The punitive move comes as US public opinion of Israel hits historic lows

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US envoy Tom Barrack has said Iraq will be at the forefront of a new 'strategic alliance' with Washington and its allies

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The United States turned 250 this year, and the document officiating its birth, the Declaration of Independence, is famous for its opening lines proclaiming the nation’s freedom from England and the rights of men. But Rebecca Nagle, a journalist and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, frames the document differently, describing it as a list of grievances growing in ascending order, where Native people…

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South Korea is often regarded as an example of a young and vibrant democracy. Merely two years ago, mass protests thwarted a self-coup attempted by the sitting far right President Yoon Suk-yeol. But due to an array of social factors, the support of wealthy donors like retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin (the chairman of the conglomerate that owns Starbucks Korea), and growing links to the U.S. right…

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Chinese social media accounts are profiting by hinting at the downfall of corrupt officials ahead of formal announcements, state media has warned, highlighting a “grey market” around Beijing’s anti-corruption campaign. The trend had created a new challenge for Chinese law enforcement, state-run journal Banyuetan reported on Friday. One tactic involves posting an official’s resume as a coded signal that they are under disciplinary investigation, according to Banyuetan, which is affiliated with...

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China’s second quarter GDP growth saw a significant deceleration, down to 4.3% year over year from 5.0% in the first quarter and weaker than forecast.

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The United States is desperately trying to challenge China's dominance in the global supply chain for critical minerals, because the US military-industrial complex needs these resources to wage war. Ben Norton explains. || Geopolitical Economy Report || Please consider supporting us at https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/Support Subscribe to our newsletter: https://geopoliticaleconomy.report/ Join us at Patreon: https://patreon.com/GeopoliticalEconomy

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, issued an executive order Tuesday that puts a moratorium on the construction of large-scale data centers.

The pause, which will last up to a year, is the nation’s first statewide ban on data centers, which have drawn increasing concern from lawmakers and citizens based on their impact on electricity prices and the energy grid.

“As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead,” Hochul said in a statement.

Technology companies have invested billions of dollars to build data centers all across the country, driven in part by the computing demands from artificial intelligence.

In her executive order, Hochul directed the state Department of Public Service to issue no new permits for large-scale data centers for a  year. During that period, the agency will conduct an environmental analysis on the impacts of data centers, along with a proceeding to “require data centers to either pay more for their energy or supply their own.”

New York lawmakers passed a more extensive data center moratorium last month, but Hochul has not said whether she will sign the bill.

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Maine Governor Janet Mills, also a Democrat, vetoed a measure earlier this year that would have been the first statewide data center ban.

In a news release, Hochul also directed the state’s economic development agency to develop a framework that local communities can use to negotiate with tech companies that seek to construct data centers. That framework will focus on infrastructure improvements, child care investments, direct financial support, and labor and wage standards.

She also announced plans for a fund that would require data centers to invest in New York’s grid infrastructure and clean energy supply. And she called on lawmakers to repeal the state’s sales tax exemptions for large data centers.

Across the country, data centers have drawn vocal opposition at local public meetings and in state capitols. Several cities and counties will vote on ballot measures this year to restrict the development of new data centers.

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline New York governor orders first statewide data center moratorium on Jul 18, 2026.

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The church’s action follows resolutions by two other religious bodies at their summer meetings — the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the American Academy of Religion — both of which named Israel’s war on Gaza a genocide.

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The emerging strategic equation between the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait has fundamentally reshaped the balance of power in West Asia, says a Yemeni analyst.

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Sharon Graham’s former Unite election campaign organiser Matt Smith now supports her opponent, Simon Dubbins.

Having seen Graham in action as general secretary, Smith believes that another five years of Graham would be “an utter disaster for our union”.

But he didn’t only play an extensive role in her 2021 general secretary election campaign. According to senior union insiders, he “wrote her manifesto”.

Unite endured five misused years under Graham

Smith said that Graham has increased corruption at Unite rather than reduce it. He claimed that she had appointed useless cronies to senior positions and even made up a “ghost job” to buy off a potential rival.

Smith said:

[Graham had] shown all the signs of being insecure, paranoid, and suffering from imposter syndrome from the very start of her term.

Rather than progress Unite, Graham “wasted five years that should have been used to turn this union around”, Smith added.

As the person who wrote her manifesto, who could be better placed to know that she squandered the time instead of implementing her promises?

Smith also left out a lot of Graham’s appalling, anti-union record. For more detail on that, read this.

Featured image via Nurith Wagner-Strauss

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on June 26 triumphantly announced the “signing of the Trilateral Framework between Lebanon, Israel and the United States.”

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