Author: Brian Harrington

A new program spearheaded by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita seeks to train up the state’s law enforcement officials to “combat antisemitism” and implement “zero-tolerance” policies that ensure Jewish Hoosiers are protected.  Staff at the attorney general’s office said the training — set for Sept. 20 — is scheduled early in the new academic year as law enforcement, universities and students “prepare for continuation of the protests” and “antisemitic acts we witnessed during the spring semester.” “Antisemitism is on the rise across America. We are seeing it with riots at college campuses, protests in our streets, and threats against our Jewish friends and…

The results of the two regional elections in Germany’s east have sent shockwaves through Europe. The victory in Thuringia for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) — a far-right party known for its relativism and ambiguity about Germany’s Nazi past — was met with horror and disbelief. The leader of the liberal Renew group in the European Parliament, Valérie Hayer, called it “unprecedented” and “a dark day” for Germany and Europe. “We shall not let Europe give in to racist, antisemitic, misogynist and homophobic movements,” Hayer said in a social media post on Monday. “Friends of Russia in a former USSR…

It has become something of a cliche to reflect on the state of your country after you have woken up to – putting it somewhat euphemistically – disappointing election results. Be it the Brexit referendum in 2016, Donald Trump’s victory mere months after that, or the election victory of Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands, the reactions were very similar. Analysts claimed that voters hadn’t been properly listened to and that neoliberalism had left a trail of destruction, and the failure of the left was pointed out. Then came the obligatory mention of the elite, who are…

A wave of political corruption scandals has rocked institutions across America. In recent years, there have been several high-profile examples of elected officials monetizing their public service to enrich themselves, their families or their allies. This week, U.S. Rep. George Santos dropped his bid for re-election after a House ethics report claimed he spent campaign funds on personal expenses. U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, meanwhile, is facing his second bribery indictment. (Both men deny the charges). And former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was convicted in a $60 million bribery scheme. The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy teaches future leaders the importance…

A patient “saved many lives” by talking down a hospital worker who planned to “kill as many nurses as possible” with a homemade bomb, a court has heard. Mohammed Farooq, 28, brought a pressure cooker device to St James’s Hospital in Leeds on 20 January to “commit a terrorist atrocity,” prosecutors claim. The clinical support worker was arrested after patient Nathan Newby called police. At Sheffield Crown Court, Farooq denies preparing acts of terrorism. The jury heard the defendant told police after his arrest that the pressure cooker device was modelled on the bombs used in the deadly 2013 Boston…

President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to meet with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and other dignitaries ahead of Yoon’s budget speech at the National Assembly this week in what could lead to the first conversation between the two since Yoon came into office. Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), decided to attend a meeting that Yoon plans to hold with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties as well as other dignitaries, such as the Supreme Court chief justice, ahead of his budget speech set for Tuesday, according to Rep. Kwon Chil-seung, the DP’s chief spokesperson.…

About 3,000 protesters gathered in Belfast city centre for a rally organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign on Saturday. It follows the upsurge in conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East in the past three weeks. A number of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrations have been held in Belfast since the violence erupted. On Saturday protesters gathered at Writer’s Square to show their support for the Palestinian people. They then walked along Royal Avenue to the City Hall. Rallies also took place in other parts of the UK, including London, Manchester and Glasgow. The demonstrations came as Israel…

Voting ended on Friday in Eswatini’s legislative elections, Africa’s last absolute monarchy. After sunset, a handful of voters were still lining up to cast their ballots at a polling station in the capital, Mbabane, with not much hope the vote will bring much change. “The attempt was actually to say let us have people who are going to go into Parliament and be a voice of the voiceless, understanding that in Swaziland there is still a dictatorship, where in the King actually has all the power, absolute monarchy that is. So we want a voice in Parliament to say, let…

Hundreds protested Saturday the closure of overnight emergency services at a hospital in the Brittany region of France. The demonstration took place outside the Quimper Governorship to protest the policy at Carhaix Hospital. The crowd brought a catapult where former presidential candidate Philippe Poutou and Carhaix Mayor Christian Troadec were among the politicians who participated in the demonstration. Following a brawl, security forces intervened with pepper gas and prevented protesters from approaching the Governorship. A six-month-old baby allegedly died Sept. 28 at the hospital because of the lack of timely intervention when emergency services were closed, according to reports. Hospital…

August 2023 has been a deadly month in Israel, as at least five people have been killed and multiple wounded in several separate terror attacks. August 2023 has been a deadly month of terror attacks in Israel, and between August 5 to August 31, five people have been killed multiple more people have been wounded to varying degrees. August 5, 2023 Tel Aviv city inspector Chen Amir was killed in a terror shooting in the popular pedestrian mall Nahalat Binyamin in Tel Aviv. He is succeeded by his wife and three daughters. August 19, 2023 Ashdod residents Silas (Shai) Nigerker, 60, and…