PrĂ€sident Emmanuel Macron setzt mit Blick auf die fĂŒr das Wochenende angekĂŒndigten Demonstrationen auf EinschĂŒchterung und Repression: »Ăberall dort, wo wir können, werden wir verbieten«, sagte er am Donnerstag. »Wir wollen, dass wieder Ruhe einkehrt«, so Macron. Die Behörden in Marseille, Lyon, Nizza, Toulon und weiteren StĂ€dten verkĂŒndeten zunĂ€chst, keine der fĂŒr Sonnabend âgeplanten Kundgebungen zuzulassen.
Archiv: bad ideas / schlechte Ideen
France bans protests and imposes curfews in dozens of cities, raising concerns over rule of law
In Marseille, southern France, all demonstrations have been banned for Saturday, October 24, and a curfew currently in place for minors in the city center of France‘s second-largest city has been extended to adults. The same rules were set for Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, where a protest, previously declared to the authorities, was eventually banned. In Paris, while a curfew remains in place every night until Monday morning around Place de la RĂ©publique and Les Halles, the Police Prefecture authorized a march from Bastille to Nation.
Fearing new outbreaks of violence and looting, officials have imposed protest bans and restrictions on freedom of movement across France, not only in major cities but also in smaller towns.
France to deploy 70,000 police officers as students call for fresh protests Saturday
The French government announced that 70,000 police officers will be deployed across the country on Saturday in a bid to avoid a repeat of the violence and looting that plagued last weekend‘s demonstrations. After meeting with President Emmanuel Macron Friday, high school student groups that sparked the movement a month ago called on members to continue protesting until their demands are met.
Trumpâs MAGA Pals Push Sinister Martial Law Plot
Tina Peters, a prominent MAGA election activist, met with Trump in October. She was convicted in 2024 of crimes tied to a breach of election equipment, then freed this year after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, commuted her sentence. Peters and her attorney, Peter Ticktin, also visited Trump at the White House in late June.
Ticktin, who is Trumpâs childhood friend, was among the speakers on a Sept. 30 video call for MAGA election activists streamed on Rumble. They warned of widespread election security breaches they believe will hit in November, and they urgently pushed for remedies.
The Supporters Urging Trump to Declare Martial Law for the Midterms
(September 23, 2026)
The way Ticktin sees it, there are three possible outcomes this fall. The firstâa smooth electionâwonât happen in his view because, he claims without evidence, Democrats already cheated in the primaries. The second is that Trump takes action before the election to prevent cheating. The last option is that Trump tries to declare martial law on or around November 3. âEither martial law, or step aside,â he told us about Trumpâs choices in the last scenario. When we asked about the prospect of riots if Trump tries to overturn the election results, Ticktin said he was not concerned. âBelieve me, our armed forces are a lot bigger than they are,â he said.
Right-Wing Activists Disrupt Tel Aviv Screening Hosted by Arab-Jewish Party
Witnesses said the activists assaulted attendees and tried to reach the floor housing the Joint List‘s election headquarters; police arrived after they were removed
Right-wing protesters storm Tel Aviv building housing Joint List campaign office
Zo HaDerekh, a communist publication affiliated with the Joint Listâs Hadash faction, reported that only after the protesters left did police show up on the scene at the Left Bank, a central Tel Aviv club that houses several left-wing civil society groups and serves as the base for the Joint List.
The club was hosting the screening of a film by left-wing group Mesarvot (Hebrew for ârefusersâ), which calls on youth to refuse to serve in the IDF.
Joint List Headquarters in Tel Aviv Reportedly Stormed by Right-Wing Activists
The Joint List party reported that right-wing activists, including Mordechai David, violently entered its Tel Aviv election headquarters. Police arrived after the incident, and Knesset Member Ofer Cassif demanded an investigation. Hadash activists filed a police complaint regarding the break-in.
âI Can Call Him Whatever the Hell I Wantâ: Trump Misnames Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed
During a rally in Tennessee on Saturday, President Trump repeatedly misnamed Michiganâs Democratic Senate candidate Abdul ElâSayed as âMohammed,â calling him a âjihadist.â
President Donald Trump: âLike Mohammed El-Sayed â I call him Mohammed. Somebody said, ‚His name isn‘t Mohammed; itâs Abdul.â I said, ‚To me, it‘s Mohammed.â Iâm the president. I can call him whatever the hell I want. To me, heâs Mohammed, and heâs a radical jihadist.â
»Schurkengericht«: US-Regierung verhÀngt weitreichende Sanktionen gegen Strafgerichtshof
Wir werden Transaktionen mit diesem Schurkengericht verbieten, seine Ressourcen beschneiden und seine Arbeit lahmlegen«, hieĂ es weiter. Washington stöĂt sich insbesondere an den im â vergangenen Jahr erlassenen Haftbefehlen des Gerichts gegen israelische Regierungsvertreter, darunter MinisterprĂ€sident âBenjamin Netanjahu. Zudem ermittelte der IStGH zu mutmaĂlichen Kriegsverbrechen von US-Soldaten in Afghanistan, stellte das Vorhaben jedoch nach eigenen Angaben inzwischen zurĂŒck.
âHeâs Desperateâ: AIPAC Begins Spending Against Abdul El-Sayed to Boost Mike Rogers
A campaign finance report filed on Friday revealed that the American Israel Public Affairs Committeeâs super PAC, the United Democracy Project, has resumed spending on Michiganâs US Senate race, dropping $95,000 on mailers opposing Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed in a bid to help Republican Mike Rogers weeks ahead of the key midterm contest.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) report came a day after Rogers and El-Sayed clashed on the debate stage over healthcare, drug prices, military assistance to Israel, and other issues. Asked during the debate whether he would accept AIPACâs support in the race, Rogers said, âAnybody that wants to help my campaign stop [El-Sayed]… Iâll take all of that help.â
Macron schreit nach mehr Zensur
Macron versuchte seinen Punkt auch mit einem StraĂenszenario zu verdeutlichen: âDas weiĂ ich, wenn ich die StraĂe entlanggehe: Meine Freiheit kann nicht darin bestehen, dich zu schlagen, dich zu beleidigen oder den Raum zu zerstören, den wir alle teilen. Genau das ist die Vorstellung, die manche von Meinungsfreiheit haben.â
Das ist eine falsche Analogie. Jemanden zu beleidigen ist nicht dasselbe wie ihn zu schlagen â Ersteres ist Rede, Letzteres körperliche Gewalt.
Genau darin liegt der Punkt: Zensur rechtfertigt sich immer damit, dass sie Rede mit Gewalt gleichsetzt und Worte so behandelt, als wÀren sie körperliche Angriffe.
Macron ist auĂerdem der Ansicht, dass Menschen fĂŒr den âUnsinnâ, den sie online posten, zur Rechenschaft gezogen werden sollten. Das bedeutet, dass eine offizielle, staatlich anerkannte Instanz entscheiden muss, was als âUnsinnâ gilt.
Nicht nur das: Macron will sicherstellen, dass es in den sozialen Medien keine Konten ohne eine echte Person dahinter gibt â und er will AltersprĂŒfungen durchsetzen, damit Kinder von diesen Plattformen ferngehalten werden.
Beide Ideen bedeuten, dass online nur noch diejenigen sprechen dĂŒrfen, die zuvor identifiziert wurden.
US blocks Palestinians‘ Abbas from attending UN meeting, for second year in a row
The U.S. has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an entry âvisa to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week, extending a ban in place since last year, a Palestinian official familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
Without naming specific officials, the State Department said on Wednesday it âwould extend visa sanctions against Palestinian officials over actions they took to „internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,“ including âpursuing cases against Israel at international tribunals.
The Democrats who arenât criticizing John Fetterman
Sen. John Fetterman has faced a tide of public criticism from fellow Democrats as he stakes out lonely ground as a critic of the far-left wing of his party â and another wave rolled in Wednesday after he made a surprise video appearance at the Republican midterm convention.
So far, however, his Senate colleagues havenât joined the pile-on.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman appears in surprise video at GOP midterm convention
In the roughly one-minute video introducing McCormick on stage, Fetterman made clear that he is still a Democrat. But took aim at the rise of âsocialismâ in his own party â a notable and public rebuke to the Democratsâ left flank.
âYes, Iâm a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because well, Iâm a common sense Democrat. Iâm always going to stand with America. Iâm always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life,â Fetterman said in the pre-recorded video.
WATCH: Trump promises $5,000 ‚dividend‘ for Americans if GOP wins midterms
Watch Trump‘s remarks in the video player above.
„If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000,“ Trump told the crowd at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas. „It will be called the Trump dividend.“
Two tankers carrying Saudi oil attacked in Strait of Hormuz
(Updated 6 hours ago)
Two supertankers carrying Saudi âoil were struck by unknown projectiles within minutes of each other while âtransiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz late on Monday, according to shipping intelligence and tracking firms Marisks and Kpler.
„The near-simultaneous incidents represent a further escalation in the threat environment within âthe Omani corridor,“ Marisks said.
US sanctions International Criminal Courtâs president, official
Akane, a Japanese national who has served as ICC president since 2024, and Seye, a Senegalese national, were added to the Treasury Departmentâs Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, according to the agencyâs website.
Both designations were made pursuant to Executive Order 14203, „Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court,“ which US President Donald Trump signed on Feb. 6, 2025, and which has since been used to designate 10 ICC officials, including former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and eight judges.
Dem establishment scores win as Crowley defeats socialist Hong in Wisconsin
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley defeated democratic socialist Francesca Hong in Wisconsinâs closely watched Democratic gubernatorial primary, handing the party establishment a key win. Crowley, backed by Gov. Tony Evers, will face Trump-endorsed Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in November.
Vessel struck off coast of Oman: UKMTO
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre has received a report of a vessel being struck about 18 nautical miles (33 km) off the coast of the Omani town of Khasab.
UKMTO cited a âverified sourceâ as saying an âunknown projectileâ hit the vessel, causing a fire.
UAE says ADNOC tanker attacked in Hormuz
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday said Iran had targeted a tanker belonging to the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The foreign ministry in a statement condemned „the hostile Iranian attack that targeted a tanker belonging to ADNOC with a missile while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, without causing casualties“.
US air base, CENTCOM headquarters in Jordan targeted: IRGC
Tehran, IRNA â The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says that its Aerospace Force has targeted a US air base and the US militaryâs CENTCOM headquarters in Jordan with ballistic missiles.
In a statement issued early Wednesday, the IRGC Aerospace Force said the attack was carried out in response to aggressive actions by the US military against Iran.
The brave combatants of the IRGC Aerospace Force targeted the US air base and the CENTCOM headquarters of the US military in Jordan with several ballistic missiles, the statement said.
Saudi Arabia launches strikes on Iran-backed militia targets in Iraq
(July 29, 2026 | 03:43 AM)
Saudi Arabia‘s armed forces, in coordination with the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), carried out precision strikes on Wednesday against Iran-backed militia targets in Iraq linked to recent drone attacks on the Kingdom‘s oil facilities, the Ministry of Defense announced.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Malki said the operation followed attempted drone attacks on oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh region on Monday and Tuesday, which Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed. He said those attacks originated from Iraqi territory and were carried out by Iran-backed terrorist militias.
Progressives Urge Senate to Reject Israel Military Integration in NDAA Passed by House
House lawmakers voted 216-212, almost entirely along party lines, to pass HR 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027.
Republicans voted 209-7 in favor, while Democrats voted 205-6 against the measure. Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (NC), Jared Golden (Maine), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Adam Gray (Calif.), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) voted „yes.“ Independent Rep. Kevin Kiley of California also voted in favor of the bill.
US-Israel Defense Integration on Horizon as House Keeps Section 219 in NDAA
The House approved the rule governing debate on H.R. 8800 by a 214-211 vote Tuesday, July 21. The vote allowed the chamber to proceed with the NDAA but excluded the amendment from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) that would have removed Section 219.
Iran criticises Oman over announcement of southern shipping corridor in the Strait of Hormuz
According to Iranian officials, Tehran considers itself responsible for managing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz under its interpretation of the memorandum of understanding with the United States and maintains that it has the authority to designate approved shipping routes.
Omanâs announcement that vessels could use a southern corridor within Omani territorial waters prompted criticism from Tehran.
According to the report, Iranâs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that it could take action against vessels using routes outside those designated by Iranian authorities.
Trump Administration Vows to Dismantle the International Criminal Court
(July 14, 2026)
The ICC was established by a 2002 treaty to investigate and prosecute war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity when a member of the treaty is unable or unwilling to prosecute the crimes on its own. The U.S. signed but never ratified the Rome Statute, and the ICC has never opened an investigation into alleged crimes committed on U.S. territory.
The court has, however, taken actions against President Donald Trumpâs ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It has also opened investigations into American actions overseas, including alleged war crimes committed by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Some human rights organizations and legal experts have also argued that U.S. strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific and the U.S. abduction of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could fall within the ICCâs jurisdiction, as Venezuela is a party to the Rome Statute. The ICC has not opened a formal investigation into the U.S. conduct.
State Department Launches Campaign to Dismantle International Criminal Courtâs Threat to American Sovereignty
(July 13, 2026)
Actions under consideration include:
– Diplomatic calls from the Secretary of State, Deputy Secretary, ambassadors, and other members of senior leadership to foreign nations highlighting the abuses of the ICC and the risks posed to Americans and other nations urging them to withdraw from the ICC
– Nations that partner with American law enforcement and the U.S. military or that enjoy the benefits of the U.S. security umbrella are called upon to reject the ICCâs purported authority to prosecute American officials and servicemen
– Increased scrutiny of nations that refuse to reject the ICCâs false authority while relying on U.S. assistance
– Diplomatic calls urging other nations that, like America, that are not party to the Rome Statute to leverage their diplomatic networks to take similar actions alongside us
– Visa revocations and travel bans for ICC personnel
– Increased sanctions against the ICC and affiliated organizations
Three Oil Tankers targeted in successive attacks Off Omani Coast
Muscat: The Maritime Security Centre has reported that three oil tankers were targeted in separate attacks off the Omani coast, with one crew member confirmed killed and three others still missing, as authorities continue to monitor the situation and coordinate response efforts.
Indian sailor killed in Iranian strike on oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz
One Indian crew member was killed, and eight others were wounded in an Iranian missile strike targeting two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emiratesâ Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Companyâs (Adnoc) shipping arm confirmed that two of its very large crude carriers were struck and sustained âsignificant damageâ while passing through the strait.