Lemdro.id

cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/63447959

France, Germany, and Greece led EU arms sales to Israel in 2024

Romania, the Czech Republic, and Finland also licensed millions of euros of arms exports to Israel in 2024

I like cooking, but what really pleases me the most from everything i do is making my baguettes, when they are hot right after i take them out of the oven whatever sandwich i make with them i seems like the best meal ever

Only a minority of Brits think the US sees the UK as its closest ally. And with president Donald Trump’s regular attacks on the UK’s admittedly pitiful government, it is easy to see why. It is high time we reformed the so-called ‘special relationship’ — and removing US bases could be a major step.

There are currently around 10,000 American troops based in Britain across 13 US-controlled bases.

A YouGov poll on 29 April found:

Only 22% of Britons think the US government still sees the UK as its closest national ally.

Only 22% of Britons think the US government still sees the UK as its closest national ally, with leaks revealing that the British ambassador has said that Israel is probably the only country with a "special relationship" with the US

Link in replies pic.twitter.com/xPU38qAPms

— YouGov (@YouGov) April 29, 2026

As YouGov pointed out, the finding comes after:

leaks revealing that the British ambassador has said that Israel is probably the only country with a “special relationship” with the US.

Now it’s harder to know if those polled are sad or happy about this shift, but there’s definitely a wide recognition that the US-UK relationship has changed a lot lately. And it might be an opportunity to fight back against a political establishment which follows the US around like a poodle.

The ‘Yanks out’ cohort

There is definitely a constituency for removing bases. And it has only been handed more ammunition by Keir Starmer’s decision to drag the UK into the Israel-American attack on Iran. Defence secretary John Healey described the bases as “invaluable” to the US war effort on 11 April.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn — a longtime critic of US basing — tabled a motion against the bases on 4 March. It argued for more oversight by MPs.

The (very wordy) title was:

Bill to require parliamentary approval for the deployment of UK armed forces and military equipment for armed conflict; to require parliamentary approval for the granting of permission by Ministers for use of UK military bases and equipment by other nations for armed conflict; to require the withdrawal of that permission in circumstances where parliamentary approval is not granted; to provide for certain exemptions from these requirements; to make provision for retrospective parliamentary approval in certain circumstances; and for connected purposes.

But as with many things, the space once dominated by Corbyn has been hijacked by Green leader Zack Polanski…

Polanski wants the US bases out

Polanski told the Guardian podcast on 20 January at a time when the US is becoming increasingly aggressive. Donald Trump had already kidnapped Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro that month and was threatening to annex Greenland.

The Green leader said the UK’s security should not be subject to Trump’s mood:

I think it’s pretty worrying that we’ve allowed ourselves to become so reliant on American interests, and that a lot of this depends on if Donald Trump is in a good mood or not.

He called for a full review into US military presence on UK soil:

We should be reviewing US bases on UK soil, and actually looking at a genuine strategic defence review.

Your Party MP Zarah Sultana also said US bases should be “kicked out” on 1 March in response to the unprovoked attack on Iran:

Kick them out. https://t.co/nlBqs3YyUo

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) March 1, 2026

Sultana also laid out her position on the (for now) US-dominated NATO alliance in October 2025:

NATO isn’t about “peace” or “security”. It’s an imperialist war machine. Just look at Afghanistan and Libya.

Arms dealers profit while our NHS collapses, public services crumble and millions of children grow up in poverty.

We must withdraw from NATO immediately.

People don’t…

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) October 28, 2025

The UK public have abandoned the idea the US sees the UK as a close ally, though politics of why aren’t clear. Nevertheless, figures like Sultana, Corbyn and Polanski should use this window to offer a different vision. And it’s well past time someone told voters what a post-American Britain would look like.

Featured image via the Canary

By Joe Glenton

From Canary via This RSS Feed.

From famous leftist drag queen Lady Bunny:

Elon Musk complains about taxes while Tesla reported NOT PAYING ANY FEDERAL INCOME TAX??

From More Perfect Union via This RSS Feed.

cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/63448278

One of my playtesters is better than me at the game and top of all the leaderboards, please help me humble him.

cross-posted from: https://quokk.au/c/lemmyshitpost/p/863441/1983

The House on Wednesday approved the renewal of the nation’s warrantless spy powers in a 235-191 vote that cleared the chamber with support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The bill, which would renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), still has to clear the Senate, another challenging hurdle before the powers expire on April 30. Section 702 of FISA allows the government to spy on foreigners located abroad, but it has long generated calls to include a warrant requirement before reviewing any information collected on Americans who communicate with overseas targets. The measure passed by the House on Wednesday includes modest reforms to the program, including allowing a larger pool of lawmakers to review information presented to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. It extends Section 702 for three years — longer than the 18-month request initially made by President Trump. But those changes were not enough to win over privacy hawks on both sides of the aisle, a dynamic likely to replay itself in the Senate. This year also saw a greater number of Democrats who opposed renewing Section 702, with many arguing the Trump administration could not be trusted not to abuse the powerful spy tool. While 147 Democrats voted to renew Section 702 in 2024, this year just 42 did. And while 88 Republicans opposed FISA when it was last considered, this time just 22 did – a sign of Trump’s influence on the issue.

The White House has soft-launched renaming ICE to NICE — in an attempt to whitewash the government-backed thugs’ crimes.

Trump is awake and he’s now demanding that ICE be renamed to NICE so the media has to say “NICE agents” everyday. This is what the president is focused on. Very weird stuff. pic.twitter.com/5zOuYTMCaA

— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) April 27, 2026

Trump reposted the suggestion, which was made by a MAGA ‘journalist’.

NICE supposedly stands for ‘National Immigration and Customs Enforcement.’ However, social media users have far more interesting suggestions.

the n stands for nazi https://t.co/RDiWNbr6d9

— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) April 28, 2026

NICE = Nazi Infantry for Clients of Epstein https://t.co/Bp4PkNXhQD

— Hassan Mafi ‏ (@thatdayin1992) April 29, 2026

Already this year, at least 15 people have died while in ICE custody.

Additionally, ICE agents murdered two people during anti-ICE protests in Minnesota.

A rebrand won’t distract us from the truth: this reprehensible agency murdered two Minnesotans in broad daylight.

Abolish ICE. https://t.co/4FwXNek8gF

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 27, 2026

Changing it to “NICE Agents” will totally make Minneapolis residents forget about how ICE agents murdered two of our neighbors, great rebranding https://t.co/hWXe9SrW3v

— Mike Norton (@NortonMpls) April 28, 2026

Of course, no amount of name changes, rebrands or nazi-style propaganda can hide the crimes that ICE has committed.

when the pr so bad you have to change your @ https://t.co/DF22YpoDYk

— Leesi ☽ꨄ︎☾ (@LeesiBB) April 27, 2026

Similarly, no amount of government backing can make those crimes disappear.

https://t.co/8OCrYKdxK6 pic.twitter.com/GzlNUIvcWV

— Hassan Mafi ‏ (@thatdayin1992) April 28, 2026

Nice? Seriously?

It’s hard to know when Trump is being serious and when he’s not.

However, Mr Fake Tan has already attempted to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and the Department of Defence as the Department of War.

Don’t tell Trump that not a single other country uses either of those phrases. He might threaten to blow something up.

On a serious note, I don’t know a single person who calls Twitter X. So what makes him or his government think anyone will actually care if they change the name?

we still call it twitter do you really think we give a fuck if you change the name https://t.co/nEWYf3tEzM

— Cal (@HoodlumCallum) April 27, 2026

On Thursday, 23 April, Senate Republicans approved a budget resolution to fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The bill passed with a 50-48 vote.

The bill will allow the government to allocate up to $140bn to ICE and CBP.

However, the bill still has to be adopted by the House of Representatives. Only then can officials begin drafting legislation to hand the funding to the two agencies.

Inherently racist

ICE is inherently racist, which makes the soft-launch of ‘NICE’ even more fucked up.

The Supreme Court ruled that ICE may detain people without clear evidence. This means people can be detained based on the language they speak, their place of work, or even their physical appearance.

This means ICE can resume “roving” patrols in places such as Los Angeles without needing concrete evidence to target specific workplaces or areas.

ICE is targeting people who speak Spanish and those with accents, low-wage workers such as those in construction at car washes, even if they have not committed any crimes. 

Importantly, this is in direct contravention of the Fourth Amendment, which guarantees:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

This means the government must have probable cause that a person has committed a crime to arrest them. Plus, unlawful presence in the US isn’t actually illegal; it’s merely a civil offence.

Trump can rename ICE — but it won’t take away the fact that the institution under Trump is racist, violent, and in direct violation of the US Constitution.

Feature image via FOX 11 Los Angeles/YouTube

By HG

From Canary via This RSS Feed.

I got lucky and am able to provide for myself, with no other options. Always so close to the edge of failure. Before getting my job I was within a couple of weeks of being homeless which is a death sentence for me. Ugh.

I wanted to keep quiet but I also wanted to learn about real power. I discovered things about my local community that are terrifying. People who get away with horrible crimes because they align politically with powerful memes and agendas.

You don't have to believe me, few around me do or even care to.

I cant go outside without fear of being identified or having my picture taken. Which have happened. I cant ride public transit or go to public spaces because my body is obviously disfigured and broken. People point and stare. My mind is ugly and scattered. These are aggravating factors for alot of troubles in my life.

My entire life I have been called horrible slurs, physically assaulted, isolated from/by my family and generally persecuted, all for being autistic, disabled and handicapped in ways locals eagerly take notice of. I am easy prey for aggressively hateful people. No friends.

I cant go to the gym because my limbs are different sizes. So I have a fat ass and man boobs. My body looks frightening to most people, who just stare at me. My attitude is odd because I am odd.

Alot of what I experienced when younger went underground, but has resurfaced in recent years. As I am sure you are aware in your own observations about the world.

But I spoke out about politics in my local community and am afraid of fierce backlash against my person. Law enforcement in my town is politically motivated and isnt afraid to break (or conversely empower) people for these kinds of things.

If I lose my job, the only good thing in my life, I will lose everything. I cant work a regular person job because my disabled body doesn't function. I am a freak. And Ive come to accept this.

I decided to defend myself. I spoke out against something alot of people around here support with all their might. I warned people about something terrifying, something lurking in plain sight hoping not to be seen. But I saw. So I vocalized again and again and again.

I would likely be raped and asaulted in the local jail. THe court room I would be pushed into allows for violent criminals of a certain stripe to make a scene and get away with it. But not for people like me.

I just cant do this any longer. I am alone, broke and desperate. I will not comply. I will use my life as a weapon against those who crusade against me. I will not spend the rest of my miserable time here as a punching bag for a political agenda that needs national attention.

If the FBI or local town police or county sheriffs come for me, I will not make it to court. They will put me down for odd movements, strange word choices. Calling me a terrorist or a criminal for speaking out against opportunisitic predators who put everyone unwanted in great danger.

I give up. I cant fight any longer.

I am not ashamed of what I did. I just need to figure out how I can weaponize the remaining lifespan I have left. I feel like throwing my already mangled corpse against the cogs of state and being consumed.

If they come for me... I want to be remembered as someone who stood up for the correct choices and perspectives.

Listen for me. You will be able to identify my story if this all comes about. Im so sick of living in fear. I cant do this any longer.

I want this post to serve as a warning to and beacon for others like me, be careful about speaking with a loose tongue. Even among others considered friendly. There are real forces at play looking to eat you alive.

I dont need professional help, there isnt such a thing for me in this part of the world. Its not worth fighting for as an individual. I need something greater, something more impactful. So sick of hiding from the world.

Do you think they know who I am? I do. I worry about my future all the time. I cant live like this, no one can.

I just wanted to live in a world where real change was possible. But I see it isnt and wont be in my lifetime.