California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to increase the state’s electricity supply in the face of a weeklong heat wave. Meanwhile, the California Independent System Operator has extended the “Flex Alert” calling for citizens to reduce electricity use. Owners of electric vehicles have been asked not to recharge them while the alert is in effect.
In other news, in an effort to combat inflation, Hungary’s central bank has raised its base interest rate to the highest level in eighteen years.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, 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.
Alberta is Actually Paying Back Its Debt
Alberta is doing something totally foreign to most countries and provinces: the government is actually paying back its debt.
In a news release, the UCP boasted that due to this year’s record-breaking, oil-fueled surplus, the government is able to make the largest single-year debt repayment in the province’s history and will be paying off $13.4 billion of its over $90 billion owing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alberta’s GDP Growth is More Than Five Time Larger Than Canada’s
As the broader Canadian economy continues to produce an abysmal GDP growth of 0.8%, Alberta is thriving and growing at a rate over five times higher than Canada’s.
For two consecutive quarters, Canada has posted a GDP growth of just 0.8% — just high enough so that the government can say that we aren’t technically in a recession.
Conversely, Alberta, along with Saskatchewan, is leading the way in growth in real gross domestic product, largely due to the oil and gas sector.
According to TD Bank, Alberta is currently on track to grow the real GDP of the province by a rate of 5.5%, while an Alberta government news release says that the government is expecting GDP to grow by 4.9%. Either way, this is more than five times that of the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary’s Central Bank Raises Base Interest Rate to 18-Year High to Fight Inflation
On Tuesday, the Hungarian Central Bank (MNB) increased its base rate to an 18-year high of 11.75 percent, or 100 basis points, in an effort to reign in rampant inflation. The last time the reference rate was this high was in April 2004.
The Hungarian forint reacted to the news by strengthening shortly after on the interbank foreign exchange market, with 405.7 forints equalling one euro.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Private Payrolls Grew by Just 132,000 in August, ADP Says in Reworked Jobs Report
Companies sharply slowed the pace of hiring in August amid growing fears of an economic slowdown, according to payroll processing company ADP.
Private payrolls grew by just 132,000 for the month, a deceleration from the 268,000 gain in July, the firm said in its monthly payroll report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
AG Garland Issues Memo on DOJ Communications With Congress After Retirements, Whistleblower Reports
Attorney General Merrick Garland has issued a memo to Justice Department personnel reiterating the department’s policy of prohibiting communication with members of Congress.
Garland said all communication with Congress must be handled by the Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA). Per DOJ policy, “no department employee may communicate with Senators, Representatives, congressional committees, or congressional staff without advance coordination, consultation, and approval by OLA.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Another US Food Processing Plant Catches Fire, Add This to Growing List
Another food processing plant went up in flames last weekend. Add this poultry business in California to the growing list of US food plants that have been knocked offline in the past year due to “accidental fires.”
Los Angeles-based KTLA reported QC Poultry processing plant in Montebello, California, located just east of East Los Angeles and southwest of San Gabriel Valley, caught fire around 1600 local time Sunday. Firefighters responded to the large industrial plant as heavy smoke billowed from the roof.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed an executive order that will allow the state to ramp up electricity supply as its power grid braces for stress during a weeklong heatwave.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Newsom said the executive order would grant California more flexibility “across the spectrum” in terms of procuring supply to prepare for the heatwave.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Defamed Bakery Finally Seals $36m Victory Over Oberlin After Court Rejects College’s Appeal
The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a request to hear Oberlin College’s appeal of a verdict against the private, Ohio school — meaning the family-owned bakery that won a defamation lawsuit against the institution can finally collect on the multi-million judgment it was awarded by a jury in 2019.
Originally, the judgment against Oberlin was $44 million, but a state law limited the final amount to $25 million, plus $6 million in attorney’s fees. Interest on the judgment has raised the total to about $36 million.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democrat Mary Peltola Wins Alaska Special Election to Fill Remainder of Rep. Don Young’s Term
Democrat Mary Peltola has defeated former Alaska Gov. and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in an Alaska special general election to fill the remainder of former Rep. Don Young’s term in Congress, according to unofficial ranked-choice voting results announced in the state on Wednesday.
The special general election for the vacant seat in Alaska, which was held on Aug. 17, used ranked-choice voting, a measure approved by Alaska residents in 2020 that dismissed the state’s previous election method consisting of partisan elections ahead of general elections. Due to the measure’s approval, all candidates in the special election appeared on the same ballot.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Developers Fear New Google Play Policy Could Restrict VPNs That Block Invasive Ads
Starting November 1, Android VPN apps that can “impact ads monetization” on Google Play could be banned, according to a policy update.
The policy from Google, which has been accused of having a monopoly on web advertising, states that VPN apps cannot “manipulate ads that can impact apps monetization.”
Many VPN companies block or modify ads as the majority of online display ads are invasive to user privacy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOJ ‘Likely’ to Wait Past Midterms to Reveal Any Trump Charges
The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that it would wait until after the midterm elections to reveal whether they’re going to bring any charges against former President Donald Trump for removing documents from the White House.
The agency cited a standing policy barring disclosures which would impact elections — which probably means they think any charges (which would ostensibly be weak sauce based on what we’ve seen thus far) would help Republicans, since we know the agency has no problem interfering in elections when it helps their preferred candidate(s).
That said, the DOJ said they may seek charges under seal prior to the election (which would of course be leaked for maximum ‘gotcha’ potential).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Duke Volleyball Player’s Racial Slur Allegation Receives Pushback From Witnesses: Report
Witnesses have reportedly come forward saying no racial slurs were heard during the BYU-Duke women’s volleyball match last Friday, in which Duke’s Rachel Richardson, the only Black starter for the Blue Devils, said she was heckled throughout “the entirety of the match.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Agents Have Lost Confidence in Christopher Wray, Lawyer Representing Whistleblowers Says: Report
Following the resignation of top FBI agent Timothy Thibault last week after he was criticized for alleged bias in the handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop, some rank-and-file employees are calling for Director Christopher Wray to resign, according to a report.
“I’m hearing from [FBI personnel] that they feel like the director has lost control of the bureau,” Kurt Siuzdak, a lawyer who represents FBI whistleblowers, told the Washington Times. “They’re saying, ‘How does this guy survive? He’s leaving. He’s got to leave.’“
Siuzdak said agents tell him they’ve “lost confidence” in Wray. “All Wray does is go in and say we need more training and we’re doing stuff about it, or we will not tolerate it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Suing Biden Admin Over Canadian Drug Importation Program Application Delay
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday sued the Biden administration over alleged delays to attempts by his state to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, saying he hopes Floridians aren’t being punished over political differences.
Speaking from Lakeland, near Tampa, the Republican governor spoke about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s review of an application to get medications to treat a number of ailments as part of the Canadian drug importation program.
“I’d hate to think that the Biden admin would not approve it just because it’s Florida, because they have issues with Florida politically … because this will benefit people … regardless of political persuasion,” he said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Google to Bans Apps Containing “Misleading Health Claims That Contradict Existing Medical Consensus”
The Android app store, Google Play, has introduced sweeping new rules that ban apps containing what the tech giant deems to be “misleading health claims that contradict existing medical consensus, or can cause harm to users.”
The new rules are part of a Google Play “health misinformation” policy that came into force on August 31. Some of the examples of in-app content that’s banned under this new policy include “misleading claims about vaccines, such as that vaccines can alter one’s DNA,” “advocacy of harmful, unapproved treatments,” and “advocacy of other harmful health practices, such as conversion therapy.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ibram Kendi Denounces Black Linguist for Defending Standardized Tests
Boston University humanities professor and “antiracism” entrepreneur Ibram Kendi took to Twitter August 28 to denounce a defense of standardized testing by John McWhorter, a New York Times columnist and a linguist at Columbia University.
“[McWhorter] offers readers an escape from the discomfort of antiracism for the pleasure of demeaning Black folk as they deny they are demeaning Black folk,” Kendi tweeted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Incoming Students Required to Pledge Allegiance to Anti-Racism, Social Justice
The University of Richmond (UR) in Virginia is extending its implementation of anti-racist and social justice initiatives to admissions requirements.
One of the essay prompts for undergraduate admissions for the fall 2022 semester, for example, asked students to “share one idea for actions or policies that you think would begin to address an issue of racial or social injustice.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kentucky Man Charged in Fatal Shooting of 12-Year-Old Daughter
Kentucky man was hospitalized with a self-inflicted gunshot wound
An eastern Kentucky man has been charged in the fatal shooting of his 12-year-old daughter, officials said.
Stacy Collins, 47, was charged with murder in the death of Stacia Collins, Johnson County Sheriff Doug Saylor said, according to news outlets.
The girl’s body was found on Aug. 11 along a rural road after her father was found with with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Saylor said. The girl died from a gunshot wound and the father was hospitalized.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Locals Releases New Article Publishing Feature
Locals, a membership platform that’s owned by the free speech video sharing platform Rumble, has launched a new feature that lets creators publish free or supporters-only articles for their community.
The new feature has several article formatting options which include the ability to add headers, set font styles, insert images, add hyperlinks, tag Locals users, insert lists, highlight quotes, add emojis, and more. Unpublished articles can also be saved as drafts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Charged in Random Detroit Shootings That Killed Three
DETROIT, MI -A 19-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in a series of apparently random shootings over roughly two hours last weekend in Detroit that left three people dead and a fourth wounded.
Dontae Ramon Smith was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in 36th District and ordered held without bond. Police spent 12 hours searching for the man and peacefully arrested him Sunday at his home following a tip from someone close to him.
Police said a gun was found that matched shell casings at the shooting scenes. Detroit Police Chief James White has said the man may have a mental illness and “terrorized our community.”
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Monkees’ Frontman Micky Dolenz Files a Lawsuit Against the FBI
The FBI has been issued a lawsuit by The Monkees’ only surviving member, Micky Dolenz, for any records that may involve him, his deceased band mates, or the band itself.
Dolenz, whose full name is George Michael Dolenz Jr., filed a civil motion against the Department of Justice, citing the Freedom of Information Act.
The Monkees’ were investigated by the FBI twice, once for alleged anti-Vietnam war activities in 1967 and another for which any information has been completely redacted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The sentencing trial of Nikolas Cruz, convicted of the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, is under way in Florida court, with the defence presenting its case for a second week.
Cruz’s brother Zachary Cruz is expected to take the stand in the upcoming days after their sister Danielle Woodard was brought from jail to testify for his defence. Woodard said her brother was “polluted” in the womb by their biological mother who was an alcoholic and drug addict.
Jurors have also heard from teachers, neighbours and psychiatrists who treated Cruz as a child.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Only 9 Percent of Law Professors Are Conservative, Study Finds
Only nine percent of law school professors identify as conservative, according to a recent study by Georgetown University’s Kevin Tobia and MIT’s Eric Martinez.
The study, which aimed to investigate law professors’ beliefs surrounding the legal system, included questions regarding participants’ demographics, beliefs about central issues of the law and views concerning specific legal theory issues.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Physics Professor: Refusing to Wear a Face Mask is a ‘Manifestation of Ableism and Racism’
Despite Northern Illinois University being “mask optional” this fall semester, one of its physics professors is mandating that anyone attending his classes must wear a face mask.
According to the Young America’s Foundation’s New Guard, Jahred Adelman noted on his syllabus (pictured) that refusal to wear a mask is a “manifestation of ableism and racism.”
“Why do we wear masks? (The pandemic is not over)” the syllabus headline reads. Besides being ableist and racist, the syllabus notes “refusing to wear a mask indoors is […] an exercise of individual privilege that tells the most vulnerable that their health and the health of their loved ones does [sic] not matter.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pristine Bullet Leads to Murder Charge in Target Shooting
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A woman killed while looking out the window of her South Carolina home was intentionally shot by a neighbor shooting at targets in his yard instead of by a ricocheting bullet as he told investigators, according to authorities.
The charge against the shooter was upgraded to murder after crime scene technicians on Monday determined the fatal bullet could not have deflected at an angle off a satellite dish being used as a target and then struck the woman in the chest, prosecutor Barry Barnette said.
“You can see that bullet didn’t ricochet. That bullet is in pristine condition,” Barnette said, showing a judge a photo on his cellphone during a bond hearing in Cherokee County on Tuesday. He said the slug was removed from the victim’s chest during an autopsy.
Nicholas Skylar Lucas, 30, was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter on Sunday, a day after 42-year-old Kesha Luwan Lucille Tate died in her own Gaffney home.
But prosecutors upgraded the charge to murder after more evidence came in, Barnette said. Murder carries 30 years to life in a conviction, while involuntary manslaughter carries up to five years.
Tate had pulled back the curtain of her kitchen window and was looking out when she was shot, investigators said.
Lucas had to turn and intentionally fire in Tate’s direction to hit her and the bullet in Tate’s chest matched the size of the ammunition used in the .45-caliber handgun Lucas was firing, Barnette said.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Podcaster Sam Harris doubled down on his attacks against former President Donald Trump, suggesting that he is “a worse person than Usama bin Laden.”
The prominent atheist argued on his “Making Sense” podcast last Thursday that the claim is a frequent statement he’s made to grab attention and continued to defend it.
“I’ve said on several occasions that I think Donald Trump is a worse person than Usama bin Laden. The statement is obviously meant to get your attention. I get that it’s surprising, but it’s not meant to be hyperbolic. I can defend every word of a statement like that. What I can’t defend are people’s misunderstandings and erroneous extrapolations of a statement like that,” Harris argued.
[Comment: Sam Harris is considered a member of the ‘intellectual dark web.’ I’d rather put him on the list of most over-rated intellectuals.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Diego State University Reinstates Mask Mandate, Flouting CDC Recommendations
On August 15, San Diego State University (SDSU) reinstated a mask mandate to last until September 15 for all students and staff regardless of vaccination status.
The mandate applies to all instructional spaces, including classrooms and libraries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Student Criticizes UChicago Medical School for Program That Excludes White Students
Daniel Schmidt, a sophomore at the University of Chicago (UChicago), recently criticized the university for its medical school’s “Underrepresented in Medicine Visiting Clerkship Program” (UiMVCP).
In his Aug. 22 op-ed, Time to Fight Anti-White Racism on Campus, Schmidt argued that the program discriminated against White students and “violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits any institution that receives federal funds from discriminating based on race.”
Co-sponsored by the UChicago Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, UiMVCP acts as a supplement to the campus’ regular Visiting Clerkship program. It offers fourth-year medical students mentoring and networking opportunities within the UChicago community, including exclusive access to faculty.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas School District Charges Mothers Over $1,200 to View Curriculum Book List
Earlier this year, concerned mother Jenny Crossland wrote to the Fort Worth Independent School District asking to see a list of the books included in her daughter’s curriculum, as well as those from other grades.
The district replied, saying they could accommodate her request, but that it would cost over $1,200.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former President Donald Trump slammed the Department of Justice following the agency’s opposition to his request for a “special master” to review documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago estate, claiming he had already “declassified” the materials.
In the 40-page response filed Tuesday, the Justice Department opposed the appointment of a special master to review documents seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, saying he “lacks standing” because the records in question belong to the United States, not him. In addition, the DOJ’s filing said documents were likely “concealed and removed from the Storage Room and that efforts were likely taken to obstruct the government’s investigation.”
In a flurry of Truth Social posts Wednesday morning, Trump said it was “terrible” that the FBI “during the Raid of Mar-a-Lago, threw documents haphazardly all over the floor (perhaps pretending it was me that did it!), and then started taking pictures of them for the public to see. Thought they wanted them kept Secret? Lucky I Declassified!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two Stabbed in Random Hell’s Kitchen Attacks
A man stabbed two people in a series of unprovoked attacks in Hell’s Kitchen on Wednesday night, police and sources said.
In the first incident, a 28-year-old man was stabbed on W. 50 St. near Eleventh Ave. around 7:20 p.m., cops said.
About half an hour later, the same attacker slashed a 27-year-old woman in the chest on W. 47 St. near Eleventh Ave., police said.
The victim of the first attack took himself to Mount Sinai West Hospital, where he was expected to recover. The second victim was also treated at Mount Sinai West in stable condition.
Police spotted the stabber — who lives in a nearby halfway house — walking down Ninth Ave. later Wednesday night and arrested him, sources said.
Officers recovered a kitchen knife believed to be the weapon he used in the attack in his backpack, sources said.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Biden Tells “Brave Right-Wing Americans” Second Amendment Has Limits
During a speech on gun control in Pennsylvania Tuesday, Joe Biden once again declared that the Second Amendment is “not unlimited” and told “brave right wing Americans” that if they engaged in a fight against their government they would need more than a gun.
Biden told the crowd “I have two shotguns at home. I am not opposed to guns and I support the Second Amendment,” adding the caveat “But the Second Amendment, as one of the most conservative justices in history, Justice Scalia once wrote, ‘like most rights, the rights granted by the Second Amendment not unlimited.’“
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Leftists Attempt and Fail Miserably to Film Undercover ‘Gotcha’ Footage of Ted Cruz
A leftist group attempted to ‘gotcha’ Senator Ted Cruz by secretly filming him and then claiming they got him to agree that he wants to defund the FBI, a patently false claim.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Virginia GOP Gov. Youngkin Commands 55% Approval in Blue Virginia
Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin currently commands a 55% approval rating in the deep blue state, according to a recent survey.
After claiming the governor’s mansion in a 2021 upset election, Youngkin has gradually improved his standing among Virginia voters. A Roanoke College survey released Tuesday further revealed that the Republican held a 35% disapproval rating. He earned a 53% approval rating in May but his disapproval was the same.
The survey attributed the modest increase for Youngkin to a rise in Republican support. Between June and August, GOP approval of the governor rose from 75% to 86%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Yale Receives $1 Million to Study ‘Anti-Racist Problem’ of Video Game Hair
A Yale professor will lead a team seeking to dismantle racism inherent in video games thanks to a $1 million gift, according to an announcement from the university.
Professor Theodore Kim “will lead a group that will investigate the algorithmic representation of Type 4 hair as a uniquely anti-racist problem,” the university announced. “Type 4 hair” refers to a type of hair typical of black women.
Professor Kim stated in the news release that “this research will serve as an example of how to identify the products of systemic racism in computer graphics and demonstrate how to take concrete steps to ameliorate their harm.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberals Want to Resurrect COVID Alert From Its Grave
The lockdown-loving Liberal government isn’t done with using the pandemic as an excuse to spy on Canadians through the COVID Alert app yet.
As per a report by True North, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) want to “explore” creating a successor to the disastrous COVID Alert contact tracing app that has wider abilities to collect people’s data.
An audit describes how the Liberals want to “ensure the successful development” of a “similar app” for future public health measures.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Released Following Trudeau’s Soft on Gun Crime Policies Kills Woman
A man released following Justin Trudeau’s soft on gun crime policies has killed a woman and put her husband in the hospital.
Nakita Baron, 31, was fatally shot in her Bentley in the southwest Calgary community of Evergreen on August 18. Her husband, Talal Fouani, 46, remains in the hospital. Fouani was out on bail awaiting trial on organized crime charges, the CBC reports.
Court documents show a Sherwood Park man is accused of committing nine offences, including assault with a weapon, pointing a firearm, and possessing a prohibited firearm — charges that date back to just two weeks before the killing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over the past week, shocked Europeans — mostly in the UK and Ireland — have been posting viral photos of shockingly high energy bills amid the ongoing (and worsening) energy crisis.
Several of the posts were from small business owners who getting absolutely crushed right now, and won’t be able to remain operational much longer.
One such owner is Geraldine Dolan, who owns the Poppyfields cafe in Athlone, Ireland — and was charged nearly €10,000 (US$10,021) for just over two months of energy usage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgian Farmers Break Into Hoogstraten City Hall Over Nitrogen Policy
Much like the Netherlands and Canada, Belgium is targeting farmers over their supposed nitrogen footprint, and Belgian farmers are not taking it lying down.
On Monday, Belgian farmers and their supporters rallied in the hundreds if not thousands in front of the city hall in Hoogstraten. Video shows the protesters chanting around burning tires as blaring sirens go off.
Later in the day, the protesters burst through the doors of city hall and were recorded chanting “hoo-eh!” at police officers who’d rushed inside to stop them from proceeding.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
It was just last week when 28-year-old Khaled R. beat his girlfriend while holding his newborn baby in his arms only to then threaten witnesses with a knife after they tried to intervene in the city of Nice in France.
It was only 10 days later, on Aug. 28, when the man was convicted by a court for his actions. According to Prosecutor Maud Marty, the newborn that Khaled R. grabbed while beating his girlfriend ended up in the middle of a “mind-blowing scene of violence.” When two young witnesses tried to intervene and stop Khaled R. from beating his girlfriend, they were attacked.
The scene took place in the middle of the street, in the Jean-Medecin sector, on Notre-Dame Avenue. where Khaled R. was seen slapping his girlfriend hard.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Mayor Will No Longer Pay Town’s Electricity Bills
The refusal of the mayor of Montataire in northern France to pay for the rise in electricity prices could be followed by other elected officials.
Jean-Pierre Bosino, the communist mayor of Montataire, has announced that he expected the municipality’s electricity costs to quadruple from 600 000 to 2,5 million euros. He has refused to pay such sums and has called on other elected representatives to follow suit.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Germany is in Trouble and Scholz Knows it,’ Says Polish MEP
On Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave a speech at Charles University in Prague where he talked about the need to make reforms to the EU, especially the creation of a mechanism that would bind payment of EU funds to the rule of law, as well as abandoning the rule of unanimity.
In effect, Scholz is pushing to get rid of the veto power of member states. Currently, all member states must agree on a course of action, and if one member state rejects that course of action, they can issue a veto. Such a move would represent a major threat to countries like Hungry and Poland, which have come under extreme pressure on issues such as LGBT ideology, migrant quotas, taxation rules regarding a global minimum tax, and energy policy — just to name a few key areas.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Merchandise appearing to depict a fictional character described as being “around ten years old” with her underwear exposed was publicly for sale at the “world’s biggest” gaming convention last week.
A piece of sexually suggestive merchandise that appears to show a fictional character who is described as being “around ten years old” was put on sale at Germany’s annual Gamescom convention last week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland: Polling Shows Annoyance With Brussels and Fear of Coping Without EU Funds
Forty-eight percent of Poles believe it was dishonest of the European Commission to reach a compromise with Poland over the country’s operational program and then back out of it by demanding more changes to Poland’s judicial reforms, according to a poll commissioned by portal wPolityce.pl.
Only 24 percent took the opposite view, and 28 percent of respondents were undecided. The question posed by the pollster was whether the European Commission had been honest by first accepting a compromise and then backing out of it.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland ‘Will Not Get EU Recovery Funds, ‘ Warns Top EU Parliament Politician in Latest Attack
No matter how much Poland contributes to Ukraine war aid, the country will not receive any European Union recovery funds, said Guy Verhofstadt, a Belgian politician and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE Group) in the European Parliament.
Verhofstadt, who has long opposed Poland’s government, issued the threat on social media. While Poland has fulfilled EU milestones set by Brussels to unlock National Recovery Plan funds, the EU has issued new milestones in what appears to be an effort to continuously move the goalposts and interfere in Poland’s upcoming elections in favor of the left-wing opposition.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope Francis Prays U.N. Climate Summit Will ‘Unite the Human Family’
ROME — Pope Francis said Wednesday that “Mother Earth groans and begs us to stop our abuse” of creation.
Following his weekly general audience in the Vatican, the pontiff noted September 1 will mark the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, kicking off a month-long “Season of Creation,” culminating on October 4, the feast of St Francis of Assisi.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Right-Wing German Activists Occupy Nord Stream 2 Terminal, Demand it is Opened
The spokesman for the German Identitarian Movement (IB), Martin Sellner, and comrades-in-arms of Action Solidarity temporarily occupied the Nord Stream 2 terminal in Lubmin in northern Germany on Monday and demanded the commissioning of the gas pipeline.
“We demand the immediate opening of Nord Stream 2 and a referendum on the federal government’s energy and sanctions policies,” Sellner said in a video that circulated on social media.
The right-wing activist also threatened to put the pipeline into operation himself. “If they don’t step on the gas, then we will step on the gas. We are here today to turn on Nord Stream 2,” he said, also demanding that the federal government close Germany’s borders.
“The government accepts the impoverishment and freezing of millions of people,” Sellner told the Junge Freiheit newspaper.
“It’s not about war and geopolitics at all, but primarily about responsibility to one’s own people,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shock Video: Man Brutally Beaten, Run Over With Scooter in France
A man is recovering from injuries sustained when he was attacked by multiple assailants who ran him over with their motorbike in France over the weekend, according to reports.
The shocking incident unfolded at around 2 a.m. on Saturday in Toulouse, a city in the department of Haute-Garonne.
A 31-year-old man left a bar after having drinks with friends and was walking over the Saint-Pierre Bridge when he encountered a scooter being ridden dangerously by two males.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Prohibits Vaccine Boosters for Pregnant Mothers
The UK government has released a report stating that pregnant and breastfeeding women should under no circumstance get the Pfizer COVID vaccine due to a lack of trial data on the vaccine’s effect on reproductive health.
According to a UK government summary of the report, there continues to be an absence of reproductive toxicity data due to the speed of development of the vaccine. As a result, they ultimately conclude that the “safe use of the vaccine in pregnant [and breastfeeding] women cannot be provided at this time.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police in the UK have announced that they are reopening an investigation into an alleged child rape gang in Hull after its first inquiry into the matter resulted in 34 arrests, but no convictions.
Having utterly failed to bring any alleged perpetrator to justice in its initial investigation of the matter, police in the UK have announced that they will reopen the inquiry into an alleged child rape gang that reportedly operated in Hull.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Ambassador to Poland Slammed for Meeting With Anti-Government Judges
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski took to Twitter to post about his meeting with members of the Association of Polish Judges (Iustitia), an association best known for criticizing the present government and participating in political demonstrations against it.
The post attracted much criticism on social media and it was taken as a demonstration of Brzezinski’s support for the opposition. There were also reminders of Brzezinski being a keynote speaker at an opposition conference Campus Polska organized by Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.
Conservative commentator Rafal Ziemkiewicz did not hide his disapproval of the ambassador’s actions in his tweet on the meeting.
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Despite Sanctions: Russian State Gas Company Posts Record Profits
Russia’s state-owned gas company has posted record profits despite Western states targeting the country with sanctions.
Despite efforts to massively damage Russia’s economy in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s energy industry appears that it is continuing to boom, with Vladimir Putin’s state-owned gas company Gazprom posting record half-year profits on Tuesday thanks to soaring natural gas prices worldwide.
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Western Allies Led by UK’s Johnson Sabotaged Tentative Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal… in April
There’s mounting evidence that the war in Ukraine could have been over by this point, but key Western backers of Kiev sought to sabotage the potential for peaceful settlement through negotiations. That’s precisely what regional Ukrainian media reports concluded as early as May, soon after the UK’s Boris Johnson showed up in the capital on a “surprise” visit to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time the month prior
This is what a bombshell story in Ukrainska Pravda said at the time, but which was almost completely ignored in Western mainstream media:
According Ukrainska Pravda sources close to Zelenskyy, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, who appeared in the capital almost without warning, brought two simple messages. The first is that Putin is a war criminal, he should be pressured, not negotiated with.
And the second is that even if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the collective West, which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to “press him.”
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China is Aggressively Reselling Russian Gas to Europe
One month ago, we were surprised to read how, despite a suppressed appetite for energy amid its housing crash and economic downturn (for which “zero covid” has emerged as a convenient scapegoat for emperor Xi), China has been soaking up more Russian natural gas so far this year, while imports from most other sources declined.
In July, the SCMP reported that according to Chinese customs data, in the first six months of the year, China bought a total of 2.35 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — valued at US$2.16 billion. The import volume increased by 28.7% year on year, with the value surging by 182%. It meant Russia has surpassed Indonesia and the United States to become China’s fourth-largest supplier of LNG so far this year!
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China is Torturing Critics in Psychiatric Hospitals
China’s regime is torturing and killing critics, petitioners, activists, dissidents, and religious adherents in psychiatric hospitals, thereby bypassing its horribly misdescribed criminal justice system. The “barbaric practice,” as a Madrid-based NGO termed it this month, is still widespread.
Safeguard Defenders, in “Drugged and Detained: China’s Psychiatric Prisons,” details how police and government agents are sending Chinese citizens “for medically unnecessary involuntary hospitalizations” in the police-run ankang system, which was established in the 1980s.
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UN Report Says China’s Detention of Uighurs May Amount to ‘Crimes Against Humanity’
Areport from the United Nations has accused the People’s Republic of China of “serious human rights violations” over its detention of the majority-Muslim Uighur ethnic group in the country’s northwestern region of Xinjiang.
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Texas Sends Buses of Migrants to Chicago for First Time, Dropped Off at Train Station
Two buses carrying migrants from Texas arrived in Chicago on Wednesday night.
The buses arrived at Chicago’s Union Station at around 7:30 p.m., carrying migrants who crossed the southern border illegally.
An estimated 80-100 people were on the buses, which include 20-30 small children. Many of the migrants said they’re from Venezuela.
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UK: More Migrants Crossed Channel in August Than in the Whole of 2020
More than 8,600 arrived in UK on small boats taking total for year to more than 25,000
More migrants crossed the Channel in August than during the whole of 2020, according to Ministry of Defence figures.
In total, 8,613 migrants reached the UK in small boats this month — almost 200 more than the total for 2020, which saw the number of migrants crossing plummet during the pandemic.
This brings the total number of migrants who have crossed the channel this year to more than 25,000, more than double 2021’s tally, which was not reached until November.
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Video: Border Patrol Head Testifies That Biden “No Consequences” Policy Has Caused Border Crisis
Raul Ortiz, The Head of The U.S. Border Patrol has testified under oath that he believes the Biden administration’s policy of “no consequences” for illegal immigrants trying to enter the country has made the border less safe, caused an exponential increase in people attempting to cross, and has directly caused what he /believes constitutes a “crisis”.
The footage of Ortiz’s comments was obtained by Fox News and comes from a deposition from last month relating to a lawsuit brought against the Department of Homeland Security by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
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A 31-year-old Dutch male-to-female transgender celebrated being allowed to play football with a group of teenage girls and use their changing room by saying it was “the best gift I could get.”
Yes, really.
A report by Dutch news outlet VRPO reveals the ‘struggles’ Marjolein Schepers underwent trying to comply with rules set by the Royal Football Association (KNVB).
However, after being given a new passport that certified the biological male to be a woman, Schepers was then able to register as a woman with the KNVB.
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Breaking: Project Veritas’ James O’Keefe Threatened With Arrest for Questioning Woke Educator
On Wednesday, Project Veritas released a video showing that its founder, James O’Keefe, as well as fellow Project Veritas journalists were threatened with arrest as they went to confront a Connecticut elementary school assistant principal over his discriminatory hiring practices.
A video released by Project Veritas on Tuesday evening showed undercover conversations with Cos Cob Elementary School Assistant Principal Jeremy Boland, who revealed that he refused to hire teachers that may be older, conservative, or Catholic, and that he and other teachers at the school teach students to think with a liberal mindset.
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DEPOPULATING THE PLANET?
This is insane, even if not true.
However, the expertise
appears undeniable.
You just can’t miss this video with Poornima Wagh about the covid19 vaccine! about what’s in it, how it affects your body and why you must avoid it at all costs.
She also gives one imprisoned examination of each of the known vaccines full of chemicals and particles which harms the body.
https://odysee.com/@hipsterious:3/The-Jab—It's-Poison-And-Will-Kill-You:9?lid=queue
Eric Coppolino Grills Poornima Wagh:
https://odysee.com/@ReluctantMystic:7/Eric-Coppolino-Poornima-Wagh:2
I am asking Gavin Newssolini not to go the office while California’s Flex Alert is in place. Everything about CA’s government is abyssmal.