What even is "far-right" now?

Hi Global Recap readers,

I have some substantive trends for all of us to think about as we head off to the weekend.

• The effect of the West’s gradually increasing tolerance and eventual normalization of the term “Islamophobia.”

• How even the left-leaning media is leaking and reporting on Biden’s fragility.

• The prevalence of labeling almost any right-leaning ideas as “far-right,” and how France’s Marine Le Pen pushed back against a CNN reporter for calling her party “far-right.”

What do you think about these topics? Have you noticed these trends? Or have they been so gradual and stealth that you didn’t realize?

Some things to think about after reading and watching the following. 👇

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Keir Starmer Becomes PM

Keir Starmer has officially become the UK’s 58th Prime Minister after a significant election victory.

He was appointed by the King following Rishi Sunak’s resignation.

🔘 Victory: Labour’s historic landslide win signifies a major shift in the political landscape of Britain.

• It brings an end to the 14-year reign of the Conservatives.

• Labour secured 412 seats, just shy of Tony Blair’s 1997 record.

• The Conservatives suffered a dramatic loss, dropping 250 seats to 121 seats - their lowest ever.

🔘 Leadership: Following a meeting with the King, Keir Starmer’s role as Prime Minister was officially confirmed. He then addressed the public outside 10 Downing Street, expressing his immediate plans to “rebuild Britain” and start the process of appointing his Cabinet.

Here’s the list of his Cabinet members (updating).

• He has consistently promised a government that will be both "pro-business and pro-worker".

• He believes that solving climate change isn’t just an obligation; it’s the “single most important issue” for the country going forward.

• One of Starmer’s leadership pledges concerned stopping the creeping involvement of the private sector in the UK’s publicly-funded National Health Service.

Outlawing Islamophobia

But then there’s this bit about Starmer and his Labour Party.

🔘 Definition: Under Keir Starmer’s leadership, the party has embraced an expansive interpretation of “Islamophobia,” set by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

• This definition describes “Islamophobia” as a type of racism that targets expressions of “Muslimness” or perceived “Muslimness.” Very broad indeed.

• APPG even called for “appropriate limits to free speech.”

• Critics argue that this expansive interpretation could criminalize critiques of Islamic extremism, potentially leading to the implementation of an implicit “Islamic blasphemy law” in the UK.

To this, I’ll conclude this topic by referring to a video that features the renowned journalist Christopher Hitchens and Starmer.

• In the video, Hitchens encourages individuals to resist the acceptance of the term “Islamophobia,” as it could potentially violate the freedom of speech.

• In contrast, Starmer addresses the pervasive issue of "Islamophobia" in today’s society, starkly illustrating how far we've fallen since Hitchens warned about the harmful effects of accepting this term.

🇺🇸 United States
Biden’s New Campaign Strategy

Meanwhile, in America, President Joe Biden recently shared a new approach to his campaign schedule.

What’s his aim? Ensure he gets more rest.

🔘 Rest: In his recent White House meeting with Democratic governors, Biden said that he plans to stop scheduling events after 8 pm to ensure that he gets more sleep.

• The goal is to maintain his energy and effectiveness for the upcoming election.

🔘 Reassurance: Biden aimed to reassure the governors about his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump and govern effectively.

• Despite his age, Biden emphasized his capability to lead for another four years.

• Some governors were frustrated by his comments, feeling it might reflect poorly on his stamina.

🔘 Reaction: The White House and Biden’s campaign have not commented on his remarks.

• The statement of loyalty and enthusiasm from the governors distributed by the Biden campaign has caused some discontent among the participants.

The sharing and leaking of these stories by close allies reveal how much faith the Democratic allies have lost in Joe Biden.

This really does not bode well for Biden’s “Sleepy Joe” image.

🇫🇷 France
Le Pen Rebukes the Term “Far-Right”

Are you against open borders? “Far-right bigot.”

Are you against Palestinian “resistance?” “Far-right Zionist.”

These are some of the labels that are being slapped on many right-leaning conservative people.

But France’s Le Pen isn’t having it.

In a recent interview with CNN, Marine Le Pen was asked about the rising popularity of the so-called “far-right” in Europe.

She rejected the label, stating that she doesn’t consider herself “far-right.” Instead, she described her party as positioned between the center-right and center-left in the US.

To this comment, CNN’s Amanpour, visibly surprised, responded with wide eyes:

This exchange highlights the current state of the media.

Mainstream media, especially those with left-leaning tendencies, often label right-leaning ideas as “far-right” while moving further left themselves.

Undeniably, both the right and left have expanded their ideological horizons and are expressing their views more openly. However, it’s intriguing why this evolution isn’t mirrored in the media’s choice of labels.

When was the last time you heard the term “far-left?” Even though it does appear here and there, it’s certainly not as ubiquitous as the term “far-right.”

How She Sees Ukraine-Russia War

Setting aside the above exchange, let’s discuss what Le Pen revealed about how she envisions France’s relationship with the war in Ukraine if her party’s president were to become Prime Minister after the elections.

🔘 Election:

• With the appointment of a new PM from her own party, she vowed to prevent the use of French-supplied long-range weapons by Ukraine to strike inside Russia.

• She also opposes French troop deployments to Ukraine, which could lead to a tense cohabitation with President Macron.

🔘 Controversy: Although her National Rally party is expected to perform well in the French parliamentary elections, it has been associated with controversies and hard-line stances.

• She has faced accusations of racism within her party but has refused to immediately remove candidates accused of such behavior.

• Her party supports ending automatic citizenship for children born to foreign parents in France and limiting foreigners’ access to social services.

Here’s the full interview for your reference. Please take the time to watch the interview and come to your own conclusions about the so-called “far-right” tendencies of Le Pen and the label itself in general.

There is no doubt that she had her share of controversies over the years.

Is the label justified?

🇮🇳 India
6 Arrested For Deadly Crowd Crush in Hathras

Relatives of victims from a tragic crowd crush during a Hindu religious gathering in Hathras, India, are accusing authorities of negligence, leading to over 120 deaths.

🔘 Arrests: The police have reported the arrest of six individuals up to this point.

• The arrested individuals, comprising four men and two women, were assistants to Baba. They played a role in planning the event but ran way in the wake of the chaos.

🔘 Negligence: Families claim authorities failed to provide timely medical assistance.

The police have reported the arrest of six individuals up to this point.

• The arrested individuals, comprising four men and two women, were assistants to Baba. They played a role in planning the event but absconded in the wake of the ensuing chaos.

• Many victims were left to die in the mud and on hospital floors due to a lack of medical staff and ambulances.

• Eyewitnesses described having to dig through mud to find survivors and carry them to hospitals.

🔘 Overcrowding: The event was attended by more than three times the permitted number of people.

• Permission was granted for 80,000 attendees, but over 250,000 people showed up.

• The crush occurred in a women-only section, with most victims being women and children.

🔘 Response: The local hospital was overwhelmed and unprepared.

• Only eight doctors were available to handle the influx of injured and dead.

• The hospital morgue quickly overflowed, and ice cubes were used to manage the dead bodies.

• Many injured were left unattended on hospital floors due to a lack of beds and medical staff.

🇲🇽 Mexico
Hurricane Beryl Hits Mexico

Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Tulum, Mexico, as a Category 2 storm, causing significant damage and power outages.

🔘 Damage: The hurricane has already caused significant destruction and fatalities in the Caribbean.

• Nine deaths reported in Venezuela, Jamaica, and the Windward Islands.

• In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 95% of homes on two islands were damaged or destroyed.

🔘 Preparation: Mexican authorities are urging residents to take precautions.

• President López Obrador advised people to move to higher ground or seek shelter.

• Hurricane warnings are in effect from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancún.

🔘 Forecast: The storm is expected to weaken after landfall.

• Up to 10 inches of rain and flash flooding are anticipated.

• Beryl will move into the Gulf of Mexico and may regain strength, potentially affecting northeastern Mexico or southern Texas.