Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Year: 2025

German mayor-elect gravely wounded in stabbing attack

German mayor-elect gravely wounded in stabbing attack

Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemns ‘heinous attack’ after Iris Stalzer, mayor-elect of Herdecke, stabbed. Published On 7 Oct 20257 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A newly elected mayor in western Germany has been critically injured in a stabbing attack, according to German media reports. Iris Stalzer, the 57-year-old mayor-elect of the North Rhine-Westphalia town of Herdecke, was stabbed in front of her home about noon (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday, leaving her with life-threatening injuries, Germany’s WDR broadcaster reported, quoting local police. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the “heinous attack” and called for a swift investigation. “We fear for the life of the designated mayor, Iris Stalzer, and hope for her full recovery,” he wrote in a post on X. According to WDR, Stalzer was repeatedly stabbed before managing to haul herself inside her home, where her children called rescue services. After finding Stalzer severely injured, rescue workers sent her to a hospital on a helicopter, according to Germany’s Deutsche Welle broadcaster. Stalzer’s teenage son told authorities his mother had been attacked by several men, Germany’s Bild newspaper reported. Further details about the attack or potential motives were not immediately clear. Stalzer, a member of the centre-left Social Democratic Party, was elected mayor of the town of 22,000 people in the eastern Ruhr area on September 28. The attack came after a regionwide campaign that politicians in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s largest state, described as unusually hostile. A recent study found 60 percent of politicians in Germany had experienced violence at least once, with one in five saying it had made them more reluctant to appear in public. Advertisement In 2019, a conservative district government president in the state of Hesse, Walter Luebcke, a supporter of then-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policy, was shot dead by a far-right activist on his home terrace. Four years before that, Henriette Reker was stabbed by a man with anti-immigration views the day before being elected mayor of Cologne. She made a full recovery and is due to leave office later this year. Adblock test (Why?)

Italy-Israel World Cup tie faces security concerns amid protests

Italy-Israel World Cup tie faces security concerns amid protests

Italy host Israel in a World Cup qualifier on October 14, in Udine where the stadium only holds 6,000 spectators. Published On 7 Oct 20257 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Israel’s World Cup qualifying match in Italy next week is expected to attract more pro-Palestinian protesters outside the football stadium in Udine than ticket-holding spectators inside the arena. Protesters already approached the gates of Italy’s training centre in Florence last week to demand that the match not be played because of the war in Gaza — part of a national strike that saw millions of activists take to the streets. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “It’s not going to be a calm environment,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso acknowledged Tuesday from inside the Coverciano training centre that was targeted. “There will be 10,000 people outside the stadium and 5-6,000 inside the stadium.” As of Monday, only 4,000 tickets were sold for next Tuesday’s match at Stadio Friuli. While UEFA had been considering suspending Israel over the war and Udine Mayor Alberto Felice De Toni had called for the game to be postponed, with Italy desperately attempting to avoid failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, the four-time champion team doesn’t plan to risk not playing. “We have to play this match. Because if we don’t, we’ll lose it 3-0,” Gattuso said, referring to the rule for forfeited matches. “[Italian Football Federation] president [Gabriele] Gravina explained that very well.” There was also tension on the field between the two squads after the final whistle when Italy edged Israel 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller last month in neutral Hungary — where Israel has been playing its “home” matches during the war. The protesters in Italy and elsewhere have also been reacting to an international aid mission blocked by Israeli forces. Advertisement “It’s upsetting to see what’s happening to innocent people and children,” Gattuso said. “It hurts your heart.” Italy and Israel are level six points behind group leader Norway, with only the first-place finisher in the group to qualify directly for next year’s tournament in North America. The second-place finishers progress to a playoff — the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively. “Considering that we’re trying to get to the World Cup and we need to give our absolute all, I’m sure you can understand that I would have preferred to play a home game with the enthusiasm that we saw in Bergamo a month ago,” Gattuso said, referring to a 5-0 win over Estonia. Israel could also face protests during a visit to Norway on Saturday. The Norwegian soccer federation pledged to give its profits from ticket sales for the game in Oslo to humanitarian work in Gaza by Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym, MSF). Italy played Israel in Udine last October in the Nations League. That game went off without incident amid a heavy police presence and despite a pro-Palestinian demonstration before the game. Italy won 4-1. The Italian Football Coaches’ Association (AIAC) wrote to the Italian Football Federation in August, in a letter to be forwarded to European and world football’s governing bodies, calling for Israel to be suspended from international competition due to its war on Gaza. Adblock test (Why?)