Labour MPs Sarah Champion and Paul Waugh, who represent the towns of Rotherham and Rochdale—epicenters of the UK’s grooming gang scandals—have reversed their positions and now support calls for a national public inquiry into the failures of authorities to address child exploitation. Their shift comes as pressure builds on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to act.
Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ), has been tasked with forming a government after the collapse of a coalition among mainstream parties. Kickl, a staunch Euroskeptic and outspoken conservative, has sparked controversy with his policies, including a bold stance on immigration and opposition to EU climate and economic policies.
A leaked list of New Year’s Eve arrests in Berlin has reignited debate over crime and immigration in Germany. Official police statements claimed most suspects were adult German nationals, but the leaked list suggests many individuals had names commonly associated with migrant backgrounds.
Israel’s decision to close its embassy in Ireland should serve as a warning to European nations with increasingly anti-Israel policies, according to KT McFarland, former deputy national security advisor in the Trump administration. Speaking on Newsmax’s Sunday Agenda, McFarland emphasized the shift in Israel's diplomatic approach following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and criticized Europe’s response.
The National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) annual “equity and justice” conference has been criticized as a “festival of Jew hate” by attendees and parents, after Jewish students reported feeling unsafe and unwelcome due to inflammatory rhetoric from speakers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with outgoing White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday in Jerusalem, emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable minorities in Syria. These groups include Christians, Druze, Kurds, and others who face significant threats amidst ongoing conflict.
Turkish-backed militias, operating under the Syrian National Army (SNA), have advanced into northern Syria, displacing tens of thousands of Kurdish civilians. The SNA captured Manbij, a Kurdish-controlled city, on Tuesday. This followed last week’s seizure of Shahba, where Kurdish officials reported over 120,000 people were forced to flee. The SNA’s offensive is part of “Operation Dawn of Freedom,” aimed at removing Kurdish forces from northern Syria.
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, notorious for his use of chemical weapons against his own population, has fled the country as rebel forces stormed the capital city of Damascus, according to Reuters.
The University of Michigan, home to the country’s largest and most expensive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program, is under fire for its reported failures and escalating tensions on campus. With over $250 million invested since 2016 and an annual operating budget of $30.68 million, the program is facing criticism for fueling divisions while failing to achieve its stated goals.
