An evangelical church in Germany has removed a member from his leadership roles due to his links with the AfD. Meanwhile, according to a major German newspaper, climate change is to blame for rising violence in one of Berlin’s most famous parks.
In other news, extremely high ambient temperatures caused an explosion in an arms depot today in Colombia, prompting the evacuation of a nearby university and various corporate sites.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Dora, Hellequin GB, LP, Reader from Chicago, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, 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.
Fast-Food Restaurants Fight to Keep Customers as Food and Wage Costs Spike
Authored by Kevin Stocklin and Andrew Moran via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
Fast-food restaurants survive by providing affordable, quick, and convenient meals, but cost inflation is now pushing their business models to the brink.
It has become more expensive to eat out over the past five years, with food away from home increasing by 30 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In just the past year, the cost of eating at a fast-food restaurant has increased by more than that of a full-service restaurant.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland: Corporate Sector Wages Rise by More Than 10 Percent Year-on-Year as Employment Wanes
The average gross wage in Poland’s corporate sector increased by 10.6 percent in July 2024 compared to the previous year, according to Statistics Poland (GUS), while employment in the sector fell by 0.4 percent year-on-year.
The average gross monthly wage in the corporate sector was 8,278.63 PLN (€1,925.26), driven by factors including bonuses, incentives, and salary rises. GUS noted that the statutory minimum wage also increased to 4,300 PLN (€1,000) in July, a 1.4 percent rise from January’s 4,242 PLN (€987.21).
Economist Piotr Poplawski from ING Bank Slaski explained that while wage growth is slowing, this is primarily due to reduced bonuses in sectors like mining and energy, which saw a boost in 2023 due to election-year spending. Despite the moderation, strong wage dynamics in July were supported by a favorable workday schedule and the recent minimum wage hike, especially in manufacturing and construction.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Target CEO Shreds Kamala Harris’ Claim That Retailers Are ‘Price Gouging’
Brian Cornell, the CEO of retail giant Target, has slammed claims by Kamala Harris and other gaslighting Democrats that retailers have been “price gouging.”
The Democrat presidential nominee and her allies have sought to deflect blame for crushing inflation in the Biden-Harris economy away from the administration’s disastrous economic policies.
Rather than admit to the problem and offer solutions, Harris is trying to gaslight voters into believing that consumers are being hurt by retailers raising their prices to boost profits.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Arizona Authorities Arrest Man Accused of Threatening to Kill Trump
Arizona authorities captured a man on Thursday afternoon that they believe threatened to kill former President Donald Trump during his visit to the border state.
The arrest comes hours after the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office launched the manhunt for 66-year-old Ronald Lee Syrvud.
The sheriff’s office said the arrest occurred around 2:30 p.m. local time, and the official charges are still pending, according to Fox News.
Not much is known about Syrvud, but he has outstanding warrants in Wisconsin for Driving Under the Influence. He is also wanted in Arizona for a hit-and-run, and a felony failure to register as a sex offender.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Must Issue Concealed Carry Permits to Out-of-State Residents
A federal judge has ordered California to accept concealed carry applications from out-of-state residents. This victory is the second time a state has been forced to issue out-of-state concealed carry permits this month. Early in August, New York City passed an emergency order to issue permits to non-New York residents to avoid a lawsuit by Gun Owners of America (GOA).
In this case, the California Rifle Pistol Association (CRPA), Gun Owners of California (GOC), Gun Owners of America (GOA), Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) teamed up to take on the California concealed carry law, in CRPA v. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). Plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The suit challenges California’s refusal to issue or recognize out-of-state concealed carry permits, the exorbitant fees to obtain a concealed carry permit, the long wait times, the required psychological exam, and the discretionary denials by issuing agencies.
The plaintiffs claim that the California concealed carry permit scheme was unconstitutional.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cruise Recalls Autonomous Vehicle Fleet, Closing One U.S. Probe
U.S. auto safety regulators closed an investigation into the performance of autonomous vehicle company Cruise’s robotaxis after it agreed to recall its entire fleet of 1,194 robotaxis in order to fix an issue with unexpected breaking.
Cruise patched a software update in order to fix the issue, according to the recall notice shared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The agency said it opened the investigation in December 2022 after receiving allegations of inappropriate hard breaking and complete stops, both of which can increase the risk of a crash.
The organization analyzed data from 7,632 reports of hard breaking. It said it found Cruise robotaxis contributed to 10 crashes, with four resulting in injury.U.S. auto safety regulators closed an investigation into the performance of autonomous vehicle company Cruise’s robotaxis after it agreed to recall its entire fleet of 1,194 robotaxis in order to fix an issue with unexpected breaking.
Cruise patched a software update in order to fix the issue, according to the recall notice shared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The agency said it opened the investigation in December 2022 after receiving allegations of inappropriate hard breaking and complete stops, both of which can increase the risk of a crash.
The organization analyzed data from 7,632 reports of hard breaking. It said it found Cruise robotaxis contributed to 10 crashes, with four resulting in injury.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
District Court Tosses Machine Gun Possession Charge, Rules They’re ‘Bearable Arms’
A Kansas US District Court judge has tossed an illegal machine gun possession charge on Second Amendment grounds. The court found that the machine guns in question are clearly “bearable arms,” and in this case at least, the government failed to show a historical tradition to justify their ban.
The court finds that the Second Amendment applies to the weapons charged because they are “bearable arms” within the original meaning of the amendment. The court further finds that the government has failed to establish that this nation’s tradition of gun regulation justifies the application of 18 USC § 922(0) to Defendant.
That’s the portion of the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act that outlaws civilian possession of machine guns.
District Judge John Broomes ruled that the the government failed to meet its burdern under Bruen and Rahimi to show historical analogues for banning the kind of machine guns possessed by the defendant (a converted AR platform rifle and a GLOCK switch-equipped pistol). In fact, it doesn’t sound like they tried very hard.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Chief Warns of Unprecedented Rise in Security Threats
Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times
The United States is facing an unprecedented confluence of security threats, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray, who said the agency is deeply concerned about the simultaneous rise in terrorism, cybercrime, foreign election interference, and espionage activities by adversarial powers.
Speaking to reporters from The Associated Press at the FBI’s Minneapolis field office on Aug. 21, Wray said he’s “hard-pressed to think of a time” in his career “where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gullible CNN ‘Journalist’ Dragged for Fact Checking JD Vance Joke About Tim Walz
Authored by Steve Watson via modernity.news
Earlier this week, JD Vance cracked a joke about Democrats holding their convention in Chicago so that Tim Walz would be able to say he’s been in a war zone.
Hilariously, a CNN reporter took the comment at face value and ‘fact checked’ it as wrong.
She did a journalism.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Republicans Launch Probe Into Massive National Public Data Breach
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Thursday launched a probe into the major data breach of National Public Data.
The company admitted that hackers likely stole millions of Social Security numbers from its database earlier this year, along with other personal information on millions of Americans, including addresses and phone numbers.
The probe, conducted alongside the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, is expected to include testimony from the company’s leadership over its failure to notify people affected by the hack in a timely manner.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
I Was Fired From IBM Because I’m a White Man — How Diversity Targets Ruined My Career
Randall Dill of Michigan says Jay Zook and other bosses were motivated to sack white men employees like him so they could bag bigger bonuses by hiring more women and minorities.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit From Disabled Workers Against Elon Musk’s X
Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times
U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin on Aug. 21 dismissed a lawsuit against social media platform X brought by people with disabilities who were fired by the company after Elon Musk bought it.
Dmitry Borodaenko, an engineering manager who was with X until late 2022, said the firings violated the Americans With Disabilities Act by treating disabled workers differently from others.
Borodaenko did not provide evidence to support this position, Martinez-Olguin ruled.
“Borodaenko fails to show how employees with disabilities were treated differently by Twitter’s broad return-to-the-office policy and increased workload,” she said.
“Borodaenko’s theory improperly relies on the assumption that all employees with disabilities necessarily required remote work as a reasonable accommodation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kamala’s Brother-in-Law Set America on Fire
When the new administration was looking for an attorney general, Ben Crump, the ultimate BLM lawyer who represented the families of George Floyd, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and nearly every BLM case, recommended Tony West. Al Sharpton also mentioned West.
West, Crump argued, had been the third-highest ranking official in the Obama DOJ, “led various efforts to reduce racial bias, improve procedural fairness, strengthen the relationship between communities of color and law enforcement, and hold police departments accountable.”
Or as the New York Times put it, West “launched an investigation into the 2014 shooting death in Ferguson, Mo., of an unarmed 18-year-old black man, Michael Brown, by a white police officer”. Michael Brown had assaulted a store clerk and then the police officer who shot him in self-defense, but West proved to be a crucial link in the chain that unleashed BLM on America.
The ‘Ferguson Effect’ and the lies around the shooting of Michael Brown would help cripple policing and lead to race riots and then a crime wave spilling across the nation’s cities.
West had helped start the fire that burned down the country and killed thousands of Americans.
Crump however pointed out that West had another major asset besides the Ferguson Effect, he was also “the brother-in-law of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.”
Big Government is indeed a small world.
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Kemp and Trump End Feud With Full Throated Embrace, Upstaging Harris Coronation Night
Former President Donald Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp found the perfect narrative Thursday night to upstage Vice President Kamala Harris’s nomination acceptance speech, ending their feud dating to the 2020 election with a full-throated embrace that played out on national television.
The mutual endorsement reunited two of the GOP’s most powerful figures heading into the November election, and made the road for Democrats to score a win in Georgia more difficult.
“We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House,” Kemp said on Fox News’ “Hannity” show.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York AG Asks Appeals Court to Uphold Trump $454 Million Civil Fraud Judgment
Authored by Caden Pearson via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
New York Attorney General Letitia James’s office asked an appeals court on Wednesday to uphold the $454 million civil fraud judgment against former President Donald Trump from earlier this year.
In a 168-page submission, state attorneys said there is “overwhelming evidence” supporting Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoran’s Feb. 16 decision finding that Trump misrepresented his wealth to insurers, banks, and other entities to build his real estate empire.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NIH Censorship of Critics Unconstitutional, Appeals Court Says, HHS Sued for COVID Coverup Records
The National Institutes of Health doesn’t want you to use the words “animal,” “testing” or “cruel” in comments on its social media pages. Too bad, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit told the agency.
Animal experimentation is at the heart of First Amendment and Freedom of Information Act litigation against the feds, with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently defeating NIH in court and Judicial Watch suing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for stonewalling its requests for communications about an alleged COVID-19 coverup.
Neither agency responded to Just the News queries for their response to the legal developments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
PBS news anchor Judy Woodruff has issued an apology after she falsely claimed that former President Donald Trump reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him not to make a ceasefire deal with Hamas, and that the prolonged war would help his campaign.
During a broadcast from the Democratic National Convention on Monday, Woodruff commented, “The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the prime minister of Israel urging him not to cut a deal right now because… it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign.”
Woodruff further suggested that Harris might favor President Biden working to establish a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as it would potentially benefit the Democratic Party.
However, Woodruff has now attempted to walk back her statements on Wednesday in a post, admitting her mistake and apologizing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ramaswamy Swarmed by Anti-Israel Protesters Near Democratic Convention
Former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday was unexpectedly chased away from an anti-Israel protest near the Democratic convention in Chicago.
Dozens of pro-Palestine demonstrators have been arrested by the Chicago Police Department this week, after several of the protests turned violent or destructive.
Pro-Hamas activist Hatem Abudayyeh reportedly led the crowd in its confrontation with Ramaswamy, claiming that he was a “racist Zionist pig” who did not have the right to be at the protest since he does not support Palestine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RFK Jr. and CHD Cleared to Take Biden Administration to Court Over Censorship
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Children’s Health Defense (CHD) are free to proceed with a lawsuit accusing the Biden administration of censorship, the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana has ruled.
We obtained a copy of the ruling for you here.
The court found that the plaintiffs have legal standing in their bid to prove that the Biden White House is guilty of collusion with Big Tech by means of pressuring these companies to do the government’s bidding in stifling speech.
If done directly, this would be unconstitutional, but the Biden administration still found a way, it has been alleged multiple times over the past years, including by Kennedy and CHD who claim their social media posts were censored as a result of the collusion.
The posts in question expressed opposition to the government’s Covid policy, including measures such as mask and vaccine mandates and lockdowns.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Seattle Police Department announced Wednesday that a 48-year-old prolific offender with a history of mental illness was arrested for the killing of an 80-year-old dog walker during a carjacking.
According to police, Ruth Dalton had several dogs in her blue Subaru Forester and was on the way to the park when she was carjacked around 10 am Tuesday near Martin Luther King Jr. Way East and East Harrison Street in Seattle’s Madison Valley neighborhood.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Secret Service Agents (Finally) Placed on Leave After Trump Assassination Attempt
Authored by Susan Crabtree via RealClearPolitics
Three weeks ago, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe angrily pushed back on senators’ calls to immediately fire or discipline key agents directly responsible for the security failures that led to the assassination attempt against former President Trump at last month’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Since that time, Secret Service leaders have placed several members of the Pittsburgh Field Office on administrative leave, according to three sources in the Secret Service community.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Staggering Incompetence: Biden’s Commerce Secretary is “Not Familiar” With the Bureau of Labor
We are too speechless to even offer any snarky, sarcastic commentary because, frankly, this is beyond idiotic.
Asked about today’s near record downward jobs revision, Biden’s Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo — who we repeat, is the Secretary of the Department of Commerce which is responsible among other things, for the Bureau of Economic Analysis — said she “doesn’t believe” the revision because, somehow Trump was behind it. But when she was informed that the data comes from her own administration, namely the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, Raimondo’s response was simply legendary: “I am not familiar with that.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Study of 48,210 Healthcare Workers: COVID Infection Risk Soars With Every mRNA ‘Vaccine’ Dose
A major study of 48,210 healthcare workers has concluded that the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 increases dramatically after every dose of the mRNA “vaccines” that are supposed to protect people from the virus.
The study was led by Cleveland Clinic’s lead infectious disease staff physician Dr. Nabin Shrestha, MD, MPH.
Shrestha and his team of researchers at Ohio’s prestigious Cleveland Clinic have been conducting ongoing research involving healthcare workers during and after the pandemic.
The team published the findings of their peer-reviewed study in the Oxford Academic medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supreme Court Urged to Overturn Federal ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulation
Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times
A former police officer challenging the federal government’s rule regulating so-called ghost guns that can be assembled at home urged the Supreme Court on Aug. 13 to strike down that rule.
The new filing previews the arguments that will be made when the Supreme Court hears the high-profile case, Garland v. VanDerStok, on Oct. 8.
The petitioner is U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. The lead respondent who brought the original lawsuit is Jennifer VanDerStok, a high school teacher and former police officer in Texas who wants to make her own firearms.
“Ghost gun” is a term used to describe a homemade firearm that lacks a serial number and therefore can’t be tracked by law enforcement.
Although some states regulate homemade guns, gun control organizations have been trying for years to ban or regulate homemade guns and gun-assembly kits at the federal level but have failed to persuade Congress to act.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Today the Supreme Court cleared the way for a provision of Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in state rolls, the first time the high court has weighed in on a voting dispute in the run-up to the presidential election.
The order means Arizona election officials must reject state registration forms if voters don’t provide documentation of citizenship. In other words, Arizonans newly registering to vote for the coming election will have to provide copies of one of several documents, including a birth certificate or a passport, in order to prove their citizenship.
However, the justices kept on hold provisions of the law that could have disqualified voters who register separate federal forms from casting ballots in a presidential contest in person or by mail. In other words, Arizona voters can still register using a federal form, without proof of citizenship, and vote in the presidential contest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Selfie Surveillance State: How Digital ID Systems May Soon Decide if You Fly
In the US, the Remote Identity Validation Technology Demonstration (RIVTD) — a scheme to evaluate biometric digital ID systems that has been in the works since 2022, is now in the final stages of development.
The involved government agencies include the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Forensic Laboratory, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Among the things RIVTD is there to evaluate and assess is identity verification when photos are taken with phones, including the “liveliness of selfies.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
To Avoid DOJ Entrapment, Trump Says He Doesn’t Want Intel Briefings
Authored by Ken Silva via HeadlineUSA.com
Donald Trump told the Daily Mail on Wednesday that he doesn’t want briefings from U.S. intelligence agencies because it could lead to him being accused of leaking classified information.
‘I don’t want them, because, number one, I know what’s happening. It’s very easy to see what’s happening … because as soon as I get that, they’ll say that I leaked it,” he said.
“So, the best way to handle that situation is, I don’t need that briefing. They come in, they give you a briefing, and then two days later, they leak it, and then they say, ‘You leaked it’ … So the only way to solve that problem is not to take it I don’t want it understood. I’ll have plenty of them when I get in,” he said.
According to the Daily Mail, intelligence briefings have been regularly given to presidential nominees since President Harry Truman introduced them in the early 1950s.
Former presidents also typically receive briefings, but the Biden regime barred Trump from receiving them when it took control in 2021.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trial Date Set for Man Accused of Assassination Attempt Against Justice Kavanaugh
The courts have set a trial date for the man charged with threatening to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
California resident Nicholas John Roske will go on trial in June 2025, ABC News reported.
Roske showed up near Kavanaugh’s home with zip ties, a gun, and a knife after the draft decision on the overturning of Roe v. Wade was leaked in 2022.
U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte took the first step in the case Tuesday and set the date for Roske’s trial for next year.
If convicted, Roske could face life in prison.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Announces ‘LIVE PLAY BY PLAY’ of Harris DNC Speech on Truth Social
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday plans to offer live commentary on Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The DNC is in its fourth day and Harris is expected to cap off the evening.
“I will be doing a LIVE PLAY BY PLAY on TRUTH Social of Comrade Kamala Harris’ Speech tonight at the Democrat National Convention in Chicago,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “We will start at 10 P.M., Eastern, and be covering and commenting on some of the earlier Speeches made, prior to hers.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Leads Harris by 11 Points Among Independents: Poll
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris by 11 points among independents, according to a recent poll.
Rasmussen Reports released a poll on Thursday showing that 51% of likely independent voters would vote for Trump in the November presidential election, while 40% would vote for Harris. Trump was up by 9 points last week in the same survey.
Among all likely U.S. voters, 49% said they would vote for Trump, while 46% said they would vote for Harris. The Democratic presidential nominee gained a point since the prior week’s poll.
The survey was conducted of 1,893 U.S. likely voters on Aug. 15, 18-21, and has a margin of error of +/— 3 percentage points.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Responds to Polls Showing Black Voters Dumping Democrats: ‘They Know They’re Being Conned’
President Donald Trump has responded to recent polling data that shows black voters are increasingly abandoning the Democratic Party.
During a wide-ranging interview on “Fox and Friends” on Thursday, Trump said that the Democrats have “conned” black voters
According to a 2020 CNN exit poll, Trump received 12% support from black voters.
However, Trump would get the vote of 26% of black voters in the 2024 election, according to a Fox News poll released Aug. 14.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Government Report Says Fluoride at Twice the Recommended Limit is Linked to Lower IQ in Kids
NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. government report expected to stir debate concluded that fluoride in drinking water at twice the recommended limit is linked with lower IQ in children.
The report, based on an analysis of previously published research, marks the first time a federal agency has determined — “with moderate confidence” — that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. While the report was not designed to evaluate the health effects of fluoride in drinking water alone, it is a striking acknowledgment of a potential neurological risk from high levels of fluoride.
| — Hat tip: Hellequin GB | [Return to headlines] |
An unprecedented rail stoppage is underway after Canada’s largest railroads, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, locked out more than 9,000 union rail employees at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday. Simultaneously, the union declared a strike, escalating fears that this rail disruption could wreak havoc across North America’s complex supply chains.
“Canadian National has formally locked out employees represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) as of Aug. 22 at 00:01 ET, after the union did not respond to another offer by CN in a final attempt to avoid a labor disruption,” Canadian National wrote in an early AM press release.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“You Can’t Taboo a Group Out of Existence — Even the English”: A Conversation With Ed West
At 11:45 AM on the 29th of July, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana got out of a taxi at Hart Street in Southport, England, walked into a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop at a community studio, and started stabbing. There were 25 girls present, and by the time the carnage was over he had managed to stab eleven children and two adults. Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe died at the scene. Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar died in the hospital the next day. Rumors immediately spread online that the killer had been a Muslim, fuelled by memories of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, when Islamists attacked an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and injuring more than a thousand others.
On the evening of July 30, a vigil was held outside the Atkinson in Southport’s Eastbank Square, with thousands of people arriving to leave flowers and notes at the scene of the attack. Many suspected that the authorities and the press were deliberately hiding the identity of the killer, and that evening, a group attacked a local mosque, throwing bricks and bottles and brawling with police. Some officers were injured, and a police car was torched. Other riots promptly erupted across the north of England and elsewhere, including Aldershot, Hartlepool, Sunderland, London, and Manchester. The mainstream press presented the reaction as far-right mob violence; online, videos of armed Muslim gangs taking to the streets were also circulated.
The British state made over a thousand arrests and began handing down hefty jail sentences even for social media posts. Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted that the unrest was merely the purview of a handful of troublemakers; his critics responded by calling him “Two-Tier Keir,” accusing authorities of being far harsher with critics of the regime than with immigrant troublemakers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
25% of Brits Consider Turning Off the Heat in Winter as Power-Bills Soar
Authored by Irina Slav via OilPrice.com
About a quarter of British households are so worried about their electricity bills they are considering spending next heating season without heat or hot water, a survey by Citizens Advice has suggested.
The concern follows plans by the national electricity market regulator to raise the cap on bills by another 9.2%, equal to 150 pounds or $195.
The Citizens Advice report said the percentage of those worried about the affordability of their electricity was substantially higher among households with children, where the percentage was 31%, and low-income households, where 39% were worried about the coming heating season.
The consumer advocacy group also reported that 48% of respondents in its survey had said they would have to turn down the heat or turn it off to survive winter financially.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austria’s Far-Right Freedom Party Sets Out Election Programme
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), which opinion polls make favourite to win the country’s general election on 29 September, presented its campaign manifesto on Wednesday (21 August), setting out measures to boost the economy and curb immigration.
Presenting the programme with party colleagues, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl said it could be summarised as a plan for individuality, sovereignty, homogeneity and solidarity.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Budapest: Simplified Visa Scheme Does Not Change Security Protocols
Hungary’s Interior Minister Sandor Pintér dismissed claims by leftist MEPs in Brussels that the extension of the Hungarian ‘National Card’ system, which simplifies work visa procedures for neighboring non-EU nationals, poses any increased security risk to the Schengen Area. In a letter to the European Commission on Wednesday, August 21st, Pintér wrote that Hungary remains committed to protecting its external borders through rigorous screening, as it always has.
The letter was addressed to Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, who had raised concernsabout Hungary’s decision to include Russian and Belarusian workers in the extended scheme earlier this month, citing some 70 leftist members of the European Parliament who accused Hungary of making it much easier for the Kremlin’s spies to enter the EU’s free movement area by giving them work visas “without security clearance.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Civil Society Criticises Commissioner Breton’s Approach to EU Digital Rulebook
Civil society groups and academics have criticised European Commissioner Thierry Breton’s recent letter to Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, arguing that it misinterprets the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and threatens free expression.
The open letters sent by civil society organisations, scholars, and academics to European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton, express concern about his comments regarding Musk’s actions relating to content on X.
A Commission spokesperson stated that they do not comment on letters, but reminded that an investigation into the compliance of X to the Digital Services Act (DSA) is still ongoing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dutch Airline Drops Vegetarian Sausage Rolls as Nobody Bought Them
Dutch low-cost airline Transavia has stopped selling vegetarian sausage rolls on board because customers said with their wallets that they preferred eating meat.
Since December 5, 2023, the vegetarian snack, produced by Unilever’s Vegetarian Butcher, replaced the traditional — and popular — sausage roll on the airline’s menu.
But the carrier now claims that the switch to the “sustainable but equally delicious” meat substitute did not fly with passengers, who turned out to prefer the taste of real meat over tofu mixed with beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, thickening agents methylcellulose and carrageenan, seed oils, colouring and artificial flavours.
A Transavia spokesperson stated that the decision to remove the vegetarian variant from the menu was due to the resulting difference in supply and demand.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Mulls Open-Ended Immobilization of Russian Assets
Authored by RFE/RL via OilPrice.com
The EU and G7 are exploring ways to use frozen Russian assets to financially support Ukraine, potentially through a $50 billion loan backed by these assets.
The EU is considering either open-ended immobilization of Russian assets or extending sanctions by up to 36 months to provide legal certainty for the plan.
The EU has officially launched a visa liberalization dialogue with Armenia, which could eventually allow Armenians visa-free travel to most EU countries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Sanctions ‘Could Spark German Fish-Finger Shortage, ‘ Industry Chief Warns
Possible sanctions on Russia could prompt a fish-finger shortage in Germany, local media in the country has reported.
An article by Bild on August 21 noted that proposed restrictions on Russian fish imports, especially Alaskan pollack, could badly impact supplies of the food.
Alaskan pollock is reportedly the second-most popular fish consumed in Germany after salmon, with 50 per cent of supplies coming from Russian territorial waters.
“There is a risk of enormous price increases,” Steffen Meyer, the managing director of the Federal Association of the German Fish Industry and Fish Wholesalers, told Bild regarding possible EU restrictions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU States Refuse Zelenky’s Call to Repatriate Ukrainian Refugees for the Frontline
European nations are rejecting calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy to repatriate fighting-age male refugees to their homeland to assist on the frontline.
Zelensky appealed to several EU countries to deport men of military age back to bolster military numbers both prior to and during Ukraine’s counter-offensive push into Russia this month.
The request was unanimously rejected by EU member states.
Ukrainian news site New Voice specifically referenced opposition from Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic because these countries have a shortage of workers. In Poland and the Czech Republic, for example, Ukrainians make up 30 percent of the workforce in the construction and transport sectors, and they would be reluctant to give up this labor.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former French PM Orders Budget Freeze
Although former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has not been in office for over a month, his resigning government has sent ministries their budget instructions for 2025, forbidding them to spend any more. The move is seen by the political opposition as a denial of democracy on the part of the presidential camp, which is clinging to power.
Traditionally, the ‘ceiling letters’ (lettres plafonds) sent out in the summer outline the authorised amount of spending per ministry for the coming year. Attal sent his instructions to the ministries on Tuesday, August 21st—even though he resigned from his post over a month ago and is no longer supposed to have a say in the country’s future policy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Evangelical Church Kicks Out Local Leader Over AfD Links
An evangelical church in Germany has removed one of its members from all of his leadership roles as a result of his links to the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Henry Preuß was stripped of his honorary positions with the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) reportedly because he decided to stand for election on behalf of the party.
In April this year, the synod of the regional church decided that membership and active support of the AfD were incompatible with holding church offices.
This decision was justified by what was described as “recognisable further radicalisation of the AfD”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Berlin’s Brave New World: Secret Police Powers Spark Fear of Orwellian Overreach
In Germany, the current authorities seem willing to dramatically depart from what have until now been Western democratic traditions, where law enforcement must have a crime to investigate, and a warrant to do so before it engages in searches and surveillance.
However, the government in Berlin plans to allow the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) the legal right to enter homes secretly (including for the purpose of installing spyware on people’s phones and computers.) In addition, BKA would be given the power to, also secretly, search homes.
The draft, seen by the German press, was cooked up at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and was explained by a spokesman as a needed reform of the BKA law in order to prevent “the dangers of international terrorism” and chose to single out “Islamist terrorism” as an example.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Newspaper: ‘Climate Change to Blame’ for Rising Crime
Climate change is to blame for rising violence in one of Berlin’s most famous parks, according to a major German newspaper.
The Mauerpark has already seen 108 reported offences in the first half of 2024, making it one of the German capital’s crime hotspots. However, liberal Der Tagesspiegel quotes an activist who takes the term ‘hotspot’ one step further.
“Above 26 degrees, many people reach their energy limits and literally have problems staying cool,” says Chaska Stern, the honorary spokesperson for the Federal Network for Civil Courage.
This is a problem, because “it is getting hotter and hotter worldwide” because of climate change.
And when it is hot, “‘the fuse gets shorter,” Stern adds. This makes people “more prone to violence, and you should take into account that you could find yourself in at least one verbal altercation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Charges IS Supporters With Plotting Terror Attack in Sweden
German prosecutors have charged two Afghan IS supporters with preparation for a terrorist attack near the parliamentary building in Stockholm, Sweden. The accused claim to have plotted a shooting in retaliation for Sweden allowing Quran burnings.
One of the charged, named only as Ibrahim MG., is “sufficiently suspected” of being a member of a terrorist group, while the other, Ramin N., is suspected of supporting a terrorist group. Ibrahim MG., prosecutors said in a press release, joined the Islamic State offshoot group “Islamic State Khorasan Province” (ISKP or ISIS-K) in 2023.
From then on, Ibrahim MG, together with Ramin N., planned to kill police officers and other people with firearms in Stockholm in the area of the Swedish parliament. To this end, the two made concrete preparations in close consultation with ISKP officials. In particular, they researched the local conditions around the possible crime scene on the Internet and tried several times, albeit unsuccessfully, to obtain weapons.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Energy Supply ‘Secure’ Despite Oil Embargo, Says Foreign Minister
Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjartó has stated the country’s energy supply remained “secure” despite Ukraine curtailing its oil supply.
Kyiv’s ban on Russian oil company Lukoil’s deliveries through the southern stretch of the Duzhba pipeline — which runs via Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary — had prompted fears of shortages in both Slovakia and Hungary.
Speaking on August 21, Szijjartó insisted that Budapest was managing the situation, and that shortages were not on the horizon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Close to Securing Long-Term Crude Oil Supplies
Negotiations to guarantee long-term oil supplies to Hungary are nearing the finish line, even though the European Commission has taken no action against Ukrainian measures that threaten Hungarian and Slovakian energy security, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjartó said in Budapest on Wednesday.
According to a statement of the ministry, the minister said during a break in the weekly cabinet meeting that the conflicts in the world are getting worse, the processes are not pointing towards peace, and this is also the case in the Central European region as the war in Ukraine is also showing signs of escalation.
He stressed that these various conflicts could also have a very serious impact on energy security, and therefore the government has also reviewed the security of supply situation in Hungary. “What I can tell you is that Hungary’s energy supply is secure despite all the challenges that you are well aware of,” he said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ireland Joins List of European Countries to Ban Phones in Schools
After focusing over the past year on tackling distracting mobile phone-use among primary school-aged children, the Irish government has now declared its intention to ban devices in secondary schools.
Education minister Norma Foley suggested this week that current attempts by second-level schools—attended by 12-18-year-olds—to restrict the use of mobile phones do not go far enough, and said it was time to establish a wider “culture of non-acceptance” of phone usage.
Foley said:
I am now in a space where I’m looking to introduce a ban on mobile phones at post-primary.
All studies, including a United Nations study last year, are telling us that mobile phones interrupt learning in a school environment. Obviously, they are also a cause of cyberbullying and we know, too, that the community of conversation is very much interrupted by the fact that students take out their mobile phone at different times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberal Renew Group in Danger of Loosing Another Seat to the Right
Renew, the liberal faction in the European Parliament, is at risk of losing its Estonian representative to a more right-wing group, possibly the centre-right ECR.
Renew took a hit in the European elections, and since then has already lost seven Czech MEPs to Patriots for Europe, a right-wing group. Now peeling off even one Estonian member would be a blow.
What is happening is a confusing move of little-known Estonian politicians, but is worth following for the dent it could make in the Macronist Renew.
Jaak Madison, a conservative right-winger who left the Estonian Conservative People’s Party earlier this summer and became an independent, on August 22 joined the Estonian Centre Party (EK), Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR reported.
The Centre Party, a member of Renew, is a group with economically left-wing and socially conservative views. The party is popular with Estonia’s Russian minority.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Majority of Poles Dissatisfied With Tusk Government, Poll Reveals
A new poll indicates that a substantial majority of Poles are unhappy with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, citing its failure to fulfill electoral promises.
The survey, conducted on Aug. 8-9 by the Pollster Research Institute for the tabloid Super Express, found that 62 percent were dissatisfied with the left-liberal coalition government with only 27 percent of respondents believing the government is keeping its promises.
The results are a clear sign of widespread disillusionment with the current administration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
More German Politicians Caught Lying
Two more ‘traffic light’ coalition politicians have been exposed as making things up in support of their government. This follows the public dishonesty of Chancellor Olaf Scholz concerning his false claim to have “significantly reduced” asylum applications and illegal entries into Germany.
In the 30-hour period following Scholz’s big lie, Green economics minister Robert Habeck mischaracterized €5 billion increased federal investment in the Dresden microchip factory of TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), the world’s leading semiconductor foundry:
We are allowed to give the company money, that’s called aid, so that this company invests even more money here….With the ultra-modern chip factory, we are making progress in terms of new jobs, new industry and technological security for Germany and for Europe. (Emphasis in the original.)
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Two Men Were Arrested in May for Trying to Travel to ISIS Territories
Two 21-year-old men from Utrecht and Vleuten were arrested in May of this year on suspicion of joining a terrorist organization, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) reported. They attempted to travel to ISIS-controlled areas. The man from Vleuten is also suspected of destroying graves in Utrecht.
According to the OM, the destruction of the graves seems to be connected “with the man’s ideas.” A spokesperson could not explain more regarding this but did say that more than 90 graves were destroyed at the cemetery Daelwijck. Those relatives affected by the matter have been informed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nord Stream Pipelines Were a ‘Legitimate Target’ for Ukraine, Says Czech President
Czech President Petr Pavel said that attacking the Nord Stream pipelines would have been a “legitimate” target for Ukraine amid reports pointing the finger at Kyiv for the sabotage.
Pavel, who previously served as NATO chairman and before that at the head of the Czech Armed Forces, said that while he has no information to confirm reports that the Zelensky-led government in Ukraine was behind the September 2022 assault on the Russo-German Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, such an attack would have been justifiable in light of the Russian invasion months prior.
Speaking to the online news magazine Novinky on Wednesday, the Czech president said: “When an armed conflict is waged, it is waged not only against military targets, but also against strategic targets. And pipelines are a strategic target. If the attack was aimed at cutting off gas and oil supplies to Europe and back money to Russia, then—and I say conditional on purpose—it would be a legitimate target.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Taxpayer-funded British foreign aid is being directed to areas of the world that are wealthier than some sections of the UK, including to fund projects in Communist China, a study found.
A report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) think tank has found that taxpayer money has been directed to aid projects in wealthy areas of countries like China, Mexico, and Malaysia.
While areas of Britain continue to languish with lack of investment, the IEA claimed that foreign aid was acting like “Robin Hood in reverse” and called on the government to “urgently re-evaluate” the priorities of international aid spending.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scandinavian Ministers Meet to Tackle Spillover of Swedish Gang Crime
Sweden, Norway and Denmark want to step up regional cooperation to combat gang violence, the countries’ justice ministers announced at a meeting in Copenhagen on Wednesday, as a surge in the involvement of minors in Swedish gang activity has the Nordic leaders concerned.
The meeting in Copenhagen was prompted by the recent wave of violence in Denmark and Norway involving Swedish underage gang members.
Police cooperation and efforts against the misuse of digital channels for organised crime, the justice ministers of both countries will be intensified in Denmark and Sweden, Denmark’s Peter Hummelgaard (Social Democratic Party, S&D) and Sweden’s Gunnar Strömmer (Moderates, EPP) respectively declared at a press conference.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scholz: Ukraine Did Not Consult Germany Before ‘Secret’ Incursion Into Russia
Ukraine did not warn Berlin before its Aug. 6 cross-border incursion into Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday, adding he expected Kyiv’s military operation to be limited in time and scope.
Speaking at a press conference after talks with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Chisinau, Reuters reports Scholz said Germany is monitoring further developments closely as Russia vows to repel the incursion.
Ukraine has prepared its military operation in the Kursk region very secretly and without feedback, which is certainly due to the situation.
This is a very limited operation in terms of space and probably also in terms of time.
Separately Scholz said Germany would continue to be what he said was Ukraine’s biggest supporter in Europe after controversy in recent days over what critics call wavering German support for Kyiv driven by domestic politicking.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Swedish Home Guard Faces Soldier Shortage After Recruits Realise War Involves Weapons
The Swedish Home Guard, the military reserve force of the Swedish Armed Forces, faces a soldier shortage after a wave of applicants realised what joining up would entail.
Jonas Algotsson, battalion commander for the Home Guard, has noted an influx of applicants who seemed to lack a clear understanding of the demands of the role.
“I had an extremely large number of stupid applications that came in connection with the Ukraine war,” he said.
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there was a notable surge in applications to the Home Guard, with approximately 30,000 submissions in 2022, a significant increase from the average 4,500 annually.
Yet since then a third of applications were withdrawn.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Taxi Driver Exodus? One-Third Leave Polish Market, Leading to Longer Waits and Higher Prices
Securing a taxi ride in Polish cities is becoming increasingly difficult as one-third of taxi drivers have exited the market, according to a report by Rzeczpospolita daily.
Over the past few years, traditional taxi services have steadily declined, but a recent law mandating that all drivers hold a Polish driver’s license has significantly accelerated this trend. The change has particularly impacted foreign drivers who have been key to the app-based ride-hailing sector.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Authored by Chris Morrison via DailySceptic.org
Earlier this month the Met Office declared the hottest day of the year so far in the U.K. with the temperature reaching 34.8ºC in Cambridge. The Met Office claimed it was only the eleventh time since 1961 that the temperature had reached that level, with six of these occasions having been recorded in the last 10 years. Needless to say, missing from the account was a note that the station in Cambridge’s National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB) is located just metres from a massive heat-generating electricity sub-station complex.
Electricity sub-stations give off so much heat into the surrounding atmosphere there are even plans to trap it for commercial use.
The Cambridge station at Histon has recently benefitted from a £5 million upgrade including the installation of a third heat-pumping transformer.
It is difficult to think of a worse place to locate an instrument to accurately measure nearby uncorrupted air temperatures, other than favoured Met sites at international airports and solar farms.
Cambridge NIAB crops up regularly in the Met Office’s local daily ‘records’. Last year it claimed a recording at this site was the highest measured in the eastern region during September since 1949. The World Meteorological Office (WMO) rates Met Office sites from class 1 to 5 and Cambridge NIAB is said to have a pristine class 1 designation with no temperature ‘uncertainties’ due to local natural and unnatural influences. But how reliable is this superior rating? The view from Google Earth suggests that questions about its validity can legitimately be asked.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Police Warn of Fake Links to Southport Stabbing Victim’s Funeral
Police have issued a warning after scammers were found to have offered fake links to a live stream of the funeral of one of the Southport stabbing victims.
Officers from Merseyside police’s cyber unit were made aware of several Facebook accounts providing links to a donation page and an alleged live stream for the funeral of Bebe King, six. The private ceremony took place on August 17, with no live stream or members of the press present.
Bebe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, suffered fatal injuries in the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29. They were among 11 children and two adults who were injured in the incident.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Taxpayer-Funded Posters in London Proclaim “Hey Straight White Men Pass the Power!”
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news
A taxpayer-funded group is once again putting up posters around London that say, “Hey Straight White Men Pass The Power!”
Yes, really.
The posters, which originally appeared in Southwark, London and other areas of the UK in 2022, appear to have popped up once again, with an image posted to X showing one in Acton, London.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine War Dominates East German State Election Campaigns
The Ukraine war is a dominant issue for voters in two state elections scheduled for 1 September in the East German states of Thuringia and Saxony, despite having little sway in foreign policy, lead candidates of multiple parties said on Wednesday (21 August).
Voters in the states of Thuringia and Saxony — part of Germany’s former East — will head to the polls to elect their state parliaments, with the far-right AfD party (Europe of Sovereign Nations) potentially emerging as the strongest party.
Meanwhile, newcomer left-wing populist party Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW, non-affiliated) could come third in both states, complicating the creation of stable government coalitions as all major parties have ruled out working with the AfD.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Spins Ukrainian Incursion as the “New Normal”
Russia’s leadership is trying to spin the recent Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory as the “new normal,” a situation the country should not worry about, according to a report by Kremlin-critical Russian website Meduza, whose offices are in Latvia.
The news outlet spoke to sources close to the Putin administration and the government, and concluded that the Russian political elite was initially shocked by Ukrainian forces entering Russia, with one source saying that their “very entry into Russian territory and seizing control of villages is a new and very unpleasant event.”
Ukraine, which has been defending its own territory since the invasion of Russia two and a half years ago, launched a surprise incursion into the Russian region of Kursk, a lightly defended border area, on August 6th. Kyiv claims it has since captured 1,250 square kilometres of Russian territory, and 93 settlements. It took hundreds of prisoners captive and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine to Finally Join International Criminal Court
After years of procrastination and military opposition, Ukraine will finally join the International Criminal Court (ICC) after its parliament approved the motion on Wednesday.
In all, 281 parliamentarians ratified the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, several lawmakers announced on social media.
The decision will open “greater possibilities to punish Russia and will strengthen Russia’s isolation,” lawmaker Yevgenya Kravchuk wrote in a Facebook post.
According to Kravchuk, Ukraine invoked Article 124 of the Rome Statute, which allows for a seven-year exemption of any Ukrainian, civilian or military, from prosecution by the ICC for war crimes.
The ratification of this document, sent to parliament this month by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is part of Kyiv’s commitment to the European Union and is seen as a necessary precursor to accession.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Commanders Blame Poorly-Trained New Recruits for Eastern Front Failures
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Some new Ukrainian soldiers refuse to fire at the enemy. Others, according to commanders and fellow fighters, struggle to assemble weapons or to coordinate basic combat movements. A few have even walked away from their posts, abandoning the battlefield altogether.
While Ukraine presses on with its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, its troops are still losing precious ground along the country’s eastern front — a grim erosion that military commanders blame in part on poorly trained recruits drawn from a recent mobilization drive, as well as Russia’s clear superiority in ammunition and air power.
“Some people don’t want to shoot. They see the enemy in the firing position in trenches but don’t open fire. … That is why our men are dying,” said a frustrated battalion commander in Ukraine’s 47th Brigade. “When they don’t use the weapon, they are ineffective.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
It is Our Target to Make an Islamic Bangladesh: Hefazat-E-Islam
Interim chief Yunus has yet to comment on Hefazat-e-Islam’s declaration to establish Bangladesh as an Islamic State. His silence on this matter remains notable to the vulnerable Hindu minorities in the country.
Raktakarabi Das | HENB | Kolkata | Aug 22, 2024:: Hefazat-e-Islam is pursuing a singular goal: the establishment of an Islamic State in Bangladesh, eschewing the democratic principles born from the country’s Liberation War. Naib-e-Amir Moinuddin Rabbani, a prominent figure in the radical Islamist organization, unequivocally stated that Hefazat-e-Islam’s vision is not aligned with the country’s founding ideals. Instead, he asserted that stability in Bangladesh can only be achieved through the implementation of Sharia law. According to Rabbani, this is the desire of the country’s Muslim population.
In an exclusive interview with an Indian media outlet ‘Divya Bhaskar Marathi’, Naib-e-Amir Moinuddin Rabbani of Hefazat-e-Islam stated, ‘If Bangladesh’s laws are based on Islam and the country is governed according to Islamic principles, it will prosper.’ Following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, the majority of Bangladesh’s Muslim population aspires to transform the country into an Islamic Republic of Bangladesh. Rabbani emphasized that the establishment of Sharia rule would ensure genuine justice for Muslims, as well as non-Muslims. He highlighted that Hefazat-e-Islam has been working towards this objective both within Bangladesh and internationally, as a global religious organization.
Despite the recent political shift in Bangladesh, the destruction of Hindu idols continues unabated, perpetuating a disturbing trend. Moreover, statues of revered figures such as Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman, liberation war heroes, and notable icons like Sidhu-Kanu, a prominent leader of the Santal rebellion, have been vandalized in various locations, including Dhaka and Rajshahi. Alarmingly, the prominent veteran leader has openly endorsed this destructive behavior, condoning the deliberate desecration of cultural and historical symbols in Bangladesh.
The Islamic leader emphasized, ‘Our Shariah strictly forbids the creation and display of idols.’ Consequently, following the fall of Hasina’s government, numerous idols have been destroyed. We demand that the remaining idols in Bangladesh be demolished immediately. No statues should be allowed in this country.’
Moinuddin Rabbani, supporting Jamaat-e-Islam, stated, ‘The Awami government’s failure to ban Jamaat has led to their suffering. Sheikh Hasina’s regime oppressed Jamaat, violating their constitutional rights through force. We have consistently opposed the banning of Jamaat and will not participate in elections. We urge the Awami League to apologize for their mistake. We strive for unity in this country.’
However, Hefazat’s Naib-e-Amir clarified, ‘We do not recognize Ahmadis as Muslims; they are non-Muslims, Qadianis, equivalent to Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. This is because Ahmadis claim Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as a prophet after Prophet Muhammad, contradicting our beliefs. We demand that the government declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims in Bangladesh.
When asked about the fate of infidels under Islamic rule in Bangladesh, he responded unequivocally, ‘We will deal with them as dictated by Shariah law, nothing more, nothing less.’
Regarding women’s attire and cultural practices, he emphasized, ‘Shariah mandates wearing hijab, and that’s what we want. We aim to implement Islamic principles in Bangladesh, rejecting any cultural or musical practices that contradict Islamic teachings. We will put a stop to them.’
In essence, he reaffirmed Hefazat-e-Islam’s commitment to enforcing 100% Sharia law in Bangladesh, governing aspects of life, including women’s dress code and cultural expressions, in accordance with Islamic principles.
Moinuddin Rabbani also claimed, ‘We have made efforts to prevent attacks on temples, and only one or two incidents have occurred.’ He then addressed Indian Hindus, saying, ‘Just as we have protected Hindu temples in Bangladesh, I urge Indian Hindus to reciprocate by safeguarding Muslim places of worship and religious practices in India.
During the recent anti-Quota and anti-Hasina protests, Hefazat-e-Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami reportedly played a significant role in influencing the student movement, which led to violent attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The resulting unrest saw over 100 temples vandalized by fanatical Muslim mobs, highlighting the vulnerability of minority communities in the country.
Although Professor Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government following Hasina’s removal, assured the protection of minority communities’ faith and lives, he has yet to comment on Hefazat-e-Islam’s declaration to establish Bangladesh as an Islamic State. His silence on this matter remains notable to the vulnerable Hindu minorities in the country.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
An Aboriginal-only lounge and menu at a public hospital in Canberra has been accused of ‘separating people by race’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
NSW Construction Companies Plunge Into Liquidation: Dozens of Projects Up in the Air
Four building and development companies believed to be linked together have collapsed, with 25 projects now up in the air.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Study Finds ‘Direct Correlation’ Between COVID Shots and Excess Deaths Surge
Scientists are raising the alarm after a major peer-reviewed study uncovered a “direct correlation” between Covid mRNA shots and the skyrocketing excess death rates seen around the world.
The study, conducted by leading Australian researchers, explores the relationship between Covid mRNA shots and excess mortality.
During the study, published in the peer-reviewed European Society of Medicine (ESMED) journal, the researchers analyzed official data for Australia’s highly-vaccinated population.
The researchers warn that the study provides “very strong” evidence that the vaccines caused a dramatic increase in deaths.
Cross-validation tests support the strength of the direct relationship between vaccination and increased mortality rates.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mahmoud Bargshoon, 39, was charged on August 16 with dishonestly possessing and tampering with a unique identifier.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Extreme Temperatures Spark Explosion at Arms Depot in Colombia
An explosion occurred in an arms depot today in Colombia due to an extreme heatwave. According to a report from local authorities, the armory of the 6th Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Riohacha, Colombia, where explosives were stored, detonated for over an hour in the capital of La Guajira.
Although the initial report from authorities suggested the explosion might have been an attack by an armed group, authorities later confirmed that extreme temperatures were the cause. “This situation occurred due to high weather conditions and temperatures, which caused the material to explode,” said Col. Asdrubal Rico Granados of the battalion.
Given the proximity of an educational institute to the battalion, students had to evacuate as a precaution, along with students from La Guajira University and workers from the Sena Industrial Complex.
According to the Secretary of Government of La Guajira, Misael Velasquez Grandillo, the explosives that detonated were defective. The plan was to let them explode naturally, allowing rescue teams to safely access the warehouse afterward.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump announced new death penalty policies he would implement against illegal migrants during a campaign event along the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday.
The former president traveled to Cochise County, Arizona, to highlight the stark differences between his and Vice President Kamala Harris’s immigration agenda.
During the 70-minute address, Trump and the media stood cooking in the scorching southwest sun as the ex-president spoke and brought victims of migrant-related crimes to the podium to share their agonizing personal stories.
After families from Texas and Maryland revealed the heart-wrenching details of their loved ones’ brutal deaths at the hands of illegal migrants, Trump announced policy priorities to prevent future tragedies.
‘We will seal the border, stop the invasion, and launch the largest deportation effort in American history,’ the former president said before adding he will also ‘impose tough new sentences on illegal alien criminals.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Records 60% Rise in Migrant Smuggling
German police recorded a drastic rise in human smuggling last year, registering 7,920 incidents—an increase of 60% compared to 2022. The number of individuals suspected of criminal involvement in smuggling migrants to Germany rose by 26% to 4,404.
Among the perpetrators, Syrians stand out as the most strongly represented nationality: 752 Syrian nationals were registered, followed by 405 Germans, 397 Ukrainians, 389 Turks, and 173 Afghans. According to the police, who announced their findings on Wednesday, August 21st, Syrians and Turks usually smuggle their own countrymen into Germany, while Ukrainian smugglers mainly bring in Syrian and Afghan migrants from the EU’s border with Belarus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The number of channel boat arrivals being granted asylum rose four-fold in the past year as the former Tory government tried to cut a massive backlog of cases and empty expensive hotel rooms.
New Home Office figures released today show that more than 25,000 people were granted asylum in the year to June, up from 6,600 in the same period last year.
Afghans accounted for almost a fifth (18 per cent) of small boat arrivals during that period. Some 5,370 Afghans arrived by this route in the 12 months to June, although the Government said this number was down by 41 per cent on the previous year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Number of ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Rises as 170 New Jurisdictions Pop Up Across US
There has been a sharp rise in the number of so-called “sanctuary cities” around the country, with a reported 170 more areas added to the map. The update to the map comes amid the ongoing border crisis under the Biden-Harris administration.
According to a report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), an updated “sanctuary” map shows about 170 new areas becoming sanctuaries for those coming into the country illegally. Since 2015, CIS has been tracking the number of sanctuaries in the US as those areas with defined local and/or state ordinances that prevent law enforcement agencies from cooperating fully with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to gain custody over illegal immigrants arrested for local crimes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over 100 Non-Citizens Caught Voting in Ohio’s Recent Elections
Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose has revealed that his office has uncovered evidence that over 100 non-citizens have voted in recent elections.
The discovery was made during a recent audit of the state’s voter rolls.
The revelation comes as tens of thousands of non-citizens have been found registered to vote on voter rolls across the country.
Democrats and their allies in the corporate media and the weaponized “fact-checking” cottage industry continue to claim that non-citizens are not voting in America’s elections.
On Thursday, LaRose’s office confirmed that 138 non-U.S. citizens have illegally voted in Ohio.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Taxpayer-Funded Oregon Group Offers $30,000 to Home Buyers… as Long as They’re Not American Citizens
Only days after it was announced that California will be pushing a bill to give illegal aliens access to zero down, no payment home loans, it has been revealed that a taxpayer-funded group out of Oregon called Hacienda CDC is already offering non-citizens a $30,000 home assistance loan for new homebuyers through a program called Camino a Casa.
Screenshots from the Hacienda website posted by X user Oregon Citizen note:
“Only for people who are not American citizens…”
“Clients work closely with financial coaches and HUD-certified housing counselors throughout the entirety of the homebuying process. In addition to mortgage readiness and financial fitness workshops, we provide various opportunities for down-payment assistance…”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Warns Countries Dumping Prisoners in U.S. as ‘Lazy’ Harris Ignores the Border
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the U.S. had become a dumping ground for the prison populations of other nations and lamented the influx of violent criminals to the country and the consequences for average American citizens.
Trump made the remarks at Montezuma Pass in Arizona amid the Democratic National Convention.
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UK Grants Record Number of Migrants Asylum
The then-Conservative-run Home Office granted an incredible 67,978 asylum applications. This represented a fall in the ‘grant rate,’ but a tripling of the actual number of migrants told they could stay.
These figures thoroughly undermine criticism of the new Labour administration from the opposition Conservative Party, which was in government through the whole period that they cover.
They also send what Robert Bates, research director at the Centre for Migration Control think tank, described as “a very clear message that if [migrants] can break into Britain, they are more than likely going to be allowed to stay.”
Bates told The European Conservative that “those awarded asylum are often done so on the most spurious of grounds and after having snuck into our country via illegal means.”
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Criminal gangs are cramming migrants on to dangerous boats for the perilous Channel crossing in increasing numbers, new figures reveal today.
The average number of people found on each barely seaworthy vessel rose to more than 50 for the first time in the year to the end of June, the Home Office has revealed.
That is a five-fold increase from the average of 10 people per boat in 2019.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Must Have Been Tipped Off”: Jack Daniel’s Cuts Woke Training Ahead of Robby Starbuck’s Next Exposé
Hiding behind the veil of “progressivism,” the toxic woke mind virus has infected corporate America, transforming companies into left-wing activists.
In response to woke corporate America, commentator and filmmaker Robby Starbuck has waged an anti-woke crusade, which has already led Harley-Davidson Inc., Tractor Supply Co., and Deere & Co. to reverse or entirely nuke diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and other woke programs.
In an overnight Wednesday post on X, Starbuck announced that Jack Daniels would be his next target for exposing internal DEI programs. However, unlike previous big reveals, Jack Daniels’ parent company, Brown-Forman Corp., had been tipped off well in advance…
“They must have been tipped off by us going through employee LinkedIn pages,” Starbuck said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ECHR Has Given Every Prisoner the Right to ‘Change Their Sex’, Legal Think-Tank Claims
According to Poland’s Conservative legal think-tank Ordo Iuris, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has effectively ruled that everyone has the right to choose his or her “gender” at their own discretion in a prison environment.
The ECHR in July of this year ruled that Poland had violated a male prisoner’s right to privacy because the prison where he was serving his sentence did not provide him with access to female hormones.
Filip Bator from Ordo Iuris argued that the ECHR had now effectively said that everyone has the right to “change their sex.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Equal Rights for Religion’: Protest in Poland Against Reduction of Religious Lessons in Schools
Hundreds gathered at Castle Square in Warsaw on Wednesday to protest changes to religious classes in schools, with demonstrators warning that these new policies could phase out religion and ethics classes through what they call a “backdoor method.”
The protest, led by the Association of Lay Catechists, was organized in response to the Ministry of Education’s decision to reduce the number of religious education hours in Polish schools. The group is also urging President Andrzej Duda to refer the ministry’s ruling, issued by Minister Barbara Nowacka, to the Constitutional Tribunal for review.
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Facial Recognition Continues to Proliferate at Concerts and Festivals
The trend of employing facial recognition devices in any place where a large number of people gather and circulate — such as airports, stadiums, and even the high street — is becoming clear and evident.
The entertainment industry is no exception, with proliferation continuing at pace at concert venues and festivals.
Those who fear increasingly efficient mass surveillance as the result of this trend see the reason for that fear precisely in the scale of the biometric data captured in these places.
But those pushing for more and more adoption say this is done to ensure security (prevent ticket scalping, and such) and speed things up — aka, “streamline access” by avoiding long queues.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Harley Davidson is forced to stop being woke
Published August 22, 2024 Culture news.
Iconic motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson has decided to withdraw its recently adopted equality and diversity policy. This after extensive criticism from the company’s traditional customer base, reports Carup.se.
The decision, which is presented in a press release, means that the company stops several ongoing projects in LGBTQP issues and feminism.
The background to the change is a growing dissatisfaction among the company’s core customers, who are mainly conservative and male drivers. Discontent culminated after right-wing profiler Bobby Starbuck exposed parts of the company’s new policy program, which included feminist training for white male employees and participation in Pride events.
Harley Davidson announces that it is now returning to focus on its traditional values and customers.
– We will work to grow as a company and spread the motorcycle culture and provide our loyal customers, military and war veterans with motorcycles, the company states.
The decision was welcomed by many loyal customers, and protest leader Bobby Starbuck vows on Fox News to continue the fight against similar PK initiatives at other companies.
I heard that they didn’t outright deny their dislike of old traditional bikers and the drive for “inclusion”
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/about-us/sustainability.html
Anyhow – IMHO – this is targeted destruction of American Culture TM. Budweiser, Gillette, now Harley – all turn gay, and American consumer turns away from these brands – brands that used to define America as a nation.
Harley has been stolen from yous, dear Americans.
I wonder if they’ll just hide it.
Somehow I had not thought of this as intentional destruction of American culture, but of course you are right. Something very nasty happening in the world — a take-down of nation states, America be being the biggest target.
On Kamala..
Kamala’s PUBLIC persona seems nice. However, based on my experience working as an aide for a NY senator (D) in my [leftist] youth, I found that democrats tended to be nice people in public, but a**holes in private…especially, with their staff (ask me how I know). Pretty much to a person. Republicans, on the other hand, tended to be the reverse.
Of the politicians I got to know back then, the only ones that remained friends were all republicans (e.g., for many years, I was welcome to stop into Bob Packwood’s office (R-OR) for a chat whenever I was on Capitol Hill for business. However, I knew better than to drop-in to visit any of my ol’ democratic “friends” (including the democrat I worked for!) after I left the senator’s payroll😲.)
Fox News: “If you go to the Harris website, there is NO policy listed on the website.”
Gavin Newsom: ah, er….er….ah……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9XNy7-jys8&t=206s
See for yourself..
https://kamalaharris.com/faqs/
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/platform
“Memo to The Blacktivist Queen: It’s time!
Declare Prince Aricept incompetent and get it over with. I know that’s The Plan, you know that’s The Plan and, most importantly, The Party put you in office to execute The Plan. I think you’re a commie-toddler bent on revolution, but at least you’re mentally competent. C’mon Kamala, it’s time.” —posted to fb (June 2021)
Knowledge is power.
If you understand that The Party’s [leadership] is wholly reliant on the “ain’t my pants” ethos, then the reasoning behind their aspiration to, and lionization of, simple-mindedness becomes crystal clear.
Watch (< 1 min): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dJhM9eFZz04
Kudos to The Party for pulling-off the [Hollywood-scripted, focus-group-tested and flag-draped] SCAM-O’-THE-CENTURY!
Prediction: The Blacktivist Queen’s [cackle-free] performance on the final night of The Party’s convention launched the new, improved and thoroughly fraudulent TBQ. Pitted against “Orange Hitler”, I believe the average voter—whose voting requirements’re limited to which candidate’s the most attractive and “presidential”—will not only pull The Party’s lever on election day for JFK2-in-a-pantsuit, but she’ll yank on it from the bottom of her heart. Oy veh..
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Chronicle with Karl-Olov Arnstberg –
The cultural revolution needs a counter-revolution
Published 1 day ago • 3.4K views.
In addition to the popular uprising, we need a counter-revolution with new slogans, but we must not fight with the political left on their level.
Sure, it’s good if they fight for the equal value of all people, if they fight for the rights of oppressed groups and women, but a healthy and future-oriented society must start from things that are society’s strengths, not its weaknesses.
The critical theories work through negation, but the counter-revolution must work as a positive force. While the Cultural Revolution seeks to demolish the basic principles of the West, the counter-revolution must seek to restore them.
It is a society with a political elite who do not despise but are in solidarity with the people who elected them.
It is a society that puts nationalism before globalism.
It is a society that sees the two sexes as complementary, not competing.
It is a society that cherishes its traditions and remembers its history.
It is a society that sees the family as the most important component.
It is fundamentally a libertarian society, which makes a distinction between what are the tasks of the state, the market and civil society.
And, controversially for today’s feminist left: Whether women or men lead it, a patriarchy is.
The counter-revolution should not be understood as a reaction or a desire to return to the past, but as a movement with the intention of reviving the working principles and reorienting the institutions towards their core tasks.
While the endpoint of the critical theories is nihilism, the counter-revolution must instill hope in the people, expressed in a language that exposes and surpasses the ideological rhetoric of the left.
See the entire program in Swedish HERE:
https://swebbtv.se/w/5QiLTXXYnLij9nuUjmhnbt
Europe Does Not Need Border Controls to Contain Mpox Spread, Health Authorities Say https://schengen.news/europe-does-not-need-border-controls-to-contain-mpox-spread-health-authorities-say/
Just A Walz (AWOL) In The Park: Tim Walz is a certifiable unglued. What is the point of Tampons in Men’s restrooms? https://tinyurl.com/ymte78r7
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Also ‘counter jihadists’ can be unlucky
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Possible cure for cancer!
– on the legal corruption among politicians, Magdalena Andersson (S) all the way to the Trilateral Commission
published in Swedish :
Environmental analysis 120 – swebbtv.se
https://swebbtv.se/w/pP4AsiiMmkiQopZZoWh49X
Name of medicinal product
“fenbendazole”
(- combine with ‘turmeric’ etc.)
https://www.qwant.com/?q=fenbendazole&t=web
FENBENDAZOLE and CANCER
– at least 12 Anti-Cancer Mechanisms of Action – Dr William Makis (2024)
By Dr. Frank Yap, MD – August 18, 2024
The main goal with these article is to provide as much clear information as possible for someone dealing with cancer or mRNA Induced Turbo Cancer. This article deals with the basis and practical approach to using Fenbendazole, Mebendazole and Ivermectin.
Fenbendazole Literature and Papers:
2024 Apr, Rodrigues et al – Repurposing mebendazole against triple-negative breast cancer CNS metastasis
2024 Feb, Eid et al – Investigating the Promising Anticancer Activity of Cetuximab and Fenbendazole Combination as Dual CBS and VEGFR-2 Inhibitors and Endowed with Apoptotic Potential
2024 Feb, Park et al – The microtubule cytoskeleton: A validated target for the development of 2-Aryl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole derivatives as potential anticancer agents
2024 Jan, Matsuo et al – Parbendazole as a promising drug for inducing differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells with various subtypes
…
https://www.onedaymd.com/2023/10/fenbendazole-and-cancer-at-least-12.html
https://rumble.com/v3svcrs-joe-rogan-reacts-to-an-overlooked-miracle-drug-for-cancer-fenbendazole.html
Anti-cancer effects of fenbendazole on 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer cells
Deokbae Park 1, Jung-Hee Lee 2, Sang-Pil Yoon 3
Affiliations expand
PMID: 36039738 PMCID: PMC9437363 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2022.26.5.377
Abstract
Benzimidazole anthelmintic agents have been recently repurposed to overcome cancers resistant to conventional therapies. To evaluate the anti-cancer effects of benzimidazole on resistant cells, various cell death pathways were investigated in 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer cells. The viability of wild-type and 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 colorectal cancer cells was assayed, followed by Western blotting. Flow cytometry assays for cell death and cell cycle was also performed to analyze the anti-cancer effects of benzimidazole. When compared with albendazole, fenbendazole showed higher susceptibility to 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 cells and was used in subsequent experiments. Flow cytometry revealed that fenbendazole significantly induces apoptosis as well as cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase on both cells. When compared with wild-type SNU-C5 cells, 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 cells showed reduced autophagy, increased ferroptosis and ferroptosis-augmented apoptosis, and less activation of caspase-8 and p53. These results suggest that fenbendazole may be a potential alternative treatment in 5-fluorouracil-resistant cancer cells, and the anticancer activity of fenbendazole does not require p53 in 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 cells.
Keywords: Apoptosis; Colorectal cancer; Drug resistance; Fenbendazole; p53.
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