53+ min ago (372+ words) Thousands of people on Sunday joined protest marches in Croatia against a surging far right following a spate of incidents that have fueled both ethnic and political tensions in the European Union country. Gatherings dubbed "United against fascism" were organized in four major cities, including the capital, Zagreb. The crowd... Thousands Protest Far Right, Use of Pro-Fascist Symbols Thousands of people on Sunday joined protest marches in Croatia against a surging far right following a spate of incidents that have fueled both ethnic and political tensions in the European Union country. Gatherings dubbed "United against fascism" were organized in four major cities, including the capital, Zagreb. The crowd chanted "We are all antifascists!" as they pledged to counter what they described as an attempt by right-wing groups to spread fear and silence opponents, the AP reports. Protesters demanded that the…...

3+ hour, 33+ min ago (327+ words) Former military contractor Nathan Seabrook brought battlefield tactics to Minneapolis in 2021, turning a local mall into a flashpoint for questions about private security, police violence, and the legacy of America's forever wars, as detailed in a piece by Eamon Whalen for Mother Jones . After George Floyd's murder and the... Mall Cops With Assault Rifles: Minneapolis' New Reality Former military contractor Nathan Seabrook brought battlefield tactics to Minneapolis in 2021, turning a local mall into a flashpoint for questions about private security, police violence, and the legacy of America's forever wars, as detailed in a piece by Eamon Whalen for Mother Jones. After George Floyd's murder and the unrest that followed, Seabrook, an Iraq veteran, returned home and founded the Conflict Resolution Group, a private security firm staffed by former soldiers and contractors. CRG was hired to clear protesters from a memorial…...

5+ hour, 41+ min ago (329+ words) A rising figure on the far right in France endured his second attack by food in a week on Saturday. Authorities say a 74-year-old man approached Jordan Bardella of the National Rally party at a book signing in Moissac and cracked an egg over his head, reports the AFP . The... Far-Right Figure in France Hit by Egg, Days After Flour A rising figure on the far right in France endured his second attack by food in a week on Saturday. Authorities say a 74-year-old man approached Jordan Bardella of the National Rally party at a book signing in Moissac and cracked an egg over his head, reports the AFP. The protester was taken into custody on suspicion of violence against a public official. The assault came days after Bardella got doused with flour during a visit to an agricultural fair…...

6+ hour, 28+ min ago (285+ words) President Trump asked that he be pardoned . Now Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has followed up with the same request himself. Netanyahu on Sunday formally appealed to Israel's president for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial , per the AP . In a videotaped statement, Netanyahu said that the trial has... Netanyahu Makes an Official Plea for a Pardon President Trump asked that he be pardoned. Now Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has followed up with the same request himself. Netanyahu on Sunday formally appealed to Israel's president for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, per the AP. In a videotaped statement, Netanyahu said that the trial has divided the country and that a pardon would help restore national unity. He also said the requirement that he appear in court three times a week is a distraction that makes it…...

6+ hour, 41+ min ago (509+ words) Netanyahu, who has been at war against the country's legal system over the charges, said the request would help unify the country at a time of momentous changes in the region. But it immediately triggered denunciations from his opponents, who said it would weaken Israel's democratic institutions and send a dangerous message that he is above the rule of law. In a statement Sunday the prime minister's office said that Netanyahu had submitted a request for a pardon to the legal department of the Office of the President. The president's office called it an "extraordinary request," carrying with it "significant implications." Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial, after being charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters. He has…...

7+ hour, 18+ min ago (628+ words) House and Senate committees have launched inquiries in response to reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that everyone on a vessel the US says was smuggling drugs in the Caribbean be killed . Hegseth gave the spoken command after two people appeared to have survived the initial US strike in... Congress Looks Into Report Hegseth Issued Kill Order House and Senate committees have launched inquiries in response to reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that everyone on a vessel the US says was smuggling drugs in the Caribbean be killed. Hegseth gave the spoken command after two people appeared to have survived the initial US strike in September, per the Washington Post. The Republican-led House and Senate armed services committees announced over the weekend that they plan to conduct strict oversight of the operation in the Caribbean, NBC News…...

8+ hour, 44+ min ago (479+ words) Swiss voters on Sunday decisively rejected a measure to require women to do national service in the military, civil protection teams, or other forms, as men must already. In a referendum, over 84% of voters rejected the "citizen service initiative," with none of the country's 26 cantons, or states, coming... Mandatory National Service for Women Loses in Switzerland Swiss voters on Sunday decisively rejected a measure to require women to do national service in the military, civil protection teams, or other forms, as men must already. In a referendum, over 84% of voters rejected the "citizen service initiative," with none of the country's 26 cantons, or states, coming anywhere near voting in favor. Proposals need a majority of both voters and cantons to pass, the AP reports. Switzerland holds national referendums four times a year, giving voters a direct say in policymaking. A separate…...

10+ hour, 52+ min ago (762+ words) The government puts the poverty line for a family of four at $32,150. But a Wall Street portfolio manager has ignited a robust debate by calculating the figure in the real world to be four times higher at $136,500, reports the Washington Post . Michael W. Green of Simplify... Is $136K the New Poverty Line? An Essay Goes Viral The government puts the poverty line for a family of four at $32,150. But a Wall Street portfolio manager has ignited a robust debate by calculating the figure in the real world to be four times higher at $136,500, reports the Washington Post. Michael W. Green of Simplify Asset Management crunched the cost of housing, food, transportation, health care, child care, and other essentials for a family with two earners and two kids in his viral Substack essay, per Fortune. "This is unfortunately very much the lived experience for…...

22+ hour, 18+ min ago (522+ words) A confident far-right Alternative for Germany set up its new youth organization on Saturday even as thousands of protesters converged on the western city of Giessen, where the party held its meeting, some of them clashing with police. A convention of the anti-immigration party, known by its German acronym AfD,... Far-Right Party Launches Youth Organization A confident far-right Alternative for Germany set up its new youth organization on Saturday even as thousands of protesters converged on the western city of Giessen, where the party held its meeting, some of them clashing with police. A convention of the anti-immigration party, known by its German acronym AfD, started more than two hours late after groups of protesters blocked or tried to block roads in and around the city, the AP reports, delaying many delegates' arrival. - Generation Germany: The new youth organization's predecessor,…...

1+ day, 48+ min ago (330+ words) Michael Scherer's lengthy profile of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Atlantic gets to the heart of the matter early: Is the health secretary a "truth-telling crusader, or brain-wormed loon?" Those on both sides will find ammo to bolster their cases in the piece, which is different from most other... RFK Jr. Is Asked: What if You're Wrong? Michael Scherer's lengthy profile of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Atlantic gets to the heart of the matter early: Is the health secretary a "truth-telling crusader, or brain-wormed loon?" Those on both sides will find ammo to bolster their cases in the piece, which is different from most other Kennedy profiles out there in that the health secretary spoke at length with the author. The story's main focus is on Kennedy's crusade against vaccines, and it traces Kennedy's long arc from environmental hero…...