A Green Party official in Germany recommended that citizens use washcloths instead of taking showers, due to the fuel crisis. Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm recommended that low-income citizens acquire solar panels to help mitigate the effects of energy price inflation.
In other news, police found and successfully defused a bomb planted at a cultural festival in Stockholm.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, MM, Reader from Chicago, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Nearly three months ago, when tabulating real-time mass layoffs data…
[…]Piper Sandler chief economist Nancy Lazar concluded that “post-covid rightsizing means that lots more layoffs are coming” and added that “many companies overhired and overpaid during the Covid crisis.”
Since then, it’s only gotten worse for those who track corporate layoff announcements, such as the following:
#1 Ultratec Inc. says that it will be laying off more than 600 workers.
#2 Electric truck maker Rivian will be laying off approximately 840 workers.
#3 7-Eleven has announced that it will be eliminating 880 corporate jobs.
#4 Shopify is laying off about 1,000 people.
#5 Vimeo says that it will be eliminating 6 percent of its current workforce.
#6 Redfin will be reducing the size of its workforce by 8 percent.
#7 Compass will be reducing the size of its workforce by 10 percent.
#8 RE/MAX will be reducing the size of its workforce by 17 percent.
#9 Robinhood will be reducing the size of its workforce by 23 percent.
#10 It is being reported that Ford “is preparing to cut as many as 8,000 jobs in the coming weeks”.
#11 Geico has closed every single one of their offices in the state of California, and that will result in vast numbers of workers losing their jobs.
#12 Walmart is eliminating about 200 corporate jobs as it contends with rising costs, bloated inventories and weakening demand for general merchandise.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former President Barack Obama’s top economic advisor, Lawrence Summers, warned on Monday that the Biden administration’s plan to cancel debt in student loans will increase inflation and worsen already out-of-control tuition costs.
Biden White House officials are reportedly leaning toward student debt cancellation of $10,000 per borrower earning less than $125,000 a year. The figure would include tens of thousands of former students still paying off their loans. An announcement could be made as early as Tuesday afternoon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Authored by Mark Glennon, founder of Wirepoints.org
On August 5, Wirepoints’ Matt Rosenberg wrote about empty, failing Chicago Public Schools. The numbers we reported are truly astonishing but they are the school district’s own.
Mike Flannery of FOX 32 Chicago asked the Chicago Teachers Union to join his show to discuss the numbers along with Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski.
“F*** Wirepoints,” was the union spokesman’s answer to Flannery. He used the whole word and said his answer was on the record, according to Flannery. The spokesman added nothing more about the numbers and did not join the video segment, which is here at the 8:30 mark, wherein Flannery described the union’s response.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
2 Men Convicted in Plot to Kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A jury on Tuesday convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, a swift victory for prosecutors in a plot that was broken up by the FBI and described as a rallying cry for a U.S. civil war by anti-government extremists.
Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. were also found guilty of conspiring to obtain a weapon of mass destruction, namely a bomb to blow up a bridge and stymie police if the kidnapping could be pulled off at Whitmer’s vacation home.
Croft, 46, a trucker from Bear, Delaware, was also convicted of another explosives charge. The jury deliberated for roughly eight hours over two days.
It was the second trial for the pair after a jury in April couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict after five days. Two other men were acquitted and two more pleaded guilty and testified for prosecutors.
The result was a big win for the U.S. Justice Department following the shocking mixed outcome last spring.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Baltimore Post Office Discovers 2020 Mail-in Ballots
More than two dozen Baltimore voters received their 2020 election ballots earlier this month after the U.S. Postal Service discovered a tray of undelivered mail nearly two years too late.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Charges Dropped Against Atlanta Officers in Rayshard Brooks Shooting Death
ATLANTA — Prosecutors announced Tuesday that two Atlanta officers who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks have been exonerated and will no longer face charges in his death.
The announcement comes more than two years after Brooks was killed during a confrontation outside an Atlanta Wendy’s on June 12, 2020.
Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia Executive Director Pete Skandalakis gave a detailed presentation on what led to his decision in a news conference Tuesday.
“You look at the totality of the circumstances. What did the officer know in that time, in that moment, in that split second,” Skandalakis said.
Skandalakis said the officers’ use of force was reasonable and they did not act with criminal intent. He said the charges against the officers will be dismissed.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Businessman Donates Staggering $1.6 Billion to Conservative Nonprofit
A Chicago businessman, who keeps a very low profile, has made the largest reported donation ever given to a political nonprofit, with the total amount far-exceeding $1 billion.
Barre Seid, 90, just quietly donated $1.6 billion to a group led by the man that many credit with helping to populate the Supreme Court with nominees during the administration of former President Donald Trump.
Seid has run the company Tripp Lite in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood for more than 50 years. The company makes surge protectors and other data centered equipment.
Recently, Seid gave all of the company’s stock, worth $1.6 billion, to a political advocacy group.
The money went to Marble Freedom, a conservative nonprofit run by Leonard Leo, who also co-chairs the Federalist Society.
What makes such a move unusual is that Seid has essentially served as a kingmaker for Leo, making him “one of the most powerful people” in national politics.
“The unprecedented part about this is that he gave it to one guy,” EJ Fagan, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, says. “He didn’t donate to a foundation whose board is going to dole it out like a foundation does. Leonard Leo is going to be the one of the most powerful people in politics.”
Fagan also notes Leo is considered the architect of the Trump Supreme Court, with the Federalist Society helping drive the nominations of Justices Neal Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
Those justices gave the Supreme Court a balance that favors conservative positions, and ultimately led to the decision earlier this year to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade.
[Comment: Holy cow!]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN ‘Blowing Up’ Its Morning Show Following Stelter Firing
CNN is looking to make major changes to the network’s morning show “New Day” after the company fired anchor Brian Stelter last week. CNN President Chris Licht will be “blowing up” the morning show due to poor ratings, a report said on Monday.
Licht previously served as executive producer of the much more popular “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and “CBS This Morning” prior to getting his gig at CNN. He tapped fellow ex-CBS staffer Ryan Kadro to lead the overhaul, according to the New York Post, citing sources close to the matter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Crime Experts Respond to Soros Defending Support for Progressive DAs Amid Crime Wave: ‘Disastrous’
Liberal megadonor George Soros defended his support of progressive district attorneys across the country in a Wall Street Journal entry that placed blame on Republicans for rising crime — an excuse that several experts told Fox News Digital doesn’t jibe with reality.
“Some politicians and pundits have tried to blame recent spikes in crime on the policies of reform-minded prosecutors,” the Hungarian-born billionaire wrote in The Wall Street Journal earlier this month, defending the massive amount of cash he has poured into district attorney races across the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Defund the Police Movement Still Wreaking Havoc in Seattle
On last Friday’s episode of Rebel Roundup, host David Menzies welcomed Rebel News’ newest reporter, Katie Daviscourt, to speak about the ongoing unrest where she lives in Seattle, Washington. The city has faced massive riots and destruction for months on end from radical groups Antifa and BLM (Black Lives Matter), with local politicians not just ignoring, but in some cases supporting these extremist organizations.
Katie started paying attention to what was happening in Seattle even before the 2020 George Floyd riots when she noticed that no local media was reporting on how the city was electing Marxists to their city council who were starting to push the defund the police agenda.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DeSantis Targets ‘Corporate Media’ In New Ad Modeled After Top Gun: Maverick
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis released a new campaign ad on Monday that mirrored the blockbuster movie “Top Gun: Maverick.”
The “Top Gov” ad featured DeSantis fighting back against corporate media reporters during exchanges he has had during press conferences while in office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Aug. 23—Pennsylvania State Police arrested an Edgewood man Monday and charged him with homicide and attempted homicide after a 5-year-old girl and 34-year-old woman were stabbed to death. Two others were injured.
Christine Fousek, of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, and a 5-year-old girl were killed in a stabbing incident inside a house located at Firebox Court in the Hopewell Township of York County. Police arrived around 7:30 p.m. and pronounced them dead at the scene. Two other people, Jacqueline Fousek, 63, and Joseph Fousek, 28, both of Stewartstown, were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Keith Kretzer, 31, faces two counts of homicide and two counts of attempted homicide. Police said he was taken into custody at the scene without incident. Kretzer is held at York County Prison without bail. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
A Florida man who pleaded guilty to attempting to defraud a family member of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl) has been sentenced to 63 months in prison, along with three years of supervision upon release.
Stephen Alford, 62, pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud following his admission that he engaged in a scheme involving “a string of correspondence between himself and Gaetz’s father, former state Senate president Don Gaetz,” reports Fox News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former Kentucky Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying on Warrant for Breonna Taylor Search
Former Louisville Metro Police Detective Kelly Hanna Goodlett on Tuesday admitted to falsifying an affidavit for the search of Breonna Taylor’s apartment.
Goodlett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to violate Taylor’s civil rights, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
The officer admitted to falsely claiming that a postal inspector had already certified that Taylor was receiving packages on behalf of her boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, at her apartment, per the outlet.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Despite all the ridicule, despite all the condemnation, despite an actual crime wave sweeping the country.
They’re still doing it.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Officer Line-of-Duty Gunfire Deaths Up 15% This Year
Police officer line-of-duty deaths from gunfire are up 15% so far this year compared to the same time period in 2021 as crime rates are surging in major cities across the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republicans Vow to Investigate Fauci Despite Convenient Retirement
After Anthony Fauci announced that he will retire right before the mid term elections, Republicans responded by asserting that his stepping down will not deter them from investigating his role in gain of function research that potentially led to the global COVID pandemic.
“Fauci’s resignation will not prevent a full-throated investigation into the origins of the pandemic,” tweeted Senator Rand Paul, who has become Fauci’s arch nemesis through repeated questioning of Fauci’s obfuscation of the meaning of gain of function.
“He will be asked to testify under oath regarding any discussions he participated in concerning the lab leak,” Paul further noted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rumble Ads Secures Truth Social as Its First Publisher, Vows to “Fight Back Against Cancel Culture”
Video platform Rumble has revealed that former President Trump’s Truth Social platform has become the first publisher to join its advertising platform, Rumble Ads.
Truth Social will be using Rumble’s Advertising Center to serve ads on its platform and advertisers can access and bid on Truth Social traffic via this advertising center.
Rumble secured Truth Social as a client for its advertising platform one day after Rumble Ads launched in beta as a challenger to Big Tech’s ad dominance. While the tech giants that dominate online advertising often lock out advertisers and publishers, Rumble has committed to free speech.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spotify Never Recommends the Joe Rogan Podcast, But Recommends Others, Study Finds
A study conducted by Bumper’s Dan Misener found out that Spotify is not recommending Joe Rogan’s podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), to new users.
In September 2020, Joe Rogan signed a multi-million deal for his podcast to be only available on Spotify. Since then, there have been several issues, mostly Spotify employees wanting the podcast to be censored and for Rogan to stop hosting guests that contradict mainstream narratives.
But Spotify has so far resisted censoring the podcast and it remains the most popular podcast globally.
However, the platform is not recommending the podcast to new users.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump-Appointed Judge Will Handle Request for ‘Special Master’ Instead of Reinhart
Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the initial warrant the FBI used to search Donald Trump’s Florida home, will not handle the former president’s request to appoint a “special master” in the case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Update (0945ET): Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has sent a message to staff this morning about WaPo’s whistleblower story, according to CNN’s Donnie O’Sullivan.
Agrawal’s message to staff reads:
Team,
There are news reports outlining claims about Twitter’s privacy, security, and data protection practices that were made by Mudge Zatko, a former Twitter executive who was terminated in January 2022 for ineffective leadership and poor performance. We are reviewing the redacted claims that have been published, but what we’ve seen so far is a false narrative that is riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies, and presented without important context.
I know this is frustrating and confusing to read, given Mudge was accountable for many aspects of this work that he is now inaccurately portraying more than six months after his termination. But none of this takes away from the important work you have done and continue to do to safeguard the privacy and security of our customers and their data. This year alone, we have meaningfully accelerated our progress through increased focus and incredible leadership from Lea Kissner, Damien Kieran, and Nick Caldwell. This work continues to be an important priority for us, and if you want to read more about our approach, you can find a summary here.
Given the spotlight on Twitter at the moment, we can assume that we will continue to see more headlines in the coming days — this will only make our work harder. I know that all of you take a lot of pride in the work we do together and in the values that guide us. We will pursue all paths to defend our integrity as a company and set the record straight.
See you all at “OneTeam tomorrow,
Parag
Update (0850ET): Following the Washington Post’s story on the Twitter whistleblower complaint, Elon Musk’s legal team said they want to interview the former head of security Peiter Zatko.
CNN’s Donnie O’Sullivan tweeted moments ago that Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro wants to speak with the Twitter whistleblower:
“We have already issued a subpoena for Mr. Zatko, and we found his exit and that of other key employees curious in light of what we have been finding.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter Bans Republican Congressional Candidate Dr. Drew Montez Clark on the Eve of the Primary
Just one day before Florida’s primary election, Twitter suspended the account of Republican candidate Dr. Drew Montez Clark. Before the suspension, Dr. Montez Clark had said Congress is not doing enough to address Big Tech and changes to protections for tech platforms would be on his agenda if he is elected.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two ‘Ringleaders’ Convicted in Whitmer Kidnapping Case
After a previous acquittal that triggered a mistrial, a federal jury in Grand Rapids, Michigan have convicted two men charged with plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
It was the second trial for the pair, Potterville resident Adam Fox and Delaware truck driver Barry Croft, after a jury in April was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The pair face up to life in federal prison.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Government Finally Unseals Long-Hidden Rulings on Mass Surveillance
The US government has finally released previously classified rulings from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), which have revealed how the secretive court interprets the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a law that allows mass surveillance of foreigners.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Biden ‘Transition’ Energy Czar Tells Poor People to Buy Solar Panels
Once again showing how completely out of touch with reality they are, the Biden Administration’s Energy Secretary has suggested that Americans facing hardship as the cost of living spirals should buy solar panels.
Appearing on Fox News, Jennifer Granholm touted so called green initiatives under the Orwellian titled ‘Inflation Reduction Act’.
“If you are low income, you can get your home entirely weatherized through the expansion from the bipartisan infrastructure laws, a significant expansion — you don’t have to pay for anything,” she claimed, adding, ““If you want heat pumps, insulation, new windows, that is covered.”
She then advised lower middle class Americans to take out credit to get solar panels.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Violent Crime Remains Top of Mind for Americans Ahead of Midterms
WASHINGTON (TND) — Violence is sweeping across the U.S., leaving many Americans concerned. Incidents were recently caught on camera in two major cities as crime remains high across the country.
The jarring video of a mob ransacking a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles went viral as people were seen grabbing snacks, cigarettes and lottery tickets, leaving behind vandalism and destruction.
“The crime rate in Los Angeles is reaching a meteoric high,” said Darrin Porcher, a former NYPD lieutenant.
Some blame L.A.’s progressive prosecutor George Gascon and his “soft-on-crime” policies for the rising in violence. A recall effort on Gascon failed the very same day as the 7-Eleven mob scene.
“This is really an atrocity for the citizens that live in Los Angeles County. Where is the support for the victims?” Porcher said. “All I hear is this decriminalization but I don’t see any support for the victims.”
In New York, subway attacker Alexander Wright was arrested more than 40 times and repeatedly released to offend again. New York’s progressive District Attorney Alvin Bragg is a strong supporter of the “decarceration movement.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘What Country is the Queen of England From?’: Gen Z Kids Embarrassed in New Video
Generation Z is defined by Pew Research Center as those being born between 1997 and 2012. For better or for worse, the oldest “zoomers” were 10 years old when the original iPhone launched in 2007, with Donald Trump being elected the president of the United States when the same group became of voting age. Still, this generation is colloquially viewed as having the most information available to them whilst retaining the least amount of historical/geographical/political knowledge.
When asked how many stars the American flag has, one ‘zoomer’ answered, “One hundred and thirty?” And it’s not the only astronomically poor answer we’ve seen from young Americans as of late.
The internet has been buzzing recently with a flurry of videos exposing what appears to be a disturbing downward trend in the educational standards of American youth.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The wife of a retired St. Louis police captain who was murdered in 2020 during a night of violence and looting sparked by racial injustice protests has slammed soft-on-crime policies and BLM tactics for ‘dividing America’.
Ann Dorn singled out billionaire George Soros for using his power and influence to ‘promote extremist politics’ and woke corporations for ‘blindly funding’ the left-wing organization Black Lives Matter, which is dedicated to defunding the police.
Ann’s husband David Dorn, 77, was shot dead by looter Stephan Cannon, 26, in front of a pawn shop during the 2020 riots which had begun as protests against the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Architectural plans have been leaked to The Counter Signal, revealing Trudeau’s sinister plans to weaponize the climate change agenda.
The Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is building a new facility in Winnipeg that will be home to a firearms armoury, interrogation rooms, biological labs, media relations offices, “controlled quiet rooms,” and intelligence facilities.
The plans, which were drawn up by a firm in Winnipeg, open a window into Trudeau’s future plans for Climate Enforcement.
Down the hall from the proposed “Firearms Storage” rooms are several evidence rooms, interrogation suites, and adjacent recording rooms.
According to a recently posted Indeed.com ad, the Ministry is searching to recruit a battalion of Climate “Pollution” Officers, a unit within the coldly named “Environmental Enforcement Directorate.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ontario Senior Detained at Pearson Airport and Fined for Not Sharing Personal Medical Information
Let’s be frank: flying into and out of so many Canadian airports is a downright hellacious experience these days. Indeed, recently Toronto’s Pearson International Airport was ranked as the number one worst airport in the world. From outrageous lineups and lost luggage to misplaced pets almost dying in their cages. And then there is the intrusive, albeit useless, app that is ArriveCAN. In Canada, thanks to the vindictive Trudeau Liberals, airline travel is no longer a matter of “flying the friendly skies”; rather, getting on and off a plane these days resembles the title of that classic Twilight Zone episode; namely, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”.
But what recently happened to 72-year-old Sophia Rouchotas is almost beyond belief.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trailer: Trucker Rebellion — Convoy to Ottawa
After two years of a war on civil liberties of unprecedented magnitudes, last winter’s trucker rebellion marked the start of the end of COVID policies across the country.
In an atmosphere of segregation where vaccination status would determine if a citizen could fly, or even receive an organ transplant, the announcement of the vaccine mandate for the truckers was the final straw. This sparked peaceful civil disobedience that led to the declaration of the Emergencies Act.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Western Agrees to Tuition Refunds for Students Who Won’t Comply With Booster Mandate
Western University will refund tuition payments for students forced to withdraw from the upcoming semester because of the school’s vaccine mandate, True North has learned.
On Monday, the London, Ont. university announced all students, staff and visitors will be required to have three doses of a Covid vaccine by October 1. The policy was announced one week after the first tuition installment was due, and two weeks before classes begin.
The policy applies even to students taking online courses if the courses have an in-person component such as a final exam.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
6 Anti-Oil Protesters Who Invaded 2022 F1 British GP Track Appear in UK Court
Six environmental activists who attempted to disrupt the British F1 GP by running on to the track have been charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance by the Northampton court, where they recently appeared.
The six have been identified to be David Baldwin (46), Emily Brocklebank (23), Alasdair Gibson( 21), Louis McKechnie (21), Bethany Mogie (40) and Joshua Smith (29).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dutch Farmers: Political Pressure Grows on Govt to Back Down on EU-Driven Green Agenda
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch lawmakers broke into their summer vacations Tuesday to debate the government’s contentious plans to slash nitrogen emissions that have sparked angry protests by farmers.
The debate was called after Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said in a newspaper interview that the goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 was not set in stone. Hoekstra’s Christian Democrats party, which traditionally wins votes among farmers and in rural communities, has been losing support in polls since the government published its nitrogen targets.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Failing Society: Watch Gang of Youths Storm and Loot McDonald’s Restaurant in England
In appalling scenes shared on social media, a gang of youths were witnessed ransacking a Mcdonald’s in Nottingham, jumping over the counter and stealing food and drinks.
In the latest youth looting mob action in England, a group of around 50 youths ransacked a McDonald’s in the city centre area of the central English city of Nottingham on Sunday. In footage posted on social media, the youths were seen jumping over the counter and stealing food and drinks from the fast food restaurant.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Environmental activists in Germany have been arrested after gluing their hands to one of the most famous paintings in the world.
Jakob Beyer, 28, and Maike Grunst, 21, stuck their hands to the golden frame of Renaissance master Raphael’s painting The Sistine Madonna in Dresden this morning.
The activists, who belong to the ‘Letzte Generation’ (Last Generation) movement, entered the Old Masters Picture Gallery, stepped over a barrier in front of the painting and clasped on to the frame before unfurling a banner.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Green Party Official Tells Germans to Use Washcloths Instead of Taking Showers
A top Green Party official has caused controversy by suggesting Germans use washcloths instead of taking showers, as well as buying expensive eco-heating systems that are unaffordable for the average person.
The comments were made by Baden-Württemberg’s Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann in response to the energy crisis, which will be exacerbated this winter as a result of gas shortages caused by the war in Ukraine.
“Even the washcloth is a useful invention,” the Green politician told Südwest-Presse.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Cultural Festival Turns Into Civil War
Several armed Africans from Eritrea attacked and injured police officers and helpers at a festival planned in the city of Gießen (around 50km north of Frankfurt) over the weekend. This happened just before the start of the Eritrea Festival, which was scheduled to take place at the city’s exhibition center on Saturday evening.
Critics accuse the event of being a festival for the government in Eritrea, as the news portal T-Online reported.
Investigations are now being carried out, among other things, on suspicion of bodily harm and breach of the peace, according to a spokeswoman for the central Hesse police headquarters. Witnesses are currently being questioned, evidence collected and witness statements evaluated. The police spokeswoman could not give an exact number of the injured and arrested Eritreans.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Monday, the president and vice-president of Hungary’s National Meteorological Service (OMSZ), Kornélia Radics and Gyula Horvath, were dismissed with immediate effect after the service’s weather forecast for Saturday led to the postponement of the country’s most watched event, fireworks on Hungary’s national holiday, St. Stephen’s Day, on Aug. 20.
The annual fireworks display on St. Stephen’s Day is an important date for Hungarians, with up to 1 million people arriving from across the country every year to view the event.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Poland, Some Are Still Receiving a Unique Benefit From the Rule of Russian Tsar Alexander II
One hundred and sixty years ago, the Lublin region was a part of Poland, which had become a part of Russia as a result of the Partition of Poland treaty. Tsar Alexander II gave peasants property rights and gave them the right to benefit from forests and meadows. He did so to dissuade them from joining a Polish Uprising of 1863. The free wood could be used for heating or construction.
In practice, the inhabitants of four villages in the Lublin region inhabitants are still receiving about 130 cubic meters of wood per annum off the back of this decree. This entitlement has been passed on through the generations but only applies to those whose families have lived in the area since Tsarist times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Masks for Plebs Only: German Government Uses Loophole to Escape Own COVID Rules on Flight to Canada
The German government came under criticism after it utilised a loophole to allow ministers to escape their own COVID lockdown rules forcing people to wear masks on flights.
It appears that forced masking in Germany is for the plebian public only, with ministers in the country’s government provoking outrage this week after it emerged that they were using a legal loophole to get around their own COVID lockdown rules.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Multicultural Sweden: Bomb Found at Stockholm Cultural Festival
Swedish authorities discovered and safely detonated a bomb early Monday morning that was discovered in a central park in Stockholm, the site of an ongoing cultural festival.
Police were warned over a suspicious bag at around 9:40 pm Sunday night at the Kungsträdgården, a park in the centre of the Swedish capital that often hosts live events and open-air concerts during the summer months.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands Announces $80 Million Aid Package for Ukraine, Defense Ministry Says
The Netherlands has decided to provide Ukraine with an additional aid package worth about 80 million euros ($80 million), the Dutch Defense Ministry said in a statement.
On Monday, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher paid a working visit to Kiev.
According to the ministry, during the visit, Schreinemacher announced a new aid package for Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The right-wing Confederation party organized a press conference in Poland’s parliament over YouTube censorship after the tech giant, which is owned by parent company Alphabet, removed the party’s wRealu24 channel from its service.
The party believes that this is an example of preventative censorship, which is illegal under Poland’s Constitution. Back in the spring of this year, the web pages of the wRealu24 channel were blocked, probably by the Internal Security Agency (ABW).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland’s Gas Security is Under Threat This Winter Without Additional Energy Contracts: Report
Despite assurance from the state-owned Polish Oil Mining and Gas Extraction (PGNiG) company, Poland faces a gas shortage according to an analysis from Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (DGP) based on Eurostat data.
If the DGP’s analysis is accurate, that means that there is indeed a threat of gas outages in Poland over the coming winter. Polish demand for gas over the seven months between September and March was 15.5 billion cubic meters, which is over 70 percent of the average yearly demand for this fuel.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Just Stop Oil Protesters Block Essex Oil Terminals at Grays and Thurrock
Twenty arrests have been made after environmental protesters staged demonstrations at a major oil facility in Essex, digging tunnels under roads to block access.
The campaigners from Just Stop Oil formed a sit-down roadblock near the Navigator terminal in Thurrock early on Tuesday morning.
Five people are also occupying tunnels under St Clements Way near the terminal, as well as an access road leading to the nearby Grays oil terminal.
Twenty people have been arrested at the three sites on Tuesday morning, said Essex Police, while similar protests were also staged at the Kingsbury facility in Warwickshire.
Campaigners were protesting the government’s plans to allow more oil and gas projects in the UK.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Shock Video: Couple Robbed at Knifepoint in Upscale London
A man and woman were ambushed by masked thieves during a brazen broad-daylight robbery in London this week, according to reports.
The horrifying incident reportedly unfolded on Monday in Knightsbridge, an upscale retail and residential neighborhood near Hyde Park in the British capital.
Footage circulating on social media shows a screaming woman pinned down in a doorway by one suspect as her companion fights another suspect on the sidewalk.
At least one of the suspects can be seen wielding a knife.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
While Germany races to build wind farms, there is cause for concern, with a chemical identified as the strongest greenhouse gas in the world being emitted from wind turbines.
In fact, measurements of the air over Germany have already identified the country as the worst offender in Europe when it comes to the highly dangerous substance sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The chemical is used in the manufacturing of wind turbines and escapes into the environment. With Germany the leader in wind turbine use in Europe, scientists say this is the major factor behind the exceptionally high levels of SF6 readings in Germany.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, SF6 is a climate killer. In fact, it is 26,087 times more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxide.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Strikes Separatists’ Headquarters in Donetsk With Himars Rockets
Three people were killed after Ukrainian forces shelled a separatist government building in Donetsk with US-supplied Himars rocket systems, local officials told Russian news agency TASS.
Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) local administrative headquarters suffered a direct hit and six others were wounded during the strikes in the city on Tuesday, according to the Kremlin-installed mayor of Donetsk Alexey Kulemzin.
A separatist official said at least one of the shells used in the attack on the eastern Ukrainian city was fired from a US-made Himars artillery system, Russian state news agencies reported.
The region of Donetsk has been under the control of the Moscow-backed separatist group since 2014.
Western officials have warned of a possible escalation in fighting in Ukraine this week, as Wednesday marks both six months since Russia’s invasion and the 31st year of Ukraine’s independence from Soviet rule.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Hindu Man Faces ‘False’ Blasphemy Charges in Pakistan: Report
Muslim Locals in Hyderabad falsely accuse Hindu man of blasphemy, try to lynch him with slogans of ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’; police dispersed fanatic mob with lathi charge.
ANI | Hyderabad | Aug 22, 2022:: Over a personal clash with a local resident in Pakistan’s Hyderabad, a man, belonging to minority Hindu community, was reportedly booked in a fake case of blasphemy on Sunday, several media reports said.
“Hyderabad police dispersed a violent mob which was demanding handing over a Hindu sanitary worker accusing him of #blasphemy Police claims the sanitary worker was targeted because of a personal clash with a local resident,” said Mubashir Zaidi in a Tweet.
The man was identified as Ashok Kumar who was a sweeper, lodged at Rabia centre in Saddar of Hyderabad in Pakistan and was severely attacked by a violent mob.
Taking to Twitter, South-Asian Correspondent, Naila Inayat tweeted, “Hindu sanitary worker Ashok Kumar booked under 295B of blasphemy over alleged desecration of the Quran in Hyderabad. The allegation came after a brawl with shopkeeper Bilal Abbasi who then lodged the complaint against Kumar.”
Naila Inayat Tweet
Hyderabad police dispersed the agitated mob which was demanding handing over of the Hindu sanitary worker for desecrecation of the Quran. However, it was actually a Muslim woman who had burned the Islamist book, as per local media.
The misuse of the draconian blasphemy laws against minorities and even members of the Muslim community to settle personal grudges is rampant in Pakistan.
Many people have been lynched to death in Pakistan on the mere accusation of blasphemy. Countless others languish in jails for years with no hope of getting justice as the lawyers, fearing for their own lives, refuse to defend them.
Judges in the lower courts routinely hand the accused the ultimate penalty of death without examining the evidence.
Notably, Pakistan reported a total of 1,415 cases of blasphemy in the country since 1947, a think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, said.
According to the think tank report, a total of 18 women and 71 men were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy from 1947 to 2021. However, as per the think tank, the actual number of cases is believed to be higher as not all cases are reported.
As per another report, in the year 2021, Muslims made up the largest chunk of people accused of blasphemy, followed by Ahmadis, Hindus and Christians. The report suggested that the issues of ‘unverified and speculative accusations’ of blasphemy have increased over the years.
Because of these issues, the incidents of lynching and extrajudicial settlements have deepened in the South-Asian country.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Pakistan Threatens to Cut Off Digital ID of “Hecklers”
Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan warned supporters of recently-ousted prime minister Imran Khan whose behavior could be considered “harassment and heckling” that they could have their biometric ID apps blocked, according to a report by The Nation.
The political climate in Pakistan is tense, with supporters of Khan threatening to “take over” and harassing government officials.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Protests in Pakistan Over Forcible Marriage of Sikh Woman
The protesters blocked the main Buner road for hours. The Sikh community members in their speeches complained that the local police were not cooperating with them and demanded protection for their lives and property. They said Sikh woman was first compelled to elope and then forcibly married to the Muslim man.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China is Weaponizing Chinese Worldwide to Support the CCP
“Promoting the great unity of the Chinese people is the historic responsibility of China’s patriotic united front work in the new era,” said Chinese ruler Xi Jinping at the end of last month to Communist Party cadres in Beijing. “To do the job well, we must… truly unite all Chinese people in different parties, nationalities, classes, groups, and with different beliefs, and those who are living under different social systems.”
“Different social systems” is Party lingo for “other countries.”
Xi’s words sound benign, but the intent is not. In short, Xi, at the Party’s United Front Work Conference, said he hoped to unite—in other words, mobilize—ethnic Chinese everywhere to support the CCP, to effectively make every Chinese individual a CCP agent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China Censors ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ With New Ending
China, notorious for its censorship of entertainment media, has changed the ending to the hit CGI film “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
The animated children’s movie had its finale altered by Chinese censors who showed the anti-hero star of the film, Wild Knuckles, arrested by the police and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In the original version of the film, Wild Knuckles pretends to fake his own death and gets away Scot-free. Sorry, spoilers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia is Facing Larger Migrant Crisis in 2015
Czech police called an extraordinary press conference on Tuesday morning regarding controls at the border with Slovakia after a massive influx of illegal migrants. According to the police, the number of detained migrants in the last two months has exceeded the figures from the migration crisis in 2015.
“It is necessary to prepare for an emergency. The number of migrants has been growing significantly in recent months, and we must therefore minimize the negative effects of the migration situation, which could affect the lives of citizens,” said interior minister Vit Rakusan.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dozens of Syrians Involved in Mass Brawl in No-Go Area of Brussels
A large number of police officers were called in to deal with a mass brawl between Syrian nationals in the Brussels district of Molenbeek on Friday that is said to have involved fifty to a hundred participants.
The mass brawl took place in Albert Park on Friday evening at the crossroads of Joseph Baek avenue and Edmond Machtens boulevard and saw the mob fight among themselves and continue to fight in a house of the Rue d’Ostende.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU to Give Morocco €500 Million to Help Stem Illegal Immigration
The European Union is set to give Morocco around half a billion euros to help stem the tide of illegal immigration despite claims that the Moroccan government has relaxed surveillance of the Canary Island migrant route.
The European Union and Morocco have cooperated on the subject of illegal immigration for years but a new agreement between the two will see the EU commit up to €500 million (£422 million/$496 million) for ongoing help in stopping illegal immigration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary’s Southern Border ‘Under Siege’
Hungary is experiencing “siege-like conditions” on its southern border with Serbia, Balazs Orban, Prime Minister Orban’s political director, said on his Facebook page. According to Balazs Orban, the number of border violators in Hungary has increased by more than 90 percent. He explained that the food crisis caused by the war is already having its effects, and illegal migration is increasing.
Orban also shared some research in his post, according to which no fewer than 36 million people left their homes in Africa this year due to the worsening economic and political instability, and many of them have already set off for Europe.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Record Number of Boat Migrants Enter England in a Single Day
A record number of boat migrants totaling 1,295 people, overwhelmingly young men, crossed the English Channel yesterday, beating the previous one day record high by more than 100, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
“In the busiest day of the year, the Royal Navy and Border Force intercepted 27 boats from France, each on average carrying nearly 50 migrants, who were brought ashore,” reports the Telegraph.
“That is the largest number since the previous high of 1,185 in November last year and takes the total of migrants reaching the UK past 22,500 so far this year, more than double 2021’s rate.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Rwanda asylum scheme will be in limbo for months while the number of Channel migrants continues to soar.
Home Secretary Priti Patel is facing a legal challenge from a trade union which represents thousands of her own Border Force officers.
Along with a group of migrant charities, the Public and Commercial Services Union has brought a judicial review of the Rwanda scheme which — after long delays — is due to begin on September 5.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Atlanta Police Identify Man Accused of Defacing Rainbow Crosswalks With Swastikas
On Friday, a man was arrested by Atlanta police after allegedly spray-painting swastikas on rainbow crosswalks in midtown.
He has since been identified as 30-year-old Jonah Sampson.
[Comment: The suspect is a black male.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadians Ages 15-34 More Likely to Identify as ‘Trans or Non-Binary’
The Trudeau government has released its “Pride season” overview, documenting Canada’s “transgender and non-binary” populations. The overview celebrates the “resilience, strength, and spirit of LGBTQ2+ communities in Canada throughout June, July, and August.”
The study defines transgender people as “persons whose reported gender does not correspond to their reported sex at birth. It includes transgender (trans) men and women.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadian Women to Fight Back Against Inclusion of Biological Males in Female Spaces at Ontario Event
A Canadian charity is hosting a panel of experts to examine the costs and consequences of introducing trans-identified males into women’s single-sex spaces. The Democracy Fund, a charity dedicated to “constitutional rights, advancing education and relieving poverty,” is providing a platform for the women panelists to discuss “a number of provocative questions on the topic of transgenderism in women’s spaces.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN is Being Gutted Because Leftist Media is Not as Appealing as They Fantasize
One thing about leftist culture that never ceases to amaze is their ability to take a failure and pretend that it was actually a success. This attitude is perhaps an extension of their penchant for propaganda — They lie so much about everything that they end up falling victim to their own disinformation. They tell their enemies they are winning even when they are losing, and then they actually start to believe it themselves.
It’s a bit like the old rule for drug dealers — Everything falls apart when you start smoking the drugs you sell.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dueling Protests at Winnacunnet
HAMPTON — Two competing groups of protesters clashed outside Winnacunnet High School Thursday over an upcoming teacher training on how best to address concerns of LGBTQ+ students.
The training is scheduled for Sept. 13 and will be conducted by the organization Seacoast Outright. The group will speak on how teachers can respond to LGBTQ+ students in crisis regarding their gender identity, according to school officials and the organization.
While Seacoast Outright is a nonprofit that provides resources related to LGBTQ+ issues, residents who gathered to oppose the training Thursday accused the group of attempting to politicize students.
“Stop the grooming,” “Let kids be kids,” “Education not indoctrination” and other messages were scrawled on signs held by protesters in front of WHS in opposition to the training. Across the parking lot, a group of counter-protesters that included WHS students held signs that read “Teaching tolerance and respect” and “LGBTQ support is not political.”
Those who gathered in opposition to the training said they believed Seacoast Outright was a political organization based on its support of groups like Black Lives Matter. They also said they were concerned about teachers becoming involved in family decisions over whether a student should undergo gender-confirming surgery.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Google’s Race, Gender Quotas for Prestigious Fellowship Program Slammed as Illegal
The Google PhD Fellowship Program is among the most prestigious and sought after for students of computer science and related fields. It offers a generous financial award, as well as mentorship and opportunities to conduct research at an elite level.
In recent years, along with academic qualifications, the tech giant has begun taking applicants’ race and gender into consideration as well, a decision that has been slammed by lawyers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Parents Demand Maine School District Remove Books That Are ‘Too Pornographic’ For Young Students
Maine School Administrative District (MSAD) 6 is weighing the removal of two books from its school’s libraries after pushback stating that the books, which focus on topics relating to gender and sexuality, contain topics that are “too pornographic” for young students.
The books in question are “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, and “It’s Perfectly Normal” by Robie Harris.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Supporters and Protesters Turn Out at Oxford Drag Queen Kids’ Storytime
Supporters have turned out to back a children’s story hour, run by a drag performer, that was targeted by protesters.
Aida H Dee performed at Oxfordshire County Library as part of a UK tour designed to inform youngsters about the LGBTQ+ community.
About 50 protestors outside claimed the show sexualised children.
An estimated 300 people joined a pro-LGBTQ+ rights counter protest to put a “protective ring” around the library.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
University of California Introduces Anti-Racism Auto-Evaluation Tool for Its Staff
As initially exclusively reported by The College Fix, in the most recent wave of the diversity, equity and inclusion movement at North American universities, the University of California took the decision of pushing a new “anti-racism performance review tool,” which is essentially an auto-evaluation tool that allegedly helps determine whether or not someone is a racist.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Wisconsin School Votes to Ban ‘Political’ BLM and LGBT Flags
A school in Wisconsin has voted to ban BLM and LGBT flags, asserting that they represent “political messaging” that has no place within educational institutions.
The school board voted to ensure teachers and administration of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine School district would “not have political flags or religious messaging in their classroom or on their person.”
The board voted to uphold a code of conduct which prevents teachers from abusing their position to promote partisan politics or religious views for personal monetary gain or non-monetary gain.
Gay pride flags, Black Lives Matter symbols, MAGA messaging and ‘back the blue’ rhetoric will all be banned as a result of the vote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Paludan attacked in Luleå
Published 23 August 2022 at 19.58
Islam critic Rasmus Paludan was attacked in connection with a demonstration in Luleå today.
It was in connection with a demonstration critical of Islam in Luleå today that a group of young men began to behave aggressively towards Rasmus Paludan.
Pictures from Paludan’s party Stram kurs live broadcast from the demonstration show how tumult breaks out, after which police along with Paludan run after a man who flees the scene.
The police manage to catch the man. An exchange of words then breaks out between the man and Paludan.
– Your mother is a notorious whore, did you know that? Paludan shouts at the man and continues:
– Your mother has [had carnal knowledge of] twenty Jews!
Soon after, the police wrestle another man to the ground.
HOW CAN IT BE DONE?
Andersson: “We don’t want Somalitown”
Published 23 August 2022
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (S) now states that it is important to “mix” the population in Sweden so that third world peoples are not concentrated in the same places.
– We don’t want Chinatown in Sweden, we don’t want Somalitown or Little Italy, we should live mixed with the different experiences that we have, says the prime minister in an interview with Dagens Nyheter.
Magdalena Andersson says she is against the formation of “ethnic clusters”.
Immigration Minister Anders Ygeman (S) recently received criticism from the left when he proposed a maximum ceiling for non-Nordic people in so-called vulnerable areas, i.e. ghettos.
Andersson defends the minister’s move.
– We can’t forcibly relocate people, that’s not something Anders Ygeman has proposed.
But we do want to see more mixed areas. We want Swedish and not Arabic to be the natural language throughout Sweden, she tells DN.
That way nobody will be safe anywhere in in Sweden. Residents and visitors can’t just avoid the “vibrantly enriched” areas and stay in real Sweden.
What you need to know after Apple
issues security warning
https://youtu.be/lmjd5d8ajRg
MORE THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Cell phone induced canser
listen:
https://voca.ro/1hwsfJ4bbv0F 5:30 min
see:
https://swebbtube.se/w/upwoYNTQV9kbbs2oaoUvkg
Another sudden death: ‘I tried and tried, but his heart stopped’: Olympic gold cyclist Katie Archibald reveals she desperately battled to save dying partner mountain biker Rab Wardell, 37, after he ‘suffered cardiac arrest as they lay in bed’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11141131/Olympic-gold-medal-winner-Katie-Archibald-reveals-battled-save-dying-partner-Rab-Wardell.html
Here’s another:
————————————–
Ben Benn, a resident of Siddal, Halifax, West Yorkshire died suddenly on Monday morning, according to his mother. He was 30.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/08/30-year-old-rugby-player-dies-suddenly-leaving-family-friends-completely-shocked/
What do you suppose the problem is? /sarc
Never mind that inflation will make the solar panels and their installation unaffordable.
On the wind turbines, what is SF-6 used for? And…why was such a destructive chemical allowed in the production of wind turbines?