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Vancouver police deployed 100 officers to safely escort Justin Trudeau away from angry activist

Two people were arrested after some 250 pro-Palestine protesters surrounded a Vancouver restaurant where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was dining on Tuesday night, police said. 

According to Vancouver Police Department spokesman Steve Addison, 100 officers were deployed to disperse the crowd while Trudeau was escorted out of an unnamed eatery in Chinatown. 

An officer was hospitalized after a protester punched her and had gouged her eyes, Addison said. Police used a Taser to subdue the 27-year-old suspect, who remains in custody. The second man was arrested for obstructing police and later released. 

Earlier on Tuesday, the PM was accosted by protesters at an Indian restaurant in a different part of the city. A video posted to social media shows activists confronting Trudeau when he was sitting at the table. They called for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, chanting “Shame on you!” and  “Justin Trudeau, you fund genocide!” The PM quickly left the premises without interacting with the activists.

“Ceasefire now!”

Protesters surround and disrupt Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while eating dinner in Vancouver, Canada. The PM was told that he has blood on his hands due to his complicity in Israel’s genocide of Gaza’s civilian population. pic.twitter.com/emcErsbme9

— MintPress News (@MintPressNews) November 15, 2023

Charlotte Kates, an organizer with the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network who attended both protests, told reporters that activists demanded that Canada “take a real position” on Israel’s military operation in Gaza. 

READ MORE: Netanyahu rejects Trudeau’s claim Israel ‘kills children’

Trudeau on Tuesday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “exercise maximum restraint” in the bombardment of Gaza, which has killed over 11,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan officials. Israel declared war on Hamas on October 7 in response to a raid by the militant group which left 1,200 Israelis dead.

Netanyahu rejected Trudeau’s criticism, maintaining that the Israeli army does not deliberately target civilians and insisting that Hamas bears the responsibility for all deaths in Gaza. 

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PM Netanyahu has responded to President Erdogan’s “terror state” speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rejected criticism from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying that Türkiye was the real sponsor of terrorism and had no right to lecture anyone.

“He calls Israel a terrorist state, but in fact supports the terrorist state of Hamas,” Netanyahu said in a statement quoted by Israeli media. “He himself bombed Turkish villages within [his] borders — we will not accept preaching from him.”

Ankara has waged war on Kurdish separatists both in Turkish territory and abroad for years. Just last month, it launched a series of airstrikes against Kurds in Syria and Iraq.

Earlier on Wednesday, in a speech to his Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan accused Israel of being a “terror state” for what it has done to the Palestinians of Gaza.

“Israel sticks to a strategy of total destruction of the city and its people. It is brutally wreaking state terror, deliberately bombing civilians on the run. I say openly, with a clear heart, that Israel is a terror state,“ the Turkish leader said.

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Israel a ‘terror state’ – Erdogan

Erdogan argued that Israel has been “continuously committing war crimes for the last 40 days,” deliberately targeting “hospitals, streets and mosques” in Gaza with the full backing of the US and the West.

He also accused Netanyahu of “carrying out the most heinous attack against women and children in all of history” and threatening people with nuclear weapons.

Earlier this month, Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu suggested using a nuclear weapon – which Israel has neither confirmed nor denied having – against Gaza. His remarks caused widespread condemnation both in Arab countries and at home.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned Eliyahu’s words as “baseless and irresponsible,” while opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Netanyahu to fire the minister for causing “harm to the families of the hostages, Israeli society, and our international standing.” Eliyahu insisted his comments were “metaphorical” and ended up getting suspended.

Israel declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas after it killed more than 1,200 Israelis in the October 7 incursion into nearby villages and outposts. The Palestinian enclave has been under a total blockade and strikes by the Israeli military ever since.

Enrollment in courses other than English has dropped sharply at US colleges and universities

US college students are increasingly eschewing foreign language courses, reducing enrollment in such classes to the lowest levels in more than two decades, a new report has revealed.

Enrollment in language courses other than English at US colleges and universities tumbled by nearly 17% between 2016 and 2021, led by declines in German and French courses, the Modern Language Association (MLA) said in a report released on Wednesday. The drop was the largest on record and left enrollment in such courses at around 1.18 million, the lowest mark since 1998.

Foreign language study has been in decline on American campuses since enrollment peaked at nearly 1.7 million in 2009, sliding nearly 30% as colleges focus more on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs. At the same time, schools have trimmed non-STEM programs.

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Demand for Chinese language teachers surges in Russia – report

“We can’t afford to devalue the study of languages,” MLA executive director Paula Krebs said. “The world is increasingly interconnected, and the need [for] the knowledge of languages other than English is even more important.”

The number of college-level foreign language programs in the US dropped by 8.2% between 2016 and 2021, wiping out nearly 1,000 courses. German, French and Chinese programs were among those hit hardest. Enrollment in German classes fell nearly 34% over the five-year period, while French courses saw a 23% drop. Spanish classes had 18% fewer students but remained the leading foreign language by enrollment volume.

Exceptions to the downward trend included Korean, American Sign Language (ASL), and Biblical Hebrew. MLA attributed the 38% jump in enrollment for Korean courses more to pop culture than purely academic pursuits. The surge was driven by fans of K-pop and Korean dramas.

READ MORE: Survey reveals ‘worst’ US university for free speech

In fact, Korean supplanted Russian as one of the top ten foreign languages studied at US colleges and universities. Enrollment in Russian courses fell by nearly 14%, to 11,433. The increasing disinterest is apparently mutual, as sales of English language textbooks in Russia reportedly dropped by 33% in this year’s first six months.

Opposition parties have agreed to join forces in Taipei, raising chances that a more Beijing-friendly government will take power

Taiwan’s leading opposition parties have agreed to combine forces with a joint ticket in January’s presidential election, consolidating their political support and boosting their chances of forming a more China-friendly government in Taipei.

The Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) formed their new alliance on Wednesday, agreeing to settle on a single presidential candidate rather than splitting the vote. They also agreed to form a joint government if they win the election.

“This is a historic moment for Taiwan, where two parties talk to form a coalition government,” TPP candidate Ko Wen-je said. “We need everyone to work together to work toward a final result.” The parties will put forward either Ko or the KMT’s Hou Yu-ih as the presidential candidate on their combined ticket after analyzing polling data together. The runner-up would become the vice presidential running mate. 

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Billionaire vows to stop Taiwan from becoming ‘next Ukraine’

Taiwan’s current vice president, Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democrat Progressive Party (DPP), is polling as the leading candidate in the presidential race. He hopes to succeed incumbent Tsai Ing-wen, who is wrapping up her second term as president and can’t seek re-election. However, combining the opposition votes puts the DPP in greater jeopardy of losing power, which would likely mean a less antagonistic approach toward China in Taipei.

“A successful opposition alliance – no matter who is running as president – means it’s likely cross-strait tensions will improve, as the opposition has more than a 50% chance of beating the DPP’s Lai according to local polls,” National Taiwan University political science professor Wang Yeh-lih told Bloomberg News. “For China, either Ko or Hou taking the presidential seat will be better than Lai.”

Beijing’s relations with the breakaway province have soured since Tsai first took office in 2016. The acrimony has increased in recent years, with the mainland government vowing to reunify with Taipei, by force if necessary, and conducting large-scale military drills in the Taiwan Strait. Tsai has hosted visits by US politicians and ramped up weapons purchases from Washington.

READ MORE: Taiwan rules out invasion from Chinese mainland in near future

The KMT and TPP have both vowed to pursue talks with Beijing to “restore peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” Chinese officials have condemned the DPP’s Lai as a separatist and “troublemaker through and through.”

Wednesday’s agreement between the opposition parties was brokered by former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. The DPP accused the rival parties of being manipulated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and knuckling under to “the will of Beijing.”

The latest poll by Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS pegged Lai’s support at 33%, followed by Ko at 24% and Hou with 22%. The billionaire founder of Foxconn, Terry Gou, announced his candidacy as an independent in August. He had only 8% support in the TVBS poll.

READ MORE: US to redirect millions of dollars in military aid to Taiwan – WSJ

Gou, who failed to win the KMT’s nomination, has hinted at an alliance with Ko. Taiwanese National Security Council chief Wellington Koo told reporters on Tuesday that a Chinese tax investigation of Foxconn was politically motivated because CCP officials didn’t want Gou to split the pro-Beijing vote.

 

 

Liberal democracy is being destroyed from within by leaders who refuse to stand up to Israel despite public pressure

In recent days, there has been a wave of pro-Palestine protests across the world as violence in Gaza escalates in the wake of an Israeli invasion and bombing campaign that has killed thousands, including many women and children, in response to the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7. One of the key questions is, will this actually amount to any change in so-called Western democracies that are standing behind Israel’s onslaught?

It depends on the country; however, largely, the answer is no – at least for the countries that have the most pull over Israel’s position. In the United States, lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party are reportedly ducking calls from concerned constituents who are calling for a ceasefire. President Joe Biden, when asked by reporters if there was any possibility for a halt to the violence, said, “None. No possibility.”

This is worrying because, in principle, in a democracy, politicians are supposed to respond to the will of constituents. They are also supposed to bend to popular will, given that their electoral odds hinge on the opinions of voters. Arab Americans, including in key swing states, are fed up with the Biden administration’s policies in general – but also particularly with its dealings with Israel. Support for Biden among them now stands at a mere 17%, and 40% are inclined to vote for Republican former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, according to a poll conducted by the Arab American Institute.

Massive protests, calls for voters, and the very real possibility that Biden’s position on Israel could forfeit the upcoming 2024 presidential election to Trump, the likely Republican Party nominee, show that Western democracy – especially in the US – is in shambles. When politicians ignore popular will, it shows that there is a serious crisis with the ordinary function of supposedly democratic institutions.

At the same time, it must be noted that Biden has not shied away from his pro-Israel leanings. To quote then-Senator Joe Biden, a self-described Zionist, from 1986, “There’s no apology to be made [for supporting Israel]. None. It is the best three-billion-dollar investment we make. Were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect her interests in the region.”

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Lavrov names key factor for safety of Israel (WATCH IN FULL)

Still, as a unity president (at least in theory), Biden has a responsibility to shirk ideology in order to preserve democracy – especially when it is under full-scale assault by an opposition party that casts doubt on the legitimacy of elections and does not believe Biden was rightfully elected. The fact that he is staying firm on his position with Israel, despite protests from his own party and reportedly his own staff, is a grave mistake.

The situation in Europe is also more nuanced. Here we are seeing countries, like the Czech Republic and Hungary, remain steadfast in their unwavering support for Israel despite some opposition, and the former has even outlawed pro-Palestine demonstrations.

French President Emmanuel Macron recently urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza – but he is also facing open criticism from his own ambassadors for his support for Israel. France has also outlawed pro-Palestine protests. But some countries, like Ireland and Spain, are openly critical of Israel and are considering cutting diplomatic ties.

If nothing else, this disunity demonstrates the fragility of a common EU foreign policy framework. This is especially the case given the fact that Ursula von der Leyen, the unelected president of the European Commission, has proven to be a US-infiltrated, hypocritical pro-war demagogue.

What’s clear as day in the current situation in the Middle East is that each and every day that the attack on Gaza continues, it becomes more difficult to morally and logically justify the common Western position of supporting Israel no matter what. The rest of the world sees this and is taking note, understanding the days of Western hegemony are numbered. Moreover, the leaders who are holding firm on the pro-Israel line despite immense and unprecedented public pressure are inadvertently eroding the very fabric of the fundamental institutions of Western society.

As a growing number of people in the West become jaded with democracy, or, in the case of the EU, become skeptical of Brussels, the leaders who ignore their constituents only have themselves to blame.

Watchdog says stonewalling of inspectors ‘extreme and unjustified’ as stockpile reaches 22 times the nuclear deal limit.