Gates of Vienna News Feed 12/15/2022

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has requested $1 billion in federal funding to help the city cope with housing 33,000 illegal migrants. That works out to approximately $30,000 per migrant.

In other news, continuing riots over the ouster of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo have shut down major airports and transportation hubs in the country, stranding thousands of tourists.

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

Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, JW, LP, 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.

Financial Crisis
» Brazil Plots Centrally Controlled Digital Currency for 2024
» Here Comes the Job Shock: Philadelphia Fed Admits US Jobs “Overstated” By at Least 1.1 Million
» Netherlands: Most Bankruptcies in Over Two Years; Still Below Pre-COVID Levels
» Poland’s Public Finances Improve Under Conservative Rule
» Senator Elizabeth Warren Uses FTX Collapse as a Reason to Introduce Surveillance of All Crypto Wallets
 
USA
» 13-Year-Old Stabs Younger Brother With Kitchen Knife After an Argument, Texas Cops Say
» A Years-Long Law Enforcement Crisis is Hindering Homicide-Plagued Portland, Experts Say
» Andy Ngo Reports: Domestic Terrorism Charges for Five Arrested at Violent Antifa Autonomous Zone Near Atlanta
» Branch Covidian: Elon Musk’s “Crazy Stalker” Seen With Face Mask, Hand Sanitizer
» Breaking: Elon Musk Pledges to ‘Stop Violent Extremism’ On Twitter
» Breaking: Trump Launches Digital Trading Cards in ‘Major Announcement’
» Breaking: Trump Pledges to Ban Federal Agencies From Colluding With Private Businesses to Limit Freedom of Speech
» Breaking: Ronna McDaniel’s RNC Spent Millions on Private Jets, Limousines, Booze, Luxury Retreats
» Citing Firsthand Source, Tucker Reports ‘CIA Was Involved in the Kennedy Assassination’
» Corporate Coalition Pushes Government to Create Digital ID Infrastructure
» Democrats Tell Meta to Keep President Trump Off Facebook
» Elon Musk Told Bari Weiss He Was Worried About the ‘Future of Civilization’ Before ‘Twitter Files’ Release
» Framasoft Launches Peertube 5
» Georgia Restaurant Worker Fatally Shoots Armed Intruder in Self-Defense
» Gun Control Advocates Pressured CDC to Remove Statistics on Defensive Gun Use
» LA’s New Mayor Declares ‘State of Emergency’ Over Homelessness
» Laura Loomer Files Opposition to Motions to Dismiss RICO Lawsuit Against Meta and Twitter
» Maricopa County Recorder Contacted DHS Cyber Agency for Help With Social Media Partnerships
» Newly Conservative California School Board Bans Critical Race Theory in First Meeting
» Petition Launched to Recall New Orleans Mayor After City Crowned US Murder Capital
» Pro-Censorship Activist is Confronted Over Own Tweets Calling for Accosting of Supreme Court Justices
» Report: NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, And MSNBC Have Spent Just 14 Minutes Combined Covering the ‘Twitter Files’
» Seattle Sued for $10 Million After Delayed Police Response Forced Child to Watch Father Die
» State Attorneys General Tell Twitter to Preserve Censorship Evidence
» The Credibility Crisis of America’s Institutions
» The White House Says Elon Musk Criticizing Dr. Fauci on Twitter is “Dangerous”
» Twitter Bans Accounts of Mastodon, Journalists That Cover Banning of Elon Musk Flight Tracker Account
» Twitter Bans @elonjet Account That Showed Location of Elon Musk’s Private Jet
» UFC President Dana White Announces New Partnership With Rumble
» Ukrainian Orphan Girl Denied Life-Saving Surgery Because She’s Unvaxxed
» Witness Testifies Bank Threatened to Withhold Loan if He Didn’t Tweet ‘Climate Change’ Talking Points
» WordPress Discussed Deplatforming the New York Post After Hunter Biden Laptop Story
 
Canada
» Alberta Approves New Charter School for Edmonton Amid Rising Interest in School Choice
» Alberta Government Rebukes Feds, Says Crown Shouldn’t Prosecute Firearms Owners Who Purchased Guns Legally
» Liberals Halt Debate on Online News Law C-18, Send it to the Senate
 
Europe and the EU
» Accidental Discharge of Anti-Tank Launcher Injures Poland’s Police Chief
» Belgium’s Energy Suicide?
» Boy Dies After Being Hit by Fleeing Car as Chaos Ensues Across France Followig Morocco’s Worl Cup Semi-Final Defeat
» Chaos
» EU Agrees to 9th Russia Sanctions Package After Fierce Division on Food & Fertilizer
» France: Arson: Christmas Nativity Set on Fire in Strasbourg Suburb
» Germany: Climate Fanatics: Wrong Glue, Right Group
» German Coup: Reich Citizens Failed Dismally With Recruitment Attempts
» Hungary Strikes Agreement With Qatar on LNG Imports
» Islamist on Trial for Murder Wanted to ‘Punish’ Switzerland
» Italy: PM Meloni Defends Poland From EU Attacks, Says There Should be No ‘Second-Class’ EU Members
» Netherlands: Nineteen Arrested After Morocco World Cup Loss
» Poland to Construct Its Second LNG Terminal
» ‘Putin is Spot on With Ukraine’, Claimed Norwegian Supreme Court Judge in Leaked Texts to Estranged Wife He Accuses of Poisoning Him
» Report States Apple Will Loosen Its Iron Grip on App Stores in 2023
» UK Doctors Warn of ‘Biggest Cancer Crisis’
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Israel to Introduce Sweeping Online Censorship Law
 
Middle East
» Former Twitter Manager Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Spying on Behalf of Saudi Arabia
 
Russia
» Now Putin Scraps New Year’s Eve Plan to Play ICE Hockey on Red Square After Axing His Live TV Press Conference in Apparent Bid to Avoid Being Quizzed Over Failing Ukraine Invasion
» Russian Man is Fined for Posting Zelensky Dream on Instagram
» Russia Warns U.S. of ‘Unpredictable Consequences’ if it Sends Patriot Missile Systems to Ukraine
 
South Asia
» Indian Citizens That Don’t Link Account Numbers to Digital ID Will Soon Face Financial Blacklisting
 
Far East
» China Bans Online Deep Fakes, Posting Content That Goes Against Socialist Values
» Google Says it Won’t Scrub Hong Kong’s National Anthem From Search Results After China’s Request
» Hong Kong Teenager Sentenced to “Training Center” For “Insulting” China on Social Media
» Privacy Concerns Are Raised Over Chinese Surveillance Companies’ Access to UK Business Crime Data
 
Australia — Pacific
» Anthony Albanese Pushes Australians to Get Off the Gas and Switch to Electricity After Making a Deal With the Greens
» Fourth Man, 29, is Charged Over Gangland Murder of Underworld Figure Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad After a Series of Raids by Heavily Armed Cops
» How YOU Could be Paid $10,000 Upfront to Replace Your Gas Stove With an Electric Oven Under Radical Greens Deal With Anthony Albanese — But There’s One Costly Condition
» Prepare for a Kiwi Invasion! Anthony Albanese Makes it Easier for New Zealanders to Gain Citizenship
 
Latin America
» Peruvians Protest, Await Ruling on Ex-President’s Detention
 
Immigration
» France: Moroccan Migrant Jailed for Raping 59-Year-Old Victim at Knifepoint
» Germany: Watch: Migrants Drag ‘Last Generation’ Environmental Activists Off the Road
» Judge Blocks Biden Admin’s Push to Scrap Trump-Era Border Policy
» Migrants Who Head Back to Home Country on Holiday May Lose Residence Permits, Sweden Warns
» NYC Mayor Requesting $1 Billion From Biden to Help With Migrants
» Senator Hawley: Biden Officials “Don’t Want a Border”
» Shock: Afghan Child Rapist Given Police Protection After Teen Girl Murdered by Migrant in Same German Village
» Wall Street Journal Slams German Migration Policy, Points to Terrible Unemployment Situation
 
Culture Wars
» Biden Suggests Opponents of Child Sex Changes Are Racist, Anti-Semitic and Homophobic: “They’re All Connected”
» Biden DOJ Official Cited Reversal of Roe v. Wade as Motivation for Crackdown on Pro-Life Activists
» California School Board President — Who Rubbed Shoulders With Kamala Harris — Resigns After Inviting Students to His Gay Adult Party… Where They Were Plied With Drinks by Half-Naked Men in Elf Hats and Ogled by ‘Dirty Santa’
» Disgraced Former Non-Binary Biden Official Was Behind School Policy to Hide Kids’ ‘Genders’ From Parents
» Shocking: Explicit Adult Performances in Front of Children at Texas Christmas-Themed Drag Queen Event
» Spanish Conservatives Team Up With Feminists to Oppose Trans Law
» Video: Dem Rep. Says Term ‘Pedophile’ is Discriminatory

Brazil Plots Centrally Controlled Digital Currency for 2024

Brazil plans to launch its central bank digital currency (CBDC) in 2024, following a closed pilot in 2023 with financial institutions, said the president of the Central Bank of Brazil, Roberto Campos Neto. He added that Brazil’s model had gained international recognition.

Neto made the announcement at an event hosted by news outlet Poder 360. He claimed that the CBDC’s design would encourage financial institutions to tokenize their assets with the added benefit of efficiency.

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

Here Comes the Job Shock: Philadelphia Fed Admits US Jobs “Overstated” By at Least 1.1 Million

Regular readers are well aware that back in July, Zero Hedge first (long before it became a running theme among so-called “macro experts”) pointed out that a gaping 1+ million job differential had opened up between the closely-watched and market-impacting, if easily gamed and manipulated, Establishment Survey and the far more accurate if volatile, Household Survey — the two core components of the monthly non-farm payrolls report.

We first described this divergence in early July, when looking at the June payrolls data, we found that the gap between the Housing and Establishment Surveys had blown out to 1.5 million starting in March when “something snapped.” We described this in “Something Snaps In The US Labor Market: Full, Part-Time Workers Plunge As Multiple Jobholders Soar.”

Since then the difference only got worse, and culminated earlier this month when the gap between the Establishment and Household surveys for the November dataset nearly doubled to a whopping 2.7 million jobs, a bifurcation which we described in “Something Is Rigged: Unexplained, Record 2.7 Million Jobs Gap Emerges In Broken Payrolls Report.”

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

Netherlands: Most Bankruptcies in Over Two Years; Still Below Pre-COVID Levels

The number of bankruptcies has risen for the third month in a row. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), 224 companies and institutions, including one-person businesses, went bankrupt in November. That is seven more than in October.

According to CBS, this was the highest number of bankruptcies in over two years, though it is still lower than before the coronavirus pandemic. The number of bankruptcies is so low partly due to the Cabinet’s coronavirus support, which kept even fundamentally unhealthy companies afloat. The generic support ended in the course of 2021. The bankruptcy wave predicted by various experts has not yet materialized.

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

Poland’s Public Finances Improve Under Conservative Rule

Poland’s ratio of public debt to GDP two years ago, during the pandemic, reached a high of 57.2 percent, but thanks to economic growth outstripping the rate of borrowing, it has been falling ever since.

For example, in the last quarter, public debt rose by 25.8 billion zloty (€5.5 billion), whereas GDP increased by 115.2 billion zloty (€24.6 billion). The nominal rise in GDP has, of course, been aided by the rise in the rate of inflation, as it increases the value of GDP without immediately increasing the value of the debt.

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

Senator Elizabeth Warren Uses FTX Collapse as a Reason to Introduce Surveillance of All Crypto Wallets

As the US Senate conducts hearings about the collapse of crypto exchange FTX, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced a bill to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, going beyond fraud in companies and instead targeting crypto holders themselves.

Critics have called the bill unconstitutional and authoritarian.

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

13-Year-Old Stabs Younger Brother With Kitchen Knife After an Argument, Texas Cops Say

An argument between siblings escalated when the 13-year-old grabbed a kitchen knife, Texas authorities said.

A 13-year-old girl and her 12-year-old brother got into a “foolish argument” in San Antonio around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, the San Antonio Police Department told KSAT.

The girl’s mother took her outside of the home to try and “defuse the situation,” police said in a Thursday, Dec. 15, news release.

The girl ran back inside, grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her younger brother, officers said. She fled the scene, according to the release.

The brother was taken to a hospital in critical condition, police said.

           — Hat tip: Roger [Return to headlines]

A Years-Long Law Enforcement Crisis is Hindering Homicide-Plagued Portland, Experts Say

Portland is feeling the effects of a years-long law enforcement crisis involving “defund the police” narratives, “unprecedented” police staffing struggles and flawed policymaking, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Meanwhile, the liberal city has set an all-time record for homicides in 2022.

A deadly stabbing became the city’s 91st homicide in 2022, police said, officially surpassing 2021’s record 90-homicide total, according to KGW8. Portland’s city government reduced the Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) budget in 2020 after it hired too few officers to keep pace with population growth for most of the previous decade, Manhattan Institute fellow John Ketcham told the DCNF.

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

Andy Ngo Reports: Domestic Terrorism Charges for Five Arrested at Violent Antifa Autonomous Zone Near Atlanta

Five militants part of a violent far-left occupation in south Atlanta were arrested on Tuesday and charged with domestic terrorism and other felony charges.

On Dec. 13, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) launched a raid on the so-called autonomous zone at the site of the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. Since June 2021, Antifa and other far-left extremists from across the US have descended on the location to prevent the construction of what they call a “cop city.” Responding law enforcement were assaulted with rocks and bottles by militants occupying makeshift treehouses. The GBI says it found explosive devices and gasoline after the rioters were cleared from the area.

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

Branch Covidian: Elon Musk’s “Crazy Stalker” Seen With Face Mask, Hand Sanitizer

The individual accused of being a “crazy stalker” by Twitter owner Elon Musk is seen in a video wearing a face mask and keeping hand sanitizer in his vehicle cup holder, leading to suggestions he is a ‘branch Covidian’.

Musk announced that he was taking legal action against the owner of a Twitter account that tracked his private jet after revealing a stalker had managed to find his car with his son inside.

The billionaire said he was taking legal action “against Sweeney & organisations who supported harm to my family,” in reference to Jack Sweeney, a student from Florida, who owned the @ElonJet account which shared information about where Musk’s private jet had taken off and landed.

According to Musk, the information had enabled someone to track down the location of his car. Although Musk wasn’t inside, his son X Æ A-Xii was in the vehicle, which was followed and then blocked by the stalker.

Musk claims the stalker also “climbed onto (the) hood” of the car.

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

Breaking: Elon Musk Pledges to ‘Stop Violent Extremism’ On Twitter

On Thursday, Twitter owner Elon Musk vowed to stop “violent extremism” on his platform in response to Antifa members continuing to plan their actions on the platform.

“Twitter obviously must be fair to all, so will aim to stop violent extremism being promoted by any group,” Musk said.

Musk’s response came in regard to a question from Ian Miles Cheong, who asked, “Would you consider setting up a dedicated task force at Twitter to deal with violent extremists like Antifa?”

The conversation took place on a post from The Post Millennial’s editor-at-large Andy Ngo, who revealed 5 new arrests in an Antifa autonomous zone in south Atlanta.

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

Breaking: Trump Launches Digital Trading Cards in ‘Major Announcement’

After hinting at a “major announcement” on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the release of his “official Donald Digital Trading Card collection.”

“MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT! My official Donald Trump Digital Trading Card collection is here! These limited edition cards feature amazing ART of my Life & Career! Collect all of your favorite Trump Digital Trading Cards, very much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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

Breaking: Trump Pledges to Ban Federal Agencies From Colluding With Private Businesses to Limit Freedom of Speech

Former President Donald Trump released a video on Thursday announcing that he will sign an order banning all federal agencies from colluding with private organizations and businesses to limit free speech, should he become president once again.

In a fiery seven-minute video posted exclusively by Jack Posobiec of Human Events, Trump unloaded on Silicon Valley, the deep state, and the widespread tech censorship that has been unveiled via the Twitter Files, where it was found that big tech worked to silence right-wing voices.

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

Breaking: Ronna McDaniel’s RNC Spent Millions on Private Jets, Limousines, Booze, Luxury Retreats

Despite record inflation and a stagnating economy, the Republican National Committee under chair Ronna McDaniel’s leadership has spent millions on private jets, limousines, alcohol, and luxury retreats to achieve three straight cycles of election losses.

[Comment: All that money could have helped Republican candidates. Facepalm.]

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

Citing Firsthand Source, Tucker Reports ‘CIA Was Involved in the Kennedy Assassination’

Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson reported Thursday that the CIA was involved in the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy, citing a first hand source.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order to authorize the full release of the documents related to the assassination that have been hidden for decades. The National Archives and Records Administration released thousands of documents Thursday.

Carlson noted the 1992 John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act that mandated all documents related to Kennedy’s murder be disclosed by 2017. Both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, however, have not fully complied.

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

Corporate Coalition Pushes Government to Create Digital ID Infrastructure

A group of private companies have published a digital ID blueprint encouraging state governments to implement policies involved in creating a digital ID system.

The blueprint was published by the Better Identity Coalition, a group of 27 US companies, including Mastercard, Equifax, AT&T, and more. The group either wants to stop the worry about ID fraud or to profit from preventing ID fraud by pushing to normalize digital IDs.

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

Democrats Tell Meta to Keep President Trump Off Facebook

Several Democratic Party lawmakers have written a letter urging Meta to maintain the ban on former President Donald Trump beyond January, claiming restoring his accounts would be a “tragic mistake.”

Trump was indefinitely suspended from Facebook after the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. Meta’s Oversight Board, the company’s quasi-Supreme Court that reviews content moderation decisions, gave Facebook until January 7, 2023, to decide whether to permanently ban or restore Trump.

In a letter addressed to Meta’s head of global affairs Nick Clegg, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Andre Carson (D-IN), and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) called on Meta to maintain Trump’s ban.

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

Elon Musk Told Bari Weiss He Was Worried About the ‘Future of Civilization’ Before ‘Twitter Files’ Release

Twitter CEO Elon Musk told The Free Press journalist Bari Weiss about “the future of civilization” as his motive for spending $44 billion to buy the company.

Musk expressed his worries for the future, saying “birth rates are plummeting, the thought police are gaining power, and even having an opinion is enough to be shunned. We are trending in a bad direction,” Weiss reported.

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

Framasoft Launches Peertube 5

PeerTube, a decentralized YouTube alternative launched five years ago, has reached a development milestone with the release of version 5. The tool lets users create a federated video platform based on live and peer-to-peer streaming.

Framasoft, a non-profit which maintains this free and open source project along with dozens of others, made the announcement, noting that this is the fifth release in as many years, with the latest one starting to take shape in February when user interface and mobile video player received improvements.

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

Georgia Restaurant Worker Fatally Shoots Armed Intruder in Self-Defense

Authored by Lorenz Duchamps via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)

An employee at a restaurant in Georgia fatally shot an armed intruder in self-defense after the masked assailant pistol-whipped the worker during an attempted robbery, authorities say.

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

Gun Control Advocates Pressured CDC to Remove Statistics on Defensive Gun Use

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were reportedly pressured by gun control advocates during a private meeting into removing statistics related to defensive gun uses (DGU), according to a series of emails published by The Reload.

The CDC-commissioned study found that instances of defensive gun use occurred between 60,000 and 2.5 million times per year, the higher figure specifically coming from a study by Professor Emeritus at Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Gary Kleck.

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

LA’s New Mayor Declares ‘State of Emergency’ Over Homelessness

After making it a central part of her campaign, Los Angeles’ new mayor Karen Bass declared homelessness a ‘state of emergency’ in the city.

The declaration “will recognize the severity of Los Angeles’ crisis and break new ground to maximize the ability to urgently move people inside,” according to a statement from Bass’ office, on the same day she visited the city’s Emergency Operations Center, ABC News reports.

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

Laura Loomer Files Opposition to Motions to Dismiss RICO Lawsuit Against Meta and Twitter

Journalist and former congressional candidate Laura Loomer has pushed back against attempts to dismiss her Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act lawsuit against Meta, Twitter, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Proctor & Gamble in a new filing.

Her recently filed opposition to the motions to dismiss the lawsuit cites new information about Twitter’s censorship collusion with federal government agencies and argues that Facebook and Twitter should not be able to have the lawsuit dismissed under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) — a law that prevents social media platforms from being held civilly liable for some content moderation decisions.

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

Maricopa County Recorder Contacted DHS Cyber Agency for Help With Social Media Partnerships

Maricopa County’s recorder Stephen Richer sought the support of the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to fight alleged election misinformation. Richer, a Republican, created a political action committee (PAC) to support anti-Trump Republican candidates.

Donald Trump’s attorney Christina Bobb tweeted a report by CISA showing that Richer appeared before the CISA’s Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Misinformation and Disinformation Subcommittee. Richer briefed members of the subcommittee on fighting election misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. Bobb got the documents from Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s lawyers, who got them from a legal discovery.

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

Newly Conservative California School Board Bans Critical Race Theory in First Meeting

After flipping to a conservative majority, a California school board voted to ban Critical Race Theory (CRT) on Tuesday.

The Temecula Valley Unified School Board adopted a resolution 3-2 which bans the teaching of CRT from the classroom, the same night the three new board members were sworn in. The resolution was introduced by newly elected Joseph Komrosky who said the resolution was a way for him to keep “a campaign promise.”

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

Petition Launched to Recall New Orleans Mayor After City Crowned US Murder Capital

An effort has been launched in America’s murder capital of New Orleans to recall Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who has spent thousands of dollars on private travel and posh living accommodations while the Big Easy has seen a marked uptick in crime in 2022 including 248 murders and a significant increase in carjackings.

Fox News reports that Cantrell’s former social media manager, Ellen Carter, said, “The national term ‘quiet quitting,’ that’s what our mayor has done. Our mayor literally won’t say the word crime. She has disassociated herself from crime. She refuses to be involved it in at all.”

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

Pro-Censorship Activist is Confronted Over Own Tweets Calling for Accosting of Supreme Court Justices

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) grilled a pro-censorship activist over social media posts threatening conservative Supreme Court justices.

The House Oversight Committee’s panel on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties panel held part seven of a hearing titled “Confronting White Supremacy: The Evolution of Anti-Democratic Extremist Groups and the Ongoing Threat to Democracy,” where it listened to several witnesses including activist Alejandra Caraballo, an instructor at Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic and a major advocate for online censorship.

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

Report: NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, And MSNBC Have Spent Just 14 Minutes Combined Covering the ‘Twitter Files’

The major left leaning U.S. news networks have spent only 14 minutes between them covering Elon Musk’s ongoing release of the Twitter files, which have highlighted a policy of censorship based on the partisan political alignment of woke former company executives and employees.

The data drops, which have also revealed that former Twitter execs, were regularly meeting with U.S. intelligence officials and policing content at their behest, have been almost completely ignored by the likes of CNN, NBC, ABC and CBS.

Fox News reports that Grabian’s analysis of news transcripts shows the term “Twitter files” has only been used six times by anchors.

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

Seattle Sued for $10 Million After Delayed Police Response Forced Child to Watch Father Die

A $10 million lawsuit has been filed against the City of Seattle after the defunding of the police allegedly led to the wrongful death of William Yurek. He was 46 years old.

On November 2, 2021, Yurek’s 13-year-old son called 911 because his father was having chest pains and difficulty breathing. The address was accidentally on an outdated blacklist for hostility to first responders because of a previous tenant. According to Seattle’s policy, police are required to enter the domicile to secure the scene for other first responders.

However, due to a lack of officers following the defunding of the police by the Seattle City Council, no officers were available, and the 13-year-old watched his father die.

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

State Attorneys General Tell Twitter to Preserve Censorship Evidence

Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt who, together with Louisiana’s Attorney General Jeff Landry, filed a lawsuit alleging collusion between the federal government and social media companies to censor certain speech, sent a letter to Twitter asking for the preservation of evidence related to communications between the company and federal government officials on content moderation and misinformation.

Schmitt, who was elected to the Senate in November, referenced the internal documents, dubbed “Twitter Files,” that are being released by CEO Elon Musk via journalists Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss, and Michael Shellenberger.

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

The Credibility Crisis of America’s Institutions

by Daniel Greenfield,

The nation’s credibility crisis didn’t arrive overnight. It’s been coming down since the sixties. That was a time when 4 out of 5 Americans believed that they could trust the federal government.

These days it’s more like 1 out of 5.

Congress enjoys the trust of 1 in 10 Americans. The presidency, 4 in 10. (That’s up from 1 in 3 under Obama.) Around the same number trust the Supreme Court.

It’s not just political institutions.

Trust in the media is understandably low with only 1 in 4 trusting newspapers, and less than 1 in 5 trusting television news. Only 1 in 3 trust organized religion and the medical system, even fewer trust public schools, labor unions, banks, the criminal justice system, and big business.

America’s political crisis is really a collapse of trust in institutions. And that’s one thing that Republicans and Democrats agree on. The Republican solution is to restore confidence by decentralizing institutions while the Democrat solution is to restore confidence by expanding government…

           — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield [Return to headlines]

The White House Says Elon Musk Criticizing Dr. Fauci on Twitter is “Dangerous”

At a press briefing this week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Elon Musk’s tweets criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci are “dangerous.” Over the weekend, the Twitter owner criticized Fauci, claiming he lied to Americans and funded research that might have brought COVID-19 to the world.

On Sunday, Musk wrote, “My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci.” The tweet did not sit well with former NASA astronaut and naval aviator Scott Kelly who accused Musk of mocking the LGBT community and Fauci, who he described as a “dedicated public servant whose sole motivation is saving lives.”

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

Twitter Bans Accounts of Mastodon, Journalists That Cover Banning of Elon Musk Flight Tracker Account

Twitter has suspended the accounts of several reporters from a range of news outlets from CNN to The Washington Post. The reporters all appeared to have covered, in some way, the story about Twitter banning @ElonJet account which was tracking the location of Elon Musk’s private jet.

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

Twitter Bans @elonjet Account That Showed Location of Elon Musk’s Private Jet

On Wednesday, Twitter permanently suspended an account that shared the live location of Elon Musk’s private jet. Last month, the billionaire said he would not suspend the count because of his “commitment to free speech,” but changed his mind and Twitter’s policy after an alleged stalker approached and allegedly climbed on top of a car carrying Musk’s two-year-old son.

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

UFC President Dana White Announces New Partnership With Rumble

Free speech video sharing platform Rumble has partnered with Power Slap — a slap fighting organization that was founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White.

Power Slap describes itself as “the world’s premier slap fighting organization” and features competitors from around the world.

The partnership will involve Power Slap starting a new channel on Rumble and its membership platform Locals. Power Slap will also bring exclusive content to Rumble including a new exclusive show featuring White. Additionally, Power Slap will be posting the latest news, highlights, and behind-the-scenes footage.

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

Ukrainian Orphan Girl Denied Life-Saving Surgery Because She’s Unvaxxed

The adoptive parents of a teenage girl from Ukraine were told that their daughter will not be receiving a lifesaving kidney transplant due to the fact that she’s not vaccinated against COVID-19, as reported by The Blaze News.

Doctors at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, told Lee and Chrissy Hicks, the adoptive parents of 14-year-old Yulia, that they would not be moving forward with the surgery because she has not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

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

Witness Testifies Bank Threatened to Withhold Loan if He Didn’t Tweet ‘Climate Change’ Talking Points

Bud Brigham, the executive chairman of Brigham Minerals, testified Thursday before the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs that a Wall Street bank allegedly threatened to deny him a loan unless he tweeted out specific political messages.

Republican Texas state Sen. Bryan Hughes led the hearing on environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, an approach to investing that scores companies based on their commitment to certain environmental and social causes.

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

WordPress Discussed Deplatforming the New York Post After Hunter Biden Laptop Story

The content of Hunter Biden’s laptop was certainly scandalous enough, but the handling, i.e., censoring of the story about that by tech platforms influenced by political preference certainly gave it a run for its money.

Even by the standards of 2020, “the year of censorship,” Twitter and Facebook’s decision to suppress the New York Post article just before the US presidential election that resulted in the victory of Hunter’s father, was highly unusual.

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

Alberta Approves New Charter School for Edmonton Amid Rising Interest in School Choice

Alberta’s Ministry of Education has approved a new tuition-free, public charter school serving Edmonton-area students. The decision comes amid a growing conversation around parents’ rights and school choice across the country.

The Edmonton Classical Academy is an expansion of the Calgary Classical Academy, which opened in August 2022.

School founder Caylan Ford said she only planned for a Calgary location, but families in Edmonton began contacting her “desperate” for their kids to access a classical education.

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

Alberta Government Rebukes Feds, Says Crown Shouldn’t Prosecute Firearms Owners Who Purchased Guns Legally

The Alberta government is recommending prosecutors don’t pursue charges against firearms owners whose guns were deemed illegal under the Trudeau government’s 2020 order in council.

A news release from the province said Alberta is taking back constitutional jurisdiction for handling charges under the Firearms Act, and Alberta’s Crown prosecutors will now determine whether or not to pursue charges.

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

Liberals Halt Debate on Online News Law C-18, Send it to the Senate

The way Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act, was pushed through the House of Commons and on to the Senate is “an utter embarrassment,” according to a leading observer of the file.

The bill completed its first reading on Wednesday in the House of Commons after the Liberals struck down debate on the bill’s second reading, promptly sending it to the Senate.

When put to a vote in the House, the bill passed with 213 votes for and 114 votes against. The Bill was supported by Liberal, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party MPs.

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

Accidental Discharge of Anti-Tank Launcher Injures Poland’s Police Chief

The Ministry of Interior and Administration reported that on Wednesday 7:50am in a room adjacent to the office of the Police Commander-in-Chief an explosion went off. “One of the gifts that the Commandant received during his working visit to Ukraine on December 11 to 12 this year, where he met with the leadership of the Ukrainian Police and the Emergency Situations Service, exploded. The gift was from one of the heads of Ukrainian services”, the Ministry reports.

The statement said that the commander suffered minor injuries as a result of the explosion and has been in the hospital for observation for one day.

The Ministry of the Interior and Administration also informed that a civilian employee at the Police Headquarters had also suffered minor injuries not requiring hospitalization.

           — Hat tip: LP [Return to headlines]

Belgium’s Energy Suicide?

Belgium’s situation is dramatic. While our neighbors have taken and are taking measures to cushion the energy crisis, maintain their budgetary health and guarantee their energy supply, Belgium is in a situation of clear and obvious failure on all three counts. I will only deal here with the energy misery, which is entirely avoidable and caused by the anti-nuclear tendencies of two environmentalist political parties, Ecolo and The Greens.

Security of energy supply seems, for some officials, to be an abstract concept. It is anything but. In practice, when energy security is not guaranteed, it means load-shedding, blackouts and an explosion in energy costs, as well as, for many, having to choose between “heat or eat”.

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

Boy Dies After Being Hit by Fleeing Car as Chaos Ensues Across France Followig Morocco’s Worl Cup Semi-Final Defeat

A 14-year-old boy has died after being hit by a car in Montpellier after a night of civil unrest across major French cities following France’s 2-0 victory over Morocco in Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup semi-final.

French news outlet Le Parisien reported images circulating on social media purporting to show a group of young men, believed to be fans of the Moroccan national football team, approaching a white vehicle flying a French tricolor flag as the car was stationary in traffic in the city.

The French newspaper suggests the young man was “apparently trying to snatch the flag when the driver of the car suddenly started and swerved in the direction of the group,” before running over the young man and fleeing the scene without stopping.

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

Chaos

Diversity proved to be a strength again as mobs of Moroccan men staged violent riots last night in multiple French cities.

The unrest included brutal ethnic confrontations and one 14-year-old boy was killed.

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

EU Agrees to 9th Russia Sanctions Package After Fierce Division on Food & Fertilizer

On Thursday EU leaders scrambled to resolve discord over the proposed 9th round of anti-Russia sanctions. After throughout much of the day failing to reach consensus and resolve a divisive “food security and fertilizers” dilemma, the EU agreed at the last hour on the fresh Russian sanctions, issuing an announcement late in the evening (local time). Shortly before 10pm Brussels time, it was announced, “Officials said a compromise deal was reached on the sidelines of an EU leaders summit in Brussels and that the sanctions would be formally confirmed on Friday.”

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

France: Arson: Christmas Nativity Set on Fire in Strasbourg Suburb

A nativity scene in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, a suburb of Strasbourg, caught fire this week in an alleged arson attack, according to the local mayor.

The nativity scene, which was located in the middle of the town’s Christmas Market, was allegedly set on fire by a pair of unknown individuals, according got the mayor of Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Thibaud Philipps.

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

Germany: Climate Fanatics: Wrong Glue, Right Group

After their actions in Berlin and Munich, their most recent protest action took place in Mainz. Four people glued themselves to the roadway on Binger Strasse, blocking one of the city’s busiest streets. The police removed three of the four fanatics.

The last one had become “so stuck that he could not be easily detached”. To do this, “the asphalt had to be cut loose by employees of the road traffic authority using a grinder and hammer drill and then removed,” the police said. The operation lasted more than two hours and could potentially have serious health consequences. The climate fanatic (38) could have lost his hand if the doctors had not managed to free his hand from the adhesive mass and asphalt.

A photo shared by Last Generation went viral on the internet. It shows the man with a chunk of asphalt attached to his hand. It is suspected that he had used the wrong glue — namely a particularly strong industrial glue. “Is the action set in stone now?” joked a Twitter user. Another user added: “Now I understand why you need your own courses for your adhesive campaigns”.

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

German Coup: Reich Citizens Failed Dismally With Recruitment Attempts

In order to take control after the coup d’état, the recruitment efforts of the Reich citizens arrested last week apparently failed across the board. According to information from Junge Freiheit, all in all, the “military arm” as described by the Federal Public Prosecutor is said to have comprised eight people.

Members of the Internal Affairs Committee have been briefed by representatives of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office and the Presidents of the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Holger Münch and Thomas Haldenwang.

Shortly after the raid, the Ministry of the Interior stated that three firearms had been confiscated. These were presumably the only illegal firearms.

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

Hungary Strikes Agreement With Qatar on LNG Imports

Hungary and Qatar have reached an agreement on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, and now it is up to the relevant companies to work out the business details, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjartó after meeting his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

“It is in Hungary’s interest to be able to attract new resources. Qatar is making major developments in extraction and LNG transport capacity, so from 2026, they will export much more LNG than they do now. Today, we have concluded a political agreement whereby Qatar is ready to start inter-company negotiations between Qatar Energy and MVM,” Szijjartó said.

Szijjartó pointed out that the European economy is heading towards recession. It is therefore very important for Hungary to have good relations with countries that have a large influence on the world economy as a whole.

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

Islamist on Trial for Murder Wanted to ‘Punish’ Switzerland

A 29-year-old radical Islamic extremist on trial for the murder of a Portuguese man has admitted to carrying out the attack to “defend the prophet” and “punish” Switzerland.

The 29-year-old Swiss-Turkish dual national is on trial for murdering a 29-year-old Portuguese man at a kebab restaurant in Morges on the 12th of September in 2020, stabbing the victim to death while yelling “Allahu akbar.”

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

Italy: PM Meloni Defends Poland From EU Attacks, Says There Should be No ‘Second-Class’ EU Members

The European Union cannot be divided into first— and second-class member states, according to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who called for a more effective European energy policy in a speech to the upper house of the parliament in Rome on Wednesday, one day ahead of the EU’s Dec. 15-16 summit.

“(I see that) the debate is going back to the idea that there is a first-class Europe and a second-class Europe. I will never agree with this idea, colleagues. I never did and do not consider Europe a club within which some are good and beautiful while the others are ugly and bad, and as such, they should be out of the club,” she said. “I, particularly now, do not see it that way.”

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

Netherlands: Nineteen Arrested After Morocco World Cup Loss

The police arrested 19 people after Morocco’s defeat in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Wednesday evening. There was little unrest in the Dutch cities compared to the Moroccan national team’s previous matches, but riot police still had to intervene in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, NU.nl reports.

The Rotterdam police arrested 14 people, mainly young people. They gathered on West-Kruiskade and threw stones at the police. Rioters also assaulted a bystander, leaving them with a broken nose. The riot police dispersed the young people at the end of the evening.

The Amsterdam police arrested three minors. The atmosphere in the capital started friendly after the loss, but that changed when a group of about 100 people turned on the police in the Osdorp district. They threw heavy fireworks, and the riot police intervened.

The other two suspects were arrested in The Hague for setting off heavy fireworks. Other than that, there were no major incidents in the city.

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

Poland to Construct Its Second LNG Terminal

Poland has announced plans to construct a second liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to be completed by 2027.

The European Commission has approved support of €19.6 million for the terminal’s construction, and reports suggest both Czechia and possibly Slovakia are interested in using the terminal when built.

The FSRU (Floating Storage Regasification Unit) terminal will operate in Gdansk Bay of the Baltic Sea.

In October, Warsaw and Prague agreed on constructing a new gas connector between Poland and Czechia named Stork III. It will have capacity for 1 billion cubic meters of gas in both directions and will enable Czechs to purchase gas from the new terminal in Gdansk Bay.

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

‘Putin is Spot on With Ukraine’, Claimed Norwegian Supreme Court Judge in Leaked Texts to Estranged Wife He Accuses of Poisoning Him

A Supreme Court judge in Norway claimed Putin is “spot on” with his invasion to “de-Nazify” Ukraine and said he hoped the country is “deleted from the map” in angry texts sent to his estranged Ukrainian wife, who he believes tried to poison him for financial gain.

Jens EA Skoghøy, who is the deputy leader of Norway’s top court and its most senior judge, became unwell on Oct. 18 and was rushed to the emergency room at his local hospital in Ullevål.

Blood tests showed traces of an anesthetic; however, Skoghøy claims not to have taken any painkillers for over 20 years and accused his wife of attempting to poison him.

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

Report States Apple Will Loosen Its Iron Grip on App Stores in 2023

Apple reportedly plans to allow users to install third-party app stores on iOS devices. The company has traditionally only allowed users to install apps from the App Store, citing security concerns.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the plans to allow third-party app stores were triggered by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a law that will require “digital gatekeepers to ensure open markets,” which will come into effect on March 6, 2024.

The law will also require Apple to allow sideloading, where users can install apps downloaded from the web. Previously, Apple said that sideloading is “a cybercriminal’s best friend.”

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

UK Doctors Warn of ‘Biggest Cancer Crisis’

Britain is in the midst of a major healthcare crisis as months-long delays in cancer treatment have become increasingly commonplace, leading to higher mortality, the National Health Service (NHS) has warned.

On Wednesday, several British media outlets cited recent NHS figures, which showed that nearly 40% of all cancer patients urgently referred by their GP in October had to wait two months before receiving treatment. This is said to be the second-worst performance on record and well short of the 15% target.

The Guardian quoted doctors as saying that a mere four-week delay in cancer treatment “increases mortality by between 6% and 13% for solid cancers, with further increases if the delay is longer.”

Meanwhile, according to an article published in the Lancet Oncology journal, there has been a 17% rise in UK cancer deaths caused by delays in diagnosis and treatment since the Covid-19 pandemic. This is believed to have contributed considerably to the breakdown of cancer treatment practices in the country.

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

Israel to Introduce Sweeping Online Censorship Law

The Israeli government has announced that it will adopt recommendations to regulate social media platforms to create a “safer” online environment. The recommendations are similar to the social media rules in the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which will take effect next year.

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

Former Twitter Manager Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Spying on Behalf of Saudi Arabia

On Wednesday, 45-year-old Ahmad Abouammo, a former Twitter manager who was convicted of acting as a foreign agent on behalf of Saudi Arabia, was sentenced to 42 months in prison after being found guilty in an August trial in San Francisco.

According to the Department of Justice’s website, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said, “Mr. Abouammo violated the trust placed on him to protect the privacy of individuals by giving their personal information to a foreign power for profit. His conduct was made all the more egregious by the fact that the information was intended to target political dissidents speaking out against that foreign power.”

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

Now Putin Scraps New Year’s Eve Plan to Play ICE Hockey on Red Square After Axing His Live TV Press Conference in Apparent Bid to Avoid Being Quizzed Over Failing Ukraine Invasion

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said today that Putin will not take part in an annual ice hockey match in Red Square (pictured in 2020) but did not give a reason for the absence.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]

Russian Man is Fined for Posting Zelensky Dream on Instagram

Russian blogger Ivan Losev, 26, was fined for “discrediting the Russian military,” after describing a dream he had about Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on social media. He was fined 30,000 rubles (approximately $475) after a local court convicted him of violating a law that prohibits criticizing the military’s “operation” in Ukraine.

“Last night, I dreamed about being mobilized and brought to some kind of boot camp,” Losev posted on his Instagram account.

“Suddenly, AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine) fighters led by Zelensky burst in, rounded everyone up, and were about to execute us by firing squad.

“At this moment, Zelensky walks past me and says: ‘Ah, I’ve seen your stories on Instagram. Glory to Ukraine!’ I reply: ‘Glory to heroes!’ Zelensky pats me on the shoulder and approvingly says: ‘Let this one go, and execute everyone else.’

“So there we are, me and him, standing side by side, watching, and I tell him: ‘Can I get a selfie with you for my Instagram?’ Zelensky says: ‘Sure.’“

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

Russia Warns U.S. of ‘Unpredictable Consequences’ if it Sends Patriot Missile Systems to Ukraine

Russia warned the U.S. that if it sends Patriot missile systems to Ukraine it will consider the move a provocation that could lead to “unpredictable consequences.”

The Biden administration is finalizing plans to send a Patriot missile system to Ukraine, three defense officials told NBC News earlier this week. The surface-to-air defense system would help Ukraine repel Russian aerial attacks.

The Russian embassy in Washington said in a statement on Telegram Wednesday that sending the Patriot missile system would be considered “provocative.”

In his nightly address Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces were destroying “everything in front of them.” He added that “city after city” in Donbas in eastern Ukraine was being destroyed.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]

Indian Citizens That Don’t Link Account Numbers to Digital ID Will Soon Face Financial Blacklisting

India’s income tax administration has warned citizens that they should link their Permanent Account Numbers (PANs) to their Aadhaar biometric identification numbers before April 1, 2023, or risk their PAN becoming non-operational.

In India, PAN is required to perform multiple financial activities like creating bank accounts, depositing money, trading stocks, and buying or selling real estate. Indians can link their PAN to Aadhaar on the tax department’s website after paying Rs. 1,000 ($12).

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

China Bans Online Deep Fakes, Posting Content That Goes Against Socialist Values

China’s Cyberspace Administration (CAC) on Sunday unveiled new rules applying to what’s referred to as “deep synthesis service providers” who create “deep fakes.”

Deepfake tech uses machine learning (deep learning) algorithms and models to generate video or audio impersonations of humans that highly resemble the real person, and can be used to convey they said or did something they had not actually said or done.

The technology is not new since it has been used in movies and gaming for quite a while, but it has recently gained “notoriety,” notably in the US, as a possible political weapon.

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

Google Says it Won’t Scrub Hong Kong’s National Anthem From Search Results After China’s Request

Hong Kong’s security chief Chris Tang said that Google refused a request to change search results to display China’s national anthem instead of the protest song “Glory to Hong Kong.”

The protest song came to prominence during the 2019 protests in the city over Beijing increasing control over the city. Many protesters considered the song the national anthem of the former British colony.

The song was banned after Beijing enforced a draconian national security law to punish residents for what the government would deem collusion with foreign forces, subversion, secessions, and terrorism. The law carries a punishment of up to life in prison.

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

Hong Kong Teenager Sentenced to “Training Center” For “Insulting” China on Social Media

A teenager in Hong Kong was sentenced to a training center for breaking the colonial-era sedition law and insulting both the Chinese flag and national anthem.

18-year-old Chui Hoi-Chun will serve at least six months at a training center, an alternative to prison sentences for offenders aged between 14 and 20. However, depending on his conduct, he could serve up to three years at the training center.

The sentencing came after he pleaded guilty to acts of sedition through posts on YouTube, Discord, and the discussion forum LIHKG between May 28, 2020, and September 17, 2022. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of insulting the Chinese flag and national anthem “March of Volunteers,” including posting altered lyrics.

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

Privacy Concerns Are Raised Over Chinese Surveillance Companies’ Access to UK Business Crime Data

Chinese tech companies Dahua and Hikvision can access UK business crime data like research and hotspot trends. Privacy advocates have raised the alarm given recent national security concerns.

The tech companies have associate membership of the National Business Crime Solution (NBCS), an initiative backed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council to share crime data with businesses. The membership gives the Chinese companies access to “senior decision makers at some nation’s most prestigious organizations.”

The NBCS aims to prevent serial shoplifters, fraudsters, and other criminals from committing crimes. It claims that it provides the “best business crime insights and intelligence available in the UK.” Aside from being backed by the NPCC, it receives funding from the Home Office.

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

Anthony Albanese Pushes Australians to Get Off the Gas and Switch to Electricity After Making a Deal With the Greens

Parliamentarians from all sides of politics are being urged to sit on the ‘right side’ of the energy debate when the opportunity comes to vote on measures aimed at lowering power bills.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]

Fourth Man, 29, is Charged Over Gangland Murder of Underworld Figure Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad After a Series of Raids by Heavily Armed Cops

A fourth man has been charged over his alleged role in the murder of underworld figure Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad. Ahmad was shot in April with a $1million bounty on his head.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]

How YOU Could be Paid $10,000 Upfront to Replace Your Gas Stove With an Electric Oven Under Radical Greens Deal With Anthony Albanese — But There’s One Costly Condition

Australians could soon be paid thousands of dollars upfront if they disconnected their gas stove and installed an expensive solar battery, under a Greens deal with Labor on energy policy.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]

Prepare for a Kiwi Invasion! Anthony Albanese Makes it Easier for New Zealanders to Gain Citizenship

The Australian government last week put a six-month hold on all new skilled independent New Zealand migrants applying for class 189 visas until July 1, before announcing a dramatic policy u-turn.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]

Peruvians Protest, Await Ruling on Ex-President’s Detention

Violent protests disrupting tourism and trade across Peru persisted Thursday as a judge considered whether to keep the country’s ex-president in custody while authorities build their case against him for inciting a rebellion

LIMA, Peru — Violent protests disrupting tourism and trade across Peru persisted Thursday as a judge considered whether to keep the country’s ex-president in custody while authorities build their case against him for inciting a rebellion.

The decision on whether to detain former President Pedro Castillo for up to 18 months comes after the government on Wednesday declared a police state in an effort to calm the protests, which have led to at least eight deaths.

Castillo’s supporters began protesting last week after he was removed from power and taken into custody following his attempt to dissolve Congress ahead of an impeachment vote. The latest political crisis has only deepened the instability gripping the country, with six presidents coming and going in as many years.

Peru’s Supreme Prosecutor Alcides Chinchay said in court Thursday that Castillo faces at least 10 years in prison for the rebellion charge.

Protesters are demanding Castillo’s freedom, the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, and the immediate scheduling of general elections to pick a new president and members of Congress. They have burned police stations, taken over an airstrip used by the armed forces and invaded the runway of the international airport in Arequipa, a gateway to some of Peru’s tourist attractions.

           — Hat tip: JW [Return to headlines]

France: Moroccan Migrant Jailed for Raping 59-Year-Old Victim at Knifepoint

A 34-year-old Moroccan migrant has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and placed on France’s sex offenders’ list after being found guilty of raping a 59-year-old woman at knifepoint.

The attack took place in the northern French city of Cherbourg on May 19, 2017, when the victim, upon leaving a bar in the city center, was approached by her knife-wielding assailant who forced her to follow him to a nearby apartment where she told police he threw himself on her and raped her.

The victim did not know her attacker, but police were able to identify the man due to the description she provided to authorities the day following the attack.

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

Germany: Watch: Migrants Drag ‘Last Generation’ Environmental Activists Off the Road

While ‘Last Generation’ environmental activists blocked a road in Germany, the drivers who resorted to force to get them out of the way turned out to be individuals with a migrant background. In the video, which the organization published itself on Twitter, angry men and one woman are seen aggressively dragging away the mostly White activists after they glued themselves to the road.

In the video, the drivers are seen picking up the radicals under their arms or snatching their vests and heaving them aggressively off the road. The climate activists offer little in terms of resistance, especially in the face of the rapid and brusque response of the migrants, one of whom appears to be from a DPD package delivery service van.

[Comment: This is peak clown world.]

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

Judge Blocks Biden Admin’s Push to Scrap Trump-Era Border Policy

A federal judge in Texas blocked the Biden administration from scrapping the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a pause on the Biden administration’s decision to end the program, according to the judge’s order. The policy forces certain illegal immigrants to return to Mexico as they await court proceedings.

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

Migrants Who Head Back to Home Country on Holiday May Lose Residence Permits, Sweden Warns

Migrants in Sweden who regularly go back on holiday to their home countries may have their residence permits revoked, the country’s migration minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, announced at a press conference on Thursday.

The recently elected Swedish government led by the Moderate party has tasked the Swedish Migration Agency to crack down on migrants who abuse the hospitality of their host nation, calling on the agency to take a tougher stance regarding the revocation of residence and work permits.

“If you go back as a tourist, it indicates that you do not need the protection that you stated in the application,” Stenergard told journalists.

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

NYC Mayor Requesting $1 Billion From Biden to Help With Migrants

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has requested $1 billion in emergency funds from the Biden administration in order to house more than 30,000 migrants who have descended upon the city, the New York Post reports.

The city first declared a state of emergency in October, when Adams first told reporters that he would be asking for both federal and state aid to take care of the migrant population, which at the time stood at a little under 20,000.

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

Senator Hawley: Biden Officials “Don’t Want a Border”

Republican Senator Josh Hawley charged Wednesday that the Biden administration is purposefully allowing the migrant crisis to worsen, and that they are ‘executing their plan’ to completely dissolve the Southern border.

Hawley declared that he will refuse to support any amnesty plan as a trade off for promises of securing the border.

“The truth is, we shouldn’t have to trade anything to get the enforcement of our laws at our own southern border,” Hawley told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham.

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

Shock: Afghan Child Rapist Given Police Protection After Teen Girl Murdered by Migrant in Same German Village

An Afghan who gang-raped a 14-year-old girl was granted police protection due to concerns for his safety after another teen girl was murdered by a migrant in the same village in Germany this month, according to reports.

Authorities say they are worried about “possible public discontent” regarding ‘refugees’ following the unprovoked stabbing of two teen girls near an asylum home in the town of Illerkirchberg on December 5 that left a 14-year-old girl dead.

A 27-year-old Eritrean male was arrested for the bloody slaying as officials warned local residents not to blame “asylum seekers in general.”

Some 2,000 people reportedly turned out for the burial of the young victim, identified as Ece S. in German media.

On the day of the funeral, police officers were dispatched to guard a 29-year-old Afghan male who lives in Illerkirchberg, despite being convicted in the 2019 gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in the same town, Bild reports.

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

Wall Street Journal Slams German Migration Policy, Points to Terrible Unemployment Situation

The influential Wall Street Journal has set its sights on Germany’s migration policy, accusing the country of continuing to pursue more migrants for its workforce despite remarkably poor results up until now.

The paper raises the question of the “paradoxical” situation regarding why Germany continues to lack so many workers despite taking in nearly 13 million people since 2015, citing data from the Federal Statistical Office.

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

Biden Suggests Opponents of Child Sex Changes Are Racist, Anti-Semitic and Homophobic: “They’re All Connected”

President Joe Biden suggested Tuesday that anyone who criticizes child sex change surgeries is responsible for “racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia [and] transphobia” — all of which are “connected.”

Biden insisted we have to “protect” transgender children by giving them the “care they need” (i.e. sex changes) “so they know they are loved.”

“Folks, racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia — they are all connected.”

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

Biden DOJ Official Cited Reversal of Roe v. Wade as Motivation for Crackdown on Pro-Life Activists

On December 6, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta cited the reversal of Roe v. Wade as one of the Justice Department’s motivations for cracking down on pro-life activists.

She noted that it had, among other things, increased the government’s tendency to utilize the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

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

California School Board President — Who Rubbed Shoulders With Kamala Harris — Resigns After Inviting Students to His Gay Adult Party… Where They Were Plied With Drinks by Half-Naked Men in Elf Hats and Ogled by ‘Dirty Santa’

Steven Llanusa resigned as president of Claremont Unified School District at the weekend after parents were outraged that their high school-age children had been invited to his Christmas party.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]

Disgraced Former Non-Binary Biden Official Was Behind School Policy to Hide Kids’ ‘Genders’ From Parents

Sam Brinton, the biological male who identifies as non-binary, puppy-fetishist, alleged thief of women’s luggage, and recently fired deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposal in Biden’s Office of Nuclear Energy, has been revealed to have created a school policy when he was working for the Trevor Project that taught school districts techniques to hide from a parent if their child was experiencing gender dysphoria or suicidal ideations in relation to gender ideology.

According to Fox News, Brinton worked for the Trevor Project before joining the Biden administration and said in a September 9, 2019 press release, “our research shows that more than half of LGBTQ youth are not out to a single adult in school; these policies show LGBTQ youth, out or not, that their school is a safe place for them to learn, and that school staff are prepared to help them in times of crisis.”

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

Shocking: Explicit Adult Performances in Front of Children at Texas Christmas-Themed Drag Queen Event

An “All Ages” drag show was held on Wednesday in Austin, Texas called “A Drag Queen Christmas,” which was performed in front of over 20 children and featured performers doing acts like “tits in a box,” simulated sex, spankings, and telling stories of sexual encounters.

Independent journalist Tayler Hansen tweeted, “‘All Ages’ Drag Queen Christmas Mega Thread Yesterday, a blatantly sexualized show meant to groom children was hosted in Austin, TX. This is a national tour with 36 shows in 18 different states, including DC. There is much to go over so it will be covered in this thread.”

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

Spanish Conservatives Team Up With Feminists to Oppose Trans Law

The Spanish conservative People’s Party (PP) is set to hold a one-day conference alongside traditional feminists this week as both come together to oppose a transgender law proposed by the left-wing government.

The PP is expected to hold the one-day event on Friday alongside members of a feminist alliance of 69 different associations. Several doctors, professors and experts will also be expected to be attending the event.

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

Video: Dem Rep. Says Term ‘Pedophile’ is Discriminatory

During a Congressional hearing on ‘anti-LGBTQ violence,’ a Democratic Representative parroted the same claim as several LGBTQ activists that the terms ‘groomer’ and ‘pedophile’ are discriminatory against sexual preferences and gender identity.

During the hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, California Rep. Katie Porter asserted that the phrase “groomer” is a “lie” used to maliciously discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and make them appear to be a “threat.”

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

7 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 12/15/2022

  1. Norwegian judge should have more forethought and put his assets in a family trust so that there was no point in killing him for the money. Not as smart as he thinks he is. LOL She’s probably 10+ years younger too. What an idiot.

  2. Speaking of “state of emergency” declarations by city mayors, our new LA City Mayor has declared a state of emergency due to homelessness. The state of emergency declaration will sunset in six months, unless extended. Be prepared for a continuing state of emergency. The current state of emergency started about 2o years ago.

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