Aletho News

They Compared the Spice to the Drug. The Spice Won — Again. (Part 2)

Nature continues to put drugs to shame, yet why has no one heard of this research?

By Sayer Ji | October 6, 2026

Part 2 of our series. Part 1 can be found here. Ten more head-to-head clinical trials — pulled from the GreenMedInfo archive — in which ginger, St. John’s wort, garlic, saffron, valerian and a handful of other simple remedies matched or outperformed an antibiotic, Prozac, Aricept, Ritalin, a beta-blocker and a benzodiazepine. Each one links to the full research write-up. … continue

Saudi aggression on Yemen: Toll at 768 civilian casualties

Al Mayadeen | October 31, 2026

The death and injury toll from the Saudi aggression against Yemen has reached 768 civilians since the escalation began, according to Yemen’s Ministry of Health and Environment in Sanaa. […]

In a statement carried by the Yemeni Saba News Agency, the Ministry of Health and Environment said 232 civilians had been martyred, including 68 children and 35 women, while 536 others had been injured, including 137 children and 72 women.

Taiz recorded the highest number of casualties at 279 killed or injured, followed by Saada with 166 casualties, al-Jawf with 114, Sanaa province with 58, and al-Hudaydah with 47. Dozens of additional casualties were reported in other provinces.

The ministry said the figures reflect what it described as systematic war crimes against civilians and the direct targeting of children and women, calling on the international community and humanitarian and rights organizations to take legal and moral responsibility and act to halt the aggression and hold those responsible accountable. … Full article

Israeli forces kill two Palestinians, including teacher, in separate strikes on Gaza

Press TV – October 31, 2026

Two Palestinians have been killed, including a teacher, in separate Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, as the regime’s forces continue to violate the 2025 ceasefire agreement.

A Palestinian identified as Diaa Abu al-Rous was killed early Saturday when an Israeli drone struck an area north of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to medical sources.

Abu al-Rous was a teacher at the Malaysian School in Gaza and was on his way to work when the Israeli drone struck him.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education condemned his killing, describing it as an attack on the education community and warning of the continued dangers facing teachers and other educational personnel in Gaza. … Full article

Israeli shelling targets south Lebanon villages; homes blown up

Al Mayadeen | October 31, 2026

Israeli occupation forces shelled villages and towns across southern Lebanon on Friday, blew up houses in Tayri and near Kfar Chouba, and raked Khiam and Qantara with machine-gun fire, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in the South reported.

Israeli artillery hit the outskirts of Tulin in the Marjayoun district, toward Wadi al-Hujeir, and the area around Kfar Chouba in the Arqoub region.

It also shelled the outskirts of Haddatha in the Bint Jbeil district and Wadi Zibqin in the Tyre district.

Lebanon’s National News Agency said Wadi al-Hujeir was hit with 155 mm shells.

Occupation forces blew up a house on the road linking Kfarn Chouba, the Sadanah hill and Shebaa, and carried out another explosion in the town of Tayri in Bint Jbeil.

Meanwhile, Khiam and Qantara in Marjayoun were swept with machine-gun fire, and homes were set on fire in Qantara, the National News Agency reported. … Full article

Demonstrators reject possible sale of Lavrio Port to Israeli firm

MEMO | October 31, 2026

Protesters gathered at Lavrio Port in Greece on Saturday, to oppose its planned privatization and possible sale to an Israeli company, Anadolu reports.

Demonstrators voiced opposition to the involvement of Israel Shipyards Industries, an Israeli company linked to the country’s defense industry and among the firms interested in acquiring the port.

They demanded that the privatization decision be canceled and that the port not be used to transport weapons or military equipment.

Speaking to Anadolu, protester Sofia Topalidu said the demonstration aimed to send a message to the Greek government opposing the sale of Lavrio Port to an Israeli company and its potential use in wars and what she described as genocide. … Full article

Albania protests escalate as demonstrators clash with police in Tirana

Al Mayadeen | October 31, 2026

… The demonstration began peacefully outside the Education Ministry amid heavy rain. However, dozens of young protesters later threw paving stones and firebombs at police and set rubbish bins on fire. Police deployed two water cannons to disperse the crowd.

The leaderless demonstrations began in May over allegations of corruption and opposition to a luxury hotel project in a protected nature reserve, reportedly linked to the US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Since mid-October, the protests have broadened into demonstrations addressing wider public grievances, including shortcomings in Albania’s healthcare system and limited prospects for young people.

Saturday’s clashes marked another escalation in the demonstrations, which have increasingly involved confrontations between protesters and security forces. … Full article

Wrong, AP and NPR: Europe’s 50,000 Heat Deaths Are a Computer-Model Estimate, Not a Real Body Count

By Anthony Watts | ClimateRealism | October 28, 2026

National Public Radio (NPR), reprinted an Associated Press (AP) report from climate reporter Seth Borenstein titled “Europe’s heat claims 50,000 lives. Climate change blamed for two-thirds of deaths,” which claims that summer heat killed 50,391 Europeans in 2026 and that human-caused climate change killed 32,619 of them. This is false. Modeled numbers are presented by NPR as observed deaths when they are not. The data show that neither number is a count of actual people medically determined to have died from heat or climate change; both are statistical constructs produced by computer models. … continue

More Than 5,500 NYC Teachers Fired Under COVID Vaccine Mandate, Attorney Says

By Henrick Karoliszyn, DSW | The Defender | October 29, 2026

More than 5,500 New York City public school teachers were fired in 2022 and 2023 under COVID-19 vaccine mandates, according to newly uncovered documents from the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

The records, first obtained by attorney Jimmy Wagner through Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests and reviewed by The Defender, show 5,399 teachers were terminated in 2022 and another 112 in 2023, bringing the total to 5,511.

The figures represent a significant departure from February 2022 reports that 1,430 municipal employees, including 914 DOE workers, were fired for failing to comply with vaccination requirements.

“We know it is a lie, because it was 5,500 teachers,” Wagner told The Defender.

Some advocates believe the number of DOE employees let go is even higher because the figures didn’t account for non-teachers.

“We now know for sure that over 5,500 teachers were fired for not getting the COVID shot,” said Michael Kane, founder of Teachers for Choice and director of advocacy at Children’s Health Defense. “However, this does not include any non-pedagogues. That would be paraprofessionals, nurse aides, occupational therapists, physical therapists and many other job titles.”

Kane believes resignations due to COVID-19 vaccination mandates also increased throughout these years. He estimated 10,000 DOE teachers were fired or left their jobs due to the mandates.

“It is truly ridiculous that here we are, five years later, and we still don’t know what these numbers are,” Kane said. “If this was really not a big deal, and if the numbers were low, New York City would have reported them publicly a long time ago.”

The city rescinded its vaccine requirement for municipal employees in February 2023, but the decision didn’t automatically restore the jobs of workers who had been fired.

The DOE did not respond to several requests for comment.

Fired teachers continue challenging dismissals

The figures emerge as former New York City educators continue pursuing lawsuits alleging religious discrimination, wrongful termination and violations of their constitutional rights.

Former school employee Helene Moffatt is appealing a September 2026 federal court ruling dismissing her lawsuit over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Moffatt, who began working for the DOE as a teacher in 1990 and later held an administrative position, was fired April 7, 2022, after officials denied her religious exemption request.

She claimed the department discriminated against her because of her Catholic beliefs, and alleged that the DOE assigned her a personnel designation known as a “problem code,” preventing her from obtaining another teaching position after the mandate ended. … continue

Questioning Your Doctor Is Now Considered A Psychological Problem (Seriously)

By Dr. Roger McFillin | Radically Genuine | October 31, 2026

I want to give you a warning before we go any further.

If you have ever questioned your doctor, pushed back on a prescription, or asked to slow down on a vaccine, the medical establishment now has a framework for you. And it isn’t “careful,” or “informed,” or “engaged.”

Your resistance will be seen as a psychological problem to be managed.

I’m not exaggerating. Let me show you. … continue

Lyor Cohen: The Shady Israeli Executive Running YouTube Music & the Global Hip Hop Industry

By Alan Macleod | MintPress News | October 30, 2026

When most people are asked “who controls hip hop?” they are unlikely to think of a 67-year-old Israeli Zionist who comes from a family of Israeli spies and state officials. But Lyor Cohen is the real deal. The brash, cigar-smoking 6 ft 5 in head of YouTube Music is the undisputed king of rap, and arguably the most important and influential person in the entire music business.

Entering his fifth decade in the industry, Cohen began his career as the manager of legendary rap group, Run-DMC, and has launched the career of countless hip hop acts, including LL Cool J, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Slick Rick, A Tribe Called Quest, the Beastie Boys, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Will Smith).

He later moved beyond just rap and worked with stars like Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Nickelback, The Killers, Shania Twain, and Elvis Costello.

Throughout his career, Cohen has pushed hip hop to become more profitable and corporate-friendly, and has worked hard to root out what he sees as anti-semitism in the industry, and ensure that the medium does not become a vehicle for revolutionary change or Palestine solidarity.

MintPress explores the story of how a white Israeli-American came to dominate rap.

This is part of a series of investigations examining the relationship between the U.S. national security state and hip hop music. “From Fight the Power to Work for It: Chuck D, Public Enemy and How the CIA Neutralized Rap” explained how Washington works with American musicians to promote regime change in foreign countries.

“Rappers For Regime Change: How the CIA Recruits Hip Hop Artists Around the World” exposed a large network of political rappers quietly on the CIA payroll, promoted by the agency to lead color revolutions across the planet. … continue

US forces attack Iranian fishing boats off Qeshm Island; two fishermen missing

Press TV – October 31, 2026

US military forces have attacked two Iranian fishing boats in the waters of the Persian Gulf near Qeshm Island, injuring one crew member and leaving two fishermen missing, a senior provincial official announced.

Ahmad Nafisi, the Deputy Governor for Political, Security, and Social Affairs of Hormozgan Province, confirmed that the unprovoked aggression occurred at around 11:30 a.m. local time.

The incident took place approximately 18 nautical miles off the coast of Masan village, a coastal settlement in Qeshm County.

According to the deputy governor, both fishing vessels were carrying two crew members each when they came under attack by American forces.

Following the assault, two of the fishermen were rescued and transported back to Qeshm. … Full article

The $500 billion price of US war on Iran, but true cost may hit $3.5 trillion

Press TV – October 31, 2026

The US military gamble, encouraged by Israel’s longstanding campaign against Iran and sold with promises of decisive victory, has unleashed an economic shock whose costs are being transferred to households, businesses and developing economies.

The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) estimates that consumers worldwide have paid an additional $468 billion for gasoline and diesel since the US and Israeli war on Iran began on February 28.

Of that staggering sum, the United States accounts for $160 billion, approximately one-third of the global increase, despite being the world’s largest oil producer.

Americans have incurred an additional $471 per person, nearly eight times the estimated global average of $60, while Chinese consumers have absorbed another $54 billion nationally and Canadians $17 billion.

The figures, covering 169 countries, expose the extraordinary economic repercussions of an unprovoked military aggression whose consequences have travelled far beyond Iran’s borders.

The figures represent additional expenditure on everyday transportation fuels, before accounting for the wider economic consequences transmitted through electricity, freight, aviation, manufacturing, agriculture and international trade. […]

CREA’s estimated $468 billion additional global gasoline and diesel expenditure, combined with the Pentagon’s $47.1 billion military expenditure estimate through October 16, already represents approximately $515.1 billion.

This calculation excludes numerous additional costs, including disrupted production, infrastructure destruction, lost trade, insurance increases and deteriorating international investment conditions.

There is, however, a much stronger figure for the conclusion. The Institute for Economics and Peace, through its Global Peace Index 2026 analysis, estimates that the war could cost the world $1.3 trillion in lost GDP during 2026 under its extended-war scenario.

If the war resumes and the Strait remains closed for six months or longer, its estimate rises to approximately $3.5 trillion.

These projections reveal the extraordinary scale of the economic destruction potentially unleashed by a military aggression whose consequences extend across international production, trade, investment and consumption. … Full article

London tourism expo promotes Israeli agency linked to theft of Palestinian land

The Cradle | October 30, 2026

An international travel exhibition taking place in the UK next month will promote an Israeli government agency involved in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the construction of illegal Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported on 29 October.

World Travel Market (WTM) London, one of the world’s largest international tourism trade exhibitions, is scheduled to take place between 3 and 5 November.

The exhibition brings together tourism officials, travel companies, airlines, hotels, and tour operators to promote destinations and negotiate business deals.

It will include a stand for the Israeli government’s tourist office promoting the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA) and affiliated companies.

The JDA is involved in the construction and expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, including constructing so-called Biblical parks.

Israel’s construction of settlements in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem is illegal under international law.

Biblical parks are tourist attractions or heritage sites designed around places, events, landscapes, and stories described in the Bible, particularly the Old and New Testaments.

They may include archaeological ruins, reconstructed ancient villages, religious monuments, gardens containing plants mentioned in the Bible, and exhibits illustrating biblical history. … continue

Five Palestinians injured in settler attack on family harvesting olives in al-Khalil

Palestinian Information Center – October 30, 2026

WEST BANK – Five Palestinians were injured on Friday evening when a group of Jewish settlers attacked a Palestinian family harvesting olives in the Tel Rumeida area of al-Khalil, in the southern occupied West Bank.

Local sources said Jewish settlers assaulted members of the Abu Aisha family while they were working on their agricultural land, leaving five people with injuries and bruises of varying severity. … Full article

Israeli settler fires at children, homes in Hebron village

MEMO | October 30, 2026

An Israeli settler opened fire at a group of children and residents’ homes in the village of Sikka, south-west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, on Thursday evening.

Waleed Hashish, head of the Sikka village council, told the Palestinian news agency WAFA that the settler, who was driving a vehicle, fired live ammunition at children playing football in the school playground east of the village. He also fired at residents’ homes, frightening the children.

Hashish said the settler also deliberately shot guard dogs near residents’ homes, killing three of them.

He added that villagers face daily attacks, which have increased significantly and now pose a serious threat to their lives. The attacks escalated after settlers seized an old house east of the village and turned it into an outpost six months ago, just a few metres from residents’ homes.

Hashish said the village, which has a population of about 1,500, relies mainly on agriculture and livestock for income. Settlers now surround it on all sides and prevent residents from reaching, cultivating and tending their land.

IOF open heavy fire on displaced Palestinians’ tents in southern Gaza

Al Mayadeen | October 30, 2026

Israeli military vehicles opened heavy fire on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Hamad City, north of Khan Younis, on Friday, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported.

North of the Strip, rescue teams also recovered the body of a Palestinian martyred in an Israeli attack three days earlier in the al-Waha area, north of Gaza City, the correspondent added.

Moreover, two people were seriously injured after an Israeli drone dropped a bomb on a group of civilians south of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. … Full article

YAF capture new front in Lahj amid rapid advances to secure region

Al Mayadeen | October 30, 2026

Hizam al-Assad, a member of the Ansar Allah politburo, said Yemen’s Armed Forces have secured the remaining parts of the Haifan front in Lahj governorate, asserting that three enemy military brigades have been defeated and Saudi military deployments have been targeted in the process.

He added that the forces have taken control of Al-Maqatirah district and secured its center at Souq Al-Rubou and the district’s historic fortress, while pursuing Saudi deployments toward the Tur al-Bahah district from several directions.

The Yemeni Armed Forces are making continued advances in parts of Lahj governorate to secure the Taiz front and surrounding areas, a Yemeni source told Al Mayadeen on Friday.

Lahj lies in southwestern Yemen, with its capital, al-Houta, located approximately 337 kilometers from Sanaa. The governorate borders al-Bayda, al-Dhalea, and Taiz to the north, Aden and the Gulf of Aden to the south, Abyan to the east, and Taiz to the west.

Taiz holds strategic importance because of its position connecting Yemen’s northern and central highlands with the Red Sea coast. Its southwestern areas overlook Bab al-Mandab Strait, while its western coastline includes the city of Mokha and its historic port, near major international shipping routes.

The governorate’s terrain and transport routes also make it a key military link between inland areas, the western coast, and the approaches to Bab al-Mandab. Control of its strategic heights and roads can strengthen military positions and secure supply lines toward the coast. … Full article

Yemen denies targeting Mecca, rejects Saudi drone claim

Al Mayadeen | October 30, 2026

The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) clarified on Friday morning that they carried out no operation toward Saudi Arabia’s interior and rejected Riyadh’s claim of intercepting a drone over Mecca as a “gross fabrication.”

YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the forces’ operations against Saudi Arabia “target its oil facilities and military bases,” adding that no one in the world believes the lies and slander promoted by the “criminal Al Saud regime” anymore.

Friday’s denial follows a string of Saudi claims in September and October that Yemeni projectiles were aimed at Islamic holy sites like Mecca and Medina. Sanaa has rejected every one of them.

Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi called the Mecca accusation “the lie of the age” in a September speech. He said Riyadh uses it to make up for its battlefield setbacks and to bring others into its war on Yemen.

The Conference of Yemeni Scholars also rejected the claim as a fabrication and warned that it hands the Zionist enemy an opening to target the holy sites. … Full article

Civilians killed, wounded in Saudi aggression across Yemen

Al Mayadeen | October 30, 2026

Civilians were killed and wounded in Saudi aggression on Taiz, as Saudi warplanes carried out a series of raids on Ibb, Marib and al-Jawf, the Sanaa Health Ministry reported.

In detail, the Ministry said on Friday that six Yemenis were killed or wounded in artillery shelling by Saudi forces on Hayfan district, in southern Taiz governorate. It described the aggression as part of continued attacks on civilian sites and residential areas.

The Ministry also said one person was wounded in a Saudi airstrike on the village of Safa al-Ramah, in the Misfar area of al-Masrakh district, south of Taiz.

Separately, Saba reported that Saudi airstrikes targeted Yarim district, in northern Ibb governorate in central Yemen.

Moreover, a local source told Saba that Saudi warplanes carried out three raids on Marib and al-Jawf governorates. One targeted livestock belonging to residents in the Mahliyah district, Marib, while two hit the Huwaishan area, east of the city of al-Hazm in al-Jawf. … Full article

Sayyed al-Houthi: US directs Yemen aggression with UK, Israeli support

Al Mayadeen | October 30, 2026

Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badreddine al-Houthi accused the United States, “Israel”, and Britain of overseeing the aggression against Yemen, stressing that Sanaa remains committed to its position on the causes of the nation, foremost among them the Palestinian cause.

In a speech marking Martyr’s Day, Sayyed al-Houthi said the United States and “Israel” promote slogans of liberation, economic prosperity, and human rights to justify their actions, while their practices demonstrate systematic injustice, criminality, and tyranny.

He said “forces of evil and tyranny” seek to present deceptive slogans to peoples and societies in an effort to subjugate them and justify their crimes. He added that “systematic tyranny” has become a continuous feature of US and Israeli practices. […]

He said the US, Israeli, and British roles include supervision, planning, management, and target selection. He added that the Israeli role in the aggression has been publicly acknowledged, with officials, including US officials, discussing it, explaining that Israeli involvement includes providing intelligence and identifying targets. … Full article

NYPD drops contract with Israeli spy firm over fears of political suppression: Report

The Cradle | October 29, 2026

New York’s police department has pulled out of a $750,000 uncontested deal with Israeli surveillance contractor Cognyte after Mayor Mamdani faced a backlash over fears of invasive surveillance threatening civil liberties, the New York Daily News reported on 28 October.

“It did not meet the criteria for a sole source procurement, so we are moving to an open, competitive procurement process,” a New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson said, adding that Cognyte may still submit a bid.

Sources told the Daily News the decision followed a meeting between Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Cognyte, which presents itself as a challenger to US tech company Palantir, is accused by human rights organizations of selling its technology to governments, Israel’s among them, that use it to hunt down political opponents and suppress dissent, the Daily News reported. … Full article

Dockworkers launch global strike against Israeli and US military shipments

RT | October 30, 2026

Dockworkers across five continents have launched a coordinated anti-war strike, targeting Israeli arms shipments, US military cargo, and the growing militarization of civilian ports.

Organizers say more than 25 unions are mobilizing across 113 ports in 22 countries and regions on Friday in an unprecedented international action. The campaign includes 24-hour strikes, shorter walkouts, blockades, and solidarity rallies.

Major European ports joining the action include Genoa, Marseille, Le Havre, Hamburg, Valencia, Barcelona, and Piraeus. Beyond Europe, protests are planned at Tangier Med in Morocco, Nhava Sheva and Chennai in India, and Oakland and San Francisco in the US, with further actions across Türkiye, Cyprus, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, and Australia.

France’s CGT Ports et Docks has called 24-hour strikes across 24 ports, while Italy’s USB has declared a nationwide general strike, with protests in more than 40 cities. Unions in Germany, Greece, Spain, India, and the US are also taking part. … continue

Social-Imperialism: When France’s Mélenchon Excludes Iran from “Universal Humanity”

By Alain Marshal | October 30, 2026

Summary:

While the Global South and the free peoples of the entire world celebrated the spectacular victory of Iran, which dealt a decisive blow to the hegemonic projects of the fascists Trump and Netanyahu, Mélenchon, for his part, ostentatiously mourns it. What he deplores is not so much the blood spilled as the “prestige” conferred upon the Islamic Republic, and the scathing refutation it delivers to his worldview, according to which religion can play no revolutionary or emancipatory role.

This self-proclaimed “tribune of the plebs” summarily banishes from “universal humanity” an entire people who massively expressed their loyalty and fervor toward their martyred Guide, Ali Khamenei, out of sheer patrician contempt for the Islamic ideology of the 1979 Revolution, even as that ideology raises Iran to the rank of the world’s fourth power. Mélenchon sheds crocodile tears over the fate of Lebanon and Palestine, while condemning the forces that actually protect them, at the cost of their lives: LFI’s anti-imperialism stops dead the moment the resistance fighter wears a turban or invokes the Quran.

He who has nothing but “métissage” and creolization on his lips proves absolutely intolerant of the very idea of a political regime different from the one he claims to embody, even when it is massively endorsed by the people concerned. Far from embodying the legacy of Robespierre, the French revolutionary he claims as a forebear, he is nothing but a Talleyrand, steeped in haughtiness and destined to join, in the museums of history, the colonial paternalism of which he is the biological and intellectual heir. Iran, for its part, already holds a place of honor in humanity’s march toward a multipolar world founded on the principle of equality among peoples, nations and civilizations. … Full article

Europe facing gas price shock – Gazprom chief

RT | October 30, 2026

European gas prices could more than double as depleted reserves threaten winter supplies, Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller has warned.

Wholesale prices have already reached their highest level in nearly four years, briefly exceeding €97 ($108) per megawatt-hour on Monday. December gas futures climbed another 3.1% on Friday to around $1,164 per thousand cubic meters, according to London’s Intercontinental Exchange.

Miller pointed to unusually low gas reserves across the EU, noting that Germany, the bloc’s largest consumer, has filled just 61.6% of its underground storage capacity.

”Given the series of historic record lows Europeans have set in filling underground gas storage facilities […] we can expect gas prices in Europe to peak at $2,500 per thousand cubic meters in the event of a cold winter,” he said. … continue

Sudan: We Have Solid Evidence Ukraine’s Military is Fighting Our Army

Sputnik – 30.10.2026

The Sudanese authorities have irrefutable evidence of the participation of the Ukrainian military in the armed conflict on the side of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the legitimate army, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohi El-Din Salem told Sputnik.

“This is an extremely important issue. We have irrefutable evidence, physical evidence,” Salem said, answering a question about the veracity of media reports about the presence of Ukrainian instructors training RSF fighters.

Many international research institutions, including Western ones such as Yale University, have also confirmed these facts, the minister said.

Ukraine continues recruiting people with disabilities

By Lucas Leiroz | October 30, 2026

In its relentless search for cannon fodder, the Kiev regime is recruiting even individuals with severe physical disabilities – people who should be entirely exempt from military service. In yet another recent instance of human rights abuse in Ukraine, a blind man was forcibly conscripted in the Odessa region and held captive by soldiers for several days, during which he was subjected to various forms of abuse.

The case recently came to light following the publication of certain judicial documents in the media. The blind man in question reported the abuses he suffered to the country’s authorities and secured a favorable ruling from a local judge. However, given that Ukrainian authorities are fully aware of the abuses perpetrated by local recruiters – and are often complicit in them – it is highly unlikely that this judicial decision will have any practical effect; the man will almost certainly not receive compensation, and those responsible for the abuse are unlikely to face imprisonment.

The incident unfolded as follows… continue

What Modern Light Bulbs Are Doing to Us

Decades of forgotten research show natural light is an essential nutrient, and the bill to bring back incandescent bulbs just cleared its first vote

A Midwestern Doctor | The Forgotten Side of Medicine | October 29, 2026

Story at a Glance:

• Sunlight is one of the most important things for our health (e.g., avoiding it makes you 60% more likely to die), yet all we ever hear is how important it is to avoid it.

• Energy efficient light bulbs emit a narrow, blue-heavy spectrum that disrupts sleep and metabolism, while lacking the infrared our mitochondria depend upon.

• Decades of forgotten research (now being confirmed by modern studies) show unnatural light is a root cause of many inexplicable physical and behavioral illnesses.

• The eyes and the blood conduct light throughout the body, and when this process is disrupted (e.g., by glasses), significant illnesses can develop.

• In 2022, incandescent bulbs were effectively banned because their infrared was scored as “waste.” The Senate bill to bring them back has now cleared its first committee vote.

Read article

The Permanent UV Block They Install in Your Eye

An Essay on What Cataract Surgery Takes From the Patient Without Telling Them

Lies Are Unbekoming | October 26, 2026

… The modern UV-blocking IOL became standard across the industry between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s, as manufacturers added UV chromophores to polymer lens designs that had, until then, transmitted ultraviolet light to the retina. The most widely implanted lens family in the world, Alcon’s AcrySof series, specifies on its own data sheet that the lens blocks essentially all UVB and the vast majority of UVA, with transmission dropping to near zero below approximately 400 nanometers. Johnson & Johnson’s Tecnis platform specifies similar performance. Bausch and Lomb’s enVista line, likewise. A smaller class of blue-light-filtering IOLs, introduced in the early 2000s, extends the blockage further up the spectrum into visible blue. … Read full article

Fire breaks out at US nuclear weapons facility

The South Carolina site plays a key role in maintaining America’s nuclear arsenal, including processing tritium for warheads

RT | October 29, 2026

A fire broke out at a major nuclear research complex in South Carolina that supports the US nuclear weapons program, the Department of Energy has said.

The fire started at Savannah River National Laboratory, part of the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, on Wednesday evening and was subsequently extinguished, officials said. […]

Local media reported that the fire broke out in a single room and involved an unfiltered, ground-level radiological release. One employee was reportedly hospitalized with minor injuries. […]

The US government is also developing a facility at the SRS to manufacture plutonium cores for nuclear warheads as part of efforts to modernize the country’s nuclear weapons stockpile. … Full article

Beyond Netanyahu: what Israel’s election means for Palestinians

By Ramzy Baroud | MEMO | October 29, 2026

In the past, many Palestinians and Arabs followed Israeli elections closely. They did so not because they entertained illusions that a Zionist leader would deliver peace and justice, dismantle the occupation or remove illegal settlements. Rather, they feared that some Israeli leaders were worse than others. They hoped to avert the worst-case scenario.

Over time, however, that distinction gave way to the belief that all Israeli leaders were essentially the same. This is not pessimism. It is experience. … continue

Israeli Forces Demolish Five Palestinian Homes In West Bank

IMEMC | October 29, 2026

Israeli occupation forces demolished five Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, October 29, 2026: two in Deir Ballout and one each in Bruqin, ar-Ram, and Tarqumiya.

Deir Ballout Mayor Jihad al-Qassem said Israeli forces invaded the town with bulldozers and demolished two homes in its eastern Bab al-Marj area. The homes belonged to Idris Jabara and Abdul-Khaleq Abdullah.

Al-Qassem said Jabara’s home had three floors, while Abdullah’s was a single-story house ready for occupancy.

In Tarqumiya, northwest of Hebron, Israeli forces invaded Shu’ab al-Bir, west of the town, and bulldozed Fadi Abu Hjeisha’s inhabited home, leaving seven residents homeless.

The area faces repeated attacks by Israeli forces and illegal paramilitary Israeli colonizers. The colonizers seek to expand the nearby Telem and Adora colonies, built on Palestinian-owned land, onto surrounding Palestinian land. … Full article

IOF, settlers carry out 12 attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters across five West Bank governorates

Palestinian Information Center – October 29, 2026

WEST BANK – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and settlers carried out 12 attacks against Palestinian olive harvesters and their agricultural lands across five governorates in the West Bank on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Anti-Wall and Settlement Commission.

The commission documented the attacks between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., warning that the escalation threatens the olive harvest season and the livelihoods of thousands of Palestinian families.

The incidents included the arrest of foreign solidarity activists, physical assaults on farmers, the use of pepper spray and tear gas, live gunfire, crop theft, tree destruction, restrictions on access to farmland and continued land bulldozing. … Full article

IOF arrests three Palestinians returning to Gaza, turning Rafah Crossing into trap

Palestinian Information Center – October 29, 2026

GAZA – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested three Palestinians as they attempted to return to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, raising growing concerns over the safety of returning residents amid severe travel restrictions and human rights reports documenting arbitrary detention and mistreatment.

Gaza’s Crossings and Borders Authority confirmed on Thursday evening that the three detainees were Shukri Nihad Kamel Ghazal, Mohammed Raed Munir al-Najjar, and Mohammed Kamal Kamel Aqila.

The authority provided no further details about the circumstances of their arrests or where they are being held.

The arrests come as the Rafah crossing, which connects Gaza with Egypt, continues to operate intermittently under strict restrictions and complicated procedures that severely limit Palestinian movement. … Full article

Israeli occupation burns property, shells towns across South Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | October 29, 2026

Israeli occupation forces burned residents’ property in the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and shelled the outskirts of Yater on Thursday, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in South Lebanon.

The correspondent also reported artillery fire on Wadi Zibqin, as attacks continued on villages across the South despite the declared “ceasefire.”

Local media in the South tallied a string of attacks between midnight and around 8 am. Occupation artillery bombed Wadi al-Hujeir and the outskirts of Qantara, Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Mayfadoun. It also shelled al-Mansouri, the plain of Khiam and Wadi Zibqin, with machine-gun fire accompanying the shelling of Wadi al-Hujeir and al-Mansouri. … Full article

Majority Of Jewish Schools In The UK Teaching Kids To “Love Israel”

JFS students wrote thank you letters to Brits serving for the occupying forces at the start of the Gaza genocide

By Nate Bear | ScheerPost | October 28, 2026

More than half of the 45 mainstream Jewish schools in the UK say a core part of their mission is teaching children to “love Israel,” possibly breaching UK government rules against the promotion of partisan political views in schools. These schools also all organise regular trips to the apartheid state and invite occupation soldiers to speak to pupils, almost certainly breaching rules on political impartiality.

These findings come after a fraudulent report published last week by a UK government taskforce initiated a moral panic about antisemitism in British schools on the basis of just 29 affirmative responses. This tiny number, which should have discredited the report entirely, was omitted from all mainstream media coverage. Also omitted from media coverage of the report was the explicit admission, buried on page 30 of the report, that only anti-Israel attitudes, not anti-Jewish views, have risen in the UK. My identification of this admission has been widely picked up on social media.

The report was a barely concealed attempt to stifle pro-Palestine, anti-genocide views in schools, and to ensure children are instead brainwashed to support genocidal Zionism, as many Jewish children already are. […]

We’re talking about a significant section of Jewish youth in the UK being brought up to worship a state which has committed genocide. Genocide, the supreme crime in international law. A word which alone barely does justice to the horrors and evils the entity has committed in the last three years, let alone the last seventy-eight of its existence.

We’re talking about a state which induced a famine, left babies to rot in incubators, destroyed every university and hospital in Gaza, turned an entire territory which was home to 2 million people to rubble. A state which plunged people into famine then opened up food distribution points and turned them into human safaris. A state which has murdered and maimed tens of thousands of children in all manner of horrific ways. A state which burnt people alive in their hospital beds, a state which tortures and rapes. A state which for decades has enforced an illegal occupation and whose leader is an internationally wanted war criminal.

And this is what many Jewish kids in the UK are being raised to take pride in.

In schools funded by the British government, Jewish children are being commanded to identify with a genocidal state and adopt it as an essential component of their personality.

It’s frightening.

Not that there’ll be any investigations or David Bell-style reports into Zionism in UK schools.

Not that there’ll be any recommendations about de-radicalising these schools. … Full article

Lithuania plans universal conscription

RT | October 29, 2026

Lithuania will introduce universal male conscription despite public resistance to compulsory military service, the country’s government has announced.

The Baltic state reinstated selective conscription in 2015, seven years after abolishing it. Under the new plan, the draft would be extended to all eligible men, while women would continue to serve voluntarily.

Annual recruitment will increase from just over 5,000 to around 7,500 men, President Gitanas Nauseda announced on Thursday following a State Defense Council meeting.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius described universal conscription as “necessary and inevitable.”

The decision follows similar recruitment pushes elsewhere in Europe. Poland is considering restoring compulsory service, which was abolished in 2009, and introducing a system covering both men and women. A recent poll, however, found that 53% of Poles aged 18–24 opposed reinstatement of the draft.

Germany has already introduced mandatory military registration for 18-year-old men. Enlistment remains voluntary, but parliament can activate compulsory service if recruitment falls short or the security situation deteriorates. … continue

Lies, Damn Lies, and Ukraine News

By William Dunkerley | Ron Paul Institute | October 29, 2026

It’s been said that truth is the first casualty of war. What about the Ukraine war? I’ve followed the news closely, and have found ample evidence in headlines and storylines that the old adage holds true today. Too often the Ukraine news stories we see are misleading instead of informative.

For instance, in March 2014 CNN reported that Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution was “standing up on behalf of democracy.” A month earlier, The Week cited many pundits and policymakers also characterizing events as a victory for democracy. It was a clear and compelling news theme.

But what’s misleading about that? It creates an impression that is contrary to reality. The truth is that the immediate result of the revolution was an abrupt end to constitutional democracy, not a victory for democracy.

The uprising totally dismantled the constitutional democracy that Ukraine had operated under since its independence from the USSR in 1991. The sequence of events makes it clear. Out went the democratic constitution; in came rule by force under the unelected revolutionaries. That’s what Ukrainians were stuck with for months. The stories about a boost for democracy were completely misleading.

This is a good example of truth being a casualty of war. The news celebrated an advance of democracy while in reality democracy itself had been lost. … continue

Financial Times rejects Nordic demands to correct Putin call story – media

RT | October 29, 2026

The Financial Times has refused to correct an anonymously sourced article about a recent phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Norway and Finland, despite objections from both Nordic governments, according to media reports.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke with Putin earlier this week, drawing criticism from some of Europe’s more Russia-hawkish politicians.

The British newspaper claimed that Putin spent much of the conversation “lecturing” the Nordic leaders on “medieval Slavic history” and its relevance to the Ukraine conflict, rather than discussing ways to end the hostilities. Citing three anonymous sources described only as “familiar with the conversation,” the FT portrayed the Russian president as “fixated” on history.

Store’s government told Norwegian daily Verdens Gang (VG) that the characterization was inaccurate and that Finland had contacted the FT on behalf of both countries to challenge its account, the newspaper reported on Thursday. Finnish media also covered the joint objection, with the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat citing its own sources to dispute the British paper’s description of the call.

Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov said later in the day that the FT article is “some invented information, or rather disinformation” and that the Nordic leaders were correct to call out the publication.

The FT, however, rejected the request, telling VG that it stood by its reporting. … continue

The Case for Less Unity in Europe

Why Norway and Finland Were Right to Call Putin

By Glenn Diesen | October 29, 2026

The leaders of Norway and Finland are criticised for breaking with the European consensus on boycotting diplomacy by calling President Putin. Their decision to undermine this solidarity is seen as dividing and weakening Europe. I argue the opposite. It was a brave and necessary move, as the European consensus is based on a rhetorical trap that isolates Europe, makes it increasingly irrelevant, and risks taking it to war with Russia – the world’s largest nuclear power. I will make a further argument: we should develop a healthy scepticism towards the notion that speaking with one voice is always a strength. … continue

Ukraine expands minority rights under EU pressure – but Russians remain excluded

By Uriel Araujo | October 29, 2026

President Volodymyr Zelensky recently signed Bill No.16119, a law expanding educational rights for national minorities and indigenous peoples. Ukraine is thereby selectively adjusting, rather than reversing, its post-2014 Ukrainization policies.

The measure was presented as progress on minority rights and a step that could help open further EU accession clusters. Romanian President Nicusor Dan welcomed the legislation, noting that mother-tongue education for ethnic Romanians is “no abstract matter” for families living in Ukraine.

The law expands the use of eligible minority languages in schools, recognizes special institutional status for minority-language schools, and strengthens continuity of education.

Crucially, the additional protections apply only to official languages of the European Union and to indigenous languages such as Crimean Tatar. Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Bulgarian and Slovak qualify. Russian does not. The Ukrainian Ministry of Education clarified that the additional rights “do not apply to the Russian language.” … continue

Albania takes anti-riot crackdown cue from France

RT | October 29, 2026

Albania has imposed steep fines on people who take part in violent protests, citing a recent law imposed in France, in an attempt to quell weeks of clashes between police and protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Under measures adopted Wednesday, remaining at a demonstration that turns violent will be a criminal offense, even for those not directly involved in clashes. Anyone who “chooses to remain in a crowd” engaged in violence or looting, or is found “concealing their identity,” faces fines of up to 500,000 leks ($6,130), over six-times the Balkan country’s average monthly salary.

Initially sparked by student anger over education costs and deteriorating facilities, the demonstrations have evolved into nationwide protests against inequality, soaring living costs, and cuts to public services.

Citing “urban anarchy” when announcing the crackdown, Rama acknowledged France’s controversial ‘casseurs-payeurs’ (rioters pay) bill, which would hold demonstrators liable for up to €10,000 ($11,160) in damages. The bill passed the French Senate on Wednesday and is now headed to the National Assembly, following weeks of protests and riots in which over 1,300 protesters were arrested in a single day.

Italy has also followed suit. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government approved measures last week that criminalize “violent participation in a demonstration,” punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to €20,000. … continue

The interest of the House of Rothschild in Ukraine

By Raphael Machado | Strategic Culture Foundation | October 29, 2026

This week, Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance, led by Sergey Marchenko, signed an agreement with the financial group Rothschild & Co for the purpose of preparatory consultancy for the privatization of the Ukrainian state banks Ukrgasbank and Sense Bank, two of the largest banks in the Ukrainian financial system. Rothschild & Co will carry out an inventory of these banks’ assets, as well as an assessment of their financial health, organize the information, and attract buyers for the acquisition. In practice, Rothschild & Co will end up determining the buyer(s), thanks to its privileged role in this operation, as well as its institutional weight.

The Ukrainian government claims that the operation is necessary to reduce the role of the State in the Ukrainian banking-financial system and to attract foreign investment, in accordance with recommendations forwarded by the IMF.

In most other countries, these sudden privatization operations always generate large waves of protest organized by unions, social movements, and opposition parties, but the privatization of some of the main Ukrainian banks is advancing without any popular reaction, a symptom of Ukraine’s transformation into a dictatorship through the recourse to a permanent state of exception.

This is not the first Rothschild operation in Ukraine. … continue

Saudi airstrikes on homes kill 12, injure 3 critically in Yemen’s Taiz

Al Mayadeen | October 29, 2026

12 Yemenis were martyred and three others were critically injured in an initial toll in Saudi airstrikes on the al-Barh area of Maqbanah District, west of Taiz Governorate, Yemen’s Health Ministry reported on Thursday.

Saudi airstrikes targeted two civilian homes in the said area on Thursday, resulting in civilian casualties, including women and children, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Yemen reported.

The correspondent also reported a series of Saudi raids on the coastal districts of Dhubab and Mokha in the southwestern governorate. … Full article

IRGC announces downing of US MQ-1 drone east of Hormuz

Al Mayadeen | October 29, 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-1 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Sirik.

In a statement, the IRGC’s public relations department said the operation was carried out using an advanced air defense system operated by its Aerospace Force, under the control and supervision of Iran’s integrated national air defense network.

The IRGC also released a tally of US combat and reconnaissance drones downed by its systems during the war. According to the statement, its forces have destroyed 54 MQ-9 drones and 14 MQ-1 drones, bringing the combined total to 68.

The interception follows a separate operation announced days earlier by the Iranian Army, which reported shooting down a US LUCAS drone in the country’s southern airspace. … Full article

Pentagon fires top military planner

RT | October 29, 2026

The Pentagon has fired its top military strategist as Washington draws up contingency plans for a possible escalation of hostilities with Iran.

Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia has been removed from his position as director for strategy, plans, and policy (J5) on the Joint Staff, a spokesman confirmed late Wednesday, following media reports of his dismissal.

His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced into retirement a year ago amid reported friction with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. Sylvia previously served as vice director of the J5.

The Pentagon did not explain Sylvia’s departure. His responsibilities included developing military strategies and plans to advise the chairman and the US president. He joins nearly two dozen senior military and civilian officials removed during Hegseth’s tenure.

The secretary has portrayed the dismissals as part of an effort to reduce the military’s bloated ranks of generals and make the armed forces more efficient and lethal. Critics, however, have characterized the shake-up as an ideological “purge.” … continue

Three tankers hit mines on unauthorized Hormuz route: IRGC Navy

Al Mayadeen | October 29, 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Thursday that three oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines while attempting to cross an unauthorized southern route through the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessels disregarded warnings from Iranian naval forces and switched off their radar and navigation systems before entering the mined passage, according to the statement.

“Over the past 24 hours, three violating oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking mines while attempting to pass through the unauthorised southern route of the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said.

The navy reported that the tankers were left along the southern shores of the strait following the explosions. Their identities and flags were not immediately available, and no information was provided about casualties. … continue