A woman wearing a hijab on a street in Baku, January 18, 2011
In late September, Azerbaijan approved new school uniform rules, including a ban on “items inconsistent with the principle of secularism.” Inspections soon began at schools, and girls wearing hijabs were barred from classes. Protests broke out in Baku and other cities, with schoolgirls and their classmates demanding that everyone’s right to an education be upheld. On October 12, 37 people were detained in Baku. The Interior Ministry said protesters had tried to “grossly disrupt public order.” Meanwhile, users began reporting that they could not access TikTok and Instagram — the country’s two most popular social networks. Here’s a closer look at what is happening in Azerbaijan and what may be behind the ban.
Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers introduced the new school uniform rules in a September 21 decree. The decree prohibits “wearing items of clothing that disrupt the uniformity of the prescribed school uniform,” as well as clothing that is “inconsistent with the principle of secularism in general education.”
The decree does not explicitly mention hijabs. But during school inspections that began on October 9, girls with their heads covered were barred from classes, even though the decree does not authorize such measures. Female teachers were also required to remove their headscarves, Jam News reported.
Protests then broke out in Baku and other Azerbaijani cities. At some schools, boys also refused to attend classes in solidarity with girls wearing hijabs. In a village in Baku’s Sabunchu district, students protested with a sign bearing the slogan: “A hijab does not stand in the way of an education.”
A source at a Baku school told the BBC that boys in the upper grades were also required to shave their beards — even though, like hijabs, beards are not mentioned in the cabinet decree.
Videos of the protests appeared on social media. One shows students trying to smash school windows. The Telegram channel Minval Politika reported that a school principal’s car had been set on fire in the Garadag district.
On October 12, Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry said it had detained 37 people for actions “grossly violating public order.” The ministry said “a group of individuals” had created “a conflict situation” with school staff over “compliance with a uniform dress code” and damaged schools. Authorities opened a criminal investigation into allegations of organizing acts that disrupted public order, an offense punishable by up to three years in prison. The ministry provided no further details, and it is unclear whether any of those detained are minors.
As the protests unfolded, Azerbaijanis began reporting that they could not access Instagram and TikTok — the country’s two most popular social networks. Some users could access them only through a VPN. Some directly link the disruption to the protests, although the authorities have not confirmed blocking the platforms.
Azerbaijan has seen protests against a hijab ban before. Jam News reported that a similar protest took place outside the Education Ministry in May 2011 and led to a criminal investigation. That same year, authorities detained activist Abgul Suleymanov, who was known for taking part in protests against the hijab ban. He was later sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges he denied.
The reasons for the current ban are unclear, the BBC reported. Neither the cabinet nor the Education Ministry has explained them or responded to journalists’ inquiries. Journalist Afgan Mukhtarli, a critic of the authorities, believes that hijabs pose no problems but that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “needs the specter of radical Islam to strengthen his hold on power.”
Supporters of the authorities, by contrast, see the ban as part of “strengthening the sovereignty of a country trying to free itself from the influence of other states.” It is unclear what influence they mean, but many believe Aliyev was referring to Turkey when he recently spoke about countering ideological interference from abroad, the BBC reported. On October 3, protesters gathered outside Azerbaijan’s consulate in Istanbul to demand an end to the ban on wearing hijabs in Azerbaijani schools.
At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.
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Grâce à l'entremise d'un commandant de CRS, officier de sécurité depuis vingt ans auprès de l'équipe de France, la haute hiérarchie policière a pu multiplier les séjours dans le temple du foot, pour y peaufiner sa « communication en période de crise » . Reste…
Marine Le Pen promet de faire du logement son grand chantier, mais son spécialiste maison Frédéric Falcon, patron d’une agence immobilière, défend surtout les avantages fiscaux des locations touristiques et veut casser la loi SRU, garante du développement…
Un animateur de l'école Saint-Dominique soupçonné de violences sexuelles suspendu mais décoré par la Ville, des parents à qui l’on ment, un responsable éducatif tenu dans l'ignorance et un avertissement délirant de Rachida Dati complètement dépassée…Le scandale…
Mais aussi: le président et la « Paki », Pécresse et ses souvenirs, Glucksmann et son trésor de guerre. Chaque semaine, « Le Canard » se glisse dans les coulisses de la vie politique.
Die BSW-Fraktionsvorsitzenden im Landtag von Sachsen-Anhalt, Claudia Wittig und Thomas Schulze, erläutern im Welt-Gastbeitrag (Bezahlschranke) die ausschlaggebenden Gründe, warum sich die Partei gemeinsam mit den AfD-Kollegen zum ersten Mal in einem deutschen Parlament am Mittwoch als Fraktionen "gegen die Ukraine-Politik der Bundesregierung aussprechen" werde. Unterstützung erhält der Landesverband von Parteichefin Sahra Wagenknecht, die den "Friedensantrag von BSW und AfD" inhaltlich voll unterstützt.
Die beiden BSW-Politiker erklären zum politischen Status quo in Sachsen-Anhalt, dass die Ukraine-Politik aus der Hauptstadt am 6. September bei den Landtagswahlen "abgewählt wurde". Dazu heißt es einleitend im Welt-Gastartikel darlegend:
"Der Bundeskanzler reist morgens mit dem Geldkoffer nach Kiew und kürzt abends bei der eigenen Bevölkerung – vor allem bei Rente, Pflege und Gesundheit. Die Bürgerinnen und Bürger wollen nicht mehr tolerieren, wie einerseits das Geld – im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes – verpulvert und andererseits die Bevölkerung gegängelt wird, den Gürtel enger zu schnallen."
Die Bürger im Land, "gerade im Osten", so die beiden Gastautoren, würden sich nach Jahren der Meinungsvorgaben aus Berlin, zum Thema andauernder, vermeintlich notwendiger Ukraine-Unterstützung seitens der Steuerzahler, "keine Ammenmärchen" mehr erzählen lassen. Die wahrnehmende Einschätzung der beiden Politiker lautet:
"Sie [die Bürger] hören seit Jahren, dass die Ukraine kurz vor dem Sieg stehe und gleichzeitig Russland in Kürze die NATO angreifen werde. Die Eskalationsspirale dreht sich immer weiter, und in der Ukraine werden junge Menschen an der Front verheizt. In einem Krieg, der nicht ihrer ist und den sie nicht gewinnen können."
Viele Menschen hätten es dabei geschafft, "ihren moralischen Kompass" zu bewahren, und würden sich zusehends dagegen verwehren, weiterhin "Komplizen in einem dreckigen Geschäft [zu] werden, das außer dem Kapital nur Verlierer kennt", so die Darlegungen von Wittig und Schulze.
Hinsichtlich der morgigen Planung seitens der BSW- und AfD-Fraktion im Magdeburger Landtag lautet dann die Ankündigung eines demnach gemeinsam vorbereiteten Antrags:
"Dies ist ein historischer Vorgang: Zum ersten Mal wird sich ein deutsches Parlament klar gegen die Ukraine-Politik der Bundesregierung, für Friedensverhandlungen und Kompromissbereitschaft zur Beilegung dieses fürchterlichen Krieges aussprechen."
Und weiter:
"Und es ist der ultimative Einsturz der Brandmauer. Wir beenden die Brandmauer, die nicht die Demokratie rettet, sondern unser Land in Brand steckt."
Wie kann Sachsen-Anhalt auf Friedensgespräche in der Ukraine drängen? Ein Weg führt über den Bundesrat.
Am Mittwoch, dem 14. Oktober, kommt der Landtag von Sachsen-Anhalt zu einer Sondersitzung zusammen. Auf der Tagesordnung steht der gemeinsame Antrag der AfD- und BSW-Fraktion „Friedensgespräche statt Ausweitung des Krieges in der Ukraine“ (Drs. 9/31).
Darin fordern wir die Landesregierung auf, sich mit einer Bundesratsinitiative gegen eine weitere Eskalation des Krieges in der Ukraine und für eine friedensschaffende Politik einzusetzen. Im Mittelpunkt sollen dabei Diplomatie und Verhandlungen stehen.
Für unsere AfD-Fraktion ist klar: Der politische Druck auf Berlin muss steigen. Die Bundesregierung soll sich endlich für ein Ende des Krieges statt für dessen Verlängerung einsetzen. Die Milliarden an Steuergeld, die gegenwärtig für Waffenlieferungen an die Ukraine ausgegeben werden, sollen besser für die Menschen in unserem eigenen Land investiert werden.
Den gemeinsamen Antrag sowie den Antrag auf Einberufung des Sonderplenums (Drs. 9/32) haben die AfD-Fraktionsvorsitzenden Oliver Kirchner und Ulrich Siegmund gemeinsam mit dem BSW-Fraktionsvorsitzenden Thomas Schulze unterzeichnet.
Unser Ziel: Friedensgespräche statt weiterer Eskalation.
#LTLSA #AfD #Landtag #Frieden #Ukraine
Volle Unterstützung erhält der BSW-Landesverband von Parteichefin Wagenknecht, die auf X kommentiert:
"Ausgezeichneter Artikel von Thomas Schulze und Claudia Wittig in der WELT zum Friedensantrag von BSW und AfD in Sachsen-Anhalt!"
Die Wählerinnen und Wähler in Sachsen-Anhalt hätten nachweislich ihre Stimmen mehrheitlich den Parteien gegeben, "die sich gegen die Verlängerung des Krieges aussprechen". Diesen Wählern würde sich auch die BSW-Fraktion "verpflichtet fühlen".
Die Fraktion sei sich sicher, dass von dem Sonderplenum des Landtages "ein starkes friedenspolitisches Signal" ausgehen wird, welches die Debatte "über Krieg und Frieden in ganz Deutschland beeinflusst". Die Mahnung samt Kritik an den geschäftsführenden CDU-Ministerpräsidenten lautet:
"Sollte Noch-Ministerpräsident Sven Schulze den Mehrheitsbeschluss des Landtages ignorieren und in der Länderkammer im November untätig bleiben, wäre das ein drastisches Zeichen der Demokratieverachtung. Er würde den expliziten Willen der Menschen – nicht nur in Sachsen-Anhalt – ignorieren. Leider nicht zum ersten Mal. Herr Schulze hat auch früher schon bewiesen, dass er den Wählerwillen vor allem dann achtet, wenn er ihm genehm ist."
Zu den politischen Realitäten in der Hauptstadt gehöre, dass Deutschland aktuell "Kriegsfinanzier Nummer eins" sei:
"Rund 100 Milliarden Euro musste der deutsche Steuerzahler bereits zur Verfügung stellen, gleichzeitig wurde uns Nord Stream von der Ukraine weggesprengt – darüber schwieg der Kanzler bei seinem letzten Besuch in Kiew; es passte wohl nicht ins Bild."
Das Land, die Steuerzahler, könnten sich diesen Krieg nicht länger leisten, daher brauche es in Sachsen-Anhalt eine neue Politik, "die wieder mehr an Köthen als an Kiew denkt". Der Vorwurf samt Forderung lautet daher:
"Die Ukraine-Politik belastet unsere Bürger, Kommunen und das Land Sachsen-Anhalt, wenn öffentliches Geld in diesem Ausmaß verbrannt wird, das dann anderswo fehlt. Im Zuge dessen muss der Wirtschaftskrieg gegen Russland, der uns selbst am meisten schadet, beendet werden."
In Betrachtung der Gesamtlage, so der BSW-Gastbeitrag endend, gehe es gegenwärtig nicht zuletzt "um die Gefahr eines großen Krieges in Europa". Die Mahnung lautet daher:
"Wenn mit deutschen Waffen und deutschem Geld die Atommacht Russland angegriffen wird, wird es immer wahrscheinlicher, dass der Krieg irgendwann auch nach Deutschland getragen wird."
Per ottenere da Bruxelles il permesso di indebitarsi, l’Italia accetta di spendere 7,2 miliardi l’anno in armi: le tutele sociali di lavoratori e ceto medio sono ormai subordinate all’acquisto di sistemi d’arma. A Levante questa sera, martedì 13 ottobre 2026, Margherita Furlan dialoga con Alessandro Volpi, storico ed economista, e Paolo Borgognone, saggista e storico delle idee, sulla Legge di Bilancio 2027 e sul prezzo, politico ed economico, che il Paese paga per farla quadrare. La manovra da 30 miliardi regge su una clausola di salvaguardia per un extradeficit dello 0,6% del PIL: oltre 14 miliardi l’anno di nuovi BTP, con l’obbligo di destinarne metà al riarmo. Il debito per le armi diventa il lasciapassare contabile per non tagliare sanità e pensioni. Intanto il debito pubblico e privato globale ha toccato i 370 mila miliardi di dollari, mentre il 5% della popolazione detiene quasi 300 mila miliardi di ricchezza. Chi dovrebbe pagare la montagna debitoria? In Italia sono in corso le esercitazioni NATO, compresa quella nucleare, senza un passaggio parlamentare. Che cosa significa ospitarle nella stessa settimana in cui si vota una manovra che finanzia la difesa a debito? E mentre l’Europa si indebita per prepararsi alla guerra con Mosca, dopo la telefonata tra Putin e Trump il gasolio russo torna a scorrere verso gli Stati Uniti. Chi decide il riarmo non è chi lo paga. Affrontiamo insieme: I numeri veri della Legge di Bilancio 2027 e il gioco di prestigio contabile dell’extradeficit Da «burro o cannoni» ad «armi a pranzo»: quando il riarmo smette di essere un’alternativa e diventa una condizione La spesa per interessi verso il 4,6% del PIL e la spirale che divora gli spazi fiscali Il 5% che possiede il mondo e la tassazione che nessun governo osa proporre Le esercitazioni NATO in Italia e la sovranità sottratta Il gasolio di Putin a Trump: multipolarismo o condominio tra potenze? LIBRI DEGLI OSPITI Alessandro Volpi, La finanza è colpevole, Laterza, 2026 Alessandro Volpi, I padroni del mondo. Come i fondi finanziari stanno distruggendo il mercato e la democrazia, Laterza, 2024 Alessandro Volpi, Nelle mani dei fondi, Altreconomia, 2023 Paolo Borgognone, Generazione Erasmus, Zambon, 2018 Paolo Borgognone, Deplorevoli? Rappresentazioni dei ceti popolari in Occidente, Zambon, 2017 Paolo Borgognone, Capire la Russia, Zambon, 2016 SOSTIENI CASA DEL SOLE TV Casa del Sole TV è un progetto di giornalismo indipendente, autofinanziato da sei anni, senza editori e senza partiti. Per donazioni: IBAN: IT63P0326822300052392596590 Intestato a: La Casa del Sole Edizioni Causale: Donazione Casa del Sole TV Membership YouTube: / @casadelsoletvchannel Analista Multipolare €5/mese Inviato della Verità €15/mese Architetto del Futuro €25/mese I LIBRI DI MARGHERITA FURLAN BRICS Scacco Matto (disponibile in italiano, inglese, russo) SEGUI CASA DEL SOLE TV YouTube: @CasadelSoleTVChannel #Levante#CasadelSoleTV#MargheritaFurlan#Geopolitica#Multipolarismo#AlessandroVolpi#PaoloBorgognone#LeggeDiBilancio#Riarmo#NATO#DebitoPubblico#Manovra2027
La cinquième journée de mobilisation des lycéens a une nouvelle fois dégénéré dans les rues de Paris, le 13 octobre. Près des Invalides, des individus masqués ont lancé des pavés sur les policiers. Une voiture a pris feu et un magasin a été saccagé. Les forces de l’ordre ont utilisé des gaz lacrymogènes et un canon à eau pour disperser les groupes les plus violents.
🚨🇫🇷 FLASH | Les tensions se poursuivent lors de la manifestation lycéenne. Une voiture est en FEU à proximité de la place Vauban, à Paris. Les forces de l’ordre et les sapeurs-pompiers interviennent sur place. https://t.co/0vgnu60Lei
Deux cortèges ont traversé Paris, où le ministère de l’Intérieur a recensé 41 500 manifestants. Dans toute la France, les autorités ont comptabilisé 161 500 participants, contre 480 000 revendiqués par les syndicats.
Dès le matin, des tensions avaient éclaté devant l’université Panthéon-Assas, dont les accès étaient bloqués par des étudiants. Les affrontements ont ensuite gagné le centre de Paris. Malgré les interventions policières, les manifestants dispersés revenaient une fois les gaz dissipés.
Fortes tensions en cours sur la Place Vauban à Paris.
Utilisation du canon à eau. La place est régulièrement noyée sous les gaz lacrymogène.
#Paris #13octobre https://t.co/cQLXOf1gqL
Près de 7 000 gardes à vue, des dégâts considérables
Les violences ne se limitent plus à la capitale. Dans le sud de la France, près de 1 000 personnes ont été interpellées dans le cadre du mouvement lycéen, rapporte Le Figaro. La grande majorité d’entre elles sont mineures. À Lyon, la manifestation du 13 octobre a dû être dispersée après des dégradations de commerces et des attaques contre les policiers.
Le bilan judiciaire national est plus lourd encore. Au 8 octobre, le ministère de la Justice recensait 6 877 placements en garde à vue depuis le début des troubles, dont 86 % concernaient des mineurs. Plus de 2 300 personnes faisaient déjà l’objet de poursuites judiciaires.
Les lycées paient également le prix des violences. En Île-de-France, plus de 110 établissements ont été endommagés depuis la mi-septembre. Les réparations sont estimées à 8,5 millions d’euros. Le ministère de l’Éducation nationale dénombre, quant à lui, 147 membres du personnel blessés.
Les violences policières alimentent à leur tour la contestation
Les méthodes des forces de l’ordre suscitent une colère grandissante. Le 13 octobre, 36 enquêtes avaient déjà été ouvertes par l’Inspection générale de la police nationale (IGPN) pour des faits présumés commis depuis le début du mouvement.
"Matignon, Matignon", chante la foule. Les forces de l'ordre s'élancent et reçoivent une pluie de pavés. Lacrymogènes en cloche et seconde ligne qui charge. Certains manifestants tentent de contre-charger.
#13octobre2026 #Paris #blocus #lycéens #Invalides https://t.co/zQrp2ldtVs
Le 7 octobre, Laurent Nuñez, ministre de l’Intérieur, avait suspendu l’usage des grenades assourdissantes lors des manifestations lycéennes. Cette décision faisait suite au drame de Lens, où un adolescent de 15 ans avait perdu une main. Deux jours plus tard, l’ONU mettait en garde contre un « recours disproportionné à la force ».
Nuñez défend pourtant les interpellations. Devant l’Assemblée nationale, le 13 octobre, il a rappelé que la police devait intervenir lorsque des violences étaient commises. Les milliers de gardes à vue n’ont cependant pas mis fin à la mobilisation.
Le gouvernement tente également de répondre aux revendications scolaires. Le ministre de l’Éducation nationale, Édouard Geffray, a promis 3 000 professeurs remplaçants. Mais les organisations de jeunesse réclament toujours dix milliards d’euros supplémentaires pour l’enseignement public et la suppression de Parcoursup, la plateforme d’admission dans l’enseignement supérieur.
Si le nombre de lycées bloqués a diminué, les organisateurs ne comptent pas abandonner leur mouvement. Ils appellent désormais à rejoindre les manifestations du 17 octobre contre la vie chère, espérant rallier d’autres catégories de la population.
À Paris, Ryad Rani, président de l’Union syndicale lycéenne, a lancé : « Nous ne lâcherons rien et nous ne braderons rien. »
Près de dix ans de procédure, une réclamation initiale de 1,86 million d’euros, puis 310 511 € exigés au titre du travail dissimulé d’un sous-traitant : l’affaire illustre le poids financier d’un redressement contesté. Le 7 septembre 2026, le tribunal judiciaire de Lyon a annulé la totalité de la somme réclamée par l’URSSAF, faute pour celle-ci d’avoir produit les procès-verbaux permettant de vérifier le bien-fondé de la dette.
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Le 7 septembre 2026, le pôle social du tribunal judiciaire de Lyon (RG n° 20/00821) a rendu une décision qui devrait faire réfléchir l’administration. Une URSSAF demandait des comptes à une entreprise pour les fautes présumées d’un autre. Elle n’a pas été capable de prouver ce qu’elle avançait.
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Tout commence en septembre 2016, l’URSSAF notifie à une entreprise donneuse d’ordre une lettre d’observations évaluant le redressement à 1 860 411 euros. Après les observations de l’entreprise, le montant est ramené à 272 310 euros. En mars 2019, une mise en demeure réclame finalement 310 511 euros.
Cette somme comprend 217 797 euros de cotisations, 54 450 euros de majorations de redressement et 38 264 euros de majorations de retard. Le fondement juridique est la solidarité financière prévue par l’article L. 8222-2 du code du travail : un donneur d’ordre peut être tenu de répondre des sommes dues au titre du travail dissimulé commis par son sous-traitant.
Les faits reprochés à ce dernier couvrent la période de janvier 2013 à mars 2015. L’entreprise contestait toutefois la précision des procès-verbaux constatant le travail dissimulé, indispensables pour vérifier le périmètre des sommes mises à sa charge.
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Sans les procès-verbaux, le redressement s’effondre
Dans son jugement du 7 septembre 2026 (RG n° 20/00821), le pôle social du tribunal judiciaire de Lyon relève que l’URSSAF n’a pas produit ces procès-verbaux aux débats. L’entreprise ne pouvait donc pas vérifier si les cotisations réclamées correspondaient effectivement à des travaux réalisés pour son compte.
Le tribunal annule le redressement dans son intégralité et assortit sa décision de l’exécution provisoire. Il s’agit néanmoins d’un jugement de première instance, susceptible d’appel : l’affaire n’est donc pas nécessairement close.
Au-delà des 310 511 euros abandonnés à ce stade, le dossier soulève une question de rapport de force. Entre la notification initiale de 2016 et le jugement de 2026, le temps a passé, tandis que l’entreprise devait défendre sa position face à une créance considérable. Les frais d’avocat, l’incertitude financière et la mobilisation des dirigeants constituent un coût potentiel que l’annulation ne fait pas automatiquement disparaître.
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No Dia Internacional para a Redução do Risco de Catástrofes, assinalado hoje, dia 13 de outubro, Albufeira dá a conhecer o “Manual do Cidadão – A segurança começa em si”, com conselhos e orientações de autoproteção em situações de emergência.
O Manual tem como objetivo tornar a informação sobre segurança mais acessível, reunindo “medidas preventivas, orientações para preparar kits de emergência e um plano de emergência familiar”.
Sob o tema “A resiliência começa em casa”, destaca a importância da preparação das famílias e da segurança das habitações na redução de risco de catástrofes. Nesse sentido, o Manual identifica os principais riscos no concelho e aborda as temáticas dos sismos, tsunamis, cheias, inundações, ondas de calor e incêndios, bem como a segurança junto às arribas, acidentes rodoviários e proteção dos animais.
Na mensagem de abertura do manual, o presidente da Câmara Municipal de Albufeira, Rui Cristina, sublinha a ideia de que “somos todos agentes de Proteção Civil”.
On Oct. 3, nearly 20,000 people filled the Merriweather Post Pavillion in Maryland (while tens of thousands joined via livestream) to watch a “once in forever” lineup of musical all-stars perform at Tom Morello’s “Power to the People Festival“—from Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, and Jack Black to Run-D.M.C., Dave Matthews, Killer Mike, and Dropkick Murphys. In this exclusive backstage interview, legendary musician and activist Tom Morello speaks with music and labor journalist Kim Kelly about rocking out and the roles music and musicians can play in the fight against fascism.
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Kim Kelly:
We are here, Power of the People. First festival sold out immediately. People are excited about it. What kind of power are we bringing? When you’re an artist, you talk about politics. A lot of folks here are not shy about sharing their political opinions. Sure. We’re dealing with fascism. It’s here.
Tom Morello:
Yes.
Kim Kelly:
What can an event like this do? What potential does an event like this do?
Tom Morello:
Yeah. I think the first thing I can do is prove something that I know to be true, which is that courage is contagious. And without even speaking hyperbolically, this is a festival of peace, love, justice, and music. It is a festival of peace in a time where war is celebrated. It is a festival of love and solidarity in a time where hatred and division are rife. It is a festival of justice in a time where injustice is the norm, both on our city streets and abroad. And in a time where artists are censoring themselves or being censored on this stage today, the artists are going to play exactly what they want to play and they’re going to say exactly what they want to say.
Kim Kelly:
Now, for someone who saw this line and was like, “Oh, cool. It’s all my favorite bands, but I don’t really care about politics. I’m not a politics person. Somehow they’ve managed to get to 2026.” What do you want them to take away from this? What’s the ask?
Tom Morello:
Well, first of all, the first thing we have to do is put on a great fucking show and people can enjoy that and take away my experience over the course of doing shows like this and making music. Compelling music with a political message for decades is that people sometimes are drawn to the experience. They’re drawn to the spectacle. They’re drawn to the rock. And then they’re exposed to a different set of ideas than they have been otherwise. Some of them will, and sometimes you’re preaching to the choir. The choir needs preaching to. The choir needs their spines strengthened, steeled, and wind in their sails. Sometimes you’re talking to people who now finally recognize their own anger and their suspicions about what they think about the world reflected back to them. And then sometimes people are just there for a good time. But you know what?
This is one more piece on their chessboard they’re going to have to contend with.
Kim Kelly:
Little Trojan horse situation. Now the artists here, I guess people are kind of coming from all over the place, but clearly there’s not a lot of people on stage who are going to be… They’d probably be happy to play with Macklemore.
Tom Morello:
Some stuff might happen today you might be surprised by on that front.
Kim Kelly:
Why do you think so many big artists are still so scared to speak out for what’s right? They just saw this unfold.
Tom Morello:
Yeah, yeah. I would not say, first of all, I don’t think it’s fair to sort of ghettoize artists as different from any other category of worker. People are scared to speak out as students. They’re scared to speak out as journalists. They’re scared to speak out as carpenters, et cetera, et cetera. Artists also are sometimes afraid to speak out. A concert like this, I got to say that one of the things, the real turning point in booking the show was sometimes it’s hard when you’re making your way through managers. This is a show where people are not being paid money. This is a show where it’s inconvenient. Oh, now you can’t play the DC market because you’ve done this already. But it was the ice murders of Alex Pretty and Renee Good that really turned the tide and artists started calling me and going, “I heard you’re doing a fest.
Can I be involved in some way?” Where I think there was a real feeling that their preconceived notions of stuff they could take for granted, their own safety, their family safety, democracy were really being threatened in a significant way. They’re like, “We want to do what we can with what we’ve got.” The good news is what we’ve got is a lot of great rock and roll, a lot of great hip hop, a lot of great folk music, and a lot of great heavy metal.
Kim Kelly:
Man. Okay. So I was looking through the lineup. I was like, “This is all the bands that Tom likes to hang out with.”
Tom Morello:
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. You try to
Kim Kelly:
Hang out with your
Tom Morello:
Buddies. Yeah, exactly. Well, yeah. Over the course of time, these are the people that say yes when you ask them to play a charity show, yes when you ask them to play at the barricades or some sort of protest. So those are the ones that raised their hand. We’re happy and honored to have them here.
Kim Kelly:
And for folks who were maybe a little bit more on the hardcore, heavy metal, a few more decibels. Who’s more familiar with your other work?
Tom Morello:
Sure, sure, sure, sure. Plenty of that today. I mean, don’t worry. Yeah, don’t worry.
Kim Kelly:
I’m here for a reason.
Tom Morello:
For
Kim Kelly:
Folks who are involved in those scenes and maybe didn’t get tickets to this or didn’t speak to them, but they’re still, they’re down. What do you want to see people in the broader music
Tom Morello:
Space? Yeah. Well, first of all, we have a global free live stream that people can watch everywhere right on. It’s not 10 hours of free for you to watch it. You can tune in and out as you choose. But for people in those scenes, again, I wouldn’t get wise. I’d say the people who own and control this world do not deserve to. And the only way that change happens is average ordinary everyday people who have had enough standing up in their place and time. Sometimes music can remind you of that, and that’s what we’re hoping to do on a day like Power of the People. I
Kim Kelly:
Have never felt safer at a concert in my life because there are 40,000 people here who think the same way I do.
Concert goer:
Power to the People. We don’t like Donald Trump. He can kiss my ass and their asses as well. And we love Bruce and we love Tom Morello and we love good music and we’re thrilled to be here.
Tom Morello:
Another thing we’re doing today, which I try to do at my own shows too, is on this day and on this night, creating a little bit of the world that we’d like to one day see. A world of joy and solidarity and celebrating resistance and fun and people from 15 years old to 85 years old, having a communal experience that makes you glad that you’re alive and feel that this is worth fighting for.
Kim Kelly:
Why does it feel important to you as someone who’s been on the left in the progressive world for a long time to focus on joy? Because we don’t always have a lot of fun. Sure. We’re not known
Tom Morello:
For – Lord knows we don’t have a lot of fun. We’ve all been to. Well, I mean every inch of the Power of the People Festival, we’ve emphasized that there are no long dreary speeches. I’ve had to turn away hundreds of dreary speakers, well-intentioned, but dreary speakers. And even the Freedom Village, we’ve tailored it in a way with some incredible local organizations and national organizations. There’s also free ice cream. There’s also Shepherd Fairy DJing. We want that to be a place that feels welcome and awesome and realizing these are the people who are doing the real work, but there’s community in that and it’s a welcome place. And like I said, the reason we concentrate on joy and fun and rock and roll and kick ass music, because that’s the world that we want to make. We want to make it so it can be like that beyond the confines of this concert.
Kim Kelly:
And to you, what does a successful result look like? Do you want a specific amount of people registered to vote? Do you want a specific amount of people buying stuff from Red Emmos? You got to shout them
Tom Morello:
Out. I think that whether or not the concert’s successful, first of all, let’s hope nobody falls off the stage. Really look at the basics. There’s 17 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame playing on the stage today. It’s a concert. It is a once in forever lineup. It is a once and forever lineup. So one thing I’m hoping is that people have a fulfilling artistic experience, whether you’re on the stage or you’re off the stage. And then if you’re not careful, you just might learn something. If you’re not careful, you just might be motivated to do something tomorrow. If you’re not careful, you might be motivated to do something more than just vote in three weeks. As my dear departed mom, Mary Morello, who passed away at 102 years old lately, she said, “You got to fight the fascist every which way you can.” She voted at a hundred.
She voted at 102, but she was like, “Voting is just one day and that’s easy enough to do. The real work starts the next day where you begin organizing and acting in concert with like-minded people to create the world that you’d like to one day see.”
Kim Kelly:
She was a union woman, you’re a union man. We’re all union folks here. What would you like to see the labor movement doing right now as we’re dealing with… I mean, I’m getting every email in the world, “Go knock doors, go vote, go vote. Okay, sure.”
Tom Morello:
Yes.
Kim Kelly:
And then what?
Tom Morello:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, first of all, I think that there still is a lot of hope in the labor movement because the thing that we can do in the labor movement is stop the world. I think that people don’t realize what a powerful, powerful tool solidarity is. And you can create any kind of world you want when people just stop working, when the gears stop, when the university stop, when the carpenters stop, whatever, when the truck drivers stop, all of a sudden your demands really, really matter because you can stop the economy, you can cost shareholders millions and billions of dollars by withholding your labor, a radical labor movement. I still think there’s a room for that to be something that can be very, very important in creating a better world.
Kim Kelly:
So is this Tom Morello officially coming out in favor of the 2028 general strike?
Tom Morello:
Coming out in favor, please. How about the 2026 general strike, the 2027 general strike, the tomorrow afternoon general strike?
Kim Kelly:
No, I got to let you get out of here, get back to rocking, but just mentioning this great local co-op we got here, Red Emmos, what are you reading right now that keeps you excited, keeps you hopeful?
Tom Morello:
That’s a good question. I’ve got two books back at the hotel. One of them is that I’ve been reading with my son. It’s comprehensive, like the ideas of human beings. So from chardism to a narcosyndicalism, et cetera. It’s like a paragraph on each, which we read together and sometimes he’s bored and sometimes he’s more enthusiastic about it, but that’s what I’ve got brought to the hotel with the family now.
Kim Kelly:
Really? All right. I was not fishing for you to mention my book. It’s fine.
Tom Morello:
Yes. Your book features prominently in his library.
Kim Kelly:
Well, thank you so much, Robert.
Tom Morello:
It’s always great to have you. Thank you for your service and I appreciate you. This
In this exclusive interview, filmed backstage at the "once in forever" Power to the People Festival on Oct. 3, legendary musician and activist Tom Morello speaks with Kim Kelly about rocking out and fighting fascism.
Le 12 octobre 2026, le journaliste Marc Endeweld a publié sur sa lettre en ligne The Big Picture un article intitulé « Les dessous de l'opération Lisnard ». Marc Endeweld est l'auteur de plusieurs enquêtes sur Emmanuel Macron et son entourage. L'article porte sur la campagne de David Lisnard, maire de Cannes, président de l'Association des maires de France depuis 2021, qui a quitté Les Républicains et relancé en 2026 son mouvement, Nouvelle Énergie, fondé en 2014. Sa thèse est que la progression de David Lisnard depuis début octobre résulte d'une opération coordonnée, et non d'un mouvement spontané.
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Le slogan « Il se passe quelque chose » a circulé sur les réseaux sociaux à partir du début du mois d'octobre, accompagné d'images générées par intelligence artificielle. Le 5 octobre, David Lisnard l'a repris lui-même sur X : « Ne perdez plus de temps à essayer de me convaincre : je vais voter pour moi » (LADN).
Sur le marché de paris Polymarket, sa probabilité de victoire est passée de 1,4 % à 8 %, selon Le Canard enchaîné du 2 octobre. Dans les sondages, il est crédité de 3,5 % (Ifop-Fiducial, fin septembre) à 4 % (Cluster17, 7 septembre) des intentions de vote (France Jeunes). Son compte Instagram aurait gagné environ 100 000 abonnés en une semaine, selon La Loupe politique (même source). Une cote de pari mesure des mises d'argent, non des intentions de vote.
Le site de Nouvelle Énergie confirme que Romain Marsily en est le directeur général et Quentin Hoster le directeur général adjoint (Nouvelle Énergie).
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Parcours des proches, présentés comme des faits. Romain Marsily aurait travaillé chez Havas aux côtés de Dominique Delport, présenté comme un proche conseiller de Vincent Bolloré, puis au sein du groupe Vice. Quentin Hoster est un ancien journaliste de Valeurs actuelles, auteur en 2022 de David Lisnard, le réveil de la droite. Après son élection à la tête de l'Association des maires de France, David Lisnard se serait appuyé à Paris sur les réseaux d'Anne Méaux, présidente de l'agence Image 7, et sur l'ancien journaliste Joseph Macé-Scaron, aujourd'hui chroniqueur sur CNews.
Éléments attribués à d'autres médias. Le banquier d'affaires René Proglio « se mobilise pour aider au financement de la future campagne », selon La Lettre du 30 septembre. Les influenceurs Clément Macchi et Clément Garin, qui relaient la campagne, ont lancé en août le site cg-tv.com avec des fonds de Cyril Hanouna et de Xavier Niel, selon Stratégies. Le 25 septembre, Cyril Hanouna a déclaré à l'antenne parier 50 euros sur la victoire de David Lisnard. Le 13 septembre, le JDNews, magazine du groupe Lagardère contrôlé par Vincent Bolloré, réunissait en couverture David Lisnard, Sarah Knafo, Éric Ciotti, Laurent Wauquiez et Bruno Retailleau.
Soutiens déclarés ou relais. L'entrepreneuse Sophie de Menthon, présidente du mouvement ETHIC, soutiendrait à la fois David Lisnard et Sarah Knafo, et défendrait l'« union des droites ». Le publicitaire Franck Tapiro, ancien conseiller de Nicolas Sarkozy en 2007, relaie le slogan. Sur CNews, l'émission de Pascal Praud l'a repris.
Éléments fondés sur des sources non nommées. Vincent Bolloré aurait « longuement échangé » avec Philippe de Villiers sur un scénario d'union des droites ; l'article mentionne une rencontre des deux hommes avec Bernard Arnault au Puy du Fou, illustrée par une publication sur les réseaux sociaux. Une source de droite décrit un scénario dans lequel Sarah Knafo et David Lisnard s'allieraient avec l'appui de Philippe de Villiers, Bruno Retailleau renoncerait, Éric Ciotti romprait avec le RN et Éric Zemmour serait contraint de suivre. Des discussions auraient eu lieu entre Jordan Bardella et Sarah Knafo. L'article évoque enfin des contacts de fondations proches de Donald Trump avec des acteurs français, et la mobilisation de réseaux liés aux entourages de Javier Milei et de Benyamin Netanyahou, sans nommer de personne ni de structure.
Interprétations de l'auteur. L'article inscrit la stratégie dans la filiation de « l'union des droites » théorisée par Patrick Buisson, mort en 2023. Il présente David Lisnard comme un « Milei français » : programme de 200 milliards d'euros d'économies, broyeuse à papier utilisée en avril 2026 pour figurer le « Léviathan administratif ». Il écrit que David Lisnard « défend Israël d'une manière inconditionnelle, tout en ciblant les musulmans et l'immigration ». Aucune déclaration de David Lisnard n'est citée à l'appui de cette dernière formule.
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L'article soutient l'hypothèse d'une campagne organisée, appuyée sur des relais médiatiques proches du groupe Bolloré et sur des financements privés. Il cite lui-même deux appréciations contraires sur ses chances : un communicant parisien estime qu'une alliance entre Sarah Knafo, David Lisnard et Bruno Retailleau pourrait atteindre 12 % ; un proche de Sarah Knafo juge qu'elle « ne marchera jamais », Bruno Retailleau étant plus attaché à l'État.
Une autre lecture, développée par LADN le 6 octobre, rapproche le phénomène d'une logique de mème et de spéculation. L'article cite une étude de Yale publiée en 2026, selon laquelle environ 3 % des comptes Polymarket concentrent l'essentiel des mouvements de prix. Cette lecture n'exclut pas une coordination ; elle ne la suppose pas non plus.
Aucune réponse de David Lisnard ou de Nouvelle Énergie à l'article de Marc Endeweld n'avait été rendue publique au 13 octobre.
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Trois points demeurent ouverts. Le montant et l'origine des fonds de la campagne ne seront connus qu'à travers les comptes déposés auprès de la Commission nationale des comptes de campagne. Les rencontres et le scénario d'union reposent, à ce stade, sur des témoignages non nommés. L'écart entre la visibilité en ligne et les intentions de vote, de l'ordre de 4 %, sera mesuré par les prochaines enquêtes d'opinion.
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Russia is estimated to be recruiting 10 percent fewer soldiers this year than last, despite regions raising signing bonuses.
There is growing talk that criminal gangs have begun to take part in recruiting “volunteers”.
According to the Ukrainians, Russia is losing large numbers of soldiers, and October could be a record month.
Attacks on the land route to Crimea continue, reportedly prompting Russia to transport fuel in jerry cans in smaller vehicles.
Map of the day: Where Russia is advancing and where Ukraine is advancing
Videos of the day: Ukrainians hit a Russian radar; a man surfed on a Russian drone near Odesa; speculation spreads that Iran is supplying Russia with fuel.
Many Russians have left Russia in recent months. They feared the mobilisation that had been so widely discussed. Ukrainians said Russian president Vladimir Putin might resort to it after the September parliamentary elections. Many Russians fled to Armenia and Georgia, affecting rental prices in the capitals of these Caucasus states.
So far, no mobilisation has taken place. Russia continues to rely on its existing system of voluntary — and, in some places, involuntary — recruitment of new soldiers in Russian regions.
German economist Janis Kluge, who tracks regional data, wrote last week that Russia recruits around 1,000 new soldiers a day (30,000 a month). That is less than last year — down six percent in September and 10 percent over the year as a whole.
Nor did it help that, by his estimate, the sum paid by regions as a signing bonus had risen from $16,000 (€14,000) to $22,000.
In some places, recruitment is also beginning to move into the illegal sphere. Kluge wrote that local criminal gangs were now becoming involved in the system.
He mentioned the case of a prosecutor in Nizhny Tagil, a city of 400,000 in the Urals. In September, he appealed to the budget committee of the local duma.
He complained that signing bonuses for Russian soldiers were leading to an increase in crime in the city. He called for payments to agents who find volunteers willing to sign an army contract to be stopped.
According to Kluge, the prosecutor complained that criminal elements had become involved in recruitment in the city. He said an agent received $4,500 for finding one person to sign a contract.
Many turned to gangs to help them, with the assistance of corrupt police officers or military recruiters who are part of the scheme. “And this ‘persuasion’ may also involve violence, as another case from Sverdlovsk region shows: two criminals forced their victims to sign contracts and then seized their bonus payments,” Kluge wrote.
In Nizhny Tagil, 580 new soldiers were recruited last year, compared with 330 this year. It is not known how many of them criminal gangs helped to “persuade” in exchange for payment. In any case, the city does not want to change its system of rewards for agents because, in the words of the deputy mayor, it helps “fulfil our tasks”.
Overall, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Russia to supply enough manpower to the front. Moreover, it is currently losing large numbers of soldiers there, and October’s losses could even be record-breaking.
Ukraine publishes daily figures for killed and wounded Russian soldiers. These figures cannot be verified and may be inflated, but the trend suggests that the situation is worsening for Russia.
The table below also shows this. According to it, Russia lost around 46,000 soldiers in September — more than 1,500 a day — making it, according to Ukrainian data, the second-worst month since the start of the war. The figure was higher only in December 2024.
This October is on course to become Russia’s worst month in this respect. By the 12th day of the month, Russia had been losing an average of 1,620 soldiers per day. If Ukraine maintains this pace, it will be a record.
Number of Russian military casualties per month, according to Ukraine. Source: minfin.com.ua
Naturally, the question is how much these figures can be trusted. However, the Unmanned Systems Forces, a unit commanded by Robert Brovdi, known as Magyar, also publish figures for killed and wounded Russian soldiers.
The Ukrainian units under its command compete with one another over which can strike more Russian targets. They receive points based on this, which they can then use to buy more drones. Individual strikes should therefore be confirmed by video.
Given this, the data published by the Unmanned Systems Forces can be considered credible. They too indicate that October could be a record month, although their data cover only one-third of Russia’s total losses.
Number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded by SBS drones
The total number of Russian soldiers hit by Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS), and the number of those killed. These figures should be verified by video evidence. Red: killed; Orange: wounded; Pink: expected killed; Yellow: expected wounded. Source: Datawrapper/SBS.
Record-high losses and less substantial numbers of newly recruited soldiers suggest that Russia may have difficulties replenishing its units and, consequently, advancing further in Donbas or elsewhere.
Attacks on the land route to Crimea continue. Last week, French OSINT analyst Clément Molin published a table according to which the number of Russian lorries and trucks struck had reached a record 770. Several videos show that the number of attacks on vehicles heading to Crimea or to the front in southern Ukraine remains high. They are simply not discussed as much because this is no longer new.
I continue, on my side, to gather statistics on these mid-range strikes against logistics, not only in southern Ukraine, but also near Donetsk or Luhansk.
In September, at least 770 trucks/vehicles were targeted, only on the videos published by Ukraine more than 20km from the… pic.twitter.com/w9DrQTnGEM
Ukraine also destroyed the Chonhar bridge, which connects Ukraine with the Crimean peninsula. Russia has used a pontoon bridge there instead. This video shows Russian cargo vehicles crossing the pontoon bridge.
Russian truck drivers crossing into Crimea via a pontoon crossing at Chonhar, with a view of the damaged Chonhar Bridge and its support structures, before one of its spans collapsed. September 2026. https://t.co/YLDiB7lJQupic.twitter.com/3oU4GVylDd
The commander of Ukraine’s 41st Pilum Unmanned Systems Regiment, part of the 1st Azov Corps, recently provided interesting information on this issue. In an interview with Radio NV, he confirmed that the number of medium-range strikes was not declining and was increasing in some areas.
He said that the operational zone overseen by Ukraine extended from 30 to 300 km.
According to him, Russia is trying to bring as much fuel as possible to the front. Soldiers need generators to charge equipment, power radios and drones, and keep warm.
However, Ukrainian attacks on fuel tankers are reducing Russia’s ability to bring fuel to the front. According to the commander, in the Dobropillia direction, where his unit operates, Russia began transporting fuel in convoys this summer and switched to distributing it in passenger cars or small trucks, carrying the fuel in jerry cans.
This does not, of course, apply to all directions. However, an ongoing stream of new videos also confirms the destruction of fuel tankers.
Map of the day
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s latest — though certainly not final — deadline for capturing Donbas is by the end of this year. As on 14 previous occasions, it will not be met.
Unlike in previous years, however, it appears entirely possible that by the end of the year the territory of the free part of Donetsk region could be even larger than it is now. This is suggested by a map published by French OSINT analyst Clément Molin. It highlights areas where Ukraine is advancing and areas where Russia is pushing forward.
As can be seen, Russian forces largely hold the initiative in the north of Kharkiv region and at one location in the south of Zaporizhzhia region.
In the crucial Donetsk region, however, the situation is balanced; indeed, it could be said that Ukraine holds the initiative in more places. More specifically, it is clearing the northern area above Lyman and pushing further south towards Velyka Novosilka.
Ukraine’s 15th Reconnaissance Artillery Brigade published a video showing it striking a Russian 96L6 radar. This is a key component of the S-300 and S-400 air-defence systems.
The radar can be seen moving and hiding in a tree line. Nevertheless, a Ukrainian drone struck it. It is unclear whether it was actually destroyed, as the accompanying text claims.
Ukraine’s 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade “Black Forest” located and destroyed a Russian 96L6 radar, a key detection component used with S-300 and S-400 air defense systems. The radar is valued at around $50 million and has a stated detection range of up to 300 km. #Ukrainepic.twitter.com/1K4BUZXZrg
A man near Odesa decided to surf on a downed Russian drone floating on the water off the coast. It hardly needs to be said that this is a fairly risky pastime. However, it indicates how at least some residents of Odesa view the daily Russian attacks.
❗️In 🇺🇦Odesa, a man decided to go surfing on a downed Russian kamikaze drone “Geran”. pic.twitter.com/l3MG3YkQiz
This could be a potentially rather interesting plot twist. The United States is at war with Iran, which has raised petrol and diesel prices at US filling stations. Donald Trump therefore agreed with Putin to import diesel from Russia. Russia itself, however, does not have enough diesel and has to import it.
This video shows a tanker truck with Iranian registration plates in Russia. Some infer from this that Iran is importing diesel — or other fuels — into Russia, which then sends diesel to America, despite America being at war with Iran.
However, it is too early to draw conclusions: we do not know what is in the truck or how many such Iranian tankers are heading to Russia. In any case, Russia is helping Iran in other ways.
A Western official told Bloomberg that Russia was supplying Iran with missiles that it uses in the war against the US and Israel. It was also previously reported that Russia was helping Iran target US bases in the region.
⚡️BREAKING: Convoys carrying Iranian Diesel Fuel are on their way to Russia, where there is a Fuel Shortage
This also raises the question of whether the fuel Russia exports to the United States might originate from Iran pic.twitter.com/J9Fzk7LVDa
By Tuesday (13 October), Russia had verifiably lost 24,192 pieces of heavy equipment (24,170 on Monday, 5 October). Of these, 19,155 (19,133) were destroyed by Ukraine, 1,002 (1,003) damaged, 1,194 (1,194) abandoned by their crews, and 2,841 (2,840) captured by the Ukrainian army. The total includes 4,453 (4,452) tanks, of which 3,358 (3,357) were destroyed in combat.
Ukraine lost 12,259 (12,238) pieces of equipment, of which 9,652 (9,633) were destroyed, 713 (711) damaged, 695 (695) abandoned and 1,199 (1,199) captured. The total includes 1,471 (1,466) tanks, of which 1,131 (1,126) were destroyed in combat.
Note: Neither side regularly reports its dead or destroyed equipment. Ukraine publishes daily figures for Russian casualties and destroyed equipment, which cannot be independently verified. This overview uses data from the Oryx project, which has compiled a list of equipment losses documented exclusively by photographs since the start of the war.
Preparations for war with Russia and complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza have set off a struggle over jobs, wages and military production
War preparation is now a reality across Europe. Within a single September week, Poland issued fresh warnings, Germany ran drills and national alerts, military exercises were held across the Baltic, and Lithuania published plans to evacuate residents of Vilnius in the event of an attack.
The Finnish government is in full cry over the prospect of war, reminding its citizens yet again that they should be ready, in mind and in practice, for the disruption it would bring.
On 18 September, French President Emmanuel Macron gathered party leaders and presidential hopefuls at the Elysee Palace to hear the heads of France’s intelligence services describe what his office called the rapid deterioration of the international situation.
Nato, meanwhile, talks ever more openly about Russian sabotage, cyber attacks, arson and drone attacks.
Many workers and citizens across the continent, though, are not convinced by the war fever.
Thousands of Airbus workers in Spain began strike action on 1 July after rejecting the company’s pay and conditions offer.
Representatives of the UGT and CGT unions said the stoppage had slowed military and commercial production and would make it harder for the company to meet its delivery target. Airbus’s eight sites in Spain produce military transport planes and parts for commercial aircraft and satellites.
As the Defence Matters website reported: “The industrial pressure is not confined to commercial aviation. Spain is central to Airbus Defence and Space, including military transport and satellite activity. European governments are asking manufacturers to increase output at the same time as companies compete for engineers, technicians and production workers.”
Supply lines are so tight that Airbus has had to hire giant Antonov An-124 heavy-lift aircraft to ferry parts from one plant to another just to keep production running.
Air Data News reported that the strike “threatens key military aircraft programmes”, noting that the Eurofighter plant near Madrid and the military transport aircraft site near Seville were both affected.
Spanish unions said about 90 percent of eligible workers took part in the stoppage on 25 August, part of an indefinite strike. The strikes were called after workers voted at plant-level assemblies to reject the company’s offer.
French unions briefed on the dispute said the three striking Spanish unions represent about 40 percent of Airbus Spain’s roughly 14,000 employees. Workers were seeking inflation-linked pay rises, the restoration of previous remote-working arrangements and sick-leave benefits.
After the intervention of Industry Minister Jordi Hereu and concessions from Airbus, the strikers paused the stoppage on 10 September, but not the movement. Two days later, around 8,000 workers from Airbus sites across Spain marched through Madrid to keep the pressure on.
On 1 October, 77 percent of those voting backed an improved offer providing for the restoration of lost purchasing power, inflation-linked pay rises and the protection of remote-working rights, a settlement that months of industrial action had forced out of the company.
The Airbus dispute shows the leverage workers hold in the very industries on which Europe’s rearmament depends.
Trains and the TUC
In Scotland, meanwhile, the rail union RMT, the drivers’ union Aslef and the white-collar TSSA have demanded that the Scottish government remove CAF, the Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, from its shortlist of contractors to build ScotRail’s new fleet of suburban trains.
The company is included in the UN human rights database of businesses involved in Israeli settlements for its role in running the Jerusalem light rail and helping to extend it into territory illegally seized by Israel.
Aslef made clear that its members would refuse to drive CAF trains, a position echoed by TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust when she urged the Scottish government to “think again”.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay put the first minister on the spot, asking him directly: “So will the first minister agree that CAF should be blocked from this contract, and will he stand with the rail workers who have refused to drive trains produced by a company that they say profits from apartheid?”
In his response, the first minister confirmed that ScotRail was seeking advice on the contract.
For the second year running, delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) backed a motion opposing increases in arms spending.
This year’s motion passed with even more support than last year’s, which reversed the TUC’s previous backing, advocated by the GMB and Unite unions, for higher defence spending.
Speaking in favour of the motion, Alex Gordon, a former RMT president and national officer of the Stop the War Coalition, said: “This movement is about fighting for jobs, for public services, for investment in the industries of the future that our young people, that our young workers need.
“Those industries are not military industries. The skills of the workers in the military sector are vital skills, vital skills that need to be used in civilian production.”
Ports and classrooms
Dockworkers’ unions in at least six countries are planning an international day of action and strikes on 30 October to protest against the war on Gaza and demand an immediate end to the genocide of the Palestinian people.
This coordinated mobilisation follows a strike on 6 February this year that shut down cargo operations at more than 20 Mediterranean and European ports to halt arms shipments bound for Israel.
“No to the war economy, government rearmament plans, and the project of militarisation of ports and strategic infrastructure from [the] EU,” the unions said in their statement. “Public resources must be used to meet people’s social needs, not to finance war.”
The signatories include CGT FNPD in France, Enedep in Greece, LAB in the Basque Country, Liman-Is in Turkey, ODT in Morocco, and Orsa Porti and USB in Italy.
The next generation, at least in Germany, seems even less enthusiastic about the prospect of a new European war. More than 45,000 school students across the country walked out of class in late September to protest against plans for compulsory military service, after hundreds of young men were summoned for medical examinations.
The School Strike Against Conscription initiative said demonstrations took place in more than 100 cities after the German defence ministry began calling in 18-year-old men for medical screening. Service itself remains voluntary for now, but the screening is compulsory.
Students took to the streets demanding a halt to the forced checks, the repeal of the new military service law and an end to what they call a step-by-step return to the draft.
This is now the ground on which European politics is being fought. It is a contest between a political establishment obsessed with war and preparations for war, and millions of workers across the continent unwilling to pay for rearmament with their wages, jobs and living standards.
President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio are considering firing US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after The Wall Street Journal (Center bias) published a series of revealing reports on her conduct, according to a new report from Associated Press (Lean Left).
The Scoop: AP reported speaking to an anonymous "senior US official" who said Trump and Rubio are "extremely pissed off" by Guilfoyle's reported conduct and will decide on a course of action later this week. AP wrote, "Rubio had been particularly angry, not least because he visited Athens just last week and Guilfoyle attended most, if not all, of his events and greeted him on his arrival with a bear hug as the allegations swirled." A second anonymous official said the State Department is doing its own investigation into the allegations.
Response: Guilfoyle's lawyers rejected that she had done anything wrong and said in a released statement, "Ambassador Guilfoyle has served, and will continue to serve, with integrity, honor and distinction. We are evaluating all available legal remedies to collect this debt and any other potential causes of action." Rubio told reporters in Athens on Oct. 8, "You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel."
Report #1: On Sept. 25, WSJ reported on Guilfoyle's close involvement with 39-year-old American Christos Marafatsos and "persistent promotion" of Aktor, a Greek energy firm he lobbies for. It described Guilfoyle as having so far played "one of the Trump administration's most important diplomatic roles" in how she has promoted a "vertical gas corridor" designed to carry US liquefied natural gas from Greece, through Central and Eastern Europe to Ukraine. This report also spawned a separate storyline that Guilfoyle had reportedly bragged about the April collapse of the Romanian government, suggesting that the Trump administration was responsible for it and could topple the Greek government as well. Top Democrats called for a probe into Guilfoyle following the report.
Report #2: On Oct. 7, WSJ published text messages between Guilfoyle and Trump donor Eric Deters in which she asked him to pay a $100,000 credit card bill for her, days before her first ambassador confirmation hearing. Previously, in January, Guilfoyle told Deters that some of his public commentary about their "private arrangement" – in which she would provide him access to President Trump – would "literally cost [her her] ambassadorship." A representative for Guilfoyle said she disputed the authenticity of the messages but didn't elaborate further. WSJ noted that also on Oct. 7, at a press conference in Athens, Rubio said she was doing a "great job" and had been a "strong" ambassador. WSJ stood behind its reporting in a video short posted on Oct. 9.
Report #3: On Oct. 10, WSJ reported that it had obtained an audio recording from the 2026 World Economic Forum in which Guilfoyle allegedly bragged about a pair of wealthy Greek businessmen who were funding luxury travel for her. WSJ said that in the recording, Guilfoyle confirmed that she flew to the conference with Aktor CEO Alexandros Exarchou.
For Context: While the US government provides housing and official travel for ambassadors, many expenses, such as hosting guests for dinners or other functions, generally come out of the ambassador's own pocket. Guilfoyle was engaged to Donald Trump Jr. from 2020 until 2024 and previously worked as a Fox News (Right) host.
Bias Notes: WSJ's reporting included notable bias against Guilfoyle. While it prominently provided comments from Guilfoyle's representatives, WSJ often slanted coverage by including some of Guilfoyle's most expletive statements or using charged phrasing. For instance, in its Oct. 10 feature, it said Guilfoyle was "flexing connections" and "expressed fury." In several reports, it also described her as a "MAGA icon."
The Details: Fox reported, "Two sources close to the investigation say the search stems from a criminal fraud investigation into the Somali-born congresswoman's immigration paperwork, which was filled out by her late father when she was a child." The investigation led to HSI executing "a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice [DOJ]," according to an unnamed DOJ spokesperson.
Media Framing: Fox broke the "still-developing" story first, while New York Post (Right), Daily Mail (Lean Right), Associated Press (Lean Left), and others closely followed. Fox labeled HSI "the principal [sic] investigative arm of [Department of Homeland Security (DHS)]" and highlighted that the department "plays a major front-line role in America's counterterrorism operations." New York Post included the same context and noted the immigration probe in its headline, framing the investigation as more judicious. Daily Beast's (Left) headline, on the other hand, said Trump "wants [Omar] thrown in jail," framing the investigation as more of a personal vendetta.
The Beast emphasized the vendetta narrative in its report, quoting President Donald Trump's Truth Social post in January in which he stated, "'Scammer' Ilhan Omar and her absolutely terrible friends from Somalia should all be in jail right now, or far worse, send them back to Somalia." The outlet highlighted that Omar has been a US citizen since 2000 – a fact omitted by many outlets on the right. HuffPost (Left) further framed Omar as "one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress."
Investigation Origins: HuffPost reported, "[Border Czar Tom Homan] had said the administration was investigating Omar over allegations – made by the president without evidence – that she married her brother to get US citizenship." New York Post said the allegations were rather, "that she married her brother in order to help him secure a US visa or student loans." New York Post did highlight Omar's denial of the claims "as baseless bigotry" and noted, "No formal criminal charges or court filings have been brought against Omar to date," but it also contextualized other allegations against her, such as tax fraud.
Reuters' (Center) initial and brief report did not provide any additional information or context, but it noted that the investigation is ongoing, as did most other news outlets. Reuters also highlighted the anonymity of Fox's sources.
For Context: Minneapolis police officers reportedly raided Omar's son Adnan's home in late August; however, outlets across the political spectrum omitted this as context, as the raid did not appear to involve Adnan directly – police arrested Adnan's roommate, Abdulrahman Abdi, on a weapons charge after finding no proof of his insurance or license at an earlier traffic stop.
The increase in data centers across the US is influencing voters ahead of midterm elections. Outlets across the political spectrum noted how the topic has split both voters and candidates, while some outlets on the left highlighted the turn against Republican candidates.
Data Center Construction: Data from Cleanview Research shows that 75% of data centers under construction and 80% of data centers in the planning stages are located in predominantly Republican states. A CBS News (Lean Left bias) and YouGov (Center)poll showed that 50% of Americans opposed data center construction in their area and that many believed they would create short-term jobs but not long-term jobs. CBS reported that while more Republicans think data centers are needed for competitiveness, a majority of them opposed the construction of data centers near them.
In State Races: Fox News (Right) reported that data centers-related policies were on seven ballots, including in California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin, which it said "underscor[es] how quickly data centers have become a political flashpoint." It noted divides in elections across the country, including in Texas where candidates debated tax breaks for data centers, meanwhile Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) paused data center permitting.
The Economist (Lean Left) argued President Trump's messaging around data center development "isn't landing with his own supporters" and highlighted races in Nevada, Colorado and Ohio where Democrats were campaigning on stricter restrictions on data centers. CBS also reported some Republican nominees were breaking with Trump on data centers and that the issue seemed to be "the single issue where Democratic and Republican candidates sound nearly identical." The outlet reported campaigns have spent $45 million this year on ads that mention data centers — most of them in opposition.
Among Republican Voters: AFox News poll found 71% of American voters opposed building a data center in their area, but that 52% supported building them in remote locations, while 44% opposed. It also reported that Republican voters more often supported AI and data centers compared to Democrat voters. Conversely, The Economist claimed that data centers were "turning Trump voters into Democrats" as the number of those planning to vote Democrat has risen from 54% to 61% among those living within a mile of a data center. It reported that 17% of people living within 1.2 miles of data centers who voted for Trump in 2024 said they would support a Democrat now — compared to 6% of Trump voters elsewhere.
Democrat Messaging: The Hill (Center) shared a memo sent by The Tech Oversight Project, a tech watchdog group, that outlined messaging for Democrat candidates. The memo discussed the cost to voters, saying that "Big Tech companies have claimed billions in federal and state subsidies" and taxpayers are left "holding the bill." The Hill said the memo also underscored that Republicans are aware data centers are a problem for some of their candidates, including in Ohio. The outlet argued Democrats "have increasingly viewed data centers as a means of knocking their GOP opponents over cost of living and corruption concerns."
Democratic US Senate Candidate James Talarico, running to represent Texas, denied online allegations that he was absent from the campaign trail because of mental health treatments. The rumors, as well as Talarico's denial of them, were widely covered by the left and center, but infrequently by outlets on the right.
The Details: Conservative influencer Nick Sortor posted on X, "Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week… While I sympathize with those dealing with mental health crises, this man is CLEARLY not suited to become a US Senator representing over 30 MILLION TEXANS." In the post, Sortor claimed that Talarico was being treated at the mental health facility Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio. Elon Musk responded to several posts that echoed that claim, writing that "the Talarico campaign is hiding something big that voters ought to know about." Rhein Amacher, who described himself as a "right-wing provocateur," also posted an alleged recording of a phone call with "an individual identifying themselves as a female facility employee reportedly stated that Talarico was no longer a patient and had been discharged within the previous 24–48 hours."
Denials of the Claims: The facility responded that "Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope," and Talarico shared the post and added that he has "never even been to Ohio." Talarico's campaign spokesperson also said the allegation was "a lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory. Last week James Talarico was home in Austin, Texas, recovering from the flu."
For Context: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and President Donald Trump have both criticized Talarico for his absence from the campaign trail for many days. Paxton posted pictures on X of "Missing" posters mocking Talarico's absence. Paxton retorted to both politicians' posts and the false mental health claims, saying, "I challenged Ken Paxton to a debate 85 days ago, but no one has heard from him. People are getting worried. I've received credible reports he's suffering from a rare condition that causes clinical levels of cowardice."
How the Media Covered It: At the time of writing, AllSides could not find coverage of the false allegations from any outlets on the right except Daily Wire (Right bias). Daily Wire reported that a representative of the Lindner Center told the outlet that neither the facility nor its employees would disclose information about current or former patients. USA Today (Lean Left) similarly wrote that the allegations "prompted online discussion about patient privacy and whether the disclosure of a person's medical treatment, if it occurred, could raise HIPAA concerns." Forbes (Center) described the online allegations as "conspiracy theories" and noted that Talarico's public appearances at the Austin City Limits music festival on Friday and a Kacey Musgraves concert on Saturday are inconsistent with the timeline alleged in the recording Amacher posted.
Note: The malpractice and buffoonery described here is the tip of an iceberg worthy of a series, something I’m seriously considering. If you’d like more exposes of German media and politics, let me know in the comments. I enjoy doing it. I’m on X at @cbausman. I’ve been following and critiquing German mainstream media since...
Wife of former British deputy PM Nick Clegg promises liberal alternative to the PP and Socialists before snap election
The Spanish lawyer Miriam González Durántez has launched a new liberal, centrist party, vowing to clean up politics and give voters an alternative to the dominant socialist and conservative parties as the country gears up for next month’s snap general election.
González Durántez, an ex-EU adviser who is married to the former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, says her new party, Democracia21, will offer a modern, transparent kind of politics that “doesn’t feed on fear, insults or nostalgia”.
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