03 World

Serbian antigovernment protests escalate in third night of clashes ...

Serbian antigovernment protests escalate in third night of clashes ...

Thousands march in Serbia in persistent resistance to autocratic leader Vucic– abcnews.go.com
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BELGRADE, Serbia — Thousands joined protest marches in several Serbian towns on Wednesday reflecting persistent resistance to autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic’s rule despite a government crackdown.

Crowds gathered to mark 11 months since a concrete canopy collapsed in a northern Serbian city that killed 16 people and triggered a major anti-government movement.

Protesters believe that the crash at the renovated train station in Novi Sad resulted from graft-fueled negligence in construction projects. The building’s renovation was part of a wider railway overhaul with Chinese companies.

File:Charlie Kirk by Gage Skidmore 3

File:Charlie Kirk by Gage Skidmore 3

Charlie Kirk’s Full Message to Netanyahu Revealed– slaynews.com
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In a striking development, the complete text of a letter from the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has surfaced.

The discovery offers fresh insight into Kirk’s intricate perspective on Israel.

The letter, released by the New York Post, reflects Kirk’s profound respect for Israel while pressing for a significant shift in its public communication approach, amid a heated dispute over his views following his tragic death on Sept. 10 in Utah.

Read Charlie Kirk’s Letter To Benjamin Netanyahu in Full

FROM THE DESK OF CHARLIE KIRK

Dear Mr. Prime Minister, One of my greatest joys as a Christian is advocating for Israel and forming alliances with Jews in the fight to protect Judeo-Christian civilization. Most recently, I am proud to have taken over Ambassador Huckabee’s show on TBN where we continually support Israel and the Jewish people. As Muhammadism spreads into Western societies, it’s critical that Jews and Christians stay united in the effort to contain and roll back radical Islam and Sharia law. I regret to report that anti-Israel and antisemitic trends are at record levels on social media. These negative sentiments then flow downstream into college campuses and even seep into the conservative MAGA community.

My team and I have spent months analyzing these trends and debating ideas that could help you and your country push back against these disturbing developments. Anti-Israel sentiment can undermine American support for Israel. The purpose of this letter is to lay out our concerns and outline potential remedies. Everything written here is from a place of deep love for Israel and the Jewish people. I think it’s important to be brutally honest with those you love. In my opinion, Israel is losing the information war and needs a “communications intervention.”

I started to compose this letter to you on Easter. I should have been focused on my family, but I was getting bombarded with messages about the Israeli army making it difficult for Christians to access church in Jerusalem on Easter. At the time, I did not see any official statements pushing back on this narrative. It was frustrating because pro-Israel surrogates like me should not be in charge of fact-checking every piece of anti-Israel misinformation that pours into social media. It wasn’t just Easter. On my recent campus tours, half the questions I get are about Israel and they’re all negative.

I often spend half my time on these campus tours defending Jews and Israel which I’m proud to do because I love Israel and love the Jewish faith. I spent endless hours with Dennis Prager over the years studying the Torah. Sometimes, it feels like I’m defending Israel in public more than your own government.

My experience on college campuses matches a recent Harvard Harris poll which reported 48% of 18—24 year old Americans support Hamas over Israel. Even in young MAGA circles, Israel is losing support. We are getting huge crowds of 4,000—5,000 students on some of my college tours. My campus visits are becoming like a rock concert atmosphere filled with conservative patriots. Yet, on these campus visits, I’m constantly confronted with:

“Israel is an apartheid state.”

“Why does Israel conduct ethnic cleansing?”

“Why is America subsidizing Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people?”

“Is American aid helping to subsidize Israel’s free health care?”

“Israel and the Jews are running U.S. foreign policy.”

“Israel and Jews are responsible for 9/11.”

“Defending Israel is not in our U.S. national interest.”

“Why is Israel trying to drag us into a war in the Middle East?”

Above are just a sampling of the negative Israel/Jewish comments and questions I confront on college campuses. I’m accused of being a paid apologist for Israel when I defend her; however, if I don’t defend Israel strongly enough, I’m accused of being antisemitic. I know you’ve got a seven-front war and my kvetching pales in comparison. But I’m trying to convey to you that Israel is losing support even in conservative circles. This should be a five-alarm fire.

I’m often asked, “Why is Israel killing so many innocent civilians in Gaza?” I know Israel goes to great lengths by dropping flyers and even calling civilians to clear out of areas about to be bombed. I know Israel posts maps showing which areas should be evacuated. I know that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. But 90% of the younger generations get their news from social media and podcasts and there is very little pushback or fact-checking by the Israeli government and/or pro-Israel supporters in the media (especially social media).

I strongly suggest Israel NOT always depend on “subcontracting” their information war efforts to surrogates in America. Mr. Prime Minister, I urge you to REVAMP your information warfare strategy from top to bottom. Sometimes, the impression is given that Israel thinks everyone hates them so why care about winning over hearts and minds? If there’s any truth to this impression, I urge you to consider that social media and podcasts are where you fight for the hearts and minds of the younger generation. Obviously, all this negative Israel propaganda on social media easily translates into pro-Hamas “Free Palestine” sentiment on many college campuses.

Here are some unsolicited recommendations my team and I suggest if you’re open-minded to a communications reset:

1) For starters, you need a rapid response media team. President Trump does this very effectively on social media with his own account and his White House Rapid Response 47 team. The President has strong fighters like Stephen Miller and Karoline Leavitt who battle the press every day. Honestly, I don’t even know if you have a press secretary. You are an eloquent defender of Israel, but you need a team of information warriors out there pushing back every day. There’s also hundreds of millions of dollars raised by private pro-Israel groups. Some of this money should be directed into creating pro-Israel ORIGINAL homegrown content. Next, promote this content on Israel-operated social media channels and websites. Use some of these funds to start the Israel Truth Network (ITN).

2) I strongly recommend putting together a team of pro-Israel experts who can fact-check misinformation in real time from Israel. Israel needs to take the lead in this effort—no more dependence on subcontractors. Israel never asks for American troops because Israel does its own fighting. I suggest the same approach for the information war. You lead and people like me will follow and provide supplemental support. If you’re open to revamping your communications strategy, my team and I are happy to assist.

3) You need something perhaps like an “Israel Truth Network” (ITN) which can include social media channels and a one-stop source of information website where, for example, all the negative Israel questions I get can be thoroughly debunked. I would love to refer students to such a website. This website could also be a conduit to groups like Hillel and Jewish educators like Dennis Prager. There can be links to books, podcasts, media personalities, and pro-Israel thought leaders. The website can be a place where Judeo-Christian leaders and groups can share information and form closer alliances in the fight against Islamic fundamentalism. ITN social media can post pro-Israel pro Judeo-Christian video clips, breaking news and articles. ITN could potentially be a news aggregation site for all news pertaining to Israel and Judeo-Christian efforts to preserve Western civilization.

4) Have you considered inviting some of the released hostages to go on a speaking tour in the U. S.? This could be very effective messaging. These hostages can talk about how Gazan civilians not once offered any empathy or compassion. President Trump referenced this lack of humanity when some released hostages visited the Oval Office. This was effective messaging. When impactful messaging clicks, keep it going. Also, these hostages and all your spokespersons should be arguing it’s Hamas that is committing genocide on their own people by using civilians as human shields and storing weapons in schools, hospitals, etc. That information drips out in the regular media but is almost nonexistent on social media.

5) Maybe interview regular Israelis on the streets asking them what they love about their country. Interview Jews, Israeli Arabs, Druze, orthodox, secular, etc. Ask Israelis what they wish the world knew about Israel. Ask them to respond to examples of misinformation on social media. This could be an entire social media PR campaign called, “Dude, you got us wrong!” Interview Israelis from all walks of life.

Let Israelis explain in their own words how Israel is a pluralistic society, a free country with elected leaders unlike the surrounding authoritarian Arab nations. Why not show how your hospitals take care of wounded terrorists? Why not show clips of Israel dropping flyers from airplanes warning Gazan civilians to get out of harm’s way? It would have been nice to see an Israeli plane with a Star of David arrive in the U.S. full of supplies after a hurricane. Has Israel offered any assistance to the U.S., insofar as technology to protect our border or with the missile defense shield President Trump has discussed? These are examples of effective messaging showing Israel as a close ally of America. Consumers of social media are aware of the billions in supplies we send to Israel, but they’re less aware of what America gets in return. You and your team need to make the argument on social media that Israel is a great friend of America and is vital to U.S. national security. Israel needs to better portray itself as a member of “Team Humanity.” Israel needs to establish a baseline of her identity. To run an effective messaging campaign, you need a clearly defined message. This message should be homegrown from Israel. In other words, create original content from Israel. Videos and visuals feed social media. Keep these edited clips short—under one minute—and post the best ones on the Israel Truth Network (ITN). Don’t rely on non-Israeli social media influencers to create all these clips. Create them yourselves and influencers (surrogates) like me can promote this ORIGINAL work and refer people to your social media and websites. Be proactive—take the lead. Bottom line is Israel needs to learn to fish (i.e., create your own content) and be more self-reliant when it comes to your communications strategy.

6) Iran: Israel could do a better job explaining the Iranian threat. Among the many conservatives who support Israel, there is a concern that America could become entangled in a quagmire in Iran. My generation grew up with disasters in Afghanistan and Iraq. We were promised there were WMDs in Iraq which proved to be a lie. Our generation was also lied to by the governments of Israel and the U.S. that COVID vaccines were safe and effective. Israeli intelligence missed the boat on October 7, but we’re asked to trust Israeli intelligence 100% that Iran is on the cusp of obtaining nuclear weapons. Young conservatives are very skeptical of government proclamations. We don’t fully trust intelligence assessments. Right now it seems like Israel is primarily relying on Americans to make the case for attacking Iranian nuclear sites. These arguments get a lot of blowback in MAGA circles. Other than you, Mr. Prime Minister, I see very few Israelis making their case in the media, social media or podcasts. Many agree with you (myself included) that Iran should not get nuclear weapons. At the same time, I share the concern that America will get sucked into another endless war costing thousands of American lives. Where are the Israelis who are arguing their case to win over public opinion? Israel should be making its case 24/7 on social media including long form (English-speaking) podcasts and social media channels and website(s) such as a Rapid Response Team and ITN.

7) A paradigm shift is needed in how Israel presents itself to the world, especially on social media. Perhaps the best way to convey my thoughts here is to think of Israel as a political candidate (in this case a younger woman who grew up on social media). Who is this candidate and what does she stand for? Right now there’s essentially a massive negative ad campaign spreading on social media. These negative ads are defining this candidate. Political campaigns face these challenges all the time. Many of the PR challenges Israel faces should be looked at through the prism of a political campaign. Like any campaign, the first task is to define the candidate.

Right now there is not a “one-stop shopping” resource where younger people can learn about this candidate. Every candidate has a website and social media. It would be political malpractice to omit these tools. Sorry for the brutal honesty, but Israel’s approach to social media is “PR malpractice.” Your “candidate” should list all the toughest questions she gets on the campaign trail with detailed expert responses (add footnotes) on her ITN website and use social media to explain her platform on a daily basis. These responses become part of Miss Israel’s “platform” where her positions and values are explained. Like any political campaign, you need surrogates who can articulately promote this candidate’s platform and identity. Right now Israel’s identity is being fabricated by those who hate her by a barrage of misinformation in the media—especially social media. Fake news becomes real news if there’s not effective pushback. When a candidate is hit with negative campaign ads, the effective response is for the candidate to PERSONALLY respond to these attack ads. A candidate doesn’t just rely on surrogates to get the truth out. One of Israel’s biggest most fundamental problems is typically your pushback is in a 3rd person voice. I do the “3rd person” voice all the time as I attempt to defend the candidate, Israel. But I don’t live in Israel so I’m more like an attorney defending a client. Israel, the client, also needs to defend itself. I wish I had a “1st person” source of information I could reference where students and Israel skeptics could learn more about this client called Israel. You need a one-stop shopping resource where Israel’s platform and beliefs can be spelled out. You need more Israeli surrogates speaking out on behalf of their candidate. At the moment, you have some wonderful non-Israeli surrogates speaking on behalf of a candidate that has not defined herself—especially when it comes to social media. I know it’s common to think that social media, especially TikTok, is a waste of time. I thought similar a year ago. But TikTok algorithms have changed. I have increased my followers on TikTok from approx. 1 million to 6.6 million in the last year. We get BILLIONS (with a “B”) views on TikTok. My campus tour last Fall and this Spring have received approx. 5 BILLION impressions. Elon Musk is a good friend to Israel so X offers a great opportunity to make inroads on social media. Israel should not sit back and allow its enemies to define her. A recent Pew Research poll showed 53% of Americans now have an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 42% three years ago. U.S. support for Israel is precarious right now. A new media strategy is urgently needed. I understand social media as well as anyone in the world. From my vantage point, Israel has retreated from social media without a fight. How are you going to win over younger generations if you’re starting out in retreat on social media? Younger generations use their TV’s for Netflix—not the evening news. Narratives for younger and even middle-aged people are fought now on social media. Mr. Prime Minister, stop this retreat—get in the information war fight! The front lines of this information war are on social media. Other than a few guerrilla warfare operations, there’s very little Israel created content. I saw that Israel has increased its Hasbara budget by 20x times which is great news. There’s also hundreds of millions of dollars raised by private pro-Israel groups. Some of this money should be directed into creating pro Israel ORIGINAL home grown content. Next, promote this content on Israel operated social media channels and websites. Use some of these funds to start the Israel Truth Network (ITN).

To sum up, you should perhaps consider reshaping your Hasbara Department into more of a political campaign headquarters with campaign narrative experts. Hasbara could be the mothership hosting ITN where the messaging campaign can be created and then distributed to all the pro-Israel groups and thought leaders.

Majority of staff in these efforts should be in their 20’s and 30’s. The older generation alone is not going to win the information war on social media. You need to fill the ranks with young people who grew up with cellphones and social media—not pay phones and TV news. Once the candidate is defined with a platform backfilled with extensive details, then allow the political operatives to take that platform out into social media with an out-of-the-box approach like some of the earlier suggestions. I’ve seen your IDF spokesman defend Israel standing at a dimly lit podium. This looks like a scene out of the 1970s—like some old Walter Cronkite clips of the TV news. You need to tear down your old ways of communicating and start over from scratch. Create a communications and social media platform that is wired to fight back with the same fierceness and determination as the IDF.

Israel has many Americans and some well-known foreigners who defend Israel which is great. But these are “3rd person” voices. Mr. Prime Minister, you are an eloquent defender of Israel but you don’t post very often on social media. Many of your clips are in Hebrew only. Why don’t you do more press conferences in Israel in English? Take on some of the tough questions I get bombarded with on college campuses. Where are all the Israeli surrogates? I can’t remember the last time I saw an Israeli spokesperson on one of the…

American TikTok deal doesn’t address the platform’s potential for manipulation, only who profits– phys.org
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On Sept. 25, the Donald Trump administration in the United States again extended the TikTok ban-or-divest law, possibly for the last time. The latest extension to the law, which was passed in 2024 by the Joe Biden administration, includes a deal to transfer TikTok to American owners as a condition required to avoid a ban.

This raises the question on the validity of the warnings about the app as a tool of Chinese influence and whether American ownership will help.

Canada should be watching closely, because anxieties about foreign manipulation and social media exist north of the border, too. These range from bans on TikTok and concerns about Beijing-linked surveillance to efforts like Bill C-18 aimed at safeguarding domestic news sources.

What happens in the Canadian information environment has always been shaped by the U.S., a dependence that is even more precarious now that American politics has turned hostile to Canada.

Trump says he’s open to talks with Kim Jong Un ‘without any preconditions’– www.foxnews.com
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President Donald Trump is open to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “without any preconditions,” a White House official said, as South Korea’s unification minister warned Pyongyang’s missiles could reach the U.S. mainland.

“President Trump in his first term held three historic summits with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un that stabilized the Korean Peninsula. U.S. policy on North Korea has not changed,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. “President Trump remains open to talking with Kim Jong Un, without any preconditions.”

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young used blunt language in Berlin this week, telling reporters, “North Korea has become one of the three countries capable of attacking the U.S. mainland,” according to the Yonhap News Agency. “What needs to be acknowledged should be acknowledged rationally.”

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on Chung’s claim.

Situation ‘Critical’ As Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant Runs On Emergency Generators– www.rferl.org
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Power lines supplying the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in a Russian-occupied part of Ukraine have been cut off for over a week. That means that the plant, which is not currently generating its own power, is relying on diesel generators to keep its nuclear reactors cool. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned that the plant was not designed to operate in emergency mode, while Russian officials say they are doing everything necessary to ensure the plant’s safety.

World awaits Hamas response as isolated terrorists run out of options– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Hamas has a matter of days to decide whether it will agree to President Donald Trump‘s latest effort to end the war in Gaza, a plan that has some support from several Arab nations that want to see the conflict end permanently.

Trump revealed the content of his 20-point peace plan on Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Trump said on Wednesday that his administration stands by his demand that Hamas respond to the peace plan in 3-4 days.

The change in circumstances for Hamas has been rapid. Just last month, multiple countries lined up to recognize an independent Palestinian state in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly, and diplomats walked out of Netanyahu’s speech.

France detains Russian ‘shadow’ tanker to disrupt war in Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine war News– www.aljazeera.com
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France’s detention of the tanker is part of a new European strategy to block revenue funding Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said at an EU event in Copenhagen on Thursday.

2 dead, several injured after Manchester, U.K. synagogue attack – National– globalnews.ca
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An assailant drove a car at people outside a synagogue in northern England on Thursday and then began stabbing people, killing two and wounding three in an attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year, police said.

The suspect was also believed to be dead after being shot by officers, but that couldn’t immediately be confirmed because of concerns he had an explosive on him, Greater Manchester Police said. A bomb disposal team was at the scene.

The incident took place as people gathered at an Orthodox synagogue on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.

Pope Leo on Trump’s Gaza peace plan: ‘So far it seems to be a realistic proposal’– thehill.com
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Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday called President Trump’s Gaza peace plan “realistic” when talking to reporters.

“So far it seems a realistic proposal,” the pope said, according to Vatican News, also saying he wishes Hamas would go with the plan “within the established timeframe.”

“It’s important, nonetheless, that there be a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. But there are elements there that I think are very interesting, and I hope Hamas will accept it within the established time frame,” he added.

Trump would chair an international “board of peace” to govern and rebuild Gaza within a 20-point plan that the White House unveiled Monday, which describes an end to the Israel-Hamas war and a transition toward peace.

The president would oversee the framework and funding for Gaza’s rebuilding until the Palestinian Authority has reached conditions to gain governance in Gaza.

“This body will call on the best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment,” according to the plan.

Supreme Court lets Fed’s Lisa Cook keep job before oral argument– www.cnbc.com
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The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to remain in her post pending oral arguments in January on whether President Donald Trump has legal cause to fire her.

The court’s move is a blow to Trump, who has repeatedly and unsuccessfully asked federal courts to allow him to terminate Cook from the Fed’s Board of Governors without delay while her lawsuit challenging her removal is pending.

Trump has cited claims that Cook committed mortgage fraud as his reason for firing her from the seven-member board.

UK: TWO DEAD, Muslim Named Jihad al-Shami Slaughtered Jews at Synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Holiest Day for Jews– gellerreport.com
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Police said Thursday that the suspect in the deadly attack outside a synagogue in Manchester was believed to be Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

Ukraine Battles To Restore Power As Russian Strikes Batter Grid Sites– www.rferl.org
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Ukrainian emergency crews were battling to restore power to northern parts of the country as Russian forces continued to attack crucial civilian infrastructure with drone and rocket attacks, while Ukraine’s strategic Pokrovsk region remained under pressure.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking in Sochi amid drone alerts in that Black Sea resort city, warned the United States against sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, saying it would bring an entire new “level of escalation.”

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on Telegram late on October 2 that power was back on line in the Sumy region near the Russian border following overnight attacks.

Russia economy meltdown as bank profits ‘collapse’ amid market chaos | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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Russia’s financial sector is grappling with significant challenges as bank profits plummeted in August, signalling potential economic instability. According to data highlighted by Kyrylo Shevchenko, a prominent Ukrainian banker, Russian banks’ collective profits fell to $2.4 billion (£1.79 billion) in August, down from $4.7 billion (£1.71 billion) in July, a staggering 49% decline.

Shevchenko noted that the corporate sector, particularly where floating-rate loans dominate, has been hardest hit by weaker margins. He tweeted: “The credit market is cooling, reserves are rising, and the era of easy wartime profits is fading. Despite surviving sanctions and high rates so far, the financial sector cannot remain immune to war and isolation forever.”

Behind the Gen Z protests that forced Madagascar’s president to sack his government– www.yahoo.com
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Thousands of people in Madagascar have taken to the streets in different parts of the country for the past week in the largest wave of protests the Indian Ocean island nation has witnessed in more than 15 years.

What began as anger over shortages of basic necessities has rapidly escalated into one of the most serious challenges facing President Andry Rajoelina, who has been in power, for the second time, since 2018. On Monday, in response, he sacked his government but that did not placate the protesters.

At least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured in the unrest, according to the UN, although the Malagasy government has dismissed those figures and described them as based on “rumours and misinformation”.

Germany: Munich airport shuts down after drone sightings; 17 flights grounded– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Munich Airport in Germany was forced to temporarily close early Friday local time following multiple drone sightings, officials confirmed. The disruption grounded 17 flights, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers, the airport said in an official statement.In addition, 15 inbound flights were redirected to other German cities, including Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt, as well as Vienna in Austria, the airport said. Munich Airport, located in Bavaria in southern Germany, handled nearly 20 million passengers in the first half of 2025.

Home secretary says pro-Palestine protests in wake of Manchester attack are ‘un-British’ | UK news– www.theguardian.com
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The decision by pro-Palestinian groups and supporters to proceed with protests calling for an end to the war in Gaza after Thursday’s deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester was “fundamentally un-British”, the home secretary has said as she called for other demonstrations this weekend to be called off.

Shabana Mahmood also said she would appeal to anyone thinking of going on one to pause and think how they would feel if a loved one was murdered on the holiest days of the year in their faith.

Mahmood was speaking as more details emerged about the attacker, whom police had named as Jihad al-Shamie, who she said was not known to counter-terrorism police and who had not been referred to the the British government’s Prevent de-radicalisation programme.

Greece general strike disrupts services across the country– abcnews.go.com
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ATHENS, Greece — A nationwide general strike in Greece left ferries tied up in port and disrupted public transportation across the capital on Wednesday, as public and private sector workers protest changes to the country’s labor laws.

No taxis in Athens or trains will run for the duration of the 24-hour strike, while buses and the city’s subway, tram and trolley services were operating on a reduced schedule.

The strike was disrupting services across the country, including in schools, courts, public hospitals and municipalities. Two protest marches were planned in central Athens, with demonstrations also set for other cities.

Unions representing civil servants and private sector workers called the strike to protest labor law changes that will introduce more flexibility, including allowing overtime that could stretch shifts to 13 hours in a day. Under the new regulations, working hours that include overtime would be capped at 48 hours per week, with a maximum 150 overtime hours allowed per year.

Unions argue the new rules leave workers vulnerable to labor abuses by employers.

“We say no to the 13-hour (shift). Exhaustion is not development, human tolerance has limits,” the private sector umbrella union, the General Confederation of Workers of Greece, said in a statement. The union called for a 37½-hour working week and the return of collective bargaining agreements.