Great Britain

UK Bans New Huawei 5G Equipment from 2021, Full Ban from 5G by 2027

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden has confirmed the ban on the addition of new equipment from Huawei to UK 5G networks, and all Huawei components must be removed from Britain’s 5G by 2027. The move came after Five Eyes allies warned of the security risks of using the “effectively state-owned” Chinese tech firm. Mr Dowden made the announcement in the House of Commons on Tuesday, weeks after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Huawei, barring the sale of American components to the Chinese company over security concerns. It represents a significant reversal by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who agreed in January on a contract for Huawei to build 35 per cent of Britain’s 5G network. “This has not been an easy decision, but it is the right one for the UK telecoms networks, for our national security and our economy, both now and indeed in the long run,” the British digital secretary said, according to the BBC. The decision follows a ruling from the National Security Council that Huawei should not be used in any part of Britain’s 5G. The new restrictions also apply to Huawei’s broadband components. The judgment officially came as a result of a review conducted by the National Cyber Security Centre, a part of the signals intelligence services GCHQ, which ruled last week that the security of Huawei would be compromised if using any other components than the now-banned American ones. As the U.S. sanctions only affect future equipment, the government will not call for the removal of Huawei from 2G, 3G, or 4G. While a major step, others have warned that the government’s decision does not go far enough and that the Chinese equipment should be removed sooner and in its entirety. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said on Tuesday: “This is a partial victory. ‘No’ to Huawei is great, but we cannot wait until 2027 for removal of the kit.” The Guardian reported on Monday that 60 Conservative MPs could rebel against the government over the long delay in the removal of Huawei, calling instead for the end of purchasing all Huawei equipment in the next 12 months — not just 5G — and removing it from all systems by 2026. However, BT has said that it could take as long as ten years to completely remove Huawei from Britain’s telecommunications infrastructure. The news comes as the chairman of Huawei UK has reportedly stepped down, according to claims by Sky News. Former BP boss Lord Browne of Madingley had told Reuters last week that there was “no diplomacy here” in the government’s dealings with Huawei. “The UK has had a very long relationship with China, and I hope it’s not one that they simply throw away,” Lord Browne complained. The UK stepping back from Huawei, however, represents a positive step towards redressing relationships with other democratic nations, particularly Five Eyes partner the United States, which have expressed concern of communist China becoming too close to the United Kingdom. Britain is said to be exploring an international partnership comprised of a combination of the Five Eyes, the G7, and India and South Korea to construct an alternative to Huawei. U.S. sources speaking to the Financial Times on Monday said that the UK’s hitherto reluctance to come to a firm decision on Huawei was holding up plans for the proposed Five Eyes-Plus or ‘D10’ union of ten democratic nations.

We agree with Nigel Farage, that while this is most definitely a step in the right direction, it doesn’t go nearly far, or fast, enough.  Huawei is entirely owned and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and their Army.  And, it is a vehicle through which they spy on the U.S., UK, and our other allies in order to advance their agenda of global conquest, which of course is a threat to the U.S., the UK and other western deomcracies.  The Brits historically are notorious for being suckers.  Hello..Neville Chamberlain?  To be clear, even a great guy like PM Boris Johnson wouldn’t have done this without some behind the scenes pressure from President Trump.  Regardless, we’re glad they made this decision and hope they implement it quicker and more broadly.  This the kind of pressure ALL of the so-called “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing partners (i.e. Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and the United States) need to be exerting on China now more than ever.

‘Rare’ newborn white reindeer spotted in England

Maybe there’s no need for a red nose to be considered the most famous reindeer of all. A “rare” white reindeer was born just a few weeks ago at a ranch near Yeovil, Somerset, England, British news agency South West News Service reports. Appropriately given the moniker “Blitzen,” the calf was born alongside its sister, Donner. “It’s very rare to see a white calf anywhere in the world — let alone in Somerset,” said Sarah Sutton, of Somerset Reindeer Ranch. Blitzen was born on April 28 and since then, the miniature mammal has been walking around, playing and eating with its family. Unlike other animals that have white pigmentation, white reindeers are not albino. Instead, they have a mutation that causes their fur to lose its pigment. One such white reindeer was spotted in December 2018 by Norwegian photographer Mads Nordsveen, Fox News previously reported. Another white stag was reported in Mala, Sweden, in 2016, the New York Daily News reported. Some Scandinavian traditions regard the sighting of a white reindeer a certain sign of good luck.

To see a fun pic of this cute critter, click on the text above.  Hope it brings ya’ luck this holiday weekend!     🙂

Rare footage of Queen Elizabeth as a little girl released in honor of her 94th birthday

Queen Elizabeth II turned 94 on Tuesday, and despite the coronavirus pandemic scrubbing her annual celebrations, those closest to Her Majesty began their day by sending her a ton of love. Prince William and Kate Middleton were some of the first members of the British royal family to acknowledge the reigning monarch’s big day. “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 94th birthday today!” the couple captioned a photo of the pair on a stroll with the queen on Instagram. About an hour later, the queen’s supporters were treated to a clip compiled of home videos of Her Majesty throughout her formative years. The one-minute video was posted to the royal family’s official Instagram account and features the queen as a young toddler playing with her late sister, Princess Margaret. Her love of animals is also on display as the rare footage shows adorable clips of her cuddling with puppies and birds. “Happy Birthday, Your Majesty! Thank you for your messages today, on The Queen’s 94th birthday. In this private footage from the @royalcollectiontrust, we see The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) playing with her family, including her younger sister Princess Margaret,” the account captioned the video. “Head of the Commonwealth, Head of the Armed Forces, Head of State in 16 countries and the longest reigning Monarch in British History. Wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Happy birthday, Your Majesty!” the post continues. “To those of you also celebrating your birthdays today at home, with or without your loved ones – we send you many happy returns.” Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter Princess Eugenie also acknowledged the reigning monarch’s celebratory day. “May today bring joy in a time when families can’t be together celebrating with one another. All my love,” Eugenie wrote. The Clarence House, the office for the queen’s eldest son, Prince Charles, also paid tribute to the queen’s 94th birthday with a slideshow of photographs showing the mother-son duo over the years. As of Tuesday afternoon, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had yet to publicly share their birthday wishes for the queen. Although it’s possible the couple will not make a statement following the shuttering of their Sussex Royal Instagram account. The queen’s birthday comes at a somber time in history due to the coronavirus pandemic, which shuttered the queen’s annual birthday gun salute, as well as her birthday parade, also known as the Troop of Colour, that was cancelled. Last month, Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that the queen departed for Windsor Castle ahead of the Easter holiday due to the COVID-19 crisis. It is likely she is still staying there with her husband, Prince Philip.

We wish the Queen a very Happy 94th Birthday!!  To see the pic of her with William and Kate, click on the text above.  To see the video of her as a child mentioned above, here is the link:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heL6Ef70fdo                🙂

Queen Elizabeth: ‘Easter Isn’t Cancelled’, Take ‘New Hope’ from ‘Risen Christ’

Queen Elizabeth II has delivered what is believed to be the first-ever Easter message of her 68-year reign, offering a message of hope to people confined to their homes throughout the holiday by the coronavirus pandemic. The 93-year-old monarch — who also serves as Supreme Governor of the Church of England — recorded this message in the drawing room of Windsor Castle, where she is herself in self-isolation as a result of the pandemic. The Queen recalled how “many Christians would normally light candles together” on Holy Saturday, the sombre day preceding Easter Sunday when Christ lay in his tomb — and, according to Christian teaching, descended into Hades and preached to the dead. “This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe,” the Queen said. “But Easter isn’t cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever. The discovery of the risen Christ on the first Easter Day gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose, and we can all take heart from this,” she added. “We know that coronavirus will not overcome us.” The Queen’s Easter message can be viewed or read in full by clicking here:

Happy Easter!    🙂

Queen Elizabeth addresses coronavirus pandemic: ‘We will succeed’

Queen Elizabeth II gave a rare address to the nation on Sunday, uplifting the spirits of her people in the United Kingdom and offering hope to her country as it faces the devastating coronavirus pandemic. The reigning monarch acknowledged the suffering that many families have endured because of the COVID-19 crisis, which has infected over 42,000 people in the U.K. and killed at least 4,313 of them, according to researchers. The televised address was recorded in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. The location was specifically chosen for the broadcast because it provided enough space between the 93-year-old and the cameraperson, who wore personal protective equipment. “I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time,” Elizabeth shared, “a time of disruption in the life of our country; a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.” The Queen also paid tribute to Britain’s beloved National Health Service and others in essential services, together with around 750,000 people who volunteer to help the vulnerable. “I want to thank everyone on the NHS frontline, as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all,” she said. “I’m sure the nation will join me in ensuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times.” “I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home,” Elizabeth noted on social distancing, “thereby protecting to help the vulnerable and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones. Together we are tackling this disease and I want to reassure you that if we remain united in resolute then we will overcome it.” Elizabeth also remarked history will forever remember how the nation rose to the challenge during the crisis. “I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge,” she said. “And, those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any, that the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet, good-humored resolve, and of fellow feeling still characterize this country.” “The pride in who we are is not part of our past,” she continued. “It defines our present and our future. The moments when the United Kingdom has come to applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit. And its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children. Across the Commonwealth and around the world we have seen heartwarming stories of people coming together to help others. Be it through delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbors, or converting businesses to help the relief effort.” Elizabeth noted that self-isolating can be challenging for those trying to make sense of the pandemic. However, their efforts to flatten the curve are being recognized and honored. “And though self-isolating may at times be hard,” she admitted. “[But] many people of all faiths and of none are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down, pause and reflect in prayer or meditation. It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made in 1940 helped by my sister. We as children spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety.” “Today, once again, many will feel a sense of separation from their loved ones,” Elizabeth said. “But now, as then, we know deep down that it is the right thing to do. While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavor using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal.” “We will succeed, and that success will belong to every one of us,” she concluded. “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again. We will be with our families again. We will meet again. But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all.” Sunday’s broadcast served as the first time the Queen has addressed the coronavirus on camera. Elizabeth has given yearly Christmas messages but has given an address like this only on three previous occasions. The British royal delivered speeches at the time of the first Gulf War in 1991, before the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, and after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002. The crisis hit close to home for the monarch. Her son and heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, had a mild case of the disease. The Prince of Wales, 71, has since recovered, his office, Clarence House, confirmed.

For more, and to see the video, click on the text above.

Roman swords unearthed at ancient cavalry barracks near Hadrian’s Wall

Roman swords are among a treasure trove of stunning artifacts found at the site of an ancient cavalry barracks in the U.K. Recent excavations at the Roman fort of Vindolanda just south of Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England have resulted in a slew of stunning finds. These included a complete sword with a bent tip, found in the corner of a former living room at the site, which archaeologists say is the equivalent of a modern soldier leaving behind a malfunctioning rifle. Another sword and two small wooden toy swords were also found in adjacent rooms. Other weapons, including cavalry lances, arrowheads and bolts from balistas, or catapults, were also found on the abandoned barrack room floors, along with copper-alloy fitments for saddles, straps and harnesses. Also preserved in a layer of oxygen-free soil at the site were Roman ink writing tablets on wood, bath clogs, leather shoes, stylus pens, knives, combs, hairpins and brooches. “As a collection of artefacts, it doesn’t really get better than what we have discovered,” Dr. Andrew Birley, CEO of the Vindolanda Trust and director of excavations at the site, said..

I’m sure that’s true!  To see some photos, and read the rest of this fascinating article, click on the text above.     🙂

Opinion: London bombing shows danger of Islamification in Britain and Europe. Is the US next?

The terrorist bombing Friday of a train on the London Underground, which injured 30 people – including one of my very close friends – was yet more evidence of a painful truth: the Islamification of the United Kingdom and Europe is well under way, changing the very character of the continent that gave birth to Western Civilization. To escape this disturbing transformation of Britain – a place I had come to love after spending much of my adult life there, even becoming a dual British-U.S. citizen in 2000 – my English husband and I moved back to America at the end of 2006. I felt like a bit of a coward, but I did not want to live in an England changing dramatically for the worse before my eyes. Yet now I fear that the United States will be next in line to see our wonderful traditions of freedom, tolerance, respect for human rights and the rule of law threatened by the regressive and oppressive ideology of Islamic fundamentalism. Friday’s terrorist attack in London brought these fears to the front of my mind, especially after my friend nearly lost her life when the bomb partially detonated in the train car she was riding in. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the bombing. My friend told me she heard the bomb go off 30 feet away, looked in the direction of the sound and saw a huge fireball coming towards her. Her skin is burned, she no longer has eyebrows and eyelashes, and her hair and clothes were singed as well. She will recover. But if the bomb had detonated properly, I would be preparing now to attend her funeral. The bombing was the fifth terrorist attack in Britain this year but the first on London’s mass transit system since bombings on three trains and a bus on July 7, 2005 that killed 52 people and wounded over 700. I remember the day clearly – people dazed, frightened and with blood on their shirts coming out of the tube. Is this what awaits us in the U.S. five or 10 years from now? Rather than flee again, I feel the need to speak out before it is too late. Let me be clear: In a free land, everyone should be free to follow the religion of his or her choice. But sadly, fundamentalist Islam does not allow other theologies to coexist. Islamism, as the Brookings Institution describes it, is based on the belief that “Islamic law or Islamic values should play a central role in public life. They (Islamists) feel Islam has things to say about how politics should be conducted, how the law should be applied, and how other people – not just themselves – should conduct themselves.” Islamification is the imposition of an Islamist social and political system onto a society – depriving individuals (particularly women) of their freedoms and making even nations where Muslims are in the minority change their way of life to be more aligned with Islamic fundamentalism. This has nothing in common with the pluralistic and polytheist society I grew up in living in the U.S. or that I found in England years ago. Tragically, things are only going to get worse – much worse – in Europe. The British and European Union governments are no longer looking after their people and are willfully allowing the destruction of their culture and free societies. They have utterly failed their citizens. An English friend told me recently that her daughter’s Church of England village school was teaching what they call RE (Religious Education) to the children and spending an inordinate amount of time and positively favoring Islam over other religions. Children of all faiths are now being taught how to pray to Allah with prayer mats. The Koran is the only book open on a stand at the back of the classroom. And at a school assembly when the prophet Muhammad was mentioned, 200 children chanted in unison: “Peace be upon him.” I was speechless when I heard this. But I am continually shocked at the news coming out of Britain – a country that is my second home and one I love so very much. My husband and I saw Britain changing before our eyes. The final straw for my husband and I was during the 2006 Danish Embassy Muhammad cartoon protest, when hundreds of Islamists holding signs like “Behead Infidels” and “Prepare for a New Holocaust,” marched unopposed to the Danish Embassy in London. The only person arrested that day was an Englishman who jeered at the Islamists. Upon seeing that, my husband turned to me and painfully admitted with tears in his eyes, “England is finished. I guess I’d rather be a stranger in a strange land, than a stranger in my own land.” We left England when his U.S. green card came through. Since then, we have heard about many more incidents happening in the United Kingdom from friends who live there – not just in the news. There was the nail bomb attack at a pop concert; Islamists shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they stabbed and drove into people on deadly rampages; and the beheading of a British soldier in the streets of London in broad daylight. In addition, many churches are being converted to mosques with minarets and are now broadcasting calls to prayer; Muslim rapists have targeted underage English girls; and the insidious Islamist indoctrination of children in schools is becoming more common. How do you irreparably change a country? By targeting and indoctrinating its children. On top of this, the United Kingdom’s flawed immigration policies and laws have enabling a rapid rise in the Muslim population to more than 3.5 million, equalling 5.5 percent of the nation in 2016, according to the Gatestone Institute International Policy Council. The institute reports that a survey found that 23 percent of British Muslims advocate replacement of British law with Islamic law in areas with large Muslim populations. And the same survey estimates that “more than 100,000 British Muslims sympathize with suicide bombers.” Many of us in the U.S. may hear of these incidences and are horrified. But we are relived that at least none of this is happening over here. But what is going on in Britain and Europe is both a warning and a precursor to what could very well happen here if we don’t take heed. Furthermore, allowing the Islamists in America to change our laws, ethics and customs to suit or cater to only their beliefs at the expense of others is a slippery slope. I am glad I returned to the United States. At the time of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our country my patriotism welled up in me like a tidal wave and only grew. And I became appalled by the anti-American and pro-Islamist rhetoric that was going on in the leftist British media and among friends and acquaintances there. Everyone who lives in the United States is lucky and blessed to be here. While we will continue to welcome people here from around the world, we need to be careful to not change the very character of our nation by opening the floodgates to people determined to recast our country into the image of another culture.

Hear hear!!  American actress, singer, and model Julienne Davis is responsible for that excellent op/ed.  Julienne’s poignant and heartfelt piece is a clarion call for we as Americans to be vigilant, and put pressure on our federally elected officials to  substantially cut immigration from the middle east and northern Africa; something President Trump has been pushing from day 1 of his administration, but continues to get push back from politicians on both sides of the political aisle, as well as liberal judges.  Immigration to America is a privilege; NOT a right, as many Democrats and those in the dominantly liberal mainstream media would have you believe.  Anyone who we allow to come here should be screened to see if they love America as it was founded.  That should be a basic requirement.  And, then they should be put on some type of probation for a period of time to verify that basic requirement.

Pro-Trump British student facing probe for mocking ISIS

A British University student who supports President Donald Trump has been subjected to an investigation for putting “minority students at risk and in a state of panic and fear” after he mocked the Islamic State group on social media. Edinburgh University officials have launched an inquiry into comments made by Robbie Travers, 21, who allegedly committed a “hate crime” when he mocked jihadists in Iraq and Syria, the Times of London reported. In April, Travers celebrated the U.S. military bombing of an ISIS center in Afghanistan using the so-called “mother of all bombs” – a strike that killed at least 36 ISIS militants, Fox News reported. “Excellent news that the US administration and Trump ordered an accurate strike on an IS network of tunnels in Afghanistan,” Travers wrote on Facebook, adding, “I’m glad we could bring these barbarians a step closer to collecting their 72 virgins.” In another opinionated post, the student wrote: “I won’t give elements of Islam or Muslims who hold regressive beliefs a free pass for their assorted poisonous bigotries and regressive values because they face bigotry. “If you have terrible, oppressive views that seek to attack the rights of others, expect to be called out for those views, regardless of being oppressed yourself … ” In a complaint filed by Esme Allman, a second-year history student and a former leader of an ethnic minority student group, Travers was accused of “targeting minority students and student spaces,” the Times reported. “Not only do I believe this behaviour to be in breach of the student code of conduct, but his decision to target the BME Liberation Group at the University of Edinburgh, and how he has chosen to do so, puts minority students at risk and in a state of panic and fear while attending the University of Edinburgh,” said Allman in the complaint. The former student leader, who describes herself as feminist, also accused Travers of “Islamophobia,” adding in her complaint that she takes “issue with this clear and persistent denigration and disparagement of protected characteristics and blatant Islamophobia.” Travers denied the accusations of bigotry or incitement to violence, but acknowledged his remarks were opinionated. He said he was reported to the university officials out of spite by Allman after he once criticized her comments on social media. An Edinburgh University spokesman confirmed the investigation of Travers to the Times and added that the university was committed to “providing an environment in which all members of the university community treat each other with dignity and respect and our code of student conduct sets out clear expectations of behaviour.”

And THIS is why we have the First Amendment to our Constitution in the United States.   It would appear that the pc police and speech nazis are firmly in control at the University of Edinburgh.  If you can’t mock ISIS, then who can ya mock?!?  They’re evil barbarians.  And, anyone who supports animals like that should be the ones being investigated.  We support Robbie’s efforts, and hope the administration at the university will tell Esme to grow up and get over it.  Unreal…

Britain’s Brexit bill receives royal assent, becomes law

British Prime Minister Theresa May is free to officially notify the EU that the UK intends to leave after the Queen granted the Brexit bill royal assent. Following a turbulent passage through both houses and a drawn out court battle, May is expected to take the historic step of starting the process of leaving the 40-year union. Speaking in the House of Commons at the beginning of the week, May said she would trigger Article 50 “before the end of the month” and it is expected she will do so in the last week of March. The prime minister has described it as a “defining moment” for the country but the negotiations that will take place with the EU over the next two years promise to be bitter and bloody. Key players on both sides will now need to set to work thrashing out a Brexit deal alongside a free trade deal that will govern the UK’s future relationship with the remaining 27 members of the EU. Talks between the two sides are not likely to begin in earnest until June. The EU must issue a formal response to May’s formal Article 50 notification and then will need around eight weeks to draw up the full guidelines. The remaining 27 EU members will then need to formally issue a list of negotiating topics and red lines – the earliest they are expected to decide this is at an extraordinary summit in early May. The bill’s passing into law follows a difficult day for the government on Wednesday in which ministers were accused of “driving towards a cliff-edge with a blindfold on”.

Starnes: British students told to write essay on their conversion to Islam

Gobsmacked! British moms and dads were fuming after a school instructed students to write an essay explaining why they had converted to Islam. Gemma Gough posted the assignment on Facebook – and said her child would not be completing the assignment. “This is not acceptable,” she wrote. ‘Kids are too impressionable and imagine if these letters got in the wrong hands in years to come.” The 12 and 13-year-old kids at Beaucamps High School in Guernsey were told to consider what it would be like to become a Muslim. They also had to write a letter to their loved ones explaining their decision to become a Muslim. Can you imagine when the students returned home? “Mummy, Mummy! I converted to Islam! Cheerio!” The controversial lesson was part of a creative writing exercise as part of a religious education lesson, The Daily Mail reports. The school pointed out that it was a make-believe scenario – and no child was actually forced to convert to the Islamic faith. Local residents were not convinced. “In this day and age when easily-led youngsters are being radicalized, it is a dangerous road to be taking,” wrote one observer on the Guernsey Press website. “Teach pupils about religion by all means but be very careful when you ask them to be Muslim,” another wrote. The school said they plan to expose the students to other religions – like Christianity and Judaism. But let’s be honest – do you really think they’re going to have the kids write about how Jesus Christ changed their lives? Brigette Gabriel, the founder of Act for America, told me what’s happening in Great Britain is already happening in American public schools. She discusses that subject in my most recent podcast. -Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds of radio stations. His latest book is “God Less America: Real Stories From the Front Lines of the Attack on Traditional Values.” Follow Todd on Twitter@ToddStarnes and find him on Facebook.