An explosion tore through crowds of people who had rushed to collect fuel spilling from a crashed tanker in northern Nigeria today, killing at least 147. Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on the federal government to adopt rail transport of petroleum products across Nigeria to prevent similar tragedies.
In other news, top government officials in Slovakia are moving to ban the “dangerous” Covid mRNA “vaccine”.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, LP, MM, MR, Reader from Chicago, Roger, TN, 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.
‘100% Intentional’: Former Army Service Member Details Night He Fatally Stabbed a Fairfax Co. Mother
A former Army service member who confessed to a Fairfax County, Virginia, cold-case told detectives that he knew that he was going to kill someone when he left the barracks that night in 1994. He just didn’t know who.
Nearly 30 years ago, Robin Lawrence, 37, was killed after being stabbed 49 times in her Springfield home while her 2-year-old daughter was in the next room.
Her killer remained a mystery until DNA led police to investigate Stephan Smerk, 52, of New York in September 2023.
Officers went to Smerk’s home to ask for a DNA sample. Shortly after police visited his home, Smerk called police and turned himself in.
“It was 100% intentional,” Smerk told detectives in a videotaped confession.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
27-Year-Old Paramedic Dies Suddenly on Duty
A young Missouri paramedic has tragically died suddenly while on duty, according to officials.
27-year-old Michael Clarke of the St. Charles County Ambulance District was found dead on Monday morning.
Clarke had died unexpectedly while on duty.
First responders found Clarke unresponsive at Station 12 in St. Peters when he failed to respond to a 911 call assignment shortly before 7 a.m.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ad-Blocking Showdown: Google Forces Popular Ad-Blocker Off Chrome
Google has initiated the discontinuation of support for uBlock Origin, the popular ad-tracking blocker, in Chrome. The migration to Manifest V3—a new extension framework believed to reduce the effectiveness of certain ad blockers—is the underlying cause and is seen as part of Google’s big move against ad and tracking blocks. Developer Raymond Hill highlighted this shift by sharing a screenshot depicting Chrome automatically disabling uBlock Origin due to incompatibility with the upcoming regulations.
To circumnavigate these limitations, Hill has developed uBlock Origin Lite, which conforms to the Manifest V3 guidelines, though it needs to be installed manually because, as Hill points out in a GitHub FAQ, the differences between the original and the Lite versions are too significant for an automatic update.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Arizona Voters Registered to Vote Using Strip Clubs, Abortion Clinics as Home Addresses: Report
Hundreds of Arizona voters have commercial addresses from strip clubs to roller rinks as their primary residence on their voter registration forms, Breitbart reportedTuesday. The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) discovered business addresses for an abortion clinic, a strip club, a high school, and the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility being used.
PILF has released a video showing where some of these businesses are located and the registered voters are not. J. Christian Adams, the president of PILF, told Breitbart News that the state’s voter registration form makes it clear that a business address cannot be used as a primary residence. “Election officials should do what PILF did — they should take the voter roll, see how many people are registered at commercial businesses, and do something more than nothing,” Adams said.
Arizona voters were quite imaginative about their use of business addresses, claiming to live at an abortion clinic, gas stations, liquor stores, vacant lots, schools, a smoke shop, a bank, fast-food chains, a strip club, golf courses, roller rinks, bars, and even the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Charges Filed Against 40 More People Who Took Part in UC Irvine Protests
Forty more people have been charged in connection with campus protests at UC Irvine and a student encampment calling for an end to Israel’s war in Gaza. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday announced the charges, including one for vandalism and resisting arrest and 39 others for failing to follow dispersal orders.
About the charges: In September, prosecutors announced charges against 10 people, including a professor and lecturer. Their arraignments are scheduled for today. A total of 26 UC Irvine students have been charged.
What the DA says: “The right to peaceful assembly is a constitutional right and we encourage protestors to exercise their right to peaceful assembly on any issue,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “However, criminal activity which transcends peaceful assembly will not be tolerated.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Columbia University Bars Pro-Israel Professor From Campus for ‘Threatening Behavior’
Columbia University assistant professor of business and pro-Israel advocate Shai Davidai was barred from campus Tuesday.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the university confirmed Davidai was suspended, saying he had “repeatedly harassed and intimidated” university employees.
The statement said Davidai’s restrictions were a “direct result of Assistant Professor Davidai’s conduct on October 7, 2024,” though it did not elaborate on the incident in question.
Davidai blasted the decision, claiming it was in retaliation for “expos[ing]” university employees on video at Oct. 7 anniversary protests on campus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Doctor Drops Bombshell: ‘Blinking Lights’ Found in Blood of COVID-Vaccinated
A doctor has made an astonishing announcement after reportedly discovering “blinking lights” and “self-assembling microchips” in the blood of people who have received Covid mRNA “vaccines.”
Dr. Ana Maria Mihalcea dropped the bombshell during a new interview with Children’s Health Defense (CHD).
During the interview, Dr. Mihalcea provided a microscopy video showing the bizarre flashing lights in the blood of a Covid-vaccinated patient.
Alarmingly, the video shows the lights combining with each other to form a new structure which Mihalcea explains is a “microchip.”
Mihalcea revealed that the person whose blood was examined under a powerful microscope in the video had received the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid mRNA “vaccine.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fani Willis Asks Appeals Court to Reinstate Three Election Charges Against Trump
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis late Tuesday asked the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate three election subversion charges against former President Donald Trump, and three against his allies.
Judge Scott McAfee dismissed six charges against Trump and his allies over their alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in March. McAfee determined at the time that there was not enough evidence of an underlying crime that that the group was soliciting from a public officer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Georgia Breaks Early Voting Record Despite ‘Jim Crow’ Election Laws
Georgia has just smashed its early voting record after Democrats claimed the state’s election laws were comparable to “Jim Crow.”
Since 2021, Democrats and their corporate media allies have been telling the American people that Georgia’s election integrity law would suppress voting.
The Left compares the law to Jim Crow — the racial segregation laws that ensured most black people would not be able to vote.
However, the state has seen record-breaking turnout since early voting started on Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vowed to make sure the presidential election in the commonwealth would be fair, safe and accurate in response to a lawsuit by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over his efforts to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls.
The DOJ is suing Virginia for purging noncitizens from the voting rolls, which Youngkin vowed to fight during an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” Monday night.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Harris Says Reparations Should be Studied at Fed Level But Doesn’t Commit to Plan
Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, said Tuesday that she continues to support studying the issue of reparations for descendants of slaves.
“On the point of reparations, it has to be studied, Harris said Tuesday on Charlamagne Tha God’s radio show, “The Breakfast Club.”
“There’s no question about that. And I’ve been very clear about that position,” she added.
The eponymous show and its host, whose name is Lenard Larry McKelvey, have become an influential part of Americans politics, particularly as an outlet for the views and concerns of black voters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Contentious Fox Interview, Harris Cannot Answer Why Americans Think Country is Off Course
Vice President Kamala Harris declined on Wednesday to answer why the majority of the country believes the United States is on the “wrong track” after three and a half years of the Biden administration.
The question was posed by Fox News host Bret Baier during the vice president’s first sit-down interview with the network. The interview aired during Baier’s “Special Report” and was conducted in Pennsylvania. It focused on top voter concerns heading into the general election in November, such as immigration and the economy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Nevada judge has sentenced a Las Vegas-area Democrat to a minimum of 28 years in prison for murdering an investigative reporter.
As Slay News previously reported, Robert Telles was found guilty of killing Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German.
Telles murdered the journalist, who wrote articles critical of the Democrat politician, outside German’s home during Labor Day weekend in 2022.
On Wednesday, Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt dropped the hammer on Telles, telling the killer he will spend at least 28 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kamala Harris Suggests Trump Planning to Put Non-White Americans in ‘Camps’
Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris has suggested that non-white Americans should be “scared” that President Donald Trump will round them up and put them in “camps” if he’s re-elected next month.
Despite Trump not doing anything of the sort in his first term, Harris claims that Trump is campaigning on “instilling” the “fear” among minorities that they will be deported.
Harris made the remarks in response to a question from a voter during a radio interview with liberal host Charlamagne tha God.
On the show, Harris “answered” questions about her agenda.
The voter said they are “scared” that Trump will “put anyone that doesn’t look white in camps.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ken Griffin’s Ritzy Chicago Penthouse Under Contract for Big Loss
Citadel founder Ken Griffin has gradually withdrawn from Chicago’s real estate market after relocating his hedge fund from the lawless city run by far-left Democrats to Miami in 2022. In addition to violent crime, an unfavorable tax environment was another primary driver for Griffin in moving his hedge fund and family to the Sunshine State.
Bloomberg cited Zillow data showing Griffin went under contract for his 38th-floor penthouse at 9 West Walton. He never lived in the 7,500-square-foot (670-square-meter) condo, marketed as unfinished. The condo was listed 89 days ago in July for $11 million, or half of what the billionaire paid in 2017.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Logging Into a Brave New World: How Facial Recognition Just Got Personal
Surprising exactly no one paying attention to the slow erosion of privacy, the US General Services Administration (GSA) has rolled out its shiny new toy: facial recognition technology for accessing login.gov. Yes, that beloved single sign-in service, connecting Americans to federal and state agencies, now wants your face—literally. This gateway, clicked into over 300 million times a year by citizens has decided the most efficient way to keep us all “safe” is by scanning our mugs. How very 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The latest undercover video from O’Keefe Media Group in a series called “The MetaTapes” has revealed a Meta senior software engineer talking about how the platform censors users for speaking out against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her party.
When asked by the undercover journalist how Meta controls so-called hate speech from the Republican Party, Senior Software Engineer Jeevan Gyawali replied that the Integrity Team at Meta, a “pretty significant team,” builds “civic classifiers” which is “a really large model that’s been trained on civic content.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mohamed Ismail Gets 12 Years in Feeding Our Future Case
The first prison sentence in the sprawling free-food scandal was handed down this afternoon in the Federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis.
Mohamed Jama Ismail, aged 51, defendant No. 16 in the case, was convicted of three felony counts in the courtroom trial that ended in June. Two of the counts involved conspiracy charges with his four co-defendants who were convicted. (Two others were acquitted at trial.) Ismail has not been implicated in the related juror bribery case.
Ismail arrived at court this morning clad in an orange-and-white-striped jail outfit and a light-gray cap. He was escorted by two Deputy U.S. Marshals.
Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 151 months. The judge allowed Ismail to claim 7 months for time served on a related passport fraud case, hence the 12-year sentence. The defense had argued for a prison sentence of less than two years.
After he exits prison, Ismail will serve three years on probation.
| — Hat tip: MR | [Return to headlines] |
Musk Stumps for Trump in Pennsylvania, Donates Nearly $75 Million to PAC
Businessman Elon Musk is touring Pennsylvania until Monday to stump for former President Donald Trump, where he’ll give talks to votors across the state.
“Tomorrow night through Monday, I will be giving a series of talks throughout Pennsylvania,” Musk wrote early Wednesday on X. “If you’d like to attend one of my talks, there’s no attendance fee. You just need to have signed our petition supporting free speech & right to bear arms & have voted in this election.”
“To clarify, you need have voted in Pennsylvania,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NASA Launches Probe to Study if Life Possible on Icy Jupiter Moon
NASA’s Europa Clipper probe blasted off from Florida on Monday (14 October), bound for an icy moon of Jupiter to discover whether it has the ingredients to support life.
Lift-off aboard a powerful SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket took place shortly after noon (1600 GMT), with the probe set to reach Jupiter’s moon Europa in five and a half years.
NASA later confirmed that it had successfully acquired a signal from the probe and that its massive solar arrays — designed to capture the weak light that reaches Jupiter — had fully unfolded.
The mission will allow the US space agency to uncover new details about Europa, which scientists believe could hold an ocean beneath its icy surface.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYT Plagiarism Consultant Admits Harris Scandal ‘More Serious’ Than He Thought
New York Times’ plagiarism consultant Jonathan Bailey released his “full analysis” of the allegations against Vice President Kamala Harris and found them “more serious” than he initially believed.
“At the time, I was unaware of a full dossier with additional allegations, which led some to accuse the New York Times of withholding that information from me. However, the article clearly stated that it was my ‘initial reaction’ to those allegations, not a complete analysis,” Bailey wrote on Plagiarism Today Wednesday. “Today, I reviewed the complete dossier prepared by Dr. Stefan Weber, whom I have covered before. I also performed a peer review of one of his papers in 2018.”
“With this new information, while I believe the case is more serious than I commented to the New York Times, the overarching points remain. While there are problems with this work, the pattern points to sloppy writing habits, not a malicious intent to defraud,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RNC Sues Detroit Over Deleted Ballot Dropbox Surveillance Footage After FOIA Request
The Republican National Committee (RNC) on Wednesday sued the city of Detroit over its deletion of ballot dropbox surveillance footage, despite the committee’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
The committee submitted the FOIA request in August, after it was alerted of a possible election security concern during the primaries. The request asked for footage from Aug. 7 and 8. The city on Aug. 21 said it would turn over the footage, but asked for an extension to secure it.
The city then alerted the RNC on Sept. 16 that the footage was “automatically” deleted because it was after 30 days. The RNC claimed the deletion is a “clear violation” of FOIA, because it had a legal responsibility to protect the footage while processing the records request.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sheriff Who Talked of Possible Trump Assassination Attempt in Coachella Backs Off a Bit
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is not the type of elected official who shies away from making controversial public statements.
The right-wing firebrand, who is rumored to be considering a 2026 gubernatorial run, put himself back into the political spotlight over the weekend when he said his deputies probably had thwarted a third assassination attempt on former President Trump.
Before a Trump rally in Coachella, Bianco’s deputies arrested Vem Miller, a Trump supporter from Los Angeles, who was caught trying to enter the rally carrying two loaded weapons, a fake ID, a phony license plate and a fake passport.
Miller said that he had no plans to kill the former president and that he carried the firearms for self-protection.
“I probably did have deputies that prevented the third assassination attempt,” Bianco told reporters after the arrest. “I truly do believe that we prevented another assassination attempt.”
But on Tuesday, Bianco backtracked slightly from his comments, which helped turn Miller’s arrest into a national story.
“Three days later, IF everything Mr. Miller has said is true, and I really hope it is, then he probably wasn’t there to hurt former President Trump,” Bianco said in a text message to The Times. “I definitely said it and can’t change that.”
Bianco said he made the comments at the time of the arrest based on finding a fake passport and fake IDs in Miller’s car, as well as Miller’s use of a fake license plate. Bianco said it is still not clear whether Miller intended to assassinate Trump.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Stealth Edit: FBI Quietly Revises Violent Crime Stats Higher
It’s no secret that the Biden-Harris administration has been lying to us — publishing positive economic data that they tout, while quietly revising lower months later after achieving their desired result.
Now we find out that they’ve also been lying about crime statistics — something that author John R. Lott has been tracking and covering extensively.
Now we find they’ve been lying about crime stats too.
In September 2023, the FBI released the “final” crime data for 2022 — showing that the nation’s violent crime rate fell by 2.1% — which Democrats used to counter Donald Trump’s claims that crime has been soaring.
Now we find that the FBI has quietly revised those numbers — and that crime actually increased by 4.5% in 2022 (4.9% in absolute terms)…
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Teen Stabbed in the Neck by Unhinged Stranger Near NYC City Hall: Cops
A teen was stabbed in the neck by an unhinged stranger near City Hall in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, police and sources said.
The victim — a 19-year-old Brooklyn man — was attacked by an as-yet-unidentified man in a courtyard outside the city’s municipal building at 1 Centre St. about 11:35 a.m., police said.
The blade-wielding perp, who wore a dark leather jacket and brown hat, knifed the teen in the neck before running off down Reade Street, sources said. He remained on the loose early Wednesday afternoon.
The teen was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, according to sources.
| — Hat tip: TN | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Campaign Slams Harris Interview as a ‘Train Wreck’
Former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign on Wednesday slammed Vice President Kamala Harris’ performance during her first Fox News interview as a “train wreck,” and claimed it as proof she cannot handle the pressure of the presidency.
Harris was interviewed by Fox News host Bret Baier, which aired during Baier’s “Special Report,” and was conducted in Pennsylvania. It focused on top voter concerns heading into the general election in November, such as immigration and the economy.
The nearly 30-minute interview featured many clashes between both parties, including moments when the two kept speaking over each other, such as during the first exchange on border security.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Renews Legal Bid to Move ‘Hush Money’ Case to Federal Court
President Donald Trump is making another effort to move his New York “hush money” criminal case to federal court.
Trump’s legal team is citing the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on presidential immunity and prosecutors’ reliance on evidence from his time in office.
The 45th president was convicted of “falsifying business records” in the unprecedented case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Scores Rare Victory in Jack Smith’s Jan 6 Case
The judge in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 case has granted President Donald Trump a rare victory.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee, rejected a push by media organizations to unseal more details in the case.
With a jury trial potentially slipping away, Smith has sought to keep his case in the headlines as early voting begins in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump, and legal analysts across the political spectrum, have accused Smith of improperly trying to damage Trump’s electoral prospects, as well as his right to a fair trial.
A group of press organizations urged Judge Chutkan, who has consistently ruled against Trump, to unseal more details, citing the public interest in the case, the New York Sun reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watchdog Files FCC Complaint Against CBS Over ‘60 Minutes’ Edit
The Center for American Rights (CAR) on Wednesday filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) against CBS News over its allegedly misleading edit of a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Multiple Republican politicians have urged the network to release the full unedited transcripts of the appearance last week, after the vice president’s answer in a clip promoting the interview differed from the answer in the full interview that aired. House Speaker Mike Johnson has also accused the network of “selectively editing” his interview.
The center said its complaint is not about “one” instance, but of broader “significant and intentional news distortion.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
World Cup 2026: Where Football Fans Face Off With Facial Recognition
The US is by no means the home or even a meaningful hub of soccer. And — the country’s at the same time working hard on “raising” its biometric mass surveillance profile.
These two seemingly unrelated facts are set to converge since the US has been allowed to host the 2026 FIFA (football) World Cup. And it looks like biometric scanning will flourish during the almost month-long event involving millions of fans.
Regardless of the status of football (soccer) in the US, in much of the rest of the world, it is by far the most important and popular sport, and so a great number of people from other countries are expected to travel there to support their national teams.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alberta Launches National Campaign to Oppose Federal Oil and Gas Sector Cap
The Alberta government is launching a nationwide advertising campaign to warn Canadians about the consequences of a federal cap on the oil and gas sector.
This isn’t the first time Alberta has spent money on an advertising drive to counter Liberal government policies harmful to the province’s interests.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and various ministers announced the campaign at a press conference on Tuesday.
Smith said that $7 million would be spent on the ad campaign which includes TV, online, video, print, and social media. The ads won’t only reach Alberta but will also be aired in B.C., Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia until the end of November.
Alberta’s strategy cites three previous reports in its press release highlighting the economic damage the proposed cap would inflict on the Canadian economy.
The Conference Board of Canada’s report estimated that the cap would reduce Canada’s GDP by up to $1 trillion between 2030 and 2040 and lead to the loss of 151,000 jobs by 2030.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Annual Report Reveals Advertisers Continue to Ditch the CBC
Advertising income for CBC/Radio-Canada has continued to drop and the state broadcaster’s management told Parliament in a recent report that it doesn’t expect things to improve any time soon.
“We expect TV advertising income to continue to decline as TV audiences decrease,” said the CBC’s latest Annual Report. “Sustaining overall advertising revenue in the long term is dependent on digital advertising revenue.”
According to the report, ad revenue dropped to $270,031 this year, compared to $288,640 in 2023.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Airbus to Cut Up to 2,500 Jobs in Defence and Space, Sources Say
Airbus plans to cut up to 2,500 posts in its Defence & Space division after spiralling losses on satellite projects, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The European plane-maker aims to implement the cuts, which represent 7 per cent of its workforce in the Defence & Space unit, by the middle of 2026, they said, asking not to be identified on measures that have not yet been publicly announced.
Airbus declined to comment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
As Morale Hits Rock Bottom, UK Police Exodus Throws Planned Expansion Into Disarray
Britain’s Labour party’s ambitious plan to put 13,000 extra police officers on the streets is “unobtainable” — as officers are quitting in record numbers, The Telegraph reports.
According to Tiff Lynch, the acting chairwoman of the Police Federation, the situation is dire — with Home Office figures showing that voluntary resignations among police officers have hit an all-time high, with more than 5,000 quitting last year — 3.4% of the workforce, which is more than double the rate of just four years ago. What’s worse, a Federation survey found that 20% of officers are planning to leave within the next two years or sooner, adding up to nearly 29,000 officers ready to walk out.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Authorities Raid Czechia’s Biggest Search Engine in Shock Move
In a surprise move, inspectors from the Czech Republic’s Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) raided the headquarters of Seznam.cz, the country’s leading search engine and online portal, on Tuesday. They allege that the Czech company has abused its market position.
Ivo Lukacovic, founder and majority owner of Seznam.cz, took to social media to express his distress, writing: “[This is] one of the hardest days of my professional life.” The unexpected inspection is a significant blow to the company, which has been a dominant player in the Czech online market since its founding in 1996.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
British Government Proposes Mass ‘Weight-Loss Jabs’ for the Unemployed
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and his health secretary Wes Streeting argue that medication could play a key role in UK economic growth, by helping obese people return to work.
Announcing a £279 million investment from pharmaceutical giant Lilly, the leading Labour figures looked forward to improving healthcare, including with a five-year mass study—i.e., one much larger than a clinical trial applied in daily life—to see if an effective obesity treatment can be applied across the Greater Manchester region, possibly prior to a national roll-out.
The ‘weight-loss jab’, according to Starmer, is very important for our NHS, because, yes we need more money for the NHS, but we’ve also got to think differently.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Council of Europe Commission Report is a Punch on the Nose for Tusk’s Justice Minister
The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, has analysed the legal reforms being proposed by Polish justice minister Adam Bodnar, and has advised against Bodnar’s plans for a wholesale purge of judges appointed during the lifetime of the last Law and Justice (PiS) party government, and against his plans for a purge of the verdicts these judges have given.
Judicial reforms enacted by the then-PiS government drew criticism from the Council of Europe and the European Court of Justice (ECJ), and the reforms were also given as the reason for the European Commission blocking tens of billions of euros in funding.
On entering government in December 2024, one of the new Polish government’s central election pledges under Prime Minister Donald Tusk was to reverse the changes to the judicial system that the European Union deemed to have undermined the rule of law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Court Delivers “First Known Conviction of a ‘Thoughtcrime’ in Modern British History”
An army veteran has today been convicted for praying silently near an abortion clinic.
Adam Smith-Connor, who served in Afghanistan, was prosecuted for breaching a ban on protests within a buffer zone around a clinic in Bournemouth, Dorset, in November 2022. His head was bowed and hands were clasped as he prayed for his unborn son Jacob, whom he now regrets aborting more than two decades ago.
Reporting on the case, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) legal advocacy group said the conviction was “the first known conviction of a ‘thoughtcrime’ in modern British history.”
It added that Smith-Connor must now pay £9,000 (€10,770) in legal costs to the prosecution, just for praying in his head for three minutes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia Continues Slide Down World Economic Freedom Index
Czechia has dropped four places to 22nd in the latest Economic Freedom of the World Index, compiled by the Canadian Fraser Institute think tank. The country’s economic freedom has been steadily decreasing since 2016, with the exception of 2021.
The index evaluates 165 countries based on five indicators: the size of the state sector, the rule of law, international trade, overall legal regulation, and the country’s currency and inflation environment. The data for the latest index is based on 2022 figures.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse has said the EU ban on the production of internal combustion engines due in 10 years will hit the European car industry hard.
Speaking at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, he called the 2035 deadline for stopping production of all CO2-emitting vehicles “no longer realistic,” Mandiner writes, adding that the law will result in “a massive shrinking of the industry as a whole.” Other car companies, such as VW and Renault, have also called for the emissions deadline to be reviewed.
Lack of demand and Chinese competition have both been a big issue for EVs in Europe, as well as German car manufacturers struggling to make the transition to producing them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU’s Digital ID Push Sparks Fears Over Privacy and Rushed Rollout
European digital rights network EDRi is warning that the EU is rushing the rollout of its digital identification system in an increasingly undemocratic way, without properly addressing the issues of privacy, security, and safety, as the bloc is “chasing an unrealistic deadline.”
eID Wallet, regulated by the Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services (eIDAS) rules, is close to getting implemented, but the EU is accused of choosing to move forward too quickly, without first ensuring that proper protections are in place.
EDRi member epicenter.works has been making these warnings for several years now, noting that eIDAS itself, adopted in April, mandates the main privacy and security protections, something the EU is nonetheless avoiding.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Blocks Israeli Companies From Major Upcoming Arms Fair Euronaval
Emmanuel Macron’s French government has banned Israeli defence contractors from exhibiting at next month’s Euronaval, a major arms fair in Paris, the second time Israeli companies have been blocked from a French trade show this year.
Israeli companies will not be able to exhibit at the major Euronaval trade fair in Paris in November, they have been told. Seven Israeli companies, including shipbuilders and other military equipment manufacturers had been registered as exhibitors for the show, which draws major defence firms and potential customers for naval equipment from around the world together.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France to Deliver ‘Kamikaze’ Drones to Ukraine in ‘Coming Weeks’
France will begin supplying Ukraine with ‘kamikaze’ drones in the next few weeks to use in its battle with Russia, the French defence minister announced Wednesday.
Sébastien Lecornu, the Minister of the Armed Forces for Emmanuel Macron’s government, said that the first round of French remotely-controlled attack drones will be sent to Kyiv in the “coming weeks”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Companies Skirt Sanctions to Help Putin’s War Machine
Germany continues to sell industrial goods to Russia, including machines for manufacturing vehicle and aircraft parts and ammunition, according to the Tagesschau news portal, which reported on an investigation conducted by broadcaster SWR.
Putin needs a constant supply of military equipment, and due to the sanctions imposed on Russia blocking imports, large parts of Russian industry have been transformed to cater to a war economy, producing military equipment, ammunition and spare parts as required.
However, products from German mechanical engineering companies also continue to help out, with more than 300 machine deliveries for manufacturing everything from vehicle parts to ammunition made in Russia in 2023, often via Turkey, SWR research indicates.
SWR was able to identify more than 30 German manufacturers whose machines were imported to Russia last year, many of them based in Baden-Württemberg, a traditional location for mechanical engineering. In around two-thirds of the cases, the machines were imported to Russia via Turkey. Some Turkish middlemen involved have direct connections to Russia, while other companies there facilitating the shipments were founded by Russian entrepreneurs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt, one retired German couple explains why they moved to Hungary, pointing to the country’s standard of living, which they say they could have never afforded in Germany.
“I wanted to live somewhere warmer. On the other hand, our financial situation did not seem particularly good. I receive a pension of 800 euros, and my wife unfortunately does not receive a pension. It would have been a fight for survival in Germany,” the pensioners told the newspaper.
“In Hungary, on the other hand, we can both live well with this amount of money,” said 67-year-old Roland S.
Roland S. notes that life is “much cheaper,” in Hungary.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kickl: Centre-Left Austrian Government is a Foregone Conclusion
The leader of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), Herbert Kickl, doubled down on his criticism of Chancellor Karl Nehammer for refusing to form a government with the FPÖ following the national elections that were held more than two weeks ago.
At a press conference on Wednesday, October 16th, Kickl called the leader of the governing centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP) an “offended election loser,” pointing to his own FPÖ winning the elections with 28.8%, followed by ÖVP in second place with 26.3%.
Both parties campaigned on a platform of introducing tougher asylum policies and stopping illegal migration, yet Nehammer has vowed not to collaborate with the Freedom Party as long as Kickl is in charge.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
PCs and Games Consoles Not Covered by EU’s ‘Right to Repair’ Directive
The European Union’s Right to Repair legislation does not include the products that consumers repair most often, such as PCs and games consoles, activists said at an event in Brussels on October 15.
Many items brought to repair shops are not covered under the current regulations, campaigners said.
“Data tell us that 96 per cent of products seen at community repair events are not covered in EU right-to-repair legislation,” Restart Project co-founder Ugo Vallauri said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Conservatives Take the Lead in New Polling for Presidential Elections
A new poll by Ipsos for Krytyka Polityczna has Law and Justice (PiS) winning the presidential election with 30 percent of the votes and Civic Platform (KO) coming in second with 28 percent.
The right-wing Confederation party came in third place with 15 percent, followed by the New Left (8 percent) and Third Way (7 percent). Some 2 percent of respondents indicated other parties, and 11 percent chose “I don’t know/hard to say.”
Importantly, among those who do not know who to vote for, PiS supporters predominate.
The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,000 people using the CATI method between Sept. 10 and 18, 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Oct. 1, the Romanian Parliament has granted approval to the Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MApN) to purchase 44 American AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles, valued at some $270 million.
In late September, Bucharest signed a $920 million loan agreement with the U.S. DoD’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) to modernize and develop its defense capabilities and military industry.
The United States is selling the amphibious armored personnel carriers from its Marine Corps inventory under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Romanian Insider further elaborated on the purchase, writing that “this procurement is part of the Army Transformation Program, set to be completed by 2040, and will bring the Romanian Army in line with NATO standards.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Slovak Fico Slams EU ‘War Cabinet’, Claims West Sabotaged Ukraine Peace Efforts
Ahead of the upcoming European Council summit, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico criticised the EU for acting as a ‘war cabinet’ and undermining the peace process in Ukraine while questioning Russia’s responsibility for the Bucha massacre.
Just before leaving for the summit in Brussels on 17-18 October, Fico (Smer-SD/NI) denounced the EU for its military aid to Ukraine, and expressed regret that “the EU, which is a peace project, is behaving like a military cabinet.”
“All we talk about at the EU council is the ammunition and rockets for Ukraine or how many Russians have to be killed,” Fico claimed at a meeting of the parliament’s European affairs committee on Wednesday (16 October).
Fico also announced plans to travel to Moscow next May to commemorate the end of World War Two, adding that “he was a big supporter of restoring relations” with Russia.
The opposition, he said, should stop comparing Russia to the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Slovakia Moves to Ban ‘Dangerous’ COVID ‘Vaccines,’ Declares Pandemic a ‘Fabricated Operation’
Top government officials in Slovakia are moving to ban “dangerous” Covid mRNA shots from the country after an explosive investigation determined that the pandemic was a “fabricated operation” and the “vaccines” were a resulting “act of bioterrorism.”
The findings were revealed in a Slovak government commission report on the nation’s investigations into the Covid pandemic.
The investigation was led by Commissioner Peter Kotlar.
In releasing his report, Kotlar held a press conference to call for the immediate ban of the Covid mRNA injections and called on governments around the world to do the same.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Strong Surge of Young Men Identifying as Right-Wing Seen in Germany
Young men in Germany are increasingly identifying as right-wing, with one in four between 12 and 25 classifying themselves as conservative, according to a major poll.
The Shell Youth Study 2024, which surveyed 2,509 people living in Germany born between 1998 and 2012, recorded a significant spike in right-leaning young men. Twenty-five per cent said that they are either ‘somewhat right-wing’ or ‘right-wing’, compared to less than one in five during the last survey in 2019.
Meanwhile, just 11 per cent of young female respondents described themselves as on the right politically, which represented no change over the previous survey five years ago.
However, young women were significantly more supportive of so-called “woke” issues, with 72 per cent preferring a “diverse, colourful society” compared to 56 per cent of young men. Young women were also significantly more concerned about feminism by a margin of 59 to 20 per cent and veganism by 21 to 8 per cent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Swedish Military to Grow by a Third by 2030
Sweden will boost its military defence by almost a third of its current capacity by 2030, with additional funding for civil defence, ammunition, spare parts and workshops.
By 2030, Sweden plans to increase its armed forces from 88,000 to 115,000 personnel, including professional soldiers, conscripts, civilian employees and the Home Guard, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson announced on Tuesday.
“We are in serious times. There is an urgent need to build a stronger defence,” Jonson said as he presented his defence bill for 2025 to 2030.
The new bill is based on reports from the Swedish parliament’s defence committee, which brought it forward by a year following a broad consensus across political lines.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Labour Set to Break Election Promise With Budget Tax Hikes
With just two weeks to go until chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, delivers her first budget, Labour officials have signalled that their plans for the economy will break a key manifesto pledge.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer yesterday twice refused to rule out raising employers’ contributions to national insurance (NIC), one of the two main sources of taxation on income in the UK. After admitting that the budget would be “tough,” Starmer suggested a purposefully deceitful Labour manifesto promise was not being broken, since it ‘only’ vowed not to raise taxes on “working people”—who he has mindlessly categorised as those without any savings—rather than on employers.
But experts have argued that hiking employers’ NICs will act as a tax on workers, despite the manifesto pledge.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: University Offices Damaged in Gaza Protest
The administrative offices of the University of Oxford have been damaged and daubed in red paint by a group protesting what it claims are the institution’s links to Israel.
The university said three people attacked the building in Wellington Square on Monday with lump hammers, smashing glass doors and windows.
A university spokesperson said it was working with police to identify those responsible, which it claimed had tried to enter the offices, for the “unjustified violent attack”.
The Palestine Action group said “locals and students” had worked with it to damage the building.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Will German Chancellor Call for a Confidence Vote Over Security Package?
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is apparently ready to face a vote of confidence and risk the collapse of his government if the cabinet’s new security package is not approved by the parliament.
According to various media reports, at a meeting of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary group on Tuesday, October 15th, several lawmakers expressed their concerns about the government’s plans to introduce new asylum and security regulations.
During the five-hour meeting, tensions ran so high that Scholz had to intervene, indirectly mentioning the vote of confidence as a last resort. He said that if an agreement were not reached, he would “use all his possibilities” to get it approved—some interpreted this as a threat to secure a majority in his own ranks.
If the security package is not approved by the parliament, he would hold a vote of confidence— participants of the meeting deduced—risking the collapse of his government, which also consists of the Greens and the liberal FDP party.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Meaning Behind Israel’s Right to Defend Itself
“Israel has a right to defend itself and its people.” It’s a phrase that’s been spoken by Israel’s allies — and American presidents — for decades, especially in the days after Israel launched its war in Gaza after the October 7th attack by Hamas.
But what do those words actually mean in a historically, politically and in the midst of Israel’s incursions into Gaza and Lebanon?
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Meloni to Visit Lebanon Amidst Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to visit Lebanon on October 18 amidst the ongoing conflict in the region.
The announcement came as Israeli forces targeted UN peacekeeping bases in Lebanon, sparking outrage across EU capitals, including Rome.
Speaking in the Italian parliament on October 15, Meloni criticised Israel for its actions in Lebanon, before announcing her intention to visit the state.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Ordered Novichok Attack, Double Agent Skripal Tells UK Inquiry
Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal believes Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his Novichok poisoning, an inquiry into the death of a woman who was unwittingly poisoned by the nerve agent was told on Monday (14 October).
Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped unconscious on a public bench in the southern English city of Salisbury in March 2018 after Novichok was applied to the front door handle of his home.
Four months later, mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess died from exposure to the poison after her partner found a counterfeit perfume bottle which police believe had been used by Russian spies to smuggle the military-grade nerve agent into the country.
The Skripals, and a police officer who went to Skripal’s house, were left critically ill from its effects, but recovered.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Ukrainians Are Evacuating Kupjansk, a Complete Collapse is on the Horizon
Mandatory evacuations have been announced in the Ukrainian city of Kupjansk, as well as three neighboring settlements, due to the advance of Russian forces. The Kyiv Independent writes that the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, announced the evacuation orders.
Cars with loudspeakers were filmed in the city announcing the city has no food, water, electricity or gas, and all residents must evacuate.
Kupjansk is a key strategic city in the Kharkiv region, which has been the subject of heavy attacks in recent months.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zelensky Unveils ‘Victory Plan’ for Ukraine Amid Recent Military Setbacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his country’s long-awaited “Victory Plan” to Parliament on Wednesday, urging the nation to remain unified amid the intensifying conflict with Russia and the looming uncertainty of the U.S. presidential election.
The plan, aimed at ending the war by next year, hinges heavily on continued Western support and includes a contentious bid for NATO membership, which may prove challenging for some allies to accept.
The five-point plan calls for Ukraine’s immediate invitation to join NATO, a proposal Zelensky believes would solidify international resolve against Russian aggression. However, NATO membership remains a divisive issue among member states, given the ongoing conflict.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zelensky: Ukraine Entry Into NATO Should Happen ‘Now’
NATO should admit Ukraine immediately to help end Russia’s invasion of the country, said Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine immediately entering the western alliance was the linchpin for Zelensky’s so-called “Victory Plan”, which he has presented to western leaders in recent weeks.
While the plan was previously a closely guarded secret, Zelensky has disclosed most of its content in a speech to the Ukrainian parliament.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zelenskyy Invited to Present ‘Victory Plan’ at EU Summit
European Council president Charles Michel on Tuesday (15 October) said that he has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to present his “victory plan” to defeat Russia at a meeting of EU leaders this week.
Zelenskyy has been seeking support from Kyiv’s western allies as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on through its third year.
Writing on social media site X, Michel said he had invited Zelenskyy “to the European Council summit on Thursday, 17 October to take stock of the latest developments of Russia’s war against Ukraine and present his victory plan”.
Military support to Kyiv and strengthening Ukraine’s battered energy sector are among the topics on the table as leaders from the EU’s 27 nations meet in Brussels on Thursday.
Last week, Zelenskyy completed a whirlwind tour of European capitals including Berlin, London, Paris and Rome as his country faces a gruelling third winter at war.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zelenskyy Outlines His ‘Victory Plan’ to Ukraine’s Lawmakers, Including a Call to Join NATO
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told lawmakers Wednesday that Ukraine’s Western partners are increasing pressure to negotiate with Russia, but he hinted such talks would be unfavorable to Kyiv as he unveiled what he called his “victory plan” for the war.
Major points of the plan include an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO and permission to use Western-supplied longer-range missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory — steps that have been met with reluctance by Kyiv’s allies so far.
“If we start moving according to this victory plan now, it may be possible to end the war no later than next year,” Zelenskyy told the Verkhovna Rada, the parliament. He will present the five-point plan to the European Council on Thursday.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Françafrique Collapse: Niger Purges Capital Street Names of French Influence
The former French colony of Niger has purged the country’s capital of street names that evoke its colonial master, amidst the continuing decline of the Françafrique system which had previously linked France to many of its former colonies.
The country’s ruling junta, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, which displaced the country’s previous government last year, has taken numerous steps to separate the country from the former colonial power. It has expelled Paris’ troops from the region and reduced diplomatic ties.
Now, even French names are being done away with. Military leaders announced on October 15 that they were renaming a number of major roadways in the capital Niamey as part of decolonisation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nigeria Fuel Tanker Explosion Kills Almost 150
An explosion tore through crowds of people who had rushed to collect fuel spilling from a crashed tanker in northern Nigeria, killing at least 147, officials told AFP on Wednesday.
The tragedy is the latest such accident at a time when petrol has become a precious commodity in the country, which is suffering its worst economic crisis in a generation.
The fuel tanker veered to avoid another vehicle and crashed in the town of Majiya, Jigawa state late on Tuesday, police said.
Following the crash, residents crowded round the overturned tanker to gather the leaking fuel.
Student Sanusi Lawan told AFP he had heard “shouts of joy” and rushed to join hundreds of people scooping up the fuel with buckets.
The 21-year-old had taken his bucket home and his brother had persuaded him not to return for more, when they heard “a huge explosion and cries of pain and fright”.
“We rushed to the place and it was a scene of horror,” Lawan said. “People were running while on fire and shouting for help.”
“Had I not listened to my brother’s advice, I would have been among the dead,” he said.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Tanker Explosion: Atiku Calls for Rail Transport of Petroleum Products Across Nigeria
The former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the federal government to adopt rail transport of petroleum products across Nigeria following a recent tanker explosion in Jigawa State.
In a statement on Wednesday, Atiku stated that the country has experienced too many tragic petrol tanker explosions, insisting that there has to be a different approach to transporting petroleum products.
A recent tanker explosion in a northern state claimed the lives of at least 147 people, according to a report by the state emergency services on Wednesday.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
“Crazy” Ruling by European Court Forces Germany to Pay Rejected Syrian Asylum Seeker
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled against Germany following a routine deportation to Greece. Germany was instructed to make an €8,000 compensation payment to the plaintiff, in what the NiUS news site called a “crazy” decision.
Back in 2018, German authorities made an arrest on their border with Austria. A Syrian asylum seeker was arrested and deported on the same day. Strasbourg subsequently condemned Germany for this action, with judges deciding that the German authorities failed to ensure that the refugee received a suitable asylum procedure on arrival in Greece.
Likewise, according to the ruling, Germany did not do enough to prevent the plaintiff’s potential mistreatment in Greece.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadian Man Wanted for Murder Apprehended After Crossing Border Illegally Into US
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Washington State arrested a Canadian man on October 9 who is wanted for murder and illegally entered the United States. He had come a long way from the province of Quebec, where Nickolace Denis-Fouche is one of the chief suspects in a murder case, the CBP reported in a news release.
Sumas Station agents responded to a tip from a private citizen who sighted Denis-Fouche acting suspiciously as he looked for a ride. The CBP agents investigated and apprehended the fugitive after he attempted to escape and placed him in custody.
The CBP returned Denis-Fouche to Canada the next day where police confirmed an extraditable warrant for his arrest. He was turned over to Canadian authorities that morning through the Sumas Port of Entry. Canadian authorities identified Denis-Fouche as an individual who has an extraditable warrant for murder in Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dutch Government is Considering Plan to Send Rejected Asylum Seekers to Uganda
The Cabinet is looking into the possibility of sending asylum seekers to Uganda if their request for asylum was rejected. Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Reinette Klever said this on Wednesday following a working visit to the country. The PVV politician said it is ultimately up to her fellow party member, Minister of Asylum Marjolein Faber, to develop the idea. Uganda seems to be willing to go along with the plan, NOS reported.
This would only apply to asylum seekers from countries in the region around Uganda, or from Uganda itself, and that country would be paid by the Netherlands for the service, if the plan goes forward. It would have to be negotiated how many countries actually fall under the category of being in the same region. The Cabinet has not yet made a deal with Uganda. It remains to be seen how people in the Netherlands will react to such a plan.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A dangerous Venezuelan gang has taken over at least four apartment complexes in San Antonio, Texas, as it expands its reach in yet another America city, DailyMail.com can reveal.
Dubbed the ‘epitome of evil’, Tren de Aragua (TdA) is known to run drug smuggling, child prostitution and human trafficking rings in South America, with its members crossing over into the US in recent years amid a wave of Venezuelan migrants.
The tattooed mobsters have since unleashed a wave of crime across the country from Miami and Texas to Denver and New York.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Increase to Medical Aid for Migrants Halted — for Now
The 2025 budget presented by the French government includes an increase of almost 10% in the amount allocated to State Medical Aid (Aide médicale d’État, or AME), a publicly funded system for paying for migrants’ healthcare. This comes despite criticisms from the Right and headline-grabbing announcements by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who wants to roll back the provision and push the government to backtrack
AME is accused of encouraging illegal immigration—at a time when voters want to see border control properly enforced.
AME is accused of encouraging illegal immigration—at a time when voters want to see border control properly enforced.
The AME budget is suggested to be increased from €1.13 billion in 2024 to €1.2 billion in 2025. This information, which went relatively unnoticed during discussions before the presentation of the 2025 budget to the National Assembly, was revealed by the Huffington Post. The increase was justified by the “health necessity” of a scheme that “helps to protect the entire population from epidemiological and health risks.”
This funding increase bore the stamp of the arbitration of Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who had to decide between the opposing aspirations of his interior minister Bruno Retailleau—in favour of restricting if not abolishing the AME—and his Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq—hostile to any questioning of the scheme. Now Darrieussecq’s supporters appear to have had the last word.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Indiana Resident Pleads for Help, Transparency as Exploding Migrant Population Overwhelms Community
Residents of a rural Indiana city are begging for help from the government as many insist a mass influx of migrants has overwhelmed the community.
“We need some help here. We need some federal help. We need transparency between our local officials, and we need some more information and communication,” warned Dave Price, a resident of Logansport, approximately 78 miles north of Indianapolis.
Appearing Wednesday on “FOX & Friends,” Price relayed the on-the-ground struggle residents face as more immigrants come into the area.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy-Led Coalition Pushes for Renewed EU Relations With Assad to Speed Up Deportations
Closing borders and ramping up deportations are no longer exclusive to the conservative mindset in Europe as mainstream parties have finally begun listening to voters.
Most leaders are set to arrive at this week’s European Council Summit in Brussels with different proposals on how to toughen up the EU’s migration policy, and even the European Commission has seemingly budged under pressure and has prepared an entirely new strategy to “fill the gaps” left behind by earlier legislation. The new proposals from the Commission focus on streamlining deportations and outsourcing asylum procedures to third countries outside of the Union.
However, one of the boldest initiatives, at least from a diplomatic standpoint, comes from Rome. Italy, along with a coalition of like-minded countries, including Austria and Hungary. It will push for the EU to reopen diplomatic ties with President Assad’s Syria after 13 years of global isolation following the 2011 outbreak of the (ongoing, albeit frozen) Syrian civil war, Politico reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Border Force officers have intercepted more than 170 migrants trying to cross the English Channel in dinghies.
It brings the total number of arrivals picked up making the dangerous crossing to 27,509 so far this year — compared to 26,116 people at the same point in 2023.
In October alone, 2,265 people in 40 boats have been rescued despite bad weather hampering attempts by people smugglers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland’s Tusk Says Future of Liberal Democracy Hinges on Migration Policy
The future of liberal democracy in the European Union depends on its response to migration, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in comments published on October 16 ahead of a summit in Brussels where Warsaw will join calls for a tougher approach.
“The future of Europe and Poland will be played out in this area,” Tusk told Gazeta Wyborcza daily, referring to border security.
“The only question is whether right-wing populists or liberal democracy will provide it,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland: Tusk’s Government Officially Adopts New Migration Strategy
The Polis government has officially adopted a new, tougher migration strategy, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday, despite causing some division within the ruling coalition.
The government’s new approach, announced by Tusk (PO, EPP) on Saturday under the working title “Regaining Control, Ensuring Security,” was criticised for including a temporary territorial suspension of asylum rights, which many politicians from both the ruling camp and the opposition considered legally questionable.
Tusk announced the adoption of the strategy on X on Tuesday afternoon following the government’s weekly meeting but said it was “difficult, but necessary and awaited.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden Mulling the Introduction of Mandatory State-Run Asylum Centres
The Swedish government and its hard-right ally in parliament want to introduce mandatory state-run asylum centres to improve the monitoring of asylum seekers in the country.
The results of a Swedish government-commissioned study presented on Tuesday suggested that asylum seekers should be restricted to a certain area and have their presence checked or risk losing their benefits.
“As a general rule, you may only stay in the county where the asylum accommodation is registered. This is a relatively large area, and you must be able to use contacts, social services and leisure benefits,” Ingela Fridström, who was tasked with drafting the report, has said.
The Swedish government will therefore propose some kind of mandatory asylum centre under the supervision of the Swedish Migration Agency, where asylum seekers will be required to live throughout the asylum process.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tren De Aragua Gang Members, Minors Live in Roosevelt Hotel, Target Times Square
A group of Tren de Aragua gangsters are living in a taxpayer-funded shelter, the Roosevelt Hotel, while they are robbing stores in Times Square. And there doesn’t seem to be any justice meted out for their crimes.
Around two dozen members of the gang are part of the pack, some as young as 11, and have moved from purse snatching to armed robbery, making victims of seasoned New Yorkers and tourists, the New York Post reported Monday. But they’ve all managed to evade jail because of their youth and New York state’s lax punishment for crime, Detective Bureau New York Police Department Assistant Chief Jason Savino told the Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Vows to ‘End All Sanctuary Cities Immediately’ With ‘Executive Order’
President Donald Trump has vowed to “end all sanctuary cities in the United States” on Day One of his next presidency.
During an all-women town hall event in Georgia on Wednesday, Trump said he would use an “executive order” to “end all sanctuary cities.”
“We are going to end all sanctuary cities immediately,” Trump said during a town hall hosted by Fox News’s Harris Faulkner.
“We’re gonna end it,” Trump declared.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Contract Reveals Lie Behind Government’s Migration Pledge
A new contract has revealed the British Labour government doesn’t believe its own rhetoric on illegal migration, and that Channel crossings will go unstopped for at least another ten years.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has described stopping the small boats—by “smashing the gangs” rather than deterring the migrants themselves—as a priority. Yet the Home Office is now seeking commercial partners to run two large facilities that will receive and process illegal migrants from January 2026, potentially until 2036.
Leading Conservative MP Neil O’Brien said the move “suggests [Labour] are not exactly confident about stopping the boats.” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage went a step further, insisting that “Starmer has no intention of stopping the boats.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Islamic State-Aligned Terror Faction Calls for ‘Revenge’ Violence on German LGBT Events
A terror cell aligned with the Islamic State (IS) has called for lone-wolf attacks on LGBT events in Germany, according to local news reports.
In an extremist magazine published on October 14 by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISPK), reported by German journalists, the terrorist network appeared to celebrate the fatal August 23 attack in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
The incident at a pro-diversity event resulted in the death by stabbing of three individuals, with eight others injured. A Syrian migrant was arrested in relation to the assault.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nevada Governor Backs Female Volleyball Players Boycotting Game Over Male Player
Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times
Nevada’s governor on Oct. 15 said he supports female volleyball players refusing to participate in a game because their opponent has a male who identifies as a female on their team.
Female players from the University of Nevada, Reno said earlier this month that they would only play against San Jose State University if the game was restricted to women.
Officials from the University of Nevada later said that they intend “to move forward with the match as scheduled” and that the players’ position does not represent the university’s position.
The school said that Nevada’s Constitution and law ensure equality of rights.
“The student athletes at the University of Nevada, Reno have determined that they do not want to play against San Jose State, and I wholeheartedly respect the decision of the players,” Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said in a statement posted on social media. “No student athlete should ever be pressured to play a game where they don’t feel safe—period.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Norway’s Catholic Bishops Sign Declaration Against Gender Ideology
Norway’s Catholic bishops have signed a declaration affirming traditional Christian views on gender and sexuality, joining over 30 Christian communities. The document, titled “Ecumenical Declaration on Gender and Sexual Diversity,” asserts that humanity’s biological sex is defined at conception and challenges contemporary views on gender identity, which it describes as ideologically driven and scientifically unfounded.
The declaration states, “God created humans as male and female. … Marriage is the union of a man and a woman, established by God and recognised by the Christian Church throughout the centuries.” By upholding these values, the declaration advocates for the traditional family structure and emphasises that children are best served when raised by both biological parents. The modern concept of gender identity as fluid and self-determined contradicts this foundation, the signatories argue.
The statement also warns about the impact of gender ideology on young people. Introducing these ideas to children “can lead to confusion, insecurity, and destructive life decisions for many children and adolescents.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Satanic Temple Opens Abortion Clinic in Virginia, Claims Pregnancy Termination is Religious Ritual
The Satanic Temple has opened a second abortion clinic in the US, this time in Virginia, where expectant mothers can engage in a self-focused abortion ritual, which has been endorsed by Cosmopolitan magazine. The goal of the Satanic Temple in turning abortion into a ritual is so that they can make the claim that practicing abortion is a religious liberty issue that that the termination of pregnancy is a “spiritual” undertaking. Abortion in Virginia is legal through the 27th week, or second trimester of pregnancy.
The clinic is called the “Right to Your Life Satanic Abortion Clinic” and will offer chemical abortions as part of the “destruction ritual.” The first ritual abortion clinic from the Satanic Temple was the Samuel Alito’s Mom’s clinic in New Mexico where, along with medical counsel, “free ceremonial support” is offered to everyone. Women who undergo abortion and participate in the “ritual” are intended to “assert their right to bodily autonomy as a religious practice.” The abortions are done via telehealth, meaning that providers never come into contact with the women who seek pregnancy termination.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |