#77: LONDON MAYOR'S OFFICE SAID WHITE FAMILIES DON'T REPRESENT "REAL LONDONERS"
Massive fire at electric vehicle battery recycling plant + French mayor assaulted for trying to stop migrant caravan + Austria promotes tattooed public transit passes + MORE!
MAYOR OF LONDON UNDER FIRE FOR WEBSITE THAT SAID WHITE FAMILIES ARE NOT “REAL LONDONERS”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is under fire after a guide associated with him and the Greater London Authority depicted a white family and wrote that they do “not represent real Londoners.”
According to the UK outlet Independent, the guide was titled “A City for All Londoners.”
It showed a white couple with their children and directed that such pictures not be used in advertising because it “Doesn’t represent real Londoners.”
Accoridng to Khan the caption was added “in error” and did not reflect his city’s views.
“The document has now been taken off the GLA website and is being reviewed to ensure the language and guidance is appropriate,” said Khan’s spokersperson.
Mayoral rival Tory Suzan Hall blasted Khan over the messaging.
“All Londoners are real Londoners, no matter their ethnicity, and Sadiq Khan needs to apologize and stop these desperate, politically-motivated attempts to divide people,” said Hall.
HUGE FIRE AT ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY RECYCLING PLANT
A massive fire broke out at a recycling company in Offenbach, Germany on Monday night, where 70 tons of batteries and accumulators were stored.
The blaze was so intense that it created a huge plume of smoke that could be seen from far away. It took 350 firefighters until 4 a.m. to put out the fire.
The situation is still not completely under control, as the batteries and accumulators can re-ignite due to their chemical reactions. A fire watch is monitoring the site with thermal imaging cameras to detect any hot spots. T
he batteries and accumulators will also have to be submerged in water for several days to stop their reactions completely. The fire department said that the smoke did not pose any health risks, as the pollutant measurements were negative.
However, some residents reported symptoms such as burning eyes, scratchy throats and a strong smell. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This incident raises questions about the environmental impact of battery recycling, which is supposed to reduce waste and save resources.
FRENCH MAYOR ASSAULTED FOR TRYING TO STOP MIGRANT CARAVAN
On Saturday, August 19, a shocking incident took place in L'Houmeau, France.
Mayor Jean-Luc Algay, was brutally beaten by a group of people who wanted to install their caravans in the municipal stadium.
According to his assistant, Aurélie Crouzeau, who witnessed the scene, around 20 caravans arrived in the town at 1 p.m. and headed towards the stadium.
One of them broke a barrier to enter the premises. Crouzeau confronted them and told them that they had to leave and go to another area designated for caravans.
She said that they threatened to run her over and that some of them were filming her.
The mayor arrived shortly after and tried to intervene. He was then attacked by a man who punched him several times in the face and chest.
“I told them that I would not move. They answered me, especially women and children, that they were going to crush me,” said Algay.
“He hit me first in the face, then in the chest. I felt blows raining down. I couldn't catch my breath. There were two or three of them filming my attack.”
He was taken to the hospital by firefighters and suffered a cracked rib and a severe psychological shock. He was given 12 days of rest.
The gendarmes of Nieul-sur-Mer are investigating the case and have taken the mayor's complaint. They are looking for the attackers and the videos of the assault.
AUSTRIAN CLIMATE MINISTER PROMOTES TATTOOED PUBLIC TRANSIT PASS
As part of it’s “KlimaTicket” initiative to encourage climate-friendly public transit use, Austrian Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler encouraged people to get the transit pass tattooed on their skin to avoid paying the 1,095 euro fee.
The company One Mobility GmbH had a booth advertising an opportunity to get a permanent tattoo of the KlimaTicket to attendants at the Electric Love Festival.
According to the official website, the KlimaTicket is a life-long transit pass for all of Austria’s rail and bus systems.
“The KlimaTicket Ö is more than just your ticket for all public transport. It is also the ticket with which we aim to reach the Paris climate goals together. Public transport is the climate-friendly alternative to motorized individual transport,” explains the website.
In support of the tattooing initiative, Minister Gewessler attended the booth and received a washable kid-friendly version of the tattoo.
SAUDI ARABIA ACCUSED OF KILLING HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS ALONG YEMEN’S BORDER
A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) claims that Saudi Arabian border guards have killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers on the border with Yemen in the past year.
The report, titled "They Fired on Us Like Rain", alleges that the border guards used explosive weapons and shot women and children at close range.
HRW interviewed dozens of survivors, witnesses, and relatives of the victims, who described horrific scenes of violence and abuse.
Some said they saw bodies of migrants piled up along the border fence, or floating in the river that separates the two countries. Others said they were beaten, robbed, or detained by Saudi forces or allied militias.
The BBC also spoke to some of the migrants, who confirmed HRW's findings. One of them, a 16-year-old boy named Abdi, said he was shot in the leg as he tried to cross the border with his friends. He said he saw many people die, including women and children.
The Saudi authorities have denied the allegations, calling them "unfounded and without credible sources.”
