An Arizona judge declared a mistrial in the murder trial of the rancher George Alan Kelly for shooting and killing a Mexican migrant on his property near the border. One juror who refused to acquit Mr. Kelly was the lone holdout, according to Mr. Kelly’s defense team.
In other news, Hezbollah says it has launched drone attacks from Lebanon on Israeli bases north of the city of Acre in retaliation for the killing of one of its fighters, the deepest such attack into Israeli territory since the Gaza war began.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, McN, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Biden’s America: 40% of Renters Think They’ll Never Own a Home, Up From 27% Last Year
Bidenomics 101: the American dream of owning a home has become the American nightmare for almost half the US population.
As housing specialist Redfin reports, rising home prices and mortgage rates “are making it harder to believe in the American dream of homeownership. Lack of affordability is the most commonly cited reason renters don’t believe they’ll ever own a home.”
The details are dire: Nearly two in five (38%) U.S. renters don’t believe they’ll ever own a home, up from roughly one-quarter (27%) less than a year ago.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Parliament Approves Revision of EU Debt Rules
The European Parliament approved the revision of EU debt rules in Strasbourg, according to Kurier. Key points include national plans to reduce debt and clear goals for debt reduction.
Austrian Members of the European Parliament expressed some concerns beforehand and mostly voted against it: Only members of the ÖVP and NEOS supported the reform, while the SPÖ abstained and the FPÖ and the Greens voted against it.
The rules for debt reduction in the EU have been temporarily relaxed due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict. The reform sparked controversy within EU states: While countries like Austria, Germany, and Nordic states pushed for stricter rules, southern states demanded more flexibility and exceptions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rejected as ‘rubbish’ the idea a Labor government policy would drive up inflation during a cost of living crisis. His chief critic is a woman he appointed six months ago.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
S&P Puts San Francisco on Negative Outlook, Cites Slow Recovery
S&P Global Ratings changed its outlook for San Francisco’s outstanding bonds from stable to negative, citing the slow recovery in the city and county.
S&P Global Ratings, one of the Big Three credit-rating agencies, revised its outlook to negative from stable on the San Francisco City and County outstanding general obligation debt.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Newly unsealed documents in Donald Trump’s classified documents case reveal that the Biden White House colluded with the National Archives (NARA) and the FBI to concoct a case against the former president.
Journalist Julie Kelly has been all over this:
NEW: Thanks to order by Judge Cannon, key evidence related to classified docs case is now unredacted. On the left: What DOJ/Jack Smith wanted to conceal. On the right: Now we know why. More proof of collaboration btw Biden White House and NARA to concoct a case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A George Soros-backed progressive group behind many of California’s soft-on-crime reforms has launched a fundraising effort against a potential November voter referendum to restore tougher criminal penalties for theft and drug offenses—even as Golden State voters increasingly disapprove of their state’s lax approach to criminal justice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Baltimore Says Who Should be Held Responsible for Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse in New Filing
The city of Baltimore said the owners of the Dali cargo ship should be held accountable in last month’s crash and subsequent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to a new court filing. The crash left six people who were working on the bridge at the time of the collapse dead.
In court papers filed on Monday, Baltimore is accusing parent company, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., of gross and potentially criminal negligence when it put an “unseaworthy vessel” into the water on March 26, just moments before it crashed into a structure supporting the bridge and causing it to topple, ABC News reported.
The city said the water transportation services company should be held fully liable for the collapse.
“For all intents and purposes, Petitioner’s negligence caused them to destroy the Key Bridge, and single-handedly destroy the Port of Baltimore, a source of jobs, municipal revenue and no small amount of pride for the city of Baltimore and its residents,” the city’s filing reads.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Black Immigrant-Stock Commissar/Judge Abena Darkeh Declares 2nd Amendment Repealed
Over at RedState, columnist Jeff Charles has come with a new example of the bizarre specimens to be found in the New York Judiciary.
His post NYC Man Convicted Over Gunsmithing Hobby After Judge Says 2nd Amendment ‘Doesn’t Exist in This Courtroom’ [April 22, 2024] deals with an apparently very talented black man, Dexter Taylor, a software engineer who took up gunsmithing as a hobby.
An earlier Jeff Charles report on this case says:
Taylor was not suspected or charged with any violent offenses and has a clean criminal record. Nevertheless, he is facing 18 years in prison.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Tennessee Passes Bill Letting Teachers Carry Guns at Schools
The Tennessee legislature passed a bill on Tuesday that will allow teachers to carry concealed guns on school grounds, the idea being that they can protect students and themselves from mass shooters. The bill passed in a 68 to 28 vote.
Protesters filled the gallery at the state house, perhaps some of the same ones who protested for trans rights after trans school shooter Audrey Hale massacred three children and three staff members at the Covenant School just one year ago. Protests have been the norm for this bill, and some students skipped school to protest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cal Poly Humboldt Closes Campus as Gaza Camp Takes Over Main Hall
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt has announced that campus will be closed until at least Wednesday amid ongoing anti-Israel protests where students have created a Gaza Camp in the mail hall.
The decision was made as demonstrators refused to leave a building they were occupying despite efforts from riot police to clear the scene.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chaos Erupts as Climate Protesters Storm Murkowski Speech, Bodies Sent Flying Off Stage
A group of leftist climate protesters stormed the stage during a speech by Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), causing chaos to erupt.
Protesters from climate activist group Climate Defiance disrupted Murkowski’s speech at the Bryce Harlow Foundation gala and awards dinner on Thursday.
Video of the incident has now emerged online and shows several people tumbling off the stage during the scuffle that ensued.
The chaos was captured on video and Climate Defiance posted it on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Closing Arguments Begin in Trial of Two Accused in 2021 ‘Antifa Riot’ in Pacific Beach
Closing arguments began Monday in the trial of two men described as anti-fascists, who prosecutors allege took part in a plan to violently attack attendees of a far right “Patriot March” in Pacific Beach on Jan. 9, 2021.
Brian Cortez Lightfoot, 27, and Jeremy Jonathan White, 41, both from the Los Angeles area, face charges including conspiracy to commit a riot and assault for allegedly attacking several people at the Jan. 9, 2021, demonstration that devolved into brawls and violence.
Nine other people charged by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office have pleaded guilty to various charges and some have been sentenced to prison.
Prosecutors allege that while uniting under the banner of “antifa” (a contraction of the term anti-fascists), the men and their co-defendants sought to take violent action against far-right Patriot March attendees, and proceeded to pepper spray, beat, and shock them with Tasers.
Defense attorneys for both men argue their clients reacted in self— defense to threats from armed members of the far-right contingent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Club Rat’ Director Eva Evans Dies Suddenly at 29
Eva Evans, the 29-year-old director of the Prime Video series “Club Rat,” has died suddenly, according to her family.
Evans’ sister Lila Joy announced the young woman’s death Sunday on Instagram.
“Yesterday my family received news that our sweet, fabulous, creative, caring, hilarious Eva, my beautiful sister, has died,” she said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., sent a scathing letter to top Biden officials about the ongoing anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, demanding federal intervention to protect Jewish students.
In a letter dated Tuesday, Stefanik wrote to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The New York congresswoman did not mince words when describing the disarray caused by the anti-Israel protests at the New York City Ivy League institution, threatening Jewish students and faculty.
Classes at Columbia will be entirely virtual for the rest of the semester due to the protesters “taking over” the campus. New York City Mayor Eric Adams blamed “outside agitators” for fanning the flames during a press conference Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Columbia University Responds After Robert Kraft Says He’s Pulling Support Over Antisemitic Violence
Columbia University has told FOX Business on Tuesday that it is “grateful” for Robert Kraft’s “years of generosity and service” after the New England Patriots team owner announced he is pulling financial support to his alma mater over the antisemitic protests unfolding there.
On Monday, Kraft, through a statement released by his philanthropic organization Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, said he is “deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus and throughout our country” and that he is no longer “comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken.”
When asked to respond to his remarks Tuesday, a Columbia spokesperson told FOX Business that “Columbia is grateful to Mr. Kraft for his years of generosity and service to Columbia.”
“This is a time of crisis for many members of our community and we are focused on providing the support they need while keeping our campus safe,” the spokesperson added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Facebook Interfered With U.S. Elections Almost 40 Times Since 2008: Study
Facebook has interfered with U.S. elections almost 40 times since 2008, according to a study conducted by the Media Research Center.
Among the group’s findings are Facebook censuring 2024 presidential candidates, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and 2022 Senate and House candidates on their platform. For example, the company removed Virginia gubernatorial candidate Amanda Chase’s account. The company also “shuttered political advertising one week before the election” in 2020, according to the MRC’s analysis.
In addition, MRC said there were at least 3 times when Facebook leadership publicly voiced support for online free speech but took a different path afterward.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Produces Tennessee’s Covenant School Shooter Manifesto and Other Writings
The FBI has turned over writings from the Covenant school shooter to a federal judge, including the killer’s manifesto, which will be read privately by the judge.
Star News Digital Media Inc., the parent company of The Tennessee Star, sued the FBI in May claiming the bureau had violated the First Amendment by rejecting multiple Freedom of Information Act requests for the Covenant School shooter’s manifesto.
U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger sided with the Tennessee Star last month, in seeking the manifesto, and other relevant written documents from shooter Audrey Hale, who killed three students and three faculty members in the Nashville school shooting.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fed Up With Traffic-Blocking Protests, California Dems Back GOP Bill to Double Fines
Some California Democrats are fed up with recent anti-Israel protests in the state, and a Republican-led bill would double fines for protesters who block major roads and stop emergency vehicles. is supported.
Politico reported A bill authored by Republican lawmakers passed a key committee vote on Monday at the Capitol with key support from four Democratic lawmakers who defied their committee chairs to advance the bill.
The article said the vote “suggests a schism among Democrats, who hold a majority in the state Legislature and have been riven by protests over the war that have disrupted major cities and universities.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Homeless Man Arrested After Allegedly Stabbing Elderly Woman to Death in Random Attack on LA Metro
A homeless man has been arrested and charged with murder in the stabbing an elderly woman on the Los Angeles metro in what has been described as a random and unprovoked attack Monday morning.
Elliot Tramel Nowden, 45, was taken into custody shortly after the woman, whose identity has not yet been released, succumbed to her injuries in a nearby hospital.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Indiana Man Accused of Shooting Neighbor Over Lawn Mowing Dispute Faces Charges: Police
Law enforcement in Central Indiana arrested a man they said shot his neighbor over the weekend after an altercation between the men involving mowing the grass.
The shooting took place in Browns Valley, an unincorporated community in Montgomery County about 55 miles northwest of Indianapolis, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Timothy Florence, 53, of Crawfordsville, was booked into jail on Sunday night, the sheriff’s office’s online records show.
Florence is charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery by means of a deadly weapon, and battery resulting in serious bodily injury, according to online Montgomery County Circuit Court records.
According to the sheriff’s office, just after 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday, deputies responded to Florence’s neighbor’s home for a report of a shooting.
The victim, Florence’s 55-year-old neighbor, was shot once with a handgun while riding his lawn mower, according to a press release from the sheriff.
First responders from several agencies arrived prior to police arrival to treat the victim, according to the release, who was taken by medical helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries.
His condition was listed as stable on Tuesday, officials said.
According to the release, Florence told deputies he was in fear of his life and shot Evans one time.
Deputies arrested Florence at the scene and said the shooting remained under investigation on Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Challenges Appeals Court Over Computer Monitoring Ban in January 6 Parole
A US federal judge — who imposed draconian surveillance measures against a man charged and later convicted and paroled in connection with the January 6 events — is clearly unimpressed by the ruling of a US Court of Appeals, that recently overturned his decision.
Senior District Judge Reggie Walton now wants the controversy officially revisited, so he scheduled a new hearing date for June 4 in a bid to make his original order for Daniel Goodwyn’s computer to be surveilled for “mis/disinformation” stick.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
McConnell Blames Tucker Carlson for Pulling Republicans Away From Supporting Ukraine Aid
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blasted former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, claiming he was part of the reason some Republicans have been hesitant to send more aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Carlson, who parted with Fox News last year, interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin in February. The two-hour interview was met with backlash from critics, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who claimed Carlson was too lenient in his questions for the Russian leader.
“I think the demonization of Ukraine began by Tucker Carlson, who in my opinion ended up where he should have been all along, which was interviewing Vladimir Putin,” McConnell said, according to The Hill. “He convinced a lot of rank-and-file Republicans that maybe this was a mistake.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MRC’s Bozell Seeks to Block Soros Radio Buy Up
Media Research Center (MRC) President Brent Bozell on Tuesday filed a formal petition with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to request that the agency not fast-track billionaire liberal George Soros’ attempt to take over Audacy, the second-largest radio company in the U.S. behind iHeart Media.
Soros and his Soros Fund Management (SFM) have pushed for the FCC to approve assignment applications to become the largest shareholder in Audacy, MRC said.
The acquisition of Audacy would give Soros 230 U.S. radio stations, including New York’s WFAN and 1010 WINS, as well as Los Angeles-based KROQ, per bankruptcy filings, the New York Post reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NFL Funded Left-Wing Group Bailing Out Anti-Israel Bridge Blockers
The left-wing nonprofit that bailed out anti-Israel protesters who blocked bridges and highways across the country last week was a multi-year partner of the NFL’s “Inspire Change program” whose work is still promoted on the NFL’s website.
Community Justice Exchange set up a “bail and legal defense fund” for those arrested during last week’s A15 protests. The protests targeted major airports, highways, and bridges in dozens of U.S. cities including San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia. Their explicit goal was to disrupt economic “choke points” to maximize financial disruption, as explained on their website.
The online fundraiser, hosted by ActBlue and organized in conjunction with A15 Action, told donors that the funds will “support community members who are criminalized in the U.S. for their solidarity with Palestine.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Confronted on Plane by Far-Left Anti-Israel Protester
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was returning from a trip to Miami on Monday when he found himself harassed by a disgruntled New Yorker who was angry about the state of the city, Adams’ budget cuts, and of course, the war in Israel.
The Democrat mayor was seated in his chair in an exit row looking at his phone when the woman approached him and started yelling. She yelled, “f**k you!” In her post of the video of her confrontation, the woman wrote “The same weekend that hundreds of NYC college students and faculty members were arrested for protesting the Palestinian genocide.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Riots: Anti-Israel Agitators Hurl Bottles at NYPD, Form Human Chain Amid Mass Arrests
Anti-Israel protests at New York University’s (NYU) campus turned violent Monday night when demonstrators hurled bottles at police officers who were sent to the scene to disperse a large unruly crowd, officials said.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry posted a video to X taken from a live news feed showing several airborne bottles being flung at police.
The NYPD inserted graphics into the video pointing out four bottles being thrown in the background shot as a reporter for ABC7 describes the chaotic scenes unfolding.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYU Calls for NYPD to Regain Control of Escalating Anti-Israel Protests on Campus
New York University has requested support from NYC police as anti-Israel protests on campus have spiraled out of control.
Like similar protests on campuses across the country, the leftist demonstrations have been descending into violence and anti-Semitism.
After an anti-Israel protest escalated at NYU on Monday, the college required New York City police to bring the crowds under control.
The university released a statement explaining while it supports students’ rights to protest, safety remains its priority.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ousted Texas Bishop Denounces ‘Silent Shepherds,’ ‘Corrupt Vatican’
ROME — Conservative Bishop Joseph Strickland, who was ousted from his Texas diocese by Pope Francis last year, has denounced a “corrupt Vatican.”
“I urge all faithful Catholics to speak up, enough is enough,” Bishop Strickland wrote on X (former Twitter) early Tuesday, posted together with an image of Jesus throwing money-changers out of the temple.
“Enough with silent shepherds, enough with a corrupt Vatican, enough with blasphemies & desecration of Jesus Christ,” the bishop continued. “Let us denounce so called bishops who bless sin & hide wolves among the sheep. ENOUGH!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Trump Michigan Elector Defendants Told by Judge Not to Criticize Witnesses on Social Media
A Michigan judge told pro-Trump defendants in Michigan’s alternate slate of electors case on Tuesday that they could not criticize witnesses in the trial on social media because it could amount to witness intimidation.
During the 5th day of the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, Ingham County Judge Kristen Simmons opened up the hearing saying that they could not make “disparaging” remarks on social media about witnesses in the case when someone was taking a photo.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Senate Passes $95B Aid Package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, Sends to Biden for Signature
Ukraine and Israel as well as the defense of Taiwan, sending the measure to President Biden’s desk for a signature.
The upper chamber voted 79-18 for the foreign aid, which had passed the House on a bipartisan basis Saturday over GOP objections to the $60.8 billion in Ukraine and some Democratic objections to the $17 billion for Israel.
Biden, 81, is expected to sign it into law imminently after having issued a statement of strong support for it one week ago.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Senate Passes Bill Designed to Ban TikTok Unless App is Bought by US Company
On Tuesday night, Senate approved a bill aimed at either prohibiting TikTok or compelling its sale, marking a significant rejection of the video-sharing platform’s Chinese ownership. This move comes after numerous unsuccessful efforts to address the purported national security concerns associated with the app over the years.
The Senate voted 79 to 18 in favor of the measure, which was included in a comprehensive package providing assistance to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. This sends the proposal to President Biden for his signature, following the House’s approval on Saturday. President Biden has voiced support for the foreign aid package and indicated his intention to sign the TikTok bill, indicating that it is likely to become law in the near future.
Upon signature, the provision would grant TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, approximately nine months to divest the immensely popular app, failing which could result in a nationwide prohibition. The president retains the authority to extend this deadline by an additional 90 days.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supreme Court Denies Bid to Expand No-Excuse Mail-in Ballots in Texas
Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a legal challenge to a Texas law that requires voters under the age of 65 to provide justification to vote by mail, meaning that the Democrat-aligned attempt to sharply expand “no-excuse” mail-in ballots in the Lone Star state has failed, with implications for other states.
According to an April 22 order list, the high court denied petition for a writ of cetriorari in a case that stems from a federal lawsuit filed in 2020 on behalf of the Texas Democratic Party and several voters who requested that Texas lift its age-based limitations on no-excuse mail-in voting.
Texas law only allows individuals to vote by mail without a qualifying excuse, like sickness, if they are 65 years or older. In their original complaint, which made its way through a number of lower courts before ending up before the Supreme Court, the petitioners alleged that the Texas voting law violates the 26th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits denying the right to vote due to age.
The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the appeal means that the Texas law stays in place, delivering a win to election integrity advocates who argue that no-excuse mail-in voting is prone to fraud and makes elections less secure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas Panhandle Drinking Water System Hacked by ‘Russian’ Cyber Attackers
Hackers have hijacked Texas Panhandle towns’ drinking water systems, according to reports.
Authorities revealed that the cyber attackers gained control of the water systems for three small towns in rural Texas.
The first of the three attacks targeted the town of Muleshoe in January but details have only just been made public.
Authorities are claiming that Russian government-linked hackers are behind the attacks.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Far left groups supporting the Columbia students’ sit in include a group that supported the Hamas attack of October 7 and a George Soros fund.
Tensions continue to escalate at the Ivy League school where hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters are demanding that the institution divest from companies with ties to Israel.
So far, more than 100 demonstrators have been arrested at the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’, which is comprised of a coalition of 116 groups under the umbrella organization Columbia University Apartheid Divest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former President Trump said he plans to “fire” the “radical left” individuals that “have allowed our colleges to become dominated by Marxists maniacs and lunatics” and ensure higher education is focused on “defending the American tradition” if elected to a second term.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Calls Out Biden Over Protests at Columbia University
Former President Donald Trump went after President Joe Biden on Tuesday, for not cracking down on the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.
The protests on the Manhattan campus have stretched on since last Wednesday, and resulted in more than 100 protesters being arrested on Thursday. Despite the arrests, protests resumed and the university’s president decided to move classes online on Monday to protect Jewish students.
Trump said the protests were a “disgrace” and blamed the president for not having compassion for the Jewish students who have been threatened by the protests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Slams ‘Highly Conflicted’ Judge Over Gag Order in ‘Hush Money’ Trial
Former President Donald Trump criticized New York State Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday over the gag order he imposed in his “hush money” trial.
“HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Set to Gain 36 Million Shares of Trump Media, Valued at $1.25 BILLION
Donald Trump is set to receive 36 million shares of his media company via an earnout bonus. The additional shares will, at current prices, net him nearly $1.3 billion.
The incentive was part of the deal with the former president when Trump Media & Technology Group executives took the company public in March.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Supreme Court Reviews Starbucks’ Firing of Union-Supporting Employees
The U.S. Supreme Court has taken up Starbucks’ appeal against a judicial order mandating the rehiring of seven pro-union employees fired from a Tennessee cafe. The lower court had approved an injunction from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) requiring their reinstatement, which Starbucks challenges, as reported by Reuters.
The case revolves around the legal criteria federal courts should use when issuing preliminary injunctions requested by the NLRB under the National Labor Relations Act. Starbucks argues that stricter criteria should have been applied, potentially altering the case’s outcome.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After saying she wasn’t in Ottawa last weekend to view a pro-Hamas protest and therefore couldn’t comment on hateful chanting, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland abruptly changed scripts after viewing video of the event.
“Having seen video from this weekend, I can only express shock and disgust at the antisemitism and glorification of terrorism that occurred on Parliament Hill. This hate speech has no place in Canada. None,” Freeland posted on X Monday.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Over 100 Officers Deployed in House Search at Kurdish TV Channels in East Flanders
Last night, a house search was carried out in the building of two Kurdish TV stations in the Flemish municipality of Denderleeuw (East Flanders province). This happened at the request of France, which is investigating the financing of terrorism, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the raid on the television studios of Sterk TV and Medya News, two Kurdish channels that broadcast from Denderleeuw. Reportedly, employees were handcuffed and a lot of technical equipment and laptops were seized.
The raid happened around 01:30 and lasted four hours. This is rather unusual, as the general rule in Belgium is that no house searches may be carried out after 21:00 or before 05:00. Such a nightly search is only possible if the owner of the building gives written permission, or is caught red-handed.
However, an explicit exception is made for terrorism-related crimes, when a search may be carried out at night with just the investigating judge’s mandate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Britain to Increase Defence Spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that his country will increase defence spending to a minimum threshold of 2.5% of GDP by 2030, marking the largest growth in decades. He made this announcement during a visit to Poland.
Sunak highlighted the achievements of his and previous governments in funding the defence sector and emphasized that the British Armed Forces are capable of “deterring our adversaries and ensuring the security of the United Kingdom.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cancellation of ‘Anti-Facist’ Speech in Italy Sparks Government ‘Interference’ Debate
The cancellation of an anti-fascist speech by Italian author Antonio Scurati on national television in Italy has sparked heated debate, with accusations of “unprecedented [Government] interference” by the journalists’ union Federazione Nazionale della Stampa Italiana (FNSI).
Scurati was set to deliver a speech condemning fascism ahead of Italy’s Liberation Day, with the event scheduled to air on national news channel Rai.
The planned appearance was abruptly cancelled, prompting widespread outrage, with many accusing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration of being behind the deplatforming.
Alessandra Costante, General Secretary of the Italian Press Federation, told Brussels Signal that “the Italian Government’s control over public information has become suffocating”.
“The case of the writer Antonio Scurati is an examplar of that,” she said.
Giorgia Meloni herself has publicly come out to reject the allegations, claiming on Facebook that Scurati’s appearance was cancelled because he allegedly asked for money.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dutch Intelligence: At Least 10 Islamist Attacks Thwarted in Europe in 2023
Dutch intelligence has reported that security services thwarted at least 10 jihadist attacks across Europe in 2023, according to Reuters.
The intelligence agency AIVD stated in its annual report that European security services prevented at least 10 Islamist attacks in the previous year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EC Threatens Imminent Shutdown of TikTok Rewards Service
The European Commission has threatened to shut down a rewards service operated by TikTok in the next few days over child-safety concerns.
According to a press release published by the body, TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance has failed to provide the details of a risk assessment it conducted before launching the new TikTok Lite app in Europe after the EC gave it 24 hours on April 17 to do so.
That has led the body to conclude that TikTok’s conduct constituted a “prima facie infringement of the DSA” and that there were “risks of serious damage for the mental health of users” now at play.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Left Wants to ‘Blackmail’ Opposition With Green Deal
Left-wing groups within the European Parliament are looking to “blackmail” rival right-wing groups with the Green Deal, a source within the body has said.
It comes ahead of a debate titled “The attack on climate and nature: far-right and conservative attempts to destroy the Green Deal and prevent investment in our future”, which will take place in Strasbourg this week.
Proposed by the left-leaning Greens/European Free Alliance group for the last Strasbourg plenary before this year’s European Elections, the timing and partisan title of the debate has caused upset within right-wing circles.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive: Latvian MEP Narrow Favourite for ECR Top-Spot Despite Meloni Opposition
A Latvian MEP is the most likely to become the European Conservative and Reformist (ECR) group’s Spitzencandidate (lead candidate) for the June European Parliament elections, sources told Brussels Signal.
National Alliance representative Roberts Zile MEP will probably be formally selected for the role later on April 23, although opposition to his appointment remains, mainly in the form of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia party.
Speaking to Brussels Signal, an independent source noted that much of the ECR is looking to present itself as a serious group capable of challenging the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group and the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: LFI’s Panot Summoned by Police Over Alleged ‘Apology of Terrorism’
Mathilde Panot, one of the leaders of La France Insoumise Party (LFI), was summoned by the police for allegedly engaging in “apology of terrorism”.
The move on April 23 forms part of an ongoing investigation opened following a press release by the LFI published on October 7, the day of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
Following that, LFI was accused of justifying the Hamas atrocities by denouncing the Islamist movement and Israeli colonisation at the same time.
Panot responded to the police action, saying: “We will not be silent. No summons, no intimidation of any kind will prevent us from protesting against the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.”
She also cautioned against what she described as the “serious misuse of the justice system to suppress political expression”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Intelligence Warns of Increased Threat of Terror Attacks
Amid international crises, Germany is facing an increased threat of terror attacks and a rise in anti-Semitism, warns the country’s counterintelligence. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) issued the corresponding warning, as reported by DW.
The agency cautioned about a worsening security situation in Germany due to the escalation of the Middle East conflict.
“Destructive forces inside and outside the country are actively working to destabilize our democracy and our state. They employ all possible means: espionage and cyber-attacks, amplifying influence and disinformation, proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies, sabotage, and state terrorism,” said the head of the German intelligence service, Thomas Haldenwang.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: AfD MEP Assistant Arrested on Accusations of Spying for China
An assistant working for the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party MEP Maximilian Krah has been arrested on the orders of the German Federal Prosecutor General.
The assistant, referred to as “Jian G”, is suspected of spying for China.
Krah told Brussels Signal he had no further information than what he had read in a press release referring to the issue by the Federal Prosecutor General.
He admitted the latest event was more serious than other recent accusations made by intelligence services, which he considered part of a political campaign against his party.
Despite the Federal Prosecutor General’s involvement, Krah stressed Jian G. at this point was still just a suspect and that more details were needed to fully understand the current situation
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Paint Attack on Brandenburg Gate — Suspended Sentences for Climate Activists
About seven months after the paint attack on the Brandenburg Gate, three climate activists from the group “Letzte Generation” have been sentenced to eight-month suspended sentences each. The Tiergarten District Court found them guilty of joint property damage. The court agreed with the prosecutor’s argument, describing the act as a “politically motivated symbolic act” and ultimately vandalism, as reported by Spiegel.
The defense had argued for acquittal. The accused, aged 22, 28, and 64, admitted to spraying the Berlin landmark on September 17, 2023. They claimed that, given the climate crisis, the action was an “appropriate and necessary protest.”
The court disagreed with this perspective, stating that the action was neither “suitable nor appropriate protest.” The activists had risked damaging the Brandenburg Gate. The court estimated the damage at around €110,000.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Confirms Blocking the Allocation of €2 Billion in Military Aid to Ukraine
Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s Foreign Minister, confirmed today that the country will continue its position on blocking the allocation of €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine from the European Union.
He emphasized that the decision remains unchanged until guarantees are received from the Ukrainian side regarding the cessation of persecution against Hungarian companies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MEPs Approve New Law Banning Forced-Labour Products
The European Parliament has officially backed prohibiting goods manufactured with forced labour from entering the European single market.
Addressing fellow MEPs, socialist rapporteur Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques hailed the move as “the biggest achievement of the legislature”, emphasising its importance in combating “modern-day slavery”.
She dedicated her efforts to the “28 million victims” of this form of exploitation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NATO and the EU Insist on Transferring Air Defense Systems to Ukraine by Greece and Spain
Strong pressure from NATO and the European Union on Spain and Greece is prompting these countries to consider transferring part of their air defense systems to Ukraine. According to the Financial Times, EU leaders actively urged the Prime Ministers of Spain and Greece, Pedro Sanchez and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at last week’s summit in Brussels to provide Ukraine with their air defense systems.
According to sources familiar with the situation, NATO and the EU emphasize that Ukraine’s need for air defense systems is much more critical than that of Greece and Spain, which do not face an immediate threat. It is noted that Greece possesses systems such as the S-300, which are of interest to Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Farmers Block Truck Traffic at Two Border Crossings With Ukraine
As of Monday, Polish farmers are blocking truck traffic at two border crossing points, allowing only a few trucks per hour or restricting movement altogether, according to Andriy Demchenko, a representative of the State Border Guard Service (SBGS).
He said the blockades are in place at the “Yagodyn” and “Rava-Ruska” border crossings.
“Through ‘Yagodyn,’ the Polish protesters are not letting trucks pass towards Poland. They also allow a minimal number of trucks towards Ukraine, especially when compared to the capacity of this crossing. Only 75 trucks passed through this route over the past day,” the spokesperson stated.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish President Opposes Euro Adoption Due to Eurozone Issues
Polish President, Andrzej Duda, has explicitly opposed the idea of adopting the euro in the country, citing the numerous problems existing within the eurozone.
In an interview with Fakt, he emphasized that maintaining Poland’s zloty, the national currency, is a guarantee of financial and currency security, as well as ensuring independence and the ability to respond to crisis situations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Privacy Under Siege: Europol and the UK Crime Agency Target Encryption, Call for Backdoors
What is best known as the “politicization of institutions” in authoritarian societies is these days making a creeping but steady progress in some countries/blocs one would not have suspected of such things until relatively recently.
Here we have Europol (EU’s law enforcement agency) and the supposedly “divested” from the EU shenanigans via Brexit UK — but is it really? — and that country’s National Crime Agency (NCA), teaming up to attack Meta for dozens and dozens of reasonable reasons, but for the one thing the company is apparently trying to do right.
Read the joint declaration here.
And that’s implementing in its products end-to-end encryption (E2EE), the very, necessary, irreplaceable software backbone of a safe and secure internet for everybody. Yet that is what many governments, and here we see the EU via Europol, and the UK, keep attempting to damage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tusk Questions Call for Poland to Host Nuclear Weapons
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski have indicated they need further convincing that Poland should seek to join NATO’s nuclear sharing programme.
Their comments come after President Andrzej Duda said that Poland is now seeking to host US nuclear weapons on its soil.
Reacting to Duda’s remarks, Tusk said that the Polish President’s initiative had not been signed off by the Government.
He added that he would need to speak to Duda about the comments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Announces Largest-Ever Ukraine Aid Package, Warns Putin ‘Won’t Stop at Polish Border’
Apparently taking the example of Washington, London committed Tuesday to deliver more military hardware and another £500 million in aid to Kyiv as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned that Vladimir Putin will seek to expand further into Europe if Ukraine loses to Russia.
Britain will supply Ukraine with 60 boats, 400 vehicles, over 1,600 missiles, and nearly four million rounds of ammunition as well as £500 million in additional military funding, in the largest single aid package from the UK since the Russian invasion of 2022 and taking the country’s total contributions to £3 billion during this financial year, The Guardian reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
One of my most memorable encounters as a former jailbird was with ‘Ali’, a notorious gangster whom I met days after he was released from a high security prison.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Tommy Robinson Cleared of Charges as Judge Rules Protest Ban Was ‘Unlawful’
The charges against activist and independent journalist Tommy Robinson were dropped on Tuesday after a judge at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court found that a police order banning him from a protest in London was unlawful.
Mr Robinson, 40, was arrested in central London on November 26th for supposedly violating a ban from attending a pro-Israel demonstration. Police argued that he refused to comply with the order and therefore used synthetic pepper spray on him, placed Robinson in handcuffs and arrested him.
However, on Monday, it was revealed that Met Police Inspector Steve Parker-Phipps had filled out the wrong date on the dispersal order, writing the date of November 24 on the form rather than November 26th. He claimed the error was made because his laptop battery was “dying”. Parker-Phipps admitted in court that the order was likely not lawful because of the mistake.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fears Grow for Rafah as Israel-Hamas War Rages on 200th Day
GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories: The Israel-Hamas war entered its 200th day on Tuesday as aid groups warned that Israeli plans to invade the southern city of Rafah where most Gazans have taken refuge would create an “apocalyptic situation.”
Fears have been rising that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon follow through on repeated threats to send troops into Rafah, where 1.5 million people have sought shelter, many in makeshift encampments.
“Everybody seems to be on a countdown to war across the largest displacement camp on Earth, which is Rafah,” Norwegian Refugee Council chief Jan Egeland told AFP.
Egeland warned that a ground assault on Rafah would be an “apocalyptic situation” and that humanitarian groups “are completely in the dark on how to mitigate this countdown to a catastrophe.”
| — Hat tip: McN | [Return to headlines] |
Hezbollah Launches Deepest Attack Inside Israel Since Gaza War Began
The Lebanese group Hezbollah says it has launched drone attacks on Israeli bases north of the city of Acre in retaliation for the killing of one of its fighters, marking the deepest attack into Israeli territory since the Gaza war began.
Hezbollah launched “a combined air attack using decoy and explosive drones that targeted” two Israeli bases halfway between Acre and Nahariyya, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Iran-backed group said it acted in retaliation for an earlier Israeli attack killing one of its fighters. It published what appeared to be a satellite photo, with the location of the attack symbolised by a flash with a red circle around it.
The Israeli military said it had no knowledge of any of its facilities being hit by Hezbollah, but had said earlier that it intercepted two “aerial targets” off Israel’s northern coast.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Photos from satellite imaging company Planet Labs show a marked build up of tents in a uniform pattern near Khan Younis, which has largely been levelled during the bloody invasion of the Gaza Strip
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
UN Calls for Investigation Into Mass Graves Uncovered at Two Gaza Hospitals Raided by Israel
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations called Tuesday for “a clear, transparent and credible investigation” of mass graves uncovered at two major hospitals in war-torn Gaza that were raided by Israeli troops.
Credible investigators must have access to the sites, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, and added that more journalists need to be able to work safely in Gaza to report on the facts.
Earlier Tuesday, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said he was “horrified” by the destruction of the Shifa medical center in Gaza City and Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis as well as the reported discovery of mass graves in and around the facilities after the Israelis left.
He called for independent and transparent investigations into the deaths, saying that “given the prevailing climate of impunity, this should include international investigators.”
“Hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law,” Türk said. “And the intentional killing of civilians, detainees and others who are ‘hors de combat’ (incapable of engaging in combat) is a war crime.”
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
The 47th Mechanized Brigade is one of the Ukrainian army’s best brigades. Equipped with American-made armored vehicles and trained to NATO standards, it fights like the best NATO brigades fight: swiftly, violently and often at night.
But this prowess is a blessing and a curse for the brigade’s 2,000 troopers. The Ukrainian command wants the 47th Mechanized Brigade to be wherever the heaviest fighting is.
So the brigade helped to lead Ukraine’s southern counteroffensive back in June. And when Russian regiments attacked the Ukrainian garrison in the eastern city of Avdiivka in October, the 47th Mechanized Brigade redeployed from the south to the east and reinforced the city—delaying though not preventing the garrison’s eventual retreat.
The 47th Mechanized Brigade has been fighting for nearly a year without a break. Its soldiers are tired; its battalions are running low on their best M-2 Bradley fighting vehicles and M-1 Abrams tanks. The brigade needs a break—and it almost got one this week.
But that planned break was an invitation for the Russian field armies around the ruins of Avdiivka—an opportunity to inflict on the Ukrainians the kind of major defeat the Ukrainians inflicted on the Russians farther north around the city of Kharkiv in late 2022.
As the 47th Mechanized Brigade was pulling back from the front line east of the village of Ocheretyne this weekend, the Russians attacked—and very nearly broke through Ukrainian lines into the 20-mile-wide ribbon of undefended terrain separating the free city of Pokrovsk from the front line.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
India: Karnataka: Muslim Couple Arrested for Forcing Hindu Married Woman to Convert to Islam
Muslim Man Rapes Hindu Woman In Front Of His Wife; Forces Her To Convert To Islam, Wear Burqa, Eat Beef. Accused Couple Arrested in Karnataka.
B Upendran | HENB | Belagavi | April 22, 2024:: Islamic perpetration in Congress ruled Karnataka has reached ultimate. A Hindu woman in Karnataka’s Belagavi alleged that she was raped by a Muslim man who, along with his wife, also forced her to convert to Islam. The Belagavi Police has arrested a couple, Rafiq and Kowsar, in connection with this case.
The victim in her complaint to the cops has alleged that she was pressured to convert to Islam, raped and even blackmailed later.
As per the police, the victim left her husband’s house around 3 years ago and filed for divorce. After meeting Rafiq in a Love Jihad truce, he allegedly lured her to stay with him in Belagavi.
After having stayed in a Swadhar Kendra (government facility for temporary accommodation for women) for nearly 4-5 months), Rafiq and the victim started living together with Rafiq’s wife Kowsar at a rented house since 2021. After living with Rafiq and his wife for about 1 year, the woman has now filed a complaint against the couple alleging that she was raped by Rafiq in front of his wife in many occasion and was forced to wear a burkha, even told not to wear a bindi or ‘kumkum’ and eat beef.
The police added that the victim who was regularly attending the divorce proceedings has now gone back to her husband’s house. Cops have registered an FIR under SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015, apart from The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act-2022 and Sections 344,365, 368, 376 (1), 420, 506 and 149 of IPC. Belagavi Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guleda said a case was registered and Rafik and his wife have been arrested in connection with the incident.
In 2020, the victim met Rafik at her husband’s grocery store which he visited frequently and later befriended her. They also got involved in a physical relationship, which her husband got to know later. This led to a quarrel and she left her husband’s house, a senior police officer said. After a gap of about two months, she returned to her husband’s house on the condition that she would end her relationship with Rafik, but when she conveyed that to him, he started threatening her with her private pictures, he said.
The woman continued to stay in touch with Rafik but when her husband got to know about it, they had a quarrel and she left her husband’s house and began staying with the accused and his wife, an investigating police officer added. The victim has been staying with the couple since 2021 and she alleged that the accused raped her multiple times in front of his wife, the officer said.
The police added that the victim who was regularly attending the divorce proceedings has now gone back to her husband’s house.
“Based on victim’s complaint, we have registered a case under relevant sections 376 (Rape), 503 (Criminal Intimidation) of Indian Penal Code, Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, IT Act, SC and ST Act and other sections against seven people,” police said. Further investigation underway.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
TikTok Announces Crack Down on “Conspiracy Theories”
As of May 17, TikTok will start implementing new rules affecting content appearing on the app’s For You feed (FYF), and the changes are prompted by concerns about so-called “harmful speech” and “misinformation.”
FYF is vital for the visibility of content, since it opens and plays videos automatically when the app is launched, something TikTok refers to as its “personalized recommendation system.”
A post on the company’s site titled, “For You feed Eligibility Standards,” reveals that content that is deemed as health or news “misinformation” will be censored from this tab more stringently going forward.
On the health side, TikTok looks to clamp down on anything from videos promoting “unproven treatments,” dieting and weight loss, plastic surgery (unless related risks are included as well), videos allegedly misrepresenting scientific findings, to the very broadly defined content that is considered misleading, and “could potentially” cause harm to public health.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Australia’s top cop has lashed social media companies for not doing enough to protect children being targeted by ‘a cauldron of extremist poison’ online.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has called for Australian politicians to abandon Elon Musk’s social media platform X and has said that Elon Musk should be jailed indefinitely.
Musk’s crime? Refusing to comply with the country’s chief censor’s demands for censorship, not only in Australia itself but around the world.
The recent injunction obtained by Commissioner Julie Inman Grant temporarily halted the distribution of posts containing footage from the terrorist attack.
The tech mogul has expressed much resistance to complying with the Australian eSafety Commissioner’s demands to remove content. This comes after Musk failed to remove footage and speech surrounding the recent attack, involving the stabbing of a Bishop in Sydney.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Collier Homes: Residential Building Company Collapses After More Than 60 Years in Business
One of Western Australia’s biggest residential building companies has collapsed, with Collier Homes falling into liquidation after more than 60 years.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk has taken another swipe at Anthony Albanese — and he’s not holding back.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk has branded Jacqui Lambie an ‘enemy’ of the Australian people for deleting her X account following her scathing tirade against the boss of the social media site.
The war of words erupted when Lambie urged other politicians to boycott X, formerly Twitter, when the company refused to take down footage of the Wakeley church stabbing from the platform.
Musk criticised the independent senator from Tasmania in posts overnight, writing: ‘Absolutely. She (Jacqui Lambie) is an enemy of the Australian people.’
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A Labor Premier has sparked outrage after chartering two private jets to the same destination just days after passing a landmark emissions bill.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Brazil’s Chief Censor Faces Growing Criticism From Even Congress and Lula Government
Alexandre De Moraes may have overplayed his hand while drafting and executing Brazil’s policies aimed at controlling speech on social platforms active in the country.
According to reports out of Brazil, this is now making even those allies he effectively helped get elected — such as the sitting president’s environment — nervous.
Moraes, president of the Superior Electoral Court and Supreme Federal Court justice, seemed fairly confident when he decided to escalate a public clash with X owner Elon Musk over court orders to ban a large number of accounts, including those of high profile figures.
Moraes chose not to address the issue at hand — why X was supposed to comply to censor these people without being given any explanation, and while under a gag order, unable to reveal where the orders came from (it was from Moraes).
Instead, he went for launching an investigation into Musk and X under “digital militias” law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Communist China Rapidly Expands Control on Small Island Near American Territory
Communist China is rapidly expanding its takeover of a Caribbean island close to American territory.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is increasing its footprint in the Caribbean as it seeks to replace the United States as the world’s leading superpower.
China has started to take over the paradise island of Antigua, just a couple hundred miles away from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Newsweek reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ecuadorians Overwhelmingly Vote to Deploy Army to Fight Gangs, Increase Prison Sentences
Ecuadorians overwhelmingly voted in favor of new rules that would crack down on gangs as the country faces an overwhelming wave of violence.
All nine questions that tightened security measures received significant support from voters, and only two controversial economic proposals were rejected during Sunday’s election, according to The Associated Press.
One of the measures that was approved included deploying the army to fight gangs, which passed by more than 70%, according to initial results from Ecuador’s National Electoral Council. Another proposal that would allow for the extradition of Ecuadorians passed by more than 64%. Similarly, a proposal that would increase prison sentences passed by more than 68%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Admin Considers Granting Legal Status to Illegal Immigrant Spouses of Americans: Report
Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), headed by Alejandro Mayorkas, has reportedly been considering a plan to give legal status to any immigrants that are married to a US citizen and in the country illegally.
White House officials as well as some in the DHS have been considering how to avoid deportation of those who have been living in the US for a long time, per a report from the Wall Street Journal.
[Comment: Such an executive order would be unlawful and I expect it would be stricken down by the higher courts.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The head of an upstate school has hit out New York City for bussing dozens of asylum seeker students there last year and not coming good on promises to cover education costs that have hit $800,000.
Superintendent Joseph D’Angelo of the Maryvale School District in the suburbs of Buffalo lashed out at Mayor Eric Adams’ city for reimbursing ‘not a penny’ of the money it’s used to teach 76 young migrants.
State officials say the school has been reimbursed through a separate budget. Still, D’Angelo insists that his district has been shortchanged, hurting local taxpayers and forcing him to hold back on spending.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada: Half of Ottawa’s Shelters Are Occupied by Asylum Seekers, Immigrants
As the City of Ottawa asks the Liberal government for an additional $32 million to house the growing surge of asylum seekers, new data shows half of the capital’s homeless shelters are occupied by new immigrants and refugee claimants.
In response to an inquiry by Coun. Allan Hubley, city officials revealed that as of Dec. 31, 2023, 47% of single adults in Ottawa’s homeless shelters were newcomers to Canada.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hung Jury Split 7-1 in Favor of Acquitting Nogales Rancher in Murder Trial, Defense Says
One juror, who refused to acquit Nogales rancher George Alan Kelly, was the lone holdout in the closely watched murder trial, according to Kelly’s defense team.
The jury was split 7 to 1 in favor of acquittal, defense attorney Kathy Lowthorp confirmed to the Arizona Daily Star on Tuesday.
Kelly is accused of killing an unarmed migrant on his property last year. Lowthorp said he’s received “a ton” of support and the Kelly family is grateful and optimistic, despite facing the possibility of a retrial, she said.
“They would have loved to have an ending to this story,” she said. “They know it was a victory, but not the 100% victory they were hoping for.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Dismisses Riot Charges Against 140 Illegal Immigrants Accused of Rushing Border in El Paso
On Monday, a judge in El Paso, Texas dismissed the cases of 140 illegal immigrants charged in connection with a border that took place when the illegal immigrants stormed border patrol agents at the US-Mexico border earlier this month.
All 140 still face federal charges stemming from their illegal entry into the country, though most illegal immigrants are given a court date some years into the future and released into the domestic US. The Biden administration often offers free flights for these individuals to cities and states across the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
North Africa Ramps Up Push-Back Against Europe on Migration
A North African pushback has started against Europe over migration after Tunisian President Kais Saied told Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni his country “will never be a point of transit nor a land of settlement” for asylum seekers.
The news came as the presidents of Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia met in Tunis on April 22 to “unify their positions”.
According to Oxford Analytica’s Rawan Maayeh, it is becoming increasingly clear to many that North African countries are becoming increasingly hostile to the idea of serving as Europe’s barrier to mass migration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Migrant Child Rapist Won’t be Deported Because it Would ‘Harm His Mental Health’
Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news
A migrant from Eritrea who is a convicted child rapist has won an appeal not to be deported from the UK after arguing that it would harm his mental health.
Yes, really.
The migrant has been in prison for TEN YEARS after attacking a teenage girl in 2014.
GB News reports that an appeal claiming that the migrant wouldn’t be able to access care for PTSD or depression in the East African country has been successful.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The deaths of five Channel migrants — including a small girl killed in front of her father — underscored the need to deter people from crossing from France through the threat of deportation to Rwanda, Rishi Sunak said today.
The Prime Minister spoke after the latest tragedy struck the morning after his plan to start the flights to Kigali finally became law.
Peers last night finally caved in and cleared the way for flights to East Africa to begin in the summer.
But there was no immediate effect as more than 100 migrants took advantage of clement weather to attempt the crossing.
The French coastguard said that the dead were three men, a woman and a child, as they undertook a major rescue operation off Wimereux, close to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Dany Patoux, of the Osmose 62 refugee charity, said that the father of the girl was also aboard the boat and ‘saw his little daughter die before his eyes’.
Wimereux’s mayor blamed Britain for the deaths. Jean-Luc Dubaele said: ‘Why do the English welcome them? Why do they absolutely want to travel to England? These are the questions that need to be asked.’
However, en route to Poland today Mr Sunak told reporters that the deaths underscored the need to act to prevent the boats from setting off in the first place.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illegal migrants facing Rwanda flights are skipping Home Office checks on their whereabouts to avoid being rounded up for removal.
Fears grew last night that thousands in Britain may have gone missing during the first three months of this year.
Figures, released in response to a Freedom of Information request, show 5,584 bailed migrants refused checks a total of 56,243 times between January 1 and March 31.
Some 1,633 Albanians, included in the Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams’ tally, avoided 16,028 of the checks, which take place regularly by phone, over the internet, or face to face at police stations. The Government said in late February that more than 33,000 illegal migrants were then on immigration bail, and therefore liable to be removed to Rwanda.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
One-hundred words. That is the court fight some parents in California are waging against Democratic lawmakers and the Newsom Administration, who are trying to stop voters from a proposed ballot measure that would require schools to notify parents if a child is changing their gender. The initiative would also protect female sports from transgender athletes (born males) and mandate that students use school facilities consistent with their birth gender.
Polls show a majority of Californian voters support the measures. However, the state legislature, where Democrats enjoy a super majority, refused to hear the bill, and Democrat State Attorney General Rob Bonta changed the initiative’s title from “Protect Kids of California Act” to the “Restrict Rights of Transgender Youth” initiative.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dominica High Court Reverses Ban on Same-Sex Relations
The High Court of Dominica has nullified a prohibition on consensual same-sex relations within the Caribbean island nation. The court determined that sections of the law criminalizing same-sex activity contradicted the nation’s constitution, as reported by BBC.
The court found sections 14 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act unconstitutional, as they violated the right to liberty, freedom of expression, and protection of personal privacy outlined in the country’s constitution, as stated in Justice Kimberly Cenac-Phulgence’s ruling.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberal Appeals Court Scolds Seattle for Heckler’s Veto of Street Preacher at Abortion, LGBT Events
As Europe and Canada explicitly punish conservative, religious and pro-life expression in the name of safety, a U.S. city known for allowing a police-free zone in the name of racial justice went too far even for a federal appeals court known for its progressive streak.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a lower court to issue a preliminary injunction against Seattle for using unconstitutional “content-based heckler’s vetoes” against a street evangelist reading Bible passages at abortion rights and LGBT rallies during a momentous week in June 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade during Pride Month.
“It is apparent from the facts, including the video available from police body cameras, that the Seattle police directed [Matthew] Meinecke to leave the area because of the reaction his Bible-reading provoked” at Seattle PrideFest and the protest against the high court’s decision that returned abortion regulation to the states, the unanimous three-judge panel ruled Thursday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WEF Calls for ‘24-Hour Monitoring’ of the Public
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is pushing for the “24-hour monitoring” of the general public using “biometric sensors—on, or even inside their bodies.”
Details of the plan were revealed by Yuval Noah Harari, a senior advisor to the WEF and its founder Klaus Schwab.
According to Harari, a self-described “transhumanist” who is credited as the architect behind the WEF’s anti-human agenda, tracking the public 24/7 will help globalists provide them with “much better healthcare.”
Harari claims that the technology will give Big Tech companies, including Facebook and Google, access to the 24-hour flow of data.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Re the Francis Scott Key bridge, I wonder if Obiden is looking to give the contract to a CCP pal… just asking for a friend…
PS, Harari is Dr Strangelove on steroids, he is pure evil.
At least in Doctor Strangelove the old Nazi was playing a real scientist in the film ,Harari is just a Satanist who claims he is an atheist looking out for what is best for humanity by killing it to save it .The whole elite gang are in glee that they if their plans go thru will kill 90 percent of the current people living on earth today .The other 10 percent that remain will be their slaves and playthings.