It’s Revolution or Death

Part One: Short Term Investments

by subMedia / November 14th, 2024

Just in time for the COP29 summit, where a group of self-congratulatory world leaders will meet in Baku, Azerbaijan for photo-ops, catered meals, and of course discussion of climate goals that they don’t intend to meet, subMedia, in collaboration with Peter Gelderloos, is pleased to release part one of a three part series: It’s Revolution or Death.

The first installment of the series takes a look at the push for green capitalism, and questions the common-sense assumptions of its cheerleaders. Bolstered by unwavering, uncritical support from NGO’s, energy corporations portray themselves as cutting edge innovators in green energy technology while hedging their bets and maintaining diversified portfolios – packed with fossil fuel investments.

The coming two installments will discuss Indigenous and anarchist struggles for land and autonomy and how local communities can get organized to build resiliency in the face of worsening climate catastrophe.

The effects of runaway climate change are already here. If the past 50 years of gas-lighting have made one thing abundantly clear, it’s that the politicians and entrepreneurs leading the charge for green energy will never prioritize the interests of life on earth in their pursuit of profits. So what are we going to do about it?

For more of Peter Gelderloos’ work check out They Will Beat the Memory Out of Us and The Solutions are Already Here. Both from Pluto Books.FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

SubMedia is directed and produced by Frank Lopez. Read other articles by subMedia, or visit subMedia's website.

Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families


FILE - Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks to the media after arriving at the federal courthouse for a hearing in front of a bankruptcy judge, Friday, June 14, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

BY DAVE COLLINS
 November 14, 2024

The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax.

“The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for,” Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was killed in the 2012 shooting in Connecticut, said in a statement provided by his lawyers.

The Onion acquired the conspiracy theory platform’s website; social media accounts; studio in Austin, Texas; trademarks; and video archive. The sale price was not immediately disclosed. The Onion said its “exclusive launch advertiser” will be the gun violence prevention organization Everytown for Gun Safety.

“Everytown will continue to raise awareness on InfoWars’ channels about gun violence prevention and present actual solutions to our nation’s gun violence crisis, including bipartisan, common-sense measures and public safety initiatives backed by Everytown,” The Onion said in a statement Thursday.
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Jones confirmed The Onion’s acquisition of Infowars in a social media video Thursday and said he planned to file legal challenges to stop it.

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“Last broadcast now live from Infowars studios. They are in the building. Are ordering shutdown without court approval,” Jones said on the social platform X.

Jones was broadcasting live from the Infowars studio Thursday morning and appeared distraught, putting his head in his hand at his desk.

Sealed bids for the private auction were opened Wednesday. Both supporters and detractors of Jones had expressed interest in buying Infowars. The other bidders have not been disclosed.

The Onion, a satirical site that manages to persuade people to believe the absurd, bills itself as “the world’s leading news publication, offering highly acclaimed, universally revered coverage of breaking national, international, and local news events” and says it has 4.3 trillion daily readers.

Jones has been saying on his show that if his detractors bought Infowars, he would move his daily broadcasts and product sales to a new studio, websites and social media accounts that he has already set up. He also said that if his supporters won the bidding, he could stay on the Infowars platforms.

Relatives of many of the 20 children and six educators killed in the shooting Jones and his company for defamation and emotional distress for repeatedly saying on his show that the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, was a hoax staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Parents and children of many of the victims testified that they were traumatized by Jones’ conspiracies and threats by his followers.

The lawsuits were filed in Connecticut and Texas. Lawyers for the families in the Connecticut lawsuit said they worked with The Onion to try to acquire Infowars.

South African government says it won’t help thousands of illegal miners inside a closed mine

BY MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
November 14, 2024

An aerial view of a mine shaft where an estimated 4000 illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov.13, 2024. (AP Photo)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s government says it will not help an estimated 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country’s North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.

The miners in the mineshaft in Stilfontein are believed to be suffering from a lack of food, water and other basic necessities after police closed off the entrances used to transport their supplies underground.

It is part of the police’s Vala Umgodi, or Close the Hole, operation, which includes cutting off miners’ supplies to force them to return to the surface and be arrested.

North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone said information received from those who recently helped bring three miners to the surface indicated that as many as 4,000 miners may be underground. Police have not provided an official estimate.

In the past few weeks, over 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in North West province, with many reported to be weak, hungry and sickly after going for weeks without basic supplies.

Police continue on Thursday to guard areas around the mine to catch all those appearing from underground.



Police say 10 people are dead and an unknown number are missing after a mine collapse in Zambia

8 miners are dead and 1 is missing after a mine collapse in Zambia

Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any help to the illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act.

“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped. We didn’t send them there,” Ntshavheni said.

Illegal mining remains common in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to dig for any possible remaining deposits.

The illegal miners are often from neighboring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners.


Their presence in closed mines have also created problems with nearby communities, which complain that the illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robberies to rape.

Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed and disputes between rival groups sometimes result in fatal confrontations.

Rescue workers, left, remove a body from a reformed mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped inside a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Thursday, Nov.14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)


Rescue workers, bottom left, remove a body from a reformed mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped inside a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Thursday, Nov.14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)


Relatives of miners and community members wait at a mine shaft where illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Thursday, Nov.14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Volunteer rescue workers and community members leave a mine shaft where illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Police patrol at a mine shaft where an estimated 4000 illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov.13, 2024. (AP Photo)

Relatives of miners and community members wait at a mine shaft where illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Relatives of miners and community members wait at a mine shaft where an estimated 4000 illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov.13, 2024. (AP Photo)

Relatives of miners and community members wait at a mine shaft where illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Sunken WWII destroyer USS Edsall discovered 82 years after Japanese battle


The USS Edsall, which was sunk during World War II with more than 200 servicemen on board, has been located at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, according to the U.S. Navy. The 314-foot destroyer was called the "dancing mouse" for erratic movements during its final battle with Japanese battleships

Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The wreckage of a U.S. warship, sunk by Japanese forces more than 80 years ago during World War II, has been found at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, according to the U.S. Navy.

The destroyer USS Edsall was located about 200 miles east of Christmas Island by the Royal Australian Navy. The warship was sunk off the coast of Australia on March 1, 1942, three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. More than 200 servicemen were killed.
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The U.S. Embassy in Australia announced the USS Edsall's discovery Monday in a post on X, as the United States celebrated Veterans Day and Australia honored Remembrance Day.

On Remembrance Day in Australia and Veterans Day in the U.S., we honor those we have lost and those who have served.

Alongside @CN_Australia, Ambassador Kennedy thanks the @Australian_Navy for discovering USS Edsall, sunk off the coast of Australia during WWII. Lest We Forget. pic.twitter.com/haklYuHwQo— U.S. Embassy Australia (@USEmbAustralia) November 11, 2024

"Captain Joshua Nix and his crew fought valiantly, evading 1,400 shells from Japanese battleships and cruisers before being attacked by 26 carrier dive bombers, taking one fatal hit. There were no survivors," U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy said in a statement Monday as she commemorated the servicemen.

Nix's evasive actions to try to save the ship also were commended by the Japanese who said the Edsall performed like a "Japanese dancing mouse," an animal known for its erratic movements.

The Edsall, which was commissioned in 1919, was traveling alone south of Java in 1942, when it encountered the Japanese battleships. The Edsall had been escorting convoys between Australia and Indonesia.

While most of the ship's crew were lost in the sinking, it was revealed during war crimes trials that several survivors were picked up by the Japanese fleet and later executed.

"On behalf of the U.S. Navy, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Royal Australian Navy for locating the final resting place of the destroyer USS Edsall, lost in a valiant battle against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early days of World War II," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti wrote in a statement.

"The commanding officer of Edsall lived up to the U.S. Navy tenet, 'Don't give up the ship,' even when faced with overwhelming odds," Franchetti added.

"The wreck of this ship is a hallowed site, serving as a marker for the 185 U.S. Navy personnel and 31 U.S. Army Air Force pilots aboard at the time, almost all of whom were lost when Edsall succumbed to her battle damage."

While the Australian Navy discovered the wreckage in 2023, there had been no confirmation that it was the USS Edsall. Its staff used "advanced robotic and autonomous systems normally used for hydrographic survey capabilities to locate the USS Edsall on the seabed," according to Chief of Navy, Vice Adm. Mark Hammond.

"This Remembrance Day I am honored to acknowledge the role of the Royal Australian Navy in the discovery of the wreck of USS Edsall, a warship that holds a special place in our naval history," Hammond said.

"As we reflect on the legacy of the USS Edsall, we honor the sailors who faced tremendous challenges with bravery and determination. Their stories are an integral part of our shared maritime history and commitment to service," Hammond added.

"We honor their families and hope this discovery will be a reminder of the enduring respect and appreciation we have for their loved ones."

U.S., Finland and Canada agree to icebreaker collaboration pact

The Coast Guard Cutter Healy breaks ice for the first time in 1999 and soon might be joined by world-class icebreakers after U.S., Canadian and Finish leaders agreed to the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort Pact. Photo by U.S. Coast Guard

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Political leaders in the United States, Finland and Canada announced Wednesday that the three nations will build world-class icebreakers for the Arctic and polar waters.

President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finland President Alexander Stubb agreed to the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort Pact in a memorandum of understanding.

"We have embarked on a transformative partnership that strengthens our ability to uphold international rules and maintain security in the Arctic and Antarctic regions," the three leaders said in a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Biden, Trudeau and Stubb initially agreed to the ICE Pact during a NATO Summit in Washington in July and formalized the agreement with the memo of understanding.

"By jointly developing and producing world-class Arctic and polar icebreakers, we are laying the foundation for a resilient and competitive shipbuilding industry capable of meeting both national and global demand for these critical assets," the leaders said.

They said the agreement "underscores our collective commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the Arctic and polar regions."

Building icebreakers faster and on a larger scale while combining resources helps to lower costs to build the specialty vessels.

The pact says the three nations will work together to share information, knowledge and resources to design and build world-class icebreakers to keep shipping lanes open in the Earth's polar regions.

The agreement also provides for enhanced exchange of information, workforce development and greater engagement among allies and their partners, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The pact further supports greater research and development of world-class icebreakers while supporting high-quality manufacturing jobs in the maritime infrastructure industry, according to the DHS.

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Florida schools pull more than 700 books from libraries for 2023-24 academic year


More than 700 books were removed from Florida school library shelves for the 2023-24 school year, according to the state Department of Education. But the department claims no books are banned. PEN America says book ban efforts have also targeted public libraries, calling it "an effort to impose ideological control on the bounds of culture." A banned books display is seen at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, California Sept.22, 2022. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- More than 700 books were removed from Florida school library shelves for the 2023-24 school year, according to the state Department of Education.

The total is nearly two times the 400 books removed from Florida schools in the prior school year.

The state Department of Education claims the books taken off school library shelves by complaints from a parent, a student or county residents are not book bans.

"There are no books banned in Florida and sexually explicit materials do not belong in schools," the Florida Department of Education said in a statement cited by local outlet WUWF. "Once again, far left activist groups are pushing the book ban hoax on Floridians."

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According to Florida Freedom to Read's Stephana Ferrell, the practice does indeed amount to a ban and the list of banned books in Florida schools is growing.

"And right now, what's happening is one or two loud people in a particular district can dictate for all what is available, and it runs against, again, what a majority of parents are telling their school districts they want," Ferrell said.

She added that among the many books removed from Florida schools are classic literature and literature regularly used in advanced placement exams that prepare students for college-level coursework.

Publishers, authors and Florida school district residents have filed suit against the book bans, alleging First Amendment violations caused by what they call "a regime of strict censorship" in schools.

Removals vary by school district with some districts not pulling any from the shelves while some saw more than 100 removed.

Books that were removed from shelves in various Florida districts include Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, 1984 the Graphic Novel by George Orwell/Adapted by Fido Nesti and the graphic adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary by Ari Folman.

The removed books also include Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Sophie's Choice by William Styron and Toni Morrison's Song of Soloman.

Among the books banned in Florida schools is The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Ayn Rand's Fountainhead and several titles by Stephen King.

According to PEN America, 10,046 books were banned from schools across the United States for the 2023-24 academic year.

PEN America says book ban efforts have also targeted public libraries as those who want to ban the books have tried to use municipal governments and statehouses to limit what Americans can read.

"Taken all together, this is hardly a narrow effort to constrain access to books by young people; it's an effort to impose ideological control on the bounds of culture," said Jonathan Friedman, Director of PEN America's U.S. Free Expression Program."

Staff of publisher Hachette issues open letter to protest new conservative book imprint


Hachette staff were critical of the launch of the book imprint “Basic Liberty” and hiring of publisher Thomas Spence, who is a visiting fellow at the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation which is a right-wing Washington think-tank that organized the controversial Project 2025 initiative poised to reshape the U.S. government and strip certain Americans of legal rights. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A team of U.S. employees at Hachette Book Group wrote an open letter to management to protest a new conservative book imprint created in wake of last week's Donald Trump victory headed by a known far-right publisher, and called on Hachette to reconsider its choice.

The anonymous group criticized launching the book imprint, Basic Liberty, and the hiring of conservative book publishing outlet Regnery's ex-president and publisher Thomas Spence

Spence is a visiting fellow at the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, which is a right-wing Washington think-tank that organized the controversial Project 2025 initiative poised to reshape the U.S. government and strip certain Americans of legal rights.

In addition, a U.S.-based editor at one of Hachette's British divisions also resigned citing the launch.

"As employees of HBG, we stand together in firm disapprobation of the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025, and any conservative movement or thought that strips away sacred rights and the humanity of people," read part of the letter posted to the xoxopublishingg Instagram account.

It assed that the crew "disavowed" HBG and Hachette UK CEO David Shelley's "unsympathetic and insensitive remarks."

The global publisher Hachette Book Group -- that has a specialty in conservative book publishing -- launched its new U.S. imprint in the wake of Trump's election victory last Tuesday.

"The dignity, rights and freedoms of all people should be upheld by everyone, especially those in positions of power," the Hachette employees wrote.

On Nov. 7, Shelley announced its Basic Books Group will add "Basic Liberty" into its portfolio, characterized as a "new conservative imprint that will publish serious works of cultural, social and political analysis by conservative writers of original thought," he said.

He also announced Spence as executive editor of the Basic Liberty imprint.

"We condemn HBG's decision to put profit before its own people, to let the promise of financial gain overtake morality and conscience, and to platform a person who contributes to the advancement of the Heritage Foundation's vision for America," the letter continued.

On Friday, in a statement on social media, Alex DiFrancesco -- the U.S.-based editor who stepped down at Jessica Kingsley Publishers, a division of Hachette -- wrote how the books its division publishes as "of great importance toward the project of making the world better, more understanding and more compassionate."

"I have felt, in these two and a half years, that not only our division, but the wider company stood behind such work," DiFrancesco wrote. "After the announcement about the formation of Basic Books' Liberty imprint, I can no longer say I feel this way."

However, the mission of Hachette Book Group, an HBG spokesperson told The Bookseller, is to "reach a broad spectrum of readers by making it easier for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity. We publish books from all sides of the political debate."

"Since 1950, Basic Books' award-winning titles have helped shape public debate through the academic expertise of their authors, the serious approach to how subject matter is treated, and the rigor of its editorial process," HBG said, adding that it "continues to build on HBG's legacy of reaching readers of all backgrounds and beliefs."

Its employees say they call on HBG "to recognize the responsibility it has as one of the world's leading publishers," which the group said is to act "with empathy and compassion for all people, urging those in charge to "reevaluate" the decision to move forward with creating Basic Liberty and hiring of Spence.

11 hospitalized after explosion at Louisville food-coloring factory

Nov. 12 (UPI) -- An explosion at a food-coloring factory Tuesday in Louisville, Ky., hospitalized at least 11, including two in critical condition.

The explosion occurred at the Givaudan Sense Colour's factory at 1901 Payne St. in Louisville at about 3 p.m. EST and caused part of the factory's roof to collapse.

Seven of the 11 injured workers are undergoing treatment at University of Louisville Hospital, where two are in critical condition and five are in stable condition.

The workers suffered burns and trauma injuries from the blast and falling debris. Several being treated were decontaminated due to exposure to different types of chemicals.

Many workers initially were listed as missing and trapped inside the building, but Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said all workers and managers are accounted for and no fatalities occurred.

Local officials issued a shelter-in-place order for residences and commercial properties located within a mile of the factory in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood after the explosion occurred but lifted the order at 4:39 p.m.

The factory is located in a mostly residential area, and the explosion damaged many windows on properties in the area.

A local weather camera located some distance from the factory recorded the explosion, and the video shows a spark followed by thick smoke filling the air, WAVE reported.

Part of the factory collapsed due to the explosion, the cause of which is under investigation. Some have suggested an ammonia leak at the food-coloring plant could be to blame.

The Louisville Fire Department confirmed an ammonia leak was detected and many people in the area said they smelled ammonia, WLKY reported.

Ammonia can be very flammable and explode when it leaks and collects inside a closed space, according to the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

A leaking liquid ammonia tank caused an explosion at a peanut oil processing plant and the release of a toxic cloud in Dakar, Senegal, that killed 129 and injured 1,150 in 1992

How China’s censorship machine worked to block news of deadly attack


By AFP
November 13, 2024

It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died

 - Copyright AFP Hector RETAMAL

Mary YANG

At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man ploughed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports centre in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night.

Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries”.

It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years.

Here AFP looks at how China jumps into action to block information it does not want shared:


– Social media scrub –

China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed sensitive to be removed — sometimes within minutes.

On X-like social media platform Weibo, videos and photos showing the bloody moments after the incident late Monday night were swiftly deleted.

Videos of the aftermath posted to Xiaohongshu, China’s equivalent to Instagram, were also taken down.


– 24-hour delay –

Chinese officials did not reveal that dozens had died until almost 24 hours after the attack, with state media reporting the 35 deaths shortly after 6:30 pm on Tuesday.

Soon after, the hashtag “Man in Zhuhai rammed the crowd causing 35 deaths” jumped to the No. 1 trending topic on Weibo and reached 69 million views within an hour.

The fatal crash happened on the eve of China’s largest airshow, taking place in the same city, a showpiece event promoted for weeks by the country’s tightly controlled state media operation.


– State narrative –

State media in China also acts as a government mouthpiece.

The state-backed newspaper Global Times on Wednesday morning published a short story on the “car ramming case” on page 3 — a stark contrast to the front page feature on fighter jets at the airshow nearby.

The Communist Party’s People’s Daily included Chinese President Xi Jinping’s instructions to treat injured residents and punish the perpetrator in a short block of text on its front page.

State broadcaster CCTV’s flagship evening news programme, Xinwen Lianbo, on Tuesday spent about a minute and a half on Xi’s directive to “treat those injured” during the 30-minute show, but shared no footage from the city.

– ‘Order from the top’ –

AFP reporters on the scene in Zhuhai late Tuesday night saw delivery drivers placing online orders of flower bouquets beside flickering candles to commemorate the victims.

But just a few hours later, cleaning staff cleared away the memorial, with some telling AFP they were acting on an “order from the top”.

A handful of people at the site were blocked from taking videos by a police car and security guards shouting: “No filming!”

– Long history –

China has a long history of clamping down on the spread of information, sometimes leading to costly delays in response.

Authorities in 2008 worked to stifle news of contaminated milk that poisoned about 300,000 children — days before the start of the Beijing Olympics.

The Chinese government that year also restricted foreign media access when protests broke out after an earthquake in southwest Sichuan province killed an estimated 70,000 people.

And Chinese censors delayed an early response to Covid-19, penalising local health officials who warned of a fast-spreading coronavirus.

35 dead, 43 injured in vehicle attack at sports center in China



Nov. 12, 2024 

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a 62-year-old driver to be "severely punished in accordance with the law" after crashing his vehicle into a crowd of people at a sports center in Zhuhai, killing 35 people and injuring 43 others. File Photo by Gianluigi Guercia/UPI | License Photo



Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A man drove a vehicle into a crowd at a sports center in Zhuhai, China, killing 35 people and injuring 43 others, police said.

The Zhuhai Municipal Public Security Bureau said in a statement that the "serious and vicious" attack Monday evening appeared to be deliberate on the part of the 62-year-old driver.

The driver, identified by the surname Fan, was detained at the scene, but was comatose due to a self-inflicted knife wound to the neck, police said.

A preliminary investigation found Fan was angry about the division of assets from his divorce, the statement said.

Investigators determined Fan, driving a small off-road vehicle, had crashed through a gate at the sports center and steered into a crowd of people who were exercising.

State-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Tuesday for Fan to be "severely punished in accordance with the law."

The attack took place on the eve of the annual Zhuhai airshow, which featured the debut of China's J-35A stealth fighter jet.

The incident is the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting civilians.

At least 11 people were killed in September when a bus crashed into a group of students and parents outside a school in Shandong, and that same month a 10-year-old boy on his way to a Japanese school in Shenzhen was fatally stabbed by a Chinese man.

Three people were killed and 15 injured in a knife attack at a Shanghai supermarket in an October incident on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Victor Shih, an expert on Chinese politics at the University of California, San Diego, said tensions are high in the country as a result of economic factors.

"When domestic demand is so weak and the largest property bubble the world has ever seen has popped, the wealth of the vast majority of households is shrinking and that will inevitably cause a lot of social tensions," Shih told The New York Times.

Judge blocks Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools


On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John deGravelles issued an order giving an injunction to temporarily stop its enforcement setting the stage for a likely U.S. Supreme Court battle while the judicial proceedings play out, and further ordered Louisiana’s attorney general to inform the state’s schools. File photo by Michael Kleinfeld/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A federal judge on Tuesday blocked a Louisiana requiring the Bible's Ten Commandments to be displayed in the state's publicly-funded schools.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John deGravelles issued an order granting a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop its enforcement, setting the stage for a potential U.S. Supreme Court battle while the judicial proceedings play out.

He wrote that the law is "facially unconstitutional" and "in all applications" that will "irreparably harm."

Gov. Jeff Landry signed House Bill 71 into law after state lawmakers approved the measure, making Louisana the first state in the country to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in public elementary, high school and state-funded universities.

It required the biblical inscriptions to be displayed in "large, easily readable font" inside classrooms by the start of 2025.

In addition to blocking the law, deGravelles, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, further ordered Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill to "provide notice to all schools that the Act has been found unconstitutional."

Previously, Murrill had dismissed prior testimony by a professor of law, history and religious studies at Oregon's Willamette University who told the court America's Founding Father's were advocates of a separation of church and state and the law was not "at the core of the U.S. government and its founding."

"This law, I believe, is constitutional, and we've illustrated it in numerous ways that the law is constitutional. We've shown that in our briefs by creating a number of posters," Murrill had told reporters as she complained about the relevancy of that testimony.

Landry told parents against the law to "tell your child not to look at" the Ten Commandments, with Murrill agreeing.

"Again, you don't have to like the posters," Murrill said. "The point is you can make posters that comply with the Constitution."

The suit seeking to block the law was promoted by a broad coalition of parents of Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious faiths with the American Civil Liberties Union and its Louisiana chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

The group contends the law "substantially interferes with and burdens" a parent's First Amendment right to raise children with a religious doctrine of their own choosing.

The law, "sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments ... do not belong in their own school community and should refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences," according to the complaint.

Heather L. Weaver, senior staff attorney for the ACLU's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said Tuesday's ruling should "serve as a reality check for Louisiana lawmakers who want to use public schools to convert children to their preferred brand of Christianity."

"Public schools are not Sunday schools, and today's decision ensures that our clients' classrooms will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed," Louisiana is the first state to require the Ten Commandments in schools since a 1980 Supreme Court ruling struck down a similar law in Kentucky which blurred the line between the intended separation of church and state.

Meanwhile, other states like Texas and Tennessee have been actively considering similar laws. And a similar lawsuit in Oklahoma is ongoing.

The Louisiana law had the support of President-elect Donald Trump who said after it was initially passed, 

"I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT -- HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG???" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform when the bill was signed into law.

"THIS MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST MAJOR STEP IN THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED, IN OUR COUNTRY."