Billionaire Pavel Durov accuses France of ''disrespecting Romanian Democracy'' by asking Telegram to remove right-wing content linked to Presidential election.
Response from French Foreign Ministry:
The recent statements from Mr. Pavel Durov are completely false. France is not involved in the Romanian Presidential election. The first round of the Presidential election was canceled in december by the Romanian authorities due to evidence of financial and tech interference from Russia. New investigations by the European Commission confirmed the scale of interference, including by the use of social media”
“These false accusations against France are nothing but a trick. He is attempting to create a deflection to distract people from a very real issue. We urge all Romanian political actors to be responsible and defend democracy"
“As a friend of Romania, we supported Romania’s reforms. We supported Romania joining the European Union and joining the Shengen area. A few days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukrainian, we sent french troops to help Romania's security”
xcancel.com/francediplo/status…
Pavel Durov, PDG de Telegram, accuse la France d’avoir cherché à « censurer des voix conservatrices » en Roumanie
La DGSE et le quai d’Orsay ont démenti ces accusations, que le fondateur et PDG de la messagerie n’a pas étayées.Damien Leloup (Le Monde)
Mexican ship was headed the wrong way before crashing into Brooklyn Bridge, killing 2
Mexican ship headed the wrong way before fatal Brooklyn Bridge crash, reports say
Officials are investigating what caused the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc to veer off course and strike the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two people., USA TODAY (USA TODAY)
Texas House votes to formally repeal gay sex ban in historic, unlikely vote
12 republicans joined all 60 democrats in the Texas house to vote to formally repeal the gay sex ban that was ruled unconstitutional in 2003
First time the Texas house has passed any repeal attempts. It still faces steep odds in the Texas senate
Texas lawmakers take first step towards repealing sodomy law
The Texas House approved House Bill 1738 by a vote of 72-55, the first step towards removing the state's unenforceable ban on sodomy.Gwen Howerton (Chron)
Liberal mayor and conservative historian headed to presidential runoff in Poland, exit poll shows
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and a conservative historian, Karol Nawrocki, emerged as the front-runners in Poland’s presidential election Sunday, according to an exit poll, putting them on track to face off in a second round in two weeks.
A late exit poll by the Ipsos institute released three hours after polls closed showed Trzaskowski with an estimated 31.1 percent of the votes and Nawrocki with 29.1 percent. That suggested that the runoff on June 1 could be very tight. Official results are expected on Monday or Tuesday.
Liberal mayor and conservative historian headed to presidential runoff in Poland, exit poll shows
Liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and a conservative historian, Karol Nawrocki, emerged as the front-runners in Poland's presidential election Sunday, according to an exit poll, putting them on track to face off in a second round in two weeks.PBS News
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Portugal’s center-right alliance headed for another minority government after election
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The incumbent center-right Democratic Alliance won a general election in Portugal on Sunday, but it failed to secure a majority in Parliament and was set to take office as a minority government for the second time in a year.
Portugal’s third general election in three years dashed hopes that the ballot could end the worst spell of political instability for decades in the European Union country of 10.6 million people.
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We come from many years of Socialist Party rule, and the pendulum has now swang to the other side.
After 50 years of democracy young people no longer have any idea what it was like to live under the fascist dictatorship, they don't have any idea of the huge leap in quality of life that these last 50 years brought us, and they have been made to think by propaganda that the whole system is rotten and that we've never been worse. That revolt vote that in my youth went to far left parties that talked about decriminalizing drugs and abortion, now goes to far right parties that blame gipsies and immigrants for all perceived problems (many of them not even factually existing).
In one or two more years the far right will inevitably reach government, and we'll be a little Hungary by the sea.
Same as it ever was 
Also, "swang" is an excellent verb for the political pendulum's movement.
Trump’s acceptance of Qatar jet gift is ‘definition of corruption’, senator says
Chris Murphy says Trump strategically visited Gulf states ‘willing to pay him off’ as backlash rises against luxury offer
Donald Trump’s acceptance of a $400m Boeing jet from Qatar is the “definition of corruption”, a leading Democrat said on Sunday, as several senior Republicans joined in a bipartisan fusillade of criticism and concern over the luxury gift.
Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator for Connecticut, condemned the “flying grift” on NBC’s Meet the Press as he assailed the president’s trip to several Gulf states this week that included a stop in Qatar.
“Why did he choose these three countries for his first major foreign trip? It’s not because these are our most important allies or the most important countries in the world,” he said of Trump’s visit to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
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I love stuff like this because it shows the cognitive dissonance on the right really, really well. They hate foreigners and imported stuff EXCEPT just for times like this, when it makes a lot of sense for the USA to get this "gift" from a foreign nation that doesn't seem to line up with what MAGA says a country should be like.
It's exhausting to keep up with. Are Islamic countries "based" now?
Trump said this in 2017: “The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level.” Does he no longer feel that way? Are we supposed to like them now?
Redlining shaped the power grid. Communities of color are still paying the price.
Redlining shaped the power grid. Communities of color are still paying the price.
America's legacy of segregation is affecting who benefits—and doesn't—from the clean energy revolution.Mother Jones
FDA approves new COVID vaccine only for those 65 and older or immunocompromised
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a long-awaited approval of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine but with unusual restrictions.
Novavax makes the nation’s only traditional protein-based coronavirus vaccine – and until now it had emergency authorization from FDA for use in anyone 12 and older.
But late Friday, the FDA granted the company full approval for its vaccine for use only in adults 65 and older – or those 12 to 64 who have at least one health problem that puts them at increased risk from COVID-19.
Vaccines made by Novavax’s competitors Pfizer and Moderna already are fully licensed for use in anyone 12 and older, and also are authorized for use in children as young as 6 months.
FDA approves Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, but with unusual restrictions on its use
In its Friday approval letter, the FDA didn’t explain the restrictions although they reflect skepticism about vaccines from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump officials.PBS News
I've had Covid twice. The second one wasn't bad because of the vaccine, but my lungs are still damaged five years later from my first bout with it—which wasn't even particularly serious (never hospitalized or anything). I lost a bit of lung capacity and ever since I have had an awful barky cough and any chest congestion takes me weeks to clear.
It's a massive spectrum of severity.
Israel says it will allow ‘basic’ aid into Gaza after nearly 3 months of blockade
cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/30319380
from #AssociatedPress #AP #APNews
Updated 5:30 PM EDT, May 18, 2025DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel announced Sunday it will allow a limited amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza after a nearly three-month blockade, days after global experts on food security warned of famine.
...
It was not immediately clear when aid would enter Gaza, or how. The Israeli military body in charge of overseeing aid did not comment. Israel has been trying to impose a new aid system, despite objections by aid workers. Netanyahu said Israel would work to ensure that aid does not reach militants.
It was not immediately clear when aid would enter Gaza, or how. The Israeli military body in charge of overseeing aid did not comment
So yeah.. I'll believe it when it actually happens rather than trust the word of the government that has been blatantly lying about it and related topics since its inception nearly 80 years ago.
Allow limited aid in for a week... then target and kill the aid workers (as they've been doing) and go back to intentionally bombing civilians (as they've been doing) with the end goal of eliminating the Palestinian people and completing the seizure of their land (which was their goal all along).
A lot of asterisks on anything they claim to do. Genocide is always the ultimate intent.
The MAGA war on PBS was never about money
The MAGA war on PBS was never about money
The latest GOP attack on PBS and NPR won't save much money. Instead it'll disadvantage poor and rural kidsSalon.com
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Trump administration working on plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya
Trump administration working on plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya
Details are murky, but the plan is under serious enough consideration that the administration has discussed it with Libyan leadership.Courtney Kube (NBC News)
I responded to what you actually wrote:
Nazis wanted to kill them all, not move them further away. [...]
You described intent, i.e., "thinking".
🙄
PS. Genocide is not a single event in time, it's a process. An easy way to educate yourself on the matter is by searching YouTube for interviews of Omer Bartov, world renowned Israeli scholar on Genocide and the Holocaust, prof at Brown.
This is also false. The mass killings started in the middle of 1941 after the invasion of the Soviet Union. The systematic policy of extermination was decided in January 1942 in the Wannsee Conference.
There was quite a lot of thinking before doing. And there was quite a lot of doing smaller steps before doing bigger steps. Just like there was quite a lot of thinking smaller steps before thinking bigger steps.
Give it a rest buddy, you don't know what you're talking about.
Says I'm false
Proceeds to tell me I'm true.
Look buddy who knows it all, when Israel actually decides to kill those million Palestinians instead of moving them, get back to me abd I'll apologize for my ignorant statements, but as of things stand now, I cannot take you seriously when you push for extreme comparisons while nit-picking how it all started.
Your argument somewhat reminded me of the "weed is a getaway drug to stronger drugs" argument. No, that's not always the case.
I am not making prophecies. I am not predicting the future. I am specifically writing:
When people defend or downplay proposals to forcibly remove an entire population [...] the comparison isn’t extreme. It’s cautionary.
Do you understand what that phrase means? Do you understand what the word "cautionary" means?
I understand, but what I'm saying from my perspective is that I do not see that happening in any way possible, even if the beginning phase looks like startup nazi ideology. One can be cautious about new nuclear reactor in France exploding because one exploded in Chornobyl, while others, like me, will try to assure you it's quite impossible under new designs (new world order).
Like I said before, if Israel actually goes ahead and kills those millions Palestinians instead of displacing them, get back to me and I will write an apology letter for my ignorance and short-sightness, but as of things stand now, I simply don't see how is it possible for Israel to do this without causing their own destruction.
And the original plan for country X was to do Y but since it never happened, it's irrelevant and people almost never speak of it, except when it suddenly fits their narrative, no matter how stupid/disconnected it is
In other news, USSR and Gulag is exactly the comparison you were actually looking for, but no, gotta always use "nazis" because of how catchy it is to you guys
Mexico demands compensation from YouTube star MrBeast after pyramid chocolate video
Mexico demands compensation from production company over MrBeast pyramid chocolate video
Celebrity used video of trips to ancient Maya cities to advertise his own-brand snacks, drawing criticism from Mexico’s archaeology and history instituteGuardian staff reporter (The Guardian)
The NYT isn't an ethical organization anymore
This article helps the rich by making Neoliberal genociders and leftists fight.
The owners don’t control every decision made by every writer or editor, but it’s true that they do have excessive influence and power to kill some stories or promote others.
But I meant how does this article in particular make liberals and leftists fight?
I see this article as a growing shift in tone from liberals towards a greater skepticism and criticism of Israeli actions. This would mean they’d align better with leftists, not worse.
Primary school evacuated after student brings in a grenade for show and tell
Primary school in Derbyshire evacuated after student brings in a grenade for show and tell
Army bomb disposal experts and police were called to the primary school in DerbyshireRebecca Thomas (The Independent)
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Trump Rages At Walmart For Raising Prices Over Tariffs
‘I’ll Be Watching!!!’ Trump Rages At Walmart For Raising Prices Over His Policies
President Donald Trump raged at Walmart for price increases they say are coming due to Trump's policies, ominously warning "I'll be watching!!!"Tommy Christopher (Mediaite)
i don't understand what you're trying to say. if he's not aware when his shits himself, why would he 'become a deer in head lights' when it happens?
(someone should go back thru old footage to find moments where he randomly just sits up and looks around - but i can't imagine he could pass one without anyone around noticing.. that would be like the actual smell of hell venting out)
Rep. Warren Davidson Introduces the Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) Research Act of 2025
Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' prostate cancer
Trump Hammers Supreme Court After It Rules Against Him: ‘Dangerous Day for America!’
Trump Hammers Supreme Court After It Rules Against Him: ‘Dangerous Day for America!’
Trump went off on the U.S. Supreme Court after it prevented him from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expedite the deportations of Venezuelans being detained in Texas.Michael Luciano (Mediaite)
Melania Trump statue sawn off at the feet sparks police investigation
The life-size sculpture near Sevnica in central Slovenia, where Melanija Knavs was born in 1970, was unveiled in 2020 during US President Donald Trump's first term in office.
It replaced a wooden statue that had been set on fire earlier that year.
ABC News
ABC News provides the latest news and headlines in Australia and around the world.ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Any kind of shaming is welcome for Nazis. They don't get the same respect as actual real people.
She's a gold-digging whore, who has earned our disrespect.
Nazis are actual real people.
I could make an actual educated argument on how that's literally not true, but it'd go into sophistry. Still, I definitely could.
Talk like that is exactly what leads to Nazis in the first place
No, it isn't. It's exaggerated rhetoric and a very appropriate response to legitimate Nazism.
What YOU are doing is what lead to the Nazis in the first place. Thinking you can reason with Nazis. 20th century Germany had people who basically were forced to be a Nazi, no matter their personal ideologies. It's understandable, but it's not acceptable. And it's very different having been in the party when the Nazis were in rule and voluntarily choosing to be one in modern times. Choosing to become a Nazi is so much worse than being somewhat afraid in Germany in 1942, and joining out of fear for your life.
We know we're purposefully exaggerating when we say Nazis aren't people, and we know it. Nazis do not exaggerate with their calls to white supremacy.
So the appropriate reply to Nazism is to utterly dehumanise and shame them, as much as humanly possible.
No, you won't.
My war time posting is not in the front lines. It's about ~30km behind them. In a leadership position.
(Yes, that's the backside of my dogtags. I'm hardly going to dox myself by filming the front.)
Edit also, most communication is online nowadays, even academic. Everyone is constantly online. You can just call me a philosopher, no need for the "internet" or the quotations.
An "Internet philosopher" is a particular type of person. If you're serious about ending fascism, then our petty little back and forth will not matter when it really comes down to it, then right?
Because, historically, dehumanization comes in handy when it comes to elimination, but not so helpful when it comes to the part that comes next. It seems like an excuse to not feel guilty for killing, and that seems like a dark path to go down.
You know, trying to explain your already bad joke isn't making it any funnier.
then our petty little back and forth will not matter when it really comes down to it, then right?
Ofc it will have. Everything matters. Some things more than others.
It seems like an excuse to not feel guilty for killing, and that seems like a dark path to go down.
"Oh please, won't someone think of the Nazis?"
I don't think you've actually read anything I've written. That too, is an exaggeration, I don't literally mean that. I mean to say that you've not understood it for some reason. I'd like to point out that in my experience, the people who think calling someone an "internet philosopher" or "a fucking SJW" or "a keyboard warrior" (harder to call me a "keyboard warrior" when I'm actually part of the Finnish Defence Forces?) are usually slightly cognitively lazy and/or poorly educated people who just don't have the attention-span nor the skills to actually engage in such discussion. So you mock it as being too fancy, meaning it's too fancy... for you.
I can promise you not everyone share's your view.
FelixMortane
in reply to davriellelouna • • •