According to a recent poll, a majority of Germans are opposed to sending tanks to Ukraine. On the other hand, a majority of Poles want to continue arming Ukraine.
In other news, during an appearance on a podcast, Elon Musk said that “every conspiracy theory that people had about Twitter turned out to be true.”
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, DV, JW, LP, Reader from Chicago, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
$15 an Hour Minimum Wage Gains Steam in 23 US States
Twenty-three U.S. states are on the verge of implementing a $15 an hour minimum wage.
Historically high inflation growth has been surpassing wage gains over the past year, leaving millions of American workers struggling to pay their bills.
The price of goods is now at a 40-year historical high, while mortgage rates are twice what they were in 2021, as the Federal Reserve increases the borrowing rate to control rising prices.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) hit a historic high of 9.1 percent in June before slowing to 7.1 percent in November.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden’s Push for Digital Cash Raises Major Concerns
As Democrat President Joe Biden continues to push for “digital cash,” major concerns are being raised about the implications of a “cashless” society.
Since January 2021, Americans have endured the many horrors introduced by the Biden administration.
Open borders inviting millions of unvetted illegal immigrants, including human traffickers, criminals, and terrorists; economy-destroying inflation due to rampant money printing; untold quantities of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs flooding U.S. streets; colluding with Big Tech to silence people online; shutting down pipelines and otherwise making our nation energy-vulnerable; and other such policies have already had a long-term impact on American society.
However, one of the most disturbing policies in Biden’s agenda is still in the pipeline: The digital dollar.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland: Inflation Seen Peaking at 19-20 pct in Feb ‘23 — Dep FinMin
Poland’s inflation will likely peak at 19-20 percent year on year in February 2023 and gradually decelerate from then on, a deputy Finance Minister has said.
“It seems that in February we will exceed 19 percent (inflation — PAP); whether it will be 20 percent is currently hard to say… for the time being, according to the Ministry of Finance, it will be in the 19-20 percent range,” Piotr Patkowski told private broadcaster Radio Plus. “As of March, we expect disinflation, i.e. a decline of readings in annual terms.”
“There will be no recession in 2023; currently we forecast there will be ca. 1 percent (GDP growth — PAP),” Patkowski added.
Poland’s 2023 budget is based on the assumption of GDP growth of 1.7 percent and average annual inflation of 9.8 percent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
1-in-6 Illinoisans Rely on Food-Stamps for Christmas Dinner
Authored by Patrick Andriesen via IllinoisPolicy.org
Illinois has the 6th-highest number of residents buying their meals with nutrition benefits, and the number grew almost 11% from a year earlier.
More than 2 million low-income Illinoisans will put holiday dinner on the table with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits this December, the sixth most per capita nationwide.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports 15.9% of Illinoisans — or 1 in 6 — received food assistance in September 2022. The average recipient collected $245 a month.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Almost Every Conspiracy Theory That People Had About Twitter Turned Out to be True’: Elon Musk
On Saturday, Twitter CEO Elon Musk appeared on the All-In podcast and said that “every conspiracy theory that people had about Twitter turned out to be true.”
“Is there a conspiracy theory about Twitter that didn’t turn out to be true?” Musk said. “So far they’ve all turned out to be true, and if not more true than people thought.”
The All-In hosts were asking Musk about the Twitter files, a series of reports detailing conversations at Twitter over several years concerning the company’s efforts towards censorship and collusion with government agencies towards information suppression.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Arizona County Was Stumped by Unregistered Voters, Old Addresses, Discrepant Tallies, Emails Reveal
Following the Nov. 8 midterm elections, officials in Pima County, Ariz., struggled to determine how to handle provisional ballots cast by unregistered voters, discrepant provisional ballot totals, and ballots cast by voters with old addresses — even asking the secretary of state’s office for guidance.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” New York Times columnist David Brooks argued that the teachers’ unions deserve coal for Christmas for the increases in inequality, harm to social mobility, and harm to “the lifelong prospects of a generation of young people” caused by the “overly, overly, overly long” school closures during the pandemic.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democrat Senators Reintroduce Bill to Declare Racism Public Health Crisis
Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Alex Padilla of California and Sherrod Brown of Ohio have reintroduced a Senate resolution that would “declare racism a public health crisis.”
Brown and Padilla are also cosponsors of the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act that would establish a federal commission to study slavery reparations. Booker, the sponsor of the reparations study bill, wrote a letter to President Biden in June calling on him to support the commission.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOT Hands Out $1.5 Billion in Grants for ‘Woke’ Transportation Projects
The Golden Horseshoe is a weekly designation from Just The News intended to highlight egregious examples of wasteful taxpayer spending by the government. The award is named for the horseshoe-shaped toilet seats for military airplanes that cost the Pentagon a whopping $640 each back in the 1980s.
The Golden Horseshoe is a weekly designation from Just The News intended to highlight egregious examples of wasteful taxpayer spending by the government. The award is named for the horseshoe-shaped toilet seats for military airplanes that cost the Pentagon a whopping $640 each back in the 1980s.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Signals Twitter is Making Financial Progress
Twitter CEO Elon Musk appeared on the All-In podcast on Saturday and said the experience of leading Twitter has been a “rollercoaster” and that the company is not “in the fast lane for bankruptcy” any more.
The hosts asked Musk how things were going and he said, “Overall it seems to be going in a good direction and, you know, we’ve got the the expenses reasonably under control. So the company is not, like, in the fast lane of bankruptcy anymore.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is Helping to Fund the Salaries of Dozens of Biden Officials
Eric Schmidt, a former Google CEO who has also advised the United States (US) Congress and the White House, has helped to pay the salaries of more than 24 Biden administration officials via donations from his research and investment firm, Schmidt Futures, to the nonprofit research and advocacy organization, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Frigid Monster Storm Across US Claims at Least 24 Lives
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Millions of people hunkered down against a deep freeze Sunday to ride out the winter storm that has killed at least 25 people across the United States and is expected to claim more lives after trapping some residents inside houses with heaping snow drifts and knocking out power to several hundred thousand homes and businesses.
The scope of the storm has been nearly unprecedented, stretching from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Rio Grande along the border with Mexico. About 60% of the U.S. population faced some sort of winter weather advisory or warning, and temperatures plummeted drastically below normal from east of the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians, the National Weather Service said.
Travelers’ weather woes are likely to continue, with hundreds of flight cancellations already and more expected after a bomb cyclone — when atmospheric pressure drops very quickly in a strong storm — developed near the Great Lakes, stirring up blizzard conditions, including heavy winds and snow. Some 1,707 domestic and international flights were canceled on Sunday as of about 2 p.m. EDT, according to the tracking site FlightAware.
The storm unleashed its full fury on Buffalo, with hurricane-force winds and snow causing whiteout conditions, paralyzing emergency response efforts. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said almost every fire truck in the city was stranded Saturday. Officials said the airport would be shut through Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service said the snow total at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport stood at 43 inches (109 centimeters) at 7 a.m. Sunday.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
GOP Senators Blast McConnell for ‘Arrogance’, Voter Betrayal in Big Spending Bill
Conservative GOP senators blasted Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday for joining with Democrats to shepherd a $1.7 trillion year-end spending bill into law over the objections of House Republicans, saying it was an act of “arrogance” that betrayed promises to voters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hollywood Star Tim Allen Sets CNN Straight: “Maybe a Re-Focus on Accuracy Not BS”
Hollywood star Tim Allen set CNN straight after the network’s new CEO complained about the state of the media in our country. CNN CEO Chris Licht said during a recent interview that “so much of what passes for news is name-calling, half-truths, and desperation.”
Enter Tim Allen who said: “Hmmm…well said quote from the CNN new boss. Maybe a re-focus on accuracy not bs.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
How Big Tech and the FBI Hacked the Constitution
by Daniel Greenfield
Elvis Ming Chan, the FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the center of the TwitterFiles scandal, had started out as an engineer at NEC: a Japanese computer company. The son of Chinese immigrants who was raised in Seattle, near the hub of Big Tech, Chan describes a tech industry where going into national security was always a backdoor option.
“One of my buddies who I worked with at the company I was at, his game plan was always to join The Bureau,” Chan revealed in an interview. “And he got in and he’s calling me from the FBI academy in Quantico, which you were able to visit with me. Maybe we’ll talk about that later. But he said, ‘Elvis,’ he’s calling me on the phone, he’s like, ‘you would love this. We’re shooting guns. We’re kicking down doors. I’m learning about the constitution. This is awesome.’“
Chan was able to influence Twitter so well because he had come out of the tech industry.
The FBI offered tech industry dorks the opportunity to shoot guns and kick down doors, to wield visceral power rather than just virtual power. While the tech industry influenced far more lives, the Bureau could offer something more tangible. It’s why so many of the recent FBI raids on political opponents have featured large teams of heavily armed men. Behind the body armor are ‘mall cops’ with Ivy League degrees who enjoy shooting guns and kicking down doors even though there’s no threat that they’re dealing with that requires them to be doing either one.
Looking to get a hold on the internet, the FBI recruited from the tech industry. And looking to get a hold on security, the industry recruited from the FBI with at least a dozen senior Twitter personnel coming out of the bureau. The revolving door blurred the lines between the government and the tech industry. It’s still unclear what Twitter was doing on its own initiative or at the behest of the FBI. And it’s unclear where the allegiance of FBI people like Chan really lay…
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Los Angeles County Follows City, Extends COVID-Era Eviction Moratorium
Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times
Los Angeles officials have extended COVID-era eviction moratoriums in the city and county until the end of January, continuing some of the nation’s longest-lasting policies that allow low-income residents to delay paying rent.
Following the city’s footsteps, the county Board of Supervisors approved the extension Dec. 20. The board is also considering another six-month extension next year, citing fears of an “eviction tsunami” and increased homelessness.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
More Than 2,300 Flights Canceled Across US on Christmas Day Amid Brutal Winter Storm
More than 2,300 flights were canceled and nearly 6,000 others were delayed on Christmas day as airports across the United States dealt with a historic winter storm, according to flight tracker FlightAware.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pickleball Grows in Popularity, Along With More Trips to the Doctor
Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. over the last two years, with participation seeing over 40% in growth, according to the Sport & Fitness Industry Association. But with its growth comes more injuries.
The game’s roots began in 1965 when former Washington state Lt. Gov. Joel Pritchard and a friend of his were looking to play badminton. The two were not able to find rackets so they improvised with wooden ping-pong paddles and a plastic perforated ball and eventually developed a permanent set of rules.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco Businesses Demand Tax Refund Over Drugs, Crime, & Homelessness Crisis
Authored by Bryan Jung via The Epoch Times
Dozens of San Francisco business owners have formed a new association, demanding that the city government provide tax refunds because of out-of-control streets.
The “Tenderloin Business Coalition,” which consists of 135 businesses and property owners in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, has demanded tax refunds for 2022 after dealing with a wave of rampant crime, homelessness, and drug use that has financially hurt the neighborhood, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Teen Killed in Mall of America Shooting Remembered as ‘Most Loving and Caring Person,’ 5 Arrested
Johntae Hudson, 19, was shot and killed during a shooting at the Mall of America just two days before Christmas on Friday
The teenager who was killed in Friday’s shooting at Minnesota’s Mall of America has been identified by family, and five people have been arrested in connection with the his death.
Johntae Hudson, 19, was identified by family as the victim. In a GoFundMe fundraising page, Johntae’s sister, Janayea Hudson, remembered her brother as “the most loving and caring person to his family and friends.”
She added that Johntae, 19, “radiated positive and fun energy and his smile lit up the room” and was “an overall great person.” Janayea also said that she and her family now “want to give him the funeral he deserves.”
On Saturday, five people were arrested, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges announced in a Facebook post.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Texans Ages 18 and Up Can Carry Firearms After Appeal Dropped
People ages 18 and up can carry handguns in Texas after the state dropped an appeal of a federal court ruling that a Texas law prohibiting people aged 18-20 from carrying a handgun outside the home was unconstitutional.
Texas asked to withdraw the appeal on Dec. 20, according to court records, after initially filing a notice to appeal in September, The Epoch Times reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The FBI Won’t Name Other Social Media Companies it Pays
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has refused to indicate the exact social networks it has paid. This follows recent revelations verifying that the bureau paid Twitter at least $3.5 million.
Representatives for the FBI already spoke to Fox News and said that the substantial Twitter payment was a “reimbursement” for expenses and costs of its requests. The representatives indicated that the payment was to compensate the social media platform for acting in accordance with legal “requests.”
The FBI stated that the group had compensated social media platforms beyond Twitter as well. The news network requested the names of other companies that the FBI had paid for these purposes. The federal agency, however, was not willing to provide further information regarding the matter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Utility Companies Issue Pleas to Conserve Power, Warn of Rolling Blackouts
Several major U.S. utility companies are asking customers to conserve electricity due to freezing temperatures over the weekend, while other companies warned they would impose rolling blackouts.
On Saturday, Duke Energy, which services 8.2 million customers in six states, asked people to “reduce their energy use” through Christmas. Later that day, the company announced that it was “forced to interrupt service to about 500,000 customers in North and South Carolina to maintain the energy grid and prevent further disruptions” due to the cold weather causing an increased demand for power.
Con Edison, which has 3.5 million electric customers, urged the public to set thermostats at the lowest comfortable temperature possible and use appliances only as needed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Virginia Schools Hide Students’ Grades in the Name of Equity
Two administrators at a top high school have come under fire after they were discovered to have been intentionally withholding academic achievement awards from the students who earned them and their parents in the name of “equity,” impacting college admissions.
A disgruntled parent of a Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology student in Fairfax County, Virginia, uncovered the scandal after her son, who scored within the top 3 percent of students in the country, did not receive recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation despite qualifying for the award. The National Merit awards provide a boost to many students as they submit their college applications, and opens doors to at least 800 Special Scholarships from corporate sponsors, reported the New York Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Washington Burglars Take Out Three Power Substations on Christmas
Burglars in Tacoma, Washington, vandalized three power stations on Christmas morning, leaving about 14,000 customers without electricity, according to police.
At about 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a burglary at the Tacoma Public Utilities Substation on 46th Avenue.
When deputies arrived, a statement from the department read, they saw evidence that a fenced area was broken into. While nothing was taken from the substation, police said equipment was vandalized, causing a power outage in the area.
[Comment: I suspect eco-terrorists.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Joe Biden did not participate in the traditional taking of phone calls from children anxiously waiting for Santa Presidents have traditionally been known to take calls from children on Christmas Eve since 1955.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Winter Storm Kills at Least 12 in New York, With More Deaths Expected to be Announced
What will go down in history as the Blizzard of 2022 has already claimed the lives of 12 people in New York, with more expected to be announced in the next six to 12 hours.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attended a storm update briefing in Erie County on Christmas afternoon and said the blizzard surpassed the scale of the Blizzard of ‘77.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hundreds of Thousands of Canadians Without Power as Christmas Storm Rages
Hundreds of thousands of Canadians saw power outages due to the Christmas storm engulfing large parts of the country as railway and airlines cancel services.
Power outages caused by freezing temperatures and high winds affected hundreds of thousands of people across many of Canada’s provinces Saturday morning, including Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and the eastern Maritimes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
One-Third of Canadian Hunters Rely on Firearms for Food: Documents
The internal report, Firearms Public Awareness Campaign: Firearms Owners, was commissioned by Public Safety to “better understand firearms owners and their attitudes.” Survey data was provided to the Liberal government on March 31, 2022, 6 full months prior to the announcement of the new centre-fire semi-automatic and shotgun prohibitions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Premier Smith Addresses Lingering Lockdown Charges Against Albertans
Earlier this week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith joined The Ezra Levant Show for a special year-end interview. While the full interview is available for our premier subscribers, which you can become by clicking here, a free audio-only version of Ezra and Premier Smith’s discussion can be heard in the player above.
In this clip from their conversation, Premier Smith and the Rebel Commander discuss what happens next for Albertans who were charged under previous public health restrictions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Three Quarters of Canadian Believe Worst of COVID-19 is Over, Poll Shows
Canadians are optimistic concerning Covid-19, believing that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, according to a year-end survey.
The poll, conducted by Research Co., asked Canadians whether or not they believed the worst of the pandemic was “behind us,” finding that 75% of Canadians agree with this sentiment. This represents a seven percent increase since Research Co. conducted a similar poll in August.
Less than one in five Canadians said that they thought the worst of the pandemic was still ahead, while under 10% responded that they were unsure — a three percent decrease to both figures since August.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Climate Protesters Attempt to Hijack TV Christmas Service, Foiled by German Police
Radical climate activists attempted to hijack a live televised Christmas service in the hopes of preaching their green agenda, but were foiled after the police intercepted their plans.
Members of the Last Generation radical climate action group attempted to hijack a televised Christmas service in Germany on Saturday afternoon, seemingly in the hopes of commandeering the religious ceremony to spread their own green ideology on live television.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Riots in Paris continued into their second day in the wake of a mass shooting at a Kurdish community centre, with demonstrators being seen clashing with police and cars being overturned and set on fire.
Thousands of Kurdish demonstrators and left-wing activists poured out onto the streets of Paris on Christmas Eve in response to a shooting in which three people died and a further three people were injured at a Kurdish community centre on Friday morning.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Govt Wants to Remote Control Home Heat, Electric Car Charge
A government agency in Germany has announced a new scheme that will see power suppliers able to remotely limit home heating and electric car charging.
Germany’s Federal Network Agency, a government watchdog responsible for the regulation of electricity and gas in the country, has announced a new plan that will allow power grid operators to remotely limit the use of heat pumps and electric car chargers in Germany next winter without the user’s permission.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
How Klaus Schwab’s WEF is Weaponizing Banking
Over the past two years or so, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) influence over governments and institutions of sovereign nations has become increasingly apparent.
Founded in 1971 by German economist Klaus Schwab, the WEF has remained fairly under the radar for decades.
However, the organization has been quietly expanding its icy grip around the throats of the world’s population by installing operatives in the upper echelons of governments and corporations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Majority of Germans Against Sending Tanks to Ukraine — Poll
Nearly half of Germans do not want to see the country’s Leopard 2 battle tanks handed over to Ukraine, a recent YouGov opinion poll has indicated. Kiev has been imploring Berlin for the hardware for several months now, so far to no avail.
In its report on Sunday, media outlet Das Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), citing a YouGov survey, said 45% of respondents opposed the shipment of Leopard 2 tanks to the eastern European country, while another 33% spoke in favor of the transfer, with the remaining 22% undecided.
The poll commissioned by Die Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) also revealed that it is only among supporters of the German Green Party that the number of those backing the move exceeds the number of skeptics, 50% to 25%, respectively.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Majority of Poles Want to Continue Arming Ukraine Indicates Poll
As many as 77.5 percent of the public are in favour of Poland continuing to arm Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, a recent poll has revealed.
The Rzeczpospolita daily, which commissioned the survey by pollster IBRiS, highlighted that Poland has to date sent Ukraine in excess of USD 2 billion in weaponry.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope Laments ‘Senseless War, ‘ ‘Economic Crisis’ In Christmas Address
Pope Francis on Sunday lamented the “senseless war” in Ukraine along with conflicts across the world while acknowledging economic hardship.
The pope delivered his traditional Christmas address at noon to 70,000 tourists packed into St. Peter’s Square, Rome, on a mild winter day as temperatures reached nearly 60 degrees Fahrenheit, The Associated Press reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rescue Crews Search for Last Skiers Still Buried in Austria Avalanche
Mountain rescue crews in Austria have managed to rescue all but two skiers after an avalanche on Sunday, local media reports.
About 200 rescue workers were initially searching for a group of ten people feared trapped under the snow near the town of Zuers, but most have now been rescued according to Austrian media outlets
The avalanche occurred at around 15:00 CET on the 2,700-metre high Trittkopf mountain between Zuers and Lech am Arlberg, and the cascading snow reached as far as nearby ski trails.
The avalanche followed days of snow in the high alpine region and unseasonably warm weather on Christmas Day, the Austria Press Agency reported, citing local police. The local mountain rescue service had rated the avalanche danger as “high.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tens of Thousands of Germans Are Turning Their Backs on Churches
The numbers are alarming for churches. This year, too, the Catholic Church and the Protestants (EKD) have lost tens of thousands of believers through resignations. This threatens them with a new negative record. And the remaining members are also thinking about saying goodbye.
The churches in Germany are having to contend with mass disertions again this year. In Munich alone, a total of 26 008 people left the Catholic and Protestant churches by December 15, according to a survey by the dpa news agency. That is almost 4 000 more than in 2021.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK University: Don’t Say “Christmas” Because it’s Too “Christian-Centric”
Authored by Dave Huber via TheCollegeFix.com
A British university’s “inclusive language guidance” document recommends using the phrase “winter closure period” in place of “Christmas closure period” because the latter is … “too Christian-centric.”
It also recommends not asking people about their “Christian name.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Woman Killed in Christmas Eve Pub Shooting
AP News — A Christmas Eve shooting at a pub in northwest England killed a young woman and wounded three men, police said Sunday.
The Merseyside Police force said it was investigating the 11:50 p.m. Saturday shooting at the Lighthouse pub in the town of Wallasey as a murder case. Police have not detained any suspects.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: King Charles Remembers Queen Elizabeth, First Responders in Christmas Address
King Charles III on Sunday remembered his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and thanked first responders for their “selfless dedication” in his first Christmas address as ruler of the United Kingdom.
“Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones,” Charles said, recalling his mother, who died in September. “We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Nigel Farage Returning to Front Line Politics Poses Serious Threat to Conservatives: Report
Swathes of traditionally strong Conservative areas are now on majorities so marginal the Reform party simply standing against the Tories could unseat MPs, political analysts talking to The Guardian have said.
Potentially dozens of Conservative MPs including many household names hold seats which are now at serious risk of being lost at the next election if present trends of the one-time Brexit Party, now Reform UK, polling well and a Labour surge continue in the coming years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Prince Andrew ‘Evicted’ From Buckingham Palace by King Charles Over Epstein Scandal: Report
Prince Andrew has reportedly been “evicted” from Buckingham Palace by his brother King Charles III in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein sexual abuse scandal.
Although Prince Andrew was cast out of the ranks of working members of the Royal Family last year by his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of York had maintained a private office in Buckingham Palace.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bethlehem Rebounds From Pandemic as Christmas Visitors Return
Throughout the day hundreds of people strolled through Manger Square for Christmas Eve celebrations.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Iran Protests Reach 100 Days: 5 Things to Know
After 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini was killed by the morality police in September over her hijab, Iranians of all ages have taken to the streets to protest the Islamic Republic and its radical Sharia laws.
As protests surpassed 100 days this past week, Iranians continue to march throughout the country in town squares, local neighborhoods, bazaars, and universities, calling for an end to the mullahs’ reign. They have persisted in the face of brutal repression from Iranian security forces.
Here are five things to know about the upheaval.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Government has been warned that the nation plans to go ahead with several executions over Christmas while the West celebrates the tradition, in order to steer clear of a diplomatic ‘blowback’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Death of Christianity in Bethlehem
After noting that there “has been a marked uptick in religiously motivated attacks by Palestinian Muslims on Christians in Bethlehem,” a report from November 21 offers these examples:
“Just over two weeks ago, a Muslim man was accused of harassing young Christian women at a Forefathers Orthodox Church in Beit Sahour near the city of Bethlehem. Soon after, the church was attacked by a large mob of Palestinian men who hurled rocks at the building while congregants cowered inside. Several of the congregants were injured in the attack.
The Palestinian Authority, responsible for security in the area, did nothing.
In October, unidentified gunmen shot at the Christian-owned Bethlehem Hotel after a video on social media associated the hotel with a display that included cardboard cutouts of a Star of David and a Menorah. …
No arrests were made in connection with the shooting.
Perhaps the greatest shock to the community came in April when the Palestinian evangelical pastor, Johnny Shahwan, was arrested by the Palestinian Authority security forces on charges of ‘promoting normalization’ with Israel. …
In January, a large group of masked men carrying sticks and iron bars attacked Christian brothers, Daoud and Daher Nassar, on their farm near Bethlehem. The Palestinian courts have been working to confiscate the farm that has been owned by the family since the Ottoman Empire.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kyiv urged people to go to shelters after the air alert was announced. It comes as Russian shelling killed 10 in Kherson on Christmas Eve (pictured) and injured 58.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
In an address to the nation to mark Christmas Eve, Zelensky urged his compatriots to persevere through a tough winter despite the absence of dead or exiled loved ones.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Expert: Ukraine ‘Would Not Exist’ Without Western Weapons Supplies
A Finnish professor of military history has claimed that western weapons supplies to Ukraine have been so influential in the current conflict with Russia that the country may not exist without them.
Adjunct professor of European military history and non-fiction writer Markku Salomaa has claimed that supplies of advanced weapons from the United States and other allies to Ukraine have proven to be an immense boon for Ukraine in its current conflict with Russia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Claims Moscow Ready for Ukraine Talks as Attacks Go On
“We’re defending our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people,” he said.
KYIV, Ukraine — President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia is ready for talks to end the war in Ukraine even as the country faced more attacks from Moscow — a clear sign that peace wasn’t imminent.
Putin said in a state television interview, excerpts of which were released on Sunday afternoon that Russia is “prepared to negotiate some acceptable outcomes with all the participants of this process.”
He said that “it’s not us who refuse talks, it’s them” — something the Kremlin has repeatedly stated in recent months as its 10-month old invasion kept losing momentum.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
The traditional Christmas song Silent Night is playing over the advertisement with a piano accompaniment. The video concentrates on a family celebrating Christmas.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Signals Russia Ready to Negotiate Over Ukraine, Says Kyiv and West Won’t Engage
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview aired Sunday that Moscow is ready to negotiate about the war in Ukraine but Kyiv and the West have refused to talk.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February as part of what Putin called a “special military operation” with the goal of the “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.” However, Kyiv said it will not stop fighting until every Russian soldier has left its territory.
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Russia Expands Invasive Biometric Pay Technology on Metro
Starting in January 2023, the Moscow Metro in Russia will expand its biometric payment service to 330 more turnstiles through the Face Pay system, making journeys more “convenient” for passengers but also more privacy-invasive.
According to Moscow Deputy Mayor for Transport Maksim Liksutov, the system is already being used by over 220 thousand users.
The metro’s new technology means that passengers can pay for their tickets using their face, meaning they no longer need to carry coins or cards with them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
India: Muslim Man Electrocutes Hindu Wife; Buried Dead Body in Bedroom
Sania Singh | HENB | Lakhimpur | Dec 25, 2022:: A shocking case of interfaith love marriage has come to light in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. A Muslim man, who had married a Hindu woman, killed her after seven years of marriage. The woman had reportedly even converted to Islam to marry the man. According to reports, the husband electrocuted his wife to death and then buried her body in the bedroom where he slept two days after ,murder in a gruesome way.
Wasi Mohammad Faiz had married Uma Sharma, seven years ago. After marriage, Mohammad Faiz converted Uma and gave her the name of Aqsa Fatma. There used to be frequent quarrels between the couple and after one such quarrel two days ago, Mohammad electrocuted his wife while she was sleeping and buried the dead body in the room of the house. The incident happened in Hafizpur village of Gola Gokarnath Kotwali area.
At the time of the incident, Faiz’s mother had gone to her son-in-law’s house in Kanpur. When she returned, she did not find Uma at home. When she asked Faiz, he tried to mislead his mother. After this, she grew suspicious and later reported it to the police. Police reached the spot and recovered the body from the room and sent it for post-mortem.
Police officials said that the accused has been arrested. After investigating the matter, strict action will be taken against the culprit, said the police spokesman.
Police have been deployed at the house of the accused. A police official said that while the matter seems to be of domestic discord prima facie, all angles will be looked into. The police said that action will be taken based on the postmortem and investigation report.
“In the Gola Police station area of Lakhimpur, a woman named Ashiya came to the police station to complain that her son had killed her daughter-in-law because of dowry. After getting the information, police reached the spot and recovered the body,” police officer, Rajesh Kumar, said.
“The police arrested the deceased’s husband on suspicion. The body has been sent for a postmortem examination. Following an investigation, strict action will be taken against the perpetrators,” Kumar said.
Still, in a state of shock, the family Uma is yet to speak in front of the camera. The incident sparked widespread outrage among the Hindu community, with many organisations terming it a case of ‘Love Jihad’.
Series of gruesome murder of Hindu girls and women by their Muslim live-in-partners, boy friends or husbands are being reported in the media which are creating reactions in the Hindus to reject Muslim friendship as a dangerous thing.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Major International Aid Groups Suspend Work in Afghanistan After Taliban Bans Women From Work
Four major international groups suspended activities in Afghanistan on Sunday after the Taliban banned women from being employed by nongovernmental organizations as part of the fundamentalist group’s sweeping crackdown on women’s rights.
Leaders of Save the Children, CARE and the Norwegian Refugee Council wrote in a joint statement that the Taliban’s new rule means they must suspend operations in Afghanistan as they cannot effectively reach those in need without female employees. Thousands of Afghans will lose their jobs as a result, the three groups said.
The International Rescue Committee, which has worked in Afghanistan since 1998, released a statement independently about its decision to cease operations. More than 8,000 people, including 3,000 women, were employed by the committee in Afghanistan.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China’s Foreign Minister Signals Deeper Ties With Russia
Wang Yi also blamed America for the deterioration in relations between the world´s two largest economies.
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Death Toll From S. Africa’s Gas Explosion Rises to 15
The death toll caused by a gas explosion that occurred in South Africa’s Boksburg has risen to 15 as of Sunday morning, Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said on Sunday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
On Saturday morning, a truck carrying gas got stuck under a low-lying bridge in Boksburg, Gauteng Province, resulting in fire and explosion.
A total of 24 patients and 13 staff members at the Tambo Memorial Hospital, which is 100 meters from the scene of the incident, were injured. “Sadly, among the injured staff members, a driver and two nurses have passed on,” Phaahla said.
Gauteng Police Spokesperson Brenda Muridili said the gas tanker driver was arrested on Sunday at a private hospital where he had been receiving medical treatment for injuries.
“The 32-year-old suspect has been charged with multiple counts of culpable homicide, and negligent causing of an explosion resulting in deaths and malicious damages to property,” Muridili said, adding that the driver will appear at the Boksburg Magistrates Court on Dec. 28.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Migrant Dies After Detention Centre Inmates Set Fires to ‘Protest’ Border Controls
A 38-year-old migrant from Morocco died in an Italian detention centre this week after another migrant set his mattress on fire in a protest against the living conditions in the centre.
The incident took place earlier this week in an asylum seeker detention centre in Brindisi and saw a migrant set fire to his mattress causing smoke to spread within the structure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
More Migrants Dropped Off Outside VP Harris’ Home on Christmas Eve
Several buses of migrants were left in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Washington, D.C., on Christmas Eve in freezing weather.
Two initial busloads were brought to shelters, an administration official told CNN. More buses arrived at the Naval Observatory, where the vice president lives, later Saturday evening. Those migrants were given blankets and taken to a local church.
It is unclear who sent the most recent busload of migrants to the vice president’s residence, but Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott sent a bus to Harris’ home earlier this year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
7 ‘Woke’ Comedians Who Have Become Consumed by Leftist Politics
“Woke” leftist celebrities are everywhere these days.
And it’s not difficult to figure out why we are constantly bombarded with the weak-minded political onions of fame-hungry individuals.
It’s no secret that the corporate media will amplify any “woke” celebrity who is willing to publicly attack conservative values, even if they are making false claims.
On the other hand, stars who express conservative leanings can often see themselves demonized or canceled over their views.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An All-Ages Drag Brunch in Calgary Attracts Protesters
The Attic Bar and Stage in Calgary hosted an all-ages drag brunch which was titled “Waffle-y Cute,” with their slogan ‘drag, but make it adorable.’ The ‘all ages’ aspect and their call on the youth to come out is what drew lots of attention.
Lots of videos have been circulating online these last few months of children at drag events where things have gotten beyond inappropriate. Many people are concerned with children having anything to do with such performances, but some think it is completely fine and beneficial for kids to be introduced into the LGBTQ2S+ community by these events.
Two groups of protesters gathered outside for hours in extremely cold conditions, clashing at moments until the police presence continued to grow and move them apart.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Here’s What’s in the ‘Obscene’ Books Being Removed From Schools Across the Country
Through 2022, parents across the country have fought to have books deemed “age inappropriate” and “pornographic” removed from schools.
Across 5,000 schools, more than 1,600 book titles were removed in the 2021-2022 school year, according to NBC News. The books most commonly removed from schools, including “Gender Queer: A Memoir” and “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” contain images of masturbation and explicit descriptions of sexual encounters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Maine Mother Calls for Resignations After School Social Worker Tried to Secretly Transition Daughter
A mother is calling for the resignation of school officials in Maine after finding out that a public school social worker began attempting to secretly transition her daughter.
The Damariscotta, Maine, mother demanded the resignation of multiple school officials at a school board meeting after she found out that a social worker had been attempting to transition her daughter, a report from the Maine Wire revealed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Which tanks shall we Germans send?
The ones that are broken down or the ones that aren`t working.
Just asking for a friend.
Doesn’t matter since neither have any rounds.
Realistically though, the real reason the German government has been reticent to send any German-made tanks is they know that as soon as they do, the Ukrainians will either sell them to the Russians, allow them to be captured, or both.
And having German tanks paraded through Red Square as trophies of war would be an absolute disaster that even the idiots in charge of Germany have sense enough to recognize.
Alex, Those tanks do work and are 100% operational, the Bundeswehr just tells the Ministry that they don’t. It’s actually quite genius really.
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Bill Gates Planning ‘Catastrophic Contagion’ That Kills ‘Millions of Children’
The People’s Voice
Published December 13, 2022
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