“Hezbollah has admitted ownership of a massive explosives shipment seized by Lebanese security forces, insisting the materials were intended for use against Israel while openly rejecting a government ban on its military activities. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah confirmed on Thursday that the vehicle and its cargo belonged to the group, demanding the immediate release of two detained men and the return of the confiscated explosives. The admission marks a significant escalation in the confrontation between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, which has launched an investigation into the shipment amid fears that the materials could be used in political assassinations.” (10/15/26)
“The United States wants its global partners to rename artificial intelligence as ‘super intelligence,’ convinced that the new moniker better reflects the emerging technology, a top US Treasury official told Reuters in an interview on Thursday. Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs Erin Browne said Washington was in negotiations with other shareholders of the International Monetary Fund about using the new term in a statement being drafted by the fund’s steering committee, the International Monetary and Financial Committee. US President Donald Trump last month directed US government agencies to use the words ‘super intelligence’ instead of ‘artificial intelligence’ when referring to the technology. Browne said the United States, which holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 major economies, wanted the change to take hold internationally as well.” [editor’s note: Based on this nonsense, I have to believe that “Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs” is a vestigial position with no plausible case for retention – TLK] (10/15/260
“A computer error caused a backlog of hundreds of thousands of voter registrations in Texas, sending election workers scrambling to process them before early voting starts on Monday, county election officials said. The backlog of nearly 600,000 applications stemmed from a glitch in software run by the Texas Department of Public Safety, according to a lawsuit filed last week by voting rights groups. They accused the agency, as well as the secretary of state, who serves as Texas’ chief election officer, of failing to to maintain a reliable online voter registration system. … The backlog appeared to have been mostly cleared by Wednesday, according to county election officials, several of whom said there was little risk that Texans who tried to register would be unable to vote. But some voting advocates said they worried that the episode might discourage voters from turning out at all.” (10/15/26)
“At least 33 pupils and a teacher have been killed after a school roof collapsed in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, according to hospital officials. More than a dozen others are injured, with some in a critical condition. Emergency services were called to the private Al-Khair school in Dir Colony at 08:48 (03:48 GMT) on Thursday after lessons had begun, rescue official Bilal Faizi told the BBC. The roof of an upper-floor classroom had collapsed, he said, causing ceilings below to cave in and trap children beneath the debris. Announcing the arrest of the school’s owner, police chief Mian Saeed promised a thorough inquiry into ‘whether there were any violations of building codes’.” (10/15/26)
“Romania’s leftist Social Democrats said they will join the government of Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu while other parties pledged their votes, edging the country closer to ending a political crisis that has pressured its investment-grade rating. The Social Democrats (PSD), parliament’s largest party, will have 11 ministers in the proposed government Niculescu will unveil on Thursday before a parliamentary vote of confidence, PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu said late on Wednesday. Technocrats will fill other ministerial posts, including finance, energy and foreign affairs. While other pro-European parties refrained from joining the cabinet, many said they will back Niculescu, ensuring the 233 votes required to win the vote of confidence.” (10/15/26)
“Israeli forces have [abducted] more than 2,000 Palestinian children since October 2023, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said. In a report released on Wednesday, the Palestinian rights group said Israeli authorities continue to escalate their targeting of Palestinian children. At least 350 Palestinian children are currently facing ‘harsh conditions’ in Israeli prisons. … The organisation said information regarding the number of children arrested in Gaza is unclear, given the thousands of missing persons in the besieged Gaza Strip, including children, and the ongoing policy of enforced disappearance. The group said Israel’s policy of detention without charges or a release date constitutes ‘an additional violation and crime that leaves children facing the unknown and deprives them of family and educational stability’.” (10/15/26)
“Federal prosecutors in New York are seeking life sentences for two former luxury real estate brokers and their brother, who were convicted this year of using their influence to drug and sexually abuse women over several years, according to court documents. … ‘They spent years designing, executing, and perfecting their playbook of luring victims with promises of luxury, drugging victims so they could not resist, and then forcibly raping them,’ prosecutors wrote. The brothers were found guilty of 10 counts of engaging in a yearslong conspiracy of rape, sex trafficking, sex abuse and sexual exploitation. They pleaded not guilty but were convicted in April after a trial in which 11 accusers testified.” (10/14/26)
“Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday said he would not resign over violent student-led protests that entered their third consecutive day. Rama said he would not allow the violence to derail Albania’s goal of joining the European Union, according to written responses to Reuters. Anti-government protests in Albania’s capital left several official buildings badly damaged and at least one on fire late Wednesday as demonstrations spiralled into violence for a second straight night.” (10/14/26)
I always like to open these daily appeals with thank-yous, so I’ll just RE-thank MB, JM, and RW, whose combined $470 in donations on Tuesday brought our annual fundraiser total to $755.50.
Which is exactly where it still sits, as of 5am, after a “zero-dollar Wednesday.”
We’re 27% of the way to our goal ($2,751.50, after which supporter GL will “match funds” to get us to the $5,503 finish line) … and need YOU to keep that ball rolling.
The sooner we reach our goal, the sooner I stop talking about money ENTIRELY for the rest of the year and MOSTLY until NEXT October, so …
PLEASE SUPPORT THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT’S DAILY NEWSPAPER!
“Two cargo ships have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours after being struck by unknown projectiles in separate incidents – highlighting the heightened danger to shipping as Iran steps up attacks in an attempt to regain control over the critical waterway. The Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride was struck on Tuesday while passing through the strait, catching fire and later sinking, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. All crew members were safely evacuated. …The merchant vessel Cape Dao, registered under Antigua and Barbuda, also sank, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday – after it was first hit by projectile on September 23. One Indian crew member was killed.” (10/15/26)
