Gates of Vienna News Feed 6/23/2021

Large groups of concerned parents mobbed school board meetings all across the USA to demand that Critical Race Theory not be included in the curriculum. Meanwhile, General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed his support for CRT when testifying before Congress.

In other news, a group of radicalized elementary school children vandalized a Christian cemetery in Central Java in Indonesia.

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

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Dean, Insubria, Reader from Chicago, 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.

Financial Crisis
» Fighting Inflation: Hungary’s Central Bank Hikes Base Rate for First Time in 10 Years
 
USA
» “I’m Not Going Back to Work”: Indiana Residents Sue After Governor Nixes Unemployment Benefits
» “Out of Order!” Colorado Mayor Bans Pledge of Allegiance, Then Snaps at Meeting Attendees Who Recite it Anyway
» ‘1619 Project’ Founder Launches Crusade Against UNC After Being Denied Tenure
» Alien Astronomers on Hundreds of Nearby Exoplanets Could Have Spotted Life on Earth
» Amazon Bought Critical Race Theory Books for Affluent Virginia Schools
» ‘Army’ of Virginia Parents Unite Against Critical Race Theory ‘Insanity’: ‘Our Protests Won’t Stop’
» Brave Search Enters Public Beta
» Breaking: Biden Announces ‘Major Crackdown’ On Gun Dealers: ‘We’re Not Changing the Constitution, We’re Enforcing It’
» Butler Man Sentenced for Role in Pittsburgh Protests
» Caitlyn Jenner Vows to Confront Critical Race Theory if Elected CA Governor
» Carol Swain: Many Colleges Teach Anti-Americanism, Critical Race Theory While Getting Federal Funds
» Cornell Course Teaches Black Holes Could be Linked to ‘Racial Blackness’
» COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Likely Linked to Rare Heart Condition in Kids: CDC Panel
» Fact-Checker Tells News Not to Report Crime Because it’s Racist
» Group Protests Critical Race Theory at Fort Worth ISD School Board Meeting
» Indiana Critical Race Theory Debate Continues With Todd Rokita’s ‘Parents Bill of Rights’
» Justices Rule for Student in ‘Cursing Cheerleader’ Case
» Loudoun County Va. Parents Call Out ‘Wokest and Worst School Board in America’ After Meeting Erupts Into Chaos
» Milley Defends U.S. Military Teaching of Critical Race Theory
» Morgan Stanley Bans Unvaccinated From NY Office
» Native American Business Owner Rips ‘Hypocritical’ Protesters for Disrupting Pipeline Work in Minnesota
» New Video Shows University of Oklahoma Faculty Teaching How to Silence and Punish ‘Problematic’ Conservatives
» Ninth Circuit: Section 230 “Shelters More Activity Than Congress Envisioned”
» One Nevada Church Settles, Other Pressing COVID-19 Lawsuit
» Pedestrian Bridge Collapses Over Washington, DC Highway, Injuring 5
» PlayStation Temporarily Suspended God of War Creator David Jaffe for “Hate Speech”
» Portland Police to No Longer Conduct Traffic Stops, to Make ‘Safety Safer and More Equitable’
» Protesters of Critical Race Theory Kicked Out After Derailing Jcps Board Meeting
» Rep. Beeler Introduces a Plan to Stop Critical Race Theory in K-12 Curriculum
» Ron DeSantis Leads Democratic Gubernatorial Challengers by Nearly Double Digits
» Senator Ron Johnson Joins Rumble After YouTube Censorship
» Smith & Wesson Shatters $1 Billion Sales Barrier for the First Time
» State Rep. Oliver: Combatting Critical Race Theory in Alabama is ‘The Way We Stand Up to Woke-Ism’
» The Truth About the KAREN Movie
» Theodore Roosevelt Statue at NYC Natural History Museum to be Relocated
» Victory for Property Rights in Supreme Court Union Trespassing Case
» Video: Kamala Encourages Leftists to Knock on Doors, Harass People to Get Vaccinated
» Watch: Is This the ‘White Supremacy Joe Biden Has Been Talking About?’ Andy NGO Reveals Antifa Demographics
» Watch: Gov. DeSantis Slams Experts Predicting ‘Summer Surge’
» Watch: Joe Rogan Slams Woke Hollywood: ‘a Bunch of F***ing Insane People’
» White Illinois Farmers Sue Over Race-Based Farm Loan Relief Program
» Woman Who Was Dragged From Car, Beaten and Shot After Minor Traffic Accident in Chicago Has Died
 
Europe and the EU
» Chancellor Candidate: Ban Turks From Austrian Citizenship
» England Set to Drop Face Mask Rules After Huge Economic Impact Revealed
» EU Could Cut British TV Shows, Claims They Threaten Europe’s ‘Cultural Diversity’: Report
» France Gravitates Towards the Right
» Germany: Private Email Provider Tutanota Launches Desktop Client
» Hungary Remains Defiant After 13 EU Nations Condemn Hungarian Child Protection Law
» Italy Secular State: Parl’mt Free to Debate — Draghi on Zan
» John McAfee Found Dead in Prison Cell After US Extradition Approved
» Polish Intelligence Services: Thousands of Polish Citizens Affected by Massive Hacker Attack
» Romania Becomes Latest Country to Rebel Against the EU’s Top Court
» Sweden: Police Hunt Dr Hammad Al-Saaid, Alleged to be Behind 100,000 Fraud Coronavirus Tests
» Teach Children Civil Disobedience to Protest Climate Change, Says Majority of Teachers in England
» UK: COVID-Busting Gathering at University of Northampton Lands Woman With £900 Court Bill
» UK: Despite Brexit: London Remains Top European Destination for Fintech
» UK: Huddersfield Drivers Yell ‘Get Out of the Road!’ as Extinction Rebellion March to Syngenta and Pin Themselves to Gates
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Fully Vaccinated Israelis May be Forced to Quarantine After Exposure to “Delta” Variant
 
Russia
» Russian Ship, Aircraft ‘Fired Warning Shots’ Across Bow of British Warship, Claims Moscow
 
South Asia
» Indonesia: Elementary School Children Vandalise Christian Cemetery in Solo
» WHO Official Says Mask Mandates & Social Distancing Should Continue Indefinitely
 
Far East
» Apple Daily Closes, Becoming First Casualty of New Hong Kong Security Law
» Hong Kong — Apple Daily to Shut Down at Midnight, Rolling Out Last Printed Edition Tomorrow
» Washington Post Admits Chinese Military Involved in Wuhan Lab
 
Australia — Pacific
» Australia Senate Moves to Block Critical Race Theory From National Curriculum: ‘Education, Not Indoctrination’
 
Immigration
» “Cackling Kamala” Pressured Into Border Visit, Trump Gloats
» Australia Has Already Solved Its Migrant Crisis While Europe Seeks Inspiration
» Biden Administration to Allow Deported Illegals to Retry Entry Into the United States
» Frontex: About 10,500 People Attempted to Enter Europe Illegally in May
» Italy: Officer Who Shot Knife-Wielding Migrant Placed Under Investigation
 
Culture Wars
» Italy: Homophobia Bill Goes Against Church Freedom — Vatican
» Pope Francis: You Can Recognize False Christians by Their ‘Inflexibility’
» Spotify Bans Song With Opening Lyrics “They Might Ban Me for the Song”
» U.S. Air Force Base Says Drag Queen Show Was “Essential for Morale’
 

Fighting Inflation: Hungary’s Central Bank Hikes Base Rate for First Time in 10 Years

The Hungarian National Bank (MNB) increased its base rate by 30 basis points to 0.9 percent on Tuesday, pointing out that this but the first in a “series of monthly rate increases” designed to rein in inflation.

The rate hike did not come as a surprise, as Central Bank Governor György Matolcsy published an article on Monday warning that the 2022 budget — among other things — will lead to an increase in inflation. Explaining the MNB’s decision, which was unanimous, Matolcsy said the rate hikes will continue until inflation falls back into a sustainable range.

Analysts, however, pointed out that the rate increase was at the lower end of the 30 to 40 basis points expected by the market, meaning that in itself, Tuesday’s increase would certainly not be the last.

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

“I’m Not Going Back to Work”: Indiana Residents Sue After Governor Nixes Unemployment Benefits

A group of Indiana residents have filed a lawsuit against state officials, challenging the state’s decision to end federal unemployment benefits by the end of the week.

The lawsuit, filed last Monday, seeks to preserve what was supposed to be temporary pandemic safety net of $300 per week on top of other state or federal benefits, after indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced last month that the state would pull out of the federal program before it’s official September end date in order to motivate unemployed people to help fill the state’s more than 116,000 open jobs.

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

“Out of Order!” Colorado Mayor Bans Pledge of Allegiance, Then Snaps at Meeting Attendees Who Recite it Anyway

The Mayor of Silverton, Colorado snapped at attendees of a trustee meeting recited the Pledge of Allegiance in defiance of his announcement last week that it would no longer be allowed at the start of meetings due to “direct and indirect threats, inappropriate comments in and out of public meetings, and the general divisiveness this is creating in our community.”

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

‘1619 Project’ Founder Launches Crusade Against UNC After Being Denied Tenure

One of America’s most controversial journalists, 1619 Project co-founder Nikole Hannah-Jones, has just been denied tenure by the University of North Carolina, where she has been teaching at the school’s journalism program (known for the large number of alumni journalists working for Bloomberg, WSJ, Reuters, the AP and the NYT). Hannah-Jones is now threatening to sue the school after her tenure application was denied.

Hannah-Jones, a correspondent for the NYT Magazine, had agreed to teach at the university’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism. However, after word of her hiring got out, one of the school’s biggest donors spoke out against her hiring, arguing that the 1619 project unfairly demonized white people, according to a report in (of all places) the NYT.

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

Alien Astronomers on Hundreds of Nearby Exoplanets Could Have Spotted Life on Earth

Over the past 25 years astronomers have observed thousands exoplanets — planets that orbit stars other than the Sun. So, it stands to reason that alien astronomers on exoplanets may have observed Earth. Now, Lisa Kaltenegger, director of Cornell University’s Carl Sagan Institute, and astrophysicist Jackie Faherty, a senior scientist at the American Museum of Natural History have created a catalogue of nearly 2000 nearby stars from which an observer on an exoplanet could spot Earth using the transit method.

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

Amazon Bought Critical Race Theory Books for Affluent Virginia Schools

Tech giant Amazon rolled out the red carpet for a Virginia school district, donating thousands to support critical race theory initiatives.

Emails obtained by Parents Defending Education indicate Amazon was asked by the director of diversity and inclusion at Arlington Public Schools to send copies of critical race theory activist Ibram X. Kendi’s book “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.” Amazon provided 500-600 copies to the school worth $5,000 and spent $10,000 to get the co-author of Kendi’s book, Jason Reynolds, to speak with students, as first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.

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

‘Army’ of Virginia Parents Unite Against Critical Race Theory ‘Insanity’: ‘Our Protests Won’t Stop’

Loudoun County parents are speaking out against critical race theory in their school district with one mother, Rachel Pisani, telling “Fox & Friends” Wednesday that they will not stop until they are heard.

RACHEL PISANI: The goal was really parents being able to speak and express their concern about CRT and the fact that our school board wants to indoctrinate our children. We do not want to co-parent with our government. We want to be able to instill beliefs and instill our faith in our children without hesitation…

The parent protests won’t stop. I mean, we are an army of moms and parents that will not stop until we’re heard. So they can mute our mics, they can arrest us, they can kick us off of public property. We’re not going to stop. They’re passing laws saying July 1st, after this in the fall, they will fire any teacher that is not culturally in agreement with the school board and their tactics. This is insanity in America. This isn’t freedom of speech. It’s not freedom of religion. It’s racism and it’s cloaked in socialism.

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

Brave Search Enters Public Beta

The browser market, and more importantly, all of us participating in it as users, should be so lucky to be dealing with a true duopoly right now — like the mobile OS scene is dominated by Android and iOS.

A duopoly is bad enough, but in the browser space we are experiencing what is effectively a monopoly, where Google’s privacy and security concerns-ridden Chrome reigns supreme.

But just as what can now be termed as Chrome’s former competitor, Firefox, is steadily falling off, there have been concerted and sustained efforts in this notoriously hard to crack market to offer users real alternatives with a clear focus on privacy, Brave being perhaps the most prominent of those.

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

Breaking: Biden Announces ‘Major Crackdown’ On Gun Dealers: ‘We’re Not Changing the Constitution, We’re Enforcing It’

President Joe Biden spoke from the White House today with Attorney General Merrick Garland about the Biden administration’s plans for a “comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to gun crime and ensure public safety.”

The main focus of this conversation was about gun control, using the Biden administration’s April guidelines, and that gun dealers who break the rules will be held accountable for their actions.

[Comment: The Democrat are going to get smacked in the mid-terms.]

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

Butler Man Sentenced for Role in Pittsburgh Protests

A Butler man will serve at least six months in jail for his role in last summer’s protests in Pittsburgh.

Our news partners at WPXI-TV report that 21-year-old Jordan Erdos was sentenced to six to 12 months after pleading guilty to a number of charges.

According to the criminal complaint, Erdos was seen throwing water bottles at police, breaking into stores, assaulting a man, and damaging a police car back on May 30th.

Erdos is also facing felony charges for his role in the protests in downtown Butler that happened the very next day.

[Comment: A pity that this criminal shares a last name with a great mathematician.]

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

Caitlyn Jenner Vows to Confront Critical Race Theory if Elected CA Governor

Parents across the country are taking a stand against critical race theory. They’re calling for CRT supporters to resign from school board positions and looking for leaders to join them in rejecting the controversial curriculum.

Caitlyn Jenner, a candidate for governor of California, said in an interview on “The Faulkner Focus” that she would not support the critical race theory curriculum if elected.

“I will do everything to fight critical race theory being taught to our children,” she said.

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

Carol Swain: Many Colleges Teach Anti-Americanism, Critical Race Theory While Getting Federal Funds

Former Vanderbilt and Princeton Professor Dr. Carol Swain sat down with “Fox & Friends” Wednesday to discuss the anti-American sentiment being pushed across the country at colleges and universities. A recent survey found that nearly half of college students said that college had given them a negative view of America.

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

Cornell Course Teaches Black Holes Could be Linked to ‘Racial Blackness’

Cornell University has introduced an astronomy course to explore the connection between the term black holes and “racial blackness” — proof, say critics, that even the hard sciences aren’t immune to universal “racial hysteria.”

The course, titled “Black Holes: Race and the Cosmos,” uses work from black studies theorists, artists and fiction writers to challenge “conventional wisdom” about the role that race plays in astronomy.

“Conventional wisdom would have it that the ‘black’ in black holes has nothing to do with race. Surely there can be no connection between the cosmos and the idea of racial blackness. Can there?” reads the college catalog description.

Students at the Ivy League school are taught that readings, music and art “implicitly and explicitly posit just such a connection,” according to the description.

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

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Likely Linked to Rare Heart Condition in Kids: CDC Panel

Researchers have found a link between rare cases of heart inflammation in children and COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, a group of doctors advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical (VaST) Work Group said the “data available to date suggest likely association of myocarditis,” an inflammation of the heart muscle, with the mRNA-based shots in younger Americans, Fox News reported.

“It does appear that mRNA vaccines may be a new trigger for myocarditis yet it does have some different characteristics,” said Dr. Matthew Oster during a panel at the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting on Wednesday.

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

Fact-Checker Tells News Not to Report Crime Because it’s Racist

Fact checker organization Poynter has told news stations not to report on local crime stories because it could encourage ‘systemic racism’.

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

Group Protests Critical Race Theory at Fort Worth ISD School Board Meeting

FORT WORTH, Texas — A massive crowd of parents and activists flooded the Fort Worth ISD school board meeting with a message. Many are angry over perceived curriculum in the district.

An activist group led a protest at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

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

Indiana Critical Race Theory Debate Continues With Todd Rokita’s ‘Parents Bill of Rights’

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has inserted himself into the debate and outcry happening at school board meetings as some parents clash with district leaders over topics around race and social-emotional learning.

On Wednesday, Rokita, who has previously spoke out against critical race theory in schools, released a “Parents Bill of Rights” encouraging parent participation with a document that aims to be a resource for civic dialogue and outlines how parents and caregivers can “exercise their legal right to have a voice in their children’s education.”

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

Justices Rule for Student in ‘Cursing Cheerleader’ Case

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the case of the cursing cheerleader, the Supreme Court notched a victory for the free speech rights of students Wednesday, siding with a high school student whose vulgar social media post got her kicked off the junior varsity squad.

The court voted 8-1 in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading team with a string of curse words and a raised middle finger on Snapchat.

Levy, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, was not at school when she made her post, but she was suspended from cheerleading activities for a year anyway. In an opinion by Justice Stephen Breyer, the high court ruled that the suspension violated Levy’s First Amendment freedom of speech rights. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, noting he would have upheld the suspension.

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

Loudoun County Va. Parents Call Out ‘Wokest and Worst School Board in America’ After Meeting Erupts Into Chaos

Two parents in Loudoun County, Virginia, both of whom were present at what became a raucous school board meeting in Ashburn on Tuesday, told “The Ingraham Angle” that the far-left members must be reined in as they continue unabated in their quest to institute critical race theory into their children’s curriculum.

Ian Prior and Amy Jahr told host Laura Ingraham that after less than half of those who registered to offer public comment spoke, the superintendent put local police in a “tough spot” by declaring an “unlawful assembly” — a call that later led to emotional parents to be arrested.

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

Milley Defends U.S. Military Teaching of Critical Race Theory

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded to criticism from Republican lawmakers Wednesday that members of the military are taught critical race theory, the academic concept that racism is a systemic, social construct.

In recent months, critical race theory has come under fire from conservatives who believe it should not be taught in public schools.

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

Morgan Stanley Bans Unvaccinated From NY Office

Morgan Stanley has announced that it will require all staff to be fully vaccinated in order to return to its offices in New York from next month.

According to a memo seen by the Financial Times, the bank will require full-time, part-time, contractors, clients and visitors “to attest to being fully vaccinated” by July 12th.

Furthermore, a source told reporters that all Morgan Stanley staff in the entire country will have to provide evidence of their vaccination status via an internal tool by July 1.

The report also notes that Morgan Stanley has put into place “vaccinated only” workspaces in its offices which will be expanded before next month.

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

Native American Business Owner Rips ‘Hypocritical’ Protesters for Disrupting Pipeline Work in Minnesota

A Minnesota business owner is defending his construction site after hundreds of “hypocritical” protesters stormed in and destroyed his property.

Matt Gordon, vice president of his family’s construction company in Mahnomen, Minnesota, and a member of the White Earth Nation tribe, told “Fox & Friends” Wednesday, environmental protesters — some claiming to speak for Native Americans — vandalized his company’s equipment.

“It’s very hypocritical to travel somewhere to protest oil when you’re using…gas and diesel-powered vehicles,” Gordon remarked. “Then when you do get there, you end up destroying equipment, leaving debris and garbage all over, most of them plastic products from water bottles and packaging.”

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

New Video Shows University of Oklahoma Faculty Teaching How to Silence and Punish ‘Problematic’ Conservatives

According to newly released video footage, University of Oklahoma instructors want to punish students who defy campus orthodoxy. Their plan is to “avoid ‘a rhetoric of dysfunctional silence’ that closes ears to marginalized voices,” by — you guessed it — silencing marginalized voices.

On Tuesday, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofit focused on protecting campus free speech, publicized video footage of an April 14 workshop on “Anti-Racist Rhetoric & Pedagogies” at the University of Oklahoma (OU). The workshop’s leaders presented slides about “systemic racism,” “white privilege,” and “subverting white institutional defensiveness.” In an attempt to teach so-called antiracism, the workshop’s leaders also promoted censorship and indoctrination.

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

Ninth Circuit: Section 230 “Shelters More Activity Than Congress Envisioned”

The Communications Decency Act (CDA) and the protections its Section 230 affords to Big Tech continue to be a hotly debated topic.

Ruling in a case concerning social media giants’ liability in the circumstances surrounding a string of terror attacks, a US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Tuesday confirmed what is by now well understood: as it is, the CDA, a piece of 30+ years old legislation, fully protects them.

But some of the judges at the same time raised the issue of whether the overwhelming degree of that protection is what Congress had in mind when it passed the law, and whether the use of algorithms is something that Congress should now consider regulating.

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

One Nevada Church Settles, Other Pressing COVID-19 Lawsuit

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The state has agreed to pay $175,000 in legal fees to settle a lawsuit with a rural Nevada church over COVID-19 capacity caps on religious gatherings that a U.S. appeals court found illegal in December.

But while no COVID-19 restrictions have been in place since June 1, a second church in Las Vegas is continuing to press for a federal court order declaring Gov. Steve Sisolak’s earlier limits unconstitutional.

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

Pedestrian Bridge Collapses Over Washington, DC Highway, Injuring 5

WASHINGTON — A pedestrian bridge collapsed over a highway in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, sending five people to the hospital. Traffic was expected to be snarled for hours.

The collapse happened just before noon along Interstate 295 in Northeast Washington. The bridge was found to be in poor condition at an inspection just a few months earlier.

Investigators believe a truck struck the bridge, causing it to come loose and collapse, said Chris Geldart, the deputy mayor for public safety and justice. Several other vehicles were also involved in the collapse. He cautioned that the investigation was still in its preliminary stages.

The five people taken to the hospital had non-life-threatening injuries, Geldart said…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

PlayStation Temporarily Suspended God of War Creator David Jaffe for “Hate Speech”

Even the creator of some of Sony’s most popular game franchises isn’t immune from having his personal PlayStation Network (PSN) account censored under the company’s “hate speech” rules.

David Jaffe, who created the action-adventure franchise God of War and the vehicular combat franchise Twisted Metal that have collectively sold over 55 million copies, was recently hit with a seven-day PSN ban after Sony accused him of uploading content containing hate speech to the “Explore” tab (a tab that showcases content for games that users follow).

Not only did Sony lock Jaffe out of online multiplayer, PlayStation Store, and other network features for seven days but it also warned him that “further offenses may result in a permanent suspension.”

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

Portland Police to No Longer Conduct Traffic Stops, to Make ‘Safety Safer and More Equitable’

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Chuck Lovell announced Tuesday that the Portland police will no longer conduct low-level traffic stops.

Under the directive, officers were instructed to no longer stop motorists for minor offenses, including expired tags, broken headlights, and “equipment issues” unless related to an immediate safety threat.

Wheeler said, “The goal of these two changes is to make our safety safer and more equitable.” Additionally, police must receive recorded consent before searching a vehicle and inform the motorist that they have the right to refuse.

Wheeler added that the changes are also being made because “…our staffing on the streets is inadequate.”

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

Protesters of Critical Race Theory Kicked Out After Derailing Jcps Board Meeting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There was disruption and chaos inside the Van Hoose Education Center Tuesday evening.

“If I need to stop this meeting so we will have order, we can do that. I do not want to hear your comments,” said Board member Diane Porter.

This group made their voices loud to Jefferson County Public School board members as they were discussing next year’s strategic plan for the district.

“No critical race, no critical race, no critical race,” some people chanted.

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

Rep. Beeler Introduces a Plan to Stop Critical Race Theory in K-12 Curriculum

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)—State Rep. Andrew Beeler from Port Huron has introduced a bill to the Michigan House of Representatives to prevent local K-12 curriculum from including race, or gender stereotypes.

House Bill 5097 would stop the state Board of Education and local school boards from including statements; beliefs, and ideas concerning gender, or race stereotyping in academic subjects for public school kindergarten through 12th grade.

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

Ron DeSantis Leads Democratic Gubernatorial Challengers by Nearly Double Digits

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried have significant ground to make up.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is sitting pretty with a nearly double-digit lead over his nearest 2022 challenger, according to a new poll.

Polling from Political Matrix/The Listener Group released Wednesday put the first-term Republican Governor in head-to-head matchups against U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the two Democrats vying for their party’s nomination.

Crist, who was elected Governor in 2006 as a Republican, polls the closest to DeSantis, but is still down 45% to 55%. Fried, the only Democrat to win a statewide election in Florida since 2012, is down by a considerable 22-point margin, 39% to 61%.

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

Senator Ron Johnson Joins Rumble After YouTube Censorship

In the wake of his seven-day ban from YouTube, Senator Ron Johnson has joined the video sharing platform Rumble.

Johnson praised the platform for its pro-free speech attitude when announcing his account on the platform.

“…glad to join a community that celebrates the freedom of speech,” Johnson said in a statement. “The cancel culture, the censoring in social media and in news media should concern every American.”

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

Smith & Wesson Shatters $1 Billion Sales Barrier for the First Time

Smith & Wesson sales for a 12-month period exceeded $1 billion for the first time in company history, according to figures released last week in the firm’s “Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial Results” report. Part of the profit is going to employees, who rose above the pandemic’s variety of challenges and raw material slowdowns to make the record possible.

“And earlier today, we announced to our employees that this year, we will be distributing over $14 million to eligible employees, which will be 15 percent of each employee’s annual wages,” Mark Smith, Smith & Wesson president and CEO said during a June 17 earnings call with investors and stock analysts.

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

State Rep. Oliver: Combatting Critical Race Theory in Alabama is ‘The Way We Stand Up to Woke-Ism’

Republicans have made taking on so-called Critical Race Theory a priority in recent weeks claiming such philosophies are an effort to undermine cultural norms and indoctrinate in a way that benefits the Democratic Party.

Florida, Arkansas, Idaho and Oklahoma have banned the theory from their public school classrooms. Many would like to see Alabama follow suit, and there have been bills filed for the legislature’s 2022 regular session to do as much. One of those bills is being brought by State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville), who takes it beyond the classroom and applies restrictions throughout state government.

Oliver discussed the bill during Tuesday’s broadcast of “The Jeff Poor Show” on Mobile radio’s FM Talk 106.5.

“[I]’ve got a bill that’s fairly unique, and we expect it to go through the state government committee,” he said. “My bill actually covers any state agency, its contractors and subcontractors, to include schools. We felt like it was important to address this issue with a holistic approach.”

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

The Truth About the KAREN Movie

Hollywood keeps having to make movies about evil white supremacists killing black people because, as much as they try to ‘moral panic’ it into being, it’s not happening in the real world.

In reality, the truth is quite the opposite.

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

Theodore Roosevelt Statue at NYC Natural History Museum to be Relocated

The Theodore Roosevelt statue at the front of The American Museum of Natural History is officially set to be taken down.

Back on Monday the New York City Public Design Commission voted to relocate it elsewhere (yet to be determined), in response to allegations that Roosevelt represented racism and colonialism.

It comes in a story first broken by the New York Times. But the meeting of officials is available on YouTube. At least one person said that the statue “supports a thematic framework of colonization and racism,” even if it wasn’t intended to be malicious from the onset.

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

Victory for Property Rights in Supreme Court Union Trespassing Case

Washington, D.C.; June 23, 2021: In a victory for property owners, the Supreme Court of the United States today affirmed that the government cannot force people to allow third parties to trespass on their property.

In Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, two California agriculture businesses challenged a state law that allowed unions to access private property three hours per day, 120 days per year to recruit new members. Pacific Legal Foundation represented the businesses at the Supreme Court, arguing that when the government allows a third party onto someone else’s private property without compensating the property owners, it violates their property rights.

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

Video: Kamala Encourages Leftists to Knock on Doors, Harass People to Get Vaccinated

Speaking in Atlanta Tuesday, Kamala Harris urged leftist ‘volunteers’ to go knocking on people’s doors and harass them into getting vaccinated, giving advice on what to say if they express resistance.

“For example, if you knock on the door and someone says they ‘don’t have the time to get the vaccine’, because people are busy, they’re just trying to just make it through the day, or they say that pharmacies are never open when they do have time, well, let’s address that. Because now, you can let them know that pharmacies across our country are keeping their doors open for 24 hours on Fridays in June, including today,” Harris said.

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

Watch: Is This the ‘White Supremacy Joe Biden Has Been Talking About?’ Andy NGO Reveals Antifa Demographics

Andy Ngo spoke at the Western Conservative Summit earlier this month about what can be learned from more than a year’s worth of arrest data on riots in the US. Jeff Hunt asked Ngo if the images of arrestees show the “white supremacy Joe Biden has been talking about? They all seem to have one color there.”

“So you noticed the demographic makeup,” Ngo said of the sea of white faces in mug shots of those arrested at riots. “Portland has had a year now of riots, more than 1,000 arrestees, and you can actually get data off of that, off of those people who have been booked last year and this year.”

“Unsurprisingly,” Ngo said, “the majority of them are white. Most of them are young, in their 20s and early 30s.” He showed graphic images of violence caused by Antifa, using them to “show that this ‘idea’ manifests itself in violence and sometimes deadly violence.”

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

Watch: Gov. DeSantis Slams Experts Predicting ‘Summer Surge’

Florida Republican Governor Ron Desantis joined Fox News host Laura Ingraham Tuesday night to discuss his thoughts on the latest predictions that there will be a “summer surge” of COVID-19.

The predictions Ingraham was referring to were made by Dr. Peter Hotez during a podcast segment with Lisa Gray last week. Hotez said that travel over the summer holidays could pose a problem in terms of a pandemic resurgence. Hotez said “you have to assume that Mother Nature is telling us this is going to happen again.”

“They just can’t let the pandemic go. At some point, they’re going to have to break the addiction,” Ingraham said to DeSantis.

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

Watch: Joe Rogan Slams Woke Hollywood: ‘a Bunch of F***ing Insane People’

Comedian, podcast host, and MMA commentator Joe Rogan spoke to Breaking Points’ Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti last week, and talked about why Hollywood leans so heavily liberal, and how young actors will say anything to land the job.

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

White Illinois Farmers Sue Over Race-Based Farm Loan Relief Program

Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times

White Illinois farmers are challenging part of the recent COVID-19 stimulus law in court because it allocates federal benefits based on skin color.

The civil rights suit, Kent v. Vilsack, was filed in federal court June 7 by Sacramento, California-based Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), a national public-interest law firm. Tom Vilsack is being sued in his official capacity as U.S. secretary of agriculture. The firm has filed two other such lawsuits against Vilsack and expects to file more.

One of the plaintiffs, Ryan Kent of Centralia, Illinois, is a white man who grows soybeans, wheat, and corn on a 5,000-acre farm started by his father. The other plaintiffs are brothers—Matthew and Joshua Morton—of Kell, Illinois, who are also white. They also grow soybeans, wheat, and corn on their farm. Like many farmers, all three have been hurt by the pandemic and have a federal farm loan with an outstanding balance.

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

Woman Who Was Dragged From Car, Beaten and Shot After Minor Traffic Accident in Chicago Has Died

CHICAGO — Yasmin Perez, the woman who was dragged from her car, beaten and shot after a minor traffic accident in Chicago, has died.

Perez and her husband Gyovanny Arzuaga were celebrating after the Puerto Rican Day parade on Saturday night in Humboldt Park when they were in some kind of car accident.

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

Chancellor Candidate: Ban Turks From Austrian Citizenship

The new Austrian populist Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl has called on the government to suspend granting citizenship to Turkish citizens and demanded stricter asylum rules.

Kickl, who served as the interior minister in the former populist-conservative government, said he wants a suspension of granting citizenship to Turks, saying there were “very many suspicions that these neo-Austrians will then regain their old Turkish citizenship”.

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

England Set to Drop Face Mask Rules After Huge Economic Impact Revealed

England is set to drop all face mask rules on July 19th after it was revealed that keeping such restrictions in place is costing the economy billions and will force many businesses to close.

“The requirement to wear facemasks on public transport and in shops will be replaced with guidance advising people to wear masks in certain circumstances, rather than compelling them,” reports the Times.

The decision follows the findings of an internal economic impact assessment produced by the government’s Events Research Programme which detailed the massive impact social distancing measures are having on businesses.

Politico Playbook reveals that, “keeping any measures would cost the economy billions and see many businesses close.”

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

EU Could Cut British TV Shows, Claims They Threaten Europe’s ‘Cultural Diversity’: Report

The European Union will launch an impact review of the “disproportionate” amount of British television programmes on European airwaves, which it says could pose a risk to Europe’s “cultural diversity”, according to reports.

The European Commission, the bloc’s powerful executive branch, could also reconsider allowing British film and television programmes to continue to bear the destination of “European works” — as the UK is part of the Council of Europe’s European Convention on Transfrontier Television (ECTT) — in the “aftermath of Brexit”.

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

France Gravitates Towards the Right

France is to elect a new president in a year, and because the country’s domestic political situation is extremely dynamic, opinion polls are being followed more closely than ever before. While it is too early to know whether French President Emmanuel Macron will defend his position, the intermediate picture is also interesting, and the survey results are a good indication of how much France has changed in the 21st century.

The latest survey by the IFOP agency also included Éric Zemmour, a right-wing intellectual who is yet to announce whether he will run. Zemmour would receive 5.5 percent of the vote in the first round, slightly more than the Socialist candidate, the well-known Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Green candidate Yannick Jadot would receive the same percentage as Zemmour, and “communist” Jean-Luc Mélenchon would reach 9 percent. Thus, the ratio between the left and the right is about 20:80, especially if we do not assess leftism and rightism from an economic, but rather cultural and identity-related point of view that are important to the French.

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

Germany: Private Email Provider Tutanota Launches Desktop Client

Tutanota, the Germany-based open source end-to-end encrypted email service, has announced that it has launched a cross-platform desktop client.

The client, which just exited the beta phase two and a half years after the first testing version was published, is now available for all three major desktop operating systems: Linux, MacOS, and Windows.

Tutanota is adding the desktop client to its family of products that include a webmail client and Android and iOS apps.

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

Hungary Remains Defiant After 13 EU Nations Condemn Hungarian Child Protection Law

In a move the Hungarian justice minister characterized as a “war of worlds”, 13 members of the European Union’s General Affairs Council passed on Tuesday a resolution condemning the country for its recently passed children protection law, which opponents characterized as anti-LGBT.

“[The law] represents a flagrant form of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and hence deserves to be condemned. Inclusion, human dignity and equality are core values of our European Union, and we cannot compromise on these principles,” the countries said.

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

Italy Secular State: Parl’mt Free to Debate — Draghi on Zan

Don’t want to enter into merits of question — PM

(ANSA) — ROME, JUN 23 — Italy is a secular State, and parliament is “always free to debate”, Premier Mario Draghi said Wednesday on a homophobia bill which the Vatican has raised concerns about.

Draghi said he did not want to enter into the merits of the question of the bill, named after centre-left Democratic Party (PD) MP Alessandro Zan, which the Holy See has said infringes the Concordat between Italy and the Vatican, allegedly curbing freedom of expression.

But he aid the Italian institutional and judicial system “contains all the guarantees to respect international commitments including the Concordat”.

“There are preventive controls in the parliamentary committees.

There are subsequent controls in the Constitutional Court.

“The government does not enter into the merits of the discussion. This is the time of parliament, it is not the time of the government”.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

John McAfee Found Dead in Prison Cell After US Extradition Approved

Update (1615ET): McAfee’s lawyer has confirmed to ABC News that his client was found dead in a Spanish jail cell on Wednesday.

The 75-year-old entrepreneur was arrested on tax evasion charges for failing to file tax returns for four years. He has been in jail in Spain since Oct. 6, facing charges that he hid significant assets which included real estate and a yacht. His defense lawyers had argued that the extradition request was politically motivated and therefore wasn’t appropriate. He disagreed with the current monetary system, which has made him “public enemy No. 1,” according to court documents released on Wednesday.

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

Polish Intelligence Services: Thousands of Polish Citizens Affected by Massive Hacker Attack

Former and current government officials, MPs, senators, and local government leaders are among those targeted by a major hack attack, according to a new report from Poland’s intelligence agencies.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki shared the report compiled by the Internal Security Agency and the Military Counterintelligence Service concerning the recent massive hacker attack carried out against Polish citizens.

“The attack affected people from different political spheres, as well as media workers and non-government organizations,” he wrote in a social media post.

The prime minister emphasized that former and current government officials, MPs, senators and local government leaders were all targeted by the latest attack.

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

Romania Becomes Latest Country to Rebel Against the EU’s Top Court

Over the last few years, Romania has carried out reforms within its judiciary, which attracted the attention of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) mainly due to the creation of a special division of the prosecutor’s office which deals with investigations against members of the judiciary and fighting corruption.

In mid-May, European judges decreed that such institutions require a guarantee that they will not be used as a tool for political control over the actions of judges and prosecutors. The ECJ also ordered Romanian courts to omit the Romanian Constitution if they believe that adhering to it would be in opposition to EU law.

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

Sweden: Police Hunt Dr Hammad Al-Saaid, Alleged to be Behind 100,000 Fraud Coronavirus Tests

Swedish investigators are hunting Dr Hammad Al-Saaid after he was alleged to be the ringleader in a scam that saw 100,000 Swedes charged for rapid Wuhan coronavirus tests that produced false results.

The so-called ‘Doctor Group’ medical body had charged at least 100,000 Swedes for PCR tests that were administered but never analysed and also issued health certificates to those travelling overseas for an extra fee.

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

Teach Children Civil Disobedience to Protest Climate Change, Says Majority of Teachers in England

Almost all teachers in England believe that an “action-focused climate change curriculum” should be incorporated across subjects, with more than half saying that secondary school pupils should be taught to protest global warming.

The University of Bristol led the largest survey of its kind by asking primary (four to 11 years old) and secondary (11 to 18 years old) school teachers in England their views on climate change education, which is currently limited to science and geography lessons.

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

UK: COVID-Busting Gathering at University of Northampton Lands Woman With £900 Court Bill

Magistrates ordered a woman to pay nearly £1,000 after a police raided a Covid-busting gathering at University of Northampton.

Bergit Afi Boamah was among 25 people discovered in a room at 10pm during a routine patrol at Waterside Campus on September 24 last year.

Most of the group — understood to be students just returning to campus after the summer break — fled but three were issued with £200 Fixed Penalty Notices by officers.

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

UK: Despite Brexit: London Remains Top European Destination for Fintech

The UK remains Europe number-one fintech hub in Europe, coming second only to San Francisco, the home of Silicon Valley.

Despite Project Fear predictions that the United Kingdom leaving the European Union would damage business and the British economy, the latest Global Fintech Rankings has put London as the top city in Europe for fintech (financial technology).

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

UK: Huddersfield Drivers Yell ‘Get Out of the Road!’ as Extinction Rebellion March to Syngenta and Pin Themselves to Gates

There was fury on Hudderfield’s streets today (Weds) as Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters marched along Leeds Road before pinning themselves to the gates of a chemical firm in the town.

XR Huddersfield were joined by demonstrators from Sheffield, York and Calderdale to protest against the production of what they have called a “lethal weedkiller” in Huddersfield.

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

Fully Vaccinated Israelis May be Forced to Quarantine After Exposure to “Delta” Variant

As concerns about the threat posed by the “Delta” variant, a mutant strain of COVID-19 first discovered in India that’s believed to be much more dangerous than rival strains, intensify, Israeli health officials have just been given the authority to quarantine pretty much anybody who is exposed to “Delta”, even if the individual is already fully vaccinated, Reuters reports.

The heavy-handed decision comes after a warning by new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday over new outbreaks caused by “Delta” . Bennett complained that daily infections have been rising again in Israel after weeks of a low plateau credited to the country’s record mass-vaccination drive.

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

Russian Ship, Aircraft ‘Fired Warning Shots’ Across Bow of British Warship, Claims Moscow

A Russian warship and jet interceptor fired warning shots and dropped bombs across the path of a British warship on Wednesday afternoon, according to claims from a Moscow-based news agency. The incident could be the most significant military confrontation between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation in years.

According to unverified claims by the Interfax news agency in Moscow, HMS Defender, a Royal Navy Type 45 air defence destroyer, entered “Russian territorial waters”. Interfax said the British warship had been warned that weapons would be fired if it entered Russian waters and that a “border patrol ship” fired twice.

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

Indonesia: Elementary School Children Vandalise Christian Cemetery in Solo

by Mathias Hariyadi

At least 12 graves were desecrated. The offenders’ young age is a source of concern. The motives for the desecration are not yet known, but radical indoctrination in school has not been ruled out. The city’s mayor expressed his solidarity, but local Christians are bitter.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) — About a dozen elementary school children vandalised a Christian cemetery in Solo (Surakarta), central Java province.

The incident occurred last Monday, and the young age of the offenders is a cause for concern. In the past, incidents of this kind against places of worship or burial usually involved adults, hooligans or Islamic extremists.

According to local authorities, the vandals in this case were children aged nine to 12 from a school located near the cemetery.

At present it is not known why they did it, whether religion or vandalism for its own sake were behind it.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr Heri Wibowo, executive secretary of the Interreligious Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, called for special rules given the young age of the offenders.

“They cannot be prosecuted but they should be reprimanded by their parents, who should offer them guidance,” said the clergyman, who was on a visit to Papua.

At least 12 graves at Cemoro Kembar Cemetery in Mojo, Pasar Kliwon, central Solo, were desecrated.

Reactions across the country has been negative, with many calling for checks on what is being taught in schools, which might have prompted the kids to do what they did.

Solo Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is also the eldest son of Indonesian President Widodo, on a visit to the cemetery expressed solidarity and called for “those responsible to be punished” and the school they attended “to be closed.”

Mojo chief Margono called for police to act, saying that both pupils and teachers are not from the area.

Investigators led by Police Chief Achmad Riedwan have not ruled out “misleading religious teachings” behind this expression of intolerance.

Andreas Budi, a Christian from Solo, is bitter over the “decapitation” of his mother’s and wife’s tombstones by elementary school students.

Christian crosses and symbols were vandalised. Fr Wibowo wants those responsible to be brought to justice “so that this does not happen again.”

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

WHO Official Says Mask Mandates & Social Distancing Should Continue Indefinitely

A top WHO official says that mask mandates and social distancing should continue indefinitely in order to protect against new variants of COVID-19.

The comments were made on Sky News by Special Envoy on Covid for the World Health Organisation (WHO). Dr David Nabarro.

Nabarro suggested that there would be a long list of mutations of the Indian variant which would in some cases evade the protection offered by vaccines.

“We will go from Delta to Lambda and then on to the other Greek letters, that’s inevitable, and some of these variants will be troublesome,” he said.

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

Apple Daily Closes, Becoming First Casualty of New Hong Kong Security Law

Arrests continued at Hong Kong’s Apple Daily on Wednesday as authorities arrested a columnist, prompting the paper to announce that it will cease publication and close immediately, an outcome that many had already taken as a foregone conclusion.

The FT reports that the pro-democracy tabloid, owned by incarcerated media tycoon Jimmy Lai, will close because its assets have been frozen and many of its staff arrested, making it impossible for the paper to continue publishing. The paper’s owner, Lai, is facing charges of violating the new Beijing-imposed national security law. He has remained in custody even as the US and UK have protested that they are “deeply concerned” about his condition.

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

Hong Kong — Apple Daily to Shut Down at Midnight, Rolling Out Last Printed Edition Tomorrow

Jimmy Lai’s pro-democracy newspaper is closing three days ahead of schedule to protect its employees. For the authorities, it represents a threaten national security. The paper had funds until Saturday after its assets (US$ 2.3 million) were frozen.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) — Hong Kong’s Apple Daily newspaper will stop updating its online site at midnight tonight (local time), whilst the printed edition will roll out for a last time tomorrow, the independent newspaper announced today.

The tabloid founded 26 years ago by pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai will stop three days earlier than planned; yesterday it had discontinued its online English service and suspended its financial news.

After the authorities froze its assets for alleged violations of the National Security Act, the newspaper was set to close next Saturday for lack of funds. In a report published on the website, the paper said it had anticipated the closure to protect the safety of its employees.

This came after police arrested another of its employees, a 55-year-old editorial writer who went by the pseudonym “Li Ping”. Like Jimmy Lai and five paper executives, he was charged with collusion with foreign powers endangering national security

Police announced that two other people would be arrested in connection with the case. Lai has been in prison since last December; authorities froze 70 per cent of his shares in Next Digital, the holding company that publishes the newspaper.

On 17 June, Hong Kong’s national security police arrested five Apple Daily executives, including editor-in-chief Executive Ryan Law. On the same day, the authorities blocked HK 18 million (US$ 2.3 million) of the paper’s assets.

Immediately after the arrests. Next Digital suspended trading on the stock exchange. Next Magazine, another part of Lai’s publishing group, announced its closure today.

Next Digital has long been in the crosshairs of Hong Kong and mainland authorities for its support of democracy in the former British colony.

           — Hat tip: C. Cantoni [Return to headlines]
 

Washington Post Admits Chinese Military Involved in Wuhan Lab

The Washington Post published a report Tuesday that admitted lab leaks in China are common, as well as pointing to evidence that the Chinese military was conducting secret research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. However, the piece suggested that the origins of the coronavirus pandemic will never be found because of this very fact.

The Post, which earlier in the year was completely rubbishing the lab leak theory as a ‘debunked’ conspiracy theory, has done a complete 180, now reporting it as credible.

The new report acknowledges that classified military research was carried out at the lab and that records will almost certainly remain sealed by the Chinese government for two decades.

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

Australia Senate Moves to Block Critical Race Theory From National Curriculum: ‘Education, Not Indoctrination’

The Australia Senate voted Monday to move to call upon the federal government to prohibit the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the national curriculum.

The Senate voted 30-28 to support the notice of motion, promoted by One Nation leader Sen. Pauline Hanson (pictured), that urges the conservative coalition government to reject the Marxist ideology, the Daily Telegraph reported.

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

“Cackling Kamala” Pressured Into Border Visit, Trump Gloats

President Trump took a victory lap on Wednesay, after a Politico report that Vice President Kamala Harris is finally heading to the US-Mexico border this week, after months of defensive snarking when asked about the issue.

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

Australia Has Already Solved Its Migrant Crisis While Europe Seeks Inspiration

Australian immigration policy is largely based on detention centers in other countries, and in recent years, European countries have also looked up to the same model. It is a very effective solution, as the number of people who have entered Australia illegally since 2015 is essentially zero.

In response to the high numbers of migrants and refugees coming to Europe via the Balkans or the Mediterranean, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, then foreign minister, proposed setting up similar processing centers outside Europe.

He used, among other things, the same words that the Australian Home Office lists on its website as a message to anyone who wants to enter the country illegally by sea: You will not pass. The road is closed.

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

Biden Administration to Allow Deported Illegals to Retry Entry Into the United States

Migrants who were deported under the Trump administration for not attending their court proceedings in the “Remain-in-Mexico” program can now enter the US and try again.

According to a new report from CBS, this change applies to more than 27,000 immigrants who resided in Mexico to await their court proceedings to start. Activists argued that Mexico’s conditions in of themselves got in the way of potential US-faring migrants to actually travel to America.

(This argument made under the assumption that the prospective migrants were not simply living in the USA illegally already, for years.)

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

Frontex: About 10,500 People Attempted to Enter Europe Illegally in May

About 10,500 people attempted to enter European countries illegally through its external borders in May this year, more than twice compared to May 2020 figures, the European Union Protection Border Agency Frontex has revealed.

Over 47,100 attempted to reach Europe through its external borders in the first five months of this year, marking a 47 per cent increase compared to a year ago figures when migration declined due to travel bans and other restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the virus, according to Frontex’s preliminary calculations, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

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

Italy: Officer Who Shot Knife-Wielding Migrant Placed Under Investigation

An Italian police officer has been placed under investigation after shooting a knife-wielding Ghanian migrant in the legs who was threatening passersby.

The police officer is being investigated for “negligent excess in the legitimate use of weapons” after shooting the 44-year-old Ghanian at Rome’s Termini train station on Friday.

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

Italy: Homophobia Bill Goes Against Church Freedom — Vatican

Negative impact on Concordat’s guarantees says Sec of State note

(ANSA) — ROME, JUN 23 — A homophobia bill currently in the Italian parliament goes against Church freedom, according to a note sent from the Vatican Secretariat of State to the Italian embassy at the Holy See last Thursday, a copy of which has been obtained by ANSA.

“The Secretariat of State”, the note said, “notes that some content of the (bill), particularly in the part establishing the criminalization of discriminatory conduct for motives based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, would have the effect of negatively impacting the freedoms assured to the Catholic Church and its faithful by the current Concordat regime”.

The bill, named the ‘Zan bill’ after its promoter and LGBT activist Alessandro Zan of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), has been accused by conservatives of curbing the freedom of expression, a charge the PD denies.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Pope Francis: You Can Recognize False Christians by Their ‘Inflexibility’

ROME — Pope Francis warned Wednesday against Christians who are overly attached to tradition and “disturb communities” through their inflexibility.

There is no shortage of preachers today who, especially through the new means of communication, “disturb communities,” the pope said during his weekly General Audience. “They present themselves not primarily to announce the Gospel of God who loves man in Jesus, Crucified and Risen, but to insist, as true ‘keepers of the truth’ — so they call themselves — on the best way to be Christians.”

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

Spotify Bans Song With Opening Lyrics “They Might Ban Me for the Song”

Spotify has banned a song called Safe Space that literally opens with the line “they might ban me for this song,” because it contains lyrics critical of the LGBT movement and BLM.

Yes, really.

A track called Safe Space by conservative rappers Bryson Gray and Patriot J was blacklisted by the streaming giant, which initially denied that it had censored the song.

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

U.S. Air Force Base Says Drag Queen Show Was “Essential for Morale’

A U.S. Air Force base responded to controversy about a drag queen show hosted by the base by saying the performance was “essential to the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the military.”

Yes, really.

Nellis AFB staged its first ever drag queen show on June 17th called ‘Drag-u-Nellis’ — which it said was important in teaching military personnel the “significance of Drag in the LGBT+ Community.”

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

3 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 6/23/2021

  1. “Woman Who Was Dragged From Car, Beaten and Shot After Minor Traffic Accident in Chicago Has Died”
    And not one mention about the attackers ethnicity, but I bet we all know what went down. (I couldn’t watch the video, maybe it’s even more obvious there.)

  2. Here in Czechia we recently had a junkie die on overdose, but because it was during a police arrest, local gypsies, the EU and Western media in general try to turn it in a “Czech Floyd” case. Here’s what the BBC has to say about it: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57566697 . Maybe someone will be able to whip up a better source.

    According to the autopsy it was overdose, according to locals he was a regular user, from the full video it’s pretty clear the police didn’t do anything bad, though mostly you will see a cut version. Our interior minister Hamáček said he’s fully behind the police force, as they were protecting property (the junkie was damaging cars, hence the arrest). As far as I can tell, the vast majority of the public supports the police as well – that’s the difference to the US (at least for now).

  3. As far as the parents go, they are being abused by power-hogs unresonsive to those they are supposed to serve. And they are putting up with it, so far, apart from comments which are being censored. There ought to be a parent strike: take all those kids out of school, until proper negotioation takes place. But it would have to be organized well, so that it’s massive, and teachers facing empty classrooms. And parents organizing teaching coops until a resolution is found.

    Unless they have leverage, the contempt from the power hogs will continue.

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