US Forces Complete Exit from African State Niger
The US Army has finished withdrawing from its last base in Niger, the Pentagon and the West African nation’s authorities announced on Monday, marking the end of Washington’s counterterrorism mission in a country plagued by jihadist insurgencies.
A joint statement from the US Department of Defense and the Nigerien Ministry of National Defense said American forces and equipment had been pulled out of Air Base 201 in Agadez.
“This effort began on May 19 following the mutual establishment of withdrawal conditions, and coordination will continue between US and Nigerien armed forces over the coming weeks to ensure the full withdrawal is complete as planned,” the two sides said.
The withdrawal comes nearly five months after Niger’s new leadership, which came to power after a coup in July 2023, terminated a defense agreement with Washington. The decade-old agreement had permitted some 1,000 American military personnel to operate in the landlocked state.
Niamey cited the alleged failure of US forces to combat militants, as well as American officials’ attempts to dictate who the African nation’s allies should be, as reasons for its decision in March. The military government has also severed ties with its former colonial ruler, France, forcing all French soldiers to leave the country late last year.
READ MORE: US military completing withdrawal from African base
Last month, US servicemen left Air Base 101, the first of two American military camps in Niger, located near the international airport in the capital, Niamey. Russian instructors have reportedly been deployed to the base to replace their American counterparts in training Niger’s military.
READ MORE: US out: How NATO’s disastrous Libya invasion still echoes in West Africa today
Previously, the Pentagon and the Nigerien defense ministry had agreedto a complete disengagement by mid-September. However, in their joint statement on Monday, both sides said the “turnover was finished ahead of schedule and without complications” as a result of “effective cooperation and communication between the US and Nigerien armed forces.”
Federal Judge Declares Google a Monopolist, Setting the Stage for Major Industry Shakeup
On Monday, a pivotal ruling from a federal judge declared that Google had breached antitrust regulations in its quest to dominate the online search and advertising sectors. Judge Amit Mehta’s decision noted that Google had perpetuated its monopoly through specific strategies that violated section 2 of the Sherman Act.
We obtained a copy of the ruling for you here.
The lawsuit, which commenced in 2020, later expanded to include multiple states and territories, encapsulating the gravity and scale of the legal scrutiny Google faces. Early in the trial, government attorney Kenneth Dintzer articulated that the proceedings would significantly influence the future of internet governance.
The trial’s largely private proceedings sparked criticism from transparency advocates, who accused Google of trying to minimize public oversight and media exposure. Google had successfully argued that opening up the trial fully would risk exposing sensitive trade secrets.
In his detailed ruling, Judge Mehta highlighted that the evidence and testimonies reviewed throughout the trial led to the unequivocal conclusion that Google was engaging in monopolistic practices. “After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” he stated.
The case, marking one of the most significant antitrust judgments in recent decades, was the result of a major legal challenge initiated by the Justice Department. It reflects a broader governmental and international effort to regulate the expansive power of major tech entities.
The proceedings began in September of the previous year and featured a notable break, allowing Judge Mehta time to deliberate before concluding in early May.
Throughout the trial, federal prosecutors presented their case that Google maintained its search engine supremacy unlawfully, leveraging hefty financial agreements with companies like Apple and Samsung. This enabled Google to set itself as the default search engine across numerous devices, an advantage that Judge Mehta found to be unfairly limiting competition.
The financial scope of these agreements was substantial, with Google disbursing over $26 billion in 2021 to secure default status on various devices, a practice that the court criticized for lacking legitimate justification.
While the ruling stops short of detailing the potential penalties Google may face, it raises significant questions about the future operational landscape for Google’s search engine business. An appeal from Google is anticipated.
Defending its practices, Google asserted that its search services were superior to competitors like Microsoft’s Bing, arguing that its default engine agreements did not infringe antitrust laws.
Furthermore, Google’s legal team urged for a broader interpretation of the search market, suggesting that Google is one among many platforms that facilitate online searches, including tech giants like TikTok and Amazon.
Another significant aspect of the trial was the scrutiny of Google’s internal communication practices. The tech giant was criticized for not preserving chat records, which the government claimed could contain evidence detrimental to Google’s defense. Although Judge Mehta expressed disappointment over Google’s document retention practices, he opted not to sanction the company for these actions.
Looking ahead, Google is set to contend with another Justice Department lawsuit focused on its advertising techniques and alleged monopolistic behaviors in ad technology later this year.
Tommy Robinson: UK Govt Is Paying Provocateurs To Trigger Riots
Tommy Robinson has claimed that the Britsh government is paying provoateurs to trigger riots across the country. Appearing on the The Alex Jones Show on Monday, Robinson, who has been accused of stoking the riots, […]
The post Tommy Robinson: UK Govt Is Paying Provocateurs To Trigger Riots appeared first on The People’s Voice.
Economist Warns Warren Buffett Deliberately Triggered Stock Market Crash — Major Collapse Imminent
Dr. Kirk Elliot joins Alex Jones live to break down the latest in the ongoing stock market upheaval.
Economist Warns Warren Buffett Deliberately Triggered Stock Market Crash— Major Collapse Imminent@kirkelliottphd pic.twitter.com/gNJgCOHZUA
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) August 5, 2024
BREAKING: Tommy Robinson Gives Major Update Live — UK Government Paying Provocateurs To Trigger Riots
Tommy Robinson joins The Alex Jones Show on Monday to break down the UK government’s effort to foment civil war between citizens concerned for their safety and sovereignty and the state-sanctioned Muslim invaders.
BREAKING: Tommy Robinson Gives Major Update Live— UK Government Paying Provocateurs To Trigger Riots@TRobinsonNewEra pic.twitter.com/ps9oZADfR8
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) August 5, 2024
Rockets Hit Airbase in Iraq Housing US Troops
Rockets fired into Iraq struck a US airbase housing American troops, reports Monday claimed.
According to media sources, several US personnel were injured when two rockets hit the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq.
Fox News reports:
A U.S. defense official confirmed the suspected rocket attack to Fox News on Monday afternoon. According to Reuters, at least two Katyusha rockets were fired towards the base.
Speaking to Fox News, the official said that “several” U.S. personnel were injured during the incident.
“Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” the official added. “We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
It’s unclear how many soldiers were injured in the attack, or who exactly was responsible.
While a source told Reuters the rockets fell inside the base, another source told Iraqi media outlet Rudaw English “that the target appeared to be Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase, but the initial rockets failed to hit the site.”
The source also told Rudaw the rockets had been “launched from the industrial subdistrict of al-Haqlaniyah in Haditha district,” and that police had located “an abandoned vehicle suspected to be used to launch the attack.”
The attack comes as the Israel-Gaza conflict has continued to escalate, as Iran has vowed to retaliate for the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Tehran, which it blames on Israel, raising fears of an impending World War III.