#73: MUSK CALLS OUT MEDIA BIAS OVER SOUTH AFRICAN FARM KILLINGS
Sweden's "conservative" PM drapes official residence with pride flag + Lower meat consumption equates to more poverty in Europe + UK trains to run on diesel because electricity is too expensive + MORE
MUSK CALLS OUT MEDIA BIAS OVER SOUTH AFRICAN FARM KILLINGS
X CEO Elon Musk is not backing down on the plight of white South African farmers who are increasingly the subject of violent and deadly racially-charged attacks.
In a recent tweet, Musk accused The New York Times of having the nerve to “support calls for genocide” against white South Africans.
“The New York Times actually has the nerve to support calls for genocide! If ever there was a time to cancel that publication, it is now. You can read their articles for free anyway using removepaywall.com,” tweeted Musk.
Musk was referencing an article published by the New York Times defending South African communist leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters Julius Malema who sang the controversial “Kill the boer, kill the farmer” song.
The New York Times journalist John Eligon claimed that the song should “not be taken literally.”
When videos of Malema and a massive crowd chanting the song circulated on social media, Musk accused Malema of “pushing for genocide” and called on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to act on the matter.
“They are openly pushing for genocide of white people in South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa, why do you say nothing?” asked Musk.
SWEDEN’S “CONSERVATIVE” PM DRAPES OFFICIAL RESIDENCE WITH PRIDE FLAG
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson draped his official residence at Sager Palace in Stockholm with a pride flag for the first time ever.
Kristersson who leads the Moderate party is currently in a coalition with the populist right-wing Sweden Democrats (SD).
Throughout his bid for election Kristersson presented himself as a centre-right conservative in order to win the backing of the surging SD.
According to Kristersson the pride flag draping will become a tradition for the prime minister.
“For the first time ever, we let Sagerska be decorated with the nice rainbow flag. We want to draw attention to Pride and the importance of this week to our open society. Everyone's right to live who they are, and love who they want,” said the Prime Minister in a statement.
GERMANS “OBLIGATED” TO GIVE UP WEALTH SAYS GREEN MP
German Green Party MP Johannes Wagner recently lectured Germans that they have a “moral duty” to give up their prosperity and wealth for those who have less.
“It’s such a shame that so many people don’t see (or don’t want to?) what incredible prosperity we have in Germany. We are one of the richest countries on Earth. We can still give so much. And also have a moral obligation to do so,” tweeted Wagner.
According to the outlet Remix the Green MP also called for “more redistribution of the wealth of the super-rich.”
Wagner’s tweet received a wave of negative backlash with people accusing the Green MP of ignoring the plight of Germans as the country struggles through an economic downturm.
LOWER MEAT CONSUMPTION EQUATES TO MORE POVERTY IN EUROPE
As Europe struggles to deal with an energy crisis and inflation, more Europeans are foregoing diets of meat or fish.
According to data published by Eurostat, 8.3% of Europeans say they can no longer afford to eat meat or fish every other day.
That figure is down from 7.3% in 2021 and 6.8% in 2019.
Things get worse the further east you go in the European Union. In Romania 22.1% can’t afford to have decent meals anymore, that figure is slightly lower in Bulgaria where it sits at 21.6% of the population.
Ireland and the Netherlands are reporting better figures with 1.4% and 2.1% respectively.
Statistics also indicate more people are at risk of poverty with one in five Europeans (19.7%) living on the edge of destitution. ‘
According to Eurostat, a capacity to afford meat or fish every other day is used to calculate the bloc’s “severe material and depirvation rate.”
UK TRAINS TO RUN ON DIESEL BECAUSE ELECTRICITY IS TOO EXPENSIVE
Rail freight company DB Cargo UK has decided to get rid of an entire fleet of Class 90 electric trains.
A total of 24 trains will be disposed of and replaced by trains that run on fuel.
The company cited high electricity and maintenance cost given the current economic situation in Britain as the reason behind the decision.
“‘(We did this due to) the cost of running and maintaining this fleet given the extraordinary economic pressures facing our sector,” the company said.
“Whilst this is not a decision we have taken lightly, it is one that we are using as a platform for greater engagement on affordability and availability of biofuels, which can be used in our existing, fully operational diesel fleet of locomotives to lower carbon emissions and operate more sustainably.”
Despite the decision to switch from electric back to diesel the company is claiming that it is still committed to reaching sustainability goals.