Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/5/2019

The city of Rotterdam has received complaints that street names in the city are too white and too male. In response, the municipal authorities decided that all new streets will be named for women or minorities.

In other news, the Communist-dominated CGT union joined forces with the Yellow Vests today for a nationwide day of protests and strikes in France.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to acuara, Astraea, Dean, Insubria, JD, Reader from Chicago, SS, 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. We 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.

USA
» “Art Exhibit” Invites People to Abuse Ivanka Trump Lookalike… Feminist Irony Alert!
» 10 Significant Earthquakes Rock the California Coastline as Mount St. Helens Rumbles Back to Life
» CT Democrat Introduces 50 Percent Tax on Ammunition
» Deep State Media Money Runs Out!
» Democrat Ocasio-Cortez Announces Her Sotu Guest… It Says Everything [Video]
» ‘Improvised Explosion’ Hits New Mexico Strip Mall, Kills 1
» Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon Ignore Northam Controversy After Previously Appearing in Blackface
» Leftists Invited to Throw Dirt at “Ivanka” During DC Performance Art Exhibit
» Outbreak of Flea-Borne Diseases Typhus: Los Angeles Descends Into Third World Hellscape
» ‘Sharia Police’: Muslims Patrolling Brooklyn in Vehicles Almost Identical to NYPD
» Socialist Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Threatens NFL Owners Who Refuse to Hire Kneeling Kaepernick With Massive Tax Increase
 
Canada
» ICE Age Survivors or Stranded Travellers? A New Subterranean Species Discovered in Canada
 
Europe and the EU
» 12 People Fined for Violating New Danish ‘Burqa Ban’ Law
» African Woman in Britain Mutilated Her 3-Year-Old Daughter — and Used Witchcraft to Shut Authorities Up
» Dutch Police Criticised for Labelling Criminal Suspects as ‘Moroccans’
» EU: Going Full Orwell
» France: Yellow Vests, Communist-Backed Union Join Forces for Day of Protest
» France and Germany Just Cut a Deal to Save the EU’s #CopyrightDirective — and Made it Much, Much Worse (Please Share This Post!)
» France: CGT Strike Disrupts Paris Attractions and Schools
» France: Macron Could Call May Referendum: Reports
» France: Amazon Sacks Staff ‘For Supporting Gilets Jaunes’
» Italy: Toninelli Wants A22 Highway Managed by State
» Italy: Salvini Says TAV Must go on, M5S Says He’s ‘Lying’
» Italy Loses 10,000 Doctors in Ten Years to Emigration
» Italy: Di Maio Sees Yellow Jackets, ‘Joint Battles’
» Italy: TAV Cost/Benefit Analysis Given to French Envoy
» Italy: Ex Min’s Husband to Run for Party That Called Her Orangutan
» Prosecutor Calls for Prison Sentence for Swedish Social Justice Activist Elin Ersson
» Working on Sex Abuse of Nuns Says Pope
 
North Africa
» Top Cleric Urges Middle East’s Muslims to ‘Embrace’ Christians
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Israel Begins Construction of Smart Fence Along Gaza Border
 
Middle East
» Senate Votes to Keep Troops in Syria, Afghanistan
 
Far East
» Philippines: Christians Slaughtered, Churches Bombed
 
Australia — Pacific
» Chinese Billionaire Who Donated More Than $2.7 Million to the Liberals and Labor Parties Has Australian Citizenship Rejected
» Vile Callout for Youths to Help Loot the Homes of Townsville’s Devastated Flood Victims — as Two Thieves Who Drowned After ‘Robbing a Dan Murphy’s Store’ Are Trolled Online
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» New Species of Widow Spider Discovered in South Africa
 
Latin America
» Maduro an Outlaw, Elections Now Says Salvini
 
Immigration
» Alleged NYC Subway Shooter, A Suspected MS-13 Member, Was in US Illegally, ICE Says
» Democrats Offer Plan to Release All Child Traffickers at Border Into U.S.
» Italy: Govt Fate Not Linked to Diciotti Case — Salvini
» Italy: Salvini Tells Open Border Leftist to Accept Migrants in His Home
» Three News Stories, Three New Disasters With Justin Trudeau’s Mass Migration Policy
 
Culture Wars
» Breaking: Senate Dems Block GOP Anti-Infanticide Bill [Video]
» Dutch City: Street Names Too White, Will be Made More Diverse
» Phil Robertson: America Has to be Godly Again to be Great Again
» UK: Why Are the Police Stopping a 74-Year-Old Tweeting About Transgenderism?
» Woke Evangelicals: Cultivating Victimhood, Vanquishing Conscience
 

“Art Exhibit” Invites People to Abuse Ivanka Trump Lookalike… Feminist Irony Alert!

This is art? Cultural DC says in a press release that they are “thrilled” to bring you a “performance art” piece by Jennifer Rubell…Thrilled?

Would they be as “thrilled” if a “Michelle Obama” lookalike or an Obama daughter happened to be the one being pelted with crumbs?

“Ivanka Vacuuming”

Cultural D.C. exhibit-goers are encouraged to throw crumbs at an Ivanka Trump lookalike who continues to vacuum the crumbs up while wearing a pink dress and stilettos. This abusive behavior towards the “Ivanka” in the performance art exhibit continues throughout with a big pile of crumbs for exhibit goers.

The irony in the “art exhibit” that’s being promoted is that it goes against everything feminists claim to fight against. The exhibit mocks Ivanka’s appearance as “sexualized” and her success as a businesswoman and mom. All art is up for interpretation but anyone can see through what’s being done here.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

10 Significant Earthquakes Rock the California Coastline as Mount St. Helens Rumbles Back to Life

Scientists tell us that someday the “Big One” will strike California and large portions of the coastline will plunge into the ocean “almost instantly”. Could it be possible that we are a lot closer to that day than many had anticipated? Over the past several days, there has been a lot of shaking along the North American portion of the Ring of Fire. In particular, during a 24 hour period over the weekend one area of the California coastline was hit by 10 earthquakes of at least magnitude 3.0, and this created such a stir that it made the front page of the Drudge Report. The following comes from a local California newspaper…

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

CT Democrat Introduces 50 Percent Tax on Ammunition

Connecticut State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest (D-13th) is pushing a 50 percent tax on ammunition purchases in her state.

Gilchrest is willing to exempt police and military personnel from the impost, but homeowners worried about defending their lives and those of their families get no such break.

In fact, Gilchrest questions how much ammunition a homeowner needs to carry out a viable defense. She tweeted: “I’m hearing push back about the need to protect one’s home… but how much ammunition does someone really need to do that?”

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Deep State Media Money Runs Out!

Obama-era propaganda agenda coming to an end

During the Obama years, the United States repealed a longstanding propaganda ban.

This ban protected the American people from the predator media monstrosity we are all well aware of today.

For six years now, the gloves have been off.

It has been revealed that in the wake of a tidal wave of layoffs in the liberal media, the government funding for these covert operations ran out.

America now faces a lawless and desperate media T-Rex in its last throes of lunacy and treason.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Democrat Ocasio-Cortez Announces Her Sotu Guest… It Says Everything [Video]

The more she opens her mouth, the more people see that she wasn’t the best choice to go to D.C. Yes, she makes noise, but it’s all empty and angry. It’s is why the person she’s bringing as her guest to the SOTU says everything about Ocasio-Cortez.

She’s bringing the Soros puppet who jumped into the elevator with Senator Jeff Flake and screamed at him. In case you forgot:

The left continues to make a circus of the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. A protester cornered Senator Jeff Flake and screamed at him LIKE A TOTAL LUNATIC. They held the door open for 4 minutes so they could berate Senator Flake.

Ocasio-Cortez proudly tweeted out the news that the woman who cornered Flake and screamed at him during the Kavanaugh hearings will be her guest at the SOTU tomorrow night.

This woman runs a Soros-backed organization (see below).

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

‘Improvised Explosion’ Hits New Mexico Strip Mall, Kills 1

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An “improvised explosion” detonated in an alley behind a strip mall in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Monday and killed a man authorities believe was responsible for the device, police said.

Albuquerque Police Chief Michael Geier said at a news conference the blast didn’t appear to be linked to any terrorist act but the FBI is investigating. The name of the man killed has not been released and police don’t know if he was connected to the shopping center and have yet to determine a motive.

“There is no perceived threat to anybody else,” Geier said in a news conference from the scene. “There is no connection to any terrorist act or any activity that we would need to protect the public from.”

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also was at the scene…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon Ignore Northam Controversy After Previously Appearing in Blackface

Late-night funnymen Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon both ignored the massive controversy created by a photo purportedly showing Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) in blackface.

As Fox News points out, the late-night network hosts may have ignored the story due to their own history wearing blackface in past comedy sketches.

Jimmy Kimmel wore it in a Comedy Central sketch years ago, mocking NBA player Karl Malone.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Leftists Invited to Throw Dirt at “Ivanka” During DC Performance Art Exhibit

A new modern performance art exhibit in Washington DC invites visitors to throw dirt at an Ivanka Trump lookalike and watch her clean it up.

The “art” piece is called “Ivanka Vacuuming” and will give leftists afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome an opportunity to degrade a woman to own the conservatives….or something.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Outbreak of Flea-Borne Diseases Typhus: Los Angeles Descends Into Third World Hellscape

Residents and officials in the city of Los Angeles, California are horrified that their city has descended into a third world hellscape of poverty and disease. The typhus outbreak raging through the city is a flea-borne disease often reserved for socialist and poverty-stricken dystopias such as Venezuela.

But that’s modern Los Angeles. Typhus is spread by fleas hitching a ride on rats. While the general population struggles under the weight of the government (local, state, and federal in LA’s case) and the homeless population continues to climb up, the same cannot be said for the rats that carry fleas the cause typhus. The rat population in LA is doing just fine, however, as piles of garbage dot the cityscape, making it Thanksgiving Day every day for the city’s fat, happy rodents, wrote the American Thinker.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, Murine typhus, is also called endemic typhus or flea-borne typhus, is a disease caused by a bacteria called Rickettsia typhi and it is spread to people through contact with infected fleas. People will get sick with murine typhus when infected flea feces are rubbed into cuts or scrapes in the skin. In most areas of the world, rats are the main animal host for fleas infected with murine typhus. Murine typhus occurs in tropical and subtropical climates around the world where rats and their fleas live. Yet now, it seems that the disease is taking over and spreading, along with Hepatitis A, through Los Angeles thanks to the socialist policies that enrich the political elite and enslave and impoverish everyone else.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

‘Sharia Police’: Muslims Patrolling Brooklyn in Vehicles Almost Identical to NYPD

Muslims in NYC are carrying out “community patrols” in Brooklyn while driving cars that look almost identical to NYPD vehicles, leading some to describe the situation as “Sharia Police”.

The New York Times wrote a lengthy, glowing piece about the patrols, with one hijab-wearing Muslim woman commenting that they made her feel safe from harassment.

“With everything going on, you sort of feel like the whole world is against Muslims,” she said. “So, it feels good to know that there is someone there, watching out.”

According to CAIR, the group is the first of its kind in the entire country, and a justifiable response to the “14 bias-crime incidents recorded against Muslims” last year (in a city of 8.6 million people).

The group’s vice president Noor Rabah said the patrols were “like a neighborhood watch but on steroids”. Currently boasting 30 members, the group plans to grow “its fleet of two cars to five by the end of the month and eventually expanding citywide.”

“Not at all comfortable with this. ‘Muslim Community Patrol’ in NYC, driving cars that look identical to NYPD RMPs,” commented John Cardillo, adding, “This looks a lot like Sharia Police. In Brooklyn.”

           — Hat tip: Astraea [Return to headlines]
 

Socialist Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Threatens NFL Owners Who Refuse to Hire Kneeling Kaepernick With Massive Tax Increase

“There’s an element, yeah, where people are going to have to start paying their fair share,” Ocasio-Cortez told Cooper. “Once you get to the tippy tops, on your 10 millionth dollar, sometimes you see tax rates as high as 60 or 70 percent” she continued.

Republican Congressman, Dan Crenshaw (TX) jokingly tweeted about a 70% tax on the Patriots so that the NFL competition is more fair and equal. Ocasio-Cortez immediatedly responded, by threatening NFL owners who refuse to hire the kneeling, Black Lives Matter activist, turned unemployed NFL quarterback, that they would feel the pain of her 70% tax increase. Ocasio-Cortez also foolishly pointed out that NFL players who make an average of a mere $2.1 million, would be insulated from her insane tax plan.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

ICE Age Survivors or Stranded Travellers? A New Subterranean Species Discovered in Canada

The discovery of a new to science species of rare and primitive arthropod from the depths of a cave that was covered by a thick ice sheet until recently is certain to raise questions. In their study, published in the open-access journal Subterranean Biology, entomologist Alberto Sendra and local caver Craig Wagnell describe a new species of cave-dwelling, insect-like campodeid dipluran from the island of Vancouver (Canada) and discuss its origin.

According to the study, the dipluran’s presence could either mean that terrestrial arthropods have indeed been able to survive within the deep subterranean habitats during the Last Glacial Maximum period some 26,500 years ago or it is the result of related species having dispersed to the area during the deglaciation, making their way from as far as Asia.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

12 People Fined for Violating New Danish ‘Burqa Ban’ Law

The new law against facial coverings in public in Denmark was introduced six months ago. Since then, 20 people have been served with suspicion of the crime classification, and twelve of those were then also convicted.

The law came into force on 1 August, 2018. Anyone who defies the ban risks a €135 fine, a sum that is raised to €1,350 if it happens on repeated occasions.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

African Woman in Britain Mutilated Her 3-Year-Old Daughter — and Used Witchcraft to Shut Authorities Up

A woman who mutilated her three-year-old daughter has become the first person in the UK to be found guilty of female genital mutilation (FGM).

The 37-year-old mother from east London wept in the dock as she was convicted after a trial at the Old Bailey.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Dutch Police Criticised for Labelling Criminal Suspects as ‘Moroccans’

Utrecht police have been heavily criticised for labelling criminal suspects as being of “Moroccan” background following a number of street robberies which targetted children.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

EU: Going Full Orwell

The EU has launched a comprehensive Action Plan against Disinformation. Its purpose, according to a recent press release from the European Commission, is apparently to “protect its democratic systems and public debates and in view of the 2019 European elections as well as a number of national and local elections that will be held in Member States by 2020”.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France: Yellow Vests, Communist-Backed Union Join Forces for Day of Protest

PARIS (AP) — France’s yellow vest protest movement has joined ranks with a major union in a day of nationwide protests over taxes and buying power, a first for both.

There were brief scuffles and police fired several rounds of tear gas at Tuesday’s Paris demonstration, clearing troublemakers from the elegant Place de la Concorde, which borders the U.S. Embassy.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France and Germany Just Cut a Deal to Save the EU’s #CopyrightDirective — and Made it Much, Much Worse (Please Share This Post!)

The EU’s on-again/off-again Copyright Directive keeps sinking under its own weight: on the one side, you have German politicians who felt that it was politically impossible to force every online platform to spend hundreds of millions of euros to buy copyright filters to prevent a user from infringing copyright, even for an instant, and so proposed tiny, largely cosmetic changes to keep German small businesses happy; on the other side, you have French politicians who understand that the CEOs of multinational entertainment companies won’t stand for any compromise, or even the appearance of compromise, and so the process fell apart.

That is until Chancellor Merkel and President Macron sat down to broker a deal, in which Merkel caved on every single measure that even looked like it might protect small businesses, co-operatives, nonprofits, and individuals, ending up with a deal that guarantees that every existing small platform will be destroyed and no new ones can be started, leaving Europe in the hands of US Big Tech — forever.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France: CGT Strike Disrupts Paris Attractions and Schools

A general strike is taking place in Paris today (Tuesday February 5), affecting some tourist sites and local schools, after union CGT called for a march for buying power and a fairer taxation system.

The CGT, which is against President Macron’s current Grand Débat proceedings, is being supported in the strike by other unions and left-wing groups including Solidaires, the NPA, PCF and FI.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France: Macron Could Call May Referendum: Reports

President Emmanuel Macron is considering holding what would be the first referendum in France in 14 years in response to the gilets jaunes protests, reports say.

The Election Office at the Ministry of the Interior has contacted printers in order to set aside envelopes and ballots in case the vote goes ahead, the Journal du Dimanche (JDD) said — despite opposition to the idea from ministers.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France: Amazon Sacks Staff ‘For Supporting Gilets Jaunes’

The CGT union has called on Internet retailer Amazon to reinstate several workers in France it had fired due to their support for the gilets jaunes protests at some of its sites, according to reports.

It is believed 10 employees have been handed their papers ‘for serious misconduct’ and for ‘behaviour in total opposition to the company’s values’, according to letters seen and published in part by daily newspaper Le Parisien, after they had expressed their support for the gilets jaunes protests on various social networks.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Toninelli Wants A22 Highway Managed by State

Minister announces inspection after weekend chaos

(ANSA) — Rome, February 4 — Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli has said he wants the State to completely take over management of the A22 highway, which includes the Brenner Pass at the Italian border with Austria, after chaos ensued at the weekend following an avalanche that closed part of the highway in both directions on Friday and long traffic delays due to snow.

However, Luigi Olivieri, president of the company that manages the A22, said an accord for state management was already signed in 2016.

South Tyrol Governor Arno Kompatscher said it was his idea for the State to take over management of the A22 back in 2014, with then-governor of Trentino, Ugo Rossi, and transport minister at the time, Graziano Delrio.

Forza Italia MP Michaela Biancofiore said the A22 is already 81% publicly owned.

Toninelli announced an “inspection” to ensure the highway concessioner “adequately” ensured safety, and denounced what he called “outrageous and unjustified dividends” taken in by the concessioner.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Salvini Says TAV Must go on, M5S Says He’s ‘Lying’

Spending review cd save 1 bn says interior minister on visit

(ANSA) — Rome, February 1 — League leader, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Friday the high-speed rail (TAV) line between Turin and Lyon must go on, adding that a spending review could save up to one billion euros on the controversial project.

Meanwhile the League’s senior government partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), accused Salvini of “lying” about how much progress had been made on the key tunnel north of Turin. Salvini said on his arrival at the TAV building site at the tunnel at Chiomonte: “if going back costs as much as going forward, I’m for going forward”.

He said “there are many tunnels” involved in the pan-European project, and “we would be the only ones who would be stopping”.

He said it was preferable to move goods and people by rail than by road and said a revision of the project could save one billion euros.

There was tension between ‘No-TAV’ protesters and police guarding the tunnel site.

Anti-migrant Euroskeptic League leader Salvini is in favour of completing the TAV while cutting some “excessive expenditure” while M5S leader Luigi Di Maio is against going on with the project.

Di Maio said Friday he would not visit the Chiomonte site because, allegedly, “not even a centimetre of tunnel has been dug there”.

The M5S, and its transport minister, Danilo Toninelli, have insisted on carrying out a cost/benefit analysis which, according to M5S sources, is set to come out against completing the project.

Salvini has done his own sums and says the failure to complete it will mean losing billions of euros.

At the same time as Salvini’s visit to Chiomonte, French Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne visited the TAV work site across the border in France, at Saint-Martin-La-Porte.

She called the TAV “an important project.

“France has confirmed its commitment to the project and the respect of the accords signed between our two countries,” she said.

The line must be completed, Borne made clear.

She said France’s position on the completion of the project was “clear”.

Visiting the work site in Savoy, she recalled the international treaty ratified during the last Franco-Italian summit, when the two countries underscored their commitment to completing the project.

“To realise this Franco-Italian project, there must be two of us”, Borne said.

But M5S Foreign Undersecretary Manlio Di Stefano said League leader Salvini is lying about the tunnel being built at Chiomonte.

“Salvini didn’t go to see the TAV worksite but only a 5 metre hole,” said Di Stefano.

“You mustn’t spout electoral propaganda on this issue but only tell the Italians the truth.

“There is no work in progress…We want to invest citizens’ money to realise works useful to all, works that are useful to citizens every day”.

Di Stefano called for an end to “chat” on the TAV, saying it would never be completed.

“Enough useless chatter on a useless work, which won’t be done. Full stop.” he said.

““let’s think about bridges, roads, the banks of rivers our country urgently needs. #NoTav #M5S”.

Meanwhile Premier Giuseppe Conte announced that the government would “unblock building sites” on major infrastructure projects, calling the move “a Pact on work sites”.

This pact, he said, would “free up and speed up the realisation of infrastructures all over Italy”.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy Loses 10,000 Doctors in Ten Years to Emigration

During the ten-year period from 2005 to 2015, over ten thousand doctors and eight thousand nurses left Italy to work abroad, Italian media have reported.

Italy’s medical “brain drain” is not expected to slow up any time soon, ANSA reported, with estimates suggesting that matters will get worse before they get better.

The number of Italians emigrating from their home country more than doubled between 2010 and 2014, according to a 2016 report from the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), which showed that key destination countries included the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and France.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Di Maio Sees Yellow Jackets, ‘Joint Battles’

On citizens, social rights, direct democracy, environment

(ANSA) — Rome, February 5 — Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio’s press office said Tuesday Di Maio and his 5-Star Movement (M5S) No.2 Alessandro Di Battista had met with one of the leaders of the Yellow Jackets, Christof Chalencon, on the outskirts of Paris.

“There are many common positions and values that focus on the battles for citizens, social rights, direct democracy and the environment,” the press office said.

Di Maio has previously voiced the hope of an alliance with the Yellow Jackets ahead of the May European elections.

Chalencon, spokesman of the Yellow Jackets list led by Ingrid Levavasseur, told ANSA Tuesday he and Di Maio and Di Battista “practically agree on everything” after their meeting at the Hotel de France at Montargis, in the Parisian hinterland.

“We’re not talking of alliances yet but certainly of dialogue,” he said.

He said there would be another meeting next week in Rome between Di Maio and Levavasseur, with him present.

Eric Drouet, one of the main leaders of the Yellow Jackets, told ANSA Tuesday he was “against all political initiatives made in the name” of the French protest movement.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: TAV Cost/Benefit Analysis Given to French Envoy

Bilateral meeting to be set up soon

(ANSA) — Rome, February 5 — The transport ministry said Tuesday an Italian government-commissioned cost/benefit analysis on the high-speed rail (TAV) line between Turin and Lyon was handed to French Ambassador to Italy Christian Masset as agreed by French and Italian transport ministers Elisabeth Borne and Danilo Toninelli, ahead of its validation and publication by the Italian government.

The ministry said this was the starting point for dialogue between the two executives.

“A bilateral meeting will shortly be set up,” the ministry said.

According to leaks by Toninelli’s 5-Star Movement (M5S), the analysis is expected to come out against the project.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Ex Min’s Husband to Run for Party That Called Her Orangutan

Marriage over says Cecile Kyenge

(ANSA) — Bologna, February 5 — The husband of Italy’s first black minister is to run for the anti-migrant party that called her an orangutan.

Domenico Grispino said he would stand for Interior Minister Matteo Salvini’s League party in upcoming local elections at Castelfranco Emilia near Modena.

His wife, former integration minister Cecile Kyenge of the centre-left Democratic Party, said the marriage was over.

“I understand the dismay of everybody, including that of the League itself,” she said.

On January 14 League Senator Roberto Calderoli was found guilty by a court in the northern city of Bergamo of calling Kyenge an orangutan in 2013.

Kyenge, a doctor by profession with Congolese roots, became Italy’s first black minister when she served in ex-premier Enrico Letta’s government in 2013 and 2014.

The court ruled that racism was an aggravating factor and sentenced Calderoli to an 18-month jail term at the end of the first-instance trial.

Rulings in Italy are not considered definitive until the appeals process has been exhausted and prison terms of under two years are usually suspended.

Kyenge did not stand as a civil plaintiff in the trial and will not get damages.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Prosecutor Calls for Prison Sentence for Swedish Social Justice Activist Elin Ersson

The 21-year-old activist Elin Ersson, who has been prosecuted at the Gothenburg District Court for violation of the Aviation Act after she halted the deportation of an Afghan man at the end of July, may be sent to prison.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Working on Sex Abuse of Nuns Says Pope

Will for peace on Yemen says after Abu Dhabi trip

(ANSA) — Aboard the papal plane, February 5 — Pope Francis said Tuesday the Vatican was working to stem sexual abuse of nuns by clergy.

Francis said that, on the war in Yemen, he had found “a will to start peace processes” after his appeal in Abu Dhabi for peace in the Gulf country.

The pope said there was a risk of war and hatred if faiths don’t unite.

Francis said that his joint document signed with the grand imam of Al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi did not veer from the Second Vatican Council.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Top Cleric Urges Middle East’s Muslims to ‘Embrace’ Christians

The head of Sunni Islam’s highest seat of learning has urged the Middle East’s Muslims to “embrace” local Christians.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of al-Azhar in Egypt, told an interfaith meeting in Abu Dhabi attended by Pope Francis that Christians were “our companions”.

He also called on Muslims in the West to integrate into their communities while maintaining their identities.

In his speech, Pope Francis called for a halt to wars in the Middle East.

[Comment: Is this taqiyya, tawriya, or kitman? Or all of the above?]

           — Hat tip: acuara [Return to headlines]
 

Israel Begins Construction of Smart Fence Along Gaza Border

Israel’s Defense Ministry announced that it has begun the construction of an upgraded security barrier along the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

“On Thursday, we began working on the final component of the barrier project along the Gaza border,” said Brig.-Gen. Eran Ophir, head of the army’s fence-building administration. “The barrier is unique and especially suited to threats from the Gaza Strip and will provide a maximum response to prevent entry into Israeli territory.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Senate Votes to Keep Troops in Syria, Afghanistan

The Senate has decided to break from President Trump and his plans to pull out of Syria and Afghanistan — voting Monday in favor of a non-binding amendment to stay.

Senators reportedly sided with Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who sponsored the amendment, and voted 70-26 in favor of keeping US forces in both countries.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Philippines: Christians Slaughtered, Churches Bombed

On Sunday, January 27, extremist Muslims bombed a Catholic cathedral during Mass in the Philippines. At least 20 people were killed and 111 wounded.

At 8:45 am, two explosives were detonated about a minute apart in or near the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo. According to the Associated Press:

“The initial explosion scattered the wooden pews inside the main hall and blasted window glass panels, and the second bomb hurled human remains and debris across a town square fronting the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, witnesses said.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Chinese Billionaire Who Donated More Than $2.7 Million to the Liberals and Labor Parties Has Australian Citizenship Rejected

Huang Xiangmo was out of the country when he was notified that his dreams of becoming an Australian citizen were over.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Vile Callout for Youths to Help Loot the Homes of Townsville’s Devastated Flood Victims — as Two Thieves Who Drowned After ‘Robbing a Dan Murphy’s Store’ Are Trolled Online

Delinquents in flood ravaged north Queensland (pictured) have boasted on social media about looting homes left abandoned by owners as the water levels rose to dangerous levels over the weekend.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

New Species of Widow Spider Discovered in South Africa

Scientist in South Africa have discovered a new species of widow spider and they reckon it could be the biggest in the world. May I be the first person to say on behalf of all arachnophobes, nope.

The Phinda button spider is the first new species of widow spider to be found in almost 30 years and experts say it is closely related to the black widow, adding that its bite may be just as dangerous.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Maduro an Outlaw, Elections Now Says Salvini

Starves, jails and tortures his people says deputy PM

(ANSA) — Rome, February 5 — Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini on Tuesday said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was an outlaw and fresh elections should be held as soon as possible after last July’s allegedly rigged ballot, as opposition leader Juan Guaidò is demanding.

“Maduro is an outlaw: he starves, imprisons and tortures his people,” said Salvini in a statement.

“I hope for free and democratic elections as soon as possible. I’m close to the millions of Italians, and descendants of Italians, who live, resist and suffer in Venezuela”.

Salvini’s government partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), says Italy should not meddle in Venezuelan politics.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Alleged NYC Subway Shooter, A Suspected MS-13 Member, Was in US Illegally, ICE Says

The suspected MS-13 gang member accused of fatally shooting a member of a rival gang in broad daylight on a New York City subway platform is a Salvadoran national who is in the U.S. illegally, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency told Fox News on Tuesday.

Ramiro Gutierrez, 26, is set to face charges of second-degree murder, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the Sunday afternoon killing of 20-year-old Abel Mosso, who authorities said was a member of the rival 18th Street Gang. ICE said it had lodged an immigration detainer so that they could be contacted prior to his release.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Democrats Offer Plan to Release All Child Traffickers at Border Into U.S.

The House Democrats’ first offer to President Trump in negotiations to fund his proposed United States-Mexico border wall includes a provision that would end all immigration enforcement for migrants trafficking children across the southern border.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Govt Fate Not Linked to Diciotti Case — Salvini

Those thinking of TV-Diciotti exchange shd have heads examined

(ANSA) — Siena, February 5 — Interior Minister Matteo Salvini reiterated Tuesday that the government’s fate is not linked to the Diciotti migrant ‘kidnapping’ case.

Salvini faces possible trial for allegedly kidnapping 177 migrants aboard a Costa Guard ship, the Diciotti, in a standoff with the EU in August.

It is not clear whether the government ally of his anti-migrant League party, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), will vote to lift his immunity to face trial.

Salvini said the government’s fate is not “at all” linked to the Diciotti case.

“The government is going forward and we have a lot of things to do,” he said. “Salvini is not the country’s problem”.

Salvini said those who might be thinking of a possible exchange between the M5S voting against lifting his immunity and Salvini giving way on the high-speed rail (TAV) line between Turin and Lyon “should have their heads examined”.

Salvini is in favour of the project while the M5S is against it.

Salvini said he would present a written statement to the Senate immunity committee which is set to examine the case starting Thursday.

“Scripta manent, verba volant (writings remain, words fly), he said using a Latin tag.

He said he was going to th Senate “with my head held high because I defended the interest of my country and borders and security”.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Salvini Tells Open Border Leftist to Accept Migrants in His Home

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told an open borders leftist that the government would send him 10 to 20 migrants to personally take care of before commenting, “the more money communists make the more they preach morality to others.”

The exchange happened during Salvini’s appearance in the Adriatic resort town of Giulianova this past weekend.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Three News Stories, Three New Disasters With Justin Trudeau’s Mass Migration Policy

Here is a terrifying story. It’s heartbreaking, repulsive sad and infuriating:

Former ISIS sex slaves sheltered in Canada threatened with phone calls, texts

I give credit to CTV News for reporting it. These days, most mainstream media go out of their way to un-report or even anti-report news about Muslim terrorists.

But I’m curious how ISIS terrorists would even be able to find these women, in Canada, and find their contact info.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Senate Dems Block GOP Anti-Infanticide Bill [Video]

Senator Ben Sasse made an appeal to Democrats in the Senate not to block a bill that assures that a baby who survives abortion will be cared for as any newborn would. Seems logical, right? Well, not for the radical Democrats in the Senate right now.

They voted to block the bill claiming there are already protections similar to what’s in the bill. The problem is that Senator Feinstein pulled out the tired old saying about a woman’s right to control her own body: This is “just the latest attack in the decades-long Republican effort to eliminate a woman’s right to control her own body.” Yes, she went there and opened up the Pandora’s Box of what Democrats really want with abortion. They want the woman to be able to abort during and after pregnancy. This had nothing to do with laws that are already on the books. Everyone is equal EXCEPT newborn babies…Horrific.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Dutch City: Street Names Too White, Will be Made More Diverse

The local government of Rotterdam has decided to name all new streets in the city after women and minorities after complaints by some local politicians that the current names are too male and too white.

The Dutch city’s government announced that it would be accepting the proposal to make the city’s street names more “diverse” a year after the initiative was put forth by left-wing party Democrats 66 (D66), the GreenLeft, and the Labour party, Dutch newspaper Telegraaf reports.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

Phil Robertson: America Has to be Godly Again to be Great Again

Duck Commander Phil Robertson previewed his new book on Monday’s edition of Breitbart News Daily with host Alex Marlow, along with a message on making America great again.

“Trump wants to make American great again and I’m all for it and I’m behind him,” Robertson assured listeners. He then laid out his own message: “I’m trying to get people to see that America is never going to be great again until they become at least godly again, that’s my point.”

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Why Are the Police Stopping a 74-Year-Old Tweeting About Transgenderism?

Margaret Nelson is a 74-year-old woman who lives in a village in Suffolk. On Monday morning she was woken by a telephone call. It was an officer from Suffolk police. The officer wanted to speak to Mrs Nelson about her Twitter account and her blog.

Mrs Nelson, a former humanist celebrant and one-time local newspaper journalist, enjoys tweeting and writing about a number of issues, including the legal and social distinctions between sex and gender.

Among the statements she made on Twitter last month and which apparently concerned that police officer: ‘Gender is BS. Pass it on’.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Woke Evangelicals: Cultivating Victimhood, Vanquishing Conscience

With astonishing speed, the evangelical world has been invaded by social justice ideology. In a recent podcast, the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention (until now a theologically conservative body), J.D. Greear, highlighted “white privilege” as a serious moral issue for Christians. Likewise, David Platt, former president of the SBC’s International Mission Board, browbeat evangelicals for having too much of the same skin color: “Why are so many of our churches so white?”

At another historically conservative denomination, the Presbyterian Church of America, things are not any better. Its institution and my own alma mater, Covenant Seminary, hosted a conference on race whose onetime director was a Black Lives Matter activist. Furthermore, the seminary and the PCA denomination as a whole have been embroiled in controversy over the Revoice Conference, which promotes the idea of LGBT victimhood.

Though these evangelicals may be “woke” about some issues, they are definitely asleep about others. For instance, concern about the plight of the aborted unborn has been waning among them. In a YouTube video, a recent graduate of the SBC’s Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary observes that these days, one frequently hears about social justice issues on campus but rarely about abortion. Among woke evangelicals, ironically, victimhood ideology has managed to push into the shadows conspicuous sins against present-day victims. This reveals a significant corruption of conscience.

           — Hat tip: JD [Return to headlines]
 

4 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/5/2019

  1. Sharia Police in Brooklyn? “Community policing” sound a whole lot like creating a separate state to me. Somehow I don’t think the Americans will tolerate this obscenity for long. We have it in UK already. Met Police are well set against it.

    My concern is how wide do these arrogant creatures regard a “Community”? The Jews in North London have similar and while I think it wrong, they do not attempts to enlarge their writ to anybody outside their community. That cannot be said for the sharia enforcers- “Today the Community, tomorrow the world!” That is what I object to. The Orthodox Jews are no problem to any body.

    • I recall several years ago or so that a Florida community had a trial run of a sharia patrol. It may have been an area of Miami. The local government stated they were anxious to see it succeed.

  2. I don’t think the Americans will tolerate this obscenity for long. We have it in UK already. Met Police are well set against it.

    As always, Bishop, your valid and pointed remarks are interesting to read.

    The front line police may well be set against shariah, but they cannot take a meaningful action against the shariah and its implementers because that would offend the voters who elected the higher authority who control the police. Remember Nuremberg: you can’t say I was following orders. Police can’t do anything. And the invasion continues. European were very courageous fighting each other. When it comes to islam, Europeans, without exception are hares and milk-blooded critters.

    Just remember the real refugee Asia Bibi: May said that she can’t grant her refugee status because muslims will be upset, which is interpreted precisely as “Muslims will rise in a rebellion and if we oppose them they will burn Britain.”

    But That burning is only postponed.

    Indeed, that’s true. Anyone who opposes islam and shariah is condemned and lose their job, and sometimes imprisoned.

    Where are those strategists who were so farsighted as to invent a strategy to defeat The Soviet Union, but have no tactics to defeat their own country by their own miserable hands within?

    Think tanks advisers, strategists, . . . all they came up with was the hypocritical statement: Islam is a religion of peace, so go back to sleep.

  3. That story from Rotterdam highlights the lie that migrants, especially those from further afield, will ever really adopt the existing culture.

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