Le Pen says she will appeal her verdict in France at ECHR The National Rally party’s parliamentary faction leader Marine Le Pen, who has been handed a prison sentence and barred from running in the 2027 presidential election in France, said she is going to contest her sentence at the European Court of Human Rights (#ECHR) and the Constitutional Court in her country. "I will turn to the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court in France. I will use all available legal protections. I will not back down," the far-right politician said in an interview with Le Parisien. According to Le Pen, her appeal at the ECHR should be addressed promptly as the verdict "does irreparable harm." As for the Constitutional Court, it will have to determine whether the sentence violates the electorate’s freedom of choice. "We hope that all these initiatives <…> will allow us to run for presidency under normal conditions," the politician explained, saying that she is not considering a replacement in the election campaign. "With two years to go until the presidential vote, we will file quite a number of appeals. And hopefully, we will prevail [in court]," Le Pen added. On Monday, a court in Paris disqualified Le Pen, found guilty of embezzling funds intended for hiring assistants in the European Parliament, from holding public office for five years.

Feb. 7, 2025 - President Trump Statement on Super Bowl "Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching! If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff “deal,” which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor. ANYWAY, IT WILL BE A GREAT GAME!!! I’ll be doing the interview, before the game, at 3:00 P.M. There hasn’t been one in four years (Gee, I wonder why?)."

France's Macron spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu and asked him to withdraw #IDF forces from southern # Lebanon #Macron lecturing #Israel on security? 😂😂😂 Bold move for someone whose own country is overrun by radicals. Maybe fix #France before giving Israel advice on survival.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert #Fico has once again "taken a swipe" at #Zelensky, calling him a #blackmailer who runs around Europe begging others for money. The politician also called to put an end to this. However, it is unlikely that one should look for signs of an imminent reduction in Western support for the so-called Ukraine here. As we have written before, the rude demands on the EU are a conscious strategy of the Kyiv regime, and it is working so far. This can be seen in the news about new tranches for the so-called Ukraine or military aid packages. Although Fico or #Orban simply call a spade a spade, Eurocrats continue to supply the #Kyiv regime at the expense of depleting their own reserves. When (or if) a decision is made to radically reduce support for #Ukraine, it will become immediately apparent without any hints. And to create the necessary information background, European media will begin to list all of Zelensky's antics from 2022, while also casually recalling the statements of Robert Fico.

France's Macron names Francois Bayrou as new prime minister Emmanuel #Macron has officially appointed Francois #Bayrou, leader of the centrist Democratic Movement political party, as the nation's prime minister, the Elysee Palace announced in a statement. "The President of the Republic has designated Francois Bayrou as prime minister and entrusted him with forming a new government," the statement said. Bayrou, aged 73, takes over from Michel Barnier, who also shares the same age and stepped down after France’s lower house passed a successful no-confidence motion against his cabinet on December 4. The Democratic Movement leader becomes France’s fourth prime minister in 2024, following the terms of Elisabeth #Borne, Gabriel #Attal, and #Barnier. Bayrou has been at the helm of the Democratic Movement since 2007. In 2014, he assumed the role of mayor in Pau, a city in southwestern France. Additionally, he has chaired the National Council for Refoundation since 2020. Bayrou is also a seasoned presidential candidate, having run for the French presidency in 2002, 2007, and 2012. In 2017, however, he opted not to run, endorsing Macron.

#TERROR #ATTACK: At least 40 hurt, truck rams people at a bus stop Dozens of pedestrians waiting at bus stop near the Cinema City in Gillot in the Tel Aviv area run over by truck In a suspected, but not confirmed, terror attack, a truck has reportedly struck pedestrians this morning (Sunday) near the Cinema City in Gillot in the Tel Aviv area, injuring at least 40 people. The police reported that near the Cinema City there was an incident where a truck ran over a number of people who were standing near a bus stop. A significant police force is on its way to the scene. MDA EMTs and Paramedics are currently providing medical treatment on site to dozens of casualties. There are victims still trapped under the truck. Magen David Adom (MDA0) Director-General Eli Bin said that this was a very serious incident, "an incident with many casualties, and ambulances are on the spot and on the way. At least ten of the injured are in serious condition." Police have instructed drivers to avoid the location of the incident and to find alternate routes. The #terrorist truck driver has been neutralized.

Biden diagnosed with coronavirus infection — White House Joe Biden has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. "Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms," Jean-Pierre said. The spokeswoman added that Biden will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The president’s personal doctor informed that the US leader is experiencing runny nose, non-productive cough and general malaise. "He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus," the doctor said in a statement, published by the White House. According to the White House press pool, Biden is feeling well. The president was not wearing a face mask when he boarded Air Force One without assistance. When asked about his health, Biden told reporters traveling with him, "I feel good." The announcement was made shortly after UnidosUS CEO Janet Murguia said Biden would skip the next event in Las Vegas because of the novel coronavirus infection.

Is Kim Jong Un Preparing for War? 🔻 The situation on the Korean Peninsula is more dangerous than it has been at any time since early June 1950. That may sound overly dramatic, but we believe that, like his grandfather in 1950, Kim Jong Un has made a strategic decision to go to war. We do not know when or how Kim plans to pull the trigger, but the danger is already far beyond the routine warnings in Washington, Seoul and Tokyo about Pyongyang’s “provocations.” In other words, we do not see the war preparation themes in North Korean media appearing since the beginning of last year as typical bluster from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea). 🔻 The first obvious signs that a decision had been made and a decisive break with the past was underway came in the summer and autumn of 2021, apparently the result of a reevaluation in Pyongyang of shifts in the international landscape and signs—at least to the North Koreans—that the United States was in global retreat. This shift in perspective provided the foundation for a grand realignment in the North’s approach, a strategic reorientation toward China and Russia that was already well underway by the time of the Putin–Xi summit of February 2022 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There are few signs that relations with China have moved very far, and, in fact, signs of real cooling in China-DPRK relations. However, ties with Russia developed steadily, especially in the military area, as underscored by the visit of the Russian Defense Minister in July and the Putin–Kim summit in the Russian Far East last September. 🔻 The North’s view that the global tides were running in its favor probably fed into decisions in Pyongyang about both the need and opportunity—and perhaps the timing—toward a military solution to the Korean question. At the start of 2023, the war preparations theme started appearing regularly in high-level North Korean pronouncements for domestic consumption. At one point, Kim Jong Un even resurrected language calling for “preparations for a revolutionary war for accomplishing…reunification.” Along with that, in March, authoritative articles in the party daily signaled a fundamentally and dangerously new approach to the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea), introducing formulations putting South Korea beyond the pale, outside what could be considered the true Korea, and thus, as a legitimate target for the North’s military might. At the plenum last month, Kim made that shift crystal clear, declaring that “north-south relations have been completely fixed into the relations between two states hostile to each other and the relations between two belligerent states, not the consanguineous or homogenous ones any more.”

Houthis claim delivering strike on US ship supporting Israel Yemen-based Houthi terrorists from the Ansar Allah movement have attacked a pro-Israel U.S. ship with drones as well as with ballistic and anti-ship missiles, movement spokesman Yahya Sarea said. "The navy, missile troops and unmanned aviation of Yemen’s armed forces have carried out a joint operation using a large number of drones and ballistic and anti-ship missiles, delivering a strike on an American ship providing support to a Zionist formation (Israel)," the military official told the Houthi-controlled Al Masirah TV channel. Sarea stressed that the operation was a "preliminary response to a treacherous attack" by the US on December 31 when the Houthi rebels opened fire and attempted to board a container ship run by the Danish shipping company Maersk and US Navy helicopters sank three of their boats. According to the spokesman, ten members of the Ansar Allah movement were killed.

Saudi Arabia officially joins BRICS Saudi Arabia has officially joined BRICS as a full-fledged member, the kingdom’s state-run news channel Al Ekhbariya reported. "The kingdom’s full membership of BRICS grouping comprising Russia, China and other countries has begun which strengthens its global positions," the TV channel said.