The FPÖ (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, Austrian Freedom Party) won the Austrian national elections for the first time, beating the ÖVP (Österreichische Volkspartei, Austrian People’s Party) by 2.5 points. However, the ÖVP may well decide not to join a coalition with the FPÖ, and instead look to its left to form a government.
In other news, Ryan Wesley Routh pleaded not guilty today to charges of attempted assassination against former President Donald Trump.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, JW, LP, McN, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Economic Stagnation ‘The Best Germany Can Hope For’
Germany is about to downgrade its economic forecast for 2024, with authorities now hoping to register zero growth this year, according to a report from the international news agency Bloomberg.
Writing on September 30, the publication claimed that authorities were said to believe economic stagnation this year was the best Germany could hope for, with it being possible that the country’s economy could even shrink over the course of 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Leith Van Onselen: Australia Has Turned Into a Nation of Debt Slaves
Economist Leith van Onselen has declared Australia to be a nation of mortgage debt ‘slaves’ as the proportion of suburbs with prices over $1million doubles in just four years.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
New Wave of Inflation Hits Poland
The latest data confirms that inflation in Poland is rising, and after a few months, it has exceeded the permissible range for the NBP target. Inflation in September rose to 4.9 percent year-over-year, the Central Statistical Office reported on Monday morning, publishing preliminary data.
The data shows that the average prices of consumer goods and services in September 2024 were 4.9 percent higher than in the same month of the previous year. In August, this figure was 4.3 percent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden and Harris Called Out Over Botched Hurricane Response as Trump Visits Victims
When natural disasters strike in the United States, the president and VP have historically responded immediately — offering support, condolences, and generally letting the public know that the situation is — or will soon be — under control.
After making landfall Thursday night in Florida’s Big Bend region, Hurricane Helene proceeded to tear through several states — resulting in 116 deaths and causing devastating floods in Western North Carolina.
Yet, it took three days for the White House to get their act together.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Blue City Voters Show Low Trust in Major Teachers Union as November Elections Near
A majority of likely voters in Chicago showed low trust in the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) ahead of the upcoming school board election, according to a poll conducted in August.
Around 36% of likely Chicago voters have a favorable opinion of CTU compared to 46% who have an unfavorable opinion, according to a press release Monday from the Illinois Policy Institute that commissioned a survey from M3 Strategies. The poll found that 17% of likely voters held a favorable opinion of the president of CTU, Stacy Davis Gates, while 39% held an unfavorable opinion and 6% had no opinion.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump stopped in Valdosta, Georgia to drop off food water, and other supplies on Monday after the devastation of Hurricane Helene. He was joined by the eldest son of Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, who is also the President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
After touching down in the city, Trump announced that he would be working with Graham in order to distribute food, water, and supplies with Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN’s senior data expert Harry Enten has warned the Democrats that Vice President Kamala Harris is recording record-low polling as the November election draws near.
According to Enten, Harris is on track for “the worst Democrat performance in a generation” among union voters.
Weighing in on the polling data on CNN’s “News Central,” Enten said:
“One of many elements that we’ll be looking at this morning, you know, sometimes there are data points that just jump off the screen it should set off sirens.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Comer Subpoenas DHS for Memos Whistleblowers Say Contain Info About Tim Walz’s China Connections
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Monday subpoenaed the Department of Homeland Security seeking records related to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s China connections after whistleblowers raised concerns.
Comer says his committee learned from the whistleblowers there is “serious concern” among DHS personnel “regarding a longstanding connection between the CCP and Minnesota Governor Timothy James Walz,” according to the subpoena cover letter sent Monday.
Walz is now the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Conyers Chemical Plant Fire: Odor, Haze Reported in Metro Atlanta
A large plume sits in the sky above Conyers following the evacuation of about 17,000 people due to a chemical plant fire, and several metro Atlanta counties reported a haze and chemical smell Monday morning.
Fulton officials said they are investigating a “haze and strong chemical smell” that authorities believe is linked to a Sunday fire at BioLab. Meanwhile, Gwinnett County school officials canceled today’s outdoor activities and had taken steps to prevent air from getting into buildings. DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency and DeKalb Fire Rescue are both testing air quality around the county and will issue advisories should they become necessary.
A shelter-in-place order for all of Rockdale County, where the population exceeds 90,000, has been extended indefinitely Monday.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Cybersecurity Expert Trial Testimony: Georgia Election Machines Vulnerable to Hacking
Georgia’s election machines are vulnerable to hacking, according to a cybersecurity expert’s trial testimony.
During a trial on Monday, cybersecurity expert Clay Parikh testified that Dominion Voting System machines in Georgia could be hacked, as well as in other states where the same machines are used, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump Offers Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
ormer President Donald J. Trump took to social media Sunday and offered a prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, adding his own spiritual perspective on the struggles — past, present, and future — he continues to endure in the 2024 presidential race.
Trump shared his public invocation on X during Michaelmas, offering: “Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.”
“May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
Michaelmas, celebrated on September 29, is a Christian feast day honoring the Archangel Michael and all angels. It traditionally marks the end of the harvest season in Europe and serves as a reminder of spiritual strength and protection.
September 29, for Catholics, is the wider feast of the archangels, especially Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hillary Clinton Calls on Corporate Media to Push ‘Consistent Narrative About Danger Trump Poses’
Twice-failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is calling on her allies in the corporate to continue attacking President Donald Trump with aggressive rhetoric.
Clinton made the call at the Clinton Global Initiative during a special edition of PBS News’s “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover.”
She argues that the corporate media needs to push a “consistent narrative” that Trump is a “danger” to the American people.
Clinton made the remarks despite the growing threat against Trump’s life after he recently survived multiple assassination attempts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House GOP Subpoenas NIH ‘FOIA Lady’ Over Fauci Adviser’s Alleged Efforts to Dodge Records Requests
Margaret Moore, dubbed by some the “FOIA Lady” for the National Institutes of Health, has been subpoenaed and thus must legally appear for a deposition to discuss her role in an alleged conspiracy to teach others how evade the Freedom of Information Act and keep information related to COVID-19 a secret.
Congressman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, the chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, said in a Monday press release that while Moore has been issued a subpoena, her lawyer told the committee she expected to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when she testifies on October 4.
Wenstrup and his subcommittee say they have evidence that Moore instructed Dr. David Morens, Dr. Anthony Fauci’s senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to delete records and use his personal email account to skirt FOIA requests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In September, the Jewish Democratic Council of America rolled out a poll which claimed that 72% of American Jews backed Kamala, and that Jewish voters didn’t really care about Israel or antisemitism, only about “abortion”, “climate change” and the “future of democracy”.
The poll by the Democrat firm GBAO Strategies was ridiculed as rigged even by the people who have spent years repeating back the results of similar past polls claiming that 70% of Jews voted for Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Exit polls usually don’t register Jewish voters and virtually all polls of Jewish voters are conducted by Democrat and liberal groups. And they’re just as worthless, but they fit people’s preconceptions of the Jewish vote.
The stereotype of Jews voting 70% for the Democrat candidate seeped in even as local precinct data in Jewish neighborhoods raised serious questions about whether that was really true.
And actual polling data of Jews suggests that VP Kamala Harris has a Jewish problem.
In August, a Siena college poll of New Yorkers showed that Trump was not only performing surprisingly well in the state, but was narrowly winning the Jewish vote 50% to 49%.
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Kamala Slammed Over Staged Hurricane Recovery Photo With Unplugged Headphones, ‘Blank’ Paper
Vice President Kamala Harris shared a photo of herself from Air Force Two where she appears to be deep in thought, immersed in work, with a pen in one hand, a phone in front of her, and a pair of headphones hanging from one ear. The only problem is that the paper appears blank and the wired headphones don’t seem to be connected to anything.
In her post, Harris explains that she was “just briefed” by FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell “on the latest developments about the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene. We also discussed our Administration’s continued actions to support emergency response and recovery,” she wrote. Harris said that she spoke with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper “about the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts in North Carolina.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Large-Scale Democrat Voter Fraud Operation Uncovered in Michigan
A disturbing large-scale voter fraud operation that seeks to boost mail-in ballot votes for Democrats has been uncovered in Michigan.
The scheme is being run by a shadowy leftist organization called “The Voter Project Michigan.”
An investigation uncovered evidence that the group is sending blank absentee ballot applications to tens of thousands of Michigan voters in the mail.
However, those voters did not request absentee ballot applications.
Along with the Michigan ballot application, the recipients receive a letter promoting Democrat causes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Minnesota Food Pantry Bans White People, Says ‘Resources’ Are Only for ‘Black & Indigenous Folx’
A Minneapolis, Minn. food pantry is only giving food to “Black and Indigenous” people, those who are hungry and white are told not to take the “resources” available. Mykelo ‘Keiko’ Jackson, who runs the food pantry, was awarded a Minnesota State grant to open the food pantry.
The sign on the pantry reads: “The resources found in here are intended for Black & Indigenous Folx. Please refrain from taking anything if you’re not.” An August post emphasized the mission, saying “With the help of our community and MDH: African American Health Office we’ve distributed 2,249 lbs of food to Black & Indigenous Folx in North Minneapolis. This is what liberation looks like on a small scale. We’d like to say THANK YOU to everyone that has supported this initiative, donated their time or resources to be in aid of commUNITY.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Movie Armorer’s Conviction Upheld in Fatal ‘Rust’ Set Shooting by Alec Baldwin
SANTA FE, N.M. — A New Mexico judge on Monday upheld an involuntary manslaughter conviction against a movie armorer in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western film “Rust.”
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed asked a court to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter conviction or convene a new trial in the shooting death, alleging misconduct and suppression of evidence by law enforcement.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
‘National Security’ Officials Who Endorsed Harris Tied to Intel Agencies, Defense Contractors
Over 700 members of National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) signed a letter endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris last week, but many of the officials are aligned with defense contractors and organizations pushing for U.S. involvement in foreign conflict.
Some of the officials voted for the U.S. invasion of Iraq — including former Secretaries of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton — which amounted to a nearly $140 billion boon to private contractors, according to CNN. In addition to bureaucrats and veterans of the intelligence community, the list features numerous individuals affiliated with defense contractors, government-funded think tanks, and organizations partnered with arms manufacturers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netflix Loses Millions of Subscribers After Boss Backs Kamala Harris
Netflix saw cancellations spike after co-founder Reed Hastings said he was backing Kamala Harris.
Hastings, still serving as the streaming giant’s chairman and the face of the company, said he had donated $7 million to the Democratic candidate’s campaign as well.
The rate of cancellations — known as churn — nearly tripled in the US after Hastings’ endorsement on July 22, according to research firm Antenna.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Port Worker Strike Looms as Pay Negotiations Stall
U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico plan to strike starting on Tuesday, said the International Longshoremen’s Association union, which would be the first coast-wide strike to take place since 1977.
Negotiations over pay have stalled and no meetings are reportedly scheduled before the labor contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which represents about 45,000 port workers, and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group expires at midnight Monday.
The port worker strike, which would impact the U.S. import and export of goods from retail products to cars, could cost the U.S. economy as much as $5 billion each day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ryan Routh Pleads Not Guilty Over Alleged Assassination Attempt on Trump
Alleged would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges stemming from the September incident in which he allegedly planned to kill the former president.
Routh was charged with the attempted assassination last week. He previously faced two federal charges relating to his possession of a firearm while a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The Monday arraignment lasted less than five minutes, ABC News reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scientists Expose Deadly ‘Hot’ Batches of COVID ‘Vaccines’
An alarming new study has revealed that certain batches of Covid mRNA “vaccines” distributed among the American people had a far higher risk of causing adverse events and sudden deaths.
Scientists uncovered evidence revealing that some communities across the United States received “hot” batches of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid injections.
The shocking discovery was revealed in a peer-reviewed letter published in the renowned scientific journal Science, Public Health Policy and the Law.
The study was conducted by Children’s Health Defense (CHD) scientists Brian Hooker, Ph.D, and Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., who co-authored the letter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Soros-Backed Group Gets OK to Acquire Licenses for Audacy Stations, Including in Detroit
Audacy Inc., the bankrupt radio broadcaster, won regulatory approval for the transfer of its licenses to a nonprofit funded by billionaire George Soros, paving the way for the company, which owns WWJ-AM 950, 97.1 the Ticket and other Detroit radio stations, to emerge from Chapter 11.
Under the restructuring approved by the court in February, the new, closely held company will be controlled by the Fund for Policy Reform, a Delaware nonprofit, according to an FCC filing Monday. It will be governed by a four-person board, including Alexander Soros, son of the billionaire investor.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Babylon Bee Strikes Back: Lawsuit Takes on California’s Anti-Satire Laws
In a world where politicians crave safe spaces from jokes, California’s latest move to suppress satire might just take the cake. California has decided that it’s time to put an end to all that pesky “political humor.” Yes, the state that brought us Hollywood is now terrified of a few biting punchlines, and naturally, satire site The Babylon Bee and outspoken attorney Kelly Chang Rickert are not having it.
The champion of online irreverence has just slapped the State of California with a lawsuit that reads less like legalese and more like a desperate plea for common sense. They’re arguing, quite reasonably, that California’s new laws—AB 2839 and AB 2655—are a massive overreach, a heavy-handed attempt to quash their First Amendment rights and kill the punchline before it even has a chance to land.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hurricane Helene has continued to cause destruction and claim lives in the Southeast since Thursday night when it made landfall, leaving a combined death toll of 132 and nearly 600 missing as of Monday.
The catastrophic aftermath that became fully apparent on Monday left a scene of utter devastation with homes shattered, cargo containers crushed and highways engulfed in mud, according to The Associated Press. Infrastructure failures in Western North Carolina have plunged the area into crisis, cutting off roads and disrupting power and communications, forcing residents to queue for fresh water and to send messages to their loved ones to confirm that they were alive.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Media Empire Expands Streaming Power With Nationwide Tech Deployment
Trump Media & Technology Group, known for operating the social media platform Truth Social, has expanded its reach by upgrading its free speech content delivery network (CDN) to a multi-site operation spanning various US locations. This enhancement facilitates the delivery of its new TV streaming service, Truth+, through a more robust and widely distributed network free of Big Tech.
TMTG’s expansion signals a significant enhancement in its streaming technology infrastructure, as content is now streamed from several geographic points. This distributed approach not only bolsters the efficiency of the network but also aligns with the company’s strategic goal to fortify itself as a bulwark of uncensored communication online.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Discusses Setting Up Starlink for NC With Elon Musk, White House Says it’s on the Way
After Donald Trump said he asked Elon Musk to provide his Starlink satellite Internet service to areas of North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene, the White House said that more than 100 of the necessary systems were already in transit prior to the Republican presidential nominee’s announcement.
“I just spoke to Elon,” Trump said Monday, per Reuters. “We want to get Starlink hooked up because they have no communication whatsoever and Elon will always come through.”
The White House responded to Trump’s remarks with a social media statement reading, “This is already happening.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UN Official’s Battle With “Toxic Information” Raises Censorship Fears Ahead of US Election
United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming’s focus is “disinformation” and “toxic information systems” — and she presents those as standing in the way of the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).
SDGs are the UN’s plan that opponents say is “toxic” in itself since it seeks to promote such controversial things as censorship and digital ID and, to make matters worse, that’s supported by major countries.
Now, Fleming seems to be keen to add to the avalanche of pressure on Big Tech — even though the term she no doubt carefully uses instead is “domination of public discourse” in places where this alleged disinformation is most present.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
VA Employees Accessed Vance and Walz Medical Records, Investigation Underway
Department of Veterans Affairs employees have illicitly accessed the medical records both major parties’ vice presidential nominees, the agency confirmed to both campaigns. An investigation is ongoing.
At least 12 agency employees have improperly accessed the records of Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., according the Washington Post. Both men are veterans of the armed services, with Vance serving in the Marines and Walz in the National Guard.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Saskatchewan Church Destroyed by Fire — Police Investigate Possible Arson
A fire destroyed St. George’s Anglican church in Loon Lake, SK early Saturday morning. The local RCMP detachment said the church was empty at the time of the blaze and were not aware of anyone being injured, the Toronto Star reported.
Police have started an investigation into what could be a case of arson but say they have no evidence at this time to suggest it was. But they are seeking any witnesses who may have seen suspicious activity around the church prior to the fire starting. George Rothenburger, who was the secretary at St. George’s, the building goes back to 1938 and was active with a monthly service.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
112 Christian churches in Canada have been vandalized, burned down or desecrated since the announcement of the apparent discovery of graves found near a residential school in Kamloops, BC.
Since then, three other first nations have announced similar findings of burial sites located near former residential schools.
In response to these announcements, far-left radicals have used this opportunity as an excuse to terrorize Catholic and other Christian communities by targeting churches.
Here is the full list of churches that have been targeted by the radical vandals.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
All But One Member State Failed to Meet EU Renewable Energy Policy Deadline
The European Commission opened infringement procedures on Sept 26 against all but one of its member states. The procedures are for failing to comply with their EU obligations regarding renewable energy.
Letters of formal notice will go to 26 of the EU’s 27 member states telling them the commission has opened an infringement procedure against them.
The EU’s revised Renewable Energy Directive came into effect in November 2023. By July 1, 2024, members should have translated the directive’s clauses into national legislation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austria: Right-Wing FPÖ Achieves Historic Victory
The anti-immigration, right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) achieved a historic victory on Sunday, September 29th. It won the Austrian national elections for the first time, defeating the mainstream parties, the centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democrats (SPÖ)—who have taken turns governing the country since the end of World War II.
The FPÖ won 29.2% of the votes—its best ever result—and 58 seats in the 183-seat parliament. The party almost doubled its share of the vote from 2019 when it received 16.2%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) won a historic victory Sunday evening, winning a record 28.8 percent of the vote. However, the anti-immigration party, also known for its opposition to sanctions on Russia, will face difficulty in forming a government, with coalition talks expected to drag on, possibly for months.
Several records were broken in Sunday’s national election, with the FPÖ scoring its highest-ever result, with 28.8 percent of the vote, a record increase of 12.6 percentage points. Meanwhile, the center-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) suffered a historic loss of around 11 percentage points, leaving the party coming in second behind the FPÖ. The left-liberal SPÖ slipped to third place for the first time.
Opinion researcher Christoph Haselmayer said the FPÖ’s result is “doubly historic,” adding that “for the first time in a National Council election, the FPÖ is in first place and has surpassed the FPÖ-Haider result from 1999.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Senate Election Spells Further Disaster for Ruling Centrist Bloc
The second round of the Czech senate elections, held over the weekend of 27-28th September, ended in the victory of ex-PM Andrej Babis’s right-wing populist ANO (‘YES’, Action of Dissatisfied Citizens), which secured a total number of votes surpassing—when tallied individually—that of every governing and opposition party.
These results are part of a growing, Europe-wide pattern of significant electoral gains for national conservative parties, which crumbling coalitions of the Left and center then seek to ignore.
This comes just a week after the regional parliamentary elections—held alongside the first round of voting or the upper house—in which ANO came out on top in ten out of the country’s 13 regions in a landslide, pushing the disastrous coalition government to the verge of collapse after one of its members was virtually eliminated, losing 96 seats out of its 99.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Workers Hired as ‘Slaves’ in McDonald’s Branches and Bakeries in UK
The international news outlet BBC has reported that Czech citizens were exploited and forced into modern-day slavery in British branches of McDonald’s and a bakery factory. The victims, mainly homeless or drug addicts, were subjected to harsh working conditions, cramped and slum-like living conditions, and had their wages confiscated by a gang for over four years.
The exploitation took place at a McDonald’s branch in the south of England and a bread company with branches around the same area, including in north London.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Foreign Minister Lipavský Set to Resign Amid Coalition Crisis
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský is expected to resign on Tuesday as the Pirate Party formally exits the government coalition, deepening the country’s political crisis. The move follows Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Bartos, the leader of the Pirates, over failed efforts to digitize construction management, a project Fiala criticized as mismanaged.
When asked this weekend in a televised interview whether the Pirates would leave the coalition cabinet, Bartos commented, “When you throw the party chairman out of the government over the phone, the party probably can’t react any other way.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Deindustrialisation Speedrun: Britain’s Final Coal Power Plant, Steel Blast Furnace Close Today
Britain’s final coal-fired power station and its penultimate steel plant shut their doors today, a consequence of the government’s hard push for decarbonisation, even at the cost of affordable energy or an indigenous steel making capacity, crucial for the defence industry.
They’re hundreds of miles away from each other but two of the final bastions of the British industrial revolution shut forever today, their respective demises very linked through the slow-burning but very much ongoing British electricity price crisis. Ratcliffe on Soar, once the cutting-edge in coal-fired steam turbine electricity production and the blast furnace at Port Talbot both close on Monday, coincidentally just days after fresh figures show Britain has the most expensive electricity prices in the world by a considerable margin.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Email From Athens Set to Cause Von Der Leyen, Metsola Headaches
An email sent to the European Commission and Parliament chiefs is expected to stir the waters ahead of the upcoming hearing of Greece’s commissioner candidate for the transport portfolio, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
The email seen by Euractiv was sent to von der Leyen, EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Justice EU Commissioner Didier Reynders.
It was sent by Maria Karystianou, the representative of the parents of victims of the Tempi accident — the deadliest train crash in Europe.
What has happened
In 2023, 57 people — mainly youngsters — were killed in a train crash in Tempi (central Greece). Since then, the issue has been in the national spotlight and the court case to determine those responsible for the accident is proceeding slowly.
The victims’ relatives as well as the opposition parties claim that the government is trying to cover up the case. Meanwhile, the centre-right government (EPP) insists there are no political responsibilities and says it’s up to the justice system to investigate the matter.
However, the issue has also attracted the attention of Brussels.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FPÖ Wins Big in Austrian Elections — But “Kingmaker” Conservatives Lean Towards the Left
The Freedom Party (FPÖ) scored a momentous and better-than-expected win in Austria’s September 29 elections. At 9 pm — with 97 per cent of votes counted — the right-wing FPÖ party under its leader Herbert Kickl led other parties with 29 per cent of the vote, a 13 percentage-point improvement over its performance in the previous 2019 elections.
It was a better result for the FPÖ than the last pre-elections polls predicted, which suggested a tie for first place between Kickl’s party and the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP). In the event, the FPÖ pulled ahead of the ÖVP by 2.5 percentage points.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Le Pen’s Political Future at Stake During Embezzlement Trial
While the National Rally (RN) has never been particularly influential in France and Brussels, Marine Le Pen and 26 other individuals must answer for “embezzlement of European funds” in a trial that could determine the presidential ambitions of the far-right party leader.
After ten years of investigations, the RN leader will stand trial starting Monday (September 30) for “embezzlement of European funds,” a charge that carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a €1 million fine, and a ban from holding public office for up to five years.
This could significantly dent her intention to run for the French presidency in 2027.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: No Saxony Coalition Without COVID Amnesty, Stance Against US Missiles, Wagenknecht Warns
A coalition involving the left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in Saxony would only be possible if the coalition agreement created a Covid amnesty and took a stance against deploying US missiles in Germany, warned the party’s leader.
Speaking amid talks between the BSW and the more establishment centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), Wagenknecht insisted her newly-founded party was not interested in a “business as usual” attitude. It would only enter into a state coalition if its conditions were met.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder (Social Democrats) is nearly a cult figure in Germany, with the former chancellor still wildly popular, which might be why it is so surprising that he appears to be backing Donald Trump in upcoming elections in a country where Trump is widely despised.
A big reason behind his support for a Trump victory has to do with the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to an interview he gave to Swiss weekly Die Weltwoche.
“Given our history, let’s ask: How can massive conflicts lead to even more massive conflicts? Could the world explode when the powers collide? We must make every effort to suppress such conflicts at an early stage. It sounds a little strange to say now that I hope Trump wins. But okay, maybe that’s a solution,” he said. However, Schröder did criticize him for running at such an advanced age.
Like Trump, Viktor Orban is a conservative and populist hero for many, but in Germany, many of the same people who vote for Schröder despise the Hungarian leader. Schröder, however, does not appear to entirely share this position.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope’s Visit to Belgium Overshadowed by History of Clerical Abuse of Children
The Pope’s three-day visit to Belgium over the weekend was overshadowed by historical sexual abuse by members of the clergy.
The trip, which began September 26, marked the first visit by a Pope to Belgium in 30 years.
Those decades have seen a great deal of resentment festering towards the Catholic Church over sexual abuse scandals. The scandals have continued, when in March this year the former Bishop of Bruges Roger Vangheluwe was dismissed from the clerical state for abuses committed when he was a priest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Right-Wing Populist ANO Wins Second Round of Czech Local Elections
ANO, the right-wing populist Czech party, has won the second round of the Czech local and Senate elections.
After securing major gains in the first round, the ANO (Action of Dissatisfied Citizens — Akce Nespokojených Obcanu) party, a member of the right-wing Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament, also picked up seats in the second round.
Initially, the party secured 10 of the 13 regions contested, winning a total of 291 local council seats — up 119 seats on the previous election.
Alongside that, ANO also finished as runner-up everywhere else, indicating broad support for the party across the country.
In the Senate, ANO took eight seats, gaining 7 seats compared to 2022. This cycle, two seats were won in the first round and six more in the final round.
These elections marked the first time ANO won the most seats in a Senate election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia’s War in Ukraine ‘Frames’ Everything, Says Sweden’s New Army Chief
Russia is the threat against which Sweden must tailor its defences, Sweden’s new Commander-in-Chief Michael Claesson said ahead of taking up his new post on Tuesday.
The new Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Defence Forces, who is due to take up his duties on Tuesday (1 October), gave an interview to the Swedish press agency TT in which he outlined his vision of the tense strategic situation in which his country finds itself.
“The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine frames everything we do”, Claesson said.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO. Sweden was the last country to join the Alliance in March, ending 200 years of military non-alignment.
As the new head of the armed forces, Claesson now wants to focus more on Sweden’s military and warned that Russia, which is currently strategically unpredictable, may target Sweden directly.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spanish MEP Admits Collecting €100,000 Illegally for His Electoral Campaign
Spanish MEP Alvise Pérez admitted on September 26 he had not invoiced, nor paid VAT, for a €100,000 cash payment he received on May 27 from cryptocurrency entrepreneur Álvaro Romillo.
The MEP from the Se Acabó La Fiesta party said he was “guilty as a self-employed person” for not handling the payment properly.
The news website Eldiario.es has claimed Pérez received the €100,000 to promote Romillo’s cryptocurrency company, which has recently gone bankrupt, at public events. Eldiario.es also alleged that Pérez asked to receive the donation via a digital wallet, to avoid scrutiny by the Court of Auditors and Treasury.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘The Tusk Government Has Launched a National Program to Disarm the Polish Army’
Tensions are rising as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk continuously guts the defense initiatives launched by the previous Polish conservative government, with Law and.Justice (PiS) MP and former Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak accusing the Tusk government of betrayal and purposeful disarmament of the Polish army.
“The Tusk government has launched a national program to disarm the Polish Army. Only in recent weeks have we learned that contracts for K2 tanks, K9 howitzers, Himars launchers and FA-50 aircraft have been canceled,” says Blaszczak.
“Do you know why this is happening? Because Tusk is lying about the high defense budget. They don’t have money,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tusk Rebuffed by Polish Courts in Double-Whammy Defeats
The attempts by Donald Tusk to remove from office all judicial officials of the former Conservative Law and Justice (PiS) Party has received a setback from Poland’s Supreme Court. Back in January he Tusk-led Liberal government had dismissed and replaced Dariusz Barski, the national prosecutor appointed during the previous government.
The government argued before the court that Barski’s appointment was invalid because he had previously retired, so the Tusk government could force him out. Dariusz Korneluk was appointed his successor, albeit without having the required countersignature of the PiS-allied President Andrzej Duda.
The court rejected the argument, but the government refused to accept the ruling. On the same day, an appeals court also rejected the government’s argument that the court should overturn a lower court’s decision to block the detention of a PiS ex-minister.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Conservatives Must Back Leaving ECHR or Face Extinction, Says Leadership Hopeful Robert Jenrick
A candidate for the leadership of the U.K.’s Conservative Party has called for Britain to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in order to deport foreign criminals.
Robert Jenrick told a fringe event at the party’s conference in Birmingham on Monday that it is a “leave or die” issue for the Conservatives, insisting that if the center-right party cannot get a grip on uncontrolled mass immigration, it will cease to have a future as a viable electoral option for the British people.
Additionally, Jenrick has called for a democratically set annual cap on legal immigration to start tackling the recent years of record arrivals into Britain.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Nigel Farage Declares Conservative Party Brand is ‘Completely Broken’
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage pronounced that the Tory brand is “completely broken” as the so-called Conservative Party leadership contest goes into full swing this week.
The interminable 14-week Conservative Party leadership race to replace failed PM Rishi Sunak will see the final four contenders head to Birmingham as the party holds its annual conference.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Soccer Star Fabian Caballero Dies Suddenly at 46
International soccer star Fabian Caballero has tragically died suddenly at just 46 years old.
Caballero, who was known by his nickname “Tyson,” had a 19-year career in soccer.
The Paraguayan striker played for top clubs in Argentina, England, Scotland, Paraguay, South Korea, Cyprus, Greece, and Chile.
He played for the famous UK soccer club Arsenal in the 1998/99 season.
However, Caballero achieved cult hero status in Scotland when he moved to play for Dundee.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Will the EPP Shield an MEP From Criminal Charges?
Manfred Weber and his European People’s Party (EPP) should declare whether they will protect Hungarian opposition politician Péter Magyar from being prosecuted in Hungary, according to Tamas Deutsch, MEP for the Hungarian ruling conservative Fidesz party.
Péter Magyar, the leader of the centrist Tisza party, the largest opposition party in Hungary, has come under scrutiny for hiding behind his immunity as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) to avoid being prosecuted for theft.
The 43-year-old got into a drunken brawl at a nightclub in Budapest in June with a man who was filming him. Magyar forcibly took the phone away from the man, and, after being escorted out of the club by security guards, threw it into the Danube.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Soros family’s Open Society Foundations in 2023 gave $250,000 to the European wing of Al-Haq Human Rights Organization, an Israeli-designated terrorist group, according to a grant database.
Israel’s government determined that Al-Haq was an “arm” of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, in 2021. In addition to the Israeli government’s designation, Al-Haq’s general director, Shawan Jabarin, was convicted in 1985 of recruiting and arranging trainings for the PFLP and several of the organization’s members have made comments supporting militant extremist groups like Hamas.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Celebrations as Israel Intensifies Its Attacks on Iranian Proxies
The killing on Friday of Hezbollah’s leader by Israeli forces prompted celebrations across the globe, confirming that Israel is not alone in seeing the terror group as an existential threat.
After news broke of the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah—who Benjamin Netanyahu said was “not a terrorist, he was the terrorist”—and much of the team around him, jubilant civilians gathered in the northern Syrian city of Idlib, honking horns and handing out sweets. Iranians also came together outside the Israeli embassy in London to thank Israel for its action.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Begins ‘Limited’ Ground Offensive Against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli ground forces moved into southern Lebanon early Tuesday, marking a significant escalation of an offensive against Hezbollah and opening a new front in a yearlong war against its Iranian-backed adversaries.
The incursion follows weeks of heavy blows by Israel against Hezbollah — including an airstrike that killed its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah — and seeks to step up the pressure on the Lebanese militant group. The last time Israel and Hezbollah engaged in ground combat was a monthlong war in 2006.
The Israeli military said in a brief statement it had begun “limited, localized and targeted ground raids” against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
“These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” it said.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began a limited, localized ground operation targeting Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah on Monday evening, marking a new chapter in the Israel-Hamas war.
The developments came in the wake of the IDF’s successful attacks against Hezbollah, killing several of the organization’s key figures over the weekend.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was one of the most notable fatalities. The Israeli military also confirmed that Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council, was eliminated by IDF forces.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Syrian Air Defences Intercept ‘Hostile Targets’ Over Vicinity of Damascus
Syrian air defenses intercepted “hostile targets” over the vicinity of Damascus, following an explosion that was heard in the capital, state media says.
| — Hat tip: McN | [Return to headlines] |
US Forces at Baghdad Airport Come Under Rocket Attack
Update(1808ET): It appears the pro-Iranian Iraqi paramilitary factions are going on the offensive in response to the Friday assassination of Hassan Nasrallah.
“At least two Katyusha rockets were fired at a military base hosting U.S. forces near Baghdad International Airport, two Iraqi military officials told Reuters early on Tuesday.”
Air defenses at the base have reportedly intercepted the rockets. The location has come under attack several times before. This weekend saw large protests outside of the US Embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone and clashes with local police, as largely Shia demonstrators tried to access the embassy compound.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Strikes 11 Ukrainian Regions Overnight With Record-Breaking Drone Waves
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia fired missiles and drones at 11 regions of Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, in a 33rd consecutive night of aerial attacks behind the front line and set a new monthly record of drone barrages.
In Kyiv, multiple explosions and machine gun fire could be heard throughout the night as the Ukrainian capital’s air defenses fought off a drone attack for five hours.
No casualties were reported in Kyiv or elsewhere, though a “critical infrastructure object” caught fire in the southern Mykolaiv region, Gov. Vitalii Kim said, without elaborating.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Army is in Bad Shape, Over Half of Recruits Survive Just for a Few Days
The Ukrainian army is suffering from a steady decline in the capabilities of its front-line units, according to Polish news outlet Do Rzeczy, citing a report in the London Financial Times that between 50 and 70 percent of recruits survive only a few days on the frontlines.
Soldiers have low motivation and are prone to panic, while losses among trained and experienced units have led to a dependence on conscript units with very limited operational capabilities.
Training standards were reportedly so poor that not all of them knew how to hold a weapon. Furthermore, the depletion of the number of men considered fit to fight means that the average age of recruits now stands at 45.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Zelensky: Front Line ‘Very, Very Difficult,’ Must Do What We Can in Autumn
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that the situation on the front line of the war against Russia was “very, very difficult,” and Ukraine’s forces had to do everything they could over the autumn period.
“Reports on each of our frontline sectors, our capabilities, our future capabilities and our specific tasks: The situation is very, very difficult,” he said in his nightly video address, referring to a more than 2-1/2 hour meeting with top commanders.
“Everything that can be done this autumn, everything that we can achieve must be achieved,” he said.
It was the second time in less than a week that Zelensky referred to the need to act quickly in the coming months in terms of military action.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Slovakia and South Korea Sign Cooperation Memoranda in Energy and Trade
Slovakia and South Korea have strengthened their economic ties by signing key memoranda on cooperation in energy, trade, and investment support.
The agreements were signed during a visit by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Minister of Economy Denisa Sakova to Seoul, where they held discussions with South Korean officials and business leaders.
Ahead of the trip on Friday, Fico described the visit as “one of the most important I have ever taken as prime minister” as he sought to explore the possibility of South Korean investment in the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Slovakia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pew: Pope Francis’ Favorability Among American Catholics Keeps Dropping
ROME — Pope Francis’ popularity among North and South American Catholics continues to drop, the Pew Research Center revealed this past week, and nowhere more so than in his native Argentina.
In the seven countries covered by the survey — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States — the pontiff’s popularity has fallen in all seven.
Back in 2014, the year after his election, Francis enjoyed an impressive 98 percent favorability rating in Argentina, but his popularity has since plummeted by 24 points to a mere 74 percent. Of these, 40 percent see him “very favorably” and the remaining 34 percent see him “somewhat favorably.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A jail in a Minnesota sanctuary city released illegal immigrant and alleged Tren de Aragua gangster Alejandro Coronel-Zarate after having him incarcerated for three days, Alpha News reported. “Madison police had already established probable cause that the noncitizen choked, beat, and threatened to burn and kill a terrified Madison woman,” records from Wisconsin Right Now show.
Coronel-Zarate was under investigation for a crime in Madison, WI and was arrestedin Prairie du Chien, WI earlier this month for allegedly attacking and sexually assaulting a woman and a child. Coronel-Zarate, 26, is also suspected of being affiliated with the Venezuelan international gang Tren de Aragua, which has a rising profile throughout the United States thanks largely to the Biden-Harris policy of unrestricted immigration at the southern border.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Conservative Polish President Sued by Pro-Migration NGO
Polish President Andrzej Duda is being sued by a human rights NGO, the Centre for Monitoring of Racism and Xenophobic Behaviour (OMZRiK), for his remarks about a 2023 documentary-like film about the alleged mistreatment of asylum seekers by Polish border guards.
The film, titled Green Border, followed the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border where thousands of migrants have been stuck since Russia and Belarus began to transport them to the EU’s external borders from the Middle East in 2021, a strategy since dubbed as “hybrid warfare” and believed to be aimed at destabilizing the bloc.
Naturally, the film strongly sided with the migrants by building on the narrative of human rights NGOs at the scene who were pushing for Poland to open its borders.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Says Democrats Are Using Illegal Immigration to Create ‘One-Party State’
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk argued on Sunday that the Democratic Party is using illegal immigration to create a “one-party state” in America.
“Let me explain: if even 1 in 20 illegals become citizens per year, something that the Democrats are expediting as fast as humanly possible, that would be about 2 million new legal voters in 4 years. The voting margin in the swing states is often less than 20 thousand votes,” Musk wrote on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Top Court to Review Denmark’s ‘Ghetto Law’ for Potential Breach of Anti-Discrimination Rules
On Monday (30 September), the EU supreme court will hear arguments on whether the Danish law limiting the concentration of ethnic minorities in certain neighbourhoods violates EU anti-discrimination law.
A case before the High Court of Eastern Denmark between the Danish state and tenants in communities subject to the Danish ‘ghetto law’ has been halted, pending an opinion from the EU Court of Justice (CJEU).
The CJEU will assess whether the Danish law’s criterion — classifying neighbourhoods as ‘ghettos’ if the proportion of immigrants and descendants from non-Western countries exceeds 50% — breaches the EU’s Race Equality Directive, a law from 2000 that safeguards ethnic minorities from discrimination.
Denmark’s so-called ‘ghetto law,’ officially known as the Parallel Society Package, was introduced in 2018 to address social challenges in certain low-income neighbourhoods, often referred to as ‘ghettos.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Revolution? French Interior Minister Shifts Right and Wants ‘Referendum on Migration’
Bruno Retailleau, the new French government’s interior minister, has said he wants a revision of the country’s constitution and a referendum on migration.
In the lead-up to the parliamentary elections in France, the hard-right National Rally (RN) strongly advocated for such a referendum.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Teen Boxing Champion Stabbed to Death by Algerian Migrant Outside Nightclub
An Algerian migrant has been arrested in France on suspicion of stabbing to death a French teenage boxing champion outside a nightclub.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning in Subles, near Bayeu, Normandy in the parking lot of the Octavia nightclub.
The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Nasser Bekaddour, of Algerian nationality, was apprehended by a nightclub security guard at around 6:40 a.m. and held until police arrived.
He is accused of stabbing 17-year-old Kylian Binard in the throat and the back after a fight broke out as the two were leaving the establishment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Christian Democrats Push for EU-Funded Border Walls in Poland and Greece
Both left— and right-wing mainstream parties in Germany are now trying to outbid each other in anti-migration policies to avoid losing more voters to the right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), following its spectacular election showings in the three East German states in recent weeks.
The socialist SPD-led government (allegedly) made a deal with Turkey last week to send back failed asylum seekers in exchange for easier tourist access; while the centrist CDU—the European Commission president’s own party—now demands E U assistance for external border protection infrastructure in Poland and Greece.
It took nine years, but Angela Merkel’s former party went from inventing Willkommenskultur to paraphrasing Trump, by pushing to ‘build that wall, and make Brussels pay for it.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Syrian national was arrested in Germany on Saturday accused of setting fire to two apartment buildings, ramming a store with a van, and threatening people with machetes. The man’s alleged actions resulted in the injuries of 31 people, including young children.
The shocking series of events is understood to have been instigated by the breakdown of a personal relationship, leading the 41-year-old suspect to embark on a violent rampage.
The chaos began around 5:10 p.m. on Pielstickerstraße in Essen’s Altenessen district where residents witnessed thick smoke coming from a nearby apartment building. A second blaze soon erupted at another apartment building on Zollvereinstrasse, some 3 kilometers away.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An illegal immigrant allegedly attempted to break into a Kaysville, Utah home, armed with a bat as well as an apparent shank, while a mother and her three children were home. Luke Taylor, husband and father, told The Post Millennial that when his daughter called to let him know what was happening, he was terrified for his family.
On Sept. 18, a man believed to be Cristopher Alexandro Villarreal-Valero, 26, wearing a hoodie and a black glove, armed with a bat as well as an apparent shank, was seen near the Taylor home in Kaysville, Utah, Taylor said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illegal Immigration Triples in Spain’s Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are often overlooked in reports about illegal immigration. The Spanish ministry of the interior effectively leaves out statistics related to the Balearic archipelago in its reports, even though it is currently the fastest-growing migration route compared to last year. The situation is becoming critical, and the threat of a migration surge looms larger over the islands each day.
According to sources from the National Police’s General Commissariat for Foreigners and Borders (CGEF), illegal immigration in the Balearic Islands has already surpassed 3,000 arrivals this year, representing an increase of nearly 220% compared to last year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior has sued President Andrzej Duda over a statement he made on TVP Info’s “Gosc Wiadomosci” program on Sept. 20, 2023, about Agnieszka Holland’s film “Green Border.”
Malgorzata Paprocka, the head of his office, confirmed that the president will stand trial in October 2025, reports Money.pl.
“I am sorry that such a film is being made, which — as I have heard, because I have not seen the film — decisively denigrates Polish officers. I have even read an opinion that shows them as almost sadists. These are people who are doing their duties, who are guarding the border of the Republic of Poland and the safety of Poles, but they are also guarding the border of the EU and the Schengen area, and therefore fulfilling our international obligations,” Andrzej Duda said in this program.
“They are guarding it against hybrid action, which is carried out by the authorities of a foreign country, hostile towards Poland and acting most certainly in agreement with the Kremlin,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A previously deported illegal migrant wanted in his home country for alleged crimes against humanity was apprehended in a state known for not cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers apprehended an unlawfully present Salvadoran national on Sept. 17 in Tisbury, Massachusetts, according to a press release from the agency. The 50-year-old man, who remained unidentified by the agency, has an immigration history with the U.S. dating back to the 1990s and had been repeatedly released by authorities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Agricultural Minister Cem Özdemir, of the far-left Green Party, has sparked a fierce debate in Germany after calling for the country to rethink its migration policy and claims his daughter is being sexually harassed by men with a “migration background.”
Özdemir did not just make the comments offhand during an interview, but actually wrote them out in a guest column for FAZ, writing that his daughter, who is graduating from school next year, faces harassment from migrants and men with a migration background.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Syrian Man Injures 31 People, German Authorities Ignore Signs of Islamism
A 41-year-old Syrian man set fire to two buildings, rammed his vehicle into a grocery store, and threatened passers-by with a machete in the western German city of Essen. While authorities and mainstream politicians are treating the case as an act of revenge by a mentally deranged man against his ex-wife’s new boyfriend, the attack bears the hallmarks of Islamist violence.
According to German media reports, the perpetrator set fire to two residential buildings on Saturday afternoon, injuring 31 people, including eight children who remain in critical condition. Photos circulating on social media show people clambering down ladders to try to escape one of the torched buildings.
The fire department said people stood at windows and on balconies for air because they could no longer escape through the smoke-filled stairwell.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua could be behind a shocking home invasion where four armed men pistol-whipped and tied up a woman before robbing her house.
Four Hispanic men lying in wait confronted the woman as soon as she got into the garage of her Dallas house on the night of Sept. 21, forcing her to the ground and pistol-whipping her, according to a newsletter that went out to residents of the ritzy neighborhood where the crime happened.
At gunpoint, the homeowner was forced inside the home on Elsby Aveune where the intruders remained for ‘an extended period of time.’
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Channel Migrants Will be Housed in Hotels at the Taxpayers’ Expense ‘For Three More Years’
Channel migrants will be housed in hotels at the taxpayers’ expense for up to three more years, it was reported last night.
Ministers fear a backlog of asylum cases will take longer to clear than expected, meaning many migrants will remain long-term in the full-board accommodation.
About 30,000 migrants, most of whom arrived in Britain by small boat, are currently living in hotels at a cost of more than £4million a day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
More than 1,300 asylum seekers were caught pretending to be children in the first half of the year — a record high.
Unaccompanied minors are far more likely to be granted asylum than adults, leading to some applicants faking their age in a bid to cheat the system.
Figures suggest this is an increasingly common tactic, with 1,317 migrants claiming to be children at the border deemed to be minors up to the end of June 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Boise State Women’s Volleyball Team Forfeits Match Over Trans Competitor Blaire Fleming
Boise State University’s women’s volleyball team forfeited its Saturday match against San Jose State University over the opposing team’s inclusion of a biological male player. That player, who goes by Blaire Fleming, has led the team to a 10-0 win streak.
In a statement ahead of the game, Boise State told OutKick, “Boise State volleyballwill not play its scheduled match at San José State on Saturday, Sept. 28. Per Mountain West Conference policy, the Conference will record the match as a forfeit and a loss for Boise State. The Broncos will next compete on Oct. 3 against Air Force.”
San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball team has been undefeated this season, with the team’s record sitting at 10-0 after the forfeiture. The team includes trans-identified male player Fleming.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: ‘Trans-Identified’ Male Faces Charges of Supplying Young Children for Abuse
The case of a trans-identified male who is accused of supplying an elderly man with young girls to abuse is being heard in the German courts.
The 31-year-old man who identifies as a woman and is known only as ‘Arbend’ is accused of recruiting children for 81-year-old Munich millionaire identified as Helmut D. to allegedly abuse.
The identity of the accused was anonymised by law in Germany, however news sites outside of Germany have identified him in full.
The charge sheet includes allegations of “abuse of little girls to child pornography and human trafficking to forced prostitution” according to local newspaper Rheinische Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Strikes Down Georgia’s Six-Week Abortion Ban as Unconstitutional
A county superior judge declared on Monday that Georgia’s six-week abortion ban is unconstitutional and unenforceable under the state’s constitution.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled that the law breaches the Georgia Constitution, arguing that its protection of liberty includes allowing women to obtain an abortion up to the point the child is viable outside the womb, free from state interference, according to The Associated Press. The law, which had been effective since 2022, limited abortion access by prohibiting the procedure once fetal cardiac activity could be detected, often around six weeks into pregnancy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Transgender Rapist Tried as a Woman But Convicted and Sentenced as a Man
In April 2021, Alexander Secker raped a woman after a night out in Blunsdon, Swindon. Secker was charged under the same name but later started identifying as a transgender woman and using the name Lexi Secker.
Swindon Crown Court was told the accused would be tried as a woman, despite having committed the crime before identifying as such. This means that court officials addressed Secker as “Ms. Secker” and “she.” Although only men can commit rape under UK law, which desribes the act as offence of penile penetration.
Secker was found guilty of one count of rape in June and has since been sentenced to 6.5 years in jail.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UNCW Cancels DEI Positions, Uses Remaining $1.5 Million to Actually Help Students
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) has eliminated several diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) positions, and is reallocating the saved funds toward direct student support initiatives.
Last month, Chancellor Aswani K. Volety announced that the university would close its Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) to comply with a mandate from the UNC Board of Governors. The mandate was implemented to promote “non-discrimination, equality of opportunity, institutional neutrality, academic freedom, and student success.”
In a joint report released by Volety and Dr. Christine Reed Davis, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the university detailed its compliance with the mandate. The report showed that 16 permanent positions within the OIDI were eliminated, including the role of Chief Diversity Officer, according to Campus Reform. The former diversity officer will now serve as a professor in the Watson College of Education.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
to P1 @ sr.se
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Col MacGregors message to Sweden
https://rumble.com/v5gke25-col-macgregors-message-to-sweden.html
Random: The Modern Day Lobotomy https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/the-modern-day-lobotomy
You buried the lede on Nasrallah my friend.
” the outlet’s headline for Inhofe’s death in July painted the late lawmaker in a bad light, reminding readers he “called human-caused climate change a ‘hoax.’”
They didn’t give him a hard time. That is a death penalty offense among the death cult.
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Sooner or later you will die anyway!
BPA, phthalates, & PFAS (forever chemicals)
What Microplastics Are Doing to the Brain, Body, and Reproductive Systems
https://youtu.be/HTzw_grLzjw?si=7O2iEGAgRcfDGjHg