A gunman in Lewiston, Maine opened fire on people in three separate locations, killing at least 22 people and wounding 50 to 60 more. He is reportedly still at large. A former U.S. Army sergeant named Robert Card has been named as a person of interest in the case.
In other news, the Czech Republic has decided to purchase 48 long-range air defense missiles from Israel.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Caroline Glick, Dean, Dora, LP, Reader from Chicago, SS, Vlad Tepes, 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.
UK Experiences Steepest Job Loss Since Pandemic
The UK has witnessed a concerning decline in employment for three successive quarters, the most significant downturn since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bloomberg writes. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlighted that 82,000 jobs were lost from June to August, following a 133,000 decrease in jobs from May to July.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Unemployment in Poland at a Stable Level: GUS Releases Latest Statistics
The Central Statistical Office (GUS) has released the latest data on unemployment in Poland. According to these statistics, the unemployment rate in September 2023 remained exactly at 5.0 percent, unchanged from the previous month.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Active Shooter Situation in Maine, Hospital Says ‘Mass Casualty, Mass Shooter’ Event
At least 22 people are dead following a deadly shooting in a Maine city that spanned three locations on Wednesday night, Fox News has confirmed.
Fox News has confirmed that the active shooter incident occurred at three locations— Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant, a Walmart store and Sparetime Recreation.
Maine State Police said, in a Facebook post, that there is an active shooting situation in Lewiston, a city of 36,000, 35 miles north of Portland.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An ethnic studies instructor at UC Berkeley is revealed to have offered her students extra credit to attend a campus walkout protest for Gaza co-organized by a group that expresses support for Hamas and their atrocities on civilians in Israel.
Victoria Huynh, an ethnic studies Ph.D. student who teaches Asian American studies courses to undergraduates, sent an email to her students on Oct. 24 about the extra credit opportunity. Students could attend the “national student walkout tomorrow against the settler-colonial occupation of Gaza” or watch a film about Palestine coupled with calling a California lawmaker to pressure them over Israel.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Travelers in Atlanta have accused plain-clothed drug task force officers of unfairly targeting them and seizing millions in cash, according to a local report.
Law enforcement in the task force, which includes U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Clayton County Police, walk gate to gate at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and, without warrants, search travelers bags for drugs, according to Atlanta News First. But the task force rarely finds drugs and instead seizes wads of cash without making arrests, the local outlet reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Won’t be on New Hampshire Primary Ballot After Calendar Change
President Biden is planning to officially forgo the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary as the Granite State battles the Democratic National Committee to keep its longtime spot on the nominating calendar.
The Biden campaign told New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley Tuesday that the president will “refrain from submitting a Declaration of Candidacy” in order to comply with the DNC’s new schedule, which has South Carolina as the first contest Feb. 3, 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
College Groups Across U.S. Stage ‘Walkout’ Protesting U.S. Military Funding to Israel
Student groups supporting Palestinians are holding a national walkout on Wednesday in support of Gaza and to protest U.S. funding of Israel, according to posts by pro-Palestinian student groups on social media.
Several university groups associated with the Palestinian movement hosted a walk-out, according to the national chapter of the far-left Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). It posted a map showing where the national walkouts were being held in partnership with Dissenters, an anti-war organization focused on forcing “elected officials and institutions to divest from war and militarism.”
The walkouts are being held at over 100 college campuses, according to the social media post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dinesh D’Souza Documentary “Police State” to Stream Exclusively on Rumble
Rumble, the rapidly expanding video-sharing platform and provider of cloud services, has revealed the launch of exclusive film content, featuring an explosive piece of cinema from political filmmaker and author, Dinesh D’Souza. His latest film, titled “Police State,” has created waves by aligning itself with free speech and anti-censorship ideals, displaying a commitment to the unfiltered dissemination of content.
The film, co-created alongside political commentator Dan Bongino, will be accessible on Rumble and Locals from October 28th.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A former “incel” is facing federal charges after he allegedly threatened to shoot up “chads and stacies” at the University of Arizona in a “day of Retribution.”
Michael Penchung Lee, 27, made the grave threats toward campus Greek life over Snapchat Sunday, warning in one message there would be a “mass tragedy and atrocity,” at the college, according to a federal complaint filed this week.
He also allegedly referenced the approaching 10-year anniversary of when mass shooter and incel, meaning “involuntary celibate,” Elliot Rodgers shot and killed six people, including members of Greek life, near UC Santa Barbara’s campus before turning the gun on himself on May 23, 2014.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Georgia Woman Wins $3M Settlement for Hot Coffee Spill at Dunkin’ in 2021
A Georgia woman has been awarded $3 million in a lawsuit settlement after allegedly being severely burned by a piping-hot cup of coffee served to her at a Dunkin’ drive-thru.
Morgan & Morgan attorney Benjamin Welch said in a release that the 70-year-old woman had to relearn how to walk and still struggles with day-to-day activities, after she was served a scalding cup of Joe in February 2021.
“America may run on Dunkin, but our client had to re-learn how to walk due to the severity of her burns,” Welch said. “Her burns were so severe that she spent weeks in the burn unit at Grady Health and has had to entirely alter the way she lives her life. Walking still causes her pain, she can’t go out in the sun, and she must apply creams and ointments to her burns several times a day.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tough Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his state’s university system have enforced the first US ban on a radical pro-Palestinian student group, accusing it of providing “harmful support for terrorist groups.”
The State University System of Florida announced that Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), whose national leadership backed Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel, had to be dismantled as part of a statewide “crackdown.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Guess What Happened to Violent Crime Rates After Ohio Adopted Permitless Carry?
Last June, Ohio became the 23rd state in the nation to adopt a “permitless carry” law, allowing legal gun owners to both keep and bear arms without having to first obtain a government permission slip.
At the time, gun control activists and anti-gun politicians decried the move and declared it would make the state a more dangerous place. State Rep. Allison Russo even claimed that “Republicans have made it crystal clear that they value the approval of the gun lobby more than the lives of Ohioans and the police officers who protect our communities every day.”
With the FBI’s crime statistics for 2022 now publicly available, was Russo right? Did Ohio become a more dangerous place because of permitless carry? Were Republicans really casting their votes because they had no care or concern about the safety of their constituents or those tasked with enforcing the laws they approved at the state capitol?
Nope to all of the above.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
How MasterCard’s Digital ID Project is Being Used by Governments to Track Health and Vaccination
In Mastercard’s ongoing technological pursuits, there seems to be an agenda of consolidating digital dominance. The so-called “Community Pass” project, helmed by Tara Nathan, Mastercard’s executive vice president, claims to integrate marginalized communities into the digital world. However, with only 3.5 million users so far, skeptics of digital ID plans may wonder about its real reach and intentions.
Nathan’s recent appearance on the company-sponsored podcast “What’s Next In,” touted the supposed merits of the Community Pass. Launched in 2019, this platform ostensibly provides individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia-Pacific with a digital ID and wallet, allowing them access to services such as government benefits and humanitarian assistance.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jamaal Bowman Criminally Charged in Capitol Hill Fire Alarm Incident
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., has been charged for allegedly pulling a fire alarm in a House of Representatives building ahead of a critical vote last month to avert a government shutdown.
Bowman was charged with falsely pulling a fire alarm Wednesday afternoon, and his arraignment is scheduled for Thursday morning.
An arrest warrant filed by U.S. Capitol Police Supervisory Special Agent Joseph McAtee says police were notified on Sept. 30 at 12:05 p.m. that a fire alarm had been pulled inside the Cannon House Office Building on the second floor.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Podcaster Joe Rogan expressed nostalgia for former President Trump on Tuesday during an episode of the “Joe Rogan Experience.”
“Boy, do f*****g things change,” Rogan said of the era before Trump ran for president in 2016. “He was in all the rap songs, rappers would always talk about Trump, everybody loved Trump. He was like this wheeling, dealing billionaire character that everybody enjoyed.”
“I felt like he did a decent job,” guest retired mixed martial artist Dan Henderson responded, referring to Trump’s time in office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
L.A.’s Soros-Backed DA Doubles Down on War on Police in Re-Election Bid
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, who has been heavily funded by groups linked to liberal megadonor George Soros, announced last week that he is officially running for re-election next year. According to an email sent to supporters just after his campaign kickoff speech, even as crime in L.A. spirals out of control, one of the pillars of his re-election bid will be “holding law enforcement accountable” — effectively a promise to continue treating police officers as the enemy instead of criminals.
Gascon first won election in America’s second largest city in 2020. During that campaign, he rode a wave of backlash against police in liberal areas throughout the U.S. following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Gascon also became one of many district attorney candidates throughout the country funded by Soros’s network of nonprofits. His 2020 campaign received some $4.7 million from Soros-linked groups — just a small fraction of the more than $40 million Soros has poured into local prosecutor races in recent years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Arrested After Crucifix at Boston Cathedral Vandalized, Jesus’ Arms Broken Off
On Wednesday, police arrested a man who had been caught on camera vandalizing a cathedral in Boston, Massachusetts the night before.
The suspect damaged the crucifix outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, ripping Jesus Christ’s arms from their sockets and leaving them dangling in the breeze.
According to 25News, while Boston police did confirm that the suspect was in custody, they did not provide any further information regarding his identity or a potential motive.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Accused of Invading Jewish Home Yells ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Brown People Matter’ During Arrest
Early Wednesday morning, a man tried to break into a home in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood. While being arrested, he yelled “Free Palestine,” leading investigators to question whether the crime could be connected to the conflict in the Middle East.
The residents of the home have claimed that the suspect, who has not yet been publicly identified, targeted them because they were Jewish.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A man who allegedly punched a woman in a New York City subway station before telling her he did it because “you are Jewish” earlier this month was arrested on Tuesday and has since been charged with hate crime assault.
Christopher D’Aguiar, 28, was also hit with counts of aggravated harassment, assault, and harassment. The 29-year-old victim, who has not been identified, suffered minor injuries and is recovering.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mass Shooting in Lewiston, Maine; 22 Reported Dead
LEWISTON, Maine — At least 22 people are dead following a deadly shooting in a Maine city that spanned three locations on Wednesday night, Fox News has confirmed.
Fox News has confirmed that the active shooter incident occurred at three locations— Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant, a Walmart store and Sparetime Recreation.
Maine State Police said, in a Facebook post, that there is an active shooting situation in Lewiston, a city of 36,000, 35 miles north of Portland.
A local hospital, the Central Maine Medical Center, said that they are reacting to a “mass casualty, mass shooter event.”
As of 9 p.m., the hospital said that they cannot share the specifics on the number of casualties.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
MasterCard’s New ‘Digital ID’ Allows Governments to Track Public’s Vaccination Status
MasterCard’s new “digital ID” project has a dystopian feature that allows for disturbing tracking and monitoring of the public.
The payment processing giant’s so-called “Community Pass” project will allow governments to monitor the “health” of individuals and track their vaccination status.
Mastercard’s executive vice president Tara Nathan, who is leading the project, claims the system is designed to help integrate marginalized communities into the digital world.
However, the project has only managed to attract 3.5 million voluntary users so far.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jewish students at a New York City college were locked inside a school library on Wednesday as a pro-Palestinian rally moved through the building, with protestors banging on the doors and chanting ‘free, free Palestine,’ video shows.
Video of the students in the library made the rounds on social media, on Wednesday afternoon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sen. Chuck Grassley accuses Biden’s DOJ of shutting down concerns
Over 40 confidential FBI sources say there’s evidence of criminal activity committed by Joe, James and Hunter Biden with accusations of the Department of Justice shutting them down.
In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said that the sources had been managed by different FBI field offices and supplied the bureau with details of potential crimes by the Biden’s.
According to the letter seen by DailyMail.com, Grassley learned that an FBI task force within the Washington Field Office sought to, and managed to, successfully shut down reporting from those sources by falsely discrediting the information.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Teens Accused of Murdering Retired Cop Laugh in Las Vegas Courtroom, Give Grieving Family the Finger
The two teenagers accused of murdering a retired police officer appeared in a Las Vegas courtroom again on Tuesday to learn when their trial would begin. While sitting before the judge, 18-year-old Jesus Ayala and 16-year-old Jzamir Keys were caught smiling at one another, laughing, and giving the middle finger to the family of Andreas Probst, who were also in attendance.
Ayala and Keys both face charges of murder with a deadly weapon, battery, and attempted murder in connection with the August 14 incident, which left Probst dead and two other men injured. The two are being charged as adults and have pleaded not guilty.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump stormed out of his New York civil fraud trial Wednesday after being called to the stand for a surprise hearing in which the judge scolded him as “not credible” — and fined him $10,000 for breaching a gag order by maligning the court’s lead law clerk.
“Don’t do it again, or it will be worse,” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron chastised Trump, 77, after the ex-president got off the stand and walked back to the defense table, slouching with his head tilted down.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Warns U.S. is “More Vulnerable From Inside Terror Attacks Than Ever”
Donald Trump warned Tuesday that America is more at risk from terror attacks from within than ever before in the history of the country owing to the wide open Southern border.
“With the millions of people that Crooked Joe Biden has allowed into the United States through his ridiculous Open Borders Policy, mostly young men, and large numbers of TERRORISTS, the U.S. is more vulnerable from inside terror attacks than at any time in its history, BY FAR! MAGA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UAW and Ford Reach Tentative Deal on New Labor Contract
The United Auto Workers (UAW) union and Ford announced a tentative new labor deal with Ford aimed at bringing to an end the union’s strike which is currently in its sixth week.
The UAW initially sought pay raises for union autoworkers amounting to 40% over the course of a four-year contract, as well as a 32-hour work week and enhancements to benefits — while the automakers initially offered raises closer to 20% over a new contract with about 10% provided upon ratification of the new contract.
Ford and the UAW agreed to raise wages by 25% over the four-and-a-half-year contract with cost-of-living adjustments and an immediate 11% raise upon ratification. The agreement between Ford and the UAW would be tentative until it’s ratified by the union’s membership through a majority vote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Who is New House Speaker Mike Johnson? Louisana Attorney Known as Religious Conservative
Rep. Mike Johnson pulled off a feat few believed possible Wednesday by becoming the 56th House speaker — with the full support of his GOP colleagues.
Barely known outside the Beltway, Johnson (R-La.), 51, was first elected to Congress in 2016 after fewer than two years in the Pelican State’s legislature.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau ‘Re-Partnered’ With Ottawa Doctor, Ex-Wife Claims in Divorce Petition
The surgeon’s ex-wife cited ‘discomfort’ and security concerns over the ‘new relationship,’ months before announcement of Trudeau separation
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau announced in August that they had legally separated, neither offered any explanation as to why their 18-year marriage had come to an end.
But according to allegations in a divorce claim against an Ottawa pediatric surgeon, by the time the prime minister’s breakup became international news, Grégoire Trudeau was already in another relationship.
In the divorce petition, filed April 26, 2023, Ana Remonda alleges her former spouse, Dr. Marcos Bettolli, has “re-partnered with a high-profile individual who attracts significant media attention, and presents significant security considerations.”
That individual is not identified by name in the court documents, but it has been confirmed that Remonda’s claim refers to Grégoire Trudeau.
If her claim is accurate, it could give new context to the demise of the Trudeau marriage — and show the challenges Grégoire Trudeau, 48, faces as she tries to move on from her former life and the police protection it required.
| — Hat tip: Vlad Tepes | [Return to headlines] |
A Tracking Device Was Found in the Polish Presidential Office’s Vehicle Following a Trip to Ukraine
In Poland, an “unknown origin locator” was discovered in a vehicle belonging to the Office of the President of Poland. The incident occurred after the head of the state’s trip to Ukraine, as reported by TVN channel.
The tracking device, capable of real-time vehicle location tracking, was found by specialists from the State Protection Service in the presidential convoy vehicle.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alcohol Dependence in Portugal Sees Nearly 50% Rise in a Decade
Alcohol dependency in Portugal has surged by nearly 50% over the past decade but the demand for support services has remained relatively constant, as per the Portuguese Society of Alcoholism, as reported by The Portugal News.
Citing data from a survey of the general population conducted by the Intervention Service in Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (SICAD), Joana Teixeira informed the Lusa news agency that the prevalence of alcohol dependence has risen from 3% in 2012 to 4.2% in 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgian Police Arrest Palestinian Seeking Martyr’s Death
A Palestinian man sought by Belgian police for having declared he “wanted to die as a martyr by explosion” was arrested on Wednesday, October 24th at a hotel in Anderlecht, a municipality in the Brussels Capital Region, Belgian media report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium Addresses Ongoing Terror Failures, 4 Arrested in France
The Belgian government continues to deal with the aftermath of the Brussels terror attack last week that killed two Swedish nationals. This has already led to the resignation of the country’s justice minister and a new investigation into the functioning of the Brussels prosecutor’s office.
Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne resigned from his post after taking responsibility for the failure to extradite gunman Abdesalem Lassoued to his native Tunisia. The country had requested he be sent back in August of 2022 to serve the remainder of a 26-year prison sentence.
Lassoued, who was recognized by Tunisian authorities as an Islamic extremist, escaped from prison in 2011 where he was serving a sentence since 2005 for several attempted murders. That same year, he took a boat to the Italian island of Lampedusa and entered Europe illegally.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Republic to Purchase 48 Long-Range Air Defense Missiles From Israel
The Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic has announced its intentions to sign a contract to purchase 48 long-range air defense missiles, I-Derby, from Israel, at a cost of 2.8 billion Czech crowns (113.3 million euros). This was reported in a statement by the CTK agency.
The contract with the Israeli government for the supply of these missiles is expected to be signed by the end of October. According to the Czech Ministry of Defense, the Czech military will receive a total of 48 Derby missiles by the end of 2027. These missiles are capable of targeting drones, helicopters, aircraft, and cruise missiles within a range of 80 kilometers and at an altitude of 20 kilometers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The intensifying war in the Middle East might contribute to an upswing in electricity prices for Czech citizens commencing in January. Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, Josef Sikela (STAN), expressed concern about this prospect. In contrast to Finance Minister Zbynek Stanyura (ODS) and Labor and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurecka (KDU-CSL), Sikela cautioned about the potential for an electricity price surge of up to 10% in the coming year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Leadership Tensions Emerge Amidst Global Challenges: An Insight by Bloomberg
According to Bloomberg, recent events reveal the escalating tensions within the top echelons of the European Union (EU), questioning its global aspirations.
Recently, the EU’s two top leaders went to the White House in a bid to demonstrate solidarity with President Joe Biden. However, their trip mostly resulted in an emblematic photograph as disagreements between the two stole the limelight.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In response to dwindling herring stocks, the European Commission had contemplated a potential ban on herring fishing in the Baltic Sea. However, the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council, after extensive deliberations that extended from Monday into Tuesday, reached a different conclusion, according to Yle News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fico Government’s Anti-NATO Stance Worries Eurocrats
Political change in Bratislava is unnerving EU elites as a new multiparty coalition government with NATO-critical stances took charge almost a month after parliamentary elections that saw a left-populist party led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his Smer party come out on top in a result that could change internal EU dynamics.
Fico and his cabinet were appointed Wednesday afternoon, with the new ruling coalition in Bratislava consisting of Smer, the centre-left HLAS (Voice), as well as the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS) with 79 out of 150 seats in the Slovakian Parliament.
A NATO and eurozone member, Slovakia has economically fared badly due to the war in Ukraine, with Fico vowing to cease aid to Ukraine and back peace talks between the Kremlin and Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finnish Police Find No Evidence of Sabotage on Balticonnector Gas Pipeline
The Central Criminal Police of Finland has reported that they found a heavy object in the sea that could have damaged the Balticconnector gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia, as reported by Yle.
At the site of the damage, an object resembling a two-meter-long anchor was discovered. Authorities are investigating whether it could have caused the external damage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Firefighter Protests in Spain Escalate With Clashes and Injuries
In the midst of the protests in Ourense, in the northwest of Spain, two police officers and one firefighter sustained injuries. The clashes occurred in front of the headquarters of the Ourense Provincial Council, as firefighters attempted to gain access to the building, as reported by Polsat News.
Officers have announced their intention to file a report with the prosecutor’s office regarding the injury of two of their colleagues by one of the firefighters. For a while now, firefighters have been demanding pay raises, arguing that the increased risks associated with climate change during their service require appropriate compensation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France to Send Its Ship to the Shores of Gaza
France is planning to dispatch a vessel from its fleet to the shores of Gaza to support local hospitals. President Emmanuel Macron made this announcement during a visit to Egypt, as reported by BFMTV.
Macron declared the deployment of “a French fleet ship to support hospitals in Gaza.” He stated that it will depart from Toulon “within the next 48 hours,” according to the French President.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Rapist Released After Two Victims, 93 and 95, Die
Two women, aged 93 and 95, have died after having been sexually assaulted earlier this month in the geriatric ward of Victor Dupouy Hospital in Argenteuil, near Paris, by a 44-year-old man identified only as ‘Samir B.’
Although he had been known to authorities for previous sexual assaults, Samir B—after having been placed in detention following his arrest and subsequent confession on October 14th—was released just two days later under judicial supervision pending his sentencing, set to be handed down by a judge in mid-November, the Paris-based newspaper Le Figaro reported.
The Pontoise public prosecutor’s office has appealed the decision to release the suspect from police custody and place him under judicial supervision, and want him to instead be placed under arrest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Proposed Citizenship Law Excluding Anti-Semites
Germany is in the process of considering a new law that would prevent individuals who have committed anti-Semitic acts from ever obtaining German citizenship, according to a statement by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Wednesday.
Faeser detailed, “Our draft for the new citizenship law, which we will now discuss in the Bundestag, provides a clear exclusion of anti-Semites.” Her announcement followed a meeting with the Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Terror Arrest: Known Extremist Allegedly Wanted to Drive Truck Into Pro-Israel Rally
German police arrested a known Islamist on Tuesday following intelligence he was planning to attack a pro-Israel rally to “kill as many people as possible”, reports claim.
A convicted Islamic fundamentalist who was previously jailed for traveling to Syria to fight for the Islamic State was arrested in a police raid Tuesday, as counter-terror police believed he presented an urgent risk to the public. According to German newspaper Bild, police received a tip-off from a foreign secret service that revealed a man identified as Tarik S., who has access to a truck, had researched pro-Israel rallies in his city.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tensions over Sweden’s membership of NATO have been reignited after Turkish President Erdogan on Monday submitted a protocol to the Turkish parliament approving the country’s accession to NATO, bringing the Scandinavian country a step closer to joining the military alliance.
Following Erdogan’s move, international attention has again turned to Hungary.
In order for Sweden to join, it needs the support of all 31 allied countries. That is why many were caught off guard by the decision of the Hungarian parliament on Tuesday to once again refuse to vote on Sweden’s application for membership.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Newly-qualified doctor Jack Tagg, 27, is leaving the NHS to move to Australia for ‘better pay and support’ as he says ‘morale in the NHS is at an all-time low’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Increase in Cases of Domestic Violence Among Children in Finland: THL Survey Results
A recent survey conducted by Finland’s public health authority, THL, has uncovered a trend of increasing domestic violence affecting children. The study reveals that more children are reporting encounters with domestic violence with variations in the nature of the abuse based on age, according to Yle News.
According to the survey, there has been a noticeable rise in the number of children experiencing domestic violence. Approximately 17.5 percent of boys in the 4th and 5th grades (around 10-12 years old) reported incidents of physical violence from a parent or guardian, marking a 3 percent increase compared to the previous year’s study. Girls in the same age group also reported a 4 percent increase in physical violence experiences at home.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ireland: Creeslough Explosion: Ambulance Service Refutes Cross-Border Visas Claim
A claim that some paramedics could not cross the Irish border to assist in a deadly explosion because of visa issues has been rejected by Northern Ireland ambulance officials.
The blast in Creeslough, County Donegal, last year killed 10 people.
Irish Senator Emer Currie claimed some Londonderry-based crews could not go because “some paramedics did not have the necessary visas”.
She was speaking at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly on Tuesday.
However, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said the service totally refutes the allegations and said “that no NIAS staff were prevented in crossing the border for any reason”.
They added that the ambulance service responded immediately and in large numbers to the blast, which had been declared as a major incident.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
Ukrainian nationals living in other European countries are migrating to Ireland in order to receive increased social welfare benefits, a member of Ireland’s Ukrainian Network has admitted.
Viktoria Tymoshchuk, who works as an activities facilitator for the Ukrainian Network in Ireland, revealed that people who may have left Ukraine years before the Russian invasion in February last year are relocating to the island nation after being told by existing refugees in the country they may be better off financially by doing so.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ministry of Justice Proposed Ban on Corporal Punishment for Children in Czech Republic
The Czech Republic’s Ministry of Justice is pushing for an amendment to the Civil Code that would prohibit all forms of corporal punishment of children. Despite this, parents wouldn’t face punitive sanctions if the punishment doesn’t harm or injure the child.
Deputy Minister of Justice, Antonin Stanislav, clarified that the proposed changes are not aimed at criminalizing or marginalizing parents. Instead, they are geared towards encouraging alternative child-rearing practices that don’t involve physical punishment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Liberal Coalition in Poland Needs Money Fast to Meet Its Promises
The liberal opposition in Poland, which is expected to form the next coalition government, will need to empty the coffers to follow through on several electoral promises for tax breaks and public spending.
The pledges to increase salaries for public sector workers and double the income tax allowance will cost 50 billion zloty (€11.1 billion), funds that are not currently accounted for in next year’s budget.
According to finance ministry data, the shortfall in this year’s budget is 92 billion zloty (€20.44 billion), which means that the public finance deficit for this year is likely to be 5.5 percent. According to government plans, the deficit next year of 4.5 percent is still well above the 3 percent EU target.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Slovak Government: Who Will Occupy Ministerial Positions
The leader of the Smer-SD party, Robert Fico, has officially become the new Prime Minister of Slovakia. A new government has also been appointed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A consortium of Vinci Airports and IFM Global Infrastructure Fund will invest in the Central Communication Port (CPK), the government minister responsible for the project announced on Tuesday.
A flagship project of the current Polish government, the Central Communication Port (CPK) is a planned transport hub, due to be built between Warsaw and Lodz, which will encompass a brand-new airport with rail and road links.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Farmers Tell Tusk to Drop Anti-Meat Stance for Coalition
An influential alliance of Polish farmers could throw a spanner in the works for the formation of a liberal-left coalition government in Warsaw. They have outlined their demands for politicians to scrap aspects of the anti-meat agenda.
Two weeks have passed since Poland’s parliamentary elections, and the dust has yet to properly settle. The elections saw a sudden surge for a centrist agrarian party, giving the opposition enough seats to oust the ruling PiS government in favour of a pro-EU coalition led by former European Council President Donald Tusk.
Agricultural issues played a major role in the election race. PiS’ traditional grip on rural voters was weakened by a grain crisis caused by excessive Ukrainian imports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Potential Escalation of Israel Conflict Raises Concerns of a Third World War — Hungary’s PM
Péter Szijjartó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, expressed deep concerns regarding the potential escalation of the conflict in Israel. He stated that if the current anti-terror operation in Israel were to evolve into a full-scale interstate armed conflict, it would bring the world perilously close to a third world war, as reported by About Hungary.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spain Lost a Third of Rental Housing in Six Months
Spain’s real estate agencies warn that the lack of affordable, accessible housing in the country is creating a “social drama” that will only get worse in the near future.
A study on rental housing by the National Federation of Real Estate Associations (FAI) has found that the country’s rental housing stock has dropped by 30.5% in the last six months, further driving up demand and prices in a country already low on affordable housing.
Driving the disparity between supply and demand is the country’s Housing Law, which went into effect at the end of May.
The Housing Law, as it is best known, approved by Spain’s leftist-controlled Congress of Deputies on April 27th, contains about ten measures designed to improve the lack of affordable housing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The European Commission Responded to Orban That No One is Forcing Hungary to Stay in the EU
The head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, commented on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s statement that EU membership can be compared to Soviet occupation during the “Europe and Peace” conference in Brussels.
According to Borrell, no one is compelling Hungary to be part of the European Union.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Export of Hungarian Grain to Africa Has Begun: 13 Trainloads Already Dispatched
Rail Cargo Hungaria (RCH) has initiated the export of premium Hungarian grain to emerging markets in Africa, according to a report by Vilaggazdasag. Following the culmination of the domestic harvest season, RCH has transported 14,000 tons of grain to the port of Rijeka, with Egypt and Tunisia being the primary destinations, as per an announcement by RCH.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Most Expensive Failed Campaign in Polish History
Authored by Pawel Lisicki via Sovereignty.pl:
“Europe’s leaders have been waiting precisely for the kind of Poland that you can talk to, that you can have normal relations with,” Anne Applebaum commented on the Polish elections.
I chose this quote — from a well-known American columnist with ties to the Democrats — on purpose, because it shows perfectly what the Law and Justice (PiS) government in Warsaw could not understand: both American Democrats and European bureaucrats would rather have a different government in Warsaw and they used all available means — both financial blackmail (the European Union) and political pressure (speeches by ambassador Mark Brzezinski) — to achieve their goal. Defeating such an alliance was not easy, but not impossible. Last year, Viktor Orban’s government faced exactly the same problem in Budapest. There is, however, a fundamental difference: Orban won his campaign and obtained a constitutional majority, whereas although PiS received the most votes, it lost the election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Right-Wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) Gaining More Seats in Parliament
In a recent election, Switzerland witnessed a noticeable shift towards the political right, with the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) gaining more seats in parliament, as reported by Reuters. The final results, revealed on Monday, underscored how apprehensions about increasing immigration have taken precedence over environmental concerns.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Officials ‘Downplaying Gaza-Linked Terror Attack’
An alleged terrorist attack linked to the Israel-Hamas war has already taken place in the UK.
The Daily Telegraph was the first with the story, reporting late last week that an asylum seeker who arrived in the country in 2020 told the police, after being suspected of carrying out a terror attack in Britain, that he had done it for “Palestine.” The paper, which could not release details of the incident for legal reasons, said the individual was “bent on avenging deaths in Gaza” and had referred to Israel killing children in Gaza.
The case, which follows the Brussels terrorist attack carried out by an illegal migrant last week, has prompted questions over why the British public was—as one journalist put it—kept in the dark.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Will They Ever Just STOP? Moment Eco-Clowns Spray Orange Paint All Over London’s Wellington Arch
This is the moment Just Stop Oil protesters continued their rampage of demonstrations across the capital, spraying London’s Wellington Arch in orange paint, before being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
A trio of eco-clowns from the group were seen this morning spray painting the historic arch, completed in 1827, with orange paint, with the activist’s logo being brandished on the bottom of the structure.
The area surrounding the centre piece of Hyde Park Corner remained empty bar from a shocked cyclist who recorded the incident and a few passers-by who rushed past as the campaigners continued to vandalise the structure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukrainian Priest Among Five Held After Spanish Police Seize £52m of Jewellery
Police said the items went missing after being put on display between 2009 and 2013 in a museum in Kyiv.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Visitors to the EU Will Soon Face Fingerprinting and Facial Scans
A significant shift is looming in the way American citizens will be allowed to enter a large majority of European nations. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), an arm of the European Union, has unveiled its plans to implement a system in Spring 2025, requiring Americans to secure prior approval for travels up to 90 days in any of the 30 EU countries.
This is a departure from the current practice where US travelers enjoy effortless entry into these countries without a visa requirement. However, the new regulation will insist on individuals proceeding with their travels only after registering their intent via the official ETIAS website or mobile application, both of which currently do not process such requests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
X Won’t Demonetize Russell Brand, the Company Tells Pro-Censorship British MPs
Demonstrating its commitment to upholding principles of free expression, Twitter recently affirmed that it would continue to financially support comedian Russell Brand, refusing to be swayed by mere accusations leveled against him. Elon Musk has promoted the position of not penalizing account holders unless they deviate from the platform’s guidelines or violate local laws.
Detailing its stance in a letter addressed to Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the Commons Culture, Media, and Sport committee, and who was widely criticized for asking platforms whether they would allow Brand to earn a living from online platforms, the company explained that its resolution to allow Brand’s financial pursuits on the platform aligns with its intent to protect free expression.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Caroline Glick: Biden’s Impassible Demand
In nearly every statement and speech U.S. President Joe Biden gave during his brief sojourn in Tel Aviv, he insisted that Hamas does not represent the Palestinians and that the Palestinian Authority is their true representative. The P.A., the president insisted, does not share Hamas’s goal of eradicating the Jewish state and the Jewish people. Biden foresees a future where the P.A. is in charge of the Gaza Strip, and Israel agrees to a Palestinian state in Gaza, as well as in Judea and Samaria.
On Friday morning, the P.A. provided guidance to its mosque preachers ahead of its weekly services. They were told to declare war on Israel and join the jihad whose goal is the annihilation of the Jewish state and people.
As HaKol HaYehudi news service and Regavim’s research department revealed in a joint release, the P.A.’s guidance read: “We call upon our Palestinian people: The preservation of public and personal property is a religious and moral national duty … our Palestinian people … cannot raise a white flag until the occupation [aka Israel] is removed and the independent Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital.”
The guidance continued with the passage from the Islamic hadith that calls for genocide of the Jewish people.
“The time will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims kill them, until the Jew hides behind the stones and the trees and the stones or the trees say, ‘O Muslim, O Servant of God, this is a Jew behind me. Come and kill him.”
As the hours passed on Friday, Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria added more sandbags and firing positions for Israel Defense Forces to their already reinforced entrances.
Biden’s visit to Israel was a study in cognitive dissonance. On the one hand, he spoke warmly and emotionally about the U.S.’s commitment to Israel’s security. And on the other hand, the goal of his visit—to enable supplies to enter Hamas-controlled Gaza and preserve the open falsehood that the P.A. is a responsible, non-genocidal alternative to Hamas—indicates that his actual policy is deeply hostile towards Israel. As he put it on his way back to Washington in remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One: “My goal was … basically to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and to get as many Americans out who wanted to get out—could get out as possible.”
After noting that he secured Israel’s agreement to his demand, Biden added: “And the second thing was that I wanted to make sure there was a vehicle, a mechanism, that this could happen quickly.”
In other words, it wasn’t enough for Israel to bow to his demand; he wanted to ensure that the acceptance would be followed by action. According to cabinet ministers, Biden also conditioned U.S. military supplies to Israel on Israel’s pledge not to preemptively attack Hezbollah, which has been steadily escalating its aggression against northern Israel through cross-border raids and missile strikes…
| — Hat tip: Caroline Glick | [Return to headlines] |
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed that Hamas isn’t a terror group but a patriotic organization defending its people and vowed not to visit Israel as Turkey further distances itself from the European Union.
“Israel can view Hamas as a terrorist organization along with the West. The West owes you a lot. But Turkey does not owe you anything,” Erdogan said during a gathering of his Justice and Development’s (AK) parliamentary party.
“Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a group of mujahideen defending their lands,” he added in relation to the slaughtering of over 1,300 Israeli civilians in a surprise attack on Oct. 7.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Imagine a hospital with up to 15,000 civilian refugees, overcrowded with patients needing surgical care, and then the lights are going out’, Dr. Mads Gilbert, from the Norwegian Aid Committee said
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Almost 5,800 people in the besieged Gaza Strip are now said to have died since the terror group Hamas launched a lethal assault into Israel on October 7.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Pentagon is set to deploy nearly a dozen air-defence systems to protect troops in the region, including in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Demands UN Chief’s Resignation Over ‘Compassion’ for Hamas Terrorists
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations has demanded the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s resignation over allegations chief bureaucrat has been expressing “compassion” for Hamas terrorists.
Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan demanded Guterres “resign immediately” over the UN’s chief’s comments in a speech to the unelected agency’s Security Council.
“The UN Secretary-General, who shows understanding for the campaign of mass murder of children, women, and the elderly, is not fit to lead the UN,” Erdan also said on Twitter/X.
“I call on him to resign immediately.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
U.S. Army to Give Its Only Two Iron Dome Batteries to Israel: Reports
The Pentagon is reportedly planning to send its only two full Iron Dome air defense systems to Israel — which the U.S. Army originally purchased from that country — to bolster Israeli air defense amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Multiple news outlets reported this possibility yesterday, citing anonymous U.S. and Israeli officials, and a U.S. congressional aid. According to Reuters, officials from the Department of Defense informed members of Congress on Wednesday that it planned to lease the two Iron Dome systems back to Israel. Citing an unnamed congressional aid, the outlet further indicates that said transfer could come within a matter of days. At present, Israel has at least 10 Iron Dome batteries in operation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Drone Attacks on American Bases Injured Two Dozen U.S. Military Personnel
Two dozen American military personnel were wounded last week in a series of drone attacks at American bases in Iraq and Syria, U.S. Central Command told NBC News on Tuesday.
The Pentagon confirmed the attacks last week, but the number of U.S. casualties has not been previously disclosed.
Twenty American personnel sustained minor injuries on Oct. 18 when at least two one-way attack drones targeted al-Tanf military base in southern Syria, CENTCOM said.
One of the drones was shot down. All of the wounded personnel were returned to duty, CENTCOM said, and there was no damage to any military installations.
On that same day, another four American personnel suffered minor injuries during two separate drone attacks against U.S. and coalition forces stationed at al-Asad base in western Iraq, CENTCOM said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In the interview with veteran CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour last night, Queen Rania said there was a ‘glaring double standard’ around the world when it came to sympathy for the war’s victims.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Queen Rania of Jordan on Tuesday condemned the West’s ‘glaring double standards’ when it came to Israeli and Gazan deaths. She said the West was too quick to leap to Israel’s defense.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan (pictured) yesterday claimed Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a ‘liberation group’ as he cancelled his planned visit to Israel.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Russia’s New Superior Model of Suicide Drone Spotted in Ukraine
The Russian military has switched to a new, longer-range drone to facilitate its ongoing offensive in Ukraine, reports suggest.
As part of Moscow’s strategy to bolster its ranged weaponry ahead of the Ukrainian winter, its previously-used, Iranian-made Shahed suicide drone has been shelved in favor of the revamped Italmas model.
According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Italmas drone, which is harder to detect on radar and cheaper to produce, has been spotted several times in the Kyiv region in recent days.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russian Navy No Longer Safe Anywhere Warns Zelensky
The Russian navy has withdrawn from around Ukraine over the past month, but it still isn’t safe at its new anchorage in the eastern Black Sea warns President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying they will still be in range of the country’s newly acquired long-range missiles.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet — “functionally” defeated by Ukraine already, according to a British reckoning — has been repositioned to a new base in Georgia to escape strikes by Ukrainian forces, but even this won’t save them, a warning states. Making an address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed his forces would continue to strike using missiles and drones.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Study Finds ‘Deepfakes’ From Ukraine War Undermining Trust in Conflict Footage
The study also found evidence of online conspiracy theories which incorporate deepfakes
A first ever study of wartime “deepfake” videos has found the fake content undermined viewers’ trust in conflict footage to the point they became critical of all footage coming from warzones.
The study, from researchers at University College Cork (UCC), is also the first of its kind to find evidence of online conspiracy theories which incorporate deepfakes.
Deepfakes are artificially manipulated audio-visual material.
Most deepfake videos involve the production of a fake “face” constructed by Artificial Intelligence, that is merged with an authentic video, in order to create a video of an event that never really took place.
Although fake, they can look convincing and are often produced to imitate or mimic an individual.
The study, titled A new type of weapon in the propaganda war, analysed close to 5,000 tweets on X (formerly Twitter) in the first seven months of 2022 to explore how people react to deepfake content online.
The Russia-Ukraine war presented as the first real-life example of deepfakes being used in warfare.
The researchers highlight examples of deepfake videos during this war including the use of video game footage as evidence of the urban myth fighter pilot “The Ghost of Kyiv”, and a deepfake of Russian president Vladimir Putin, showing the Russian president announcing peace with Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Hunter’s China Deal Associate Played Golf With Joe Biden Up to ‘Twelve Times,’ FBI Docs Show
Democrat President Joe Biden played golf up to “twelve times” with his son’s business association a shady deal with Chinese oligarchs, FBI documents have revealed.
Hunter Biden’s former business associate Rob Walker told agents about the close relationship in a December 2020 transcribed interview with the FBI.
As part of the business arrangement, Walker wired money from China to the bank accounts of Biden family members.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rock climbers are being threatened with $346,000 fines for climbing at one of Australia’ most iconic destinations under cultural heritage laws.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Insane Price for a Mattress on the Floor in Sydney Olympic Park Sums Up Australia’s Rental Crisis
A small room with two mattresses separated by a thin fabric partition has just hit the market for $250 per week per mattress as Australia’s rental crisis worsens.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A highly-sophisticated gang of Chinese money launderers who ‘hid in plain sight’ while allegedly turning over $10 billion in three years have been busted by police.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Local Council Raises Palestinian Flag Outside Council Chambers in One of Sydney’s Most Muslim Areas
A local council located in a suburb home to one of Sydney ‘s largest Muslim communities has raised the Palestinian Flag outside the council building.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A wine bar and community radio station have landed in hot water after hosting a pro-Palestine event that featured anti-semitic banners calling Israelis ‘dumb white dogs’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Capital city house prices are set to run hot for the rest of year, according to a major bank with strong demand and a limited supply set to defy the dampening effect of interest rates hikes.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Australian Government Says it Will be Exempt From Its Own Online “Misinformation” Laws
The Albanese administration’s pursuit of overreaching legislation intended to tackle “false” content on social media platforms is drawing sharp criticism and questions about its implications for free speech. A notable exclusion from this potential crackdown is the very government pushing for it.
This exemption, which would allow government messages to bypass these stringent regulations, was questioned by Independent Senator David Pocock. He rightly posited why governmental communications should remain unexamined when content from other entities would be under scrutiny. To many, the exemption smells suspiciously like a double standard, allowing the government to avoid the very accountability they seek to impose on others. “It would not ‘pass the pub test’ for the exemption to stand when the laws were eventually introduced,” Senator Pocock remarked.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shocking footage has emerged of a woman striking a staff member at an IGA supermarket after he attempted to check her bag as she left the store.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A British Minister Has Threatened to Revoke Visas for Foreigners for Blatant Anti-Semitism
British Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has threatened to revoke visas for foreigners with the right to reside in the UK if they incite anti-Semitism, according to The Guardian.
The minister stated in the House of Commons that the UK has already begun reviewing visas, which could lead to deportations for a small number of foreigners for using hostile language. He mentioned that he could not go into specific details but noted that some individuals openly supported the actions of HAMAS.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finland Proposes Separate Social Security System for New Immigrants Amid Controversy
Finland is planning to establish a distinct social security system for newly-arrived immigrants. Critics of this government initiative argue that reducing social security benefits for immigrants will intensify poverty within these communities and result in increased marginalization, as reported by Yle News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Could Bypass Human Rights Court on Deportations
France looks set to massively overhaul its immigration system, particularly deportations, which could see the country simply deport dangerous illegal immigrants before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) can even hear their cases.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has touted a much-anticipated immigration reform since 2022 when he proposed various new measures to increase the number of deportations of illegal migrants These include the idea of putting those with deportation orders on France’s criminal wanted list as well as removing their access to state social benefits.
Now, according to a report from the Times newspaper, Darmanin also wants to deport illegal migrants who may pose a danger to France before they have a chance to appeal their deportation order to the European Court of Human Rights, something that has hampered the ability of the French state to carry out deportations in the past.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Plans to Extend Border Control
The German Ministry of the Interior has decided to extend stationary border controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland for an additional twenty days. However, the German police union has expressed concerns about a lack of personnel.
Nancy Faeser, the German Minister of the Interior, announced this decision in Berlin on Wednesday, as reported by the Berliner Zeitung portal.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Work on Migration Starting to Bear Fruit — Meloni
(ANSA) — ROME, OCT 25 — The drop in the number of sea arrivals in October compared to the same month in 2022 shows that the work done so far to stop irregular migration is beginning to bear fruit, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told the Senate in her communications to parliament ahead of the European Council in Brussels.
“For the first time in the month of October the number of irregular migrants has decreased, the work done is beginning to bear fruit,” said Meloni.
This is also as a result of the “agreement with Tunisia, despite the fact that one political side has tried in every way to sabotage it” she added, referring to parties in Italy and Europe on the political left who she claims have tried to argue that no North African country is a safe State with which it is possible to agree to stop departures or to repatriate irregular migrants.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nicaragua has been accused of ‘weaponizing’ US-bound Haitian migrants in order to get concessions from the U.S. amid tightening sanctions.
Over 260 charter flights believed to have been carrying migrants from Haiti have touched down in Nicaragua in recent months, according to flight data and experts in the area.
The flow of migrants has left the Biden administration and Latin American leaders scrambling for solutions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll Shows Rising Worldwide Opposition to Mass Migration
Opposition to mass migration is rising even faster in Chile, Sweden, and Germany than in the United States, according to a large international survey by USNews.com released Thursday.
Voters “from Denmark to Sweden to the United States — are cooling on support for immigration amid a global migration crisis,” says the report on the survey of 17,000 people across 36 countries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Secretary of State Antony Blinken: Americans Must Accept Migrants
Joe Biden’s foreign policy chief, Antony Blinken, says Americans must give foreigners the opportunity to migrate into their U.S. homeland.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Abdul Rizvi, a former senior bureaucrat with the Department of Immigration, is concerned a record 500,000 migrants are moving to Australia in a year. This is more than Treasury forecast in May.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The German Government Has Approved Stricter Deportation Rules for Undocumented Immigrants
The German government has agreed to tougher deportation rules, according to government sources cited by Spiegel. The federal government aims to expedite the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and prevent last-minute disruptions in the repatriation process.
Government sources indicate that the German cabinet has approved a corresponding bill presented by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The bill includes provisions such as extending the maximum duration of so-called “pre-deportation detention” from the current 10 days to 28 days. Additionally, it involves expanding the authorities’ powers and enhancing efforts to combat human smugglers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Tories Vow to Close 100 Migrant Hotels
A whole year into Rishi Sunak’s premiership, officials are finally looking to stop the practice of housing illegal migrants in hotels. Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, said “these hotels should be assets for their local communities … not housing illegal migrants at unsustainable cost to the taxpayer”—as though campaigners haven’t been saying exactly this for months and months on end.
The British taxpayer has been forking out roughly £8 million (€9.2 million) every day to house more than 50,000 migrants in 400 hotels across the country. Jenrick described this policy, which he has been overseeing, as “completely unacceptable” and said that the first “exits” will take place in the “coming days.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Upstart Dutch Party Calls for Sovereignty, Migration Limits
Pieter Omtzigt’s Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) party, founded last August, has released its long-awaited manifesto for the upcoming Dutch parliamentary elections on November 22nd.
A stricter policy on migration and an emphasis on national sovereignty in the face of an ever-domineering EU machine prove to be the most eye-catching pledges.
Omtzigt, an MP, member of the Council of Europe, and the Netherlands’ most popular politician, founded the party after a quarrel with his former political home, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA/EPP).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Strange Thing to Get Upset About
LGBTQ activists are infuriated with a new law in Tennessee that would….checks notes….reduce the spread of HIV.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Columbia University Lesbian Group Disinvites ‘Zionists’ From Movie Night
The leader of an LGBTQ group at Columbia University is excluding any supporters of Israel from an upcoming black lesbian film event, The Post has learned.
With the conflict in Gaza raging, an organization called LionLez sent out a message to students promoting an on-campus “Black Lesbian Film” event said explicitly said no “Zionists” would be welcome to attend.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Corporate Media Pushes Public to Eat Bugs to Fight ‘Climate Change’
The corporate media is ramping up pressure on the public to begin eating bugs as part of an effort to fight the alleged impact of “climate change.”
Establishment media outlets are promoting the switch to insect-eating that is being championed by the unelected globalist organization the World Economic Forum (WEF).
In recent years, the WEF has been increasingly demonizing traditionally farmed food products in an effort to replace them with a new multi-billion-dollar industry.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Eventbrite Prohibits Riley Gaines Event Promotion, But Allows Pro-Hamas Listings
The ticketing company Eventbrite notified Riley Gaines that she is prohibited from promoting her November 3 speech at the University of California, Davis on its website.
Eventbrite informed the institute in an email that the listing violates its terms of agreement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope Francis Thanks Notorious LGBT Activist for His ‘Ministry’
ROME, Italy — Pope Francis recently wrote to notorious LGBT activist Stan “JR” Zerkowski to thank him for his “ministry” with gays, Catholic News Agency reported Wednesday.
In his handwritten missive, the pontiff thanked Zerkowski for his October 10 email explaining his LGBT outreach, saying (in Spanish), “Thank you very much for your ministry. I pray for you, please continue to do so for me. May the Lord bless you and the Madonna watch over you. Fraternally, Francis.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Superintendent Bans Halloween Celebrations From Schools, Cites District’s Marxist ‘Values’
A New Jersey superintendent has banned Halloween celebrations across an entire district by arguing that the festival fails to comply with radical Marxist “values.”
Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, the superintendent of the South Orange & Maplewood School District (SOMSD), cited the district’s Marxism-based “diversity, equity and inclusion values” while announcing the ban.
According to Taylor, Halloween can be offensive to people from various cultural and religious backgrounds.
Taylor sent a letter to families on October 6 explaining why any Halloween celebrations in the district will have to be held after school hours.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Schools “Should” Let Parents See Sex Education Materials
Schools can no longer use confidentiality and copyright laws to prevent parents from seeing sex education materials being taught to their children. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has written that they “can and should share curriculum materials with parents” when asked to do so.
Keegan did not say, as reported in The Daily Telegraph and The Times, that schools must provide this information. In a letter to school leaders, she merely stated:
Schools should … feel able to share the materials with parents in a proportionate way …
Schools may provide copies of materials to parents …
Curriculum resources can be shared with parents in some way (all emphasis added)
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Czech Republic to Purchase 48 Long-Range Air Defense Missiles From Israel”
that is – 1 air to air missile for 2,360,416 Euro.
google says that the US Navy pays about 400,000 – 1,000,000 USD for Air to Air missiles, so the stuff Czech Defence Ministry is buying is overpriced only 2,5x, pretty cheap!
The Czech Republic is a joke.
Nuclear power plants that had been build on taxpayers moneys have been privatised, and today Czechs pay for one of the most expensive electrities in EU. Talk about socialising costs and privatising profits…
And the overpriced missiles are just another symptom of the same disease. Czech ministry of defence is known to buy overpriced, sub par equipment, because – who cares? The taxpayers will pay for it – they have to!
Hate to say it, but you were better under German rule before WWI that is.
If the Israelis have A/D missiles to sell, why do they need another $14B in tribute from the US Treasury?
Cato: Oh, those aren’t real dollars. Those are FedBux®, a special kind of funny money that goes out of one pocket and into the other.
Israel has not/will not make use of any weapons?
Oh look! Another US service member under psychotropic drugs suddenly has a meltdown and set loose upon the nation to do bad things so our masters can say, see! we need to take everyone’s guns because of safety.