’s responsibility for the downing of MH17."

In 2022, a court in the Netherlands awarded life sentences to three people, including Russian citizens Sergey Dubinskiy and Igor Girkin, as well as Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko, who were found guilty of causing the crash while another Russian, Oleg Pulatov, was acquitted on all charges.

“We will not be deterred in our commitment to hold Russia to account,” Wong said, addressing families of the victims at the Australian Parliament.

The MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down above eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298 on board were killed, including 196 Dutch citizens.

However, Moscow had rejected the verdict and called it a "scandalous" decision announced under unprecedented pressure by a Dutch court and denied any involvement in the downing of the jet.