North Korea has reportedly sent a thousand containers of weapons to Russia to be used in the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, fierce fighting is reported in the Donetsk region of Ukraine as Russian forces assault the city of Avdiivka.
In other news, voting in the Australian referendum on “Indigenous Voice” — a constitutional change that would create an aborigine group advising on policy decisions in parliament — was strongly against the proposed amendment.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, Dora, Insubria, JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
3 Dead, 3 Injured After Shooting at Denver Party
DENVER (KDVR) — Three people died and three others were injured after a shooting early Saturday morning, according to the Denver Police Department.
The shooting occurred in the 12400 block of East 39th Avenue. Around 1:37 a.m., officers responded and found a victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
That victim was pronounced dead on the scene.
According to police, it was later found out that five additional victims were self-transported to local hospitals.
Two of those victims were pronounced dead at the hospital. Three others were expected to survive.
The preliminary investigation indicated there was a party at an industrial storefront. According to DPD, at the storefront, there was evidence of shots from at least two firearms.
Investigators were working to determine the circumstances that led up to the shooting, as well as who was involved.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Alabama Woman Convicted of Faking Her Own Kidnapping, Faces Jail Time, Fine
Carlee Russell, the woman who admitted to faking her own kidnapping over the summer, has been found guilty of one count of false reporting to law enforcement authorities and one count of falsely reporting an incident.
Russell appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon, the first time since the July incident, and entered a not-guilty plea, according to WBMA. The municipal court judge found the Alabama woman guilty of two misdemeanor charges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Admin Gave Hamas $75 Million While Knowing Terror Attack Was Imminent
Democrat President Joe Biden’s administration gave Hamas $75 million in early October, just days before the group launched an assault against Israel and after learning that a terrorist attack was imminent.
The aid was pushed through in a quiet move bypassing Republican obstructionism.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved the release of $75 million in funding for Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Blinken diverted the cash to Hamas just hours before the funds were set to be redistributed elsewhere.
The move was hushed through with little attention in early October, just days before Hamas launched its terrorist attacks against Israel, slaughtering, raping, and kidnapping hundreds of innocent civilians.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Joe Biden Pays Tribute to BLM Hero George Floyd on His 50th Birthday
President Joe Biden issued a lengthy statement in honor of George Floyd, whose death while in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020 sparked a summer of riots and violence that cost the nation more than $2 billion in damage. BLM has recently come under fire for being so pro-Hamas and anti-Israel as to be antisemitic. The founder of BLM has called for the eradication of Israel.
In his statement, Biden claimed that the massive riots during the summer of 2020 were “one of the largest civil rights movements in our nation’s history and inspired the world.” It spurred many municipalities to advocate for the defunding of their police departments, which has led to record crime in many areas. Mass looting became commonplace and is still going on in many cities such as San Francisco. The decline in officers in major metropolitan areas led to a decline in businesses as many stores closed due to violence and crime. Those same cities have been forced to pay out some $68 million to rioters who claim to have been mistreated by police while they were in the midst of rioting.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Palestine college activists harassed a journalist covering their protest and allegedly demanded to know her ethnicity as tensions on US campuses continue to escalate in the wake of the Middle East conflict.
Kassy Dillon, a video journalist with Fox News, said she was targeted after leaving an anti-Israel protest at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus.
‘As I was leaving, two guys kept asking me my ethnicity,’ she tweeted on Thursday. ‘When I got into my car, I was approached by a group of the protesters demanding to know my address and phone number.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dorm Room of Jewish Drexel Student ‘Intentionally’ Set on Fire: Report
Drexel University is investigating after the dorm room of a Jewish student was set on fire on Tuesday. The fire, in Race Hall on the West Philadelphia campus, started when the decorations on the student’s door were “intentionally” set on fire, according to police. There were no injuries.
The Philadelpha Fire Department was called and the flames were extinguished, reports the New York Post. Drexel President John Fry sent out a message to students and faculty, encouraging them to consider first the humanity of those around them rather than their political or religious differences.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fauci Adviser Who Allegedly ‘Deleted Federal Records’ Subpoenaed in House COVID-19 Origins Probe
A longtime top adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has been accused of deleting federal records by Republican lawmakers, has been subpoenaed by the House panel investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. David Morens, the recipient of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic’s Friday subpoena, served as Fauci’s senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1998 until former NIAID chief’s retirement at the end of last year.
The GOP-led panel alleges that Morens “likely used his personal email to delete COVID origins documents and evade [Freedom of Information Act] laws.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Rejects Biden DOJ’s Claim That Georgia’s Voter ID Law is Racist
A federal court struck down a lawsuit backed by the Biden administration which claimed Georgia’s new election integrity laws are discriminatory towards black voters.
Judge J.P. Boulee issued the ruling for the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on Wednesday. According to The Federalist, Judge Boulee said that the Biden administration and other Democratic groups “failed to show a substantial likelihood of success on the merits as to their claims that the provisions intentionally discriminate against black voters in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, Fifteenth Amendment and Section 2 of the [Voting Rights Act].”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pfizer Slashes Revenue Estimates as COVID Vaccine Sales Slump
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, under CEO Albert Bourla, has cut its earnings projections as the demand for Covid vaccines and treatments is not what they had expected. Shares dropped as the rollout for the latest Covid booster did not meet crowds of exuberant folks eager to get their fourth, fifth, or sixth jab.
Pfizer had been expecting $67-70 billion in sales, but now that number has dropped to $58-$61 billion instead. That revenue projection cut, Pfizer said per CNBC, was “solely due to its Covid products.” The Biden administration pushed the new vaccines over the summer. CNN went so far as to say that it was time to break out facemasks in precaution of a new Covid wave.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A homeless encampment known as ‘The Pit’ in downtown Portland has been cleared out and private security guards are patrolling the area in the latest push to clean up the poverty-stricken metro.
The tented neighborhood was a longstanding eyesore in the city, where huge crowds of homeless people were set up under the Steel Bridge by the Willamette River.
But locals praised removal crews and biohazard teams that descended on the site this week, forcibly moving 19 people into a mass-sanctioned campsite in the southeast of the city on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Suspect in Natalee Holloway Case Expected to Plead Guilty to Extortion
Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway, is expected to plead guilty to extortion after trying to get her mom to pay him $250,000 to reveal the location of the teen’s body.
Court records indicate that van der Sloot intends to plead guilty in federal court in Alabama on Wednesday, according to reports, after previously pleading not guilty.
The Dutch man was extradited to the US in June to face fraud and extortion charges tied to the disappearance of Holloway, 18, who was on a class graduation trip in Aruba.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Slams US Universities for ‘Open Hatred Against Israel and America’
President Donald Trump took aim at American universities on Saturday after a week of grotesque, pro-Hamas protests took place at campuses across the country. This in the wake of a violent attack on Israel by Palestinian terror group Hamas on October 7.
Protests in favor of Hamas and against Israel were staged on the campuses of America’s top universities, including the Ivy Leagues Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. George Mason, University of Washington, University of Michigan, Penn State, UPenn (Trump’s alma mater), NYU, and still others saw students come out in favor of the terrorists who murdered more than 1,300 civilians, including women, children and the elderly.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Death Toll in Hamas Terror Attack Rises to 29, 16 Unaccounted for: State Department
The State Department said Saturday that 29 Americans were murdered by Hamas terrorists during their brutal Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel — adding two more US citizens to the tragic toll.
Another 16 Americans — 15 citizens and one legal permanent resident — remain missing, a State Department official told CNN.
“The US government is working around the clock to determine their whereabouts, and is working with the Israeli government on every aspect of the hostage crisis,” the official said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Air Canada Pilot Grounded Over Anti-Israel Social Media Posts
Air Canada grounded one of its pilots Monday for “unacceptable posts” about Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. The airline says it took Mostafa Ezzo “out of service” after he posted pictures of himself wearing both his pilot’s uniform and Palestinian colors.
“We are aware of the unacceptable posts made by an Air Canada pilot. We are taking this matter very seriously, and he was taken out of service on Mon, Oct. 9. We firmly denounce violence in all forms,” Air Canada shared.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Amsterdam’s and Berlin Jewish Schools Temporarily Shut Amid Security Concerns
In response to heightened security risks following a call by Hamas for violence against Jews worldwide in solidarity with Palestine, all three Jewish schools in Amsterdam; Rosj Pina, Maimonides, and Cheider have decided to close on Friday. Their joint statement emphasized that the safety of students and staff is their top priority and they cannot afford to take any risks, reports Dutch News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Cordon Sanitaire’ Challenged at the French National Assembly
On Thursday, October 12th, the French National Assembly examined bills put forward by the Rassemblement National. It was an important moment in parliamentary life for gauging the ability of the nationalist Right party, whose group of MPs is led by Marine Le Pen, to interact with other political forces. The day ended in abject failure, as not a single text proposed by the RN was voted on, proving that the famous ‘cordon sanitaire’ still exists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Funds Must Not Indirectly Support Terrorist Organizations — MEP From Fidesz
Kinga Gal, a member of the Fidesz party, expressed strong opposition to allowing any form of indirect EU funding for terrorist organizations that could potentially target Israel, as reported by About Hungary.
Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday, Gal, who represents Fidesz in the European Parliament, emphasized the party’s condemnation of terrorism and its support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finnish defence sources told the Iltalehti newspaper that from the beginning of their enquiries, the government considered it possible that Russia sabotaged the key pipeline.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Finland Achieves Remarkable Year in Organ Donations and Transplants
Finland is celebrating a groundbreaking year for organ and tissue donations with the number of transplants surpassing all previous records by the end of September, as reported by Helsinki Times.
As of the end of September, Finland has seen 119 organ donors, a significant increase compared to the previous year’s total. Dr. Arno Nordin, Chief Surgeon in Transplantation and Liver Surgery, believes that if this trend continues, it will be a record-breaking year for the number of donations and transplants.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finland Boosts Ammunition Production, Says Defense Minister
Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen has revealed that Finland is significantly increasing its ammunition production. It’s worth noting that Häkkänen attended the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, according to the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper.
The discussions also addressed the crisis in the Middle East, damage to a gas pipeline and data cables between Finland and Estonia, and concerns about China’s military buildup.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France’s Louvre Museum Closed After Bomb Threat
PARIS, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Saturday for security reasons.
“For security reasons, the Louvre Museum is closing its doors today,” announced the museum’s account on X, formerly Twitter.
According to French news channel BFMTV, the museum received messages about bomb threats. The closure of the museum was due to verification measures in the framework of France’s national security alert system Vigipirate.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has put the country on its highest security alert after an assailant fatally knifed a teacher and injured three other people in the northern city of Arras on Friday.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Dominique Bernard, a literature teacher in his 40s, was stabbed to death allegedly by a Chechen refugee at Gambetta high school in Arras at 11am local time yesterday.
The attack was reportedly heeding calls by Hamas to unleash a ‘day of Jihad’ upon the West.
“This school was struck by the barbarity of Islamist terrorism,” Macron said after visiting the school.
“The teacher who was killed had come forward to protect others and without doubt saved many lives.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: CDU MP Seeks Ban on AfD
An MP for Germany’s ‘center-right’ Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, who in 2021 lost a local election to an AfD candidate, is working on draft legislation that, if adopted by the Bundestag, would see the right-wing antiglobalist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party banned outright.
CDU MP and former Eastern Commissioner of the Federal Government Marco Wanderwitz, who first urged his colleagues to ban the party back in July, has once again called for an AfD ban, telling the state-run broadcaster ARD: “We are dealing with a party that seriously endangers our free democratic basic order and the state as a whole,” and “that’s why it’s high time to ban them.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Twenty-five years ago, Gerhard Schröder was elected as the Chancellor of Germany, and since then, he has faced considerable criticism, primarily due to his stance on Russia. In a rare interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung, he has now urged his own party, the SPD, to reconsider its policies and change its course.
Schröder emphasized that merely maintaining the status quo was insufficient and called for urgent investments in areas such as infrastructure, education, and housing to address public dissatisfaction.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Saxon Resident Assaulted at Israel Solidarity Demonstration
Daniel L., an engineer from Chemnitz in Saxony, suffered significant injuries including three broken ribs and a shattered collarbone, after being assaulted at a demonstration supporting Israel on the night of October 11.
Approximately 300 individuals had gathered in the city center to express their solidarity with Israel. However, a separate group of pro-Palestinian protesters set up nearby, inciting tension by singing provocative songs and spitting at the Israel supporters.
As per Daniel’s account to BILD, he had been on a leisurely evening walk when he came upon the Israel support demonstration. Pausing to observe the event, he witnessed three young men assault an elderly lady holding an Israeli flag. As they fled the scene, these individuals targeted Daniel, pushing him to the ground and subjecting him to a violent assault.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Head of the EU Expresses Disapproval of Israel’s Plan to Evict Palestinians From Gaza
Josep Borrell, the head of the European Union, has voiced his dissatisfaction with Israel’s plan to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. During a press conference held in Beijing, he referred to this plan as “completely unfeasible” and cautioned against potential humanitarian crises.
Representing the official stance of the European Union, Borrell emphasized that Israel’s plan to evacuate a million Gaza residents within 24 hours raises serious concerns and is deemed unacceptable.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Henry Kissinger: Hamas Attack Threatens European Nations, Global Stability
European nations must give unconditional support to the Israeli nation if they want to prevent a chaotic future of Islamic raids, Henry Kissinger told Politico.
“I would say that every European nation has the same interest [in defeating HAMAS] because the same attitude [of Islamic aggression] might erupt in the direction of Europe,” the 100-year-old diplomatic told Politico on October 11.
“I believe there should be unconditional political support for substantial Israel action,” said Kissinger, a German-born Jew who served in the Battle of the Bulge with the U.S. army against Adolf Hitler’s Nazi soldiers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former member of Cobra and commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told LBC’s Natasha Devon that events in Gaza “has caused enormous rage” among many Muslim communities in Europe.
Israel has bombarded Gaza, killing over 1,000, after more than 1,000 of its own citizens were killed by a Hamas attack last Saturday, with more kidnapped. Israel’s army is now preparing a large-scale ground invasion of Gaza to wipe out Hamas.
It has ordered Palestinians in the north of Gaza to flee, but there are fears many civilians will be killed in the ensuing conflict.
Some 50,000 people protested Israel’s actions on the streets of London and other British cities on Saturday, with seven protests as some participants became violent.
Colonel Kemp said: “I think what’s happening in in Gaza now, has caused enormous rage among the Islamic population in Europe and other other parts of the world. And Hamas and Iran and other other extremist organisations are doing their best to provoke attacks against Jews.
And… they have mentioned Christians as being targets of the attack as well. And anyone, really, who supports Israel.
He added that the threat of terrorism is “very real”.
Referencing the several deadly terrorists acts by Muslim extremists in the UK in recent years, Colonel Kemp said: “It doesn’t take a great deal to to incite the kind of violence that we’ve seen on the streets of Britain, for example, many times in the last few years, whether it be driving vehicles and people sticking knives into people or blowing them up…”
The current UK threat level is ‘substantial’ — the third-highest on the scale. The government says that means a terror attack is likely.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungarian Teachers’ Organizations in Carpathian Basin Condemn Ukraine’s Language Legislation
In a recent development, Hungarian teachers’ organizations within the Carpathian Basin have jointly issued a statement expressing their strong disapproval of Ukraine’s legislative actions since 2014. These laws according to them, systematically erode the rights of the Hungarian minority and severely restrict the use of their native language in educational settings, as reported by Hungary Today.
These organizations, signatories to the declaration, have unequivocally condemned what they perceive as a deliberate agenda to dismantle the Hungarian educational system in Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Student-Police Tension at Pro-Palestinian March in Rome
Demonstrators throw eggs and smoke bombs at officers
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 13 — Tension erupted between police and student demonstrators at a pro-Palestinian march in Rome Friday.
The students deviated from the route agreed with police chiefs and the police intervened.
The students threw eggs and smoke bombs towards the cordon of agents.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Conte Says M5S Suing Milan Jew Head for Antisemitism Claim
Intolerable defamation, had hoped he would apologise
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 13 — The 5-Star Movement (M5S) is to sue Milan Jewish community president Walker Meghnagi for calling the M5S anti-semites in refusing their participation at a pro-Israel event earlier this week, M5S leader and ex premier Giuseppe Conte said Friday.
Conte said they had been hoping Meghnagi might apologise but since he hadn’t they would take him to court.
“We can’t allow him this grave, intolerable defamation, which slings mud at the values, ideas and history of the representatives, activists and citizens who support our political community,” said Conte.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Brescia Mayor Revokes Zaki Invite to Peace Festival
‘He is divisive’ says Castelletti after comments on Israel
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 13 — Brescia Mayor Laura Castelletti has revoked the invitation to recently freed Egyptian Bologna University graduate and human rights activist Patrick Zaki to open a local festival in November after he called Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu a serial killer for his allegedly genocidal policies towards the Palestinians while condemning Hamas’s attack on Israel, Il Giornale di Brescia reported Friday. Castelletti reportedly took the decision on grounds Zaki, who was recently freed from detention in Egypt on subversion charges, is “divisive”.
“His words on Israel do not represent the message that the city wants to convey,” said the mayor, who had been criticised by the centre-right for not wanting to illuminate the seat of the municipal administration with the colours of Israel.
Earlier this week Zaki saw his engagements cancelled on the opening broadcast of a leading talkshow on Sunday and at the Arsenale della pace in Turin.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Knife Attack in French School Leads to 10 Detainees; Louvre Museum Evacuated Amidst Bomb Threat
After the knife attack at a school in the city of Arras, in which a teacher tragically lost their life, the number of individuals detained has risen from eight to ten, as reported by the Parisien newspaper, citing a police source.
On Friday morning, a 20-year-old man armed with a knife attacked staff at Gambetta High School in the Arras city located in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France while shouting “Allahu Akbar.” One person was killed, and three others were injured in the incident. The assailant was apprehended and was known to the police as a radical Islamist posing a threat to national security.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Konfederacja: Poland’s Nationalist Upstarts Light Fire Under PiS
For the average Konfederacja activist contemporary Poland is not what it seems.
Despite their country receiving near-constant praise from Western conservatives as a bastion of Christian Democracy, many Polish nationalists feel the country is culturally and politically slipping through their fingers. They see a geopolitical overdependence on the United States and a slow trickle of immigration opened up under the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) as laying the groundwork for future demographic change.
This week’s all-important parliamentary elections could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for conservative rule in Warsaw as a turbo-charged Europhile opposition led by Donald Tusks sets its sights on removing PiS from power.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lech Walesa Warns Poland of Civil War Ahead of Elections
Former Solidarity leader and ex-president of Poland, Lech Walesa, expressed serious concerns about the future of his country in an interview with the French magazine Le Point. As the pivotal parliamentary elections on October 15 approach, he shared his apprehensions regarding the current situation in Poland.
In his interview, Walesa cautions against the possibility of a civil war in Poland and fears that the authorities may resort to using weapons in response to a potential public uprising. He emphasizes that such a threat is not confined to Poland alone.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Louvre museum in Paris was evacuating all visitors and staff and closing early on Saturday after it received a written threat. The Louvre will reopen on Sunday after no bomb was found.
The Gare-de-Lyon terminus and the Palace of Versailles were evacuated later on Saturday.
Scenes from the Gare-de-Lyon train station in Paris saw panicked passengers hurrying out of the door.
The move was saids to be linked to the government’s decision to put France on high alert after a fatal school stabbing by a suspected extremist.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope Francis Blames Humans for Earthquakes, Claims ‘Carbon Emissions’ Cause Natural Disasters
Pope Francis has issued a new climate alarmist letter in which he claims that humans are causing earthquakes by emitting “carbon emissions.”
At one point, Francis suggests humans are causing “seaquakes” by ignoring the green agenda.
He continues by alleging that the world is “collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point” due to “climate change.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Riots Have Erupted in Germany in the Wake of Hamas Declaring a “World Jihad Day”
Hamas militants called on their supporters today, October 13, to show support for Palestine, naming it the “Flood Friday in Al-Aqsa,” as reported by Bild.
The Berlin police have taken measures in the Neukölln district, which is home to many migrants from Arab countries. According to the DPA agency, about a hundred people gathered on Sonnenallee Street with some of them carrying Palestinian flags. Law enforcement, fully equipped, cordoned off the intersection, blocking the path for the demonstrators. Pro-Palestinian activists expressed their outrage at the police’s actions and attempted to breach the blockade.
Simultaneously, Berlin schools have prohibited students from expressing solidarity with Hamas militants. For instance, students are now not allowed to wear so-called “Arafat scarves,” which are male headscarves and a common part of the wardrobe in Arab countries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The clip, that appears to have been filmed in Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, shows a woman wearing a Palestinian flag as a cape making apparent references to Nazi concentration camps.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Spanish MEPs Say No to Amnesty for Secessionists
The European People’s Party (EPP) has tabled an amendment to ban pardons and amnesties for corruption offenses in the draft European directive on corruption.
The Spanish EPP delegation in Brussels announced the move on Wednesday, October 11th, stating that the amendment has been signed by EPP president Manfred Weber.
The EU has been working on creating a more robust corruption law following the Qatargate money-for-influence scandal that rocked the Parliament late last year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Coalition in the Czech Republic is Struggling to Decide on a Candidate for the EP Elections
In the Czech Republic, the “Together” (SPOLU) coalition has recently faced challenges in finding a common candidate for the upcoming European Parliament elections. Representatives of the parties within the coalition held a meeting with confirmed and potential leaders to discuss a joint candidate, as reported by 420on.
At the moment, a decision on the candidate has not been made, but there are indications that the ODS, the People’s Party, and TOP 09 parties may join forces and present a common candidate for the European Parliament elections.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Majority of Germans Desire a Revision of the Traffic Light Coalition Agreement
Despite the Traffic Light Coalition being in office for two years, their coalition agreement seems to be outdated already, reports Der Spiegel.
In 2021, the SPD, Greens, and FDP formed a coalition at the federal level for the first time, and this was seen by many as a sign of a new beginning. The coalition agreement of the Traffic Light parties was titled “Daring More Progress” with the subtitle “Alliance for Freedom, Justice, and Sustainability.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Regulator Clears Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Acquisition After Deal Restructuring
Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been given the green light by the antitrust regulator in the United Kingdom. This decision comes after a restructured deal addressed the regulator’s previous concerns, as reported by Reuters.
In August, Activision agreed to sell its streaming rights to Ubisoft Entertainment and in the following month, Microsoft proposed solutions to ensure the sale’s terms were enforceable, alleviating lingering concerns.
This approval now allows Microsoft to complete the acquisition by October 18, following a three-month extension granted in July to secure UK approval.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Animal rights protestors had meat products waved in their faces by shoppers after they blocked the milk aisle of a supermarket.
Police were called to Sainsbury’s in Kingsmead Road, Canterbury, today after six supporters of climate and animal group Animal Rising occupied the store.
They held placards calling for the UK to adopt a plant-based food system.
The supporters arrived at about midday and occupied the shop floor for about 70 minutes.
And while there was support from customers, activists say two customers tried to provoke a response by hurling abuse and waving animal protects at them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Thousands of anti-Israel protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday, with some carrying the black Jihadist flag used by numerous Islamist terrorist organisations.
Following the murderous terror assault by Hamas on Israel last weekend, thousands poured out onto the streets of London and other British cities to condemn the retaliatory strikes from Israel and in some instances to glorify the murders of Jews and others by the Palestinian terror group.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Palestine flags and supportive placards were waved as people chanted, with Metropolitan Police and community support officers stationed nearby.
More than 1,000 officers were deployed to police the thousands gathering to show solidarity with Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Marchers made their way down Whitehall to a stage outside Downing Street.
People could be heard shouting “Rishi Sunak, shame on you” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” among the crowd.
The London protest was supposed to last from midday to about 3pm, but was still going on by 6pm.
Some protesters clashed with police, as bouts of angry shoving took place. There were also unverified reports of bottles thrown at officers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kosovo Shootout: Serb Politician to be Indicted for Involvement
Milan Radoicic, the former deputy head of the Serb List political party (the main party for Serbs living in Kosovo), is to be formally indicted for having led the September 24th terrorist attack in northern Kosovo.
After murdering a Kosovar Albanian policeman, about 30 Serb militants barricaded themselves in a monastery in the village of Banjska. In the ensuing shootout with Kosovo police, who had arrived on the scene, three of them lost their lives.
In the days following the attack, Radoicic resigned as vice president of the Serb List after admitting to his involvement in the militant action.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Blinken Calls for Protecting Civilians as Israel Masses Ground Troops on Gaza Border
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Saturday for protecting civilians in the Gaza Strip and Israel as he intensified his diplomatic outreach across the Middle East and beyond to rally an international response to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from expanding.
Blinken met with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh before stopping in the United Arab Emirates as he sought ways to help civilians trapped in between the fighting and to address the growing humanitarian crisis. He also called his Chinese counterpart as Palestinians struggled to flee from areas of Gaza targeted by the Israeli military before an expected land offensive.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Gaza’s Only Planned Parenthood Clinic Destroyed in Israeli Airstrike
Planned Parenthood’s only abortion clinic in Gaza has been destroyed by an Israeli air strike, according to reports.
The Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA) clinic was destroyed after an Israeli airstrike hit an adjacent building.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A statement from Al Qassam Brigades on its Telegram channel said the captives were killed ‘because of the zionist bombardment on the areas they were staying in’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Says it’s Preparing Gaza Ground Attack
The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday it was preparing to implement “a wide range of offensive operative plans,” which will include “an integrated and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land.”
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Israel Kills Key Hamas Commander in Airstrike as it Launches First Ground Missions in Gaza
Murad Abu Murad, who was the head of Hamas’ aerial operations, was killed in an overnight strike on Hamas’ headquarters for aerial activity, the Israeli Defence Forces said.
Abu Murad had “a big part in directing terrorists during the massacre” last weekend, which saw gunmen enter Israel from the air on paragliders.
It comes after the Israeli military announced on Friday evening that it had entered parts of the Gaza Strip on the ground for the first time in a bid to hunt down Hamas and search for hostages.
Dozens of Merkava main battle tanks rolled into Gaza alongside elite troops intended to track people down.
The IDF confirmed that over 120 civilians were being held captive in Gaza. Bodies of some of the Israelis seized were recovered by the army.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Israel Defense Forces are “preparing to implement a wide range of offensive operative plans which include, among other things, an integrated and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land,” they announced Saturday.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was overheard telling IDF servicemen “the next stage is coming” during a visit to two of the kibbutzes that were ravaged by Hamas terrorists earlier this week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bereaved parents Bassam Aramin and Robi Damelin were brought together by The Parents Circle-Families Forum (PCFF) — and say they now consider each other ‘family’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Lebanese Economy Minister Warns Entering War With Israel Would Send Lebanon Into the ‘Dark Ages’
Entering into battle against Israel would result in Lebanon plunging into “the Dark Ages,” according to Lebanon’s Minister of Economy, who noted that the “vulnerable” crisis-stricken country “cannot afford a war,” as he warned that even a “small escalation” would result in Lebanon paying a “very heavy price.”
In a Friday interview with the Abu-Dhabi-based National, Lebanon’s caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam expressed grave concerns about the potential implications for Lebanon in light of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, insisting that even a minimal escalation with Israel would “plunge [Lebanon] into the dark ages.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Issam Abdallah was killed after an Israeli shell landed in a gathering of international journalists, leaving six others injured.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Fierce Fighting Persists in Ukraine’s East as Kyiv Reports Nonstop Assaults by Russia on a Key City
KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian officials reported intense combat as Russian forces relentlessly assaulted the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka for a fifth consecutive day Saturday.
City leader Vitalii Barabash reported that Moscow was deploying additional forces to encircle the strategically important city in the eastern Donetsk region, situated just north of the Russian-held regional capital, also called Donetsk.
“The enemy hasn’t stopped either assaulting or shelling positions” around Avdiivka, Barabash said on Ukrainian television.
Around 1,600 civilians remain within the city, a stark contrast to its prewar population of about 31,000. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war against Ukraine in February 2022.
Barabash’s comments came after Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told a U.N. Security Council meeting on Friday that the intensified attacks in the east amounted to a new stage in Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine.
“Russian troops have, for several days now, switched over to active combat action practically throughout the entire front line. … The so-called Ukrainian counteroffensive can therefore be considered finished,” he said.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
The White House said that Kim Jong Un is, in return, seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technology to boost his military and nuclear programs.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Reports Heavy Assault From Russian Forces in Donetsk Region
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials reported intense combat as Russian forces relentlessly assaulted the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka for a fifth consecutive day Saturday.
City leader Vitalii Barabash reported that Moscow was deploying additional forces to encircle the strategically important city in the eastern Donetsk region, situated just north of the Russian-held regional capital, also called Donetsk.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Every state in Australia returned a resounding No result on Saturday night with Yes campaigners and voters across the country reacting with shock at margin by which the proposal was voted down.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The boxer and one-time footy star uploaded his stream-of-conscious response after the Yes campaign failed miserably on Saturday, losing in every single state.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Aussie man Blake Jory has described the heartbreaking decision to leave behind his Israeli partner who has been called up to serve in the country’s reserve forces, while he fled the country.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Sara El-Masry her husband and two young children from Western Sydney are stuck in the Palestinian territory.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Australia has had its Brexit moment, firmly rejecting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ‘s plans to enshrine a ‘Voice’ for Aboriginal people into its constitution.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Australian Referendum on Indigenous Recognition Fails as Voters Say ‘No’ to Constitutional Change
Advocates for constitutional change in Australia said they were devastated by the defeat of a referendum that would have created an advocacy committee to offer advice to Parliament on policies that affect indigenous people.
Early counting showed that 57% of voters opposed the Indigenous Voice.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation projections found New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia had rejected the amendment.
The Voice needed majorities in each of at least four of the six states as well as a national majority for the referendum to pass.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shocking footage has emerged of a young man who joined a large group of Nazi protestors at Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station in the early hours of Saturday morning.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
New Zealand Election: National Party’s Chris Luxon Claims Victory
The opposition National Party has won the New Zealand election, taking enough seats to form a coalition with its allies on the right wing of politics.
Incumbent prime minister Chris Hipkins, of Labour, phoned National’s leader Chris Luxon to concede defeat.
Mr Luxon thanked National voters and said they had “reached for hope” and “voted for change”.
It marks a rapid elevation for Mr Luxon, who became an MP in 2020 and National leader only a year later.
The New Zealand Herald reported that National was projected to win 50 seats with around 39% of the vote.
That tally combined with the 11 projected seats of Act, a natural ally on the right, would give it the thinnest of majorities in what looks likely to be a 121-seat parliament.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Centre-right opposition National is on track to win the New Zealand election, ending six years of Labour government.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Jewish synagogues briefly went into lockdown in Sydney ‘s eastern suburbs on Saturday morning as police conducted patrols in the area.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A No supporter for the Voice was allegedly called a ‘racist’ by a Yes voter during an angry confrontation outside a polling booth. The incident took place in Surry Hills in Sydney.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Voice Referendum Results: Which Towns and Suburbs Recorded the Biggest No Vote
The Voice to Parliament was resoundingly defeated across Australia, with the share of the No vote in some rural parts of the country well over 80 per cent.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Just hours after the historic Indigenous Voice to Parliament faced a crushing defeat at the polls, tensions have boiled over live on air between prominent No and Yes campaigners.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Voice No Voters Celebrate Marcia Langton’s Vow Never to Perform a Welcome to Country Ceremony Again
Triumphant No advocates have seized on the ‘threat’ by a leaving Yes advocate that traditional owners would refuse to do Welcomes to Country if the Voice failed at the ballot box.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Affluent electorates in Sydney ‘s eastern suburbs strongly supported the proposed change to the Constitution, along with voters on the city’s northern beaches.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Libertarian Outsider Maintains Narrow Lead as Argentina Enters Final Week of Presidential Race
Argentina is gearing up to hold its upcoming October 22 general election, in which five candidates will compete to lead the economically ailing nation for the next four years.
In addition to the president and vice president, the Argentine electorate will also head to the polls to fill 130 of the National Congress’s 257 seats as well as 24 of the 72 available Senate seats and some regional positions. The Argentine electorate will also get to vote to choose 43 new Argentine representatives at the Parlasur, the parliamentary institution of the Mercosur regional trade bloc.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fidesz Accuses Brussels of Endangering European Security With Migration Proposal
Istvan Hollik, the communications director of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, has strongly criticized Brussels for its migration proposal, alleging that it constitutes a threat to European security, as reported by About Hungary.
In a video shared on Facebook, Hollik argued that Brussels was introducing the risk of terrorism to Europe by pushing for mandatory quotas and migrant ghettos.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Suggests Aligning Refugee Benefits With EU Averages
Hendrik Wüst, the leading figure of the North Rhine-Westphalia state in Germany has put forth a proposition to adjust the social benefits extended to refugees, making them consistent with the average benefits provided across the European Union.
Wüst attributes the unequal influx of refugees within European nations to the discrepancies in social support standards. He points out that Germany’s superior economic performance makes it a more attractive destination for individuals from various EU nations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Republicans are moving to introduce legislation to block the United States from accepting any new Palestinian refugees who may emerge from the current crisis in Gaza.
Experts told The Post that more than a million such refugees could be created as Israel continues its bombardment of the Hamas-controlled enclave, one of those most densely populated regions in the world.
Reps. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) and Andy Ogles (R-TN) told Breitbart News they planned to imminently introduce the “Guaranteeing Aggressors Zero Admission Act” or the GAZA Act in order to prevent the Biden administration from granting visas to any holder of a Palestinian passport.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Immigration in Finland Maintains High Levels Despite a Slight Dip in Work-Based Immigration
Despite a slight decline in work-based immigration, Finland is still experiencing near-record levels of immigration, as reported by YLE, the Finnish public broadcasting company. From January 1 to September 23, the number of first residence permits and registrations of EU citizens based on work, study or family reunification reached 40,468. The forecast for the entire year stands at 54,092, surpassing the 2022 figures by over 5,000.
It’s important to note that the figures do not include Ukrainians, seasonal workers and family members of international protection recipients.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Risk of ‘Fighters’ Arriving With Migrants — Crosetto
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 14 — Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Saturday warned of the risk of Islamist fighters arriving in Italy with migrants from North Africa after the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel.
“It now becomes essential to defend the country’s security and I am convinced that this need will increase in the coming months, both because a new explosion of fundamentalism is possible and because these kind of phenomena increase the risk of immigration,” Crosetto said in Cephalonia on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Massacre of the Acqui Division on the Greek island during World War II.
“At the moment, there is a risk not only of immigration driven by poverty, but also of the arrival of people intent on doing harm.
“So checks must be increased even more because we cannot afford to let in people who come to fight us”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A notoriously lenient Manhattan judge has sprung at least three violent criminals in the past two years — and last week released a Venezuelan migrant without bail after he allegedly stabbed a man in Times Square, The Post has learned.
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Valentina Morales released Walter Almachi Leal, who arrived in the country just two months ago, after he slashed 43-year-old man with a busted beer bottle at 2:15 a.m. Oct. 2 during a dispute on West 39th Street, police said. The alleged victim required 20 stitches in his arm.
Prosecutors requested more than $5,000 cash bail or $7,500 bond for Leal, who’s staying at a shelter, but soft-on-crime Morales granted him supervised release, records show.
Her action enraged a Manhattan cop, who said the jurist is a clear and present danger — to New Yorkers and tourists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Venezuelan Migrants Attack, Injure Texas National Guard Member: Officials
Two Venezuelan migrants attacked and injured a Texas National Guard member in El Paso, Texas, causing him to fall into razor wire, Texas authorities announced this week.
Texas Department of Public Safety said that the incident took place on Wednesday morning. The soldier said that while he was standing near the wire, a female migrant grabbed him by the neck. Then, a male migrant grabbed his leg, causing him to tumble into the wire, which authorities had set up to prevent illegal migrant crossings.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Clemson University students have rallied to protest sanitary products being stripped from male bathrooms on their South Carolina campus.
Dressed in bright colors while clinging to signs with messages such as ‘hello, it’s the 21st century’, around 50 students attended the protest this week, calling for the reinstatement of sanitary products in the men’s bathrooms.
The feminine hygiene dispensaries were quietly taken away after the Clemson College Republicans slammed their presence on social media and triggered an onslaught of criticism.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Chris and Tamira Hutchinson left with their three daughters — Olivia, 9, Scarlett, 7, and Bella, 3 — in May. The father revealed five reasons why they will not be coming back ‘home’ soon.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
PFLAG, Parents of 9-Year-Old ‘Trans Child’ Sue North Carolina to Allow Child Sex Changes
A 9-year-old North Carolina child who claims to be transgender has launched a lawsuit against her home state over the statewide ban on medical sex changes for minors. Voe, being just 9-years-old, is the face of the case, which was brought by Voe’s parents Vanessa and Vance Voe, Riley Smith MD, PFLAG Inc., the American Association of Physicians for Human Rights, and GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality. The parents are bringing the suit under pseudonyms for “safety and privacy.”
The suit claims that “with his puberty approaching, Victor will soon need medical care that is prohibited by the Health Care Ban.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK’s NHS Advises Trans-Identiifed on Testosterone to Breastfeed Despite Unknown Risks to Babies
The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom is offering guidance to transgender individuals who are taking testosterone, encouraging them to continue doing so while breastfeeding their babies, even though potential risks to the child are not fully understood, as reported by Reduxx.
This advice came under scrutiny on social media and raised concerns among advocates for women’s rights and child welfare.
A screenshot from the NHS’s “Testosterone and Pregnancy” page, shared by @GenderReceipts, initially mentions that testosterone may affect milk supply, potentially making chestfeeding impossible.
However, it then suggests that if chestfeeding while on testosterone is possible, the milk might contain trace amounts of the hormone.
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