Three youths who allegedly supported the Islamic State were arrested in France for planning to attack the Israeli embassy in Paris. Meanwhile, a man in Tennessee was convicted of attempting to provide material support to ISIS.
In other news, explosions were heard inside a US military base in Iraq after it was attacked with rockets.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Insubria, JW, McN, 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.
Australians Turn to Petty Crimes as Cost-of-Living Crisis Worsens
In an alarming trend reflecting the financial strain on Australian households, a Finder survey of over 1000 participants exposes a startling reality: 2.4 million Australians, more than 10% of the population, have resorted to shoplifting as a means of coping with the escalating cost-of-living.
The study, released today, sheds light on the desperation of many, showcasing how economic pressures have driven citizens to low-level crimes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over 63% of Italian Families Struggle to Make Ends Meet
European average is 45.5% says Eurostat
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 21 — Italy is the only one among the large European countries (France, Germany and Spain) where the share of households reporting at least some difficulty in making ends meet in 2022 is above 63%, Eurostat said Saturday.
A breakdown by country shows how the percentage of households reporting at least some difficulty in making ends meet in 2022 varies from less than a quarter in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Luxembourg to 80.3% in Bulgaria and 89.6% in Greece.
Italy falls into this category — or at least 63% of the total — surpassing France, Poland, Spain and Portugal. The European average is 45.5%.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
S&P Confirms Italy Rating at BBB, Outlook Stable
Honest judgement-Giorgetti, 1st OK to budget then Moody’s, Fitch
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 21 — Standard & Poor’s on Friday night confirmed Italy’s credit rating at BBB with a stable outlook.
Although Italy’s growth forecasts have fallen, it said, that does not change the score on the country’s ability to service its high debt, the second highest in the eurozone after Greece’s.
This was the first judgement on the government’s 2024 budget bill, on which the government is convinced it has acted with balance and prudence, as reiterated lately by Premier Giorgia Meloni and Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti.
The latter called S&P’s decision to confirmed Italy’s rating “an honest judgement”.
After S&P, Fitch and Moody’s will shortly issue their latest ratings of Italy’s credit.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
16-Year-Old Ran Personal Best Before Collapsing, Dying at Texas Cross-Country Meet
A Texas teenager tragically collapsed and died at a cross-country meet moments after breaking his personal time record, according to local reports.
Angel Hernandez, a 16-year-old sophomore at Chisholm Trail High School, had just completed a 5K at a district track meet in Haltom City in Tarrant County on Oct. 13 when he collapsed right after crossing the finish line, witnesses told KHOU.
The teen’s concerned friends walked him over to a water fountain where he fell again. He was rushed to a local hospital where he died an hour later.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Black Lives Matter Leader Stands Behind J6 Prisoners, Endorses Trump
Authored by Matt McGregor via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
The founder of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization is voicing his support of Jan. 6 prisoners and not shying away from endorsing former President Donald Trump as “the best candidate we have.”
Mark Fisher—who stepped down from his leadership position at BLM Rhode Island, which he co-founded, and is now founder and executive director of the Maryland-based BLM Incorporated—has stood in solidarity with leaders of the Proud Boys and led vigils of prayer for the people he believes to be political prisoners.
“They’re lambs led to slaughter to be sacrificed as an example for all who might want to dissent in the future,” Mr. Fisher told The Epoch Times. “This is what the government does to those who express independent thought and want to stand up for what they believe.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chaos Ensues as Anti-Israel Protestors Clash With Police in Brooklyn’s Streets, at Least 19 Arrested
On Saturday night, thousands of anti-Israel protestors clashed with police during a demonstration in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn that ended with 19 adults and three minors being arrested, New York Daily News reports.
The protest became more heated with police as they tried to get people to leave the area, according to the Daily Mail. Protesters chanted, “Move, cops, get out the way. We know you’re Israeli-trained” as they became more unruly.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
They weren’t laughing.
Comedian Dave Chappelle criticized the United States for backing Israel’s “war crimes” against Palestinians during a live performance in Boston Thursday, prompting some audience members to walk out, according to a report.
The controversial comic made the remarks during a show at the TD Garden on Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Chappelle condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that left some 1,400 Israelis dead — but blasted what he claimed were Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, sparking some pushback from the crowd, people in attendance told the outlet.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee Allegedly Caught Berating Staff: ‘Two G**d*** Big A** F***ing Idiots’
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) was allegedly caught on a secret recording obtained by Current Revolt berating her staffers with vulgar language.
The recording comes as Jackson, who has long been considered one of the worst people to work for in Congress, launched a campaign to become the next mayor of Houston.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Director of National Intelligence is Sued for Online Censorship Records
Judicial Watch, a vigilant watchdog organization, has launched a legal offensive against the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) seeking transparency over alleged social media censorship. The lawsuit, identified as Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, stems from an ignored Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request made in May 2023. This act of legal resistance underscores a broader struggle against censorship and an enduring defense of free speech.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Driving Force Action Launches Campaign to Repeal Virginia’s Electric Vehicle Mandate
Driving Force Action announced in a Monday press release the launch of new political ads in Virginia with the aim to drum up support for Senate candidates in the state that would help Governor Glenn Youngkin repeal Virginia’s ban on the new sales of gas-powered vehicles starting in 2035, mirroring laws passed in California and other states.
The ad campaign is led by John Hotchkis, the founder and president of Hotchkis Sport Suspension which supplies parts to several Virginia specialty automotive companies, who moved to North Carolina from California in 2019 in response to increased regulations placed on citizens and businesses in the Golden State.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
President Biden’s electric vehicle mandate may cost him reelection in 2024, with the CEO of Ford Motor Company slamming it as “political football” as new surveys reveal that members of the United Auto Workers union are pulling their support for Biden.
The auto manufacturing industry has been a key political target among both Democrat and Republican candidates this election cycle, with President Biden mandating electric vehicles under the guise of combatting “climate change” while former President Donald Trump, who has a pro-fossil fuels stance, warns the mandate will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Google’s News Division Faces Massive Workforce Cut
Google has slashed its workforce in the news division this week amid ongoing challenges for online platforms and publishers. It is believed that approximately 40 to 45 employees in Google News have been affected by these job cuts, as stated by a spokesperson from the Alphabet Workers Union, who couldn’t specify the precise figure.
While a Google representative acknowledged the staff reductions, they did not disclose the exact number, emphasizing that there are still hundreds of employees dedicated to the news product, CNBC reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Haley Pulls Dead Even With DeSantis — But Trump Still Crushes the GOP Presidential Field: Poll
Former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are running dead even for second place in the 2024 Republican primary, a recent national poll found.
DeSantis, 45, and Haley, 51, both scored 8% apiece, while former President Donald Trump dominated all of his GOP peers with 59% support, according to the Emerson College poll.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Harry and Meghan Take Private Jet for Caribbean Holiday After Climate Conference
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, aka climate worriers Harry and Meghan, departed on a private jet to enjoy some Caribbean solitude after attending a conference that claimed “climate change” is damaging children’s mental health.
The Daily Mirror reports the woke Royal pair attended the summit in New York on October 10 then flew from New Jersey to Canouan in a Falcon 7X for a holiday the next day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two American women who were held hostage by Hamas are pushing back on claims made by far-left activist Shaun King, who claimed that he knew them and that he helped negotiate their release.
Judith and Natalie Raanan, residents of Evanston, Illinois, located outside of Chicago, were released by terrorists on Friday. They were in Israel to “celebrate a relative’s 85th birthday and the Jewish holiday season,” according to the Times of Israel.
The Jerusalem Post laid out the timeline of King’s claims about his alleged relationship with those who were released.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘I Will Never Vote Biden’: Michigan Muslims ‘Betrayed’ by Blank-Check Backing of Israel
President Biden’s overwhelmingly pro-Israel response to this month’s major escalation of violence between Palestinians and Israel has the approval of many Americans, but it could well cost him 15 electoral votes in the crucial swing state of Michigan — and by extension, his presidency.
Muslim Democratic Party leaders in the state tell NBC News that their demographic, which may have put Biden over the top in 2020, may well abandon him in 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illinois Lawyer Fired From Comptroller’s Office After Antisemitic Tirade
An Illinois attorney has been fired from the state’s comptroller’s office after social media messages surfaced showing the woman going on an antisemitic tirade.
A spokesperson for Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza told Reuters that legal counsel Sarah Chowdhury was “immediately fired” after the office became aware of the Instagram messages, and that Chowdhury had “admitted to at least some of the posts.”
The spokesperson said, “Comptroller Mendoza has zero tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lawmakers Warned of Violent Crime on Capitol Hill as Robberies, Carjackings Surge in D.C.
Washington D.C. lawmakers have been warned about the dangers of violent crime on Capitol Hill as robberies and carjackings surge in the nation’s capital.
The Senate has warned lawmakers and Capitol Hill staffers to take precautions amid soaring violent crime throughout D.C.
On Friday, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms sent a bulletin to Senate chiefs of staff, administrative managers, chief clerks, and staff directors.
The bulletin suggested tips to reduce the risk of being carjacked and warned of an increase in carjackings around the nation’s capital.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liz Cheney Refuses to Rule Out Presidential Run
Disgraced former Rep. Lize Cheney (R-WY) has hinted that she’s considering a challenge against President Donald Trump by refusing to rule out a presidential run next year.
During a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said she wanted to work with both Republicans and Democrats in an effort to stop Trump.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked Cheney if she is ruling out a run in 2024 herself.
“No, I’m not,” Cheney said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Manhunt Continues for Nashville Police Chief’s Son Suspected in Shooting of 2 Tennessee Officers
LA VERGNE, Tenn. — Police in Tennessee were searching Sunday for the estranged son of Nashville’s police chief as the suspect in the shooting of two police officers outside a Dollar General store.
Officers in La Vergne, a city about 20 miles southeast of Nashville, were investigating a stolen vehicle outside the store Saturday afternoon when they struggled with the suspect, who pulled a handgun and shot them, said LaVergne Police Chief Christopher Moews.
Police identified the suspect as John C. Drake, Jr., 38, who is the son of Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Massachusetts Teen Indicted on Federal Charge in ISIS-Supporting Gift Card Scheme
A Massachusetts teenager arrested earlier this year on suspicion of running a gift card-reselling scheme to raise money for ISIS has been indicted in federal court.
Mateo Ventura, an 18-year-old from Wakefield who was arrested in June, raised $705 between January and May by giving gift cards to someone he believed supported ISIS, thinking the cards would be resold on the dark web and the profits sent to the terrorist group, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts said.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that a federal grand jury in Boston had indicted Ventura on a charge of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York AG Letitia James Backtracks on Censorship Demands of Rumble
In the face of determined resistance in defense of free speech, New York Attorney General Letitia James has withdrawn her overreach in demanding that Rumble, the social media platform, censor expression related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
This move arrives in reaction to the advocacy of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), asserting that her initiative blatantly contravened the First Amendment and a federal court order restraining the enforcement of New York’s Online Hate Speech Law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over 500 Students Absent, ‘Scared’ After Washington State High School Intrusion of Masked Attackers
Over 500 high school students were absent from a Washington state high school Tuesday, after a small squad of masked individuals caused havoc during the school day Monday.
The Auburn School District told Fox News Digital that 532 students were absent from Auburn Riverside High School on Tuesday, after an incident shook up the tight-knit school community.
“We had an incident on Monday that has been widely publicized that has contributed to the number of students absent at that school [Tuesday],” a spokesperson from the school district said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Peter Thiel Was an FBI Informant: Report
Tech billionaire and GOP megadonor Peter Thiel has been revealed to be an FBI informant, according to a new exclusive report.
Thiel, 56, who co-founded PayPal, reportedly became a “confidential human source” for the FBI in the summer of 2021, per Insider. The allegations came from Charles Johnson, a tech investor and longtime associate of Thiel who spoke with the outlet. Insider writes that Johnson had stepped forward with his expose because of perceived bad decisions by Thiel’s Founders Fund, among other things.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republicans Move to Elect Ex-George Soros Spox as House Speaker
After pushing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) out of the race, Republicans are now moving to elect former George Soros spokesman Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) as speaker of the House.
Emmer currently serves as the House Majority Whip.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ringleader of Chicago’s Anti-White, Post-2016 Election Torture Incident Released From Prison
A Chicago thug who in 2017 tortured a disabled teen while his friend gleefully streamed it live on social media — explicitly saying it was because they hated whites and Donald Trump — was released from prison this week, having served less than seven years of his eight-year hate-crime sentence.
Jordan Hill left the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections on Tuesday, according to records obtained by The Daily Wire. In January 2017, Hill, Tesfaye Cooper, and Brittany and Tanishia Covington kidnapped a mentally disabled 18-year-old and laughed as they tortured him, including making him drink out of a toilet.
Hill used a stolen van to kidnap the victim and held him in captivity there for three days before driving him to the Covingtons’ apartment, where they tied him up.
They beat him and cut out part of his scalp with a knife, screaming “f*** white people” and forcing their victim to say “F*** Trump” and “I love black people.” Then they demanded a ransom from their victim’s mother. On January 3, police found the victim wandering outside “bloodied” and “battered.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tennessee Man Convicted for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS
A Tennessee man was convicted by a federal jury of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, the Department of Justice announced.
Benjamin Carpenter, 31, of Knoxville, was convicted of the terrorism charge on Thursday at the conclusion of an eight-day trial. Also known as Abu Hamza, Carpenter faces up to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.
According to the Department of Justice, evidence presented at trial showed Carpenter served as the leader of Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, an international organization of pro-ISIS supporters dedicated to translating, producing and distributing ISIS propaganda throughout the world.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tom Cotton Says Biden’s $100B Request That Includes Aid for Gaza is ‘Dead on Arrival’
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), who works closely with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, said Friday that President Joe Biden’s request for $105 billion in foreign aid doesn’t stand a chance to pass the Senate in its current form.
Biden announced the foreign aid package that sends $60 billion to Ukraine and includes $3.5 billion for Gaza during his address to the nation on Thursday. The president touted the package as vital support for Israel as well, but the majority of the funds would go to Ukraine. While Ukraine would receive $60 billion under the aid package, Israel would be sent $14 billion for “sharpen[ing] Israel’s military edge,” to replenish its Iron Dome, and to send a message to Iran that the U.S. stands with Israel, Biden said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Distances Himself From ‘Kraken’ Lawyer Sidney Powell: ‘Not My Attorney, and Never Was’
Donald Trump distanced himself from a controversial lawyer who once vowed to “release the Kraken” to help the former president overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump issued a post on his Truth Social media site on Sunday, claiming that Sidney Powell was “never” his attorney just days after Powell cut a plea agreement with Fulton County prosecutors.
“Despite the Fake News reports to the contrary, and without even reaching out to ask the Trump Campaign, MS. POWELL WAS NOT MY ATTORNEY, AND NEVER WAS,” Trump insisted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Thursday, 32-year-old veteran NYPD Officer Grace Rose Baez was arrested along with 42-year-old Casar Martinez and charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and the distribution of narcotics after they allegedly tried to sell large quantities of drugs to a federal informant between Oct. 9 and 29.
According to authorities, Baez brought what she said was “top quality” fentanyl in a Mentos container to give the informant in an attempt to get them to buy large quantities of other drugs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A So-Called ‘Vigil’ for Gaza in Kitchener, Ont., Turns Ugly, Real Fast…
The definition of a “vigil” is: “to stay in a place and quietly wait, pray, etc., for a period of time.”
Alas, what transpired on Thursday evening in Kitchener, Ont., was anything but a vigil, even though the event was indeed billed as a “vigil for Gaza.”
Fittingly, the event began outside Kitchener’s CBC building. Fittingly because the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation refuses to allow its journalists to call Hamas terrorists “terrorists” — even though the Canadian government, a.k.a., the CBC’s sugar daddy, classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization. Your tax dollars hard at work yet again, folks…
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Another Pro-Hamas Rally in Toronto, Thankfully, No Storming of Ontario’s Legislature
Hogtown’s pro-Hamas demonstrators were super busy spreading their hatred on Friday.
First, they appeared at Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland’s constituency office demanding that Fraulein Freeland call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Alas, there’s that little matter of 200+ hostages being held by the Hamas hooligans, so a ceasefire at this juncture would be somewhat premature…
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
One Month in, and the Prosecution’s Case Against Tamara Lich is Still Weak Tea
On Friday’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra was joined by Robert Kraychik, who has been covering the trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber in Ottawa. The trial of the two freedom convoy leaders has now been underway for more than a month.
As two of the most prominent faces of the Freedom Convoy, Lich and co-accused Chris Barber are facing charges of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief, and intimidation.
Robert and Ezra discussed how the prosecution is still struggling to build a case against the defendants. Earlier on, Ezra had thought he would cover more the trial, but one day in court realized some of the witnesses being called weren’t even able to provide firsthand evidence related to Lich and Barber.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Saskatchewan Government Passes Parents’ Bill of Rights
Saskatchewan’s parental rights legislation passed the legislature on Friday, intensifying the long-winded diatribes from the NDP caucus who voted no.
Bill 137, the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act, received 39 votes in support from the Saskatchewan Party and one vote from the lone Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) representative, Nadine Wilson.
Wilson praised the passing of the bill, calling it a “necessary first step in bringing parents back into their children’s education.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A New Report Throws Cold Water on Man-Made Global Warming Pseudoscience
Statistics Norway just published a bomb-shell of a paper that offers a real analysis of global temperatures. The English translation of the paper is available HERE, and is well worth looking at for anyone interested in the facts behind global temperature trends.
Climate Discussion Nexus offers an introduction to why this paper is so important:
Well, this is awkward. Statistics Norway, aka Statistisk sentralbyrå or “the national statistical institute of Norway and the main producer of official statistics”, has just published a paper “To what extent are temperature levels changing due to greenhouse gas emissions?”
The awkward part isn’t trying to grasp the subtleties of Norwegian since it’s also available in English. It’s that the Abstract bluntly declares that “standard climate models are rejected by time series data on global temperatures” while the conclusions state “the results imply that the effect of man-made CO2 emissions does not appear to be sufficiently strong to cause systematic changes in the pattern of the temperature fluctuations.”
But the really awkward part is that a paper from a government agency dares to address openly so many questions the alarmist establishment has spent decades declaring taboo, from the historical record on climate to the existence of massive uncertainty among scientists on it.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The terror-cell, made up of teenagers, is suspected of having planned multiple attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in Europe
French intelligence services have thwarted a terrorist cell that was planning attacks against the Jewish community, according to information reported Saturday by Le Parisien.
Made up of young adults, of various nationalities, connected by encrypted messaging and video games, the cell is notably suspected of having planned an attack against an Israeli embassy, in particular the one located near Brussels.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany’s Budget Falls Short by 5 Billion Euros for Military Aid to Kyiv — Bild
The German Ministry of Defense is concerned about the budget for 2024 because it lacks over 5 billion euros for military aid to Kyiv, reports Bild.
According to the publication, the German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has allocated too little money for Ukraine in next year’s budget. Assistance to Ukraine is included in the general expenses section, which currently comprises 3.1 billion euros for “promised measures,” 770 million euros for assistance via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Only 120 million euros remain for new military projects, which are described in the article as “meager.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: A Solidarity Event With Israel is Taking Place at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
The Federal President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, opened the rally with a speech emphasizing that the protection of “Jewish life” in the country is not only a duty of the state but also a “civil obligation” of the population, as reported by Bild.
The event, initiated by the German-Israeli Society, is attended by political parties, religious communities, as well as labor unions and employer associations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany is torn between the obligation to defend Israel due to its Nazi past, but “not everyone in Germany sees it that way.” This refers to the country’s numerous Islamic population, but not exclusively. Both left-wing and right-wing activists have shown support for Palestinians, according to Politico.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Hamas Not Defending Palestine But Waging Jihad Says Meloni
They want to stop Mideast normalisation process says PM
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 21 — Islamist militant group Hamas is not defending Palestinian teritory but waging jihad or holy war on Israel, Premier Giorgia Meloni said in meeting the press in Cairo on the sidelines of the Mideast peace summit Saturday.
“My view is that the way Hamas has attacked Israel is that the Palestinian cause has nothing to do with it,” said Meloni.
“What is being pursued is an Islamic jihad.
“What is being pursued is an attempt to prevent a process of normalisation in the Middle East”, she said.
The prime minister explained “there is and will be a strategy of division, to create a clash of civilisations and a war of religion.
“But it must not become one, because it is not”.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Row Over Women Dressed as ‘Tables’ at Gala Event
Case recalls chocolate covered woman in Sardinia in August
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 21 — A row has erupted in Italy over a gala industrialists’ evening in Verona at which young women were dressed as tables offering champagne to guests, in an allegedly sexist incident.
Verona Deputy Mayor and Gender Equality Councillor Barbara Bissoli wrote to the president of the local industrial zone consortium, Matteo Gasparato, complaining about “an objectification of women that fuels a misogynistic and patriarchal culture which, with great effort, we are striving to eliminate”.
The case recalls that, perhaps more serious, of a pastry buffet at a Sardinian hotel in August featuring as centrepiece a woman in a swimming costume covered in chocolate, which was also blasted as objectifying the female figure.
A photo of the woman posted on social media by a Milanese manager staying at the Voi Colonna Hotel at Golfo Aranci went viral spurring indignant comments.
“I’m literally gobsmacked when I look at this scene,” said the manager.
“What do the Alpitour managers think of this representation of the female body? My 14-year-old daughter said: ‘Dad, how disgusting, this is not a country where women can achieve things’.”
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: League to Rally in Defence of Western Values Nov 4
Achievements, fundamental rights can’t be called into question
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 20 — The ruling rightwing League party is to rally in Milan in defence of Western values after the Hamas attack on Israel in Milan on November 4, leader, Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini confirmed Friday.
In announcing the event Thursday, Salvini said it would also be in honour of late journalist Oriana Fallaci, who came out against Islamic extremists and Islam in general after 9/11, and in both writing and interviews warned that Europe was “too tolerant of Muslims”.
On Friday Salvini said the demo would be against fanaticism in all its forms.
“That of Saturday 4 November in Milan will be a square open to all, peaceful, sunny, with an eye to the future,” he said on social media.
“An occasion to reaffirm the importance of freedom and democracy, the fight against terrorism, anti-Semitism and Islamist fanaticism.
“The achievements and fundamental rights that characterise the West cannot be called into question.
“At a time of serious tensions, Italy has a duty to underline its place among democratic and free countries”.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Scholz Calls for “Zero Tolerance” Towards Anti-Semitism in Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during the opening of a new synagogue on Sunday, pledged to eradicate anti-Semitism in the country amid a surge in anti-Jewish incidents due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Scholz’s speech was quoted by the AFP news agency.
He promised that Germany would “protect and defend” Jewish life, Scholz stated. He expressed shock at the anti-Semitism spreading “worldwide and unfortunately here in Germany” following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The EU Demands “Disinformation” Answers From Meta and TikTok
The European Union has instigated investigations into two technological titans, Meta, the company that owns Facebook, and TikTok. The probes focus on assessing the actions these two companies have taken to halt the proliferation of “illegal content and disinformation” in the aftermath of the recent Hamas assault on Israel and subsequent escalation of conflict.
Notably, this process represents the one of the first set of actions initiated under the newly minted EU legislation targeting online speech.
Prior to this, the EU had sparked similar inquiries into X. The request for information from Meta hinges specifically around the amplification and spread of “disinformation” and illicit content linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a parallel vein, the EU is seeking to garner insight into TikTok’s strategy to combat the diffusion of terrorist provocation, violent material, and “hate speech.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Thousands Rally Across Europe to Support Israel and Demand Hamas Release Hostages
Protests were held across Europe on Sunday to show support for Israel and to demand that the Islamist Hamas terror organisation release the hostages taken during the brutal October 7th terror attacks.
Rallies in support of Israel were held in Berlin, Geneva, and London on Sunday, as demonstrators mourned the murder of over 1,400 people in Israel and the estimated 200 taken hostage by Hamas terrorists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: 100,000 Protest Against Israel in London as Antifa and Islamic Flags Fly
An estimated 100,000 people joined a pro-Palestinian rally in London on Saturday, including far-left groups such as Antifa.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
UK: London Police Declare Calling for Jihad is Lawful as Word Has ‘Number of Meanings’
London’s Metropolitan Police have come under criticism for their seemingly lax approach towards pro-Palestine demonstrations and for giving excuses for those calling for “jihad” against Israel on the streets of the British capital.
An estimated 100,000 anti-Israel protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday. Ahead of the demonstration, the Met police warned activists that they may face arrest if they were seen to be supporting proscribed terror groups like Hamas.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Al Jazeera Could be Removed From Israel Under Proposed New Law
A cloud of potential media censorship is looming over Israel following recent moves that hint at a possible banning of Qatar-based global broadcaster Al Jazeera. Fresh emergency regulations were approved that may curtail the media outreach of the network, which Israel perceives as biased, serving enemies’ propaganda, and hence threatening its national security.
The spark for these new regulations was kindled by Shlomo Karhi, the Israeli Communications Minister, who had proposed them earlier in the week. The regulations empower officials to seize broadcast equipment and suspend media broadcasts if they suspect an outlet is jeopardizing national security, disrupting public order, or peddling enemy propaganda. Both Karhi and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara have greenlighted these regulations, generating a significant potential threat to the Israeli operations of Al Jazeera. The media giant presently boasts some of the few international operations in both Israel and the Gaza Strip.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Blast: Ambulances Heard Near Rafah Crossing Between Egypt and Gaza, Witnesses Say
CAIRO, Oct 22 (Reuters) — An explosion and the sound of ambulances were heard near the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Sunday afternoon, shortly after a second aid convoy had entered the crossing from the Egyptian side, witnesses said.
The cause and the exact location of the blast were not immediately clear.
Since conflict began on Oct. 7 between Hamas and Israel, bombardments on the Gaza side of the crossing have damaged roads and buildings that needed repairing before a first convoy of aid trucks passed through Rafah into Gaza on Saturday.
| — Hat tip: McN | [Return to headlines] |
Hamas Terrorists Found Carrying Instructions for Cyanide-Based Chemical Weapons
Hamas terrorists killed in the horrific Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel were discovered carrying instructions on how to deploy cyanide-based chemical bombs, Israeli officials revealed.
The directions included detailed diagrams for a “cyanide dispersion device” and were stored in USBs found on the bodies of Hamas operatives who massacred Kibbutz Be’eri, according to Israeli intelligence reviewed by Axios.
“This finding points to an intention by Hamas to use chemical weapons as part of its terror attack against civilians,” a cable sent by Israel to its embassies read.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hamas & IDF Ground Forces Clash for 1st Time Inside Gaza: Israeli Soldier Killed, Others Wounded
Update(1515ET): Hamas has claimed to have repelled a brief Israeli ground incursion, in what marks the first such reported direct ground fight between two sides in Gaza. The Al-Qassam Brigades announced its fighters destroyed two Israeli military bulldozers and a tank as part of an ambush amid the IDF’s conducting ‘limited’ incursions into the strip.
“The soldiers of the Zionist force that fell into the Khan Younis ambush left their vehicles and fled east of the fence on foot,” the Hamas wing said on social media. The IDF as expected did not confirm the claims, saying only that “shots were fired at IDF soldiers operating west of the Gaza Strip security fence, in the area of Kissufim.” Instead, the IDF said only that “An IDF tank struck the terrorist cell who fired at the soldiers” — but did confirm its forces were operating inside Gaza at the time of the incident.
The IDF appears to have begun taking casualties, and the major ground offensive has yet to even begin. Importantly, an IDF statement cited in a fresh Times of Israel update appears to back Hamas’ account of repelling the IDF tank and bulldozers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ISIS Calls for Jewish Attacks Around the World
Terrorist group ISIS has called for violent targeting of Jewish people worldwide in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest ever airstrikes on Gaza. According to the Associated Press on Friday, the Gaza Health Ministry said that 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and over 13,000 wounded. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, the AP reported.
Published on Friday in Arabic in Al-Naba, a weekly magazine by ISIS, it advocates for violence and murder against Jewish people worldwide. The terror group has a history of systematic persecution of religious groups, including Muslims.
Issue 413 contains an infographic titled, “Practical ways to support Muslims in Palestine,” which encourages attacks on Jewish people and Israel, with the goal of “returning its land to the House of Islam again,” a translation from Arabic to English completed by Newsweek has found.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Foils ‘Significant and Imminent Terror Attack’ by Striking Terror Tunnels Under Mosque
Israeli officials say that they executed an aerial strike on a mosque inside Gaza that was being used as a command center for terrorists who were preparing to carry out “a significant and imminent terror attack.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it launched the attack on the command center located under the Al-Ansar Mosque early Sunday local time in conjunction with Shin Bet, an Israeli intelligence agency.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Elite Israeli Unit to Hunt Down Every Hamas Terrorist Involved in Sneak Slaughter
An elite unit of Israeli agents has been formed to hunt down every Hamas terrorist involved in the heinous Oct. 7 sneak attack on the Jewish state, according to reports.
The specially selected members of Shin Bet, Israel’s version of the FBI, will function independently from other units targeting high-ranking terrorists, the Jerusalem Post said.
The new unit will specifically target members of the special Hamas commando group called Nukhba, which is believed to have pulled off the attack that slaughtered hundreds of innocent Israelis along the country’s border with the Gaza Strip.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Opinion: Civilian Casualties Part of the Plan for Hamas Terror
Early news reports are the first draft of history, and Hamas’ effort to blame Israel for an explosion at a Gaza hospital are collapsing under scrutiny. It’s also vital to understand that there’s a vast gulf between trying to minimize civilian casualties and encouraging them as a propaganda tool.
Hundreds were killed Tuesday in Gaza City at a hospital crowded with people seeking safe haven. U.S. intelligence officials say the explosion came from a rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group that went off prematurely.
“Among the evidence that’s been gathered is a blast analysis that suggests it was a ground explosion rather than an airstrike that hit the hospital,” a source told CNN. “There was no singular crater suggesting there was a bomb, but there was extensive fire damage and scattered debris that is consistent with an explosion starting from the ground level, according to the source.”
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
The Myth That Israel/Netanyahu Created/Funded Hamas
by Daniel Greenfield
Since these false claims that Israel created Hamas or that Netanyahu supported Hamas are circulating across social media, let’s address them.
Hamas is an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization founded in Egypt in the 1920s, before the rebirth of the State of Israel, but which now has a presence in Israel and in much of the world. In its early days it coordinated with the Nazis and received support from Nazi Germany.
The Gaza Strip used to be ruled by Egypt which helps explain the strength of Hamas in the area.
The Muslim Brotherhood operates in the United States and Europe under different names and front groups, such as CAIR. It also has terrorist organizations including arguably Al Qaeda, whose leaders have mostly been MB members, and which after Bin Laden was run by members of an Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood splinter group.
The Muslim Brotherhood operates under various identities inside Israel. There are two branches of the Islamic Movement, one of which has seats in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Hamas initially resembled them, focusing on religion, social work and non-violent politics, before it gained strength and revealed its real true agenda.
This is how the Muslim Brotherhood tends to operate. It pretends to be political and non-violent until it can seize power.
The Israelis, like the Americans and Europeans, were initially fooled by Hamas and viewed it as western governments tend to see Muslim Brotherhood organizations in their own countries as religious and political, but not terrorist.
That obviously changed.
When the Bush administration pushed elections in the Palestinian Authority as part of its democracy agenda, Hamas easily won them. The Palestinian Authority then ended any future elections to avoid losing them to Hamas…
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
US Military Base Attacked With Rockets, Explosions Heard Inside Base
In Iraq, a rocket attack was carried out on the American military base at Ain al-Asad, causing explosions heard at the airbase. According to reports from official agencies, the sound of explosion was heard inside the airbase, and Ain al-Asad base experienced continuous gunfire for three days.
It’s worth noting that a few days ago, both Syria and Iraq had seen American military installations targeted.
On the night of October 8th, the base was attacked with drones and rockets, and multiple explosions were heard from inside. The following day, there was another attack with two drones.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
The Biden administration blocked Ukraine from agreeing to a peace agreement with Russia in the early days of the war, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has claimed.
In an interview with the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, Gerhard Schröder, who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005, claimed that hundreds of thousands of lives could potentially have been saved if not for pressure exerted on Kyiv by Washington to reject peace negotiations with Moscow.
Schröder, who has faced criticism over his friendship with Vladimir Putin and his business ties in Russia, including as a broad member of the Nord Stream 2 AG, revealed that last year he was asked by Ukraine to act as a mediator with Moscow to seek a peaceful end to the conflict after the Russian military invaded the former Soviet state.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Renowned Arctic Scientist Debunks ‘Climate Crisis, ‘ Warns ‘Ice Age’ is Coming
A world-renowned Arctic scientist has spoken out to debunk the globalist “climate crisis” narrative and warn the public that the Earth is actually heading for a period of “global cooling.”
Leading polar expert Andrey Fedotov of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences declared that “warming is about to end” and the planet is about to enter an “ice age.”
“We will inevitably transition to an unfavorable cold,” he warned, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).
According to Fedotov, the director of the Limnological Institute of the RAS, the period of “unfavorable cold” will begin around 2030.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Claims Russia Launched Record Number of Aerial Bomb Attacks on Kherson Region
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A missile strike on a mail depot in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed six people, Ukrainian officials said Sunday.
A further 16 people were injured in the blast late Saturday, which is believed to have been caused by a Russian S-300 rocket, Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said on social media.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Will Supply Armenia With Weaponry to Protect Its Airspace
The French Minister of Defense, Sébastien Lecornu, told Le Parisien that on Monday, Yerevan and Paris will sign an agreement for military supplies, as reported by the Armenian service of Radio Liberty.
“Tomorrow, we will officially finalize Armenia’s acquisition of a specific quantity of weaponry from French manufacturers, including the signing of an agreement that will enable Armenia to secure its airspace,” said Lecornu.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A group of unnamed Aboriginal leaders ended their ‘week of silence’ on Sunday evening.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
245 Migrants Land at Lampedusa
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 22 — Some 245 migrants landed at Lampedusa Sunday after being rescued Saturday night by three tax police launches and a Frontex vessel from a 20-metre fishing boat that had left Zuara in Libya and was at risk of capsizing in heavy seas.
The migrants said they were from Syria, Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh and that they had paid smugglers 2-5,000 euros a head to make the crossing.
Later in the day some 241 migrants were moved from the hotspot on Lampedusa to a reception facility at Porto Empedocle in Sicily, leaving just 10 migrants, all minors, in the Lampedusa hotspot.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada Border Services Agency Lost Track of Over 29,000 Fugitives
The Canada Border Services Agency admitted it had 29,248 foreign fugitives at large in the department’s “wanted inventory” while deportees totalled 10,041.
The data about the number of foreign nationals loose inside Canada was first reported Friday morning in Blacklock’s Reporter.
Losing track of foreign criminals is not a new problem for Canada’s border guards.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Tunisian to be Deported After Threats Near Turin Synagogue
Man also brandished knife at cops
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 20 — Expulsion proceedings have been initiated against the Tunisian citizen who was arrested last Monday after shouting threats against Jews near the synagogue in Turin, as well as against the person in charge of the place of worship, Interior Undersecretary Nicola Molteni said Friday in response to a question in the Chamber of Deputies.
“The foreigner, who in the circumstance also brandished a knife at the agents,” Molteni recalled, “was arrested for resistance to a public official, carrying offensive instruments, violation of immigration regulations and for incitement to crime for reasons of ethnic, racial or religious discrimination.”
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Migrants flooding a stretch of jungle en route to the United States have spawned lucrative business opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to cash in on the crisis.
This year alone, over 360,000 people have crossed through a region from Colombia to Panama known as the ‘Darien Gap’, offering a huge new client base to an area whose remoteness once meant it seemed destined for eternal poverty.
For $40, migrants can pay for a boat ride into the rainforest; guides for the journey northwards charge $170; and families can enjoy a plate of chicken and rice at the end of a hard day’s hiking — but not without forking over $10.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scholz Announces a Large-Scale Deportation From Germany After His Visit to Israel
The Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, has spoken about a mass deportation of people from Germany. According to him, everyone who does not have the right to stay in the country must leave.
He made this statement in an interview with Der Spiegel after returning from Israel. He clarified that this does not apply to individuals who came to the Federal Republic of Germany as a workforce or those seeking asylum due to political persecution.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
U.S. Border Agents Captured 237 Illegal Immigrants Along Manitoba Border Since October 2022: Report
Illegal immigrants continue to flee Canada for perceived greener pastures in the U.S. in record numbers, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
From October 2022 to the end of August, the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 237 people who left Manitoba for North Dakota or Minnesota.
That’s three times the number of illegal immigrants captured from October 2021 to September 2022 at 68.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The government will stop using 100 migrant hotels in key election battleground seats in a bid by Rushi Sunak to improve his Tory election hopes.
Contracts with hotels will be slashed in areas such as Stoke and Wigan in the hope that anger over the small boat crisis will be addressed.
The issue has become one of the most visible signs of the government’s failure to tackle illegal migration, Conservative Party strategists acknowledge.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In a controversial move, Mornington Peninsula councillor Susan Bissinger has been silenced by Mayor Steve Holland following her objections to permanently flying the progress Pride flag at council offices.
Bissinger, elected in 2021, expressed feeling ‘under siege’ and argued that the move could be ‘divisive.’
In response, Mayor Holland has mandated her to attend a personal development course.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadian Military Bans Public Prayers in the Name of Inclusion: Directive
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) continue its woke tirade against members after banning religious prayers at public functions.
“While the dimension of prayer may occupy a significant place for some of our members, we do not all pray in the same way; for some, prayer does not play a role in their lives,” reads a directive obtained by the Epoch Times.
“Therefore, it is essential for chaplains to adopt a sensitive and inclusive approach when publicly addressing military members,” it said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada: Woke Union Rep Allegedly Caught Spying on Parents Opposed to Gender Ideology in Schools
A police report has been filed with Langley, British Columbia RCMP detachment after a Delta man, Robert Ages, was accused of trying to secretly obtain a recording of a private meeting held on October 4.
Kari Simpson, president of Culture Guard, a non-profit organization that specializes in parental rights advocacy, was the organizer of the meeting and also submitted the police report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Obama Judge Blocks Tennessee City’s Ban of Drag Shows on Public Property
A federal judge has issued a temporary block against a Tennessee city’s ban on drag shows being held on taxpayer-funded public property.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr., a Barack Obama appointee, ruled in an order issued Friday.
The judge ruled that officials in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, are prohibited from enforcing the ordinance during the BoroPride Festival scheduled for next weekend.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In general, we need to define the term “anti-Semitism”. Palestinians are also Semites.
By the way, after 1948, Ashkenazi Jews, who are Semites to a much lesser extent, were brought into Israel.
From the Palestinians’ point of view, they have much more rights to this territory than the Ashkenazis. This is if you look at it from a genetic point of view. But here the Abrahamic violins enter the symphony.
You’re right about “anti-Semitism”. That’s why I never use the term myself. I prefer “Jew-hatred”, which is succinct, clear, and accurate.
Ashkenazi Jews were migrating to Palestine in the late 19th century, fleeing persecution in Russia.
Despite what you think about the Hebrews They are the most important people on earth.
“You’re right about “anti-Semitism”. That’s why I never use the term myself. I prefer “Jew-hatred”, which is succinct, clear, and accurate.”
Good points. I’ll try to correct that as well.