Free Republic

Germany’s top industry body on Sunday called for sales subsidies on electric cars to be extended to fossil-fuel-powered vehicles. Dieter Kempf, president of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), made the demand in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. Germany’s powerful-but-struggling carmakers have been calling for the expansion of the subsidies on electric cars, in a bid to shore up their positions during the coronavirus-induced economic crisis. “In view of the crisis, it makes sense to introduce a further purchase bonus for at least 12 months in addition to the environmental premium, provided that this premium is part of a cross-sectoral...

Europe’s extensive social welfare net was showing signs of fraying under economic strain from the coronavirus, as protests erupted Friday for a second day in Spain against layoffs by French carmaker Renault, while Italy’s chief central banker warned that “uncertainty is rife.” Elsewhere, New Zealand has all but eradicated the coronavirus with just one person in the nation of 5 million known to be infected. But developments were grim in other nations, with India reporting a record increase in cases, and Pakistan and Russia a record number of deaths. As cases steadily rose across Africa, officials who are losing the...

A German government official appeared to court Twitter to relocate its headquarters to Europe as the social media giant faces tensions with President Trump. “Hey @Twitter & @jack, this is an invitation to move to Germany! Here you are free to criticize the government as well as to fight fake news,” tweeted Thomas Jarzombek, who oversees tech affairs for Germany’s Economic Affairs Ministry. “We have a great startup and tech ecosystem, your company would be a perfect fit and I will open any doors for you!” he added, tagging President Trump. SNIP

PARIS -- Where has NATO been during this pandemic? U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron have repeatedly referred to their nations being at war with the coronavirus, so why haven't we seen a coordinated international response to the "attack"? The North Atlantic Treaty Organization operates on the premise that an attack on one member country warrants a response by all. In 2003, NATO formed the Multinational Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Battalion. According to NATO's website, this unit is "prepared for deployment in crisis situations such as natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks and industrial accidents,...

The Brexit Party leader 'turned investigative journalist' took to the English Channel again on Tuesday morning to report on the increased waves of illegal boat migrants sailing from camps in France to the United Kingdom. We’ve given the French 61 million quid 'to stop' illegal boat migrants coming into British waters. What we witnessed again today, was the navy, the French navy, escorting them into our waters,” Farage said. Mr Farage said that he witnessed a French ship escorting a “rib” (a small rubber boat) loaded with 13 illegal migrants into British waters. In the video, the veteran Brexit campaigner...

The French government issued a strongly-worded statement Tuesday urging Israel not to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. The statement calls on Prime Minister Netanyahu and alternate Prime Minister Gantz not to "annex", as the move "will have significant implications for Israel's relations with the EU." The French foreign ministry is aligning with the European foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who is regarded as the most senior official in Europe who actively opposes the move. "We support the announcement by EU Foreign Minister Borrrell that annexation would be in violation of international law, and would not proceed without implications for...

Amid increasing frustration over lockdown measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic, multiple protests took place across Europe on Saturday to demand businesses reopen. In Warsaw, Poland, law enforcement used tear gas on protesters, while police made arrests at a demonstration in London's Hyde Park. Police in several German cities enforced distancing rules as thousands of people gathered to vent anger over economies in freefall and perceived losses of freedom. Police in Stuttgart said that the number of demonstrators exceeded the permitted threshold of 5,000; they directed other protesters to another open space. Police said they were enforcing a mask requirement...

NETHERLANDS: Muslim party leader tells native Dutch to “get the hell out of the country” if they don’t like Muslim “diversity” MAY 14, 2020 BY BARENAKEDISLAM We don’t seem to hear much about the Netherlands and its Muslim problem anymore, so even though this story is from 2018, it bears reading/watching as there is no doubt the problem there has only grown much worse since then. Voice of Europe Tunahan Kuzu, the political leader of the DENK party in the Netherlands, has caused some serious controversy, Dutch broadcaster NOS reports. “If they don’t like a changing Netherlands in which people...

Opinion US President Donald Trump welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House in Washington, DC, Nov. 13, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Tom Brenner. In an article published in 2016, “Erdogan: The World’s Most Insulted President,” I suggested that the perpetually angry Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey, would do well to take a moment and consider why he is perhaps the most disrespected president on earth.He is no more popular four years later. Between 2014 and 2018, some 17,500 people were sued for insulting Erdogan, according to the Turkish Justice Ministry. In 2018 alone, some 26,000...

SECONDARY school pupils are told that Winston Churchill was a “war criminal” and “a blundering reactionary” in a teaching tutorial shared by thousands of teachers. It is also claimed the wartime leader’s speeches were “poorly received”, he was “drunk” during his “finest hour” message and Bob Geldof is more important to our history. The lesson plan, Winston Churchill: Hero or War Criminal?” appears on the website of global education company Tes. Using halos and red devils’ horns as bullet points, the lesson contains a potted history of the career of what it calls “an intensely controversial figure”. Part of it...

Brand-new, nuclear powered, capable of carrying twice as many aircraft as most competing foreign carriers, and protected by an entire task force... the $6.2 billion USS Ronald Reagan seemed invincible leading up to an international war game exercise in 2005. It was a stunning blow then, and a complete shock, when - against all odds - a super stealth submarine from Sweden snuck past the USS Ronald Regan’s defenses and scored enough mock torpedo hits to sink it during *multiple* attack runs. The Americans never saw it coming… and never saw it leave… https://youtu.be/L26RZdmQ2nE  

We have been glued all week to the sub saga off the coast of Sweden, where six days in Swedish forces have only now called off their search for an elusive sub hiding in the waters off Stockholm. Yet what nobody has mentioned is just how deadly and capable Sweden's own subs are, and there are few better weapons for catching a sub than another sub. Sweden's submarine force is relatively tiny, just five boats make up the entire inventory, but those five vessels are extremely stealthy and lethal, especially their three Gotland Class diesel-electric submarines. Entering service in the...

Ever since WWII, America has been a dominant force upon the high seas. We have become so advanced in our military technology that the Soviet Union eventually collapsed, in large part because Ronald Reagan would not back down against them. In honor of his accomplishments and great leadership, congress named the worlds largest aircraft carrier after him, the USS Ronald ReaganThanks to Reagan, America has been able to set the standard for which other nations have wished to achieve. Well it has been 22 years since Reagan left office, and while we have been able to hold our status...

Considering the recent news reports about a possible missile attack on America, I thought I would remind everyone that it is possible for the Chinese to launch one from a sub. However, for those who will be saying that there is no way a Chinese sub, or anyone else’s sub could ever get that close to our shore, much less launch a missile, I would advise you to check out this story from earlier this year. Just maybe you will think twice about how safe you think we are from an attack. Ever since WWII, America has been a dominant...

Ever since WWII, America has been a dominant force upon the high seas. We have become so advanced in our military technology that the Soviet Union eventually collapsed, in large part because Ronald Reagan would not back down against them. In honor of his accomplishments and great leadership, congress named the worlds largest aircraft carrier after him, the USS Ronald Reagan. Thanks to Reagan, America has been able to set the standard for which other nations have wished to achieve. Well it has been 22 years since Reagan left office, and while we have been able to hold our...

Ever since WWII, America has been a dominant force upon the high seas. We have become so advanced in our military technology that the Soviet Union eventually collapsed, in large part because Ronald Reagan would not back down against them. In honor of his accomplishments and great leadership, congress named the worlds largest aircraft carrier after him, the USS Ronald Reagan. Well it has been 22 years since Reagan left office, and while we have been able to hold our status as the worlds most powerful military the world has ever seen, those days could be coming to an...

Ever since WWII, America has been a dominant force upon the high seas. We have become so advanced in our military technology that the Soviet Union eventually collapsed, in large part because Ronald Reagan would not back down against them. In honor of his accomplishments and great leadership, congress named the worlds largest aircraft carrier after him, the USS Ronald Reagan. Well it has been 22 years since Reagan left office, and while we have been able to hold our status as the worlds most powerful military the world has ever seen, those days could be coming to an...

Pentagon: New Class Of Silent Submarines Poses Threat POSTED: 6:54 pm PDT October 19, 2006 UPDATED: 6:15 am PDT October 20, 2006 SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The Pentagon said it believes the greatest undersea threat facing the U.S. Navy since the end of the Cold War has arrived. The threat involves a new a new class of silent submarines -- subs that the U.S. Navy is having trouble finding under water. In this exclusive investigation, NBC4's Chuck Henry looked into one of those submarines in San Diego. Following is a verbatim script from the on-air report. CHUCK HENRY: The threat...

For almost a year the US Navy has been hunting a Swedish submarine, the HMS Gotland, off America's west coast. The hunt is, of course, a one year training programme - but the Americans now want to extend the contract with the Swedish Navy. Time after time, as part of the Americans' training in tracking down smaller vessels, the Swedish submarine and its crew have eluded their pursuers. The programme started last summer but the US Navy has said that it would like to hire the Swedish submarine and crew for another year, reported the newspaper Blekinge Läns Tidning. That...

Germany’s state premiers will agree on measures to further ease coronavirus restrictions in a teleconference with Chancellor Angela Merkel scheduled for Wednesday ... Smaller shops are already back to business in Europe’s largest economy ... There is mounting pressure from business groups and some regional governments who are anxious to move faster on restarting economic life.