The new case targets 18 co-defendants alongside the former commander in chief | A Georgia grand jury has voted to indict former US President Donald Trump on 41 criminal counts, including a felony racketeering charge linked to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential race. ● Several of his current and former allies also face prosecution, among them ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who previously served as Trump’s lawyer.  ● District Attorney Fani Willis of Fulton County, Georgia, unveiled the new case on Monday night, with the ex-president set to be charged for an alleged violation of the state’s organized crime law, known as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, or RICO. ● The charges also include several counts for conspiracy to interfere in an election, perjury, and others for soliciting a public official to violate their oath.

■ Trump and 18 Others Indicted! [...] 41 CHARGES – RICO & CONSPIRACY (Gateway Pundit)
■ Donald Trump, 18 others indicted in Georgia election probe (Just-the-News)
■ Trump Indicted for Fourth Time in Georgia Election Interference Case (Sputnik News)
■ Georgia grand jury indicts Trump in election case (TASS)

Victor Davis Hanson | What is the long-term Democrat strategy that requires such short-term malodorous skullduggery? | Joe Biden has about 17 months left as an elected politician—if he is lucky. That projection guides most of the inexplicable and shameless behavior of the Department of Justice and Biden himself. View Biden as in a race against the truth. Will he be physically and mentally able to complete his term and head to retirement before his decades-long crimes of corruption catch up to him? Joe Biden’s serial yarn that he never knew anything about his son Hunter’s quid pro quo grifting with rich foreign grandees has been finally exposed as the old lie it always was.  [...] Democrats will have enough trouble keeping Biden semi-coherent and upright over the 17 months without a string of indictments involving high crimes and misdemeanors from bribery to treason, if indeed Biden did alter U.S. policy at the bequest of his paymasters in China, Russia, Ukraine or Romania. In other words, Weiss was selected for his past loyal suppression of the Hunter investigation and his future further quashing indictments as special counsel. That fact almost ensures that Biden can finish his first term without an impeachment trial in the Senate or a forced Nixon-style resignation, given the enormity of his own illegality. Ensuring the viability of Biden’s next year-and-half will mean Kamala Harris does not inherit the presidency from either a physically or mentally incompetent Biden—or a president so reduced by bribery and racketeering counts that he is forced to resign.

US Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) filed an impeachment resolution against US President Joe Biden for his alleged role in bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, fraud and financial involvement in drugs and prostitution, according to a document published on Friday. 💬 "Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. has undermined the integrity of his office, has brought disrepute on the presidency, has betrayed his trust as president, and has acted in a manner subversive of the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States," the resolution reads. ● "Wherefore, Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States." ● Steube said he designed the Hunter Act to help get to the bottom of the cocaine story when a package with the drug was found at the White House, because he alleged the Secret Service is doing everything possible to cover up the Biden family's actions. ● The resolution lists four articles of impeachment, including abuse of power, bribery, extortion, fraud, obstruction of justice, and financial involvement in drugs and prostitution. [But, look...over there..."China is run by bad folks" (Biden)]

President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell report on his Truth Social platform that the sham committee overseeing the investigation of the January 6th Capitol riot has destroyed their documents and records illegally. On Tuesday, Trump wrote: 💬 So now that I have full Subpoena Power because of the Freedom of Speech Sham Indictment by Crooked Joe Biden, Deranged Jack Smith, and the DOJ, it has just been reported that the Unselect January 6th Committee of Political Hacks and Thugs has illegally destroyed their Records and Documents. This is unthinkable, and the Fake Political Indictment against me must be immediately withdrawn. The system is Rigged & Corrupt, very much like the Presidential Election of 2020. We are a Nation in Decline! ● The Gateway Pundit previously reported that Dr. Jan Halper-Hayes, during a recent interview, said that special counsel Jack Smith made a huge mistake in indicting Trump related to Jan. 6 incident because it gives him the power to subpoena people. “They’ve made a huge mistake with this one, because even though we thought what was going to happen was they were going to go after him for treason or sedition, they did criminally charge him, but they didn’t go to that extreme. As a result, he has due process, so he can subpoena people and bring things in,” she said.

The Department of Justice is committing election interference by attempting to prosecute former President and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump, US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said in a statement. 💬 “Biden’s Department of Justice is actively participating in election interference by trying to put his top political opponent, President Donald Trump, behind bars,” Greene said on Thursday. ● Earlier in the day, Trump pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges brought against him by Special Counsel Jack Smith for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election. Trump called the charges against him “persecution of a political opponent." Greene characterized the prosecution as “pure corruption.”

■ Election 2024 - Two Legal Cases And One Winner (Moon of Alabama)
■ Washington ‘Terrified’ Trump May Defeat Biden in 2024 Election (Sputnik Globe)
■ Donald Trump’s ‘very sad day for America’ went about as expected (SCMP.com)
■ Trump pleads not guilty to charges of efforts to overturn 2020 election (CGTN.com)

While posing as a defender of free speech, Florida’s Ron DeSantis has played point man on the Israel lobby’s crusade to criminalize American citizens for their exercising their constitutionally-protected right to boycott Israel. | Branding himself the “most pro-Israel governor in the United States,” the Florida Republican announced an official investigation into the financial ratings firm Morningstar over allegations related to Florida’s ban on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. 💬 “Today, I am happy to make — and this law just took effect at the beginning of July — I’m happy to announce for everybody, that Florida has formally instituted an investigation against Morningstar for violations of our anti-BDS law. We’re not letting them target Israel and get away with it, we’re using our tools to fight back,” DeSantis announced at a conference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). ● Morningstar has been accused by the state of Florida of downgrading companies that are associated with Israel. During the same event, DeSantis referred to the occupied Palestinian West Bank by its biblical name, “Judea and Samaria,” insisting it was “not occupied territory.”

Trump is expected to be processed by law enforcement, be officially taken into custody and enter a not guilty plea in front of a judge | Donald Trump is due in federal court Thursday to answer to charges that he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election, facing a judge just blocks from the U.S. Capitol that his supporters stormed to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power. ● In what's by now become a familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual, Trump is expected to be processed by law enforcement, be officially taken into custody, and enter a not-guilty plea in front of a judge before being released, so he can rejoin the campaign trail as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024. ● An indictment Tuesday from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo the presidential election in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a years-long prison sentence in the event of a conviction. Trump was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six co-conspirators — mostly lawyers — they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by President Joe Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.

■ RIGGED: Obama-Appointed, J6-Hating Judge Presiding Over Trump Case Worked at Same Law Firm as Hunter Biden
■ Latest Indictment Against Trump BACKFIRES; Gives Trump Ability to Re-Litigate ENTIRE 2020 Election (Hal Turner)

Simplicius The Thinker | Momentous things are setting into motion geopolitically all over the globe, most notably in Africa. A coup took down the president of Niger, a country of critical importance to France and the NATO bloc. The Atlanticists are extremely worried now. ● France is the #1 country in the world for total percentage of nuclear use for energy generation, and #2 in total number of nuclear power plants. I’ve seen figures that Niger supplies upwards of 40% of France’s Uranium, though some have it in the 15-25% range, as well as 25% to the EU itself. ● Now, the coup leader Abdourahamane Tchiani has reportedly banned Uranium and gold exports to France, which could devastate their energy industries, though it could be just a tactic for renegotiations; Naturally, Ukraine blames Russia.

Former President Donald Trump was indicted for a third time on Tuesday, this time on charges related to alleged illegal efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, while his campaign has compared the political “persecutions” of him and his supporters to “Nazi Germany in the 1930s.” | The new charges against Donald Trump offer conclusive proof that there can be no talk of a free and fair election in 2024, Tom Fitton, president of conservative legal and election watchdog group Judicial Watch believes. 💬 “This indictment is a naked threat and act of intimidation by the Democratic Party against any and all of their political opponents. The message from the Biden regime is: ‘We will put you in jail if you dispute elections’. A free and fair 2024 election is officially impossible,” Fitton wrote in a release following Tuesday’s indictment. “The Biden administration has left the rule of law and the US Constitution behind with its latest indictment of President Trump for daring to dispute the 2020 presidential election, as is his God-given right as a president, a citizen, and a candidate under state, federal and constitutional law,” Fitton added. ● The non-profit head accused President Biden and Justice Department chief Merrick Garland of “trying to jail” Trump and turn him “into a political prisoner” to distract the public from “conclusive evidence” of President Biden’s “personal corruption” related to his and his son’s alleged pay-to-play political influence peddling scheme.

■ Trump indicted over Capitol riot (RT.com)

Don't put it past the regime to have their political opponent taken out any way possible. | The assassination of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 prompted the Secret Service to start protecting future candidates. But the Biden-Harris regime through DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has denied such protection for RFK Jr. Do they want him to follow in his father's footsteps? ● Considering this is the Biden-Harris regime that we're talking about, it's safe to assume that the answer is "yes." They want RFK Jr gone, and if that means allowing his assassination, so be it. Some may balk at the notion and think that such concepts are below any presidency, even this one, but I wouldn't be so sure.

■ RFK Jr. Maintains Highest Favorability Rating Among Presidential Candidates in New Poll (The Epoch Times)

Sixteen Republicans in Michigan — including former state co-chairwoman Meshawn Maddock — are being prosecuted by Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel for putting themselves forward as alternative electors after the 2020 election results were contested. AG Nessel accuses the would-be electors – who average out at 69 years old between them – of having “undermined the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections,” and has hit each of them with eight felonies, among them forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, and election law forgery. Several of the charges carry prison terms of up to 14 years.

■ Arizona’s ‘Fake’ Electors Are The Next Target (The National Pulse)

Elena Panina (Елена Панина) | In principle, why not? Since another boxer is the mayor of Kyiv, the Defense Ministry is headed by the person responsible for the Eurovision Song Contest, the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council is headed by a veterinarian, and the country as a whole is headed by a comedian with a habit of illegal substances. Ukraine is a country of opportunity. Isn't that what Maidan stood for? Especially since, from the Western point of view, it makes no difference who sits on the native throne and reports to the suzerain. (Translation: DeepL.com)

In this powerful presentation, renowned physician Chris Shoemaker sheds light on the potential dangers posed by the COVID vaccine, with a special focus on children and pregnant women. Drawing upon his expertise and research, Dr. Shoemaker delves into the toxicity of the vaccine's main ingredients and provides insights into the entities involved in its creation. ● In this thought-provoking testimony, Dr. Shoemaker presents compelling evidence and raises important concerns about the safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccine. His expertise as a physician adds credibility to his analysis, offering valuable insights into the potential risks associated with this medical intervention. ● Don't miss this eye-opening presentation that challenges the mainstream narrative and encourages critical thinking about the COVID vaccine. Gain a deeper understanding of the concerns surrounding its use, particularly for vulnerable populations. Stay informed and make empowered decisions about your health.

■ Live with Dr. Chris Shoemaker (Rumble VIDEO)

BREAKING: @BlackRock Recruiter Who “Decides People’s Fate” Spills Info on Company’s World Impact

“It’s not who the president is- it’s who’s controlling the wallet of the president”

“You got $10K? You can buy a senator"

“War is real f***ing good for business” #BlackRockExposed pic.twitter.com/DZIy1DuZKF

— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) June 20, 2023

Former US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his indictment was "the most evil and heinous abuse of power in the history of the United States" and an attempt to interfere with the 2024 presidential election. | After departing Florida, the former commander-in-chief flew back to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to hold a rally-style address before his supporters. 💬 "Today, we witnessed the most evil and heinous abuse of power in the history of our country. A very sad thing to watch," Trump told the crowd. "The corrupt sitting president [Joe Biden] had his top political opponent arrested for fake and fabricated charges, of which he and numerous other presidents would be guilty, right in the middle of the presidential election, in which he is losing very badly." "This is called election interference and yet another attempt to rig and steal a presidential election," he continued, adding that "it's a political persecution like something straight out of a fascist or communist nation."

■ Trump says he had 'every right' to keep classified documents (TASS)

The death of Silvio Berlusconi marks “the end of an era”, Italian politicians said on Monday as allies and adversaries alike paid tribute to the billionaire businessman who was Italy’s prime minister four times. | The billionaire media mogul turned politician had been suffering from serious health problems and had received treatment at a hospital in Milan. The media mogul was a huge presence on the Italian political scene for four decades, serving as Italian prime minister in four governments between 1994 and 1995, 2001 and 2006, and 2008 to 2011. He was renowned not just for his wealth and huge influence but also his saloon bar humour, frequent gaffes on the international stage and “bunga bunga” party sex scandals with models and prostitutes. His death at the age of 86 signals the “end of an era”, said Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, who is a member of the Brothers of Italy party led by the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. It is the dominant force in a governing coalition that includes Mr Berlusconi’s centre-Right Forza Italia party. The death of Mr Berlusconi is “a great, enormous sorrow. It leaves a huge void because he was a great man. An era has ended, an era closes. I cared about him deeply. Goodbye Silvio,” the minister wrote in a tribute. (Photo: © CNN. )

■ Silvio Berlusconi: How the former Italian PM changed Italy (BBC)
■ Putin says Berlusconi was true friend, his death is great misfortune (TASS)

Turkiye went to the polls on Sunday for a second round of voting in the country’s presidential elections after no candidate managed to win over fifty percent of the vote in the first round of voting on May 14. | Incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip has secured victory in Turkiye’s presidential runoff, defeating his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan, polling as the single candidate for the People’s Alliance bloc, won 52.13 percent of the vote, compared to 47.87 percent of votes cast for Kilicdaroglu, who ran for the opposition Nation Alliance coalition, according to preliminary results from Turkiye's electoral commission with over 99.6 percent of the votes counted. Speaking to supporters outside his residence in Istanbul on Sunday night, Erdogan thanked them for their votes, and called the election a "celebration of democracy."

The results will determine the country’s course for the next five years | The polls have opened across Türkiye in a runoff election that will determine whether conservative President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will retain power, or hand the reins over to his more liberal opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. ● Polling stations opened at 8am local time in all 81 provinces, with more than 60 million people eligible to vote in Sunday’s runoff. Another 3.4 million Turkish citizens were eligible to vote abroad over the past week, but it is unknown how many cast their ballots. In the first round on May 14, turnout was almost 89% within the country, but only 49.4% abroad. ● News, forecasts, and commentary on the elections are not permitted until 6pm local time, one hour after the polls close. The results cannot be reported until 9pm. However, with just two candidates facing off, the Supreme Election Board may unveil preliminary results earlier. The first round was held simultaneously with the parliamentary elections, and the complexity of the ballots caused delays and criticism from the opposition. The two rivals hold opposing views on a range of policies, and the outcome of the election may determine the country’s course for the next five years. ● Erdogan is a social conservative who has served as president since 2014, and was prime minister for 11 years beforehand. Under his leadership, Türkiye has pursued closer trade and diplomatic ties to Russia and China, while positioning itself as a potential peacemaker in regional conflicts, including in Ukraine. ● Kilicdaroglu is a centrist seeking to undo many of Erdogan’s domestic reforms, particularly the post-2016 constitutional changes that strengthened the powers of the presidency. He has vowed to immediately restart EU accession talks if elected, and to resuscitate Türkiye’s economy.

■ LIVE UPDATES: Erdogan Gains Over 54% of Vote in Presidential Runoff - Preliminary Results (Sputnik News)
■ Voting for Erdogan ‘a sin’ – election rival (RT.com)

Elena Panina (Елена Панина) | The second round of presidential elections will be held in Turkey on May 28. They will decide the fate of 83.3 million people, whose lives, if Kilicdaroglu wins, will change, as he himself says, by 180 degrees. Now, what kind of changes will this be?

■ Joining the EU will force Turkey to submit to the bureaucracy of Brussels. For many sectors of the Turkish economy, this will be a shock without therapy and, as a result, a sharp decline in people's living standards. ● Turkey's main industries are agriculture, industry (light, food, chemical, automotive, electronics), energy, tourism, trade and services. If the supporters of European integration win in Turkey, everything here will change. ● EU standards will destroy the Turkish agricultural producer in its current form and impose their own rules. We will have to comply with EU regulations created in order to strangle any competitor to Western European producers — all these requirements for agrosanitary standards, pesticides, calibration of vegetables in shape and size, etc. The rest will be limited to quotas, where the annual rate will be selected in two months. Any other products will be prohibited from sale. ● If this happens, Turkey is destined for the same fate as Greece. If we take the level of agriculture in Greece before joining the EU, now only 5% of it remains. Turkey is still a world leader in the production of many types of agricultural products, ranking from first to tenth place in them. Agriculture accounts for 9% of GDP and generates about $4 billion in export revenues. 25% of the working—age population of the country - 7.55 million people are employed here. If they join the EU, many of these people will join the ranks of the unemployed. ● Tourism is also directly related to agriculture. A belt of suppliers of agricultural products for hotels, shops and catering establishments has formed around all tourist centers. 2/3 of the able-bodied population of Turkey is employed in small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), providing 62% of the country's GDP and 55% of its exports. About 3 million people are employed in tourism and related industries alone. Logistics workers should also be included here. In total, about half of the working population is employed in the service sector — about 15 million people. In the case of European integration, the fate of these millions will be unenviable.

■ Now — about joining the anti-Russian sanctions, as stated by Kilicdaroglu, and curtailing cooperation with Russia. Many experts, in the Russian Federation, say that it is not economically profitable for Turkey. But we remember well what pressure Brogan was subjected to from the United States to force Turkey to join the anti-Russian sanctions. Brogan resisted, first of all because of his character. It is unlikely that a weaker Kilicdaroglu will stand. Moreover, Americans never take into account the interests of the people of a particular country. Europe is a vivid confirmation of this. ● Now the Russian share of energy carriers in the Turkish economy is 30-40%, and in the case of the implementation of the gas hub project, it will grow to 70-80%. In addition, Turkey supplies clothes, shoes, food, and building materials to the Russian Federation. The tourism industry critically depends on the flow from the Russian Federation. The US and the EU will certainly demand that Turkey join the anti-Russian sanctions, which will have disastrous consequences for its economy. ● Refusal to cooperate with the Russian Federation will lead to a recession, leading to a wave of bankruptcies. If we add to this the curtailment of gas supplies from the Russian Federation, then energy will become expensive, and industry will become unprofitable, as it is now in the EU. ● Of course, inflation will increase. To eliminate budget holes, Turkey, like Greece, will be put on the credit needle of the IMF and the EU. Destabilization will intensify, Kurdish separatism, supported by the United States, will become more active. Considering that only 27% of able-bodied women work in Turkey, more than 20 million people will suffer together with men who have lost their jobs. And this is only in the economic sphere. And given the political destabilization, the entire population of the country is under attack. ● If Turkey takes a course on joining the EU, it will not only lose its independence, but will turn into another poor province of the West. You don't even have to ask the question "who stands to benefit from this?" Certainly not Turkey. (Translation: yandex.ru)

France is in civil war against against its globalist government regime… Macron will fall and France will be free from this authoritarian tyrant.

RESIST 🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/IVLdGJGph0

— Pelham (@Resist_05) May 2, 2023

Demonstrations on May 1 will be the largest in France in 30-40 years, with people continuing to protest against the controversial pension reform, Laurent Berger, the general secretary of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), said on Sunday. | Earlier in the month, France's leading trade unions called for a general nationwide strike against the reform on May 1. "It will be the biggest May 1 as regards social issues in 30-40 years," Berger told the LCI broadcaster. ● As many as 1.5 million people can take to the streets across France on May 1 to protest against the government pension reform, according to CFDT. At the same time, the French Interior Ministry expects up to 650,000 people to take part in May Day demonstrations. Around 100,000-160,000 people usually participate in rallies in France on that day, French media reported. ● Around 12,000 law enforcement officers will be deployed across France, with 5,000 officers in the French capital alone, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said earlier in the day. ● On April 14, the French Constitutional Council approved the key article of the pension reform bill, which would gradually raise the age of retirement in France from 62 to 64 years by 2030. The reform sparked a strong backlash, prompting people to take to the streets across the country. As many as 12 nationwide demonstrations against the reform have taken place already, with several protests organized by unions attracting over 1 million supporters across France.

Polish leader Andrzej Duda said there will soon be no border between Ukraine and his country. | I hope there will be no physical border between Poland and Ukraine after the war. Especially when Ukraine becomes a member of the European Union. That ordinary people, when going from Ukraine to Poland, will not know at all where this border used to be, they will only recognize it by the buildings standing somewhere on the side, where the border controls used to take place,” Duda said. During his visit to Warsaw, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised that in future there would be no borders between his country and Poland – neither political nor economic. Also during the visit, the President of Ukraine received from the hands of President Andrzej Duda the Order of the White Eagle, the highest Polish honor.

FRANCE - Rennes, they are coming! Thousands of them. Macron can’t win this, only he doesn’t understand that yet!

pic.twitter.com/yH0GZ8eEk5

— Bernie's Tweets (@BernieSpofforth) April 6, 2023

Petteri Orpo, the winner of the Finnish election, is a fiscal conservative, who has promised to cut unemployment benefits and other welfare programs. He also ran on the pledge to reduce the public debt, allow tax cuts and boost economic growth. | As Finland’s incumbent Prime Minister Sanna Marin acknowledged defeat in a neck-and-neck election, the liberal-conservative National Coalition led by Petter Orpo claimed victory and is on its way to form a coalition government. ● Despite Marin being lionized by domestic and international media as a "progressive icon", her Social Democrats failed to secure a second term, losing to both the National Coalition and the nationalist Finns. Though less than a single percent separated the three parties at 20.7, 20.1 and 19.9 percent, the poor showing of the Social Democrats' support parties further cemented the rightward swing.

Jeffrey Peel | Andrew Bridgen MP, A Lone Voice? | Many have noted Andrew Bridgen’s bravery in speaking to a largely empty House of Commons yesterday. It’s not easy being exposed and alone, with no support from colleagues, especially in the House of Commons. Just 6 MPs remained to hear his speech yesterday, St Patrick’s Day. It was hardly surprising that no Northern Ireland MPs were taking part – most were off attending The White House’s Paddy’s Day junkets in DC. My MP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, has been in Washington from March 14. So I took his absence as an opportunity to get him up to speed with what happened yesterday when Andrew got up in the Commons to speak about mRNA vaccines. (More here and here)

Sweden’s foreign minister will visit Turkey on Thursday to discuss with Turkish officials the Nordic country’s bid to enter NATO, announced the Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday. The trip comes days after Stockholm blocked the extradition of a journalist to Ankara. | The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement that Sweden foreign minister Tobias Bilistrom and his Turkish counterpart will discuss bilateral relations and “Sweden’s NATO membership process as well as regional and international developments.” Bilistrom’s office is yet to confirm the visit. ● Sweden and Finland made bids to enter NATO after Russia launched a major military offensive against Ukraine in February. Both Scandinavian countries were already close partners of NATO but by joining it they would gain the support of 30 member countries if attacked by their foe, Russia, or any other country. The military alliance makes its decisions by consensus, meaning that both countries require the blessing of all 30 countries. Only Turkey refused to vote for the bids.

Morning Consult Political Intelligence is currently tracking the approval ratings of government leaders and country trajectories in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. This page will be updated weekly with the latest data for all 22 countries, offering real-time insight into the shifting political dynamics across the globe.Current Approval Ratings: The latest approval ratings are based on data collected from December 7-13, 2022. Approval ratings are based on a seven-day moving average of adult residents in each country, with sample sizes varying by country. MORE

A fourth batch of the so-called “Twitter Files" has been released by best-selling author Michael Shellenberger. | The first installment of what has been dubbed the “Twitter Files” dropped on December 2 via investigative journalist Matt Taibbi. Since then, batches two and three were also made public after the company’s chief executive, Elon Musk, armed Taibbi and his colleague Bari Weiss with further illuminating data. ● The latest installment of the treasure trove of data that Twitter CEO Elon Musk vowed would shed light on “free speech suppression” pertains to the social media platform’s actions leading up to the ban on former President Donald Trump instituted on January 8, 2021 after the events at the US capitol on January 6. Like in the case of the preceding batches, the insider information was given to journalists and authors by the tech billionaire to post on their Twitter accounts.

■ Ex-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Facing Perjury Charges for Lying to Congress about ‘Shadow-Banning’ (Slay)

Moon of Alabama | The midterm election did not come with the red wave some had expected. The reasons for that are manifold. | That the Trump brand has lost some of its shine is one. Trump has always been bad at picking people. In the case of this election he supported some particular bad candidates. They obviously did not perform as he had hoped for. ● Biden is not liked much. But he is - in general - also not disliked much. He has managed to bribe the voters first through the large spending programs he had moved through Congress and then through the huge releases from the strategic petroleum reserve. The prices fell at the pump and that typically counts for a lot. ● Abortion seems to have played a role and Democrats said they would do something about that. But the Supreme Court judgment pushed the issue back to the states. I doubt that the Democrats will do anything about that. They have no incentive and no means to change that ruling. ● So the Democrats may keep the Senate though barely. The Republicans will likely take the House but also with only a thin majority. That means that U.S. policies, internally but especially on foreign issues, will not change one bit. ● As the saying goes: 'If elections would change anything they would not be allowed.'