Murder of Jocelyn Nungaray inspires Cruz, Nehls border bill cracking down on DHS
Two Republican lawmakers have introduced a measure to improve the detention and tracking of illegal immigrants who enter the United States. The Justice for Jocelyn Act was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, on Thursday. The measure would crack down on the Department of Homeland Security’s “Alternative to Detention” (ATD) program by requiring every ICE detention bed to be filled, and, if filled, would require the DHS to exhaust all reasonable efforts to keep illegal immigrants in custody, according to Cruz’s office. The legislation is named for Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl who was murdered on June 17, allegedly by two Venezuelan nationals who were in Texas illegally. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECTED IN MARYLAND MOM RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER FACES MAXIMUM PENALTY IF CONVICTED Cruz’s office noted that the suspects were enrolled in the ATD program, meaning “they were released into the interior of the United States despite the availability of thousands of ICE detention center beds.” The senator’s office also highlighted the fact that one of the suspects “was wearing an ICE GPS monitor at the time of Jocelyn’s assault and murder.” Should DHS nevertheless release an illegal immigrant pursuant to ATD, the person would be subject to continuous GPS monitoring until either their removal from the country or the completion of all immigration proceedings, Cruz’s office noted in describing the bill. The Texas senator’s office also noted that the bill would “empower immigration officials to immediately deport illegal aliens who violate the terms of their release.” “Jocelyn Nungaray’s horrific death was entirely preventable,” Cruz said in a statement. “The illegal aliens charged with murdering her should have been held in ICE custody, but they were allowed into the U.S. despite the availability of thousands of open detention center beds. No parent should have to feel the anguish that Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis, is suffering.” MEXICAN MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING TWO CHILDREN IN WISCONSIN IS IN US ILLEGALLY He added, “No family should have to live in fear that a violent criminal from another country is wandering their neighborhood intending to harm their children. No ICE or Border Patrol agent should have their hands tied when an illegal alien commits a crime. Congress needs to wake up and act decidedly to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again.” Echoing Cruz, Nehls said the “tragic” death of Nungaray was preventable and that he hopes the legislation will prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. “The tragic death of Jocelyn Nungaray was entirely preventable. The two illegal aliens suspected of assaulting and murdering her were from Venezuela, a gang haven, and were released by the Biden Administration into our homeland, despite ICE detention beds being available,” Nehls said. “Without serious reforms, American families will continue to lose family members and loved ones at the hands of illegal aliens. Enough is enough. I am proud to introduce the Justice for Jocelyn Act with Senator Ted Cruz to ensure tragedies like the death of Jocelyn never happen again.” “In the wake of so much grief, Jocelyn gives me the strength to be her voice and demand justice,” said Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn’s mother. “Senator Ted Cruz’s Justice for Jocelyn Act would have prevented Jocelyn’s death. It would have prevented her two murderers from being on the street and it would have meant that Jocelyn would be here with us today. For the safety of kids nationwide, I urge everyone to support Sen. Cruz’s Justice for Jocelyn Act.” Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 21, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, are charged with capital murder in Nungaray’s death. The two men crossed illegally into the U.S. earlier this year, according to authorities. The suspects allegedly sexually assaulted Nungaray before strangling her to death after luring her below a bridge in Houston last month. Fox News’ Brie Stimson and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
PM Narendra Modi arrives at Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant’s Shubh Aashirwad in Mumbai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Shubh Aashirwad ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Mumbai on Saturday.
‘Silenced fake narratives…’: PM Modi says 8 crore new jobs created in last 3-4 years
PM Modi was felicitated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at the NESCO Exhibition Centre, Goregaon in Mumbai.
Matthew McConaughey teases possible run for office at governors meeting, weighs in on 2024 presidential race
Actor and author Matthew McConaughey teased a possible political run during the National Governor’s Association summer meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, Friday, where he weighed in broadly on the 2024 presidential race. Participating in a discussion on the role of culture in polarization, McConaughey joked with governors about indulging in the Hollywood heavyweight’s tequila brand the night before, while also taking a more serious tone regarding the “entertainment” factor in American politics. He argued that the “extremes seem to be going further left and further right” and “decency doesn’t seem to be on the table.” “I understand it’s hard to market and sell success in how people negotiate, because it’s not as fun, it’s not as sexy, it’s not as exciting as the car wreck. We’re a nation of rubberneckers,” McConaughey said. “I think right now we’re all caught up in short-term, short-money wins. And so we come to the table, we argue, we call each other names, and America sees a lot of us when we do that — This is entertainment. I’m in the entertainment business. Our leadership and our leaders don’t need to be in the entertainment business.” “The extremes on the right and left, they have the microphone. It’s more entertaining,” he added. McConaughey took the stage with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican and outgoing NGA chair, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat and the newly elected chair of the association for 2024-2025. MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY SHARES SHOCKING IMAGE OF SWOLLEN EYE: ‘BEE SWELL’ New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, joked that he was “told” that he and his wife enjoyed McConaughey’s tequila the night before, though “I can’t recall any of it,” garnering laughter from attendees before asking the actor whether elected office, which he considered before, was still on his “dance card.” “Yes. I have thought about running for office, getting into this category,” McConaughey said. “I’m on a learning tour and have been for probably the last six years of understanding what this category means.” “Do I have instincts, intellect that it would be a good fit for me and I would be a good fit for it. That would be useful. I’m still on that learning tour, and, you know, days like this. I’m learning a lot. Last night, I learned a lot. I learned a lot from you last night. Through those tequila, through that tequila, sir,” he told Murphy. McConaughey, a Texas native, years ago mulled a run for governor of the Lone Star State, and was rumored to have also considered a potential presidential bid. To Murphy’s second question about who his favorite director was, McConaughey answered Richard Linklater, who gave him his break-out role in the 1993 coming of age film Dazed and Confused. “Alright, alright, alright,” McConaughey said, citing his famous line, evoking cheers from the crowd. “The first three words I ever said on film. People go all the time, doesn’t it upset you? Aren’t you tired of being introduced with that? And I said, no. I know the author,” McConaughey added. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green encouraged McConaughey to run for office – and to not cede to pressure on choosing a certain party affiliation, whether it be Republican or Democrat. MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY ALMOST QUIT HOLLYWOOD DURING ROM-COM YEARS, CONSIDERED BEING WILDLIFE GUIDE “Please don’t fall into the trap to think that you have to be just one thing, because I think you’re so, you know, warm and likable. A lot of Republicans who want you to be Republican, a lot of Democrats who want you to be a Democrat, just be you, because that might be something special for all of us,” Green said. McConaughey argued that politicians, driven in part by attention on social media, are not engaging in “real competition” through thoughtful debate anymore, making the case that American leaders need to become “better marketers” and salespeople in demonstrating the return on investment into “hope and belief.” “If I invalidate your position off the bat, that’s a lack of courage on my part. Right out of the gate, that’s not real confrontation,” he said, acknowledging that some of that comes with “party preservation.” “I want to hear more vision from our leaders rather than just, ‘I want to do the opposite of what they want to do.’ Well, no,” McConaughey added. “How do you see the way forward? Instead of just saying, ‘no, all I know is I don’t want to do it that way or that’s the wrong way.’ We see it right now – It’s with two presidential candidates. Fear. Let’s admit fear’s easier to sell than hope. It’s more measurable.” The actor admitted, though, that “good negotiation” is harder to sell. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The train wreck is front page bold print,” he said. “How can you sell belief, which I think is what we really need more of in our country right now is belief, whether it’s literal belief in the prime mover or God, or whether it’s belief more in ourselves and our neighbors in what America can be, we need more belief.” “I mean, you’ve hit on so many important themes,” Cox responded. “I’m just trying to imagine a presidential candidate like this, talking about belief in something bigger than ourselves, in each other, in our neighbors, laying out a positive vision for the country… We just don’t see that anymore because fear does sell.”
Bypoll Results: INDIA bloc secures landslide victory, wins 10 seats, BJP bags 2, Independent 1
The bypolls were held in four seats in West Bengal, three in Himachal Pradesh, two in Uttarakhand, and one each in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu
The 2024 Republican National Convention: What to know
The 2024 Republican National Convention starts its celebratory programming Monday as Republicans officially nominate President Trump for the third time and will spend four nights in Milwaukee, Wisconsin rallying support ahead of November’s election. Where the action will take place The main action for the quadrennial event will be held from July 15-18 at the Fiserv Forum, an arena that is the home of the Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball team. More than 50,000 people, including hundreds of journalists from around the world, are expected to attend. There will be the usual convention tasks throughout the four days. Delegates, almost 2,400 of them, must approve a platform and formally designate the presidential ticket: Trump and his yet-to-be-named running mate. They’ll hear from both national candidates and a slew of others rallying support for Trump and taking aim at Democrats. SOFTENED ABORTION LANGUAGE IN TRUMP-APPROVED GOP PLATFORM IRKS SOME SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES Who are the speakers? The RNC has not yet released the full detailed schedule for the event, but several speakers have already been announced including Donald Trump Jr. who reportedly will occupy the speaking slot directly in front of his father. Also speaking at the convention, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, former First Lady Melania Trump, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, UFC President Dana White, model Amber Rose, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, and Indiana Congressman Jim Banks. There will also be several everyday Americans impacted by President Biden’s disastrous economic and border policies, in addition to skyrocketing crime, slated to speak. Michael Morin, the brother of Rachel Morin, the Maryland mother of 5 who was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant, will be speaking. Fraternity brothers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who went viral for saving the American flag at an anti-Israel protest are also expected to speak, among others. Trump is expected to accept the nomination with a speech on July 18, the final night of the convention, and his vice presidential pick is expected to be announced by July 15. Trump’s VP will then address the convention on July 17. HALEY URGES HER CONVENTION DELEGATES TO SUPPORT TRUMP: ‘REPUBLICAN UNITY’ How to watch Fox News Media will present special live coverage of the 2024 Republican National Convention beginning Sunday, July 14th through Thursday, July 18th. “Originating from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the network’s convention coverage will be available across all of FOX News Media’s platforms, including FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Audio, FOX News Digital and FOX Nation,” a press release said. What are the themes? “Make America Wealthy Again” is the theme for Monday’s program, which will focus on how “President Trump’s America First economic policies slashed cumbersome regulations, cut tax rates, and reworked trade deals to create a fairer playing field for American industry and workers.” Tuesday’s theme will be “Make America Safe Once Again” where the focus will be on skyrocketing crime in many cities causing them to become what the campaign calls “hollowed out, dystopian nightmares thanks to Joe Biden and Democrats’ woke soft-on-crime and open border policies. “Make America Strong Once Again” will highlight Trump’s foreign policy accomplishments and agenda as the theme for Wednesday. On Thursday, the final day, the theme will be, “Make America Great Once Again.” “President Donald J. Trump will usher in a new golden age for America. At home and abroad, America’s standing will be restored,” the campaign says. “American families will once again experience prosperity, safety, and strength. Our decaying and decrepit cities and communities will experience a resurgence. Americans will once again have reason to harbor hope and optimism for the future of our country. President Trump will Make America Great Once Again!” What’s happening with the party platform? The Republican Party’s platform, a formal statement of policy positions, was approved by its platform committee and released on Monday. It is expected to be approved on the first day of the national convention next week. The 16-page platform embraces Trump’s position that the issue of abortion is to be determined by individual U.S. states. It makes no mention of a federal ban or protecting a fetus as a person under the U.S. Constitution – tenets that have been included in past platforms and were demanded by a cadre of influential evangelicals. The platform, which is not binding, also pledges that Trump and Republicans will build a missile defense shield over the United States, carry out “the largest deportation in American history” of people in the country illegally, make permanent Trump’s signature tax cuts and pass “large tax cuts for workers.” It says they will demolish foreign drug cartels, protect Medicare and Social Security benefits, and support public funds being used for private school tuition. Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report
Mexican man charged with killing two children in Wisconsin is in US illegally
A Mexican man accused of stabbing three people, including two children who died of their injuries, is in the U.S. illegally, federal authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital on Friday. Victor Manuel Gomez-Acosta, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree homicide and operating under the influence after being arrested in Abbotsford, Wisconsin. The Colby-Abbotsford Police Department said that two children were found dead at the scene with stab wounds, while an adult woman was also stabbed but was given medical care. Gomez-Acosta was found inside the residence and was apprehended. He was later transported to a medical center after police found self-inflicted stab wounds. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECTED IN MARYLAND MOM RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER FACES MAXIMUM PENALTY IF CONVICTED According to WQOW, the victims are Gomez-Acosta’s wife and daughters. The outlet, citing the criminal complaint, reported that the children were found in one of their bedrooms. One had been stabbed 16 times and the other 20 times. His wife was reportedly stabbed approximately 17 times, with one of the wounds cutting her vocal cords. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Gomez-Acosta is in the country illegally and that it has placed a detainer on him following his arrest on July 9. A detainer is a request that, once released from custody, he be transferred to ICE for deportation. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT RAPE OF 13-YEAR-OLD IN NEW YORK PARK Gomez-Acosta entered the U.S. legally in Sept. 2016, via the port of entry in Laredo, Texas. However, according to the agency, he failed to depart at the time specified as part of his entry conditions. The arrest comes days before the Republican National Convention, which is being held in Milwaukee. Illegal immigration and border security are expected to be top issues for speakers and delegates, and both have been shown to be top priorities for voters ahead of the November election. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Republicans have blamed the Biden administration for fueling the ongoing border crisis, which has set record numbers over the past three years. They blame policies including the narrowing of ICE enforcement and the rolling back of Trump-era policies like wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy. “Time and time again, we have seen the tragic consequences of Joe Biden’s border crisis; yet, the president refuses to reverse course,” Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital. “No town is immune, even our towns up north in Wisconsin are feeling the horrific impact.” The Biden administration has said it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis which needs funding and reforms from Congress to fix what it says is a “broken” immigration system. It has pointed to efforts it has made in lieu of that action, including a recent executive order which has limited entries and seen a short-term reduction of 40%. It has also said that a majority of all southern encounters during the past three fiscal years have resulted in a removal, return or expulsion.
Despite UN appeal, US and UK don’t fund ‘critical lifeline’ to Palestinians
Israel has tried for years to dismantle the UNRWA, which helps Palestinian refugees in Gaza and elsewhere. The United Nations chief has led an internationally backed effort to support its agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) but has yet to persuade its biggest Western donors. The United States and the United Kingdom, key allies of Israel, have continued to financially block the main organisation delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere. Fourteen of the 16 donor nations resumed funding after suspending it in January, when Israel accused members of the organisation of having taken part in the October 7 Hamas-led attacks that killed more than 1,100 people in southern Israel. The US was the UNRWA’s biggest donor, but Congress has banned any payments to the agency until March 25, 2025. An independent review in April found that Israel has not presented credible evidence for its claims. There is a separate investigation into the October attack itself, by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a pledge conference in New York on Friday that the UNRWA faces “a profound funding gap” and that without financial support to the organisation “Palestinian refugees will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future”. “Let me be clear – there is no alternative to UNRWA,” he said, also warning that Israeli evacuation orders are forcing Palestinians “to move like human pinballs across a landscape of destruction and death”. Without the necessary support and financing for @UNRWA, Palestine Refugees will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future. My appeal to the international community: Protect UNRWA, its mandate and its funding. — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) July 13, 2024 UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini thanked the 118 countries that signed on to a shared commitment to support and bolster financial and political support for the agency as it “undergoes unprecedented attacks and systematic attempts to dismantle it”. Lazzarini said he was hopeful the UK – which elected a new Labour government last week – would soon resume its financial support. He said the organisation has currently secured funding from donor countries until September, but the total amount in pledges won’t be known until next week. According to Lazzarini, there are now 600,000 Palestinian “girls and boys of the age of primary and secondary school living in the rubble, deeply traumatised”, who need the UNRWA’s help to restart their education. The initiative to support the organisation at the UN was spearheaded by Slovenia, Jordan and Kuwait and was signed by all 15 members of the UN Security Council. ‘Kill the refugee file’ Hassan Barari, professor of international affairs at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that Israel has been trying for years to defund the UNRWA because they believe that the organisation has been effective in helping Palestinian refugees. “They think that if they defund UNRWA then the Palestinians would be in their own societies and forgotten in the years to come,” he said. “This is the continuation of the Israeli attempt to defund UNRWA in order to kill the refugee file from any future negotiations.” Lex Takkenberg, former chief of UNRWA’s ethics office, told Al Jazeera that the agency is the only international body with an elaborate neutrality framework that includes staff training, financial checks and inspections of its installations. “It can never be ruled out that there are abuses, as in any other organisation, but it is doing an amazing job in providing support to Palestinians in the direst circumstances,” he said, adding that the agency was going above and beyond to operate according to humanitarian principles. Takkenberg said Israel did not present credible evidence to support its claims that UNRWA staff took part in the October 7 attacks. These claims instead served to normalise raids against the UNRWA and its facilities, which have become “an integral part of the onslaught in Gaza”, he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Pakistan court acquits former PM Imran Khan, wife in unlawful marriage case
Acquittal comes after another appeals court upheld the couple’s conviction, but Khan’s lawyer says he won’t be released. A court in Pakistan has acquitted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife on charges of unlawful marriage, according to his party and lawyer. Khan and his wife Bushra Khan, also known as Bushra Bibi, were sentenced to seven years in prison, days before Pakistan’s election in February, a court ruling at the time that their marriage in 2018 violated Islamic law. In June a court rejected their plea to have the February ruling suspended. But on Saturday, an Islamabad court said the “appeals of both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are accepted”. Zulfi Bukhari, a senior official in Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party told Al Jazeera that the charges had been “dismissed”, while Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Panjutha, posted on X, that the couple “are acquitted”. Khan remains behind bars as a court this week cancelled his bail over accusations he incited riots by his supporters in May 2023. Lawyer Intazar Hussain Panjutha told Al Jazeera that Khan “will not be released despite acquittal today [Saturday]”. An anti-terrorism court in Lahore this week approved Khan’s arrest in a case related to last year’s riots, his party’s legal team said. The court refused to grant him bail on Tuesday as the investigation into his alleged role in the unrest continues, despite the fact he was behind bars at the time. Bukhari told Al Jazeera that “at this moment, there is not one case on which Khan can be kept in jail any more”. And as for his wife, “this unlawful marriage case was the only one keeping her behind bars and with this acquittal, she should be immediately released today, not tomorrow”, Bukhari said. Earlier this month a United Nations panel of experts found Khan’s detention arbitrary and said it “had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office”. “Thus, from the outset, that prosecution was not grounded in law and was reportedly instrumentalised for a political purpose,” it said, calling for his immediate release after nearly a year in jail. Candidates loyal to Khan won the most seats in the general election, but were kept from government by an alliance of military-backed rival parties. The PTI secured a major legal victory on Friday when the Supreme Court declared it eligible for a share of reserved seats in national and provincial assemblies, a significant setback to the coalition government. Khan served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, when he was removed by a no-confidence vote after falling out with the military establishment, which wields huge influence over civilian politics. In opposition, he waged a campaign of defiance against the top generals, even accusing them of an assassination attempt that wounded him. But the former cricket star’s comeback campaign was hobbled by scores of legal cases, which analysts say were likely brought at the behest of the military establishment. Khan was first briefly arrested in May 2023, sparking nationwide unrest from PTI supporters, some of which targeted military facilities. The government and military cited the attacks as justification for a sweeping crackdown on the PTI, which saw its senior leadership decimated by arrests and defections. Surviving the crackdown PTI candidates were forced to stand as independents in the February 8 elections, which had been repeatedly delayed amid political chaos. Khan’s arrest and conviction for corruption back in August 2023 – on charges that he denies – meant he was barred from standing for office himself, confined to a cell in Adiala Jail south of the capital, Islamabad. Despite that, candidates loyal to PTI secured more seats than any other party. They were blocked from power by a broad coalition of parties considered more pliable to the influence of the military. Supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan protest outside the court in Islamabad in June to demand his release and that of his wife, Bushra Bibi [File: Farooq Naeem] Adblock test (Why?)
Austerity and immigration no longer explain the far right’s rise in Europe
The results of Sunday’s general elections in France have brought some relief to Europeans anxious about another far-right government being formed within the European Union. But this is by far not the end of the story. As debates rage about what the response should be to the far-right surge in Europe, it is important to explore why it is happening in the first place. Beyond the usual explanations, the deeper reasons for the rise of the far right are to be found in the rise of China, India and the Global South. Let us start by addressing some of the traditional explanations for this phenomenon. A decade ago, “populism” became a buzzword in the Western media. So-called populist parties were booming – from the Five Star Movement in Italy to Podemos in Spain. The Brexit populists pulled the United Kingdom out of the EU in 2016. One of the most widespread explanations for the rise of left and right-wing populism centred on the economy: Europe was in the middle of a debt crisis accompanied by self-defeating austerity measures. Budgets were cut, economies were in recession, and unemployment was skyrocketing. No wonder voters were turning to the extremes, many argued. This thesis has much less explanatory power today. While inflation has certainly reduced purchasing power, Europe is currently experiencing record-high employment. The European economy is surely not booming, but neither is it contracting. And there is little austerity: on the contrary, European countries have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine with significant public investment. A twist to this answer is to point to the greenlash – or the reaction from some quarters to Europe’s climate policies. Think taxes on petrol, reduction of agriculture subsidies, or higher energy costs. True, farmers’ protests played a key role in propelling far-right leader Geert Wilders to first place in the Dutch parliamentary elections. At the same time, however, the transition to renewable energy is bringing tangible benefits in the form of a reduction of energy costs. Italians went on a house improvement spree thanks to 200 billion euros ($218bn) of government-sponsored subsidies for energy efficiency – if there is a greenlash in Italy, it has solar panels on its roofs. Many analysts also turn to the issue of migration when trying to explain the far right. Voters, they argue, are reacting to the continuous influx of migrants into Europe and to the loss of a homogeneous culture. There is certainly racism in Europe, and building a multicultural society doesn’t come cost-free. And yet, this is an equally insufficient explanation. The locations where migrants represent a truly significant part of the population –cosmopolitan cities like London, Paris, or Milan – are those where the far-right scores the lowest in elections. It is where migrants are barely seen – the countryside and provincial towns, and most of Eastern Europe – that it does well. It is true that migrants compete with locals for access to scarce public services, and yet, with unemployment near record lows, the narrative of “migrants stealing jobs” is nowhere to be heard. Instead, faced with demographic decline, even right-wing governments are listening to industry’s demands for more migrants. For example, Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s right-wing prime minister, recently increased the number of work visas for foreign workers. Each of these three explanations has some truth to it. And yet none goes to the heart of the matter. To understand what is going on we must change our language and approach. We are not witnessing the rise of the far-right, but the rise of nationalism. This comes at a time when Europe is hit by relative decline compared with the rest of the world. As celebrated philosopher and analyst of European fascism Hannah Arendt pointed out in her writings, Europe’s imperial projection served to reconcile inequalities at home. Put simply, pauperised French workers and decadent industrialists had one thing in common: they were French and not from the colonies. They considered themselves to be superior to the peoples their country ruled over. Even in more recent times, well after the supposed end of colonialism, an insurmountable psychological gap separated the “first” and the “third” world. A European, however poor, had access to opportunities, technologies and freedoms that few from other parts of the world could aspire to. The sense of privilege provided a powerful tool for social cohesion. The material reality of that privilege provided governments with enough wealth to co-opt the population with rising welfare expenditure. But today Europe is increasingly marginalised. It is technologically backwards in key sectors of the global economy – think Chinese electrical vehicles replacing German ones. It is geopolitically disoriented and militarily weak – think Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Its small nation states, too proud and short-sighted to truly unite, see their global rankings drop year after year. This has profound, if understudied, psychological effects. It is this sense of decline and disorientation that the nationalist right thrives on. The proud “nation” is brandished as the place of refuge, where cohesion, unity, familiarity and a sense of shared purpose can be rebuilt. Europe’s contemporary nationalism is not the expansionist, juvenile kind of 20th-century fascism. It is the nationalism of the provincialised, the demoted, and the exhausted. If migrants and minorities are the preferred target of the far right this is not for any reason other than the old strategy of constructing a community through the identification of those who do not belong to it. By defining as “not-migrant”, “not-gay”, or “not-woke”, a sense of unity is forged. Europe, in its quest for internal social cohesion, has swapped the colonial wars for the culture wars. Reading this from outside of Europe, one may be excused to feel a sense of schadenfreude, that feeling of pleasure when something bad happens to someone else. And yet, before celebrating this as an instance of postcolonial justice, we must be aware that nationalism is on the rise across the globe: in India and China in the east, all the