EXPECT DEALYS: @front_ukrainian posts this video from occupied Kherson. Vatniks, having waited in line for three days, gas coupons in hand, watched as a UKR drone destroyed a Russian fuel tanker as it pulled up to the pump.
A historic moment: the main tower of the Sagrada Família has finally been completed
The day before, it was consecrated by Pope Leo XIV, marking the 100th anniversary of the death of the great architect Antoni Gaudí.
The 172.5-meter Tower of Jesus Christ has become the tallest part of the church, and the Sagrada Família is now considered the tallest Christian structure in the world.
Construction of the basilica began in 1882. Gaudí died in 1926 without ever seeing his main masterpiece completed.
However, this is still not the final stage: interior work and the main entrance still remain. So the world’s most famous long-term construction project is officially not finished yet.
Tre ponti distrutti in poche ore.
Ora tutta la logistica ricade sul ponte di Kerch, che però può sopportare nemmeno un terzo del traffico necessario.
E sono convinto che a breve anche quello farà una brutta fine.
La Crimea sta per tornare ucraina, ormai è ufficiale.
If you are tired of polite political talking points and want a sharp, uncompromising look at the dangers facing the free world today, this seven-minute speech is a masterclass in political courage.
In this brilliant speech, French Senator Claude Malhuret gives a blunt wake-up call to Europe. With no sugarcoating, he calls out the dangers of Trump’s isolationism and putin’s brutal aggression, making it absolutely clear that Europe can no longer rely on others and must finally stand up to protect its own future.
“Mr. President, Madam Minister, my dear colleagues, this weekend, Madam Minister, you commemorated the landings of June 6, 1944. Your duties obligated you to accompany, with the required courtesy, a notorious alcoholic, former drug user with a thorax tattooed with far-right symbols, who renamed the American Department of Defense he leads the Ministry of War, at a time when Trump has been claiming, with threats to back it up, the Nobel Peace Prize for the past year.
This speaks volumes about the coherence of American foreign policy in the MAGA era. But the most painful part was undoubtedly, while gathering at the graves of American soldiers who died for our freedom, doing so alongside the envoy of a government that has decided to betray Ukraine and Europe, to weaken NATO, to overwhelm its allies, and to pact with the worst dictators on the planet. This presence, which in previous years was a testament to the strength of the transatlantic bond, was used this year by this character to insult Europeans once again in Normandy.
It is in this context of a disruption of global balances, orchestrated by a populist, isolationist, conspiracy-theorist, and corrupt American president, that we are going to vote on the update of the military programming law. This context can be summarised in a single sentence: Europe is alone and can now only count on itself, while for the first time in decades, a high-intensity war is taking place at its doorstep, and all military experts agree, as you yourself pointed out, that the risk of a major conflict on its soil is a possible hypothesis by 2030.
Your government has taken note of the return of war and the hardening of international strategy. The increase in military credits since 2017, and the effort proposed by this text in favor of ammunition, cyber defense, intelligence, drones, space, or nuclear deterrence are welcome, and it must be said clearly. But this must not exempt us from asking fundamental questions.
Our budgetary situation threatens our strategic freedom. Should we increase military spending at the risk of worsening a largely deficit budget, or restore our finances at the risk of jeopardising our security?
This is the debate that gave rise to the sharpest discussions in this chamber last Wednesday, but it is a legitimate debate. In the international context I have just described, it would be unthinkable to remain at this impasse. We have a few days left to prepare a joint committee that must imperatively find a compromise.
For thirty years, Europe disarmed while the rest of the world rearmed. We celebrated the so-called peace dividends as if peace were eternal. We reduced stocks, personnel, industrial capacities, and budgets.
Our armies are remarkable for the quality of their soldiers, their officers, and their equipment, but they are calibrated for limited operations, not for a high-intensity conflict. Europe continues to speak the language of power, but without giving itself the means to back it up.
Every crisis reveals the same weaknesses: scattered diplomacies, contradictory national interests, incoherent energy dependencies, competitive industrial policies, incompatible strategic doctrines.
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If Europe fails to provide Ukraine with the necessary support to crush Russian imperialism, we will be forced to fight the Russian army inside the European Union much sooner than most realize.
Ukraine's incredible battlefield courage has stalled the invasion, but this success has lulled many Europeans into a dangerous false sense of security.
The reality is that Russia is actually far more dangerous today than it was at the start of the full-scale war. Even though its overall potential is depleted, the Kremlin is now more isolated and has less left to lose.
Furthermore, Russia now possesses years of invaluable experience in high-intensity modern warfare. In the crucial realm of unmanned systems, Moscow is currently heavily outpacing most Europeans.
Operating on a war economy, Russian defense factories are out-producing the European Union. They are churning out drones, missiles, and interceptors at a pace that Europe simply does not match (we could if we wanted to).
Meanwhile, most Europeans dangerously overestimate their own military readiness. European stockpiles of missiles, interceptors, and drones are catastrophically low and completely unsuited for a prolonged conflict.
While European countries must urgently restock to build a credible deterrence, the absolute best way to avoid fighting Russia inside the European Union remains to defeat them in Ukraine. This is an entirely realistic target, but it demands an immediate surge in European aid, specifically through massive funding for Ukrainian drones right now.
Russia will remain an immediate threat to its neighbors as long as its imperialism is not defeated
Chrétien: When you look at the polls, Canadians have never been more united. Thank you to Donald Trump for that. I should propose him for the Order of Canada, but I cannot succeed. Do you know why?
Rosie: He's not Canadian?
Chrétien: Because we don't give it to a person who has a criminal record.
Une grande victoire pour les Albanais !
Le gouvernement albanais annonce l'arrêt des travaux du projet de Kushner et Ivanka et la suspension du projet.
Les foules refusent de rentrer chez elles tant que le projet n'est pas annulé intégralement.
The people of Albania are still protesting today against Ivanka and Jared’s attempt to turn an island into a resort. It is a wildlife refuge and was once a military base. Stand with the people of #Albania against this land grab. #DemsUnited
Recently learned about Sunghyun Yoo, a Korean tailor who moved from Seoul to Naples in 2017 to learn how to become a bespoke tailor. While many East Asians take apprenticeships in Europe, often in Italy, most of them return to their home countries after their studies. Yoo decided to stay in Naples, where he has established his own workshop, which he named Sartoria Del Signore.
If you know a little about tailoring, then you can spot many of the hallmarks here of Neapolitan style: The soft shoulder line, extended front dart, high gorge, straight lapels, and slightly sweeping quarters. It's said that Vincenzo Attolini invented this style in the early 1900s when he worked as the head cutter for Rubinacci (then called London House).
Back then, traditional British tailoring tended to be more structured. A jacket was typically built with a stiff layer of haircloth, a layer of body canvas, and a fuzzy layer of felt called domette to prevent the prickly haircloth from poking through. Faced with clients who wanted lighter, more comfortable jackets for Naples's warmer clime, Attolini ripped out much of this structure — removing the domette entirely and reserving just a bit of haircloth at certain parts of the chest. The shoulder line was also minimally padded. The result is something that's not only lighter and more comfortable in the heat but also looks more relaxed and casual than its British counterpart.
Today, Neapolitan tailoring houses struggle to find apprentices. For good reason, most young people don't want to become bespoke tailors, as it takes a long time to learn the skills, and the future of this market is uncertain. Even when young people enter the tailoring industry, they are more likely to become content creators, businesspeople, marketers, or something similar. They don't want to be the people who draft patterns, cut, and sew.
Thus, it's great to see immigrants keep this craft alive. To me, it's never about the person's ethnicity, but rather their skills and mindset. Anyone can learn how to become a bespoke tailor. In Naples, there's a specific way of doing things that yields a particular silhouette. It's great to see Yoo carry this tradition forward at a time when it's at risk of disappearing.
Earlier this year, I had dinner with two bespoke tailors — one from Hong Kong, the other from Seoul. The second was studied under Antonio Pascariello, a master tailor in Naples who recently passed away. I remember asking both tailors a question about how to fit a difficult figure, and the Korean tailor gave an answer that I thought revealed a very Italian way of thinking. In this way, Italian traditions live on, regardless of the person's ethnicity.
If you're interested, you can follow Yoo on Instagram (look up sartoriadelsignore). As usual, I have no affiliation with him — this is not a paid post, as I don't do paid posts. Just some thoughts about this dying art and the role that immigrants play, even when they're from different cultures and backgrounds.
I think we just saw one of our first intentional smiles! 😍 My beautiful baby girl, there you are ❤️
It fills my heart with so much joy watching all your amazing progress. We’re slowly working on a thumbs up and thumbs down, and you’ve already mastered the high five like a pro! Another day, another beautiful milestone. I love you, Maya ❤️ forever and always
BRIDGE BUSTER: Also used in the attack was UKR’s newest strike drone, the Behemoth. It can prosecute targets in autonomous mode or as an FPV under operator control. Communications via Starlink for resilience against electronic warfare (EW).
82 years ago, 14,000 Canadians landed on Juno Beach, many of whom would never come home.
On the anniversary of D-Day, we pause to honour those who served and sacrificed. We remember that our rights, our freedoms, and our way of life were fought for and were won by those who answered the call.