CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has tested for COVID-19, despite being vaxed and boosted. The American people were relieved to learn that Ms. Walensky’s symptoms were mild, and that she was continuing her duties remotely from isolation.
In other news, there were widespread power outages all across Ukraine as Russian missiles targeted more generation facilities and transmission lines.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Bidenflation: Cost of Thanksgiving Turkey Up 73 Percent From Last Year
The cost of the average Thanksgiving meal has risen by 12 percent since last holiday season, including the price of turkeys, which have shot up by an astonishing 73 percent.
In 2021, Americans paid the highest ever recorded price for a Thanksgiving dinner for ten, at an average price of $53.32, according to Statista.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Inflation Protests Across Europe Threaten Political Turmoil
LONDON (AP) — In Romania, protesters blew horns and banged drums to voice their dismay over the rising cost of living. People across France took to the streets to demand pay increases that keep pace with inflation. Czech demonstrators rallied against government handling of the energy crisis. British railway staff and German pilots held strikes to push for better pay as prices rise.
Across Europe, soaring inflation is behind a wave of protests and strikes that underscores growing discontent with the spiraling cost of living and threatens to unleash political turmoil. With British Prime Minister Liz Truss forced to resign less than two months into the job after her economic plans sparked chaos in financial markets and further bruised an ailing economy, the risk to political leaders became clearer as people demand action.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Moody’s Downgrades Britain’s Economic Outlook to ‘Negative’ As Political Turmoil Continues
The chaos within the British government in the wake of the sudden resignation of former Prime Minister Liz Truss has dealt a blow to the nation’s economic prospects.
Moody’s, the internationally respected investor rating agency, downgraded the UK’s economic outlook to “negative” from “stable” on Friday.
The agency’s analysts cited “heightened unpredictability in policymaking amid weaker growth prospects and high inflation” for the shift.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
2 Employees Killed in Dallas Hospital Shooting
Two employees were shot and killed in a Dallas hospital Saturday morning, authorities said. The male suspect was shot and wounded by responding police.
The situation unfolded at approximately 11 a.m. local time at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, according to a news release from the Methodist Health System.
Methodist Health System police, along with Dallas police and Dallas Fire-Rescue, responded to an “active shooter call” at the hospital.
Two hospital employees were shot and killed by the suspect, Methodist Health said. The victims were not immediately identified.
A responding Methodist Health System police officer arrived on scene, “confronted the suspect” and then shot and wounded him, Methodist Health said. He was then transported to another hospital for treatment.
He was later identified by Dallas police as 30-year-old Nestor Hernandez. Following an investigation, Hernandez was arrested by Methodist Health police on capital murder charges. Hernandez has a criminal record and was on parole for aggravated robbery at the time of the shooting, Dallas police said. He was also wearing an ankle monitor.
His condition was not provided, and it was unclear if he remained hospitalized Saturday night.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Biden DOJ Wants $34 Million to Keep Targeting J6 Defendants
The Biden administration’s weaponized Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked Congress for more than $34 million in new funding to continue its January 6th investigation, NBC News reports. The budget request for 2023 will fund 130 employees, including 80 federal prosecutors, to aid in the “extraordinary,” “unprecedented” and “complex” investigation.
“We don’t have the manpower,” said one official told the outlet, noting that many J6 participants who will eventually be charged haven’t been arrested yet.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Blue Cities Bleeding: Homicide Rates Surging in Major Cities Run by Soros-Backed DAs
As polling continues to show crime is a top issue for voters, the number of homicides has skyrocketed nationwide.
In fact, homicide rates rose by an average of nearly 10% in 50 of the most populated U.S. cities between the third quarter of last year and the third quarter of this year — and are still rising — according to a new study.
WalletHub compared 50 of America’s largest cities based on per capita homicides for the third quarter (July through September) of each year since 2020, using locally published crime data to compile its findings.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Trump Says of a Presidential Run in 2024: ‘I Will Probably Have to Do it Again’
Former President Donald Trump said “I will probably have to do it again” in regards to running for president in 2024. But first, he said, the GOP have to win the midterm elections.
The Robstown, Texas rally was packed with supporters waving “Save America” signs and bursting into renditions of the national anthem, “USA!” and “let’s go Brandon.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Car Flips in Ventura as Stabbing Victims Try to Drive Themselves to Hospital
A single-car crash in Ventura early Saturday turned out to be more than just a collision, as police discovered that two of the three people in the car were suffering stab wounds.
The car suffered a rollover crash on Thompson Boulevard near Seaward Avenue at about 2:15 a.m., the Ventura Police Department said in a news release.
When officers found the victims, two of the three had been stabbed, and they were driving to the hospital when the crash occurred.
According to police, the threesome had been on Ventura Beach Promenade near Paseo de Playa when they got into an argument with two men in their 20s.
One of the 20-somethings puled out a knife and stabbed two of the three victims multiple times.
The victims then tried to drive to a local hospital, but the driver, who was one of the stabbing victims, became unconscious due to his stab wounds, and the car hit a curb and overturned.
The two stabbing victims were taken to the hospital, where they are in critical but stable condition.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
CDC Director Walensky Tests Positive for COVID-19, is ‘Up-to-Date’ With Vaccines, Agency Says
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky has tested positive for COVID-19, the agency said Saturday.
The director “is up-to-date with her vaccines” and is experiencing “mild symptoms,” the agency said in a media release.
“Consistent with CDC guidelines, she is isolating at home and will participate in her planned meetings virtually,” the CDC also said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN Plans More Layoffs as Ratings Plummet
CNN is expected to layoff more employees after a round of layoffs in September, and the firing or demotion of several high-profile contributors such as Brian Stelter and Don Lemon.
According to Dylan Byers, the Founding Partner and Senior Correspondent at Puck News, “CNN is bracing for more layoffs, partly as a result of the recent consolidation of its television and digital newsgathering units—though the cuts are likely to go well beyond that.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Community Mourns Sudden Death of 16-Year-Old Athlete: ‘a Kind and Gentle Soul’
An accomplished teenager from Dutchess County, New York, is being remembered by the community after his sudden death.
Sixteen-year-old Jack Aidan Strehl passed away October 14, but the cause of death was not immediately provided, the Daily Voice reported Thursday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cori Bush’s Debut Book Sells Just 729 Copies in First Week
A new book by lefty Democratic Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) debuted with a face-plant this month, selling just 729 copies in its first week, according to industry tracker NPD BookScan.
“The Forerunner: A Story of Pain and Perseverance in America,” was released by Knopf on Oct. 4. The publisher paid Bush — an anti-police socialist who stoked BLM riots in 2020 — an advance of at least $50,000, Bush’s financial disclosure reports show.
Things only went downhill from there, with NDP reporting just 288 books sold in its second week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CRT Prevalent in American Public Schools Despite Claims to Contrary, Study Shows
A new study shows that elements of critical race theory are prevalent in American schools despite claims that the controversial teaching is only promoted at the college level in law degree programs or doesn’t exist at all.
The study, conducted by Manhattan Institute policy analyst Zach Goldberg and adjunct fellow Eric Kaufmann, asked 1,505 Americans aged 18 to 20 years old whether they had been taught, or heard from an adult at school, about four core concepts of critical race theory. The majority of respondents, 82.4% of whom attended public school, said they had been taught or heard about those core teachings.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democrats Attack ‘Putin Republicans’ For Questioning Biden’s Blank Check for Ukraine War
Democrats are calling Republicans the party of Russian President Vladimir Putin after GOP leaders questioned President Biden’s blank-check policy for sending aid to Ukraine.
The phrase “Putin Republicans” gained popularity with Democrats after House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy said Mr. Biden’s aid requests will undergo scrutiny if, as expected, the Republicans run the chamber when Congress reconvenes in January.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Doomsday Prepper Has Spent $45k Amassing Supplies for Nuclear Disaster
A Missouri doomsday prepper estimates she has spent a whopping $45,000 fortifying her home — citing the war in Ukraine and surging inflation as the latest indications of an imminent apocalypse that has escalated her efforts.
Rowan MacKenzie, 38, has spent over a decade amassing ample food and survival supplies in anticipation of nuclear disaster or any other kind of societal collapse.
MacKenzie’s social media posts documenting her latest projects and tips for other preppers have garnered her a massive following of over 81,000 on TikTok.
“I’m preparing, as a whole, for war, inflation, nuclear disaster and all-out chaos,” MacKenzie said in one post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Dr. Doom’ Predicts NYC Destroyed by Nukes, Storms in Next 20 Years
Nouriel Roubini is seriously reconsidering whether he wants to continue living in New York. Mostly because, well, he wants to survive.
“There’s a scenario in which, in the next twelve months, Russia uses tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine and then they attack NATO and we start a conventional war with Russia. The first nuclear weapon is gonna go to New York,” said the 64-year-old NYU economics professor and CEO of Roubini Macro Associates. “Being in New York City is not safe.”
Even if Manhattan manages to avoid nuclear annihilation, there’s still the possibility of a natural disaster, like Hurricane Sandy that flooded New York in 2012, but “much, much worse,” Roubini told The Post. “In the next 20 years, most of downtown New York is gonna be underwater.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elite NYC Private Schools Make Parents Sign ‘Anti-Racist’ Commitment, Attend ‘Anti-Racist Training’
Several private schools in New York City are not only requiring students to learn about “anti-racism,” but are now requiring parents to do the same.
The New York Post reviewed documents from five private schools in New York City and found that several are instituting “optional” and required “anti-racism” and “diversity, equity and inclusion” trainings for parents, not just students.
At The Brearley School, an all-girls prep school, “parents are expected to attend two diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism (DEIA) workshops per school year,” according to an application for admission.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
GOP Sues Google for Labeling Its Emails as Spam, Claims ‘Blatant Bias’
The Republican National Committee is suing Google for its allegedly biased diversion of emails into recipients’ spam folders — and says it has the receipts to prove it.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in a California federal court, claims that the party’s email analytics programs have documented a 10-month pattern of email suppression toward the end of each month, “historically when the RNC’s fundraising is most successful,” the suit complains.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Blocks Los Angeles County’s “Unconstitutionally Vague” Eviction Moratorium
Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times
A U.S. District Court judge has granted a preliminary injunction against Los Angeles County’s pandemic-era eviction moratorium.
The Oct. 19 ruling by District Court Judge Dean Pregerson requires the county to end by Dec. 1 its policy of allowing residents to forego paying rent.
The Apartment Owners Association of Greater Los Angeles and the Apartment Owners Association of California filed a lawsuit in March asking the judge to stop enforcement of the rent moratorium, saying the policy was “unconstitutionally vague.” They also asked for monetary relief.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Majority of Americans Support Banning the Consideration of Race During College Admissions: Poll
A new poll released by the Washington Post shows that 63% of American adults surveyed support banning the consideration of race during college admissions.
The poll, conducted by The Washington Post and George Mason University, asked adults about racial diversity programs on American college campuses.
When asked, “Would you support or oppose the Supreme Court banning colleges and universities from considering a student’s race and ethnicity when making decisions about student admissions?” 63% of respondents said that they support banning the practice, and 36% said it should stay in place.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Michigan Family of 4 Disappears After Father Showed ‘Paranoid Behavior, ‘ Police Say
They left behind their pets and an elderly relative who requires full-time care.
Michigan police are searching for a family of four who they say have vanished without a trace after the father exhibited “paranoid behaviors” last weekend.
Anthony “Tony” John Cirigliano, 51, his wife Suzette Lee Cirigliano, 51, as well as their two sons, Brandon Michael Cirigliano, 19, and Noah Alexander Cirigliano, 15, have not been seen or heard from since Oct. 16. The family “unexpectedly” left their house in Fremont, about 45 miles north of Grand Rapids, and are believed to be traveling in a silver 2005 Toyota Sienna LE minivan with Michigan license plates, according to the Fremont Police Department, which is leading the investigation, and the Michigan State Police, which is assisting. The sons both have autism.
The family’s cellphones have all been turned off and they left behind their pets as well as Suzette’s elderly mother, who has dementia and requires full-time care, police said. The grandmother, who lives with them, was found disoriented in the neighborhood on Oct. 17 and police were unable to reunite her with the family. She is now being cared for by other relatives, according to Fremont Police Chief Tim Rodwell.
“They’re all very concerned that Tony and Suzette and the boys have not been in contact with anyone,” Rodwell told Grand Rapids ABC affiliate WZZM.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
‘Middle Class Joe’ Loses His Mojo With the Middle Class, New Polling Finds
President Joe Biden built his political rise on a “Middle Class Joe” from Scranton, Pa., persona. But after nearly two years in the White House, most Americans don’t believe he cares for the middle class.
A Trafalgar poll conducted for the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) found nearly 55% of Americans believed Biden and his administration care less for the middle class than prior presidents.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
More Americans Now Believe in Aliens
Belief in aliens is growing in the United States, according to surveys by YouGov America.
As Statista’s Anna Fleck reports, where just 20 percent of Americans thought that UFOs are probably either an alien ship or alien life form in 1996, the figure has crept up to 34 percent in 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York Announces ‘Name Change’ For Monkeypox, Says Older Term is Too ‘Stigmatizing’
The New York City Health Department this week debuted what it said was a “new name” for the monkeypox virus, claiming that the present term was too stigmatizing to continue using.
The city said in an update on its health website that “moving forward, the Health Department will refer to the virus as MPV.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Mayor, Reacting to Subway Crime, Suggests Not Wearing Headphones
New York City Mayor Eric Adams suggested Friday that subway riders not wear headphones or focus on their phones during rides due to crime.
In a wide-ranging interview with FOX 5’s “Good Day New York,” the Democratic leader opened with crime, saying that there had been a 47% increase in subway arrests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Excavate Car From Yard of California Home Once Owned by Criminal
Oct. 22 (UPI) — Police in California have excavated a Mercedes Benz car found buried on a property formerly owned by a man once convicted of murder and other serious crimes, investigators confirmed.
Cadaver dogs also detected a “slight notification of possible human remains,” although none have been found so far, police in Atherton, Calif., said in a statement issued late Friday.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins Walks Out as Woke Protesters Disrupt Election Debate
San Francisco’s tough-on-crime district attorney walked out of a debate after woke protesters stormed the forum and began jeering the city’s incumbent.
DA Brooke Jenkins had been on stage at San Francisco State University for roughly 20 minutes on Thursday, facing off against district attorney challengers John Hamasaki and Joe Alioto Veronese ahead of November’s election, when dozens of activists flooded the room, KTVU reported.
The activists began shouting, “No justice, no peace!” and “Keita O’Neil! Sean Moore!” according to video recordings of the event, the latter referring to black men who died from shootings by San Francisco police officers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco Tech Mogul: Woke City Remains a Ghost Town Post COVID-19
A San Francisco tech mogul is comparing the woke city’s downtown to a ghost town, sharing shocking images of its once-buzzing streets now empty.
“This is downtown San Francisco, Monday morning at 9:20am,” tweeted Michelle Tandler, founder of professional development firm Growth Path, earlier this week, along with a series of images showing nearly empty streets with few cars or people.
On Friday, she posted a video of the city center and wrote: “Historically these streets were bustling with office workers. Now, they are virtually empty.”
A recent report by the security firm Kastle showed just 39% of downtown San Francisco workers occupied as of late last month, despite mask mandates being lifted in March, according to CaliforniaGlobe.com. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak two years ago, city office occupancy was constantly at or near 100%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco is Spending $1.7 Million on a Single Public Toilet
San Francisco is going down the toilet, literally. The city is constructing a single public toilet that is estimated to cost as much as $1.7 million, and won’t be finished until 2025.
The boondoggle was highlighted by the San Francisco Chronicle, which described the waste as “mind-boggling,” and “maddening,” detailing how the project came to be.
California Assemblyman Matt Haney spoke to the paper and said that he now considers the price tag for the toilet that was set to be located in San Francisco’s Noe Valley Town Square “inexplicable.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sandy Hook Families Seek $2.75 Trillion in Damages From Alex Jones
Submitted by ‘BlueApples’
Perhaps out of sheer necessity for his mental well-being, Alex Jones was defiant as ever following the verdict against him in his latest defamation case. A jury recently ordered Jones to pay the families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings and an FBI agent included in their suit an unfathomable $965 million. In the wake of that verdict, Jones took to the air on InfoWars to not only denounce the judgment but to ensure viewers that its absurdity only aided his case on appeal.
While portraying the ruling as absurd will only ruffle the feathers of opponents of Jones amidst their latest victory lap on their crusade to push cancel culture, the families of victims who sued the maligned political commentator made that assertion hard to disagree with. Claiming that “the highest possible punitive damages,” are the only thing that can keep Jones from continuing to harm them, the families who sued the InfoWars founder asked the Connecticut judge presiding over the defamation suit to award them $2.75 trillion in damages. To contextualize how obscene their request is, only 7 countries in the whole world exceeded a GDP of $2.75 trillion in 2020.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Steve Bannon Prepping Appeals, Calls on GOP to Focus on Winning So They Can Impeach Garland
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon joined Fox News for his first interview since being sentenced to four months in prison for contempt, after he defied a subpoena from Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson and the House January 6 Committee.
“The whole Justice Department under Merrick Garland has become radically partisan. And I think that after we win on November 8 to deliver this crushing blow against the Democratic Party; this regime, Tucker, I strongly believe you’ll see Merrick Garland impeached next year by the new Congress,” Bannon predicted.
Host Tucker Carlson prefaced his interview by saying Bannon “had nothing to do with January 6” and committed no crimes related to the Capitol Riot that day.
The Norfolk, Va., native underlined that he does not expect nor does he explicitly want a concerted Republican defense of him following the sentencing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Climate Change Protesters Storm the Field, Delay Penn-Yale Game
A swarm of climate change protesters rushed the field during halftime of the UPenn-Yale football game on Saturday and refused to leave, delaying the start of the second half.
The protesters, numbering around 60, represented the Fossil Free Penn organization. The group is pressing the university to fully divest from fossil fuels.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brian Peckford: ‘No Longer Do the Foundations of Our Democracy Hold in 2022’
On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, host Ezra Levant welcomed Brian Peckford on the show to talk about how the COVID vaccines were never tested to block transmission, meaning the establishment’s case for banning unvaccinated people from public spaces had no scientific basis. Peckford is the former premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and the last living first minister involved in drafting the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
When she was campaigning to be the new premier, Danielle Smith had promised to do so. Today, Selene asked her when she’d actually do so.
And Premier Smith’s reply was amazing.
“I can apologize right now. I’m deeply sorry,” she said. She proceeded to give a heartfelt apology “for anyone who was inappropriately subjected to discrimination as a result of their vaccine status, I’m deeply sorry. For any government employee that was fired from their job, because of their vaccine status, and I welcome the back if they want to come back.”
Even more amazing than the heartfelt apology, Premier Smith said she was seriously considering granting a legal amnesty to any Albertans charged with lockdown offences — as in, dropping all the charges! This is very exciting. Alberta is now the first jurisdiction in Canada — perhaps even in the world — to apologize to its unvaccinated citizens for discriminating against them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Intervene in Farmer Protests Against a 10,000% Increase in Stormwater Fees in Richmond Hill
On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, guest host David Menzies was joined by Paul Doner, who is one of the organizers protesting the new rate structure for the stormwater management fees in Richmond Hill, Ont. increasing prices by 10,000%.
“I have no idea if it’ll change anything,” said Paul, who is a farmer. “But we are fighting it and we’re going to continue to fight it whether council likes it or not.”
Paul spoke to David about another recent protest that was shut down by the police for allegedly obstructing public safety. David noted that the same area hosted a protest of over 50,000 people demonstrating against the Iranian regime. But in this case, Paul alleges that the police told the protesters that if they didn’t leave, they would perform safety inspections on the protesters’ vehicles — potentially resulting in thousands of dollars in fines! Watch the full video to hear more.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Project Hendon: Multiple Law-Enforcement Agencies Collaborated to Stifle Protests
In this clip, an OPP superintendent lays out the basis for what Project Hendon was, saying that it was a collaborative effort from multiple law enforcement agencies to quell large protests.
He said, “In 2019 and early 2020, the OPP witnessed a significant amount of protests and dissent, some of which caused us reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that those issues would engage in criminal activity, or illegal activity that would have a public safety impact.”
The OPP superintendent went on to say, “As a result of that, we created a collection plan and reached out to partners in law enforcement and the intelligence community to create a cooperative, collaborative approach to collect information on issues that related to that.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coldest September 18 Ever Recorded in the Netherlands
This summer, on very hot days, European citizens were bombarded with panic messages about “climate change”. But when a cold record is broken in the same season, nary a peep. Not a word about it on the Dutch public broadcaster NOS’ eight o’clock news and no tips on how to keep yourself warm.
Sunday was officially the coldest 18 September ever recorded in the Netherlands. According to Weeronline, the maximum temperature was noted at 13,3 degrees in De Bilt. The old record from 1962 stood at 13,5 degrees. In Enschede, it was even colder: 12,1 degrees Celsius.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Far From Finding Solutions to Energy Crisis, Spanish Minister Says
MADRID, Oct 18 (Reuters) — European Union members have not yet identified common solutions to the energy crisis, Spain’s Energy Minister Teresa Ribera said.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Finland’s Ol3 Nuclear Reactor Risks More Delays After Damage Found
OSLO, Oct 18 (Reuters) — Damage has been detected in the feedwater pumps of Finland’s Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) nuclear reactor during maintenance work.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
France: Extinction Rebellion Climate Protesters Glued Themselves to Ferrari Cars at Paris Motor Show
Extinction Rebellion climate activists were arrested, eleven out of twelve total, after gluing themselves to Ferrari supercars at the Paris Motor Show Friday night.
Of the assembled environmentalist agitators, four sat on the floor with their hands glued to Ferrari cars splattered with black paint. The remainder held up a sign with words in French meaning “World of Self-Destruction.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Tens of Thousands Gather in Berlin to Protest Against Tehran Regime
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Germany’s capital on Saturday to show solidarity with protesters in Iran — a movement sparked by the death of a woman in the custody of morality police now challenging the Islamic Republic authorities.
Berlin police estimated that some 80,000 people had joined the German demonstration by late afternoon.
Participants held up Iranian flags and signs criticising Iran’s leaders, many with the tagline “Women, Life, Freedom” in both English and German.
One of the speakers at the protests asked the international community to banish ambassadors from Tehran and not to negotiate with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as “the Islamic Republic does not represent Iran.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In today’s report, I ask people in Berlin, Germany for their thoughts on a new evidence and action coming out of Europe that is shedding light on significant concerns with the rushed roll out of COVID-19 vaccines.
On October 14th, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office ( EPPO), which is the independent prosecution office of the European Union, announced that it has officially launched an investigation into how Europe came into agreement with the acquirement of COVID-19 vaccines.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sunak Favourite to be Named New UK PM as Boris Johnson Bounces Back
The race to be the UK’s next prime minister began in earnest on Friday, with some senior government ministers throwing their support behind Boris Johnson.
Following Liz Truss’ resignation, Johnson reportedly cut short his holiday in the Caribbean, arriving back home on Saturday in a bid to sound out colleagues and assess whether he has enough support to win the Conservative party leadership contest.
Business Secretary and Johnson loyalist Jacob Rees-Mogg were among the dozens of Tory MPs to come out in support of Johnson, with many allies posting on Twitter #BackBoris.
Those seeking to replace Truss — now the shortest-serving PM in UK history — must secure 100 nominations from Conservative MPs by Monday afternoon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: 45 Days as PM Qualifies Truss for $129,000 a Year for Life
Despite serving as prime minister of the United Kingdom for a mere 45 days before resigning in humiliation, Liz Truss can now tap a lifetime allowance of up to $129,000 a year.
The “Public Duty Costs Allowance,” which is available to all former prime ministers, isn’t a pension. Rather, it’s described by the British government as “reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office costs and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Christian preacher has been awarded £10,000 in damages from London’s Metropolitan Police for two wrongful arrests after she had complained to officers that she was facing threats and harassment by Islamists.
Hatun Tash, a Turkish-born evangelist and mainstay of Speakers’ Corner who is frequently critical of the Qur’an, has received £10,000 in financial compensation and an apology from the Met for being wrongfully arrested in 2020 and last year.
During both incidents, she had informed officers that Muslim protesters were threatening her, however, rather than seeking to protect her, the police arrested Tash for “breaching the peace”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Just Stop Oil Activists Block Roads in Islington on 22nd Day of Civil Unrest
Just Stop Oil activists blocked roads in Islington on what is the 22nd day of the group’s campaign of civil unrest this month.
According to the group, 20 supporters blocked cars on Upper Street and Islington Green at 12pm on Saturday. Over 500 people have so far been arrested this month due to the group’s campaign against all new oil and gas projects.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lion’s Den Terrorist Killed in Explosion in Nablus — Report
A member of the Lion’s Den terrorist group was killed after an explosive device he was preparing detonated in Nablus, according to Palestinian reports, although the group later claimed the explosion was an assassination.
According to the Lion’s Den group, a bomb was placed on the terrorist’s motorcycle. The group blamed Israel for the incident. The terrorist was identified as Tamer Kilani.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Jared Kushner and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are set to give speeches at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on October 25 and 26.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Turkish State Media: Talks to be Held on Finland’s NATO Bid
ISTANBUL (AP) — Finnish officials will arrive in Ankara on Tuesday to discuss their country´s bid to join NATO, Turkey´s state-run news agency reported.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Kherson Residents Told to Leave City
Russian occupation authorities in the city of Kherson have warned civilians to leave “immediately”, as Ukrainian forces advance on the city in what is expected to be a major confrontation.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Lights Go Out in Ukraine as Russia Launches ‘Massive´ Strike
Russia has intensified its strikes on power stations, water supply systems and other key infrastructure across the country.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Russia unleashed a fresh wave of missile strikes on power facilities from Odesa, the southern Black Sea resort, to Kovel, near the Belarus border in the north, decimating energy supplies.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine War: Kyiv Forces Approach Kherson, Thousands Without Power, Dam Warnings
1. Kherson separatists order residents to leave ‘immediately’
Moscow-installed authorities urged residents in the southern Kherson region — which the Kremlin claims to have annexed — to leave the main city in the face of Kyiv’s advancing counter-offensive.
“Due to the tense situation on the front, the increased danger of mass shelling of the city and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must immediately leave the city and cross to the left bank of the Dnipro river,” the region’s Russian-installed authorities said on social media on Saturday.
A Moscow-installed official in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, told the Russian news agency Interfax that around 25,000 people had made the crossing.
Kyiv’s forces have been advancing along the west bank of the Dnipro river towards the Kherson region’s eponymous main city.
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US Holds Rare Call With Russia But Says There’s No Kremlin Interest in Ending War in Ukraine
Russia’s defense minister held rare telephone talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after pro-Kremlin officials said they were turning Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson into a ‘fortress.’
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Russia has mined a huge hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine in a plot to unleash a devastating flood, after Moscow’s failed ‘nuclear blackmail’, officials in Kyiv have warned.
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Russian research ship Akademik Boris Petrov travelled through the Shetland-Orkney Gap on the afternoon of 21 October, a day after Shetland’s undersea cables were cut.
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Drama at Chinese Communist Party Summit: Xi Predecessor Hu Jintao Hauled Out
Former Chinese President Hu Jintao was unexpectedly led out of the closing ceremony for the Chinese Communist Party meeting Saturday while he sat next to President Xi Jinping.
The 79-year-old, the direct predecessor to Xi, was seated to the left of the Chinese leader before two men who appeared to be security officials approached him and forced him to leave his seat.
The ceremony marked the end to a week-long congressional meeting that solidified a third term for Xi, making him the longest-serving Chinese leader since Mao Zedong.
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Forbes Stands by Report China’s TikTok Planned to Monitor Locations of Specific US Citizens
Forbes reported that a team at TikTok’s parent company ByteDance in China planned to track the location of US citizens. In a series of tweets, TikTok denied the allegation, claiming that it does not collect the precise location data of US citizens.
Forbes said that its report was based on documents it had reviewed. It added that ByteDance had started a monitoring project to look into misconduct by former and current employees. The project, which was being run by a team in Beijing, could collect the location data of US users. Forbes said that it was not clear if the data was actually collected, though it could be seen.
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Jacinda Ardern Lied About Avi Yemini, Says NZ Journalist
Veteran New Zealand broadcaster Sean Plunket has slammed NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for lying to the public about the true nature of Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini’s ban from entering the country.
Plunket, who is part of the parliament’s press gallery, was the only journalist in the country to ask Ardern about Yemini’s ban in August.
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Pandemic Spurred Rise in Alcohol-Related Deaths
Alcohol-related deaths are the highest they have been in 10 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Data published this week revealed that 1559 people died last year from various conditions which were definitively caused by excessive drinking.
The deaths comprised 1156 men and 403 women.
According to the ABS, there were 5.4 alcohol-induced deaths for every 100,000 people living in Australia last year, up from 5.1 in the previous two years.
It marks an additional 107 alcohol-induced deaths compared with 2020.
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Victoria’s Harsh COVID-19 Lockdowns Went ‘Too Far’
Covid lockdowns in Melbourne went too far, Peter Dutton has said.
The Opposition Leader made the comment on Thursday talking to 2GB radio host Ray Hadley about results of an independent review into Australia’s pandemic response.
“Clearly with some of the lockdowns, I think they went too far, particularly in Victoria,” Dutton said.
“And there was a different response by different state governments, quite a different response in WA to what we saw in NSW for example,” he continued.
Melbourne, the second largest city in Australia, was locked down for 262 days — or almost nine months — as the Daniel Andrews government reacted to the pandemic.
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Uganda to Jail People for Sharing Info About People Without Their Consent
Activists in Uganda filed a legal challenge against a controversial new internet law that they say will make investigative journalism harder. The bill was passed by the national assembly in September and signed by President Yoweri Museveni last week.
The bill introduced new restrictions to an already-controversial law passed in 2011 on the “misuse” of computers. It was introduced by a lawmaker, Muhammad Nsereko, who said that it will prevent people hiding behind a computer.
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Bangladeshi Migrant Arrested for Raping Italian Policewoman in Naples
A Bangladeshi migrant reportedly raped an Italian policewoman who had just left work for the evening after being attacked from behind.
The attack took place just outside of the Decumani police station in Naples and began with the policewoman being struck in the back of the head with a rock as she was going to her car in a nearby parking lot following her shift.
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France in Shock After Illegal Immigrant Implicated in Murder of Young Lola
France is in shock after the murder of 12-year-old Lola Daviet. The terrible case is set to once again fuel the immigration discussion.
The petite blonde girl disappeared after school on Friday afternoon. The parents raised the alarm with the police to search for the schoolgirl, a French aerobics champion.
A few hours later, Lola was found dead in a plastic box, her body mutilated. According to French media reports, the head was almost severed and the limbs were tied.
Mental illness or barbarism?
There is now also a prime suspect: 24-year-old Algerian Dahbia B. She was arrested on Saturday morning in a Paris suburb. The French media are apparently also letting it be known that the suspect was “mentally ill” and had been taken to a psychiatric facility. She is being investigated for murder, rape and torture. She could be seen on pictures of a surveillance camera in the girl’s house.
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France: Media Fact-Checks Claim Up to 90 Per Cent of Deportations Fail, Find Real Stat is Even Worse
French media have fact-checked claims by conservative and populist politicians that 88 to 90 per cent of deportations in France are not carried out and found that the true figure is actually even worse.
Pierre Cordier of the Le Républicains commented on the deportation rate in France this week saying that “88 per cent of expulsions are not applied in France,” adding: “Emmanuel Macron had said that under the second term, there would be 100 per cent [of deportations] applied.”
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Record 2.4 Million Migrants Illegally Crossed Border in Fy2022, Almost 4 Million Total Under Biden
Southwest border encounters reached a record of nearly 2.4 million for fiscal year 2022, according to new Customs and Border Protection data released late Friday.
In September, the number of migrant encounters at the border was 227,547, which represents a 12% increase over August.
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Spanish Chief Inspector Relieved of Duty for Saying Nearly All Street Crime Involves Illegals
A chief inspector in Valencia, Spain has been relieved of duty after saying that nearly all of the street crime in his community involved illegal immigrants.
The Chief Inspector of the Central Police Station in Valencia, Ricardo Ferris, made his statements about migrants and criminality at an event organised by the DENAES Foundation and the parliamentary group of the populist party VOX.
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Sweden: Afghan Migrant Who Raped Woman and Threw Her Down Mine Shaft Sentenced to ‘Life’
A Swedish court has found an Afghan migrant guilty of raping a woman and pushing her down a mine shaft, sentencing the 41-year-old to “life” for rape and attempted murder.
Afghan migrant Taher Amini was sentenced to “life” — actually likely to be 20 to 25 years, theoretically followed by deportation — by the Västmanland District Court on Friday after he raped a woman and threw her down a mine shaft in Långgruvan outside Norberg in April.
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The Cherokee County Board of Education in North Carolina voted last month to forfeit girls volleyball games against a rival school after a transgender athlete reportedly injured a player with a spike.
The board voted 5-1 Sept. 21 for Hiwassee Dam High School to forfeit all girls volleyball matches against Highlands School after a Hiwassee Dam player reportedly suffered head and neck injuries from a spike from the Highlands transgender athlete.
“The county will not participate in any volleyball games, varsity or junior varsity, against Highlands due to safety concerns,” the board said.
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Trans Influencer Meets With President Joe Biden to Discuss ‘Being a Girl’
Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender TikTok influencer whose claim to fame is the now-viral series Days of Girlhood, met with United States President Joe Biden to discuss trans issues in the United States, including Mulvaney’s own “transness.”
In a video captioned “Day 222— talking to the president at the White House with @nowthis (interview goes live on Sunday Night!)”, Mulvaney, sporting braided pigtails, a tennis skirt, and a “Don’t mess with trans kids” t-shirt, describes themselves as a girl boss for being invited to meet with the president.
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UK Considers Ending Puberty Blockers, ‘Affirmation-Only’ Care for Children
The United Kingdom is considering ending the “affirmation-only” approach to aiding children with gender dysphoria, including the practice of prescribing puberty blockers, drugs often given to kids who identify as transgender.
A review published by the National Health Service (NHS) on Thursday found that the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust gender clinic had “major gaps” in the research regarding appropriate assessment and treatment for children, and questionable evidence for the use of certain medications. Additionally, she also found that staff often felt pressured to adopt an “unquestioning affirmative approach,” when children claimed to be of the opposite gender.
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Here’s how you know if the transgender who visited Biden at the White House is a real girl. Did she pass the Biden sniff test.
Therefore, Ivan is the culprit.
The west is determined to push Russia to use any weapon to avoid being wiped off.