Yet More History, And Today

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Tours (a.k.a. Battle of Poitiers) in which the Franks, led by their king Charles, defeated the invading Saracens, who already had control of the Iberian peninsula.  The victorious monarch would later be known as Charles Martel, the title meaning "hammer".  A grandson of his would also be named Charles and be known as Charlemagne ("Charles the Great").  His life, of course, is another story.

Since I've occasionally written about Jan Sobieski, the Polish king who drove the Turks away from Vienna in 1683, it's only fair that I also acknowledge the deeds of Charles Martel.  For one thing, the Battle of Tours took place in 732, about 950 years before the Siege of Vienna.  It's hard to say if back then, the country of France as we know it even really existed.  There seems to have been several kingdoms co-existing in that general region, such as Neustria and Austrasia.  But in any event, I have Jan and Charles to thank for being a speaker of English who knows a bit of French and Polish, instead of a speaker of Arabic who knows a little Turkish.

In today's news:

From Speisa, 27 percent of London's people live in poverty.

From The Local ES, here are some possible consequences if Catalonia declares independence.

From Breitbart London, Spanish police have been deployed to Catalonia in preparation for the possible declaration.

From the Mirror, Catalan leader Charles Puigdemont says that Catalonia has the right to become independent, but will hold off on a formal declaration.

From The Local SE, despite protests, Sweden deports rejected asylum seekers.

From Russia Today, the U.K. Parliament will debate devolving more powers to the Yorkshire regional government, and millions of French workers go on strike to protest President Macron's labor reforms.

From The Local FR, why the French public sector "has so many gripes with Macron".

From the Express, and speaking of both Macron and Catalonia, Catalan MEP Alfred Bosch tells Macron that France can't expel a newly independent Catalonia from the E.U.  (If there is a new independent Catalonia, that is.)

From Reuters, Swiss police detain two Tunisians in connection with the Marseille knife attack.  (via Fox News)

From the Daily Mail, a Syrian refugee suspected of sexually assaulting six women uses PTSD as an excuse.

From Business Insider, the E.U. plans to delay Brexit negotiations.

From The Old Continent, Ireland commemorates a racist mass murderer with a stamp.

From Euronews, France will send teams to Niger and Chad to bring back refugees.

From Sputnik International, how can Germany deal with the 10,000 Salafists among their population?  (How many of them, I wonder, were among the migrants they allowed in during the past few years?)

From the Los Angeles Times, as Vice President Pence visits California, he says that President Trump has approved a "major disaster declaration" for the state.

From The New Yorker, three women have accused Harvey Weinstein of rape.  (via HotAir)

From The Pueblo Chieftain, for Hollywood, Weinstein's downfall is "a moment of reckoning".  (again, via HotAir)

From FrontpageMag, why the media have covered for Weinstein.

From Breitbart Texas, ICE deports to El Salvador a man wanted for multiple homicide.

From DailyWorld, Bangla Desh police detain members of an Islamist party.

And from Encore, "news of the weird".