Aletho News

“More And More Severe Storms”: When Can We Declare This Hypothesis To Be Definitively Falsified?

By Francis Menton | Manhattan Contrarian | September 29, 2026

You know the mantra: Human caused climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels and adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, causes an increase in the frequency and severity of major storms, like hurricanes. When major hurricanes come along, as they regularly do, the promoters of this mantra immediately claim an ability to “attribute” the storm and/or its intensity to the ongoing human-caused warming.

For example, last October we had Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that struck Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. As soon as Melissa had passed, an organization calling itself World Weather Attribution promptly came out with an analysis blaming the storm and its intensity on “climate change.” From the AP, November 6, 2025:

Melissa was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall and brought destructive weather to Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba, causing dozens of deaths across the Caribbean. . . . The rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution found that climate change increased Melissa’s maximum wind speeds by 7% and made the rainfall near the center of the storm 16% more intense. The scientists also wrote that the temperature and humidity in which the storm intensified were made six times more likely due to climate change compared to a pre-industrial world.

Perhaps that seemed plausible at the time. But this year the mantra that human-induced climate change is the main cause of destructive hurricanes has run into a small problem. Here we are on September 29, and there has not yet been a single hurricane that has formed in the North Atlantic. Nor are there any tropical disturbances or depressions that appear likely to turn into hurricanes over the next week or two. […]

Has the prediction that warmer temperatures would lead to more frequent and more severe hurricanes been falsified? If not why not? If it hasn’t been falsified by the data from this year’s hurricane season to date, when will it be falsified? Is a full hurricane season without a single hurricane sufficient? Why not?

The fact is that the claim (hypothesis) that warmer temperatures lead to more frequent and more severe hurricanes has already been falsified, whether they will admit it or not. By failing to admit it, they just confirm that they are charlatans rather than scientists. – Full article

Senate GRANITE Act Targets Foreign Censorship Demands

By Dan Frieth | Reclaim The Net | September 30 2026

There’s now a US Senate bill titled, “Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion Act.”

That’s the GRANITE Act. The bill, which has a companion in the House, was introduced by Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, on September 23. It’s four pages long.

If it becomes law, it would add a new section 4106 to title 28 of the US Code, and this would stop US courts from recognizing or enforcing “a foreign judgment, or a fine, order, or demand issued by a foreign court or a foreign state, enforcing a foreign censorship law.”

What is a “foreign censorship law?” According to the bill, it is any law of a foreign state that “has the primary purpose or substantial effect of restricting or penalizing expression, expressive conduct, or expressive association,” or that “targets expression, expressive conduct, or expressive association based on its content, viewpoint, or speaker identity,” or that “compels disclosure that would reasonably chill that expression” – and that “would conflict with the protections of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States if recognized in the United States.”

Here’s what the bill does: it gives US persons the right to sue if they are targeted by such a foreign law, and seek “declaratory relief” – i.e., a court declaration that the judgment or fine is unenforceable.

The House version was introduced by Rep. Michael Rulli, who at the time said the goal was to stop “foreign bureaucrats” from deciding what Americans can and cannot say, and make it clear that if a foreign government tries to punish an American for speech protected by the First Amendment, that judgment is “dead on arrival” in US courts.

Rulli also said at the time, “The Constitution protects our right to speak freely. It does not bend to Brussels or London.” … Full article

Humiliation for Israel loyalists as Macklemore’s ‘Free Palestine’ tour sells out despite attempts to silence him

MEMO | October 1, 2026

US rapper Macklemore has announced that all three concerts on his “Free Palestine” tour sold out “immediately”, weeks after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour following his onstage support for Palestinians.

The fundraising concerts will take place in October at Dublin’s 3Arena, Paris’s Accor Arena and London’s Wembley Arena, with all proceeds going to organisations supporting Palestinians. Other participating musicians will be announced later.

“I’m honestly blown away,” Macklemore said in a statement announcing the sell-out, The Independent reported.

“We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like.” … Full article

Palestinian killed, others wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza

Palestinian Information Center – October 1, 2026

GAZA – A Palestinian man died from wounds sustained in an earlier Israeli attack, while several others were injured Thursday as Israeli shelling and gunfire targeted several areas across the Gaza Strip amid continued violations of the ceasefire agreement.

A local source reported that Musab al-Balbisi died from wounds he sustained several days earlier in an Israeli attack on Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

In the southern Gaza Strip, several Palestinians were wounded in an Israeli drone strike near the al-Attar area of al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis.

A local source also reported heavy Israeli artillery shelling targeting eastern Khan Yunis, while Israeli military vehicles opened intense fire toward tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in southern al-Mawasi, Rafah.

In Gaza City, Israeli forces targeted areas with artillery shelling and heavy gunfire from tanks and helicopters.

Israeli warplanes also carried out four airstrikes on unoccupied residential homes near the so-called “Yellow Line,” around al-Sanafour Junction east of the al-Tuffah neighborhood in northeastern Gaza City. … Full article

How Israel destabilizes the Middle East: Denying sovereignty and the right to exist

By Buğra Sarı | MEMO | October 1, 2026

Israel’s pursuit of security increasingly rests on a destabilizing proposition: that its neighbours become less threatening when their capacity to exercise sovereignty is diminished. Since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, this approach has become particularly visible across several distinct arenas. Military operations, territorial incursions and restrictions on political and economic autonomy suggest a conception of security dependent on keeping others vulnerable. The consequences extend beyond individual confrontations. When states cannot control their territory, rebuild institutions or protect their populations, the regional conditions necessary for durable security begin to erode.

The argument is not that Israel created every conflict in the Middle East. Authoritarian rule, sectarian violence, armed groups and competing regional interventions have all contributed to the region’s instability.

The question is whether the means Israel uses to pursue its own security deepen that instability. Repeatedly weakening neighbouring states and political communities may bring short-term military gains, but it can also erode their ability to contain violence and maintain order, making the region more dangerous—including for Israel itself.

This pattern can be understood as the denial of sovereignty. Sovereignty involves more than diplomatic recognition: it requires institutions capable of governing, providing services and exercising legitimate authority over the use of force. When these capacities are persistently degraded, formal independence becomes increasingly hollow. … continue

Resistance factions are necessary to ensure a permanent US Iraq withdrawal

By Robert Inlakesh | Al Mayadeen | October 1, 2026

US President Donald Trump has officially announced a formal withdrawal of American troops from Iraqi territory, yet the economic, social and diplomatic hold on the nation remains. If US troops are going to be permanently booted out, it necessitates an Iraqi national resistance that is capable of operating as a guarantor. … continue

Americans are paying the price to preserve Israel’s nuclear hegemony

By Jamal Kanj | MEMO | October 1, 2026

Since the start of the latest made-for-Israel war, Donald Trump and his surrogates have repeatedly promised Americans that it would be a few weeks and oil prices would soon crash below prewar levels. Instead, it was every promise that crashed. When those promises failed to materialize, the message shifted: the war is worth the price to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

But what if Iran did become a nuclear power? How would that pose a greater threat to the U.S. than North Korea or Russia already do? Or is the real concern not a risk to America, but a challenge to the regional hegemony of a foreign nuclear power, Israel? … continue

Iran summons UK envoy over ‘baseless’ linking of Tehran to alleged airbase sabotage bid

Press TV – October 1, 2026

Iran has summoned Britain’s ambassador to Tehran to protest against baseless accusations linking Tehran to an alleged incident at a British airbase and to demand that London answer for its participation in military aggression against Iran, the foreign ministry said.

Hugo Shorter, Britain’s ambassador to Tehran, was summoned on Thursday by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi following accusations by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham against Iran, the ministry said in a statement.

“The recent propaganda campaign by the British government, which has made baseless accusations under the pretext of an alleged sabotage attempt at Fairford airbase, cannot in any way overshadow Britain’s complicity in the military aggression against the Iranian people,” Takht-Ravanchi said.

During the meeting, Takht-Ravanchi stressed Britain’s international responsibility for multiple unlawful actions against the Iranian people, particularly the provision of military bases and facilities under British jurisdiction for the preparation and implementation of US-Israeli military aggression against Iran.

“The British government must be held accountable for its participation in the crime of aggression and the war crimes committed by the United States and the Zionist regime,” he added.

Takht-Ravanchi dismissed as “baseless and contemptible” the British officials’ claim linking the alleged sabotage plot to Iran, and underscored the need for an official explanation from the British government and a correction of its inappropriate approach toward Iran, IRNA reported. … Full article

Flydubai incident was unbelievably convenient for Netanyahu

By Max Blumenthal | The Grayzone | October 1, 2026

When Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud ally and Defense Minister Israel Katz instantly blamed “jihadist terror” for the FlyDubai incident, in which Israeli passengers on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv supposedly stormed the cockpit to prevent the flight from crashing, they drowned out an initial assessment by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and his top commanders that ruled out hijacking as the motive behind the altercation.

The following day, Saudi and Emirati state media were still avoiding reference to the incident as a terror attack. They seemed to be awaiting the outcome of the Saudi interrogation of the co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the pilot, and the investigation of his motives.

President Donald Trump was entertaining doubts of his own, describing the stabber as “perhaps a terrorist or a wack job.” After recounting Netanyahu’s narrative of the event, Trump remarked, “This is the story that I heard. I don’t know if it’s true.”

Netanyahu is determined to consolidate the story he spun out moments after the in-air melee was first reported. And he’s merging it with the theatrical message he delivered the day before, when he stood before an F-35 and warned of imminent attacks from Israel’s enemies.

But as one of his rivals, Yair Lapid, pointed out, Netanyahu said nothing in that warning about hijackings or any potential aerial “terror.”

The FlyDubai incident materialized as Netanyahu weathered a barrage of bad press about his negligence on October 7, 2023. In the midst of his most consequential and likely final campaign for re-election, he is essentially taking credit for an Entebbe sequel, stopping the terrorist in the cockpit, and preventing a 9/11-style attack on Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Center.

The timing of the whole event was unbelievably fortuitous for Israel’s embattled PM. Which might be why so few outside his circle of sycophants believe his version of it.

‘Baseless news’: Iran debunks US claim of ordering Araghchi to leave New York

Press TV – October 1, 2026

Tehran has rejected as “baseless and worthless news” an American media report that claimed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the UN General Assembly to leave New York earlier than they had planned.

In an X post on Thursday, the Iranian Mission to the UN in New York dismissed the Axios report that alleged Rubio had determined Araghchi and his team had “overstayed their welcome” and told them on Monday to leave New York immediately after little progress in meetings between the Iranians and Qatari mediators.

The mission emphasized that the Iranian delegation was already scheduled to leave Monday, and that Washington was notified of the schedule.

“The Iranian delegation left New York on Monday evening, in accordance with the schedule that had also been communicated to the US Department of State in advance on September 17,” it said. “Having achieved nothing, the State Department has resorted to propagating baseless and worthless news.”

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 23, and left New York the following day.

However, Araghchi remained in the US city, where he spoke with the media, had extensive discussions with members of the think tank community, and held numerous meetings with officials from various countries and UN officials.

The top diplomat also held talks with mediators trying to get Tehran-Washington talks back on track as the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran enters its eighth month amid the United States’ acts of mischief in the region and its rejection of diplomacy. … Full article

German coalition party pushes to ban AfD

The call comes as the AfD leads national polls, with support more than twice that of the SPD

RT | September 30, 2026

Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has called for a formal review that could pave the way for a ban on Alternative for Germany (AfD), as the right-wing party leads national polls following major regional election victories.

The push follows the AfD’s sweeping victories in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania earlier this month, where it secured 43.8% and 38.2%, respectively. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered heavy losses, including failing to clear the 5% threshold in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. … Full article

Europe’s Establishment Is Embracing War – and Losing Voters

By Leonid Ragozin | The American Conservative | September 30, 2026

Britain’s Labour Party is not traditionally thought of as a bastion of militarism or authoritarianism. Yet listening to some of what its top figures have been saying recently might cause one to doubt the conventional wisdom on that.

Consider what Labour Party strategist Paul Richards said in a GB News interview earlier this month. Asked how the UK might respond to an increased Russian threat, Richards—who has worked for two Labour governments—gave a disturbing answer. “We’d have to lock some people up,” he said, “some of the pro-Russian voices, people who say there isn’t a threat, [and say] ‘Don’t fight for your country, don’t go to war for Burnham.’”

His comments are not a one-off. They reflect a worrying trend among Britain’s political mainstream—the old parties, media, and think tanks—which has increasingly adopted a siege mentality informed by the far-fetched expectation of imminent war with Russia.

Nor is the trend restricted to Britain. It spans the entire Western world. And it helps explain why the centrist political forces previously seen as “reasonable” are losing ground to the supposed “fringe.” Apocalyptic millenarianism is no longer the domain of radical obscurantists, but of people like NATO’s secretary-general Mark Rutte, who in 2025 seemed to foretell with relish a conflict between Europe and Russia on the scale of  the Second World War. “Imagine it,” he said, “a conflict reaching every home, every workplace, destruction, mass mobilisation, millions displaced, widespread suffering and extreme losses.”

It is politicians branded as far right or far left radicals who, surprisingly, have emerged as the main opposition to this unhinged bellicosity. … continue

Zakharova says NATO drills rehearse Kaliningrad blockade

Al Mayadeen | September 30, 2026

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has accused NATO members of staging drills close to Russia’s frontiers that simulate an attack on the country, including the cutting off of the Kaliningrad Region, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Wednesday.

Speaking to the outlet, Zakharova said the exercises rehearse the isolation of Russia’s Baltic ports and the movement of allied troops through the Suwałki Gap, the narrow land corridor between Poland and Lithuania that links Kaliningrad’s neighbors to the rest of the alliance.

Zakharova said Moscow is also monitoring the growth of NATO’s military infrastructure, along with the construction of new defense-industrial facilities near Russia. She presented both as part of the same buildup that underpins the drills. […]

NATO has held a series of exercises in the Baltic Sea region in recent months, with more scheduled for October. … Full article

NATO chief advocates war of aggression

RT | October 1, 2026

European NATO members should have been able to attack Iran instead of relying on the US and Israel, according to Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the head of the self-described defensive alliance.

Iran has been attacked twice in two years, both times over allegations that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran rejects as false. Speaking at the Euronews Defence & Space Summit on Friday, Rutte endorsed the idea that European nations should acquire the military capabilities needed to carry out such wars of aggression themselves.

In the future, “the Europeans will be able to take care of their backyard themselves. It should be us doing this, not the Americans,” he said.

“Europe was not able to take out the nuclear capability of Iran. We couldn’t. We didn’t have the capabilities. In 10 years, we can and we should,” he added, referring to multi-billion euro rearmament efforts now underway in European members of the military bloc. … continue

IOF raids Tulkarem, detains former prisoners and turns homes into military posts

Palestinian Information Center – September 30, 2026

WEST BANK – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) expanded their raids across the Tulkarem governorate on Wednesday, detaining several Palestinians, including former prisoners, and turning homes into military posts after confining residents inside, in an operation that targeted towns and suburbs across the northern, southern, and eastern parts of the governorate.

Local sources said the IOF raided dozens of homes in Kafr Zibad, Kafr Jammal, Kafr Abbush, and Kafr Sur in the Al-Kafriyat area, as well as the town of Faroun, south of Tulkaerm. The Israeli soldiers searched the homes, damaged their contents, and confined families inside several properties before turning them into military positions.

The restrictions also extended to roads connecting Palestinian communities. Israeli forces set up a tent and a temporary checkpoint on Al-Wad Road between Faroun and the Irtah suburb, stopping vehicles, checking passengers’ identification documents, and preventing Palestinians from passing. … Full article

Gaza mourns 5 killed in Israeli aggression on public transport bus

Al Mayadeen | September 30, 2026

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza reported on Wednesday that five Palestinians were martyred and 13 others injured after an Israeli aggression targeted a public transport bus in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighborhood.

Our correspondent noted that some of the wounded were in critical condition following the strike.

Concurrently, three Palestinians were also injured, including two who sustained serious wounds, after Israeli occupation forces opened fire in the Abu al-Ajeen area southeast of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. … Full article

While Gaza dominates the UN, these are the people keeping it alive

By Ramzy Baroud | MEMO | September 30, 2026

When I first saw footage of Gaza doctor Munir al-Bursh and his family kneeling beside the white-shrouded body of his son, surrounded by mourners, I thought it was an old video. It wasn’t.

My conclusion, however, was understandable. In December 2023, only months after the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the al-Bursh family was targeted in an Israeli attack. Dr. Munir, director-general of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, was wounded. So were other members of his family. His daughter, Jinan, only 13, was killed.

That same day, Gaza’s beloved doctor was back at work, joining the many doctors across the Strip trying to save lives as Israel’s killing machine claimed them by the thousands.

Alas, the latest footage was not old footage resurfacing. It was a new coffin, a new funeral, another child buried by the same family. This time, the attack took place during what some in the media continue to call the ‘Gaza ceasefire.’ … continue

Zionist Bought Senate Blocks Information About American Citizens Killed By Israel

By Justin K.P. | The Dissident | September 30, 2026

The U.S. Senate just voted 47-51 against a bill introduced by the Senators Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine and Bernie Sanders which would have “forced Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit to Congress, within 30 days, a report on what information is available about the killings of the nine US citizens, the status of US and Israeli investigations into the killings, the number of US citizens currently held in Israeli prisons, the treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons, and a description of the steps the US government has taken to reduce violence in the West Bank.”

In other words, the Zionist occupied Senate voted against releasing information about Israel killing American citizens in order to protect Israel.

The bill would have forced Marco Rubio to release the information about nine US citizens who have been killed by settlers and Israeli security forces, including the late Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli occupation forces while reporting in the West Bank in 2022, an intentional murder that was covered up by the Biden administration.

The Biden administration covered up for Israel, claiming that her murder was the “result of tragic circumstances during an IDF-led military operation against factions of Palestinian Islamic Jihad”.

But later, the whistleblower Colonel Steve Gabavics, who worked at the time for the Office of the U.S. Security Coordinator in Jerusalem and led the investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh, revealed that his team found she was intentionally targeted, but the U.S. covered it up to protect Israel. … continue

Israeli strike kills imam while preparing Quran education report in Gaza

MEMO | September 30, 2026

A Palestinian imam and religious radio presenter was killed Wednesday in an Israeli drone strike while he was preparing a media report on Quran memorization in the southern Gaza Strip, according to an official, Anadolu reports.

Mohammed Abdul Aziz al-Najjar, 38, was an imam as well as a producer and presenter of religious programs at Quran Radio, affiliated with Gaza’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

Ikrami al-Mudallal, the ministry’s media director, told Anadolu that al-Najjar was targeted by an Israeli drone strike “while carrying out his work producing media material related to Quran memorization.” … Full article

Palestinian journalist Muhammad al-Najjar killed in Israeli strike on Khan Yunis

Palestinian Information Center – September 30, 2026

KHAN YUNIS – Palestinian journalist Muhammad Abdul Aziz al-Najjar was killed on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike targeting the Mawasi al Qarara area, north of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza Strip.

The attack is part of the ongoing Israeli assaults on civilians and media workers in the enclave.

Local sources reported that al-Najjar was struck by an Israeli drone in the Mawasi area, as Israeli occupation forces continued shelling and gunfire across Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement.

Al-Najjar worked with the Qur’an Radio station and was among the journalists who persisted in their mission under conditions of war, bombardment, and displacement, before being killed in the Israeli strike. […]

With al-Najjar’s killing, the number of Palestinian journalists and media workers killed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, has risen to 263, according to figures from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and Gaza’s Government Media Office. … Full article

New Report: “Scholasticide and Genocide in Gaza: Assessment, Testimonies and Legal Analysis”

Palestinian Center for Human Rights – September 28, 2026

In cooperation with the Centre for Palestine Studies at SOAS University London and Friends of Palestinian Universities, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has released a new report, “Scholasticide and Genocide in Gaza: Assessment, Testimonial and Legal Analysis,” documenting Israel’s systematic destruction of Gaza’s educational system and examining how this policy forms an integral part of Israel’s ongoing three-year genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The report demonstrates that Israel’s attacks on education in Gaza, including on UNRWA educational faciltiies and staff, go far beyond the destruction of schools and universities or the killing of Palestinian teachers. They constitute a comprehensive policy aimed at dismantling the educational, intellectual, social and cultural foundations necessary for the continued existence and development of Palestinian society.

Drawing on dozens of testimonies and affidavits collectd by PCHR field researchers and lawyers in Gaza, alongside PCHR’s extensive documentation, open-source material, United Nations reports, academic research and relevant international jurisprudence, the report identifies five interconnected patterns of scholasticide: the killing of students, teachers and academics; causing serious bodily and mental harm to them; destroying of educational facilities; obstructing the establishment alternative educational structures; and imposing genocidal conditions that prevent students from accessing education. … continue

Kataib Hezbollah says US aircraft remain active in Iraqi airspace

Al Mayadeen | September 30, 2026

Kataib Hezbollah said US reconnaissance and military aircraft were still operating in Iraqi airspace on Wednesday, citing intelligence it said had documented the activity.

In a statement issued on September 30, the Iraqi Resistance group said its intelligence documented the continued presence and activity of US aircraft in Iraqi skies.

“The American enemy’s reconnaissance and military aircraft are still operating in Iraqi airspace up to this hour, as documented by the intelligence of Kataib Hezbollah,” the group said.

The statement came as the US military announced the completion of its withdrawal from Iraq, ending its military mission as part of the US-led international coalition in the region. … Full article

Saudi strikes hit Yemen’s civilian infrastructure

The Cradle | September 30, 2026

The Saudi military has been bombing schools, telecommunication infrastructure, and other civilian sites in Yemen in response to Sanaa’s retaliatory campaign against the kingdom and its proxies.

“Saudi enemy warplanes carried out at least four airstrikes targeting the telecommunications network in Jabal Qarn al-Ajam in Raydah District,” Al-Masirah TV’s correspondent reported on 30 September.

Strikes also targeted Dhibin and Harf Sufyan, according to the Yemeni media outlet. … Full article

‘THAAD Delusion’: Iran war exposes US missile shield limits – The Atlantic

Al Mayadeen | September 30, 2026

The US-Israeli war on Iran has exposed a widening gap between Washington’s promises to protect its allies and its ability to sustain that protection, with expensive missile interceptors being consumed faster than American manufacturers can replace them, The Atlantic reported.

In an investigation titled “The THAAD Delusion,” Christopher Leonard argues that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system became a cornerstone of US security arrangements in the Middle East despite being developed for a more limited battlefield role.

Iran’s ability to maintain missile attacks has challenged the assumption underpinning that role: that American forces would survive an opening barrage, then rapidly destroy the launchers responsible.

Instead, a prolonged conflict has placed mounting pressure on interceptor supplies, exposing weaknesses in US military planning, weapons procurement, and industrial capacity. … continue

Germany is buying every missile it can get. What is Berlin preparing for?

By Dmitry Kornev | RT | September 30, 2026

Over the past few months, there’s been a noticeable surge in reports regarding Germany’s interest in missiles – ranging from ballistic and cruise missiles to land- and sea-based systems. Various partners are involved in the initiative, including the US, Ukraine, Türkiye, and Israel. It looks like Germany intends to spend its entire budget on missiles, aiming to become the leading missile power in Western Europe.

Berlin’s financial commitment to advancing military programs has reached unprecedented levels. The country is significantly ramping up defense spending. Between 2024 and 2025, approximately 200 new defense industry companies emerged in Germany, and another 100 have appeared since November 2025. A notable example is Rheinmetall, which has dramatically increased its artillery ammunition production from about 70,000 units to 1.5 million shells per year. Over the next six years, the company plans to invest around €30 billion ($34 billion) into arms and munitions manufacturing. Moreover, Germany is actively seeking to procure ready-made missile systems and is interested in establishing joint production facilities. … Full article

Ukrainian drone strike injures 12, mostly students, in Russia – governor

RT | September 30, 2026

Twelve people, most of whom are students, have been injured in a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Bryansk Region, acting Governor Egor Kovalchuk has said.

The UAV incursion targeted the city of Trubchevsk, sitting on the Desna River in the southern part of the region, not far from the border with Ukraine, Kovalchuk wrote in a post on social media on Wednesday. … Full article

Moscow issues warning to NATO over Russian exclave

RT | September 30, 2026

Increased NATO military exercises near Russia’s Kaliningrad Region and aggressive rhetoric from members of the US-led bloc are raising the risk of a direct armed conflict, Moscow has warned.

Russia has sent NATO a warning stressing its determination to protect the Russian exclave in the Baltic region “with its entire available arsenal,” according to a statement published on Monday by the Russian Embassy in Belgium, which hosts the bloc’s headquarters.

The message alluded to remarks made earlier this month by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who said there are “hardly any troops” in Kaliningrad Region and urged NATO to increase its military posture near Russia’s borders so that Moscow would be “uncertain of what we will do.”

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed receiving the Russian message and accused Moscow of irresponsible rhetoric. … continue

Russia earns record seaborne oil revenues despite Ukraine attacks

Remix News – September 30, 2026

Last week, Russia recorded its highest estimated revenues from seaborne oil exports since the start of the war with Ukraine.

The main driver of this demand is the armed conflict and the resulting blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East. Due to supply problems, buyers are looking for additional sources of crude oil. This also applies to China which, although it has already secured reserves of the commodity, is also starting to increase purchases from the Russian Federation.

Last week, Russia achieved record weekly revenues from seaborne oil exports since the beginning of the war. Oil companies there shipped about 3.99 million barrels of oil a day to foreign markets. Given the high prices, this significantly increased the value of Russian exports.

Bloomberg estimates that the total value of oil shipped from Russian ports last week was about $2.75 billion. That is about $180 million more than the previous week and the highest weekly figure since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. … Full article

Yes, the Iran war has destroyed Trump’s presidency

By Andrew Day | The American Conservative | September 29, 2026 

No one would claim that the Iran War has been a political godsend for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. But some Israel-First conservatives are willing to say—and lately have been incessantly saying—that the Iran War hasn’t been a political scourge.

Those Israel-First conservatives are wrong, even if the devil is, at least partly, hidden in the details. The Iran War has damaged Trump’s approval ratings, consumed his presidency, and darkened the GOP’s prospects in the upcoming midterm elections.

A chief proponent of the argument that Trump hasn’t suffered all that much from the Iran War is Ben Shapiro of the Daily Wire. Shapiro’s political analysis is plainly motivated by the fact that he was a loud and influential proponent of the war who promised—falsely, as it turned out—that Iran couldn’t close the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for the global energy trade.

“There’s an op right now to pretend that the real reason for President Trump’s unpopularity is foreign policy, but that is not true, by the polling data, it is not true,” said Shapiro on a recent episode of his podcast. “The reality is that Americans have affordability concerns, President Trump came into office saying he was going to alleviate the affordability concerns. He has not in fact alleviated the affordability concerns, and therefore, his polling numbers have consistently slid since Liberation Day.”

This is a bit like me saying my wife isn’t mad at me because of the drinking, but because I drunkenly crashed the car. … continue

The fallacy of US delusions about Iran’s economic collapse

Press TV – September 30, 2026 

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s prediction that Iran’s economy would soon collapse underscores the depth of delusion within the current American leadership.

“Iran is absolutely not sanctionable,” Deputy Economy Minister Mortaza Zamanian said this week as Tehran worked to keep trade flowing despite Washington’s latest sanctions campaign.

Zamanian cited Iran’s extensive borders, established commercial routes and longstanding trading relationships, saying that they make it impossible for external pressure simply to switch off the country’s economy.

His remarks came as Washington intensified its economic terrorism against Iranian oil, shipping, aviation, finance, technology and foreign companies supporting those sectors.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Iran would probably make its final oil deliveries to China within two weeks, after which, he asserted, “they will have nothing.”

That prediction deserves comparison with history, because American administrations have imposed increasingly severe sanctions since 1979 while repeatedly expecting economic pressure eventually to produce decisive Iranian economic collapse. … continue

Lebanese Army Soldier Among Four Injured in Nabatieh Al-Fawqa, Israeli Attacks on Southern Lebanon Persist

Al-Manar – September 30, 2026

At least four people, including a Lebanese soldier, have been injured on Wednesday in an explosion in Nabatieh Al-Fawqa as Israeli attacks continue across southern Lebanon.

An Al-Manar correspondent in southern Lebanon reported an explosion in Nabatieh Al-Fawqah. Casualties were reported including an army soldier, according to our correspondent.

The Lebanese Army said a soldier and three civilians were injured in an explosion in the Nabatieh Al-Fawqa area while the army was escorting residents to inspect their properties.

“Following an investigation and engineering inspection, the Army said the incident was determined to have been caused by the explosion of a suspicious object,” the statement read.

The Lebanese Army added that investigations into the circumstances of the incident remain ongoing.

The explosion in Nabatieh Al-Fawqa followed a series of Israeli attacks in several areas across southern Lebanon.

An Al-Manar correspondent in southern Lebanon reported three Israeli strikes on Al-Mansouri, with Israeli Apache helicopters being spotted over the area at the time.

An Israeli demolition operation was also reported in the town of Ayta Al-Jabal, near Beit Yahoun, according to our reporter.

Meanwhile, an Israeli force advanced towards the western outskirts of Mais Al-Jabal, with Israeli occupation soldiers seen torching properties in the area… Full article

Hezbollah denies Syria cell link, warns of Israeli plan to sow discord

Al Mayadeen | September 30, 2026

Hezbollah’s Media Relations Office categorically denied any relationship or affiliation between the party and the alleged cell that the Syrian Interior Ministry said it had apprehended in the Yarmouk Basin in Daraa.

In a statement, the Lebanese Resistance reiterated that it has no presence on Syrian territory and is not involved in any security or military activity there, stressing its longstanding commitment to Syria’s security and stability and the safety of its people. … continue

The legacy of US sanctions, war, and occupation in Iraq

By Hala Farhat | Al Mayadeen | September 30, 2026

Iraq’s government has declared September 30 the final date for ending the US-led coalition’s military mission. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s office says October 1 will find the country “free of any foreign military presence,” closing a deployment that once reached about 170,000 US troops.

But withdrawal leaves intact much of the damage inflicted by the invasion and the 13 years of sanctions that preceded it, along with the financial arrangements through which Washington continues to exert influence.

The US left Iraq’s productive economy devastated, its institutions dismantled and reshaped, and its workforce left increasingly dependent on a state funded by oil. Access to that income remains vulnerable to US pressure.

The question after the troops leave is how much control Iraq will have over the economy they leave behind. … continue

Iraqi resistance group rejects disarmament, vows to maintain support for Lebanon

Press TV – September 30, 2026

Iraqi anti-terror resistance group Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada has rejected any surrender of its weapons, with its spokesman stressing that resistance would continue despite pressure and that Iraqi resistance fighters would sustain their support for their fellow fighters in Lebanon.

Sheikh Kazem al-Fartousi, spokesman for the group, which is a subdivision of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) coalition, made the remarks to the Lebanese news website UNews.

“We have not retreated from the resistance, and there will be no surrender of weapons,” he said, the website reported on Tuesday. … continue

Sheikh al-Asadi warns of Iraqi government compliance with US demands

Al Mayadeen | September 29, 2026

Head of the Political Council of the Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Sheikh Ali al-Asadi, criticized Baghdad’s decision to prevent Iranian aircraft from landing at Iraqi airports, stressing that it constitutes compliance with US pressure and warning that popular action could follow if the decision is not reversed.

Speaking to Al Mayadeen, al-Asadi said, “We regret the decision by the Iraqi authorities to prevent Iranian aircraft from landing in Iraq.” He described the decision as “submission to American bullying,” adding, “The Iraqi decision-maker must reconsider it; otherwise there will be popular pressure aimed at changing the decision.”

He said the issue extends beyond Iraqi airports, invoking longstanding ties between Iraq and Iran. “The issue goes beyond airports. There are close relations with Iran, and therefore we must not bow to an irresponsible decision by America,” he said. “Popular options will be the most pressing, and all possibilities are on the table.”

Sheikh al-Asadi attributed growing US influence in Iraq to weaknesses among domestic political actors. “The weakness of the domestic political actor has allowed the American occupation to impose its decisions in Iraq,” he said, adding, “The decision-maker can choose not to implement American decisions, as some countries do.” … continue

There’s a drought in academia: A drought in honest research on the subject of drought and other weather extremes

By Thomas J Shepstone | Energy Security and Freedom | September 24, 2026

A little over a year ago, a study titled “Warming Accelerates Global Drought Severity” was published in Nature, a climate-consumed journal that has lost all credibility among serious folks. The authors included multiple academics from the University of Oxford in the UK, an elitist institution if there ever was one. … continue

13 Things Your Vet Was Trained Not to Tell You

Lies are Unbekoming | September 22, 2026

1. Annual revaccination has no scientific basis and never did.

The teaching is that dogs and cats need yearly boosters to maintain protection against parvovirus, distemper, adenovirus, and the other conditions attributed to viral cause. Owners receive the reminder postcard. The profession’s own vaccination reference text demolished the practice in 1992. Phillips and Schultz, writing in Current Veterinary Therapy XI, stated that annual revaccination lacks scientific validity, that immunity to the conditions in question persists for years or for the life of the animal, and that revaccination in most cases fails to stimulate any additional response because existing antibody, in the terminology the profession uses, intercepts the vaccine antigen before further activity can occur.³ … Full article

Vaccinated Kids Have Significantly Higher Odds of Developing Multiple Chronic Health Conditions

By Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. | The Defender | September 29, 2026

Early childhood vaccination is associated with significantly higher odds of multiple acute and chronic health conditions in children, according to a new study comparing the health outcomes of vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

The study, published last week on the preprint server Zenodo, is co-authored by members of the Children’s Health Defense (CHD) Science Department.

Brian Hooker, Ph.D., CHD’s chief scientific officer and co-author, said the study — which involved the “largest collection of unvaccinated children studied in this context” — found the health outcomes of unvaccinated kids surpassed those of vaccinated children across multiple measures.

“Children were 60% more likely to suffer recurrent respiratory disease with at least double the risk of recurrent ear and strep infections,” Hooker said. “In general, the risk increased in the vaccinated group based on increasing number of vaccines.”

The study’s key findings include:

• Vaccination before 13 months was linked to “significantly elevated odds” of strep throat (130% higher odds), ear infection (100%), rhinitis (80%) and respiratory disease (60%) compared to unvaccinated children.
• Strep infection showed “a clear dose-response gradient” — with odds of contracting the condition rising by as much as 240% as the number of vaccine doses the children received increased.
• Developmental delay did not increase significantly in the overall cohort, but “was significantly elevated in the highest vaccine quartile,” which received over 10 vaccine doses. Members of this group had 40% higher odds of experiencing developmental delay.

Medical researcher Neil Z. Miller, who was not involved with the study, said its findings contribute to growing evidence suggesting that “unvaccinated children may experience better health outcomes than vaccinated children. … continue

Department of War Awards $20.7 Billion Contract to Raytheon for Air-to-Air Missiles

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | September 29, 2026

The Department of War announced a nearly $21 billion, five-year contract to produce Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). While AIM-120 missiles are designed for warplanes in air-to-air combat, they can also be used as ground-launched missile interceptors. … continue

Saudi Arabia launches 35 air strikes across Yemen in 24 hours

Press TV – September 29, 2026

The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces says Saudi Arabia has carried out 35 air strikes against civilian infrastructure and non-military installations across five Yemeni provinces over the past 24 hours, as intensified fighting and aerial attacks continue on several fronts.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a statement posted on Telegram messaging application on Tuesday evening that Saudi F-15 and Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes, operating from the Saudi air bases of King Khalid Air Base near Khamis Mushait and Taif, struck areas in the southwestern province of Ta’izz, northwestern provinces of al-Jawf, ‘Amran and Sa’ada, as well as the western province of Hudaydah.

He added that the strikes damaged a number of civilian facilities, telecommunications networks, schools, bridges and roads, without providing any information about possible casualties and the extent of damage caused. … Full article

Katz says Hamas leaders abroad ‘in the crosshairs’, cites Qatar attack

Al Mayadeen | September 29, 2026

Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz has threatened to assassinate Hamas leaders abroad, invoking “Israel’s” failed attempt to kill the movement’s political leadership in Qatar last year, The Times of Israel reported.

“The Hamas leaders abroad are also in the crosshairs,” Katz said in a video statement Tuesday. Referring to the Doha attack, he said the leaders had escaped “due to a malfunction” and threatened to target them again.
Al-Qassam commander martyred in Gaza City

Katz’s remarks followed an Israeli airstrike on an apartment in Gaza City’s al-Nasr neighborhood that killed Izz al-Din al-Beik, commander of the al-Qassam Brigades’ Northern Gaza Brigade.

Hamas confirmed his martyrdom earlier today. … Full article

Over 6,500 Palestinians displaced by West Bank settler attacks

Al Mayadeen | September 29, 2026

More than 6,500 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in the occupied West Bank since 2023 due to settler attacks and access restrictions, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has revealed.

An updated OCHA map tracks communities that have been displaced and locations where more than 6,000 settler attacks have been recorded since 2023, resulting in casualties, property damage, or both.

The UN agency said 49 Palestinian communities have been completely displaced and another 83 partially displaced. Settler attacks have also damaged around 88,000 trees and saplings, which provide livelihoods for many Palestinians, as well as more than 3,100 vehicles. … continue

Settlers burn two Palestinian homes amid attacks near Nablus

Al Mayadeen | September 29, 2026

Settler violence continues to escalate across the occupied West Bank, with Israeli settlers carrying out attacks against Palestinian communities under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.

In a related development, Israeli settlers set fire to two homes belonging to a Palestinian family in the village of Jalud, south of Nablus, early Tuesday, just hours after the family had been “allowed” to return home following nearly two months of forced displacement, the Wafa news agency reported.

The Palestinian family had been forced to leave their two homes last July, following months of repeated settler harassment and attacks.

Local sources confirmed that a large number of Israeli settlers attacked the village and set fire to the two homes, causing extensive damage to the buildings and the families’ belongings.

They added that residents attempted to confront the attack before Israeli occupation forces arrived in the area.

The sources stressed that the Israeli occupation forces did not stop the settler violence. Instead, they provided them with protection and deployed reinforcements to the area, while the Palestinian family was once again forced to evacuate its home at gunpoint.

Jalud and the surrounding villages south of Nablus have lately witnessed repeated settler attacks, including assaults on residents, land usurpation, and the destruction of property and agricultural crops.

Four Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza despite ceasefire

MEMO | September 29, 2026

Four Palestinians were killed and several others, including children, were injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday amid daily violations of a ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025.

A medical source at Al-Shifa Hospital told Anadolu that the bodies of two Palestinians and several injured people, including children, were brought to the hospital after an Israeli airstrike targeted an apartment in the Al-Nasr neighborhood west of Gaza City.

According to an Anadolu correspondent, the strike targeted an apartment in the Al-Batoul building, killing two Palestinians and injuring several others, including children.

Witnesses said an Israeli suicide drone carried out the strike after hovering over the area shortly before the attack. … Full article

‘Israel’ attacks Mais al-Jabal, Mansouri and Majdal Zoun in Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | September 29, 2026

The Israeli occupation forces carried out a powerful explosion in the southern Lebanese town of Mais al-Jabal on Tuesday, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.

The Israeli occupation forces also targeted homes in the town of Majdal Zoun with explosions.

Around midnight Monday-Tuesday, the Israeli occupation forces attacked the southern town of Srifa and carried out an explosion in the town of Mansouri.

In a related development, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that “Lebanon’s right to pursue Israel for its crimes is a sovereign right that cannot be relinquished in any way.” … Full article

Israeli Occupation Detains Syrian Man During Incursion in Northern Quneitra

Al-Manar | September 29, 2026

Israeli occupation forces detained a young Syrian man Tuesday during an incursion into the northern countryside of Quneitra in southwestern Syria, according to local media.

Al-Ikhbariah TV said Israeli forces raided the village of Al-Hurriyah and detained the man, without providing further details about his identity or the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

In a separate incursion, an Israeli military patrol advanced toward the village of Zubaida in the Quneitra countryside as students were heading to their schools, the broadcaster reported. … Full article

Iran – China freight trade grows tenfold amid US naval blockade

The Cradle | September 29, 2026

Rail freight from China to Iran has increased tenfold since the US imposed a maritime blockade on Iranian ports, as Tehran brings three rail corridors online and expands capacity at its northern ports, Iranian parliament member Meisam Zohourian revealed on 29 September.

Zohourian said the same land and rail network could allow Iran to ship between 300,000 and 400,000 barrels of oil abroad per day (bpd), bypassing sea routes entirely.

He said that launching overland crude exports by rail and truck could establish alternative non-maritime trade corridors and eventually lead to building pipelines if they prove financially practical, he added.

Zohourian acknowledged that rail cannot carry the full load once handled by sea, but said it offers Tehran a dependable fallback in times of crisis and strengthens the resilience of Iran’s foreign commerce in ordinary times as well. … Full article

‘Distance yourselves from Israel’: IRGC urges US population to question govt policies

The Cradle | September 29, 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a letter on 29 September addressing the US population – urging it to “force” Washington to “distance” itself from Israel, and expressing a readiness for “coexistence and peace,” while also vowing to continue fighting for Iran’s rights.

“Our purpose in sending a letter to the US people goes beyond media propaganda and creating familiarity with Iran’s reasoning. This is not a short-term or purely promotional move … Choosing a ‘letter’ as a tool to convey our message directly and clearly was a method selected based on the realities on the ground,” said IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi.

“The countries neighboring or located near the US, whether along its land or maritime borders, do not possess the military and security capabilities to pose a serious threat to the US,” he added following the letter’s release, urging US citizens to question Washington’s military expansionism and the presence of hundreds of its military bases across the globe.

Mohebbi went on to ask, “What is the purpose of deploying 800 US military bases around the world?” … continue

America hiding true casualties of wars on Iran: Senior Army commander

Press TV – September 29, 2026

A senior Iranian military commander says enemies do not disclose their casualties, stressing that the enemies have failed to achieve their objectives in all imposed wars.

In a televised interview on Monday evening, Army Chief of Staff and Deputy Coordinator Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari stressed that “the enemy does not disclose their casualties, because that is one of their weak points. For example, they say, ‘We suffered eight fatalities.’ Who would believe that, in the face of all the missiles and drones that we sent, only eight people were affected at their bases? It is simply impossible.”

His remarks came after NBC News, citing three unnamed US officials, reported that eight American Marines sustained injuries two weeks earlier when an Iranian cruise missile attacked the ship on which they were operating in the Strait of Hormuz.

Since the war with Iran began, uncertainty has grown over the number of US troops who have been killed or wounded, unlike in many other overseas conflicts, where casualty figures are regularly reported.

The Pentagon recently reduced its reported death toll after changing how it classified the deaths of some service members, revealing last week that nine Marines and more than two dozen sailors were injured this month in the US war against Iran.

“It is clear that this is not the case. The number of their dead and the number of their wounded is higher than that—much higher. That is certain and clear,” Admiral Sayyari added. … Full article

America’s Greenland deal has a radioactive backstory

By Evgeny Norin | RT | September 29, 2026

The US, Denmark, and Greenland have signed a new agreement to expand American military activity on the island. Washington calls Greenland vital to its security, but an expanded military presence also raises an older question: What risks does the Arctic island take on in return?

The agreement builds on a defense partnership dating back to 1951. That history includes an episode that brought the risks of Washington’s Cold War strategy into sharp focus: An American mission over Greenland that ended in a nuclear disaster. … continue

The RAF Fairford ‘terror plot’: Unpacking escalation in the UK echo-chamber

RT | September 29, 2026

Five young men from London who were caught near a British airbase heavily used by the US in its war against Iran have triggered a media frenzy across the London establishment’s mainstream media. The so-called “Fairford incident” lit up the British deep state media echo chamber.

However, what was initially reported as a possible Iranian or Russian-backed plot to blow up the RAF’s Fairford airbase, has so far revealed a farcical attempt to warn the British Army of a possible threat, and produced complaints from Washington, a lot of unanswered questions, and no explosives. … continue