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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/europe/scotland-suspends-prescription-of-puberty-blockers-to-minors/

Europe

Scotland suspends prescription of puberty blockers to minors

Published 25 April 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Genre image - past trans activism protest in the UK.
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Scotland’s only clinic for the treatment of young people suffering from gender dysphoria and other gender identity crises has announced that it is suspending all new prescriptions of puberty blockers for minors.

The Sandyford Clinic in Glasgow, which is run by Scotland’s National Health Service (NHS), says in a statement that it is indefinitely suspending new prescriptions for people under the age of 18 who are experiencing gender dysphoria. However, patients who are already receiving treatment will not be affected by the decision.

According to available public data, between 2016 and 2023, 71 people under the age of 18 received prescriptions for puberty blockers following referrals from the clinic.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after a report commissioned by England’s National Health Service concluded that the medical evidence for transition-related care for minors is “remarkably weak” and that more research is needed.

The report, called the Cass Review, was funded by the NHS and independently led by prominent British pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass.

Prime minister promises to consider report

The action follows weeks of criticism of the Sandyford clinic for failing to promptly comply with NHS England’s ban on puberty blockers issued in March.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced that Scottish health boards will take ‘the utmost account’ of Cass’s 388-page report.

– When it comes to the prescribing of medicine, clinicians are best placed – not politicians, government ministers or myself as first minister, the minister said.

The clinic said in a statement: “We are committed to providing the best possible clinical care for young people accessing and understand the distress that gender incongruence can cause. While this pause is in place, we will continue to give anyone who is referred into the young people gender service the psychological support that they require while we review the pathways in line with the findings”.

Trans activists deplore the decision

Commenting on the decision, Dr. Emilia Crighton, Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), said.

– The next step from here is to work with the Scottish government and academic partners to generate evidence that enables us to deliver safe care for our patients.

But young transgender people from LGBT Youth Scotland urged Sandyford to reconsider, saying they believed the decision would “directly harm” young people.

– Being transgender, especially in such a negative political climate, can have severe negative impacts on one’s mental health and accessing gender affirming treatment can and has saved lives.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/europe/orban-time-for-europes-patriots-to-occupy-brussels/

Europe

Orbán: Time for Europe’s patriots to occupy Brussels

Published today 14:55
– By Editorial Staff
According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, Brussels is today “occupied by a left-wing transatlantic oligarchy”.
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Hungary’s prime minister argues that the rise of Donald Trump has created a unique opportunity for more nationalistic European movements to take control of their countries and the entire EU apparatus.

– The rebellion against woke liberal democracy has entered a new stage. The time has come for patriotic forces to occupy Brussels, he declares.

Orbán has long argued that the EU needs a new, sounder leadership and shortly before Trump was sworn in in Washington DC, the conservative politician also promised during a speech that “the sun will shine differently over Brussels”.

Although Hungary’s leader is very positive about Trump, he is also saddened that Brussels is still “occupied by a left-wing transatlantic oligarchy”. He says the EU’s constant attacks and threats against Hungary are orchestrated “by the liberal united front financed by George Soros”, which is trying to influence Europe’s political direction.

Orbán notes that the global economic balance of power is increasingly tilted towards Asia and that it is necessary for European countries to adapt to this fact.

“The EU is the sick man of Europe”

According to the Prime Minister, those in power in Brussels have not only ignored these changes, but have actively undermined EU member states with a “woke capitalism” obsessed with ideological goals at the expense of European competitiveness.

– The sick man of Europe today is the European Union, he continued, noting that Brussels seems unable to deal with mass immigration, security issues or the threats facing EU farmers.

– I hereby launch the second phase of the operation to capture Brussels.

Orban’s political party Fidesz is part of the new Patriots for Europe coalition that challenged the centrist parties in last year’s European elections. The alliance became the third largest in the EU legislature, after the EPP group, led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the Socialist and Democrat S&D group.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/europe/discussions-on-banning-the-afd-could-begin-next-week/

Europe

Discussions on banning the AfD could begin next week

Published today 7:58
– By Editorial Staff
Last election, the AfD became the largest party among Germans under 30.
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A group of 113 members of the German parliament is planning to table a motion to ban the nationalist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), reports Die Zeit. The motion could be discussed in the Bundestag as early as next week.

The parliamentary group, which is mainly made up of members of the Greens, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Christian Democrats (CDU), argues that the AfD’s agenda violates the German constitution and poses a threat to the country’s democratic order.

The motion was tabled in November and aims to initiate an injunction process against the AfD in the Federal Constitutional Court. Founded in 2013, the party currently enjoys around 20% support, putting it ahead of the SPD (16%) but behind the CDU (31%). The party was already classified as a “suspected” extremist organization by the German security services in 2021 due to its opposition to the current policy of population exchange.

CDU member Marco Wanderwitz, one of the initiators of the motion, calls for swift action against Alternative for Germany, citing the party’s alleged “further radicalization”. The group argues that AfD has questioned the human dignity and rights of migrants and LGBT people, and that there are therefore good reasons to ban the party.

Wanting a referendum on EU membership

Despite the AfD’s growing popularity – a December poll showed its leader Alice Weidel leading the polls to become the next chancellor – all established parties have ruled out any form of cooperation with the party, making it difficult for them to have real political influence.

Weidel, who was recently nominated as the AfD’s first candidate for chancellor, has pledged, among other things, to resume operation of the sabotaged Nord Stream gas pipelines, implement a much tougher immigration policy, launch comprehensive deportation programs and abolish “green” climate and energy initiatives if the party wins the election.

The AfD has also proposed a referendum on leaving the EU and the eurozone, and criticized Germany’s extensive military support for Ukraine and its membership of the US-led NATO military alliance.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/europe/swedish-nato-force-deployed-in-latvia/

Europe

Swedish NATO force deployed in Latvia

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 20 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Swedish NATO soldiers land in Riga.
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This weekend, around 550 Swedish soldiers arrived in Latvia’s capital Riga to join NATO’s multinational brigade and reinforce the US-led military alliance’s border with Russia.

– Many of us have worked hard and long for this, and now we are finally here, says Battalion Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Rosdahl, commenting on Sweden’s first ground deployment as a NATO country.

The brigade is one of eight being built up to be stationed along NATO’s eastern border, with the official aim of “contributing to the Alliance’s deterrence and defense and ensuring stability in the region”.

The Swedish contribution to the initiative consists of the 71st battalion, which will be deployed by the Southern Skåne Regiment P 7.

– I feel a great sense of pride in the task of contributing to collective defense together with our allies. It is a historic day, but at the same time our new normal, says Henrik Rosdahl.

Rotating with Denmark

“The Swedish battalion’s mission in Latvia will last for about six months… After the six months, the Swedish force will rotate home and be replaced by a Danish force in the next six months. In one year, the next Swedish force will arrive in Latvia – again deployed by the Southern Skåne Regiment”, the Swedish Armed Forces wrote in a press release.

Canadian Colonel Cédric Aspirault is leading the international brigade and says the Swedes are “a valuable addition to our combat-ready force”.

– Each nation involved contributes directly to the success of the brigade, demonstrating a united alliance and a will to keep the peace, it said.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/europe/eu-official-we-can-invalidate-the-election-in-germany-if-necessary/

Europe

EU official: We can invalidate the election in Germany – “if necessary”

Totalitarianism

Published 14 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Thierry Breton flags that Brussels could annul the German elections - “if necessary”.
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Former EU commissioner Thierry Breton explains that the EU could annul the upcoming elections in Germany in case of suspicion of foreign influence.

– We did it in Romania and, if necessary, we will have to do it in Germany as well, he said.

The statement was made in an interview on the French news program Apolline Matin, focusing on Elon Musk’s platform X (formerly Twitter) and its potential role in the German elections.

Breton, former Commissioner for the Internal Market from 2019 to 2024, referred to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law established in 2022 and whose purpose is nominally stated as protecting democracy by regulating digital platforms, fighting disinformation and preventing foreign influence on elections. He stressed that it was his staff who wrote the law, and that the EU is now “equipped” to apply it if necessary.

The law was recently used as a basis to investigate TikTok in the context of Romania’s presidential election, which was annulled following allegations of foreign interference. In recent days, large-scale demonstrations have broken out in Bucharest, with thousands of people protesting against the EU’s actions.

Germany’s elections, to be held next month, have already sparked discussions about the AfD’s success and Elon Musk’s open support for the party via X.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com