Gates of Vienna News Feed 7/1/2021

Heavy frosts have repeatedly struck agricultural areas in Brazil, doing damage to coffee, sugarcane, and corn crops. Meanwhile, an extreme hailstorm in the Vosges region of France dumped up to a foot and a half of ice in some places.

In other news, a number of hosts who have thrown large parties in the UK have been fined £10,000 for violating COVID rules.

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

Thanks to Dean, Fjordman, Insubria, László, LP, Reader from Chicago, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. 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.

USA
» “Offensive Content” Next? Comcast Suspends User’s Internet Service for Downloading Copyrighted Material
» 82 Arrested, 31 Rescued From Kansas City Human Trafficking Operation
» Arkansas Senator Suggests Reviewing All General Nominations for Critical Race Theory
» Beeler Introduces Bill to Ban Critical Race Theory in K-12 Classrooms
» Breaking: Judge Approves Unsealing of Documents Linking Ghislaine Maxwell to Clintons
» Breaking: Trump Issues Four-Word Press Release: ‘Who Shot Ashli Babbitt?’
» Breaking: Reps Jordan, Comer Join Gaetz in Calling for IG Probe Into NSA-Tucker Carlson Spying Allegations
» Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Says Criticism is ‘99 Percent’ Because She’s a Black Woman
» Critical Race Theory at Heart of Clash With Virginia PTA, Say Thomas Jefferson Parents
» Department of Energy Mandates Prioritizing Minorities for Grant Applications
» Eric Adams Files Lawsuit to Ensure ‘Fair Election Process’ After NYC Board Botches Election Count
» Exclusive Footage: Progressive King County Council Candidate Threatens to Blow Up School Bus, Calls Children ‘Cowards’ As They Flee
» Fauci: ‘There Are Now Two Americas, The Vaccinated and the Unvaccinated’
» Federal Judge Orders Florida to Halt Bill Aimed at Stopping Big Tech Censorship of Conservatives
» Illinois Teacher Sues School District, Claims ‘Equity’ Push Violates US Constitution
» Iron County Commission Passes Resolution Opposing Critical Race Theory
» Judge Denies Britney Spears Request to Remove Her Father From Conservatorship
» Judge Dismisses Children’s Health Defense Lawsuit Against Facebook Censorship
» Kenosha City Council Denies Award of $50k in Damages to Jacob Blake
» Minds Raises $10 Million From Tech Freedom Organization Futo
» Official Date for California Gov. Newsom Recall Election Announced
» Over 60% of Voters Don’t Think Cuomo Should Run Again, Poll Finds
» Pelosi Picks RINO Liz Cheney to Join “Bipartisan” Committee Investigating Capitol Riots
» Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty in Store Fire During Unrest After Protests
» Reaction to Rumsfeld’s Death is Deeply Divided
» Safety Concerns Halt Rescue Efforts at Condo Collapse Site
» San Jose Passes Gun Control Measure That Requires Legal Firearm Owners to Compensate Taxpayers for Gun Violence
» Seattle Releases Criminals Who Go on to Repeatedly Plague Residents
» Sen. Ron Johnson Criticizes Big Tech for Censoring Accounts of Negative Vaccine Experiences
» Supreme Court Opens Door for Nationwide ‘Ballot-Harvesting’ Ban With AZ Ruling
» Supreme Court Says That California Can’t Require All Nonprofits to Disclose Their Donors
» UNC Caves, Grants Tenure to ‘1619 Project’ Founder Nikole Hanna-Jones
» Watch: Another Video of Future Killer Robot Dogs Dancing
 
Canada
» 3 Environmental Activists Arrested After Occupying Waltham Energy Company Offices Overnight
 
Europe and the EU
» Central Europe is Commanding Respect Says PM Orban as Hungary Takes Over V4 Presidency
» Conservative Sweden Democrats is Closer to Power Than Ever Before
» Europe May Rise Up Against Brussels, Says US Political Scientist
» Fans Increasingly Unhappy With BLM and LGBT Agenda in Football Matches
» France: Paris: Man Stabbed, Two Other Thrown Into Seine River During Mob Attack
» France: Court Rejects ‘It’s His Culture’ Defence for Migrant Child Rapist
» German Football Team Should’ve Worn Black Armbands to Mourn Terror Victims Instead of LGBT Armbands, Says Ex-World Champion Thomas Berthold
» Germany’s Ban of the Hamas Flag: “A Superficial Measure”
» Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia Reject Migrant Quotas and Tax Hikes
» Ireland One of 9 Holdouts Who Refused to Sign OECD Global Corporate Tax Reform Package
» Italy: Naples Church Appeals to Putin for Funds
» The COVID Lottery is Coming
» UK: 20-Year-Old Given £10k Fine After Throwing Rave at Kent Airbnb
» UK: Government Adviser Says Fatigue, Headache, Sore Throat and Diarrhoea Should be Added to List of COVID Symptoms
» UK: Manchester United Protest: Four Suspects Arrested
» UK: Retired Vicar, 79, Who Took Part in Extinction Rebellion Road Blockades in Parliament Square and Outside MoD Site Near Bristol is Fined More Than £1,500
» UK: Second £10,000 COVID Fine Case Collapses at Northampton Magistrates’ Court
» UK: Woman Who Booked Holiday Home for COVID Lockdown Party Given £10k Fine
 
Australia — Pacific
» Dramatic Moment Two Organic Food Shop Owners Shout Abuse at Police as They’re Arrested After Refusing to Serve Customers Who Are Wearing Masks — and Turning Away Anyone Who’s Received the Jab
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato Accused of Breaking Lockdown Laws
» Nigerian Influencer “Hushpuppi” Funded Life of Luxury With Complex Email Schemes, FBI Alleges
» Report: Hundreds of Children Kidnapped by Jihadists in Mozambique to Serve as Soldiers, Child-Brides
 
Latin America
» Frosts Reported in Brazil’s Sugarcane, Coffee and Corn Areas
 
Immigration
» EU to Establish New Asylum Agency
» France: Morroccan Migrant Driving Stolen Car Runs Over Police Officer
» Murder of Austrian Teenage Girl Sparks Row Over Deportations Policy
» UK: Surrey: Suspected Migrants Found ‘Struggling to Breathe’ In Back of Lorry on M25
 
Culture Wars
» Bizarre Video Shows Woman Removing Mask in-Between Bites of Food
» CEO of Trans Group Labels Woman Who Complained About Man Exposing Genitals to Kids “Horrible”
» Facebook Begins Issuing ‘Disturbing’ Warnings About ‘Extremism’ To Users
» ‘God is Non-Binary’ Says Church of England’s First Transwoman Priest
» Professor Locked Out of Twitter for Sharing “Harassing” Letter From Student Over Her “Gender Critical” Views
» UK Government Defines LGBT Equality as ‘Key Economic Asset’
» UK Methodists Agree to Same Sex Marriages in Churches
 

“Offensive Content” Next? Comcast Suspends User’s Internet Service for Downloading Copyrighted Material

After Comcast suspended a user’s Internet access for downloading copyrighted material, some people are asking whether in the near future similar punishments could be inflicted for accessing ‘offensive content’.

A Comcast Xfinity subscriber was informed that his Internet service had been suspended for 8 hours due to downloading torrents and that it wouldn’t be restored until he contacted the company.

“This alert is to let you know that this month, we again received notifications of alleged copyright infringement associated with your Xfinity account. That means your Internet service may have been used repeatedly to copy or share a movie, show, song, game, or other content without any required permission,” said the email to the customer.

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

82 Arrested, 31 Rescued From Kansas City Human Trafficking Operation

A recent operation undertaken by Homeland Security Investigations has resulted in the arrest of 82 people, with 31 being rescued from the massive human trafficking operation.

Of the 31 victims rescued, 17 were adults and 14 were children, with the youngest child being just four-years-old.

The operation took place from June 17-26, 2021 in Wichita, Independence, and Kansas City, Missouri, according to a statement from James Wright, the Homeland Security Investigations Deputy Special Agent in Charge in Kansas City, who was joined by Heartland Anti-Trafficking Rescue Taskforce partners from across the region.

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

Arkansas Senator Suggests Reviewing All General Nominations for Critical Race Theory

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, on Thursday suggested reviewing all general and flag officer promotions — from O7 and up — to assess nominees’ opinions on critical race theory.

It is unclear how much ability Cotton would have to follow through on his suggestion. While Cotton sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, he is a member of the minority party and would not have the authority to make changes to the nomination process. However, senators can place holds on promotion nominations, as Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, did en masse last summer.

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

Beeler Introduces Bill to Ban Critical Race Theory in K-12 Classrooms

One first-term state representative for the Thumb introduced a bill in the House last week to ban the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 classrooms.

But unlike a separate measure introduced in the Senate in May, state Rep. Andrew Beeler, R-Port Huron, emphasized that the term isn’t explicitly mentioned in his bill on purpose.

Critical race theory — a 1970s-founded movement that argues white supremacy sustains power through the law and other legal systems, according to Michigan State University — has become the topic of widespread discussion among school districts and lawmakers across the state and country.

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

Breaking: Judge Approves Unsealing of Documents Linking Ghislaine Maxwell to Clintons

A federal judge has approved the unsealing of another round of documents related to formerly close Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The highlight of public interest being any evidence financially linking the Clinton Global Initiative and Clinton Foundation to her.

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

Breaking: Trump Issues Four-Word Press Release: ‘Who Shot Ashli Babbitt?’

Former President Donald Trump sent an email via his Save America PAC on Thursday asking, simply, “Who shot Ashli Babbitt?”

Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, was the only person killed during the Capitol riot on January 6, when Trump supporters entered the Capitol Building illegally with the intention of stopping a congressional vote to certify the Electoral College’s vote for Joe Biden.

Babbitt was shot and killed by a Capitol Police Officer, and it was announced in April that no charges would be filed against that officer.

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

Breaking: Reps Jordan, Comer Join Gaetz in Calling for IG Probe Into NSA-Tucker Carlson Spying Allegations

Reps Jim Jordan of Ohio, Kentucky’s James Comer and Matt Gaetz of Florida have called for an independent inspector general investigation to be launched into the NSA.

This demand comes after Tucker Carlson of Fox News reported on Monday that the NSA was spying on him. These reports came from a whistleblower who had contacted the popular news program to let them know this was happening.

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

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Says Criticism is ‘99 Percent’ Because She’s a Black Woman

Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said complaints of her having an ill-temperament is “about 99 percent” due to the fact that she’s a black woman, according to Chicago Tribune.

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

Critical Race Theory at Heart of Clash With Virginia PTA, Say Thomas Jefferson Parents

The Virginia PTA is vowing to revoke the charter of a newly elected chapter at one of the nation’s best public high schools, a move it says was prompted by several factors including unethical campaigning and bullying but that supporters of the new board say is in fact rooted in opposition to critical race theory.

The move comes at a time when opponents of critical race theory — the academic discipline that puts White racism at the core of American history — are urging parents to become more involved and active in the oversight of K-12 schools, exactly the tactics embraced at Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, which has in some years been ranked as the No. 1 high school in the United States.

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

Department of Energy Mandates Prioritizing Minorities for Grant Applications

Biden’s Department of Energy is “encouraging” the prioritization of minorities when doling out grants for projects.

As reported by Daily Wire, the announcement from the DOE emphasizes that “underserved communities and underrepresented groups” be included in any projects that apply to them for grant backing.

The official dispatch specifically states that the diversity focus is a deciding factor in the selection process of what’ll get approved.

In some respects it’s made mandatory.

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

Eric Adams Files Lawsuit to Ensure ‘Fair Election Process’ After NYC Board Botches Election Count

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)

New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams’ campaign filed a lawsuit Wednesday after the city’s Board of Elections released an inaccurate vote tally in the Democratic primary.

“Today we petitioned the court to preserve our right to a fair election process and to have a judge oversee and review ballots, if necessary,” his campaign said in a statement.

“We are notifying the other campaigns of our lawsuit through personal service, as required by law, because they are interested parties.”

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

Exclusive Footage: Progressive King County Council Candidate Threatens to Blow Up School Bus, Calls Children ‘Cowards’ As They Flee

Footage exclusively obtained by The Post Millennial shows progressive candidate for King County Council Ubax Gardheere threatening school children while claiming she may have a bomb or a gun and then calling them “cowards” as they flee from her.

Ubax Gardheere boarded the Highline School District bus on Jan. 12, 2010 as it was about to begin its morning route to Chinook Middle School. Gardheere can be seen walking on to the school bus filled with children. She tells the bus driver not to drive because “it’s a matter of national security.” She tells him the “bus is not leaving.” The driver then calls the police.

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

Fauci: ‘There Are Now Two Americas, The Vaccinated and the Unvaccinated’

America’s favourite Chinese lab funding coronavirus doomonger doctor Anthony Fauci announced Tuesday that there are now two Americas, a vaccinated America and an unvaccinated America.

In an appearance on Dom Lemon’s CNN panic hour, Fauci declared that “When you have such a low level of vaccination super-imposed upon a variant that has a high degree of efficiency of spread, what you are going to see among under-vaccinated regions, states, cities or counties you’re going to see these individual types of blips. It’s almost like it’s going to be two Americas.”

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

Federal Judge Orders Florida to Halt Bill Aimed at Stopping Big Tech Censorship of Conservatives

A federal judge delivered a major setback to a recently-passed Florida law touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis and aimed at stopping Big Tech censorship of conservatives.

Judge Robert Hinkle, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, ruled that the law signed by DeSantis last month violated the First Amendment in a decision delivered Wednesday evening. Hinkle ordered Florida not to enforce the legislation, which was set to go into effect on Thursday, until a final ruling is issued.

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

Illinois Teacher Sues School District, Claims ‘Equity’ Push Violates US Constitution

A drama teacher in Illinois is fighting back against what her attorneys say is highly racial content that stereotypes White people and violates the U.S. Constitution.

Filed in federal court Tuesday, the lawsuit represents one of the primary lines of attack from activists seeking to combat the influence of critical race theory (CRT) in schools. The Southeastern Legal Foundation, which is representing teacher Stacy Deemar, is working as part of Chris Rufo’s legal coalition that ultimately seeks to strike down CRT-related curricula at the Supreme Court.

For months, Rufo and others have brought numerous school materials to public attention, often inspiring shock on social media. Tuesday’s case seemed to spotlight one of the bolder instances of so-called “anti-racist” education, which critics have described as “Neo-racism.”

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

Iron County Commission Passes Resolution Opposing Critical Race Theory

PAROWAN — Although the Iron County Commission admittedly has no authority over public education, commission members have unanimously approved a resolution opposing the teaching of critical race theory in public schools.

“It’s not an ordinance; it doesn’t have any teeth,” Commissioner Paul Cozzens said during the commission’s regular meeting Monday as he made the proposal. “It’s a statement of what we believe.”

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

Judge Denies Britney Spears Request to Remove Her Father From Conservatorship

A judge ruled Wednesday against popstar Britney Spears’s request to have her father removed as the conservator of her estate following an emotional plea to the court last week regarding a thirteen year conservatorship.

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

Judge Dismisses Children’s Health Defense Lawsuit Against Facebook Censorship

A Northern District of California court has dismissed a complaint claiming that the First Amendment had been violated when Facebook started censoring the Children’s Health Defense (CHD) page.

The complaint was brought against Facebook, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and three third-party fact-checkers that the giant outsources to.

CHD, an activist group chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., asked to proceed with the case that alleges government-sponsored censorship, therefore making the First Amendment relevant even if Facebook is a privately-owned company. The complaint also cited false disparagement and wire fraud.

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

Kenosha City Council Denies Award of $50k in Damages to Jacob Blake

The City Council in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has denied a claim from Jacob Blake that sought $50,000 in damages from the city. Blake was shot in August 2020 by police, and suffered paralysis as a result of his injuries. In the wake of that shooting, riots erupted in the city, and many businesses were burned to the ground.

Blake was asking for the coverage of his medical expenses, as well as lost income, and “pain and suffering disfigurement.” The City Council did not offer comment, and they did not deliberate on the matter. The unanimous 17-0 vote from the Council came on Monday night.

The suit was filed in March, and though the claim itself was maxed at $50,000, Blake’s Chicago based attorneys “Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. also submitted an itemization of ‘special damages’ in the amount of $776,614.67 resulting from his injuries,” according to Kenosha News.

However, the filing is merely a formality, said City Administrator John Morrissey, which now allows Blake to move ahead with filing for damages against the state of Wisconsin.

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

Minds Raises $10 Million From Tech Freedom Organization Futo

Alternative social network Minds has closed a $10 million Series from Futo — a new organization that was founded to develop technology and promote policies that give control of computers back to the people.

Futo is owned by seed investor Eron Wolf. Wolf started Yahoo Games in 1997 and has worked at tech companies in Silicon Valley for 18 years.

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

Official Date for California Gov. Newsom Recall Election Announced

State officials in California have officially announced September 14th of this year as the day when a recall election against Governor Gavin Newsom will happen.

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

Over 60% of Voters Don’t Think Cuomo Should Run Again, Poll Finds

A majority of voters said they would rather see New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo either resign immediately or not run again, according to a Sienna College Research Institute poll released Thursday.

Between those who want the governor to resign immediately (23%) and those who said he should finish his term but not run for reelection (39%), fully 62% of New York voters don’t want Cuomo as governor in 2022, according to the poll. Only one-third of voters polled said he should run for reelection.

Cuomo is under investigation at the state and federal level for sexual assault allegations made against him, which he has repeatedly denied, and for his alleged mishandling of nursing homes at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Pelosi Picks RINO Liz Cheney to Join “Bipartisan” Committee Investigating Capitol Riots

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that Rep. Liz Cheney, the daughter of former VP Dick Cheney and a prominent GOP critic of Trumpism, has been selected to join the committee that will investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

While Pelosi will undoubtedly tout Cheney’s appointment as evidence of “bipartisanship” on the committee, Cheney’s standing within the GOP has taken a hit after she was stripped of her leadership role within the GOP’s House caucus. So far, Cheney is the only Republican to join the 13-member committee, which will consolidate several ongoing House investigations.

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

Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty in Store Fire During Unrest After Protests

Philadelphia man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge in a fire set at a home improvement store during the unrest last year that followed the first night of protests against police brutality sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

Derrick Weatherbe, 29, pleaded guilty Tuesday to malicious damage by means of fire of a building and property used in interstate commerce in the blaze at the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in west Philadelphia. Unrest including thefts, vandalism, intentionally set fires and other property damage occurred in several neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia for several nights after the protests; the city enlisted the help of the National Guard.

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

Reaction to Rumsfeld’s Death is Deeply Divided

Donald Rumsfeld, the former U.S. defense secretary who was the main architect of the Iraq war, died at age 88, his family said Wednesday. Reactions to the former Congressman, businessman and Naval pilot’s death were deeply divided.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Safety Concerns Halt Rescue Efforts at Condo Collapse Site

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — Rescue efforts at the site of a partially collapsed Florida condominium building were halted Thursday out of concern about the stability of the remaining structure after crews noticed widening cracks and up to a foot of movement in a large column, officials said.

The stoppage that began shortly after 2 a.m. threatened to keep search teams off the rubble pile for an unknown period and dim hopes for finding anyone alive in the debris a week after the tower came down.

The rescue operations were called off on the same day that President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited the devastated community.

The collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South beachfront condominium killed at least 18 people and left 145 missing. Hundreds of search-and-rescue personnel have painstakingly searched the pancaked rubble for potential signs of life, but no one has been rescued since the first hours after the collapse…

           — Hat tip: LP [Return to headlines]
 

San Jose Passes Gun Control Measure That Requires Legal Firearm Owners to Compensate Taxpayers for Gun Violence

San Jose, California recently passed a law ordering gun owners to have both liability insurance, and also pay a yearly fee towards police and emergency services who attend to gun-related violence. While ABC7‘s reporting called it a first for the state, The San Francisco Chronicle described it as the first “in the nation.”

[Comment: Daft legislation.]

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

Seattle Releases Criminals Who Go on to Repeatedly Plague Residents

Seattle drivers have been plagued by criminals who have been throwing objects like rocks, bikes and scooters onto area freeways, smashing cars and disrupting drivers. The alleged assailants are often homeless people or prolific offenders who have been released through a catch-and-release program that has become the model for “justice” across the country.

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

Sen. Ron Johnson Criticizes Big Tech for Censoring Accounts of Negative Vaccine Experiences

A Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson video featuring a woman describing her daughter’s side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine was censored by Twitter. The GOP senator described the incident as another example of Big Tech “censoring the truth.”

In the video, Stephanie de Garay describes how her daughter, Maddie, 12, had to be hospitalized after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer jab. Maddie was a volunteer of the clinical trial that ran from December 2020 to January 2021.

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

Supreme Court Opens Door for Nationwide ‘Ballot-Harvesting’ Ban With AZ Ruling

The US Supreme Court upheld two election integrity laws in Arizona on Thursday, in what will undoubtedly pave the way for other states to enact similar measures to prevent potential voter fraud.

Voting 6-3 along ideological lines, the Court rejected Democrat claims that the Arizona laws — one which bans “ballot harvesting” in which third party activists collect and return other people’s ballots — and another which invalidates votes cast in the wrong precinct — don’t violate the 1965 landmark Voting Rights Act, according to Bloomberg.

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

Supreme Court Says That California Can’t Require All Nonprofits to Disclose Their Donors

he Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a California rule requiring nonprofits to disclose the names and addresses of their largest donors, delivering a victory to a pair of conservative groups that had challenged the requirement as unconstitutional.

The 6-3 decision, which divided the nine justices along ideological lines, reversed a 2018 appeals court ruling siding with California’s attorney general.

The rule had forced nonprofits to give the state their so-called Schedule B forms, which include the personal information of all donors nationwide who had contributed more than $5,000 in a given tax year. The state had argued that it needed that information to help it police misconduct by charities.

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

UNC Caves, Grants Tenure to ‘1619 Project’ Founder Nikole Hanna-Jones

After launching a media crusade that bashed UNC as ‘racist’ for denying her tenure along with the offer of a lucrative teaching side gig, NYT writer and ‘1619 Project’ founder Nikole Hannah-Jones has succeeded in her quest to strong-arm her alma mater into granting her tenure even before she started her new gig as an assistant professor in the school’s journalism program, the Grey Lady reported.

A few months ago, Jones accepted a position as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism at the university’s Hussman School of Journalism and was expected to start July 1. Jones won a Pulitzer for her role in creating the project back in 2020.

However, her appointment triggered a backlash from conservatives, including a prominent donor to the school’s journalism program, which produces armies of graduates who are eventually recruited into the American business press.

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

Watch: Another Video of Future Killer Robot Dogs Dancing

It’s all fun and games when it comes to Boston Dynamics’ robot dog SPOT. Watch as the loveable scamps dance to Korean boy band music in their latest video.

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

3 Environmental Activists Arrested After Occupying Waltham Energy Company Offices Overnight

After more than 24 hours of occupying the Waltham offices of Canadian energy giant Enbridge, three environmental activists were arrested Wednesday afternoon by Waltham police.

“We are here because the Line 3 [pipline in Minnesota] needs to be stopped,” protester Samie Hayward said to officers shortly before being taken into custody. “And we are here in solidarity with [those fighting] the Weymouth Compressor.”

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

Central Europe is Commanding Respect Says PM Orban as Hungary Takes Over V4 Presidency

The most important task in the year ahead is the economic reboot of the region, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said at a press conference at the end of the Polish presidency of the Visegrad Group in Katowice, Poland, on Wednesday.

“The Hungarian presidency of the V4 will work to make the Visegrad countries one of the winners of world economic change in the changed situation”, Orban said, referring to the alliance between the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

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

Conservative Sweden Democrats is Closer to Power Than Ever Before

After ten years of bearing the label of populists with whom no parliamentary party wants to have anything to do with, Sweden is suddenly on the verge of a new political landscape, with the Sweden Democrats standing in the middle of the political chessboard. Their leader, 42-year-old Jimmie Akesson, managed to convince other opposition politicians that they could work together.

“It’s a very important event in our political history,” says Nicholas Aylott, a political scientist at the University of Södertörn.

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

Europe May Rise Up Against Brussels, Says US Political Scientist

The leading institutions of the European Union have sided with progressive views which could lead to mass resistance, whose focus could be Poland and Hungary, U.S. political scientist Patrick J. Deneen told news portal Origo in an interview.

“I don’t think the ideological map of the world would be redrawn by the coronavirus epidemic and its effects,” Deneen said. According to the professor, what is expected to change is that forces whose main goal is to strengthen their power within the states will definitely try to do so.

“I do not expect a profound ideological change in the world,” he added.

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

Fans Increasingly Unhappy With BLM and LGBT Agenda in Football Matches

Black Lives Matter claims it fights for the rights of black people, with the movement’s activity intensifying following George Floyd’s death during a police intervention in Minneapolis in 2020. A hero was made out of a man who had severe trouble with the law, and he was buried in a golden coffin with the highest honors. Soon after his funeral, the “fight” for the rights for Black people took off, and it has entered football stadiums in the form of kneeling before the first whistle.

Football players have been kneeling in solidarity with BLM since July 2020. Kneeling has also become “trendy” prior to the matches versus the English national team.

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

France: Paris: Man Stabbed, Two Other Thrown Into Seine River During Mob Attack

One man was stabbed and two of his friends thrown into the Seine River in Paris when they were attacked by a large group of people attempting to rob them, according to reports.

The incident unfolded at around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday on the Quai du Louvre.

Members from a group of about a dozen people say they were approached by a faction of around 15 people under the Pont Neuf, a bridge over the Seine.

“According to the version of the victims, these attackers wanted to extort them and the others resisted,” a police source told Le Parisien.

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

France: Court Rejects ‘It’s His Culture’ Defence for Migrant Child Rapist

A French court has convicted a 30-year-old migrant of raping a 12-year-old boy after his lawyer had tried to convince the court that the Afghan’s culture should have been taken into consideration.

Mohammed Rahman Arsala was sentenced to 15 years for raping a 12-year-old boy in an abandoned house on August 25th, 2018, in the centre of the town of Saint-Brieuc, not far from a playground where the child had been heading before he was taken and raped.

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

German Football Team Should’ve Worn Black Armbands to Mourn Terror Victims Instead of LGBT Armbands, Says Ex-World Champion Thomas Berthold

“A mourning ribbon and a minute of silence would have been much more appropriate here than a rainbow band,” says Berthold

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Germany’s Ban of the Hamas Flag: “A Superficial Measure”

The German Parliament has amended Germany’s Criminal Code to ban the flag of Hamas, the terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip.

The move comes after the green and white flags of Hamas, which seeks the destruction of Israel, featured prominently at pro-Palestinian rallies across Germany during the Gaza conflict in May. Some of those rallies ended in anti-Semitic violence in German cities and towns.

German lawmakers said that banning the Hamas flag was aimed at sending “a clear signal” of support “to our Jewish citizens.” Others, however, dismissed the ban as an empty gesture aimed at silencing critics of the German government’s pro-Islamist foreign policy ahead of upcoming federal elections this September.

Some opposition lawmakers said that if the German government was truly serious about tackling Muslim anti-Semitism in Germany, it would completely ban not only Hamas, but all the anti-Jewish Islamist groups freely operating in the country.

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

Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia Reject Migrant Quotas and Tax Hikes

The leaders of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries of Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, and Poland stressed that they must work together to become a winner in a world transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The political bloc needs investments to succeed and, therefore, will not support tax increases, said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the meeting of the prime ministers of the V4 in Katowice on Wednesday. Hungary now takes over the annual presidency from Poland.

Orban also identified the rejection of the possible compulsory EU quotas on redistribution of migrants and the integration of the Western Balkans countries into the EU as soon as possible priorities of the Hungarian presidency of the V4.

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

Ireland One of 9 Holdouts Who Refused to Sign OECD Global Corporate Tax Reform Package

Update (1310ET): Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe (the current head of the Eurogroup assemblage of EU finance ministers) just issued a terse statement claiming that while Ireland supports the aims of the OECD’s tax reform, it’s wary of the 15% minimum global tax rate.

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

Italy: Naples Church Appeals to Putin for Funds

Priest confident Russian leader will respond to St Nicholas

(ANSA) — NAPLES, JUN 28 — A church in Naples has appealed to Vladimir Putin for the funds it needs to complete restoration work, confident that the Russian president will help a saint dear to Holy Mother Russia, St Nicholas.

“I’ve appealed to the Italian culture ministry but so far there’s been no reply,” said Father Mario Rega of the San Nicola alla Carità Church.

“So I decided to take urgent action”.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

The COVID Lottery is Coming

[Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)]

BRATISLAVA | Slovakia is to introduce the Covid Lottery, details of which were announced yesterday by Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO).

The state will spend up to €2 million on it every week, and those who have already been vaccinated, not as a result of the lottery, will be able to participate in the lottery too.

Matovic wants the weekly grand prize winner to be drawn every Sunday on the state TV; and the daily winners every day at 7pm. He has not yet disclosed any specific amounts.

There will also be a cash prize for anyone who persuades another person to get vaccinated. [The prize is] €30 if [the vaccinated] are under 50; it is €60 if they are under 60; and €90 if they are over 60.

At the time of vaccination the person who has been persuaded will declare who persuaded them, and will be given a code to collect the reward. “Please, go ahead,” said Matovic when asked if this would allow even spouses to mutually persuade each other and get vaccinated for money.”

           — Hat tip: László [Return to headlines]
 

UK: 20-Year-Old Given £10k Fine After Throwing Rave at Kent Airbnb

On Sunday, May 30, police were called to shut down an all-night party in Kent after a fight broke out between attendees.

Police tracked down the 20-year-old who hired the Airbnb on Friday June 25 and handed her a £10,000 fine for breaching COVID restrictions.

The Airbnb — which costs over £800 a night to hire — sits on the outskirts of Maidstone, Kent in the tiny village of Bearsted. Reports claim that over one hundred people attended, with partygoers cars blocking off the roads around the village.

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

UK: Government Adviser Says Fatigue, Headache, Sore Throat and Diarrhoea Should be Added to List of COVID Symptoms

A SAGE government adviser has said that fatigue, headache, sore throat and diarrhoea should be added to the list of COVID symptoms, prompting concerns that this will artificially inflate case numbers.

The London Times reports: “Including fatigue, headache, sore throat and diarrhoea on the official list of Covid symptoms would pick up a third more cases of the virus, Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage), said.”

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

UK: Manchester United Protest: Four Suspects Arrested

Four men have been arrested following a protest outside Manchester United’s stadium against the club’s owners.

About 1,000 protesters gathered at Old Trafford and 200 outside the Lowry Hotel in Salford before United were due to play Liverpool on 2 May.

Those arrested were allegedly part of the 200-strong crowd that forced its way into the stadium and invaded the pitch.

The suspects were held after raids in Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

Three of the men, aged 24, 27 and 55, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, while the fourth, aged 23, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and a public order offence.

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

UK: Retired Vicar, 79, Who Took Part in Extinction Rebellion Road Blockades in Parliament Square and Outside MoD Site Near Bristol is Fined More Than £1,500

A retired vicar who took part in two Extinction Rebellion road blockades in Parliament Square and outside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) site near Bristol has been fined more than £1,500.

Reverend Sue Parfitt, 79, sat in a camping chair in front of MoD Abbey Wood in Filton, Gloucestershire, for four-and-a-half hours on December 11 last year.

The climate activist also blocked the road during a protest in London’s Parliament Square last August.

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

UK: Second £10,000 COVID Fine Case Collapses at Northampton Magistrates’ Court

The case against an alleged organiser of a gathering at Northampton’s Campanile Hotel in December 2020 was discontinued at the town’s magistrates court after police admitted there was “no reasonable prospect” of conviction.

Officers issued a £10,000 fixed penalty notice after finding approximately 75 people at what they believed to be a wedding reception but was later claimed to be religious event on December 13 when the area was under Tier Two restrictions.

[Comment: Priti Patel, instead of going after people who get together for a good time, should instead focus on preventing migrants from crossing the channel.]

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

UK: Woman Who Booked Holiday Home for COVID Lockdown Party Given £10k Fine

A woman has been fined £10,000 for organising a lockdown party in a holiday home near Maidstone.

Over 100 people attended the pre-planned party at the house, which was advertised online as a holiday rental property.

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

Dramatic Moment Two Organic Food Shop Owners Shout Abuse at Police as They’re Arrested After Refusing to Serve Customers Who Are Wearing Masks — and Turning Away Anyone Who’s Received the Jab

Dramatic footage shows the moment two organic food store owners in Bowral, NSW, grapple with police while being arrested for refusing to let customers wear masks in their shop.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato Accused of Breaking Lockdown Laws

The GOOD Party has clashed with the DA in the Mother City again, after Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato was accused of blatantly flouting the new Level 4 lockdown laws. The public official allegedly pressed ahead with a 25-venue event, which handed out awards for ‘community service’ — and there are now calls for him to resign from his position.

Did Dan Plato Break the Level 4 Lockdown Laws?

Brett Herron is the Secretary-General of GOOD. He has taken his campaign to Twitter, and remains adamant that Plato’s behaviour was ‘unacceptable’, even if sit-down dinners were replaced with takeaway meals.

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

Nigerian Influencer “Hushpuppi” Funded Life of Luxury With Complex Email Schemes, FBI Alleges

For Instagram “influencer” Hushpuppi, also referred to as the “Billionaire Gucci Master” Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, living a life of private jet setting and luxury on Instagram in front of his 2 million followers turned out to not only be his claim to fame, but also the straw that broke the camel’s back for his empire. While many looked on at his life of luxury in awe, questions started to arise about how he obtained, and maintained his wealth. The answer lies in the evolution of the often mocked “Nigerian email scam” that we have all become used to.

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

Report: Hundreds of Children Kidnapped by Jihadists in Mozambique to Serve as Soldiers, Child-Brides

A spokesman for the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported this week that hundreds of children have been abducted by Islamic terrorists in Mozambique in recent months, with the boys being forced into becoming soldiers and the girls raped and taken as child brides.

Abduction of children by terrorists “is quite widespread,” said Fionn Shiner, Parliamentary and Press Officer for ACN-UK, in an interview with Crux. “It’s likely to get worse as the conflict develops.”

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

Frosts Reported in Brazil’s Sugarcane, Coffee and Corn Areas

SAO PAULO (Reuters) — Frosts were reported in Brazil’s sugarcane, coffee and corn areas on Wednesday, analysts and weather agencies said, as the country saw very low temperatures all the way from the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul to the northern part of São Paulo.

“It has been a long time since we saw this kind of frosts in Brazil,” Rural Clima’s meteorologist Marco Antonio dos Santos said in a note to clients on Wednesday.

Frosts hit coffee fields in Paraná, a smaller producer, but also some coffee crops in São Paulo state, Brazil’s second largest arabica producer after Minas Gerais.

There were also reports of frosts over sugarcane fields in São Paulo, a state that accounts for over 60% of sugar output in the country…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

EU to Establish New Asylum Agency

The European Parliament and European Council on Tuesday agreed to establish the European Union Agency of Asylum, which will upgrade and replace the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

What will the new agency do?

The new agency is intended to make the 27-member bloc’s processing of asylum applications more efficient. It will upgrade the EASO’s number of staff, with the agency also being provided with more funding to deal with the applications.

The agency will manage a pool of 500 experts who could be dispatched to member states facing a large influx of migrants. These experts could include interpeters and case handlers, among others.

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

France: Morroccan Migrant Driving Stolen Car Runs Over Police Officer

An illegal alien from Morocco is suspected of stealing an automobile and then intentionally running over a French police officer attempting to stop him, according to reports.

A 19-year-old Moroccan who is notoriously well-known to authorities was taken into custody in the commune of Quimper on Tuesday night following the violent crime spree.

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

Murder of Austrian Teenage Girl Sparks Row Over Deportations Policy

The murder of a teenage girl in Austria has sparked fresh debate over how the country deports asylum seekers who break the law.

The body of a 13-year-old girl was found on Saturday on a grass verge in a residential area of Vienna. Authorities suspect she had been drugged, and sexually abused before being killed.

Three male suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, and an international manhunt is underway for a fourth man.

All four suspects are from Afghanistan and are reportedly aged between 16 and 25 years old.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Surrey: Suspected Migrants Found ‘Struggling to Breathe’ In Back of Lorry on M25

Twelve people have been found in the back of a lorry on the M25 after police were alerted by concerned members of the public.

Emergency services were called to the motorway near Chertsey, Surrey, after receiving reports that occupants were on board and struggling to breathe at around 11am on Thursday.

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

Bizarre Video Shows Woman Removing Mask in-Between Bites of Food

A bizarre TikTok video shows a woman eating dinner removing her face mask in-between bites of food.

She’s outside, she’s almosty certainly been vaccinated, and yet is so terrified, the mask goes back on after each mouthful goes in.

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

CEO of Trans Group Labels Woman Who Complained About Man Exposing Genitals to Kids “Horrible”

The CEO of a trans group says the woman who complained about a man exposing his genitals to children in the female area of Wi Spa in Los Angeles is “horrible” and practiced “violence” against trans people.

Yes, really.

A video which went viral earlier this week shows the woman — who goes by the name CubanaAngel on Instagram — confronting Wi Spa staff about the incident, during which she claimed the individual deliberately flashed his penis to women and little girls.

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

Facebook Begins Issuing ‘Disturbing’ Warnings About ‘Extremism’ To Users

On Friday, many people on social media started reporting a new phenomenon on Facebook: popups warning users about extremism.

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

‘God is Non-Binary’ Says Church of England’s First Transwoman Priest

The Church of England’s first-ever transwoman priest has declared that “God is non-binary” and questioned whether He is “just genuinely like a guy?”

Reverend Canon Sarah Jones, currently of the St John the Baptist Church in Cardiff, Wales, was ordained by the Church of England some two decades ago, telling the Anglican state church at the time: “‘Look, there’s this medical history that you need to know about.”

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

Professor Locked Out of Twitter for Sharing “Harassing” Letter From Student Over Her “Gender Critical” Views

A law professor at the University of Reading in England was locked out Twitter for revealing that she was sent a passive-aggressive letter by a student over her “gender critical’ views.

Feminist and human rights lawyer Rosa Freedman took to Twitter to share the passive-aggressive letter sent by a student at the University of Reading. In the letter, the student, not named here, declared he was working with other professors to “identify problematic areas within the university which is holding it back from equality.”

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

UK Government Defines LGBT Equality as ‘Key Economic Asset’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that LGBT equality is a “key economic asset” of the United Kingdom at a Downing Street garden reception to celebrate Pride Month.

Speaking at the Downing Street Pride reception on Tuesday, Boris Johnson said: “Whomever you love, however you identify, whether you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans — I want this government to have your back.”

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

UK Methodists Agree to Same Sex Marriages in Churches

The conference of the Methodist Church of Great Britain has overwhelmingly backed same-sex marriages taking place in their churches, claiming in the new standing order “that marriage can be between any two people”.

The Methodist church revealed on Wednesday that the conference voted by a large margin — 254 in favour, 46 against — of a resolution stating that it “consents in principle to the marriage of same-sex couples on Methodist premises… by Methodist ministers”.

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

5 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 7/1/2021

  1. | Last update:02/07/2021 – 12:35
    GOVERNMENT
    Lockdown only for the unvaccinated: What is the government’s plan to force citizens to be vaccinated?
    Are there any prisons for the unvaccinated?

    The pressure exerted by the government on Greek citizens who do not want to be vaccinated is intense, as in recent days there has been a “tsunami” of announcements through which Greece is becoming a two-speed country.

    In fact, apart from the unprecedented Apartheid, with the separation of the citizens into vaccinated and unvaccinated, the government unleashed yesterday threats that it will put in lockdown those who have not been vaccinated!

    Initially, the Minister of Development Adonis Georgiadis had threatened on Wednesday with bankruptcy of catering businessmen who react to the separation of citizens, while yesterday Akis Skertsos – initially – and Nikos Hardalias then said that if a lockdown is imposed it will be “local” or only for the unvaccinated and will not be accompanied by financial support measures!

    That is … they will “imprison” the unvaccinated, forbidding them to move or go to work and will not pay them any allowance.

    In detail, Mr. Hardalias said:

    “It should also be made clear that horizontal restrictive measures are obviously not going to be taken again. The economy and society are not going to shut down again to protect the unvaccinated who have universal, free and easy access to vaccines. Any restrictive public health measures, whether local or partial, will only apply to the unvaccinated and will not be accompanied by financial support. At the same time, vaccinated people will gradually regain the normalcy of their pre-pandemic life along with the rights that were restricted in the previous months, as is already the case. ”

    The government’s plan

    Yesterday the government announced that an unvaccinated person must undergo a rapid or PCR test to travel to an island. Initial reports said the government would announce a similar measure for train and bus services.

    According to the information, the government will not announce such a ban for the time being, but there is a plan on the table to announce the ban on travel from county to county for the unvaccinated. That is, an unvaccinated person must have a test if he wants to travel to another prefecture, or travels by private car or by KTEL(national buses) etc.

    It is not at all unlikely that there will then be a general travel ban for the unvaccinated.

    The debate on compulsory vaccination is accelerating

    The first move will be the mandatory vaccination of health workers and employees in Elderly Care Units, based on the findings of the Bioethics Committee.

    The discussion is expected to start in July and according to competent sources, the decisions will be announced soon and their implementation is scheduled for the end of August or the beginning of September at the latest.

    Who will be vaccinated?

    Already in the closed meetings that take place at the Maximos Palace, other categories of workers and citizens have also fallen on the table. These include those who will enlist to fulfill their military obligations and the athletes of professional and amateur clubs. Teachers are a special chapter.

    It is the next major occupational category to be considered for compulsory vaccination. It will certainly not be an easy decision as many parameters will have to be taken into account, however if the epidemiological picture on the eve of the reopening of schools is not good, the strongest scenario is its enforcement.

  2. “Supreme Court Opens Door for Nationwide ‘Ballot-Harvesting’ Ban With AZ Ruling”

    Actually, the ruling does exactly the opposite.

    • Ho land and its kinky threaten nations who know who they are. No wonder the Muslim fifth column are confident Western Europe is ripe for conquest from within and without?

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