Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of the four regions of Ukraine that voted to join Russia in recent referenda. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by making a formal request for Ukraine to join NATO.
In other news, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Charleston, South Carolina, and headed inland on a northward track towards North Carolina and Virginia.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, 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.
Cost-of-living protests are set to sweep across Britain tomorrow as Just Stop Oil, Jeremy Corbyn and Insulate Britain team up to lead a demonstration across London.
Campaign group Enough is Enough is holding a national day of action, with events in more than 50 cities, towns and villages across the country.
Groups including Just Stop Oil, Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Insulate Britain are said to be taking part.
Just Stop Oil is hoping for 1,500 of its volunteers to get arrested twice during the protests, which will see demonstrators blocking bridges over the Thames in London.
The demo will begin at 11am when volunteers will assemble at 25 starting points across London including Waterloo, Paddington and Euston stations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dutch Inflation Soars to Unprecedented 17.1%, 10 Eurozone Countries in Double Digits
Eurozone countries are continuing to suffer the effects of a devalued currency and soaring inflation with the Netherlands reporting a record 17.1 percent level of inflation for September.
The spike in the cost of living is the highest increase ever measured by the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The government of the eurozone’s fifth-largest economy announced earlier this month it would spend €18 billion next year to support Dutch consumers with their energy bills, and also announced a gas and electricity price cap.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Inflation Rose More Than Expected in August, Federal Data Shows
Inflation rose more than expected in August, leaving Americans facing even higher prices on a range of everyday purchases, according to newly released federal inflation data.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis released the pricing data, which showed the Personal Consumption Expenditure excluding food and energy, a key marker of inflation, rose 0.6%, higher than expected by Dow Jones.
“From the preceding month, the PCE price index for August increased 0.3 percent…” BEA said. “Prices for goods decreased 0.3 percent and prices for services increased 0.6 percent.”
Food prices have risen faster than most other items, making groceries harder for Americans to afford. The overall rise in prices has been in part offset by the recent drop in gas prices from record highs in June.
Last week, though, those gas prices began to rise again, suggesting September data could tell a different story.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Zloty Hits Record Low Against US Dollar and Swiss Franc
On Wednesday, the U.S. dollar (USD) and Swiss Franc (CHF) hit an all-time high against the Polish zloty (PLN) in what has been a hard week for the Polish currency.
The U.S. dollar was worth 5.06 zloty, breaking the barrier of 5 zloty for the first time in history just a day before. The Swiss franc also cost over 5 zloty. Among the most important currencies, only the euro (EUR) did not cross this barrier, but the zloty is also losing value here — on Friday morning, the euro cost 4.85 zloty.
The weakening of the zloty in recent days is mainly due to increased risk aversion on global markets, with the U.S. dollar and the Swiss franc considered to be so-called safe havens.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After Seattle Protests, Texts From Mayor’s Phone Were Manually Deleted, A Court Filing Shows
SEATTLE — A newly disclosed forensic analysis has found that 191 texts were manually deleted from an iPhone of former Mayor Jenny Durkan in the months after her administration’s controversial response to racial justice protests in June 2020, according to the latest filings in a federal lawsuit.
The previously unknown manual text deletions from Durkan’s phone — along with other new details, including that “factory resets” were performed on phones of six other city officials in fall 2020, resulting in the deletions of thousands of other text messages — are among the revelations contained in the findings of an expert’s 32-page report completed in April.
The expert’s report, along with a host of other exhibits, was filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle late Wednesday to bolster new arguments raised by attorneys for several businesses and residents suing the city for damages they say were caused by Seattle’s weekslong tolerance of a sprawling protest zone two years ago.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Apple Executive Tony Blevins is Fired After Movie Joke He Made Went Viral on TikTok
Apple fired its vice president of procurement Tony Blevins over a joke he made in a TikTok video that went viral.
Earlier this month, Blevins was interviewed by creator Daniel Mac, who asks people in expensive and luxurious cars what they do for a living. Blevins said: “I race cars and play golf and fondle big-breasted women. But I take weekends and major holidays off.”
His line is a play on the 1981 film “Arthur,” in which Dudley Moore plays a wealthy playboy. When asked what he does for a living, Arthur replies, “I race cars, I play tennis, I fondle women, but I have weekends off and I am my own boss.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Says Nord Stream Pipelines Were ‘Sabotaged, ‘ Vows to Send Dive Team
Speaking from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that it was sabotage that caused the leaks in the Nord Stream I and Nord Stream II pipelines, which pump natural gas from Russia to Europe and acts as a major energy supply for the European Union.
According to CNN, Biden said, “Let me say this, it was a deliberate act of sabotage and now the Russians are pumping out disinformation and lies.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN Trashed for Using Hurricane Ian to Attack DeSantis
CNN reporters are being trashed for politicizing Hurricane Ian to attack Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida on Wednesday afternoon, with winds reading 155 mph, falling short of Category 5 winds by just 2 mph. DeSantis described Hurricane Ian as “basically a 500-year flood event.”
According to Blaze Media, mainstream media reporters didn’t pass up an opportunity to use the natural disaster to disparage DeSantis.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DeSantis Announces Over $12 Million Raised for Hurricane Ian Rebuilding Efforts, One Confirmed Death
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed his state Friday morning, breaking down the initial response effort, safety advisories, and death toll caused by Hurricane Ian’s path of destruction across the peninsula.
Joined by the state’s FEMA administrator and director of the Division of Emergency Management, DeSantis delivered updates on the storm from the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fauci Net Worth Soared 66% During Pandemic
The net worth of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s household soared a whopping 66% over the course of the pandemic, according to new financial disclosures obtained by OpenTheBooks.com. Fauci reported a Jan 1, 2019 net worth of $7,523,634. By Jan 1, 2022, it had grown to $12,677,513.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Upholds Georgia Election Integrity Practices, Deals Blow to Stacey Abrams
A federal judge ruled Friday that Georgia’s election integrity practices requiring voter ID and citizenship checks are legal and constitutional, rejecting arguments of racism and voter suppression from the state’s Democrat nominee for governor, Stacey Abrams, just weeks before Election Day.
U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones, an Obama appointee, issued the ruling, after a lengthy trial, handing a major victory to Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who aggressively defended the state’s election integrity laws from a legal assault by Abrams voter group Fair Fight Inc. and other liberals.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a stern warning to those trying to take advantage of the victims of Hurricane Ian.
DeSantis made the comments Friday during a news conference in Fort Myers, Florida. He said that while visiting nearby Punta Gorda, he saw a boarded-up business with a sign that read, “You loot, we shoot.”
“We are a law and order state, and this is a law and order community,” DeSantis said. “So do not think that you’re going to take advantage of people who’ve suffered misery.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Looters Arrested After Scouring Fort Myers for Valuables in Hurricane Ian Aftermath
In the wake of Hurricane Ian’s devastation in Florida, looters have been arrested in Fort Myers after they went scouring for goods on Thursday.
The New York Post reports that local Florida police apprehended the looters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Joe Biden Warns That Democracy is Threatened by Italy’s Election of Giorgia Meloni
President Joe Biden warned Wednesday that the election of Italy’s first woman Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni represented a threat to democracy.
The president spoke during a Democrat Governors Association reception at a private residence in Washington, D.C., returning to one of his favorite talking points about the future of democracy threatened by populist-nationalist political figures.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judicial Watch Sues California for Allegedly Pushing YouTube to Censor Video
Judicial Watch on Thursday announced a suit against the California secretary of state for allegedly pushing social media giant YouTube to censor a video on election integrity that the group published.
The suit alleges that the California Office of Elections Cybersecurity (OEC), which Secretary of State Shirley Weber oversees, caused YouTube to remove the video. Judicial Watch contends that, in so doing, the state violated the group’s First Amendment rights.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Major Government Unions Lose Over 200,000 Members After Supreme Court’s Workers’ Rights Ruling
The top four public labor unions in the U.S. lost more than 200,000 members since the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that government employees could not be forced to pay a union to keep their job, a new report shows that.
The Commonwealth Foundation released the report, which found that the top four public labor unions — AFT, AFSCME, NEA, and SEIU — lost nearly 219,000 members altogether since the Janus v. AFSCME ruling.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Charged With Murder for Shooting His Twin Brother Dead Outside Hotel in Portland
Martre Oliver has been charged with the second-degree murder of his brother Martese Oliver
A man has been charged with shooting his twin brother dead outside a hotel in Portland, Oregon.
Martre Oliver was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals on Tuesday night in Renton, Washington after his brother, Martese Oliver, was found dead outside a hotel on Sunday, Portland Police Bureau said in a statement.
Martre, 26, was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, Portland police added.
According to authorities, Martese was found just before 3:30 a.m. local time early Sunday morning outside the Howard Johnson hotel in Sumner, Portland. Investigators said he died at the scene, and a medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Man Charged With Shooting Right to Life Volunteer
LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — Charges have been filed against a man accused of shooting a woman who was going door-to-door handing out information as a volunteer for Right to Life of West Michigan.
Richard Harvey is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of careless discharge and one count of reckless use of a firearm.
The shooting, according to Right to Life of West Michigan, happened when a volunteer was handing out information asking people to vote against Proposal 3. The woman, 83, was shot in the back after a short verbal altercation with a homeowner, by another resident of the home.
She is expected to be O.K, The woman drove herself to the hospital.
The Ionia County Prosecutor’s office says that MSP has the gun used in the incident and that all parties are cooperating, and have been interviewed.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Man Exchanges 3D Printed Guns for $21,000 at New York Gun Buyback Program
Since 2019, New York Attorney General Letitia James has been encouraging residents of her state to participate in her office’s gun buyback program, wherein the government offers money for firearms, “no questions asked.”
At an event held in Utica, NY in August, one man allegedly gamed the system, walking away with thousands of dollars after turning in over 100 guns he made using his 3D printer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
McDonalds Announces Adult Happy Meals Will Come With Toys
McDonalds will now sell toys with adult happy meals.
Nostalgia? Or ingrained perpetual adolescence for the manchild market?
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York to Ban Sales of Gas-Powered Vehicles by 2035
Earlier this year, the governors of California and Washington announced that by 2035, the sale of new gas-powered vehicles would no longer be allowed in their states, citing the desire to move towards “cleaner” transportation.
On Thursday, Governor Kathy Hochul revealed that New York would be joining its west coast counterparts in their crusade to get gas-powered cars off the road, introducing a plan to ensure that all new vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nolte: Trevor Noah Slinks Off ‘Daily Show’ After Losing 75% of Audience
When Jon Stewart left the Daily Show in 2015, he averaged 1.3 million viewers per night. After seven years of humiliating failure, Stewart’s hand-picked replacement, some guy named Trevor Noah, is slinking off with an average viewership as of last week of 363,000 viewers.
During his failed reign, I made something of a cottage industry ridiculing Stewart’s pathetic ratings. The corporate media bent over backward to juice the far-left and smugly dishonest Stewart into a national phenomenon when the truth was that less than one percent of Americans tuned in. Jon Stewart was a “phenomenon” in CNN’s eyes only, a useful court jester, but ultimately a nobody who no one really remembers anymore.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Democratic Officials Release Public Safety Tip Sheet That Urges Merchants Not to Call Police
Two Democratic New York City leaders this week urged small business owners to try to deescalate situations instead of calling the police days before a man stabbed an on-duty EMS worker to death.
The public safety tip sheet tweeted by Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban and Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a member of the state assembly, urges merchants to dial 311, seek mental health services for people with mental illnesses, and engage in “community mediation” instead of calling authorities.
“We’re distributing them to local businesses, so our neighborhood is equipped with better ways of solving problems than simply summoning police every time a challenge arises,” Caban tweeted Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Outsourced Censorship: Feds Used Private Entity to Target Millions of Social Posts in 2020
A consortium of four private groups worked with the departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State to censor massive numbers of social media posts they considered misinformation during the 2020 election, and its members then got rewarded with millions of federal dollars from the Biden administration afterwards, according to interviews and documents obtained by Just the News.
The Election Integrity Partnership is back in action again for the 2022 midterm elections, raising concerns among civil libertarians that a chilling new form of public-private partnership to evade the First Amendment’s prohibition of government censorship may be expanding.
The consortium is comprised of four member organizations: Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO), the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, and social media analytics firm Graphika. It set up a concierge-like service in 2020 that allowed federal agencies like Homeland’s Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and State’s Global Engagement Center to file “tickets” requesting that online story links and social media posts be censored or flagged by Big Tech.
Three liberal groups — the Democratic National Committee, Common Cause and the NAACP — were also empowered like the federal agencies to file tickets seeking censorship of content. A Homeland-funded collaboration, the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, also had access.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Overwatch 2 Will Record Voice Chat and Require a Phone Number to Play
First-person shooter Overwatch 2 will collect temporary voice chat recordings from some players and force players to attach a phone number to their account as part of its efforts to “protect the integrity of gameplay and promote positive behavior.”
The initiative is dubbed “Defense Matrix” and will apply to all players from October 4 when the game launches in early access.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shannon Brandt Charged With Murder in Death of Cayler Ellingson, Who Was Allegedly ‘Ran Over’ By SUV
Shannon Brandt, the man who is accused of fatally hitting Cayler Ellingson with an SUV, has been charged with murder in the death of the 18-year-old, and new information alleges that the teenager was run over by an SUV.
Brandt, 41, was initially arrested after police say that he fatally hit Ellingson with an SUV during the early morning hours of Sept. 18 after a street dance that took place at a local bar in McHenry, North Dakota. Court documents state that Brandt initially fled the scene and told a 911 operator that Ellingson was part of a “Republican extremist group,” adding that the teenager was calling on others to come “get him.”
He was released from jail on Sept. 20 after posting a $50,000 bond, and while he was not placed on house arrest or curfew, he could not leave North Dakota or drink.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Update: Man Who Ran Over Republican Teen in North Dakota Now Charged With Felony Murder
Charges have been upgraded for Shannon Brandt, the suspect who allegedly ran over 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson on September 18 for being a Republican in McHenry, North Dakota.
According to local news, Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster filed new criminal charges against Brandt including Murder, which is a Class AA Felony, and Duty in Accident Involving Death or Injury, a Class B Felony. The charges of vehicular homicide were dropped in lieu of the upgrade.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Government Plans to Develop AI That Can Unmask Anonymous Writers
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said that the Intelligence Advanced Projects Activity (IARPA) is working on a program to unmask anonymous writers by using AI to analyze their writing style which is seen as potentially being as unique as a fingerprint.
“Humans and machines produce vast amounts of text content every day. Text contains linguistic features that can reveal author identity,” IARPA said.
If successful, IARPA believes the Human Interpretable Attribution of Text Using Underlying Structure (HIATUS) program could identify a writer’s style from different samples and modify those patterns to further anonymize the writing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Videos: Biden Gets Lost on Stage AGAIN, Can’t Remember Name of FEMA Head
It’s another day, so Joe Biden got lost on another stage and forgot the name of the person he was talking to just moments earlier.
Biden was speaking at the FEMA headquarters with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and DHS head Alejandro Mayorkas regarding the response to Hurricane Ian which hit Florida with force earlier this week.
Biden attempted to praise Criswell for her efforts, labelling her the “MVP,” and saying that “these days” he has spent a lot of time with her.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadian Actress Reveals She Has Bell’s Palsy Two Weeks After Vax, Says She Would Take it Again
In a video originally posted to her Instagram that went viral on Twitter over a year later, Canadian actress Jennifer Gibson revealed that she was suffering from Bell’s palsy two weeks after taking the vaccine, before going on to say she would take the shot again.
Gibson first posted the video to Instagram in July 2021 and it was actually filmed on May 11, but it received little attention until going viral on Twitter last night, and has already received millions of views on different versions of the clip.
“This is not a video that I wanted to make, and it’s kinda hard to make, cause as I’m watching myself, I see what I’m gonna say,” a a visibly upset Gibson says on camera.
The left side of Gibson’s face is clearly paralyzed, a condition she subsequently revealed to be Bell’s palsy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Quarter of Canadian Farmers Considered Suicide in Past Year: Study
Being a farmer has never been easy, however over the past couple of years, the job has become increasingly taxing both physically and mentally.
Research out of the University of Guelph revealed that Canadian farmers’ mental health worsened during the pandemic at a higher rate than the general population, with one in four saying they felt life was not worth living as a result.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Toronto Won’t Back Down on Firefighter Vaccine Mandate
The City of Toronto has refused to back down on a vaccine mandate for firefighters as organizations and governments across Canada do away with the requirement.
A recent letter by Fire Chief and General Manager Matthew Pegg outlines how firefighters are still required to have one or two shots of a Covid vaccine despite a lengthy arbitration with unvaccinated firefighters.
“The discipline issued to you as a result of non-compliance with the policy shall be removed from your record and your lost service and seniority will be restored,” explains Pegg.
“However, until such time as you provide proof of full vaccination in accordance with the policy or until further notice to you, you shall remain out of the workplace on a leave without pay or benefits, and your status as a city of Toronto employee will remain.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Arms Race in the Deep: ‘Seabed Warfare’
An article published in issue 148 (July-August 2022) of the German military journal Deutschen Militärzeitschrift (DMZ), examined underwater warfare in the 21st century and its importance for geopolitical and security policy. Due to the current developments surrounding the acts of sabotage on the Baltic Sea pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2, this article has gained unexpected prominence.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Pro-Vax Doc Believes COVID Booster Accelerated His Cancer
Michel Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Immunology and Pharmacotherapy at Belgium’s Université libre de Bruxelles, has come forward with his belief that a COVID-19 booster shot may have accelerated the growth of his cancer.
Goldman, a prominent advocate for vaccines in Europe, was driven to go public with his beliefs by his desire for open and honest discussion about the COVID-19 vaccines. He told The Atlantic that the Pfizer booster shot he received on September 22, 2021, appears to have accelerated the progression of his angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL).
After being diagnosed with AITL, Goldman, 67, believed it was the right thing to do to get the COVID booster because his immune system would be compromised upon starting chemotherapy.
However, a CT scan taken after Goldman received the shot revealed something unexpected: the cancer had spread so rapidly in such a short amount of time that individual cancerous nodules illuminated his entire scan.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Denmark, Sweden Tell U.N. Huge Blasts Preceded Leaks in Baltic Sea Nord Stream Pipelines
The fractures of the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic sea were likely caused by “at least two detonations” of equivalent to “several hundred kilos” of explosives, a joint letter from Denmark and Sweden to the United Nations has said.
While the truth of the perpetrator of what is relatively universally claimed to be an act of sabotage or outright terror attack remains unsettled — although NATO members are pretty well decided Russia was responsible — the exact circumstances are still emerging.
It has been pretty well established that large blasts preceded the fracturing of several pipes of Nord Streams One and Two around the Danish Island of Bornholm, itself between Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Poland. But now Sweden and Denmark, in a letter sent to the United Nations Security Council yesterday and made public today reveal the scale of the blast thought to be responsible for the damage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Berlin’s Chaotic Elections May be Annulled
The Berlin election disaster in September 2021 is entering the next round — and the current rulers of the federal capital, which is governed by the leftist red-red-green government, may be ousted. A new election is becoming more and more likely.
The Berlin Constitutional Court has been dealing with misadministration allegations of the Berlin election for almost a year — the irregularities were both massive and serious. Some polling stations were open well past 6 pm, some lacked ballot papers, and in some places voters had to queue for several hours before they could cast their votes.
These were not isolated cases, but widespread failures of the electoral authorities. The President of the Berlin Constitutional Court, Ludgera Selting, has decided: “The elections were so inadequately prepared that their success was endangered from the start.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Green Concerns Cited: Third of French Women Do Not Want Children Ever
A poll has found that around a third of French women of childbearing age say they do not want to ever have children, citing various reasons including fears of climate change.
The survey, which was conducted by the Ifop Institute, spoke to 2,005 women and girls over the age of 15 and found that around a third of those of childbearing age, defined for the purpose of the study as being between 18 49 years of age, were not interested in ever having children in their lifetimes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary is the Only EU State Still Receiving Russian Gas
With three of the four pipelines delivering Russian natural gas to Europe out of commission, Hungary is now the only EU member state still receiving Russian gas, Forbes Hungary writes.
There are four pipelines that could supply Russian natural gas to Europe: Nord Stream 1, with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year (deliveries on this one were halted by Russia); Nord Stream 2, with an identical capacity of 55 bcm (this one never became operational after the German government refused to approve it in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy to Send Ships, Divers to Ensure Security of Mediterranean Pipelines
The Italian Defense Ministry will take additional measures to ensure security of its pipelines in the Mediterranean Sea following the explosions at Nord Stream pipelines, Chief of the Defense Staff of the Italian forces Cavo Dragone said on Thursday.
“We have decided to immediately strengthen measures to protect strategic networks in the national interests, starting with three pipelines passing through the Strait of Sicily,” Dragone said in an interview with la Repubblica newspaper.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy Drops COVID-19 Face Mask Rule for Public Transport
ROME (Reuters) —Italians will no longer have to wear face masks on public transport, the health ministry said late on Thursday, in the latest easing of rules against the coronavirus pandemic.
The ministry said a decree requiring mask wearing on trains, buses and ferries, expiring on Friday, would not be renewed. The obligation was extended, however, for hospitals and care homes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Latvian Government’s Coalition Members Expected to Dominate in Saturday’s Election
Latvians head to the polls on Saturday in a general election expected to be dominated by center-right and right-wing parties.
Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, the left-wing Social Democratic Party (SDPS), currently in opposition, enjoyed top spot in the opinion polls. However, as the national conversation shifted toward questions of national identity and security concerns, the ruling center-right coalition has enjoyed a resurgence.
In February, the SDPS, which currently holds the most seats in the Latvian parliament, had the support of 16 percent of Latvians, but recorded a figure just half that in the latest polling a week before election day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
No Cast-Iron Guarantees on Baltic Pipe Security After Nord Stream Sabotage
The gas leakage into the Baltic Sea from the Nord Stream pipelines, rumored to be caused by explosions, means that attention has turned to the protection of critical energy infrastructure, such as the recently completed and activated Baltic Pipe linking Poland to Norway’s gas fields. All the indications are that foolproof security for that pipeline is impossible to guarantee, according to expert and diplomatic sources.
The protection of critical infrastructure is the responsibility of individual nation states rather than NATO or the EU. It is impossible to police these with vessels along the entire length of the pipelines. The security relies on sensors, cameras, sonar monitoring, and satellite imaging. This is primarily the responsibility of civilian authorities, but the military can get involved if ordered to by governments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Swedish Defence Agency Warned of Nord Stream Pipeline Vulnerabilities for Years
The Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) has allegedly warned about the vulnerability of the Nord Stream pipeline to attack for well over a decade, arguing a single diver with an explosive charge could cripple the pipeline.
The FOI has been warning of the risks and vulnerabilities of the Nord Stream pipeline since at least 2007, three years before the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which travels through the Baltic sea, was even built, with explosions specifically mentioned in the report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: London Marathon Could be Disrupted by Protestors Marching for ‘Just Stop Oil’
Just Stop Oil has warned there’s “potential” for mass demonstrations organised in the capital to disrupt the London Marathon, which takes place on Sunday.
The group says it will be “closing down central London” over the weekend by holding a “mass civil resistance march” through the city.
Organisers have said they’re expecting “at least a couple of thousand” of their protestors to assemble for this weekend’s action, accompanied by seven partner organisations.
Mel Carrington, a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil, told the PA news agency that though the group “don’t have any plans to disrupt the marathon”, “knock-on effects” on the event couldn’t be ruled out.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Announces $290 Million in Military Aid for Poland
U.S. Congress has approved $288.6 million in military aid for Poland in order to increase Poland’s capacity to deter and defend in the face of Russian aggression. According to the Americans, Poland has offered “extraordinary support” to Ukraine, and the $290 million will help Poland replete the military equipment it has provided Ukraine, such as the over 250 tanks Polish forces have delivered to Ukrainian forces.
The financial support, which was approved by Congress on Wednesday, was already being broadcast by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sept. 8 during his visit to Kyiv. The decision means that Poland has become one of the largest recipients of assistance from the U.S.’ Foreign Military Financing program.
According to Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz, this support confirms the U.S. understands that Poland is acting not just for itself, but also for the EU and the U.S.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The UAE is Scrapping Its COVID Mask Requirements After 2½ Years
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The UAE is doing away with its mandatory mask requirements in nearly all public indoor spaces after 2½ years.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced the change in a televised statement, saying that it will come into effect on Sept. 28. The long-held mask rule was a pillar of the UAE’s measures against Covid-19, as well as nearly universal vaccinations and rapidly available PCR testing.
The ruling officially applies to just the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, but the country’s six other emirates, including Dubai, are expected to follow suit. Masks will now only be required in hospitals, on public transport and in places of worship, NCEMA said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Declares Four Regions of Ukraine Part of Russia; Kyiv Plans to Fast-Track Bid to Join NATO
Ukrainian officials say a humanitarian convoy in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia was hit by a Russian strike, killing at least 23 people. Those in the convoy were heading into Russian-occupied territory to pick up their relatives, the city’s governor said. Moscow has issued a statement saying the attack was carried out by Ukraine.
It comes just days after the Kremlin announced the results of a widely-criticized sham referendum that Russian President Vladimir Putin has used as a justification to annex additional parts of Ukraine. Putin signed a decree today formally annexing the four Russian-occupied regions.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
The former head of the German Federal Intelligence Service claims Russia stood “to gain the most” from sabotaging Russian gas pipelines to Germany bypassing Ukraine and Poland.
“An unnoticed, conspiratorial damage to pipelines at a depth of 80 meters in the Baltic Sea requires sophisticated technical and organizational capabilities that clearly point to a state actor,” said ex-intelligence chief Gerhard Schindler, in comments to German media quoted by POLITICO.
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Ukraine War: Russia President Putin Says Four Annexed Ukrainian Regions Are ‘Russian Forever’
Follow live updates as Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to stage a ceremony in an ornate Kremlin hall to proclaim Russia’s rule over around 15% of Ukraine, the biggest annexation in Europe since World War II.
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Ukraine Announces Bid to Join NATO After Russia Annexes Four Ukrainian Regions
Ukraine has submitted an official application to join NATO, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after Moscow annexed four Ukrainian regions earlier on Friday.
“We are de facto allies already,” Zelenskyy said. “De facto, we have already proven compatibility with Alliance standards.”
“Ukraine is applying to confirm it de jure by an expedited procedure,” he stated.
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At Least 25 Dead After Suicide Bomb Blast at Educational Center in Kabul
A suicide bomb attack on an education center in Kabul has killed at least 25 people, most of whom are believed to be young women, in the latest sign of the deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital.
The explosion took place on Friday at the Kaaj education center, in a predominantly Hazara neighborhood — an ethnic minority group that has long faced oppression.
Students were taking a practice university entrance exam at 7:30 a.m., local time (11 p.m. ET) when the blast first took place, Kabul Police Spokesman Khalid Zadran told CNN.
In addition to those killed, at least 56 people were injured, according to reports from hospitals.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
India: Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Others Call for Ban of ‘Halal Meat’ During Dussehra in Karnataka
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and other Hindutva groups in Karnataka have alleged that the money earned from the halal meat business is used for anti-national activities. Thus, Hindus should not buy goods from those who do not respect the Constitution.
No Halal. We want Jhartka — HJSB Upendran | HENB | Bengaluru | Sept 29, 2022:: Devout Hindu organisations in Karnataka have called for ‘Halal-free’ Dussehra, and urged Hindus to buy festival items from shopkeepers belonging to Hindu community only. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has urged Hindus to buy ‘Jhatka’ meat instead of Halal during the Dussehra Ayudha Puja as they alleged that the money from the Halal meat business is being used for anti-national and Jihadi activities…
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
India: ‘Muslim Sakina’ Recovered by Up Police as ‘Hindu Priya’ After a Year as She Fled From Torture
New Trend in India: Muslims girls and women are seeking refuge in Hindu faith.
Missing Muslim woman caught as Non-Muslim by UP Police, has adopted Hinduism for marrying a Hindu man.
Laxmi Prasad Chaurasiya | HENB | Lucknow | Sept 29, 2022:: As a new trend, Muslims girls and women are seeking refuge in Hindu faith in India to get rid off the fanatic Islamic shackles of torture and taboos.
A Muslim woman whom the Uttar Pradesh Police had been looking for for almost a year has now become a Hindu. After leaving Islam, Sakina converted to Hinduism. Her new name is Priya. Priya has also married a Hindu youth named Pankaj. She has told the police that she is happy to be with Pankaj and does not want to return to her old life and religion anymore.
The case is now emerged from Maharajganj in UP. In fact, Sakina had left home a year ago after being fed up with her husband Abdul’s torture. Sakina from Sonauli in Maharajganj district, who has now become Priya, says she is very happy with her new life and identity. According to reports, the case dates back to the year 2021. Sakina, who went missing from her in-laws’ house, was being searched by the police for the past one year. After recovery, Sakina alias Priya told the police that she was married to her own relative Abdul in 2020. A few months after the marriage, the two started debating in many matters. Reports say, Abdul used to beat Sakina on regular basis. Even some male in-laws were trying to exploit Sakina sexually.
Previously, Sakina tried to convince Abdul several times, but things did not change. Sakina also complained to her family members several times. But, every time the victim was silenced citing society and honour. Finally, fed up with the torture, Sakina left Abdul’s house in January 2021. A missing person’s report was lodged at Sonauli Kotwali on February 2, 2021. Since then, the police have been searching for her.
Now the police are finding the way of resolved the case according to law in force including the security of Priya (formerly Sakina) and Pankaj including their family.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Climate ‘Czar’ John Kerry Lauds China, Says They Have More Electric Cars
In an MSNBC interview Wednesday, Biden’s so called ‘climate car’ John Kerry refused to criticise China for being the globe’s biggest polluter, and instead defended the Communist state, reasoning that it has more electric vehicles than the U.S.
Kerry was asked about China’s repeated refusal to act in accordance with other nations in reducing carbon emissions.
“What can be done about China and their seeming reluctance to participate in affairs of climate control with other nations?” the host asked.
Kerry claimed that “China, interestingly enough … has a plan,” while admitting that “they could be doing more.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Vietnam Considers Limiting Who Can Post “News” On Social Media
Vietnam is working on new rules to limit news content on social media accounts. The new rules will limit the accounts that can share news, according to sources familiar with the matter.
“The government wants to fix what it sees as the ‘news-lisation’ of social media,” a source told Reuters. ‘News-lisation,” also called bao hoa in Vietnam, is a term used by the government to describe misleading social media users into believing that a social media account is an authorized news outlet.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
People in Cuba Protest Over the Island-Wide Blackout Caused by Hurricane Ian
HAVANA — The power outage caused by Hurricane Ian has prompted protests in the streets of Cuba’s capital as several hundred people demanded restoration of electricity more than two days after a blackout hit the entire island.
An Associated Press journalist saw about 400 people gathered Thursday night in at least two spots in the Cerro neighborhood shouting, “We want light, we want light,” and banging pots and pans.
It appeared to be the first public display over the electricity problems that spread from western Cuba, where Ian hit, to the entire island, leaving the country’s 11 million people in the dark. The storm also left three people dead and caused still unquantified damage.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter Blocks Article Criticizing Brazil’s Supreme Court
US tech giant Twitter censored a popular article that was critical of Brazil’s Supreme Court just a few days before the 2022 Brazilian general election this Sunday.
The article, “Brazil: The Most Important Election Battleground Against Global Communism In 2022,” criticized the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil (Supremo Tribunal Federal or STF) and one of its members, Judge Alexandre de Moraes. The criticism focused on the alleged politicization and corruption of the STF and the way the STF and Moraes use their judicial powers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
African Migrant Stones Swedish Bus Driver After Being Denied Free Ride
A bus driver in Sweden suffered serious injuries when he was pelted with stones by an African migrant demanding a free ride, according to reports.
The perpetrator, identified as Desale Alemseged, a 23-year-old male citizen of Eritrea, was recently convicted in the brutal attack, along with a slew of other crimes, but will not face deportation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hundreds more migrants were intercepted crossing the English Channel in small boats on Thursday as the number to arrive this year surpasses a record 32,000.
A total of 499 were picked up by Border Force vessels at sea and brought into the harbour at the Port of Dover following 10 separate incidents yesterday, according to government figures.
Women and young children in winter coats and wearing lifejackets could be seen being brought ashore before being placed on buses to be taken to the immigration processing centre at Manston near Ramsgate, Kent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Eight-Year-Old Ukrainian Refugee Girl Stabbed ‘Up to 74 Times’ In Irish Migrant Accommodation
An eight-year-old girl has suffered life-altering injuries after being stabbed up to 74 times in refugee accommodation in open borders Ireland.
A young Ukrainian refugee has sustained life-altering injuries after suffering what is thought to be up to 74 stab wounds while staying in refugee accommodation in open borders Ireland.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Eric Adams to House Illegal Aliens on Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Docked in New York
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is nearing a deal with Norwegian Cruise Lines to house illegal immigrants on one of their cruise ships, where they would be able to come and go as they pleased until the city government could move them into a more permanent shelter system.
According to the New York Post, Adams plans to lease a ship for roughly six months so that border crossers being bussed to NYC would have a place to stay as they are processed. The big boat would be docked at Staten Island’s Homeport while it’s in use by the city.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fatal Uvalde Crash Involved Illegal Migrant Smuggling: Report
A three-vehicle crash in Uvalde, Texas on Wednesday night killed two people and injured 10 others.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the accident involved a 17-year-old girl who was “involved in human smuggling as she was smuggling nine illegal immigrants from Mexico.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Overwhelmed by Migrants, 12 Out of 16 Federal States Begin Blocking Refugees
Even while Germany’s left-wing federal government argues for the need for more immigration, the reality on the ground in the country’s federal states presents an entirely different picture. With Germany currently inundated with a mass amount of refugees from the war in Ukraine, coupled with a dramatic increase in migrants from Africa and the Middle East, 12 out of Germany’s 16 federal states are blocking further refugee intake, arguing they have no capacity left to absorb any more newcomers.
The German states that have closed their doors to refugees point to strained services, including kindergartens and schools; however, housing presents perhaps the greatest challenge. There are simply not enough shelters and homes to place the huge waves of people, with states like Baden-Württemberg seeing more arrivals than during the 2015-2016 migrant crisis.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nancy Pelosi questioned why Governor Ron DeSantis is flying migrants to Democratic jurisdictions, claiming the farmers in Florida need immigrants to ‘pick the crops down there.’
The confusing parallel was made during the House Speaker’s press conference on Friday a few weeks after DeSantis pulled a stunt sending a flight of 50 migrants to the wealthy Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard.
‘We have a shortage of workers in our country,’ Pelosi said as an argument for the country needing immigration reform.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sharp Rise in Number of Ukrainian Refugees Arriving in Hungary
The number of Ukrainian refugees entering Hungary is on a sharp rise again, the National Police Headquarters (ORFK) announced on Friday.
On Wednesday, some 11,000 Ukrainians enterd Hungary, while on Thursday the number was even higher at almost 13,000.
On Thursday, 7,078 people entered Hungary at the Ukrainian-Hungarian border, while 5,632 of those entering at the Romanian-Hungarian border said they had come from Ukraine, ORFK informed national news agency MTI on Friday.
However, as was the case since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the vast majority of Ukrainians did not apply for even temporary residence permits in Hungary, with most of them headed to Western Europe.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Suella Braverman, the new Home Secretary, said: ‘We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to anyone who comes to the UK and breaks our laws.
‘Returning such a high number of dangerous criminals sends a clear message that they are not welcome here.
‘We are also clamping down on those who come here illegally, and I am exploring every avenue to accelerate their removal.’
The UK signed a ‘fast-track’ deportation agreement with Albania in 2021 following a rise in the number of Albanian criminals travelling to the UK.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Advertisers Leave Twitter Over Child Abuse Problem
More than 30 advertisers, including big brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, and Forbes, have suspended marketing campaigns on Twitter because of ads appearing next to tweets promoting child sexual abuse.
A review by cybersecurity firm Ghost Data found ads from big brands appearing alongside tweets pushing links to child abuse, Reuters reports. For example, a tweet from a user looking for “Yung girls ONLY, NO Boys,” appeared right before an ad for Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Instagram Permanently Bans Pornhub
Instagram has permanently banned Pornhub from holding an account on the social media platform.
The pornography site’s account was banned a few weeks ago, but Meta, the parent company for Instagram, confirmed that Pornhub would not be allowed back this week.
A Meta spokesperson told Motherboard they “permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies.”
Instagram is a social media account where users share photos and videos.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Newsom Signs Legislation Making California a Sanctuary State for Transgender Procedures
California Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed legislation that will block state officials from enforcing other states’ laws that hinder access to transgender medical procedures and drugs.
The new law, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, passed the legislature in late August. It is a response to recent efforts from some red states to ban transgender procedures and drugs for minors, and effectively sets up California as a sanctuary for those seeking to escape those laws.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The San Francisco Unified School District has been revealed to facilitate the gender transitions of students in fifth grade and below, and teaches its children that they can diverge from “vanilla sexuality.”
In documents obtained by Christopher Rufo through a whistleblower, the schools as revealed to have celebrated “International Pronouns Day” last year, which occurs on October 20.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Satanists File Federal Lawsuit to Overturn Idaho’s Abortion Ban
The Satanic Temple has joined the legal effort to overturn Idaho’s criminal ban on abortions.
The religious organization headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Idaho on Friday alleging the law, which went into effect Aug. 25 and imposes felony criminal charges on any person performing an abortion in the state, violates members’ Constitutional rights.
The lawsuit claims the group, which “venerates but does not worship” the Satan that is present in John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost,” has more than 3,500 members in Idaho, including women who become involuntarily pregnant.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott has introduced legislation that would prevent schools from hiding information about a student’s “gender identity” from their parents, Townhall reports.
The Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their Kids Act, or the “PROTECT Kids Act” would require elementary and middle schools that receive federal funds to obtain parental consent before changing a child’s name, gender markers, pronouns, or access to sex-based accommodations such as locker rooms or bathrooms.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Truth About the Dahmer Netflix Show
The Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix series has taken artistic license to another level.
Seemingly as part of an effort to satiate the woke mob.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Guardian is upset that Giorgia Meloni, very likely set to become Italy’s first woman prime minister, is opposed to gender quotas and “sexualised” herself during the election.
In an article harping on the fact that the national conservative leader “posted [a] sexualised clip of herself during [the] election campaign, favours curbs on abortion and is against ‘pink quotas’“ by Rome correspondent Angela Giuffrida, the British newspaper appeared irate that she believed “roles should be achieved through merit, not gender”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |