House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was caught on video getting her hair done at a salon in San Francisco, which is forbidden to ordinary citizens under coronavirus restrictions. Ms. Pelosi was not wearing a mask, and received a blow-dry, which is specifically prohibited.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Philadelphia was caught on video eating in a Maryland restaurant. Dining indoors is still prohibited in Philadelphia under coronavirus restrictions.
In other news, on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Pope Francis warned of impending ecological doom.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to C. Cantoni, Reader from Chicago, 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.
Australia Plunges Into First Recession in 29 Years Following Biggest GDP Drop on Record
Nothing good lasts forever, as Australia just discovered when after seemingly defeating the gravity of the business cycle and lasting a record 29 year without an economic contraction, the country tumbled head first into its first recession in almost 30 years, which also happened to be the worst on record as its Q2 GDP plunged —6.3% Y/Y, worse even than the consensus estimate of a —6.0% drop.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pay the Bill: UK Eyes Big Tax Rises After Government Coronavirus Spending Spree
The Treasury is reportedly considering tax rises to the tune of up to £30 billion to cover the cost of the government’s coronavirus response spending spree, with the department even contemplating raising the tax on petrol which would affect millions of ordinary Britons.
Faced with the rising bill for the government’s coronavirus stimulus packages, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is said to be considering raising taxes on businesses, pensions, and higher earners, in what The Telegraph described as the largest series of tax rises in a generation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Blowouts for Me, Not for Thee!”: Pelosi Sneaks Visit to Closed San Francisco Hair Salon
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) — who invited people to tour Chinatown in late February to prove that coronavirus was ‘no big deal’ — has just been caught ignoring a San Francisco city ordinance ordering hair salons to remain closed during the pandemic.
According to security footage obtained by Fox News, the 80-year-old lawmaker was seen at San Francisco hair salon “eSalon” Monday afternoon for a wash and blow-out at 3:08 p.m. according to a timestamp on the footage, which shows her walking through the salon without a mask over her mouth or nose.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“They Backed Us Into a Corner” — Parents Protest Massachusetts’ New Mandatory Vaccination Rules
As Massachusetts and Virginia lead the country in a push toward mandatory vaccination for both COVID-19 and the flu (which public health experts worry could exacerbate the current COVID-19 outbreak), a large group of protesters converged outside the Massachusetts State House in Boston, holding signs that read “Unavoidably unsafe,” “My child, my choice,” “Parents call the shots” and “I am not a threat.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Following deadly shootings in Kenosha and Portland over the past week during demonstrations allegedly inspired by the latest police shooting to rock the nation, a black man was shot and killed by a sherrif’s deputy in LA Monday night after the man allegedly punched the deputy before whipping out a handgun, prompting two deputies to fire their weapons.
Now, hundreds have gathered in peaceful protests in LA last night, laying siege to an LA sheriff’s office in the latest tense situation to emerge during the nationwide protest movement which has dragged on for 100 days.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Third of Americans Say They Will Not Get a Coronavirus Vaccine: Poll
A third of Americans said they would refuse to take a coronavirus vaccine, provided one is developed, according to a new multinational survey.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ASU Radio Board Vote to Remove Manager Over Kenosha Tweet
Social media outrage and backlash against a media figure has claimed another victim. This time, it was an easy target: the manager of a student radio station has been fired for what seemed like promoting some basic rules of journalism (such as considering a multitude of sources and context).
What’s considered as offense these days in the US are tweets saying things like, “(There’s) always more to the story, folks.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
At Least 14 Shot — Two Fatally — in Latest Wave of NYC Gun Violence, NYPD Says
At least 14 people were shot across New York City Monday and Tuesday — two fatally — amid a recent spate of gunplay, cops said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Barna: 1 in 5 U.S. Churches Likely to Close Permanently Due to Coronavirus Shutdowns, Impact
Christian research organization Barna Group says it is likely that one in five U.S. churches will shut its doors for good because of a downturn in donations and attendance caused by the novel coronavirus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden to Americans: “Do I Look Like a Radical Socialist With a Soft Spot for Rioters?”
In a response to President Trump’s recent accusations, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden pushed back on the notion that he is not doing enough to condemn the riots roiling major American cities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California DA Asks Police to Consider Whether Looters ‘Needed’ What They Stole Before Filing Charges
Authored by Collin Jones via The Post Millennial (emphasis ours)
A district attorney in California reportedly told members of law enforcement that they should consider the needs of looters before deciding to charge them with looting.
Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton expressed her view that officers should consider whether “the target business” was “open or closed” at the time the looting took place, and “what was the manner and means” by which the looters had managed to get inside the business, the Daily Wire reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Carter Page’s FISA Related ‘Woods File’ Docs Disappear
Authored by Sara Carter via saraacarter.com (emphasis ours)
The original Woods file on former campaign advisor Carter Page went missing more than two years ago, and according to sources who spoke to SaraACarter.com, those documents had to be recreated by the FBI and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team in 2018 from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Application used by the bureau to obtain the warrant on Page. That FISA was used in part to investigate President Donald Trump’s campaign and the now-debunked theory that it colluded with Russia during the 2016 election, according to several sources, with knowledge, who spoke to this reporter.
The woods file procedure, which was overseen by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Joe Pientka, and ultimately former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, was used to verify the contents in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application that was used to obtain a warrant to spy on Page.
Moreover, during Pientka’s numerous interviews with investigators from the DOJ’s Inspector General’s office, who likely have worked for both Michael Horowitz and Connecticut prosecutor John Durham — the fact that it was a recreated Wood’s file was never disclosed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Documents Suggest Facebook Uses Media “Accusations” To Determine Credibility of Alleged Crimes
Leaked documents provided by former Facebook content moderator Ryan Hartwig appear to outline a one-sided internal process that’s used by Facebook and its content moderators to assess the credibility of accusations of “recognized crime” on its platforms.
According to the internal documents Hartwig shared with Reclaim The Net, Facebook’s criteria for determining when such accusations should be considered “credible” is that “an accusation of a FB [Facebook] recognized crime against a target should be considered credible if the accusations are by a victim or law enforcement or media.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOJ Investigating BLM, Antifa Leaders and Those Who Fund Them, DHS Chief Says
Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Monday revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the leaders of Black Lives Matter and Antifa, along with those who fund the two organizations, over the ongoing riots and violence in Democratic cities across the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fans Suspect Censorship as Some of Joe Rogan’s Best Episodes Didn’t Make the Move to Spotify
Last May, podcasting star Joe Rogan and the audio streaming giant Spotify struck a deal worth $100 million, making his show, the Joe Rogan Experience, a Spotify exclusive.
The May agreement was “the jewel in the crown” for Spotify’s massive and systematic push into the podcasting media, and on September 1, it came into effect.
But some of the more interesting episodes from the podcast’s back catalog have become “elusive” just as the exclusive deal kicked into gear. To be specific — these episodes are apparently now gone, at least in terms of not being moved over to Spotify.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Warns Chicago PD of Street Gang Pact to “Shoot on-Sight” Any Cop Who Draws a Weapon on a Suspect
FBI officials in Chicago have warned the city’s police department about a report that local street gangs have joined together in a pact to “shoot on-sight” any police officers seen using a weapon in an interaction with a suspect.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A 23-year-old Wisconsin man carrying a flamethrower, smoke grenades and fireworks during a Saturday night demonstration in Green Bay ‘dropped into the fetal position and began crying’ after he was chased down by police.
Matthew Banta of Neenah, WI — who is “known to be a violent Antifa member who incites violence in otherwise relatively peaceful protests,” was one of four individuals walking towards a protest with baseball bats, according to ABC2.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Foreign Policy Under President Joe Biden
by Should Joe Biden become the 46th president, he will have a lot of geopolitical reconstruction work to do. Above all, China and the relationship with NATO have deteriorated significantly under Trump. What would Joe Biden’s foreign policy look like?
Foreign Policy Matters
Foreign policy is a subject that many Americans traditionally do not care much about. Presidential elections are not won through foreign policy — President George H.W. Bush, despite a grandiose foreign policy resume, had to find it out the hard way.
The issue of China, however, is the exception to this rule. Two-thirds of all US citizens have a negative image of China as a rogue state. When it comes to punitive tariffs and sanctions, the division between Republicans and Democrats often transforms into bipartisan efforts.
[…]
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Google is Accused of Censoring Negative Black Lives Matter Autosuggest Results
Google’s search engine is being accused of no longer giving neutral search suggestions when it comes to the Black Lives Matter movement. It is worth noting that other search engines such as Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo are returning all sorts of search suggestions, both positive and negative. Google, however, is not displaying any negative search results and is only showing the term “BLM israel” if one searches for the term “BLM is.”
Considering the fact that the Black Lives Matters movement is widely discussed across the world, searching for the phrase “BLM is” should have generally displayed a wide number of suggestions, as it does on other search engines. Yet, searching for the phrase “black lives matter is” in particular, returns positive search suggestions only, a stark contrast to the other search engines.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Happy Camper Fires Employee After Social Media Post Claims Cop’s Receipt Said ‘Quit Your Job’
An employee has been fired from the popular Happy Camper restaurant in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood, the eatery said, after a social media post claims an officer who ordered takeout from the restaurant received a message on his receipt saying “quit your job.”
The social media post was shared Sunday evening by someone claiming to be a friend of the Chicago Police Detective who received the receipt.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kyle Rittenhouse Defense Lawyer Lin Wood Locked Out of Twitter After Advocating for His Client
Twitter has locked the account of Lin Wood, the lawyer who is representing and advocating for Kyle Rittenhouse, the Kenosha shooter who is charged with murder after shooting dead two individuals during a riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
As video of the incident is widespread on social media, Lin Wood is arguing self-defense, after even the New York Times reportedRittenhouse was being pursued by those he shot.
Twitter has been locking the accounts of those who have supported Rittenhouse and those saying that he acted in self-defense, even though this is his official legal defense. Twitter has now even gone as far as locking Rittenhouse’s actual defense attorney out of his account.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberty University to Investigate Leadership of Jerry Falwell, Jr.
Liberty University’s board announced Monday that it has retained an outside firm to perform a wide-ranging investigation into the financial, real estate, and legal decisions made during Jerry Falwell Jr.’s tenure as president of the school.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Miami Herald Columnist Ostracized Over Tweet Calling Protesting Football Players “America-Bashers”
Armando Salguero, a sports columnist for the Miami Herald, said players protesting what they see as racial injustice were “America-bashing.” But while the paper came out in support of the players for their free speech, they didn’t do the same for Salguero and his opinion — in fact, they distanced themselves from him.
The United States peaked in chaos again after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as well as the aftermath. Players from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and WNBA, have been protesting by boycotting games and releasing videos explaining the boycotts while wearing Black Lives Matter shirts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Oregon Sheriffs Reject Gov. Kate Brown’s Request to Staff Portland Protests
The sheriffs of Clackamas and Washington County in Oregon said they won’t send staff to help with the nightly unrest in Portland after Gov. Kate Brown unveiled a plan to bring an end to violence in the city.
Brown had asked the sheriffs and the Gresham Police Department to support the Portland Police Bureau with personnel and resources “to keep the peace and protect free speech.”
Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts on Monday said the governor never approached him before unveiling her plan to mobilize local law enforcement agencies in the Portland protests, and that he has no plans to send his staff to nightly demonstrations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Penn Profs Push to Probe President Trump’s Admission to Ivy League
Authored by Ben Zeisloft via Campus Reform
Six professors at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School — President Donald Trump’s alma mater — asked for the administration to investigate claims that Trump cheated on his SAT exam.
The Daily Pennsylvanian obtained the letter, as well as Penn’s rejection of the professors’ request. All six professors teach in Wharton’s Legal Studies & Business Ethics Department. The letter cites a claim in Too Much and Never Enough — a recently published book written by President Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump — that President Trump paid someone to take the SAT on his behalf.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is facing strong criticism, particularly from local businesses in his city, after a photograph was taken Sunday of Kenney dining indoors at a restaurant in Maryland.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Philadelphia Mayor Shamed After Eating Indoors in Maryland While His City Remains Shut Down
In yet another example of liberal hypocrisy, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is being shamed by his city — whose restaurants he has barred from operating — and forced to apologize after he was spotted dining indoors in Maryland, without a mask, while his city remains shut down. Restaurant owners in the city are irate.
A photograph of Kenney went viral early this week and the mayor’s office later confirmed that Kenney was visiting a “friend’s restaurant” on Sunday, according to ABC Philadelphia.
Well known Philadelphia restauranteur Marc Vetri unloaded on the mayor on Instagram, writing: “Glad you’re enjoying indoor dining with no social distancing or mask wearing in Maryland tonight while restaurants here in Philly close, suffer and fight for every nickel just to survive. I guess all your press briefings and your narrative of unsafe indoor dining don’t apply to you. Thank you for clearing it all up for us tonight.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Portland Rioters Torch Mayor’s Condo Building on His Birthday, Sing “Happy Tear Gas to You”
Rioters in Portland, Oregon, set fire Monday to the condo building where Mayor Ted Wheeler lives, and loudly sang “happy tear gas to you,” in mock honor of his birthday, which is August 31.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Portland Police Declare “Riot, “ Use Smoke Grenades, Pepper Balls as Violence Flares Up
Police in Portland declared a “riot” Monday night as protests flared up outside Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s residence at a condominium complex in the downtown area, complete with fireworks and other loud, disruptive activities.
The Oregonian reported at least 200 demonstrators “marched to the Pearl District condominium tower where Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler lives to demand his resignation.”
The local newspaper said, “demonstration quickly turned destructive as some in the crowd lit a fire in the street, then placed a picnic table from a nearby business on top of the fire to feed the blaze. People shattered windows and broke into a ground-floor dental office, including a chair, and added to the fire and office supplies.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Riot-Ravaged Minneapolis Businesses Can’t Rebuild Because the Insurance Won’t Cover it
Ever since a multiracial group of Minneapolis cops kneeled on George Floyd’s neck as he died three months ago, there have been riots in American cities every single night. At first our moral, ethical, and intellectual betters in the media just gaslighted us about it. They looked right into their cameras and told us it wasn’t happening. It’s not actual violence, y’know, the bad kind of violence. It’s “mostly peaceful protest.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The US State Department illegally monitored the social media accounts of 13 conservative Americans, including Donald Trump Jr., Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Lou Dobbs and Jack Posobiec, according to Just The News, citing memos scheduled to be turned over to Judicial Watch.
The surveillance operation, which began in March 2019, was run out of the US Embassy in Kiev while under the command of then-Ambassador (and impeachment witness) Marie Yovanovitch, after journalist John Solomon began publishing stories about the embassy’s activities at The Hill and on Fox News, according to Solomon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Summer Violence Drops in August, But Murders Up 50% From 2019: Cpd
Citywide homicides and shootings in August were down from a month ago, according to data collected by Chicago police.
Despite the month-to-month drop in violence, Chicago has seen a 50% jump in murders this year compared to 2019.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas School District Removes 8th Grade Assignment That Compares Police to KKK, Slave Owners
A Texas school district has removed an 8th grade assignment that compared police officers to KKK members and slave owners amid backlash from parents and law enforcement groups.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Republican National Convention: A Gathering of the Common People
by Nikola Kedhi
During conventions it is impossible to remember all that was said, everyone who attended or each campaign promise. What remains, though, is the taste the event in its entirety leaves.
The Democratic Message: Doom and Gloom
Independently of the political leanings, the consensus for the Democratic Convention was that in the end, the messages that were presented spoke of an America in its darkest days, at the grip of the abyss and in the midst of a gloomy period.
The Democrats emphasized the need to metaphorically (which the recent mobs have taken literally) burn to the ground everything that makes America what it is and start anew.
[…]
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump Jr. shared a video on Twitter Monday that shows Democratic leaders, liberal pundits, and celebrities cheering and promoting violence against their political opponents and anyone who supports them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Visits Site of Riots in Kenosha, Promises to Help Businesses Rebuild
President Trump on Tuesday got an up-close look at the damage caused by recent riots and looting in Kenosha, Wis. — touring property damaged by the violence, blasting “anti-American” riots and promising to help devastated businesses rebuild.
The president announced $1 million to Kenosha law enforcement “so you have extra money to go out and do what you have to do.” He also announced $4 million to support local businesses affected by the violence, and $42 million to support public safety statewide — including support for law enforcement and prosecutors.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham, President Trump again called Black Lives Matter a Marxist organization.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
During a White House Press briefing on Monday, President Trump provided an update on the “left-wing political violence” in Portland, Oregon, saying his administration could solve the city’s rioting problem “in one hour, but the mayor refuses.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump, Jr. has again voiced his concerns about the mental health of current Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, suggesting that he is being used by his party as more of a figurehead than a candidate
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
President Trump claimed in a Monday night interview that a group of “thugs” in “dark uniforms” who traveled to Washington D.C. is currently under investigation.
Speaking with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Trump said that “somebody” got on a plane and traveled to the Republican National Convention last week, where groups of thugs were filmed harassing and chasing attendees following the event — including Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and his wife.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hundreds Flood Before Parliament Hill for Pro-Freedom Protest
Hundreds of people attended an anti-lockdown rally in front of Parliament Hill over the weekend.
One of the groups behind the event The Line Canada said the rally was a pro-freedom demonstration.
“We are not anti-mask at all, we are pro-liberty. If you want to wear a mask or a tutu, we have nothing to say about that. That is your right. You do not have a right to put one on my face or the face of my children. It’s as simple as that,” said executive director Kelly Anne Wolfe.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau Says “Extreme Right” Groups Using Macdonald Statue Vandalism to Sow Division
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has blamed unspecified “extreme right” groups for using the toppling of Montreal’s John A. Macdonald statue for political gain.
“We’ve seen, following that, people on either side of the spectrum trying to use these elements as a way of furthering debates,” Trudeau said in French. “I think that we’re seeing, particularly on the extreme right, that they’re trying to start culture wars and divide Canadians on issues such as that.”
Trudeau did not identify a specific group or elaborate on how “extreme right” groups were attempting to sow division.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Since the current conservative government came to power in 2010, Hungary has built or renovated 3,000 churches and — unlike elsewhere in Europe — not a single one was converted to a mosque, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said in Mosonmagyaróvar, in northeast Hungary, at the opening of the 2020/2021 school year.
“In order to defend our Christian identity, it is important that the state perform its duties, but we also must fill it with faith, in which Christian schools and the pupils there will form the next generation of intellectuals through a unity of knowledge and spirituality,” Semjén said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brexit Fishing Wars: EU Ransoms Treaty Until UK Surrenders Territorial Waters
The European Union is refusing to discuss a treaty on fishing unless the United Kingdom abandons its claim of full sovereignty over its own territorial waters.
Currently, under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), fishermen from the EU27 land more than 60 per cent of fish in Britain’s waters. The French, for example, are legally allowed to catch 84 per cent of Britain’s cod caught in the English Channel and two-thirds of British Irish Sea haddock. While the UK wants to take back full control of its territorial waters and agree on annual fishing licences with EU countries, Brussels is demanding long-term pledges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia, Austria and Slovakia Agree on Keeping Borders Open Despite Coronavirus
In a meeting at the Grafenegg castle, heads of parliaments of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia agreed that despite the higher numbers of new coronavirus cases in recent days, the borders between their countries should remain open.
“We agreed that borders should not be closed unless something extraordinary happens and even in such case, it should be at least communicated in advance,” said Radek Vondracek, chairman of the Czech Chamber of Deputies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech PM Babis: Reporting on V4 Countries From the Guardian and Der Spiegel is ‘Fake News’
In response to a question about rule of law and Visegrad Four countries at the Bled Stragetic Forum in Slovenia, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis called Guardian and Der Spiegel reporting on the Central European region as “fake news”, including in relation to so-called rule of law issues.
“I came here because my colleagues told me we are going to discuss Europe after COVID and Brexit. I didn’t come here to discuss V4 and the rule of law,” said Babis. “I don’t know who you are, but I know your questions are based on fake news from Guardian and Spiegel and the other anti-V4 newspapers.”
Babis noted that this issue of rule of law was discussed at length in Brussels, and the matter had already been clarified. He added that his party had won regular elections and described articles accusing him of violating the rule of law as fake news.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Digital “Health Passport” Unveiled in Ireland
At the start of the lockdowns, those who were worried about their civil liberties being eroded and their movements and history being tracked and traced, were told that the whole idea of “health passports” were nothing but a conspiracy theory.
Yet, Ireland-based Roqu Group has launched the pilot version of a “health passport” to help with COVID-19 testing. Health Passport Ireland is a digital health passport and will be available to businesses and the general public.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Europe is in Trouble, ‘ Hungary’s PM Orban Tells Regional Leaders
Europe is in trouble because it is unable to change the rules of global politics, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told regional leaders at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia on Monday.
During a panel discussion, he was asked where Europe stands today.
Orban responded by saying, “My answer is: in trouble.”
“In Europe we have difficulty realizing that — as opposed to the United States and China — we are unable to fundamentally change the rules of the game,” Orban said. “So long as we don’t have a joint European armed force and a joint scientific-innovative potential that can drive development, we will not be as important players as the United States and China.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Small Anti-Mask Protest in Paris Ends With Mass Fines
An anti-mask demonstration in Paris this weekend (Saturday August 29) attracted just 200-300 people and ended with 123 people being fined by police for not wearing masks.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Charlie Hebdo Reprints Mohammed Cartoon by Artist Murdered in Islamic Terror
French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo — whose almost whole editorial team was murdered by Islamist gunmen in 2015 — has reprinted a series of cartoons of Islam’s Mohammed to coincide with 13 people going on trial for the terror attack which targeted the publication.
Charlie Hebdo, which has long made its name in eviscerating all comers — showing no fear or favour — has reprinted a series of cartoons for which it is particularly known: depicting and satirising Islam’s Mohammed. The cartoons — which are prohibited in Islam as haram — were cited by the Muslim gunmen who attacked the offices of the newspaper in 2015, killing 12.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
George Soros Keeps Pumping Millions Into Poland’s Left-Wing Batory Foundation
Billionaire financier and convicted inside trader George Soros is pushing his agenda in Poland by funding the left-wing Stefan Batory Foundation, with financial statements showing that Soros provides the vast majority of foreign money being funneled to the controversial organization.
The financial report shows that the Open Society Foundation in Switzerland gave €516,000 to the Batory Foundation, the Open Society institute in Budapest donated €280,000, and the New York Promotion of Open Society Foundation gifted €260,000. Transparency International from Berlin also provided the Batory Foundation with funding, according to an investigation by Polish news outlet Wpolityce.pl.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish PM Morawiecki: The West is Criticizing Central Europe Because it Fears Its Growing Strength
When it comes to democracy, Central Europe is so harshly criticized by Brussels and some European capitals due to its rising competitiveness, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said during the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia.
“To all of our colleagues who say that we should be stifled: Competition is good,” he said during the forum, which was also attended by the leaders of Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia as well as by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and International Monetary Fund Director Kristalina Georgieva, also from Bulgaria, over a video link.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope Francis Warns ‘Creation is Groaning!’ in New Eco-Message
ROME — Pope Francis announced a “jubilee for the earth” Tuesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, calling on all to combat the “climate emergency.”
In his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the pontiff has called for repentance, insisting we have “broken the bonds of our relationship with the Creator, with our fellow human beings, and with the rest of creation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Solidarity grew out of the great desire of ordinary people to live dignified and normal lives,” President Andrzej Duda emphasized on occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Solidarity trade union.
In his speech at the historic gate of the Gdansk shipyard, the president emphasized that he was standing in front of the place where protesting workers were shot at in 1970, where the blood of innocents was spilled who just wanted to live in dignity.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Professor: 2019 Worst Year for Homicides in France in Recent History
French professor of Criminology Alain Bauer has claimed that 2019 has been the worst year for homicides and attempted homicides in recent French history.
Bauer, who serves as a professor of Criminology at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris, said that France has seen a surge in the homicide rate in the last decade compared to a steady decline from the previous 500 years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rules for Wearing a Mask at Work in France
Masks will be compulsory in offices and other workplaces in France from tomorrow, Tuesday, September 1, as the country tries to control a spike in cases of coronavirus.
It comes as the government encourages the country back to work in order to fill a 11% hole in its budget.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Government Spent Taxpayer Money on Influencer Sponsorships for COVID Tracking
If you ever wondered how the D-list celebrities, including internet influencers, actually make their money — the answer is through brand deals, the so-called “sponcon” (i.e., “sponsored content”).
The method can be shady, as these influencers often fail to disclose, by adding appropriate tags, that the product or the message they are shilling is paid — thus possibly misleading followers into believing this is authentic, unpaid-for endorsement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sasha Johnson, a leader of the Oxford branch of Black Lives Matter, announced on Sunday the formation of what she termed “the first black-led political party in the UK”.
At a so-called Million Man March in London — which saw approximately four hundred activists join — Ms Johnson unveiled her new political party, the Taking The Initiative Party (TTIP).
In a video released by the conservative student organisation Turning Point UK, the far-left activist said that though the leadership of the new party will be black, she claimed: “This isn’t just a party for black people though, it’s a party for the working class.”
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On Monday, after illegally entering the premises of the French Valuers Actuelles magazine, militants of the Black African Defense League (LDNA) protested in front of the editorial staff, uttering anti-Semitic threats and threatening to rip the arms off of the staff so they could no longer write.
The magazine has filed a complaint with French authorities, according to Valuers Actuelles.
In front of the magazine’s headquarters in Paris, the leader of the LDNA, accompanied by a handful of activists, protested against the publication of a controversial fiction devoted to the LFI deputy Danièle Obono, published in the last issue of Valuers Actuelles.
During his impassioned speech, the spokesperson of the LDNA group, Egountchi Behanzin, vowed that if the magazine “writes against Blacks, then your arms will be torn off and you will have no hands to write anything. We are going to rip your arms off.”
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Hindu Devotee Murdered by Jihadi Elements, For Celebrating Ganesha Chathurti in Tamil Nadu
Hindu activist Arunkumar hacked to death by suspected Jihadi elements while returning from Ganesha Chathurti procession in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram. Another critical…
Ravi Sampath | HENB | Ramanathapuram | Sept 1. 2020:: In yet another attack on Hindus in Tamil Nadu, a Ganesha devotee and Hindu activist has been reportedly hacked to death by Jihadi elements on August 31. Arun Prakash (alias Arunkumar), a native of Ramanathapuram is the victim of Jihadi terror spreading across Tamil Nadu.
As per reports, Arunkumar was attacked with sharp weapons on Monday night while returning from the procession after celebrating Ganesha Chathurti (Vinayakar Chathurthi). He was targeted for erecting a pooja pandal for the same purpose in one of the bye-lanes of Ramanathapuram say sources. Though the Jihadis attacked two people, Arunkumar died on the way to the hospital. Other victim is said to be in a high critical condition.
Price for celebrating Vinayakar Chathurthi procession in TN: Hindu Youth stabbed to death in broad day light by suspected Jihadi elements.
Arun Prakash (alias Arun Kumar) is the son of Saminathan residing at Kallar Street in Vasanth Nagar near Ramanathapuram. He along with his friend Yogeshwaran (23), son of Suresh, belonging to the same area were standing and talking outside an ATM on Monday afternoon.
At that time, a gang of 9 persons had come in 3 motorbikes and surrounded them. They stabbed both Arun and Yogeshwaran with a knife, injuring them seriously and fled.
Both of them were later admitted to the Ramanathapuram Government Hospital. Arun Prakash succumbed to his injuries. Yogeshwaran who has been admitted to a private hospital remains critical.
Immediately, after the death of Arun, Indu (Hindu) Makkal Katchi protested vehemently on the attacks upon Hindu in Ramanathapuram…
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Six ISIS Operatives Plead Guilty Before Delhi Court
New Delhi, September 1
Six accused in a terror case on Tuesday pleaded guilty before a Delhi Court of being ISIS operatives and part of the criminal conspiracy hatched by the Islamic terror outfit to establish its base in India by recruiting Muslim youths through different social media platforms to carry out acts of terrorism in the country.
The accused — Abu Anas, Mufti Abdul Sami Qasmi, Suhail Ahamed, Nafees Khan, Mohd Afzal and Obedullah Khan — moved applications before the court, which is likely to take up the matter on Wednesday, their advocate Qausar Khan said.
Special Judge Parveen Singh is also scheduled to take up the matter tomorrow to consider the quantum of sentence for six other accused — Mudabbir Mushtaq Sheikh, Mohammad Shareef Moinudeen Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Hussain Khan, Syed Mujahid and Mohammad Azhar Khan — who pleaded guilty earlier.
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The polarising politician is supporting an inquiry into foreign interference on Australian tertiary institutions.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Yusuf Karakaya, 31, flew from Sydney to Western Australia on July 30 after being granted permission to visit his uncle on compassionate grounds, but was ordered to isolate at Perth’s Mercure Hotel.
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Expert: Germany Undergoing ‘Demographic Shift’, Requires Mass Migration
Herbert Brecker, an expert on migration issues, has admitted that Germany is undergoing a rapid “demographic shift”, saying the country needs more migrants to offset the ageing labour force.
Brecker, who works at the Institute for Research on the Labour Market (IAB), said, “We are in the midst of a demographic change,” as the German labour force declined by 340,000 people due to many transitioning into retirement in 2019.
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‘I’m a Victim of Germany’s Failed Asylum Policy’ Says Woman Beaten by Syrian Refugee
In March 2018, now 43-year-old Berliner Maria S. was brutally beaten by a Syrian refugee. While the man was provided mental health care by German authorities, the victim was left alone dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the attack. Following a decision by prosecutors to stop the case from going to court, she has shared her personal story with German news outlet Junge Freiheit.
After two years from the attack, it is still difficult for Maria S., whose name was changed to protect her privacy, to talk about the moment that tore her life apart.
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‘It Was My Dream to Go to Slovakia, ‘ Say Migrant Arrested After Hiding in the Chassis of a Truck
After a 25-year-old man from Morocco and a 26-year-old man from Tunisia were discovered hiding in the chassis of a Czech truck stopped on Friday by a Slovak police patrol, both men said it was their “dream” to go to Slovakia.
The two men were stopped in the village of Kalna nad Hronom in Slovakia.
The Czech driver, who transported corn from Hungary, said that he was not aware of the illegal migrants who hid in the truck during the last break the driver made and spent almost 100 kilometers in the truck chassis.
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Jubilant migrants picked up from a Banksy-funded rescue boat were seen celebrating as they learned they had been granted permission to land in Sicily.
Civil rescue boat Sea-Watch 4 pulled more than 150 migrants from the dangerously overcrowded charity rescue boat the Louise Michel, a vessel funded by street artist Banksy, on Saturday.
Images show the migrants cheering and clapping on Tuesday as they learned they would be able to run into the port of Palermo, Sicily, the next day.
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Dozens of migrants arrived in Britain this morning after crossing the English Channel in small dinghies following a change in weather conditions.
The group are the first migrants to arrive in the UK from France since last Thursday after windy weather prevented the treacherous 21 mile journey across the Straits of Dover in small boats.
But at least three dinghies made it to British waters today, as well as three men on an inflatable kayak.
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Atheist Group Sends Letter to Senator Asking Him to Stop Posting Scripture to Facebook on Sundays
An American atheist group delivered a letter to a U.S. congressman to request that he stop posting scripture to his official social media accounts, arguing that his actions are in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
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BC Father Facing Contempt of Court Charges for Speaking Out Against Child’s Gender Transition
A BC father known only as C.D. in court documents has been trying to prevent court-ordered testosterone injections for his female-to-male transgendered child A.B. since A.B. was 14 years old.
Lawyers representing A.B., as well as the father’s ex-wife and the medical professionals involved in A.B.’s transition, are arguing that C.D. broke a court-ordered publication ban by speaking to various independent media outlets about the case earlier this year.
C.D. is now facing three counts of criminal contempt of court and will appear for a hearing in Vancouver on Wednesday, September 2. If he is found guilty, C.D. could potentially land in jail.
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Facebook’s New Terms Give it More Discretion to Censor Whatever it Wants
Facebook has announced a new terms of service clause that will be effective from October 1, 2020 and will allow the social media platform to ban any user and censor any piece content if it determines that doing so will protect it from legal or regulatory impacts.
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In other news, on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Pope Francis warned of impending ecological doom.”
You don’t have to warn us: we know it. And you are the major causer besides Merkel, of creating that problem by importing invaders.
Pope, did you know that when 5 mice were together and lived gregariously they were peaceful. Once their number was above 10 they messed the place, fought over food, polluted the air and soil . They invited more invaders, stupidly, to enrich their lives, it became disaster. The new comers killed the indigenous ones for lack of space and resources until the last one was gone.
Measles, smallpox, whooping cough, scurvy, and simple infections took care of the past generations. They established a balance.
Today we look forward to devastating Viruses and allah’s soldiers to do the same mercy.
allah is compassionate and merciful. He grants the earth to his aggressive bearded, sword-rattling and self-confident followers.
and allah has confused the infidels and replaced their brains with straw.
Jizya and subjugation are in order today.
Only if we as human beings communicate in no uncertain terms, “NO MUSLIM – YOU WILL NO LONGER PASS FREELY!” Personally I choose to see a Muslim male like his Muslim female is to him – a fifty percenter . A truly lousy deal.
Zemmour: “We know who the savages are, we know who attacks (…) 99.9% of the children of immigration!”
https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/08/31/eric-zemmour-on-a-le-devoir-de-combattre-madame-obono/
Les Ponts-de-Cé: A surgeon stripped and beaten by 5 “young people”. He was forced to cancel a patient’s operation
https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/09/02/les-ponts-de-ce-49-un-chirurgien-qui-etait-a-velo-depouille-et-tabasse-par-5-jeunes-il-a-ete-contraint-dannuler-loperation-dun-patient/
Lyon: an illegal migrant, under the influence of an OQTF, steals (translation: kidnap?) a woman then sexually assaults two others.
https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/09/02/lyon-un-migrant-clandestin-sous-le-coup-dune-oqtf-depouille-une-femme-puis-en-agresse-sexuellement-deux-autres/
74% of Muslims in France put Islamic beliefs above French law.
https://fdesouche.com/2020/09/02/40-des-musulmans-font-passer-leurs-convictions-religieuses-avant-les-valeurs-de-la-republique-dont-74-chez-les-moins-de-25-ans/
Erić Zemmour “We are in the process of ‘Lebanon-ization’ (…) We can see how a multicultural country ends: in ruin and war”
https://fdesouche.com/2020/09/01/zemmour-nous-sommes-en-voie-de-libanisation-progression-des-musulmans-sur-les-chretiens-la-demographie-entraine-rupture-des-equilibres-on-voit-comment-finit-un-pays-multiculturel-dans-la-ruin/
8,132 people are listed for terrorist radicalization in France.
https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/09/01/8-132-personnes-sont-fichees-pour-radicalisation-a-caractere-terroriste-en-france/
Lyon: A man beaten up after refusing to have sex. A 19-year-old “youngster” from Vénissieux, arrested.
https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/09/02/lyon-un-homme-tabasse-apres-avoir-refuse-une-relation-sexuelle-un-jeune-de-19-ans-originaire-de-venissieux-arrete/
Violent fight between teenagers at Rennes University Hospital: “This is the third time in a year”
[…]
When we got there, we found a teenager upstairs at the station, he had been stabbed six or seven. At the bottom, another had a cut in his calf and was hit with a baseball bat in the arm.
https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/09/02/rennes-une-agression-au-couteau-dans-une-station-de-metro-se-termine-par-un-reglement-de-compte-au-chu-cest-la-troisieme-fois-en-un-an/
Ethandun 878: The Battle that Forged England
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JHJgxHEpLQ&t=932s
its not just Germany, U.K. where rights are being stripped left and right thanks to bat-syndrome.
https://twitter.com/no_sheople/status/1301177136296996865/photo/1
“…A 23-year-old Wisconsin man carrying a flamethrower, smoke grenades and fireworks during a Saturday night demonstration in Green Bay ‘dropped into the fetal position and began crying…”’ – just the case for a “a late-term abortion”.
https://twitter.com/SteveLaws19/status/1301228873896660994
Leader ships needed. Mounted cranes with nets big enough to drop and capture an entire dinghy and it’s contents. For lift and drop off in French waters. That might be much too innovative for the current enablers of Allah in wonderland.