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Euro 2020 final: Where Italy and England can win or lose

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taly's Giorgio Chiellini, right, and Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal battle for the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship semifinal between Italy and Spain at Wembley stadium in London, Tuesday, July 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham,Pool)

(AP) — It’s being billed as the best team of the tournament against, in effect, the host nation.

The European Championship final between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium on Sunday has all the makings of a tight and tense title match.

Here’s where the game could be won and lost:

MIDFIELD DISPARITY

Midfield is the department where Italy undoubtedly has the edge in terms of quality and experience.

Marco Verratti is one of the few genuinely world-class midfielders at the tournament, Jorginho is a newly crowned Champions League winner and is the conductor of play in front of the defense, while Nicolo Barella — at age 24, the youngest of the trio — has been a revelation coming off a title-winning season at Inter Milan.

While England’s hard-working, central-midfield pairing of Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips gives the team a solid base, they should be overmatched.

“The games against Spain (in the semifinals) and England will be very different,” Verratti said. “The midfield is a key section. We can perhaps make the difference there and must dictate the pace of the game.”

Expect Mason Mount, England’s attacking midfielder, to play a little deeper to help out Rice and Phillips, or even potentially a change of system.

BENCH DEPTH

This is probably England’s biggest strength. Get this: The full backs from Chelsea’s Champions League-winning team, Reece James and Ben Chilwell, have played one game between them at Euro 2020.

The two players England coach Gareth Southgate was able to bring on at the start of extra time against Denmark in the semifinals were Jordan Henderson, the Champions League and Premier League-winning captain of Liverpool, and Phil Foden, widely regarded as the future star of English soccer. Among the unused subs were Manchester United forwards Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, a player who has just been signed for $100 million from Borussia Dortmund.

England probably has had the most attacking depth of all teams in the tournament along with France, which could be crucial if the final goes to extra time.

Italy’s squad isn’t quite so stacked with high-profile names, especially up front, but has midfielder Manuel Locatelli — one of the best players in the group stage — and some reliable defenders in reserve.

COACHES’ CALLS

One is a Premier League-winning manager with experience of coaching in three other countries and a number of Europe’s top clubs. The other’s only stint in club management lasted three years and saw him get relegated.

Euro 2020 is showing, however, that Southgate’s abilities should not necessarily be regarded as inferior to Roberto Mancini’s — at international level, anyway.

Southgate has had a set approach this tournament, modelled on the pragmatic way France won the World Cup in 2018, where system and structure has trumped the temptation of bowing to an individual player, however high-profile or talented they are.

Almost every call Southgate has made has proved to be the right one. When it comes to the biggest game of his coaching career, can he still make the right call? There are fewer doubts about Mancini, Italy’s king of cool on the sidelines.

WEAK AREAS

The semifinals perhaps highlighted a couple of areas to be exploited within two teams containing few obvious weaknesses.

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford came into the tournament as possibly the team’s biggest concern, yet has been virtually error-free until a ragged performance against Denmark when his kicking was poor and his oft-questioned composure was shown up.

As for Italy, England likely will have noticed Spain frequently getting in behind Italy left back Emerson Palmieri, who came in as the replacement for injured starter Leonardo Spinazzola.

Emerson, who only appeared fleetingly for Chelsea this season, is a naturally attacking full back and could leave gaps behind him, especially if Italy loses possession and England can break quickly.

TIGHT DEFENSES

These have been the two best defenses at Euro 2020.

England has conceded one goal — and that came from the only successfully converted direct free kick of the tournament. With Southgate often preferring two defensive midfielders sitting in front of his back four, England’s opponents can have little space to operate.

Italy’s defensive robustness goes back decades and remains a proud trait of the national team. In all but one of Italy’s 38 matches since Mancini took charge in May 2018, the team has conceded either zero or one goal.

There have been 23 clean sheets in that time, with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini enduring figures at the heart of the defense. They’re so close, they’re going on vacation together after the tournament.

“They have those two warriors at the back who have seen all this before,” Southgate said.

The potential for a 0-0 draw should not be ruled out.

Poll: Majority of Democrats Now Believe Chinese Coronavirus Originated from Lab in China

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AFP

WENDELL HUSEBØ

Politico-Harvard poll revealed on Friday that a majority of Democrats believe the Chinese coronavirus originated from a lab in China.

“The new survey shows 52 percent believe the virus came out of a lab, including 59 percent of Republicans and 52 percent of Democrats, while 28 percent said it was from an infected animal,” the survey states.

The poll also admits “what was once a fringe belief held mainly among some on the political right has become accepted by most Republicans, as well as most Democrats, amid heightened scrutiny of the lab leak theory.”

A Pew Research Center poll in March 2020, when former President Trump was sounding the alarm, found only “29 percent of Americans believed the virus was made in a Chinese lab and released either accidentally or intentionally.”

But the consensus has changed because of evidence-based reporting, such as a Wall Street Journal piece on May 23 revealing a report that “researchers went to hospital in November 2019, shortly before confirmed outbreak.”

Thereafter, on June 15, federal government investigators launched an investigation into how the National Institute of Health (NIH) “manages and monitors” its ongoing grant program to foreign laboratories, such as the lab in Wuhan.

On July 2, the White Coat Waste Project issued a study indicating that in 2020, the NIH spent an estimated $140 million of foreign aid for animal testing in at least 29 countries.

The probe is likely to include Peter Daszak, EcoHealth president, who thanked Dr. Anthony Fauci in April 2020 for publicly dismissing the theory that the coronavirus may have leaked from the lab, emails revealed.

Fauci defended himself against the “misconstrued” June 3 email by stating, “That email was from a person to me saying ‘thank you’ for whatever it is he thought I said, and I said that I think the most likely origin is a jumping of species.”

Fauci admitted on May 25 the NIH funded the Wuhan lab but continues to deny “gain of function” funding of bat or other species experiments.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) disagrees with Fauci’s contention, stating Fauci lied and committed perjury with his gain of function comments.

Meanwhile, on June 29, NBC News revealed Dr. Shi Zhengli, who is called the “bat woman” and is one of the top scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), “has multiple connections with military officials.”

“Shi and others collaborated with a military scientist on coronavirus research in spring 2018 and with another military scientist, Zhou Yusen, in December 2019,” the report explained. “In fall 2020, an article that scientist authored lists him in a footnote as deceased. NBC has been unable to ascertain the circumstances of his death.”

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Feds Rebuff Pfizer on COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot

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Photo Credit: AP

By Jeffrey Rodack(NEWSMAX)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are pushing back at Pfizer’s claims that a COVID-19 booster shot is needed at this time.

The two federal agencies issued a joint statement on Thursday as Pfizer prepared to seek emergency authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine.

“The United States if fortunate to have highly effective vaccines that are widely available for those aged 12 and up,” the statement read. “People who are fully vaccinated are protected from severe disease and death, including from the variants currently circulating in the country such as Delta. People who are not vaccinated remain at risk.

“Virtually all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are among those who are unvaccinated. We encourage Americans who have not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and their community.

“Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time.

“FDA, CDC, and NIH (the National Institutes of Health) are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary. This process takes into account laboratory data, clinical trial data, and cohort data — which can include data from specific pharmaceutical companies, but does not rely on those data exclusively/”

“We continue to review any new data as it becomes available and will keep the public informed.

“We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed.”

A copy of the statement was tweeted out by Sara Cook of CBS News.

It came as Pfizer said it would ask the FDA for emergency use authorization for a booster in August.

Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten told The Associated Press that initial data compiled by the company’s booster study indicates antibody levels increase five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier.

And Pfizer, in a statement to CNN, said: “As seen in real world data released from the Israel Ministry of Health, vaccine efficacy in preventing both infection and symptomatic disease has declined six months post-vaccination, although efficacy in preventing serious illnesses remains high.

“Additionally, during this period the Delta variant is becoming the dominant variant in Israel as well as many other countries. These findings are consistent with an ongoing analysis from the Companies’ Phase 3 study.

“While protection against severe disease remained high across the full six months, a decline in efficacy against symptomatic disease over time and the continued emergence of variants are expected. Based on the totality of the data they have to date, Pfizer and BioNTech believe that a third dose may be beneficial within 6 to 12 months following the second dose to maintain highest levels of protection.”

Heavy Rain from Tropical Storm Elsa Floods Parts of NYC : Dramatic Videos

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On Thursday night, wild videos popped up showing underground subway stations flooding with water.

Commuters were forced to swim in subway stations and drivers were rescued from their stranded cars.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for NYC and much of New Jersey as the storm made its way up the coastline.

Social media captured some of the floodings across NYC

Israeli Cinema Prominent At Cannes

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Ahed's Knee by Nadav Lapid

The presence of films from Israel is very prominent this year at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival (6-17 July), with filmmakers from the country participating in all major sections: four features and two shorts will have their premieres at the leading gathering, Cineeuropa reported.

Let It Be Morning, the latest film by Eran Kolirin (Beyond the Mountains and Hills [+]), is an adaptation of Sayed Kashua‘s novel, which follows the story of Sami, who thought he had found his place in life, but then, without any conceivable reason, the Arab village where he grew up is suddenly surrounded by an ominous wall. Now he is forced to deal with questions of identity and national belonging.

 

Ahed’s Knee , the newest film by Nadav Lapid, following his Berlinale Golden Bear-winning Synonyms, is premiering in the main competition. The film tells the story of Y., a filmmaker in his forties, who arrives at a remote village on the edge of the desert to screen one of his films. There, he meets Diamond, a clerk at the Ministry of Culture, and finds himself waging two lost battles: one against the death of artistic freedom in his country, the other against the death of his mother.

Ari Folman’s long-awaited new animated feature, Where Is Anne Frank?, sees him return to Cannes eight years after The Congress. The film, which will world-premiere out of competition, tells the story of Kitty, the imaginary girl to whom Anne Frank wrote her famous diary, who comes to life in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Her memories are reawakened by reading the diary, believing that if she’s alive, Anne must be alive as well, and so she sets out on a quest to find Anne.

Shlomi Elkabetz‘s film Black Notebooks, based on the story of his sister, renowned Israeli actress Ronit Elkabetz, who died of cancer in 2016, will have its premiere as a Cannes Special Screening.

,Two short films, Elinor Nechemya‘s If It Ain’t Broke and Mya Kaplan‘s Night Visit, will premiere in the Critics’ Week and the Cinéfondation sections.

 

US to ‘prioritize’ ending Israeli demolitions of terrorists’ homes

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Palestinians near the ruins of the house of Palestinian terrorist Montasser Shalabi, after it was demolished by the Israeli army in the village of Turmus'ayya, near the west bank city of Ramallah, July 8, 2021. Photo by Flash90

By World Israel News Staff

The U.S. will make a “priority” of ending Israel’s policy of demolishing the homes of terrorists, a State Department spokesman said on Thursday, hours after the IDF razed a terror suspect’s house.

On Thursday, the IDF razed the home of Montasser Shalabi. The 44-year-old is accused of opening fire on a group of teenagers at the Tapuach Junction in Samaria in May. Yehuda Guetta, a 19-year-old yeshiva was killed in the drive by shooting and two others were injured.

“We attach a good deal of priority to this, knowing that the home of an entire family shouldn’t be demolished for the action of one individual,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price said, adding that the U.S. would continue to voice its concerns “as long as this practice continues.”

“There is a critical need to lower the temperature in the West Bank. Punitive demolitions exacerbate tensions at a time when everyone should be focused on principally ensuring calm,” Price said.

The demolished property in the village of Turmus Ayya, near Ramallah was the home of Shalabi’s estranged wife and three children. Prosecutors said that although Shalabi did not live there, he was the legal owner of the house.

Shalabi and his family have U.S. citizenship, which would explain the Biden administration’s heightened attention.  The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem criticized the demolition.

Last week, the High Court of Justice threw out a petition against the razing.

But in a further wrinkle, Israel’s Channel 13 News reported that the demolition created friction between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

According to the report, Lapid learned of the demolition afterwards and maintains he could have worked in advance to soften Washington’s criticisms.

Previous U.S. administrations never clashed with Israel over the home demolitions. Palestinians describe the demolitions as collective punishment while Israeli officials say they deter terrorism.

After Israel’s new government was sworn in, Lapid and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pledged to reset U.S.-Israel ties. This included understandings of “no surprises” and criticisms not being aired publicly.

‘Burn Them!’: Mob Tries to Lynch President Assassination Suspects in Haiti

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Suspects in the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise are shown to the media, along with the weapons and equipment they allegedly used in the attack, at the General Direction of the police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, July 8, 2021. Moise was assassinated in an attack on his private residence early Wednesday. (AP Photo / Joseph Odelyn)

FRANCES MARTEL

An angry mob helped police in Haiti arrest at least 17 men on Thursday suspected of being part of a “commando” responsible for killing President Jovenel Moïse the day before, later surrounding the police station and demanding to burn the suspects alive.

Authorities announced late Thursday that they believed the full squad of assassins responsible for Moïse’s killing consisted of 26 Colombian nationals and two Haitian-Americans. Four of them died in a police shootout early Thursday and another three joined them later on. Authorities are believed to have another 17 suspects in custody.

Colombian officials confirmed those arrested were both citizens of the country and that some had experience in the Colombian military. Bogotá has agreed to cooperate with Haitian police to find those suspected of plotting, not just executing, the assassination, whom police believe remain at large.

Videos from Petionville, the Port-au-Prince suburb where police found what they believe to be the commando’s headquarters, show what appears to be a mob of hundreds of people surrounding the police station and attempting to storm it. Some in the video shout “burn them!” According to France24, some outraged citizens burned vehicles they believed to belong to the suspects as a substitute for the people themselves.

Other videos from the scene also clearly show civilians helping police by capturing suspects, tying them up, and handing them over to police custody. Other reports indicate that civilians also found the corpses of some suspects and handed them over.

Haitian authorities attempted to calm the situation to protect those inside the police station. Haitian Minister of Elections and Interparty Relations Mathias Pierre shared videos with reporters Thursday of the mob outside the police station and urged the public to remain calm and not attack the police.

“Special units are trying to protect the police station because the populace is very upset and trying to get to them [the suspects],  to burn them. We are trying to avoid this,” Pierre said.

A group of heavily armed men, whom police say were speaking English and Spanish, broke into President Moïse’s home in the early morning hours of Wednesday and shot both him and First Lady Martine Moïse. The first lady survived and was flown to Florida this week to be treated for gunshot wounds. The president reportedly took at least 12 bullets; witnesses claimed he was found with one of his eyes blown out. The gunmen reportedly left the president’s child, also at home at the time, unharmed.

Haitian police have not offered any clarity on what motive could have led to the assassination. International observers considered Moïse significantly unpopular and plagued by enemies. Leaders of the Haitian opposition for months have rejected Moïse as illegitimate on the grounds that he has been president since 2015 and his term ended this year; Moïse claimed that he was only formally sworn in two years later, in 2017, and that he was legally the president of Haiti through 2022. In February, opposition leaders appointed an elderly judge, Joseph Mécène Jean-Louis, the “legitimate” president of Haiti, but Jean-Louis has not been seen in public since then and only claimed to be president in a video on social media that month.

Moïse had also repeatedly rejected pressure to accept money from the Chinese Communist Party in exchange for cutting ties with the government of Taiwan. Haiti is one of the world’s few remaining nations to formally accept Taiwan’s sovereignty and host a Taiwanese embassy.

In a bizarre twist Thursday, authorities confirmed they had found 11 of the suspected assassins hiding in the Taiwanese embassy in Port-au-Prince. The government of Taiwan said in a statement that the police arrests at the embassy went “smoothly” as a result of cooperation between the two nations and, like Colombia, vowed to cooperate to bring justice in the case. Taipei congratulated Haitian police for the rapid response to the suspects’ presence at the embassy.

“The cruel and barbaric assassination of HE [His Excellency] President Jovenel Moïse is a major international event and has completely shocked the whole world,” a statement from the Taiwanese government read. “Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, a long-time loyal friend, and a credible partner of the Republic of Haiti, … authorized [police] to conduct a search operation in order to demonstrate justice and reveal the truth about the incident as soon as possible.”

Outside of the embassy, at the Petionville house, police found a large cache of weapons and items apparently stolen from the presidential residence. According to the Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste, police told reporters that the suspect home contained, among other things, five firearms, “the server of the surveillance camera of at President Jovenel Moïse, a BNC checkbook in the name of Mr. and Mrs. Jovenel Moïse, twenty bags, axes, wire cutters, clothes, food and money.” The suspects also possessed significant amounts of American cash and multiple cell phones, according to police.

Haitian law enforcement described the two Haitian-Americans implicated in the plot as “translators” and claimed that the group was not tasked with assassinating the president, but merely with abducting him, according to Le Nouvelliste. They did not elaborate on any theories as to why the operation resulted in Moïse’s death if so. France 24 quoted police authorities as saying, however, that “foreigners came to our country to kill the president.”

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Real Estate Agent Turned Squatter Refuses to Leave Hamptons Home Owned by Holocaust Survivor

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shinnecock bay

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Just when we thought we were turning the corner on all of the hardships we encountered with the dreaded virus over the last year, it appears that more are on the horizon for one elderly Holocaust survivor.

According to a NY Post report, a 78-year old Holocaust survivor named Genya Markon, wjho lives in Israel, had planned to spend the summer in her modest-sized Hamtpons home, but those plans were derailed by a tenant in the house refused to leave last month when her lease expired.

The squatter, Julie Rinke, who is also a real estate agent is abusing the pandemic related eviction ban in order to keep staying at Markon’s home, according to the Post story.

The three bedroom, two bathroom home is located in the Hampton Bays area and was valued at more than $657,000 by the Zillow real estate site, according to the NY Post report. The 1260 square foot house is a short distance from Shinnecock Bay.

Rinke’s lease ended on June 18th, and according to the Post report, Markon and her attorney Anthony W. Cummings allege that Markon has no place to stay as Rinke has refused to leave.

Late last month Cummings filed a suit in Suffolk Supreme Court seeking Rinke’s ouster as well as damages, as was reported by the Post. Speaking to the publication, Cummings said, ““Genya is in a real bad spot. She traveled all the way from Israel to spend the summer in her home and she has a tenant who won’t vacate.”

Markon also had her opinion of Rinke’s stunt. She said: “My tenant, who is also a real estate agent, refuses to leave in spite of the fact that she only has a seasonal lease and is not protected by the hardship application she filed.”

The Post reported that Rinke is a Century 21 real estate broker and since claimed financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis in a bid to stay in the home, which she first moved into in July 2020.

Rinke has also kept the home in horrible condition, having destroyed some of Markon’s possessions, according to the Post report and leaving mounds of garbage outside the home. The Post reported that Rinke also took down paintings already hanging in the space, “some of which are quite valuable including a family portrait by the well-known Ukrainian painter David Burliuk,” it’s claimed in court filings.

The Post writes that such a case is not as unusual as one would think. Cummings is also serving as legal counsel to another landlord in the Hamptons who has filed suit to evict another wealthy person who wishes to take advantage of the eviction ban. The squatters in this case are a Cantor Fitzgerald executive and his wife who have also refused to leave the property that they leased but whose expiration has run out.  They too cited a pandemic related hardship, according to the Post report.

The Post reported that Cummings questioned Rinke’s qualifications, claiming in court filings that she “is conducting herself in a bad faith, dishonest and manipulative way to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic and the mass confusion and gridlock in the lower courts all in an effort to block surrendering possession of the Premises.”

“All you have to do is check a box and you can stay for free until at least August 31st,” the lawyer told The Post, referring to the hardship application. “What is it? The honor system? It is easy to abuse. There’s no penalty for lying, and no evidence to prove.”

A Look Back On The Media’s Love Affair With Michael Avenatti

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Michael Avenatti arrives for a scheduled sentencing at Manhattan federal court, Thursday, July 8, 2021, in New York. The California lawyer who publicly sparred with then-President Donald Trump before criminal fraud charges disrupted his rapid ascent to fame faces sentencing after a jury concluded he tried to extort millions of dollars from Nike. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

By Greg Price (Daily Caller)

The fall from grace of former hero of the resistance Michael Avenatti came to its conclusion Thursday after he was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for attempting to extort Nike, reportedly breaking down in tears while giving his statement to the court.

Just several years ago, however, prominent members of corporate media were — in all seriousness — floating Avenatti as a potential presidential candidate in the 2020 election. As the attorney who represented adult film actress Stormy Daniels after she alleged having an affair with then-President Donald Trump, he quickly became a cable news darling even as the evidence of his troubled past and illegal activities began to surface.

A study done by NewsBusters found that Avenatti had a whopping 254 hits on cable news in 2018, including 122 appearances on CNN and 108 on MSNBC.

Liberal pundits on these networks showered him with compliments for his outspoken criticism of the Trump administration.

“Lately for me, you’re like the Holy Spirit. You are all places at all times,” said Ana Navarro of “The View”; “You are something of a folk hero,” said Bill Maher; “Michael Avenatti is a beast,” said MSNBC’s Eddie Glaude Jr., “He’s the savior of the Republic,” said Joy Behar.

“I owe Michael Avenatti an apology. For the last few weeks, I’ve been saying, ‘Enough, already, Michael, I’ve seen you everywhere. What do you have left to say?’ I was wrong, brother. You have a lot to say,” said MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle, adding, “The Democrats could learn something from you. You are messing with Trump a lot more than they are.”

Many even went as far as to say that Avenatti could be a potential contender in the 2020 election, notably CNN’s Chris Cillizza, who said “never say never” to a possible Avenatti presidency.

“I don’t know that it’s a good thing that star power and TV savvy is required for the job, but I think it is,” CNN’s Brian Stelter told Avenatti in an interview on the odds that he would run for president. “Looking ahead to 2020, one of the reasons why I’m taking you seriously as a contender is because of your presence on cable news,” Stelter added.

In addition to the endless amounts of airtime, the media also promoted the dubious allegations of gang rape from Avenatti’s client Julie Swetnick against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing. (RELATED: Media Struggles To Confront Their Failures In Covering Michael Avenatti)

“Julie Swetnick’s Allegations Likely To Finish Off Brett Kavanaugh,” read a headline from New York Magazine. Swetnick also received a primetime interview on NBC News even though they reportedly knew the evidence in her story was shaky, according to the Miami Herald.

Some in the media, however, saw right through the schtick, notably Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson. Tucker responded to Avenatti’s question if he had ever watched porn by saying, “I’m actually into humiliation porn. That’s why I watch you on CNN.”

In addition to his extortion charge, Avenatti is also facing a maximum of 333 years in prison after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges that he stole millions of dollars from his clients, one of whom was a paraplegic man, as well as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in order to fund his lavish lifestyle.

Avenatti also faces charges for committing fraud and aggravated identity theft related to his former client Stormy Daniels and was arrested in 2019 for domestic abuse.

Tropical storm pounds East Coast after killing 1 in Florida

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allen trees block Front Street on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 in Valrico. Tropical Storm Elsa continued to track north after dropping heavy rain in the Tampa Bay area. (Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

(AP) — Tropical Storm Elsa carved a destructive and soaking path up the East Coast after killing at least one person in Florida and spinning up a tornado at a Georgia Navy base that flipped recreational vehicles upside-down and blew one of them into a lake.

Elsa’s winds strengthened Thursday to 50 mph (85 kph), as the storm dropped heavy rains on parts of North Carolina and Virginia, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest update. Elsa was expected to pass near the eastern mid-Atlantic states by Thursday night and move near or over the northeastern United States on Friday.

No significant change in strength is expected through Friday, and Elsa is forecast to become a post-topical cyclone by Friday night, the center said.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect along the coast from North Carolina to Massachusetts. There was a chance Long Island in New York would see sustained tropical storm-force winds late Thursday night and into Friday morning, the National Weather Service in New York warned.

The National Weather Service in Morehead City, North Carolina, tweeted that a tornado was spotted near Fairfield on Thursday afternoon. A tornado warning had been issued for Hyde County and surrounding counties.

Elsa seemed to spare Florida from significant damage, though it still threatened flooding downpours and caused several tornado warnings.

Authorities in Jacksonville, Florida, said one person was killed Wednesday when a tree fell and struck two cars. A spokesperson for the Naval Air Force Atlantic Office said Thursday that a sailor assigned to Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron 16 in Jacksonville was killed.

Forecasters reported 50 mph (80 kph) wind gusts in the city. The tree fell during heavy rains, according to Capt. Eric Prosswimmer of the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department.

Nine people were injured Wednesday evening in coastal Camden County, Georgia, when a tornado struck a campground for active-duty service members and military retirees at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. Eight of those hurt were taken to hospitals, base spokesperson Chris Tucker said. Some have since been released and others were kept for observation, he said.

The EF-2 tornado flipped over multiple RVs, throwing one of the overturned vehicles about 200 feet (61 meters) into a lake, the National Weather Service said in a preliminary report early Thursday after its employees surveyed the damage.

Tucker said about a dozen recreational vehicles at the campground were damaged. Some buildings were also damaged on the base, which is the East Coast hub for the Navy’s fleet of submarines armed with nuclear missiles. Tucker said there was no damage to submarines or any other “military assets.”

Sergio Rodriguez, who lives near the RV park, said he raced to the scene fearing friends staying at the park might be hurt.

“There were just RVs flipped over on their sides, pickup trucks flipped over, a couple of trailers had been shifted and a couple of trailers were in the water” of a pond on the site, Rodriguez said in a phone interview.

In South Carolina, a Coast Guard Air Station Savannah crew rescued a family that became stranded on Otter Island on Wednesday after their boat drifted off the beach due to Elsa. A man, his wife and daughter, and three cousins were hoisted into a helicopter and taken to Charleston Executive Airport in good health Wednesday night, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

The hurricane center said there was a risk of flooding in South Carolina, which was predicted to get 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimeters) of rainfall.

More than 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain was recorded at a weather station near Gainesville, Florida, the weather service reported.

Scattered power outages were being reported along Elsa’s path Thursday afternoon, with about 26,000 homes and businesses without electricity from Florida to Virginia, according to the website poweroutages.us.

Elsa is the earliest fifth-named storm on record, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami.

Latest attacks between US and Iran-backed militias overshadow ongoing nuclear talks

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Biden
Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz.

BY ARIEL BEN SOLOMON(JNS)

Iran’s continued provocations through its terror proxies and with its nuclear program appear to be frustrating efforts by the Biden administration’s efforts revive the Iranian nuclear deal.

On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran has begun enriching metal to 20 percent, which European diplomats said was a “serious violation” of Iran’s commitments under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

This move comes as last week the United States told the U.N. Security Council that it launched airstrikes against an Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq to stop the militias and Iran from future attacks.

“This military response was taken after non-military options proved inadequate to address the threat, with the aim of de-escalating the situation and preventing further attacks,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield wrote in a letter seen by Reuters.

Harold Rhode, a longtime former adviser on Islamic affairs in the U.S. Department of Defense, said that America often hits Iran or its proxies, and they respond by attacking America or its allies in Iraq, Syria, Israel or elsewhere.

“The United States knows that the Iranian government cares first and foremost about staying in power. If that means sacrificing its non-Iranian allies—most specifically, Lebanese, Iraqi, Syrian and Yemenite Shi’ites—so be it. For the Iranians, these fellow Shi’ites are expendable,” he said.

“The Iranian government knows that when Iranians die in combat, their families and friends often protest against the government,” he noted. “Iranian history has examples of demonstrations spiraling out of control and sparking revolutions.”

Following the airstrikes, U.S. forces in eastern Syria came under attack.

U.S. military mission spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto, who is based in Baghdad, said that “U.S. forces have the inherent right to self-defense and responded with counter-battery fire at rocket launching positions and one Hellfire from a UAV, which resulted in one enemy wounded in action.”

Phillip Smyth, a Soref fellow at the Washington Institute and an expert on Shi’ite Islamist groups, told JNS that attacks between American forces and Iranian-backed militias have been going on for over a year, and “the trend demonstrates a clearly structured process of escalation.”

“I don’t think these types of attacks will cease; [they] are designed to be small demonstrations of power and technological savvy by these Iranian-backed groups,” said Smyth.

Smyth, however, assesses that a red line was hit by these forces that triggered the U.S. strike.

“Regardless, neither party is interested in having this heat up to the point of no return, at least not yet,” he said.

‘Acknowledge their own mistakes’

Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told JNS that for all they castigate former President Donald Trump for, U.S. President Joe Biden’s foreign policy “seems a more noxious mix of politics and ego than Trump’s.”

“Politics guide Biden’s choice to do the opposite of Trump on almost every issue,” he continued, commenting on Biden’s insistence to return to the nuclear deal, despite Iran’s continued provocations and violations.

“But ego comes into play less with Biden than his staff: Jake Sullivan, Jon Finer, Antony Blinken, Wendy Sherman, and perhaps Bill Burns—all have tremendous skin in the Iran nuclear deal. Moreover, many owe their careers to it,” said Rubin, a former Pentagon official.

It’s one thing to disagree with Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and that administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign, he argued, but “many on Biden’s team seem unwilling to acknowledge any fault with the JCPOA and Obama administration policy.”

“To do so would be to acknowledge their own mistakes. Their egos won’t allow it. The result is a policy guided more by wishful thinking and fantasy than reality, and one that increasingly appears like a slow-motion train wreck,” concluded Rubin.

The fighting against Iran and its proxies in Syria and Iraq is juxtaposed against ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran.

On the one hand, the Biden administration signals it is eager to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and end sanctions against the regime; yet on the other, it is fighting a proxy war against them. Iran, for its part, is leveraging its aggressive action and terrorism in the region to pressure the West into making a better deal.

On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price called on Iran to end its brinkmanship and return to negotiations on the nuclear deal.

“It is worrying that Iran is choosing to continue to escalate its non-performance of its JCPOA commitments, especially with experiments that have value for nuclear weapons research,” said Price. “It’s another unfortunate step backwards for Iran.”

Rhode said a difference in culture is causing difficulty for the West to understand the Iranian mentality in the nuclear negotiations: “American culture is legalistic. Signed agreements are the basis on which how people, companies and countries interact. Not so for Iran and most other non-Western cultures.”

For them, written agreements are, therefore, rarely a means of solving problems. “They are just a means to an end,” he said.

Wells Fargo Shutting Down All Personal Lines of Credit

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By Solange Reyner(NEWSMAX)

Wells Fargo is shutting down all personal lines of credit that typically gave users $3,000 to $100,000, telling customers the account closings are final and ”may have an impact on your credit score,” CNBC reports.

The move is expected in the coming weeks. Current customers with credit lines must pay off the balances at a fixed rate.

”Wells Fargo recently reviewed its product offerings and decided to discontinue offering new Personal and Portfolio line of credit accounts and close all existing accounts,” the bank said in a letter to customers.

Wells Fargo has been operating under a $1.95 trillion asset cap for more than three years, considered one of the costliest bank punishments ever, after reaching a settlement with federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission over its abuse of customers in a phony account scandal.

The cap constrains the bank from making loans and growing as rapidly as other banks. But Wells Fargo is said to be on the brink of exiting the penalty box.

The bank did not answer questions directly related to the federal asset cap and whether it played a role in its decision to shut down the credit lines.

”In an effort to simplify our product offerings, we’ve made the decision to no longer offer personal lines of credit as we feel we can better meet the borrowing needs of our customers through credit card and personal loan products,” it told CNBC in a statement.

A Wells Fargo spokesman later said: ”We realize change can be inconvenient, especially when customer credit may be impacted,” adding that the bank is ”committed to helping each customer find a credit solution that fits their needs.”

One customer told the news outlet it was changing banks as a result.

”It’s a bit upsetting,” Tim Tomassi, a programmer in Portland, Oregon, said in a phone interview. ”They’re a big bank, and I’m a small person, and it feels like they’re making decisions for their bottom line and not for customers. A lot of people are in my position. They need a cushion every once in a while from a line of credit.”

Two swastikas burned into Auschwitz memorial in Grenoble, France

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Gershon Elinson/Flash90

Dan Verbin(Israel National News)

Two swastikas were carved with a blowtorch into a memorial plaque for victims of Auschwitz located in the esplanade of the Companions of the Liberation park in Grenoble, France.

The area is a tribute to those awarded the Companion of the Liberation high honor.

A similar incident had occurred a few days before, reported AFP.

The Companion of the Liberation medal was given by the French government to those who liberated France during World War II. The order is a rare honor that was only awarded to a few military units for their wartime deeds.

The Departmental Directorate of Public Security of Isére said that the graffiti appeared to have been burned into the monument, likely with a blowtorch.

The technical department of the municipality said that a similar tag had been made on the same plaque a few days ago, and had been cleaned off.

The judicial police were at the scene along with municipal police. An investigation is ongoing, reported Actu Grenoble.

The swastikas burned into the stone plaque were described as being about 20 square centimeters.

France has seen a worrying rise in Nazi hate graffiti and anti-Semitic threats in recent months.

In June, swastikas were spray painted on election signs in the village of Oulches. The small village of 400 people was reportedly shocked after discovering the tagged signs, which included the number “88” considered a neo-Nazi hate symbol and code for “Heil Hitler.”

A week earlier, two Jewish communities in southern France were sent threatening anti-Semitic letters. A similar letter was also sent to the mayor of one of the cities who has close ties with the Jewish community.

The question is when, not if, Hunter Biden’s laptop will bring down Joe Biden’s presidency

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Thanks to a series of leaks from the hard drive of Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop computer, we know there is more than enough evidence to appoint a special counsel, or at least convene a grand jury to investigate bribery, tax fraud, and probably several other categories of crime involving the Biden Crime Family.  Three recent articles by highly respected reporters Miranda Devine (who has a book on the subject about to come out and whose work informs the other two writers), Byron York, and Emily Jashinsky present evidence typed in Hunter’s own hand of the schemes whereby Hunter acted as the bagman collecting vast wealth from foreign interests by selling access to Joe when he was vice president and a potential candidate for the presidency.

All three accounts are worth reading, though there is considerable overlap.  From Devine, here is an example of evidence that already ought to have led to a subpoena for financial records:

Hunter complained that he was forced to give half his salary to his father.
“I hope you all can do what I did and pay for everything for this entire family for 30 years,” Hunter wrote in a 2019 text message to his daughter, Naomi, that was found on his abandoned laptop.
“It’s really hard. But don’t worry, unlike Pop [Joe], I won’t make you give me half your salary.”  There’s no direct evidence of such a wealth transfer on Hunter’s laptop.

A mildly curious U.S. attorney ought to be able to get a grand jury to subpoena the financial records of the Biden clan on this basis.  Or, in an alternate reality, a special counsel, appointed to reassure the public that their president is not beholden to foreign interests, ought to be digging through these and other financial records, such as (via Devine) that Hunter routinely paid at least some of his father’s household expenses, including AT&T bills of around $190 a month.

We know from an e-mail on June 5, 2010, with the subject “JRB bills” to Hunter from Eric Schwerin, his business partner at Rosemont Seneca, that he was expected to foot hefty bills to Wilmington contractors for maintenance and upkeep of his father’s palatial lakefront property. Joe’s initials are JRB, for Joseph Robinette Biden.
The bills that June included $2,600 to contractor Earle Downing for a “stone retaining wall” at Joe’s Wilmington estate, $1,475 to painter Ronald Peacock to paint the “back wall and columns” of the house, and $1,239 to builder Mike Christopher for repairs to the air conditioning at the cottage of Joe’s late mother, Jean “Mom-Mom” Biden, which was on his property and which he would later rent to the Secret Service for $2,200 a month.
“This is from last summer I think and needs to be paid pretty soon,” wrote Schwerin of Christopher’s bill.
Another $475 “for shutters” was owed to RBI construction, of Bear, Del., about 15 minutes west of Wilmington.

Gifts to public officials that are not disclosed can and have led to criminal prosecution of both parties.

As Byron York reminds us:

For years, Joe Biden was known as the poorest man in the U.S. Senate. It was a label he himself welcomed, claiming it showed how ethically clean he was. “I entered as one of the poorest men in Congress, left as one of the poorest men in government, in Congress, and as vice president,” Biden said during his presidential campaign in 2019. What Devine has discovered suggests that while Biden bragged about his lack of money — in other words, claiming to be free of the financial corruption common in politics — he was relying on his influence-peddling son to pay some of his bills.

York also mentions the photo Devine obtained of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim with both Bidens at the Vice President’s Residence, putting the lie to Biden’s claim he had no knowledge of Hunter’s business dealings.  Hunter gloated over the size of the business deals he expected with Slim and his associates.  Recall that it was Slim’s cash infusion that saved the New York Times when it was at a financial low point.

Jashinsky’s headline summarizes the big issue: “In A Healthy Country, The Bidens Would Be Seen As The Picture Of Elite Corruption.”  She reminds us that Joe raking off the top of Hunter’s business income is an old story:

Hunter’s complaint about his father taking a chunk of his earnings might sound familiar. It’s basically exactly what we learned from Tony Bobulinski shortly before the 2020 election, even if the media chose not to treat that information credibly.
Here’s more from Devine: “Further evidence that Joe expected to receive a slice of his son’s income was provided by Tony Bobulinksi, Hunter’s former business partner in a firm called Oneida, which was set up to enter a joint venture with the Chinese energy conglomerate CEFC. Bobulinski says that Joe was the “big guy” referred to in a 2017 e-mail who was to be allocated 10 percent equity in the firm: “10 [percent] held by H [Hunter] for the big guy.”
CEFC is a recurring character in the Biden drama. When the FBI caught Patrick Ho, an executive with CEFC, bribing African officials with cash in Chad and Uganda, he made a call. It was to James Biden, whose brother had just departed the vice presidency and was exploring a bid for the Oval Office. Why on earth would a corrupt Chinese business executive make an emergency call to James Biden?
Well, according to Jim, Ho was actually trying to contact his nephew Hunter. Here’s how the New York Times reported on the exchange back in 2018: “In a brief interview, James Biden said he had been surprised by Mr. Ho’s call. He said he believed it had been meant for Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son. James Biden said he had passed on his nephew’s contact information.”
“There is nothing else I have to say,” James Biden told the Times. “I don’t want to be dragged into this anymore.”
Part of the point of paying Hunter Biden money to oversee business dealings outside his areas of expertise is so that you can make a call just like the one Ho made back in 2017.
So the new emails make it pretty clear that Hunter Biden’s corrupt foreign influence peddling benefitted the current president of the United States

It is far from clear how many copies of Hunter’s hard drive are in the hands of others, and far from clear who is orchestrating the leaks.  But what is absolutely clear is that Biden’s presidency could be brought to its knees, possibly even ended, if the media gatekeepers at the New York Times and Washington Post decided to give the story enthusiastic coverage, bringing the rest of the agitprop along with them.  They could agitate for the appointment of a special counsel, as was done with President Trump over the nonsense Russiagate fake scandal.

Or a U.S. attorney who convened a grand jury could issue subpoenas and eventually obtain indictments, setting the stage for impeachment.

We understand why none of this is happening — yet.  Biden is serving his purpose, appointing officials and signing executive orders that advance the progressives’ agenda.  But the drip, drip, drip continues and accumulates.

Glenn Reynolds, AKA the Instapundit, offers a fascinating theory:

Hunter’s laptop is being held for when they decide to get rid of Joe. The leaks are just to remind everyone it’s out there. Well, everyone except for Joe. He won’t remember for long anyway.

This makes perfect sense because Joe Biden already is damaged goods, his accelerating mental decline self-evident to all who do not wear ideological blinders.  What is most intriguing is the calculus behind “when they decide to get rid of Joe.”  I strongly suspect that Kamala Harris is now recognized to be such a disaster, unelectable if she inherits the presidency after Joe reigns, is impeached, or leaves under the terms of the 25th Amendment, that she must be Agnewed before Joe leaves.  Clayton Spann yesterday explored some of the types of maneuvers that might be executed to accomplish this, but there are many other approaches one could imagine.

Kamala Harris, for all her purported friction with Dr. Jill Biden, is Joe’s insurance policy.  If and when she leaves the vice presidency and is replaced by someone who could be elected in 2024, Joe’s and Jill’s days in the Oval Office are numbered.

All of this is uncomfortably banana republic territory: powerful, unseen forces pulling strings and deciding the fate of the nation’s leadership by manipulating corrupt media and officialdom.  That’s where we are today.

Canada’s churches burning as ‘civil liberties’ leader and other Cultural Marxists cheer

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By Thomas Lifson(American Thinker)

The same sort of anti-White racist, left-wing revolutionaries who have burned swaths of American cities are terrorizing parts of Canada with terroristic arson attacks.  But lacking any history of slavery or historic oppression of Blacks, the Canadian thugs have seized upon alleged mistreatment of indigenous peoples, called “First Canadians” according to recent local custom north of the border.

The result has been a wave of church burnings recently, including ten churches in Alberta on Canada’s national holiday, Canada Day, just a few days ago.

Shockingly, a number of people in presumably responsible positions have been cheering on religious terrorism. Jack Montgomery of Breitbart reports:

The executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), Harsha Walia, is under fire for commenting on a story about the wave of church arsons sweeping Canada by saying “Burn it all down.”
Walia, a Bahrain-born South Asian based in Vancouver and described as “a community organizer and campaigner in migrant justice, feminist, anti-capitalist, abolitionist, and anti-imperialist movements” in her profile at the left-wing Intercept, made the inflammatory intervention in response to a VICE report on two Roman Catholic churches being burned down in Alberta and Nova Scotia.

Steve Sailer describes the cause seized upon by the current terrorists attacking churches:

[T]he sensationalized reports that there were “unmarked graves” at the much-demonized Canadian schools were immediately accepted as prima facie proof of the diabolical essence of Canadian history.
The term “unmarked graves” is suggestive of massacre, but the reality is that the children died of natural causes, especially diseases that hadn’t existed in the New World before 1492, so Indians hadn’t evolved defenses against them.
Moreover, it has now been publicly admitted in at least two of the four cases that the graves weren’t actually unmarked.  For example, at Cranbrook, the original wooden crosses simply burned up in brush fires or deteriorated over the decades.
Whether more Indian children died due to the schools than if they had been at home is probably unknowable.

Tucker Carlson covered the church burnings, as well as the toppling of a statue of Queen Victoria in Winnipeg, discussing the wave of violence with Ezra Levant of Rebel Media, mentioning the incredible fact that the U.S.-Canadian border is still closed, at Canada’s insistence, of the purported danger of COVID.

 

Levant criticized Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau for waiting a week to condemn the arson.  In the following video report from the Canadian government–owned CBC, Trudeau’s belated statement is presented, along with a video of some of the First Canadian parishioners who have lost their churches to the arson terror.

Anti-religious terrorism has been a feature of left-wing revolutionaries ever since the French Revolution launched the wave of utopian terror.  Tucker Carlson mentions the Spanish Civil War in his introduction, but many other revolutions, including Mexico’s, have a strong component of anti-religious zealotry and violence.  In China’s Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, Buddhist and Confucian religious structures were torched and libraries destroyed.

In all of these cases, the countries involved came to regret these extremes.  But it is clear from the enthusiasm expressed by seemingly respectable people in Canada — who have suffered no consequences — that Canada has a way to go before it sobers up.

Of course, the same is true south of the border.

Golden Beaches, Nightclubs, Shopping & Pure Natural Beauty Await You on the Island of Ibiza

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Now that summer travel season is in full swing, for those seeking an exotic vacation destination and one that boasts the most marvelous beaches on the planet, one can now hop on a plane and head over to the fabulous island of Ibiza. Photo Credit: Ibiza-Spotlight.com

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Now that summer travel season is in full swing, for those seeking an exotic vacation destination and one that boasts the most marvelous beaches on the planet, one can now hop on a plane and head over to the fabulous island of Ibiza.

Café Mambo, one of Ibiza’s premiere venue’s opens its doors for the first time this year and you can catch some pretty impressive sunsets there. Photo Credit: Ibiza-Spotlight.com

Located in the Mediterranean, near Spain, Ibiza is often characterized as a Bohemian paradise of sorts; attracting people of eclectic tastes the world over. According to a report in the Telegraph of the UK, Ibiza is described as a “mesmerizing melting pot of influences” and “a place for free thinkers to doze and dream, not to mention its reputation as a cradle for everyman.”

The report adds that “these days Ibiza is probably most famous for its dazzling sunsets and thundering nightlife scene, that quintessential bohemian spirit lingers. Whether on a beach, a dancefloor, or a yoga mat, few are able to resist its unmistakable magic.”

Ibiza also has a rich and fascinating history. The Telegraph report said that “the Carthaginians were the first settlers to be drawn to its shores, and in the ensuing years the Moors, the Romans and even pilfering pirates all took turns to stake their claim on this magnificent island in the Med.”

One of the most talked about beaches of Ibiza, as much for the atmosphere as for the scenery, Benirrás is a medium sized beach with rocky, grainy sand and almost unbelievably clear water. Photo Credit: white-ibiza.com

Look no further for a most fabulous beach experience as the coastline of Ibiza has well over 80 beaches to choose from so no doubt if you are looking for ultimate seaside serenity or exciting fun, you will have no problem finding it in Ibiza.

“From secluded, picturesque coves and bustling family resorts to tiny, pebbled bays and vast stretches of sugary sand, there’s something for everyone on the White Isle. Adopt the mindset of a local and take siesta mid-afternoon, or spend entire days partying beneath the fiery Mediterranean sun — Ibiza, as always, is whatever you make it, “ according to the Telegraph report.

If you are not looking to go too far from Ibiza town, try Talamanca, which the Telegraph report describes as “a sweeping stretch of golden sand backed by a wooden promenade.” If you start developing an appetite, you will find a considerable choice in reasonably priced dining venues there. The report indicated that these eateries are often crowded with locals; especially on Sunday, so plan accordingly. The Talamanca beach is especially popular with the young folks who come to the beach after they leave the nightclub and need to decompress. The beach itself is rarely overcrowded, so try chilling out there in the afternoon where you can get the best of the sun’s magnificent rays.  The report suggests “taking a stroll first thing in the morning when the sea is still enough to perfectly reflect the cerulean sky above.”

A long stretch of dark golden sand dominated by striking rocky cliffs, Aguas Blancas is a picture perfect example of Ibiza’s unspoiled northeastern coast. Photo Credit: white-ibiza.com

If you are looking for the ultimate in high energy party beaches then Las Salinas is the one for you and your coterie. The beach has kind of an iconic status with a “vast stretch of pale sand backed by beach clubs and the Las Salinas National Park,” according to the Telegraph report. Once again, the youngsters have a particular taste for this beach and they  “spend the day dipping in and out of the azure waters.”

If you want to enjoy a “liquid lunch” consisting of spectacular booze or if you want to dance your heart out on the shimmering beach, then this place has what the doctor ordered. If you are not inclined to party, you will also find that this beach is a wonderful spot for some real peace and quiet.

For a family oriented beach, check out Cala Llonga. Located on Ibiza’s east coast, this golden strip of beach has the most exquisite waters, both crystal clear and shallow for the kids. It kind of feels like a resort as it is replete with restaurants and plenty of places to shop, so bring your credit card and bring home some terrific souvenirs.   In addition to being steeped in nostalgic charm, its arc shaped cove of sand is big enough for all kinds of activities. “From beach volleyball to pedalo hire; diving school to an adventure playground — there’s enough to keep the little ones occupied all day long, and plenty of sun loungers and bars to please mom and dad, too, “ according to the report.

The Ibiza Spotlight web site reported that  O Beach Ibiza is now open.  Originally opened in June 2012, O Beach Ibiza (formerly Ocean Beach Ibiza) was instantly popular, successfully filling a gap in the market for San Antonio outdoor party venues by offering the kind of bubbly, poolside fun the west of the island had previously been lacking.

O Beach Ibiza has been delivering stylish, decadent pool parties on a daily basis ever since and as a result has become a “must-visit” for anyone wanting to pop open the champagne, down the Grey Goose or Ciroc Vodka and recline on a VIP bed or simply splash around dancing in the pool – all while soaking up the mid-afternoon Balearic sun.

With an eclectic mix of daytime parties, the music ranges from uplifting house beats to dance classics but some parties have deeper rhythms and live performers. This resort-style venue also boasts some of the most exciting sky-shows out there, with acrobatic performances at various times throughout the afternoon.

This is the place to enjoy daytime pool fiestas, fine dining, fashion shows, acrobatics, live performances, massages and private events while overlooking the bay of San Antonio.

The Ibiza Spotlight web site also reported that this July promises to be a super thrilling month for travelers from around the globe. Café Mambo, one of Ibiza’s premiere venue’s opens its doors for the first time this year and you can catch some pretty impressive sunsets there.

Have you heard about Ibiza’s famous hippy markets? They are one of the island’s top attractions and a must-see for every holidaymaker. Many take place all over the island, so wherever you stay you can more often than not enjoy a fabulous shopping experience. Photo Credit: Ibiza-Spotlight.com

Trawling market stalls and picking out handmade crafts, jewellery and clothing is part of the authentic Ibiza experience. Since last week, Ibiza’s oldest and largest hippy market, Punta Arabi has been back in business.

Open weekly until late October, Punta Arabi offers a great day out for the whole family, with live music and entertainment.

If you’re looking for a really fun place to hang your hat at night and catch some sleep or just stay up and party, you may want to try Ibiza Rocks Hotel. According to the Ibiza Spotlight web site, it  has been around for over 10 years, proving that the island offers more than superstar DJs and monster clubbing. With scores of daytime poolside parties and events, it has come to be known as the “home of the pool party.”

Long ago, Bar M (which is now the Ibiza Rocks Bar on the promenade of San Antonio) was the main live music venue for Ibiza Rocks, but such was the success of the party that a new location was needed. Enter stage left, Ibiza Rocks Hotel. This branded hotel on the site of the former Hotel Club Paraiso now plays home to all the Ibiza Rocks events.

It includes a purpose built and permanent stage set up, located within the hotel’s central courtyard, including a pool area that has become the scene of some memorable moments during and after gigs, when the crowd splashes around and even the artist sometimes take an impromptu dip.

In 2018, the venue underwent a refurbishment that added a brand new 360-degree performance space, VIP areas including a party suite, upgraded bars with faster service and a spanking new VOID sound system.

Ibiza Rocks Hotel is now involved in the electronica scene. Its TS5 pool parties with Craig David sell out each and every week, as Ibiza Rocks made more forays into the daytime party sphere.

The “home of the pool party” program continues to look juicier than ever.